CHAP. I. The Original and growth of the Arian Heresie.

THe blasphemous heresie of deny­ing the Godhead of Jesus Christ began early, and after [...] was first broached by one Euseb hist. l. [...]. [...]. 28. [...] c. 20. [...], as Eusebius and Ni [...]eph. have written; and after him, [...] seconded by his dis [...]ple [...]odo­tus, who was an [...] of [...], (afterwards called [...]) about the year of our Lord, 197. S [...]v [...]us being Emperour, and [...] Bi­shop of Rome. This Theod [...]us was a Currier, [...]. or Tanne [...] [Page 2] by Trade, and in time of Persecution, for fear of death had denyed Christ, and for very shame, left his own City, and went to Rome, and there being upbraided for his de­nial, answered, Epiphan. haer. 54. Hominem negavi non D [...]um, i. e. that he de­n [...]d him that was onely a man, and not God; as Epiphanius w [...]it [...]th: and afterwards he gathered a great Sect joyn­ing in this doctrine, that Christ was a m [...]e [...] m [...]n. These associates made an ag [...]eement to set up a Bishop to be the Prelate, and head of the faction, and so laying their mo­neys together, they hired one Natalis a Priest, to take that office upon him, and indented to give him monethly 150 d [...]na [...]i [...] for a sala [...]y: upon th [...]se terms Natalis set upon the work stoutly, and became the Prelate of that doct [...]ine: then God warned him in visions, and that divers times, to forbear, not withstanding for Covetousnesse he sligh­ted the vi [...]ons, and still continued in his wicked course; at length God having compassion on him, who formerly had b [...]en a Confessor, and suffered much for Christ in time of Pe [...]secution) God sent him a more sharp and ter­rible warning, for he was most grievously scourged by Angels all night l [...]ng, so that in the morning he arose, and having b [...]sprinkled his body with ashes, he went to Z [...]ph [...]rinus the then Bishop of that place, and fell down flat before him, confessing, and bewailing his crime, and shewing the Not of the Ang [...]ls str [...]pes, but of the per­secutors. p [...]int of the stripes in his body, so at length the Church re-admitted him into their Communion, and so the heresie ceased for a time.

Afterward, about the Year of our Lord, 269. the same heresie was again revived by one Paulus, who was Bishop of A [...]tio [...], but because he was born at a place called Sa­mosata therefore he is commonly called Paulus Samos [...]te­nus: but now the heresie lasted not long, for a Council was gathered against this Paulus wherein he was senten­ced to be deprived of his Bishoprick, and he refusing to to obey the s [...]n [...]ence, Au [...]e [...]ia the Emperour (though an [...]) at ther [...] quest of he Council by f [...]rce expelled h [...]m, both from his Church and house thereunto belong­ing and so this heresie was again for a time conso­pired.

Afterwards in the dayes of the Emperour Constantine the Gre [...]t and about the Year of our Lord, 317. the same heresie was awaked again by one Arius an African, and a [Page 3] Priest of the Church of Alexandria, and now it spread and grew so vehemently, that St. Hierome long after com­plained that the whole world was turn'd Arian; for Aria­nisme so troubled the Church for some hundreds of yeares, and caused so much persecution, and blood- [...]hed, that Athanal. ad solit. vi­tam agen­tes. n. 9. Athanasius called that heresie one of the daughters of the blood-sucking horsleach, and Basil E­pist. 71. n. 38. St. hasil call'd it Bellum d [...] ­bo icum, i. e. a was raised by the Devil against the Church: for it filled all places with vexations, and deprived many of their estates, and bereaved the Church of most of her worthy and learned Pastors, and prevailed so much, that the most eminent Cities of the World were infested with it; as in the East Constantinople; in Africk, Alexanaria; in Europe, Millane, and Rom [...] it self, insomuch that even Liberius the Bishop of Rome in the dayes of the Emperour Con­stantius, was expelled from his Bishoprick, because he re­fused to subscribe to an Arian Creed, as Socr. l. 2. c. 29. Socrates testifieth; yea, our own Countrey Britain was amongst the rest in the same Emperours dayes troubled with this heresie, as our own Histories report. Nor hath it been free since the first Reformation; for if we may believe Mr. Fox▪ some that were imprisoned in Q. Marie's dayes for Religion, yet there Act. & Mon. n. 93. denied the God-head of Christ. In Q. Eli­zabe h's time, two men were burnt in this City of Nor­wich one whose name was Hemant, in the Year, 1579. he was burnt for saying that Christ was a me [...]r man: and the other whose name was F. K [...]tt, was burnt in the Year, 1588. for saying, that Christ was not God, and this some alive do remember, and our Vulgar Chronicles record. Also in the Reign of King James one Lega [...] was burnt in Smithfield for the same heresie; and to the unspeakable sorrow of all well-willers to our Church and Countrey even at this day, two Ministers (I think) of this Kingdom, (whereof one is of this Diocesse of Norwich) have publick­ly in books printed, impugned two persons of the most sacred and glorious Trinity, John Bi [...] ­dle. one blaspheming the Holy Ghost, and the other the Son of God, severally denying them both to be God, the one publickly declaring his own name in Print,

Juvena. Sat. [...]. Et magis ingenuè Peribomius—But the other more subtilly concealing his own name, and procu­ring onely G. M. being the Capital Letters of another [Page 4] mans name to be subscribed to the Preface. It is well enough known who this G. M. is, and that he is a man of good credit, and was ever accounted honest, and reli­gious, a Citizen and Merchant, prudent in his way; but yet no man that knowes him will believe that he is the authour either of the Commentary, or of the Preface, being no way bred to meddle in such high controversies of Religion, nor was ever known to be a favourer of any heretical Sect in former times, and his friends are yet in good hope, that (although the Writer hath inveigled him to set out this blasphemous book) yet that he was not Conscious of the secret poyson contained in it: for so did Hil. Cont. Arian. n. 7. St. Hilary most charitably judge in the like case of the L [...]ks who were of the A [...]ian Congregations. Arian [...]s populus rectè credit de Filio, quia haec non audivit ab Arianis, santiiores sunt aures pl [...]bis, quam cor sace do [...]is; i. e. The A [...]ian people believed rightly in the Son of God, for they did not hear of the heresie of the Arian Priests, so that the cares of the people were more religious then the heart of their Priest: and yet he may rightly say of you the namelesse Author, as St. Basil said of the Arian Priests. Basil. de Spir. c. 7. n. 26. Blessed are the cares which never heard you, yea, blessed is his heart if he never believed you; and I doubt not but when by Gods mercy he shall discover in what a damning doctrine you have engaged him, he will discharge you, as it is re­ported Cornelius Agrippa did, a familiar spirit which at­tended on him in the shape of a dog, saying before his death, Abi à me perdita bestia, quae me miserum perdi [...]isti; i. e. Avoid reprobate beak, who hast even destroyed me a mi­serable man.

CHAP. II. Reasons why the Authour of this Commentary concealeth his own name.

BUt, Sir, why do you conceal your name? Is it your humility not to be known? take heed that Christ say not unto you, Luk. 13. 25. I know you not: for you have not onely, not confessed him before men, but you have moreover [Page 5] denyed him, and that in his most high, and nearest con­cernment, even his Godhead: before our Saviour cast out a Devil, he asked his name, and had an answer, and his name began with Marc. 5. 9. I. it were meet that your name should be known that it might appear of which kind you are, that means may be applied according to your quality to cast out this evil spirit. But if you meant seriously to conceal your self, why did you cause your Book to be pre­sented to so many of the prime Gentry of this Countrey? they all knew the author, for the opinion men had of your abilities, made them accept of, and to expect some­thing in your book answerable thereunto; and it was needful they should know you, for the greater advance­ment of such a doctrine. But,

Mart. l. 10 ep. 3. Cur ego labor [...]m notus esse tam pravè? i. e. Why should you make your self known so wickedly? except you hoped to have a new name of an old heresie, that Arians should change theit old app [...]llation, and be called after your name; and there may be some colour for it, for although you have told us no new thing, but onely a revival of many old heresies, yet you are the first that ever in our English Print published, and asserted them, so that if all the former Ca­talogues of the most dangerous heresies were lost, yet we may find more then enough in your Commentary: but there may be greater reasons why you so cautelously with­hold your name.

First, the danger of the Law de haretico Comburendo; for when a certain Gentlewoman, by a friend of yours, was told, that some men said you might be burnt for your book; she modestly replyed thus; Sir, they that said so, may themselves be in danger of burning for being Witches (they foretell so shrewdly). I have heard that one of your opinion said (Tolle legem, &c?) if it were not for the dan­ger Tolle le­gem sivis esse certa­men. Ambr. Epist. 13. of the Law, he would dispute down all our Christian Reli­gion; which by your Comment is done to his hand, as well as you could do it; insomuch that a Minister of this Diocesse, whom I know to be very learned and ingenious, inquired for your book at the Stationers, using these words. Have you such a Doctors Book against Christ? But why should you fear the Law? for your very good friends that know you very well do assure us, that you will never burn for any Religion, On earth; and for the other World, [Page 6] you have much lessened mens feares in telling us that after death our soules shall be insensible, untill the resurrection; and more comfort yet, that although our soules shall at the last day be judged, yet (as is by your own very good friends reported) you have certified your people, that the torments of Hell shall last but the space of three dayes.

Secondly, If your name were subscribed to your Com­ment, it would appear that the Author was a Chaplain in Ordinary at Court, and appointed by our most Religious Soveraign to preach to the Prince his Highnesse, and the other Royal Issue; if therefore you with your blasphe­mous doctrines were made known to his Majestie, who is so faithful and constant in his Christian Religion, with what detestation would he exufflate you, as an evil spirit, or as a pestilence, lest you should infect the soules of the Blood-Royal and the Court? St. Hierom said of one that spake lesse against Christ, then you have written, Hier. Ep. ad Pam. n. 20. Ego si patrem, si matrem, si germenum, adversus Christum me [...] auaissem ista dicentes, blasphemantia ora [...]a [...]erassem; i. e. If I had heard mine own father, or mother, or my bro­ther sp [...]aking these words against Christ, I would have torn thei blasphemous mou [...]hes. It is well known by the Eccle­siastick History, Sozo. l. 2. c. 26▪ Soc. 1. 19, 26. what mischief one single sneaking Arian Priest did in the Court-Royal of Constantine the Great, in recalling A [...]ius from banishment, and infecting the next Emperour Constan [...]ius with the Arian heresie, which from that small retriving, overspread the whole Roman World; he had been commended to Constantine by Constantia his own Sister on her death-bed, and he so insinuated himself into the Emperour, that on his death-bed he committed his last Will and Testament to the trust of this Arian Priest, who by his faithful carriage in delivering the said Will to the succeeding Emperour, obtained his favour also; then he opened his heresie, and therewith infected the bed-chamber-men, and the Eunuches, next the Empresse, then the Emperour himself, and presently all families in the Imperial City fell to disputes and divisions about those questions as Soc. l. 2. c. [...]. [...] [...] Socrates relateth.

A third reason why you conceal your name is, because the quality of your doctrine is such as doth require a secret Seminary; it is not such as a Preacher may publish Mat. 10. 27. 2. on the house- [...]op, but as a false light, which shineth in the [Page 7] darknesse, and is more fit for a dark lantern, or to be put under a bushel, or in a tub.

Neither truth it self nor her Preachers are ashamed of their doctrine. Tertul. cont. Valent. n. 52. Nihil veritas [...]rub [...]scit nisi so [...] abscondi; i. e. Truth is not ashamed but when she is suppressed: he that in a Christian Common-wealth would sowe true and established doctrine, may be Aug. cont. Faust. l. 18. c. 3. In terdianus Sator, as Austin's word is, (i.) he may spr [...]ad it in the day-light; but he that intends to sowe tares must do it secretly; While men [...] enemy came and [...] Matth. 13. 25. Evil spirits they are which are called Nocturni [...]emures; (i.) n [...]ght-go [...]i [...]: when the Jewes had crucified the Son of man there wasMat. 27. 45. darknesse over all the Land; and now when darknesse is over all our Land by reason of d [...]ss [...]nsions in Reli­gion, you crucifie the Son of God afresh: Heb. 6. 5. and in­deed, haec est hora vestra & potestas tenebrarum: Luk. 22. 53. for though your person be obscured, your doctrine is sprung up into print; even that doctrine which here­tofore lurked in corners, as Psal. 91. 6. a [...] that w [...]keth in darknesse, is now again become as St. Herome com­plained of it in his time, Hier. Cont. Rust. l. 2. c. 4. 22. Arius est daemon [...]um meri­dianum, your Arian [...]sme is a noon-day Devil, though Arius himself have put an honest man's name to his own detestable writings, Just as hereticks in old time put the name of Ev [...]g. l. 3. c. 31. Athanasius to the heresies of Apoll na rius. Well! if you will not be known, I say but as one in Sen. cont. lib. 1. cont. 2. Seneca said of a lewd person, Discede igno [...]us [...]s [...] discede notus es n [...]mis; (i.) You are of no [...]te, and yet too notoribus.

CHAP. III. Touching the Preface, Licencing, and appro­bation of this Commentary.

IN your Preface directed to the Christian Reader (it should rather be to your dear brethren the Turks, for it savoureth more of that, then of Chri­stianity, as will be shewed hereafter), you tell us that one reason which moved you to print this book is, [Because it hath received a singular approbation from a most learned and reverend Divine] the Divine here meant is Mr. John Downam, who licenced this book, who (as I have heard from a right worthy reverend, and honourable person) is indeed a right honest, grave, and learned man: now, one of the singular approbations which Mr. Downam gives of your book, is, that he calls it a Comment on the Hebrewes; whereas you stile it a Commentary: now the word Comment, or Commentum being equivocal, doth most usually signifie a figment, an untruth, or fiction; and the old Logick rule is, Analogum per se positum, flat pro significato fa­mosiori: therefore this learned man well knowing the falsities in your Commentary (as will be proved anon) did justly change the word, and call'd it a Comment. Or if it fell from him unawares, then there was a pro­vidence in it; for truth hath so fallen from many un­wittingly, as St. Austine confesseth of himself, Aug. Conf. l. 9. c. 4. that the Spirit of truth worketh both by men that perceive it, and by them that perceive it not. Just so doth So­crates observe in the Writings of Libanius the Sophist, who was a great admi [...]r of Julian the Apostate: this [...] (a most Learned man) intending to praise Julian, said of him, Socr. l. 3. c. 19. O daemonum discipule, daemonum assessor, &c! O disciple of Demons, and Companion of Demons! Mirum est eum non vitasse verbum ambiguum; (i.) [...]marv [...]l (saith Socrates) that Libanius would not avoid such an ambiguous word, which doth more usually signifie Devils, then good Angels. In like manner the Manichees to avoid the reproach of the name Manes their sounder, which in the Greek tongue signified [Page 9] Madnesse, of [...], would needs have him call'd Ma­nichaeus, to signifie one that poured out Manna, of [...] but yet they had neglected to double the N, so the name Manichaeus still signified but Aug. Cont. Faust. l. 19. c. 22. Insani-fusorem, (i.) a venter of madnesse, as St. Austin hath observed: So this learned Divine might shew you a cast of his learn­ing, and call your book a Comment, and knowingly too; I say (knowingly) and I have good reason for it, because I am assured that Mr. Downam did find fault with many passages in your Comment, as unsound, and erroneous, and favouring of Socin [...]anisme, and gave advertisement thereof to you the namelesse authour, as may appear by Mr. Downam's Letter: which (for the vindication of his integrity) I have here inserted ver­batim, as it was written to a most Learned and Re­verend Person, the true Copy whereof, your self have seen long ago.

This is all the singular approbation which Mr. Dow­name gave: but what Christian Magistrates, and the Church used to do with books which set forth such doctrines as you have done, the Ecclesiasticall Histo­ries [Page 11] tell us; Soz. l. 1. c. 20. Soc. l. 1. c. 5. Constantine the Great commanded the books of Arius to be burnt, and threatned death to any one that should keep and conceal them. Yet Arius set forth but the same doctrine that you do. Just so were the books of the Manichees used at Rome in the time of Pope Leo the first about the year of our Lord, 447. Prosp. in Cron. as Prosper writeth; yet the Manichees did not more deprave the Passion of Christ then you have done, and therefore your book cannot expect a better fate then its fore-runners: for of all the great Volumes which former hereticks writ, there is little or nothing at this day to be found, except such fragments as remain in the Fathers who confuted them, and a few Creeds, and Ep stola fundamenti in St. Aug. Con [...]. Epist. fund. 10. 6. c. 5. Austin, and nothing else of Controversie considerable; and yet I must tell you, that the books of the Arians were written with far greater art and learning then your loose writings shew; and I assure you, that many Judicious Divines have said, that they find nothing in your book fi [...] to be obser­ved, but onely the errours and heresies, and yet those are so poorly proved, that I may truly say of your book, as Austin did of the books of Faustus the Manichee, Aug. Cont. Faust. lib. 16. c. 26. Faustus scribit—tanquam libellus ejus surdos audi­tores vel caecos lectores esset habiturus—O hominem dictorem, & alium non cogitantem contradictorem; (i.) Surely you imagined that your Readers and bearer, should be deaf or blind, and that none would contradict you, but all acquiesce in your opinion; yet your writings are so blasphemous, as if they had been written by him that was the Author of that Libel, which Mr. Fox calls Acts & Mon. n. 40. Lucifers Letter, and so insipid, as if they had been Erasm. f. 359. Suibus Scripti, as Erasmus said of such kind of Wri­ters in his time; I wish they had been dedicated to Vulcan, or strangled with a spunge in their birth; because I see that they are like the fry of Serpents and other Vermin, and are by you made onely to do mis­chief untill they be catcht, and then the height of their preferment will be as Martial merrily writes of his own Poems, Mart. l. 3. ep. 2.

Make haste, and get a Patron, pretty book,

Before the Black guard, or the Master-Cook

Snatch thee as waste-paper for his Kitchin,

To put Spice, Sprats, Frankincense, or Pitch in.

But if they misse this, yet they will not fail of such an end as Arius himself came to; or of the fate of Volu­sius his Annals, in Catullus.

So I leave them for present to be put into the Black Bill at Cambridge, or the black Catalogue of the late Gangrana.

CHAP. IV. The Commenters temporizing in unsainting the Apostles, in condemning Tombs, and in short hair.

THe next thing to be observed in you and your Comment, is your great Compliance with the tender Consciences of these Times; which they that formerly observed your very zealous conformity with the then garb, must needs judge that you intended this new change onely as a bait to invite the brethren more chearfully to swallow your deadly hook. First, you will not afford the title of Saint to the holy Apo­stles, but they are plain John, Peter, Paul, only James is beholding to you for Sainting him, (if not an erra­tum of the Printer) Is not this to shew your conformi­ty with the Plague-bill of London? and yet there is the title Allhallowes, though not the word Saint; and there the word Saint is withdrawn but from places, and Churches, but you will not allow it to the persons of Apostles: the Bill had some colour for it self; for it [Page 13] was once ordered in a Council, Concil. Con­stantinop. sub. Const. 5. An. Domini. 755. That Churches should not have the appellation of Saint, because of the great abuse in Image-worship, and because people did then give the title of Saint to those places, not because the Churches were so named in their dedications, but be­cause the Images of Saints were set up in Churches, and the name of the Saint was painted on the Image: So that when men said, Let us go to St. Peters, they meant it of the image, when perhaps the Church was not so named: but it was never ordered by any Christian Council, that the title Saint should be denyed to the persons of the holy Apostles and Evangelists; you see the Scriptures give that [...]itle to whole Companies of people professing Christ, 1 Cor. 14. 33. who were much inferiour to the high Office and sanctity of the Apostles; I think you would be offended with him that should not stile you Doctor, and yet the Apostles have a better title to Saint, then you to your Doctorship.

And because some are offended with Images of men lately set upon Tombs, as they have as just cause per­haps to find fault with them, as to be offended with the memories of Apostles and Martyrs in glasse-win­dowes (if all imagery in Churches be unlawful) you more zealously condemn all Tombs built for memory of men departed, though they deserved well of us, and there­in you condemn the practice of holy men in Scripture in preserving the Sepul [...]h [...] of David; even the accursed Jews did adorn the Tombs of the Prophets, whom Matth. 23. 29. their fathers slew, yea, and all Christian Churches in all ages did allow, and with great cost set up Tombs of holy men and Martyrs, and called them Memorias Martyrum, i. e. the Memories of Martyrs: the Sepul­cher of Christ was much esteemed by Constantine the Great, and a fair Church built over it, as we read in Eusebius, and that for the memories of twelve Apostles, Euseb. de vit. Const. l. 3. & lib. 4. Hier. Epist. 53. c. 3. n. 17. Aug. de Civ. l. 22. c. 8. he built twelve several Tombs in one Church as Constanti­nople; and in St. Hieromes time the Tombs of St. Peter and St. Paul were of great esteem in Rome: In St. Austin's time, and in his Church at Hippo was the Tomb of St. Stephen set up, though far remote from the place of his stoning: and we find a Tomb set up or the blessed Virgin Mary in Judaea, as some in Di [...] ­nysius [Page 14] and St. Hierome tell us. Nonna the holy womanVid. Dionys. vit. & Hier. to. 9. P. 39. and Mother of Greg. Nazianzen, devoted the whole estate which her son Caesarius left, to build a costly Monument for his memory, as her own son Nazian in his Funeral Oration, to her great praise reporteth,Naz. Orat. 10. and in the Canons of the Primitive Church recorded by St. Basil. The violaters of the Tombs of the dead, are Basil. ad Am­phil. c. 64. n. 36. ordered to stand excommunicate the space of eleven yeares, even as long as adulterers were. This Commenter sure­ly hath an higher conceit of his own wisdome then any other men have discovered to be in him, that pre­sumeth to controul the Practice of Christians in all ages, even to his own time. But because he thinks his soul shall dye with his body, as soules of other Animals do, let him for my part provide such a burial for himself as they have of which we read, Jer. 22. 19.

Also the hair of your head for the greater confor­mity is (as we hear) shorn most affectedly close, but the wickednesse of your doctrine may well make men fear, that you have made a fishing-line of your cut hair, with a dangerous hook at the end of it. InAug. de oper. Mon. n. 71. Viros fuge [...] ­tenatos quibus f [...]minei crines, hircorum barba, nigrum pal­lium—haec Omnia, argu­menta sunt dia­boli. Hier. Ep. ad Eustoch. c. 12. p. 53. Acts & Mon. n. 55. former times there was as great hypocrisie in long hair, as is now in short. St. Austin found fault with Monks in his time for wearing long hair in hypocrisie: So did St. Jerom [...], and afterwards when in a Synod where St. Anselm sate President; it was decreed that the hair of Clergy-men should be rounded short, yet because of their hypocrisie and wickednesse it grew to a proverb, Quàm primum Clericus suscipit rasuram▪ statim intrat in eum diabous, as Mr. Fox hath noted. Long hair in Sampson and in Nazraites was honoura­ble; it was Propheticum velamen, as Austin calls it: Instead of a Mos [...]ical veil, to signifie that there was some holy mystery covered in their typical persons; but yet when hypocrites masked themselves with it, then King Josephus Ant. l. 19. Agrippa caused those Pharisaical Nazarites Aug. de Oper. Mon. n 71. to be shorn: and now also that we perceive that the very shortest hair is degenerated into hypocrisie, and that this Tonsa Sancti [...]as, as St. Austin's word is, doth not prove much more holinesse then hair. I shall ad­viseAug. de Opere Monach. c. 31: [...]. 71. the Reader with merry Martial's words,

[Page 15]—Brevibus nec crede [...]. lib. 5. ep. 49. Neither is this intended to deride short hair, but to reprove th [...] hypocrisie of it when 'tis made an hair-net to catch men withall; which is no new observation, but was of old discerned in Heathens, as hypocrital, At (que) supercitio brevi [...]r Coma—Juv. Sat. 2. & Cicero. Orat. pro Roscio Comaedo. and also suffered to con­tinue written, and painted in those very Monasteries where short hair-hypocrisie was then mostly practised; witnesse those old riming Verses,

Upon those words of our Saviour, Matth. 10. Th. Matth. 10. 30. Isych. in Levit. c. 13. very haires of your bead are numbred, Isych [...]us writeth That, haires signifie our thoughts and imaginations, which are therefore said to be numbred, because by them we shall be judged.

CHAP. V. How the Commenter complieth with the Arians▪ of the Author of the Epistle to the Hebrews; of the Nicene Fathers; and how the Father and the Son may be said to be opposites.

NExt, your compliance and correspondence with the old Arian Hereticks is to be observed; for first you will not acknowledge this Epistle to the He­brewes to be written by St. Paul, but it must be the Authors onely, so that both the Author, and the Com­menter must be alike unknown: just so d [...]d the Arians, Epiph. hae. 69. as Epiphanius observes; Aria [...]—Epistolam ad He­br [...]os rejiciunt, [...] ipsam P [...]uli non [...]sse; .i. The Arians r [...]j [...]cted the Epistle to the Hebrews, and said that it was not St. Paul's; but you go further and tell us, that it appears, that N [...]ither Paul, nor any Apostle was P. 20. the Author: and this, because you would make this [Page 16] most Divine Epistle seem invalid, as indeed you have great reason, because it doth so evidently declare against your heresie; your chief argument is drawn from the Postscript, because it is there said to be written by Ti­mothy, but yet uncertain it is by whom the Postscript was written, as is confessed; and uncertain again whe­ther it be meant that Timothy was St. Paul's amanuensis, or his Messenger, the words will bear both, neither is it any extraordinary or vain thing (as you would have it) to send Letters by one, of whom mention is made in those Letters, witnesse Davids Letter sent by Ʋriah, 2 Sam. 11. 14. 2 Sam. 11. 14. yet such is your frivolous cavil. But to the Point; This Epistle is by Judicious Divines thought to be asserted for St. Pauls, by the testimony of Scripture, for St. Peter mentioneth his very name,2 Pet. 3. 15. himself also then writing to the dispersed Jewes, so as Beza thought, this very Epistle is there meant; and St. H [...]rome (though he would not conclude for St. Paul)Hier. Epist. 129. n. 29. yet confesseth that this Epistle was received of the Ea­stern Churches, and generally acknowledged to be St. Paul's, which we find to be true; for in the Canons called the Apostles, which go with the works of Clemens, Clem. Can. Apost. n. 16. Cyril. cat. n. 8. Naz. Poem. 33 Chrys. to. 5. Ser. 61. Euseb. hist. l. 6. c. 11. there are 14 Epistles of St. Paul mentioned, therefore this must be one.▪ Just so doth St. Cyril of Jerusalem reckon, and so also doth Greg. Naz [...]anz [...]n in his Poems; and so doth St. Chrysostome: and Eusebius tell us, that St. Paul writ it in the Jewish Language, but that it was translated either by St. Luke, or by Clemens, for that it agreeth with the stile of the Acts of the Apostles written by St. Luke, and that the stile of Clemens agreeth with this Epistle. Who doubteth, but that Hier. de­script. in Petro. St. Peter was the Author of that Gospel which goes under the name of St. Mark? or that Euseb. hist. l. 3. c. 4. St. Paul was the Authour of that Gospel which goes under the name of St. Luke? onely St. Mark and St. Luke were the Scribes, that from the Apostles mouthes set the Gospels down in writing;Tert. de Pudic. in. 25. Aug. de Civ. l. 16. c. 22. De doct. Christ. l. 2. c. 8. & Ex­posit. in Rom. P. 321. therefore it is no marvel that some Latines called this Epistle by another mans name; just as we call those Gospels by other names: and so Tertullian calleth this Epistle to the Hebrews, The Epistle of Barnabas. But St. Austin doth constantly and often assert it to be St. Paul's, and so is it at this day in this Kingdome ac­knowledged [Page 17] by the best authority▪ by which the tran­slation of the Bible was ratified; yet this self-concei­ied Commenter will be wiser then all, like another Abailardus of whom St. Bernard writes that he wouldBern. Epist. 190. say, Omnes sic, Ego non sic, [...]ll say so, yet I say not so.

Again, to shew your conformity with the Arians, you reprove Eusebius his Mu [...]tiple Error, for thinking Christ to be consubstantial with the Father, and you grant him onely to be Assimilated to God, which is the same in English with the Arian word Homoi [...]sion; i. e. of like substance; so you would have Christ to be onely like unto God, which is no more then the Scri­pture affordeth to our first parents, who were made not onely after the Image, but after the similitude of God, Gen. 1. 26. and because the Nicene Fathers asser­ted the word [...], against Arius, therefore you are unreasonably angry with them also, and in your passion you write rashly; for you say, [The Nicene P. 331. Fathers are not to be thought to have h [...]ld, that the Son is that one most high God—who yet if they should appear in these times, they would be condemned of an universal Council.] Your impudence is great, in saying those Fathers did not hold so, and your passion is unrea­sonable, in saying they should now be condemned: for if they held not so, wherefore should an universall (Arian Council) condemn them? We know that their doctrine was indeed condemned by no lesse then Bishop Jewel▪ f. 362. ten Councils of Arians, Sex [...]nti Epis­copi Aria [...]i. consentiunt Ario. H [...] ▪ in Epist. Auxen­tii. n. 7. and it was therefore condemned because (as the principall businesse for which that re­nowned Council was called) they asserted the Son to be Hom [...]ousion, that is, to be of the same essence, sub­stance, and Go [...]head with the Father: which most true, and wholesome doctrine, all Orthodox▪ Churches in the World have ever since, and to this day do maintain; and that Council is for this reason of most venerable estimation amongst all good Christians, as being the best that ever was since the Aposties dayes; and Epi­phanius accounteth that Council to be one of the grea­test, and most memorable acts that the great Empe­rour Constantine did, Constantinus duo maxim [...] f [...]cit, Ni­caenam Epiph. haer. 70. Synodum, & Conse [...]s [...]m de Pascha [...]e; i. e. The two [Page 18] greatest acts that ever Constantine d [...]d, were the calling of the Nicene Council, and procuring the universal agree­ment for the solemnity of Easter. If those Fathers had heard you denying the Godhead of Jesus, and his eternal generation; and vilifying him, by placing him under some Angels; they would have done before you as they did to Arius; for when he said in that Council, that God the Father was not alwayes a Father, nor the Son a Son from eternity, and that he was prefer­red to be a God; or Deified (as the word is) those godly Fathers at the hearing of these words, did all stop their eares from hearing any more of his blasphe­mies, as Athanasius writeth; and yet Arius may yieldAtha. cont. Arian. Orat. 1. n. 4. the buckler to you. You tell us Christ (as he is the Son of God) is pag. 80. & pag. 320. Opposed to God, and diverse from God: This is a cast of your profound Logick; indeed the rule in Logick at which you quibble is, Oppositio re­lativa est, inter relatum, & correlatum; i. e. That there is an opposition between the Relative, and Correlative. Now in the Divine persons these terms, Father and Son, may be truly said to be opposed one to another in Recto. So that we may say, the Father is not the Son, nor the Son the Father; but we cannot say, the Fa­ther is not God, or the Son is not God, because the opposition lies between the two relative terms onely, and not between the tearms and the subject. For ex­ample: A man that hath a son is a father, but that father is not that son; this is true Logick. But you cannot say, that this father is not a man. If there­fore by your new Logick you would prove that the Son of God is not God, because he is not God the Father, I will put this petition into my Letanie, as St. Ambrose is reported to have done the like in his, when St. Austin (before his Conversion) troubled the Church of Millane with his Manich [...]an disputes, A Cor. lan. in vita, Aug. l. 2. c. 1. Logica August [...]ni lib ra nos Domine, From the hereticall Logick good Lord deliver us.

CHAP. VI. Sheweth, that the whole design of this Com­menter is to confute or extenuate, and darken the authority and evidence of this Epistle to the Hebrewes.

I Observe again that you have very improperly and perversly nick-named your book A Commentary; my reason is, because it is not an Exposition of that Text, nor so intended by you, but it is an Undoing of the Epistle, an interversion, and a confutation of it as much as you can: for you have endeavoured to ex­tinguish this great light by which the eternal God­head of Jesus is so evidently illustrated. You may as well blow out the light of the Sun; but though you blow till your lungs crack, that Sun, and this light will still shine. Tertullian saith, That the Epistle to the Thessalonians is of such clearnesse and evidence, as if Tert. de Re­sur. n. 30. it had been written rad [...]o [...]o [...]is, with a Sun-beam: And this Divine Epistle doth so clearly demonstrate the Godhead of Jesus, as if St. Paul had writ it whilest he was in his raptu [...]e in the third heaven; or that it had been written immediately with the singer of God; and therefore all your wit and Learning is employed to darken and blur this our grand piece of evidence; there are many profound mysteries in this sacred Scri­pture, the which you are so far from explicating, that you have onely laboured to make them more difficult, as Austin modestly fea ed in himself, Vereor ne exponen­do Aug. Expos. in Levit. quaest. 174. Tul. de Nat. Deor. l. 3. do siat obscurius; and such places as are plain and easie you have laboured to hide. Just as Tull [...] said of one, R [...]m minimè dub [...]am dispu [...]ando du [...]iam facis. Former hereticks used to perswade their heresies by alledging Scriptures positively, but such Scriptures as did so clearly evince them that they could not gainsay, those they rejected; thus the Manichees slighted the whole Old Aug. cont. Faust. l. 2. c. 1. Testament, and the Gospels of St. Matthew and St. Luk, calling them [...]b. l. 4. c. 1. Genisidium, because of the Genealogies; and therefore Te tullian calls Marcion [Page 20] Tert. cont. Marc. l. 1. n. 39. Murem Ponti [...]um, the M [...]use of Pontus, because he also rased out, or rejected such Scriptures as made against him: and the same Father giveth this cha­racter of two grand Hereticks, Tert. de prae­script. n. 30. Marcion ad materiam suam, caedem Scripturarum confecit: Valentinus mate­riam ad Scripturas excogitavit; i. e. That Marcion pared and fitted the Scriptures to be suitable to his heresies: but Valentinus invented heresies that might seem to agree with the letter of Scriptures. But you have imitated both these, first in your endeavour to null the autho­rity of this Epistle; and though you fail in that, yet in a second place you have laboured to conform, and new turkiss this same Epistle to your heresies, that so it may dance to your pipe; and because as the same Fa­ther saith, Id. ib. Heresies cannot take place without a Scrip­ture pretended, therefore your Arians laid on load of Scripture to support their errours, Athan. Orat. 1. cont. Arian. n. 5. Ariana haeresis cum videret sorores suas haereses publicè prob [...]osas haberi, ho­nesto cultu Scripturarum indui [...]ur; i. e. When the Arian heresie saw her sister-heresies to be odious, she de [...]ked her self with an honourable dresse of Scriptures. Just as you would make this Epistle lispe, and stammer out Aria­nisme, even in such places where it speaketh most plainly against it. For instance; where it is said, Heb. 1. 6. Let all the Angels of God worship him,] and this is taken out of Psal 97. 7. Worship him all ye gods] where the worship of Jesus is required from the highest ol all creatures, even Angels; or if any creature be higher then Angels, whatsoever it be, though it be called god, (as some creatures are, Psal. 82. 6.) yet that crea­ture must adore this Son of God: and the adoration of him, is in other places of Scripture expressed to be the most humble, lowly, and perfectly intire adoration that can be imagined; for, Rev. 4. 10. & 5. 14. The Elders worship the Lamb (the Lamb must needs signifie Christ) falling down before him. Just such a prostra­tion as Abraham used when he worshipp'd God, falling on his face, Gen. 17. 3. even the same God who is now inca [...]nate, and called the Lamb of God. Prostration was used when men would expresse an humbling of the whole man, because in that posture, every part is interested; now because this adoration of the Son of [Page 21] God is so evidently required in this place, this Com­menter, rather then he will acknowledge him to be the most high God, will allow that adoration which is due onely to the most high God, to be given to a creature: there is a pretty proverb in Tertullian, Aspis Tert. Cont. Marc. l. 3. à vipera v [...]nenum mutuatus est: i. e. The aspe borrowed poyson from the viper; and the Socinian from the Aria [...]: for the Arian did bow the knee to Jesus, though he would not confesse him to be God, and so this Com­menter tells us, P. 7. [That Divine reverence is commanded to be given to Christ by standing, bowing, and falling be­fore him in the very same manner that is due to God him­self,—because he sustaines the person of God himself, and because in Christ God himself is worshipped.] Which is the same reason that is alledged by those that fall down before Images; for they tell us, that in them God himself is worshipped; though they will not say that those Images are God himself, no more then this Commenter will acknowledge Christ to be (as indeed he is) God himself. And though he confesse that one of the Persons which appeared to P. 33. Abraham, and whom Abraham worshipped, (which was the Person of the Son, as will hereafter be shewed) is called Jehova; yet he will not confesse this Jehova to be the Supream God, notwithstanding that he readeth expresly in the Scripture, that Jehova is a proper and peculiar appel­lation due onely to the most high God, and in no wise communicable to any creature, as we read, Psal. 83. 18. That men may know that thou whose Name alone is Jehova art the most high over all the earth.

CHAP. VII. Shewing how the Commenter mis-expoundeth other places which make against him.

ANother plain evidence which this Jugler labour­eth to elude and frustrate, is, Heb. 2. 2, 3. where the Apostle preferreth the Gospel above the [Page 22] Law, because the Law was given by God, not immediate­ly, but mediat [...]ly in the ministration of Angels. But the Gospel was spoken by God himself, and immediately by him­self; therefore the Gospel is more excellent then the Law Now let us examine who it was that spake this Great Salvation or Gospel? and who was it whom the Apostle heard speak it, but onely J [...]sus Christ? therefore Jesus is here most evidently said to be the Lord, and the Gospel is declared to have been deli­vered more excellently then the Law, because the Gospel was delivered by God himself, that is, by Je­sus Chr [...]st, and therefore is by St. Mark called The Go­sp [...]l of Jesus Christ, Mar. 1. 1. But the Law was deli­vered by Angels, as we read, Act. 7. 53. (The Jewes) receiv [...]d the Law by the disposition of Angels; and, Gal. 3. 19. The Law was ordained by Angels in the hand of a Mediatour. Angels are but the Messengers of Christ, and are much more infer [...]our to Christ then 2 Kings 4. 29. Elisha's servant, and staffe were to their Master. The Media­tour here meant, I take to be the same Son of God, and not Moses; so doth St. Hierome on Gal. 3. 19. In Angelo Mediato [...] loquitur, (i) The Mediator spake in the Angel. So that the meaning must be, That the Son of God before his Incarnation was the Law-giver, by the ministery of Angels: And the same Son of God now Incarnate, was the Author of the Gospel, imme­diately in his own person, by himself, without mini­string Angels; and so our Modern Expositors under­stand this place, Expos. Eccles. in Gal. 3. 19. Lex est servorum vox, Evangelium, Domin [...], i▪ e. God spake the Law by the voyce of his An­gel; but J [...]sus the Lord God himself spake the Gospel. This plain Exposition reconcileth any seeming discord between Moses and St. Paul; though Moses say, Exod. 2 [...]. 1. God spake all these words, and St. Paul calls it,Heb. 2. 2. The word spoken by Angels; for so St. Austin observeth on those passages in Scripture, where it is said, Thus saith the Lord, when yet it was an Angel or a ProphetAug. cont. Adimant. Man. c. 9 n. 8 to. 6. that spake it Dixit Deus & apparuit—& dixit an­gelus & apparuit, illud ex persona inhabitantis Dei, hoc ex persona servientis creaturae; i. e. When an Angel or a Prophet said, Thus saith the Lord, both are true, because God sp [...]ke in the creature, and the creature spake from [Page 23] God. And again he saith▪ Judaeus sic audiat Angelum, Aug. De. 5. haeresibus, c. 4. to. 6. n. 6. ut intelligat Deum; i. e. the Jew must so hear the Angel, as considering that God spake by him. Finally, rather then this Commenter will acknowledge Christ to be the prime Author of the Gospel, although it is called his Testament; and albeit Christ is called the Testator; Heb. 9. 16. yet to shift off this evidence, he tells us, that Testator, p. 182, 183, 184. signifies the witnesse of anothers testament; so Christ is no more then a witnesse, or dying Martyr, to testifie the truth of the Testament by his death. This is such a piece of Law-Criticisme that never any good Lawyer knew before; and such ill Latine, that any good and modest Scholer would be asham'd of. But Amb. n. 37. de Virgin. & Tull. Epist. 69. Aug. Cont. Jul. l. 3. c. 13. Li­bri non erub▪ s [...]unt, your black Comment cannot blush. Yet St. Austin said of Julian, a P [...]lagian, for asserting an heresie lesse dangerous then yours, Puto ipsum libri tui atramentum, erubescendo convertitur in minium.

CHAP. VIII. Sheweth against this Commenter, that mens soules dye not with their bodies.

I Must not omit your rare doctrine concerning the soules of dead men. You tell us, that [they are void of all sense of time intervening between the time of our p. 228. & 267. death, and resurrection; though Scriptures speak as if we should wholly live till Christs coming, but 'tis because thousands of years seem but as one minute to one that sle [...]p­eth, or is dead so long—and None are entred into hea­ven, besides Christ, &c.

