COLLECTION OF PURITAN AND ENGLISH THEOLOGICAL LITERATURE I LIBRARY OF THE THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY PRINCETON, NEW JERSEY LIBRARY PRIXCETOtf , N. J. DONATION OF S A M 1 E L A G N E W . >P PHIL A UBLPHIA. PA. Letter -^ 60 Xo. V V / UN H' nPOBOAH THE AAH0EI A OR The Bul-Warks of TRUTH, BEING A Treatife of God } of Jefus Ghrift, of The Holy Ghoft, and of the Trinity in Unity 4 a- gainft Atheifts and Hereticks. By Robert Bayfeild. Serapis ad ThnUm, Mdgna, eft Veritas, & prtvalebit. Tertull. ■s Ubqrtre fouft, vincinonpoteft > Hier. Dialog, adverfus Pelag: Fo> we can do nothing againfl the Truth , but [or the \ z Cor. 13. 8. ■ m is *n Hcr ( pc^ afur the fi/fl aidftconi adrmmh ., Tit.3.10. ^ r LONDON^ ted by T. R. for tdw.Dod. at the I PREPARATORY Advertifement to the READER, Dear Chriftian Reader, AFter Jhadfinifhed , and put forth my Enchiridionmedicum containing the ca*fes,fignes 9 & cures of all thofe difeafesjvbich do cheif I j affett the body of man t my thought t ran upon fome fecond worke^ whereby I might benefit my Country ^but rvhil/i I thinking upon what fubjeft t9 was pitch, I hapnedinto the company ofcer-' tain Atheifts and Weretickj y who by their blafphemons difcourfe^ quite al- tered the (treame of my intent ions y and inftead of another phificall peece, put \o me upon thefefublime points of divini- ty* Indeed it is a truth % not more dc- S^^S plorab/e thenmanifeft, that this our l{lind 9 whicbmaj juftly contend With ^ t \ ^ ztoft parts of the Earth, for the priori- A z % An Advert i foment ty of Convex [ion to Chriftianifme , and might not , many yeares Jince t have challenged the Garland from the whole, for the orthodox , zealous , and Jin- cere prefejfion thereof : hath of late pro- duced, and doth at this unhappy day fo- Jler more ffrarmes of Herettcall and A* thei(ticallmonfters % then any age, then a ny Nation hath been infefled witha f f\fuch at leaft whofe licentious praUices^and in folent difcourfes in public'*, do equally declare their wilde Ambition to be fo ac- counted , as if the onelj way to acquire the Reputation of being Tranfcendent Wits^ Were to feem able with bold ana fpecious argument s % to iwpugne the grea te(l and weft [acred verities. Tea, theft proud Wit sand curious heads arefo ex treamly in love with their eftn fbadowes. and do fo highly admire their owne con ceits , that they defpife all the nnder flanding and learning of other men, ana m Saint Bernard faith, do thinke . Nufquam lucere folem nifi in cclla fua That all knowledge mufl live and dji with them : For the \Devill faith in e very herejie, in every errour f Ego fuir, Chriftus, & apud me eft Veritas , am Chrift , and the truth is only hen )\>itbme, ^Athanafius fl.eweth againft th To the Reader. the Arrians: And Alexander Bijbip Atbanaf 0/ Alexandria writing to the Bi(bop f Con[ra Ar *' u Conftantionople , of the tranfeendent n °, s ' a . * pride anddifdainef the Arrians faith , p if c *™ s ^#3 Netfiincm volunt ex antiquis patribus under li Zp.ad I fibi comparari, ne unnm quidem col- Aitxmd* Con- Jegarum noftrornm vel ad mediocrem # 4l, 'wp- fapientiam pervenifle cenfent 9 fed folos fe fapiences^ fibi folis pateiada efle myfteria arbitrantur vericatis , That they thinke none of the ancient fathers to be comparable to themfelve^ that none of then which are contrary to their tenents have attained to any meafure of wifdome^and that they a- lone are Wife , and have the myfleries of truth revealed unto them- And therefore this dejpifing of other mens knowledge *, added to that high conceit e Which they have of their own , is the caufe they per ft ft in thofe err ours , whith their pride and ignorance have moft impioufly hatcht, to the (foiling and defiroying of them f elves and o- thtrs. I Alas % it is fad & lamentable to confi- ier^ how multitudes of people are led a- way into dangerom & fearfnll errors , by tbefe curfed and hereticall monfters, A 3 wh$ An Advertifement who come unto them in /beefs c loathing • :hatis, a religious habit , like zealous r and holy Chriflians : For they have ma- ny times more workj of piety & charity y then many of the meft orthodoxall profef- fors of the Faith , their Almef -deeds are many f their Prayers frequent y and theftriftneffe of their life might feeme to proceed from Angelica 11 hearts ; but in all this they cannot be fay d to be ver- tmus^ becauje thefe deeds, that are ver* tues in themfelves,are directed by them to wrong ends, and are effeffuall to bring ethers into their errours . And there • fore thefe holy Hcrtticlrs are mofl profi- table inftrumentsfor the Devills advan- tage % and mo ft excellent Fa&ors to en- large his f^ingdome : For had they been more wicked they had done lejje evill , when men would haze more JujpeBed them, lejfe followed them j and lejfe betei- ved them then they do : tsimoji lamen- table thing , to make vert ties the fleps andftairesfor thevif elves , and others to defcend down to hell. Againe, as the Deviil cited fcripture to our Saviour Chrijl f to pervert the Truth.of the fcripture •, ($ do thefe men ufe y Adaptare ca, quae bene difta lunt ijs To the Reader. cfju^ ijs quae male adinventa fun t'ab ipfis, ^ To apply thofe thing* which are well fpoken in [criptures, to thofe things Vrbich themfelves have mif invented , faith Ireneus, forfo Valentinus mif f !W'k*/« *• applyedfcriptures , tocofirme his er- rour of the thirty couple of Gods : Jo Manichaeus alledged JcriptHres to de. fend his Duo principia , two fold Cjod^ or rather two Gods , good and bad/fo Arrius, Appollinaris, and Eu- tiches , and all the brood ofheretickj* were not ignorant in the hookas of jcriptnre ; and fo all heretic^ at this day do with the Hiaena's voice , bring nothing elfe but fcipt tires , to kill foules with fcripturemifapplyed ^ and therefore leaft with thofe fifies that are rv* fportingly carried With the pleafant flreames of Jordan, untill they do fall into the deadfea, where they doe e fiould mark them and avoid them, and P?nn ^om.u. » 7. them as men .wont to run away fnm 1 '.. ~ ' venemous and ravenous beajts \ jor ^ , Epiphanius tells us they are like unto 3 4 , A 4 **? o An Advertilenient r^ theferpent called Dypfas, that poj~ fonet ball the pales wherein bee drin- kfth>fo that all the beafts which drink of thofe pooles 9 are fuddenly pojfoned TerudlM pre- and killed : Becaufe , as Tertullian ffrip.c.4i. faith % This hath ever been the defire ; andftudj of heretickj , Non Ethni- cos convertere, fedChriftianos ever- tefe, not to convert infidelity but topervert and throw downe Chrifli- ans from the faith , and therefore Saint John feeing the heretic^ Cerin- thus in a bath wherein the Apeftle ba- thed himfelfe t ran away from him as %ufS.ht. ?• it had been from a I ion \ And Ireneus faith, that Tantum Apoftoli & eo- rum difcipuli habuerunt timorem , utnequc verbo tenus communicarent alicui corum qui adulters verant veri- tateni, the Apoftlef and their 'Difci- pits didfo warily Jhun all heretickj , that they would have nocemmunicati- on with any of them that had depraved the truth of Chrift. And no marvelly for as errours in prattife are like a fretting Leprofie y of a contagious and fpreading nature, fo errours in j*dge- i C6r.$.6.' men t are very difufive alfo, A little iVim.i.\7. Leaven leaveneth the whole lumpe, and heretickf ftl fe Doftrines fr$t and fire ad To the Reader. '* fpread like * Gangren,/ir no opinion is fo monftrotistfut if it hath a ^Mother, itwillalfo get a Tfyrfc: W of nil ex- perience in theje times % wherein the golden reines of Church government a, e wanting, doth cleerlj evince the truth thereof. But jet the Lord doth Jeldomejuffer the Authors , andcheif fomenters ofberefies even in thu Vcorld to go unpunifhed^s fullj will appear in thefe enjuing examples. Blafphemous Arrius , that denyed *** theconfubftantialityefthefon of God with his Father , did , by the dread- full judgement of Ged, burft infun-R4>'-*> c - l 1> der , and after the manner of Judas Ifcariot his bowells gufbedout , fo when diver/e of the Arrian Tijhops intended to meet in a toVvn o/N come- Swat.tccltf. dia to con fult about the propagation H'--'- 1 '- 2 ** *f that wicked herefte , the Lord to prevent their purpefes , did over- throty the town by a fearfull ?arth- quake * J$ Montanus that proclaimed l( *f™ '' UCt 1Z ' himfelfto be that Paracletus, the com- T^i * I*' forter which our Saviour promised to fend unto his Church, and his two fe* menive Prophets , thofe lewd Thames Prifciila & Maximilla did eud the: lives on Judas his Tree: fo Paulus S mofatencus ma An Advertifement mofatenus that denjed Chrift tc be the naturaHfonneofGod 9 was miferably plagued by the hands of God and being deprived from lis ufurped Bifbopvick^y Himnhnti- he was excommunicated from all the talogfciif. Churches of God . fo Manes of whom the/eQ of the Manichees tookjheir de- nomination , that had congefied toge- ther many odious herefies ^at faint Au- guftine fieweth. was at la ft taken and imprifonedby the King of Periia , and by his' commandement heewafleada- r live, and his sk in filled full of 'chaff \ank frTl 7 c\o f et u f )as ^^rfuflfpeUdcle before the g*t e of a certaine City in Mefopota- mia, faith Eufebius, fo Simon Magus that taught many abominate herefies ; attempting to JbeVo his power to the people byfljing in the air y fell doWne , brake hs Thigh and dyed miferably-, fo Neftorius who (pake againfi the union of the divine and humane nature of Chrift had his blafphemous tongue rotted in his mouth , and Cvnfumed with wormes , and at length the earth opened her mouth and fw allowed him up ; fo Cerinthus an arch heretic^ $ being in a 'Bath at Ephefus , the bath feS upon them and his affociates and kjHed them ^ ft Heraclius the £m- ferour To the Reader ** percstrinfefled "frith the here fe cfthe Monothelites , having raifed a great Army againfi his enemies , fifty thou- [and of them dyed in one nighty there- upon hee freftntly fell Jicf^ a'ld dyed: So Conftance the Emperour a Mono- thclite was flaine hj his own fervants , as he was wafting himfelfe in a Bath. Andfo 1 might recount many others , Vrhofe tragical ends from Gods Judge* mentsdo {efficient Jy fieVr Gods hatred againfl all herefes. 2^ow touehincr prophane Atheifls , they are Jo additled to the world that yonfhall never perfwade them to thinly that there is a CJod, or a Cbriff y or a DeviUy or a heaven or a he!l i fast thefe Tfal.$yv Fooles have fayd in their hearcs there is no God , and with the Sadduces thej beleeve that there ar% neither an- gells nOrfpirits, firft norfecond y god <$ C neca in nor bad j omnia certo tramite vadunt, O;d:o. all do run in a certaine creffe path , or Claud, in Uuff. as Claudian faith <, incerco flucrunc ~ mortalia cafu, all fallout by hab nab j a'lby chance ^and that is the end of all \ and fo this curfed and atheifiicall crtw cfincridttlotis men, Pejores & tardi- ores ad credendum, quam ipfi dae- mones , are worfe herein^ and flower to ^ An Advertifement to believe then the very Vevi&s , as \ Saint Auguftinc faith : And therefore \ the death of an Atheift , commonly is v>* i rv- ** Q ft miferable : Either burnt as Di- l GUI, UlilCOn. • > /• tai_ ; x - agoras; or eaten up with hce, as Phe- recidcs, or deveuredbj dogs % as Lu- cian, or thunderfoot and turned to a- fi.es as Olympius,or eaten up of worms ^/rf* ». %* ^ Herod Agrippa, or thro^ne downe from an high place ana broken in pu- vaLMaxJ.u ces as Daphida , or (laine by his fer- FulgevJ.t. cz. vants ^Commodus, WHeliogaba- lus^orjlain with a thunder -bolt \asTul- lus Hoftilius , or ftrucl^with madnefs as Francis Ribelius,or kills himfelfe, as Scrozze andPeriers, or pined to death % m Jodelle.Hwf ver de/cending impeni- tent into hell , there he ts An Atheift no longer , but hath as much religion as the Devill , to confejfe God and <~r tremble : nullus in inferno eft Athe- os, ante fuit. On Sarth were Atheift* mmy^ In Hell there is not any . Alljpeak, truth when they are upon the rackj, but it id a wofull thing to be hethc^me^t. tsfndfoyoujeehow the jufticc of God never prefervetb Athe- ifts and Heretickj even to the extrea- meft execution. Again ft both theft implacable, though r —«ies To the Reader. " aliases fojled enemies to divine truth> have 1 built this "Bul^arkje , -which yvanteth neither the strength of Ord- nance, provifon of vittualts, nor the pollicj of moft Worthy Captaines and good foul diers. For, Firfty Againfi the wretched Athe- ifts J have placed the Learning of the gentiles, becaufe that to a/ledge fcrip- fure to an In fide 11, is to no more pur" pofe, then if he al ledge d the fewi/h Ca- balift, or the Turkijb AJcaron unto a £hriftian. t>4nd that it is lawful] or us to ufe the learning of the Gentiles Js eafily proved : For Vcefinde, that not only the Fathers of the primitive Church, ^Juftin Martyr, Clemens Alexandrinus , Tertullian, Origen , Cyprian, Ladandius,Firmianus,Am- brofe- Hierome, Augufcine Fulgenti- us, Venerable Bede and all the reft did alledge the authorities of their prece- dent Fathers, and of the be ft heathen Authors^ but alfo the Apoffles and Prophets them ft Ives did al ledge the fajings and teflimonies of the Heathen writers : For Mofes w u learned in all the learning of the Egyptians, and r , was therefore likenedbj Clemens A- fl r0m nbl ** kxandrinus ur.tc V\moand Daniel re- Din+ t &q\ citCth 6 E\\: ( An Advertifement citeth the Decree */ Nebuchadnezzar; and the ^Decree o/Darius, and the E- ditt ef Cyrus King #/Perfia, and A& *8 Saint Paule ufeth the Te&imeny of jcor.ii 33 Ar&tus againft the Athenians, c/Me- Tixiisi.w nander againft the Corinthians , and ef Epirnenides agamfl the Cretians, and oftt of the Jewijh Talmud hee bor- roweth the names of the Magicians of iEgypt, Jannes4w^Jarabres that re- fitted Mofes , for thej are not found tn all the bookes of the Old Teftament. Jnd therefore as it >fras laVpfull for the Ifraelites to rob the ^Egyptians of all their Jewells i and mtft precicits m % things that thej could get of them i fo it is lawfullfor m to take the be ft things that we can find , either witty faying, fitting ftmilitude , cr memora- ble ft or j in all the writings of the Heathens i and to t ran (port them , ( as Salomon did the wood of Lebanon for the building of CJods hou/e, and the gold of Opbir to^makj the Temple of Jerufalem the more glories) from the prophane ufe of the fir ft Authors unto the dtvtne edtjying of Cjods Church. Tiefides^ltis the* cleereft evidence in the world that can be produced % to conviuct To the Reader, onvince any man when hee is made a tarty in the proofe, a witneffe in his oWn cafe 9 and a Judge againft him- jfilfe : for what can any Gentile ob» c & for himfelfe again ft us , that hee doth not beleeve in JefusChrift, when he perceivetb our truth confirmed % and himfetfe convittedout of the learning if the Gentiles f what can the Philo- sopher faj , when hee feeth himfelfe confuted by Phitofophy? or what re-** 1 *'*' 9 jiimony can a Jew require better then a proof produced out of his owne Cab- balls and Talmud f and therefore as Eiipbaz faith of vain boaflers , that their own words condemne them , fo humane art s being divine gifts % wee may lawfully ufe them, to cut off Go* ^ liahs head with hx owne fword , or to beat down Hercules with his own club, — that is, to confute the Gentiles out of the learning of the Gentiles , and fo wefinde t that not only informer times the Prophets, Apoftles , and Fathers cf the primitive £hurch have pratti- fed thi fame courfe 5 but alfo in later times, Aquinas, Mornaeus, Dodor Fotherby , late Bifiop of Salisbu- ry y an d diverfc others, have out of Trifmegiftus , Homer , Plato , Ari- riftotle If An Advertifemenfc ftotle, Cicero and the reft of the Qen~ tileDottors,* confuted the fuperftiti- ens of the Heathens, and confirmed the truth of (fhriftian Religion. Secondly , Againft the wicked and curjed hereticks , 1 have ufed the /acred fcripture, whofe excellency a* bovt all humane learnings 1 (htlbreif- ly fet forth and conclude. Such is the excellency of fcripture-learning^ which coKtaineth in it florem delibatum, the f,ower and very j^uinteffence of foule- faving wi/dome , jhat wee m*y fay of it, as the Philofopher fome times Jpake concerning the knowledge of the foule VvS U t fan e f m *"> A fffia11 and d,m knowled S e £jJ+J£ of ic > is to be va,ued far above a s rea - fauwlotxmP ter meaiureot cleerer infight in any line fdentia other fcicncc. Fsr the inffired fcrip- dewflMfle, tures u t b e infallible rule of Faith ^ qum de ,gni- th Hnmove4 M ground of Hope, the ptrfeu guide of Ltfe^ the joules ft or e- houfe of Provifton^ thefpirituA/lMz- gazeen of Alunition , thefacred few- ell of Devotion, the divine fubjett of Contemplation , and the everlasting Spring of celeftiall confolation. It u ( incomparable purity , invincible perennity , and continuance of them ; ' t ?tt*l.i& i Pet. if* i. Erf, 8 An Advertifement manger the injury and iniquity of times,and Tyrants who haze {ought to fnpprejfe them, Be fides, the confi na- tion by miracles , conftffton of CMar- tyrs,defiruUion of oppugners, fulfilling ofpropbfies, cenjent of Churches^ yea t affent of adverfaries : \As firfi of he* retickj : who in oppugning of fc*iptures do yet alledge fcriptui e to their ownc utter deitru&ion. Secondly o/Jewes , CJods Library Keepers, as Saint Au- guftme calls them , who fiudioujly read and curioufly kept the Bouses of the old Teftament y vy a fingular providence of God,for our benefit and behoof \Thirdly % many heathens^being convinced in their confciences, have fealtd to the truth of thefcripturejby their teftimonies, and conjeffed them to be divine , for Por- phyry teftifieth that Mofes hath writ* ten the hiflory of the Law truly , and Numenius the Pythagorift recites Mofes's hifiory f almofi word for word , tefitfying that he was a great Divine. But we have better testimonies, even the holy fcriptures themfelves, which do not only efiablijh our faith, but al- fo inftrutt our Reafon , fumifloing u* S.if.i? with arguments, rationally 9 to prove their truth to be Jacrsd and their au~ tfowy To the Reader. thoritj divine : Yea further 5 The fcripture is proved t$ be the word of God, by the Majefiy of it i which, be* fides the ft at el j plainejfe of the ft He far furpaffeth the creatures capacitj • the fathom effie/b and reach of >eafon> There is no jot or tittle of of it that fa- vours of earthlinefje t Every word of Cods mouth id pure precious and prefi- table y not hfj liable fuperfluow .The ve m rj majeftj of the fentence ufucb a* can* not be coneeived , and jet its alwaies more pofterfull in matter, then irt words. Humane writings may fiiew fome faults to be avoided^ but give no power to amend them : fvhat Words of Yhilojophers could ever make, of a Leo- pard ^Lambe; of a Viper * Child- of a Lecher a chaft man j o/^Nabal a Na- dib , or of a covetous carle a liberaU per f on ? Philojophy may civilize , not jdnttifir^ hide fome /ins, not healthem\ cover, not cure them : But the efficacy and virtue of the fcripture us/uch,that it preduceth the love of Gpd , and our enemies; it purtfieth the heart, pacific eththe confetence ; re^ifieth the whole 9 both conflitution, and convert at ion of man; yea tt ta^eth him offfr*m the de- lights of the world and the fie fb j ina- Jfc An Adveftifement ptaketb him glory in ajjli£lions,fing in the flames, and triumph over death. A 11 ihefe^ and more do necejfarily con- clude the d vine verity and authority of the f acred fcriptures. Moreover } if 'we will open our eyes'tq fee and bring our Judgement to difcern^ we may foon perceive that, be fides the truth of [cripture> -which will admit no comparifon with any writings , there is more learning in Mofes, then in all the learned men of the gentile s h more Rhetoric l^in Eiayas Profbefies, then in all Tullics Orations ^ more Logick in Saint Paules Epiftles> then in all A- riftotlcs Analitickj : there u/weeter mufick in King David, then in all the Lyrick Poets of the heathen ; there is better Philofophy in Job , then in all the Philofophers of Greece ; there if truer Morality in Salomon, thencan be found in all humane Ethiques, and there are more heroic}^ vertues , and martiatlprovejfe *#Jofhuah f Judges and the Chronicles , then can be fetchtout of all the Greeke and Ro- mane {lor ies^ and you Jhallfinde more patheticall expreffions of for row and greife in a little more then ene letfe 4 To the Reader. *< of Jeremiahs Lamentation , then yap canfinde in the mournfu/i Elegies of the Toets • yon fhall readfuch ravi- Jhing Encomium's of true love , in tight little Chapters of the Song of Songs , as the like are not to ye found in all the Epithalamium's of the World and j oh fk all fee more elegancy of ex- frefftons , more excellency of demon- fir at ions , and more admirable allufi- onsin our Saviours 1)(ttrine y then can be collected out of all the millions of volumes that are extant. And therefore by Gods Word, Hufhai Was made a Wife Cour.fellour , Solomon * wfeKing , Joilmah a jvije £apta ne % and Timothy a -wife divine. Gideorrc- vercame the Midianites , David the Philiftines t Jeliolraphat the Amo- nites, the lfralites the Canaanites , and all godly men the Flffb , the *Devill, and the rrotlds vanities. *Sj it Kings raigne , princes de- cree Juftice; all things are gover- ned, the foundations of the £*eal inflamed, and the diftreffed tn want releived , by it % the Rigbteoufnefe of god u revealed, the Church isfanttified, truth is preached^ errour convinced, vice corrected* good life dire fl ed % death avoided, and life e t email through or a Table fumifhed Vzith varie- tieSy if^toee tafi not of them ? or an Armory if we