is immutably true in regard of his gifts and graces In the Father of Lights there is no variablenesse nor shadow of change Jam. 1.17 Where if you take the word Father either essentially or personally this Truth standeth firme That the Father is immutably true in regard of his gifts and graces Secondly the Sonne is immutably true in regard of his gifts and graces Rev. 3.7 Jesus Christ the same yesterday and to day and for ever Heb. 13.8 He is the true and faithfull witnesse Rev. 3.14 Thirdly the Holy-Ghost is immutably true He is the Spirit of Truth Joh. 14.17 Joh. 15.26 who will guide us into all truth Joh. 16.13 The word which the Holy-Ghost speaketh must needs be fulfilled Act. 1.16 The Father the Word and the Spirit therefore are one true God who is true in himselfe and immutably true in all his Promises to his Church and people CHAP. XIV The Father the Sonne and the Holy-Ghost are one living God LIfe is essentially proper to God Deut. 32.40 He onely hath immortalitie 1 Tim. 6.16 He hath his life and essence of himselfe and is therefore stiled him thaâ— liveth for ever Dan. 4.34 The Creatures have their being from him who is their Creator their preserver Act. 17.28 In him they live and move and have their being The Lord is the Saviour of all men 1 Tim. 4.10 preserving their corporall life and delivering their bodies from danger and also preserving the Spirituall life of his Saints to his heavenly Kingdome 2 Tim. 4.18 and delivereth not onely their bodies but also their soules from spirituall death and eternall destruction And surely the Father the Sonne and the Holy-Ghost have life First the Father hath life Joh. 5.26 he is the living God Mat. 16.16 Joh. 6.69 Secondly the Sonne hath life in himselfe Joh. 5.26 Life indeed was given to him as he was a Mediatour of his Church but in him is life Joh. 1.4 and that of himselfe as God and therefore Christ who is Jehovah so Isaiah calleth him sweareth as he liveth Isa 45.25 with Rom. 14.10.11 Job acknowledgeth that his Redeemer liveth Joh. 19.25 yea he is the living God for the faithfull are the Church of the living God 1 Tim. 3.15 but the Church is Christs Cant. 2.16 Cant. 6.3 Ephes 5.27 He is life Joh. 14.6 and our life Col. 3.4 Thirdly the Holy-Ghost hath life in himselfe he is the incorruptible Spirit Wisd 12.1 he is the living God for the faithfull who are said to be the temples of the Holy-Ghost 1 Cor. 6.19 are said to be Temples of the living God 2 Cor. 6.16 Because the Holy-Ghost who is the living God dwelleth in them as in his Temple The Spirit is life Rom. 8.10 First he is the life of the soule regenerating it Secondly he is the life of the body quickning it and raising it up Rom. 8.11 Thus the Father the Sonne and the Holy-Ghost is Jer. 10.10 the living God Hu Elohim Caiim which we cannot expresse in English there being one word singular and another plurall joyned with Elohim a word of the plurall number ipse Dii viventes Hu or He there is the unitie Elohim Caiim living Gods there is the pluralitie of Persons life being essentially proper to the Father to the Sonne and to the Holy-Ghost who though three persons yet are but one living God CHAP. XV. The Father the Sonne and the Holy-Ghost are glorious GLorie as also Life Wisedome Truth Goodnesse Holynesse c. are the essence of God These in creatures are accidents and qualities but in the Creatour in whom there are no accidents but whatsoever is in him is his essence these therefore are his essence Moses desireth to see Gods glory Exod. 33.18 the Lord answering telleth him Exod. 33.20 Thou canst not see my face for there shall no man see me and live intimating that his face or essence or glorie are all one and so it is in all other of his Attributes Glorie belongeth onely to God to whom we are to ascribe it as most due yea onely due Math. 6.13 1 Tim. 1.17 There is in God both a Personall and an essentiall glorie First there is in God a Personall glorie as First the Fathers glorie is to beget the Sonne Joh. 17.5 Secondly the Sonnes glorie is to be begotten of the Father Joh. 1.14 and to be equall with him Phil. 2.6 Thirdly