the time of his Resurrection He alledgeth also the appearing of two Angells among all the people for testimony whereof Likelyhoods of truth Hee nameth the day and place when and where it happened He recounteth the very words that Jesus spake at his Ascention He telleth the manner how hee ascended and how a Cloud came down and received him out of their sight He declareth what the Multitude did whither they went and in what place they remained after their departure thence And finally hee setteth downe so many particulars as if it had beene the easiest matter in the world for his enemies to have refuted his narration if all had not been true Wherefore to conclude this Discourse of the Birth Life Death Resurrection and Ascention of Jesus seeing nothing hath happened in the same which was not foretold both to Jew Gentile nor any thing fore-shewed concerning the Messias which was not fulfilled most exactly in the person of Christ as have been proved by the foregoing testimonies we may most certainly assure our selves and confidently affirm against all the unbeleiving Jewes and wretched Atheists of the world that Jesus is the son of God the true and promised Messiah Moreover Touching the excellency of this Person I shall yet further prove first That for time he is God co-eternall with his Father and this both apparent scriptures That Christ is a true God is proved and unanswerable reasons drawne from thence do make plain For First First from the Scriptures The scriptures call him the true Jehovah as wee may see by the collation and comparing of these places viz. Exodus 3.2.13.4.14.24 20.2 And Acts 7.30.32 1 Cor. 10.4.9 c. And so the scriptures call him God as Gen. 32.28 Psal 45.7 Isa 7.14 Matth. 3.3 Heb. 1.8 1 Tim. 3.16 Joh. 1.1 Acts 20.78 And therefore saint John saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And the word was God Also Thomas saith unto Christ My Lord and my God 1 Joh. 3.16 1 Joh. 5.20 And so we finde the same truth expressed in many other places of the Scripture Secondly by unanswerable reasons drawn from scripture Secondly Wee may shew the same by infallible and unanswerable reasons drawn from scripture As First From those incommunicable properties of the Deity which are properly ascribed unto him as 1. To be omnipotent Joh. 3.31 Heb. 1.3 Phil. 3.21 Apo. 1.18 Mat. 16.11 Mat. 28.20 Joh. 16.15 2. To remit sins Matth 9.6 Mar. 2.5.7.9 Luke 5.20 Joh. 20.23 3. To be in many places at the same instant Matth. 18.20 4. To have the same equall power with the Father Joh. 5.17 5. To raise himself from the grave Rom. 1.4 Joh. 10.18 6. To send forth and to give the Holy Ghost Zach. 12.10 Joh. 16.7 2. From those Epithites which are ascribed unto him and are only agreeable to the divine nature as Joh. 13.18 Joh. 1.9 Mat 9 4.5 Joh. 14 14. To be the Author of our Election To illuminate us To know the secrets of our hearts To hear the prayers of them that call upon him To judge the quick and the dead To give unto his servants everlasting life To be truly rich and so able to do Joh 5.22.24 2 Cor 8.9 Psal 50.12 and to bestow these great rewards upon his servants Joh. 16.15 Thirdly From those relations that he hath with God as to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 J h. 1.18 Heb. 1.3 the only begotten son of God the brightness of his glory and as the Poet saith If God had once no son then once must he Without the brightness of his glory be Also to be the arme of God Isa 53 1. Joh. 14.7.8 9. Phil. 2.6 which the Fathers do expound of Christ to be the Image of the Father 2 Cor. 4.4 Col. 1.5 and to be the very form of God which is most simple and essentiall not compounded or accidentall for that in God there is no composition no accidents Et nihil est in Deo quod non sit ipse Deus nor any other thing which is not God because the Divine Essence Identificat sibi omnia que sunt in Divinis doth identifie Gabriel â—iel super 1. sentent dist 1. q. 5. or deifie all things that are in the Deity 4. From the universall effects Gen. 1.1 Pal 45.6 Psal 102.25 Joh. 1 2.3 Col 16 17. Heb. 1 2 3. Joh. 5.17 and proper works of God for he that created preserveth and governeth all the things that are created is the true and everlasting God but Christ created all things doth still sustaine and govern all things and therefore hee must needs be the true and eternall God To be breif He is the Son of the Father the Wisdome and the Power of God A Proof of the co-eternity of the Son with his father and therefore either the Father was without a Son and then he could be no Father and God was without his Wisdome and without his strength or else hee was never without his Son but to say that God was without his wisdome or without his strength is most absurd Ergo non ex tempore genitus est qui cuncta tempora condidit therefore hee was not begotten in time which created all times Aug. Ep. 6.6 saith Saint Augustine That Christ is co-essential with God is proved Secondly it followeth that I should prove and shew how for Nature he is co-essentiall with his Father touching which point Athanasius saith Non res quaepiam extrinsecus ad inventa est filij substantia neque ex nihilo inducta est sed ex Patris essentia nata est The substance of the son is no outward thing either found or created but begotten of the very Essence of his Eather even as you see the brightness springing from the Light or the Vapour from the Water Neque enim splendor neque vapor est ipsa aqua aut ipse sol neque res aliena For neither the light is the Sun it self nor the vapour the water it selfe and yet they are none other things of another kind then be the Substances from whence they spring even so the Son issueth from the substance of his Father Et tamen Patris substantia non perpessa est partitionem And yet the substance of the Father admits no partion for as the Son remaineth still the same and is no way lessened or diminished Athanas in Ep. Cont Eusebium in respect of those beams that flow from him so the Father suffereth no mutation by having and begetting Suam ipsius imaginem filium this his Son and eternall image but remaining still the same he begetteth his Son of the same Essence and wee find not only all the Orthodox Fathers but also the scriptures are plain enough to confirm the same truth for our saviour saith Joh. 10.30 I and my Father are one and so saint John having spoken of the Father the Word and the spirit saith That these three are one 1
