which we have not done but the good works we have done and wholly relie upon the mercies of God in Christ who once for all suffered for our sinnes and daily absolves us from them so oft as in sincerity of heart wee confesse our sinnes and implore his propititation for them Unlesse we knew the fulfilling of the Law whether by habituall or actuall righteousnesse or by doing those things which wee ought to doe or leaving those things undone which we ought not to doe to be impossible for us in this life our reliance on God in Christ could not be so firme or so perpetually constant as the doctrine of our Church so it be rightly imbraced will make it 3. The Socinians wandâ—r in the like but much grosser â—â—st of errours wounding one another whilest they shoot at us who are sufficiently armed against their poysoned arrowes by the armour of God on the right hand on the left to wit the distinction of persons in the blessed Trinity Indeed were there but one party or capacity in the divine nature which were the only party or person offended their arguments for remission of sinnes after their way would conclude against us who presse a necessity or convenience of satisfaction unto God But their strongest Arguments fall either wide or short of all such as maintaine this distinction of parties or persons in the divine nature For if the sonne of God or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were truely God from eternity and remained God after man did make himselfe the servant of Satan he might without wrong to any man to any party without wrong to himselfe for volenti non sit injuria voluntarily take the forme of a servant upon him and in that forme or low condition of man make perfect satisfaction per translationem paenae for all our debts for all our sinnes and our debts being fully paid restore us to the liberty and priviledge of the sonnes of God He both might and did truly purchase that peculiar dominion over us which he hath over all men an absolute dominion of punishing all Gods ungracious and of crowning all his thankfull and faithfull servants This dominion as it is peculiar to Christ was purchased by true and reall satisfaction made unto God 4. But what it was for Christ the sonne of God to take upon him the forme of a servant or wherin this condition or forme of a servant did properly consist are points which neither the Arian nor the Socinian did ever take into serious consideration If the Socinian would yet doe so he might clearely see that his former objections could not reach us but must rebound upon himselfe For the man Christ Jesus being so just a man as we beleeve and he grants he was unlesse he had been more then man truly God and truly a servant withall it could not have stood with the goodnesse of God nor with any rule of justice divine or humane either to have punished him for our sakes as we say God did or to have suffered him to undergoe such hard and cruell usage at the hands of wicked and sinfull men as the Socinians confesse he did undergo without murmuring or complaint But this is a point which cannot be orderly handled untill we come to the death and passion of our Lord and Saviour which was the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or period rather of his servitude or of being in the forme of a servant which was the Basis of his humiliation And albeit I purpose not in that place to dispute whether God could possibly have freely remitted our sinnes without any satisfaction a question to which no wise men will take upon them to give a peremptory answer whether negative or affirmative yet I shall by Gods assistance there make it cleare that no other meanes of manner of remitting out sinnes of absolving or justifying us or of bringing us to glory which either the Socinian or the wit of man can imagine could have been so admirable to sober capacities as that way and manner which the Scripture plainly teacheth and that in briefe is this 5. The divine nature in the person of the Father requires satisfaction for the transgressions of man against the eternall Law and unchangeable rule of goodnesse or those positive Lawes which he had given in speciall to man The same divine nature in the person of the sonne undertooke to make satisfaction for us in taking our nature upon him and Hee having by right of consanguinity the authority and power of redeeming us the same divine nature in the person of the holy Ghost doth approve and seale this happy and ever blessed compromise This ineffable accord betweene the divine persons in the unity of the Godhead concerning the great worke of mans redemption is most exactly parallel to that accord which some of the Ancient have excellently observed betwixt them in that work of creation as hath beene before expressed in that article Not to repeat nor to adde to that which was there delivered but to continue these present discussions concerning the eternity and person of the sonne of God 6. Some there have beene and are who granting all that wee have said or can desire to bee granted concerning the incarnation