3. therefore any sinne which is perceived to be a sinne not unto death may be prayed for and so pardoned Fourthly let it be observed that the Apostle doâ—h 4. in the next verse set down what he means in this place by sinne for verse 17. All unrighteousness is sinne John 3. 4. and he had said before chap. 3. verse 4. Sinne is the transgression of the Law From whence it may be reasonably collected that any unrighteonsnesse or transgression of the Law or any sinne if it be discerned to be not unto death may be prayed for and possibly pardoned A sinne not unto death How any sinne can be said to Beza in loc be a sinne and yet not unto death is hard to be understood seeing we reade Rom. 6. 23. The wages of sinne is death for any sinne ever so little rendereth us liable to death and is affirmed so by Beza Omtria peccata per se lethaliâ— id est All sinnes in their own nature are deadly Our very lapst nature in Adams mass Originall sinne and our minima peccata there is no sinne so small or unconsiderable but draweth after it the weight of eternall wrath and a thousand times meriteth eternall death Thus he and Calvin very truely saith Omne peccatum per se mortale Calv. instit 2. 8. 59. id est Every sinne in it self is deadly but when the sins of holy men are said to be not unto death and veniall it is because by Gods mercy they obtain pardon and not because the sinnes are of themselves veniall for who doubteth but that in the reprobate all sinnes are sinnes unto death but in the Elect no sinne is unto death Saint Chrysostome observeth upon those words Matthew Chrys de compunct n. 18. 5. 22. Whosoever shall say to his brother Thou fool c. De levioribus dat sententiam ut de gravioribus non dubitare debeas id est Christ pronounced sentence of Hell fire against so small a sinne that no man should doubt what greater sinnes deserve Again there are very grand and capitall sinnes which yet in some persons are sinnes not unto death as Galathians 5. 19. Adultery Murther Drunkennesse Seditions Heresies Idolatrie c. of which it is there said They that do such things shall not inherit the Kingdome of God and yet we know that some of the Patriarks and many converted from Heathenisme hath committed these sinnes but obtained pardon and shall inherit the Kingdome of Heaven Noahs excesse Davids adultery the Corinthians incest Peters deniall and the Iewes denying and crucifying the holy One and Pauls persecuting the Church all and every of these sinnes in those penitent and Elect vessels were sinnes not unto death This I think will not be denied Not unto death But why are some mens sinnes called not unto death when the very same speciall sins in other men are indeed sinnes unto death The Poet murmured at such a thing Committunt eadem diverso Crimina fato Juven sat 13. Ille crucem sceleris precium tulit hic Diadema For many sins and very capitall ones are common both to the Reprobates and to the Elect and yet in the Elect and the same sin is not unto death which in the Reprobate is unto death The answer is that our Apostle calls that sin a sin not unto death which is confessed repented forsaken and amended before our death or departure out of this life when a man doth not obdurately continue and persevere in his sin untill his death but forsaketh it in his life-time so that the leaving of his sin and amendment of life may be seen by his brother for how else shall a brother see that the sin is not unto death but by the sinners leaving it desisting from and amending it as by ceasing from adultery rebellion oppression and the like for so the Apostle telleth the Corinthians such as these were some of yee but yee are washed but yee are sanctified 1 Cor. 6. 11. So that sinnes not unto death are not so called from the nature or merit of sin but from the circumstance of the time or person sinning and desisting Fot as is said Every sin is mortall deadly and unto death eternall if we look onely on the merit of sin but every sin though the most grand and capitall sin is not unto death if it be repeated of and left before the departure of the soul from the body So the gloss expoundeth this place Non ad mortem Id est non usque ad mortem i. A sin not unto death is when the sin is not continued in untill the time of death and of David it saith David sinned not unto death for he repented and obtained pardon so that the same sin in one man not repenting produceth damnation when in another it is pardoned upon repentance Neither do we hereby assert any Stoicall f Amb. n. 33. Novatian or g Aug. n. to 6. habes Sardos venales alium alio nequiorem â—ul Epist 125 Iovinian equalitie of sinnes For although no sinne may well be called bettet then another because all are naught yet one is worse then another Of two ill painted pieces one asked uter detâ—rior est i. which is worst and of two evill things in the Comedy it is said h Plaut in Aulular Act. 2. sce â— Alia aliâ pejor est optima nulla est i. one is worse then another neither can be called best i. i Aug. cont mendac c. 8. n. 77. Furum non est ideâ— quisquam bonus quia pejor est unus i One thief is worse then another yet no thief is therefore good Sin in generall is k Bafil n. 5. Proles Diaâ—osi and l Theod. n. 13. mater mortis m Chrys n. 59. grandis Damon peccatum i. the braâ— of the Devil the mother of death and it self is a Devil and so is called in the Gospel yet sins are of severall growths and degrees For therefore are there severall degrees of torments in hell apportioned to the degrees of sins There is a sin as a moâ—e and as a beam and a Camel so there are stripes many stripes weeping wailing gnashing of teeth worm fire and brimstone the damned shall be bound up in bundles according to the likenesse and degrees of their sins and every bundle shall have its just portion as we read of that particular portion of Hypocrites It is a memorable and a terrible observation which Origen makes upon that saying Numb 14. 34. where for one sin in one day a whole year of punishment is apportioned If for every sinne of ours a whole year of Orig. in loc hom 8. punishment shall be allotted I fear that neither the duration of this world nor the eternitie of the next world will be long enough to end ouâ— torments Let us not therefore flatter our selves wâ—th the conceit of a little or a veniall sinne as if such deserved not death for
is behind of the afflâ—ctions of Christ in my flâ—sh We may not think that Christ in his own particular Person left his Passion insufficient so as if for our redemption the Apostle should need to supply his defect but his meaning is that something was to be suffered in the Mysticall Body of Christ which is his Church by the holy Martyrs for confirmation of Evangelicall Truth as it is there said For his bodies sake that is for the edification of his Members and these Passions of Martyrs are here called the afflictions of Christ though they were acted onely on the Person of this Apostle If it be here objected that there is a great difference between the Sonship of Christ and our sonship because he is the Son of God by Nature and we onely by the Adoption of Grace This cannot be denied but withall we should understand that although Christ in regard of his Divine Nature is very God of very God yet the same Lord Jesus in respect of his assumed Manhood is also the Son of God onely by Grace by Adoption and Election and therefore it is said in regard of this humane Nature All power is given me in Heaven and in Earth Esay 42. 1. 1 Pet. 2. 4. and therefore Christ is called Gods elect Servant and Saint Peter calls him a stone chosen and precious for indeed it was of meer grace that this Man Jesus was chosen and taken into Unity of Person with the Eternal Word and this is the doctrine of the ancient Church Aug. de Verb. Dei ser 8. De Temp. ser 84. delivered by Saint Austine Susceptio hominis per Verbum erat Gratia nam quid meruit ille Homo qui Christus est and again Susceptio hominis ipsius in Deum tota est gratia quid meruit homo ille â—olle gratiam quid est Christus nisi homo quid nisi quod tu and in his disputes against the â—elâ—gians he thus argues Vnde Christus De Praedest cap. 14. homo meruit ut in unitatem personae cum aeterno verbo assumeretur quid â—nte egit and he answereth himself thus ille grat âest tantus â—â gratiâ fiâ— Christianus quâ ille homo fiâ— Christus That is the taking of the manhood into God was meerly of grace for what did that man Christ deserve What did he before by the same grace that a man is made a Christian this man Jesus was made Christ Finally why should we further doubt that holy men are called Christ and the Son of God seeing the Eph. 3. 17. 1 John 4. 13. Matth. 28. 28. Scripture tells us that Christ dwelleth in their hearts and that they dwell in him and that he is with us to the end of the world Hereupon Saint Hierâ—m writes thus to Saint Austin a Hierom. Ep. 80. Habitantem in teâ—dâ—â—exi Dâ—mâ—num Salvatorâ—m And Paulinus thus writes to him b Aug. epist 58. Audiam quâ—d in â—â— mihi loquatnâ— Deus And Austin himself writes thus to Bishop Aurelius c Id. â—e opere Monach. cap. 1. Jussioni â—â—a oporter me obâ—â—mperaâ—e nam Christus in te habitans ex te jussiâ— This union of Christ and his Church is of so great Concernment that the most high and Holy Sacrament was set up by our Saviour purposely not only to signify but also as an Instrumental meanes to effect this most holy Union which cannot be said of common and ordinary food and therefore is called by Saint Austin Thâ— Sacrament of union as out of many grapes one vessell Ad Frâ—â— in Erem ser 28. Sacramentum unitatis of wine is extracted c â—just so saith he of many men one Body of Christ is composed I here present unto the Learned Readers consideration an exposition of those two difficult sayings of Christ but I do not obtrude this conceit Magisterially He saith Iohn 6. 