same which are used by Jews insinuateth that a Trinity of persons in the divine essence is impossible It falsely supposeth that if there be three persons there must needs be a Trinitie of Gods That article of Christian faith concerning the Son of God becoming the sonne of man is misconstrued Azoar 2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And they say that God assum'd a Son Christians are by Mahumedans call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Associantes that I may use the words of Erpenius in Histor Joseph comma 106. Quod Jesum Christum Deum esse dicunt veróque Deo tanquam diversum ut faliò illi opinantur adjungant Christians affirm not that God became a father by assuming into his nature the person of God the Sonne nor yet that the two natures of the Sonne of God are distinct persons nor that God hath more sonnes then one unlesse by adoption and spirituall generation by which I mean regeneration See in the supposed Gregory Thaumaturgus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and σ. with their elucidations Christ is the Sonne of God the father those who are regenerate although opera trinitatis ad extra sunt indivisa according to Scripture language are born of the spirit The faith embraced by Christians acknowledgeth for its rule the Gospel which authours of the Alcoran confesse to be divine truth But moreover should Christians at any time have erred as affirming that the divine nature was divisible or divided at indâ—gni â—i qui reprehenderent who affirm that God when he had form'd the body of man of mud breath'd into it part of his own soul As Christ is God so he is equall to God the Father The same indivisible nature cannot agree to severall persons according to severall degrees Eusebius doth not contradict what propounded in sacred Scriptures to be believed as did Arius but also the light of naturall reason In his Evangelicall demonstration God the Father is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And cannot saith Eusebius assume a body God the Sonne is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 compar'd with God the Father is saith Eusebius blasphemously as an ambassadour to his prince 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 See Demonstrat Evangel lib. 5 c. 1 4 6 9 10 11 13 20. the title of the twenty fifth chapter cap. 30. lib. sexti prooem c. 16 17 20. That I may omit similitudes by which Feild upon the Church Dr. Andrews in his sermons and Dr. Jackson in his knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ chap. 30. excellently illustrate the union of the two natures in Christ Gregory Thaumaturg serm in Annunciat Mariae virginis conceiveth that the Margarite consisting 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ex duabus naturis ex fulgure nimirum aquâ is a fit resemblance The Trinity of persons in one undivided nature whereof each is infinite without infinetenesse multiplied and duality of natures whereof one is finite the other infinite in the same individuall person are mysteries which men and angels ought to believe and may admire but cannot comprehend nor perfectly represent by any resemblances Mahumedans very man against the Marcionites God and man together by personall union against the Nestorians came into the world that is was born This is his advent or coming meant in my text He came into the world that is was in lucem editus This his coming was promised to our first parents in Paradise prefigured by variety of types prophecyed of by Jacob Gen. 49.10 foreseen by Job as may be gathered from Job 19.25 prophecyed of * With whom I may joyn Hermes in his book inscrib'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 See Lactantius lib. de vera sapientia cap. 6. Marsil Ficin Argument in Merc. Trismegist Pymand by Balaam Num. 24.17 promised to David 2. Sam. 7.16 and 1. Chron. 17.11 12. foretold by the †See Constantines oration in Eusebius after the life of Constantine cap. 18. and 20. Clemens Alexandrinus Strom. l. 6. Lactantius lib. 4. c. 6. to whom may be added Justine Athenagoras Austine Virgil Eclog. 4. others If any surmise that predictions attributed to Sybills were feign'd by Primitive Christians preposterously ambitious of promoting a good cause let him see Constantines oration before praisd his Epistle also to Arius and his sectatours extant in the acts of the Nicene Councell part 3. Sybills celebrated by a quire of Angels honoured by the three Persians testified by God himself God is pleased to dwell with man on earth the heavens cannot contain him 2. Chron. 6.18 The voice of my beloved behold he cometh leaping upon the mountains skipping upon the hils Cant. 2.8 Vultis ipsos ejus saltus agnoscere saith * In Evangel Hom. 19. Gregory upon that place He leaped saith he from heaven into the wombe from from the wombe into the manger from the manger to the Crosse from the Crosse into the grave from the sepulchre he returned into heaven The first of these leaps is by Chrysostome called a great stride by the second of them he reach'd into the world according to the mind of my Text He who was †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Nonnus eternal was born This is a true saying God who is truth it self prophecyed and promised this birth to our first parents in paradise God out of his transcendent lenity promised mercy before he passed sentence upon them Our Saviour is called the womans seed Gen. 3.15 Were †Antiquitat Judaic l. 1. c. 2 Josephus orthodox in what he reports concerning the serpent which seduc'd our first parents 't were an easie matter for the womans seed to bruise his head He mistakes both in naturall and theolo-history in that as affirming that the serpent before he deceived our first parents had the facultie of speech went upon feet and by reason of that misdemeanour was amersd these abilities and also had poyson as a badge of his enmity towards man put under his tongue in this as esteeming what was onely the