tempted by them who lye unto him hee is a witnesse in Heaven with the Father and the son Acts 5 9 hee commandeth and willeth that the Apostles be separated Act. 13.2 Acts 20.28 And lastly He appointeth teachers in the Church All these things are proper unto a person existing intelligent indued with a will working and living That the holy Ghost is God co-eternall with the Father and the son proved Col. 2.9 Joh. 10.30 1 Joh. 5.7 Jer. 23.24 Joh. 1.18 Rom. 8.9 1 Cor. 6.19 Rom. 8.11 Gen. 1.2 Joh. 15.26 Aug. lib. de Trinitate 15. cap. 26. That he proceedeth from the Father the Son Gal. 4.6 Joh 15.26 20.22 Joh. 16.14.15 Now that the holy Ghost is God co-eternall with the Father and with the son it may be proved by the unity of the divine Essence because there is but one God-head and by the incomprehensiblenesse of the three persons the same is also proved by the essentiall union of them that is because he is often called the spirit of the Father and of the Son but the Father and the son were never without their spirit therefore hee is God co-eternall with both Also that which saint John saith that the spirit proceedeth from the Father The ancient Fathers holding the right faith do understand cheifly to be spoken of the everlasting proceeding of the spirit from the Father And he proceedeth from the son first because he is called the sons spirit Secondly Because the son together with the Father giveth him Thirdly Because the holy Ghost receiveth the Wisdome of the son which he revealeth unto us wherefore he proceedeth of the substance of the son because he receiveth that of him which is the sons By this it appeareth what is the proceeding of the holy Ghost namely the communicating of the divine essence whereby the third person of the God-head alone receiveth the same and whole or intire essence from the Father and the son as from him whose spirit hee is for there is nothing in God which is not his essence and seeing that is indivisible it must needs be whole and the same communicated unto him which is in the Father and the son That the Holy Ghost is consubstantiall with the Father and the Son proved Rom. 8.9 Lev. 16.1.34 Heb. 9.7.8.9.10 Psal 95.7 Heb. 3.7 Isa 6 8.9 Acts 28.25.26 As the spirit of man which is in man is of the Essence of man so the spirit of God which is in God is of the Essence of God which divine essence is but one that is but one Jehovah or eternall being one essentially who alone is of none but himself communicateth his being to all things and preserveth it in them Now the Holy Ghost is Jehovah and therefore he is the same with the Father and the son not only God co-eternall but also con-substantiall or God co-essentiall with both That he is co-equall with the father and the Son proved Gen. 1.2 And further That he is co-equall with the Father and the son is proved by those divine Attributes and properties which are attributed and communicated to the holy Ghost As first eternity because he created heaven and earth and because God was never without his spirit Secondly Immensity or unmeasurablenesse as who dwelleth whole and intirely in all the elect Thirdly Omnipotency because he Psal 33.6 1 Cor 12.11 1 Cor. 2.10 together with the Father and the son created and preserveth all things Fourthly Omnisciency that is the knowledge of all things Fifthly Acts 1.16 Psal 143.10 unchangeableness Sixthly Infinite goodnesse and holinesse and the causing of goodnesse and sanctity in the creatures 1 Cor. 6.11 Joh. 15.26 1 Joh. 5.6 Rom. 5 5. 8.26 Isa 63.10 Mat. 12.31 Acts 5.9 Ephes 4.30 Seventhly truth not to be doubted of the fountain of truth Eightly Vnspeakable mercy Ninthly Indignation even against hidden sins All which do sufficiently prove that the holy Ghost is God coequall with the Father and the son Besides the same divine works which are attributed to the Father and the son Mat. 12.28 1 Cor. 12 4. are also attributed to the holy Gâ—ost as the generall creation preservation and government of the whole world Likewise those works which properly belong to the salvation of his Church Job â—â— 13.33 4. Joh. 3.5 2 Cor. 3.18 Joh 14.26 Acts 9.31 Isa 48.16 Acts 20.18 Luke 12.12 1 Cor. 12.7 2 Pet. 1 21. Mat. 28 19. Heb. 9.8 Joh. 16 13. Acts 11 28 Ephes 2 22 1 Cor. 12 13 Joh. 14 26 Ephes 1 17 Rom. 8.14 Acts 16 6 Isa 11 2 Joh. 14 16 Rom 8 15 1 Cor 6 11 Joh. 6 63 Rom. 8 11 as the calling and sending of Prophets The bestowing of competent and fit graces for the Ministry on Ministers The publishing of the Doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles The instituting of sacraments The foretelling and prophesying of things to come The gathering of the Church The enlightning of mens mindes The governing of the Actions and whole life of the Godly The strengthning and preserving of the regenerate against the force of temptation even unto the end The pardoning of sins and adopting the sons of God The bestowing of salvation and life everlasting All these divine workes being attributed to the holy Ghost do likewise clearly prove his co-equality with the Father and the son Moreover Diverse titles of the holy Ghost Wee finde in the sacred scriptures many Titles and Appellations answerable to the manifold effects of his Power Office and Divinity For example The Holy Ghost is called Jehovah Isa 6 9 Act. 28 25 The earnest of our inheritance Ephes 1 14 The power of the most high Luke 1 35 The Teacher of the Faithfull Joh. 14 26 The earnest of the spirit 2 Cor. 1 22 The Oyle of Gladnesse Psal 45 7 The seven spirits of God Rev. 4 5 The spirit of Interpretation Sanctification Supplication Consolation Revelation The grace of God Knowledge Adoption Counsell Eternity Wisdome Prophesie Holinesse 1 Cor. 12 10 Rom. 1 4 Zach. 12 10 2 Thes 2 16 Ephes 1 17 Acts 14 26 Isa 11 2 Rom 8 15 Isa 11 2 Heb. 9 14 Isa 11 2 1 Cor. 12 10 Rom. 1 4 The Holy Ghost is called The spirit of the Father Joh. 15 26 The spirit of the Son Gal. 4 6 The spirit of the Lord. Isa 1 12 The earnest of Gods spirit 2 Cor. 5 5 The teacher of Truth Joh. 14 46 The mind of Christ 1 Cor. 2 16 And he is called An Eternall spirit Heb. 9 14 A Comforter Joh. 14 16 A heavenly gift Heb. 6 4 The holy spirit Ephes 4 30 The spirit of Christ God Right working miracles Power Life Truth Promise Grace Love Rom. 8.9 Gen. 1 2 Joh. 16 8 9 10 11 13 1 Cor. 12.10 2 Tim. 1 7 Rom. 8 2 Rev. 11 11 Joh. 14 17 Ephes 1 13 Heb. 10 29 Zech. 12 10 2 Tim. 17 The hand of God Job 26 13 Luke 1 66 A free spirit Psal
naribus ejus rest not in man whose spirit is in his nostrills and therefore least the like might be thought to be in these divine persons we find Power ascribed to the Father 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Justia Martyr in expos fideâ— Cy il l. 8 cont Jul. Wisdome unto the Son and Goodness unto the Holy Ghost wheras indeed each one of them is of the same power wisdome and goodness as the others be so we say with Justin Martyr according as God hath revealed himselfe unto us both in his word his works that the unity is understood in the trinity the Trinity is acknowledged in the unity Moreover S. Cyril saith that the Philosophers have affirmed the Essence of God to be distinguished into three subsistences and sometimes to have delivered the very name of Trinity and the Jewish Rabbins Galaâ—in de ar can fide l. v. 2. c. 11. 12 as Galatinus saith have observed this mystery out of the Hebrew names of God that there are three in one but one in three Vide. N. N n celium iâ— pâ—â—â—mio p 20. and so Hermes Trismegistus affirmed that there was one divinity or deity in the Trinity in these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There was an intellectuall light before the intellectuall light A mind full of light and there was alwaies an enlightned mind of the mind and this was nothing else then the unity of these and the spirit which containeth all things besides this there is no God nor Angell nor any other substance because he is the Lord and Father and God of all things and all things are under him and in him Verbum ejus â—â—â—sectam â—â—sum insâ—◠〈◊〉 natura aqua secunda prolificam fecit aquam Quae verba quia sunt in eis quaedam carminum vestigia deinde restituta qui dam Orpheo vindicarunt for his perfect word existing and being fruitfull and a worker or maker of all things fallen in a fruitfull nature hath plentifully produced all things And then having sayd these things he prayeth unto this God saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O Heaven the most excellent worke of the great God I do adjure thee and I do adjure thee the voice and speech of the Father which hee first uttered and spake when hee established all the world and I beseech thee by thine only begotten word and the Father which containeth or upholdeth all things be thou favourable and mercifull unto me There is no man but he would wonder to see in this Author the very words of Saint John and yet notwithstanding his bookes were