their lives given as a prey Ezechiel Daniel and they that were signified by the basket of good figges Iere. 24.5 were carryed away for their good The Christians likewise were safe at Pella in the destruction of Ierusalem Euseb Ecclesiast hist lib. 3 Cap. 5. So He delivereth from the noy some pestilence Psalm 91.3 c. and in the dayes of famine those that wait on Him shall have enough Psal 37.19 So these things are testimonies unto us both that there shall be a judgement and that the godly shall be saved and the wicked condemned 12 And as if nature if selfe had imprinted the acknowledgment of this judgement in every mans mind so there was never any man c that confessed the resurrection but did withall confesse this generall judgement And therefore though every other Article of our Creed have been impugned by some hereticke or other yet never any gainesayd this I meane since those errours were stilled in the Apostles time See 2 Thess 2.1 2 3. But whether it be that every man acknowledging the justice of God as no man can confesse him to be God whom he doth not beleeve to be just and a rewarder of them that diligently seeke Him Hebr. 11.6 or whether it be that the testimonies of the holy Scripture are so cleare in this point as that they have stopped the mouthes of all heretickes the thing it selfe is most certaine to be as it may appeare by the texts of Scripture already cited and by these also that follow Psalm 9. vers 8. The Lord hath prepared His Throne for judgment He shall judge the world in righteousnesse He shall minister judgment unto the people in uprightnesse And Psalm 50. vers 3 4 5 6. God shall come A fire shall devoure before Him Hee shall call to the heavens from above and to the earth that Hee may judge His people c. Psalm 96.13 The Lord commeth to judge the earth Hee shall judge the world with righteousnesse and the people with His trueth As it is also Psalm 98.9 Eccles. 11.9 Rejoyce ô young man in thy youth c. but know that for all these things God will bring thee unto judgement And Eccles. 12.14 God shall bring every worke into judgement with every secret thing whether it be good or whether it bee ill Reade hereto 2 Pet. 3. Chap. from vers 7. to 15. and Reu. 20. Chap. from vers 11. to the end § 6. Sect. 6 Thus it being manifest that the judgement shall be it must also appeare that our Lord Iesus must bee that judge Whereto though I have said that which may be sufficient at the beginning of the Chapter yet because it is our speciall hope and comfort that He shall be our judge that was our Creator that hath so dearely bought us that hath been our Mediator that doth evermore preserue us from the power of the enemy let us both begin and end with this lest the conscience of our owne sinnes and the remembrance of that fearefull time should cause us not to long for that comming For if God be very terrible in the assembly of His Saints Psalm 89.7 how much more in that gloomy day when He comes to render vengeance with devouring fire before Him and to repay His aduersaries to their face and to passe on them that fearefull sentence that shall d never be reversed and from which there is no appeale But lift up your heads you that are little in your owne eyes and tremble at His words for that is the day of your redemption and God Himselfe will come and save you And because He is God He knowes the secrets of your hearts and sees your reverence and your feare before Him and your acknowledgment of your owne unworthinesse And because He is man and hath had experience of sorrowes and passed under the burden of unjust and cruell judgement and hath for us endured the Crosse and shame that we might be delivered from the wrath to come therefore lift up your heads and receive the reward of your faith and patience and the end of your hopes the eternall saluation of your soules and bodies 1. For if our Lord having suffered such things for us and having overcome in all His sufferings having ascended into heaven to be our continuall intercessor for us should not then give unto us that everlasting life which He hath purchased for us His sufferings and intercession should be altogether in vaine and our faith in Him which He hath wrought in us by His holy Spirit should be utterly void and those promises which Hee hath giuen us in His holy Word should faile of their trueth and performance But all these things are impossible And therefore our Lord Iesus shall come to give reward unto His seruants both small and great Revel 11.18 and to cast out the unbeleevers out of His kingdome 2. In things that are orderly disposed for an end nothing may be omitted of those things that are necessary for the attainement of that end The end of our Lords incarnation and sufferings concernes either God or man Concerning mankind euerlasting life in all happinesse and joy is that great end for which our Saviour was incarnate died and rose againe and shall raise us up at the last day And by His judgement of mercy and compassion on us shall deliver unto us the seisure and possession of that eternall happinesse Therefore our Lord Iesus shall be judge of the quicke and the dead Concerning God it is necessary that in His love to His Father and zeale to His honour Hee take vengeance on them that have offended the infinite justice and despised that mercy and pardon which hath beene offered unto them and still have continued in their sin and followed it with greedinesse Therefore in this respect also our Lord Iesus Christ shall be the Iudge of the quicke and the dead 3. And seeing our Lord Iesus hath undertaken that honourable enterprise viterly to destroy the workes of the devill it is necessary that He leave nothing unperformed which doth belong to the accomplishment thereof Therefore Hee shall judge those Angels which are reserved in chaines of darknesse unto that day and bring upon them that destruction which they sought to bring upon all man-kind And shall also reward those servants of His which have continued faithfull in His service whether they be Angels or men 4. None is so fit to judge betweene two as hee that hath interest in both parties and knowes the worthinesse of them both and that not onely in his understanding but also by his experience of them both But man-kind is to be judged for that which hee hath done contrary or according to the will of God Therefore seeing our Lord Iesus is very God and very man as it hath beene prooved Hee shall be the judge of the quicke and the dead 5. In every orderly and just judgement both the Iudge and the sentence ought to be manifest and knowne to all them that
all our knowledge proceeds from meere ignorance first knowing words by their meaning then things by fence and experiments from whence the reason ascending by enquirie into the causes comes at last into the knowledge thereof and so unto the chiefest and first cause wherein alone it findes rest And seeing man alone of all the visible creatures is framed and formed of God unto this search by the outward sence and reason to finde the wisdome and power of God in the creature that so honouring him therefore as he ought he might be made happie thereby if it bee no way possible by reason and discourse to come to this end then should God want of his honour by some of those meanes by which it might be given unto him then should the creature bee failing to man in the speciall use which he should make thereof to God then should reason the chiefe facultie of our soule and principall meanes of our knowledge have beene given unto man in value that is as sence is to the beasts onely for this life if it were either no helpe at all or an unfit or an insufficient meane to know that which is most necessary and worthy to bee knowne and yet obscure to stirre up our industrie that as faithfull servants we may improve those gifts wherewith God hath intrusted us See Luke 19.1 And so the purpose of God should be frustrate both in the inferiour creature and in man and that in their chiefest and uttermost end See Prov. 16.4 But these things are impossible and therefore wee are commanded Deut. 6.5 to love and serve the Lord our God with all our heart the seat of reason 1 King 3.12 with all our soule the seat of the will and understanding in heavenly things and all our affections there stiled by a word of vehemencie or excesse And thus doe we fulfill the counsell of the wise Pro. 3.9 to honour the Lord with all our substance that is whatsoever is ours without or within as sence reason understanding affections and will But still you say that reason is an unsufficient meane and unable to bring us to the knowledge of those things which we are bound to beleeve for else the Heathen which know not the Scriptures might have known the truth of Religion as well as we Ans There be divers kinds of questions about every subject as I shewed Log Chap. 3. Now the conclusion or Article of our faith by the Atheist or Infidell or weake Beleever being made a question the reasons brought are to prove onely that the conclusion is true not alwayes why it is true for there be many conclusions in our faith which cannot be knowne and proved prioristicè as they speake that is by their immediate and necessarie causes seene and understood in the effects necessarily following thereon for then that humilitie which ought to be joyned with our faith should bee without reward but yet the foundation of our faith is sure because the Spirit of God which understands the things which are of God hath revealed in the Scriptures whatsoever is necessary for us to know or beleeve concerning God thus posterioristicè or by way of induction are all the Articles of our faith approved by reason so that our faith and hope are not of things impossible but such as are true and necessarie to be Moreover if there bee but one God one Lord of all one faith the onelie way to come unto God Ephes 4.6 as it is plaine there is but one Mediatour 1. Tim. 2.5 without whom none can come to the Father Iohn 14.6 It cannot be denied but that the same glorious faith which we are taught in the holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament excepting onely the historicall circumstances thereof as names and times as that the Mediatour Iesus was to bee borne of a Virgine Mary and to suffer death under Pontius Pilate c. must be that very same faith by which all the Saints of God were saved for above two hundred and fifty yeers before there were any Scriptures written And therefore that although this faith was delivered and reverently embraced by the faithfull before the Law of Moses who also so delivered it as that they could not looke unto the end of the law 2 Cor. 3.13 Yet they who either received it not by tradition as most of the Gentiles or understood it not in the Law as few among the Iewes did beside the Prophets must of necessity through the light of reason alone hold with us some maine and fundamentall points according to which if they lived in obedience they might finde mercy for that whereof they were ignorant as it is said Act. 17.30 that God oversaw or neglected the ignorance of the time before Christ For if the representative Priest by forein bloud found forgivenesse for himselfe and the ignorances of the people concerning all punishment in this life how much more might the everlasting high-priest by his owne offering of himselfe finde eternall redemption for their ignorances who sought mercy of God although they knew him not by whom they did obtaine it yet might they therefore assure themselves to obtaine it because they could not seek forgivenesse but by his Spirit who framed their hearts to seeke it and therby gave them an earnest or pledge that they should finde it Compare herewith Rom. 10.18.20 Ioh. 14.6 Now those maine points of which I spake which by the light of reason they might know are these First that there is a God infinite in goodnesse in glory in wisdome in power as it is manifest Psal 19. Rom. 1.19 20. and elsewhere Secondly that this God the maker of all things according to that goodnes made every thing to an end infinitly good as farre as the creature could bee capable thereof And that therefore the happinesse of man could not bee in this life short and miserable but that his hope must bee for hereafter And therefore thirdly that hee must needs perswade himselfe that hee was immortall and that there was an immortall life at least as appertaining to his soule Fourthly because a mans wretchednesse is for the most part from himselfe in the unlawfulnesse of his owne ill deeds which proceed from the bitter fountaine of his affections and ill desires tormenting himselfe therefore hee must needes confesse his sinne against himselfe and know that hee that finds himselfe so displeasing to himselfe can no way hope that for his owne worthinesse hee can any way bee acceptable unto God and that therefore he hath no succour nor hope but only in his mercy that hath made him thereunto if he will desire and trust in his mercy And thus far the reasons of the heathens and the Religion of the Turkes doe drive them But here that foolish Religion of the Turkes is content to stay not holding it necessary to beleeve a Mediator because say they God infinite in mercy made his Creature onely because heloved it Thus while they truely magnifie the mercy
of God they utterly forget that hee is Iust Vnto which infinite Iustice of God if they had taken due regard the same light of reason would further have shewed unto them that the soule that sinnes must beare a punishment answerable to his sinne And because by every sinne against God an infinite Iustice is offended therefore it is impossible that any man by his owne righteousnesse which can never bee any more than by the Law of God he is bound unto should bee able to make any satisfaction for his sinne Vpon which true principle it will follow necessarily in the light of reason either that there is no possible returne to the favour of God which conclusion a man would by all meanes avoid or else that the reconciliation of mankinde unto God must needs bee by the mediation of a man in every respect free from Sinne who bearing the punishment due to sinners might finde redemption and mercy for all them that would beleeve it and live worthy thereof But because all men conceived in lust and sinne are originally tainted therewith for out of uncleannesse who can bring that which is cleane therefore must the generation of this Mediator bee wonderfull and not after the common manner of all men but so that no sinne or taint of the flesh must bee therein So that being both borne and living without sinne hee might by his death become a ransome acceptable for the sinnes of others And although reason could not conceive nor finde how this should bee yet seeing that in the necessitie of the divine justice it must bee thus reason would as easilie yeeld that it might bee as it did finde and see the creation of mankinde and the whole creature out of nothing as by the discourse ensuing it will hereafter appeare If this were not thus how should the whole world of Infidels and misbeleevers bee liable to the justice of God for their ignorance of him for their neglect and for their unbeliefe So taking it as granted till it doth further appeare by the Treatise following that reason hath right good and necessarie use in the things of faith it is too manifest that these wretched times are such as seeme to call aloud for the publishing of some such worke as this for though the fooles that have said in their hearts there is no God dare not in words profes it yet by their continuance in their sinful deeds they do proclaime that their thoughts are so Neither are they altogether wanting which say that Religion is but a politicke invention to keep men in civill obedience but if the conclusions of the Christian Religion bee inferred upon necessarie principles then are they not made out of policie as these Atheists say but cannot prove it except they could also make it appeare that policie was able to make naturall reason I will not denie that Mahumed setled his religion so as they say but hee forbids to dispute of the principles thereof because it is against both reason and Scripture and so perhaps it may bee said of those Will-worships that are or have beene among other Gentiles to whom God vouchsafed not the knowledge of his Law But our most holy faith because it alone is true hath no other author than God himselfe who hath revealed it by his word and because no man shall bee excused if hee beleeve it not hee hath commanded reason whereof all men are partakers to seale thereto in everie point but because in the Treatise before mentioned and by the whole practice of this booke this thing is manifest I will here turne mee onely to answer those doubts which may bee brought against the perswading of matiers of faith by humane reason First it may bee objected that the matiers of faith are farre above humane reason and that therefore it is a great presumption to question or skan them thereby for it is said by S. Paul Rom. 11.33 that his wayes and wisdome are past finding out I confesse we know nothing of God but what he hath revealed of himselfe by his workes or by his words for hee dwelleth in the light that none can approach unto even as S. Paul speakes there of his calling and election to faith a will unrevealed but the Articles of our faith hee hath most plainely taught and revealed And further to the argument I confesse that humane reason turning it selfe to behold the divine truthes is as the eye of a Bat to looke on the Sunne But yet the eternall and infinite truthes are so apprehended by mans finite understanding as the light of the Sunne is by the eye that is verely and indeed the same light and no other for though the eye cannot receive all the light of the Sunne yet that which it doth receive is truly that same light which is in or from the Sunne But you say that if in things of common use as hony salt or any other things vegetable or minerall wee must confesse our exceeding ignorance of their nature properties and possibilities both alone and much more in all manner of compositions it may seeme that our dulnesse may much rather be acknowledged in things divine I yeeld not altogether to this consequence for to the knowledge of naturall things we have our owne witlesse experience to helpe us and the deceitfull authoritie of mistaking men but all those truthes whereon our faith relies are grounded on the infallible rules of Gods owne word revealed by himselfe unto us for this end that we should not bee deceived or mistaken And although it was impossible for humane reason ever to finde out the conclusions and most fundamentall points of our faith as the mysterie of the Trinitie the incarnation of God the resurrection of the body c. yet being by the cleer light of Gods own word made known unto us we approve the same truth by the judgement and voice of reason So the reasons that are brought hereunto are not to establish any truth new or unheard of but for that faith which was heretofore taught delivered unto the Saints if the reasons of themselves be weak and by their weakenes shew how mans understanding is dazled at the divine light yet the conclusions stand sure and unmoveable but if the reasons bee certaine and true then questionlesse they are grounded in the Word and truth of God and the conclusion true either for the reason delivered or for a higher reason which wee cannot finde To this purpose the Father Anselm de Conc. Gratiae lib. arbit saith not unfitlie Sacra Scriptura omnis veritatis quam ratio colligit authoritatem continet cùm illam aut apertè continet aut nullatenus negat Quod enim apertâ ratione colligitur illi ex nullâ parte Scripturae contradicitur quoniam ipsa sicut nulli adversatur veritati itae nulli favet falsitati hoc ipso quiae non negat ejus auctoritate suscipitur Yet you will say that this endeavour is altogether needlesse seeing the
