and Earth But whether they hold these Doctrines with an equal or different concern yet it seems plain enough they hold both the one and the other in Subordination to their Grand Principle That the reason of things is the Rule of interpreting Scripture So that all the concern they express for either being their supposed consonancy with reason if it may appear as I hope it will by the reason of the thing that the Deity is the Supream Spirit Aliusque idem nascitur Hor. Carm. 2 and that the reason of the Supream Spirit speaks it to be of such absolute perfections that it Conceives or Begets it self in a second Personal Subsistence as real as the first Then have they in this Doctrine as well as the other parties what they sought for in vain in their own way and find the reason for their Faith which there they missed Wherefore all the Theoretical interests of the several Contenders being thus fully and entirely secured remove the Spirit of opposition which all disclaim and we have an unity in these points without any use of a Syncritism which is but a Politick Engine to tye mens Tongues together when their Hearts are removed as far as before from one another Whose use is to work like death which so far as it takes away the power of doing evil mortifies likewise the power of doing good I would I loved moderation and gentleness better than I do but I would still retain my present sentiments so far as rather to be angred than killed Concord in these things is most desirable but if that cannot be had men ought to contend so much as is needful to preserve the Faith but no more and not stifle their Religion for fear there should be quarrels about it 2. But though all the Conscientious interests for which any are concerned as seekers of Truth be here provided for yet possibly some Pious Persons may fear that such an attempt as this suits not with some other things for which we ought to have a Religious regard Such are the incomprehensibleness of God the Modest and Humble Opinion of our own Vnderstandings the Mysticalness of the Christian Religion and the Practice of the Antient Fathers which all by inquiring into this Mystery by the Light of Nature seem to be treated with too much neglect Though much might be said to satisfie these indefinite fears yet my leisure permits me to say but little which yet I hope may be enough 3. For the Infinity or Incomprehensibleness of the Deity that signifies not that we can know nothing of him by the Light of Nature for then we were not to say he Subsists in an Incomprehensible Being but that if he be he is in utter darkness But it signifies that whatever Men or Angels can know of him though they knew it in fallibly yet no one knows all or the all of any Divine Perfection or hath an adequate Conception of any thing that is in the Divine Nature But we may for all this know many things of him and that certainly Though we can say he is a Good and not a Bad Being and he is Wise and not Foolish and so far determine of the condition of the Divine Being yet this argues not that God is ever the more comprehensible by us in that sense wherein incomprehensibleness is a Divine Perfection and to be revered by us We can discover that God has an Eternal Subsistence if the Subsistence of the Deity be one Personal Subsistence this one Personal Subsistence is as Incomprehensible as three Personal Subsistences are unless we comprehend not the difference betwixt an Vnite and the Number three which we are sure we do And if we can discover from the Divine Perfections that the Deity Subsists in three Persons not in one only we may be said to know something more of God but nothing with a comprehensive knowledge And therefore the more we know of the Divine Nature the more distinctly we perceive that God is incomprehensible Let us then use the same measures here that we are certain be right in like cases When we say that God knows and withal that knowledge in God is not the same that knowledge is in created minds yet we do not therefore say that Gods knowledge is no knowledge or less really knowledge but infinitely more really knowledge or has infinitely more the true nature of knowledge in it than we can conceive by the knowledge in the Creatures Thus we think of his Goodness Existence Power and the rest of the Divine attributes Proportionably we are to affirm of the Incomprehensibleness of the Trinity When we say the Deity is one in all and every one of the three Persons Incomprehensibly We mean not thereby that it is not one or less one but infinitely more one than we can conceive by any Vnity in a Creature And when we say the Subsistences of the Divine Nature are incomprehensibly three we mean not that they are not really three or less distinctly three but infinitely more than we can conceive by any diversity in the Creatures Tho' as the Unity of the Deity is not a Vnity of the same kind so neither is the diversity of the Persons a diversity of the same kind with that of the Creatures nor from the same reason nor manifest by the same evidence Thus the Infinity of God makes not our knowledge of God no knowledge nor deceives us in what we know of him but convinces us that we know but in part The Incomprehensibleness of God then hinders not our knowledge of the Trinity no more than it hinders the knowledge of his Wisdom Power Goodness which are all incomprehensible as well as the Trinity and yet are known by the things that are made 4. Modesty and Humility teach us not to think our Intellectual Capacities less than they are 't is enough in all reason to think them so very little as they are Scepticisme is neither Modesty therefore nor Humility but an affected Wildness that violates all the measures of these and all other vertues which require not a a man to deny his own perceptions and doubt everlastingly but only that he vouch not such perceptions more clear and certain than really they are If then by a wary process of thoughts we may perceive that the most absolute perfection of a Spirit argues three distinct Subsistences of whatsoever is in the Nature of that Spirit we may then without breach of modesty believe that the most rational conception of the Supream Spirit is the Being of one God and three Persons And if we have any suspicion remaining about the due conduct of our thoughts yet we must still confess that the best reason we have persuades and prompts to this conception For since we evidently perceive that the Deity cannot Subsist in three distinct real Subsistences unless it be of most absolute perfections and on the contrary we cannot conceive how such a most absolutely perfect Being can
subsist otherwise than in three if we will venture to follow our own reason we must conclude there is a Trinity of Persons in the Godhead or else he is not absolutely perfect but if we find the plain expressions of the Scripture agree to this Conception in all the branches of it as friends and foes confess they do we cannot then without unreasonableness unbelief and immodesty continue our doubtfulness any longer Now this Coincidence of the Light of Nature with the Scripture in all points gives us the compleat evidence of this Doctrine 5. The Mystery of this Doctrine I have satisfied in the Book by dividing the Question of the Trinity into its two parts and shewed what belongs to the Natural Inquiry and what belongs to the Christian Mystery And therefore need say no more here than that no one can more acknowledge the Mystery of the Christian Faith in this point than is here taught which as such is wholly and solely of Scripture revelation But it is manifest that the other part belongs to the condition of the Divine Nature and so is of Natural Divinity and is a branch of the Theory of a Spirit If it may then appear by Nature that the Subsistence of a thing in the World is not more really its very self than it is the very Subsistence which the same thing has in the Divine Conception then it will also appear that the Divine Conception in this particular is of absolutely perfect truth and the Divine Mind thus Conceiving is a Being of absolute perfection This being evident it will follow from the condition of the Spiritual Nature that the Supream Spirit himself Subsists in three equally perfect and really distinct Hypostasies And is one God therefore and three Persons and whether all this be so or not is of Natural disquisition 6. And by this we may see why the Antients argued the Trinity only from Scripture Authority and made use but sparingly of the reason of the thing Because their Controversy was whether it was of Faith or no not whether it was of Natural Light or of Reason They therefore as Ministers of Religion taught this to be a part of the Gospel Doctrine which they could no otherwise prove it to be but only by the Scripture and the Tradition of the Church But for all that since there certainly is a Natural Enquiry about it that may be considered by a Natural Divine For if it be discovered by Natural Theory no one can doubt but it is required in Scripture and yet if it be not of Natural that does not hinder but it may be of Supernatural Revelation as many other things are which are unknown by the Light of Nature 7. Lest the Reader should surmise from any thing that has been said that he shall here meet with some new Doctrine of the Trinity to prevent any such prejudice at his entrance into this Discourse I must advertise him that he will meet with no conclusion touching the Trinity but the very Articles of the Three Creeds And the Propositions from whence those Conclusions are immediately deduced are acknowledged by all Christians and the Antitrinitarians themselves And the more remote principles which yield the evidence to those propositions are notorious dictates of Reason and Natural Sense So that here is nothing that can be new except the order in which the things are said And so new the Doctrine of every Book is which is neither Transcript nor Translation which indeed this pretends not to be And this I hope is enough to obviate the suspicion of Novelty which I much dislike in important Doctrines of the Christian Religion I have briefly pointed out the uses of it likewise that Faith and Charity may go together In doing this I was unwilling to beg my principles and thereby was forced to begin at some distance from the main point by which I presumed I should gain several advantages and the notions I had of several things become familiar to the Reader before he came to the pinch of the Question For being to contemplate the Supream Nature I thought it needful to begin the lower After I have told the Reader that the Nature of this Argument and Method will require some intentness of thoughts in the perusal that he may serve himself of it and assured him I know of no Objection but what I have anticipated or removed and therefore desire it may be read with the same candour wherewith it is offered I shall trouble him no further but commmend him to God and the Word of his Grace which is able to build us up in Truth and Holiness and so give us an Inheritance amongst all them which are sanctified Amen The ERRATA PAge 1. line 3. read remain p. 2. l. 3. r. being r. Substances p. 2. l. 4. r. Originate l. 6. r. Originate l. 19. r. valid l. 33. for Tradition r. Trinity l. ult r. condition p. 3. l. 15. r. restively p. 8. l. 9. r. operate p. 9. l. 34. r. do p. 10 l. 12. r. in infinitum l. 38. r. extension p. 11. l. 9. for pores r. partes p. 13. l. 35. for is the thought r. is in the thought p. 14. l. 6. r. depreciate p. 15. l 16. r. and p. 16. l. ult r. only one r. real p. 18. l. 43. for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 19. l. ult r. eternal too p. 21. margin for one r. our p. 22. l. 3. r. Subsistence p. 25. l. 12. r. being so conceiving p. 25. l. 17. r. Subsistences p. 26. r. fecundity for moods r. modes for Souls r. Soul for effected r effectâ— for factors r. fautors p. 32. r. facing p. 33. l. 14. r. it self p. 34. for expediently r. expeditely p. 38. l. 43. for turned r. termed p. 40. l. 8. for cr r. nor l. 39. for Nature is one in as such r. Nature in one is as such l. 42. for same the r. the same p. 57. l. 20. deâ—e as p. 57 l. ult for since this r. since to this p. 59. for intruded r. obtruded p. 59. for Epicurians r. Epicureans literal slips are not here collected AN ACCOUNT OF THE Blessed Trinity Argued from the Nature and Perfection of the Supream Spirit CHAP. I. The Question Stated and Discussed BY the Blessing of God on the endeavours of his Church the Old-Heresies which denied the Unity of the God-head are long agoe extinct and there remains only some few of such as deny the Trinity together with others of a later rise which are yet to be reduced But these all seeming to confess there is but one true God and so far fully to acquiesce in the Catholick Doctrine The Question about which these are to be dealt with is in short Whether the True God in the Unity of whose God-head they consent with us does really subsist in three distinct personal subsistences Hypostases or only in one Or whether there being one God there be also but one Divine Person or else
Voluntary and in this way enough may be said with sufficient Evidence 2. The Agency of Intellectual Life is thinking now every one knows that he hath that thing in his mind which he is thinking of The thing therefore that is the Thought does thereby some way subsist in the Mind I know Men in their different moods are wont to make this Subsistence which things have in their Minds some times more and some times less than indeed it is For when they observe what is most certainly true that all their concerns in the World all their injoyment of their Riches all their Pain and Pleasure all their Misery and Felicity in Life are supported wholly by the strength of this very Subsistence which things have in their own minds they are apt to over-value it and to think this Subsistence must needs be very substantial that can sustain such a mighty weight as they believe those things to have On the other hand when their Eye is turned from their own interest and they compare this Subsistence with that which things have in the World they frequently too much deprecate and extenuate it but however they think of it this is certain that this Subsist Sence which things have in our Minds is not just nothing at all for were it so the Sun would be no more in my Mind when I am thinking of it than when I am not and when I think of the Sun and not of a Mountain I shall yet have a Mountain as much in my Mind as I have the Sun for if this Subsistence which we are now considering be none at all there could be no difference for nothing differs not from nothing But why should I Argue this when every Man hath the most certain of all demonstrations to prove it even his own inward Sense and Conscience so that if he contradicts it his Heart will give his Tongue the Lye Yet I must add as the Man is even so is his Strength the greater sufficiency any Mind hath the more compleat is this Subsistence of things by their being conceived in it and be the rate of it higher or lower it is all the Subsistence which the Mind can give to things and whatsoever it is it owes its being wholly to the Intellectual Energy of the Mind The Soul therefore by its Essential Perspicacity discerns this Existence of things and its opposite Non-existence so intimately that it admits of no doubt for whether or no the Sun be in the Heavens I cannot doubt whether it be in my Mind or not whilst I am thinking of it and therefore I can certainly know always whether things have this Subsistence or not 3. We are not to think that a matter so naturally and necessarily known to us all is to be taught us in the Scriptures unless upon the by where they are teaching us other more proper Documents and so we meet with it frequently as a thing supposed to be known already For example St. Paul tells us he hath the Philippians in his Heart therefore they had this Subsistence in his Mind and the Corinthians were in his Heart The Deciples reason many things in their Hearts Things come into the Mind of him that thinks evil Thoughts Serving Wood and Stone like Heathens came into the Jews Minds They set up Idols in their Hearts building God a Temple was in David's Mind and Heart Jerusalem comes into good Mens Minds I know the things says God that come into their Hearts detaining part of the money and denying it was the thing that Ananias and Saphira conceived in their Hearts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is no other Subsistence but this we speak of that St. Paul's boasting had it is this very substance or Subsistence which Faith gives to things hoped for And it is the same Subsistence the begininng of which we are to hold fast to the end This likewise yields the whole suppositum to all things merely supposed but this is over much proving were it not that importunate opposition may make something of importunity decent in the defence 4. Wherefore since the Divine Nature is intellectual Life Chap. 4.2 and the Natural Agency of such Life is thinking therefore in the Nature of the thing it is certain that God hath Thoughts Nehe. 5.19 Jer. 29.11 Psal 92.5 to which evidence of Reason the Scripture gives its attestation Think of me O my God for good I know the Thoughts that I have towards you Thoughts of Peace and not of Evil. Many are thy Thoughts to us ward c. 5. Because the Natural Agency of an Intellectual Life Chap. 4.2 gives a Subsistence to things in the Mind by conceiving them in the Thoughts Therefore according to the Reason of the Divine Nature the things thought of by God have by his thinking of them a Subsistence in the Divine Mind nad this their subsistence is proportionable to the sufficiency of the Divine Intellect accordingly the Scripture Teaches us that things are in God's Mind by his thinking of them Job 10.23 These things says Job has God laid up in his Mind 1 Sam. 2.35 Jer. 23.20 That which the Faithful Priest succeeding Eli's House did do was all according to what was in God's Mind and the Lord performeth the Thoughts of his Heart in a grievous Whirl-wind sent down upon the Wicked c. 6. But of the Subsistence which things have that is not by our conceiving them in our Minds we are to observe 1st That when we have no ascertaining Evidence that such or such a thing Subsists in the World yet the Essential Agency of Conscious Life perceiving the absolute immediate opposition betwixt Existence and Non-Existence assures us that one of these two is really the Case for though my sight may not certainly discern there are spots in the Face of the Sun yet without the help of my Eyes my Mind assures me there either are such spots or there are not And 2d When we have sufficient Notice of the Subsistence of such things in the World yet is it the Minds same radical Perception betwixt Existence and Non-existence which is its assurance that so they do indeed Subsist For example Cogito ergo sum hath been thought a first Principle in Physiological Inquiries and of prime evidence in it self But were it not for this prime intellectal Agency of the Mind discerning the difference betwixt Existence and Non-existence it would be perfectly indifferent to the Mind to conclude cogito ergo non sum or cogito ergo sum and this being so in every instance it is plain all our knowledge which we have of the Subsistence of things in the World depends on the force of this radical Energy of the Soul Now these two viz The opposition betwixt Existence and Non-Existence and the Subsistence of things in our Thoughts are so infallibly evident to us that the most extravagant imaginations of Phyrrhonisme it self could never touch or in the least affect them So