of God or Trinity of persons in the unity of the Godhead further demand why God rather in the person of the sonne then in the person of the father or of the holy Ghost should bee incarnate or made flesh But might not these men some perhaps will say as well have demanded why God the Father did make the world rather by the sonne then by himselfe or by the holy Ghost Or why this title of Him by whom all thing were made should be peculiar to God the sonne And to this question it would be a satisfactory answer to say that we must believe that the world was so made because the Scripture which is the only rule and guide of faith doth so instruct us or because the persons of the blessed Trinity for reasons best knowne unto themselves alone would have it to be so and so to be written But many arguments there be well observed by the ancient and better explicated by moderne Divines some of whose works are extant in print others worthy of the presse unto which I shall be as farre from adding as from detracting These reasons alone abundantly satisfie all the desires which I ever had to be informed in this point First seeing the blessed Trinity was pleased to have satisfaction made for the sinnes of mankinde and by this satisfaction to exhibit an exquisite paterne of justice and equitie Secondly seeing mans sinne did especially consist in rebellion the satisfaction was according to the rule or paterne of equitie and justice to be made by most exquisite obedience Now the most exquisite obedience that can bee performed is from a sonne unto his father or from a servant unto his Lord. Hence it pleased the eternall wisedome and sonne of God to take not the
denote either the Father or the holy Ghost but the Sonne alone I durst not have beene so bold as to have gathered this generall rule from mine owne observation unlesse I had found it excellently observed and proved at large by Petruâ— Faber in his Dodâ—â—camenon Cha. 8. It much affected this learned man as it will do any that is wise unto sobriety to see how most of the Ancients as wel in the Greek as in the Latine Church albeit they tooke no notice at all of any difference betweene these two names of God in the originall did yet constantly appropriate the name of Lord to God the Sonne when hee is named in the same prayer or gratulatory Hymne with God the Father But this they might learne either from S. Paul or from the Apostles Creed For so the blessing is The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God not of the Lord God c. And so in the Apostles Creed the title of Lord is appropriated unto the Sonne of God not added either to the Father Almighty or to the Holy Ghost 7. But in many places of the olde Testament wherein both names of God are specified the name of Adonai is placed before the name of foure letters And thus it happens so farre as I can observe especially in the serious supplications or gratulatory expressions of Holy men as in that speech of Gideon Iudges 6. 13. Oh my Lord if God be with us why then is all this befallen us And againe Iosuah 7. 7. Ioshua said Alas O Lord God wherefore hast thou at all brought this people over Iordan c The Evangelicall mysterie implyed in this forme of prayer or supplication is excellently deciphered by Masius in his Comments upon this place with whose words gathered from the tradition or lyturgie rather of the ancient Hebrewes of the Cabbalists I conclude this Treatise Ioshua saith he calls God by 2 names when as chiefe Commander he speaks in behalfe of all the rest The one is Adonai the other Iehova The former setteth out Gods ruling power the later hath respect as else where I have shewed to Gods Essence These 2. names often come together in the most fervent prayers of the Saints in the sacred Story as here they doe Namely they inspired with the Holy Ghost doe as I conceive the Holy Church doth praying for all things from the Father for the Sonnes sake For seeing Adonai as I said hath an eye to Gods ruling power it agrees manifestly to the Sonne and represents him to us by whom as God the Father made the World so hee ruleth it In this point the Diviner sort of Hebrew Authors called Cabbalists assent to us when they teach that the name Adonai is as it were the key by which entrance is opened to God Iehova that is to God as it were hid in his owne Essence and that it is the treasure in which these things bestowed on us by Iehova are all deposited And that moreover it denoteth the great Steward who disposeth of all and â—oâ—risheth and quickneth all things under Iehova And finally that no man can approach neere Iehova but by Adonai because there is no other way or course at all to come to him And that therefore the Church thus begins her holy prayers Adonai that is Lord open my lips and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise These and such like passages are extant in the booke intituled Porta lucis the â—ate of light and in the book called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is The name explicated FINIS A CATALOGVE OF the severall Treatises