and consider That Christ suffered the punishment of our sin what he suffered was in our stead By his Sufferings the damage done by sin is repaired and the mind of the Supreme Rector fully reconciled the verity of the third Proposition will be evident That a full and complete satisfaction is made by Jesus Christ 4. Our acceptance with God is upon the account of this meritorious satisfaction It sets believers free from the Curse of the Law The Curse of the Law doth include the loss of the Divine Favour That which frees us from this malediction must necessarily restore us to our acceptation with God The ransome laid down by our Redeemer as it has an aspect upon the justice of Heaven is said to satisfie as it stands in relation to those benefits it procures for us to merit So that our acceptance is upon the account of the meritorious satisfaction of our Blessed Lord. Therefore S. Paul asserts That God hath made us accepted in the beloved Epb. 1.6 and S. Peter represents our Spiritual Services to be acceptable to God thro' Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 2.5 Of this truth there are very early significations Psal 80.15 18. David prays God That he would visit the vineyard which he had made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 propter Regem Messiam as the Chaldee Paraphrase expounds it c. 9.17 Daniel prays That God would shine upon the Sanctuary for the Lord's sake The Israelites use to pray with their faces toward the Temple Rev. 21.22 it being a Type of the blessed Messias which they had a great expectation of When Ezekias turned his face to the wall and prayed 2 Kin. 20.2 Jonathan in his Targum says He turned it to the wall of the house of the Sanctuary 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 At the hour of Prayer Act. 10.9 it was usual to go to the house top That they might have the fairer prospect that way The Hebrews say That in the fire whereby God did declare his acceptance of their Sacrifices there was the appearance of a Lyon to signifie That it was the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah which procured them an interest in the Divine Favour 5. Our acceptance with God is only upon the account of the meritorions satisfaction of his Blessed Son As he has troden the Wine-press alone So the honour of meriting for us is peculiar to him The Romanists indeed speak of the merits of Saints and are not contented to attribute to them so much only as is expedient for themselves but assert an overplus which being blended with the surplusage of the merits of Christ and laid up in a Treasury are the ground and foundation of the Papal Indulgencies But he who considers the true notion of Merit will easily discover all this to be but a fiction It imports a dignity in the work adequate to the reward In the choicest of those services which they perform who arrive at the greatest degree of Sanctity no such worth can be found If it may it must be either innate or derived from without It cannot be the first for the reward is no less than God himself under the fullest disclosures of his Goodness and none of the most Heroick performances can indignity be equal to him Gen. 17. If the Passions and Sufferings of this Life are not worthy to stand in competition and be compared with the Glory which shall be revealed much less the actions There can be no action more noble than with alacrity of mind to suffer what the profession of Religion may expose us to If it be acquired Worth derived from something without it must be either from the Habit of Grace the Spirit of God the Merit of Christ or the Promise All these are pretended by the Romanists as the fountain of it 1. Not from the Habit of Grace Altho' as it descends from the Father of lights it is a good and perfect gift yet considered with relation to the Recipient into which it descends and out of which it does not expel all the remains of the Primitive Apostasy it is but imperfect Now it acting as a quality of this subject it is impossible that it should invest its operations with the highest degree of perfection Nothing can communicate to another That which it has not in it self 2. Not from the Spirit which excites and moves the Soul to act according to the Habit. If any such value be imparted the Spirit in the communication must act as a necessary or a free Cause Not as a necessary for then every Religious action will be meritorious there is no good but the Spirit of God contributes to the production of it and a necessary cause is uniform in all its effects Not as a free cause For if it is not the will of the Holy Spirit to invest us in this life with such a measure of Grace as will prevent all sinful defects We have more than a usual presumption That it is not his pleasure to impress such a dignity upon our services as is proportionable to the eternal reward in the life to come 3. Not from the Merit of Christ If he has merited That we may merit then his deservings communicate to our Services either a finite or infinite value If a finite only then they cannot merit that infinite love which our acceptance supposeth Finite worth is not commensurate to an unlimited and infinite reward If infinite then the works of Holy Men are not inferiour in perfection to the Works of Christ infinity will admit of no degrees A work which is finite in respect of the Principle from whence it proceeds has not capacity enough to receive and entertain boundless dignity The Ocean may as well be included within the confines of a small vessel Christ has procured for us a power to do well and acceptance for those actions which flow from that power but not a power to merit The nature of a meer creature is not reconcileable with such an immunity It cannot under the greatest elevation do any service but that which God may challenge as a just debt and the notion of Merit includes and imports something which is not due 4. Not from the Promise The Promise doth not communicate any excellency to the Work but supposeth it to be in its perfection In the Old Covenant Do this and live Do which imports the work is the Antecedent Live which is the promise of compensation the Consequent The Consequent cannot be the Cause of any thing in the Antecedent If the Promise raises the value and dignity of the Work then the larger the Promise is the greater will the value of the Work be which assertion runs the maintainers of it upon an inevitable contradiction for the more large the Promise is the greater is the Mercy of Heaven and the more value there is in the service the less mercy and kindness there is in the reward Now if the amplitude of the Promise adds a value to the
