c. The reason is because as man had sinned in the whole and a full satisfaction was to be made to the iustice of God so Christ tooke our whole nature to this very end that he might suffer in it and so saue vs wholy Heb. 2.14.15 Books of the new Testament citing authorities out of the old as they looke chiefly to sense not precise keeping the word and take them from canonicall scripture onely so they regard not number of the chap or verse or name of authors alway but generally alledge them thus it is written contenting themselues with a few testimonies and they choise and fitt ones See Rom. 9. and 10. throughout and the 11. also The doctrine of the Trinity is more obscurely taught in the old Testament before Christ his incarnation but more plentifully and manifestly in the new The reason is because Christ bringeth with him a greater light then Moses and the Prophets Math. 3. 16. 17. and chap. 28. 19. Iohn 5. 8. Where the old Testament bringeth in God appearing in humane shape or speaking to the Patriarkes and Prophets there vnderstand it alwaies of the second person for hee it was by whom the father in all ages declared himselfe to his Church Iohn 12. 37. 38. 39 40.41 and compare that place with Esay 53. 1. and the chapter 6.9 also compare Rom. 14. 10. 11. with Esay 45. 23. and see 1. Cor. 10. 9. This would haue kept Serueltus and others from denying the aeternall godhead of Christ. The word which signifies to predestinate is but sixe times found in the new Testament neuer in the old being referred but twise to thinges as Act. 4. 28. and 1. Cor. 2.7 and then it is translated determined before 4. times applied to persons as Rom. 8. 29. 30. Ephes. 1. 5. 11. and neuer applied in scripture to reprobates but to elect persons only Yet diuines in scholasticall and theologicall discourses doe inlarge this strict acception of the word and vnder predestination doe consider the decree both of election and reprobation The doctrine of Gods most free predestination ought to bee taught to Christs Church by the Pastors of the same August The reasons be because it is a part of his reuealed will and therefore belongs to vs and our children Deut. 29. last Also Christ Iesus taught it Ioh. 6. and his Apostles Act. 5.13 Rom. 9. throughout Rom. 8.23 30. Rom. 11. 1.2.3.4.5.6.7 Ephes. 1.4.5.6 and else-where often These former scriptures our Church well and rightly appointeth to be read wherein is more danger then in expounding them soundly Thirdly it is the ground of patience and constancie Rom. 8. 28. also of piety and of the loue of God Rom. 12. 1.2.1 Ioh. 4.19 And lastly exciteth to thankefulnesse when wee haue learned that there is no good in vs concerning saluation or otherwise but that which God from euerlasting determined to put into vs. This mooued blessed Paul to blesse God for himselfe 1. Timoth. 1. 14. 15. 16. 17. and for others Ephes. 1.3.4 The doctrine of Gods predestination in electing some and not others without any respect of mans worthinesse for his owne very good pleasure and will sake to the glory of his mercy and iustice would bee taught very warily and with good cautions first with consideration of the weake that no matter of discouragement be giuen them and of the wilfull and obstinate that no occasion of presumption and carnall licentiousnesse be iustly offered them but as it may comfort the one against dispaire and rouse the other out of security 2. That the texts out of which the doctrine is gathered bee faire and full for it without inforcing them 3. That sound proofes bee brought out of the word to backe euery point that is deliuered and let nothing be taught but that a reason may be giuen out of scripture for it 4 That it bee expressely affirmed that no man may thinke either himselfe or another to be reprobate for only God knowes who are his and he that is not called today may bee tomorrow but rather to labour for assurance of our owne election and to hope charitably of others which submit to the outward ministery and preaching of the word 5. That a man aduenture not to teach it others vnlesse he himselfe haue well learned the same and digested it Lastly that the hearers be warned to heare with sobriety and to vnderstand with sobriety desiring to know no farther of this mistery then is reuealed and to referre their knowledge therein not to vaine dispute but to builde vp themselues in the comfortes and duties of Christianity This word heart is commonly in scripture put for the soule and minde of man Reason is because the soule though it be in the whole body and in euery part yet keepeth her chiefe residence in the heart as it were in her chaire of estate Secondly as naturall life proceedes from the heart of the body so the beginning of the godly life is from the soule And lastly to teach that God regardes not outward shewes and deedes vnlesse they come from within Math. 15. out of the heart proceede euill reasoning adulteries c. Also Prouerb My sonne keepe thy heart aboue all keepings Rom. 10. with the heart man beleiueth And Psal. 51. 