expâ—cted in this life for against this thorn in the flesh did this Apostle pray â— but it was answered My Gâ—â—ce iâ— sufficient That 2 Cor. 12. 7. is no other deliverance may be had but power by grace to resist this temptation yet not so much power as to annihilate and quite extinguish it in this life If it be here objected that the Holy Scriptures acknowledge Gen. 6. 9. Job 1. 1. Luke 1. 5. some persons just and righteous and perfect ones as Job and Noah and Zecharie the answer is that this perfection doth not imply impeccancie or impeccability for such just men fall seven times Prov. 24. 16. Noah was just but it is said there in his generation such may be called perfect Travellers but not perfect Possessors having not yet finished their course so a child is called perfect which hath all his limbs and lineaments compleat yet is far from a perfect man and a perfect man is yet far short of Angelicall perfection Men are called just who are not Aug. de natura Grat. â— 38. free from sin Justi suâ—runt sine peccato non suerunt That this truth hath been ever acknowledged by the Church may appear in that the Apostle saith â—f we say we havë no sin we deceive our selves civitas 1 Joh. 1. 8. Dei oâ—atâ— dimiâ—te nobis debiâ—a the universall Church in the time of prayer saith Forgive us our trespasses Indeed Aug. de Civit l. 19. c. 22. De peccat merito l. 2. c. 6. S. Austin confesseth That a man may sometime live without acting a sin yet that any mortall man can be without sin he denyeth For when the Pelagians urged that the Virgin Mary was without sin he desired to be excused from all accusation of that Blessed Mother of our Lord God yet he was assured that all Saints on earrh would submit to that speech of Ambr. de Jacob l. 1. c. 6. Hier. ad Ctesiphon cap. 5. Id. Cont Pelag l. 2. cap. 8. Saint Iohn If we say we have no sin c. Sainâ— Ambrose saith Non glâ—riâ—r quia justus sum sâ—d quia redemptus not glorying in Justice but in Justification St. Hierom saith men are called just not because they are without sin but because they are endowed with many vertues as Ezechias was a just man though he sinnâ—d and wept he did not lose the repute of a just man for some sins but he retained it because withall he performed many just and worthy actions besides a man is â—steemed righteous when his unâ—ighteousnesse is forgiven as he is â—steemed with God a performer of the Law whose transgrâ—ssions are pardoned Omnia Aug. Retract 1. c. 19. mandata facta deputanâ—ur quando quiâ—quid non fit ignosciâ—ur Now that the rebellion of flesh and blood or concupiscâ—nce doth contâ—nually dwell in all mankind during this life may clearly appear in the Holy Person of Saint Paul by his own words for thus he writes Rom. 7. 19. The goâ—d that I would I do not but the evil which I would not that I do f we inquire what evill it is which the Apostle would not do and yet did it it must needs be answered that evill concupiscences or carnall lusts did arise in him which he desired to be quit of and free from that they might not all be in him but because evill concupiscences will ever be in mortal men therefore his next care is that such desires may be râ—sisted so that they proceed not into action as he saith Rom. 6. 12. Let not sin reign in your mortall body that ye should obey iâ— in the lusts thereof he doth not say let it not be for it will alwaies be in us but let it not rule and pâ—evail over Grace So Gala. 5 16. wâ—lk in the Spirit and ye shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh he doth say ye shall not have those lusts but not fulfill and peâ—form them and ver 17. Ye cannot do the thing that ye would that is because ye cannot as you desire be free and quit from evill desires so as no evill desires at all should arise in you yet resist them do not obey them Tene Aug. de Verb. Dei ser 43. manus pedes ocuâ—oâ— c. withhold your members from acting those carnal suggestions Where he saith What I hate that I do We are not Rom. 7. 15. to imagine that the Apostle meaneth that although he hated fornication adultery rapine c. yet he did act these things but he meaneth that he hated evill lusts which yet did continually arise in him he desired they might not all be in him Nolo concupiscere tamen conâ—upisco O â—i tamen Aug. de verbis Apost ser 5. ago quamvis membraâ—â—eneo arma nego So himself adviseth Rom. 6. 13 Yâ—â—ld not your members as iâ—st â—ments of unrighteousness Although sinfull desires arise in Id de Temp. Ser. 45. your carnall heart Rebellant râ—bella pugnant pugna This is the strife betwen the flesh and the spirit he did continually resist those temptations Luctabatur noâ— Id. ibid. subjugâ—baâ—ur alwayes strâ—ving with them but not overcome by them Rom 8. 8. They that are in the flesh cannot please God Though holy men are in the flesh yet because they are not over-ruled by the flesh they do please Id. de verbis Apost Ser. 6. God Carnem portant sed non pâ—rtantur ab â—a Where he saith Rom. 7. 25. With the mind I my self serve the Law of God but with the flesh the Law of sin We are not to think that the naturall mind or intellective faculty of this Apostle was free from carnall concupiscence for by nature our whole man body and soul is carnall but the mind here signifieth his understanding reformed and renued by the Spirit of God for the very naturall spirit or mind of man needeth â— renuing by the Spirit of Grace as himself saith Ephes 4. 23. Bâ— râ—nued in the Spirit of your mind When he saith Rom. 7. 17. It is no more I that do it but sin that dwelleth in me His meaning is not to excuse himself so as if he were without sin and blameless But that his Spirituall part or in ward man did detest that which his carnall part or outward man did suggest Just so doth this Apostle ascribe his holy and spirituall actions not to himself but to the Grace of the Spirit as 1 Cor. 15. 10. I laboured more then they all yet not I but the Grace of God which was with me So 1 Cor. 7. 10. I command yet not I but the Lord. So again Gal. 2. 20. The conclusion is that The Son himself that is to say Christ as he is considered with the plenitude of his Mysticall Body and so is the Whole Christ cannot be perfectly subject and obedient to the Godhead untill this mortall hath put on immortality and our naturall body be raised a Spirituall body when
3. therefore any sinne which is perceived to be a sinne not unto death may be prayed for and so pardoned Fourthly let it be observed that the Apostle doâ—h 4. in the next verse set down what he means in this place by sinne for verse 17. All unrighteousness is sinne John 3. 4. and he had said before chap. 3. verse 4. Sinne is the transgression of the Law From whence it may be reasonably collected that any unrighteonsnesse or transgression of the Law or any sinne if it be discerned to be not unto death may be prayed for and possibly pardoned A sinne not unto death How any sinne can be said to Beza in loc be a sinne and yet not unto death is hard to be understood seeing we reade Rom. 6. 23. The wages of sinne is death for any sinne ever so little rendereth us liable to death and is affirmed so by Beza Omtria peccata per se lethaliâ— id est All sinnes in their own nature are deadly Our very lapst nature in Adams mass Originall sinne and our minima peccata there is no sinne so small or unconsiderable but draweth after it the weight of eternall wrath and a thousand times meriteth eternall death Thus he and Calvin very truely saith Omne peccatum per se mortale Calv. instit 2. 8. 59. id est Every sinne in it self is deadly but when the sins of holy men are said to be not unto death and veniall it is because by Gods mercy they obtain pardon and not because the sinnes are of themselves veniall for who doubteth but that in the reprobate all sinnes are sinnes unto death but in the Elect no sinne is unto death Saint Chrysostome observeth upon those words Matthew Chrys de compunct n. 18. 5. 22. Whosoever shall say to his brother Thou fool c. De levioribus dat sententiam ut de gravioribus non dubitare debeas id est Christ pronounced sentence of Hell fire against so small a sinne that no man should doubt what greater sinnes deserve Again there are very grand and capitall sinnes which yet in some persons are sinnes not unto death as Galathians 5. 19. Adultery Murther Drunkennesse Seditions Heresies Idolatrie c. of which it is there said They that do such things shall not inherit the Kingdome of God and yet we know that some of the Patriarks and many converted from Heathenisme hath committed these sinnes but obtained pardon and shall inherit the Kingdome of Heaven Noahs excesse Davids adultery the Corinthians incest Peters deniall and the Iewes denying and crucifying the holy One and Pauls persecuting the Church all and every of these sinnes in those penitent and Elect vessels were sinnes not unto death This I think will not be denied Not unto death But why are some mens sinnes called not unto death when the very same speciall sins in other men are indeed sinnes unto death The Poet murmured at such a thing Committunt eadem diverso Crimina fato Juven sat 13. Ille crucem sceleris precium tulit hic Diadema For many sins and very capitall ones are common both to the Reprobates and to the Elect and yet in the Elect and the same sin is not unto death which in the Reprobate is unto death The answer is that our Apostle calls that sin a sin not unto death which is confessed repented forsaken and amended before our death or departure out of this life when a man doth not obdurately continue and persevere in his sin untill his death but forsaketh it in his life-time so that the leaving of his sin and amendment of life may be seen by his brother for how else shall a brother see that the sin is not unto death but by the sinners leaving it desisting from and amending it as by ceasing from adultery rebellion oppression and the like for so the Apostle telleth the Corinthians such as these were some of yee but yee are washed but yee are sanctified 1 Cor. 6. 11. So that sinnes not unto death are not so called from the nature or merit of sin but from the circumstance of the time or person sinning and desisting Fot as is said Every sin is mortall deadly and unto death eternall if we look onely on the merit of sin but every sin though the most grand and capitall sin is not unto death if it be repeated of and left before the departure of the soul from the body So the gloss expoundeth this place Non ad mortem Id est non usque ad mortem i. A sin not unto death is when the sin is not continued in untill the time of death and of David it saith David sinned not unto death for he repented and obtained pardon so that the same sin in one man not repenting produceth damnation when in another it is pardoned upon repentance Neither do we hereby assert any Stoicall f Amb. n. 33. Novatian or g Aug. n. to 6. habes Sardos venales alium alio nequiorem â—ul Epist 125 Iovinian equalitie of sinnes For although no sinne may well be called bettet then another because all are naught yet one is worse then another Of two ill painted pieces one asked uter detâ—rior est i. which is worst and of two evill things in the Comedy it is said h Plaut in Aulular Act. 2. sce â— Alia aliâ pejor est optima nulla est i. one is worse then another neither can be called best i. i Aug. cont mendac c. 8. n. 77. Furum non est ideâ— quisquam bonus quia pejor est unus i One thief is worse then another yet no thief is therefore good Sin in generall is k Bafil n. 5. Proles Diaâ—osi and l Theod. n. 13. mater mortis m Chrys n. 59. grandis Damon peccatum i. the braâ— of the Devil the mother of death and it self is a Devil and so is called in the Gospel yet sins are of severall growths and degrees For therefore are there severall degrees of torments in hell apportioned to the degrees of sins There is a sin as a moâ—e and as a beam and a Camel so there are stripes many stripes weeping wailing gnashing of teeth worm fire and brimstone the damned shall be bound up in bundles according to the likenesse and degrees of their sins and every bundle shall have its just portion as we read of that particular portion of Hypocrites It is a memorable and a terrible observation which Origen makes upon that saying Numb 14. 34. where for one sin in one day a whole year of punishment is apportioned If for every sinne of ours a whole year of Orig. in loc hom 8. punishment shall be allotted I fear that neither the duration of this world nor the eternitie of the next world will be long enough to end ouâ— torments Let us not therefore flatter our selves wâ—th the conceit of a little or a veniall sinne as if such deserved not death for