that in despite of all the Wickedness and Folly that can enter into Mortals God will have this Testimony for himself inviolably Sacred and fixed in their Hearts by the help whereof they may when they like to think soberly come to the knowledge of the Truth 7. When we perceive that things Subsist in the World we do not only perceive that such their subsistence does differ from Non-existence but likewise from that Subsistence which they have by being conceived in our Mind For we are assured that they Subsist in the World when they are not in our Thoughts as well as when they are and we can think of things that Subsist not at all in the World as well as of those that do Since then these two Subsistences do thus differ we may term the Subsistence which things have in the World their real Subsistence and that which they have in our Mind their notional Subsistence which is not therefore really no Subsistence of the thing at all but is not that real Subsistence whereby the thing is what it is in the World Our Conception therefore of things Subsistent in the World gives them another distinct Subsistence such as it is in our Minds But we must observe farther that because in this case it is the very thing and its Subsistence in the World that the Mind conceives therefore that thing and its Subsistence which is real in the World do both notionally subsist in one Conception I say the thing and its real Subsistence in the World do both subsist notionally in our Mind Here then are two distinct Subsistences of the same thing which do differ not only in number but in their condition or kind Hence it follows 8. Because matter and its qualities hath no power to conceive its own Subsistence therefore it can have in it self only one of these Subsistences which is the real When I actually conceive in my Mind the visible World or any part of it I perceive that it hath a Subsistence in Nature which is its real Subsistence and a second in the conception of my Mind which is its notional Subsistence so that the visible World and every piece of it hath only one real Subsistence but then the World and its real subsistence hath as many notitional subsistences as there are Souls actually thinking of it 9. When my Mind does actually form a Conception of its own being then does my Mind actually subsist in its self in two distinct subsistences the one real and the other notional but when my Mind does not actually conceive its own being as we know the Mind does not when it is wholly taken up with the Thoughts of other things it has for that time one one subsistence in it self the really but not the notional 10. Supposing then a Mind that without any diversion does always actually conceive its own real subsistence it is evident that such a Mind hath perpetually two subsistences in it self the first in order is its real subsistence and the second that in the Conception Now since we suppose the Supream Spirit is such a Mind as is not ignorant of its own real subsistence and hath no dorment Powers that it should ever be diverted from the actual conception of it self therefore this Mind subsists perpetually in two different subsistences God therefore the Supream Spirit does in himself subsist in no less than two distinct subsistences whereof the one is a real subsistence But whether the second be a real and substantial subsistence of the God-head or only notional I confess cannot be inferred barely from God's being of a mental Nature but on the contrary if he be a Mind of the very best of that sort of Minds whereof our Souls are or of any other besides the most High or if the Supereminency of the Supream Mind above all others be only its uninterrupted actual conception of its own being and of all others which it knows it might be demonstrated that there is but one real subsistence of the Deity We must therefore inquire wherein is the Supereminence of this most high Being that we may examine whether there be in it discernably such peculiar Characters as yield us a sufficient Evidence that it has naturally more real subsistences than one for if there be not the nature of the Deity will not evince this point of the Churches Faith But the Church is left wholly to its own proper province and to prove it by Scripture and that proof however will retain its own full strength tho' this natural Evidence should not be super-added CHAP. V. Of the Trinity 1. VVE have seen that no one can rationally deny that the Divine Nature being mental does subsist at least in two distinct subsistences the first whereof is real and for the condition of the second we are to consider the peculiar Characters of the Supream Spirit which we know to be such attributes as these An independent self-subsistence being as some call it self Originate self Sufficiency even All-sufficiency Omnipotence Omniscience Ubiquity Immutability Unity Eternity most perfect Truth Goodness Blessedness Holyness c. These may be proved both from the reason of the thing and Revelation to be perfections of the Divine Nature but I need not undertake here what hath been done by many others and is universally acknowledged 2. This being the condition of God the Supream Mind we are fully assured by the Omniscience c. of this Divine Mind 1st That whatever God does not conceive that really is nothing and we are no less assured by the absolute perfection of the Divine Truth c. 2d That whatever God does conceive not to be that hath no Being and is nothing And 3d. On the other hand whatever God does positively conceive to be that really is or doth subsist And 4th The independent All-sufficiency of God c. Assures us that without the concurrence or assistence of any other thing whatever this Divine Mind can positively conceive a thing to be And from hence we can Argue as from certain Principles 3. That since God can positively conceive a thing to be without the Presence or Antecedent Being of any other thing besides himself he can when there was nothing else besides himself conceive a World to be and if he does so then according to the reason of the Mental Divine Nature chap. 4. the World hath a subsistence in the Divine Mind by such a positive conception of it And because God never positively conceives a thing to be but it doth really subsist in it self therefore the World having a positive subsistence in the Divine Conception hath a real subsistence in it self 4. Now since the real subsistence of the World in it self was made and yet not made with hands but by the Agency of an Almighty Mind we must observe that this Almighty Mind causeth all things which it does cause in a way whereby the mental Agency does effect Now the mental Agency being conceptive and every positive Conception
giving a subsistence to the thing conceived in the Mind that positively conceives it as is shewed Chap 4.2 the very subsistence of the World in it self being it is the effect of the Divine positive Conception of it is nothing else but the subsistence of the World in the Divine Mind caused by this positive Conception of it So that all the real subsistence which the World has in it self is its positive subsistence in the Divine Conception as being positively conceived in the Divine Mind And the absolute perfection of the Divine Truth does fully assure us of this for the Truth of the Conception of a thing is nothing else but its agreement with the real Nature of the thing conceived Since then the Truth of the Divine Conception is absolutely perfect when the World subsists in the Divine Mind by the positive Conception of it there is a most absolute perfect agreement betwixt its positive subsistence in the Divine Conception and its real Subsistence in it self but no kind of agreement is absolutely perfect but a real identity for so long as one is not the other whatever the Similitude is there remains some disagreement Therefore there is a real identity betwixt the Worlds subsistence in it self and its subsistence in the Divine Mind in the positive Conception of it that is to say they are really the very same as then the subsistence of a thing in the positive notion of it conceived in our own Minds is the vital 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the vital representation of a thing so in the positive Conception of it in the Divine Mind is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the thing it self 5. This gives us the ground and rate of the distinction betwixt the notional and real Subsistence of things mentioned chap. 4. For seeing seeing the real Being of things in the World is the same with their being positively conceived in the Divine Mind therefore as our thoughts are to God's thoughts Isa 55.9 so is the notional subsistence of things in our positive conception of them to their subsistence in the positive Divine Conception that is as appears to their real subsistence in the World And as our Thoughts are not nothing so the notional subsistence of things in our positive Conception of them is not nothing neither Since the real Being of all things in the World is their substantial subsistence and presence in the Divine Mind the Deity it self is present and more to the very subsistence of every one of them and therefore the World and every part of it is really substantially present in the Heart of God and God is not placed in the heart of the World or in any of its upper stories from whence either by an unaccountabse Vertue or the Ministry of some Creature he executes his Will upon things at a distance from him Even as the notional subsistence which things have in our Minds by our positive conceiving them is nothing else but their Being and Presence in our Minds If we conceive a Circle or Quadrangle no part of the one or Angle of the other hath any notional subsistence but what is its very Presence in our Mind Therefore we Live Move and have our Being in God Acts. because we are his Off-spring as being Conceived by him 6. Because the World antecedently to this positive Conception of it in the Divine Mind was nothing and this Divine positive Conception of it gave to the Worlds substance its real Subsistence in its self this Divine positive Conception is therefore the Creating of the World For Creation is giving a real subsistence to a substance which hath otherwise no real subsistence and indeed is nothing 7. And seeing God is self-sufficient he can subsist whether he does positively conceive a World to be or not therefore the Being of the World results not necessarily from the Being of the Deity but is freely Created and Established The World therefore is or is not as it pleases God to conceive it 8. Thus it is with all temporary Beings which as such have no subsistence and are nothing antecedently to the positive Conception of them in the Divine Mind But because the Deity it self as has been shewed chap. 4. 10 has another subsistence antecedently to that subsistence of it which is in its positive Conception by the Divine Mind not only this other subsistence which is the first in order and which the Deity hath otherwise then by Conception is Eternal but likewise the subsistence of the Deity by Conception in the Divine Mind is Eternally so for since nothing really is but what is but what is positively conceived by the Divine Mind and the Being of the Deity in its first Subsistence is eternal therefore the Being of the Deity in its first Subsistence is eternally conceived positively in the Divine Mind consequently the Subsistence of the Deity in the positive Conception of it in the Divine Mind is also eternal 9. It hath appeared from the condition of the mental nature that the Deity doth subsist in two distinct perpetual that is Eternal subsistences Cap. 4.10 Cap. 5.8 whereof the one that is the first is a real subsistence of the Divine Nature and the other is a subsistence of the Divine Nature by being conceived in the Divine Mind Now since the first is a real and substantial subsistence of the Divine Nature and yet not a subsistence by being conceived in the Divine Mind and the second whether substantial or not is a subsistence of the Divine Nature by being conceived in the Divine Mind these two subsistences of the Divine Nature are substantially distinct for seeing the first subsistence is substantial if the second be not substantial there is a substantial distinction betwixt them Because any subsistence that is substantial is substantially different from one that is not substantial but if not only the first subsistence of the Divine Nature but likewise the second be substantial then because the one subsistence is not the other the one real substantial subsistence is not the other real substantial subsistence and therefore they are substantially distinct one from the other 10. It remains therefore to be inquired whether these two subsistences which are thus really distinct do differ as a real from what is not real C. 4. 2 10. or as one real differs from another real now because this nature is an Omniscient Mind and an Omniscient Mind does ever positively conceive its own Nature Cap 5 4. and because the Perfection of the Divine Truth is such that whatsoever subsists in the Divine Mind by being positively conceived hath by being so conceived a real and substantial subsistence therefore this subsistence of the Divine Nature which is by such positive conception is real and substantial And because the first subsistence is substantial as well as this second therefore they differ as one real from another real therefore there are two real substantial subsistences of the Divine Nature which are
substantially distinct the one from the other 11. By this account it likewise is plain that the conception whereby the Divine Nature subsists in its second subsistence is not a conception creative of the Divine Nature for a creative conception gives being to a substance that otherwise hath no real subsistence but the substance which hath its subsistence by this conception 〈◊〉 â— 6 hath otherwise a real subsistence I say therefore this conception is not creative but yet it is procreative or generative by which I mean it is such a conception whereby a substantial nature hath a second real subsistence which hath otherwise than by conception another real subsistence And this procreative or generative conception infinitely differs from the creative for the creative is indifferent because God may be Cap. 5.7 and yet may or may not create a World but this procreative conception of the Divine Mind is essential to its nature and therefore the second real subsistence which is by this procreative or generative conception is natural to the Being of the Deity as well as the first 12. The Divine Mind in its first subsistence does conceive the Divine Nature If this Divine Nature so conceived Cap. 4.10 be not the same the very same with the Divine Mind that doth conceive it then there is some defect in the truth of the Divine Conception God conceiving not his own very Nature but some other Nature instead of his own which is contradictious to the Attribute of the Divine Truth We have therefore the assurance of God's Essential Truth that it is the same the very same Divine Mind the very same Divine Nature subsisting in the first of these two real Subsistences not conceived and in the second conceived Therefore there is really and truly only one and the very same God subsisting in these two real Subsistences which are really distinct Subsistences 13. If the Divine Nature really subsisting be not God indeed then to be God and not to be God is all one which is a contradiction but if the Divine Nature really subsisting be God indeed then the Divine Nature really subsisting in the first real subsistence is God indeed and the Divine Nature really subsisting in the second real subsistence is God indeed so that each of the two is God indeed as well as both is God indeed 14. Now since the Divine Mind in its first subsistence does conceive the Divine Nature Câ—p. 4.10 Cap. 5.10 and that nature hath by such conception a second distinct subsistence therefore the first with respect to the second subsistence of the Divine Nature is the Parental subsistence of the Divine Nature and the second with respect to the first is the filial subsistence of the Divine Nature 15. It hath been shewed before that it is of the Essence of a mental nature to conceive wherefore since God in the filial subsistence Cap. 4. â— Cap. 5.14 is the divine mind substantially subsisting he does in this second subsistence conceive the divine nature But then the conception whereby the divine mind in its second subsistence does conceive the divine nature is not procreative I use the Latine Conceptus becâ—â—â—e one English word is too much debased in common use And the reason of this is heedfully to be observed for the very form of this second subsistence is Divinus Conceptus and therefore the divine mind in this subsistence conceiving imports no more than this its own formal subsistence of the divine nature and consequently by it there is no other real subsistence of the Deity but precisely its own for when a thought thinks a life lives a Conceptus conceives it is no more than barely a thought is or subsists a life is or a Conceptus is so that when the Divine Conceptus conceives its own nature this is neither more nor less than the Divine Conceptus does actually exist in its own Essential Subsistences therefore this Conception which the Divine Mind in this its second Subsistence hath of its own nature inferring no other Subsistence of the Deity but only its own is not a Procreative Conception 16. The Conception which the Divine Mind in its first Subsistence does conceive Cap. 4.10 Cap. 5.10 is procreative of another Subsistence of the Deity but then this Procreative Conception is one and eternally the same Now because the Conception which the Divine Mind in its second Subsistence hath Cap. 5.15 is not procreative therefore according to the reason of the Divine Nature the Deity hath no more than one and the same Subsistence by being conceived There is then but one Filial Subsistence of the Divine Nature and that is eternally the same 17. But yet the Divine Mind in its second Subsistence does conceive with a Conception creative of other things for though in this its second Subsistence its conceiving its own Being is precisely its own second Subsistence yet it is plain conceiving a World is not so Now because whatever is positively conceived by the Divine Mind hath a real Subsistence by its being so conceived Cap. 5.4 therefore the Divine Mind in its second Subsistence whenever it conceives any other Nature besides its own does conceive with a creative Conception which gives a substantial Subsistence to that other Nature conceived Therefore the Divine Mind in its first Subsistence only does by conception procreate another Subsistence of the Divine Nature but both in its first and second Subsistence it doth create the World Thus doth the condition of the Divine Nature discover that God the Creator doth subsist in no less than two real substantially distinct Subsistences For if we will not affirm God to be a Dependent Being or assert other things to be independent if we will not reduce him to the measures of a Creature nor deny him in truth to be the Creator we cannot deny but at least there are two real distinct Subsistences of the Deity but whether the Most High Being discovers it self to have a third comes now to be considered 18. In order to which we must remember that every Mind that is Spirit animus hath resentments Cap. 2.9 whereby it is pleased or displeased liketh or disliketh Cap. 3.12 and that no Mind could frame the World but a Mind indued with Spirit The Divine Mind as has been shewed is a Spirit Cap. 3.14 which is also certain from the Attributes of the Deity for if the Divine Mind was without resentments it would have no concern for its own or any other Being It would not indeed like evil but neither would it like good it would not be miserable but neither would it be blessed it would not be unholy but neither would it be holy as being a Nature wholly uncapable of such perfections But it is sure and confessed by all that goodness blessedness and holiness are essential to the Divine Nature which therefore has resentments and likes or dislikes is pleased or displeased Now these being in God
