the creatures and therefore it is only proper to the understanding and the will of God that only from them there should be a generation of the Son and a procession of the Spirit and so a difference of Peâ—…sons Some do here object against some termes which as they say are not to be found in Scripture but are only imposed by the Church and that is the word Trinity and the word Persons and that in a mysterie of this infinite high nature there should be no addition of mans wit and invention but we should tye our selves most strictly to the terms of Scripture seeing this mysterie so infinitly exceeds mans understanding To whom I return this answer Do ye think that what the Church shall determin in this and other mysteries that it proceeds from the wit and invention of man do you ascribe no more to the cloven tongues that fell upon the Apostles whereby they were replenished with Gods Spirit and which Spirit they did conferre upon others by imposition of hands by election or succession and do you stile all this by the wit and invention of man when I consider the determinations of the Church their form of divine Service their Canons their Discipline their religious Orders God knows I do verily believe that I do see more in them then the wit and invention of man and I think them to be the immediate dictates and directions of Gods Spirit But call them what you will for these words of Persons and Trinity truly I conceive them to be nothing but the translation of Scripture and I hope you will think translations very necessary for the Evangelists and the Apostles use the translations of the Septuagints in their quotations of the old Testament if then Christ shall prescribe the form of our Baptism to be in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy Ghost and that we know there are no Accidences in God but all are Substances and distinct Substances surely I know not by what other term I should call Substances and distinct Substances but by the name of Persons and if these three Persons be one God and so the Scripture stiles them The word was with God and God was the word surely I know not with what other words to express it but by the name of Trinity or triunity So likewise those words of Schoolmen Deus intelligendo seipsum genuit verbum are not these words taken out of Scripture hodie genui te and thence they infer verbum in intellectu Thus without the determinations of the Church and unless due respect and reverence be given to the Church no Religion can subsist but will instantly fall to confusion Thus as our understanding begets a word and there is a mutuall love and correspondency between this understanding and this word so if God be said to beget a Son or a Word in a spirituall manner in his understanding and that from both proceeds the holy Ghost the Church must then necessarily conclude that they are severall and distinct Persons not that we should conceive them to be like the Persons of men with circumscription of time and of place in various and different formes but to be divine Persons all alike partaking of one infinite nature and what God hath revealed what the Church hath explicated that we believe desiring the same God by the inlightning of his Spirit to engender faith in our hearts to strengthen and increase it and what God hath reserved only for his own knowledge that not curiously to pry into but content our selves with such a measure and proportion of knowledge as he hath been pleased to impart remembring that the first Sin which gave occasion to all the mischieves and miseries which have befallen us it was the tasting of the Tree of knowledge whereby in stead of that great light which we aymed at whereby we should have knowledge like God indeed we had our eyes opened but it was to see and feel our own nakedness to our own confusion Yet to give some little information I will only make this instance If I should take out of a River severall Cups full of water I would ask what difference there were in these waters Surely none would appear in the nature but as they are distinct in severall Cups or Vessels which give them severall forms and severall dimensions and thus it is in all homogeneall bodies suppose I should insist in spirituall qualities as in Light certainly the difference would be less what then if I should insist in spiri's themselves which are not capable of dimensions yet still in respect of the finitness of their nature there would be some difference but if I should ascend to an infinit nature then there would be no difference in respect of the nature yeâ—… a difference there would be in respect of their different manner of subsisting as by generation procession c. Yet here we must take heed of curiosity and know the weakness of mans understanding that we cannot speak of God but after the manner of men and it is most probable that God should commit his secrets to the care and custody of his Church which may put them into such form and fashion of speech as may best beseem them rather then that particular spirits who are so apt to be misled with errors even in things of least moment should be left to their own inventions and expressions in the highest mysteries But how should the whole Deity be in every Person is it not true in all Homogeneall bodies Suppose the elements that where they are they are totally they carry their whole nature about them but this truth more especially appears in spirits for there is nothing so common and triviall in Schooles as this known principle Anima ubi est tota est tota in toto tota in qualibet parte totius But if this Deity be wholly imparted yet then how should it still remain whole and entire is it not proper to all spirituall qualities as Light Knowledge and the like that they should be communicated without any loss or diminution of themselves Here then at length consists the whole difficulty that the nature being imparted there should be no difference in number reason seeing the difficulty sees likewise the reason of the difficulty for her own further satisfaction for this in the creatures proceeds from the bounded finite and limited nature of the creatures which must be circumscribed both with time and with place and so make a difference in the number but if you will suppose this nature to be infinite as is the Deity then would it admit no difference as not in nature so not in number What I have hitherto written hath been according to the opinion of our best and most â—…earned Divines together with the acknowledgement of the whole Catholick Church to which I do believe a man may very safely subscribe for whatsoever is there related as
