Humanity lately Printed 36. THe History of Life and Death or the prolongation of Life written by Francis Lord Verulam Viscount St. Alban in 12o. 37. The naturall and experimentall History of Winds written in Latine by Francis Lord Verulam Viscount St. Alban translated into English by an admirer of the learned Author 12o. 38. The life of the most learned Father Paul Authour of the History of the Councill of Trent translated out of Italian by a person of quality 8o. 39. Paradoxes Problems Characters c. by Dr. Donn Dean of St Paul's to which is added a booke of Epigrams written in Latin by the same Author translated by Iasper Main D. D. 12o. 40. Ignatius his conclave a Satyr written by Dr. Donne Deane of St. Paul's 12o. 41. A Discovery of subterraneall Treasure viz. of all manner of Mines and Minerals from the Gold to the Coale with plain directions and rules for the finding of them in all Kingdomes and Countries written by Gabriel Platt 4o. 42. Richardi Gardiner ex Aede Christi Oxon. specimen Oratorium 8o. 43. The Soveraignty of the British Seas written by that learned Knight Sir Iohn Burroughes Keeper of the Records in the Tower 12o. 44. Grammatica Burlesa or a new English Grammar made plaine and easie for Teacher and Schollar composed by Edward Burles Master of Arts. 45. Artificiall Arithmetick containing the Quintessence of the Golden Rule the true valuation of all Annuities also to find the distance at one station An Art never till now published usefull for Merchants Gunners Seamen and Surveyors by Robert Iager of Sandwich in Kent Gent. 46. Naturall and Divine Contemplations of the Passions and Faculties of the Soul of Man in three books written by Nicholas Moseley Esq 8o. Severall Sermons with other exeellent Tracts in Divinity written by some most eminent and learned Bishops and Orthodox Divines 47. A Manuall of private Devotions Meditations for every day in the week by the right reverend Father in God Lancelot Andrews late Lord Bishop of Winchester in 24o. 48. A Manuall of Directions for the Sick with many sweet Meditations and Devotions by the right reverend Father in God Lancelot Andrews late Lord Bishop of Winchester in 24o. 49. Ten Sermons upon severall occasions preached at St. Pauls Crosse and elsewhere by the Right reverend Father in God Arthur Lake late Lord Bishop of Bath and Wells in 4o. 50. Six Sermons upon severall occasions preached at Court before the Kings Majesty and elsewhere by that late learned and reverend Divine Iohn Donne Dr. in Divinity and Dean of St. Pauls London in 4o. 51. Private Devotions in six Letanies with directions and Prayers for the dayes of the weeke and Sacrament for the houre of Death and the day of judgment and two daily prayers for the Morning and Evening written by Dr. Henry Valentine 24o. 52. A Key to the Key of Scripture or an exposition with notes upon the Epistle to the Romans the three first chapters by William Sclater Dr. in Divinity and Minister of the word of God at Piâ—mister in Somersetshire in 4o. 53. Sarah and Hagar or the sixteenth Chapter of Genesis opened in ninteen Sermons being the first legitimate Essay of the pious labours of that learned Orthodox and indefatigable Preacher of the Gospell Mr. Josias Shute B. D. and above 33 years Rector of St Mary Woolneth in Lombardstreet in Folio 54. Christ's Tears with his love affection towards Jerusalem delivered in sundry Sermons upon Luke 19. v. 41 42. by Richard Maden B. D. late of Magdalen Colledge in Oam in 4o. 55 Three Sermons viz. The benefit of contentation The Affinity of the faithfull and The lost sheep found by Mr. Henry Smith 4o. 56. Ten Sermons preached upon severall Sundayes and Saints dayes by Peter Hausted Mr. in Arts and Curat at Vppingham in Rutland in 4o. 57. Eighteen Sermons preached upon the Incarnation and Nativity of our blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ wherein the greatest misteries of God-liness are unfolded to the capacity of the Weakest Christian by Iohn Dawson Oxon. in 4o. 58. The History of the Defenders of the Faith discoursing the state of Religion in England during the Reigns of King Henry 8. Edward 6. Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth by C. L. in 4o. 59. Christian Divinity written by Edmund Reeve Batchelour in divinity in 4o. 60. The Communion-Book Catechism expounded by Edmund Reeve Batchelour in Divinity in 4o. 61. The true and absolute Bishop wherein is shewed how Christ is our onely shepheard and Bishop of our soules by Nicolas Darton Master in Arts in 4o. 62. A description of the New-born Christian or a lively pattern of the Saint militant child of God written by Nicholas Hunt Master in Arts in 4o. 63. Divine Meditations upon the 91. Psalm and on the History of Agag King of Amalek with an Essay of Friendship written by an honourable person 64. An Historicall Anatomy of Christian Melancholy by Edmund Gregory Oxon in 8o. 65. Lazarus his Rest a Sermon preached at the Funerall of that pious learned and Orthodox Divine Mr. Ephrim Vdall by Thomas Reeve B. D 66. The Survey of Man in a Sermon as it was delivered by Mr. John Bishop at his Fathers funerall 67. Enchiridion containing institutions Divine and Morall written by Francis Quarles 24o. Books in Divinity Lately Printed 68. THE Psalmes of David from the new Translation of the Bible turned into Meter to be sung after the old tunes used in the Churches by the Right Reverend Father in God Henry King Bishop of Chichester 12o. 69. Choice Musick for three voices and a thorough-Base composed by Mr. Henry and Mr. William Lawes brothers and servants to his late Majesty with divers Elegies set in Musick by severall friends upon the death of Mr. William Lawes 4o. 70. Letters between