mysteries discovered by our Saint Iohn and secondly the Eagle renewes her age to betoken the long life of Saint Iohn or rather the eternity of such things as he prophesied in so much that it gave occasion to a false report for whereas Christ made only a supposition they conceived it as really true that Saint Iohn should not die and thus far indeed it proved true that he died not of a violent death as all the rest of the Apostles suffered Martyrdom but his Matyrdom it should seem was then when he did assist at the Passion of Christ and none other Apostle attended there but himself and no doubt but his then sorrow and grief might equall or rather exceed in virtue and power the Martyrdom of others And secondly that common fame and report of his not dying might thus far prove true that he died not in that age but lived to the beginning of the second Century being now very old as S. Hierome relates in his commentaries upon the Epistle to the Galatians when he could not goe of himself but was carryed by others to the Church or place of meetings he made no other Sermon but this Filioli diligite alterutrum quia praeoeptum Domini est si solim fiat sufficit it should seem being the beloved Disciple the love of Christ was so fastened and fixed in him that it made a repercussion and became an Echo and brake out into these termes of love Filioli my sons whom I so dearly love let not my love rest in you as singulars but impart it to each other that so you may be united and linked together in the Bonds and Chaines of love that as this love proceeds from Christ to me and from me to you so from you to each other among your selves that we may all lay hold on the Anchor of our hope Christ the Son of God who hath reconciled us to God notwithstanding our sins and transgressions I will now come directly to the Text which is the very keâ—…nell the marrow the Elixiâ—… of all Christian Religion and hath ever been received with the greatest admiration and astonishment and at the very naming of the words Christians were 〈◊〉 to bow and to express all possible honour and reverence The ineffable Trinity And the word was made flesh THe first word of my Text standing in the forefront and being a conjunction copulative gives me occasion to look back and mark the dependence wherein I dare boldly say that neither the large volumes of the Fathers nor the subtill and curious invention of the Schooles nor the deep and profoundest Divines can better unfold the mystery of this word then may be well gathered by the precedent and express words of this Evangelist onely here stands our weakness That as Moses having talked with God his countenance received that light that the Israelites could not behold the face of Moses so this our Apostle having leaned on the bosom and sucked out these mysteries he is now become Boanerges the son of Thunder rather astonishing the eare with wonder and amazement then distinctly informing the heart in things which are too high for the weak state and condition of man but I pray mark the first verse of this Chapter In principio erat verbum in the beginning was the word â—…ere is the eternall generation of this word not proceeding from Gods free will and election not supposing his determinate decree and purpose but a natural and a necessary generation equally existing with God in the moment of his eternity as the Sun and the light were together created the Soul and the understanding together infusect so is the generation of â—…his word equall in time and continuance with the deity Et verbum erat apud deum And the word was with God here is the distinction and relation of the Persons apud deum with God not as a property or quality not as an attribute or faculty but as a person distinctly existing and that by a different manner of generation from the Father Et deâ—… erat verbum And God was the Word here is the mutuall communication and participation of the deity for it is a property of the greatest good that it should be most fruitfull in his own kind and communicate it self in the largest and greatest manner now in the creatures we find some foot-steps of the deity as appears by their being moving order perfection but necessary it is that God should impart his own nature which nature though infinitely imparted yet still continuing infinite it can be but one and the same nature equally communicated to the three Persons three persons and one God If a man communicate his nature to his son this nature though still continuing the same in kind and condition yet must it differ in number in regard of the finitenesse of our nature the circumscription both of time and of place but it is otherwise with God for out of the infinite extent of his own nature one and the same deity the same in number the same in virtue and power is equally and totally imparted to the three persons in one blessed and undivided Trinity Thus much ad intra concerning the relation of Persons within themselves now ad extra in respect of the creatures it followes in the third verse of this Chapter Et verbo facta sunt omnia and without him nothing was made so that both inwardly and outwardly the deity of this Word appears inwardly in the coeternall existency and infinite participation of the Godhead and outwardly as together concurring in the creation framing and making of this world And having thus discovered the second person because we acknowledge another person in the deity take therefore the testimony of this second person concerning the third when the holy Ghost whom I shall send unto you from the Father the spirit of truth which proceeds from the Father he shall give testimony of me John the 15. 