other but the man Christ Jesus for hee himselfe sayd Gen. 32.28.30 That Jacob should be called Israel a wrestler and prevailer with God and Jacob called the name of the place Peniel because hee had seene God Face to face and so that man which appeared unto Joshuah Josh 5.14 and came as a Captain of the Hoast of the Lord was none other then Jesus Christ as Peter Martyr doth most excellently by many arguments confirme Whereby you see Christ did heretofore assume unto himselfe humane formes wherein he appeared unto the Fathers to be as a Praeludium of his incarnation which is the greatest benefit that ever man received from God Quia in Creatione dedit te tibi Deus Because in thy creation hee did but give thy being unto thee but in his incarnation he gave himselfe unto thee Now if it be demanded how these things can stand together that the Father of eternity should be borne in time that the Son of man speaking upon Earth should yet at the same instant be in Heaven and that the mighty God should become a child which is the weakest state of man himselfe wee must call to minde that the first letter of his great name Isa 9.6 is wonderfull When hee appeared of old to Manaoh his name was wonderfull and hee did wonderously Judg. 13.18.19 But that and all the wonders that ever were must give place to the great mystery of his incarnation Greatness of this mystery Nam mysterium singulariter mirabile mirabilitor singulare for it is a mystery singularly wonderfull and wonderfully singular So that neither the Creation of all things out of Nothing which was the beginning of the Workes of God those sixe working dayes putting as it were an end to that long Sabbath that never had beginning Wherein the Father Son and holy Ghost Joh. 17.5 Prov. 8.30 did infinitely glorifie themseves and rejoyce in the fruition one of another without communicating the notice thereof unto any creature nor the Resurrection from the dead and the Restauration of all things the last workes that shall go before that everlasting Sabbath which shall have a beginning but never shall have end neither that first I say nor these last though most admirable peeces of worke may be compared with this wherein the Lord was pleased to shew the highest pitch if any thing may be sayd to be highest in that which is infinite and exempt from all measure and dimensions of his Wisdome Power and Glory Gal 4.4 Joh 1 3. Col ◠16 Act◠3.21 1 Kings 8.22 A notable wonder indeed and great beyond all comparison That the Son of God should be made of a woman even made of that woman which was made by himself That her Wombe then and the Heavens now should containe him whom the Heaven of Heavens cannot contain That he who had both Father and Mother whose Pedegree is upon Record even up unto Adam who in the fullnesse of time was brought forth in Bethlehem Mic. 5.2 Isa 58.8 and and when he had finished his course was cut out of the land of the living at Jerusalem should yet notwithstanding be in truth that which his shadow Melchisedech was only in the conceit of the men of his time Without Father without Mother without Pedegree Heb. 7.3 having neither beginning of dayes nor end of life Joh. 14.28 That his Father should be greater then he and yet he his Fathers equall That he is before Abraham was and yet Abrahams birth preceded his well nigh the space of two thousand years And finally That he who was Davids son should yet be Davids Lord Joh. 5.18 Phil. 2.6 Joh. 8.58 Matth. 22 42.43 c. a case which plunged the greatest Rabbies among the Pharisees who had not yet learned this wisdome nor known this knowledge of the holy The untying of this knot dependeth upon the right understanding of the wonderfull conjunction of the Divine and humane Nature in the vnity of the person of our Redeemer Col. 2.9 In whom dwelleth all the fullnesse of the God-head bodily that is to say by such a personall and reall union as doth inseparably and everlastingly conjoyn that infinite Godhead with his finite manhood in the unity of the selfe same individuall person who is both perfect God Luke 1.35 Pro. 8.22.23.25 begotten of the substance of his Father before all worlds and perfect man made of the substance of his Mother in the fullnesse of time And the reason why hee was borne of a woman Amb. in Luc. 24. as Saint Ambrose saith was Ne perpetui reatus apud viros opprobrium sustinerent mulieres least women should still suffer the Reproach of the perpetuall guiltinesse and blame in the sight of men Why Christ was borne of a woman for their first transgression for her yeilding unto the Serpent and the seducing of her Husband made her and all her sexe to be deservedly subject unto much Reproach And therefore though because the Mankind is more noble Christ would be made a man yet because Women should not be contemned hee was contented to be borne of a woman Aug. cont Faust Et sic formam viri assumendo de famina nascendo utrumque sexum hoc modo honorandum indicavit and so he did sufficiently honour both sexes the men by assuming the forme of a man and the women by taking his flesh from a woman that as a woman was the meanes to make him a sinner so she might be the instrument to bring him a Saviour but Licet secundum conditionem naturae natus est ex faemina Thom. p. 3. q. 31 art 5. tamen supra conditionem naturae natus est ex virgine he would beyond the condition of Nature be borne of such a woman that was a Virgin because it became not God to have any Mother but a Maide and it beseemed not a Mayd to have any Son but a God Barrad l. 7. c. 10. saith Barradius And so hee was made of a Woman of a Woman that was a Virgin and of a Virgin without the helpe of man But now 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Joh. 1.14 That we may truly understand this point how Christ was made flesh the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 used by our Evangelist doth plainly shew unto us as both Saint Chrysostome and Tolet do observe Mirabilem ejus conceptionem non virili virtute sed divina potentia eum esse conceptum his wonderfull Conception that hee was made not by any vertue of mans seed Two things to be considered for the understanding of Christs conception First Of the manner how Christ was conceived but by the power of Gods spirit and therefore we must well consider First The manner of this wonderfull and divine conception Secondly The matter or substance from which he was framed First Touching the Agent and the manner of the act how this substance should be framed and this Child