Temple of Ierusalem And that every one as he hath received so is hee bound to make account of his talent Therefore although the burden I confesse was more fit for a man in the strength of his memory and understanding and too heavy for mee now wasted in seventy yeares with age sicknesse and continuall paines yet I trusted in him that directed my heart to take it up that hee would give mee strength in some sort to beare it But concerning those men that have laboured herein before me although I praise their paines yet I thinke them not fit for every mans use Aquinas according to the greatnesse of his active understanding in his bookes against the Gentiles hath moved an endlesse number of questions of which as it seemes to mee many are very needlesse and impertinent to this my purpose and would draw an English Reader into a maze out of which hee could hardly winde himselfe Raimund de Sabunde though his writings be easie and quicke yet his matiers are scattered and not according to that method which I intend Savanarola wanders up and downe meanes well saith something out of Thomas but in his Triumphus Crucis as in all the Schoolemen and so in both the former very many things are left out which most necessarily belong to this our purpose and many things brought in which are not here at all questioned Mornay though he deserves much praise for his great reading and his plaine and easie stile yet beside that which hee perswades concerning some few questions here moved hee referres us to the Scriptures for proofe of the rest A most certaine proofe indeed and above all other with a Christian but my purpose is to adde an overplus of proofe to the perswasion which the Christian hath and to justifie his faith against all adversaries not by authority of Scripture onely which with Heretickes Turkes and Infidels is of small regard Moreover that which he perswades is by reasons in a manner altogether inductive which kinde of proofe although it bee more usuall in the Scriptures than any other and is of force sufficient with them that hold the principles and maine grounds of Religion for whom only they were written and not for them who are without Rom. 15.4 yet with infidels or adversaries inductive arguments are of small force except they be layd downe with their supposition as I call it log cap. 14. For other wise the understanding hath no foundation wheron it may stay it selfe And he that in matiers of faith brings in reasons which are not of force to compell the understanding to yeeld to the truth gives occasion to infidels and Atheists to scoffe at Religion and leaves the wavering minded more unsetled than before As I knew a young Scholar who reading Euphues refuting his Atheist by such flight inductions and arguments onely probable became much perplexed in his minde till it pleased God by his light to settle his understanding The reasons of Raimund Lully and his manner of arguing gives more full satisfaction And hee it is from whose enlightned Spirit I borrowed most because hee onely of the rest hath written particularly to almost all the Articles of the Creed yet that treatise hath great need both to be cleered and of supply And although for examples sake in his art generall and inventive hee handle some of the questions yet while he strives therein to shew the use of his art rather than the truth of the things hee proposeth his reasons with great confusion and exceeding difficulty to bee understood as it will easily appeare to him that reades him But to yeeld that I tooke my light from those illuminate doctors Aquinas and Lully for I seeke not mine owne praise but the manifestation of the truth of God and the joy and comfort of the Christian soules among mine owne nation was the light theirs is not reason the common light of every man which can either finde it out or see it being found is the light in a Church his light that made the windowes thorow which it shines what interest hath he therein more than any stranger that injoyes the light yet knowes not the mason But if my knowledge of the mason that is my reading of Aquinas make the reasons his then his reading of Aristotle shall make the reasons Aristotles from whom hee hath gathered his reasons some where whole and entire every where from his principles And so if my reasons gathered from the practise of Raimunds art or from his owne practise bee therefore Raimunds reasons because he delivered that excellent art then the light shall be the Masons But if they for their goodly buildings made Bay windowes to let in much light And I for my low yet sure built house have made but casements and loopeholes yet so disposed them as they may let in light enough to lighten every corner of my little roomes Let everie one that is pleased come in and enjoy the benefit of the light and thereby behold the truth of God and rejoyce in His light And when hee understands the reasons let him account them his owne either to strengthen himselfe and others thereby against misbeleefe and doubting or especially against such as shall either wilfully or ignorantly withstand the truth And if I for my long and great study earne not so much as the name of a diligent translator or an Abridger or a gatherer hereby yet if any man gather either profit or content I shall be glad for the paines that I tooke herein brought unto me an abundant reward And having thus defended my selfe I will tell you for what reasons I have at last taken heart to discharge my selfe of my former promise First of all when in the earnest thought of these things I found that the holy religion of the Christians howsoever tryed by Scriptures or by the cleere evidence of understanding had such light and manifestation of the truth therein as that all the darkenesse of hell could not dimme it I confesse I had such assurance of joy therein that I judged I ought not to conceale it alone For what greater joy can any man have in all the miseries and discontents of this wretched life than to know and see that his hopes proposed for a better life are such as cannot faile then to see the exceeding mercy of God such as that hee requires nothing to bee beleeved for which hee doth not abundantly satisfie the understanding if it will enlarge it selfe and desire to be satisfied Is it nothing that the mouthes of all Hereticks are stopt hereby I meane not every difference in opinion to be an heresie no not in an Article of Faith but there is not any heresie in any maine point but by the strength of reason alone it may be overthrowne as it will hereafter at large appeare Besides when the Christian Religion is found to be so reasonable and to stand on such sure * Fundamenta ejus in montibus Sanctitatis i. Scripturae
sacrae et ratter is Psal 87.1 Foundations as that it only is able only worthy to binde the conscience of a reasonable man whereas all other religions or rather false worships although examined in themselves onely by their owne principles are found to be false and against common sense what triumph is this of a Christian over all Heathens and misbeleevers that will they nill they if they will bee men and stand to reason they must confesse that the Christian religion is onely true And seeing the world hath beene called to the marriage of the Kings Son Luc. 14.16 c. First by the voyce of nature declaring the wisdome and power of God in the creature and that they that were so called would not come because their mindes were set on earthly things Secondly by the Law but the Iew who sought righteousnesse by the Law would try what his five yoke of oxen that is his keeping of the Ceremoniall Law contained in the five bookes of Moses could doe and so would be excused Thirdly by the Gospell but the carnall Gospeller and false Christian could not come because he is marryed to pleasure and worldly lusts what remaines but that they who are yet strangers and walke in the broad wayes of sinne and the by-paths of their owne inventions should by reason that servant of God bee compelled to come in And seeing the time cannot bee farre off that all the nations of the earth are to bee called to the knowledge of Christ For great shall his name be from the rising of the Sunne to the going downe of the same Psal 103.3 What hinders that the truth of Christ bee taught according to common reason whereto every man doth listen For it cannot bee but that all Idolatry and false worship all heresies and dissentions about Religion must then cease when the truth is taught in the evidence of that Spirit whereby every man is guided For as God made man reasonable so doth hee command nothing to bee done which in true reason is not the best nor require any thing to bee beleeved which in true reason is not most true You will say is there no difference then betweene faith and reason yes very great For Reason is busied in the proofe of some generall conclusion which is to bee held for a truth and so received of every man but faith is the application of that conclusion to a mans owne selfe As if it be concluded that because Christ being so conceived and so borne had no sin and therefore he suffered not death for himselfe but to save them that should beleeve on him faith applies this generall conclusion thus but I doe beleeve and therefore I shall be saved Now this application is not made by reason but by the speciall instruction of the Spirit of God in the heart of the beleever although it were inferred upon such a conclusion as was proved by reason I have not endevoured herein to heap up arguments by numbers but by weight and therfore have Ilet passe all reasons from forrein autority and all that were but likely onely and of small importance neither have I brought any one but such as seemed to mee sufficient of it selfe to confirme the question The reasons here used are for the most part from the goodnesse power wisdome and other dignities of God because the questions are concerning the things of God and no arguments can be of greater force and more immediate then such as are drawne from the verie being or immediate properties of the things in question they are handled by necessities and impossibilities to shew that all things that are and are not stand for the truth of the promises of God to us that by all meanes wee might have strong hope and comfort in Christ And though I sometimes bring one argument for divers conclusions yet it is not therefore of lesse force no more than a good toole is of lesse worth because it serves for divers uses I have studied for plainenes as much as I may and therfore have I sometimes handled the same reason both affirmatively and negatively that he that cannot take it with one hand might hold it with the other for that purpose also are divers reasons brought though all satisfying as I thinke yet perhaps all of every one not equally understood but he that understands all may upon these grounds or the like bring many other to the same purpose and give glorie to that infinite mercy which hath so fortified this glorious truth which hee hath bound us to beleeve with such walles bulwarkes ravelings and counterscarpes of reason that all the power of hell all the batterye of Atheists Turkes Iewes and other adversaries shall never bee able to overcome it And because a little light is soone lost if dispersed as in the Starres called Nebulosae and those of endlesse number and distance in the milkie way I have proposed the reasons together in as short and few words as I can that the light of the reason may more easilie appeare For oftentimes while men desire to enlarge themselves the reason vanishes into words The autorities of the sacred Text I bring as need is that the Christian may see whence the Article of faith in question is taken and whereon it is grounded and that in the proofe thereof I bring no other doctrine than the holy Scripture doth reach Let no man carrie my words or meaning awry for although in this search of causes and reasons other conclusions offered themselves yet I held it not meet to propose any other things than the holy Church of old thought fit to be held as sufficient for the saving faith of Christians conteined in the Creed which is called the Apostles as being gathered from their writings and that according to that order as it is therein delivered yet with such prefaces and notes as the necessitie of the things did drive me unto leaving those other things to the higher speculation of them whom God shall vouchsafe to enlighten for their further progresse from faith to faith from knowledge to knowledge till all the holie Church come to bee partakers of those things new and old that are kept for her in store when she shall come unto the fulnesse of the measure of the age of Christ that is the perfect knowledge of all those things which our Lord in his time taught his Disciples who were not able then to beare them till they had received the light of the holy Spirit from above If any man learned bee pleased to read in this booke let him forgive me the harshnesse of my speech being to teach the unlearned in English a language not taught that nicetie of words whereby to expresse the difference of things which I easilie hope he will doe because hee knowes that the infinite differences of things do much exceed the sharpnesse of our understanding and yet the subtiltie of mans understanding doth goe farre beyond the rudenesse and scarcitie of all words
God doth bring forth eternally his Sonne Re. 4. The truth of this conclusion hath beene diversly gainsaid For some have utterly denyed the Trinitie of Persons in the Unitie of the Godhead others with this truth have blended their owne devices The hereticks which held that as there was but one being in the Deitie so there was but one Person called by divers names of the Father the Sonne and the Holy Ghost were of divers families according to the names of the speciall maintainers of this opinion but best knowne by the name of Sabellius one of the most subtile defenders thereof about the yeere 260. which heresie after a long sleepe was againe awaked about the yeere 1110 by one Porretanus who affirmed that the Persons in the Godhead differ not save onely in the apprehensions of our minde not by any reall or true distinction The Iewes likewise among other reasons doe therefore disclaime the Christian Religion because they suppose that by the Trinitie of Persons is taught a pluralitie of Gods contrarie to that which is Deut. 6.4 The Lord our God is one Lord. The Turkes also denie the Trinitie of Persons and hold it therefore impossible for God to have a Sonne because he never had a wife Now of those that held a Trinitie Simon that witch of whom you reade Actes 8. when the gall of his bitternesse had levened him thorowour gave out of himselfe that he in the person of the Father gave the Law to Moses in the dayes of Tiberius suffered in shew under the Person of the Sonne and afterward came downe on the Apostles in fierie tongues August de Haeres Cap. 1. Hierarcha also from the words of the Nicen Creed that Christ was light of light affirmed that the three Persons were as three lights of which one tooke light of another and so he made the beings of the persons separate and apart whereas the Fathers in that Councell meant not any division or being apart but that the Sonne is of the substance of the Father without any lessening or abatement of the Fathers being as one light takes light of another without any losse of light in the former The Metangismonites so called from their opinion taken from vessels that they might avoid the opinion of the separate being of the Persons held that they were as vessels contained one within another falselie supposing with the Anthropomorphites or Man-shapers that God was bodily and so conteined within a certaine space and againe misunderstanding that text of Scripture Iohn 14.11 where our Lord saith I am in the Father so that in the Divine nature they supposed some thing greater which was the Father and something lesse which was the Sonne and a third thing within them both which was the Holy Ghost But against that bodily being which they conceived you have reasons sufficient in the 9. Chapter The text of S. Iohn makes the matter more plaine for as it is impossible that two bodies should bee each one within another except by way of commixation so it quite overthrowes that foolish opinion because it is thrice there added that the Father is in the Sonne so that of necessitie there can bee but one being of them both For if the being of God be not most simple and pure as was shewed before Chap. 9. And if every being answers to the Originall then the essence of the Sonne must be most pure as the Father is so that if each of the Persons be in the other there can be no difference but onely in the manner of being onely See August de Civit. Dei lib. 11. Cap. 10. Then concerning that third falshood which they supposed of a greater and lesser being it cannot possiblie stand with the nature of infinitie whether it be understood of extension or of vertue onely The Triformians likewise to crosse the errour of Sabellius affirmed three Persons and that the whole and entyre being of the Godhead was in all the three taken together yet not in every person wholly but so as one part of it was in the Father another part in the Sonne and a third part in the Holy Ghost By which falshood it would follow that the Godhead were in it selfe a divideable being and so a compound contrary to that which is concluded Chap. 9. The Tritheites are yet more mad then the former that it may appeare how boundlesse errour is They make the being of God not one and the sam as the Triformians did but affirme that there is a threefold nature and distinguish the Persons in their essence or absolute being in place also and other differences of particular substances as Peter James and Iohn and so make three Gods different and apart each from other The Tetratheites would seeme more subtile then all that had beene before them for they beside the three Persons of the Godhead supposed a fourth being which did communicate it selfe to all the three by which communication of divine nature everie one of those three became God By which sottish opinion it must follow that none of those three Persons could be either infinite or eternall if they receive their being from another if they be God by grace onely and communication of another being than their owne neither can their being be simple and one having one being of themselves and another imparted unto them But if that being which they call that fourth common being be that one most simple pure and eternall being which wee confesse to be God then it must follow necessarilie that in that being there bee three Persons as hath been declared in the Chapter before in every one of which the whole Godhead is all in all and all in everie one not by communication from another nor by participation onely but by the whole and proper possession of every Person essentially so that the Godhead is no other being than that which is in the three persons nor the three Persons any other thing than that manner of being which is in the Godhead eternally but they prove it thus Where are one and three trulie and really different there must needs bee foure But in the Deitie there is one being and three Persons really distinguished therefore foure severall beings I answer Where is one and three absolute beings there must needs be foure but in the Godhead there is one absolute being and three manners of being which are the Persons but the manner of being doth not make a number different from the being as Isaac is one absolute being in himselfe yet Jsaac the sonne of Abraham is not a second nor Isaac the father of Iacob a third So the follie of this opinion and the weaknesse of their reasons appearing it remaines for the better understanding of this most high mysterie first that answer bee given to those arguments which Sabellius brought for his opinion secondly that the reasons which are brought of the Tritheits be discussed But that no errour or mistaking may grow concerning the faith in the truth