instrument in tempting Eve the principall cause and the promise a precept the observance of which would prove but of shallow advantage that Gods meaning was that every one as he met with a serpent should strike it upon the head which contain'd in it somewhat hurtfull to mankind Onkelus attained the mind of the sentence He thus paraphraseth I 'll put enmity between thee and the woman and between thy sonne and her sonne he shall remember what thou didst to him in the beginning and thou shalt observe him in the end The sonne of the woman our Saviour not the Virgin Mary as Papists blasphemously affirm brake the serpents head the first of the devils works against mankind the devill by his malicious attempts endeavoureth to hinder the consummation of Gods works of mercy the application of Christs merits No one unlesse the Sonne of God as well as the seed of the woman could be able to bruise the serpents head Behold a virgin shall conceive and bear a sonne and shall call his name EMMANVEL
that as he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he was Christ as well as Jesus All who at any time have been anointed by God first have been set apart for some office some encounter or agony secondly enabled at least in some measure to perform what they were design'd for thirdly were fragrant in the nostrills even of God himself Those who were anointed in regard of the first qualification were sacred persons By vertue of the second they were rendred more nimble and chearfull in the performance of their duties The third containeth their interest in others affections From these resulteth gladnesse or joy in themselves We may by gladnesse perhaps not unseasonably understand vigour of courage and strength like oyl above the lees of fear and the reach of danger in the seventh comma of the 45. Palme The 3 4 and 5. verses of that Psalme seem to inform us whither the anointing attributed to our Saviour alludes He 's such a champion against ignorance sinne Satan hell against all the power of darknesse as cannot operam oleum perdere Our Saviour according to his divine nature by reason of infinite perfection was uncapable of any accession of abilities yet was anointed to wit set apart as I may speak with reverence and dissign'd for the Mediatourship by the Senate of the sacred Trinity so ordering In our nature assumed he suffered for our sinnes so perform'd the office of a Priest Illuminating and sanctifying grace which he purchased for us by his sufferings are duely ascrib'd to him and speak him a Prophet and a King Christ who according to his divine nature had essentiall dominion over all creatures as God-man was appointed the heire of all things According to his humane nature he was anointed with the holy Ghost He was anointed in his two natures according to severall capacities but so as he was but one Priest one Prophet one King one Mediatour God the Sonne was active the humane nature passive in the union yet both united are one Christ Christs performances for his Church with their fragrancy and savour of rest refresh both God and man God the Father pronounceth concerning him This is my beloved Sonne in whom I am well pleased Christ was inaugurated at his baptisme but anointed in * Absurdissimum est ut credamus ChristuÌ„ cùm jam triginta annorum esset accepisse Spiritum sanctum cùm Johannes à quo baptizatus est spiritu sancto repletus fuerit jam indè ab utero matris tametsi modo longè inferiori quà m Christus Aug. de Trin. lib. 15. c. 26. the instant of the union of his two natures He was Christ the Lord at his birth Luke 2.11 The Lords Christ when seen by Simeon Luke 2.26 Christ had for some years a Patent-dormient Kings Priests and Prophets were not depos'd or degraded in time of sleep howsoever the functions of their offices were intermitted †Alioqui enim Christo ab initio Spiritus vel omnino non datus vel ad mensuram datus fuisset quod negat ejus praecursor Estius in sentent l. 2. distinct 14. sect 2. His humane nature received a fulnesse of grace as soon as united to the divine Some object against this truth what we reade Luke 2.52 Jesus encreased in wisdome and stature in favour with God and man He encreased in grace wisdome if not in himself yet in others among whom he was conversant and whom he instructed He encreas'd in grace and wisdome if not really yet in the opinion of others He acquir'd some knowledge acceptable to God and man As he grew in stature so for some time in the exercise of wisdome and in favour really with men and as they would conceive with God He grew in the exercise of wisdome and grace in the sight both of God and man That I may expresse what I conceive to be the mind of the Text The use and exercise of his wisdome as it was more enlarg'd became more lovely in the sight of God and man Maimonides noteth Halacoth Melachim Perek 1. That no King but the first of the family was anointed as Saul as David or upon strife as Salomon by reason of Adonias Joas for Athalia Joachas for his elder brother Joachim but Joshua the next king to Moses was not anointed Christ a spirituall King a King that reigneth in mens affections by the appointment of God the Father the A and Ω of that kind moreover who hath not his kingdome without contradiction and strife was according to Maimonides principles not unduly anointed Christ as a King as a Priest and as a Prophet was anointed with the oyl of gladnesse above his fellows He was each of these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So much is plentifully expressed in the Epâ—stle to the Hebrews As a Priest he farre surpassed legall priests Heb. in 7 8 9. and 10 chapters The twelve Patriarchs Exod. 28. have each of them his precious stone inscribed with his name in the brestplate of judgement a symbole of the Church under the Law Levie hath the Calcedonie Judah the Smaragd But Revel 21. in the foundation of the new Jerusalem the Church under the Gospel Levie hath the Smaragd and Judah the Calcedon