by one new name Christians which is thought to be prophesied by Isaiah when he said Isaiah 62. 2. Thou shalt be called by a new name Finally because the Arians used the word Triousion teaching thereby that the Three Persons were of three several Natures and Essences therefore the Catholicks to assert the Vnity of the God-head in all and every Person most significantly used the word Homousion Thus Athanasius e Atha in Disput cum Ario. c. To. 4. Notwithstanding this true and just allegation The Arians perswaded Constantius the then Arian Emperor by Edict to forbid that any new words should be used in matters of faith and this upon a pretence of a Scriptural inhibition because St. Paul thus chargeth Timothy O Timothee depositum Custodi devitans 1 Tim. 6. 20. Hil. advers Const lib. 1. profanans vocum novitates But St. Hilary addressed this answer That St. Paul did indeed command Timothy to avoid novelties yet they were only profane Novelties Now you command us to avoid new words which are holy and tending to Piety which is all one as if you should forbid a new Antidâ—te against a new poison or a new War against new enemies Thus he But there are other new words of as great concernment which some have found fault with without cause as is next to be shewed CHAP. V. Of the word Trinity Why it is used the real Warrant for it in Scripture Why Baptisme is administred in the name of the Trinity And why the Trinity is called three Persons THere are some that cavil even at the word and appellation of the Trinity because they finde not this word literally in the Scriptures who yet cannot deny that the same thing and Doctrine is really found there but both Heathen and Christian Writers reprove such Wranglers as stand upon words when the thing it self is evident a Cic. cont Salust Vbi rerum testimonia adsunt quid opus est verbis And b Aug. Epist 174. dedâ—ct Christ l. 4. c. 11 Quid est contensiosius quam ubi de re constat certare de nomine And Bonorum ingeniorum indoles est in verbis verum amare non verba A good disposition and an humble Christian will embrace an old truth though clothed with a new word The Scriptural evidence for the reality and truth of the thing is cleer For at the Baptism of Christ the Three Persons did distinctly sensibly and separatly shew or declare their presence at one time The Father audibly by a voice The Son and Spirit visibly and therefore c Chrys hom 24. Antioch hom 46. 31. Idem Serm. de Epiph. To. 6. St. Chrysostom calls the Baptism of Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Epiphanie or manifestation of Messiah and he also calls that Apparition Theophania i. e. the appearing of God And moreover tells us of this Festival of the Epiphany which even in his days was solemnized by the Church That is was kept for the commemoration not of the Nativity but of the Baptism of Christ and for this reason the Church of England appointed that on the Feast of Epiphany the third Chapter of St. Luke should be read as a Lesson proper for that day wherein the Baptism Luk. 3. 21. of Christ and this Apparition is declared for therefore it was called Epiphany because at this Baptism the Lord Jesus was by the Father and the Holy Ghost openly proclaimed to be That Son of God and that Messiah which had been before promised and Prophesied in whom only God would be well pleased and be at peace with man And surely that Heavenly and Mysterious Apparition of the two other Persons was also for a further reach and purpose namely to declare to the world that this Jesus was that man which was assumed into Personal union with the God-head and that this Emmanuel or God incarnate was hereby declared to be assumed into the number of the Trinity at that time Although in respect of his pure God-head and as he was God the Word he was One of the Persons of the Trinity before and also from Eternity And although this Emanuel or God incarnate was one of the Three Divine Persons at the first instant and moment of his Incarnation yet he was not so declared and manifested to be so until this glorious Apparition For this very cause it may with great reason be thought that in correspondence to this Apparition at his own Baptism when he afterwards prescribed the form and words of Baptism for all Christians He strictly commanded that they should be baptized In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost In the Original it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mat. 28. 19. i. e. into the Name which signifieth that they should be baptized into the Trinity For name doth often signifie the very thing it self which is named as Divines call that word by which a thing is call'd Nomen Nominans and they call that thing which is named Nomen Nominatum Baptism is the Sacrament of our entrance and admission into the body of Christ so by those words Christ signified that he would have Christians to be by Baptism offered and tendred for their admission into the fellowship union communion and society or spiritual corporation with the Father Son and Holy Ghost and this himself had declared before when he thus prayed to the Father Joh. 17. 21. for all Beleevers That they all may be one as thou Father art in me and I in thee That they also may be One in us And so St. John telleth us 1 Joh. 1. 3. Truly our fellowship 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ and because this communion or fellowship is wrought by the holy Spirit being the Cement or Ligament by which we are to be united and joyned to the Trinity therefore St. Paul mentioneth the Communion of the Holy Ghost with Christians 2 Cor. 13. 13. And the fellowship of the Spirit Phil. 2. 1. Another evidence real we have by the words of St. John 1 Joh. 5. 7. There are Three that bear witness in Heaven the Father the Word and the Spirit and these Three are One These words do so cleerly declare both a Trinity in the God-head and an Unity of the Three that it is no marvel that the Arian Faction did raze them out of that Epistle in so much that they were omitted in divers Copies after the days of Arius But we finde them alledged before Arius was known by St. Ciprian in his Tractate De simplicitate Praelatorum pag. 164. in the Basil Edition of Froben And again we finde them cited by Athanasius to Arius himself in his disputation held with the said Arius at the Nicene Council as is set down in his Book entituled Disputatio cont Arium the words are found pag. 717. in the Basil Edition Ex Officina Frobeniana An. Dom. 1556. which Scripture was not then
