be more or lesse capable of his presence or participation But this participation in what degree in what manner or measure soever it be had includes no physicall composition or confusion of natures Thus much Athanasius to prevent all captious exceptions against this similitude had sufficiently expressed in the place forecited though he be God and man yet he is not two but one Christ One not by the conversion of the Godhead into flesh but by taking of the manhood into God One altogether not by confusion of substance but by unitie of person 5. Some Philosophers there are and have been who although they grant a Physicall composition of matter and forme in man yet they deny the reasonable soule the intellectuall part at lest to be the forme of man or any part of the Physicall compound which in their Philosophy is prerequired to the constitution of man not any proper part of his essence or nature That visible live-substance wherein the reasonable soule during her pilgrimage here on earth doth reside as in a walking prison is in these mens Philosophy or Divinity as formally distinguished by its meer organical faculties or bodily senses from all other living sensitive creatures as any of them is from another And they are distinguished each from other only by the peculiar manner of the senses or modification of their organicall faculties The reasonable soule or faculty of reason is in this opinion rather the Crowne or Diadem whereby man excells all other creatures as their King or Governour then the Physicall forme whereby he is formally or specifically distinguished from them According to this opinion there should be in one and the same man two distinct compleat natures one bodily physicall compound indued with sense and subject to mortality another rationall and immortall And these two natures make one man not by physicall composition or union of matter and forme but by a peculiar subordination of the sensitive Creature unto the rationall or of sense unto reason as true as firme and reall as the subordination of life is to sense or bodily mixture is unto life or vegetation but not by the same manner of subordination If Athanasius his philosophy were of this mould his comparison would be true quoad modum however leaving the examination of this opinion to the Schooles let us examime his comparison quoad veritatem mensuram 6 Such Philosophers as grant the reasonable soule to be a forme truely physicall and an incompleat part of mans nature do not for the most part affirme that it is propagated from the parents of our bodyes but created by God as the soule of the first man was And yet even these men who deny the reasonable soule to be ex traduce do not avouch that only the bodily part or flesh of man is conceived but the whole man who consists of a reasonable soule aswell as of a body The full and perfect conception of every living thing includes not only a preparation of the bodily substance for receiving the foule but besides this the unition of the foule whether sensitive only or reasonable with its proper body And seeing the proper nature of man consists especially in reason there can be no perfect conception of man as man untill the reasonable soule be seated in and united unto the bodily substance fitted or organized for it Whether that bodily substance were before this union endued with sense or no is not much pertinent to the point now in hand However Philosophers may dispute that case this position is proper and philosophicall Man doth beget man and woman conceives man although the reasonable soule which is the principall part of man do not take its originall or beginning of being either from the man that begets him or from the woman that conceives and brings him forth but immediately from GOD. 7 This assertion likewise is Christian and Theologicall The blessed Virgin did truely conceive and bring forth Christ Jesus God and man the sonne of God and the sonne of David albebeit the Divine nature which is the excellency of Christ did not take beginning from her but was from all eternitie without beginning yet not united to the manhood till the conception wrought by the holy Ghost in the Virgins womb though both assertioÌ„s be most true yet the grouÌ„d of this theologicall assertion is more perspicuous and firme then the ground of the philosophers assertion wherewith it is paralleld Wee Christians may give a better reason of our faith and forme of doctrine then the Philosophers can give of their opinion or manner of phrase in this point First in the conception of ordinary or meere men the bodily substance or the materiall part hath a distinct existence of its owne before it be united unto the reasonable soule and the reasonable soule likewise hath a proper existence at least in order of nature if not of time precedent to its vnion with its body Nor is the union so perfect as to make simply but one existence of both It is actually one potentially two and in the dissolution of body and soule they are actually severed there is not then so much as coexistence or existence of the one in the other But neither the substance which the sonne of God took from the blessed virgin nor the reasonable soule which was united unto it had any proper existence before their union with the divine nature The bodily substance assumed by his divine person was a part of the blessed virgines individuall nature and had its whole existence in her before its assumption but by the assumption it hath existence wholly in him not as a part but as an Appendix to his divine person That which the Philosophers or Schoole Divines say concerning the creation of the reasonable soule and its union with mans body is more remarkably true of Christs humane soule The reasonable soule say the Philosophers infundendo creatur et creando infunditur is created by infusion and is infused by creation Christs reasonable soule was not in order either of time or nature first created then assumed sed assumendo creabatur et creando assumebatur it was created whilest it was assumed and it was assumed whilst it was created Whether it were united to the body or flesh from the first moment of their assumption is an extravagant to this assertion The substance likewise which our blessed Saviour tooke from his mother was not either in order of time or of nature first conceived or prepared by any praeviall dispositions for the divine natures habitation in it and then assumed sed inter assumendum concipiebatur et inter concipieâ—dum assumebatur it was conceived by assumption and assumed in or by its conception 8. The next branch of this inquiry is what is meant when wee say the fruit of the Virgins womb was assumed by the Sonne of God This forme of speech imports thus much at the least that the son of God or the divine nature in his person
behold a doore was opened in Heaven and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me which said Come up hit her and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter And immediately I was in the Spirit and behold a throne was set in heaven and one sate on the throne And round about the throne were foure and twenty seats and upon the seats I saw foure and twenty Elders sitting cloathed in white rayment And they had on their heads Crownes of gold c. The foure and twenty Elders fell downe before him that sate on the throne and worship him that liveth for ever and cast their Crownes before him saying Thou art worthy O Lord to receive glory and honour and power for thou hast created all things and for thy pleasure they are and were created This praising of him that sate upon the throne was that wherunto the Author of the 103. Psalme did solemnly invite the heavenly powers long before S. Iohn had this vision For after he had said the Lord had prepared his throne in the heavens and his Kingdome ruleth over all it followes immediately Blesse the Lord yee his Angels that excell in strength that do his Commandements hearkning unto the voice of his word Blesse yee the Lord all yee his hosts yee Ministers of his that do his pleasure Blesse the Lord all his workes in all places of his Dominion Blesse the Lord O my soule That which our Saviour saith of Abraham was in its measure true of this Psalmist he also saw the day of Christ the day of his glorious resurrection that day wherof it is said thou art my Sonne this day have I begotten thee and did rejoyce in soule to see it and his owne interest in it an assured hope of his inheritance in the heavenly Kingdome 5. But the vision of David to this purpose in that Psalme which amongst some few others beares the inscription of Michtam Davids Ieweler golden song as some would have it is most punctually cleare Keep me O God for in thee do I put my trust that is as the Chaldee explaines it In thy word have I put my trust or hope for salvation Psal 16. 1. and ver 2. I have said unto the Lord Adonai And againe ver 8. c. I have set the Lord alwayes before me because he is at my right hand I shall not be moved Therefore my heart is glad and my glory rejoyceth my flesh also shall rest in hope But here the Eunuches question unto Philip will interpose it selfe Of whom speaketh the Prophet this of himselfe or of some other I can no way brooke their opinion who thinke the Psalmist speakes all this in the person of Christ as his figure but rather in this as in many other Psalmes and in the two last forecited especially some passages there be which cannot be literally applyed but to the Psalmist himselfe others which cannot be applyed to any one but Christ that is to God or the word incarnate and the 9. verse My heart is glad c. containes a feeling expression of that joy or exultation of spirit which did possesse all the faculties both of Davids body and soule But what was the object of this his exultatiō or the ground of his joy He expresseth it ver 10. Thou wilt not leave my soule in Hell neither wilt thou suffer thy holy one to see corruption But the same question here interposeth againe Doth he speak all this of himselfe or of some other Whatsoever may bee thought of the former clause of that verse thou wilt not leave my soule in Hell which as some think might be meant both of Christ and David though in a different measure most certaine it is that the later clause Thou wilt not suffer thy holy one to see corruption was not literally meant of David much lesse fulfilled in him but literally meant of him alone and literally fulfilled in him alone whom David in spirit called Lord though he then foresaw he should truly be his sonne This undoubted truth we learne from S. Peter Acts 2. 29. Men and brethren let me freely speake unto you of the Patriarch David that he is both dead and buried and his sepulcher is with us unto this day Therefore being a Prophet and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that of the fruit of his loines according to the flesh he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne he seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ that his soule was not left in Hell neither his flesh did see corruption And S. Paul Acts 13. 36 37. more fully and more punctually to our animadversions upon this later clause expounds it thus David after he had served his owne generation by the will of God fell on sleepe and was laid unto his Fathers and saw corruption But he whom God raised againe saw no corruption In this as in many other Psalmes the comfort which did arise from the sweet contemplations was Davids owne or the Psalmists who foresaw that great mystery whereof we now treat that the fountaine of their comfort was Christ or God incarnate who was to be raised from the dead David in this Psalme did rejoyce in heart that albeit he knew his nature to be like the grasse that withereth albeit he knew his soule should be divorced from his body yet this divorce he knew by faith should not be perpetuall that albeit he could not but expect his body his flesh and bones should rott in his sepulcher as the body and flesh of his forefathers to whom he was to be gathered had done yet he foresaw in spirit that even his body should at length be redeemed from corruption by the resurrection of that holy One whose body though separated for a time from his immortall soule was not to see or feele any corruption Finally though David and other Psalmists forecited if others they were did perfectly and explicitly foreknow that they were to die yet had they as true implicit beleife of that which our Apostle explicitly delivers Golos 3. 3 4. That their life was hid with Christ in God that when Christ who was their life should appeare they should also appeare with him in glory 6. To the former generall Quaere in what sense we are said by S. Iohn to be borne of God we answer that to be borne of God is all one with that of S. Peter to be borne of immortall seed but what is that immortall seed whereof S. Peter saith we are borne againe That in one word is the flesh and blood of the sonne of man who is also the sonne of God So hee himselfe instructs us Iohn 6. 53 54 55. Verily verily I say unto you except yee eate the flesh of the sonne of man and drinke his bloud yee have no life in you Who so eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath eternall life and I will raise him up at the last day For