the Holy-Ghosts glorie is to proceed from both and to be equall with both Secondly there is in God an essentiall glorie which is not appropriated to any Person of the Deitie but is common to all three Persons and thus glorie is taken two wayes First improperly for that worship and honour which the Church of God ascribe to him both by praying to him and praysing of him which is the same with our gloryfying of God and of this God speaketh Isai 42.7 I will not give my glorie to another but of this hereafter Secondly more properly for that excellent Nature that is in God who is glorious in himselfe and also glorious in his gifts and graces which he giveth to his Church this is essentially proper to the Father to the Sonne and to the Holy-Ghost First the Father hath glorie in himselfe and giveth glorie to his Church he prepareth a kingdome for the faithfull Mat. 25.34 and it is his good pleasure to give it them Luke 12.32 he is the Father of glorie Eph. 1.17 Secondly the Sonne hath glorie in himselfe Joh. 2.11 Mat. 19.28 Joh. 12.41 Jude verse 24. and he giveth glorie to the faithfull Joh. 17.22 Joh. 14.2 and he is the Lord of glorie 1 Cor. 2.8 Thirdly the Holy-Ghost hath glorie in himselfe who both prepareth glorie for the faithfull and also prepareth the faithfull for glorie and is the Spirit of glorie 1 Pet. 4.14 The Father the Sonne and the Holy-Ghost are one glorious Lord God who hath glorie essentially proper to him and doth give grace and glorie to the faithfull Psal 84.11 who is stiled First the God of glorie Act. 7.2 in regard of that glorie which he hath in himselfe and of himselfe Secondly the King of glorie Psal 24. in regard of that glorie he giveth to his Church CHAP. XVI The Father the Sonne and the Holy-Ghost are blessed BLessednesse is an essentiall propertie of God who hath blessednesse in himselfe and of himselfe being free from all evill of all sorts whatsoever and aboundeth with all kind of Good he perfectly knoweth and certainely enjoyeth his owne blessednesse he to and for himselfe is sufficient and needeth no helpe of any Psal 16.2 Job 22.3 Job 35.6 7. Rom. 11.35 Psal 50.7 8.9 10.11 12. God is debtor to none men and Angels owe all that they have unto him He is the blessed God 1 Tim. 1.16 2 Tim. 6.15 First the Father is blessed for evermore 2 Cor. 11.31 so the high Priest acknowledged him Marke 14.61 Secondly the Sonne is blessed for ever Rom. 9.5 the children of the Jewes so acknowledged him Mar. 11.9 10. yea saith the Psalmist
Holy-Ghost doe it by gain-saying his Word not by frustrating his Worke for he convinceth the World either to conversion or confusion He punished Ananias by Peter Act. 5.5 and Elymas by Paul who is then expressely said to be full of the Holy-Ghost Act. 13.9 10. He casteth these Sinners that doe despite unto him Heb. 10.29 into eternall punishment He that blaspemeth the Holy-Ghost shall never be forgiven in this world nor in the world to come Mat. 12.32 33. Mar. 3.29 Surely there is not the like said of the Father or of the Sonne yea our Saviour saith the contrary of sinnes committed against himselfe not as if the Holy-Ghost were greater then the Father or the Sonne but onely equall with them in Majestie and in glorie This Sinne is not onely against his Person but against his operation and working It being a sinne against the light of illumination which he terminatively worketh in them A sinne against the Father is remitted by the blood of the Sonne which washeth away all sinne 1 Joh. 1.7 and a sinne against the Sonne is done away by the worke of the Spirit who applyeth the Merrits of Christ to every penetent Soule by faith purifying their hearts Act. 15.9 but if the sinne be against the Holy-Ghost and against his Workes by falling away from his graces Heb. 6.4 5. by grieving this holy Spirit Eph. 4.30 and by maliciously opposing and blasphemously doing despite to the Spirit of grace Heb. 10.29 All hope of obtaining pardon is quite cut off for there is no fourth Person to cure this Apostatizing relapse and the Worke cannot be wrought backward for the Spirit proceedeth from the