tempted by them who lye unto him hee is a witnesse in Heaven with the Father and the son Acts 5 9 hee commandeth and willeth that the Apostles be separated Act. 13.2 Acts 20.28 And lastly He appointeth teachers in the Church All these things are proper unto a person existing intelligent indued with a will working and living That the holy Ghost is God co-eternall with the Father and the son proved Col. 2.9 Joh. 10.30 1 Joh. 5.7 Jer. 23.24 Joh. 1.18 Rom. 8.9 1 Cor. 6.19 Rom. 8.11 Gen. 1.2 Joh. 15.26 Aug. lib. de Trinitate 15. cap. 26. That he proceedeth from the Father the Son Gal. 4.6 Joh 15.26 20.22 Joh. 16.14.15 Now that the holy Ghost is God co-eternall with the Father and with the son it may be proved by the unity of the divine Essence because there is but one God-head and by the incomprehensiblenesse of the three persons the same is also proved by the essentiall union of them that is because he is often called the spirit of the Father and of the Son but the Father and the son were never without their spirit therefore hee is God co-eternall with both Also that which saint John saith that the spirit proceedeth from the Father The ancient Fathers holding the right faith do understand cheifly to be spoken of the everlasting proceeding of the spirit from the Father And he proceedeth from the son first because he is called the sons spirit Secondly Because the son together with the Father giveth him Thirdly Because the holy Ghost receiveth the Wisdome of the son which he revealeth unto us wherefore he proceedeth of the substance of the son because he receiveth that of him which is the sons By this it appeareth what is the proceeding of the holy Ghost namely the communicating of the divine essence whereby the third person of the God-head alone receiveth the same and whole or intire essence from the Father and the son as from him whose spirit hee is for there is nothing in God which is not his essence and seeing that is indivisible it must needs be whole and the same communicated unto him which is in the Father and the son That the Holy Ghost is consubstantiall with the Father and the Son proved Rom. 8.9 Lev. 16.1.34 Heb. 9.7.8.9.10 Psal 95.7 Heb. 3.7 Isa 6 8.9 Acts 28.25.26 As the spirit of man which is in man is of the Essence of man so the spirit of God which is in God is of the Essence of God which divine essence is but one that is but one Jehovah or eternall being one essentially who alone is of none but himself communicateth his being to all things and preserveth it in them Now the Holy Ghost is Jehovah and therefore he is the same with the Father and the son not only God co-eternall but also con-substantiall or God co-essentiall with both That he is co-equall with the father and the Son proved Gen. 1.2 And further That he is co-equall with the Father and the son is proved by those divine Attributes and properties which are attributed and communicated to the holy Ghost As first eternity because he created heaven and earth and because God was never without his spirit Secondly Immensity or unmeasurablenesse as who dwelleth whole and intirely in all the elect Thirdly Omnipotency because he Psal 33.6 1 Cor 12.11 1 Cor. 2.10 together with the Father and the son created and preserveth all things Fourthly Omnisciency that is the knowledge of all things Fifthly Acts 1.16 Psal 143.10 unchangeableness Sixthly Infinite goodnesse and holinesse and the causing of goodnesse and sanctity in the creatures 1 Cor. 6.11 Joh. 15.26 1 Joh. 5.6 Rom. 5 5. 8.26 Isa 63.10 Mat. 12.31 Acts 5.9 Ephes 4.30 Seventhly truth not to be doubted of the fountain of truth Eightly Vnspeakable mercy Ninthly Indignation even against hidden sins All which do sufficiently prove that the holy Ghost is God coequall with the Father and the son Besides the same divine works which are attributed to the Father and the son Mat. 12.28 1 Cor. 12 4. are also attributed to the holy Gâ—ost as the generall creation preservation and government of the whole world Likewise those works which properly belong to the salvation of his Church Job â—â— 13.33 4. Joh. 3.5 2 Cor. 3.18 Joh 14.26 Acts 9.31 Isa 48.16 Acts 20.18 Luke 12.12 1 Cor. 12.7 2 Pet. 1 21. Mat. 28 19. Heb. 9.8 Joh. 16 13. Acts 11 28 Ephes 2 22 1 Cor. 12 13 Joh. 14 26 Ephes 1 17 Rom. 8.14 Acts 16 6 Isa 11 2 Joh. 14 16 Rom 8 15 1 Cor 6 11 Joh. 6 63 Rom. 8 11 as the calling and sending of Prophets The bestowing of competent and fit graces for the Ministry on Ministers The publishing of the Doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles The instituting of sacraments The foretelling and prophesying of things to come The gathering of the Church The enlightning of mens mindes The governing of the Actions and whole life of the Godly The strengthning and preserving of the regenerate against the force of temptation even unto the end The pardoning of sins and adopting the sons of God The bestowing of salvation and life everlasting All these divine workes being attributed to the holy Ghost do likewise clearly prove his co-equality with the Father and the son Moreover Diverse titles of the holy Ghost Wee finde in the sacred scriptures many Titles and Appellations answerable to the manifold effects of his Power Office and Divinity For example The Holy Ghost is called Jehovah Isa 6 9 Act. 28 25 The earnest of our inheritance Ephes 1 14 The power of the most high Luke 1 35 The Teacher of the Faithfull Joh. 14 26 The earnest of the spirit 2 Cor. 1 22 The Oyle of Gladnesse Psal 45 7 The seven spirits of God Rev. 4 5 The spirit of Interpretation Sanctification Supplication Consolation Revelation The grace of God Knowledge Adoption Counsell Eternity Wisdome Prophesie Holinesse 1 Cor. 12 10 Rom. 1 4 Zach. 12 10 2 Thes 2 16 Ephes 1 17 Acts 14 26 Isa 11 2 Rom 8 15 Isa 11 2 Heb. 9 14 Isa 11 2 1 Cor. 12 10 Rom. 1 4 The Holy Ghost is called The spirit of the Father Joh. 15 26 The spirit of the Son Gal. 4 6 The spirit of the Lord. Isa 1 12 The earnest of Gods spirit 2 Cor. 5 5 The teacher of Truth Joh. 14 46 The mind of Christ 1 Cor. 2 16 And he is called An Eternall spirit Heb. 9 14 A Comforter Joh. 14 16 A heavenly gift Heb. 6 4 The holy spirit Ephes 4 30 The spirit of Christ God Right working miracles Power Life Truth Promise Grace Love Rom. 8.9 Gen. 1 2 Joh. 16 8 9 10 11 13 1 Cor. 12.10 2 Tim. 1 7 Rom. 8 2 Rev. 11 11 Joh. 14 17 Ephes 1 13 Heb. 10 29 Zech. 12 10 2 Tim. 17 The hand of God Job 26 13 Luke 1 66 A free spirit Psal
