And by the same Reason a man must not deny what God says to be true though he cannot comprehend many things which God says As particularly concerning this Mystery of the Trinity It ought then to satisfy us that there is sufficient evidence that this Doctrine is delivered in Scripture and that what is there declared concerning it doth not imply a Contradiction For why should our finite understandings pretend to comprehend that which is infinite or to know all the real Differences that are consistent with the Unity of an Infinite Being or to be able fully to explain this Mystery by any similitude or resemblance taken from finite Beings But before I leave this Argument I cannot but take notice of one thing which they of the Church of Rome are perpetually objecting to us upon this Occasion And it is this That by the same reason that we believe the Doctrine of the Trinity we may and must receive that of Transubstantiation God forbid Because of all the Doctrines that ever were in any Religion this of Transubstantiation is certainly the most abominably absurd However this Objection plainly shews how fondly and obstinately they are addicted to their own Errors how mishapen and monstrous soever insomuch that rather than the Dictates of their Church how absurd soever should be called in question they will question the truth even of Christianity it self and if we will not take in Transubstantiation and admit it to be a necessary Article of the Christian Faith they grow so sullen and desperate that they matter not what becomes of all the rest And rather than not have their Will of us in that which is controverted they will give up that which by their own confession is an undoubted Article of the Christian Faith and not controverted on either Side except only by the Socinians who yet are hearty Enemies to Transubstantiation and have exposed the absurdity of it with great advantage But I shall endeavour to return a more particular Answer to this Objection and such a one as I hope will satisfy every considerate and unprejudiced mind that after all this confidence and swaggering of theirs there is by no means equal reason either for the receiving or for the rejecting of these two Doctrines of the Trinity and Transubstantiation First There is not equal reason for the belief of these Two Doctrines This Objection if it be of any force must suppose that there is equal evidence and proof from Scripture for these two Doctrines But this we utterly deny and with great reason because it is no more evident from the words of Scripture that the Sacramental Bread is substantially changed into Christ's natural Body by virtue of those words This is my Body than it is that Christ is substantially changed into a natural Vine by virtue of those words I am the true Vine or than that the Rock in the Wilderness of which the Israelites drank was substantially changed into the Person of Christ because it is expresly said That Rock was Christ or than that the Christian Church is substantially changed into the natural Body of Christ because it is in express terms said of the Church That it is his Body But besides this several of their own most learned Writers have freely acknowledged that Transubstantiation can neither be directly proved nor necessarily concluded from Scripture But this the Writers of the Christian Church did never acknowledge concerning the Trinity and the Divinity of Christ but have always appealed to the clear and undeniable Testimonies of Scripture for the Proof of these Doctrines And then the whole force of the Objection amounts to this That if I am bound to believe what I am sure God says tho I cannot comprehend it then I am bound by the same reason to believe the greatest Absurdity in the World though I have no manner of assurance of any Divine Revelation concerning it And if this be their meaning though we understand not Transubstantiation yet we very well understand what they would have but cannot grant it because there is not equal reason to believe two things for one of which there is good proof and for the other no proof at all Secondly Neither is there equal reason for the rejecting of these two Doctrines This the Objection supposes which yet cannot be supposed but upon one or both of these two grounds Either because these two Doctrines are equally incomprehensible or because they are equally loaded with Absurdities and Contradictions The First is no good ground of rejecting any Doctrine merely because it is incomprehensible as I have abundantly shew'd