16. 26. these are the mutuall testimonies of Persons in behalf of each other and hereunto I shall adde what the holy Catholick Church out of other texts of Scripture doth undoubtedly demonstratively and most necessarily conclude Verbum a word must necessarily imply intellectum an understanding to conceive this word this understanding being alwayes active the word must be of like continuance and eternity and being active as there was an eternall so is there a daily and continuall generation of this word Hodie genui te This word being naturall to the understanding it proceeds not from any voluntary or free election of God but from the necessity of his nature and according to his nature so is it begotten in a spirituall and most unspeakable manner being in the understanding answerable to the understanding and of like extent It can be no creature seeing by it all things were made and created and being in the understanding it must subsist of the same nature which nature being
THE TWO GREAT MYSTERIES OF Christian Religion The Ineffable Trinity The Wonderfull Incarnation EXPLICATED To the Satisfaction of Mans own Naturall Reason and according to the Grounds of PHILOSOPHY By G G G Sancta Trinitas unus Deus miserere nobis O bone Jesu esto nobis Jesus LONDON Printed by J. Flesher 1653. TO HIS EXCELLENCY MY LORD OLIV CROMWEL LORD GENERAL MY LORD FIfty years since or thereabouts the name of Socinus and Socinians in Italy first began to be known They are a Sect so carried away with their own fancies under pretence and colour of adhering to their own Natural Reason that they deny the Mysteries of our Christian Faith and Religion which are indeed above Reason beyond the reach of Reason but no way contrary to Reason This Sect of all others I have ever most hated and detested the rather because they pretend Philosophy and humane learning to back and to second them which I know to be otherwise and so I hope I have made it appear and by Gods grace I will yet make it more manifest for about 45 years since I had a publick disputation against them and not resting there I did resolve to examine every Mystery of Faith and every Miracle wrought in confirmation of those Mysteries for so it pleaseth God that works above natural power should witness the truth of words above natural knowledge according to the Rules of Philosophy and I began with the first proving the fall of Adam from Paradise by Natural Reason Not that I was able to prove the manner of the fall as that it should be by tasting the forbidden fruit by the tempting of a Serpent but I shewed the truth and certainty of his fall by those many punishments of sin which are yet extant and may be seen in Nature And about 40 years since I set forth a book to that purpose and although I say it I had then the approbation and encouragement of those whom we did esteem to be the most learned men as Bishop Andrews Bishop Overall Bishop Mountaine and others Then I proceeded to examine the rest of the Mysteries and Miracles but especially the Wonders which Moses wrought in Egypt whether they were sufficient assurances to the Natural man for admitting and introducing the Mosaical Law I did likewise examine the Resurrection of the dead and the general Judgement and truly with these King James of blessed Memory was acquainted and did not dislike them I did then proceed to other Mysteries and I did examine the several Visions of Scripture in Daniel Ezekiel the Apocalypse how far they did agree together and how necessary it was that there should be such Visions to withdraw the Jews from their carnal conceits and their expectation of Temporals And after Scripture I did then further proceed what had continually hapned in the Church and in succession of times did serve for the proof of Christianity This I could not conveniently do unless together I should write an History of the Church how God had planted and preserved it And here I reduced it as much as possibly I could to this Island wherein we live but when once I came to the year 1517. being the eighth year of Hen. 8. then I made Annals and set down every year constantly and particularly what was done in the Church of England First I set down the then present state thereof what liberties they had in respect of our common Laws what Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction and what great Revenues then what alteration did yearly befal the Church and so I had composed a great volume which I did forbear to print in this regard I thank God for it I did never flatter any man and I made a conscience to relate the truth and doing it I should have cast very foul aspersions upon some great Families which would have drawn much envy and hatred upon me whereupon I did resolve that it should not be published till after my death and then it should serve as a Memorial of my Studies and Labors and as a Testimonial of my Faith and Religion Thus far I proceeded before the late Wars began I hac then five several houses in my hand and a little houshold-stuff in each house and now I have not one in all England I thank God for it but in every house what with fire and plundring together with other losses my Notes and Writings miscarried a just punishment of God upon me for my sins