a Prince in the plural number but himself In the holy Bible others speak of God in that number 2. The plurality intimated in these expressions is determined to Three in other places of Scripture There are three which bear record in heaven 1 Joh. 5.7 They are represented under the name of The Father the Son the Holy Ghost Mat. 28.19 This was not so clearly revealed in the Old Testament but reserved for a more mature state The Jews being under strong propensions to Idolatry this Doctrine was not then set in the fullest light that no occasion might be from thence taken to confirm them in their errour 3. These Three are not three manifestations only of God If they did import nothing more no reason can be given why the number should be thus confined Since the Creation there have been many signal Manifestations of the Deity far exceeding this number A manifestation supposeth some discovery of that which was secret before and by consequence must be made in time but the holy Scripture attributes Eternity to the Father the Son and the blessed Spirit 4. These Three are not three names only of the same God under divers inadequate conceptions For then when it is said that Christ was baptized the Holy Ghost descended a voice came from the Father the meaning would be that one name of God was baptized another descended in the form of a Dove a third uttered a voice than which nothing can be more incongruous Nay when a command is given to baptised in the name of the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost the sence will amount to no more than this go and baptise in the name of three Names This explication of the Trinity is not reconcileable with the scope of S. John when he asserts that there are three which bear record in heaven For the reason why he mentions three is to evidence that there is a sufficient number of witnesses to testifie that Jesus is the Christ Now if by the Three are meant only three names of the same person the Apostle fails of his end and is represented as guilty of a manifest collusion He does as if a man should undertake to prove Oratory an excellent Art by three witnesses and produce only the three names of the Orator Marcus Tullius Cicero 5. All things required to the constitution of a person belong to them A Person is an intelligent Being which has a peculiar subsistence This definition agrees to the Father the Son and Holy Spirit They have all Intelligence and Knowledge The Father is said to know the Son and the Son the Father The Holy Ghost is stiled a Spirit of Wisdom and Understanding They have peculiar subsistence The Father is without communication from another The Son is from the Father The Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son His procession from the Father is asserted in express words John 15.26 From the Son supposed in the Mission of the Comforter in the same Verse For as the Father is sent of none because he is of himself the Son is sent of the Father because he is of the Father so the Spirit is represented as sent by the Father and the Son because he proceeds from both Now he who is begotten or proceeds must necessarily be distinct from him by whom he is begotten and from whom he proceeds and by consequence have a peculiar mode of subsistence The Father 's being in the Son and the Son in the Father doth not destroy this distinction God is in every man and every man in God In him we live and move and have our Being and yet the discrimination remains betwixt the divine and humane subsistence 6. Such Actions are attributed to these three as belong to none but a person It will be superfluous to instance in those which are ascribed to the Father and the Son All the doubt is about the Spirit and yet the Scripture is very clear in this particular He is said to know will 1 Cor. 2.10 11. 1 Cor. 12.11 Job 33.4 Psal 104.30 create preserve These actions are undoubted indications of a person Actions are attributed to things either properly or improperly Whensoever they are attributed to them in the first sence they are infallible Arguments of suppositality Actiones sunt suppositorum And it is apparent that when they are attributed to the Spirit it is not always in an improper and figurative sence He is said to make intercession Rom. 8. v. If this action be assigned to the Spirit improperly or tropically then it may be properly attributed to the Father who according to the Socinian notion useth the Spirit as a power or virtue to produce what he designs even as those operations which are ascribed to Charity in a tropical sence 1 Cor. 13. properly belong to the Man which is indued with it and makes use of it as a moral power or virtue But Intertercession betwixt the Father and us cannot with any congruity be said to be made by the Father himself The Father is one party and we the other Where there are two parties Intercession supposes the interposition of a third person All this makes it manifest why the Father Son and Holy Ghost are represented in Scripture as Three Persons The personality of the Father is mentioned Heb. 1.3 The Son is said to be his express Image which can import no less than that he is a person like unto his Father The Holy Spirit is said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 