Christians is so rare that in many congregations it hath not been administred above once in ten years The uniformity of publick prayer and worship which our Ancestors established and gloryed in is quite gone So is the reverend Decency of Christian Burial and the Sacerdotal benediction of Matrimony and also the Ecclesiastical cognizance thereof which surely should be in the Church because the Apostle not only giveth precepts concerning matrimony but 1 Cor. 7. also passed an Ecclesiastical censure upon 1 Cor. 5. 5. the transgressor thereof Though all these are taken from us and many other things also besides Ecclesiastical Lively-hoods yet in the name of God let us still hold fast the Faith and confession of the Holy Trinity even to death for if that go away all Christianity will go with it There was in Constantinople in the days of Theodosius the elder a parechial Church which formerly was called the Church of Alexander but afterwards it was named Anastasia i. e. the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Resurrection and this for many reasons but principally because in that Church Gregory Nazianzen had revived the Faith and Doctrine of the Trinity by his Preaching which before had been by Hereticks quite extinguished and buried therefore this Church was called the Resurrection as Sozomen reports a Soz. l. 7. c. 5 pro resuscitatione Nicaeni Dogmatis as that poem shews Tuque fidem extinctam quae per mea verba vocasti Ad lucem vates dulcis Anastasia I pray God that our Churches in this point may not prove Saint Sepulchers to bury the Doctrine faith and confession of the Trinity and that we may never have cause as that learned Bishop had to say at his Farewel with a sad heart and voice b Vale Naz. Poemat Sur. Comment ad An. 1546. Trinitas meditatio mea i. e. Farewel O blessed Trinity my long study and Meditation Surius the Carthusian Fryer telleth us that when Martin Luther was lying on his death-bed he called to the standers by in these words Orate pro Domino Deo Nostro ejus Evangelio ut ei bene succedat i. e. pray for our Lord God and his Gospel c. This the Fryer telleth in disgrace of him as if Luther thought that God had need of our Prayers But both the Prayer and the intention of that good man was holy and zealous I will make no doubt of concluding this discourse with the like desire Good Reader let us hartily pray for the Holy Trinity thus far that the most sacred wholsome and necessary Doctrine thereof may prosper and never be forgotten or dis-believed among us Amen Amen L. Deo FINIS Courteous Reader these Books following are printed for Humphrey Moseley at the Princes Armes in St. Pauls Church-yard Various Histories with curiosts Discourses in humane Learning c. 1. HIstoricall relations of the united Provinces of Flanders by Cardinall Bentivoglio Englished by the Right Honorable Henry Earle of Monmouth Fol. 2. The History of â—he Warrs of Flanders written in Italian by that learned and famous Cardinal Bentivoglio Englished by the Right Honorable Henry E. of Monmouth The whole worke Illustrated with a Map of the 17. Provinces and above 20 Figures of the chiefe Personages mentioned in this History Fol. 3. The History of the Warrs of the Emperor Justillian with the Persians Goths and Vandalls written in Greek by Procopius of Caesaria in eight Bookes translated into English by Sir Henry Holcroft Knight Fol. 4. De Bello Belgico the History of the Low-Country Warrs written in Latine by Famianus Strada in English by Sir Robert Stapylton Illustrated with divers Figures Fol. 5. The use of passions written by I. F. Senalt and put into English by Henry Earle of Monmouth 8o. 6. Judicious and Select Essaies and observations by the Renowned and learned Knight Sir Walter Raleigh with his Apology for his Voyage to Guiana Fol. 7. The Compleat Horseman and Expert Farrier in two books by Thomas De Grey Esquire newly printed with additions in 4º 1656. 8. Unheard-of curiosities concerning the Talismanicall Sculpture of the Persians The Horoscope of the Patriarchs and the judgment of the Starrs by J. Gaffarel Englished by Edmund Chilâ—ead Ch. Ch. Oxon. 9. The History of the Inquisition composed by R. F. Servita the compiler of the History of the Councill of Trent in 8o. translated out of Italian 10. Biathanatos a Paradox of self-murther by Dr. Jo. Donne Dean of St. Pauls London 11. The Gentlemans Exercise or the Art of limning painting and blazoning of Coats and Armes c. by Henry Peacham Master of Arts 4o. 12. M. Howels History of Lewis the thirteenth King of France with the life of his Cardinal de Richelien Fol. 13. Mr. Howels Epistolae Ho elianae Familiar letters Domestick and Forren in six Sections partly Historicall Politicall Philosophicall the first Volume with Additions 8o. 14. Mr. Howels new volume of Familiar letters partly Historicall Politicall Philosophicall the second Volume with many Additions 8â— 15. Mr. Howels third Volume of Additionall letters of a fresher date