I perceive you like not the opinion of those Anabap­tists who taught the Psychopanychian, or sleeping of dead mens soules, neither are you arrived to the height of the Jewish S [...]dduces, or heathenish Epicures; for they denyed a resurrection, which you confesse; yet you have chose a fair middle way, and with them you believe that our soules dye with our bodies; and your confessing of the resurrection, is but a reserve by which you re-inforce your doctrine of the Soules mortality for [Page 24] when you perceived that the words of Christ against the Sadduces, made also against you, when he alledgedMatth. 22. 32. Exod. 3. 6. those words, I am the God of Abraham, to prove that Abraham then lived, because Abraham's soul lived; (for those words were spoken long after Ab [...]aham was dead) to avoid this you tell us, that it proves onely that Abra­ham must one day be recalled to life: so though Abra­ham's soul was then dead, and therefore Abraham was not living, yet God is the God of the living; (that is, of the living▪ dead▪ Abraham) because some thousands of years after, Abraham may be revived: you may do well to reform Church-Creeds, and adde to (The Resur­rection of the body) the resurrection of the soul, which hath been alwayes omitted, because the Church thought, that onely the body falleth, and that the body onely is c [...]dav [...]r, and onely of that there will be a resurrection: to the penitent Thief it is said, This Luke. 23. 43. day shalt thou b [...]w [...]th me in P [...]d se; this [...] is not yet come by your doctrine, though sixteen hun­dred years are run out since: St. Paul in the narra­tion of his rapture into the third heaven, confesseth he2 Cor. 12. 2. knew not whether he were in the body, or out of the bo­dy; therefore in his opinion pos [...]bly his soul might be in that heaven, whilest his body was on earth: and St. Stephen at his Marty [...]dome said, Lord Jesus, receive Acts 7. 59. my [...]: if his soul was then to dye, I marvel why he would not as well say, Lord Jesus, receive my body; but surely he thought his spirit or soul was not mor­tal: and this is consonant with the doctrine of the best [...]ilosophers, who proved the soul to be separa­bly existible, because they discovered that our soul hath operations, which are ino [...]ganical; for the intel­lective faculty useth the body onely as an object, but not as an instrument; and our most excellently learned Physician, and rare Philosopher Doctor Thomas Brown of Norwich hath taught us, R [...]lig. Medici pa [...]t. 1. sect. 35. [...] l. de Ani­ [...] ▪ c. 44. vide [...] l. 7. c 52. [...] Hes [...]ch [...]m in vita Aris [...]ae & Epimenidis. [...]. 4 [...], 46. That in the dissecting of a man no Organ is found proper to the Reasonable Soule; and that in the brain of man there is nothing of moment▪ [...] then in the Cranie of a [...]east. And Tertullian telleth a story of one Hermotimus, whose soul used to leave h [...]s body for a time, and Evagari, (as his word is) to wand [...]r abroad, whilest his body lay like a dead corps, [Page 25] and to return again, till his enemies took advantage; and whilest his soul was absent, they burnt his body: And such another story doth Origen tell of the sameOrig. cont. Cels. l. 3. man, whom he cals Clazomenius. Now whether this be true or not, yet it argues, that in the judgment of these profound Philosophers, the soul possibly may exist out of the body. I perceive that the Judgment of the Church hath but little power to sway you; for you snatch at any paradox, (though heretical) that comes in your way. Eusebius tells us, that this very opinionEuseb. hist. l. 6. c. 27. of the soules dying with the body, and rising again with the body, was accounted heretical by the Church, and that it was in an open Council confuted by Origen; though Origen himself erred on the other side; and St. Austin in his catalogue of Heresies, callsAust. haer. 83. Aug. de Eccle­siast. dogm. c. 15. n. 72. Basil. hom. de avar. n. 12. Philo. de mun­di opificio. p. 31. n. 2. this of yours, the Arabick heresie, and our humane soul is by him called Anima substantiva, i. e. a substautive­soul, because it can subsist alone; and of such men which say their soules are mortal, St. B sil saith they have Animam p [...]rcinam, a swinish soul; and Philo the learned Jew saith, that a man is [...], i. e. a creature mortal and immortal, because he hath a mortal body, and an immortal soul, and this the Church hath taught in all ages, and is so deliveredAmbr. de fide l. 2. c. 3. n. 22. by St. Ambrose, That the soul of man cannot dye. The sleeping of dead Saints which you read of in Scripture, is meant just as their rising is, not of soules, but of bo­dies, Many bodies of the Saints which slept, arose. Matth. 27. 52.

But what think you of the soul of Christ? did that die with his body? No Christian that ever I heard of thought so, perhaps neither do you; or if you do, I care not: the same argument which the Apostle drawes from Christs resurrection to prove our resur­rection, will be as firm, to prove the immortality of our soules, by the immortality of his soul, 1 Cor. 15. 16. If the dead rise not, then is not Christ risen. So if man's soul be not immortal, then was not Christ's soul immortal; and if Christ's soul dyed not, neither will our soules dye.

The doctrine of the Soules immortality is so demon­strable by nature, that the Ancient Christians symbols, or rules of faith, did not expresly declare it as an ar­ticle [Page 26] of faith Christian, because even Si in hoc erro quòd animas hominum im­mortales cre­dam; libe [...]èr erro, hunc er [...]o­rem mihi ex­torqueri nolo—aveo patres vestros (mor­tuos) videre. Cic de Senect. heathen Phi­losophers both confessed, and proved it; but yet in the later Creeds of the Church, the article of Christ's de­scent was added, for no greater cause at first, that ever I could learn or discover, then this as the most princi­pal, to assert the Immortality of his humane Soul, and thereby to set forth this true doctrine of the Immorta­lity of all mens soules; and the Church had great rea­son for it, because all Christians for some Centuries of years generally believing this doctrine: In the fag end of the primitive times many atheistical and Ep [...]cur [...]an professors sprung up, and denyed this truth obstinately, and then it became an heresie, and was so recorded by St. Austin (as is said before) under the title of the Arabick heresie, and so occasioned a new article of Christs descent (although it was an old Scriptural re­ceived truth) to be put into the Creed; I am not igno­rant, that in Epiphanius the Epi [...]u [...]eans are set downEpiph. haer. 8. among hereticks, who denyed this truth, and so are S [...]oicks, and Pythagoreans, and Jewes, which I take to be something unproper, because none can be called hereticks, except they (at least) professe Christianity▪ and perhaps Epiphanius meant such Christians, who in Philosophy were of those Sects, or Jewes by birth.

CHAP. IX. Of the most ancient Creed; why so many addi­tions have been made, and particularly the article of Christs descent.

THe Reasons that move me to think that the new article of Christs descent was added to the Creed, principally to set forth the Immortality of man's soule, are now to be brought forth to the Readers view. It was a long time before the Church-Creed went about in writing, (though some private men did so preserve it) yet it was learned by oral tradition, and so rehear­sedHil. de Syno­dis cont. Arian. n. 7. at baptismes; and this is noted by St. Hilarie, Fi­des Apostolica non scripta erat literis, sed Spiritu, Con­scriptas [Page 27] sides hucus (que) nesciverunt Episcopi; (i.) The Apo­stles Cre [...]d or faith was not written by letters, but by the Spirit, untill these dayes (about the Nicene Council) the Bishops did not take notice of any written Creeds: and the same Father findeth fault with the writing of Creeds, Fides scribenda est quasi in corde non fuerit, (i.)Hilar. contr. Const. l. 3. n. 6. Faith must now adayes be written, as if it had no place in mens hearts: and although this symbole or Creed were not written, yet it is confessed that it went about tra­ditionally, and without additions from the Apostles; as Ter [...]llian for his time sheweth, Ab initio Evange­lii Tert. Cont. Prax. d [...]cucurrit, ante priores quos (que) haere [...]icos; (i.) The rule of faith spread from the beginning of the Gospel, and be­fore Praxea's her [...]sies began. And again he saith, (Re­gulam Tert. de prae­scr. haeret. hanc) Ecclesia ab Apostolis, Apostoli à Christo, Chri­stus à D [...]o tradidit, (i.) The Church delivered the Creed as it came from the Apostles, and the Apostles from Christ, and Christ from God: for there is nothing in that Creed, but what is the expresse doctrine of Scripture. Now the reason why the Apostolical rule of faith, or Creed, was not published then in writing, is rendred by Ruf­finus in Cyprian; The Apostles did not deliver this Symbole Cypr▪ in Symb. i [...] paper or parchment, but by tradition oral, to be laid up in the heart, that so it might the better appear that the doctrine thereof was really from the Apostles; for Infidels might have got it into their hands; If it had been written, and by that colour of rehearsing this Creed, hypocritically, migh [...] have undermined the Church, therefore it was deli­vered rather vocally then in writing: just as the Comman­der in War, giveth the Word or sign v [...]cally, and no [...] in writing, by which friends are discerned from enemies; which wate hword is called Symbolum, as the Creed is; that is, a token or signal. Thus far Ruffinus.

The most ancient record of the Christians Symbol [...] which I find written, and without exception (for that which is in the Constitutions of Clemens, I believe, is much later) is in Tertullian, who was a Writer as him­self saith in the year after the birth of Christ, 160.Tert. de Mo­noga. which I have here inserted, that the Reader may see how much hath been added to that first Creed, untill these dayes; as I find it in Tertullian, lib▪ de Veland. Virgin. principio.

This is all, in that place the same again in substance is rehearsed, but in a few more words, Tert. de Praesc. p. 92. Cont. Prax. p. 379. Lib. de prae­scriptionibus, with the mention of the Mission of the Holy Ghost: and the same again, Lib. Cont. Praxean. mentioning also the Mission of the Holy Ghost, with­out any other considerable difference: the same Father in the place above noted, de praescript. tells us, Haec Tert. de Prae­script. regula, nullas dubitationes habet, nisi quas har [...]ses in ferunt; (i.) that this rule of faith hath no doubts or dissensions (among Christians) but such as a e raised by heresies: therefore what doubts and dissensions have been so raised, is next to be considered.

CHAP. X. Of Heresies, which occasioned ne [...] additions to the old Creed.

THat the springing up of the tares of heresie, gave occasion to the Church to enlarge the Creed, thereby endeavouring to extirpate those errours, it may appear by these instances, whereof some are undeniable, and the rest very probable, and have been so thought formerly by Erasm. ad facul. Theol. Sorbon. others.

1. In the Creed of Ruffinus in Cyprian, is Credo resur­rectionem hujus carnis, i. e. the resurrection of this flesh, because the Origenists would not believe that the resur­rection should be of the same body, but of another new body.

2. By the Nicene Fathers, to the words Jesus Christ, was added Unum Dominum, (i.) One Lord, against the Arians, who would not confesse the Father and the Son to be but one, One Lord.

3. The same Fathers added the word Homoousion against the said Arians, because they would not believe that the Father and the Son were both of one God­head or substance.

4. The Article of Remission of Sins was added after that the Nova [...]ian hereticks refused to admit any to their Communion (though they were penitents) which after baptisme had lapsed into sin.

5. Catholick Church was added, because the Donatists had confined the true universal Church, onely to be in the part or sect of Donatus, and in Africk, as is co­piously shewed by St. Austin.

6. The Lord and giver of life was added to the arti­cle of the Holy Ghost against the Sect of Eunomius, who denyed the Godhead of the Holy Ghost.

7. The Article of Christs Descent into hell was added later then the forenamed additions, nor was it put in­to the Creed so as to be generally received untill the Arabick heresie grew ranck, which denyed the Immor­tality of mans soul, (as this our Commenter doth) and was therefore put into the Roll of heresie [...] by St. A [...] ­stine▪ [Page 30] as is said before, because by this article the Im­mortality of mans soul is asserted, in that the soul of Christ is confessed to descend to the same invisible condition that other dead mens soules do.

For what greater reason can be alledged, or hath hitherto appeared to us mortals, why this article of Christs descending into Hades should be so long after other articles received into the Church? or what have we learned more by it then that his soul, as other mens, did subsist during its separation, though in a state and condition which is not yet revealed to us? There was no Creed which was generally received, that had the Article of Christs descent till after St. Au­stin's time for ought can appear to me; and though St. Austin oft mentions this Creed which is called Apo­stolical, and disputes it quite through, and before a Council also, Aug. de fid. & Symb. n. 57. yet never mentions the article of de­scent: and (besides that Creed in Tertullian before set down) neither the Nicene hath it, nor was this article anciently in that Creed which we call the Athanasian; nor in the Symbolical hymn which goes under the names of Ambrose and Austin, though it is ancient, and hath been generally received in the Western Church: nor was this Article in the Confession of the Councill of Chalcedon. That it was not in the Creed of Athanasius at first, hath been declared lately by the renowned Primate of Ireland; nor doth it yet sufficiently appear that Athanasius was the writer of it, onely we are sure that all the doctrinal Articles of that Creed are still to be found in the writings of Athanasius; and there are some passages in the Fathers and Church-Histories that may incline us to think, that when the Emperor Jovinian sent to Athanasius for an exquisite draught of the Orthodox faith, Theod hist. l. 4. c. 4. Ruff. hist. l. 2. c. 1. Naz. Orat. 21. in Athan. Athanasius answered, That the Nicene Creed was to be observed, and withall sent him (as Ruffinus writeth) a form, or description of his faith; and so also saith Nazianzen; That he sent it in wri­ting, which Nicetos thinks to be this very Creed. Indeed this article was in the Creed of the Church of Aquileia, which Ruffinus expounded; and also in some Arian Creeds, before the death of St. Austin, but not recei­ved generally till after his death, as is said before, and [Page 31] therefore I think it very probable, that as other here­sies occasioned other new articles to be added (as is shew'n) so this Arabick heresie occasioned this article of descent.

Now that it may appear, that errours, heresies, and sects were the causes of, not onely new articles, but of a multiplying of new Symbols, Confessions and Creeds, the Fathers and Histories do evidently declare; for in the dayes of Constantius, and also of Valens, both Arian Emperors, when every Sect of Religion was to­lerated except onely the Orthodox, and they onely were persecuted, whereof St. Basil complained, whoBasil. Epist. 38. n. 42. then lived and suffered affronts, Occlusa sunt ora pio­rum, reserata est quaelibet blasphema tingua; (i.) All pious men are silenced, and any blasphemer may open his mouth and prattle. In these very times, new Creeds did exceedingly encrease and multiply; insomuch, that St. Hilarie, who then lived, thus complained of them,Hil. advers. Const. lib. 3. p. 277. Scribendae, & innovandae fidei usus in olevit.—Se­cundum annos scribitur—miserabile est tot nunc fides quot voluntates, &c.—annuas, & menstraus de Deo fides decernimus; (i.) Now a fashion is brought in of writing and innovating Creeds; now faith is subservient to the times, rather then according to the Gospel, and Creeds are dated with the note of the year, and (which is lamentable) there are as many Creeds as are several minds, we have yearly, and monethly new Creeds decreed. And Socrates writing of the same times, calls thoseSoc. l. 2. c. 32. multituder of Creeds a labyrinth, and observeth no lesse then nine new Creeds published in one Emperors dayes; insomuch that some of them for distinction, were dated not onely with the name of the then Em­peror, but also with the names of the Consuls of that year. The same Socrates also setteth this mark uponSoc. l. 2. c. 29. those times, That then, Religion was most weak, when so many Religions were afoot; and Erasmus settethErasm. de rat. Relig. this brand upon those perfidious Arian times, Ʋbi coe­pit esse minus fidei—mox increvit symbolorum nume­rus; (i.) The lesse Faith, the more Creeds; as Lipsius Lips. de Const. in praefat. also observed of these later times, Nullum saculum fe­racius Religionum, steril us pietatis, (i.) Never more Re­ligions, nor lesse godlinesse.

[Page 32]Thus may the Reader perceive the reason both why so many new Creeds were stamped, and why so many new articles were added to the first Creed, and particu­larly, that to assert the immortality of Christs soul, and so consequently of every mans soul, the article of Christs descending into Hades, or hell, was with others, added to the old Creed.

CHAP. XI. What the word Hades signifies, which we tran­slate Hell, that the place and condition of soules departed is unknown; of the visions of S. Hie­rome, and Curina, and the apparition of Irene deceased.

IF it be examined what the meaning of those words in the Creed is, [...], it will appear that they signifie no more then that the soul of Christ (du­ring its separation from his body) was existent in such an invisible state, place and Condition, as the soules of other dead men were: but where and how it was, I think all the Philosophers, and Theologs in the world cannot by their reading certainly determine, and yet these are the very same words which are used in Scripture, Act. 2. 27. for this word Hades signifies In­visible, Act. 2. 27. Psal. 16. 10. and is a word which the heathens used, to sig­nifie that the soules of men deceased, as they are truly and really existent, so that the place and condition of them was unknown and invisible; and although this word was used by heathens, and with some mixture also of fabulosity, yet the Scripture retained it, to countenance so much of it as was true. Our English tongue is I think defective in translating this, and some other [...] words; for Hades in heathen Writers signified as well a good, and joyful condition of soules departed, as a sad, and woful state: and I have heard that Mr. Broughton reported, that he had seen the Lords Prayers in an ancient Greek Manuscript, which [Page 33] began thus Archbish. of Armach. [...] if this be true then Hades must there, signifie [...]. But our En­glish word Hell, is ever with us taken in the worse sense, but yet so it signifies a state of [...], and permanency of the soul a [...] neither [...]y [...] [...] The Ancient Fathers as they did generally, and dogmatically teach the Immortalitie of man's soul. [...] did they as generally teach the doctrine of [...] de­scending into Hades, but as they could not tell us cer­tainly the condition of other mens soules no more could they assure us of the place, and condition of [...] Christs soul, though some of them ventured very far and yet much differing one with another for that say­ing, [...]. Epist. [...] [...]. 30. Psal. 24. 7. Lift up your [...], [...] gave] is ex­pounded of Christs ascending into heaven by Euse­bius, and ^c Hierom, and Theod. [...]. incons [...]n 1 [...] The [...], and [...]. But the very same words are also expounded of his descent into hell by Epiph. Ser Mag. Sab n 32. Epiphanius, and also by Chrys. Ser. de P [...]nt n. 49. [...] [...]m. quod Christus Deus. n. 52. Chrysostome in another place, so that he expounds the same words both wayes. I am therefore perswaded that God hath purposely (for reasons best known to his Divine wis­dom) concealed from us mortals the state of souls de­parted, because I find in Scripture that d [...]yers have risen from the dead, but [...] [...]nd not that they ever made any discovery of that unknown land; no not Lazarus who was dead foure dayes; and though he lived 3 [...] yearsEpiph hae. 6 [...] 2. Cor. 12. 2. after his resurrection, as Epiphanius writeth nor St. Paul, though he died not, yet was rapt into the [...] heaven, and tels us that he heard words which is not lawful for a man to utter: and though he also lived more then 14 years after yet neither of them revealed it, though the knowledge of it ever was, and [...]ll is very much desired, and it was the wish of [...] Eras. ad Theol. Parisiens. [...] 22. Cle. Ro. in Re­cog. princip Ʋtinam Paulus [...] ruisset qualitèr extent animae, [...] à corpore, & ubinum extent. (i.) I wish St. Paul was declared in what place, and condision souls departed [...]. And this was an old currositie; for we read in [...], that before his conversion, he was very desirous to kuow something of the souls immortality and for him­self confesteth) often thought to imploy some [...] to raise dead a mans soul, that so he might be informed;J [...]st. apol. 2. [...]. [...]. and after him Justin Martyr laboureth to prove, that [Page 34] mens souls are immortal, because (as he thought) Con­jurers used to raise the souls of dead men: and in the raigne of the Emp. Caligula, one Canius a worthy man, was playing at tables when a Warrant came for his ex­ecution,Sen. de Tranq. c. 14. so he took leave of his play-follows, and pro­mised them that (if after death he could) he would ap­pear to them, and certifie them of the affairs of the o­ther World, as Seneca relates, but we find not that he ever returned from the dead, and though we read in the Ecclesiastical histories that Irene, the daughter ofRuf. l. 1. c. 5. Soc. l. 1. c. 8. Bishop Spiridion, (who was a member of the Nic [...]ne Council) having in her custody in her life-time a rich jewel, which was left with her in trust, and that she having hid it▪ died, and did not discover the place where she had laid it, so that the owner demanded it of her father, with bitter menacing words, charging him with fraud. The holy man went in the bitternesse of his soul, to his dead daughters Sepulchre, and there prayed that the truth might be made known, and pre­sently he saw an apparition of his said daughter, which revealed the place where the jewel was hid, and there it was found, yet no tidings from the other World are mentioned. I know not why I may not think, that this apparition was a good Angel in the shape of Ir [...]n [...] (for why may not good Angels appear in the femal shapes, as well as an evil Angel appeared in the likenesse of Samuel?) It is a strange story, that1. Sam. 2 [...]. Hier. Epist. 53. c. 13. n. 5. St. Hierom tels of himself, in his trav [...]l toward Jerusa­lem, he fell into a fever, and to mens thinking was dead, and was laid out, and burial was prepared for him; du­ring this time of his seeming death, he thought he was brought before a judgement-seat, and by sentence of the judge was greivously scourged for reading secular books, but at the request of them that stood about the Judge, he was released, and dismissed, and so presently returned to his life, and senses, and found his eyes full of teares, and his shoulders black and blew and sore, as if they had bin beaten, so that himself knew not what to thinke of it, whe­ther it were an extasie, a rapture, or a real emigration of his soul, for he saith, t'was more then a sleep and dream. It was a divine monition no doubt, by a kind of vision, to ingage him more earnestly in divine stu­dies, [Page 35] as himself confesseth it did; but what ever it was, yet we are never the wiser concerning dead mens souls and their state, such another story doth St. Austin tell ofAug. de Cura pro Mort. c. 13. one Curina, who lay as dead for some dayes but retur­ning to his senses, tels them that in this trance he was certified, that the Messenger which was sent to fetch his soul, mistook him for another man of the same name, hi [...] neer neighbour, and indeed it was found that at the same moment, wherein this Curina was restored to life, the other Curina died: yet neither the dead, which come to the living, nor the living which (as they ima­gined) went to the dead, and returned again, have yet informed us of the other World.

CHAP. XII. A digressive Censure of St. Hierome's an [...] Curina's Visions, how they might be presen­ted; and of Exstasies, Raptures or Trances, both from God, and from the Devil.

By the way it will not be amisse to digresse a little, and discourse how, and in what manner these ap­paritions, and visions probably were shewed to St. Hierome, and also to other holy men; for I do not believe that their soules were then really departed, and totally separated from their bodies: but I think they were taken in an exstasie, or trance, such as we read of, Act. 10. 10. for when the vision of the sheet was pre­sented to the soul or mind of St. Peter, the word there used is [...] and so again when Christ shewed himself to St. Paul in the Temple, Act. 22. 17. he was in a trance, [...]. Now an exstasie or trance is as St. Austin describes it, Cum abripitur animi intentio Aug. de Gen. ad l [...]t. l. 12. c. 6. Ibid. c. 21. n. 69. à sensibus, (i.) When our soul is elevated, and taken off from the use, and management of our bodily senses, and is actuated & inlightened by the Spirit of God, or some Angel. So the same Father saith again, Bono Spiri [...]u assumitur anima hominis, cum in somnis futura videt—sic A [...]gelus [Page 36] apparet Joseph in somnis; (i.) When in our sleep things to come are revealed to us, our soul is taken, and informed by some good spirit; as Joseph was by an Angel, Matth 2. 13. And so also Prosper saith, Ecstasis est cum mens aliqua inspiratime assumitur: (i.) An Ecstasie is when Prosper in Psal. 115. n 46. our soul is wholly taken up and imployed by some inspra­tion: And St. Bisil saith, That when we read that the Basil. in Ps. 28. hom. 5. Word of the Lo [...]d came to the Prophets, we are not t [...] think so grosly, as if God uttered vocal, and audible sounds, or words to them; but that he informed, and instructed their soules by a more divine way of illu­mination, though something like; as we in our ordi­nary dreams do imagine we hear voices, and discour­ses of men, and see our friends, or such like, when they are but the imaginations of our brain. St. Austin Aug. Epist. 101. doth very fitly resemble them thus, Non erant voces cor­por [...]ae ex [...]rinsecùs, sed quales apud nos tacitè trans [...]urri­mus memori [...]r, vel can [...]ando; i. e. When the Word of the Lord came to a Prophet, it was not any outward corporeal voice, but in such a way as we use, when silently in our minds, and by our memories, we dis­course with our selves inwardly, as in running over a businesse, or an Oration, or a song, which men usually do onely by thoughts, though our tongue never move; and just so doth the holy Po [...]t Prudentius describe St.Prudent. in hamartig. p. 187. John's Revelation:

St. John saw the Revelation, when his soul was not out of his body, but retired to it self, from the use [...]o the body: and St. Basil tells us, Si nos viveremus ani­mâ Basil. hom. Di­vers. 3. n. 11. nudâ—sine carnis velamentis, cogitationes cog­nosceremus▪ nunc verbis opus est: (i.) When our soules have put off the garments of our flesh, then they shall un­derstand one another by thoughts, as now men do by words. And St. Austin is of the same judgment, Tunc patebunt Aug. de Civ. l. 22. c. 29. cogitationes invicem; (i.) That our pure spirits shall per­ceive, and converse with one another by thoughts.

Now when our soules are so ecstatically retired from our bodies, as that they do not so much as contem­plate [Page 37] the Phantasmes as their object, then are they in a fit posture to converse with the Divine Spirit of God, or those immaterial and heavenly spirits, the ho­ly Angels; and when our soules are so elevated, then such visions or revelations as are presented to our minds, are as evident to us, as if they had been sen­sibly presented to our eyes, or eares: and thus St. Hie­rom [...] Hier, proaem. in Esai. n. 33. saith, That the holy Prophets were instructed in their Prophecies by God, in such c [...]st [...]sies, and by Angels also: for that which we read, Zach. 2. 3. The Angel that talked with me; in St. Hier. it is thus read, Angelus qui loquebatur in me, (i.) The Angel which sp [...]ke in me: and Ter [...]ullian saith, Ecstasis est qua Prophe [...]ia Constat; i. e.Tertul. de anima. c. 21. Proph [...]cie doth co [...]sist in ecstasie; and in the Primi­tive times of the Church before the ordinary gift of Prophetical Revelations was ceased. St. Cyprian tells us, Impletur apud nos Spiritu sancto puerorum innocens Cyp. l. 3. Epist. 14. n. 71. aetas, quae, in ecstasi vidit oculis, & audit: & loquitur ea quibus nos Dominus monere dignatur: (i.) With us, chil­dren in their innocent age, see and hear in ecstasies, and declare to us su [...]h things as God doth vouchsase to admo­nish us of: and St. Austin do [...]bteth not to call thatAug. de Gen. cap. 5. l. 6. wonderful sleep of Adam when the rib was taken out of him, an ecstasie, or divine [...]apture, Deus misit ecsta­sin in Adam—evigilab [...] plenus Prophetiae,—in­irans in curiam angelo [...]um; i. e. God sent an ecstasie upon Adam—he awaked full of Prophecy—entring in­to the Court of angels, and therefore Origen reckonsOrig. in Cant. ho. 2. Adam amongst the Prophets.

Now when such ecstasies were brought upon men by God or good Angels from him, the person so illu­minated was called [...] but if evil Angels in­vaded,2 Tim. 3. 16. and actuated mens minds, then their ejaculati­ons were called [...], ethusiasmes, because they proceeded from Satan the heathens god; by which spirit the Oracles of the heathens gave answers in Py­thonists, and that spirit it was which spake in men pos­sessed with an evil spirit, so that many times when the Priest was in an extatical fury or madnesse, he knew not what the evil spirit spake in him or her; just as men possessed did not know what they said or did, such persons were by the Church called [...]nerg [...]men [...], & dae­moni [...], [Page 38] that is, such as were acted and wrought upon by evil spirits; and therefore Tertullian translates thisTert. de ani­ma. c. 21. word [...], amentia, madnesse they knowing no more what they said, then that Serpent, in which the devil spake, when he tempted Eve.

For whereas the Spirit of God in divine exstasies did wonderfully enlighten holy Prophets, who were there­fore called Videntes, (i.) Se [...]rs; contrarily the spirit of Satan did mostly darken the minds of his Prophets, and Demoniacks, so that they perceived nothing of what their lips uttered; and therefore Justin Martyr said ofJustin. lib. 1. ext. n. 6. such, Sibylla non intelligunt quae dicunt, (i.) These Pro­ph [...]sses do not understand what themselves proph [...]sie: and Origen saith, Pythia furit, nec sui compos est, dum promit Orig. cont. Cels. l. 7. n. 36. [...], (i.) The Pythonisse is mad, when she uttereth the Oracl [...]s: and therefore such are commonly called Ar­rep [...]i [...]i [...], men forcibly snatcht, and used but as an in­strument by the evil spirit: and the same Orig [...]n tellsOrig. Peri▪ Arc. l. 3. c. 3. Hier. in vita Hilarion. n. 10. us, that Magicians would cause young Children to pro­nounce Poems which they never learned: and St. Hie­rome writes of one Orionus a Demoniack, in whom the evil spirit spake with many several voices at the same time.

This is sufficient to shew in what manner those ex­tatical apparitions, probably might be presented to mens soules, and also may be an argument of the soules sepa [...]ability, because by this we perceive, it may have operations which do not at all depend upon the body: and in all these revelations, and inter­courses with Angels good and bad, we cannot receive any certain intelligence, what the state of the other world is.

CHAP. XIII. Of the apparitions of the dead; and that they are not the soules of men deceased, but other spirits assuming their shapes.

ALthough the known Inhabitants of both parts of the other Wo [...]ld, (I mean the holy Angels, and the infernal spitits) have oftentimes appeared to, and conversed with mortal men, yet still we are ignorant of the affaires both of the City of God, and also of the infernal Sodome; howbeit those spirits have shewed themselves in plausible shapes of men, and of our friends and kindred, and not in such ter­rible apparitions, as might deter men from any con­verse with them: for the Scripture declareth, that God and good Angels have appeared in shapes of men, and that evil An [...]els have also appeared so, as to S [...]ul in the likenesse of Samuel, and also to Christ in his temptation: for, no doubt, Satan conversed with him in the similitude of a man; and the Ecclesi [...]stical Wri­ters asfirm the same. Tertullian tells us, that in theTert. de ani­ma, c. 57. exorcism [...]s which the Church in his time used over men possessed with unclean spirits, the spirit would say, Se esse aliquem p [...]rentum, aut bestiarium aut talem gladiato­rem defunctum, (i) That they w [...]re some of their fore­fathers▪ or some beast-master, or such a fencer deceased: and again he saith, that it was usual with Magicians Ibid. to tell men, that the spirits which they raised, were the soules of dead men, and that they could raise the soules of the holy Prophets from the dead. The like is also observed by St. Chrysostome, that when evil spirits ap­pearedChrys. Ser. 2. de Laz. n. [...] unto men, they used to say, Monachi illius sum anima,—sed non c [...]edo, quia daemones dicunt, (i.) I am the soul of such a Monk deceased, but I do not believe it, because the Devil said so: and again he saith, That Idem ibid. the Devil perswaded Conjurers and witches to murther some young men, making them believe that the soules of those whom they murthered should become familiar spirits, and be at the command of those Conju [...]rs to serve them, and [Page 40] fulfill their comm [...]nds; and in later times, Johannes Wier. de prae­stig. l. 1. c. 15. Wierus writ [...]s, that to satisfie the curiosity of the Em­perour Maximil [...]an the fi [...]st, about the year of ou [...] Lord 1500▪ a certain Magician in his Court raised spirits representing the shapes of Hector, Achi [...]es, and David, which visibly ap [...]a [...]ed [...]n the presence of the [...]id Empe­rour. Many more such instances may be alledged out of Wri [...]ers of approved credit; but these may suffice to inform us, that althou [...]h many have com [...] to us from the other world, yet none have given us intelli­gence of the state of things there; for although those apparitions good and bad have entertained discourse with men; as with Saul, and with the blessed Virgin, yet of this particular they have been silent; and for this reason perhaps Poets called such apparitions and gh [...]sts, Silen [...]s umbras, and therefore they had a pret­ty fiction, that such spirits as returned to this life from the dead, first drank of the Virg. Aen. 6. L [...]hean River, to signifie, that they were so silent of those affaires, as if they had forgot what their condition was in the other world, because either they would not, or could not relate the st [...]y of it; even in the holy Scripture, the place of the dead is called the Land of forge [...]fulnesse; and thatPsal. 88. 12. which the Latine reads, Anima mea habi [...]asset in infe [...]no.—& q [...]i d [...]scendun [...] in insernum, our English Tran­slation reads, Psal. 94. 17. My soul had almost dwelt in silen [...]e—and [...]hey that go down in [...]o silence; for thisPsal. 115. 17. reason as I suppose, Necromancie, or consulting with the dead, is forb [...]dden by God▪ Deu [...]. 18. 11. not that we should think the dead can at their own pleasure; or at the desire of the living return to us without the spe­cial di [...]pensation and appointment of God; for St. Austi [...] ass [...]d himself, that if it were in the power ofAug. de Cur. pro Mort. c. 13. soules departed to come and converse with mortals, his holy and most loving mother d [...]ceased, who followed h [...]m by Sea and Land in her life, would nor have been so long absent f [...]om him, but would have come and administred comfort to him among his man old sor­rowes, and so he concludes out of the 27▪ Psal. My fa [...]her, and my mother have fors [...]ke [...] me. But b [...]causePsal. 27. 10. God having d [...]termined to conceal from us the state of the dead, and because men should not delude th [...]m­selves, [Page 41] nor be deluded by Satan, by conversing with Devils when they were raised in the shapes of men de­parted this life, therefore Necromancy is forbidden; and indeed as Origen hath well noted upon that LawOrig. ho. 7▪ in Esai. 22. that they that enquire of the dead; A daemonihus quaerunt, qui mo [...]tui sun [...] D [...]o, (i.) N [...]cromancers that enqu [...]re of the dead, do consult with Devils, who are dead to God.

CHAP. XIV. That the Commemoration of the dead in the pray­ers of the Church was intended princi­pally to set forth the Immortality of their soules.

IF it be enquired to what end, or purpose the ancient Church set up that custome of praying for the soules of men departed, it will appear that the chief mo­tive hereunto, was to declare the Churches assured be­lief, that the soules of men survived after this life was ended, and conrinued in a state of Immortal [...]ty: for it cannot appear clearly that the Church had any pre­cept for it, or any example in the Scripture, and so much is acknowledged by Epiphanius when he wrote against that Aërius who separated from the Church, partly because he disliked the custome of praying for the dead; (and cheifly because Eustatius, was prefer­red to the Bishoprick before A [...] ius) I say Epiphanius Epiph. haer. 75. confesseth, that the Church performed those rites to the dead, Tradi [...]ione à patribus accep [...]ā ▪ (i.) because the ancient Fathers did so before his time, and from them the Church received that custome; for saith he, Quis po­terit Ib. n. 22. statutum matris disso [...]re, aut legem pa [...]ris? (i.) Who can dissolve the statutes of the Church our Mother, or the laws of the Fathers? and it cannot appear to us what be­nefit the dead receive by the prayers of the living, nor hath the ancient Church fully satisfied us herein, for St. Ambrose prayed for the deceased Emperor Theodosius, Ambr. de obit Theod. n. 47. whom he then beleeved to be in lumine, & San [...]torum [Page 42] [...]tu; (i.) that he was in the light of God, and compa­ny of Saints, and St. Austin prayed thus for his godlyAug. Confes. l. 9. c. 13. Mother deceased, Pro peccatis matris mea deprecor te De­us—demit [...]e illi debita sua, &c. (i.) I beseech thee, O God, for the sins of my Mother, that thou wouldst forgive her, and yet immediatly he saith, Credo jam feceris quod rogo. (i) I beleeve thou hast alread [...]y done what I now pray for. Notwithstanding the Church did so pray, and Epipha­nius gives this reason why the names of the dead wereEpiph. hae. 75. mentioned in the Church-prayers: Quia hoc magis fuerit utile, quid commodius?—quod credunt prae­sentes, quòd bi qui decesserunt, vivunt, & non sunt nulli? (i.) What can be more profitable to the living, then to be assured that the dead persons commemorated, do still live, and that they are not annihilated? So we see the Church had other reasons, which moved them so to comme­morate the dead, though the deceased received no be­nefit thereby. As, 1. To commend unto the living, and in their mindes to preserve the wholesom doctrine of our Souls immortality. 2. Their prayers did challenge the performance of Gods promises, to those deceased, who had lived, and died in the Lord, as is declared, Rev. 14. 13. Blessed are the dead that dye in the Lord, saith the Spirit. 3. For the co [...]solation of the living, the Priest declared, that the sins of such holy men which had lived, and died in the faith of Christ, were forgiven. 4. The Church gave thanks for their de­parture to rest, as acknowledging the mercy of God, by which they were saved, and not by their own me­rits. Some Divines think that when St. Paul prayed for Onesiphorus, The Lord grant unto him, that he, may find mercy of the Lord in that day, 2 Tim. 1. 18. that One­siphorus was at that time dead, because in the end of the Epistle, in the salutations there is no mention of One­siphorus, but of his familie only, 2 Tim. 4. 19.

And because there is no state or condition of men in this life, though never so sinful, which excludeth them from the benefit of being prayed for, therefore some Expositors have thought that when St. John said, There is a sin unto death, I do not say he shall pray for it, 1 Joh 5. 16. his meaning is, that such an one who liveth and dieth in a soul-destroying sin, (such as shall in [Page 43] this book afterwards be discovered) without repen­tance, for such a mans prayers are unprofitable, and vaine, not excluding others that die in the Lord, to be commemorated in the prayers of the living, as Onesipho­rus before mentioned, and in that sense, as is before said, and this is St. Heromes exposition in his objurga­toryHier 10. 9. Epi­ad Evang. Epistle to Evangius, (if it be his own) and so also saith the interlineal glosse with Lyra.

St. Austin being hard put to it to give an account▪ why the Church prayed for the dead, and what benefit the dead had by the prayers of the living, by the questions of Dulcitius, and Paulinus, confesseth most ingeAug. lib. de Cur promort [...] c. 1. nuously, that the dead can have no benefit at all by our prayers here, except by their good life they were capable of good before their death: and again he saith, Because the Church knoweth not unto what dead men,Aug. ib. c. 17. her prayers are profitable, therefore she prayeth pro omnibus regeneratis, (i.) for all the regenerate, that none may be omitted.

CHAP. XV. That the Fathers did not beleeve, that Souls de­parted were insensible, as if they were dead, or asleep, because the Saints departed do pray for the Church Militant, as the Fathers thought.

HAving shewed before what the Church Militant did here below, for the Triumphant part above: it would now be considered, what the Trium­phant Church above, doth for us that are on earth, in the judgement of the Fathers.

The ancient Church were so far from thinking that our souls died with our bodies, that they affirme, and verily beleeve, that the souls of holy men departed, and being in rest, did pray for the Church on earth; for so St. Hierom tels us, the Saints deceased pray for the living; Hier. Epist. 53. n. 17. for they that had so much charity on earth, as to pray even for their enemies and persecutors, much more [Page 44] will they now in heaven, pray for the Church. St. Paul is not lesse charitable after his departure, then he was before, and so he wished Heliodor [...], that if he died be­foreHier. Eipst. 1. n. 1. Hierom, to pray for him when he was in heaven; so likewise he desireth Id. Epist. 27. n. 7. & Principia, and Id. Epist. exeg. 140. n. 30 Paula to remem­ber him when they are in heaven. And St. Ambrose professeth, Amb. de fide & Resur. n. 30. That he expecteth the intercession of his brother Satyrus deceased, for the speedier deliverance out of the miseries of this life, and that he hoped the godly Emperour Id. de Obit. Theod. n. 47. Theodosius departed, did yet pray to God for his surviving Children, and that the dead Em­peror Id. de Obit. Valent. n. 46. Gratian, did pray for his brother Valentinian. Of the same Judgment is St. Chrysostom; Chrys. ser. de uno Legisl. to. 6. n. 55. for he doubteth not to affirm, that the Martyrs, and Prophets, & Apostles deceased, do actually pray for the living: and before him St. Cyprian in his life-time contracted with Corne­lius, Cyp. l. 1. Epist. 1. Qui prior è vita discesserit, oret pro sratribus; (i.) That which of them should first dye, must pray for the sur­vivers: and in an Epistle written to some Martyrs who were very speedily to suffer death for Christ, he desireth† Cyp. ad Mar­ty. n. 98. Naz. Orat. 24. them to be mindful of him when they were in the ho­nour of Martyrs, with the Lord. Greg. Naz. tells us, that Athanasius though deceased, yet (as he was per­swaded) did still help and assist the Church; and that his friend St. Basil deceased, and now in heaven, yetNaz. Orat. 20. even there poured out prayers for the people. And of his reverend old father deceased, who had been a long time Bishop of Nazianzum, he saith, That he doubteth Id. Orat. 19. not, but though he were in heaven, yet the same Pastoral care which he had on earth, remaineth still with him; and now that he is approached nearer to God, he doth more good for that flock by his prayers in heaven, then he could do by his doctrine on earth.

This is enough to shew what the Fathers thought of the Immortality of the soules of men; and the same opinion was so generally received of Christian people in those dayes, that, as St. Chrysostome reporteth, theyChrys. Ser. 4. de Laz. n. 42. would commonly boast, that they should find great friends and assistants in the other life, because they had many pious friends gone before them; one would say, My father was a Martyr; and another, My Grand­father was a Bishop; and a third, Such and such a holy [Page 45] man was my dear friend on earth, therefore we shall find friends in the other world; Thus far St. Chrysostome. Notwithstanding all, this that hath been said, of which this Commenter cannot be ignorant, yet against all this evidence, he denyes the Immortality of the Soul: Like another Ʋrbicus Potentinus, an heretick, to whom Athanasius thus writeth, O Potentine, adversus Scripturas Athan. cont. Poten. n. 30. divinas, vel totum mundum, tu solus sentis; (i.) Poten­tinus held an opinion heretical against the holy Scriptures, and also against the whole world.

CHAP. XVI. Of the departure of our soules from our bodies, and the Conductors or leaders of them to the other world; and of the places or mansions of dead mens soules.

IN the last place it will not be amisse to set down what the Scriptures, and the Ancient Fathers have said concerning the departures, and mansion-places of dead mens soules, which will be also a strong argument against the Epicurean doctrine of this Commen­tary.

The Angels in Scripture are called ministring spirits—to the heires of salvation, Heb. 1. 14. their charge is to keep such in all their wayes, Psal. 91. 11. therefore as Angels conducted Peter out of prison, Act. 12. 7. and Lot out of Sodom, Gen. 19. 16. so like­wise Angels are imployed (no doubt) in the convey­ing, and placing, and settling departed soules in such mansions as are by God appointed for them: for so the Scripture declareth in the Parable of the begger, which for substance is indeed but parabolical; yet for the Circumstance of the conducters of his soul, the persons are really set forth, so as is usual in the passage of other mens soules, even as the burial of the rich man is mentioned, because it was the common custom of other rich men to be buried. It is therefore said, [Page 46] The begger dyed, and was carried by the Angels into Abraham's bosome, Luk 16. 22. And of another sort of Angels conducting soules, it is said, Thou fool, this night shall they take [...]y soul from thee, Luk. 12. 20. So of the place, or mansion of a blessed soul it is said, it was carried into Abraham's bosome; and This day shal [...] thou be with me in Paradise, Luk. 23. 43. but of the man­sion of a reprobate soul it is said, that it was placed [...], (i.) a place secret, hidden, invisible, and of tor­ment; this is the summe of what we find in Scripture for the present condition of soules departed, untill the last judgment.