53. Except ye cat the flesh of the Son of man c. and Matth. 26. 26. Take eat this is my Body This he said when he gave not flesh but bread Vide Theophil in â—oâ— 6. 51. This bread may truly besaid to †Vide Theoophil in John 6. 51. be turned into the Flesh of Christ because it is nutrimentally turned into the flesh of every holy Communicant because such are truly called the Body and members of Christ and are called Christ but in prophane persons it is not so turned because they are not the members of Christ neither doth our Saviour say This is my body till he had first said Take Eat my learned friend Dr. Thomas Brown observeth that every Religio â—â—dici man is a kind of Anthropâ—phaâ—e because the main bulk of his body went in at his mouth by nourishment so this holy Eucharisticall nourishment is therefoie turned into the Body of Christ because it is converted into the flesh and blood of us who are his Body for thus Christ and his servants become incorporate and one body In the vision of Saint Peter it was said Arise Acts 10 13. kill and eat the meaning was that Peter should re ceive the Gentiles as well as the Jewes into the Communion of the Church Quasi escam uâ— incorporentur Ecclesiae saith Austin so he expoundeth that of Saint Iohn Aug. Hom. 45. Except ye eat id est nisi incorporentur Christo So also he expoundeth that saying He that cometh to Jo. 6. 37. me I will not cast him out Quiveniâ— ad Christum incorporatur ei And in that exposition of the Apocalyps which goes under his name Rev 20. 9. where it is said that fire came from God and devoured the persecutors he saith Comeduntur ab ecclesia persecutores id est incorporantur the meaning is that by the fire of the Holy Ghost the very persecutors of the Church shall be converted and incorporated into that mysticall Body of Christ this of the first question The second question is What that is which in the Saints Quest 2. Militant is not yet nor ever will be in this life fully subjected to God but shall be hereafter in the next life To this question this is the answer That in the Answer most holy men living there dwelleth a rebellious sin continually unto their death which is the same that by the Apostle is called Concupisence for the law saith Thou shalt not cover and the Apostle saith The Exod 20. 17. Rom. 7. 7. Gal. 5. 17. Psal 94. 20. flesh lusteth against the Spirit this is that which Divines call Originall sin of which the Apostle saith Rom. 7. 23. I see another law in my members warring against the law of my mind Psal 94. 20. he calleth it a law because it hath such power over us as the Edicts of Tyrants have over their Vassals this is that sin which â—weâ—lâ—th in us Rom. 7. 2. of which he saith v. 24. who shall deliâ—er us from this body of death the deliverance mâ—st not be
Gosple-Covenant is called the Covenant of Grace I answer that this one Covenant is both for if the Law of God be not actually and perfectly done and performed by man viz either by us our selves or by Christ or surety for us we can have no benefit by the Covenant so in respect of Christ it is a Covenant of works but to us it is a Covenant of Grace But it may be said that the Evangelicall Covenant is called a better Covenant Heb. 8. 6. I answer the same Covenant is called better because it is bettered and better explained and setforth with better evidence of graciousnesse in the Gospel then before when in the time of the Law it was clouded and clogged with shadows types figures and troublesome Ceremonies but now it shineth clearly and is also quitted of that heavy yoak then it outwardly appeared but as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. a pact or mutuall Covenant but in the Gospel it appears to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. a Testament and albeit the Law is also called a Testament yet it is but as the Will or Testament of a man which is indeed written and sealed and testified but not in force because the Testater was not actually dead But in the Gospel this Old Testament being the same in substance is newly become to be in full force and vertue because Iesus Christ the Testator died Heb. 9. 17. so it became in force for Christ who was but promised in the time of the Law and died there but in types was really exhibited and really died in the Gospel and although the Evangelicall Testament is set forth with a condition annexed viz of believing yet this condition is also in this New Testament bequeathed for Eph. 2. 8 Faith is the gift of God and yet Faith is that Law of which it is said Jer. 31. 33. I will put my Law in their inward pares and write it in their hearts and the same is repeated Heb. 8. 10. So the new Testament requireth the condition of believing and the Testator in his Will hath given to man what he requireth of man The brief of all is that the same God who in Paradise ingaged himself that the seed of the woman should bruise the Serpents head hath himself taken upon him the seed of the woman and in that seed became our Jesus If after all this the Christian shall yet desire further evidence to inform him more and assure and confirm him in Christs ingagement and suretyship for us men as if his Word Promise and Covenant weee not sufficient to give rest and contentment to our wavering and timerous hearts see how our most compassionate and merciful Redeemer hath yet further condescended not onely to enter a covenant in our behalf but also to seal the said Covenant and thereby openly declare himself to be a debtor with us both for the principall that is the fulfilling of the Law and also for the penalty 1 Upon our default and transgression and this he did by the first seal of his Circumcision whereby he bound himself as a debtor to perform the whole Law and this in behalf of all the circumcised seed of Abraham and this Mystery is clearly set forth by the great Apostle Gal. 5. 3. For I testifie again to every man that is circumcised that he is a debtour to doe the whole Law Secondly as by the seal of Circumcision Christ underwent the burthen of all the legall precepts So by the other Seal of his Baptisme he undertook the performance of all the strict Evangelicall Precepts in the behalf of all the Baptized Christians for so himself declared though something covertly for when Iohn Baptist refused to baptize him Christ bade him Matthew 3. 15. adding this reason For thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousnesse Upon which words Saint Hierome observes that he did not say Hier. in loc Justitiam Legis id est the righteousnesse of the Law onely but all that so we may understand that Christ undertook to fulfill both Legall and Evangelicall righteousnesse even in those strict Precepts of Love your enemies blesse them that curse you pray for them that persecute you Deny your selves c. These were the reasons for which our Saviour submitted to the Sacramentall seals of Circumcision and Baptisme thereby to be a surety bound and ingaged for us And so the ancient Expositours understood it Circumcisus Anselm in Gal. 5. 3. est debitor faciendae universae Legis sicut qui Baptismum percipit debitor faciendi praecepti Evangelici id est As the Circumcised is a debtour to doe the whole Law so the baptized is a debtour to perform the Precepts of the Gospell and this also was the judgement of Saint Basil Sicut Circumcisus Basil de Bapt. l. 2. n. 18. est debitor Legis servandae sic Baptizatus totius Evangelii c. And although the Pelagians denied the necessity of Baptisme for taking away Originall sinne yet Coelestius could confesse that Children were redeemed by the Baptisme of Christ and this was onely because by his Baptisme he undertook for us to perform the Evangelicall Covenant Finally all that Christ did undertake to doe for us men that hath he punctually performed partly by his Obedience active in fulfilling all righteousnesse and partly by passive Obedience when he suffered the penalty of our transgressions pouring out his soul and his most precious Blood upon the Crosse there paying the utmost farthing of our debt when our selves were not able to pay one for a thousand This Doctrine understood rightly will reconcile those two sayings of Saint Hierome Maledictus qui dicit Deum impossibilia praecipisse 2 Maledictus qui dixerit legem esse possibilem id est Cursed is he that saith God commanded things impossible and cursed is he that saith the Law of God is possible The meaning is That Law which is impossible to be performed by us or any mere man was performed for us by the Son of Man For our sins were laid upon him and his righteousnesse is imputed to us which Mel. Dav. in vita Luth. p. 164. Luther expresseth in these pithie words Domine Iesu tuâ—e Iustitia mea Ego sum peccatum tuum i. man gave his sins to Christ and Christ gave his righteousnesse to Man CHAP. X. That Man could not be redeemed nor saved but by the Incarnation of the Sonne of God how the curse was executed on Man and how the Law is fulfilled by Man BUt could not our Lord Jesus having thusas a Surety and Mediatour undertaken for us and for our salvation I say could he not have effected our immunitie from punishment and our blessednesse by intreating as an Advocate for us and by that great power and favour which he hath with the Father obtain both remission and pardon of our sins and salvation freely without those bloody and grievous passions which he suffered on the Crosse and this onely by speaking intreating and pleading