the state and condition of the creature But supposing the three Persons in one Deity why should the Word be made flesh the Father and the Spirit excluded Certainly if we were to make choice of the Person reason would inform us that to be the natural son of man is more agreeable to the natural Son of God then to the unbegotten Father or to the proceeding Spirit The manner of his double birth would testifie the same truth begotten in the understanding of God from all eternity conceived in the womb of a Virgin in the fulness of time The nature of that sin which was the first motive of this descent seems to fasten a necessity upon the second Person of the Trinity it was a sin against the wisdom of God the tasting of the Tree of Knowledge Eritis sicut Dii scientes bonum malum and therefore fit it was to shew the large treasures of Gods mercy and the strictness of Gods Justice that the same wisdom offended should satisfie for the offence Foelix culpa quae talem habuit Redemptorem where is the wrong where is the injury when the party offended shall satisfie and therefore we will with humility retort Gods own words upon himself who upon the fall of man could say Ecce Adam quasi unus ex nobis so now upon the fall of God that is upon the descent of God we will say Ecce Deus quasi unus ex nobis If man lose the image of God as concerning Holiness and Sanctity wherein he was first created nothing can restore this image but that which gave the first impression If man cannot conform himself unto God then for an upshot and agreement between both necessary it is that God should consorm himself unto man Man lost Gods image God takes up mans image and this was most competent to that Person in the holy Trinity who as the Apostle describes him to the Hebrews was Splendor gloriae figura substantiae Patris Observe I beseech you the creation of man being made of the earth God breathed into his nostrils the breath of life Breath if it were agreeable to Gods nature yet certainly proceeding from an intelligent Spirit it could not be bare breath but necessarily it must be accompanied with some word especially considering that in all other Creatures you shall finde the power of this word for God spake the word and they were created But here this word is concealed and therefore we may well suppose that there is some mystery concealed Behold then the first earnest of his Incarnation God intending a marriage between the Deity and the Humane Nature he takes the body of man as it were taking his wedding gloves breathes in them to extend them to warm them to sit them for himself at length puts them on Here now at length the word accompanies the breath the breath made us living souls the word shall make us quickning spirits breath gave us a natural life the word shall regenerate and give a new birth and thus by virtue of this breath by virtue of this word man hath a double root the first Adam and the second Adam taking sap from both he is Arbor arbor inversa he hath a root downward and a root upward he treads upon the earth and looks up towards heaven And thus God if ever intending the renewing of his Creatures sit it was that God should there begin where he did end Man was the last work of the Creation and therefore in man there must be the first beginning of renovation Incipiat ubi desitum est it is a rule in all works and here you shall finde it true by experience the last work is first perfected For the Word was made flesh But I would gladly demand of the Jews who do not acknowledge these mysteries either the Trinity or the Incarnation Why should God be so careful and curious in giving himself a Name a Name it is therefore ordained to make a difference in a multitude as many men of one kinde are distinguished by their names But the nature of God is one as the Sun is but one and therefore wants no name but the name of his own kinde Gods Name then as it imports no difference in his nature so it implies a distinction and difference of Persons in that one nature of the Deity This will better appear if you please to consider that great and ineffable Name of God the Name of four letters The first letter was Jod quod significat principium and doth undoubtedly betoken the Person of the Father The second was He quod vivere significat setting out the second Person as being life in himself though life by participation imparting life unto the Creatures for in him we live we move and have our being he is the Way the Truth and the Life The third letter was Vau quae vim apud Hebraeos habet Copulandi intimating the love of God proceeding from the Father and the Son whereby the Father and the Son are united The last letter it was the same with the second letter He twice repeated ut duas in filio fateamur naturas Dei Hominis And that you may conceive that this observation of the Name proceeds not from mans fancy and conjecture I pray give me leave to bring another Example to this purpose When God