of a Beginning stand thus It is either Principium principians non principiatum that is a beginning which is a Beginner vnto another yet hath not his beginning from another lest there should be a processe into Infinitie a parte ante this is God the Father to whom it is peculiar to beget the Sonne yet is himselfe neyther made nor created nor begotten of any other Secondly there is Principium principiatum principians to witte a Beginning which hath his beginning of another and is also a beginning to another lest there should be any defect or imbecillitie in the Beginning and this is the Euerlasting Sonne very God of very God begotten of the substance of his Father alone before thē worlds neither made nor created Thirdly there is Principium principiatum non principians that is a Beginning which is also begun but is not a beginner vnto another lest there should be a processe into Infinitie a parte post and this is the Holy Ghost who proceedeth from the very substance and Being of the Father and the Sonne and is with them one GOD coeternall and coequall But you will say Is not the Holy Ghost a Beginner vnto any other how is he then the Authour of our consolation and how is hee said to leade vs into all trueth c Vnderstand what I meane Hee is not a Beginner vnto any other of the same Infinite Essence or Being with himselfe For the beginnings which I spake of before are in the Essence of God alone now our spiritual consolation whereof the Holy Ghost is said to be the Beginner is but an or effluence from that Being which he himselfe is as the light of the Sunne doth illuminate euery bright body exposed to his light and yet imparteth not his being thereto You will againe obiect that Eternitie hath no beginning nor ending how then can Christ be both eternall and begun and how againe can he be equall to the Father whereas hee beeing begotten of the Father the Father hath a prioritie before him I answere that this beginning is none other then that production or begetting which I before declared to haue been heretofore none other then it is now and shall be eternally as the Sunne hath brought forth light since his creation and shall still bring forth light till the worlds dissolution For this action of GOD whereby hee begetteth his Sonne is not a transeant action to cause a passion in the subiect and a repassion in the agent for in such the subiect of necessitie should haue been existent before the action but this action is immanent and therefore of necessitie of the same nature with the agent which agent because it is eternall therefore the production is also eternal and consequently the product and so of necessitie very GOD. But you must euer remember what difference I made betweene the action of God infinite in power therefore able to actuate the obiect and the immanent actions of our minde Now for the Prioritie or Posterioritie you may obiect I graunt there is Prioritie among the persons of the Godhead but of what kinde not of Being for their Essence is one and therein is none afore or after another neither is any one of the Trinitie more or lesse God then another not of time for they are all one Eternitie not of dignitie for they are all one Infinitie and the Sonne himselfe being very God thinketh it no robberie to bee equall with God But yet there is Prioritie and that of order onely for the Father is in order before the Sonne because the Sonne is begotten of the Father and the Sonne likewise is before the Holy Ghost because the Holy Ghost is the mutuall loue betweene the Father and the Sonne and so proceeding from them both I will make a comparison vnmeet for the matter of which I speake for to whom shall wee assimulate the Highest but yet meete to helpe your vnderstanding When a man doth dreame and imagine things which are not there is you know the phantasie the phantasme or thing imagined or dreamed and the phansying or working of the phantasie about that obiect Now these three are all of one nature and are one after another onely in order and not in time For the particular phantasie of such an obiect is before the obiect and makes it to haue an intentionall being then the obiect being the discourse of the phantasie followeth in order which neuerthelesse was in time as soone as it obseruing euer the cautions that are to bee obserued Thus haue I very briefly showne not many reasons but rather how that many reasons may bee showen for this Christian assertion yet haue I showen ynough to perswade any reasonable man to yeelde meekely vnto the trueth of that doctrine which is so euident both in the booke of GOD and in euerie faithfull and true Christian mans confession and according to that discourse which is euident to euery mans vnderstanding Now giue me leaue to speake a little to those arguments which haue throwen the most learned of the Iewes head-long to the feet of Christ to make thē acknowledge that the Messiab must be both God and man I will not herein doe any thing contrary to that which in the beginning I protested that is not to compel you by authoritie of Scripture but to intreate you by reasonable perswasion to encline your eare to the trueth But because I may not without iniurie to the cause leaue altogether out such manifest proofe and without iniurie also to your selfe who might thinke that I went about to sophisticate a true seeming vntrueth which would not abide the touch I will onely intend my finger to some very few of many thousandes of axiomes of the Scripture for this purpose leaue you to make the conclusion by your selfe hoping that the Iewes example may prouoke you to follow them so farre forth as they haue followed the trueth Exod. 13. 