And of the last Judgment it is also said, The Angels shall gather his Elect—from one end of heaven to the other, Matth. 24. 31. In correspondence to these over­tures of Scripture, the Church-Writers have set down at large their expositions, and opinions, both for the several sorts of Conductors, and also for the distinct mansion-places of the soules of Pious, and of ImpiousJust. quaest. n. 31. men. First, Justin Martyr saith, Animae hominüm du­cu [...]tur ad condigna loca ab angelis ubi servantur us (que) ad resurrectionem, (i.) The soules of men are conducted by Angels to convenient mansions, and there are kept untill the resurrection: and we read in the Constitutions of Clemens, that the Church in the office of the godly de­ceased,Clem. Const. l. 8. c. 47. prayed thus, Deus Collocet [...]um in region [...] piorum,—Angelos placidos ei constitute, (i.) That God would place them in the region of the godly, and appoint them gentle Angels: and Iren [...]s saith, Discipulorum animae Iren. l. 5. pro­pe finem. abibunt in invisibilem Lo [...]um, definitum eis à Deo, & ibi us (que) ad resurrectionem [...]ommorabuntur: (i.) The soules of Christians shall go into a place invisible, appointed by God, and there abide untill the resurrection. St. Hierom Hier. Epist. 25. n. 26. saith, Mo [...]tuos nos, Angelorum turba co [...]itatur, when we are dead, a multitude of Angels accompanieth us. And again he saith of the Martyrs soules, against Vigilan­tius, Hier. cont. Vigil. to. 2. p. 159. Senatoriae dignitatis sunt, ut no [...] inter homicidas, teterrimo carcere, sed liberâ honest [...] (que) custodid—ve­cluduntur, (i.) The soules of Martyrs are not committed to dark prisons, as men-slayers are, but like unto Sena [...]ors, they are placed in a free and honourable Custody: and this also is the doctrine of St. Chrysosto [...], Chrys. hom. in laud. Mart. to. 1. Martyres in caelum [Page 47] ascendun [...] Angelis comitantibus, (i.) The soules of Mar­tyrs ascend into heaven, accompanied with Angels; but of the soules of the reprobate he saith, Malorum animae Chrys. de Laz. Ser. 2. to. 5. n. 41. Atha. de Vir­gin. n. 24. Basil. exhort. ad bapt. hom. n. 14. Macar. hom. 22. à metuendis vir [...]utibus repetuntur, sun [...] (que) doctores viae, (i.) The so [...]les of evil men are taken and conducted by ter­rible and aff [...]ighting powers: which also Athanasius calls Inclementes angelos, (i.) Churlish and unkind angels: and of them St. Basil saith, Veniet angelus tristis, & animam tuam rapiet ad Tartara, (i.) A sad d [...]smal angel will seize on thy soul, and convey it to hell: and the same is yet more particularly set forth by Mac [...]ius of Egypt, Cum animapeccatirea, è corpore exierit, accedunt Chori daemo­num, & sinist [...]i angeli, &c. & animam ad partes suas trahunt [...] when a guil [...]y soul deparieth, troops of evil, and unhappy angels drag it to their ownquarters. These are the Messengers which are sent for mens soules, some terrible, and feared; others of pleasant appearance, and desired; the slight apprehension of this truth, and such Messengers, hath occasioned men to fansie, and to paint a meager raw-bon'd thing with a dart, to be the summoner of mens soules to the other world; which of these several [...]orts of Angels is true?

Now whatsoever common, or distinct and severall mansions there are for pious soules respectively corre­spondent to their qualities and demeanures on earth; and so likewise for impious soules in their severall de­grees, as they are in bundles gathered, which L [...]ctan­tius Lact. de Div. Cult. c. 21. n. 25. Aug. de Dulc. quaest. n. 89. qu. 2. calls, Communis custodia, i. e. their common lodge: and St. Austin, Abdita receptacula, (i.) Secret receptacles; and the Scripture calleth them▪ The spirits in prison, 1 Pet. 3. 19. yet the Ancient Church did, as we do, reduce all those mansions to these two appellations of heaven and hell: Ath. de In­carnat. n. 23. although there may be several dif­ferent mansions in hell for the damned, as well as we read of the blessed in heaven, Joh. 14. 2. In my Fathers house are many mansions.

CHAP. XVII. Of the blasphemies contained in the Commen­tary against the Godhead of Christ, and the Incarnation thereof, and his Redemption of man.

Good Reader, be vigilant now at all the ports of thy soul, and take some antidote of thy precious Christian faith to corroborate thy heart against the danger of most deadly poyson, for now the Serpents nest, and Pandora's box are to be opened, containing multitudes of evils, and deadly blasphemies against the Divine Person of thy dear Saviour, and his pre­cious death; all which I must now present to thy view; and for thy more easie discovery, I will draw them out in two files, The first containeth such blasphemies which deny the Godhead, and Divine nature of Jesus Christ. The second containeth such blasphemies as deny the Incarnation of God, and the Redemption of man by the Passion, bloodshed, and death of thy Sa­viour, when he offered himself a full, sufficient expia­tory sacrifice, on the altar of the Crosse, and also such as deny the merit of his active obedience in fulfilling the Whole Law, and performing the Covenant of God in our stead, on our behalf, and to our benefit; and now they advance

CHAP. XVIII. The Conclusion of this first Book, with a friendly Caution to the Com­menter.

BEfore I close up this Book, I desire the Commen­ter, who denyeth the Godhead of Christ, and the Works of Creation, and Redemption by him; to lay to his heart that saying of St. Austin, Domine, qui In Vita Aug. pro Cor. lan [...]. lib. 3. c. 42. non amat te propter opus Creationis, dignus est inferno, quid dicam de to qui non amat te [...]ropter Redemptionem? (i.) Lord, he that doth not love thee for thy work of Crea­tion, is worthy of hell, but what shall I say, of him that doth not love thee for the work of Redemption? And when the same Father heard an heavenly voice saying untoIdem ibid. him, Augustine amas me? Dic quantum amas me, (i.) [Page 52] Austin lovest thou me? declare how much thou lovest me. This holy man returned answer, thus. Si ego Deus essem, & tu Augustinus, vellem fieri Augustinus, ut tu Deus fieres: (i.) If I were God, and thou wert Austin, I would desire to be Austin, that thou might'st be God. I do not marvel that he, which denieth the Godhead of his Saviour, doth labour to prove, and also earnestly de­sire that mens souls may die with their bodies, and more yet, that they may be for ever annihilated; or (if a resurrection, and judgment must needs be) that hell­torments may continue but three dayes; for although some School-men argue, that it is better to be in the state of eternal torment then to be annihilated, and so not be at all, yet I am sure the Scriptures, and Fathers speak otherwise, as of Judas, Matth. 26. 24. It had bin good for that man if he had not bin bo [...]ne. Then they shall say to the mountaines, Fall on us, Luk. 23. 30. And I doubt not but the devils, whose continuance is but Misera ae­ternitas, Aug. de Civ. l. 9. c. 13. Minut. Foel. p. 330. n. 102. as Austin speaks E [...]e [...]lasting misery, would wil­lingly have an end of being, wish an end of torment. Minutius Foelix saith of some, Malunt extingui penitùs quam ad suppli [...]ia reparari; i▪ e. They would rather be for ever dead, then to be restored to a living torment: and Nazianzen saith, Optandum est impr [...]bis hominibus, igne Naz. Orat. 10. aeterno dignis, ut corpus [...]orum proti [...]us extingueretur; i. e. They that have earned eternal fi [...]e, may wish that they may never re [...]urn from death,—but—More perire serae, Idem poem. 14. n. 42. Prosp. i [...] Sent. 170. to be like the beasts that perish: because as the first death taketh mens soules from them against their wills: so the Second death, as Prosper saith, Animan nolentem tenet in corpore, (i.) In hell, the soules of the dam [...]ed shall be kept in their bodies, against their wills. I have read of one in despair, that wished that he had been a toad rather then a man; and St. Amb [...]ose saithAmbr. ad virg. laps. n. 36. to such kind of men, Beatae vos serae, & volueres quibus nullus me [...]us est de inseris; (i.) Happy are the silly beasts and birds, in whom there is no fear of hell: yea, some have been so affrighted with the thought of those in­fernal torments, that they feared to leave this present life: as Seneca reports of Mecaenas, a noble, but a verySen. Epist. n. 17. voluptuous Heathen, that he wished, Deformitatem, debi [...]tatem, crucem acu [...]am, modo vita prorogetur, (i.) [Page 53] That with continuance of this life, he would be content to suffer deformity, diseases, yea, and the sharp pain of the Crosse: and of such despairing men, St. Austin saith, Si Aug. de lib. ar­bit. l. 3. c. 6. quis dixerit, non esse quam me miserum esse mallem, re­spondebo menti [...]is; If I should hear such a man say, I would rather dye, then live in this misery, I would give him the lie. Now I heartily wish, and pray that this Commenter may live to see, and revoke, and repent these blasphemies, because I am verily perswaded, that they are such, of which it is said in the Gospel, that he that so blasphemeth (and therein liveth, andMatth. 12. 32. dyeth impenitent) shall never be forgiven in this world, nor in the world to come; of which I shall have occasion to speak at large hereafter.

Now that this first Book may not swell to the Rea­ders too much tediousnesse, it shall here end; for I am apprehensive by mine own reading of other mens Books, as they will be of mine; and as Austin said ofAug. de fide. cont. Man. c. 24. his own, Ita [...]ibri termino, reficitur lectoris intentio, sicut labor viatoris, hospitio; (i.) The end of a book refresheth a weary Reader, as an Inne doth a weary Traveller.

CHAP. I. Of divers doubts and difficulties concerning the sin against the holy Spirit, and divers opinions thereof.

IF this question be loosely, and negligently handled, what man can be found free from this sin? for every sin against God may be called a sin against the holy Spirit; because, as Athana­sius Atha. de Com­mu. essent. p. 625. noteth, Contumelia unius Personae est blasphe­mia universae plenitudinis deitatis; (i.) A Comumelie against any one Person in the Trinity is the blaspheming of the fulnesse of the Godhead.

But if you say, that by this sin is meant some par­ticular sin or blasphemy onely against the third Person; I ask, Did not Ananias and Sapphira thus sin? Act. 5. 3. Why hath Satan filled thy heart to lie to the Holy Ghost? Yet I think no sober Divine will pronounce Ananias Orig. in Eze. ho. 1. absolutely damned. Origen saith, Deus non punit bis—Idem in Ma [...]. Tract. 8. Ananias & Sapphira in hoc seculo recipiebant peccatum suum, ut mu [...]diores exirents (i.) God punished but once [Page] for once sinning—Ananias and Sapphira received the [punishment] of their sin in this world, that they might depart cleaner to the other world. The Jewes resisted the Holy Ghost, Act. 7. 51. and amongst them was St. Paul, Act. 8. 1. yet the holy Martyr S. Stephen prayed for them. Simon Magus so basely esteemed of the Ho­ly Ghost, that he offered money for it; yet St. Peter invited, and exhorted him to repentance, not despair­ing of his conversion: and the Church Primitive in­vited those hereticks to her Communion and fellow­ship, whose special heresie was the denying the God­head of the Holy Ghost, as the Naz. Orat. 37. Eunomians and Ma­cedonians, whom the Church did therefore call Sec. l. 2. [...], (i.) enemies of the Holy Ghost; and those that did come in to the Church, she entertained,c. 35. and reconciled them, and pronounced Peace unto them.

If every particular offence against the third Person be indeed this unpardonable sin, what shall become of many Preachers, who, howbeit they be learned, and well-meaning men, yet many times they erre in deli­vering false glosses and expositions upon Scriptures: and Isychius saith, Qui aliena docent, in Spiritum bl [...] ­sphemant, Isych. in Le­vit. c. 10.—sic peccant qui Prophetarum dogmata non interpretantur ad intentionem Spiritûs; (i.) They bla­spheme the Spirit, who interpret doctrines of the Prophets otherwise then they int [...]nded. St. Austin saith, Donatistae Aug. Epist. 53. peccant in Spiritum, quia [...]xufflant baptisma Catholicae Ec­clesiae; (i.) The Donatists sin against the Spirit, when they renounce the baptisme which they received in the Church-Catholick, because that baptisme was administred to them in the Name of the Holy Ghost; and yet both Austin and the Church did perswade many of them to return to the Communion of the Church, and also entertained them: To quench the Spirit, 1 Thess. 5. 19. and to grieve the Spirit, Ephes. 4. 30. surely are sins against the Spirit; the meaning is, Aug. de gen. l. 4. c. 9. Ne contrista eos in quibus est Spiritus; (i.) Do not vexe, afflict, or grieve those in whom the Spirit of God is; and yet how many have been, and still are quenched by afflictions and Prisons, lest the Spirit of truth in them should detect the foul practices of men; nay, the holy Martyrs did [Page] pray for their very afflicters; whereby it is evident, that they despaired not of the possibility of their Con­version, and Salvation.

Some expound this unpardonable sin to be when we resist the motions of Gods Spirit after we are en­lightned, and so sin with knowledge stubbornly and rebelliously, because it is said, Heb. 6. 4. It is impossible fur those who were once enlightned, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, &c. if they fall away, to renue them again to repentance. Upon this place misunderstood, Nova­tus, and his Cathari grounded their heresie, that such as fell into sin after baptisme, could not be received into the Church, though they repented; as we read in Epipha­nius. Epiph. hae. 59. But did not David commit adultery and mur­ther knowingly? did not Peter deny Christ, not ig­norantly, but timerously? both of them after illumi­nation; but neither of them unpardonably. Do not the most holy Christians upon earth, even the Elect, and after regeneration, fall into grievous sins? and such men as are called just, are said to fall seven times, Prov. 24. 16. for there is not found in any mortal man any such high degree of grace, as to preserve flesh and blood impeccable; so that if this exposition were true, who shall be saved? Christ saith, That servant which knew his Lords will and did it not, shall be beaten with many stripes; which St. Austin thus expounds, Non sem­piternam, Aug. in exp. Epist. ad Rom. n. 96. sed severiorem disciplinam significat; (i.) It signifies a more severe, but not an eternal punishment.

You see the question concerning this sin growes ve­ry difficult; and indeed it is as Athanasius calleth it,Athan. to. 3. p. 687, 625. Tenebricosa, & p ofunda sententia, an intricate and pro­found sentence, but yet very advantagious to be r [...]ghtly understood, that so we may avoid it. The Lord give us understanding, by whose assistance, I will endeavour to unfold these two Questions: First, What particular sin that is, which is called the blasphemy against the holy Spirit: and, Secondly, Why that sin is especially said to be unpardorable.

CHAP. II. What the sin against the holy Spirit is, and [...] Question. what is meant by blasphemy?

TO blaspheme ( [...]) is to speak ill of, to deprave, to defame, to speak against the Spirit of God, to traduce and asperse it opprobriously, as the Pharisees did, Matth. 12. for when Christ had cast out a Devil by the power of his Godhead, or Di­vine Spirit; the Pharisees said it was done by the spirit of Beelzebub; for what greater obloquie or bla­sphemy can be invented, then when God is called De­vil? The Pharisees knew that this wonderful work was done by some power in Christ, which was more then humane, and therefore they knew it must pro­ceed either from God, or from the Devil, and therefore as St Hilarie noteth, Quia humanam infirmitatem haec Hilar. in Mat. Can. 12. tanta ejus opera excederent▪—& confiteri, Dei nol­lent—dicunt ex Beelzebub esse; (i.) Because this work exceeded humane infirmity, and the proud Pharisees would not acknowledge it to be from God, therefore they said it was fr [...]m the devil. So in effect they called God, Beel­zebub; and Christ a Conjurer; and this was a blas­phemy in the highest degree.

This Pharisaical blasphemy spread far and near, both among Jewes and Heathens, and amongst these it was a common received errour, that Christ was a Magician, as Eusebius notes. There was (in the first age afterEuseb. de De­monst. l. 3. c. 2. Christ) Hier. Epist. exeg. 62. Ambr. in symb. n. 21. Lact. de Instit. l. 5. c. 3. one Apollonius of Tyana, a notorious Magi­cian, that did many strange feats; amongst the rest, when he was convented before the Emperour Domitian in his Consistory, to be punished, presently he vanish­ed out of sight: this Apollonius is by Hierocles in Eu­sebius compared with Christ, as being equal to him for miracles, insomuch that the Emperour Lamprid. in Alex. c. 7. Alexander Severus in his Lararium▪ or house-Chappel, set up the image of this Magician, with the images of Abraham and Christ, and worshipped them all; and some hea­thens ex [...]olled this Magician far above Christ, as we [Page 5] read in St. Austin; and because in the dayes of Origen Aug. Epist. 4. some Egyptian Magicians, like Mountebanks, in the open Market-place, cured diseases, raised spirits, pre­sented to their view Magical banquets, and seemed to release those that were possessed by devils: therefore Celsus said that Jesus performed his miracles by artOrig. Cont. Cels. lib. 1. n. 32. magick. I say seemed, onely, for we learn from our Saviour, that one devil is not cast out by another, and Satan is not divided against himself; and although (when ignorant people imploy one Witch to help them against another) some present ease may seem to be procured; yet indeed as Austin observeth, Non exit Aug. l. 83. quaest. qu. 79▪ n. 88. Satanas per infimas potestates, sed in intima regreditur, regnat in voluntale, corpori parcens; (i.) Satan is not dispossessed by any infernal power, but retireth himself into the more inward parts of the possessed; and though he spare the body, yet he [...]yrannizeth more in the soul, and maketh his possession stronger. Because this is a dange­rous apostasie, to seek to, or to attribute the work of God to him, therefore Christ used divers arguments against it, and so did the Ancient Fathers, Origen, Athan. Euseb. Austin, and others, which having but touched, I omit, to avoid digressions.

The greatest difficulty in this question, is, what our Saviour meant by the words, (holy Spirit, or holy Ghost) when he said, The blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven: for the understanding whereof, I will lay down a few Considerations to the Reader, that from them he may gather the true meaning of that hard saying.

First, That in Christ there are two natures, 1. His Godhead or Divine nature, by which he is called God over all blessed for ever, Rom. 9. 5. 2. His humane nature, or manhood, made of the seed of David, accor­ding to the flesh, Rom. 1. 3. The first of these is called Forma Dei; the second is called forma Servi, both arePhilip. 2. 6, 7. mentioned, Philip. 2. 6. Who being in the form of God; thought it no robbery to be equal to God, but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a Ser­vant.

Secondly, Consider, that there are two spirits in Christ; 1. His soul or humane spirit, of which he [Page 6] saith, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit, Luk. 23. 46. Secondly, his Divine Spirit, of which it is said, If any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is noni of his, Rom. 8. 9.

Thirdly, that (according to his two natures) there are two filiations in Christ; for, 1. He is called the Son of man, the son of David. 2. He is called the Son of God.

Fourthly, That (according to those two natures, two spirits, and two sonships) the Scripture mention­eth two kinds of blasphemies against Christ, th [...] one against him as he is the Son of man, and this is par­donable, Whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him, Matth. 12. 32. The other unpardonable; But▪ Whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, [...]t shall not be forgiven him, Ibid.

Fifthly, That the appellation, Holy Spirit, in Scri­pture is taken two wayes; 1. Pro deitate, & essentiae omnium personarum, Pa [...]ris, Filii, Spiritûs▪ (i.) For the Godhead, or divinity of all the Persons, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; because all are one God, as Matth. 12. 28. & John 4. 24. 2. It is taken Personaliter▪ (i.) properly for the third Person alone; as, Baptizing them in the N [...]me of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Ho­ly Ghost, Matth. 28. 19. and this distinction is ac­knowledged by divers late Divines of the Reformed Churches; Polan. l. 3. c 6 Polanus, Bucan. l. 3. p [...]. Bucan▪ Tilen. p. 141. Tilenus, and Melan. in loc. Com. de Spi­rit. Ph. Melanthon.

From these plain, and confessed Considerations, I extract these two Propositions.

• 1. That it is no inconvenience to affirm, That those words, ho [...]y Spirit, or Holy Ghost, in that place do signifie the Godhead of the second Person, Jesus Christ.
• 2. That to deny the Godhead of Jesus Christ, is that blasphemy which in the Gospel is said to be unpar­donable: And this is my Conclusion; which here­after I hope I shall evidently demonstrate to the Readers satisfaction.

CHAP. III. That the Godhead of the Son is called Spirit, and holy Spirit: that the words Ghost and Spirit are of the same signification.

LEt it not seem strange that the appellation of one person is given to another, for as in this place the Godhead of the Son is called the holy Spi­rit; so in another place the Godhead of the Son is called the Everlasting Father, Esa. 9. 6. For unto us a child is born, his Name shall be called wonderfull, coun­s [...]llour, the mighty God, the everlasting F [...]ther. In that he saith (a child is born) it must needs be meant of the Son of God, and the Son is called the everlasting Fa­ther, because he is God, for the Godhead of every person (being but one in all) is & may be called the everlast­ing Father: and so the holy Ghost is the everlasting Father also; because the holy Ghost is God, and yet this doth not confound the three persons, or their se­verall and distinct pr [...]prieties and personalities; for al­beit every Person is the everlasting Father, in respect of men and of creatures, because all concurred in the creation, yet onely the first Person hath this Per­sonall proprietie to be the Father of the s [...]cond Person, and so the Father of God, as the Son is the Father, respectu Creaturarum, (i.) in respect of the creatures; so the first Person is Father of God and of Man, as that in the Poet (if it were in the singular number) might illustrate.

—Hominum sator, atque deorum, Virg. Aene. l. 1. so God the Father, is the Father of God the Son; that is, the Fa­ther of the Person of the Son, but not the Father of the Godhead of the Son. Pater Personae, non essen­tiae; Pater Filii, non deitatis. We in our Creed confess the Son to be God of God, that, is, God the Son, of God the Father, but we do not say, Deitas de deitate, Godhead of Godhead. Neither could the Son of God, call God the Father his Lord, and his God, but one­ly because the Person of the Son assumed the humane nature, and form of a servant, as S^t. Augustino hath observed [Page 8] upon that saying, Ps. 22. 10 Thou art my God from my mothers belly. ^c Pater est Deus & Dominus Filio, quia in eo est forma servi;—De ventre matris Deus meus es tu. Ps. 22. 10.—Sed ant [...] omnia secula Pater est, (i.) The Father is the Lord and God of the Son, because the Son assumed the form af a servant; therefore it is said in the Psalme, Thou art my God from my mothers belly, but the Father may be said to be his Father from eternitie.

As every Person is called a Father (so as is said) so also every Person is called Holy, because the God­head is holy, and is in every Person; and therefore it is said, holy Father, Joh. 17. 11. And thy holy child Ie [...]us, Acts 4. 27. as well as the third Person is called the holy Spirit, and all Persons together are so stiled, Holy, Holy, Holy, Esa. 6. 3. Revel. 4. 8. and yet the third Person hath a property and personality in holi­ness, not communicable. But now we must distin­guish thus: Holyness in God is either the holyness of Nature, and so every Person is holy; or holyness of Office, that is, to be a Sanctifier; and thus it is the property of the third Person: for although the Fa­ther and the Son do sanctifie, yet they sanctifie me­diately by the Spirit, but the Spirit sanctifieth imme­diately by himself, so that when sactification is said to be the work of the whole Trinity you must thus un­derstand it. Pa [...]er est fons, Filius exemplar, Spiri [...]us impressor Sanct [...]a [...]is, (i.) The Father is the Foun­tain, the Son is the Pattern, the Holy Ghost is the Stamper or Communicator of holyness in us and to us; as the whole man is said to see, but he seeth onely by the eye.

Next▪ I am to shew that every person is called Spirit: for John 4. 24. God is a Spirit, and every Per­son is God, and it is not you that speak, but the Spirit of my Father which speaketh in you, Matth 10 20▪ and the last Adam was made a quickning Spirit, 1 Cor▪ 15 45 We see there is mention of the Spirit of the Father, & of the spirit of the Son (for the last Adam, must needs be meant of Christ) neither are these observations new but are the old Collections of the Primitive Church [Page 9] writers. St. Basil saith, Basil. cont. Euno. l. 3. Spiritus appellatio est commu­nis tribus personis, (i.) The appellation of Spirit is communicable to the three Persons, and before him Tertullian saith, Tert. de Orat. c. 1. Iesus Christus est Spiritus Dei, (i.) Je­sus Christ is the Spirit of God. Athan [...]sius speaketh more home, Atha. de Com. essen. 625. to. 3. D [...]ta [...]m verbi, Christus inse Spiritum sanctum vocat. (i.) Christ himself calleth his own Godhead, the holy Spirit: and St. Hi r [...]me doth also as punctually observe the same. Hier cont. Pala. l. 2. c. 6. n. 23. Spiri [...]us sanctus vo­catur Spiritus I [...]su; (i.) The holy Ghost is called the Spirit of Jesus.

Neither let the English Translation of these words [...] trouble thee, because they are in some places translated holy Spirit, and in others holy Ghost, and sometimes they signifie onely the third Person, as Matth. 28. 19. But in another place they signifie the Spirit or Godhead of the second Person, as he breathed on them and s [...]ld, Receive the holy Ghost, John 20. 22. of which he also saith I am with you alwayes even to the end of the world, Matth. 28. 28. which is meant of the comfortable presence of his Godhead, by which Christ is said to dwell in our hearts: for so also the same word [...], when it signifieth the soul, or humane Spirit of Christ, it is sometimes translated Spirit, and other times Ghost as Luk. 23. 46. Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit, (that is, my soul) and having said thus, he gave up the Ghost, that is, his soul and life.

Now for as much as the Godhead of Christ, or God in Christ, is a Spirit, and also is holy, it may be truely said without any fallacy, both Logica [...]ly and The­ologically, not onely disjunctively, but compositively and joyntly, the Godhead of Christ is an holy Spirit; for of him it is said, Rom. 1. 4. that he was declared to be the Son of God, according to the Spirit of ho­lyness, which surely is an holy Spirit, by which he is said to sanctifie the Church, Ephes. 5. 26. & Heb. 2. 11. & Heb. 13. 12. And to this St. Austine speaketh very pertinently and plainly, Aug. de Trin. l. 5. c. 11. n. 62. Quia Deus est Spiritus, po­test dici Pater Spiritus, & Filius Spiritus, & Pater sanctus, & Filius sanctus, Trinitas potest appellari Spi­ritus Sanctus: (i.) Because God is a Spirit, it may [Page 10] be said, the Father is a Spirit, and the Son is a Spirit: and the Father is holy, and the Son is holy, and the Son is holy; the whole Trinity may be called an holy Spirit.

CHAP. IV. That the blasphemy against the holy Spirit men­tioned, Matth. 12. was meant of the denying and blaspheming the Godhead of Iesus Christ.

FOr the right understanding of this question▪ I de­sire the Reader to take notice of these few obser­vations following.

1. That this Pharisaciall blasphemy was uttered, and intended onely against the Person of Christ, and therein onely against his Godhead, and therefore the answer of Christ must needs be a Vindication of his Person, and of his Godhead, for otherwise Christ might seem not to have answered punctually, to the slander and blasphemy objected, if we shall confess that the blasphemy was against the Person of the Son, and yet imagine that his answer is onely concerning another Person, viz. the Person of the holy Ghost.

2. Observe again, that Christ doth not there make any mention of the blasphemy against the Person of the Father, (though there was as much reason that he should as to mention a blasphemy against the third Person.) But he keeps himself punctually to the se­cond Person himself, against whom onely this blas­phemie was spoken, and intended, neither did he at this time go abour to assert and vindicate the honour either of the Person of the Father, or of the Person of the holy Ghost, against which Persons, nothing was expresly said, or meant; but be did onely declare the power and Truth of his own Godhead in his own Person, and therefore he said, If I cast out divels by the Spirit of God, the k [...]ngdome of God is come unto you, Matth. 17. 28. By the Spirit of God, he meaneth the Godhead residing in his own Person.

[Page 11]3. Thirdly, observe, that as in his Arguments he spake onely of his own Person, like a good disputant, confining himself exactly ad idem, to the same thing the Pharisees spake of; so in his answer, and in de­nouncing judgement against those blasphemers, by the rule of right reason he must still continue his speech of the same Person; therefore in effect he saith thus: Although a word spoken against me as I am a man, and the Son of man may be forgiven; yet a blasphemy or word spoken against me as I am very God, cannot be forgiven. Or thus, The villifying, depraving blaspheming, or speaking against my humane nature, may be pardo­ned; but the depraving, denying, or blaspheming my Godhead, my divine Nature, my divine and holy Spirit, shall not be forgiven.

4. Observe again, that the Jewes had indeed de­praved him in both his Natures. 1. In his man­hood thus, Behold, a glutton, a wine-bibber, a friend of publicans and sinners? Matth. 11. 19. and afterwards, Is not this the Carpenters son? Matth. 13. 55. disparaging him for his mean parentage: this is the Exposition of St. Amb [...]ose, Ambr. de Spirit. l. 1. c. 3. In Filium Hominis p [...]ccare est remissius sentire de carne Christi, &c. To sin against the Son of Man, is to conceive too basely of the flesh of Christ;—and they that so sin, are not utterly excluded from par­don. 2. The Jewes blasphemed him now in his Godhead, by denying it, and ascribing the miracle to confederacy with Beelzebub; and of this blasphemy, which doth take away the very foundation of remissi­on of sins, it is said, It shall not be forgiven.

5. I may adde hereunto that those unbaptized Pharisees in probability, did not intend any obloquy or blasphemy against the Person of the holy Spirit as it is the third Person; of which they had never been instructed, neither had they so much Christianity as those disciples at Ephesus, who though they had been baptized unto Iohns baptisme, yet they had not so much as heard whether there be an holy Ghost. Act. 19. 2.

Thus having shewed that in Scripture, and in the writings of the Fathers and later Divines, the God­head of Christ is called a Spirit, and holy, and also an holy Spirit, and that in St. Matthew, those words, [Page 12] holy Spirit, are to be understood of the Godhead of Christ, which is for ever united to, and residing in the Holy Temple of his most sacr [...]d Body, and Soul: I now reassume my former Conclusion, That the de­nying Christ to be God, is the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost, which is there said to be unpar­donable.

Now that in a Doctrine of so great moment and concernment, the Reader may understand that I do not obtrude any novell and private opinion of mine own upon him: I will he [...]e lay down the judgement of so [...]e of the Fathers, in this very question; and first of Athanasius, one of the most profound and godly Divines, that since the Apostles dayes, the Church ever had; who in his book De Communi essentia Patris, &c. aith, Arha. to▪ 3. p. 625. It is hard to conjecture what our Saviour means by those words, He that speak­eth against the Sod of Man shall be forgiven, but he that speaketh against the holy Ghost shall not be so given. So that the Son may seem [...]o he inf [...]riour to the Spirit, and yet the So saith, The Father and I are one;—If he that saith to his brother; Thou fool, shall be cast into h [...]ll: [...]n quam gehennà gehennarum conjiri [...]tur is qui [...]ss [...]rit Deum creatu am [...]sse? Into what Hell of Hells will he be cast who calleth him that is God, a Creature, and a Servant▪ and a Minister onely? And a little af­ter, he saith:—D [...]i [...]at [...]m V [...]rbi, ipse Christus Spi­ri [...]um Sanctum voc [...]t, & humanitatem suam, Filium Hominis n [...]minavit: (i.) Our Saviour called his own Godhead, the holy Ghost, and his own Man­hood, he called the Son of Man:—and of those that blaspheme his holy Spirit, by blaspheming his Godhead, is this sentence to be understood,—It shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, nor in the world to come. This is the judgement of A­thanasius.

To him I adde the Opinion of St. Hil [...]r [...], who was contemporary with Atha [...]asius, who in his Ex­position of that Text, Matth. 12. 32. saith, Hil. in Mat. Can. 12. p. 731. Si ne­getur D [...]us in Christo, caret omni mis [...]ricordia: (i.) If a Man deny God to be in Christ, that man shall finde no mercy. And again, he saith, Hil. ib. Can. 31. p. 426. Blasphe­mia [Page 13] in Spiritum [...]st, Christum Deum [...]sse negare: (i▪) The blasphemy against the Spirit is, to deny Christ to be God. The same Father in the place last quo­ted, speaking of Saint Peters deniall of Christ, saith, Because to deny Christ to be God, is that sinne which shall never be forgiven; therefore Peter de­nied thus, I know not the Man, because a word spoken against the Son of Man may be forgiven. The very same conceit hath Saint Chrysostome also, in his Sermon of Peters deniall, and upon these words,—I k [...]ow not the Man:] Chrys. to. 6▪ p. 631. Non dixit non no [...]i Deum Verbum, sic enim peccasset in Spi [...]itum Sanctum, (i.) Peter, said not, I know him not to be God, for so he had sinned against the holy Ghost, but I know not the Man. Now whether Saint Peter meant so as these two Fathers conjectured, I cannot affirm for certain, but by this I finde that the judge­ment of these two great Doctours was, that the de­nying of the Godhead of Christ, is indeed that great unpardonable sinne. To this I adde the te­stimony of Saint Basil, who deserved to be called the Great. He in that excell [...]nt Book De Spiritu Sancto, saith, Basil. de Spirit. c. 7. Testificer omni Homini Christum pro­fi [...]en [...]i, sed [...]um neganti Deum [...]sse, quod Christus nihil [...]i proderi [...]: (i.) I testifie to every Man, who pro­fesseth himself to be a Christian, and yet de [...]ieth Christ to be God; Christ shall nothing at all pro­fit that man: And if Christ do not profit us in the remission of our sinnes, I am sure, our sinnes shall never be forgiven in this world, or in the world to come.

CHAP. V. The Opinions of later Divines concerning the unpardonable sin: A brief Narration of the life and death of Arius, and of Julian the Apostate.

TO the above-named Ancients, I subjoyn the o­pinions of our later Divines, who in their Ex­positions and Tractats, where they inquire what par­ticular sin this is, although they do not agree therein, yet when they inquire what persons have sinned this sin, they do commonly affirm, for one, that Arius in his Heresie did s [...]n thus: and this is the opinion of Polanus, and also of Bucanus and others. Now thePolan. synt. p. 340. Bucan. Lo. Com. p 174. onely noted heresie of Arius was the denying the Godhead of Jesus Christ▪ saying, that he was not from everlasting, and that he was but preferred to be a God. Just as our Commenter would have him onely exalted and deisied.

This Arius was born in Africk, and was a Presby­ter or Priest of the Cathedrall Church of Alexandria in Egypt: In that City in the dayes of the Emperour Constantine the Great, there were ten Churches (be­sidesEpiph. haer. 69. the Cathedrall.) Just such as we now call Pa­raecial or Parish-Churches, wherein ten of the Pres­byters of the Cathedrall Church, were the incum­bents, and Preachers, of these ten Arius was one, and was more esteemed, and followed then any of his bre­thren▪ It fell out that the Bishop of Alexandria died; Arius gaped for the place, but mist it, for one Alex­ander was elected; then Arius raised a faction, and revived the former Heresie of Paulus Samosatenus, preaching this damnable doctrine, that Christ was not God. When Bishop Alexander was informed of this, he convented Arius, and upon examination discovering his Heresie, excommunicated him: Then divisions appeared, for seven Priests, twelve De [...]cons, and se­ven [Page 15] hundred Virgins had joyned with Arius. Great dis­cord grew among the people, some taking part with A [...]ius, and others with Alexander: then the Empe­rour by Letters commanded both of them to desist from disturbing his subjects, but this could not ap­pease them: then he called that famous Councill of Nice, of about three hundreth and eighteen Bishops, from all parts of the Romane Empire. They condem­ned this Heresie of Arius, and compiled that Confessi­on of Faith, which remaineth to this day, and is yet called the Nicene Creed, wherein the Godhead of Christ is asserted in these words: [...]eing of one substance with the Father,—and God of God,—very God of very God: Arius refusing to subscribe to it, was banished by the Imperiall Edict, but was afterwards recalled, and exhibited in writing a Confession of Faith to the said Emperour, which he allowed of, and upon an oath taken by Arius, that he believed so, as he had writ­ten, the Emperour commanded that he should be re­ceived into the Church. (This equivocating hypocrite had in his bosome secretly at the same time, another Confession of his own hereticall Doctrine written, of which he meant.) The Emperour was then at Con­stantinople, Arius and his associates were going to the Church to require admission, but the Bishop of Con­stantinople, whose name also was Alexander, had resol­ved to keep him out, having prayed earnestly to God, the day before in the Church, prostrate on the pavement,▪ and with tears uttering these words; Do­mine, Athan. Epist. ad Serapion. n. 16.—si Arius [...]ras [...]in synaxin introducetur, nunc di­mittas s [...]rv [...]m tuum,—sin Eccl [...]siae parca [...] tolle Arium, (i.) If Arius must be brought into the Church to mor­row, Lord, now let thy servant depart in peace; but if thou wilt be mercifull to thy Church, take away Arius.

In the morning, as Arius with a great train was (as is said) going to Church, presently finding a great looseness in his body, he went aside to the common boggards of the City, and there voyded his bowels, spl [...]en, liver and blood, and was there found suddenlySocr▪ l. 1. c. 28▪ Ruff. hist. l. 1. c. 13. dead, as Socrates relateth: so died this blasphemer▪ Faetida mor [...] faetida mente, as Ruffinus noteth, a stink­ing [Page 16] death suitable to his stinking soul;—Cacando as the marginall note is. For a long time after people would point at that place in detestation of Arius, untill a well affected brother of the Arian sect bought the place, and to smother the fame of that judgement, andSoz. l. 2. c. 28. the infamy of Arius, he built a dwelling house upon it, as Sozomen reports.

Another, who by our late Divines, is instanced in to have committed this sin against the holy Spirit, isBeza in Heb. 6. 6. Musc. in Mat. 12. p. 386 Gualt. in Mat. 12. Polan. p. 340. Buc. p. 174. Soz. l. 5. c. 2. Julian the Aposta [...]e, he was the son of Constantius, who was brother to Constantine the Great, and was by this Emperours command, carefully brought up in Christi­anity, wherein he so profited, that he was admitted to be one of the Clergie, and was appointed; (i) Anag­nost. that is, the L [...]ctour, or Pible-Clark in the Church of Nicomedia, and (to shew his great zeal) he and his brother Gallus, joyned in building a Church over the Tombe of a Martyr, and so precise he was, that he lived a monasticall strict life and after, when he was declared C [...]sar, or heir apparent, by his Cousin the Emperour Constantius, for a time he continued in such a seeming religiousness, that the good Father St. Hilary stiledHil. adv. Con­stan. lib. 3. him Religiosum Dominum, (i.) his Religious Lord: But when he had got the command of a powerfull Army, he rebelled against the Emperor Constantius, and caused himself openly to be proclaimed Emperour, and (to strengthen the rebellion) he opened all the old Idol-Temples which had been a long time disused, and so got the hearts of all heathens, and himself forsook his old Christian Religion, and turned heathen, caused his baptisme to be washed off with the blood of sacrifices offered to idols, and writ Orations against Christians, and grew so zealous in the worship of Idols, that in stead of Julianus he was called Idolianus. Now theNaz. in Julian. Orat. 3. Apostasie and grand sin of this Iulian, was the denying Christ to be God; for he would not vouchsafe him any better appellation then Galilean, son of Mary' Car­penters son; he permitted his Officers to do and say all manner of despite against Christ; Julianus the uncle of this Apostate seized on the Church-plate at Antio [...]h, andS [...]. 5. 7. sent it to the treasury; Foelix the questor, having be­fore scoffingly said, En qualib [...]s v [...]sis Mari [...] filio mini­stratur! [Page 17] (i.) See what rich vessels the son of Mary is served withall! and having robb'd the Church in great derision, they sent Urine to be presented at the holy Table in stead of Wine, as Theodoret writeth. It isTheod. hist. l. 3. c. 12. therefore plain enough, that Julian did therefore for­sake the Christian Religion, because he did not believe that Christ was God; and indeed, if Christ be not God, why should any man be a Christian? and for this cause have those Divines said that this sinne of Julian was the unpardonable sinne against the holy Spi­rit.

Wherefore, God to deter all Professours of Christi­anity from this damning blasphemy, hath manifestly stretched out his own hand in vengeance for the ex­emplary destruction of these two ringleaders in this Grand blasphemy: of Arius his end you heard before, and upon this Julian his anger appeared more evident­ly; insomuch that the Heathens in those dayes said as St. Hierome reporteth, who was an ear-witnesse: O Hier. in Ha­bac. 3. P. 203 how can Christians say that their God is patient and long­suffering, seeing he hath taken away Julian in such anger, and sudden fury!—& ne mo [...]i [...]o quidem spatio, in­dignationem suam differre potuit, (i.) and could not for a little space defer his indignation.

Whilest the Church gr [...]oan [...]d under the pressures of this Apostate, the Ecclesiasticall History relates a strangeSoz. l. 6. c. 2. passage of a man, That in a Church had a vision in a dream or ecstasie, he knew not which, for he saw Apo­stles and Prophets complaining of the injuries of Julian, and two of their company went from the rest, as if they went against Julian; the man for present awaked, but when he fell asleep there again, he saw in the same manner the two returnning, and saying to the rest, Julian is slain, which indeed proved true, and at that very time. The same Writer in the same place before noted, reporteth that Didymus the famous learned man of Alexandria (who was blind, yet was a stout dispu­tant against the Aria [...] heresie in the dayes of Constan­tius) had a revelation at the same time; for being in a dream or ecstacy, there appeared to him in the air men riding on white horses, and saying, Go tell Didymns that Iulian is at this hour slain, and bid him signifie the [Page 18] fame to Athanasius. Theodoret also reporteth of an ho­lyTheod. hist. l. 3. c. 24. man, named Saba; that as he was earnestly, and with tears praying against the tyranny of Iulian, sud­denly he changed his sad countenance, and looking pleasantly said to them that were with him, The Boar that rooted up the vineyard of the Lord is now slain. This proved true, and at the very same time, though this Saba was distant 20. dayes march from the place where Iulian Stativis. died; and because it could n [...]ver appear by what man Iulian was slain, men might well think it was done by some extraordinary means; for though the Pe [...]sian king (against whom Iulian made his last war) made great inquiry through his whole Army, and proposed great honours and rewards by proclamation, to him that hadSoz. l. 6. c. 1. slain the Roman Emperour, yet [...]one could be found to take that honour upon him. Nay, I finde in Socrates, Soc. l. 3. c. 18. that one Calisius, who was of the train or life-guard of Iulian, reported in writing that this Iulian was wound­ed and slain, à Daemone, that is, by a good or a bad Angel (for by Heathens both sorts are called daemones;) upon these presumptions (which to me seem not un­probable) the Church-men of those dayes did attri­bute the destruction of this blasphemer to the extra­ordinary hand of God; and therefore Nazianz [...]n in one of his Orations against this Iulian useth this ex­pression: Audi [...]e angeli,—quorum opera tyrannus ex­tinctus Naz. in Juli­an. Orat. 3. est; (i.) Hear O ye Angels, by whose Mini­stery this Tyrant was destroyed.

I might here adde the like examples of Gods venge­ance shewed upon other Arians as upon Georgius, who was put into the sequestered Church of Athansius; but in the end, the people fell upon him, dragged him through the City of Alexandria, beat him, and slew him, and burnt his body to ashes: As also how the Arians ac­counted him after his death for a Martyr, as Epiphani­us Epiph. haer. 76 notes.

But, Olympus an Arian Bishop perished by a more memorable vengeance, for having blasphemed the Tri­nityPal. ad. an. 510. & Platina in vita Anasta­ [...]ii 2^di. as he was in a Bath, three fiery darts were cast at him visibly by an Angel, and by them he was presently fired and burnt to death, as Palmerius in his Chronicle reporteth. But thus much may suffice for the first que­stion.

[Page 19]This Exposition being admitted upon those places in the 3. Evangelists, (as I do firmely believe it is the true meaning thereof) this question will be clear, which by other Expositions hath a long time much perplexed our Expositours, and could never give satisfaction to the Reader, nor could the Ex­positours tell us certainly upon what persons they could fasten this sin, and therefore Beza in his notes upon 1 Epist. of Saint Iohn, c. 5. v. 16. tells us, it is the sinne of the Devill, because indeed, as he there states it, it could not be found clearly in any man.

CHAP. VI. The second question, why this blasphemy of deny­ing2. Quest. the Godhead of Christ is said to be especi­ally unpardonable?