as impossible for any Painter or Limmer to attaine as it is for an Astrologicall Physitian to describe the nature complexion or disposition of men that shall have no actuall being or existence till hee be dead Now Christs acts and offices his humiliation and exaltation were not more exactly fore-described or displayed by the Prophets then they were fore-pictured or fore-shadowed by Historicall events or legall types Every such type or event was a reall or substantiall though a silent Prophecie and the most expresse prophecie concerning Christ was but a speaking type or vocall shadow The spirit of God did speake by the one and signifie his purpose by the other his wisdome in both is alike admirable The most exquisite Artist living cannot take so true a proportion of a mans face as it selfe without any art or invention will draw in a true glasse yet this wee admire not because it is ordinary But to make as perfect a resemblance of a mans visage by a chaos of Chymaera's or painted devises which represent no visible creature if you looke upon them single or transmit their shapes into a plaine glasse might well seeme an invention surpassing all skill of Art if a late Artist had not given us an ocular demonstration of this skill in thus representing the perfect visage of that great and famous Prince Henry the fourth of France however there be no resemblance of any humane face or of any part thereto belonging in the painted Base yet the reflection of such incondite figures or confused fancies as are thereon painted falling upon a Columne of brasse or Bell mettle glazed with latten placed in the centre or point assigned in the plaine table by the Author of this invention doth effigiate this great Princes visage and countenance as perfectly as any picture which hath beene taken of him in his life time The skill in this devise is so admirable as it would require but a very little skill in Rhetorick to perswade an illiterate man which hath seene him living that his Ghost were present though invisible to by standers looking upon it selfe in this artificiall visible glasse yet all this skill exhibited in this masterpiece of modern inventions how admirable soever it may seeme to men not exercised in the like is comprehensible to accurate Artists in this kinde and can afford no true illustration of the incomprehensible wisedome of God in forepicturing Christ with his Acts and offices Of this incomprehensible wisedome wee have a better model by adding this supposition or fiction to the former invention that an hundred picture-makers or more having had free libertie one after another to draw their lines and postures upon the same table none of them acquainting another with his intention or worke should have framed such a true representation as this now extant is of Henry the fourth French King in the age before he was borne But after a more admirable manner then this fiction supposeth were Christ and his Crosse c. forepictured by matters of fact by historicall events by types and ceremonies and by the concurrence with these of mens free actions intentions which knew not one another much lesse had notice of their purposes the last of thē living more then 400. years before Christ was cōceived For the right apprehension or imblazoning these meerely typicall representations of Christ no artificiall skill is more usefull then the true Art of Heraldy or skill in Hieroglyphicks And no kinde of learning more usefull for the right apprehension of the third kinde of testimonies or prenotions concerning Christ then the insight in Emblemes devises or impreses CHAP. 11. Of testimonies concerning Christ typically propheticall or prophetically typicall and of their concludent proofe MEere types are true Hieroglyphicks and Hieroglyphicks are as bodies without soules that is Pictures without inscriptions Emblemes or Impreses must have both body and soule a devise with its inscription or motto And so doe testimonies of the third ranke proposed concerning Christ consist of a Type as the body or devise and have words propheticall annext as the soule or breath And this kinde of testimonie or prenotion of Christ is of two sorts either typicall and propheticall or Propheticall and typicall That some difference there was betwixt these two expressions not only in the order or placing of the words but in the matter also thus transplaced was intimated before Chapter 5. Wheresoever the type hath precedence or is concomitant to the inscription annext unto it yet so as both point at Christ to come there the testimony or proofe is typicall propheticall Where the words or prophecie have precedence of the type and both referre unto Christ the proofe or prenotion is prophetically typicall That the ceremony of the paschall Lambe was instituted by God himselfe to prefigure or forepicture our Saviour Christ no Christian denies And one Law concerning the Paschall Lambe was that not a bone thereof should be broken Exod. 12. 46. The words of this Law were no prediction in respect of the first institution of the passeover but an appendix or concomitant and yet a most remarkable prophecie in respect of our Saviour Christ in the manner of whole death both the type and the Law of the type were by Gods admirable providence exactly fulfilled Then came the soldiers saith St. John and brake the legs of the first and of the other which was crucified with him But when they came to Iesus and saw that he was dead already they brake not his legges but one of the soldiers with a speare pierced his side That our Apostle Saint John did take both these events as a concludent proofe that Christ was the true Lambe of God foreshadowed by the Paschall is apparent from his emphaticall expression of his observation upon it He that saw it bare record and his record is true and he kneweth that he saith true that hee might beleeve For these things were done that the scripture should be fulfilled A bone of him shall not be broken And againe Zach. 12. 10. They shall looke on him whom they have peirced John 19. 32. 37. 2. Those words of the Prophet Hosea cap. 11. 1. according to their literall sense referre to an historicall event forepast When Israel was a child then I loved him and I called my sonne out of Egypt They beare no semblance of prophecy in respect of the Israelites deliverance out of Egypt by Moses but both this deliverance the prophets observation upon it have a peculiar aspect unto Christ who was by divine appointment to sojourne a while in Egypt but to be called thence So as the same words which are an historicall narration in respect of the type to wit Israel or the sonnes of Jacob brought out of Egypt by Moses are an expresse prophecy of Christs comming thence with Joseph and his mother into the Land of promise That speech of the Psalmist likewise Psal 118. 22. The stone which the builders refused is become the
Antagonists from all advantage of hold either gotten or aimed at But our Apostle did imitate their practise upon his owne body not on any others for his owne body was his chiefe Antagonist The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath in that place no immediate reference unto the preaching of the Gospell but did generally import such as were tryers of Olympick games whether wrestlings whirlebats or the like The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 comprehends all which lost the prize for which they contended whether by sluggishnesse or foule play The same word commeth to signifie a Reprobate or a man finally rejected by God or irreverfibly deprived of his good spirit but at the second third or fourth hand And those interpreters of sacred writ who take this title usuall in Scripture to be a metaphor or speech borrowed from false coines or counterfeit metals faile more in Logique then in Grammar though faile they doe in both It sometimes indeed referres or alludes unto false or counterfeit it coines and according to this reference it comes the nearest to the denotation of a Reprobate or a man finally rejected by God For that coine which is for substance but brasse or copper will hardly if at all after it be cast aside upon tryall go amongst wise men for currant money The transmutation of baser metals into more pretious however some men professe this skill is seldome effected perhaps not facible whereas he that was this yeare 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Olympick games or other like prizes might the next yeare be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or crowned as victor But the originall word for its formall or abstract signification is a great deale more generall then to be restrained either to coyned metalls or to men which strive for mastery in any kinde of activity It properly imports a rejection upon just triall and is applyable to matters and persons almost infinite 14. Or if we interpret this word by its reference unto money or coynes yet even these may be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 more wayes then one either for the basenesse of the metall or for the counterfeit stamp or for want of weight For if it bee but some few graines too light any man may refuse it although it beare Caesars image and superscription Or if it be full waight and pure gold withall yet if it be elsewhere estamped then where Caesar shall appoint or by any stamp or person not authorized no man is bound to receive it and he that tenders it is to be punished And yet both these kindes of Reprobate coines may bee legitimated or made currant by new coining or addition of quantitie without any alteration of the qualitie But coines 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the metall as if that be brasse copper or silver gilt and estamped for gold albeit they be full waight are by no Lawes currant And yet some there be as we said which professe the art of turning such metalls into gold but whether this be facible or no is no point of Divinity But surely the Almighty Creator of all things hath more skill in transforming men of what condition soever then any Alchymist hath in changing metalls from worse to better Even such as are said to bee given over by him into a Reprobate sense 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may for ought we know bee afterwards refined by him and become 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Justifiable men Many of the Gentiles were delivered by him into a reprobate sense not particular persons only but even whole Nations and so hath the Natiō of the Jews for the most part bin for these many yeares But that God did finally reprobate any person whether Jew or Gentile which lived in opposition to the Christian faith or whether there shall not be a reversion of that curse which hath befalne the Jewish or other nation God alone must judge and determine So that it will be hard for any man to prove that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth any where in the new Testament punctually answere unto that use or notion which custom hath now in a manner prescribed for in many theologicall disputes that is for men irreversibly fitted or designed to everlasting destruction If in any place it were to be taken in this strict sense I should suspect that of S. Paul 2 Cor. 13. 