21 it is said The Lord went before thē c. Chap. 14. 19. The Angel of God which went before them remoued where Christ the Angell of the Couenant is called The Lord Iehouah Againe Exod. 15. 3. The Lorde is a man of warre his name is Iehouah therefore Christ is God and man who by his conflict vpon the crosse triumphed ouer Death and Hell as it is written in the Gospell the booke of the warres of the Lord. Againe Esay 9. 6. Vnto vs a childe is borne there is his Manhood and vnto vs a Sonne is given and they shall call his name The mightie God And Esay 35. vers 4. Your God will come and saue you Ierem. 23. 5. c. I will rayse vp vnto Dauid a righteous branch and a King shal raigne and this is the Name whereby they shall call him The Lord our righteousnesse And Ierem. 33. vers 16. Iudah shall be saued and be that shall saue her is the Lorde our righteousnesse Where the name vsed is that great Name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iehouah
〈◊〉 s. for then was God reconciled to the world then was euerlasting righteousnesse brought in when the Word became flesh This is that glorious Name of which God spake by the Prophet Behold I will make my Name new in the earth For you see how of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is IESVS This is that Name which is meet for the Sonne of GOD alone and cannot bee giuen to any creature because it is a Name of the DEITIE as it is Hebr. 1. It is that Name which is aboue all names in which the Angels and the righteous soules triumph at which the powers of Hell are agast and tremble to which the whole creature yeeldeth meek obedience This is that Name of which our Lord spake Father I haue manifested thy Name vnto men the Father 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Sonne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For so long as the mysterie of the Incarnation of God was hidde so long that Name remained vnsoundable but when the Word became flesh and dwelt amongst men so that the mysterie was reueiled then the Name which was before not to be pronounced was lawfully pronounceable That as the Word of life was to bee seene with eyes and handled with handes so that glorious Name might also be beaten betweene our lippes and teeth and this by the interposition of that letter of rest The Iewes knowing this reason of this great mysterie moued with the reuerence thereof durst neuer pronounce that Name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but in stead thereof Adonai or Elohim Let it not trouble you that Iudah the sonne of Iacob was called by such a name as had these foure letters therein with the addition of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 d thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iehudah but rather wonder and learne how by these sacramentes the children of GOD before the Incarnation exercised their faith saluted the promises afarre off and saw that our Lord should enter into our earthly tabernacle by the doore of Iudahs flesh for so much the letter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Daleth importeth To which mysterie the heauenly Poet alluding triumphed with that double ioy Psal 24. Lift vp your heads yee gates and be ye lift vp yee euerlasting doores c. foreseeing the descension of GOD the Sonne by the gate of our flesh and the ascension of our flesh by Christ into the heauenly places both which he celebrated by that repetition Compare with this place Gen. 39. 35. and 49. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. and Reuelat 5. 5. and other places as you shal reade and vnderstand them and with all consider how the ancient Fathers haue prided themselues with the seuerall letters of this Name to keepe in remembrance by their owne names a thing neuer to bee forgotten The Incarnation of our Lord. As Abram assumed h. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and was called Abraham Oshea tooke i. and was called Ioshua as you know Neyther againe let it trouble you that some do write this name thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ISV because say they the letter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 s. turned vpward 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is as much as the double he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 omitted I know no reason for this but many authorities against it as you may know by that which is and shall be said though I let passe a very great number Now consider the name in euery letter and see what cloudes of witnesses there are that Christ is God and man and learne by the Name it selfe how Christ is the Character or ingraued Image of the person or subsistence of the Father Hebrewes 1. 