take no weapons thence? or a lookjng-glaffe, if wee behold not our faces therein} or a pleafant G*r- dcn^i^e gather no flowers or herbs t bene in ? or a fruitfvll feild, if we reap no fruit therein ? Surely to no purDofe ft all. That wee may then wake ufe of this Treafurj t d\:aw \Vater from this Hviygfountawe^ take medicinal *3 To the Reader. medicinal! confections from thu ssfpo- thecaries Jhop^ taft and eat of this well furnifbed T able ^ weapen our /elves from this armory , behold our faces in this glaffe, gather fragrant flowers in this Garden , and fruit from this fertile feild^ Let m be diligent in per- ujtng t he facred writings of the Pr§- phets and Apoftlesjet us write them in the cable of our hea.rts;yea y let us teach them diligently unto our children talk Di ^^^7* of them when we fie in our houfe,and when we walke by the way, when we lye down , and when wee rife up ; fo fhall we {hine every day more and more glorioufly in a 1 ' (tnttity, and at lafi be able to looi^death in the face with- out dread, the Grave without fear 9 the Lord Jefus with comfort >and Jeho- vah blejfed for ever with everlafiing Thm Gentle Reader , / thought good to tennder thee a preparatory Adver- tifmentoffome things, (wh of e precog- nition is neceffary) before thou entrcfl this Bulwark of truth,, which I ^now tfilpafs under the cenfure & judgment if divers forts of men, tome Are iono- rant & cannot judge ,Et ideo grave ju- ^ dicium eft ir.norantis . and the ignoran- Ur man i tbeftvcrerjsidge % others are* jf Ml a ^ An Advertifement too rafts >and are ready to cenfure it.be" fore they read it •, others are malicious % maligning and depraving other mens labours \ and I know there be many c* AugxmttA Momus-like, Qui^vel non intelU- TAufLLzuc. gendo, repcehendunt, vcl reprehen- ds* dendo non intelligunc j that do fl.ew their folly in reproving others , when tut of envy or ignorance thej blame that good of others , which they have not or know not themftlves : and for thefe th*re is none other helpe , but to becareltfa oj their cenfurcs, and to frayagamU their wickedneffe . Tea , Let them go on , fay Vcbatthej will f Ego fie Vivam ut il lis fides non habe- atur , / hope God will give him grace to fear him and not them : And I hope the Godlj Reader of this little Trail of mine will finde fome profit by it, for the mofl necefarj^ fub lime ft points of divinity , are here b ret fly and jet ful- ly handled , and I rejoyce in tb*, that 1 deliver Vvhat I lcarnjed, and not what I invented , as Lyrinenfis fpeaketh. Let no man now challenge me for ufnr- ping another mans Office, or Trefpaf- fing upon Divines •, / cannot fee but Divines and Phificiansw^jr tyefl agree together. Both are buficd about cu- ring To the Reader. • - 'ink ofdifeahs , either fpirituall or :orporall, and here is a medicine for both. Be fides \ although I have thus la- boured out of my calling as 1 am a Phi- (ltian, ye t 1 am not out of mj profeffion %s I am a Chr\ft\an. ivhat I have writ- ten J intended for a publickjbentfit y & I do willingly fubmit it to the judgment fGods Children % they mnfl allconfefsjt is the laft hour of the worlds age^wher- in iniquity is increafed impiety is en' Urged, and all charity is almoft aban- doned^ aft things growing worfe and toorfe by continuance, Ec Satanas tan* :o ferventiorad fievltiam , quanco fe fentit viciniorem ad paenam ^ and Sa- tan having the greater rage to drive us to tranfgreffinn , by how much the neerer he perceives himfelfe to deftru- Bion^ and therefore \ let men fay what they flr*//, jet feeing tto may truly de~ mand of them, quid audiam vcrba,cum vidcam contraria fafta ? what boot* eth all onr knowledge, feeing wee do nothing that we know, nor knov no- thing indeed as tye ought to know, I fay that it cannot be amijje to do what we can, toexpreffe thofe things that may beft mal^e for our happinefs 3 and 1 know thefe points are neceffary to be know*, \ { An Advertifement hnowne , and molt profitable to it pratti/ed by all Chriftians : Reat then* then , and I Kill pray to Got that he mil g^e the grace, FaelH ceter currere & faelicius in Cnnlti pietate curfum tuum coufummare.fo; understand what thou readefi, to be- hive What thou underftandeft , and tv praVtife what thott beleiveft, that Jo thou mayft attaine mto everlafting life • through Jefus Chnft our Lord, Amen. From my Study in Norwich , Feb.$. 1656. Robert Bayfeild. I \ I fl The Statioaer to the READER, Reader , IF in thu Tra&ate, the Quotations ofGreek^and Latine do offend thee y let them be unto thee as countrey fliles^ fief ping over them, thou loofeft not thy way by them ± for their Sxpofitions follow them.- Imprimatur Sdm.Qalamy. CHAP. I. OF GOD- T muft be the cbfififi Thecheifeft care of all that would happineffeof be happy,fo k»ow God, man « to which is the cheifeft^^- happineffe of all-, and therefore our Savi- our faith, That thu i* eternal! life, to i{Hcrv him to be the onelj true God, and Whom he hatbfent, Jefus Chrift : Yet the mifery of mans nature is fo grear, that whereas it was created to the bright knowledge, and even the ve- ry image of God, it is fallen fo far, as it is not onely ignorant who, and what God is, but alfo niaketh dif- putation, whether there be any God in Heaven or no • who hath care o- vcr the World and humane affaires 5 as O^iWconfeflethofhimfelfe, Solli-Ovid Am$r t L titer nulla effe jtutare Deos. And in- 3 **X« * deed it is very (ad and dreadfully that ft thclc ■ » Of God. thefe follicitationsand fuggeftions of Satan have prevailed, not only with diverfe of the Heathens,but alfo with many Chriftians, even in thefe our dayes, which as ftiftin LMartjr ob- Jnflin Martyr ferveth , are fo called, and yet are in dial, cum nH Ui H5 numinis cult ores , no better in- Wde'eiUm*' ^ eec * ^en P^ aine Atheifts, though 7beodoret.de not ^ uc h, as Diagorai and Theodoras FrwUintSer. that did plainly deny all Deity y but i to.z. p. 576. fuch as the Prophet David fpeaks of, Pul. 14 *. t i iat f a y m t j le j r hearts, There is no Cjod^ becaufe they cannot fee him : yet let all fuch fools, Atheifts, Hea- thens,, and wicked perfons know,that Mauh. 2.1.29. they err and arc deceived,not know- Exod.35.ao ingthe Scriptures. No man can fee Job. 1. 18. g d and live : 2{o man hath indeed Job.4.14. feenGodatanj time with the bodily eye ( and yet there is a God ) who as he will be worfliippcd with the worfhip of the fpirit fpiritually, fo will he be feen with the eyes of the fpirit inwardly. Thou haft a foule and yet thou feefi it not f there is a winde and yet thou perceiveft it not. So there is a God though thou fee him nor. The which to averr (con- SSrfStji trary to the fools faying, Atheifts who worfhip any God rather then no God:for there is no Nation fo barba- ruus^ut it beleives that chere is fome Divinity; or holds opinion that there muft needs be an Sifenve of a firft ef- ficient caufc , the producer of all things elfe vvhatfocver ; because the vertue of the God-head hath fuch powerfull efficacv, that it very mani- kftiy 4 Of God. feftly declares it felfe, to all fuch as have theleafttafte of reafon. £xod.8. 19, 5- The Terrours of Confcience^ Rom.t.i t . ' which maketh the moft ungodly mif- Dan.4.4.&. f • creants, will they nill they, to ac- •• knowledge him, and to tremble at his judgments fent upon them. Prov. 1 £.3 3. 6. His Fewer in fvftaining , his Providence in maintaining, his Love in correfting, hisbeuntj in promis- ing, h\s f sit hfu/nejf em performing, his graa in giving, and his mercy in taking away, maketh the faithfull to confeffehim, and in all his proceed- ings to juftifie his wifedome. So that we may plainely fee God left not himfelfe Without witnejfe fuf- ficicnt at all times and in evei y place, to prove unto every one that there is a God : And feeing Athcifts beleeve not the Scriptures, we have more te- ftimonies then them to teftifie the fame; Ads 14.tr. Search among all the Precepts of the Heathens, and you (hall find this was their cbcifeft leflbn, yvZz* fc Othy know God. Take the teliimo- nies of the wifeft men and of the fharpeft apprehenfions in the world, whom Plutarch diftinguilheth to be either Of God. j either Philofophers, Law-givers or Piuttrth in Poets, d" hiomnesufsoore dicunt D e . a mitt:i*mo- *w^,andallthefe with one voice, ral -V-* 14 ' do fay that There if a Go J. PUto not p[ at0 delen- only faith it, but alfo confirmeth ittmLi% by many invincible reafons. Arifiotle\ though a man, faith A"P#l*iflt. Grotius, not very credulous in this^T!*^ ^ kind • yet we find in his later works, l & ] H ] , Mgm he doth moft plainely affirme God to tapb. t'o.z. be thecaufe,and the beginning of a!! f.*/>.i?7i, things, and in his laft booke of natu- rail Philofophie, afcer he had written five afore ( of eight that hee writ in all) only of Motions and the affefti- Maiinaw de onsofit.hedothend his laft Booke ''S* ir .™> muft be tU t )} i MZ ' reduced and referred to fome other thing, that is not by participation , but Of God. II ut of it felf, as for Exam pie, Water \ >r any thing elfe that is heated by he fire, is hot by participation, and lot of it felf. And therefore is refu- nd ( concerning its heate ) to the heat of the Fire , as to its Original : Now then (faith the Philofopher in his Metaphificks ) we fee by expe- rience, that all the creatures and Parts of this World , are things by Participation only , and therefore they muft of necejjitj be referred to fome higher caufe that is infinite in perfection, and confifteth of it felfe alone without participation from o- thers s And this is Qod , who being Abfolute.Endleffe , and without all limitation of perfection in himfelfe > deriveth from his own : ncomprehen- fible infinitenefle , certaine limited Natures and perfections to every creature • which perfections in crea- tures f are nothing'elfe but little Par- ticles, and Participations of the Bot- tcmlejje Sea of Perfections in the Creatour, whereunto they are to be referred and reduced > as the Beame to the Sun , and the 'Brooke to the Fountain. I might here accumulate many arguments 1 2 Of God. arguments more, which prove to c* very man that there is a God y but I do not this to fatisfie the doubting minds of wicked Atheifts, that be- leeve there is no God^ becaufe I think fuch deferve rather to be Exe- cuted by the Tormentor, then inftrn- Ued by any Philofopher , but wee bring thefe things to (hew how far they are beyond excu[e y that having fo many arguments before their eyes to prove that there ts a CjoA, will not- Roffl i.2X. withftanding not glorify him tuGod^ and therefore, as by the operation of our Soules.we do know that we have Soules though we fee them not ; fo by the workes of God in our felves , and in all things elfe we do afTuredly beleive, and moft certainly know, there is * Cjod , though our blind eyes cannot fee this great light • and though the negligence of the Hea- them,and their wickednefs that blin- ded all their light, which Nature had ingrafted in their Soules, made them multitudes of Gods , that in Hefiods time they amounted to the number of thirty thoufands ; ^|Ko us that are guided by the light of Gods irW f ar '^ are infpired with the Gra- ces x.. Of God. 15 ces of Gods Spirit to beleeve that word, it is moft apparent that there is but 0** God; and this, not only Deut.f *J*? the Scriptures, but alfo Reafon it felf A 9 '. * can wake it plain. For , x Cor.¥.4. If there fhould be many Gods, it muft needs then enfue as an efpe- ciall Maximt^ that they muft needs be all alike, or different in their pow- ers. If they be all alike, off equall, why then they can be but all as One : For DifimilitHde raaketh the diver- sity of things only. But if there were many Gods differing in their equality ; tt is ap- I parent that the y could not juftly be j called $ods % iftherebeany imperfe- I &\on in one, more then is in the o- ther. For hee that is Abfolnte and A note worthy i moft perfeft, muft needs be God , in obfrvation. j regard there is no impcrfe&ion found in him, and then, the other ( being impotent or imperfeft ) can- not be termed Gods, but muft needs fubmit their utmoft power, to the others perfeft priviledge: It is ne- ceflary therefore that there (hould be but One God only , (as in very truth ) there is no more then one . who is the fole beginning of all thing* « 14 Of God. things- and yet notwithstanding hat no beginning or ending. vl d u% lib ' Ifany man ( faith An f elm ) do | Dei Cni ? bel^ive that God hath Humane mem- 1 hers and Motions , or Perturbation I of Soviets we have, affuredly hec doth but forge meer 7*fo/// in hisJ Heart. And therefore we are to know that fuch phrafe and manner of Lan- guage in the facred ScrLptures,is pro- perly ufed to make our rude and dull underftanding the more afprehenfive\ oftheunfpeakeableMajefty of God. I For he being invisible, and yet wil- ling to manifeft himfelfe unto his People, doth accommodate his pre-] . fence to men, by an Analogie of fuch things as are moft frequent and fa- \ miliar to them.For Example, Go( Of God. 15 A SohU His life together with //£. 1 . hisEflence. 14. A head The Eflence of his Dan.- 7. Deity & God* head. 9. Eye-lids Theincomprehenfible ;^ fortitude. 1. A finger His fpirit, vertue and ExoJ.$i efficacy, 18. Fett His ftrength and pre- P/a. 1 1 fence to governe. I. God i6 A footfloole Eacksfarts Setifet £ Oblivion erf S His face C! A heart o Memory o A Shade A Throne A Way Wings J3 IS OfGoL His authority otcr //i. 66. the ungodly. i > An imperfeft repxc-Exod. fentation of him. 3 3 23. His Providence o-Tfal. 1 4 vcr the Creatures. *. That he imputcth 7>f*l. not our fins unto us. 32.2. That declarcth his P/W.30 feverity. 7. His lively Eflence Qen 6. and his Decree. 6. That hee remem- Pfal. brech mercies. 25 6. His Protcftion o-PJal. verallhis creatures. 121.5. His Princely Pow-i/i. 66. cr andMajefty. 1. The courfe of all Pfal. his A&ions. 103.7. His defence in pre- Pfal. 17. fervingthe Godly. 8. God of g*j. 17 Andheisfaydto The diflikc of the £#* 6. things which cauf- 6. eth it. His acceptation of Gen. 8. mans doings. 21. A change of the thing ?w. 3. purpofed on mans 10. repentance. That he ceafeth from Gcn.2.1 creating. That hee is flow in P/n/44 fuccouring. 23. That he playeth the Pfal.z, part of a Judge. 4. That he knoweth all PfaLu things that are 4. *g done. ^That he dothjnfuie Gen.2. the foule into the 7. body. That he accomplilh- Pfal.$. eth mans requeft. 2. That he is not igno- Gen.il. rant of the things 7. on earth. O/w* unt$ That he caufeth us y/i/,6. hs to feel his grace. 4- Dwell in That he confirms us fob.i^. us. in the truft of his 23. grace. C God Sorrow SmeS Rtfent Reft Sleep Sit See Breathe Hear Defcend i3 Of God. Angry His threatning of pun- iftiment. Patient His willing forbearance to punifli till fins be ripened. Exalted ^ That his Majefty is ex- alted* •2 & Zealous CL» q Weary fuftified Silent 2 The love that he hath J; to his Church. .« His great indignation "| againft Idolatry. >* That he cannot abide * fomething. That he is juftified,be- ingjuft and good. That he heareth not our prayers. That he is not delight- ed in a thing. Hof. ni\ 9- 9- 11. 7/4. 9.9.I 7/#/0. 25 j| II. 7/4.1,141 Luke 7. \ 29- Pfal zSA 1. 7/4.1. ill So that whatfoever is attributed j to God, muft evermore be interpret TZ de l fide lcd f P irituall y^ as Damafcene very orthodox. we ^ declarcih in thefe words^Multi igitur qua ad Deum fpeftant tenuA quaAam & ebfeura ccgnitione perciplA untur commode^ & proprie nequeumi ifferri. Itaqtte loquentes de its quA fttpra nos funt % cogimur Hti verbis na\ bit congrutntibus. £ x quo jit Ht DiA of g*d. *$ irfomn*m % & tram, & fe cur it at em y ir manux, & pedes , & alia ejufmodi ritwamus. Thereare many things vhich concerneGod, that infignifi- ation doe carry an cbfcure con- tru&ion , and cannot properly be elivered. Wherefore, in ipeaking )f thofe which are above us, we Irive to ufe apt and co-.-.^ruent words o our capacity, whereby enfucth, avspainzar h&t Jleepe, fger^ ea/\ hands \ feete, 3»s. nd other fuch like, may feemc to be fcribed unto God We finde alfo in the facred Scrip- ures many Epithets and Appellations nfwerable to the manifold effects of lis power , rule, and Divinity. His epithets are, Almighty i Strong J ^ xoi '^ r Jreat y Vncha»geable,Dreadfull^ Tcr. M™£ £. ible % pyronderfy.!l^ Bkjfed, Sverlaft- j anli I# ' I7# ng^F 'aveu* Able , Eternally Faith full, Deuc7.11.SC tracious, Good y Holy, f talons, lnvi- J o. *7. hit, fufi^Mercifull, Pittifu/l, Righ- ^njj 11U tons. True, Uncorruptible^ Incompre- p^?\ L '/ icnfible, moft Fowerfttll, &c. He ii1fo.41.xj. ompared unto a ftrong Rock, a man Ma. 28. j. i Warr, a Diadem of Beauty, and 16. 4*. M. nto a woman Travelling He is alfo JJoC x 3- 7. 1 r J r Hof. 1 1 . ompared unto a Leopard^ a Zjro*?, Dcur ;2# lX% m Eagle 1 zBeare y a Gjant, and a L*m.Vi°. C 2 UJfr/A, Job. 1 io Of God. Hor.f. nl UWotb, and he is compared unto a righteous Father , a ftrong Lord, a Lawgiver, a righteous Judge, a Carf prefled downe,a Counfellor,a frcind a Houft of defence^ lender, a might man^a Mother, a Purifier, a Purge) and a %jfiner of Gold, c^f . Laftly his Appellations are as followeth, A Father? -&&/. i . 6. A Creator. //*. 40. 28. A Builder, Hcb. 3.4. A Compaffer. PfaL 3 2. 7. A Nourifher. I fa. 1 . 1 . A Planter. £*».2 8. -^ A Record. fo£. 16. ip. :S ARebuker. Hof.5.2. 3 ARedeemer. //*♦ 43. 1. ^ A Rewarder. (7* *. 1 5 . 1 . o A Rock. Tfal. 18. 2. A Sanftuary. I fa. 8.14. A fecret place. PfaL 32.7 A Shadow. ^25.4. AShepheard. PA*/. 23. r. ASheild. PfaL 115. 11. A Spirit. /^6. 4. 24. Truth. Dent. 3 2 4. A Husband. //*. 54. 5 . A/uft Judge. PfaL 9,%. " The Of God. 21 The holy one fob 6 to A Helper Pfal- 10 14 I am that I am. Exod. 3 14 A Keeper "P/al 121 5 A Leader "Bent. 3212 A Maker f $6.3222 A Matter £/>/?. 6 9 AManofVVarr £*W. 15 3 A mighty one //*. 1 24 Onely wife Rom. 16 27 A Habitation Pfal. 90 1 A Deliverer Exod. 1 8 4 ACaptainc zChroA^ 12 Almighty 2?ez\i 8 AFortreffe P/4/.182 An Eleftor ^w. 8 ? 3 An Avenger 7fal. 94 1 -^£4 Father MarJ^. 1436 A Witnefle 7* r ' 29 23 A Treafurer //*. 336 A Succourer Pfal. 22 19 A Sure truft P/aI.71 7 A Strong hold. N*h. 1 7 The fearchcr of the hearts Rom . 8 27 A Saviour of Ifrael f*r* 14 8 The Rock of Salvation ?>t*t.$2 1$ ARevealerofSecrets Dm*.* 47 A Refuge for the oppreffed P/*/. 9 9 C 3 Co4 22 Of God. The Portion of Jacob Jer 51 19 A ponderer of the hearts Prov 24 12 A Preferver of men Job f 70 The lifter up of mans head. Pfal 3 3 The light of Jfraei, I fa 10 17 The life of man. Dent 30 20 Aneverlafting } 1 Tim 1 17 Aneternall ^ ^rloio Aninvifible C King* 1 7V;» 1 17 ^ A great ) T/4/ 95 3 J£ The Sword of Excellency, Deut ^ 29 3 A ftay in calamity Pf*j 1818 ■? The Fountaine of all living ferns "o waters. O The Fountain of ^A* andOwfg* i?ez/ 18 The Judge of the world. &c. Gen 18 25 Moreover, It is obferved, that al- noft all Nations do write and pro- A remarkable lounce the name of {God) with four nocc ' .etters. He is called in Hebrew fTJTV Tyn* l ehovah,\n which \tford there are con- ained all the Vowells,*.*.'*. #.with- >utfome of which no word can be fpoken,no name can be uttered \ and hat in it there is nothing but Vowels^ excepting £, which is no ]etter,but the ifpiration of the word] to note unto ,Js, that as the Vowels y together with he afpiration, are the Life, and, as it were, the Settle of every word ; fo is Jehovah f the Lord God, the very Life, and being,as it were, of every creature that can be named ; becaufe that ofhim y and for him> and through Rom. i 1 3*. him^area/l things. NonquodilU(unt > quod ipfe cfi , fed quia ex ipfo funt ; Not that they are the fame that he is, C 4 but tt 24 Of God. but bccaufc they have their exiftence BtYnan Cant. an( j pcr f e ftion from him, as Bernard * '•*' faith, God is called in Greek OiU *r tl feuv,acurrendo^ofmr\mn^£luo> vfi j3 »*?©- \ t f% iim dHli ^ \iutarc\m~ he is comparted about with darknefs^ m ifidede the* and Dawa/citM the PUtonift, fpeak- olo£ia A§jpti- ing of the wife men of Etypt y faith, *J a f • . ' • / ^ • ~ ~ i Vide Jobc.it* <*$UTW tf^yyv, rehcnded by f rom the abundance of glory in both, tke underftan- in rcfpeA of our weakne f s co f ee> and ding ot ma*. infufficiency t0 ap p re hend, ; fo that our defed: of knowledge in the Nature of God, is not fo proper- ly from the Excellency of the Objeft y as from the deficiency of the Facul- John 1 1 $. xj^ our underftanding being too nar- row to comprehend the incompre- henfible Effenc e of the Cjod-head; as whatfoever is finite muft needs be too (hort, either to reach, or to fa- thom that which is infinite. T € Wherefore God dwelling in that light of Glorious Excellency, and in- acceflible Glory t which no eye of hu- mane Retfon can approach, or enter pri into, we not being able to com pre- t m * 1 44 h bend him in a full Knowledge , have fome Of God. 27 bme apprehenfions of him by a di- vine faith for it hath pleafcd him in is Vrord revealed unto us, to rcveale mfelfe fo far^s our weake capacity conceive hira,and that by giving irafelf (as you have heard) many Thames y TitUs& Attributes J.0 (hew what a one he is, who being a moft [imple efTence,void of al compofition, not fubjeft to any accident,or qualt- ty,ufeth in the Scriptures to entitle himfelfe by many qualities,the which wemuftfo underftand,thatwhatfo* f * ever he is, whether Good^ Wife^ Pow- erful/, &c. he is the fame by E {fence not by quality. Now although God cannot be defi- ned, 1 , Becaufe he is immenfe, and his Effence unknown unto us, 2.