translated by the Platonists a long time before the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ And it is no marvell though we find sayings of his in diverse places which are not written in his Poemander considering that hee wrote six and thirty thousand five hundred and five and twenty Volumes that is to say Rolls of Paper Jambilicus in his 39. chap. of mysteries as Jambilicus reporteth This Hermes or Mercurius sirnamed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was the greatest Philosopher the cheifest Preist and most prudent Prince of Aegypt he flourished before Pharaoh in the time of Moses and was called Ter Maximus thrice great because hee writ of the Trinity yea Saint Augustine affirmeth Aug. l. 5. c. 3. de haeresibus that hee did compose a booke whose Title was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the perfect word and that therein hee left written Monas genuit monada in se suum reflexit ardorem which is as much as if hee had said the Father begat the Sonne or the minde begate the word and from both proceeded the Holy spirit Also Theodorus the Platonist as it is in Proclus affirmeth that there are three cheife workers whereof hee calleth the one a substantiall minde the other a mentall substance and the third the Fountain of all life and Theodoret doth affirme That Plotinus and Numenius have collected out of Plato That there are three eternities Bonum mentem universi animam Goodnesse which answereth the Father that is the Fountaine of the Deity the minde which signifieth the Son and the soule or life of this whole Universe which is the holy spirit that as in the beginning of the Creation Gen. 1.2 hee presently moved upon the Waters to sustain the same so ever since hee spireth and preserveth every living thing and so Amelius and many others are as full and as plaine in this point as may be as any man may see that will looke into Nancelius his Proem Nancel in Proem Chalcidius Avicen which hee confesseth to have taken out of Eugubinus Thus we see how the Ancient Philosophers were all of one Opinion and judgement in the Doctrine of the Trinity The Gentiles did conceive a certaine kinde of knowledge and understanding though undigested and imperfect overshadowed as it were with humane reasonings concerning this mystery wherein they had so much knowledge as not only was able I say not with Clemens Alexandrinus to bring them to salvation but to make them without excuse in the day of Tribulation because that they knowing God glorified him not as God but also as doth exceede the knowledge of many which make profession of Christianity and will no doubt rise in judgement to condemn them in the later day Yet further God â—oe and indivisible as the Philosopers have affirmed the essence of God to be distinguished into three subsistences so likewise they have acknowledged the divine Essence to be only one impartible and indivisible For First Hermes Trismegistus teacheth Although many of the Ancient Philosophers through custome did celebrate the plurality of Gods yet notwithstanding they did acknowledge buâ—â—ne only true God by nature Du. Plessis That there is but one only God That One is the roote of all things and that without that One nothing hath been of all things that are That the same One is called the only good and the goodness it selfe which hath universall power of creating all things That it is impossible that there should be many makers That in Heaven he hath planted immortality in earth interchange and universally life and moving That unto him alone belongeth the name of Father and of God and that without blasphemy those titles cannot be attributed either to Angells Fiends or to men or to any of all those whom men do call Gods as in respect of honour and not of nature He calleth him the Father of the world the Creator the Beginning the Glory the Nature the End the Necessity the Renewer of all things the worker of all powers and the power of all works the only Holy the only unbegotten the only everlasting the Lord of everlastingnesse and the everlastingnesse it selfe Vnto him alone will hee have us to offer up our prayers our praises and our sacrifices and never to call upon any other Secondly Pythagoras teacheth Alledged by Cicero Plutark Clemens
touching the Ephesians Acts. 19. Act. 19.8 c. Moreover Plutarch doth report that in the later years of the Raigne of the Emperour Tyberius a strange voice and exceeding horrible clamor Plut. de defectu Oracu Pan. some Master Devill that lost his Dominion with hidious cryes and howlings were heard by many in the Grecian sea lamenting and complaining that the great God Pan was now departed In so much that all the sea resounded their dreadfull Ecchoes Of this you may see more at large in Eusebius to Theodorus Euseb in Hist Eccle. ad Theodo And in his sixth book De preparatione Evangelica you shall find that Apollo oftentimes exclaimed Hei mihi congemiscite Hei mihi Hei mihi Oraculorum defecit me claritas Woe unto me lament ye with me woe unto me woe unto me for that the honour of Oracles hath now forsaken me Suidas in Thulis Porphyr Plut. de Ora. And being demanded by a Priest of his own concerning God and true Religion he gave this answer O thou unhappy Priest why dost thou aske me of God that is the Father of all things and of this most renowned Kings dear and onely sonne and of the spirit that containeth all c. Alas that spirit will enforce mee shortly to leave this habitation and place of Oraces The Devills complained our Saviours Nativity Whereby it is plain and manifest that even in all parts the Devils complained on the Nativity of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ because it was their utter destruction Joseph in Antiquit Jud. l. 4. And at or a little before his passion as Josephus writeth a voice was heard in the Temple of Jerusalem albeit there was then no living creature in it Let us speedily be gone and leave this Country Beside it is marvelous to consider how this puissant Authority of Christ was imparted to Christians in so much that it extended it selfe so far forth that not only their words and commandements but even their very presence did shut the mouthes and drive into fear the miserable and damned spirits So Lactantius sheweth that in his dayes Lact. lib. 2. de Inst cap. 16. a Serving-man that was a Christian following his Master into a certain Temple of Idolls the Gods or Devills rather cryed out that nothing could be well done as long as that Christian was in presence The like recordeth Eusebius of Dioclesian the Emperour who going to Apollo for an Oracle Euseb lib. 5. de prep Evan. received answer That the just men were the cause that hee could say nothing Which just men Apollo's Priests interpreted to be meant of Christians and thereupon Dioclesian began his most feirce and cruell persecution Lastly The Pagan Porphyrie Porph. lib. 5. eont Christ apud Euseb l. 5. ca. 1. de praep Evangel that of all other most earnestly endeavoured to impugne and disgrace us Christians and to hold up the honour of his enfeebled feebled Idols yet discoursing of the great plague that raigned most furiously in the City of Messina in Cicilie where he dwelt yeelded this reason why Aesculapius the God of Physick much adored in that place was not able to helpe them It is no marvaile saith he if this City so many years be vexed with the Plague seeing that both Aesculapius and all other Gods be now departed from it A marvailous confession of Porphyrie by the coming of Christians For since that men have begun to worship this Jesus we could never obtaine any profit by our Gods Thus hath the Deity of Christ been declared and approved by his omnipotent power in subduing infernall Enemies It remaineth now that according to my promise I endeavour to manifest the same by other Testimonies and Authorities Justin l. 1. First that famous Zoroastres King of the Bactrians a man excellent in all learning Sybil. Samia apud Betul as Justin saith left this as a Tradition among the Gentiles and afterwards it was more plainely published by the Sybils that a day Star should appeare before the arising of the Son of Righteousnesse Chalcid apud Marsil Ficin tract de stella Magi. and Chalcidius a Platonick doth say that the Chaldaean Astronomers did gather by contemplation of this starre that some God descended from Heaven to the benefit of Mankind And Fulgentius saith Fulgent fol. 657. in Octavo Ser. de Epiphan That Puer natus novam stellam frabricavit Christ being horne did of nothing frame this new starr which did bear such evident witnesse of him for the wise men being upon the mountaine Victorialis worshipping their God Chrysost hom 2. op imperf in Mattheum 2. as Saint Chrysostome saith a star did appeare unto them in the likenesse of a little child Now though Ammonius Alexandrinus and Nicephorus thinke Ammon Alex. in harm Niceph. l. 1. c. 13 that this starre appeared two yeares