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
grave surely the Sun and the Moon which cause the day and night must needs testifie the truth of his death and himself for many yeers after might assure us of his rising again Hereunto you may adde the manner of his own death what speed was made how was the course of Justice precipitated that in one morning he should be Apprehended Accused Examined Whipped Scourged Condemned Exposed to all Contempts with his Crown of Thorns carry his own Cross and at noone be crucified that there he should be nayled for the space of three houres and though his enemies had no power to break his bones according to the prophesie as they did the malefactors yet what was more for that life did not consist in the breaking of bones they gave him a wound through the side into the heart as may appear because there issued forth Bloud and Water which are not so usually found in the body but only in the parts nearest the heart for that the excessive heat there dissolves the bloud into the first elements and thence you have water and this water makes recompence by cooling and refreshing the heat so by a providence they mutually help each other and this bloud and water did serve for the institution of our Sacraments Being dead he was buryed in a new Sepulcher as he was conceived in a Virgins wombe lest they might say that some other dead body had risen a great Stone was rowled over the Sepulcher because himself had prophesied that he would rise again the third day watch and ward was kept about the Sepulcher as to prevent his Disciples from coming thither to steal away his body so if it had been pâ—…ssible to hinder his resurrection but being risen again he did converse with his Dâ—…sciples for forty dayes and then by his own power he ascended up in o heaven in the sight of many thousands and because the eyes of men might faile and that some might 〈◊〉 that his ascension was onely out of sight and no further therefore â—…he Aâ—…gels came down to testifie the truth of his ascension into heaven and according to Christs command the Apostles continued at Jerusalem there to receive the Holy Ghost who at the day and appointed time came down in a miraculous manner in fiery cloven Tongues and wrought wonderful effects upon the Apostles not onely in their inward sanctifying their gift of Tongues and power of working Miracles all foretold that as before his birth there were many preparatives for his coming so afâ—…er his death the subsequent signs and wonders might give testimony to the forerunning Miracles and the truth of the Doctrine confirmed by them Now at length to draw to a period as S. John begins his Gospel with the eternal generation of Christ wherein is implied the great mystery of the Trinity so my self having shewed the doctrine of the Church and having a little expressed the mystery and thereby giving satisfaction to mans natural reason though reason could not comprehend it and having in the last place produced many miracles above natural power to confirm mysterie above natural knowledg As I began with the begining of S. John so I will end with the conclusion of S. Johns Gospel as you shall finde in his last Chapter the last verse the words are these And there are also many other things which Jesus did the which if they should be written every one I suppose that even the world it self could not contaiâ—… the books that should be written Some may conceive this speech to be a figure or metaphor of an high transcendent quality but I suppose it may be exactly and literally understood in this sense that seeing the narural world is but a book and that in every creature or rather in every punctilio of the creature as in every letter word and syllable we reade Gods Wisdom Mercy Power Providence c. If hereunto you will adde Christs Miracles which were above Nature and did presuppose Nature as being done in natural bodies and though not offering violence to Nature yet being far above the reach and power of Nature and therefore therein Nature did seem to suffer Seeing this supernatural power is much above Nature surely it may be truly said That the natural world cannot contain those books which might be written of Christs supernatural power for they include Nature they exceed Nature they are over and above Nature and therefore something must remain which the natural world cannot contain And this shall serve to have spoken of the great mystery of the most holy blessed and undivided Trinity Thus I hope in God I have given satisfaction to mans Reasonâ—… in this great Mystery of the Trinity that God never did nor could subsist one minute without the knowledge of himself and love of himself which being the acts and exercise of his Understanding and his Will being inward and in the Deity and from all eternity they can â—…e no less then God himself for there is no accident in God there is nothing in God but God Yet these being produced by the Understanding and the Will needs they must have such a difference between themselves as to make several persons in the Deity which is not so with the rest of Gods Attributes for they look outwardly upon his works and therefore onely produce the creatures And though the blessed Trinity do infinitely exceed mans capacity yet doth it no more exceed then all the rest of Gods Attributes do for they are all above reason beyond reason and infinitely transcending reason but no way contrary to reason and therefore they are the objects of our faith in respect of