afterwards Is not this the Carpenters son Matth. 13. 55. disparaging him for his mean parentage this is the Exposition of St. Ambâ—ose a Ambr. de Spirit l. 1. c. 3. In Filium Hominis pâ—ccare est remissius sentire de carne Christi c. To sin against the Son of Man is to conceive too basely of the flesh of Christ and they that so sin are not utterly excluded from pardon 2. The Jewes blasphemed him now in his Godhead by denying it and ascribing the miracle to confederacy with Beelzebub and of this blasphemy which doth take away the very foundation of remission of sins it is said It shall not be forgiven 5. I may adde hereunto that those unbaptized Pharisees in probability did not intend any obloquy or blasphemy against the Person of the holy Spirit as it is the third Person of which they had never been instructed neither had they so much Christianity as those disciples at Ephesus who though they had been baptized unto Iohns baptisme yet they had not so much as heard whether there be an holy Ghost Act. 19. 2. Thus having shewed that in Scripture and in the writings of the Fathers and later Divines the Godhead of Christ is called a Spirit and holy and also an holy Spirit and that in St. Matthew those words holy Spirit are to be understood of the Godhead of Christ which is for ever united to and residing in the Holy Temple of his most sacrâ—d Body and Soul I now reassume my former Conclusion That the denying Christ to be God is the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost which is there said to be unpardonable Now that in a Doctrine of so great moment and concernment the Reader may understand that I do not obtrude any novell and private opinion of mine own upon him I will heâ—e lay down the judgement of soâ—e of the Fathers in this very question and first of Athanasius one of the most profound and godly Divines that since the Apostles dayes the Church ever had who in his book De Communi essentia Patris c. aith b Arha to 3. p. 625. It is hard to conjecture what our Saviour means by those words He that speaketh against the Sod of Man shall be forgiven but he that speaketh against the holy Ghost shall not be so given So that the Son may seem â—o he infâ—riour to the Spirit and yet the So saith The Father and I are one If he that saith to his brother Thou fool shall be cast into hâ—ll â—n quam gehennà gehennarum conjiriâ—tur is qui â—ssâ—rit Deum creatu am â—sse Into what Hell of Hells will he be cast who calleth him that is God a Creature and a Servant and a Minister onely And a little after he saith Dâ—iâ—atâ—m Vâ—rbi ipse Christus Spiriâ—um Sanctum vocâ—t humanitatem suam Filium Hominis nâ—minavit i. Our Saviour called his own Godhead the holy Ghost and his own Manhood he called the Son of Man and of those that blaspheme his holy Spirit by blaspheming his Godhead is this sentence to be understood It shall not be forgiven him neither in this world nor in the world to come This is the judgement of Athanasius To him I adde the Opinion of St. Hilâ—râ— who was contemporary with Athaâ—asius who in his Exposition of that Text Matth. 12. 32. saith c Hil. in Mat. Can. 12. p. 731. Si negetur Dâ—us in Christo caret omni misâ—ricordia i. If a Man deny God to be in Christ that man shall finde no mercy And again he saith d Hil. ib. Can. 31. p. 426. Blasphemia in Spiritum â—st Christum Deum â—sse negare i The blasphemy against the Spirit is to deny Christ to be God The same Father in the place last quoted speaking of Saint Peters deniall of Christ saith Because to deny Christ to be God is that sinne which shall never be forgiven therefore Peter denied thus I know not the Man because a word spoken against the Son of Man may be forgiven The very same conceit hath Saint Chrysostome also in his Sermon of Peters deniall and upon these words I kâ—ow not the Man e Chrys to 6 p. 631. Non dixit non noâ—i Deum Verbum sic enim peccasset in Spiâ—itum Sanctum i. Peter said not I know him not to be God for so he had sinned against the holy Ghost but I know not the Man Now whether Saint Peter meant so as these two Fathers conjectured I cannot affirm for certain but by this I finde that the judgement of these two great Doctours was that the denying of the Godhead of Christ is indeed that great unpardonable sinne To this I adde the testimony of Saint Basil who deserved to be called the Great He in that excellâ—nt Book De Spiritu Sancto saith f Basil de Spirit c. 7. Testificer omni Homini Christum profiâ—enâ—i sed â—um neganti Deum â—sse quod Christus nihil â—i proderiâ— i. I testifie to every Man who professeth himself to be a Christian and yet deâ—â—ieth Christ to be God Christ shall nothing at all profit that man And if Christ do not profit us in the remission of our sinnes I am sure our sinnes shall never be forgiven in this world or in the world to come CHAP. V. The Opinions of later Divines concerning the unpardonable sin A brief Narration of the life and death of Arius and of Julian the Apostate TO the above-named Ancients I subjoyn the opinions of our later Divines who in their Expositions and Tractats where they inquire what particular sin this is although they do not agree therein yet when they inquire what persons have sinned this sin they do commonly affirm for one that Arius in his Heresie did sâ—n thus and this is the opinion of Polanus and also of Bucanus and others Now the Polan synt p. 340. Bucan Lo. Com. p 174. onely noted heresie of Arius was the denying the Godhead of Jesus Christ saying that he was not from everlasting and that he was but preferred to be a God Just as our Commenter would have him onely exalted and deisied This Arius was born in Africk and was a Presbyter or Priest of the Cathedrall Church of Alexandria in Egypt In that City in the dayes of the Emperour Constantine the Great there were ten Churches besides Epiph. haer 69. the Cathedrall Just such as we now call Paraecial or Parish-Churches wherein ten of the Presbyters of the Cathedrall Church were the incumbents and Preachers of these ten Arius was one and was more esteemed and followed then any of his brethren It fell out that the Bishop of Alexandria died Arius gaped for the place but mist it for one Alexander was elected then Arius raised a faction and revived the former Heresie of Paulus Samosatenus preaching this damnable doctrine that Christ was not God When Bishop Alexander was informed of this he convented Arius and upon examination discovering his
II. Reasons why the Authour of this Commentary concealeth his own name BUt Sir why do you conceal your name Is it your humility not to be known take heed that Christ say not unto you a Luk. 13. 25. I know you not for you have not onely not confessed him before men but you have moreover denyed him and that in his most high and nearest concernment even his Godhead before our Saviour cast out a Devil he asked his name and had an answer and his name began with b Marc. 5. 9. I. it were meet that your name should be known that it might appear of which kind you are that means may be applied according to your quality to cast out this evil spirit But if you meant seriously to conceal your self why did you cause your Book to be presented to so many of the prime Gentry of this Countrey they all knew the author for the opinion men had of your abilities made them accept of and to expect something in your book answerable thereunto and it was needful they should know you for the greater advancement of such a doctrine But c Mart. l. 10 ep 3. Cur ego laborâ—m notus esse tam pravè i. e. Why should you make your self known so wickedly except you hoped to have a new name of an old heresie that Arians should change theit old appâ—llation and be called after your name and there may be some colour for it for although you have told us no new thing but onely a revival of many old heresies yet you are the first that ever in our English Print published and asserted them so that if all the former Catalogues of the most dangerous heresies were lost yet we may find more then enough in your Commentary but there may be greater reasons why you so cautelously withhold your name First the danger of the Law de haretico Comburendo for when a certain Gentlewoman by a friend of yours was told that some men said you might be burnt for your book she modestly replyed thus Sir they that said so may themselves be in danger of burning for being Witches they foretell so shrewdly I have heard that one of your opinion said Tolle legem c if it were not for the danger Tolle legem sivis esse certamen Ambr. Epist 13. of the Law he would dispute down all our Christian Religion which by your Comment is done to his hand as well as you could do it insomuch that a Minister of this Diocesse whom I know to be very learned and ingenious inquired for your book at the Stationers using these words Have you such a Doctors Book against Christ But why should you fear the Law for your very good friends that know you very well do assure us that you will never burn for any Religion On earth and for the other World you have much lessened mens feares in telling us that after death our soules shall be insensible untill the resurrection and more comfort yet that although our soules shall at the last day be judged yet as is by your own very good friends reported you have certified your people that the torments of Hell shall last but the space of three dayes Secondly If your name were subscribed to your Comment it would appear that the Author was a Chaplain in Ordinary at Court and appointed by our most Religious Soveraign to preach to the Prince his Highnesse and the other Royal Issue if therefore you with your blasphemous doctrines were made known to his Majestie who is so faithful and constant in his Christian Religion with what detestation would he exufflate you as an evil spirit or as a pestilence lest you should infect the soules of the Blood-Royal and the Court St. Hierom said of one that spake lesse against Christ then you have written b Hier. Ep. ad Pam. n. 20. Ego si patrem si matrem si germenum adversus Christum meâ—â—â— auaissem ista dicentes blasphemantia ora â—aâ—erassem i. e. If I had heard mine own father or mother or my brother spâ—aking these words against Christ I would have torn thei blasphemous mouâ—hes It is well known by the Ecclesiastick History c Sozo l. 2. c. 26 Soc. 1. 