a commandement of his Father as one equal doth of another and that was nothing else but Gods counsel and decree to send his Son to undertake as hee did and execute the office of a Mediator Secondly if by command is meant what a superior require's of his inferior then I deny your Minor true it is that it is spoken of Jesus Christ that hee received a command of his Father because in regard of the humane nature and as our Mediator hee was inferior to him the Father saith hee is greater then I am But it is no where asserted in the Scriptures that the holy Ghost was commanded by the Father shew us a text for this purpose which if it could bee don I can readily have recourse to the former Answer I may therefore retort your own words Let no man think what is spoken of Christ as hee is man and Mediator is to bee applied to the holy Ghost unless hee can first prove hee is not God ARGUMENT 7. 7 Argum. of M. Bidle Hee that is the gift of God is not God The holy Spirit is the gift of God Ergò The Minor is plain by Act. 11. 17. Forasmuch then as God gave them the like gift meaning the Spirit as hee did unto us who have beleeved on the Lord Jesus Christ was I one that could withstand God The Major though of it self sufficiently clear is further evidenced thus Hee that is not the giver of all things is not God hee that is the gift of God is not the giver of all things Ergò The Major is apparent from Acts 17. 25. God giveth to all life breath and all things The Minor is proved thus Hee that is himself given is not the giver of all things hee that is the gift of God is himself given Ergò The Major is undeniable for otherwise the same would bee the giver of all things and yet not the giver of all things inasmuch as hee himself a principal thing is given which implieth a contradiction The Minor needeth no proof Moreover a gift is in the power and at the disposal of the giver but it is gross and absurd to imagine that God can bee in the power or at the disposal of another Neither let any man here think to evade by saying That not the holy Spirit himself but onely his gifts are imparted to men since both the more learned Adversaries themselves confess that the Person of the holy Spirit is given together with his gifts and the Scripture putteth the matter out of doubt if you consult Nehem. 9. 20. and Rom. 5. 5. In both which places the holy Spirit is said to bee given contra-distinctly from his gifts and operations in the first contra-distinctly from the instruction flowing from him in the other contra-distinctly from the love of God diffused in our hearts by him Whence wee may draw this Corollarie that if the Person of the holy Spirit bee out of favor given to certain men as the aforesaid places testifie then hee was not personally present with them before and consequently by the concession of the Adversaries themselves cannot bee God since they will not deny that God is alwaies personally present with all alike But I fore-stall the following Argument ANSWER Answ This Argument might well have been spared which is brought in to increase the number and to make up a full dozen of Reasons To give and to send to bee given and to bee sent are I confess different much but mark what I say God's giving the Spirit and God's sendiug the Spirit are really one and the same God never send 's the Spirit but hee give 's the Spirit and hee never give 's the Spirit but hee freely send 's him to his servants That respective difference betwixt them make's this Argument of giving the Spirit to bee much weaker then the other of sending him as will appear by the examination of it Advers Hee that is the gift of God say you is not God because God is the giver of all things The holy Spirit is the gift of God Act. 11. 17. Sol. The Proposition if it bee generally extended to every gift of God as if you will logically dispute it ought to bee for if one were able to make an induction of every singular gift of God and if there were one particular excepted it would bee virtually false Hee that is the gift of God viz. of God the Father or God the Son is God for it is not unusual in the Scripture I must often put you in mind hereof for the name God to bee taken for the first Person of the Trinitie the second Person is called the Son of God the third Person is called the Spirit of God and the first Person is often so called not because hee is a higher God then God the Son or God the holy Ghost for they are equal but first because hee is the first in order and secondly because hee is the Person by whom the God-head is communicated to the Son c. Hence it is because the Father hath original from no other and is the principle of the Deitie hee is simply called God not the God of another God for if the Father had begot the divine essence hee might bee called not onely God but the Father of God but because hee doth not beget that essence which is communicated to the Son of God but the Son therefore hee is not called the Father of God but the Father of his Son And in proportion the like is to bee spoken concerning God the holy Ghost and the same order is to bee observed of the works wrought in time God the Father by the Son and thorough the holy Ghost bestoweth ordinarie extraordinarie gifts as it pleaseth him and these three Persons are co-eternal and coessential If your Proposition bee virtually particular it prove's nothing Som gift of God is not God It 's true in this sense no creäted gift of God is God himself but the holy Ghost is no such gift hee is a gift indeed but an uncreäted gift not lesser but equal to the Father or Son that give 's him And though I yield the holy Ghost is a gift yet your proof Act. 11. 