Joh. 5.7 and reason it selfe must needs confirme the same thing for seeing the Divine Essence is most simple impartible and indivisible and that the Father is God as none denyeth and that the Son is God as I have already proved and that the Holy Ghost is God as all the holy Fathers have sufficiently confirmed and yet there are not three Gods Athan. in Sym. but one God as Athanasius sheweth therefore it must needs follow that all three have but one and the selfe same Essence and consequently that the son is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Patri consubstantiall or co-essentiall with his Father And therefore hence also it must needs follow that our Saviour Christ is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A God of himselfe independent as absolute as the Father is And yet for the better understanding of this point how Christ may be said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God of himself we must consider Them p. 1. q. 33 that Aliud est habere essentiam Divinam a seipso aliud habere essentiam Divinam a seipsa existentem How Christ is God of himselfe It is one thing to have his divine Essence from himselfe and another thing to have his Divine Essence existing of it self to say that the person of the son hath his divine Essence that is his personall being from himself we cannot because it is from the Father the Father communicating his whole Essence unto the son and therefore we say that the son Ratione 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in respect of his personall being is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God of himselfe but God of God and Light of Light as the Nicen Councill hath it because the person of the son existeth from the person of the Father but to say that the son hath his divine essence existing of it selfe is most cerrain Idem ibid. Quia remota relatione ad Patrem sola restat essentia que est a seipsa for taking away the relation of the Son unto the Father there remaineth but the Essence which is of it selfe And therefore we may say that the Son Quoad essentiam absolutam in respect of his absolute Essence is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A God of himself because the Essence of the son is the very same that the Essence of the Father is and so to this truth set down by Calvin Bellar. de Chrâ—sto Bellarmine himselfe subscribeth Thirdly It remaineth that I shew how for Dignity hee is Co-equall with his Father That Christ is co-equall to the Father is proved And this point is as cleare as the former because in an Essence most simple there cannot be so much as imagined more or lesse and therefore Fulgentius saith most excellently that seeing Christ is from everlasting because hee is the eternall Wisdome and Power of God Baruch 3.25 seeing he is immeasurable because he is great and hath no end and seeing he is most high as Zacharias sheweth in his speech of John the Baptist Luke 1.76 That he should be called the Prophet of the most high that is of Christ he must needs be in all respects equall unto his Father Nam quid anterius sempiterno quid majus immenso quid superius altissimo for what can be before him that hath been before all things what can be greater then that which is immeasurable or what can be higher then that which is highest and so saint John saith That the Jewes sought the rather to kill him because he did not only break the Sabboth but sayd also that God was his Father Joh. 5.18 making himselfe equall with God How maliciously Hereticke have dâ—nyed the God-head of Christ Many Objections are made by Hereticks against the Co-eternity Co-essentiallity and Co-equalâ—ty of the son with his Father but they are all so triviall that they deserve no answer and they are all deduced from those places that are spoken of Christ as he is a man and misapplyed by them to deny his Excellency as he is a God Yea such is the Perversenesse of Hereticks and Atheists that they wil be wicked 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the higstest degree by searching so far into the Nature of Christ that at last they will deny him to be a God And therefore that we may be the better able to withstand their Heresies and discover their falacies let us observe the words of Gregory Nazianzene and Fulgentius who doth most excellently shew how the properties of both his Natures concurred together and might be easily discerned in him from the very beginning of his dayes to the last end of his being here on Earth For Hee is borne of his Mother Luke 2.7 and wrapped in swadling clouts as being a man but a Star doth manifest him and the wise men adore him Matth. 2.11 as being a God He is laid in a Cratch as he is a man but he doth wonderfully work in Heaven as he is a God he suffereth himself to be carried in their armes Ful. Ser. de Epiphan Iste puer in praesept quidem parvulus collocatur sed magnus in coelo mirabiliter operatur permittit se manibus in terra portari sed praecipit sibi caelestia familiari as he is a man but he supporteth all things and Commandeth all the Hoast of Heaven to do him service as he is a God he is * Mat. 3.16 Mar. 1.12 Joh. 4.6 Mat. 8.24.25 baptized in Jordan as being a man but the Holy Ghost descends upon him from heaven as being a God he is tempted of the Devill as he is a man but he overcomes and expells the Devills as he is a God he travels and is thirsty he is hungry and is weary as hee is a man but he refresheth the weary he seedeth the hungry and hee giveth drink unto the thirsty as he is a God He sleeps in the ship Mat. 8.26 and his Disciples awake him as he is a man but he rebukes the windes and stilleth the rage of the Seas as he is a God he is poor and needy Mat. 8.20 and hath not an house to put his head in as he is a man but hee is rich and mighty and cannot be contained in the heavens as hee is a God He is sorrowfull and sad Mat. 36.38.39 hee weepes and he prayes as he is a man but he heareth our Prayers Joh. 14. Isa 53. and comforteth the sorrowfull as he is a God hee is subject to infirmities as hee is a man but hee healeth all our infirmities Math. 27.51.45 as hee is a God he is whipped and crucified as hee is a man but hee renteth the vaile of the Temple and causeth the sun to hide his face for shame to see him crucified as he is a God he saith Eloi Eloi Math. 27.46 Luke 23.43 Lamasabachthani My God my God why hast thou forsaken me as hee is a man but hee saith unto the Theefe This day shalt thou be with me