the resentments of a conscious life they are therefore voluntary Cap. 2.9 and consequently God wills or nills as he likes or dislikes These things being acknowledged and certain 19. I observe the natural good of every thing in its self is the preservation or improvement of its Being and that is naturally good to other things which contributes naturally to this good of them All benevolence therefore that is to say all willing of good does will the being or improvement of the thing to which it is benevolent Now it being infallibly certain that God does not dislike his own Divine Being for it is the very Spirit of the Devil to dislike his own Being and the Divine Being too and it also being certain that he is not indifferent towards it for that is repugnant to the Spirit of his Mind Cap. 2.9 therefore he does like the Being of his own Divine Nature and because he wills as he likes therefore he does certainly will the Being or Improvement of his own Divine Nature but because the Being of the Divine Nature is the Most High Being and it is contradictious to the whole Nature of all Beings Cap. 3. â— to be higher than the highest Being actually is it is therefore a contradiction for any Volition that wills Being to will the Improvement of the highest Being consequently that Divine Volition which wills the Being of his own Divine Nature is a complacential benevolence whereby precisely the Being of the Divine Nature it self is willed 20. Every Volition which really wills the Being of any thing if it be an absolute Volition without Reserve it does so will the Being of that thing that the thing does really subsist by being so willed if in case it be in the power of that will but if the thing willed does not subsist thereby then it is from some defect in the power of that will from whence such a Volition becomes a vain and empty wish But God's Volition of the Being of the Divine Nature is an almighty unreserved all-sufficient willing of it therefore through no defect of power is the Divine Volition a vain or empty wish and consequently the Being of the Divine Nature is and does subsist for Being so willed with such an almighty Volition for it is a contradiction for that not to be which is willed unreservedly by an omnipotent Mind even because it is willed and since it is the real Subsistence of the Divine Nature that is willed Cap. 5.19 therefore the Divine Nature has really such a Subsistence by being so willed even because it is so willed 21. Now because this Divine Volition doth statedly exert it self this Subsistence of the Divine Nature doth proceed statedly from such stated willing the Being of the Divine Nature therefore in this Subsistence is by procession 22. And as I remarked concerning the second Subsistence so I may proportionably of this Subsistence Cap. â— 1â— for it never proceeds forward to another Subsistence of the Divine Nature by Volition because all Subsistence of the Divine Nature by Volition is no other than this very Subsistence of the Deity 23. But though the Deity in this Subsistence never proceeds forward to another Subsistence by willing the Being of the Divine Nature yet that hinders not but the Divine Nature in this Subsistence may efficaciously will the Subsistence of that which is not the Divine Nature such is the World and consequently the Divine Nature in this Subsistence of it is no less creative of other things than in its two forementioned Subsistences 24. I say the other two for the first real Subsistence of the Divine Nature being its Subsistence in vital Agency conceiving and the second being its Subsistence by being conceived they are really two distinct Subsistences and this real Subsistence by procession being neither of them it is therefore really distinct 25. No Nature is willed but a Nature conceived in the Mind therefore the real Subsistence of the Divine Nature by conception according to the reason of the thing is in order before its Subsistence by Volition and because the Subsistence by conception is in order posterior to the real Subsistence of the Divine Mind conceiving the Divine Nature therefore the Divine Mind conceiving that is the Deity in its Parental Subsistence is the first in order and the Divine Mind conceived that is the Deity in its Filial Subsistence is the second and this its Subsistence by being willed is in order the third which because it is by Volition Cap. 2 â— is therefore the Deity in its Spiritual Subsistence 26. Yet it is no other Nature which really subsists in this third Subsistence but the same which subsists in the other two for as I shewed it is the same C p 5.19 the very same Divine Nature whose Subsistence is willed therefore only one and the same God substantially subsists in all these three distinct real Subsistences 27. If the Divine Nature really subsiâ—â—ing be not God then there is no God but if the Divine Nature really subsisting be God then the Divine Nature really subsisting in this third real Subsistence is God so every one of these Three is intirely the one God as well as all the Three intirely is the one God 28. To conclude therefore having learned from the things that are made and the Creation of the World that God is and is the Most High Being the Supream Spirit we are in consequence to acknowledge from the perfections of the Supream Spirit that he subsists in three really distinct substantial Subsistences But this consequence we shall not perceive unless our understandings have first cleared themselves from false apprehensions of the Spiritual Nature for if we only build upon our childish fancies and conceit a Spirit to be an extended substance but much purer than the thinnest Air or subtilest Aether and thinking it not yet rair enough refine it higher into a meer imaginary space or finding all places full of bodies that we may find room for it to exist in affix to it penetrability or some such arbitrary notion we shall as certainly conclude according to this process of Thoughts that the Supream Spirit hath but one real Subsistence as we are sure that matter hath no more But if laying aside such incoherent notions we ground our Thoughts of a Spirit upon what Nature it self God's Grace assisting does plainly teach us all we shall then be fully convinced that there is a Being which does conceive a difference betwixt Existence and Non-existence betwixt something and nothing which being so conceiving is a Mind or Spirit and that this Mind forming Conceptions of its own Being or of other things does thereby give them such a Subsistence in it self as is answerable to its conceptive Abilities of which also Nature gives us an absolute Assurance This will lead us directly to conclude that the Supream Spirit does indeed subsist in three really distinct Subsistence according to the reason of its most
blessed Perfections For God subsists in vital Agency conceiving his own Nature as God is really true he does also really subsist by being so conceived God absolutely wills the Being of his own Nature and as God is really holy he does also really subsist by being so willed He that denies this denies in Reason the Being of the Supream Spirit he that confesses it confesses Three real Subsistences of the Most High Being God says of himself I am that I am and conformably we may say he is Existence in a Subsistence and he is no less so in real Truth and he is no less so in real Holiness And when we have said this we may perceive we have said at once that he is the Supream Spirit and that he subsists in a Trinity of real Subsistences if we do but observe that there is no Truth but what subsists in a Mind the Truth of a notion in a notional Subsistence and the Truth of a thing in a real Subsistence and that there is no Holiness but what subsists in a Will If therefore we do not disbelieve God's real Truth and Holiness traducing thereby his great and terrible Name Jehovah we are in reason to confess the ever Blessed Trinity CHAP. VI. The Natural and Moral Consequenâ—â— 1. BEfore we proceed to the Scripture Evidence we may observe First some Natural Secondly some Moral Consequents reserving the Practical to the close of all In deducing the preceeding account of the Trinity I oft used the terms because and consequently which are to be understood as causal or consequential in arguing not in the reason of the Existence For we having in our Mind a prior Evidence of one Divine Perfection or Subsistence do thereby discern that this perfection or subsistence is of such a Condition that it does not subsist without another but in the Divine Nature or its Subsistences There is no Cause or Consequent there being nothing in God before or after either in causation or in time But we perceive the Divine Mind doth not substantially subsist conceiving the Divine Nature if the Divine Nature doth not also substantially subsist in conceptu And the Divine Nature being spiritual doth not in its two first subsistences will its own real subsistence if it does not also really and substantially subsist being willed by an Almighty volition By this whole process therefore we are to understand that the Divine Nature is such that according to its condition it does subsist in Trinity but the cause of its doing so is not assigned only the cause of our apprehending it From hence we see that the three real subsistences being natural in the Deity since the Deity is Eternal the Nature and all its three real subsistences are therefore coeternal As we would say whether matter be Temporary or Eternal its subsistence and its three dimensions are all Contemporary or Coeternal 2. By the like reason we see there are no more than three distinct real subsistences of the Deity For since the supream life light and benevolence or the supream life mind and will do compleat or are the intire spiritual nature there are neither fewer nor more subsistences than agree to the reason of such a nature And as that has appeared to be no less than three so we find no more belong to such a being About thirty years ago came forth a Pamphlet of the Origenian Doctrine which as I remember was to this effect The super-abundant fulness of Being in the Deity did represent it self in a second subsistence which though somewhat rebated in its perfections was yet nevertheless really Divine and so proceeded to a third which was inferiour to the second but yet truly Divine likewise and then the Divine faecundity being so far exhausted that there could be no more Beings truly Divine what was made afterwards was Created Celestial Spirits and the Souls of the World and then Matter a substance wholly passive and then what was not wholly substance such as material forms which some account evanid substances others moods and accidents of matter and so being quite effected it ceased But this should not have been given us as the Origenian nor yet as the Genuine Platonick Doctrine of the Trinity if we may believe the Factors of that Philosophy for that they say was nearer the truth if not the very truth whence soever its Heathen Author came by it But whether Plato receiv'd it from the Jews who in his time and before had their Synagogues for Worship in Greece or from others that learned it from them or from some Ancient Tradition or from the reason of the thing which I have shewed to be practicable we are no ways concerned to know But it is true this Scheme was consonant to the opinion of the later Platonists and from some such invented model of old the Arrian Heresie seems to have had its rise some few Texts of Scripture being pressed by force to serve the Hypothesis For this whole draught is meer presumption and arbitrary fiction which though it be laden with a thousand absurdities yet has no ground to support it but the pretty fancy of a gradation whereby they would avoid what they account the too great distance betwixt the Divine Nature and the Created But since God is infinitely Blessed over all there will be an infinite distance betwixt the perfections of his Nature and those of all Natures not infinite So that this is a Fabrick erected without any Foundation and would not answer the use it was designed for though it had been never so well supported Such finenesses may indeed serve to entertain the leisure of a Reader but every considerative Man frames the Counsels of his Life upon the solid Evidence of Nature and not on the concinnity of a pickquaint Wit And to speak a sad truth the licentiousness of Hypothesis-Makers hath done unspeakable mischief to the present Age that is of it self but too much addicted to the gaity of Romantick Conceits But for what concerns the Divine Being in this devised Scheme we may observe that it is plainly frivolous for should the reason why the prime spiritual Nature does subsist in no more than three representations be as he says it is because the faecundity of the Divine Being was exhausted so far that it could yield no more afterward with the like reason we are to affirm that God made Matter which is the prime Corporeal Nature to subsist only in three dimensions for this very Reason even because there was not stuff enough in it to replenish four dimensions or more But as we see well enough that the too great consumption of matter is not the reason why it subsists only in three dimensions but because the Corporeal Nature is perfectly compleat in these three and an extended substance is uncapable of more In like manner we learn that the Deity exists in no more than three subsistences not for lack of any suffiâ—iency for then he is not the Supream Being but because
his Spiritual Nature as has been seen is perfect in these and admits no more 3. And for the inequality of these three suggested in the Hypothesis it is also repugnant to the perfections of the Deity For since the Divine Nature is independent on any other thing that subsistence which it has in the agency of an Eternally Holy Will is equal to that which it hath in the agency of an Eternally Perfect Truth and each of these is equal to that subsistence which it hath in the agency of an Eternally Conscious Life 4. The three Divine Subsistences have been thought by some to be only our partial inadequate conception of the one Divine Nature and one Writer observing that the Divine Intellect and Will have commonly been considered in the explication of the Trinity he has through great ignorance not without scornful slander of the Catholick Faith and contumelious usage of the Divine Majesty exposed them to the World under the approbrious style of Faculty Gods But it appears from the foregoing account of the Trinity that such apprehensions and wrath are from meer mistake for the infinite Life Light and Love or the infinite Life Mind and Spirit is intirely the Divine Nature and this subsists intirely in the first subsistence conceiving and intirely in the second conceived and intirely in the third willed 5. Since the Divine Mind in its first subsistence is not it self unless it does conceive the Divine Nature and yet there is no conceiving the Divine Nature if there be no conceptus of the Divine Nature and vice versâ no conceptus of the Divine Nature subsists if the Nature subsists not conceiving it therefore the first and second substantial subsistence of the Divine Nature are not at all themselves if they be separated 5. Again no Nature subsists by being willed unless it also subsists in conceptu therefore the subsistence of the Divine Nature by volition is not it self if it be separated from that subsistence of the same Nature which is in conceptu Therefore no one of these subsiences of the Divine Nature subsists at all or is its self unless all three subsist in coexistence 6. But though they be inseparable yet every one in their coexistence is in it self independent for though no one is it self unless in union with the other yet being in union each is what it is by its own independent subsistence therefore though the Parental subsistence is not it self what it is if it be not coexistent with the other two yet being in union it is what it is by its own independent subsistence And for the same Reason neither is the second nor the third it self if not in union with the other two but being in coexistence each is what it is independently and consequently every subsistence is an independent subsistence 7. These three subsistences have yet their order and that not arbitrary but natural In the Angles of an equilateral Triangle any one is the first arbitrarily as we please to begin but in natural order they are all simultaneous but in a solid the length is in natural order the first dimension the breadth the second and the depth the third The Divine Nature in its first subsistence does not suppose the subsistence in conceptu though it does connote it but the subsistence in conceptu doth both suppose and connote the first and the subsistence in volition doth suppose and connote both the other So here is but one the first and that is the first in the Natural Order therefore there is but one Principle in the Godhead and then the second subsistence and third in the Natural Order But when the first is called the Fountain and Original of the Trinity these expressions are so very Metaphorical that though they sound not amiss yet their sense is very undeterminate 8. The three subsistences have also a mutual inexistence or in-being of one in the other that is to say not only the one individual Nature exists substantially in three distinct subsistences but every one of those subsistences hath mutually a real existence in the other two for example the Divine Nature in its first subsistence is God not conceived but this same Divine Nature and its first subsistence are positively conceived to be and therefore both this Nature and its first subsistence have in this conception a conceived subsistence which is a second real subsistence but then the first subsistence of the Deity unconceived is the first subsistence subsisting in its own proper form but as it subsists in the second it is not so but in the conceived subsistence and in the third in the willed subsistence and correspondently it is in the reciprocal in-being of the other two this is plain in the notional subsistence of things in our own Minds and this I take to be the mutual consciousness Cap. 4.7 which a very Learned Author of late hath at large discoursed of in a Book of great instruction 9. The Subsistences being thus in themselves and thus related to each other it is manifest that every one of these is God and all the same God because the same Divine Nature does substantially subsist intirely and equally in all and in every one of the Three Therefore the same Glorious Nature the same Supream Majestick Nature the same Incomprehensible Eâ—ernal Omnipotent Uncreated Nature does subsist one and the same in all and every one of the three Subsistences Therefore there is but one Uncreate one Almighty Eternal Incomprehensible one Supream in Glorious Majesty 10. This one Blessed Mind in all its Subsistences does operate with one agency upon all other Inferiour Beings that are in the Universe Now as we find in our selves If our Life Understanding and Will have internally amongst themselves divers interests yet their energy in the motion whereby they move our Bodies from place to place is but one they therefore yield but one force that moves the hand or foot in one only single Line straight or crooked Wherefore though the Deity in all its three real subsistences operates upon other things yet there is but one Divine Agent and one Divine Agency in the World There is then but one Creatour one Redeemer one Sanctifier there is but one Invisible Adorable Being one Lord one King one Judge one Majesty to whom all subjection is due 11. Let us now proceed to the Moral Consequents The Physical Goodness of the Divine Nature is the Divine Nature it self considered as a thing to be willed But the Moral goodness of the Divine Nature is its free willing of the Divine Being Since therefore the Divine Nature it self in its third substantial Subsistence Câ—p 5 2â— does subsist in this All-mighty but free Volition of the Divine Being therefore this free Volition which is the Divine Moral Goodness hath in God a substantial Subsistence So that Moral goodness is substantial in the Divine Nature but is not so in any other Nature how sublime soever In this sense none is good