Father and the Sonne in regard of his Personalitie worketh also from them both who also begin that Worke which he terminateth which he perfecteth in us Now the Spirit worketh neither by the Father nor by the Sonne as the Sonne is God though he worketh by him as I shall have occasion to shew as he is the Sonne of man wherefore where the Spirit applyeth not the blood of Christ there is no remission of sinnes for there is neither faith nor repentance wrought in that mans heart by the Spirit of God who terminateth and perfecteth those graces which also the Father and the Sonne worketh with him in the hearts of every true beleever This sinne therefore is also against the Father and the Sonne and not onely against the Holy-Ghost but because it is more immediately against his worke therefore it is said to be against the Holy-Ghost who together with the Father and the Sonne punisheth this Apostasie by giving up such a wretch to his owne hearts lust and by delivering him up to a reprobaâ—e sense Thus Father Sonne and Holy-Ghost are coworkers in this Worke namely in judging the earth and in punishing the World which the Lord doth manifest when he was about to cast Adam and Eve out of Paradice for God saith the man is become like one of us Gen. 3.22 which cannot be spoken where there is but one Person againe in the destruction of Babel and confusion of Languages the Lord saith Gen. 11.7 Câ—me ye and let us goe downe and let us confound their Laâ—guages where the Father speaketh to the Sonne and to the Holy-Ghost Besides confusion of Languages is no worke of the Creature but a Worke proper to God alone which is spoken in the plurall Number Let us goe downe and let us confound them and yet to shew the unitie it is Jehovah who is one did scatter and confound them Gen. 11.8 9. Moses relating that action in the singular Number which God himselfe speaketh of plurally it being the worke of one God in three Persons to effect this Worke Moreover the Psalmists phrase is remarkeable Psal 58.11 Jesh Elohim Shophedim est dii judicantes word for word one word singular and another plurall is joyned with Elohim a word of the plurall number intimating the unitie of that one God in Essence and Trinitie of Persons that judge the earth Oh that men would sing Halelujah and give praise to â—od for his worke And surely the first time that Halâ—lujah is used in the Old Testament is Psal 104. last whâ—re consuming of sinners is mentioned as in the New Testament it is first used in Rev. 19. where the destruction of Antichrist that man of sinne is foretold Thus you may see the Father the Sonne and the Holy-Ghost is that one God that effecteth these Workes which extend Generally to all The second Section CHAP. I. The Workes of God which doe concerne the Lord Jesus the Head of the Church were wrought by the Father the Sonne and the Holy-Ghost AS the Father the Sonne and the Holy-Ghost did effect these common Workes which extend generally to all so also they effect these speciall Works which reach onely to the Church of God which are of two sorts for First they are such Workes which God alone worketh in regard either of Christ the Head of the Church Or Secondly of the Church which is the Bodie of Christ First these Workes which are wrought in regard of Christ the Head of the Church as namely First Christs Incarnation Secondly his Attestation Thirdly his Vocation Fourthly his miraculous Opperations Fifthly his Death and Passion for the sinnes of the World Sixtly his Resurrection Seventhly his Assention were wrought by the Father the Sonne and the Holy-Ghost The Scriptures doe manifest the Sonne and the Holy-Ghost to be God equall with the Father by ascribing to them these Workes equall with the Father CHAP. II. Incarnation of the Word was a Worke of the Father of the Sonne and of the Holy-Ghost THe Incarnation of the Word is a Worke of God it is inchoative an Essentiall Worke of God common to the whole Trinitie though terminative it is terminated perfected and consummated in the Sonne of God whose Personall Worke it was to be made flesh Joh. 1.14 and to have two