is that which he hath as life glorie goodnesse c. This therefore is the simplicitie that he hath and that which he hath is not different that the qualitie is not one thing and the substance another de civit Dei lib. 11. Cap. 10. wee shall understand it better by instance in some of the Divine dignities All the dignities of God are infinite in all the possibilities of infinitie both of being and working for otherwise the dignitie were not infinitie and he were not worthy to be God if any thing might be more excellent than he The glory therefore of God being infinite in working He by that infinite working of his glorie doth glorifie himselfe infinitely So God infinitely glorifying is God the Father God infinitely glorified is God that Sonne and that infinite action of glorification is God the Holy Ghost As when the understanding of a man or Angell doth view or understand it selfe then is it in it selfe not onely by the essence of it selfe essentially but also apprehended and understood by it selfe according to the action of the understanding so the mind understanding is one terme really distinct from the minde understood which is the image word or expression of the minde understanding which minde doth also differ from the action of it selfe whereby it doth understand it selfe So God the Father understanding himselfe is in himselfe God understood the image word or expression of God understanding This is that eternall Sonne infinitely and eternally brought forth thus was the Word eternally with God and that Word was God and God was that Word John 1. For as the actions of God doe not cease for then God should cease to bee God if he were not everie way infinite So doe they not proceed de potentia in actum that is to take a beginning from whence to raise themselves into perfection for then they were not infinite a parte ante and so not eternall But because God is wisdome or understanding essentially therefore is it essentiall unto him to understand himselfe eternally And this is that most glorious Sonne God eternized God understood God glorified willed good infinite powerfull c. by the infinite action of eternitie wisdome glorie will goodnesse infinitie and power which infinite action is God the Holy Ghost Now if this infinite working and being of God bee one essentially as hath beene proved Chap. 8. it must of necessitie follow first that all the Persons of the Godhead are coeternall Secondlie that as concerning their absolute essence there is no difference or inequalitie among them inasmuch as everie Person is by his owne being God eternally as it is said of the Sonne Philip. 2.6 That being in the forme or essence of the Godhead he thought it no robberie to bee equall with God For seeing the essence of the Godhead is one and that which is one cannot possiblie beget it selfe therefore neither the Sonne is from the Father and the Holy Ghost from the Father and the Sonne concerning their Godhead but the Sonne is of the Father as concerning his personall subsistence and so the Holy Ghost is from the Father and the Sonne inasmuch as the Sonne is not understood eternized or glorified but by the action of that being which is actuallie understanding eternall and glorious neither can there be any action of understanding eternizing and glorifying where there is not both the person understanding eternizing and glorifying and there person understood eternized and glorified Then this generation of the Sonne being onely by the eternall action of the Deitie it may appeare how beastlie and sensuall that Religion of Mahomet is which cannot thinke of any other generation than that which is betweene a male and his female Oh scorne and contempt even of honest thoughts yet thus these swine plot to themselves their happinesse in the life to come in feasting and sporting and fleshly pleasure with beautifull women See Went a Bud. pag. 157. Woe unto that covering of God but his end is at hand and his destruction lingereth not But the answer to this argument See Chap. 34. § 5. n. 8. Concerning the person of the Sonne more particularlie you may reade hereafter in the 24. Chapter and of the Holy Ghost in the 33. It remaines here onely to answer to those objections which may bee brought against this faith of the Holy Trinitie 1. And first it may be said by the adversaries of this truth that the defenders thereof doe not agree among themselves for Thom. Aquinas in Senten lib. 1. dist 2. q. 2. brings this as an objection That the persons are distinguished by their properties or manner of being onely therefore not really In answer to which hee saith That everie terme of relation inasmuch as it is such must needs bee distinguished from that whereto it is referred seeing they are opposed by a relative opposition and therefore are really differing For things are either absolute as the essences or simple beings of things in themselves or relative as the Father and the Sonne which differ also really so that although they are not different essences yet are they moe or different things Res understand according to the uttermost differences which may bee in that manner of being which is founded immediately in the Divine essence or which is all one in the working thereof Againe Keckerman System Theolog. Cap. 4. to that objection of the Antitrinitarians that if there be unitie of essence and difference of persons a subject and a relation a substance and an accident then in the Godhead there should bee composition which because it is not possible to be therefore there are no such different relations answers and brings in the consent of Zanchius that relation is not any thing of reall being that it is not any accident because it is not being but imports onely the manner order or respect of being If this be true where is then that reall difference as Thomas speakes But these things are nothing different if well examined The purpose of one and of the other and of all right meaning Doctours is utterly to deny against the Tritheits all pluralitie or diversitie of essences or absolute beings And as Keckerman for avoyding of any accidentall being in the distinction of the persons saith that relation is not a thing of being but onely imports the order manner or respect of beings one toward another so Thomas to meerfully with that heresie of Sabellius and Perretanus that the distinction of the Persons was onely in names or our understanding holds the Persons to differ really and to be different things eternally without and utterly beyond our understanding yet conceive him so as that these reall differences are onely personall and in the order or manner of their being as I have shewed before But it may bee that you are not yet satisfied for the seeming difference between these Doctors for if this relation which they make betweene the Persons of the Deitie be neither substance nor accident nor
is their reall distinction and that relation whereby they are distinguished is nothing different from any of these nor yet the propriety of their personall being is any other thing than that relation Therefore though the persons are not distinguished by or in that absolute being wherein they are all one yet is it most falsely brought in thereby that any thing shall bee in them beside their essence whereby they are distinguished For the distinction or difference of the persons arises from the action onely or working of the Absolute Being which yet is essentially in the absolute Being and differs not therefrom no more than heat in the fyer doth differ essentially from the fyer or reason feeling and growth in a man doth differ essentially from the soule of man 8. Every relative depends necessarily upon the correlative But nothing which is depending upon another can be truely God Therefore either the Persons differ not by relations only or none of the persons can be God or else there is no relation and so no distinction of the persons at all Answer It is a fallacious and froward kinde of arguing to presse the propriety of speech or use of words to darken the truth of things see log cap. 21. n. 5. It hath beene said 1. that the being of God is supereminently above all being above all created understanding to conceive 2. That relation in created things doth not onely presuppose a subject but also some quantity quality action or other affection in the subject whereon that relation doth depend 3. That those relations in the persons of the deity are nothing else but the very personall proprieties and that the word Relation as many other beside is taken into use in this argument onely to helpe the expressing of our understanding though indeed properly it bee not in the divine being yet can we not conceive but that there is an order in the procession of the persons as I have said elsewhere yet not such as shall bring in any dependence no not in the personall proprieties because the action or eternall working whence the personall differences doe proceed is essentially in the Godhead or if dependence must needes bee yeelded unto yet seeing it can bee nothing but onely the order of procession in the persons of the Godhead it brings in no such inconvenience as that thereupon it should follow that either the Sonne or the Holy Ghost were not God So the foundation of the doubt being but a hil of sand the whole building proves but a trifle And these are the principall reasons brought for the Sabellian heresie The authorities of the Holy Scripture which they falsely alleage hereto are such as prove the absolute unitie of the divine Being as you have heard before in the end of the eighth Chapter which Texts as they doe most strongly confirme the eternall truth of the absolute being of one God so doe they nothing gain say the Trinitie of the Persons which other Texts of the Scripture reach as you have partly heard and shall heare further hereafter when wee come to speake in particular of the Persons of the Sonne and of the Holy Ghost So it remaines now only to answer that which is brought for the opinion of the Tritheites which poore fancie though it may vanish at the fight of the Reasons which have beene brought for the simple and one Being of God in the eight Chapter yet because it would justifie it selfe by this doctrine of the Trinitie you shall see what the strength of their Reason is 9 That which is begotten and that which is not begotten must needs be very different The persons of the Trinity are begotten as the Sonne and not begotten as the Father and the Holy Ghost Therefore if every person be God they are different Gods Answer The things which in no respect are different must be the same and there can bee no difference put betweene things which brings not in a deniall on the one side and an affirmation on the other And this opposition is betweene all things howsoever differing So betweene the Persons of the Deity there must be a relative opposition As the Father ergo not the Sonne the Sonne ergo not the Father c. because there is a relative distinction but this doth nothing at all enforce a plurality of Gods or a difference of absolute Beings but of the Persons onely And if you desire to see other arguments like these reade Thomas Aquinas cont Gent. lib. 4. Cap. 10. and their Answers cap. 14. see also the note a on the 24. chap. following sect 9. and note a on the 33. chap. But the answers to all objections will bee easie if you remember what hath beene said and suffer not yourselfe to be carryed away with shew of reasons taken from naturall things which though they bee most true in the creature which had a beginning yet can they no way bound or binde the infinite and eternall truth of Him that is Lord and Creator of nature as I have remembred you elsewhere Remember also to consider in Christ his essence which in all the Persons is coeternall and one and His Person begotten eternally of the Father And in this Person distinguish His natures divine and humane from his offices wherein remember 1. that His sending and obedience abate nothing from His equalitie with the Father concerning the unity of their essence 2. that these names which import His office are spoken of Him in respect of both His natures CHAP. XII That in the Glorious Deity there be Three Persons and no moe YOu misse here a great deale of learning and wit which other men have shewed in the mystery of unity and the number of the Three But because the reasons that might bee made from thence would bee but onely inductive and I desire to stand with you on the lower and plaine ground let us leave those high Speculations to them that please to read them among the Cabalists in Brixianus his comment Symbol and elsewhere and see what other reasons can be brought for the question in hand 1. Nothing can possibly be in the Deity but according to the uttermost perfection of Being that is essentially and necessarily Therefore if it bee not necessary to put moe Persons than Three in the Godhead then is it not possible But it is not necessary to put moe persons in the divine Being either Father Son or holy Ghost For so the Fatherhood Sonship and procession of the Holy Ghost should not bee perfect in these And if in these Persons there should not bee perfect Production then it might follow that there were a disability in the producer and so the first principle of all should bee imperfect unable and weake So nothing besides it nothing after it could bee perfect But all these things are impossible Or if the other Person or Persons to be put in the Godhead should be neither Fathers because they did not produce nor Sons because they were not
left slime the heavenly warmth doth feele Men sundry shapes beneath the sod reveile Some new begun and some to halfe doe grow That halfe alive the rest but earth below But Moses Gen. 1. delivers it unto us in the parts active and passive heaven and earth which yet before their division were both of water as it is manifest in that place and 2. Pet. 3.5 According hereunto Homer Iliad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and after him Thales affirmes the first matier of all things to be water But the opinions of the lesse reckoning are those that are found amongst the heretickes of the Christians For all the Philosophers and Poets of the heathen which held not the eternity of the world acknowledged God the authour of the world under one name or other but Simon Magus and with him Menander said that the Angels were the makers of the world Saturnius gives the honour unto seven Angels alone whom he makes the Creators of the world without the consent or knowledge of God Carpocrates and the Priscillianists affirmed that the world was made by certaine inferiour Angels among whom the devill was chiefe workemaster Valentinus gave it out that a devil which was begotten of the thirtieth Aion begot other devils and these Sonnes of Aveugles made the world and mischiefe and sinne are in the world not through the wickednesse and free will of man but even by the very creation of the world it selfe The Nicholaitanes tel us of Angels the makers of the world and that Barbelo who was ruler of the eight Sphere was overseer of the works His mothers name was Yaldaboth But I have not read so farre in heraldry as to tell you who was his Dad nor of what house his mother came nor yet whether his follow workemen were good or bad Angels The Gnosticks of the two Gods which they make as you have heard before make the ill God the creator of the world which though it appeare not either by Irenaeus Clement Tertullian Epiphanius or by S. Augustine yet it is plaine by Plotinus Aenead 2. lib. 9. who writes against their opinions and this in particular Marcion made three creators one good another bad and another betweene them whom they called Iust So you see how all these hereticks had madded themselves and their followers in their opinions concerning the Creator of all things Others erred concerning some parts of the creature onely as the Seleucians and Hermians or Hermogenians beside their errour of the worlds matier coeternall with God denyed that God created the soules of men but would have them created by the Angels of fyer and Spirit contrary to that which is In Gen. 2.7 Esay 57.16 1 Pet. 4.9 That God is the faithfull Creator of the soule The Priscillianists said that the soules of men were of the same substance and nature with God and being by him sent downe from heaven the devill met with them by the way and sowed them as seed in the flesh whereupon it must follow either that the being of God is divisible into infinite partes or that there is but one onely soule of all men and both wayes unavoydably that God at least in part of Himselfe must be subject to Sinne and so that either He must need a Saviour or by His owne law bee subject to eternall death This is the fruite of heresie The Patricians denyed God to be the Creator of the body of man and gave that honour to the devill contrary to that which is in Gen. 2. v. 7. and v. 21.22 yea and so detested the flesh as that to be out of the body some of them killed themselves The Paternians said that the lower parts of the body it seemes onely those that are affixed thereto for generations sake that flesh which the law so often commands to be washed were made by the devil and thereupon tooke occasion to live in filthinesse and Iust contrary to the Commandement of God The Marcionites and Manichees said that wickednesse and ill was partly from God and partly from the matier of the world Florinus and his followers said that things were created ill according to their substances contrary to the Scripture Gen. 1.31 But contrarily the Coluthians would not have God the Author of ill no not that of punishment which neverthelesse the Scripture teaches Esay 45.7 and 54.16 Amos. 3.6 Some also of the heretickes followed the opinions of the ancient Philosophers as they that were called Aquei that of Thales and said that water was the matier of the would but yet eternall and not created The Audian and Manichean hereticks instead of Aristotles eternals brought in darkenesse fire and water you might bring hither their foolish thoughts concerning the transplantation of soules and such like questions but there will bee fitter place thereto in the article of everlasting life And because these upstart weenings are so witlesse as they are false I will not vouchsafe to inquire into their reasons the onely authority of the holy Scripture is sufficient to grinde them all to dust and to bring that dust to nought at all But least any man contrary to the truth of God be overswayed with the reasons of the Philosophers it will not be unfit to examine and answer them 1. And first concerning the reasons of the Platonicks that the matier of the world should therefore be eternall because it is simple and uncompounded I answer That it is but petitio principii or a taking of that which is not granted for it is utterlie denied that there was ever such matier as they suppose utterly informed I say according to the Sacred Philosophie that when water the first matier of all things was created darknesse or confusion was upon the face of the deepe but yet with that water under that confusion was concreated all manner of formes which afterward were all brought forth out of the possibilitie of the matier so that matier was impregnate or great with all kinde of formes which afterward were made to appeare for otherwise could not the effect bee answerable to the cause if hee being in himselfe the Jdeas or formes of all beings had not brought forth the first matier full fraught with all materiall formes by which afterwards according to the disposition of their naturall causes the different kindes of things were informed And therefore here also are all things said by him to have beene made at once And although in the workes of the fifth day the whales with other things which had a life with the power of moving are said to bee created yet is that spoken onely in regard of that more manifest life than the vegetable had in the workes of the third day but that life neverthelesse was brought out of the power of the matier by more powerfull causes his blessing comming thereto even as it was afterward upon them to bring forth after their kinde Onely in the sixth day because it was not in the power of all nature to bring forth a