The tribes have their stones in Aarons brest-plate according to their births Our Saviours Calcedon in Levie's place telleth us that he hath put an end to Legal sacrifices If Leviticall sacrifices could have expiated sinnes it had not been necessary that the Priesthood should have been translated As a King he farre excelled all who were types of him both in power and honour Alsheach interpreteth what is spoken Psal 45. concerning the Messias to be meant of Israel and by their companions understandeth heathens ' and Angels of ministery c. Sure we are that Christ was is exalted above all earthly Monarchs and above the glorious Angels These are but ministring spirits None of them hath dominion over mens hearts God said to none of them at any time Sit thou at my right hand till I make thine enemies my footstool God spake in times past by the Prophets but poured out himself in the latter times once for all by his Sonne Christs propheticall office is abundantly more communicable then either of his other .. No one merely a creature could by sacrificing himself expiate mans sinnes or yet oversway mens perverse affections but what light and information Christ imparts to any dark soul he may communicate by ministers angels or men Yet the full revelation to be made of Evangelicall mysteries was reserv'd for Christ as prerogative to his Propheticall office What Christ perform'd as a Priest and what he performs as a King is competible to none of his creatures Had not his sufferings been vigorated by his divine nature they could not have prevailed against our sinnes by which we offended an infinite God before the tribunall of divine justice Neither can any creature create grace in our hearts no earthly scepter can sway our
Jew sh warre reporteth himself to have been a Prophet that he foretold to Vespasian Nero's death Abarbinel upon Esay 11. maketh the times of the second Temple altogether barren of prophecy that he might render them uncapable of the Messias He misreporteth his brethren the Rabbins into the same opinion The Prophet he saith reckoneth up ten conditions which must necessarily be found in King Messias The first of them concerneth his lineage and family The second condition containeth his degree of prophecy The Spirit of Jehovah which should rest upon the Messias is with Abarbinel the Spirit of prophesie This prophecy concerning the Messias could not saith he be fulfilled in Hezekiah because he was not a Prophet nor in the times of the second Temple quòd non fuerit in eis prophetia non Spiritus sanctus sicut acceperunt sapientes beata memoriae 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Habitare faciam in eo gloriam quae est shechinah sed non habitavit in eo ità jugiter ut in templo primo Shechinah here signifies otherwise then in comments upon Haggie 1.8 afore-quoted viz. the spirit of prophecy Seder Olam zuta determineth in what yeare of the world prophecy expired 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In diebus Meshullam floruit regnum Graeciae anno scilicet quinquagesimo secundo Medorum Persarum mortui sunt Haggaeus Zacharia Maleachi Eo tempore cessavit prophetia ab Israel ipse est annus mundi ter millesimus quadringentesimus quartus Aben-ezra saith of Malachy in Malach. c. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he was the last of the Prophets The greater part of the Jews by whom prophecy is termed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 forasmuch as they deny distinction of persons in the Divine essence attended in the use of the term that God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that holy blessed one as they love to speak was a Spirit The holy Spirit doth not onely signifie the third person in the sacred Trinity but likewise the essence of God Tropes from the cause to the effect from the thing signified to the signe are usuall But perhaps the name Ruach hakkodesh as signifying prophecy was first borrowed from the third person of the glorious Trinity We gather from the writings of some Rabbies on this side Christ besides that it 's uncertain whether or no prophecy before Christ incarnated was call'd the holy Ghost a Trinity of Divine Persons Shechinah is call'd the spirit of the Lord Ezech. 11.5 the spirit of God 1. Pet. 4.14 The word spirit in each of these Scriptures is by a Metonymie translated from the holy Ghost to the thing there signified Lest any demand why propheticall influences or any other symbole of Gods extraordinary presence should be called by the name of the third rather then of the first or second person of the sacred Trinity I propound as probable these reasons following 1. The Spirit of God moving upon the face of the waters Gen. 1.2 supposeth for God cherishing ripening perfecting the rudiments of the world in the creation What transcends the spheare of created activity is equivalent to creation The archetypall discovery of things contingent and future is of that rank Should I yield that the bodies assumed by God the Sonne when he preluded to his incarnation the fire which appeared to Moses in the bush the pillar of fire and the pillar of the cloud which went before the Israelites in the wildernesse the cloud and lightning upon mount Sinai the fire which consum'd the sacrifices and the cloud over the ark in the Sanctuary c. were not produc'd immediately out of the barren wombe of non-entity nor yet from indispos'd matter yet by an allusion made to an expression us'd in the history of the beginning of Gods works ad extra the holy Ghost may signifie Gods more then ordinary manifestation of himself 2. As creation which was the first of Gods works is attributed to the first person of the sacred Trinity redemption which is the foundation of all good to be communicated to us which fallen man cannot lay claim to titulo creaturae to God the Sonne so Gods manifestations of himself which conferre to the applying of Christs merits to our selves which bring salvation home to our souls are attributed to the third person Prophecyes which illuminate our minds and sanctifying graces are by this account fitly ascrib'd to the Spirit 3. If we attend the order of persons in the sacred Trinity the holy Ghost is nearest to creatures So the absolving and perfecting of Gods works is congruously attributed to him He is fitly said to brood the waters to overshadow the Virgin Mary to seal the elect Apponit ultimam manum to propheticall influences The hand of the Lord fell upon Ezechiel Ezech. 