properties also must needs remain entire to either nature and as a man hath his soule and body both united and inconfused Ita multo magis Christus habens divinitatem cum corpore habet utraque permanentia non confusa so much more Christ having his divinity united with our flesh hath them both remaining intire and inconfused for that rule can never be disproved Confundens proprietates essentiales confundit naturas confound the naturall or essentiall properties of any things and you take away the nature of the things And therefore in that one and selfe-same subsistence of Christ there must needs be a divine and a Joâ— 10.17 humane nature a divine and a humane wisdome a divine and a humane will and so of all other properties of each nature they must be as well inconfused as indivisible Fourthly inseparable 4. Inseparable because the natures are so inseparably united that the humane nature can never be separated from the divine person that assumed it and therefore when Christ dyed subtraxit visionem sed non solvit unionem the soule parted from the body Psal 16.10 When Christ dyed and body and soul were parted the Godhead parted from neither but the Deity was separated from neither as Leo saith but as a tree cut in twaine the sun cannot be cut but that it may still shine on either part so the body and soule of Christ being parted the Deity was still united unto them both and could never be separated from the manhood after hee had once assumed the same into the unity of his person Fifthly substantiall 5. Substantiall because he is a true and perfect man whose being is no accident but a substance Sixthly It is ineffable 6. Ineffable so absolutely perfect and so exceedingly mysticall that it can never be perfectly declared by any man for though the Fathers sought by many examples and similitudes That the mannet of the uniting of the two natures is ineffable to expresse and to illustrate the same as by the union of the body and soule of a Branch ingrafted into a tree of a fiery iron and such like yet all come too short for the full expressing of this inexplicable mystery And therefore Saint Bernard compareth this ineffable mystery of the uniting of these two natures unto that incomprehensible mystery of the Trinity and so indeed that of the Trinity is the greatest and this of the incarnation is like unto it far exceeding mans capacity rather most faithfully to be beleeved Psal 77.19 then too curiously to be searched into because God hath overshadowed this mistery with his own vaile that wee might not presume 1 Sam. 6.19 with the men of Bethshemesh to look into this Ark of his least for our curiosity we be smitten as they were Or least whilst we make too strict a scrutiny to finde out the depth of this mystery we forfeit that small and weak knowledge which by divine bounty is bestowed upon us and therefore what we cannot comprehend by reason we should apprehend by faith because as Heinsius saith Omnia in Deo supra rationem nihil supra fidem The mysteries of our religion are to be beleived by faith rather then to be searched out by reason though many things may be above the reach of reason yet nothing beyond faith Nam quicquid solus Deus potest facere sola fides potest credere For whatsoever God alone can do faith alone can beleeve the same and faith is the compendium of our salvation and humane wisdome the cheifest obstacle of the same Therefore indeed it should be our cheifest care to keep our selves within the limits of Faith because I find the Creed of blessed Athanasius concerning the Incarnation of the son of God to be pure and clear from all Errour and heresie whatsoever I shall here insert the same 1 It is necessary saith he unto eternall salvation Joh 3.36.6.40 1 Joh. 4.3 Heb. 2.16 that whosoever will be saved do beleive rightly the incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ 2 This then is the right faith Joh. 1.1 Luke 24.39 that wee beleeve and confesse that our Lord Jesus Christ the son of God is God and man 3 He is God Joh. 1.14.18 Prou. 8.22.23.25.30 Luk. 1 35. Gal 4.4 1 Joh. 5.20 of the substance of his Father begotten before the world man of the substance of his mother Born in the world Perfect God Perfect man of a reasonable soul human flesh subsisting Luke 24.39 Mat. 26.38 Joh. 5.17.14.18 Equall to the Father according to his Divinity Inferiour to the Father according to his Humanity 4. Who though he be God and man yet he is not two but one Christ One not by converting of the divinity into flesh Hebr. 2.14.16 Damasc l. 3. Orthod fidei c. 3. Concil Chalc. Act. 20. but by assuming of the humanity into God One altogether not by conversion of the substance but by unity of the person For as the reasonable soul and flesh are one man so God and man is one Christ 5. Who suffered for our Salvation Went down to Hell The third day rose again from the dead Rom. 4 25. Phil 2.8 Psal 16.10.116.3 1 Cor. 15.17 Acts. 1.11 Psal 110.1 2 Tim. 4.1 Ascended into Heaven He sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty From thence he shall come to judge the quick and dead 6. At whose coming all men shall rise with their bodyes and shall give an account of their own deeds 1 Thes 4.16 1 Cor. 15.52.53 Mat. 12.36 Rev. 20.12 Dan. 12.2 Joh. 5.28.29 Mar. 16.16 Heb. 11.6 2 Thes 1.8.9 And who have done good shall go into life eternall but who have done evill into everlasting fire 7. This is the Catholike Faith which except every one do faithfully and firmely beleeve hee cannot be saved Many other points of great moment I might here shew unto you as the effects and benefits of the hypostaticall or personall union of the two natures Oftentimes it comes to pass that by reason of the personall union of the two natures each one of them doth interchangeably take the concrete or compounded names each of other in predication Acts 20.38 the communicating of the properties which is nothing else but a form of speech whereby those things are spoken sometimes of the whole person of Christ which indeed are proper to either one nature and not to the other yet by reason of the strictness of this personall union whatsoever may be verified of either of those natures the same may be truly spoken of the whole person from whethersoever of the natures it be denominated but that to write or speak all that I might of this point would inlarge this Treatise into a great volume Joh. 3.13 1 Cor. 2.8 That it is impossible for any one man to expresse all the particulars of Christ his incarnation and that indeed the wit and learning of any one man
Apostle Who being in the forme of God tooke upon him the forme of a servant saith It is a wonder to think why some are afraid to say that Christ had two Natures when as the Apostle saith that he had two formes and the great oecumenicall Councill of Chalcedon left this confession unto all potesterity Concil Calced Act. 5. in Symb. fidei Confitemur in novissimis diebus filium Dei unigenitum in duabus naturis inconfuse immutabiliter indivise inseparabiliter agnoscendum nunquam sublata differentia propter unionem We confess that the only begotten son of god which came in the last days to be incarnate is now to be acknowledged to be to subsist of two natures that is Divine humane inconfusedly immutably inseparably and undividedly united together and that the differences or disjunction of these natures is never to be abolished and taken away by reason of the union of the same And here wee must observe That the two natures do make but one person in our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ that although this eternall son of God was so made flesh that is a perfect man of the seed of David as that still each nature remaineth intire and inconfused yet wee must not imagine that hee is therefore two sons or two persons as Nestorius thought but that he is one only person consisting of both these natures so that he in whom the fulnesse of manhood dwelleth is not one and he in whom the fulnesse of the Godhead another but he in whom the fulness of both those two dwelleth is one and the selfe same Christ that is one Christ one person and here wee must consider that the divine Nature did not assume an humane person but the divine person did assume an humane nature The son of God assuming into the unity of his person that which before hee was not and yet without change for so must God still be remaining that which he was And so Gregory Nazianzen saith Permansit quod erat assumpsit quod non erat Nazian Orat. 3 de Theolog. Hee remained what he was and he assumed what he was not because Christ was made flesh Non deposita sed seposita Majestate not by cancelling or laying away but as it were by concealing and laying aside for a time the most glorious appearance of his divine Majesty Emyssen hom 2 de nativiatte as Eusebius Emyssenus doth most excellently declare and the Poet as wittily saying That which hee was he is yet once was not That which he is a nature hee hath got Fitz. Jeffrey p. 17. More then hee had and yet he still retaines That which hee had and having both remaines But one and though hee tooke one nature more Yet is he but one person as before This truth of the union of these two natures may be confirmed by the holy scriptures The unity of Christ his person most clearly proved from Scriptures for when Christ asked his Apostles Whom do men say that I the son of man am Saint Peter answered that hee was Christ the son of the living God therefore hee is but one person because Saint Peter confesseth the son of man to be the son of the living God Mat. 16.13.16 And the Angell said unto the Virgin Luke 1.35 That holy thing which shall be borne of thee shall be called the son of God therefore hee is but one person because hee which was born of the Virgin was and is none other but he that is truly called Joh 20.31 and is the true son of God and Saint Paul speaking of Christ as hee was the eternall son of God Rom. 1.8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in respect of his Godhead and as he was the Son of David 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in respect of his manhood yet doth he not say of his sons as of two 1 Joh. 1 1. c 2. v. 22. Chap. 3. v. 16. Chap. 4 v 3. but of his son made and declared to be his son to shew unto us That as before his making so now after his making he is still but one son one person of the two distinct natures subsisting And this is confessed by all antiquity All our Creeds and all antiquity confesseth the same truth touching the unity of Christ his person for in the Apostles Creed we say that we beleeve in Jesus Christ his only son our Lord which was conceived of the Holy Ghost and borne of the Virgin Mary and therefore he is but one person