Η ΠΡΟΒΟΛΗ ΤΗΣ ΑΛΗΘΕΙΑΣ OR The BUL-WARKE of TRUTH BEING A Treatise of God of Jesus Christ of The Holy Ghost and of the Trinity in Unity against Atheists and Hereticks By ROBERT BAYFEILD 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Serapis ad Thulem Magna est veritas praevalebit Tertull. Veritas laborare potest vinci non potest Hier. Dialog adversus Pelag. For we can do nothing against the Truth but for the Truth 2 Cor. 13.8 Him that is an Heretick after the 〈…〉 sâ—â—oâ—d admonition reject Tit. 3.10 LONDON Printed by T.R. for Edw. Dod. at the sign of the Gun in Ivy-Lane 1657. Vera Effigies Roberti Bayfeild Aetat Suae 27. A PREPARATORY Advertisement to the READER Dear Christian Reader AFter I had finished and put forth my Enchiridion medicum containing the causes signes cures of all those diseases which do cheifly affect the body of man my thoughts ran upon some second worke whereby I might benefit my Country but whilst I was thinking upon what subject to pitch I hapned into the company of certain Atheists and Hereticks who by their blasphemous discourse quite altered the streame of my intentions and instead of another phisicall peece put me upon these sublime pâ—iâ—â—â—f divinity Indeed it is a truth not more deplorable then manifest that this our Island which may justly contend with most parts of the Earth for the priority of Conversion to Christianisme and might not many yeares since have challenged the Garland from the whole for the orthodox zealous and sincere profession thereof hath of late produced and doth at this unhappy day foster more swarmes of Hereticall and Atheisticall monsters then any age then any Nation hath been infested withall such at least whose licentious practices and insolent discourses in publick do equally declare their wilde Ambition to be so accounted as if the onely way to acquire the Reputation of being Transcendent Wits were to seem able with bold and specious arguments to impugne the greatest and most sacred verities Yea these proud Wits and curious heads are so extreamly in love with their own shadowes and do so highly admire their owne conceits that they despise all the understanding and learning of other men and as Saint Bernard saith do thinke Nusquam lucere solem nisi in cella sua That all knowledge must live and dye with them For the Devill saith in every heresie in every errour Ego sum Christus apud me est veritas I am Christ and the truth is only here with me as Athanasius sheweth against the Arrians Athanas orat 1 contra Arrianos Alexander Episcopas Alexander in Ep. ad Alexand. Constantinop And Alexander Bishop of Alexandria writing to the Bishop of Constantionople of the transcendent pride and disdain of the Arrians saith Neminem volunt ex antiquis patribus sibi comparari ne unum quidem collegarum nostrorum vel ad mediocrem sapientiam pervenisse censent sed solos se sapientes sibi solis patefacta esse mysteria arbitrantur veritatis That they thinke none of the ancient fathers to be comparable to themselves that none of them which are contrary to their tenents have attained to any measure of wisdome and that they alone are wise and have the mysteries of truth revealed unto them And therefore this despising of other mens knowledge added to that high conceite which they have of their own is the cause they persist in those errours which their pride and ignorance have most impiously hatcht to the spoiling and destroying of themselves and others Alas it is sad lamentable to consider how multitudes of people are led away into dangerous fearfull errors by these cursed and hereticall monsters who come unto them in sheeps cloathing that is a religious habit like zealous and holy Christians For they have many times more works of piety charity then many of the most orthodoxall professors of the Faith their Almes-deeds are many their Prayers frequent and the strictnesse of their life might seeme to proceed from Angelicall hearts but in all this they cannot be sayd to be vertuous because these deeds that are vertues in themselves are directed by them to wrong ends and are effectuall to bring others into their errours And therefore these holy Hereticks are most profitable instruments for the Devills advantage and most excellent Factors to enlarge his Kingdome For had they been more wicked they had done lesse evill when men would have more suspected them lesse followed them and lesse beleived them then they do A most lamentable thing to make vertues the steps and staires for themselves and others to descend down to hell Mat. 4.6 Againe as the Devill cited scripture to our Saviour Christ to pervert the Truth of the scripture so do these men use Adaptare ca quae bene dicta sunt ijs quae male adinventa sunt ab ipsis To apply those things which are well spoken in scriptures to those things which themselves have mis-invented saith Ireneus Iren. cib 1. c. 1. for so Valentinus misapplyed scriptures to cofirme his errour of the thirty couple of Gods so Manichaeus alledged scriptures to defend his Duo principia two fold God or rather two Gods good and bad so Arrius Appollinaris and Eutiches and all the brood of hereticks were not ignorant in the bookes of scripture and so all hereticks at this day do with the Hiaena's voice bring nothing else but scriptures to kill soules with scripture misapplyed and therefore least with those fishes that are sportingly carried with the pleasant streames of Jordan untill they do fall into the dead sea where they doe suddenly perish so wee be led with their mis-interpreted scriptures untill wee do unexpectedly fall into destruction we should beware of them and take heed we be not seduced by thâ—â—â—ea we should mark them and avoid them Rom. 16.17 Iren. l. 2 c. 19. Epiph in contra Marcosias her 34. and shnn them as men wont to run away from venemous and ravenous beasts for Epiphanius tells us they are like unto the serpent called Dypsas that poysoneth all the pooles wherein hee drinketh so that all the beasts which drink of those pooles are suddenly poysoned and killed Tertull. de praescrip c. 42. Because as Tertullian saith This hath ever been the desire and study of hereticks Non Ethnicos convertere sed Christianos evertere not to convert infidells but to pervert and throw downe Christians from the faith and therefore Saint John seeing the heretick Cerinthus in a bath wherein the Apostle bathed himselfe ran away from him as it had been from a Lion Iren. l. 3. c. 3. And Ireneus saith that Tantum Apostoli eorum discipuli habuerunt timorem ut neque verbo tenus communicarent alicui eorum qui adulteraverant veritatem the Apostles and their Disciples did so warily shun all hereticks that they would have no communication with any of them that had depraved the truth of Christ And no
