made known unto you If all these places being put together contain not a prophesie concerning Christ The Word of God the Son of God who was made flesh and came into the world as to redeem the world by the oblation of his own body so also to reveal the truth of God unto men if all these places I say being put together doe not amount to a prophesie I know not we may call a prophesie Sure we are there is nothing forged or supposititious in all this which of the Sibyls that collection of verses I mean which now goeth under that name and of Mercurius Trismegistus hath been proved For a close of this third point or principle I shall add a passage of Dio Chrysostomus a famous Oratour and Philosopher who lived in Trajanus the Emperour his days and was in great account with him whose words also because he was a great Platonist may be some light to those of Plato's All the discourses and all the devices of men are nothing to divine inspiration and revelation or authority For what traditions or doctrines soever concerning the gods and this Vniverse that are not void of wisdome and truth have been among men all such were begotten in the souls of men by divine will and by a speciall lot or luck Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as may bee knowne by them that were the first Prophets and Professors of Divinity such as Orpheus son to one of the Muses is reported to have been in Thracia and another certain Shepheard in Boecria taught by the Muses And whosoever they be that take upon them to vent any doctrine of their own abroad for true without divine rapture or inspiration their doctrine is certainly both absurd and wicked The fourth is IV. That those books of the Old and New Testament c. I said before I presupposed I had to doe here with Christians who were already satisfied concerning the truth of those books It is well known that such have been of old and are at this day too many who though they professe to admit and allow for divine the same Scriptures that we doe and pretend to the faith and doctrine therein contained as much as we yet do not beleeve of Christ as we doe I have no direct aim at them in this Discourse intended only for the further satisfaction and confirmation of Orthodoxe Christians in this main point no direct aim I say but as the handling of this argument upon Scripture grounds may prove a conviction of their impiety and infidelity As for them that professe against this ground of either Old or New Testament which we build upon they will not neither directly or indirectly come within our reach But how then may some object perchance can we as we first maintained give a rationall account of our faith and stop the mouths of Atheists and Infidels if we cannot prove the Scriptures to be the Word of God upon common grounds of humane reason and ratiocination To which we answer that although we doe not apprehend those grounds so evident and so uncontrollable as to oblige every rationall man to a present and ready assent and therefore not to be reckoned among those common notions though reducible to them and principles we have spoken of yet that the Scriptures by them that are learned may be maintained upon grounds of reason sufficient to convince and to convert an Infidel who with simplicity of heart without strong prejudice or worldly engagements to the contrary doth seek the truth we doe professe to beleeve and should be sorry were it our aim or argument if we could not make it good One argument onely I shall insist upon here which by ancient Christians as being both popular proper I mean for vulgar capacities and solid was much pressed and whereof they found good use The testimony of a known professed enemy or adversary hath always among all men been accounted a very pregnant evidence And what relation there is between the Old and New Testament is well known to all Christians and may soon be demonstrated to them that are not Now then what greater evidence of the truth of the Old Testament can any man require then the Jewes our greatest and most malicious adversaries Then the Jews I say who by a speciall Providence though scattered and dispersed through the whole world continue to this day a distinct Nation from all other Nations of the world and to this day so zealous for Moses and all other Scriptures of the Old Testament that in all places for testimony of the truth of those Scriptures they are ready if they be put to it to lay down their lives and to forgoe whatsoever is dearest unto them Whose predecessors also that too by a speciall admirable Providence have been of old so curious and so provident for the preservation of those Scriptures which they acknowledged that they devised an art of which art either for invention or accuratnesse there is no parallel in all the ancient learning of the Heathens how to prevent not the losse of it onely but the corruption also by any either addition or diminution or alteration in words or syllables yea letters and tittles How much this argument of the Jews testimony was made of by the ancients and of what consequence it then proved may appear by Saint Augustine who speaks of it in sundry places of his Works In the twelfth of his books against the Manicheans he saith Quid enim est aliud hodieque gens ipsa Judaeorum nisi quaedam scriniaria Christianorum basulans leges prophetas ad testimonium assertionis Ecclesiae that is For what to this day are the Jews but as it were the registers or record-keepers of the Christians bearing up down the Law and the Prophets with them for a testimony to the Church Saint Augustine in these words doth allude to the custome of the Jews who then in every Synagogue were wont and use it in most places I beleeve to this day to have sacred chests or desks wherein to keep their holy Bible not onely for its safety but in reverence to it also What Saint Augustine cals Scrinium Tertullian inditeth armarium in his De Habitumuliebri ch 3. And Epiphanius in his Treatise De Ponderibus mensuris where he treateth of the difference of Canonicalll books from others he useth the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Such books saith he speaking of that which is called Wisdome and others of like nature are accounted by them usefull and profitable but are not in the number 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Canonicall for which cause also they are not laid up with the Canonicall in the aron that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the chest or capse of the Testament Lamp Alardi Epiphyll Phiolog I wonder that any man could so mistake Epiphanius as though he had beleeved that the whole Jews Bible or Old Testament had been kept in the Ark where the two Tables containing