Optat. lib. 6. Donatists Dum pro vestro arbitrio quaeritis puritatem c. That they sought for purity by scraping breaking and digging up Altars he wisheth them not to digg too deep lest they digg to hell and there find the Grand Patrons of Schisme Korah Dathan Abiram Numb 16. 9. In the last place the Reader is desired to foreknow That in this Book we affirm Jesus Christ to be the Supream or most high God The Jehova and the Only God But with this Caution That albeit we confidently affirm him to be the Only God yet we say not that Only Jesus Christ is God for thereby we should impiously deny the gracious and comfortable Doctrine of the Trinity of Persons in the Godhead We therefore acknowledge that the Father and the Holy Ghost as well as Son are also the most high and Onely God so that not onely the Father nor only the Son nor only the Holy Spirit are the Supream God But that All and every one of them are but One Onely most high God I have no more to premise but to pray that God would give to the Reader the knowledge and love of his truth And to the Author or Translator of that Commentary I tender the advice of St. Austin Aug. De Anima Orig. l. 3. c. 15. To. 7. Considera quam sit horrendum ut Omnes hae Haereses sint in uno homine quae damnabiles sunt in singnlis singulae The most profound Clerks may and have erred It is an honour rather then disparagement to revoke and recant heresies St. Hierom writes thus to Ruffinus Hier. cont Ruff. l. 1. c. 2. Non es tantae authoritatis famae ut te errasse pudeat For by revoking Errors Truth will be advanced and the God of truth glorified and no need will be of hiding your name you will be known by conformity to truth unto those that know not your face and also in the end will be acknowledged by Christ himself and not otherwise as one saith Plaut in Rud. Act. 4. Sâ— 3. Si adhibebit Fidem etsi ignotus est notus est Si non notus ignotissimus est THE PREFACE WEE are informed by a late Writer Mr. Cheynel that the Sâ—ciâ—iâ—â— party would have us to deny Christ to be God for an accommodation and compliance with Jewes and Turks that by such an insinuation we may have opportunity to convert them But we are better taught by the Apostle Not to â—â— evil that good may come of it and also by St. Austin Aug. in Epist ad Gal. to 4. Qui homini de falso bono placere studes de vero malo displices Deo and if by this slight a Socinian should convert a Turk or Jew to his own religion the Turk or Jew would not be thereby a Christian but the Socinian would more declare himself to be of the Turkish or Jewish Religion for whosoever shall professe Christianity and yet un-God the Lord Jesus his Religion shall profit him no more then the Jewish infidelity doth them The devout man St. Bernard was much troubled with the heresies of Petrus Abailardus who I think was a principal Patriarch of the now Socinian tenents and declared them more fully then the more ancient hereticks had done this Abailardus would fain have perswaded men that Plato the Heathen Philosopher was a Christian But St. Bernard sets this mark upon Bern. Epist 190. him Abailardus dum multùm sudat quomodo Platonem faciat Christianum se probat Ethnicum If Jewes and Heathens will be contented to be instructed in Christianity in the Name of God let us teach them the truth without flattering them in their false tenents It is observed by Paulus Orosius That when the heathenish P. Oros l. 7. c. 19. Goths petitioned Valens the Arian Emperour to appoint them Christian Preachers to instruct them in Christianity this Emperor sent Arian Priests who poysoned the poor Goths with their heresie but it came to passe afterwards by the just Judgment of God that those Goths put the said Emperour to flight in battel and pursued him so that they burnt him alive Indeed St. Paul writeth that 1 Cor. 9. 20. To the Jewes he became as a Jew and to the Gentiles as one without Law But this was a compliance Compatiendo non mentiendo Aug. of Compassion onely without any transgression of the Moral Law of God With the Jewes he complied in Act. 16. 3. Gal. 5. 2. Circumcising Timothy onely as it was a national custome but not as a Sacrament for if so himself declared that Christ should profit them nothing so he purified himself he went to their Feasts and ascended into their Temple these were unsinful compliances The like he did with the Gentiles he conversed with them and did eat with them and cited their own Writers but we find not that ever he sacrificed to their Idols In our dayes a Lecture is set up for the Conversion of the Jewes as is said and for an harmlesse compliance with them it is performed on the Jewish Sabbath our Saturday but we are weil perswaded that none of the Lecturers will so far temporize with Jews as to deny the Eternal Godhead of Jesus Christ or teach That the Messiah is not yet come or blaspheme the ever blessed and holy Trinity which is the Character by which Christians are discerned from Jewes and Turks who with us confesse the Vnity of the Godhead but will not believe ae plurality of Persons therein In which unchristian errour the Socinian agreeth with the Jew and this Antitrinitarian doctrine is the Cracovian Leaven wherewith this new Commentary on the Hebrews is Leavened The Reasons why the Church-Catholick hath constantly held fast the doctrine of the most holy Trinity are weighty First For the evidence and authority of holy Scripture which would be too long to insist on here it being clearly declared by very many Theological Writers Secondly To refute the Heathens cavill against the Unity of the Godhead for they could not conceive how there could be but one God from Eternity and yet that this one God should not be solitary which opinion must needs take place except we acknowledge this mysterious doctrine of a Personal plurality in the substantial Vnity of God therefore to avoid this sadnesse of solitude they fansied a plurality of Gods for as God said It is not good that man should be alone so man on his own behalf may truly affirm as Bishop Goodman hath observed It is not good that God should be alone as will appear in the reason following Thirdly Because this doctrine of the Trinity is the main and prime foundation of mans Redemption Justification and Salvation by the Son of God which we believe and hope and expect by vertue of that most gracious Covenant made between God the Father and God the Son and secretly transacted between them before the Creation Which Covenant is called Ephes 3. 11. The eternal purpose of God and Heb. 13. 20.
this same Epistle to your heresies that so it may dance to your pipe and because as the same Father saith e Id. ib. Heresies cannot take place without a Scripture pretended therefore your Arians laid on load of Scripture to support their errours f Athan. Orat. 1. cont Arian n. 5. Ariana haeresis cum videret sorores suas haereses publicè probâ—osas haberi honesto cultu Scripturarum induiâ—ur i. e. When the Arian heresie saw her sister-heresies to be odious she deâ—ked her self with an honourable dresse of Scriptures Just as you would make this Epistle lispe and stammer out Arianisme even in such places where it speaketh most plainly against it For instance where it is said Heb. 1. 6. Let all the Angels of God worship him and this is taken out of Psal 97. 7. Worship him all ye gods where the worship of Jesus is required from the highest ol all creatures even Angels or if any creature be higher then Angels whatsoever it be though it be called god as some creatures are Psal 82. 6. yet that creature must adore this Son of God and the adoration of him is in other places of Scripture expressed to be the most humble lowly and perfectly intire adoration that can be imagined for Rev. 4. 10. 5. 14. The Elders worship the Lamb the Lamb must needs signifie Christ falling down before him Just such a prostration as Abraham used when he worshipp'd God falling on his face Gen. 17. 3. even the same God who is now incaâ—nate and called the Lamb of God Prostration was used when men would expresse an humbling of the whole man because in that posture every part is interested now because this adoration of the Son of God is so evidently required in this place this Commenter rather then he will acknowledge him to be the most high God will allow that adoration which is due onely to the most high God to be given to a creature there is a pretty proverb in Tertullian Aspis Tert. Cont. Marc. l. 3. à vipera vâ—nenum mutuatus est i. e. The aspe borrowed poyson from the viper and the Socinian from the Ariaâ— for the Arian did bow the knee to Jesus though he would not confesse him to be God and so this Commenter tells us * P. 7. That Divine reverence is commanded to be given to Christ by standing bowing and falling before him in the very same manner that is due to God himself because he sustaines the person of God himself and because in Christ God himself is worshipped Which is the same reason that is alledged by those that fall down before Images for they tell us that in them God himself is worshipped though they will not say that those Images are God himself no more then this Commenter will acknowledge Christ to be as indeed he is God himself And though he confesse that one of the Persons which appeared to †P. 33. Abraham and whom Abraham worshipped which was the Person of the Son as will hereafter be shewed is called Jehova yet he will not confesse this Jehova to be the Supream God notwithstanding that he readeth expresly in the Scripture that Jehova is a proper and peculiar appellation due onely to the most high God and in no wise communicable to any creature as we read Psal 83. 