is behind of the afflâ—ctions of Christ in my flâ—sh We may not think that Christ in his own particular Person left his Passion insufficient so as if for our redemption the Apostle should need to supply his defect but his meaning is that something was to be suffered in the Mysticall Body of Christ which is his Church by the holy Martyrs for confirmation of Evangelicall Truth as it is there said For his bodies sake that is for the edification of his Members and these Passions of Martyrs are here called the afflictions of Christ though they were acted onely on the Person of this Apostle If it be here objected that there is a great difference between the Sonship of Christ and our sonship because he is the Son of God by Nature and we onely by the Adoption of Grace This cannot be denied but withall we should understand that although Christ in regard of his Divine Nature is very God of very God yet the same Lord Jesus in respect of his assumed Manhood is also the Son of God onely by Grace by Adoption and Election and therefore it is said in regard of this humane Nature All power is given me in Heaven and in Earth Esay 42. 1. 1 Pet. 2. 4. and therefore Christ is called Gods elect Servant and Saint Peter calls him a stone chosen and precious for indeed it was of meer grace that this Man Jesus was chosen and taken into Unity of Person with the Eternal Word and this is the doctrine of the ancient Church Aug. de Verb. Dei ser 8. De Temp. ser 84. delivered by Saint Austine Susceptio hominis per Verbum erat Gratia nam quid meruit ille Homo qui Christus est and again Susceptio hominis ipsius in Deum tota est gratia quid meruit homo ille â—olle gratiam quid est Christus nisi homo quid nisi quod tu and in his disputes against the â—elâ—gians he thus argues Vnde Christus De Praedest cap. 14. homo meruit ut in unitatem personae cum aeterno verbo assumeretur quid â—nte egit and he answereth himself thus ille grat âest tantus â—â gratiâ fiâ— Christianus quâ ille homo fiâ— Christus That is the taking of the manhood into God was meerly of grace for what did that man Christ deserve What did he before by the same grace that a man is made a Christian this man Jesus was made Christ Finally why should we further doubt that holy men are called Christ and the Son of God seeing the Eph. 3. 17. 1 John 4. 13. Matth. 28. 28. Scripture tells us that Christ dwelleth in their hearts and that they dwell in him and that he is with us to the end of the world Hereupon Saint Hierâ—m writes thus to Saint Austin a Hierom. Ep. 80. Habitantem in teâ—dâ—â—exi Dâ—mâ—num Salvatorâ—m And Paulinus thus writes to him b Aug. epist 58. Audiam quâ—d in â—â— mihi loquatnâ— Deus And Austin himself writes thus to Bishop Aurelius c Id. â—e opere Monach. cap. 1. Jussioni â—â—a oporter me obâ—â—mperaâ—e nam Christus in te habitans ex te jussiâ— This union of Christ and his Church is of so great Concernment that the most high and Holy Sacrament was set up by our Saviour purposely not only to signify but also as an Instrumental meanes to effect this most holy Union which cannot be said of common and ordinary food and therefore is called by Saint Austin Thâ— Sacrament of union as out of many grapes one vessell Ad Frâ—â— in Erem ser 28. Sacramentum unitatis of wine is extracted c â—just so saith he of many men one Body of Christ is composed I here present unto the Learned Readers consideration an exposition of those two difficult sayings of Christ but I do not obtrude this conceit Magisterially He saith Iohn 6. 53. Except ye cat the flesh of the Son of man c. and Matth. 26. 26. Take eat this is my Body This he said when he gave not flesh but bread Vide Theophil in â—oâ— 6. 51. This bread may truly besaid to †Vide Theoophil in John 6. 51. be turned into the Flesh of Christ because it is nutrimentally turned into the flesh of every holy Communicant because such are truly called the Body and members of Christ and are called Christ but in prophane persons it is not so turned because they are not the members of Christ neither doth our Saviour say This is my body till he had first said Take Eat my learned friend Dr. Thomas Brown observeth that every Religio â—â—dici man is a kind of Anthropâ—phaâ—e because the main bulk of his body went in at his mouth by nourishment so this holy Eucharisticall nourishment is therefoie turned into the Body of Christ because it is converted into the flesh and blood of us who are his Body for thus Christ and his servants become incorporate and one body In the vision of Saint Peter it was said Arise Acts 10 13. kill and eat the meaning was that Peter should re ceive the Gentiles as well as the Jewes into the Communion of the Church Quasi escam uâ— incorporentur Ecclesiae saith Austin so he expoundeth that of Saint Iohn Aug. Hom. 45. Except ye eat id est nisi incorporentur Christo So also he expoundeth that saying He that cometh to Jo. 6. 37. me I will not cast him out Quiveniâ— ad Christum incorporatur ei And in that exposition of the Apocalyps which goes under his name Rev 20. 9. where it is said that fire came from God and devoured the persecutors he saith Comeduntur ab ecclesia persecutores id est incorporantur the meaning is that by the fire of the Holy Ghost the very persecutors of the Church shall be converted and incorporated into that mysticall Body of Christ this of the first question The second question is What that is which in the Saints Quest 2. Militant is not yet nor ever will be in this life fully subjected to God but shall be hereafter in the next life To this question this is the answer That in the Answer most holy men living there dwelleth a rebellious sin continually unto their death which is the same that by the Apostle is called Concupisence for the law saith Thou shalt not cover and the Apostle saith The Exod 20. 17. Rom. 7. 7. Gal. 5. 17. Psal 94. 20. flesh lusteth against the Spirit this is that which Divines call Originall sin of which the Apostle saith Rom. 7. 23. I see another law in my members warring against the law of my mind Psal 94. 20. he calleth it a law because it hath such power over us as the Edicts of Tyrants have over their Vassals this is that sin which â—weâ—lâ—th in us Rom. 7. 2. of which he saith v. 24. who shall deliâ—er us from this body of death the deliverance mâ—st not be
The everlasting Covenant and Rev. 14. 6. The Eternal Gospel and must needs be meant in those places of Scripture where mention is made of Eph. 1. 4. Electing us in Christ before the foundation of the World and of 2 Tim. 1. 9. Calling us according to his own purpose and grace which was given us in Christ Jesus before the World began and of 1 Pet. 1. 20. Christ ordained for our Redemption before the foundation of the World Of which there is a full discourse in my Third Book and eighth Chapter This Covenant doth necessarily imply a plurality of persons in the Godhead One to require and injoyn another to restipulate and which is requisite in all Covenants a third Person distinct from the Contractors as a stander-by and Witnesse thereof So in this Covenant First God the Father requireth obedience upon pain of death Secondly God the Son undertaketh for man's performance or penalty or both Thirdly God the Holy-Ghost is witnesse between the Father and the Son for oftentimes in Scripture we read of the Spirit bearing witnesse For though the Father the Son and the Spirit are all said to bear witnesse for our assurance as Joh. 8. 18. I am one that bear witnesse of my self and my Father that sent me and 1 Joh. 5. 7. There are three that bear witnesse in heaven and Rom. 8. 16. The Spirit beareth witnesse with our Spirit But before the Creation who could be a witnesse between the Father and the Son save onely the Eternal Spirit of the Father and the Son Nor can it be imagined that this Covenant and restipulation could be enacted by One single Person for the Law-giver must be considered as a Soveraign onely and the persons upon whom the Law is imposed are as subjects so it will be dissonant from right reason to fasten the Legislation and subjection upon the self-same person Now supposing the Law made and the penalty determined and set down it cannot be denyed that the Supream Law-giver hath naturally and absolutely a power of relaxation and dispensation so that he may remit the punishment for breach of his own Law and of meer grace without any satisfaction forgive the offender but if the said Law-giver do decree and by his Word bind himself to punish the offender as he did when he said Gen. 2. 17. In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely dye hereby he doth confine and restrain himself from using the Imperial prerogative of free pardon which otherwise he might have granted and hence it is that a Satisfaction must needs be exacted necessitate hypothetica as Divines say upon supposal of the said decree and upon this reason Jesus Christ our Surety becomes liable to his dreadfull Passion and death Touching the Passion of Christ in Satisfaction of Gods Justice for the sins of men the Socinian Writers do utterly deny it as being unjust to punish one for another and especially an innocent for a malefactor and they call this doctrine of Christ's satisfaction as Vossius reporteth Ger. Joh. Vossii Defens Grotii c. 13. Dogma nugatorium frigidum falsum injustum et horribilitèr blasphemum Their reasons are very considerable for they say that God hath by his Prophets and Apostles declared the contrary as Deut. 24. 1◠Every man shall be put to death for his own sin Jer. 31. 30. Every one shall dye for his own sin he that eateth sower grapes his teeth shall be set on edge Eze. 18. 4. The soul that sinneth it shall dye Gal. 6. 5. Every man shall bear his own burthen 1 Pet. 1. 