another Comforter like unto the Son He is set forth by the demonstrative Pronoun 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an undoubted note of personality If in any humane Writing the matter of which was never drawn into controversie by the pride or prejudice of a Party such expressions as these should occur He shall teach you He shal bring all things to your remembrance He shall testifie of me He will reprove the World He will guide you into all Truth He shall glorifie me and that He who is to do all this proceeds from the Father and is sent by the Son We should account him a very absurd Interpreter that should say that the He so often repeated is not a person nor personally distinct from him by whom he is sent and from whom he proceeds All this is asserted in the Scripture of the Holy Ghost The Socinians willingly grant an eternal personality to the Father but deny it to the Son and the Spirit They say that the Son is a Person but not eternal that the Holy Ghost is neither a Person nor eternal but a Power and Virtue from God or an effect produced by that Power and yet the personality of the Son must be as early as his Filiation and his Filiation or Sonship is undoubtedly eternal The Prophet Micha saies His goings forth have been from old from everlasting c. 5. v. 2. The Spirit cannot always signifie Power or an effect produced by the Power The Spirit and Power are plainly distinguished
proportion to the other parts of it as one does to ten So that if a Man weighs two hundred pounds the Blood makes twenty of them Whereas in other Animals it is but as one to twenty For the distiling and straining of the Spirits out of this matter there is an elaboratory namely the Brain which in a Man is twice as much as in a Beast four times bigger in body As Men are designed for more action than brute Animals so the preparations conducing to that purpose are greater these Spirits commanded by the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Soul into any part of the Body swell the Muscle and cause it to attract and pull the part which it is tied unto That the Soul may have a sensation of external objects their preparations are not inferior to those for motion and nutrition The Nerves which arise in the Brain are dispersed into all the parts of the Body So that no member can be touched by any object but the impression is presently conveyed into the Head Tho' there is great variety in the modification of the external Senses yet there is nothing superfluous I will instance only in the Eye It is lapped about with two coats to defend it against the injuries of the Air the outward is diaphanous in the forepart for the admission of the raies of light The inward has an aperture for the same reason which like a Curtain is moveable that the Pupilla may be greater or less according to the dimensions or distance of the object These Coats are filled with three Humours which refract the raies proceeding from the same point and make them to meet again at the bottom of the Eye which very much promotes distinct Vision The Crystalline Humor has on both sides the Processus Ciliares which serve as Tendons to alter the figure of it according as the object is nearer or farther off It will never enter into the belief of any intelligent Man that this provision for nutrition motion and sensation should be accidental and if any Wisdom be interested in the contrivance of it it must be our own or our Parents or the Wisdom of an invisible Being neither we or they know any thing of it and therefore there must be a Being in the World infinitely Wise which can be no other than what the true notion of a God imports As the Body so the Soul of Man evidently demonstrates the existence of a Deity the Powers of it are Two Understanding and Will These Two are so linked together that what conduceth to the perfection of the one never tends to the prejudice of the other The Will is no loser by any accomplishment of the Understanding nor the Understanding by any thing which is of sincere advantage to the Will If there be no God the contrary will be true For it is the perfection of the Understanding to know it truth being its proper object but the greatest damage to the Will No immorality will be disgusted when it comes to be informed that there is no Supreme Being to punish Vice and reward Virtue If the Understanding know it not this ignorance is a blemish to it but a true advantage to the Will there being nothing more efficacious to confine it within the bounds of Sobriety than this perswasion that there is a God The Principles as well as the Powers of the Soul give evidence in this matter As the false gods had their characters impressed upon the bodies of those who worshipped them So the True God has set his signatures upon the Soul there is a Law and a Conscience in every Man a Rule and a Judge a Law which points out the difference betwixt Just and Unjust Good and Evil Virtue and Vice This Rule is reduced in the Imperial Institutions to these Maximes Nothing must be done which is a violation of Piety Modesty Reputation We must not prejudice the estimation liberty and safety of others We must give to every one that which is his own These Axioms have the immediate effect of a Law which is to bind and take away our freedom to do that which is contrary Every Man is sensible that he is not at liberty to oppose the sence of these Propositions in his conversation In case he does if there be any remains of humane nature in him he finds himself under remorse and is really punished in the loss of that contentment which a sence of being employed in a good action is always accompanied with There cannot be a stricter obligation than this that a man must either do that which the propositions import or else lose his true felicity If this rule has the effect of a Law which is to bind it must have the essence and nature the operation is always a