18. That men may know that thou whose Name alone is Jehova art the most high over all the earth CHAP. VII Shewing how the Commenter mis-expoundeth other places which make against him ANother plain evidence which this Jugler laboureth to elude and frustrate is Heb. 2. 2 3. where the Apostle preferreth the Gospel above the Law because the Law was given by God not immediately but mediatâ—ly in the ministration of Angels But the Gospel was spoken by God himself and immediately by himself therefore the Gospel is more excellent then the Law Now let us examine who it was that spake this Great Salvation or Gospel and who was it whom the Apostle heard speak it but onely Jâ—sus Christ therefore Jesus is here most evidently said to be the Lord and the Gospel is declared to have been delivered more excellently then the Law because the Gospel was delivered by God himself that is by Jesus Chrâ—st and therefore is by St. Mark called The Gospâ—l of Jesus Christ Mar. 1. 1. But the Law was delivered by Angels as we read Act. 7. 53. The Jewes receivâ—d the Law by the disposition of Angels and Gal. 3. 19. The Law was ordained by Angels in the hand of a Mediatour Angels are but the Messengers of Christ and are much more inferâ—our to Christ then a 2 Kings 4. 29. Elisha's servant and staffe were to their Master The Mediatour here meant I take to be the same Son of God and not Moses so doth St. Hierome on Gal. 3. 19. In Angelo Mediatoâ— loquitur i The Mediator spake in the Angel So that the meaning must be That the Son of God before his Incarnation was the Law-giver by the ministery of Angels And the same Son of God now Incarnate was the Author of the Gospel immediately in his own person by himself without ministring Angels and so our Modern Expositors understand this place b Expos Eccles in Gal. 3. 19. Lex est servorum vox Evangelium Dominâ— i e. God spake the Law by the voyce of his Angel but Jâ—sus the Lord God himself spake the Gospel This plain Exposition reconcileth any seeming discord between Moses and St. Paul though Moses say Exod. 2â— 1. God spake all these words and St. Paul calls it Heb. 2. 2. The word spoken by Angels for so St. Austin observeth on those passages in Scripture where it is said Thus saith the Lord when yet it was an Angel or a Prophet Aug. cont Adimant Man c. 9 n. 8 to 6. that spake it Dixit Deus apparuit dixit angelus apparuit illud ex persona inhabitantis Dei hoc ex persona servientis creaturae i. e. When an Angel or a Prophet said Thus saith the Lord both are true because God spâ—ke in the creature and the creature spake from God And again he saith Judaeus sic audiat Angelum Aug. De. 5. haeresibus c. 4. to 6. n. 6. ut intelligat Deum i. e. the Jew must so hear the Angel as considering that God spake by him Finally rather then this Commenter will acknowledge Christ to be the prime Author of the Gospel although it is called his Testament and albeit Christ is called the Testator Heb. 9. 16. yet to shift off this evidence he tells us that Testator * p. 182 183 184. signifies the witnesse of anothers testament so Christ is no more then a witnesse or dying Martyr to testifie the truth of the Testament by his death This is such a piece of Law-Criticisme that never any good Lawyer knew before and such ill Latine that any good and modest Scholer would be asham'd of But
expâ—cted in this life for against this thorn in the flesh did this Apostle pray â— but it was answered My Gâ—â—ce iâ— sufficient That 2 Cor. 12. 7. is no other deliverance may be had but power by grace to resist this temptation yet not so much power as to annihilate and quite extinguish it in this life If it be here objected that the Holy Scriptures acknowledge Gen. 6. 9. Job 1. 1. Luke 1. 5. some persons just and righteous and perfect ones as Job and Noah and Zecharie the answer is that this perfection doth not imply impeccancie or impeccability for such just men fall seven times Prov. 24. 16. Noah was just but it is said there in his generation such may be called perfect Travellers but not perfect Possessors having not yet finished their course so a child is called perfect which hath all his limbs and lineaments compleat yet is far from a perfect man and a perfect man is yet far short of Angelicall perfection Men are called just who are not Aug. de natura Grat. â— 38. free from sin Justi suâ—runt sine peccato non suerunt That this truth hath been ever acknowledged by the Church may appear in that the Apostle saith â—f we say we havë no sin we deceive our selves civitas 1 Joh. 1. 8. Dei oâ—atâ— dimiâ—te nobis debiâ—a the universall Church in the time of prayer saith Forgive us our trespasses Indeed Aug. de Civit l. 19. c. 22. De peccat merito l. 2. c. 6. S. Austin confesseth That a man may sometime live without acting a sin yet that any mortall man can be without sin he denyeth For when the Pelagians urged that the Virgin Mary was without sin he desired to be excused from all accusation of that Blessed Mother of our Lord God yet he was assured that all Saints on earrh would submit to that speech of Ambr. de Jacob l. 1. c. 6. Hier. ad Ctesiphon cap. 5. Id. Cont Pelag l. 2. cap. 8. Saint Iohn If we say we have no sin c. Sainâ— Ambrose saith Non glâ—riâ—r quia justus sum sâ—d quia redemptus not glorying in Justice but in Justification St. Hierom saith men are called just not because they are without sin but because they are endowed with many vertues as Ezechias was a just man though he sinnâ—d and wept he did not lose the repute of a just man for some sins but he retained it because withall he performed many just and worthy actions besides a man is â—steemed righteous when his unâ—ighteousnesse is forgiven as he is â—steemed with God a performer of the Law whose transgrâ—ssions are pardoned Omnia Aug. Retract 1. c. 19. mandata facta deputanâ—ur quando quiâ—quid non fit ignosciâ—ur Now that the rebellion of flesh and blood or concupiscâ—nce doth contâ—nually dwell in all mankind during this life may clearly appear in the Holy Person of Saint Paul by his own words for thus he writes Rom. 7. 19. The goâ—d that I would I do not but the evil which I would not that I do f we inquire what evill it is which the Apostle would not do and yet did it it must needs be answered that evill concupiscences or carnall lusts did arise in him which he desired to be quit of and free from that they might not all be in him but because evill concupiscences will ever be in mortal men therefore his next care is that such desires may be râ—sisted so that they proceed not into action as he saith Rom. 6. 12. Let not sin reign in your mortall body that ye should obey iâ— in the lusts thereof he doth not say let it not be for it will alwaies be in us but let it not rule and pâ—evail over Grace So Gala. 5 16. wâ—lk in the Spirit and ye shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh he doth say ye shall not have those lusts but not fulfill and peâ—form them and ver 17. Ye cannot do the thing that ye would that is because ye cannot as you desire be free and quit from evill desires so as no evill desires at all should arise in you yet resist them do not obey them Tene Aug. de Verb. Dei ser 43. manus pedes ocuâ—oâ— c. withhold your members from acting those carnal suggestions Where he saith What I hate that I do We are not Rom. 7. 15. to imagine that the Apostle meaneth that although he hated fornication adultery rapine c. yet he did act these things but he meaneth that he hated evill lusts which yet did continually arise in him he desired they might not all be in him Nolo concupiscere tamen conâ—upisco O â—i tamen Aug. de verbis Apost ser 5. ago quamvis membraâ—â—eneo arma nego So himself adviseth Rom. 6. 13 Yâ—â—ld not your members as iâ—st â—ments of unrighteousness Although sinfull desires arise in Id de Temp. Ser. 45. your carnall heart Rebellant râ—bella pugnant pugna This is the strife betwen the flesh and the spirit he did continually resist those temptations Luctabatur noâ— Id. ibid. subjugâ—baâ—ur alwayes strâ—ving with them but not overcome by them Rom 8. 8. They that are in the flesh cannot please God Though holy men are in the flesh yet because they are not over-ruled by the flesh they do please Id. de verbis Apost Ser. 6. God Carnem portant sed non pâ—rtantur ab â—a Where he saith Rom. 7. 25. With the mind I my self serve the Law of God but with the flesh the Law of sin We are not to think that the naturall mind or intellective faculty of this Apostle was free from carnall concupiscence for by nature our whole man body and soul is carnall but the mind here signifieth his understanding reformed and renued by the Spirit of God for the very naturall spirit or mind of man needeth â— renuing by the Spirit of Grace as himself saith Ephes 4. 23. Bâ— râ—nued in the Spirit of your mind When he saith Rom. 7. 17. It is no more I that do it but sin that dwelleth in me His meaning is not to excuse himself so as if he were without sin and blameless But that his Spirituall part or in ward man did detest that which his carnall part or outward man did suggest Just so doth this Apostle ascribe his holy and spirituall actions not to himself but to the Grace of the Spirit as 1 Cor. 15. 10. I laboured more then they all yet not I but the Grace of God which was with me So 1 Cor. 7. 10. I command yet not I but the Lord. So again Gal. 2. 20. The conclusion is that The Son himself that is to say Christ as he is considered with the plenitude of his Mysticall Body and so is the Whole Christ cannot be perfectly subject and obedient to the Godhead untill this mortall hath put on immortality and our naturall body be raised a Spirituall body when