17. is not convincing for to say nothing that som render the same grace by gift may very well bee understood the miraculous gifts of the holy Spirit which then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were bestowed upon the Gentiles And wee reade 1 Cor. 12. 6 7 8. that the gift and the Spirit the Giver are plainly distinguished But let that pass Advers Whereas you would prove the Proposition because hee is not the giver of all things that is given himself Answ In this there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nothing sound in it for I told you there was a difference betwixt these two to bee given and to bee sent to give and to bee given is of larger extension then to send and to bee sent for whosoever is sent is given but whosoever
as it relate's to the person for whom the praier is made Thirdly a disabilitie either to enjoy or hold what is prayed for without the help of God for what can bee more foolish saith S. Austin agreeably to common reason then to pray to another for help to do or to have that which is in his own power to do and to have Epist 107. Now the holy Ghost is God almightie and according to the Scriptures give 's to every one his gifts as hee pleaseth To the objected place out of Revel 22. 17. there are many things which may bee said to infringe the strength thereof The Spirit saith Com. Ergò the blessed Spirit of which wee treat This follow 's not it is quasi à genere ad speciem affirmativè for how doth it appear in the text that this is meant of the holy Ghost Why may it not bee meant of an Angel that Angel which was mentioned Ver 16 For first you will not denie but an Angel is a Spirit express Scripture and sound reason do shew that Angels are spiritual substances Secondly nor can you denie that the holy Angels do desire the happiness of the Saints and their fellow-servants It may bee you will say then the text would have run in the plural number the Spirits say and not the Spirit To this I answer that S. John relate's onely what was don by that Angel which was sent by Jesus Christ to signifie this revelation to S. John Cha. 1. ver 1. and Chapt. 22. ver 16. particularly mentioned I would not have mentioned this answer which I apprehended as possible unless I had read it in Mr. Burroughs on Hos 2. lect 17. p. 606. as his own opinion Readers accept or reject this as you shall see cause Secondly there is another exposition of these words which you do conceal and it is of a singularly-pious and learned man in the opening of mystical divinitie Mr. Brightman on the place The Spirit saith hee signifie's single Christians in whom the Spirit dwel's and the Spouse signifie's the whole Church and multitude of beleevers Now it is the desire of them all singly and conjunctly that the Lord Jesus would com If this exposition hold's good the Argument as touching this place is of none effect but whether this bee the meaning of the text or not I leave it to the serious consideration of the judicious Reader Thirdly to adhere to that exposition which is most common and which you would disprove for wee shall finde that common answers are usually the truest The Spirit and the Spouse say Com. I answer there is in the words a Figure which they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hendiadys and the meaning is The Spirit speaketh by the Spouse or the Spouse by the instinct of the Spirit saith Com that is the Spirit is the efficient cause why the Spouse praieth Com. Nor is this a singular example for such a Commentarie for the like phrase wee have in S. Paul Gal. 4. 6. it is the Spirit that crie's Abba Father It is said indeed that the Spirit is in their hearts but withall if you would play with these words as you do on those in the Revelation you might as fairly conclude your intent from them for it is not said that they by the Spirit but the Spirit in them crie's Abba Father Nor doth this text which you alledg affirm that the Spirit abiding without the Spouse doth say Com for then you might have some color for your gloss Besides this exposition ought not to seem strange because the very self-same expression is set down in the Scripture touching the holy Ghost Act. 15. 28. It seemed good to the holy Ghost and to us assembled in a Synod the meaning is thus It seemed good to us by the instinct and suggestion of the holy Ghost thus to determine A place parallel to this in the Revelation and sound reason will evince that it must needes bee so because praier is the gift of the holy Ghost Jude 20. It is hee that give 's his children the Spirit of supplication and if you will separate the Spirit and the Spouse in this holy action you must needes confess that the Spouse of Christ without the assistance of the blessed Spirit of Christ doth pray if so and when shee doth so such a praier is a praier of no account with God Advers This Author in his 12. Reason alledgeth that text Rom. 8. 