it hath a Substantial Subsistence that Nature is very properly begotten in such a Subsistence by that Conception 4. Wherefore since it hath appeared by the Natural Reason of the Supream Being that the first Person is the Deity in its Parental Subsistence and the second in the Filial Chap. 5.14 And the Scripture teaches the first Person is the Father and the second the Son we are hereby assured that the Scriptural and the Natural Account of the Trinity are the same in the general only Nature teaches the bare thing as in it self and the Scripture in its Religious state Having said this to justifie the main of the process I shall now proceed to Evince that the particular Characters of the three Persons are the very same in Scripture with those I have delivered from the Light of Nature But I must first advise the Reader that I am not now so much to prove the Trinity from Scripture which has been done abundantly by many others but to compare the Natural Doctrine with the Scripture and shew their accord in all the branches of each which I shall do a briefly as I can 5. Reason taught us that the Divine mind in its first Subsistence does Subsist Conceiving the Divine Nature Chap 4.10 Cap. 5.10 this is confirmed by the Holy Oracles of the Father to the Son Thou art my Son this Day have I begotten thee We learn from the Divine Nature that the first Person is really distinct from the second Chap. 5.9 10 and we learn from the Scripture also that besides the Son that bears witness of himself there is another even the Father that bears witness of him and these are the two distinct witnesses But yet the reason of the thing assures us that it is one and the same Divine Nature that Subsists in these two distinct and real Subsistences Chap. 5.12 And accordingly Divine Revelation teaches us I and my Father are one ◠one nature or one thing 6. Natural Light instructs us that the second Subsistence of the God head is a Substantial Subsistence Chap. 5.9 10. The Holy Scriptures conformably affirms That in him dwelleth all the fulness of the God-head bodily that is Substantially The Son himself is Naturally God even God by himself and that by Nature Chap. 5.11 13. The Scripture attests the same styling him God even God blessed over all and warns us of the future appearance of the great God even our Saviour Jesus Christ That the Deity in its second Substantial Subsistence is the Son and that not by Adoptive Reputation but Real Generation appeared from the nature of the thing Chap. 5.14 and this is confirmed by the Testimony of Gods word which says This day have I begotten thee That the Son conceives his own Divine Nature is a Natural Document and likewise that this is neither more nor less than his own Essential Subsistence Chap. 5.15 Both these the Sacred Dialect teaches declaring that he Lives in him is Life And as the Father hath Life in himself so hath he given the Son to have Life in himself The Son begotten of the Father is one and Eternally the same as reason teaches Chap. 5.16 and the Religious institution stiles him therefore the only begotten of the Father The Son Conceives the Divine Nature but with a Conception that do's not Procreate another Subsistence of the Deity as was shewed Cap. 5.15 And accordingly as the Scripture teaches that there is but one which is therefore the only begotten of the Father so it teaches there is but one the same that is the only begoten Son of God confirming the Natural Doctrine that there is but one only Substantial Subsistence of the Divine Nature by any Conception of it whatsoever But yet nevertheless the Fathers Conception and the Sons Conception are equally creative of all other things as is taught Chap. 5.17 which the Scripture witnesses For the Father worketh hitherto and I work and whatsoever the Father doth the same the Son doth also All things are of the Father and by the Son all things were made that were made and without him was not any thing made that was made He laid the Foundations of the Earth and the Heavens are the work of his hands and in him all things consist Thus we see in all points the Principles of Natural Truth and Instituted Religion do harmoniously accord But let us with the like brevity touch the other Scriptural Characters of the Son and observe how exactly they are conform to the natural condition of his Person for since the Essence of any Being as conceived is properly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Word of God The Word therefore the Deity subsisting in Conception is properly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and consequently this second Subsistence of the Divine Nature both according to the reason of its Nature and of the Religious Style will either be turned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Emphatically the WORD or else Explicitely the WORD OF GOD because Reason teaches that this is the Divine Nature in a Substantial Subsistence Cap. 5.10 This will be properly signified by affirming the Word it self to be God and that in it is Life all which St. John distinctly takes notice of 1 John 1.23 Telling us likewise Explicitly Rev. 19.15 That THE WORD OF GOD is his Name or the Character given him from the condition of his Person 2. TRUTH The reality of the Divine Nature Subsisting in the second Person consists in the Essential truth of the Divine minds Conception as was shewed Cap. 5.10 This person is therefore with peculiar respect to this condition of his Being to be called the TURTH as we read he is I am the TRVTH THY Word is TRUTH And St. John inculcates this so vehemently that it 's manifest he puts a special remark upon it that we might not omit to take particular notice of it 1 Joh. 5.20 We know that the Son of God is come and hath given unto us an understanding that we might know him that is TRUE and we are in him that is TRUE even in his Son Jesus Christ he is the TRUE GOD and Eternal Life 3. For the like cause this person will be styled the Light as he oft is that is the intellectual Light of a Conscious Life seeing his Subsistence is in the perspicacious Conception of the Divine Mind as the Nature of the thing teaches Cap. 5.10 4. And because what is perfectly conceived is thereby thoroughly understood and it is an infinite wisdom to understand all the perfections of the Divine Nature and their true excellencies for God is all in all Therefore this Wisdom conceiving is the personal Wisdom of the Father but then this Wisdom Subsisting Substantially by being conceived is the Son or it is Sapientia nata as St. Austine speaks distinguishingly after an Elaborate disquisition of this matter And as I have shewed the Reason if the Supream Spirit does teach this Cap. 5.10 11 12 13 14. so it is
confirmed in the Scripture where we read of a Wisdom Subsisting with God which was brought forth conceiv'd or begotten from Everlasting brought forth before the Depths the Hills or ever the Earth was and such the Second Person of the Deity in Reason is for ever for in him are hid all the treasures of Wisdom 5. This Second Person being Divinus Conceptus Chap. 10.15 is not the Image of the Divine Nature for he is the very Divine Nature Subsisting really in this Personal Subsistence and in him the first Subsistence does really Subsist but in the Reverse or Antitype as it were this Nature dictates Chap. 4.7 Chap. 6.8 Therefore though the Son be not the express Image of the Divine Nature yet he is according to the Reason of the thing and of the Holy Language as we find Heb. 1.3 the express Image of God the Father which being so critically expressed by that Divine and Accurate Author do's manifestly point out to us the very Account which from Nature I have offered of the Subsistence of the Second Person For indeed all these Scriptural Characters are so agreeable to the reason of the thing that they leave us no rational doubt in this matter 7. The third Subsistence of the Deity is by volition and volition is the agency of the Spirit of the Divine Mind this was proved by Reason ch 5.20 ch 6.11 and this is attested by the Scriptures as often as they style the Third Person the Spirit of God or emphatically the Spirit which is so frequently that I need not hint the places This Person proceeds and is not begotten as appears by the reason of the Divine Nature cap. 5.21 accordingly the Scripture no where says the Spirit is begotten but that it proceeds from the Father and is the Spirit of the Son and sent by the Son The Nature of the Deity taught there is one and but one substantial subsistence of the Godhead by procession ch 5.22 the Divine Oracles confirm this for there is one Body and one Spirit even one and the self same Spirit This Spirit creates according to the condition of its subsistence in Nature cap. 5.23 which we also learn Psal 33 6. where all the Host of Heaven and Earth are Created by this Divine Breath This Person is a real distinct subsistence by it self of the Divine Nature cap. 5.24 and the Scripture teaches he is not the Father being sent by the Father nor the Son being sent by the Son And whilst this Spirit like a Dove did alight upon Jesus at his Baptism the Father at the same time by an audible voice from Heaven did own him for his well-beloved Son and the Son declares that the Spirit is another from himself and as Nature ch 5.25 so the Scripture teaches he is the third in order by the Ordinance of Baptism in the Name of the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost We learn from Nature that the Spirit is God ch 5.27 which is averr'd by the Scripture teaching us that lying to the Holy Ghost is lying to God and ascribing such perfections to this same Spirit as are incommunicable to any other Nature But let us proceed to the other Scriptural properties of this Spirit which we may observe to have a singular Congruousness with the natural Condition of this third Divine Person For since the third Person subsists by the Almighty Volition of the Divine Spirit c. 5.20 According to the Reason of the thing and of the Sacred Language it will exegetically be called the Power of the Most High and the Finger of God as it is Luke 1.35 c. 11.20 and because it subsists in the Divine Benevolence ch 5.19 with some peculiar attribution will this be styled the Good Spirit as Nehemiah 9.20 Thou gavest them thy Good Spirit Psal 143.10 Thy Spirit is Good and this Spirit of the Lord accordingly is directly opposed to the Evil Spirit and the prime Communication of this Spirit will be Love to all the World of Spirits because Moral Truth consists in the constancy of the Will c. 5.21 therefore this is the Spirit of Truth in the Moral sense as the Scripture often teaches which is an eminent vertue in a Witness or a Friend But above all we are to mark that according to the Nature and Reason of the thing this Person subsists in the Eternal Unchanged Holiness of the Divine good-will ch 6.5 because the Most Famous Character which the Scripture gives of this Person is that of the Holy Ghost So punctually doth the Testimony of the Scripture agree with the Doctrine of Nature 8. From the Natural Condition of the Three Persons the Consequents were that they are Coeternal Three in Number Coequal each intirely God inseparable self-subsistent and mutually inexistent and one Principle only In confirmation of all this the Scripture teaches the Father is God from Everlasting to Everlasting that the Son is set up from Everlasting whose goings forth are from Everlasting that he indures and his years have no end that the Spirit is the Eternal Spirit It likewise teaches us there are three but no more and in the same order as Nature doth the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost And again the Father the Word and the Holy Ghost one of these Three accounts it no Robbery to be equal with another asserting all to be his which the other hath that he was with the other and in the beginning with the other that he is not alone but the other is with him yea one mutually inexistent in the other I in thee and thou in me and as the one hath life in himself so the other hath life in himself 9. Nature Scripture then we have seen do both teach each of these three Persons is God and yet notwithstanding Nature assures us that there is not therefore three but only one God as is taught ch 5.26 and the Scripture every where confirms this Natural Dictate assuring us that there is but one God Thou shalt have no other Gods but me I am and there is no God besides me There is but one Uncreated Self-sufficient Almighty Eternal Incomprehensible One Supream in Glorious Majesty according to the Evidence given by Reason ch 6.9 Now though the Scripture as has been shew'd does attribute the perfections of the Divine Nature to every one of these Persons as well as reason did yet no where doth it speak of more Eternals more Almighties more All-sufficients then one only And there being in Nature but one energy upon the Creatures abroad ch 6.10 the Scripture concurs herewith teaching there is but one Creatour one Saviour one Sanctifier one King one Law-giver one Judge one Lord one Adorable Being or Object of Religious Worship and one Majesty According to the voice of Nature Truth and Moral goodness have a substantial subsistence in God ch 6.11 12. this is asserted by the Scripture as often as it says God is Light or God is Love That the Spirit of God is free
import their constitution in the Sacerdotal State of the Universe But I must here lay no stress upon this lest I beg a Principle of those that will not grant it I note it however for the sake of them which know the Truth that they may discern the whole of what I include in the compleat notion of a Christian Mystery 2. Nature instructs us in the knowledge of Gods Eternal Power and Godhead Rom. 1.20 Acts 14.17 Rom. 1.32 and of his Providence and Righteous Judgment and likewise teaches that his Subsistence is such as belongs Naturally to the Supream Self-Originate Spirit what that is I have shewed above But that God is Incarnate that he now Governs the World in Humane Nature and will Judge the World in the man Christ Jesus is not to be learned from Natural John 1.14 Mat. 28.18 Acts 17 31. but only from Supernatural Revelation Nothing then that depends upon these as all Religious Mysteries now do can be proved otherwise than from the Scriptures 3. From the Natural Reason of the thing we have therefore no evidence to assert that Christ is God Mark 1.1 Joh. 20.13 but there is nothing that the Gospel makes more certain then that Christ is the Son the only Son the only begotten Son of God this being the grand assertion of the New Testament And this being made certain to us by the Gospel the former discourse whereby we naturally learn there is one only Son of God does assure us that whoever or whatever Christ is Cap. 5. though he be even a man he is himself really and truly God and yet not God the Father nor the Holy Ghost This is all that our present undertaking obliges us to say in demonstration of our Saviours Divinity 4. But that I may not wholly baulk the expectation of the Reader I shall annex the sum of a large Scriptural evidence made ready to our hands as I find it recapitulated by the excellent Dr. III. Serm. of the Trinity P. 86 Wallis after a particular inforcement of it He therefore who is as Christ has been shewed from the Scriptures to be God the true God the Mighty God the Everlasting Father the Eternal God the First and the Last before whom nothing was and after whom nothing shall be That Was and Is and Shall be the same Yesterday and to Day and for Ever the Almighty by whom the World was Made by whom all things were Made and without whom nothing was Made that was Made who Laid the Foundations of the Earth and the Heavens are the Work of his hands who when the Heavens and the Earth shall fail His Years endure for Ever who searcheth the Hearts and the Reins to give to every one according to his Works who is Jehovah the Lord God of Israel the Supream Being who is over all God blessed for Ever who is the blessed and only Potentate the King of Kings and Lord of Lords who only hath Immortality to whom be Honour and Power Everlasting Amen That God says he of whom all these things are said is certainly not a meer Titular God who is called God but is not a Creature God or only a Dignified Man for if these be not Characters of the True God by what Characters shall the True God be described 5. We are now to observe how the Natural Doctrine of the former Discourse does correspond with all these viz. That Christ is Man and is the Son of God is God but not the Father nor the Holy Ghost First then Of the Humanity of Christ about which more anon we must remember that there is no Created Nature Cap. 5.5 Cap. 5.10 but has its Being wholly by being Conceived in the Divine Mind therefore Christs Humanity is a Nature Subsisting by being Conceived by God 2. The Divine Nature in its second Subsistence is the only begotten Son of God as being God Conceived therefore Jesus Christ being the Son of God is God conceived and being but one and yet Man he is God conceived one with Man or he is God conceived and Man conceived in Unity by the Divine Conception and therefore by vertue of the Divine Essential Truth God conceived one with Man is thereby really one with Man Thus Christ abideth ever God and Man in one Cap. 5.5 6. But because it is God conceived that is thus one with Man therefore it is neither God the Father or the Holy Ghost that is one with Man For God Conceived or Begotten is the Deity in its second subsistence Christ therefore is the Son of God even of the Father and from him and the Father proceeds the Holy Ghost 7. Since Unity hath several significations it will be impossible in some sense for God in any subsistence to be one with Man therefore we must observe that God the Son being Eternally God conceived is Eternally God and Eternally conceived he therefore is not changed in his nature nor subsistence which being still the same he ceases not to be God nor the Son of God by becoming Man And we may say more generally he ceases not to be what he ever had been but begins to be what before he was not There is therefore neither a Conversion of the Godhead changing it from a Divine into a Humane Nature nor yet a confusion whereby upon the union of the two Natures there results a third which is neither of the two as when a blew thread is dipt into a yellow Vat there comes out a third colour which is neither blew nor yellow but green so that the Properties Natural and Personal of the Son of God remain the same unvaried by this Union 8. Jesus Christ being one who is God conceived and Man conceived in the unity of the Divine Conception he is the Son of God both in his Divine and Humane Nature This subsistence therefore of the Son of God in Union with Man is Mystical in the full and adequate notion of Mysticalness for the Divine Nature might have been and have governed the whole Creation Cap. 10.1 though in no one of its Personal subsistences it had been one with Man Jesus Christ therefore the second Person of the Blessed Trinity hath in him a Mystical subsistence of God and Man become one and therefore is a Mystical Divine Person 9. And because this Mystical Union was effected by the unity of the Divine Conception therefore God conceiving the Divine and Humane Nature is one Rom. 15. in as such the God and Father of Jesus Christ and therefore is as such the Divine Nature in its first subsistence become Mystical 10. And the Holy Ghost proceeding from the Father and the Son in this their Mystical subsistence being as such the Spirit of the Father of Jesus 1 Cor. 2.12 and the Spirit of Christ and the Spirit of Jesus is the Divine Nature as such in its third subsistence hereby become Mystical Rom. 8.9 Gal. 4.6 Phil. 1.19 Cap. 10.1 So that