5. above others but that not from the Grammaticall signification of the word or from any reference it hath in that place more then any other to false coynes but from the peculiar reference which the matter and circumstances of that place have to matters of fact or historicall types in the old Testament without whose knowledge or observation the true meaning or importance of many words usuall in the New can never be truly valued The Apostles words in the forecited place are thus Examine your selves whether yee be in the faith prove your owne selues know yee not your owne selves how that Iesus Christ is in you except yee bee Reprobates CHAP. 19. Of the use of sacred or miscellane Theology for finding out as well the literall as the mysticall or other senses of Scripture WHat shall we say then that every one that is not certaine of his owne salvation or every one not assured by faith that his name is written in the booke of life is irreversibly appointed to everlasting death or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to our Apostles meaning in this place God forbid No Christian man I hope will forbid us or deny us leave to restraine the Apostles words in what sense soever we take them unto such men only as those Corinthians were that is to men which have beene instructed in all points necessary for a Christian to believe to men that have been baptised in this faith to men partakers in a plentifull manner of the word preached and of the Sacraments But may wee or ought wee to apply this peremptory sentence unto every man that is a visible member of the true Church or of those Churches in which the pure word is constantly preached and the Sacraments duely administred Are all these bound upon paine of Reprobation to beleeve either that they are already compleatly regenerated or that they have so mortified the deeds of the body that they cannot die the death of the soule If thus wee should preach or teach how should wee be able to comfort afflicted consciences in their perplexed feares And would not the best fruites of our labours be presumption in many and despaire in most of our hearers Yet if thus wee may not say must wee therefore deny that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is in the forecited place to be taken in that strict sense in which it is usually taken by some moderne Divines not in that place only but in many others of the new Testament that is for men either irreversibly ordained to death or finally forsaken of God That the word is used by our Apostle in this strict sense I
had walked conferred and conversed with all the children of Israel that would come unto him in a more familiar manner then he had done with Moses himselfe in Egypt and in the wildernesse And though his body bee removed out of their sight and ours yet he dwelleth in his Church and walketh in it by his spirit These things saith hee that holdeth the seven starres in his right hand who walketh in the middest of the seaven golden Candlesticks Revel 2. 1. and 21. 3. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying behold the Tabernacle of God is with men and he will dwell with them and they shall be his people and God himselfe shall be with them and be their God God was said to walk with the children of Israel whilest the Tabernacle did remove or wander with them but not to dwel with them untill the building of the Temple Whereas I have not dwelt in any house since the time I brought up the children of Israel out of Egypt even to this day but have walked in a Tent and in a Tabernacle 2 Sam. 7. 6. But the same God doth now walk in the Church and dwell in his Church by his spirit and the Church shall dwell with him in his heavenly Temple 6. This prophecy of Ezekiel is one of that sort and rank before rehearsed Chapter 14. par 6 7. to wit a prophecy which was oftner to be fulfilled then once and after different measures in severall times It was to be fulfilled according to the ordinary scale of the literall sense and in the intention of the holy Ghost at this peoples returne from the Babylonish captivitie From that time Judah and Israel or Ephraim were not to strive or contend and thus we see it fulfilled unto the destruction of the Temple For though many of the severall Tribes of Israel did returne to their owne land successively or now and then yet al were instyled or indigitated by the name of Iudaei or Jews a good name untill they forfeited their interest in this promise And God did upon their returne◠〈…〉 amongst them that is his Temple wherein he did dwell as hee formerly had done in 〈◊〉 Temple Now this covenant which God did promise to make with Israel and Judah upon the delivery from the North Countrey and from all the Countryes wherein he had scattered them was to exceed the former covenant which he had made with their fathers when he brought them out of Egypt as appeareth Ier. 23. 5 6 7 8. And to exceed it not only in respect of benefits spirituall or the matter promised but in respect of the very forme and tenure of the Covenant it selfe Not that this deliverance was either in it selfe or in the Nations eyes greater then the former but that this covenant after it once beganne to be in esse was to continue for ever without interruption whereas the former Covenant was broken did expire or determine For during the time of the Babylonish Captivitie neither Judah nor Israel had either a wandring Tabernacle or standing Temple God did not dwell amongst them according to the native and literall meaning of that promise Levit. 26. 1◠But according to this Prophecy of Ezekiel God even their God was to dwell amongst them to have his Sanctuary in the midst of them for evermore But did this Sanctuary or Tabernacle there promised continue in the midst of them since that time yes it hath so continued and shall continue for evermore though not in the same kinde or quoad materiam yet by an aequivalency or more then aequivalency or by a spirituall and supereminent manner For when the second Temple begun to decay or become as a Carkasse or body without a soule the body of our Lord and Saviour Christ which he tooke from Abraham and David became the Temple of God and continueth to this day our Sanctuary or Sanctification it selfe And wee Heathens or Gentiles doe now know that the Lord hath sanctified Israel and that his Sanctuary is in the midst of them for evermore 7. All those places wherein God promised to be their God all those sacred hymnes and prophecies which enstile him God even our God in the exquisite or sublime literall sense referre or drive to that point which we Christians make the foundation and roofe of our faith to wit that he was to be God with us or God in our nature or flesh God made man of the seed or stock of Abraham like us in all things sin excepted This new glorious Tēple was according to strict proprietie erected in medio Israel or in interiore Israel that is in one that was truely an Israelite the very Center or Foundation of Abrahams seed or of Iacobs posterity But being erected in the midst of Israel or in the seed of Abraham after this sense it was not erected only for the sonnes of Abraham or of Israel by bodily descent but all were to become true Israelites that should be united to this seed and worship God in this Sanctuary For in that Christ Jesus was the sonne of God he was more truely the Israel of God then Iacob had beene and all that are ingraffed into this Temple of God all that receive life from him are more truely the children of Israel than any of Iacobs sonnes were which refuse to be united to him CHAP. 21. That this peculiar manner of Gods presence with his people by signes and miracles was punctually foreprophecyed by the Psalmists BUt for God to dwell with this people or in the midst of them is a phrase not unbeseeming God even in their judgement who hold the Divine Majestie to be altogether incorporeall immaterially immense as many of the wiser and more sober Heathens did But in most of the Prophets in the booke of Psalmes especially many characters there be of the divine Majesties peculiar presence in his Church with this people or in the world which to any heathen either accurate Philosopher or elegant Poet would seeme more unseemely then a poore country mans petition of his owne drawing and penning to his Soveraigne Lord would be or then his speech would be if he were sent Embassador to a forraigne Prince Both speech and behaviour would in this case be rustick and his salutations such as would onely befit his honest or worshipfull Neighbours And thus most Prophets in the descriptions or displayes of Gods attributes speak of him if wee looke onely in the vulgar literall sense at the best but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 scarce observing that decorum which an ordinary Courtyer would use to any greater Prince Yet may we not think that God did send such Embassadours to his people or appoint such Orators from him to them and from them to him as he had not enabled to speake in such manner as did become both himselfe and them And surely it is the fault or imperfection not of the Psalmists or other Prophets but of their Interpreters to make them speake of God