had tied himself unto Abraham as touching the promised seed in token hereof it pleased God to change the name of Abraham from Abram to Abraham by the addition of a letter so likewise of his wife from Sarai to Sarah by the substraction of a syllable and the addition of a letter Now you shall observe that this letter which was added to both their names it was indeed one and the same letter and it was a letter of Gods own Name the second letter of his Name that as the second Person was to be united to the nature of Abraham and Sarah so this letter given and received might serve as a pledge or an earnest to signifie that union Observe the phrase and style of Scripture Verbum Domini venit ad Isaiam venit ad Prophetas c. which form of speech to my understanding cannot be so well justified were it not that this word were a Person and that some certain manner of coming were proper and peculiar to this Person Why should God speak of himself after the manner and fashion of men I cannot disallow the opinion of our Divines that God speaking to mans understanding fit it was that he should descend to mans capacity but desiring that truth in Gods words might altogether appear I had rather apply them to an intended incarnation then to admit a bare figure in Gods words which happily to us might be some occasion of error Wherefore serve the groanings and cries of the Fathers Expectabo salutare tuum Domine Mitte quem missurus es Rorate Coeli desuper nubes pluanâ—… iustum
Utinam disrumperes Coelos descenderes Elevate portas principes 〈◊〉 introibiâ—… Rex gloriae c. were not this Son to be born this expected Messias above the state and condition of man for by nature children should rather boast of their Parents shewing their honorable descent pedegree and linage but if the decrepit Parents for many precedent ages shall comfort themselves in hope of this childe as it is no natural course so undoubtedly this childe must claim a higher birth then nature can afford him Let their own Prophets witness against them I will now content my self with two onely quotations Jer. 33. 16. In those dayes shall Judah be saved and Jerusalem shall dwell safely and he that shall call her is the Lord our Righteousness Isa. 7. 14. Behold a Virgin shall conceive and bear a Son and she shall call his name Emmanuel which is by interpretation God with us For that Temporal Kingdom which the Jews expect I would gladly know what contentment can the world yield whereof their fathers were destitute a rich glorious and beautiful Temple the Land of Protnise in possession a people multiplying above measure made a terror to all Nations Peace and Plenty within their walls a wise and a just Law Politick and good Governors valiant and victorious Captains and yet in those dayes there was a continual expectation of the Messias not to adde to their worldly pomp but to establish a higher Kingdom the Kingdom of Grace and of Truth which herein exceeds all earthly Monarchs that it wants no outward Thrones nor Ceremonies to set forth his own greatness but it appears glorious in baseness powerful in weakness that so Gods immediate hand might better discover it self who pulls down the mighty from their seat and exalts the humble and meek Far be it that the coming of the Messias the expectation of all Nations should only tend to worldly and transitory honours which is but vanity of vanities and cannot quench the moderate thirst of the soul neither is so befitting mans present state and condition for this world which we now inhabit is but the place of our exile a vale of misery a just punishment for our fathers disobedience and onely serves as an earnest or a passage to a farther happiness If Paradise were to be replanted on earth God had never expelled man Paradise yet let the Jews apply those Promises of glory to the second coming of Christ his coming to Judgement and there shall they finde them truly verified according to the letter that not one tittle of the Law can miscarry Thus having incountred with the Jews I will now come to the Hypostatical Union of this Word with our flesh for Explication whereof I do much commend the saying of a Father Nec inferiorem consump sit glorificatio nec superiorem minuit assumptio two distinct and several natures the Godhead and Manhood and yet the weakness and infirmities of man not swallowed up in the Majesty of God nor yet Gods Majesty imbased or lessened by the assumption of the Manhood but both continue whole and entire both make but one Person Christ Jesus our dear and blessed Messias I will illustrate this with two similitudes God first appearing to Moses appeared in the form of fire in a bramble bush the fire not consuming the bush nor the bush obscuring the fire but both continuing whole and entire in their own nature 2. Our Saviour is here styled by the name of a Word and in a word you shall observe these two parts Sonus a sound the elision of the air proceeding from the mouth and possessing the ear and likewise Verbum a significant word carried by the Conduit-pipe of this sound and informing the understanding The sound proceeds from motion and onely beats upon the sensitive part the word taking his descent from reason doth likewise speak to the reasonable soul neither sound nor word are confounded neither sound nor word can be separated I will not onely content my self with bare similitudes but it shall further appear by a type Benjamin had two names from his mother he was called Henoni that is the son of sorrow the son of affliction and from his father he took the name Benjamin that is the son of Strength the son of Portitude and Courage Make the application to Christ. Now for the possibility of this union of the Godhead with our Nature doth not Reason inform us That as Creatures have their