because hee which is said to be the only son of God is said also to be born of the Virgin Mary and in the Creed of Athanasius it is said That although Christ be both God and man yet he is no more twain but one Christ and that not by confounding of the substances but by the unity of person that is by the uniting of both natures into one person Concil Calced Concil Nicen. Si quis non confitetur carnisecundum subsistentiam unitum Dei Patris verbum anathema sit Also the third Councill of Ephesus the Councill of Lateran and all the ancient Orthodox Fathers as Justin Martyr Irenaeus Saint Basil saint Nazianzen saint Damascen saint Hillary saint Ambrose saint Hierome saint Augustine and the rest of them have most truly and learnedly confessed this truth that although Christ hath two natures yet do these two make but one person one son of God one Saviour of men So that this we may safely say and must firmly hold that as the distinction of the Persons in the Holy Trinity hindreth not the unity of the nature of the God-head although every person intirely holdeth his own incommunicable property so neither doth the distinction of the two Natures in our Mediator any way crosse the unity of his person although each nature remaineth entire in it selfe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and retaineth the properties agreeing thereunto without any conversion composition commixion or confusion Now for the clearer understanding of this point we say that the understanding of these two natures is 1. Inconvertible 2. Indivisible 3. Inconfused 4. Inseparâ—ble 5. Substantiall 6. Ineffable Frst Inconvertible 1 Inconvertible Because neither the diâ—ine Nature is turned into the humanity â—â—r the humanity into the Deity Secondly Indivisible 2. Indivisible Because the natures are so united into one person that they can never be separated unlesse we divide the person of Christ which is most hereticall 3. Inconfused Thirdly Inconfused Because the natures remain still intire without confounding either their Essence or their properties or their wills or any other operations whatsoever therefore we do affirm that in Christ there are two Natures How the properties of each nature do remain intire and inconfused to each nature two Wills two Naturall proprieties operations intire and unmixed that we may not confound them with Eutyches for sith the natures are neither confused nor transfused each into other the
is no more able to expresse all the Mysteries and most excellent points that we might collect and learne from the Incarnation of Christ then one poor fisher man is able to catch all the fishes in the ocean sea And therefore thus much shall suffice concerning this discourse of the Incarnation Birth Life Death Resurrection and Ascension of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ who is as hath been proved the true and promised Messiah the only son of God the brightnesse of his glory the expresse image of his Person heire of all things Heb. 1.2.3.4 c. more excellent then the Angels having honour glory Power strength Praise 2 Pet. 1.17 Rev. 5.12 Colos 2.3.1.18 Psal 2.8 Eph. 1.20.21.22 Psal 72.8.17 Phil. 2 9. Dignity Riches and Wisdome yea all treasures of knowledge and wisdome the heathen for his inheritance the Earth for his possessions and the Heavenly places for his seate far above all Power Might Dominion and Principalities with a Name given him above all Names at which every knee should bow c. Being the second Person in Trinity begotten of his Father from Eternity Gal. 4.4 in one Person the Son of God and very man Man Non exeundo quod habuit sed induendo quod non habuit not by loosing that he had but by accepting what hee had not our miserable nature conceived of a Virgin by the Holy Ghost called of his Father ever since the fall of Adam to be a Mediator between God and man desired of the Patriarchs prefigured in the Law foretold by the Prophets accomplished in the time of Grace manifested in the flesh justified in the spirit 1 Tim. 3.16 seen of Angells preached unto the Gentiles beleeved on in the world and received up into Glory For man hee became a King to rule a Prophet to teach and Priest to sacrifice CHAP. III. OF THE HOLY GHOST Wherein the greatnesse of Gods goodness doth appeare WHEN we think upon the infinite goodnesse of the great Jehovah how gracious he is in all respects amiable in himselfe placable unto men liberall unto all his creatures none is so stupid and dull as not to admire it in him such is the never-dying streams of the goodness of God it is like a boundlesse Ocean there is no end of his Goodnesse and therefore Saint Bernard in admiration thereof breaketh forth into these heavenly acclamations saying Quam dives es in misericordia magnificus in Justitia munificus in gratia Domine Deus noster O how rich art thou in mercy how magnificent in Justice and how bountifull in Grace O Lord our God! For thou art a most liberall bestower of heavenly gifts Nam tu munerator copiosissimus remunerator aequissimus liberator piissimus Bernard a most righteous Rewarder of humane workes and a most gracious Deliverer of all that trust in thee yea so great is the goodnesse of God it is beyond expression beyond our imagination our words are beneath our thoughts and our thoughts far lower then the truth thereof Deut. 32.49 52. Yet as Moses from the top of Mount Nebo beheld the borders of the land of Canaan so if you please to ascend with me to the Mount of Contemplation I will shew you some glimpses of Gods goodnesses Certaine glimpses or shadowes of Gods goodness for he elected us before we were he created us of nothing hee redeemed us when we were lost hee preserveth us being found and that hee might bring us to eternall life