8.1 In the minds of all Prophets illuminated by the word of 〈…〉 Lord or vision 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 insculpta est forma spiritualis as R. Meir in Avoda Kodesch but in another sense I conceive not that God spake to the Prophets by compounding or dividing acquired species although I think not that way impossible Jamblichus requires the same conditions to prophecy which Plotinus in the last book of his last Euneade and the last chapter to consummate mans happinesse * De myster c. 22. Praesagia saith he sunt animae redeuntis in se in statu simili somno in se inquam id est in rationes seminales intellectuales He expresseth himself more clearly in these words following Quoniam verò sunt in anima rationes generabilium penes potentiam ejus tum effectivam tum etiam cognitivam atque hae rationes dependent à rationibus quae sunt in diis ideò anima his conjuncta rationes in se suscitat in actum There is a seminall vertue in the cognitive part of the soul which cherished by an union made with the divine nature propagateth it self into prophecy The soul withdrawing its self from worldly affairs is thickened into stronger vertue and suscitated by an union made with the idea's in the divine essence is productive of prophecy Plato in his sixth book de Republ. giveth the same accompt of Philosophy to be attained was of the same opinion concerning Prophecy Marsilius Ficinus in his argument to that book expresseth Plato's judgement in these words Ostendit Plato Philasophi montem in ipsa veritatis indagatione sâ—jungi à corporo atque ex quadam sui cognitione divinae menti conjungi ac per insitas sibi ab initio formulas idearum ideas ipsas attingere ab eÃsque ipso contactu lumen excutere quo mox facta foecundior concipiat imò facta validior pariat veritatem id est per ipsas suas conceptiones ideis undique congruat Compare Plato's words in the book praysed To one who is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he prescribes this course 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Non ante fatigetur expetere desinat quà m propriam cujusque
Fathers in the Primitive Church apprehensive of the scantnesse of the word servator by a new word salvator construed Jesus and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I cannot so far by an opinion smile upon Magicians as to attribute to any names vertue which may dispossesse that strong man the devil nor yet have I so intemperate an eare as that I should not esteem the name Jesus sufficiently melodious Basilides of all hereticks most delighted with gingling words because the name Jesus seem'd to him not glorious enough called Christ Goalah and Goalnah from Gaal redemit We shall abundantly rellish the word Jesus if we apprehend how much we stand in need of a Saviour It 's so big with significancy that no one Latine word could expresse it Severall kings of Syria who had the name Antiochus common to them were distinguished by glorious epithites One was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 another 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a third 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a fourth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a fifth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The glory of all their attributes is comprehended in the name Jesus and truly agreeth to Christ Here 's a Saviour of sinfull men Had he not been truly great illustrious a most indulgent Father had he not been God he could not have been such a Saviour Whereas there 's nothing more glorious then temporall deliverances which earthly monarchs can boast of Joseph who was but one of Christs shadows was called by Pharaoh Tsaphnath Paaneath according to Onkelus upon Gen. 41.45 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a man to whom secrets are revealed after Baal Hatturim megalloh nistarim one that revealeth hidden things according to Jarchey 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one that expoundeth hidden things but according to Hierome the Saviour of the world The learned Father thus translates the whole verse VertÃtque nomen ejus vocavit eum linguâ Aegyptiacâ Salvatorem mundi Christ is the Saviour of the world in a spirituall sense delivereth from spirituall enemies which are of all enemies most potent and most dangerous That I may proceed to the points before propounded He who was Christ and Jesus came into the world to save sinners 1. Christ came into the world 2. He came to save 3. He came to save sinners First of the first Christ came There 's a threefold coming of Christ one by his spirit another in the flesh a third to judgement Searching what or what manner of time the spirit of Christ which was in them did signifie when it testified before-hand the sufferings of Christ and the glory that should follow 1. Pet. 1.11 likewise in the third chapter of the same epistle verses 18 19 20. By his spirit he went and preached unto the spirits in prison in the dayes of Noah In the dayes of Noah he went and preached to the spirits of unrighteous men which by reason of their disobedience and impenitency are now imprisoned and fettered in chains of darknesse ‖ The Authour of Seder Olam Rabba cap. 4. concludeth froÌ„ this text that the men of the age before the flood neither enjoy eternall life nor yet are condemned to eternall punishment with what reason I need not explain His words are