God-Man, Title page – To the reader
ΘΕἈΝΘΡΩΠΟΣ; OR, God-Man: BEING AN EXPOSITION Upon the firſt Eighteen verſes of the firſt chapter of the Goſpel according to St JOHN.
Wherein, is moſt Accurately and Divinely handled, the Divinity and Humanity of Jeſus Chriſt; proving him to be God and Man, Coequall and Coeternall with the Father: To the confutation of ſeverall Hereſies both Ancient and Modern.
By that Eminently Learned and Reverend Divine, JOHN ARROWSMITH, D. D. Late Maſter of Trinity-Colledge in Cambridge, and Profeſſor of Divinity there.
The Lord poſſeſſed me in the beginning of his way, before the works of old.
I was ſet up from everlaſting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was. Prov. 8. 22, 23.
Quid eſt Deus? Mens univerſi. Quid eſt Deus? Quod vides, totum, et quod non vides, totum. Sic demum Magnitudo ſua illi redditur, quia nihil majus excogitari poteſt. Si ſolus eſt omnia, opus ſuum & extrà, et intrà tenet, Seneca.
London, Printed for Humphrey Moſeley, and William Wilſon, and are to be ſold at the Prince's Armes in St Paul's Church-yard, and in Well-yard neer St Bartholomew's Hoſpitall. 1660.
TO THE READER.
WHat was ſaid to the highest praiſe and Commendations, out of the mouth of Truth it ſelfe, concerning John the Baptist, John 5. 35. may not unfitly be ſpoken of the Learned Authour of this myſterious Treatiſe, That foreign, He was a burning and a ſhining Light; who by his indefatigable and unwearied ſtudie in the ſublime myſteries of the Goſpel, did ſpend and waſte himſelf to the ſocket and utmost end of his laſt breath, to explicate the darkest places of the ſacred Scriptures; that he might give light to others in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jeſus Christ. And though this Piece be a Poſthumus, yet it ſpeaketh the living praiſe of its departed Authour. And cannot but diſcover its ſelfe to be the product of ſo holy and learned a Divine as the Author was. The matter it ſelfe declareth the excellencie of his worth, and the largeneſſe of his capacity in the right apprehending and dividing of the word of truth, to the confuting of hereſies and damnable errors. It may well be ſaid of him, as of Athanaſius of old; Maluit ſedem, quàm fidei ſyllabam mutare, He had (while he was) rather have loſt whatſoever profits and preferments were caſt upon him, than to have altered or forſaken the leaſt ſyllable or Iota of his Chriſtian-faith: who after he had fought a good fight, kept the faith, and finiſhed his courſe with joy, is accepted into glory. Our loſſe, and the Churches deprivation of him, became his gain, his advantage. For the Prophets doe not live for ever. Zach. 1. 5. which may give us juſt occaſion to wiſh Jeremiah's wiſh, Oh that our heads were full of water, and our eyes fountaines of teares, that we might weep day and night for the Prophets that are taken away from us. And, amongſt them, for this Prophet of whom I may ſay the Poets words, foreign. That he was one of a Thouſand. With what diligence, and with what ſtudie and paines, with what good conſcience, with what integrity and uprightneſſe he did carry himſelfe in the conſtant courſe of his life, thoſe that were moſt intimate with him cannot but teſtifie. All that knew any thing of him, knew the truth of all. His manner of Preaching did ſhew indefatigable great pains and labour, being one of the moſt hard courſes that could be undergone, which was by way of Paraphraſe, and Explication of the moſt myſterious and obſcure Texts of the Sacred Scriptures. Great dexterity, good judgement, and profound and admirable learning were everywhere manifeſted in his Miniſtry. He was noted in the Ʋniverſity for one of prime wit, and ſharp conceipt, plain in the delivery of the word, yet ſo, that any one might diſcern there was both judgement, much learning, and wiſdome mixt therewith. He had a ſoul that aſpired after much more, than ſo weak, and ſickly a body was able to undergoe. He put forth his ſtrength beyond his ſtrength to doe good. Even as a Taper, that doth waſt it ſelf to give light to others; ſo did he exhauſt himſelf, & ſtrengh and vitall parts to give light to all. Nothing made him, for ſome time before his death, to give off his Miniſtry, but weakneſs, & diſability of body. So that he muſt have this teſtimony, that he did ſervice to God, and his Church, as long as God would have him to do ſervice to him on earth. And many have cauſe to weep, though not for him, who is now tranſlated to glory, yet for themſelves in the loſs of ſo faithfull and carefull a diſpencer of the word of God. I dare ſay no more, leſt, while I indeavour to declare his worth, and dignity, I ſhould do him wrong. Had he lived to have ſuperviſed this work, no queſtion but it would have paſſed his hand with more politeneſſe, and authority. I now deſire thee, not only to read, but throughly to weigh, and conſider the worth and excellency of the heavenly matter contained therein; That that God, that cauſeth light to ſhine out of darkneſſe, may cauſe the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jeſus Chriſt to ſhine in all our hearts more & more to the perfect day: Which at the Throne of grace ſhall be continually prayed for, by him that is,
Thine in the Lord, T. A.