never before published 8o. 16. Mr. Howels Dodono's Grove or the Vocall Forest the first part in 12o. with many Additions 17. Mr. Howels Dodona's Grove or the Vocall Forest the second part in 8º never printed before 18. Mr. Howels Englands Teares for the present wars 19. Mr. Howels Fâ—re-eminence and Pedegree of Parliament in 12o. 20. Mr. Howels Instructions and Directions for Forren Travels in 12º with divers Additions for Travelling into Turky and the Levant parts 21. Mr. Howels Vote or a Poem Royall presented to his late Majesty in 4o. 22. Mr. Howels Angliae Suspiria lachrymae in 12o. 23. Marques Virgilio Malvezzi's Romulus and Tarquin Englished by Hen. Earl of Monmouth in 12o. 24 Marques Virgilio Malvezzi's David persecuted Englished by Ro. Ashly Gent. in 12o. 25. Marques Virgilio Malvezzi of the successe and chiefe events of the Monarchy of Spain in the year 1639. of the revolt of the Catalonians from the King of Spain Englished by Rob. Gentilis Gent. in 12o. 26. Marques Virgilio Malvezzi's considerations on the lives of Alcibiades and Coriolanus Two famous Roman Commanders Englished by Rob. Gentilis 27. Policy unveiled or Maximes of State done into English by the Translator of Gusman in 4o. 28. Gracious priveleges granted by the King of Spaine to our English Merchants in 4o. 29. Englands looking in and out by Sr. Ralph Maddison Knight 4o. 30. Gratiae Ludentes jests from the University 31. The Antipathy between the French and the Spanyard an ingenious translation out of Spanish 32. Mr. Birds grounds of Grammar in 8o. 33. Mr. Bulwers Phylocophus or the Deafe and Dumb mans friend in 12o. 34. Mr. Bulwers Pathomyotomia or a Dessection of the significative Muscles of the Affections of the Mind 12o. 35. An Itinenary containing a voyage made through Italy in the yeares 1646 1647. illustrated with divers Figures of Antiquity never before published by John Raymond Gent. in 120. Books in
r. Deor. p. 34. l. 8. r. hom 46. 31. p. 46. l. 6. r. Ascet p. 131. l. 1. r. Ioh. p. 147. l. 1. r. 118. p. 149. l. 6. r. haer THE DOCTRINE OF THE Holy Trinity CHAP. I. How Christ is the Son of God peculiarly by Eternal generation and not only by his Miraculous humane Birth How he is the first begoâ—ten and the Only-begotten Son That the Holy Ghost cannot be called a Son nor any Creature so as Christ is Why Heresies are permitted TO this Discourse following I am led by our Commenters inconsiderate if not malicious Exposition of that place Heb. 1. 2. Where it is said He hath spoken to us by â—or in his Son upon which words Heb. 1. 2. he tells us that Christ is therefore called the Son of God Because he was wonderfully born of a Virgin without the co operation of man and only by the miraculous Power of God 2. Because he was appointed to reveal the will of God c. This he learned of the old Arians who did just so expound those words as we find related by a Ath. de Decret Nic. Concil Athanasius Thus he wilfully leaveth out the grand and most principal reason of Christs Son ship and fasteneth on such shifts as are but frivolous in respect of the main and indeed are not proper to Christ but common to divers others For how is the Creation of Adam and Eve less Miraculous and Divine then this that the Commenter affordeth to the Son of God Is it not as wonderful to make a man of earth as of a woman And as much a Divine work to make a woman of a man as Eve was as to make a man of a Virgin And truly as much may be said of Isaac and Jâ—hn Baptist both conceived by Divine Power by such Parents as were naturally disabled from child-bearing both by age and sterility for Sarai was barren Gen. 11. 30. and she was ninety years old before she conceived Gen. 17. 17. So Elizabeth was both barren and stricken in years Luk. 1. 17. that is naturally indisposed for child-bearing so that their child-bearing must be confessed to be miraculous by Divine Power as well as Christs humane generation By this reason the Heathens might have called meer men the Sons of God for they affirmed that the first men did grow out of the earth or that they sprang from Trees and are therefore called by them Autecthones Aborigines indigenae and Terrae-filii as is expressed by the Poet. Juvenal sat 6. sat 13. Qui rupto robore nati Compositique luto nullos habuere parentes And Quondam hoc indigenae vivebant more Pers sat 3. Diodor. Sic. lib. 1. lib. 3. And another alluding to this fiction calls a lazy young Boy Vdum molle lutum Of which Heathenish error we read much in Diodorus who seriously and Historically affirmed the first men to have grown out of the earth and this in Ethiopia And to make this report credible he tells us that some Ethiopians must needs be so bred because they were seated in such a place as was inaccessable by any Forrainer and without any possibility of egress by the Inhabitants by reason of the steep Rocks and Sea wherewith this Land was inclosed when they had not any Boats or Ships for Ingress or Egress Therefore these Heathens upon this conceit might as well boast themselves to be the Sons of God as either Adam or Christ if we will beleeve this Commenter yet they ascribed the Original of men only to nature not to God And indeed our ordinary forming in the Womb and natural Births are as much to be accounted the Work of God and Wonderful as was the forming of Christ or our first Parents and would be so esteemed if it were not so common and ordinary The Psalmist Psal 139. 