* Be- caufe, as Arifiotle faith, op©- SJi Aof©- Ayi/br. i ri ti [uj \*i) ffn(jL6Liva>Vy the definition Toftcm* L 1. of any thing is the expreffion of what it is in ics own nature and vir- tue, and fo we cannot poflibly (hew what he is, yet fome way he may be defcribed, and therefore his defcrip* tion according to Phylofophy is on this wife ; Cod is an eternal! minde - >. •r intelligence Sufficient in himfelfe r^nof £5 all felicity moft good, and the canfe of according to good Philofophy. 1 28 Of God. TUedef- good in nature. But Divinitj hath cription of taught us a more full and ample de- God accor- /cription of him,which is in this fort: rulwof Dtvi"^^^ an Effence fpirituall, intelli^ nity, gent, Etcrnallyinfinitt, different from all the creatures^ without body, parts, or parens, incomprehensible, moft per' fell in himfelf y immutable, Omnipo- tent, of exceeding wifdome and good- nefjejufi, true, chafl, merc'fulljboun- tifull , mcft free, wroth and angry Toh 4 24 without Jin. Or thus, God is a Spirit, Exod 5. i4." * n am * of himfelfe, infinite in being, Exod. 24. 16. Glory JBleflednefTe., and perfection, i.Tim- 1. 11. all-fufficient,Eternall,Unchangeable, Mat. ?. 48. Jncomprehenfible, every where pre- ?Tim 7 i!i7 ^ ent ' A] mighty, knowing all things, MaiV*-* ' mo ^ W ^ e> mo ^ k°iy» mo ^ J U ^> m0 ^ i. King 8.27. mercifull and gracious long, fuffering Pfal. 1J9. 1. and abundant in goodnefTeandtruth. x £ x \ ft We finde three fpeciall wayes of Hcb 4 1 \ cs P re ^ ln g w ^ at he is- firft, by way of Rom. 1*. 27. Negation , by removing from him Ifa.i.3. what we find in the creatures ,as when Deut. 314. we f a y an( j affirme him to be, i&Ava.- * fOf, AGVvbiToV, cLvctqn, ifdpcLTov^d.x.i- viiToVy dppvTGVy dvoarovy if^yi^Tu ctyn* $ov, (*^9ctfToi/, ivoeov, Immortall, In- vifible , Incorporeall, Immoveable, Infinite, Of Cod. 29 Infinite, Unchangeable,and fo forth. And becaufe, as DUnyfius the Are 0- Dionjf. it ca- pagite faith, it ^ a/*» 9 «W Ml r 3«i- U P- *'«*"*• ixpvQi'o'ltiTiT ct/mppnivV' Negations are true in God, but affirmatives are not alwayes agreeable to him, therefore this is tbebeft part of our knowledge of him (as £• Juguftine faith) when we know rather what he is not^ then what he is. Secondly, by way of affirmation By way of per- and perfe ttion } as when we doc ana- fe&ior. logicalij and in refpeft of certaine fimilitudesfActibt unto God the beft and moft excellent things that can be found in any of the creatures whatfoeverjand fo we fay,he is Great \ Strong ^F aire > Mercifully Juft^ &c. So Hermes faith, A?J..uatw ^ i<£ a/ th* */ */? vis cjtitdam u ^ An * llb * ** folntn & liber* , fcgregata ab omni caf * *' concrctionc dme. 30 Of Cod. concretion* mortal*, omnia fetitient & movens y tpfaque pradita mot* Jempi* ternofiod is a certain intelligence or fpirit, free and ready, feparated from allmortall mixture or concretion, knowing and moving all things , and having in himfelf an eternall motion: :i Tlato in Fk*- and T/ato defineth God to be ™ Suop * 1VP y ^ {AQVQtiJis , )y A^IAKVTQV^ KAl AH* 0)C7ZCV70)$^ fy KCL-TZL 7AV7A Z%V y $CLV7W opAt't- • Talojf, a divine God-head, immortally and good, and wife, and underftan- ding of one and the fame manner, inn diffoluble, having himfelf alwaies after the fame way , and moft * like unto himfelf: And in ano- ther place, he faith, that God is 7* £* • I yt>%£v>iSicL vvnrehenfible. Solus T>u$ eft altiffimus, *. Aug.in lib. 7*0 *ltim$ nihil eft: Only God is moft ie mu Eccle f* ligh, above whom there is nothing ligher, and befides, the Philofofhers ay, that 'Definition may wholy fpe- :iie the Proportion of a things or his Kind, Quality , Difference, or fome Peculiar accident ; all which feverall hings are not to be found in God , which is the reafon that he cannot be defined or comprehended, as very earnedly the Phiiofopher Sjmonides ~ mfwered, forhee being demanded oncerning the Ejjence of God, and uving many dayes given him to re- blve the queftion,at laft he faid, The vore 1 ftrive to confider what God is % he more difficult I find the matter to *e , therefore we onght to take great I leed that we wade not too far into iiis depth j but let us learne, Potiw cbrjfofi. bom, \lorificare eum y qui eft, qu*m iuvefti- i in btb. \*re quid eft^ Rather moft faithfully :o fervc him, which is, then too curi- j oufly to fearch what he is : for as SL Chryfoftomt gs Of God. Cbrjfojt. quo Cbryfoftcme faith, 2(equc ad loquen- fupra bom. z.i* dHm digfji de ^ Ungua f u fp cit i neh que ad percipiendurn intellect us pra~ valet ^ our tongues are not able to fpeake worthily enough of God, and our underftandings are not fufficient to conceive of him as we ought to do^ , therefore we (hould never think up- on God without great reverence,, faith Mufcultu. Thirdly,By way of fupereminency^ & tranfcendent excellency ^ as when we afcribe to God whatfoever excel- lencies that are or may be fpoken of; him^farrf&wall the excellencies ofi all creatures whatfoever ; as when i we fay not only in the Concrete^ that! God is jufi 9 mercifull, Wi/f , flrong^ . gcw/,and fuch like- but alfo in the Ab- : By way of W firaB , thathee is \ufiict , Mercy M percmvncncy wi ^ Qme Strength , and g^^icij That the ab- r t £ , . J ** i_ r -j r 6\ ft ra ^ namcfQ ffelfe,which cannot be laid ot any on all cxccllcn- all the creatures, for that all the befr cics, are only excellencies of the cheifeft creatures, \ P ro P crtoGod -arebut as little [parses in refpedi of a huge infinite fire , or as a few drops of rain , in comparifon of I the whole Ocean Sea^ if we (hould I compare them to the excellency ofj God i Nay , we (hould finde theicj wifdomesl - ofgoJ* 35 •wfdomes Folly, their ftrength Weak- nejfe, their beauty 'Saldnefe , and all their goodnefle to be nothing in re* fpeft of the goodnefs of God; for He job,4.ig, :h&rgtth hU Angells with folly % and the Heavens Ate not deer in his fight. Now according to thefe three waies A defcriptlon God is defcribed to be an Immortall , of God by way mvifiblejncomtrihenfibleJfiritHil inite y £t email Ejfence^the caufe of all on ^ -aufes,& the author of all excellencies. 3. Supercnu^ So here you fee a boundlefle Oce- nency. in , and a very large Description of 3od, and I may fooner loofe my telfe in the profecuting of the fame , b n find him fully as he is , in any >lace, which is fully & truly in every >lace. In a fober fence Bernard faith G , . rue,2y>/?/**w eft & «%• f/?,he is no whcre'bJSS jf/here becaufe no place whether reall Eflence replc- it imaginary can comprehend or tively, no ontainhim,he is every wher^ f becaule^ lier ^ inciu - lo body, no fpace or fpirituall fub- y% tance can exclude his prcfence, or a- oid the penetration (if I may fo peak)ofhis eflence. He isinChrift piritually in himfelf Alpha & Omega: n the world a GoYernour, in Angels s Beauty^in his Church as an Houf- uolderinhisFamilv, in the Soul as D a Bride- H Of God. a Bridegroom in his Marriage-cham< ber, in the Righteous,as an Helper r in the Reprobate^as fear and horror , in theGodly,to defend them, and in the wicked^to punifh them.There are indeed foure degrees of Gods pre- Tcr 13 14. fe nce , *• An Vniverfall, 2> A Sped- Pfal 19.1.6. ally 3 . A morefpeciall^ 4. A mofi fpm ciall. Pfal.i 30,7. 1 • The Lord is prefent by his Ef» fence j m all places. r Cor.3. 16. 2. Hee is prefent by his Glory f in Heaven. Toh.if.*£. 3 . He is prefent by his Grace , in ; his Saints. 1 Pet. 3.18. 4. Hee is prefeAC by his Spirit 7 in Chrifi. Hcb 9. 14. ** e ls ever y w ^ ere > replenilhing the place with his being, no where by Circumfcription , and locall definiti- on. So that Curio fttj^ in this higheft point of Divinity y s very dangerous • D it 6 4 ^ or ® 0( * ** one ^ ^ n §^ e> P ure > anc * P^ lfa,44.^ ' && 2w# • /#£/*, without parts , iCor.8.4. />//n? without paffions , and perfefa Tam,2,i9. without infirmities; being in mea* Dcuc.4 15 ^fureunmeafurable^inMajeftyinfcruJ Aft u!iV X9 ' ta ^ e * in ^ ature in c °mprehenfible \ Mate, 548 * n Power irrefiftible,in Will unchan- geable, in Place not circumfcript, ii Tin •w Of God. 35 .me indefinite, in Love immutable, i Job m. i favour uufpeakable, and in Pro- A *&\f* L life inviolable, Good without quali- cap% I , Great without quantity ?Creatour without want , in AH without moti- ti^vtrj Vtherefrefcnt without fight, te/VV^and the lajt without time, lakingail things mutable,without a- 1/ paffive mutability in himfelfe. So I at here we muft needs acknowledge i impofiible , that a Finite under- finding (hould comprehend an infi- ^e^eterna ! ljpiritt4all Ejfence, and tsrefote I defireto remember that Bcellent rule of Saint Anguftine , Au& de Tnifc Uzendum efi, ne dumde Deo cogita- tat * fl***i *u,& nonpoffum^s invenire quid fit % iqnid de eo fentiamus quod non fit; w. muft take great heed, leaft in fee- ing to know what God is, we think bn to be what he is not. And in ano- fc place, &.J ,J! m»!£ tfflgftk fod null* atttngtt opinio. What is #. 7^ L Teflam. Ipd3 Hee is'chac which no opinion m reach unto. To fearch then too ^hat it is not i", is perverfe curiofity , co beleeve f a fc to enquire word, is infallible fecurity; and toofarinto jjftt him as lie is, is molt abfolute fe- ^^bcing^ My ; Clinbe not too high for fal- i^Dive not too deep for drowning; D * anJl L j6 Of God. and/otwnot too high for dazeling/jj labour to know fo much as is reveal-'! ed in the fcriptures, in which we are: to fearch for all points , much morei for this, and therefore that I may not \ err in this point, I will fay no more} but with himfelfe which knowcs him* felfe beft, that he is Jehovah , whofc Kio7. 3J ' Knowledge is infallible, Providenctl Job io,7. inexplicable, Judgements inevitable, Heb.^.17. Decree immutable, Wrath terrible A Rom.1.18. an d Love unfpeakable, whofe Spiriti 1 John 4. 10. doth fanftifie us, mfdome teach us J vZ[zio fW^ guide us, Favour compaffc Pfal.83. xs*. us * an d Power govern us, the mofil lfa.x8.19. High overall the earth, wonderful! and great in Counfell, mighty and en Eph.i.4. cellent in works, rich in mercy, gin Exod. 1 5.1 1. rious in Holinefie, fearful! in Praifes JLzecV.$6.i6 , y^e R e g eneratonr of our Nature, oui | defence in Adverfity, PerfeverancX £ . in the faith, the Life of them that be| P W- 4 * leeve, and in the end is Eternall Hfej it is he that defied us to falvation I Joks 15. 16 promifing remifiion of fins by beleij Aas8.j7. vinginChrift, being the firft perm named in order y not in power nor tirm\ exifting of himfelfe, and of no otheij lia f 3 1 6, is called Father y firft in refpcft of h naturall Sen Chrift, begotten froi eternip 1 Of God. 37' ternity. Secondly in refpeft of the ileft, his Adopt d Sons , who being Gal.4.f. ioc fons by Nature , are made ions ,y Grace/ E ? h ^' Dj CHAP. «8 CHAP. II. JESUS CHRIST^ God hath fix- g }*^j|^^|f Hofocver wiil religion* edmany'vnv "^^k§f } Jlj and ferioufly J hiseoodneffa ^mMkk J€rVe k manifo l*, lathe crea- xs^l$/I^ imfrejpons of the Di- fcures, ^^^^^^ v * ne g°°dneflt, whicH ^^^S^ 3 ^ the Lord God hatm -planted in the nature of all Irving] creatures • he (hall furely finde fS] much matter of reverence, love, and] admiration, that he (hall never be a-ij ble fufficiently to comprehend the ex-| cellency of fo huge an ocean ofgWJ neffe > within the firait and narrom compafle of his underftanding* Foil the Kingly Prophet David being ail it were ravifhed or wrapt in an exij tafie-, at the inexplicable expreffioBfJ and unconceivable confideration a\ the plentiful 1 and far-fpread good] nefleofGod, he breaketh forth in] to thefe heavenly acclamations^ fayj Of Jejiii Cbriji. ^ ingjOfekovabyln ccelis e(l benignity Pfal 36,1 ^7 tua, O Lord our Governour, How excellent is thy Name in all the World , that haft fet thy Glory above the Heavens , thy Faithfu/lntjfe reachitb unto the Cloudes, thy Righteoufnefft is l^e the (Irong Mount aines ; thy fvdg- nts are like the great deep, thou fa- veft Lord both man and be aft. But I will not at this time enter into that infinite Ocean of Gods Goodnefe , whereby he giveth Food unto all ftejb , ^ a ] ?4T. and adometh the feilds with all kind of gJjS" fruitfull trees and plea/ant flowers ; neither will Tenter into any part or wrcell of his excellent Providence , whereby hee governeih the whole world by his Wifdome , fuftaineth all rhings by his PoVrer, and releiveth all things by his CJoodr.efe : But I Will 'ather bathe my felfeinthofe cheifeft fountain* sof Gods admirable Love y vhereby he imbraced Mankinde, the ipitome of the whole Univerfe. For Qodfo loved the World, that hee Job 5. \6. ]fave his onelj begotten fonne : That wphofoever beleeveth in him fhould not perifh , but have everlafting life. tndeed there is no comfort in the Father without the Son , neither D 4 can 4© Of Jefus Chriji. can any beiceve in him, and through beleeving come to him , but by the Sonne, for hee dwelleth in light inacceffible, whom none can know, till the Sonne who is a7tclv}clQua rZ< ^^ A£«< to 7*t7f@r , the brigbtneffe of W \% ^* s $>^ or y> an ^ * n & rave d forme of his\ ferjon reveale him. Yea, without the Sonne, he is a confuming fire, but in him hath proclaimed him- felfe to be well pleafed : So that the knowledge of Jefus Chrift is the] onely thing that makes us happy ; 2(am omnia habemus in Chrifto y C^j omnia in nobis Chrifttis-, becaufe we] have all things in Chrift, and Chriftj is all things unto us. He is & Legis; & a Evangeli) ; the beginning of Mumitft the Law, and the end of the Go, ceteris Tefla- JP e 'l > VeUtns in veteri, revtUttts %n menti cbriflum novo Tefiamento • vailed and fha- !on*t. dowed in the Old, revealed and ex- I hibitedin the New Teftament • pro* mifed in that, preachecl'mxh'iSy there; fheVved unto the Fathers in Types j Allthcmcnofhere manifefted unto us in Truths % note, and all f or the Tree of Life 9 the eArkf, the names of of ^y ^ the udder f f aco [, y \ ss^srf rc thc ^"v se ** > the Brax > e * H I Jcfu* Chrift, pnt , and all fuch Myfticall Tjpvtu and OfJfHsChrifi. 41 and Typicall figures , that we read of, what were they elfe but Chrift obfcurely fhad^ed , before he was fully revealed ? And fo all the men of note, 2{oab, Ifaac, fefeph, Aaron, fojhuab, Samp/en, 1>avid, Sa- lomon, Kings, Preifts, Prophets, titles of Dignities, names of Honour, or whatfoever elfe was any ways afcnb- ed to any of them to exprefle their foveraigntj, were onely ufed to ex- prefle thofe tranfcendent excellencies which thefe perfonall Types did ad- umbrate, and (hew raoft properly to belongunto this King of Kings y thu Ifa 9.*< mighty CoHnfeHor y and this Prir.ce of peace. Now if we well confider, how all thofe things which the Prophets of old prcphejitdy were to be done by the promifed CMejfiab , are ail accom- plifhed in the per/on of Chnjl ; wee (hall find the W ord like a light (hin- ing in darkneffe, clearly declaring un- to us, that fefus the fon oi CMarj y is the true Mtjjiab : For the Scriptures foretell every particular * c?, accident % and circumflance, that fhoud fall out of importance at his ccmming % incar~ *Atiw % birtb % life, death, re/urrcttiox, and Of Jefvs Chriji. and affention. As for example \ at what partial larr/w* hec (hould ap~ ftMtfien.^v to. that he (hould be born of a Virgin^ If&j. 1 4. That the place of his Birth (hould be the town of Beth* Matth. ^ \C. lem^Mic.% 2 That at his Birth all the Infants round about fhould be flaine for his fake, fer. 3 1 1 5 .that the Kings of the Eafi (hould come and adore him, 'and efer Geld and other gifts unto him, Pfal. 72. that he (hould be j frefented by his Mother in the 7>;»- fie of ferufalem, Lftial. 3. 1. that hee j (hould ^ into Sgjpt^ and be recalled thence again. If a 19.1. ffr/'.u.i.thac 17. & 7*&* Baptifi (hould go before him, j and f ry in the Defart^ I fa 40. 3 . J/4/: M«r^ r. «, 3.1. After this, that he (hould begin , Mat. 5, his own Preaching in (/a/ilee^I/a.g.i. t and that with all Humility , Quiet- I xefe^and Clemency of fpirit. 7/i. 42 j 2* that hee (hould do ftrange cJW*V rrff/^/, and heal all difeafes, /fa, 3 5.5, 6- that he (hould */W/>/*, P/*/. 41 9. that hee (hould be/cW for thirty peeces of/*/- wr 5 2*f£. 11 12. that with thofe thirty peeces there (hould be bought afterward a Potters feild, Zach. 1 1 42 Mattb. 1 Mattb. a 1 Mat*2 11 Luke 2 22. Mat.213 14 Mar,2 4i Luke 1 Mat,4 5 3. Mar.S Mark 8 Mat.2* about his Vefture^ and pan his (7*r- Mac l7 *? menu among then^P/*/ 22 i8.That &c ' he fhould lye in the Grave of a r*V/> »m», #*: 5 3 9. that he (hould r>/* a- Lukc 2 9 gain from death the t bird daj^ as was fhadowed in his Figure, f$»ab > chap. 1 verfe ij.Matth. 12.40 Luke 1 1 30, T/4/. 1 6 1 o' that he fhould afcend to Luk.* 4 5 1 . Heaven^andfit at the Right hand of Aft. »i. ** /*/. 68 18 **• #• 1 10. 1 .4. All thefe Tartienlarities, end a number more were revealed in Scripture 44 OfJefiiCbrift. Scripture , fome four thoufand, fome two thou/and, and fame one thoufand jears before the Nativity of Chrift, the true Meffith , on whom all the Fathers fince the firft beginning faft- ned their Hope, and of whom all the Prophets have fpoken , pointing him out as it were with the Finger y how he was to come to work the work of ourfalvation , which in all circum- ftances wee fee performed by him, as was prophefied by them to our ever- lafting comfort. Moreover, becaufe there is a (fe- neration of men in thefe our dayes, that bUfphemouflj deny our Lord and Saviour fejus Chrift^ and his Deity y and fo confequently the Scriptures , I (hall hereunto add fome teftimonies of the Cjentiles^ft^ and of the fytyes themfelves, (a people that are our greateft enemies ) to prove and te- ftifie that fefus is the fonofGod, the true and prom i fed CMeffiah. Tide clem. A- Firft in the writings of that anci- tor./.i. ent and learned Zoroafier , there be- Strom. & Grig, found very fignificant fpeeches of iHTfrX thefon of God, whom hecallcth L% & $. in Secundum mentem, the lecond mind. Tm.PIm. And Hermes Tri[megifius ( who re- ceived Of Jefus Chrift. 45 ceived his Learning from this Zoroi* Mercu.Her. ftcr ) callech the Yecond perfon in in **m***Mt the Trinity, The firft begotten fon fi+*i™t*- God, his only Son, his dear ^ eternall f immutable , and incorruptible Son> yvhofe [acred name is ineffable. This Hermes or Mercnrins , firnamed Twtjiyw, thrice great, did often de- fcribe the Tower and CMajeflj of Je- fus Chrift • and as S. Augufiine faith, Augd j.c. j.(fe did compofe a booke , whofe Title k* efim* was hoyQ- 71AS/©-, The perfeft word y that is Chrift, which he callech kq- y@- y the very fame word that our E- vangelift ufeth • and Latlantius faith, that Zeno affirmed riy$v , the word (Chrift) to be the Maker of this V- niverfe, fo that he is rightly called Expeftatio Gentium , the hope and expe&ation of the Gentiles, for thofe many multitudes that became Profe* litesof the Jewifh Religion,and thofe Magi that came from the Eafi , to worfhip him as foon as ever hee was borne, do fufficiendy prove, that the Gentiles expefted the coming of this That the Gcem promifed Meffiah before his incar- r [ Icscx P cdc4 nacion.Befides, I cannot truly think , [ ^T^ e ° f that Plato, that ancient Writer ftiould be ignorant of thefe things, for 46 OfJefasChrifi. v for 7 htodoret^ Clemens ^ Alexandra nHSy and fufiin Marty do plainly affirme, that he read the bookes of Mojes j and the Prophets, inlomuch thot Numenins a Platomft was wont Plato mO red* to fay, rl$ <& XIkatuv » M*oti* &Hi- \ anMofet. xi&v, that £- were indued f as it feemech ) with a rythr*a> Sam a, certaine fpirit of propbefie , and did Cumana, Hel(f' utter f rom t j me tQ time mo ^ w0n- 5III&Ii W ^ dcrfu11 Particularities of t hr>ft to come, agreeing ( as it were) wholy with the Prophets of Jfrael • one of them called Sibylla Erjthraa. maketh a whole difcourfe of Chriil m Greek j4ccrofticl^Verfcsi at the latter end of which (he faith-, that he is ImmcrtalL ^Saviour , *W* -K'«£ '^* tm*fi (uffer for ourfinnes. But I will leave thefc -fr^// a little while, and proceed to other Authorities : Yet firft [ thinke it very fit to make mention of fome FahIus Onfus admirable accidents which happened and e uir opus, zt t h c yi rt k f our bleffrd Saviour. l^n^To Paulas Orofins and Eutropins, both oluvws* t0 Hiftorians in the time of Otttvius i doth Of Jefus drift. 4? lioth fay, That at fuch time as fefnt -v icbrifi was borne , on earth , there I happened in Reme, that in a common i Inn or Taverne y a ntll or fpring of a fpri n g of ( pure and excellent Ojle brake up out Oylc arifing i of the c round, which for the fpaceof out of the a whole day, ran and ifTued forth **- | round [ n rrjg*(r *" great abundance. Jj« ft ^» How excellently may this allude to. borne. Jefus Chrift , who was not onely £hriftus Dei, the annointed of God, but alfo Chriftus Dens, God himfelfe annointed. Sntrofins addeth more- over , that in %pmt and the neigh- ~ bouring places thereabout , even in the full calme, and cleareft time of the day, a circle was feene about the A ^ t \gU t • Sun, of as bright fplendor and radi- c i c f e f n ™' lancy , as the fun ic feif. The fame P**- bouc the Sun Ins Orofiu6 further faith, that at the *n «hc day very fame time,the*y***ff and people timc# , of Rome made free offer to Oftavius ~~ | Attgnjlus, to entitle him cheif Lord , which he refufed, and by no meanes I would accept ^ prcgnofticAting to himfelfe, that a much greater Lord then hee,was then on the Earth , to whom that Title more worthily ap- pertained. Commejtorm his Scholia- CsKmeftor it itick Hiftory, affirmeth, that in '* d < ft • 48 Of Jeftts Chrift. %j>me upon the fame day : The Temple dedicated by the Romans to Jff^Jf^ f Peace the Qeddefe, fell in r nines to 1 ground at the ^ e eart ^' ^ or the y ^ ac ^ formerly Birch of confulted with the Oracle of Apollo^ Chi ift. to know how long the Temple fliould ftand in good eftate, and anfwer was made them , Untill a Virgine (hould bring forth a Childe, which they re- puted to be utterly impoYlible, and therefore their Temple {hould ftand for rwr, notwithftanding at the Vir- gins Deliverance, Mother to the King of Heaven, it fell to the ground* Sui&as in vita Suidas alfo recordeth, that Augu* i 7 . what man (hould rule after himj re- ceived this Anfwer from Satan, $$ajTty AV&axavy TovJlJlfiov <&&Kt7r£y f ^d'iJiiv Hv%i$ jin Hebrew Child 7 the King of gods, Commands me to avoid This place % and forthwith to return^ To Pluto's dar^efome (hade. From theft our Altars bid thou art y Infilence therefore to depart. Augufttts Of Jtfus Chrift. $ Attgaftus having received this an- fwcr, went away, and fet up an Al- tar in C/ipitolium , with this Infcrip- rion in Roman Letters. THIS IS THE ALTAR OF THE FIRST BEGOTTEN OF GOD. So that it is worthy of great con- The Devills fideration, to note how evidently the plain manife- "Devil/ (hewed himfelfe (even fud- ft atIon °f his denly) to be overcome and conque- * oyl ? and °" red: For after Chriits comings and faff ering on the Crojfe, the Oracles of the Devills were altogether filenced, the Cjroves, Altars i and Temples of the falfe Gods began to lye ivafi^ yea the Gentiles detefting the impoftures of fatan . embraced the Faith of Chrifi^ giving over their MagicaU bookes to Vulcan : A remarkable Example whereof we read touching the Epbefians ,A£li. 19. Aft,io.8.