the Scripture which by Ancients is said sometimes to be very plain and perspicuous and sometimes obscure and full of incomprehensible mysteries both true if rightly understood Clear and perspicuous in the delivery of such and such Doctrines or Articles necessary to be known beleeved or practised to attain salvation but full of obscurity or altogether incomprehensible in their own natures to humane understanding To instance in one example What point of Doctrine can be proposed to our beleef with more clearnesse and perspicuity then the Resurrection of the dead and what more obscure for the manner and possibility of it That nothing therefore is to be beleeved for which there is not ground in reason and humane common sense is that which we have said and are really to maintain in a right sense but that Nihil credendum quod ratione capi nequeat Nothing is to be beleeved which may not be comprehended by humane reason as the Photinians and some other Heretiques maintain is an assertion I know not whether more ridiculous and absurd in point of reason or more blasphemous and impious in Divinity Philosophers are allowed their occulta qualitates and Physitians even they who knew little of God otherwise did acknowledge 〈◊〉 soâ—ewhat above their capacity and the ordinary course of nature in things of nature There be I know that laugh at these occultae qualitates and in some cases they may justly neither would I contend about words if another word wil give better content But as for them who think they can give a reason for all which by others is admired as hidden abstruse sooner may they bring themselves into a suspition that they never knew how to distinguish between reason and phancy then perswade them that are rationall that no work of nature is above the reach of humane reason Our second Observation which follows upon the former and is a further confirmation of it shall be concerning the ambiguity or different acception of this word faith or beleef Faith then we say may be taken either in opposition to sight or sense or in opposition to knowledge and comprehension or thirdly and lastly to reason in generall In opposition to sight or sense so things invisible whether in their nature so because spirituall or invisible because not present but future are the proper object of faith In the Epistle to the Hebrews faith is thus defined Faith is the substance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of things hoped for the evidence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of things not seen In opposition to knowledge and comprehension so we are said to beleeve those things which we doe not understand or comprehend Lastly in opposition to reason so we are said to beleeve those things for which or for the beleef of which we have no ground or foundation at all in humane reason and ratiocination Those that shall reade the Ancients upon this argument will finde great use of these distinctions to reconcile their severall expressions which otherwise might seem to import â— contrariety of opinions For example whereas it was commonly objected by ancient Heathens to the Christians of those times that they grounded all their Doctrine upon meer beleef that their simple faith was all they had to trust to Some not so aware perchance neither of the ambiguity of the word nor what advantage Heathens would make of it made no scruple simply to avow what was objected unto them but others again did utterly disclaim it complained of the objection as a grosse and impudent calumny appealed to reason themselves for proof of their beleef and offered themselves to joyn issue with them upon that title Certain it is that most of them in this question did take faith not as opposed to reason properly but either to knowledge and comprehension or to sight and sense Or if they did use the word reason in opposition to faith by reason they did understand knowledge and comprehension not as the word was used by others In this sense Saint Augustine doth often oppose Divine authority to reason August de Vera Rel. Authoritas fidem flagitat rationi praeparat hominem ratio ad intellectum per cognitionem perducit quanquam nec auâ—horitatem penitùs ratio deserit cùm consideratur cuâ— credendum sit c. not as though it were against humane reason to beleeve those things that are commended unto us by divine revelation or authority whereof we shall say more afterwards but because most of the mysteries of our faith commended unto us by divine authority are such as are above the reach of humane capacity to comprehend Though herein too they did distinguish between the Tyrones or beginners in Christianity such as were lately converted to the Christian faith whom they would have wholly to rely upon authority and those whom the Apostle Heb. 5.14 speaketh of who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evill Of the use of humane reason in this kind for the unfolding or understanding of particular points which is a different consideration from that of the Principles much hath been written of late