hee hath given us the Author and Fountain of all temporall and spirituall gifts even the holy Ghost What the holy Ghost is 1 Joh. 5.7 Joh 15.26 Gal. 4.6 Psal 139.7 who is the third Person of the true and only God-head proceeding from the Father and the Son and co-eternall coquall and consubstantiall with them both Mat. 28.19 Isa 6.8.9 Act 28.25.26 He is call'd by the name of spirit proceeding from the Father and the son to shew the Essence and Nature that he is of for as the spirit of man must needs be truly of mans nature and is the most formall and Essentiall part of man 1 Cor. 2.11.12 So and much more it must be thought of the Spirit of God upon whom no Composition falleth And yet some have been so bold as most impiously to affirme that the holy Ghost was but a created quality or a godly motion in the hearts and minds of Righteous man Isa 6.8.9 Acts 28.25.26 But if wee do compare the words of Isaias with the words of Saint Paul they will sufficiently confute this damnabe â—rrour and most manifestly shew unto us this holy spirit to be the true and eternall God Besides the scripture saith That the spirit of the Lord filleth heaven and earth Sap. 1.7 whereupon Saint Basil Ambrose de S. S. l. 1. c. 7. Saint Augustine Saint Ambrose and others have most plainly proved against all hereticks whatsoever that the holy Ghost is a true God by Nature That the Holy Ghost is a true God by nature because that to be every where cannot by Grace belong to any but only to him that is by Nature God which reserveth this unto himselfe to be every where and therefore Saint Augustine writing against Maximinus an Arrian Bishop saith Aug. cont Maxim l. 3. c. 21. Epist 66. I cannot express how much I marvell what a heart you have so to extoll the holy Ghost as to make him every where present to sanctifie the faithfull and yet that thou dare deny him to be a God for is not he a God which filleth heaven and earth Also Dydimus in his booke Basil de spiritu sancto c. 22. and Saint Basil in his treatise De spiritu sancto declare that to be God Didym lib. 1. de spiritu sancto which can be in diverse places at one time Which thing is not agreeable to any creature But that the holy Ghost was present with the Apostles and Prophets in sundry parts of the world at one time no man professing the faith of Christ doth in the least doubt the truth thereof Wherefore it followeth that he is a God Job 33. Mat. 28.19 1 Joh. 5.7 Joh 14.1.16 1 Cor 3.16 2 Cor. 13.14 Psal 33.6.104 30 The Symbolum of Nice out of the holy scripture teacheth That the holy Ghost is hee that maketh alive and hee that together with the Father and the sonne is worshiped and with them is honoured therefore the holy Ghost of necessity must be true and everlasting God with the Father and the son in one only essence touching which point the holy Fathers powerfully did set themselves against the Hereticks and out of holy scripture stoutly maintained the same Plato Aristotle Proclus Suidas Orpheus Pherecydes Parmenides Porphyrius Numenius Amelius Chalcidius Avicen As for Atheists which deny the scriptures and are altogether ignorant of this blessed spirit if they will but look into the writings of
of Orphaeus who is called the Author of the plurality of the Gods Also Phocilides Phocilides followeth him in these words There is but only one God mighty wise and happy And again Honour the only God And so Theognis Homer Hesiodus Sophocles Euripides Aratus and many others have delivered the same truth And as touching the Latins Ovid Ovid. in his Metamorphosis attributeth the Creation of the world and of all things therein unto the only one God Virgil in his fourth booke of Husbandry and in other places And Virgil doth ordinarily call him the King of Gods and men and he describeth him shedding forth his power to the uttermost Coasts of Heaven and earth and with his virtue quickning the world and all that is therein Thus we see that the Gentiles did conceive a certain kinde of knowledge and understanding though undigested imperfect overshadowed as it were with humane reasonings concerning God and that although through custome they did celebrate the plurality of Gods yet notwithstanding they did acknowledge but one only true God by Nature This Truth of the unity of the God-head The unity of the God-head proved from Scripture may be yet further proved and confirmed by expresse testimonies of sacred Scripture as heare O Israel the Lord thy God is one God Deut. 6.4.32.39 Isa 44.6 7 8. and therefore know you that I am God alone and besides me there is none other saith the Lord himselfe to shew the truth and certainty of the unity of his Essence also Saint Paul saith 1 Cor. 8.4 6. We know that there is none other God but one and so wee finde the same truth expressed in many other places of the Scripture as Deut. 4 35 1 Sam 2 2 Psal 18.31 Isa 37 16 45 5 21 46 9 Hos 13 4 Mal 2 10 Mark 12 29 32 Rom 3 30 Gal 3 20 Ephes 4 5 1 Tim 2 5 Jam. 2 19. Reason sheweth that there can be but one God c Besides reason it selfe sheweth that there can be but one God for if there were more Gods then one then they must be either all without beginning or one must proceed from other either by creation or generation That they should be all without beginning is impossible for then it must needes follow that there should be multa principia prima dispâ—rata in una voluntate non convenientia many first causes and unequall beginnings that could never agree and be of the same minde and will and therefore to say they should be all without beginning is most absurd An unaswerable argument that there is but one God If one be from the other by Creation then is the second a creature and therefore but one God uncreated if one be from the other by generation