our whole Man in our Redemption Thus having said so much concerning this question I submit the determination thereof to the Judicious Reader onely adding this that if Christ did indeed take not onely his Body but the whole man by traduction from Adam we may most comfortably entertain a more evident and reasonable Argument of the Redemption both of our bodies and soules by him because hereby we may conceive our selves to be joyned and united unto Christ in a more noble tie then onely in our flesh that as he hath communicated his Divine Spirit to Man as is shewed before so our humane Spirit is communicated to him CHAP. XV. That the Spirit of God is communicated to the unregenerate and of the diversitie of the Measures and the graces therof IN the next place I am to shew how the Spirit of God is said to be communicated to men unregenerate as I promised before and this because many men are apt to beleeve that to have the Spirit of God is a grace proper and peculiar only to those that are the the Sanctified holy ones but the contrarie will appeare a none for a man may have Gods Spirit in him yea and divers common gifs and graces of that Spirit and yet remaine unsanctified and void of vertue and holines Aug. de beat vita n. 16. S. Austin saith Omnis homo deum habet nec tâ—mâ—n omnis beatus est i. every man hath God in him and yet every man is not in a state of blessednes so there is in every man a natural goodnes for every creature is good and where goodnes is there is God though this natural bonitie may be mixed with a great deale of moral pravitie and the same Spirit of God worketh in all men but yet to several purposes and with several Naz. Orat. 44. operations and in diverse degrees Spiritas spirat quando vult super quos vult quantum vult i The Spirit bloweth when it will and on whom it will so much as it will and though the Spirit of God be alwayes in man yet men doe not alwayes perceive it Aug. Confes. lib. 9. c. 4. Id. n. 88. or consider it S. Austin confessed Christus miserat spiritum in me Ego nesciebam i Christ had sent his Spirit into me and I knew it not and againe he saith â—git Spiritus Domini per bonos malos per Scientes nescientes ut per Caipham i The Spirit of the Lord worketh by good and bad by men that know it and by men that know it not as it did by Caiphas Men may have the Spirit of God and Operations of that Spirit in them and some graces also of that Spirit and yet those graces possibly shall not be operative so high as to Sanctification neither are they such high graces as divines call Gratum facientes But yet graces they are for grace is but a free gift and therfore is it called grace because it is Gratis data i freely given There may be grace in those persons who are not therby rendered favourable gracious or acceptable in Gods sight for even our natural endowments and temporal blessings and our very Creation rightly considered will appeare to be an act of Gods grace and therfore men do usually give thanks to God for their very Creation This doctrine of the great variety of graces and workings of Gods Spirit is most evidently set forth 1 Cor. 12. There are diversities of gifts and diversities of operations but the same Spirit the same Lord the same God And you may find mention of many graces there which are not saving or sanctifying graces but are Common even to reprobates as knowledge healing prophecie toungs c. Which wee know may be and are found in men not Sanctified even the knowledg and skill of manual arts are the operations of Gods Spirit in man which no divine will say are saving or sanctifying graces as wee read of Bâ—zaleel Ex. 35. 31. That he was filled with the Spirit of God in wisedome and in all manner of workmanship to devise Curious workes and to worke in Gold Silvâ—â— and brass Philosophers use to say If heaven stood still man could not move so much as his litle finger but surely if God were not Primus Motor in us to be as the soule of our soules we could not live or move and though God be in man and operateth in him yet his operations are diversified by divers degrees in some he worketh but weakly and low in others higher and stronger even to produce holines and happines but though the Spirit of God be in every man yet this Spirit is not a Sanctifier in every man as he is not Paracletus i a Comforter in every man this doctrine hath bin taught of old by the ancients Deus in est multiformiter Richard de S. Vict. de Trin. l. 2. c. 23. secundum participationem Gratiae aliis per participationem potentiae aliis vita aliis sapientiae aliis bonitatis aliis beatitudinis imanum suam parcius vel largius extendens i God is in us by distributing his graces in great diversitie some partake of power some of life only others have wisdome others goodnes others blessednes for so doth he open his hand more or less as he pleaseth The Spirit of God in Scripture is often resembled to water because as the same water falling from heaven in raine upon several Creatures produceth in them great diversitie and varietie of effects Aqua in spiâ—is alba in rosis rubra in Cyril Hieroâ— n. 18. hyacinthis purpurea i The same raine in the thorne produceth a white flower on the rose bush a red and on the hyacinth a purple Colour So doth the Spirit produce diversitie of effects in men so againe Aqua in Aug. de Mirab. script l. 1. c. 18. vite vinum â—it in apibus mel in Oliva olâ—um i Water in the vine is made wine in the Olive tree Oyl in bees honie in man blood teares c. And the like illustration is used by Epiphanius Chrysost To shew Epiph. in Ane Chrys ho. 4. Antioch that the same Spirit of the same God in some mea produceth but life or understanding in others it produceth those effects and more also as wisdome judgment counsel in others more also as faith hope charitie fortitude even to martyrdome and to blessednes the effect of Gods Spirit in Samson was seen eminently in his great strength in Solomon it was great wisdome in Moses mâ—eknes in the Prophets foresight all these are gifts of one and the same Spirit though in such great varietie and when the Scripture mentioneth divers Spirits as Esa 11. 2 Rev. 1 4 It meaneth severall gifts and graces of one and the same Spirit wee may observe that Elisha 2 Kings 2. 9. did not pray for two Spirits but duplex Spiritus that the same Spirit of Eliah might be doubled on him that is increased
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
Saint Austine therein and the Authors submission thereof to the Reader That because God was to be Incarnate only in the Person of the Sonne and not in the Person of the Father therefore the ancient Fathers said that God was seen in the Person of the Sonne onely and not in the Person of the Father Chapter VII The Incarnation of the Sonne of God is shewed against Page 22 the Commenter That a meer Man may be said to be Incarnate and so may Christ be truly said and much rather because the soul of Man may exist without a body and the Godhead of Christ really did exist from Eternitie without a Body untill his assumption of a temporary shape and his Incarnation in an ever durable Body That the Scripture calleth him that denieth Christs Incarnation a deceiver and an Antichrist Chapter VIII That the Son of God was to be Incarnate necessarily Page 27 by vertue of the Covenant although God could have saved Man by his Power without the Incarnation Of that curious question viz. What God did before the Creation That God was never solitarie though alwaies but One. Of the Everlasting or Eternall Covenant between the Persons of the Father and the Sonne before the world Chapter IX Of the Covenant between God and Man divers Page 33 times renewed The first words of the Covenant about the Tree of Knowledge before the fall The second words of bruising the Serpents head since the fall The same Covenant with Abraham and afterwards with Moses in more words The outward signes of the Covenant viz. Sacrifices circumcision Tabernacle and Leviticall rites That the Legall and Evangelicall Covenant are but one The words of the Evangelicall Covenant Why it is called a new Covenant the Covenant of Grace and of works a better Covenant and a Testament of Christs suretie ship The reason why Christ was circumcised and Baptized Chapter X. That as our state condition now standeth Page 38 man cannot be redeemed and saved but through the Incarnation Obedience and death of the Sonne of God That our salvation is not wrought by the request and verball intreatie of Christ nor by the power onely of God without satisfaction of his Justice The distinction between Christs satisfaction and his merit How Gods just Sentence was fully executed on man and his Law perfectly performed by man Chapter XI That Christ was a Person fitly qualified to stand Page 41 in stead of all Mankind The mutuall unity of Christ and Mankind in that Christ tâ—oke his flesh from Man and Man received the Spirit from Christ That from this mutuall unity it is that Christs Obedience both Active Passive with great justice