the Scripture which by Ancients is said sometimes to be very plain and perspicuous and sometimes obscure and full of incomprehensible mysteries both true if rightly understood Clear and perspicuous in the delivery of such and such Doctrines or Articles necessary to be known beleeved or practised to attain salvation but full of obscurity or altogether incomprehensible in their own natures to humane understanding To instance in one example What point of Doctrine can be proposed to our beleef with more clearnesse and perspicuity then the Resurrection of the dead and what more obscure for the manner and possibility of it That nothing therefore is to be beleeved for which there is not ground in reason and humane common sense is that which we have said and are really to maintain in a right sense but that Nihil credendum quod ratione capi nequeat Nothing is to be beleeved which may not be comprehended by humane reason as the Photinians and some other Heretiques maintain is an assertion I know not whether more ridiculous and absurd in point of reason or more blasphemous and impious in Divinity Philosophers are allowed their occulta qualitates and Physitians even they who knew little of God otherwise did acknowledge 〈◊〉 soâ—ewhat above their capacity and the ordinary course of nature in things of nature There be I know that laugh at these occultae qualitates and in some cases they may justly neither would I contend about words if another word wil give better content But as for them who think they can give a reason for all which by others is admired as hidden abstruse sooner may they bring themselves into a suspition that they never knew how to distinguish between reason and phancy then perswade them that are rationall that no work of nature is above the reach of humane reason Our second Observation which follows upon the former and is a further confirmation of it shall be concerning the ambiguity or different acception of this word faith or beleef Faith then we say may be taken either in opposition to sight or sense or in opposition to knowledge and comprehension or thirdly and lastly to reason in generall In opposition to sight or sense so things invisible whether in their nature so because spirituall or invisible because not present but future are the proper object of faith In the Epistle to the Hebrews faith is thus defined Faith is the substance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of things hoped for the evidence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of things not seen In opposition to knowledge and comprehension so we are said to beleeve those things which we doe not understand or comprehend Lastly in opposition to reason so we are said to beleeve those things for which or for the beleef of which we have no ground or foundation at all in humane reason and ratiocination Those that shall reade the Ancients upon this argument will finde great use of these distinctions to reconcile their severall expressions which otherwise might seem to import â— contrariety of opinions For example whereas it was commonly objected by ancient Heathens to the Christians of those times that they grounded all their Doctrine upon meer beleef that their simple faith was all they had to trust to Some not so aware perchance neither of the ambiguity of the word nor what advantage Heathens would make of it made no scruple simply to avow what was objected unto them but others again did utterly disclaim it complained of the objection as a grosse and impudent calumny appealed to reason themselves for proof of their beleef and offered themselves to joyn issue with them upon that title Certain it is that most of them in this question did take faith not as opposed to reason properly but either to knowledge and comprehension or to sight and sense Or if they did use the word reason in opposition to faith by reason they did understand knowledge and comprehension not as the word was used by others In this sense Saint Augustine doth often oppose Divine authority to reason August de Vera Rel. Authoritas fidem flagitat rationi praeparat hominem ratio ad intellectum per cognitionem perducit quanquam nec auâ—horitatem penitùs ratio deserit cùm consideratur cuâ— credendum sit c. not as though it were against humane reason to beleeve those things that are commended unto us by divine revelation or authority whereof we shall say more afterwards but because most of the mysteries of our faith commended unto us by divine authority are such as are above the reach of humane capacity to comprehend Though herein too they did distinguish between the Tyrones or beginners in Christianity such as were lately converted to the Christian faith whom they would have wholly to rely upon authority and those whom the Apostle Heb. 5.14 speaketh of who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evill Of the use of humane reason in this kind for the unfolding or understanding of particular points which is a different consideration from that of the Principles much hath been written of late by learned Vedelius in a Book of this argument entituled Rationale Theologicum to which the Reader if he please may have recourse I shall conclude this Observation with the words of Saint Peter 1 Pet. 3.15 Be ready to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekenesse and feare Thirdly we would have it observed that