heretofore published by the Author * ⎠* THe Eternall Trueth of Scriptures and Christian beliefe in two Bookes of Commentaries upon the Apostles Creed The third booke of Commentaries upon the Apostles Creed containing the blasphemous positions of Iesuits and other later Romanists concerning the authority of their Church Iustifying Faith or the faith whereby the just doe live being the fourth booke upon the Creed A Treatise containing the originall of unbeliefe misbeliefe or misperswasions concerning the Veritie Vnitie and Attributes of the Deitie with directions for rectifying our beliefe or knowledge in the forementioned points being the fifth booke upon the Creed A Treatise of the Divine Essence and Attributes the first and second parts being the sixth booke upon the Creed The Knowledge of Christ Iesus or the seaventh booke of Commentaries upon the Apostles Creed containing the first and generall principles of Christian Theologie with the more immediate principles concerning the knowledge of Christ divided into foure sections A Treatise of the holy Catholick Faith and Church Christs answer to Johns question or an Introduction to the knowledge of Iesus Christ and him crucified delivered in certaine Sermons Nazareth and Bethlehem or Israels portion in the sonne of Jesse And mankindes comfort from the weaker sex in two Sermons preached at S. Maries in Oxford Pag. lin Errata Sic corrige 5 15 historians beleefe historicall beleefe 60 31 typicall propheticall 115 26 upon dele 127 18 his assertion this assertion 140 16 violencence violence Ibi. 18 that it that is 166 23 its proper his proper 211 22 in on 214 21 exact expect 258 16 tooke looke 314 1 that but Ibi. 18 did perfectly did not perfectly Ibi. 19 as true a true 344 2 next annext 353 8 spoken were spoken 358 29 many as many 365 5 do to * Ergo abolendo rumori Nero subdidit reos et quaesitissimis poenis affecit quos per flaegitia invisos vulgus Christianos appellabat Auctor nominis ejus CHRISTVS qui Tiberio imperitante per Procurator 〈◊〉 Pontium Pilatum supplicio affectus est Tacit. Annal Lib. 15. Pag. 255. Sect. 1. Cap. 2. a But then it fel out unfortunately for Nicias who had no expert nor skilful Soothsayer for the partie which he was went to use for that purpose and which took away much of his superstition called Stilbides was dead not long before For this signe of the eclipse of the Moone as Philochorus saith was not hurtfull for men that would flie but contrarily very good for said he things that men doe in feare would be hidden and therefore light is an enemy unto theÌ„ But this notwithstanding their custome was not to keepe themselves close above three dayes in such eclipses of the Moone and Sun as Autoclides prescribes in a booke he made of such matters where Nicias bare them in hand that they should'then tarry the whole and full revolution of the course of the Moone as though he had not seene her straight cleare againe after she had once passed the shadow and darknesse of the earth But all other things laid aside and forgotten Nicias disposed himselfe to sacrifice unto the Gods untill such times as the enemies came againe as well to besiege their sorts and all their campe by land as also to occupy the whole haven by Sea Plutarch in vita Niciae infine b Almirans ob haec ingenti aninâ—
themselves acknowledge to be a note of some mystery as one of them being converted to Christianity observes against his brethren which love darknesse more then light The mystery notified in this particular as this Author tells us is by their owne rules in cases wherein they are no parties ingaged the same with that which is immediately after expressed in words assertive and plaine That of his government and peace there shall be no end upon the throne of David and upon his kingdome to order it and to establish it with judgement and with justice from henceforth even for ever the zeale of the Lord of hoasts will performe this I referre the observation of the like charactericall representations unto the diligent Readers of the old Testament in the original tongue or of ancient Hebrew Commentators whose testimonies in many cases where they are no parties are no way to bee contemned And amongst other branches of that rule for interpreting Scriptures which was constantly received amongst the ancient Jewes as Peter Martyr and Bucer with others somewhere observe this representation of divine mysteries by letters or characters unusuall might for ought I know be one 7. As for the representation of like mysteries by proper names of men especially who by their place or office were types or forerūners of Christ that I presume no sober Christian will except against or call in question And this representaon or prenotification of future mysteries was exhibited either in the first imposition of names or in the change of names or in the severall use of divers names when the same party retained more names than one There was scarce a sonne of Iacob whose name did not imply a kinde of prophecy Rachell did truly prophecy of the state and condition of