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 creatures and therefore it is only proper to the understanding and the will of God that only from them there should be a generation of the Son and a procession of the Spirit and so a difference of Peâ—…sons Some do here object against some termes which as they say are not to be found in Scripture but are only imposed by the Church and that is the word Trinity and the word Persons and that in a mysterie of this infinite high nature there should be no addition of mans wit and invention but we should tye our selves most strictly to the terms of Scripture seeing this mysterie so infinitly exceeds mans understanding To whom I return this answer Do ye think that what the Church shall determin in this and other mysteries that it proceeds from the wit and invention of man do you ascribe no more to the cloven tongues that fell upon the Apostles whereby they were replenished with Gods Spirit and which Spirit they did conferre upon others by imposition of hands by election or succession and do you stile all this by the wit and invention of man when I consider the determinations of the Church their form of divine Service their Canons their Discipline their religious Orders God knows I do verily believe that I do see more in them then the wit and invention of man and I think them to be the immediate dictates and directions of Gods Spirit But call them what you will for these words of Persons and Trinity truly I conceive them to be nothing but the translation of Scripture and I hope you will think translations very necessary for the Evangelists and the Apostles use the translations of the Septuagints in their quotations of the old Testament if then Christ shall prescribe the form of our Baptism to be in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy Ghost and that we know there are no Accidences in God but all are Substances and distinct Substances surely I know not by what other term I should call Substances and distinct Substances but by the name of Persons and if these three Persons be one God and so the Scripture stiles them The word was with God and God was the word surely I know not with what other words to express it but by the name of Trinity or triunity So likewise those words of Schoolmen Deus intelligendo seipsum genuit verbum are not these words taken out of Scripture hodie genui te and thence they infer verbum in intellectu Thus without the determinations of the Church and unless due respect and reverence be given to the Church no Religion can subsist but will instantly fall to confusion Thus as our understanding begets a word and there is a mutuall love and correspondency between this understanding and this word so if God be said to beget a Son or a Word in a spirituall manner in his understanding and that from both proceeds the holy Ghost the Church must then necessarily conclude that they are severall and distinct Persons not that we should conceive them to be like the Persons of men with circumscription of time and of place in various and different formes but to be divine Persons all alike partaking of one infinite nature and what God hath revealed what the Church hath explicated that we believe desiring the same God by the inlightning of his Spirit to engender faith in our hearts to strengthen and increase it and what God hath reserved only for his own knowledge that not curiously to pry into but content our selves with such a measure and proportion of knowledge as he hath been pleased to impart remembring that the first Sin which gave occasion to all the mischieves and miseries which have befallen us it was the tasting of the Tree of knowledge whereby in stead of that great light which we aymed at whereby we should have knowledge like God indeed we had our eyes opened but it was to see and feel our own nakedness to our own confusion Yet to give some little information I will only make this instance If I should take out of a River severall Cups full of water I would ask what difference there were in these waters Surely none would appear in the nature but as they are distinct in severall Cups or Vessels which give them severall forms and severall dimensions and thus it is in all homogeneall bodies suppose I should insist in spirituall qualities as in Light certainly the difference would be less what then if I should insist in spiri's themselves which are not capable of dimensions yet still in respect of the finitness of their nature there would be some difference but if I should ascend to an infinit nature then there would be no difference in respect of the nature yeâ—… a difference there would be in respect of their different manner of subsisting as by generation procession c. Yet here we must take heed of curiosity and know the weakness of mans understanding that we cannot speak of God but after the manner of men and it is most probable that God should commit his secrets to the care and custody of his Church which may put them into such form and fashion of speech as may best beseem them rather then that particular spirits who are so apt to be misled with errors even in things of least moment should be left to their own inventions and expressions in the highest mysteries But how should the whole Deity be in every Person is it not true in all Homogeneall bodies Suppose the elements that where they are they are totally they carry their whole nature about them but this truth more especially appears in spirits for there is nothing so common and triviall in Schooles as this known principle Anima ubi est tota est tota in toto tota in qualibet parte totius But if this Deity be wholly imparted yet then how should it still remain whole and entire is it not proper to all spirituall qualities as Light Knowledge and the like that they should be communicated without any loss or diminution of themselves Here then at length consists the whole difficulty that the nature being imparted there should be no difference in number reason seeing the difficulty sees likewise the reason of the difficulty for her own further satisfaction for this in the creatures proceeds from the bounded finite and limited nature of the creatures which must be circumscribed both with time and with place and so make a difference in the number but if you will suppose this nature to be infinite as is the Deity then would it admit no difference as not in nature so not in number What I have hitherto written hath been according to the opinion of our best and most â—…earned Divines together with the acknowledgement of the whole Catholick Church to which I do believe a man may very safely subscribe for whatsoever is there related as
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
transfigured in the Mount whereby is intimated that they had Christ in figures and types So then if I shall make it appear that either the three Persons or any one of the Persons are named or appeared in Scripture we may thence very well gather that they had some knowledge of the mystery First let us view the Creation Verbo Domini Coeli formati sunt And God said Let there be light Said that is spake the word To whom should God speak when as yet there was nothing but himself So then a Word is begotten in his understanding which reflects upon the understanding and proves a distinct Person and the Word was God then follows And the Spirit of the Lord moved on the waters This Spirit could be no creature for now began the Creation the Spirit of the Lord. Surely there is nothing in God but God God can admit of no mixture or composition he is actus purus simplicissimus nothing but pure form therefore this Spirit must be God the holy Ghost Do we not here see how all the three Persons did concur as in one nature so in the same outward act of Creation From the creation of the World where it is said Dii creavit let us come to the creation of Man for whom the world was created and therefore being a work of so great moment God seems to deliberate and to enter into consultation Certainly when we enter into counsel it argues a diversity of persons or at least it must imply a greater caution that neither in words or acts there might be any mistake the rather because it is the first time that ever God spake of himself wherein frail man is usually more cautionate and wary then in any other discourse and therefore this may much more be supposed in the most wise God let us then hear God with the greatest reverence Faciamus hominem ad imaginem nostram Let us make man according to our own image the plural number which argues Persons is here twice implied both in the act faciamus let us make and in the type or sampler ad imaginem nostram according to our own image If here you shall tell me that it is an Hebrew phrase and an ordinary and usual form of speech I confess it and acknowledge it but therein I do more magnifie the providence of God who did so ordain the speech and language of men as that it should be fit to express such a mystery yet withall consider that it is otherwise with God then with men for God is Truth it is self and therefore I believe that there is not a metaphor or figure spoken of God wherein there is not a stamp of truth involved And whereas it is now frequent that great Princes do speak of themselves in the Plural number I conceive that it is therefore more justifiable because they are Politick Bodies and in a sort Corporations and so represent others and that it might imply that whatsoever they do it was with the grave advice of their Councel and therefore for the greater honor and majesty they use the Plural number Come we then after the fal of Adam to that which the Fathers call Semen Evangelii the beginning of our Redemption Semen mulieris conteret serpentis caput is it possible that when as Adam being the immediate workmanship of God and therefore of the greatest perfection created in Paradise in a state of innocency sanctified with Original grace that he should not be able to resist the temptation and yet the seed of the woman of the weaker sex should be able to bruise the head of the serpent that is utterly to destroy the Kingdom of Sin and Satan surely it must needs argue that the Son of the woman could be no less then the Son of God seeing such a Conquest farre exceeds the power of all Angels and Creatures After the sin consider the punishment and therein Gods Mercy and Compassion how he clothes the nakedness of Adam with the skins of beasts Some Divines do ask what became of the carkases of those beasts and they conceive it very credible that God did offer them up in sacrifice to himself to shew Adam the manner of sacrificing and withall to prefigure that God alone should offer up the only great sufficient propitiatory sacrifice that is that he should offer up himself to himself which must needs argue severall Persons in the Deity Hence followed as an earnest or type thereof the sacrifice of Abel and because his sacrifice was acceptable he himself was more acceptable then his sacrifice therefore he must be offered up in sacrifice to prefigure him whose blood speaks better things then the blood of Abel Hitherto Gods promises for the coming down of his Son were only tyed to mankinde but after the confusion of tongues when men were dispersed then it pleased God to make choice of his nation to promise Abraham That in his seed all generations should be blessed in token memory hereof God instituted Circumcision as it were for the honor of his issue and for the assurance of his faith that Christ should succeed and as a pledge thereof Abraham being to administer an oath to his servant takes his hand and layes it upon his loynes and then makes him swear Now in a corporall oath we ever lay our hands upon the most holy thing suppose the Bible or the Altar and therefore the servant layes his hands upon the loynes Gen. 23. 