Christ hath put down all carnall and sinfull rule authority and power for where the Apostle saith 1 John 3. 9. Hâ— that is bâ—rn of God sinâ—eth not He meaneth that the seed and fountain of sinning is not in his regenerating and Spirituall part by which he is born of God but he is also born of flesh and by that onely he sinneth CHAP. XI Why the unpardonable sinne is rather fastened on the deniers of the Godhead of the Sonne then on them that deny the Godhead of the other Persons BUt why should the denying of the Godhead of the Son be so especially said to be a blasphemy unpardonable when as the denying of the Godhead of the other Persons is also damnable for first Saint Basil saith expresly more then once Qut Spiritum sanctum Crâ—â—turam vocant incidunt inblasphâ—miam Basil epist 387. n. 17. 43. illam irremissiâ—item He that calleth the Holy Ghost a creature falleth â—nto the unpardonable sinne so that Eunomius the Heretâ—cke who said the Spirit was the Creature of the Son was involved in Basil cont Euno n. 20. this blasphemy as well as Arius who said the Son was but a Creature of the Faâ—herâ— and therefore called him Mâ—ttendarium onely an Emissarie of the Father as Ruffinus reporteth and Saint Cyprian calâ—eth the Devill Ruff. in symb apud Cyp. n. 91. who is under the pressure of eternall unpardonableness both Antichristum Antispiritum an Antichrist and an Antispirit intimating as much danger in the one as in the other For we â—earn in Scripture that without holyness no man shall see God Heb 12 14. Therefore how can that man expect the gift of Holyness who denieth the Author of Holyness which iâ— the Holy Ghost Secondly He that denieth the Godhead of the Father is an Atheist for all sorts of Religions which confess 2. a God do also confess a Fatherhood in that God even the Heathens called their Jupiter a Father but how can an Atheist expect salvation from God who denieth that there is any God For answer hereunto it may be said that although the denying of the Godhead of any Person in the Trinity be destructive to salvation yet this sin is rather fastned on the deniers of Christ then the deniers of the other Persons First because the confession of the Father and the holy Spirit is not salvificall without the Confession of Christ for even Heathens confessed both a Fatherhood and a Divine Spirit of God as appeareth by the confession of Neâ—u hadnezar Dan. 4. 9. but the Confession of Christ is alone salvificall because he is not alone as himselfe saith John 8. 16. I am not alone but I and the Father which sent me for the confession of Christ includeth Basil de 〈◊〉 c. 12. the whole Trinity as Saint Basil affirmeth Christi appâ—llatio est professio totius trinitatis deâ—larans Deum Patrem qui unâ—it Filium qui unctus est Spiâ—itum qui est unctio and Saint mbâ—oâ—e affirmeth the same Amb. de 〈◊〉 c. 3. Christus implicat Paâ—rem unguentem Filium unctum Spiritum unctionem i. The appellation of Christ is the profession of the whole Trinity declaring the Father anointing the Son anointed and the Spirit who is the ointment and therefore albeit the form of Baptisme was precisely set down to be in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost yet because the Name Jesus Christ implyeth all these Saint Peter mentioneth onely this name Acts 2. 38. Be baptized everyone of you in the Name of Iesus Christ for remission of sins so doth Saint Paul also Rom. 6. 3. Galatians 3. 27 Secondly the unpardonable sin is fastned on the deniers of the second Person rather then on the deniers of the other Persons because the work of redemption was immediately wrought by the second Person For it was the Person of the Son onely that became a Surety for us and not onely a bare Witness or Testifier as the Commenter affirmeth the Son onely took upon him our nature and therein fulfilled the Law for us and suffered death in our stead for our transgressions he onely was our Surety and Mediatour and he onely was incarnate and died and rose again and carried our flesh into Heaven with him and there still continueth a Mediatour for us not by any verball pleading or intreating for our salvation but by presenting there in the glorious Sanctuary of Heaven that humane body and soul which had actually and perfectly performed the whole Covenant of God and therefore even in the most strict Justice of God shewing that Heaven is due by the said Covenant to all his mysticall Body for which his naturall Body was sacrificed on the Crosse for the expiation of all their sinnes which was prefigured by the High Priests entering into the Sanctum Sanctorum All these dispensations and actions which conduced to our salvation must be ascribed onely to the Person of the Sonne but cannot be said of the Father or of the Holy Ghost For that was the Heresie of the â—oc l. 2. c. 15. Sabellians who were therefore called Patripassiani for these workes are proper to the Sonne alone Filius natus passus resurrâ—xisse ascendâ—sse dicitur non Aug. de Trin. l. 1. c. 5. n. 60. Pater As Augustine saith i. The Father cannot be said to be born or suffer or to rise again or to ascend but onely the Sone Therefore Kisse the Son lest he be angry and ye perish Psalme 2. 12. For the denying of him is the renouncing of salvation CHAP. XII The Godhead of Jesus Christ shewed by Scripture and by the type of the Tabernacle BEcause the apprehension and believing of this great Mystery of God Incarnate is a wonderfull consolation to the Christian and the denying thereof pertinaciously a certain note of eternall perdition therefore the Scripture hath very evidently and frequently declared this weighty truth both by express words and otherwise for the child to be born of a Virgin must be called Emmanuel Esay 7. 14. that is God with us or God incarnate and the same Prophet Esay 9. 6. giveth that childe such Titles as cannot be attributed to any meer creature as The mighty God the everlasting Father the Prince of Peace This Prophets words do so agree with the Evangelicall and Apostolicall Doctrine as the Word was made flâ—sh and the Word was God John 1. and God manifest in the flesh 1 Tim. 3. 16 and of whom as concerning the flâ—sh Christ came who is over all God blessed for evermore Rom. 9. 5. that Saint Jerome called this Prophet Hier. proaem in Isai n. 33. Esay Non solum Prophetam sed Evangelistam Apostolum Not onely a Prophet but an Evangelist and an Apostle for as the Prophet before the incarnation bringeth in God saying I have sworn by my self to me every knee shall bow Esay 45. 23. So the Apostle applieth that saying to Christ being the same
si câ—imen est nimium legi Propâ—eâ—is Apostolis credidisse ignosce Omnipotens Deus quâ—a in his mâ—ri possum Emendâ—ri non possum Id est Lord why hast thou deceived me thy poore creature I believed thine own words concerning thine own self thy servant Moses David Solomon Daniâ—l and thine Apostles have misled me If it be a fault to give too much credence to thy Law thy Prophets and Apostles I beseech thee to have me â—xcused if in this Faith I live and die for I can never recant this Doctrine Finally this was also the constant Profession of that learned Bishop Saint Basil for when Valens the Aâ—ian Emperour had by a messenger threatned him with sequâ—stration of his Church and banishment of his person if he persisted in this Doctrine which he called a foolish doctrine The good Bishop answered uâ—inam sempiter na sit Theod. hist l. 4. c. 10. haec mea insipientia id est And so say I and I pray God I may never be withdrawen from that true and most wholsome Doctrine which I have here delivered and which our new fashion rationall animalls call folly but that I may persevere in the Faith and Confession of the Godhead of Jesus Christ unto my lives end And afterwards I doubt not but I shall so continue with the Angels and Elders Revelation 5. 13. saying Blessing Honour Glory and Power be unto him that sitteth on the Throne and to the Lambe for ever and ever Amen L. Deo FINIS THE THIRD BOOK Αâ—θÏωπâ—Ï‚ Θεâ—φόÏος THE Incarnation of GOD And the MYSTERIE Of Mans Redemption unfolded Tentemus animas quae deficiunt in fide naturalibus rationibus adjuvare Ruffin in symb apud Cyp. LONDON Printed for Humphrey Moseley and are to be sold at his Shop at the Princes Armes in St. Paul's Church-yard 1655. THE PREFACE HAving in the second Book shewed that Jesus Christ is the onely true supream and most high God and that there is no other God but he for that we are assured that Christian Faith cannot Hâ—l de Trin. l 7. admit of two gods And because we have learned the same in the Holy Scriptures Deut. 6. 4. Hear O Israel the Lord our God is one Lord. And that the Prophet calls the Son of God Esay 9. 6. The mightty God the everlasting Father and that in the Gospell the Son of God saith John 10. 30. The Father and I are one and that all his are the Fathers and all that the Father hath are his John 17. 10. Which sheweth a perfect communion in one Essence and that the Son in Godhead is no way inferiour to the Father but both are equall and therefore the Scripture with great reason doth promiscuously sometimes name the Father before the Sonne and sometimes the Sonne is put before the Father as John 8. 16. I and the Father that sent me and Gal. 1. 1. By Jesus Christ and God the Father And 2. Thes 2. 