17. God judgeth according to every mans work The Answer hereunto usually given is That because God doth actually punish one for another it must needs be just because God doth it but this answer doth not satisfie the Adversary neither doth it I confesse satisfie me for God doth not so Therefore for the better satisfaction of my self in this weighty question and perhaps of others also I offer to the consideration of the Learned Reader these two Propositions following First The Passion of Christ neither is nor ought to be accounted the punishment of one for another but the same that offended the same is punished Secondly The sins of the elect Members of Christ are not to be accounted onely the sins of the Elect but are justly charged on the score of Jesus Christ being their Surety and Redeemer These two Propositions may perhaps seem at first Paradoxical but I trust I shall prove them to be truly Catholick and Orthodox For the first That Christ's Sufferings are 1. Proposition not the punishment of one for another I have learned from St. Bernard Bernard Epist 190. Omnium peccata unus portavit nec alter jam inveniatur qui forefecit alter qui satisfecit quia caput corpus unus est Christus satisfecit caput pro membris i. One bare the sins of all so that we cannot say One forfeited and another satisfied because the head and body are but one Christ the head satisfied for the members So the Husband and Wife are but one person in Law an action of debt is not brought against the wife but the husband so the principal debtor and the Surety are in Law but one person and either of them are liable to payment or penalty This first Proposition is grounded on the doctrine of Christ's Vnion and conjunction with his members which Vnion is of such weighty concernment that without it it is impossible to salve or unfold the mysterious riddles of Gods operations and words in the businesse of man's Salvation and therefore the holy Scriptures and ancient Doctors have with very great abundance of testimonies asserted this necessary truth See first what the Scriptures say Rom. 12. 5. We being many are one body in Christ Eph. 5. 30. We are members of his body of his flesh and of his bones Gal. 3. 28. Ye are all one in Christ Jesus 1 Cor. 6. 17. He that is joyned to the Lord is one spirit 1 Cor. 12. 2. By one Spirit ye are all baptized into one body Eph. 4. 4. There is one body and one Spirit This is because the same Spirit that is in Christ is also in his members and because there is but one Spirit uniting the head and members therefore the head and members are but one body having the same Spirit residing in both for so it is said Eph. 3. 17. Christ dwelleth in your hearts and 2 Cor. 13. 5. Jesus Christ is in you 1 Cor. 6. 19. Your body is the Temple of the Holy Ghost Joh. 15. 1. I am the vine ye are the branches This Union of the members with Christ the Head is called by the Apostle a recapitulation Eph. 1. 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is as Bishop Andrews observeth Andr. de Nativ Serm. 16. A gathering of all to the head for as God is one with Christ as Christ is God so we are one with Christ as Christ is man who is therefore called
called his may appear by these passages Christ saith Matth. 25. I was hungry I was naked I was in prison Act. 9. 4. Saul Saul why persecutest thou me when these things were not meant of his own proper and individual person but only of his servants and members which he calleth himself for so he saith Verily in as much as ye have done it unto one of the least of my brethren ye have done it unto me So the Apostle saith that 2 Cor. 5. 21. Christ was made sin for us when in the same breath it is also affirmed that he knew no sin Both are most true because our sins are his sins by reason of this union as the debt of the principal is also the debt of the Surety So Christ is said to be Rev. 13. 8. slain from the beginning of the world even before he was incarnate because of Abel who was both his member and type Lyranus upon that place saith Lyra. in loc Christus fuit in Abel occisus in prophetis exhonoratus for all the holy Patriarchs and Prophets who dyed before the birth of Christ are his members as well as others who novv live or shall hereafter live untill the end of the world even as we read of that birth Gen. 38. 28. where the hand came out of the Womb before the other parts yet it was a member united to the body as well as the other parts Upon that speech of Christ Matth. 23. How often would I have gathered thee as an hen c Orig. in loc Origen saith Christ in Moses and the Prophets would have gathered them in every age before Upon that passage in Psal 61. 2. From the Aug. in Psal 60. ends of the earth will I cry unto thee Austin asketh this question What one man cryeth from the ends of the Earth And answereth That it is meant of Christ for his Members or Church is that one man And upon that saying of the Psalmist Psal 86. 3. I cry unto thee daily or all the day long that is all the time of the world continuance If question be made how this can be true of any one man Austin Aug. in Ps 85. answereth That it is meant of the body of Christ which groaneth under pressures in all ages this one man is extended unto the end of the world in his Members preceding and succeeding Thus he Finally upon these grounds If it be demanded how any man can be saved seeing man daily transgresseth the Law Our answer is That every true member of Christ doth perfectly perform the Law in that Christ hath done it who is one with his members So if we enquire how Christ could with Justice suffer death who never sinned The answer is That his suffering was just because the sins of his Members or body are his sinnes in that himself and his Members are One for it is as easie to conceive our most innocent Saviour to be justly charged with our sins as to conceive sinful man to be justly discharged of all sin and to be truly called righteous even the righteousnesse of God in him Thus much I have thought fit to premise as an Introduction and a needful Preparative for the reading of these Books All which I humbly submit to the Judgment of Superiors and to the serious consideration of the Christian Reader THE Principal Contents of the four Books following In the first Book THe Authors and spreaders of the Arian or Socinian heresie Why the title Saint was of old withdrawn from Churches That the most high God is the Author of the Gospel That the soules of men and women never dye The article of Christs descent into hell is expounded The Original of Creeds and what hath been added to the most ancient of them and why The meaning of the word Hades or hell A full discourse of Ecstasies Raptures Inspirations Revelations and Enthusiasmes Of the apparitions of dead men Of Angels good and bad which conduct the soules of the dead to their receptacles and mansions in the other world A Summary of the blasphemies contained in the said Commentary on the Epistle to the Hebrewes In the second Book THat to deny and renounce the Godhead of Christ is the sin against the holy Ghost The sin against the holy Ghost is fully described The eternall Godhead of Jesus Christ is fully proved The deniers of Christ's Godhead are of no better religion then Jewes Turks or Antichrist Of the Deification of Jesus Christ and how it is to be understood The manner how Christ doth intercede and mediate for us in Heaven The Subjection and Minoration of Christ and the delivering up of his Kingdome at the end of the world expounded out of 1 Cor. 15. A plain discovery of Originall sin On what Object the Christian is to fix his mind in prayer How the most high God became a Priest Why the Church of England required adoration when the Lord Jesus is named That Christ is Jehova and what that word signifieth In the Third Book THat the most high God was incarnate How and when the most high God appeared visibly to the Patriarchs and the mystery thereof unfolded The meaning of the face and backparts of God The everlasting Covenant of Grace made before the Creation and after is plainly set forth How the Son of God was necessitated to be incarnate and to suffer death That the Obedience of Christ is with perfect justice and equity imputed to his mysticall Body the Church for the salvation thereof The Originall of the Soul of Christ and of other mens souls is disputed The Omnipresence of the Spirit of God and the diversities of the graces thereof The curing of the Kings Evill by the Kings of England and the Scripturall warrant for the same In the Fourth Book IN what cases the sinne against the Holy Ghost is unpardonable or pardonable is fully shewed The dangerous sin of Anabaptism is shewed by evidence of Scripture with the History of the ancient Anabaptists The reasons why the ancient Christians did defer Baptism till ripe years or old age shewed to be carnall The reason why St. Paul commanded those to be baptized who had been baptized before with St. John Baptists baptism Acts 19. A plain description what true repentance is The meaning of Sins unto death and sins not unto death 1 John 5. 16. The meaning of sins Mortall and Veniall so oft mentioned in the Fathers In what cases sinners must be prayed for and in what not shewed out of 1 John 5. 16. OBSERVATIONS UPON THE COMMENTARY ON The Epistle to the HEBREWES published under the Capital Letters G. M. Anno Dom. 1646. CHAP. I. The Original and growth of the Arian Heresie THe blasphemous heresie of denying the Godhead of Jesus Christ began early and after 〈◊〉 was first broached by one a Euseb hist l. â— â— 28. 〈◊〉 c. 20. 〈◊〉 as Eusebius and Niâ—eph have written and after him 〈◊〉 seconded by his disâ—â—ple â—â—â—odotus who was an 〈◊〉 of
be sin for us and Rom. 5. 12. Death passed over all for that all have sinned And if Levi be said to have paid Tithes to Melchisedech because he was in the loyns of Abraham how shall Christ be excused from falling seeing he was in the loins of Adam when he fell For the clearing of these difficulties three questions are to be discussed 1. What the Originall sin of Adam was 1. Question To this the answer is that the Originall sinne of Adam is twofold 1 He eat the forbidden fruit against Gods command This was the first sin of Mankind and is by Divines called Originale Originans i. The fountain of other sins This sin was also an actuall sin in Adam and cannot be said to be derived from him to his posterity for his children cannot be said to have eaten of the forbidden tree But yet his posterity are subjected to the curse denounced against Adam and in him against his whole race and that curse is mortalitie Gen. 2. 17. In the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die Christ did not in Adam eat of the forbidden tree yet Christ being of Adams race was thereby lyable to the curse so the Apostle saith that Christ was made a curse for us Gal. 3. 13. He was made a curse onely by taking that flesh on him which was derived from Adam and in him was accursed for in taking the flesh he took also the curse but not the sin of Adam the curse passed without the Rom. 5. 12. sin For whereas the Apostle saith Death passed on all for that all have sinned The meaning is that all men that have sinned and die do therefore die because they have sinned But it will not follow that whosoever dieth hath sinned And yet it is true that the death of our righteous Saviour was caused by sin Albeit not his own proper and personall sinne And this is the determination of the Ancients Christus mortalitatem traxit de substantia mortalitate Maetris sed non peccatum Aug. cont Julian Pelag. l. 5. id est Christ derived his mortality from the substance and mortality of his mother but without sin therefore the Apostle saith Romans 8. 