16. saith I am wonderfully made and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth The like may be said of the whole world which was so wonderfully created by God yet we call not the world the Son of God The Scriptures call Christ Priâ—ogenitum the first begotten Son of God because by his Eternal and Ineffable Generation he was before all the other Sons of God whether men or Angels who are also call'd the Sons of God The same Scriptures call Christ Vnigenitum The Only begotten Son of the Father because none other were so begotten as this Eternal Son of God was being by this Generation of the same Essence Nature Substance and Godhead that the Father is God of God Even as the sons of men are of the same specifical humane Nature and Essence with their Progenitors But men are not so the Sons of God as they are of their natural Parents because they are not of the same Essence and Nature with God for if they were then it must follow that man should be and properly be called God just as a son of man is called man To the second Reason That Christ is the Son of God because he was appointed to râ—veal the wâ—ll of God We say this is a so common to others for so Moses was Appoiâ—ted and did reveal the will of God so did the holy Prophets and after them the holy Apostles did the same And S. Paul who was most signally so appointed from Heaven tells the Asians Acts 20. 27. I have nâ—t shunned to declare unto you all the Councell of God Angels also declared and revealed the will of God and so doth the Holy Ghost as fully as ever the second person did and rather more because the Revelation of the will of God is by Christ himself referred and respited until the Holy Ghost should come and teach it as we read But the Comfoâ—ter Joh. 14. 26. 16. 13. which is the Holy Ghost whom the Father will send iâ— my name he shall teach you all â—hings and He will guide you idto all truth Yet Angels are not for this cause to be so called the Sons of God and to say that the Holy Ghost is the Son of God the Father or God the Son was long ago adjudged Heresie as we are told by Athanasius a Athan. Epist ad Serapion Hâ—retici aiunt filium spiritumâ—e â—e fratres quod pater est avus spiritus est nâ—pos patris filius fiâ—i quia spiritus a filio est filius a Pater â—e Hereticks say that the Son and the Spirit are brethren and that the Father is the Grand-Father of the Spirit and the Spirit is the Son of the Son and such conceits are by Epiphanius said to be Heresies of the b Ephiph haer 19. haer 53. Osseni and the Sam saei Finally those Anti Trinitarian Hereticks who heretofore taugâ—th the same which this Commenter doth although they would afford no better appellation to the Holy Ghost then to call him Ministâ—um Apostolum and Mâ—ttendarium i. e. a Minister an Embassador and Emissary of God yet they
plura quam scio and Non me pudet ut fatear nescire quae nescio i. e. Those things which we understand not in holy Scripture are far more then what we do understand Neither are we ashamed to acknowledg our ignorance Neither should any Christian be abashed to acknowledg his ignorance in these profound Mysteries lest by falsly boasting of knowledge they may truly discern blindness as some who because they would not be thought to be pur-blind pretend to see what they do not S. Paul saith 1 Cor. 14. 38. If any be ignorant let him be ignorant This he said not to discourage ignorant people from acquiring knowledge but to restrain the ignorant from boasting of more knowledg then they have So Beza very pertinently expoundeth those words Ignarus suam ignorantiam Bâ—za in loc agnoscat nos imperiti locum peritorum occupent i. e. That ignorant and unlearned men should hold and esteem themselves to be so and not usurp the places and Offices of the skilful This is good Counsel for some in these times I wish our gifted-Donatist-Sermon-makers would consider it Now what particular Doctrines the Christian Doctors confessed to be too hard for them and incomprehensible by their learning is next to be shewed CHAP. 3. More concerning our ignorance in Points Theological Of Predestination and of the Trinity The presumption of some men in their over-much boldness in handling those Mysteries SAint Peter tells us that in S. Pauls Epistles some things are hard to be understood 2 Pet. 3. 16. Rom. 11. 16. and so S. Paul himself acknowledged when he cryed O the aepths of the riches and wisedom of God that his judgments are unsearchable and his ways past finding out it is evident also that the Apostles themselves were both ignorant and unbeleeving for a long time concerning the Mystery of the Death and of the Resurrection and of the Kingdom of Christ until the Holy Ghost descended on them at the Feast of Pentecost No marvel then if the greatest Theologs in the world are yet to seek in many matters of our Religion Who knows in what state place or condition souls departed are although some confidently talk of Lymbus and Purgatory who can tell when Christ will return from Heaven unto earth except our new Millenarians will teach us What man living understandeth the Apocalyps Bodinus tells that when Calvin was asked his opinion of it he answered that he knew not what so obscure a Writer meant for though Bod. Method c. 7. it be called a Revelation as having been made known to the holy Writer thereof yet by others it is accounted Obvelatio a veiling of Mysteries Some are confident that there shall be a general conversion of the Jews and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some indeavours are now in hand in order to it because the Apostle saith All Israel shall Rom. 11. 