by learned Vedelius in a Book of this argument entituled Rationale Theologicum to which the Reader if he please may have recourse I shall conclude this Observation with the words of Saint Peter 1 Pet. 3.15 Be ready to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekenesse and feare Thirdly we would have it observed that notwithstanding this opinion of faith and religion so grounded as we have said we maintain neverthelesse that no man can attain to that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that degree or fulnesse of faith required or availeable to salvation but by supernaturall means viz. by the immediate operation of Gods holy Spirit To which purpose Origen in his answer to Celsus the Heathen says well Orig. contra Celsum l. 6. We are taught by the divine Word that what is preached by men be it of it self never so true and rationall or well grounded cannot sufficiently penetrate into the soul of man except both supernaturall power from God be given to the speaker and divine grace accompany those things that are spoken c. which is by him inferred upon the words of the Apostle 1 Cor. 2.4 And my speech my preaching was not with inticing words of mans wisdome but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power that your faith should not stand in the wisedome of men but in the power of God The necessity of this infused faith is acknowledged by Papists as well as by Protestants no sober man that beleeves the Scriptures can make any question of it Fourthly and lastly we say though faith be reducible to principles of reason and in that respect become knowledge as well as faith yet we doe not maintain a necessity of this knowledge in all Christians Without infused faith no man is a true Christian but a man
A Discourse CONCERNING CHRIST HIS INCARNATION AND EXINANITION As also concerning THE PRINCIPLES OF CHRISTIANITY By way of Introduction By MERIC CASAVBON D. D. LONDON Printed by M. F. for R. Mynne and are to be sold at his shop at the Sign of Saint Paul in Little Britain 1646. To the READER COurteous Reader what is here offered unto thee under the title of a Discourse is the substance of some Sermons preached upon this solemn sacred argument some years agoe where my dwelling and calling then was The first part which I call the Introduction is for the most part of it newly added Why now added or thought necessary will easily be understood by them that know as who knows it not what opposition the most fundamentall points of our Religion have met with of late both at home and abroad In the rest there is more alteration of the form then addition of matter and substance The Incarnation of Christ is a subject which no true Christian can think unseasonable at any time I confesse as it is necessary so is it an argument of that sublimity as would not be handled by every body illotis manibus I had not adventured upon this publication in this form had I not had good encouragement from some whose judgement I thought I might trust to that it might do good To that end it is here presented unto thee and if thou shalt propose to thy self that end onely in the reading there will be the more hopes of the successe Farewell Martinus Lutherus in Enchiridio Piarum Precationum De tribus Symbolis c. IPsà recomperi in omnibus Historiis universi Christianismi hoc animadverti quod quicunque principalem illum Christianae fidei Articulum de IESV CHRISTO verè incorruptè tum crediderunt tum docuerunt hi posteà in vera Christianâ fide tutò ac firmiter perstiterunt Et licet suos quosdam errores sua peccata habuerint sunt illi tamen ad extremum servati The same in English WHat by mine own experience and what by Church Histories of all Ages and Nations I have certainly found and observed that as many as truly and syncerely have both beleeved and taught this main Article of the Christian faith concerning JESUS CHRIST those have continued safe and sound in the Christian faith and though perchance for a while they have had their errors and their infirmities yet at the last they have dyed good Christians Mr Hugo Grotius his opinion and testimony concerning the satisfaction of Christ taken out of his later writings Ephes 1.6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hugo Grotius ibi Sicut in veteri lege non obtinebatur venia eorum quae in eo statu veniam accipere poterant nisi cruentâ morte victimae ita in novo foedere remittit Deus peccata credentibus in Christum ideo quia Christus id suâ morte cruentâ quippe sacrificio perfectissimo Deoque gratissimo pleno obedientiae demissionis dilectionis patientiae ab ipso nobis impetravit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est plenissima liberatio à reatuscilicet quanquaÌ„ autem vox 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tralatione quadam quod vulgò excipiunt objiciunt Sociniani scilicet ad liberationem quamvis referri interdum solet in hoc tamen argumento talem intelligi liberationem quae non sine magno impendio fiat ostendit locus Matth. 