Gods knowledge revealed and they are the objects of our admiration in respect of our own natural ignorance And so to conclude Persons being supposed in the Deity here is one step and degree towards the Incarnation for now we may with more confidence lay hold on a Person in the Deity and cloth him with our nature and our flesh Sanctae individuae Trinitati sit omnis honor gloria Amen The Wonderful Incarnation AFter the blessed Trinity I now come to the wonderful Incarnation where I shall likewise speak some things by way of Introduction And here I must first enter a caveat or a solemn protestation Though I do examine these mysteries by natural Reason I confess they are far transcending Reason above Reason beyond the reach of Reason yet are they no way contrary to Reason nor opposite to Gods Attributes or Actions whereby they might seem improbable much less impossible for I confess that Reason is so powerful in man that it serves him for his guide and conductor as in his natural and civil actions so partly in his Religion for all the Moral Law which is a great part of Religion is much squared out by natural Reason and it serves as a ground-work or foundation whereupon Religion is built and which makes a man capable of Religion for if he
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
name of John which signifies the grace of God and points out the proper time of the Gospel But if you look to the totall abrogation of the Law as it was intimated in the dumbness of Zacharias when he was sacrificing so not the Priest alone but the Temple it self did suffer in the passion of Christ for the vayle of the Temple was rent as if God were then dissolving and pulling down his own Temple with an intent no longer to inhabite there and so the Temple was afterward destroyed by Titus As he forsook his Leviticall Priests by degrees though formerly he had committed his Laws and his doctrin to their custody for upon the Birth of Christ they were able to direct Herod to the place of his birth but they had not the grace to go to adore him so herein they were only defective Mat 2. then in the next place Know you not that it is expediâ—…nt that one should die for the people S. John the 11â— here God gave them power to speak truth but God suffered them through their own malice to erre not understanding their own truth but in the last place they sought false witnesse against Christ Mat. 26. here was malice ignorance and perjury and as there was renouncing of God in words so in deeds because Christ made himself what indeed he was the son of God therefore they cryed Crucifie him crucifie him and here was Deicidâ—…m the greatest of all the sins of the world so far forth as it lay in their power they did murther God Thus they fell by degrees together with their Law and their Temple yet no doubt but God had many servants who then were in the state of Salvation for here is the difference between the Synagogue and the Church many were saved out of the Synagogue as the Ninevites but the Church is the mother of all the faithfull and without the Church there is no hope of Salvation the reason hereof I conceive to be because the Synagogue was hedged in within the bounds of Palestina but the Church is Catholick over the face of the whole world So they are in excusable who do not adhere to the Church All this I write to the Jews that seeing the whole Law was referred to Christ all their sacrifices directed to Christ all their prophets prophesiing of Christ many types and figures of Christ and all due preparations for his entertainment surely this must needs argue the Godhead of Christ for here was a worship onely proper to God Or if we look not to the service of God then take Gods Judgements upon the Jews they are become slaves and vassâ—…ls to all Nations I never heard that any of them had so much as a Seigniory though certain it is that they are the most expert and skilful Merchants in the world and the richest a wonder it is but some of them should intend a Plantation and erect a Government I do likewise conceive them to be the best Physicians in the world not onely because their Ancestors lived in the East Countreys where the best drugges and simples are and so they were better acquainted with their virtues and operations by the daily experience of them and certainly they did leave the knowledge of them by tradition to their successors which they keep secret among themselves while throughout the whole world they are become slaves and vagabonds ever since the passion of Christ even as Cain was upon the murder of Abel that now in the whole world they have not one place for sacrifice their tribes are confounded their Temple destroyed and this hath continued longer then their own Mosaicall Law continued in his vigor which could never stand with the goodness and providence of God to permit had it not been that the Law was accomplished and therefore abrogated by God himself that the Gospell might succeed Thus I think now at length I have satisfied the Jews and made it appear that their Anâ—…estors had some certain knowledge of the Trinity and that the Messias was to be the Son of God more then ordinary man one of the Persons of the Diety and if this will not servo to give them satisfaction then I have paid them home at last that is I have come to their own homes I have dispersed them I have scattered them and in effect dissolved them so that as a Nation they shall no longer oppose or continue obstinate it must be now held self-will perverseness