these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Non fruuntur vita in seculo venture neque condemnati sunt quia dictum est Non judicabit spiritus meus in homine in seculum My spirit saith God shall not strive with man for ever for that he also is flesh his dayes shall be an hundrrd and twenty years Gen. 6.3 Onkelus thus paraphraseth upon that place This evil generation shall not continue or be established for ever before me for that they are flesh and their works evil a term shall be given them of 120. years if they will return The preparing of the ark could not but furnish Noah with occasions of preaching repentance to those who liv'd in the age of the floud Rasi upon Gen. 6. observes as much Much space saith he was allowed to Noah for the work viz. because the men of the age of the flood who saw him imployed in the building in the 120. years would inquire the reason thereof and when he answered that God was about to bring a deluge upon the world might perhaps repent Mr. Ainsworth conceiveth that the Chaldee paraphrast understood by the spirit mans naturall life and soul which God would take away by the floud But the words cited are capable of a better interpretation import not that he understood any other * See Zohar col 181. then the spirit of God By the spirit of God of Christ in these texts divine power is signified which enabled Noah a preacher of righteousnesse and instructed the prophets who foretold Christs sufferings suggested to the Apostles what they should speak when they were questioned before governours All supernaturally illuminated partake of this spirit This divine power wont to be instilled into prophets is by the Jews called Ruach hannebhuah the spirit of prophecy and also Ruach hakkâ—desh the holy Ghost It proceedeth as do also the rest of Gods works ad extra from all the three sacred persons of the undivided Trinity but in Scriptures is most frequently ascribed to God the Sonne who purchased the communication of it to mankind by his sufferings Christs propheticall and regall office are founded in his priestly That any dark souls are illuminated that any unruly affections are subdued is to be attributed to Christs merits We should remain both in our naturall blindnesse and perversenesse had not Christ dyed for us Christ may be said prodire or advenire to come into the minds of his ministers the prophets as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. Pet. 3.19 warranteth That word although omitted by the Syriack interpreter cannot be suspected to be spurious in that it 's unanimously retained by Greek and Latine Fathers Christs coming after the manner explain'd is frequent as appears from what hath been spoken His third coming is in the last judgement For we must all appear before the judgement seat of Christ that every one may receive the things done in his body according to that he hath done whether it be good or bad 2. Cor. 5.10 His second coming was his coming in the flesh This was twofold First by way of preparation or prelude The second person of the sacred Trinity now and then long before his hypostaticall union with our nature * See Jarchi upon Gen. 19.18 appeared in the shape of a man and so as Calvine elegantly preluded to his incarnation Eusebius is large about this subject Hist. eccles l. 1. c. 2. The Lord saith he appeared to Abraham sitting by the oke of Mamre Abraham saith he sees with his eyes viz. his bodily eyes a man but worshippeth him and prayeth unto him as God He discovered also that he knew him by calling him the judge of the world S. Austine orat 41. super Joannem saith Abraham saw the day of Christs eternall emanation
Esay 7.14 * Here 's habitatio Dei cum carne which the Magicians conceived impossible Dan. 2.11 God assumed our nature and so became Immanuel Behold the Lord rideth upon a swift cloud and shall come into Egypt c. Esay 19.1 This swift cloud in Aquila's translation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * Euseb Demonstr evang lib. 6. cap. 20. is either our Saviours body or humane nature The hypostaticall union is likewise foretold by Jeremy together with intimation of our Saviours birth chap. 23. v. 5.6 Behold the dayes come saith the Lord that I will raise unto David a righteous branch and a king shall reigne and prosper and shall execute justice and judgement in the earth In his dayes Judah shall be saved and Israel shall dwell safely and this is the name whereby he shall be called THE LORD OVR RIGHTEOVSNESSE * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 viz. Dionysius in an Epistle written to Euphranor and Ammonius against Sabellius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Athanas de sentent Dionysii contra Arianos Intimations and characters of his divinitie run parallel with those of his humanity almost throughout histories concerning him in the Gospels His birth spoke him man but to be born of a †Non audiendus este Kimchius quatenus indigitari fingit ab Esaia prophetiae suae c. 7. commate 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Virgin and as some conceive without pain together with the star and ‖ In the exposition of the sixth chapter de Fide attributed to Gregor Thaumuturg it s said he was born the quire of angels attended 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that afterward he sate in the midst of Doctours 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quire of Angels proclaim'd him God His swadling bands and the manger spake him man and one disrespected amongst men but the shepherds and wisemen worshipping him express'd him God His baptisme administred by John declared him a man but the voice from heaven to be God He was tempted in the wildernesse but overcame wept for Lazarus but rais'd him from the dead slept upon the seas but after he was awaked stilled the waves tempered the clay with spittle but opened the eyes of one born blind Lastly by his death shewed himself man by his resurrection God Man ought to suffer in that