27. The Spirit make's intercession to God Method reduceth this Argument to this place Answ There are two expositions of this place and none of the Writers were so prophane to take the meaning of the text as you have don Name the ancient Father whom you do follow Chrys in loc S. Chrysostom by the Spirit understand's not the person of the Spirit of God but the extraordinarie gifts of the Spirit And they which had those gifts were called Spiritual men or Ministers of the Spirit and when in great anxietie and distress Christians knew not which way to turn themselvs nor how or what to pray then as the Spirit of God came upon Jahaziel in the midst of the Congregation hee delivered the minde of the Lord to their exceeding great comfort 2 Chron. 20. 14. So likewise in such a stress som one of the Christians indued with the Spirit of praier stood up and with much importunitie and with many sighs poured out effectual praiers to the God of heaven which were profitable to the Church this is a pious sentence in it self considered but not fitly agreeing to this text as our Junius against Bellar. acknowledgeth and Paraeus in his Commentarie on this place doth prove The other exposition which is the more common is the sounder and more consonant to the context The Spirit prayeth that is the Spirit enableth us and maketh us to pray And if it bee objected that praier is a gift not onely of the Spirit but of God the Father also and God the Son being an outward work and so is common to all the Persons yet is not the Father said to pray not because hee is not the Author of praier for so undoubtedly hee is but because hee so give 's the things praied for that hee being the fountain of the Deitie receive's of no other Est l. 1. d. 20. The reasons of this exposition are these Because by the Spirit wee crie Abba Father ver 15. And because it is said the Spirit helpeth us against our infirmities viz. of praying as wee ought c. and the very words of the text will make this good as S. Austin exhort's intellige c. understand the words of the Scripture and thou shalt bee kept from blasphemie The person that praieth sigheth and groaneth the holy Ghost blessed for ever groaneth not as hee groaneth so hee praieth Hee is said to groan because hee make's us to groan and so hee praieth for us because hee make's us to pray for our selvs Thus God is said to
through particulars sanctification is Gods alone work None can wash away the filthiness of the minde but hee that made the minde Optat. Mil. l. 5. The Heathen shall know that the Lord doth sanctifie Israël Ezek. 37. 28. And is not this state compared to the raising up of the dead to life and to a new creätion Is not grace of a supernatural order and by it the Saints do regularly move to a supernatural end Every one of these of necessity require's the powerful work of a supreme Agent A creature hath no more power to make a Saint of a sinner then hee hath to make of a vile lump of earth a glorious star in heaven The Minor is proved hee is called the holy Ghost because holiness is from him per modum principii inhaerentis assistentis 1 Pet. 12. called the Spirit of holiness Rom. 1. 4. and wee are said to bee regenerated by the holy Ghost Joh. 3. 5. renewed by the holy Ghost Tit. 3. 5. to bee washed and sanctified by the Spirit of our God 1 Cor. 6. 11. As there is but one soul in a man which quicken's all the members of the natural bodie so is there but onely one holy Ghost which animate's all the mystical members of Jesus Christ and as Christ our head was conceived by the holy Ghost so the mystical bodie is conceived by the Spirit of God Every Christian as hee is a Christian hath his conception and new birth by the holy Ghost I might shew this at large in the particular graces which are sanctifying a catalogue of many of them wee read Gal. 5. 22. and it is as true of the rest which are not there recited they are all of them the fruit of the Spirit The Arguments which I have already recited will I hope and conceive give ample satisfaction to the Christian Reader there remaineth another grounded on the Word of God to prove the Deitie of the holy Ghost which I will set down not onely because many eminent Protestants and men of note of the Church of Rome do relie on it but because the Adversarie hath upon som plausible pretences excepted against it I am perswaded that there is scarce a good cause maintained but it is proved by som weak and false mediums It is acknowledged by Mel. Canus and 't is not contradicted by any loc l. 6. c. ult that not onely sacred Synods but the Popes themselves may thus err som of whose proofs may bee so far from beeing necessarie that they are not fit nor probable to conclude infallible cathedral definitions of Faith If then this Argument which is in the rere and hind-most should bee cut off as the faint and feeble Israëlites were by the Amalekites Deut. 25. 18. yet even then were the people of God victorious over their enemies so do not I doubt albeit this Argument should bee unproper I do not say it is but if it could bee demonstrated to bee so but som of the former if not all are unanswerable and like invincible fortresses which cannot bee surprised Thus I frame the Argument Argum. 