likewise that man as farre as he had any being from God was also good and upright in his being and so without sinne 2. The ability and excellency of the end is more then the worthinesse of all those things which are ordained for the end But it is manifest that all the visible creature of this world was created for mans use that he was prince and Lord of all For by the Law of nature and iustice that ought to bee chiefe which hath most excellency above other Now to set aside the abilities of the minde in the knowledge of things eternall and divine whereof no other bodily creature hath any feeling or understanding what creature under the whole heaven in the earth or Sea may set it selfe in comparison with man for those gifts which the Creator hath vouchsafe to him in the use of all things in the knowledge of their nature in memory and remembrance in the inventions of arts in the guiding and compelling of the creature to his service or utter destruction of the rebellious And the refore both in the creation Gen. 1.28 and againe after the floud the type of Regeneration 1 Pet. 3.21 were they all delivered into the power of man Now if all these things were for man and his use and they every one good in their kinde much more was man good and upright in his creation 3. Every thing is more excellent as it is for a more excellent and noble end But the end of man is more excellent than all the creature beside For they are for his use as their end but man for the service and glory of God as his end in the attainement of which alone hee can be happy And because that which is for any end must have conditions or fitnesse for that end it was necessary that man should bee created without sinne which above all other things the soule of his Creator did hate and for which alone he was put out of his service 4. Every corruption or marring of a thing must needs bee of that which was once good and the greater the perfection thereof was the worse is the corruption or wickednesse that is therein But it is too manifest that the nature of man is most corrupt therefore it was once very good and upright 5. If God had made man such as man now is rebellious and unthankefull towards Himselfe a plague and calamity to other men through injury pride and oppression a slaue to his owne sensuall desires in gluttony and filthie lust ignorant of the truth an enemy to all good following with greedinesse all manner of ill subject as to Sinne so to the due punishment thereof all manner of misery sicknesse and death both of body and soule then had Hee brought the greatest disorder into the creature even there where order was mosT necessary that is in the prince and Lord thereof yea such disorder as should be contrary to it selfe in respect of that hatred which men have one toward another then would he not in justice have brought those punishments on men which are due for their sinne in this life and damnation in that which is to come But all these things are against the wisdome goodnesse and justice of God Therefore man was created in a Contrary estate of innocency Iustice and holinesse 6. This truth the holy text doth shew For beside that which is said Gen. 1.31 That God saw every thing that he had made and behold it was very good it is said of man in particular that hee was created in the image of God Which because it is there three times repeated it is necessarie to consider what that threefold Image of God in man is that it may the better appeare what his excellency was and how great that losse was which hee indured by his sinne against so gracious a Creator Some among the most ancient Fathers as Irenaeus and Tertullian thought that the Mediator in that forme wherein he afterward appeared in our flesh and was seene and knowne to Adam Enoch Noah Abraham Moses and many of the Prophets for which they were called Seers 1 Sam. 9.9 formed man of the dust of the earth The word there used is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Kidmuthenu according to our likenesse and signifies to be like by cutting or carving and so the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 used Gen. 2.7 8. which signifies to fashion out of clay like a Potter seemes to favour this interpretation you may see herewith Rom 9.21 and thinke on it Bucanus also Inst Theol. Loc. 8. q. 18. confesseth that there is nothing in his opinion but according to the Analogy of faith and brings his reason to justifie it Yet as if he had forgot himselfe he condemnes Osiander of madnes that followes it lib. cit loc 9. q. 15. And because other late Doctors though without reason disallow this judgement of the antient fathers see Med. Patr. Scult de nevis Iren. Tertull Reoberts Fund Rel cap. 17. I leave it in the middest till further proofe of the truth be made on the one side or the other Notwithstanding man is truely said to bee created in the image or according to the image of Elohim or Christ the Creator either naturally or else supernaturally naturally either according to the state of his body or of his soule or of the whole composition his body is an abridgment or compound of all bodily being because there is nothing in the bodily creature which is not in some sort in that little world of mans body as reason proves by his food and medicine out of all bodies here below and as the Physitians and all naturallists affirme and as Paracelsus more particularly every where shewes and proves So that as all things even bodily beings were created in Christ and therefore were in Him eminently by their formes and potentially as being by Him brought into act or effect So are they all in the body of man representatively and though by his sinne subject to the curse as he their Presbyter is yet shall they bee delivered from this bondage of corruption when the glorious liberty of the Sonnes of God shall appeare Rom. 8.19.20 to 24. And concerning the soule if you looke into the faculties thereof beyond them that concerne the body alone in growth and sense if in the understanding you consider the powers of the imagination or thought of the discourse of memory of the will and the freedome thereof in civill and morall things you may truly say that all things are subject to their Lord and Creator so hath Hee made all things subiect to the possibilities of mans understanding in as much as the Spirit of man considers all things yea presumes to search even the deepe things of God Now one soule with all these properties argues the wonderfull excellency thereof and what a lively stampe of his wisdome He hath imprinted therein But because the whole of every thing is more excellent then the parts which are
assumed the person of any man though therewith hee had taken also the common nature of mankinde yet that Person had had perculiar interest in the eternall and infinite love and wee had beene unequally subjected one to another but now the common nature onely being raken unto the deity every person hath equall interest as in the common nature so in the eternall love Now let us see the reasons of the proposition 1. It is necessary that all the actions of God be done according to the perfection of that order which is most fit and agreeable unto those actions But seeing it stood with the Love of God to dwell in mans being as it hath bin proved it was most convenient that the Sonne of God should take our nature on him For first the Son is the image of God increated man his created image and that all perfection of an image might bee in the increated image it was necessarie that hee should bee also the created image of his Father Secondly seeing that by the eternall nativitie hee is the eternall Sonne that the perfection of all Sonne-ship might bee in him it was necessarie that hee should bee that Sonne that should bee borne in time Thirdly and because it pleased the Father that all fulnesse should dwell in him Colossians 1. verse 19. Seeing hee was brought forth by an eternall nativitie hee must also perfect that nativitie which was in time Fourthly and because all things both which are in heaven and in earth were created by him it was necessarie that all things by him should bee restored Fifthly Mans nature is the daughter of God therefore being led away captive by sinne was to be rescued by his Sonne Sixthly Man fell from grace by the craft of the devill therefore by the wisdome of God was hee to be brought to favour againe Seventhly Mankinde is the peculiar possession of the Sonne by the speciall gift of the Father Psal 2.8 Iohn 17.2 therefore being lost it was to be recovered by his speciall purchase And if there bee any other personall proprietie of the Sonne of obedience or the like it sorts better with him to bee incarnate than either with the Father or the holie Ghost All the arguments which prove that it was necessarie that Christ should dye may bee brought hither See them in the 27. Chapter 2. Nothing can bee admitted in the actions of the Deitie which takes away the distinction of their personall proprieties seeing God is the author of order not of confusion But if either the Father or the holy Ghost had beene incarnate then their personall proprieties were thereby in utter confusion for if the Father had beene incarnate then should hee not be eternally a Father that had in time become a Sonne so also neither the perfection of fatherhood should be in the Father nor of Sonne-ship in the Sonne And concerning the holy Ghost seeing hee is that emanation breath of effluence of the power wisdome life c. whereby the worke of God is perfected if he should have beene incarnate the same being should be both the worker and the thing wrought See Luke 1.35 But all these things are impossible Therefore the Sonne of God onely tooke on him our flesh 3. The greatest excellencie which God can love in himselfe is the image of himselfe beheld in himselfe that is the Sonne of his eternall love The greatest excellencie which God can love without himselfe is the image of himselfe beheld in his creature Therfore it is necessarie that the Sonne of his eternall love be also incarnate that the love of God be most perfect toward his Sonne with all perfections of love which can bee either within or without himselfe 4. It was said before Chap. 11. that the goodnesse infinitie eternitie wisdome and power of God being viewed or objected to the infinite wisdome by the infinite action of his understanding was the Sonne Now if the Sonne be incarnate then the actions of all the divine dignities are perfected and may be infinite both in their internall and as much as may be in their externall object But if either the Father or holy Ghost had beene incarnate then the object of those dignities could not bee one and if the object were not one then could it not be beheld with one action of understanding But it is impossible either that there should be two infinite objects or two infinite actions Moreover if the holy Ghost had been incarnate then the infinite internall action should have become the externall object if the Father then the fountaine of the Deitie should become not the objectant or being which understandeth but onely the object understood But all these things are impossible for God is not the author of confusion therefore it was necessarie that the Sonne should be incarnate 5. The doctrine concerning the Mediatour conteined in these foure Chapters is as the substantiall ground of the Christian Religion so is it that foundation on which all the Prophets and Apostles have builded for as Saint Peter saith 1. Pet. 1.11 That which the Prophets by the spirit of Christ did search into was the time when the sufferings of Christ should be reveiled and the glories that should follow after The summe then of the whole Scripture being to shew the redemption of man by the death of our Saviour God and man the authorities are not farre to seeke Many of the texts of the old Testament you shall finde most excellently brought together and interpreted by Iustine Martyr against the Iewes in his dialogue of the truth of the Christian Religion which is intituled Tryphon Some most evident texts you shall have out of the new Testament and more hereafter as need is Iohn 3.16.17 God so loved the world that hee gave his onely begotten Sonne that whosoever beleeveth in him should not perish but have everlasting life for God sent not his Sonne into the world to condemne the world but that the world by him might bee saved Gal. 4.4 But when the fulnesse of time was come God sent forth his Sonne made of a woman made under the Law that hee might redeeme them that were under the Law that wee might receive the adoption of sonnes Phil. 2.6.7 Christ Iesus being in the forme of God thought it no robbery to bee equall with God but tooke on him the forme of a servant and was made like unto man and was found in shape like a man Colos 1.13.14 God hath delivered us from the power of darkenesse and hath translated us into the kingdome of his deare Sonne in whom wee have redemption through his blood Col. 2.9 In Christ dwelleth the fulnesse of the God head bodily 1. Tim. 3.16 Great is the mysterie of Godlinesse God was manifest in the flesh justified in the Spirit seene of Angels preached unto the Gentiles beleeved on in the world received up to glorie 1. Iohn 4.14 Whosoever shall confesse that Iesus is the Sonne of God God dwelleth in him and hee in God
authority or else it signifies a tribe and in this sence the tribe or distinction of a tribe never departed from Inda till our Lord came whereas the ten tribes carried away by Salmanasar in the dayes of Hezekiah were ever after utterly left out of all remembrance in the holy records see further in the 27. chap. R. 2. But concerning the cunning Scribe or lawyer for so the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies brought up betweene his feet as Paul at the feet of Gamaliel it is most certaine that such a Prince never failed from Iuda till the time of Herod the great who not being able to win the Iewes either by his most sumptuous building of the Temple or by his Largis in their famine or by all the favours that he could doe them to acknowledge his right to the kingdome by the gift of the Romans because they daily expected him that was to come of David murdered their Sanbedrim and all the males that hee could finde of the house of David so that he spared not his owne Sonne that was descended thence by his mother burnt also the bookes of the genealogy of their Kings and afflicted them with other calamities till they after thirty yeeres reigne of his were compelled to acknowledge him their lawfull king and then according to the promise was our Lord incarnate that true Shiloh her only Sonne But you say Shiloh may be interpreted his Son I answer The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Shiloh by the consonants or substantiall letters signifies her Sonne but by the vowell or spirit above it may signifie his Sonne but because the vaâ—â— is wanting it shall signifie his sonne that is invisible and therefore our Saviour is both God and man So there is no letter present no letter wanting in the holy word without a deepe mystery higher than heaven c Dan. 9. v. 24. Seventy weekes are determined upon thy people vpon thy holy Citty to restraine transgression to seale up sinne to make reconciliation for iniquity and to bring in everlasting righteousnesse to seale the vision and Prophesie and to annoint the Holie of holies c. to the end of the chapter The more evident and plaine any text of Scripture is for the clearing of the truth of Christ the more hath the devil laboured to darken it and to pervert the truth thereof And though by other texts of Scripture it be plaine enough to us that this Iesus is the Christ yet seeing no Scripture is so direct and punctuall as this for the certaine designement of the time the devill hath the more earnestly laboured to bewitch mens understanding so that they have taken more paines to make the time uncertaine nay some make it nothing at all belonging to Christ our Lord. The errours of the Iewes you may read in Pet. Galatinus lib. 4. cap. 14. to the 19. the contradictions of the Christians against the truth and against one another you may finde in D. Willet his most diligent com on Dan. Among the Iewes one Porphyry because he saw the text was so plaine for the truth of Christ suffering at the time appointed by this prophecie said that there was no reckoning to be made of this text of Daniel because he was no propher contrary to the consent of all other Iewes and the manifest authority of the Scriptures as you may reade Eze. 14.14.20 28.3 Math. 24.15 wher his innocency wisdome gift of prophecie are testified others among them doe wrest the time concerning the end thereof For the true Messiah not comming as they lookt for Him in pompe and worldly glory they stil looking for him that should come according to their fancy have made these weeks to mean some 700 yeers some 7. Iubilees others 7. tens And because many in Scripture are stiled by the title of Messiah as you may reade Psal 105.19 Esay 41.1 and elsewhere therefore some of them will have Cyrus to be meant hereby some Zorobabel others Iehoshua some Nehemiah but because neither the time nor circumstances accord others will needs refer it to Agrippa who was King when the Citty and Temple were destroyed by Titus And I would the faithlesse Iewes had wandred thus alone and that no Christian by his lifelesse interpretation had sided with them But the circumstances of the text doe easily overthrow them For this Messiah must bee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Messiah Naghid the Prince or chiefe Messiah or of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Messiah that was to be manifested that Messiah that was to be annointed with the oyle of gladnesse above all his partners Psal 45.7 because He received not the Spirit by measure Ioh. 3.34 Moreover who is he that can be that Holy of Holies but onely Christ our Lord both God and man who is hee that can restraine men from transgression that can seale up sin that can cover iniquity that can bring in eternall righteousnesses but Christ our Lord in whom all the nations of the earth should be blessed Therefore the text by these circumstances is tyed onely to the promised seed Gen. 3.15 which should utterly destroy the workes of the devil But the errors and disagreements of the Christians have beene a great cause to withhold the Iewes from the acknowledgment of the truth For they have been more different in their opinions hereabout than the Iewes who held constantly that the beginning of the time was according to the word of the Angel in the first yeere of Cyrus when they had liberty to returne and to build the Citty and Temple But the Christians make questions whether from the going forth of the word from God to the Angel or from the Angel to Daniel or from the king who gave the commission to the Iewes Gordonii Chronol cap. 15. pag. 237. And here againe out of Ezra because it is said chap. 6.14 that the house was sininished by the commandement of Cyrus and Darius and Arteshaste king of Persia question arises whether these seventy weekes begin in the first yeere of Cyrus or of Darius Hystaspis or of Artaxerxes Longhand and whether in his seventh or in his twentieth yeere And here while every man is rich in his owne opinion and prizes at an high rate his owne reading and praises his Authors and despises as deceived or counterfeit such as make against him men have so puzled themselves by prophane stories and the reckoning by the olympiads that they cannot finde as not where to begin so not where to end the account whether at Pompeies taking of Ierusalem or at the birth of our Lord or at his death or with the destruction of Ierusalem or in the daies of Adrian when the Iewes were banished out of Palestina And whether these sevens of yeares for on that the Christians agree be moone-yeeres or Sun-yeeres for such fine subtilties they are driven unto who apply their wits and studies to make good their profane authorities How much more necessary were it to hold constantly the limits
God spake in times past to the Fathers See Iacobi Brocardi praefat in interpretat Bib. fol. 25 26 c. if their doings and sufferings were not predictions of the sufferings of Christ and of the glories that should follow How much better was that saying of the father The new Testament is hidden in the old and the Old is manifest in the New But you say by these allegoricall and mysticall sences of Agar and Sinai and the like any forrein sence may be concluded I Answer The Scriptures being to give us hope and comfort in Christ there is one rule for their interpretation which out of Saint Peter I remembred even now that the interpretation be to manifest the sufferings of Christ and thereby our deliverance from the punishment of our sinne or the glory of Christ and therewith the hopes that are laid up for us in heaven And what allegoricall mysticall or anagogicall sence soever is brought in beside this rule the rule of our holy faith is as easily thrust out as it is brought in And this is the true Cabala of the Scripture both old and new Troubled with all kinde of heresies The heresies or errors abont this truth of our Lord Christ incarnate are in briefe of three kindes The first concerning the person who was this Christ the second concerning His nature and being the third concerning the attributes or proprieties of his being The most ancient heresie concerning the person of the Messiah was that of the Herodians of whom you reade in the Gospell Matth. 