then the first gave the second either a part or his whole substance if a part then is God partible and may be divided which cannot be said of such a spirituall indivisible substance if the first gave the rest his whole essence then have all the same deity and so all must be the same God-head Secondly There can be but one infinite God is infinite and therefore but one because that which is infinite comprehendeth all things within the circle of it self Thirdly Deut. 6.4.5 Mark 12.29.30 we are charged to give unto God all our heart all our strength and all our soul if one must have all there is none left for any other Fourthly there is but one first cause of all things God is that first cause therefore he is but one Fiftly But one first cause Acts 17 28. Exod 3.14 God is summum ens the first and cheifest being as himself professeth I am that I am we have learned that of the Prince of Philosophers that there can be but one cheifest Being But one cheifest being Quia ens unum convertuntur because that being and one are all one Lastly It is impossible there should be many Gods for seeing it is absolutely necessary that hee who is God Why there can be but one God have all perfection of being in himself to make many Gods were to make them all imperfect and so they can be no Gods To allow of Polutheism then is to admit of Atheisme he cannot worship any God who acknowledgeth many Gods seeing there can be but One most perfect But one most perfect Tertul. l. contra Hermog c. 17. as but one first mover one first efficient and therefore this one God is so absolutely One that he is One alone besides whom there can be none other for we deny all number in the Deity Or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Only one unlesse you mean in the personall proprieties And therefore Gregory Nyssen saith well Quod in multitudinem extendere numerum Deitatum eorum duntaxat est qui laborant multitudinis deorum errore Nâ—ssen ad Eustach l. de Trin. Basil ep 141. ad Caesarium That to extend the number of the Deities into a multitude belongs only unto them which do erroneously maintain a multitude of Gods for the Catholick Faith is this That we should worship the Trinity in Vnity and the Vnity in Trinity that is The Trinity of Persons and the unity of Essence because all number is to be rejected from the Essence of God saith Saint Basil for the divine Essence is so simple and so numerically one that no diversity can be given The father the Son and the holy Ghost are one by nature whereby the very Persons do differ in regard of the Essence so that whatsoever the Father essentially is the Son is the same and the Holy spirit is the same How the persons are distinguished But now here wee must observe that although the God-head cannot be divided in its Essence yet the persons may be distinguished by their properties Quia hoc est proprium Patris quod solus est Pater quod ab alio non est nisi a se hoc est proprium Filij quod a Patre genitus est solus a solo hoc est proprium spiritus sancti quod nec genitus nec ingenitus est sed a patre filio aequaliter procedens for this is the property of the Father That he alone is the Father and that hee is not from any other but only of himself and this is the property of the Son that he alone is begotten of the Father alone co-equall unto him and co-essentiall and this is the property of the Holy Ghost to be not made not begotten but from the Father and the Son equally proceeding And therefore wee say that these incommunicable and proper operations of the persons do so make the true and reall distinction of the Persons that the Father cannot be the Son nor the Holy Ghost that the Son cannot be the Father nor the Holy Ghost That the distinction of the persons hindreth not the unity of
the Nature of the God-head although every person intirely holdeth his own incommunicable property and that the Holy Ghost cannot be the Father nor the son so that in a word all Three is the same Essence and yet neither of the three can be the person of the other Also from these inward actions or operations of these persons do proceed the nominall relations of the one unto the other as Father Son and Holy Ghost which do likewise make a true reall distinction of the Persons for the Father is not a name of Essence but of relation unto the Son and the Son is not a name of Essence but of relation unto the Father and so the Holy Ghost proceeding is not a name of Essence but of relation to the Father the Son therfore these names are so proper to each person that the name of the one cannot be ascribed to the other Ob. But you will say that the Son it called Father as Esa 9 6 He is said to be the Father of eternities Sol I answer that the name of Father is taken two wayes The name of the father is taken two wayes 1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Essentially 2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Personally First Essentially so in respect of the creatures each person of the Trinity may be rightly termed Father Secondly Personally and so the first person only is Father because he only doth beget his son How the father is the first person Mat. 28 19. Joh. 5.26 Joh. 10.30.38 Mat. 11.27 Joh. 16.14.15 And here by the way we must remember that the Father is the first person not in priority of dignity or of time but of order as being the fountain of the Trinity communicating not alienating from himselfe the whole nature essentiall attributes of the God-head to the son and with the son to the Holy Ghost Now as touching the outward actions or operations of these persons Outward operations not altogether sufficient to expresse the differences of the three subsistences and why we finde they are not altogether sufficient