19 26. what mischief one single sneaking Arian Priest did in the Court-Royal of Constantine the Great in recalling Aâ—ius from banishment and infecting the next Emperour Constanâ—ius with the Arian heresie which from that small retriving overspread the whole Roman World he had been commended to Constantine by Constantia his own Sister on her death-bed and he so insinuated himself into the Emperour that on his death-bed he committed his last Will and Testament to the trust of this Arian Priest who by his faithful carriage in delivering the said Will to the succeeding Emperour obtained his favour also then he opened his heresie and therewith infected the bed-chamber-men and the Eunuches next the Empresse then the Emperour himself and presently all families in the Imperial City fell to disputes and divisions about those questions as d Soc. l. 2. c. â— â—â— Socrates relateth A third reason why you conceal your name is because the quality of your doctrine is such as doth require a secret Seminary it is not such as a Preacher may publish e Mat. 10. 27. 2. on the house-â—op but as a false light which shineth in the darknesse and is more fit for a dark lantern or to be put under a bushel or in a tub Puâ—chra Laverna f Hoâ— Epist l. 1. c. 16. Da mihifallere da justum sanctumque videri Noctâ—m peccatis fraudibus objice nubem Neither truth it self nor her Preachers are ashamed of their doctrine g Tertul. cont Valent. n. 52. Nihil veritas â—rubâ—scit nisi so 〈◊〉 abscondi i. e. Truth is not ashamed but when she is suppressed he that in a Christian Common-wealth would sowe true and established doctrine may be h Aug. cont Faust l. 18. c. 3. In terdianus Sator as Austin's word is i. he may sprâ—ad it in the day-light but he that intends to sowe tares must do it secretly While men 〈…〉 enemy came and 〈…〉 Matth. 13. 25. Evil spirits they are which are called Nocturni â—emures i. nâ—ght-goâ—â—iâ— when the Jewes had crucified the Son of man there was Mat. 27. 45. darknesse over all the Land and now when darknesse is over all our Land by reason of dâ—ssâ—nsions in Religion you crucifie the Son of God afresh i Heb. 6. 5. and indeed haec est hora vestra potestas tenebrarum k Luk. 22. 53. for though your person be obscured your doctrine is sprung up into print even that doctrine which heretofore lurked in corners as l Psal 91. 6. a 〈…〉 that wâ—â—keth in darknesse is now again become as St. Herome complained of it in his time m Hier. Cont. Rust l. 2. c. 4. 22. Arius est daemonâ—um meridianum your Arianâ—sme is a noon-day
ABout four years sithence Christian Reader there was brought unto me a Comment or Exposition on the Epistle to the Hebrews written by a Namelesse and unknown Author to the end that having perused and allowed it it might be Printed and published the which I also undertook and finding as â— then conceived that for the most part it was Learned and Judicious plain and profitable I did so passe it with my Approbation Yet there were divers passages against which I took as I thought just exceptions as disagreeing with the Scriptures and the received Doctrine of Our and all other Reformed Churches which I would not let passe before by my Letters I had acquainted the Author with them that I might receive satisfaction in those things which I objected from whom I received a sober modest Answer wherein he did not at all maintain those errors but left me to my liberty to expunge what I misliked the which I also accordingly did as I thought fit But the Work being long and my time but short divers other faults and errours escaped unobserved by me they being comprized in few words and short passages and so the more easily passed over without my observation The which Errors I the rather fell into because the Author was wholly unknown unto me who am naturally of this disposition that I neither am nor desire to be more scrupulous and curious in observing other mens errors and faults then I have evidence of truth for it whereas otherwise if knowing the Persons with whom I have to deal to be Heterod and Erronious in their Doctrine I should be more wary and observe their words and works with a more vigilant eye All which I speak not wholly to clear my self from all blame for I ingeniously acknowledge my inadvertency and want of due and serious consideration in so weighty a matter and therefore being convinced of my errour by divers Letters from men of great Eminency both in respect of Place Learning and Piety and by mine own more serious observation but especially by the Labours of this Learned Author chiefly intended to lay open and confute these dangerous Errors and Heresies I could do no lesse and indeed in respect of my old age and infirmities accompanying it I could not do much more then revoke my Approbation of that otherwise Learned Commentary so far as it maintaineth these pernicâ—ous doctrines that detract any thing from the Lord Christs Divinity and his Supream and Eternal Godhead For far be it from me to derogate any thing from my blessed Saviour and Redeemer by not acknowledging him the Supream God Co-essential Co-equal and Co-eternal with the Father seeing the Evangelical Prophet in the Old Testament calleth him the Mighty God Esay 9. 3 and the blessed Apostle St. Paul affirmeth that Christ who took upon him our flesh is over all not Deus factus but God blessed for ever Rom. 9. 5. and therefore seeing this Learned Book intituled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 asserteth and maintaineth this truth and confuteth the opposite errors I do most willingly approve it and allow it to be Printed and published John Downam Θεὸς ' Αâ—θÏωπâ—φόÏος OR God Incarnate SHEWING That JESVS CHRIST Is the Onely and the most HIGH GOD. In Four BOOKS Wherein also are contained a few Animadversions upon a late namelesse and blasphemous Commentary on the Epistle to the Hebrewes published under the Capital Letters G M. Anno Dom. 1647. In these Four Books the great mystery of man's Redemption and Salvation and the wayâ—â—â—â—d means thereof used by God are evidently held out to the Capacity of humane reason 〈◊〉 ordinary understandings The Sin against the Holy Ghost is plainly described with the Cases and Reasons of the Vnpardonablenesse or pardonablenesse thereof Anabaptisme is by Scriptur and the Judgment of the Fathers shewed to be an heinous sin and exceedingly injurious to the Passion and blood of Christ There were false Prophets among the people even as there shall be among you who privily shall bring in damnable heresies even denying the Lord that bought them and bring upon themselves swift destruction 2 Pet. 2. 1. Contra rationem nemo Sobrius contra Scripturas nemo Christianus Contra Ecclesiam nemo pacificus 〈◊〉 Aug. de Trinit lib. 4. cap. 6. By EDM. PORTER â— D. sometimes Fellow of St. John's 6. Colledge in Cambridge and Prebend of Norwich London Printed for Humphrey Moseley and are to be sold at his Shop at the Prince's Arms in St. Paul's Church-Yard 1655. TO The Right Honourable THOMAS Lord Coventry Bron of Ailesbury Peace and Truth My Lord I Humbly beg leave to use your honourable name in the dedication of this Book thereby to present the expression of a thankful Soul to my deceased Patron your most Honourable and prudent Father who even from my Childhood continued his manifold favours to me and ceased not untill he had planted me in an imployment and probable subsistence in the Church where I continued peaceably during his life and untill the pressures of these unhappy Times dislocated not onely me though too low God wot to be an object of publick wrath but also the strongest bones and principal joynts and nerves of our once most renowned Church To his memory do I owe the first fruits of my publick Labours nor can I offer them at any other shrine so proper as your self my Lord who are his living Image whose Name and Title you worthily bear whose Honour is revived in you and the pious and thankful memory of him during my life will not be obliterated in me seeing the very Heathens fansied their Sen. de Benef l. â— c. 3. Charites which were but the Emblems of gratitude to be Virgins and alwayes Young to teach us that thankfulnesse should not be Corrupted or decayed by time and age and their great Orator although he was one of the most deadly enemies of Caesar who had been newly murthered in the very Senate-house yet he confessed that he could not find fault with the faithfulnesse of Cic. lib. 11. Epist 240. Matius for honouring him that was dead who whilest he lived had been his Friend and Patron The Church hath tâ—â—ght us further that death it self doth not dissolve Christians Communion Hier. in Proaem l. 18. in Esa Viventium Dormientium eadem Charitas est Aug. de Civit l. 20. c. 9. Animae piorum mortuorum non seperantur ab Ecclesia hâc The Church Triumphant and Militant are but one Church and therefore did the Primitive Christians honourably by name Commemorate their pious and worthy Benefactors at the very time of their Sacred Eucharist although they were long before departed out of this life So seeing I have not any other meanes to commemorate my deceased Lord I have maâ—◠〈◊〉 if this to professe hereby Mihi erit nomen 〈◊〉 benedictionibus but to you my Lord do I present the Book because possibly it may do some good to the Living For the subject