true indication of the nature of every thing and if the nature it must be made and impressed by some Sovereign Power The Legislative Power is never vested in an Inferior This Sovereign which made and impressed this Law must have a dominion over all mankind because all whether Princes or Peasants are sensible of their obligations in this particular Therefore there must be a Superior and invisible Power in the World which is that which we mean by the Deity As there is a Law in the Soul which argues the existence of God so likewise a Conscience This signifies the judgment of every Man imployed about his own actions as they bear a proportion or disproportion to the Divine Law Upon a discovery of guilt condemnation presently passeth and as great a consternation follows as that in a malefactor when he hears the sentence of death denounced against him Tho' in a time of prosperity when all things are quiet and serene the intellectual pulse may be very slow yet when a storm ariseth it is quickly awakened in the most exorbitant persons Every clap of Thunder is believed to be a messenger sent from Heaven to serve an Arrest upon them When they make the fairest appearance in the World they are like a Tragedy bound up in guilt leather without there is splendor within tumults and murder Their external Triumphs like the Drums of Tophet help only to drown the unwelcom reports of their uneasie Spirits These direful fears which haunt the Soul when it is no way obnoxious to the animadversions of humane justice evidently declare that there is an invisible power in the World which has impressed them and stands prepared to give it a taste of the most severe animadversions of his displeasure They cannot be imputed to melancholy because persons of all humours the most airy Tempers have been molested by them The Poet speaks of all in general But thinkst thou Curtman hoâ— in a vasâ—sse puteâ— c. they go free whose conscience make Whips that unheard their guilty Soul doth shake The Apostle asserts of the whole Community of the Gentiles Rom. 2. that their thoughts accuse them Neither are they the injections of politick Princes to keep their
the Temple of God 1 Cor. 3.16 He is Eternal Heb. 9.7 Omniscient 1 Cor. 2.10 Omnipresent Psal 139.7 The whole Creation is represented as the effect of his power The host of Heaven Psal 33.6 Man the principal Work of God upon the Earth Job 33.4 The Fish in the Sea Psal 104.3 are all of his formation Before there was any Wind Immeasusque Deus super aequora vasia meabat which is peculiar to the Firmament a work of the second day the Spirit of the Lord is said to move upon the Waters The Chaos by his incubation was digested into Order and brought to a state of Maturation Certainly God who composed the Scripture and declares in it that he will not give his Glory to another would never have assigned his name nature and peculiar operations to the Spirit had he not been of the same Essence with himself To assert that all this is attributed to the Spirit because God makes use of him as an instrument to effect his Work will not remove the difficulty For there is some work attributed to the Spirit to which no instrument can concur as Creation There are other operations in doing of which God cannot be said to use the Spirit according to the sentiments of the Socinians as to know and search his deep things For the Spirit in their apprehensions signifies a Divine Power and it is very incongruous to say that God knows and searches things by his Power This Truth concerning the Trinity in Unity hath been so fully discovered that all sorts of men have taken notice of it The Mind of the Christians before Constantine may be very well known by Athanasuis Orat. 1.121 Ad Serapio tom 1. p. 366. de Spi. Sanâ—â—o Apol. 2. who wanted no opportunity to be acquainted with their Writings He expresly asserts that there was nothing established by the Nicene Synod but what was agreeable to them S. Basil cites several Authorities of the first Centuries for the same purpose In those Writings which are come to our hands there are many evident expressions of this doctrin Justin Martyr speaking of the Father of righteousness saies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. him and the Son coming from him and the prophetick Spirit we receive and adore Athenagoras in vindication of the Christians whom the Heathens accounted Atheists saies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. who would not admire to hear them called Atheists who own God the Father God the Son God the Holy Ghost Clemens Alexandrinus ends his Paedagogus with very lively expressions of this Truth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. to the only Father Son c. with the Holy Ghost all in one c. There are Testimonies of the same importance in Tertullian Cyprian Lactantius All these with many others agree that there is but one God and that there are Three which participate of the Deity and that one of them is the fountain of the rest from whence it inevitably follows that they must be personally distinct The fountain and the streams are always different one from the other Indeed there are some things spoken in the explication of this Mystery which are liable to an ambiguous construction as is manifest in the discourse of Justin Martyr with the Jew Tâ—â—â—h and the Treatise of Tertullian against Praxeas This Truth being not then encountred with so direct an opposition as it was in the time of Arrius some degrees of caution in point of expression are wanting and too great a condescension made to the Sentiments of the Philosophers by blending their notions with the ineffable Mystery that it might gain a more ready entertainment among them Such prudential accommodations must not be construed in such a sence as to prejudice the Truth which in other places of the same Authors is clearly acknowledged The clear must not be expounded by that which is obscure but