and equitie may be imputed to Mankind Chapter XII What interest the unregenerate man hath in Page 54 Christ That the Divine Spirit of Christ is communicated to the unregenerate and therewith some common graces That the Doctrine of the Church declareth the benefit of Christs death to be offered to all men good and bad That God is essentially present in every creature though not commugnicating his sanctifying Grace to every one The Stoicks error concerning the souls of Men. Apollinarius his Heresie concerning the soul of Christ Chapter XIII The Heresie of Valentinus and others concerning Page 59 the Body of Christ compared with the Heresie of Apollinarius concerning Christs Soul That the Arguments proving the derivation of the flesh of Christ from mans body do as well prove the traduction of his soul That the soul of man by nature is Carnall The doctrine of the Church of England doth not clearly determine the originall of Christs soul That if the traduction of souls be granted it will argue a greater nearness and conjunction of God and Man Chapter XIV The question of the propagation of the soul of Page 63 Christ and of other mens souls discoursed the difficultie thereof shewed out of Saint Austine and his inclination and reasons to believe traduction rather then a dayly new creation of souls The judgement of the Western Church herein alledged by Saint Hierome That the opinion of Traduction is not inconsistent with Christian Faith But if it be granted it argues a nearer relation between Christ and us then otherwise the Author leaves it undetermined with submission to the judicious Reader Chapter XV. The Ubiquitie of the Spirit of Christ Of the Page 67 diversitie of the Graces thereof In what degree and measure the Spirit with its common Graces is communicated to men unregeneraâ—e How the one Spirit of God is in Scripture represented as if there were more then one how it is said to be withdrawn or not yet given when it is alwayes present That the union of God and man is hence concluded Chapter XVI That the presence of the Spirit doth not alwayes Page 71 sanctifie is proved from the unction of Heathen Kings How such are called Gods annointed though they were not ceremonially annointed with oyl of Christs Vnction and the appellation of Christians Vespatians touching and curing the infirm thereby The King of Englands cures and unction Of the gift of healing mentioned 1 Cor. 12. 9. Whether it be utterly ceased Chapter XVII The union of Christ and his Church further Page 76 shewed Why Christ is called Adam David and Jacob Why all mankind was extracted out of one man Why Saint Austine denied that there were any Antipodes The difference between Christs union with all mankind and his more speciall union with his Church An Exposition of Heb. 7. 9. Touching the difference of Levi and Christ who were both in the loins of Abraham which place is purposely obscured by the Commenter The Table THE FOURTH BOOK Containing a discussion of this Question Whether the blasphemie of denying Christs Godhead which is the sin against the holy Spirit be absolutely unpardonable with full Expositions of certain Scriptures in the Hebrewes and other places which concern that sin Chapter I. THe question stated The judgement of Page 1 some late Divines therein and their grounds That to affirm it absolutely unpardonable seemeth derogatory to the infinite mercy of God in Christ and the grace of repentance The efficacie of true repentance Chapter II. That this sinne possibly may be pardoned upon Page 5 the sinners repentance That Gods threatnings are not to be understood as absolute but as conditionall That therefore his threatnings are not alwayes executed and yet his Truth not violated That threatnings are intended for provocations to repentance an observation upon Theodosius The judgement of the Fathers concerning those threatnings Chapter III. That the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit or Page 8 God-head of Christ is then onely unpardonable when it is accompanied with finall impenitencie a short Exposition of Matth. 12 31. Chapter IV. Whether the grace of repentance be absolutely denied Page 11 to those who have once sinned this sin The judgement of some Divines herein A full Exposition begun of Heb. 6. 4. concerning final impenitencie That the word inlightned is there meant of
Emmanuel as being one with us Let us next see what the Ancient Doctors conceived of this Union to avoid prolixity I will instance onely in St. Austin who saith Aug. in Psal 17. Christus Ecclesia est totum Christi caput corpus And upon those words My God my God why hast thou forsaken me and I cry in the day time and thou hearest not and Let this Cup passe from me and Not my will but thy will be done he saith In Psal 21. Christus dicit de te de me de illo corpus suum gerebat scilicet Ecclesiam membrorum vox erat non timebat mori sed pro his dixit qui mortem timent And again he saith in Ps 26. Omnes in illo Christi Christus sumus totus Christus caput corpus And upon those words Saul Saul why persecutest thou me he saith in Ps 30. Sic vâ—cem pedis suscipit lingua clamat calcas me in membris Christi Christus est Christus est multa membra unum corpus And in Ps 100. Christum induti Christus sumus cum capite nostro cum Christo capite unus homo sumus And in Ps 103. Omnes nos in Christo credentes unus homo sumue And in Ps 127. Multi Christiani unus Christus unus homo Christus caput corpus And in Ps 119. Omnes Sancti sunt unus homo in Christo The summe of all is That Christ and his Members are united so that they are one body and as one person for as the head and inferiour parts in one man are but one body so Christ and his members are but one Christ which the same Father calleth in Ps 36. Ser. 2. Ps 37. Christum plenum And Corpus Christi diffusnm Neither is the Church of England silent in this great mystery of our union with Christ for to shew that the grand reason and the intent and purpose for which Christ ordained the holy Supper was especially to set forth this Union of himself and members to be such as our food is to and with our bodies bread and wine unite themselves to us they grow into one body with us So she saith to faithful Communicants The Exhortat at the Commun That we dwell in Christ and Christ in us We be one with Christ and Christ with us And this also was the reason of instituting Baptisme as St. Paul expresseth it to be baptized Rom. 6. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into Christ and 1 Cor. 12. 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into one body Baptisme is the mysterious sign of our entrance into Christ But the Eucharist is the mystery of Christs entring into us for so St. John maketh the like distinction 1 Joh. 4. 13. Hereby we know that we dwell in him and he in us and after him St. Austin Aug. in Joh. Tract 48. Si benè cogitemus Deus in nobis est Si benè vivamus nos in Deo sumus and indeed this union is principally meant in the Article of the Communion of Saints which in our Creed we professe to believe This Union in Scripture is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. Communion The great Sacrament thereof is therefore called by St. Paul 1 Cor. 10. 16. The Communion of the body and blood of Christ and because our union with Christ doth unite us with the whole Trinity the Apostle tells us 1 Joh. 1. 3. 1 Cor. 1. 9. Our fellowship 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ and this is also called 2 Cor. 13. 13. Philip. 2. 1. The fellowship of the Holy Ghost the fellowship of the Spirit But there is a great difference between our common or general union with the whole Trinity and our speciall and particular union with Christ alone for with all the three Persons we are united only by the Spirit because to us is given the Holy Ghost which is the Spirit of the Father and the Son But with the Son we are joyned and united in a threefold bond 1. Spiritu 2. Carne 3. Vadimonio Not onely by his Spirit in us but also in Nature for he assumed flesh with us from the self-same lump of the first man and moreover he is joyned to us in the strong bond of Vadimonie or Suretiship in that everlasting Covenant of Grace before mentioned Concerning the manner of our union with Christ one scruple is to be removed for if we say that we are really and substantially one body with him this doctrine may seem to affirm a personal or hypostatical union of us men with God such as is the union of the Godhead and manhood in Christ so we should make our body the body of God as Christs natural body is and so we make our selves God as Christ is God but this must be confessed to be intolerable blasphemy Our answer is That though Christ and his Church are indeed one body yet they are not one body natural and consubstantial but a body mystically Political as a Corporation a Society a Fraternity not Corpus continuum but Collectivum or aggregativum thus thousands of Souldiers are One Army many graines of corn are but One heap Unae quinque Minae Plaut in Pseud many pieces of money are One summe many letters and lines in one Epistle we call Vnas literas Tully calls one suit of apparel consisting of many parcels Cic. Orat. pro L. Flacco Vna vestimenta and we read Plaut in Trinum Vnos sex dies in Plautus Just so St. Austin expresseth this mystery of Christs body upon those words Psal 11. 