&c 4 Moreover, ^Plutarch doth report , |that in the later years of the Raignc (of the Emperour Tjberim^ a ftrange voice and exceeding horrible clamor, Plut.de deftft* with hidious crjes and boVelings,werc Oratu. heard by many in the Grecian fea , jj'** kmeMa- lamenting and complaining , ;W f Af th C fl r t Jo ^ ;g jrMf C/p2 Pan nw »w departed : Jn Dominion. E fo 50 v Ofjcfa €hrift. fo much that all the fea refounded their dreadfull Ecchoes. Of this you Eufcbjn Hifl. may f ce more at j ar g e j n Eufebius to Tbtld? ** Theodoras. And in his fixth book, De preparation Evangelica , you fhall find that Apollo oftentimes exclaimed Hei mihi , congemifcite : He i mihi ' \ Heimibi: Oraculorum defecit me c la- titat . Woe unto me, lament ye with me, woe unto me, woe unto me, for that the honour of Oracles hath now 1 . , ^, forfaken me. And being demanded, lis, & Porphyr. ( b Y a p ™ft of hls own ) concerning & Plut.de OniQodznA true Religion , he gave this anfwer, thopc unhappy Triefi, why dofithouaske me of God , that is the Father of all things, and of this moft renowned Kings dear and onely fonne , and of the fpirit that containeth all * , &c. Alas that spirit will enforce wee fhortlj to leave this habitation and The Devills T^ ace °f Oracles. Whereby it is plain complained of and manifeft, that (even in all parts) our Saviours the Devills complained on the Nati* Nativity. vityofour Lord and Saviour Jefus Chrift, becaufe it was their utter de* ? C thin An- ^ ru ^ l0n * And at, or a little befon tiam. JudlA. his paffion, ( as fofepbus writeth ) \ voice was heard in the Temple of fe rnfahm, ( albeit there was then n< Uvin; OfJefnsChrift. 5 r living creature in it ) Let us speedily be gone, and leave this Country. Be- fide, it is marvelous to confider, how this puiflant Authority of Chrift was imparted to Chnftians , in fo much that it extended it felfe fo far forth, that not only their Words and com- mandements^ but even their very pre- fence did (hut the mouthes, and drive into fear the miferable and damned fpirirs. So Lattantius (hewech, that in his dayes, a Serving-man that was Yf^ m %%i% a Chriftian, following his Mafter in- lH WW to a certain Temple of Idolls , the Gods or Bevills rather , cryed out, that nothing could be well done, as long as that Chriftian was inpre- fence. The like recordeth Enfe^ius^ of Diode fian the Smperonr y who go- ing to J polio for an Oracle ; received £vfebjib.$. it anfwer , That the juft men were the P re ?* Ev * n - caufe that hee could fay nothing, <** Which juft men, Apollo s Priefts it> .interpreted to be meant of Chriftians , and thereupon Dieclefian began his >ft feirce and cruell perfecutiom lLaftly, The Pagan Porphyrie y that of PorphMk.f. ai| other, moft earneftly endeavoured ednt.cbrt(l r to impugne and dif grace us Chriftians, a ^*lf\ bJ ;^ j, and to hold up the honour of his en- r^^JP^ 1 ' J E 2, feebled 52 Of Jefa Chrifl. feebled Idols, yet difcourfing of the great plague that raigned moft fu* tioufly in the City of Mejftna, in Cicilie where he dwelt , ycelded this reafon, why i/Efculapitu the God of Pbjficl^ (much adored in that place) was not able to helpc them. It is nomarvaile (faith he) if this Citjfo manj jears be vexed with the Plague , feeing that both A nnarvftilous ^£f C ulapius and all other Cods be rv'bS now de ?? rte * f rom ir > h the comin l ^ *f Chriflians. For ftnee that men j have begun to wor (hip this fefus? we j could never obtaine any profit by our gods. Thus hath the Deity of Chrift ; been declared and approved by his omnipotent power, in fubduing in- fernall Enemies . It remaineth now that (according to mypromife) I endeavour to manifeft the fame by other Teftimenies and Authvri- tics. ^ Juflm. I i. Firft that famous Zoroaftres King of the BaSriansy a man excellent in { SyliLStma. a » lcarni "& " .< W*» fai * ) left *tuiBttuL this as a Tradition among the Gen- tiles-) and afterwards it was more plaindy published by the Sybils that Of Jefur Chrift. 53 that a day Star fliould appeare be- fore the arifingiof the Son of%jghte- cufnejfe^ *nd Chulcidius a P^^ ic ^l^ Lin. doth fay,that the Chaldtan Aftrono- r/ ^ /dcjietl* mers did gather by contemplation Magi. of this fiarre, that fome God defcen- ded from Heaven , to the benefit of Mankind. And Fnlgentius faith , Fui^etuJol. That ?uer natur novum fie/lam fra- 6<>im Ociaz* bricavit; Chrift being borne y did Ser.de E:iuban. of nothing frame this new fiarr •, which did bear fuch evident witnefTe of him ; for the wife men being upon :he mountaine ViBorialis , worfhip- ping their God, ( as Saint Chrjf*- ch]W.bm.*. Gome hith) a ftar did appeare unto y Mal % tHmi% :hem, in the likeneffe of a little child. Now though Ammonias sAlex- AmmonAhx. Undrinus , and 2{icephorHs thinke , ** >"*« lihat this ftarreappeared two yeares Nie: P-~ IXI * J before the Nativity of Jefus Chrift , i:hat fo they might make preparation for fo long a journey ^ becaufc chefe Map were Kings themfelves , is Saint Cyprian delivereth it from cyprlan.fa.de :he tradition of the Church, and niftift. ^aint Cbrjfoflome feemeth to con- cbr)f*h<>rr.:6,iu Tent, and Bofquierut labourethto »?*** infirm it • Yet I thinke rather with S. Angufi^ilxzi thefe three wife men, E 3 1UT ?4 Ofjefus Cbriji. Iter unius anni in tredecim dtebns pe* regerunt) Did perform that journey, which was enough for a whole year , m thirteen daycs, becaufe(as Reme gi- fts faith ) Pner ad quein proper ave- rnnt) potuit eos in tarn brtvi temporis fpacio adfe adducere . That Child un- to whom they haftened, might help i and further them forward to come unto himfelfe , in fo fhort a fpace : £qd therefore this their diligence ana fpeedy hafte to come to Chrift, doth fufficiently (hew that they belei-. ved this new born 'Babe , to be the true and eternall God, fo that thefe wife men were wife indeed • not be- caufe they had all the wifdome of the Gentiles, but becaufethey did both feek and find him, In whom are hid all the Treaf ures of Wi[d& p*nn* borne, and fucking on his Mothers vilib: " invollm | Br M (k and would not adore that ^"S King which had been long ordained, bum*i-*fgmitn and was moft glorioufly raigning onbabenum. his Kingly Throne ? What is the caufe of this ? llle natus in palLitio contemnitur , iftc natus in diverforio qxtritur 4 that he which was born ia the Pa/lace (hould be contemned, and he which lay in the Manger {hould be adored? S.fbrjfoftm*, Leo, and ^ 5 ^ tHlgenttusy do all agree it was , be- ^ Epij>ba\ caufe the Wife men knew, that hee fluent dixerant regem fudtorum erat Creator Angelorum , C7 quern vide- runt par vumin pre ftpio , erat immen- fusin C a h\ whom they had called King of the feweiy was the Lord and Maker of the AngelU f and whom they faw little and poor in the Cratch, was rich and immeaf arable in Heaven. E 4 Lafily // 5i Of Jefus chriji. Laftly, the crueU murthcr commticcd by Herod, onpoore harmeleffe Invo- ctnts , doth fufficiently prove the birth and cemming of the true Mef- Philojudah.inftas: For Tbilo, the learnedft Man Abbrev.Temp. ^^ evcr wrote am0 ng the fewes (except the Writers of holy Scri- ptures ) in his Abridgement of times doth fay, that Herod caufed certaine Children to be flaine, and his otyne Son Vvitb them » becaufe he hadheard, that the Chriji a King promifeh to the He* brews, was then borne. Secondly, As for his /*/* mdcon- verfation, by the teftirnony of his greateft adverfaries, it was more ad- mirable then his DoElrine, his life be- ing a moft lively Table, wherein the perfection of all his Do&rine was ex* pre fed: A Man of fuch gravity , as never in his life he was noted to laugh, of fuch Humility ^ as being the fon of God, he fcarce ufed in this world the ©fjw'y' ofa Servant, of fuch Jrveet and mild behaviour , as all the injuries of his Enemies , never wre* ftedfrom him one angry word* And as the Prophets did foretell the vertue and fanflity of this CMejJiah, fo the Dtvtlls themfelves could not but c&*+ Of Jefui Chrift. 57 fejfe the fame to have beene fulfilled in the perfon of £hrift • as is moft e- \ ident by Vorphirj, a profeflfed cne- p, rp y jib.it ray of the Chriftian name • who after UuA Ph)t$. consideration of diverfe Oracles ut- tered by his Iaolls y touching fefms^t breaketh forth into this confeflion -, It is exceeding wonderfully (faith hee) what teftimony the Gods do givt of the Jingular pet j andfanttity offefus>for which-they avouch him rewarded With immortality. And fofephus, not only JtffpbSuUb.*. | a feft by Lineage and Tfatio*) but al» it AUtiq. | fo by his Life and Profeffion^ writeth thus ofChrift, At the fame time lived i fefus^ a very wife man, if it be latofnll to term him a man, becaufe in deed and verity he did ftonderfu/l things, & VtMt VMafter and Dottor to Juch as loved & (ought for truth, Hee affembled and was followed by great troop r effewt fit gentiles , and he wo* Chrift. By which teftimony of ?ofephus,wc fee mention is made.not only of ?;/* s,and his Ufe % but alfo of his miracles, which were plainly foretold and publilhed by the Sibjlls^mong whom,one of them(as- LAEtautius recordeth) wrote thus of . ■'' !J*'" thrift to come, He Jb*U do all by his ™* s j piU ml j «W, he ft all cure all infirmities t He 58 OfJefusChriJi. He /ball raife the dead, he /ball make the lame to run and skjp y the deafe /hall bear,, the blind /hall fee , and the dumb* fballfpeake : In five loves and tftofi- /hes , five thoufand perfons /hall be fa* tisfied , and the fragments [hall fill twelve baskets to the hope of many. He Jhall command the Winds ^ andWalke upon the furious fea With hisFeeteof Peact. To thefe predi&ions ofSibyJla^do agree the Doftors of the Jewes them- felves,in many places of their ThalA mud, to wit, that the Me/fias fhould bewonderfull in w.Qrking miracles.! And in their publick Commentary up- M\fdtscb>ioht~ on Ecclefiaftes, they have thefe ittb>i*j>.i* Words, All the former miracles of Pro* phets and Saints , /hall be nothing to , the miracles of the CMeffias when het \ cometh. And thus much of the fore- telling of Chrifts Miracles, but now for the fulfilling thereof in" frfus % th&t is, how thefe Vredittions were perfor* med in the ftupendious workes and a» dionsofourblefled Saviour, there is no difficulty. For that befides the for- The confefiion mer tefiimeny of Jofe^hus^ ( which of Jefus mi- were fufficient in this cafe ) the Jews racks by his i themfelvcs do grant and record feful cncmics * mirale Of Jeftts Chriji. > 59 miracles in diverfe places of their Th*lmud,yttith*y make mention of many wonderflill things that fefus did, which are not written by ourif- vangeliftf. The fame doth Mahomet in his Alcoran , affirming fefus the Tba - »« tealf. fon of Mary , to have been a great i™ r * v " i . Prophet % and to have wrought his *i* ^^ ^ v-r r*f/*/, by the only Pgjw and $*>/> 14, it.ip ofGod. Thirdly about his T^affion^ there is little or no controveriie, and there- fore the teftimony of fofephus may JofepbMb. 18. fuffice, whofe words are thefe, That amiq. ufA. the principall J ewes of 'his Country , h*+ ving accufed and delivered over fefus to Pilate, ( that was Governour of furie (or the Roman Emperour) hee adjudged him to the Croffe. The fame do other fewes and Gentiles record. Alfo the particulars of Chrifts paffion was plainly foretold by Sibylla, for thefe atlTier own word^fer down by • LaElantius> He fbal appear miferable y ' ignominious and deformed, to the end H^**- 1 .** D *~ he may give hope unto the miserable. JJjRlJ*! Afterward he fhall come in to the hands of mo ft wicked and fait hie fje men: they fhall buffet him with their facriligious fiftf, andfiall s}it upgn him with their nw€ leant 60 Of Jefns Chriji. uncle An monthes, he Jhall yeildhis in- nocent bacl^ to the Vvhip , and Jhall fay nothing while he receiveth theftripes , to the end he may /peakjo thofe that arc dead. He /hall bear a Crown of thorns, and they (ball give him gaule to eat , . and vinegar to drinks And this [hall be the hospitality hee Jhall finde among them. Tbal.tt*ft. f >an-> Neither do the ancient Rabbines biea btlec. and Teachers among the fewes dip- vV'i T"* m knt from thisFor that in their Thal ' til%b!&c. wui • thaC was £ athcred above one * thoufand and two hundred years a- gone, the plain fentences of diverfe are fet down, That their CMeJJias at his coming Jhall be put to death. And what can be more plaine then the written words of Rabbi Simeon^whkh RabSwt** are as followeth, Woe be to the men of Benjibti.lib. Jfrael,/or that they /hall flay the CMef- f tas - God /hall fend his Son in mans flejh to wajh them , and they /hall murder him. Yea in their Commentary upon KAb.Hfdarjn Daniel^ they have chefe words,T£;w 0*».2% *7. years and a halfe Jhall the prefence of Cjodinfiejb cry and preach upon the (Mount Ol ivet, and then Jhall he be Jtaine : And Sibylla addeth further two particular miracles that (herald fall O/Jefus > Chrifi. 61 all out in the faid paffion of the Mef ias.tow'^ThattheVeileof the fewes^^U^' Temple (hould break in two : And that ™**^ it midday there Jiould be darkpefsfor *hree honres over all the World. Which :hing to have beene fulfilled at the ieatn of fefitiy not only Saint Mat- , hew doth affure us in his Gofpell, but MatUK ir " ilio EufebiufbffirTneth, that hee had -cad the fame word for word, recor- ied in diverfe Heathen Writers* Phlegonius a Greek Hiftorian , of ph( eg§ ^ s a vhom Suidds maketh mention , re- Grecian borne oorteth for a wonderfull thing, That in ^: at the death of who deprived the fun of his light for our Saviour, all that fpace of time, and lived a Dionjfius Areopagita being on that i SJKi? ^n Athens, and beholding the s Apoftles.as Sun to be fo ftrangely ebfeured,, himfelf re- knowing alfo (as a man learned and cords in the skillfull in Arfiologj, and the Celefti- II. Epiftlc co a u cour f es ) t hat this Ecdipfe was W&™- contrary O/Jefus Chrifi. 6$ , :ontrary unto the rule of Nature, ■: le cryed out with a loud voice , fay- ng i Ant Deus Nature patitur^ant wundi Machirta diffolvetur^eithzr the j 3od of Nature doth now fuffer, or < :he Frame of the whole world fhall be diffolved : And to another hce I fpake of that Ecclipfe in thefe words, UnoiHt in carta patitur Deus, CMjm M l f>**l tyt- \fratta rerun* untverfltas denfa l*#% t oS.Dmtfj. i?aligine obfeurata eft at que ccnc*{j4 7 j God unknown in the flefh did fuffer ; for whofe fake the univerfe was IftruckandcoTered with thick dark- j ncfle. And this *Dionj(ius in an £- s.Monyf. in £- I piftle written to Poljcarpm, being as- pi/, ad P§lye. Iked what this great Ecclipfe might I portend, faid ,That it (hewed a change^ tnd a great alteration, and that bet \did ferioujlj obferve the day and I houre. The other Miracle, of the Vajle Joftfb in l.t. j of the Temple which rent \n finder , de **'«$• ptfephut alfo giveth faithfull teftim*- %j thereof. Finally, I will conclude this dif- courfe with the authority of learned Thilo 9 who doth plainly confeffe the Deity of J eftts Chrifi, and themeceffi- tj of his faring. This man that was 64 °f yf us c t> ri j*' was the learnedft among the Jewes , made afpeciall bookeofthe banifh- ment of his country-men, where hee Pb'tilibit hath this difcourfe enfuing: what exuMult t%m ma J ^ appointed ( laith he) for return home of us bam/bed Jewes, its. is hard to determine. For by tradition \ we have, that we muft exytl the dettb eft* high Preift. 'But I am of opinion > thatth* high Priefijhallbe the very word of Qody which Jk all be void of alt J?**f , both voluntary and involunta- ry : Whofe Father Shall be God, and this wordftalbe the Fathers wifdomej J ty which all things in this world Were, created, Hu head fca!l be anointed with Oyl y and his Kingdome fba '/flou- | rijb % and fhine for ever . This wrote 7>h$to f ud&us at that time, when hee little imagined*, the fame high Prieft i whom he fo much expe&ed, and the farac word of God, whofe Kingdome hedefcribeth-, was now already come . into the world. Fourthly , As fefut Chrifi, did declare himfelfe truly to be the Son of man, byyeilding unto Death ; fo hee did declare himfelfe mightily to be the Son of god, by bis Refurrettion from the dead : And thU Rcfurreftion of him was exaflly foretold OfJefusChrift. 6$ hret'old, not only co the ferves , but alfo to the (entiles ; for thefe are the words of Sibylla^ Hee /ball end the ne- cefftrj of death by three iayes fleep^and Lad an Jib A. then returning from death to light *- hfi.Div.c.igl gain, hejha/lbethefirfithatjhallfherp the beginning of RefurreElion to his cho/en^for that by conquering death Joe (hill bring us life. What thing can be bore plainely defcribed then this ? but now to prove the truth and cer- tainty of his Refurredion. Our firft ndmoft evident teltimony (hall be derived from our greateft enemtes, among which number is fofephus , that learned feto , whofe words are 7°f'P b : i>l lib > z thefe, Although hee was accufedby l ° L% he principall men of our faith , and I crucified, yet he wm not abandoned of them which had formerly followed him\ tttt three days after his death^he appea* ^ed alive again unto them, at cording as the Prophets ( inff>iredo!God)hadfore~ told ^andprophefted of /?**». Which ex- prefs plain & refoluce words, we may n reafon take, not as the confeflion only of fofephtity but as the common judgmen^opinion, & fentencc of all the difcreet and fober men of that time, laid down and recorded by this F Hiftorio- 66 OfJefusClriji. Wttoriographer. In whofe dayes there were yet many Chriftians alive, that had feene and fpoken with' fefus after his Re furred ion - and in- finite fewe s y that had heard the fame protefted by their Fathers , Brethe- ren. Kinsfolks andfreinds, who had been themfelves eye witnefTes there- of. Ignatius was twelve years old when our Saviour fuffercd,and for certain- ty, that he did fee Chrift after his Refurre&ion, take his owne words. InEp.adSmyr. Ego verb, & poft ReJ*rrettionem i*\ & *d Poljoarp. came earn vidi> & credo quia Jit :j And truly I did fee him after his Re-J furre&ion in the flefh , and I do be-] leeve that it is he ; yea, he fets down] the time and perfons, when, and be- fore whom it was : Et quando venit\ adPetrnm, & adeos qui cum Petr^ erant. And when he came to Teter, &j to thofe that then were with him- he fayd. Touch and fee, for afpirit hath\ notflejh and bones \as you fee me have J and they touched him and beleivedj fo that his own words are fufficienB proofs, but yet it is the confent of all, the Church-Hiftorians, z$Eufebitu± toffi*. c*f. 6. Sainc <[ irm ^ and RH jp nm t efti fie. Moreove er i Of Jefnr Chriji. 6f Moreover, Dionyfitts the tsfreopa- gite , Saint Bernard, and others, re- porta famous faying of Saint lgna- tins, which he uttered with ilgnes 5 and is extant in his E fifth to the Ro- m*ns, and it is Chis^ hi^ls fyus isav'pw toa Amor mens crucifix us */?,that is^ M\ Love is crucified. Indeed this ho- ly and pious Bifhop, did fo continu* MiranduU de ally meditate upon thofe great metre Cbrifll i 9 things , which Chrift had done and i.c.to. fufferei for him , that he was there- ^ by brought fo intirely to love hira , as when he was demanded, why hee kvould rot fo jake and forget Chrift } ather then fuffer himfelf to be feme nd devoured of wilde end favage caits ? He anfwered, that hee could The ftory of lot forget him, becaufe the (itfferings Ignatius at his fChrifi. were not only words tran- Death. lent in his mouth, or remeveable ob* etts before his eyes, but they were ndeltble char afters, fo engraven in. lis heart , that all the Torments of he Earth could never rafe them out: \nd therefore being commanded by hat bloudv Tyrant Trajane , to be ipt andrnftorve/ied, they found Jefus '* ?hrifi written upon hisHearc^ in :haraders of Gold. He is itiled T)i-* F l vinni 68 Ofjefits Chrift. Bibliotb P«- ffiftui Ignativu, lnclytiffimm & ft** tmm-jom. x. „ vent ijf mm Martyr, Divine Ignatius ^ 7( a moft famous and fervent Martyr. Nay Nicephorus goes beyond that ti- tle,and calls him St'ownl®- £ ^o To , r rr , . f .the three wo- gethcr, as they returned homeward mcn returning from the fepulcher, to teach us, that homeward. never any man truly fought for Chrift , Matth 18,9. but with thefe Vtomen , he (hould be fare to /W him. _. , f . 