he sinned t was impossible for any merely a creature to satisfie divine justice Whatsoever Jews Mahumedans hereticks and heathens may conceive of Christ true believers after S. Peter with much comfort acknowledge him the Sonne of the living God That Jesus Christ God and man was born is as I have prov'd a true saying it 's also worthy of acceptation The Church in whose person Solomon speaks Cant. 2.8 esteems it so The voice of my beloved behold he cometh leaping upon the mountains skipping upon the hils She shouts and skips for joy But neither is rejoycing abstracted from thankfulnesse both are requisite What 's worthy of all acceptation when it meets with ingenuous spirits produceth thankfulnesse as well as joyfulnesse Those are swine which feed upon akorns but never look up to the tree S. Paul expresseth both in the coÌ„mendation of his doctrine He thankfully acknowledges how advantagious Christs coming into the world was to himself the chief of sinners And certainly that acclamation of the Church is the voice of thankfulnesse as well as of rejoycing Their rejoycing is the eccho of their thankfulnesse No man saith our Saviour Mark 9.39 can do a miracle by my name that can lightly speak evil of me Who rejoyce so openly and so emphatically as the Church in the place quoted in the Canticles for a benefit received cannot easily become sons of Belial withdraw their necks from religion forget the obligation cast upon them I may safely adde that the rejoycing express'd by the Church if it be rightly analysed will be found to have in it more de amore amicitiae then concupiscentiae The godly rejoyce more in the advancement of Gods free mercy then in their own salvation They rather chuse to enjoy then to make use of Christ I shall shew before I proceed to the remainder of my Text that Christs comming into the world abstracted from the end of his coming express'd in my Text holds out to us ample matter both of rejoycing and thankfulnesse The approach of any good towards us is matter of joy and if it be freely bestowed upon us likewise of thankfulnesse and so much more of thankfulnesse by how much the more freely it comes from the Donour Grace restored to man as Thom. Aquin. 2. 2. q. 106. art 2. more obligeth to thankfulnesse then grace conferr'd at our creation quatenus that I may use his words magis datur gratis I shall first shew That Christs coming intimated some good towards us secondly That he came freely The former of these propositions is clear'd from the terminus à quo and the terminus ad quem of his motion together with the freenesse of the motion it self I must for the present take for a postulatum what I shall hereafter prove viz. That Christ was not compelled into the world What besides is repugnant to the freenesse of his coming as morall necessity by some fondly conceived to be cast upon him by mans merits cannot import that his coming should not be advantagious to us Christ freely disrob'd himself of glory assum'd the rags of our nature and so disguised visited sinfull mankind That one completely well much more a great man a Prince should bestow a visit upon one sick That any one should own a friend in great distresse especially one guilty of treason is wont to be esteem'd a great favour A traytour if his Sovereigne cast a favourable eye upon him interprets it a pledge of his propitious affections erects his languishing spirits Here the Monarch of heaven and earth visiteth mankind in sicknesse and distresse such as were disaffected towards him such as were traytours against him What is the ordinary temper of the world Cyprian well expresseth in his second Epistle I have not met with any Authour more elegant and copious to this purpose yet conceive that his expressions settle much below his subject I shall onely give you a tast of him you have accesse to the rest at your leasure Paulisper te crede subduci in montis ardui verticem celsiorem speculare inde rerum infra te jacentium facies oculis in diversa porrectis ipse à terrenis contactibus liber fluctuantis mundi turbines intuere Jam seculi ipse misereberis tuÃque admonitus plus in Deum gratus majori laetitia quod evaseris gratulaberis In the same epistle fiunt quae nec illis ipsis possunt placere qui faciunt The men of the world were more then vulgarly wicked when our Saviour came among them The wickednesse of man was great in the earth and all the imaginations of the thoughts of his heart were onely evil continually True religion was no where to
quod mei sit regis habitare in domo sua R. Menachem upon the place saith His voice is the voice of the living God Gods children ow to Christ the head of the Church their temporall deliverances but are further obliged to him He came into the world to save sinners So I am faln upon my third proposition Major est Dei misericordia quam nostra miseria The waters of the Sanctuary are now so risen that we may swimme in them Here 's the great mystery of godlinesse 1. Tim. 3.16 The wits of men and Angels could not have plotted such a way for mans recovery The devil suspected not that his endeavours against men should by such means be frustrated * I cannot with Clem. Alex. Paedaegog lib. 3. c. 1. so construe that of Heraclitus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as to make it signifie the hypostatical union of Christs two natures Men may believe but cannot comprehend Christs two natures so united as that he who is eternall may be said to be born in time he who is impassible and immortall to suffer death c. There remain two other depths in Christs coming to save sinners which render his goodnesse as admirable as his wisdome 1. 