God walk bâ—fore Me and be thou perfect and I will make My Covenant between Me and thee But not to mention any more of Abraham which we might let it suffice that at every appearance recorded it was never with a plural Denomination Next for Isaac Chap. 26.2 3 4 â— And the Lord appeared unto him and said Go not down into Egypt dwell in the Land which I shall tell thee of sojourn in this Land and I will be with thee and will bless thee and unto thy Seed I will give all these Countries and I will peâ—form the Oath which I sware unto Abraham thy Father and I will make thy Seed to multiply Because that Abraham obeyed my Voicâ— and kept my Charge my Commandments my Statutes and my Laws Next for Jacob Chap. 28. vers 13 15. And behold the Lord stood above it and said I am the Lord God of Abraham thy Father and the God of Isaac the Land whereon thou lyest to thee will I give it And behold I am with thee and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest and will bring thee again into this Land for I will not leave thee until I have done that which I have spoken Next we come to Moses Exodus 3. ver 6. Moreover he said I am the God of thy Father the God of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob. And in ver 13 14 15. the most High is particularly desired by Moses upon an emergent occasion to discover himself that he and Israel might know how to conceive of him aright And God gives him particular direction what to say And Moses said unto God Behold when I come unto the Children of Israel and shall say unto them The God of your Fathers hath sent me unto you and they shall say to me What is his name what shall I say unto them And God said unto Moses I AM that I AM and he said Thus shalt thou say unto the Children of Israel I AM hath sent me unto you And God said moreover unto Moses Thus shalt thou say unto the Children of Israel The Lord God of your Fathers the God of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob hath sent me unto you this is my name for ever and this is my memorial unto all Generations Now surely if the conception of a Trinity of Persons in God were so absolutely necessary in the Act of Worship as is now taught who can but suppose that the Almighty especially being so particularly desired to declare himself and that also in order and to the end that Israel might put their trust and act faith in him aright who can think I say but that the Almighty would have mâ—de a plain discovery thereof in this place On the other side tho God do here make himself known by such Names or Memorials as sufficiently discover the Oneness of his Being and also his essential Properties both Mercy Goodness Wisdom Truth Love Bounty Justice and the rest which were all discovered to Abraham Isaac and Jacob whose God he here declares himself to be yet what Man not prepossessed can ever imagine that God intended or Israel could by this Description of God conceive of him as a threefâ—ld subsistence And to the end that you may see the scope of this Description in others Opinions as well as my own I will quote two Authors first Mr. Monk in the Book forecited page 25. I AM that is saith he I am the only true God truly subsisting and not only through the opinion of Men as Idâ—ls are I am he that hath an everlasting Being unchangeably subsisting of it self not depending upon others infinite most simple the Author and Cause of the being of all things not a borrowed changeable finite dependent and compound Being c. as all the Creatures have Of this mine Essence will I give thee the highest most express and general name of all He that is Secondly I shall quote Mr. Preston in his forecited Book page 96. As if he should say if yet they cannot understand what this name is it is the same that I was known by to Abraham to Isaac and to Jacob what I was to them the same will I be to you I was known to them by my Word and by my Works and by my Miracles and the same shall you find me it is that God which hath sent me unto you this is my name Which Words are to be referred not only to the latter Words but to the former I AM THAT I AM. Thus far Mr. Preston And thus you see here is nothing perceived in this Discovery of a Trinity of Persons in others Opinions or our own Reason The next discovery of himself we find in Exod. 6.23 And God spake unto Moses and said I am the Lord And I appeared unto Abraham and unto Isaac and unto Jacob by the name of God Almighty but by my Name JEHOVAH wâ—s I nâ—t known tâ— them Here I note two things first that God doth plainly here declare how he taught and directed Abraham Isâ—ac and Jacob to act Faith in and conceive of him viz. as a God Almighty All-powerful All-sufficient All-wise c. But he mentions not in the least his subsisting in a Trinity Sâ—condly I observe that God doth here mâ—ke a mâ—re fâ—ll copious profound and â—amâ—le Diâ—câ—very of himself to his Subjects than at any time heretofore by giving them his Name JEHOVAH being the clearest and most proper name of his Being and undivided essential inseparable Properties which sacred Name the Jews deservedly and greatly reverâ—nce insâ—much that the Author of the Book intituled Thâ— Father's Spectacles to behold his Child saith in his 110. page the Jeâ—â—s hold it nâ—t 