3. God sent his own Son in the likenesse of sinfull flesh which the same Father thus expoundeth In carne peccati mors est peccatum in similitudine mors erat peccatum non Aug. de verb. Apost Ser. 6. erat id est In sinfull flesh there is both death and sinne but in the likeness of sinfull flesh death there was but sin there was not The flesh of Christ was like other mens flesh sinne onely excepted he had his flesh from Adam so had we but his was derived without Adams sin so was not ours 2. The second sin of Adam is called Originale Originatum because it was the effect produced by his first sinne in eating the forbidden fruit Therefore it is called Originatum And because it was the Originall Fountain from whence sinne is conveyed to his Posterity therefore it is called Originale For as we now use the word Originall sinne it is not meant of Adams first sinne of eating but of that which was occasioned and produced by his first sinne and from him transmitted to all his posterity which by way of naturall generation proceeded from his loyns So Bellarmine observeth If our Originall sinne had Bellarm. de â— Amiss Gratiae l. 4. c. 3. been from the eating of the forbidden Fruit the Apostle must have said by One Woman sinne entered and not per unum hominem For the woman did first eat Now this Originall sinne besides the absence of Originall Righteousness wherein Man was created is moreover an inherent pravity and corruption of our nature and is called lust or concupiscence and is therefore called Originall because it is conveyed into us at our very conception and so is born with us Now I proceed to the second question and that is 2. How Originall sinne is derived 2. Question from Adam to all his Progenie The Answer is That therefore the Originall sinne of Adam is from him derived into his Posteritie who have proceeded from his loynes by way of naturall Generation because such as Adam was when he begot children Such are his Posterity so begotten for Adam did not beget children untill he was the servant of sinne a Therefore every man is the Pet. Diac. apud Fulgent servant of sin For this reason it is said Gen. 5. 3. Adam begot a son in hâ—s own likenesse after his Image And in what sinfull condition Adam was before he knew Eve and begot Children is evidently set forth Gen 3. 7. 10. The eyes of them both were opened and they knew they were naked and they made them aproâ—s And after I was afraid because I was nakâ—d and hid my self But before the fall it is said Gen. 2. 25. They were both naked the Man and his Wife and were not ashamed From which passages we may observe that whereas it is said their eyes were opened The meaning is that they were opened so as not onely to see for so they did before unlesse we will say they were blinde but to discern and perceive the difference between their Innocency before the fall and their lust after the fall for before they were not ashamed of their nakednesse Quia nil praecesseraâ— quod Aug. De Nupâ—iis concup l. 1. c. 5. non liâ—eret nil seâ—utum fuerat quod puderet id est No unlawfull act had preceeded therefore no shame as yet insued Next we observe that they made them aprons Pâ—rizomata The Latines call such covers Campestria which served to cover their secret parts onely because when the Romane youths exercised themselves naked in the fields they covered their secret parts so the covers were called Campestria By this it appeareth that our first Parents perceived motions of lust in those parts and therefore were ashamed Adam Eva texerunt genitalia erubuerunt de libidine Aug. ib. l. 2. c. 5. videâ—t inobedientia membra for if otherwise why did they not cover their faces breasts and hands But Quia senserunt pudendum curaverunt Id. De Temp. Serm. 45. tegendum Since which time those parts are called Pudenda which were not so before the fall and therfore the Apostle abstaineth from naming those parts dirâ—ctly but calleth them uncomeâ—y and the Vulgar 1 Cor. 12. 23. translation calleth them inhonesta The Apostle durst not so have called those parts which God had created pure if Man had not by sinne dehonestated them So that now we may not name them But Per circuitum and when necessitie forceth Martial l. 11. Ep. 16. us to speak of them modesty requireth that we speak by Circumlocution If the Apostle had been to describe such a body as our first Parents had before the fall he would not have called any part thereof unhonest or uncomely So the result
that sin shall never be forgiven for if this sin cannot at all be remitted by repentance in this life why was the Church so offended with Novatus for not admitting penitents to his Atha ib. pag. 624. Communion who in time of persecution for fear had denied Christ and yet if there be a possibility of remission after this life why is Origen so condemned for affirming that the punishment of the damned shall have an end Again he saith 〈◊〉 those who were ignorant of the Godhead of Jesus and so did not believe or confesse it shall not be pardoned what will become of his own Disciples Ausim dicere ne ipsos bâ—atos Discipulos Atha ibid pa. 265. perfectam sententiam de ejus Divinitate habiusse antequam Spiritus sanctus in die Penticostes eos visitasset i I dare bouldly affirm that the blessed Disciples of Christ had not a perfect opinion of their Lords Godhead untill the holy Spirit descended on them at the Feast of Penticost for we read Math. 28. 17. that after his resurrection some worshiped him but some doubted Heathens Turks Jewes and Arrians do unto this day blaspheme the whole Trinity and therefore do certainly blaspheme the Holy Spirit yet if any of these should be converted to the true faith and with a penitent confession and with teares should come to the Christian Church renouncing their blasphemies and desire admission thereinto and to be instructed and then baptized what Christian would be so hard-hearted as to deny them St. Austin goeth yet further Aug. in Exposit Epist ad Rom. n. 96. Si ex eo numero hominum quibus Dominus crimen peccati in Spiritum Sanctum objecit veniret ad ecclesiam ad fidem Christi paenitens salutem cum lacrimes posâ—ens quaero utrum quisquam tanto errore esset ut neget ad baptismum admitti aut frustra admissum esse contendat i If any one of those very Pharisees unto whom particularly Cbrist objected this sin against the Holy Ghost had been converted to the Christian faith and with repentance and tears had desired that saving doctrine I demand whether any one would be so ignorantly nice as to deny him leave to be baptized or to affirm that if he were baptized it would not profit him Certainly if Julian or Arrius who by divines are said to have sinned this sin had so offered themselves to the primitive Church in their times they had not been refused for we know that Novatus and his sect were therefore condemned by the Orthodox because they refused to admit such as had denied Christ as is said before The conclusion and resolution of this question by Aug. Epist 50. n. 31. St. Austin is this that this sin is unpardonable only in this case viz. If such a sinner continue in duritia cordis usque ad finem vitae hujus and again Aug. Enchirid cap. 83. n. 58. Si in hac obstinatione mentis diem extremum clandit i If such a blasphemer continue and persevere in this hardnesse of heart and obstinacy all his life time and in it depart this life then will there be no hope of forgivnesse And for this reason onely this grand sin Vid. infra may be called in the Apostles words 1. John 5. 16. A sin unto death Not because it doth alwaies necessarily bring to that sinner eternall death but because it Aug. Epist 50. â— 31. will do so if that sinner live and die in this sin obstinately and impenitently of which saying I shall more largly speak here after in its due place of this sin when it doth necessarily bring the sinner to eternal damnation the same Saint Austin saith very truly as I conceive Non probatur ab aliquo commissum nisi cum de corpore exierit i none can be properly said to have committed the sin unto death untill the sinner be actually dead because if he repent before his death then the sin canot be said to be unto death Finallie neither this sin or any other Apostasie except it be final is so absolutely unpardonable but that forgivenes may be obtained through Christ if the sinner seeke pardon with true repentance But whether any repentance may be had by such who have once fallen into this grand sin is the next thing to be enquired CHAP. IV. An exposition of Hebr. 6. 4. that the word Inlightned signifieth baptisme Anabaptisme is inhibited as both unprofitable and also sinful BEcause no sin how great soever can be said to be absolutely unpardonable if the sinner wil truly repent him of it and that there is no case or condition in this life wherin sinfull man should despair and cast of all hope of pardon therefore divers * Calvin l. 3. 3. 24. Instit Polan p. 339. Buc. p. 155. divines tell us that the reason why it is said of this sin that it shall never be forgiven is because when it is once committed it is ever after accompanied with final impenitentie and that by the just judgment of God such apostates are punished with final and Eternal blindnes and that they cannot possiblie repent and for this doctrine they alleage the saying of S. Paul Heb. 6. 4. It is impossible for those who were once enlightned if they fall away to renue them to repentance Whether this be the true meaning of those words or not it will better appeare if we diligentlie by way of exposition examine them together with the context both before after Which I will not presume to undertake or performe by mine owne single judgment but will call in the assistance of former expositions by the auncient Fathers upon that place where we read as followeth For it is impossible for those who were once enlightned and have tasted of the heavenly gift c. If they fall away to Renue them againe to repentance The Apostle having in the former verses told those Hebrâ—ws that they should not expect that he would new lay the foundations of Christian religion which had bin done to them before wherof one was 〈◊〉 and its Doctrine for if they must be alwaies nâ—w rounded in Christian religion as oft as they fall into â—in then should they be as often baptized that if they fell a second and third time they should as often be baptized and therby reâ—â—ored to their former estate by so many several baptismes This is the eâ—position of Theophilact Si iterum eâ—â— in primordiis religionis instiâ—ueret Theoph. in locum ruâ—sus baptizaret poâ—iquâ—m denuò â—apsi essent baptizaret aâ—que â—teâ—um per â—ujusmodiâ— iterationem essent multi baptismi verum hoâ—â—bsurdum non oportet iterari baptismum i If the Apostle must new lay the foundations of religion in his disciples as oft as they fall into sin then must he new baptize them and if they fall againe he must baptize them againe and againe but â—f so then there would be many Baptismes which were absurd for Baptisme may