before the Nativity of Jesus Christ that so they might make preparation for so long a journey because these Magi were Kings themselves as Saint Cyprian delivereth it from the tradition of the Church Cyprian ser de Baptist Chrys hom 6. in 2 Matth. and Saint Chrysostome seemeth to consent and Bosquierus laboureth to confirm it Yet I thinke rather with S. August that these three wise men Iter unius anni in tredecim diebus peregerunt Did perform that journey which was enough for a whole year in thirteen dayes because as Remegius saith Puer ad quem properaverunt potuit eos in tam brevi temporis spacio ad se adducere That Child unto whom they hastened might help and further them forward to come unto himselfe in so short a space And therefore this their diligence and speedy haste to come to Christ doth sufficiently shew that they beleived this new born Babe to be the true and eternall God so that these wise men were wise indeed not because they had all the wisdome of the Gentiles but because they did both seek and find him In whom are hid all the Treasures of Wisdome and Knowledge Also their behaviour being come doth plainely shew Chrysost quo supra that puerum quem viderunt hominem agnoverunt Redemptorem the child which they saw to be a man they did acknowledge to be their God for though they saw him dandled in the lap of his poore Mother wrapped about with meane clouts and having not the least signe of any humane Kingly dignity yet they did homage unto him as unto the King of Kings For they fell downe to shew their humility they worshipped him to shew their faith they offered their gifts to shew their charity Quid In gremio pauperis matris positum pannis vilibus involutum nullum regiae dignitatis humanae signum habentem adorant regem nuper natum c. And what is this that they adore this Childe newly borne and sucking on his Mothers Breasts and would not adore that King which had been long
the time of his Resurrection He alledgeth also the appearing of two Angells among all the people for testimony whereof Likelyhoods of truth Hee nameth the day and place when and where it happened He recounteth the very words that Jesus spake at his Ascention He telleth the manner how hee ascended and how a Cloud came down and received him out of their sight He declareth what the Multitude did whither they went and in what place they remained after their departure thence And finally hee setteth downe so many particulars as if it had beene the easiest matter in the world for his enemies to have refuted his narration if all had not been true Wherefore to conclude this Discourse of the Birth Life Death Resurrection and Ascention of Jesus seeing nothing hath happened in the same which was not foretold both to Jew Gentile nor any thing fore-shewed concerning the Messias which was not fulfilled most exactly in the person of Christ as have been proved by the foregoing testimonies we may most certainly assure our selves and confidently affirm against all the unbeleiving Jewes and wretched Atheists of the world that Jesus is the son of God the true and promised Messiah Moreover Touching the excellency of this Person I shall yet further prove first That for time he is God co-eternall with his Father and this both apparent scriptures That Christ is a true God is proved and unanswerable reasons drawne from thence do make plain For First First from the Scriptures The scriptures call him the true Jehovah as wee may see by the collation and comparing of these places viz. Exodus 3.2.13.4.14.24 20.2 And Acts 7.30.32 1 Cor. 10.4.9 c. And so the scriptures call him God as Gen. 32.28 Psal 45.7 Isa 7.14 Matth. 3.3 Heb. 1.8 1 Tim. 3.16 Joh. 1.1 Acts 20.78 And therefore saint John saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And the word was God Also Thomas saith unto Christ My Lord and my God 1 Joh. 3.16 1 Joh. 5.20 And so we finde the same truth expressed in many other places of the Scripture Secondly by unanswerable reasons drawn from scripture Secondly Wee may shew the same by infallible and unanswerable reasons drawn from scripture As First From those incommunicable properties of the Deity which are properly ascribed unto him as 1. To be omnipotent Joh. 3.31 Heb. 1.3 Phil. 3.21 Apo. 1.18 Mat. 16.11 Mat. 28.20 Joh. 16.15 2. To remit sins Matth 9.6 Mar. 2.5.7.9 Luke 5.20 Joh. 20.23 3. To be in many places at the same instant Matth. 18.20 4. To have the same equall power with the Father Joh. 5.17 5. To raise himself from the grave Rom. 1.4 Joh. 10.18 6. To send forth and to give the Holy Ghost Zach. 12.10 Joh. 16.7 2. From those Epithites which are ascribed unto him and are only agreeable to the divine nature as Joh. 13.18 Joh. 1.9 Mat 9 4.5 Joh. 14 14. To be the Author of our Election To illuminate us To know the secrets of our hearts To hear the prayers of them that call upon him To judge the quick and the dead To give unto his servants everlasting life To be truly rich and so able to do Joh 5.22.24 2 Cor 8.9 Psal 50.12 and to bestow these great rewards upon his servants Joh. 16.15 Thirdly From those relations that he hath with God as to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 J h. 1.18 Heb. 1.3 the only begotten son of God the brightness of his glory and as the Poet saith If God had once no son then once must he Without the brightness of his glory be Also to be the arme of God Isa 53 1. Joh. 14.7.8 9. Phil. 2.6 which the Fathers do expound of Christ to be the Image of the Father 2 Cor. 4.4 Col. 1.5 and to be the very form of God which is most simple and essentiall not compounded or accidentall for that in God there is no composition no accidents Et nihil est in Deo quod non sit ipse Deus nor any other thing which is not God because the Divine Essence Identificat sibi omnia que sunt in Divinis doth identifie Gabriel â—iel super 1. sentent dist 1. q. 5. or deifie all things that are in the Deity 4. From the universall effects Gen. 1.1 Pal 45.6 Psal 102.25 Joh. 1 2.3 Col 16 17. Heb. 1 2 3. Joh. 5.17 and proper works of God for he that created preserveth and governeth all the things that are created is the true and everlasting God but Christ created all things doth still sustaine and govern all things and therefore hee must needs be the true and eternall God To be breif He is the Son of the Father the Wisdome and the Power of God A Proof of the co-eternity of the Son with his father and therefore either the Father was without a Son and then he could be no Father and God was without his Wisdome and without his strength or else hee was never without his Son but to say that God was without his wisdome or without his strength is most absurd Ergo non ex tempore genitus est qui cuncta tempora condidit therefore hee was not begotten in time which created all times Aug. Ep. 6.6 saith Saint Augustine That Christ is co-essential with God is proved Secondly it followeth that I should prove and shew how for Nature he is co-essentiall with his Father touching which point Athanasius saith Non res quaepiam extrinsecus ad inventa est filij substantia neque ex nihilo inducta est sed ex Patris essentia nata est The substance of the son is no outward thing either found or created but begotten of the very Essence of his Eather even as you see the brightness springing from the Light or the Vapour from the Water Neque enim splendor neque vapor est ipsa aqua aut ipse sol neque res aliena For neither the light is the Sun it self nor the vapour the water it selfe and yet they are none other things of another kind then be the Substances from whence they spring even so the Son issueth from the substance of his Father Et tamen Patris substantia non perpessa est partitionem And yet the substance of the Father admits no partion for as the Son remaineth still the same and is no way lessened or diminished Athanas in Ep. Cont Eusebium in respect of those beams that flow from him so the Father suffereth no mutation by having and begetting Suam ipsius imaginem filium this his Son and eternall image but remaining still the same he begetteth his Son of the same Essence and wee find not only all the Orthodox Fathers but also the scriptures are plain enough to confirm the same truth for our saviour saith Joh. 10.30 I and my Father are one and so saint John having spoken of the Father the Word and the spirit saith That these three are one 1