THe reason why the denying the Godhead▪ of Christ, is said to be the irremissible sin is, be­causeAugEpist. 105. if Christ be not indeed, the true and onely and supream God, then he hath not redeemed us; and we are and must be for ever, Massa d [...]mnationis, (i.) a lump of perdition, and fuell for hell-fire; for there is no salvation in any other, Acts 4. 12. When St. Peter had said, Thou art Christ, the Son of the living God, Matth. 16. 16. Christ told him, Ʋpon this Rock will I build my Church, that is, upon this Confession, that Christ is the Son of God; for the Church is the nurse­ryCyp. de simpl. cler. n. 76. of Heaven, and none can have God for their Father, who have not the Church for their mother; and the Church is built upon this foundation, and other foun­dation can no man lay, then that is laid, which is Iesus Christ, 1. Cor. 3. 11. for, This is life everlasting, that they might know thee the onely true God, and Iesus Christ whom thou hast sent, John 17. 3. that is, as St. Austin expoundsAug. cont. ser. Arian. to. 6. n. 17. it, to know thee, and whom thou hast sent to be one true God.

[Page 20]There is no redemption, and therefore no salvation but in Christ, nor can there be any salvation by Christ, if he be not God; and though Christ be God, and so a Saviour, yet salvation cannot be from him derived to any that do not believe him to be God. The afore­named Father, when he desired vehemently to work upon his Readers he divers times used this expression: Per Divinitatem & humanitatem Domini obsecro: I be­seechAug. Epist. 203. you by the Divinity and humanity of our Lord. And both he and other Fathers in their Exposi­tionsChry. 4. hom. Antioch. Aug. de Doct. ch. l. 2. c. 16. of that saying, Be wise as Serpents, Matthew 10. 16. Tell us, that the Serpentine prudence is, that when he is a [...]saulted, he exposeth his body to blowes, that so he may preserve his head; To teach us, that we also in time of persecution, Custodiamus caput, Epiph. hae. 37. id est, Christum in confessione, (i.) though we fail in some inferiour points of Religion, yet to be sure to hold to God in Christ; for Christ is the head of his Church, and the head of Christ is God, 1. Cor. 11. 3. In Christo ca­put, Euseb. Hist. l. 1. c. 1. est Divina natur [...], saith Eus [...]bius; and Saint Hierome gives the reason, Q [...]oniam Deitas quae in eo erat, guber­nabat, Hier. in loc. (i.) The Godhead in Christ did govern the hu­mane nature; for whosoever rejecteth the Godhead of Christ, doth thereby disclaim the only sussicient means of Redemption; and therefore Fu [...]gentius saith truly, (i.) Christianus esse non potest, qui [...]q [...]is Christum Dominum Deum suum esse non dixerit, (i.) He that doth not con­fessFulg. de fide. P 9. n. 1. that Christ is his Lord God, cannot be a Christian. For such a mans religion is no better then the religion of Jewes and Turks; for both these confess a God, butAriani J [...]daeo­rum & Judaei Arianorum. Ambros. de incar. c. 2. n. 27 neither of them confess Jesus to be that God. And Carion in Const. magno. Act. & mon. in Hen. 7. n. 52. Atha. eont. Ari­an. Orat. 2. n. 5. Apolog. 2. n. 16 Apol. de fuga, Ca [...]ion in his Chronicle saith, that the Arian Heresie did open the door to let in Tur [...]isme, and was Praecursor Mahometis, (i.) that Arius was the forerunner of Ma­homet, and so of Antichrist; and Mr. Fox doubteth not to affirm, that the Turk is the principall Antichrist: and the Fathers long ago said as much of the A [...]ian Heresie, and very jnstly: For A [...]hanasius said, Ariana haeresis est praecursatrix Antcihristi, (i.) The Arian Heresie is the forerunner of Antichrist; and in another place he saith, it is An [...]eambulo Antichristi, (i.) the usher of Antichrist: And moreover, he saith Ariani—non Christiani, sed [Page 21] Ariani ap [...]ellari volunt, (i.) that they desired rather to be called Arians then Christians: and again, he saith, Ariani non sunt pro Christianis aestimandi, (i.) that in­deedOrat. 2. cont, Arian. n. 5. the A [...]ians are not to be accounted Christians, be­cause they opposed Christ in his Godhead, which is the onely foundation of Christianity, therefore with great reason they are called Antichrists; and therefore Saint Ambrose doubted not to affirm Ariani sunt Antichristi à Ambr. de fide l. 2. c. 4. n. 22. 1 John 2. 22. Iohanne designati, (i.) That the Arians are those An­tichrists which Saint Iohn pointed at, 1 Iohn 2. 22. and St. Hilary writidg against Constantius the Arian Emperour, (in whose dayes Arianisme so dominered:) Christus expect [...]tur, quia Antichristus obtinuit, (i.) thatHil. cont. Const. lib. 1. we may now exspect Christs second coming▪ because An­tichrist is already come: for nothing can be imagined to be more opposite and contrary to Christ & Christian Religion, then the denying of his Godhead; therefore is it most fitly called Antichristianisme. As Christ could not have suffered and died for us, except he had been Man, so his death could not have satisfied the Justice of God▪ nor redeemed us except he had been God, and therefore Athan [...]sius saith, Quifilium negat quem depre­cari Atha. to. 3. P. 695. potest ut propitiatorem inveniat? (i.) Unto whom shall that wretched man fly for propitiation for his sins, who rejecteth the Son of God who is the onely Medi­atour?

This is that confession which the gates of Hell have alwayes laboured to conquer by the power and cruelty of persecutors; for what did those tyrants chiefly aim at in all their torments,—Nisi ut neg [...]tur Deus in Chri­sto, Optatus, lib. 3. n. 84.—Nega Deum, incende Testamentum: (i.) These were the words of the tormentors, Deny Christ to be God, burn the Testament, and offer incense; for if the Godhead of Christ be denied, our Religion is no more helpfull to us for salvation, then Heathenisme was to them. But we confess and firmly believe that Jesus Christ is God, the supream God, the onely and most high God, and that we neither acknowledge, nor know any other God; and he that denieth this God, and this Godhead in Christ, falleth into that sin, of which it is said, it shall never be forgiven.

For if the Godhead of Christ be denied, it must needs [Page 22] be confessed that he was onely a creature, and a meer man; and if so, then he cannot be a Redeemer of us; for can any man imagine, that the death of one meer man, and that but a tempo [...]ary death, could satisfie the just wrath of God for the sins of millions, and redeem us from an everlasting torment? Divines doubt not to affirm, that if all the created Angels of Heaven could, and for us would suffer death, their sufferings would not pay our debts, or redeem one soul. God as he is most mercifull, so is he most exactly just, and will have the utmost farthing paid. St. Austine saith truely, N [...]c Aug. de con­sens. Evang. c. 14. n. 84. Dei justitia impedit misericordiam, nec misericordia justi­tiam, (i.) Neither doth his justice lessen his mercy, nor his mercy his justice: And again he saith, Iusta est gra­tia Aug. Exp. in Epist. ad Ro. n. 96. Dei, & gratia justitia; (i.) The grace or mercy of God is just, and his justice is g [...]acious; That which maketh the blood of Christ to be of sufficient value to redeem the world, and to be as St. Peter calls it, The precious blood of Christ, 1 Pet. 1. 19. is the excellent worth of that person whose blood it is; for because Christ is God, therefore his blood in Scripture is called Sanguis Dei, Acts 20. 28. The blood of God, the Lambe could not take away the sinnes of the world, except he were the Lamb of God, and Agnus-Deus, God the Lamb;John 1. 29. nor could a crucified man satisfie for our sins, except they had—crucified the Lord of Glory, 1 Cor. 2. 8. nor could our Christian Faith in the death of Christ advan­tage us, except we believe as Tertullian saith, Christia­norum Tort. cont. Marc. lib. 2. n. 41. est Deum mortuum ered [...]re, (i.) The Christian must believe that he that died for him, was God. And albeit some Heretickes and Heathens scoffed at a crucified God, yet the Church never was ashamed of him. St.Hier. Ep. 1. n. 1. Hierome saith, In judicio gaudens dices, Ecce Crucifixus Deus meus: (i.) At the last judgement the Christian with joy shall say, See now where my crucified God is. Our only help and hope for redemption, standeth in the Name of the Lord: for although Christ in regard of his humane nature assumed, be, as David saith, Ps. 89. 19. One exalted chosen out of the people, yet in regard of his Godhead, God saith, I have laid help upon one that is mighty, and that mighty one is Christ, for Christ is the mighty God of Jacob, Psal. 132. 2.

CHAP. VII. The Commenter having denied the Godhead of Christ, doth also denie the work of redemption by him, and so Turcizeth, and acteth for An­tichrist: of Antichrists mysticall body.

OUr Commenter having first resolved to ungod Jesus Christ, in the next place he denieth his great wo [...]k of Redemption, and tells us that [Christ d [...]d not become our sure [...]y, nor did take upon him the payment of our debts, but was onely a surety of Gods promise, and died to assert the truth of the Covenant—as a witness &c p. 136,] and that the [...]xpia [...]ori [...] sacrifice for sin, was not by him off [...]r [...]d on earth,] P. 116 146. He talketh of­ten of this Covenant, but never tells us what it is: in his answer it will be expected that he set it forth, if he know what it is, as is much doubted.

But in the mean time he hath shewed himself to be a true Porphyrian Logician▪ for as I shewed before, if Christ be nor the onely and supream God, it must needs follow, that he neither hath, or possibly could offer a sufficient expiatory sacrifice for our sins; because he that on the Cross was sacrificed (by the Commenters Creed) was no more then a creature; for grant him the first blasphemy, that Christ is not God, and the second blasphemy must needs follow.

This is a revivall of a very ancient heresie of Cerin­thus in plainer words, who taught as Irenaeus sheweth,I [...]enaeus, l. 1. cap. 25. n. 108. That Christ descended upon Iesus, when Iesus was bap­tized, and that before his passion, Christ departed from Iesus, and left Iesus alone to be crucified: Christ was the Divine Nature (as this C [...]rin [...]hus meant) and Jesus he manhood or humane nature. So his doctrine was hat Jesus when he suffered was but a meere c [...]eature, ust as our Commenter teacheth, and this in [...]ffect is all [Page 24] one with the Heresie of the Manichtes, who although they did not deny Christ to be God (as the Commen­ter doth) yet they would not believe that the Emma­nuel or incarnate God was crucified, but another in his stead, and that a creature too. Whereupon St. Austin Aug. de fide cont. Man. to. 6. c. 33. saith to them: Miseri, non timetis ne dicatur vobis in ju­dicio, ego cos liberavi pro quibus pessus sum: ite, ille vos liberet cui meas ascribitis passiones? (i.) Are ye not a­fraid, ye wretched men, that Christ in judgement will say to you, Depart from me, and go to that meer crea­ture, to whom you ascribe my passion; for I redeem­ed those onely for whom I suffered? Now if Christs passion on earth did not redeem us, to whom shall we go for redemption, seeing he redeemed onely those for whom he suffered?

I wish our Commenter would consider another speech of this renowned Father, who whilest he continued in the said Manichean Heresie, and then living at Rome, he fell into a dangerous sickness, and was very near death; and because at that time he did not rightly be­lieve the passiou of Christ, but erred therein, and yet no more phantastically, or dangerously then this Com­menter doth, he said of himself, Ibam ad inferos portans omnia mala quae commiseram nam Christus pro eis non sol­verat, cum crediderim crucem ejus phantasticam. (i.) 1Aug. Confes. l. 5. c. 9. was going to hell with the burthen of all my sins lying on my soul, for Christ had not satisfied for me, because I believed not in the truth of his passion: Now he that believeth that Christ is but a meer man, and that his death was onely as a witness, or Martyr to seal a Truth with his blood, and not at all for mans redemp­tion, shall be so far from receiving the blessing of Re­demption by him, that he shall moreover bring, and accumulate a curse upon himself: For so the ancient Martyr Ignatius understandeth these words, Ier. 17. 5.Ig. Epist. ad Antioch. n. 46. Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm: that is, Maledictus est qui dicit Christum nudum hominem juxta Prophetam. (i.) According to those words of the Prophet, he is accursed who calleth Christ a meer man, and yet trusteth in him: And Athanasius doubtedAtha. orat. 1. Cont. Arian. 3. 4. not to say, that the Arians who called Christ a crea­ture, [Page 25] and yet did perform religious worship to him, (as this Commenter requireth) were within the compass of the Heathens sin, in that they worshipped him, whom they thought to be but a creature; and therefore heAth. ad solit. vit. agentes, n. 18. Soc. l. 3. c. 19. calls them Porphyrianos, because Porphyrie once had been a professed Christian, and had revolted to hea­thenism, as Socrates saith.

Thus the Reader may perceive that this blasphe­mous denying Christs Divinity, doth dissolve our Re­ligion into Heathenisme and Antichristianisme. I have heard from the mouth of an ancient and most learned Doctour, that Socinus the Father of our late society of Socinians, was the son of such Parents, where­of one was by Religion a Turk, and the other a Chri­stian, and that therefore Socinus laboured to bring Turcisme, and Christianisme to the nearest conjunction and uniformity in Religion, by denying the Eternall Godhead of Christ, as Turks also do; which grand impiety is so destructive to Christian Religion, that it may be fitly called the Devils master-piece; and so the ancient Fathers esteemed it. Epiphanius called Arius Epiph. haer. 69. statuam Diaboli, (i.) An Idoll set up by the Devill, and St. Hilary said of it, Mihi diabolus erit, qui Arianus▪ Hil. Cont. Aux. n. 7. (i.) He that Arianizeth is no better then Satan; and Athanasius called it Haeresin totum Diabolum induentem; Ath. ad sol. vit. agentes, n. 19. (i.) An heresie indued with the whole plenitude of Sa­tan: For the Devils cannot be saved, and such blasphe­mers as these shall never be forgiven.

It was the opinion of Theodoret, that the grand An­tichristTheod. haer. fab. l. 5. n. 17. of all shall be the Devill, shewing himself in the shape of a man, and taking upon him the name of Christ; now as Christ is but one, and yet hath many members, even his whole Church which is called his mysticall body: so the grand Antichrist (it may be) is but one person, but shall have (and it may be he hath already) great multitudes of members acted and indu­ed with his malignant spirit, which make up his mysti­call Aug. de gen. ad lit. l. 11. c. 24. n. 68. Aug. de doct. Ch. l. 3. c. 37. n. 56. corporations, which is the Mystery of iniquity: And this was the opinion of St. Austine, and by him divers times expressed thus, Diaboli corpus sunt impii, ipse est corum caput, ficut Christus est caput ecclesia: (i.) the [Page 26] wicked are the body of Satan, Satan is the head of them, as Christ is the head of his Church: And again,De Gen. l. 11. c. 24. Corpus Diaboli est imptorum multitudo, (i.) The body of the Devill is a multitude, setting themselves to work impiety; and again, speaking of those words, 2 Thes. 2 4. sitting in the Temple of God] he saith, Aliqui intel­ligunt De Civit. l. 20. c. 19. hic non ipsum principem, sed multitudinem homi­num cum ipso—do [...]c fiat magnus populus Antichristi, (i.) Some do not here understand onely the great An­tichrist of all, but also a great multitude of people with him—untill at length Antichrist become as a po­pulous nation: and Prosper saith moreover, Antichri­stus Prosp. de pro­mis. n. 14. praec [...]nes mendacii sui habiturus est, (i.) Antichrist shall have preachers to set forth his lies, who will edifie his great body for destruction, such asHil. de Trinit. lib. 2. p. 25. n. 1. also St. Hilary calls, Novi apostolatus sub Antichristo Praedicatores, (i.) Preachers of a new calling under An­tichrist.

Now if amongst other Hereticks also may be admit­ted to be members of the body of Antichrist, surely none will be more advantagious to him, then those who blaspheme Christ in his highest title by denyingIren. l. 5. c. ult. n. 124. his Godhead, Irenaeus, and after him divers old Wri­ters, conceived, that the grand Antichrist will appear out of the Tribe of Dan, because of that saying in Iere­my 8. 16. The s [...]or [...]ing of his horses was heard from Dan, and for this reason [...] thought that amongst the Tribes of Israel which are sealed, Rev 7. the Tribe of Dan is not mentioned to intimate, that no limbs of An­tichrist shall be sealed to salvation.

CHAP. VIII. Of the hypostaticall union of the Godhead and manhood in the Person of Jesus Christ, the communication of the properties of each na­ture, the life and death of Nestorius, and how Christ is said to be deified

FOr the avoyding of the unpardonable sin before mentioned, it will not be sufficient to believe and confess that God is in Jesus as a man in a ship, or as God was in the Prophets, and is now in holy men, who are therefore called the Temples of the living God, 2 Cor. 6. 16. or as God is every where, who filleth hea­ven and earth, Jer. 23. 24. For though God be in an holy Man, yet we cannot say, that God and that Man are one Person, and though God be in Heaven, yet he and Heaven are not one hypostasis, or subsi­stence in one Personall union: but as our soul and body united and composed are one Man, and one Per­son, so the Godhead and Manhood united in Iesus, are one Person, one Christ.

Now these two distinct natures, to wit, the God­head and Manhood, are in Christ so united, that they will be for ever inseparable; and they are so entwined one with the other, that no action or passion can be said of the man Christ, which may not be said of God; the rule of Divines is, Eff [...]ctus hypostaticae unionis, est Regula Theo­log. communicatio idiomatum, (i.) The result or effect of the Personall union, is a communication of proper­ties; which rule is laid, and more plainly expressed by St Austine in these words. Ʋnilas Personae Christi, sic Aug. to. 6. cont. Ser. Arian. n. 7. constat ex humana & divina natura, ut quaelibet earum, vocabulum impertial alteri, (i.) The unitie of the Per­son of Christ doth so consist of the Divine and humane natures, that each nature imparteth its appella­tion mutually to the other; so that what is properly [Page 28] belonging to the divine nature, is ascribed as done al­so by the humane nature; the same is also thus expres­sed by Theodoret, Communia Persona evadunt, quae sunt Theod. Dial. impatib. n. 13. P. 398. propria naturarum, (i.) By reason of this hypostaricall union, those things which are proper to each nature severally, become common to the whole person: and hence it is that Christ is called the Son of Man, and the Son of God; eternall, and yet born the on of David, and yet the Lord of David: of him it is said, John 3. 13. He that came down from Heaven, even the Son of Man which is in Heauen:] yet the Manhood did not come from heaven, nor was the Manhood at that time in Heaven; so again, Christ said to the thief, Luke 23. 43. To day shalt thou be with me in paradise, and yet Christ was not there that day in his body, nor by his soul, (for ought we know) but onely by his Godhead, which was then in Paradise when his body was on the earth; and hence it is that the appellation of God is stamped on the humane and infirm actions and passions of Christ; for though he was crucified through weaknesse, as it is said, 2 Cor. 13. 4. that is, as he was man, yet because his Divine Nature is for ever inseparable from the humane nature, he is truely called Deus crucifixus, Hier. ut sup. c. 6. Naz. Orat. 51. n. 35. (i.) God crucified (as is shewed before out of Saint Hierome,) and Nazian saith, Si quis crucifixum non ado­rat, anathema sit. (i.) He that doth not worship him that was crucified, let him be accursed.

This great mystery of the hyposiaticall union was prudently discerned by the ancient Fathers. Origen saith, Judaei D [...]um crucifix [...]unt. (i.) The Jewes cruci­edOrigen. hom. 5. in Ps. 36. Orig. in Luc. hom 38. n. 45. Chrys. in sy­nax. n. 35. God; and the same Father speaking of the tears which Christ shed over J [...]rusalem, calleth them, Lacry­mas Dei, (i.) the tears of God. So St. Chrysostome calleth Christ, [...] (i.) the crucified God. The Prophet Esay prophesying of the birth of Christ, Esay 9. 6. Vnto us a child is born] immediately addeth—his name shall be called The mighty God: and the Church used the same language. Fulgentius saith, Ma­ria Fulg. de grat. n. 3. est genetrix Dei, quia were & propri [...] peperit Deum Verbum, (i.) Mary is the Parent of God, for she brought forth truly and properly God the Word. St. Hierome [Page 29] saith, Virgo Deum puerum peperit, (i.) Mary broughtHier. Ep. 30. n. 8. forth a child that is God. So Saint Ambrose speaketh, Ambr. in sym, n. 20. Deus natus est ex virgine, God was born of a Virgine; and Athanasius saith, Atha. apol. 2. n. 15. n. 22. Deus incarnatus, & Deus passus est, God was incarnate, and God suffered. This do­ctrine is so true and necessary, that otherwise we could not have been redeemed: the denying thereof, no doubt, is within the compass of the unpardonable blas­phemy, and the Church accounted such as taught the contrary, to be in the number of the most dangerous hereticks, as may appear by the story of Nestorius, thus in brief.

This Nestorius was by birth a German, and was ad­mittedSoc. l. 7. c. 29. & Theod. haer. fab. l. 4. n. 16. to be a Presbyter, or Priest in the Church of Antioch, from thence he was preferred to be Patriarch of Constantinople, and there he was a sore vexer of the Arians, Novatians and Macedonian hereticks, and so eager therein, that he incensed the Emperour against them, using this proud speech; O Imperator, da mihi Soc. l. 7. c. 29. terram purgatam h [...]re [...]icis, & ego tibi eoelum vetribuam. (i.) If the Emperour would purge his Empire of here­ticks, he would assure him of Heaven. He was a man very cloquent, and so proud thereof, that he disdained to reade the ancient Writers, and so being ignorant of Catholick Doctrine, he fell into this Heresie of divi­ding or separating the two Natures of Christ, and par­ticularly teaching that the Virgin Mary ought not to be called [...], that is, the Parent or Mother of Evag. l. 1. c. 3 [...]. God; and because some of his sect would have her cal­led onely ' [...], that is, the mother of a man: Nestorius desiring to go in a middle way, would have her called [...], (i.) the Mother of Christ, but at no hand, the Mother of God: so his error was in this, that he divided, and rent and severed the two natures of Christ; that which his crucifiers were not permitted to do to his very garments; in effect, as Vincentius noteth: Nestorius duos vult esse Filios Dei, duos Christos Vincent. Lirin▪ c. 17. n. 53. unum Deum, alterum hominem: (i.) Nestorius would have fancied two Sons of God, and two Christs, where­of one should be God, and the other a man; and so by denying the unity of his Person, he indeed made a [Page 30] quaternity of Persons, instead of a Trinitie against the sentence of the Church as it was long before the time of Nestorius, recorded by Gregorie of Neo-Cesaria, qui Greg. Thaum. de 12. cap. fidei, n. 2. dicit Christum esse perf [...]ctu [...] homin [...]m divise, & De [...]m divise, & non unum Domi [...]u [...], ei a [...]a [...]h [...]ma; (i.) Cursed is he that calleth Christ a perfect man separately, and that calleth him God separately, so denying him to be one Lord—God.

For, this erroneous doctrine is destructive to the work of red [...]mption, if the Person who died for us was not in his very death, very God so that he (by reason of that Personall union before mentioned) might truely be called D [...]us crucifixus, God crucified; and therefore our Commenter is also in this errour, who will afford Christ no better Title then a Divine Man, p. 136. which is no more then [...]ay be said of a Prophet, an Apostle, or any holy man, whereas he should acknowledge him to be D [...]us—homo, God and Man united.

So St. Austine in one of his Books, had said, thatAug. Retract. l. 1. c. 19. Christ was D [...]mini [...]us homo, but he retracted it—Quia D [...]m [...]nusest, saith he, because he is more then a Man of the Lord, for this Man is the Lord. For this hypostaticall, or Personall union must be in and go through all the great dispensations of our Saviour's Med [...]atourship, both in his active and passive obedi­ence; for otherwise his fulfilling the Law had been be­neficiall to none but himself, and his passion could not have sufficed for the whole world therefore the Personall union was most necessary to that great work, and is declared both in the Scriptures, and in the Fa­thers.

For whereas we now reade, 1 Iohn 4. 3. Every spirit that confesse [...]h not that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh, is Soc. l. 7. c. 32. not of God.] This place is thought by Socrates to have been corrupted by the Nestorians; for indeed the old reading was, as we to this day find both in Hierome, and Prosper, Omnis spiritus qui solvit Je [...]um, EveryProsper de vocat. Gent. l. 1. c. 23. Spirit that divideth Iesus; that is, which separateth his Divine from his humane nature. The Scripture joyneth both in a communion of properties (as is said [Page 31] before) for Elizabeth calleth Mary, Luk 1. 43. The Mother of my Lord:] no doubt but she meant the mo­ther of her Lord—God; for otherwise, how was Christ her Lord? but as David calls him Lord; and as St. Ambrose noteth upon the words, One Lord:] In Ambr. de Spir. sanct. l. 3. c. 17. Dominatione divini [...]as est, & in divi [...]i [...]ate Dominatus; That in the title Lord the Lord God is meant. So a­gain, Acts 20. 28. Fe [...] the Church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood:] that is, with the blood of God; for it cannot otherwise be understood. So like­wise, 1 Cor. 2. 8. They would not have crucified the Lord of Glory.]

Now I ask who is the Lord of glory, but onely God? Consider now that to have a mother, and to have blood, and to be crucified, though they be such things as properly belong to the humane nature, yet you see that these humane infirmities are said of God, because the same Person is both God and Man. To this Doctrine of the Scripture, agreeth the doctrine of the Fathers concerning this communication of proper­tics: for because in Scripture, Christ is called the Son of David, therefore St. Chrysostome without any scru­ple, saith that David is Chrys. serm. de pseudopro. n. 61. [...], and because the Scripture calleth Iames, the brother of our Lord, Gal. 1. 19 the same Father saith that Iames was Chrys. serm. de poenit. n. 49 [...], that David was the Father of God, Iames was the brother of God; and also St. Austine saith, that David was Aug. de 5. haeres. c. 2. 10. 6. n. 6. Parens Dei, the Parent of God: and O [...]i­gen saith, Orig cont▪ Cels. l. 1. n. 33. Corpus Iesu▪ est [...]orpus Dei, that the Body of Jesus is the body of God.

This Doctrine was held by the Church to be of such great weight and concernment that after the condem­nation of Nestorius the Councill of [...]halcedo [...] added this to the Creed as an Article of Faith, Evangrius, l. 2. c. 4. Mary the mother of God, and afterwards in another Creed ratified by the edict of Justinus the Emperour. Evag. l. 5. c. 4. The Virgin Mary is again called the Mother of God. And the Em­perour Justinian built a Church, and called it Evag. l. 5. c. 21. Tem­plum De [...]pa [...]ae, the Church of the mother of God; and Gregory Nazianzen long before, in an Epistle written to Cledonius, had affirmed, Naz. Orat. seu Epist. 51. Si quis Mariam non cre­di [...] [Page 32] [...], (i.) He that doth not believe Ma­ry to be the mother of God, himself is an Atheist, and with­out God. Nestorius for denying this Doctrine was summoned to the Councell of Ephesus, which was cal­ledSoc. l. 7. c. 33: by the authority of the Emperour Theodosius the younger, where Cyril of Alexandria sate President; the Councell deposed Nestorius out of his Bishoprick and the Emperour banished him: In his banishment, his blasphemous tongue rotted in his mouth, and was eaten out with worms: so he died with a mark ofEvag. l. 1. c. 7. Evag. ib. Gods vengeance on him; as Arius did, and the Church History passeth this hard sentence on him: Ex his mi­seriis ad sempiterna supplicia migravit, that he departed out of this misery into eternall torments.

Notwithstanding, all this Thal [...]ia Arii, this prettyAth. cont. Ari­an. or. 2. n. 5. Commentary tells us, that Christ is not the supream God, nor ever was a God till he rose from the dead, for then he was Consequently Deified: so if he be God, he must be but of a late Edition. This Doctrine har­moniously agreeth with the Heathens Theology, which also tells us of Dii superi, inferi Medioxumi, Magni, Mi­nuti, Plaut. in Cist. Patellani, (i.) High and low, and middle gods; great and small, and Pint-pot deities. The deifying of heathen Emperours, hath as good authority from Scripture: I have said ye are Gods, Psal. 82. And Ro­mulus, Mart. l. 5. Ep. 8. Julius, Augustus, & Dominus Deusque noster Do­mitianus, are as well God deified as Christ himself (by this Comment.) And in the Church-Writers, Deifica­tion ( [...]) which is the word used by Dionysius,) is ascribed to mortall men: for that Father sheweth that an holy Man, indued with the Spirit of God, may be said to be Deified; that is, assimulated to God, in­duedD [...]ony. Areop. de Eccl. Hier. c. 2. id. epist. 2. n. 10 Naz. or. 37. n. 29. with, sanctified, and united to God: And in another place he tells us, Deificatio est imitatio; (i.) De­ification is the imitating of God: and to the same pur­pose, Nazianzen saith, Spiritus nos deificat ( [...] is his word) Men indued with Gods Spirit are Deified, because God is in them, and as it were mingled with them, and worketh in them: And Athanasius saith, Homines in quibus est Spiritus, Deificantur, Atha. ad Se­rapion. n. 26. vid. 2 Pet. 1. 4. Now in what sense our [Page 33] Saviour may be said to be Deified in the later times of the world, who was the supream and onely God from all eternity would next be inquired.

CHAP. IX. More concerning Deification, and in what sense Christ may be said to be Deified.

THe Arians were in this Doctrine something more ingenuous, then this Commenter, though in them it was also most pernicious; for theyAth. & Hil. cont. Arian. n. 7. confessed that Christ was the Son of God, because they knew that the Saints were so called: and they said, Christ was before time began; because they believed that Angels and Devils were before the world; and they called Christ by the Name of God; because the Scrip­tures call some creature so: But they would not con­fess him to have the same Godhead with the Father; for they said that he was Deus factus, made a God, orAmbros. de cil. div. c. 2. n. 26. deified, and that he was the Son of God, not by na­ture, but by gift, or grace, and not by eternall gene­ration, but by power given, as Kings are called Gods; for so Saint Ambrose observeth, Deus in Scripturis est. Ambr. de fide l. 1. & lib. 5. c. 1. n. 22 23. 1 Verus. 2 Nuncupativus, nam sunt qui dicuntur Dii, & non sunt. 3 Falsus, ut D [...]mones: (i. In Scripture, God signifieth, 1 The true God. 2 Such as [...] but called Gods, and [...]re not so. 3 False gods of [...] this Commenter when he was argued [...] learned [...] this [...] they were [...] confessed, that Christ [...].

But one of the [...]pany [...]quired him further to declare how long Christ had been God, and whether from Eternity? at which question he seemed very an­gry, and for present left the room.

Now indeed the Fathers do oftentimes apply this word to Christ, and say, that he was Deified, and that [Page 34] in time also, and not before his incarnation; for he could never have been said to have been deified, if he never had been incarnate; it is only his humane na­ture that is said to be deified, and not his Spirit, or divine nature; for the Word cannot otherwise be said to be deified, then as he is hominified (if I may have leave to use that word) for, Joh. 1. 14. The word was made flesh: signifieth that God was made man by his incarnation, and man was made God by the per­son I union of the divine and humane natures, for so he alcame Theanth [...]opos, and Emmanuel.

The reason is, because when God assumed a body by his incarnation, that body then became the body of God (as is shewed before out of Origen) and so that▪ Orig. in Mat. tract. 21. n. 41. Father expresseth himself thus; Christus deificavit humanam naturam quam suscepit; Christ deified that humane nature which he assumed. Neither may we think so grosly of this deification, as if the flesh of Christ were turned into the Go [...]head, but onely be­cause it is joyned to the Godhead, and assumed into a personall union with it; therefore the Name of God is also stamped upon it; so that we may truly say, the man Christ is God, and yet the body and soul of Christ still are, and for ever will be creatures. InAug. Epi. 221. this sense St. Austin saith, Homo versus est in Deum n [...]c amisit naturam, Man is become God, and yet man did not lose his humane nature; and thus Athanasius saith, Archangeli semper antea adoraban [...] Filium, sed nunc Atha. Orat. 2. cont. 2. Arian. n. 5. Jesum adorant incarnatum carne, qu [...]m de [...]fi [...]averat: The Archangels did alwaies before the incarnation, worship the Son of God, but they worship him now in that flesh, which (by assuming it) he now hath de­ified. For now it is the flesh of God, as the Scri­pture calleth his blood, the blood of God, Act. 20. 28. and so the same Father useth th [...]s word divers times in the same sense, Atha. orat 2. cont. Ar. n. 5. h. Id. ser. 4. cont. Arian. n. 7. Non deificatus fuisset homo, nisi verbum fuisset incarnatum.—And—h. Chri­stus carnem assumendo, hominem deificavit: The manhood could not have been deified, if the Word had not been incarnate;—and Christ deified man, by assuming flesh. St. Austin writing upon those words, Paul an [Page 35] Apostle (of Jesus Christ) not of men, nor by man] Gal. 1.Gal. 1. 1. 1. Aug. exp. in Gal. in praefa [...]. n. 97. 1. saith 1. Paulus missus est per Christum jam totum Deum, quia ex omni parte immortalem; That Paul is said not to be called by man, because Christ was at that time wholly God, because now he was perfectly immortall, so he fastned this deification, or immorta­lity2. Aug. Re­tract. l. 1. c. 21. only on his humane nature▪ for his divine nature was the immortall God from all eternity; and Theo­doret upon those words God hath, highly exalted him.] Phil. 2. 9. saith, Est de carne quae deificata est, nam domi­nus Theod. Dial. in confu. n. 12. gloriae non dicitur glorificari; 'Tis meant of the flesh of Christ deified; for as he is the Lord of glory he can­not be exalted, deified, or more glorified. So Origen Orig. in Levit. hom. 3. saith of a Levitical sacrifice, that it signified, Carnem Christi in coelis deificandam, that the flesh of Christ in heaven was to be deified, and this deifying the flesh of Christ is said to be done in heaven, because there it was glorified and immortall▪ and on earth he is said to be deified, because of the Hypostaticall union of his3. Pet. Diac. apul. Fulg. n. 2. 2 natures, whereby his flesh was indeed Caro Dei, the flesh of God.

By thus distinguishing the two natures in Christ, the ancient Fathers answered the objections of old hereticks, made against the eternall divinity of Christ; for in the same sense that the Son of God is said to bePhil. 2. 9. Eph. 1. 20. Mat. 28. 18. Act. 3. 13, 15. deified, he is also in Scripture said to be exalted, to be set far above all Angels and Principalities, to be made the head of the Church, to sit at the right hand of God—to have a name given him above all names, that are na­med—That all power is given him in heaven and in earth,—that God raised him from the dead,—and that Jesus is made an high Priest for ever; all these sayings and many more of this [...]ind are to be understood of the hu­mane nature of Christ, but cannot be verified of his divine nature. Athanasius doth in generall give us this excellent rule, Athan. Ser. 4. cont Ar. n. 7. n. ib. Quae Christus accepit à Patre, non Filio verbo accepit, sed carni,—and again, ⁿ. Quae Christus possidet ut Deus, ea postulat ut Filius hominis: Those things which Christ is said to have received of the Father, he received not to himself as he is God the Word, but by reason of his assumed flesh,—and [Page 36] such things as he required to his manhood, he posses­ed before by his Godhead; and in this sense onely is the Son of God said to be anointed, and so only is he called Christ, Ath. orat. 2. cont. Arian. n. 5. Ʋnctus est, non ut Deus, sed ut homo Heb. 1. 9. erat: Theod. De­cret. l. 5. n. 17. Luke 2. 52. Ath. ser. 4. cont. Ar. n. 8. & n. 22. Erat Verbum, Filius unigenitus ante incarnatio­nem, sed non nominaetur Jesus Christus nisi post incarnatio­nem, saith Theodoret: He was anointed, not as God but as man,—he was the Word, the Son, the Only begotton before his incarnation; but is not named Jesus Christ till his incarnation; so when it is said, he increased in wisdom, it is meant of his humane na­ture, not of his Godhead, as Athanasius expounds it, Profecit non verbum sed caro.

So again, Omnia mibi traditae sunt à Patre.] Nam antea non erat homo: so again, God hath made Jesus both Lord and Christ,] Acts 2. 36. God cannot be said to make him, but onely in respect of his incarnation; for otherwise the Father is said to beget him, but not to make him.

So again, The Father giveth life to the Son;] that is, to his flesh, and as he is Man. So Christ is said to receive the Spirit without measure;] that is, his hu­mane nature received the Divine Spirit; for in him the Godhead dwelt bodily; so, The Father is greater then I;] That is, as I am Man: and he hath given him a Name,] still as he was Man: and in this sense onely is Christ said to be Deified: for nothing was in Christ be­fore his Incarnation, that could receive any new Title of God, because his pure divine Nature was so before, neither could that Title be really and properly ascri­bed to any other God; because there is no God but he; and therefore Epiphanius doth truly affirm, Ante Epiph. haer. 69. incarnationem non dicit Christus Deus me [...]s; (i.) Christ did not, say My God, before his birth of the Virgin, because he hath no God, but onely in consideration of incarnation.

CHAP. X. How those words which signifie the abasing and minoration of the Son of God are to be under­stood of his delivering up the Kingdome, and end thereof, and of his subjection to the Fa­ther.

AS no Title of Majesty, Exaltation or Deification could be newly added to the Son of God, except he had humbled himself to incarnation: So neither could any tearms or words of minoration and subjecti­on be put upon the same Son of God, if he had not determined before, and actually afterward performed the assuming of flesh; for by his incarnation he became capable of such infirm passions, and thereby is as (shew­edTert. cont. Marc. l. 2. before) he is said to be born—to grow—to weep—to pray—to thirst—to suffer—to die—and yet to be truely called Deus mortuus; Though dead, yet God nevertheles S. Hilary upon these words. The Father is greater then I,] saith, Pater est Hil. de Trin. l. 9. n. 3. John 14. 28. major Filio respectu hominis assumpti, sed Filius non est minor Patre respectu Deitatis: The Father is greater then the Son, in regard of the Sons assumed Manhood, but the Son is not less then the Father, in respect of the Sons Godhead. For in consideration of the Divi­nity of the Son, he saith, The Father and I are one. John 10. 30. They are one, and that not onely in will, or concur­rence of consent, (as the Arians would have it) but in Godhead: for as the same Father answereth them—Quasi divinae doctrinae inops sermo sit, nec dici à Domino Hil. de Trin. l. 9. p. 185 potuerit, Ego & Pat [...] unum volumus: (i.) The Divine Scriptures wanted not words, but Christ would have said, The Father and I consent in will. If he had so meant.

So St. Ambrose faith of his praying: Christus vogat Ambr. de fide. l. 3. n. 22. c. 3. ut Filius Hominis, imperat ut Deus: (i.) Christ prayed as [Page 38] he was the Son of Man for as he is God he command­eth. And again he saith of the death of Christ: Christus Id. de incarn. l. c. 5. n. 25. moriebatur, & non moriebatur- secundum hominem—se­cundum Dium: (i.) Christ died—for he was a Man, Christ was immortall—for he was God. So the mino­ration of the Son of God: Ful [...]entius saith, Exi [...] ­ni. Fulg. de grat. c. 2. n. 3. Phil. 2. 7. io fuit acceptio formae servilis, the making of himself to be of no reputation, was by assuming the form of a servant; just as a King doth condescend below himself in the disguise of mean apparell.

But the principall doubt is, how Christ can be be­lieved, and said to be the true, onely, supream and eternall God, and all one with the Father in the Unity of Godhead, seeing the scripture tells us, I Corinth. 15. 24.

• 1 That Christ shall deliver up the Kingdome to God the Father.
  1 Cor. 15. 24, 25, 28.
• 2 That Christ shall reigne, till he hath put all his enemies under his feet.
• 3 That then the Son himself shall be subject unto him that put all things under him: For how can it stand with a supream God, and an eternall King, to deliver up his Kingdome, and so to reign but for a limited time untill, and then to become a subject?

1 For answer hereunto, I say first, that Christs delivering up the Kingdome to the Father, doth not imply any resignation or annulling of his own interest, nor excluding of himself, or abdicating his own domi­nion, but a communication of that power which he received (as he was man) to his Father, who is the same God with him. For as he is said to deliver the Kingdome to the Father; so the Father is said to have delivered all things to the Son, Luk 10. 22. All things are delivered to me of my Father: and Matth. 28. 18. All power is given unto me in Heaven, and in Earth. Yet no man will say, that the Father by this gift, excluded himself from his own dominion; still God is Lord of all things but by this gift he communicated his Domi­uion to the Man Christ, and yet reserved it to him­self.

[Page 39]Now what is this Kingdome that shall be delive­red? the Kingdom of Christ is his Church, his Saint, his Elect, and what kind of delivering is here meant? were not the Church, and Saints, and Elect Gods Kingdom before? and how are they said to be delive­red up to the Father, who never had been out of his hands?Aug. de Trin. l. 1. c. 8. n. 60.

I answer with St. Austin, Tradere regnum est ere­dentes perducere ad contemplationem Dei: to deliver up the kingdom is to bring his Saints to the vision, and fruition of God, to present them pure, unspotted, free, and fully delivered from the bonds, and the ru­ling power of sin, and of death, which before had some power over them, and God ruled in them but in part, so that the dominion of the flesh had also a share in them; but at the last judgment, they shall be given up free from those intanglements, as it is there said, that then Christ shall put down all rule, and authority, and power, ver. 24. So that nothing shall have rule over them but God, and he alone,—that God may be all in all, ver. 28. So that this delivering up is but so as Saint Paul desired, 2. Cor. 11. 2. to present them to Christ as chaft Virgins, and as a Philosopher said to his disciple: reddam te tibi meliorem. So Christ shall de­liverSeneca de Be­nef. l. 1. c. 8. us up to the Father in better condition then he found us, for although God by his Omnipotency ru­led over us before, yet it was but as a King over stub­born and rebellious subjects; but then the same God shall reign over the same subjects amended, and whol­ly, and willingly, and joyfully submitting themselves to his divine will.

Secondly, where it is said, Christ shall reign till he [...] hath put all his enemies under his feet; This doth not signifie that Christ shall reign no longer, but that the Kingdom of Christ shall indure untill then, in despite of all the opposition of heresies, Persecutors and Ty­rants, or of the world and the flesh, and that the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. So that Christ shall reign till then, as a King whose people are per­petually opposing, resisting, and rebelling against him, but yet the King still holdeth his kingdome; so al­beit [Page 40] in the Kingdom of Christ, and in his servants there is strife between the flesh and the spirit, yet still the Spirit of Christ retaineth a kingly power in them, for although the flesh lusteth against the spirit, Gal. 5. 17. yet the Spirit helpeth our infirmities, Rom. 8. 26. and God giveth us the victorie through our Lord Lord Iesus Christ, 1. Cor. 15. 57. Christ reigneth during this world, as a Warrior, as the Lord of Hosts; but after­wards he shall reign as a true Melchisedec, king of Sa­l [...]m, Prince of peace: so that his kingdom doth not end with the world, but shall be refined and reformed, not by any change in our King, but in his subjects, and this is the meaning of this word till in the judgment of Expositors; [...]: do not alwaies signifie an utter ces [...]ation. Orig. 39. Donec non est definiens tempus. Cyr. Hiero. 17.. Donec non habet finem, sed consequens quid­dam. Th [...]oph in Mat.. Donec non adimit posterius. Naz. 28.. Donec sequens tempus non excludit; (i.) this word until doth not so limit us to the time past, but that it leaveth open all time to come, as Mat [...]h. 28. 28. I am with you unto the end of the world; doth not signifie that Christ shall be with them no longer, and so also it is used, Psal. 112. 8. and in many other places.