notwithstanding this opinion of faith and religion so grounded as we have said we maintain neverthelesse that no man can attain to that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that degree or fulnesse of faith required or availeable to salvation but by supernaturall means viz. by the immediate operation of Gods holy Spirit To which purpose Origen in his answer to Celsus the Heathen says well Orig. contra Celsum l. 6. We are taught by the divine Word that what is preached by men be it of it self never so true and rationall or well grounded cannot sufficiently penetrate into the soul of man except both supernaturall power from God be given to the speaker and divine grace accompany those things that are spoken c. which is by him inferred upon the words of the Apostle 1 Cor. 2.4 And my speech my preaching was not with inticing words of mans wisdome but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power that your faith should not stand in the wisedome of men but in the power of God The necessity of this infused faith is acknowledged by Papists as well as by Protestants no sober man that beleeves the Scriptures can make any question of it Fourthly and lastly we say though faith be reducible to principles of reason and in that respect become knowledge as well as faith yet we doe not maintain a necessity of this knowledge in all Christians Without infused faith no man is a true Christian but a man
hominum membra nulla contenâ—ione mente ipsâ ac v luntate moveantur sic numine Deorum omnia fingi moveri mutarique posse neque id dicitis superstitiosè atque aniliter sed physicâ constantique ratione Materiam enim rerum in quâ ex quâ omnia sint totam esse flexibâ—lem commutabilem ut nihil sit quod non ex eâ quamvis subitò singi convertique possit ejus autem universae fictâ—icem moderatricem divinam esse providentiam Cic. de Nat. Deorum And indeed this Omnipotency of God some Heathen Philosophers have acknowledged and expressed it very well likening it to the power of the soul over the members of the body which members upon the least intention or intimation of the mind turne and move with all readinesse and facility Now God said they is the soul or mind of this Universe all parts and parcels whereof are at his beck and disposall to be turned into any shape or form at his pleasure with as much ease and facility as the members of our bodies are swayed by the motions and commands of our minds This therefore granted that there is a God and he as in reason it will be supposed omnipotent all things that imply not contradiction for such rather argue weaknes then power to such a one must needs be of equall facility It is the fashion of men to wonder at those things onely that are not usuall that is as I intend it here that are not or happen not according to that order or course of nature which Omnipotent God in his wisdome thought fit at the beginning of the world to establish And indeed as God did not establish that order at the first for nothing that is to break it without some extraordinary cause so there is no reason that those things should easily be beleeved which are contrary to the ordinary course of nature untill certain evidence or divine revelation the best evidence enforce our faith But if those things be considered in themselves with relation to the power of God no solid reason can be given why for example it should be more strange or incredible that men as by ancient Heathens as well Philosophers as others they were generally conceived to have begun at the first should spring out of the earth as plants and trees then to be propagated as they are by way of generation in the right and rationall consideration whereof so many particulars so wonderfull and so incomprehensible to humane reason offer themselves that the ablest Naturalists the world hath had as well Heathens as others have freely acknowledged their ignorance and weaknesse of understanding and have been excited some of them to praise and glorifie God for his wonderfull works as Galen doth in divers of his writings upon this occasion And certainly had it been so that another way of propagation as it is conceived by divers Ancients that another way would have been if man had not sinned had been established by God I am of Justin Martyr his opinion that this way 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. if then proposed to any mans consideration would have seemed as incredible and impossible as whatever in that kind is proposed to our beleef as Christians Hence it is that the Apostle where he discourseth of the resurrection of the dead at the possibility of which so many stumbled he appeals to approved experience of things naturall Thou foole saith he 1 Cor. 15.36 37 38. that which thou sowest is not quickned except it die And that which thou sowest thou sowest not that body that shall be but bare grain it may be of wheat or of some other grain But God giveth it a body as it hath pleased him and to every seed his own body But this mystery of Christ the Eternall Son of God his Incarnation is quite of another nature That which in other things doth or may satisfie a rationall man here it encreaseth the wonder and makes it more incredible Ye doe erre saith Christ to some that could not beleeve the resurrection of the dead Maâ— 22.29 not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God But here the