and therefore as it is said of the Sonne that he is the onely begotten Son of the Father so it is said in the same place of the spirit that he proceeds from the Father and the Sonne but how may we understand this he received the whole Essence how he received it without division he received it without multiplication because that which is infinite cannot be multiplied yet he received it without alienation because he received so the whole Essence as it abides still in the Father and the Sonne Quest How is he said to sanctifie the elect Answ Because he dwells in the elect creating faith in them incorporating them into Christ applying Christ his death and resurrection to them To explane this First he dwells in them first he is said to sanctifie the elect in that he dwells in them in this we doe not exclude the Father and the Sonne any more then we did in the former they are all workes ad extra and therefore undivided yet understand the manner of working the holy Ghost is said to dwell in the elect it is he that creates faith in their hearts c. they all sanctifie the Father and the Son mediatly by the spirit the spirit immediatly by himselfe and why first he dwells in them namely not as by his gifts but a person therefore we may say this is his worke the Father not by any phrase of Scripture is said to dwell in them though they are said to be the temples of God he dwells in them not by his gifts onely but by his person because he is called the spirit of his Sonne when he dwells in them and again God hath sent the spirit of his Son Rom. 8. If the spirit that raised Christ from the dead dwells in you therefore they goe together Rom. 5. God hath shed his love in our hearts there is love which was the gift and the spirit which was the person againe he created faith that the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 12.9 By the same spirit he gave to one the gift of miracles and to another the gift of faith c. 2 Cor. 4.13 He is called the spirit of faith faith is that that doth sanctifie as an instrument Acts 15. After that he had purified their hearts by faith Next that he doth incorporate men into Christ Rom. 8.9 He that hath not the spirit of Christ he is none of his intimating he that hath the spirit of Christ he is his Iohn 4.13 Hereby we know that God dwells in us by his spirit 1 Cor. 12.13 We are all baptised into one body by the spirit then we are all united into one body by one spirit for as Rom. 8 10. If the spirit be in you the body is dead by reason of sin but the spirit is alive for righteousnesse sake and by this he doth apply unto us the death of Christ to the death of sinne and the resurrection of Christ to the life of grace Rom 6.3.4.5 As many as are baptised into Christ are baptised into the death of Christ by baptisme we are also ingrafted into the similitude of his resurrection therefore the spirit sanctifies when he dwells in every one of the elect c. it is necessarily and fitly said that it is he that sanctifies the elect and thus I have explaned this point so much as I thought fit to communicate unto you Vse 1. This teaches us that we ought to labour for the knowledge of this that we may keep our selves from error it was a commendable diligence of the ancient Fathers that taught when the spirit was taken for the person and when for the gifts because heresies have sprung from hence because they understood the words amisse therefore that we may hold the truth we are to labour to know it and in this case although we finde not a proper name given to the third person yet we must acknowledge him distinctly because we know there is a Father a Son and a Spirit Object You tell us he is a Spirit Answ We answer so is the Father and so is the Sonne but so the name of Father is common to all and the Sonne is said to be the Father and the holy Ghost also therefore there is no reason why we should conceive them to be three names given to the same God in divers respects but rather conceive that there was but a common name given to him because he was the common substantiall joy and love between the Father and Son Vse 2. This serves to confirme us in the faith against all hereticks that deny the holy Ghost not to stand upon their arguments the Macedonians stand up as it were to oppose the Diety of the holy Ghost and say he is not God and they thinke they have a colour for it from the counsell of Nice in which we say we beleeve in the Father God and Lord and in the Sonne God and Lord but when they come to the holy Ghost we beleeve in the holy Ghost and therefore these hereticks say that he was not God Saint Basil answering to this objection from the Nicen counsell saies they had no reason to explane this concerning the spirit as they had done the Father and Sonne for no man then made any question of the divinity of the holy Ghost nay saies Nazianzen this is a sufficient confession of his Deity for they say a particular thing assenting by it that he is God because they beleeve in him and whereas they observe that the spirit is taken for the gifts of the spirit true it is it is so but it is put for the person also and therefore though it be taken sometime for the gifts yet it doth not overthrow that he is a person as the Arians that could not deny of Christ that he was a person said notwithstanding he was but a made God so these say of the spirit that he is not a God by nature but it is manifest that he must needs be a God by nature when he hath the name Jehovah and the proper workes of God attributed to him yea but say they if he were a God by office yet he had a created nature and so not God from eternity the Fathers called these by that name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies fighters against the spirit of God for they say there was no spirit till after Christs glorification grounded upon Iohn 17.39 The spirit was not given because that Christ was not yet glorified and hereupon they added that blasphemy the Church in the beginning was content to beleeve in one God afterwards the counsell of Nice must have two persons and after this the counsell of Constantinople must have three but to answer their cavill that he was before all these appears Iohn 1.32 I saw the holy Ghost saith Iohn Baptist at Christs baptisme Iohn 1.33 Thou seest the holy Ghost to discend after he was risen Iohn 20.21 He breathed upon the Apostles and saies receive the holy Ghost Object But