22.16 Marke 3.6 These as Epiphanius remembers Panarii lib. 1. held that Herod the sonne of Antipater the Idumean was the true Christ promised to the Fathers because the scepter did utterlie cease from Iuda in his time but the gathering of the nations was not to Herod as Iacob prophesied so their heresie vanished Hitherto you may bring all those false glosses of the Iewes who turne the prophecies fulfilled in Christ to other persons as to Ezechiah to Zorobabel to Nehemiah to Iehoshua and to others as they thinke fittest to mocke of the holy oracles from the true Messiah as you may reade in Pet. Galat. lib. 4. cap. 17. and in the note b above But their greatest mistaking was in their counterfeit Messiah who from Numb 24.17 called himselfe Barchochab that is the sonne of the Starre of whom they were foretold by our Lord himselfe Iohn 5.43 If another shall come in his owne name him ye will receive But it cost them the destruction of their citie by Titus and so many miseries as ensued thereon Such another Barchoziba they had in the dayes of Adrian by whom after the slaughter of innumerable * persons They cite the author of the booke Iuchâ—sia for twice so many as went out of Egypt Postel de orbe cond writes 600000. of both these you may reade Galatin lib. 4. Cap. 21. they were utterlie chased out of their countrie and not so much as the name of their citie from his owne name called Aelia left unto them and thus have they lived in banishment ever since But the lewdnesse and follie of other succeeding hereticks did equall this of the Iewes And first that of Simon the Witch who gave out himselfe to bee the Christ which though Augustine affirme in so many words yet Tertullian and Epiphanius have onelie so much in effect that hee was that virtue and great power of God as you reade Acts 8.10 How great then was his schollar Menander who to all the falshood of his Master added this that hee was greater than Simon Epiphanius in Pan. The hereticks called the Sethians held that Christ which was borne of the Virgin Mary was no other then Seth named Gen. 4. the sonne of Adam The Ophites held that the Serpent which deceived Eve was Christ as Augustine saith but neither Irenaeus Tertullian nor Epiphanius affirme it But Augustines authoritie alone is sufficient to make us thinke that the Maniches held that the Serpent which taught Eve knowledge and came in the last dayes to save the soules of men must needs bee Christ But these sotteries were so sencelesse as that they neither lasted long nor spread farre But the enemie of mankinde would not suffer the fountaine of life the sincere doctrine of Christ to bee untroubled and therefore beside these heresies concerning the person who was that Christ promised to the Fathers hee brought into this faith which wee hold concerning Christ the sonne of the Virgin Mary such confusion of opinions concerning his nature and properties for his offices are in question now that Mahumed Alcoran Cap. 20. rejoyced in himselfe that hee was delivered from the opinions of the Christians so monstrous in themselves so contrarie one to another that the verie enemies of these heresies were in confusion thereabout and as here and there contrary one to another so sometime to themselves You may reade if you will the stories of the hereticks in the Fathers Irenaeus Epiphanius Theodoret Isidore Eusebius Ruffinus and other historians of the Church and in briefe he that gathered from them all the commentator on Aug. de haer I for avoiding of confusion will remember as occasion is the heresies under the name or names of the most famoused authors or defenders therof and that without respect either of the time wherein they lived or other opinions which they held beside for I write not the historie of the wars but the triumph onely of the Christian faith 1. The Monophysitae or hereticks which held but one onely nature in Christ were of divers families for Eutiches while hee went about to refute Nestorius who held as two natures so two persons in Christ confessed that Christ was of two natures God and man before the uniting of them both but after the union of them they became as one person so one nature because the manly being was utterlie swallowed up of the Divine and changed thereinto as a drop of vineger in the Sea doth utterly loose both the taste and being of vineger This the Armenians and Iacobites heretofore have held but now they are returned to the true faith Mr. Brerewoods Enquirie pag. 154. and page 173. Euagrius hist Ecclesiast lib. 4. Cap. 9 10 11. charges Anthimus Bishop of Constant Theod sius Bishop of Alexandria and Severus to have taught one onely nature in Christ but what or how he shewes not But you may finde in Theodotus the Reader Collect. lib. 2. that their heresie was one with this of Eutyches 2. Apollinaris as others Apollinarius contrarily upon that text of Iohn 1.14 The word became flesh held that in Christ the flesh and the word were consubstantiate or made one substance so that somewhat of the word was turned into flesh not remembring the interpretation which followes in the same place that the word made his tabernacle or dwelling in us 3. The Timotheans said That of the two natures thus united in Christ a third thing must result which is neither very God
begotten if he were not then there was a continuance when he was not and therefore of necessitie he must be created Answer Eternitie hath no respect of time of before or after because it is one continuall perpetuity and whatsoever ever being or action is once therein it is eternall Therefore that difference of was and was not hath no place in eternity seeing the generation is eternall ever one and the same as you may see further in the treatise at the end of the booke 4. Whatsoever is begotten receives the nature which it hath from that which doth beget as a man from man fire from fire and in all other univocall generations in which though the natures be of one kinde yet must they needs be different in number as in Isaak and Iacob But this cannot be in the divine generation for so there should bee moe Gods than one or if the nature of the Sonne bee in number the same with that of the Father then doth the Sonne receive that nature either in part which is impossible because a most simple and pure being cannot be divided into parts or entyer and whole and so the Father should cease to be Neither is the generation as of a river out of a fountaine because the Divine nature is neither divisible nor possible to be encreased Therefore Iesus is not the Sonne of God by generation but by creation onely Answ The being of God is not materiall which only is subject to division into parts and that totality which is made of parts but his being is intellectuall and because it is infinite and apprehended by an infinite understanding it is necessarie that the divine being or understanding be wholly in the word or being understood I meane with that totality of perfection which is in the unitie of being spoken of in the first objection 5. Either the Father begat the Sonne with his will or against his will not against his will for so it had beene impossible that ever hee should have beene begotten if with his will then his will must be before and so the Son cannot be eternall Epiphanius rejects this reason because all the kindes of begetting are not reckoned up for in God saith hee is no deliberation for the inclining of his will therefore the Deitie is that nature according to which the Father did beget the Sonne neither ever ceases to beget him eternally But this is to beget the Sonne with his will seeing the will of God is his being according to which he workes eternally as you may further understand Chap. 11. note d Many such arguments as these are and many bee brought to this purpose of Arius all which as these that you have seene must take their grounds from inferiour truths in the creature which are utterly unfit for that generation which is eternall and Divine for to whom shall wee liken the highest or who shall declare his generation and therefore Athanasius Epist contra Arianos cujus initium 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 said rightly that the Divine generation was not to bee measured by the generation of man as those Arians used to deceive women and children And therefore the Scripture in expressing of the Divine generation calls the Sonne the Wisdome of the Father Prov. 8. The Word Iohn 1. The brightnesse of his glory and the expresse image of his Person Heb. 1. That the minde herein may bee utterly withdrawne from sensible and naturall things The Fathers also in the Nicen Councell to that question of Phaedo the patron of Arius how the Sonne was begotten of the Father answered that this question is not to be asked for seeing the creatures were not ever they could not make answer concerning his originall that was eternall And therefore as none knowes the Father but the Sonne so none knowes the Sonne but the Father And as I shewed you Log. Cap. 15. n. 6. and note thereunto That the certaine knowledge of every thing must be had from the rules that are proper and peculiar thereto so remember here that sith the creature can have no knowledge of the Creator but by that revelation which he maketh of himselfe you may ever repaire to his owne holy word to be instructed in his holy trueth 6. But from hence also Arius armed his heresie for because Wisdome saith of her selfe Pro. 8.22 The Lord possessed me the beginning of his wayes where the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being translated in the Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hee created me Arius from thence caused much perplexity unto the Fathers in this businesse and although Athanasins in his oration 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 proves by divers arguments that the Sonne as concerning his Godhead cannot be created yet when he comes to give answer to this text hee interprets it thus The Father hath appointed mee a body and creating me among men hath ordeined me the Saviour of mankinde which though it be true yet is it not a fit interpretation for that text if yee consider the circumstances before and after The Fathers also of the Nicene councell being urged with this text answered from that addition the beginning of his wayes that the world was created for man so that man the reasonable or discursive wisdome of God as concerning the intent and purpose of God was first created although last in the order of actuall being Epiphan haeres 69. in answer hereto holds the distinction of wisdome created and increated but seeing no place of the Scripture expounds this place of Christ therefore saith he it is not necessary to interpret it of the Sonne of God but if you take the other circumstances it can belong to no other Then if it must needs be referred to Christ yet shall it be verified of his humane not of his divine nature At last he gives the true meaning of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 kanah he possessed or of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 kanan he hatcht as a Chickin and reasons that as every chicken is of the same nature with the dam so the word also must have the same being with the Father and therefore bee begotten before all time eternally you shall finde the true reason of the difference of the translation in the tenth section following In the meane while it is not unreasonable to thinke that this Errour came by some interpreter that was an enemy to the Christian faith And yet among them Aquila translates it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he possessed me as other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the same theme which might easily be written 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he created Let the students of the holy mysteries give all diligence to read the holy Scriptures in their proper language For there this treason of Arius and all other hereticks is easily discovered 7. Hee that denyes himselfe to be good cannot be God But Christ saith of himselfe Math. 19.27 why callest thou me good there is none good but one even God Answ Good is either absolute and perfect
the same purpose a Wisdome increated and a Wisedome created and although Arius affirmed as Postellus That Christ was a creature but not as one of the creatures made but not as one of other things that were made c. and therefore concluded that he held the same faith with the Church and detracted nothing from the glory of Christ when hee called him the first and chiefe creature Epiph. haeres 69. yet Postellus whether he were indeed ignorant of it or whether he dissembled his knowledge makes no mention thereof lest the name Arius might discredit the position although the difference betweene Arius and Postellus be as much as from the East to the West For though Arius held the increated Wisdome or Word to be in the Trinity yet he could not yeeld to this that that Wisdome tooke flesh and became that Saviour to whom we confesse And this was the businesse betweene him and the right meaning Fathers But Postellus held that the created Wisdome that first borne of every creature which in the fulnesse of time tooke flesh of the Virgin Mary and in that flesh made satisfaction for the sinnes of the world was hee in whom all the fulnesse of the Godhead did dwell Now by the rule of our faith both the extremities are yeelded unto that Christ is God blessed above all and that he is man as hath beene proved But this is now to be examined whether it be necessary to the beeing of our mediatour that hee be that first creature of God created before all times and ages of the world by whom all other things were afterwards made in their due times and are governed as Postellus affirmed The Authorities which Postellus brings are either forraine or else out of the holy Scripture you shall first see them of the first kind with their exceptions then his reasons with their answers and lastly those enforcements which are by him and may beside bee brought from the Word of truth 1. First he saith he is urged to the declaration of this truth by the Spirit of Christ pag. 1 3 7 c. but I say these enthusiasmes and revelations are a common claime not onely to them that speake the truth from God as the holy Prophets say Thus saith the Lord but also to them that vent their owne fantasies and heresies in stead of the truth The second authority is that of the Abisine Church which commonly they call of Presbyter Iohn out of whose Creed he cites for his purpose thus much Pag. 24. 25. We beleeve in the name of the holy Trimty the Father the Son and the holy Ghost who is one Lord three names one Deity three Faces one Similitude the conjunction of the three persons is equall in their Godhead one Kingdome one Throne one Iudge one Love one Word one Spirit But there is a Word of the Father a Word of the Soune and a Word of the Holy Ghost and the Son is the same Word And the Word was with God and with the Holy Ghost and with himselfe without any defect or division the Sonne of the Father the Sonne of himselfe and the beginning of himselfe Where in the first Article you see that Church acknowledges the Trinitie of Persons in the unitie of the Deity according to that faith which wee beleeve The second Article But there is a Word of the Father c. is altogether a declaration of this created Word of Sonne of God by whom all the holy Scriptures were given and inspired as Postel speakes But concerning that Church though Postel to make the authority thereof without exception say it was never troubled with any heresie yet it is not unlikely to have nursed that arch-heretick Arius whom all writers account to be a Lybian Besides it is manifest that they are all Monothelites and so farre forth Iacobites or Eutychians that they condemne the fourth generall Councell of Chalcedon for determining two natures to be in Christ Moreover what their learning is like to be you may judge by this that their inferiour Church Ministers and Monkes must live by their labor having no other maintenance nor being suffered to crave almes see Mr Brerewoods Enquiry Chap. 23. 21. a state of the Ministery whereto our sacrilegious patrons and detainers of those livings rightly called Impropriations because they belong most improperly to them that unjustly withhold them from the Church would bring our Church unto But see whereto this want of maintenance hath brought that Church which in the time of the Nicene Councell was of so great regard that their Patriarch had the seventh place in all generall Councels yet now as I have read have they of late yeares beene compelled to send to Rome to beg a religion and teachers from them And this is the Authority of that Church But you will say their Creed is ancient and of authority I say though it be as ancient as Arius yet what wit or judgement was in this to put such a point into their Creed which they themselves by Postels owne confession doe not understand If it were necessary to beleeve it other Churches would not have omitted it if not necessary why was it brought into their Creed But the ancient Paraphrasts Anchelus and Ionathan are without exception and where the Text is And the Lord spake unto Moses they explaine it thus And the Lord spake unto Moses by his word which all the old Interpreters and especially Rambam understand to be spoken of the created Word of God that Word of the Father the Sonne and the Holy Ghost or the Divinitie which is appliable to the created beeings Pag. 24. The Cabalists also concurre with this interpretation and therefore call him the inferiour VVisdome the Throne of Glory the house of the Sanctuary the heaven of heavens united to eternity the superiour habitation in which God dwels for ever as his body is the inferiour habitation after he was incarnate the great Steward of the house of God who according to the eternall decree brings forth every thing in due time And these as I remember are all the authorities which Postellus cites except you will add this that whereas he writes to the Councell of Trent they of the Councell being called for other purposes did not at all passe any censure of the booke or this position which is the maine point therein You may add to these authorities many other and first out of Iesus the Sonne of Sirach Chap. 1. vers 4 5. Wisdome hath beene created before all things and the understanding of Prudence from everlasting The VVord of God most high is the fountaine of wisdome c. which agrees with that in the Creed before that hee is the VVord of the Sonne and the beginning of himselfe And againe verse 9. The Lord created her and saw her and numbred her And Chap. 24.8 9. He that made me caused me to rest he created me from the beginning before the world and I shall never faile And this authority
a full answer to the argument of Postellus so had you need to remember it because it may helpe to the understanding of some places of Scripture which may seeme to make for this conclusion 6. But if such a created Mediatour be as had power to execute the eternall decree and to create therest of the creature the Angels and man and all this visible world from him it may stand well with the justice and honour of God and the love of that Mediatour toward man to offer himselfe for man when hee had sinned whereas otherwise if no such created Mediatour bee then God the party offended must first seeke the attonement and seeing man was not able must likewise make satisfaction to himselfe for the sinne of another against himselfe But this stands neither with the honour of God nor the rule of Iustice Answ Intire affection hates all nicity And so God loved the world that he gave his onely begotten Son that the world through him might be saved And if the onely begotten Sonne be onely that second person of the Trinity what Son is that created Mediatour And so farre is it from dishonour to God to seeke and save that which was lost as that without his mercy and pitie on man in his misery the worke of God in the creature had beene in vaine But concerning that satisfaction which was made for sinne although it had appeared that it was utterly impossible to bee made by one that was onely man Chap. 19. yet was the satisfaction made onely in the manhood of our Saviour dignified and sustained by his divinity unto the endurance of all that punishment which was due to our sinne as it is manifest by the Prophet Esay chap. 53. Col. 1.22 1 Pet. 2.24 and yet for all that is our Saviour the Lambe slaine from the beginning of the world Re. 13.8 yet is the blood of his sacrifice upon the Crosse called the blood of the everlasting Testament Heb. 13.20 because that by the eternall spirit he offered himselfe for us unto God Heb. 9.14 That he in his manhood might present his Church unto himselfe God blessed for ever holy and without blemish Eph. 5.27 So that the redemption of man is the worke of the whole Trinitie the Sonne by the holy Spirit offering himselfe unto the Father accepting this obedience a ransome for the world And because the Sonne offered himselfe by the eternall Spirit therefore is not our Saviour a created Mediatour as Postellus supposed for no creature can be eternall And malgre all the power of hell it was an eternall Gospell Revel 14.6 Written in the Volume of the Booke of the eternall Decree Psal 40.7 Heb. 10.7 to the everlasting comfort of the faithfull That the sacrifice for sinne was appointed before there was a sinner 7. Now before I come to those Texts of Scripture which Postel urges directly hereto it will not bee unfit to let you see how he favours his owne opinion by those Scriptures which he interprets unfaithfully as where it is said Deut. 32.39 There is no God with me as Esay interprets it I am God and there is none else he makes the sense pag. 104. he is the created wisdome before which there was no other God created for he is worthily called God saith he for his union with the Deitie And againe pag. 115. for that which is Prov. 8.23 I was set up from everlasting he will have it that this divine wisdome was created not from everlasting for then it could not be a creature but before any ages were numbred by men So to that of Saint Iohn Cap. 1. The Word was with God he addes as it followes in the Abisine Creed and with the Holy Ghost and with himself argues that whosoever is with another must be different therfrom for the most part inferiour indignity I have answered concerning the authority of that Church the collection of inferiority in dignity followes not neither doth this text prove the unity of any such creature with the Creator as hee inferres but rather the difference of persons in the unity of the Godhead for so it followes in the Text And that Word was God I say nothing of other Texts which by allegoricall and forraine interpretations he would bring to his purpose such as that pag. 93. where by the firmament Gen. 1.6 he will understand this Mediator who parted the hidden waters of the Deitie from the manifest waters of the creature whereby it would follow that the Chaos or waters the light and darknesse were created before this Mediator see Gen. 1.13 His argument from that Spirit which moved upon the waters Gen. 1. brought pag. 29. is answered before Reason 3. I impute it no fault to him that he pag. 62. confounds those Texts of Iohn 12.28 and chap. 17.5 Charity sees no mistakings where they make not against the truth But his collection is ill from that text Glorifie me with that glory which I had with thee before the world was to conclude either that the creatures were distinct in him whom he cals God man meaning the created Mediatour or for any other to suppose that the glory of God the Sonne was any whit lessened by the taking of our flesh onely it was shadowed for a time under the Cloud of his humanity except that at some times a glimpse therof appeared in his glorious miracles For first if that eminent being of the creatures in the distinction of their severall beings were not in God the Sonne that second Person of the Trinity but in this created Mediator it would follow that the wisdome of God were not infinite nor yet essentiall unto him when the knowledge of the creature in that manner of being must come unto him by a creature contrary to that which hath been proved Chap. 5. 8. And therefore to avoid this inconvenience hee is compelled to say pag. 74. that that second being of all things taking the equivalent being which they have in the Father for the first is not onely in the eternall wisedome but also in the wisdome created Whence it followes that the Creature by the same manner of being shall bee both in the Creator and in the created Mediator But the reason for otherwise the Angels could no see God The position is false the reason insufficient and answered before then to thinke that the Sonne had lost or abated any thing of his infinite glory because he prayes that he may be glorified as before the world was stands neither with the truth For so neither had the glory beene infinite if once ended nor he coessentiall with the Father neither yet accords it with the circumstance of the Text. Therefore understand it according to the truth That Christ the Sonne of God in his manly being having glorified the Father on earth and finished that worke which he had given him to doe Verse 4. prayeth vers 5. that the infinite glory which was darkned under the forme of a servant Phil. 2.27 might