26. be saved yet how many Millions of Jews have departed this life in their infidelity since St. Paul wrot As for the meaning of those words learned Origen thus writeth a Orig. in Ro. lib. 8. cap. 1â— Quis ille Israel sit Deus solus novit unigenitus ejus si qui amici ejus sunt ad quos dicat i. e. None knoweth but God and those to whom he telleth it Concerning the grievous passions of Martyrs and the Pressures of other holy men Salvinus saith b Salv. de â—ub lib. 1. Quare Deus talia patiatur non est humane imb cilitatis cognoscâ—re i. e. Why God permiteth such oppression man cannot finde out How have those words of Christ Joh. 6. and Mat. 26. Except ye eat the flesh of Son of the man c. And Take eat this is my body how have they exercised and posed the Christian world both of reformed and unreformed Catholicks and so have even the words and form of Consecration of the Eucharistical Elements Finally how hath the Doctrine of the Sabbath in the fourth Commandment tortur'd both our own and other Theologues which Epiphanius and Austia expounded so as to be understood of Christ and verily except Christians do so apprehend it we cannot render a sufficient reason of our rejecting the Jewish Sabbath but if therein we understand Christ to be the Sabbath Then we may boldly say with Austin c Aug. cont Adimant c. 3. Sabbatum non est repudiatum a Christianis sed intellectum i. e. That Christians do not reject the Sabbath but do more truly understand it then the Jews do or did which I wonder that our Reforming Teachers do not hint now especially when we are become so strict Sabbatizers on the eighth day Touching the difficulties in the Doctrine of the holy Trinity and of Predestination and other Misteries Let us see what the ancient and most learned Divines thought Austin saith d Aug. confes l. 13. De Tem. Ser. 189. Soliloq c. 31. De verb. Apost Ser. 20. Trinitatem quis non loquitur quis intelligit Angeli in caelo Trinitatem scire non possunt diunt Quis est Rex gloriae And Trinitas tua tibi soli integre nota est quis cognovit te nisi tu te and so he concludeth Tu ratiotinare ego mirer tu disputa Ego credam i. e. Many talk of the Trinity but who understands it The Angels in Heaven do not comprehend it for they said Who is the King of glory The Trinity is known only to God for who hath known him but himself therefore Psal 24. 8 whilst others argue and dispute I will only admire and beleeve Thus he As concerning the Mystery of Gods Predestination and Election Origen inquiring why Jacob was loved and Esau hated before they Ro. 9. 13. were born thus answereth e Orig. in Gen. Homil. 12. Supra linguam nostram est dicere supra auditum vestrum i. e. That it was above his Eloquence to declare and his Auditors knowledg to understand Thus this Learned man acknowledged his insufficiency in these high Mysteries although at another time he tells us f Rapit nos desiderium ad ea quae magis obscura sunt disserenda Orig. in Num. ho. 13. That he had a more earnest desire to study and handle the greater difficulties in Scripture then the easier parts So we finde in Austin and Prosper many such passages whereby they acknowledg their nescience in such high matters As 1. Why an Infant at the very birth of it was found to be possessed with a Devil 2. Why one obtaineth the grace of Christianity and Baptism and another not 3. Why God punisheth one and forbeareth another when both are in the same fault 4. Why God granteth not the grace of Perseverance to some unto whom he hath given the grace of Christian Charity 5. Why he suffereth the children of some holy men to depart out of this life without Baptism or any knowledg of Christianity and yet so disposeth that the children of his very enemies and
excepted against by Arius himself And long after that time we finde these words cited by Fulgentius in his Book entituled Objectionum Arianarum discussio near the end pag. 87. of the Basil Edition An. Dom. 1621. Yet Fulgentius lived about 200. years after Arius was dead The rankest Arians at first used in their Doxologies to glorifie all the three Persons by name although with some words differing from the Catholick Custome but in their Baptisms they invoked all the Three Persons alike so as we now do And although Arius had taught his Sectaries to use other words in their Doxologies then the Catholicks used as Glory be to the Father by the Son with the Holy Ghost yet as d Theod. Her Fab. lib. 4. Theodoret very gravely observeth Arius himself durst not ptesume to alter the form of Invocation in Baptisms but baptized as the Catholick Church did In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost yet in after times his Sectaries presumed to change the Baptismal form of words prescribed by Christ as we find in Nicephorus and is by me elsewhere shewed There were some also which said that the God-head was separately and intirely existent alone by it self and not only residing in the Three Persons but was a fourth thing e Aug. Ep. 22 2. Quasi quarta Divinitas i. e. as a fourth Divinity which doth communicate and infuse it self into the Three Persons as St. Austin relates in an Epistle to Consentius so that these men would have the God-head to he thought to be a fourth Person distinct from the other Three so that instead of a Trinity we should beleeve a Quaternity of Divine Persons But this opinion cannot be approved for the God-head in their sence could not so be called a Person because it is as they confess communicable to the other Persons But as our Divines generally agree in this definition or description of a Person f Melancht in loc com Persona est substantia vel subsistentia individua intelligens incommunicabilis If the God-head be a Person then it must be incommunicable And if it be communicable then it cannot be a Person So likewise the Heresie of Nestorius who denied the Personal Vnion of the God-head and Manhood in Christ and thereby divided Christ making two Persons of One did thus bring in a fourth Person So the Heresie of Macedonius who denyed the God-head of the Holy-Ghost instead of a Trinity allowed but a Binity of Persons These Heresies so moved and disturbed the Church Catholick that for the asserting this