2. seeing that Christ was then in the loynes of Abraham Another memorable thing in Abraham that he saw three Angels and he worshipped one Gen. 18. 3. Which may a little set forth three Persons and one God In Isaacs sacrifice it is more manifestly implyed for God would never require that of man which he did not intend to perform unto man and therefore God requiring of Abraham to sacrifice his Son what was then only proposed God would hereafter really perform on his part in sacrificing his only Son for Abraham and his Sons Isaac gives the blessing to Jacob of whom that I may say nothing of his life the blessing which he gives unto his Sons upon his death-bed was very memorable Gen. 49. Giving his blessing to Judah from whom Christ was to descend he there prophesieth of the time of his coming and expresseth much joy and comfort therein but after speaking of Dan that he was a serpent certainly he had some relation to that cursed serpent which seduced our first Parents for Judas Iscariot who betrayed Christ was of the tribe of Dan and it is not unlike but the great Antichrist shall be of the same tribe which Jacob foreseeing suddenly breaks out into these words Expectabo salutare tuum Domine Lord I will expect thy salvation though some of my posterity shall betray thee yet lay not the sin to my charge hold me as innocent and therefore in the assured hope of Gods mercy he takes order that
so then these attributes which concern the Creatures there was a space when they had not their act and exercise But above all others there are two principall the understanding and the will from the understanding proceeds knowledge from the will proceeds love God knowing himself to be infinitly good the love of himself must likewise be infinite and these have this peculiar property to reflect upon God himself so that God is the object of his own knowledge and the object of his own love Here then we may expect admirable operations more then of his other attributes for they look outwardly upon the Creatures but these look inwardly and reflect upon God himself and are operative and produce wonders his other attributes doe not so nearly and inwardly concern him as his understanding and his will do as for example God cannot be the object of his own Justice to punish himself God cannot be the object of his own Mercy for to be in case and condition of relief it implies imperfection God is not the object of his own omnipotency for he cannot work upon himself to adde any new perfection to himself or to make any change or alâ—…eration in his own nature so for Gods providence though he governs the world yet he doth not thereby regulate himself Thus the attributes which concern the Creatures though they were eternall and equally perfect in God yet they did not appear in their objects before God began his Creation But it is necessary that God should ever know himself and his own perfection and thus knowing himself by the act and exercise of his own understanding which is alwayes operative and not barren but fruitfull needs he must beget in a spirituall and most excellent manner verbum in intellectu a word in his understanding every way answerable to his understanding for here God imparts himself quoad ultimum posse and so he doth not in the Creatures and by this word knowing himself to be infinitely good needs there must proceed from the word and from the understanding amor infinitus an infinite love answerable to the measure and proportion of the goodness and these are the proper fruits of Gods understanding and his will from all eternity and what is from all eternity is every way infinite and can be no less then God himself That is a Person in the Deity which Persons have no difference between themselves but onely in respect of the act of generation and procession so that God without the act of knowing himself and loving himself he could not subsist one minute but he subsisted many infinite Ages and was alike perfect in himself before the Creatures were made So then here is the difference other attributes of God produce the Creatures of God but his understanding and his will being inward and reflecting upon himself they produce Persons in the Godhead which notwithstanding we must imagin not in a carnall and in an humane or sensuall manner as if Persons should be circumscribed with time place circumstances and other differences but in a most spirituall and a most excellent manner as all things in God are incomprehensible so is the generation of this Word and the procession of this Spirit and the personality in the Deity thus as God is his own beginning subsists of himself preserves and continues himself so he must be his own end and his attributes must tend to himself These are those inward and secret jewels which are lockt up and inclosed within the Cabinet of the Deity such as are not alwayes visible for they are not kept or to be seen in the outward Shop or Magazin of the Creatures as other attributes of God are but the understanding and the will of God they are most inward and secret such as God himself must reveale as amongst our selves the thoughts and intentions of man must onely be discovered by man himself Yet we are confident in this that the fruit of Gods understanding and his will being in God himself they can be no less then God himself i. e. severall Persons in the Deity which God himself hath been pleased to reveale So then there is a difference between the attributes of God and the act and exercise of those attributes for Gods omnipotency is not alwayes creating Gods Justice is not alwayes punishing and many infinite Ages past before there was a Creation and this was necessary that the Creatures might know their distance and how inconsiderable they were in respect of God who was alike perfect and absolute without them and God himself making choyce of his own instant for their Creation did thereby manifest that he was a most free agent and the Creatures wholly depended upon him both for their beginning and all other circumstances accompanying while before their Creation God wanted not a greater and a more excellent imployment in the eternall and spirituall generation of his Son and the procession of his Spirit for these were from all eternity God in his own understanding must ever know himself and knowing himself to be infinitely good he must therefore infinitely love himself and these must ever work ad ultimum posse and because they look inwardly therefore they produce Persons and not Creatures which Creatures are the works of his free-will and may subsist or not subsist at his pleasure and are qualified as he shall dispose and have their beginning as he shall appoint So then here is the difference betwixt his understanding and his will from his other attributes for these look ad intra and therefore produce Persons in the Deity whereas his other attributes look ad extra and therefore produce only Creatures of the Deity I will yet give an other instance whatsoever man receives in this world whether in respect of soul and body whether for food or rayment as there is nothing in man which he hath not by the free gift of God all these are the fruits of Gods attributes but when I come to the last end and perfection of man which consists in a beatificall vision or in a large measure and extent of Gods knowledge together with a most perfect union love and conformity with God these seem to have reference to the Persons in the Deity for the vision hath reference to the word in Gods understanding and mans conformity to God hath reference to that love of God which proceeds from the understanding therefore these last perfections of man coming neerer the Persons in the Deity and more representing them are therefore of a more excellent condition then the fruits of his other attributes so that which makes mans supreme and eternall happiness it is a compliance as with the attributes of God in generall so more immediately with the severall Persons in particular by a beatificall vision and a wonderfull love and union with the Deity And thus it is in all spiritual Substances the Understanding and the Will are the chief and principal faculties and
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