Natures Divine and Humane united in one Person who as he was the Sonne of God was eternally begotten of his Father but as he was the Sonne of man he was borne of a Woman in the fulnesse of time Gal. 4.4 To us a Childe is borne Isai 9.6 and therefore man to us a Sonne is given of God and so he is God The efficient cause of Christs Incarnation is the whole Trinitie God sent him Joh. 3.34 He raised up this great Prophet Deut. 18.15.18 the Lord pitched this Tabernacle and not man Heb. 8.2 First the Father prepareth a Body for him Heb. 10.5 He sent his Sonne made of a Woman Gal. 4.4 Mat. 10.40 After all his Servants he sent unto them his Sonne saying they will reverence my Sonne Mat. 21.37 Mar. 12.6 Luk. 20.13 and our Saviour telleth us he that honoureth not the Sonne honoureth not the Father that sent him Joh. 7.23 Secondly the Sone which as God made all things Joh. 1.3 made also his owne Body for he emptyed himselfe and tooke on him the forme of a servant
determined to be done Act. 4.27 28. Secondly the Sonne gave himselfe for us Tit. 2.14 He gave himselfe for us to redeeme us from all iniquitie Gal. 1.4 He gave himselfe for his Church that he might sanctifie it and clense it Mat. 20.28 1 Tim. 2.6 He gave his life a raâ—some for many Heb 9.14 He offered up himselfe Col. 2.20 He loved me saith Paul and gave himselfe for me Joh. 10.17.18 He laid down his life of himselfe Thirdly through the Holy-Ghost this Worke was done Heb. 19.14 Christ through the Eternall Spirit offered himselfe He sent him to doe this Worke Luk. 4.18 19. This Worke though it was consummated perfected and terminated by the Sonne of God when his soule did make an offering for Sinne Isai 53.10 So the Translators render it in the Margent it being terminatively wrought by Christ yet inchoactively it was the Worke of the whole Trinitie and so Isa 53.10 The Lord shall make his soule an offering for sinne And thus the Translators render it in the Text the Originall will beare either neither of them is contrary to the Analogie of faith for Christ suffered and dyed for the sinnes of the World by the common decree of the Father the Sonne the Holy-Ghost which was their essensiall and common Worke Act. 2.23 He was delivered by the determinate Counsell and fore-knowledge of God whom the Jewes tooke and by wicked hands crucified and did slay It being a worke of love to Man in God but a Worke of malice to Christ in the Jewes CHAP. VII The raising of Christs Body from death was a Worke of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Holy-Ghost THe Resurrection of Christ or raising up of his Body was a Worke of God Act. 3.15 Rom. 10.9 Act. 10.40 Act. 2.32 Rom. 4.24 Act. 4.10 It required a Divine power to effect this Where the Lord Jesus may be considered either First essentially as he is one Essence with the Father and the Holy-Ghost so he raiseth and is not raised Secondly Personally and that First as he is the Sonne of Man and so he is raised Mat. 17.22 23. Luk. 9.22 and raiseth not Secondly as he is the second Person in the Trinitie which was made flesh Joh. 1.14 and thus he is raised Luk. 9.21 and did rise againe Luk. 18.33 yea did raise up himselfe Joh. 2.19 The resurrection of Christ from the dead is attributed to the whole Christ and yet is was actively wrought according to his Divinitie and passively according to his Humanitie This Doctrine was mightily explauded by Philosophy who thought Paul to be a Babler and setter forth of strange Gods because he preached Christs Resurrection Acts 17. but Christians doe know by the Word First the Father raiseth him Gal. 1.1 1 Thes 1. last Rom. 6.4 Rom. 8.11 Act. 13.33 Secondly the Sonne raiseth himselfe Joh. 2.19 1 Pet. 3.16 2 Cor. 13.4 1 Cor. 15.12 Joh 10 17 18. I have power to lay down my life and I have power to take it up where he seemeth to compare his life to a garment that he can take up and lay down at his pleasure It was not possible that Death should hold him by force Thirdly the Holy-Ghost raiseth him Rom. 1.4 The Father therefore raiseth the Sonne by the Sonne and the Sonne raiseth himselfe by the Spirit of