20 28. ubi Christi vita nobis impensa 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 redemptio dicitur I Have perused this learned Discourse of Christ his Incarnation and Exinanition and finding it both solid and Orthodox and also adorned with such variety of matter as may bring to the Reader much profit wâ—â—h delight I allow it to be printed and published JOHN DOVVNAME ERRATA PAg. 3. l. 25. read are ready P. 13. l. 4. according to in Ital. letter P. 23. l. 7. know not what we P. 40. l. 22 23. as it is written in Ital. letter P. 49. l. 30. margin Tractatu qui. P. 63. l. 3. meannesse OF THE PRINCIPLES OF DIVINITY BY WAY OF INTRODUCTION to the ensuing Subject ALL Arts and Sciences are grounded upon some common notions and principles which as they cannot be well proved some of them at least so they are presupposed to carry so much evidence with them as that no rationall man be he learned or unlearned as soon as he heareth them will stick to yeeld assent unto them so that be particular propositions never so strange and incredible of themselves or at the first hearing yet if after many turnings and windings they be reduced to some common principle there is no further doubt Neither is a rationall man bound to embrace for truth that which is not either implicitely or explicitely by neerer or remoter consequences reducible to such principles Theology or Divinity whether it may properly be called a Science or no it is disputed amongst the Learned I shall not dispute it here but onely say that Divinity also hath her common principles which though perchance they bee not of that degree of evidence as the principles of some other Sciences are yet they are evident enough to satisfie any rationall man This Doctrine though sound of it self and of excellent use against all Heathens Turks Infidels frantick or fanatick Enthusiasts Anabaptists yet because it is very apt to be mistaken and therefore liable to many exceptions I think it necessary before I come to make that use of it which by way of Introduction I aim at in this present Discourse to say somewhat of it to make it more clear passable then otherwise amongst the vulgar of men it would be First then it must be observed that to beleeve a thing upon grounds of reason and to comprehend the reason or nature or possibility of that which is beleeved are things in themselves far different which will be made plainer by examples What reasonable man can doubt of his soul as of a distinct and different nature from the body being so known by the daily effects and operations of it yet neither is the nature of the soul perfectly comprehensible to any man and even those effects and operations of it which are most visible and ordinary the most understanding Physitians and Philosophers when they come to sift them and to render reasons acknowledge themselves to be at a stand Nay the generation of man that visible and materiall part of him onely considered setting the soul aside as of another origine even that hath posed the wisest and wittiest of men That the loadstone hath such and such properties whereof some have been known of old and some have been lately discovered who can question there being such daily experience of it But the the naturall reasons of such properties though much hath been said and written of it of late yeers yet I think there be but few that will take upon them to know or to render There is great use of this distinction in debate and disputes about
may be a true Christian though he understand not upon what grounds of humane reason his faith is grounded which innumerable Christians for want either of education or through naturall indocility or prevented by death never attain unto If then in Divinity as well as in other Sciences to proceed with more solidity the consideration of the first principles be sometimes requisite it is in these points especially and principally which of themselves seem most contrary to reason and common sense such as this is Christ his Incarnation I know it hath been the opinion of some of Saint Chrysostome by name that the Incarnation of Christ the Son of God might of it self sufficiently be demonstrated and maintained by arguments of reason And somewhat of that kinde I have seen endeavoured by some but never yet any thing which did much satisfie me or whereby I could hope to satisfie any other And I account it a matter of no little danger for men to be too great undertakers in this kind Wit and subtilty may do well perchance in some other things but not so well in articles of such weight and consequence To goe on therefore in our intended method before we come to particulars of Christian principles in generall we shall first say That whatsoever among men professing to hearken to reason and endowed with competent judgement and discoursive faculties either without any arguing at all will currantly passe or upon very little arguing may be justified and approved for right or reasonable we reckon that in the number of common principles of which kind we take these three ensuing particulars to us here most considerable to be I. First that there is a God II. Secondly that the ways and counsels of God there being such disproportion between God and man must in all probability be different in most things from the thoughts counsels and apprehensions of the wisest of men III. Thirdly that whatsoever hath been revealed by God himself unto man ought to be beleeved and embraced by men with as much fulnesse of assent and beleef as what is most certain and undoubted amongst men as either grounded upon the senses or upon certain experience To these of which as we shall shew there can bee little question amongst rationall men being all avouched and averred by principall authors of severall ages and religions whose writings remain to this day because we have not to doe here with Heathens or Infidels properly but with such as make no question of the truth of the Scriptures but stumble most for want of due consideration as shall appear at some of the former we shall adde a fourth which is IV. That those books of the Old and New Testament generally received by all Christians for Canonicall were written by men inspired of God and justly accounted The Word of God Let us now consider of these principles severally for it will much concern us that some of them that have not been so throughly sifted and considered of by others be well cleared The first is that there is a God I. We need not adde by whom the world and all that is in it man particularly was made since it is the view and consideration of the world especially and all that is in it and man particularly that brings a naturall man to the knowledge of God Psal 19.1 2. The heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament sheweth his handy work Day unto day uttereth speech and night unto night uttereth knowledge So the Psalmist inspired by God speaketh of that knowledge of God common to all men even them that know not God otherwise by the bare evidence and testimony of nature And thereby we may the better know that David was inspired to say so because we finde others that were not inspired so generally and unanimously concurring in this acknowledgement Let those Heathens be looked upon that have written 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is of the first apprehension or discovery made by men of a Deity as either Cleanthes or Aristotle of old whose names and arguments are recorded by Tully and by Sixtus Empiricus or later writers as Tully himselfe Plutarch Dio Chrysostomus and others they all pitch upon this as a principall evidence aequabilitatem motus conversionē coeli solis lunae syderumque distinctionem varietatem pulchritudinem ordinem that is in a word The beauty order constancy of the Heavens and Firmament Sun and Moon c. Even those who most wickedly did set themselves to argue against a Providence could not but acknowledge this a strong argument for Providence as Lucretius an excellent Poet but a professed Epicure in his opinions at least as when he saith Sol luna suo lustrantes lumine circum Perdocuere homines annorum tempora verti Et certa ratione geri rem atque ordine certo And again where he saith Nam cum suspicimus magni coelestia mundi Templa super stellisque micantibus aetherae fixum Et venit inmentem solis lunaeque viarum Tunc aliis oppressa malis in pectore cura Illa quoque expergefactum caput erigere infit Ecquae forte Deum nobis immensa potestas Sit vario motu quae candida sydera verset But whilest we make the Heavens the chiefest and clearest evidence of a Deity it must not be conceived that they are the onely For in very truth there is not any thing so meane in shew and common estimation which being throughly considered doth not set out the power and wisdome of God to a discerning eye as by ancient Philosophers and others that have handled this argument is copiously shewed Whence proceeded that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Presumption of all people and nations of the Universe in acknowledging and worshipping some Deity Which consideration above all others this generall consent and conspiration of all men I mean so farre moved Epicurus that he was constrained thereby as himself professed to acknowledge a Deity though the use and consequent of this acknowledgement hee did elude and frustrate by denying a Providence Solus vidit Epicurus esse Deos quod in omnium animis eorum notionem impressisset ipsa natura saith one of that sect in Tully that is that Epicurus did first avouch the being of a Deity upon that ground of mankinds generall consent though even so it be not altogether true but true it is that Epicurus did much enlarge himself upon that one proof and argument and was the first that applied the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to that purpose But how and how farre God may be found by the light of nature is largely disputed by the Schoolmen and by those that have written Metaphysicks Though all agree in the main yet they are not all of one minde neither concerning the extent nor the clearnesse of naturall light But to let them and their differences passe the Apostle clearly determines it and we with him Rom. 1.20 That
the ten Commandements were appointed to be laid which Ark before the said Testament was compleat ever since the Babylonian Captivity had been wanting Petavius himself a learned Jesuite that hath set out Epiphanius except he may be allowed to expunge those words as spurious the last refuge of venturous Criticks when they are plunged and cannot get out doth plainly professe to suspect this to have been the opinion of Epiphanius whereas we have more occasion to suspect of him that he did not understand him or had any thought of those passages of Tertullian and Augustine which would have made Epiphanius his meaning clear enough and as we conceive unquestionable I have now done with those grounds of common notions and principles of humane reason the consideration whereof I conceived would be proper and pertinent to the subject we are to treat of a subject of it self so sublime and so farre above the reach of humane understanding that whoever takes upon him to meddle with it had need to lay wel his grounds before-hand and carefully to circumscribe himself lest he fall into extravagances before he be aware Qui scrutatur Majestatem opprimetur à gloriâ whether that were Solomons meaning Prov. 25.27 or no may be controverted but a true sentence it is however and they shall be sure to find it true that proceed not in such arguments with much warinesse This method of proceeding by certain hypotheses laid for a foundation though it be most proper to Mathematicians yet it is not unusuall to other Artists and Writers It is the very method used by Plato in his Timeus the subject whereof is the Creation of the world of man particularly our subject is the restauration or regeneration of mankinde in Christ which of the two is generally accounted the greater work OF THE INCARNATION of CHRIST ANcient Philosophers that have written concerning the nature of this Universe observe this as a great mystery of nature and a singular evidence of the power and wisdome of God the author of nature that whatsoever is commonly said to dye or to perish is by this death or corruption which they more properly call alteration the cause of the production and generation of something else whereby the course of this worlds generation in generall is continued and maintained It may be applied in some kinde to this sacred subject and mystery of Christ his Incarnation The fall and miscarrying of the first Adam was the cause or