condition from God so it cannot stand with the same goodness of God without great and just occasion to alter and change their state and propriety See you not God in all his works and yet the works still continuing and subsisting in their own kinde Canst thou conceive how all the contrary Elements should be combined in one compound subject Canst thou understand how the body and soul are united two distinct and several substances of several kindes the Spirit and the Flesh not necessarily depending upon each other the soul having life motion action existency without the help of the body and the body likewise subsisting in his own Elements without the information of the soul Then why should it seem strange or incredible that the Godhead and Manhood should be linked in one Person since nothing is impossible to God but that which implies a contradiction From this union of the word with our flesh necessary it is that the manhood of Christ should receive all possible infusion of grace all possible perfection which may be any way competent or stand with the condition of a creature and that in the first moment of this union Christ increased in knowledge but it was according to mans apparance and Judgement for in his first conception the manhood in the right of the Deity contained in it self all the treasures of Gods wisdom the fulness of knowledge which notwithstanding by degrees according to mans state and condition did manifest and discover themselves This band between both being indissoluble which did well appear in the time of Christs passion hough the soul and the body were separated yet the soul and the Deity were never divorc'd and two distinct natures being knit together by this indissoluble bond making but one person hence it is that there is a mutuall communication of attributes between both and that without the breach of truth mans weakness fastned on the Deity and Gods power ascribed to mans infirmity Deus natus est passus est homo fecit miracula captivam duxit captivitatem in this union nothing was wanting to Christ which was necessary to mans nature no imperfection redounding in Christ whereof the nature of man might be priviledged he was conceived without sin and therefore might well subsist without sin yet the punishment of sin of that originall sin Morte morieris being tyed to our nature by a Statute Law Statutum est hominibus semel mori if God takes up mans nature he cannot
a higher beginning In aeterno principio aeternitatis in the eternall beginning of eternity you must give me leave is sometimes I speak in unusuall termes when neither the words nor apprehension of man can otherwise serve to express or conceive the mysterie And to what can the regeneration or new birth of man be better resembled or compared then to the creation See then how they agree and concur together After the creation of the heaven and the earth and the confused masse of the waters the first thing created for ornament and beauty was light Gen 1. 3 Light is but an accident and must presuppose a substance and though it be light yet in respect of the substance it is in effect but a shadow Saint John therefore doth better express this light together with the fountain of this light in the fourth verse of this Chapter speaking of the Word In him was life and the life was the light of men and as in the creation before this light was created the state of the world is described by Moses Gen. 1. 2. And darkness was upon the face of the deep which is most truly explicated by Saint John in the 5th verse of this Chapter The light shineth in darkness and the darkness comprehendeth it not this darkness betokeneth the state of sin the death of sin as Adam soon after his creation committed sin whereupon followed the sentence of death And out of this death of sin it was the great mercy of God that man should be awakened and that by degrees first with the sound and noyse of the law which came with Thunder and Lightning to strike terror into man as the bellowing of beasts designed for slaughter and sacrifice might shew them their own condition for death is the wages of sin and thus far Moses proceeds Man being now rowsed a little awakened with this great sound of the Law trembling and fearing he listens and finds that this sound becomes a voice Vox hominē sonat the voice betokens a man and here after the great terror and threatnings of the law he begins to conceive hope that he may find bowels of compassion and then expects mercy and pity This was the office of Saint John Baptist whose time was an interregnum between the Law and the Gospel and who was Vox clamantis in deserto the voyce of a cryer in the wilderness described by S. John in the 6th verse of this Chapter Hitherto we have heard the sound of the law and the voice of a Cryer but all this will not suffice to discover the secrets and mysteries of God we must then listen and we shall find that this voyce doth tend and end in a word and that this word may be fitted to mans capacity it is necessary that this word be made flesh Verbum caro and in him should dwell all the treasures of Gods wisdom And as this word was of an extraordinary condition so it is necessary that there should be tongues of an extraordinary nature and form fit to express this word Linguas attulit qui pro verbo venit and this was the holy Ghost who came down in the form of fiery cloven tongues to testifie of this word and here you have the full hight and perfection of the state of grace and this is the scope and the object of Saint John which is implyed in his name for it signifies the grace of God So that Moses comes as far short of Saint John as time doth of eternity and in other respects especially for the object Saint John as far exceeds Moses as the fruit doth the blossom or the substance