it can neither roundly be affirmed nor denied Explicate the meaning of the ambiguous Phrase and the Matter hath no difficulty The Scripture sometime says that this Person that is God and Man is the Son of Abraham of David c. and sometimes with restriction Mat. 1.1 Rom. 1.3 9 5. explains the expression that it is appertaining to the Flesh 11. Seeing God the Son is one with Man of Humane Race put case that this Man had had a Personal Subsistence in the World before this Union then until this Union they were two several Persons and then if the one of these two was Christ the other was not And unless this Union alters their Condition they still continue two several Persons and so if the one of these two be Christ the other is not But we have before proved that the properties personal and natural of God the Son are unvaried by this Union therefore unless the Man be altered in some respect Christ is not God and Man C. 10 7. which is contrary to the supposition whereon the inquiry proceeds How God and Man is one in Christ Should then the Humane Nature of this Person by its Union with the Divine Nature be Annihilated or Changed from its Man-hood Then the Son of God is not by this Union one with Man but with some other thing which is likewise contrary to the supposal And yet if the distinct Personal Subsistence of the Manhood as well as the Nature should continue after this Union then they will remain as much two as they were before but this is contrary to the supposal that they were become one It remains therefore that there is some Change in the distinct Personal Subsistence of the Man by becoming one with the Son of God but because Personal Capacities are indivisible no Change of them is partial but all total Now a total Change of a Person by Union with another Person extinguisheth the Changed Personality so that though it was a voluntary Nature yet by the Union the voluntary Nature becomes a Natural Property of the Person to which it is United If therefore the Manhood of our Saviour had had a Personal Subsistence in the World before its Union with the Godhead the consequence of such Union had been that they which before were Naturally two voluntary Agents by this Personal Union became one Natural Voluntary Agent and so two Natures both Voluntary become one Person And because neither the Divine Nature or Personality of the Son of God is changed this one Person is a Divine Person no less than he was before the Union Now though there was no Manhood in Being before its Union for when God sent forth his Son he was made of a Woman Gal. 4.4 yet by this case put Hypothetically we may the better conceive the Nature of the Union betwixt the two Natures in Christ 12. For as this Nature did in the fore-described formation arrive at the form of a Humane Nature by the Efficiency of the Natural and Supernatural Powers it had its Personal Subsistence in the Word for since as has been shewed a Humane Nature that had a Personal Subsistence in the World being United with the Divine Word may thereupon become one Person with the Word and its own Personality be extinguished Much more shall a Nature that never had Humanity or Personality before as fast as it attains a Humane form so have its Personal Subsistence by its Union with the Divine Word that God and Man are one Voluntary Agent thereby and all the Rights Disposals and Acts of the two Natures are Really and in Truth the Rights Disposals and Acts of this one Person that is God and Man 13. According to which measures it may be truly said that God redeems his Church with his own blood though the Godhead hath no blood of its own Acts. 20.28 John 6.62 John 3.13 And the Son of Man ascends into Heaven where he was before though that was never before the place of the Humane Nature and whilst he was speaking of that future ascent the Son of Man was even then in Heaven though his Humane Nature was at that time only on Earth 14. God that made two Stones in the condition of two several moveables so that one may move upwards whilst the other moves downward or one rest whilst the other moves could have made the Substance of these two stones to have adhered together inseparably and become only one movement And though Volitions are not motions yet Volitions are the Acts of Wills as Motions if they be Actions are the Actions of Bodies We cannot make Natural Wills and consequently we cannot make Natural Persons and therefore it is that we cannot make many Natural Persons to become one Natural Person But when God hath made men that are Natural Persons we can of them Create Political Persons because we can Create a Political Will and therefore we can also of many Political Persons make one Political Person We can make one man a King because we can give one a Soveraign Will in this Country and another a King in another Country and a third in another and we can joyn all these three into one Political Person by making the Will of the major part the will of the whole Governing all these Kingdoms in the Person of a Trium virate For the Power of making many Persons of any kind into one Person of the same kind is but commensurate to the power of making several Persons of the same Condition Wherefore since God can make several natural Persons he can by the same Omnipotence make two Natural Persons to become one Natural Person for this must needs be as feasible to the Divine Power as the other is to ours Now though the Divine Nature and Person of God the Son be Eternal yet the Humane Nature being Temporal it is obnoctious to the Divine Arbitriment notwithstanding its voluntariness whether it shall have a Personal Subsistence of its Self or be the Natural Property of the Person of the Son of â—od and so God and Man be so United that they become one Voluntary Agent and one Divine Person Now since we are ascertained that God wills the Word to become Flesh Rom. 5.17 1 Cor. 8.6 Eph. 4.5 we are thereby assured that God wills God and Man to be one Christ one Lord and one Person CHAP. XII Of the Mystery of Gods Kingdom 1. NOW if the Son of God be one Person with Man he is one Person with a Humane Body Vitally United with a Reasonable Soul let us reflect then upon our own make and frame that we may the better understand this Mystery of the Universe Now a Humane Body is a Body exalted by a regular Efficiency of Mans Prolifick Powers to that Curious Stupendious and Unparallel'd Mechamisme by Organization and to that refined Temperature by more than Myriads of exquisite Percolations as is not to be found in any other parts of this Visible World
three really distinct II. If the Case really be that God does indeed subsist in Three Persons then he can no more subsist in one only than he can cease to Subsist at all For then the Condition of the Divine Nature is such that it comports not with it to Subsist in fewer than three real Subsistences but if on the contrary it really doth Subsist in one only then the Nature is such as admits no more This therefore is a natural Question and touches the Reason of the Divine Nature III. But which of these two is really the Case cannot be concluded from our absolute certainty of the single Subsistence of every and all other things for they bring all dependent Substences and â—od Self Originte The Trine-subsistence which is repugnant and contradictious to the Nature of such dependent Beings may be the only way of Subsistence competible to a self original Being Now all the Arguments of the Opposers of the Trinity do plainly rest upon a supposed Parity or Identity of reason in this Case for they turning off their Eye from the Reason of the very thing it self which they were reasoning about and looking round the World to pick up reasons as they could spy them lying scatter'd up and down elsewhere imagin'd those reasons which they were certain suited exactly with the Subsistence of all other things could not but be fit measures of their Judgment about the Subsistence of the Deity in this Inquiry Now this way of Arguing being manifestly Fallacious they are plainly unreasonable in charging the Church's Faith with contradictions and absurdities IV. Since the single Subsistence of all dependant Substences is no valu'd Argument of the single Subsistence of the independant Being the onely Question in reason that remains is whether we knowing many things of God are thereby able to discover from the Conditions and Perfections of the Divine Nature it self that it subsists in three Persons or on the other hand in one only For if we can do neither of these we cannot at all use reason in this Question for then all reasonings about it are Sophistical But we must quit all pretence to reason from the Nature of things and follow wholly the reason of speech in the Scripture V. But whatever can be thus discover'd this is certain that the reason of the Divine Nature it self does not shew that one of the three Divine Persons if three there be is become Man in the Person of Jesus Christ tâ—erefore the Christian Tradition as such is a mystery and is wholly of Scripture Revelation which according to the Reason of Speech even by the Confession of the Adversaries does deliver the Doctrine of the Catholick Faith The Proceedings therefore which Christians have ever used in its defence have been exactly conform to the Quality of this Question for they never pretended to build their Belief of this Mystery upon the Reason of the Divine Nature or any other but on the Testimony of the Divine Word VI. As the Christian Faith of this Mystery is not built upon Natural Reason so it also appears that it cannot be impugned from any Reasons unless they be such as are deducible from the peculiar Conditions and Perfections of the Deity it self Now all these I shall endeavour to shew are so far from opposing the Christian Mystery that they Argue that the God-head according to the Reason of that Blessed Nature does Subsist in three Natural Persons so far therefore as Reason hath any Vote it gives it for the Church's Faith VII This would not have been needful to us Christians but that the importunity of the Anti-Trinitarians without Reason's suffrage will not be satisfied with the fulness of Scripture Evidence nor yield our Saviour his due Honour For though by Christ's appointment they are Devoted to the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost yet after this Vow they will make Inquiry as if they were still in a state of deliberation and were to consult ex integro whether they should stand to their Vow or not It being certainly much better joyfully to bear than resistively to cast off a Yoak of Christ's Imposing I confess I know no better Service could be done to these Men than to bring them back into the Bond of their Violated Covenant But I shall not undertake such an Office because I fore-see that I cannot on this Subject speak to them for the just Honour of our Blessed Lord and Master but they will take it for an Obloquy cast upon them For if I say and mean as I say that all Men are to honour the Son John 5. even as they honour the Father they presently feel I am rubbing on their sore place and I know the Opinion of a Party is a sore which brooks well enough to be clawed but will not indure to be rubbed VIII To spare them therefore and comply somewhat with my own Genius which little likes to deal with the extream touchiness of a darling Doctrine I shall apply my Self to this Work directly as a Service of Christ and his Church from whom I hope for better acceptance leaving them to their beloved liberty of taking what they like for their own use Being nevertheless perswaded that if whilst they refuse to captivate their understandings to the Obebedience of the Faith they have not at the same time enslaved them to the Tenents of Arius Socinus and such other confident but unwary Reâ—sâ—â—ers they will find whilst I laboured to serve the Interâ—â—s of the Heâ—venly Kingdom I have done and that not unawares what may be useful and even satisfactory to the more moderâ—te amongst them IX That I may make then this Discourse the more Serviceable I shall first shew that the reason of â—â—e Divine Nature it self doth sufficienâ—â—y 〈◊〉 the Being of one Gâ—d and three Persons Secondly That the Holy Scripture does Tâ—ach the very same Doctrine with the Nature of the thing Thirdly Because we Believe from the Gospel Institution that Jesus Christ is one of the Three Persons I shall give an Account how Congruous that Revelation is to what we infer from the Reason of the Divine Nature Lastly since Christ does enter our belief of the Trinity into the Stipulation made in our Covenant of Life and Peace with God I shall explain that its Faederal use and if upon the whole we find that the Reasons of the thing in its self and in its accord with the Scripture and in what befel it by Christ's Incarnation and in its Baptismal use do all concur to assure us of the Truth of the Blessed Trinity I hope it will no longer remain amongst us in the state of a Question but all sober men will agree in the Faith and Worship of one God in Trinity and Trinity in Unity X. I am sensible that by my having ventured to blame other mens Reasonings I have imposed a Law upon my self which I shall think in the Rational Inquiry we sufficiently comply with if we transgress not
by irreverence unwariness or excess of confidence taking care first we say nothing of God but what is truly great and worthy of his blessed Majesty Secondly That we use only certain and allowed Principles inferring nothing from them but with clear consequence Thirdly That we compare all Conclusions with the holy Scriptures moderately suspecting we may have misreckoned our selves and believing God's Word is the proof whereby we must know whether we have drawn up our whole Account aright or not CHAP. II. Of the Spiritual Nature and its Existence 1. BEing to consider the Nature of the Deity first wâ— are assured that if it be matter we then understand that nature so well that we can presently thence infer it is a substance extended in length breadth and thickness hath parts quantity c. and by all these we perceive that it is something but not that it does any thing from whence it is evident that matter how far soever it lies extended is such a substance that may exist and yet not act at all 2. If the Divine Nature be not material then some Atheistically say it is no nature at all Others that it is a nature not conceivable by us Yet others affirm that there is a nature not corporeal that may be more certainly and distinctly conceived by us than is the material Nature it self Cap. 1.10 We are by the foregoing Laws of arguing precluded the use of Learned men's Authority and therefore are left to the genuine Conduct of Nature it self which in this Inquiry proves so officious to us that by a few Documents of indubitable certainty it instructs us sufficiently for our present purpose by our selves ascertaining us 3. There is a Nature whatsoever or whencesoever it is which does most clearly discern that there is infallibly a difference betwixt Existence and Non-existence and consequently betwixt something and nothing and in speech between contradictories but how great soever the assurance is which we have of the difference betwixt these opposites it can be no greater than is our certainty that we have a conception of the one opposite as well as of the other at the same time whilst we conceive the difference betwixt them for were we then destitute in our mind either of the notion of Existence or of Non-existence we could have no conception of the difference betwixt them and consequently perceive no difference betwixt being and not being but we are sure there is a difference betwixt being and not being therefore we most certainly have not only a conception of what we mean by being but likewise of what we mean by not-being and in speech we have as well a certain perception of what we mean when we say a thing is not or there is nothing as when we say a thing is or there is something Now since it is requisite for our understanding the difference betwixt Existence and Non-existence that our mind should form in its self the conception of Non-existence it is to be observed that such conception of Non-existence as we then find in our selves cannot be formed in our mind by any thing but only the pure Agency of the minds own Nature For Non-existence it self or nothing hath no Agency of its own and all existent Objects tend not to form in the mind the conception of Non-existence but of Existence therefore the mind alone does meerly by its own Agency elicit in its self the conception which it has of Non-existence and so it commences an act in it self by its own pure Agency There is then we are sure in the World an Agent that is no body for no matter can commence an action in it self but whensoever it moves it is moved either by the impulse or agency of another thing 4. Now because the shifting of a place is not the conceiving of Non-existence therefore this immaterial Agent commences this action by a pure Energy in it self Now a pure Energy acting imminently in it self by its own Agency alone without locally moving it self is a vital Energy therefore every such immaterial Agent thus acting is a Life We are therefore sure there is a Life in being and that it is an Immaterial Nature having an Agency in it self 5. Whensoever we do with Actual Advertence conceive Existence and Non-existence we so conceive the one of them as actually to perceive it is not the other and when we do not actually advert to the difference of the one from the other the very conception of either is such that in it we understand it is not the other therefore we never conceive Existence but we have a conception of Non-existence implied or understood in our minds but a conception of Non-existence is a vital not loco-motive act Cap. 2.4 therefore all understanding since it includes in it the conception of Non-existence is the act of a Vital Agent which is immaterial And universally all conceptions of Negatives are a demonstration of the Agency of an Immaterial Being 6. Some mens confident Ignorance makes it needful here to digress and observe that â—ccording to these measures that are certain in our selves we must confess that Brutes have either no understanding or else they perceive some difference betwixt Existence and Non-existence betwixt something and nothing for if as these men think their sense be nothing but an Elastical Reaction and Renitency caused by a pressure from some parts of matter then because nothing or a non-existent Being can cause no such pressure they have no apprehension at all of Negatives and consequently have no understanding and therefore what we call sense Cap. 2.5 and is sense in Brutes is quite another thing from what we feel in our selves and we can have no more any notion of what the Brute's sense is than a blind man hath of Colours but it imports not us to know which of these is really their case For it is most absurd because we know not how things pass in Brutes for their sakes to deny what we are infallibly assured to be in our selves for be it as it hath happened to the Brutes nothing can be more certain than that men understand there is a difference between being and no being with such assurance that nothing can constrain them to think otherwise So that they who object the condition of the Brute's Souls against the Immateriality of the Souls of Men offer us an improbable conjecture which though it had been true would have had no argumentative force and yet by this pitiful Subterfuge they hope to elude the evidence of a plain demonstration from the Agency of our own minds which proves them to be Immaterial Natures 7. That an Intellectual Life must be conscious of its own acts seems to me no less necessary than that a thing which exists actually extended in length must needs have breadth too But this is certain however that we are not without such consciousness for as we perceive the difference betwixt Existence and Non-existence so we are fully