occasion at the least of the second Adam Had not the first Adam the first fruits of mankind in whom the whole lump was either to be sanctified or polluted sinned and by his sin undone all that should come from him the second Adam Christ Jesus according to the flesh as the Scripture speaketh had never been born for there had been no need of him For as for the conceits of some either ancient Hereticks or later Schoolmen who have maintained a contrary opinion as neither grounded upon Scripture nor any probability of reason and generally rejected by the more sober of all sides I willingly passe by But on the other side though the Incarnation of the Son of God of all the works of God hath eminently the preeminence yet we may not say or think that therefore the first man sinned or was ordained to sin that the Son of God might be incarnated For so wee should make God the author of sin then which nothing either in it self can be more detestable or more contrary to true piety God indeed to whom all things past present future are equally present as hee foresaw from all eternity the fall of Adam and in him of all mankinde so did he from all eternity decree the Incarnation of his Son for the restauratiō of man Whence are those phrases of Scripture that Christ as a Redeemer a 1 Pet. 1.20 was fore-ordained before the foundation of the world that we were b Ephes 1.4 chosen or c 2 Tim. 1.9 saved in Christ before the foundation of the world or before the world began and again that Christ is the d Apoc. 13.8 Lamb slain from the foundation of the world though as for this last passage I rather embrace their interpretation such hyperbaton's as they call them being very frequent in the Scriptures who referre this from the beginning of the world to the book of life as Apocal. 17.18 rather then to the Lamb slain though I must professe against the reason that is given by some as Ribera the Jesuite upon the place as though there were any absurdity or incongruity in the speech being so justifiable by other parallel places of Scripture But this foresight of God did no ways occasion much lesse necessitate the disobedience of Adam who as he was created with perfect freedome of will so he might had not he been wanting to himself have resisted the temptation of the Devill and have continued in that innocency to which his happinesse and immortality was annexed But it so fell out that Adam used his freewill to his own and all that should be after him being descended from him their ruine and eternall confusion Better it had been for him certainly and better for all that had any dependence of him never to have been for I am not of their opinion that think any beeing better then no beeing then to see himself at once stript of his happinesse and innocency of the son of God become the slave of the Devill and besides his own personall misery the occasion of so much evill unto others Seneca De Clem. l. 1. Quanto autem non nasci melius quà m numerari inter publico malo natos how much more then quà m unum omnis omnibus mali causam extitisse Here a question offers it self though we would be very cautelous of moving questions of this nature where the Scripture it self is silent too much curiosity in this kind having been the occasion of sundry blasphemies and heresies yet because there is some ground for it in the Scripture we may not altogether passe it by The question is Why God would permit Adam to sin which he might many ways have prevented if he had thought fit The first answer is because it became God well if this be not too bold a speech to make good his own order and to maintain his owne work It had pleased God to endow Adam with a perfect free-will He was furnished with sufficient grace to continue innocent and to withstand sin but that grace was conditionall as be used it as he liked it he might either improve it or lose it If therefore we must make a question of it it is more proper to ask why God created Adam with free-will then why God did not hinder the sin of Adam being so created This very question much troubled ancient Philosophers who had the bare light of reason and nature for their guide Why God being so perfectly good as they did acknowledge him would suffer sin
his absolute power but the justice and equity of his providence or wisdome Origen whom I mention for his antiquity though not always to be followed in his opinions upon this argument because the question proposed by Celsus the Heathen was not whether any other way in generall but particularly why not such a way rather he contents himself to shew the impertinency of the question and that the way by Celsus proposed was not either to the Providence of God or to the nature of man so sutable and convenient but of the possibility in generall as he doth not deny it so neither doth he peremptorily affirm it He doth not not there at least but others doe and their determination of the matter is embraced by the Schoolmen Peter Lombard and Thomas Aquinas and others by Protestants also Zanchius Polanus Peter Martyr Paraeus and many more I beleeve Gerardus and most of the Lutheran party hold the contrary opinion and not they onely but of our side also some not of the obscurest For my part in reverence to God and his truth freely to deliver my minde leaving others to the liberty of their own judgements I must professe that I cannot satisfie my self how it can stand with the duty and humility of mortall men who can give so little account of our selves either of our souls or bodies to attempt the sounding of such an abyssus such a bottomlesse Ocean as either the Power or the Mercy of Almighty God and out of physicall * Vide Testardum De Natura Gratiâ nuperas ut alios praetereā Joh. Hoornbeck Disputationes Antijudaicas or metaphysicall speculations for such I account all in this kinde that are not apparently grounded upon divine authority so peremptorily