kept by God if he would he might leave them and then they are mutable This Immutability not to be subject to corruption is properly attributed to the divine Essence that it is so is manifest in this place I have read Hee onely hath immortality 1 Tim 1.17 he cals him the King immortall the same is in Psal 102.26 27. They shall change speaking of the heavens and the earth but thou shalt endure thy yeeres never faile so the Apostle saith Heb. 2.12 And this shall suffise for this question Quest For what cause is the divine Essence free from corruption and alteration Answ The answer is Because the power of it is so great that it cannot be corrupted by any power whatsoever Secondly because it is without quantity and cannot be lesse or greater Thirdly because it is without quality and cannot be better or worse nor in any other condition we will manifest these severally First concerning Gods power Christ saith Iohn 10.26 My Father that gave them me is greater then all and no man is able to pull them out of his hand why because there is no power greater then himselfe And this is the nature of every thing to preserve it selfe If any thing had power enough it would not be corrupted we apply this to God that hath all power none can corrupt him our Saviour Christ alledgeth that place Ioh. 10. to shew that his sheepe can never perrish why because my father that gave them me is greater then all Saint Augustine useth these words If any of these sheepe perish speaking of the children of God God is overcome by the faculty of man or some power that comes from him Secondly againe God is without quantity and therefore can be neither lesser nor greater as Saint Augustine saith he is great without quantity and wher there is no quantity there can be no diminution for God cannot be lesser or greater he cannot be greater for then he should not be infinite and he cannot be lesser for then he should cease to be infinite and therfore he cannot be lesser or greater so is voyd of all alteration Thirdly againe he cannot be better or worse why he cannot be beter for then he should not be perfect he cannot be worse for then he should cease to be perfect neither can he be in a lesse good estate for if he be then he loseth the good he had and takes the ill he had not if he lose the good he had then hee wants and so still should be imperfect and therefore hee is thus without quality c. so immutable Vse 1. This confirmes us that we serve the true God and not the false Gods of these nations because we serve the Immortall and the Immutable God they serve false Gods because their Gods are mutable how appeares this thus because their Poets which were their prophets tell us they were Adulterers c. and the Apostle saith they were subject to sinne because for sinne death went over all flesh therefore they are false Gods and they serve false Gods Saint Bernard speaking of celestiall creatures sayth they are subject to sinne for the Angels some of them sinned and became divels and some of them did not sinne not because they were not able to sinne but for that God assisted them that they sinned not they also were subject to sinne and so to death after their kind for there is none free no not the Angels by their nature but as they are established by Christ So that we see the Gods of the nations are false Gods and as they say they are Gods of the mountaines and not of the valleis Vse 2. The second vse is to establish the certainty of our faith because God is immutable we trust not to mutable man wee make not flesh our Arme whose breath is in his nostrils but we trust upon him that is immutable Heere is the certainty of our faith our strength rests not in us but in him on whom it is built and it is with us as it is with children who have but a weake hand and arme notwithstanding if they be helped by their father who is a strong man they can performe something wherein is the childs strength it is plaine it is not in the childe but in the father so saith Saint Bernard man holds not God but God him And this is the comfort that we have when we feele our faith weake we are kept by the power of God unto salvation Therefore this Attribute sheweth that our faith being so kept can never faile I doe not doubt for the Disciples began to doubt we hoped that this man should have redeemed Israel but it cannot faile for it must needes be certaine because grounded and built upon God Vse 3. The third use is matter of comfort to all those that are Gods children and so in the love of God what is their comfort their King that loveth them is immortall they have not the favour of a mortall King but of an immortall King how great is that worldly honour that earthly joy and that temporall rest that many men have in the favour of Princes and yet notwithstanding what are these Princes even mortall such as must most certainely die and none can tell how soone this therfore is a vaine thing