And in regard of my great age I had thought never to have stirred any further but to have prepared my self for my grave and to desire God to be so merciful unto me that I might die in quietness and peace for my wants and troubles were great And while I was thus resolved it did plainly appear unto me that the Socinians did increase for I take no notice of any particular persons but of publick acts Some have been questioned before the Parliament for denying the Trinity and blaspheming Christ yet I never heard that any were put to death or greatly punished I finde that the Fonts where we are baptized and make profession of the Trinity and the Incarnation they are generally pulled down I finde that the solemnity and joy at Christs Nativity was forbidden that Fasting in Lent and sorrow at Christs Passion were by publick Order neglected I found that all the Memorials of Christs Passion the harmless Crosses were demolished I found no honor was given to the Name of Jesus no setled form of Prayer but every one left to his own inventions nor was there any time appointed for prayers but onely a little preparation for preaching I found that in very many Parishes the Church-doors were locked up and there was not so much as any publick Meeting the Churches generally decaying and never repaired that many men would not have their children Baptized and that many were Dipped it should seem into some other Church for if they were Christians it is impossible they should deny the virtue and efficacy of their first baptism no more then they can deny the Original sin derived unto them from their first Parents And I will insist in one particular the White-thorn at Glastenbury which did usually blossom on Christmas day was cut down yet I did not hear that the party was punished certainly the Thorn was very extraordinary for at my being there I did consider the place how it was sheltred I did consider the soyle and all other circumstances yet I could finde no Naturall cause this I know that God first appeared to Moses in a bramble bush and that Aarons Rod being dried and withered did budde and these were Gods actions and his first actions and truly Glastenbury was a place noted for holinesse and the first Religious Foundation in England and in effect it was the first dissolved and therein was such a Barbarous inhumanity as Aegypt never heard of the like it may well be that this White thorn did then spring and began to blossom upon
Goodman Bishop late of Gloucester June 4. 1653. being the Eve of Trinity Sunday which we were wont to keep very solemnly and I hope you do so continue still THE INTRODUCTION St JOH 1. 14. And the Word was made flesh I Should be much afraid to speak of this word and to multiply my words in the exposition of this one word were it not that my Text doth inform me that thiâ—… word was made flesh and therefore I may well presume on Gods mercy that as it was his humility to descend down from heaven to take up our flesh so without disparagement to his honour â—…lesh and blood may presume to speak of this word to clothe him with our mortall words as some time he was clothed with our mortall nature Again to imbase him and as iâ—… were to give him a new birth conceived in the womb of the heart brought forth by the tongue that so future ages and succeeding generations might testifie of this word for this word was made flesh The written word of God proceeding from the wisdom of God may seem to have been a stream derived from the fountain of this eternal word as large Commentaries and Expositions serve to unfold a little text wherein there is much more matter implyed then can be expressed now this written word though otherwise Gods own word in whom there is no blemish or imperfection yet certainly it was imperfect before such time as this eternall word was made flesh I speak not only that it consisted of types shadowes and figures without the spirit of grace and oâ—… truth not only that it did â—…arre surmount the state and condition of man untill this word was made flesh sanctifying our corrupted nature and descending to our capacity but whereas the written word was a precept a Law and a Rule to square out our actions necessary it was that after the Rule given there should be some pattern to exemplifie the rule Praecepta docent Exempla excitant the Rule is imperfect without an Example But before the time the fulnesse of time wherein God appeared in our flesh there could be no example of true holinesse and obedience to Gods Law and therefore for the upshot and conclusion of the Law in the Eclipse of the Prophets Cum silentium contineret omnia nox in suo cursu mediuÌ„ iter haberet omnipotens sermo tuus Domine exiliens de coelo à regalibus sedibus durus Debellator in mediam exterminii terram prosiluit Sap 18. here is the example annexed to the rule an example in whom dwels the fulnesse of the deity all the treasures of Gods wisdom from whom as from a fountain the written law is derived to whom as to an Ocean the whole scope of the law is directed thus is the Rule perfected by the example the written word serves for a precept the begotten word serves for a president the yoak is made easie the burden is light for wherein the law might seem obscure and difficult that shall now easily appear by the practise example and imitation of this word for this word was made flesh Saint Austin hath well observed that before such time as the word was made flesh man in the