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A32801 The divine trinunity of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, or, The blessed doctrine of the three coessentiall subsistents in the eternall Godhead without any confusion or division of the distinct subsistences or multiplication of the most single and entire Godhead acknowledged, beleeved, adored by Christians, in opposition to pagans, Jewes, Mahumetans, blasphemous and antichristian hereticks, who say they are Christians, but are not / declared and published for the edification and satisfaction of all such as worship the only true God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, all three as one and the self same God blessed for ever, by Francis Cheynell ... Cheynell, Francis, 1608-1665. 1650 (1650) Wing C3811; ESTC R34820 306,702 530

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God be thanked that ye who were the servants of sin have obeyed from the heart that for me of Doctrine which was delivered unto you by the holy spirit Rom. 6. 17. Be much in supplication and thanksgiving and the spirit of Supplication will be a spirit of Adoption an oile of gladnesse Heb. 1. 9. The spirit will teach you to cry Abba Father with comfort Gal 4. Rom 8. The spirit will fill your soules with all joy and peace in beleeving and in obeying the joy of the spirit shall be your strength the comforts of the Almighty even all the comforts of the Kingdom of God which consists in righteousnesse and peace and joy in the holy Ghost shall be all-sufficient to revive and support your dejected spirit All your fears and discomforts shall be dispelled your wants supplyed your wound soares infirmities healed and you at last filled with all the fulnesse of God Mal. 4. 2. Eph. 3. 19. Beleeve in the spirit obey the spirit and ye shall be sealed with the spirit Eph. 1 13. I beseech you by the tender mercies of God by the meekness and gentleness of Christ by the joy and for the love of the Spirit that you consider what hath been said that ye receive this wholesome Word as it is in truth the word of God the word of the Father Son and holy Ghost but testified after a more especiall and immediate manner by the Holy Ghost that it may worke effectually in all you who beleeve it 1 Thes. 2. 13. Even unto spirituall and sincere obedience to Father Son and Holy Ghost and that it may be so we must have a care to obey after the right manner for Amazia was too blame though he did that which was right in it self because he did it not with a perfect heart 2 Chron. 25. 2. Let us imitate our Saviour who did all as he was commanded Ioh. 14. 31. Let us have 1. High thoughts of the Majesty and greatnesse of God 2. Sweet thoughts of the rich grace and infinite goodnesse of God 3. An intire and an universall respect to all the commands and every work of God Ioh. 6. 28 29. Every work which God hath given us to do Ioh. 17. 4. and ordained for us to walk in Eph. 2. 10 For every command of God must have a divine authority over our consciences and hearts Psal. 119. 6. and then Christ will account us his friends Iohn 15 14. 4. A more especiall respect to the weightiest and greatest duties of Religion such as God hath more especially enjoyned for instance 1 The duties of inward worship and obedience Mat 22. 37 38. the most reserved and intimate duties of Religion 2. Duties of judgment mercy and fidelity towards all men Mat. 23. 23. Love to our enemies Mat. 5. 44. 45. 3. Duties of our particular callings and speciall relations publique duties and family duties especially such as are most private Mat. 6. 6. Zach 12. 12. 4. The great work of Faith which is the summe of both Testaments because all judicious and zealous love all sincere and uniforme obedience springs from faith Iohn 6. 29. This is the worke of God and unbeliefe is the work of the Devill faith purifies our heart by applying the bloud of Christ to our soules Heb. 9. 14. The weighty matters of Law and Gospel may be referred to those foure Heads above mentioned observe that excellent Scripture God hath chosen the poore of this world rich in faith and heires of that kingdome which he hath promised to them that love him Iam. 2. 5. Faith and love will make us constant in the performance of all the other weighty matters required of us both in Law and Gospell and we have proved at large that faith and love is due to all three Persons We must performe all our duties 1. As to a Father a divine Father as hath been proved 2. In the name of Christ. 3. In the strength of the spirit 4. At the command and for the glory of all three co-essentiall Persons for all things are of the Father by the Son and through the spirit 5. With a willing mind a perfect heart a good conscience and faith unfeigned 6. With all self-denyall diligence constancy 7. With an humble desire that we and our obedience may be accepted in and for Christ according to the tenour of the Covenant of grace Let us now put all together again and observe what a sweet harmony exact Symmetry and glorious uniformity there is in this whole mystery of Faith this mystery of the Co-essentiall Trinunity as reduced to practice by its effectuall influence into the mystery and power of godlinesse Beloved Christians I look upon my self as the least of Saints and greatest of Sinners unworthy to be accounted a Member but far more unworthy to be a Minister of Jesus Christ because I know more evill by my self then I know by any member of Christ but I thank God our Father Christ Iesus our lord and the co-essentiall Spirit the same God who worketh all in all 1 Cor. 12. 