1. Salvum me fac Domine Aug. de Unitate Eccles Cap. 13. To. 7. Sic est unus homo qui ait salvum me fac ut ex multis constet for though Christ and his members are many Ones and many Severals which are not united by any internal or natural form yet because they all have one and the same Spirit of Christ in them they are united and made one body or mystical corporation by that one Spirit of Christ of which it is said 1 Cor. 12. 13. By one Spirit ye are all baptized into one body and of these many severals it is said Ro. 12. 5. We being many are one body in Christ So a body Politick consisting of a multitude of individuals is made one Corporation by the Charter of the Prince and their own agreement but if upon dissension they be tumultuously gathered we rather call them a tumult then a Corporation Aug. De verb. Domini Ser. 26. Da unum populus est tolle unum turba est Touching the last clause of this first Proposition That the same that offended the same is punished whereby our sins seem to be charged upon Christ as if Christ himself had committed sin in whom we are assured no sin was either original or actual as is fully declared in my third Book Chap. 11. Sect. 2. Yet that this is true I am to shew in the explication of
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
the most principal to assert the Immortality of his humane Soul and thereby to set forth this true doctrine of the Immortality of all mens soules and the Church had great reason for it because all Christians for some Centuries of years generally believing this doctrine In the fag end of the primitive times many atheistical and Epâ—curâ—an professors sprung up and denyed this truth obstinately and then it became an heresie and was so recorded by St. Austin as is said before under the title of the Arabick heresie and so occasioned a new article of Christs descent although it was an old Scriptural received truth to be put into the Creed I am not ignorant that in Epiphanius the Epiâ—uâ—eans are set down Epiph. haer 8. among hereticks who denyed this truth and so are Sâ—oicks and Pythagoreans and Jewes which I take to be something unproper because none can be called hereticks except they at least professe Christianity and perhaps Epiphanius meant such Christians who in Philosophy were of those Sects or Jewes by birth CHAP. IX Of the most ancient Creed why so many additions have been made and particularly the article of Christs descent THe Reasons that move me to think that the new article of Christs descent was added to the Creed principally to set forth the Immortality of man's soule are now to be brought forth to the Readers view It was a long time before the Church-Creed went about in writing though some private men did so preserve it yet it was learned by oral tradition and so rehearsed Hil. de Synodis cont Arian n. 7. at baptismes and this is noted by St. Hilarie Fides Apostolica non scripta erat literis sed Spiritu Conscriptas sides hucusque nesciverunt Episcopi i. The Apostles Creâ—d or faith was not written by letters but by the Spirit untill these dayes about the Nicene Council the Bishops did not take notice of any written Creeds and the same Father findeth fault with the writing of Creeds Fides scribenda est quasi in corde non fuerit i. Hilar. contr Const l. 3. n. 6. Faith must now adayes be written as if it had no place in mens hearts and although this symbole or Creed were not written yet it is confessed that it went about traditionally and without additions from the Apostles as Terâ—â—llian for his time sheweth Ab initio Evangelii Tert. Cont. Prax. dâ—cucurrit ante priores quosque haereâ—icos i. The rule of faith spread from the beginning of the Gospel and before Praxea's herâ—sies began And again he saith Regulam Tert. de praescr haeret hanc Ecclesia ab Apostolis Apostoli à Christo Christus à Dâ—o tradidit i. The Church delivered the Creed as it came from the Apostles and the Apostles from Christ and Christ from God for there is nothing in that Creed but what is the expresse doctrine of Scripture Now the reason why the Apostolical rule of faith or Creed was not published then in writing is rendred by Ruffinus in Cyprian The Apostles did not deliver this Symbole Cypr in Symb. iâ— paper or parchment but by tradition oral to be laid up in the heart that so it might the better appear that the doctrine thereof was really from the Apostles for Infidels might have got it into their hands If it had been written and by that colour of rehearsing this Creed hypocritically mighâ— have undermined the Church therefore it was delivered rather vocally then in writing just as the Commander in War giveth the Word or sign vâ—cally and noâ— in writing by which friends are discerned from enemies which wate hword is called Symbolum as the Creed is that is a token or signal Thus far Ruffinus The most ancient record of the Christians Symbolâ— which I find written and without exception for that which is in the Constitutions of Clemens I believe is much later is in Tertullian who was a Writer as himself saith in the year after the birth of Christ 160. Tert. de Monoga which I have here inserted that the Reader may see how much hath been added to that first Creed untill these dayes as I find it in Tertullian lib de Veland Virgin principio Regula fidei una immobilis irreformabilis Tert. de Velan Virginibus Credendi in unicum Deum Omnipotentem mundi conditorem Vide Doctrinam praedicationis Apostolicae apud Irenae lib. 1. â— 2. Filium ejus Jesum Christum natum ex Virgine Maria Crucifixum sub Pontio Pilato tertia die resuscitatum à mortuis receptum in coelis sedentem nunc ad dextram Patris venturum judicare vivâ—s mortuis per carnis ctiam resurrectionem The onely Rule of Faith unmoveable and unreformable is To believe in one God Almighty maker of the World and his Son Jesus Christ born of the Virgin Mary câ—ucified under Pontius Pilate the third day raised from the dead received into heaven sitting now at the right hand of the Father that he shall come to judge the quick and the dead by the resuâ—râ—ction also of the flesh This is all in that place the same again in substance is rehearsed but in a few more words * Tert. de Praesc p. 92. Cont. Prax. p. 379. Lib. de praescriptionibus with the mention of the Mission of the Holy Ghost and the same again Lib. Cont. Praxean mentioning also the Mission of the Holy Ghost without any other considerable difference the same Father in the place above noted de praescript tells us Haec Tert. de Praescript regula nullas dubitationes habet nisi quas harâ—ses in ferunt i. that this rule of faith hath no doubts or dissensions among Christians but such as a e raised by heresies therefore what doubts and dissensions have been so raised is next to be considered CHAP. X. Of Heresies which occasioned neâ— additions to the old Creed THat the springing up of the tares of heresie gave occasion to the Church to enlarge the Creed thereby endeavouring to extirpate those errours it may appear by these instances whereof some are undeniable and the rest very probable and have been so thought formerly by †Erasm ad facul Theol. Sorbon others 1. In the Creed of Ruffinus in Cyprian is Credo resurrectionem hujus carnis i. e. the resurrection of this flesh because the Origenists would not believe that the resurrection should be of the same body but of another new body 2. By the Nicene Fathers to the words Jesus Christ was added Unum Dominum i. One Lord against the Arians who would not confesse the Father and the Son to be but one One Lord. 3. The same Fathers added the word Homoousion against the said Arians because they would not believe that the Father and the Son were both of one Godhead or substance 4. The Article of Remission of Sins was added after that the Novaâ—ian hereticks refused to admit any to their Communion though they were penitents which after baptisme
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
