the creatures and therefore it is only proper to the understanding and the will of God that only from them there should be a generation of the Son and a procession of the Spirit and so a difference of Peâ—…sons Some do here object against some termes which as they say are not to be found in Scripture but are only imposed by the Church and that is the word Trinity and the word Persons and that in a mysterie of this infinite high nature there should be no addition of mans wit and invention but we should tye our selves most strictly to the terms of Scripture seeing this mysterie so infinitly exceeds mans understanding To whom I return this answer Do ye think that what the Church shall determin in this and other mysteries that it proceeds from the wit and invention of man do you ascribe no more to the cloven tongues that fell upon the Apostles whereby they were replenished with Gods Spirit and which Spirit they did conferre upon others by imposition of hands by election or succession and do you stile all this by the wit and invention of man when I consider the determinations of the Church their form of divine Service their Canons their Discipline their religious Orders God knows I do verily believe that I do see more in them then the wit and invention of man and I think them to be the immediate dictates and directions of Gods Spirit But call them what you will for these words of Persons and Trinity truly I conceive them to be nothing but the translation of Scripture and I hope you will think translations very necessary for the Evangelists and the Apostles use the translations of the Septuagints in their quotations of the old Testament if then Christ shall prescribe the form of our Baptism to be in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy Ghost and that we know there are no Accidences in God but all are Substances and distinct Substances surely I know not by what other term I should call Substances and distinct Substances but by the name of Persons and if these three Persons be one God and so the Scripture stiles them The word was with God and God was the word surely I know not with what other words to express it but by the name of Trinity or triunity So likewise those words of Schoolmen Deus intelligendo seipsum genuit verbum are not these words taken out of Scripture hodie genui te and thence they infer verbum in intellectu Thus without the determinations of the Church and unless due respect and reverence be given to the Church no Religion can subsist but will instantly fall to confusion Thus as our understanding begets a word and there is a mutuall love and correspondency between this understanding and this word so if God be said to beget a Son or a Word in a spirituall manner in his understanding and that from both proceeds the holy Ghost the Church must then necessarily conclude that they are severall and distinct Persons not that we should conceive them to be like the Persons of men with circumscription of time and of place in various and different formes but to be divine Persons all alike partaking of one infinite nature and what God hath revealed what the Church hath explicated that we believe desiring the same God by the inlightning of his Spirit to engender faith in our hearts to strengthen and increase it and what God hath reserved only for his own knowledge that not curiously to pry into but content our selves with such a measure and proportion of knowledge as he hath been pleased to impart remembring that the first Sin which gave occasion to all the mischieves and miseries which have befallen us it was the tasting of the Tree of knowledge whereby in stead of that great light which we aymed at whereby we should have knowledge like God indeed we had our eyes opened but it was to see and feel our own nakedness to our own confusion Yet to give some little information I will only make this instance If I should take out of a River severall Cups full of water I would ask what difference there were in these waters Surely none would appear in the nature but as they are distinct in severall Cups or Vessels which give them severall forms and severall dimensions and thus it is in all homogeneall bodies suppose I should insist in spirituall qualities as in Light certainly the difference would be less what then if I should insist in spiri's themselves which are not capable of dimensions yet still in respect of the finitness of their nature there would be some difference but if I should ascend to an infinit nature then there would be no difference in respect of the nature yeâ—… a difference there would be in respect of their different manner of subsisting as by generation procession c. Yet here we must take heed of curiosity and know the weakness of mans understanding that we cannot speak of God but after the manner of men and it is most probable that God should commit his secrets to the care and custody of his Church which may put them into such form and fashion of speech as may best beseem them rather then that particular spirits who are so apt to be misled with errors even in things of least moment should be left to their own inventions and expressions in the highest mysteries But how should the whole Deity be in every Person