future events the end and profit of all things the impossibility of the progress of causes without end It may be proved likewise out of Scripture well-nigh by infinite testimonies by divers apparitions by stupendious miracles by the writings of the Prophets and by the admirable event of things He therefore that denies that there is a God is not void onely of reason but sense also as AviceÌ„na is reported to have said It is manifest therefore that there is a God now let us see what he is God cannot be defined because he is immense he may be described Philosophically and Theologically Philosophically God is a Spirit sufficient of himself and the cause of all good Theologically God is the most perfect being one in essence three in Persons The Theological description differs from the Philosophical first in perfection for it adds something unknown to nature concerning the Trinity and unfolds or explains that which is known to nature Secondly in effect natural knowledge renders men onely inexcusable Rom. 1.20 but supernatural knowledge is saving hence then the true God differs from the gods of the Gentiles in Attributes Persons Works In Attributes because they are not rightly and entirely understood by them that are without the pale of the Church In Persons because the Gentiles are ignorant of the Trinity In Works because the wonderful works of God and especially that of the Redemption are not perceived by them who are out of the Church But now omitting other proprieties which amongst Schoolmen are handled at large I will first shew that God is one the Lord he is God there is none else besides him Deut. 4.35 Furthermore chief Majesty is competent to no more but one None can be the most perfect unless he be but one but God contains in him all possible perfection by reason of the latitude of his essence Yea there can be but one onely Omnipotent And if there should be more Gods they are all imperfect or the rest are superfluous both which to say is absurd Besides that which is Infinite can be but one onely neither can there be but one first cause of all things and to conclude it is most necessary that the onely chief good be but one God therefore is one and the onely one as Saint Bernard saith Object Yet there are many that are called Gods Answ But this is done improperly either by reason of a certain similitude or likeness or according to the opinion of vain man First by a certain similitude as either for eminency of nature and wisdom as Angels or for excellency of office as Magistrates or for exceeding great power as the Devil or for the â—oo too much indulging of it as the belly Secondly out of a false opinion of men Idols are called Gods It appears therefore that God is one now we are to shew that he is three in Persons Tho. Par. 1. q. 32. art 1. â— Sent. dist 3. The Trinity cannot be proved by the light of nature as Thomas teacheth against Scotus Yet Lumbard fetcheth some footsteps of the Trinity from the creatures especially from the three faculties of the soul the understanding memory and will But these do onely produce a confused knowledge not a distinct God is three but not threefold for he is a most simple being of himself and we use the name of Trinity not because the Scripture saith so but because it doth not contradict it and for the thing it self it is in the Scriptures though not the very word that being implied this not expressed and you may interpret Scripture in convenient words especially by reason of the deceit of Hereticks concealing their heresies for the most part under Scripture expressions In many places of Holy Writ it doth evidently appear that there are three Persons Matth. 3.16 The Father proclaims it This is my beloved Son The Son is baptized and the Holy Ghost descendeth in the likeness of a dove 1 Joh. 5.7 There are three that bear witness in heaven The Father is of himself the Son from the Father begotten from eternity The Holy Ghost proceedeth from both The Father is distinguished from the Son but not another essence and so of the rest But in this matter better is a faithful ignorance then a rash knowledge I conclude therefore with Robert Holcot Quaest 10. a most famous Professor in our University of Oxford who as Gabriel Biel relates it Quaest 10. Determ 1. sent dist 13. qu. 11. saith thus modestly Dignè loqui de Personis Vim transcendit rationis Excedit ingenia Quid sit nasci quid processus Me nescire sum professus Thus Englished To speak condignly of the Persons three Transcendeth reason in a high degree It doth exceed all wits What it is to be born what the a Alià s proceeding process I understand it not I do profess Some one perhaps may say Obser that the three Persons are not essence Answ But this is true of a finite essence onely Object Moreover that where there are three and one there are four but in God there are three Persons and one essence Answ yet they are not really distinct Object But it may be objected that their essences are distinct whose operations are distinct Answ We answer that this is to be affirmed onely of persons that have a finite being The first Person then of the Trinity is called the Father The name of the Father is taken sometimes personally by way of distinction from the Son and sometimes essentially in reference to the creatures for the whole Divine essence The first Person is called Father either in respect of Christ or in respect of us Or like as Durandus sheweth he is the Father of all generally the Father of Christ singularly and the Father of the elect especially Credo in Deum I beleeve in God It refers not onely to the Father but also to the Son and Holy Ghost and the Father is called omnipotent not excluding the other Persons God is omnipotent because he can do all things what he pleaseth all things that do not imply a contradiction and which are not repugnant to his nature and because he doth all things without difficulty or by his beck onely because he alone hath power of doing all things and for that he is the Author of all created power If it be said that God cannot die sin Object lye We answer Answ God can do those things which imply power but nothing that argues impotency or weakness for this would not stand with his perfection And if it be said that he cannot do those things which are contradictory We answer that this would be inconsistent with his immutability I pass by niceties This is the most principal thing seeing that God is omnipotent he that feareth God hath not any thing beyond that he need to fear and if God be with us who can be against us It follows in the Creed that God is the Creator of heaven and earth that is of the whole