the state and condition of the creature But supposing the three Persons in one Deity why should the Word be made flesh the Father and the Spirit excluded Certainly if we were to make choice of the Person reason would inform us that to be the natural son of man is more agreeable to the natural Son of God then to the unbegotten Father or to the proceeding Spirit The manner of his double birth would testifie the same truth begotten in the understanding of God from all eternity conceived in the womb of a Virgin in the fulness of time The nature of that sin which was the first motive of this descent seems to fasten a necessity upon the second Person of the Trinity it was a sin against the wisdom of God the tasting of the Tree of Knowledge Eritis sicut Dii scientes bonum malum and therefore fit it was to shew the large treasures of Gods mercy and the strictness of Gods Justice that the same wisdom offended should satisfie for the offence Foelix culpa quae talem habuit Redemptorem where is the wrong where is the injury when the party offended shall satisfie and therefore we will with humility retort Gods own words upon himself who upon the fall of man could say Ecce Adam quasi unus ex nobis so now upon the fall of God that is upon the descent of God we will say Ecce Deus quasi unus ex nobis If man lose the image of God as concerning Holiness and Sanctity wherein he was first created nothing can restore this image but that which gave the first impression If man cannot conform himself unto God then for an upshot and agreement between both necessary it is that God should consorm himself unto man Man lost Gods image God takes up mans image and this was most competent to that Person in the holy Trinity who as the Apostle describes him to the Hebrews was Splendor gloriae figura substantiae Patris Observe I beseech you the creation of man being made of the earth God breathed into his nostrils the breath of life Breath if it were agreeable to Gods nature yet certainly proceeding from an intelligent Spirit it could not be bare breath but necessarily it must be accompanied with some word especially considering that in all other Creatures you shall finde the power of this word for God spake the word and they were created But here this word is concealed and therefore we may well suppose that there is some mystery concealed Behold then the first earnest of his Incarnation God intending a marriage between the Deity and the Humane Nature he takes the body of man as it were taking his wedding gloves breathes in them to extend them to warm them to sit them for himself at length puts them on Here now at length the word accompanies the breath the breath made us living souls the word shall make us quickning spirits breath gave us a natural life the word shall regenerate and give a new birth and thus by virtue of this breath by virtue of this word man hath a double root the first Adam and the second Adam taking sap from both he is Arbor arbor inversa he hath a root downward and a root upward he treads upon the earth and looks up towards heaven And thus God if ever intending the renewing of his Creatures sit it was that God should there begin where he did end Man was the last work of the Creation and therefore in man there must be the first beginning of renovation Incipiat ubi desitum est it is a rule in all works and here you shall finde it true by experience the last work is first perfected For the Word was made flesh But I would gladly demand of the Jews who do not acknowledge these mysteries either the Trinity or the Incarnation Why should God be so careful and curious in giving himself a Name a Name it is therefore ordained to make a difference in a multitude as many men of one kinde are distinguished by their names But the nature of God is one as the Sun is but one and therefore wants no name but the name of his own kinde Gods Name then as it imports no difference in his nature so it implies a distinction and difference of Persons in that one nature of the Deity This will better appear if you please to consider that great and ineffable Name of God the Name of four letters The first letter was Jod quod significat principium and doth undoubtedly betoken the Person of the Father The second was He quod vivere significat setting out the second Person as being life in himself though life by participation imparting life unto the Creatures for in him we live we move and have our being he is the Way the Truth and the Life The third letter was Vau quae vim apud Hebraeos habet Copulandi intimating the love of God proceeding from the Father and the Son whereby the Father and the Son are united The last letter it was the same with the second letter He twice repeated ut duas in filio fateamur naturas Dei Hominis And that you may conceive that this observation of the Name proceeds not from mans fancy and conjecture I pray give me leave to bring another Example to this purpose When God had tied himself unto Abraham as touching the promised seed in token hereof it pleased God to change the name of Abraham from Abram to Abraham by the addition of a letter so likewise of his wife from Sarai to Sarah by the substraction of a syllable and the addition of a letter Now you shall observe that this letter which was added to both their names it was indeed one and the same letter and it was a letter of Gods own Name the second letter of his Name that as the second Person was to be united to the nature of Abraham and Sarah so this letter given and received might serve as a pledge or an earnest to signifie that union Observe the phrase and style of Scripture Verbum Domini venit ad Isaiam venit ad Prophetas c. which form of speech to my understanding cannot be so well justified were it not that this word were a Person and that some certain manner of coming were proper and peculiar to this Person Why should God speak of himself after the manner and fashion of men I cannot disallow the opinion of our Divines that God speaking to mans understanding fit it was that he should descend to mans capacity but desiring that truth in Gods words might altogether appear I had rather apply them to an intended incarnation then to admit a bare figure in Gods words which happily to us might be some occasion of error Wherefore serve the groanings and cries of the Fathers Expectabo salutare tuum Domine Mitte quem missurus es Rorate Coeli desuper nubes pluanâ—… iustum
infinite though infinitely imparted yet still it remaines one and the fame infinite nature and cannot admit a plurality and though the nature be the same both in kind and number yet must there be a difference of persons in regard of the different act of generation Deus intelligendo seipsum genuit verbum Here we have an Understanding and a Word but can this Understanding subsist without a Will or what shall unite and knit together the understanding and the word as they are in themselvs most inseparable but only Amor the love of God or that conformity of the understanding to the word of the word to the understanding which proceeding from both serves to unite both Here then we have a third person the holy Ghost and seeing the will of God is no lesse active then the understanding this third person must therefore be necessary and eternall with the word and with the understanding proceeding from both it must be of like extent and nature with both the understanding infinite the word infinite the love must likewise be infinite this nature being infinite it can be but one and the same nature infinitely imparted to the three persons and though the same nature yet this love proceeding it must be a person and in regard of the different manner of procession from both needs it must be a different person from both God comprehending and understanding himself to be infinite begets verbum infinitum which is the action of the understanding and by this word knowing himself to be infinitum bonum from the understanding and from the word proceeds amor infiniâ—…us which is the action of the will Thus the understanding and the will as they are the most inward active and eminent qualities in every spirit so are they most wonderfull in God for they are fruitfull in their own kind neither power providence justice mercy nor any other divine attribute can produce the like unto themselves these look only ad extra as if from the Castle of the Deity the windowes were opened and they should look only upon the creatures but the wisdom and the will of God look ad intra reâ—…lect upon the deity it selfe God comprehending and understanding himself to be infinite begets verbum infinitum which is the action of the understanding and by this word knowing himself to be infinitum bonum from the understanding and from the word proceeds amor infinitus which is the action of the will These three persons though admitting a difference between themselves in regard of generation and procession yet they agree in their nature and the whole nature is in every person and there can be no more then the whole in the three persons according to the nature of an infinite which being infinitely imparted yet still it remains infinite hence it is that all the actions of God are alike ascribed to every one of the Persons and though the different Persons revealed may appear unto us by different actions as the Father by creation the Son by redemption the holy Ghost by â—…anctification yet this difference as the mystery it self is likewise unsearchable As all the actions so all the attributes of God are likewise ascribed to every one of the Persons yet in the Persons they are tyed to the nature thus we say not three incorruptibles but one incorruptible not three incomprehensibles but one incomprehensible three persons in unity and one God in Trinity the father is God the son is God and the holy Ghost is other Gods according to the very letter not the persons in one Godhead for they are but one God and if you would know what gods are excluded surely the verse following will direct you Thou shalt worship no Idols But why this mystery should not be revealed to the Jews this is a question of such a nature as being answered yet still the like question remains as Why should not all other mysteries and why should not the Incarnation be long before it was and therefore I will make bold to propose the same question to the Jews Why should God reveal himself to the later Prophets more then he did to Moses or why should Moses institute Sacrifices and such a number of Ceremonies which were never discovered to Abraham or why should God by Abraham institute Circumcision which was unknown unto Noah or why were not all the mysteries together revealed unto Adam the father of mankinde created in Paradise in a state of innocency sanctified with Original grace and himself being the immediate workmanship of God Now to all these questions I will return this answer God is not to be tyed to mans captious curiosity he may do as he please and reveal himself according to such manner as his own wisdom shall appoint It is certain that in all natural things God observes degrees and nothing comes all at once to his ripeness and perfection Thus there is a blossom and a bud before you come to the fruit thus a childe begins first to learn his letters then to reade before he comes to any exact knowledge So God did make himself known by several Names and each Name did import more mysteries then other as God speaks By my Name of Sadai quod sufficit I did reveal my self unto them but not by my Name of four letters which of all other Gods Names did involve the greatest mysteries and God requires no more of man then God hath given unto man and that shall abundantly suffice until it shall please God further to reveal himself Think you that God would not reserve some mystery for his Son to reveal more then ever was known to the Prophets and what greater then the Trinity which neither men nor Angels can comprehend and both men and Angels must adore Neither do I think that all is yet revealed but that we shall have a further knowledge of things in the state of Glory when we our selves shall be made more and more capable of his knowledge and in the interim God doth herein deal with men but after the manner of men as he doth in all other things Thus we get knowledge by degrees and first we begin with the easiest lessons and then come to that which is more difficult and this stands well with the honor majesty and magnificence of God that we should come to him by degrees thus was there a Court a Porch a Temple before we come to the Holiest of Holies Thus far I have answered their Objection and requited them in the same kinde by proposing another question of like nature but I may not so far wrong Moses and the Patriarchs as to think they were utterly ignorant of this mystery though it may be they had not such an express knowledge as God revealed in succeeding times and likewise for the manner that it was not in such express terms We reade then that Moses and Elias the Law and the Prophets did attend Christ when he was