〈…〉 to use the name JEHOVAH at all but by the Priâ—stâ— in the Sâ—nctâ—â—â—y only and that but once a year And â—iting â—â—leâ—'â— Expâ—sâ—â—â—r sâ—â—â— JEHOVAH 〈◊〉 nevâ—r pronoâ—â—â—ed 〈◊〉 the Jeâ—â— on pain of Deaâ—â— only by the Priest in the Sanctâ—â—â—anâ—torum and that on the day of Expâ—â—â—iâ—n beâ—â—â— buâ— once a year And yet notwithstanding thiâ— further Diâ—covery and their great Reverence to the Name I do not understand that Iâ—â—ael did thereby câ—nceiâ—â— a distinction of Peâ—sâ—ns in that one Essence hâ—ld forth thereby And I perceâ—ve the Author my Respected Fâ—iend last cited in his 〈◊〉 and 10â— page when he paraphrases on the word tho he be a Disciple of the â—iâ—ene Creed yet notes not a distinction of Perâ—â—ns dâ—rectly and properly flowing as the genuine sense of this Word But that properly and directly it imports and expresses the Divine Being with all the essential Properties And the most that I can remember I ever read in any Author treating of this Word amounted to no more but this viz. That this sacred Name of the most High was the direct and proper Name of the Divine Essence and all its inseparable Properties tho not excluding yet not declaring discovering or revealing it â—ndâ—r a threefold personal suâ—sisting But further
THE Moderate Trinitarian CONTAINING A DESCRIPTION OF THE Holy Trinity Both according to Scripture and approved Authors for Learning and Adherence to the Trinitarian Doctrine BEING An Argument shewing that Moderation may and ought to be shewn by and to Persons of different Conceptions concerning some Circumstances relating to the Knowledg of the Holy Trinity Together with a short Reply to Mr. Joseph Taylor 's brief Inquiry whether those who own and those who deny the Divinity of Christ may communicate together By DANIEL ALLEN Blessed are the Peace-makers But mark such as cause Divisions and avoid them LONDON Printed for Mary Fabian at Mercers Chappel in Cheapside 1699. THE EPISTLE TO THE READER IT was not any Ambition in me I 'll assure thee to teach my worthy Brethren of far greater Parts and Indowments than my self that induced me thus publickly to appear with the ensuing Tract But it was the hideous noise that the rending and tearing of Churches made that roused me up and provoked me thus publickly to expose my self to the censure of many when I might have slept securely in a whole Skin with my Sentiments lockt up in my own Breast But I saw What did I see Why I thought I saw the sparks of misguided and intemperate Zeal in divers well meaning Men to set some Churches in a Flame which like the dreadful Conflagration in London burnt down to the ground many famous tho not Parish Churches All that have appeared in print about this Subject so far as I observed have cried out Peace and Truth yet notwithstanding to my discerning have filled their Buckets with Oil and threw them into the Flame How that could quench it judg you Nay thought I if all your printing be in that fashion the Fire will never be quenched So I got my Bucket as I trust full of Cordial Water and away come I to the Press I thought if I could be but instrumental to quench and save one Post or Beam of the Church my labour would not be lost and I shall do more good than they that administer Oil. Besides I considered that those little Books or Buckets of Oil were very frequent every year or half year out comes a Piece crying Heresy Heresy But not one comes like the Dove with the Olive Branch of Peace in their Mouths neither was there one Word tending that way in any of their Writings and hereby many young Converts as well as others were much puzled and made to doubt Wherefore I thought if something were said publickly to demonstrate that there may be a safe Medium and Correspondence found out and maintain'd betwixt the two Parties it might be acceptable to the Doubtful and through the Blessing of God might become successful to help the tender Conscience There be some so confident and settled that I have no hopes of them but then I consider there be many have not renounced their Reason and therefore will hear Reason to such I speak I know some will throw away my Writing as Dirt while others will condemn it e're they hear it yet as God hath heretofore blessed my poor Endeavours and Discourses of this kind with success so I trust these my Labours will not be in vain Neither can I expect to want Readers since there be some and not a few who know me and of them not a few that love me and they will read me because they love me And there be some and not a few that do not love me nor the Design I here pursue and they 'l read me to see what they can pick up against me And there be some and not a few that are stagger'd in their own Minds and they 'l read me for their own satisfaction because they long to hear what can be said for Moderation Moreover I was induced to take this Course partly because a Book will come to speak where I cannot and possibly when I cannot partly because in arguing this case I find that too commonly there are apt to be Heats and Passions which commonly prevent persons considering what is said and the Arguments are many times cut off by the Buttocks and so condemned because not well understood I have seen some Men about