delivers her Faith is justified by these the sole Authentick Judges of such Controversies and for the truth of the thing refers her self to the Authority of God in Nature and Scripture 3. Now though this be abundantly sufficient for this verbal Controversie yet we may observe that in accord with this sense of the word Person the Scripture it self teaches us in many cases to distinguish betwixt a Man and his Person as when it says both that God accepts no Man's Person yet that in every Nation he accepts the Man that feareth God and worketh Righteousness Whereby we learn that God accepts the righteous man yet accepts not the righteous man's person I observe then every Spiritual Nature is voluntary and no Nature whatsoever is capable of any Personal Subsistence at all that is not voluntary which being premised it is easie to observe that according to the Classical and Scriptural use a Person does not precisely signifie the Being of a voluntary Nature but a voluntary Nature subsisting with a Reciprocal Aspect upon somewhat as it were mutually fancying one another in which Reciprocal Aspect the voluntary Being is considered directly in no other than its voluntary Capacity Thus it is in all persons made by Prosopopaeia in all Mimical Histrionical Hypocritical and all other persons whose Personality is fictitious so it is in all real persons both necessary and arbitrary in Civil Political persons in Bodies Politick that is one person consisting of many Men in Moral and Natural persons Now the Three Persons of the Trinity are plainly of this last sort being persons from the nature of the thing in it self For the Divine Nature being spiritual that is a voluntary Being and subsisting as has been shewed in three real distinct subsistences it has in every one of these three subsistences a distinct reciprocal aspect upon it self in its other two real subsistences and therefore the Deity subsisting in any one of these real subsistences is a real Person and consequently the Deity is in himself three several distinct Persons in the propriety of the word Person Nor would it be otherwise were the account to be given not in the antient Native but in the present English use of the word Person wherein the reciprocal aspect always implyed in Personality is that of a thing upon it self as when we say every Mans Person is himself For according to this acception of the word if we should say the Father is himself the Son is himself and the Holy Ghost is himself then every ones self here is the Person of him whose self it is Therefore the same difference that is betwixt the Father himself and the Son himself and the Holy Ghost himself the same there is betwixt the three Persons but the Father is not the Son but as has been shewed is really distinct therefore the Person of the Father which is himself is not the Person of the Son C. 5.9 10. consequently here are two really distinct Persons and the Holy Ghost by the like reason is the third 4. And the Course which the Latine Church took to establish the Ecclesiastical use of the word when it began to be questioned does very little if at all differ from this account Hypostasis englished Person Heb. 1. is of Divine Authority and Persona did intend the very same thing in the Latine Church For Hypostasis signifies the subsistence of a Nature or Being in its Station or State and since it is plainly apply'd Heb. 1. to a Voluntary Nature whose State is Personal the Divine Authority of the Greek warrants the use of the Latine as an Original does a Translation done with due allowance of Idioms This appears by the method used afterward on this occasion For to express the real subsistence of the Being in its state the Latine Schools used the term suppositum which hath in its make a manifest reference to the Family of the Greek Hypostasis And because this was the Hypostasis of a Spiritual Nature which is always Personal to answer that voluntariness of the suppositum they added rationale and so defined a Person suppositum rationale which as they understood rational was very allowable For the Schools intended their Definition of Person should reach not only Minds Incorporate but likewise Mind Coelestial And they likewise generally Taught that Angels had their knowledge not by ratiocination collecting from what they know already the perception of what they know not but by intuition therefore they here took rationale not in the imperfect sense for the faculty of reasoning but for the conscious perception of the formal reasons which are the very Nature or Essence of things And in this sense not only Angels are rational but likewise God himself is most eminently rational accordingly Cicero attributes to the Divine Nature Summa Ratio According to this intention the Schools definition of a Person agrees to every Being that is a Person and to none else Howbeit I have thought the Personal Capacity of any Being consists in its voluntariness more immediately than its rationality because the chief if not only consideration of a Person respects decent undecent praise dispraise right wrong merit demerit misery happiness now all these have their proximate aspect on the Will and not the Reason I confess when any of these are concerned in a Persons actions consideration uses to be had whether the actions were done wittingly or not but this is not enquired after for it self or directly but only as a sign of their being done willingly For should a Man contrary to all reason give away his Estate from his own most intirely Beloved Son to his greatest Enemy in the World the Right in Nature will pass by his meer Will though he declares that wittingly and without any reason and contrary to all reason but his own Will he so disposed of it I have therefore given the account of personality not from the rationality but voluntariness of the Suppositum though I know no inconvenience in the School Definition but that we cannot so expediently argue upon it and for my dissent in such a formality I presume that is enough In short the first Consideration does vindicate the Churches Right to the use of the Word the second proves that she used her Right well and the third that it is not now in the Power of the Church honestly to disuse it as being agreeable in its proper significancy to the reason of the thing and from all we learn that in the three distinct real Subsistences there are three distinct real Personalities I shall therefore conclude here the Natural Evidence whereby I suppose it is sufficiently manifest that the Churches acknowledgment of three Persons and one God is so far from being Contradictious to reason that the denial of it is repugnant to the condition and reason of the Divine Nature 5. And though by this means the Adversaries Artillery is turned upon themselves yet it is done with no hostile
intention but rather with a charitable design to aid them in their streights for since they have so weak a Faith that they cannot believe Gods word without relief from the evidence of Reason I hope I have sufficiently shewed them that they may be most strictly Catholick Christians and yet most rigorously Rational Men. For if they will reason warily enough I see not how they can use reason too much about the Christian Religion And it will ever be found most reasonable that Christian Men should imploy all the Reason that God hath given them not to spie out incongruities in the Language which he uses with his Church but rather to maintain the verity of all those things which he has with perspicuity and great veracity ef expressions asserted in the Holy Scripture which I shall presently shew he has done on the Subject in hand Indeed the Papists of late by a sly Artifice would have had us account the Trinity a sensless Doctrine that it might make a fit Prologue as they used it to introduce the Monster of their Transubstantiation but we find it is no way accommodate to any such purpose For what the Christian Doctrine Teaches of the Trinity is exactly agreeable to the Reason and Nature of the Supream Spirit but Transubstantiation teaches nothing but what is repugnant to the Condition of the Corporeal Nature For first they tell us of a thing that has not at all the Nature of a Body as they describe it and then teach us that the Bread and Wine are turned into that Body It may indeed well enough beseem Persons that have Worldly Designs of their own to be served upon the Christian Religion to resolve Faith and all the Points of it into an obscurity of assent that other Men may take their Creeds from their mouths and believe as they would have them for their own turns but for such as intend no other end in their Faith than the Salvation of their own and others Souls I see not but reason if used with soberness is of great advantage and comfortable use to them in their Religion For my own part I like not the Catholick Doctrine of the Trinity ever the worse but rather much the better because I find that all the reason in the World which I can understand is in that Mystery on the Churches side CHAP. VIII The Scripture Evidence NAture teaches first what a thing is or is not in it self and having implanted in us self-love and other concerns thereby prompts us to consider the thing Comparatively with reference to our own interests So that the Natural account of the thing is best delivered in the most simple and bare terms But Prophetical institution passing through the Spirits of the Holy Men of God is to be delivered in terms that express both the things themselves and their devout regard to them conjunctly and therefore such an institution is at once adapted to instil Knowledge and Religion into the Hearers Minds for Religion is not naked speculation but that belief of things whereby we form the Councels of our Lives and Affections of our Hearts St. Paul assures us that this is eminently the Character of the Christian Institution which he therefore stiles the Doctrine and again the Truth which is according to Godliness and refers to this notion on so many several occasions that it is plain he looks upon it as one of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Christian Religion Therefore the Expressions wherein the Christian Doctrine is taught will accordingly be such as in the common use of words do bespeak reverence or Holy Fear and Love The Gospel Preaches Christ to be the Lord of all to whom Divine Honour is due on the account of the Excellency of his Person Now since the subsistence of things in conception as amongst Men is but weak as being only notional and in common use through pravity is extreamly subject to vanity had Christ been called the Divine conceptus the infinite distance betwixt Gods conceptions and ours being not obvious enough in common use this Style had not been so well accommodated to procure Reverence as is calling him the Son the only Begotten Son of God But the Religious Concern being set aside for the bare truth of the thing Nature more expeditely teacheth it by assuring us that God is a perfect Mind and therefore he perfectly conceives or has a perfect conception of his own Divine Nature for this is certain at the first sight from the Condition of the Mental Nature But if we say God is a perfect Mind therefore he begets his own Nature many things must be cleared before the necessity of this Consequence will be perceived whereby we see Nature teaches best in one set of Expressions and Prophets in another which by the way may take off offence if I have given any by using some terms in explication of the Trinity that are not Scriptural whilst the Argument led me not to consider the importance of it in Religion but precisely the Natural Evidence of its Truth 2. But when I consider that almost all words are inadequate to the significaâ—ion of any words in other Languages I easily believe that this Observation may be needful only for our Vulgar Tongues for so large is the signification of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gigno c. That if we use any term significant of Breeding it is included within the comprehensiveness of these words which are the Scripture expressions most commonly used on this occasion For these words applyed to Corporeal Productions import the joint interest of both Sexes and the intire efficiency of either severally as likewise breeding by spiration by fusion by solar influence by the Earth as in Beasts Insects Fishes Plants c. So that they are not limited to any particular form of causation in breeding but signifie with the greatest latitude and are therefore to be rendred into the Modern Languages by such words as are in use upon particular occasions Whether then we say conceive or beget we are within the compass of the original significancy For whether we say well the Earth breeds or begets Grass we say well terra gignit herbas So homo herba nascitur is well said though it be neither well englished Man and Grass is born nor Man and Grass do grow 3. It is manifest both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. signifie not only Coporeal Generation or Conception but likewise Mental and this with such indifference that I see no reason why they should be thought less proper or more metaphorical when they are applied to these than to the others for Proud Thoughts Humble Thoughts Love Joy Fear and Grief c. are all properly begotten in our minds by being conceived in our minds These indeed have only a Notional Subsistence but yet their Nature such as it is is begotten by the minds conceptive powers wherefore if a Substantial Nature is conceived in a mind by a Conception wherein
they designed to entertain us with a sort of Traversty transprosed the Text and their sense being confronted appear to speak of things so vastly distant Ex. Gr. St. John agreeably to other Scriptures and in exact accord with the reason of the Divine Nature as before explained John 1.2 tells us In the beginning was the Word and the word was with God and the word was God All things were made by him and without him was not any thing made that was made The Gloss of those who pretend to the most rational interpretation of the Scripture in plain sense is to this purpose In the beginning That is as they expound Not in the beginning but in the days of Augustus Caesar Was the word That is not the word but a meer man whose name was Jesus and and not the word And the word was with God That is not in Heaven where God is but in Galilee in a retired privacy as if one should say God knows where And the wo d was God That is not God but one by false reputation so styled All things That is not all things but somethings Were made by him That is not made by him but disposed into another order by him And without him was not any thing made that was made that is every Substantial thing that was made was made without him but some respects of some things were not without him disposed otherwise than they had been before Thus they Surely this is to read us a Riddle or give us an Account of some Parabolical Projection and not to give us the exposition of a Doctrinal instruction for here every word shifts its signification to comport with a secret contrivance which the speaker had projected in his thoughts not to inform but to amuse the Hearers But after the adversaries have with such force and artifice set this Scene all the expression following for Ten or Twelve Verâ—â—s together lie so crosly that though they torture their wits they cannot wrest them to any tollerable compliance with their design and their Comments upon other Texts are much what of the like consistency But when the word as hath been proved does so properly signifie the Subsistence of the Deity in the Divine Conception and all the subsequent assertions about it in this Chapter are as Natural as could be chosen on a subject of so august solemnity it would tempt a friendly Monitor to ask these men what they see in such a ramble of fanciful extravagance that can please them better than the plain obvious and native sense of this portion of holy Scripture That a force is used upon the expression is as manifest as can be to every one that understands the Language but it appears not what could constrain these men to use it besides some reasonings about the thing in their own minds and then it is their own preconceived opinion and nothing else that necessitates them thus to dstort the Scriptures For I have shewed what is here said is most consonant to the Nature and reason of the thing in its self and to many express assertions in other Texts All their reasonings which have appeared against the Scripture language on this Head have no other foundation but a presumption that because they see all Created Beings must needs Subsist in one Subsistence alone therefore the Divine Nature cannot Subsist in any more Whereas it is manifest upon more wary thoughts that though all dependent Substances seeing there is but one Divine Energy Ad Extra can have but one and that a dependent Subsistence yet a Substance yielding to its self it s own Subsistence will yield it self so many distinct real Subsistences as the condition of that blessed Nature doth require and whether that be one or more cannot be concluded from the manner of the Subsistence of other things in the World without interpreting the Parable wherein the World do's present to us the Divine Nature how that is to be done I have briefly hinted above The face of the World which we behold bears in it the Prints of the makers hand by which we reasoning right from our outward and inward sensations may understand what a Being the Deity is but then we must remember in all our reckonings to allow for all Parabolical Projections in the delineation as not only we but the Antitrinitarians themselves do in all other questions of the Divine Nature but this they not allowing or not heeding in the question of the Trinity are in consequence forced to make all the Scriptures Parabolical which teach the several branches of the Doctrine of the Trinity as it is in Truth and this is the cause of their rending and tearing the words and the sense asunder The case of Christians in this point stands thus if we be not Naturalists skilful enough to resolve the Projection then however God has given us the Scripture as an intelligible declaration of what God would have us to believe concerning his own Divine Being Now nothing can be more absurd than to pretend to understand a Persons meaning by his sayings and yet at the same time to destroy the very reason of that speech making it insignificant of that which the expressions signifie to all that understand the Language But if we can interpret the Parable of Nature aright then we see the words of Truth in the Scripture interpret themselves for we see the Language of Scripture understood according to the Reason of Speech speaks the same that the Nature of the thing doth when we have made such an allowance for the different realities as Reason teaches us there is betwixt a Dependent and self Originate Substance CHAP. X. Of the Mystical Trinity 1. THings secret and abstruse which lie out of the way of common understanding are according to their subject matter usually termed Mysteries of Art or Nature of Trade or State of Iniquity or Religion These last being stiled by Christ the Mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven Mat. 13.11 they are therefore such things as belong to the invisible State of Gods Kingdom Yet it is neither the abstruseness of the things nor their Religiousness nor yet their invisible state in the intellectual World that compleats the form of their Christian Mysteriousness For St. Paul teaching that God manifest in the Flesh is the Ground and Pillar of Truth and the confessedly great Mystery of Godliness we thereby learn that it is the relation to or dependence upon the words being made Flesh which now constitutes a Religious Mystery in the Christian State Accordingly Lactantius frequently denies that the Heathens understood the Mystery of the World though they knew the Natural Condition and Frame of the World I suppose no less than Christians I would further observe that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are mostly applied to such things as are appropriate to the use of propitiating and conciliating the favour of the Deity and so the Mysticalness of Religious things will properly