not be iterated He mentioneth Baptismes in the plural not as if there were more baptismes then one to be applied to one Person but because of the multitudes of â—ersons Baptized There is but One â—aptism Eph. 4. 5. But that one given to many is called Baptismes yet but One because it may not be administred to one Person more then once and this the Apostle teacheth in these words It is impossible for those who were once enlightned if they fall to Renue them againe by Baptisme unto repentance For it is impossible this Word for sheweth that these following words are a reason rendred of the former words and particularlie of Baptismes as if he should say I will not againe lay the foundation of Baptisme in them that were baptized before because a Second baptisme is both impossible and unprofitable for as a man can not be twice borne naturally so can he not be twice regenerate or new borne And if a Man should be rebaptized it would doe him no good nay it would be an aggravation of his sin because it is a Contempt of the cross and death of Christ as will appear anon Impossible He doth not say only It is unprofitable or unseemly and unexpedient but Impossible Ne sperent se denuò posse Baptisma consequi Theoph. in loc i. That men might not imagine that they mâ—ght be acquitted of their sins by a new Baptisme For those who where once inlightned The Principal thing as I conceive which hath made this Scripture seem so obscure of late which the auncient expositors did most cleerly expound â—s the ambiguitie of this word Inlightned which certainly doth signifie in this place Baptized and so S. Ambrose Theodoreâ— and Theophilact do all unanimâ—uslie expound it And so did also even the Novatians who yet from a true exposition of that word did suck this poison That such as lapsed into notorious sin after baptism could not be admitted into the Church any more by repentance The Syriaâ—â— translation also reads for Inlightned Baptized as is acknowledged by Beza non inâ—pte i. as he thinketh noâ— unfiâ—ly and nothing was more ordinarie in the primitive Church then to call Baptisme Illumination and the Baptized Illuminatos Which appellation was no doubt taken from the words here used 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and againe Heb. 10. 32. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that the ancient Christians by this word Inlightned understood Baptized wich will evidently appear by what followeth Inlightned once Inlightned signifies Once Baptized amongst the Apostolical Constitutions in Clemens this is one In Illuminatione seminaâ—um Dâ—aconissa absâ—ergiâ— Clem. Rom l. 3 Const cap. 15. â—as ne mulieres aspiciantur a viris i In the Illum nation of women other women ministred because it was not comely for men to behold their nakednes here Illumination must needs signifie Baptisme for in those times and long after both men and women were Baptized naked as also it may seeme to be intimated by the Scripture Phrases of putting of the old man and putting on the new man which was represented by putting of their old apparrel and by putting on the white Baptismal garment which is so frequently mentioned in the Farhers and that people were baptized naked doth appeare in Dionisius Cyprian Cyril Hierosol Ambrose Dion Areo. n4 Cyp. 91. Cyr. 21. Aug. Epist 118. c. 5. Arnb. n. 49. Cuspinian in vita ejus Just Apol. 2. n. 13. Chrys n. 40. Cyril Catech. Chrys hom 60. Antio Epiph. n. 33. Naz Orat. 39. Naz. Orat. 39. and 40. and Austin And particularlie by the Historie of the Emperor Constantine the fift who for a certaine miscariage in his baptisme was Nicknamed Copronimus this by the way In Justin Martir baptisme is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i Illumination and the baptismal Font is both by him and Chrysostome called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i an Illuminatorie for as we call it the Font because of the water in it the ancients would as readily have called it the Phont because of the Sacramental Illumination So both S. Cyril and S. Chrysostome call the Catechising of those who were already Baptized Catechesis Illuminatorum i The Catechesis of the Baptised and doe expressly expound those words Heb. 6. and. Heb. 10. to signifie the Baptized just so doth Epiphanius call the Font. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in Gre. Nazian the festival of Christs Baptism is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i The day of Illumination and he useth both words promiscuously Christus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i and Iesus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i Christ was illuminated Iesus was Baptized and that feast he calleth both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i Illumination and also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i The feast of Baptism Neither was this appellation used because of lights set up in the church at the time of Baptisme when it was performed in the night as in the Wakes or vigils of Easter which was the custome in S. Chrysostoms time But the Chrys n. 63. Baptized were called Illuminates who had bin Baptized in the day time and the fonts were called Illuminatories at other times when no Baptism was administred as S. Chrysostome tels That in an uprore in the Church such Chrys Serm post râ—ditum n 40. great store of blood shead was made that the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Or Font was fillâ—d with blood for then the Fonts were litle wels or cistems whose tops were no higher then the Church pavâ—ment To this I ad that the ordinarie gloss upon those words saith Ne quis existimet Lyra. in loc secundum vel tertium Baptisma post peccata posse fieri i the Apostle used those words least any Man should imagine that a second or third Baptisme might be used to release us of sins so doth Dionysius Cart expound them of Baptismal grace and our vulgar Concordance in the title of Illuminati adds Per Baptismum Why Baptism is called Illumination the words following declare viz. because with the Outward Sacrament of water the inward grace of the Spirit is as by a conduit convayed wherby Original and actual sins past are remitted and the strength of sin is abated by the same Spirit of regeneration and a new life kindled and the peacable and sweet tranquilitie of Christs Kingdome by the comfortable promises of the Gospel is tasted which is an heaven upon earth for Grace is the Inchoation of glorie All these things are expressed by these words following Tasted the heavenly gift made partakers of the holie Ghost tasted of the good word of God and the powers of the world to come For a man that is indued with the regenerating and illuminating Spirit of God may very well be said to be enlightned when as our meer natural soule and understanding is called a light of which and the common and ordinarie concurrence of Gods Spirit it is said Joh. 1. 9. It Inlightneth every Man that â—ommeth into
the Emperour immediately after the resignation of Nazianzen and then Nectarius was not baptized So was St. Ambrose before he was baptized chosen and compelled to be the Bishop of Millaine surely St. Ambrose and the other also were perfectly instructed in Christianity and known to be learned before they were chosen to those high pâ—aces especially in such a learned age of the Church wherein they liâ—ed and yet St. Ambrose after he was so chosen is stiled but Catecumenus and was never called Illuminaâ—us untill he was baptized And yet we find that those who were baptized in their infancy were then called Illuminatâ— before they were Catechised For St. Cyrils Catechismes are therefore called Catechâ—sis Illuminatorâ—m because they were imploied for the instruction of such as had been baptized in their minority and were therefore called both catecumeni because they were yet under the Catechiser and also illuminati because they had been baptized So that it is apparant that some were called Illuminates who were not sufficiently instructed and some were called Catecumeni who never had been baptized and therefore were not called Illumâ—nati St. Cyril saith Antebaptismum Catecmenus eras nunc fidelis vocaris Cyril Hiero. n. 4. i before baptism they were called Catecumens but after baptism if they were once admitted to the Eucharist they were stiled Fideles i the faithful but in case they had been baptized and not yet admited to the Lords Supper then their appellation was Neophyti i New plants yet both the Fideles and the Neophyti Paulin in vita Ambâ— n. 1. were called Illâ—minati St. Ambrose would fain have declined the office of a Bishop after he was chosen and alleadged for himself that the Scripture forbad that such a man as he was should be a Bishop for he was not so high as a Novice or Neophyte 1. Tim. 3. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for said he if a Neophite who hath been baptized may not be a Bishop much lesse may I who am inferior to a Neophite but in the rank or form of the Catecumenâ— not baptized and therefore inferiour to all that are baptized In a word the appellation of Illuminates was not given them because of their light of knowledge but onely because they had received the light of Grace baptismal In the next place I am to shew some reasons why our Apostle doth thus forbid second Baptismes and what occasioned him to handle this doctrine in this Epistle which is scarce found evidently any where else in Scripture especially to be so offensive and sinful as is here set â—orth to this query my answer is that the Apostle had great and weighty reasons so to do partly because of the Hebrewes or Jews unto whom he wrote and partly because of the Gentiles unto whom this doctrine would be needful as well as to the Hebrewes as will appear anon First For the Hebrews and particularly the Sect of the Pharisees in which St. Paul had himself bin brought up and accurately instructed The Hebâ—ewes in their legal religion used divers and frequent washings and Baptismes whereby they thought themselves to be acquitted of any former pollution and indeed God had commanded some washings whereby as by a tipe and figure of outward washing he signified what purenesse of life he required of his servants Exod. 19. 10. Sanctify the people and let them wash their clothes and of sanctifying the Priests he saith Exod. 29. 4 Thou shalt bring Aaron and his sonnes to the dore of the Tabernacle and shalt wash them with water and Exod. 30. 15. Aaron and his sonnes shall wash their hands and their fâ—et at the brazen laver when they goe to Minister that they dye not which washing was actually performed Exoâ—us 40. 31. To these Scriptural washings the Scribes and Pharisees added more traditional washings as we find in the New Testament thereby imaging that any pollutions attracted by touching any unclean thing were done away Matth. 15. 2. The Scribes and Pharisees said why do thy Disciples transgresse the tradition of the Elders for they wash not their hands when they eat And those traditional washings are called Baptismes Mar. 7. 3. The Pharisees and all the Jews when they come from the Marâ—â—t except they wash their hands oft they eat noâ— So they washed cups pots brazen vessels the original word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i unlesse they Baptizâ— and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vers. 4. 1. i baptismes of vessels and so again Luk. 11. 38. the Pharisee marvelled rhat Christ washed not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 suteable hereunto St. Ambrose speaketh Judaei baptizant Caliâ—es i the Jewes baptize cups Besides Amb. de Initiandis cap. 4. n 30. Epiph. hae â—7 there was a special sect of Jews before the birth of Christ mentioned by Epiphanius and called Hemerobaptistae qui quotidie etià m hieme in aqua mergerentur credâ—ntes se sic ab omni culpâ— ablui i the Hemâ—rohaptists were every day dipped in water even in winter also belâ—eving that thereby thâ—y were purgâ—d from their sinnes Now these traditional practises and erroneous opinions of the Jewes occasioned the Apostle to write this passage especially in this Epistle directed to the converted Hebrews This reason is rendred by Theodoret upon that place Theod. in loc Docet judaeos qui crederent ne existimarent sanctissimum baptismum â—sse similem baptismis judaicis illi enim non solvebant peccatum sed corporis sordes purgabant hinc frequentèr adhibebantur Baptismus autem noster unus est i he teacheth the believing Jews that they should not think our most holy Baptisme to be like to the Jewish-baptismes for by their sins were not remitted but onely the body was cleansed therefore their Baptismes were often reiterated but our Christian baptisme is but one the like reason is given by Theophylact i fortasse Theoph. in loc ills Hebraei ut qui legi affixi erant multos baptismos judaiâ—â— more etiam in Gratia predicabant i perhaps those converted Hebrewes held this dangerous opinion that although they fell into foul sins after Baptisme yet that a new Baptisme would acquit them from all their pollutions as they were once made believe rhe Jewish Baptismes did Therefore the Apostle giveth the Hebrews this seasonable and profitable monition to prevent their unreasonable presumption of sinning upon a false conceit that their new sins might be remitted by a new baptisme and this conceit was also amongst Christians who were Gentiles as is next to be shewed Secondly this doctrine against Re-baptization was useful to succeeding ages of Christians among the Gentiles by reason of abuses which probably would arise amongst them as may reasonably be thought were foreseen by the Apostolical Spirit For who is now ignorant of the great troubles and controversies that have bin in the Church about Clino-baptisme adulto-baptisme Rebaptization of Hereticks and Schismaticks paedobaptisme and to this day about Anabaptisme Such doubts in a matter of so great