'T would be an injury with men as Salvian well observed to punish a good sonne for a bad servant Here 's scarce any difficulty but I may opportunely suggest that as Christs willingnesse to suffer for us asserts the justice of God the Father so it is a remarkable part of his free mercy towards us Christ of his own accord laid down his life for us 2. Take into your meditations who were the objects of Christs mercy They were his enemies It 's too frequently a peice of injustice amongst men to rescue by strong hand and abuse of authority those from punishment who deserve to suffer Volenti non fit injuria God without derogation from his justice freely remits what men had sinned against himself He declared together with his justice his holinesse likewise in bringing sinne to condigne punishment and moreover emphatically his rich goodnesse by suffering for sinners and such as were rebels against himself A young student of History saith Polibius universam mundi historiam debet uno intuitu complecti velut in corpus redigere This work is done to our hands in the history of Gods mercies and free love towards us Christ by suffering death for us did omnem bonitatem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All other spirituall blessings meet in this as the radii in the center and as streams in the fountain God's pleas'd to accumulate one mercy upon another God the Father out of his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was pleas'd to send his Sonne into the world to die for sinners and to make this mercy the foundation of others necessary in order to their salvation To save sinners was the end the main designe of Christs coming into the world Calvine chastiseth Servetus affirming that Christ should have come into the world although man had not sinned To save sinners was the work for which he came down from heaven Lord speak the word onely said the Centurion Matth. 8.8 and my servant shall be healed Jesus at a distance by his word cured the bodily infirmity of the Centurions servant God by his word created the world God said Let there be light and there was light c. Many conceive that God in regard of his holinesse could not remit mans sinnes without satisfaction All agree that the way of which he was pleased to make choice for our recovery was in many respects most convenient That our spirituall infirmities might be cured that man might be re-created 't was requisite that God should come down from heaven and that he should not merely speak the word be ye saved but that he should do and suffer many things for us Our redemption put God to greater expence then did our creation A signe that we had sunk our selves below nothing Vbi virtus saith Plinie ibi etiam fortuna Here are good tidings for those who were altogether void of virtue here 's salvation for sinners That Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners is a doctrine worthy of all acceptation 1. This doctrine is acceptable in regard of its authour Should an earthly Prince speak we should hear him with greedy attention 2. Acceptable in regard of those by whom it was delivered It was preached by Angels to Joseph the husband of Mary and the shepherds by the Apostles by Christ himself 3. Acceptable in that contain'd in plain terms Many parts of Philosophy are obscure and the answers of oracles were oft ambiguous vitreum vas lambimus sed pultem non attingimus This doctrine is so clear that he that runneth may read and understand Those who are of weak capacities are not debar'd from it They may tast how good and gracious the Lord is But some truths not fundamentall have their share in these conditions 4. This doctrine in regard of its matter is worthy of all acceptation This is the very life and soul of the Gospel the fundamentall of fundamentalls That substantiall truth which almost all the types in the Law prefigured that cardinall truth upon which dependeth the rest of the Gospel This doctrine containeth good tydings of great joy which shall be to all people Luke 2.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in my text is I conceive the same that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Here are tydings worthy to be received with full with compleat acceptation One soul is more precious then the fabrick of the world certainly each mans soul ought to be more dear to him as the principall part of himself What will it profit a man if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul Mark 8.36 37. Secondly as the soul is more precious then all worldly honours treasures and delight so salvation is much better then the soul That which is the happinesse the end of man must needs be better then man Grace is better then nature An habite is extremum potentiae But our happinesse is better then grace It 's better not to be then to be eternally miserable and the fruition of God is much above our beings and means conducing to it There 's a wide hiatus a vast gulf between the largest of worldly blessings and the narrowest of spirituall conferred upon Gods children Those have an interest in one who knoweth all their wants who is ready and able to help upon all occasions The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous and his ears are open unto their cry Psalme 34.15 Should not God see as well as heare his children should want many things We apprehend not all our own wants and so cannot pray to God for the releif of all God knoweth what we stand in need of before we pray unto him and of his own accord without any monitour is wont to aid us Gods