Thirdly, where it is said, the Son himself shall be sub­ject]3. the meaning is not that the Son of God shall cease to be a King, and shall turn subject, for we are assured that he shall reign over the house of Iacob for ever, and of his kingdom there shall be no end, Luk. 1. 33. Now what is it in Christ that is capable of subjection but only his humane nature? for no man will say that his Godhead can be subjected; and as for his naturall [...] body, or humane nature, it ever was, and is, and for ever shall be subject to his Godhead; for the humane nature is ever ruled by the divine nature: Neither shall his humane nature ever be depressed, depreciated, or subjected lower then that preferment which was con­ferred on it by his Godhead, therefore this subjection cannot be meant of his own naturall body, but it is indeed meant of his body mysticall, his Church, his Saints and Elect which are called his members and his body, Your bodies are the members of Christ, 1. Cor. [Page 41] 6. 15. and the Church is his body▪ Eph. 1. 23. Eph. 5. 30. this exposition, as it is most true, so was it also that which the Fathers gave of this hard place, Atha­nasius saith, Atha. Cont. Apol. n. 22.. Cum omnes nos subjicimur, tum ipse dici­tur subject; When all we are subjected to Christ, then Christ is said to be su [...]ject; and Saint Ambrose saith, Ambr. de Fid. l. 5. c. [...]. n. 24.. Christus subjicietur in nobis—nondum subjectus est Christus, quia membra nondum subj [...]cta sunt—pro nobis [...]it subjectus, non pro se, et in nobis subjicietur; Christ shall be subject—but it is in us—as yet Christ is not subject, because his members are not yet subjected—it is in regard of us that he must be subjected, not in regard of himself; for so long as h [...]s mystical body is not perfectly subjected to the di­vine will (as is shewed before) the whole Body of Christ cannot be said to be fully subject, and his mysticall body which consists of men over-ruled by the power and rebellion of flesh and blood never was yet perfect­ly subjected to God, nor ever will be wholly obedi­ent to him, untill (after the resurrection,) they shall be thus delivered up to the Father, perfectly SanctifiedAug. 83. quaest. qu. 69. n. 87. and cleansed; and thus doth Saint Austin also expound it: Subjectus erit] dicitur de Christo et de membris ejus, Scil. ecclesiâ cujus est caput—sic de universo Christo annu­merato corpore, & membris ejus—Omnes vos unum estis in Christo, Gal 3. 28.—Christus universus, est caput cum membris; This subjection is said of Christ—and of his members the Church; of which, Christ is the head.——So there is an universall Christ, signifying the head, and all the members, as we read, Gal. 3. 28. Y [...] are all one in Christ.

By what hath been said, I trust the Reader will un­derstand that neither this Deification, preferment, or exaltation; nor this Subjection which is said of Christ, doth in the least measure, derogate from his Eternall, and Supream Godhead.

CHAP. XI. Why the unpardonable sinne is rather fastened on the deniers of the Godhead of the Sonne then on them that deny the Godhead of the other Persons:

BUt why should the denying of the Godhead of the Son be so especially said to be a blasphemy unpardonable, when as the denying of the God­head of the other Persons is also damnable; for first, Saint Basil saith expresly more then once, Qut Spiritum sanctum Cr [...]turam vocant, incidunt inblasph [...]miam Basil. epist. 387. n. 17. 43. illam irremissi [...]item: He that calleth the Holy Ghost a creature, falleth [...]nto the unpardonable sinne; so that Eunomius the Heret [...]cke who said the Spirit was the Creature of the Son, was involved▪ inBasil. cont. Euno. n. 20. this blasphemy as well as Arius, who said the Son was but a Creature of the Fa [...]her [...] ▪ and therefore called him M [...]ttendarium, onely an Emissarie of the Father, as Ruffinus reporteth, and Saint Cyprian cal [...]eth the DevillRuff. in symb. apud Cyp. n. 91. (who is under the pressure of eternall unpardonable­ness) both Antichristum & Antispiritum, an Antichrist and an Antispirit; intimating as much danger in the one, as in the other For we [...]earn in Scripture, that without holyness, no man shall see God, Heb 12 14. Therefore how can that man expect the gift of Holy­ness, who denieth the Author of Holyness, which i [...] the Holy Ghost.

Secondly, He that denieth the Godhead of the Fa­ther, is an Atheist, for all sorts of Religions which con­fess2. a God, do also confess a Fatherhood in that God; even the Heathens called their Jupiter a Father, but how can an Atheist expect salvation from God, who denieth that there is any God?

For answer hereunto it may be said, that although the denying of the Godhead of any Person in the Trinity be destructive to salvation, yet this sin is rather▪ [Page 53] fastned on the deniers of Christ, then the deniers of the other Persons. First, because the confession of the Father and the holy Spirit is not salvificall without the Confession of Christ; for even Heathens confessed both a Fatherhood, and a Divine Spirit of God, as ap­peareth by the confession of Ne [...]u hadnezar, Dan. 4. 9. but the Confession of Christ is alone salvificall, because he is not alone, as himselfe saith, John 8. 16. I am not alone, but I and the Father which sent me: for the confession of Christ in­cludethBasil. de [...] c. 12. the whole Trinity as Saint Basil affirmeth. Chri­sti app [...]llatio est professio totius trinitatis de [...]larans Deum Patrem, qui un [...]it, Filium qui unctus est, & Spi [...]itum qui est unctio;—and Saint mb [...]o [...]e affirmeth the same:Amb. de [...] c. 3. Christus implicat Pa [...]rem unguentem, Filium unctum, Spiri­tum unctionem, (i.) The appellation of Christ is the pro­fession of the whole Trinity, declaring the Father a­nointing, the Son anointed, and the Spirit who is the ointment; and therefore albeit the form of Baptisme was precisely set down to be in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; yet because the Name Jesus Christ implyeth all these, Saint Peter mentioneth onely this name, Acts 2. 38. Be baptized everyone of you in the Name of Iesus Christ for remission of sins: so doth Saint Paul also, Rom. 6. 3. Galati­ans 3. 27▪

Secondly, the unpardonable sin is fastned on the de­niers of the second Person, rather then on the deniers of the other Persons, because the work of redemption was immediately wrought by the second Person. For it was the Person of the Son onely that became a Surety for us, and not onely a bare Witness or▪ Testifier (as the Commenter affirmeth) the Son onely took upon him our nature, and therein fulfilled the Law for us, and suffered death in our stead for our transgressions, he onely was our Surety and Mediatour, and he onely was incarnate, and died, and rose again, and carried our flesh into Heaven with him, and there still conti­nueth a Mediatour for us, not by any verball pleading, or intreating for our salvation, but by presenting there in the glorious Sanctuary of Heaven, that humane body and [Page 54] soul, which had actually and perfectly performed the whole Covenant of God; and therefore even in the most strict Justice of God, shewing that Heaven is due by the said Covenant to all his mysticall Body, for which his naturall Body was sacrificed on the Crosse for the expiation of all their sinnes, which was pre­figured by the High Priests entering into the Sanctum Sanctorum.

All these dispensations and actions which conduced to our salvation must be ascribed onely to the Person of the Sonne, but cannot be said of the Father, or of the Holy Ghost. For that was the Heresie of the [...]oc. l. 2. c. 15. Sabellians, who were therefore called, Patripassiani; for these workes are proper to the Sonne alone. Fi­lius natus, passus, resurr [...]xisse, ascend [...]sse dicitur & non Aug. de Trin. l. 1. c. 5. n. 60. Pater: As Augustine saith, (i.) The Father can­not be said to be born, or suffer, or to rise again, or to ascend, but onely the Sone.

Therefore Kisse the Son lest he be angry, and ye perish, Psalme 2. 12. For the denying of him▪ is the renouncing of salvation.

CHAP. XII. The Godhead of Jesus Christ shewed by Scrip­ture, and by the type of the Tabernacle.

BEcause the apprehension, and believing of this great Mystery of God Incarnate is a wonderfull consolation to the Christian, and the denying thereof pertinaciously, a certain note of eternall perdition: therefore the Scripture hath very evidently and fre­quently declared this weighty truth, both by express words, and otherwise: for the child to be born of a Virgin, must be called Emmanuel, Esay 7. 14. that is, God with us, or God incarnate; and the same Prophet Esay 9. 6. giveth that childe such Titles, as cannot be attributed to any meer creature, as—The mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace. This Prophets words do so agree with the Evangelicall, and Apostolicall Doctrine: (as the Word was made fl [...]sh, and the Word was God, John 1. and God manifest in the flesh, 1 Tim. 3. 16—and of whom as concerning the fl [...]sh, Christ came, who▪ is over all God blessed for ever­more, Rom. 9. 5.) that Saint Jerome called this Pro­phetHier. proaem. in Isai. n. 33. Esay, Non solum Prophetam, sed Evangelistam, & Apostolum; Not onely a Prophet, but an Evangelist, and an Apostle; for as the Prophet before the incarna­tion bringeth in God, saying, I have sworn by my self—to me every knee shall bow, Esay 45. 23. So the Apostle applieth that saying to Christ, being the same God, (but now incarnate) of whom Esay spake, Rom. 14. 11. As it is written, As I live saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me. So that the saying of the Psal­mist, Psalm 97. 7. Worship him all ye gods, is applied to Christ, Heb. 1. 6. Let all the Angels of God worship him.

Neither doth the Scripture set forth this great truth onely by words, but also by the visible type of the Iew­ish Tabernacle and Temple, to teach the people of Israel [Page 56] where they should profitably seek and find that God, whom they were appointed to worship, and there­fore God confined them to perform their worship of him at the Tabernacle or Temple; lest they like other Nations, should set up a God of their own invention, or worship the host of Heaven; seeing men naturally desire, either a sensible object of their adoration, or at least will fancie such an one in their brain.

The Israelites (not yet weaned from idolatry) be­fore the Tabernacle was erected, made a Calf or Oxe to worship, just as they had seen the Aegyptians wor­ship before, the like figure in memory of Ioseph, asAug. de Mir. scrip. l 1. n. 74. Ruff. 6. n. some thought, who had preserved them by corn in the Famine, because that beast doth usually work in Til­lage: and because in after-times the Jewes abhorred image-worship, not admitting any such Statues in their Temple; Therefore the Heathens thus usually twitted them, Incerti Iudaea Dei—And Iuvenal saithLucan. l. 2. Juv. sat. 14. of them,

(i.) That either it was uncertain what God they wor­shipped, or that they worshipped nothing but the Clouds or Heaven. For the Heathens used to set up visible images before which they performed their a­doration not intending to worship the Images termi­nativè or finally (as our Commenters word is) but they worshipped them just so as the Commenter saith, Christ was worshipped. For they terminated their wor­ship in their gods, whom they thought to be assistant, and present in those images, as Arnobius affirms fromArnob. l. 6. n. 115. the mouths of Heathens, Nos nec aera, nec auri argen­tive ma [...]e [...]ias Deos esse dec [...]nimus, sed cos in hi [...] colimus, quos dedicatio infert, & efficit inhaebitare simu [...]a hris. (i.) We Heathens do not worship the brass or silver, or gold image, but we worship those gods, which by Dedication-Charmes, are invited and brought to in­habit the Images. So Saint Augustine alleadgeth,Aug. de Civ. l. 8. c. 23. Trismegistus affirming, that Images were as the bo­dies [Page 57] of their gods, and that the spirit was by Art (Ma­gick) invited to reside in them.—Simulachrum Id. ib. c. 26. pro corpore, Daemon pro anima est. (i.) The image was the body, and a Spirit was the soul within it. For so indeed Heathens used to do, when they had made an image to represent their god, they made a Ceremo­niousVide Macrob. Satur. l. 3. c. 9. de evocatione Deorum. Dedication of it to that god, and so inviting him by Charms, and Magicall Conjurations to shew himself to be present in that image, as Conjurers (they say) have had the evill Spirit in a ring or boxe: And this is diverse times affirmed by Origen, the man­ner whereof is partly touched in the Story of the De­dication of Nebuchadnezzars image.

For the Devill apishly imitating God, indeavoured to set up his own worship, in such a manner as God hath appointed for himself. For, Psalm 96. 5. Dii Gen­tium Daemonia: (i.) The gods of the Gentiles are Devils.

Therefore as God manifested his presence in the Tabernacle and Temple, where the Israelites were required to worship God; so the Devill manifested his presence in Idols, and Idoll-Temples, that so he also might be there worshipped; and this appeareth by what we reade of Heathen Oracles, and the Images of Iuno and Fortune, which uttered words as Lactan­tiüs sheweth out of Valerius. Lact de falf▪ Relig. lib. 2. n. 6.

CHAP. XIII. The Godhead of Christ further proved from the typicall Tabernacle and Temple.

IT will not be impertinent to this business in hand, to inquire why God confined the Jewish worship to the Tabernacle and Temple, as it is manifest he did; for, Levit. 17. 3, 4. the Israelites are required upon pain of death to bring their sacrifices to the doore of the Tabernacle. So the publick Passeover is to be sa­crificed onely in the place which the Lord shall chuse, Deut. 12. 5. and what place that is, we finde set down, 2 Sam. 7. 13. The house that Solomon the sonne of David shall build; and this building was perfor­med by him, 1 King 8. 20. and God declared his ac­ceptation of that House or Temple, 2 Chron. 7. 12. The Lord appeared to Solomon,—and said unto him, I have heard thy prayer, and have chosen this place to my self, for an house of sacrifice.

Now the reason why the Israelites were confined to perform their worship in this place, was, because God would keep them in a perpetuall memory and con­fession of the Messiah to be incarnate; of whole incar­nation both the Tabernacle and the Temple were but Figures or Types: Templum erat figura Corporis Do­minici, Aug. de Trin. l. 4. c. 5. saith Augustine, (i.) The Temple was the Figure of our Lords Body; for as God did manifestly shew his presence in the Tabernacle and Temple, by a cloud, and the Glory of the Lord filled both; as we reade, Exodus 40. 34. and 1 Kings 8. 10. So did he in the Body of Christ by his great Miracles, Deus erat in Aug. de Con­sens. Evang. n. 86. Templo,—V [...]rbum caro factum: (i.) When the Word was made flesh, God was there as n his Tem­ple.

So that the prudent and religious sort of Israeites in the Typicall Tabernacle and Temple, did indeed [Page 59] worship their god, who as yet was but Typically in­carnate; for the Tabernacle did represent an hu­mane body: Philo and Josephus both of them Jewes by birth and religion, called the Tabernacle [...] Jos. Ant l. 3. c. 4. Phil. de vit. Mosis, l. 3. & [...] (i.) A moveable and a portable Temple, as a mans body is: the covering of it was with skins, as mens bodies are covered, Exodus 26. 14. and with Curtains, as mens bodies are with Garments; and it represented the Body of Christ.Ath. Orat. 5. cont. Ar. n. 4. Corpus Domini ist Amiculum, saith Athanasius. (i.) The Body of our Lord, was the Garment of God. And the two great Apostles Saint Peter, and Saint Paul, in allusion hereunto call their own bodies Ta­bernacles, 2 Cor. 5. 1. and 2 Peter 1. 14. Hence it is (no doubt) that so often mention is made of worship­ping towards the Temple of Jerusalem, Psalme 5. 7. and 138. 2. I will worship toward thy holy Temple; and Psalme 29. 2. Worship the Lord in the beautie of Holynesse; that is, in his glorious Sanctuary: and King Solomen prayeth, Hearken to the supplication of thy people Israel, when they shall pray toward this place, 1 Kings 8. 30. And Daniel prayeth with his windows open toward Jerusalem, where the Typicall Temple h [...]d been, and where the true Antitypicall Temple of Christs body was to be manifested.

So in effect, the Object of the Israelaticall worship was God present in his Temple, thereby feeding their faith in the promised Messiah, who was afterwards to reside in his Tabernacle of the humane nature. So that the ultimate Object of their adoration, was the Sonne of God: God incarnate, even the same God, whom we Christians now worship. The Christian Religion was before the Jewish, in time, and the Church is older then the Temple, or Synagogue.Amb. de sa­cram. l 1. c. 4. Aug. Ret. l. 1. c. 13. Priora sunt Sacramenta Christianorum quam tudaeorum. For the adoration of the Sonne of God, did not first begin, when he was incarnate; but as Saint Augu­stine truely saith, Christian Religion was in former times, but it began to be called Christian in latter times, when the Son of God took our flesh and again,Aug. confes. l. 10. c. 43. he saith, The ancient Saints were saved by Faith in [Page 60] Christ to be crucified, as we now are by Faith in Christ crucified: Christ was the same God before his incarnation that he is now, and was worshipped by the holy Patria [...]chs and Prophets before he was incar­nate, as truely as he is by us Christians since. Before Abraham was, I am, Iohn 8. 58. and Abraham rejoy­ced to see my day, and saw it, and was glad. It is there­fore a vain and false cavill of this Commenter, who tell us [Faith in Christ is nor contained in all Faith1 Pag. 251. c. 11. v. 6. in God,—because in the description of the Faith which was in the ancient Elders, Hebrewes 11. there is no mention of Faith in Christ] Indeed there is no mention of the word Christ, but the Sonne of God was believed in by those Patriarchs, before the same Sonne of God could be called Christ▪ for in their dayes the Sonne of God was not yet Christ▪ for he was not anointed, nor could he be capable of anoint­ing before he was incarnate (as is shewed before) The Sonne of God was God from everlasting, but this God was not Christ as yet, because he was not anointed, otherwise then in the purpose and Decree of the same God, and typically in the annointing of the Tabernacle, Exodus 30▪ 26, 27. and in the uncti­on of Kings, Priests and Prophets. But faith in God must needs signifie faith in the Sonne of God, who is now the Christ, because there is no other God but he; for the Father and the Son are the self same One, and onely God.

Now if it be demanded why the holy Israelites wor­shipped toward the Tabernacle or Temple, as if God were there onely, seeing it cannot be denied that God was then every where, Filling Heaven and E [...]th, Ieremy 23. 24?

I answer in the words of Fulgentius; When GodFulgen. ad Thras. l. 2. n. 9. is said to be in a place, or to descend and come to it, it is not to be thought that God changeth place, so as to leave one place, and to goe to another, but—Significat manifestation [...]m ejus: (i.) It sig­nifieth that God doth then manifest his presence in that place, wherein he was before; but did not shew, and declare his presence so, as when he is said to de­scend. [Page 61] So S. Chrysost▪ me expoundeth the Mission of the Sonne. Missio Fili [...] qui ubiqu erat [...]n [...]eà, corpoream ap­par [...]ntiam Chrys. ser. de Pastor. n 58. significat, non mig [...]at à loco in locum: (i.) When the Sonne of God is said to be sent, who was every where before, it signifieth his Cor­poreall appearing, and not a change of place.

And because the Godhead did manifest its presence in the Tabernacle and Temple; therefore the Isra­elites did there, and toward that place perform their worship: yet we finde that sometimes sacrifices were offered to the Lord, in other places, as by Gideon, Iudges 6. 26. but it was by expresse command of God.

So did Elias also, 1 Kings 18. 36. but it was not in Judaea, but in Israel amongst Idolaters▪ yet with some conformity with the Temple, as is there men­tioned. Eli [...]s offered at the time of the Evening Sa­crifice, which was the Figure of Christs death to be at the ninth houre; and this also not without an instinct of Gods Spirit, for he was a Prophet.

CHAP. XIV. That the Christian when he prayeth, setteth his minde on God in Christ, as the finall Object of his Prayer; (as the Jewes prayed to God, then residing in the Tabernacle, or Temple;) because the now glorified Body of Jesus, is the Temple wherein the Godhead will for ever dwell.

AS the Israelites prayed to God, whom they con­ceived to be present in the Tabernacle▪ or Tem­ple, so the Christian when he prayeth, setteth his minde on Jesus Christ, conceiving him to be the Ob­ject of his Prayer; for he believeth and considereth [Page 62] him to be the Temple, wherein his God is for ever resident, and in that Temple he seeketh his God, where his mercy hath been manifested, and wherein the great work of Mans Redemption hath been acted and performed, and so looketh on his God through Christ.

The rubricks of the ancient Church Litu [...]gies, (as we finde in severall ages of the Church) directed men to pray thus: Sacerdos ante O [...]ationem dicit, Sur­sum Cyp. 82. Cy­ril. 23. Prosp. 3. corda: (i.) Before Prayer, the Priest said to the People, Lift up your hearts on high; and so they confessed they lifted them up unto the Lord; that is, to Christ in Heaven, sitting on the right hand of the Father; for where the carcase is, there will the Eagles be gathered, Matthew 24. 28. In prayer we lift up our eyes to Heaven, because our God is in Heaven, Psalm [...] 115. 3. And we say, Our Father which art in Heaven, (as himself taught us to whom we must pray) be­cause as his Godhead is, and was alwayes there; so his glorious Body was to be in Heaven, and is, and for ever shall be the Temple wherein the Godhead is to be sought to, and found. For in Christ dwelleth all the Fulness of the Godhead bodily, Colossi [...]ns, 2. 9. He saith bodily, in comparison of Types and Figures, the Tabernacle was but the shadow of Gods residence▪ but the Body of Christ was the Substance and Truth of that shadow.

The inhabitation of the Godhead of Christ in his Body, is described by Saint John most significantly to this purpose, John 1. 14. The Word dwelt amongst us.] where dwelling is expressed by the tearme [...] (i.) God was intabernacled, which signifieth that his Body was the Tabernacle of the Godhead, as Theo­doret Theod. Dial▪ Imm. n. 12. observes.

The Leviticall Law is still in force, though not literally, yet in the spirit or meaning of it, for we must still worship toward the Temple, and our Saviour tells us which is the true Temple indeed. Iohn 2. 19, 21. Destroy this Temple, & in 3 dayes I will raise it up.—But he spake of the Temple of his body. For Ie­sus est Deus, & Templum Dei, saith Nazianzen, (i.)Naz. Orat. 43. [Page 63] Jeius is both the Temple of God and the God of the Temple. And so Saint Austine saith, Christus est Sacer­dos Aug. de dog. Eccl. n. 73. & Sacrificium, est Deus & Tem [...]lum, (i.) Christ is the sacrificer, and the sacrifice, he is the God and the Temple. And Origen saith, Christus est Templum in Orig. in Josh. Hom. 17. utero Virginis formatu [...]: (i.) Christ is the Temple built in the Virgins womb. And Athanasius more plain­ly expresseth this Mystery: Digni sunt Ariani, qui Atha. Or. 5. cont. Ar. n. 4. [...]aepè percant, qui prisci populi reverentiam [...]rga Tem­plum laudant, sed D [...]minum in carne ut in Templo suo adorare recusant: (i.) The Arians have well deserved perdition, who praise the Iewes for their reverence to­wards the Temple, yet themselves refuse to worship the Lord i [...] the Temple of his Body. Solomon saith, Pro­verbs 9. 1. Wisedome hath built her an house. Who is wisedome but God? and what house is it? but as Athanasius often expoundes that saying. Corpus Chri­sti Atha. ser. 3. cont. Ar. n. 6. est Domus sapien [...]iae: (i.) The house of Wisedome is the Body of Christ. The word building in Scri­pture, is applyed to an humane body, as well as to an house, G [...]nesis 2. 22. Deus aedificavit costam in mu [...]e­rem: (i.) God builded the woman of Adams rib. and Ru [...]h 4. 1. Rach [...]l and Leah—did build the house of Israel,—and in three dayes I will raise it, Iohn 2. As if it were the raysing of an house. So the Mysticall Body of Christ, which is his Church, is called Gods building, 1. Cor. 3. 9.

In brief, Iesus Christ in respect of his divine Na­ture, is our God, and the Temple wherein our God dwelleth, and that which is truely said to be—his rest for ever, Psalme 132. 14. Is his glorified Body now in Heaven.

When we compose our selves to Prayer, we lift up our mindes to this God in that Temple: God—Incarnate is the finall and ultimate Object of our ado­ration: there is no way to approach to our God with any hope of obtaining pardon and remission of sins, but through the open doores of the Temple of his wounded body: therefore our Prayers are all sealed with Through Iesus Christ our Lord.

He that maketh any approach to God otherwise, then [Page 64] considered in this Temple, must expect to finde him onely as a severe and offended Judge, but wh [...]n he looketh on us through his Sonne, his severity is sweetned. Filius est dul [...]edo D [...]i: (i.) The Sonne isFulg disc. ob­ject. Arian. n. 1. the sweetnesse of God. When he beholdeth us through Jesus Christ, he is pacified and g [...]acious; the clouds and tempests of Gods anger are asswaged by the sere­nity of the Countenance of Jesus,—Vul [...]u quo Coelum tempestatesque s [...]renat. Virg. A [...]n. 1.

Are we not therefore called Christians, because we worship God in Christ? To him Saint Stephen dire­cted his Prayer, Acts 7. 57. Lord Iesus, receive my spi­rit. And Saint Paul also.

Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God even our Father—comfort your hearts: for so Christ had given direction before, Iohn 14. 13. Whatsoever ye shall aske in my Name, that will I doe, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

By what hath been said, I trust the danger of this Commentors bold assertion will be discovered, who tells us [that Christ is not to be believed P. 54. in finally, but God in Christ] not believing, or not con­sidering that the Godhead is in Christ. And there­fore Christ in respect of this Gohead is to be believed in, and prayed to finally and [...]ermina [...]ely, as the ut­most object of our Faith, and the Manhood of Christ so endowed with, and united to the same Godhead is to be believed in, and prayed to Mediately; for by the Incarnation of the Godhead in Jesus, he became our Advocate, and Mediatour, and a Priest, which is next to be discoursed.

CHAP. XV. That the most high God became a Mediatour, and a Priest, and that Christ is prayed unto, and yet is a Mediatour: Every Person in the Trinitie may be prayed unto.

THe Commentor tells us, [That the supream God P. 80. c. 5. v. 5. can no way be a Priest, and therefore Christ is not supream God, because he is ma [...]e a Priest.] This assertion is most false and blasphemous; he that affirmeth it, either never was Christian, or else must be an Apostate; because to say, that the most high and onely God cannot be a Priest, is all one as to say, This God cannot assume flesh▪ or be Incarnate: For in the same manner, the supreme God became a Priest, in which he became a Mediatour, and both by assuming humane nature.

For if it be demanded how we can pray to Christ, seeing he is our Mediatour and Priest, who interceed­eth, and prayeth for us, and that by him we approach to God, so that we may seem rather to pray by him, then to him; and if Christ be the finall Object of our Prayer, who is our Mediatour?

To this it may be answered, that Christ is a Medi­atour, in the same sense that he is a Priest, and in that sense he prayed. Now he became a Priest, and a Mediatour by ass [...]ming Manhood; for Saint Chry­sostom [...] Chrys. Hom. Ant. 32. n. 12. saith truely, Christus oraba [...] ut homo, nam Deus non [...]rat. (i.) Christ prayed in that he was a Man, for God doth not pray. And Saint Austine saith, Chri­stus Aug. de Civit. [...]. 20. c. 10. est Sacerdo▪ quatenus est Filius hominis. (i.) Christ is not a Priest, but by being the Sonne of Man. For although it be said, Rom. 8. 26. The Spi it maketh inter­c [...]ssion for us: (though the Spirit as it signifieth the third Person, was not Incarnate:) the meaning is [Page 66] onely, that the Holy Ghost helpeth our infirmities in prayer, as is there said; and nos int [...]rpellare facit: It enableth and stirreth us up to pray, as Saint Austine Aug. expos. in Ro. n. 96. expounds it; not that the Spirit it self prayeth for us. When Eudoxius the Arian was newly placed in the E­piscopall seat of [...]onstan [...]inople, the first sentence that he uttered was this bla [...]phemy, [...] Soc. l. 2. c. 33. [...] The Father is impious, the Sonne is pious, at which words when the people began to raise a tumult, he appeased them by saying, that his meaning was, that the Father never prayed, but the Son did often pray; his intent was hereby to insinuate; that because Chr [...]st prayed, therefore he was not God, but was onely a creature: which [...]s the Argument (which our Commenter useth against the Priesthood of God) for indeed the pure Godhead cannot be said to pray, be­cause there is none greater to be prayed unto; there­fore God must be incarnate, before he can be a Priest, or pray; but as he was a perfect Man; so might he pray for us; and as he was perfect God, so we may and must pray to him.

For all Prayer is directed to God onely, but not to the Father onely; and because the Godhead is in eve­ry Person, so that every Person is God; therefore Prayer may be made to any Person and Christ will yet still continue our Mediatour, both to the Father, and to the Holy Ghost, and to himself also; for he that prayeth to one Person, prayeth to all three Persons, for they are all inseparately involvd one in another. The Fa­ther is in me, & I am in him, Joh. 14. 11. and the Father and I are one, Joh. 10. 30. But this is warily thus to be understood: That the Godhead or Essence of the Father is in the Son, whereby the Son is called God; but the P [...]rsonality or Propriety of the Father is not in the Son; for the Father cannot be called the Son, nor the Son the Father, otherwise then (as is shewed be­fore) that the Godhead in any Person is the Eternall Father. Divines have observ'd upon that place, Io. 16. 23 Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my Name] He saith the Father, not my Father; for if he had said, My Fa­ther, then the asking had been confined to one Per­son; [Page 67] for onely one is the Father of the Son of God: but in that he saith, The Father, he doth not debar us from praying to the other Persons, because (as hath been shewed out of Esay 9. 6.) every Person is the e­ternall Father, because every one is one God.

There is but one God in the three Persons, and that one God, the second Person (being God Incarnate) is our Mediatour; and though he be Mediatour, be­cause Incarnate; yet neither his Mediatourship, nor his Incarnation do nullifie his Godhead, so that our Sa­viour is Mediatour for us to himself, to his own God­head; so that we may pray to the Son, to hear us for his own sake. For Iohn 14. 14. Where it is said, If ye aske any thing in my Name.] The old reading was, as may be yet seen in S [...]. Hierom [...], If you aske me any thing in my Name; and Beza confesseth as much, though he imagi­ned that it was taken out of the Margin into the Text. So Christ is prayed to as he is God, and he is Mediatour, as he is Emmanuel; Every Person is God, therefore every Person is to be prayed unto; and he that nameth but one Person in Prayer, doth not exclude the rest, because all are but one God.

This was the Doctrine of the Primitive Church, de­livered singularly and profoundly by Saint Ambrose and Saint Augustine, Vnus Deus in tribus, & haec tria Amb. in symb. n. 20. unus D [...]us, One God is in three Persons, and three Persons are but one God. And Vnus est Ommipotens & Tripotens Deus, Pa [...]er, Filius, Spiritus. There is but one Omnipotent, and Tripotent God, the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. And again, Singulus horum Deus, & simul Id. de Doct. Chr. l. 1. c. 5. omnes, unus Deus, & singulus horum plena substantia, & simul omnes una substantia: Every Person is God, and all are one God; Every one is perfect God, and all together are but one God. And again, Singula sunt in singulis, & omnia in singulis, & singula in omnibus, & Id. de Trin. lib. 6. c. 10. omnia in omnibus, & unum omnia: Every one is in eve­ry one, and all in every one, and every one in all, and all in all, and One is all.

Hence it is that every Person may be prayed unto, and glorified; as in Scripture the Seraphims crie, Holy, Holy, Holy, Esay 6. 3. Rev. 4. 8. and the Christian [Page 68] Church, both ancient and modern, in her Doxologies used to glorifie the three Persons alike, Gloria Patri & Filio & Spiritui; and in her prayers invoked all, and in her Creeds confessed all,

CHAP. XVI. The Godhead of Christ, shewed from the ado­ration of his Person, and how God is to be wor­shipped, being incarnate.

IF it be again demanded, how we can perform Di­vine adoration to Jesus in the Temple of his Body, being now God.—Incarnate, except at the same time we adore a creature, because his Body still is a creature, for though it be indeed the Body of God, yet nevertheless, it is a body, and therefore a creature: Or shall we therefore adore his Body, because it is the Temple wherein God dwelleth? If so then, as Atha­nasius Ath. de incar. n. 22. objecteth, Adora quoque Sanctos ob Deum inhabi­tantem. By that reason you may worship the Saints on earth, because their Bodies are the Temple of God, and God is in them, and then why should we not worship the Sun and Moon and other creatures as well; for God is in them, because he is every where. The Mani­chees worshipped the Sun, because they thought theAug. Cont. Faust. l 20. c. 2. Son of God was there.

For answer hereunto, we are to understand that God is in another manner existent in holy men and other creatures, then he is existent in the humane nature of Christ, (as is shewed before, chap 8) For the Godhead and Manhood in Christ, are one Person, but not so in other creatures; God dwelleth in a Saint, 1 Iohn 4. 16. yet you cannot say that God and the Saint are one person; for if so, then that Saint must be called God, and should be worshipped as God; but we pro­fessHier. cont. Vi­gil. n. 17. with Saint Hierome, that we are so far from wor­shipping [Page 69] a Saint, or a martyr, that we will not worship an Angell, or an archangel, nor Cherubim, nor Sera­phim; but neither do we refuse to worship God, though he be invested with his humane nature, his hu­miliation by taking the form of a servant upon him, doth not ungod him, neither can we separate his God­head from his manhood, that so we might worship the pure Godhead alone. Fidelis veneratur Domi [...]um in corpore latentem, saith Athanasius: the faithfull wor­shipAth. 26. n. Theod dial. in conf. n. 12. God though veiled in his body, as we may per­form civil worship to our King, though he be clad in vulgar apparell, yet not worship his apparel, and No man will say to the King, First put off thy Robe and Crown, Epiph. in Anc. n. 27. o King, and then I will do obeysance to thee; and if the King should put off his Robe, yet none would worship the Robe.

So no man can say to Christ, Lay aside thy Body, and then I will adore thee, but we adore God in Christ, although God be there united unseparably with his body, and if we could separate his body real­ly from his Godhead, we should not worship it alone, because it is a creature: and this also is the determi­nation of Athanasius: Quis tam vecors est ut ita loqua­tur, Absiste à corpore ut te adorem? oec? who is so foo­lishAth. cont. Arian. or 5. n. 4. as to say to God, lay aside thy Body, that I may worship thee? or who can shew us his body emptied of his Godhead? Therefore albeit we do not adore his Body as the Ʋtimate and uttermost object of our adoration, yet we resuse not to worship our God with his body Concomitant; for St. Thomas when he saw Christs body and touched his wounds, yet he said My Lord, and my God, Ioh. 20. 28. The women held him by the feet, yet worshipped him, Maith. 28. 9. The Psalmist saith, Exalt the Lord our God, and worship at his Footstool, Psalme 99. 5. What is meant by his Foostoole? St. Chrysostome tells us, The earth is his Footstoole, Isa. 66. 1. Because the Body of Christ wasChrys. ser. de Trin. n. 57. from Adam, and Adam from the earth, and this body is united to God, therefore our God (though in it) is to be adored. Some men are offended when they see a man worship his God, if his face betowards the East, or [Page 70] Communion-table, suspecting that the worship is done to the Table, or to the East, though they are told, it is done to God onely: as also if in time of divine ser­vice, a man bow his knee to Jesus, when that name is named, some will say, the bowing is done to a sound, a word, or letters; just so the heathens said, that the Christians worshipped the Sun, because they assem­bled on the Sunday, and because they used to adore God, with their faces turned toward the East, as Ter­tullian saith, and some also said that Christians wor­shippedTert. apol. c. 16. n. 4. Bacchus and Ceres, that is, Bread and Wine, because at receiving of the Sacrament they used a re­verend adoration of God, as we read in St. Austin; yet these slanders did not deter the Christians from theirAug. cont. Faust. l. 20. c. 13. usuall discipline. But these Brethren would think (as I suppose) that themselves were much wronged, if a man should tell them, that they worship a Chaire, a Form, or Table, because when they pray, they kneel before some of these. When God appeared to Abraham, Abraham bowed himself toward the ground, Gen. 18. 2. Will any man say that Abraham worship­ped the earth? No, saith St. Ambrose: Non terram, sed Iesum nascitu um è terra & resurrecturum: he wor­shippedAmb. de Abrah. l. 2. n. 13. not the earth, but Jesus, who afterwards was to be incarnate, and to rise again out of the earth. The worship of Jesns is the adoration of his divine person in heaven, and not of a name, or word, and this ado­ration, and genuflection is of a higher consequence, and greater weight, then some Christians are aware of as will appear by that which followes.

CHAP. XVII. That genuflection to our Lord Jesus was apoint­ed onely to be as an acknowledgment of his God-Head.

Because the great work of mans redemption is founded upon the Godhead of Jesus, and that the denying, or disbelieving that doctrine, is a cer­tain mark and character of unpardonablenesse, there­fore, good Christian Reader consider with thy self, what a charitable and prudent care this Church of England had of thy soules health when, (to keep thee in a per­petuall memorie thereof, and a continuall confession of this great and weighty truth, she required that when the Lord Iesus shall be mentioned, in time of divine service, lowly reveren [...]e be done; the reason alleadged by that Canon is of the greatest concernment that canCanon. 18. be imagined [Testifying their due acknowledgment, that the Lord Iesus Christ, [...] and eternall Son of God, is the only Saviour of the world, in whom alone, all the Mercies, Graces, and promises of God to mankind, for this life, and the life to come are fully and wholly com­prised] by which words it is apparent, that the princi­pall intent of that Canon, was for the acknowledg­ment of the Lord Jesus to be the true, and eternall Son of God, and thy redeemer, which is that necessa­ry doctrine which I have endeavoured all this while to set forth; and this is the very same reason that is alleadg­ed on those Scriptures, where the bowing to Jesus Christ is mentioned. For when it is said of Christ, Rom. 14. 10, 11. Every knee shall bow to me] the reason followes immediately,—Every tongue shall con­fesse to God (that is) that every one shall acknow­ledge adoration due to this our God. And so again, where it is said, Phil. 2. 10. At the name of Iesus eve­ry knee should bow] the reason followes, verse 11. That [Page 72] every [...]ongue should confesse that I sus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father] to signifie that therefore bowing to Jesus Christ is required, that by it he might be acknowledged to be the Lord; and certainly therefore onely did the Church of England require this ado [...]ation ado [...]at [...]on of Jesus, to have a perpetuall, and so­lemne confession thereby of his Godhead; yet our Commenter will not confesse Jesus to be God, though he do confesse that [Divine r [...]verence is commanded [...]o be given to Christ by bowiug, &c. in the s [...]m [...] manner Page 7. that is due to God himself] in this the Commenter doth fully ag [...]e▪ with the practice of the old Arians, who were therefore blame▪ by Ath [...]n [...]sius▪ because they per­formed religious adoration to Jesus, (as the CatholickAtha. cont. Arian. Or 1. n. 4. Church did) but yet [...]hey would not confesse him to be God, and so in effect they did serve him, whom they thought to be but a creature, and therein differed not from Heathens: and so St. Basil a gueth both aga [...]st the Sahellians and Arians out of the Church C [...]ed, to [...]f the Son, and the Holy Ghost be but creatures; Cur Basil. cont. Sa­bel. & Ar. ho. 27▪ n. 17. non dicimus [...]redo in Deum, & in univ [...]r [...]am crea [...]u­ram?—Nam si pium est [...]n por [...]ion [...]m cre [...]tu [...]ae cr [...]d [...]re, multò magis in [...]tam: Why do we not say in our Creed—I believe in God, and the wo [...]ld? for if the Son be but a part of the world, and a c [...]atu [...]e, it is far better to believe in the whole creature th [...]n in one part of it. And this also was obse [...]ved in the Arians Amb. de fil▪ di­vin. c. 3. n. 26. by St Ambrose, that they did not adore Jesus, because they thought him to be God, but Vir [...]ute prae [...]epti: only because they bel [...]eved that such an adoration was injoyned, Philip. 2. 10. their colour for it was because the honour of genuflection is there said to be given to Iesus, by G [...]d ve [...]se 9. and so they wouldAmb. Hexam. l. 6. c. 9. have it due to him onely by gift, and not by nature; indeed Saint Ambrose saith, that the honour of ge­nuflection was the gift of the Father to the on, just as the Sc [...]ipture saith; but Saint B [...]sil doth ful­ly shew the meaning of that Scripture,—God—Basil. cont. Eu­nom. l. 4. n. 20. hath given him a name] In humoni [...]a [...], non in divinitate, the gift was given to the humane Nature of Christ, which it had not of it self, but not given to the [Page 73] divine nature, that honour was naturally due to it that is, to the Godhead of Christ. So that the meaning of the Church, and the intent and purpose for which she appointed reverence to be done to Je­sus, was onely the acknowledgment, and confession of his Godhead in detestation of [...]ewes, Turks end Arians, which deny the sa [...]e; therefore it will seem strange to any learned, or intelligent Christian, if this ado [...]ation shall be by any Christian authority forbidden, or Jesu-worsh [...]p (as some have in de­rision called it) shall be made an a [...]ticle of accusation, and obloquie, seeing it hath been practised in the Pri­mitive Church, long before there was any direction for it by any Ecclesiastical Canon, except only the Ca­non of Scripture.

But if it be said, that the bowing of the knee mentio­ned, Rom. 14. [...]1. be clea [...]ly said and meant of the time when Christ shall sit in judgment: I say so too, and it is true, but therefore not before; for then Heathens, Atheists, Apostates, Persecutors, Tyrants, yea, and devills, and all the damned shall be compelled by the rod of iron to confesse, and acknow­ledge and submit to his Almighty Power and God­head, when the Saints both then and before have, and shall with willing and chea [...]full submission ac­knowledgeHier. in Ruff. in [...]ect. [...]n. 42▪: him, as Ruffinus in Saint Hierome writeth upon these words, Ev [...]ry kn [...]e shall bow] [...]l qui voluntate, alii necessitate; the blessed ones will sub­mit willingly, and the very damned shall be thereunto: compelled good Christian, wilt thou not worship thy God without force?

CHAP. XVIII. More of the adoration of our Saviour: of his names Jesus, Christ, Emmanuel, Jehova, and other names of God.

IF it be demanded, why this adoration is required ra­ther under this name Jesus, then under his other names, se [...]ing Jesus is also a name given to meer creatures, as to [...]oshua, Act. 7. 45. H [...]brewes 4. 8. and others? I answer, if the adoration were intend­ed to the bare name, I think the exception were j [...]st, but because we pros [...]sse to worship onely the person Jesus, and yet not every person so named, but onely the person of our Lord Jesus Christ, in whom the Godhead for ever resideth; who can blame us for worshipping our onely Lord God, and that in time of publick worship? for if we should therefore for bear to worship lesus, because some meer creatures are so named, then by the like reason we should forbear to worship God, because some creatures are called gods, as Moses, Exo. 7. 1. and Magistrates, Psa 82. 6. and 1. Cor. 8. 5. but we worship God onely, and no creature, and to God all possible ado [...]ation is due,Basil. hom. 14. n. 14. whether by genuflection or otherwise; Sa [...]nt Basil saith, Ad cultum [...]ei, & Domini I [...]su, flect [...]reoportet genua, id est, in the worship of Iesus our Lord God it is meet we should bow our knees.