10. create in me a right heart and very often else where Estay in Psal. 51. This word all is not euer vsed absolutely and vniuersally for euery one but restrictiuely with limitation to the subiect and matter handled as for example Ioh. 1. 3. All things were made by him Rom. 10.12 God is rich vnto all where the limitation is presently added which call vpon him Rom. 5. by the iustification of one grace hath abounded towardes all This is to bee restrained to iustified ones of whom hee speakes there Coloss. 3. The peace of God which excelleth all vnderstanding that is all humane vnderstanding the like in Ioh. 3.13 Thus much must bee said of the particle none or no man Ioh. 3. No man receiueth his testimony this must bee vnderstood with restraint to the wicked The ignorance of this rule hath caused diuerse to denie the doctrine of perticular election and to pleade for vniuersall grace with deniall of diuine reprobation Kekerman Paraeus Petitions or praiers conceiued or vttered in the imparatiue moode must be reduced into the indicatiue where a reason of the petition is rendred Psal. 5. 2. Hearken vnto the voice of my crie for I call vpon thee This must be vnderstood thus O God it is agreeable to thy nature to heare mee seeing I call and Psal. 16.1 Preseru◠me ô God for I trust in thee and the like in other Psalmes Kekermannus What is proper to one nature in Christ is often affirmed of the other or of his whole person The reason hereof is the vnity of his person it belonges to the humane nature to bee crucified to shed
feare this God AEnig 81. How can God harden mens hearts yet not be the authour of sinne seeing hardnes of heart is a sinn Resolution God hardeneth not by infusing sin but by offering occasions Secondly by giuing vp to Sathan Thirdly by withdrawing his grace Fourthly by enclining effectually the will that way to which yet it freely runneth and all this hee doth not as an euill authour but as a righteous iudge punishing sin by sinne AEnig 82. Who are they which bow to Christ yet haue no knees and serue him though they loue him not Resolution They bee the Diuels who hating Christ extreamely yet against their willes are subiect to him as to their Lord. Which is meant by bowing the knee Phil. 2. 10. AEnig 83. If the promises of this life be made vnto godlinesse how is it that the wicked doe so prosper in the world Resolution Gods promises euen for temporall blessings bee made to the Godly 1. Tim. 6. who alone through Christ haue right to them and how little soeuer they enioie they haue sufficiencie which they hold with the fauour of God as a testimonie of his present loue and pledge of future happinesse yet because God seeth want and afflictions fitter for them because at last he meanes Heauen to them therefore are they often scanted and troubled here when many wicked men abound in wealth and pleasure because they should be left without excuse and to commend Gods bountie and kindnes in doing good to the euill Luk. 6. AEnig 84. What worke of God is that that doth excell the worke of creation and wherein infinite mercie and extreame iustice meet together without impeching one the other Resolution It is the worke of redemption wherin the worde became man a seruant a curse wheras at the creation God made the world by his speking a word Also in our redemption God punishing sinne fully in his onely sonne and for his sake sparing and sauing sinners he so shewed infinite mercie as it was without hurt to iustice a maruellous wisedome worthie to be reuerenced and loued AEnig 85. How can one be two and these two but one Resolution Christ in respect of his person is but one yet this one Christ is both God and man because of his diuers natures there is in Christ one nature and an other and so he is two yet there is not in him one person and another and therefore he is but one AEnig 86. How may a woman be with child of the holy Ghost and yet that child not to be the Sonne of the holy ghost Resolution Thus. In the conception of our Lord the holy ghost had not the place and office of an instrument as a father but of a principall efficient cause by a secret mighty working sanctifying and enabling the Virgin to conceiue a Sonne Mat. 1. Luk. 1. AEnig 87. How may one be the Sonne of a sinner yet that sonne be without sinne Resolution Mary the mother of Christ comming from Adam by ordinary generation must needs bee a sinner yet hir Sonne being borne of hir by the extraordinarie power of the Spirit clensing that lumpe of flesh whereof his manhood was formed hee became pure and sin-lesse in conception birth life and death that he might offer vp himselfe a spotlesse sacrifice Heb 4. AEnig 88. How may one be truly a man and yet that man be no person Resolution The humane nature of Christ being so assumed into the vnitie of the person of the sonne of God as out of it it had no subsistence he is in such sort a very true man as yet that man is no distinct person from the sonne of God Rom. 1.4.5 Gal. 4.4 AEnig 89. How can that which is neither visible nor palpable be seen and felt Resolution The Godhead of Christ being an invisible vncorporeall substance yet in the assumed nature of man became sensible was felt and seen and heard as it is written 1. Ioh. 1. 