6. that I have obtained mercy and ability of all three for to be faithfull and to be counted faithfull by them all for they have all three in some measure enabled me for that they counted me faithfull putting me into the Ministry for I am a Minister of that Gospell which is revealed from heaven by Father Son and Holy Spirit and I am a Minister accordidg to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectuall working of his power unto me I say who am lesse then the least of all Saints in this grace given that I should preach the love of the Father the grace and unsearchable riches of Christ the sweet Communion peace and joy of the holy Ghost which is unspeakable and full of glory Be pleased then to take a view of the whole mystery of faith and godlinesse and observe how this Co-essentiall Trinunity of Father Son and holy Ghost who are one God blessed for ever is the adequate Object Author End of all Religion 1. Look upon the Grand Mystery of our Election unto Grace Peace and Glory and observe what practicall inferences may be drawn from thence to raise our hearts to admire beleeve love worship obey Father Son and holy Ghost Elect according to the fore-knowledge of God the Father through sanctification of the Spirit unto obedience and sprinkling of the bloud of Iesus Christ grace unto you and peace be multiplied Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Iesus Christ c. 1 Pet. 1 2 3 4. God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the spirit and beliefe of the Truth whereunto he called you by our Gospel to the obtaining of the glory of the Lord Iesus Christ Now our Lord Iesus Christ himself and God even our Father c. 2 Thes. 2.
age do professe Faith in and obedience to the Lord Jesus Christ according to the Rules of Faith and Life delivered in the Word 3. Desire that the above mentioned Officers should be incorporated in one Eldership and joyn in all acts of Government of the Church 4. Hold the same censures of Admonition and Excommunication and do likewise receive such as have been censured into communion again as soon as they give testimony of their repentance to them Godly Independents doe acknowledg that Parochial Churches wherein Ministers and others endeavor to remove all things justly offensive that so all ordinances may be administred in purity are true Churches of Christ. 2. They retaine Communion with these Parochicall Churches by baptizing their Children and receiving the Lords Supper there as occasion serves And if occasionall Communion with us be lawfull constant Communion with us would not be sinfull 3. They receive the members of such parishes as aforesaid unto Communion with themselves in their own Congregations also occasionally 4. They professe that they are ready to give an account to such Parochiall Congregations as to Sister-Churches whensoever they are offended at any irregular administrations in Independent Churches 5. They esteem a sentence of Non-Communion passed by such Parochicall Congregations is Churches against them upon any scandall wherein they are unsatisfied as a means to humble them and as an ordinance of God to reduce them Much more might be added But it is clear from these premises that prudent and godly Independents cannot conceive themselves obliged 1. To set up other Churches with differing rules of Constitution or Worship For Presbyterians and Independents did both agree in the same Confession of Faith and Directory for Worship and resolved to practice most of the same things and those the most substantiall in respect of Government also as doth appeare by those few transactions in the Assembly and Committee for Accommodation which have been Printed 2. Nor can they say that they are enforced to gather new Churches out of true Reformed Churches for a circumstantiall difference cannot be a sufficient ground for leaving of all ordinary Communion with true reforming Churches The prudent and godly Presbyterians have set no bounds to themselves in their Reformation but the Word of God and therefore if the Independents will set forth a compleat Modell of their whole Church-way and Church-order fully freely and clearely and prove it by plaine Texts out of the holy Scriptures we shall thankfully receive whatsoever they shall convincingly impart And I shall be bold to say that there had been a judicious affectionate and practicall Accommodation between us notwithstanding some speculative differences in notionall Ideas if there had been no interposition of Statesmen or Sword-men when the Committee of Accommodation had sadly considered and reviewed all materiall Arguments on this side and on that And if you set aside all reasons of State and saecular considerations I do not see why men who agree in the substance of the Service and Worship of God in the Directory according to the Preface in the Confession of Faith set forth by the Assembly and in the Doctrine contained in the Confessions and Writings of the reformed Churches should not mind the same thing and walk by the same Rule that there might be a Practicall Communion between us in all points wherein there is a Doctrinal Agreement and we might go hand in hand to heaven together with meeknesse of wisdome and sincerity of love Let men of both perswasions beware of such a superstitious tendernesse as doth usually arise from some