the obscure by that which is clear The Jews have not been without some knowledge of this Mystery Pugio fidei p. 397. Raimundus Martini says that he scarcely ever conferred with any of them who were in any estimation for Wisdom who would not grant that God was Trinus Vnus They have a Tradition that when the Benediction Num. 6.26 was pronounced by the Priest he used when he came to the word Jehova to lift three fingers higher than the rest to denote the Trinity It was their manner to call the Father Son Voisin in Pug. fidei p. 400. and Spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Subsistences and to assert the unity of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the infinite God Those words The Lord our God is one God are in Zohar applied to the Trinity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is interpreted the Father 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Son the second 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is added with a great letter in the Hebrew Text to denote their Unity The Hebrew Scholiast says that the repetition of the name of God three times Psal 50.1 2. is to denote the three 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which created the World These are stiled inward persons It is observed that all the names of God have a plural termination Voisin p. 406. p. 400. except Jehova his essential name to import the plurality of Persons and unity of Essence It is a saying among the Cabalists 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. the Father is God the Son is God the Holy Ghost is God Three in One and One in Three By the Abbreviature 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they understand 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Father and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Son They say they are put together to express their Unity and that the three Letters do signifie the three Hypostases in one Essence Tho' this Doctrine is very much disguised in the Writings of the Heathens yet there is so much of it left unmask'd as it may be plainly discerned they were not totally strangers to it The chief God among the Persians was stiled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 threefold with relation to this Sacred Mystery The first Hypostasis they called Oramasâ—les the second Mithras the third Arimanes Plato likewise mentions Three 〈◊〉 5. l. 1. l. 3. c. 15. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 These by Plotinus are represented as the three Hypostases which are Principles or first causes in the Universe When Thulis King of Aegypt went to the Oracle of Serapis to inquire Saidas in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who before him could do such exploits as he had done and who would be after him The Answer was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 First God after him the Word and then the Spirit concurring with both Bâ—rnier's Mâ—moirs â—â—m 3. p. 130. The Indians own Three in the Deity known by the names of Brahma Bischen and Mehaâ—denâ— Dervis â—rsielebi a Mahometan acknowledged to a Christian who was disputing with him about Religion that at the commencement of all their Negotiations Epito
call the Bread and Wine in the Sacrament the Body and Blood of Christ 2. They say that they are not so essentially but figuratively and therefore stile them signs Symbols Figures Antitypes Memorials It is usual to call the sign and the thing signified by the same name 3. They affirm that after Consecration the substance of the Bread and Wine remains and the change made is only in respect of Use Office and Dignity 4. They say That they nourish our flesh and blood and have the same effect that other food has and therefore they use to give the remains of the Euchariscical Bread to boyes and to abstain from the Communion upon Fasting days 5. They assert that wicked men do not eat and drink the Body and Blood of Christ but interpret the eating of his flesh Jo. 6. the receiving of him in a spiritual manner namely by Faith 6. When they deny the Eucharist to be a figure or sign they mean a bare sign The Sacrament is more than so It feals and exhibits It is a means whereby we receive the Body and Blood of Christ not only the benefits of them but Christ himself in a spiritual manner as crucified for us and is a real pledge to assure us thereof Tho' the crucified body of Christ is in Heaven yet that spirit which dwells in it being communicated to a worthy Receiver in the Sacramental action we are made to drink into one Spirit it produceth such a union betwixt us and Christ Jesus as laies a clear foundation of Communion with and participation of him 7. When they say there is a mutation in the nature of the Bread they mean by nature the use and property only as is manifest by their own explications Before Consecration it was appropriated to the nourishment of the body but now by Consecration it is exalted to a higher purpose A new dignity is put upon it It becomes a means whereby a worthy Communicant gains Communion with our blessed Lord. 8. When it 's said That the Senses are deceived and no competent judges of the mutation this may be very true altho' the change be Sacramental only The change is not the proper object of sense but of faith The knowledge of it with its effects is conveyed to us by a Divine Testimony extant in the holy Scriptures 9. When it is affirmed That under the species of Bread is given the Body and under the species of Wine the Blood by Species we must not understand the Accidents without their proper subjects This apprehension never entred into the thoughts of the antient Fathers They were perfect strangers to this kind of Philosophy S. Aust l. 4. cal â—â— Tâ—in Serm. de Temp. 38. S. Ambr. l. 4. de Init. By species they understand the specifical nature of a thing and by the species of Bread and Wine True Bread and True Wine as is manifest to any who consult their discourses 10. Where it is said That the Lord who changed Water into Wine could change in the Eucharist Wine into Blood the intention of Cyril is not to make these two conversions in every thing parallel Jerus as is manifest by the words that follow he presently asserts That the eating of Christ's flesh must be understood spiritually and calls the Table mystical and intellectual And therefore all that his words can import is this He who 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 changed Water into Wine by a corporal mutation changed at his mystical Table Wine into Blood not corporally but spiritually and mystically Lastly It must be acknowledged that there are many Hyperbolical expressions in the Fathers Hom 23. in Mat Par. 