these things so eagerly contending that Heat hath blinded them and like Men tied back to back tho they were close together yet they could not see one another But now having my Book in their hand they may deliberatly consider all my Arguments to the end without those Molestations which often happen in Debates And if any man fall into a passion with my Papers when my Person is not present if I hear of it I shall think him to be as some of them are said to be in the Tribe of Dan an angry Fellow Kind Reader I tread in a Path heretofore untrod by any that I know of for tho many worthy men are for Peace and Vnity notwithstanding the present Controversy yet none that I know of have publickly appeared to vindicate such a Practice And I wish this my Attempt may be a means to provoke some more sublime Genius than mine to polish and perfect that which is here rough-drawn However since I lead the Van so far as I know in so troublesome toilsome and difficult a Path between those Extreams which have in many Ages puzled the most Learned Men if I should appear to stumble and sometimes to trip and reel I hope thy Candor will accept of my well-meaning and rather pity than censure me and then thou actest like a Christian And as I profess not my self infallible and therefore subject to err and especially in so untrodden a Path If any will Christian-like inform me wherein I am wanting I shall esteem him among the number of my special Friends In short however I may have circumstantially erred tho I know it not yet in the main I meant well and therefore well-meaning men will take it well I would if I could perswade every one to be a Healer of the Breach the unpleasant sound of Discord hath too long afflicted our Ears and disturbed our Heads What pity is it we should so run upon a Party when amongst our selves there is hardly any considerable Society that can be found the Matter is so dark and so variously understood that we that profess to be most Orthodox are sadly divided and subdivided in our thoughts if a strict scrutiny should be made into our Sentiments about it That Party of Brethren which I have in this ensuing Treatise mainly and especially endeavoured to vindicate and to propose a Medium with are those which several of my Brethren met in Goswel-street in London in the years 1693 and 1696. did in a printed Paper publickly protest against and withdraw from As for my Brethren of Socinus's Perswasion concerning Christ so far as I know their Principles I am very opposite to them in my own Thoughts yet have I Charity for them But having but little converse with them I conceive I am
place and exercise my Faith in God aright how to pay my Duties and Worship to him and consequently to my Salvation But now I am arrived at the Borders of the Controversy betwixt the Trinitarians and the Vnitarians the Athanasians and nick-nam'd Arians But to pass my Task 't is requisite to give yet a further Description of this One most High God which following Description is said to be drawn from Scripture consequences but is much more plainly set down in words at length in other Authors 1. I shall first cite the Athanasian Creed on this Subject The Catholick Faith is this That we worship one God in Trinity and Trinity in Unity neither confounding the Persons nor dividing the Substance 2. The Nicene Creed says thus I believe in One God the Father Maker of Heaven and Earth and of all things visible and invisible and in one Lord Jesus Christ the only begotten Son of God begotten of the Father before all Worlds God of God Light of Light very God of very God begotten not made of one Substance with the Father by whom all things were made And in the Holy Spirit the quickening Spirit who proceeds from the Father and the Son and in like manner is adored and glorified with the Father and the Son and who spake by the Prophets 3. Next I shall cite the first of the 39 Articles of the Church of England There is but One living and true God c. and in Unity of this Godhead there be three Persons of one Substance Power and Eternity 4. Next I shall cite Mr. Joseph Wright in his Book intitul'd Brief Animadversions on five Articles pag. 2. So that we did then and do hold that there is One only true and living God the Father Son and Holy Spirit all three of the very same Divine Nature and Being And in the same Book pag. 3. lin 28. When we say these three are one we did and now believe that the Father Word or Son and Holy Spirit are all three of the same Divine Nature and Being from everlasting to everlasting the Creator and Governor of all things One only true and living God in three distinct and undivided Divine Persons Thus far Mr. Wright 5. Next I shall cite Dr. Owen in his Book intituled The Doctrine of the Trinity vindicated printed An. 1669 pag. 29. In the Declaration of this Doctrine unto the edification of the Church there is contained a further explanation of the things before asserted as proposed directed and in themselves the Object of our Faith namely how God is one in respect of Nature Substance Essence Godhead or Divine Being How being Father Son and Holy Ghost he subsisteth in these three distinct Persons And Pag. 112. The distinction which the Scripture reveals between Father Son and Holy