name of John which signifies the grace of God and points out the proper time of the Gospel But if you look to the totall abrogation of the Law as it was intimated in the dumbness of Zacharias when he was sacrificing so not the Priest alone but the Temple it self did suffer in the passion of Christ for the vayle of the Temple was rent as if God were then dissolving and pulling down his own Temple with an intent no longer to inhabite there and so the Temple was afterward destroyed by Titus As he forsook his Leviticall Priests by degrees though formerly he had committed his Laws and his doctrin to their custody for upon the Birth of Christ they were able to direct Herod to the place of his birth but they had not the grace to go to adore him so herein they were only defective Mat 2. then in the next place Know you not that it is expediâ—…nt that one should die for the people S. John the 11â— here God gave them power to speak truth but God suffered them through their own malice to erre not understanding their own truth but in the last place they sought false witnesse against Christ Mat. 26. here was malice ignorance and perjury and as there was renouncing of God in words so in deeds because Christ made himself what indeed he was the son of God therefore they cryed Crucifie him crucifie him and here was Deicidâ—…m the greatest of all the sins of the world so far forth as it lay in their power they did murther God Thus they fell by degrees together with their Law and their Temple yet no doubt but God had many servants who then were in the state of Salvation for here is the difference between the Synagogue and the Church many were saved out of the Synagogue as the Ninevites but the Church is the mother of all the faithfull and without the Church there is no hope of Salvation the reason hereof I conceive to be because the Synagogue was hedged in within the bounds of Palestina but the Church is Catholick over the face of the whole world So they are in excusable who do not adhere to the Church All this I write to the Jews that seeing the whole Law was referred to Christ all their sacrifices directed to Christ all their prophets prophesiing of Christ many types and figures of Christ and all due preparations for his entertainment surely this must needs argue the Godhead of Christ for here was a worship onely proper to God Or if we look not to the service of God then take Gods Judgements upon the Jews they are become slaves and vassâ—…ls to all Nations I never heard that any of them had so much as a Seigniory though certain it is that they are the most expert and skilful Merchants in the world and the richest a wonder it is but some of them should intend a Plantation and erect a Government I do likewise conceive them to be the best Physicians in the world not onely because their Ancestors lived in the East Countreys where the best drugges and simples are and so they were better acquainted with their virtues and operations by the daily experience of them and certainly they did leave the knowledge of them by tradition to their successors which they keep secret among themselves while throughout the whole world they are become slaves and vagabonds ever since the passion of Christ even as Cain was upon the murder of Abel that now in the whole world they have not one place for sacrifice their tribes are confounded their Temple destroyed and this hath continued longer then their own Mosaicall Law continued in his vigor which could never stand with the goodness and providence of God to permit had it not been that the Law was accomplished and therefore abrogated by God himself that the Gospell might succeed Thus I think now at length I have satisfied the Jews and made it appear that their Anâ—…estors had some certain knowledge of the Trinity and that the Messias was to be the Son of God more then ordinary man one of the Persons of the Diety and if this will not servo to give them satisfaction then I have paid them home at last that is I have come to their own homes I have dispersed them I have scattered them and in effect dissolved them so that as a Nation they shall no longer oppose or continue obstinate it must be now held self-will perverseness and every mans particular contumacy So from the Jews I come to Gentilisme which as it was accompanyed with infidelity and Atheisme so you shall give me leave to strike at the Root that I may eradicate both Root and Branch and because the Gentiles had no other pretence but human reason I will now give satisfaction to human reason in this high mysterie of the Trinity not that reason can comprehend the mysterie for neither Scraphins nor Cherubins nor all the Angels in heaven can fully understand God For to understand God it is indeed to be God and to make his understanding equall to that eternall Word in the understanding of God But I do undertake to satisfie human reason in this mysterie notwithstanding our own ignorance First I will make it appear that there is a God and but one God then that this God is every way incomprâ—…hensible whereby it must follow that the blessed Trinity exceeds mans reason no further then all the rest of his attributes do Then I will bring some proofes for the blessed Trinity and lastly I will seal and conclude all with miracles works above naturall power to confirm words above naturall knowledge This world being the workmanship of God serves as a book or a volume whereby every letter or punctilio points out the Maker I shall not need to insist in the motion of the heavens the influence of Starres the strange and wonderfull meteors but take the least flie or worm and it shall afford infinite arguments for the proof of the Deity and I do here call heaven and earth to witness and I desire God that my tongue may cleave to the roof of my mouth and that my right hand may forget her cunning if ever I shall faile in any the least creature to produce infinite invincible demonstrative arguments for the proof of the Deity And therefore of all others the cursed Atheist is the greatest impostor denying a God he makes himself God for denying his Maker he must needs make himself and consequently makes himself God who cannot adde one haire to his own growth nor a minute to his age Yet some such there are who continue thus in their mad Blasphemy and here I call all the creatures to witness against them and all Arts and Sciences shall concurre in the same Testimony and utterly condemne them Whatsoever is seen or unseen whether it belongs to the visible or invisible world every thing points out a Deity and from the severall perfection of
God like an excellent workman or planter doth ingraff and inoculate a Sciens giving man grace and faith to believe and together revealing a knowledge which could not be collected by any natural inquisition then God for his greater honor that it might appear he had made an absolute conquest of man according to the military fashion he sets up his Standard in the principal part of man even in the Understanding of man that as in his Law he requires obedience contrary to the natural lusts of flesh and blood and mans own violent passions So he requires submission of his understanding to believe what is above the reach and comprehension of reason and therein together he gives him this assurance that as for the instant he gives him an earnest or taste of things so in due time he shall impart the full and real possession And thus whereas I did compare the Circumference of the heavens to bounds and limits to hedge in this natural world 〈◊〉 thinks I have opened a gap to let down the mysteries of the superior world And whereas I compared mans Head or Skull to the Globe of the world me thinks I have opened the futures or seams to let in the gracious influence of Gods spirit to sanctifie and illuminate mans natural reason to cleanse and defecate all his carnal corruptions And now give me leave to return to my former subject wherein I did use one argument to prove the Deity and that was the whole Universe and the argument is yet of a larger extent then the whole Universe for that things seen and unseen do point out the Deity things past present future all joyn in the same testimony I did likewise prove that this God can be but one because he is infinite and there cannot be two Infinites for then they would bound and limit each other and then neither of them should be infinite I shewed likewise that what is Infinite must be incomprehensible because having no limits or bounds it is therefore incomprehensible as in it self so to mans knowledge I did then make a digression to view mans natural knowledge how mean it was in natural things and wholly defective in supernaturals and what degrees were observed in his preparation to grace and by a dislike of his present state what hopes and ambition he had to aspire to a better condition I did likewise insist in many Attributes of God and I proved that they were all incomprehensible Now seeing those Attrâ—…butes are somewhat better known unto us then the Persons in the Deity I will therefore use those Attributes as arguments and proofs to introduce the blessed Trinity I have formerly proved that Reason doth acknowledge in God many Attributes as Providence Power Justice Mercy c. for these do all demonstratively appear in their several effects and from these Attributes I will draw some arguments to prove the Persons in the Deity Though there are Attributes which to us may seem Accidences for so they are in man as Power Justice Mercy c. yet Reason assureth us that there is no Accident in God there is nothing in God but God to admit a composition in God were to detract from his Integrity and from his Eternity for every thing must first subsist in it self before it can come to composition Thus then the Attributes of God are Substances and what is more they are God himself and thus God is not so properly Good and Just as Goodness and Justice it self Goodness in abstract for God is the Fountain of his own beeing and therefore