to express their differences for as Nazian truly affirmeth of the three persons themselves Non possum tria discernere quin subito ad unum referar nec possum unum cogitare quin trium fulgore confundar so may we say of their outward operations that although they be affirmed of one yet may they presently be referred to all three Acts 20.28 1 Pet. 1.2 Joh. 1.3 1 Cor. 1.2 Psal 33.6 Eph 4.30 Opera Trinitatis adâ—extra sunt indivisa so we find them in many passages of the holy scriptures as redemption sanctification to the father creation sanctification to the son creatino redemption to the Holy Ghost So that indeed these outward works of the Trinity are so indivisible that we cannot so properly ascribe them to any one but you see that they may likewise be ascribed to any other And besides wee must observe that whereas the inward actions of these persons are permanent and necessary Outward workes voluntary these outward operations are transient and voluntary for that God in these things is Liberrimus Agens A free Agent so that he might have chosen whether to do them or not do them and therefore in all these works Election Creation Gubernation Redemption Sanctification Glorification there can be ascribed none other cause Psal 135.6 but Quia voluit because he would For whatsoever pleaseth the Lord that did hee in Heaven and in Earth in the seas and in all deepe places And therefore I say these outward actions and so likewise those Names which are given unto these Persons in regard of these actions as Creatour unto the Father Redeemer unto the Son Comforter and Sanctifier unto the Holy Ghost are not altogether sufficient to expresse the differences of these persons because they are common to all three in one Essence And yet we finde that when any Action is determined to the Father according to the manner of his existence as Father then do the Scriptures say a quo vel ad quem from whom Jam. 1.17 Prov. 16 4. Ephes 3.21 or for whom or to whom and when any action is ascribed to the Son according to the manner of his existence as son then do the scriptures say Per quem in quo Ephes 3.21 1.3 by whom or through whom and in whom and when any action is assigned to the Holy Ghost according to the manner of his existence as Holy Ghost then do the scriptures say Quo ex quo by whom Rom. 8.14 Joh. 3.6 and of whom and in regard of these expressions of the workes of God by such Phrases Basil de spiritu sancto c. 14. Saint Basil doth expound that place of the Apostleâ— in Rom. 11 36 Of him and through him and for him are all things to be a plain distinction of the three persons by the manner of their Actions as well as their existence because all things are of the Holy Ghost by the Son for the Father as the same Author speaketh And thus you see That although the divine Essence is only One impartible and indivisible Athanâ—s 2 Dialog de Trinit yet that there are three persons in this one Essence not that the Essence begets either Essence or person but because the person of the Father begetteth the Person of the Son and both Father and son do eternally spire and send forth the person of the Holy Ghost But now if any shall further enquire of the manner how the father begetteth the son and how the father and the son do spire and send forth the holy spirit Galenus l. 15. de usu partium 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I must answer as Galenus did in a point far inferiour to this which is of infinite profundity How this is done if you enquire you will be taken for one that hath no understanding either of your own infirmity or of the power of the Creator And the fathers do often dehort us from the curiosity of explaining the manner of divine mysteries 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for that worthy Nazianzen saith Nazian Orat. 1 de Theolog. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 You heare the generation of the son be not curious to know the manner you hear the Holy Ghost proceedeth be not busie to enquire how That we should not enquire too far into the manner of divine mysteries A finite understanding not possibly able to comprehend this infinite mystery And in another place he saith Let the generation of God be honoured with silence it is much for thee to have learned that he was begotten as for the manner how we grant it not to be understood by Angells much lesse by thee So that here wee must acknowledge it impossible that a finite understanding should comprehend that mystery which is infinite in its Glory and therefore when the minde soares high to conceive the truth of the unity
it is dazled with the Glory of the Trinity when it would conceive the mistery of the trinity it is overcome with the glory of the unity Not to be illustrated by any instances And to illustrate this mistery with instances is to shadow out the light with colours though the instances are that of the same sun in its body beams light the same water in its fountaine spring river yea the same soule in its understanding memory and will And therefore in this mystery of the Trinity how in that most simple and single Essence of God there be certain Persons truly subsisting Three in One and One in three differing but not divided severall but not sundred many and yet the same all one for their Nature all distinct for their persons is a secret of all secrets passing all reach and understanding of man rather reverently to be adored then too curiously to be searched into Deut. 29 29. for that secret things belong unto the Lord and things revealed unto us Let us not therefore I say be too curious to enquire how these things can be but let us faithfully beleeve them to be a Trinity of Persons in the Vnity of the Divine Essence and each person to have the whole divine Essence so communicated unto it as that all the three persons must needs be co eternall co essentiall co-equall Yea finally because it must be our cheifest care to keep our selves within the limits of Faith We must keep within the limits of faith I will hereunto add the Creed of Blessed Athanasius concerning this most sacred and ineffable mystery Mar. 16.16 Mat. 28.16 1 VVhosoever would be saved before all things it is needfull that he hold the Catholick Faith which except every man keep whole and inviolate Heb. 11.6 2 Thes 1.8 hee shall doubtlesse perish everlastingly Deut. 6 4. 