and every mans particular contumacy So from the Jews I come to Gentilisme which as it was accompanyed with infidelity and Atheisme so you shall give me leave to strike at the Root that I may eradicate both Root and Branch and because the Gentiles had no other pretence but human reason I will now give satisfaction to human reason in this high mysterie of the Trinity not that reason can comprehend the mysterie for neither Scraphins nor Cherubins nor all the Angels in heaven can fully understand God For to understand God it is indeed to be God and to make his understanding equall to that eternall Word in the understanding of God But I do undertake to satisfie human reason in this mysterie notwithstanding our own ignorance First I will make it appear that there is a God and but one God then that this God is every way incomprâ—…hensible whereby it must follow that the blessed Trinity exceeds mans reason no further then all the rest of his attributes do Then I will bring some proofes for the blessed Trinity and lastly I will seal and conclude all with miracles works above naturall power to confirm words above naturall knowledge This world being the workmanship of God serves as a book or a volume whereby every letter or punctilio points out the Maker I shall not need to insist in the motion of the heavens the influence of Starres the strange and wonderfull meteors but take the least flie or worm and it shall afford infinite arguments for the proof of the Deity and I do here call heaven and earth to witness and I desire God that my tongue may cleave to the roof of my mouth and that my right hand may forget her cunning if ever I shall faile in any the least creature to produce infinite invincible demonstrative arguments for the proof of the Deity And therefore of all others the cursed Atheist is the greatest impostor denying a God he makes himself God for denying his Maker he must needs make himself and consequently makes himself God who cannot adde one haire to his own growth nor a minute to his age Yet some such there are who continue thus in their mad Blasphemy and here I call all the creatures to witness against them and all Arts and Sciences shall concurre in the same Testimony and utterly condemne them Whatsoever is seen or unseen whether it belongs to the visible or invisible world every thing points out a Deity and from the severall perfection of
creatures we thence infer severall attributes in God which although they may seem severall to us yet being every way and every one infinite for what should limit or bound God when as indeed there is no thing but God it must therefore necessarily follow that there can be but one infinite and the attributes though they appear severall to us yet are they all but one infinite God more particularly because we receive our first information from sense we thence conclude Whatsoever is is either God or the work of God Deus est quod vides totum quod non vides totum whatsoever thou seest or seest not serves as an argument and proof of the Deity as for example in the creatures in generall consider their proper and bounden nature together with so great variety and perfection in their own kind in this nature such excellent properties affections and accidences which do so well agree with the nature from this nature such strange and wonderfull operations and effects by this nature such an excellent order and proportion both in themselves and to the whole universe through this nature such a constancy and perseverance in keeping their due course in performing their duty service and Ministery to man and as all the creatures look to one end so they must needs have but one efficient cause which made and directed all to the glory of himself the perfection of the universe and the good of particulars in their preservation that they might be more usefull and serviceable to man who might therefore return his praises and thankfulness to God that all may tend and end in Gods glory this was the end which was first in intention and now is the last in execution that as the world is circular where it begins there it ends so beginning with God it endeth with God thus every thing doth testifie a God and therefore you may fill up a Book greater then the whole world with arguments and proofs of the Deity And now I come to the severall Arts and Sciences the Metaphysicks have this prerogative to treat of generals and universals to prescribe every art her own proper bounds and to confirm the first grounds and principles of every Art wherein the Art it self is defective and in particular to take the heavenly bodies seperated Soules and what belongs to the spirituall world as their own proper objects and they do not only conclude one omnipotent Maker but they proceed further and considering the motion of the heavens which are bodies how they move in their own proper places which no other bodies do the like but alwayes rest when they are at home and their motion serves them abroad only to recover their own homes considering that the heavens do not move for their own private ends that they receive no benefit or advantage by their own motion but that it is wholly directed for the good of others for the preservation of the universe when as no other naturall or sensless bodies do the like considering that simple bodies can have but one simple motion yet are there great varieties and diversâ—…ies of motions in the heavens the Metaphysicks do hence infer that needs the motions of â—…he heavens must