16. Our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father For if Christ were absolutely under and subject to the Father how could this be endured when no Prince will suffer his subject though he be never so high and honourable to write Ego Rex I and my King as Chrysostome Chrys tom 6. ser 4. n. 55. notes In this third Book I am to shew that the same Onely true and most high God was incarnate by assuming humane flesh from the Virgin Mother and in that assumed nature was called Jesus Christ and in that assumed Manhood performed the great work of Mans redemption and therein suffered death on the Cross thereby satisfying the Justice and submitting to the Sentence of God as an expiation for our transgressions and by his most holy life and perfect righteousness in fulfilling the whole Law and so performing the Covenant of God for us and in our stead as our suretie and thereby according to the Covenant Do this and live hath obtained for his whole Mysticall Body the kingdom of Heaven and everlasting life To this discourse I am lead by the pernicious doctrine of this Commenter who denied Jesus to be the supreame God and to colour this blasphemy hath most apparantly misinterpreted and transverted the holy Scriptures and wronged the ancient Nicene Fathers as hath been shewed before and particularly that most learned Bishop and ancient Church-writer Eusebius as is next to be shewed THE INCARNATION of GOD. CHAP. I. The Vindication of Eusebius whom this Comment hath calumniated and falsified VPon those words Heb. 13. 2. Some have P. 331. entertained Angels the Commenter saith Eusebius in his first Book contends that one of the Angels was the Son of God for he will not have him the most high God c. You have not onely all to becommented the Epistle to the Hebrewes and the Nicene Father but have written a loud Comment on Eusebius who never wrote or said for ought can appear that Jesus Christ was not the most high God But I am sure divers times in his most learned Books he teacheth true Doctrine quite contrary to yours when he saith Filius erat ante aeterna tempora Euseb de Demonst i. 4. 6. â— the Son of God was from eternity and also particularly condemneth this very Heresie which you have so belaboured under the name of Heresie Artemon Theodotus and Paulus Simosatenus as hath been shewed before Id hist l. 5. c. 28. lib. 7. c. 2. For this Eusebius was one of those renouned Bishops who at the Nâ—â—ene Councel against Arius decreed and subscribed the article Homossion id est that the Father and the Son are of the same essence and Godhead whereas some Arians at that Councel refused to subscribe and thereby insinuated as your selfe have done that there was a greater and a lesser God and so fell into the old heresie of Mercion who said Bas ho. 27. con sabel Soc. l. 2. c. 5. there were two Gods 2â— Saint Basil notes one of the refusers was also named Eusebius who was â—ishop of Nicomedia at that time and afterwards was preferred to the Bishoprick of Constantinople and their lived and dyed an Arian but we have no writings of this Eusebius now extant The Eusebius whom you mean lived and dyed Bishop of Caesaria a man of so great learning and worth that the Emperour Constantine said he was worthy to be the Vniversal Bishop of the Sec. l. 1. c. 18. world this man at first was unwilling to have the word homoâ—sion put into the Creed because it was new but afterwards when he perceived that it was but the expression of that Doctrine which is really contained in Scripture when it is said The Father and I are one he accepted of it and exhibitted his own Church-Creed to the Councel and the Councel confirmed it onely adding the word Homoâ—sion and so published it as Socrates saith so that it seemeth the Soc. l. 1. c. 5. creed which we call the Nicene Creed
so said to be in the body of his flesh Col. 1. 22. And after his incarnation the time is called the dayes of his flesh Heb. 5 7. And he is said to be sent in the likenes of sinfull flesh Rom. 8. 3. not that his flesh was not real or but a meer similitude or phantasme as the Manichees said but it was real and pure without sin yet like unto our flesh which is sinfull surely S. Peterâ— thought Christ to be incarnate when he said Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh 1 Pet. 4. 1. I desire this Commenter who denieth this to consider Soberlie what the divine Apostle S. John hath said to this point more then once 1 Ioh. 4. 3. Every Spirit that confesseth not that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God and this is that Spirit of Antichrist wherof you have heard that it should come and even now already it is in the world Thus is this place now read and againe he saith 2 Ioh. 7. Many deceivers are entred into the world who confess not that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh this is a deceiver and an Antichrist The fathers spake in the same manner of the Godhead to be Incarnate in the flesh of Christ as they spak of the incarnation of an humane soule in an humane bodie Corpus Domini est vestis regia Chrys to 5. ser 65. Atha Disp in Nic. Concil n. 27. Aug. de Civit. l. 18. c. 35. Euseb Emiss n. 32. i. the bodie of the Lord his garment royal Corpus Domini est amiculum dei Caro est amictus verbi i. the flesh of the Lord is the garment of God and upon those words Mal. 3. 1. The Lord shall suddenly come to hisâ— Temple S. Austin expounds thus In Templum id est in Carnem i. by coming into his temple is meant his coming in the flesh and â—hristi vestimentum humanitas est qua divinitas induta videri non poterat i. The garment of Christ is his humane nature which covered his divinitie as garments doe our bodies The reason why our Commenter denieth the Incarnation of an humane soule is as I imagine because he thinketh the soule dieth wiih the body And shall rise againe at the resurrection of the body and that it hath no existence but only in the body and the reason why he denies the Incarnation of Christ is because he doth not believe Christ to be God from Eternitie but that he hath his beginning from his humane birth and that after his resurrection he was Deified for his fore-runners the Arians said that Christ was but a God made that is all one with Deified that this Son of God was not equall to the Father in Eternitie in his answer I trow he will resolue that question which S. Austin asked the Arians Quot annis precedit Deus Pater Aug. de 5. her to 6. n. 6. filium suum i. how many yeares was God the Father older then God the Son or how long was the Father God before the Son was God in the meane time we will rest satisfied in the sure word of God who saith Esa 43. 10. Before me there was no God formed neither shall there be after me wee read that by God the Word all things were made Joh. 1. 3. time is a creature therfore it was made by him and he was before for if time time were before the Son of God then could he not be called The first borne of every creature Coloss 1. 15. The reason why rhe Son of God did take upon him our nature was because he would in our stead as a suretie and undertaker both performe the whole Law and also sustaine all the penaltie of our transgressions of which more hereafter CHAP. VIII More reasons why the Son of God was Incarnate how and when he became our suetrie the Aeternal covenant explained distinction of Persons in the Godhead THe Supream and Eternal â—od in the person of the son did for mans redemption â—â—kâ— man's nature upon him not because God had no other way by which he could have saved us but because he would not save us any other way for wee know that the same God who saveth man by taking man's nature did and still doth preserve the blessed angels in their estate of glorie and from falling by his power and gracious goodnes although he did not take upon him the naâ—ure of Angels but he took on him the seed of Abraham Heb. 2. 16. The Church never taught thaâ— God could not have saved man without the Incarnation of his Son but the contrarie Athanasius saith a Poterat Deusâ—sine adventu Atha cont Aria ser 3. n. 7. Christi peccatum solvâ—re verbulo suo i. God could have remitted our sins with the least word though Christ had not come in the flesh for if an earthly King can save his subject who hath by the law forfeited his life could not the Omnipotent King have saved mankind by his power for who can resist his will But then why did God give his Son to take our nature on him To this it may be answered that albeit the Son of of God was Originally a meer gift and from the free grace of God to mankind yet accessarily it became a debt and due to man so that God was bound in Justice ro give his Son because God had by his promise and Covenant ingaged and bound himself so to doe for although his meer mercy and goodnes moved him to make such a promise yet when he had once promised his justice and truth required the performance of that promise Deus dignatur promissionibus suis debitor Aug Confes. l. 5. c. 9 fieri i. God vouchsafed to make himself a debtor to or by his owne promises and having so made himself a debtor to man how could he without violating his word and promise forbeare the performance But where doth this promise appeare and how shall wee know that the Son of God became an undertaker and suert â— for us men and when was this Covenant made for the mysterie of man's redemption doth depend upon the Covenaâ—t and by it the Son of God did engage and bind himself out of his free and meer grace to become a suertie for man therfore before I proceede any further this Covenant must be inquired after as the cheife evidence of Christs ingagment It was an old question moved either by some scoffers or curious persons what God did before he made heaven and earth unto which some made answer with a jocular reproof Gâ—hennas parabat alta Scrutâ—ntibus i. he made hel for such seekers but S. Austin liked not Aug. Conf. l. 11. c. 12. this answer but said libentius respondeo nescio quod nescio i. I would rather answere that I know not So in that book of Cicâ—ro which was called Hortensius but is now lost this objection was made against the unitie of God Si Deus unus est
