me for to Waite till God deliuereth me And fetch my prison'd Soule from hence to liue at libertie IEHOVAE LIBERATORI FINIS The Second golden Candlesticke HOLDING The second greatest light of Christian RELIGION Of the Knowledge of GOD. EXODVS 34.6.7 Iehouah Iehouah Strong Mercifull and Gracious slow to anger and abundant in goodnesse and trueth Reseruing mercy for thousands forgiuing iniquitie and transgression and sinne and that will by no meanes cleare the guiltie visiting the iniquitie of the fathers vpon the children and vpon the childrens children vnto the third and fourth generation YOu haue heard in my former Treatise the poore and miserable estate of distressed Man The coherence of this with the former Treatise how lamentable hee made himselfe by Sinne I am now to shew you a poole of Bethesda wherein if wee can but bathe our selues wee shall bee made perfectly whole and most comfortably deliuered from all diseases Iohn 5.2 and therefore I beseech you let this Panchrestum this medicine for all maladies be diligently acquired bee most carefully applied to euery sickned soule You shal finde it in Ierusalem i. e. in the Church of God and no where else for extra Ecclesiam non est salus no saluation is out of the Church and you shall finde it by the Sheepe-market i. e. in the place where the sheepe of Christ and children of God doe finde all prouision for their soules that is the Holy Heauenly Scripture and there if you looke you shall finde a porch ample enough for you to enter into this Bethesda in these words which I haue read vnto you The Lord the Lord God or else Iehoua Iehoua Strong Mercifull and Gracious long-suffering and abundant in goodnesse and trueth c. And I hope you will giue the more diligent heede vnto my words Quia speciosi pedes Euangelizantium pacem because as the Pro. Esay sayth the feete of theÌ„ that bring tydings of good things are most welcome vnto vs Esay 52.7 and as the Angell sayd vnto the Shepheards Luke 2.10 I bring you tydings of great ioy which shall be vnto all people For I am now to preach and to expound that gracious Sermon vnto you here which God himselfe hath Preached heretofore vnto Moses in Mount Sinay and it containes the whole discription of Almighty God so farre forth as himselfe thought it fit Chrysost varior loc in Matth. Hom. 9. to reueale himselfe at this time vnto his people and therefore Excutite pigritiam quia non est res leuis quam audituri estis I doe must humbly craue your attention and most diligent obseruation of these things for I thinke that you can neither heart nor reade a sweeter text if God giue me grace to handle it well It is large indeed I must confesse and my allotted time is short and it is as difficult to contract much into a little as to inlarge a little into much yet seeing I cannot speake all that I would I will by Gods helpe speake a little of all as I may The Occasion of these words The occasion hereof is playne enough in this precedent Chapter Moses desired to see God God tells him he cannot because it is as naturall vnto him to be inuisible as to be a God and therefore Saint Iohn sayth Iohn 4.12 no man hath seene God at any time yet to satisfie Moses so much as was fit for his happinesse God sayth that he should see his backe-parts that is hee should vnderstand so much concerning God as the weake vnderstanding of Man could possibly comprehend for hee saw nothing at all after any visible manner but onely heard this voyce describing God and we must know that God hath nâ—ither forepart nor backepart that can be seene with any mortall eyes and therefore this phrase of seeing Gods backeparts is onely vsed quoad captum nostrum after a humane manner and it importeth thus much in effect thou shalt see that is thou shalt vnderstand or see with thine eyes of knowledge my backeparts That God is not to be seene with any materiall eyes that is so much concerning me as thy weake apprehension shall be able to comprehend For First That God is no otherwise to bee seene then with the spirituall eyes of our Faith and vnderstanding it appeareth playne because Moses here saw no visible thing but onely heard a voyce So when God appeared to Elias 1 Kings 19.11.12 there passed before the Lord a mighty strong winde but the Lord was not in the Wind then an Earthquake but the Lord was not in the Earthquake and then came a still soft Voice and the Lord was in the Voyce and so when he deliuered the Law he sayth Ye saw no similitude saue a voyce therefore as God sheweth himselfe none otherwise then by a voyce so he can be seene none otherwise then by the spirituall eyes of our vnderstanding Secondly That by the backeparts of God is vnderstood By the backe-parts of God is vnderstood so much knowledge of God as we are able to comprehend so much knowledge of God as our weake apprehension can conceiue it is apparant in this place for Moses neither saw nor heard any other thing but onely this voyce proclayming these words that I haue read vnto you and therefore this is all one as if the voyce had sayd vnto him this is all that thou canst vnderstand of me that I am such and such a one as I shew vnto thee It is true indeed that I am so glorious to excellent so ineffable and so incomprehensible in my selfe that if I should shew thee my Maiestie and fully declare vnto thee mine excellencie what I am thou wert not able to comprehend it and therefore humano more loqui to speak vnto thee as a man that thou mayest the better vnderstand how farre thou mayest know me I would haue thee to looke vpon a Man and to consider how much more glorie and excellencie shineth in his face then in his backe-partes euen so thou must vnderstand that all this which I shew vnto thee concerning my selfe in comparison of what I am in the excellency of my Maiestie That we can conceiue but the least part of Gods excellencie is but as the back-parts of a man in comparison of his face and fore-parts So farre short is this that thou canst know of me to what I am and yet this least part of my excellency is so much as thou or any man breathing vpon the face of the earth is able to comprehend And therefore the meaning of this phrase to see the backe-parts of God is nothing else but the reuealing of himselfe vnto Moses so farre as Moses was able to comprehend that is a little but not neere all his properties for to be incomprehensible is as proper to God as to be Inuisible Secundum essentiam incognitus secundum maiestatem immensus His Maiestie is immeasurable Thalas apud Paulinum
Sancta custodiens veritatem a Righteous and a holy Nation Esay 26. to hold fast this Truth of God not shewing our selues like Rehoboam that found shields of gold but left behinde him shields of Brasse to receiue the cleere Truth from our fathers and to leaue the same darkened vnto our children Secondly As the word of God is the primary and most absolute declared Truth wherein there is no possibility of error Quia dicta Iehouae dicta pura Because the words of the Lord are pure words So the words of men agreeable to their vnderstanding conformed to the Truth of things Iohn 8.44 are secondarily the Truth of God because as euery lye is from the Deuill though it should be vttered from the tongue of a Saint as our Sauiour sheweth so euery Truth is from God though it were spoken from the mouth of a Diuell because the Spirit of God is the Spirit of Truth Et omne verum à quocunque dicitur à Spiritu sancto est And all Truth whosoeuer speaks it doth spring from the Spirit of God saith Saint Ambrose Euery Truth whatsoeuer whosoeuer saith it proceeds from God A sufficient reproofe for them that will not heare the Word of God but from the mouth of Saints for we are not to respect who speake or what they be that speake but what is spoken and therefore if Balaams Asse should preach me Christ I would willingly be his disciple for Saint Paul tels me that none can say 1 Cor. 12.3 that Iesus is Christ but by the Spirit of God and therefore hee did not so much care who preached nor how they preached so they preached Iesus Christ because he knew that euery truth must needs proceed from the Spirit of Truth â—hat we should say nothing but Truth And therefore this should teach vs to make much of Truth and not onely to beleeue the Truth whosoeuer speakes it but also to speake the Truth euery man vnto his neighbour whatsoeuer comes of it though it should be like Cassandra's Prophesie not beleeued or O dium parere Beget hatred as the Comicke speaketh Quia dilexit Deus veritatem because as all Truth is from God so God loueth all Truth whatsoeuer Corruit in platea veritas And yet we see Quod diminutae sunt veritates à filijs hominum The Truth is troden downe in the street and the faithfull are minished from among the children of men Psal 12.1 we are all like the Cretians alwayes lyars and though the godly man keepeth his promise vnto his neighbour Psal 15.5 though it were to his owne hinderance yet now we seldome think of any promise vnlesse it be for our furtherance to attaine vnto our owne desires so farre are wee from Truth But we must all loue Truth and follow after Truth if we would be children vnto him that is abundant in Truth And so much for the fift Particle of Gods goodnesse Of Gods abundant Truth CHAP. X. Of