pride and presumption of his own heart might have used some excuse unto God Lord why hast thou commanded such strict lawes such as are opposite to the inclination of nature the forgiving of wrongs the chastising of the flesh the mortifying of passions continuall repentance and sorrow whatsoever thou didst unto man thou didst it with the greatest facility and ease verbo virtutis tuae thou spakest the word and all things were created but whatsoever thou requirest of man it is done with the greatest difficulty and labour Thus in effect especially considering the manner thou seemest to require more of man then thou hast done unto man here then there is no proportion But behold to stop the mouthes of Blasphemers that sin might be inexcusable behold the word is made flesh God hath entred the Lists of our misery and hath run thorough the whole course of our Pilgrimage in sudore vultus in the sweat of his browes with watchings and fastings with labour and passions he hath fulfilled the law and having performed it in his own person it is no wrong or injustice to impose the same law upon his vassals and creatures for the word was made flesh Man as he totally proceeds from God so is he totally directed to God but before such time as the word was made flesh it should seem only the better part of man the soul and the understanding were capable of Gods word Alas what becomes of the sensible part shall the body and the flesh be excluded if it lookes for a portion in glory needs it must have some earnest in grace body and soul they are both creatures alike they are both parts of man alike See then the wonderfull work of Gods mercy the word is made flesh a word speaking to the understanding and possessing the soul flesh subject to the sense visible to the outward appearance that so the whole man might be sanctified for the word was mad flesh But leaving all preambles I will tie my self more strictly to the words of my text wherein I will consider these three parts The word in it self The word in our flesh The manner and circumstances answerable to the three termes of of my text Et verbum caro factum est And the word was made flesh wherein are implyed the ineffable mysteries of the Trinity and the Incarnation and both these great mysteries I will first set them down as the Church receives them then I will illustrate them by naturall reason and the grounds of Philosophie and lastly I will give sufficient assurance for the truth of them for I will produce miracles above natural power for confirmation of mysteries above naturall knowledge which is an abundant satisfaction This first Chapter of Saint John in my poore judgement hath some relation to the first Chapter of Genesis and though Saint John be the last Evangelist prophet and penman of Scripture yet he seems to inclose and incompass on every side Moses the first law-giver prophet and pen-man of Scripture whereby it may appear that Christ was Agnus occisus ab origine a Lamb slain from the beginning and by the eternall decree of God long before the foundations of the world were laid You shall then observe that both Saint John and Moses they use the same first word in both their writings in principio in the beginning only with this difference that Moses intended the beginning of time where first God began the Creation and set the first wheel on going but our Apostle and Evangelist like an Eagle makes a higher flight and looking upon the Sun and fastning his eyes thereon is no way daunted though the Sun be the master piece of the creation which other creatures cannot behold but aymes at
last resurrection and these not done in secret but in the sight of multitudes and thousands all testifying the truth of things done the Jewes acknowledge the Gentiles confess the Apostles proclaim the Evangelists record many Millions of Martyrs seal with their bloud and all the world with joynt consent and harmony beares witness seen by our fore-fathers and left unto us together with their memory for the salvation of our own soules then these undoubted miracles must argue a supernaturall power in things naturall which if Reason confess as herein she is convinced that the wisdom and power of the teacher was supernaturall then must there be some supernaturall object though not appearing in nature yet answerable and agâ—…eeable to this supernaturall knowledge and power here then at length we have opened a gap to let in all the mysteries of our Christian faith and Religion yet lâ—…st we should be left to our own conjectures and presumptions lest the hardness of our heart should not easily condescend to things above our reach and capacity therefore truth beares evidence to truth the wonders of nature to the mysteries of grace as his deeds and actions were much above nature so it cannot seem strange if his Doctrine and Precepts far exceed our naturall understanding for his Words as well as his Actions were much above nature and therefore did aâ—…gue a powâ—…r above nature which is God himself Christ Jesus God and man the second Person in Trinity who came down and took our nature upon him to satisâ—…ie for our sins he it is that hath revealed these mysteries that so by Faith and Belief as our first Fathers fell from God by unbelief and presumption we might come unto him and through his mercy obtain our everlasting salvation Here I did examine all the miracles and the most remarkable things in the old Testament and first I did reduce all