is no more able to expresse all the Mysteries and most excellent points that we might collect and learne from the Incarnation of Christ then one poor fisher man is able to catch all the fishes in the ocean sea And therefore thus much shall suffice concerning this discourse of the Incarnation Birth Life Death Resurrection and Ascension of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ who is as hath been proved the true and promised Messiah the only son of God the brightnesse of his glory the expresse image of his Person heire of all things Heb. 1.2.3.4 c. more excellent then the Angels having honour glory Power strength Praise 2 Pet. 1.17 Rev. 5.12 Colos 2.3.1.18 Psal 2.8 Eph. 1.20.21.22 Psal 72.8.17 Phil. 2 9. Dignity Riches and Wisdome yea all treasures of knowledge and wisdome the heathen for his inheritance the Earth for his possessions and the Heavenly places for his seate far above all Power Might Dominion and Principalities with a Name given him above all Names at which every knee should bow c. Being the second Person in Trinity begotten of his Father from Eternity Gal. 4.4 in one Person the Son of God and very man Man Non exeundo quod habuit sed induendo quod non habuit not by loosing that he had but by accepting what hee had not our miserable nature conceived of a Virgin by the Holy Ghost called of his Father ever since the fall of Adam to be a Mediator between God and man desired of the Patriarchs prefigured in the Law foretold by the Prophets accomplished in the time of Grace manifested in the flesh justified in the spirit 1 Tim. 3.16 seen of Angells preached unto the Gentiles beleeved on in the world and received up into Glory For man hee became a King to rule a Prophet to teach and Priest to sacrifice CHAP. III. OF THE HOLY GHOST Wherein the greatnesse of Gods goodness doth appeare WHEN we think upon the infinite goodnesse of the great Jehovah how gracious he is in all respects amiable in himselfe placable unto men liberall unto all his creatures none is so stupid and dull as not to admire it in him such is the never-dying streams of the goodness of God it is like a boundlesse Ocean there is no end of his Goodnesse and therefore Saint Bernard in admiration thereof breaketh forth into these heavenly acclamations saying Quam dives es in misericordia magnificus in Justitia munificus in gratia Domine Deus noster O how rich art thou in mercy how magnificent in Justice and how bountifull in Grace O Lord our God! For thou art a most liberall bestower of heavenly gifts Nam tu munerator copiosissimus remunerator aequissimus liberator piissimus Bernard a most righteous Rewarder of humane workes and a most gracious Deliverer of all that trust in thee yea so great is the goodnesse of God it is beyond expression beyond our imagination our words are beneath our thoughts and our thoughts far lower then the truth thereof Deut. 32.49 52. Yet as Moses from the top of Mount Nebo beheld the borders of the land of Canaan so if you please to ascend with me to the Mount of Contemplation I will shew you some glimpses of Gods goodnesses Certaine glimpses or shadowes of Gods goodness for he elected us before we were he created us of nothing hee redeemed us when we were lost hee preserveth us being found and that hee might bring us to eternall life hee hath given us the Author and Fountain of all temporall and spirituall gifts even the holy Ghost What the holy Ghost is 1 Joh. 5.7 Joh 15.26 Gal. 4.6 Psal 139.7 who is the third Person of the true and only God-head proceeding from the Father and the Son and co-eternall coquall and consubstantiall with them both Mat. 28.19 Isa 6.8.9 Act 28.25.26 He is call'd by the name of spirit proceeding from the Father and the son to shew the Essence and Nature that he is of for as the spirit of man must needs be truly of mans nature and is the most formall and Essentiall part of man 1 Cor. 2.11.12 So and much more it must be thought of the Spirit of God upon whom no Composition falleth And yet some have been so bold as most impiously to affirme that the holy Ghost was but a created quality or a godly motion in the hearts and minds of Righteous man Isa 6.8.9 Acts 28.25.26 But if wee do compare the words of Isaias with the words of Saint Paul they will sufficiently confute this damnabe â—rrour and most manifestly shew unto us this holy spirit to be the true and eternall God Besides the scripture saith That the spirit of the Lord filleth heaven and earth Sap. 1.7 whereupon Saint Basil Ambrose de S. S. l. 1. c. 7. Saint Augustine Saint Ambrose and others have most plainly proved against all hereticks whatsoever that the holy Ghost is a true God by Nature That the Holy Ghost is a true God by nature because that to be every where cannot by Grace belong to any but only to him that is by Nature God which reserveth this unto himselfe to be every where and therefore Saint Augustine writing against Maximinus an Arrian Bishop saith Aug. cont Maxim l. 3. c. 21. Epist 66. I cannot express how much I marvell what a heart you have so to extoll the holy Ghost as to make him every where present to sanctifie the faithfull and yet that thou dare deny him to be a God for is not he a God which filleth heaven and earth Also Dydimus in his booke Basil de spiritu sancto c. 22. and Saint Basil in his treatise De spiritu sancto declare that to be God Didym lib. 1. de spiritu sancto which can be in diverse places at one time Which thing is not agreeable to any creature But that the holy Ghost was present with the Apostles and Prophets in sundry parts of the world at one time no man professing the faith of Christ doth in the least doubt the truth thereof Wherefore it followeth that he is a God Job 33. Mat. 28.19 1 Joh. 5.7 Joh 14.1.16 1 Cor 3.16 2 Cor. 13.14 Psal 33.6.104 30 The Symbolum of Nice out of the holy scripture teacheth That the holy Ghost is hee that maketh alive and hee that together with the Father and the sonne is worshiped and with them is honoured therefore the holy Ghost of necessity must be true and everlasting God with the Father and the son in one only essence touching which point the holy Fathers powerfully did set themselves against the Hereticks and out of holy scripture stoutly maintained the same Plato Aristotle Proclus Suidas Orpheus Pherecydes Parmenides Porphyrius Numenius Amelius Chalcidius Avicen As for Atheists which deny the scriptures and are altogether ignorant of this blessed spirit if they will but look into the writings of
the Ancients they shall surely finde that as the Gentiles did understand many things concerning God and Jesus Christ his only son so some of them have delivered some things although but darkly concerning this holy spirit For Hermes Trismegistus hath these words All kind of things in this world saith he are quickned by a spirit one spirit filleth all things the world nourisheth the bodies and the spirit the soules and this spirit as an instrument Mercuâ—ie in his Esculapius c. 3. 7. is subject to the will of God And further he saith That all things have need of this spirit it beareth them up it nourisheth them it quickneth them according to every of their capacities it proceedeth from a holy Fountaine and is the maintainer of all living things and of all spirits Here wee see the reason why we call him the holy Ghost namely because he proceedeth from the fountain which is the very holinesse it selfe And least we should think him to be a creature Mercurie in his Sermon in his Poemander c 3 there was saith hee an infinite shadow in the deep whereon was the water and a fine understanding spirit was in that confused mass through the power of God From thence there flourished a certain holy brightnesse which out of the sand and the moyst nature brought forth the Elements and all things else Also the Gods themselves which dwell among the stars tooke their place by the direction and appointment of this spirit of God In the writings of Plotinus Plotin Enn. 5. lib. 2. lib. 3. cap. 35. there be found very significant speeches of the holy Ghost whom hee calleth Vniversi animam Plotin Ennead 3. lib. 9. cap. ult Eâ—n 6. lib. 8 cap. 13. 15. 27. Enn. 3. lib 8. c. 10. lib 9. cap. 1. the soule or life of this whole universe This soule saith hee hath breathed life into all living things in the Air in the Sea and on the land it ruleth the Sun the stars and the Heaven it hath quickned the matter which once was nothing and utterly full of darkness and all this hath it done by the only will of it selfe It is all throughout all like to the father as well in that it is but one as in that it extendeth it self into all places All which doth most apparently prove that the Gentiles themselves were not ignorant of this holy spirit whom they clearly shew to be the true and eternall God And therefore how may this serve to shame the wretched Atheists of this world which notwithstanding such a cloud of witnesses will still continue ignorant and hardned in unbeleife Why the holy Ghost is called a spirit Moreover This third person of the true and only God-head is called a spirit not only because hee is a spirituall that is an immateriall and pure essence for so likewise is the Father a spirit and the son as well as he but first in regard of his person because he is spired and as it were breathed both from the Father and the son Secondly In regard of the creatures Psal 33.6 Joâ—h 20 22. because the Father and the son do work by the spirit who is as it were the breath of Grace which the Father and the son breatheth out upon the saints blowing freely where it listeth Joh 3.8 1 Cor. 2.12.13 Act. 2. â— 3.4 and working spiritually for manneâ—â— meanes and matter where it pleaseth Thirdly In regard of his Property because the property of him is to move to set forward to perswade to comfort to enlighten the spirits hearts of men and at length to worke in them such things as pertain to our sanctification And indeed the saints have such tryall of the marvellous effects thereof as neither reason nor mans wisdome is able to comprehend those things neither can they be discerned by the eyes of men So that as Peter Martyr saith wee beleive in the holy Ghost as in a thing that far exceedeth the capacity of our nature and yet is distinctly set forth unto us in the holy scripture Job 14 26. 