the large extent of Gods mercy and of the remission of all kinde of sinnes and the vsefull application of the whole Attribute of Gods goodnesse THe sixt Particle of Gods Goodnesse is God is mercifull to all men that hee reserueth mercy for thousands and that as I vnderstand it two manner of wayes 1. Extensiuely 2. Successiuely First he meaneth that his Mercy is not like a carnall Patrons loue which commonly reacheth no further then his kindred he can preferre none else Nor yet like great mens fauours which extendeth no further then their seruants their greatnesse is no greater but Miserationum Dei multitudo numerari Basil in regulis contract q. 15. magnitudo mensurari non potest The mercies of God are so many that they cannot be numbred and so great that they cannot be measured so that he hath enough in store to helpe not onely a few but also many multitudes thousands he hath enough for all being not like Isaac that had but one blessing Gen. 27.38 for he hath many blessings for euery one Secondly Gods Mercie lasteth for all times euen for euer and euer he meaneth that his Mercy is not for any set Period of time which is the property of all other things euen of the greatest Monarchs they haue but their time and when that time is gone they can do nothing which a little before seemed to be able to do all things but Gods mercies are tyed to no time but they continue froÌ„ generation to generation they are like a springing well that can neuer be dryed or like the Lampe that is fed with the oyle of immortality And this the Word reseruing doth most plainely shew that he hath mercy enough in store not onely for the fathers that beleeue in him but also for their children for their childrens children euen vnto a thousand generations of them that loue him and keepe his Commandements Good Parents doe leaue the best patrimâ—ny vnto their children Rom. 11.28 O then what a Patrimony doe good parents purchase vnto their children to haue the Mercies of God reserued and laid vp in store for thousands of them and as the Apostle saith of the Iewes to make them to be loued for their fathers sakes Most happy are those children which haue such fathers as doe feare God and keepe his Commandements And so much for the sixt Particle of Gods goodnesse Reseruing Mercy for thousands Forgiuenesse of sinnes our chiefest comfort Rom 4.7 The seauenth Particle of Gods goodnesse is that he forgiueth iniquitie and transgression and sinne Here is the last but not the least act of Gods goodnesse expressed For herein consisteth all our happinesse Blessed is the man whose vnrighteousnesse is forgiuen and whose sinne is couered And here by these three words God vnderstandeth three sorts of euill 1. By Iniquity is vnderstood originall corruption 2. By Transgression is meant the outward actuall commission 3. By Sinne is vnderstood the height of all abhomination No sinner excluded from hope of pardon The custome of sinning and the greatest sinnes For God depriues not these from hope of Pardon if these come to him with penitent hearts and therefore that none should despaire of his goodnes he sheweth that he can forgiue all these and forgiuing these he forgiueth all But here I must haue leaue to take away the vaile froÌ„ Moses his face and to looke further then the Iewish Tabernacle for as in Ezekiels vision Ezek. 10.10 Rota erat in rota Gospel was in the Law Law in the Gospell as Saint Gregory expounds it so here I finde all this to be Gospell and I see Iesus Christ in euery word for in Christ Coloss 1.14 we haue Redemption through his blood the forgiuenesse of our sinnes and so of all the rest of these Graces wee haue them all by Christ for though the Law came by Moses yet as Saint Iohn saith Grace and Truth yea Mercy and Peace and all the other good
vnwillingnesse in them to serue him but because hee denieth his grace vnto them whereby they might be inabled to serue him and this deniall of his grace is no iniustice in God because their owne sinnes haue made this separation betwixt GOD and them God is not bound to giue the wicked power to serue him and makes euery man like vnto Turnus soule Fugit indignata per vmbras To hide himselfe from this shining light And God is a debtor to no man that hee should inlighten any but whom it pleaseth him Secondly I say that this extending of his speciall goodnesse vnto some and not to others is no accepting of persons in that sence which the Scripture saith God is no accepter of persons For First Saint Augustine tels vs that Ibi est acceptio personarum vbi quae aequalibus ex aquo debentur inaequaliter distribuuntur There is the acception of persons What it is to be an accepter of persons where those things which are equally due to all men are vnequally distributed to some men but where those things which are due to none are freely giuen vnto some and vnequally distributed vnto those yet herein is neither partiality nor iniquity because as our Sauiour saith God may doe with his owne what he will Math. 20.15 and giue the same to whom he please And thereby Huic facit misericordia tibi non fit iniuria He doth but shew mercy vnto the one and he doth no iniustice to the other Secondly the meaning of the holy Ghost in saying that God is no accepter of persons is not that he chooseth not one man rather then another for so hee chose Iacob and hated Esau Mal. 1.2 but that he chooseth not any man in regard of the outward indowments or naturall gifts or any other thing that is in that man rather then in other men as not Achitophel for his wisedome not Absolon for his beauty not Sampson for his strength God chooseth no man for the loue of any thing that is in man not Diues for riches nor Iacob for any thing that was in Iacob more then in Esau for whom he chooseth he chooseth meerely out of his meere grace and goodnesse towards the one rather then the other as he himselfe plainely sheweth I will haue mercy on whom I will haue mercy Exod. 33.19 And so you see how abundantly God is good eternally in himselfe generally vnto all and more especially vnto his Saints Oh then let vs not be like the Aegyptians that found out the streames of the Riuer Nilus but knew not the springs from whence they issued Let vs not be ignorant of that spring and Fountaine from whence wee receiue so many benefits That we should acknowledge all our goodnesse to proceede from God and so many streames of goodnesse for this were but like the Swine to eate the Acornes that fall on the ground and neuer to behold the Tree from whence they fall or to beare the name of God written in our hearts by the Pen of Nature and yet to be like the Athenian Altar wherein was ingrauen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the vnknowne God but rather in all things whatsoeuer wee haue or inioy health wealth or prosperity spirituall or temporall grace let vs with Saint Iames acknowledge the same to descend from aboue and to proceede vnto vs from this abundant goodnesse of God And for the same Iames 1.17 let vs ascribe vnto God the honour due vnto his name to worship him with holy worship And so much for the fourth particle Of the abundant goodnesse of God CHAP. IX Of the superabundant truth of God THe fift particle of Gods goodnesse is that hee is abundant in truth Now truth saith Anselmus is as Time or as Light which though but one yet is it diuersly distinguished So Truth saith the Phylosopher is variously considered and that either Arist aethic l. 4. c. 7. Moral l. 1. c 33. What morall Truth is 1. Morally 2. Physically In the first sence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Truth is a vertue euenly placed betwixt arrogancy and simulation or as Cicero defines it and which Saint Augustine holds to be the best definition of it Veritas est per quam immutata quae sunt quae fuerunt quae futura sunt dicuntur Truth is that i. e. that vertue whereby things past things present and things to come are immutably related as they are And this Truth though it be in God or rather from God because he alwayes saith and relateth things immutably as they be yet is it not in him as in vs because in vs truth is a morall vertue whereby as by an habite we are propense and inclined to shew forth the things as they be but in God it is not as a quality but an essentiall property whereby he is what he is and can no more leaue to be or to relate Truth then he can leaue to be a God What Physical Truth is In the second sence Veritas cuiuslibet rei est proprietas sui esse quod stabilitum est ei The truth of euery thing is the propriety of his being or as Saint Augustine saith Verum est id quod est That is true which is Illud enim omnes verum dicunt esse quod tale reuera est Aâ—gust Soliâ—â—que l. 2. c. 5. quale esse videtur c. For all men saith he â—ffirme that to be true which is indeede as it seemes to be and that to be false which is not as it seemes to be as the Image of a man in a glasse seemes to be a man and is not and therefore though it be a true image of a man yet is it a false man And so hee is a false friend which seemes to be a true frâ—end and is not A most heauy sentence against them which say They are Iewes Reuel 2.9 and are not but are of the Synagogue of Satan which say they are Christians but serue not God and which seeme to be iust and honest men but inwardly are rauening Wolues because they being not what they seeme to be doe deceiue themselues and the truth is not in them And therefore 1 Iohn 1.6 Nihil prodest illis nomen vsurpare alienum vocari quod non sunt It will auaile them nothing to vsurpe a wrong name and to be called what they are not for though they may deceiue the World yet Christ which is truth it selfe and knoweth all truth will tell them at the last day that he neuer knew them that is Math 25.12 to be true Christians which they seemed to be but were not And thus God is truth and that two wayes 1. Essentially in himselfe 2. Causally in all things First God is essentially true yea trueth it selfe as Moses and as our Sauiour sayth quia est quod est Deut. 32.4 because he is that which he is and that which he seemes to be and thus properly