8 Hee that is a heavenly witness and one in nature with God the Father is God The holy Ghost is so Ergò The Major is evident of it self and not contradicted by the Adversarie the reason why I onely name God the Father and not God the Son is because Mr Bidle will not yeild that the Word is God The Minor is proved by those words of S. John 1 Epist chap. 5. ver 7. There are three that bear witness in heaven the Father the Word and the holy Ghost and these three are one an express place one would think for the distinction of three Persons and the Unitie of nature in the blessed Trinitie I do take for granted that the Person to whom this witness is given is that Jesus is the Son of God the Messiah The heavenly witnesses which give testimonie hereof are three the Father at his Baptism speaking from heaven This is my beloved Son The Son called the Word for three reasons The Son of God who is called the Word either because hee is the Person on whom the promises of God do run God the Father promised him so Beza or because hee reveale's the secret counsel of God touching our salvation as wee by our words do open the meaning of our mindes to others or because in a divine eminent and ineffable manner is expressed to us by a term agreeable to our capacitie that the Son of God so is and was from everlasting from God the Father as our first act and conceit which is our internal and mental Word is and issueth out of our understanding For these or som other reasons it is that the Son of God is called the Word and hee bear's record to himself that hee is the Messiah partly by his works Joh. 4. 26. partly by his Doctrine Joh. 5. 18. Joh. 6. 29. 6. 37 46. partly by bis miracles Joh. 10. 25. The holy Ghost bare record of him at his Baptism when hee in a visible shape asscended from heaven and alighted on him I argue from this text This is hinted from this text because the holy Ghost is joyned with God the Father in giving witness which is all one upon supposition that hee is a creature as to add a drop to the Ocean It is true that the Spirit is joyned with the creatures somtimes in witness bearing But Acts 15. 28. Rom. 8. speaking by his Prophets but those very texts do strengthen our faith touching the Deitie of the holy Ghost For the further confirmation let it bee considered that all the creatures were made by J. Christ and nothing was made without him It is never spoken in the Scripture that the holy Ghost was made by him Colos 1. 16. all things in heaven and in earth visible and invisible were creäted by him and it is there added for illustration that thrones dominations principalities and powers were creäted by him The holy Ghost had hee been a creature and the chief of all the creatures would not have been omitted but by name expressed the holy Ghost principalities powers c. The Reader if hee please may see more proofs of this point in the Answer to the 8th Argument These three do bear witness in heaven the meaning is not as if the place where this record was given is in heaven or to the heavenly Inhabitants but this is a record to men on earth nor is it a testimonie which is given by the Angels hence I draw a second Argument If by the holy Ghost was not meant a divine testimonie or the testimonie of God himself then there are not onely three which bear witness in heaven as the text hold's forth and must bee verified of three but there are many more that witness Jesus is the Messiah Before his birth to Joseph Mat. 1. 20. After his birth to the Shepherds Luke 1. 10. And a multitude of the heavenly host praising
unus Deus Trinitas quaecunque dixi in hoc libro de tuo agnoscant tui si quae de meo tu agnosce tui Amen ARGUMENT 1. 1 Argum. of M. Bidle HEe that is distinguished from God is not God The holy Spirit is distinguished from God Ergò The Major is evident for if hee should both bee God and bee distinguished from God hee would bee distinguished from himself which implieth a contradiction The Minor is confirmed by the whole current of the Scripture which calleth him the Spirit of God and saith that hee is sent by God and searcheth the depths of God c. Neither let any man here think to flie to that ignorant refuge of making a distinction between the Essence and Person of God saying that the holy Spirit is distinguished from God taken Personally not Essentially For this wretched distinction to omit the mention of the Primitive Fathers is not onely unheard of in the Scripture and so to bee rejected it being presumption to affirm any thing of the unsearchable nature of God which hee hath not first affirmed of himself in the Scripture but is also disclaimed by Reason For first it is impossible for any man if hee would but endeavor to conceive the thing and not delude both himself and others with emptie terms and words without understanding to distinguish the Person from the Essence of God and not to frame two beeings or things in his minde and consequently two Gods Secondly If the Person be distinct from the Essence of God then it is either somthing or nothing if nothing how can it bee distinguished since nothing hath no accidents If somthing then either some finite or infinite thing if finite then there will be somthing finite in God and consequently since by the confession of the Adversaries themselvs every thing in God is God himself God will bee finite which the Adversaries themselves will likewise confess to bee absurd If infinite then there will bee two infinites in God to wit the Person and Essence of God and consequently two Gods which is more absurd then the former Thirdly to talk of God taken onely Essentially is ridiculous not onely because there is no example thereof in Scripture but because God is the name of a Person and signifieth him that ruleth over others and when it is put for the most high God it denoteth him who with soveraign and absolute authoritie ruleth over all but none but a person can