But yet if we must worship our God upon the naming of him, it would be inquired why this name Iesus is so especially insisted upon, why not at the name Ieh [...]va, or Emmanuel, or Christ and why not in the naming of the Father, or the Holy Ghost? To this I say, if none other answer could be given, it might satisfie any humble Christian, that the great Apo­stle, Philip. 2. 10. hath insisted onely in that name: yet for the Readers further satisfaction, let him consi­der, [Page 75] that no Person in the Trinity hath any p [...]op [...]r Name, but on [...]ly the second Person, and the second Pe [...]son hath no proper Name, but onely the Name Iesus. For who can tell me what is the proper Name of the Person of God the Father, or of God the Holy Ghost? For every Person is God and Lord, every one is Iehova, every one is I [...]h, and Eheih, and Adonai▪ for these names signifie but Lord, and I am and which was. Every Person is El▪ Potent; and H [...]ion▪ most High; and Schaddai, Omnip ot [...]nt; and all the P [...]rsons toge­ther are E [...]o im, that is, Pot [...]nt, Gen. 1. 1. in the plurall number. And all these names are mostly repre­sented by Interpreters in the words God and Lo [...]d; and therefore these names are not proper names of any one Person in the Trinity, but common to all the three Persons, yet there are other appellations that are se­verally peculiar to each severall Pe [...]son, as the wo [...]d Father, Sonne, or Word and Holy Ghost; in some places of Scripture, though the word Father, and Holy Ghost, or Spirit in other places, is said of all Persons (as is shewed before.) The rule of Saint Austine is, Omnia no [...]ina naturae, seu ess [...]ntiae Dei, de Aug. to. 3. n. 76. singulis Personis dici possunt, sed non nomina re [...]a [...]iva, ut Pater, Ve [...]bum, Fi [...]ius; id est, Every name which signifieth the Essence and Nature of God, may be said of every Person; but the Names which import a re­lation of one Person to another, are not so said. [...]oP. 332. c. 13. v. 2. our very Commenter could not deny, that Iesus Ch [...]ill is call [...]d I [...]hova.] For it is a Name of Essence, or Godhead.

And for the word Christ, it is not to be taken as a proper name, but as Cognomen, a sirname, (i.) a super­added name, as added to his proper name, and signi­fieth Annointed, for we cannot imagine that those Kings, and other Holy Persons, which in Scripture are called Christi, (i.) Gods ano [...]nted, were so called as by a proper Name: so here our Saviours pr [...]per Name was Jesus, his surname Christ: this Title Christ being added (as for other reasons, so for this) to distinguish him from other men, who had the same proper Name Iesus, as you reade, Coloss. 4. 11. of another, that be­ing [Page 76] named [...]esus, is also sirnamed Justus for distinction, and of Bar-I [...]sus▪ Acts 13. 6.

Now for the word Emmanuel, we are to understand, that it is not the proper Name of our Saviour, no more then the word Christ is: for where it is said, Esay 7. 14. Thou shalt call his Name Emmanuel.] The Prophers meaning was not to set forth the proper Name of the Messiah;

But to set forth the wonderfull and reall property of his Person, to be (by the hypostaticall union of two natures in one Person) Theanthropos, id [...]st, God Incarnate, for so the word Emmanuel, signifieth God with us.

Therefore Tertullian writing both against the Jews, and also against Marcion the Heretick severally, when it was objected, that our Jesus was not that Messiah, which was foretold by Esaias, because he was not na­med Emmanuel.

He answereth, Non solum sonum nominis exp [...]ctes, sed Tert. cont. Ju­daeos, & l. 3. contr. Mar. sensum,—quia qu [...]d significat Emmanuel, venit: id est▪ we were not to expect a meere sound and name onely; but the thing signified by that word Emma­nuel; for though his Name was not named Emmanuel, at his Circumcision; yet himself and his Person were really that thing which the word Emmanuel signified, God with us, though his proper Name was [...]; And therefore when our God is named so, and by his proper and peculiar Name, then surely we may with­out offence by us given, adore our God.

CHAP. XIX. That the Name Jesus is the onely proper Name of God, because the pure Godhead can have no proper Name, as the Fathers affirmed.

IF it may appear that the Name Jesus, is the proper Name of God, and so proper, that God hath no proper Name at all, but onely the Name Jesus; th [...]n I trust no Christian will either dis believe his God­head, or be offended with them that do adore this. Jesus; for the better understanding whereof, I will pre­mise two considerations.

First a distinction of Names which I borrow both from the Ancient and the Modern Grammarians. For Saint Au [...]ust [...] in his Grammer doth thus distinguish Names: Est No [...] appellativum, ut ligo, & Proprium, Aug. Gram. p. 90. ut Nero, id est, There is a Noune, or Name appella­tive, as the word Plough, and a name proper, as the word Nero. And this distinction is in our vulgar Grammer▪ which I apply thus. In the words—King David—King, is a name appel [...]ive, David is a name proper. So Caesar was at first a name proper, but afterwards it grew an appellative of those Princes which succeeded: and j [...]st so d [...]d [...] and Pharaoh, (as some think.) Just so doth [...] tell us of the words Jesus Christ. Jesus est [...] Christus est appellatio, si [...]ut vesti [...]us id est, that JesusTert. advers. Prax. n. 55. is a Name proper, but Christ is an appellative.

2. The second consideration is that the pure Godhead hath no proper name. This I will not pre­sume to dictate magisterially but submit it onely as a consideration to the judgment of the learned Reader; nor would I at all have so affirmed, if I had not first consulted with, and obtained the resolution of the An­cients.

[Page 78] Philo the Jew, from those words, Exod 3. 14 I am that I am] saith it is as much as if he had said; Natura mea est [...]sse, non dic [...], the nature of God is to be, and not to be named. And he saith furtherPhilo de mu­tat. nom. n 20. that God can have no proper name, his own words are, [...]. So Dion [...]sius Arep. saith that God is Anonymus, id est, without any name: and so saith,Dionys. Ar. de Divi. nom. c. 7. Justin Martyr: [...]mpossibile est nomen de Deo proprié dici ( [...]) id est, it is impossible to giveJust. paaenet. 1. n. 4. any proper name to God; the reason why the pure Godhead can have no proper name, is rendred by Lactan [...]ius, and that out of Trismegistus: God (saith he) is Anonymus, and therefore hath no name, be­cause,Lact. de fal. re­l [...]g. l. 1. c. 6. he that is but one, needeth no propriety of name, proper names are for distinction, when there are many such, and therefore the heathens who thought there were many gods, did call them by se­verall proper names: as Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, Venus, &c. And this is also observed by Tertullian, and theTert. de Test. anim. c. 2. Euseb. h [...]st. l. 5. c. 3. same reason was given by the famous Martyr Attalus, when he was asked in the middest of his torments what the name of his God was; answered? God is but One, and needeth no name; names are needful there onely where plurality is. You see the judgment of these Ancients is clear that God (the pure Godhead) neither hath, nor needeth, nor can have any proper name.

If it be said, that although God needeth no pro­per name to distingush him from other gods, because there is no God but one, yet a proper name may be usefull to separate him from creatures; I answer that an appellative name is sufficient for that purpose, even as the common appellative word Homo, doth separate man from other kinds of creatures, so the appellative word God (not taken [...]equivocally) may distinguish God from his creatures.

CHAP. XX. That no creature is called Jehova: the significa­tion of that word and the reverend esteem of it by the Ancients.

OF all the appellations which are attributed to the onely and most high God, Jehova is and hath been esteemed the most fit and ad [...]uate. Our Commenter doth truly confesse, that Jesus is called Iehova, but yet he doth most profanely, and falsly in­deavour to apply this appellation to a created Angell, and that against the unanimous consent both of the ancient and our modern Divines, who constantly af­firm that this word Iehova is not communicable to any creature as other appellations of God sometimes are; for the word Iehova as it doth imply the Lord, and Which is, so our Divines do ordinarily interpret it by [...], and Philo by the words [...], and so it sig­nifieth,Philo. de Abrah. n. 7. The Lord Eternall. Saint Austin tells us that (if there were any such Latine word) he would tran­slate it essence, Being, and in D [...]onysiu [...] Areop. God is called, [...]; id est, as he is both the independentAug. l. 3. locut▪ de Levit. n. 56. Dio. de div. nom. c. 5. n. 8. Being, and because all the essence, and being of crea­tures is given by him: the same word also doth imply eternity, for therefore is our Lord Jesus called, Rev. 1. 1. Which is, which was, and which is to come, because as Prosp. saith: Quia nunquam defuit, nun­quam Prosp. in Sent. n. 38. and Ju­stin. Mart. pa­rae. 1. p. 18. decrit, sem [...]er est, id est▪ he never was wanting, never will be, for he is alwaies, which cannot be af­firmed of any meer creature; and therefore the Iewes had this word in such reverend estimation, that it was accounted as a crime capicall to pronounce this word,Philo. devit. Mos. l. 3. n. 11. except onely in time of divine worship, as Philo. testi­fieth, and Iosephus also said, he thought it unlawfull to Joseph. Antiq. l. 2. n. 5. speak that word, otherwise then is said befo [...]e; and there­fore the Iewes when in their writings, or discourse, [Page 80] they desired to signifie th [...]s word, they used to call it,Philo. do vit. Mosis. l 3. n. 11. Tetragrammaton. And to me it seemes that the Chri­stian Writers had the like high and reverend esteem of this word, for Naz [...]anz [...]ne, and Hi [...]rom call it, [...] and [...]; id [...]st, unname­able, and ineffable, not onely for the difficulty of ex­pressingNaz. Orat. 36. Hier. Epist. exeg. 136. n. 29. the word, but (as it may seeme) in [...]egard of the reverence thereof; for this word Iehova is very rarely to be found in the writings of the Fathers, but when they had cause to speak of it they signified what word they meant, by calling it Te [...]ragrammaton: id est, the word of 4. Letters, just as the Jewes did: for so I find that Eusebius calls it; and so doth Origen, andEuseb. 26. k. Orig. 11. l. Hier. 29. Clem. stro. n. 14. Diodorus Sic. l. 1. sect. 94, so doth Hier [...]me. But Clemens Alex. hath [...] [...] which his interpreter renders Iehova, the name of four letters; and perhaps the Gnostick he­reticks, from this word Iehova borrowed the name of their chief heavenly Prince, whom they called [...] of which we read both in Ir [...]naeus, and in Epipha­ [...]s.

Now albeit this word I hova signifie no other thing, but onely God yet it is not therefore to be called theIren. l. 1. c. 18 Epiph. hae. 62. & hae. 34. proper name of God no [...]o [...]e then Logical definitions, or descriptions may be said to be the p [...]oper name of the thing defined, or described, though they be adae­quate; nor in Divinity do we say that the words Om­nipotent, or Eternall Lord are the proper name of God, though onely God is so called. Maximus an heathen in his Epistle to Saint Aussin confesseth, No­m [...]n Dei proprium ignoramus; id est, although theAug. Epist. 43. Godhead had a proper name, yet man is ignorant what that name is: and if we did know any proper name of the Godhead, yet as Philo. observeth, It were a sign of greater reverence to call upon him by a name Philo. de vita Mo. n. 11. lib. 3. appellative, for (saith he) when we speak to our parents, we do not use to call them by their p [...]oper names, but ap­pellatively, Father, Mother. And so we may with re­verence call upon the Godhead, using the word Jeho­va: because it is not a proper, but an appellative name.

For this word Iehova being rendred Lord: if a [Page 81] man should ask you, what is the proper name of your God, would you answer that his proper name is Lord? It is said, Isai. 9. 6. His name shall be called wonder­ful, and Luk. 1. 49. Holy is his name. If I ask you what is the proper name of your God, would you answer that his proper name is wonderful, or holy? No, these are not proper names but appellations;Just. apol. 1. n. 7. Ʋniversali rerum patri, nomen non est imposi [...]um, saith Iustin Martyr, the universall Father of all; hath no name: for though we call him God, and Father, and Creator, and Lord, &c. Non sunt nomi [...]a, sed appella­tiones; id est, these are not names, but appellations (saith he) just as the titles of our King are, His Maje­sty, his Highnesse, his Grace, our Soveraign, which no man will say are the Kings proper name: these are the reasons which moved the Ancients to say, that the pure Godhead (for so they meant by the most high God) neither hath, nor needeth any proper name. But when the Word was made flesh, that is▪ when the Godhead was incarnate, and when God was so made man, then good reason that he should with our flesh assume also a proper name, to distinguish him from other men▪ as he did, and that name is Iesus. So the result of all that hath been said is, that the onely proper name of our only and most high Lord God is Iesus; and this is the reason that both the Scripture requireth adoration of God, under the name of Iesus, and the Church also, for the perpetuall memory, and confession of his Godhead doth require adoration at such times as his proper, and only Name Iesus is men­tioned. For although we do not say that those which refuse to worship the Lord Jesus in that manner which the Church prescribeth, when this name is na­med, do commit the grand sin, yet they may be trulySi tu neglexe­ris nomen Dei, delet ipse no­men tuum. August. in Psa. 91. D. said, that they which do therefore refuse to worship the Lord Iesus, because they do not believe, nor will confesse, and acknowledge him to be the only, true, and most high God; such men do fall into that sin of which it is said, It shall never be forgiven.

CHAP. XXI. The Conclusion of this second Booke, with the Authours resolute Confession, of Jesus Christ, to be the most High, and onely Lord God.

BY this time the Christian Reader doth perceive why the denying of the Godhead of [...]esus Christ hath been said to be that grand unpardonable sin, and therefore what great cause and reason we have to be rightly instructed in, and to be frequently put in mind of this weighty Doctrine, because if Jesus be not the true, and onely, and most high God, and be not so by us confessed, and believed; we can obtain no Re­demption, but must necessarily perish everlastingly.

In this Confession therefore I set up my rest, and to him in this Faith I fasten my soul, for all my hope of salvation is included in this Doctrine, which if it should prove untrue, I might with trembling say as an Hea­then did on his death-bead,

I know no other way in which redemption and sal­vation can be expected; for Christ is the way, and the onely way, and in this bottome onely do I trust, and venture that which to me is most precious, even my soul, and the eternall state thereof.

This is that necessary Doctrine, which I have la­boured all this while to set forth, and which our God hath taught us both by himself, and by his Prophets, from the beginning of the world. In this therefore I conclude with such Christian boldness as becometh us in the very foundation of Christian Religion, in the [Page 38] words of Rich. de S [...]. Victore: Nonne cum omni con­fidencia Ri. de St. Vict de Trin. l. x. c. 2. Jer. 20. 7. Deo dicere poterimus, Domine, fi error est, à [...]ipso de [...]pri [...]umu [...], &c. id est, Lord if our Christian Faith be false, and erroneous, thou thy self hast deceived us; for those wonderfull works, which have wrought this Faith in us, could be done by none other but thy self.

With like confidence Athanasius also in a disputa­tion by him held with A [...]ius at the Nicene Councell, when he affirmed that the Father and the Sonne wereAth in disp. cum Ario. n. 27 but one God, Arius told him: Tu Sabellius es qui Pa­tr [...]m & Filium u [...]um d [...]: (i) Thou art another S [...] ­bellius [...]n confounding the Father and the Sonne. But Athanasius replied,—TumDominus Sabellius est qui it a dixit, Eg [...], & Pa [...]er unum sumus: (i) If I be a Sa­bellian▪ fo [...] saying, the Father and the Sonne are one God, then must Christ himself be a Sabellian, for him­self h [...]th so said.

The like boldnesse and resolution in this very Do­ctrineHil [...]le Trin. lib. [...]. n. 2. doth Saint Hilary expresse; Domine, quid me mis [...]rum de [...]e [...]ellisti,—Verbis tui [...] credidi—de [...]pit me Moses,—David,—Solomon,—Daniel,—Apostoli -, si c [...]imen est, nimium legi, Prop [...]e [...]is, & Apostolis credidisse, ignosce Omnipotens Deus, qu [...]a in his m [...]ri possum, Emend [...]ri non pos­sum. Id est, Lord, why hast thou deceived me thy poore creature? I believed thine own words concerning thine own self—thy servant Moses, David, Solo­mon, Dani [...]l, and thine Apostles have misled me: If it▪ be a fault to give too much credence to thy Law, thy Prophets and Apostles, I beseech thee to have me [...]xcused, if in this Faith I live and die; for I can never recant this Doctrine.

Finally, this was also the constant Profession of that learned Bishop Saint Basil, for when Valens the A [...]ian Emperour had by a messenger threatned him with se­qu [...]stration of his Church, and banishment of his per­son, if he persisted in this Doctrine, which he called a foolish doctrine.

The good Bishop answered, u [...]inam sempiter na sit Theod. hist. l. 4. c. 10. haec mea insipientia: id est, And so say I, and I pray [Page 84] God, I may never be withdrawen from that true and most wholsome Doctrine which I have here delivered, and which our new fashion rationall animalls call fol­ly, but that I may persevere in the Faith and Con­fession of the Godhead of Jesus Christ unto my lives end.

And afterwards, I doubt not but I shall so continue with the Angels and Elders, Revelation, 5. 13. saying,—Blessing, Honour, Glory and Power, be unto him that sitteth on the Throne, and to the Lambe, for ever, and ever,

CHAP. I. The Vindication of Eusebius, whom this Comment hath calumniated, and falsi­fied.

VPon those words, Heb. 13. 2. Some have P. 331. entertained Angels] the Commenter saith. [Eusebius in his first Book con­tends that one of the Angels was the Son of God, for he will not have him the most high God, &c.] You have not onely all to becommented the Epistle to the Hebrewes, and the Nicene Father, but have written a loud Com­ment on Eusebius, who never wrote or said (for ought can appear) that Jesus Christ was not the most high God. But I am sure, divers times in his most learned Books, he teacheth true Doctrine quite contrary to yours, when he saith, Filius erat ante aeterna tempora. Euseb. de De­monst. i. 4. 6. [...]. the Son of God was from eternity▪ and also particularly condemneth this very Heresie which you have so be­laboured, under the name of Heresie Artemon, Theodo­tus, [Page 2] and Paulus Simosatenus: as hath been shewed be­fore.Id hist. l. 5. c. 28. & lib. 7. c. 2. For this Eusebius was one of those renouned Bishops, who at the N [...]ene Councel, against Arius, decreed and subscribed the article Homossion: id est, that the Father, and the Son are of the same essence and Godhead, whereas some Arians at that Councel refused to subscribe and thereby insinuated (as your selfe have done) that there was a greater and a lesser God, and so fell into the old heresie of Mercion, who saidBas. ho. 27. con. sabel. Soc. l. 2. c. 5. there were two Gods: 2 [...] Saint Basil notes one of the refusers was also named Eusebius who was [...]ishop of Nicomedia at that time, and afterwards was preferred to the Bishoprick of Constantinople and their lived, and dyed an Arian, but we have no writings of this Eusebius now extant. The Eusebius whom you mean lived and dyed Bishop of Caesaria, a man of so great learning and worth, that the Emperour Constantine said he was worthy to be the Ʋniversal Bishop of the Sec. l. 1. c. 18. world: this man at first was unwilling to have the word homo [...]sion put into the Creed, because it was new, but afterwards when he perceived, that it was but the expression of that Doctrine which is really con­tained in Scripture when it is said (The Father and I are one) he accepted of it, and exhibitted his own Church-Creed to the Councel, and the Councel con­firmed it, onely adding the word Homo [...]sion and so published it: as Socrates saith, so that it seemeth theSoc. l. 1. c. 5. creed which we call the Nicene Creed was thus pen­ned, partly by Eusebius, and partly by Hosi [...]s, and yet we are sent to this Eusebius his first book, but he doth not tell us to which of his first books, (for Eusebi­us hath many first books) so I must trace him through Eusebius, that I may hit on the place he meanes: For I have observed that Eusebius hath no lesse then four times in severall places of his works set down his opinion concerning Gods visible appearing to the patriarks, and in none of those places hath he said that which this Commenter would pin uppon him. first he saith in his book, de mons [...]. l [...]b. 1. c. 5. asEuseb. de De­monst. l. 1. [...]. 5. Ruffinui reads it: Audi ut Moses cum qui amicis Dei seipsum ostenderet—modo Deum, modo Dei ange­lum [Page 3] appellet, sic declarans, non hunc fuisse ipsum patrem, sed ejus filium, qui idem et Deus ac Dominus amicorum Dei, et supremi Patris Angelus dici consueverit; id est, Hear how Moses calleth him who used to appear to the friends of God, sometimes he calls him God, and sometimes the Angel of God: and thereby Mo­ses declareth that he was not the supream Father, but his Son: which son is usually called the God and Lord, of the friends of God, and also the Angell or messenger of the most high Father.

All that Eusebius in this place affirms is, that he that appeared to Abraham and the patriarks, was God in the person of the Son, and not in the person of the Father that it was not the supream Father, but it was the supream Son, for both the Father and the Son, are but one supream God: the same supream God appeared which is both the Father and the Son, and this he proveth because, he that appeared is sometimes called the Angel of the supream Father, which may be, and is in Scripture said of the Person of the Son, but not of the Person of the Father: and yet he saith, he that appeared was: Deus & Dominus: id est, the Lord God of the Patriarks. But Eusebius doth not say as you would have him, that he was not the most high God, only he saith he was not the Father, but the Son of the Father: which no good Christan can findEuseb. de Dem. l. 5. in. prefat. fault with in such a mystery; the same Eusebius had said before, in the preface of the same book. Dei Verbum apud priora secula—in hominis habitu apparuit: id est, The Word of God in former times appeared in the habit of a man. Now, we know that onely the Son, or second Person is called the Word as Iohn 1. 1. and this the same Eusebius affirmeth again in the 19. Chapter of the said Book: id est, Idem est Do­minus, Euseb. de Dem. l. 1. c. 19. & Deus, & Christus qui—Abrahoe visus ha­bitu pacisico—Iacobo tanquam Creator—Mo­sen specie nubis, & ignis ducebat, &c. id est, It was the same Lord and God, and Christ which appeared to Abraham in a peaceable shape, and to Iacob as a wrastler, and lead Moses with a clould of fire. You see that as yet Eusebius hath said nothing to confirm [Page 4] your opinion, but let us see what he saith in his first book of his hystory, for I guesse that is the first book: Deus Abra [...]ae apparuit tanquam communis homo,—at ille adorat ut Deum, & veneratur ut Dominum—dicens Eus. hist. l. 1. c. 1. Gen. 18. 25. dominator Domine, qui judicas omnem terram,—&; quae omnia non ad [...]a [...]em, s [...]d ad fil um referenda sunt. id est, God appeared to Abraham as an ordinary man,—but Abraham adored him as God, amd worshipped him as the Lord—saying shall not the Judg of all the earth do right?—all which must be considered as spoken to the Son, and not to the Father. The result of all that Eusebius hath said, in this businesse, is, That the most high God of all the earth appeared to Abraham in the person of his Son, and not in the per­son of the Father, But yet it was the same Lord God for Godhead and substance which is in the person of the Father, and in the person of the Son: therefore he that appeared was the same God with the Father, but not the same person with the Father; therefore Saint Austin saith very truly, That the Father and the Aug. cont. Epist. Man [...] ­chae. c. 6. n. 7. Aug. de Trin. l. 7. Son are to be called unum, but not unus, id est, one God for essence, but not one for person. So he expresseth himself in another place upon these words I and the F [...]th [...]r are one] unum secundum essentiam, non seeun­dum relatum: id est, One in Godhead, but not so in personall relation, it is very remarkable that in our Saviours prayer for his Church it is desired, Iohn 17.Theod. hist. l. 2. c. 8. &. Aug. n. 47 & 174. 22. That they all may be one, as we are one] he doth not say, That they and we may be one, because God and man are not of the same essence, for unum cannot be said of two severall natures, although they be unitedAug. Epist. 174. in one person, or subsistence, sine adiectione, as Austin hath observed, as the soul and body of man united are not unum, except you understand animal, you may call them one man, one person one living creature; but not absolutely One because they differ in essence, or nature, but the Father and the Son are therefore said to be one; because they are but one God, though severall persons, just as Ensis & gladius are unum, they are the self-same thing. So the Father and the Son are one and the same God though two [Page 5] persons; Substan [...]ia [...]i [...] un [...]as, personalis pluralitas: id Rie. de St. vict. de Trin. l. 3. c, 8. est unity of Godhe [...]d plurality of persons. There­fore the Scripture speaks of them with great caution both plurally, and singly; Gen. 1. 1. God c [...]ated] the the noune is the plurall, but the verb is the singular number; and let us make man, and—in our image] this shewes a plurality, but yet the persons are never called Gods or Lords Plurally, but as he who intended to point at one particular man named Tertullius, de­scribed him by thrice repeating: Tullus Tullus Tul­lus, Jul. cap. in Mar. Ant. c. 10. and as the Consulship of Caesar, men used to say that these two Consuls were Julius and Caesar so when the Scripture would intimate the two di­stinct persons of the Father and the Son, it doth it bySugt. in Julio c. 20. repeating the same word; because there is but one Lord, and but one God, it will not say Lords, or Gods but The Lord rained from the Lord,—and The Lord Gen. 19. 24. Ps. 45. 7. Aug. Epist. 37. said unto my Lord,—and God thy God hath anoint­ted thee, because the same God who is in three distinct persons, or properties, is one in Godhead, and in that one Godhead the three persons are one; and as Austins word is, Ʋnissimi, this was the judgment of Eusebius touching the apparition, and the Godhead of the Son, and Eusebius said no more in this point then divers other Fathers said also, both before Euse­bius, and after him, as is next to be shewed.

CHAP. II. That the most high God appeared visibly to the Patriarchs in the Person of the Son, and not in the Person of the Father, as the Ancients thought.

THe Fathers in their Expositions of these places in Scripture, where it is said, No man hath seen God at any time, John 1. 18, and yet Iacob said, I have seen God face to face, Gen. 32. 30. who was therefore called Israel, (i.) Seeing God, or prevailing with God; and the place Peniel, (i.) the presence of God: these seem­ing contradictions are by them thus reconciled. Ter­tullian Tert. de Trin. n. 28. saith, Deus Pater inuisibilis, sed Deus Filius vi­sibilis, & descendere solitus: God the Father is invi­sible, but God the Son is visible and used to descend. If it be objected that the Book de Trinitate, was not Tertullians, (which is an excellent and learned book) Yet that this was Tertullions opinion, appeareth in an­otherId. cont. Marc. lib. 3. undoubted book; where he saith, Christus Abra­hamo apparuit in veritate carnis, s [...]d n [...]ndum nata: (i) Christ appeared to Abraham in the flesh, which flesh or body, was not then born of the Virgin. Clemens Alex. saith as much of the apparition of God to Iacob; Clem. in Pae­dag. l. 1. c. 7. Jacob luctatus est cum Deo Verbo, nondum homo facto: Iacob wrastled with God the Word, before he was In­carnate. Now we know, that onely the second Person is called the Word, and Christ. And this was also the o­pinion of Origen, who saith that our Lord Iesus Christ, be­fore Orig. in Eze. ho. 6. he assumed our flesh, descended to the holy Patriarks, and was with Moses: And again, he saith, That Esaias was therefore sawn asunder by the Iews, becauseId. in Esa. ho. 1 he had said, I saw the Lord sitting upon a Throne, Isay 6. 1. Iustin Martyr also saith, Deus Pater non dicitur ve­nire Just. dial. cum Try. n. 26. in locum, sed Deus Filius: the Father is not said to come into a place, but God the Son is said, and that [Page 7] God the Son was seene by the Patriarks: and this was also the Opinion of Irenaeus, and he giveth a reasonIren. l, 4. c. 37. for it, thus, God the Son was often seen by men, least men should not beleeve that there were any god at all, but God in the person of the father was never seen, least men by reason of familiaritie should con­temne God or think that there could be no God but such an one as is corporeal and visible. Thus you see, that this opinion was not new in Eusebius time; nor was by him first invented, or singly mointained for many his Contemporaries, were of the same judgment, and they also which lived and writ after the death of Eusebius, for this was the Doctrine of Athanosius, andAtha. Orat. Cont. Arion. n. 8. Hil. de Trin. l. 4. Epiph. haer. 65. Theod. hae. f. 6. l. 5. n. 17. Mat. 11. 27. 1. Hilarius who both of them lived at the same time with Eusebius, and the same was afterwards, delivered by Epipha [...]ius, and Theodoret, and the scripture seems to favour this exposition, for it is said Ioh. 6. 46. Not that any man hath seen the Father—save he which is of God, (i) none have seen the Father, but the Son of God, but it is no where said that no man hath seen the Son, for the Father, is not seen but in the Son, and God the Son was seen in his assumed manhood, and therefore when the disciples desired to see the Father, our saviour tould them, he that hath seen me hath seen the Father Ioh. 14. [...]. that is, God who is the father, can not otherwise be visible, but in the Son, & not in him but by the assuming of humane nature, by which God becomes visible, who in his pure God head is invisible, and he that seeth God the Son in the flesh▪ seeth the self same God who is the Father, although the person of the Father was not incarnate yet the same God is incarnate in Christ, for Col. 1. 15. Christ is the image of the invi­sible God, that is as Beza noteth Christ is he in whom only the Father doth manifest, and shew himself vi­sible, so he that sees God the Son, sees God the Fa­ther, for both persons are one God.

By what hath bin said it may appeare common that opinion of the primitive Christians was, that it was the person of God the Son which appeared to the Patriarks, & not the person of God the Father. Now because these ayings are hard to understand, I think it will not be [Page 8] amisse to discourse the 2 questions following first how God is said to be invisible, and how yet he hath bin, and may be seen by mortal men. Secondly (seing there is but one God) how it may be said, that the Father hath not bin seen, and yet the Son hath bin seen: In which discourse I will not promise the reader full Satisfaction, but [...] doe promise him my indeavour.

CHAP. III. How God is said to be invisible. What is meant by the face, and the after parts of God.

HOw the Invisible God hath bin seen by mortal Eyes, and in what sence he is said to be both In­visible, 1. Quest. and Visible, will be worthy of our inquisition▪ because the right understanding therof is pertinent to the doctrine of Man's redemption, by the incarnation of God, and will serve for reconciliation of some Scri­tures which at the first hearing may seeme to contradict one another, for in the old Testament it is said Ex. 33. 11. The Lord spake unto Moses race to face. But presently after in the same Chapter. ver. 20. God saith. Thou canst not see my face, for no man shall see me and live and it followes, ver. 23 thou shalt see my back­parts. Yet before this Iacob had said Gen. 32. 30. I have seen God face to face and my life is preserved, but in the new Testament, it is said No man hath seen God at any time Joh. 1. 18. And againe 1 Joh. 4. 12. And S. Paul cals God invisible Col. 1. 15. and 1 Tim. 1. 17.

For explication of these Scriptures, it is to be under­stood that when God is called Invisible it is meant of the pure Godhead, because the Essence, Nature, sub­stance or divinitie is not visible by mortal Eyes, in this sence S. Cyprian saith Deus est visu clarior tactu purior. (i) the Majestio of the Godhead dazeleth all mortalCyp. de ido­orum vanitate. [...]. 77. eyes and senses and thus, neither the Father nor the, Son, nor the Holy Ghost can be seene, becase the God­head [Page 9] of every, and all Persons is one, and alike invi­sible, for God is a spirit, and a spirit cannot be seene, and therfor S. Austin upon those words Tim. 1. 17. The invisible God saith hic ipsa tri [...]it [...]s intell [...]gi [...]ur non solus Aug. de Trin. l. 2. c. 8. Aug. Epist. 112. Aug. Epist. 111. Tert. cont. Prax. Pater, (i.) The whole trinitie is invisible, and not only the Father, and again he saith. The whol tri­nitie is of a nature invisible, and again he saith out of Ambros. and Hierome. Neither the Father nor the Son can be seen in their divine nature: For so noe Eye can see them and therfore Tertullian thus expounds it vide­batur Deus a Patriarchis secundum capacitatem hominis non pro plenitudine Majestatis (i.) Patriarks saw God, not in the plenitude of his Majestie, but according to the capacitie of man, and to this both Ahanasius andAtha. ad Antio. n. 28. Chrys. ho. 48. Antio. n. 17. Chrisostome agree. Nemo essentiam invisibilis (i.) The essence of God is to all mortalls invisible.

The divine nature, and pure Godhead is that which the Scripture somtimes calls the face of God, of which God said to Mooses, Thou canst not see my face, and live, so Theodoret, expounds those words divina natura Theod▪ Dialog. immutat. Atha. quest. ad Antioch. n. 28. Aug. de Trin. l. 2. sub aspectum non cadit (i.) the divine nature can not be seen, so doth Athanasius, 1. Anteriora dei significant di­vinitat [...]m (i.) the foreparts of God signifie the God­head, and so S. Austin, often tels us, that the face of God signifies the form of God, and the afterparts si­gnifie the form of a servant, which is the humane na­ture. But then how doth the Scripture say the Lord spake unto Moses face to face, and how could Jacob say I have seene God face to face, if the pure Godhead can not be seene? And how could Moses tell the Israelites Deut. 5. 4. The Lord talked with you face to face in the mount] and yet before he had said. Deut 4. 15. yee saw no similitude on the day that the Lord spake unto you in Horeb;] I answer, that as in one place of those Scri­ptures alleaged, the face of God signifies his divinitie or Godhead which can not be seen, so in the other place it signifieth Gods presence manifested by words, or signes, wherby God declare th himself present, as on mount Horeb by fier and thunder, and in the taber­nacle by a cloud, or by a sound and words, so Gods face, or presence may be where there is no sight of him, [Page 10] and so he spake to the people face to face, because they knew for certaine that God was there present. But Iacob saw the face of God, because he saw the face of that man, or that shape which wrastled with him, when God appeared to him in the forme of a man although Iacob could not see the pure Godhead, and this kind of appearing in an assumed shape is called by Dionysius. [...]. (i.) The appearing of God, from hence theDion. Areop. Caelest. Hier. c. 4. Eus. de Dem. l. 5. c l. &. 14. aforementioned Ensebius argued, that because Iacob saw the face of that man which appeared to him, in (which man was God) therfore he said it was the per­son of the Son, and not the Person of the Father, be­cause Eusebius was persuaded, that the Person of the Father did never shew himself in a visible shape [...]nd for this, Eusebius had very great and weighty reasons, of which more hereafter.

CHAP. IV. More concerning the first question how God hath bin, and may be seen.

FOr the further explanation of this question it would be inquired, how it is said that God is visible, and hath bin seene, and this will be understood by considering how other Spirits become visible, which in their owne Spiritual na­ture, are as invisible as the divine nature is, for be­cause a spirit hath nothing in it self, which can be an object for mortal Eyes, therfore whensoever Spirits, or Angels, good or bad, are seen of men, it must be by assuming some shape or body, and mingling them­selves with it that so they may become a fit visible ob­ject, because only such things are visible, for ever so many invisibles whether they be good or bad spirits, Angels, or devils, cannot make one visible Object, and therfore when we read in Scripture that God appeared in an Angel, it is not so to be understood as if the in­visible [Page 11] God, became visible by taking uppon him the invisible nature of an Angel, for an Angel [...]al nature is of it self as invisible as the divine nature (as is said) be­cause both are Spirits, but when God is seen in an Angel, the Angel meant, is the corpo [...]al visible shape which God assumeth, and imployeth and useth for that purpose, to be seen and to converse with man by, for the word Angel doth not alwayes signifie a spiritual nature, but any officer imployed by God as a Messenger, so S. Iohn the Bap [...]ist is called Gods Angel. Mat. 11. 10. in the Original. So that the visible crea­ture which is used as a Medium to present God visible is, and may very fitly be called the Angel of God▪

As Moses therfore put a Veile over his shining face, which otherwise the people could not behold, and as the Sun by our weak Eyes is better seen through the veil of a th [...]n mist then in its Cleer brightnes, so in this life God is visible Only as in a glosse [...]arkly 1 Cor. 13. 12. his divine nature in his glorious brightne [...] is in­visible, but the Invisible things of God are seen, by things that are made Rom. 1. 20. The divinitie can [...]ot be s [...]e except it be clothed, and allayed with some mo [...]e grosse and Material veil, and therfore at what time God shewed himself visibly to men, he took some corp [...]real Creature, and shape unto him, that so he, who by na­ture is invisible, might in that assumed habit, be seen, and this was the resolution of the Fathers▪ a Fi­lius Atha. de uni [...]. T [...]in n 30. Hil de Trin. l. 5. visus est Patribus sed in [...] Ma [...], i [...], & Fi­lius v [...]sus est Patriarchis in specie h [...]minis (i.) The Son of God was seen by the Ancient [...] but it was by assuming some Material, and visible shape▪ as [...] a Man. So S. Chrisostome saith. The Prophets which sawChrys. ho. 10. Ant [...]o. Aug. de Civiv l. 5. c. 7. id. Epist. 11 [...]. God had not otherwise the expresse s [...]ght o [...] him sed figuras viderund (i) they saw him in some assumed fi­gure and S. Austin discoursing of Gods conve [...]sing with man in Paradise saith▪ Deus locutus est cum p [...]im [...]s homi­nibus in aliqua specie corporali—and againe Deus non est vis [...] nisi assumptione creaturae (i) God talked with first parents, in some bodily shape—for God can not be seen, but by assuming some Creature, and writing upon those words Gen 3. 8. They heard the [Page 12] [...] [Page 13] [...] [Page 12] voice of the Lord God walking] he saith quomodo ambu­latio Aug. de Trin. l. 2. c. 10. Prosp. de vit Cont. l. 1. c. 5. & lib. 2. c. 18. latio dei possit intelligi sine humans specie non video (i) I doe not see how the walking of God can be under­stood, except we suppose that God assumed an humane shape. Prosper also the follower of Austin, saith Deus non potest hic videri sine assumptione Elementi—non sine forma visibilis creaturae (i.) God can not be seen, but by assuming some Elementarie, and visible forme of a Creature, and this doctrine was so generally re­ceived that Austin saith again. Deum apparuisse humanis Aug. de Trin. l. 2. c. 14. Oculis per Creaturam subjectam, quis dubitat? (i) who doubteth that God hath indeed appeared to mans sight, by assuming some Creature. The sum of all is that God hath bin seen, but not in his single, and pure divine nature, but by assuming, and involving himself in some Element, figure, body, or shape: and those apparitions of God in the old Testament, did but accidentally point at the great and principal Ap­partiion of God described in the new Testament, where it is said. Joh. 1. 14. The word was made flesh, and dwelt amongst us and we beheld his glorie and Coloss 2. 9. In him dwelleth all the fulnes of the Godhead bodily and 1 Tim. 3. 16. Great was the mysterie of Godlines, God ma­nifest in the flesh. For indeed all the apparitions of God in the old Testament, were but types, figures, proems, preludes, preambles, praefigurations, or as dumb shewes (If I may so speak) of the incarnation of the same God in the person of Jesus, all fore-shewing, that the most high & only God, would in the fulnes of time, take upon him men's nature. S. Austine saith of that appa­rition which Ioshua saw, when God appeared to him like a man of warr. Iosh. 5. 13. That it was the Son ofAug de 5 haer. c. 4. God. 1. Jesus Iesum interrogat figurae veritate (i.) Ioshua (who is also called Jesus)—Iesus the typespake to Iesus who is the truth and substance of that type, for the auncients made this Construction of all the apparitions of God in humane shapes to be but as types of the in­carnation of the same God as wil appeare more cleerly hereafter.

CHAP. V. The Incarnation of God foreshewed in types the heresie of the Anthropomorphites, the first article of the Church of England explained.

GOd began very early to promise, and intimate by words and signes the great, and profitable Mystery of his owne Incarnation, and his gra­cious work of the redemption of man: for he said be­fore he created Man. Gen. 1 26. Let us make Man in Our Image—and God created Man in his owne image] first here is Our Image, in the plural number, intima­ting the image of the trinitie to be in the soule of man Consisting in Will, Memorie, and Understanding as S. Austin expounds it, and here is also mention of his ow­neAug. comp. Ser. Arian. to. 6. c. 16. Tert. de Resur. Gen 1. 27. Tert. adv. Prax. Image. in the singular number, that is as Tertullian expounds it more then once. Deus ad imaginem suam fecit hominem.] Limus iste jam [...]unc imaginem Christi induens futuri in carne Christus Cogitabatur homo suturus (i.) that the image of God was meant of Christ, who in after ages would take the same shape of man upon him. And againe he saith, on those words In the jmage of God Created he him Sc. an Imaginem Filii, qui homo su­turus Orig. in Gen. ho. 1. (i.) that the Image of God signifies the image of the Son of God, who was to be a man, and Origen ex­pounding the same words, tels us that the image of God there signifies Imaginem Salvatoris (i.) That man was made in the same humane image that one day Our saviour would assume and albeit the image of God may have other significations, as righteousnes, holines, &c. Yet nothing hindreth this exposition to be one, and the jmage thus expounded houldeth when the o­ther is ceased or much defaced, and what els is the meaning of that saying The seed of the Woman shall Gen. 3. 15. bruise the serpents head] But that the Son of God should take flesh of the Woman, and therein prevaile against [Page 14] Satan, and why should both Abraham and Jacob, re­quireGen. 24. & 47. 29. Aug. cont. sec. Manichae. c. 23. to 6. Amb. de Abrah, l 1. c. 9. Hier. cont. Jov. l. 1. c. 5. that at the taking of an oath, the hand should be put under their thigh (a strang booke to Swear on) but S. Austin expounds it. Abraham prophetabat deum Caeli [...] im eam carnem [...]sse venturum, quae fuisset exillo fe­more propagata (i.) Abraham prophecied that the God of heaven would assume flesh propagated from Abra­hams thigh and the very same reason is rendred by S. Ambrose and S. Hie [...]ome, but most memorable is the passage with Ja [...]ob, which wee read Gen. 32. 22. There wrastled a man with Jacob] This man was God to si­gnifie that there would be a contention between the Son of God—made man, and Jacobs posteritie; Jacob seemed stronger then the man, and held him, and prevailed, to signifie that Jacobs posteritie (who are called by his name Iacob and Israel,) should so prevail with God incarnate, as to be stronger, and to hold him as the Jewes did, in bonds, and durance, and to nail him on the c [...]osse Iacob halted] that is, his posteritie would faile and falter in the faith of the God of Iacob, yet Iacob obtained a blessing] signifying that the Jews, or all true Israelites, nothwithstanding all their con­tentions, and injuries done to this incarnate God, yet by houlding him in faith should obtaine a blessing and this is the exposition of Tertullian lib de T [...]in. (If that bookTert. de Trin. be his.) And for the same reason I take it, did it please the only and most high God to appeare to Abraham in the habit of man. Gen. 16. and to converse with him, and to be entertained at meat by Abraham as a guest, and all this was acted as a prophetical scean, or shew, that Abraham might with his eyes behould a represen­tation of that great mysterie of God incarnate, which one day should be really performed, when the same God who now conversed with Abraham, but in a tem­porarie and assumed shape of man, should really become a very and perfect man, and converse with, and be en­tertained by Abrahams posteritie.