3. He appeared to Simon Peter z^f^' lone, the hrfc among the men, faith lone. Chryfoft, becaufe S.Peter was the firft 1 Cor.i?.?. eSlpoftlc 74 Of Jefus Chrifl. Apofile whom hee called firfi % and who confeft him firft to be the Son of God y and therefore hee appeareth firfi to him, and biddeth the women tell his Difciples and Peter , that is, and Peter efpecially, that hee was ri- fen^and went before them into (jalh lee. But Vche n or where , or after what manner he appeared thus unto Peter t becaufe the fcripture doth not ex- prejfe it y we can no wayes determine TbigbMMar. k ^ as both Theophy i a a and Saint Gregory do obferve, and therefore it being a queftion, Tim fubtilitatis quam utilitatis habens^ that hath more fubt He fcrupulofity, then any comfortable Vtility ^ I will peace- Fourthly, to abl Y P affe ic ov ^r. thetwo'Difri- Fourthly, Hee appeared to the pics travelling ffto Difciples journeying towards E- to Emaus,LuK maus . the name of the one was Cle- y : ophasy and many think the other to be Saint Luke himfelfe, who out of Tbtqb, Sue. his modeftj concealeth his own name, L*c* faith Theophjlatt. Thefe two Fugi ■ entes civitatem fangxinolentAtu fia- tim inveniunt Chriftum, flying this blottdj city, did prefently find their Saviour } to (hew unto us , that Vthile we live among the wicked, we fliall OfJcCus Chrift. 75 fhall live feparate from God, but as Elias when he left fezabe", was pre- fentlj accompanied by ihe J ngell y fo thefe two, and all thofe that forfakc the world, or fhun the wicked, fhall prefently finde their God. Fifthly , Hee appeared unto the _. eleven Afofiles, and al! the reft of the eJevenA h zi.t Eighihl^ ro Saint James. i Cor.jf.V. fail. Of Jefis drift. I. To (hew the great nefs of his love, that would fuffer/o much of, and for wretched men. 2. To (hew the gr eat nefs of mans malice, that wou\d,Diomedes like, fo cruelly deal with fo mercifull a God. 3. To ftrengthen the weal^ faith of his waving fervants,#t vulneribus cor* forts fanaret vulnera incredulitatis J that they feeing the wounds of his bo- */y,might thereby have the wounds of their unbeleeving foules healed. 4. To (hew the certainty of his Re- furre&ioz, when they faw he had the fame body which was crucified and ft treed by his enemies. 7. He appeared to Peter, fames §c fohn,Natbaniel,Didymus ,and two 6- ther difciples, when they were a fift> ing at the fea ot Tj be rias, and there he proved unto them the verity of his 1)eity, by that miracle of providing fifties for them to eat, and the truth of his humanity by eating with them. 8.He appeared unto James the bro- ther of the Lord, that is, at the very «mr^ of time, Cretan in Mat. that he rofe from his Sepulcher, and I 2* . the Angells defcended from Heaven, 1 there was a great Earth -quake ? the I earth either dancing for joy that. I Chrift was rifen , or trembling fo* 1 feare , that men would not believe I it. Secondly, the Secondly , Many that were dead, « apparitions of cme f m b f rom t k c j r g rave s, and ap- i the railed bo- „. i j? r- 1 en dies M*f 27 ?'* r ^ unt0 many in the City or fe- J 52. 53. rnfalem, to teftifie unto them, and j afTurethemofhis Refurreftion. Z>*- I -z/e/ thought f if one were fent from the \ dead j his Br ether en would beleeve him 3 and behold here are many \ fent, and yet the feWes ,the brethe- ren of Chrifi, will not beleeve them : And yet notwithftanding, when they read that one Erus an Armenian^ that one Ariftws^ or that one Z/?** If e feus rofe again to life ; they think no evill ofPlato, Herodotus , or /Va- furcA for reporting it. Thirdly, the Thirdly, 7/7*r* himfelf that™** ?T ,m S dem »"t bim to death, did ftjft/fe of libTcaf^ ' ^ is R e f urrc( ^ ion ujnt0 *>& j in a ,et " tef Of Jefut Chrijl. ?9 ter that he wrote unto Tiberius Ct- « far. Fourthly . Whereas a little before Fourthly. The the refurreftion of Jefut Chrifi , his ™" T" a * n, j ^/ • / j n. rage of the A- Apoflles and Di\uples , durit not po {u es# 4 peep out of doores , becaufe they didbutVpaverirgly thinke that this was he , Which Jhould have redeemed Jfrael , they do now couragioufly compafTe the whole world, and con- fidently teach and c vouch, There is no other Name give* under Heaven ^ ff whereby men may befaved , but the T^ameoffefus. Fiftly, All Martyrs have moft FiftIy 5 The fuf- boldly confe(fed this truth, and fealed brings of the it with their blood : Tertullian doth Mart y rs - moft excellently (hew the Difference betwixt the CMartjrs and CMalefa- Elors t faying,A and havc ltl11 t0 this ver Y da Y upon Chrifls continued upon all the Perfecutors perfecutors. and denyers of Jefus Chrift, do fuffi- ciently prove the truth and certainty of his Refurrettioyj) and that he is the true and promifed LMeJpM^ fotPi- late being accufed by the fewes % was inforced to appeal from Vitellins the cheif Governour of Syria ^ and to go Jofeph.amiq. t0 R on * e >t° defend himfelf before C and therefore he had none other remedy, but to Zander as a pil- grim and a forlorn creature, till hee ended his dayes in extreawe miferies : **jU7' So Agrippa fuffered intolerable cala- mities, fo Herod the Tetrarcb was ffroyled of his goods , deprived of his Kingdome f O/Jefus Chriji. 8 1 i jngdorae , and banifhed from his Country: fo He rod that killed fames, /as miferably eaten up of loathfome :7ormes,andto the f ewes was mea~ c n Subjulmeta , a City of Morocco , vherein hee doth excellently difcujfe he caufe of their [org captivity.their \rreat blindnefs, and extreme mifery : And after that he had proved -, that :his punifiment was infli&ed upon i:hem for fome went and greizens fin, G he 8a Amos, i 6. What Rabbi SAmuelfoith concerning JefusChrift. Of jtyfer Chriji. hee fheweth thitfifjue to be the famt whereof the Prophet 4mos fpeaketh, For three tranfgrefftBns of Ifrael, and for foure % Non transferam eos, / will net turn away the punifbment thereof I becaufe they fold the Righteous for fil- And though he faith, that their ver Rabbies do underftand this Righte- ous to be fofeph,thzt was fold by his Brethren into ^Egypt •, yetbecaufe the Prophet putteth this for the fourth fin, and the greatejl fin of If- rael, and becaufe he cannot find any three fins of the fons of Ifrael, before the felling of fofeph, therefore hec maketh the felling of fofeph to be the fir (I fin of Ifrael, the worJbipi»£ of the Calfe in Horeb to be the fecond , the abufing and killing of Gods Pro- phets to be the third, and x\\z fourth to be the felling of J ejus Chrifi. For the firft y they ferved four hundred years ; for the fecond, they wandred forty years in the Wildernefle, untill^ they that came out of v£gypt werc^ all confirmed and brought to no-j thing, excepting only Caleb and- Jojhuah ; for the third ? they were held capt ves feaventj yeares in Ba- bylon j and for the fourth , the faid Rabbi O/JefHs Chrift. 83 i*bbi Samuel confefleth that they I'cre held in moft fittifuU capti- !ity to this very day, becaufe he /as moft unjuftly fold , and moft htmefuliy delivered to death, ashee I heweth in the feaventh Chapter of he faid Tra&ate. Many more t*r- [ vmfiantiall proofs and declarations [:f his KefurreElioYi, might be produ- ed, to (hew him to be the true wejpas • but I hope thefe will ferve, lb fhew alfo , that our fore-fathers wave not y and we do not beleive thefe things without wore then abundant Itnd ttnanfaerable proofs thereof- and lo convince that malicious objlinacy ind infidelitj of all thofe , whether frofejfed feweJ, plaine is4theiftt % or vteming Chnftians , which notwich- [ landing fuch an Army of arguments, nd fuch a Cloud of witnefles, will I till continue blinded and hardned in inbeleif. i Fifthly, andlaftly , as for his Af- ention whofoever feeth and acknow- 'edgethy that fefus being dead, could ~aift himfelf again to life, will eajily 'yrfeevc alfo, that he was able iikewife afcendup to tieavtn* Whcreoi G 2 notwtth- 8 4 OfJefasCbrift. Ads i. notwithftanding faint Luke alledg] eth one hundred and twenty witnel! fcs at the leaft, in whofe prefence hct afcended from the top of Mount 0< livetj after forty dayesfpace , whicl hee hadfpent with them from thfr time of his Refurredion. He alledgeth alfo the appearing oi of truth. tw0 **»£' Us among all the people fot teftimony whereof. Hee nameth the day and place y Vvhen^ and where it hap*, pened He recounteth the very word, that fefus fpakeat his Afcention. He telleth the manner hew hee afcended \ and how a Cloud came down,and re ceived him out of "their fight. He de clareth what the Multitude did, whi therthey went, and in what plao they remained after their departun thence . And finally, hee fetteth downe f( many particulars^ as if it had been* the eafiefl: matter in the world , fo) his enemies to have refuted his narrA tio», if all had not been**** Where fore to conclude this Difcourfe, a the "Birth, Life, Death ; Refurrettion. and Afcention of fefus : feeing no- thing hash happened in the fame. whid OfJefnsChrifl. ?^ /hkh was not foretold both to few icgentile^nor any thing fore-fhewed oncerning the Mejfias 9 which was ot fulfilled moft exattly in the per- bn of Chnft, as have been proved bv the foregoing teltimonies • we . may moft certainly aflure our felves, and confidently affirm, againft all the Junbeleiving^w?/, and wretched A- \thetfls of the world, that fefus is the fon of God, the true and promifed lAfeffiah. Moreover, Touching the excel* \lency of this Terfon^ I (hall yet fur- itber prove > firft, That for time, he lis God^cc-eternall with his Fatherland this both apparent fcriptures, and T . ~, , A iunanhverable reaions drawne trom is a true God thence do'make plain, For, is proved. Firft, The fcriptures call him the^ ar n 1 i r r i I ^rftfrom the true Jehovah, as wee may fee by the Scriptures. collation and comparing of thefe places, vi 10.78. [/juoao^©-, And the word was God , A\(o Thomas faith unto Chrift , ^ G 3 iW *r 86 OfJefusChrift. iJoh.$.i£. Lord andmy God \ And fo we findjl i Joh.j.io. fa fame truth expreflcd in many o- ther places of the Scripture. tZ°£ r Mc s * COP %> Wee may (hew the fame mFoZVwn h J infa,llbl e and unanfwerable rea, fromfcripturc ions, drawn from fcripture. As, Firft, From thofe incommunicablt properties of the Deity , which are pro- /w/y afcribed unto him: as, I. To be omnipotent Joh-$.$i .Heb. 1.3.TW/.3 21. tApo. 1.18. Mac.i6.xi. 2. To remit fins > Matth $l6.Mar* Mac.18. lo. 2.5.7.9.^^ S-20. fob.20 23. Joh.irf.if. ?>) j To be |n ^^ y ^ fJ at the fame inftant , CMatth.l2.2Q. 4. To have the fame e quail poorer with the Father, fob. 5.17. 5. To raife himfelffrom the£r*w, Rom.i.4.feh.io.i$. 6.Tofendforth> and to give the Holy Qhofi 1 Zach.H. 10 JohA6.j. 2 From thofe Epithites , which are afcribed unto him, and are only agreeable to the divine nature- y %$ y Tch.13.1 8, T° be the Author of our Slt&ion. Job 1.9.' To illuminate us.To know the (ecrets Mat 9 4.?. of our hearts. To hear the prayers of Joh.14 14, them that call upon him. To judge the <7/w£ and the dead. To £jr* unto his fervants everlaftirg life. To be truly fje «r Chnft. 87 V hIj rich , and \oable to do, and to **£*»<* Uftowthefe great rewards upon his ^^ ervants, fob. 16 it- , Thirdly, From thole reUums that te hath with God, as to be ^i/o^m, 7 h , l8 ht only begotten fon of God the bright- Heb.1.3 Lr/} of his glory, and as the /Vf faith, //G«J htdonteno [on , *Af» ««» muft he Without the brightnefs of hit glo- ry be. A'.fo to be the a^f ofGod,which ir» j?i. .the Fathers do expound of Chnft, to H* 1 *?- 1 *• be the Image of the Father, 2 Cor. 4. 1 "''- 1 '• ■ 4.C0/. 1 . * -and to be the very form of God, which is molt fimple and f/ea- nVom the fubftance of his Father , £t amen Ftxris fubfiantia nonperpeft •/? partitionem • And yet the iub- tance of the Father admits no parti* >n s for as the Son remaineth ftill the •ame, and is no way lejfene J or dimi- AtbgMMf ; n E lifted, in refped: of thofe beams cm Eu ( cbi . :hat flow from him, fo the Father um% tuffereth no mutation^ by having and Yiegetting^Suanc ipfius imaginem fM- * L, this his Son and eternall image ; 3Ut remaining ftill the fame, he be- getteth his Son of the fame Effence, and wee find not only all the Ortho- dox Fathers, butalfo the fcriptures, ire plain enough to confirm the fame truth i for our faviour faith, / *»J J'h.io : my Father are one , and fo faint John having fpoken of the Father, the Word, and thefpirit, faith, That thefe three are one^ and reafon it felfe * J°h.f .7. ; It needs confirme the fame thing, r feeing the Divine Eflence is moft fmfh % 9° Of Jefttf Chrifl. fmple, impartible /and indivisible, and that the Father is God (as none denyeth) and that the Son is God, (as I have already proved) and that the Haly qhofi is God, (as all the holy Fathers have fufficiently> AtbinAntjm. con fi rm ^d) and yet there are not # three Gods, but one God, (as Athfc nafins flheweth) therefore it muft needs follow, that all three have hwtone and thefelfe fame E$e*ce r and confequently , that the fonis GLtoZcnQ-iPatrijCoftfubftantta/l or cq- effentiall with his Father : And there- fore hence alfo, it muft needs follow that our Saviour Chrift is WoSt ©- , ay^God ofhimfelfe^ independent, as j abfolute as the Father is. And yet for the better underftan* ding of this point, how Chriit mayj be faid to be ai/JoSm ,God oihimfelf y > Tbtm.fA.q.n we muft confider, that Ahudeflh*** here effentiam Divinam tfeipfo, ali-\ ud habere effentiam Divinam afeipfa Haw Chrift exiftentem • It is one thing to have 1 is Cbd of hkn- hjs divinc E p ence from himlelfe, and another thing to have his Di- vine E {fence exifiing of it felf, to fay that the perfonof thefon, hath his divine £{fence, that is his perfona/l being \ OfJefitsChrifi. 9 1 eing from himfelf, we cannot , be- paufe ic is from the Father, the Fa- her communicating his whole £/- "ence unto the fon, and therefore we ly that the fon ,Rat tone 7? ot* J t<*?£«- * inrefpeft of his per/ona/l beings ; not ene, and FnlgentiHs t who doth moft excellently (hew, how the pro- perties of both his Natures concnrred together, and might be eafily difcer- ned in him, from the very beginning of his dayes, to the laft end of his be- ing here on Earth. For, Hee is borne of his Mother , and Luke* 7. wrapped in fwadling clouts, as being a man, but a Star doth manifefc him, and the wife men adore him, as being MmA*- 11 * a God ; He is laid in a Cratches he is a man^ but he doth wonderfully Wo*\^ in Heaven, as he is a God , he fuf- , fereth I 94 Of Jefut drift. T " Ls "- deE P'"fembhim(€l{to be carried in tfielif \n7Zr q Z- ^mes, as he is a man, but he /upper* dem parvulus tetl * all things, and Commandeth all coiioca'ur^ ywtheHoaft of Heaven to do himfer- magvut m cxlo vice, as he is a God , he is "baptized ZttZ'l '" ,n fri*n,n being a jp^but the /ft. title mavibus v tohojtde/cends upon him from hea- i/mrr* /^^ven as being a GW ; he is tempted /Vd prtcipit of the Devill, as he is a man, but he 0- fbictUtiiafa- ver comes and expells the Devills, as NVfar.j. I* ^ e * S a ^^ ^ c trave h an d i s thirftj, Mar. i.n' he is hungry and is we 4*7, as hee is a Joh.4<*. man, but he refrefhetb the weary, he Mat.8.24.25. jeedetb the hungry , and hecgiveth drink unto the thirfty, as he is a GW : He fleeps in the Jhip^nd his Difciples awake him,as he is a man, but he r*- bakes the windes, andfti/kth the rage of the Seas, as he is a GW; he is poor Mat 8.io. , an j nee jj^ n ^ bath not an h ou f e to put bis bead in, as he is a man y but hee is rich and mightj, and cannot be con-j tained in the heavens,as hee is a Cod : ] Mat. j*. 3 * 19 He is f orro tf H u and fad, hee Keepes , I and he p^e/ , as he is a man, but he 1 Joh. 1 4. beareth our Trajers, and comfdrteth 1 Ifa 53/ theforrowfull as he is a GW-, hee is 1 fubjeft to infirmities, as hee is a tnan,* Math. 27. **• buthee/?^/e/A *// our infirmities, as 45, hee is a GW j he is whipped and cr*- ] cifie d, as hee is a man , but hee r* * r- 1 j ft b i Of Jefus Cbrifi. 95 th the vaile of the Temple , and raufeth the fun to hide his face for [hameto fee him crucified, as he u is nGoJ; hefaith, Eloi. E14 % Lama- Math. 27.4*. fabachthAni , J/jr hj hajl thou forfaken me ? as hee is a man , but hee faith unto the ' Thcefe , 7^ ^J 7^ thou be "frith J we 1* e Paradife , as he is a GW ; He Math. 17. ?o, ' yeildeth up the Ghoft , and hee dy- 6c * etfi, and is buried , and lyeth in 1 his Grave ^ as hee is a ?w^» , but :hec overcometh Death , and de- ftroyeth the Devi/Is , and raifeth ihimfclfe unto Zi/- Luke 14. ij. ?f^r/unto his Difciples , and eates &*• *'• Und tallies with them as he is a /#*;; , but he vamfheth out of their fight, and afcendeth up unto heaven, as he isaGW^ and fo now the Heavens do contain? him , and hee Jitteih there *w f/?f r *gbt hand of God , as he is a w*» , but hee fuftaineth .the Heavens, and rideth upon the fame t * ' • as upon 4nhorfe,zs he is a (/od. And fo wee fee, that maugre all the fpite of Helljt is moft apparant , that the perfon of Chrift fo fabllfterb, V% 96 Of Jefus drift. Ftfg'nt.depei* Z)t cum in homine Chrijiovidetur 've fonaCbnfti lM rim h min is fa eo ^ em jy eo chrift ad Tiafun. r ' ~ . • * J cognofcatur paterntveritAS Dettatu. as when we fee the verity of the man hood in the man Chrift ?effM,wc mufi know and acknowledge the Eternal Deity in the fame God Chrift fefus becaufehe is frill affr/ffl Cjod and pcrfeft man , and of thefe two Na- tures fubfifting in one per [on incon- fofed. Moreover t We find in the fa cred fcriptures, many Names , 77. ties, and Attributes , anfwerabh to the manifold effe&s of his Huma- nity \ Power, Rule, and Divinity : Foi example. Shiloh, gen.49.10 Immanutl, #1.7.14. *g Michael, Dan. 10 A i ~ A Nazarite -^/4f. 2.23 ^ A Prophet Deut.i$.i$ ^ APrieft i^.7. 17 j5 A King Z*c/?. 9. 9. U A Saviour ^£.4.42. JS AMediatour deb.g.15. it, A Phyfitian UWatg. id ARanfome 1 Tim.z. 6 A fervanc //tf.42.1. Alhephearcj Of Jefut drift. A Shepheard Hek i ? .20.^ A Samaritane Lh\. 1 o. 3 3 . Afanftuary I fa. 8.14. A Reconciliator Rom. 3.25. A Foundation. Jfa.z2.i6* Wonderfull Efa 9.6. Wclbeloved Cant.1.13. j3 Righteoufnerte fer.zi.6. 3 Redemption ' 1 Ccr.i. 30. £ Salvation Luke 2. 30. Z A Teacher foh j.2. 5 A Way ?#A.m.6.J 3 AVine f^.15.1. 3 Afpirit 1 ^-14-45. £ A Reaper ifw.l4.15. APafTeove* i C or -5-7> AMafter Mat. 10.24. AJuftifier ^w.3.26. A Husband 2 Cor. 112^ 1 A Fountain Cant. 4.1$. A Feeder Mat 26 San&ification 1 £V.i 3° A Deliverer Rom. 11 16 AnApoftle Heb.$zi An Advocate 1 foh.i 1 Amen Rev. 3 14 God foh.i.i: Man Rom 5 1 y Flefh M. 1 14, David /fr.30.9. H AG over 98 ofJefusChriji. A Governour Mat.% 6 Rabbi fob-6 2% Oyntment Cant.i 5 A forerunner Heb: 6 20 A Child If*-9 6 A Babe Luke 2 16 Wifdome iCoru 30 ]3 Truth ?oh:i+:6i •g Life fob: 14 6 .2 Light fokn 9 The new man Efbefa 24 ,3 Gods fon Mat:2 1 5 >« The Beloved Cant: 5 6 GodsMeflenger ^^3 r <**{*£« ** ■ Gods beloved Mat: 1 2 1 8 A Bridegroom v*/<**:9l$ A true Witnefle Rev: 3 14 And. Of Jefos Chrifl. 99 A Plant of Renown, Ezec.14 29 A poliflied ihafc lfu. 49. 2. A Mtffiah the Prince Dan^, 25: A Golden Altar ifrz/.8 3* A righteous f e r- E fa. $ ill vant AgreenTree Luke 23 31 A bright morning 2^:2219 ftar A faithfull Wit- Rev.i 5 neffe A wedding garment Mat. 22 12 A Well of Life ^.414 A ftone to ftumble 1 Tet.i.S at A Corner 1 An Eled S ftone. * ?"•* 6 A Precious 3 A branch of the root 7/i-i 1 1 qffcfe An Angcll of the Zach- I 12 Lord An everlafting Fa- Ifa.g 6 ther The Ancient of 'Dan- 7 1 dayes TheCaptaineof the, fofb.f a 5 Lord ot'Hoafts The Covenant cf J fa. 42 6 rhe people H 2 The 100 OfjefusChriJi. The generation of Rev.12 16 j)avid TheDefireofall na- Hag.z 7 tions The Doore of the foh. 10 7 Sheep The Bread of life foh. 6 51 13 The Con- "\ Luke 225 g folation of .2 A ruler in ; Mic*h 5 2 es The glory > IfrAtL Luke 2 31 1 of j ^ Thefcep- J 2^/006.24 ^ terofj 17 ^ The finiiher of our Heh 12 2 Faith The end of the law, Rom.lo 4 The judge of quick A&s 104 and dead r all pow- *) \er (^ CV:2 10 The yPrinci- r Head ofxpallity j ^ . r J the church £ ^5 ( every man I ?' 1 ' Thehorneoffalvati- Lu ^ l 6 on The heire of the Rom 4 l world The Eled l fr . J J*;4 \ The|I m agej ofGod Cot.i 15 Ofjefif Chrift. 10 1 Thewif- ") i Cor. i 24 dom / The Power > of God Idem The lambe( fob. 4 10 The gift J fob. 1 ^9 Thelyonof/^/?, Rev. 5 5 The light of the 7/i. 49 6 Gentiles ^Kings Rev. 1 5 The Prince Ojfe ^#'5 15 of <^Peace I fa. 9 6 A purger of fins ^ Heb.i 3 A qnickning fpirit 1 CV. 1545 AmercifulP. H*£.2 17 A faithful I A holy ' H igh ld "» Aharmlefs p re ift An undefi- I Heb. 7 26 led J The ftar of Jacob Numb*. 24 1 (The fan- Heb\ 8 2 \&uary AMim-VT^Ta-' tter of ^vhernacle. / Circuraci- Cfion The fecond Adam^ A Beloved \ U0/0: 1 5 8 I Cor: 1 5 45 Mat:$ 17 A Dear / The firft ? s on CV.l 13 Mat:l 25 born J H 3 AMcfTenger 102 Of JefHs'chriJl. A Meflenger of the MaL 3 . 1 Covenant Eternall life One Lord Captain of Salvati- on < King of< 1 M- r .2. 'Ifrael Saints The feWes Kings ^Glory Childrens Bread Quick and dead Lord of^Hoafts Lords The Sab- bath The light of men Refurre&ion of the Dead f Abraham! I David * fo/eph The Son . God of 1 Man I A Virgin ; Righte- voufneflc foh 1.49 Rev.i$.$ Matzj^y. Rev.ip.j6. /th c „ , "§ /offer (Fa- /"** T 4 <> < C unto J thcr True OfJefaChrifi. 