the type or the body the shadow Moses by a propheticall spirit and speciall illumination describes the creation of the world and the making of man and so descends downwards and writes only the History of his own time but our Apostle transcends and as he begins with the eternity of Christ so in the Revelations he prophesies of the Church even to the worlds ends and after the dissolution of this world then to remain glorious for all eternity And as they had several ends so they proceeded severall ways Moses according to the office of a Law-giver sets down many judgements of God upon the committing of the first sin as the sentence of death the expulsion out of Paradise the murder of Abel the vengeance upon Cain the deluge the confusion of tongues the burning of Sodom the captivity of Egypt besides the heavy yoak of Gods own law that they should begin with circumcision the shedding of bloud that they should be so many in number commanded with such strict observances with such severe punishment and notwithstanding all this yet could he not so much prevaile as to bring the Israelites into the land of promise But our Apostle Saint John according to the nature of an Evangelist in every page brings many tokens signes and assurances of Gods mercy and goodness they are so many that I will not reckon them and as upon the creation man committed sinne so in our regeneration he that knew no sin became a sacrifice for sin Mans nakednesse did then appear but now he is clothed with Christs righteousness Paradise was then lost but now he recovers a better inheritance and that it might appear how in every point and parcell a full restitution should be made as in Paradise there was the tree of life and pleasant fountains and waters so the like are described in the heavenly Jerusalem as Paradise was kept shut by an Angell with a fiery sword so on the contrary the heavenly Jerusalem hath many doores all standing wide open there is free entrance none are excluded as you may read in the latter end of the Apocalypse besides those frequent and daily works of mercy practised by Christ whose custome was deambulare benefaciendo he had no other imployment but onely to doe works of mercy curing all manner of diseases feeding many thousands raising the dead blessing sanctifying and teaching men in the wayes of salvation and to reckon them up in particular were endless onely I conclude with our Apostle in the last words of his Gospell where he confesseth that the world would not contain the bookes that might be written of Christs Acts. Thus our Apostle doth every way inclose and incompass Moses and so far doth the last Evangelist exceed the first Law-giver both in the object whereof they treat for the world was created of nothing but the word was begotten in the understanding of God not six thousand years are yet past since the world was created but the word was begotten from all eternity so Moses ends with his own time but our Apostle proceeds to the eternity of the Church by comparing the first pen-man of Scripture with the last it is memorable to consider the difference between the beginning of Scripture and the end of Scripture between Genesis and the Apocalipse for it
it lies in Gods power to unmake them and in every minute to reduce them to nothing and some wicâ—…ed men might a little distrust God but for the assurance of the continuance of Gods favors God is become man the Creator made a Creature both Natures now fastned and riveted together by an indissoluble knot of marriage which can never be broken and which serves as a great ingagement and assurance from God to preserve and continue his graces and blessings upon the works of his own hands whereof we have a pledge or earnest in Christ perfect God and perfect Man both Creator and Creature united in one Person never to be separated So I hope it plainly appears that as the Incarnation can be no dishonor to God so it tends to the great honor and settlement of the Creatures In speaking of the blessed Trinity I began with the beginning of S. Johns Gospel In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and God was the Word Then for proof and assurance of this great mystery I ended with the end of S. Johns Gospel wherein he affirms that the world could not contain the books which might be written of Christs acts thereby intimating that the works and miracles that Christ wrought above natural power did most abundantly serve to confirm and justifie the works and mysteries which he taught above natural Reason And now that I come to the Incarnation of Christ where the invisible God becomes visible man it is strange how this our Apostle S. John alters his style for in his first Epistle Chap. 1. ver 1. speaking of God in our flesh he saith That which was from the beginning which we have heard which we have seen which we have looked upon and our hands have handled of the word of life So that he who speaking of the Deity of Christ like an Eagle soared aloft as it were out of sight even beyond all humane reason and understanding speaking now of the Humanity of Christ he descends so low to make it more manifest and palpable as he seems to fall beneath sense for that he calls all the senses of man to witness which we have heard which we have seen with our eyes which we have looked upon and our hands have handled and this in effect twice repeated whereby we may be the more assured of the truth of his Manhood As there was an eternal generation of this Word according to the Godhead so was there a Temporal birth of this Word in the fulness of time according to his Manhood for these two Mysteries though very different in themselves yet are they both very wonderful In the first you shall observe three Persons in one Nature in the second you have three Natures