or heightned in him to greater power and efficacie and whereas David prayed Psal 51. 11. take not thy holie Spâ—rit from me it will not follow that David feared he should be left destitute altogether of the Spirit of God but that it might remaine with him in some degree at least but he prayed for the Continuance and Manifestation of Gods help and assistance by the Spirit in the same manner as before he had it because as Prosper observeth Cessatio auxilii pro absentia accipitur i God Pros ad Dem. n. 59. is said to depart from man when he withholdeth his help albeit God is essentially alwayes present so when he withdraweth one grace yet he may manifest his presence by some other grace for every man hath not every grace of the Spirit S. Hierom in one of his exegetical Epistles upon these words 1 Cor. 15. 28. That God may be all in all saith Adhuc Deus est nisi pars Hier. Epist 147. n. 30. in singulis ut sapientia in Solomone patientia in Job post erit omnia in omnibus cum Sancti omnes virtutes habuerint i In this life God is but a part in men as wisdome in Solomon patience in Job but in the next life God will be all in all for then his Saints shall be induced with all vertues And wheras it is said Joh. 7. 39. The holie Ghost was not yet given Yet wee are sure that it was given before both to the Prophets and also to the Apostles but the meaning is as S. Austin expounds it Non quia nulla datio antea sed quia non talis quae de Aug. de Trin. lib. 4. c. 17. n. 72 Linguis legitur i Not as if there had bin no gift of the Spirit before but because the Spirit was not before given in that kind and manner as it was at the feast of Pente cost and so doth S. Cyril resolve the same doubt Cyril Hieros Cat. 16. Spiritus idem descendebat in Pentecoste qui anteà sed tum Copiosiùs i It was the same Spirit that descended at the Pentecost which came before but now it came more Copiouslie Thus are God and man united he taking our flesh and we receiving his Spirit upon this consideration S. Cyprian saith Cum Corpus â— terra Spiritum possideamus Cyp. de Orat. Dom. n. 82. e caelo Ipsi câ—lum tâ—rra sumus i Man is the union of heaven and earth because our bodies are from the earth but we possesse a Spirit which came from heaven CHAP. XVI That the Spirit of God is given to men nâ—â— sanctified how those are said to be Gods anointed who were not anointed with Oile that our King is Gods anointed somthing concerning the Kings touching and Curing the diseased BUt why should we doubt to affirme that the Spirit of Jesus our only Lord God is communicated even to men unregenerate and that in such men this Spirit doth manifest it's presence in some lower degree by some common graces which doe not sanctifie them in whom they are seeing that we find in Scripture that both heathen and wicked Kings are called Gods anointed for Esa 45. 1. Thus saith the Lord to his anointed to Cyrus yet this Cyrus both lived and died an heathen So King Saul though an Israelite yet a wicked man is called 2 Sam. 1. 14. The Lords anointed Now we know that Vnction doth not alwayes signifie only an External or Ceremonial anointing with Oile but it signifieth also the inward gift and inhabitation of the Spirit of God for wee find that those men are said to be Gods anointed whom we cannot find to have bin externally anointed with Oile for so Christ is said to be anointed Psal 45. 7. Yet not with external Oile so also Abraham Jsaac and Jacob Psal 105. 15. are called Gods anointed yet we find not that they were anointed with Oile but these holie ones are therfore said to be anointed because the Spirit of God was in them which is the true and reall unction wheras external ointment is but the signe therof in like manner because Cyrus an heathen is called Gods anointed and yet was never anointed with Oile it must needs follow that his unction was internal and that he was therfore called Gods anointed because God had put his Spirit into him Iâ—say his Spirit although not working so high as to Sanctification in Cyrus but yet a Spirit of wisdome and kingly fortitude and of skill and knowledg politicall and militarie To enable him to governe which gifts are the effect of Gods Spirit And this is the exposition which the ancients give concerning those forenamed unctions first for Christ Euseb us saith Non apparet Christum unctum fuisse communi oleo sed divino Eus de Dem. lib. 5. c. 2. Spiritu i It can not appeare that Christ was anointed with common Oâ—le Ceremonialie but he was anointed with the divine Spirit and so saith Athanasius Oleum Ath. Orat. 2. Cont. Arian Opt. lib 4. Atha Orat. Cont. Aria n 8. Christi est Spiritus sanctus i The Oile of Christ was the holie Spirit and just so saith Optatus and what this unction of Christ was and wherin it consisted is shewed by the same Athanasius upon those words God of God unitio verbi cum carne vo catur unctâ—o i The union of the Godhead with the manhood was Christ's unction Now for the anointing of meere men and that without any infusion of Oile Eusebius saith Dei Spiritus Eus de Dem. l. 4. c. 15. est dei Oleum i The Oile of God is the Spirit of God and he tels further in the same place that Abraham Isaac and Jacob are called Gods anointed Propter divinum Spiritum cujus participes erant i By reason of Gods Spirit with which those holie patriarks were indued and to the same purpose S. Basil saith Spiritus Basil hom de Bapt. n. 14. sanctus est unctio in nobis i our unction is the holie Spirit which is in us For so it is said also of our Saviour expresly Act. 10. 38. God anointed Iesus of Nazareth with the holie Ghost The appellation of Christ and of Christian is from this unction and we use to say of infants when they are baptized that they are made Christians which signifieth anointed not because of the old Ceremonie of Crisme or anoâ—â—ting with Oile which with us hath bin long agoe disused but as Dionysius formerlie when it was in use gave the reason unction and Christian signifie deificam Spiritus communionem Dionys Areop eccleâ— her c. 2. i The communication of the divine Spirit because wee beleeve that God with the external Sacrament conferreth the inward grace which beleife the ancients did represent by their anointing the baptized with Oile Now if it may app are that by vertue of such an internal Unction of which I spake in Cyrus some unregenerate men have actually exercised and performed
and againe he saith Tota civitas dei est unus homo in Capite Corpore i Id. in Psal 131. The whole Citie of God is one man in the head and in the bodie being as one corporation And concerning Christs Prayers and the Churches Prayers the same Father saith Ad deum clamaâ— Caput in Corpore Id. in Psal 142. Corpus in Capite i Christ prayeth in his Church and his Church prayeth in him for otherwise how could wee say to God Abba Father and this neareness and intire unitie betweene God and man in Christ is principallie from this ground that because there is but one God and that one God is in all men therfore doth he make al to be one and also men with Christ are Commembers Aug. cont mendacium c. 2. n 77. Chrys in S. Theophaniam to 6. n. 59. as S. Austin cals them i. fellow members of his bodie because wee with him were made of one blood as we read Act. 17. 26. for as S. Chrysostome noteth Deus ideo incarnatus ut ingeret opus cum opifice i God was therfore Incarnate that therby he might unite the Creature with the Creator all communicating both in flesh and in Spirit hence all Christians are called one anothers brethren and sisters because all have the same Spirit of one heavenlie Father Anima fratris est Hier. n. 41. soror tua S. Hierom saith i Thy brothers soule is thine owne sister a sister but it is only in Christ because the same Spirit of Christ is in both upon the same grounds it is that Christ becomes so neare of kindred to us men that he takes upon himself the names of other Men to implie an â—dentity with Man for 1 Cor. 15. 45. he is called Adam and the Prophets call him David Jer. 30. 9. Ezech. 34 23. Ose 3. 5. And this long after Adam and David were dead and is therfore meant of Christ for when David is called a Man after Gods owne heart 1 Sam. 13. 14. Act. 13 22. which is very hard to be said or understood of any sinfull man but de Aug de Dule quaest q 6. n. 89. Christo intellige and nullus nodus erit i if you will understand it to be spoken of Christ there will be no difficultie at all So also I think that saying Num. 23. 21. He hath not beheld iniquitie in Jacob is meant of Christ who is called Jacob with as greate reason as the other posteritie are called by the name of their patriarch Israel and Iacob very frequently in Scripture and namely Psal 41. 7. Because the Creator at the first intended this union to be a ground and preparative of mans redemption therefore he extracted all mankind even the woman also out of one Man that so all might come into the unitie of Christ which is the reason that is alleaged by Prosper and that theâ—eby christs obedience active and Prosper De Provid n. 39. passive might be in stead of all Adâ—m and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 would not believe there were any 〈◊〉 although he knew the earth was scated in the midst of the woâ—â—d Aug. de Civ l. 16 c 9. l aâ—â— de fal Rel. l. 3. c. 24. but it was least he should grant that the e was any one man in the whole world which came not out of the loins of Adam Now as all Mankind hath its interest in Christ so more especially hath the Church whâ—ch is joyned to her head in a more sweet and loving matâ—imonâ—all bond Matth. 22. 2. The Kingdome of Heaven is like unto a Certain King which made a marriage for his son and this is set forth more Emphatically Eph. 5. 