to trust to for we see in what a trice Nebuchadonozer was taken away and Belshazzer his sonne even in a moment all their honour was taken away and layd in the dust yea and more then this they that have the favour of earthly Princes abuse it and grow proud and insolent of their inferiors who as soon or before as the Kings bones be cold labor to pluck them down from their excellency as Bathsheba said to David 1 King 1.21 When thou my Lord shalt be gathered to thy fathers I and Solomon shall be reputed offenders So they may say when the king shall be gathered to his fathers they shall be counted vile so that this is a comfortlesse comfort to depend upon a mortall man but here is the comfort and happinesse of those that have the favour and countenance of God they depend upon the favour of an immortall King that never dies but ever lives and will preserve all those that are his they need not feare any earthly power if they have confidence in Christ they need not feare if their owne corruptions doe not provoke God so then we see here is matter of comfort to Gods people they have the love of an immortall king that lives for ever and loves for ever and will be their God and the God of their seeed Therefore parents if they labour to make their children great let them not have that excessive care to get riches for them but labour to make them religious that God may care for them that same that Barzillat said to David 2. Sam. 19.37 When David would have had him to go over with him no saith he take my Sonne and we see David gave Solomon charge
grounds given for every part there also were answered divers objections which we conceived were of two kindes some as if God had changed his will c. but these were spoken of the last day but now of one or two more that may be made Object And the next is that God in declaring his will Ezek 33.11 As I live saith the Lord I desire not the death of a sinner yet there are many thousand sinners that die for all this therefore his will must be mutable Answ The answer to this is taken from the consideration of what kindes of sinners the Lord speaks of sinners some be penitent that see and acknowledge themselves sinners and sorrow for and turne from their sinnes and cry and fly unto Christ for salvation God doth not will the death of such sinners neither shall they die But he that confesseth and for saketh his sinnes shall finde mercy but others be obstinate and hardened in sinne that adde drunkennesse to thirst and rebellion to sinne without repentance God will laugh at these when their destruction commeth so then as long as God is pleased with repentance and pardoneth the penitent there is no alteration in God though the impenitent perish nay there would be alteration in him if they did not perish or it may be said and truly that God is better pleased with the repentance then with the perdition of a sinner there is joy in Heaven over one sinner that repents Object Againe it is objected the Apostle Paul saith in Tim. 2.4 That God would have all men saved How should it be then that any should perish unlesse his will be changeable Answ Ambrose upon this place of the Apostle expounds it thus God will have all men to be saved but so as they come to him he will have them saved if they will salvation to themselves and if this sense be admitted there is no shaddow of change in God though many be not saved because those many that are not saved doe not seeke salvation Saint Austin understands All not collectively for every singular man but distributively for some of all sorts of men in which sense it is used in other places of Scripture and so the meaning may be God will have all men saved that is all sorts of men Jewes Greekes bond free Kings and Subjects saved and therefore praiers must be made for all sorts of men and in this sense there is no change in Gods will though some of all sorts perish because some of all sorts be saved as in the Arke God saved from the deluge all living creatures not in the particular but in the kinde because he saved some of every sort againe Saint Austin in another place explanes it thus God wills all should be saved because all that are saved are saved by Gods will as a Physitian is said to cure all who cures all that are cured and for this cause the Apostle enjoines that praiers should be made to God for all because without God none can be saved and if we so expound it though many be not saved yet there is no change in Gods will who wills the salvation of all that are saved As in Christ all are said to be made alive 1 Cor. 15.22 because all that are made alive are made alive by Christ so in this place in the same respect may God be said to will the salvation of all men adde to these our faith thus God will have all men saved he wills the salvation even of the reprobate as a thing in it selfe good and sutable to the disposition of a gracious God but yet he doth not determine or appoint it and therefore though many perish there is no change in Gods will this place shewing what God might approve of being done not what he determined to doe he wills it by an antecedent will as in it selfe considered but not with a consequent will and here is no change in Gods will finally we answer that by all may be understood the all of the elect not of the reprobate as it is Rom. 5.18 The free gift came upon all men to the justification of life that is in the verse following By the righteousnesse of one many are made righteous this all is many so that when he saith that God would have all to be saved the meaning is all that he purposeth to save I determine nothing which of these interpretations should be followed but leave