and positively to determine how farre either can goe I tremble to think what hapned to the Bethshemites for offering to pry into the Ark the Mercy-seat of God Of all things in the world I would not abridge the Power of God in point of Mercy whereof there is so much need in the world If God himself doth limit I adore his judgements and submit with all humility Where he doth not I will not certainly no authority of mortall man no subtilty of humane wit shall perswade me to do it Earthly Kings and Princes will not endure their Prerogative should be scanned by every Subject not by any perchance if they could help it and good Kings will esteeme mercy the best part of their Prerogative Owe wee not then so much respect to the King of Kings the Omnipotent Creator of all things who from his highest Throne beholdeth the Inhabitants of the earth Kings and Monarchs as well as others as so many worms or grashoppers as to leave him the power and Prerogative of his Mercy indisputed free and unbounded That any who was not a God should take upon him to forgive sins was once we know thought blasphemy Mark 2.7 how shall it not be some spice of blasphemy to bereave God of this power except God himself in his revealed Word doth expresly disclaim it We see in the Gospel when the Disciples upon the words of their Master that it is easier for a camel to goe through the eye of a needle then for a rich man to enter into the Kingdome of God began to infer as probably enough they might that none therefore or very few for so must their words not pertinent otherwise be understood most men being either rich or covetously seeking after riches which comes all to one could be saved Christ himself teacheth them in such cases not to judge rashly but to remember the power of God With men saith he this is unpossible but with God all things are possible By which words Christ seemeth in some manner to justifie their inference in point of humane ratiocination for that men cannot save themselves or be saved by other men whereof no question was made is not it that Christ acknowledges here impossible with men but to disallow of humane ratiocination in things of this nature But now on the other side if any pretend Scripture as most doe for their opinion I answer If clear Scripture as in such points would be requisite how come so many both ancient and late so well versed in them so able to judge of them to be of another opinion If doubtfull and disputable then in such a case that comes so neer to blasphemy without good warrant from God himself I hold the affirmative as more plausible so safer every way To passe by therefore their arguments which are drawn as was said before most of them from metaphysicall speculations which I desire not to meddle with I will onely take notice of some considerations insisted upon by some of them to make their opinion more plausible if not necessary The first is that to beleeve the possibility of mans restauration either without any satisfaction at all by free pardon or any other way of satisfaction if any other way can be which as we said before we doe not conceive is to undervalue the benefit and high price of this holy Dispensation It is certain the apprehensions of men though their end to glorifie God be the same may be different and a difference of apprehensions may make a difference of opinions though tending to one end I join with them therefore in their main drift but I doe not conceive that any man who really beleeves an impossibility grounded upon Gods revealed Word of any mans salvation without Christ needs any other motive to induce him to set a right price upon this miraculous work then the consideration of his own and every mans happinesse thereon depending It is secondly further objected that this opinion may seem to savour or at least to favour Socinisme who eagerly plead against the necessity make it an argument against the truth of Christ his satisfaction But surely the way to deal with Socinians is not by such reasoning God be praised we have a more sure way and that is the way of divine authority If that doe it not it is to be feared weaker proofs which not without much probability may bee contradicted will rather confirm them then convert them What Saint Augustine saith in a place upon another occasion would be considered upon this Metus est ne cum saepe subruuntur August De Magistro quod totidem sere verbis etiam Plato non un◠loco quae firmissimè statura et mansura praesumimus in tantum odium vel timorem rationis incidamus ut ne ipsi quidem perspicuae veritati fides habenda videatur that is It is to bee feared that when men shall see those reasons which they once grounded upon as firm and stable easily and familiarly overthrown they fall at last into such a hatred or suspition of reason that even the most undoubted truths shall not be beleeved I am therefore much pleased with Balth. Meisnerus a Lutheran his prudent moderation in this point who
in his Disputations against the Socinians upon such grounds of reason as are ordinarily insisted upon by others having said as much as can with any colour be said for this necessity Balth. Meisnerus A 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dec. 3. Disp 26.90 concludes his Disputation in these words Hitherto why God could not without some prejudice to his Omnipotency pardon sinners without some satisfaction hath been shewed But that we should enter into this dispute with our adversaries is not so absolutely necessary because thereby we are forced to enquire into the reasons of the divine counsell which ought not to be Gods revelation of his divine will by his Word ought to suffice us whereby he declareth that without the price and merit of his Son as a Mediator he will not forgive sin because he hateth it and for it is angry with sinners That it is so therefore let us beleeve and that by this kind of satisfaction