is it not true in all Homogeneall bodies Suppose the elements that where they are they are totally they carry their whole nature about them but this truth more especially appears in spirits for there is nothing so common and triviall in Schooles as this known principle Anima ubi est tota est tota in toto tota in qualibet parte totius But if this Deity be wholly imparted yet then how should it still remain whole and entire is it not proper to all spirituall qualities as Light Knowledge and the like that they should be communicated without any loss or diminution of themselves Here then at length consists the whole difficulty that the nature being imparted there should be no difference in number reason seeing the difficulty sees likewise the reason of the difficulty for her own further satisfaction for this in the creatures proceeds from the bounded finite and limited nature of the creatures which must be circumscribed both with time and with place and so make a difference in the number but if you will suppose this nature to be infinite as is the Deity then would it admit no difference as not in nature so not in number What I have hitherto written hath been according to the opinion of our best and most â—…earned Divines together with the acknowledgement of the whole Catholick Church to which I do believe a man may very safely subscribe for whatsoever is there related as
Goodman Bishop late of Gloucester June 4. 1653. being the Eve of Trinity Sunday which we were wont to keep very solemnly and I hope you do so continue still THE INTRODUCTION St JOH 1. 14. And the Word was made flesh I Should be much afraid to speak of this word and to multiply my words in the exposition of this one word were it not that my Text doth inform me that thiâ—… word was made flesh and therefore I may well presume on Gods mercy that as it was his humility to descend down from heaven to take up our flesh so without disparagement to his honour â—…lesh and blood may presume to speak of this word to clothe him with our mortall words as some time he was clothed with our mortall nature Again to imbase him and as iâ—… were to give him a new birth conceived in the womb of the heart brought forth by the tongue that so future ages and succeeding generations might testifie of this word for this word was made flesh The written word of God proceeding from the wisdom of God may seem to have been a stream derived from the fountain of this eternal word as large Commentaries and Expositions serve to unfold a little text wherein there is much more matter implyed then can be expressed now this written word though otherwise Gods own word in whom there is no blemish or imperfection yet certainly it was imperfect before such time as this eternall word was made flesh I speak not only that it consisted of types shadowes and figures without the spirit of grace and oâ—… truth not only that it did â—…arre surmount the state and condition of man untill this word was made flesh sanctifying our corrupted nature and descending to our capacity but whereas the written word was a precept a Law and a Rule to square out our actions necessary it was that after the Rule given there should be some pattern to exemplifie the rule Praecepta docent Exempla excitant the Rule is imperfect without an Example But before the time the fulnesse of time wherein God appeared in our flesh there could be no example of true holinesse and obedience to Gods Law and therefore for the upshot and conclusion of the Law in the Eclipse of the Prophets Cum silentium contineret omnia nox in suo cursu mediuÌ„ iter haberet omnipotens sermo tuus Domine exiliens de coelo à regalibus sedibus durus Debellator in mediam exterminii terram prosiluit Sap 18. here is the example annexed to the rule an example in whom dwels the fulnesse of the deity all the treasures of Gods wisdom from whom as from a fountain the written law is derived to whom as to an Ocean the whole scope of the law is directed thus is the Rule perfected by the example the written word serves for a precept the begotten word serves for a president the yoak is made easie the burden is light for wherein the law might seem obscure and difficult that shall now easily appear by the practise example and imitation of this word for this word was made flesh Saint Austin hath well observed that before such time as the word was made flesh man in the pride and presumption of his own heart might have used some excuse unto God Lord why hast thou commanded such strict lawes such as are opposite to the inclination of nature the forgiving of wrongs the chastising of the flesh the mortifying of passions continuall repentance and sorrow whatsoever thou didst unto man thou didst it with the greatest facility and ease verbo virtutis tuae thou spakest the word and all things were created but whatsoever thou requirest of man it is done with the greatest difficulty and labour Thus in effect especially considering the manner thou seemest to require more of man then thou hast done unto man here then there is no proportion But behold to stop the mouthes of Blasphemers that sin might be inexcusable behold the word is made flesh God hath entred the Lists of our misery and hath run thorough the