rule over others all actions being proper to persons wherefore to take God otherwise then Personally is to take him otherwise then hee is and indeed to mistake him ANSWER Answ Major Hee that is distinguished from God say you is not God To this Proposition I answer by clearing the meaning of it thus Hee that is that person which is distinguished that is really separated from and substantially divided from God is not God In this sense this Major is undoubtedly true Let no man look upon the Proposition thus limited as a forced evasion to elude the Argument for it hold's forth fully the minde of the Adversarie His opinion is the holy Ghost and God do differ as much as a finite creature differ's from the infinite Creätor Minor Your Minor run's thus The holy Spirit is distinguished from God for hee is the Spirit of God To this I answer both by denial and concession First by denial if the term distinguished be taken in the assumption as it is intended and explicated in the Proposition for the Spirit of God is not so distinguished from God as a creature is distinguished from the Creätor Secondly I assent to the Minor if it bee taken in an Orthodoxal sense for albeit the blessed Spirit is not so distinguished as to bee separated from God yet is hee distinguished from God taken personally as of necessitie it must be taken in this place as appear's by the proofs of the Minor for the third person of the Trinitie is neither the first nor the second person Further let us take a distinct view of the Syllogism and I avouch it is either a false Syllogism or it prove's nothing First it is a false Syllogism and consist's of four terms if the term God be taken in a different sense as essentially in the Proposition and Conclusion and personally in the Assumption it is a fault parallel to this reasoning Shee that is distinguished from man is not man A woman is distinguished from man Ergò a woman is not a man The word Man is a comprehensive word and in the learned languages and in common use in Scripture and amongst Philosophers is all one with animal rationale a reasonable creature Take man thus in the Major and take man in another sense in the Minor as a term to distinguish the sex and so the Syllogism consist's of four terms Secondly I answer if the term God be taken as it ought to bee in all the axioms in one sense then the Syllogism conclude's nothing for the Adversarie for this must bee the meaning of it Hee that is distinguished from God viz. from God the Father or God the Son is not God viz. not God the Father or God the Son The holy Ghost is distinguished from God viz. from God the Father and God the Son Ergò Hee is not God the Father or God the Son This Syllogism thus explicated is readily assented to by the unanimous consent of the Churches There is a fallacious homonymie of the word God which hee make's frequent use of to abuse his Reader which like corrupt blood run's thorow the veins of all his Arguments If hee knoweth not the meaning of it his ignorance is to bee pitied if hee know's it and yet presume's to seduce the unwarie his impietie is to bee detested Hee well fore-saw the usual distinction of God taken somtimes essentially and somtimes personally in the word of God would cut the sinews and strength of his reasons and therfore this as a great block must bee removed out of the way This hee cal's an ignorant refuge and a wretched distinction Behold brethren the modestie of the man whereby hee discover's the bitterness and arrogancie of his spirit a weak and wilful man who never took degree in Divinitie nor ever was a Professor of that highest and best learning magisterially condemneth millions of professed eminent Divines in this and former ages for flying to an ignorant refuge and for denying the truth by the help of a wretched distinction But what I pray is this ignorant distinction It is for making a distinction betwixt the Essence and Person of God I intreat the Reader to take notice of the palpable darkness which hee discover's even in the same place where hee accuseth his betters of ignorance of making a distinction betwixt the Essence and the Person of God But my friend was it your task to prove this Do but review the parts of your Syllogism and you shall finde that they drive on this design
that a person is distinguished from a Person that the Spirit of God which is a Person and sent of God must needs be a person distinct from God that sent him If you will say you speak in the Person of your Adversaries I denie that any learned man ever expressed himself in that manner if you can name any let him bear his own blame The distinction of God taken essentially and personally differ's much from that which is betwixt the essence and person of God as in due place I will prove Yet because my intention aime's at the benefits of the Readers I will follow you in these your erring steps to treat of the difference betwixt the Essence of God and the Person of God There is a reall distinction and there is a distinction in regard of our rational conception The former is denied the later is asserted touching the nature of God and the Person of the holy Ghost for albeit in creäted things nature is one thing and a person is another thing for a man is not the humane nature Thomas is not the nature of Thomas yet in God by reason of the absolute simplicitie of his nature the divine nature and the Person are the same thing Thom. 1. Sum. q. 