this was the very point of time wherein that other prophecy of the Psalmist Psal 77. 19. was to be remarkably fulfilled Thy way is in the Sea and thy path in the great waters and thy footsteps are not knowne and that he could conduct him as safely over the sea of Tiberias as he led his people by the hands of Moses and Aaron through the Red sea If wee knew the times or occasions of the writing of those Psalmes or what dayes they were appointed in the ancient Church of the Jews it would much conduce to this or the like search how and when they were fulfilled it may be they were appointed to be read upon those very dayes wherein these miracles were done That there was to be a second fulfilling even of those miracles which the Psalmists celebrate as being done before we gather from the Prophet Isa 43. 15 16. I am the Lord your holy one the Creator of Israel your King Thus saith the Lord which maketh a way in the Sea and a path in the mighty waters c. Remember yee not the mighty things neither consider yee the things of old Behold I will doe a new thing Now it shall spring forth shall yee not know it I will make a way in the wildernesse and rivers in the desert Now this Prophecy of Isaiah was to bee remarkably fulfilled when the Lord their Redeemer came to visit them 2. Amongst other Attributes of the God of Iacob mentioned by the Psalmist Psal 146. these are inserted ver 7. He giveth food to the hungry the Lord looseth the Prisoners The Lord openeth the eyes of the blinde the Lord raiseth them that are bowed downe No child of Iacob which had beene releeved in his hunger and thirst by the hand of men but was ready in the first place to thank the Lord God of his Fathers for his bounty They knew it was the Lord which gave men power to gather wealth that putteth it into the hearts of the rich to releeve the poore If the liberality of the Princes and Nobles at any time did abound they knew they were Almoners to the God of Iacob If any of them being formerly by law or authority kept in durance were set at liberty they were taught to thank the Lord more then man for their deliverance Him they knew to be Lord of Lords to have the hearts of Kings in his hands yet all this was not the only or the principall use which the godly and learned amongst the Israelites made of the Psalmists doctrine They were taught by their fathers to expect that the Lord himselfe would come to feed them with his owne hand and would set Prisoners free vivâ voce with the words of his owne mouth That this Lord was to live amongst them and to converse with them from the greatest to the least in more visible manner then he did with Moses on the Mount or in the wildernesse at the time appointed for the exact fulfilling of this and other prophecies Thou openest thine hand saith the Psalmist and satisfiest the desire of every living thing Psal 145. 16. Now that Jesus was that Lord of whom the Psalmist in these two places last cited speaketh was fully testified by the miracles which he wrought in feeding many thousands with some few loaves and two small fishes and in filling so many baskets with the fragments or reliques of that small provision wherewith he had filled thousands From these miracles the people which had seene him doe them and tasted of his bounty did rightly inferre that hee was that Prophet which was to come into the world as you may read Iohn 6. 14. and being supposed to be that Prophet they consequently presumed that he was likewise to be the King of Israel and out of this conceit or presumption they would have enforced him to be their King ver 15. But all these good prenotions of him as their promised Messias were drowned in their bellies which were indeed to them their gods and these being satisfied their religion was at an end their zeale was come unto a period For as our Saviour saith ver 26. they sought him not because they saw the miracles which did truly prove him to be that God which filleth al things living but because they ate of the loaves and were filled And that upon condition he would so feed them with material food continually they would have made him King and have enforced him to undertake this charge as it is ver 15. Who the Psalmist did meane by the hungry in the forecited Psalme is certaine and how the Lord himselfe did feede them is plaine but who are literally meant by the Prisoners or what Prisoners Jesus during the time of his propheticall function did unloose or set at libertie is not so evident from the Evangelicall story It is not indeed at the first sight or according to the rate of the English phrase But the learned Commentators upon the 61 of Isaiah have well observed that by Prisoners or men shut up the Hebrews usually understand the deafe the dumb the blinde and the phrase is very proper and elegant For hearing as the Philosophers observe being the sense of discipline by which man learnes to conceive and speake deafenesse where it is naturall and implanted hath alwayes dumbnesse for its consort and is no other then a close imprisonment of the humane soule For the greatest misery of close imprisonment is that men so imprisoned can neither open their minds to their dearest friends nor their dearest friends open their mindes to them â—heir soules notwithstanding are free to expresse their griefe unto their keepers But the soules of men whose eares have beene shut up from the wombe can neither receive any intelligence from others nor give any significations of their owne thoughts unto their friends with whom they converse Yet many soules thus shut up from the womb did Jesus during the time of his propheticall function set free by the breath of his mouth If he said but Ephphata the prison dores were opened and the fetters broken Such as had beene deafe and dumb from the womb had their eares unstopped and the strings wherewith their tongues were holden presently untyed 3. But the Psalmist added The Lord opened the eyes of the blinde and blindenesse is a part likewise of the soules imprisonment such as before the Psalmists time had received their sight by helpe of Physick or other secondary meanes were said in the language of those good times to have their eyes opened by the Lord because unlesse the Lord doe blesse the medicine the Physitians labour is in vaine Yet of many blinde men restored to sight by miracle or by the immediate hand of God we read not in the old Testament Miracles of this kinde were altogether or for the most part reserved till the manifestation of God incarnate as we gather out of the 35. of Isaiah Nor could the Pharisees though they were the greatest Antiquaries amongst the
to be their enemie and he fought against them And so it is said that he was grieved forty yeares with that generation which he had delivered out of Egypt And both places were they to be limited only with reference to times past could not be meant of God otherwise then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or in a metaphoricall sense But as well that complaint of the Psalmist as this of the Prophet Esay were not meerely historicall but propheticall both to be fulfilled after a more exquisite sense in later ages For all Gods mercies and loving kindnesse to their Fathers were but as pledges or talents given by way of earnest for greater goodnesse and more tender mercies towards later generations so they would be thankfull for the former God whilest he was onely in the forme of God could not in strict proprietie of speech be troubled could not be grieved with compassion could not be wearied All those are passions or accidentall affections incident only to flesh and bloud or at least to natures subject to servitude and punishment But of God in our nature and forme of a servant all these patheticall complaints were most exactly accomplished Who was weake amongst his people and he not weakned by their weakenesse who amongst them did mourne and he not mourne with them who was afflicted in body or soule and he not partaker of their afflictions Of all those duties of Christian charitie or fellow-feeling of others infirmities practised by his Apostles and commended to us by them he by his practise and conversation set the most exquisite patterne more exquisite then any who was but man could have set For he was a man of sorrowes and infirmities to beare all our grievances He cured no bodily infirmitie though he cured many whose griefe untill the cure was wrought he did not suffer by exact and perfect sympathy And only by the anguish of his soule and spirit not Israel alone but all people throughout the world whoever found or hope to finde any must find rest and comfort to their soules and consciences Yet all this the wicked posterity of that wicked generation whose ingratitude towards the God of their Fathers did minister both matter of complaint and of prophecy to the Prophet Esay and the Psalmist no way regarded but requited all the paines trouble and affliction which he had undertaken for their poore brethrens bodily good and the comfort of all their soules with superaddition of those deadly griefes and sorowes which by the Romans help they brought upon him This God of Israel in former times had fought for them and had conducted them in the form of an Angell Ioshuah himselfe being but his deputy or under Cōmander But now that they have thus ungratefully requited him for all his loving kindnesse towards their Fathers whilst he was onely in the forme of God or did appeare in the garb or figure not in the substance of an Angell and for all the troubles and grievances undertaken by him for their good whilest he was in the substance of man and forme of a servant he at length became their Enemie and fought against them For as Visitors though farre absent do yet visite by their Commissaries so this God of Israell that Jesus whom the Jews had crucified being made King of Kings and Lord of Lords did judge Ierusalem and the Nation of the Iews by Vespasian and Titus as by his deputies It was he not they that in that great warre did overcome them As they had grieved him more then their Forefathers had done with whom he was grieved forty yeares in the wildernesse so they did remaine in the Land of their promised rest but forty yeares after his death and so they remained in farre worse case then their forefathers had done in the wildernesse and their posterity since have wandred throughout the world as unwelcome guests for almost these sixteene hundred yeares CHAP. 23. That God was to visite his Temple after such a visible and personall manner as the Prophet Ieremy in his name had done THe moderne Iew cannot deny that of the Prophet Ieremy chap. 7. ver 3 4. c. to be meant of God alone nor is he able to shew us how it was or could be otherwise fulfilled then of God incarnate or of God in the visible nature and substance of man-comming to visite his Temple Thus saith the Lord of hosts the God of Israel Amend your waies and your doings and I will cause you to dwell in this place Trust yee not in lying words saying The Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord are these And againe ver 8. Behold yee trust in lying words that cannot profit Will yee steale murther and commit adultery and sweare falsly and burne incense unto Baal and walk after other gods whom yee know not and come and stand before me in this house which is called by my name and say We are delivered to doe all these abominations Is this house which is called by my name become a denne of Robbers in your eyes Behold even I have seen it saith the Lord. To have denyed that God at this time did truly heare what this people said did truely see what they did did perfectly understand their secret thoughts had beene an errour much grosser and more dangerous then the errour of the Anthropomorphitae that is of such as imagined God by nature to have eyes eares and heart like man For that was but an heresie or transformation of the Deity the other was Epicurisme the worst and grossest errour wherewith the very heathen or Infidels were possest And so the Psalmist describeth it Psal 94. 7. Yet they say the Lord shall not see neither shall the God of Iacob regard it Vnderstand yee brutish among the people and yee fooles when will yee be wise He that planted the eare shall he not heare he that formed the eye shall he not see c. 2. Sight and hearing were in those times as truly attributed to God as now they can be yet in a generall or transcendent not so exquisite so proper and formall a sense as the patheticall expression which the Prophet there used doth literally imply Behold even I have seene it saith the Lord. For certainely that implies a great deale more then by ordinary Catechismes or domestique instructions they could have learned thus much at the least that the Lord God himselfe who sent the Prophet to deliver this message The Lord God of Israel who neither slumbreth nor sleepeth would watch his oportunity unlesse they did amend these misdemenors to visit them and his temple not by a Prophet or deputed Commissary but in person and after as evident and visible a manner to flesh and blood as the Prophet had done but with farre greater power The Prophet had only meere spirituall power to protest against them no coërcive authority to punish the delinquents or to banish these abuses out of the Temple This case was