holy necesary and scriptural Doctrine of Three Persons in one God-head they were forced to use this word Trinity There is yet another Quarrel about the word Person because this word is not found in Scripture to be so used as the Church both present and Primitive have applied it for even those that do confess that there is a Trinity in the God-head yet why this Trinity and these Three should be called three Persons is that that troubleth them Indeed the Scripture often nameth Three the Father Son and Spirit and it saith There are Three but even St. Austin himself often demandeth a Aug. de Trin. lib. 5. c. 9. lib. 8. proaen Tres Quid and Quid Tria For certain then there are Three but what to call them and how to answer when we are asked Three what the Scripture is silent and b Id ibid Magna inopia laborat eloquium humanum i. e. our language wanteth words to express it The same penury of words is noted in the Greek Tongue by Nazianzen who tells us c Naz. Orat. 21. Romana lingua non distinguit hypostasin ab Ousia hinc Personarum vocabulum introductum i. e. Because our Language doth not distinguish subsistence and substance therefore instead of a more proper expression we use the word Person to signifie Subsistence Observe here that Nazianzen calls Greek the Roman Tongue because Greece was then under the Romans and was therefore called Romania and the Inhabitants 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the grand City Constantinople standing in Thracia was called new Rome and the Inhabitants of Greece were all subjects and some Citizens of Rome so conversing with the Latines which is the reason that we find so many Latine words even in the Greek Testament and in many other Greek Writers both Heathen and Christian Now because the Scripture saith There are Three and that we dare not say there are Three Gods therefore we call them Three Persons because we find not any fitter word to express that which without words we apprehend and beleeve Neither do we call them Persons as if we would have it thought that the Scriptures did so say but because the Scriptures do not gain-say it but if we should call them Three Gods then the Scripture will contradict us where it saith Hear O Israel Deut. 6. 4. the Lord our God is one Lord we therefore call them Persons that so we may answer in a word when we are asked What Three This is the resolution of St. Austin concerning the word Person used by the Latine or Western Church In like manner the Eastern or Greek-Church called them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. Persons and so our English Translation rendred those words Heb. 1. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Image of his Person and so doth the Geneva both English and Latine Translation And if we should keep the Original word and instead of Three Persons call them Three Hypostases people would be little or nothing the wiser And Austin tells us that d Aug. de Tri◠l. 7. c. 6. They that call them Three Hypostases may as well call them Tria Prosopa i. e. Three Persons The Eastern Fathers have many words by which they express the Three Persons As e Naz. Orat. 28. 29. Basil Epist 349. and in Asset Nazianzen and Basil calls them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. i. e. Proprieties Subsistencies and Persons But the Latines generally call them Persons Indeed the Church was even necessitated and forced to call them Persons because of Heresies which used this very word and thereby miscalled the Divine Persons for the Samosatenians said that the Father and the Son were but one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. one Person and so also said the Sabellians that they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. One Person and one Subsistence as we find in f Epiph. haer 65. Epiphanius And in g Chrys hom 32. Antioch Chrysostom And h Aug. de Trin. lib. 5. cap. 9. St. Austin himself in one place confesseth that he did not then know the difference between those two words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. Substance and Subsistence but because he found that the Greek Church called them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. One Substance and Three 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
or Advocation is Authoritative in Plenitude of power so that now the presenting of his glorious Person in Heaven is a sufficient Advocate his performance of the Law together with his Passion Death are the Plea and the tongues that effectually move for us because the vigor and efficacy thereof is and for ever will be looked on by the God-head as a full satisfaction to Divine Justice which Doctrine is singularly expressed by the great Apostle Ro. 8. 3. Who shall lay any thing to the charg of Gods elect It is God that justifieth it is Christ that dyed That is risen again who is at the right hand of God who also maketh intercession for us of which Right hand we are next to consider SECT IV. Of Christ's Session at the right hand of God The difference between the right hand of God and the right hand of the Father with the abuses of that Article why Christ withdrew to Heaven Of the rebuilding of Jerusalem and the Temple of the Iewish Monarchy and their Pseudo-messiah or the great Anti-Christ NO one Phrase in Scripture doth more express the Kingly and omnipotent power of Christ in Heaven and in Earth then this of his sitting at or on the Right hand of God for the understanding whereof I shall offer to the consideration of the Reader the four questions following First What it is in Christ that is so exalted To this we say That Christ consisteth of two ingredients viz God head and Man hood and that this sitting at the Right hand is not to be understood of his God-head but of his Man-hood as he is the Son of Man the Son of David the Son of the Virgin-Mother for by this humane nature he became passible subject to poverty hunger and thirst weariness injuries buffetings scourging and death therefore as by this part only he is said to be humbled to death the Death of the Cross so in this part only may he be said to be exalted for by his God-head he ever was at the Right hand of God and God over all blessed for ever As he Rom. 9. 