whole course of our Pilgrimage in sudore vultus in the sweat of his browes with watchings and fastings with labour and passions he hath fulfilled the law and having performed it in his own person it is no wrong or injustice to impose the same law upon his vassals and creatures for the word was made flesh Man as he totally proceeds from God so is he totally directed to God but before such time as the word was made flesh it should seem only the better part of man the soul and the understanding were capable of Gods word Alas what becomes of the sensible part shall the body and the flesh be excluded if it lookes for a portion in glory needs it must have some earnest in grace body and soul they are both creatures alike they are both parts of man alike See then the wonderfull work of Gods mercy the word is made flesh a word speaking to the understanding and possessing the soul flesh subject to the sense visible to the outward appearance that so the whole man might be sanctified for the word was mad flesh But leaving all preambles I will tie my self more strictly to the words of my text wherein I will consider these three parts The word in it self The word in our flesh The manner and circumstances answerable to the three termes of of my text Et verbum caro factum est And the word was made flesh wherein are implyed the ineffable mysteries of the Trinity and the Incarnation and both these great mysteries I will first set them down as the Church receives them then I will illustrate them by naturall reason and the grounds of Philosophie and lastly I will give sufficient assurance for the truth of them for I will produce miracles above natural power for confirmation of mysteries above naturall knowledge which is an abundant satisfaction This first Chapter of Saint John in my poore judgement hath some relation to the first Chapter of Genesis and though Saint John be the last Evangelist prophet and penman of Scripture yet he seems to inclose and incompass on every side Moses the first law-giver prophet and pen-man of Scripture whereby it may appear that Christ was Agnus occisus ab origine a Lamb slain from the beginning and by the eternall decree of God long before the foundations of the world were laid You shall then observe that both Saint John and Moses they use the same first word in both their writings in principio in the beginning only with this difference that Moses intended the beginning of time where first God began the Creation and set the first wheel on going but our Apostle and Evangelist like an Eagle makes a higher flight and looking upon the Sun and fastning his eyes thereon is no way daunted though the Sun be the master piece of the creation which other creatures cannot behold but aymes at
the state and condition of the creature But supposing the three Persons in one Deity why should the Word be made flesh the Father and the Spirit excluded Certainly if we were to make choice of the Person reason would inform us that to be the natural son of man is more agreeable to the natural Son of God then to the unbegotten Father or to the proceeding Spirit The manner of his double birth would testifie the same truth begotten in the understanding of God from all eternity conceived in the womb of a Virgin in the fulness of time The nature of that sin which was the first motive of this descent seems to fasten a necessity upon the second Person of the Trinity it was a sin against the wisdom of God the tasting of the Tree of Knowledge Eritis sicut Dii scientes bonum malum and therefore fit it was to shew the large treasures of Gods mercy and the strictness of Gods Justice that the same wisdom offended should satisfie for the offence Foelix culpa quae talem habuit Redemptorem where is the wrong where is the injury when the party offended shall satisfie and therefore we will with humility retort Gods own words upon himself who upon the fall of man could say Ecce Adam quasi unus ex nobis so now upon the fall of God that is upon the descent of God we will say Ecce Deus quasi unus ex nobis If man lose the image of God as concerning Holiness and Sanctity wherein he was first created nothing can restore this image but that which gave the first impression If man cannot conform himself unto God then for an upshot and agreement between both necessary it is that God should consorm himself unto man Man lost Gods image God takes up mans image and this was most competent to that Person in the holy Trinity who as the Apostle describes him to the Hebrews was Splendor gloriae figura substantiae Patris Observe I beseech you the creation of man being made of the earth God breathed into his nostrils the breath of life Breath if it were agreeable to Gods nature yet certainly proceeding from an intelligent Spirit it could not be bare breath but necessarily it must be accompanied with some word especially considering that in all other Creatures you shall finde the power of this word for God spake the word and they were created But here this word is concealed and therefore we may well suppose that there is some mystery concealed Behold then the first earnest of his Incarnation God intending a marriage between the Deity and the Humane Nature he takes the body of man as it