These and such like passages may further infome us in the true meaning, of those hard words which God said to Moses, when he could him, that he should see his [...] [...] but not his face. Ex. 33. 23. What the face [Page 15] or forepart of God signifies I have shewed before that it signifies his divine nature, the Eternal Godhead, but his back parts signifie his later dispensations in assuming our nature of the Virgin Mother, his birth, his conver­sation with men, his passion, death, resurrection, ascen­tion, so that the meaning is, that Moses. viz. the Mo­saical people should in after times, see God, when God should be incarnate. So Athanisius expounds it po­steriores Ath. ad Antio. quaest. 23. n. 28. dei partes, carnen intellige, quam assum, sit ex Virgine, & per quam conspectus est (i) by the back­parts of God you must vnderstand his flesh taken of the Virgin [...] Marie, in which flesh he was seen, and this also is the exposition of Origen, on Psal: 36. hom. 4. and Austin giues a reason why the incarnation is call [...]d the after parts of God. Propter posterita [...]em mortalitatis, vel Aug. de Trin. l. 2. 17. quia poster ùs [...]arnem assumpturus erat (i.) because his mortal, or humane nature was to be assumed long after Moses time, and later then his divine nature, which had bin from all Eternitie.

Neither doth this Doctrine, by asserting the incar­nation of God any way countenance the heresie of the Anthropomorphites, who ascribed corporeal linea­ments and parts to God, and because it is said Esa. 66. 1. heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool, they thought, the divine nature was a vast body, teach­ing from heaven to earth as Origen relates of them,Orig in Gen. ho. 1. and because they read of the hand, and arme, and eyes of God (simple monks as they were) they ascribed those parts literally to the divine nature which are spoken of in Scripture but figuratively, these were the Andian Enrors as wee read in Epiphanius, The odoret & Sozomen, these men thought a body to be essential to God, as if God could not be God except he had a body: but wee say, the body, or humane nature is not essential to God, no not to the person of the Son of God, but it is an accessarie assumed, and not into the essential union with the Son, but into personal union with him being now God incarnate, for he was God, and the Son of God before his incarnation, so that al­though the divine nature, in its owne essence, or pure Godhead, is incorporeal, yet the same Godhead now [Page 16] considered in the Person of Christ, cannot be said to be without a body, for as Theodoret noteth, Chri­stus Theod. dial. 3. n. 13. significat Deum incorporatum, non incorporeum: (id est,) Christ signifieth God incarnate, and not God incorporeall, because the Son of God, who is the One and onely true God, is now Emmanuel; the Godhead, and the Manhood in him are inseparably united for ever; and in this sence I conceive the first Article of Religion in the Church of England is to bep. Art. 1. understood, which saith p. God is without Body] be­cause albeit God never will be without his assumed Body; yet this Body is not of the Essence of God, for although the Son of God, never had assumed a Body, nor ever had been incarnate, yet nevertheless he had been, and shall be God, and the Sonne of God from everlasting, to everlasting. This I hope is enough concerning the first question of Gods visibility, and invisibilitie.

CHAP. VI. The Second question, why the Fathers said that2 Question. onely the Son was seen by the Patriarks, and not the Father.

IT being granted that the Father and the Son are but one onely, and the same God, allthough distinct in proprieties and Persons,) it would be inquired, why the Fathers before mentioned, said, that the Son appeared and was seen, when the Father did not appear, nor was seen; for how can one be seen, and not the other, when both are one?

Before I enter upon this question, I desire the Rea­der to take notice of two things: First, that this dis­course is intended to be onely concerning such a sight of God, as mortall men are capable of in this life, be­cause it is not revealed to us, how man shall see God in the life to come; of which it is said, Marth 5. 8 [Page 17] Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God] and yet also the impure shall see God: for every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him] Rev. 1. 7. Saint Austine expounding the words, Zach. 12. 10. They shall Aug. de Trin▪ lib. 1. c. 13 look upon me whom they pierced] saith, The wicked shall not see him in th [...] form of God, but in the form of a ser­vant because God shall sit in judgement, as he is clothed with his humane body; that so the judge may be visi­ble to all that shall be judged for even Satan con­versed with our God on earth, being in his flesh when he tempted him, Matt. 4. But the righteous when they once are in the possession of the joyes of Heaven, shall see God as he is in his Divine nature, which Divines call, facialem visionem, the beatificall vision, seeing God face to face, as it is said, 1 Cor. 13. 12. and then happily the distinct Person of the Father will be visible to eyes glorified; for then the Saints shall be equall to the Angels, Luke 20. 36. of whom we shall read, Matth. 18. 10. Their Angels do alwayes behold the face of my Father which is in Heaven.

Secondly, that I do not take upon me peremptorily to affirm, that the Person of God the Father hath ne­ver presented himself in any corporeal or visible shape, for how should I know such a Mystery? And because I find that Saint Austine saith, N [...]mis temerarium est di­cere Aug. de Trin l. 2. c. 17. & 18 patrem nunquam visum pat [...]ibus—credibile est Patrem solitum fuisse apparere mortalibus: (i.) It is too much rashnesse to affirm that the Father was never seen—Nay, it is credible that he used to appear to the Patriarchs: And Atbanasius saith, that although God was sometimes seen in the Person of the Son, when he was not seen in the Person of the Father; yet he saith also, that at another time all the three Persons Athan. lib. de Com. essentia, n. 24. were seen by Abraham. Tres Personae sedebaent apud Abra­ham; (i.) All the three Persons sate at Abrahams tent.

For what inconvenience will follow, if God shew his presence at the same time, both in severall places, and also in severall assumed shapes? for he that is at all times really present in all places, may also manifest his presence where, and when, and how he pleaseth. It [Page 18] is confessed that the Person of the Sonne assumed an humane body, and was seen, and at the same time the Person of the Holy Ghost descended in the likenesse of a Dove, Matthew, 3. 17. and then also the voyce of the Person of the Father was heard; and again, Matthew, 17. 5. which Divines say, must needs be from the Person of the Father; because the Sonne of God is not the Sonne of any other Person, but onely of the Father.

Indeed it is said of the Father, [...]ohn 5. 37. Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, no [...] any time, no [...] seen his shape;] and yet his voice was certainly heard at Christs Bap­tisme; but Saint Hilary reconcileth both places, telling us, Pater nec visus, n [...] audi [...]us est ab illis [...]udaeis quibus­cum Christus loquebatur: (i.) Those Jewes to whomHil. de Trin. lib. 9. Christ then spake, were not present, when the Fathers voice was so uttered; yet this doth not hinder▪ but that as others heard his voyce: so others might see his Person presented in some visible shape, besides, who can tell what Person it was, that said, Let there be Genesis 1 light.

If it were the Person of the Father, then why may we not say, it was the Father which walked in Paradise, and talked with Adam? Saint Austine moves the que­stion,Aug. de Trin. l 2 c. 12. Wh [...]n three men appeared to Abrabam▪ why may we no [...] [...]r they were [...]e thr [...]e P [...]sons of the Tri [...]i [...]ie; seeing neither of those that appeared, is there said, or so much as intimated to be greater, or lesse then the other? It is but a vain cavill of this Commenter, inp 332. saying, they were no [...] God, but Ang [...]ls, (created) because it is said, Heb 13. 2. some have entertained Angels?] for who knows not that in Scripture very often the Son of God is called the Angel of the holy Ghost, is said to be sent, which is all one: and this is enough to verifie▪ that A­braham might entertain God, and Angels in those Per­sons, albeit, the Father cannot be called an Angel, but yet that creature or shape which the Person of the Fa­ther did or might assume may be called his Angel, as is s [...]id before ch 4. p 119. That the onely and most high God did then appear to Abraham, I do nothing doubt; and our Commenter confesseth him to be called Jehova, [Page 19] which he also confesseth to be an appellation proper to God himself; and in that eighteenth Chapter, and the five and twentieth verse, He is called the Judge of all the Earth, and yet he will afford this Jehova, no better honour, then to be a Creature, an Angell, and Minister, and Delegate, though he doth not take upon him to shew us any such Delegation, or Commission, whereby any creature is ordained to be a Jehova, how many Jehovah's would this Commen­ter have?

But it was indeed Jehova, that is, the onely Lord God which appeared; but whether in the Person of the Father, or the Sonne, or the Spirit, or All; Saint Augustine thought it was an uncertain, and anAug. ib. occult question.

This was his judgement, which seemeth to incline to a probability of the apparition of the three Per­sons;Origen in Gen. ho. 4. Epiph. in An­cor. n. 27 1 Ful. de prae­dest. lib 2. though divers other Fathers differ from him; as Origen, and Epiphanius, who thought that the ap­parition to Abraham was of the Sonne of God, and two created Angels▪ with him: and Fulgentius saith flatly, (id est) That the Sonne appeared, and not the Father.

By what hath been said, it appeareth that in the judgement of the Ancient Church Writers, it was the true Jehovah, which appeared to Abraham; even that onely Jehovah, who is the Father and the Sonne, and the Holy Spirit in Essence: although in a Per­son distinct from the Father, and the Holy Ghost; they all agree in the apparition of the same God; but they doubt to pronounce what Person it was; neither will I: but leave this question to the judge­ment of the learned Reader, and proceed to shew some reasons why Eusebius (alledged by the Commenter) and our Fathers thought, that onely the Son appeared to the Patriarchs, and not the Father.

Because the Orthodoxe, or Catholicke Church did constantly believe, and confesse, that onely the Sonne of God, or second Person, did take upon him our na­ture, and became the Sonne of Man, and that one­ly he was God Incarnate, he onely was born of [Page 20] the Virgine, and conver [...]ed with the posterity of A­braham, Isaac, and Iacob on earth, and onely that Person suffered on the Crosse, and died for us; and that neither the Per [...]on of the Father, nor the Per­son of the Holy Ghost, can be aid, or truely believed to have taken our nature on them, and to be bo [...]n of the Virgine, nor to be the seed of the woman, o [...] the seed of Abraham, or the Sonne of David, nor to have suffered for Mans redemption: And because all the apparitions of God in the shape of Man, mentio­ned in the Old Testament, were but Types and pre­figurations of the reall Inca [...]nation of the Sonne of God to be exhibited upon promise, in the fulnesse of time.

Therefore Eusebius, and other Fathers thought, and said, that it was God in the Person of the Sonne one­ly which appeared Typically, for that onely the Person of the Sonne was really to be Incarnate▪ and that neither the Person of the Father, nor the Per­son of the Holy Ghost, did appear to the Patriarches in humane shapes, because neither of the [...]e Per [...]ons were to take our Nature on them, for the work of re­demption.

And that this is a faire probable reason may ap­peare, in that the Orthodoxe Church condemned the Heresie of those that were called Pa [...]rispassiani, which is called by Saint Cyril [...]: id est, The con­founding Cyr. Hier. car. 4 of the Persons of the Father and the Sonne: which Heresie is recorded not onely by this Euse­bius, Eus hist. l 7. c. 4. 5 and by him called the Heresie of Sabellius, but also before him, and before Sab [...]llius, by Tertullian, and called the Heresie of Praxeas; and after Eusebius, Tert. de haer & contr. Prax. Soc. l. 2. c. 15 by Saint Basil. Nazian. Epiphanius, and Augustine. The Heresie is described by Socrates, The Sabellians are condemned, for saying that the Trinitie is only three Names, and but One Person, for so they affirme that the Father suffered.

Now, I desire the Commenter, to tell us why Eu­sebius might not say, that it was (at least sometimes) the Person of the Sonne which appeared to the Pa­triarches, and not the Person of the Father, as well [Page 21] as all true Christian Churches doe to this day affirm and believe, that the Person of the Sonne was [...]ncar­nate, and suffered, and not the Person of the Father; For though the Church doth acknowledge that the Father and the Sonne are the same God; because we doe not divide the Substance, yet we say, that the Father, and the Sonne are not the same Person, because we will not confound the Persons.

The poyson which this Commenter would in­fuse to weaker soules, by saying, that Eusebius would not have the Angell which appeared to Abra­ham to be the supreame God, (which Eusebius never said) is to make men believe, that there is a great and lesser God, or else that Jesus Christ, is not the One, Onely, and very God; the affirming whereof, is that blasphe­my, which himself saith, shall not be forgiven unto men.

CHAP. VII. Of the Incarnation of God the Son, and the reason and purpose why he was Incarnate.

THe Mysterie of the Incarnation of God is fre­quently in Scripture set forth unto us, when the Saviour promised, is said to be the seed of the woman, the seed of Abraham, Emmanuel, the Son of David, the Word made flesh, taking the form of a ser­vant, and most evidently of all Heb. 2. 14 taking part of the same flesh and blood with us men. And yet this commenter tels us [that Christ can not be said to be Incar­nate, 31. c. 2. v. 14. though both of them are confessed to partake of flesh and blood] a bould assertion, but false, and dull, un­theological, unphilosophical; for here are two Propo­sitions, both false, and one of them blasphemous also.

CHAP. VIII. More reasons, why the Son of God was Incarnate, how, and when he became our suetrie, the Ae­ternal covenant explained; distinction of Per­sons in the Godhead.

THe Supream, and Eternal [...]od▪ in the person of the son did for mans redemption, [...]k [...] man's na­ture upon him, not because God had no other way by which he could have saved us, but because he would not save us any other way; for wee know that the same God who saveth man by taking man's nature, did, and still doth preserve the blessed angels in their estate of glorie, and from falling, by his power, and gracious goodnes, although he did not take upon him the na [...]ure of Angels, but he took on him the seed of Abraham. Heb. 2. 16. The Church never taught tha [...] God could not have saved man without the Incarnation of his Son, but the contrarie. Athanasius saith a Poterat Deus [...]sine ad­ventu Atha. cont. Aria. ser. 3. n. 7. Christi peccatum solv [...]re verbulo suo, (i.) God could have remitted our sins with the least word, though Christ had not come in the flesh; for if an earthly King can save his subject; who hath by the law forfeited his life, could not the Omnipotent King have saved mank­ind by his power? for who can resist his will? But then, why did God give his Son to take our nature on him? To this it may be answered, that albeit the Son of of God was Originally a meer gift, and from the free grace of God to mankind, yet accessarily, it became a debt, and due to man, so that God was bound in Ju­stice ro give his Son, because God had by his promise and Covenant ingaged and bound himself so to doe, for although his meer mercy, and goodnes moved him to make such a promise, yet when he had once promised, his justice and truth required the performance [Page 28] of that promise Deus dignatur promissionibus suis debitor Aug Confes. l. 5. c. 9 fieri (i.) God vouchsafed to make himself a debtor to, or by his owne promises, and having so made himself a debtor to man, how could he without violating his word and promise, forbeare the performance.

But where doth this promise appeare, and how shall wee know that the Son of God became an undertaker, and suert [...] for us men? and when was this Covenant made for the mysterie of man's redemption doth depend upon the Covena [...]t, and by it the Son of God did en­gage and bind himself, out of his free and meer grace to become a suertie for man, therfore before I proceede any further, this Covenant must be inquired after, as the cheife evidence of Christs ingagment.

It was an old question moved either by some scoffers or curious persons, what God did before he made hea­ven, and earth; unto which some made answer with a jocular reproof G [...]hennas parabat alta Scrut [...]ntibus, (i.) he made hel for such seekers: but S. Austin liked notAug. Conf. l. 11. c. 12. this answer, but said libentius respondeo, nescio, quod nescio. (i.) I would rather, answere, that I know not. So in that book of Cic [...]ro, which was called Hortensius, but is now lost, this objection was made against the unitie of God. Si Deus unus est, quae [...]sse beata Solitud [...] Lact de fal. rel. l. 1. c. 7. qu [...]at? How can that one God be aeternally blessed and happie, If he be alone and Solitarie? Solitarines is ra­ther an argument of sadnes, then of joy; to this, Lact­anius answereth tanquam no [...] qui unum [...]sse dicimus, de­sertum Id. ibid. 1 Cor. 8. 4. & solita [...]ium esse dicamus? (i.) although wee say that God is one (for so the Scriptures tell us 1 Cor. 8. 4. there is none other God but One) yet wee doe not say that this God is so forlorne, and solitarie as to have no societie, for he h [...]th Ministers whom wee call his angels, thus he, but this answer doth not fully satisfie, for shall wee say God was alone and Solitarie before angels or any other Creatures were made? The full answer therfore must be this, that before any creation, and at the crea­tion and after it; God was, and still is but one, one I say in essence, and Godhead, but yet not only one, and alone in person. Pater & filius duo sunt personâ, unum Atha. Orat. Cont. Aria. n. 8. di [...]ate. (i.) the Father and the Son are two in persons, [Page 29] though but one in Godhead, for when the Son of God saith, The Father and jare one Joh. 10. 30. Athanasius Atha. Dis. cont Arian. 27. observeth that he doth not say. Ʋnum sumus, but unum sumus, (i.) it is not said wee am one, singularly, but plurally, wee are one, one for essence, but more for persons, and in another place the Substantive word Elohim signifying God, is plural; and the verbe is sin­gular Gen. 1. 1. as is before noted; both wayes to signifie an unitie in Godhead but a pluralitie of persons; and the Son of God saith expresly. Joh. 8. 16. I am not alone, but I and the Father, and he calleth himself and the Fa­ther, two witnesses. Surelie, If the Son be said not to be alone, and to be another, neither can the Father be said to be alone, although both are but One God, yet they are distinct persons, for did not God manifest himself in three distinct persons, Severally, at one time. Math. 3. 16. The Father in a voice, the Son in the flesh, and the Spirit like a dove? Nay did not the Spirit at one time manifest its self in many seueral cloven fierie tongues. Act. 2. 3. And yet there is but One Spirit. S. Hilarie, to this point very acutely saith. Deus est non solus, sed tamen Hil. de Trin. lib. 7. unus, Deus est unus, tamen non solus, essentia unus, pro personis non solus. (i) God is but one and yet God is not alone, for he is indeed one in essence, but he is not alone because in God there are more persons then one. Now although wee detest the blasphemie of. Marcion, Tert. Cont. Marc. l. 5. Aug. de Morib. Eccles. l. 1. c. 10. Basil. Epist. 8. Naz. Orat. 37. pag. 7. c. 1. v. 6. and the Manichees who said there were two Gods, and also the Calumnie of the Arians and the Macedonians, Who called the Orthodox▪ Church Tritheitas, (i) Men that worshipped three Gods because they confessed three Persons in One God; yet wee reject the heresie of the Sabellians, who acknowledg but one Person in God (as is shewed before) just as our commenter doth call the Godhead, the Person of God, as if ther were but one Person in God But because there is in him a pluralitie of Persons, therfore wee say that God neither is, nor ever was alone or solitarie, for the three Persons, for ever had Communion, Communication, Societie, and fel­lowship one with the Other, although they all are but one God, as of one in the comedie it is said. Socia Ego Plaut. Amph. 2. 1. & Cap. 2. 1. & stich. 5. 4. ille —Sc [...]o me te esse, & te esse me——Ego [Page 30] sum tu tu es ego. And in S. Ambrose a young man saithAmb de Paenit. l. 2 c. 10. of him self. Sed ego non sum. (i) One speaketh of him­self as if he were another, and speaketh of another, as if he were himself. So Moses bringeth in the self same one, and only God 'speaking to the same God, because God is distinct in Persons, but the Persons are but one in Godhead—let there be light—l [...]t us make m [...]n—the Lord rained from the Lord, by which it ap­peareth that there was a Communication betweene the Father and the Son before the World was, for the Son is called the Counseller. Esa. 9. 6▪ and the wisedome of the Father—But who should God consult with, but only with God, and who was his wise Counseller but himself. Nemo tibi suadere potest Sapientius te ipso,—Tul. Epist. l. 2. 17. Id lib. 10. Ep. 194 Ipse tibi sis Senatus. (i) It may more truly be said of God. None are Gods Counsellers but himself, he is his owne Senate, God the Father and God the Son Com­municate in Counsil, as the Father made all things by the Son, So they communicated not only in the crea­tion, but also in the divine Counsil of the great worke of redemption, although the manner of this communi­cation is to us secret and in effable.

Now to the Question. What one thing doe wee find, that was Consulted on, or agreed, and purposed between the Father and the Son, before the World? I answer that the Eternal Covenant, was made betweene the Father and the Son, to mans behoofe, before the World, and in this everlasting Covenant of grace, was the whole Mystical body of Christ included, and by vertue of that Covenant, and in Christ, they were Predestinated, decreed, purposed, and Elected to life, and by that Co­venant so transacted seccretly, the Son of God under­tooke for man, and became a suertie for him to perfor­me whatsoever was required, and by this first Cove­nant, the Church was committed to the Son, he thus became her great Shepheard, for wee read. Joh. 10. 29. The sheep were given to him by the Father; This Cove­nant is that great and hidden Mysterie which so nearly concerneth both Jewes and Gentiles, of which it is said. Rom. 16. 25. To be kept secret sine the world began, and againe Eph. 3. 4. 5. 9. the Mysterie of Christ which [Page 31] n other ages was not made knowen unto the Sons of men as it is now—That the gentiles should be fellow heyres—but it had bin bid in God, but now is might be made knowen—According to the Eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus. And hence it is that Christ is called the Great Shepheard through the blood of the everlasting, (or Eternall) Covenant. Heb. 13. 20. By this Eternal Covenant, or Eternal purpose, and undertaking, God the Son became the Suertie, the Mediator, and Advocate for the Sons of men and by reason of this undertaking it is said, that for the blessed, the Kingdome was prepared from the foundation of the World. Mat. 25. 35. And it is further said that the pre­cious blood of Christ was fore—ordained, before the foundation of the World. 1 Pet. 1. 19. 20.] But I ask how could the blood of Christ with righteousnes and equitie, be so ordained. If Christ had not freely, and voluntarile thus ingaged himself, who could compel him therunto, or did not he who is the wisdome of the Father fore see the bloody Passions which such an un­dertaker must undergoe? or what claime could the Sons of men have, to chaleng any interest in his actions, or Passions, but only by this covenant and ingagement? and how could it be said Eph. 1. 4. God hath Chosen us in him before the foundation of the World? And how can in be said 2 Tim. 1. 9. God—hath saved us, and called us—according to his purpose, and grace which was given us in Christ Iesus before the world began.] Un­les man be considered, and looked upon in Christ, through this Covenant, because therby the Son of God did ingage and oblige himself to the Father in man's behalf to performe the whole will of God, which should be required of man; for therfore is the Son called the Angel, or messenger of the covenant. Mal. 3. 1. Because he was the Mediator, sent, inte­rested, and imploied both in the undertaking, and in the performance of that secret Covenant, of whom it is also written. Psal. 40. 7. In the volume of thy booke it is written of me that I should performe thy will, or that I delight to doe thy will. Thus because Christ had undertaken for us, and therfore was by his pro­mise [Page 32] to performe the will of God for us, hence it is that all our salvation is in, and by and through him, and all the promises of God to man are in him, and for this reason it is said. Tit. 1. 2. That God promised Eternal life before the world began.] But to whom could it be promised before any Creature was made, except only to the Son of God? and why to him, but because he only had ingaged himself in this Eternall Cove­nant; and becau [...]e our transgressions were fore seen, that they would deserve death, and that our suertie in the payment of our debt must needs suffer death, therfore this our suertie is called. Rev. 13. 8. The Lambe slaine from the foundation of the world. see Iohn. 17. 5.

CHAP. IX. The Covenant between God and Man, the Le­gall and Evangelicall Covenant are but one; the reasons why Christ was Circumcised, and Baptized.

BY what hath bin said, it appeareth that the Son of God was indeed secretly ingaged to the Fa­ther for mankind before the world was made, and so secretly, that it is said, Col. 1. 26. That it had bin h [...]d from ages and genera [...]ions: But how shall it appear that this Sonne of God ingaged himself to Man? Where shall we find his word and promise to be an undertaker and surety for us, so that we may faithfully and boldly lay hold on, and chalenge his promise?

I answer, that after the Creation, God the Son en­tered into the same Covenant wirh Man, that he had ingaged himself in, to the Father before the Creation, and by this, renuing the same Covenant, he bound Mankind to himself, as himself had bin bound before to the Father, and that divers and sundry times. For first, the words of the Covenant between God and the Son, and Mankind before the fall were these:

Gen. 2. 17. Of the Tree of Knowledge of good and evill, thou shalt not eat of it, for in the day thou eatest, thou shall surely die.] In this Covenant on Gods part life is promised implicitely, and on mans part, obedi­ence is reftipulated or covenanted, for to this condi­tion, Man had submitted, and given consent as ap­peareth Gen. 3. 3. So that this was a perfect Covenant on both sides, the Tree of Knowledge standing as a vi­sible figne for mans obedience; and the Tree of Life, as a Sacramentall sign of Gods promise.

But after the fall of Man, the same God did again more evidently, and particularly ingage himself when he said of the seed of the woman, Gen. 3. 15. It shall [Page 32] [...] [Page 33] [...] [Page 34] bruise the Serpents head.]. In this promise the Incarna­tion of God in the seed of the woman was meant, and that therein he should take upon him the curse, and death formetly denounced; by offering himself a sa­crifice for sin, the outward signs of this Covenant were the sacrifices, wherewith the Patriarks did signifie and nourish their faith in that promise.

3. After this the same Covenant was again renued to Abraham more particularly, Gen. 12. 3. In thee shall all Families of the earth be blessed, &c.] and then came in the Sacrament of Circumcision.

4 After this again, the same Covenant was more largely given to, and published by Moses, in the Law Morall containing Mans duty, and in the Law Cere­moniall, declaring Gods promise of Redemption, by the Figures, Types, signs and shadowes of Tabernacle, Priest, and sacrifices.

5 After this again, the same Covenant was more clearly delivered in the Gospel, by the same Lord God, and most graciously explained, and the vail taken off from it; for then it was shewed, who was that seed of the woman, and that seed of Abraham, and that sacri­fice; & Lamb of God, which should take away the sins of the world, and how man should be enabled to perform the Covenant and Law of his God, namely, in that Christ his surety should perform all in mans behalf, with this condition onely required of man, to believe in this Jesus his God and Saviour; for so the Evan­gelicall Covenant declareth, John 3. 16. God so loved the world, that he gave his onely begotten Son, that who­soever believed in him, should not perish, but have ever­lasting life.] And again, Mark 16. 16. He that believeth and is baptized, shall be sav'd, but he that believeth not, shall be damned.] This is the one, and onely, and everlasting Covenant of Grace; there are not two Covenants, but onely this one both before, and since the world began.

Now if any man ask why there is mention of a new Covenant?

I answer, it is called a new Covenant; because the old Covenant is renued; just as we say there is a new [Page 35] Moon, when it is but the old Moon newly enlight­ned, which is but Nova lunatio, (i.) a new illumina­tion:Tert. cont. Marc. l. 5. Id. cont. Marc. l. 4. So the same Father said of Christ, O Christum, & in novis veterem, (i.) Christ in the New Testament is the same with Messiah in the Old Testament. We may as well say, that the Sun-rising is a new Sunne, which being but one, and rising dayly, and diverslyCatul. car. 5. Virg. An. 1. is called Soles, as if there were many Suns: Soles oc­cidere & redire possunt.

For, the same Covenant which before was clouded with obscurity, and with Types in the time of the Law, shineth brightly in the time of the Gospel. But why then do Divines call this Law-Covenant, the Co­venant of works, whereas the Gosple-Covenant is cal­led the Covenant of Grace?

I answer, that this one Covenant is both, for if the Law of God be not actually and perfectly done and performed by man, viz either by us our selves, or by Christ, or surety for us, we can have no benefit by the Covenant: so in respect of Christ, it is a Co­venant of works, but to us, it is a Covenant of Grace.

But it may be said, that the Evangelicall Covenant is called a better Covenant, Heb. 8. 6.

I answer, the same Covenant is called better, because it is bettered, and better explained, and setforth with better evidence of graciousnesse in the Gospel, then before, when in the time of the Law it was clouded, and clogged with shadows, types, figures, and trou­blesome Ceremonies, but now it shineth clearly, and is also quitted of that heavy yoak, then it outwardly appeared; but as [...], (i.) a pact or mutuall Co­venant, but in the Gospel it appears to be [...], (i.) a Testament; and albeit the Law is also called a Testament, yet it is but as the Will or Testament of a man, which is indeed written and sealed, and testified, but not in force, because the Testater was not actually dead.

[Page 36]But in the Gospel this Old Testament (being the same in substance) is newly become to be in full force and vertue, because Iesus Christ the Testator died, Heb. 9. 17. so it became in force; for Christ who was but promised in the time of the Law, and died there but in types, was really exhibited, and really died in the Gospel; and although the Evangelicall Testament is set forth with a condition annexed, viz of believing; yet this condition is also in this New Testament be­queathed; for Eph. 2. 8, Faith is the gift of God, and yet Faith is that Law of which it is said, Jer. 31. 33. I will put my Law in their inward pares, and write it in their hearts; and the same is repeated, Heb. 8. 10. So the new Testament requireth the condition of believing, and the Testator in his Will, hath given to man what he requireth of man. The brief of all is, that the same God who in Paradise ingaged himself, that the seed of the woman, should bruise the Serpents head, hath him­self taken upon him the seed of the woman, and in that seed became our Jesus.

If after all this, the Christian shall yet desire further evidence, to inform him more, and assure and confirm him in Christs ingagement and suretyship for us men; as if his Word, Promise and Covenant, weee not suffi­cient to give rest and contentment, to our wavering and timerous hearts: see how our most compassionate and merciful Redeemer hath yet further condescended, not onely to enter a covenant in our behalf, but also to seal the said Covenant, and thereby openly declare himself to be a debtor with us, both for the princi­pall; that is, the fulfilling of the Law, and also for the penalty.

1 Upon our default and transgression, and this he did by the first seal of his Circumcision, whereby he bound himself as a debtor to perform the whole Law; and this in behalf of all the circumcised seed of Abra­ham: and this Mystery is clearly set forth by the great Apostle, Gal. 5. 3. For I testifie again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtour to doe the whole Law.]

Secondly, as by the seal of Circumcision, Christ un­derwent [Page 37] the burthen of all the legall precepts: So by the other Seal of his Baptisme, he undertook the per­formance of all the strict Evangelicall Precepts, in the behalf of all the Baptized Christians; for so himself declared, though something covertly: for when Iohn Baptist refused to baptize him, Christ bade him, Mat­thew 3. 15. adding this reason—For thus it be­cometh us to fulfill all righteousnesse.] Upon which words Saint Hierome observes that he did not say,Hier. in loc. Justitiam Legis, (id est,) the righteousnesse of the Law onely, but all, that so we may understand that Christ undertook to fulfill both Legall and Evange­licall righteousnesse, even in those strict Precepts of Love your enemies, blesse them that curse you, pray for them that persecute you, Deny your selves, &c. These were the reasons for which our Saviour submitted to the Sacramentall seals of Circumcision, and Baptisme, thereby to be a surety bound and ingaged for us: And so the ancient Expositours understood it, Cir­cumcisus Anselm. in Gal. 5. 3. est debitor faciendae universae Legis, sicut qui Baptismum percipit, & debitor faciendi praecepti Evan­gelici; (id est,) As the Circumcised is a debtour to doe the whole Law; so the baptized is a debtour to perform the Precepts of the Gospell: and this also was the judgement of Saint Basil, Sicut Circumcisus Basil. de Bapt. l. 2. n. 18. est debitor Legis servandae, sic Baptizatus, totius Evan­gelii, &c. And although the Pelagians denied the ne­cessity of Baptisme, for taking away Originall sinne; yet Coelestius could confesse that Children were re­deemed by the Baptisme of Christ; and this was onely because by his Baptisme he undertook for us to per­form the Evangelicall Covenant.

Finally, all that Christ did undertake to doe for us men, that hath he punctually performed, partly by his Obedience active in fulfilling all righteousnesse, and partly by passive Obedience, when he suffered the penalty of our transgressions, pouring out his soul, and his most precious Blood upon the Crosse, there pay­ing the utmost farthing of our debt, when our selves were not able to pay one for a thousand.

[Page 38]This Doctrine understood rightly, will reconcile those two sayings of Saint Hierome, Maledictus qui dicit Deum, impossibilia praecipisse. 2 Maledictus qui dixerit legem esse possibilem, id est, Cursed is he that saith, God commanded things impossible, and cursed is he that saith the Law of God is possible. The meaning is, That Law which is impossible to be performed by us, or any mere man, was performed for us by the Son of Man. For our sins were laid upon him, and his righteousnesse is imputed to us, whichMel. Dav. in vita, Luth. p. 164. Luther expresseth in these pithie words: Domine Iesu—tu [...]e Iustitia mea, Ego sum peccatum tuum, (i.) man gave his sins to Christ, and Christ gave his righ­teousnesse to Man.

CHAP. X. That Man could not be redeemed, nor saved, but by the Incarnation of the Sonne of God, how the curse was executed on Man, and how the Law is fulfilled by Man.

BUt could not our Lord Jesus having thusas a Sure­ty and Mediatour undertaken for us, and for our salvation: I say, could he not have effected our im­munitie from punishment, and our blessednesse by intreating as an Advocate for us, and by that great power and favour which he hath with the Father, ob­tain both remission and pardon of our sins and salva­tion freely, without those bloody and grievous passi­ons, which he suffered on the Crosse; and this onely by speaking, intreating, and pleading for us in Heaven, and there shewing and offering himself for us] As thisP. 84. c. 5. v. 7. & page 160. c. 9. v. 7. Commenter would have us believe? and if he could, what need was there that God the Sonne should undergoe such bitter and cruell torments, and death also?

[Page 39]To this I answer, (that as things then stood) God could not otherwise save us, but by the Incarnation, yea, and the death of his Son, because (as is before shewed) God hath limited, and bound, and confined himself by his own word, his Law, his Decree, and Covenant; for by his sentence and determinate judge­ment he had denounced death, and a curse to our first Parents, and in them to all their Posteritie. Gen. 2. 17. In the day thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die: and Ezech. 18. 4. The soul that sinneth, it shall die: and Rom. 6. 23. The wages of sin is death: and Deut. 27. 26. cursed be he that confirmeth not all the words of this Law to do them, and Matt. 5. 19. Whosoever shall break one of the least of these Commandments▪—shall be called the least in the kingdom of God: and James 2. 10. Whoso­ever shall keep the whole Law, and yet offend in one point, he is guiltie of all. We see, that here is a curse, and death denounced to all transgressors of the Law, and this curse and death must needs fall upon Mankind, because God is true and just, and righteous.

But suppose the transgressours of the Law could es­cape the curse and death denounced, yet how should they obtain life eternall, seeing that is not obtained, but by the perfect and exact performance of the Law of God, which no mere man of all the sonnes of Adam hath, or can perform: For the Condition or Cove­nant for life is, Levit. 18. 5. Keep my Statutes—which if a man do, he shall live in them: so Ezech. 20. 11. Rom. 10. 5. Gal. 3. 12. and this is confirmed by Christ. Matth 19 17. If thou will enter into life keep the Com­mandments.

These considerations being premised, let us now move the question, cannot God assoil men, and give them eternall life, at the request onely of Jesus Christ; although Jesus had never suffered the pain and death of the Crosse?

I answer, That God cannot absolve man from sinne without satisfaction to his Justice, his Truth, and Righ­teousness. I may say, God cannot do this as well as the Scripture saith, Tit. 1. 2. God cannot lie. And 1 Sam. 15. 19. The strength of Israel will not lie: for as Saint Austin [Page 40] hath truly said. Diabolus non fuit superandus potentia Dei, Aug. de Trin. l. 13. c. 13. sed justitia. i. (as things then stood) The devil was not to be conquered by the power onely, but by the Justice of God. And therefore before man can be redeemed, and absolved, the curse and death denounced must fall upon man for transgressing the Law [...] of his God, and before man can enter into [...] Comman­dements of God must be perfectly [...] by man. Now if we can shew, that the just sentence of God in the curse, and death hath bin fully executed on man, and that the Justice of God hath had its full course; and if we can shew that the whole Law of God hath bin most exactly performed by man, and all this by no other man, but onely by the great Son of M [...] Iesus Christ being God Incarnate; and for this reason incar­nate, that he might as an undertaker and suretie for mankind, both take upon him the curse, and suffer death by obedience passive, and also perform ever [...] title of the Law by active obedience; and this for us, and in our stead, and that our transgressions were imputed to him and his righteousness in performing the Law is imputed to us, and that by vertue of the Covenant most justly, and that mans redemption and salvation, could not otherwise stand with the truth and righteous judgement of God. For as Athanasius saith, Verbum Atha. Ser. 3. cont. Arian. 6. nunquam destinatum fuisset fieri homo, nisi hominum neces­sitas requisisset. (i.) the Son of God had never been or­dained to be made Man, if mans necessity had not so required.

All this being undeniable, I trust the Christian Reader, doth apprehend the reason, why our true and onely God, must needs have been incarnate, for the working out of mans redemption, Justification, and salvation.

CHAP. XI. That Christ was a person able, and fitt to performe the law, and to suffer for manking, and that he did stand in the place and stead of all men.

VVEe have seen what Christ hath vndertaken for us; But it must next be inquired whether Christ were a person able, and fitly qualified to performe what he undertook, viz. to take away the sins of the world; and indeed Iesus Christ, the Son of God, perfect God & perfect man was a person able and every wayfitly qualified, for performance of the truth of God both in suffering the punishment, and in performing the whole law of God, in the behalf of man; for as man is a Mi [...]rocosme, or an abridgment of the great world, as Austin saith, Omnis creatura in homine est. (i) in manAug. l. 83. quaest. n. 87. Every creature is comprised. So Christ is the Epitome of mankind, and to be esteemed an Ʋniversal man, in as much as [...]rist the head, and all his mystical mem­bers, ar [...] one mystical body as hath bin shewed before. Christus universus, est caput cum membris. (i) the wholeIdem. ibidem. quaest. 69. Christ is himself the head, and his Church the mem­bers, for if the first Adam be esteemed as all mankind, why should not the second Adam be so much rather ac­counted. S. Austin saith of the first man Omnis homo Aug. Retract. l. 1. c. 15. Abm. de Obitu Satyri. n. 29. Pros. resp. ad Cap. Gall. c. 9. [...]errenus, est Adam. (i) All men earthlie are one Adam [...]nd of Christ S. Ambrose saith as much. in Christo, Summa universitatis est, & portio singulorum. (i) Christ is the [...]otal sum of all men, and a portion of everie man, and Prosper gives this true and excellent reason of it. Nullus est hominum, Cujus natura non erat suscepta in Christo. (i) There is no man in the world, whose nature Christ took not upon him, and therfore the Scripture calleth Christ the last Adam, as well as the first man is called the first Adam. 1 Cor. 15. 45. And yet more expreslie it [Page 42] saith. Gal. 3. 28. Yee are all One in Christ Iesus. And so againe. 1 Cor. 12. 12. And indeed wee are rather nearer of kindred, and by a better tie to the Second then wee are to the first Adam; not because Christ and wee, are the Sons of men, which cannot be said of Adam, who was Terrae-Filius, the Son of the earth, and not the Son of man; but Omnes nati ad primum, renati ad se­cundum Pros. sent 299. pertinent. Wee derive ourworse carnal Gene­ration from Adam, but our better, and spiritual regene­ration is derived from Christ; and as there are no Sons of Men, but such as are so from Adam, so ther are no Sons of God, but those that are so from Christ.

Now if it be demanded, how Christ and wee can be accounted one, and what it is which came from Christ, and is in man, that so he may be said to be in us, and so, that what he did, or suffered, should be really, ac­counted as done or suffered by us, for although wee know why Adam's sin is imputed to us, viz. because wee are of the same Lump, propagated carnallie from him but yet why Christs righteousnes, o [...] his sufferings should be imputed to us seeing wee are not propagated from Christ, nor ever were in his loines, as wee were in Adams is now the question; To which this is the arswer, that as Christ received▪ his flesh and blood from man, so man hath received the divine Spirit from Christ, and as the natural bodie of Christ is made of the same lump of Adam, that our's is; so man hath in him the self same spirit that is in Christ, though he be in heaven, and wee on earth, by which spirit wee are called the Sons of God, just as Christ by taking our flesh is called the Son of Man. Nos homines vocamur filii dei, quia filius dei Atha. in decret. Nic. Conc n. 13. nostrum gestavit corpus, & quia Spiritus filii in nobis est. (i) Men are called the Son of God, because the Sons of God took his bodie of man, and put his owne Spirit into man, and therfore Christ doth fitly sustaine an Universal person of mankind.

That the Spirit of Christ is given, and put into man, the Scriptures doe manifestlie declare▪ First it appea­reth evidently in the regenerate? Man of sueh S. Paul speaketh. when he prayeth. Ephe. 3. 17. That Christ may dwell in their harts: And how Christ may be sayd to [Page 43] dwell in Man, Saint John sheweth, 1 John 4. 13. Hereby we know that we dwell [...]in him, and [...]e in us, be­cause he hath given us of his Spirit; and hence it is that Saint Chrysostome saith, Anima sancta est Tabernaculum Chrys ho 2. Antioch. Christi: (id est,) The soul of an holy Man is Christs Tabernacle: For indeed, though Christ had not at all assumed flesh from Man; yet because the same Spi­rit which is in Christ, is also so put into, and commu­nicated to man, it is sufficient to make Christ the head of the Saints, his Members to be but one mysticall Body with him. And this is intimated by Saint Paul, when he saith, Ephesians 4. 4. There is one body, and one Spiri [...]:] which is as much as if he should say, though the Saints on earth are many, yet because all are endued with one and the same Spirit of Christ; therefore all are but one body with Christ, even as in man, there are many parts and members, yet be­cause all parts have the same soul in them, therefore all together are but one body.

Hence it is, that Origen saith, Omnes salvandi sunt Orig. in Eze. ho. 9. unum Corpus: (id est,) All those which shall be sa­ved, are but one body: and Saint [...]asill giveth this reason, of their vnitie.) Quia unus est Deus, si in sin­gulis Bas. Epist. 141. sit, omnes coadunat: (id est,) Because, there is but one God, if this one God be in all, he doth there­byTert. de Trin. n. 28 & Chri­stus est ecclesia. De Paenit. n. 16▪ unite all; and this unitie is also expressed by these odd words in Tertullian, Spi itus nos Christo confibulat: (id est,) It is the Spirit that doth button us or joyn us to Christ.

For this reason the Scripture saith, Romans, 12. 5. We being many, are one body in Christ; And again, 1 Corinthians 6. 17. He that is joyned to the Lord, is one Spirit: And again, Galathians 3. 28. Ye are all one in Christ Jesus; yea, such is our conjunction and union with Christ, and his with us, by reason that his Spirit is in us, that Theodoret doubted not to say, Si pati possit Theod. in D [...] ­alog impatib. n. 13. divina natura, supervacanea fuisset corporis assumptio: (id est,) If the pure Godhead were of a nature passible, so that it could have suffered for man, God should not have needed to be Incarnate.

And Saint Augustine puts the case a little plainer, [Page 44] and nearer, thus; Si Christus non assumpta carne à Virgine, sed vera tamen apparens, nos vera morte redi­meret, quis eum non potuisse, audet dicere? Suppose Christ had not taken his flesh from the Virgine, (and so not from Adam) but yet had really taken a body upon him some other way; and in that assumed body, had really died to redeem man▪ who dares say, that he could not? and no doubt such a suffering had been sufficient for our redemption, if (as I said before) God had not otherwise determined and limited him­self by his sentence of the curse, and death upon the seed of Adam.