to Offer or that their white baptismal garment was not made or that they had not sufficient provision to entertaine the baptizers or that they would stay till the Bishop or the Metropolitan came that he might baptize them these were but excuses Naz. Orat. 40. the true cause was as is shewed by Naz. They would not forsake their lusts They feared to ingage them selves to live a strickt Christian life which reason was Tert. deBaptism c. 18. long before intimated by Tertullian when he said Qui intelligunt pondus baptismi magis timebunt consecutionem quam dilationâ—m i They that understand the weight of baptisme will more feare to take it upon them then to delay it for in those dayes conscionable men upon their baptisme resolved to live a strickt and austere life being perswaded that sins after baptisme were far more ponderous and displeasing to God then sins before baptisme and that baptisme was an easier remedie for former sins then repentance or pennance was for later sins as Nazianzen also urgeth in his baptismal Naz. Orat. 40. Oration to deter those from sinning who were then to be baptized Post baptismum peccare grave est coâ—rectio per penitentiam est baptismo molestior quantam vim lacrymarum impendemus ut cum baptismo exaequari possit It is a heavie thing to sin after baptisme renuing by repentance is a greater molestation then by baptisme O what an abundance of tears must fall from us before our repentanced can aequalize the water of baptisme Now what necessitie was there that men should so put off and procrastinate their baptismes until old age and their death bed that then they might be acquitted of all their sins and go out of the world cleane and pure but that the Church did by our Apostles words in this place and others understand an Impossibilitie of any new or Second baptisme The Exclâ—siastical Historie in detestation of Re baptization Socrat. l. 7. c. 17. reporteth a memorable storie of a bergerlie vagaband Iew a notorious hypocrite who went to several congregations and sects of Christians counterfitted himself to be converted to Christianitie learned to answeare such Catechistical questions as were required of them that petitioned for baptisme and had bin baptized in the Church of Catholicks at Constantinople and had got much monie which charitable people had bestowed on him in pittie of his povertie and congratulation at his baptisme after this he went to another congregation in the same citie of the Novatiau sect and there presented himself with the like hypocrisie as one newlie converted and petitioned the bishop that he might be baptized concealing his former baptisme Paulus the Bâ—shop commanded that preparation should be made for baptizing this Jew so the font was filled with water and a white baptismal garment was bought for him and when Paulus had proceeded so far in the baptismal office that he was come to the time of dipping him looking into the font he perceived that there was no water in it then he commanded the font to be replenished supposing that the former water was sunck into the bottome hole for want of care in stopping that sinck and caused the sinck and all cranies to be carefully stopp't and so proceeded to dipping but loe the Second time the wather was vanished wherupon Paulus was much amazed and looking upon the Iew with indignation said O homo aut veâ—eâ—ator es aut baptismum accepisti Soc. l. 7. c. 17. i O man either thou art a counterfit or els thou hast bin baptized before hereupon One of the standers by wistly viewing the Jewe declared that he had indeed bin before baptized by Bishop Aâ—ticus who was the successor of Chrysostome this busines happened in the time of Theodosius the yonger Not long after another strang paslage happened in the same citie of Constantinople which was taken as a Nic. l. 16. c. 35. signification of the nullitie of such pseudo baptisme as was ministred by those hereticks who denied the Godhead of Christ For when one Barbas was to be baptized by an Arâ—an Bishop named Deuterius this Arian changed the baptismal words prescribed by Christ and said Baptizaâ—ur Barbas in nomen Patris per filium in Spiâ—itu i Barbas is Baptized in the name of the Father By the Son in the Spirit At these words the font-water presentlie vanished out of sight and Barbas was amazed and fled unbaptized This I trust is sufficient for the clear exposition of that hard place which principallie was intended to assert the unitie of Christian baptisme and not the Impossibilitie of repentance The sum of what hath bin said in this exposition is comprized in the 4 Conclusion following First that the Impossibilitie there mentioned is not to be understood of an Impossibilitie of repentance nor of an Impossibilitie of renuing but onlie of an impossibilitie of being renued by a new or Second baptisme Secondly That baptisme having bin once administred in that form which is prescribed by Christ no Second baptisme may be ministred to the parties so baptized upon any pretence either of non age in the baptized or unworthines and unfitnes in the baptizer Thirdly that such baptismes or rather dippings which are ministred by those hereticks who denie the Trinitie and therfore doe not dâ—p in that baptismal form which is prescribed by Christ are utterlie void and null Fourthly That baptisme rightlie administred to those who have bin heretically dipped before is not to be called a re-baptization but a baptisme By all that hitherto hath bin objected It cannot appear That the blasphemie against the Spirit what soever is meant by that sin is absolutely unpardonable but still there is one remedie left wherby the sinner may find help and that is repentance CHAP. XII An Exposition of Heb. 10. 26. The particular sin against the holie Spirit is shewed to be the denying Christ to be God what is meant by accounting his blood to be Common or unholie The unsufficiencie of legal Sacrifices and the sufficience of Christs sacrifice THere is another place in this Epistle much urged by some divines by which they would infer that if a man once fall into this sin there will be no means or hope of pardon left the words are thus read Heb. 10. 26. 26. For if we sin wilfully after we have received the Knowledg of the truth there remaineth no more Sacrifice for sins 27. But a certain fearful looking for of judgement and sierie indignation c In this Chapter we have an evident discoverie of the grand capital sin which is commonlie called The sin against the holiâ— Spirit or Holie Ghost wherein the obscuritie of it as it is delivered in three of the Evangelists is cleered and by examination of the Apostles words in this chapter it will appeare that the sin which in the Gosple is called the blasphemie against the Holie Ghost is the blasphemous undervaluing of the Person of the Son of God whose
would not confesse the blood of Christ to be as it is the Blood of God and upon this misconceit he said at the Councill of Ephâ—sus that he could not call the Man Cbtist God for it he should it would follow that he must call him Bimâ—strem â—rimâ—strem Deum id est A god of two Soz l. y. c. 33. or three monâ—ths old not considering that those sayings are not incongruous to be said of that Person who is Emmanuâ—l God and Man Saint Anselme also writing upon those words And hath counted the blood of the Covenant unholy Doth thus expound them Qui iâ—a vilipenderiâ— ut eum ad Ansel in loc salutem sufficere non credat nec Cenus humanum emundanâ—em id est to count the blood of the Covenant unholy or common is to thiâ—k so viâ—â—ly and meanly of it as if it were not of sufficient worth and value to redeem and save Mankind CHAP. XIV That the remedy of Repentance is not absolutely taken away from them that have sinned this grand sin in denying renouncing Christ that such possibly may repent that this sin is then onely unpardonable when it is accompanied with finall impenitencie the Conclusion of this Exposition IN all that our Apostle hath said in this place of sinning this grand sin by treading under foot the Son of God counting the blood of the Covenant common and vile casting away our confidence in Christ drawing back from him doing despite unto his Spirit of grace and all this wilfully and after knowledge received and although he hath affirmed that besides Christs all sufficient sacrifice once offered on the crosse there is none other sacrifice for sin either possible or to be expected yet after all this grand Impiety and Apostacy it is â—not said nor intimated that the sinner who so sinneth cannot repent repentance is not quite and absolutely taken away nor is the sinner wholy left to desperation without all remedy For albeit he who doth renounce the Profession of Christ plenarily and totally can find no other Saviour Redeemer or Sacrifice for sin and so long as he continueth in this totall Apostasie he can reasonably expect none other issue but a fearfull judgement of condemnation and fiery indâ—gnation yet nothing hindreth but that this Apostate may return to his former faith and profession and repent of his Apostasie for although this rejecting or renouncing Christ may for a time be totall and plenary yet it doth not follow that it shall be finall seeing that those Jews who for a time did so eagerly and spitefully renounce and deny Christ that they also crucified him yet they were by St. Peter exhorted to repentance Acts 2. 