more we know the power of God the fuller and perfecter apprehension we have of his Greatnesse Omnipotency the more incredible may this mystery seem unto us Holy David in the 143. Psalm but upon occasion of a temporall deliverance the hurtfull sword in the 9. verse with admiration fals into this consideration Lord what is man that thou takest knowledge of him or the son of man that thou makest account of him And in another place the consideration of the world and works of God expressed this sweete and devout ejaculation from him Psal 8. taken in the literall sense for in the mysticall sense these very words are applied to this mystery Heb. 11.6 When I consider the Heavens the Moon and the Stars which thou hast ordained What is man that thou art mindfull of him and the son of man that thou visitest him But Lord may we say Thou Who coverest thy self with light as with a garment who stretchest out the Heavens like a Curtain Who laidst the beams of thy chambers in the waters who makest the clouds thy charet who walkest upon the wings of the wind Who hast measured the waters in the hollow of thy hand and meted out Heaven with thy span Before whom all nations are as nothing yea lesse then nothing and vanity Thou who saidst Let there be light and there was light Let the Firmament appear and it did appear the waters flow and they did flow Who as thou didst at the first make Heaven and Earth and all that in them is with a word of thy mouth so canst with the least blast reduce them all to their first Chaos and nothing What is man that for his sake thou wouldst be made man that ever for man's sake it should be said of thee Hee hath no forme nor comelinesse He is despised and rejected of men Esay 53.3 c. a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief or ever Thou shouldst have occasion to say of thy self Mat. 8.20 The Foxes have holes and the birds of the aire have nests but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head I wonder not if the Prophet say Who hath beleeved our report never had infidelity were it not for divine revelation a more plausible colour Hereupon some inferre wittily that the incredibility of this mystery should if rightly considered make it the more credible For say they Theod. Therap l. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Salv. De Gubern Dei lib. 4. Vtique hoc magis maestimabilis pietas c. Sed omnium acutissimè Tertul. De Bapt. c. 2. Alqui eò magis credendum si quia miranduÌ„ est idcircò non credendum Qualia enim decet esse opera divina nisi supra omnem admirationem 1 Joh. 4.8 9. such goodnesse doth best become an
in his Disputations against the Socinians upon such grounds of reason as are ordinarily insisted upon by others having said as much as can with any colour be said for this necessity Balth. Meisnerus A 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dec. 3. Disp 26.90 concludes his Disputation in these words Hitherto why God could not without some prejudice to his Omnipotency pardon sinners without some satisfaction hath been shewed But that we should enter into this dispute with our adversaries is not so absolutely necessary because thereby we are forced to enquire into the reasons of the divine counsell which ought not to be Gods revelation of his divine will by his Word ought to suffice us whereby he declareth that without the price and merit of his Son as a Mediator he will not forgive sin because he hateth it and for it is angry with sinners That it is so therefore let us beleeve and that by this kind of satisfaction the divine Omnipotency is no ways impaired because both those are affirmed by the Scriptures though we cannot render a reason of all the counsels of God These things ought rather to be admired and with thankfull hearts extolled then with nicenesse and curiosity sifted and discussed He repeates the same though in other words as fully in the 105. Paragraph of the same Disputation And in the 89. commends this Canon Quid Deus circa salutem nostram faciat non ex rationibus de possibili colligendum sed ex solis Scripturis addiscendum est But doth not the Scripture plainly fay I take notice of this objection because the phrase doth often occur may trouble them that are not so expert that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 oportebat Christ ought to suffer such such things Are not Christ his own words John 3.14 As Moses lifted up the Serpent in the Wildernesse even so must the Son of man be lifted up Must yes it is the Scripture phrase but more full in other places as Luke 24.44 These are the words which I spake to you while I was yet with you that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and in the Prophets and in the Psalms concerning me And again in the next words Then opened he their understanding that they might understand the Scriptures And said unto them Thus it is written and thus it behoved 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the same word as before Christ to suffer and to rise the third day from the dead By which and other like places it doth clearly appear that this must hath relation meerly to the predictions of the Old Testament concerning Christ whether by words or as that of the Serpent lifted up in the Wildernesse by types God therefore having long before not onely preordained but also by severall Prophets foretold the sufferings of Christ it was