that to every learned and judicious readers choice secure of this that which soever is preferred Gods will doth still remaine Immutable and without shaddow of change Vse 1. The use is that if the will of God be free and no cause without God can move him to will then it followes that they er re that thinke and teach that God is moved to bestow some good thing on man because he foresees some good thing in him I say this confuteth their error for if this were so then Gods will were not free but it is free therefore this is erroneous Earthly Princes cast their benefits upon those that have no desert how much more doth God who is not as earthly Princes but much more great and more free in conferring of his benefits more blessed and glorious then that he can be either engaged or recompenced and indeed what could any man doe before he was to make God his Debtor what workes could he doe that was not Ob. But God might foresee he would worke Ans If God did foresee this the Apostle Rom. 9.32 would not have cried out Oh the depth both of the wisedome and counsell of God here is no place for Pelagians and Papists they cannot see the depth of his counsell though they be so quick and acute that they can see that which the Apostle could not Saint Ambrose pressing this against the Pelagians The Apostle saith he speakes after this manner Oh the riches of his mercy then not of workes then not for foreseen workes and indeed saith Ambrose could he not well have said but of future workes or workes to come but he knew that the will of God was free Then to shut up this Saint Augustine in a case of Infants the one is baptized the other not the one is saved the other not I demand saith he why God did save the one and destroy the other will you say it was because he did foresee the one would be good and the other evill this would be injustice in God to damne him for that he never did seeing he takes them away before they knew good or evill Vse 2. This teaches men that if they have any sense of Gods calling and that they are elected of God and made partakers of the grace and mercy of God not to be puffed up because it is the free will of God that hath chosen them the more any man hath received of God the more indebted he is and should learn to be the more humble let no man advance himselfe against another what
done yet God hath done it and we must rest satisfied that it is just hath God made vessels of honour and dishonour the Apostle teacheth us in these cases to answer objections with this Rom. 11.33 Oh the greatnesse and riches of the wisedome and knowledge of God c. how secret are his judgements and his wayes past finding out it is enough for us to stand amazed at them not to enquire into them Secondly if any aske further Why did he so the answer is Rom 9.14 that there is no unrighteousnesse with God These two things Saint Austin used to answer to the Pelagians I have this answer saith the Father Oh the deepenesse both of the wisdome and mercy of God c and if you will be wrangling yet I answer further Rom. 9.14 There is no unrighteousnesse with God and if you will know any more seeke you other teachers but beware you doe not finde presumptuous men that will take upon them to search Gods counsell happily here may be other Objections as this Quest Is it just seeing all men are concluded under sinne that God should free some men from sinne and leave other men in sinne how should this stand with Gods justice Answ To this I answer If God did free some men from punishment without satisfaction then he could not be just but when he frees none but those for whom he is fully satisfied his justice is not impaired It is true indeede that no man satisfies for himselfe nor could finde out a means of satisfaction but it was Grace not injustice for God out of the greatnesse of his mercy and wisdome to finde out a meanes to satisfie his justice which they that had sinned could never have thought of It was free for him to send his Sonne to redeeme some therefore the Apostle saith that our forgivenesse is of mercy but Iohn saith of justice 1 Iohn 4.9 God is faithfull and just to forgive us our sinnes the reason is from the 7. verse Because the blood of Iesus Christ his sonne hath cleansed us from all sinne and so he doth it for justice and not without mercy It is true his election was free in respect of man Justification was free in respect of man but it was grace that found out a meanes to save some and yet because he would have his justice satisfied he sent his Son that he might dye for them he would save Quest Happily some will say this seemes to he injustice that God should punish his wicked servants and also punish them upon the back of his dutifull Son Answ To this I answer with Saint Chrysostome true it is that to the righteousnesse of mans justice it seemes he doth injustice that for wicked servants doth give to death a good Sonne but saith the Father this is the admirable pietie that the greatnesse of his justice exceeded mans reason though this justice hath a shew of injustice to man that God should lay the sinnes of others upon him yet was it just because their sinnes were accounted his he was the mediator the head and husband of his Church and therefore for God to require their sinnes of him was no injustice Their sinnes were made his 1 Cor. 5.21 He that knew no sinne was made sinne for us a sacrifice for sinne Not to stand upon this our sinnes are all laid upon his score here mercy and justice kisse each other mercy in this that he found out a meanes to satisfie justice in this that he would have satisfaction And this he laid upon Christ because he willingly and freely tooke