And thus we have seen how Christ and the Saints are united and become one body.

CHAP. XII. That the unregenerate man is redeemed by Christ, and that the Spirit of Christ is communicated to him.

BUt in the second place it would be inquired, what Interest the unregenerate man hath in Christ, & how he can lay any claime to Christs sufferings, for although it be true that Christ hath taken the un­regenerate man's nature on him, yet, may wee, or can we truly say that the unregenerate man hath received the Spirit of Christ into him? If this will not be gran­ted, Christ cannot be a person idoneous, or fitly qua­lified to be his redeemer, because as such a redeemer must take somthing from man, so man must also receive somthing from him, that by giving and taking the redeemer and redeemed may be united, and so consi­dered as one bodie, and that must be by receiving the Spirit from Christ, as Christ received flesh from man, which is elegantlie expressed by Prosper in his poem. Ʋt nos insercret Summis, se miscuit Imis. That manProsp. de In­grat. n. 41. might be joyned unto God, God joyned himself with man. Now it seemeth that the Spirit of Christ is also communicated to the unregenerate man, because wee find in Scripture that he also hath an interest in Christ, and a claime and title to him; for the Scripture declareth that the benefit of Christ's death, and by it redemp­tion is offered to all men of what condition soever, whether good, or bad, regenerate, or unregenerate, be­leevers, or unbeleevers; for the Gospel is sent to all the world, and to every creature Mar. 16. 15. and One of the maine points of the Gospel, is the offer of the benefit of redemption by the death of Christ, of which the Scripture saith 2 Cor. 5. 15. that he died for all, so, Rom. 8. 32. & 1 Tim. 2. 6. and againe Heb. 2. 9. He tasted [Page 55] death for every man; here is the benefit of Christs death offered Omnibus, & singulis (i.) to all, and every man: and more particularly, it is offered to the ungodly. Rom. 5. 6. Christ died for the ungodly: and more plainly yet it is offered to them that shall perish, and be de­stroied, for S. Paule saith 1 Cor. 8. 11. Through thy know­ledg shall thy weak brother perish, for whom Christ d [...]ed? and againe he saith▪ Rom. 14. 15▪ Destroy not him with thy meate for whom Christ died; And to put it out of all doubt, that Christ did indeed offer the benefit of re­demption to them that not only may possibly perish, but even to such as actually shall perish; S. Peter saith 2 Pet. 2. 1. There shall be false teachers, which denie the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction,] false teachers are the most unlikely to have any benefit by Christ, for▪ ▪ Rev. 20. 10. the devil, the beast, and the false Prophet are joyned in the lake of fire and brimston, and yet wee see, the benefit of redemp­tion was offered to false Prophets. This is the Doctrine of the Church of England, and so it was of the Church Primitive as appeareth by diverse testimonies; for S. Ambrose saith. Ethnicus, haereticus, peccator sanguine Amb. in symb. Apost c 25. Christi, redempti sunt. (i) Not only the sinner, but the heathen, and the heretick are redeemed by the blood of Christ, and Athanasius, delivereth the same doctrine not only as being his single opinion but as the judg­ment of the Council of Sardice. Deus pro illis (Arr [...]anis)Ath. in Ep [...]st. synodi Sardic. [...] n. 15. and pro nobis omnibus mortem subiit. (i) God who is the president of the Church, did suffer death both for the Arrians, and for all us, and yet no heresie is more oppo­site to redemption by Christ then the Arrian, and this is also set forth by Nazianzen. Arriani, divinitatis acerbi Naz. Orat. 38 expensores, diaboli figmenta▪—pro quibus Christus mor­tuus—ingratae Creaturae. (i) the Arrian's are the most malicious examiners of Christ's divinitie—and yet Christ died for these unthankfull creatures, who are the figment of the devil, but most home is the judgment of S. Chrysostom. Christus mortuus est pro inimicis, pro tyran­nis, Chrys. hom. 76. Constant. n 24. pro maleficis ( [...]) pro Osoribus, pro cru­cifigentibus, atque pro his ipsis, quos tales fore, ante mun­dum conditum scīebat—praescientiam vincente bonitate. [Page 56] (i) Christ died for his enemies, for tyrant-persecutors, for witches and conjurers for those that hated him, for those that crucified him, and for those whom he fore­saw, before the world, that they would be such, yet his foreknowledge did not hinder his goodnes toward them, but that he offered to them the benefit of his death. Now if yet any man desire to know upon what ground the unregenerate man can lay claim to any be­nefit by Christ. I answer, that the reason and ground of this claime is because the unregenerate mans nature is taken into Christ, as well as the regenerate mans, and I say moreover, that the Spirit of Christ is commu­nicated to the unregenerate man, as truly as it is to the regenerate man, although with a great deale of diversitie in operation as shall be shewed hereafter.

That the Spirit of God, (which is the spirit of Christ) is communicated to men unregenerate, the Scripture evidently declareth; for if the Spirit of God doe fill hea­ven and earth as the Prophet Jeremie saith. Jer. 23. 24. Who can imagine that the same Spirit is not in man, which is in Creatures inferior to man? and the Gospel saith Joh. 1. 9. He enlightneth every man that commeth into the world.] Therfore unregenerate men are not without the light of the Spirit of Christ, and againe Act. 17. 28. In him wee live, and move, and have our being] for infinitenes of Gods Spirit doth include all ereatures. Deus est in Creaturis intra & extrà & supereminens, & Hil. de Trin. lib. 1. circumsusus, & infusus. Saith Hilarie (i.) God is within us, and on our outside, and over us, and round about us, whersoever any life, or motion, or but being is; there is God: for God is not only a being of himself, but he is the Essentiator, that communicateth being to all Creatures. Eusebius, giues this excellent reason of it.Eus. de praep. l. 15. c. 11. If there were not (saith he) one lively power, which in­sinuateth it self into every creature in the world, this vast universe could not be so rightly, and prudently ordered by such uniforme and mutuall correspondence of one part with another, when the whole consisteth of such contra­rietie of parts. S. Paule in his sermon at Athens Act. 17. above mentioned, approveth of the saying of an heathen poët who said that men are the off-Spring of God; he said [Page 57] so no doubt, because even heathen's confessed that our very being is from him, and our soules and motions are actuated by his Spirit. It is worth our observing, that as the genealogie of S. Matthew deriveth Christ fromMat. 1. Luc. 3. men descending, downe from Abraham; so S. Lukes Genealogie deriveth men from God, by ascending up­ward, and whereas S. Mathew useth the words [begate and the Son] S. Luke useth not these words in the Ori­ginal, because men are not the natural Sons of God, so as they are of their carnal parents, but yet they are of God so as [...]s said; in effect S. Mathews Genealogie deriveth the flesh of God from man, and S. Luke deriveth the Spirit which is in man, from God, this was the Doctrine of the ancient Fathers: S. Besil saith. Omnia Basil. cont. Euno. lib. 5. creata participant de creatore nam m [...]s [...]ra essent si a creatore dirimerentur (i.) all Creatures participate of the Creator, for most miserable would the Creatures be if they wereDionis de diu. no. c. 3. served, & disjoyned from their Creator. Dionysius Areop. saith, Deus est in Omnibus rebus, sed & extra omnia. (i) God is within all Creatures, and yet he is also on theTheod. de Prov. Ser 10. n. 27. Clem. Rom. Recog l. 8. outside of those Creatures. and Nulla mundi pars deo de­stituta est (i) no part of the world is destitute of God, and againe. Deus est intra nos, sed infidelibus dormit, & absens dicitur, quia non creditur. (i) God is within us men, and is even in infidels although he is said to sleepe, or to absent himself from them, because theyFulg. ad Thras l 2 n. 8. doe not with faith apprehend him: Fulgentius also saith, Deus ades [...] ub [...]que per potentiam, sed non ubique per gratiam, substantialiter nullibi deest. (i) God is every where by his power, his substance (or Godhead [...] no where absent, though his grace (Sanctifying grace heid. ibid. n. 9. meanes) be not eve [...]y where, and [...] ▪ Substantialitèr ubique est [...]. (i) Th [...] [...] trinitie is every where by their substances, and▪ Godhead▪ for when it is said [...]oh. 14. 23. Wee will come unto him, an [...] mak [...] our abede with him] The meaning is, that the Father and the Son will manifest their gratiousnes, and propitiousnes to be present, then when their Godhead is never absent, the divine Spirit alwayes filling all things, hence it isAtha. cont Apollinar n. 22. that Athan [...]siu d [...]th call men [...], as he called Christ Deum Carnigerum (i.) as God the Son beareth [Page 58] man's flesh, so the Sons of men beare his Spirit in them.

From hence it is, that both Saint Cyprian, and SaintCyp. ser. De Resur. Aug. de Civit. l. 4. c. 12. Austine say, from the Confession of Heathen Philoso­phers: Deus est anima Mundi, Mundus est Corpus Dei: (i.) God is as the Soul of the World, and the World is as the Body of God, and of the presence of God in Men. The same Father saith, Deus implet populum Aug. de. Civ. l. 17. c. 12. suum, & p [...]pulus plenus est Deo suo: (i.) God doth fill his people, and the people are filled with their God. This truth was seen and confessed by the wiser Hea­thens: Prope à te Deus est, tecum est, intus est: (i.)Seneca, ep. 41. Ovid. God is near thee, he is with thee, yea he is within thee: and Est Deus in nobis agitante calescimus illo: (id est,) God is in us, and produceth those warm Spirits in us. And because there is but one God, and that one God is now Incarnate, and beareth the Name of Je­sus: Therefore it must needs be the Spirit of our Lord Jesus, which is thus said to be in Man, even in the unregenerate sort of men, whereby all Mankinde have at least a common interest in this Jesus.

This truth is of so great concernment and evidence, that it could not easily be denied; and therefore both Heathens, and some Hereticks, because they could not gain say it, sought onely to deprave it by an impious suggestion. For the Stoick Philosophers, perceiving that there was something of Divinitie in Man; said, That the Soul of Man, was a part of God: and are there­fore by Epiphanius reckoned amongst the number ofEpiph. haer. 5. & haer. 66. Theod. diu. decret. l. 5. Hereticks; and so said also the Manichees; and before them, so did Marcion teach us, as Theodoret notes: and the grand Heresie of Apollinarius, applied this errour to Christ himself, in saying, that Christ had no reasonable or humane soul, as other men have; but, that his Divine Nature was in steed of an humane soul▪ and supplied all the Offices thereof in the body ofEpiph. haer. 77. Aug. n. 88. Soc. l. 2. c. 36. Christ, as we reade in Epiphanius, and in the Ecclesi­stick Histories, and in S. Austine.

CHAP. XIII. Of the Originall of Christs humane soul, & whe­ther it were derived by Propagation from his Progenitors, as his body was.

THe mention of that Heresie▪ of Apollinarius, leads me to a new quaere, not yet discoursed, but yet, (as I conceive) very usefull and pertinent, to the set­ting forth of this great Mystery of the Incarnation of God, and Mans Redemption, if it could be clearly de­termined, and this it is.

That seeing the Christian World Catholick, hath ever confessed that the Son of God received his flesh and blood by propagation from the first Adam. It would be now inquired, whence the same Son of God had his reasonable or humane Soul?

The reason which moved me to make this inquiry, is taken from the Arguments, which divers of the Fa­thers used against some Hereticks, particularly against Valentinus, and his Gnostick followers, and against the Manichees, and Eutyches, for these taught, that Christ did not receive his Body by traduction from the Vir­gine Mother, and so not from Adam, but that it was either from heaven, or else that it was a mere appa­rition, and a phantasticall body: which Heresies are so well known to men learned, that I shall not need to send the Reader by Quotations to Fathers to finde them.

The Arguments which the Fathers used against those Hereticks, were to this purpose, that they might shew a necessity, that the Redeemer must needs take his flesh from Adam.

First, Saint Augustine saith, Omnis massa Adami,Aug: De [...] cum Felic. l. [...] c. 11. maledicta est; Dominus carnem de illa suscepit, hinc ma­ledictus [Page 60] dicitur. (i.) Because the whole lump of Adam was accursed, therefore the Son of God (taking the curse upon himself) must needs take flesh from Ad [...]m; for otherwise, how could he take the cu [...]se upon him­self▪ to cure mankind. And Theo [...] asketh this que­stion,Theod. dial. 1. n. 12. Why was not Ch [...]ists Body made of Earth as Adams was? And he returned this answer. [...] Creatu­re servaretur, quae perie [...]a: (i.) That Christ might save the same creature which was lost, therefore he took the same creature upon himself▪ and Athanasi [...]s Atha. Epist. ad Epicter. n. 3. strictly examining how mans curse could be fastned on our blessed Saviour, answereth thus: Christus sic pro nobis execratio factus est—sicu [...] factus est ca [...]o. (i.) He took our curse, as he took our flesh; and Saint Basil saith expressely, that the Heresie of Va­lentinus did nullifie Mans redemption; for if the flesh of Christ were not derived from Adam: Non occ [...]d [...]sset Basil. Epist. 65. n. 37. peccatum in carn [...]; (i.) Christ had not destroyed sin in the flesh, and upon this very g [...]ound, Dios [...]urus the Bishop of Alexandria, and Eu [...]yches the Monk were condemned by the Councill of Chalcedon, as Euagrius Euag. l 2. c. 18. writeth.

The self same kind of Argument doth Naziarz [...]n use against Apollinarius, who taught that Christ had no humane or reasonable soul, (as is said before)Naz. ad Cle­don. Orat. 51. but that he took onely flesh from Adam Deus assum [...] ­sit id quod salute indigebat, &c. (i.) God took of Man all that which stood in need of salvation; and therefore he took the humane soul also: For that fell, and needed help as well as the Body. ‘For if Christ had taken from Man onely his flesh, and not his Soul, he had done, as if a Man that hath a fore foot, and a fore eye, should apply a Medicine onely to the foot, and neglect the eye—be­sides Christ took the whole and perfect Man upon him but the Godhead with a Body onely is not perfect Man, as neither could it be perfect man, if it were joyned with an humane Soul without a Body.—But if you say, that God could have saved man, though he had never taken an humane soul; so may you [Page 61] as well say, God could have saved man, though he had not assumed a Body.]’ Thus far Nazia [...]zen.

From this discourse, I may upon the same grounds infer, That if Christ must needs take his Body from man, because otherwise he could not destroy sin in the flesh; It will follow by the like Argument, that Christ must needs take his humane soul by traduction from man, for otherwise how could he destroy sin in the soul? and then, though the body might be saved; yet the soul having no medicine applied to it, must needs undergo the sentence; Ezech. 18. 4. The soul that sinn [...]th, i [...] shall di [...]: For the soul and body of man, are two distinct natures, although joyned in one person, just so as the Godhead and Manhood in Christ are. Thus for ought I can yet see, the same reasons that in­duce us to believe, that the flesh of Christ was pro­pagated from the first man, may as well prove that his soul must also be so transmitted throughout all Gene­rations to Christ.

Furthermore, because in Scripture phrase the natural soul of Man goes under the notion of Carnall as well as his Natural body; for 1 Cor. 2. 14. [...], signifies a carnall man, the very soul not regenerate is carnall, I do not pe [...]ceive how the Incarnation of God, can be compleat, but by his assuming both soul and body from man; for otherwi [...]e, how can we say that he tooke the whole man upon him, the denying whereof was by the Church judged an Heresie in the Apollinarians. For they would not confess Christ toNaz. ad Cle­don. orat. 5 [...]. be [...], id est, A perfect man having God in him, but they called Christ [...], idest, God bearing flesh onely, and this, because they believed not, that Christ took our humane soul, but onely that he took our flesh: and therefore the Apo­linarian is by Nazianzen called [...] id est, One that worshipped a God, that had assumed nothing but flesh; And the Apollinarian in derision said, that the Catholick was [...], (i.) one who wor­shipped a man.

Now although the Church of England doth not ex­presly [Page 62] declare the propagation of the Soule of Christ from the Virgine Mother, yet the second Article of Religion, something implicite, seemeth rather to incline thereunto, for it saith,

First, The Word—tooke Mans nature in the wombe 1. Artic. 2. of the blessed Virgine of her substance: so that two whole and perfect Natures, (that is to say) The God­head and Manhood were joyned in one Person, &c.] If the meaning be that Christ took perfect Manhood from his Mother, it must needs follow, that he took both Body and soul of her; for neither of them se­verally can be called perfect Man; and Master Ro­gers in his notes upon that Article tells us, that it was one of the Arrian errours, who said, That Christ took [...]tha. de In­carn. n. 22. onely flesh of the Virgine, but not the Soul, and that some Arrians did indeed so say, is affirmed by Atha­nasius.

Finally, if it can clearly appeare that the Sonne of God did indeed take both his flesh, and also his hu­main Soule by Propagation, from Man: it will be a great consolation to Mankinde, that the great God of Heaven and Earth, would vouchsafe to be so compleatly near of kindred to us his poore crea­tures; and hereby also a perfect and compleat Incarna­tion of God will be proved against this Commenter.

CHAP. XIV. The question of the Soules propagation left un­determined by Saint Augustine, yet he thought it more probable that our soules are propaga­ted from our Parents.

I Will not presume (good Reader) to determine this great question because that I find that the most profound Doctors of the Primitive Church; and after very great and diligent discussion, yet left it dubitable, as may appear by the Epistles which passed mutually between Saint Hierome, and Saint Augu­stine, concerning this very question, which neither of them would absolutely determine and conclude; ei­ther for the Soule of Christ, or the Souls of other men, for that the Originall of the Soule of Christ, was surely the same, with the Originall of other mens souls since our first Parents; and both alike obscure, and hard to be understood: Onely I will truely relate what hath been thought and said of it, especially out of Saint Augustine; who saith, utrum origo animarum Aug. n. 7. n. 18. n. 44. sit ex uno illo (Adam) an semper fiant singulae si [...]gulis, adhuc nescio—adhuc incertum, (i.) whether the souls of all men came from Adam, or whether new souls for severall men be dayly created? as yet I know not—and it is uncertain.

And again, Nunquam ausus sum definitam proferre Id. Epist. 175. Id. Epist. 120. sententiam: (i.) I never durst venture upon a defini­tive sentence thereof, and concludeth, Satius est ortum animae semper quaerere, quam invenisse praesumere: (i.) It is safer to be alwayes seeking, then to presume that we have found it. And a great while after he said, Ego adhuc inter utrosque ambigo, vincant qui poterant, (i.)Id. de Gen. ad lit. l. 10. c. 22. I am still doubtfull between those two opinions, prove either who can. And although he confesseth in the [Page 64] same book, that he would be more willing to acknow­ledge, that Christ had not his soul from Adam, yet (saith he) the other opinion, that men receive their souls from their Parents, doth preponderate and turn the scale of my judgement. The same Father, for the probability of propagation of souls from Adam, al­ledgeth many reasons.

For first, writing to Saint Hierome, Tell me (saithId Epist. 28. he) if Soules are doyly created, and not transmitted from the Parents, wherein have poore Infants sinned? and how are they involved in the sins of Adam, or their Parents, so that they need the Sacrament of remission of sins?

But secondly, If it be said, that our soules are indeed derived from the soul of Adam, then who can say, I have not sinned; seeing the Originall soul of Adam sinned?

Thirdly, It was the Argument which Pelagius used. If the soul be not propagated as well as the body; then onely the bodies (of Infants) are liable to the punishment for Originall sinne; for it may seem very hard measure, that so ancient a sinne should be laid to the charge of a soul newly created, and but one day old.

Fourthly, when the woman was made out of the body of Man, It is not said, that God breathed into her nostrils the breath of life, as it was said of the man, Gen. 2. 7. Perhaps to intimate that her soul was derived with het body from the man.

Fifthly, Saint Augustine confessed, that to say that soules are dayly created, seeing God finished the Creation the sixth day, will seeme a violent speech.

Sixthly, it is said, Romans 5. 18. By the offence of Aug. de Gen. ad lit. lib. 10. c. 11. one judgement came upon all to condemnation [...] Now because onely the soul sinneth, (for the body is but the souls instrument) how can the soul that was not created till so many generations from Adam are passed, be said to sin in Adam, for what evill hath the soul of a young dying infant committed, if his soul were not derived from Adam?

[Page 65]Lastly, he granteth, Non absurde [...]reditur [...]animas è Id. ibid. traduce [...]sse ( [...]id est) It is no inconvenience to our Christian Faith, to say, the souls of men are propa­gated from the first man. For it was indeed anciently received by Christians, as a Truth long before Saint Augustines time, as we finde in Ter [...]ullian, who saithTert. de anima c. 27. expresly, that Our souls came from Adam: and again, he saith in the same Book, Omnis anima censetur in Adamo, donec in Christo recens [...]atur: id est, EveryId. ib. c. 40. soul is first c [...]nsed or inrolled in Adam, untill they be new enrolled, and accounted in Christ.

And Saint Hierome, avoucheth this to be the opini­on,Hier. Epist. ad Marcel. apud Aug. Epist. 27 not onely of Ter [...]ulli [...]n, but also that the greater part of the Western Churches were of the same minde, that as our bodies are derived f [...]om the bodies of our Parents, so our souls are propagated from their souls.

Even as millions of Ta [...]ers, may be tinded or light­ed at one burning Taper, and as all the Stars of Hea­ven, receive their light from the Sunne, yet neither the light of that one Taper, or of the Sunne are any thing diminished.

So although the manner how our souls are propa­gated be inestable, yet De facto, that they are pro­pagated, is no way incredible, For why not the souls of Men, as well as the souls of Beasts? and why may not the humane soul extend it self into the childe in the wombe, as well as it doth inlarge it self in a grea­ter distance into other parts of the body, as the body from its birth waxeth bigger from one cubite length of the Infant, to foure Cubites at our full growth; and this Doctrine of the Soules prop [...]gation, seemeth to stand with a great deall of equitie in our merci­full and most iust Redeemer, that as he would re­deem our bodies, by his owne body taken from man, so to redeem our soules by his soul so taken and pro­pagated from man.

And this seemeth to be the Opinion of Athanasius, Atha. de incar­nat▪ n. 23. Corpus Chisti pro corpore nostro, & anima [...]jus pro no­stra, & integer homo pro integro homine in Redemptione [Page 66] rependitur: (id est,) The Body of Christ was given for our bodies, and his Soule for our Soules, and his whole Man, for our whole Man in our Redemp­tion.

Thus having said so much concerning this question; I submit the determination thereof to the Judicious Reader onely adding this, that if Christ did, indeed take not onely his Body, but the whole man by traducti­on from Adam; we may most comfortably enter­tain a more evident and reasonable Argument of the Redemption both of our bodies, and soules by him, because hereby we may conceive our selves to be joyn­ed, and united unto Christ, in a more noble tie, then onely in our flesh, & that as he hath communicated his Divine Spirit to Man (as is shewed before) so our humane Spirit is communicated to him.

CHAP. XV. That the Spirit of God is communicated to the unregenerate, and of the diversitie of the Mea­sures, and the graces therof.

IN the next place, I am to shew how the Spirit of God is said to be communicated to men unregenerate (as I promised before,) and this, because many men are apt to beleeve, that to have the Spirit of God, is a grace proper, and peculiar only to those that are the the Sanctified holy ones; but the contrarie will appeare a none; for a man may have Gods Spirit in him, yea, and divers common gifs and graces of that Spirit, and yet remaine unsanctified, and void of vertue and holines,Aug. de beat. vita n. 16. S. Austin saith. Omnis homo deum habet, nec t [...]m [...]n omnis beatus est, (i.) every man hath God in him, and yet every man is not in a state of blessednes; so there is in every man a natural goodnes (for every creature is good) and where goodnes is, there is God; though this natural bonitie may be mixed with a great deale of moral pravitie, and the same Spirit of God worketh in all men, but yet to several purposes, and with severalNaz. Orat. 44. operations, and in diverse degrees; Spiritas spirat quando vult, & super quos vult, & quantum vult. (i) The Spirit bloweth when it will, and on whom it will, & so much as it will, and though the Spirit of God be alwayes in man, yet men doe not alwayes perceive it,Aug. Confes. lib. 9. c. 4. Id. n. 88. or consider it. S. Austin confessed. Christus miserat spi­ritum in me, & Ego nesciebam. (i) Christ had sent his Spirit into me, and I knew it not, and againe he saith [...]git Spiritus Domini per bonos, & malos, per Scientes, & nescientes, ut per Caipham. (i) The Spirit of the Lord worketh by good and bad, by men that know it, and by men that know it not, as it did by Caiphas. Men may have the Spirit of God, and Operations of that [Page 68] Spirit in them, and some graces also of that Spirit, and yet those graces possibly, shall not be operative so high as to Sanctification, neither are they such high graces, as divines call Gratum facientes. But yet graces they are, for grace is but a free gift, and therfore is it called grace because it is Gratis data. (i) freely given. There may be grace in those persons who are not therby rendered favourable, gracious, or acceptable in Gods sight, for even our natural endowments, and temporal blessings, and our very Creation rightly considered will appeare to be an act of Gods grace, and therfore men do usually give thanks to God for their very Creation.

This doctrine of the great variety of graces, and workings of Gods Spirit is most evidently set forth. 1 Cor. 12. There are diversities of gifts—and diversi­ties of operations, but the same Spirit—the same Lord—the same God. And you may find mention of many graces there which are not saving, or sanctifying graces, but are Common even to reprobates, as knowledge—healing—prophecie—toungs. &c. Which wee know may be, and are found in men not Sanctified even the knowledg and skill of manual arts are the opera­tions of Gods Spirit in man, which no divine will say are saving, or sanctifying graces as wee read of B [...]zaleel, Ex. 35. 31. That he was filled with the Spirit of God in wise­dome and in all manner of workmanship.—to de­vise Curious workes, and to worke in Gold, Silv [...] ▪ and brass. Philosophers use to say, If heaven stood still, man could not move so much as his litle finger, but surely if God were not Primus Motor in us, to be as the soule of our soules, we could not live, or move, and though God be in man, and operateth in him, yet his opera­tions are diversified by divers degrees, in some he work­eth but weakly, and low: in others higher, and stron­ger, even to produce holines, and happines; but though the Spirit of God be in every man, yet this Spirit is not a Sanctifier in every man, as he is not Pa­racletus. (i) a Comforter in every man; this doctrine hath bin taught of old by the ancients. Deus in est mul­tiformiter Richard. de S. Vict. de Trin. l. 2. c. 23. secundum participationem Gratiae—aliis per participationem potentiae, aliis vita, aliis sapientiae, [Page 69] aliis bonitatis, aliis beatitudinis—imanum suam par­cius, vel largius extendens. (i) God is in us by distribu­ting his graces, in great diversitie—some partake of power, some of life only, others have wisdome, others goodnes, others blessednes for so doth he open his hand, more, or less, as he pleaseth. The Spirit of God, in Scripture, is often resembled to water, because, as the same water falling from heaven in raine upon seve­ral Creatures, produceth in them great diversitie, and varietie of effects. Aqua in spi [...]is alba, in rosis rubra in Cyril. Hiero [...]. n. 18. hyacinthis purpurea. (i) The same raine, in the thorne produceth a white flower, on the rose—bush a red, and on the hyacinth a purple Colour, So doth the Spirit produce diversitie of effects in men, so againe. Aqua in Aug. de Mirab. script. l. 1. c. 18. vite vinum [...]it, in apibus mel, in Oliva ol [...]um. (i) Water in the vine is made wine, in the Olive tree, Oyl, in bees honie, in man, blood, teares &c. And the like illu­stration is used by Epiphanius, & Chrysost. To shewEpiph. in Ane. Chrys. ho. 4. Antioch. that the same Spirit of the same God in some mea pro­duceth but life, or understanding, in others it produceth those effects, and more also, as wisdome, judgment, counsel, in others, more also as faith, hope, charitie, fortitude, even to martyrdome, and to blessednes, the effect of Gods Spirit in Samson was seen eminently in his great strength, in Solomon, it was great wisdome, in Moses m [...]eknes, in the Prophets foresight, all these are gifts of one and the same Spirit, though in such great varietie, and when the Scripture mentioneth divers Spirits, as. Esa. 11. 2 Rev. 1 4 It meaneth severall gifts and graces of one and the same Spirit; wee may observe that Elisha, 2 Kings. 2. 9. did not pray for two Spirits, but duplex Spiritus, that the same Spirit of Eliah might be doubled on him, that is, increased, or heightned in him to greater power and efficacie, and whereas David prayed Psal. 51. 11. take not thy holie Sp [...]rit from me] it will not follow that David feared, he should be left de­stitute altogether of the Spirit of God, but that it might remaine with him in some degree at least, but he prayed for the Continuance, and Manifestation of Gods help, and assistance by the Spirit in the same manner as before he had it, because as Prosper ob­serveth. [Page 70] Cessatio auxilii pro absentia accipitur. (i) GodPros. ad Dem. n. 59. is said to depart from man, when he withholdeth his help, albeit, God is essentially alwayes present, so when he withdraweth one grace, yet he may manifest his presence, by some other grace, for every man hath not every grace of the Spirit. S. Hierom in one of his exegetical Epistles upon these words. 1 Cor. 15. 28. That God may be all in all] saith. Adhuc Deus est nisi pars Hier. Epist. 147. n. 30. in singulis, ut sapientia in Solomone, patientia in Job, post, erit omnia in omnibus, cum Sancti omnes virtutes habuerint. (i) In this life God is but a part in men, as wisdome in Solomon, patience in Job, but in the next life God will be all in all, for then his Saints shall be induced with all vertues; And wheras it is said Joh. 7. 39. The holie Ghost was not yet given] Yet wee are sure that it was given before both to the Prophets, and also to the Apostles, but the meaning is as S. Austin expounds it. Non quia nulla datio antea, sed quia non talis quae de Aug. de Trin. lib. 4. c. 17. n. 72 Linguis legitur. (i) Not as if there had bin no gift of the Spirit before, but because the Spirit was not before given in that kind and manner, as it was at the feast of Pente cost, and so doth S. Cyril resolve the same doubt.Cyril Hieros. Cat. 16. Spiritus idem descendebat in Pentecoste, qui anteà, sed tum Copiosiùs. (i) It was the same Spirit that descended at the Pentecost, which came before, but now it came more Copiouslie.

Thus are God and man united, he taking our flesh, and we receiving his Spirit, upon this consideration S. Cyprian saith. Cum Corpus [...] terra, & Spiritum possidea­mus Cyp. de Orat. Dom. n. 82. e caelo; Ipsi c [...]lum, & t [...]rra sumus. (i) Man is the union of heaven, and earth, because our bodies are from the earth, but we possesse a Spirit which came from heaven.

CHAP. XVI. That the Spirit of God is given to men n [...] san­ctified, how those are said to be Gods anointed, who were not anointed with Oile, that our King is Gods anointed, somthing concerning the Kings touching and Curing the diseased.

BUt why should we doubt to affirme that the Spirit of Jesus, our only Lord God, is communicated even to men unregenerate, and that in such men this Spirit doth manifest it's presence in some lower degree, by some common graces, which doe not sanctifie them, in whom they are; seeing that we find in Scripture, that both heathen, and wicked Kings are called Gods anointed, for Esa. 45. 1. Thus saith the Lord to his anoin­ted, to Cyrus] yet this Cyrus, both lived, and died an heathen. So King Saul, though an Israelite, yet a wicked man is called. 2 Sam. 1. 14. The Lords anointed, Now; we know, that Ʋnction doth not alwayes signifie only an External, or Ceremonial anointing with Oile, but it signifieth also, the inward gift, and inhabitation of the Spirit of God, for wee find that those men are said to be Gods anointed, whom we cannot find, to have bin externally anointed with Oile, for so Christ is said to be anointed. Psal. 45. 7. Yet not with external Oile, so also Abraham, Jsaac, and Jacob Psal. 105. 15. are called Gods anointed, yet we find not that they were anointed with Oile, but these holie ones are therfore said to be anointed, because the Spirit of God was in them, which is the true, and reall unction, wheras external ointment is but the signe therof, in like manner, be­cause Cyrus an heathen is called Gods anointed, and yet was never anointed with Oile, it must needs follow that his unction was internal, and that he was therfore called Gods anointed, because God had put his Spirit [Page 72] into him, I [...]say his Spirit although not working so high as to Sanctification in Cyrus, but yet a Spirit of wis­dome, and kingly fortitude, and of skill and knowledg po­liticall and militarie, To enable him to governe, which gifts are the effect of Gods Spirit. And this is the expo­sition which the ancients give, concerning those fore­named unctions; first for Christ. Euseb us saith. Non apparet Christum unctum fuisse communi oleo, sed divino Eus. de Dem. lib. 5. c. 2. Spiritu. (i) It can not appeare that Christ was anointed with common O [...]le (Ceremonialie) but he was anointed with the divine Spirit, and so saith Athanasius Oleum Ath. Orat. 2. Cont. Arian. Opt. lib 4. Atha. Orat. Cont. Aria. n 8. Christi, est Spiritus sanctus. (i) The Oile of Christ, was the holie Spirit, and just so saith Optatus, and what this unction of Christ was, and wherin it consisted is shewed by the same Athanasius, upon those words God of God] unitio verbi cum carne, vo catur unct [...]o. (i) The union of the Godhead, with the manhood, was Christ's un­ction. Now for the anointing of meere men, and that without any infusion of Oile Eusebius saith. Dei Spiri­tus Eus. de Dem. l. 4. c. 15. est dei Oleum. (i) The Oile of God, is the Spirit of God, and he tels further in the same place, that Abra­ham, Isaac, and Jacob are called Gods anointed. Propter divinum Spiritum cujus participes erant. (i) By reason of Gods Spirit, with which those holie patriarks were in­dued, and to the same purpose S. Basil saith, Spiritus Basil. hom. de Bapt. n. 14. sanctus est unctio in nobis. (i) our unction is the holie Spirit which is in us. For so it is said also of our Saviour expresly Act. 10. 38. God anointed Iesus of Nazareth, with the holie Ghost. The appellation of Christ, and of Christian is from this unction, and we use to say of infants when they are baptized, that they are made Christians, which signifieth anointed, not because of the old Ceremonie of Crisme or ano [...]ting with Oile (which with us hath bin long agoe disused) but as Dionysius formerlie when it was in use, gave the reason unction, and Christian signifie deificam Spiritus com­munionem. Dionys. Areop. eccle [...]. her. c. 2. (i) The communication of the divine Spirit, because wee beleeve, that God with the external Sa­crament, conferreth the inward grace; which beleife the ancients did represent by their anointing the bap­tized with Oile.

[Page 73]Now if it may app are that by vertue of such an in­ternal Unction of which I spake in Cyrus, some unrege­nerate men, have actually exercised, and performed ex­ternallie some one act, wherby that inward grace was shewed, as namely by that one gift of healing men­tioned▪ 1 Co [...] ▪ 12. 9. Of which I spake in the former chapter I trust it will not be denied to be as it is called v 7. A manif [...]station of the Spirit. And for this I shall in­stance in another heathen Prince who was of no better religion then Cyrus was, and that is Vesp [...]tian the Ro­man, who in the raigne of Nero, (and before he was Emperor) was imploied in the execution of divine ven­geance on the rebellious vide Paulum Oros. lib. 7. c. 1. Iew [...]s and the citie of Ie­rusalem; and for that service it may with great po­babilitie be thought that God gave him the Roman Em­pi [...]e for his reward, as he gave Nebuchaduezzar, the Kingdome of Egypt▪ for his service against Tyr [...], as we read Ez [...]ch. 29. 18. And that the Empi e was the gift of God to him, it seemeth to me probable, because it was Prophetically foretold unto him by Iosephus the learned Jew, who was then a p [...]i [...]t, unto whom God had re­vealed both Vespatian's advancement, and also the de­struction of the Iewish nation. God having appeared toJoseph. de bel. jud. l. 2. & lib. 7. him in his sleepe as himself relateth, and withall con­fessed that he feared, God was offended with him for labouring to save his nation, when he knew God had decreed their [...], for this reason I think I may call the said Ve [...]tian Gods anointed, as being so cleerly de­signed by God to that empire and also for that, as an effect of his unction. Tac [...]us & Dion, & Suetonius doeTac. hist. l. 4. c. 19. Suet. in vesp. c. 7. Dion. in vesp. c. 2. vide Plutarch. in vita Pyrrhi, p. 384. unanimously report that whilest this Emperor was in Egypt the gift of healing was manifested in him for a blind man was restored to his sight, and a lame man was cured by his touch, If this prove true in an unregenerate and heathen Prince give me leave good reader, a litle to discourse unto thee, the like effect of divine unction, in a regenerate King, the most vertuous and most Chri­stian King this day (as I doe firmly beleeve, and so doe the greatest number of his subjects) in the whole world I meane our owne most gracious King Charles.

[Page 74]For, that the King is Gods anoined, was never with us called in question before this sceptick time, and God never shewed a greater manifestation of any Kings unction in this nation since the dayes of King Edward the Confessor, (who was the first of our Kings that by his royal touch cured the disease called the Kings Evil) then he hath lately shewed in the person of our most pious, and most mercifull King Charles, for never were so many, in so short a time restored to their health and soundnes, as of late by him; many hundreds were touched by his sacred hand, and as many returned home with health in their bodies, and blessings in their soules to their royal physician, to the great admi­ration of many witnesses where of my self am one, for to his majesties court at Newmarket Jnue 18. Anno 1647. did I [...]end one of my Children a child of 11. yeares old, who immediatly before had bin extreamly af­flicted, and indeed tortured with that disease, but having bin there, and then touched, the next day following he returned home perfectly cured and sound, and hath so continued ever since, for the space of more then 5 Moneths. Blessed be the Lord Jesus who is the author of every good gift, and blessed be his anoin­red servant, in whom his goodnes was so cleerly ma­nifested.

These things might stop the mouthes of his Majesties most implacable enemies, who in print have endea­voured to make the people beleeve that the King is not Gods anointed, and might particularly shame them who most unchristianly have called this Gift of hea­ling, witchcraft, although there is an expresse warrant1 Cor. 12. 9. for it in the word of God, these men without doubt except they repent, shall one day be accountable for the sinne of blaspheming God, and the King; for a­scribing that worke to witchcraft and so to Satan, which is done both by the Kings hand, and with the finger of God assisting his anointed; just so did the Phari­sees blaspheme Christ when he cast out Satan by the finger of God, for they said he cast him out by Bel­zebub.

[Page 75]Neither wil it be sufficient to say that the gift of healing was a tempor [...]rie grace, and now quite expi­red, for it can not be so p [...]oved; Gods arme is not shortned: for although the ordinarie, and frequent use of such divine cures is now abated, yet no man can for certaine affirme that the gift is utteriie ceased: and for our owne particular case in this kingdome, why should we not rather thinke, that our merciful God now in these needful times to stop the mouthes of al the enemies of his anointed, or at least to leave the obstinate without excu [...]e, hath so manifestly shew­ed, and declared him to be indeed his anointed and that these multitudes of Royal cures are as so many lampes manifesting the divine Oile of his unction, for so the Royal P [...]almist bringeth in God [...]aying Psal. 132. 17. I have ordained a Lamp so [...] mine anointed—his enemies will I clothe with sh [...], but upon himself shall his Crowne florish▪ Even so Amen. Deus d [...]fendat Opt. lib. 2. Oleum suum. Upon himself, and his royal posteritie, Lord, let this Crowne florish as long as the Sun, and moone endure.

CHAP. XVII. The Ʋnion of Christ, and his Church further shewed, why Christ is called by the names Adam, Jacob, David. Why all mankind was extracted out of One man, why S. Austin denied the Anti­podes, wherin this Ʋnion consisteth An Expli­cation of Heb. 7. 9. Which was slubbered over by the Commenter, touching Melchisedech, and Levi.

BY what hath bin said, the Christian reader I trust doth by this time perceive that our blessed Sa­viour Jesus Christ, with great love, justice, and equitie did sustaine our person, and in our steed, and to our behalf did both beare the punishment of our transgressions, and also fulfilled the whole law of God for us, as our suretie, because he was as an Ʋniversall man, in whom all mankind was united. The sower leaven of the first Adam had [...]owred the whol lump of mankind, but the divine Spirit of the second Adam sweetned his whole mystical body for a Spirit us est geni­toris Aug. de Trin. l. 6. genitiqae Suavitas. (i) The Spirit is the sweetnes of the Father and the Son: and because our true, and only God hath assumed both our flesh, and our soule also on himself, and hath put his Spirit into us, there­fore he is become one with us mystically, and we with him: hence it is that Prosper saith. Tota ecclesia cum Christo P [...]osp. in I sal. 102. capite est unus homo. (i) The whol bodie of the Church with Christ the head is one man, and againe he saith Tota civitas dei est unus homo in Capite, & Corpore. (i)Id. in Psal. 131. The whole Citie of God is one man, in the head, and in the bodie, being as one corporation. And con­cerning Christs Prayers, and the Churches Prayers the same Father saith. Ad deum clama [...] & Caput in Corpore & Id. in Psal. 142. [Page 77] Corpus in Capite. (i) Christ prayeth in his Church, and his Church prayeth in him, for otherwise how could wee say to God Abba▪—Father, and this neareness and intire unitie betweene God and man in Christ is princi­pallie from this ground, that because there is but one God, and that one God is in all men, therfore doth he make al to be one; and also men with Christ are Com­members Aug. cont. mendacium. c. 2. n 77. Chrys. in S. Theophaniam. to. 6. n. 59. as S. Austin cals them) (i.) fellow members of his bodie, because wee with him were made of one blood, as we read Act. 17. 26. for as S. Chrysostome noteth. Deus ideo incarnatus ut ingeret opus cum opifice. (i) God was therfore Incarnate that therby he might unite the Creature with the Creator, all communicating both in flesh and in Spirit, hence all Christians are called one anothers brethren, and sisters, because all have the same Spirit of one heavenlie Father. Anima fratris est Hier. n. 41. soror tua, S. Hierom saith. (i) Thy brothers soule, is thine owne sister, a—sister, but it is only in Christ, because the same Spirit of Christ is in both; upon the same grounds it is, that Christ becomes so neare of kin­dred to us men, that he takes upon himself the names of other Men, to implie an [...]dentity with Man, for 1 Cor. 15. 45. he is called Adam, and the Prophets call him David. Jer. 30. 9. Ezech. 34 23. Ose. 3. 5. And this long after Adam, and David were dead, and is therfore meant of Christ, for when David is called a Man after Gods owne heart. 1 Sam. 13. 14. Act. 13 22. (which is very hard to be said or understood of any sinfull man) but, de Aug de Dule: quaest, q 6. n. 89. Christo intellige, and nullus nodus erit. (i) if you will un­derstand it to be spoken of Christ there will be no diffi­cultie at all. So also I think that saying. Num. 23. 21. He hath not beheld iniquitie in Jacob] is meant of Christ, who is called Jacob with as greate reason as the other posteritie are called by the name of their patriarch Is­rael, and Iacob very frequently in Scripture, and name­ly. Psal. 41. 7.