the divine Omnipotency is no ways impaired because both those are affirmed by the Scriptures though we cannot render a reason of all the counsels of God These things ought rather to be admired and with thankfull hearts extolled then with nicenesse and curiosity sifted and discussed He repeates the same though in other words as fully in the 105. Paragraph of the same Disputation And in the 89. commends this Canon Quid Deus circa salutem nostram faciat non ex rationibus de possibili colligendum sed ex solis Scripturis addiscendum est But doth not the Scripture plainly fay I take notice of this objection because the phrase doth often occur may trouble them that are not so expert that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 oportebat Christ ought to suffer such such things Are not Christ his own words John 3.14 As Moses lifted up the Serpent in the Wildernesse even so must the Son of man be lifted up Must yes it is the Scripture phrase but more full in other places as Luke 24.44 These are the words which I spake to you while I was yet with you that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and in the Prophets and in the Psalms concerning me And again in the next words Then opened he their understanding that they might understand the Scriptures And said unto them Thus it is written and thus it behoved 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the same word as before Christ to suffer and to rise the third day from the dead By which and other like places it doth clearly appear that this must hath relation meerly to the predictions of the Old Testament concerning Christ whether by words or as that of the Serpent lifted up in the Wildernesse by types God therefore having long before not onely preordained but also by severall Prophets foretold the sufferings of Christ it was not onely expedient but in this respect absolutely necessary that all things should fall out accordingly For It is easier that heaven and earth should passe then one tittle of the Law to fail Luk 16.17 Now that which made Christ so often to presse the Scripture to the Jewes was to convince them by their own principles that whereas they professed much zeal for the Scriptures they might know that those very Scriptures which they were so zealous for were the very ground in some sense both of his doctrine and of all that hapned unto him For otherwise to consider the things in the order of their nature those things did not so properly happen to Christ because they were foretold but because they were so determined by God from all eternity therefore they were first foretold and afterwards hapned accordingly Act. 4.28 Laying therefore aside this absolute necessity as not grounded for ought we could ever finde upon any Scriptures and as we conceive of dangerous consequence we may with lesse danger and no lesse edification we hope take notice of such reasons or considerations as the wit of man can reach unto by which this counsell of God Dispensation or Oeconomy the Ancients usually call it in a rationall triall if need be may be maintained convenient or plausible though indeed most of these considerations be grounded upon Scripture as will appear But they must first be forewarned that are not so throughly acquainted with the tearms belonging to this subject that in this particucular consideration of the necessity or expedience of Christ's Incarnation in the word Incarnation as often besides is presupposed to be included the Passion also as the principall end of it according to that of Christ John 12.27 Father save me from this houre but for this cause came I unto this houre For so I conceive the words should be distinguished and interpreted But for this cause came I into the world that is according to that of the Apostle This is a faithfull saying and worthy of all acceptation that Christ came into the world to save sinners 1 Tim. 1.15 unto this houre that is that I might suffer for sinners The first and chiefest reason will be that God chose this way as the most convenient to manifest his love to mankind according to that of Christ in S. John So God loved the world that he gave his onely begotten Sonne that whosoever beleeveth in him should not perish but have everlasting life This consideration is not onely mentioned often in the Scripture but also set forth commended unto us by severall circumstances all very considerable to make us the more apprehensive of it See John 15.13 Rom. 5.6 7 8. 1 Joh. 4 9 10. Now of this manifestation of his love in such an extraordinary way one main end was the more powerfully to draw ours to himself and to withdraw it from the love of the world which two are inconsistent See 2 Cor. 5.14 15. Jam. 4.4 John 1. Ep. 2.15 16 17. This is the main consideration that hath made so many Martyrs A second consideration might be the better to manifest his justice and his extream antipathy if we may so speak to sin thereby also from the consideration of this antipathy in God the more powerfully to draw us to the love of goodnesse and vertue and to a true hearty detestation of wickednesse Whence as I take it especially it is that according to the Scripture phrase all impenitent sinners who professe godlinesse but shew not the power of it in their lives and conversations are styled Infidels or unbeleevers as being altogether impossible that they that truly beleeve or have a true apprehension of this great mystery of godlinesse should continue in ungodlinesse A third consideration was certainly that Christ might by his example work upon us the more effectually to imitate him as in other things so especially in his humilitie the most proper vertue of Christianity and without which all profession of Christianity is but delusion and imposture But of this more in its proper place afterwards in the consideration of his Exinanition To these divers others might be added