and matter here handled is the most noble and high cause in the World and the most neerly concerning the glory of God and the salvation of man to which I was drawn by the importunity of some Learned and Religious friends and also by the iniquity of a most blasphemous Book lately Printed and called A Commentary on the Hebrewes written by a namelesse Doctor of Divinity who new resideth in this Countrey but formerly in Broad-gate Hall so it was then called wherein he hath vented such blasphemies against Jesus Christ as without special revocation and repentance will in the end bring both himself and all his seduced Sectaries to that wofull Broad-gate of which mention is made Matth. 7. 13. Lata est porta quae ducit ad perditionem The Controversies are not concerning the mighty and glorious reformrtion of a square-cap a Surplisse and Crosse and a painted glasse-window or the like which have been an out-side pretendment amongst Vulgars to bring upon this Land innumerable Calamities But that Commentary hath laid the axe to the root and foundation of our Christian Religion by un-Godding Jesus Christ and blasphemously denying his grand and most gracious Work of Redemption and it is feared that the pernicious doctrines therein contained have many abetters and favourers in these dangerous Times albeit this Commenter is the first of all the Serpents nest that dared to peep out and appear in our English print who both by this Book and by his personal insinuations hath already as we know perverted many from the saving truth of the Gospel to the evident danger both of theirs and of his own soul and his iâ—pious ambition to be the Ring-leader in this blasphemy hath in this Countrey procured to him such a Title and Character as was fastned on Marcion the Heretick by Polycarpus when he called him Euseb hist â— 4. c. 14. Primogenitum Satanae Wherefore setting before me the honour of Jesus Christ and the service which I owe to the Church and to my Countrey and also the care which a Father ought to have of the soules of his Children I have endeavoured both to detect the blasphemies of this Commentary and also to set down with all such possible plainnesse as so weighty a cause would admit the evidences of our most necessary and precious Christian faith in the Eternal Son of God both by shewing his Divine nature and glorious Godhead who is our True Onely Supream and Eternal Jehova and also the Incarnation of this our God by assuming an humane body and soul and thereby the inestimable benefits which our Redeemer and Saviour hath acquired for us First in exempting his servants from eternal death by his obedience Passive in suffering death in our stead and Secondly by meriting eternal life for us by his Obedience Active in performing the whole Law of God as a Surety and Undertaker for us These things have I endeavoured to set forth not onely by the sacred evidences of the holy Scriptures and by the constant doctrine of the Church-Catholick in several ages thereof but also by humane illustrations and the probable correspondence of our Christian faith with right reason Which thing hath been formerly much wished and thereupon laudably begun in some of the high mysteries of our Religion long ago by a Writer of good antiquity to supply the defect thereof in the elder Writers whereof he saith Rich. de St. Vict. de Trin. l. 1. c. 5. Legi de Deo meo quòd sit Unus Trinus sed undè haec probentur me legisse non memini Abundant in his authoritates sed non aequè argumentationes i. We read the high and holy Mysteries of Christian Religion evidently and abundantly affirmed by authority of Scripture but where to read the proof thereof by humane arguments to convince our Carnal reason we find not This task I have taken upon me now especially in these dangerous Times for that the abounding of moral iniquity and dogmatical impiety maketh me fear that Christianity is upon the point of departure from our dear Countrey as it hath done formerly from most places both in Asia and Africa and also from some parts of our Europe where it once flourished as high as ever it did here I see false prophets multiply with great applause and that the greatest number of the true godly and learned Prophets are disgraced discountenanced silenced and left speechlesse and in their places God knowes for which this Kingdome generally groaneth a new Succession is sprung up like Darknesse succeeding light Which by an Ancient and Wise States-man was observed to be a forerunner and symptom of a Lands destruction Naevius apud Cicer. de Senect Cedo quî vestram Rempub. tantam amisistis tam cito Proveniebant Oratores Novi Stulti Adolescentuli For the like pressures which we now suffer extorted such a sad expression from the holy and learned Bishop Gregory Nazianzen when by reason of the insolencies of the domineering Sectaries he was fain to resign his Church of Constantinople saying in a publick Oration Naz. Orat. 46. ad Nect Deus Ecclesias vitam hanc deseruisse videtur He feared that God had withdrawn his providence from that Church and State Indeed God did in after-time remove the golden Candlestick from thence when he suffered the Turks to possesse that City God in mercy with-hold the like Judgment from this Land both in our dayes and for ever after us But yet when for the present we see so many most impious blasphemies not onely printed and published but also in shew licensed and connived at and that in so many Congregations unlearned intruders are crept in and take upon them to teach others what themselves never learned it seems to me a visible representation of our Saviours words foreshewing a fall For if Matth. 15. 14. the blind lead the blind both shall fall into the ditch at least it seemeth to be like that which we have often seen a poor blind man led by a dog Certainly these things must needs make godly Parents very anxious how their posterity can be instructed in the succeeding generation I have heard a most learned and prudent Gentleman in these Times professe That for the reason before alledged he would be careful to provide some printed Books of the true old Clergy of England that in them the necessary doctrines of Christianity might be had when such will not be found in the new verbal time-serving and men-pleasing Sermon-makers This I confesse hath been a great motive to me for the penning and publishing this Book that so I may in some measure lay up both an antidote and also a store for the good of the soules of mine own family and of others also Which consideration my Lord I am firmly perswaded is deeply printed in your honourable and pious heart as being tenderly affected to your own noble off-spring the surviving Jewels of your most vertuous and dear Lady already with God Which care is imposed upon
Parents by the intimation of God himself to Abraham the great Patriarch of the faithful Gen. 18. 19. For I know him that he will command his children and his houshold after him and they shall keep the way of the Lord. This that your posterity may perform the Lord grant It shall be the hearty prayer of Yours Honours most humble Servant Edm. Porter Norw March 21. 1647. AN ADVERTISEMENT to the READER BE pleased good Christian Reader in order to the perusal of this Book to pre-understand a few things 1. That the Commentary on the Hebrews so often mentioned was long since written in the Latine Tongue by a forreigner either Johannes Crellius or some other Socinian as I am informed from a noble and Mr. Edâ— Cock learned Gentleman residing in Norwich in whose hands that Latine Commentary is now extant And this English Commentary is but a 〈◊〉 of that Latine one And thaâ— the Traâ—slator is a Doctor of Divinity as lately hath been discovered How the â—aid Doctor will quit himself from the crime of Plagiarism in concealing the right Author's name ipse viderit 2. That because this Doctor contemptuâ—â—sly slighteth the Niâ—â—â—â— Fathers and yet â—â—ledgeth Eusebius to his own design but very injuriously I have bestowed some leave in the vindication of that Learned Father perhaps more then otherwise would have been needful yet I have not used the Authority of any of them that were members of that most Religious Council except onely the same Eusebius Indeed AthanasiUs is often mentioned by me but he was no member there for although he were present as a Disputant among many others in the outward porch yet being then but in the Degree of a Deacon he had no voice or right of Suffrage in that Council But if this Doctor under the notion of the Nicenei Fathers intendeth a contempt of all those Primitive Doctors and others that since have adhered to the Decrees of that Council he must thereby dis-believe the then whole Catholick World and we with more modesty and lesse liberty professe we do not believe him nor his fellowes 3. That I have bestowed the more time in the Question of the visibility of God because this Doctor doth very prophanely slight that great mysterious apparition of God to Abraham in the shape of three men which I conceive Gen. 18. to have been purposely acted as an holy Scene to teach man That in after-times God would be really incarnate and corporally and hospitably converse with Abraham in his posterity which was performed when the Person of the Son of God became Emmanüel and is also spiritually intimated in the Gospel Joh. 14. 23. Rev. 3. 20. 1 Joh. 4. 13. And also to give a timely intimation of a Trinity of Persons in the Vnity of the Godhead For as to the Eternal Covenant of Grace before the Creation Three Persons were necessarily required as is shewed in the Preface of this Book so now because the same Covenant was renewed with Abraham when he was newly circumcised it pleased the Divine Wisdom to exhibit a glimpse of the same Blessed Trinity As also again in the Gospel when our blessed Saviour was Incarnate and then Circumcised and Baptized which Sacraments were a new Sealing of the same Covenant there was a manifestation of the Three Persons Matth. 