30. For wâ— are member of his body â—f his flâ—sh and of his â—ones this is a great Mystery but I spâ—ak conâ—â—â—ning Christ and his Church For the union of Christ and his Church doth not onely consist in this that Christ assumed the flesh of his holy ones for so he did of all nor in that he communicates hi Spiâ—it to his Elect â—nd holyenâ—s for so also he doth to all But in that he gives to his Church his Divine Spirit with all the sweetnesse of his love and goodnesse and with such high graces as make her lovely acceptable and gracious in the eyes of her Lord and head This great mystery of Mans Redemption by the Incarnation of God was imitated early at the Creation of the woman It is observed by S. Ambrose that at Ambr. de Paradiâ—o n 9. the Creation of the Man it is not said God saw that it was good but when it is said Male and Female created he them Gen. 1. 27. Immediately it followes God blessed them and verse 31. It was verâ— good and this because from the Womans fruitfulness the Redeemer was to come and this is the meaning of St. Paul 1 Tim. 2. 15. She shall be saved in child-bearing That is by the Son of God now born of a woman if she continue in the Faith and for the comfort of all sorts of men unto whom the benefit of the Gospell and with it the inestimable benefit of Christs death is offered the Gospell hath set forth our Saviour descending from the first man and extracted through holy and unholy Ancestors through Jews and Gentiles by noble and ignoblâ— births as appeareth in the Genealogâ—â—s of S Luke and of â— Matthew where there is mention of â—amar and of 〈◊〉 a Moabiâ—â— and Gentile to shew that all sorts of men have an interest in Christ for all men in the world were united with Christ himselâ— also in the loyns of Adam Before I clâ—se this Book I think it very pertinent to the business in hand to explain that place Heb. 7. 9. which our Commenter hath most slightly passed over yet warily because if he had rightly expounded it it had clâ—aâ—ly made against his blasphemy the words are these Levi 〈◊〉 Tithes in Abraham For he was in 〈◊〉 of his Fatâ—â—r when Melchiâ—edech met him The collection from these words is that therefore Meâ—chisâ—aechs and so Christs Priesthood is greater then Leviâ—â— Pâ—iâ—stâ—ond But against this Argument it may be objected that Christ was also in the loins of Abraham at that time as well as Levi for thâ—n 〈◊〉 was not begot and therefâ—re in this respect both Levi and Christ paid tithes in Abraham and neither are to be for this cause preferred before the other except we can shew that Christ was not then in the loins of Abraham Secundum aliquem modum in some manner as Levi was For answer hereunto S. Austine thought it sufficient to say that the difference between â—â—vies and Christs being in the loins of Abraham was this Christus Aug. de Gen. ad lit l. 10. c. 19 non 〈◊〉 secundum animam seâ— Levi ficit i That Christs Soul was not derived by propagation from Abrâ—haâ— as Lâ—viâ—s soul was But this answer will not satisfie because it is uncertain to us
the world Clemens Alex. and Naz. Observe that the very Clem. Alex. Paed. l 1. Naz. Orat. 40. heathens called a man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i light onlie because he was indued with the light of a reasonable soule much more may those be said to be Inlightned who are indued with the Spirit of Illumination from God Ephe. 5. 8. Ye were darknes but now are light in the Lord and. 1 Joh. 1. 5. God is light for the baptismal regenerating Spirit is the Spirit of God Eusebius noteth in the life of Constantine the Great Post baptismum sibi visus est luce Euseb de vita Con. l. 4. n. 45. plenus quasi numine siderari i Assoone as he was Baptized he seemed to himself to be full of light as if he had bin assisted by some heavenlie power people had such a conceit of Baptismal illumination that Nazianzen reporteth of his reverend Father that as he Naz. Orat. 19. came out of the Baptismal font to them a visible light seemed to shine round about him But I proceed CHAP. V. That the word renuing doth in this place signifie baptisme those that fall after baptisme have yet left to them a second remedy and that is repentance VVE have seen that those that fall into sin after baptism must not expect a release or remedy for their sins by any second or new baptisme the words which follow as some do dangerously understand them at the first veiw seem to exclude such sinners from the second remedy of repentance which is surely an erronious conceit as will appear presently If they fall away it is impossible to Renew them again unto repentance the plain meaning of these words is That those which fall into their old unregenerate and carnal course of living after they have once been renewed by baptism must not expect to be restored to their regenerate and former integrity innocency and cleanesse and freedom from the guilt of their sins by another new baptisme for a second baptisme cannot acquit them of their sins so as their first baptisme did repentance which signifieth amendment of life is not obtained by a second renovation by baptism for that cannot â—enue them so as to make them appear clean and puâ—ged from their sins in the sight of God water once washed in is accounted foul afterwards the Philosopher could say of a fowle Bath Qui hic lavant ubi lavantur St. Ambrose said of Pilates washing in vita Diog. apud Laert. Ambr. non diluit sed in quinavit in psa 61 they that wash in foul water had need to wash again a second baptism is so foul that it addeth a new pollution as will appâ—ar hereafter Indeed God by one baptism wherewith his Regenerating Spirit doth concur doth renew men unto repentance or amendment and newnesse of life but if afterwards we fall away by polluting our selves with new sins let us not so flatter our selves as to imagine that we can be restored and renewed by a second baptismal renovation for no such renewing is to be expected There are two remedies prescribed by God for assoilment from our sins the first is Baptism Act. 22 16 Arise and be baptized and wash away thy sins The second remedy is Repentance Act. 3. 19. Repent ye therefore and be converted that your sins may be bloâ—ted out To renew them to repentance If the Apostle meant that it were impossible for those that fall after baptism to repent it may be wondred why he did not say It is impossible to repent and why he should use two words Renâ—w Repentance for repentance it self is a renewing Renewing is a generall word may be distributed into two sorts First there is a renewing Sacramental and baptismal when a man is baptized or illuminated and thereby initiated to a new state and way of living according to new rules of life Secondly there is a renuing Moral when a man once illuminated or baptized having falne into greivous sins yet by grace given changeth his wicked course of sinning to a careful and conscionable new way of living according to direction of the Gospell Hence I collect that the meaning of these words is That he that hath once been renued by baptismall illumination to repentance or amendment of life if such a man fall he cannot the second time be renued by a second baptismal renuing a second baptisme will not acquit him of his sins but yet he is not excluded from a morall renuing by leaving his sinning which is called repentance briefly though he may be renued yet it may not be by a new baptism though he may repent yet his repentance is not to be wrought by a second baptism For the right understanding of this exposition I here lay down to the Readers view these few plain propositions First a man that after baptisme falls into sin though ever so great yet by the Grace of God may repent and be recovered Secondly a man baptized that is falne in his old carnal living may be renued and possibly may become a new man and a new creature for a sinner after baptism may he renued because he may repent Thirdly the reader may take notice that in this place the words Illuminated and Renue are of the same signification So that the meaning is that he that is once by baptism illuminated cannot again by baptism be illuminated and he that is once by baptism Renued cannot again by baptism be renued to repentance Fourthly a man may once be enlightned and baptized and thereby renued to amendment of life and repentance and freedom or acquitment from his sins past and this by the Spirit of God in the laver of regeneration and by the vertue of Christs death But after this one renuing by baptisme he cannot again be renued to resipiscence newnesse of life and acquitment from his sin by a new baptism To renue them Al though a sinner cannot be renued more then once by the Sacramental renovation of baptism yet there is another way left open for renuing and that is penitentiall renovation and acquiring new Spirituall Graces and this way is and ought to be frequently iterated as it is said 2. Cor. 4. 16. The inward man is renued day by day and to this we are exhorted Ephe. 4. 23. Be renued in the spirit of your mind that is by excluding our sins and by acquiring new and higher graces So that when our Apostle saith It is impossible to renue them he cannot possibly mean that renuing is absolutely impossible but onely that renuing by a new or second baptisme is indeed impossible When St. Peter desired John 13. 9. That not onely his feet but his head also might be washed he had this answer He that is washed needeth not save to wash his Aug. de fide ad Pet. Diac. c. 36. n. 74. feet which place is by Saint Austin urged again rebaptization Baptisma semel dandum est non iterandum Baptisme