proceed from intelligences who are indeed Angels and thereby proceed influences the operation whereof we find in our sublunary bodies which cannot be prevented by application of any elementary qualities Thus in the Bowels of the Earth where neither Sunshine nor motioâ—… could penetrate yet by vertue of these influences we find metals and minerals which are of that excellent nature as that for their composition their long continuance and speciall virtues they are not inferior to the best of bodies and therefore they serve for coyn to carry the price of all our other commodities thus do the Metaphysicks by the speculation of the heavens not only conclude a first maker but likewise a necessity of Angels to continue that motion which the Creator began by setting the first wheel on going Thus farre by the heavens alone now by a view of the creatures the Metaphysicks finde that there are certain Transcendentia generall and universall qualities which are incident and must necessarily be fastned on all creatures whereupon they infer that they are but the Rayes and Fooâ—…steps of one unversall Maker as when they see that every thing is Ens â—…num verum bonum they instantly conceive that these are immediately borrowed and proceed from the first Maker and therefore do necessarily conclude that he must be Ens entium prima veritas simplicissima â—…nitas infinita bonitas who is causa eausarum the author of his own beeing the efficient cause from whom all the rest do proceed the finall cauâ—…e to whom all the rest are directed Thus every thing must have as inward causes matter and form whereof it subsists so outward causes efficient and finall from whom and to whom it is directed for of nothing comes nothing adde nothing to nothing and there remains nothing In the Metaphysicks this is a Rule that in things which exceed the ordinary rank and condition such as least exceed must ever be admitted for that they are most facile and easie whereby mans understanding may be better guided in knowledge sooner satisfied and finde lesse opposition E G If I should aske whether every thing should be eternall or that there should be but only one eternallâ—… which should give a beeing to all inferior creatures which as they are bounded in all their dimensions and qualities so likewise in their continuance whereas that only one eternall must be infinite and unlimited in all other attributes as well as eternity surely right reason would instantly conclude rather for one then for all and thence infer a necessity of the Godhead and seeing the whole universe is so well compacted and that every part hath such a mutuall coâ—…respondencie and relation each to other that it makes one body one Corporation right reason concludes there can be but one Maker one efficient cause from whom all do proceed and one finall end to which all do tend The glory and service of that Maker Thus having found out that unum principium that only one efficient cause of the universe I must then recommend unto you another Axiom of the Metaphysicks Semper excipiendum est primum in unoquoque genere By virtue hereof infinite are the prerogatives which are to be ascribed to the Deity while all blemishes and imperfections do vanish and come to nothing thus the knowledge which we have of God by a naturall light it is either by way of eminency transcending and surpassing the Sphear of all creatures for that God is not to be ranked within the compass of their limited measure or otherwise by way of negation in scattering and dispersing those cloudy mists which may any way obscure or cast the least aspersion upon the Deity so zealous are the Philosophers of Gods honour and to
assign the proper differences and consequently both of them fail in their definitions and content themselves onely with bare descriptions and outward properties And therein we are so far from attaining any perfection that every day new qualities are discovered And thus far I tax the greatest Philosophers in the world Hippocrates who knew as much as any man did living in his time begins his book with excusing his ignorance Ars longa est vita brevis Alas what shall we say of the ordinary sort of men when great Clerks after much study night-watchings and labours think it a great perfection if they can but discern their own ignorance I remember when I was a young Scholar in Cambridge sometimes for our own health and recreation taking the fresh air in the fields we would look for Herbs and Simples but for the virtues and operations of them alas alas ouâ—… Her alists were wonderfully defective At the same time to try conclusions we would finde out a Birds nest and when the Hen had laid her full number of eggs and began to sit every third day we would open an egge to see the manner and degrees of Conception it was the white of the egge which made the skin the bones the feathers the beak while the yolk was reserved for the more inward and vital parts and truly we could but admire Gods workmanship and wonders in the course of nature and thence we did conclude that if there were such ignorance in natural things it could not seem strange if we proved stark blinde in supernaturals Thus far we have taught the natural man his ignorance in natural things and until he can acquit himself therein it were a strange presumption to trust to his own skill in supernaturals Now God observes the same method and rule for our learning and instruction both in things natural and supernatural and that is that first we must begin with