3. the Father by a voice the Spirit as a Dove and the Son in the flesh I do not remember any other so evident Overtures and Apparitions of the Trinity as these 4. That I have so largely endeavoured the Exposition of those hard places Heb. 6. 4. and Heb. 10. 26. because the Commenter hath passed them over very slightly although the difficulties therein might well busie a Doctoral pen and brain But I conceive he knew that a true and sound Exposition would spoil his design of picking Socianisme out of this Divine Epistle to the Hebrews 5. That the Reader is not to expect Answers to Arguments against the Divinity of Christ because the Doctor useth none at all but onely his own magisterial affirmation without proof and if he had proceeded by way of Argument he could not have used stronger then had been before published in print by the said Joh. Crellius which are also as strongly answered by that Learned man Johannes Henr. Bisterfeldius 6. That whereas in my first Book and tenth Chapter I have affirmed The Article of Christ's Descent into hell not to have been mentioned in any Creed generally received till after the dayes of St. Austin I am still of the same mind Although I confesse that this Article is mentioned in that large Symbole which is rehearsed in the ninth Tome in the book called Soliloquia Chap. 32. And also in Aug. Soliloq cap. 32. To. 9. De Temp. Ser. 115. To. 10. the 10. Tome Serm. 115. De Tempore and there asserted as if it were cast into the Creed by St. Thomas the Apostle My answer is That those writings were not Austin's own but Supposititious and pinned on him by later Writers as is well known and proved by Learned men Because the same Father in his book De Fide Symbolo which is undoubtedly Aug. De Fide symb To. 3. his own disputeth quite through that Creed which was then called the Apostles Creed and this in the Presence of a grand Council of all Africk at Hippo yet maketh no mention at all of Christ's Descent And although it be true that the Doctrine of Christs descent into Hell is by the same Father very often asserted as Catholick notwithstanding as I said it was not in his time inserted into the Creed 7. That whereas in my fourth Book and 10th Chapter I have said That no old or new Anabaptist did ever to my remembrance assert two Baptismes except onely Marcion Now since the writing thereof which was finished Anno 1647. Two English Books came to my hands one printed 1646. affirmeth that Baptisme may be oft administred as well as the Word may be oft preached to one and the same person The other book printed 1638 very modestly and under Correction affirmeth That Not Scripture but the Practice and Tradition of the Ancient Church is the Onely ground whereby we are restrained from twice Baptizing the same person But I trust that the godly Reader will be otherwise perswaded when he hath perused the Exposition of Heb. 6. 4. which beginneth at the 4th Chapter of my 4th Book 8. That my design in penning this Book was both to discover the great and dangerous Heresies lurking in that Commentary And also in my way to open and set forth the very foundations of Christian Religion and to give what satisfaction I could to scrupulous men in the Doctrines and Disciplines of this Church Which hath been my practice both in my private and publick Labours for many years Especially in these our later Sceptick and Zetetick dayes of New-light wherein we have many Seekers that will never find what they pretend to Optatus thus writeth of the
Devil though Arius himself have put an honest man's name to his own detestable writings Just as hereticks in old time put the name of n Evâ—g l. 3. c. 31. Athanasius to the heresies of Apoll na rius Well! if you will not be known I say but as one in o Sen. cont lib. 1. cont 2. Seneca said of a lewd person Discede ignoâ—us â—sâ— discede notus es nâ—mis i. You are of no â—â—te and yet too notoribus CHAP. III. Touching the Preface Licencing and approbation of this Commentary IN your Preface directed to the Christian Reader it should rather be to your dear brethren the Turks for it savoureth more of that then of Christianity as will be shewed hereafter you tell us that one reason which moved you to print this book is Because it hath received a singular approbation from a most learned and reverend Divine the Divine here meant is Mr. John Downam who licenced this book who as I have heard from a right worthy reverend and honourable person is indeed a right honest grave and learned man now one of the singular approbations which Mr. Downam gives of your book is that he calls it a Comment on the Hebrewes whereas you stile it a Commentary now the word Comment or Commentum being equivocal doth most usually signifie a figment an untruth or fiction and the old Logick rule is Analogum per se positum flat pro significato famosiori therefore this learned man well knowing the falsities in your Commentary as will be proved anon did justly change the word and call'd it a Comment Or if it fell from him unawares then there was a providence in it for truth hath so fallen from many unwittingly as St. Austine confesseth of himself a Aug. Conf. l. 9. c. 4. that the Spirit of truth worketh both by men that perceive it and by them that perceive it not Just so doth Socrates observe in the Writings of Libanius the Sophist who was a great admiâ—â—r of Julian the Apostate this 〈◊〉 a most Learned man intending to praise Julian said of him b Socr. l. 3. c. 19. O daemonum discipule daemonum assessor c O disciple of Demons and Companion of Demons Mirum est eum non vitasse verbum ambiguum i. â—marvâ—l saith Socrates that Libanius would not avoid such an ambiguous word which doth more usually signifie Devils then good Angels In like manner the Manichees to avoid the reproach of the name Manes their sounder which in the Greek tongue signified Madnesse of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 would needs have him call'd Manichaeus to signifie one that poured out Manna of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but yet they had neglected to double the N so the name Manichaeus still signified but c Aug. Cont. Faust l. 19. c. 22. Insani-fusorem i. a venter of madnesse as St. Austin hath observed So this learned Divine might shew you a cast of his learning and call your book a Comment and knowingly too I say knowingly and I have good reason for it because I am assured that Mr. Downam did find fault with many passages in your Comment as unsound and erroneous and favouring of Socinâ—anisme and gave advertisement thereof to you the namelesse authour as may appear by Mr. Downam's Letter which for the vindication of his integrity I have here inserted verbatim as it was written to a most Learned and Reverend Person the true Copy whereof your self have seen long ago Mr. Downam's Letter concerning this Commentary on the Hebrews RIght Reverend and my much honoured Lord I humbly and heartily thank you for your kind advertisement and good counsel for untill I read your Lordships Letter I knew nothing of the Printing or publishing of this Comment on the Hebrews which makes me not a little to wonder and somewhat to suspect ill dealing in that I should be made by them that have to deal in it so great a stranger to it seeing I Licenced it and live in the Town near unto them But that you may more fully understand the whole carriage of the businesse thus it was The Copy was brought unto me by a Book-seller from an unknown Author and I was desired to peruse it that if I approved of it it might be Licenced unto which I condescended and in reading I liked much of it as being Learned and well couched together with good dependence but withall misliked many passages as very unsound and savouring strongly of Arminianisme and Socinianisme yet having to deal with a Scholar I desired to be ingenuous and did not as I might have done blot out those erroneous lines and leaves but by means of a Gentleman who did mediate and act the businesse between us I wrote a Letter and by his means sent it to the unknown Author wherein I expressed the severall Points which I thought erroneous and whereâ—n I differed from him together with my Reasons which induced me so to judge and after some time I received his answer full of ingenuity yet not subscribed with any name wherein he neither defended nor excused those Points and passages against which I had taken exceptions but was contented that I should take mine own liberty in expunging what I misliked and having this power put into my hands by the Author himself I did accordingly use it and crossed many passages and divers whole folio-pages although I confesse I passed over divers things which I misliked leaving him to â—he liberty of his own judgment in points which I thought not fundamentally erroneous nor much material unlesse pressed by way of consequence Now if the Author or the Gentleman his Agent have annexed a Stet overagaâ—nst my oblâ—terations and the places by me expunged and yet notwithstanding have published the whole with my attestation I must professe that they have dealt ill with me and will do my best to repair my own right and reputation which that I may the better do I will send for the book that I may revize it and so proceed as I shall see occasion And thus have I truly given your Lordship an account of the whole carriage of this busines the which may be further cleared and enlarged if any fitting occasion shall be offered hereafter In the mean while and ever I shall remain Your Lordships in all Christian service to be commanded John Downam May the first 1646. This is all the singular approbation which Mr. Downame gave but what Christian Magistrates and the Church used to do with books which set forth such doctrines as you have done the Ecclesiasticall Histories tell us d Soz. l. 1. c. 20. Soc. l. 1. c. 5. Constantine the Great commanded the books of Arius to be burnt and threatned death to any one that should keep and conceal them Yet Arius set forth but the same doctrine that you do Just so were the books of the Manichees used at Rome in the time of Pope Leo the first about the year of our Lord 447. e Prosp