not onely expedient but in this respect absolutely necessary that all things should fall out accordingly For It is easier that heaven and earth should passe then one tittle of the Law to fail Luk 16.17 Now that which made Christ so often to presse the Scripture to the Jewes was to convince them by their own principles that whereas they professed much zeal for the Scriptures they might know that those very Scriptures which they were so zealous for were the very ground in some sense both of his doctrine and of all that hapned unto him For otherwise to consider the things in the order of their nature those things did not so properly happen to Christ because they were foretold but because they were so determined by God from all eternity therefore they were first foretold and afterwards hapned accordingly Act. 4.28 Laying therefore aside this absolute necessity as not grounded for ought we could ever finde upon any Scriptures and as we conceive of dangerous consequence we may with lesse danger and no lesse edification we hope take notice of such reasons or considerations as the wit of man can reach unto by which this counsell of God Dispensation or Oeconomy the Ancients usually call it in a rationall triall if need be may be maintained convenient or plausible though indeed most of these considerations be grounded upon Scripture as will appear But they must first be forewarned that are not so throughly acquainted with the tearms belonging to this subject that in this particucular consideration of the necessity or expedience of Christ's Incarnation in the word Incarnation as often besides is presupposed to be included the Passion also as the principall end of it according to that of Christ John 12.27 Father save me from this houre but for this cause came I unto this houre For so I conceive the words should be distinguished and interpreted But for this cause came I into the world that is according to that of the Apostle This is a faithfull saying and worthy of all acceptation that Christ came into the world to save sinners 1 Tim. 1.15 unto this houre that is that I might suffer for sinners The first and chiefest reason will be that God chose this way as the most convenient to manifest his love to mankind according to that of Christ in S. John So God loved the world that he gave his onely begotten Sonne that whosoever beleeveth in him should not perish but have everlasting life This consideration is not onely mentioned often in the Scripture but also set forth commended unto us by severall circumstances all very considerable to make us the more apprehensive of it See John 15.13 Rom. 5.6 7 8. 1 Joh. 4 9 10. Now of this manifestation of his love in such an extraordinary way one main end was the more powerfully to draw ours to himself and to withdraw it from the love of the world which two are inconsistent See 2 Cor. 5.14 15. Jam. 4.4 John 1. Ep. 2.15 16 17. This is the main consideration that hath made so many Martyrs A second consideration might be the better to manifest his justice and his extream antipathy if we may so speak to sin thereby also from the consideration of this antipathy in God the more powerfully to draw us to the love of goodnesse and vertue and to a true hearty detestation of wickednesse Whence as I take it especially it is that according to the Scripture phrase all impenitent sinners who professe godlinesse but shew not the power of it in their lives and conversations are styled Infidels or unbeleevers as being altogether impossible that they that truly beleeve or have a true apprehension of this great mystery of godlinesse should continue in ungodlinesse A third consideration was certainly that Christ might by his example work upon us the more effectually to imitate him as in other things so especially in his humilitie the most proper vertue of Christianity and without which all profession of Christianity is but delusion and imposture But of this more in its proper place afterwards in the consideration of his Exinanition To these divers others might be added
and wickednesse in men and among men either at all or so far to prevail They commonly distinguish of severall degrees or kinds of creatures with relation to goodnesse by God created the last kinde whereof 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is their word are those whose condition is to be mutable to fall and to rise again sometimes to look upwards unto the fountain of good sometimes to be swayed downwards by the contagion of the body and deceitfulnesse of the world and their determination upon the matter is that neither the power nor the wisdom of Almighty God would or could so much have appeared if this kind also this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 had not been What they say being grounded upon no better authority then humane ratiocination will not much concern us but to check our impiety if neither reason commended unto us with the advantage of such precedents nor religion grounded upon certain revelation can doe that in us which bare and naked reason could in them to make us if not to plead for our Creator by strength of arguments yet to acknowledge him good and wise in all his ways even beyond our understandings and where our reason is at a stand Another reason is given because God having in himself predetermined the redemption of collapsed mankind by the Incarnation