be awaked was to returne to his throne on high Arise O Lord saith he ver 6. in thine anger lift up thy selfe because of the rage of mine enemies and awake for me to the judgement that thou hast commaunded so shall the Congregation of the people compasse thee about for their sakes therefore returne thou on high The Lord shall judge the people Iudge me O Lord according to my righteousnesse and according to mine integrity that is in me He that is to arise was certainely layd downe and he that is to awake was for the time asleep and he that was to returne on high was questionlesse descended from the highnesse of his throne Nor are these speeches to be considered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 more then that judgement of the people which he implores of God I dare not affirme that the 47. Psalme was penned or conceived by David himselfe yet authenticke and Canonicall among the Iewes Now the whole current of that Psalme containes a generall acclamation or gratulatory hymne of God the Lord who was to be made King O clap your hands all yee people shout unto God with the voice of triumph For the Lord most high is terrible he is a great King over all the earth He shall subdue the people under us and the Nations under our feet He shall chuse 〈◊〉 inheritance for us the excellency of Iacob whom he loued Some passages in this Psalme had their literall verification in the practise of this people at such solemne feasts as this Psalme was appointed to be sung For they did then exhibit such joyfull acclamations as are here charactered and exalt the name of the Lord by hymnes of praise and thanksgiving But both songs and ditties the gestures of both Priests and people which sung them did foresignifie matter of more universall triumphant joy to be communicated to all Nations when God should become such a gratious King over them as he had beene over the seed of Abraham ver 7 and 8. For God is the King of all the earth sing yee praises with understanding God raigneth over the Heathen God sitteth upon the throne of his holinesse Was it the chiefe matter of this publique joy that God should subdue the Nations under the feete of Iacobs posteritie This had been rather cause of sorrow to the heathen Nations then any just cause of cōfort to the Iew if these words according to the literall did import a temporall or civill subjection of the Nations by conquest of sword Nor doth the originall word import any such thing but a voluntary subjection or submission wrought by faire and gentle perswasion And by the unquestionable meaning of the very letter the Nations were to rejoyce in that they were to be thus subdued not to the whole Nation of the Iews but to the inheritance which God had chosen for them or to the excellency of Iacob whom he loved And these as Theodores rightly observes were the Apostles and Disciples whom God had chosen out of the Iewish Nation These indeed have brought not our bodies but our soules and consciences under subjection to the yoake of Christ who was the God whom the Psalmist therefore prophecied should be very highly exalted not by ascending of the Ark into Mount Sion nor by propagation of his Kingdome or gayning a greater multitude of subjects here on earth then he had whilst the Jews only were his chosen people but by erecting a new throne and Kingdome in the highest Heavens where now he dwelleth and executeth the royall judicature which he before did in the Tabernacle or in the Temple there he had a visible throne and a visible mercy seate but there his presence was not alwaies visible nor visible at any time but in type or figure And if wee may beleeve the later Iewish Doctors when they speake unwittingly for us against themselves that solemne festivall wherein this triumphant song was publiquely sung was first instituted and afterwards continued as an anniversary memoriall of the dedication of the Temple or for bringing the Ark into it and that was as much as the inthronization of the God of Israel as peculiar King and Lord of Sion But they themselves do grant that this very Psalme was not only a triumphall memoriall of what was past but withall propheticall and to bee fulfilled in the dayes of their expected Messias And so we Christians see it now exactly fulfilled according both to the mysticall and to the punctuall literall sense in Christ Iesus their Messias though they acknowledge him not now sitting at the right hand of God and designed to be the supreme Iudge not of the Iews only but of all the world of quick and dead 3 That the God of Israel was to become King of all the world to be crowned with Majestie and glory was to judge the world after another manner then from the beginning of it or at that time when these late cited hymnes were consecrated to his praise had been experienced many other Psalmes do so punctually import that without this supposition or this interpretation of them they can have neither any true literall meaning nor conteyne any remarkable truth worthy the note of Selah which is often inserted in Psalmes of this kind The Lord saith the Author of the 93. Psalme reigneth he is cloathed with maiesty The Lord is cloathed with strength wherewith he hath girded himselfe He was to be thus cloathed thus girded with strength not as God but as King The world also is stablished that it cannot be moved Thy throne is established 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of old â tunc from then that is from the time wherein he was thus to raigne and thus to be cloathed with Majesty And by this establishing of his throne the world was to be established after another manner then it had beene He himselfe indeed as it followeth in the same verse was from eternitie So was not the throne or Kingdome which the Psalmist there doth not only describe but prophecy of his throne is an everlasting throne yet everlasting as we say à parte pòst from the time it was established not from eternitie and so is the kingdome here meant And Psalme 96. 10. c. Say among the Heathen that the Lord raigneth the world also shall be established that it shall not be moved he shall judge the people righteously Let the heavens rejoyce and let the earth be glad let the sea roare and the fulnesse thereof Let the Feilds be joyfull and all that is therein then shall all the trees of the wood rejoyce before the Lord for he commeth for he commeth to judge the earth he shall judge the world with righteousnesse and the people with his truth All these are characters of times future and that joyfulnesse of the fields and all that is in them c. which the Prophet mentions is I take it no other then the fulfilling or satisfying of the earnest expectation of the Creature wayting for the
face whilest he talked with the people who were not able to behold the glory But this vaile as our Apostle tels us 2 Cor. 3. 14. is put away in Christ It is true Yet this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the word was not the Christ to doe away this vaile till he put on the vaile of flesh The flesh then was a vaile to him but as a glasse or mirrour to us Wee may in Christ with open face behold that glory of God whose reflexe on Moses face the Israelites could not behold but through a vaile Christ then is that glasse or mirrour wherin the brightnesse of Gods glory which the Israelites could not then behold may now be seene But did the Iews or Israelites in the time of the old Testament or in that time wherein the Author of the booke of Wisdome wrote conceive any such matter as our Apostle here inferres that the glory of God should be more fully revealed or that men should be more capable of the participation of his presence in later ages then they had beene in former Some of them did others did not all of them ought even by their owne prenotions or interpretations of Scriptures so to have conceived and beleeved For thus some moderne Iews conceive of Moses his request What was that saith a great Rabbin amongst them which Moses our Master sought to attaine unto when he said I pray thee shew me thy glory 9 He requeged to know the truth of the being or essence of the holy blessed God untill that he were knowne in his heart like as a man is knowne whose face is seen and whose forme is ingravē in ones heart so that man is distinguished or separated in his knowledge from other men So Moses requested that the Essence of God might be distinctly knowne in his heart from the essence of other things so that he might know the truth of his Essence as it is But God answered him that the knowledge of living man who is compounded of body and soule hath no ability to apprehend the truth of this thing concerning his Creator That knowledge of God or sight of his glory whereof Moses was uncapable was truely ingraven in the heart of the man Christ Iesus and in his light wee see light He that saw him with the eyes of faith did see the father he did see the glory of the Godhead The brightnesse of the divine glory is alike inaccessible alike incommunicable in the Sonne as in the Father if we consider them in their divine nature alone but in the man Christ Iesus and in him alone wee may behold the brightnesse of the Divine glory which neither eye nor heart of man could behold in it selfe or in any divine person alone but only in the divine person which was incarnate 10 And it is not here to be omitted that the forecited 29. of Exodus ver 45 I will dwell among the Children of Israel is thus translated by Onkelus in his paraphrase ponam praesentiam divinitatis meae in medio filiorum Israel So Fagius with some others render it and why he so renders it gives the reason And the later Rabbines as one well conversant in their writings saith generally observe that whensoever it is said in the person of God that I will dwell amongst them this may not be understood but of the Majestie of the holy and blessed God To this purpose they alleage the 9. verse of the 8 Psalme His salvation is neere them that feare him that glory may dwell in our Land And Simeon in his dying song doth testifie that Jesus the sonne of Mary whom he imbraced when he was presented in the Temple was the salvation of God Lord now lattest thou thy Servant depart in peace according to thy Word For mine eyes have seene thy Salvation And although our Saviour whilest hee lived here on earth had no constant dwelling no place of inheritance yet at this time the Godhead or that glory of the Godhead of which the Psalmist speaketh was incorporated in him These and the like Scriptures S. Iohn did see fulfilled in Christ when he said the Word was made flesh and dwelt amongst us and wee saw his glory the glory as of the only begotten of the Father that is such glory as could not bee communicated to any but to him who was by nature the sonne of God such glory as no flesh could behold otherwise then as it was in Christ or in the word made flesh such a declaration of the divine Majestie as none besides the sonne of God could declare So the Apostle saith ver 18. No man hath seene God at any time but the only begotten sonne who is in the bosome of the Father 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he hath declared or expounded him But wherein doth this declaration consist or how was it made by the sonne Not by word only or by declaration of his will but by matter of fact or reall representation But of this point more fully in the exposition of the name Iesus Seeing Moses had said that no flesh could see God and live it may seeme strange to men which have not their senses exercised in the search of Scriptures that the Prophet Isaiah should avouch the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together Isay 40. 5. Moses speech and that conceipt which the ancient had that man could not see God and live was universally true untill the word or brightnesse of Gods glory was made flesh But this was the very mysterie which Isaiah in that chapter foretold as elsewhere hath beene declared in part and shall be as it comes in order to be handled more fully a little after this Chapter 11 That the moderne Iews can expect the God of their Fathers should dwell with them should walk with them should manifest his glory unto them after such a manner as their owne Doctors interpret his promise made to Moses to al these purposes after any other way or manner then the Evangelist witnessed he did walk with and manifest his glory unto his Disciples This to us Christians is an evident demonstration that the vale which their Forefathers put before their faces when they could not behold the brightnesse of Gods glory which shone on Moses face after he had seene God and talked with him is to this day put before their hearts when they read Moses and the Prophets For this glorious Majestie of God the very expresse or graven Image of his substāce which they say Moses desired to see but could not did so personally dwell in the man Christ Jesus that whilest he walked with his people God did walke with thē whilest he remayned within the territories of Iudah or Galilee salvation glory did dwell in their Land And to this day in whomsoever he dwelleth by faith in him God dwelleth by faith As he is the expresse image of the person of his Father so every one in whom he thus