1.33 Joh. 16.13.14.15 Mat. 28.19 That the holy Ghost is distinct from the Father and the son for the Apostles are commanded in the Gospell that they should baptize in the name of the Father of the son and of the holy Ghost Which place doth most plainly expresse the distinction of the three persons and do signifie nothing else but that we be delivered from our sins by the name authority and power of the Father of the Sonne and of the Holy Ghost And in the baptisme of Christ Luke 3 21 22 Mat. 3 16 17 as Luke rehearseth the Voice of the Father was heard and the holy Ghost appeared under the forme of a Dove whereby is signified that the holy Ghost doth so differ from the Father and the son as he is derived from them both In John it is sayd I will pray the Father Joh. 14 16 and hee shall give you another Comforter Here the son prayeth the Father heareth and the Comforter is sent Now if the Father shall give such a Comforter then the Father himselfe cannot be that Comforter neither can Christ that prayeth be the same So that very significantly the three persons herein are plainly set forth unto us For even as the Father and the sonne are two distinct and severall though not sundred persons even so the holy Ghost is another distinct person from the Father and the Son Joh. 15 26 Luke 1 35 That the holy Ghost is a person proved Luke 3 22 And further that the holy Ghost is a person is proved 1. By his apparitions because he hath appeared visibly for seeing he descended in bodily shape upon Christ and sate upon the Apostles Acts 2 3 it followeth that hee is subsisting 2 Hee is proved to be a person 1 Cor. 3 16 Acts 5 3 4 Isa 40 7 30 Ephes 4.4.30 Acts 28.25 1 Cor. 12 11 Luke 12 12 Joh. 16.13 Luke 2 26 Mat. 10 20 because he is called God 3 Because the properties of a person are attributed unto him as that hee distributeth gifts even as he will that hee teacheth comforteth confirmeth ruleth raigneth Likewise that hee sendeth Apostles and speaketh in them So also hee declareth the things to come Acts 16 10 39 20 24 1 Tim. 4 1 He giveth prophesies of Simeons death of Judas the Traitor of Peters journy to Cornelius of Pauls bands and afflictions which should betide himselfe at Jerusalem of a falling away and of the deceiver in the last times Heb 9 8 10 15 of the meaning of the high preists entrance into the holiest of all of the first Tabernacle of the new Covenant 1 Pet. 1 11 of Christs sufferings and his glory which should follow after them and such like He maketh request for us with sighes which cannot be uttered Rom. 8.29 he cryeth in our hearts Abba Father he is
this must passe our best capacities and therefore si hoc comprehendere non possumus quod videmus quomodo deum comprehendere valemus quem non videmus if wee cannot apprehend that which we do see how how can wee comprehend him whom we cannot see What the knowledge of God from a naturall light Rom. 1.19.30 As for the Knowledge of God which is from the light of nature that doth take its rise from sence and can ascend no higher then it is supported nor go any further then it is led by sensible objects which give us no clearer knowledge of God then the effects do of their cause namely that he is and that Hee is not such as they are but far excelling them in Essence and in Attributes as not being compounded not depending not finite not mutable and the like but now the knowledge of God which is from a supernaturall light What from a supernaturall light Joh 1.18 Exod. 33. â—3 that is meerly by divine Revelation as that God is the Father of Christ and the Holy Ghost the ineffable bond of both Yea such is our Knowledge of God through the apprehension of faith in the glorious mystery of the Blessed Trinity whereby wee beleeve the same God which is One in nature or being Deut 6.4 Isa 45.5 1 Cor. 8.4 6 Gen. 11.7 Isa 63.7 9.10 1 Joh. 5.8 Gen. 1.26 3.22 is also Three in persons or manner of subsisting Father Son and Holy Ghost for so the scriptures plainly teach us as Let us make man in our image and behold the man is become like one of us saith the Lord himself to shew that in this unity of Essence there is a plurality of Persons Mat. 3.16 28.19 Gen. 19.24 and againe The Lord raigned upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah from the Lord out of Heaven that is the Son rained from the Father as Justin Martyr Tertullian Epiphanus Cyprian Ironaeus Eusebius Cyrill and many others do so expouud that place And so the three men that appeared unto Abraham Gen. 18.1 2 3. and that heavenly Harmony of Cherubims saying Holy Holy Holy Isa 6.3 Lord God of sabboth do sufficiently declare the Trinity of Persons in the unity of Gods Essence Now a Person is a distinct subsisting of the whole God-head What a person is Joh. 1.1 5.31 Chap. 14.5.16 and an individuall understanding and incommunicable subsistence living of it selfe and not sustained by another So that the three persons in the Trinity are not three severall substances but three distinct subsistences Col. 2.9 or three diverse manner of being of one and the same substance and divine Essence And here wee must consider that the Essence doth not beget an Essence Psal 2.7 Heb. 1.5 Joh. 15.26 but the Person of the Father begetteth the Person of the Son and the Person of the Holy Ghost proceedeth from the Father and the Son by an Eternall and incomprehensible spiration Athanas 2. Dialog de Trinit as if it be lawfull to compare great things with small in the reasonable faculty of mans soule when the understanding considereth it self it begetteth an image of it selfe Thom p. 1. q. 27 ar 1. and 3. Mornaeus de verit Châ—ist Relig. c 5. Keckerm Sâ—stâ—m Theol. l 2. c. 2. it being in that reflected action the proper object of it selfe from the desire or appetite of which image so produced there ariseth a mutuall love and delight betwixt the understanding and his image so in the eternall essence of the God-head the Father looking upon himselfe begetteth the image of himselfe which is his son and from the mutuall love and delight of both these persons one to another the holy Ghost proceedeth as the common beam of these two incomprehensible lights And as in one sun there are the body of the sun the sun beames and the heat the beames are begotten of the sun and the heate doth proceed from both Aug. de Trinit but the sun it selfe proceeds from none Even so in the one Essence of God there are the Father the Son and the holy Ghost the son is begotten of the Father the Holy Ghost proceeds from both but the Father is of himselfe alone and as the son doth alwaies beget his beams and both sun and beames do send forth the heat so the Father from all eternity ever did now doth and ever will beget his son and both Father and Son do spire and breathe forth the Holy Ghost and therefore Origen saith excellent well Origen hom 6. in Jerem. Salvator noster splendor est gloriae splendor autem non semel nascitur deinceps desinit nasci c. Our blessed Saviour is the brightnesse of Gods glory but the brightnesse of Glory Sed quotiescunque ortum fuerit lumen ex quo splendor oritur toties oritur splendor gloriae The Father doth ever beget the son is not once begotten and then afterwards ceasing to be begotten but as often as the light riseth from whence the brightnesse springeth so often doth the brightnesse of glory arise And our Saviour saith hee is the wisdome of God but the wisdome of God is the brightnesse of that eternall light Et ideo salvator semper nascitur and therefore as the scripture saith Ante colles generat me Before the mountains were layd he begetteth me and not as some do erroniously read it Generavit me He hath begotten me so the truth is that the son of God is ever begotten Aug. de verbis Domini and the Holy Ghost ever proceeding Also as the Fountain begets a brook and both the Fountaine and brooke do make the poole and yet all three is the same water so the Father is the Fountaine which begets the Sonne and from the Father and the Son proceeds the holy Ghost and yet is the Deity of all three the same That there are certain similitudes of the Trinity to be seen in the creatures In like manner the fire hath Motion Light and Heate and yet but one fire and in all other creatures wee may behold certaine glimps and similitudes that do after a sort adumbrate Why Power is ascribed to the Father wisdome to the Son and goodnesse to the Holy Ghost seeing all and each of the three persons have the same power wisdome and goodnesse and shadow out this ineffable and expressible mystery for by their greatnesse wee may consider the Power of the Father by their beauty we may see the wisdome of the Son and by their utility we may note the goodnesse of the holy Ghost Now amongst the creatures it is wont to be observed as Saint Augustine saith that in a Father is found a defect of Power by reason of his Antiquity in a Son is seen ignorance by reason of his youth and in experience of things and in the name of a spirit there seemeth to be a kind of fearfull vehemency as Quiescite ab homine cujus spiritus in