our sinnes upon him Vse 2. This doth manifest that there is a judgement of the last day wherein God will judge the world and so answers that objection against the justice of God which sometimes stumbled David Psa 73. Ierem 12.2 3. that the godly have their wayes hedged with thornes and are in much affliction but what is the estate of the wicked Now they have the Pipe and the Harpe and are in a prosperous and florishing estate c. Well amongst many other things that may be answered there is a day wherein he will judge them though now sometimes the Lord defers their punishment yet he is not unjust as one saith well that that is deferred is not taken away forbearance is no quittance God will justly reward both the good and wicked in a fit opportunity Quest Why doth he deferre the punishment of the wicked Answ Because by this meanes he would draw them to goodnesse or make his forbearance a greater meanes of their condemnation And so he deferres to recompence his owne because he would try their faith and constancy and goodnesse so that by this meanes they are more established in goodnesse wheras other men perish ease slayeth the foolish there are many secret sinnes that lye in good men that God oftentimes by these meanes makes them to finde out Of the wicked saith Saint Austin some are punished in this life and that but a few because he reserves them for an eternall punishment So then it is manifest there must be a day wherein God will judge the world and though the Lord spares the wicked it is no good to them nor mercy and it is not against justice to spare them that he might when he comes makes his justice more apparant afterwards so that there must needes be a judgement to come Vse 3. Is God just this is to awaken the secure and drowsie professor and also the carefull Christian though he must go through evill reproofes and slanders yet God is just howsoever he can call for nothing at his justice by merit desert yet by promise he may let him lay hold upon the promises and they should stay and strengthen his heart On the other side justice should make all carnall men to remember that they must come to give an account God should be unjust if he should not recompence the wayes and workes of every man therefore these men should be awakened out of that security wherein they are doe not thou thinke that thou hast lost thy good workes and thy practice of godlinesse shall goe unrewarded God is just in his promise on the other side if thou hast done wicked workes though God doth not come presently to punish them presume not of impunity if God be God certainly those sinnes which thou hast committed when thou wast a youth when thou wast a servant when thou wast a master shall not goe unpunished for God is just When the act is ceased and gone it may be thou thinkest thy sinne is gone it is not so the act is ceased the guilt remains still and God will call every worke to judgement every worke good and bad therefore labour that thou never forget it unlesse thou doe undoe it by repentance this should make every man carefull and watchfull over his wayes as Saint Bernard saith God hath two feet Mercy and Justice there be two signes of these feet in the heart of man feare
and hope feare because God is just hope because God is mercifull sometimes the heart is fearfull then there is the image of his justice and sometimes there is hope and then there is the image of his mercy kisse not one alone and imbrace not one alone imbrace not mercy without justice lest thou grow secure nor justice without mercy lest thou despaire keepe both these together and they shall keepe thee in the feare and love of God We conclude then that this is an incouragement to the godly and a discouragement to the wicked 2 Cor. 10.11 We must all appeare before the judgement seat of Christ we therefore saith the Apostle knowing the terrors of the Lord perswade men that is seeing God is just we labour to awaken men we intreat men we encourage men in good we disswade men from sinne c. therefore brethren knowing that God will bring every thing to judgement let us breake off our sinnes seeing he hath appointed a time wherein he will judge the world he commands every man every where to repent that they may take away the matter of his justice Againe what manner of men ought we to be in all holy and godly conversation in as much as we know that our labour is not in vaine in the Lord let us not be weary in well doing In one word let us not goe on in sinne for though we get the pleasure of it yet remember what followes after God is just and the wages of sinne is death it will be bitternesse in the end Let us not be discouraged from the wayes of God from proceeding on in goodnesse let us withstand the provocations of sinne then shall we have peace here and hereafter the benefit of the justice of God according to his mercifull promise to reward our well-doing in the life to come for ever OF THE ANGER OF GOD. CHAP. XIX ISAI 64.5 Behold thou art wrath for wee have sinned IN the former words as you have heard we have spoken of the Justice of God the next Attribute is the Anger of God for the ground of which we have made choyce of these words Behold thou art wrath for we have sinned and of this in the same order as before and so the first Question to be propounded is Quest What is the anger of God or of the Divine Essence Answ It is a communicable Attribute whereby he being angry with his creatures sinning justly willeth threatneth and executeth punishment upon them this is the description of Gods anger and the opening of it is after this manner First anger as it is in man a passion is not nor may be attributed to