Sanctification whereby he is declared to be the Sonne of God where therefore the Scripture ascribeth the raising of Christ from the dead to the Father it excludeth not the power of the Sonne and Holy-Ghost but sheweth the Identitie or samenesse of Will Power Operation in them Where if Christ had not dyed we could not have lived and if he had not risen againe we had slept for ever but loe the Dragon is vanquished and the Lamb is victorious the Lord of life grapling with Death foiled him in his owne Territories He brake all the Prisons of death and unfettered all his fellowes If when Christ was borne old Simeon was willing to dye Luk. 2.27 how willingly ought we to dye that know Christ is risen from the dead and become the first fruites of them that sleepe 1 Cor. 15.20 Seeing that the first fruites differ onely in maturity from the time of the Harvest Let an Infidell sorrow immoderately for his friend that is dead as for a man without hope and let an unbeleever bewaile the misery of his dying soule but we have not so learned Christ Eph. 4.20 Christ who is the Key of our resurrection hath raised himselfe and opened a way for us to follow Heb. 10.20 CHAP. VIII The lifting up of Christs body into Heaven or his ascention was the Worke of Father Sonne and Holy-Ghost THe Ascention of Christ or the lifting up his body into Heaven is a worke of God None but the Lord did receive him into glory 1 Tim. 4 16. and did set him at his owne right hand in heavenly places First it was a Worke of the Father not onely to raise him from the dead but by lifting up his body to to set him at his owne right hand Eph. 1.20 Secondly it was a worke of the Sonne to ascend into Heaven so the Psalmist foresheweth Psal 68.18 and the Apostle affirme Eph. 4.8 1 Pet. 3.22 and Christ himselfe witnesseth Joh. 20.17 Joh. 3.13 Joh. 16.15 As man he was taken up into heaven Mar. 16.19 Act. 1.9.11 and was set at Gods right hand which posture of his imployeth First resting from his labours Secondly raigning as a King Thirdly judging as a Judge but as he was also God so he lifted up his owne body Psal 68.18 He assended by his owne power He that did at the first make Joh. 1.3 and doth still support all things by his power Heb. 1.13 did likewise exalt himselfe and ascend above all things by the power of himselfe who used a cloud rather to magnifie his Divinitie Psal 104.3 in his riding theteon Psal 68 4. and commanding it then for any assistance he received from it He supporteth the cloud the cloud of itselfe could not support him Thirdly it was a Worke of the Holy-Ghost He led Christ into the Wildernesse Mar. 1.12 Mat. 4.1 Luk. 4.1 He translated the bodies of the faithfull from place to place 1 King 18.12 Act. 8.39 He who formed Christs body in the Virgins Wombe Mat. 1.18 20. Luk. 1.33 who raised up his body out of the grave Rom. 1.4 did also exalâ— his body into heaven who was exalted by the right hâ—nd of God Act. 2.33 Now the Spirit of God is called the Finger of God Luk. 11.20 with Mat. 12.28 The Hand of God Act. 11.21 Ezek. 8.1 Ezek. 1.3 Ezek. 3.14 yea Peter Act. 2.33 doth distinguish this right hand of God from the Father and therefore it cannot be taken personally for him where if it be used Essentially the Holy-Ghost is necessarily included but if Personally the Holy-Ghost is then there described to be him by whom Christ was exalted Father Sonne and Holy-Ghost doe co-operate as they are three
worship which the proud Spirit would have Christ Matth. 4. given him he giveth to Christ fearefully servilely forcedly Mar. 5. Thirdly Angels are ministring Spirits sent forth at the Holy-Ghosts command So Luke sheweth Act. 10. Cornelius sending men to Peter at the command of an Angel yet the Holy-Ghost is said to send them Act. 10.20 He sent that Angel to warne Comelius who is said to be warned from God by an holy Angel Act. 10.22 it being God the Holy-Ghost as I have shewed that sent him An Angel is by him imployed as a messenger to direct Philip to Gaza Act. 8.26 Where the Holy-Ghost as the Syriack expressely sheweth imployeth Philip in preaching to the Eunuch Act. 8.29 yea