already But besides this there is a wide difference between plain matters of Sense and Mysteries concerning God and it does by no means follow that if a man do once admit any thing concerning God which he cannot comprehend he hath no reason afterwards to believe what he himself sees This is a most unreasonable and destructive way of arguing because it strikes at the foundation of all Certainty and sets every man at liberty to deny the most plain and evident Truths of Christianity if he may not be humor'd in having the absurdest things in the World admitted for true The next step will be to persuade us that we may as well deny the Being of God because his Nature is incomprehensible by our Reason as deny Transubstantiation because it evidently contradicts our Senses 2dly Nor are these two Doctrines loaded with the like Absurdities and Contradictions So far from this that the Doctrine of the Trinity as it is delivered in the Scriptures and hath already been explained hath no Absurdity or Contradiction either involved in it or necessarily consequent upon it But the Doctrine of Transubstantiation is big with all imaginable Absurdity and Contradiction And their own Schoolmen have sufficiently exposed it especially Scotus and he designed to do so as any man that attentively reads him may plainly discover For in his Disputation about it he treats this Doctrine with the greatest contempt as a new Invention of the Council of Lateran under Pope Innocent Ill. To the Decree of which Council concerning it he seems to pay a formal submission but really derides it as contrary to the common Sense and Reason of Mankind and not at all supported by Scripture as any one may easily discern that will carefully consider his manner of handling it and the result of his whole Disputation about it And now Suppose there were some appearance of Absurdity and Contradiction in the Doctrine of the Trinity as it is delivered in Scripture must we therefore believe a Doctrine which is not at all revealed in Scripture and which hath certainly in it all the absurdities in the World and all the Contradictions to Sense and Reason and which once admitted doth at once destroy all Certainty Yes say they why not since we of the Church of Rome are satisfied that this Doctrine is revealed in Scripture or if it be not is defined by the
Church which is every whit as good But is this equal to demand of us the belief of a thing which hath always been controverted not only between us and them but even among themselves at least till the Council of Trent And this upon such unreasonable terms that we must either yield this Point to them or else renounce a Doctrine agreed on both Sides to be revealed in Scripture To shew the unreasonableness of this proceeding Let us suppose a Priest of the Church of Rome pressing a Jew or Turk to the belief of Transubstantiation and because one kindness deserves another the Jew or Turk should demand of him the belief of all the Fables in the Talmud or in the Alchoran since none of these nor indeed all of them together are near so absurd as Transubstantiation Would not this be much more reasonable and equal than what they demand of us Since no Absurdity how monstrous and big soever can be thought of which may not enter into an Understanding in which a Breach hath been already made wide enough to admit Transubstantiation The Priests of Baal did not half so much deserve to be exposed by the Prophet for their Superstition and folly as the Priests of the Church of Rome do for this sensless and stupid Doctrine of theirs with a hard Name I shall only add this one thing more That if this Doctrine were possible to be true and clearly prov'd to be so yet it would be evidently useless and to no purpose For it pretends to change the substance of one thing into the substance of another thing that is already and before this change is pretended to be made But to what purpose Not to make the Body of Christ for that was already in Being and the Substance of the Bread is lost nothing of it remaineth but the Accidents which are good for nothing and indeed are nothing when the Substance is destroy'd and gone All that now remains is to make some practical Inferences from this Doctrine of the Unity of the Divine Nature And they shall be the same which God himself makes by Moses which Text also is cited by our Saviour Hear O Israel the Lord thy God is one Lord and thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart and with all thy soul and with all thy mind and with all thy strength And thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self So that according to our Saviour the whole Duty of Man the love of God and of our neighbour is founded in the Unity of the Divine Nature I. The love of God The Lord thy God is One Lord therefore thou shalt love Him with all thy heart c. this is the first and great Commandment And it comprehends in it all the Duties of the first Table as naturally flowing from it As that we should serve him only and pay no Religious Worship to any but to Him For to pay Religious Worship to any thing is to make it a God and to acknowledge it for such And therefore God being but One we can give Religious Worship to none but to Him only And among all the parts of Religious Worship none is more peculiarly appropriated to the Deity than solemn Invocation and Prayer For he to whom men address their Requests at all times and in all places must be supposed to be always every where present to understand all our desires and wants and to be able to supply them and this God only is and can do So likewise from the Unity of the Divine Nature may be inferr'd that we should not worship God by any sensible Image or Representation Because God being a singular Being there is nothing like Him or that can without injuring and debasing his most spiritual and perfect and immense Being be compared to Him As He himself speaks in the Prophet To whom will ye liken me saith the Lord and make me equal And therefore with no Distinction whatsoever can it be lawful to give Religious Worship or any part of it to any but God We can pray to none but to Him because He only is every where present and only knows the Hearts of all the children of men which Solomon gives as the reason why we should address our Supplications to God only who dwelleth in the Heavens So that the Reason of these two Precepts is founded in the Unity and Singularity of the Divine Nature and unless there be more Gods than One we must worship Him only and pray to none but Him Because we can give Invocation to none but to Him only whom we believe to be God as St. Paul reasons How shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed II. The love likewise of our Neighbour is founded in the Unity of the Divine Nature and may be inferr'd from it Hear O Israel the Lord thy God is One Lord therefore thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thy self And the Apostle gives this reason why Christians should be at unity among themselves There is One God and Father of all and therefore we should keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of Peace that is live in mutual love and peace The Prophet likewise assigns this reason why all Mankind should be upon good terms with one another and not be injurious one to another Have we not all One Father hath not One God created us Why do we then deal treacherously every man against his brother And therefore when we see such hatred and enmity among Men such divisions and animosities among Christians we may not only ask St. Paul's question Is Christ divided that we cannot agree about serving him either all to serve him in one way or to bear with one another in our differences I say we may not only ask St. Paul's question Is Christ divided but may ask further Is God divided Is there not One God and are we not all his Offspring Are we not all the Sons of Adam who was the Son of God So that if we trace our selves to our Original we shall find a great nearness and equality among men And this equality that we are all God's creatures and Image and that the One only God is the Father of us all is a more real ground of mutual love and peace and equity in our dealings one with another than any of those petty differences and distinctions of strong and weak of rich and poor of wise and foolish of base and honourable can be to encourage men to any thing of Insolence injustice and inequality of dealing one towards another Because that wherein we all agree that we are the Creatures and Children of God and have all One common Father is essential and constant but those things wherein we differ are accidental and mutable and happen to one another by turns Thus much may suffice to have spoken concerning the first Proposition in the Text There is one God To Him Father Son and H. Ghost be all Honour