belief thus it is necessary that the scholar should first believe his Schoolmaster and he that is simplest and weakest in apprehension out of a trust reposed in others doth naturally submit his own opinion to the better judgement of others Thus the poor silly childe who understands not the reason of his fathers counsel yet he believes him and follows his counsel Thus the poor Countrey Husbandman or Plowman though he knows not the reasons of State nor the secret Counsels of his governors yet he believes them and yields his obedience accordingly and if this course be taken in temporal things why not much more in spiritual wherein first God requires faith which by degrees is more and more inlightned until at length it comes to the beatifical vision and then no longer faith of things unseen but an actual vision and a real possession And herein see the goodness of God that man finding the miseries of this world should at length by experience dislike his own estate and loathing the fond carnal pleasures should be ambitious to attain a better condition and to this end God hath added to his natural reason some spark or thirst of knowledge more then natural for seeing the heavens which are the bounds of nature he conceives that above these heavens there must needs be some more excellent and supernatural world Regio superior incognita a place not yet discovered wherein notwithstanding he desires to make a plantation for he concludes in Reason and by the rule of Architecture that the Roof is the fairest and beautifullest thing in building as being most in sight the pavement and groundsel is the meanest and basest as being to be troden on therefore the material heavens which are the roof of this inferior world they are the fairest thing in nature beset and imbroydered with most rich and costly Jewels the Sun the Moon and the Stars yet are these heavens nothing but the pavement and groundsel of the superior world where the inhabitants do tread and trample them under their feet and over our heads and therefore are the meanest things in that superior world And as in dignity and worth so likewise in quantity for the whole earth is in effect an indivisible point and carries no sensible quantity in respect of the heavens which plainly appears by many Astronomical demonstrations Then what inconvenience is it that there should be such a disproportion in the knowledge of these two worlds for the supernatural world must needs have a supernatural light for nothing can be known or acted without means and the means must be of like condition and nature with the end as here below we see the Sun and the Stars onely by their own light so is it much more necessary that we should know nothing above the heavens but by a revealed light answerable and agreeable and of the same nature and condition with that superior world Thus natural Reason by the force and strength of natural Reason is brought to acknowledge the use and necessity of grace to sanctisie and inlighten our natural blindness and ignorance And if the difference be such for the beauty and quantity between the two worlds natural and supernatural then surely there must be as great a disproportion in the knowledge of these two several worlds for to understand the supernatural world needs there must be some supernatural light for nothing can be known without means and the means must ever be of like condition and nature with the end as here below we see the Sun and the Stars not by Candle-light or Torch light but by their own light and the natural eye is not capable of that supernatural light neither yet can reason for want of means to discourse come to any supernatural knowledge yet God for the satisfaction of reason hath ingraffed in man wonder astonishment admiration whereby man may see his own blindness and not oppose the truth of things which are above his reach and apprehension Thus for the knowledge and attaining of the supernatural world there must be a supernatural light and in man there are some aspiring thoughts some ambitious desires that naturally he aims at things higher then nature wherein appears the great mercy of God that as the tasting of the Tâ—…ee of Knowledge was the first sin which proceeded from curiosity so God in his mercy is pleased to sanctisie mans curiosity that being kept within due bounds and limits it proves to be the first step or degree to bring man unto God for now he is curious to know things of a better world and takes this world but for a transitory passage tending and ending in death and destruction Thus far we have brought the natural man to believe that seeing the bounds of the natural world he is apt to confess that above the heavens there is a supernatural world for knowledge whereof there must be a supernatural light for procuring whereof he findes naturally in himself wonder astonishment and admiration and needs there must be some proper object answerable thereunto And here