for us in Heaven and there shewing and offering himself for us As this P. 84. c. 5. v. 7. page 160. c. 9. v. 7. Commenter would have us believe and if he could what need was there that God the Sonne should undergoe such bitter and cruell torments and death also To this I answer that as things then stood God could not otherwise save us but by the Incarnation yea and the death of his Son because as is before shewed God hath limited and bound and confined himself by his own word his Law his Decree and Covenant for by his sentence and determinate judgement he had denounced death and a curse to our first Parents and in them to all their Posteritie Gen. 2. 17. In the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die and Ezech. 18. 4. The soul that sinneth it shall die and Rom. 6. 23. The wages of sin is death and Deut. 27. 26. cursed be he that confirmeth not all the words of this Law to do them and Matt. 5. 19. Whosoever shall break one of the least of these Commandments shall be called the least in the kingdom of God and James 2. 10. Whosoever shall keep the whole Law and yet offend in one point he is guiltie of all We see that here is a curse and death denounced to all transgressors of the Law and this curse and death must needs fall upon Mankind because God is true and just and righteous But suppose the transgressours of the Law could escape the curse and death denounced yet how should they obtain life eternall seeing that is not obtained but by the perfect and exact performance of the Law of God which no mere man of all the sonnes of Adam hath or can perform For the Condition or Covenant for life is Levit. 18. 5. Keep my Statutes which if a man do he shall live in them so Ezech. 20. 11. Rom. 10. 5. Gal. 3. 12. and this is confirmed by Christ Matth 19 17. If thou will enter into life keep the Commandments These considerations being premised let us now move the question cannot God assoil men and give them eternall life at the request onely of Jesus Christ although Jesus had never suffered the pain and death of the Crosse I answer That God cannot absolve man from sinne without satisfaction to his Justice his Truth and Righteousness I may say God cannot do this as well as the Scripture saith Tit. 1. 2. God cannot lie And 1 Sam. 15. 19. The strength of Israel will not lie for as Saint Austin hath truly said Diabolus non fuit superandus potentia Dei Aug. de Trin. l. 13. c. 13. sed justitia i. as things then stood The devil was not to be conquered by the power onely but by the Justice of God And therefore before man can be redeemed and absolved the curse and death denounced must fall upon man for transgressing the Law 〈…〉 of his God and before man can enter into 〈…〉 Commandements of God must be perfectly 〈◊〉 by man Now if we can shew that the just sentence of God in the curse and death hath bin fully executed on man and that the Justice of God hath had its full course and if we can shew that the whole Law of God hath bin most exactly performed by man and all this by no other man but onely by the great Son of Mâ—â— Iesus Christ being God Incarnate and for this reason incarnate that he might as an undertaker and suretie for mankind both take upon him the curse and suffer death by obedience passive and also perform everâ— title of the Law by active obedience and this for us and in our stead and that our transgressions were imputed to him and his righteousness in performing the Law is imputed to us and that by vertue of the Covenant most justly and that mans redemption and salvation could not otherwise stand with the truth and righteous judgement of God For as Athanasius saith Verbum Atha Ser. 3. cont Arian 6. nunquam destinatum fuisset fieri homo nisi hominum necessitas requisisset i. the Son of God had never been ordained to be made Man if mans necessity had not so required All this being undeniable I trust the Christian Reader doth apprehend the reason why our true and onely God must needs have been incarnate for the working out of mans redemption Justification and salvation CHAP. XI That Christ was a person able and fitt to performe the law and to suffer for manking and that he did stand in the place and stead of all men VVEe have seen what Christ hath vndertaken for us But it must next be inquired whether Christ were a person able and fitly qualified to performe what he undertook viz. to take away the sins of the world and indeed Iesus Christ the Son of God perfect God perfect man was a person able and every wayfitly qualified for performance of the truth of God both in suffering the punishment and in performing the whole law of God in the behalf of man for as man is a Miâ—rocosme or an abridgment of the great world as Austin saith Omnis creatura in homine est i in man Aug. l. 83. quaest n. 87. Every creature is comprised So Christ is the Epitome of mankind and to be esteemed an Vniversal man in as much as â—â—rist the head and all his mystical members arâ— one mystical body as hath bin shewed before Christus universus est caput cum membris i the whole Idem ibidem quaest 69. Christ is himself the head and his Church the members for if the first Adam be esteemed as all mankind why should not the second Adam be so much rather accounted S. Austin saith of the first man Omnis homo Aug. Retract l. 1. c. 15. Abm. de Obitu Satyri n. 29. Pros resp ad Cap. Gall. c. 9. â—errenus est Adam i All men earthlie are one Adam â—nd of Christ S. Ambrose saith as much in Christo Summa universitatis est portio singulorum i Christ is the â—otal sum of all men and a portion of everie man and Prosper gives this true and excellent reason of it Nullus est hominum Cujus natura non erat suscepta in Christo i There is no man in the world whose nature Christ took not upon him and therfore the Scripture calleth Christ the last Adam as well as the first man is called the first Adam 1 Cor. 15. 45. And yet more expreslie it saith Gal. 3. 28. Yee are all One in Christ Iesus And so againe 1 Cor. 12. 12. And indeed wee are rather nearer of kindred and by a better tie to the Second then wee are to the first Adam not because Christ and wee are the Sons of men which cannot be said of Adam who was Terrae-Filius the Son of the earth and not the Son of man but Omnes nati ad primum renati ad secundum Pros sent 299. pertinent Wee derive ourworse carnal
Godhead is there called the Holiâ— Spirit or Holie ghost as hath bin shewed before in my Second book and this blasphemio consisteth in the denial of the Godhead of Iesus Christ wherby his allsufficient Sacrifice is undervalued and the Son of God is troden underfoot as being esteemed but a creature and a meer man and therby becometh contemptible and his Blood even the blood of the Covenant is esteemed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i But common ordinarie unholie blood no better then the blood of another ordinarie common man and not Sanctified and ordaineth for that great and high mysterie to be offered as a full and sufficient expiatorie sacrifice for the sins of the world according to the Covenant of God For he that denyeth the Godhead of Christ must needs think that his blood is but common blood as other mens blood is and therfore not of sufficient worth and value to redeem the world more then another mans blood is and indeed if his blood be no better then the blood of another man and if it be not the royal blood of God Act. 20. 28. It hath not it can not redeeme us Now whether the sin mentioned in this place be absolutely unpardonable and altogether remediless will better apeare by a diligent exposition of that text as it stands in relation to the context both before and after it For if we sin c If everie sin which is committed after we knew and professed the Christian religion should be unpardonable what man could be saved seeing the most righteous men fall and therfore doe daylie pray forgive us our trespasses therfore this saying can not be understood of every sin but suerlie here is one special grand and capital sin meant and what that is the words going before and following doe declare For verse 5. it is said in the Person of the Son of God Sacrifice and Offerings thou wouldst not but a Vide. Psal 40. bodie hast thou prepared for me That is because the Legal sacrifices or the blood of bulls and goates could not redeem man therfore an humane bodie was prepared for the Son of God that in that assumed humane nature he might in man's stead beare the curse and suffer death which man had merited And because we who are but meer men weak and sinfull can not by our selves performe the will and law of God without performance wherof no man can be saved therfore the Son of God came in our stead to performe the whole law so as was required and willed of God as it is said vers 9. Then said I loe I come to doe thy will o God So that both the active obedience of Christ in doing the law and his passive obedience in suffering the punishment of our transgressions are here set forth in these words vers 10. By the which will we are sanctified through the Offering of the body of â—esu Christ once for all That is by Christs performing the will or commandments of God in our stead and through the Sacrifice of himself on the Altar of the Cross for our sins his mystical bodie or Church is Sanctified for it is said vers 12. This man Christ Offered one Sacrifice for sins for ever and again vers 14. hâ— one offering he hath perfiâ—ted for ever them that are Sanctified and then we are exhorted vers 22. Let us draw neer with a true heart in full assurance of faith and vers 23. Let us hold fast the Proâ—ession of our faith without wavering If we sin there remaineth no more sacrifice c Having shewed what the foundation