Rursus labefacta cadebat religio then hee thought it could not bee that there should bee any God because he cared not as he thought for the righteous people Euen so I must needes confesse that when I consider the sincerity of that Religion which wee teach the summe of it plainely expressed in the Scriptures and the end of it tending onely to the glory of God I doe assure my selfe that we haue amongst vs the very Truth of God but on the other side when I consider Quomodo commutauerunt veritatem Dei in mendacium How many of vs doe change this Truth of God into a lye when they doe liue cleane contrary to what they Professe and some of the best of vs euen of the Teachers of this Truth doe leade our liues not onely as they doe whom we daily condemne for such intollerable corruptions vnbeseeming Christians but also in many things as Pagans who know not God It makes me often muse and Nicodemus-like to aske how can these things be John 3. to haue the Truth amongst vs and yet to haue such pleasure in vanity and to seeke after leasing Psal 4. For our Sauiour prayeth for his seruants that God would sanctifie them through the Truth Iohn 17.17 and yet behold the fruits of our Sanctification It was said of old Mos est praelatis praebendas non dare gratis ô Monachi vestri stomachi sunt amphora Bacchi vos estis Deus est testis turpissima pestis Sed bene nummatis aut corum sanguine natis And now the world saith of some of vs Wee sell our Churches we purchase Lands we raise our sonnes to worldly honours we suppresse whom we lift though neuer so good we raise our friends though neuer so bad and what not What should I say any more what say they can Rome doe more or what more doe we then the Heathens doe or as our Sauiour saith Doe not the Publicans and Sinners euen the same and if these things be done in a greene tree If this be the life of vs that are as the light of the world what shall we say of others which by Profession are lay secular men I take God to witnesse before whom I stand and by whom I shall be iudged that I haue admired and often grieued at my heart not onely to heare what perhaps the aduersaries of the Truth or some lewd dissolute men that neither loue God nor his Ministers but are euer ready to speake the worst of all for the offence of few might falsely say against vs but also to see how dissolute how worldly and how conformable to the world boone companions fashionable to all Companies a great many of vs doe liue Nec Iouis imperium nec Phlegetonta timent And therefore I wonder not that the simple are brought to their nonplus to see Truth and Wickednesse thus linked together in the same persons Rom. 1.18 But when I consider what the Apostle saith that the Gentiles did hold the Truth in vnrighteousnesse I must needs acknowledge that wicked men may haue the theoricke knowledge of the Truth and teach this Truth vnto others and yet be castawayes themselues for so our Sauiour saith that many shall come in the last day and say Lord open vnto vs for we haue prophesied in thy Name and done many great workes through thy Name to whom the Lord shall answer I know you not depart from me you workers of iniquity Rom. 3.3 Besides as the Apostle saith of the Iewes What if some did not beleeue shall their vnbeliefe make the faith of God without effect God forbid c. 10.16 or what If all did not obey the Gospell or that some of the branches be broken off Shall this hinder the saluation of the rest God forbid So I may say of vs What if some of vs what if many of vs euen the best of vs should be as the world saith we are should that preiudice the rest and especially the Truth of God God forbid I hope I may boldly say it that the world cannot say nor any man in the world deny it vnlesse he putteth on the face of the father of lies but as we haue had many Reuerend and faithfull Bishops many graue and painfull Preachers that haue spent their strength in the expressing and sacrificed their deerest bloud in defending this Truth so wee haue still many worthy and godly Bishops and many holy and heauenly Ministers Parcite paucorum diffundere crimē in omnes Spectetur meritis quilibet apte suis that doe most vprightly walke in the Truth of God and shall these be condemned and reproached for the offence of others Shall all be blamed for the offence of few No God forbid let euery horse beare his owne burthen for euery man shall be iudged according to his owne workes And therefore though as in the field of Gods Church there are Tares as well as Wheat so in our Priestly dignity there are many amongst vs that are not of vs of whom I vnderstand what I said before that are like Statuae Mercuriales which shew the way to others but walke not one steppe themselues or like those skilfull Cookes that dresse good meate for others but taste not a bit thereof themselues or rather that feed not the flocke at all but feed themselues vpon the flocke of Christ and gather wealth to themselues in steed of gayning soules to God yet let GOD be true and euery man a lyar and let not the wicked life of some men scandalize this eternall Truth of God we haue it now amongst vs It was purchased by paines preserued by blood and most gloriously continued to this very day and I doe assure my selfe that as there were seauen thousand men in Israel which bowed not their knees to Baal 1 Kings 19.18 so there be many thousands of men in England that if they wanted Inke to defend that Diuine Truth which we doe Professe would maintaine the same with their deerest blood and I boldly set it downe that if Satan should be let loose to persecute the Saints of God I doe vnfainedly wish my burning bones might first giue light vnto all them that desire to walke in this Truth But we haue more cause to pray to God to defend the Defendor of this Truth not onely by his Royall Authority whereby wee doe inioy this Truth in a blessed peace but also by his owne Diuine Penne and industry whereby he shewed himselfe Esse quod est to be of the Truth indeed rather then any wayes in the least manner to feare or suspect the disturbance of the same for God who is abundant in Truth will preserue his owne Truth for euermore And therefore seeing that though some of vs be wicked yea though all of vs should be wicked and depriue our selues of happinesse which I hope our greatest enemies will not dare to say yet doth not that make the Truth of God of none effect Let vs be Gens
but I will by Gods helpe be euer ready with all my heart to suffer any thing for the Name of Iesus Christ and for the least iot of his truth But I doe much reioyce in that assured confidence which I haue that your Lordship will herein as well as in all other points of true piety be an heauenly shining light and president vnto all other circumstant and succeeding Bishops and other Patrons whatsoeuer and to that end my prayers shall euer continue for your Lordship And for you my most worthy friend and neuer to be forgotten Benefactor Sir Iohn Wynne I must because I may truely say of you with the Poet Ego te intus in cute noui I am so intimately and inwardly acquainted with your very heart affections most earnestly pray to God for your long continuance amongst vs not onely because of your continuall loue and fauours vnto me and mine but especially to be as you haue beene hitherto the chiefest pillar of ciuill gouernment the best relieuer of our poore and needy and the most apparant patterne of all good workes of piety and charity in all these parts wherein you liue and you haue not lost your reward for God hath blessed you and your Lady with many blessed children all fearing God I said enough though I could truely say much more hereof such a comfort that not many men haue the like and God renueth your yeares as the Eagles and I hope yet will adde vnto your dayes as he did vnto the dayes of Ezechias and yet this is nothing Quia merces tua apud Deum in respect of that great reward which you shall haue of God because that by continuance in well doing you shall be sure to haue glory and honour and immortality and therefore most worthy Knight as I beare witnesse of this truth which I haue seene and know of your Religious heart fearing God full of good so I say vnto you as Christ saith vnto the Church of Smyrna Goe on in your course of godlinesse and be faithfull vnto the death and you shall haue the Crowne of life when the Lord shall say vnto you Euge serue bone Well