is applied to a Man S. Basil saith Baptismus est similitudo Basil de Bapt. lib. 1. n. 18. Crucis mortis sepulturae râ—surrectionis i Baptisme is the similitude or representarion of the Crosse death burial and resurrection of Christ He that will have two Baptismes doth implie a similitude of two deaths Christ died but once and wee in our Baptisme dyed with him Christ dieth no more nor we by Baptisme can dye any more with him Theophilact so expoundeth Theoph. in loc these words He that will be twide Baptized doth therby make a representation of two Deaths and two Crucifyings of Christ And put him to an open shame Because it is ignominious and a great undervaluing of that one most precious and alsufficient Sacrifice of Christ to Imagine that his once dying is not Satisfactorie to the Justice of God for all our sins both before and after Baptisme Therfore it must needs follow that it is also Ignominious to his said death for any Man to represent or apply two deaths of Christ to himself by two Baptismes for as his once dying is a sufficient redemption so one application of it to our selves by one Baptisme is a sufficient application If therfore by sin we fall away from the benefit of Christs death by suffering sin to live and raigne in us having once died unto sin Sacramentally by Baptisme we must returne to the benefit therof by repentance and mortification of sin and not by a new or second Baptisme For the earth which drinketh in the raine c. vers 7. 8. Here is a second reason alleaged against re Baptization 2. Reason taken from the similitude of the earth with Man for the earth which hath bin watered by raine from Heaven and dressed by the husbandman if it bring forth good fruite answerable to its watering and dressing it is a signe that the blessing from God still continueth on it Even that blessing wherwith it was at the Creation blessed when it was said Gen. 1. 11. Let the earth bring forth grasse and the fruit tree But if after this watering and dressing it beareth only weeds thorns and briers then a new watering will not help it but make it worse by giving a new and fresh aliment whereby those Weeds and Thorns will be increased and grow stronger watering is not a meanes to kill them or to extripate them So that Christian whose soule hath been watered with Baptismall Grace and dressed with holy doctrines of repentance and faith toward God and hath been instructed in the certainty of the resurrection and of Judgment eternall and yet for all this bringeth no fruites of Righteousnesse and Holinesse but contratily aboundeth luxuriantly in all manner of carnall vâ—ces let him not think that these weeds and thorns of his soul can be mortified or killed by a second baptismall watering Which if it should be applyed would rather accumulate higher and increase his sins then diminish them even as rain doth weeds because such a second Baptism will be accounted â—s a second crucifying the Son of God and shaming him by undervaluing his own most precious death so as it is before said and as the Earth being cursed Bâ—ingâ—th forth thorns and thistâ—â—s Gâ—n 3. 18. So that baptized Ambro. in loc One who bringeth forth no better fruit is nigh unto cursing and like unto Thornes his end is to be burnt He saith but nigh unto Cursing not yet altogether accuâ—sed and whose end is to be burnt yet not presently thrown into the fire for as St. Ambrose expounds it Combustio non crit nisi quis in finâ—m permaneâ—t in peccatis suis In this exposition of this Scripture all this while the reader doth not find any imposibility of repencance of renuing or of remission and pardon of the grand blasphemy the impossibility here mentioned â—s only an impossibility of renovation and repâ—ntance by a second baptism If this exposition be admitted it will quit us of a great deal of trouble which some Expositors have occasioned and thereby much perplexed many mens mindes How well or ill other writers of late have expounded this place I take not upon me to censure nor am I so wedded to this as to propose it Magisterially but with submission to my Superiors this may be true though others are not false for the Character which St. Austin setteth on the Mosaicall Scriptures and Aug. confes lib. 12. c. 31. 32. their Expositors may serve for all other Scriptures Cum alius dixâ—rit hoc sensit Moses quod ego et alius dicit imò illud quod ego cur non utrumque dixero sensisse id ibid. utrumque verum est and again he saith Moses sensit quicquid veri hic potuimus invenire et quicquid nondum possumus invenire whatsoever truth may probably be gathered out of a Scripture agreable with the faith and profitable may with humility be submitted unto as if it were the true meaning of that most wise Spirit by whom it was inspired who hath so composed the Scriptures in such a temper as may be sutable to the various senses of men although some see more in them then others have discerned my humble prayer shall be with him Domine nec fallar in Scripturis nec fallam ex eis i Aug. confes l. 11. cap. 2. The Lord grant that I may neither be deceived in the meaning of Scriptures nor by Scriptures deceive others CHAP. VII A review of those words Heb 6. 4. and some doubts cleared â—concerning the former Exposition what moved the Apostle to handle the Doctrine of Baptism and so strictly to forbid Anabaptisme in this Epistle to the Hebrews THe summe of the former Exposition is That if a man fall from baptismall Grace he must nor expect a restoring thereunto by a Second baptisme this place being the chief in Scripture by which Anabaptism or Rebaptization is expresly inhibited though something obscurely It would now be inquired whether this Word Inlightned in this place may not signifie those that are instructed or chatechised onely and not those that are baptised and this because some think that instruction in the Christian doctrine is here principally meant for that the custome of the Church was that in Adulto baptism which was the baptizing of people when they were in yeares of discretion catechising ever went before baptism To this I answer that in the Ancient Church language it cannot appear to me that any were called Illumâ—nati i the Inlightned before they were actually baptized although they were ever so exactly instructed and known to be very learned in Christian Doctrine for we find that many were chosen and compelled to be Bishops before they were baptized as Eusâ—bius Naz. orat 19. 20. Soz. l. 7. c 8. Ruffin hist l 2. c. 11. Soz lib. lâ—b 6. c. 〈◊〉 Bishop of Caesaria in Caâ—padocia who was the Predecessor of St. Basil and after him Nectarâ—us was chosen Bishop of Constantinople by Theoâ—osius
it could not be itterated he answereth that when Christ said Iohn 13. 19. He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet He spake of Baptisme of the thing not of the person for then he would have said He that is washed well c. But in that he added not the word Well it was to signifie Quicquid in Trinitate factum suerit bene est i. Opt. ib. That Baptisme which is ministred in the Name of the Trinitie is well ministred Now because Baptizmal grace is conferred onely by the Trinity therefore the Baptisme is not nullified by the Baptizers unworthinesse As when white wooll is died into a royall purple the Opt. ib. colour is not called principally by the touch or handling of the Dier but by the blood of the fish Purpura Murex So neither is it the Officiating of the Minister but the Operation of the Trinitie through the blood of Christ that giveth Baptismall grace which grace cannot be impaired or nullified by the unworthynesse of the Minister And therefore Saint Cyprian upon better consideration in one of his Sermons said Sive Judas sive Paulus baptizeâ— Chrâ—stus peccatum tollit Cyp. serm de Bapt. Christi n. 94. i. Whether Indas or Paul baptize it is Christ who neverthelesse taketh away sinne And this was also the judgement of Saint Austine concerning Baptisme administred by the Donatists who were both Separatists and Hereticks Donatistae non rebaptizandi sunt quia in Aug. Epist 48. Nomine Christi baptizati sunt inter Baptismum Apostoli Ebriosi nihil interest si utâ—rque sit Baptismus Christi i. The Donatists may not be rebaptized because they have been already baptized in the Name of Christ there is no difference substantiall between that Baptisme which is ministred by an holy Apostle and that which is ministred by a debashed