and Glory Dominion and Power now and for ever Amen FINIS BOOKS Printed for B. Aylmer and W. Rogers ARchbishop Tillotson's Sermons and Discourses in Four Volumes Octavo Six Sermons concerning the Divinity of our B. Saviour 8vo Six Sermons I. Of Stedfastness in Religion II. Of Family-Religion III. IV. V. Of the Education of Children VI. Of the Advantages of an Early Piety In 8vo Price 3 s. In 12s 1 s. 6d Persuasive to frequent Communion in the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper 8vo stitcht 3d. In 12s bound 6 d. Rule of Faith Or an Answer to Mr. Sergeant's Book Discourse against Transubstantiation Octavo alone Price 3 d. Stitcht Books Printed for B. Aylmer THE Works of the Learned Dr. Isaac Barrow late Master of Trinity-College in Cambridge Published by his Grace John late Lord Archbishop of Canterbury in Four Volumes in Folio A Demonstration of the Messias in which the Truth of the Christian Religion is proved especially against the Jews By Richard Lord Bishop of Bath and Wells Also his Lordships Charge to the Clergy of his Diocess A Sermon preached before the Lord-Mayor on Easter-Tuesday on April the 21 st being a Spittle-Sermon As also Three single Sermons on several occasions Writ by Richard Lord Bishop of Bath and Wells A Discourse of the great Disingenuity and Unreasonableness of Repining at Afflicting Providences and of the Influence which they ought to have upon us On Job 2. 10. Published upon occasion of the Death of our Gracious Sovereign Queen MARY of most Blessed Memory with a Preface containing some Observations touching Her Excellent Endowments and Exemplary Life Certain Propositions by which the Doctrine of the Holy Trinity is so explained according to the Ancient Fathers as to speak it not Contradictory to Natural Reason Together with a Defence of them in Answer to the Objections of a Socinian Writer in his newly printed Considerations on the Explications of the Doctrine of the Trinity Occasioned by these Propositions among other Discourses A Second Defence of the Propositions in Answer to a Socinian Manuscript In a Letter to a Friend Together with a Third Defence of those Propositions in Answer to some newly published Reflections c. By Edward Lord Bishop of Gloucester A Sermon preached before the Lord-Mayor on Easter-Wednesday As also Three single Sermons on several occasions Writ by Edward Lord Bishop of Gloucester The Holy Bible containing the Old Testament and the New with Annotations and Parallel Scriptures to which is Annexed the Harmony of the Gospels As also the Reduction of the Jewish Weights Coins and Measures to our English Standard and a Table of the Promises in Scripture by Samuel Clark printed in Folio of a very Fair Letter the like never before in one Volume A Vindication of the Divine Perfections Illustrating the Glory of God in them by Reason and Revelation Methodically digested into several Meditations By the Right Honourable the Lord President Stares in 8vo Books Printed for W. Rogers BIshop of Worcester's Doctrines and Practices of the Church of Rome truly Represented c. 4to Doctrine of the Trinity and Transubstantiation compar'ds in Two Parts 4to Bishop of Norwich's Two Sermons of the Wisdom and Goodness of Providence before the Queen at Whitehall 4to Sermon preach'd at St. Andrews-Holborn on Gal. 6. 7. Of Religious Melancholy A Sermon preach'd before the Queen at Whitehall 4to Of the Immortality of the Soul preach'd before the Kind and Queen at Whitehall on Palm Sunday 4to Dr. Sherlock Dean of St. Paul's Answer to a Discourse entituled Papists protesting against Protestant Popery 2d Edit 4to Answer to the Amicable Accommodation of the Differences between the Representer and the Answerer 4to Sermon at the Funeral of the Reverend Dr. Calamy 4to Vindication of some Protestant Principles of Church-Unity and Catholick Communion c. 4to Preservative against Popery in 2 Parts with the Vindication Discourse concerning the Nature Unity and Communion of the Catholick Church First Part 4to Sermon before the Lord Mayor November 4. 1688. 4to Vindication of the Doctrine of the Trinity 3d. Edit 4to Case of Allegiance to Sovereign Powers stated c. 4to Vindication of the Case of Allegiance c. 4to Fast-Sermon before the Queen at Whitehall June 17. 4to Practical Discourse concerning Death In Octavo Eighth Edition Price 3 s. In Twelves Price 2 s. Practical Discourse concerning Judgment Fourth Edit 8vo Sermon before the House of Commons Jan. 30. 1692. 4to Sermon preach'd before the Queen Feb. 12. 1692. The Charity of Lending without Usury in a Sermon before the Lord-Mayor on Easter-Tuesday 1692 4to Sermon preach'd before the Queen June 26. 1692. 4to Sermon preach'd at the Funeral of the Reverend Dr. Meggot late Dean of Winchester Decemb. 