in one Person a Trinity of Persons in a Unity of Nature and a Trinity of Natures in a Unity of Person the Father the Son and the Spirit three distinct several and real Persons yet all subsisting in one undivided Essence of the Deity the Flesh the Soul and the Godhead three distinct and several Natures yet all subsisting in one undivided Person of Christ. How wonderful is the mercy of God that whereas our Saviour the second Person in Trinity was All-sufficient and happy in himself yet in commiseration of man man that had sinned in the root sinned in the bud when to our first-fathers guilt we had heaped up innumerable transgressions against the day of wrath he took up our nature and infirmities to satisfie for our sins to offer up himself as a propitiatory Sacrifice to reconcile us to God Men Angels and all other inferior created powers cannot any way satisfie for the least part of our guilt as not being able to be sufficiently thankful for their own beeing Sin is an infinite evil as being committed against an Infinite Majesty and therefore in the exact ballance of Gods Justice requires no less then an infinite Ransâ—…m or an infinite Punishment Righteousness and Justice pleaded against man that our sins were such as could not stand with his integrity freely to pardon Mercy and Peace put him in minde of his ancient love that as he had freely created man so now likewise in the bowels of compassion he should freely intend the Redemption of man And thus it was concluded in the High Court of Parliament in the highest Heavens that God himself Christ Jesus the second Person in Trinity should take our Nature upon him that as every act of his proceeding from his Deity the shedding of the least drop of his blood the trickling of one tear the suffering of one stripe the least temptation was of infinite value of infinite estimation so he alone was able to recompense for sin And thus it was fulfilled what was said by the Prophet Mercy and Truth have met together Righteousness and Peace have kissed each other Here is the agreement and thus is God and man reconciled by the coming and Incarnation of our onely dear Lord and Saviour Christ Jesus When I consider the first sin the sin of the Angels I cannot conceive that such excellent Creatures in their own kinde understanding Natures intelligent Spirits should attempt such a foul offence against God as to ascend up to his Throne to take upon them Gods Majesty were there not some probability or likelihood to effect it I cannot say whether they had it by immediate infusion from God or to speak after the manner of men by some common fame or report that the Creator and Creature should be united in one Person or whether by the excellency of their own knowledge they did fitly gather that as the Creation was a work of Gods infinite love and as God was existent in every creature according to the infinite extent of his own nature so undoubtedly as an effect of that infinite love God should tie unto himself some creature by an infinite band namely by an hypostaticall union And this their Conceit gave some way and occasion to their pride and presumption as claiming and challenging that high prerogative above other creatures by virtue of their birthright But herein did appear the oversight and ignorance of the Angels for the creature was not to aspire to the height and dignity of the Creator but the Creator was to descend to the humility and baseness of the creature neither was God to be united to the Angelical nature though otherwise highest in order and condition but to descend lower to give a more undoubted token of that infinite love even to the humane Nature and Manhood mans Nature being the Centre in the midst of the Circumference a little Microcosin in whom all the creatures are united things sensible partake in his Body the intelligent Spirits are combined in his Soul and thus God taking the nature of man sits in the very midst of his creatures imparting himself infinitely to all so far forth as it may well stand with the truth of his Godhead and with
Chain of consanguinity and kindred and this may in some sort set forth the eternall generation of Christ that God the Father did beget his Son and from both proceeds the holy Ghost Thirdly their Gods were men which in effect might intimate thus much that God should prove man Christ Jesus God and man two dâ—…stinct Natures and yet but one Person and substance and thus the Jews in regard of the Divine revelation the Gentiles by the principles of their own Religion cannot suppose the mysteries of Christianity to be strange and incredible but all might acknowledge the Star of Salvation which God hath prepared before the face of all people to be a light to enlighten the Gentiles and to be the glory of his people Israel and so now I come to such things as are concomitantia such as did accompany his Birth God having decreed to take our Nature upon him he prepared for himself a chosen vessel the most pure spotless immaculate undefiled Virgin that ever did subsist of our corrupted flesh the Blessed Virgin Mary Blessed be the wombe that conceived my Saviour and happy are the Paps that gave him suck Mary an espoused Virgin and that for these five Reasons First that no unjust imputation should be laid against her through the infamy of childbirth Secondâ—…y that she might have the comfort of a spouse a fellow-helper in such extremities Thirdly that the Birth of Christ might be concealed from the evill Spirit who did undoubtedly foresee that the Messias should be born of a Virgin and therefore it was the providence of God that she should be an espoused Virgin so to prevent his mischievous and wicked practises and designes Fourthly for the approbation of all the severall states of men virginity which is recommended