38. yea and they did actually repent and were baptized and continued afterwards stedfast in the Apostles Doctrine Wherefore the summe of all this threatning is That he who renounceth Christ can find no other Saviour but if he will be saved he must needs return to that Christ by repentance whom he formerly rejected Another Saviour cannot be found but repentance may be found for that is not absolutely taken away and by it reconciliation may be obtained The onely thing which maketh this grand sin to be absolutely unpardonable is impenitency obstinacy obduratenesse and perseverance therein untill death and in this case onely is that saying to be understood It shall not be forgiven neither in this world neither in the world to come In this Sence onely did the anciâ—nt Expositors understand Aug. in expos Epist ad Rom. n. 96. those words St. Austine saith Quid restat nisi ut peccatum in Spiritum Sanctum quod non remittitur nullum intelligatur nisi perseveranâ—ia in nequitia cum desperatione indulgenâ—iae i No sin against the Holy Ghost is to be conceived unpaâ—donable but perseverance in that wickednesse and desperation So Theophilact writing upon those words If we sinne wilfully Theoph. in loc c. Tells us they are to be understood De permanenâ—ibus sine paeniâ—entia i. It is meant of such as continue obdurately without any repentance he addeth Si non pâ—rmaneamus veniae certe locus est uâ—â— sunt igitur qui tolli paenitentiam clamant i. If we will leave and forsake that sin certainly there is pardon to be found away with them who from these words Theod. in loc gather that such sinners cannot repent Theodoret also gives the same Exposition upon these words There remaineth no more sacrifice Nâ—quaquâ—m prohibuit paenitentiam sed dixit non esse secundam crucem i. The Apostle doth not deny repentance or inhibit such sinners to be admitted amongst the number of penitents He onely saith there is none other sacrifice or second Cross And before him S. Ambrose upon those words Amb. in loc A fearful looking for of judgment saith Aliud te expectat judicium nisi per paenitentiam renovatus fueris In hoc paenitentiam non excludit Apostolus nec prepititationem quaefit per paenitentiam nec dejicit per desperatâ—onem non ita est inimicus nostraesalutis uon enim dixit non est ultrà paenitentia neque dixit non est râ—missio sed Hostia inquit ultra non est hoc est non crux â—ecundâ— quicunque paenitentiae medicamentum neglexerit ignis aemulus devorabit eum i. Unless thou repent judgement waiteth for thee he doth not denie possibilitie of repentance nor reconciliation by it he doth not cast the sinner downe to desperation he is not such an enemie of our salvation for he doth not say there remaineth no repentance nor there is no hope of pardon onlie he saith there remaineth no more sacrifice that is there is no other Redeemer to be Crucified for thee but only Christ whosoever in this case shall neglect the Medicine of repentance fiery indignation will devour him As yet we find not that this grand blasphemie is absolutely unpardonable or that this blasphemer can not by Gods mercie repent It doth not appeare that such sinners are wholie left to final impenitencie and desperation but we find the contrarie that some have repented and returned to the Lord their God CHAP. XV. Whether such Blasphemers as are before mentioned Question may upon their Repentance finde mercie two sorts of Repentance First Legall Secondly Evangelicall of Judas and his Repentance the difference between penitencie and resipiscencie Objections out of the Old Testament cleared Why temporall pressures are not alwayes withdrawn upon true Repentance IT being granted that the greatest sinners and most impious blasphemers possibly may have the grace of repentance it would be next inquired whether such sinners upon their confession repentance and amendment may at all find and obtaine mercy and pardon so that their repentance shall not be fruitless The ground and reason of this inquirie is taken from some passages in Scripture where we find that some who are said to have repented yet have not bin releived for of Judas it is said Mat. 27. 3. When he
amendment To this doctrine of the pardonablenesse of any sin though ever so great upon repentance the Church discipline of old was correspondent for in the Ecclesiasticall Canons recorded by St. Basil it is ordered That whosoever had denied Christ in time of persecution should be debarred from the Communion all his life time untill his death bed and remain onely in the number and ranck of penitentiaries but upon point of death he should be restored and the Sacrament administred to him and this propter fidem divinae Clementiae i. because the Church believed that our merciful God did pardon those true penitents who had fallen into that grand sin of denying Christ Upon the same doctrine did the fathers ground their distâ—nction of sins calling some mens sins venial and others mortal just as St. John here doth a sin unto death a sin not unto death For so Origen mentioneth mortale peccatum and St. Ambâ—ose speaketh of crimen Orig n. 41. Ambr. n. 9. 15 Aug n. 6773 77. Prosp n. 34 mortale and Erratum Noae erat veniale So doth St. Austine call sins Vâ—nialia Morralia capitalia Damnabilia and so doth Prosper and so doth the Church of Englands Liturgie mention a Deadly sin and all these onely in this sence as Saint Ambrose expresseth himself Venialis culpa est quam Amb. de Paradiso cap. 14. sâ—qnitur confessio i. that sin is called venial which is confessed or repented of And so that sin is onely a deadly sin or a sin unto death in which men live and die impenitently aud therefore unpardonably as is shewed before CHAP. XVIII The meaning of these words Idoe not say he shall pray for it that this praying and not praying is to be understood of the living and not of the dead the practise of the Church in praying for penitents the manner and form of Ecclesiastical or external pennance viewed in the Roman Lady Fabiola in what case God forbad praying for sinners in the Old Testament THere remaineth yet a greater difficultie in the words next following wherby this sin unto death may seem to be such a sin as the Apostle forbiddeth men to pray for wherby he may also seem to set the brand and mark of absolute unpardonablenes upon the sinner as being quite forlorne and bereft of all remedie and left utterly to desperation for thus we read A sin unto death I doe not say he shall pray for it It being granted that the sin unto death is one of those capital sins before mentioned out of Math. 12. 31. and Gal. 5. 19. In which the sinner continueth impenitently al his life time and therin dieth we are next to inquire whether the Apostle meaneth that such a sinner so dying is not to be prayed for after his death or whether he mean that such a sinner is not to be prayed for during his life time whilest he continueth in his sin without repentance For if we grant that by these words a man dying in that sin is excepted from being prayed for after death then it will follow that the other sort of sinners which sin not impenitently unto their death may be prayed for after death and so prayers for the dead must be allowed of as if they were warranted by Scripture which the Church of England doth neither practice nor allowe of although we can not denie but that the ancient Church used them so as I have shewed above in my first book To this inquirie the answer is that the praying or not praying here mentioned is to be understood of men living and only during their life time for so the Apostle meaneth he that is seen or knowne to consess his sin to repent and amend it may be prayed for by the Church whilest he is living But he that is not perceived or perceived not to Confess repent and amend his foul visible and noted sins whilest he liveth the Church hath no direction to pray for such a sin or for such a sinner in this sense that the sin may be forgiven which is never repented Or that the sinner may be pardoned notwithstanding his obdurate persisting and continuing in his sin no not whilest he is living and much less when he is dead So here is no warrant for praying for the dead whether they died penitently or impenitently but in what sense an impenitent sinner during his impenitencie may and ought to be prayed for in this life will appeare hereafter more cleerly but first I must shew the Church practise in praying for sinners The reader may consider that this Epistle is Catholick written to the whole Church and upon this direction the Church Catholick used to pâ—ay most earnestly yea and with teares and lamentations for such sinners who for some grievous and known Crime had bin excommunicated and this the Church did at such times as the sinners appeared to and in the Church or at the Church dores as penitents confessing and bewayling their owne sins in garments of sackcloth and their faces besmeared with ashes bâ—gging on their knees both the prayers of the Church and also reconciliation and re admission to the congregation and communion The manner of penitents humiliation and of the Churches commiseration and compassion we have very frequently described in the Church Histories and the Fathers thus In the wistâ—rne Church saith Sozomen Soz l. 7. c. 1â— Ambr. 34. 37. Epiph. haer 59. Origen lam n. 30. there is a set place appointed where the penitents stand with a sad counâ—enance mourning and weeping then they cast themselves downe on the pavement being clad in course sack cloth and their beautiâ— obscurâ—d and dâ—faced with ashes and with long sorrow and fasting they beg the prayers of the Church to God for them Confessing their sins openly If the Bishop be present he Compassionatly kneeles and weepes and prayes with them and for them and so doth the whole congregation S. Jerome relates the particular Hier. Epist 30. n. 8. pennance of the noble and religious Lady Fabiola as it was performed in his owne time She had bin divorced and after divorcement she was married to another man whilest her divorced husband was living But she repented and confessed her offence with great sorrow in sack cloth and ashes publickly in the sight of the whole citie of Rome Episcopis presbyâ—eris populo Collacrimantibus i. her self and the Bishops present and the priests and the whole multitude altogether compassionatly weeping This was the use and manner of the Churches praying for those Brethren or Sisters which were thus seen to confefs and express penitency for their sins and therfore not sinning unto death impenitently and this they did upon this direction If any man see his brother sin a sin that is not unto death let him pray for him c S. Ambrâ—se doth exhort the sinner to confession Ambr. de paenit l. 2. c. 10. n. 34. and penitencie by this motive Fleat pro te mater ecclesia that