1. Our hands haue handled that eternall life AEnig 90 How can that which is greater then heauen and earth bee inclosed within the compasse of two spannes Resolution The sonne of God being greater then the world in respect of his vnmeasurable Dietie yet as touching his humanitie was shut vp in the narrow compasse of a womans wombe Mat. 1. AEnig 91. Who is he that hath two wills and but one soule and how Resolution Christ as man had a created humane will but as God equall to his Father hee had an vncreated diuine will yet had but one soule Matth. 26. Father not as I will but as thou wilt here is the will of the man Christ desiring through the infirmitie of humane nature to be freed from the bitter cup of his passion yet with submission through faith to the diuine will appointing it otherwise AEnigma 92. How can one bee before he was and not be when he was Resolution Christ was God before he was man Ioh. 8. Before Abraham was I am and thus hee was God when hee was not man Also hee was man by the promise of his Father and vnto the faith of such as did beleeue the promise of his comming when as yet his manhood had no actuall being AEnig 93. How can one haue a father and mother and yet haue neither father nor mother Resolution Christ as the Sonne of God had a Father and a mother as the sonne of man Mat. 1.17 yet as he was God he had no mother nor father as he was man Heb. 7. againe Melchisedeck liued so long as the knowledge of his parents were worne out AEnig 94. How can one that is no sinner yet bee more then a sinner Resolution It is written of Christ 2. Cor. 5.21 that he was made sinne for vs. which in some sense is more then to be a sinner as to say that the wisdome of the flesh is enmitie against God is more then barely to say it is an enemie against God yet in truth Christ was not so much as a sinner being that Holy one of God who knew no sinne but because hee had the sinnes of all the Elect imputed to him that by the sacrifice of himselfe he might take them away thence it is written of him that he was made sinne for vs. for saying he had no sinne inherent in his owne nature he had died vniustly had he not died for sinne imputed AEnig 95. How may it be that one that is extream poore should by his pouertie make many rich Resolution Christ Iesus being heire of all Heb. 1.2 yet willingly humbled himselfe to such pouertie that foxes and birds were in better case then he by which extreme pouertie hee merited for all his heauenly and spirituall riches 2. Corinth 8. AEnig 96. How can finite obedience deserue infinite glory Resolution The obedience of the man Christ to his Father in respect of the things done and the time
wherein and the nature whereby was finite yet deserued infinite glory because it receiued infinite worthines from the Godhead to which his manhood was personally vnited AEnig 97. What sonne is he that is heire while his Father liueth and how Resolution Though properly hee bee an heire which by succession entreth on the inheritance of his dead Father yet both Christ and all belieuers are heires while their Father doth liue because he cannot die being the euerlasting God and freely communicateth his inheritance to them without any wrong to himselfe AEnig 98. How can Christ receiue ought of his Fathers gift himselfe being author of euery good gift Resolution Himselfe as God is giuer of all but as mediator hee doth receiue much from his Father Mat 28. 18. Eph. 1. 22. God hath giuen him ouer all things to be the head of the Church AEnig 99. How can one be both Priest Sanctuary Sacrifice and Altar Resolution Christ Iesus as a man was both sacrifice and Sanctuary Hebr 2.8 as God he was the Altar Mat 23.19 as God and man hee was the high priest Heb. 9.14 AEnigma 100. How may eternall life bee borne and dye Resolution Christ being true God was that eternall life Iohn 1. 2. which was borne and did die in the nature of man assumed as it is written the Lord of glory was crucified 1. Cor 2.8 also God with his bloud purchased his Church Act. 20. 28. in which speeches that which is proper to the manhood is attributed to the Godhead for the vnitie of the person though he was borne and died in his manly nature yet the person that died was God the life eternall vnderstand this soberly and wisely it is a true and wholesome doctrine AEnig 101. How did Christ die willingly yet die necessarily for he must die Resolution In respect of his owne election Christ died voluntarily for hee laide downe his life of himsele no man could take it away from him Iohn 10. 