the Benjamites when she called the Father of that Tribe at his birth Benoni the sonne of her sorrow And Iacob did as truly prophecy when he changed his name into Benjamin the sonne of his right hand Nun the Ephramite did call his sonne Hoseah by divine instinct or direction And Moses did truly prophecie when he changed his name into Iehoshua With what intention Isaac or Rebecca did call their younger sonne Iacob I know not or whether they had any other motive knowne to themselves to give him this name besides that which the manner of his birth did minister for he caught hold of his brothers heele in the birth But this name Iadgnakab hand in heele made afterwards by close composition as it seemes Iagnakab did as the attempt signified by it in the birth portend that he should supplant his elder brother and get the birthright from him 8. After this name given him by his Parents he was in his full age named Israel by God Himselfe by way of addition only without any change or determination of his former name or the Omen of it But it is not without observation why he is sometimes called Iacob sometimes Israel in the same continued historicall Narration the name Iacob characterizing his present infirmity the name Israel notifying his recovering or gathering of strength But one of the most admirable prerepresentations literall not assertive of mysteries plainely afterward avouched and fulfilled which I have either observed or found observed by others is in the Benedictus Luke 1. 68 c. Blessed be the Lord God of Israel for hee hath visited and redeemed his people and hath raised up an horne of salvation for us in the house of his servant David c. To performe the mercy promised to our forefathers and to remember his holy Covenant the oath which he sware to our Father Abraham that he would grant unto us that we being delivered out of the hands of our enemies might serve him without feare in holinesse and righteousnesse before him all the dayes of our life The summe of that which God had spoken by the mouth of his holy Prophets which had beene since the world began was now reavouched by Zacharias being filled with the holy Ghost in a literall assertive sense plaine and easie even to the capacity of the naturall man And yet the summe of all which Zacharias by the Spirit of Prophecie did now utter was clearely represented to men of spirituall understanding in the Scriptures or experienced in their spirituall sense in the very names of Iohn Baptist and of his Parents For Zacharias the Baptists Father is by interpretation the remembrance of God Elizabeth his mother as much as the oath of God And the name Iohn imports the free grace of God And all these put together sound as much as that God did now remember his people with that grace which he had sworne to bestow upon them in his Covenant with Abraham that is with grace of deliverance from their enemies their owne sinnes were their greatest enemies with grace enabling them to serve him in holinesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of their life Of more particulars in this kinde as they shall fall within the compasse of Prophecies or prefigurations concerning Christ hereafter CHAP. 14. That the Scripture is said to be fulfilled according to all the former senses that one and the same Scripture may be oftner than once fulfilled according to each severall sense THe fulfilling of any thing written supposeth a foretelling or presignification of the same And because matters related by the Evangelists and other sacred writers of the new Testament were of course and of purpose either foretold or prefigured in the old testament hence it is that this phrase of fulfilling that which was written is in a manner peculiar to these sacred writers not in use amongst secular historians Yet the phrase is not therefore barbarous because not used by politer writers in the same subject that is in historicall narrations For it is used by Tully and other most elegant writers in the same sense which sacred writers use it As because every man as was intimated before may foretell those things which were by himselfe projected or promised they are likewise said implere promissa to fulfill their owne promises or to fulfill the Omen or signification of their owne names so an elegant Poet saith Maxime qui tanti mensuram nominis imples Now seing this phrase This was done that the Scripture might be fulfilled is so frequent in the new Testament Maldonat did very well and like himselfe in unfolding the severall wayes as he conceived them according to which the Scripture is said to be fulfilled almost in the very beginning of his learned Commentaries upon the foure Evangelists Yet some question there may be whether he did all this which was so well and wisely attempted by him so well and so judiciously as might in reason have beene expected from him 2. The Scripture saith he so farre as I could hitherto observe is said to be fulfilled foure manner of wayes First when that very thing is done or comes to passe which was meant by the Prophet or other sacred