the Lord George Digby and Sir Kenelm Digby Knight concerning Religion 8o. 71. Essaies in Divinity by Dr. Donn D. of Saint Paul's before he entred into holy orders 12o. 72. Publike devotions or a Collection of Prayers used at sundry times by divers Reverend and godly Divines together with divine implorations and an introduction to prayer 24o. 73. The Sinners Tears in Meditations and Prayers by Thomas Fettiplace of Peterhouse Camb. 12o. 74. Quaestio Quodlibetica or a discourse whether it be lawfull to take use for mony by R. F. Knight 75. Sions Prospect in its first view presented in a summary of Divine Truths consenting with the faith professed by the Church of England confirmed from Scripture and reason composed by Mr. Robert Mossom Minister 4o. 76. Flores Solitudinis certaine rare and elegant pieces viz. Two excellent discourses 1 Of Temperance and Patience 2 Of life and death by I. E. Nierembergius The World contemned by Eucherius Bishop of Lions And the life of Paulinus Bishop of Nola collected in his sicknesse and retirement by Henry Vaughan 77. 14. Sermons on severall Texts of Scripture with a Catechism written by Willam Gay Rector of Buckland Choyce Poems with
Hypostases the Stations or Mansions of the God-head wherein it dwelleth and resideth for ever for this reason it is said Joh. 10. 38. The Father is in me and I in him i. e. The God-head of the Father is in in the Son and the God-head of the Son is in the Father and the God-head of the Father and the Son is in the Holy Ghost One God-head is communicated to all the Persons But it cannot be said that the Person of the Father is in the Son because the Persons are incommunicable wherefore as young Logicians reading or hearing of Vniversals and by their senses perceiving no things but Individuals upon inquiry where to finde these Genera Species they are taught that the residence or existence of Universals is only in particulars so young Christians are to know that the Abiding Mansion and Residence of the God-head is only in these Three Persons no where else If it be said that the God-head is every where and therefore not to be limitted or confined to residence in the Three Persons To this we answer that although it is certainly true that the God-head is every where yet the Existence or Residence of the God-head in the Three Persons doth not exclude it from any place nor confine or limit it within any bounds or in the least hinder its Vbiquity for albeit the God-head is really present in all places and more also although all places are contained inclued in the infiniteness of the God-head yet this God-head is no where but where it resideth in the Three Persons for these Three Divine Persons are also every where The Prophet saith of the Father Do not I fill Heaven and Earth And the Psalmist saith of the Spirit Joh. 10. 38 Jer. 23. 24. Psalm 139. 7. Joh. 3. 13. Whether shall I go from thy Spirit c. And the Son of God saith of himself The Son of man which is in Heaven and this he said in respect of his Divine Person when his body was not in Heaven but upon the Earth And when he was about to ascend into Heaven even then he said Lo I am with you always even unto the end of the world Mat. 28. 20. Neither doe those other passages in Scripture any way contradict the Ubiquity of the Divine Persons as when it is said Ex. 19. 20. The Lord came down upon Mount Sinai and of Sodom Gen. 18. 21. I will go down now and see c. And in the Gospel where it is said of the Father and the Son Joh. 14. 23. We will come unto him and make our abode with him As if the God-head or Divine Persons were not there before But these Speeches are to be understood of Gods appearing or manifesting himself in such places or to such persons where he is always really present but doth not alwayes shew or manifest his presence And in this the Ancient Expositors agree Chrysostom saith a Chrys Serm. de Spirit To. 6 Divinitas non migrat a loco in locum sed est de apparentia corporea i. e. God doth not go from place to place but those sayings signifie his visible appearance in some assumed body So St. Ambrose upon those words Gen. 3. 8. God walked in the Garden b Ambr. de Paradiso c. 14. Ambulatio Dei est praesentia apparens i. e. The walking of God signifieth only the appearing of his presence where he was truly present before and after them Fulgentius more home and cleerly saith c Fulg. ad Thrasim l. 2 Substantialiter ubique est Trinitas sed adventus Descensus sâ—gnificant manifestationem ejus i e. The Trinity is really or substantially every where but when it is said they came or descended these words signifie that God manifested his presenee there This is the reason of that Scripture-phrase so often used of the Lords appearing as Gen. 17. 1. The Lord appeared to Abram to signifie that God then manifested his presence there where he was before although he did not there appear before to Abraham This I trust is enough to shew the meaning and full importance of this considerable and weighty word Hypostasis Now touching the Coeternity of the Three Persons both the old and new Hereticks deny it for the Arians said d Athan in Decret Nicaen Concil Pater non semper Pater nec filius semper filius i. e. That God the Father was not always a Father and that the Son was not always a Son But St. Austin often opposed this Error and thus expressed his determination e Aug. de Temp. Serm. 131. 