in Cron. as Prosper writeth yet the Manichees did not more deprave the Passion of Christ then you have done and therefore your book cannot expect a better fate then its fore-runners for of all the great Volumes which former hereticks writ there is little or nothing at this day to be found except such fragments as remain in the Fathers who confuted them and a few Creeds and Ep stola fundamenti in St. f Aug. Conâ— Epist fund 10. 6. c. 5. Austin and nothing else of Controversie considerable and yet I must tell you that the books of the Arians were written with far greater art and learning then your loose writings shew and I assure you that many Judicious Divines have said that they find nothing in your book fiâ— to be observed but onely the errours and heresies and yet those are so poorly proved that I may truly say of your book as Austin did of the books of Faustus the Manichee g Aug. Cont. Faust lib. 16. c. 26. Faustus scribit tanquam libellus ejus surdos auditores vel caecos lectores esset habiturus O hominem dictorem alium non cogitantem contradictorem i. Surely you imagined that your Readers and bearer should be deaf or blind and that none would contradict you but all acquiesce in your opinion yet your writings are so blasphemous as if they had been written by him that was the Author of that Libel which Mr. Fox calls h Acts Mon. n. 40. Lucifers Letter and so insipid as if they had been i Erasm f. 359. Suibus Scripti as Erasmus said of such kind of Writers in his time I wish they had been dedicated to Vulcan or strangled with a spunge in their birth because I see that they are like the fry of Serpents and other Vermin and are by you made onely to do mischief untill they be catcht and then the height of their preferment will be as Martial merrily writes of his own Poems k Mart. l. 3. ep 2. Libelle Festina tibi vindicem parare Ne nigram citò raptus in culinam Cordyllas madida â—egas papyro Vel thuris piperisque sis Cucullas Make haste and get a Patron pretty book Before the Black guard or the Master-Cook Snatch thee as waste-paper for his Kitchin To put Spice Sprats Frankincense or Pitch in But if they misse this yet they will not fail of such an end as Arius himself came to or of the fate of Volusius his Annals in Catullus Pleni ruris inficetiarum Catul. car 37. Mart. lib. 12. p. 62. Annales Volusi c. carm 37. So I leave them for present to be put into the Black Bill at Cambridge or the black Catalogue of the late Gangrana CHAP. IV. The Commenters temporizing in unsainting the Apostles in condemning Tombs and in short hair THe next thing to be observed in you and your Comment is your great Compliance with the tender Consciences of these Times which they that formerly observed your very zealous conformity with the then garb must needs judge that you intended this new change onely as a bait to invite the brethren more chearfully to swallow your deadly hook First you will not afford the title of Saint to the holy Apostles but they are plain John Peter Paul only James is beholding to you for Sainting him if not an erratum of the Printer Is not this to shew your conformity with the Plague-bill of London and yet there is the title Allhallowes though not the word Saint and there the word Saint is withdrawn but from places and Churches but you will not allow it to the persons of Apostles the Bill had some colour for it self for it was once ordered in a Council a Concil Constantinop sub Const 5. An. Domini 755. That Churches should not have the appellation of Saint because of the great abuse in Image-worship and because people did then give the title of Saint to those places not because the Churches were so named in their dedications but because the Images of Saints were set up in Churches and the name of the Saint was painted on the Image So that when men said Let us go to St. Peters they meant it of the image when perhaps the Church was not so named but it was never ordered by any Christian Council that the title Saint should be denyed to the persons of the holy Apostles and Evangelists you see the Scriptures give that â—itle to whole Companies of people professing Christ b 1 Cor. 14. 33. who were much inferiour to the high Office and sanctity of the Apostles I think you would be offended with him that should not stile you Doctor and yet the Apostles have a better title to Saint then you to your Doctorship And because some are offended with Images of men lately set upon Tombs as they have as just cause perhaps to find fault with them as to be offended with the memories of Apostles and Martyrs in glasse-windowes if all imagery in Churches be unlawful you more zealously condemn all Tombs built for memory of men departed though they deserved well of us and therein you condemn the practice of holy men in Scripture in preserving the Sepulâ—hâ—â— of David even the accursed Jews did adorn the Tombs of the Prophets whom Matth. 23. 29. their fathers slew yea and all Christian Churches in all ages did allow and with great cost set up Tombs of holy men and Martyrs and called them Memorias Martyrum i. e. the Memories of Martyrs the Sepulcher of Christ was much esteemed by Constantine the Great and a fair Church built over it as we read in Eusebius and that for the memories of twelve Apostles Euseb de vit Const l. 3. lib. 4. Hier. Epist 53. c. 3. n. 17. Aug. de Civ l. 22. c. 8. he built twelve several Tombs in one Church as Constantinople and in St. Hieromes time the Tombs of St. Peter and St. Paul were of great esteem in Rome In St. Austin's time and in his Church at Hippo was the Tomb of St. Stephen set up though far remote from the place of his stoning and we find a Tomb set up or the blessed Virgin Mary in Judaea as some in Diâ—nysius and St. Hierome tell us Nonna the holy woman Vid. Dionys vit Hier. to 9. P. 39. and Mother of Greg. Nazianzen devoted the whole estate which her son Caesarius left to build a costly Monument for his memory as her own son Nazian in his Funeral Oration to her great praise reporteth Naz. Orat. 10. and in the Canons of the Primitive Church recorded by St. Basil The violaters of the Tombs of the dead are Basil ad Amphil c. 64. n. 36. ordered to stand excommunicate the space of eleven yeares even as long as adulterers were This Commenter surely hath an higher conceit of his own wisdome then any other men have discovered to be in him that presumeth to controul the Practice of
you grant him onely to be Assimilated to God which is the same in English with the Arian word Homoiâ—â—sion i. e. of like substance so you would have Christ to be onely like unto God which is no more then the Scripture affordeth to our first parents who were made not onely after the Image but after the similitude of God Gen. 1. 26. and because the Nicene Fathers asserted the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 against Arius therefore you are unreasonably angry with them also and in your passion you write rashly for you say The Nicene P. 331. Fathers are not to be thought to have hâ—ld that the Son is that one most high God who yet if they should appear in these times they would be condemned of an universal Council Your impudence is great in saying those Fathers did not hold so and your passion is unreasonable in saying they should now be condemned for if they held not so wherefore should an universall Arian Council condemn them We know that their doctrine was indeed condemned by no lesse then * Bishop Jewel f. 362. ten Councils of Arians †Sexâ—â—nti Episcopi Ariaâ—i consentiunt Ario. Hâ—â— in Epist Auxentii n. 7. and it was therefore condemned because as the principall businesse for which that renowned Council was called they asserted the Son to be Homâ—ousion that is to be of the same essence substance and Goâ—head with the Father which most true and wholesome doctrine all Orthodox Churches in the World have ever since and to this day do maintain and that Council is for this reason of most venerable estimation amongst all good Christians as being the best that ever was since the Aposties dayes and Epiphanius accounteth that Council to be one of the greatest and most memorable acts that the great Emperour Constantine did Constantinus duo maximâ— fâ—cit Nicaenam Epiph. haer 70. Synodum Conseâ—sâ—m de Paschaâ—e i. e. The two greatest acts that ever Constantine dâ—d were the calling of the Nicene Council and procuring the universal agreement for the solemnity of Easter If those Fathers had heard you denying the Godhead of Jesus and his eternal generation and vilifying him by placing him under some Angels they would have done before you as they did to Arius for when he said in that Council that God the Father was not alwayes a Father nor the Son a Son from eternity and that he was preferred to be a God or Deified as the word is those godly Fathers at the hearing of these words did all stop their eares from hearing any more of his blasphemies as Athanasius writeth and yet Arius may yield Atha cont Arian Orat. 1. n. 4. the buckler to you You tell us Christ as he is the Son of God is * pag. 80. pag. 320. Opposed to God and diverse from God This is a cast of your profound Logick indeed the rule in Logick at which you quibble is Oppositio relativa