done thou good and faithfull seruant enter thou into thy Masters ioy Amen Your Lordships and your Worships in all Christian seruice to be commanded GR. WILLIAMS To the Christian READER Deere and Christian Reader THe more grace any man receiueth from God the more thankefulnesse and seruice he oweth to God And I confesse God hath shewed me farre more then vsuall fauours which I assure my selfe he denyed to many farre more worthy of loue then I poore worme could any wayes thinke my selfe to be for he hath three times at least bestowed my life vpon me first in making me as he did all other men secondly in redeeming me as he doth all righteous men and thirdly in preseruing me from the hands of wicked men who though they gaue not any life vnto me yet induced by the malice of Hell and assisted by the subtilty of Satan did combine with a craftier cruelty then euer that I could finde the Arrian Bishops did against that innocent constant Athanasius to take away my feeble life for when the proud were risen vp against me Psal 86.14 and the congregation of naughty men had sought after my soule and compassed me on euery side Ecclus 51. so that there was no man to helpe me yet when I prayed vnto my God Vers 2. that he would not leaue me in the dayes of my trouble and in the time of the proud when I had none other help then did he awake as a Giant out of sleep and preserued my body from destruction Vers 3. he saued me from the mouth of the King of Lyons and according to the multitude of his mercies hee deliuered mee from the teeth of them that were ready to deuoure me and out of the hands of them that sought after my life Vers 7. yea he was so gracious vnto me that he left me not vntil mine eyes did see their desire vpon mine enemies not their destructiō which my soule desired they might neuer taste of and I pray God they desired the same themselues but their suppression so as they might neuer triumph in the miseries of Gods seruants nor trample the bloud of innocents vnder feet And therefore seeing God hath been so gracious vnto me I haue most constantly resolued by the assistance of his Spirit not onely to praise his Name for his goodnesse and to tell what he hath done for my soule but also to dedicate my whole life wholly to his seruice to despise the vanities of this life to abandon all the pleasures of this world to be carelesse of all earthly things * Quae possessa onerant amata inquinant amissa cruciant but what may make in ordine ad deum to helpe me the better to serue my God and with Iohn Baptist to consume my life in the preaching and penning of Gods Word and maugre all the malice of the proudest Prelates in the world to speake the truth as my conscience tels me though my wife and children should all begge and my body be burned for the same I will neuer count my life deare vnto me to spend it in his seruice that so often gaue it me And because I desired to doe that which I thought best for the edifying of Gods Church I haue applied my selfe to treate of these ensuing theames which doe containe the chiefest points and the most necessary grounds of all Christian Religion for besides my naturall inclination euer tending rather to pacification then contention I thinke we haue more neede of fundamentall instructions which are necessary for all men then of any controuersiall positions which may satisfie some men that perhaps desire rather to informe their iudgement then to reforme their manners And in the handling of them I haue intermingled the positiue declaration of the truth in a scholasticke forme with a forcible application of the same vnto our soules for the framing of our liues to make vse of what wee learne for I approue not so well the handling of Gods word with too slender inforcement of the same vnto our consciences as the schoolemen did their too much addicted followers vse to doe nor yet meerely to stand vpon exhortations with too slight expounding the most principle grounds of Religion which I feare to be the fault of too many amongst vs And therefore the one being but as a foundation without roofe and the other as a building on the sand or in the ayre vpon reeden pillars I haue euer adiudged it the best course to knit both together to make both a perfect buiding If I haue done well it is that which I desired but if I haue done slenderly it is that I could attaine vnto Aug. proaem l. 3. de Trinit And therefore I will be euer of that Fathers minde which in all his workes and
writings desired not onely pium Lectorem a courteous Reader of his labours but also liberum Correctorem a free reprouer of his faults but so that they doe it friendly to blame in their iudgement where it is equity but not to blaze my faults vnto the world which is a breach of charity and that they doe as well accept of what is good as except against what is ill herein for I know there be many Momus-like Qui vel non intelligendo reprehendunt Idem contra Faust l. 22. c. 34. vel reprehendendo non intelligunt that doe shew their folly in reprouing others when out of enuy or ignorance they blame that good of others which they haue not or know not themselues And for these there is none other helpe but to be carelesse of their censures and to pray against their wickednesse There be faults escaped in the Printing the most of them be literall as the mistaking of e for ae econtra and such like faults of no great moment especially to him that knowes how hard it is to make things perfect and therefore I hope they shall be either mended with thy pen or pardoned without thy censure for other things I onely desire thy prayers for mee and thou shalt euer finde his paines and prayers for thee which loueth thee and all men in Iesus Christ with all vnfainednesse GR. VVILLIAMS This Treatise cōtaineth 1. The worke done i. e. sin and that is either 1. Originall sinne where is considered 1. What euill it bringeth 2. How it is deriued 2. Actuall sin where is shewed 1. How it is defined 2. How it is increased 1. Inwardly 1. By the suggestion of Satan 2. By the delights of the flesh 3. By the consent of the spirit 2. Outwardly 1. Secretly committed 2 Publiquely aduentured 3. Vsually practised 4. Exceedingly enlarged 3. How it is cōmitted viz. of 1. Ignorance 2. Knowledge 3. Infirmity 4. Malice which is 1. Wilfull 2. Spitefull * And from hence is seene 1. The diuersity of sinners 2. The inequality of sins yet that 1. Euery sinne brings death 2. The sin of any one brings death 3. The least sin of any one brings death 2. The wages to be paid for sin i. e. death which signifieth the curse of God extending it selfe 1. Vpon all creatures 1. Heauenly 2. Earthly 2. Vpon euery man to whom it bringeth a treble death 1. Of the soule whereof it killeth 1. Will. 2. Vnderstanding 3. Memory 2. Of the body where is considered 1. What is meant by death i. e. all miseries 1. In all Ages 2. In all States 3. By all Creatures 2. How farre it extendeth ouer all men 3. How variably it worketh in respect of the 1. Manner 2. Time 3. Place 4. Effects †which are different the cause whereof is 1. The practise of a good life 2. The meditatiō of our death 3. The applic of Christs death 3. Of body and soule in Hell 3. The equity of this wages is seene if we consider 1. That it is iust to punish sinne 2. That God is the iustest Iudg that can bee found to punish sinne 1. Because he loueth righteousnesse 2. Because he iudgeth without respect of persons 3. Because he punisheth euery man according to his desart Where the inequality of Hell punishment is shewed 3. That all the punishment afore-said inflicted for sinne is most iust 1. Not in respect of a sinners will eternally to sinne if he did eternally liue but 2. In a iust proportion of the punishment to the haynousnesse of the sin committed which is seene in respect 1. Of the leuity and easinesse to doe what God commandeth 2. Of the transcendent deformity of sinne which is seene if we consider 1. The Nature of him that is offended 2. The quality of him that doth offend 3. The Nature of the sinne that is committed This Treatise sheweth 1. What God is and how God is knowne what he is two wayes 1. As he is in himselfe so none knoweth God but God himselfe 2. As he hath expressed himselfe to vs and so he may be known 1. By way of negation 2. By way of affirmation 3. By way of superexcellency and so hee is shewed to be 1. An eternall being in himselfe 2. A giuer of being 1. To all creatures 2. To all his promises which should teach vs to labour to be vnited to him to be thankefull and to beleeue all his promises 3. An absolute L. of all things which should teach vs to serue him for 3. especiall reasons 2. What maner of God he is where the nature of God is shewed by three speciall attributes viz. 1. By his Power touching which is handled 1. The number quality of the aduersaries of Gods power which are 1. The Infidels that will not beleeue in him 2. The desperate men that cannot hope in him 3. The vbiquitaries of Germany 4. The pontificialls of Rome 2. How the actiue power of God is to be considered in resp 1. Of his inward operations 2. Of his outward operatiōs and so it must be cōsidered 1. Relatiuely as it respecteth the will and decree of God 2. Absolutely so he can doe all things 1. Which are not contrary to Gods Nature 2. Which imply not contradiction 3. The proofe of Gods omnipotency which is shewed from 1. The Word of God 2. The workes of God 1. In the beginning of the world 2. Throughout the continuance 3. In the end of the world 3. The consent of all Diuines 4. The testimony of many Heathens 5. The confession of the very Diuels 4. The answering to the chiefest obiections 1. Of the Infidels 2. Of the desperate 3. Of the vbiquitaries 4. Of the pontificials 5. The vsefull appl of this do which serueth 1. To confute many heresies 2. To comfort all the Godly 3. To condemne all the wicked 2 By his goodnes and that seauen especial wayes viz. that he is 1. Mercifull which consisteth in 1. Giuing of graces 2. Forgiuing of sinnes 3. Qualifying of punishments 2. Gracious which signifieth 1. Amiable 2. Placable 3. Liberall 3. Slow to anger shewed 1. By Scriptures 2. By examples old and new 4. Abundant in goodnes 1. As he is in himselfe 2. As he is to others 1. Generally to all creatures by 1. Creating all things 1. simp g. 2. rela g. 2. pres thē frō euill 3. enric thē with g. 2. Specially to his elect 1. by dec their elec 2. by their effect cal 3. by the filling of thē with his graces 5. Abundant in truth 1. Essentially truth in himselfe 2. Causally the fountaine of al truth 1. Of things 2. Of the vnderstanding 3. Of expression which is 1. Primar in Scrip. 