God for we say it doth not become a wise man to be angry much lesse the wise God but is attributed to God as the former that is as anger is mixed with corruption it may not be attributed to God yet generally taken it may There be two things to be considered in anger as it is in man First called the matter Secondly the forme for the matter of anger I say it is a passion naturally inflaming the bloud with desire of revenge and causes a man to goe out of himselfe in which respect it can be no way given to God because he is so simple pure that no impurity can be given to him now this proceeds from the sensuall part and so it is both in man and beast and cannot be attributed to God Secondly as it proceedes from mans will joined with detestation of evill and desire to punish evill so it may be attributed to God and of this the Prophet speakes in this place behold thou art angry for we have sinned I say that God is angry with sinne it is in this place manifest that all Gods anger is against sinne so Rom. 1.18 The wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against all ungodlinesse c. where we see that God is angry with sinne and the Apostle Paul Col. 3.5 recounts up severall sinnes as fornication wantonnesse covetousnesse c. and for such sinnes the wrath of God comes upon the children of disobedience and in the 5. Ephe. when he had reckoned up divers sins in the 6. verse he comes and saies Let no man deceive you with vain words for these things the wrath of God comes upon the children of disobedience The next thing is this whereby he is angry with his creatures justly willing and decreeing punishment it is just if he will it because his will is the rule of justice and he wills not punishment out of passion as a man doth it comes not from the sensuall appetite as it doth from man but it proceeds from Gods will averse from the creature sinning and this willing or decreeing punishment is called the anger of God and so anger is put for the decree of anger so it is taken he is a God of anger keeping wrath for his adversaries The next we say he doth not onely decree but denounce judgement so anger in the Scriptures is put for threatning of anger as Psal 6.1 Lord rebuke me not in thine anger neither chasten me c. that is doe not lay upon me that thou hast threatned in thy law where anger is not put for the decree nor the execution but for the denouncing so Matth. 3.11 and so Isai 11.9 I will not execute my fierce wrath that is I will not execute my wrath as I have declared it Again it is said he executes punishment on the wicked he declares it not onely but executeth it so anger is put for the execution of anger Matth. 3.7 Who hath forwarned you to fly from the wrath to come that is from the punishment that the anger of God hath decreed so likewise in other places 1 Thes 1. last verse He hath delivered us from wrath to come Rom. 5.9 We are saved from wrath So that this sheweth that anger is put for the execution of anger Next we say that he doth declare and execute punishment punishment is two fold it is temporall and it is eternall The punishments in this life are upon mens persons estates goods c. as is threatned Deut. 28. eternall punishments are they which are prepared for the devill and his Angels and those that are seduced by him The next thing is said he executes his law upon all offenders offenders are of two sorts Elect and Reprobate some children others servants and of these to the one he hath decreed temporall punishment onely and to the other he decrees declares pronounces executes both temporall and eternall punishments his owne are free from the eternall but the other are not free from temporall but he laies upon the wicked some temporall punishments as a revenge against impenitency yet these satisfie not his justice and therefore are followed with everlasting torments in hell fire when God takes of wicked men and Angels a full and just revenge because they have not satisfied his justice chastisements God laies upon his owne but not everlasting
lighted two things the light and the fire if the question be what is the cause of the light the answer must be fire but if we should aske whether the light or heat were first we could answer they are both together if it may be thus in the creature how much more in the creator Vse 2. This in the next place commends unto us the love of Christ though he was God and equall to God the Father though he was the eternall and infinite God yet he became our redeemer the worke doth not so much commend his love as the manner of the working if comparisons may be here modestly admitted it seemes there is a greater love that Christ doth manifest then the Father c. the Father sheweth his love in appointing and sending and giving but the Sonne gives himselfe for us the Fathers love is apparent Isai 45.4.5 I will give men for thee c. where God shewes his love to the intent saith the Lord that I might free thee I put thee into their hands yet what are these these are nothing in comparison of his love in redeeming his elect he put his owne Sonne into his enemies hands so we may see Iohn 3.16 So God loved the world Rom. 5. God sets forth his love that when we were enemies Christ died for us Yet notwithstanding see the greatnesse of the love of Christ in this he being God humbleth himselfe to the lowest degree that he might redeem his as first he tooke flesh Secondly he dies c. Now all this is grounded upon this that he being God humbleth himselfe laying aside all his glory to the death of the crosse What shall I say what could he have done more this amplifies the love of Christ to give himselfe freely there was no necessity of nature or sinne compelled him but meerly voluntarily that he might redeem us Saint Augustine saith doe you thinke that the spears could have pearced him unlesse he himselfe had suffered it as he saith Matth. 