prescribed this was done in the infancy of the Creation when Adam and Eve might happily be ignorant whether the rest of the Creatures were rationall or irrationall whether they were dumbe or spake a language they might see that their works and all their naturall actions were very agreeable to reason and the Creatures having all the instruments of speech why might they not be supposed to have the free use and exercise of speech as well as man and for other things they could speak nothing by their own experience we have heard of Monsters of men whom by their shape and form you could hardly know to be men yet had they the use of reason There was a Fish taken in the time of Hen. 2. so like a man that Fishermen were mistaken and did conceive him to be a man indeed certainly without triall and experience which our first Parents could not have so immediately upon the Creation it was easie for them to mistake I should never believe that Parots and Pyes should speak so distinctly were it not that I find it by proofe But not to trouble you with every circumstance the Angels did sin spiritually in their pride and presumption sins spirituall answerable to their condition as they are wholly spirits Man subsisting of flesh sinned carnally in tasting the forbidden fruit and therein his flesh prevailed over his reason in breaking Gods command only some of the Angels sinned and they were punished accordingly but the first Parents of Mankinde sinned and in them according to the course of our own ordinary justice their whole race and posterity was to suffer but the punishment was small for they had the benefit of repentance whereby they might not only have remission but likewise through the Mercies of God and the Merits of Christ they might attain a greater degree of happiness then was at first allotted unto them And for that punishment of death which God enacted by a Statute Law Statutum est hominibus semel mori alas it is but the transition to a better world whereby we take the possession of that whereof we are not now so capable and therefore it should be a great part of our desires Cupio dissolvi esse cum Christo. Thus after the fall of Angels God having given the like freedom of will unto man in pleased God likewise to make tryall of his obedience in giving him the free use of all the rest of his Creatures only forbidding one fruit the Tree of knowledge which might be seen but not tasted whereby might appear whether Gods command or mans inordinate appetite were the more powerfull in man or whether man subsisting of flesh and spirit which of these should be predominant whether man being placed between the blessed Angels and dumbe Beasts should by his abstinency and conformity to God draw neerer to the Angelicall state and become more spirituall or by his carnall uncleanness giving way to his appetite and gluttony he should fall down to the sensuality of Beasts that whatsoever he lusted after he should not deny himself what his own eyes and his carnall concupiscence should offer unto him he should greedily imbrace it and thus by the tasting of the forbidden fruit which the Socinians conceive to be but a small offence there is implyed the great opposition between the flesh and the spirit Now for the truth and demonstration that man did offend it shall appear by the punishment for I have already proved by undenyable arguments that man is fallen from his first integrity and perfection and that the state of the world is much changed and altered since the Creation that many things have and do daily befall man which can be no less then the punishments of sin and the just effects of Gods vengeance that man himself by his fearfulness and naturall uncleanness seemes to acknowledge a guilty conscience and himself to be justly condemned This I have already proved and I set forth a Book to that purpose about 40 years since the Title of the Book is The fall of man or the fall of Adam from Paradise proved by naturall reason wherein I do not only give satisfaction to reason but I do plainly evince it by many naturall proofs I consess I cannot do the like for other mysteries but only for that alone because it comes nearer our naturall state and condition while other mysteries are far above our reach and concern the state of another world but the fall and corruption of Nature must manifestly and demonstratively appear in the effects and punishment of sin and therein the ground and foundation of Socinianism is utterly dissolved and though since that time many of their Books have been vented and published yet I never heard that the scope and intent of that Book was ever so much as questioned which I am ready still to make good and to justifie now in my old age though my strength memory and intellectuals do a little faile me I thank God for it Man being fallen from his first integrity as God would not utterly destroy him so neither would he suffer him to continue in a sinfull state and condition look what distance there is between heaven and earth between life and death such and so great is the distance and opposition between corrupted nature and grace therefore needs there must be a regeneration and a redemption of man but whether this should be done without means only by Gods omnipotency as was the act of Creation therein we doubt it is true that in the Creation no means could be used for then there was nothing but God yet notwithstanding in the Creation it self as soon as God had created the confused mass of the heavens and the earth out of nothing then immediately he useth this generall mass as a means for producing particulars Producat terra herbam virentem pro ducant aquae reptile and that light which was created the first day did serve to make the Sun and the Stars the fourth day and in the constituted course of nature there is nothing done without meanes the sap and fatness of the earth together with the Sunshine and influence of the heavens God appointing protecting concurring and blessing his own means serve for our fruitfulness and to continue nature in her own kind Thus in Religion God hath instituted Sacraments and Rites then certainly the same God who is ever so constant in the uniformity of his works for that he doth ever make choyce of the best and therefore is not uncertain or wavering in the constancy of his own resolutions he would use means in the work of mans redemption as well as in the preservation of the world for God out of his infinit love desiring to impart himself as he gives a beeing whereby Creatures made of nothing may together subsist with himself so they subsisting to honour them the more he refuseth not their help but useth them as means that they should together cooperate with himself Thus