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. Is the Crowne or Diademe of the ineffable Name of GOD and signifies the Godhead 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 u. Pretends the Tree of life for it is a thing much noted among the learned of the Hebrue tongue that this letter is neuer put radically in any naturall Hebrue word either in the beginning or end thereof but is as the Tree of life in the middest of the Paradise of God The double letter h. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth that Christ concerning his Deitie is essentially vnited to the Humanitie and concerning his Humanitie vnited also essentially to the Deitie and that by the Holy Ghost For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 h. is a spirit or breath therefore is Christ in himselfe or in respect of his Deitie the superiour Wisedome of the Father and the Sonne of GOD not made but begotten Prou. 8. 22. In the creature or with respect of his Humanitie the inferiour wisedome of GOD not begotten but made and created Ecclus. 24. 11. 12. Now the letter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 s. hath many things therein to bee considered For you may not thinke that it was taken by chaunce into this Name but for the Notory and for the Geometrie For the Notory I haue obserued that the Theologians both of the old and new Testament haue celebrated thereby first the rest or dwelling of the Godhead in him as Esay 42. vers 1. and â—o 1. vers 33. Then the rest or â—ie all beeing of the world in Christ before the creation and the restoring of the world by his suffering wherein the iustice of God rested or came to a period as Esay 53. 11. He shall see the trauell of his soule and be satisfied Lastly that great Iubile or Sabbath of Sabbaths in the world to come when all the creature shall rest from corruption Secondly they learned thereby the euerlasting Anointing of Christ to bee our King our Priest and our Prophet For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the head of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is to anoint Hitherto belongs that of the 45. Psal Thou art anointed with the oyle of gladnesse aboue thy fellowes And in particular I have found Dauid or my beloued seruant with my holy oyle haue I anointed him that for his Kingdome Dan. 9. 24 speakes of his Priesthood To finish the wickednesse to seale vp the sinnes c. and to ancint the most Holy Esay 61. of his Prophecie Therefore hath the Lord anointed mee hee hath sent mee to preach c. For this cause was there no Anointing in the old Testament but typicall as a shadow of the good things that were to come so that when He came all these anoyntings ceased both of the Leuiticall Priesthood for Thou art a Priest for euer Heb. 7 and of the Kingdome for Hee shall raigne ouer the house of Iacob for euer Luk. 1. 33. And for his Prophecie he saith Whatsoeuer I haue heard of my Father I haue made knowen vnto you The whole scope of the new Testament is to this effect Now the Geometrie hath also many mysteries first it is one semicircle with three branches the mysterie of the Trinitie in the Vnitie all whose dignities of Vertue and Power c. are coequall in all and in euery person intirely and indiuisibly and therefore in our Lord also
which is neuer giuen to any creature Zach. 9. 9. proues him God and man What shall I cyte vnto you that of the second Pslam Thou art my Sonne this day haue I begotten thee which place with many more is brought in the Epistle to the Hebrewes to this purpose which is your question These authorities the Thalmadists who sticke onely to the killing letter and apparant sense of the law hold sufficient to put this matter out of doubt Now if leauing this outward sense of the Scripture we should desire to know what is the quickning spirit thereof and should ransacke the treasuries of the Cabalists remembring that place of our Sauiour Matth. 5. 18. One iod or tittle of the Law shall not passe till all bee fulfilled and should examine the question by the letters and pricks of the Scripture wee should more easily find an entrance then an end thereto Yet for a taste take only the first 3. words of the Law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 breshith bará elohim which may not vnfitly be thus turned In the beginning they the mighty God created And of that againe take the first 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bresbith and see what it may signifie by that part of the Cabala which they call Notariacon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 b. the first letter of ben signifieth the Sonne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 r. the first of ruach signifies the Holy Ghost 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 n a. the beginning of av is the Father 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 s. the first of Sabbath importeth rest â—â—… the beginning of the ineffable name of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and not there onely but euen of it selfe it imports the Deitie For we consider of things not obuious to our senses and vnderstanding as if they were not and therefore this least of all the letters neerest vnto nothing doth signifie GOD. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 th the first of Ta. or Thom. is construed a Closet or a Depth Which construction if you put together according to the rules of that excellent Grammar of Diuinitie with reference to that which followes may import thus much The Word the Spirit and the Father resting eternally in the Closet or vnconceiueable abysse or as Paul calls it the inaccessible light of the infinite Deitie manifested their almighty power in creating the heaueÌ„ and the earth Neither is it without a great mysterie that the Son is here put in the first place for In the beginning was the word because the chiefe honour both of the Creation and restauration of the world is giuen vnto Christ as the Apostle doth comment vpon this text Coloss 1. And in another place In him is all the treasure both of the wisedome and knowledge of God As Psal 104. vers 24. In wisedome hast thou made them all For in Christ were al things together one infinite wisedome till in the Creation he made them seuerall according to their distinct Ideas Therefore saith the Apostle He sustayneth euery thing by his powerfull word that is the Sonne and elsewhere In him Christ wee liue and moue after the Creation and haue our Being before the Creation And for this cause doth Iohn begin the law of mercie and grace in the very same words wherewith Moses began the law of Iustice and condemnation In the beginning For we know nothing of God neyther of iustice nor of mercie c. but onely by Christ as he saith No man knoweth the Father but the Son and he to whom the Sonne wil reueile him And in another place No man commeth to the Father but by me Now the Holy Ghost is put in the second place because hee is the mutuall loue of the Father and the Sonne and as I may say the instrument of their actions both in manent and transeunt Go forward now if you will to the next word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bará you see it affords the same argument for the Tri-Vnitie by the three letters before explained and the number which is the singular Thinke not this a fancie neither reproch the diuine Cabala as the ignorant Sophisters vse to doe not knowing how aboue all other knowledges it doth aduance a mans meditation on high And to the present purpose they which know any thing in the holy language know that this sentence can no way agree in Grammatical construction vnlesse the singular verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bará be thus made plurall that it may haue concordance with the plurall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Elohim You will aske why these letters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 b. r. a. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a. are twice put seeing in this precisenesse no such superfluitie should haue needed I tell you that it is not done but to intimate vnto vs a most high mysterie For in the first place it imports that Eternall and Infinite Being of the Father the Sonne and the Holy Ghost which they had before the worlds in their endlesse glorie felicitie in that silence of the Deitie in that super-supreme Entity which is vnto the Godhead perfect aboue perfection without any respect vnto the creature it imports that Infinitie that Eternitie that Power that Wisedome which is aboue all things and giues vnto it selfe to be such as it is that Nothing as the diuine Areopagite seemes to speake which is before and aboue al things that may be spoken or thought without any respect of any emanation or effluence whatsoeuer And therefore followes that letter of rest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that of vnitie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that of perfection 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now in the second place it signifies the Deitie as exercised in the creature and therefore followes that Epithyte Elohim which shewes that emanation of Power or Strength and is sometimes giuen vnto the creatures Angels and men It were an endlesse thing to speake that of these mysteries which may be spoken neither can I For the Law of the Lord is perfect and man is full of weakenesse I haue said so much as I thinke meete concerning the Tri-Vnitie Now a word to that point that Christ is GOD which although it appeare sufficiently in the Tri-Vnity before proued by this anagogicall doctrine yet to that second person in particular is that which followeth Esay 7. 14 it is said of Christ that his name should bee called Immanuel but in the historie of the Gospell in Matthew and Luke both before his Conception and at his Circumcision he is called Iesus It is therefore meete that you know how Iesus is Immanuel or God with vs. The writing of the Name of IESVS is thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ihsuh though according to the rules of the pronunciation of that tongue Iesu and according to the ancient abbreuiation following the Hebrue orthography IHTS In which Name you see are al the letters of the greatest ineffable Name of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iehouah with the interposition of that letter of rest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