the writings of the Heathens and to transport them as Salomon did the wood of Lebanon for the building of Gods house and the gold of Ophir to make the Temple of Jerusalem the more glorious from the prâ—â—hâ—ne use of the first Authors unto the divine edifying of Gods Church Besides It is the cleerest evidence in the world that can be produced to convince any man when hee is made a party in the proofe a witnesse in his own case and a Judge against himselfe For what can any Gentile object for himselfe against us that hee doth not beleeve in Jesus Christ when he perceiveth our truth confirmed and himselfe convicted out of the learning of the Gentiles what can the Philosopher say when hee seeth himselfe confuted by Philosophy Job 15.5.6 or what testimony can a Jew require better then a proof produced out of his owne Cabballs and Talmud and therefore as Eliphaz saith of vain boasters that their own words condemne them so humane arts being divine gifts wee may lawfully use them to cut off Goliahs head with his owne sword or to beat down Hercules with his own club that is to confute the Gentiles out of the learning of the Gentiles and so we finde that not only in former times the Prophets Apostles and Fathers of the primitive Church have practised the same course but also in later times Aquinas Mornaeuâ— Doctor Fotherby late Bishop of Salisbury and diverse others have out of Trismegistus Homer Plato Aristotle Cicero and the rest of the Gentile Doctors confuted the superstitions of the Heathens and confirmed the truth of Christian Religion Secondly Against the wicked and cursed hereticks I have used the sacred scripture whose excellency above all humane learning I shal breifly set forth and conclude Such is the excellency of scripture-learning which containeth in it florem delibatum the flower and very Quintessence of soule-saving wisdome that wee may say of it as the Philosopher sometimes spake concerning the knowledge of the soule of man Aristotle de aâ— l. 1. praf antiq lect praestatpauculo ex meliore scientia degustasse quam de ignobiliore multa A small and dim knowledge of it is to be valued far above a greater measure of cleerer insight in any other science For the inspired scriptures is the infallible rule of Faith the unmoveable ground of Hope the perfect guide of Life the soules store-house of Provision the spirituall Magazeen of Munition the sacred fewell of Devotion the divine subject of Contemplation and the everlasting spring of celestiall consolation It is as saint Gregory saith like the deepest Ocean wherein the greatest Elephant may finde sea room enough to swim and yet never sound the depth thereof and like the shallowest foord wherein the silliest Lamb may easily wade without any danger of drowning And as Fulgentius saith Fulgent Ser. de confess Habet quod robustuâ— comedat quod parvulus sugat Basil in Psalmum primum it hath strong meat for the best stomacks and sweet Milke for the tenderest babes It is a pavoury of wholesome food against feigned Traditions a Phisitians shop against poysoned heresies a pandect of profitable Lawes against rebellious spirits a treasury of most costly Jewells agaist beggerly rudiments and it is wisdome without folly to direct us riches without poverty to honour us and strength without weaknesse to maintain us For that it will instruct us in life comfort us in death and glorifie us in heaven The canonicall bookes of the Old and New Testament are exact Maps of the heavenly Canaan drawne by the Pencill of Holy Ghost the authenticall records of the Church the deeds of Almighty God and Evidences of mans salvation Yea The arguments to prove the divinity of scriptures are the venerable antiquity matchless majesty lively efficacy beautifull harmony incomparable purity invincible perennity and continuance of them mauger the injury and iniquity of times and Tyrants who have sought to suppresse them Besides the confirmation by miracles confession of Martyrs destruction of oppugners fulfilling of prophesies consent of Churches yea assent of adversaries As first of hereticks who in oppugning of scriptures do yet alledge scripture to their owne utter destruction 2 Pet. 3.16 Secondly of Jewes Gods Library Keepers as Saint Augustine calls them who studiously read and curiously kept the Bookes of the old Testament by a singular providence of God for our benefit and behoof Thirdly many heathens being convinced in their consciences have sealed to the truth of the scripture by their testimonies and confessed them to be divine for Porphyry testifieth that Moses hath written the history of the Law truly and Numenius the Pythagorist recites Moses's history almost word forword testifying that he was a great Divine But we have better testimonies even the holy scriptures themselves which do not only establish our faith 1 Pet. 3.15 Isa 1.18 Eze. 18.25.29 but also instruct our Reason furnishing us with arguments rationally to prove their truth to be sacred and their authority divine Yea further The scripture is proved to be the word of God by the Majesty of it which besides the stately plainesse of the stile far surpasseth the creatures capacity the fathom of flesh and reach of reason There is no jot or tittle of of it that savours of earthlinesse Every word of Gods mouth is pure precious and profitable not a syllable superfluous The very majesty of the sentence is such as cannot be conceived and yet it s alwaies more powerfull in matter then in words Humane writings may shew some faults to be avoided but give no power to amend them What words of Philosophers could ever make of a Leopard a Lambe of a Viper a Child of a Lecher a chast man of a Nabal a Nadib or of a covetous carle a liberall person Philosophy may civilize not sanctifie hide some sins not heal them cover not cure them But the efficacy and virtue of the scripture is such that it produceth the love of God and our enemies it purifieth the heart pacifieth the conscience rectifieth the whole both constitution and conversation of man yea it taketh him off from the delights of the world and the flesh maketh him glory in afflictions sing in the flames and triumph over death All these and more do necessarily conclude the divine verity and authority of the sacred scriptures Moreover if we will open our eyes to see and bring our Judgement to discern we may soon perceive that besides the truth of scripture which will admit no comparison with any writings there is more learning in Moses then in all the learned men of the Gentiles more Rhetorick in Esayas Prophesies then in all Tullies Orations more Logick in Saint Paules Epistles then in all Aristotles Analiticks there is sweeter musick in King David then in all the Lyrick Poets of the heathen there is better Philosophy in Job then in all the Philosophers of Greece there is truer Morality in Salomon then can be