the Ages of the world to the Deluge where I did infer by many probabilities what past before the deluge for that it could not stand with the Mercies of God who created all things to begin with such an heavy Judgement as an universall deluge and because we have no other Records of those times but the Testimony of Scripture I did therefore produce necessary and demonstrative arguments for the proof of the Deluge and of Scripture together with some remarkable Tokens I did insist upon which must needs point out some former times before the deluge here I made good proof that the Eastern parts of the world must needs be the first parts inhabited I shewed the greatness of their Monarchies their continuance and dissolution I shewed how all other Nations issued from them and how they borrowed their Customes and Manners I shewed how the Hebrew was the originall Tongue of all the Eastern Languages by the roots and by the proprieties of that Tongue I did instance in all the Ancient Monuments and made it appear that the world could not be elder then the time related by Moses for the Creation For the Histories before Christ I did use Torniellus Pererius Salianus and all the rest for the time since Christ I had such Authors as were extant but especially I did rely most upon Baronius and Bibliotheca patrum and I do heartily wish that some younger man would undertake that task for I am aged and my short time which remains cannot suffice for such a work besides I have the infirmities of old age my memory failes me and I am past all imployments neither can I so put off all naturall passions but I confess it doth grieve me to thinke that heretofore having alwayes liv'd in great plenty God reward my founders for it that now I should be reduc'd to such poverty and wants but I hope God will raise up some other to compose such a History And leaving that task for them I will now only instance in the miracles of Scripture for confirmation of mysteries and first for the truth of Scripture it is a demonstrative proof to me that it should be the most Ancient of all writings and many ages exceeding the heathen Authors or Poets and this is an undoubted argument of truth for truth is the most Ancient and that which doth accompany truth that others should give Testimony to truth and none to oppose it for in these Ancient Poets we find somethings borrowed from the Jewes which makes for the confirmation thereof and none in effect did ever oppose them for had they so done surely we should have heard of their Writings as we do of their Warres and their Histories and no doubt there were many enemies which would not have omitted such an opportunity at this day the Jewes the Christians the Mahumetans all do acknowledge Scriptures without any manner of contradiction for in effect the heathen are utterly vanished and not to be seen or to stand in opposition It is true that at this day heathen there are but they no way partake with the Ancient Heathen neither in the same gods nor in the number of their gods nor in the manner of their worship only like upstarts because they must have a Religion for they cannot â—…ook upon heaven without some kinde of adoration therefore every one frames a Religion to himself and according to his own phansie either agrees or differs from others But because the blessed Trinity hath been only expresly revealed in the new Testament I will therefore insist only in the miracles of the New Testament and reserve other proofes and evidences for confirmation of other mysteries that we may take all by degrees and not spend our whole stock and store at once so then to instance only in the miracles of the New Testament if these had fallen out only in the Person of Christ there might have been cause of suspicion but the whole Law was only a preparation to his coming such Types Figures and Prophesies and in a word the scope and intent of the Law had no other relation and this will appear for that it seems scarce reasonaâ—…le that God should be served with the slaughter and offering up of unreasonable Beasts had they not relation to the sacrifice of his only Son and such infinite variety of strange ceremonies would never have been admitted had they not pointed out some extraordinary holiness to succeed this did likewise appear in the cessation of the Law for about a full age before the coming of Christ there was a cessation of Prophets and neither did God appear either by speciall messengers or by miraculous victories That the minds of men not being withdrawn nor having any other solace or comfort might wholly intend the expectation of the Messias whose immediate forerunner was Saint John Baptist and therefore whatsoever is ascribed unto him tends unto Christ as being his forerunner for he gives testimony to Christ and that three severall times in this one first Chapter of Saint John verse the 27. When the Priests and