〈◊〉 as S. Chrysostome and others in relation to the Sacrament The design of them is to secure it from contempt and to elevate and raise the devotion of Communicants They being improper Speeches must not be expounded in such a sence as is inconsistent with what is elsewhere expressed by the same Authors in plain words without any figure They all agree in this in as clear expressions as can be desired That the substance of the Bread and Wine remain in the Eucharist Their Rhetorical flourishes cannot be interpreted to the prejudice of that which is plain and manifest When S. Chrysostome says That Christ mingles himself with us and not by Faith only but indeed makes us to be his Body His meaning is not That there is any corporal mixture or immediate contact betwixt us and his body but that when we receive the figure of his body which is in Heaven the Spirit which dwells in it is communicated to the worthy Receiver and produceth a union betwixt them and therefore what we receive â— 870. he presently calls the Grace of the Spirit Damascen who lived in the eighth Century was one of the first who deserted the Orthodox doctrin of the Fathers He being concerned in the controversie concerning Images and the opposers of them asserting that the Bread and Wine in the Sacrament were the only Image and representation which Christ allowed of himself he was transported with an intemperate zeal and affirmed they were no image or figure at all L. 4. c. sid Oâ—t ◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tho' in these words he did not design any real conversion of the Elements but rather a corporal presence or consubstantiation yet he gave occasion to some in the ninth Age to dispute for a substantial mutation Paschasius Ratbertus was the first who writ seriously and copiously about it as Bellarmine asserts His sentiments about this argument were received with a warm opposition Rabanus Maurus Bertram Joannes Scotus Erigena did strongly assert the contrary doctrin In the tenth Age which was a night of ignorance all things fell asleep controversies were laid aside Darkness did reconcile them as the want of light does various colours In the eleventh Age Berengarius was awakened and did with great perspicuity assert the Truth Tho' the violence of his enemies and infirmity of his nature induced him to submit to a recantation The controversie all this while was managed with so much ambiguity that Joannes Duns Scotus asserts That it was not necessary for any to believe a substantial conversion or Transubstantiation till the Lateran Council held under Innocent the Third in the year 1215. and therefore the master of the Sentences who flourished in the Century before about the year 1145. useth these words What kind of conversion it is 〈…〉 illa 〈…〉 whether formal or substantial I am not able to determine The truth is that Transubstantiation was brought forth by Paschasius confirmed by Innocent the Third and at last so firmly married to the See of Rome by the Council of Trent that there was no possibility of a divorce tho' there is just reason to believe that the most Learned of that Community could heartily desire it The issue produced by this unhappy conjunction is the mutilation of the Sacrament the Adoration of the Host the Sacrince of
competent Judges of their own ability The generality are very partial in their reflections upon themselves are easily flattered into a belief that the dominion of their Reason is as large as those Monarchs have fancied their Territories who by the strength of imagination have entituled themselves to the regency of the World and expressed displeasure against Cosmographers for not allowing them a bigger space in their Tables This unfitness in men to judg of themselves devolves a necessity upon others to do it for them otherwise the ends of the Ministerial Function will be disappointed by an intrusion of the unskilful and confusion take place of all good order Those who judge must be persons of Learning and experience in the same imployment None can judge but those who are fit and none have such a degree of idoneity as those who are thus qualified The business of a Spiritual Pastor is not only to lead his flock into advantagious places to feed in it but to defend it against the rapine of Wolves not only to exhort but convince gain-sayers Tit. 3.9 Many of those who contend against the Truth making use of their improvements in humane Studies for the accomplishment of their end it is but expedient That they who are designed to enter the Lists with them should have skill at the same weapon This was perceived by Julian an irreconcileable enemy to the Faith of Christ who commanded That the Christians should be deprived of all Books of Learning to compensate which damage Apollina the Elder turned the Books of Moses into Heroick Verse the Younger the Gospel into Dialogues after the method of Plato Of this skill which a Minister ought to be endued with every Christian is not a competent Judge Not only the Law but the Gospel doth pronounce it reasonable That every man should be tried by his Peers The judgment which they give must not be concealed but declared to the Church for her direction That She may know whom to refuse and whom to accept as Ministers And it cannot be better declared than by some important actions as Prayer which has a tendency to invite from Heaven a Benediction upon the Heads and Hearts of those who are found qualified and Imposition of Hands which solemnly points out unto the People whom they are to entertain as their Pastours These actions being exerted by one who is invested with authority change the state of private Men and translate them out of a Civil into an Ecclesiastical capacity A Sence of the necessity of such Persons has been always so great that there is no Age but will furnish us with instances of them Before the Flood we meet with Preachers which were solemnly Commissioned to dispence the mind of Heaven Noah is stiled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Pet. 2.