unconscionable errour and unmortified lust because it is no priviledge but a judgement to be given up to errour or lust and from such ensnaring liberty which is indeed perfect bondage good Lord deliver us No man is obliged to follow the Positive Praescript of an erroneous conscience in any point or case whatsoever Differences of Iudgment did not extinguish the relation of membership amongst the Romans and Corinthians And it is certaine that the Substantials of Church-Government must not be changed in every age acording to the graduall differences of light in severall persons and Congregations We humbly desire that there may be a strict and mutuall obligation condescended to in some expedient by all godly men of both perswasions for mutuall edification and for the preservation of all the Churches in these Dominions in truth godlinesse and peace that we may not passe unchristian censures upon our Christian Brethren Let all private quarrels then fall to the ground and let us mind the common interest of the Lord Iesus and seriously promote it in our respective places in faith and love And let all Statesmen beware 1. That they do not fall into the same spirituall or civill evils which they themselves have condemned in the King and Prelates 2. Beware of ERASTIANISME which doth overthrow all Church-government both Presbyterian and Independent 3. Take heed of CIVILL SCEPTICISME which doth overthrow the Fundamentals of publike Faith and publike rights and plucks up all Civill Government by the roots 4. Beware of Familisticall Polytheisme for the Familists affirme that there are as many Christs as many Gods manifested in the flesh as there are Saints on earth But to us there is but one God and one Lord Iesus Christ it is enough for blind Pagans to talk of many Gods and many Mediatours 5. Beware of Atheisme the great Monster of this Age compounded of Socinianisme Familisme Libertinisme and Antinomianisme The Ephesians complaine of none but robbers of Churches and blasphemers Acts 19. 37. But we have cause to complaine of them and Apostates Idolaters Atheists and what not 6. Beware of a Toleration of intolerable errours Reverend Mr Cotton is afraid that the Antichristian Whore will steale in at the Back-doore of a Toleration The Magistrates of England are engaged by the Oath of God to root out whatsoever is contrary to sound Doctrine and the Power of Godlinesse That man is seduced by a private Spirit as you observe well in your Orthodox Book who lusteth after envy after Sects and Divisions but the holy Spirit is a Catholike Spirit a Spirit of Catholike Faith and Catholike love an unreserved and universall Love to all that beleeve and love the Lord Jesus Christ. Let us then all hold fast the wholesome forme of sound words in faith and love For they who waver against the credit of their own testimony are not as the Civilians say to be heard or regarded because they have lost their credit We are reserved for some service in this declining Age and therefore it doth become us to be Orthodox Saints steady Christians that our Posterity may imitate us and see those glorious daies which some conceive are come already because they have attained a little vainglory in this Age of vanity The Writers of this present time who seeme to contradict one another concerning the light and glory of
that he may be meet for the masters use and prepared unto every good work I instance in some dark expressions on purpose to shew that even in them there is by interpretation an acknowledgment That we are elected by Father Son and Holy Ghost to Grace Peace and Glory and therefore ought to admire beleeve worship love obey all three Persons as one and the same God blessed for ever we must be holy before them in faith and love 2. If we consider our Creation we are created by Father Son and Holy Ghost as hath been proved and therefore we were created for the worship and service of all three The spirit of Elohim sate upon the waters hatched the world and all the beauty and glory of it 3. If we consider the vigorous providence of God all things are preserved upheld maintained ordered governed by Father Son and Holy Ghost the Holy-Ghost governs the Church and over-rules the world also 4. If we consider our fall and therein our abominable sin and the intolerable curse due unto it 1. Our sin which we committed in Adam the first sin it was a sin of cursed atheisme divellish pride unbelief rebellion apostacy a sinning sin because it did disable pollute infect poyson both our souls and bodies with originall and damnable corruption all sins against Father Son and Holy-Ghost proceed from this root of bitternesse 2. The curse due to this sin is intolerable unavoidable it is the curse of an Omniscient and Omnipotent God a temporal spiritual eternall Curse the Curse of the Father Son and Holy Ghost Men and Angels cannot help us we cannot be pardoned Redeemed Sanctified Adopted Comforted Saved but by the Father Son and Holy Ghost still this doctrine of the Coessentiall Trinunity must be preached and applyed for our spirituall and eternal good as will appeare by our following discourse 5. If we consider our effectuall vocation The father cals us in Christ by his Spirit speaking in Law and Gospel and working powerfully upon our consciences and hearts all three Persons do joyntly performe this saving work Shew which Person can be spared 6. Our Iustification is by the free-grace of the Father manifested in the Covenant of grace