must have the best beeing and cannot admit Accidences which are inferior to Substances So that what is in God must be a Substance yet Reason cannot possibly conceive how that which is a quality in man should be a Substance in God and I pray is there so great a difficulty in acknowledging persons in the Deity seems it not a far greater inconveniency that Accidences contrary to their own nature should be made Substances then that a Substance agreeable to nature should become Persons In the first there is an opposition and difference of nature in the second there is onely a difference of number Now as is the opposition and difference less so is the inconvenience less in beeing and in our understanding give me leave to speak according to the weakness and capacity of man Secondly how the Attributes do agree in the Godhead though many and several Attributes which I have already proved yet being all Infinite and there being but one Infinite for if we should admit two Infinites they would bound and limit each other and so neither of them should be Infinite therefore all these several Attributes of God can be and are indeed but one and the same infinite Attribute Thus the Wisdom of God is his Power the Power of God is his Eternity the Eternity of God is his Ubiquity These and all other his Attributes are indeed but one and the same Attribute Deus est actus purus he consists of no Heterogeneal parts This Reason acknowledgeth and the same Reason acknowledgeth this to be Incomprehensible and I pray is there any greater difficulty in believing the Three Persons in one Deity and the Deity to be equally competent to the Three Persons Thirdly there are some Attributes in God which seem to detract from each other as the Justice and Mercy of God for Justice implies rigour and severity Mercy abates the rigour of Justice and addes compassion and pity so they seem to stand in opposition to each other and not to be reconciled without a contradiction and surely the truth of Gods nature cannot admit a contradiction yet notwithstanding we must say and believe there is in God an infinite Justice and an infinite Mercy yea more that they are but one and the same faculty for his Mercy is his Justice and his Justice is his Mercy and I pray is there any greater dâ—…fficulty in believing the Three Persons in one Deity between whom there is no seeming Contrariety as there is between Justice and Mercy then to believe so many Attributes and those to have several objects and to appear in their various and several forms yet all these Attributes to be but one and the same this we must yield by necessary demonstrations in Philosophy and if those very Attributes of God whereof the light of Reason informs us we cannot apprehend Can it seem strange if in those mysteries which we onely receive by revelation such as are of like condition with the Attributes of the Deity and do equally or rather more inwardly touch the nature and essence of the Deity we be found alike purblinde and cannot discern them In a word I do here challenge the whole world all the Philosophers and all the Socinians let any man undertake to discover any one Attribute of God and I will with as great ease and facility discover the Trinity Give me leave sometimes to recall
my self lest I might lose my self in these dark mists of Divine Mysteries I have proved a God and but one God and that this one God is every way Infinite and therefore Incomprehensible I have proved all the several Attributes of God as Wisdom Power c. that they are all Substances which notwithstanding in the Creatures are but Accidences I have proved that all the several Attributes they are but one and the same for there cannot be several Infinites for then they would bound and limit each other I have proved that some Attributes according to mans apprehension seem to oppose each other as Mercy detracts from Justice yet that they are but one and the same Attribute in God And now I conclude That all these being duly considered they do as farre exceed mans natural Reason as doth the great and ineffable Mystery of the most holy blessed and undivided Trinity I never name Gods Mercy but my heart danceth for joy and then I begin to lay hold on it and to fasten on it and I cannot so cursorily pass over it I would here by way of objection ask How can all the Attributes of God be infinite when as Scripture seems to enlarge Gods Mercy for every thing must do and consequently hath knowledge according to his own nature whether spirituall or corporeall and certainly the inhabitants of one World cannot conceive the state and condition of another World the Angels would be as ignorant of this corporeall World as we are of their spirituall unless it be revealed alike to both Suppose then that I should elevate my reason above the course of this our present nature and that I had conference with an Angell upon my relation certainly the Angell not having any other knowledge of the inferiour World infused from God but judging of things according to his own spirituall condition he would say it were more impossible that one individuum or Person should subsist of different natures matter and form then that one nature should subsist of different Persons The Angell would think it a far greater inconvenience that one nature not able to preserve it self yet should be able to communicate her nature to another that is to be generative in her own kind for so the Angels are not as that one eternall nature should be alike and equally communicated to three Persons or if I should inform the Angels that one grain of Corn when it is dissolved and seems to be rotted in the Earth yet then it should send down a Root send up a Blade and so come with an increase and happily bring twenty graines for one this would seem more strange to an Angel then that one infinite nature should be alike and equally imparted to three Persons This I write only by way of supposition for I doubt not but the Angels by their spirituall condition and by their daily assistance and Beatificall Vision have a far greater knowledge revealed unto them both of the state of the naturall world as likewise of the most blessed Trinity then we have being only in Statu viae having now but an earnest of what we shall hereafter receive in greater measure From conferring with an Angel which many others have done I will now descend to a conference which may seem much stranger then that of the Angel for it is with an infant in the wombe who hath a reasonable Soul and wants only â—…it Organs and a right disposition for the practise and exercise thereof as Saint John Baptist did spring in the wombe upon the approach of our Saviour wherein he did express both reason and Religion yet this is not ordinary but suppose an infant had the right use of understanding I would tell him that he should no longer lye crouching and sleeping in the wombe but he should come abroad and prove a day-labourer and get his living in the sweat of his browes that there should be no further use of the Navill but his mouth should be his taster and his Teeth should be grinders that he should be no longer silent but should go to School and learn a language these things would seem as strange and as incredible to the infant for want of experience and due information as now they seem frequent usuall and ordinary to us for every thing hath knowledge according to his present condition and therefore no marvell if the naturall man cannot understand the things of the Spirit of God Thus it plainly appears by the Angels by the Infant that there is a great difficulty in conceiving things of an other nature but to instance in our own nature Suppose I should ask of the greatest Doctors and Philosophers the reason and cause why the Adamant should draw up Iron and turn it self to the North or how should the Moon which is not able to turn a little stick yet should be able to turn the whole Ocean oâ—… take the late invention The unguentum Armarium by anoâ—…nting the weapon to cure the wound who can imagine the cause thereof Thus how many things are we bound to believe whereof we cannot understand the manner and means And therefore if in very naturall things it is very necessary there should be a faith and belief some reposing trust in others in regard that all are not of a like apprehension much moâ—…e in things which are not within the compass of this naturall world and therefore fall not within the compass of mans naturall reason But there is as great a distance between them as is between Heaven and Earth And all Creatures even Angels themselves in respect of God there is as great a difference between them in knowledge as is in beeing or if you will have me to express it further there is as much difference between them as is between finite and infinite between the most excellent being and no being between something and nothing for so all creatures are both in themselves for what they have of themselves and in comparison with God Here then at length I come to the greatest difficulty Why should there not be the like operations upon the Godhead from his other attributes as there is from the understanding and from the will for the understanding begets verbum a word and from both proceeds Amor which is the action of the Will and here are three distinct Persons which cannot be said of the rest of Gods attributes Surely the answer is very plain because the understanding and the will of God they look ad intra they reflect upon the Deity it self for thus God is the object of his own understanding he understanding himself doth thereby enjoy most infinite happiness he is likewise the object of his own will or his love for knowing himself to be infinitely good he must therefore love himself infinitely and is therefore necessarily the finall end of all So that all are refer'd unto God but for the other attributes of God they look ad extra upon