26. I could intreat my Father and he could give me more then twelve legions of Angels but yet he being the mighty Sonne of God laies all aside and puts on all basenesse what of all this this should provoke us to thankfullnesse as David in 116. Psal to say What shall I render to Christ for all his benefits Israel when they were delivered out of Egypt and passed the red seas sung a song c. if such a small thing required this what doth this that we are delivered from sinne and Sathan require It is not enough that we sing songs and speake good words but let Christ have his end for which he hath redeemed us what is his end Luke 1. That we should serve him in holinesse and righteousnesse all the daies of our lives let us give our selves to his service and feare 2 Sam. 19.9 There the people reason after this manner David hath delivered us out of the hand of our enemies and shall we be slack thus we should speake to our hearts hath Christ delivered us from death and the thraldome of Sathan and shall we be slack in giving honour to Christ Ezra 9.13.14 the people reason thus that being delivered say they shall we turn back again c. how then should every one speake to his owne heart thou hast tasted of this and shall I turne backe againe and transgresse against Christ therefore learne to remember what the Apostle saith Titus 2.14 He hath redeemed us a people to himselfe to be zealous of good workes and thou that condemnest well ordered zeale thou hast no dram of religion in thee for no true zeale no religion thou criest out of zeale thou art a slave to Sathan still therefore let every man bring forth righteousnesse and deny ungodlinesse and live soberly in this presen world walking and glorifying God here that we may be glorified of him hereafter OF GOD THE HOLY GHOST CHAP. XXVII JOHN 15.26 The spirit of truth which proceeds from the faber he shall c THE third person of the Trinity is the holy Ghost Quest What is the holy Ghost Answ He is the third person of the Diety proceeding from the Father and the Sonne sanctifying the elect The thing that is described is the spirit which in the Scriptures signifies many things it may be reduced to these heads I will but name them First it hath relation to the creature Secondly to the creator as it hath relation to the creature the word signifies many things I will but name them sometimes it signifies power sometimes the soule of man sometimes the life of beasts sometimes Angels sometimes naturall motions in the heart of man and divers others which I passe over In respect of the creator it hath a double signification and it is taken Essentially and personally Essentially and so all the three persons of the Trinity are said to be a spirit according to this we have it Iohn 4.24 God is a spirit where the whole Diety is put under the name of spirit Secondly it is taken personally in the Diety concerning whom spirit may signifie two things either the person or the gifts the person it selfe it is manifest in this place the spirit that proceeds from the Father the gifts and graces of the spirit 2 Kings 2.19 Let thy spirit be double upon me So Numb 7.11 1 Thes 5.19 Quench not the spirit understanding it of the grace of the spirit againe I say the third person I need not stand upon that to shew that it is a person common to him with the other all persons are distinct one from another really and truly he is a person distinct three waies in order in property and working in order he is the third person in property he proceeds from the Father and the Son in working sanctifying the elect the Father is the first not in time not in dignity but in order so the Son the second and so the holy Ghost the third we adde the third person in the Diety that we may have occasion to manifest that he is God as well as the other that he is God there may be many testimonies Samuel 27.23 David the sweet singer of Israel the Lord God spake by me the Lord said that that is in the former the Lord and God in the next is said to be the spirit Acts 5.34 Peter said to Ananias why have you lied to the holy Ghost and in the fourth verse You have not lied to men but unto God that in 1 Gor. 3.16 You brethren are the temples of God and the holy Ghost dwelleth in you temples of God and temples of the holy Ghost both one The next thing I say is the third person proceeding from the Father and the Sonne his property is proceeding he is as Athanasius Creed hath it not made not begotten but proceeding That he doth proceed from the Father and the Sonne appeares first by these places that he is affirmed to be the Spirit of the Father and the Sonne