2 Secondarily from man to man 6. Reseruing mercy for thousands that is 1. Extensiuely 2. Successiuely 7. Forgiuing iniquitie and transgression and sin i. e. all kinds of sin 1. Originall corruption 2. Actuall commission 3. Greatest abhom if we repent * The vsefull applic of Gods
be abundantly true because as Hugo saith In sacra Scriptura non solum bonitas est quod praecipitur faelicitas quod promittitur sed etiam veritas est quod dicitur Whatsoeuer is said in the holy Scripture 2 Cor. 1.20 it is absolutely true without any errour and the promises of God are as sure as if they were already performed for he is yea and Amen i. e. True in himselfe true in his workes and true in all his words And this Truth of the Lord indureth for euer for He will not alter the thing that is gone out of his mouth neither will he suffer his Truth to faile But when we forget both him and our selues Luke 1.72 he will still be mindfull of his promise and remember his holy couenant And therefore seeing that as the Light is so excellent a thing the first-borne of all visible Creatures and the very comfort of euery afflicted heart that dispelleth all darkenesse discouereth all things and the procreatiue cause of all Creatures so is this Truth of God What we ought to doe of that transcendent excellency as that it is the best guide of our liues and the sole meanes to saue our soules It should teach vs First Comparare veritatem To purchase this Truth and to get the same vnto our selues by any meanes First to spare no cost to get that Truth Matth. It is that Treasure â—id in the field to gaine which the wise Merchant sold all that euer he had no labour is too great no cost is too deare to gaine this Truth Multa tulit fecitque puer sudauit alsit Horat. And as another saith Ardua quamuis sit via non metuit virtus inuicta laborem If the Gentiles did toyle and moyle and sweat and spare no paines to get a little measure of humane learning which did almost nothing else but puffe them vp with pride what paines ought we to take to search and seeke for this Diuine Truth which is onely able to saue our soules Secondly Retinere veritateÌ„ to let passe this truth Secondly to hazard all we haue in defence of this Truth when once we haue attained vnto the same by no meanes but to keepe it and to retaine it vnto death for so Salomon saith Buy the truth but sell it not i. e. when you haue gotten it part not from it and this is no small taske Non minor est virtus quam quaerere parta tueri But it is as difficult a thing to retaine it as it is to finde it for seeing the truth is like the light and the light is many times obscured with cloudes and darkenesse so the truth is opposed by errour and ignorance it is enuied and hated by the sonnes of men and as Tertullian saith it hath beene euer seene Juellus in Apol. ex Tertul. Apolloget Veritatem in terris peregrinam agere inter ignotos facile calumniatores inuenire That the truth was entertained on earth but as a Pilgrime and a Stranger that easily findeth enemies in euery place and scarce friends in any place and so the Booke of God and the story of times doth make it plaine how the Professors of this Truth were alwayes persecuted and the Truth it selfe sought to be suppressed by the sonnes of darkenesse Moses and Aaron were withstood by Pharaoh and resisted by Iannes and Iambres and the rest of the Sorcerers of Egypt The Prophets were so vehemently and so generally persecuted by the Iewes that Saint Stephen asketh them Acts 7.52 Which of the Prophets haue not your Fathers persecuted and Christ himselfe which was borne to this end Vt testimonium perhiberet veritati That he might beare witnesse vnto the Truth John 18.37 was resisted vnto death and so all the Martyres and faithfull witnesses of this eternall Truth can beare witnesse what they suffered in the defence of Truth What is needfull for vs if we would retain the Truth And therefore if we would retaine the truth wee haue need of Patience we haue need of Courage and of a constant Resolution neuer to suffer this Heauenly Truth to bee taken from vs vntill our selues be taken out of this wretched life Let vs lay before vs the examples of the Patriarkes and Prophets of Christ himselfe of his holy Apostles and of all his blessed Martyres which thought not their liues too deare to defend this Truth let vs not be degenerate children of such worthy Progenitors as transmitted this Truth vnto vs with the losse of their liues That Truth at last will euer preuaile And though wee haue neede of Patience to suffer much in the defence of Truth yet wee may be confident that Truth will preuaile and get the victory for as no darkenesse can so swallow vp the light but that in its appointed time it will gloriously returne againe so no power of darknesse can so suppresse the Truth but at last it will appeare as the cleare day Because as the nature of errour is such Cokus de iure regis Eoclesiastico that although none be to withstand it yet as the smoake at last it will vanish of it selfe so the nature of Truth is such that although neuer so many doe oppugne it yet at last it will preuaile as Zorobabel saith and as the Comicke saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Time will bring out the Truth into Light at last And therefore seeing the Truth is of that inuincible power that although it may be obscured yea for a time with Christ himselfe be buried yet it cannot be extinguished nor remain perpetually intombed but that the time will come wherein nothing is hid which shall not be reuealed nothing is couered which shall not be manifested We should arme our selues with confidence and sure trust in God which according to his Truth will at last bring all Truth to light and saue all them that put their trust in him But here me thinkes I heare some saying they would willingly spend their liues in defence of Truth if they could tell what were Truth for now there are so many Religions so many Professions and so many diuersities of Opinions in the world that it is farre easier for them to spend their life then to find out what is Truth I answere that as Claudian saith Saepe mihi dubiam traxit sententia mentem curarent superi terras an nullus inesset rector He was much distracted and knew not what to resolue whether there was a Diuine prouidence or not because when he saw the most admirable course of things he said Claud. l. 1. in Ruff. Tunc omnia rebar consilio firmata Dei He thought it was vnpossible that that could proceed but from a superiour cause but on the other side when as the Prophet Dauid saith He saw the wicked in such prosperity and the Righteous hang downe their heads like a Bull-rush yea and hâ—nged many times like the wicked sonnes of euill doers