est inter relatum correlatum i. e. That there is an opposition between the Relative and Correlative Now in the Divine persons these terms Father and Son may be truly said to be opposed one to another in Recto So that we may say the Father is not the Son nor the Son the Father but we cannot say the Father is not God or the Son is not God because the opposition lies between the two relative terms onely and not between the tearms and the subject For example A man that hath a son is a father but that father is not that son this is true Logick But you cannot say that this father is not a man If therefore by your new Logick you would prove that the Son of God is not God because he is not God the Father I will put this petition into my Letanie as St. Ambrose is reported to have done the like in his when St. Austin before his Conversion troubled the Church of Millane with his Manichâ—an disputes A Cor. lan in vita Aug. l. 2. c. 1. Logica Augustâ—ni lib ra nos Domine From the hereticall Logick good Lord deliver us CHAP. VI. Sheweth that the whole design of this Commenter is to confute or extenuate and darken the authority and evidence of this Epistle to the Hebrewes I Observe again that you have very improperly and perversly nick-named your book A Commentary my reason is because it is not an Exposition of that Text nor so intended by you but it is an Undoing of the Epistle an interversion and a confutation of it as much as you can for you have endeavoured to extinguish this great light by which the eternal Godhead of Jesus is so evidently illustrated You may as well blow out the light of the Sun but though you blow till your lungs crack that Sun and this light will still shine Tertullian saith That the Epistle to the Thessalonians is of such clearnesse and evidence as if Tert. de Resur n. 30. it had been written radâ—o â—oâ—is with a Sun-beam And this Divine Epistle doth so clearly demonstrate the Godhead of Jesus as if St. Paul had writ it whilest he was in his raptuâ—e in the third heaven or that it had been written immediately with the singer of God and therefore all your wit and Learning is employed to darken and blur this our grand piece of evidence there are many profound mysteries in this sacred Scripture the which you are so far from explicating that you have onely laboured to make them more difficult as Austin modestly fea ed in himself Vereor ne exponendo Aug. Expos in Levit. quaest 174. Tul. de Nat. Deor. l. 3. do siat obscurius and such places as are plain and easie you have laboured to hide Just as Tullâ— said of one Râ—m minimè dubâ—am dispuâ—ando duâ—iam facis Former hereticks used to perswade their heresies by alledging Scriptures positively but such Scriptures as did so clearly evince them that they could not gainsay those they rejected thus the Manichees slighted the whole Old a Aug. cont Faust l. 2. c. 1. Testament and the Gospels of St. Matthew and St. Luk calling them b â—b l. 4. c. 1. Genisidium because of the Genealogies and therefore Te tullian calls Marcion c Tert. cont Marc. l. 1. n. 39. Murem Pontiâ—um the Mâ—use of Pontus because he also rased out or rejected such Scriptures as made against him and the same Father giveth this character of two grand Hereticks d Tert. de praescript n. 30. Marcion ad materiam suam caedem Scripturarum confecit Valentinus materiam ad Scripturas excogitavit i. e. That Marcion pared and fitted the Scriptures to be suitable to his heresies but Valentinus invented heresies that might seem to agree with the letter of Scriptures But you have imitated both these first in your endeavour to null the authority of this Epistle and though you fail in that yet in a second place you have laboured to conform and new turkiss
vigilant now at all the ports of thy soul and take some antidote of thy precious Christian faith to corroborate thy heart against the danger of most deadly poyson for now the Serpents nest and Pandora's box are to be opened containing multitudes of evils and deadly blasphemies against the Divine Person of thy dear Saviour and his precious death all which I must now present to thy view and for thy more easie discovery I will draw them out in two files The first containeth such blasphemies which deny the Godhead and Divine nature of Jesus Christ The second containeth such blasphemies as deny the Incarnation of God and the Redemption of man by the Passion bloodshed and death of thy Saviour when he offered himself a full sufficient expiatory sacrifice on the altar of the Crosse and also such as deny the merit of his active obedience in fulfilling the Whole Law and performing the Covenant of God in our stead on our behalf and to our benefit and now they advance Blasphemies against the Godhead of Jesus Christ 1. That Christ was by his Resurrection consequently deiâ—ied Chap. 1 vers 2. pag. 3. it seemes the Commenter doth not believe that Christ was God before his death 2. That the Creation of the world cannot be referred to Christ Chap. 1. vers 10 p. 10. That his making of the world was but the restoring of mankind to a new state pag. 3. yet all things were made by him that were made Joh. 1. 3. 3. That Christ had an immense measure of the Holy Ghost Cap. 1. 9. p. 9. If it were immense how is it a measure and if by measure how is it immenâ—e is not this illogical blasphemy the Scripture saith of him God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him Joh. 3. 34. 4. That Christ had a beginning Cap. 1. 12. p. 13. Yet of Christ it is said His goings forth have been from everlasting Mich. 5. 2. 5. That if the Author of this Epistle to the Hebrewes had taken Christ to be the supream God he had discouâ—sed impertinently C. 1. 10. p. 10. That it is manifest that Christ is not the Supream God C. 5. 5. p. 80. That Christ was a divine man C. 7. 22. p. 136. That Christ was opposed to God Cap. 5. 5. p. 80. That Christ carried himself as a person diverse from God and that he was so the thing it self declares C. 12. 25. p. 320. p 54. 6. That Christ doth not forgive sins of his own authority Cap. 4. 14. pag. 70. That Christ hath not power of himself to save us C. 9. 24. p. 192. Yet Christ saith The Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins Matth 9. 6. and Thou shalt call his Name Jesus for he shall save his people from their sins Mâ—â— 1. 21 7. That the Angels are equal to Christ for duration C. 1. 10. p. 10. The â—ngel are creatures Christ is their Creator and therefore before them and of longer duration à parte anâ—e but if he mean that Angels are equal to him for duration à parte â—â—st onely he hath said nothing to his own purpose for so soules of men yea and devils â—â— all endure for ever but the Son of God is from everlasting to everlasting as is shewed out of Mich. 5. 2. 8. That the Lord Christ was not the first Author of the Gospel but God was the first C. 2. 3. p. 19. If the Law had been published by God himself it had been mâ—re excellent then the Gospel c. C. 2. 2. p. 16. This blasphemy is particularly answered before Cap. 7 9. That the Saints in heaven shall noâ—â—e under Christ but besides him C. 2. 6. p. 23. What! Check by soul yet Philip. 2. 1â— God hath puâ— all things under his feet and gave him to be head over all things to the Church and this Supremacy is there said to be in heavenly places verse 20. and The four and twenty Elders fall down and worship the Lamb Rev. 4. 10. 10. That it appears that faith in Christ is not contained in all faith in God Cap. 11 6. p. 251. That he that believes in Christ doth not believe in him finally but in God by him C. 3. 12. p. 54. He would have you believe there is something greater and better then Christ to believe in Ultimatè Terminativè 11. That Christ must not be compared with that Angel who represented God C. 12. 25. p. 321. Yet Christ even in his humane nature exalted is set far above all Principalities and powers and might and dominion and every name that is named not onely in this world but in that which is to come Ephe. 1. 21. Indeed he is said to be made lower then the Angels to suffer death Heb. 2. 9. lower in the humiliation of his humane nature but of his Divine nature alone and of his humane exalted and so of his whole Person as he is Emmanuel it is said Heb. 1. 6. Let all the Angels of God worship him The total summe of all these is Onely this blasphemy That Christ is not God Blasphemies against the Incarnation of the Son of God and his Work of Redemption 1. That Christ the Son of God cannot be said to be Incarnate more then the Saints are Heb. 2. 14. pag. 31. 2. That the Supream God can no way be a Priest C. 5. 5. p. 80. True if you had added this Except he be Incarnate and assume humane nature 3. The expiatory Offering of Christ for our sins was not performed on earth but in heaven C. 7. 1. p. 116. c. 8. 4. p. 146. c. 9. 12. p. 168. That his offering did not consist in his death but by his entrance into heaven after death C. 9. 7. p. 160. his Priesthood began there C. 9. 14. p. 171. 4. That Christ was not the Author of the New Testament but is called the Testator only because he was the main witnesse C. 9 19. p. 182 183 184. 5. That when it is said Jesus made a surety of a better Testament Heb. 7. 22. it is not meant that Christ became our surety to God and took upon him the payment of our debts But was a surety of Gods promise and dyed to assert the truth of the Covenant C. 7. 22. p. 136 319 348 357. 6. That Eusebius would not have the Son of God who appeared to Abraham to be the most high God Cap. 13. 2. p. 331. 7. That the Nicene Fathers hâ—ld not that the Son is that one most high God who is the Father These are the Articles of Infidelity which are affirmed by this Commenteâ— against which consisting of two Heads as is said I will Gods assistance addresse two Books following in the former whereof The Godhead of Christ shall be declared and in the later the Incarnation of the same Jesus who is the true onely and supream God shall be manifested and thereby the Great and gracious Mystery of man's Redemption by our God so Incarnate