1-5 True it is, that as the Bird cannot All the things fly without her wings , nor the body () [ thls wor,(i move without the Soule, fo no more £" ™ uc al , 7 i . , v-nrjitj win a- can any man do > any thing that is vailc us no . good and acceptable unto God, thing- without the heipe of f-efus drifts for, all our Knowledge is but beaihe- nijb fcicnce, able to make us prot*4 , not to make us happy y ifhee be not Objtftum adtqttatum, the chiefeft , yea, and the fole objed of the feme • all our Faith in God is but ungroun- ded confidence , if it be not grounded upon Jefus Chrift • ail our righteonf- vejfe'ts but as Po/lutio Panni, men- ftruous clouts, if it be not -poafbed in T , his bloody and all our/>*f*>*c^ tern* '° perance, cbaftitj, and all other ver- mes, that either Nature planted, or education efftfted in us, are bvtfpUn- dida peccata y gliftering guilded fins , unacceptable Unto God,and unprofita- ble unto our felves.if they be not £#i- ded by the grace, and directed to the glory ofjefns Chrift, who is indeed the moft perfed patternof all vertue. And as there is noway for us to T1 - find true vertne but onely in him !^ K 1 • 1 • r 1 1- r 1 vhrift the which is vertue it felt, fo there is no- on] m m thing in the world, that is lo tv*HeisfectHcay the fpirit of lyes and of errors, let thrift the true light Jhine unto thee, hnd leaft thou (houldeft be wearied r mdwaxe faintunder the burthen of * *dverfities, let Chrift the power of $ God refrejh thee, becaufe whatfoe- lf yer we do want , he alone is alfuffi- far £f fttr ther all unto his foul ; that fo he might joyfully fing with the Pfalraift, Tht Hal 1 -Lord is my portion, and 1 have a good- ly heritage*, the Lord is my [hepheard , and therefore 1 can -want nothing 5 yea as all the acceflions and accumulati- ons of all worldly things , can adde nothing unto the felicity of a Chri- fiian^ fo all the defetts or wants of the fame things, can detraft nothing from the happineffe of him, that hath fefus Chrifi, Vita ab errcre, gratia a \ feccato^cr mors amwte liber abit^ for his life will preferve thee from error \ if thou w\k follow it, his grace wil free thee from finjf thou wilt receive it , and his death will deliver thee from eternall death , if thou wilt be* teeve in it. So that he is truly called thg IOfJefi* Chrijr. ID} ne i*Aj y without wandring in our \ Peregrination , whereby ou^pathes • ire dtrecled; Truth without (hatfow- J ing in our deliberation, whereby our J Errors are corretled and Life with- ij out ending in our remuneration, * thereby our mortal i y is eternised. ^In that he is > k ;OurRighteoufnefieto juftific 1 Ewf.1.7 nOur Wifdome to teach / *° ??*o* •i.Our Reconciliation to reconcile^ °?c!~i.z. OurHolinefle tofanctifie f Hrfcio $. Our Redemption to free \ cW 1.13.. [Our Reward to glorific J l *** V 1 * l So that by him our fins are difchar- ged, we cleered, the debt payd, the >fcore is crofTed, the creditor fatis: ed, and the debtor acquitted. In that his condemnation is our Abf^lhtionyZnd 7>ajfion our pajment^ h\s death is our life t &L bitch our purgation , his facri- ficeisourfatisfacHon and curfe our bleffing j his Grave is our mortifica- tion^ and Afcenticn our Glorificati- on. Thus much byway of digref- fion, therefore now to come back to the foregoing fubjed of our difcourfe,namcly the Dfirjr of fefnt Chrift, If all the teftimonies of the forenamed Jews dc qentiles, of all the Evangc. no Ofjefa Chrijl. Evangelifts. Apoftles % Tather$ y AiR tyrs, and of all the /w/y wen ofCfodM not fufficient to prove Jefns the foil That God °f -Mary, to be the Et email Sonn #1 himfclftefti- GW. We finde God himfelfe the cr* I fied Chrift to atoroi Heaven and Earth, teftifyinu be his (on. t ^ e f ame , for though the tefiimonjl of /^/w was fufficient, to fatisfie and man, becaufe ^ w.u a burning and A loh.f.tf Jhining Light % in whom the Jeweij themfelves were willing to rejoycefoA a feafcn, as our Saviour witnefleth [ yet Chrift needed not to receive tefti-1 T i ' %< monv from man, becaufe bee had A greater PVttneJfe then that of fohn y e- ven theFather himfe If which fent him^ hee bare witnefle o f him, and with an audible voice hee proclaimed the Mac x i ? 1 7 ^ ame tWice fr om Heaven, faying, firfl ' at the river Jordan , and then on; Match \7^. MountThaboryThztheewathitbelo* ved Son, in whom he was well flea fed i So that thefe are fufficient witnefles % Quia dicla fehova diBa para ; Be- caufe the words of the Lord are pure words, as the Pfalmifi faith. And ThatChiift laftly, Chrift himfelfe confirmes this vcrTdm^" trHth Unt0 us > b Y thofe manifold irp- before hh in; f ar ^ ens t ' lat hee made before his in- carnation carnation : For it is moft certain^that he Of jejHsChrijt. Ill ee appeared and conferred with the athers, in the vifible forme and foape of man ; Et pr&ftantiffmi theologo- -Htn dicunt cjHotiefcunque Dtus im- Petrus Cun*- nortalis hominibus apparuit y apparu- ** derzprt. Iffe perfonam fecundam^id eft,fMnm\ Heb ^l***i't* yuod fane ab ill is re He exiftimatum /?. faith Cun&H* : the moft excellent divines do fay, That whenfoev^r the immortall God hath appeared unto • mortall man, it was the fecond perfon of the Trinity-, that is f the fon of God, Chrifi Jefux, that did appeare, which in truth is moft rightly faid of them, in the judgement of that lear- ned man, and therefore it is not im- probable , nor to any men incredible , that he affumed upon him, the forme and Jhape of man, when hee created man , and fo made him not only in his own Image, which he had as GW, ^ ^, " (that is, in hohneffe and true rt£hteouf- ai 7C rfe times neffe^ but alfo likj unto himfelfe, in affumed the refped of that forme and (bapt^ which form of a man,, he then affumed , and which hee in- bcf °re he was tended to be made himfelfe thereaf- madcman - ter: And this may be collcfted out of CMofes> where he faith, That Adam Q zn ^ ^ heard the voice of the LordGod rval- kin% in the Garden • For God, as he is a God H2 OfJefusChriji; a God, hath neither voice to fpeak< f nor fee t to walke, but afTuming the forme and fhape of a man, he did both walke and talke with him, and in re- fpeft of this bodily prefence of God , the man didfpecialiy feek to hide him. felf among the trees of the Garden j when hee heard his voice and not be- fore. But to csfbrtham it is apparent, that he appeared. Gen.18.13. Fi r ft, InthePlaineof^mrf, for ao.vcrr.^. M*f*sh\th % not only that the Lord t diked with Abraham , but hee faith alfo, that Abraham calleth him, Thi Judge oj all the world , which can be afcribed to none but Chrift, which is the fudge ofquickjinddead. Secondly , It is the opinion of fome, that he appeared unto Abra ham in his returne from the conqueft of the four Kings, for though fomc of the ancient Iewes in their idle fan cies have imagined him to be fuch z ,. r perfon, as is much derogatory to the & *#& Majcfty of to glorious a Prieft, and fuch a fuper- excellent King, becaufe Micron.'™ f. he is only named by UWofes t with- pip. ad Eva- out an y men cion of h ; s Difcent, and K C.n*H$ *}? H ! er °™ ■ . With ^ VerS J °^ herS de repub.Hcbj. old and new writers, of good efteem 1 i.t«M.3£& in Ofjefatebrifi. It? \ in the Church of Chrift, do reje& J.he judgement ofone, which in Saint Hieroms time did fay, that Melchi- jedech, which met Abraham and blef- ed him , was the Son or God ? and though fome of our lateft Divines lave imagined him to be Sem the Ton of Noah • yet fome learned men lgree with him in Saint Hterome , — M . .. ■vhofe name he dorh not fet downc , f^^ was ind whofe arguments to confirme the Ion ©f God r lis fpeech, he doth neither relate nor ronfute, that it is moft probable unto them, and moO- agreeble to the Apo- [llesmind, that hee was none other :hen fefuj Chrift, the Son of God. Firft, Becaufe the Apoftle faith , ^,7,7. that hee was greater then the Patri- arch Abraham , who is fayd to be ,:he Father of the Faithful! , which Epithete, with the words %>fU t^cth* Ivnhoyla;, do fufficiently (View hiRi to je y Divimoru cuttfdam natura^ of a jfar more excellent and diviner nature ;hen Abraham was. Secondly , Becaufe the zApoftle go* ingtofpeakeof this Melchifedec^ , faith % That hee had many things Heb.j xx f :o fay concerning him , which 1 were H4 OfJefusChrifi. were fuattiJLvwivTWf rky^iv , hard toi* explained^ which certainly he would never have faid , had hee not under*- flood this Melchifedech to have been fome excellent and ineffable per- fon. Thirdly, Becaufe the Apoftle faith not, tyhofe death is not mentioned by Mofes, for fo he might be dead, though his death is not fpoken of but he faith, that David teftifieth of him, 077 Qf, that he liveth % to fcew the difference betwixt this ™*^ of the perpetuall guiltinejfc woman, and blame in the fight of men , for their firfi tranfgreflion •, for her yeilding unto the Serpent , and t\vt f educing of \\zt Husband, made her and all her fexe to be deferved- ly fubjed unto much Reproach : And therefore , though becaufc the Mankind is more noble , Chrift would be made a mtn^ yet be- caufe Women (hould not be contem* ' tied , hee was contented to be borne 4 l *g.Cfflt.Fdufl- of a woman, Et ficformam viri af m fumendo , & de fdmina nafcendo n* trHmque fexum hoc modo honor Andum indie avit, andfohe did fufficiently honour both fexes , the men, by *£ fuming OfJefafChrifl. 121 ( Cuming the forme of a man , and the Dvomen, by taking his flelh from a ,#oman; that as a woman was the *: meanes to rmke htm zjinne*, fofhe 'might be the injirument to bring \ him a Saviour ; but, Licet fecundum iconditionem nature mtuttft ex ft- tbdm.pj.q.3i l mirta , tamen fupr* conditienem no- ar t^, h turd natus eft ex virgine^ he would , i beyond the condition of Nature , be jborneoffucha woman that was a \Virgin$ becaufe it became not \God to have any CMother , but la Maide^ and it befeemed not a ■JAf^cohavcany^», but a £* Aching t :he Agent and th manner or the act, how this fubftanc fliould be framed , and this Chil« fhoula be conceived without the helf of man^ Saint Luke dothmoft plain ly and fully declare unto us, faying Luk i.u. T^ e H°(y Ghofijhall come upon thee^ the Tower of the highefl fhall over fbaaowthee, which words are no to be underflood fo, as if he were be gotten, Sf>ermatica>sper concubitum by any carnall effufion of feminall hu mour,as faxfemw feemeth to imagin nor of the Ejfence or fubftanceof the Holy Ghofi y as fome hereticks hav< fayd , for fo the Holj Gfoft being God, fhould have begotten him,not wan, butGW; Quia omne gene* rans generat ftbi fimile % becaufe eve- ry begetter begets his like , and Jofc.3.6* that which is borne of the Spirit it fpirit, aXKit J)& J>Iwo,(ju to make the fame jnto the forme of man (as this is raoft probable to be true, although Gale- tons and moft Phyfitians fay the con- trary ) then have we no reafon at all tothinke that heetookenot alt the -uhole nature becaufehe had another Worker to difpofe and to frame the fame fubftance into the forme of man, yea, feeing hee had a far more excellent Age nt to worke the fame , then any feed of man can be, and becaufe 1*8 OfJerusChrtJi; ib\ potior eft- bccaufe the efe8 is ever tetter, where austubi noYi. the €gH [ € is morc exce Uenti Reafon it Uor tp couja. fc if Oiewech, that we have no reafon to think that he was defttttve in any thing, that pertained to the perfedi- on of humane Nature 1 or of the natur all properties of the fame: And therefore, feeing hee was made of a woman, as all other men be , diflfe* ring only in the manner of his con- ception, or in the ytfjjf «* and worker of his Subftaxce, it is moft apparent What Chrift that he affumed all our humane nature f affumed. becaufethe whole nature of man , that is, both body and «SWi was to be redeemed • for that both body and ^w/f were captivated unto fatan: but Mat.i8,n. the fon of man came to feek and to Jave that % hich wo* loft y therefore he muft confift both of body and foule , for feeing the Divine piry was content to deliver all, it behoved the Divine Fnlgent.Li.de OWajeftj to afTume all, faith Fulgen- mjfterioredtwp. r £^ an ^ more particularly, that hee ^ru^ru, : a had a true and per fed: humane bedy \ had a true hu- 1C ma y he ealily proved , tor when mane body, the Apoftles thought that they had i Gen 3. 15. %i feena Phantafme , or a spirit, hee * *• fayd unto them, handle mee and fee, U e * 4 3 9 ' becaufe ajpirit hath notflejh and bones 04 OfJefusChrift. j^g V, gijoufee me have : Befidcs, it may be proved by the uniform confenc of all Orthodox antiquity, as the great Council! ofChalcefon^ that had in it 630 Biftiops , the Councill ofLate- ran j the Councill of Tolcdo>FHlgen~ tins in his fecond booke, Be per/on* _ ,. . , . *-»# .it- 7 ■ t. a* o • ^ r a- **&• tnj.de Chriftt^ Saint £*/?/. Saint AngHfttne y to ^ c ^ Ttrtutlian in his booke Became gener. fori ft i, venerable 2?*Wf, and diverfe ^g//w./. others, whofe pithy fayings and un- . f 1 c - l %- **d* anfwerable arguments to prove this l " g 1 L ^ # * 4# point, I could here alledge : But a- bove alljthe words KA&dv & yivo/u$fjQ- t Gal.4.4, ufed by Saint Paul^ and iy>.v$Tt> ufed by the Evangeli^, which fignifie to take our nature upon him , and ro ^ madefiefi * if they be well and truly underftood, do make it mod appa- Irentfy plaine, thatche Sonne otGod took unto himfelfe perfonallv the true T . c 1 i_ /- / /7 Luke 1.3 1.41. nature or man . ana the very jubftance Heb 1V * of his Mother, for the eyipoflle doth not fay,/*ff#.r ^ muliere, Jed fail us ex mtiliere, made in a woman , but made ofarvoman^zs NicoUm de Cjor* GwbmMrt rham well obferveth ) and therefore Gala: > though Chriit had his Tnnctpwm formate*, his formall beginning from the Holy Ghofl^ yet it is mod cer- tain, that hee had his Principinm K Mater i- I go Of Jcfus Chrift. inateriale, his whole matter and fub- fiance from the body of his mother : And as hee had a true humane body f That Chrift fo hee had a perfect reafonable Soule ^ had a true for the teftimonies of the Scriptures reafonable are mo ft pl a i n herein • As my Soul is w e '^.c heavy unto death \ and again, Father Luke x;.4^. **'* ^ hands I commend my spirit: Alio the whole School of Divinity y did ever teach the fame truth; for 2{azianzen faith, Quodnon ajfump* fit^ nonfalvabit^ either hee had a fettle, or he will not fave a.foule> and Tothm fufcepic Saint sAugufiine faith , Chrift took- ut totum libe- all upon him, that is, both body and rtretverbuw. f 0H i e> that he might/*™? them ^r£. r ^|;*^"Andfoyou fee, that Chrifi had noti Ideam human* naturt, An im*gina» ry patterne of humane nature, ( as, fome in thefe our dayes would have it) but the whole nature of man, I* uno individuoy confifting both oibodj[ zndfoule* That Chrift Moreover , As Chrifi had all the was fubjeft tOp arts f a true anc j p er f ec 9; man ^ fo all our hii- hehadal | the property es that do con- mane frailties r r J . . . which are cern mans nature, or do belong ei- withouc fin. ther to the foule or to the body of man, as lengthy breadth , thicl^nejfe t nnderfianding^ill, affetti** 7 &c. And OfJefusChrifl. j^ And all other infirmities that wee Why he tin- have, fin only excepted. And it was dertook ou * reqmfite (faith Saint Ambrofe ) Vt ™*** infirmitates noftras ftfcipertt, That^X, he fhould take upon him our infirmi- " Firft, To demonftrate the truth of his affumed humanity. Secondly, To ftrengthen, andun* der-prop the weaknefle of our decli- ning Faith; and yet here wee muft diftinguifli and underftand^hat thofe infirmities which are not finfulJ, are either Terfonall or naturall. Thofe that are Terfonall , we fay not, that That Chrift he took ; for though many of us be took no perfo- affetted with maladies y infeebled with ^ l Q ^^ hi ° infirmities, and disfigured with de* P ° n im * fortuities, yet the body of Chrift be- ing framed by the Holy Ghofi , of the pureft Virgin blood,was /jrepom- oned in moft equall Symmetry and correfpondency of parts ; and there- fore he was fpeciofus forma fr& filijs hominum^ fairer then the fons of men, Vpho/y pure, more pure then the body ofAbfolun.) in whom there was no z Sam.14. *ft blemijh , fo Caffiodoms faith , Forma ejus Ufiei co/oris decore illuxil, & %%* Ca $ i( » in ? f" Jignijlttura prwminuit - % his body of**' K 2 the \yi Of Jefus Chrifl. thcbeft compofed ftature, did cxcell Chrift of a a Il other men, and fo Saint Hierom ravuliing ^^ t h a t his countenance carryed hidden andvayledin it a ftar Ukf Jhimng brightnejfe,wh\ch being but a little revealed, it fo ravifhed his Dif- ciples hearts, that at the firft fight Mat 19 *7. there °f > the y kfi*N and followed Joh.'i8 t 6. ' him, and itfo aftenijbed his enemies, that they ftumbled and fell to the ground* But now thofe that are natu* That Chrifl rail ox common infirmities jnz affirm took upon him that he had thcm jn all thing ^ j ike co!™^ us > for wcconfcffc, faith D+ mities. majcen, that Chrift took all the na- Heb.i.17.4. turall pajjions ofman,which arewith- »*• out fiine^ and Difcipulus faith, that DMmafc de fide QWQr y man wa5 fubjed unto twelve c zo natural! dejects and tnfirtmttes ,wher« D\(c\fklu\ in of (fa th hej our Saviour Chrift hath fer.de urn f. undergo* ten of them, and hath fuf- Uke ti 43. k rec * the/iw^evcn as w* do. Firft Cold, 1 Two infirmities Secondly, Heat J incident to every man, and denyed by no man to be in Chrift. Mat.ii.iS. Thirdly, Hunger, as when he came to the fig-tree and would have eaten. job.4.7.ci$. Fourthly^TA/r/?, As when he asked lS Drink of the woman of Samaria. Fifthly Ofjefit Chriji. ^33 Fifthly, wearinejfe , As when hcel ^ 4 ^* fate by the well fide to reft him. Sixthly, Weakrteffe and paine , as Mac.»7. 1 *■ when he was not able to bear his crofs J oh#I 9 ' 17 ' any further. Seventhly, Heavine(Je andjorrow^ Mat. 2* 38. as when his fotile was heavj unto Luke 16 41. death. Eighthly, Shamefafineffe^ and ad- Mai\£.tf. miration, as when hee marvelled at the 4 infidelity of the Jewes. Ninthly, fW*, as when his Fa- Heb.5.7. the r heard him in that which hee fea- red. Tenthly, Anger ^ as when he drove Mat. n.i 2. f&* Hujers and Je Hers out of the Tern- fie. Thefe are the ten infirmities which Difcipulus faith, were in our faviour Chrift. The other two which hee denyeth to be in him, are fin and ignorance. For the firft, that is ftn 3 wee all know and are fure, that hee had none • but for the fecond y we muft di- fiinguifti and underftand that there is , firft A } gnor ant ia pravx difoofitionis, An hat ^Tf J" ' s c r . . . \iJ r . y a two told Jg- lgnoranceofa wicked difpofition, as no:ancC when men know not,or wil not know, the things that they ought or might, K 3 and 134 OfJefiuCbrifi. and this wee fay was not in Chrifi. Secondly, Ignorantia mer andexferimentallwitdome, he lear- ned fome things that he knew not be- fore- fothat in this refpeft we may lawfully fay, That Chrift was igno- rant of many things in his youth , which afterwards hee learned in his age. Thirdly, Ofjefa Chrifi. *3> Thirdly, Becaufehee knew not Mat - 11 * 9 - that there were no figgs on the figge- M 1 3 * z tree , untill hee went and fato there was none, and he knew not the honre and the day of Judgement. And yet we fay, that although the man Chrift Jefus knew not thefe _ . „ things Exnatura httmAnitatu , by ^ I4 ' & the manhood • yet he did know them 4% J in natura httmtnitatU % in the man- hood, becaufehe was hypoflatically united unto that eternall fon of God, which made, and feeth J and knofteth all things : And fo you fee , that as Chrift afTumed our l^jture, fohe Chrift afTu- aflumed our naturall imperfections , ^ed our im- that are void of fin. predion,. But here we muft obferve that hee aflumed them all (as Saint Auguftine Non mftrau- faith ) not by any impofed neceffity , **™f'™* but by a voluntary aiming of them m [ UniAXt% to deliver us from them, when as no Law could have compelled him to un- dergo them. So that from hence we may clearly fee, this fon of God was not made flelh , to dignifie or to better himfelf, for if it had been fo , then hee would never have ajfnmed all our humane frailties: Befides , He was betore K 4 h is r ijtf How greatly God loved us, that he would be made man for our good. A lovelik* himfeltV in- comprehenR- Htfgi in l.de Sacrrrnent. OfjtfusChrift. his incarnation (as I have (hewed ) * God in the b e fi and higheft degree , from everlaftmg, ivitti©- ofxoi as Saint Bernard faith, Bernard fr> :i And therefore F&lix cnlpa^qua talent m l delpipban: meruit redemptorem , happy was that fault (as it hapned unto usj which brought forth fuch a Saviour , to be made partaker of our flejh % that wee might be Partakers of his Spirit ^ as Saint Grejorj fpeaketh. But now it will be here demanded, ■m. n a 1 ( as Saint Amuftine faith ) Sluart Why God de- v A • n •/ • *• /•. 1 • creed the in- mn ? 6tHtt Det/aptentta aliter hsmtnes carnation of liber are? &C Why could not the his fon,*or the Wi(dome o\ God devife , and the falvationof wer of Godeffeft fome other way; man. lQ Oliver an( j f ave f in f u ll men, then by Of Jefiu thrift. 139 V >y fending his fon to be made man, to je borne of a woman , and to fuffer Rich fhamefull things of fhamelefTe ftnners? to this faint Bernard fra- taeth this witty anfwer , That as in the creation of man, God did as it were confult with his wifdome, how to make him, when hee laid, ^ r Gcn.x.x*. tu make man in our image , fo after the tranfgreffion of man, there was (as it were) a confutation in heaven what fhould become of man ; for Truth and fufiice flood. up againft him and faid,that man hady?tf»^,and Ca?.2.i7. therefore man mutt dye , but Mer- cy and Peace rofe up for man , and faid, Regia ( creie nobis) res ejtfuc- J^uo qwfque currere Up [is , it is a royall thing iftm.:jor,matf£ to releive the diftrefTed,and the grea- eace , and the Father of mercies > and therefore they concluded, that although man had finned , yet man mutt be /Mr^0*^ or elfe abandoned, therefore the wifdome of God became an umpire, and devifed this way to rr- concile them, that as one man had fin- ned, and thereby deftroyed all men , fo tcp Of JejHS Chrijt. Bo/quiendep*fsfoVntiS homo nobis patient reftituet D$m\[erii.p. rem ^ on e righteous man (hould fuf- fer for all men, and fo Juftice (hould befatisfied; and then all that be* leived in that man, (hould be ptrdo* tied, and fo mercj (hould be (hewed: then, all thus contented , God loo- ked down from heaven upon the chil- dren of men, to fee if there were any Pfal. 1 4. 