it is grounded in Scripture so it is strengthned and fortified with the Bulwark of naturall Reason and Philosophy and against which the most wicked Socinian shall never be able to oppose Hereunto as an addition give me leave to relate my own private opinion which I hope may be without offence either to God or man for that it proceeds not out of any vain presumption neither doth it any way derogate from the truth but whether it ariseth from a strong apprehension and from a minde that is totally possessed with the love of truth and admiration of this great and ineffable mystery that I leave to better judgements The first is that I do believe and am confident that this mystery of the most blessed Trinity doth together and as well as all the rest of Gods attributes appear and is plainly made manifest in the works of nature and in the framing of this created visible corporeall world My reasons and arguments briefly are these First see in the framing of the creatures what footsteps there are of the Trinity which may in some measure point out a Triun-efficient cause take nature in her first ground and foundation are there not three distinct principles the Matter the Form the sympathy and agreement between both see how these principles are knit and united together the Matter tamquam matrix commune seminarium the Form eduâ—…itur ex materia the sympathy and agreement indifferently arising from both Or if you take the Elixir of bodies have not the Chymists found out that all bodies consist of Sal Sulphur Mercury Thus far it is in the constitution of things take then the propagation of the kinde do not the Male and Female agreeing in nature but differing in sex number and person bring forth an issue I will leave curious subtilties in Philosophy and descend to the gross and terrestriall substances wherein you shall likewise observe some obscure shadow of a Trinity Do not all bodies consist of three dimensions Longitude Latitude and Profundity and these necessarily and inseparably knit and united together do not all qualities admit of three degrees of Comparison is not the most perfect number the number of Three which I think was the occasion that Aristotle could say In numero ternario perfecto colitur Deus A strange speech for a Heathen man whether he spake it casually or blindely of himself or whether by an elevated understanding he was carryed in an extasie or trance or rather as I suppose guided by a divine providence being the King of Philosophers among the Heathen like Caiaphas at the Death and Passion of Christ God put into his mouth words which he himself understood not as it were to give a true testimony to succeeding ages for the conversion of the Heathen No perfection ought to be denyed to the Deity suppose that all things were good in their own kinde in the root and foundation of nature according to Gods own approbation Et vidit deus erant omnia valde bona yet are there severall and different perfections as first in respect of quantity there is one perfection of an unity an other of a number let the number appear in the Persons the unity in the Godhead so secondly in qualities they are good in themselves good in diffusion Bonum est maximè diffusivum sui ipsius what is finitely good doth finitely communicate it self therefore that which is infinitely good must infinitely communicate it self within it self to the Persons in the Deity Thirdly in relations there is a paternal there is a filial relation both perfections must appear in the Deity Fourthly in Actions it is the highest perfection of the Creature Generare sibi simile and therefore not to be denyed to the Deity yet being impossible to produce many severall infinite natures therefore different Persons do appear in one and the same infinite nature for it is as proper for God to be perfect as it is to the Creatures to be imperfect let all perfection be elevated to the Deity while the imperfection like dross fals upon the Creatures man himself though fruitfull in his own kinde yet corruptible in his own kinde the Angels though beautifull and incorruptible yet fruitless and barren like Rachel but with God in respect of himself there is a generation without any corruption or diminution as in respect of his works there is a creation without any change in his nature Fifthly God made man according to his own Image and likeness and then God spake of Adam Non est bonum hominem esse solum it is not good for man to be alone let us make him a helper like unto himself If then man be like unto God why may not he reflect upon God and say unto God Non est bonum Deum esse solum it is not good for God to be alone we will therefore in all humility prostrate our selves and with boldness and confidence adore three Persons in one Deity for the greatest comfort which a man hath in this world it is in a sweet society therefore God injoying infinite happiness he must have Consortium aequalium a sweet society there must be severall persons in one Deity I come now to my second position which God knowes as it proceeds from no ill intention so I hope through his Mercy I may deliver my poor opinion without offence I confess that Supreme Magistrates are very tender of their prerogative as without which they cannot support their government and therefore they seldom name it but with this addition and Parenthesis Quam argui nolumus so jealous they are of themselves and of their own power but surely with God it is otherwise for he is able as he made the world of nothing so with the least word of his mouth to reduce it again to nothing and thereby upon every occasion to vindicate his own Authority Here then I will first inform you That it is necessary that every act which God doth it should partake of God and what is contrary to Gods nature it is without the compass of Gods power God can do no injustice being Justice it self God cannot speak an untruth being Truth it self or commit any sin being Goodness it self 2dly God can do nothing to the prejudice or disparagement of himself as to make any thing independent from himselfe but it is necessary as it was made of nothing so it must be continually supported from falling to nothing to which of it self being left to it self it would instantly fall 3dly God can do nothing according to the uttermost extent of his Power the Reason is because his Power hath no uttermost extent but is every way Infinite So when he hath made the most excellent Creature in respect of such as are now in being yet still he is able to create a more excellent and as in every creature God doth imprint a Character of himself whereby it speaks the praise of the Maker so my second position
in all naturall works God useth meanes and why not in supernaturals it is most credible that the same wise God observes the same wise course for the effecting of his own will nor can this disparage God for the means are none other but such as God himself doth appoint thus is God the beginning the end and the meanes that God may be all in all Thus it appears that meanes must be used to purchase our redemption i. e. that a price or ransome must be paid for our sin but where should we procure this ransom if we have it not of our own where shall we borrow it who will be bound for us or become our surety it is true that God hath locked up in the bowels of the earth as it were in Natures coffers great treasures of Gold Silver precious Stones Minerals and these serve to make our Coyn which carries the price of all things whereby these worldly commodities are bought and sold in the Market and these will serve to pay for the ransom of Princes or to corrupt Magistrates and to buy their consciences or for any other worldly or finister imployment and answerable hereunto God hath his coyn in the materiall heavens his Golden Sun his Silver Moon and as the Chimists observe there is not a Planet which hath not a speciall influence upon some Metalls Thus do Gods treasures in the heavens cause the generation of ours in the bowels of the earth but alas all these are temporary the rust doth consume them and therefore they are not currant mony to purchase eternity neither yet do they serve in the exchange and remission of sins After the Metals we will consider the Vegetatives the beauty and sweetness of fair and delicious flowers the odoriferous and aromaticall fruits the pretious drugs and all whatsoever else the earth doth afford these may very well be Natures incense or sacrifice to God but alass their odours do vanish like vapours and cannot wash away the spots and cleanse the uncleanness of sin After the Vegetatives we come to the Beasts such as have motion and sense and in them by their slaughter and sacrifice in the Mosaicall Law we finde the just deserts and rewards of our sin that death is the wages of sin so that God in the Law did institute sacrifices to betoken the truth of things to succeed for it appears that the spots and staines of sin have so far defiled and made such a deep impression in man that they cannot be washed away but by the effusion of bloud it is bloud and bloud only that must serve to scoure them From beasts come we to Man for whom the whole world was created and in whom the whole world did transgress and having now found out the principall party we must lay hold on him he is our Prisoner and untill we proceed first against him we cannot touch upon the accessaries death being the wages of sin therefore man must dye but seeing the sin was of infinite malignity as being committed against an infinite Majesty it requires either an infinite price and ransom or an infinite punishment and satisfaction therefore the death of poor silly man alone cannot suffice though we must take it in part of payment yet it cannot discharge the whole debt We must then ascend higher and if meanes be used in the redemption of man as it is a work of the highest nature so needs it must have the most excellent meanes This whole world is sublunary and serves for our inferiour uses to cloth the back and to fill the belly it cannot reach so high as the heavens or the work of our redemption the Angels are only our gardians they attend and assist us and being so meanly ministeriall it were high presumption to make them our redeemers for they cannot be sufficiently thankfull for their own beeing much less are they able to satisfie for the sin of others which sin being infinite requires an infinite satisfaction and therefore none but God alone can suffice for in justice there must be a proportion between the offence and the punishment but if the punishment should be infinite either in the torments or in the continuance then there were no place for Mercy but it should be wholly excluded which being one of Gods attributes it must ever subsist therefore it was necessary that some infinite Person should suffer and seeing that the work of Redemption is far greater then the work of Creation and therefore we call the time Hebdomada major for in the Creation there was no resistance of Gods Power for there was nothing but in the work of redemption our sins stand in opposition and thereby hinder Gods action and therefore God is pleased not to use any of those generall attributes which performed the work of the Creation as the omnipotency in making the providence in preserving the justice in punishing but a Person in the Deity must be ingaged and the more to interest him in the cause and the more for the satisfaction of justice there must be an Hypostaticall union of the Godhead and Manhood in one Person whereby the weakness and guiltiness of man supported by the power and al-sufficiency of the Godhead might make a full satisfaction for sin and though it be not agreeable to justice that an innocent should dye for the nocent yet by the free oblation of himself it seems very reasonable and just and thereby he becomes a true reall propitiatory sacrifice for the sins of the whole world and as man using means under God repentance and sorrow for sin laying hold on Gods Mercies in Christ shall receive the full benefit so I doubt not but the cursed Angels the very Devils themselves may finde some mitigation of punishment even by Christ's Passion for God could infinitely increase their Torments as their sins have justly deserved and it is the mercy of God to binde them up in chaines that they might not be permitted to do more mischief whereby they might further provoke and incurre Gods heavy wrath and vengeance against them and that they are capable of some mercy or at least of some mitigation of punishment they are Gods creatures they partake of a spirituall nature and are in the compass of Gods generall mercy which may abundantly suffice all and I do ascribe all the mercies of God to Christ. Thus then for our redemption no less then a Person in the Deity can suffice and as this is necessary in respect of justice which requires a due recompence so in regard of the purchase which is no less then the Kingdom of heaven and a Crown of Glory and therefore could be of no less undertaking and performance then of a Person in the Deity and that it should be the second Person because he is the word or the wisdom of God and the sin was committed against the wisdom of God by tasting the Tree of knowledge and though God be life in himself imparts