Teâ—ragrammaton id est the word of 4. Letters just as the Jewes did for so I find that Eusebius calls it and so doth Origen and Euseb 26. k. Orig. 11. l. Hier. 29. Clem. stro n. 14. Diodorus Sic. l. 1. sect 94 so doth Hierâ—me But Clemens Alex. hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which his interpreter renders Iehova the name of four letters and perhaps the Gnostick hereticks from this word Iehova borrowed the name of their chief heavenly Prince whom they called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of which we read both in Irâ—naeus and in Epiphaâ—â—â—s Now albeit this word I hova signifie no other thing but onely God yet it is not therefore to be called the Iren. l. 1. c. 18 Epiph. hae 62. hae 34. proper name of God no â—oâ—e then Logical definitions or descriptions may be said to be the pâ—oper name of the thing defined or described though they be adaequate nor in Divinity do we say that the words Omnipotent or Eternall Lord are the proper name of God though onely God is so called Maximus an heathen in his Epistle to Saint Aussin confesseth Nomâ—n Dei proprium ignoramus id est although the Aug. Epist 43. Godhead had a proper name yet man is ignorant what that name is and if we did know any proper name of the Godhead yet as Philo. observeth It were a sign of greater reverence to call upon him by a name Philo. de vita Mo. n. 11. lib. 3. appellative for saith he when we speak to our parents we do not use to call them by their pâ—oper names but appellatively Father Mother And so we may with reverence call upon the Godhead using the word Jehova because it is not a proper but an appellative name For this word Iehova being rendred Lord if a man should ask you what is the proper name of your God would you answer that his proper name is Lord It is said Isai 9. 6. His name shall be called wonderful and Luk. 1. 49. Holy is his name If I ask you what is the proper name of your God would you answer that his proper name is wonderful or holy No these are not proper names but appellations Just apol 1. n. 7. Vniversali rerum patri nomen non est imposiâ—um saith Iustin Martyr the universall Father of all hath no name for though we call him God and Father and Creator and Lord c. Non sunt nomiâ—a sed appellationes id est these are not names but appellations saith he just as the titles of our King are His Majesty his Highnesse his Grace our Soveraign which no man will say are the Kings proper name these are the reasons which moved the Ancients to say that the pure Godhead for so they meant by the most high God neither hath nor needeth any proper name But when the Word was made flesh that is when the Godhead was incarnate and when God was so made man then good reason that he should with our flesh assume also a proper name to distinguish him from other men as he did and that name is Iesus So the result of all that hath been said is that the onely proper name of our only and most high Lord God is Iesus and this is the reason that both the Scripture requireth adoration of God under the name of Iesus and the Church also for the perpetuall memory and confession of his Godhead doth require adoration at such times as his proper and only Name Iesus is mentioned For although we do not say that those which refuse to worship the Lord Jesus in that manner which the Church prescribeth when this name is named do commit the grand sin yet they may be truly Si tu neglexeris nomen Dei delet ipse nomen tuum August in Psa 91. D. said that they which do therefore refuse to worship the Lord Iesus because they do not believe nor will confesse and acknowledge him to be the only true and most high God such men do fall into that sin of which it is said It shall never be forgiven CHAP. XXI The Conclusion of this second Booke with the Authours resolute Confession of Jesus Christ to be the most High and onely Lord God BY this time the Christian Reader doth perceive why the denying of the Godhead of â—esus Christ hath been said to be that grand unpardonable sin and therefore what great cause and reason we have to be rightly instructed in and to be frequently put in mind of this weighty Doctrine because if Jesus be not the true and onely and most high God and be not so by us confessed and believed we can obtain no Redemption but must necessarily perish everlastingly In this Confession therefore I set up my rest and to him in this Faith I fasten my soul for all my hope of salvation is included in this Doctrine which if it should prove untrue I might with trembling say as an Heathen did on his death-bead Animula vagula blandulâ— c. Adrian ap Spart Sect. 14. Quae nunc abibis in loca I know no other way in which redemption and salvation can be expected for Christ is the way and the onely way and in this bottome onely do I trust and venture that which to me is most precious even my soul and the eternall state thereof This is that necessary Doctrine which I have laboured all this while to set forth and which our God hath taught us both by himself and by his Prophets from the beginning of the world In this therefore I conclude with such Christian boldness as becometh us in the very foundation of Christian Religion in the words of Rich. de Sâ— Victore Nonne cum omni confidencia Ri. de St. Vict de Trin. l. x. c. 2. Jer. 20. 7. Deo dicere poterimus Domine fi error est à â—â—ipso deâ—â—pri â—umuâ— c. id est Lord if our Christian Faith be false and erroneous thou thy self hast deceived us for those wonderfull works which have wrought this Faith in us could be done by none other but thy self With like confidence Athanasius also in a disputation by him held with Aâ—ius at the Nicene Councell when he affirmed that the Father and the Sonne were At h in disp cum Ario. n. 27 but one God Arius told him Tu Sabellius es qui Patrâ—m Filium uâ—um dâ—â—â—â— i Thou art another Sâ—bellius â—n confounding the Father and the Sonne But Athanasius replied TumDominus Sabellius est qui it a dixit Egâ— Paâ—er unum sumus i If I be a Sabellian foâ— saying the Father and the Sonne are one God then must Christ himself be a Sabellian for himself hâ—th so said The like boldnesse and resolution in this very Doctrine Hilâ—le Trin. lib. â—â— n. 2. doth Saint Hilary expresse Domine quid me misâ—rum de â—e â—â—â—ellisti Verbis tuiâ— credidi de â—pit me Moses David Solomon Daniel Apostoli
si câ—imen est nimium legi Propâ—eâ—is Apostolis credidisse ignosce Omnipotens Deus quâ—a in his mâ—ri possum Emendâ—ri non possum Id est Lord why hast thou deceived me thy poore creature I believed thine own words concerning thine own self thy servant Moses David Solomon Daniâ—l and thine Apostles have misled me If it be a fault to give too much credence to thy Law thy Prophets and Apostles I beseech thee to have me â—xcused if in this Faith I live and die for I can never recant this Doctrine Finally this was also the constant Profession of that learned Bishop Saint Basil for when Valens the Aâ—ian Emperour had by a messenger threatned him with sequâ—stration of his Church and banishment of his person if he persisted in this Doctrine which he called a foolish doctrine The good Bishop answered uâ—inam sempiter na sit Theod. hist l. 4. c. 10. haec mea insipientia id est And so say I and I pray God I may never be withdrawen from that true and most wholsome Doctrine which I have here delivered and which our new fashion rationall animalls call folly but that I may persevere in the Faith and Confession of the Godhead of Jesus Christ unto my lives end And afterwards I doubt not but I shall so continue with the Angels and Elders Revelation 5. 13. saying Blessing Honour Glory and Power be unto him that sitteth on the Throne and to the Lambe for ever and ever Amen L. Deo FINIS THE THIRD BOOK Αâ—θÏωπâ—Ï‚ Θεâ—φόÏος THE Incarnation of GOD And the MYSTERIE Of Mans Redemption unfolded Tentemus animas quae deficiunt in fide naturalibus rationibus adjuvare Ruffin in symb apud Cyp. LONDON Printed for Humphrey Moseley and are to be sold at his Shop at the Princes Armes in St. Paul's Church-yard 1655. THE PREFACE HAving in the second Book shewed that Jesus Christ is the onely true supream and most high God and that there is no other God but he for that we are assured that Christian Faith cannot Hâ—l de Trin. l 7. admit of two gods And because we have learned the same in the Holy Scriptures Deut. 6. 4. Hear O Israel the Lord our God is one Lord. And that the Prophet calls the Son of God Esay 9. 6. The mightty God the everlasting Father and that in the Gospell the Son of God saith John 10. 30. The Father and I are one and that all his are the Fathers and all that the Father hath are his John 17. 10. Which sheweth a perfect communion in one Essence and that the Son in Godhead is no way inferiour to the Father but both are equall and therefore the Scripture with great reason doth promiscuously sometimes name the Father before the Sonne and sometimes the Sonne is put before the Father as John 8. 16. I and the Father that sent me and Gal. 1. 1. By Jesus Christ and God the Father And 2. Thes 2. 