unto us in the Mother of Christ and yet an espoused Virgin and there is the approbation of marriage Fifthly and most especially as I conceive because the genealogie of Males was only enrolled and publick notice taken only of their Tribe and they matching in the same Tribe there could be no further question but both were of Judah whereof the promise was made for the descent of the Messias I will not here speak of Saint John Baptist the forerunner of Christ who was the voyce of a cryer in the wilderness as was prophesied by Esay I will tye my self more strictly to speak of his Birth being conceived in Galalee it fell out so that Augustus Caesar then Emperour taxing the whole world every one was to repair to his own City and therefore Joseph and Mary went from Nazareth in Galilee unto Bethlehem a City of David for they were of the house linage of David as it is Recorded by Saint Luke in his second Chapter Observe here I beseech you a most wonderfull and unspeakable providence of God it may be this generaâ—…l meeting and assembly was called against the coming of their true King notwithstanding the edict came from Augustus It may be that it was Gods goodness that through this generall concourse and passage of people there might be a greater manifestation of his Birth and therefore he was conceived in Galilee born in Bethlehem brought up in Egypt that all the world might take just notice of his coming These happily may be but mans conjectures I will therefore acquaint you with four things which I thinke were most especially intended by the holy Ghost First whereas the blessed Virgin having no Revelation might happily be ignorant of the place of Christs Birth and where she should be delâ—…vered see here there comes forth an edict from an heathen Emperour that so the prophesie might be fulfilled that the Messias should be born at Bethlehem Mich 5. Secondly whereas there might be made some doubt of his Genealogie Joseph and Mary by virtue of this edict were constrained to go to Bethlehem a City of David thereby to make it manifest that they were descended from the Tribe of Judah whereof the Messias was expected Thirdly whereas it was prophesied that the Scepter should not depart from Judah nor a Law-giver from between his feet untill Shiloh come by this one act of gathering together the dispersed people and that for the payment of Tribute to the Roman Empire to a forain Prince it is manifest that the people were now in thraldom and captivity and that the time now approached for the coming of theâ—…r Messias Fourthly to manifest the truth of his Nature no sooner born but he was instantly circumcised among the Jews which did serve for the triall and touchstone of his Manhood so with the Gentiles he is here numbred and accounted amongst men And as his Nature so his Condition did appear that he was not to be any Temporal King for he travelled in his mothers womb to pay Tribute unto Caesar and therefore Herod might be well secured of his own Kingdome Non eripit mortalia qui Regna dat coelestia How many and how great Mysteries are contained in this one action Time Place Genealogie and Descent the truth of his nature and condition all manifested by a Decree of an Heathen Prince little intending the good of Gods Church God over-rules the hearts of Princes And this is wholly to be referred to his All-disposing Providence Coming to Bethlehem Joseph and Mary were lodged in a common Inne No marvel for here was the birth of a stranger and forainer God of himself yet now become man being Lord over all yet for our sins taking upon himself the form of a servant c. Thus the preparation for his birth and nativity was answerable to his state and condition In a common Inn as being to extend equally his universal grace unto all none are excluded from a common Inn none are rejected from the bosom of the Church the passage lies open to all and all are admitted through Faith and Repentance So was his Passion Extra portas Civitatis without the walls of the City as not redounding to the particular benefit of City or People but equally extended to all In a common Inn where commonly the greatest excess the greatest ryot and disorder is observed and therefore it shews the end of his coming which was to satisfie for the sins of his people And yet there was no room in the Inn it should seem it was taken up with a multitude of guests in this great concourse of people and therefore she must be delivered in a Stable See here a homely entertainment of the Majesty of God and mans unthankfulness for his mercy and thus it befals the heart of man which being wholly possessed and swallowed up with our worldly thoughts the lust of our eyes the concupiscence of our flesh cannot afford the least entertainment or harbor for the working of Gods Spirit Born in a Stable Here it was verified that the Ox and the Ass acknowledged their Lord and Master while sinful man stood wilful and obstinate neglecting his Maker Born in a Stable