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a Person in Commission constituted to proclaim the Will of his Prince Didym in Hom. â—â— 6. p. 183. Shrev The Scholiast upon Homer says 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 every King has his proper Heraulds This Office doth not open to every one who can perswade himself that he is indued with abilities agreeable to the importance of it but is peculiar only to those who are ordained to it Noah is stiled the Eighth Preacher It is more congruous to refer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 than to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He spared not the old World but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not the Eighth Noah there being none of the name before but Noah the Eighth Preacher This contributes evidence to the act of Divine Justice in drowning the World which altho' eight eminent Preachers of Righteousness had been employed in order to the promoting a reformation neglected them all and entertained their advice with scorn and derision These Eight are Enos Cainan Mahalaleel Jared Enoch Mathusala Lamech Noah Enos challengeth the first place Of his time it is said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then Preaching began in the name of the Lord. That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may admit of this interpretation is evident Jonah 3.2 It has a plain affinity with the Chaldee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from whence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is derived and is in the Septuagint expressed by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gen. 41.43 Exod. 32.5 Prov. 8.1 That which our Translation attributes to Men in general the Greek and Latin assigns to Enos only So that we are not destitute of authority if we thus read the Text Then Enos began to Preach in the name of the Lord. Namely concerning the desolation which the prophaneness of Cain's posterity would certainly draw upon the World if not prevented by a sincere and timely Repentance The Second Preacher is Cainan He was so eminent in this Sacred Function that the Kenites who were Scribes and solemnly ordained to expound the Divine Law 1 Chron. 2.55 received their denomination from him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Third Mahalaleel The Character of his Office is legible in his name He was set apart to Praise God and proclaim his Righteous Will The Fourth Jared which word imports humility from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 descendere The humble God delights to teach and he that is taught of God is not unfit to communicate instruction to others The Fifth Enoch S. Jude represents him as a Prophet declaring that the Lord was coming to execute judgment upon all v. 14 15. His name is derived from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to dedicate He was devoted solemnly to the Ministery and those words He walked with God argue that he exercised his Sacred Function The Jerusalem Targum expounds them He laboured in Truth before God even as the Elders are said to labour in Word and Doctrin 1 Tim. 5. The Sixth is Methusala He is the Son of a Prophet and in his very Name did foretel the Flood It is compounded of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to import that when he was dead God would send a universal Deluge He died according to this prediction in the beginning of the year in which the Flood was The Seventh was Lamech He gave an undoubted testimony of his being under the power of a Prophetick Spirit by naming his Son Noah and expounding the meaning of it in these words The same shall comfort us concerning our work and the toil of our hands because of the ground which the Lord hath cursed Gen. 5.29 They plainly presage some signal consolation which would accrue to mankind by him After the Flood until the time of the Law we are not without instances of a like importance The First-born in every Family did execute the Sacerdotal Function We read of Priests before the order of Aaron was instituted and young men sent by Moses to offer burnt offerings which the Chaldee Paraphrase renders the first-born Exod. 19.22 This is the reason why the Apostle in his Epistle to the posterity of Heber in allusion to this Institution saies Ye are come to