order and ranke in such a manner as he is not of theirs 3 The resolution of the second Quaere depends upon another more questioned point which I have no minde to dispute and lesse to be tyed to other mens conjectures or voluntary determinations of it without warrant of Scripture or any certaine deductions from it warrantable by reason The point questionable is briefely this whether the humane soule of our blessed Lord was infused into his body immediately upon his conception which as the sacred Text to my apprehension imports was in a moment and immediately upon the blessed Virgins assent unto the Angels message If at the same instant or moment of time the humane soule was inspired into his body the Word was not made flesh before he became man If otherwise the holy seed did after the conception grow by degrees into a live sensitive reasonable substance though neither after the same manner nor by the same meanes yet according to the same measure of time as other Infants do The case is unquestionable that the sonne of God or the Word was made flesh before he was made man For he was not made man before the inspiration or creation of the reasonable soule but even from the very first moment of his conception the Womans seed was hypostically united to the Word or sonne of God The flesh and blood which he tooke of the blessed Virgin became the flesh and blood of the sonne of God from the first moment of their assumption Nor can this opinion be justly charged with any suspition of errour or other difficultie as conteyning nothing which is not exactly parallel to that which wee beleeve concerning the union of his body with the Divine nature in his person after his body was separated from his soule His body in that interim of separation or of its rest in the grave was as truely the body of the son of God as it had beene whilst it was living His soule likewise was as truely the soule of the sonne of God during the divorce as it was whilst it retayned union with its body And whether the blood which was shed from his most pretious body on the Crosse were gathered againe into his veines a point not to be pryed into by mortall men or how ever it pleased him or his heavenly Father to dispose of it yet I think I may say that not a drop of it but remaines unto this day the true blood of the sonne of God it lost no union nor degree of union with his divine person it still retaines the power and efficacy of cleansing or sanctifying our nature 4 Some I know there be who think all others to speake and think unworthily of Christ unlesse they grant that his soule was not only infused into his body in the first conception of it but that it was withall endued with all manner of knowledge which Hee afterwards had Yet to binde any man to beleeve or acknowledge either of these the latter especially is to lay more upon us then God hath in his written Word or in the booke of his Creatures tyed us unto if so these men will give us leave to use the spectacles of reason in reading either booke For if our blessed Saviour during all the time he was in his mothers womb had the perfect use of sense and reason his condition of life had beene more wearisome then in any part of his pilgrimage here on earth it was for he was as mortall and as subject to sad impressions in the womb as he was in the strength of his age and death had beene more welcome to him then such close imprisonment if the excercise of reason or Contemplation had beene as free there as it was when he was endued with libertie of sense and locall motion The only reason I can conceive any man should pretend either for the infusion of the reasonable soule into his body at the first conception or that the reasonable soule whether then or at the time wherein other infants become capable of it shouâ—d be endued with such a measure of actuall or explicite knowledge whilst he was in his mothers womb as afterwards it was must be grounded on the hypostaticall union betweene the womans seed and the word of God But if any reason thus grounded could infer either part of the premisses it would aswell inferre that his knowledge as man should have beene infinite from his conception This I think no Christian wil affirme for the personall union of the divine nature with the humane doth not endow it with the reall titles of the divine Otherwise Christs strength as man should have beene infinite from the womb and his body should have beene every where And it would be lesse unreasonable to say that his body is at this day infinite and his humane nature every where then that his wisdome or knowledge as man should have beene infinite or as great whilst he was in the womb as now it is If the divine nature did not communicate his infinity to the humane nor make the sonne of God so compleat a man for strength of ability of body from the womb as at thirtie yeares he was it exceedeth the bounds of my capacitie to imagine what reason those men have for their opinion who think our blessed Lord Saviour did not as truely grow in wisdome and knowledge as he did in strength or stature of body The Scripture is alike literall for both Luk. 2. 52. Iesus increased in Wisdome and stature and in favour with God and man I make no question but that such as deny his growth in wisdome do this out of a religious feare lest they should speake or conceive any thing of Christ which might be thought either to derogate from his greatnesse or from his goodnesse This feare or zealous care is in the generall very good but hath small ground in this particular For were it either well grounded or well guided it would rather teach us not to deny that Jesus did grow in wisdome and goodnesse then to be peremptory in contradicting others which hold the affirmative Simple nescience can be no sinne in any Child nor in any man unlesse it be of those things which he is bound to know But proficiency in wisdome and knowledge is in the sonnes of men a praise worthy perfection which I should be as unwilling to deny unto my Lord and Saviour in his infancy or his youth as to rob him now of any royall attributes since he was made King That he was without all staine of sinne the most holy Sanctuary of the most holy and blessed God from the womb I stedfastly beleeve but that he had the same measure oâ— knowledge at his circumcision at his presentation in the Temple which he had and gave proofe of when his Parents found him in the Temple disputing with the Doctors or no greater measure of this knowledge at his baptisme then he then had or as great as his baptisme as
since his resurrection and ascention he hath I shall crave pardon for making these or the like any points of my beleife If any man be otherwise minded I grudge him not the libertie of his opinion but will confesse my ignorance when he shall shew me any expresse Scripture or any deduction out of Scripture which shall not inferre aut nihil aut nimium 5 It sufficeth me to beleeve and know that my Lord was so qualified with all grace even whilst he lived in the forme of a servant that he was alwaies more ready to understand and comprehend whatsoever it pleased his heavenly Father to impart or signifie unto him then chrystall is to receive the light of the Sun or any glasse the shape of bodies which present themselves unto it and more ready withall to doe whatsoever he knew to be his Fathers will he should do then we are to eate when we are hungry or to drinke in the extremity of â—hrist There was in him even in his cradle a docilitie or capacitie both for learning and doing his fathers will truely infinite in comparison of other children yet this capacitie was actuated by degrees This I take it is as much as wee are bound to beleeve concerning his growth in wisedome and this wee cannot deny to be contained in the hypostaticall union of which we are without curiositie to say somewhat in the next place CHAP. 30. Of the hypostaticall and personall union betwixt the Word and the flesh or betwixt the sonne of God and the seed of Abraham THe manner of the union between the sonne of God and the seed of Abraham is a mystery that one of the blessed Trinity only excepted most to bee admired by all and least possible to be exactly expressed by any living man of all the mysteries whose beleefe we professe in this Apostles Creed And for this reason my former resolution to avoid all Schoole disputes about the relations in the Trinitie and each severall persons peculiar properties ties me to the like observance in this present point And in my yonger dayes I had a greater desire to learne more exquisite rules of Logick or other good arts out of School-disputes in these two kindes then can be found in the professors of such arts themselves then I have in these declining yeares to learne divinity from them 2. The particulars which the most subtile amongst the Schoole-Divines exhibite concerning the manner of the hypostaticall union are well summed up by the learned and judicious D. Field in whose computation they amount to more then I shall have occasion in this place to make use of and are withall of so high a pitch and straine as surmounts my aime or levell for this time which is only to shew how truly how justly how consonantly to the knowne rules of reason in other cases we Christians beleeve and acknowledge such a peculiar union between the sonne of God and the sonne of David that whilest the sonne of man was conceived borne crucified and raised from the dead the son of God likewise was conceived borne crucified c. Now for justifying these and the like expressions the sonne of God was conceived was borne was crucified c. whether we finde them in the Creed or in the Apostolick or Evangelical writings whence they issued into this Creed wee can have no better ground or fundamentall resemblance then that of Athanasius As the reasonable soule and flesh make one man so God and man make one Christ yet this illustration or expression of the manner of this mysticall union is excepted against by some great Divines and by Cardinall Bellarmine by name yet excepted against not as false or impertinent but as defective But if every