by the righteousnesse of Christ imputed by the Father and applyed by the Spirit our faith is grounded on the Testimony of the Spirit and wrought by the efficacy of the Spirit 7. Our Redemption is by the Father who gave us his Son by Christ who gave us himself by the Spirit who doth draw us unto Christ and puts us into the armes and bosome of our Redeemer We are redeemed from the guilt and punishment of sin more eminently by Christ but we are redeemed from the power and dominion of sin from our vaine conversation from this present evill world and tyranny of Sathan not only by the death resurrection and intercession of Christ but by the efficacy and power of the holy Ghost And it is to be observed that though Christ makes the Purchase yet the Spirit makes and gives the Assurance 8. Our Adoption is by all three The Father doth adopt us in Christ by the Spirit of Adoption 9. The Covenant of Grace is made and confirmed by all three 10. The Church is gathered instructed preserved saved by all three the Church enjoyes and maintaines spirituall and heavenly communion with all three in all Ordinances and duties 3 Cor. 13. 4 1. In hearing the word Father Son and holy Spirit do all teach us as hath beene proved at large John 6. 45. 1 Cor. 2. 13. Heb. 1. 1 2. Heb. 3. 7. 2. We are baptized in the name of all three devoted dedicated consecrated to the service of all three 1 Cor. 12. 12 13. Mat. 28. Tit. 3. 5 6. 1 Pet. 3. 21. Matth. 3. 11. Iohn 3. 5. Rom. 6. 3 4 5 6. we are adopted into the family of God that we may be married to the Son of God and made co●heirs with Christ in glory 3. In the Lords Supper the Father invites and entertains us gives us his Son for our Head Husband Saviour Feast and all Christ gives us his Body and Blood to nourish us and the Spirit enables us to receive this spirituall nourishment after a spirituall manner that we may thrive and grow thereby the Spirit mortifies our lusts strengthens our faith renews our repentance inflames our zeale pacifies our conscience purifies our heart assures us of the favour and love of God seals our pardon to us and seals us up to the day of redemption The love of the Father The Grace of the Son The Communion and Peace of the Spirit is so plentifully vouchsafed to experimentall Christians in this Sacrament that I may well subscribe Probatum est 4. In Prayer and thanksgiving we do manifestly hold Communion with all three First We pray to the Father in the name of Christ by the power of the spirit of supplication Ephes. 2. 18. 1 Cor. 1. 2. 1 Thes. 3. 11. Rom. 8. Gal. 4. 2 Thes. 2. 16. Rev. 1. 4. Secondly Our thankfull praises Eph. 3. 21. Ephes. 5. 18 19 20. are presented to all three 5. We keep a Sabbath to Father Son and holy Spirit all our Fiduciall breathings after God all our Penitentiall meltings before God our Obedientiall closing with God our pangs of love raptures of zeale extasies of joy do arise and spring from the beliefe and consideration of the rich grace tender mercies and sweetest love of our deare Father our beloved Saviour and our sanctifying Comforter Gal. 2. 20. Col. 1. 12. Ephes. 1. 3 5 6 11 13 17. Eph. 2. 4 5 6 8. 1 Pet. 1. 8. Every Lords day much more every Sacrament-day should be a sealing day a sanctifying day an edifying saving Sabbath God doth upon such daies take as wholy off from our own business that we might make it our only business to serve and enjoy God by maintaining an holy Communion with God in Christ by the effectuall working of the holy Ghost for a whole day together that we may in the close of the day attaine the end of our Sabbath-service which is a rest of complacency sweet content and full satisfaction in the armes and bosome of a Father a Saviour and a Comforter this this is to enjoy a Christian Sabbath The heathens knew something of a Sabbath The Jewish Holy days were Appendices to the fourth Commandement and therefore might be well taken off again the morall Commandement remaining entire For it is granted that they are taken off from the second Commandement and yet that remaines entirely morall and I beleeve it will be cleare to any man that studies the point that the Jewish holy daies did belong most properly and directly to the second Commandement Indirectly and but Reductively to the fourth because they were at most
the right foundation of faith hope worship justification as hath been proved lay a wrong foundation they bring in a new Christ a meer man and a new Gospel a new Iudge in the highest matters and mysteries of Religion their own reason which they might infallibly know to be not only fallible but corrupt They deny the true causes and means of salvation the right application of them Their impiety in not worshipping of the Spirit Their Idolatry in worshipping one whom they esteeme to be a meere man and refusing to be washed and purged with the bloud of the Covenant will justifie all that reject them and their Confederates from Christian Communion I am not at leasure to handle the Magistrates duty in this point nor are many of them at leasure to consider all that is fit to be considered in that weighty point but for the present satisfaction of such as know not how to study in these busie times I shall point at some unquestionable truths for the ending of that unhappy and fatall Controversie in the Church of Christ. 