5. is God the word he can not be said to be exalted but as the word was made flesh It is our nature only that the Son of God ennobled and carried to the right hand of God and we have shewed before that the prophecies of Christ's exaltation were said only of the Son of David that is of Christs humane nature for otherwise he is not the Son of David If it be said that we may not seperate his God-head from his Man-hood for this is to make two Persons of one and was the heresie of Nestorius To this we answer That it is true that the two natures of Christ neither can nor may be severed or divided asunder by any Real separation but yet they may and must be distinguished separated or abstracted mentally or Mathematically as School-men say that is we may in our mind consider one part alone without considering the other although both do really consist together as a Mathematician considereth the longitude of a body without considering the matter of it So we in this exaltation of Christ consider only his humane or assumed nature This is the judgment of the Ancient Church delivered by Theodoret a Theo. Dialog â—â—confu Sede De homine Christo dicitur i. e. That this Sitting is meant only of the Man Christ Secondly Who it is that so exalted Christ Whether the Person of the Father only or the Person of the Holy Ghost or whether the Son exalted himself To this we answer that the whole God-head and every Divine Person therein exalted Christ even the God-head of the Lord Jesus exalted the Manhood of the same Lord Jesus for there is but one God-head in all the Three Persons therefore all the Three Persons exalted the humane nature of the Son This truth the Scripture often sheweth though something mysteriously for David saith of Christ The Lord said unto my Lord sit Psal 110. 1. thou at my right hand That is The God-head of the Son of God said to Christ for David calls Christ His Lord only for this reason because the Lord Christ was to be the Son of David by taking flesh from David for otherwise how is not the Lord that said it Davids Lord as well as the Lord to whom it was said This is that Scripture wherewith Christ posed the Pharisees If David call him Lord how is he his Son David Mat. 22. 45. calls Christ The Lord in respect of his God-head but he calls the same Christ his Lord because he was to be the Son of David by his assumed humane nature His Divine Nature was Davids Lords his humane Nature was Davids Son The same David had said before of Christ God thy God hath anoynted thee with the oyl of gladness The meaning is that the God-head Psal 45. 7. of Jesus was to be the Anoynter and the Oyl and Unction of Jesus and therefore the God-head is called his God because the Lord Jesus by his God-head anoynted Christ or The Son of God anoynted and exalted the Son of Man So Christ on the Cross said My God my Mat. 27. 46. God why hast thou forsaken me Now did Christ speak to his own God-head The Son of Man spake to the Son of God which he therefore calls his God The forsaking here mentioned is not so to be construed or understood as if now in this agonie his God-head had quite departed from him or that the union of the God-head and Manhood were then dissolved far be it from us to think so but the meaning is that his God-head did now expose and give up and deliver the Manhood to death and left it to the will and fury of that People The God-head suspended and with-held protection from the manhood and did not send Legions of Angels to deliver him although the God-head was still united with the Manhood Thirdly At whose Right hand Christ is said to sit Whether at the Right-hand of one or of all the Persons of the Trinity This I conceive requisite to be examined because all our Liturgical Symbols or Creeds mention Christ's sitting at or on the Right-hand of the Father which is certainly true because every Person in the Trinity is the Creator and therefore the Father of all Creatures although only the Person of the Father is to be acknowledged to be Father of the Word or Son of God But yet this Symbolical expression doth not so cleerly declare this Mystery as the words of the holy Scriptures do wherein Christ is never said to sit at the right hand of the Father but at the right hand of God Now the right hand of God is the right hand of every Person in the God-head and not only the right hand of the Person of the Father So that the meaning of this sitting of Christ must be this That the humane nature of Christ is advanced to sit at the right