which being for Contrivance and Counsel as it were the Master-piece of Divine Skill in Matter God statedly beholds this singular Work of his own Hands when arrived at due Maturity with such a favourable Aspiration as is no less or but a little less than that which he vouchsafeth to the Inhabitants of the Intellectual World And as we see much what the same measure of strength as suppots a weight will serve to raise it so same the favourable Aspiration that upholds an Intellectual Creature in Being is of force sufficient to raise it into Being Therefore such Aspiration will give Being to a Conscious Life as preserves the Mental Natures of the Invisible World 2. But then this Aspiration being included in the Divine favourable intuition on what his hand hath curiously wrought in these lower parts of the Earth Psa 139.15 though it hath a Conscious Life for its effect yet it is not a separate Conscious Life but a Conscious Life enlivening that accurate frame of Matter now a conscious Life vitally United to a Humane Body is a rational Soul 3. And because this Soul doth result from the Divine Aspiration on a being framed by the course of Natural Causes in the material System of this World therefore it is not Properly Created nor yet Miraculous but Natural 4. Yet this Soul cannot be said to be therefore educed out of the powers of Matter because the Divine Aspiration is not of that kind which concurs with Corporeal Motions but such as is afforded to the Intellectual Natures though upon the approbation of this singular piece of Divine Workmanship in this World of Bodies 5. He that said of the Humane Soul Creatur infundendo or infunditur Creando spoke something this way but whether expresly enough needs not be inquired since the Scripture assures us that the Lord who Created the whole frame of this Visible World besides that does form the Spirit of Man within him That the Spirit in Man being by the Inspiration of the All-mighty Zech. 12.1 Job 32.8.27.3 Gen. 2.7 is Intellectual and the breath in our Nostrils our Spirit and Life is the Spirit of God which he Breathed into Mans Nostrils by which he became a living Soul So that if Brutes have Souls and they be educed out of the Powers of Matter yet the Soul of Man according to a course settled by God in Nature being a Conscious Life is by a Divine Aspiration correspondent to those of the Superiour World By which it appears Mans Nature participates both of this and the other World in its Constitution 6. Therefore the Son of God who is God being one Person with Man hath thereby a new alliance both to the Material and Intellectual World and a new Cognation both with the Coelestial and Terrestial Inhabitants and because the Union of God and Man in Christ is Mystical Cap. 10.8 therefore the whole Kingdom of God is put into a Mystical state and frame upon this new Cognation with all things in Heaven and Earth 7. And if according to the Opinion of some of the most celebrated Philosophers in this Age the motion of every part of Matter does really so diffuse it self that the whole System of Matter is affected thereby and if withal the parts that make up the Intellectual World have a correspondent Communion amongst themselves then by this Union of God and Man there is as it were a new Leaven which may be sufficient in Gods due time to Leaven the Mass of the whole Creation And Christs Resurrection is a Specimen of its efficacy and a ground of our expectation But should this prove only to be their Conjecture and not the Natural way of efficiency yet we are however sufficiently assured that the effect shall be produced and that in Christ all things in Heaven and Earth shall be recollected into one Eph. 1.10 Col. 1.17 18 19 20. 2 Thes 2.1 Acts. 3.21 and that there shall be a restitution of all things whereby they shall be restored into one blessed frame 8. The Mystical constitution of the Divine Kingdom being therefore for the restoration of the Natural Kingdom in a renewed integrity it is a form of Government which in its Nature and design is manifestly subordinate to the Original Government of the Divine Kingdom in its Primitive institution 9. If then the Supream Governour be the same yet as King of this Mystical Kingdom he is less than the King of the Natural Kingdom not in himself or Naturally but in the state of a Governour or Politically the Antients call it Oeconomically But in plain terms the sense stands thus God that humbleth himself when he inspects the things that are done in Heaven and in Earth however he undertakes the Government and Management of them does yet more humble himself when for the good of the Creation Psal 113.6 he governs the Universe in the Mystical constitution for the redintegrating of the Natural Kingdom into one blessed frame 10. Whereas then God in the first Subsistence of the Divine Nature that is God the Father is first in the Address as Lord of the Natural Kingdom so God even the same God in the second Subsistence of the Divine Nature that is God the Son is first in the Address as Lord of the Mystical Kingdom considered as Mystical and Subordinate because God manifest in the Flesh is the Pillar and Ground of Truth and the confessedly great Mystery of Godliness 11. Before the Mystery was made known therefore the stile Lord did more directly and more usually indigitate God the Father as we find in the old Testament but since the Mystery is to be acknowledged by all the Subjects of Gods Kingdom the Title of Lord doth more directly denote God the Son and is therefore in the new Testament most commonly attributed to Jesus Christ though they be both one Lord as well as one God 12. The Son therefore being Lord of the Divine Kingdom in its Mystical and Subordinate State in treating with his Subjects will have occasion to speak of himself as less than his Father in many of the affairs of the Mystical Kingdom and Government especially in and about the change of the Natural into the Mystical Frame though he be the same God Lord with the Father For God doth humble himself more in condescending to Govern the World in this State than in the first Natural Constitution of his Kingdom The Son therefore is less than the Father not only as Man but also as God Governing the Divine Kingdom in the Mystical State John 3.35 Mat. 11.27 Acts 2.32 Joh. 10.20 1 Cor. 11.3 John 6.38 1 Cor. 3.23 1 Cor. 15.27 Phil. 2.7 Zech. 3.8 Joh 17.5 Accordingly we read the Sons Power is given is received of the Father he receives command from the Father the head of Christ is God even the Father for he came not to do his own will but the will of him that sent him Christ is Gods who put all things
AN ACCOUNT OF THE Blessed Trinity Argued from the Nature and Perfection of the Supream Spirit Coincident with the Scripture Doctrine in all the Articles of the Catholick Creeds Together with its 1 Mystical Uses 2 Foederal Uses 3 Practical Uses In the Christian RELIGION By William Burrough Rector of Chynes in Bucks LONDON Printed for Richard Baldwin at the Oxford Arms in Warwick-lane near the Oxford-Arms-Inn 1694. THE PREFACE IT passes at this day without any hesitancy amongst the Socinians that the Trinity is contrary to reason and it is likely it did so at the very first and so past them too hastily and before they had sufficiently examined the differences of things For upâ—n a more distinct observance of the Scale of Beings I suppose it may appear that though a Trinity of Real Hypostasies either in a single corporeal substance or even in any nature not absolutely perfect be contradictory to the reason of the thing yet it is evident by all our natural notices from internal sense that a Spirit besides its first subsistence hath also two other answerable to the utmost ability of its own Ingeny and therefore in reason we must grant that in the Spirit whose ability is All-sufficiency these its two other subsistencies are really equal in perfection with its first and consequently according to our humane conceptions of a Spirit and its perfections the denial of the Trinity includes in it the denial of the Spirituality or of the absolute perfection of the Deity both of which appear to be contradictory as well to Reason as the Scripture The Three therefore in Scripture and the Trinity in the Catholick Church is of the same significancy with a Spirit of absolute perfection in the Schools of Philosophy but in a stile of more adorable Majesty presenting to us the absoluteness of the perfection to be in a substantial subsistence To this purpose it is observable that our Saviour who came to require from all Men the service of the Supream Being under the express notion of a Spirit without respect to place the peculiar property of Bodies does not only represent him under the Title of the Father in spirit and in truth which in the reason of the thing are our prime notices of the One in Three but likewise appoints to all Nations a solemn recognition of the Father Son and Holy Ghost which in Nature are the proper formal Characters of the Three Persons in that Holy One and without this recognition first made no one is to be admitted into the service of that Soveraign Lord. If these things may appear as I here suppose it will also appear that we are to confess a Trinity in Vnity both as Men and as Christians and consequently they are extreamly injurious who reproach the Being of the God which the Christian Church does Worship as contradictions and absurd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as if that most Blessed of all Beings was not to be endured either in Mens Hearts or in the World and that for no other reason but because the Church conform to our Lords institution confesses God to be what he could not be unless he be the most absolutely Blessed 1. The Natural Evidence of the Trinity as well as of the Creation being grounded upon Gods being a Spirit I have shewed that God is known to be so by the same Evidence by which we have the Natural Knowledge of his Existence I confess this would have deserved a larger account than I have bestowed upon it but all Christians confessing God to be a Spirit and my Circumstances not allowing a large account of the Spiritual Nature I hope by this contracted one the intelligent Reader will pâ—rceive from a joynt Evidence in Nature and Scripture that the Supream Spirit is one God Infinitely One and Three Persons Infinitely Three no whit the less one God for being Three Persons no whit the less Three Persons for being only one God Now in this Doctrine not only the Faith of the Church is exactly delivered and the pretensions of the most rigorous Trinitarians satisfied but even what the several opposite parties are concerned for is as fully secured to them as in their own divided ways The Scripture plainly teaches there is one God and yet as expresly attributes Titles and Prerogatives Divine to more Persons than one Hereupon some to preserve the unity of the Deity intire and others to assert the Persons really distinct by mis-apprehension of the one have been necessitated to deny or evacuate the other Now these denyals and elusions were not their choice â—ut of affection to them but unwelcome consequents which they would have avoided had they seen how without rejecting that truth on the other side which they were concerned for for can any one think that the Sabellians had any kindness for the synonimousness of three Names which the Scripture speaks of as so distinct farther than they thought it needful to the compleat unity of the Deity Can we believe the Tritheists if any such there ever were would please themselves with the notion of three numerical and one only specifical God Or the Arians have pleaded there were Gods of several sorts one of a Nature of Supream Divinity and another or two of a Nature of inferiour Divinity Or the Socinians have imagined there was one God only in Nature and two in the Christian Religion but that they found a necessity from the Scripture to acknowledge more persons Divine than one and so they invented these divers conceits to salve the Doctrine of the Divine Vnity For I understand not that any Christian Professor can be delighted in the Worship of more Gods than one whether they be of the same or of a different Nature From which hard Sayings the present Doctrine delivers them and yet intirely secures the Truth for which they contend in their several Hypothesies Shewing how the one God is no less one God for being three Persons and the three Persons no less three Persons for being but one God It may seem indeed the Arians did first resolve upon the different natural excellencies of the Father and the Son and thereby were forced to deny the Being of one God in three Persons but that they asserted both these to be of a Divine Nature was by a manifest force upon them Which is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Socinianism is more uncertain whether they denied our Saviours Divine Nature that they might deny the Trinity or denyed the Trinity for the maintaining their denial of our Saviours Divinity That is to say whether they first thought that God had no Son by Nature and thence concluded he made another the Heir of his House or else that he had made another the Heir of his Family therefore surely he had no Son of his own by Nature For it would not agree with the Scripture or the reason they pretend to to think he set aside his own Son and gave the Honour to another to be Lord of Heaven
Being higher than our selves yea and higher than any Being that is Finite but God never conceives of any Being Existent or Possible so high as himself nor yet that his own Being might have been higher than it is either of these being not to be conceived even by that Mind that adequately and positively conceives Infinity it self for this is the condition of a Being that is absolutely the most high 2. In perfect agreement with this dictate of Nature the Scripture makes the Title of the most High to be the usual incommunicable Psal 83.18 Deut. 4.17 Esay 40.25 44.6 8. and most august Characteristick of Majesty truly Divine This is signified by God's calling himself the Holy One and asking to whom we would liken him or should he be equal I am the first I am the last and besides Me there is no God is there a God besides Me Yea there is no God I know not any The like reason does teach of all those perfections which are included in his being the most High for they are all absolute and infinite If then there be no such most high Being there is no God either of a material spiritual or any other nature 3. Let us then proceed to enquire of what nature the most High Being is now because matter how far soever it lies extended is such a substance as may exist and yet not act at all therefore such a Nature may exist and lie exposed to the Agency of another Being now a Nature that may be obnoxious to the Agency of another is certainly not the most high Being that is possible therefore God is not matter and if matter it self in its utmost extent be not God much less can any part or modification of such a bulky substance be the supream Being therefore the material World which is nothing else but such stuff in different modifications of its parts cannot be the most high Being 4. Because local motion is nothing else but a passage whereby the parts of matter being divided does shift their position amongst them selves therefore local motion is not force for as much as shifting of place or position is not force though force may be required to make the change of place we find when we carry a stone forward in our hand that the passage of the stone hath no more force than our hand puts into it and our hand puts no more force into that passage of the stone than we will or than our will puts into our hands and yet we feel a force present in all moved matter Now since the whole mass of mâ—tter is of such a nature that it may exist and yet not Act at all therefore this force is not the substance of matter nor Essential nor Natural nor an inseparable Property but is contingent to it yea even to those parts of matter which have ever been in motion if any such there be 5. This force is contingent to matter whether it moves the matter by mere chance or by counsel for though there be an Essential difference betwixt chance and counsel yet that an Agent by counsel did chuse to move the matter is manifestly contingent to the material Nature 6. And because some have weakly imagin'd that matter may have been Eternally I observe that this force will no less be contingent to matter whether it happened to it in time or from Eternity for the bare difference of a Finite and Infinite duration makes no difference in the natural reason of things If two parallel lines were drawn out infinitum this would not alter their parallism but the same distance they have where I stand they keep though they reached through an infinite space so the same contingency which is between matter and the force that moves matter now must have been between them from all Eternity if matter had been moved from Eternity Matter is therefore such an un-active nature in it self that it could never have commenced any Action in its self had not such force happened to it either in time or Eternity therefore all the motion of matter which is now in the World is the effect of that adventitious force whencesoever that force happened to it 7. Because all motion is the effect of the adventitious force therefore neither the parts of matter nor their motion is the cause of the motion of other parts which a removed by their pressure but that contingent force which moved the first parts does move the others afterwards as this appears by experience so it is the foundation of all the Laws of local motion which are delivered to us by modern Naturalists 8. Since therefore this force is the cause of all the motion and the system of matter is framed into its fashion by motion whatever is the cause of the frame of the World is the Author of this force this force therefore is active in causing the motion of matter but is it self the efficacy of the agency of that active Being which is the Framer of the World if such a one there be 9. Let us then here suppose and afterwards prove what we do Believe that it is God the Supream Being whose agency by its efficacy did frame the World then this agency does not only act upon the surface or outsides of Bodies because then the efficacy of this agency upon the interior parts of such Bodies depends upon the impenetrability extrusion and other modes of the exterior parts of such moved Bodies Now no agency whose efficacy depends upon the condition of other Beings can be the agency of the Supream Being whose agency is and acts without dependance The divine agency acts therefore not as an effort by external pulsion but acting imminently in its self doth move matter locally 10. The mutual resistance in the internal parts of a Body as in the case of a bent-bow or spring though the inward parts shou'd be all affected with it is yet nevertheless no Agency at all but is the stopage of the passage of some subtile moved matter caused by the Obstructive configuration of the Parts in a rigid or solid Body Therefore the divine efficacy that moves matter Acting imminently in it self and intimately in all the Pores of moved matter is the cause of all reaction and Elastick renitency from the internal pressure in Bodies but seeing it does cause this by imminent Agency in it self therefore it is a pure Energy Now a pure Energy acting imminently in it self which though it moveth matter yet doth not locally move it self Chap. 2.4 is a vital Energy and such Agency is the Agency of Life and if we mark it we have in our selves experience of such an Agency in the motions whereby we execute those Actions which we call properly humane Therefore the force of the Supream Being moving all moved matter is the Efficacy of a vital Agency and consequently there is Life in the Supream Being if he be the Maker of the World 11. Yet is not this the Agency of a