that we haue John 1.17 we haue them all through Iesus Christ our Lord. And thus by the helpe of Gods Spirit wee haue thus farre sayled through the boundlesse Ocean of Gods goodnesse and in all this we can shew you no more then little drops of raine or small sparkes of fire What wee should learne from this doctrine of Gods goodnesse in comparison of the huge elements of fire and water so great is his goodnesse and so vnable is our small vnderstanding to apprehend the greatnesse of Gods goodnesse It should teach vs First to be afraid to sinne for there is mercy with God First to be afraid to sinne that he may be feared or if we haue sinned to make vs presently to forsake our sinnes and to be sorrowfull for our offences for the mercy of God leadeth vs to repentance saith the Apostle And herein is the difference betwixt the wicked and the godly mans application of Gods goodnesse First the wicked considereth how gracious and how mercifull the Lord is as well as the best but he maketh the worst vse of this that possible can be for he saith vnto himselfe Ezek. 18.32 that the mercy of God is great and he desireth not the death of a sinner which is most true but then he inferres a most damnable consequence How the wicked doe abuse Gods goodnesse Rom. 2.5 that therefore he may the more boldly goe on in sinne or at least with the lesse feare offend his God and so he maketh the grace and goodnesse of God to be as an horse to carry away his sinnes or as his sole incouragement to goe on in sinne and therby he heapeth vnto himselfe wrath against the day of wrath because as the wise man saith Mercy and wrath come from God and his indignation falleth downe vpon sinners But Secondly the godly considering the goodnesse of God doe thereupon exceedingly feare to sinne because they are loath to offend so good a God The consideration of Gods goodnesse is a meanes to preserue the good men from sinne that hath beene so gracious and so bountifull vnto them and if at any time through their infirmitie they doe offend him they will presently returne to God because they know God is euer ready to receiue them and so they make the consideration of Gods goodnesse to be a hinderance of their sinning and offending God and to be a furtherance of their repenting and returne to God And I would to God wee would all make this vse of the Mercy of God and say with that Christian Poet Ah miser an summi quoniam propensa parentis Ad veniam est bonitas in scelus omne ruis Ah wretched men that we are shall we abound in sinne because God abounds in goodnesse God forbid for that were to turne the grace of God into wantonnes and to abuse his goodnes for our destruction and not to vse it for our saluation And therefore the better God hath beene to vs the more wee should bleed to offend that God we should call to minde if wee can wherein God wronged our names that wee should so often at euery word almost abuse the most sacred name of God or when hee was hard to vs that we should so hardly deale with him as by our sinnes we doe to render him euill for good and hatred for good will Secondly neuer to despaire of Gods Mercie Rom. 5.2 Secondly this Doctrine teacheth vs neuer to despaire of Gods Mercy for where sinne aboundeth grace superaboundeth i. e. though thy sinnes be neuer so great neuer so many yet the Mercie of God is greater and therefore thou art deceiued Caine to say Gen. 4.13 Thy sinne is greater then can be forgiuen thee for though my sinne were greater then euer hath beene committed yet it is not greater then God can forgiue me or though I were neuer so full of sinnes yet is God more full of mercies because no sinnes of man can exceede the Mercy of God Chrysost hom 19. in Gen. as Saint Chrysostome saith and therefore though my sinnes were neuer so many euen as many as haue beene committed in the world since the beginning of the world Esay 44.22 yet seeing the Lord can put them all away like a cloud and though they were neuer so haynous euen as red as scarlet yet seeing the Lord can make them as white as snow I ought neuer to despaire of the grace and Mercy of God Quia semper inueniam Deum benigniorem quaÌ„ me culpabiliorem Because I shall be sure to finde God more Mercifull then I am sinfull as Saint Bernard saith Bernard ser 1. Et quia vberior Dei gratia quam precatio nostra semper plus tribuens quam rogatur And because God is euer reâ—dier to forgiue then we are to craue pardon and doth alwayes bestow more then vsually we desire as Saint Ambrose saith Ambros super Luc. l. 5. Et deserentes se non deserit And doth not alwayes leaue them which forsake him as Saint Gregory saith Sed impios quaerit qui eum non quaerebant But doth oftentimes seeke for those wicked men Greg. ho. 22. super illud Ecce caeperunt excusare c. that neuer sought for him And this is the chiefest end and the rightest vse of the Mercy of God for as Medicamentum propter vulnus The salue is made for the wound and not the wound because I haue a salue so the Mercy of God is taught to heale our wounded soules and not to incourage vs to wound our soules with sinne saith Saint Augustine But here it may be obiected Ob. that there is a sinne against the Holy Ghost which cannot be pardoned and therefore all sinners cannot from hence conceiue hope of pardon I answere first Sol. What the sinne against the holy Ghost is Beza ho. 28. de pass Dom. That sinne is called irremissible three wayes that although we may partly know what this sinne is viz. A willing witting malicious totall apostacie yet I say we can neuer discerne where it is Sine rarissimis inspirationibus Without some rare and speciall inspiration as Beza saith which few or none can now say he is sure of Secondly I say that a sinne may be called irremissible three wayes First Priuatiuely when the sinne by congruence of merit deserues damnation though by the congruence of Gods Mercies it may be pardoned and so are all sinnes irremissible if we consider their iust desert Secondly Contrarily when the sinne doth not onely deserue punishment but also opposeth pardon and refuseth all the meanes of remission and so is the sinne against the Holy Ghost irremissible because it not onely not seeketh but also reiecteth and opposeth pardon Thirdly Negatiuely That there is no sinne in the world but God can forgiue it when the sinne can no wayes be remitted and so in my iudgement is no sinne vnpardonable For though in regard of our impenitency and perpetuall
whether visible or inuisible whether inwardly conceited in our mindes or outwardly exposed to our senses for so the Apostle saith that because the Gentiles knowing God glorified him not as God but changed his glory into the Image of birds beasts and creeping things Rom. 1.18.24 therefore the wrath of God was reueiled from Heauen against their vngodlinessse Deut. 32.17 and he gaue them vp to vile affections Deut. 7.26 to doe those things which were not conuenient for this sinne of Idolatry is so offensiue vnto God that it is tearmed a seruice of the Diuell and therefore abhominable and accursed by God and most dangerous vnto Man Secondly a perfidious tempting of God The doubting of Gods goodnesse towards vs is a most horrible wickednesse Psal 78. c. 1 Cor. 10.9 as whether hee be with vs or whether he can or will doe what he promised for vs for so the Psalmist saith that the Israelites tempted God in their hearts and spake against him saying Shall God prepare a table in the Wildernesse He smote the stony Rocke so that the water gushed out and the streames flowed withall but can he giue bread also or prouide for his people and therefore the Lord was so wroth that the fire was kindled in Iacob and there came vp heauy displeasure against Israel because they beleeued not in God and put not their trust in his helpe for God is so able and so willing to helpe his owne seruants that none can doubt thereof without horrible inâ—ignity offered him And therefore we should euer relye upon him and neuer doubt of this infinite goodnesse of God Thirdly a murmuring against God To murmure or to be discontented with God a heauie sinne Gen. 4.5 and complaining secretly as it were in our hearts that he doth either presse vs sore with heauy yoakes and punishments or that he dealeth not so gently and so louingly with vs as he doth with others for thus Caine murmured against God that he accepted the oblation of Abell better then his and thus the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 10.10 the children of Israel murmured against God that he had dealt hardly with them in bringing them out of Egypt to suffer hunger and thirst in the wildernesse and therefore they were destroyed of the destroyer and therefore we should beware of murmuring which is nothing worth and take heed of this muttering against God for there is no thought so secret that it shall goe for naught Wisd 1.11 Iob 13.15 Rom. 8.28 but we should with Iob in all estates put our trust in him though he kils vs knowing that he worketh all things for the best for them that loue him Fourthly an obstinate contumatious rebelling against God To refuse to obay God a fearefull sinne as when we refuse to heare his word wil not be obedient vnto his lawes but will say with the Iewes Let vs breake his bonds asunder and cast away his cords from vs Psal 2.3.4.5 for against these the Psalmist saith He that dwelleth in Heauen shall laugh them to scorne the Lord shall haue them in derision and then shall he speake vnto them in his wrath and vexe them his sore displeasure And therefore we should take heed of rebelling and refusing to heare and to obey the Word of God least the wrath of God should be suddenly kindled against vs and consume vs. To oppose the knowne truth a most horrible sinne Num. 14.37 Fiftly Blasphemy against God and the slandering of the Truth of his Doctrine especially when we oppose it fully though wee know it to be Truth most certainely as the spies that were sent to view the Land of Canaan did and therefore dyed by the plague before the Lord for this is a sinne of a malicious wickednesse and a branch of that vnpardonable sinne against the Holy Ghost and therefore we should euer take heed to oppose the Truth against our consciences Deut. 27. Disobedience to Parents a most fearefull sinne Sixtly Disobedience and dishonoring of our Parents for so the Lord saith Cursed be he that despiseth his Father his Mother and let all