did not for this reason call him the Son of God And although the Scripture doth call him the finger of God because the Spirit doth shew the secret Counsels of God yet in all this Scripture the Spirit is never called the Son of God or said to be begotten And when the Macedonian Hereticks demanded an example or Instance of One begotten and another not begotten yet both to come from one Gregory Naz. answereth them c Naz. Orat. 37. that Eve and Seth were both of them from Adam Seth was begotten and Eve not begotten When an earthly King sends his Embassador to declare his will or desires to another State will any man say that the Embassador must for this cause be called the Kings Son No surely although he be Legatus a latere or Legatus natus as our Archbish of Cant. was once called and a veridicus and no Mendoza as one pleasantly described an Embassador Vin bonus peregre missus ad mentienduÌ„ pro Repub. yet no Son for this neither are the Apostles to be called sons for this although S. Paul saith They are Embassadors for Christ 2 Cor. 5. 20. There are other precences alleadged by the Commenter in this matter but they are frivolous and light and easily discernable by any intelligent Reader to be but vain and are not worth the while to examine This Doctrine of the Eternal Son of God and so of the Holy Trinity of Persons is of such necessity to be retained and beleeved that without it Christians cannot reasonably fancy to themselves any probable way of Salvation because as I have formerly shewed upon this Doctrine is grounded the everlasting Covenant of grace which is also called the Eternal Gospel by which only we can hope for and claim Salvation by and in Christ wherefore to me it seemeth a wonderful blindness of some in these Times by whom the blessed Trinity is not only unbelieved but withal so fouly blasphemed that it is both unfitting yea and dangerous to report their words and therefore in the same case S. Basil in his Book against the Heretick Eunomius wherein he was forced to declare his blasphemous Errors thus prayed d Baz Cont. Eunol ib. 2. Domine in his quae loquimur propitius nobis sis i. e. That God would be merciful to him for his only rehearsing Eunomius his blasphemies God is patient indeed in suffering such abuses both of his Truth and Person and doth therefore permit them because he can extract some good use from them upon this reason S. Paul tells us 1 Cor. 11. 19. There must be Heresies as if there were some need of them which surely is chiefly this That the rising of Heresies giveth occasion to the Church to set forth and explain the true and holy Doctrine more evidently then otherwise it would be But I proceed CHAP. 2. The difficulty of the Doctrine of the Trinity and other Christian Mysteries that it should not discourage us from bileeving nor provoke us to impatience The most learned Philosophers Jews and Christians professing their ignorances THe Ancient Hereticks rejected the Doctrine of the Trinity because they could not by reasoning comprehend it and many now a days neglect it because it is sublime and hard to be understood But this pretence will not serve their turn the difficulties should not hinder but rather quicken our indeavors to find out what we can nor should they impede our faith from beleeving that which we are sure the Scriptures propound to us although we understand it not S. Ambrose saith very truly a Ambr. de Offic. lib. 1. c. 1. Nemo est qui doceri non egeat dum vivit ie The most wise and learned men may still be learners whilst they live Neither doth God require our comprehension of all Christian Doctrine but our apprehension not our understanding but our beleeving it The Articles of faith are tendred to us under the word Credo i. e. to be beleeved though not understood Christ himself calls our Religion The Mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven Mat. 13. 11. and S. Paul The Mystery of godliness 1 Tim. 3. 16. The word Mystery signifieth a thing secret and hidden of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to shut and in another place he calls these Mysteries Riddles 1 Cor. 13. 12. here we see darkly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e in a Riddle The Prophet saith Verily thâ—u art a God that hidâ—st Isa 45. 15. Luc. 10. 21. thy self Christ said That the Father had hid those things from the wise which yet he revealed to Babes So Christ was figured by the Ark which stood in a secret place of the Temple and there was also a Veile before it to intimate that Christ was for a time shut up veiled and hidden and indeed Moses Veil signified the same thing as the Apostle saith of the careless Jews 2. Cor. 3. 15. But even unto this day when Moses is read the veile is upon their heart when it shall turn unto the Lord the Veil shall be taken away i. e. When by faith their heart shall embrace Christ this darkness shall be light For the submitting our carnal wisdom and reason to the word of God will bring a greater evidence to our souls then the profoundest disputes can do Upon these words My sheep hear my voyce S. Basil observeth Audiunt non disputant ie they make no disputes but accept it and the old reading of those words Isa 7. 9 as we finde generally in the Fathers was Nisi credideri is non intelligetis i. e. except ye beleeve ye shall not understand So S Peter puts believing before knowing Joh. 6. 69. We beleeve and are sure it is in the Original we beleeve and know for in these Mysteries faith must lead us to knowledge b Aug. in Joh. Tract 29. Noli intelligere ut credas sed crede ut intelligas i. e. say not I will not beleeve until I understand but first beleeve and then understanding will follow Christ saith If you beleeve not that I am he you shall dye in Joh. 8. 28. your sins blessed be God saith the Expositer that he did not say Except ye understand it Austin reporting the great faith of Christians in his time tells us that it was a common saying among them c Aug. de Tem. Serm. 189. Accepto baptismo dicere solemus fidelis factus sum credo quod nescio i. e. When we are baptized we use to say now I am one of the faithful for I beleeve that which I understand not When Abailardus would needs know the reason why the Son of God would redeem and save mankind by his own blood-shedding which he might have done by his word only S. Bernard returned this answer d Bern. Epist 190. Ipsum interroga mihi scire licet quod ita Cur ita non licet i. e. Ask Christ himself for though I know he did so yet why did he so I may not presume to