18. Yet hee died necessarily to fulfill the iust purpose of his Father and the true prophesies of the word which had decreed and foretold his death Luke 24.25 Christ then died because he would die yet he must die because God so ordained AEnig 102. How can a body bee seuered by death from the soule and yet both remaine still vnited together Resolution Christ his body and soule were pulled asunder one from the other in his death yet euen then both of them were still vnited to the person of the sonne of God for the hypostaticall or personall vnion of the two natures in Christ is vnseparable and euerlasting or else he could not bee an eternall high Priest if there were interruption of this vnion but for a moment AEnig 103. How may one at once both ouercome and be conquered Resolution Christ when he yeelded to death and went into the graue was for a time as one conquered according to the infirmity of his flesh yet euen then his diuine power triumphed ouer sinne death and graue which was manifested at his resurrection from the dead Col. 2. Also the Saints being conquered by violence of persecutors yet ouercame by patience AEnig 104. How may a Lambe ouercome a Lyon Resolution That Lambe of God Christ Iesus by the merit of his voluntary death tooke all the Elect as a prey out of the iawes of Satan that roaring Lion Heb. 2. 14. Hee destroied through death him that had power of death euen the Deuill AEnig 105. What stone is that that is both the rising and falling of many and how this may be Resolution That stone is Christ who to them that by faith stay on him is a precious Stone euerlasting lie to support and saue them yet to the disobedient he is a stone of offence and an occasion of their ruine and fall because thorow vnbeleefe they refuse him being offered 1. Pet. 2.6.7 AEnig 106. Who is that that giues that life it hath to others yet is selfe hath not that life it giueth Resolution That flesh or humane nature of Christ hath that life by participation from the Godhead the fountaine of life And giues the same to all beleeuers his members yet the life which it giues it hath not in it selfe originally for the flesh profiteth nothing it is the spirit that is the Godhead which quickneth Iohn 6.63 AEnig 107. How is death the cause of life How can death be the death of death Resolution The death of Christ by worthines deriued from his diuinitie it is the meritorious cause of life eternall which we had forfeited by sinne Iohn 1. 6. I will giue my flesh for the life of the world This same death of Iesus is the death that is the destruction of death hauing spoiled it of all power to hurt vs Hos. 13.14 O death I will bee thy death and thy destruction O graue AEnig 109. How may one person at once be most blessed and yet be made a curse Resolution Christ in himselfe as hee was perfectly righteous so hee was most blessed the fountaine of blessednesse Luk. 1. Yet as hee sustained the person of offendors hee became a curse which was signified by his manner of death being on the tree Gal. 3.13 AEnig 110. How can temporal paines deliuer from eternall paines Resolution Temporary paines through the dignity of the Sufferer bee equiualent or answereable to eternall paines that the eternall sonne of God should suffer for a while what more then if all Angels and men had suffered for euer by how much hee is higher then they hauing obteined a more excellent name Heb. 9. 1. AEnig 111. How is Christ daily crucified yet could die but once Resolution It is most certaine that Christ could be but once really and actually crucified could but once die yet after four sortes he is continually crucified first in a mistery the Lords supper being a coÌ„â—emoration or remembrance of Christs Sacrifice vpon the crosse Secondly in the preaching of the death of Christ so liuelily as if he were crucified before our eyes Thirdly in the heartes of the faithfull their faith being as it were the aulter on which hee daily suffereth his passion being still present to euery beleeuing soule Lastly in the mouth of wicked Apostates who blaspheme him Heb. 6. AEnig 112. How was Christ slaine in the last times and yet was the lambe slaine from the beginning of the world Resolution He was actually slaine in Ierusalem at the time appointed which was in the last daies But if wee respect the promise of his sacrifice or the vertue therof cowardes beleeuers hee was slaine from mans restoring which was neere the beginning of the world And before all worlds in his Fathers councell and ordinance AEnig 113. What person is that which being not meere God was yet both in heauen in hell and in earth at once and how Resolution It was Christ God and man whose soule in his agonie went