of our Christian religion is namely Jesus the Son of God God Incarnate and in his humane nature performing the covenant law and will of God both actively and passively for us and in our stead and requiring that we should have a full assurance of faith of the truth of that Doctrine without which faith Christ will not profit us he now shewes the sad consequences of rejecting this doctrine by Apostacie or falling away from our Christian religion in these words There remaineth no more sacrifice for sins but a certaine fearfull looking for of judgement So that the sin here meant is Apostasie that is forsaking Christianitie as Julian did esteeming of Christ but as of an ordinarie Coman man and therfore distrusting the sufficiencie of his blood and death as not an equivalent price and ransome for man's redemption The truth of this Exposition will better appear by the words following wherein this particular sin is evidently expressed and is called verse 29. Treading under foot the Sonne of God counting the blood of the Canant unholy or as it is in the Originall a common thing and doing despight unto the Spirit of Grace Now to tread under foot is to vilipend and undervalue Christ as esteeming him not sufficient to take away or satisfie for our sinnes to count the blood of the Covenant unholy or Common is to esteem of the death and blood shedding of Christ to be of no more vertue and power then the death and blood of another Common man and they that so basely undervalue Christ as to think and to account him but a meer man do despight unto the Spirit of Grace What is the Spirit of Grace in the Sonne of God but his Divine Spirit and Godhead even that Spirit from which all Graces flow which are called the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ So they who have no higher estimation of Christ then of a meere man do despight unto his Divine Nature his God-head for what greater spite can be then to un-God him the word here used 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to despite in effect is all one with the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Saint Matthew and the Spirit of Grace here is the same which is there called the Holy Spirit which doth signifie the God-head of Christ as hath been shewed before For if he that despised Moses Law died without mercy verse 28. Yet Moses was but a mere man and so but a Theod. in loc fervant to this our God Quanâ—ò morte dignior est qui Mosis Deum habâ—t despicatui i. What shall become of him that despiseth the God of Moses and the saving Doctrine of Christ who is the Onely Eternall God Moses propounded life as a reward to them that should perform the Law Christ did perform that Law in mans stead to mans behoof and benefit and offereth to men the benefit of that performance and with it life eternall onely with this condition of believing on him Therefore that man which will not give credit to this joyfull-Evangelicall offer must expect to perish eternally for if Christ be rejected absolutely and salvation through him despised and not hoped for or expected There is no other sacrifice for our sins possibly to be found nor any other Name by which we can be saved By what hath been said it appeareth that these words If we sinne in this place signifie the sinning of the
remit a temporal affliction unto a sinner truâ—ie penitent no not when he forgiveth the sin as appeareth in David 2 Sam. 12. 13. I have sinned The Lord hath put away thy sin howbeit the Child shal die * Lueretia apud Livium Des 1. l. 1. Ego me Etsi peccato absâ—lvo supplicio non Libâ—ro The reason why temporal afflictions are not alwayes remitted either to true or false penitents upon their Câ—yes is given by S. Hierom. Magnae faelicitatis â—st interdùm Hier. in Ezech. 8. 18. ad praesens misericordiam non mereri ut malis coacti intellâ—gant quid fecerint i It is in some cases a signe of great happines not to obtaine mercie and releasment that men may learne by afflictions how greatly they have sinned So S. Ambrose saith of Amb. Epist l. 3. n. 52. Cyp. cont Demet. n. 75. Naz. Orat. 20. n. 19. the same people of whom the Prophets spake those things Judaeos in potestatâ—m hostium dedit Deus ut a Caelo remedium quaererent i. God delivered his people the Jewes into the hands of their enemies to provoke them to seek help from heaven Cyprian saith â—eus qui beneficiis non intelligitur plagis intelligitur Nazianzen saith Plaga cordaâ—is viris doctrina est i. When men will not listen to God for his benefits sake he will open their understandings with afflictions temporal plagues to wisemen are active sermons If we rightly consider to what end God sendeth or permitteth temporal afflictions to fal both upon penitents and impenitents we shal find it rather a token of his mercy then a signe of his anger we honour a Physician or a surgeon for curing us though it was done by bitter potions or painful searings and cuttings Ama medicum percussorem quia eâ—us plaga est Hier. n 38. mater medicinae i. Because the paine he puts us to proves a medicine God is our physician tribulations are his medicines which he therfore applieth only that they may heale us and howsoever the medicine be sharpe and seeme very evil and penal and for present displease us yet Quae hic puâ—antur mala in Ambr. in symb n. 20. and n. lact n. 17. Caelâ— bona sunt i. On earth that which is thought evil in Heaven is known to be good for it is here taken to be a punishment which indeed was but a medicine Vâ— curat medicus vulnera vulneribus as a Surgeon Pros Epig. n. 33 Aug. Epist 48. cureth a wound by lancing Qui phrenetioum ligaâ— lethargicum excitat ambobus molestus ambos amat i. He that binds a mad man and with a blow rowseth up one falling into a dâ—owsiâ— lethargie angreth both and yet to both doth a freindly office And although these temporal judgments are set forth unto us as signes of Gods anger because they are such things as angrie men wish and bring upon their enemies yet they are indeed arguments of his care over us and used as preventions of worse evils Divina bonitas ideo irascitur in hoc seculo ne Irâ—scatur Prosp in sent 5. n. 33. in futuro i. God sheweth signes of his anger in this world to prevent his anger aeternal in the world to come Men are ready to say or to imagine that God doth not heare or regard the Prayers of men in affliction because he doth not send present deliverance but this is an error in us for God ever heareth yea and granteth the request 's of trulie penitent and faithful soules though not to our phansie and desire yet substantially to our greater benefit Bonus Deus non Aug. Epist 38. tribuit saepe quod volumus it quod maluimus trebuat i though he grant not that particular thing which we expected yet he giveth that which we would rather chose if both were propounded to us And therfore some prudent Christians have bin so far from murmuring at afflictions that they have earnestlie desired Orig. in Psal 37. hom 2. Aag vita l. 3. cap. 29. them of God Domine oro flagella me and noli me resâ—rvare cum illis qui non flagellantur Domine hic seca ure ut in aeâ—ernum parcas i. Lord I pray thee chastice launce and seare me in this life and reserve me not to perish eternallie with them that have their pleasures in this world And for this they have a parterne from a Prophet Jer. 10. 24. O Lord correct me but with judgment not in thine anger This is enough to the question in hand viz. that this Grand sin is not alwayes left to final impenitencie nor is the repentance if it be true of such sinners vaine and fruitless and consequently that this sin is not absolutly unpardonable CHAP. XVI An Exposition of that place 1 John 5. 16. Of the distinction of sins into venial and mortal what is meant by a sin not unto death and a sin unto death that all sins are not Equal THere is yet another doubt to be cleered which seemeth to represent this grand sin as if it were altogether and absolutely unpardonable which is occasioned by those words 1 John 5. 16. If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death he shal aske and he shal give him life for them that sin not unto death There is a sin unto death I dâ—e not say that hee shall pray for it By which words at first sight it may seeme that 1. some sins are deadly or Mortal and others sins not deadly for from these words the Fathers often use to distinguish sins into Venial and Mortal wheras we are well assured that every sin even the very least pâ—ccadillo is in it self Mortal and may bring damnation and yet we doubt not but the greatest Capital sin may by Gods mercy become Vemal and may be pardoned Secondly it may seem by these words that although 2. some sinners may and in Christian Charitie ought to be prayed for yet others without breach of Christian Charitie may be omitted and not prayed for which yet seemeth very rough and harsh seeing we are commanded Mat. 5. 44. both to love our enemies and to pray even for them that persecute us Wherefore for the right understanding of these difficulties it will not be amiss to examine these words diligently by way of an Exposition For surely if any sinner in this life sinne so deadly that we may not pâ—ay for him and if Prayer be absolutely forbidden by these words who will doubt but that such a sinner is absolutely unpardonable and wholy left to desperation now to the words If any man see his brother sinne a sinne which is not unto death In these words the prudent Reader may observe First That the sinne here meant is such a sinne as 1. may be seen perceived and discerned Secondly That it must be discernable whether it 2. be unto death or not unto death Thirdly That because no particular sinne is named