10. 1692. 4to A Discourse concerning the Divine Providence 2d Edit 4to Apology for Writing against Socinians 4to A Sermon at the Temple-Church December 30. 1694. upon the sad Occasion of the Death of our Gracious Queen 4to Dr. Claget's Sermons in Two Volumes 8vo Dr. Wake 's Sermons and Discourses on several Occasions 8vo A Defence of the Dean of St. Paul's Apology for writing against the Socinians 4to A Defence of Dr. Sherlock's Notion of a Trinity in Unity 4to A Commentary on the Five Books of Moses With a Dissertation concerning the Author or Writer of the said Books and a General Argument to each of them By Richard Lord Bishop of Bath and Wells In Two Volumes 8vo Mr. Dryden's Translation of â— A. Du Fresnoy's Art of Painting with Remarks Translated into English Together with an Original Preface containing a Parallel betwixt Painting and Poetry As also an Account of the most Eminent Painters 4to A Practical Discourse concerning Holiness Wherein is shewed the Nature the Possibility the Degrees and Necessity of Holiness together with the Means of Acquiring and Perfecting it By Edward Pelling D D. Rector of Peâ—worth in Sussex and Chaplain in Ordinary to His Majesty The Doctrine of the Fathers and Schools Consider'd Concerning the Articles of a Trinity of Divine Persons and the Unity of God In Answer to the Animadversions on the Dean of St. Paul's Vindication of the Doctrine of the Holy and Ever Blessed Trinity In Defence of those Sacred Articles against the Objections of the Socinians and the Misrepresentation of the Animadverter Part the First By J. B. A. M Presbyter of the Church of England Mr. Wilson's Discourse of Religion shewing its Truth and Reality or the Suitableness of Religion to Human Nature 8vo Discourse of the Resurrection shewing the Import and Certainty of it 8vo Reason and Religion in some useful Reflections on the most eminent Hypothesis concerning the First Principles and Nature of things with Advice suitable to the Subject and seasonable for these Times 12s Mr. Elis's Letter to a Friend c. 4to Reflecter's Defence of his Letter to a Friend c. 4to Protestant Resolv'd or a Discourse shewing the Unreasonableness of his turning Roman Catholick for Salvation 4to Religion and Loyalty inseparable a Sermon preach'd at the Assizes held at Nottingham Sept 5. 1690. 4to Necessity of serious Consideration and speedy Repentance 8vo Folly of Atheism demonstrated to the Capacity of the most Unlearned Reader 8vo A short Scripture-Catechism 12 s. A Sermon preach'd at Nottingham Octob. 4. 1694. 4to Psal 65. 2. Isa 40. 5 6. Matt. 24. 22. Gal. 2. 16. 1 Tim. 3. 16. I. 1 John 1. 1. Prov. 8. 22 23 c. John 17. 5. 1 John 1 2. Gen. 1. Psal 33. 6. 2 Pet. 3. 5. Colos 1. 15 16 17. Rev. 3. 14. Col. 1. 18. Acts 10. 36. Rom. 4. 14. Dr. Stillingfleet now Bishop of Worcester John 3. 13. Acts 20. 28. John 6. 62. John 8. 58. John 13. 3. Joh. 16. 27 v. 28. v. 29 30. v. 31. John 17. 5. v. 8. 1 Joh. 1. 1 2. Phil. 2. 5 6 7 8. 1 Tim. 3. 16. Heb. 13. 8. Rev. 1. 8. v. 17. Rev. 22. 13. v. 16. Heb. 1. 2. Coloss 1. 15 16. Heb. 1. 2. v. 2. v. 7. Ps 104. 4. v. 6. Rom. 1. 4. v. 8. Ps 45. 6 7. v. 10 11 12. * Ne referre quidem haec priora verba de coeli terraeque creatione loquentia ad Christum potuisset Autor nisi pro concesso sumsisset Christum esse summum illum Deum coeli terrae Creatorem praesertim si ea ut necesse soret primò directè ad Christum dicta esse censeas Nam cum omnia Psalmi verba manifestè de Deo loquuntur Christum autem Deum illum esse ne unico quidem verbo in toto hoc Psalmo indicetur necesse est ut si verba illa ad Christum directa esse velis pro concesso sumas Christum esse Deum illum summum de quo in Psalmo seâ—mo est v. 11 12. ch 1. v. 20. 1 John 5. 7. Rom. 1. 25. Gal. 4 8. Hebr. 2. 16. Matth. 14. 31. 1 Cor. 1. 24. Heb. 5. 5. Job 33. 12 13. 1 Cor. 1. 21. Chap. I. v. 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20. III. 1 Tim. 3. 16. Heb. 1. 2. 1 Tim. 2. 5. Heb. 7. 25. Heb. 2. 16 17 18. Heb. 4. 14 15 16. Heb. 2. 14 15. Joh. 5. 22 27. Heb. 12. 14. 1 Joh. 3. 3. 1 Joh. 3. 7. 1 Joh. 1. 20. ver 21. Joh. 3. 16. Heb. 4. 15 Joh. 8. 29. 1 Pet. 2. 22. Heb. 7. 26. 27. Heb. 9. 14. 1 Pet. 1. 18 19. 2 Cor. 5. 21. Eph. 5. 10 1 Pet. 1. 18. Joh. 15. 12. V. 13. Rom. 6. 6 7 8. 1 Cor. 5. 7. Lev. 1. 4. Heb. 9. 28. v. 28. Obj. 1st Obj. 2d Obj. 3d. Obj. 4th 1 Cor. 8. 4. Deut. 4. 35. Isai 44. 6. v. 8. Adversus Marcionem I. 1. c. 10. 1 Cor. 8. 6. Serm. II. L. 5. Joh 15 1. Eph. 1. 23. Deut. 6 4. Mark 12. 2â— 30 3â— Isa 46. 5. 1 Kings 8. 39. Rom. 10. 14. Eph. 4. 6. Mal. 2. 10.