16. Our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father For if Christ were absolutely under and subject to the Father how could this be endured when no Prince will suffer his subject though he be never so high and honourable to write Ego Rex I and my King as Chrysostome Chrys tom 6. ser 4. n. 55. notes In this third Book I am to shew that the same Onely true and most high God was incarnate by assuming humane flesh from the Virgin Mother and in that assumed nature was called Jesus Christ and in that assumed Manhood performed the great work of Mans redemption and therein suffered death on the Cross thereby satisfying the Justice and submitting to the Sentence of God as an expiation for our transgressions and by his most holy life and perfect righteousness in fulfilling the whole Law and so performing the Covenant of God for us and in our stead as our suretie and thereby according to the Covenant Do this and live hath obtained for his whole Mysticall Body the kingdom of Heaven and everlasting life To this discourse I am lead by the pernicious doctrine of this Commenter who denied Jesus to be the supreame God and to colour this blasphemy hath most apparantly misinterpreted and transverted the holy Scriptures and wronged the ancient Nicene Fathers as hath been shewed before and particularly that most learned Bishop and ancient Church-writer Eusebius as is next to be shewed THE INCARNATION of GOD. CHAP. I. The Vindication of Eusebius whom this Comment hath calumniated and falsified VPon those words Heb. 13. 2. Some have P. 331. entertained Angels the Commenter saith Eusebius in his first Book contends that one of the Angels was the Son of God for he will not have him the most high God c. You have not onely all to becommented the Epistle to the Hebrewes and the Nicene Father but have written a loud Comment on Eusebius who never wrote or said for ought can appear that Jesus Christ was not the most high God But I am sure divers times in his most learned Books he teacheth true Doctrine quite contrary to yours when he saith Filius erat ante aeterna tempora Euseb de Demonst i. 4. 6. â— the Son of God was from eternity and also particularly condemneth this very Heresie which you have so belaboured under the name of Heresie Artemon Theodotus and Paulus Simosatenus as hath been shewed before Id hist l. 5. c. 28. lib. 7. c. 2. For this Eusebius was one of those renouned Bishops who at the Nâ—â—ene Councel against Arius decreed and subscribed the article Homossion id est that the Father and the Son are of the same essence and Godhead whereas some Arians at that Councel refused to subscribe and thereby insinuated as your selfe have done that there was a greater and a lesser God and so fell into the old heresie of Mercion who said Bas ho. 27. con sabel Soc. l. 2. c. 5. there were two Gods 2â— Saint Basil notes one of the refusers was also named Eusebius who was â—ishop of Nicomedia at that time and afterwards was preferred to the Bishoprick of Constantinople and their lived and dyed an Arian but we have no writings of this Eusebius now extant The Eusebius whom you mean lived and dyed Bishop of Caesaria a man of so great learning and worth that the Emperour Constantine said he was worthy to be the Vniversal Bishop of the Sec. l. 1. c. 18. world this man at first was unwilling to have the word homoâ—sion put into the Creed because it was new but afterwards when he perceived that it was but the expression of that Doctrine which is really contained in Scripture when it is said The Father and I are one he accepted of it and exhibitted his own Church-Creed to the Councel and the Councel confirmed it onely adding the word Homoâ—sion and so published it as Socrates saith so that it seemeth the Soc. l. 1. c. 5. creed which we call the Nicene Creed
progenitor Therfore Christ sinned in Adam This consequence is false because Christ did not so proceed from Adam as Levi did from Abraham that is by way of carnal generation and therfore Christ did not attract sin from Adam as Levi did from Abraham so as is said before But yet because Christ took flesh from Adam therfore all the pressures included in the curse on Adam were intayled on Christ sin only excepted as mortalitie and the consequences therof sorrowâ— labour wearines hunger abasement and subjection Tâ—â—e it is that Abraham paying tithesâ—oo Melchisedech which was in the nature of an homage or political submission and acknowledgment as holding the Land of promise to him and his seed by the donation of the Lord of Heaven who is the Messiah he did in this act include all the tribes which were to proceed from him to submit as homagers to the said Messiah represented in his type Melchisedech even as earthly Lords their successors do homage to their superior princes for lands held of them But what is this to intayling of sin Original sin is not derived to posterity by any such external acts I doubt not but Christ himself as man and as the seed of Abraham was involved in this homage Mat. 17. 27. See beneath l. 3. c. 17. and therfore did actually pay tribute and submit to the law as other Israelites did Of which tribute paying and also of the difference between Levies and Christ's being in the loins of Abraham I shal say more in the last chapter at the close of this third book Now for conclusion that it may appeare that our saviour is a compleat high-priest every way accomplished with all abilities and requisits needful to the great work of mans redemption of him it is spoken Psal 89. 19 I have laid help upon One that us mighty who Psal 89. 19. Psal 132. 2. 1 Pet. 1. 19. Act. 20. 28. 1 Cor. 15. 47. 1 Tim. 3. 16. Isa 9. 6. Joh. 20. 28. 1 Cor. 2. 8. Heb. 7. 26. is no lesse then the mighty God of Jacob. The blood which he shed for us is justly by S. Peter called Precious for it was the blood of God This second Adam Incarnate for us is no less then The Lord from Heaven and God manifest in the flesh and The mighty God the everlasting Father the prince of peace he that was wounded for us is called by the Apostle my Lord and my God he that was crucified for us was no less then the Loâ—d of glory and in his very humiliation of the humane nature he was holy harmless undefiled and seperate from sinners To him be all honour and glorie and thanksgiving for ever CHAP. XII That the unregenerate man is redeemed by Christ and that the Spirit of Christ is communicated to him BUt in the second place it would be inquired what Interest the unregenerate man hath in Christ how he can lay any claime to Christs sufferings for although it be true that Christ hath taken the unregenerate man's nature on him yet may wee or can we truly say that the unregenerate man hath received the Spirit of Christ into him If this will not be granted Christ cannot be a person idoneous or fitly qualified to be his redeemer because as such a redeemer must take somthing from man so man must also receive somthing from him that by giving and taking the redeemer and redeemed may be united and so considered as one bodie and that must be by receiving the Spirit from Christ as Christ received flesh from man which is elegantlie expressed by Prosper in his poem Vt nos insercret Summis se miscuit Imis That man Prosp de Ingrat n. 41. might be joyned unto God God joyned himself with man Now it seemeth that the Spirit of Christ is also communicated to the unregenerate man because wee find in Scripture that he also hath an interest in Christ and a claime and title to him for the Scripture declareth that the benefit of Christ's death and by it redemption is offered to all men of what condition soever whether good or bad regenerate or unregenerate beleevers or unbeleevers for the Gospel is sent to all the world and to every creature Mar. 16. 15. and One of the maine points of the Gospel is the offer of the benefit of redemption by the death of Christ of which the Scripture saith 2 Cor. 5. 15. that he died for all so Rom. 8. 32. 1 Tim. 2. 6. and againe Heb. 2. 9. He tasted death for every man here is the benefit of Christs death offered Omnibus singulis i. to all and every man and more particularly it is offered to the ungodly Rom. 5. 6. Christ died for the ungodly and more plainly yet it is offered to them that shall perish and be destroied for S. Paule saith 1 Cor. 8. 11. Through thy knowledg shall thy weak brother perish for whom Christ dâ—ed and againe he saith Rom. 14. 15 Destroy not him with thy meate for whom Christ died And to put it out of all doubt that Christ did indeed offer the benefit of redemption to them that not only may possibly perish but even to such as actually shall perish S. Peter saith 2 Pet. 2. 1. There shall be false teachers which denie the Lord that bought them and bring upon themselves swift destruction false teachers are the most unlikely to have any benefit by Christ for Rev. 20. 10. the devil the beast and the false Prophet are joyned in the lake of fire and brimston and yet wee see the benefit of redemption was offered to false Prophets This is the Doctrine of the Church of England and so it was of the Church Primitive as appeareth by diverse testimonies for S. Ambrose saith Ethnicus haereticus peccator sanguine Amb. in symb Apost c 25. Christi redempti sunt i Not only the sinner but the heathen and the heretick are redeemed by the blood of Christ and Athanasius delivereth the same doctrine not only as being his single opinion but as the judgment of the Council of Sardice Deus pro illis Arrâ—anis Ath. in Epâ—st synodi Sardic â— n. 15. and pro nobis omnibus mortem subiit i God who is the president of the Church did suffer death both for the Arrians and for all us and yet no heresie is more opposite to redemption by Christ then the Arrian and this is also set forth by Nazianzen Arriani divinitatis acerbi Naz. Orat. 38 expensores diaboli figmenta pro quibus Christus mortuus ingratae Creaturae i the Arrian's are the most malicious examiners of Christ's divinitie and yet Christ died for these unthankfull creatures who are the figment of the devil but most home is the judgment of S. Chrysostom Christus mortuus est pro inimicis pro tyrannis Chrys hom 76. Constant n 24. pro maleficis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pro Osoribus pro crucifigentibus atque pro his ipsis