exercise the Ministerial function imployed Peter to Preach and by his Sermon at the Third Hour converted Three thousand at the Ninth hour Five Thousand He held the Angels of the Asian Churches in his right hand and out of his mouth went a two-edged sword the Sword of the Spirit namely the Word of God All this is very agreeable to the nature of a day wholly devoted to Religion 4. The Holy Apostles and Disciples Upon the First of the Week when the Disciples came together to break Bread Paul preached to them Act. 20.7 Here are actions very suitable to the design of a Sabbath Preaching and Administring the Holy Sacrament The Time when these actions were performed is the First of the Week This was a constant custom we never read that the Apostle in any place where he found none but Disciples did upon the old Sabbath communicate with them in those Ordinances which the Gospel has appointed Now as touching a Collection for the Saints as I have given order to the Churches of Galatia so do ye Vpon the first of the week let every one of you lay up by him in store 1 Cor. 16.1 2. The duty here enjoyned is a Collection for the Saints The Apostle did design That it should be very liberal according to the estate of every Man Why he should wave the second third fourth fifth day of the Week and pitch upon the First for the doing of this generous and pious Work cannot be conceived except upon the First of the Week the Disciples of Christ use to meet and be engaged in such Religious performances as have a tendency to excite the mind to Christian liberality These were the thoughts of S. Chrysostome Hom. 43. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There was an idoneity and fitness in the day to dispose and lead them to the acts of Charity This custom was not only amongst the Corinthians but all other Christians The Epistle is addressed to all who in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 1.2 and it was not only upon one or two First days but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the First day of every Week There remaineth therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the keeping a Sabbath to the people of God For he that is entred into his rest he also hath ceased from his works as God did from his Heb. 4.9 10. These words are directed to the Hebrews who were inclinable thro' the efficaey of former impressions to disvalue the institutions of the Gospel That the Apostle might prevail with them to yield a chearful conformity to those appointments He demonstrates That Christ is more valuable than Moses and stiles their deserting the Gospel a departure from the living God and cites Psalm 95. which has a peculiar aspect upon the state of the Church under the Messias In it are described his Disciples under these names the People of his pasture the Sheep of his hand Their solemn meeting to Worship O come let us worship the duties performed at this meeting as Prayer Let us kneel before the Lord our maker v. 6. Singing of Psalms Let us make a joyful noise unto him with Psalms v. 2 3. Hearing the word if you will hear his voice v. 7. a particular day on which all these duties are to be performed To day if you will hear This day being intended for a Sabbath at which time all spiritual advantages are administred which tend to the bringing the Soul into truest satisfaction and rest an exhortation is given to the People not to harden their hearts as the Israelites did in the provocation lest they be deprived of this rest as the Israelites were of theirs in the land of Canaan Now because there are several sorts of rests recorded in the Scripture The heavenly rest in the world to come the rest of the old Sabbath rest in the land of Canaan the Apostle makes it manifest that it is none of these which the Psalmist means but the rest of a Sabbath under the Gospel Not the heavenly for the rest here spoken is confined to a certain day v. 7. Whereas the rest above is every day without interruption Not the rest of the old Sabbath for that was at the beginning when the works were finished from the Creation of the World But the rest mentioned by the Psalmist is some future thing under the Gospel as I have sworn if they shall enter Not the Rest in the land of Canaan If Jesus had given them rest then he would not afterwards have spoken of another day From these premises it is concluded there remaineth therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the keeping a Sabbath day to the people of God under the Gospel And that we may know this Sabbath is the Resurrection-day and by consequence the First of the Week it is added for he which entred into his rest hath ceased from his works as God did from his God the Father upon the Last of the Week ceased from his works and made it a day of rest unto his people Therefore God the Son has done the like with the First of the Week he then putting a period to his state of Humiliation and ceasing from his labour and trouble which he did undergo in the accomplishment of the work of our redemption I was in the Spirit upon the Lord's day Rev. 1.10 By the Lord's day we can understand no less than a day appointed by our Blessed Lord and devoted to his Honour and Worship This day must necessarily be the First of the Week For S. John in expressing this circumstance of Time designs a credit to his relation and therefore must necessarily mean some day which was very well known by this name at the writing of the Revelation It is manifest by Ignatius who was his contemporary That the common name then given to the First of the Week was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This day God was pleased to signalize by a communication of the Holy Ghost in some extraordinary measures S. John was in the Spirit upon it In the words there is an allusion to the manner of speaking amongst the Hebrews who say that a man besides the Soul which he is ordinarily endued with has another Spirit given to him upon the Sabbath which they stile 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an excellent Soul Manass Ben. Is reconc Buxt Syna Jud. c. 11. p. 288. Such allusions we have in the very Context The Seven Spirits v. 4. have a plain aspect upon the Seven Angels which the Jews say do constantly attend the throne of God And the Governours of the Asian Churches are called Angels with respect to the Rulers in the Synagogues which were known by that name 5. The testimony of the following ages He who consults the Writings which are extant will meet with these four Things which being laid together will amount to what has been asserted 1. That the First of the Week was owned by Christians as a Day of Worship 2. As a Sabbath