the Angels worship the Holy-Ghost for he that sent Isaiah was worshiped of Angels Isa 6.2 3 9. That this was the Holy-Ghost who sent him Paul a witnesse beyond exceptions testifieth it Act. 28.25 and Isaiah himself averreth it Isa 48.16 The Father the Sonne and the Holy-Gost are of one and the same Divine Essence and Nature having one and the same Religious worship given them of Angels And surely those who have Divine worship given them of the Holy Angels may be worshiped of the Faithfull for they direct us to God as the onely object of Religious adoration and Divine worship Rev. 19.10 Rev. 22.9 who is alone worthy of worship and honour and is onely religiously to be served and obeyed as of Angels so of men CHAP. IV. We are to obey and serve Father Sonne and Holy-Ghost WE are to obey the Lord and serve him with all our heart and with all our soule Deu. 10.12 It was Samuels command to Israel that they should serve the Lord-onely 1 Sam. 7.5 and Israels commendation by Samuel that they served the Lord onely 1 Sam. 7.4 It is the honour which he requireth of us and which he will not give to another this obedience he accounteth for sacrince Heb. 13.16 yea he preferreth it before sacrifice 1 Sam. 15.22 It was the sinne of the Idolatrous Gentiles to give the Lords service to Devils 1 Cor. 10. and to serve the creature more then the Creator Rom 1.25 whenas they yeilded obedience and did service to them which by nature are no Gods Gal. 4.8 we who are dehorted from being the servants of men are exhorted to serve and obey the Father the Sonne and the Holy-Ghost First the Father is to be obeyed and served And herein we have the example of Christ who was in the forme of God and equall with God in regard of his Divine Nature yet taking on him the forme of a servant he humbled himself and as Man became obedient Phil. 2.6 7 8. or as the Apostle expresseth it Heb. 5.8 Though a Sonne â—et learned he obedience Obedience being not due in regard of stis Divine Nature but he barned it as Man Though he was most deare to his Father yet the Father imposeth and the Sonne willingly undergoeth both a bitter death on his body as also the wrath of God lying heavy on his soule Isa 53.4 5 6. which made his body to sweate no faint dew but solid drops of bloud Luke 22.43 and his soule as Mark expresseth it began 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be astonished with terrour and ready to dye with griefe Mar. 14.33 These unknowne sufferings felt by him not distinctly known to us made him to complaine to the Apostles Mar. 14.34 and to cry to his Father Mar. 14.36 Mar. 15.34 Heb. 5.7 And yet he for our sakes and for our example willingly obeyed and suffered And there is good reason why we should obey likewise the Father we are not our own we are his Joh. 17.16 Thine they are faith Christ of his Disciples to his Father Secondly the Sonne is to be obeyed and served It was prophesied of Christ Psal 72.11 Dan. 7.14.27 All Nations should serve him this Kingdome is given to him as the Sonne of Man Dan. 7.13 14. Luke 1.32 but it was his own as he is the Sonne of God John 16.15 The Lord Jesus is Lord of all Act. 10.36 First by right of Creation he created all John 1.2 Col. 1.16 Secondly by right of preservation he preserveth all Heb. 1.3 Col. 1.17 Thirdly by right of redemption he redeemed all his Elect Eph. 5.25 2 Tim. 2.6 1 Joh. 2.2 Fourthly by right of dominion he ruleth all Rev. 19.16 Eph. 1.22 and therefore he is surely to be obeyed and served He reproveth them that call him Lord and doe not the things that he commandeth Luke 6.46 The Israelites were commanded to obey the voyce of the Angel that went before them for Gods Name was in him Exod. 23.21 which was Jehovah Exod. 13.21 with Exod. 14.19 24. Deut. 1.31 32. even the Lord Christs 1 Cor. 10.9 God the Father being in him and he in the Father John 14.10 Joh. 10.38 And Isaias commandeth us to sanctifie the Lord God of Hoasts himselfe Let him be your feare and let him be your dread and he shall be for a Sanctuary but for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offence to both the