By right of the Fathers constitution because the Father hath put all things under his feet and gave him to be the head over all things to the Church Eph. 1.22 and hath made him heir of all things Hebr. 1.2 His Dominion therefore extends not onely unto us but unto all creatures Seeing therefore Christ is the Lord of us all we ought to be humble and meek one towards another for we are fellow servants of the Lord. Masters give unto your servants that which is just and equal knowing that ye also have a Master in heaven saith S. Paul Col. 4.1 And seeing that Christ is the Lord let us adhere to him alone otherwise we shall have very many strange lords whom to serve it will be most miserable Most truly said S. Ambrose O how many lords hath he who hath not one he hath so many lords or masters as he hath sins yea holy father he hath so many mistresses as lusts and certainly thou thy self being judge lust is a most furious mistress Let us therefore serve the Lord Jesus onely And if we be noble and generous Christians let us not admit of any other government As Thomas Aquinas observeth of horses that a spirited and wel-mettled one will not admit of any other rider but his own master and is moved onely at his beck Hitherto of the titles of the Mediator he is further to be described according to the degrees both of his exinanition or humiliation and likewise of his exaltation First Christ did empty himself and became very low The word is made flesh Joh. 1.14 The Son of God is made the Son of man that the son of man might become the son of God He is now who was and what he is he was not De Trin. lib. â—0 saith S. Hilary Our Mediator is become God and man that he might conjoyn God and man together again who were separated and disjoyned And if it be said Object that the flesh of Christ could not be united to our flesh because our flesh is sinful Answ We answer It doth not follow for sinfulness is accidental to our flesh not of the substance or essence of it so that Christs flesh may be united to our flesh but not as to the sinfulness of it If it be said that no accession can be made to God we say That is true if meant of perfection but not of union If further any object Object that the humane nature cannot come or be united to God It is true unless that God assume it That it is most ignominious for God to be a creature Answ It is most ignominious for him to be changed into a creature but not to be united with it without the change of his essence But although there be in Christ two natures yet there is onely one Person Although he be God and man yet he is not two but one Christ as S. Athanasius professeth in his Creed The humane nature of Christ doth not constitute a person because it subsists not of or by it self but it is upheld or sustained in and by the Word If it be objected Object that God and man are two persons We answer Answ That it is true if they be not united If it be said that dead and always living are not the same It is true that they are not the same according to the same But Christ was so according to his divers natures If it be enquired How is the Incarnation attributed to the Son We are to know that the Incarnation is the work of the whole Trinity by inchoation and of the Son alone by termination He assumed our nature which the Father formed in him out of the substance of the Virgin by the Holy Ghost This substantial knitting or joyning although produced by all the Persons yet formally it did not knit or conjoyn the humane nature with any In 3. p. D. Thom. but with the Person of the Son as Suarez copiously and other Divines And of the two natures there was an union made hypostatically or personally not physically as the form is united to the matter nor spiritually as the elect among themselves and with God nor by help and assistance as the mariner to the ship nor relatively as a friend to a friend nor mystically as in the Sacrament the two natures were united inconfusedly unchangeably not admitting of any division inseparably Inconfusedly each nature having their properties remaining but the properties of one nature by communication of idioms is attributed in the concrete to the person denominated from either nature as that God hath purchased his Church by his bloud Acts 20.28 The Lord of glory was crucified 1 Cor. 2.8 this is spoken according to his humane nature This speech ought to be taken in the concrete not in the abstract and it follows not that because God is said to suffer therefore the Deity suffered Secondly the natures were united inconvertibly that is without the change of the Divine into the humane or of the humane into the Divine Thirdly individedly without division of natures although not without distinction they are not two but one Christ Fourthly inseparably this union remains for ever At the death of Christ his soul was separated from his body but the Divine nature remained united to both after its own manner the natural union was dissolved and not the personal Thus far concerning the Incarnation in general The parts thereof follow the conception of Christ and his nativity Conceived by the Holy Ghost Not of the essence but by the efficiency of the Holy Ghost This particle of doth not denote the matter as if that Christ was of the Holy Ghost for he was of the fathers according to the flesh Rom. 9.5 God also is immutable and the Word assumed our flesh and is not changed into it but of signifies the efficient cause because by the vertue and power of the Holy Ghost Christ was conceived His conception by the Holy Ghost speaks the miraculous forming of the flesh or body of Christ without the help of man then the sanctifying of it from original sin and the hypostatical union of it with the Word The body of Christ is thought to have been made simul semel together and at once perfect not successively as the bodies of men are in the space of fourty days otherwise Christ should not have been conceived a man but an embryo yea he was inspired with a reasonable soul Wickedly did Apollinaris say that the soul of Christ was his Divinity His soul was heavy and sad which is not competent to the Divinity at his death his soul departed from his body but his Divinity did not recede or depart He was conceived for us behold his love how can we conceive to express it He was conceived of the Holy Ghost behold his wisdom that he might be free from sin let us mourn by reason of our impure conception Let every one say with David Behold in iniquity was I conceived Psal 51.5 His pure