honour to be a Chaplain to that great Order instituted by my blessed Founder King Edward and I have been a servant to that order near 40 yeers God having thus laid a sure and strong foundation of his Church that besides the operation of his Spirit and his over-ruling providence even naturall Reason by demonstrative Proofes might be sufficiently assured and convinced in the truth of Religion Now for a further tryall of our Faith in the beginning of the fifteenth hundred yeer after Christ he exposeth his Church to a tryall by the incounter of enemies and first the School-Learning which indeed did sharpen the wits of men yet for our sins some out of perversness and others out of shallowness of brain not able to fathom the depth and grounds of that Learning they made all the Articles of our Faith disputable and as in humane things there is variety of opinions so in Religion if man be left to himself there will be nothing but Sects and Divisions And here the carnall man hath found out two motives to incourage him in his cursed attempts first he conceives that all the Laws of the Church are like so many yokes imposed upon him to infringe his Christian liberty thus he would fain be a lawless man and wholly left to his own carnall will and profaneness The second motive is that whereas he sees stately and great Cathedrals erected which as they were built with great charge so they must be supported with great meanes and here a sacrilegious eye is cast upon them yet must there be some pretence of Religion as if these had proceeded from superstition and that God needed not nor required any such sumptuous charge in his service that it was superfluous and that a spirituall service of the inward man might suffice and could we but look and search that inward man it is not unlike but we should finde as much emptiness there as outwardly we finde ruines but this serves for the present and so much I will say let all the ages from the Creation of the world be examined I am confident it will be found that God was never so much provoked to right himself and in his own quarrell to revenge himself so much upon man and to vindicate his own honour as in these times And seeing he made the world of nothing onely with the word of his mouth and that he daily supporteth this world and preserves it from falling to nothing it is he that will govern this world and may in an instant with the blast of his mouth bring all the endeavours and practises of men unto nothing and this he may do in his own due time when we think all is secure And here I cannot sufficiently blame these times and our unhappy condition it was the observation of Josephus the Jew speaking of the worst sort of men and wondring much that there should be such Monsters amongst men Sunt qui ex contemptu Religioniâ—… sacerdotum famam opinionem sapientiae Nobilitatis sibi aucupantur alass this is now grown to be the common condition of these times a man for his credit sake and that he might be reputed a wise States-man doth generally scorn and contemn Churchmen and therein he dishonours God and makes his service contemptible thus the devill hath long intended and attempted to blot out all Religion out of mans heart but this he could never do for as long as man can look up to heaven so long he conceives hopes of Gods Mercy and sees the skirts and bounds of an other world and if man lookes down to the earth he sees the place of his buriall and the way of all flesh and that he is in his passage for every day he loseth a day of his age and a great part of his life is already spent and is dead unto him he shall never see it return and that which remaines it is the worst part of his age the dregges of his age the longer he lives he shall be sure to have the more sorrow and these very thoughts must needs work some Religion in man now the Devill seeing that he could not herein prevaile to root all Religion out of mans heart therefore he hath found out another stratagem to reduce all Religion to some few acts or heads and then to make those acts of Religion contemptible and so to bring Religion to nothing and this I fear he hath effected For whereas Religion is lex Christiana a Law to govern our actions he hath made it dogma Christianum a theame to be disputed on or a text to be â—…iscoursed on as if the whole practise of Religion did onely consist in the precept and that men should be alwayes learning which is an argument of their ignorance and that they are not come to the knowledge of the truth Sir Thomas Moore that wise Lord Chancellor did foresee this and therefore called it by the name of pelpeting wherein men would take occasion to broach all their new and strange opinions and wherein the State might likewise suffer for somtimes it might serve for sedition what a lamentable thing it is to consider how all the exercises of Religion are laid aside as if Preaching alone would suffice thus we have no Fasting Mortification Confession Charity Devotion Sacrifice or frequent Sacraments no Religious Orders or Magnificency in Gods service and in a word whatsoever else may tend to the honour of God and the furtherance of Piety we know not the practise thereof Queen Elizabeth was wont to say that she had rather speak to God her self then to heare an other speaking of God she seldom heard Sermons but onely in Lent and then as it may be supposed she heard them with the greater devotion there was a sufficient ground laid for the whole year after to practise it were to be wished that preaching alone might not swallow up all publick prayer and all other acts of Religion You will say likewise that we have a strict observation of the Sabbath I fear it is over strict and not kept in the right way for it ought to be kept with hospitality relief of the poor and whatsoever doth tend to nourish love and society between man and man and certainly after Gods service to express our joyfulness and to stir up a cheerfulness of minde with honest recreations for a man may be so tired and dulled in Gods service as that he may be unfit for his service and sin more against God with his wandring thoughts and his sleepy heavyness then if he should be absent from Gods service but under colour of this strict observation of the Sabbath Chirurgians have been hindred from going to dress wounds Physitians from visiting their patients Midwifes from doing their duties and poor infants cannot have a little new sweet milk on the Sundays alas they know not what belongs to the Sabbath Mundus vult decipi I will here make bold to desire