181. Deus non anteà Deus caeperit esse posteà pater sed sine initio Deus semper pater semper fuit pater semper habuit filium i. e. God was not first God and afterwards Father but ever God and ever Father he was always a Father and had always a Son Indeed Tertullian noteth that God was not always to be stiled * Tert. cont Herm. Dominus i. e. Lord though always God and Father and he observeth that in Scripture God is not called Lord until man was made And true it is that although the Father be from Eternity the Father of the Son or Word yet he could not be called either the God or the Lord of the Son but upon supposition of the Sons Incarnation and therefore not until man was created for as soon as man was made the Son of man was in the Loins of Adam John Crellius thus intituled his Book which he wret against the Trinity De uno Deo Patre i. e. Of One God the Father If his meaning were hereby to acknowledg God-head and Paternity to be Coeternal then it must needs follow that God must have an Eternal Son othewise he cannot be an Eternal Father for so St. Basil noteth g Bas cont Eunom l. 4. Si pater ante filium erat cujus pater erat si non filii i. e. If the Father were before he had a Son whose Father was he if not the Sons And although he be an Eternal Father of his Eternal Son yet he cannot be called the Eternal God or Lord of the Son as Epiphanius hath evidently shewed by distinguishing these two Appellations of Father and God thus h Epiph. in Ancor Deus vocatur Pater Filii propter aeternam generationem and Deus propter incarnationem i. e. God is truly called the Eternal Father of the Son because the Son was begotten from Eternity but he is called the God or Lord of the Son in respect only of the Incarnation of the Son just so the holy Psalmist speaketh cautelously in shewing that the Father cannot be called either the God or the Lord of the Son but only with respect had to the humane generation of the Son Psal 22. 10. Thou art my God from my Mothers belly as I have formerly shewed elsewhere King Solomon delivereth the very same Doctrine of the Coeternity of the
Peter and S. Paul but said they What if St. Peter and St. Paul be also un-sainted what must we then do They were told that then they should dedicate their Churches to the Trinity which they did and so they stood at that time quietly e De Schism Angl. p. 92. This Story is reported by Nich. Sanders in his Book De Schismate Anglorum I do therefore here exhort both my self and others also that seeing the old Saints and even the Apostles themselves are not now adays vouchsafed the title of Saints although they cannot be unsainted because that is not in mans power and that the Churches named by their names and also by the Appellation of Ecclesia sanctae individuae Trinitatis do for all this suffer wrack and are bereaved of their rights and riches and left Mat. 24. 15. desolate as if the Abomination or Desolation were come upon us and for as much as we see that none of our outward stony Temples are either Persecution-proof or Reformation-proof Let us in the name of God consecrate and dedicate our own little Chapels our private Tabernacles and Temples of our Bodies and Souls to the everlasting Blessed and glorious Trinity that so they may abide firme for ever for then their riches will continue un-sequestrable there where Theeves cannot break through and steal Mat. 6. 19. By what hath been said I trust it appears That in the God-head there are Three Persons all Coequal Coessential and Coeternal and all to be invoked worshipped and glorifyed for see how the Apostle evidently expresseth this truth 1 Cor. 12. where speaking of the diversities of gifts of the Holy Ghost yet calleth the Author of those graces The same Spirit The same Lord. The same God which St. Ambrose also accordingly 1 Cor. 12r Elegantly expresseth thus f Ambr. de Dignit hom c. 2. Ipse Deus Tria est unumquodque horum Trium Deus est omnia Tria non Dii sed Deus est i. e. God is Three and every one of these Three is God and all these Three are not to be called Gods but God To this I must add one consideration more That the constant faith and confession of this Mysterious Doctrine of the Trinity is of such near concernment that without it all our endeavours will be but fruitless Now since God hath so plentifully revealed it under the Gospel as we also read in Origen upon Job if that Book be his g Orig. in Job lib. 1. p. 420. Quicquid fecerint homines si non in fide Trinitatis fecerint sine Causa agunt a quo enim recipient mercedem i. e. Whatsoever any man shall perform except he do hold the faith of the Trinity his labour is lost for who else will give him any reward Most doleful therefore must be the condition of unbeleevers whose labours though ever so morally specious yet they are but like one that runs swiftly in a wrong way as h Aug. in Psal 31. St. Austin thinketh but yet more deplorable is the state of those who do not only not beleeve or dis-beleeve but moreover slight and also blaspheme the holy Trinity with such foul language that I think unfit to publish and which caused Gregory Naz. to break forth into admiration of the patience of God k Naz. Orat. 13. O Trinitas Longanimis quae eos a quibus proscinderis tam diu toleras i. e. That it was admirable Longanimity in the Holy Trinity to endure such blasphemers so long And this impiety is yet more hainous when it is found to be among those that profess Christianity whereas indeed the denial of the Trinity is most truly by St. Austin accounted Judaism Into which l Aug. de Temp. Serm. 194. dangerous infidelity it is to be feared that more Christians will fall then the great endeavours of these times will convert Jews from it And this because so many Scandals or stumbling-blocks are laid in their way of which I take my self to be obliged to give some intimation to the Reader before I conclude this Treatise CHAP. VIII Scandalous practices against the faith of the Trinity by forbidding the worship of the Lord Jesus By dis-use of the Doxologies and of the Creeds in Baptism And by dissolving Episcopacy which is a disparagement of the Holy Ghost by whom Bishops were ordained Of Presbytery That is no sacerdotal Order but only an Office KIng Solomon adviseth Prov. 22. 