bring forth serpents The grace of God if turned into wantonnesse becometh the savour of death unto death And those sink themselves deep into condemnation whose sinnes mention what should induce to repentance 4. Neglect not salvation purchased by Christ O tast and see that the Lord is good Psal 34.8 Divine goodnesse hath condescended so farre that it is obvious to sense to the sight in a body assumed born conversing with men upon earth dying rising from the dead ascending into heaven but moreover to the tast Popish transubstantiation disclaimed in the Eucharist But to be affected onely with what tickleth our senses with what pleaseth the fantasie doth not transcend Popish superstition We must see Gods goodnesse with our understandings and tast it with rationall affections I deny not but both seeing and tasting may well agree to the understanding The intellect as it containeth eminently some one sense cannot comprehend sufficiently Gods clemency Yet I should chuse rather to attribute tasting to the affections We should at least but Tantalize if we should see and not tast We must tast otherwise we cannot see how gracious the Lord is We may learn who receive Christ aright and likewise be incited so to receive him from John 1.12 13. But to as many as received him to them gave he power to become the sonnes of God even to them that believe on his name which were born not of bloud nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God Those who receive Christ aright are not overswayed by naturall corruptions nor yet by the commandments of men moreover attain somewhat both beyond the reach of nature and education are by regeneration conformed to Gods will * See Field concerning severall degrees of Love in the Apendix to his third book of the Church chap. 5 They embrace Christ not onely as a Priest offering up himself for their sinnes but likewise as a Prophet to direct them and as a King to rule over them They are made the sonnes of God and heirs of eternall life and shall for ever enjoy the presence of God Bonum honestum utile jucundum meet together as we see in the receiving of Christ Christs bloud the true Pactolus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 floweth with riches One drop of it is enough to enrich thousands of worlds to all eternity Uranople the new Jerusalem hath its foundations garnished with all manner of precious stones Apocalyp 21.19 If heaven upon earth be so glorious what shall we conceive of heaven in its proper place As it cannot seem a new thing that truths so precious should want acceptance so undoubtedly some time or other each truth will obtain audience When any of us is in danger of death or at furthest immediately after death S. Pauls doctrine will be confessed worthy of all acceptation All who have heard it and not received it will acknowledge themselves fools at the day of judgement 5. Let us offer up all possible praise honour glory and thankfulnesse to the sacred Trinity contriving such a way for our recovery to God the Father who gave his onely begotten Sonne in whom he was well pleased to be a ransome for us to God the Sonne who suffered an accursed death for us to that Spirit which sanctifieth us Let us propagate our thankfulnesse into our lives Let us not think any peice of self-deniall any service too deare for God Christ hath descended lower for us then 't is possible for us to debase our selves for him The saints upon earth sing a new song in the honour of Christ Thou art worthy to take the book and to open the seals thereof For thou wast slain and hast redeemed us to God by thy bloud out of every kindred and tongue and people and nation Rev. 5.9 10. Heaven answers as by an eccho the musick upon earth in the mean time continuing verse 11 12. Worthy is the Lambe that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdome and strength and honour and glory and blessing This song of Angels putteth Christ in the third person He took not upon him the nature of Angels He is nearer to us All creatures come in as the Chorus v. 13. And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea and all that are in them heard I saying Blessing honour glory and power be unto him that sitteth upon the throne and unto the Lambe for ever and ever As man began so he concludes the song v. 14. And the foure living creatures said Amen And the foure and twenty Elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever Because there are severall degrees of thankfulnesse I shall adde to these examples some motives which may quicken us in the duties mentioned 1. We are unable in our own persons to fulfill the morall law Let us exceed the Scribes and Pharisees who so farre relyed upon self-sufficiency that they conceiv'd the Gospel in regard of themselves impertinent doctrine 2. Could we avoid all actuall transgressions yet originall sinne is able to damn us 3. No one merely a creature can supererogate can spare us any part of his obedience The blessed Angels of all creatures most nimble and cheerfull in obedience have oyl little enough in their lamps for themselves 4. No one merely a creature nor yet all creatures could by sufferings redeem so much as one soul They should alwayes be suffering but never satisfie If any commend any other way to salvation as the fulfilling of the morall Law the intercession of the Virgine Mary c. besides Christ that proverb mentioned by Aristotle in his Meteorologie is verified of him viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 manus Christi to wit nailed to the crosse is the onely physick for a sin-sick soul We stand in need as you see of Christs merits but let us preferre ingenuity before necessity let us expose our hearts to the woundings of a friend Christ as Anacreon upon a worse occasion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Suffer his love to wound your hearts Meditate returns answerable in some proportion to his sufferings Let us propagate our thankfulnesse into our lives and praise and honour God by doing his will So shall his will be done in earth as it is in heaven Let none who maketh profession of Christianity carry himself scandalously Muta nomen vel age fortiús 6. Forasmuch as Christ came into the world to save sinners and is a sufficient Mediatour able abundantly to save let us not seek unto any other Let us not go about to alienate any part of his office to conferre honour prerogative to him upon saints angels or images The Scripture speaketh expressely that in the later times some shall depart from the faith giving heed to seducing spirits and the doctrine of daemons 1. Tim. 4.1 Beza upon the last word of that comma thus commenteth Notum est quid hoc nomine Platonici presertim