life to all others yet hereby he makes himself lyable to death without which there could be no satisfaction Thus God becoming man he is interessed in the cause and so the Justice and Mercies of God are fully reconciled in Christ. Thus the Incarnation being presupposed let us now consider what inconveniency or disparagement it may be or rather what advantage or prerogative may thereby accrue to the Deity and how all the creatures are thereby exalted and honoured but man especially is infinitely tyed to his thankfulness For any dishonor to the Deity certainly there can be none at all for the whole universe in respect of God is as nothing and therefore what aspersion may arise from the Creatures and be cast on the Deity it doth utterly vanish and come to nothing Thus the mists and ill vapours of the earth ascend no higher then the middle region of the aire and there they are dissolved into Showers Storms and Tempests and so fall again to the earth thus Blasphemies and sins done in contempt of God yet no way sasten on God or any way obscute his honor but thereby God takes occasion in justice to powre down his wrath and vengeance upon the transgressors Thus God according to his own ubiquity is every where and in every Creature yet without the least disparagement to himself as the Sun-beams or light shining upon the most unclean and sordid places yet are thereby no way tainted or infected much less can the Godhead receive any blemish or stain from his Creatures So there being no inconvenience let us see what advantage benefit and honor redounds to the Godhead by the Incarnation First we know and our Fathers have told us that the love of God towards man is infinite but how shall this appear really and actually if all the fruits of Gods love towards man be finite and so bounded therefore it is requisit that some act of this infinite love might appear this is done by an infinite bond by an hypostaticall union of God with our nature and this is such a bond as that God himself can do no more he cannot come nearer man then by uniting the two natures in one Person and this we must truly confess to be the fruit and plainly to demonstrate Gods infinite love towards man Secondly we confess Gods omnipotency but how shall this appear unless there should be some infinite Creature It is true that making must something of nothing there being an infinite distance a non ente adens it needs argue omnipotency yet this is only in respect of the manner but that Gods omnipotency might every way appear it is necessary there should be an infinite Creature and here behold God and Man are united and become one Christ who is truly infinite and omnipotent and therefore doth every way confirm Gods omnipotency Thirdly the Incarnation seems to adde some perfection to God and to improve Gods knowledge it is true God knowes all the miseries and sorrowes of man all his imperfections and weakness but he knew them not in that manner as now he doth for he knew them not by way of triall and experience in himself The sick patient who feeles the smart and sorrow of his disease may seem to have better knowledge then the Physitian who hath it onely by speculation God himself had not that experimentall knowledge of mans condition before he became man and put on our nature and in his own Person became subject to passion Fourthly to vindicate the Justice of God for God requires no more of man then what God performed to man The Creation was done by the word of his mouth verbo virtutis suâ—… with the greatest ease and facility but what God requires of man it is accomplished with sorrow labour and misery therefore here is no proportion Now to stop the mouthes of blasphemers God himself hath taken up mans nature thereby to make himself subject to passion and so to perform more in his own person to man then he requires of man or that man can perform unto God for that God died for man but man dies for his own sins Fifthly as God was the Creator of all things the end and conclusion of all so it was necessary he should be the Mediator and Redeemer of man that so God might be all in all the beginning the means and the end Sixthly it was a great addition and increase of honor to God which I prove by the Title which God assumes to himself for whereas before he was called The God of heaven and earth The Lord of the Universe The Maker and Creator of all things The Lord God of Hosts now he assumes another Title and style of honor to be called The God of Abraham the God of Isaac the God of Jacob which is a more honorable style then to be called The God of heaven and earth seeing that he was then in their loins who did infinitely exceed the whole Universe And as this was his Title in the Old Testament so in the New he is called more particularly The Father of our Lord Jesus Christ and this is Gods greatest honor Seventhly and as these advantages and prerogatives accrue unto the Deity by the incarnation of Christ so there are great priviledges which befal the Creatures in having God to be one of their number and society for without this priviledge the Creatures might have expostulated with God that although they were made of nothing yet still in respect of God they were nothing Now God is verity and truth and therefore according to verity and truth they were yet still as nothing See then how much God is disparaged in the work of his Creation that he should create nothing of nothing See how man and all the Creatures are become contemptible for that in respect of God that is in verity and truth they are nothing this were to abate their thankfulness to God and to make them dislike their condition and man himself though he may seem to boast of Gods love that he was created according to Gods image yet still he discerns that there is an infinite distance between God and man but when as once God became man and the Creator was made a Creature this did not onely shorten the distance between both but did indeed incorporate them and made both Natures God and Man to be one Person as if God should descend from the Throne of his Majesty and come nearer the Creature and stretch a hand out of the clouds while poor man out of the dust raised by Gods grace lifts up his hand of Faith and Hope and while these two hands meet and are joyned and coupled together there becomes a perfect marriage both are united in one Person the Deity puts on our weakness and our manhood is clothed with Gods 〈◊〉 And thus is there a perfect union in the Person of Christ. Eighthly though the Creatures were made by God yet still
it lies in Gods power to unmake them and in every minute to reduce them to nothing and some wicâ—…ed men might a little distrust God but for the assurance of the continuance of Gods favors God is become man the Creator made a Creature both Natures now fastned and riveted together by an indissoluble knot of marriage which can never be broken and which serves as a great ingagement and assurance from God to preserve and continue his graces and blessings upon the works of his own hands whereof we have a pledge or earnest in Christ perfect God and perfect Man both Creator and Creature united in one Person never to be separated So I hope it plainly appears that as the Incarnation can be no dishonor to God so it tends to the great honor and settlement of the Creatures In speaking of the blessed Trinity I began with the beginning of S. Johns Gospel In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and God was the Word Then for proof and assurance of this great mystery I ended with the end of S. Johns Gospel wherein he affirms that the world could not contain the books which might be written of Christs acts thereby intimating that the works and miracles that Christ wrought above natural power did most abundantly serve to confirm and justifie the works and mysteries which he taught above natural Reason And now that I come to the Incarnation of Christ where the invisible God becomes visible man it is strange how this our Apostle S. John alters his style for in his first Epistle Chap. 1. ver 1. speaking of God in our flesh he saith That which was from the beginning which we have heard which we have seen which we have looked upon and our hands have handled of the word of life So that he who speaking of the Deity of Christ like an Eagle soared aloft as it were out of sight even beyond all humane reason and understanding speaking now of the Humanity of Christ he descends so low to make it more manifest and palpable as he seems to fall beneath sense for that he calls all the senses of man to witness which we have heard which we have seen with our eyes which we have looked upon and our hands have handled and this in effect twice repeated whereby we may be the more assured of the truth of his Manhood As there was an eternal generation of this Word according to the Godhead so was there a Temporal birth of this Word in the fulness of time according to his Manhood for these two Mysteries though very different in themselves yet are they both very wonderful In the first you shall observe three Persons in one Nature in the second you have three Natures in one Person a Trinity of Persons in a Unity of Nature