28. Not to remove the Land-marks which our Fathers have set yet commonly in all prevailing Schisms or prosperous heresies the first act of Reformation is in removing all or very many of the former usances although they be ever so good useful and laudable St. Basil saith that in the Arian Heretical Schism a Basil de Spiâ— Sanc. ad Amphil c. 30. Omnes patrum termini loco moti sunt magna est inclinatio temporum ad Ecclesiae eversionem caligo ecclesias occupat unicus amicitiae finis est Id. Epist 1. 61. 65. ad gratiam loqui Erroris similitudo est res firma ad Seditionis societatem Quilibet est Theologus Episcopatus ad homines vernas devenit Patrum dogmata Apostolorum traditiones contemnuntur Recentiorum hominum inventa dominantur Pastores abiguntur Lupi in roducuntur Domus Oratioriae deseruntur Qui maxime blasphemant in populi Ediscopatum eliguntur Gravitas sacerdotum periit Christianorum nomine tecti sunt persecutores Nulla est apud judices iniquos cani capitis reverentia Thus he and much more also to the same purpose Concerning the abuses of those Hereticks in abolshing the good old Doctrines and Disciplines of the Church the abusing of the most Reverend Ministers and in bringing into that holy Office unlearned men and any Quicunque vult of the lowest of the people Now although the dangerous heresies of Arians and Socinians have been discountenanced both by the late Parliaments and also by the present Government and some of their writings condemned to the fire which acts are by godly men esteemed very commendable and are very comfortable unto them yet many Land-marks and excellent parcels of our Christian Religion and those things wherein the Church of England did correspond with the Primitive Church are of late in many places removed and disused as if they were either impious or Superstitious or of very little or no concernment although some of them are of very great use and necessary This is that which occasioneth many weak Christians to be scandalized so far as to be suspicious of the truth of the most high and necessary Doctrine of the most holy Trinity as namely First Concerning the God-head of Christ it might stagger the faith of many weaker Christians when they find it was commanded by order of a great and wise Council that No Declarat of the Commons in Parl. Sept. 9. 1641. Phil. 2. 10. man should bow his knee when the Name of Jesus was named
then what must Aaron himself be a Cipher a nothing The truth is that neither in the time of the Synagogue before nor since in the time of the Church Presbyter or Elder were to be accounted the Appellations of Orders but only of an Office and now to call Presbyters a distinct Order of Sacerdocy is as if we should call Apostles Prophets 1 Cor. 12. 28. Ephes 4. 11. Doctors Evangelists and Pastors so many several Orders which are but only Offices for the Apostleship it self is but an Office but the Order of the Apostles is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 1. 20. i. e. Bishoprick It may therefore seem very uncomely that the Presbytery which of it self is no Order should be advanced over the undoubted Scriptural Judg. 9. 15. order of Bishops as is in the Parable The Bramble is not a tree but was made the King of Trees as Pliny also tells of a Shrub which he calls Viscum we call it Missleto c Plin. hist l. 16. c. 44. Cum sedem suam non habeat in aliena vivit i. e. because it hath no land of its own upon which it can grow therefore it grows upon another Tree but this is not all for some of that rank have proceeded too far even to bitterness and open Pulpit-rayling against that high Order wherein they have been called Tyrants and the dissolving of them said to be a greater deliverance then that of Eighty eight or the powder Treason This was said when neither any intelligent Auditor beleeved it and it may charitably be thought that the Preacher did not himself believe it A Jesuit he was who once Emman Sa. said A lye in a Sermon is no Mortal sin but friend without repentance it will prove an immortal sin I crave leave of thy patience Good Reader to tell thee another piece of great partiality that I say no worse against that high Order which I have heard often related by persons Religious of great quality and of eminent prudence and sobriety and also by a Person of Honour who were present Auditors when a grave Minister of the Presbyterian perswasion reading in the Church the second Chapter of St. Peters first Epistle when he came to those words in the last verse For ye were as sheep going astray but are now returned to the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls this Minister read it thus But are now returned to the Shepherd and Presbyter of your souls whereas not only our English Translation but the Original Greek hath the word Bishop But such men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Pet. 2. 25. may say any thing impune so it be to the nulling Bishops because it hath pleased some wiser-heads to make use of Malevolent hearts and Venal tongues to prepare the game for a more politick and profitable reason of state for I cannot imagine that the dissolving of Episcopacy was noted only for their ill management of the Jurisdiction but also for the good use which others might make of their Temporalties and if all the excesses of them in their jurisdictions were now collected since primo Elizabethae until Mar. 25. 