1. There is no warrant given in the Word to any Minister of the State or Officer of the Church to molest oppresse or persecute any man for Righteousnesse sake he who doth persecute a man for following his conscience when rightly informed by the Word and Spirit of the Lord Jesus doth certainely persecute the Lord Jesus Christ. Saul Saul why persecutest thou me I am Iesus whom thou persecutest it is a fit Text to be preached on this twenty second of February 1649. But I am now learning another Lesson which is to suffer persecution patiently for righteousnesse sake and pray for such Benefactours who do besides their intention and against their will make Christians happy by endeavouring to make them miserable in their outward man by an unexpected persecution Yet I could not but take notice of the seasonablenesse of this truth and put down the day the moneth and the yeare as the Prophet did Ezek. 8. 1. And it came to passe in the sixth yeare in the sixth moneth in the fifth day of the moneth as I sate in mine house and the Elders of Iudah the Princes of the people sate before me c. The great Statesmen were at leasure now in the time of the Captivity to hear the Prophet if they would have heard beleeved obeyed before they had never gone into Captivity for the misusing of the Prophets and despising of their message was the sin against the most Soveraigne remedy and when there was no other remedy then God sent them away Captive c. 2 Chron. 36. 16 17. Let all such consider this who are poasting on in the high-way to Captivity 2. No man ought to be punished for following his mis-informed conscience untill he hath been better informed and spiritually admonished as we have formerly shewn twice or thrice and is so unconscionable as to despise good information reject prudent and faithful admonitions contrary to the doctrine of godliness and all good conscience for of such a man the Apostle saith not only that he is perverted but he is subverted Tit. 3. 10. 3. The Ministers of God the Civill Magistrates and the Ministers of Christ and all Church-Officers whatsoever must joyne together and uphold one another in the discharge of their several duties that they may be in a capacity to revenge all disobedience and execute the judgement that is written Rom. 13. 4. 2 Cor. 10. 6. I Cor. 4. 21. Deut. 13. 10 11. 4. Heretical Seducers Blasphemous Apostates and Idolatours of whom we have discoursed at large are Wolves that subvert whole houses Tit. 1. 11. Churches Gal. 5. 10 12. Act. 15. 24. States and Kingdomes and therefore they must be driven from the sheepfold lest the very vitals of Christianity be corrupted Religion destroyed many soules poysoned God extremely dishonoured the Church and State endangered as is fully declared unto us in the holy Scriptures of truth 5. God doth work by these Legal terrours and executions of vengeance sometimes upon the party punished the false Prophet converted by the spirit of God working in this great Ordinance doth in the day of his visitation confesse the justice and charity of those Officers who did stigmatize him with wounds in his hands Zach 13. 6. as M. Cotton doth observe in the ninth Chapter of his Answer to Mr Williams pag. 20 21. Moreover it is most cleare that God doth make use of the Magistrate as his Minister and Instrument for the overawing of the people by inflicting exemplary punishment on such as do speake lies in the name of the Lord blaspheme the name truth person of Christ and seduce or thrust men away from the only true God Father Son and holy Ghost Deut. 13. 6 8 9 10 11. The Morall equity of this Command is very evident for the punishing of such as do entice men from the true Religion because there is a reason given which is of general and perpetual equity Thou shalt stone him Because he hath sought to thrust thee away from Iehovah thy God It is now certainly as great a fault to seduce men from Father Son and holy Ghost nay a greater fault now because it is a sin committed against clearer light And it is of generall and publique concernment to have such great examples made in a nation to make the generality of men affected with an awfull regard of the truth goodnesse Majesty and Justice of God For this is Gods ordinance to strike the people with such a reverence as shall at least restraine them from this sin And all Israel shall heare and feare and shall do no more any such wickedness Deut. 13. 11. The Lord is acquainted with the frame of our hearts and spirits and he doth propound such remedies as are proper suitable to our distempers and he who doth ordaine such remedies will make them effectual by his own Spirit who doth often sanctifie legal terrours and outward afflictions and makes them subservient to spiritual purposes and therefore these outward weapons are spiritually used and are of a spiritual efficacy according to the Counsell of Gods will When the Magistrate as a Minister of God draws the Sword in the cause of God for the honour of God according to the Ordinance of God expressed in the thirteenth of Deuteronomy compared with the thirteenth of Zachary and the thirteenth to the Romanes the Sword that is thus drawn is not the Sword of Gideon only the Sword of man but the Sword of God And it is certainly most proper to restraine them by the Sword who will not be restrained by any other Ordinance of God men that have seared consciences have strong passions and exemplary punishments will work effectually upon the passion of feare in a self condemned man when no spiritual Physick will work upon him because all wholsome admonitions are rejected by him Carnall men are ready to