therein O times Into what corruption of manners are wee fallen So when all charity is put only in the maintenance of idlenesse and begging Gangrels being otherwise dead and cold when the apostasie is fully revealed and the man of sinne detected which exalteth Himselfe above all that is called God Moreover when by the working of the false apostles of that apostasie there is a daylie falling from the faith 2. Thes chap. 2. When that ill servant hath said in his heart My Lord delayes his comming and hath begun and so continues to smite his fellow-servants Matth. 24.28 29. what wants but onely that the Tribes of Israel should be gathered to the Church that all the wicked should bee put away like drosse Psal 119. verse 119. For the ungodly shall not stand in the judgement nor the sinners in the congregation of the righteous Other signes you may reade in the Holy Text and consider of them But that signe of the Son of man spoken of Matth. 24.30 is doubtfull Some thinke it shall be a crosse some a great light Lactantius Lib. 7. Cap. 19. thinkes it shall bee a sword which shall fall from heaven like the ancyle Ovid. Fast lib. 3. But Sibyl orae lib. 2. saith it shall be a glorious Starre in the likenesse of a Crowne except by an Enallage of number shee meanes a Crowne of Starres as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sometime doth signifie a constellation Her Verses are these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A shining Starre like to a Crowne most sheen In the bright heaven of all men shal be seen For many dayes Next after the signes of our Lords comming to Iudgement you may reade the manner of His comming as it is delivered in the Scripture so farre as our understanding can conceive to bee with power and glory Mat. 24.31 euen the glory of the Father Mat. 16.27 and all the holy Angels with Him Matt. 25.31 In flaming fire rendring vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Iesus Christ 2. Thess 1.8 § 3. But that we dwell not on these things which are either beyond our understanding as the enquiry of the time which is therefore hid that it may stint our curious search or else so plaine that wee need not doubt let us goe forward to those questions which seeme to offer some doubt unto us 1. And first if Christ our Lord shall judge the world in righteousnesse Psalm 9.8 how is it said Matth. 19.28 That the Apostles shall sit upon twelue Thrones and judge the twelue tribes of Israel And againe 1 Cor. 6.2 Doe ye not know that the Saints shall judge the world and vers 3. Know ye not that we shall judge the Angels To which the answere is returned That the Apostles by their faith and doctrine shall take away all excuse from the Israelites and so judge and condemne them For this is their condemnation That they beleeved not in the Name of the onely begotten Sonne of God Iohn 3.18 So the Saints in generall shall judge the wicked by their faith and repentance whose example the wicked would not follow that they might be saved Moreover seeing the faithfull are the members of that mysticall body of which Christ is the head they in Him are said to judge the world that is the unbeleevers And seeing all the enemies of Christ are to bee brought before the Throne of Christ and His Church in as much as Christ shall judge the world and the wicked Angels in trueth and righteousnesse all the faithful shal subscribe to the judgement as most holy and just and so are rightly said to judge the Angels And as the holy Angels shall then rejoyce with joy unspeakable for that glory and mercy which God shall vouchsafe unto His Saints So the Saints likewise shall give glory and thankes to God for that encrease of glory and happinesse which He shall give unto the holy angels as the reward of their continuall watch and guard which they have held about us all the time of our pilgrimage upon earth and at the houre of death helping the soule out of the prison of the body and conducting it unto the place of joy But it is said Iohn 16.11 That the Prince of this world is judged already how they shall we judge the Angels Answer The devill is judged already 1. In the decree of God 2. By the word of God he is declared to be reserued in chaines of darknesse and that hell fire is prepared for him and his angels 3. By his owne knowledge of his owne estate 4. Because his torment is in part begun But in judgement there be two things First the enquiry of the fact then the award of the reward Neither the deeds of the good or bad angels shall bee enquired into at the judgement a as some have thought but the reward shall bee assigned unto them both and acknowledged to be most just by the Church as I said before and this is our judgement of them Neither yet shall the sencelesse creatures be exempted from this judgment in as much as The elements shall melt with heate and the earth with the workes thereof shall burne 2. Pet. 3.10 that they may be freed from that corruption to which they are subject for the sinne of man For when man sinned the whole bodily creature which was made for man was thereby subjected to vanity not of it owne will or any inclination which was therein in respect of any weakenesse of state wherein it was created For all was exceeding good Gen. 1.31 but that the justice of God against sinne might be manifest is it subjected to the curse Gen. 3.18 19. yet under hope that when man is freed from his sinne the creature also shall be restored unto that libertie from corruption wherein it was created Rom. 8.20 c. as it is said Rev. 21.1 and 5. Behold I create all things new See 1. Pet. 3.13 2. Another doubt may bee concerning the forme of the sentence whereby it may seeme that the merit of workes is justified For so is the sentence pronounced Come yee blessed receive the King-dome prepared for you for I was hungry and ye gave Mee meat c. and on the other side Depart ye cursed for I was hungry and ye gave Me no meat c. Mat. 25.35 to 46. Ans It cannot bedenied but that the sentence of condemnation upon the reprobate is according to their workes as the deseruing causes thereof For not tobeleeve in Christ is that great sin which is the cause of condemnation Ioh. 3.18 and 16.9 Neither is a dead faith ought worth but that faith onely is accepted which worketh by love Galat. 5.6 without which it is impossible to please God Hebr. 11.6 And if all things that are not of faith be sinne Rom. 14.23 Then the wicked works of Infidels and Hypocrites and much more their violent and wilfull rebellions
the 38. Chapter But it is impossible that a finite matier should be sufficient for infinite bodies yet if the race and generation of man-kind should have no end then their bodies must needs be infinite which because it is impossible therefore the generation of mankind must have an end 3. The generation of man-kind is either by chance and fortune and so it cannot be continuall either before or after or else it is naturall and so it must needs bee for some end For every motion hath an end when it is come to that period or bound wherein it doth rest otherwise nature should worke in vaine which cannot stand with that wisedome which gave power unto nature and prescribed unto it how it should worke and proposed to what end But if the generation of man-kind be infinite then it is impossible that ever it should come unto that uttermost end for which it was ordained For although these and the millions of men that have beene and are shall arive unto that end for which they were created yet they that are to come in infinitie cannot all be brought to that end which is finite and determined Therefore the generation of man-kind must needs be finite 4. If there shall not be an end of the generation of men then there can be no differences among them as to bee vertuous and vitious wise and fooles good and bad c. But this is most false and contrary to experience yet the former consequence is necessary For it being put as the reasons before partly shew and partly suppose that every man shall have his owne body and his owne soule yet if the matier whereof their bodies shall be made bee finite it will be impossible that infinite bodies be made thereof If it be infinite yet an infinite number of bodies will bee answerable thereto So that if the number of Wise-men be infinite there will be no matier for the bodies of fooles if that number of fooles bee infinite there will be no matier for the bodies of the wise if both be infinite yet one infinitie of matier cannot be sufficient for two infinities of bodies if both bee finite then have wee that wee sought for and the generation of men must of necessity have an end 5. Nothing that is infinite can consist of parts that are finite for these being termes contradictory and most opposed cannot be the originall one of another But every particular man in this supposed infinitie of the generation of men is finite in his being in his continuance and in every other circumstance of his being So this infinitie in every of the parts thereof must be finite and measurable to a time that is finite and so must have an end or if to avoid this end wee must suppose that the time must be infinite yet so an infinite measure must be necessary to measure those parts that are finite But this is impossible and therefore the generation of men must needs be finite And if the generation of man-kind must have an end then also all this creature which was made for his sake for after him the continuance thereof should be to no use but neither the worke of God nor of Nature His servant can be in vaine Therefore the generation of man-kind is finite § 5. Sect. 5 But you will say if every man immediately after death receive the sentence of joy or punishment everlasting what needs any such generall Iudgement as wee understand in the Creed Answere 1. If the body being the instrument of all the workes of the soule should not partake with the soule in the reward to those workes then the justice of God should not bee perfect Therefore for the manifestation of the justice of God it is necessary first that there be a resurrection of the body then that there be a judgement that as men have done either good or bad in their bodies so in their bodies they may receive their reward And this answere shall be the first argument against those mockers that say where is the promise of His comming 2. If all men must rise againe with their bodies that they may receive according to that which they have done in their bodies then it is necessary that there bee an examination of those workes which they have done And this examination of every mans works with the execution of that sentence that followes thereon is that which wee call the generall Iudgement But the first is necessary as it will appeare in that Article of the Resurrection Therefore also that there bee a judgement of the quicke and the dead 3. Neither can there be any severing of the godly from the wicked nor discerning or comparing of their different workes nor any assignement of a reward answerable thereto but by a judgement wherein all are assembled But all these things are necessary to be First that the sheepe may find themselues freed from the violence and injury of the goats who in all the time of this world have push't them on the sides have eaten up their pasture and troden the residue under their feete Ezech. 34.18 c. Compare herewith 2. Pet. 2.8.9 Secondly that the commandements of God first written in the heart of every man then expressed in the tables of stone and at last most lively interpreted by Christ Himselfe Matth. 5. may be found to bee most just when the doers of the Law are rewarded and the breakers punished Neither is it sufficient that every mans deeds be discussed in the particular judgement at his death for so neither their deeds nor rewards nor the causes of them should be knowne unto all Therefore it is necessary that there be a generall judgement 4. If there be not a generall judgement wherein the deeds of all men shall be tryed and rewarded then the hope of all vertuous men should be vtterly void and their obedience to the Commandements of Meeknesse and Patience without reward See Matth. 5.43 and Luk. 6.27 28 c. So also the promises of Christ should faile of their trueth and performance See Matth. 5.10 but these things are impossible So also vertue should have no aduantage above vice or rather should be no vertue at all when there were no difference in the reward Nay rather vertue should be vice and and vice vertue and every man the more wicked violent and bold he were should be so much the more vertuous and blessed in as much as by violence and cruelty he might without feare bring his purposes to passe to the hurt of others although it were onely to please himselfe But all these things are impossible and utterly against the truth and Iustice of God Therefore there shall be a generall judgement wherein the deeds of all men shall be tryed and rewarded 5. That which was threatned from the beginning by God Himselfe must of necessity come to passe at the last But the judgment was threatned to Adam the common father of us all and in him against us
confesseth to bee this To know the Father the onely true God and Iesus Christ whom he hath sent and according to the necessitie of this one thing the 3. Chapter of Gen. with the 53. of Esay and any one of the Gospels might seeme sufficient And in this sufficiencie onely wee dwell hither-unto But because S. Peter saith 1. Epistle 1.11 that the inquest of the Prophets was not onely concerning the saluation of the soule but likewise what times and what manner of times they should be wherein the sufferings of Christ should bee fulfilled and the glories which should follow thereupon and because both the sufferings of Christ and his glories are to be accomplished not onely in Himselfe but also in His Church as they were prefigured in all the types that were of Him in the Church under the Law and that God the Lord doth nothing but He revealeth His secret unto His seruants the Prophets Amos 3.7 when wee shall grow past milke and be able to digest stronger meat when wee shall understand how the Law and the Prophets are to be fulfilled to every jod and title contained in them Matth. 5.17.18 when wee shall be able to apply every text to the proper time and meaning according to the perfection of the uttermost understanding thereof then shall we see that the Law of the Lord is a perfect Law and His Statutes and judgements are sweeter then honey and the honey combe then shall the Church see and know that nothing in the whole body of the Holy Scripture is either superfluous or that any word letter or prick therein might bee missing § 5. Sect. 5 That the Scriptures are come unto us as they were at first delivered to the Church by the Prophets and Apostles that were the Pen-men thereof it may be manifest by those reasons which are brought for proofe of the former question 1. For if God who is praysed for His trueth in that Hee hath magnified His Word above all His Name Psal 138.2 hath not preserved His Scripture intyer from the corruption of man from the alteration addition or taking away that they might make what comfort or certaine instruction can wee have thereby What assurance of hope by those promises of which wee are not sure whether they be the promises of God or the imaginations of men Thus the end for which God of His goodns gave those Scriptures should be frustrate and man in that incertainty nothing furthered toward eternall life Thus the Church should fayle in the duty and faithfull performance of that trust which she owes unto God in preserving that treasure which was committed to her charge and safe keeping But these things are not to be granted And therefore the Scriptures are come unto us in that integrity or purity in which they were at first delivered to the Church they of the old Testament in the Hebrew tongue they of the new in Greeke 2. The constant consent of all the doctrines and promises contained in the Scriptures the efficacie and power of that Spirit which is manifest in the deliverie thereof are evident proofes that the Scripture is still in that purity in which God gave it unto the Church And although God in those Scriptures have vouchsafed to apply Himselfe to our understanding and as a nurse to lisp with her infant yet so much is the foolishnesse of God wiser than man and the weaknesse of God stronger than men 1. Cor. 1.25 as that it is still manifest in the whole body of the holy writ that nothing of humane drosse is mixt there-with but that His Word is still as before pure as silver that hath beene tryed seven times in the fire 3. This fire is that dampish smother-fire of heresies which the devill did kindle among his brands among whom though some rejected the authority of sundry bookes of Holy Scripture as Marcion and others some corrupted the sence thereof by Allegories and forraine interpretations as the Origenists See Augustin de Gen. ad literam others by wresting it from the native sence to the supportance of their owne heresies yet the Church which continued faithfull in the doctrine of God constantly with-stood all these attempts and ever maintained the sincerity as of the doctrine so of the Holy Scripture on which it was founded And because the Scripture is either of the old or of the new Testament it is fit to speake to each of them in particular 4. And first concerning the old Testament it is manifest that the Church of Israel whose hope was set on that Messiah that was to come had no cause to corrupt the text of the holy writ but according to the promises which they had in the Law and in the Prophets the expositors thereof so to hope that He should be such a deliverer and Saviour as was promised by which hope they were bound to preserue the Scripture in all integrity that they might see the full accomplishment thereof when He was come 5. Beside the Priests whose lips should preserue knowledge and at whose mouth they should seeke the Law Mal. 2.7 there was from Samuel unto the dayes of Ezra a perpetuall succession of Prophets who could not in any wayes have endured so great a corruption uncontrouled as that the Word of the Lord should be changed or depraved And although the Scriptures before the time of Ezra had beene corrupted yet he being a Prophet a Priest and a perfect scribe of the Law of the Lord and of the Statutes of Israel that had prepared his heart to teach the Law of God and His statutes and judgements Ezra 7. who changed the forme of their Chaldean or Samaritane letters for those which are now in use hee I say would have taken away all such corruptions or changes as had come to the Holy Scripture if it might bee imagined that any could come in the time of the Prophets that were before as far as the diversitie of Copies gave them light Of the Israelites care in writing the Scriptures and of the Masôreth 6. MOreover that exceeding care and diligence which the Scribes were to use in writing is sufficient proofe that the bookes of the old Testament are come to us in that purity in which the Church received them which care how great it ought to bee you may see by that which their Doctors have recorded Henry Ainsworth Aduertisement n. 3. cites out of Rambam Sopher Torah Chap. 7. and 10. thus much If the booke of the Law doe want but one letter or have one letter too much if one letter touch another if the forme of any letter be corrupted if the word which is full be written defective or that full which is defective if the word of the margent be written in the line or that of the line in the margent the Booke is not allowable to bee read in the Synagogue neither hath it the holinesse of the Booke of the Law at all but is a booke on which Children may learne To this