woâ—…d and the begotten word The word of God is imperfect without Christ. Man expostulates with God Blasphemers suppressed Whole man is made capable of God The division of the Text. The method Saint John ex ceeds Moses The comparison between both They both agree in particulars Moses Iohn Baptist. Christ. Saint John transcends Moses The heavy judgements accompanying the law The Gospell accompanyed with works of mercy The great difference between the beginning and ending of Scripture Of the name of John how imposed upon Saint John Baptist. A comparison of Saint John Baptist with Saint John the Evangelist The parents of Saint John and how he was recommended to be an Apostle How his mothers desire was accomplished Saint Johns prerogatives above other Apostles After Christ he did adhere to Saint Peter Saint John was the Evangelist of the Gentiles The occasion of writing his Gospell How he might come to the knowledge of this mysterie Saint John might be instructed by the blessed virgin At the annuntiation there was implyed the Trinity Saint John an Eagle As he was the beloved Apostle for he did ever Preach love Saint John was Boanerges Christs eternall generation A distinct Person The same Godhead The difference between God and man The three persons outwardly concurre The manner of the generation of the Word The mauner of the procession of the holy Ghost A prerogative of the understanding and will of God above his other attributes How the three persons agree in actions and attributes The Jews question answered God is known by degrees All mans knowledge is gotten by degrees Moses had some knowledge of this mystery The Trinity appears in the creation of the world The Messias must needs be a Person in the Deity God doth sacrifice to himself there are Persons in the Deity The seed of Abraham is more then man Isaac's sacrifice Jacobs expectation The faith of Moses The whole Law directed to Christ. The Jews had a tradition of our Baptisme And severall types of our Baptisme They knew the form of our Baptisme as well as the matter What Prayers were uâ—…ed at their sacrifices The câ—…ssation of the Law The Temple destroyed How the Jews fell by degrees Gods judgement upon the Jewes The Jewes no longer a Nation The method how to deal with the heathen The Atheist is the greatest impostor The infinite proofs of a Godhead The Metaphysicks acknowledge God and Angâ—…ls Influences The effect of influences The transcendentia discover God Every thing points out both an efficient and a final cause The leaâ—… inconveniâ—…nce must evâ—…r be admitted The first is ever excepted from the ordinary rank The Sun is a kind of corpoâ—…eall God The Mathematicks shew the wonders of God The wonders in Astrologie In Loâ—…ick all the preâ—…icaments predicate the Deity Substance 〈◊〉 Qualitâ—… Relation Action Passion 〈◊〉 Ubi Situâ—… Habitus The infinite proofes of a Godhead A particular instance for proof of the Deity God is iusiuite We acknowledge an Infinite yet we cannot conceive aâ—… Infinite God must be Infinite Without imperfection God is of himself Eternity Ubiqui y. Omnisâ—…iency Omnipotency Providence Constancy Immutability Gods Justice Mercy As every thing was made so it must depend upon God How causes may be free yet the effects necessary Mans weakness Every thing in man is bounded The difference of men n their intellectuals No comparison between God and man Mans natural Reason is bounded within the natural world The object faculty must be proportionable Our natural ignorance in natural things The same method in naturals as in supernaturals Mans natural knowledge discerns a supernatural world A supernatural light must fully discover a supernatural world Man 〈◊〉 naturally an ambition above nâ—…e Admiâ—…ation is a kind of natural faith The understanding must obey in believing as the will in performing A repeâ—…ition what hath been proved It is a greater wonder that Accidences should become Substances in God then that one Substance should become Persons It is a greater wonder that all Gods Attributes should be but one Attribute then that one Substance should be three Persons That Gods Justice should be his Meâ—…cy is as strange as the Godhead should be three Persons Gods Attributes as wonderfull as the Persons A brief of what hath been proved A digression upon the Mercy of God A conference with an Angel The Angels wonder at naturall things A conference with an infant in the wombe The wonders in nature The creatures are nothing in comparison with God Gods understanding and will produce Persons The authors private opâ—…nion The determinations or traditions of the Church are more then human The Church in effect doth translate The personality in the Godhead How the Persons are dâ—…stinct The Godhead being spirituall and infinite is imparted without loss Proofes of the Trinity in nature The Authors private