1654. The moderate administration thereof by some Presbyters since that time will not rise up in judgment against the Bishops CHAP. IX Of Scandalous Ministers Scandals by dis-use of the Lords Prayer Christs Kingdom on earth and of his comming before the last judgement Successes in unjust causes are no signs of Gods approbation The Regal stile Gratia Dei. Of Thanks-givings THere hath been much adoe with us about scandalous Ministers and the right Character of them that are so indeed is that they are the men which lay stumbling-blocks in our way to retard us from going toward Heaven and to make us fall into Hell But those godly those godly studious and laborious Ministers who endeavour both day and night to direct our souls in the right way toward Heaven and to sufflaminate them which are too swiftly running towards Hell are quite contrary to scandalous Ministers except this word scandalous be understood in that sence as it is used Rom. 9. 33. and 1 Cor. 1. 23. where Christ himself was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jezabels Priests were indeed scandalous Ministers for they seduced the people by magnifying Baal but was Elias a scandalous Prophet for shewing the true God to that people Verily many Reverend Religious persons such as Elias was are now by the Canting Language of these days nick-named Scandalous Malignant and ill-affected by those that call other men by names proper to themselves but I wish that they would consider that as there is a woe Matt. 18. 7. to that man by whom the scandal or offence cometh So there is the like Wo unto them that call Isa 5. 29. evil good and good evil a Diod. lib. 1. Diodorus Siculus tells us of an Aegyptian Queen Isis that gave the third part of her Land to Priests to hire them to cry up her deceased Husband for a God And we are told by b Eus de Praep. lib. 1. c. 1. Eusebius of an Aegyptian King that set up several Religions in the several Provinces of that Country that thereby the people might be divided and so despise and hate one another for Religion least they should agree in one and so conspire against their King whereby it seems that Divide Impera was an old Egyptian-Heathenish policy but surely Dilige Impera is the better and more Christian There are also many Religions among us I cannot say for what policy and many old revived Heresies brought in as Arianism by Socinians Donatism by Anabaptists Aerianism by the Anti-prelaticals And Judaism by some Sabbatarians And Millinarism by our new Chiliasts or Millers as our Country people call them whilst the true Christian and English-Catholick Religion is by all those parties contemned and depraved as is shewed before in divers particulars to which I must add one more which is a great scandal also against the Person of Christ Fifth The Lords Prayer is now in many places omitted and quite dis-used whereby some people have taken occasion most impiously and cursedly to blaspheme both it and also the Author of it they call it the Devils Faggot-bond and they say that Christ if he were now on earth would be ashamed of it c. surely those Demagogues that do thus principle their Disciples are the right scandalous Ministers and no good teachers as one saith c Plaut in Bach. Pejor Magister te ista docuit it must be such a Preacher as Irenaeus speaks of d Iren. lib. 1. c. 29 Serpens praeconiavit in Marcion i. e. either Marcions Chaplain or he that in the Serpent Preached to Eve For this Prayer was taught us by that God to whom we are to pray as if the Prince himself should pen our Petition wherewith he would be petitioned that so he might the more cheerfully and unscrupulously grant it Wherein we are
in all plentie of meats and other worldly and carnal pleasures and delights just as Turks do now believe and that all earthly possessions shall be theirs that other men which are not Saints shall either be slain or at the best so many of them shall be reserved as may serve for vassalage to be triumphed over and to do all kinds of drudgery works for the Saints Thus a Aug. de Civ lib. 20. c. 7. de Haeres haer 8. Lact. de Div. prae lib. 7. c. 24. Austin and Lactantius state this fabulous and hereticall phansie of Cerinthus Papias Nepos and Apollinarius which was so plausibly propounded that some of the Fathers were much taken therewith as Irenaeus Tertullian Lactantius and Austin himself for a time while he was also a Manichaean their reasons were grounded upon some dark passages in the Prophets and upon the 20. Chap. of the Apocalips which I think was never understood by man since the death of the writer thereof but that which most concerns the business now in hand against the Son of God is that argument which Mr. Ios Mede late of Cambridg hath used in his Commentary upon the Revelation cap. 20. which is both in his own Latine edition and also in the English Translation thereof which I am necessitated to take notice of in this place because I do not find that this argument hath yet been answered which is the strongest and most dangerous that ever any Millinarian used and for ought I know yet this argument was never used by any but only Mr. Mede who was a man of most profound learning and of a gracious religious and sober life who although he published this doctrine yet he did it with great modesty and humility and also with submission to the judgment of the Church But it was printed in a troublesome time viz. 1642. when the learned Church-men had hardly leisure to examine it or not power to correct it and surely little did this worthy man think what evil use some men would make of it The argument is this in Mr. Mede's own words Regunm quod neque ante Domini nostri Mede in Apocal c. 20. p. 277. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nec post ultimam resurrectionem est futurum id necessario inter utrumque est concludendum nam post ultimam resurrectionem Christus Regnum tradet patri 1 Cor. 15. 