True it is that from the first day of his birth to the last minute of his Passion the foxes had holes the birds had their nests but the Son of man had no place of habitation Born in a Stable Here is no preparation no solemnity as if we were to expect not a man but the worm of men and the outcast of the people Alas dear Virgin comfort thy self thy Babe is thy Comforter thy Comforter thy Saviour for behold from henceforth all generations shall call thee blessed Alas sweet Babe pardon our unkindness and discourtesie in thy entertainment thou thy self hast taken the nature of man and what is man but grass and hay well befitting a Stable and therefore as thou thy self hast infinitely abased thy self so pardon our unthankfulness if in stead of Princely Palaces rich Pavilions Ivory Beds thoâ—… wert born in a Stable and laid in a Manger And thus much for the Place now I come to the Time It was in the sixth Age of the World As man was created on the sixth day so in the sixth Age God intended the renewing and redemption of man We are not to demand why sooner or later he took not our flesh for this was in the free choice and election of God onely this probable reason may be given That as wise Physicians then labour to purge the disease when it is grown to his height and ripeness so God expected the time when Charity was grown cold the Kings office decayed the Priests duty neglected the Synagogue divided into Sects and Schisms and this is in some sort resembled by the barrenness of the earth for he came in the winter season And it is to be feared lest our Sects and Divisions our sins our crying sins will hasten his second Coming in Judgement His coming was in Solstitio Brumali when the days were at the shortest and then began to increase And hence is gathered though a common yet a witty observation of S. Ambrose that as John the Baptist decreased so Christ should increase John Baptist born at Midsummer when the dayes shorten and Christ with the lengthning of days increasing in glory See here an admirable Providence in every the least circumstance Christ was born at midnight as may appear by the Shepherds watch which argues the worlds universal darkness and that his coming in the flesh was to cover and conceal sin that in the day of Gods wrath he might take our iniquities upon himself and impute his Righteousness to us and therefore it was an approved and laudable custome of the Fathers to keep their watchings the same night and to offer up their prayers and thanksgivings in memory of the hour of his Nativity And so I come to such things as are Consequentia such as followed his Nativity I will not speak of the Angels song to the Shepherds which was the Calling of the Jews I will not speak of the Stars appearing which guided the Wise-men to the place of his birth where they worshipped and were the first-fruits of the Gentiles I will onely name one action which is the Murther of Infants the Martyrdome of Innocents It should seem then that the birth of Christ was not a matter of small importance or little moment in the eyes of Princes that Herod should slay all the children from two years old and under for the assurance of his State and Kingdom But here observe the Providence of God Herod in revenge and to satisfie his own ambition attempted such an horrible cruelty God permitted the action 1. For the punishment of the Jews who for not affording place for our Saviours birth they justly incurred his wrath and indignation insomuch that their own eyes beheld the slaughter of their own babes flesh of their flesh and bones of their bones late conceived in the womb now committed to the grave from the Cradle to the Coffin late pampered in the bosom novv putrifying in the dust 2. That the prophesie might be fulfilled In Rama was a voice heard mourning and weeping and great howling Rachel weeping for her children and would not be comforted because they were not Jer. 31. 15. 3. For the manifesting of his own glory that upon his entrance into the world so many happy infants should be ordained from all eternity to suffer Martyrdome for his Cause the day of their death was much more happy to them then was the day of their Nativity and therefore we celebrate and keep solemn a certain Feast-day in memory of those Innocents 4. Since Moses was a type of Christ for both of them were Law-givers as the children of the Hebrews were put to death at the birth of Moses so the death of these infants might give testimony to a second to a new Law-giver Thus as King Pharaoh did persecute Moses so King Herod persecuted Christ Moses was laid in a Basket Christ in a Manger And as they thus agreed in the circumstances of their Nativity so in the manner and course of their lives Moses led the Israelites through the Red-sea Christ led his people through Baptism and so through his own blood Both of them fasted forty days Moses appointed Seventy Elders Christ Seventy Disciples Moses sent out Twelve Spies to discover the promised Land Christ sent out Twelve Apostles into the world to publish the Kingdom of Heaven Moses wrought his Miracles by a Rod Christ by his Cross and therefore as Moses Rod was laid up in the Ark so the Cross of Christ hath ever been most precious in the Church Moses delivered his people from the bondage of Egypt and Christ delivered his from the thraldome and slavery of sin Thus do the two Law-givers agree whereby it appears that Moses was but a type of Christ and the Law only a preparation to the Gospel But I will leave the Jews and descend to the Gentiles whose posterity we are and I will take a view what hapned amongst them upon the birth of our Saviour Certain it is that the Oracles then spake that Nature had brought forth a King and immediately the Images which were wont to be worshipped in Churches fell down and were broken which many referred to the greatness of Augustus though truly it was competent to Christ. Eusebius reports that at the same time there sprang out of the earth a River of Oyl which argues that grace was now to be conferred to the Gentiles and that he was now born who was anointed with the oyle of gladness above his fellows Orosius reports that Augustus Caesar then Emperor commanded on the same day that no man hereafter should call him Lord or Master as if God had secretly inspired in his heart that then was born the Lord of lords the King of kings Christ Jesus God and Man and therefore it was impiety and sacriledge for any vassal of his during his presence to accept the Title of Lord or Master Suidas reports that when Augustus Caesar having offered his Sacrifice demanded of