the people say Amen And therefore we finde heauy iudgements inflicted vpon Cham Absalon and all other like children of disobedience and the Lord requiring that vpon the bare testimony of the Parents saying This our child is disobedient and will not be ruled by vs they should carry him out of the Citie and stone him with stones till he dyed Gen. 4.10 The shedding of mans blood a most haynous sinne Seauenthly The shedding of Innocent bloud especially of those that are the sonnes of God for the voyce of blood as may be seen in Abell is such a shril piercing vndeniable voyce that it will speedily ascend to Heauen and neuer depart vntill vengeance bee powred out vpon the sinners Oppressing the poore a fearefull sinne Eightly The oppressing of the poore the fatherlesse and the Widdowes for if you hurt the Poore and they cry vnto me saith the Lord Et indignabitur furor meus I will surely heare their cry and my wrath shall waxe hot and I will kill you with the sword and your Wiues shall be Widdowes and your children fatherlesse Vntamed lusts a most odious sinne Ninthly Vnbridled wandring lusts such as were the lusts of the Citizens of Sodome and of all those that giue themselues to doe adulteries whoredomes and following after strange flesh for the Lord hateth all such lasciuious liuers and therefore destroyed of them three and twenty thousand in one day 1 Cor. 10.8 and wrought a most grieuous slaughter vpon the whole tribe of Beniamin Judg. 19.25 for that one foule abuse offered vnto the Leuiteâ— Wife Tenthly Sacriledge and prophaning of holy things for this is a robbing of God as the Prophet sheweth Mal. 3.8 Sacriledge a fearefull sinne and such a high transcendent sinne as that I could farre easier fill whole volumes of most fearefull examples of Gods vengeance executed against sacrilegious persons then finde you one man either in Diuine or humane stories that wronged and robbed the Church of God and scapt vnpunished both in himselfe and his posterity vnto the third and fourth generation Eleuenthly Continuall swearing a most dangerous sinne Continuall swearing and prophaning of the blessed Name of God for of all the sinnes forbidden in the Commandements this onely with Idolatry is forbidden with sub paena with a curse yea a grieuous curse denounced against vs if we will not shunne it for the Lord will not hold him guiltlesse that taketh his Name in vaine These and such like lewde and wicked sinners they say God absoluing will not absolue because the doers hereof haue no loue of goodnesse no care of godlinesse no sence of sinne no remorse of conscience and therefore is the Wrath of God so exceedingly kindled against these sinners sinners 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 these grieuous huge and horrible sinners that he will neuer
another and yet is not transferred or changed into the nature of the other as a Souldier putting on his armour is made an armed man or a man wearing on his garments is no more a naked but a cloathed man And so the Word is now cloathed with our flesh tâ—e same Word but after another manner before onely subsisting of the Deity now of both natures being made flesh not as water is made wine but as Aaron was made Priest and Dauid King not by changing him into a Priest or King but by beginning to be what they were not and not leauing to bee what they were or because this doth not so fully shew it the Priestly or Kingly dignity being but an accidentall title conferred vpon these persons as a naked man is cloathed and made an apparelled man or a Souldier harnessed and made an armed man when all his harnesse is put vpon him as Theodoret Theodoret in Dialog Saint Augustine and others doe declare And so you see that in our Sauiour Christ the two natures doe still remaine intire inconfused CHAP. II. Of the vnion of these two natures of Christ in one and the selfe-same person and some obiections answered SEcondly touching the vnion of these two natures the Deitie and the Humanity wee must know that although this eternall Word the Sonne of God was so made flesh i. e. a perfect man of the seed of Dauid as that still each nature remaineth intire and inconfused yet we must not imagine that he is therefore two sonnes or two persons as Nestorius thought but that he is one onely person consisting of both these natures And because this point of the vnion of these two natures is not of small moment but is a point full of comfort much opposed and of great difficulty I will diuide all that I meane to say concerning the same vnto these three principall heads First The truth hereof shall be confirmed Three things handled concerning the vnion of both natures in Christ and the obiections of our aduersaries shall be answered Secondly The manner of this vnion wherein it consisteth shal be shewed Thirdly The chiefe benefits and effects thereof shall be declared First for the vnion of these two natures A very good simily of Justin Martyr to expresse the manner of the vnion of the two natures in Christ the Word and the Flesh Iustin Martyr saith Sicut post vnitionem primigenij luminis cum solari corpore c. as after the collection and the vnition of the light with the body of the Sunne no man can plucke them asunder neither doth any man call the one a part the Sunne and the other the light but both of them ioyntly together we terme the Sunne euen so after the vnition of our flesh with this true light the Word No man will call the Word apart to be one Sonne of God and the Sonne of man to be another but he will vnderstand both these together to be one and the selfe-same Christ as by the name of Sunne we vnderstand both the light and the body which containeth the light and as the light and body of the Sunne are two seuerall natures so there be in our Sauiour Christ two distinct and seuerall natures Altera nostra altera nobis superior The one is ours the other is Gods and as the light is actually in the Sunne so that none can seperate it from that body wherein it is fixed and contained Hoc exemplo diuinae vnitionis adducto nos ad magis cognitionem confugimus si non omnino ipsá veritatem assequuti certe quandam similitudinem quae pâ—escrutantibus sufficiat Iustin Martyr de recta confess siue de coessent trinit yet we may easily discerne the nature and the proprietie of each one from the other Sic in vno filio dei vniuersam vim nemo seperauerit ab vnica filietate naturae tameÌ„ eius proprietatem ratione quiuis discreuerit So in that one Sonne of God no man can seperate his whole vertue i. e. of the Word and Flesh from that onely Sonneship and yet in our vnderstandings we may discerne the different proprietie of each nature And so saith the Father By this example we flie vnto the more holy cogitation of the diuine vnion of these two natures and if hereby we be not altogether able to attaine vnto the truth thereof as what can be fully sufficient to expresse so great a mystery yet certainly we haue herein a most excellent similitude which will greatly helpe and contentedly suffice the godly and moderate searchers of this truth The vnity of Christ his person most cleerly proued from Scriptures But indeed the holy Scriptures doe of all other writings most fully and cleerely shew that these two natures doe make but one person in our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ for when Christ asked his Apostles whom doe men say that I the Sonne of man am Saint Peter answered that he was Christ the Sonne of the liuing God Matth. 16.13 therefore he is but one person because Saint Peter confesseth the Sonne of man to be the Sonne of the liuing God Verse 16. And the Angel said vnto the Virgin that holy thing which shall be borne of thee Luke 1.35 shall be called the Sonne of God therefore hee is but one person because he which was born of the Virgin was is none other but he that is truly called and is the true Sonne of God And Saint Paul speaking of Christ as he was the eternall Sonne of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 2.3 in respect of his Godhead and as he was the sonne of Dauid 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in respect of his Manhood yet doth he not say of his Sonnes as of two but of his Sonne made and declared to be his Sonne to shew vnto vs that as before his making so now after his making he is still but one Sonne one person of the two distinct natures subsisting Iohn 20.31 And Saint Iohn more plainely saith that these things are written that you might beleeue that Iesus is the Christ the Sonne of God that is that Iesus the Sonne of Mary is that same Christ which is the Sonne of God And in his first Epistle he doth almost nothing but confirme this truth that is 1 Iohn 1.1 that there is but one person in the God and man Christ Iesus For Chap. 1. he saith that which was from the beginning which we haue heard which wee haue seene with our eyes therefore he must needs be but one person for to see with their eyes that word which was from the beginning could no wayes be but onely in respect of the vnitie of the person So Chap. 2. he saith Chap. 2. v. 22. Who is a lyar but he that denyeth Iesus to be the Christ So Chap. 3. he saith Chap. 3. v. 16. In this we perceiue the loue of God that he laid downe his life for vs. So Chap.