fellow If the Baptisme be in that form which Christ ordained and what Christs Baptisme is Optatus tells us Christ appointed in what the Nations should be Opt. lib. 5. Baptized viz In the Name of the Father and of the Sonne c. But he did not limmit by whom they should be Baptized and therefore saith he Quisquis in Nomine Patris Filii Spiritus baptizaverit Apostolorum opus implevit i. Whosoever shall Baptize in the Name of the Father c. doth perform that Baptisme which was given in charge to the Apostles for when Christ said go-and Baptize all Nations he did not say do you Baptize and none other Thus he Now albeit all men have not a Commission or calling to Baptize yet if it be so performed as is said by persons that are not qualified thereunto those persons are indeed to be accounted presumptuous intruders but yet the Baptisme for substance is a true Baptisme and shall stand neither may it be iterated although it was ministred with violation of good order When Athanasius was a Boy playing with his fellow boyes in their game Athanasius acted a Bishop and in their sport he baptized another Boy but used the manner and the form of words which he had seen and heard used in the Church Hereupon when the businesse was brought before the Church Bishop Alexander adjudged that ludicrous Baptisme to be a true Baptisme and would not suffer the Boy that was so Baptized to be rebaptized although at that time for ought can appear Athanasius who Baptized another was himself unbaptized As see in Sozomen In Soz. l. 2 c. 16. Ruffinus l. 1. c. 14. Socrat. l. 1. a Ma haeus Epmus Nor. An. Dom. 1637. this Diocesse in a Town called Acle about ten years since a woman Baptized an â—nfant in the form prescribed in the Gospel whereof when notice was given the then most learned and vigilant a Bishop would not appoint the childe to be rebaptized but yet ordered that the woman for presuming to do that office which did not belong to her should be publickly reproved so carefull were the Ancient and modern Churchmen to avoid Anabaptisme To the second Allegation of uncapablenesse of Baptisme 2. Respons particularly of â—nfants their indocâ—bility cannot be a sufficient reason to nullifie their Baptisme or to rebaptize them For first we do nothing doubt but that Infants born 1 of Baptized Parentâ— are capable of Baptisme as well as the Jewish Infants were of Circumcision and we think the Evangelicall Prophâ—t Esa 49 22 Prophesied of such presenting of Infants to the Church which are to be brought in their arms and that â—nfants are capable of Sanctification and that as they have formerly so they may still receive the holy Ghost as it is said of Jeremy c 1. v. 5. and of John Baptist Luke 1. 15. and that such are esteemed by Christ and called believers Matth. 18. 6. where the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are used And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luke 18. 15. Because the Spirit of God is the seed of Faith and of all Christian vertues and therefore it is called the seed 1 John 3. 9. 1 Pet. 1. 23. so that Infants having the Spirit may thereby be said to have Faith In radice semine potentia actu primo in fundamento because the Spirit is the root the Seed the foundation and first act of Faith Now as we read Act. 10. 47 Can any man forbid water that these should not be baptized which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we Upon these grounds St. Cyprian with his Councel when the question was by the Epistle of Fidus moved whether Infants of two or three dayes old might be Baptized answered Quid deest ei qui in utâ—ro Dei manibus formatus Cypr. lib. 3 Epist 8 n. 71 est unusquisque nostrum in Osculo Infant is deâ—et recenâ—es Dei manus câ—giâ—are c. i No capacity of Baptisme is wanting in the Infant he was formed in the womb by God when we consider that the youngest Infant is but newly come out of his Creatours hands why should we doubt to salute him with an holy kisse And St. Austin saith A parvulo recens naâ—o usque ad decrepiâ—um Aug. Enchir. cap. 43. n. 58. senem nullus prohibendus est à Baptismo id est Baptisme may not be forbidden to any age from the new-born Babe to most extreem old age But secondly suppose that Baptisme administred to 2. Infant were not duely and rightly with good order conferred on that age the fault must be imputed to the Minister and not to the Baptisme being performed in the form prescribed by Christ nor to the Baptized Infant and the same reasons before alleadged against rebaptizing of others will serve as well against rebaptizing of these But so much hath been by Divines unanswerably written and said for paedobaptisme that nothing of moment can be added by me CHAP. XI That the ancient Church allowed but one Baptisme is shewed by their deferring it till ripe yeares and to old
Godhead is there called the Holiâ— Spirit or Holie ghost as hath bin shewed before in my Second book and this blasphemio consisteth in the denial of the Godhead of Iesus Christ wherby his allsufficient Sacrifice is undervalued and the Son of God is troden underfoot as being esteemed but a creature and a meer man and therby becometh contemptible and his Blood even the blood of the Covenant is esteemed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i But common ordinarie unholie blood no better then the blood of another ordinarie common man and not Sanctified and ordaineth for that great and high mysterie to be offered as a full and sufficient expiatorie sacrifice for the sins of the world according to the Covenant of God For he that denyeth the Godhead of Christ must needs think that his blood is but common blood as other mens blood is and therfore not of sufficient worth and value to redeem the world more then another mans blood is and indeed if his blood be no better then the blood of another man and if it be not the royal blood of God Act. 20. 28. It hath not it can not redeeme us Now whether the sin mentioned in this place be absolutely unpardonable and altogether remediless will better apeare by a diligent exposition of that text as it stands in relation to the context both before and after it For if we sin c If everie sin which is committed after we knew and professed the Christian religion should be unpardonable what man could be saved seeing the most righteous men fall and therfore doe daylie pray forgive us our trespasses therfore this saying can not be understood of every sin but suerlie here is one special grand and capital sin meant and what that is the words going before and following doe declare For verse 5. it is said in the Person of the Son of God Sacrifice and Offerings thou wouldst not but a Vide. Psal 40. bodie hast thou prepared for me That is because the Legal sacrifices or the blood of bulls and goates could not redeem man therfore an humane bodie was prepared for the Son of God that in that assumed humane nature he might in man's stead beare the curse and suffer death which man had merited And because we who are but meer men weak and sinfull can not by our selves performe the will and law of God without performance wherof no man can be saved therfore the Son of God came in our stead to performe the whole law so as was required and willed of God as it is said vers 9. Then said I loe I come to doe thy will o God So that both the active obedience of Christ in doing the law and his passive obedience in suffering the punishment of our transgressions are here set forth in these words vers 10. By the which will we are sanctified through the Offering of the body of â—esu Christ once for all That is by Christs performing the will or commandments of God in our stead and through the Sacrifice of himself on the Altar of the Cross for our sins his mystical bodie or Church is Sanctified for it is said vers 12. This man Christ Offered one Sacrifice for sins for ever and again vers 14. hâ— one offering he hath perfiâ—ted for ever them that are Sanctified and then we are exhorted vers 22. Let us draw neer with a true heart in full assurance of faith and vers 23. Let us hold fast the Proâ—ession of our faith without wavering If we sin there remaineth no more sacrifice c Having shewed what the foundation of our Christian religion is namely Jesus the Son of God God Incarnate and in his humane nature performing the covenant law and will of God both actively and passively for us and in our stead and requiring that we should have a full assurance of faith of the truth of that Doctrine without which faith Christ will not profit us he now shewes the sad consequences of rejecting this doctrine by Apostacie or falling away from our Christian religion in these words There remaineth no more sacrifice for sins but a certaine fearfull looking for of judgement So that the sin here meant is Apostasie that is forsaking Christianitie as Julian did esteeming of Christ but as of an ordinarie Coman man and therfore distrusting the sufficiencie of his blood and death as not an equivalent price and ransome for man's redemption