1 Cor. 8 4. 1 Joh. 5.7 Isa 6 3. 2 And this is the Catholick Faith That wee worship one God in Trinity and the Trinity in Unity neither confounding the persons nor dividing the Essence Joh. 5 32. 14 16. 14. 26 chap. 1â—1 5 31. Joh. 10.30 5.7.18 3 For there is one person of the Father another of the Son another of the Holy Ghost But the Divinity of the Father Son and Holy Ghost is one the glory equall the Majesty co-eternall Joh. 1.1.3 Heb. 1.2 Jâ—â— 14.23 Ephes 3.17 4 Such as the Father is such is the Son and such is the Holy Ghost the Father uncreate the Son uncreate and the Holy Ghost uncreate Mat. 28.20 Prov. 8 25. Rev. 1.8 21 6. Gen 1.2 Job 33.4 Rom. 8.9 the Father immense the son immense and the Holy Ghost immense the Father eternall the son eternall and the Holy Ghost eternall and yet not three eternalls but one eternall as there are not three uncreated nor three incomprehensible but one uncreated and one incomprehensible 5 Likewise the Father is almighty Joh. 16.15 Rev. 1.8.4.8 1 Joh. 5.20 Rom. 9.5 1 Cor 12.11 Acts 5.3.4 Luke 2.11 Acts 4.24 1 Cor. 8.6 the son almighty and the Holy Ghost almighty yet there are not three Almighties but one Almighty even so the Father is God the son is God and the Holy Ghost is God and yet there are not three Gods but one God so the Father is Lord the son is Lord and the Holy Ghost is Lord yet not three Lords but one Lord. 6 For As we are compelled by the Christian verity to confesse severally each person to be God or Lord so we are forbid by the Catholick faith to say there be three Gods or three Lords 7. The Father is made of none Joh. 1.14 Prov. 8.25 Psal 2.7 Heb 1 5. Joh 15. â—6 Rom. 8.9 Gal. 4.6 nor created nor begotten the son is from the Father alone not made nor created but begotten the Holy Ghost is from the father and the son neither made nor created nor begotten but proceeding There is then one Father not three Fathers one son not three sons one Holy Ghost not three Holy Ghosts 8 And in this Trinity none is before or after other none lesser or greater then other Joh. 5.18 10.30 16.15 Gen 1.2.26 but all the three persons are co-eternall among themselves and co-equall so that in all things as is sayd the Unity in Trinity 1 Joh. 2.23 Rom. 8.9 1 Cor. 12.3 and Trinity in Unity is to be worshipped He then that will be saved must thus thinke of the Trinity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 FINIS A Catalogue of some Bookes printed for and sold by Edw. Dod. at the Gun in Ivy-lane AN entire Commentary upon the whole Old Testament in 4 Vol. in fol. wherein the divers Translations Expositions literal and mysticall of all the most famous Commentators both Ancient and Moderne are propounded examined and judged of for the more full satisfaction of the studious Reader in all things which compleateth the Authors Comment on the whole Bible a work the like to which hath never yet been published in English by any man written by John Mayer Doctor in Divinity The Expiation of a sinner in a Commentary on the Epistle to the Hebrewes Fol. by T L. DD. a learned and reverend Divine The justification of a sinner being the main Argument of saint Paules Epistle to the Galathians fol. written by the Author of the Expiation of a sinner Thomae Leshintonii Logica analytica de princîpiis Regulis usu Rationis Rectae 8. The Angel-Guardian proved by the Light of Nature beams of scripture and consent of many ancient and Modern writers untainted with Popery By Robert Dingley Master of Arts late Fellow of Magdalen Colledge in Oxford 8. America or an exact description of the West-Indies especially of those Provinces under the dominion of Spain in which not only the nature and climate of the place with the Commodities it affordeth is fully described but also plain full directions given for the right ordring of the same so as to fit them for the use of the Inhabitants and also for transportation the like never yet published in English faithfully related by N N Gent. in 8. Natures Paradox or the innocent Impostor a pleasant Polonian History translated out of French into English by Major John Wright 4 Poems Songs and Sonnets written by Richard Lovelace Esq 8. The life and death of Mr. Carter with other Tracts written by his son Mr John Carter Minister of Gods word in the City of Norwich 8. Directions for writing true English by Richard Hodges in 8. The Breviat of saving Knowledge by 5 Brinsley of great Yarmouth the second Edition corrected and much enlarged by the Author in 8. Heavens Alarum to all Jurors especially false swearers in 12 by Tim Woodroffe The surfeit to A B C in 12 being a very ingenious thing The Reign of King Charls faithfully and impartially delivered and disposed into Annalls by A L Esq Fol And newly Enlarged and Corrected by the Author Judgement and Mercy or the Plague of Frogs inflicted removed delivered in nine sermons by that late Reverend and learned Divine Mr. Josias Shute 4. The safe way to Glory in severall exercises of generall use by William Smith Mr of Arts R. of Cotton in Suffolk The Triumphes of Rome over dispised Protestancy in 4 by a person of eminency in the Church of England