been yet in our sins all our faith would have been in vain 1 Cor. 15.17 He rose for his own and his Fathers glory for the dignity and authority of his Person Because of his office he ought to reign for ever and always to intercede for us He rose for our salvation for our justification for our regeneration for our resurrection and glorification That he might raise up our bodies at the last day the head being risen the members cannot but rise like as Adam brought death upon himself and his posterity even so Christ life the Lord makes the faithful coheirs of his glory let us therefore rise again to the life of grace and persevere in the same It is objected that these benefits flow from the death of Christ Object Answ We answer that Christ did merit them by his death but they are declared and applyed by his resurrection And if it be further said that these benefits were given to the faithful beleevers under the Old Testament our answer is This was done in respect of the resurrection to come But may some say the ungodly also shall rise again They shall rise again indeed but to the judgement of condemnation not of absolution And these things out of many concerning the resurrection of Christ His Ascension follows Jesus like the Sun at his full meridian ascendeth the highest Heaven He ascended from the mount of Olives to Bethany and not onely into the aereal and starry heaven but also into the empyreal into the seat of the Blessed He ascended according to his humane nature Object But we have it S. John 3.13 the Son of man was then in heaven Answ But this was spoken by communication of idioms whereby the properties of either nature are attributed to one and the same Person of Christ by what name soever expressed He was there then according to his Divinity But he that descended hath also ascended Object saith the Apostle Answ Ephes 4.10 He did not descend as man it seems therefore that neither did he ascend as man But here the kinde or manner of the predication is changed the Divinity descended that is did shew it self in a place where before it had not so discovered it self And even as Jesus did discover or manifest himself in his humane nature in like manner he ascended He ascended on the fourtieth day after the resurrection in this space he would instruct his disciples concerning his kingdom He ascended visibly and locally he ascended into heaven But S. Object Paul saith he ascended far above all heavens Answ Eph. 4.10 That is say some far above all the starry heavens others determine that this doth not denote the sublimity of the place but the excellency or highness of the Divine Majesty because he hath all things in subjection under him Some will have Christ to be in a void space above the heaven and with his feet to stand upon the outmost surface of the highest Heaven where the Saints live under him But the words of the Apostle compel us not to the belief of this He may be said to have ascended far above all heavens when he ascended into the supreme or highest Heaven and to the most worthy place therein even as we say not onely he that gets up to the very top is said to ascend a tree or a tower but he also that climbs up to the higher boughs or steps although he stays beneath the top But it may be objected Obser that Christ promised he would be with us to the end of the world Answ But this is to be understood of the Deity of Christ of his grace and power spiritually not of his humanity and corporally Christ ascended that he might intercede for us and although the intercession of Christ was before his ascension yet it depended upon this glorious intercession It was made before in the worth of the sacrifice that was to be offered but now of that which hath been offered Secondly Jesus ascended as an eagle that we although but worms may ascend with him Adam had shut up heaven Christ opened it again And although Enoch and Elias ascended before him yet it was not by their own but Christs power by which also he himself ascended Thirdly Christ ascended that he might give the Holy Ghost and although he was given before yet it was in regard of the Ascension and after it in a more plentiful manner Hitherto of the Ascension of Christ his sitting at the right hand of the Father followeth The right hand is attributed to God per 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is by a borrowed speech from men and it signifies the chiefest power and glory To sit at the right hand is a phrase taken from the custom and manner of kings who place those whom they honour at their right hand and cause them whom they set over the affairs of the kingdom to sit together with them So Christ is said to sit at the right hand of God the Father because the Father after he had finished our redemption on earth crowned him with the chiefest glory above all Angels and men in heaven and declared him to be Head and King of the Church by whom he would immediately govern all things both in heaven and earth and whom he would have to be adored of all creatures The Lord said unto my Lord Sit thou on my right hand saith the Prophet Psal 110. The sitting therefore at the right hand of God is the singular and proper dignity of Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God and man conferred upon him by the Father after his Ascension And it consists First in the perfection of his Person or the equality of the Word with the Father which indeed he did not then first of all receive but it being vailed in the time of his humiliation he did again make apparent or manifest Secondly this dignity consists in the perfection of the humane nature which the infirmities being put off or laid aside is adorned with supereminent and surpassing excellency of gifts wisdom and power Thirdly this dignity consists in the perfection of his office because Jesus is constituted or appointed Head of the Church This true Trismegist is King Prophet Priest And although he was the Head of the Church before yet was not that according to both natures nor always exalted Fourthly the dignity of Christ consists in the perfection of his honour because he ought to be acknowledged and extolled by all as Lord of all All things are put under Christs feet by reason of his glorious victory and although some things may seem to be refractory to him yet they are to be repressed by him at his will and pleasure It may be objected against the sitting of Christ at the right hand of God the Father Object that S. Stephen saw him standing at the right hand of God Acts 7.55 But by this posture he expressed Christ his readiness to assist them that are his Champions Answ as when Christ is said to sit