the Sonne of God when as in the case of treason against Caesar upon His owne interpretation He was acquited by the Romane deputy Answere So He was pronounced innocent against all their other objections and yet His innocency saved Him not Yet His case was a reserved case in as much as He was no private man but even the Head of His Church who had set Himselfe to answere for all His members and therefore when the Law protected not Him who was innocent above all men and for all men it condemned it selfe as unable to give life and therefore the conclusion is good that it is not of any power to condemne any of them who were condemned in Him that was innocent But that I may answere more particularly I say that I am farre from these men in both their opinions For although the things which our Lord did so farre forth as wee can imitate them are examples for us yet not onely for example but also for our justification that the law of perfect righteousnesse being fulfilled for us wee might bee freed from the curse of the Law Moreover by that active righteousnesse which our Saviour performed He was able to save all that come unto God by Him whereas if it might be supposed that God and man in one person could sinne as the devill tempted Him then His suffering had beene onely sufficient for Himselfe whereas now His death was meritorious for all For as that supposed sinne had beene infinite both in respect of the person against whom and the person by whom it had beene done being an infinite Person so must it have had an infinite satisfaction So all that Christ had merited by His death had beene available onely for Himselfe but now being offered a Lambe without spot His sacrifice is sufficient for all that come unto God by Him Then for that other opinion that wee are not bound to the fulfilling of the Law it is most false For though the Iudiciall were peculiar to Israels common wealth and the ceremoniall Law served onely till the substance was exhibited yet the morall Law in regard of the eternall Iustice and equitie thereof as the law of nature may not be broken without sinne nay so much more straightly are wee bound to the performance thereof as the thoughts are more unruly than the actions otherwise what meant those interpretations of the Law Matth. 5. and elsewhere fetch 't from the innermost meaning of Iustice which binds the very thoughts It hath beene said to them of old c. But I say unto you Love your enemies and whosoever lusts hath committed adultery in his heart c. Is not our Lord a sufficient Law-giver for His Church Doe they take away sinne out of the world and so make void the death of Christ For where no Law is there is no sinne imputed Rom. 5.13 I confesse that the Law hath no power over them that are in Christ to eternall death because it was insufficient to protect His innocent life although the keeping of the Law if it were exact might claime to eternall life But the works of the Law and faith in Christ are by Saint Paul set in direct opposition in this argument of justification See Rom. 3. from verse 20. c. And Galatians Chapter 3. But yet though obedience cannot bring life eternall to the doer of the Law because the Law is perfect our obedience imperfect yet sinne brings deserved death upon the sinner whereby their vanitie appeares which hold the keeping of the law not necessary and likewise the trueth of the former conclusion that seeing the keeping of the law gave not life to our Lord that fulfilled it neither can the breach of the Law bring condemnation to them that are in Him to whom there is no condemnation Rom. 8.1 Object 2. Object 2 But seeing the merit of Christ is infinite and He being both God and man of infinite worthinesse above the creature and for this purpose appearing that He might take away the sinnes of the world how comes it to passe that after the sacrifice for sin is offered yet both sinne and death the punishment thereof doe still remaine Answere It was an easie thing for God utterly to have abolished death after that by sinne it had entered into the world so that neither the body should have died the naturall death nor the soule the spirituall death of ignorance and pleasure in sinne nor both together the death eternall But yet God would let both sin and death remaine and that for foure reasons especially First that the justice of His most righteous sentence might stand In the day that thou eatest of that tree of the knowledge of good and ill thou shalt die the death 2. That the infinitie of His wisedome and goodnesse might appeare that as death by sinne had entered into the world so by death he might destroy sinne that whereas the devill which had the power of death sought to deprive man of life and glory He might take the weapon out of the hand of that Egyptian and as Benajah kill him with his owne speare and by death bring man to everlasting glory 3. That man might see the greatnesse of the benefit and willingly conforme himselfe to follow Christ through the paines of death and horrour of the grave seeing God hath called and predestinated us to be like the image of His Son 4. The devills fell by pride and least man should grow proud therefore is sinne and death left with him to humble him thereby So that to the faithfull the condition of death onely is changed For whereas justice would that man should die because the sentence of death had proceeded against him And mercy would not the death of a sinner Wisedome decided it that death should bee made the way to everlasting life and so both Iustice and mercy might have what they desired Object 3. Object 3 But how is sinne said to be forgiven when both sinne and the punishment doe still remaine Answere The meaning and purpose of this Article of our faith is that wee stedfastly beleeve the forgivenesse of our sinnes so that they shall not rise up in judgement against us to our eternall condemnation But concerning the temporary punishment in this world we must remember that which is Hebr. 12.6 Whom the Lord loveth He chastizeth and scourgeth every one whom He receiveth And this appeareth most plainely in David 2. Sam. 12. whose sinne though God had put away that he should not die yet was it afterward punished to every circumstance as you may read And though all chastisement for the present bee grievous yet are not afflictions brought upon men but onely for their humilitie and exercise of their faith and patience or to turne them from their sinne that they may repent and be made partakers of His holinesse and so the eternall remission of their sinnes made sure unto them according to His promise Esay 43.25 I even I am He that putteth out
the promise of making all things new Rev. 21.5 Es 65.17 2. Pet. 3.13 should also bee of none effect But all these things are impossible Ergo. It is necessary that there be a resurrection of the body and eternall life 12. Neither is the body nor yet the soule for it selfe but both the one and the other that both together may make one perfect man So the perfection and blessednesse of the whole man is more than that which can come onely to one part But if there bee not a resurrection of the body this greater blessednesse is utterly lost so that although the soule bee happie for ever yet the greater blessednesse of the soule and body together suffers eternall privation So the whole should be onely that one part may bee happie so the hope even of the faithfull should bee in vaine and their eternall happinesse onely in imperfection and so the punishment of the wicked But these things stand neither with the justice of God nor the trueth of His promises Therefore the body shall rise againe 13. And because this is our last hope and uttermost comfort in all our calamities and a speciall bridle to restraine from sinne it is fit that upon all occasions you should exercise your selfe to make this conclusion on whatsoever you thinke or whatsoever you heare out of the holy Scriptures For every promise and every threatning therein brings you to this that a reckoning must be given for all that which you have done in the body For if the body with the sences the servants of the soule either for sinne or righteousnesse should not live againe then the divine justice in reward and punishment should be defective but this is impossible The texts that are plaine you will understand by your selfe as that of Moses in Psal 90.3 Thou turnest man to destruction and sayest Returne ye children of men Some are a little further off which yet you may easily bring hither as Esay 38.18 19. The grave cannot praise thee They that goe downe into the pit cannot hope for thy trueth The living the living hee shall Praise thee as I doe this day Therefore the dead shall rise againe For seeing man was made to glorifie God in his body and in his soule and that his end cannot bee frustrate man must live againe that his mercy and justice may be praised both by the good and the bad Iannes and Iambres withstood Moses 2. Tim. 3.8 Therfore Moses Iannes and Iambres must come to judgement For it is a just thing with God to reward you and to punish them that trouble you 2. Thes 1.6.7 And if for your further satisfaction you will reade that which the Fathers have written you may take that which goes under the name of Iustine the Martyr in his questions of the Greekes the oration of Athenagoras concerning the resurrection of the dead Irenaeus lib. 5. cap. 4. c. his arguments for the most part taken from Athenagoras Theophilus lib. 1. ad Autolycum Origen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lib. 2. cap. 10. Reade also that excellent booke of Tertullian of this argument where you may see what his judgement is concerning the qualities of the bodies being raised and some objections to the contrary answered This Article the Iewes both Cabalists and Talmudists hold so firmely against that heresie of the Sadduces that they say That he can have no part in the world to come which denies the resurrection Lib. Sanhedrin Cap. Halet Neither is there any man that lives and sees the continuall course of nature in the digestion of the food that can deny that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the body of which Pythagoras and after him Plato speakes in Phaed. and most of all Saint Paul 1 Cor. 15.39 § 3. Yet so fearefull is the judgement which follows after the resurrection unto the Atheist that he searches all corners of cavills against it you shall take some of them with their answeres as I find them in Tertullian and Thomas Aquinas contr gent. lib. 4. cap. 80 and 81. Object 1. And first it is said 1 Cor. 15.50 Object 1 That flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdome of God Answer Till by grace it is made spirituall So not the substance of the flesh is there understood but the present estate thereof with the lusts and wicked desires which if a man doe mortifie by the Spirit he shall live Rom. 8.13 So in Iohn 6.63 The flesh profiteth nothing understand the fleshly-minded man which of himselfe knoweth not the things of God and those things which belong to sanctification and eternall life But concerning the being or substance of the flesh or body of man seeing it was tempered by Gods owne hand fashioned according to His jmage made the seat of the soule so excellent a being by which and with which the soule workes whatsoever it doth seeing in the holy Baptisme the flesh is wash't that the soule may be cleane seeing in the holy Supper the Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ is received by the mouth that the soule may be strengthened in God seeing our bodies are the members of Christ the temples of the Holy-Ghost and He dwells in them seeing our bodies are not our owne but Gods 1 Cor. 6. seeing they are the instruments of holinesse in all the workes of mercy in prayers in wholesome counsell almes deeds in indurance of sorrowes in fasting in imprisonment in martyrdome in death it is impossible that God should leave forlorne the workemanship of His owne hands the closet of His owne breath the masterpiece of His cunning the heire of His riches and the Priest of His religion and service to dwell in eternall death that He should not heale the wounds and restore those dead to life which have beene wounded and slaine for His sake And though the flesh in it selfe be weake and through sinne utterly lost yet seeing our Lord came to seeke and to save that which was lost and that He Himselfe hath borne our sinnes it is impossible that either the merit of Christ for us or the mercy and goodnesse of God should be in vaine Therefore the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together Esay 40.5 and from one Sabboth to another shall all flesh come and shall worship before me saith the Lord Esay 66.23 And I will powre out of my Spirit upon all flesh Ioel 2.28 And seeing the flesh hath these holy promises therefore the flesh shall rise againe that as both the flesh and the soule have sorrowed so they may both reioyce together Object 2. But the Prophets speake of the resurrection darkely and in figurative speeches onely Object 2 Answer Not onely but oftentimes so as they cannot be otherwayes meant And though they use figurative speeches yet no figure is taken but from somewhat that is properly and truely such Moreover the words are often such as admit no other meaning as in Iohn 5.28 29. The houre is comming in
their understandings when they are separate from the body that universall unitie or confusion of soules would cause a lesnesse or abatement in the glory and end of the understanding and consequently an abatement of mans love to the Creator seeing the greatest understanding could not aduance the meane and low understanding of fooles and ignorants but contrariwise in that confusion should by them be abased But this is contrary to the nature of the understanding of the will of perfect love c. Therefore impossible to bee 7. The excellency or greatnesse of every thing hath the greatest concordance with being as the littlenesse or meannes of being inclines to not being and hath some agreement there-with From whence it will follow of necessitie first that if there bee one common or universall soule or understanding which is divideable into very man this division takes away that universall unitie For how can it be one in number if it be divisible yet not materiall or bodily but that excellencie which is in the common soule by that infinite division among so many millions of men is brought almost to not being Secondly there must be different understandings of all men both living and dead that the excellencie of all trueth may find some understandings by which it may bee apprehended 3. Seeing nothing is truely beloved which is not first knowne or understood the love and that understanding which man hath of God by this division suffers such detriment as cannot bee made up againe For the soule being parted among all men alike one cannot love nor understand more than another So neither the excellency of one man can be more than another nor the glory or happinesse of one man more than another 8. Common experience and the difference which is in men shewes the position to be false and foolish and so let it go branded You may see what Cusa brings to this question Idiotae lib. 3. cap. 12. And Tho. Aquin. contra gent. lib. 2. cap. 73. and the decree of the Lateran Councell Sess 8. Object But you will say If the soules of all meâ— be onely of one kind and that their difference is onely in number then this difference of the soules must arise onely from the bodies to which they are allyed from whence these inconveniences must follow necessarily First that the soules of men are materiall formes for the particular being of every thing depends upon that from whence it receives the individuation So that the soule of man depending on the body and having the originall of the particular being from the body either it dies with the body as the soule of the beast or if it remaine after the body yet seeing it receives the particular being from the body when it is parted from the body it must run into the common Chaos of life seeing that whereby the distinction was made that is the particular bodies are now taken away Answere The suppositions of this objection that the difference of mens soules is onely in number or depending upon the particular individuation of their bodies are false For the particular endowments of every soule make such differences as is fit to bee in soules as I gave instance before in numbers to every one of which an unity added or taken away makes the number so different as that it cannot be any other number than that it is Although numbers are not truely said to bee different Species but onely to bee distinct or divers individuals For in Spirituall substances as the soule of man is whereof wee know so little as wee doe wee must be content to hold the generall trueths when we cannot know the particular or precise differences That the holy Religion and Faith of the Christians is onely true and none other beside it § 3. ALl true Religion must have the beginning from the true God So neither the seruice of the false gods of the Painims nor the will-worship either of the Iewes or of the Christians can come into any account of true Religion And because the true God onely knowes what seruice is acceptable unto Himselfe and therefore hath â—om time to time taught his people what He requireth of them therefore this question which is now to be decided is onely betweene the Christians and the people of the Iewes or Israelites seeing these onely have received the lawes and words of God how they ought to serue Him For whatsoever the Turks may pretend for their religion which their false Prophet Mahomed taught them yet they have no authoritie from heaven neither by their law may they question any thing which they have beene taught But concerning the Iewes though it must bee yeelded unto them that they were the true Church first called and separated from the world to be a peculiar people unto God who first received the covenant of Circumcision and after under Moses the other ceremonies even untill the time of reformation came by Iesus Christ yet because they did not looke unto the end of the law nor see how all the law was finished in Him in whom all the Nations of the earth were to be blessed therefore they dwell still in their old and beggerly rudiments being still seduced by their Rabbins teaching them that their law is an eternall law as it is yeelded unto them concerning the inward meaning or substance that is Christ and His eternall Redemption But concerning the outward obseruances the Law is not eternall as divers of their owne both by Nation and sometimes by opinion have manifested unto them I name unto you onely Paulus Ricius who hath made it plaine both by the Scriptures of the Prophets and and by the Talmudists their expositors in his second booke de coelesti agricultura That the rootes as they call them or Articles of the Iewish faith are not a sufficient direction to bring them to heaven but that the Christians by their faith may bee made partakers of the ioyes to come For first hee prooves that the doctrine of the Trinity of Persons in the unitie of the deitie is agreeable to the holy oracles of God and the exposition of their Talmudists Then 2. That the mysterie of the incarnation and the deitie of the Saviour of the world is according to the Scripture 3. That His birth ought to bee of a Virgin and therefore His conception by the Holy-Ghost 4. That the mysterie of His passion and 5. resurrection are likewise manifest by the Scriptures And 6. that the first comming of the Messias is already past as you might see all these Articles confirmed before And because these things are necessary to bee knowne and beleeved to everlasting saluation and that the Iewes doe not beleeve them neither can be brought to beleeve them till the Redeemer appeare the second time to judgement that he may turne away the iniquitie from Iacob that all Israel may bee saved as the promise is Let us rejoyce in our most holy faith and pray that their returne to the