and a Trinity of Natures in a Unity of Person the Father the Son and the Spirit three distinct several and real Persons yet all subsisting in one undivided Essence of the Deity the Flesh the Soul and the Godhead three distinct and several Natures yet all subsisting in one undivided Person of Christ. How wonderful is the mercy of God that whereas our Saviour the second Person in Trinity was All-sufficient and happy in himself yet in commiseration of man man that had sinned in the root sinned in the bud when to our first-fathers guilt we had heaped up innumerable transgressions against the day of wrath he took up our nature and infirmities to satisfie for our sins to offer up himself as a propitiatory Sacrifice to reconcile us to God Men Angels and all other inferior created powers cannot any way satisfie for the least part of our guilt as not being able to be sufficiently thankful for their own beeing Sin is an infinite evil as being committed against an Infinite Majesty and therefore in the exact ballance of Gods Justice requires no less then an infinite Ransâ—…m or an infinite Punishment Righteousness and Justice pleaded against man that our sins were such as could not stand with his integrity freely to pardon Mercy and Peace put him in minde of his ancient love that as he had freely created man so now likewise in the bowels of compassion he should freely intend the Redemption of man And thus it was concluded in the High Court of Parliament in the highest Heavens that God himself Christ Jesus the second Person in Trinity should take our Nature upon him that as every act of his proceeding from his Deity the shedding of the least drop of his blood the trickling of one tear the suffering of one stripe the least temptation was of infinite value of infinite estimation so he alone was able to recompense for sin And thus it was fulfilled what was said by the Prophet Mercy and Truth have met together Righteousness and Peace have kissed each other Here is the agreement and thus is God and man reconciled by the coming and Incarnation of our onely dear Lord and Saviour Christ Jesus When I consider the first sin the sin of the Angels I cannot conceive that such excellent Creatures in their own kinde understanding Natures intelligent Spirits should attempt such a foul offence against God as to ascend up to his Throne to take upon them Gods Majesty were there not some probability or likelihood to effect it I cannot say whether they had it by immediate infusion from God or to speak after the manner of men by some common fame or report that the Creator and Creature should be united in one Person or whether by the excellency of their own knowledge they did fitly gather that as the Creation was a work of Gods infinite love and as God was existent in every creature according to the infinite extent of his own nature so undoubtedly as an effect of that infinite love God should tie unto himself some creature by an infinite band namely by an hypostaticall union And this their Conceit gave some way and occasion to their pride and presumption as claiming and challenging that high prerogative above other creatures by virtue of their birthright But herein did appear the oversight and ignorance of the Angels for the creature was not to aspire to the height and dignity of the Creator but the Creator was to descend to the humility and baseness of the creature neither was God to be united to the Angelical nature though otherwise highest in order and condition but to descend lower to give a more undoubted token of that infinite love even to the humane Nature and Manhood mans Nature being the Centre in the midst of the Circumference a little Microcosin in whom all the creatures are united things sensible partake in his Body the intelligent Spirits are combined in his Soul and thus God taking the nature of man sits in the very midst of his creatures imparting himself infinitely to all so far forth as it may well stand with the truth of his Godhead and with
Utinam disrumperes Coelos descenderes Elevate portas principes 〈◊〉 introibiâ—… Rex gloriae c. were not this Son to be born this expected Messias above the state and condition of man for by nature children should rather boast of their Parents shewing their honorable descent pedegree and linage but if the decrepit Parents for many precedent ages shall comfort themselves in hope of this childe as it is no natural course so undoubtedly this childe must claim a higher birth then nature can afford him Let their own Prophets witness against them I will now content my self with two onely quotations Jer. 33. 16. In those dayes shall Judah be saved and Jerusalem shall dwell safely and he that shall call her is the Lord our Righteousness Isa. 7. 14. Behold a Virgin shall conceive and bear a Son and she shall call his name Emmanuel which is by interpretation God with us For that Temporal Kingdom which the Jews expect I would gladly know what contentment can the world yield whereof their fathers were destitute a rich glorious and beautiful Temple the Land of Protnise in possession a people multiplying above measure made a terror to all Nations Peace and Plenty within their walls a wise and a just Law Politick and good Governors valiant and victorious Captains and yet in those dayes there was a continual expectation of the Messias not to adde to their worldly pomp but to establish a higher Kingdom the Kingdom of Grace and of Truth which herein exceeds all earthly Monarchs that it wants no outward Thrones nor Ceremonies to set forth his own greatness but it appears glorious in baseness powerful in weakness that so Gods immediate hand might better discover it self who pulls down the mighty from their seat and exalts the humble and meek Far be it that the coming of the Messias the expectation of all Nations should only tend to worldly and transitory honours which is but vanity of vanities and cannot quench the moderate thirst of the soul neither is so befitting mans present state and condition for this world which we now inhabit is but the place of our exile a vale of misery a just punishment for our fathers disobedience and onely serves as an earnest or a passage to a farther happiness If Paradise were to be replanted on earth God had never expelled man Paradise yet let the Jews apply those Promises of glory to the second coming of Christ his coming to Judgement and there shall they finde them truly verified according to the letter that not one tittle of the Law can miscarry Thus having incountred with the Jews I will now come to the Hypostatical Union of this Word with our flesh for Explication whereof I do much commend the saying of a Father Nec inferiorem consump sit glorificatio nec superiorem minuit assumptio two distinct and several natures the Godhead and Manhood and yet the weakness and infirmities of man not swallowed up in the Majesty of God nor yet Gods Majesty imbased or lessened by the assumption of the Manhood but both continue whole and entire both make but one Person Christ Jesus our dear and blessed Messias I will illustrate this with two similitudes God first appearing to Moses appeared in the form of fire in a bramble bush the fire not consuming the bush nor the bush obscuring the fire but both continuing whole and entire in their own nature 2. Our Saviour is here styled by the name of a Word and in a word you shall observe these two parts Sonus a sound the elision of the air proceeding from the mouth and possessing the ear and likewise Verbum a significant word carried by the Conduit-pipe of this sound and informing the understanding The sound proceeds from motion and onely beats upon the sensitive part the word taking his descent from reason doth likewise speak to the reasonable soul neither sound nor word are confounded neither sound nor word can be separated I will not onely content my self with bare similitudes but it shall further appear by a type Benjamin had two names from his mother he was called Henoni that is the son of sorrow the son of affliction and from his father he took the name Benjamin that is the son of Strength the son of Portitude and Courage Make the application to Christ. Now for the possibility of this union of the Godhead with our Nature doth not Reason inform us That as Creatures have their condition from God so it cannot stand with the same goodness of God without great and just occasion to alter and change their state and propriety See you not God in all his works and yet the works still continuing and subsisting in their own kinde Canst thou conceive how all the contrary Elements should be combined in one compound subject Canst thou understand how the body and soul are united two distinct and several substances of several kindes the Spirit and the Flesh not necessarily depending upon each other the soul having life motion action existency without the help of the body and the body likewise subsisting in his own Elements without the information of the soul Then why should it seem strange or incredible that the Godhead and Manhood should be linked in one Person since nothing is impossible to God but that which implies a contradiction From this union of the word with our flesh necessary it is that the manhood of Christ should receive all possible infusion of grace all possible perfection which may be any way competent or stand with the condition of a creature and that in the first moment of this union Christ increased in knowledge but it was according to mans apparance and Judgement for in his first conception the manhood in the right of the Deity contained in it self all the treasures of Gods wisdom the fulness of knowledge which notwithstanding by degrees according to mans state and condition did manifest and discover themselves This band between both being indissoluble which did well appear in the time of Christs passion hough the soul and the body were separated yet the soul and the Deity were never divorc'd and two distinct natures being knit together by this indissoluble bond making but one person hence it is that there is a mutuall communication of attributes between both and that without the breach of truth mans weakness fastned on the Deity and Gods power ascribed to mans infirmity Deus natus est passus est homo fecit miracula captivam duxit captivitatem in this union nothing was wanting to Christ which was necessary to mans nature no imperfection redounding in Christ whereof the nature of man might be priviledged he was conceived without sin and therefore might well subsist without sin yet the punishment of sin of that originall sin Morte morieris being tyed to our nature by a Statute Law Statutum est hominibus semel mori if God takes up mans nature he cannot
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