first in respect of his naturall Son Christ begotten from eternity Secondly in respect of the Elect his Adopted Sons Gal. 4.5 who being not sons by Nature are made sons by Grace Eph. 2.5 CHAP. II. OF JESUS CHRIST God hath fixed many impressions of hi goodnesse in the creatures WHosoever will religiously and seriously observe those manifold impressions of the Divine goodnesse which the Lord God hath planted in the nature of all living creatures he shall surely finde so much matter of reverence love and admiration that he shall never be able sufficiently to comprehend the excellency of so huge an ocean of goodnesse within the strait and narrow compasse of his understanding For the Kingly Prophet David being as it were ravished or wrapt in an extasie at the inexplicable expression and unconceivable consideration of the plentifull and far-spread goodnesse of God he breaketh forth into these heavenly acclamations saying O Jehovah Psal 36.5.6.7 In coelis est benignitas tua O Lord our Governour How excellent is thy Name in all the world thou that hast set thy Glory above the Heavens thy Faithfullnesse reacheth unto the Cloudes thy Righteousnesse is like the strong Mountaines thy Judgments are like the great deep thou savest O Lord both man and beast But I will not at this time enter into that infinite Ocean of Gods Goodnesse whereby he giveth Food unto all flesh Psal 147. Gods infinite Goodnesse and adorneth the feilds with all kind of fruitfull trees and pleasant flowers neither will I enter into any part or parcell of his excellent Providence whereby hee governeth the whole world by his Wisdome sustaineth all things by his Power and releiveth all things by his Goodnesse But I will rather bathe my selfe in those cheifest Fountaines of Gods admirable Love whereby he imbraced Mankinde the Epitome of the whole Universe For God so loved the World Joh 3.16 that hee gave his onely begotten sonne That whosoever beleeveth in him should not perish but have everlasting life Indeed there is no comfort in the Father without the Son neither can any beleeve in him and through beleeving come to him but by the Sonne for hee dwelleth in light inaccessible whom none can know till the Sonne who is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the brightnesse of his glory Heb. 1 3. and ingraved forme of his person reveale him Yea without the Sonne he is a consuming fire but in him hath proclaimed himselfe to be well pleased So that the knowledge of Jesus Christ is the onely thing that makes us happy Nam omnia habemus in Christo omnia in nobis Christus because we have all things in Christ and Christ is all things unto us He is α Legis ω Evangelij the beginning of the Law Quicquid est veteris Testamenti Christum sonat and the end of the Gospell Velatus in veteri revelatus in novo Testamento vailed and shadowed in the Old revealed and exhibited in the New Testament promised in that preached in this there shewed unto the Fathers in Types here manifested unto us in Truths All the men of note and all the names of Dignity were but types of Iesus Christ for the Tree of Life the Arke of Noah the Ladder of Jacob the Mercy Seat the Brazen Serpent and all such Mysticall Types and Typicall figures that we read of what were they else but Christ obscurely shadowed before he was fully revealed And so all the men of note Noah Isaac Joseph Moses Aaron Joshuah Sampson David Salomon Kings Preists Prophets titles of Dignities names of Honour or whatsoever else was any ways ascribed to any of them to expresse their soveraignty were onely used to expresse those transcendent excellencies which these personall Types did adumbrate and shew most properly to belong unto this King of Kings Isa 9.6 this mighty Counsellor and this Prince of peace Now if we well consider how all those things which the Prophets of old prophesied were to be done by the promised Messiah are all accomplished in the person of Christ wee shall find the Word like a light shining in darknesse clearly declaring unto us that Jesus the son of Mary is the true Messiah For the Scriptures foretell every particular act accident and circumstance that should fall out of importance at his comming incarnation birth life death resurrection and assention Matth. 1 As for example at what particular time hee should appear Matth. 1 18. Matth. 2 1 Gen. 49 10. that he should be born of a Virgin Isa 7.14 That the place of his Birth should be the town of Bethlem Matth. 2 16. Mic. 5 2 That at his Birth all the Infants round about should be slaine for his sake Jer. 31 15. that the Kings of the East should come and adore him Mat. 2 11 and offer Gold and other gifts unto him Luke 2 22. Psal 72. that he should be presented by his Mother in the Temple of Jerusalem Mat. 2 13 14 Mal. 3.1 that hee should flye into Egypt and be recalled thence again Mat. 2 21 Luke 1 17. 3.3 Isa 19.1 Hos 11.1 that John Baptist should go before him and cry in the Desart Isa 40.3 Mal. 3. Mat. 4.12 c. Mat. 5. 1. After this that he should begin his own Preaching in Galilee Isa 9.1 and that with all Humility Quietnesse Mat. 4 23. and Clemency of spirit Isa 42 2. that hee should do strange Miracles Mat. 8 Mark 8 and heal all diseases Isa 35.5 6. that he should dye for our sins Isa 53 That he should be betrayed by his own Disciple Mat. 26. Mat. 26 27. Psal 41 9. that hee should be sold for thirty peeces of silver Zach. 11 12. that with those thirty peeces there should be bought afterward a Potters feild Zach. 11 13. Math 21.7 Matth. 26. 27. that he should ride into Jerusalem upon an Asse before his Passion Zach 9.9 that the Jewes should beat and buffet his Face Mat. 27. and defile the same with spitting upon him Isa 50 6. that they should whip rent and tear his Body before they put him to death Luke 23 33 Isa 53 5 that they should peirce his Hands and his Feet Psalme 22 16. Mat. 27.38 that they should put him to death among Theives and Malefactors Isa 53 12. that they should scorn him and nod their heads at him Mat. 27 39 40 41 42 43. saying He trusted in the Lord let him deliver him c. Psal 22.7 Mat. 27.34 8 that they should give him gall in his meat and in his thirst Vinegar to drinke Psal 69.21 Mat. 27.35 Mat. 27 57 c. that they should cast lots about his Vesture and part his Garments among them Psal 22 18. That he should lye in the Grave of a rich man Isa 53 9. Luke 29 that he should rise again from death the third day as was shadowed in his