1.3 • that VqohU under ft and and Je eke after Cjod, but they were all corrupted-, and therefore the wifdome of God , that had found out this way, was contented to performe this Worke himfelfe and to be made man , that mercy might be extended , and to fuffer death for man , that Juftice might be fatisfied : and fo in him Ffal % 8 ?. IO « mercy and truth met together, righte- ottfnejfe and peace kjtfed each other. But Saint Auguftine and Saint f J*— j™ Gregory do more folidly anfwer, fay- Greglr. Moral. Mg>Omnia Deu4 poterat ft voluijfet, l.to.c.it. That in regard of his Wifdome, God could have devifed another way, and in refped: of his Power , hec could have performed the falvation of man, without the incarnation of his fon, but if hee had done it other- wife, it would, no doubt, have like- wife Of Jefus Chriji. 141 wife dil}leafed our foolifhneffe ; for God appeared vifiblj ( faith Saint Auguftine ) that hee might prepare us to invifible things , and How hard ic is therein hee difpleafed the covetous for rhe *j*\ man, becaufe hee brought not a^^~. body of Gold s he difpleafed the laf- u( £ mcn- civioHs^ becaufe hee was borne of a woman ; bee difpleafed the Jewes , becaufe hee camefo poor; and hee dtjpleafed tht wife men of this world, becaufe hee eretteth his Kingdome by the foolijbneffe of Preaching; and fo hee (hould have diff leafed man, what other wtjfoever hee had invented for to fave him. And therefore, Sic voluit ruinam vafit ^ g# deAn- fragiUs reformare , ut nee peccatum nuur.Dom. ftr? hominis dimitteret imp unit urn, quia 3. jufius erat , nee infanabile quia mifi- ticors ; fo God would repaire the ruine of fraile and fickle man, that neither the fin of man fhould efcape unpunifbed, becaufe God is juft , nor yet miferable man remaine un- curedy becaufe hee is mercifully and although hee could otherwife have faved man , Quantum ad potent iam midici , in refpeft of the power and skill of the Phjfitian , yet hee faw there 142 OffefusChrifl; there was no fitter way to do it ] Quantum ad medicinam agroti , & quantum ad Juftitiam Dei y in regard of the ftate of the Patient ,to free him from fin, and to fads fie the Juftice of God , for it behoved the Mediator . between God and man,to have fome- dlX^ol f in S l'k£ «JfJto God , and to have gcejfetabhj- fomething like unto man , leaft that mine , am in in all things being like unto man, hee utroque homm might be fo too far from God, or fmtistMge,if- being in ^// things like unto God, he J might be fo too far from man, and therefore Chrift betwixt Jinfull mor- tall men, and the jufi immortall Gcd, did appear a mortall man with men , andaj*/? God with God; and fo j. the mediator betwixt God and men , was God and man Chrift Jefus. That iaChrift Thediftin&ion of thefe two na- there arc two tures, the Deity and the humanity of diftind na- our Saviour Chriftjs moft excellent- ^ rcr# TA r ly (hewed by faint PauL where hee Rom. 14.19. /. , 1 ~l . r 1 s faith that Chrift was made man^ y^na w*%w, according to ihejlefi, and de- clared mightily to be the fon of God v&\ai mi(i(JUL iytctvM, according to the Spirit of Santliftcatio* t for that according to his humane nature only he was made of the feed of 'David , which Ofjefus Chrift. j^ which according to his Divine nature was declared ftill to be the eternall SonofCjod, fothat here faint Paul fheweth tVco Natures to be in Chrift, that is , his divine and his humane Tiature, ftill remaining entire after his incarnation 5 becaufe as he was made only of the feed of David, in refpeft of his manhood, (for that his Gok'head was not made of the feed of David) fo was he declared only to be the Son of God, in refpeft of his God- head^ for that his Manhood was not the omnipotent and the eternall [on *f god. This truth of the two natures of £q£5F Chrift, may be confirmed by mofc ^ rl pr °" apparant and unanfwerable argu- ments, for the J ewes faid, that he did Joh.5.i3. not only breast he Sabbath^ but alfo fajdy that God was his Father, making himfelfe eejnall with God - 5 And Chrift himfelfe faid, I and mj Father are Job,io # 3o. one, and therefore the Pharifees did rightly colleft, that Chrijl by thefe words had affirmed himfelfe to be a God, and yet he faith, Mj Fatherjohj4.1t. is greater then /, but it cannot pofll- bly be, that Chrift according to the furnt Nat fir r , fhould be e quail % nay *ne 1^4 OfJefusChrifi wfwith the Father , and yet infirfi our to the Father % and therefore it mufc needs follow, that hee hath m* nature f according to which hee is equall to his Father , and another nature, in refpeft whereof he is infe- riour to him. JokS ?8. Befides, our Saviour faith, before ^Abraham was, I am 5 and yet faint Luke 1.7/ Luke faith, He was born inthedajes of Auguftus C&far, but it cannot be that idemfecundum idem , the fame one, in the fame refpeft , fhould be before Abraham > and after Abraham 1 And therefore hee muft needs have ttvo natures in him, according to one whereof he was before Abraham, and according to the other hee was after him. And further % wee finde the fame All orthodox confeffed by all Antiquity ; for Viti- Antjquity liHS writing upon t h fe words of the confefled two 4 nj & / j • ■ A i r t natures ce be A P°fi le * *rho being in the forme of in Chrift. God y teoke upon him the forme of a fer- P'tgil 1 2. cont. vantj faith , It is a wonder to think, Eutycb. Tbilip. w hy fome ire afraid to fay, thac zjmrm eft,. ckri fi had tW9 2iatures^ when as the Afoftle faith, that he h&d two formes ; and the great cecumenicall Councill of ChaUedon, left this confefiion unto a!! Ofjefw Chrift. 145 all potefterity 5 finfitemnr in Hovif- ConciLuiced. fimps dkbus , {ilium Dei unigenitum s ,^]yj|j t in duabus naturi* inconfufe, immuta* tiliter^ indivife \infeparabiliter agnof- cendum^ nunquam fublata differentia propter nnionem^t confefs, that the only begotten fon of god,which came in the laft days to be incarnate,is now to be acknowledged^ be 3 &to fub- ClU of tvfo natures, (that is, Divine & humane) inconfufedly, immutably, infeparably, and undividedly united together, and that the differences £>r disjunction of thefe natures is never to be abolifhed and taken away , by reafonofthe union of the fame. And here wee muft obferve, that That the two although this iter nail fon of Cod, was "*£" do fomadeflefh, that is, aperfeft man,of jJ* fo c n i|M JJ e the feed of David&s that ftill each na- Lord and Si- ture remaineth intire and inconfufed , viour Jcfus yet wee muft not imagine that hee is Chrift. therefore tVvofons or twoperfons (as 2{jfioriHs thought) but that he is one enlj perfon, confifting of both thefe natures : fo that he in whom the/*/- ntffe of manhood dwelteth is not one, and he in whom the fulneffe of the Godhead another- but he in whom the fulnefs of both thofe two dwellcth t is 9ne and the fclfe fame Chrift, L that H* Pi sift . Mj & *jfnm[ fit quid n n trrt. tfATJsn. Or it. yds Theolog. Emyffea.bm^ OfJefusCbriJl. that is, one Chrift, one perfon; and here wee rauft coniider, that die vine 2{jture did not aflume an hu- mane fcrfon % but the divine perfon did aflume an humane nature : The fon of God affuming into the % of his perfon , that which before hee was not-, and yet without change, ( for fo muft God ftill be) remaining that which he was : And fo (jrtge- ry Nazianzsn faith , Hee remained whit he was, and he afluraed what: he Vrtenot, becaufe Chrift was made fleftl, Non depofita, fedfepojita Maje- jiate , not by cancelling or laying a- way, but as it were,by conceding and laying afide for a time, the raoft glo- rious appearance of his divint Maje* fty " as Euf chins Emyjfenus doth moft excellent! y declare,and the Pott as wittily, faying, That which hee Vwjhe u % jet ence was not That which he i$>, a nature hee hath p.! 7. More then hee had ^ andjethtftiH retainer Th*t which hee had} and having both rcmaines But Ofjefar Chrifl. H7 But one : and though hee tookeone nature more, Tet U he but one per fon ^ as before. This truth of the union of thcfe Thc unIt Y of t^o natures may be confirmed by the ? hrift J is P cr * holy/m^, for when Chnft .f. ^proved ked his Afoftles , Wh»m do men fay from Scrip- that I, the fon of man, am, Saint Peter ">r«. anfwered, that hee was Chrift , the fon of the living God ; therefore hee is butowf perfoH, becaufe Saint 'Peter confeffeth the fon of man to be the fon Mat. itf.ij.u of the living God'. And the tAngell faid unto the Virgin, That holj thing L "kc i.jr. which Jhall be borne of thee, fhall be called the fon of God ; therefore hee is butoneperfen, becaufe hee which was born of the Virgin, was and is none other, but he that is truly called, and Joh. io. j i. is the true fon of God j and Saint 'Paul fpeaking of Chrift, as hee was the eternall fon of God. *&£ w6 u - Rom.x.t. t**, in refped of his Godhead , and as be was the Son of David, rj]£ ^^ , in refpe<3 of his manhood, yet doth he not fay of his font as of Wo, but of i joh.i ta t. ms (o» made and declared to be his v.n.Chap. j. Jon 4 to (hew unto us, That as be- v • , *■ /"* h« making, fo now after his ma- chap4 v J * L * king, auicyconfef- feththe fame truth, touch- ing the unity of Thrift his pcrfon. 148 Of^efus Chrift. making, he is ftill but enefon, one per- Jon, of the two diftinQ natures fub- fifting : And this is confefled by all All our Creeds antiquity • for in the Apoflles Creed , and all anti- we fay, that we beleeve in fefus Chrifl h» only fon our Lord, which was con* ceived of the H$ly Gboft, and borne of the Virgin Mary, and therefore he is bnt one per fon, becaufe hee which is faid to be the only fen of god, is faid alfo to be born of the Virgin 'J^r - perties of each nature , they mult be as well inconfufed^s indiv'tfible Fourthly , inferrable , becaufe 4.Tnfcpa r ablc. the natures are fo infeparab/j uni- ted, that the humane nature can ne- ver be feparated from the divine per* /on thacalfiimed it, and therefore when Chri(t dyed, fubtraxit vifionem, fed nonfolvit unionem, the foule par- ted from the body, but the Deitj was Pfal. i£.io. feparated from neither^ as Leo faith j When Chuff but as a tree cut in twaine, the fun *- parted from itj was ftill united unto them both , neither. and could never be feparated from the manhood, after hee had once afTu- med the fame into the nnitj of his perfon. Fifthly, fibflMtially becaufe he is f.&HbwWI. a true and perfett mtn, whofe being is no accident, but a fubfiance. Sixthly, Itis ineffable, fo abfolute- & Ineffable. /j perfed, and fo exceedingly myftU call, that it can never be perfett/j de- clared by any man • for though the L 4 Fathers 1 52 Of Jefus Chrijl. That the Fathers fought by many example; • mannetofthe an( i fimilitudes , to exprefle and t<| "T*IZ^ > ll »fi™ tc the fame, as by the unm i two natures,is C \^ri j r t cm ;• ineffable, or the body and J eule> or a TSrancb in- grafted into a tree,of a fiery iron^zxit fiich like, yet all come too fhort, foi the fullexpreffing of this inexplicable imyftcry : And therefore Saint 2?*r- #*r^compareth this ineffable myfte- ry of the uniting ofthefe two natures , unto that incomprehenfible myftery o{ the Trinity > and fo indeed that of the Trinity is the greatefi , and this of the incarnation is like unto #7, far Pfal.77.1p. exceeding mans capacity^rather moft faithfully to be beleeved , then too curioufly to be fearched into , be* caufe God hath overjbadowed this mi- ftery with his own voile , that wee might not prefume, with the men of I Sam.rf.i*. Titthjhemejh. to look into this Ark.oi his 5 leaftforour curiofity , we be [mitten as they were : Orleaftwhilft we make too ftrid: a fcrutiny to finde I put the depth of this myfiery, we for- feit that fmall and weak knowledge , which by divine bounty is befiotved upon us; and therefore what we can- not comprehend by reafon, we (hould apprehend by/*i^,becaufe as He in* fins faith, Omnia in Deo fupra ratio* o/7'/" chri fi- m tiem, nihil fupra fidem y though many The myfterles things may be above the reach x)f ofourreli £ Ion ■rcafon , yec nothing beyond fakh , g* *% Nam quicq*idfol*s Dens potejtfact- rather t £ cn to 3 re , fola fides Pot eft credere, For what- be fearched foever God alone can do, faith alone out by rcafon, can beleeve the fame, and faith is the compendium of our falvation, and hu- mane wifdome the cheifeft obftddt of the fame. Therefore indeed it fbould be our cheifeft care to keep our felves within the limits of Faith-, & becaufe I find the Creed of blefled Athanafi- Hs y concerning the Incarnation of the fon of God.to be pure and clear from all Srrour and here fie whatfoevcr, I (hall here infert the fame. i It is neceflary {faith he) unto e- j 9 y j ^ ^ ternall falvation, that whofoever will 40. be faved,do beleive rightly the incar- " J*h.+.i.Hib. nation of our Lord Jefus Chrift. zl6 - 2 This then is the right faith , that Job.1.1. Luk* wee beleeve and confefle , that our M- 3$. Lord Jefus Chrift the fon of God is God and man. 3 HeisGod,ofthefubftance of his J^.i^i^. Father, begotten before the woHd,^^ 12 " 1 ^ & man of the fubftance of his mother p^.i**< Gal Born in the world. Pcrfeft God Perfect 4.4. 1 Johj. man 2 of a reafonable foul &human flefh *o. fubfifting. 154 OfJefusChrift; Luke *4. 3 9* lifting. Equal! to the Father , accor- Mat.i6.$%. di n g t0 his Divinity: Inferiour to /J.J.17.X4. ^ Father, according to his Hu- manity. 4. Who,though he be God and man , yet he is not two but one Chrift.One, not by converting of the divinity in- Heh7.t.n.i6. t0 fleft^butby afluming of thehuma- 6*Vd J fid' ^ mt0 ^od.One altogether,not by tAXottfil? converfion of the fubftance, but by cbdc.Afi'to. unity of the perfon. For as the rea- fonable foul and flefh are one man , fo God and man is one Chrift. 5. Who fuffered for our Salvation. Went down to Hell. The third day RomA 1 1. rofe again from the dead. Afcended P /w% 8, *- * nt0 Heaven - He fitteth ac the right itf.'Vi Coy. hand of God the Father Almighty. ij.iV. /*#*.*• From thence he (hall come to judge 1 1. ■'/*/. 1 1 o. 1 . the quick and dead, i TimA.i.< 6. At whofe coming all men (hall rife with their bodyes, and (hall give an iTbef.4*i6. account of their own deeds. And SMfeta \z w ^° ^ ave ^ one § ooc * ' ^ a ^ £° * nto j6.Rev.loAi bfe cternall, but who have done evill Ddtt.u.z Job. into everlafting fire. 1-i*. 19. 7, This is the Catholike Faith, which Mar .16. 16. except every one do faithfully and Beb.11,6. firmely beleeve t hee cannot be fa- f »****&. Many of]* ft* chri ft* ** 5 Many other points of great mo- ment T might here (hew unto you as . the efetis and benefits of the »^2S5K ftaticall or perfonall union of the thac by reafoit two natures, the communicating of of the perfo- the properties, which is nothing elfe nail union of but* form of tfeech, whereby thofe JJ^a" things arc fpoken, fometimes of the ^eofthem whole perfon of Chrijt^ which in- dothince*- deed are proper to either one nature, changeably and not to the other • yet by reafon take the con ~ of the ftridnefs of this perfonall uni- cr ^J c r d com " tw , whatfoever may be verified of ei- nameswh of ther of thofe natures, the fame may other in pre- be truly fpoken of the whole perfon, dication, Aft* from Whcthc rfoever of the natures it i0 - lS - be denominated ; but that to write or fpeal^all thdX I might of this point, would inlarge this Treatife into a Joh 3.1$. great volume , and that indeed the * Cor.t.8. wit and learning of any one man is Tn * c H 1S im ~ no more able to exprejfe all the My JJ ^ ° r an fieries and moft excellent points that toexprenc all we might colled and learne from the the particular* Incarnation ofCbrift^ then one poor °f Chrift his fi/berman is able to catch all the £- in " rnation - fhes in theocean/p*. And therefore thus much (hall fuf- ficeconcerningthis difcourfe of the lucarnation^ Birth, Life^ Death , Re* furrettio* i; ; ffusCbr: F, ?£?£:* and tsffcrnfimcf our Lord and Saviour Jefus Guilt, who is (as bath been proved) the true | promiied Meffidb, the emlj fmcfG a the brigbtnefi of his |/^, the rj fnfeimmgt ofhk Ferfm 9 ktir* ofai Hefc . : ...... ft^"***" "* y. &c having btntur.gUrjfPtmtr^ frtmgti Fraifc Digniij , jfobrs, and HTJjjL *;;;•:■;:■ *.--. oftnoSl Cc: f*i.ji. '* c ? e 2 "^^ifloBie) the Aririr* fbnj 18. bis inhtritdm€i the 5*r/A for hiilj p*fefi' held the borders of the land of C*- 5l# naan % fo if you pleafe to afcend with me to the CMount of Contemplation , I will (hew you fome glimpfes of gods goodnejfes, (or he eleZiedsv kforewc jj^ were, he created tu of nothing, hee LdJwcs^f redeemed us when we were loft, hee Gods gooi- freferveth us being found, and that nefc. hee might bring us to eternall life, hee hath given us the Author and fountain of all tempora/l and rfiritu- dl gifts, even the holy Ghoft, who is What the ho- the third Per fen of the true and only Vl Ghoft is - God-head, proceeding from the F*- ] [***» Joh fifr and the Son, and co-eternall, *i-GaJ.4.rf. jarffi and coytfiibfltotiaU with them Ptal.i 5^.7 both. i&> oft fa k&iS.tuit proceeding from thcFacherar: 1 fon, to (hew the E {fence and 2{j: h ~ - tbacbeisoi. ? che/^irff ofmairJ muft needs bee:. n. * p*rtc£w**n: So : it muft be thought of cbe Spirit of I God, upon whom no Ctmp*fitum\ faJlech. And jctlbme have been /cJ«Z* f as mo ft imptou% to«j0£n»*,tha: IjGhofi Ml hot a creMtedqmMJitji od a |W(7 8ic-n'0« in the AmtTi and m i r ds i 1* V* . of Righteous man. But if wee d o ' compare the words of 4* x , with the words of Saint ?**/, they wiflll -.:itr,:.? cc ;>," 'hi* C;n c^bc . rwi r, and in c ft rr an : fe ft ! y fhe '.v u n - to us, this £;/j /£;>** co be che fa* and etemuU God, Besides, the icrip- ture faith , That the ffirit of tbtm Sap, i, 7. Lord fillet h heaven emdesrtb % where- Ambrofe de S. U P 0D &int 3a fi^ Saillt 4q&&* SJ.1.C.7. Saint ^- • - : chers hive moft plainly proved againft all bereucks whatsoever, that che *•;.> CJ /r-.yf is a F^a* Ho " rr *' ^ ry Xature t becacfe chac to SSSSbr* *«•".;"*«, caonot by (7™, lumrc. belong to any, but only co him that Of the Holy Ghoft. t^I that is by Ntture God, which rc- ferveththis unto himfelfetobc eve- ry where, and therefore Saint Au,- gufiine writing againft Maxlminus an Aug* ant. *Arrian Bifhop , faith , I cannot ex- Matim. prefs how much I marvell what t£| #c '* If ^ f heart you have, fo to e xtoll the holy Ghoft^ as to make him every where prefent, tofanttifie the faithfully and yet that- thou dare deny him to be a God, for is not he a God which fil- led! heaven and earth. B.yll.def t irm Alfo Dydtmm m his booke , andy^ffo ColZt Saint Ba/il in his treatife, De sfiiritn fantto^ declare that to be God y which Dld 1 m - **•«• can be in diverfe />/***/ at 0** time : J^"* '*** Which thing is not agreeable to any creature. But that the Wj 0>o/? was prefent with the zsfpoftle/ and Pro- phets in fundry parts of the world at one time, no man profefling the faith ofChrifi doth in the leaft doubt the truth thereof: Wherefore it fol- lowed, that he is a q&d. The Symb&> J**J*Ma*. Inm of Nice out of the holy fcriptnre \ 4j^' T ,. teachcrii, That the holyGhoft ishce 14.1.16*. • that maketh alive, and hce that toge- iCor$.i£. ther With the Father and the fonneis *> : °r.*3.*4« ipedy&nd with them xshomured^ ***** )ly Ghoft of necefiity "° 4 J * M muit ifo Of the Holy Ghofl. muft be true and everlafting god s with the Father and the fon in one only eflfence; touching which point , the holy Fathers powerfully did fet themfeives againft the Heretickj, and out of holy fcripture ftoutly main- tained the fame. Ptato^4n(lotle y ProeiusySui* , As for Atheifts which deny the &m> Opbeus, fcriptures, and are altogether i if tV T 11 Parphyrius, ^ ut * 00 * ,nt0 c h e writings of the ^f»- Nimwius, A- dents, they (hall furely finde, that as wtfiiPj cfea/d- the Gentiles did underftand many dius, Avice-4. things concerning GW and pe/** Chnit his only fon r fo fome of them have delivered fome things (although hut darkly ) concerning this holj sji ■ rit : For Hermes Trifmevifttis hath thefew)fds,Al\ kind of things in this world (faith he) are quickned by a fpirit, one fpirit filleth all things,the world nouriftieth the bodies, and the fpirit the foules • and this fpirit as Me'-tuieinhU an i"ftrument,is fubjed: to the will of EfiuUpiusy c. God Andfiprther hefaithj That aH 3 . & 7. things have need of this fpirit , it beareth them up, it nourtfreth them, it quickneth them, according to eve- ry o f their capacities , it proceedeth from OftheHolyGhofi. L&3 from a holy Fountaine , and is the maintainer of all living things , and of all fpirits. Here wee fee the rtafon jvbj fte call him the holy Cjhoft^ name- lj 9 becanfe he prcceedeth from the foun- tain which U the very holineffe itfelfe. *Ar.d leaft rvt jhouU think him to be a MtrcwU in bis treat ttre y there was {faith hee) an Sermon in bis infinite ftiadow in the deep, whereon Pcemander. c 5 was the water, and a fine underftan- ding fpirit was in that confufed raafs through the power of God. From thence there flourifheda certain ho- ly brightnefle, which out of the fand and the moyft nature brought forth the Elements and all things elfe. Alfo the Gods themfelves which dwell a- mongtheftars tooke their place by the dire&ion and appointment of this fpirit of God, In the Writings of Tlotinns, there W#im.*iw be found very Significant fpeechesof llb ' z ' ( f the holy Ghtft, whom hee calleth /**** Ztniverfi a mm am , the foule or life ?i Q tin.Enneed. ofthis whole univerfe. This foule i.lib.9.cof Grace, which the Father and theA» brt*th- tth out upon the fainPs\ blowing freely where it liftetfi , and rotting j /, ? . 