4. he saith Chap. 4. v. 3. Euery spirit Qui soluit Iesum which looseth or diuideth Iesus i. e. to make two persons of him is not of God and so in many other places hee doth most plainely shew that the eternall word and our humane nature vnited vnto the same word is but one and the selfe-same Christ i. e. one Christ one person And this is confessed by all antiquity All our Creeds and all antiquity confesseth the same truth touching vnity of Christ his person for in the Apostles Creede we say that we beleeue in Iesus Christ his onely Sonne our Lord which was conceiued of the Holy Ghost and borne of the Virgin Mary and therfore he is but one person because he which is said to be the onely Sonne of God is said also to be borne of the Virgin Mary the same is said in the Nicen Creed and in the Creede of Athanasius it is said that although Christ be both God and Man yet is he no more twaine but one Christ and that not by confounding of the substances but by the vnity of person i. e. by the vniting of both natures into one person What should I rehearse any more for the third Councell of Ephesus the great Councell of Chalcedon the Councell of Lateran and all the ancient Orthodoxe Fathers as Iustin Martyr Irenaeus Saint Basil Saint Nazianzen Saint Damascen Saint Hillary Saint Ambrose Saint Hierome Saint Augustine and the rest of them haue most truely confessed and most learnedly confirmed this truth that although Christ hath two natures the Word and the Flesh yet doe these two make but one person one Sonne of God one Sauiour of men What the Hereticks haue conceiued and most impiously thought concerning the person of Christ But against this Cerinthus and certaine of the Pelagian Hereticks and afterwards Nestorius seperating Iesus from Christ or rather Christ from Himselfe haue affirmed that Iesus was but meere man hauing not onely a humane nature but a humane person and afterwards to be made Christ at the time of his baptisme when the Holy Ghost descended vpon him in the forme of a Doue and therefore they conclude that as he consisteth of two natures so he is likewise two persons which notwithstanding may be said to be one in respect of their co-habitation affection operation and participation as hereafter I shall further shew vnto you Ob. 1 And to confirme this damnable errour against the inuiolable truth they doe obiect that our Sauiour said Destroy this Temple when he spake of his humanitie and therefore the God Christ Iohn 2.9 and the man Christ are two seuerall persons for hee doth not say destroy me but destroy this Temple and I will reare it vp in three dayes to shew vnto vs that the Temple and the dweller in the Temple or the raiser vp of the Temple are not the same but diuers persons Sol. To this I answere briefly that this alledged instance may well proue two natures to be in Christ but not two persons for the soule of man is said to dwell in the body as in a tabernacle because the nature of the soule is different from the nature of the body and yet man hath not two but one person which consisteth of both natures i. e. soule and body for Iob saith that men dwell in houses of Clay Iob 4.19 2 Cor. 5.1 and Saint Paul saith if this earthly house of our Tabernable be dissolued And therefore Saint Chrisostome vpon these words of Saint Iohn and he dwelt in vs doth most truely gather that in Christ there are two natures but from these or from any other places it can neuer be proued that in him there are two persons Ob. 2 Againe they doe obiect that the Sonne of Mary had an Angell to comfort him Matth. 27.46 Iohn 12.27 and said My God my God why hast thou forsaken me And againe Father Saluifica me ex hac hora Saue me from this houre and such like speeches which are not consonant and agreeable to the Sonne of God and therefore the Sonne of Mary is one different and another person from the Sonne of GOD. To this I answer with S. Cyrill Sol. that as there are many things which doe agree with him according to the forme of God which cannot be agreeable to him according to the forme of a seruant so there are many things that do agree with him according to the forme of a seruant which doe not agree with the Sonne of God absolutely considered because he is both a true God and a true man so vnited together as that the properties of neither nature are confounded as hereafter shall be shewed Cyrillus deffâ—nt 4. Anath contra Theodor. and therefore all such sayings and allegations which are said of him or be referred vnto him in respect of one nature which are not properly agreeable to the other nature doe onely shew and most rightly proue two natures but not two persons to be in our Sauiour Christ CHAP. III. Of the manner of the vnion of the two natures and wherein this vnion chiefly consisteth SEcondly Wherein the Hereticks haue affirmed the vnion of both natures in Christ to consist for the manner of this vnion of these two natures in one person or wherein chiefly it consisteth herein resteth the greatest difficulty For First the Nestorians and their followers say that both these natures are saide to bee one by the vnitie of 1. Co-habitation 2. Will and affection 3. Operation 4. Participation First by the vnity of Co-habitation because the Word dwelled in the man Christ as in his choicest House and Temple accocding to that saying of the Euangelist and he dwelt in vs. Iohn 1.14 Secondly by the vnity of will and affection because the will of Christ was alwayes agreeable to the will of God and this they doe illustrate by the example of Man and Wife which though they be two persons Math. 19.5 yet are they said to be one flesh in regard of their mariage knot and especially in respect of their vnanimous hearts so the Sonne of God and the Sonne of Mary are two persons say they and yet may be said to be one Christ in regard of that indissoluble spirituall coniunction and affection that is betwixt them Thirdly By the vnity of operation because the man Christ was the Instrument which the Word God vsed for the effecting of all those great workes that he did while hee walked here on Earth Fourthly By the vnity of participation because the Word God did impart vnto the man Christ his name and dignity that hee should be called God and the Sonne of God and should be worshipped of all Creatures not for his owne sake but for his sake to whom hee was thus vnited How falsly the Heretickes affirme the vnion of the two natures to consist in the aforesaid points But how false and fained are all these subtle infernall distinctions to misteach the