to the perfection of humane Nature or of the naturall properties of the same And therefore seeing hee was made of a woman as all other men be differing only in the manner of his conception or in the Agent and worker of his Substance it is most apparent that he assumed all our humane nature What Christ assumed because the whole nature of man that is both body and Soule was to be redeemed for that both body and Soule were captivated unto satan but the son of man came to seek and to save that which was lost Mat. 18.11 therefore he must consist both of body and soule for seeing the Divine pity was content to deliver all it behoved the Divine Majesty to assume all Fulgent l. 1. de mysterio redemp ad Trasim That Christ had a true humane body Gen 3.15.22.18 Luke 24.39 saith Fulgentius and more particularly that hee had a true and perfect humane body it may be easily proved for when the Apostles thought that they had seen a Phantasme or a spirit hee sayd unto them handle mee and see because a spirit hath not flesh and bones as you see me have Besides it may be proved by the uniform consent of all Orthodox antiquity as the great Councill of Chalcedon that had in it 630 Bishops the Councill of Lateran the Councill of Toledo Fulgentius in his second booke Basil in l. de hum Christi gener Aug. de Trin. l. 13 c. 18. Beda in 11 Luc. l 4. c. 48. De persona Christi Saint Basil Saint Augustine Tertullian in his booke De carne Christi venerable Bede and diverse others whose pithy sayings and unanswerable arguments to prove this point I could here alledge But above all the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gal. 4.4 used by Saint Paul and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 used by the Evangelist which signifie to take our nature upon him and to be made flesh if they be well and truly understood do make it most apparently plaine that the Sonne of God took unto himselfe personally the true nature of man and the very substance of his Mother Luke 1.31.42 Heb. 2.14 for the Apostle doth not say factus de muliere sed factus ex muliere made in a woman but made of a woman Gorrham super Galat. as Nicolaus de Gorrham well observeth and therefore though Christ had his Principium formale his formall beginning from the Holy Ghost yet it is most certain that hee had his Principium materiale his whole matter and substance from the body of his mother And as hee had a true humane body so hee had a perfect reasonable Soule That Christ had a true reasonable soule Mat. 26 38. Luke 23.46 for the testimonies of the Scriptures are most plain herein As my Soul is heavy unto death and again Father into thy hands I commend my spirit Also the whole School of Divinity did ever teach the same truth for Nazianzen saith Quod non assumpsit non salvabit either hee had a soule or he will not save a soule and Saint Augustine saith Totum suscepit ut totum liberaret verbum Aug. de tempore Ser. 145. Christ took all upon him that is both body and soule that he might save them both And so you see that Christ had not Ideam humanae naturae An imaginary patterne of humane nature as some in these our dayes would have it but the whole nature of man In uno individuo consisting both of body and soule That Christ was subject to all our humane frailties which are without sin Moreover As Christ had all the parts of a true and perfect man so he had all the propertyes that do concern mans nature or do belong either to the soule or to the body of man as length breadth thicknesse understanding will affection c. And all other infirmities that wee have sin only excepted Why he undertook our infirmities Ambros in Luc l. 10. c. 22. And it was requisite saith Saint Ambrose Vt infirmitates nostras susciperet That he should take upon him our infirmities First To demonstrate the truth of his assumed humanity Secondly To strengthen and under-prop the weaknesse of our declining Faith and yet here wee must distinguish and understand that those infirmities which are not sinfull are either Personall or naturall Those that are Personall we say not That Christ took no personal infirmities upon him that he took for though many of us be affected with maladies infeebled with infirmities and disfigured with deformities yet the body of Christ being framed by the Holy Ghost of the purest Virgin blood was proportioned in most equall Symmetry and correspondency of parts and therefore he was speciosus forma prae filijs hominum fairer then the sons of men wholy pure more pure then the body of Absolon 2 Sam. 14.25 in whom there was no blemish so Cassiodorus saith Forma ejus lactei coloris de core illuxit Cassidor in Psa◠45. insigni statura prae-eminuit his body of the best composed stature did excell all other men Christ of a ravishing beauty and so Saint Hierom saith that his countenance carryed hidden and vayled in it a star like shining brightnesse which being but a little revealed it so ravished his Disciples hearts that at the first sight thereof Mat. 19.27 Joh. 18.6 they left all and followed him and it so astonished his enemies that they stumbled and fell to the ground But now those that are naturall or common infirmities That Christ took upon him all naturall common infirmities Heb. 2.17.4.15 Damasc de fide Orthodoxa l. 3. c. 20. Discipulus in ser de temp we affirm that he had them in all things like unto us for we confesse saith Damascen that Christ took all the naturall passions of man which are without sinne and Discipulus saith that every man was subject unto twelve naturall defects and infirmities wherof saith he our Saviour Christ hath undergon ten of them and hath suffered the same Luke 22 43. even as we do First Cold Secondly Heat Two infirmities incident to every man and denyed by no man to be in Christ Mat. 21.18 Thirdly Hunger as when he came to the fig-tree and would have eaten Joh. 4.7 c. 19. 28 Fourthly Thirst As when he asked Drink of the woman of Samaria Fifthly wearinesse Joh. 4.6 As when hee sate by the well side to rest him Sixthly Weaknesse and paine Mat. 27.32 Joh. 19.17 as when he was not able to bear his cross any further Seventhly Heavinesse and sorrow Mat. 26 38. Luke 16 41. as when his soule was heavy unto death Eighthly Shamefastnesse Mar. 6.6 and admiration as when hee marvelled at the infidelity of the Jewes Ninthly Feare Heb. 5.7 as when his Father heard him in that which hee feared Tenthly Anger Mat. 21.12 as when he drove the Buyers and sellers out of the Temple These are the ten