24. Ergo novum non inibit Which is thus Englished by Mr. Rich More the learned translator of that Book pag. 122. That Kingdom which neither shall be before the appearance of our Lord nor after the last Resurrection is necessarily to be concluded between them both For after the last Resurrection universal Christ shall deliver up the Kingdom to the Father that he may be subject to him who subdueth all things to himself as is said 1 Cor. 15. 24 25. 26. 27. 28. So far is he from being said then to enter upon any new Kingdom that he is to lay it down and deliver it up to his Father This argument is grounded upon one certain truth viz. That Christ must have a Kingdom which can not be denied But it is also grounded upon two untruths i. e. That Christ shall corporally return to this earth before his coming to the universal judgment 2. That Christ shall have no Kingdom after the last judgment These two are false grounds or at least are reducible to that fallacy which by Logicians is called Petitio Principii i. e. when that is presumed to be granted which is the main question and in no wise to be granted Now if it may appear that Christ must have a Kingdom after the final judgment and that eternally in Heaven then there wil be no need of his corporal descending and appearing on this earth before the last judgment for any establishment or management or for proving of his Kingdom because he shall have a Kingdom though not on earth or although he do not corporally so come as the Milliniarians expect What the meaning of those words of the Apostle is which mention Christs delivering up the Kingdom and the subjection of the Son we shall examine anon but certainly they do not in the least signifie the ending or abolishing of Christs Kingdom or any abasing or subjecting of his Divine Person for to affirm that Christ shall cease to be a King and that he shall turn subject must be confessed by all learned and true Christians to be not only heretical but also blasphemous against the Eternal God-head of the Son of God and it is utterly against the Scripture and sure word of God for this very word Subject was the argument of Arius and his Sect against the God-head of Christ which is here used against the Eternal Kingdom of Christ as we read in a Epipha haer 69. Epiphanius Certainly he that is the Eternal God must also reigne Eternally and if he must cease to reigne he must also cease to be God The Psalmist often tels us The Lord reigneth or the Ps 93. 97. 99. Lord is King And that the Kingdom of God the Son is eternal without any resignation thereof or any subjection of his Divine Person both in this world and the next is plentifully declared both in the old and new Testament as first in that saying of Daniel which Mr. Mede alledged against this truth Dan. 7. 14. There was given him a Kingdom that all People Nations and Languages should serve him his Dominion is an Everlasting Dominion which shall not pass away and his Kingdom that shall not be destroyed First here is a Kingdom over the world or over all nations 2. A Kingdom everlasting and least men should imagine that the Everlastingness of it was meant only for its continuance till the end of the world he addeth 3. Which shall not pass away as the world will pass away and which shall not be destroyed as the world must be destroyed This Prophecy of Daniel concerning Christs Kingdom is confirmed in the Gospel by the words of that Heavenly Angel Luc. 1. 33. He shall reigne over the house of Jacob for ever and of his Kingdom there shall be no end Here is an ever over Iacob that is his Church And that his reigning may not be thought to be only in the Church Militant the Angel addeth Of his Kingdom there shall be no end if no end then surely it must not end with the world The same Doctrine is declared by the Apostle concerning the same Son of God Heb. 1. 8. which he received from the Psalmist Psal 45. 6. Thy Throne O God is for ever and ever here are two evers One to signifie the ever of this World and the other to signifie the ever or eternity of the other World So Austin noteth upon the doubling of this word ever In seculum b Aug. in Psal 71. seculi est quantum hoc seculo durat quod post hujus seculi finem promittitur i. e. These two
shall begin his reign until his apearing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in flaming fire mentioned 2 Thes 1. 8. which assertion I conceive to be exceedingly injurious against the divine and humane Nature of Christ and also contrary to the Holy Scriptures For to deny the Kingdom of the Son or Word considered before or without his incarnation in his pure Divinity is all one as to deny his God-head for who can doubt but that he who is the Creator and the only and eternal God both doth reigne and hath reigned from the beginning of the World and shall reigne until the end thereof and after also to eternity and that he hath and doth govern all things in Heaven and Earth working together with the Father as himself saith The Father Ioh. 5. 17. worketh hitherto and I work and both these work by the Holy Ghost which is the Spirit of both The Kingdom of the God head is by divines thus distinguished 1. The Kingdom of power which even Heathens acknowledged in their supposed God O qui res â—ominumque Deumque Virg. Aen. â— Aeteruis Regis Impâ—riis fulmine terris 2. The Kingdome of grace whereby he reigneth in the hearts of the people inclining them to obedience by the Scepter of his Spirit against their carnal inclinations either lucriferous or voluptuous for this wee dayly pray Thy Kingdom come thy wâ—ll be done as on the contrary Satan or Sin is said to reign in the disobedient drawing them to evil 3. The Kingdom of Glory in Heaven in respect whereof the Son is expresly called The Psal 24. 