resemblance of this or other sacred mystery which is any way defective were lyable to exception the Church should doe well to give a generall prohibition that no man should attempt to make any For all will come short of the mystery which we seeke to expresse by them or of so much of it as we shall know in that eternall Schoole It was the Cardinals fault to stretch Athanasius his expression further then he intended it or not to allot it a certaine extent within which it is most divinely true 3. The like comparisons sometimes hold firme and true only quoad veritatem non quoad mensuram according to the truth not according to the measure of the same truth As when we beseech our heavenly father to forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespasse against us or when our Saviour enjoynes us to be mercifull as our heavenly father is mercifull the meaning is not that the measure of his mercies towards us should be but equall to our mercy or kindnesse towards men our fellow servants and yet the meaning of our Saviours injunction is that we must bee as truly mercifull and charitable towards others in some degree as God is infinitely mercifull towards all Sometimes the like comparisons are firme and true quoad veritatem quoad mensuram both according to the truth and the same measure of truth but not quoad modum at least not quoad modum specificum proximum sed quoad modum genericum aut remotum true they may be sometimes according to the same manner and yet not in all respects or according to the selfe-same particular manner And such is this comparison of Athanasius First it holds quoad veritatem unionis As it is not the meere inhabitation of the reasonable soule in the body but the peculiar union of these two parts which makes a man so is it not the internall presence or peculiar inhabitation of the Deity in the manhood but the true and reall union of these two natures which makes one Christ Infernall spirits may by Gods permission take up their lodgings in the bodies of men may be confined within them and use them as their instruments yet by such residence in them men neither become Divels nor divels men nor doe they make any one realitie or third thing in part or whole distinct from both 4. The former comparison doth not hold secundum omnem modum that is though the Godhead and humanity of Christ be as truly as properly and really united as the reasonable soule and the humane body are yet the manner of the union is herein different The reasonable soule and the body being two distinct natures each having their proper existence though imperfect and incompleat doe by their union make one perfect compleat nature Their union is made by physicall or naturall composition Now in all such unions or compositions each part ingredient must abate or lose somewhat there must be a mutuall fashioning or fitting of the one to the other But the Deitie or Godhead as it is all things else so it is fitnesse it selfe and cannot be fashioned or fitted to any creature as being not subject to any shadow of change or alteration The creatures may be fashioned or fitted to
after every manner his owne so as our bloud is ours yet his owne by a more proper more full and soveraigne title then our bloud is any way ours 11. Our flesh and bloud may be said to be our owne in two respects either as it is a part of our nature or an appertinence of our person In this last respect the fruit of the Virgins womb was the sonne of Gods own substance the flesh and bloud which hee tooke from her were his after a more exquisite manner or in a fuller measure of the same manner then our flesh and bloud are our owne Or if wee would speake the language of Philosophy her selfe rather then of Philosophers or of such as professe themselves to be her followers though ofttimes as wee say a farre off Our flesh our bloud our limbes are said to be our owne not so much or not so properly as they are parts of our nature as in that they are either parts or appurtenances of our persons That which is immediately next or linkt unto our person is by a more peculiar and soveraigne right our owne then any things whatsoever besides wee do possesse or are Lords of be it Lands goods or servants For whatsoever we possesse being not thus annexed unto our persons are but externalls their possession is communicable their propertie may be so alienated as others may make as good use of them as wee doe A man may be wronged in every thing that is his owne whereof he is by just title possessed but the wrongs done to a man in externalls doe not touch him so neerely as the wrongs done to his person or to any part or appurtenance of it 12. That there is a true and reall distinction betweene the natures and the persons of men or betweene things which are our owne by union of nature or by union unto our persons may thus be gathered Every part of our nature is eyther a part or an appurtenance of our person but every part or appurtenance of our person is not a part of our nature A man may suffer grosse personall wrong without paine or dammage to any part of his nature without losse of any commoditie that could be made of that wherein he suffered wrong it being in it selfe considered uncapable of wrong As in case some joynt or part of a mans body be dead and withered irrecoverably deprived of sense of paine of vitall motion it thereby ceaseth to be a part of the humane nature but it therefore ceaseth not to be an appendance or an appurtenance of his person He that should disfigure mangle or otherwise handle such a dead number any otherwise then the party whose it is were willing to have it handled doth wrong his person in a higher degree than if hee mangled or maymed his live goods or cattell and yet however he handle it he puts the living party to no paine is being as it is supposed no naturall or sensible part of his body nor could it have yeelded any commodity though it had been cut off before it was disfigured Offēces of this nature are not to be valued according to the excellency of the physicall complexion or constitution of the bodily part wounded or contumeliously handled but according to the excellency or dignity of the partie whose flesh or substance it is that is wounded or abused whether it be an entire live part of his nature or an appendix only to his person as being a joynt or member in part maymed or deprived of sense before Generally whether we speake of mens actions or sufferings undertaken for our behoofe to the losse of bloud or limbes we are not to value the one or other so much according to the physicall propertie or naturall worth of the member lost or damnified as according to the dignity of the person which voluntarily undertaketh such hard services for us And thus wee are to rate aswell the indignities and paines which our Saviour suffered in body by the Jews or Roman soldiers as the anguish of his soule in that great conflict with the powers of darknes neither according to the excellencie of his bodily constitution or exquisite purity of his soule but according to the inestimable dignity of his divine person of which aswell his immaculate soule as his undefiled bodie were no naturall parts but appurtenances only 13 Lastly that proper bloud wherewith God is said to have purchased the Church was the bloud of the sonne of God the second person in Trinity after a more peculiar manner then it was the bloud either of God the Father or of God the holy ghost It was the bloud of God the Father or of God the holy Ghost as all other creatures are by common right of creation and preservation It was the bloud of God the son alone by personall union If this sonne of God and high Priest of our soules had offered any other sacrifice for us then himselfe or the manhood thus personally united unto him his offering could not have beene satisfactory because in al other things created the Father and the holy Ghost had the same right or interest which the sonne had hee could not have offered any thing to them which were not as truely theirs as his Onely the seede of Abraham or fruit of the virgins womb which he assumed into the Godhead was by the assumption made so his owne as it was not theirs his owne by incommunicable propertie of personall union By reason of this incommunicable propertie in the womans seede the sonne of God might truely have said unto his Father Lord thou hast purchased the Church yet with my bloud but so could not the man Christ Jesus say unto the sonne of God Lord thou hast payd the ransome for the sinnes of the world yet with my bloud not with thine owne SECT 4. Of the conception and birth of our Lord and Saviour the sonne of God of the circumcision of the sonne of God and the name IESUS given him at his circumcision and of the fulfilling of the types and prophecyes concerning these mysteries CHAP. 31. The aenigmaticall predictions concerning Christs conception unfolded by degrees THat the predictions of the prophets which the Jew acknowledgeth for sacred are of divine infallible authority that according to many of these propheticall praedictions God in the person of the sonne was to become man the eternall word was to be made flesh that is to have our flesh and nature so united unto him that whilest our flesh and nature was conceived and brought forth the sonne of God was also conceived brought forth whilst the man Christ Jesus did suffer in the flesh the sonne of God did also suffer This is the briefe summe or extract of all that hath in this Treatise beene delivered This is the foundation of faith as Christian the radicall article of Christian Theologie It followes in our Apostles Creede that this only sonne of God Christ Iesus our Lord was conceived by the holy Ghost and
us of Ecce vetera praeterierunt nova facta sunt omnia He concludes CHAP. 9. Answering the objections against the former resolutions that God did deale better with Israel then with other nations although it were granted that other Nations had as perspicuous predictions of Christ and of his Kingdome as the Israelites had BUt if wee acknowledge the Revelation of these and the like divine mysteries unto the heathen to have beene so perspicuous as the Sibylline Oracles whether those which now are extant or those which Virgil did comment upon doe exhibit shall wee not hereby contradict the Psalmists avouchment of Gods speciall favour to his peculiar people Psalme 147. 