of Orphaeus who is called the Author of the plurality of the Gods Also Phocilides Phocilides followeth him in these words There is but only one God mighty wise and happy And again Honour the only God And so Theognis Homer Hesiodus Sophocles Euripides Aratus and many others have delivered the same truth And as touching the Latins Ovid Ovid. in his Metamorphosis attributeth the Creation of the world and of all things therein unto the only one God Virgil in his fourth booke of Husbandry and in other places And Virgil doth ordinarily call him the King of Gods and men and he describeth him shedding forth his power to the uttermost Coasts of Heaven and earth and with his virtue quickning the world and all that is therein Thus we see that the Gentiles did conceive a certain kinde of knowledge and understanding though undigested imperfect overshadowed as it were with humane reasonings concerning God and that although through custome they did celebrate the plurality of Gods yet notwithstanding they did acknowledge but one only true God by Nature This Truth of the unity of the God-head The unity of the God-head proved from Scripture may be yet further proved and confirmed by expresse testimonies of sacred Scripture as heare O Israel the Lord thy God is one God Deut. 6.4.32.39 Isa 44.6 7 8. and therefore know you that I am God alone and besides me there is none other saith the Lord himselfe to shew the truth and certainty of the unity of his Essence also Saint Paul saith 1 Cor. 8.4 6. We know that there is none other God but one and so wee finde the same truth expressed in many other places of the Scripture as Deut. 4 35 1 Sam 2 2 Psal 18.31 Isa 37 16 45 5 21 46 9 Hos 13 4 Mal 2 10 Mark 12 29 32 Rom 3 30 Gal 3 20 Ephes 4 5 1 Tim 2 5 Jam. 2 19. Reason sheweth that there can be but one God c Besides reason it selfe sheweth that there can be but one God for if there were more Gods then one then they must be either all without beginning or one must proceed from other either by creation or generation That they should be all without beginning is impossible for then it must needes follow that there should be multa principia prima dispâ—rata in una voluntate non convenientia many first causes and unequall beginnings that could never agree and be of the same minde and will and therefore to say they should be all without beginning is most absurd An unaswerable argument that there is but one God If one be from the other by Creation then is the second a creature and therefore but one God uncreated if one be from the other by generation then the first gave the second either a part or his whole substance if a part then is God partible and may be divided which cannot be said of such a spirituall indivisible substance if the first gave the rest his whole essence then have all the same deity and so all must be the same God-head Secondly There can be but one infinite God is infinite and therefore but one because that which is infinite comprehendeth all things within the circle of it self Thirdly Deut. 6.4.5 Mark 12.29.30 we are charged to give unto God all our heart all our strength and all our soul if one must have all there is none left for any other Fourthly there is but one first cause of all things God is that first cause therefore he is but one Fiftly But one first cause Acts 17 28. Exod 3.14 God is summum ens the first and cheifest being as himself professeth I am that I am we have learned that of the Prince of Philosophers that there can be but one cheifest Being But one cheifest being Quia ens unum convertuntur because that being and one are all one Lastly It is impossible there should be many Gods for seeing it is absolutely necessary that hee who is God Why there can be but one God have all perfection of being in himself to make many Gods were to make them all imperfect and so they can be no Gods To allow of Polutheism then is to admit of Atheisme he cannot worship any God who acknowledgeth many Gods seeing there can be but One most perfect But one most perfect Tertul. l. contra Hermog c. 17. as but one first mover one first efficient and therefore this one God is so absolutely One that he is One alone besides whom there can be none other for we deny all number in the Deity Or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Only one unlesse you mean in the personall proprieties And therefore Gregory Nyssen saith well Quod in multitudinem extendere numerum Deitatum eorum duntaxat est qui laborant multitudinis deorum errore Nâ—ssen ad Eustach l. de Trin. Basil ep 141. ad Caesarium That to extend the number of the Deities into a multitude belongs only unto them which do erroneously maintain a multitude of Gods for the Catholick Faith is this That we should worship the Trinity in Vnity and the Vnity in Trinity that is The Trinity of Persons and the unity of Essence because all number is to be rejected from the Essence of God saith Saint Basil for the divine Essence is so simple and so numerically one that no diversity can be given The father the Son and the holy Ghost are one by nature whereby the very Persons do differ in regard of the Essence so that whatsoever the Father essentially is the Son is the same and the Holy spirit is the same How the persons are distinguished But now here wee must observe that although the God-head cannot be divided in its Essence yet the persons may be distinguished by their properties Quia hoc est proprium Patris quod solus est Pater quod ab alio non est nisi a se hoc est proprium Filij quod a Patre genitus est solus a solo hoc est proprium spiritus sancti quod nec genitus nec ingenitus est sed a patre filio aequaliter procedens for this is the property of the Father That he alone is the Father and that hee is not from any other but only of himself and this is the property of the Son that he alone is begotten of the Father alone co-equall unto him and co-essentiall and this is the property of the Holy Ghost to be not made not begotten but from the Father and the Son equally proceeding And therefore wee say that these incommunicable and proper operations of the persons do so make the true and reall distinction of the Persons that the Father cannot be the Son nor the Holy Ghost that the Son cannot be the Father nor the Holy Ghost That the distinction of the persons hindreth not the unity of
the Nature of the God-head although every person intirely holdeth his own incommunicable property and that the Holy Ghost cannot be the Father nor the son so that in a word all Three is the same Essence and yet neither of the three can be the person of the other Also from these inward actions or operations of these persons do proceed the nominall relations of the one unto the other as Father Son and Holy Ghost which do likewise make a true reall distinction of the Persons for the Father is not a name of Essence but of relation unto the Son and the Son is not a name of Essence but of relation unto the Father and so the Holy Ghost proceeding is not a name of Essence but of relation to the Father the Son therfore these names are so proper to each person that the name of the one cannot be ascribed to the other Ob. But you will say that the Son it called Father as Esa 9 6 He is said to be the Father of eternities Sol I answer that the name of Father is taken two wayes The name of the father is taken two wayes 1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Essentially 2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Personally First Essentially so in respect of the creatures each person of the Trinity may be rightly termed Father Secondly Personally and so the first person only is Father because he only doth beget his son How the father is the first person Mat. 28 19. Joh. 5.26 Joh. 10.30.38 Mat. 11.27 Joh. 16.14.15 And here by the way we must remember that the Father is the first person not in priority of dignity or of time but of order as being the fountain of the Trinity communicating not alienating from himselfe the whole nature essentiall attributes of the