no more pray for them then for the devil CHAP. XX. The meaning of those words I doe not say that he shall pray for it the difference between praying for the person and praying for the sin the different prayers for a sinner penitent and a sinner impenitent the practise of the Church in praying for her persecutors and against them the prayers ef Christ and S. Stephen explained the case of Alexander the Copper-smith HAving shewed that the Charitie of Christian prayer is so largly extended unto all sinners of what height-soever I am now to set downe positively what I conceive to be the meaning of the Apostle in these words I doe not say he shall pray for it Surelie here is somthing forbidden to be prayed for or at least somthing that we have no warrant to pray for For the understanding hereof I desire the reader to observe that S. Iohn doth not forbid that the sinner unto death should be prayed for but that the sin must not be prayed for and this observation may very easily be discerned in the Original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. where the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 answereth to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And so our English translation taketh notice of this meaning this I do not say he shall pray for it for it that is not for the sin but S. John doth not say he shall not pray for him that is for the person sinning so for all that is here said the person may be prayed for only the sin must not be prayed for According to this exposition the reader may observe that in the words going before the Apostle directeth us to pray for the brother that sinneth not unto death but not for the sin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he shall give him â—â—se the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 answereth to the person either of him that prayeth or of him that sinneth not unto death but it can not be meant of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the sin for so he had written incongâ—uously All difficultie will be taken away if we doe but distinguish the act from the person and the sin from the sinner thus The person may be prayed for but the sin may not be prayed for But then If the person sinning unto death may be prayed for as well as the person sinning not unto death where is the difference which the Apostle here intendeth to shew between the prayer for a penitent and the prayer for an impenitent sinner To this I answere that the difference is very great and very evident for we pray for the penitent that he may be forgiven and this we pray absolutlie but for the impenitent sinner we doe not pray that he and his sin may be forgiven absolutelyâ— but conditionally that he may be converted and may have the grace of repentance and amendment and so may be forgiven and live we pray for the persons conversion and forgivenes but we pray not that his sin may be forgiven without conversion and therfore the Apostle directeth not to pray for it For if we should pray that the sin may be remitted without any consideration or pre supposition of repentance then we should also with prayer for remission pray for the permission of sin and therby we should imply that we would have God to give leave and allowance and libertie to sin nay to give tolleration commission countenance and approbation to sin as if we would desire that God would grant to man a licence to sin impune the very imagination wherof would be an high impietie and therfore the Church in her prayers for sinners not yet penitent prayed for them with mention of her desire their conversion as hath bin fully shewed and may to this day appeare The Church of England upon this very reason prayeth for Turks and infidels that they may be saved but for their salvation she doth not pray immediatlie and unconditionally as if she desired their salvation together with their continuance in living and dying in their infidelitie but thus she prayeth Take from them Collect. ut Super on Good Friday ignoâ—ance hardnes of hart contempt of the word and fetch them home to thy flock then after these conditions comes in That they may be saved This is to pray for the persons of sinners but not for their sin pray not for it The true Church never prayeth against the persons of the greatest sinner on earth or her greatest enemies Only the prayeth against their sins without breach of charitie toward their persons S. Austin thus prayeth Aug. Epist 16â— Idem to 6. n. 8. against the Donatist's heresies Deus errorem vestrum occidat in vobis and of the Manichees he saith Non vos sed errores odimus and S. Ierome said the like of the Pelagians Hier. proaem in Jere. p. 270. Non hominum sed errorum â—imicus sum i. That God would kill their errors that their persons are not hated but their heresies only Now to hate and detest and indeavour the extirpation of sin and to pray against it without hatred of the person is just bona persecutio quae non hominem sed peccatum ejus Prosp in Psal 100. insectatur i. It is a good persecution when the sin only and not the person is oppressed just so did our Church pray against her enemies Abate their pride asswage their malice and confound their devices This may well stand with Christian charitie without any hinderance of our prayers for the amendment conversion and salvation of their persons For it we pray fot our enemies but it is ut Convertantur Aug. n. 28. idem n. 31. for their conversion and for infidels but ut Credant i. That they may become beleevers but we doe not pray that they may be saved in their sins they living and dying in their infidâ—litie S. Austin writing upon those words Joh. 17. 9. I pray not for the world Aug. n. 102. saith Pro non credentibus non postulatur ut illis diffidentibus ignoscantur peccata sed ut bonitas patâ—entia dei expectet si sorte vellent corrigi ut dilationem longâ—m accipiant i. We pray not for unbeleevers that their sins may be pardoned whilest they continue in their unbelief but that the goodnes and patience of God would for beare them a long time that so happilie they might amend For to pray absolutely for the salvation of a grand scandalous sinner without respect had to his conversion were to abuse the truth and righteousnes of our most righteous judg Beza saith Profaâ— sunt qui Beza in 1. Joh. 5. 16. hoc peccatum petunt remitti non resipiscentibus i. They are profane who desire pardon to impenitents I have heard of some hypocrites who made their silly proselites beleeve that God was so far from being angrie that he took pleasure in seeing such of Saints sinning as Fathers smile when they see their young children playing or els that God winketh and can
Generation from Adam but our better and spiritual regeneration is derived from Christ and as there are no Sons of Men but such as are so from Adam so ther are no Sons of God but those that are so from Christ Now if it be demanded how Christ and wee can be accounted one and what it is which came from Christ and is in man that so he may be said to be in us and so that what he did or suffered should be really accounted as done or suffered by us for although wee know why Adam's sin is imputed to us viz. because wee are of the same Lump propagated carnallie from him but yet why Christs righteousnes oâ— his sufferings should be imputed to us seeing wee are not propagated from Christ nor ever were in his loines as wee were in Adams is now the question To which this is the arswer that as Christ received his flesh and blood from man so man hath received the divine Spirit from Christ and as the natural bodie of Christ is made of the same lump of Adam that our's is so man hath in him the self same spirit that is in Christ though he be in heaven and wee on earth by which spirit wee are called the Sons of God just as Christ by taking our flesh is called the Son of Man Nos homines vocamur filii dei quia filius dei Atha in decret Nic. Conc n. 13. nostrum gestavit corpus quia Spiritus filii in nobis est i Men are called the Son of God because the Sons of God took his bodie of man and put his owne Spirit into man and therfore Christ doth fitly sustaine an Universal person of mankind That the Spirit of Christ is given and put into man the Scriptures doe manifestlie declare First it appeareth evidently in the regenerate Man of sueh S. Paul speaketh when he prayeth Ephe. 3. 17. That Christ may dwell in their harts And how Christ may be sayd to dwell in Man Saint John sheweth 1 John 4. 13. Hereby we know that we dwell â—in him and â—e in us because he hath given us of his Spirit and hence it is that Saint Chrysostome saith Anima sancta est Tabernaculum Chrys ho 2. Antioch Christi id est The soul of an holy Man is Christs Tabernacle For indeed though Christ had not at all assumed flesh from Man yet because the same Spirit which is in Christ is also so put into and communicated to man it is sufficient to make Christ the head of the Saints his Members to be but one mysticall Body with him And this is intimated by Saint Paul when he saith Ephesians 4. 4. There is one body and one Spiriâ— which is as much as if he should say though the Saints on earth are many yet because all are endued with one and the same Spirit of Christ therefore all are but one body with Christ even as in man there are many parts and members yet because all parts have the same soul in them therefore all together are but one body Hence it is that Origen saith Omnes salvandi sunt Orig. in Eze. ho. 9. unum Corpus id est All those which shall be saved are but one body and Saint â—asill giveth this reason of their vnitie Quia unus est Deus si in singulis Bas Epist 141. sit omnes coadunat id est Because there is but one God if this one God be in all he doth thereby Tert. de Trin. n. 28 Christus est ecclesia De Paenit n. 16 unite all and this unitie is also expressed by these odd words in Tertullian Spi itus nos Christo confibulat id est It is the Spirit that doth button us or joyn us to Christ For this reason the Scripture saith Romans 12. 5. We being many are one body in Christ And again 1 Corinthians 6. 17. He that is joyned to the Lord is one Spirit And again Galathians 3. 28. Ye are all one in Christ Jesus yea such is our conjunction and union with Christ and his with us by reason that his Spirit is in us that Theodoret doubted not to say Si pati possit Theod. in Dâ—alog impatib n. 13. divina natura supervacanea fuisset corporis assumptio id est If the pure Godhead were of a nature passible so that it could have suffered for man God should not have needed to be Incarnate And Saint Augustine puts the case a little plainer and nearer thus Si Christus non assumpta carne à Virgine sed vera tamen apparens nos vera morte redimeret quis eum non potuisse audet dicere Suppose Christ had not taken his flesh from the Virgine and so not from Adam but yet had really taken a body upon him some other way and in that assumed body had really died to redeem man who dares say that he could not and no doubt such a suffering had been sufficient for our redemption if as I said before God had not otherwise determined and limited himself by his sentence of the curse and death upon the seed of Adam And thus we have seen how Christ and the Saints are united and become one body SECT II. More of the same That Jesus Christ was a Person every way fitly qualified to be Man's Redeemer both for that he was free from all sin Originall and Actuall although he took flesh from the loynes of Adam and also in regard of the infinite worth and excellencie of his Person THe qualities required to a redeeming high Priest are set down Heb. 7. 26. For such an high Priest became us who is holy harmless 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 undefiled seperate from sinners For if Christ were not absolutely without sin in his own Person he could not be a fit sacrifice for our sins the Lamb of God must be answerable to the paschall Lamb his Type A Lambe without blemish and so the Scripture describeth Christ 1 Pet. 1. 19. as a Lambe without blemish or spot and that he knew no sin that he did no sin and that in him 1 John 3. 5. is no sin As for any actuall sinne there will be no question among Christians but the difficulty is in shewing Christ to be without Origâ—â—â—l◠〈◊〉 because he was in the loins of Adam when he fell and is the Son of David of Abraham and of Adam and the Church hath ever acknowledged that the whole lump of Adam is a Prosper Resp ad Genu. Massa corruptionis as Prosper saith and b Aug. Epist 105 157. De Civit. l. 15. c. 1. alibi Massa damnationis Vâ—nculnm damnationis Apostatica radâ—x Massa originaliter tota damnata as S. Austin often confesseth in all these words and many more id est a corrupt lump a lump of damnation an Apostate root totally condemned from the the very Originall The Apostle also seemeth to lay this to the charge of Christ 2 Cor. 5. 21. He hath made him to