they instance when he ascended up on high he led captivity captive and gave gifts unto men but then he gave the spirit therefore it meanes the gifts not the person of the spirit Answ True he then gave gifts but what gifts not the gifts of sanctification but the gifts of tongues which is spoken of in Acts 2. and so notwithstanding this it is manifest that he is God from eternity Vse 3. This teaches how we ought and how we may beleeve truly in the holy Ghost namely to beleeve in him as God the third person proceeding from the Father and the Sonne sanctifying the elect he that changes any thing of this description cannot beleeve in him aright as he that beleeves in the holy Ghost as God yet as begotten but not proceeding beleeves not aright Object But some will say unto me why may we not say that the holy Ghost is begotten as well as the Sonne when as begetting is receiving the whole Essence by communication and what is proceeding but receiving the whole Essence by communication and why doe we say the Son is begotten and the holy Ghost proceeds Answ To this I answer as Saint Chrysostome did that which is not written thou oughtest not thinke or speake if thou finde it any where written then thou maiest if not thou maiest not amongst many things Saint Augustine observes two in this misery why should not we say that the holy Ghost is begotten he answers because the second person is said to be the Sonne yea the onely begotten Sonne therefore I dare not goe from that to ascribe the begetting to any other besides it is said that the holy Ghost proceeds he goes on to this purpose if any aske Quest How doth begetting and proceeding differ Answ I answer that they doe differ I am sure but how I know not Againe what is the difference to be begotten and to proceed I am insufficient to speak or expresse Nazianzen presses the point well tell me saith he what is to be begotten and I will tell thee what is proceeding and yet if either shall undertake to doe this by searching into it we may be both mad and lose our wits therefore we say the Father is of himself not from another the Son is of the Father alone by way of begetting the holy Ghost from them both by way of proceeding And if this seemes strange saith Nazianzen take an Image of it There is Adam Seth Evah Adam not begotten Seth begotten Evah proceeding from Adam there was one begotten that was Seth and there was one proceeding that was Evah and one begetting that was Adam in a word thus we are to believe of the personall Essence of the third person in trinity the holy Ghost Vse 4. It followes in the description he sanctifies the elect therefore this admonishes every prophane man that scoffes at purity to see and repent of this prophanesse because purity is the worke of the holy Ghost what doe you then deride when you mock at purity tell me whom thou mockest at even at the holy Ghost I say thou scoffer at purity and holines whatsoever thou art thou scoffest at the spirit of God Pro. 17. He that mocks the poore derides him that made him So I say to thee that mockest the pure that are made holy c. thou mockest the holy Ghost that made him pure and thou maiest be said in a sort to commit a sinne against the holy Ghost I say not that unpardonable sin but a sinne against his personall worke of holinesse I am sure this one thing doth make manifest that thou art not sealed by the spirit of promise and redemption even thy mocking at holinesse which is his worke know then for certaine the more base that holinesse is in thy sight the more base thou art in the sight of Gods spirit better had it beene for thee that thou hadst been made the most venomous creature on the face of the earth then that thou shouldest not be made holy by this sanctifying spirit of God pray then if it be possible the thoughts of thy heart and the words of thy mouth might be forgiven thee for thou hast not spoken against holy men only but the holy spirit of God as often as thou haft spoken against holinesse Vse 5. Here is matter of comfort Is holinesse the worke of the spirit which is God is holinesse begun as in truth here is but the beginning of it here is but the earnest the first fruits is it so that thou wrestlest with thy corruptions thou wouldest and yet thou canst not be perfect comfort thy selfe it is certaine that he will perfect it in his own time Philip. 1.6 Certainely he that hath begun this good worke will perfect it although we have many weakenesses as the Apostle cries out Oh! wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death c. when he fights with infidelity and with lust and cannot overcome it yet here is the comfort I say it againe here is the comfort he hath given thee that grace by which thou resistest and by which thou shalt overcome evill onely remember this he will perfect it as thou couldst not teach him how hee should begin grace in thee so thou must not teach him how or when to perfect it in thee howsoever in the meane time thou criest out miserable man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of sinne if thou hunger and thirst after righteousnesse he will perfect it but thou must continue wrastling till the change of the body come and who would not wrastle for so holy a prise Vse 6. Lastly we note the blasphemy of the Pelagians and Papists when they tell us of falling away from grace here is manifestly the contrary It is the spirits worke to make the elect holy will he be wanting in his owne worke away with such blasphemies from us let us serve the providence of God for our perseverance by attending upon the word and Sacraments here and he will in part sanctifie us here and will not leave us untill he hath perfectly sanctified us throughout the whole soule and body and spirit at the day of appearing of the Lord Jesus And thus much in speciall of the third person in Trinity the holy Ghost as also in generall of the description we gave of God in his owne nature A Table of the Contents A AEternity of God what 91. God is Aeternall 92. Therefore lives to reward the good and bad 93. c. Afflictions how signes of Gods love 196. 197 Anger of God what 212. 217. In Anger two things 213 Anger is and why it may be given to God 216 Anger is not simply evill 219 Anger in God incensed by sin 220 Anger appeased by removing sinne 221 Iudgements sometimes removed in Anger 223 Atheisme confuted 55 Atheisme ground of humiliation 56 Ascent to God is of God 179 Anthropomorphites confuted 74 Approbation of man not to be rested in 118 B