8 . fpiritually for manner , meanes . and i Cor.i.u. matter, where it pleafetfc Thirdly Ioregardof Ivc Trtfertj i becaufe •-*- -J* the property ofhim to »ww, to A* forwards Verfx I •■!»/«",& CO tnVifhten the fpirits & hearts of me andatlengt' tnem ™ things as ftrtaSm ttkvvr fe&ifitatrori. And indeed th« faints La've fuch try- all of the marvellous ejects there* as neither «urj.4t».w,ar.u ^ vecisd.ftinAly fat forth unto us in I'f^W * the holy fciipture , for die jfcpoftles jtf^ arecommanded in the Goipell, that I4 , 5 . thev fhould bavtiz* in the »*me of tbt Father, of the (on, arMftL Cb.fi. Which placedoih moft plain- g ly expreffe the dtfbB™ of tie three « perfons, and do fignifie nothing elfc b« that we be delivered from our 1 66 OftheHolyGbvJt. fins, by the name * authority, and power of the Father , of the Sonne \ and of the Holy ghoft. And in the \ Luke 5 ii it baptifme of Chrift , as Luke rehear- , of a perfon , are attri- «J£^ butedunto h ; m ; as that hee ^r»- * fts ^ buteth gifts even as he will, that hee „ Cor lzll teacheth, comfirteth, confirmeth, r*- tafe 't% n Utb t raignetb : Likewife , that hee job. 1 6. 13 fendeth Apoftles and fpeaketh in Luke 1 ^ them: *o alfo hee decUreth the™"- 10 * things to come .Hcgivetb prophefies Afts l6 & 1o oi Simeons death, of /W-» the Trai- }9 & JO 14 tor, oiTeters journy to Cornelius, 1 Tim.4 l of fW/ bands and afflictions which fhould betide himfelfe at ftrmfdm, of a falling away, and of the decei- ver in the laft times , of the meaning Heb 9 8 & of the high Preip entrance into the 10 15 MuMdl ofthe^/?r^^c-/r, of the »<* Covenant, <$ Cbrtftsir* fofi rings, and h\s glorj whib (hould follow */w them, and iuch like: He maketh >*?««/? for us with fights Ron™.*-** which cannot- be uttered- hecjer/j . inour/»Mf«, Abb*, F*tbtr\heis temptedby them who lye unto him , hee is a Witnejfe in Heaven with the gather and the fon, heecemmandtsb h&si 9 M 4 and 168 Of the Holy Ghcfl. Aa.ij.i. and willeth that the Apofiles be/W L Aa»»o.*8. rsted . Andlaft i y) HeappbtetitM- I chers in the Church : All thefe things are proper unto a perfon exifting, in- telligent, indued ivith a will.worW 1 . and living. ° ] Stfttood 7 Now that the ^a.7r«^ w . co-eternali *f w*'* with the Father and with the with the Fa- Jon, it may be proved by the unity of therandthe the divine E (fence , becaufe chere is cZTih hut ,% nc pod'te**> proceedeth ^rnnnate ,y. fr m theFatbetf The ancient Fathers That he pro- holding the right faith, do under- ccedcih from fiand, chfifly to be fpoken of the e- rhe Father & verU fling proceeding of the /for*"* the Son. f rom t he F^^r. And he proceedeth ^ if k ft from the ^ firft > becairfe he is ca!3 «* i*.Joh.i& Secondly, Becatife the i y. '/•« together with the Father, giveth him- Thirdly , Becaufe the V; Ck-fi receiveth the Wifdome of the f<^ mi Of the Holy Ghoji. 1 69 vhich he revealeth unco us , where- bre he proceedeth of the fubftance )f the fon, becaufe he receiveth that )f him which is the fons.By this it ap- ^eareth-, what is the proceeding of the loIyGhoft; namely, the commtimc*- f*»£ofthe divine e fence ^ whereby the third perfon of the God-head a- lone receiveth the fame and whole or intire eflence from the Father and the fon, as from him whofe fpirittfee isj for there is nothing in God which is not his eflence ; and feeing that is indivifible, it rauft needs be whole, and the fame communicated unto him, which is in the Father and the fon. As the ffirit of man which is in That the man, is of the E fence of mau^ fo the !y Ghoft is J^/>/> of GW which is in God, is oi anri ~ the E fence of God , which divine ef- L u , w, ' ,h ™L fence is but one, that is, but one fe- So hmah or eternall being, one tfentUl- &ora % $ 9. lj; who atone is of none, but hirafelf, Lev.i*. i 54 communicateth his being to all & HA.j.7.*, things, and preferveth it in the: Now the Holy Ghoft is fehovah^nd H *j Hereford he is the fame with the Fa- g. 9 iber^nd the fon , not only God co* 18.15*6. eternall, but alfo con-fubfta'ntiall, c«r Gotpo-efentia/I with both. Ar.d 170 OftheHolyGhoft. T hat he |s"co- And further , That he is co-equall equall with w j t f, t h e Father and the [on is proved the father and fa thofc Mvi Attrtb*Us and fro- trie bon, pro- / . ... .. . , • vcd. perttes which are attributed and com- Gcn.i.z, municated to the holy Ghoft. As, firft eternity, becaufe he created hea- ven and earth, and becaufeGod was never without his fpirit. Secondly, Jmmenfitj, or unmeaferablenejfe, as who dwelleth whole and intirely in allthe eleft. Thirdly, Omnipotencj , p . . becaufe he, together with the Father i Cor i i.'i i , anc * t ' ie f° n ' cr eated and preferveth iCor.2.10. * all things. Fourthly, Omnifciencj , that is, the knowledge of all things. Ads i.xtf. Fifthly, unchangeable fsS\xt)\\y J n- Pfal.143.10. finite goodneffe and holintffe, and the caufingofgoodnefTeand fanftity in Tobi ? ** ' r ^ € creatures. Seventhly, fr«*/? »<* to x job. j A * be doubted of ,8c the fountain of truth, Rom ? ?.& 8. Eighty, Vnjpeaktble mercy. Ninthly, 16. Ifa.63. 10. Indignation even againfi hidden finf* Mat.1z.3r. ^v|j w hich do fufficiently prove, that hi \ to the * o/ ' Gi ^ is God ' ^"^ with the Father and the /*». Befides, the Mat. 1 1 .18 . fame divine workj which are attribu- x C0r.1t 4. /^ to the Father and the/iw, are alfo attributed to the kolj G oft, as the generall creation , prefervation and government of the whole jwA/.Uce- • wife Of the Holy Ghojl. 171 wife thofe works which properly be- Job *4. 13.?] long to the falvat ; on of his Church • «* J ' h ? - 5. as the cattingand fending of Prophets. ^^4 i^ # Ithtbejiowing of competent and fit Ads 9.3*. graces for the Miniftry on Mini- lfa.4g.16* ftersThe publifliingof theDoftrine Ads io. 2 s. of the Prophet* and Apoftles. The Lu ^ e **•« *. inftituting olfacraments. Tbt fore- % p^ 12 '^ telling2LiA prophefying of rAiir^/ to Mttlii 1/ come- Tht gathering of the Church. Hcb.9.8. The enlighxning of mens mindes. The loh. 1^13. governing of the Attions, and whole £■** J 1 2.8 life of the Godly. The jirengthning \ f cf * l * and preierving of the regenerate a- joh.T 4 a ^ gainft the force of temptation, evenEMief.i 17 unto the end: The pardoning of fins , Rom.8.j 4 . and adopting the fons of God. The£r *&* * 6 6 flowing of falvation and life everia- ij^ T r x ^ fting. All thefe divine workes being ^ om 8 t - attributed to the holy Gholt, do 1 Cortf u like wife clearly prove, his co-equality l- t the holy pe/lations , anfwerable to the mani- G foldeffeftsofhis Powcr^ Office^ and Divinitj ; For example, * The 173 O f the Holy Ghoft. Jehovah I fa. 6 9 Att.2% z J The earncft of our in- Ep hefi 14 heritance The power of the moft Luke 1 35 high The Teacher of the foh. 1425 Faithfull •g Theearneft of the fpi- 2 Cor. 1 22 3 rit g TheOyleof Gladnefle T/4/.45 7 « The feven fpirits of -flfz/. 4 5 God o EC rinterpreta- I Or. 12 10 tion. Sanftificati- Rom.i 4 on Supplicati- Zach.iz 10 on iConfoIati- 2 7*/?*?/. 2 i5 on Revelation Epbef.i \y < The grace of Atts 14 26 The fpi- q j rit of J Knowledge 7/4. 11 2 J Adoption 7J, i\r l_ r • • r J— i Exod.13.21. ence ineweth ) 10 the ipint of God 1 King.18.47. doth overbad™ us from the heate of the wtff/? of God, it cooleth and rc- fiefhe th our fcorched foules, and as. the £*/** maketh the barren earth /m/7* , and fruitfull , fo doth the graces of Gods jpirit , make our barrenhcaxis plentiful in all goods work\ Secondly, Of the Holy Ghofl. ' 175 Secondly, to feed y Becaufe that-, a5 i.Tofced/ [in our natnratl birch, we are begotten by the feed of our Parents, fo in our new birth wee are begotten by thofe graces, that are fown in our hearts by the holy Cjhofl. Thirdly, to Water, Becaufe that , 3 jo water. as waiter mollifieth the hard earth , The propcr- fr*ftifietb the barren ground, quen- tics °* water. cheth the greateft heat, and f/^»- feth the fouleft things, fo doth the fpirit of God foften our hard hearts , fru&ifieour ^rrf« foules , quench the^rof luft, andcleanfeus from all our pf/. And fo make us to be- come fie Temples for himfelf to dwell in , or like the trees that are planted bj the water (ide, Which bring forth their Pfal.1.3. fruit in duefeafon. Fourthly, to Fire, Becaufe he doth 4.T0 fire. anfume away the droffe of (in, and 1 Corj.i j . illuminate our underftanding with the light of truth , and inflame our hearts with the neale of Gods glory , and with unfained love, both towards The properties God and man, yea, as the fire hath in °£ &c. it (faith Oecumenim) theft three fpeciall things. That i 176 • OJ tue Holy Gbojt. Ci. Calorem That is^3. Splendor em £5 . LMotionem 1 .Heat, to Warme^ mpHifie ,zt\dpu rifie. 2. Splendor, to give light ,and to il laminate. 3. Motion ,to be alwayes forking* Even fo the jpirit of God,firft war- weth and heateth the hearts of the Godly, with a fervent and a fiery zeal of all godlinefle, hee mollifieth their hard and ftony hearts, and pnrifitth their fouls from all kind of filthinefs whatfoever. Secondly, he illumina- teth their hearts with the knowledge of God,and heavenly things. Third- ly, he maketh them aliwayes to be in aQion, and never idle. Finally, he is compared to wind , and that, for TomIex'oJ ttM # fiv€ reaf ° nS - lm** 9 \ ' Firft, as the windbloweth where it x'Rcafon. li(iet%\ fo the £//>/ and f^^/ of Gods fpirit are given to whom fo- ever it pleafethhinn Secondly, as the winde fcattereth the duft, and driveth the chajfe away from the Come , fo the graces of Gods fpirit doth winnow the confei* encesof the faints, and drive away all QftheHolyGhofi. t77 [[[wicked thoughts and cogitations rom their hearts* Thirdly, As the mndwlgtb, com- 3 Rcalon * brteth and refreftieth all thofe that ire fc etched with the heat of the fun> b doth the grace of Gods holy fpiric ^create all thofe d;ftrefTed people :hat are fcorchcd with the heate of [roubles and affliftions, or burned vith the concnpifcence of their fins. Fourthly , As the winde carruth 4 Reafon * ttoajxhzjhip againft the maine and nighty ftream ^ fo will the grace of 3ods holy fpiric, carry a man againft :he current of his naturall inclinati- on. Fifthly , As the vQinde will palfe ? Reafo vnrejiftablj • fo will the grace of 3ods bleffcd fpirit, workjis own e'^ fed , and all the power of darknefTe is not able to refifi it ; and therefore le is compared unto a mightj wlr. becaufe that as the mighty wii read of in the facred fcripture ) did rend the CMonntaiyies^ and breakjhe rocks before the Lord • foihe grace of §^ l Jf' W ' Gods holy fpirit, and the wordoi the a f °j ^ ^ 0I great fth-jvah is mighty in operation,:. blc to (hake the pout eft & theproudeft 1 King.i N man, 1/8 Of the Holy Ghofl. man \ and to breaks in peccesthejfo niefi heart. tteh?U*oft A llthcfefcvcral1 •?"'"''»' **■* i Cor°i i.^ °7 ^ k°ly Spirit workech in the hearts 3,9,10,1 1 ? ' of the eleft , and all thofe foregoing Titles and Appellations which the fa- crtdfcriprures do give unto the holy Ghoft , do certainly prove him to be the true and everUfting God.Befides , if wee further fearch the holy fcrip- tures % we (hall finde, that by the ho- ly Ghoft, Firft , The word of wifdome, the word of Knowledge, Faith, Gifts of healing, working of miracles , Pro- phefie t difcerningoffpirits, diverfe kindes of Tongues, and the inter- pretation of Tongues,&c, is given, Hcb.6.4, f. Secondly, By him the godly are fandified, and the very Reprobates have a tatte of heavenly gifts * and of the good word of God, and of the promiles of the world to come. Exod.x3.M, Thirdly , By him, all excellency in °- common gifts of Nature & reafon,as ftrength, courage, arts and fciences, Policy and government is given unto man, yea unto many that never heard of our Lord and Saviour JefusChrift. fa 6 6 Fourthly, Influence perpetually ef- | lt i 4#I7 , feftuall, and vitalf of faving grace' from I OfthemlyGbofi. 179 from Chrift is the head of every true * ? tl x *« member is given to bcleevers,in which fence , the world cannot receive or know the fame. Fifthly, By the holy Ghoft, vertues charity, conftancy, benignity, faith ; goodnefs joy, longanimity, mildnefs, modefty, love, patience,and peace cf Gal.j.tz.ij, confcience arc gotten, with feven o- ther princi pall vertucs, ( to wit ) wif- dome, underftanding, counfell, forti- tude, knowledge, godlinefs, and the if a .u. 2# fear of God. All thefe gifts being gi- ven by the holy Ghoft, do likewife prove him to be a God. Many of the gifts and graces of Gods holy (pirit, are excellently well deciphered and kt down unto us, un- der the properties ^ and conditions of thofe formes and figures, wherein the holy Ghoft did appear. As, Firft, he appeared like a ^z^when he defcended upon our Saviour Chrift; becaufe his dove-like properties were to be (hewed •, that hee was innocent mee^ and lotolj in heart • for as of all the beafts of the feild , the little filly lamb is, in moft retfetls^befl cfMslifi & therefore is Chrift czXf&jtheUmb of Godwhicbtaketbavaj the fifis of the Viorld^Q of ali the fowls of Hcaven,the N 2 Doze Telle careu Rgflro non la- da. Opt'wu i grtnutn elegit Oemiium f<$ cantu, bdbct. Innotentl* valet* VoUii pr£jla } .Tb9m. AqulnM pfo- priettt.colwn- b*. Joh. 14,16, i8o Of the Holy Gboft. Inyhatre- Dove in moftrefpe&s ismoft excel- ^P efts l ^ e . lent : For (hee is annunciator tacts , SeaD°ove! $ ** meffenger ind proclaimer of peace; (he brought the Olive Branch unto 2{o*h ; (he wanteth Gall ^ (hee hath no bitterneftc in her ^ (hee ne- ver hurts with her bill nor clarscs ^ (he is full of Love, and yet (hee never fings any wanton tune , buf tvoo>w6o % Juxt* fluml < is her matntinm & vefftertinm can* *t**rumftdc(. tfiS ? h er m ouinfrill morning and eveningibng: and therefore the holy Gteft defce nded on Jefus Chriftlike a Dove • to (hew thefe dove-like qua- lities of this Lambe of God , and to teach that we muft be thus qualified like Doves f if we (hould have and enjoy the fweet and comfortable pre- fenceof this Heavenly Dove > this ho- ly sjirit of God % who is in the hearts of theeled, as the fledge of Chrifts Rom.8.if. i*« prefence, the mtnejfe of their adop- Joh,i6.i$. t i on> the guide of their life, the com- 4 P lo X Roaf *f* rter ° f thdr f0U,e ' th *f eale of tbcir z ? ' ' redemption- and the /*r# fruits of their falvation. Secondly like Secondly, He appeared like cloven cloven tongues of fire. tongues of fir.. Rrftj Uke ^^ bccaufe ( asa * JFrff^rfaithJ Symbotum eft lingua ' sfiritm OftheHofyGhft. i&r sfiiritu* fanUi, a Patru verbo froce- dcntis^ The tongue is a fy whole of the holy Ghof f proceeding from the word of the Father ; for as the tongue hath the greateft cognation, and the *• why the neereft affinity with the Word , and is hol y Gho ^ »w*/ by the word of the heart, ibjjjjjf ,,ke exprefle the fame by the found of the yotce:(faith Saint (Jregory) fo the holy Ghoft hath the neereft tjfixity % that may be with the word of God , and is the exp^e(for of his voice, and T , . i ^ i rt ■ • . ,/ i • ; /.Job. 1^.14. the fpeaker of hwmll y xxtfLtrece$vtthof him^ and revealcth all unt* u*. Secondly , Like cloven tongues , ». Why he ap- becaufe all tongues arA all Ungsages P carcd like are *//£f kjowne and underftood of r c „g„" s God, and becaufe this holy fpirit can teach <*// w? # *// Langnages, and the £//> of tongues is a £*/* of God. Thirdly , He appeared like cloven 3. Why he sp- tongues effi.e . becaufe the fpirit of peared li God dehghteth rather in the zealous cloven and the fervent tongues of faint P**l* ot * uc% ***"*, and ssfpollo's that warme the heart, then in thofe eloquent tongues of Cicero and Demoflbenes that delight the f*r£/^ for this is the Jf/ir* of Gods fpjrit, to kindle the hearts of N 3 men ? 32 Qf the Holy Chofi. men,and to fet them on fire, with the love of God, and to make them zea- lous in all good thingsilndeed zeal de- rived £w&> , is a word that's framed from the very found and hijjing noife I that hot burning coales do make when they meet their contraries in any moyfened fubftance, and fo zeal ex* prefleth beat, and zealous men are faid to be fyovns Tft^^fuch a^ burn, vf S I V *' or ^ uc ' 1 as waxe/ lie hath Hr" ■ "* t&«m all in the %&# f£r^ fo that fuch OftheHolyChoji. 183 uch a man,of all the men in the world ™d raeft need 10 have his biafle right, and to be furmfhed with that tioft neceffarv pane of fpirituall en- iowments, namely pvifdome and »«- derftandmg tvo excellent graces and ££^JJ gifts to be defired above all the by w ^"B wealth of this world , if wee would gre frion,firft, butconfider the difference betwixt what they are, zlVife man and afiole that is void of urderftanding : Now there arc two facred fcriptures which do tell us what is Wifdome and Un- demanding , for in the Book of 7*£itisfayd, Behold the fears Jobs 8. 28. of the Lord, that is W ij 'dome • and to depart from evilly ts under- ftanding : And CMofes ifcewetb Deut.4.4,f,* the fame alfo , faying-, 'Behold , / have taught you ftatutes and judge- ments , &c. /C^/x? therefore and do them , ^r ^^ « y^« r Wifdtme and your Vnderfianding in the fight of the Nations • which fall hear all the fe ftatutes^ and fay , finely this great Nation is a Wife and under ft an- ding people. Moreover , concerning *#■ Sap 7.1^ ^w, the wife man fay th, that N 4 m *7. i »4 OJ the Holy Ghojt. * Of the fun- J n her is an underftanding fpiric, ho- yy properties j one only, manifold, fubtill, livc- in wifdome ^ ^ „ ndefiled ^ nQt ^3 tQ hurt , plain , loving the thing that is good, quick, which cannot be let- ted , ready to do good : Kinde to man, ftedfaft, fure , free from care , having all power, overfeeing all things , and going through all un- derftanding , pure and mod fubtill fpirits. For wifdome is more moving '•'* ** then any motion ; fnee paflethand goeth through all things by reafon t f m of her purenefs. For fhe is the breath of the power of God 9 and a pure in- fluence flowing from the glory of the Almighty. Therefore can no defiled 26. thing fall into her. For fhee is the brighenefte of the everlafting light ; the unfpotted mirrour of the power of God •, and the image of his good- nefle. And being but one, fne can do all things, and remaining in her lelf, fhe maketh all things new, and in all ages entring into holy foules , fhee maketh them freinds of God t and Prophets. For God loveth none but him that dwelleih with wifdome. For fnez is more beautifull then the Sun , and-above all the order of the fxars -, being be OftheHohGh. being compared with the light-, fhee s found before it, fo that as Alexan- der faiths (T0(flA Jfc TAsTii KTVfjLA TJfjte&Tt- yv \ Wifdome is a more precious pof- ftffion then all riches, and therefore Nihil (apientsa ardentitu diligitttr , nihil dulcius pcffidctut 7 nothing is loved, nothing is defired more than Wifdome ; and though one man affe- deth honour another defireth wealth, and a third loveth his plea fare, yet all men afteft Vcijdcm, which as Ariftotle^ ^ 0i faith, is Cognitio prim arum & altifji- marum c au far um ^or as Cicero defines c'rtro TttfeJ 4. it, Sapientia efi divinarum & httmx- narum rerum fcientia , and it is the greateft glory and eminency of any man, becaufe a Voife man in rag£s more to be refpe&ed then the grea- teft 7wr, that is arrayed in gold and pearles, if he bedeftkute of under- ltanding. Saint Baftl faith, I He intelligent ejl qui fecundum went em & rkUonem v;~ 1 vit, he is an underftandingman 1: which knows things, but which //- veth according to the dictate of I reafon and underftanding , which is an habit , Per cjuem animus ca perl cet qu&funt , by which the mind of man J 186 Of the Holy Choft. cero in Me- man doth perceive and fee thofc ir.1%. Arifiot. things which are principia inTeltiqi- **/**, intilligible principles, as ^r*- y? ab eo MagJrfoY.c.34. manantcmjmpleat infinitam , that it l £S!fy^ hathanioft Ur l e excenC > andisne- timim? %nCl verfatisfied with the knowledge of any hamane or divine things untill it layeth hold upon the moil: infinite God, which hath enlarged that cay a - city unto our foulcs,.and is only a- bleto replenifh the fame himfelfe, and therefore the more that any man underftandeth,the more he coveteth T1 • m tounderftand, untill he underfcand- ftandin/ how ech God > without which we under- infatiable. foind nothing , but are moft truly compared unto the beafis that pcrifb ; the whole world being no more able to fatisfie our underftanding , then a peck of corn is fufficient to fill up all the Vaft Regions that are under the circumference of thehighefc hea- ven. For the underftanding of na- turall things , indeed this eye of the Of the H»h Ghrf. iZJ :he foule is rery peircing fb*r x like the Eagles eye that ca Cub frutiet Uforem , &f„b fm^m *™*™* our fifcem, a bare lurking under thejW l ™« ]n \^ &ndnfifij>l which is G ° d bim ' underftand ^ e ^ e > or e ^ e man ^ a " never be able God, ' to attain unto the leaft meafure of the underftandfng thereof; and this irradiation of light from God upon our foules , to the inlightning of our underftanding, is called ivfufio gratia addivinacontemplancta, the infufion of Gods Grace toinable us to con- template Of the Holy Ghoft. \S) template and to underftand^ViV^fl and divine things ; for we finde the very ApoftUs themfelves could not underftandthe fcriptures untill the Luke 14. ifirit of God had opened their un- 1 Cor.*. 14. derftandings • becaufe the carnall or naturall man, cannot perceive the things of the sftir it of Cod, and there- fore Saint rpaul faith , X(o man can Jay that J ejus is the Lord but bj the holy Ghcft % no man can beleeve the incarnation, p«ffi;