houses of Israel Isai 8.13.14 That this Lord of Hoasts whom we are commanded to obey and serve was the Lord Jesus we have foure unerring Interpreters First Old Simeon guided by the Holy Ghost Luke 2.25 34. Secondly Christ himselfe Mat. 21.48 Luke 20.18 Thirdly Peter to whom the Gospell of Circumcision was committed 1 Pet. 2.7 and Fourthly Paul to whom the Gospel of uncircumcision was committed Rom. 9.33 all agreeing and interpreting of Christ whom we are to serve Col. 3.24 and surely there is good reason why we should obey and serve him we are not our owne we are his 1 Cor. 5.15 1 Cor. 7.22 purchased with his own bloud Acts 20.28 and we must bring into Captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ 2 Cor. 10.5 Thirdly the Holy-Ghost is to be obeyed and served Stephen complaineth of the Jewes for resisting the Holy-Ghost Acts 7.51 Ye alwayes resist the Holy-Ghost as your Fathers did so doe you Their Fathers resisted him in the Wildernesse rebelling against him and vexing him Isai 63.10 and grieving him Heb. 3.7 9 10. The Church of Antioch obey him in sending forth Paul and Barnabas Acts 13.4 who were to doe the worke he appointed them Acts 13.2 who did obey him in their travels Acts 13.4 Acts 16.6 and so did Philip Acts. 8.29 30. who being by him bid onely to goe to the Chariot of the Eunuch he ran thither And surely there is good reason why we should obey the Holy-Ghost we are not our own but his so the Apostle sheweth 1 Cor. 6.20 That this is the Holy-Ghost is evident for his we are whose Temples we are but we are the Temples of the Holy-Ghost as the Apostle did shew in the former verse whom we are to serve and obey as God in his Temple Oh let us strive to serve and obey the Father the Sonne and the Holy-Ghost whose we are in regard of all
and Sacrifice of the Law Heb. 9. Heb. 10. which in themselves were shadowes of things to come but the body of Christ Col. 2.17 without this one oblation offered by Christ all other were imperfect unsatisfactory Heb. 10.1 for the sins of mankind had so kindled the fiery wrath of God that the Bloud of Buls or of Goats or of Sheep could no longer quench it but it would have broken out into an open flame if so be that the Sonne of God had not come and extinguished it with his own bloud It being not possible that the bloud of Buls or of Goats should take away sinnes Heb. 10.4 But Christ by one offering hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified Heb. 10.12 14. Heb. 9.28 And thus he was a sacrifice for sinne yet secondly as he was the second Person of the Trinity God blessed for ever Rom. 9.5 He was equall with the Father Zac. 13.7 Phil. 2.6 and he was together with the Father sacrificed to Jaacob was commanded to goe to Bethel and build an Altar there unto God that appeared unto him Gen. 35.1 7. And Jaacob powred on the Altar he built a drink-offering and oyle Gen. 35.9 14. That this was Christ Hoseah sheweth Hos 12.4 5. when he called him an Angel yet his Name was the Lord of Hoasts The Sonne in Scripture being usually so stiled who was an Angel in Name but not in Nature Heb. 1.5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14. Heb. 2.16 He was that Angel which spake to Moses on the Mount Act. 7.38 and and commanded the Sacrifices offered to himself Thirdly to the Holy-Ghost The Attonement was made to him together with the Father and the Son who did appeare in the Cloud upon the Mercy-seat Lev. 19.2 with Heb. 9.7 8. where the Apostle doth expresly say interpreting these Leviticall Rites that it was the Holy-Ghost that signified this thereby Seeing therefore the Father the Sonne and the Holy-Ghost had one and the same honour done to them by Sacrifice in the Temple you may see that their service is one their worship one their honour one their glory one who are one and the same God in Essence Substance and Nature though they be three Persons subsistences or Relations in which they differ from one another CHAP. XVII The Father the Sonne and the Holy-Ghost are to be glorified in our lives and conversations IT is the duty of the faithfull to make Gods glory the