of his Son he therefore left Adam to the liberty of his will and the Devill of his malice because no other way can be conceived how he might more effectually have demonstrated and revealed at once unto men and Angels the infinitenesse both of his goodnesse and of his justice as we shall have occasion afterwards to shew more at large Adam then and in him humana natura or mankind in generall being so created by God and through the temptation of the Devill and his own wretchednesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Greek Fathers usually call it that is loosenesse and remisnesse of the minde accompanied with carelesnesse and security so lapsed it pleased Almighty God in the depth of his goodnesse and wisdome to appoint his restauration by the Incarnation of his Son that eternall Word by whom he had made as all other things so man particularly that is That his Son coeternall with him and from all eternity by an incomprehensible mystery begotten by him should in the fulnesse of time be made flesh that is assume the nature of man unto himself into a perfect Union but without mixture or confusion of two natures in one person that so united and so incarnated he might offer himself by his Passion Christ as God Man though not in his Deity suffering unto God his Father as a sufficient ransome in his strictest justice for the sins of all men to the end that whosoever should beleeve in him so incarnated and by a lively faith lay hold on the merits of his death might not perish but as a true member of his mysticall body might have in him everlasting life How Christ the eternall Son of God came to be the son of a woman as it doth deeply concern us not to be ignorant of what the Scriptures have revealed unto us about it so to goe beyond that I conceive no lesse dangerous The Scriptures say as we have it in our Creed that he was conceived of the holy Ghost born of the Virgyn Mary and the words of the Angel to the blessed Virgin are known Luke 1.35 The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee therefore also that Holy thing that shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God If any man venture beyond this in discoursing the manner how I dare not follow him It is observed and observable indeed that in this mystery Christ is not so properly said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is begotten though that word also be used sometimes as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 made as not begotten of the substance or essence of the Holy Ghost as ordinarily children are of the substance of their fathers but made by the power of the Holy Ghost of the substance of the Virgin Mary onely Whereupon ancient Fathers were wont to say that as Christ in regard of his eternall generation is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is without a Mother so in regard of his temporall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is without a Father There is good use of this observation against those hereticks of old and the Anabaptists of later times who though they could not agree among themselves how Christ came to have a body whether true or imaginary and the like yet agreed in this to deny that he was made of the substance of a woman This is the mystery of which we may truly say that it is The chiefest of the ways of God That the justification of any one sinner is a greater work then the Creation of the world in generall is by many maintained and divers reasons are given for it I durst not undertake for the solidity of all those reasons those excepted that are drawn from this very particular of Christ his Incarnation that are given but certainly this mystery of the Son of God his Incarnation is so transcendent a miracle above all other miracles of the world whether Creation or any other as that wee may justly doubt whether he truly beleeve it or ever took it into serious consideration who in comparison of this doth admire any thing else For as for those things that are commonly most admired and for the wonderfulnesse by divers thought incredible if a man shall rationally consider of them they will not so appear in very deed It is the saying of an ancient Father one of the most learned and rationall of those times that there is but one true miracle in the world and that is an Omnipotent God Having instanced in some one particular which among the many strange sights of this world he thought might seem as strange as any 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith he Theodor Therapeut l. 3. Sed ibi Latinus interpres mentem verborum non assecutus est non expressit certè a miracle above a miracle and presently upon better consideration as it were he doth correct himself And yet I dare say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that the miracle is no miracle For God to whom al things that he can think convenient are easie being the author or workman we have much reason to glorifie the author but no reason at all to wonder at the matter He gives the reason in another place That any thing should be whether by generation or creation whereof a cause God that is the supream cause can be given right reason will easily allow of But that any thing should bee without a cause as God onely is no reason can comprehend Vos enim ipsi dicere soletis nihil esse quod Deus efficere non possit quidem sine labore ullo ut enim