woâ—…d and the begotten word The word of God is imperfect without Christ. Man expostulates with God Blasphemers suppressed Whole man is made capable of God The division of the Text. The method Saint John ex ceeds Moses The comparison between both They both agree in particulars Moses Iohn Baptist. Christ. Saint John transcends Moses The heavy judgements accompanying the law The Gospell accompanyed with works of mercy The great difference between the beginning and ending of Scripture Of the name of John how imposed upon Saint John Baptist. A comparison of Saint John Baptist with Saint John the Evangelist The parents of Saint John and how he was recommended to be an Apostle How his mothers desire was accomplished Saint Johns prerogatives above other Apostles After Christ he did adhere to Saint Peter Saint John was the Evangelist of the Gentiles The occasion of writing his Gospell How he might come to the knowledge of this mysterie Saint John might be instructed by the blessed virgin At the annuntiation there was implyed the Trinity Saint John an Eagle As he was the beloved Apostle for he did ever Preach love Saint John was Boanerges Christs eternall generation A distinct Person The same Godhead The difference between God and man The three persons outwardly concurre The manner of the generation of the Word The mauner of the procession of the holy Ghost A prerogative of the understanding and will of God above his other attributes How the three persons agree in actions and attributes The Jews question answered God is known by degrees All mans knowledge is gotten by degrees Moses had some knowledge of this mystery The Trinity appears in the creation of the world The Messias must needs be a Person in the Deity God doth sacrifice to himself there are Persons in the Deity The seed of Abraham is more then man Isaac's sacrifice Jacobs expectation The faith of Moses The whole Law directed to Christ. The Jews had a tradition of our Baptisme And severall types of our Baptisme They knew the form of our Baptisme as well as the matter What Prayers were uâ—…ed at their sacrifices The câ—…ssation of the Law The Temple destroyed How the Jews fell by degrees Gods judgement upon the Jewes The Jewes no longer a Nation The method how to deal with the heathen The Atheist is the greatest impostor The infinite proofs of a Godhead The Metaphysicks acknowledge God and Angâ—…ls Influences The effect of influences The transcendentia discover God Every thing points out both an efficient and a final cause The leaâ—… inconveniâ—…nce must evâ—…r be admitted The first is ever excepted from the ordinary rank The Sun is a kind of corpoâ—…eall God The Mathematicks shew the wonders of God The wonders in Astrologie In Loâ—…ick all the preâ—…icaments predicate the Deity Substance 〈◊〉 Qualitâ—… Relation Action Passion 〈◊〉 Ubi Situâ—… Habitus The infinite proofes of a Godhead A particular instance for proof of the Deity God is iusiuite We acknowledge an Infinite yet we cannot conceive aâ—… Infinite God must be Infinite Without imperfection God is of himself Eternity Ubiqui y. Omnisâ—…iency Omnipotency Providence Constancy Immutability Gods Justice Mercy As every thing was made so it must depend upon God How causes may be free yet the effects necessary Mans weakness Every thing in man is bounded The difference of men n their intellectuals No comparison between God and man Mans natural Reason is bounded within the natural world The object faculty must be proportionable Our natural ignorance in natural things The same method in naturals as in supernaturals Mans natural knowledge discerns a supernatural world A supernatural light must fully discover a supernatural world Man 〈◊〉 naturally an ambition above nâ—…e Admiâ—…ation is a kind of natural faith The understanding must obey in believing as the will in performing A repeâ—…ition what hath been proved It is a greater wonder that Accidences should become Substances in God then that one Substance should become Persons It is a greater wonder that all Gods Attributes should be but one Attribute then that one Substance should be three Persons That Gods Justice should be his Meâ—…cy is as strange as the Godhead should be three Persons Gods Attributes as wonderfull as the Persons A brief of what hath been proved A digression upon the Mercy of God A conference with an Angel The Angels wonder at naturall things A conference with an infant in the wombe The wonders in nature The creatures are nothing in comparison with God Gods understanding and will produce Persons The authors private opâ—…nion The determinations or traditions of the Church are more then human The Church in effect doth translate The personality in the Godhead How the Persons are dâ—…stinct The Godhead being spirituall and infinite is imparted without loss Proofes of the Trinity in nature The Authors private opinion Footsteps ' of the Trinity Reasons in nature to