highest and ultimate end of all their Actions and that they live so that they may glorifie God here and that God may glorifie them hereafter God electeth us for this end Eph. 1.4 5 6. He createth us for this end Isa 43 7. Pro. 16.4 He redeemeth us for this end 1 Cor. 6.20 H justifieth us for this end Rom. 3.23 He sanctifieth us for this end Mat. 5.16 He afflicteth us for this end 1 Pet. 4.16 And giveth us for this end temporall deliverance here Ps 50.15 and eternall salvation hereafter For God is glorified in his Saints 2 Thes 1.10 that has Saints may be glorified in him 2 Thes 1.12 Man being a Creature for him to propose either his own self for his end or any other end but that which God hath proposed to him namely Gods glory would be a robbing of God of his right and an usurping of his glory First the Father is to be glorified Mat. 5.16 Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorifie your Father which is in Heaven The light of grace that is in thee must so shine forth from thee that other men may have the light of grace communicated to them to see how to glorifie God thereby And Paul would have us with one mind and with one mouth glorifie God even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ Rom. 15.6 Secondly the Sonne is to be glorified Christ was glorified in his Apostles Joh. 17.10 They were to his praise and instruments of his glory It was Pauls end in living To me to live is Christ saith he Phil. 1.22 23. and Christ shall be magnified in my body whether by life or death Phi. 1.20 yea Peter exhorteth 1 Pet. 3.15 to sanctifie or glorifie the Lord God in your hearts and thereupoÌ„ addeth that they may be ashamd that accuse your good conversation in Christ 1 Pet. 3.16 by having a good conversation we glorifie Christ which is truly God 1 John 5.20 Thirdly the Holy-Ghost is to be glorified this the Apostle Peter supposeth the faithfull will doe And therefore he concludeth them happy that suffer for the Name of Christ 1 Pet. 4.14 For the spirit of glory and of God resteth on you on their part he is evill spoken of but on your part he is glorified and surely the custome of the Primitive Church before the Counsell of Nice was to worship and glorifie the holy spirit So Justin in 2. Apolog pro Christian ad M. Antonium Pium 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we worship and adore the Propheticall spirit honouring him in word and deed Thus we are to endeavour both by word and deed to glorifie the Father the Sonne and the Holy-Ghost And surely the glorifying of one Person is the glorifying of all The Leper who fell Christs feet and gave thanks to him is said to glorifie God Luk. 17.15 16. glorifying thereby not onely the Sonne but also the Father and the Holy-Ghost yea Peter sheweth you that the suffering patiently for the Name of Christ is the glorifying of the Father 1 Pet. 4.11 16. and of the Sonne 1 Pet. 3.15 16. 1 Pet. 16. and of the Holy-Ghost 1 Pet. 4.14 16. The honouring one is the honouring of the other 1 Joh. 2.23 Joh. 5.23 whereas contrarywise he that by Apostacy or Antichristianisme dishonoureth one dishonoureth the other likewise 1 Joh. 2.23 Joh. 5.23 Take heed therefore of Satans spetious delusions who would have thee honour the Father by denying the Sonne He that denyeth the Sonne the same hath not the Father 1 Joh. 2.23 but is an Antichrist 1 Joh. 2.22 he is Antichrist that denyeth the Father and the Sonne Jews Turks Arrians and other Hereticks may affirme they worship him that was the true God who was the Creator of the World but he is the Father of Christ and him they deny wherefore they deny also the Father he being not a Father if he have not a Sonne and he hath no other Sonne properly but Christ Let us indeavour in the whole course of our lives to give the Lord the honour due to his Name Let us therefore in heart and voyce give glory to the Father to the Sonne and to the Holy-Ghost and let us conclude with the Psalmist in stirring up oâ—â—â—â— to this duty saying Let every thing that hath breathâ— praise the Lord praise ye the Lord Psal 150. last FINIS Imprimator Edm. Calamy