7. King of Glory This I presume no Christian will deny But our question now is not concerning the Son as he is in his single and pure divinity or as he is God the Word or the Son of God But we must now consider him as he is The Son of Man and since his incarnation as he is Emanuel or the Word made flesh or the Anoynted of God or Christ for the pure God-head can not be anoynted because it is the anoynting neither could the Son of God be called Christ until he was incarnate nor can Christ be said to reign until he was made Christ that is until the Son of God by his humane nativity became the Son of Man For though the Son of God hath been a Son from eternity yet he was not Christ or Anoynted from eternity but his unction and title Christ began then as the Apostle saith Gal. 4. 4. When the fulness of time was come God sent forth his Son made of a Woman By this double consideration of Jesus wee may perceive the reason why the Scripture distinguisheth between God and Christ as 2 Tim. 4. 1. I charge thee before God and the Lord Jesus Christ and why we so often read The Lord Christ and the Christ or Anoynted of the Lora as Act. 4. 26. Ps 2. 2. The Lord Jesus in respect of his God-head is called Christus Dominus and the same Lord Jesus in consideration of his humane nature assumed is called Christus Domini i. e. he is both the Lord Christ and The Christ or the Anoynted of the Lord. So that we may truly say The Son of Man is the Christ or the Anoynted of himself as he is the Son of God These considerations being premised Our Question of Christs Kingdom is thus to be stated QUESTION Whether our Lord Iesus Christ ever yet had or now hath any Kingdom in and over this World FOr if it may appear that Christ formerly had and still hath a Kingdom here there will be no need of his corporal descending from Heaven in this fag end of the World to take possession of that which he had before and still retaineth Answer The answer to this question is That Christ now reigneth on earth and hath so done ever since he was Christ that is from the time that The word was made flesh that he reigneth in this world though his Kingdom is not of this world because it is not a visible reigning after a worldly way but in a heavenly manner he beareth not the Sword Material but a Spiritual Sword he raiseth not Armies of men but commandeth Legions of Angels his strong hold is Heaven his prison is Hell as 1 Pet. 3. 19. his Jaylors Divels his executioners Plagues Famines Winds Storms Serpents Wild-beasts evil Angels Sicknesses Deaths Temporal and Eternal his Laws are mild written in Milk the easie yoak of the Gospel his tribute and taxes are faithfulness and obedience his Kingdom doth not invade or disturb other worldly Kingdoms but establisheth them for he refused a worldly Kingdom when it was offered and refused to judg or arbitrate in a petty title of inheritance between two brethren much less will he in this world judg the grand titles of Monarchies and great possessions to be taken from the rightfull possessors to the use of Pretended Saints Let us see what the Scriptures say concerning the Kingdom of this Emanuel here on earth Isaiah saith of Christ as of a child born whom Isa 7. 14. he called In manuel which must needs be meant of the Son of God considered as incarnate That the government shall be upon his shoulders of the increase of his government and peace there shall Isa 9. 6. 7. be no end upon the throne of David and upon his Kingdom to order it from henceforth for ever Surely Davids throne must be upon this earth although it signifie the Church whilest it is Militant Consider we next what David himself saith concerning this Son of David in that memorable passage Psal 89 I have sound David my servant Psal 89. 20. 27. 29. 36. I will make hiâ— my first born higher then the Kings of the earth his Seed will I make to endure for ever and his Throne as the dayes of Heaven and as the Sun before me The David here meant must needs be this Son of David that is Christ who is often called David as Jâ—r 30. 9 They shall serve the Lord and David their King whom I will raise up and Ezech. 34. 23. My servant David shall feed them so Hos 3. 5. The children of Israel shall seek the Lord their God and David their King These Prophecies must needs be meant of Christ because the old David was dead before any of those Prophets were born Christ is called David because he was to be the Son of David and so is called by his Fathers name as o her children now are and the prophecies must needs be understood of the Man Christ because by his manhood only he is the Son of David and not otherwise nor can these sayings be verified of any other seed or Son of David Besides These speeches can not be meant of any worldly temporal Kingdom of David for that was taken of Davids posterity long before the birth of Christ and this David himself foresaw and confessed in the same Psalm But thou hast cast off thine Anoynted Thou hasi