19 20. Hee sheweth his words unto Iacob his Statutes and his Iudgements unto Israel He hath not dealt so with any Nation and as for his judgements they have not knowne them For how can it rightly be conceived that hee should deale better with Jacob or Israel then with any other people if it bee granted that the Romanes or other Nations which were if not by Gods command yet by his permission depositories of the Sibylline Oracles had in them as perspicuous testimonies or revelations of Christ as Jacob and Israel had either in the Law or in the Prophets Most certaine it is that the measure of Gods gracious dealing with any Nation people or State must be taken from the severall manner or model of Revelations made unto them concerning the incarnation death passion c. of his only sonne for whose only sake and merits all the blessings which have beene which are or which shall be bestowed upō the sons of men were first promised or intended unto them in whom all that have any promise of such blessing receive their interest and immediate title unto them by whom and through whom all caelestiall blessings are actually derived unto and accomplished in all such as having just title make right claime unto them 2. The Psalmist himselfe from whose authority this objection is borowed affords a faire hint for a right answer unto it Hee doth not say that God sheweth his word unto Jacob alone or that no other Nation besides Israel had any knowledge of his word or prenotion of the word which was to be made flesh Wherein then did he deale better with Israel then with any other Nation In shewing his statutes and judgements unto that Nation alone For albeit the Revelations made unto the Sibylls if now wee had the undoubted originalls might be more perspicuous than any prophecy in the old Testament or admitting they had been delivered in the selfe-same words which God did speak to Moses and the Prophets this would not inferre that the ancient Heathens had as good meanes of knowing Christ as Israel had or that the manner of shewing his words unto both was as the words are supposed to bee altogether the same The statutes and judgements which he had given unto Israel only were given unto this purpose that the words which he had spoken by Moses and the Prophets might make more legible impression in their hearts Amongst many statutes and judgements peculiar unto Israel these were principall and fundamentall that the words which God had spoken by Moses and the Prophets should bee publiquely read often inculcated and expounded unto them that all his visitations of this people whether in mercy whilest they obeyed his voice or in judgement for their disobedience should be registred to remaine upon record as so many ruled cases or Presidents 3. To have the mysteries of salvation however revealed is a great blessing to any Nation But it is not one and the same blessing to have the wayes of life perspicuous in themselves and to have them made perspicuous unto this or that age or party This later blessing even those to whom these Sibylline Oracles were imparted did want And want it they did through their owne default in that they made no better use of these particular prophecies then they had done of the common booke of nature Rom. 1. 20 21. The Lord of heaven and earth was good and gratious unto many Heathens in dispensing or suffering these or the like Crummes to fall unto them from his childrens table yet not so gratious to them as he was to his children in that hee gave them no lawes and ordinances for the publication of these mysteries or for observing the times wherein they were to be fulfilled Nor had these Heathens the grace or goodnesse in them to enact publique Lawes for this purpose but like that ungracious servant in the Gospell they held it a point of wisdome to imprison these pretious talents in their Archives not to be looked upon but upon occasion of state 4. But suppose the Heathens had beene as peremptorily admonished by God himselfe or as strictly enjoyned by Lawes of their owne making to acquaint posterity with the Sibylline Oracles as the Israelites were to instruct their children in Gods word delivered by Moses would this have made the meaning of these prophecies in themselves as is supposed most perspicuous either more perspicuous or more effectuall to succeeding generations then they were God knowes that But the dayly experience of this age of this yeare current and of some few late past will not suffer us not to know that abundant plenty either of spirituall food or of medicines in themselves most divine though dayly administred doth not alwaies de facto purifie the hearts of Christians from Heathenish humours or diseases What then is wanting where spirituall meate and medicines doe so abound A want there is first of severe discipline to teach Physitians themselves how to dispence the food or Physick of life aright Secondly a greater want there is of coercive Lawes or of the execution of them for binding our patients to a right posture or diet whilest they are under our cure The lowd out-crying sinnes of these times awake the thoughts of all that are not dead in sinne and the oftner it is thought upon the more it will be lamented by every honest heart That God the Father Sonne and holy Ghost that Christ who is God and man our gracious Lord and Redeemer should be more traduced and more grosly mistransformed through liberty of prophecying as they terme it amongst us Christians then they have beene in any age before amongst Turks or Heathens which have died in their sinnes for want of prophecying But as for Israel of old they wanted no lawes or discipline for these or the like good purposes and prophecies they had in abundance Onely they were wanting to themselves in not exercising the Discipline in not executing the lawes which God had given them And unto this defect they added an excesse of traditions contrary to the lawes appointed them by God and extreamely opposite to wholsome discipline or doctrine 5. But such Iewish traditions as were contrarie to the Law of God how prejudiciall soever they were unto their soules which first invented or followed them doe not
prejudice us Christians of this age halfe so much as the losse of some Iewish traditions or rules for interpreting Scriptures which had beene constantly received amongst the ancient Hebrew Rabbins but rejected by the later Iewish Masters And it would be a worke in it selfe worthy any one mans labours or works of this life to retrieve the footsteps or progresse of the ancient Rabbins whereof some scattered prints here and there may be observed in ancient Writers That such rules there were constantly received in the time of our Saviours conversation here on earth though now either wilfully concealed or through ignorance not acknowledged by later Iewish Rabbins is hence apparent in that the mouthes of moderne Jewes are widest open to bark against our interpretation of those passages of Mosaicall and Propheticall writings whose bare allegation whether made by our Saviour himselfe or by his disciples after his resurrection did stop the mouthes of those cruell dogges which sought their lives What these rules or traditions were in particular is not of facile conjecture nay almost impossible to determine This generall notwithstanding is most certaine that God did shew the incarnation death and passion of his onely sonne even all whatsoever Israel was to beleeve concerning the person or Offices of the expected Messias or wee Christians concerning Jesus Christ and him crucified not by meere Prophecie only or by words literally and expresly assertive but withall by signes of the time by historicall events by matters of fact by rites and ceremonies by types and shadowes By all these wayes God did speake or declare his purpose For as the Psalmist saith That the Heavens declare the glory of God that dayes and nights have their words so loud and shrill that their sound goes throughout all the world Psal 19. so likewise signes and wonders are said to have their voyces And it shall be saith God to Moses Exod. 4. 8. that if they will not beleeve thee nor hearken to the voyce of the first signe which was the reciprocall conversion of Moses rod into a serpent yet they will beleeve the voice of the latter signe and that was the smiting of Moses his hand with leprosie as white as snow and restoring it to perfect sound flesh againe If signes and wonders have their voices then God doth speake unto us by them as well as by his audible and written word but even where his writtē word is for the sense most plaine the matters cōtained in it have their voice or speech This manner of Gods speaking unto men is excellently expressed by Gregory the first in the 20. of his Morals and 1. cap To say nothing of the waightinesse of the matter or subject the Scripture excells all other sciences in its peculiar manner of expression For in plainest and punctuall or textuall narrations it points at mysteries and it so speakes of matters past as in them it foretels things to come and in the very same words records things done and past and discovers things to be afterwards done This passage of S. Gregory referres especially unto historicall narrations in Scripture which besides the plaine literall have a further mysticall and hidden sense of both which we are to speake hereafter The next point in order to be prosecuted is of testimonies or prenotions of Christ meerely typicall CHAP. 10. Of Testimonies in the old Testament concerning Christ meerely typicall and how they doe conclude the truths delivered in the new Testament VNder this title wee comprehend all prefigurations of Christ exemplified in the old Testament by the persons and offices of men by legall rites and ceremonies either annuall and solemne or commanded to be used upon privat speciall occasions or by any matter of fact or event whereto no expresse prophecie no assertive notation of him or application unto him who was to come is annexed And herein the wisdome of God appeares most admirable that the contents of every Article in the Apostles Creed were respectively foreshadowed by some one or other of these wayes mentioned and some of them by all The manner of his conception was clearely prefigured for substantially represented it could not be by the conception of Isaac of Sampson and of Samuel And that Generation wherein hee was conceived and borne was sufficiently warned to obserue these three prefigurations as then to be accomplished by the strange conception of Iohn the Baptist His circumcision with the mysteries implied in it or subsequent unto it were fore-shadowed in the covenant established betweene God and Abraham in the Circumcision of Isaac Of his Baptisme though that be not expressed in our Creed the washing of the high Priests body in the day of atonement was a type Of his leading into the wildernesse upon the same day to be tempted by Satan the ceremony of the scape Goate was a true prognostique Of his appearing in the forme of a Servant and of his performance of all the duties which can be required from a servant in the most exquisite manner that can be imagined holy Iob was more then a type a living shadow Of all his trobles and deliverance from them his Father David was a live example Of his depression by his envious and malicious brethren and of his exaltation by the immediat hand of God the history of Ioseph and of his brethren exhibits an illustrious image Of his death upon the Crosse and the glorious victory obtained thereby over Satan the brazen Serpent erected by Moses in the Wildernesse was a conspicuous Hieroglyphick His inclosure three dayes and three nights in the womb of the Earth and his resurrection from the grave were portended by the imprisonment of Ionas in the Whales belly and by his deliverance thence And of his resurrection in particular the offring of the first fruites in the feast of unleavened bread from the first institution of that solemnity was an annuall signe or token Of this coelestiall Kingdome of peace Salomons glory and peaceable raigne here on Earth was an exquisite map Of his ascension into Heaven the translations of Enoch and Elias were undoubted pledges The Eternity of his person and everlasting duration of his Priesthood were exquisitely fore-shadowed the one by the person the other by the Priesthood of Melchisedech The full view and contemplation of these and the like types and the examination of their congruity with the live body to wit Christ whom in some part or other every one of them did fore-picture wee must referre unto the explication of the severall Articles in this Creed whereunto they do respectively appertaine 2. The rule or Topick for demonstrating the truth of every Article by these the like types is the same with that fore-mentioned in the former Chapters concerning testimonies meerely propheticall or predictions of future events as yet not extant in any causes visible or comprehensible by art To draw an exact picture of a childe as yet unborne or whose parents at this time are not conceived is a skill