opinion Footsteps ' of the Trinity Reasons in nature to prove the Trinity Gods prerogative may be examined A resemblance of the blessed Trinity must appear in every creature The knowledg and love of man what events it works The longing of women Two persons become one The understanding and love are causes as of union so of distraction How 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 of the 〈◊〉 extends The anâ—…pathy between the Author and the Socinians The excellent use of reason in Religion Dumb creatures catechise the Socinians God is mans Schoolemaster Man is the end of nature and therefore cannot end in nature How man stands naturally affecteâ—… in religion Faith presupposing nature A supernaturall knowledge must conduct us to a supeâ—…naturall end Gods perfection consists not in variety as the Creatures doth The effects of Gods power c. do not alwayes appear The excellency of Gods understanding â—…nd will What kinde of Persons there are in the Deity God only must reveale the Trinity What God did before the Creation Mans salva ion hath more reference to the Persons then to his other attributes The exceâ—…lency of Gods understanding and will Not Philosophers but Poets were the Priests of the Heathen The 〈◊〉 borrowed from the Jewes Reason may serve to direct Morall actions but noâ—… our faith This mysterie hath nothing contrary to Philosophy The great assurance or security which we have for our â—…aith Actions confirm words The miracles and manner of working them confirm mysteries Works above nature confirm words above nature In the notes which are plundered and lost Forain Authors recommended No writings extant which contradict Scripture The Law ordained to Chrâ—…st Saint John Baptist his Testimonies of Christ. The prerogatives of Saint John Baptist. Severall miraculous acts of Chriâ—…t Mirâ—…cles of all severâ—…ll kinds Raising the dead the greatest of miracâ—…es The rashness and haste used in Christ's condemnation The wonders in Christs resurrection How the Text of S John may be understood The great use of Reason in Religion Reason an handmaid to Religion Reason and sense must join in Gods service Mysteries are to be adored not curiously to be searched into What God requires of the Creatures God gave some creatures liberty of wiâ—…l The fall of the Angels Man is a middle Creature between Angels and Beasts The Angels sin was greater then Mans. The flesh prevailed in man God used means What sins could not be in the infancy of the world The Devill tempts man The punishment of mans sin was small My book of he fall of man God doth ever use meanes The treasures of Nature Vegetatives Man alone not sufficient to satisfie for sin God and man must joyn in satisfying for sin All Gods Mercies are by Christ. A Person in the Deity redeems us No dishonor to God to be incarnate Gods infinite love Gods omnipotency Gods experience Gods Paâ—…lion The Mediator A new honor of God in his Title The dignity of the creatures by the incarnation The Incarnation is a settlement to the creatures S. John's testimony of the incarnation The incarnation proceeds from Gods mercy Gods Justice and Mercy reconciled in Christ. The occasion of the sin of Angels Christ was not to take the nature of Angels Why the second Person rather then any other should be incarnate How Gods words are verified The incarnation intimated in mans creation The first Adam and the second Adam The great mystery in Gods name The name of Abraham changed Several presages of Christs coming Christs God head prophesied A temporal Messias how improbable Christs coming to Judgment Two several Natures Similitudes to set forth the hypostatical Union The possibility of the Incarnation The consequences of the Incarnation How the natures were united No sickness could befall Christ. The circumstances of Christs Birth The preparatives to his coming The Gentiles Jacobs expectation The prophesies of Christ. The coming of of Eltah Herodians Christ no temporall Messias as he Jewes expected The time of his comming The manner of Christs comming Prophesies and preparatives among the Gentiles for the comming of Christ. A miracle to confirm the prophesie The fulâ—…lling of the prophesie The prophesies of the Sibylls The Sibylls speak very punctually of Christ. The Religion of the heathen a preparation to Christianity The Mother of Christ an espoused Virgin The generall taxing at the Birth of Christ. The effects which foâ—…lowed the Emperors Edict Why Christ was born in a common Inn. Christ was born in a stable Christ was born in the sixt age Christ was born at midnight What followed the birth of Christ. The martyrdome of the Innocents The keeping of the feast an argument of the truth A comparison between Christ and Moses Signs amongst the Gentiles for the coming of Christ. The Oracles having first acknowledged Christ after became dumb The Miracles which haâ—…e hapned in the Church S. Peters miracles Where Scripture leaves the Church A commendation of the ancient Romans The dignity of the Church The dignity of Christian Religion All other religions vanity A distribution of times The first ages after Christ. The age of miracles and Martyrs The age of Confessors The age of Monasteries The age of Laicks God will govern the world The contempt of the Church The devills policie Preaching should not exclude other acts of Religion The keeping of the Sabbath None should preach without much study Take heed of Apocalyptical Doctors The pulling down of Churches The Author ends abruptly