God-head to the son and with the son to the Holy Ghost Now as touching the outward actions or operations of these persons Outward operations not altogether sufficient to expresse the differences of the three subsistences and why we finde they are not altogether sufficient to express their differences for as Nazian truly affirmeth of the three persons themselves Non possum tria discernere quin subito ad unum referar nec possum unum cogitare quin trium fulgore confundar so may we say of their outward operations that although they be affirmed of one yet may they presently be referred to all three Acts 20.28 1 Pet. 1.2 Joh. 1.3 1 Cor. 1.2 Psal 33.6 Eph 4.30 Opera Trinitatis adâ—extra sunt indivisa so we find them in many passages of the holy scriptures as redemption sanctification to the father creation sanctification to the son creatino redemption to the Holy Ghost So that indeed these outward works of the Trinity are so indivisible that we cannot so properly ascribe them to any one but you see that they may likewise be ascribed to any other And besides wee must observe that whereas the inward actions of these persons are permanent and necessary Outward workes voluntary these outward operations are transient and voluntary for that God in these things is Liberrimus Agens A free Agent so that he might have chosen whether to do them or not do them and therefore in all these works Election Creation Gubernation Redemption Sanctification Glorification there can be ascribed none other cause Psal 135.6 but Quia voluit because he would For whatsoever pleaseth the Lord that did hee in Heaven and in Earth in the seas and in all deepe places And therefore I say these outward actions and so likewise those Names which are given unto these Persons in regard of these actions as Creatour unto the Father Redeemer unto the Son Comforter and Sanctifier unto the Holy Ghost are not altogether sufficient to expresse the differences of these persons because they are common to all three in one Essence And yet we finde that when any Action is determined to the Father according to the manner of his existence as Father then do the Scriptures say a quo vel ad quem from whom Jam. 1.17 Prov. 16 4. Ephes 3.21 or for whom or to whom and when any action is ascribed to the Son according to the manner of his existence as son then do the scriptures say Per quem in quo Ephes 3.21 1.3 by whom or through whom and in whom and when any action is assigned to the Holy Ghost according to the manner of his existence as Holy Ghost then do the scriptures say Quo ex quo by whom Rom. 8.14 Joh. 3.6 and of whom and in regard of these expressions of the workes of God by such Phrases Basil de spiritu sancto c. 14. Saint Basil doth expound that place of the Apostleâ— in Rom. 11 36 Of him and through him and for him are all things to be a plain distinction of the three persons by the manner of their Actions as well as their existence because all things are of the Holy Ghost by the Son for the Father as the same Author speaketh And thus you see That although the divine Essence is only One impartible and indivisible Athanâ—s 2 Dialog de Trinit yet that there are three persons in this one Essence not that the Essence begets either Essence or person but because the person of the Father begetteth the Person of the Son and both Father and son do eternally spire and send forth the person of the Holy Ghost But now if any shall further enquire of the manner how the father begetteth the son and how the father and the son do spire and send forth the holy spirit Galenus l. 15. de usu partium 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I must answer as Galenus did in a point far inferiour to this which is of infinite profundity How this is done if you enquire you will be taken for one that hath no understanding either of your own infirmity or of the power of the Creator And the fathers do often dehort us from the curiosity of explaining the manner of divine mysteries 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for that worthy Nazianzen saith Nazian Orat. 1 de Theolog. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 You heare the generation of the son be not curious to know the manner you hear the Holy Ghost proceedeth be not busie to enquire how That we should not enquire too far into the manner of divine mysteries A finite understanding not possibly able to comprehend this infinite mystery And in another place he saith Let the generation of God be honoured with silence it is much for thee to have learned that he was begotten as for the manner how we grant it not to be understood by Angells much lesse by thee So that here wee must acknowledge it impossible that a finite understanding should comprehend that mystery which is infinite in its Glory and therefore when the minde soares high to conceive the truth of the unity
other but the man Christ Jesus for hee himselfe sayd Gen. 32.28.30 That Jacob should be called Israel a wrestler and prevailer with God and Jacob called the name of the place Peniel because hee had seene God Face to face and so that man which appeared unto Joshuah Josh 5.14 and came as a Captain of the Hoast of the Lord was none other then Jesus Christ as Peter Martyr doth most excellently by many arguments confirme Whereby you see Christ did heretofore assume unto himselfe humane formes wherein he appeared unto the Fathers to be as a Praeludium of his incarnation which is the greatest benefit that ever man received from God Quia in Creatione dedit te tibi Deus Because in thy creation hee did but give thy being unto thee but in his incarnation he gave himselfe unto thee Now if it be demanded how these things can stand together that the Father of eternity should be borne in time that the Son of man speaking upon Earth should yet at the same instant be in Heaven and that the mighty God should become a child which is the weakest state of man himselfe wee must call to minde that the first letter of his great name Isa 9.6 is wonderfull When hee appeared of old to Manaoh his name was wonderfull and hee did wonderously Judg. 13.18.19 But that and all the wonders that ever were must give place to the great mystery of his incarnation Greatness of this mystery Nam mysterium singulariter mirabile mirabilitor singulare for it is a mystery singularly wonderfull and wonderfully singular So that neither the Creation of all things out of Nothing which was the beginning of the Workes of God those sixe working dayes putting as it were an end to that long Sabbath that never had beginning Wherein the Father Son and holy Ghost Joh. 17.5 Prov. 8.30 did infinitely glorifie themseves and rejoyce in the fruition one of another without communicating the notice thereof unto any creature nor the Resurrection from the dead and the Restauration of all things the last workes that shall go before that everlasting Sabbath which shall have a beginning but never shall have end neither that first I say nor these last though most admirable peeces of worke may be compared with this wherein the Lord was pleased to shew the highest pitch if any thing may be sayd to be highest in that which is infinite and exempt from all measure and dimensions of his Wisdome Power and Glory Gal 4.4 Joh 1 3. Col ◠16 Act◠3.21 1 Kings 8.22 A notable wonder indeed and great beyond all comparison That the Son of God should be made of a woman even made of that woman which was made by himself That her Wombe then and the Heavens now should containe him whom the Heaven of Heavens cannot contain That he who had both Father and Mother whose Pedegree is upon Record even up unto Adam who in the fullnesse of time was brought forth in Bethlehem Mic. 5.2 Isa 58.8 and and when he had finished his course was cut out of the land of the living at Jerusalem should yet notwithstanding be in truth that which his shadow Melchisedech was only in the conceit of the men of his time Without Father without Mother without Pedegree Heb. 7.3 having neither beginning of dayes nor end of life Joh. 14.28 That his Father should be greater then he and yet he his Fathers equall That he is before Abraham was and yet Abrahams birth preceded his well nigh the space of two thousand years And finally That he who was Davids son should yet be Davids Lord Joh. 5.18 Phil. 2.6 Joh. 8.58 Matth. 