Apostle Who being in the forme of God tooke upon him the forme of a servant saith It is a wonder to think why some are afraid to say that Christ had two Natures when as the Apostle saith that he had two formes and the great oecumenicall Councill of Chalcedon left this confession unto all potesterity Concil Calced Act. 5. in Symb. fidei Confitemur in novissimis diebus filium Dei unigenitum in duabus naturis inconfuse immutabiliter indivise inseparabiliter agnoscendum nunquam sublata differentia propter unionem We confess that the only begotten son of god which came in the last days to be incarnate is now to be acknowledged to be to subsist of two natures that is Divine humane inconfusedly immutably inseparably and undividedly united together and that the differences or disjunction of these natures is never to be abolished and taken away by reason of the union of the same And here wee must observe That the two natures do make but one person in our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ that although this eternall son of God was so made flesh that is a perfect man of the seed of David as that still each nature remaineth intire and inconfused yet wee must not imagine that hee is therefore two sons or two persons as Nestorius thought but that he is one only person consisting of both these natures so that he in whom the fulnesse of manhood dwelleth is not one and he in whom the fulnesse of the Godhead another but he in whom the fulness of both those two dwelleth is one and the selfe same Christ that is one Christ one person and here wee must consider that the divine Nature did not assume an humane person but the divine person did assume an humane nature The son of God assuming into the unity of his person that which before hee was not and yet without change for so must God still be remaining that which he was And so Gregory Nazianzen saith Permansit quod erat assumpsit quod non erat Nazian Orat. 3 de Theolog. Hee remained what he was and he assumed what he was not because Christ was made flesh Non deposita sed seposita Majestate not by cancelling or laying away but as it were by concealing and laying aside for a time the most glorious appearance of his divine Majesty Emyssen hom 2 de nativiatte as Eusebius Emyssenus doth most excellently declare and the Poet as wittily saying That which hee was he is yet once was not That which he is a nature hee hath got Fitz. Jeffrey p. 17. More then hee had and yet he still retaines That which hee had and having both remaines But one and though hee tooke one nature more Yet is he but one person as before This truth of the union of these two natures may be confirmed by the holy scriptures The unity of Christ his person most clearly proved from Scriptures for when Christ asked his Apostles Whom do men say that I the son of man am Saint Peter answered that hee was Christ the son of the living God therefore hee is but one person because Saint Peter confesseth the son of man to be the son of the living God Mat. 16.13.16 And the Angell said unto the Virgin Luke 1.35 That holy thing which shall be borne of thee shall be called the son of God therefore hee is but one person because hee which was born of the Virgin was and is none other but he that is truly called Joh 20.31 and is the true son of God and Saint Paul speaking of Christ as hee was the eternall son of God Rom. 1.8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in respect of his Godhead and as he was the Son of David 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in respect of his manhood yet doth he not say of his sons as of two 1 Joh. 1 1. c 2. v. 22. Chap. 3. v. 16. Chap. 4 v 3. but of his son made and declared to be his son to shew unto us That as before his making so now after his making he is still but one son one person of the two distinct natures subsisting And this is confessed by all antiquity All our Creeds and all antiquity confesseth the same truth touching the unity of Christ his person for in the Apostles Creed we say that we beleeve in Jesus Christ his only son our Lord which was conceived of the Holy Ghost and borne of the Virgin Mary and therefore he is but one person because hee which is said to be the only son of God is said also to be born of the Virgin Mary and in the Creed of Athanasius it is said That although Christ be both God and man yet he is no more twain but one Christ and that not by confounding of the substances but by the unity of person that is by the uniting of both natures into one person Concil Calced Concil Nicen. Si quis non confitetur carnisecundum subsistentiam unitum Dei Patris verbum anathema sit Also the third Councill of Ephesus the Councill of Lateran and all the ancient Orthodox Fathers as Justin Martyr Irenaeus Saint Basil saint Nazianzen saint Damascen saint Hillary saint Ambrose saint Hierome saint Augustine and the rest of them have most truly and learnedly confessed this truth that although Christ hath two natures yet do these two make but one person one son of God one Saviour of men So that this we may safely say and must firmly hold that as the distinction of the Persons in the Holy Trinity hindreth not the unity of the nature of the God-head although every person intirely holdeth his own incommunicable property so neither doth the distinction of the two Natures in our Mediator any way crosse the unity of his person although each nature remaineth entire in it selfe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and retaineth the properties agreeing thereunto without any conversion composition commixion or confusion Now for the clearer understanding of this point we say that the understanding of these two natures is 1. Inconvertible 2. Indivisible 3. Inconfused 4. Inseparâ—ble 5. Substantiall 6. Ineffable Frst Inconvertible 1 Inconvertible Because neither the diâ—ine Nature is turned into the humanity â—â—r the humanity into the Deity Secondly Indivisible 2. Indivisible Because the natures are so united into one person that they can never be separated unlesse we divide the person of Christ which is most hereticall 3. Inconfused Thirdly Inconfused Because the natures remain still intire without confounding either their Essence or their properties or their wills or any other operations whatsoever therefore we do affirm that in Christ there are two Natures How the properties of each nature do remain intire and inconfused to each nature two Wills two Naturall proprieties operations intire and unmixed that we may not confound them with Eutyches for sith the natures are neither confused nor transfused each into other the