were taking his wedding gloves breathes in them to extend them to warm them to sit them for himself at length puts them on Here now at length the word accompanies the breath the breath made us living souls the word shall make us quickning spirits breath gave us a natural life the word shall regenerate and give a new birth and thus by virtue of this breath by virtue of this word man hath a double root the first Adam and the second Adam taking sap from both he is Arbor arbor inversa he hath a root downward and a root upward he treads upon the earth and looks up towards heaven And thus God if ever intending the renewing of his Creatures sit it was that God should there begin where he did end Man was the last work of the Creation and therefore in man there must be the first beginning of renovation Incipiat ubi desitum est it is a rule in all works and here you shall finde it true by experience the last work is first perfected For the Word was made flesh But I would gladly demand of the Jews who do not acknowledge these mysteries either the Trinity or the Incarnation Why should God be so careful and curious in giving himself a Name a Name it is therefore ordained to make a difference in a multitude as many men of one kinde are distinguished by their names But the nature of God is one as the Sun is but one and therefore wants no name but the name of his own kinde Gods Name then as it imports no difference in his nature so it implies a distinction and difference of Persons in that one nature of the Deity This will better appear if you please to consider that great and ineffable Name of God the Name of four letters The first letter was Jod quod significat principium and doth undoubtedly betoken the Person of the Father The second was He quod vivere significat setting out the second Person as being life in himself though life by participation imparting life unto the Creatures for in him we live we move and have our being he is the Way the Truth and the Life The third letter was Vau quae vim apud Hebraeos habet Copulandi intimating the love of God proceeding from the Father and the Son whereby the Father and the Son are united The last letter it was the same with the second letter He twice repeated ut duas in filio fateamur naturas Dei Hominis And that you may conceive that this observation of the Name proceeds not from mans fancy and conjecture I pray give me leave to bring another Example to this purpose When God had tied himself unto Abraham as touching the promised seed in token hereof it pleased God to change the name of Abraham from Abram to Abraham by the addition of a letter so likewise of his wife from Sarai to Sarah by the substraction of a syllable and the addition of a letter Now you shall observe that this letter which was added to both their names it was indeed one and the same letter and it was a letter of Gods own Name the second letter of his Name that as the second Person was to be united to the nature of Abraham and Sarah so this letter given and received might serve as a pledge or an earnest to signifie that union Observe the phrase and style of Scripture Verbum Domini venit ad Isaiam venit ad Prophetas c. which form of speech to my understanding cannot be so well justified were it not that this word were a Person and that some certain manner of coming were proper and peculiar to this Person Why should God speak of himself after the manner and fashion of men I cannot disallow the opinion of our Divines that God speaking to mans understanding fit it was that he should descend to mans capacity but desiring that truth in Gods words might altogether appear I had rather apply them to an intended incarnation then to admit a bare figure in Gods words which happily to us might be some occasion of error Wherefore serve the groanings and cries of the Fathers Expectabo salutare tuum Domine Mitte quem missurus es Rorate Coeli desuper nubes pluanâ—… iustum
honour to be a Chaplain to that great Order instituted by my blessed Founder King Edward and I have been a servant to that order near 40 yeers God having thus laid a sure and strong foundation of his Church that besides the operation of his Spirit and his over-ruling providence even naturall Reason by demonstrative Proofes might be sufficiently assured and convinced in the truth of Religion Now for a further tryall of our Faith in the beginning of the fifteenth hundred yeer after Christ he exposeth his Church to a tryall by the incounter of enemies and first the School-Learning which indeed did sharpen the wits of men yet for our sins some out of perversness and others out of shallowness of brain not able to fathom the depth and grounds of that Learning they made all the Articles of our Faith disputable and as in humane things there is variety of opinions so in Religion if man be left to himself there will be nothing but Sects and Divisions And here the carnall man hath found out two motives to incourage him in his cursed attempts first he conceives that all the Laws of the Church are like so many yokes imposed upon him to infringe his Christian liberty thus he would fain be a lawless man and wholly left to his own carnall will and profaneness The second motive is that whereas he sees