prove the Trinity Gods prerogative may be examined A resemblance of the blessed Trinity must appear in every creature The knowledg and love of man what events it works The longing of women Two persons become one The understanding and love are causes as of union so of distraction How 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 of the 〈◊〉 extends The anâ—…pathy between the Author and the Socinians The excellent use of reason in Religion Dumb creatures catechise the Socinians God is mans Schoolemaster Man is the end of nature and therefore cannot end in nature How man stands naturally affecteâ—… in religion Faith presupposing nature A supernaturall knowledge must conduct us to a supeâ—…naturall end Gods perfection consists not in variety as the Creatures doth The effects of Gods power c. do not alwayes appear The excellency of Gods understanding â—…nd will What kinde of Persons there are in the Deity God only must reveale the Trinity What God did before the Creation Mans salva ion hath more reference to the Persons then to his other attributes The exceâ—…lency of Gods understanding and will Not Philosophers but Poets were the Priests of the Heathen The 〈◊〉 borrowed from the Jewes Reason may serve to direct Morall actions but noâ—… our faith This mysterie hath nothing contrary to Philosophy The great assurance or security which we have for our â—…aith Actions confirm words The miracles and manner of working them confirm mysteries Works above nature confirm words above nature In the notes which are plundered and lost Forain Authors recommended No writings extant which contradict Scripture The Law ordained to Chrâ—…st Saint John Baptist his Testimonies of Christ. The prerogatives of Saint John Baptist. Severall miraculous acts of Chriâ—…t Mirâ—…cles of all severâ—…ll kinds Raising the dead the greatest of miracâ—…es The rashness and haste used in Christ's condemnation The wonders in Christs resurrection How the Text of S John may be understood The great use of Reason in Religion Reason an handmaid to Religion Reason and sense must join in Gods service Mysteries are to be adored not curiously to be searched into What God requires of the Creatures God gave some creatures liberty of wiâ—…l The fall of the Angels Man is a middle Creature between Angels and Beasts The Angels sin was greater then Mans. The flesh prevailed in man God used means What sins could not be in the infancy of the world The Devill tempts man The punishment of mans sin was small My book of he fall of man God doth ever use meanes The treasures of Nature Vegetatives Man alone not sufficient to satisfie for sin God and man must joyn in satisfying for sin All Gods Mercies are by Christ. A Person in the Deity redeems us No dishonor to God to be incarnate Gods infinite love Gods omnipotency Gods experience Gods Paâ—…lion The Mediator A new honor of God in his Title The dignity of the creatures by the incarnation The Incarnation is a settlement to the creatures S. John's testimony of the incarnation The incarnation proceeds from Gods mercy Gods Justice and Mercy reconciled in Christ. The occasion of the sin of Angels Christ was not to take the nature of Angels Why the second Person rather then any other should be incarnate How Gods words are verified The incarnation intimated in mans creation The first Adam and the second Adam The great mystery in Gods name The name of Abraham changed Several presages of Christs coming Christs God head prophesied A temporal Messias how improbable Christs coming to Judgment Two several Natures Similitudes to set forth the hypostatical Union The possibility of the Incarnation The consequences of the Incarnation How the natures were united No sickness could befall Christ. The circumstances of Christs Birth The preparatives to his coming The Gentiles Jacobs expectation The prophesies of Christ. The coming of of Eltah Herodians Christ no temporall Messias as he Jewes expected The time of his comming The manner of Christs comming Prophesies and preparatives among the Gentiles for the comming of Christ. A miracle to confirm the prophesie The fulâ—…lling of the prophesie The prophesies of the Sibylls The Sibylls speak very punctually of Christ. The Religion of the heathen a preparation to Christianity The Mother of Christ an espoused Virgin The generall taxing at the Birth of Christ. The effects which foâ—…lowed the Emperors Edict Why Christ was born in a common Inn. Christ was born in a stable Christ was born in the sixt age Christ was born at midnight What followed the birth of Christ. The martyrdome of the Innocents The keeping of the feast an argument of the truth A comparison between Christ and Moses Signs amongst the Gentiles for the coming of Christ. The Oracles having first acknowledged Christ after became dumb The Miracles which haâ—…e hapned in the Church S. Peters miracles Where Scripture leaves the Church A commendation of the ancient Romans The dignity of the Church The dignity of Christian Religion All other religions vanity A distribution of times The first ages after Christ. The age of miracles and Martyrs The age of Confessors The age of Monasteries The age of Laicks God will govern the world The contempt of the Church The devills policie Preaching should not exclude other acts of Religion The keeping of the Sabbath None should preach without much study Take heed of Apocalyptical Doctors The pulling down of Churches The Author ends abruptly