The truth of this Exposition will better appear by the words following wherein this particular sin is evidently expressed and is called verse 29. Treading under foot the Sonne of God counting the blood of the Canant unholy or as it is in the Originall a common thing and doing despight unto the Spirit of Grace Now to tread under foot is to vilipend and undervalue Christ as esteeming him not sufficient to take away or satisfie for our sinnes to count the blood of the Covenant unholy or Common is to esteem of the death and blood shedding of Christ to be of no more vertue and power then the death and blood of another Common man and they that so basely undervalue Christ as to think and to account him but a meer man do despight unto the Spirit of Grace What is the Spirit of Grace in the Sonne of God but his Divine Spirit and Godhead even that Spirit from which all Graces flow which are called the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ So they who have no higher estimation of Christ then of a meere man do despight unto his Divine Nature his God-head for what greater spite can be then to un-God him the word here used 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to despite in effect is all one with the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Saint Matthew and the Spirit of Grace here is the same which is there called the Holy Spirit which doth signifie the God-head of Christ as hath been shewed before For if he that despised Moses Law died without mercy verse 28. Yet Moses was but a mere man and so but a Theod. in loc fervant to this our God Quanâ—ò morte dignior est qui Mosis Deum habâ—t despicatui i. What shall become of him that despiseth the God of Moses and the saving Doctrine of Christ who is the Onely Eternall God Moses propounded life as a reward to them that should perform the Law Christ did perform that Law in mans stead to mans behoof and benefit and offereth to men the benefit of that performance and with it life eternall onely with this condition of believing on him Therefore that man which will not give credit to this joyfull-Evangelicall offer must expect to perish eternally for if Christ be rejected absolutely and salvation through him despised and not hoped for or expected There is no other sacrifice for our sins possibly to be found nor any other Name by which we can be saved By what hath been said it appeareth that these words If we sinne in this place signifie the sinning of the
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
The whole Church prayeth that faith may be given to Infidels and S. Austin saith Sacerdos ad altare hortatur populum orare pro incredulis i. The Preist at the very altar in time of the â—olie Euchâ—rist exhorted the people to pray for unbeleevers and from this practise of the Church Catholick he reproveth the Pelagiâ—ns who affirmed that men by their owne power without assistant grace might perform the will of God This Doctrins saith he frustrateth the devotion of the Church for why should she pray for that which is not by grace or the gift of God And just so Prosper argueth Prosp Respon act Genuens n. 30. against them If faith be not the gift of God Frustra orat Ecclesia pro non creden ibnâ— ut credunâ— i. In vaine doth the Church pray for infidels that they may beleeve if faith were not the gift of God Neither were these prayers put up for heathens or wicked and prophane men Only at such time when they were about to be converted or when they seemed to incline to Christianitie but even then whilest they were at their worst Fulgentius prayeth thus Domine Fulg. vel Paul Diac. de incar n. 2. Opt. lib. 3 malâ—s bonos facito i. Lord make them good who are now wicked and Optatus expounding that place 1 Tim. 2. 2. saith Paulus orandum praecipit pro regibus gentilitèr viventibus i. Paule appointed heathen Kings to be prayed for even whilest they lived in their heathenisme So the Church prayed for hereticks and persecutors whilest they continued both hereticks and persecutors Athanasius saith Populus Alexandrinus Orat Atha de populo Alex. n. 19. pro Constantio Artiano and Persecutore i. The people of Alexandria prayed for the Emperor Constantius who was both an Arrian and a persecutor and Epiphanius prayed for Iohn an heretical Bishop of Ierusalem in these Epiph. Epist ad Ioannem n. 31. words Domine praesta Joanni ut rectè credat i. Lord grant unto Iohn a right belief for surely there is very great cause to pray for the conversion of such whose heresies and persecutions doe endanger the very being of the Church and Chrysostome presseth this duetie of praying for such because saith he it is an act and Chrys serm d. Cruce latr n. 48. Machar hom 18. signe of far greater Charitie to pray for our enemies then for our friends finallie the Holie man Macarius said Sancti Orant prototo genere Adae i. Holie men use to pray for the whole generation of Adam In those bookes de vocatione Gentium which goe under the name both of S. Ambrose and also of Prosper the custome of the Church in praying for all sorts of men is fully set forth Supplicat ubique ecclesia deo Amb. de voc Gent. l. 1. c. 4. Prosp n. 53. non solum pro Sanctis jam regeneratis sed pro Omnibus infidelibus inimicis Crucis Christi pro Omnibus idolorum cultoribus pro omnibus qui Christum in membris ipsius persequuntur pro Iudaeis pro haereticis pro schismaticis quid autem pro ipsis petit nisi ut relictis erroribus convertantur ad fidem c. i. The Church doth now every where put up supplications to God not only for her owne holie and regenerate members but for all infidels and enemies of the Cross of Christ for idolaters persecutors Iewes hereticks schismaticks and thus she prayeth for them that they may be converted from their errors to the true faith The like is found in the Epistle of Bishop Caelestinus written in the behalf of Prosper and Hilarie and is amongst the works both of Austin and of Prosper setting forth not only Aug n. 72. Prosp n 62. what kinds of men were prayed for but also what prayers were used Obsecrationum sacerdotalium sacramenta quae ab Apostolis tradita in toto mundo at que in Omni Catholica ecclesia uniformiter celebrantur praesules humani generis agunt causam apud divinam clementiam precantur ut infidelibus donetur fides ut idolaatriae libenâ—tur ab erroribus ut Iudaeis lux veritatis appareat ut haeretici resi piscant ut scismatici Spiritum redivivae Charitatis accipiant ut lapsis paenitextia remedia conferantur c. The holie Rites of sacerdotal prayers descending downe from the Apostles times are uniformly celebrated in every Catholick Church in the world the prelates are the Orators to God in the behalf of all mankind they pray for infidels that faith may be given to them for Idolaters that they may be delivered from their errors that the Jewes may embrace the truth that hereticks may recant and scismaticks may recover the Spirit of Charitie that all lapsed sinners may have the remedie of repentance Lastly upon all these precepts and presidents both of the Scriptures and the Church primitive the Church of England with great pietie and prudence prayeth also for all men yea for her Enemies In the Letanie and Collect on good-friday persecutors and slanderers that they may find mercy and forgivenes and for the conversion of all Iewes Turks in fidels and hereticks This I trust is sufficient if not to much to set forth that any sinne though ever so great during his life time may be prayed for at least so far as that he may have the grace of convension from his sin * Orandum est pro bene malè viventibus ut bonus perseveret malus convertatur Aug. ad frat in Erem hom 42. And upon these grounds and reasons I would make no scruple at all to pray for the repentance of that partie whom I know to have committed that sin of which it is said It shall never be forgiven because I am fully persuaded that the threatning there is conditional viz. It shall never be forgiven without conversion and repentance as I have shewed before and therfore if I knew any man who had committed thaâ— sin in that high degree as it is described by Beza viz. He who ' is inlightned with the knowledg of Gods truth so that he Beza in 1 Joh. 5. 16. can not be ignorant though he would yet upon set purpose doth maliciously oppose and resist God purposely and knowingly I see no cause why I should doubt to pray for grace and the conversion of such an heinous sinner whilest he is yet aliue No man living is debarred from the prayers of the Church as you have heard no not the lapsed or excommunicated nor those that are therby delivered to Satan for even that most severe censure was intended for their Conversion and Salvation only as S. Austin noteth u. Ecclesia non Aug. de Civit. lib. 21. c. 24. Orat pro diabolo i The Church prayeth not for the apostate Angels and withal he there professeth that if he did certainly know those men that were predestinated to hell fire which no man can know without an especial revelation then indeed he would