stately and great Cathedrals erected which as they were built with great charge so they must be supported with great meanes and here a sacrilegious eye is cast upon them yet must there be some pretence of Religion as if these had proceeded from superstition and that God needed not nor required any such sumptuous charge in his service that it was superfluous and that a spirituall service of the inward man might suffice and could we but look and search that inward man it is not unlike but we should finde as much emptiness there as outwardly we finde ruines but this serves for the present and so much I will say let all the ages from the Creation of the world be examined I am confident it will be found that God was never so much provoked to right himself and in his own quarrell to revenge himself so much upon man and to vindicate his own honour as in these times And seeing he made the world of nothing onely with the word of his mouth and that he daily supporteth this world and preserves it from falling to nothing it is he that will govern this world and may in an instant with the blast of his mouth bring all the endeavours and practises of men unto nothing and this he may do in his own due time when we think all is secure And here I cannot sufficiently blame these times and our unhappy condition it was the observation of Josephus the Jew speaking of the worst sort of men and wondring much that there should be such Monsters amongst men Sunt qui ex contemptu Religioniâ—… sacerdotum famam opinionem sapientiae Nobilitatis sibi aucupantur alass this is now grown to be the common condition of these times a man for his credit sake and that he might be reputed a wise States-man doth generally scorn and contemn Churchmen and therein he dishonours God and makes his service contemptible thus the devill hath long intended and attempted to blot out all Religion out of mans heart but this he could never do for as long as man can look up to heaven so long he conceives hopes of Gods Mercy and sees the skirts and bounds of an other world and if man lookes down to the earth he sees the place of his buriall and the way of all flesh and that he is in his passage for every day he loseth a day of his age and a great part of his life is already spent and is dead unto him he shall never see it return and that which remaines it is the worst part of his age the dregges of his age the longer he lives he shall be sure to have the more sorrow and these very thoughts must needs work some Religion in man now the Devill seeing that he could not herein prevaile to root all Religion out of mans heart therefore he hath found out another stratagem to reduce all Religion to some few acts or heads and then to make those acts of Religion contemptible and so to bring Religion to nothing and this I fear he hath effected For whereas Religion is lex Christiana a Law to govern our actions he hath made it dogma Christianum a theame to be disputed on or a text to be â—…iscoursed on as if the whole practise of Religion did onely consist in the precept and that men should be alwayes learning which is an argument of their ignorance and that they are not come to the knowledge of the truth Sir Thomas Moore that wise Lord Chancellor did foresee this and therefore called it by the name of pelpeting wherein men would take occasion to broach all their new and strange opinions and wherein the State might likewise suffer for somtimes it might serve for sedition what a lamentable thing it is to consider how all the exercises of Religion are laid aside as if Preaching alone would suffice thus we have no Fasting Mortification Confession Charity Devotion Sacrifice or frequent Sacraments no Religious Orders or Magnificency in Gods service and in a word whatsoever else may tend to the honour of God and the furtherance of Piety we know not the practise thereof Queen Elizabeth was wont to say that she had rather speak to God her self then to heare an other speaking of God she seldom heard Sermons but onely in Lent and then as it may be supposed she heard them with the greater devotion there was a sufficient ground laid for the whole year after to practise it were to be wished that preaching alone might not swallow up all publick prayer and all other acts of Religion You will say likewise that we have a strict observation of the Sabbath I fear it is over strict and not kept in the right way for it ought to be kept with hospitality relief of the poor and whatsoever doth tend to nourish love and society between man and man and certainly after Gods service to express our joyfulness and to stir up a cheerfulness of minde with honest recreations for a man may be so tired and dulled in Gods service as that he may be unfit for his service and sin more against God with his wandring thoughts and his sleepy heavyness then if he should be absent from Gods service but under colour of this strict observation of the Sabbath Chirurgians have been hindred from going to dress wounds Physitians from visiting their patients Midwifes from doing their duties and poor infants cannot have a little new sweet milk on the Sundays alas they know not what belongs to the Sabbath Mundus vult decipi I will here make bold to desire