Spirit is that whereby they are three Persons distinctly subsisting in the same Divine Essence or Being Now a Divine Person is nothing else but a Divine Person upon the account of an especial Property subsisting in an especial manner as in the Person of the Father there is the Divine Essence or Being with its Property of begetting the Son subsisting in an especial manner in the Father and because this Person hath the whole Divine Nature all the essential Properties of that Nature are in that Person Page 122. Seeing here that the name of God supplies the place of a Species tho it be singular absolutely as it respects the Divine Nature which is absolutely singular and One and cannot be multiplied yet in respect of communication it is otherwise it is communicated unto more 6. I shall cite next Mr. John Preston in his Book intitul'd Life eternal or a Treatise of the Knowledg of the Divine Essence fourth Edition printed 1034 page 48 49. If there be two things in God then there is Multiplication now all Multiplication ariseth from some Imperfection from some want and defect for if one would serve two would be needless if one Medicine would cure two would be unnecessary so in all things else So that the reasâ—n of Multiplication is because one will not serve the turn Therefore God being all-sufficient it is not needful yea it cannot be that a breaking in two should be admitted in him and consequently he must be most simple without all composition a pure and entire Essence full of himself and nothing besides And a little further thus Wheresoever there is any composition there must be two or three things so that there may be a Division they are separable tho not separated But where Division is there may be a Dissolution and so Destruction though it never be But of God we cannot say that this may be and consequently there cannot be two things in him but what he is he is One most simple most pure and most entire Being without all Composition and Multiplication If God be not simple there must be parts of which he is compounded but in God blessed for ever there are no parts because then there should be Imperfection for every part is imperfect I shall cite one Author more and then make some use of the whole 7. Mr. Thomas Monk in his notable Book of the Trinity intituled A Cure for the cankering Error Pag. 55. has these words Not to the end it should make a Multitude of Gods or divide the Essence but to distinguish the Persons because tho there be one Person of the Father another Person of the Son and another of the Holy Ghost yet the Father is not another thing or another God distinct from the Son and the Holy Ghost neither is the Son another thing or another God distinct from the Father and the Holy Ghost neither is the Holy Ghost another thing or another God distinct from the Father and the Son because the Nature of God is but one and indivisible although the Father be one the Son another and the Holy Ghost another and therefore they are not of divers natures of another and divers Substance not conjoined or knit together in one Substance as Men which have one common Essence not only of the like Substance but of one and the same Substance have the same Essence the same Eternity the same Will the same Operation c. And page 57. ' Qu. Be there any parts or kinds in God Answ None at all because he is a most simple Essence which doth admit no Composition or Division and simply and in every respect of Unity one Having given you this Description of the Most High God both from the Holy Scriptures and those Authors I shall now come to make that use of it which at first I promised and intended and that is to shew that there is no essential but only a circumstantial difference in the Apprehensions of the Parties before named concerning the Most High God and the Description here given of Him Only note that that which concerns the difference about the Son and Holy Ghost will be here spoken unto but occasionally and in short
the Father for number that is a part of it and so there is a part in the Father and another part in the Sâ—n or Christ which is Christ but then this is to oveâ—throw all our antient Creeds and Councils so much relied upon in this Case Athanasius's Creed will be thwarted which says not dividing the Substance Dr. Owen Mr. Wright Mr. Preston Mr. Monk the 39 Articles which say without parts will all come in against him and as I shewed before if we divide the Essence we must in our thoughts divide the essential Properties But I do not think Mr. Taylor will oppose himself to Reason and so many famous Men and Creeds antient and modern which will appear against him and deny the absolute Simplicity and Unity of God into the bargain But then thirdly if he means the Divinity of Christ is all and whole of the eternal supream Being it self then it follows that the whole Essence of God most High was incarnate was anointed was sent from Heaven to do another's Will became our Mediator yea that the whole Essence of God had a Father for Christ had a Father not only as he was the Son of Man but as he was the Son of God This contradicts Mr. Monk and I think most other Writers who say the Person not the Essence was incarnate and anointed and indeed the other seems a