infinite but nothing can be Infinite but God alone therefore it followeth that these Dignities are objected or exercised in God alone And this is that Eternall Sonne begotten before the worlds in whom the Father resteth or as the Prophet speaketh His beloved in whom His soule delighteth which cannot be applyed to any creature without which God is happy in Himselfe Therefore saith the Apostle that in Him dwelleth the Godhead bodily How is that Not in His manly body eternally for His humane body tooke beginning of the flesh of the Virgin when the fulnesse of time came but yet bodily that is as essentially or substantially as the body of a man is substantiall to the man For every dignitie of God being infinite in action as was proved must of necessitie produce such as it selfe is As for example the Wisedome of God or His Infinite Vnderstanding must have an Infinite intelligible or understandable object which is produced thereby by an infinite understanding So that ye must know of necessitie and marke three Termes as I will a while call them the Terme from whence the Terme whereto or wherein and the middle Terme betweene them I will for your capacitie which I know not to be much exercised in these matiers make a comparison meet for your understanding When the minde or understanding of a man conceiveth any understandable object there is you know first the power of understanding in the mind it selfe secondly the object understood and thirdly the discourse or action of the understanding whereby that object is apprehended Now give me leave to tell you what differences you must make betweene the understanding of God and the understanding of man in this comparison First the minde of man being finite the understanding is notable to view all that which can be understood thereby at one time or with one action of understanding but must conceive of one thing after another whereas the Vnderstanding and Wisedome of God is such as at one sight seeth himselfe and every thing else past present and to come and this not once onely but even continually because it is eternally infinite Secondly the intendment of man worketh nothing in the thing conceived to make it either to bee if it be a meere conceit or to be other then it is if it be existent but the understanding of God is by reason of His power so active as that it causeth that wherein it is exercised both to be and that according to his manner of apprehension or understanding of it which understanding is by His Infinitie so infinite and by His Eternitie so continuall as that of necessitie there must be a subsistence or a Person wherein it is exercised which must also be Infinite and Eternall And this is that glorious Sonne of God who is thus begotten or produced eternally both before the world was even as hee is now and shall not cease to be produced after the world shall cease eternally Thus you see two of the termes spoken of From whence and Wherein now you must know the middle terme betweene them The terme Whence is the Wisedome intelligent God the Father The terme Wherein is the Wisedome intelligible God the Sonne The middle terme is ipsum intelligere which in my Comparison I called The discourse it selfe which also in this must needes be Infinite For an Infinite intelligible cannot be conceived of an Infinite intelligent but by an Infinite action of the understanding and this is that Holy-Ghost which as you may easily understand must of necessitie proceed from both the Father and the Sonne and be also infinite and eternall and therefore God Now because they are all Infinite and of Infinites essentially there can bee but one therefore are these three in Essence or Being one but in Subsistence or cleare distinction of Persons three Vnderstand my comparison which I made I will yet cleare the matier further for your conceiving If you take in a mirrour the light of the Sunne and reflect it directly thereon againe in the Sunne it is one in the glasse another and yet the reflection of the beames is also a third but for all this there is but one nature and Word of light which comprehends all three so is it in this Tri-Vnitie of which I speake My leisure serues me not to dilate these things but I hope you are able to understand what I say therefore I will proceede It is said that Powers are knowne by their actions and actions are limitted by their objects I know the meaning of it and it is not unfit in this place But to my reason The Power of God is infinite and by His infinite Wisedome He knoweth it to be infinite but God could not know that His Power were infinite unlesse He were able thereby to bring forth an infinite action and every infinite action must of necessitie be exercised in an infinite subject For whatsoever is received is received according to the capacitie of the receiver therefore there is an infinite subject wherein the power of God is exercised that is the Sonne of whom I speake And here againe behold the Tri-Vnitie an infinite power the Father an infinite action the Holy-Ghost an infinite subject the glorious Sonne all three one infinite Being Returne to your comparison As the understanding of man could no way know his owne power but by his actions neither can there be any actions of understanding where there is nothing to bee understood no more is it possible to be in the Deitie Now understand that as I have reasoned from the Wisedome and Power of God so might I reason from all His other Dignities so that for one reason which I have brought I might have brought you fiftie But I shew you the way if you be guided by the Spirit of Truth how you may strengthen your selfe in the way of Truth therefore I will goe on and shew you yet more plainely by more familiar reasons An infinite power is not more weake then a finite but every finite creature which we can cast our eyes unto doth by nature produce his like as much as in it is as a man begetteth a man trees bring forth seed whereof their like in nature may spring and in like wise every other thing Therefore the infinite Power of God begetteth His like also which is the Sonne the image of the invisible God the first begotten of every creature Col. 1.15 But none can be like unto God in His Being who is not very God therefore Christ the onely begotten of the Father is also very God Maruail not that I make this argument from the creature to the Creator for in this very point of the Power and Godhead the Holy-Ghost Himselfe teacheth me to reason of the invisible things of God by the things visible Rom. 1.20 And hereby also learne to help your ignorance and put away your wonder how God should be one and yet three See you not how the understanding the Sun-light also is one
of Arius should not provide for your safety as he did He denied the authority of S. Iohns writings to be authenticall And why because this earth-bred Giant which would pull Christ out of the throne of His Deitie should with his lightning be suddenly burnt Beleeve you the Scripture Is Iohns authority sufficient then the case is plaine We are in Him that is true in His Son Iesus Christ who is very God and eternall life 1. Ioh. 5.20 Can you now confer this Scripture with that place I have said yee are Gods and not be ashamed I and the Father are one The Iewes understood that He herein professed Himselfe to be very God and are you His enemy more then they Reade Ioh. 10. ver 30. 33. 34. and you may understand the meaning of both places The devills acknowledged Him to be God of Infinite power I know Thee who Thou art even that Holy One of God And will not you confesse as much as the devills But this is more then I thought to say onely you may see hereby that we speake no other thing then Christ Himselfe even in His enemies understanding said Now if you could see a little the folly of your own opinion that were inough to cause you to put on a better mind I will touch it as lightening doth touch the ground for if you be willing to be reformed there is no doubt but you may propound it to the learned Divines and be fully satisfied You say Christ is onely man but yet indued with the infinite Power of God Here first you doe injurie to the Highest to make the Power of God to be accidentall unto Him whereas hee is purus actus absolute perfection and without shadow of change His Being is most simple and pure not capeable of accidents Then His Being is such as no addition can be made thereto to make it more then it is therefore it is necessary that He be ever actually whatsoever he may be Besides His Being is Infinitely distant from Not-Being therefore His Power is inseparable Againe if there come any thing to God as an accident it must come unto Him from Himselfe or else from another not from another for He is impassible or such as cānot suffer violence not from Himselfe for all such accidents doe proceed à potentiâ that is from the imbecillity or imperfection of the subject but His Being is most simple and infinitely perfect Againe all accidents do rise from the matier forme or composition of the subject In Him is neither matier forme nor cōposition Now al things we see in this world do consist ex actu potentiâ of perfection from God imperfection from thēselues for of themselues they are non entia absolutely nothing Yea even the very Angels and the soule it selfe are partakers of this composition for nothing is purus actus but God alone therefore are they subject to accidents yet they which come neerest to perfection are most free from accidents as that which is meere perfection hath no accidents at all Know then that all the dignities of God are in him essentially one God For the Goodnesse of God His Power His Wisedome His Glory c. Being all infinite do of necessitie concurre in the nature of Infinitie Whence it followeth that whatsoever is in Him is essentially Himselfe therefore the power of God is not accidental or such as may be imparted to a man The learned Hebrues according to this doe hold that Ensoph or Infinitie is not to be numbred among the other attributes of God because it is that abstract Vnity whereinto they all essentially concurre and from which they all essentially proceed and hence by the way take another strong argument to the former question for if God bee essentially a Father then the terme correlative a Sonne must be in the Godhead also and that essentially But now againe see another folly in your supposition The work of our Redemption is a work of infinite goodnesse mercie power wisedome and glory therefore it followeth that Christ the worker had infinite mercie power wisedome c. Now I demand had Christ this infinite goodnesse and power so given to Him of God that the Father Himselfe had in the meane time none This you dare not say for that were to say that God did cease to be God which cannot stand with His Eternity Now if God the Father had notwithstanding this absolute infinite power of Christ of which he spake All power is given unto Me both in heaven and in earth then it followeth that either there were two infinities of power or else that these two which had this infinite Power were all one Infinite The first is against the nature of Infinitie for that is absolutely infinite which so comprehendeth all things as that it leaveth nothing without it selfe and yet is not comprehended to any other Besides if you would say that the Father and the Sonne had each of them severall indiuisible infinite Powers it must follow that neither of their Powers were absolutely infinite because each of them had not the infinite Power of the other And besides that both these infinite Powers must be conjoyned with infinite weakenes because they must be mutually subjected to the infinite Power one of the other But both these things are impossible So you see that two Infinities can by no meanes stand together therefore it followeth that these two to wit the Father and the Son are in Being one and that of infinite Power and this is that which I strive for which as you see I have concluded by your own assertion The time would faile me to lay before your eyes the manifold untruths which would ensue of your position which savoureth neither of wit judgement nor learning And therefore I see how they which have once departed from the truth must of necessrity run into infinite absurdities Therefore looke back and be ashamed of such new-fangled toys as you do daily imagine which in truth do argue the great inconstancy and vanity of your mind withall such palpable blindnes of understanding as the darknes of Egypt For tel me without selfe-liking what sound judgement doth this argue to be driven about with every wind of doctrine a Protestant a Brownist an Anabaptist an Antichrist What bringing up what gift of learning and knowledge have you that you should presume to oppose your sentence against the faith doctrine of all the Christian Churches in the world Blush and learne with meeknes the truth of that Word which is able to save your soule You may see by your owne miserable experience what it is to forsake the Vnitie of Faith and the Communion of the Saints who imbrace the truth of Gods word and have manifest tokens that they are the true Church to wit The word of God truely taught and the Sacraments duely administred What if there want perfection The Church militant must ever confesse I am lovely yet black For it is impossible that any church should be without imperfection so long as the world standeth but at the end it shall be presented without spot or wrinkle Therefore remember from whence you are fallen and repent and doe the works of righteousnesse lest Christ whom you so despite come against you shortly The worke of Christianity is not in foolish questions and disputing about needles subtilties but in doing the works of truth and righteousnesse Pray and endeavour your selfe thereto And till such time as God for His Christs sake vouchsafe to have mercy on you the enemy of His Son and give you grace to repent of this great wickednes I am neither your friend nor yet your foe ALEX. GIL FINIS
reasonable and an immortall soule hee breathed into man a Spirit of new life and man became a living soule the epitome or modell of all the creature earthly and heavenly bodily and spirituall This truth is so plaine that Ovid the prince of all the heathen Poets for wit judgement and manifold learning read it in the booke of nature Metam lib. 1. Before the Sea the earth and heaven all hiding There was one face on all the world abiding Which men name Chaos an unordered load Wherein the seeds of things contrarie aboade But though it be granted that the first matier was meerely and purely simple yet can it not follow that therefore it was eternall except it may withall appeare that it had power to bee of it selfe without the power of the Creator But that would utterlie take away the infinite power of God if beside his power any power could bee supposed to another thing which could uphold an eternall being And seeing in all corruption everie thing returnes to those principles of which it was as in man his body to the earth and his Spirit unto God that gave it and that nothing materiall returnes to a simple and pure being but that it is still found under some forme or other it is manifest first that that first matier was not created simple but by his decree ever subject to composition and therefore secondly impossible to be eternall Concerning that eternall Spirit or life of the world in respect of which they thought it should bee eternall both before and after you shall understand more in the 24. Chap. note g § 10. yet in the meane time I answer that if that Spirit whereby the world both is and is ordered worke according to that paterne which hee sees in another it cannot follow that the world shall thereby bee for ever except it appeare to stand with that will according to which hee workes Now what that will is we understand better by his owne Revelation in his owne word than Plato and all his followers could see in all the subtilty of their understanding By which word also wee know that the last end and hope of the creature is more excellent and glorious by the change than by the continuance of the world for ever in that state wherein it is And thus the speciall reasons of that Sect are answered See more to this question if you will in Tertullian against Hermogenes 2. But it is further objected that whatsoever begins to worke which did not worke before must be moved thereto either by it selfe or by another But God is not moved that is changed from that which he was before either by himselfe nor by any other for neither can his action bee new or begun seeing his action is his being neither can hee be affected otherwise than hee was before And therefore is hee an eternall cause of the world an eternall effect as Aristotle affirmed I answer That no new motion or purpose can come unto God concerning the creature for all his workes are knowne to him from eternitie Acts 15.18 But seeing that these workes of which we speake are of his will alone they must be according to the limitation or appointment of that will so that although hee had eternally willed to create the world yet had he eternally willed when by whom and after what fashion the world and all the things therein should be created And this by one onely will and one onely action of the same will eternally The newnesse then of the world is in the actuall being of the world not in the will or power whereby it was wrought But for the better understanding of this thing you may observe a difference of actions of which some are immanent or in-dwelling in the doer and are accompted among the perfections of the thing such are the workes of the will or understanding some againe are transeunt or passing from the doer upon that which is done as the worke of the Smith upon the steele in making a sword The workes of God in himselfe are immanent neither doe these of necessitie put the outward object into actuall being as a man may conceive of a house which is not yet built or the Smith by his art or skill hath power to make a locke which hee hath not yet made So God though hee foresaw and willed eternally that the world should bee yet the effect followed not but according to the determination of that will when by whom and how the world should receive an actuall being 3. But it may againe bee said that God is an Eternall and an Almighty agent and that not in possibilitie onely but in act also for whatsoever is brought from the possibilitie of doing unto the act of doing must bee enforced thereto by a former and more powerfull agent and that actually which in God is utterlie impossible and if hee be an eternall and a powerfull agent and that actually the effect must necessarily follow and that actually for otherwise neither could the effect be answerable to the cause nor yet the cause bee said to bee sufficient and Almightie if the cause were in act and the effect in possibilitie onely therefore it seemes the world must of necessitie be eternall Answer Although God bee actually and eternally whatsoever hee may bee in himselfe yet seeing hee workes in outward things not according to any necessitie but onely according to the pleasure of his owne will the outward effect of his power must bee limited according to the circumstances of his will which I declared before Therefore this reason doth no more enforce the eternitie of the world than it doth that all the possibilities of the creature should be actually at once and that every thing created should bee eternall because the cause is eternall actuall and allsufficient But these things as they can no way stand with the possibilitie of the creature so would they utterly take away the working of all naturall causes by which the glory of his manifold wisdome is declared neither doth the all-sufficiencie of the cause bring any sufficiencie to the reason to prove the world eternall For although the creature bee an effect of the infinite power of God yet because it is not an adequate or proportionable object thereto that is wherein that power may bee wholly and onely exercised therefore is it but a forrein effect wherein that power workes onely according to the will of the worker Therefore observe here secondly a difference of agents of which some worke naturally and these worke alwayes necessarily according to their uttermost power in the diversity of things whereon they worke as the Sunne by his heat melts that which hath thin parts as butter or waxe and hardens that which hath parts more stiffe as clay Some agents againe are voluntarie and these worke not necessarily but according to the choice and freedome of their owne will as the Physician gives not to his patient all that hee can give but