22 42.43 c. a case which plunged the greatest Rabbies among the Pharisees who had not yet learned this wisdome nor known this knowledge of the holy The untying of this knot dependeth upon the right understanding of the wonderfull conjunction of the Divine and humane Nature in the vnity of the person of our Redeemer Col. 2.9 In whom dwelleth all the fullnesse of the God-head bodily that is to say by such a personall and reall union as doth inseparably and everlastingly conjoyn that infinite Godhead with his finite manhood in the unity of the selfe same individuall person who is both perfect God Luke 1.35 Pro. 8.22.23.25 begotten of the substance of his Father before all worlds and perfect man made of the substance of his Mother in the fullnesse of time And the reason why hee was borne of a woman Amb. in Luc. 24. as Saint Ambrose saith was Ne perpetui reatus apud viros opprobrium sustinerent mulieres least women should still suffer the Reproach of the perpetuall guiltinesse and blame in the sight of men Why Christ was borne of a woman for their first transgression for her yeilding unto the Serpent and the seducing of her Husband made her and all her sexe to be deservedly subject unto much Reproach And therefore though because the Mankind is more noble Christ would be made a man yet because Women should not be contemned hee was contented to be borne of a woman Aug. cont Faust Et sic formam viri assumendo de famina nascendo utrumque sexum hoc modo honorandum indicavit and so he did sufficiently honour both sexes the men by assuming the forme of a man and the women by taking his flesh from a woman that as a woman was the meanes to make him a sinner so she might be the instrument to bring him a Saviour but Licet secundum conditionem naturae natus est ex faemina Thom. p. 3. q. 31 art 5. tamen supra conditionem naturae natus est ex virgine he would beyond the condition of Nature be borne of such a woman that was a Virgin because it became not God to have any Mother but a Maide and it beseemed not a Mayd to have any Son but a God Barrad l. 7. c. 10. saith Barradius And so hee was made of a Woman of a Woman that was a Virgin and of a Virgin without the helpe of man But now 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Joh. 1.14 That we may truly understand this point how Christ was made flesh the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 used by our Evangelist doth plainly shew unto us as both Saint Chrysostome and Tolet do observe Mirabilem ejus conceptionem non virili virtute sed divina potentia eum esse conceptum his wonderfull Conception that hee was made not by any vertue of mans seed Two things to be considered for the understanding of Christs conception First Of the manner how Christ was conceived but by the power of Gods spirit and therefore we must well consider First The manner of this wonderfull and divine conception Secondly The matter or substance from which he was framed First Touching the Agent and the manner of the act how this substance should be framed and this Child
to the perfection of humane Nature or of the naturall properties of the same And therefore seeing hee was made of a woman as all other men be differing only in the manner of his conception or in the Agent and worker of his Substance it is most apparent that he assumed all our humane nature What Christ assumed because the whole nature of man that is both body and Soule was to be redeemed for that both body and Soule were captivated unto satan but the son of man came to seek and to save that which was lost Mat. 18.11 therefore he must consist both of body and soule for seeing the Divine pity was content to deliver all it behoved the Divine Majesty to assume all Fulgent l. 1. de mysterio redemp ad Trasim That Christ had a true humane body Gen 3.15.22.18 Luke 24.39 saith Fulgentius and more particularly that hee had a true and perfect humane body it may be easily proved for when the Apostles thought that they had seen a Phantasme or a spirit hee sayd unto them handle mee and see because a spirit hath not flesh and bones as you see me have Besides it may be proved by the uniform consent of all Orthodox antiquity as the great Councill of Chalcedon that had in it 630 Bishops the Councill of Lateran the Councill of Toledo Fulgentius in his second booke Basil in l. de hum Christi gener Aug. de Trin. l. 13 c. 18. Beda in 11 Luc. l 4. c. 48. De persona Christi Saint Basil Saint Augustine Tertullian in his booke De carne Christi venerable Bede and diverse others whose pithy sayings and unanswerable arguments to prove this point I could here alledge But above all the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gal. 4.4 used by Saint Paul and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 used by the Evangelist which signifie to take our nature upon him and to be made flesh if they be well and truly understood do make it most apparently plaine that the Sonne of God took unto himselfe personally the true nature of man and the very substance of his Mother Luke 1.31.42 Heb. 2.14 for the Apostle doth not say factus de muliere sed factus ex muliere made in a woman but made of a woman Gorrham super Galat. as Nicolaus de Gorrham well observeth and therefore though Christ had his Principium formale his formall beginning from the Holy Ghost yet it is most certain that hee had his Principium materiale his whole matter and substance from the body of his mother And as hee had a true humane body so hee had a perfect reasonable Soule That Christ had a true reasonable soule Mat. 26 38. Luke 23.46 for the testimonies of the Scriptures are most plain herein As my Soul is heavy unto death and again Father into thy hands I commend my spirit Also the whole School of Divinity did ever teach the same truth for Nazianzen saith Quod non assumpsit non salvabit either hee had a soule or he will not save a soule and Saint Augustine saith Totum suscepit ut totum liberaret verbum Aug. de tempore Ser. 145. Christ took all upon him that is both body and soule that he might save them both And so you see that Christ had not Ideam humanae naturae An imaginary patterne of humane nature as some in these our dayes would have it but the whole nature of man In uno individuo consisting both of body and soule That Christ was subject to all our humane frailties which are without sin Moreover As Christ had all the parts of a true and perfect man so he had all the propertyes that do concern mans nature or do belong either to the soule or to the body of man as length breadth thicknesse understanding will affection c. And all other infirmities that wee have sin only excepted Why he undertook our infirmities Ambros in Luc l. 10. c. 22. And it was requisite saith Saint Ambrose Vt infirmitates nostras susciperet That he should take upon him our infirmities First To demonstrate the truth of his assumed humanity Secondly To strengthen and under-prop the weaknesse of our declining Faith and yet here wee must distinguish and understand that those infirmities which are not sinfull are either Personall or naturall Those that are Personall we say not That Christ took no personal infirmities upon him that he took for though many of us be affected with maladies infeebled with infirmities and disfigured with deformities yet the body of Christ being framed by the Holy Ghost of the purest Virgin blood was proportioned in most equall Symmetry and correspondency of parts and therefore he was speciosus forma prae filijs hominum fairer then the sons of men wholy pure more pure then the body of Absolon 2 Sam. 14.25 in whom there was no blemish so Cassiodorus saith Forma ejus lactei coloris de core illuxit Cassidor in Psa◠45. insigni statura prae-eminuit his body of the best composed stature did excell all other men Christ of a ravishing beauty and so Saint Hierom saith that his countenance carryed hidden and vayled in it a star like shining brightnesse which being but a little revealed it so ravished his Disciples hearts that at the first sight thereof Mat. 19.27 Joh. 18.6 they left all and followed him and it so astonished his enemies that they stumbled and fell to the ground But now those that are naturall or common infirmities That Christ took upon him all naturall common infirmities Heb. 2.17.4.15 Damasc de fide Orthodoxa l. 3. c. 20. Discipulus in ser de temp we affirm that he had them in all things like unto us for we confesse saith Damascen that Christ took all the naturall passions of man which are without sinne and Discipulus saith that every man was subject unto twelve naturall defects and infirmities wherof saith he our Saviour Christ hath undergon ten of them and hath suffered the same Luke 22 43. even as we do First Cold Secondly Heat Two infirmities incident to every man and denyed by no man to be in Christ Mat. 21.18 Thirdly Hunger as when he came to the fig-tree and would have eaten Joh. 4.7 c. 19. 28 Fourthly Thirst As when he asked Drink of the woman of Samaria Fifthly wearinesse Joh. 4.6 As when hee sate by the well side to rest him Sixthly Weaknesse and paine Mat. 27.32 Joh. 19.17 as when he was not able to bear his cross any further Seventhly Heavinesse and sorrow Mat. 26 38. Luke 16 41. as when his soule was heavy unto death Eighthly Shamefastnesse Mar. 6.6 and admiration as when hee marvelled at the infidelity of the Jewes Ninthly Feare Heb. 5.7 as when his Father heard him in that which hee feared Tenthly Anger Mat. 21.12 as when he drove the Buyers and sellers out of the Temple These are the ten