3. art 3. yet is there a distinction of reason as they speak for there is one respect of the nature and another of the person for the nature as it is the divine nature is communicated to the person and subsist's in it but the person is the very suppositum in which the nature subsist's and which in this particular consideration is incommunicable as the definition of a person evinceth in which regard it is that neither doth the distinction of the Persons multiply the natures in God nor doth the unitie of the nature confound the Persons I return now to the distinction God is taken either essentially or personally which I shall justifie against his clamors and pretensions for if you demand Hath hee no reasons to write tartly against it No sound ones I am sure but such as they are I will now examine Advers This dlstinction saith hee to omit the mention of Primitive Fathers Sol. And I commend your art for this preterition for no ancient Fathers can truly bee named to favor your Herefie the Fathers you omit are known branded Hereticks These you may name with shame enough but others I am sure you have none to speak for you Advers But yet what ever become's of Fathers it 's unheard of say you in the Scriptures and so it 's presumption to affirm any thing of God which hee hath not first affirmed of himself Answ 1 First my just answer is You are an Opponent now and your bare saying is of no validitie Doubtless if your words may bee taken for oracles you will carrie the cause What is your Nay to a world of Christians that do affirm it It 's as a feather laid in the ballance and weighed against a talent of gold Prove what you say or look for no credit to be given to your words Answ 2 Secondly this distinction is heard of in the Scriptures by necessarie inferences and sound consequences it 's grounded on the word of God as I shall in the sequele demonstrate And I have made good in the positive part by those many arguments which I have alledged to prove the Deitie of the holy Ghost and what is justly so inferred out of the word of God is proved by the word of God Advers Reas 1 This distinction you say is disclaimed by reason First because it is impossible for any man if hee will not delude himself with emptie terms to distinguish the essence from the person and not frame two beeings in his minde and consequently two Gods First I observe a palpable and gross error in Divinitie couched in this reason that a man must beleeve nothing touching God but what hee is able to conceive with his minde God's unconceivable truths by way of comprehension in the creature shall bee no truths to Master Bidle when they transcend the sphere of his capacitie whereas it is the honor of our faith to beleeve Gods word when it discover's truths not onely above our apprehensions but contrarie to our corrupted reason Our reason as now it is may bee a good servant but it is an ill master in points of faith Well I see the Deitie of the holy Ghost is impugned by this way not because it is not clearly revealed in Scriptures but because hee think's it a matter impossible and so upon the point hee denie's the omnipotencie and infinite nature of God Secondly if Mr Bidle cannot conceive hereof who besides his natural ignorance is further blinded by the Devil the god of this world for beeing a professed enemie to the blessed Spirit of light I do not marvel but that hee should take upon him to measure all the refined and sublimated apprehensions of the eminent servants of God by his own dull and erroneous conceptions is miserable follie This hath been plentifully don by them insomuch that at the least the foot-steps of the Trinitie are seen in many of the creatures is the common opinion of Divines Lombard lib. 1. dist 3. And those School-men that write on him their Master and hereto accord our learned Doctors who ever at large have handled that common place and most amply that much to bee admired and honored Mornaeus lib. de veritate Christ Relig. cap. 5 6. I will not instance now in any particular examples they are not I grant convincing demonstrations but liable to the exceptions of a captious Adversarie yet the ground-work beeing firmly laid in the word of truth and truly apprehended by faith they are subordinate helps to yield som glimpse and sparks of light to the point in hand and though I do forbear real instances in this place yet I will alledg an imaginarie fiction which hath strength to prove a real truth and it is such a fiction which is recited and approved by som of the Learned of both professions Suppose a father beget's a son and communicate's to him the same soul and bodie which hee hath still himself and both of these should communicate the same soul and bodie to a third here would bee three distinct persons yet the same essence in them all But you will say this is impossible for there must needs bee three souls and three bodies in three persons But now you deny that which I suppose I say if a father could so communicate the same essence to his son and retain it still to himself then would there bee but one nature in them all really I grant this is never don because in finite substances the essence must needs bee finite But if wee speak of God because hee is immaterial infinite and not capable of essential division this is truly don it 's a received Maxim in Logick Ficta similitudo probat fidémque facit fained similitudes prove Advers Reason 2 Secondly