hand of the God-head and so at the right hand both of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost that is The Son of Man is advanced to sit at the right hand of the Son of God or thus Mans nature in Christ is advanced above all Angels and Arch-angels and above all Creatures in Heaven and Earth and under the Earth and above all infernal powers and that it is in honour and power immediatly next to the supream God-head The mis-understanding of those words in the Creeds which mention Christ's sitting on the right hand of the Father hath occasioned a great abuse in mens apprehension for hereupon they haâ—e Phansied Three Seats in Heaven one for the Father and another for the Son on the right side of the Father and under both a third Seat for the Holy Ghost whereby they have advanced Christ above the Holy Ghost but we are well assured that it is both against our Christian Faith and also impossible that any one Person in the Trinity should be above the other because all are Coêqual and it is as impossible that any Creature should be above God the Creator for the humane nature of Christ is that which only is so advanced and that nature is a Creature This abuse was foreseen by St. Paul as may be thought and therefore by him care was taken to prevent it by those words He hath put all 1 Cor. 15. 27. things under his feet that is All creatures are by the God-head made subject to the man Christ it follows But when he saith all things are put under him it is manifest that he is excepted which did put all things under him that is Although all creatures are now under the Man Christ yet neither the God head nor any Person therein are under Christ his Manhood is next in glory to God but in no wise above him or any Person in the Trinity The Fathers also took notice of this abuse and wrote against it Origen upon these words Sit thou at my right hand adviseth a Orig. in Mat. Tract 23. Ne describas sensibiles sessiones aut Cathedras Sedentes humano Schemate Patrem Filium est de Regno Christi and after him Austin tells us upon the same occasion b Aug. de fide Symb. Tale Simulachrum Deo in Templo Christiano collocare vel etiam in corde nefas est i. e. That we should not describe the Father and the Son sitting on seats as men do for the sitting of Christ signifieth only his Dominion such a Portraiture in a Christian Church or but in our very thoughts is unlawful Thus they Fourthly What is meant by the right hand of God This phrase is not proper but figurative and mystical because no person in the God-head hath-hands except the Son who only is incarnate and he it is that is said to sit Therefore the right hand of God must signify 1. Power 2. Happiness 3. Glory Christ saith Mat. 26. 64. you shall see the Son of Man sitting on the right hand of power The Psalmist saith At his right Ps 16. 11. hand are pleasures for ever more The Apostle Râ— â— 5. Eph. 1. 21. Philip. 2. 9. tells us Christ is over all far above all principalities and powers That to him every knee must bâ—w This implieth a Kingly Majesty by the ceremony of bowing the knee The full meaning is that Christ is placed above all creatures next to the God-head and hath fulness of Power Happiness and Glory There can not be invented a better expression of Christs glory then by this phrase of the Right hand of God for it implyeth both a Soveraignty above all others and yet a subordination to the God-head as Psal 45. 9. Vpon thy right hand did stand the Queen this because the Queen is above all the Kings people but yet not above the King So Solomon placed his mother on his right hand 1 King 2. 19. When we say Christ is subordinate to the God-head we must be understood to speak onlâ— of his humane nature for when we speak of the whole person of the Emanuel then with the Apostle we say it is no robbery to affirm him to be Philip. 2. 6. equal with God If he had been said to sit on the Left hand men possibly might imagine some Creature higher then Christ for whom the right hand was reserved but this is the right hand and highest seat it can not be said to him friend go up Lu. 14. 10. higher Or if it had been said as it is Act. 7. 56. That Christ was standing at the right hand of God without any other mention of his sitting it might have been suspected that he stood as a minister or officer only but this sitting implieth Authority and Supremacy over all Creatures for To which of his Angels said he at any Heb. 1. 1â— time Sit thou on my right hand By all which promises I trust it appeareth that Christ is the Supream Lord and King over all the World and all Creatures in Heaven and Earth and therefore surely he hath a Kingdom on earth If it be yet further demanded why this Throne of Christ is not placed on earth seeing the right hand of God that is his omnipotent power is every where as well on Earth as in Heaven and why Christ did not continue his visible residence and bodily presence here on earth as he now doth in Heaven To this we Answer First There is now no need of his bodily presence on earth seeing he hath not withdrawn the Presence of his God-head of which he said Mat. 28. 20. I am with you alwayes even unto the end of the World which Austin thus expresseth a Aug. in Ioh. Tract 50. Corpus coelo intulit Majestatem mundo non abstulit nam secundum Majestatem semper nobiscum est i. e though his body be absent yet his God-head or Majesty is with us which is the most noble part of Christ for therefore Divines call his God-head his Majesty because this word signifieth the supremacy Majesty is the Title of the Supream Magistrate we say The Kings Majesty and so when the supremacy was in the Consuls at Rome and when it was in the People then was this title given to each respectively we read both of b Tul. Orat. Majestas Consulis and Majestas Populi The God head of Christ is his Supream Majesty for The head of Christ is God 1 Cor. 11. 3. And yet his body which is in Heaven is not divided or separated from his God-head which is with us for his Divine and humane natures are eternally and inseparably united and joyntly govern all as the body of the Sun is in the Firmament of this material Heaven yet by his influence and beames moderateth the seasons on earth and so doth Christ though bodily in Heaven by the influence and beams of his Majesty govern all things here below Secondly Christ