little strange for who should anoint it with what should it be anointed who should send it who should it mediate unto Besides if all the Divine Essence be anointed there is absolutely as much necessity of a Mediator betwixt us and Christ as betwixt us and the Father except it be said that the Person of the Father only is offended Now we know the Person of the Father is not the Essence it self for then Father must be anointed and incarnate and sent c. But he the Father is said to be only a certain manner of the Divine Essence its subsisting And then we must suppose that the Divine Essence it self was not so much or at all offended but only one of the Modes or Manners of its subsisting But this will be thought deep mysteries to Coâ—ntry people My short sight cannot see how to avâ—id this except we will say that as the whole Divine Essence subsists in the Father there it is supream the giver of all things Highest and can do all things the anointed the offended But as the same whole Divine Essence subsists in the Son or Christ it is distinct from the Father it is sent was anointed incarnate a Subject a Mediator a Reconciler could do nothing of it self I know not whether Mr. Taylor will take this Course or no but if he do I am sure he 'll destroy the Notion that Christ is to be worshipped as most High Gâ—d for if the dâ—vâ—ne Essence appear only supream in the Person of the Father then in him to wit the Father and under that name it is moâ—t proper tâ— be worshipped which iâ— mâ—st aâ—reeable to Sâ—ripture And as it is Christ it is a distinct thing from God the Father therefore as it is Christ and so an Oâ—â—icer we are to act Faith in what it doth and not in what it is since its essential Perfections appear supream only in the Person of the Father But fourthly suppose Mr. Taylâ—r intends none of all these and tho he over and over talks of Christ's being of the same Eâ—sence of the Father yet he intends nothing less and that one Jot or Tittle neither in whole nor part of the Divine Essence was incarnate anointed or was Chriâ—t but only the second Person of the Trinity distinct frâ—m Essence to wit the Sâ—n. And this indeed is Mr. Monk's Opinion in his Cure for the â—ankering Errâ—r pag. 98. We always distinguish between the Essence of the Son and the Persâ—n saying the Essence is one with the Fathâ—r but nâ—â— his Person therefâ—re we say his Pers n was begotten not his Essâ—â—â—e and we also say his Person took Fleâ—h of the Virgin Mary not hiâ— Essence This also seems to be the Opinion of many other Authors although I have not now opportunity to search and quote them But if this indeed should be his Opinion how â—inely is he catch'd then for they that have received his Book for Orthodox and good proof are taught to belâ—eve that such Persons as deâ—y or do not believe that Christ is essentially God are to be mark'd out for Excommunication and Damnation Now if Mr. Taylor believes that the Divine Essence neither whole nor part jâ—t or tittle was incarnate anointed or was Christ but only the Person then he must needs be one of them appointed f r Desâ—ruction and Excommunication and so his fiery Bolt is returned into his own Bosom But suppose this indeed should be his meaning that only the second Person as I think most believe was inâ—arnate and anâ—intâ—d then by Persâ—n he intends either an intâ—lligent Beinâ— Mind or Spirit distinct from the one Essence and the other two Persons or else he intends only a certain Manner or Mâ—de of subâ—â—sting of the one intelligent Being If he intends the former he must bâ—lieve three or four distinct intelligent Beiâ—â—â— Minâ—â— or Spiritâ— in God and I think tâ—â—t will be three or four Gods Bâ—t I could â—â—ford â—lmost to pass my word for Mr. Tâ—ylor that he doth not intend so Therefore I rather take him in the latter sense to wit a Mode or Manner of subsisting distinct from Essence If so then it will still follow that Christ is not to be worshipped as essentially God most High for then he is nâ—t the Essence but only a Manner or Mâ—de of it And I have before prâ—ved divine Wâ—rship as to the most High is to be given to the Divine Essence it self and n t directly and formally to any particular Manner or Mode of it I miâ—ht speak more to this but I fear I have said so much already that some ignorant People will be ready to think we Trinitarians at least sâ—me of us hold strange and nice Notions of Christ Nay perhaps they will say that we hold that Christ as to his human Nature or Manhood is no Person but a Nature only and as to his Person is not Essence or Substance but only a certain Manner or Mode of Essence But enough of this When all 's done I cannot tell which is Mr. Taylor 's meaning and therefore I hereby pray him if he appears in print again to eâ—plâ—in himself more distinctly and directly in this case I now come to consider his Reasons His first Reason why such as believe and such as disbelieve Christ to be of the Essence of his Father ought not to have Communion together at the Table of the Lord is That either they that believe it or those that disbelieve it must needs be Idolaters and they must esteem each other either guilty of Blasphemy or Id latry To which I return these following Replâ—es First