Life void of all Sence and Perception for though its Efficacy should be so great that it is sufficient to move the mass of matter Locally yet for want of contrivance it can only make an impetuous jostle a confused jumble 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or promiscuous medly of Matter but not a World It is therefore the Agency of a conscious Life that can take cognizance of its own doings in it self and move Matter with design to produce a regular structure of stupendious Mechanism as is that of this visible World in a due proportion order and subserviency of all its parts Cap 2.7 now such a conscious Life is a Mind 12. Yet neither is this the Agency of a Mind that is indeed sagacious enough if it happens to advert to frame such a stately Edifice but yet in its self is wholy indifferent and unconcerned whether there be any beauty or usefulness in the whole or any part of it for though such a Mind may chance to make some very few or very small parts with some proportionableness yet it is absolutely incredible that many or the considerable parts should have any comely order or good serviceableness at all but that the whole material System should be Erected by such utterly heedless Agency into such a goodly Fabrick as is this which we behold with our Eyes is altogether impossible and is perfectly contradictious to the very Nature and Reason of Fortuitousness It is therefore the Agency of such a Mind as hath resentments is Pleased or Displeased Approves or Disapproves its own doings But a Mind indued with such resentments is a Spirit Cap 2.9 That being then to whose Agency the whole material World does owe its present frame is nothing else but a Spirit which worketh all in all by the counsel of his own Will If therefore the Supream Being is the maker of ths World he is not of a material or any other nature but Spiritual 13. This is the Conclusion that we were directly to deduce That no other Being but a Spirit is the Maker of the World But I did not prove but suppose that the World had a Maker yet that follows likewise as a Corollary Thus The force which we feel causes all Local motion is not natural to matter but contingent whencesoever this force happened to matter it is the cause of the World's frame It is certain no force whencesoever it is that moves not by counsel could cause such motions as are in the Worlds frame but all force that moves by counsel is the efficacy of a vital mental spiritual agency therefore the World that was framed by such force Chap. 2.9 was made by the Agency of a Spirit These two documents of Nature are both confirmed by Scripture which teaches expresly that God is a Spirit and in six days the Lord made Heaven and Earth 14. Now since God the Maker of the World is a Spirit and the supream Being the Perfections that are included in his being the Most High do speak no other than a Spiritual nature in God for be they never so high as they are Most High they argue him to be no other Most High Being but the Most High Spirit hence then we can infer from the nature of the thing that God is therefore the Most High Life the Most High Understanding the Most High Will but not the Most High Being of any other sort and whatsoever is not the Most High Spirit is not by Nature God The Scripture teaches God is Life God is Light God is Love to confirm us in this 15. Mr. Rich. Baxter following St. Austin hath spoke a great deal of those three and has observed that a Trinity in Unity is imprinted upon the whole frame of Nature but then confesses whether we call those three Life Light and Love or Life Intellect and Will They are not the Trinity of Persons and that they are not is manifest from these Principles for since these three express the Essential Nature of a Spirit they cannot be the Three Persons in the Divinity because if we should take every one of these three by it self for one of the Three Persons we shall then divide the one Nature into three instead of giving the same intire Nature in three Personal Subsistences 16. If there be no other Supream Spirit Subsisting at all but only this one single Supream Spirit it is manifest then in the Reason of the thing there is no more three Gods though this One Supream Spirit subsists intirely in Three distinct personal Subsistences then there is if it subsists onely in One personal Subsistence This I note in the first place to secure our Conception of God as One whether there be One Person of the God-head or Three and it is not amiss to observe that because the most high Being is the Supream Spirit all other Natures such matter is are in their condition obnoxious to the Spiritual Nature 17. But it can hardly be worth while to note that though Nature Form Frame Fashion and such like Words do in their derivation seem to connote the first rise of things yet Use hath frequently applyed them to signifie only the things as they are in their several kinds without our thinking how they came to be what they are and so it must needs do when we speak of the Divine Nature which is Eternal In like manner Existence seems to insinuate the first coming of things into Being but in use it hath obtained most commonly to import no more than that a thing is in being and Subsistence signifies the same with Existence only connotes some permanency of Existence CHAP. IV. Of the Spiritual Agency and Subsistence 1. VVE are now more distinctly to remark the sufficiency of the Spiritual Nature and the rather because our business in this World of Bodies is such as may deceive us Our Work as parts of this corporeal System is only moving the parts of matter from place to place staying or altering such Local motion and this we do not without straining and contention hereupon we are apt to over-value this Power which is but an appendage and that accidental to the most eminent Functions of a conscious Life as being no more than a consequent of the Minds superiority over that baser Nature Now seeing the most radicalagency of the Spiritual Life and that which discriminates it from other Natures is as we see Chap. 2 3. 4. that whereby it discerns betwixt Existence and Non-Existence or betwixt something and nothing This would tempt us to suspect that a Minds Essential Agency is to give or annul this being of things which it conceives in it self and that in proportion to its sufficiency but should this be true yet it would be too great an ascent to make at one step and would but amuse shoud it be so abruptly expressed the easier way though somewhat farther about I like best which will be by considering first Lifes Agency as Intellectual and then as
Nature tells us ch 6.14 and the Scripture affirms it Psal 51.12 Establish me with thy free Spirit which Spirit is the Fountain of all liberty Natural and Moral for where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty When the Scripture teaches that God swears by his own Life we are sure he therein doth no more than what he had a right to do and therefore he has his life in the disposal of his own will which he gages as he pleases and so all things stand in the infinite holiness of the most absolute free-will of God both by Natural and Supernatural Evidence 10. Lastly Nature teaches these three real distinct Subsistences are really Personal ch 7. and the Scripture owns it for Christ acknowledges the Holy Ghost hath Personal Rights but that he should not speak of himself but should take of that which was the Sons and shew it to the Disciples and presently thereupon informs us of the distinct Personal Rights of the Father and the Son all things that the Father hath are mine says the Son where we see though they all have right to the same things yet each hath his own distinct right here asserted according to that all thine are mine and mine are thine and therefore each of the three is a Person When St. Paul teaches that the Spirit does act dispose of and bestow things by the disposition of his own will this is what nothing but a Person can do nor can any other Person do so justly but the Owner or Lord of the things so disposed or bestowed I have thought for a Heathen Hierocles guess'd ingenuously that God did Create all the material substance of which the World was made or else he could not justly have framed the World because he would have medled with what was none of his own 11. Thus Nature by the reason of things and Scripture by the reason of speech do both teach the same Trinity in all Points the one by natural the other by instituted significancy Gods Works and Gods Word conspiring to assure us there is one God and three Persons For the Coincidence of the Rational and Scriptural account in all particulars I take to be the proper evidence of this truth because had the account been given upon an Hypothesis the coincidence of it with the Scripture had been only a proof of the good contrivance of its Maker but being all deduced from the very first Principles of Sense and Reason the Coincidence proves the truth of the thing it self and demonstrates there is no contrivance in it for where Nature leads there if no room left for invention but things must be taken as they are found in themselves The Arians begged a Days or a Minutes time for the making of their second and third God in this was a blunder in the device it self for a God cannot be made in less time than a Triangular Circle But I am not exposing their pretence in point of ingenuity but observing that when they say there are such made Gods without the evidence of Nature or Scripture this is Hypothesis and Fiction and therefore it will then be time enough to write serious Confutations of such imaginary Beings when it is become fashionable gravely to prove at large that Romances are not Histories 12. To the Divine Revelation of this Doctrine I might subjoyn the Authority of the Catholick Church whose Faith is delivered in our common Creeds and evince that these are perfectly conform to the Doctrine of the preceding Discourse but these being so well known I shall seem in the judgment of the intelligent Reader to write the same things over again out of meer formality Yet because the Adversaries do boast of their late attempts against the Athanasian Creed with such an insolence of glorying it is not amiss to remark particularly that there is no expression in all that Creed about the matter of the Trinity but what hath been above distinctly accounted for from Reason and Scripture what there concerns Christs Incarnation I shall consider afterwards I might also observe that the common Institusion of the Christian Schools giving an account of the Second Person from the Divine Wisdom and of the third from the Divine Love or Benevolence cannot be understood to differ from the main reason of what has here been taught So that besides the Divine Evidence Natural and Supernatural we have all that can be accounted Ecclesiastical Authority to confirm us in this Belief And as the Creeds and their Expositors so the form of Baptism in the Name of the Father of the Son and of the Holy Ghost which is the very Text that all the Creeds themselves were purely designed to expound and is of Divine Appointment and irrefragable Authority does as a foederal Rite give further confirmation of the Truth of this Doctrine But being to give an account of the Mystery of the Trinity what concerns the nature of the Trinity in that Stipulation shall be there considered with its Covenant-use in the Christian State CHAP. IX The Adversaries Interpretations of the Scriptures IN the mean time having before shewed how the Unitarians have dealt with the Evidence of Reason I must here observe how they use that of Authority For having resolved all the General Councils and the Christian Doctors and Schools into the number of Adversaries they disclaim all Ecclesiastical Authority and assume to themselves the right of being their own Judges which Office so assumed in consequence they are to execute without a deference to the Judgment of the main body of Christians and if they be haughty with defiance to it Their demur to the Authority of the Christian Church being somewhat extraneous to the Merits of this Cause I need not examine Though Protestants indeed allow it not to be a proper jurisdiction yet all sober Christians must confess that it hath an argumentative force next to that which is Divine But since these Men had rather want so great a confirmation of their Faith then not to please themselves even to themselves be it the Rights of God and of his Church cannot be vacated by such Judges as Create their own Office 2. Though these men do not formally disown the Divine Authority of the Bible yet they treat all the Scripture proofs of the Trinity with great contempt and that they might seen to do so with less absurdity they take no notice of the great accession which that sacred Evidence acquires by the concurrence of so many circumstances in such a great number of Testimonies and variety of Expressions which adds a mighty force to what they would have if they were only to be considered asunder as we experience in all sorts of Evidence which is given us of the Existence of things And yet even against the single Texts they have nothing to alledge but some Evasions which are manifestly so far fetched that if charity did not bid us hope better they would tempt us to suspect instead of a serious Paraphrase
God in the three subsistences of the Divine Nature upon our Saviours Incarnation is become Mystical 11. Now it is this Mystical Trinity that the Gospel teaches Indeed whilst the Scriptures deliver the Doctrine of the Mystical Trinity they do as I have said insinuate the state of the natural Trinity but so they instruct us in almost all things in Nature whilst they teach us their relation to the Mystical and Sacerdotal state of the Divine Kingdom On the other hand we see the knowledge of the Natural Trinity which we learn from the perfections of the Divine Nature does so lead us to the Faith of the Mystical as to leave that Christian Mystery to be wholly of supernatural Revelation For the Mystery I say the Mystery of the Blessed Trinity rests wholly upon the ground and pillar of Truth which is confessed to be the great Mystery of Godliness God manifest in the flesh so that our Faith of this Mystery it is plain stands not in the Wisdom or Reasonings of Men but in the veracity of Gods word This is sufficient to justifie the distinction which I make betwixt the Mystical and Natural Trinity for this is but analogous with the reason of that difference which is betwixt Christian and Natural Vertue for though the Natural form of vertue may be understood by Natural Light yet the Christian form cannot which includes all the Vertuousness of the Natural and somewhat more which is likewise praise-worthy CAP. XI Of Christs Humanity 1. WE must confess if Christs humanity had been wholly Created anew by its being conceived one with the word it would then have been nothing of kin either with Man or with any other thing in the World Whereas we are assured he that is the word came into that World which had been made by him John 1.10 1 Joh. 4.17 and we are in this World even as he was in this World his Humane Nature was not therefore strictly Created but made of some substance preexistent in the World 2. Neither was his Manhood made out of any thing that is not of humane race for then he had had no more cognation with that Mankind that is in the World then with any other parts of this mundane System but we are taught Heb. 2.14 that because the Children are partakers of Flesh and Blood he also himself took part of the same he has therefore a prime relation to us and as such Heb 3.11 he is not ashamed to call us his Brethren 3. If Christs Humane Nature then be made out of that one blood whereof are all the Nations of men he is the Son of man and is made so of God by Nature and therefore the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost Heb. 10.5 as the Author of Nature produced this Manhood 4. But tho it be God that does produce this Human Nature yet if he do it by the sole powers of Natural Ordination according to the Laws establish'd before in the World for the Production of Mankind he will not thereby carry off any corrupt or inordinate sensuality which passes according to course in the natural constitution of things and tho we should suppose that the Personality of this individual Manhood is not subsistent because of the personal Union with the Divine Logos yet that of it self changes not this Human Nature in its dispositions and therefore this Nature would indeed be like ours in its Causes and Constitution but it would be too like us because it would not be undefiled Whereas we know this Nature was Holy and Harmless and Undefiled Heb. 7.26 1 Pet. 1.19 that it might be offered without spot to God as a Lamb without blemish and without spot It was not therefore solely produced by the powers of Nature 5. If the Manhood wherewith God is one be produced by the Powers of Nature so far as they will reach with rectitude and by Divine Power superadded to supply what is defective then this Manhood hath all that is really and essentially natural to us and so is related naturally to us and the supernatural Divine Operation takes away all the depravation of Nature Whereby it comes to pass that though he was in all things to be like unto us that he might have the feeling of our Infirmities and Temptations Heb. 2.17 Heb. 4.15 Heb. 7.27 28. yet he had no sin at all for our High-Priest can have no Infirmities or Sins of his own to offer for according to the fundamental constitution of the Divine Kingdom though Moses his Law allowed sinful Men to be Priests and to offer first for themselves and then for the People 6. Wherefore God in framing the humanity of Christ did continue the powers of Nature to work by their own stated Rules and without exalting them by a supernatural efficiency added thereto did produce an effect in the world which is beyond the force of Natural Powers Now all such effects as are produced by the force of Natural Powers and Divine energy added thereto are ever in Scripture peculiarly attributed to the Holy Ghost Gen. 1.4 Thus when the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters or liquid such effects followed as the powers of water are naturally uncapable of producing So both Jesus his and his Disciples miraculous operations upon the powers of Nature and all supernatural Graces are peculiarly ascribed to the Holy Ghost for all these diversities of Operations worketh one and the same Holy Spirit by the personal disposition of his own Will 1 Cor. 12.4 11. 7. This Manhood become one with the Son of God is peculiarly therefore the work of the Holy Ghost and because it was effected by the Holy Ghost coming upon a Woman and the power of the Most High overshadowing her and so was born of her Luk. 1.35 Mat. 1.20 therefore this is a Child conceived by the Holy Ghost and has that Woman for its Mother 8. It is also the Child of Adam Luk. 3.38 Gen. 3.20 Mat. 1. and of Eve the Mother of all Living and of Noah And if God had said that it should be by the descent of any particular Line as of Abraham Isaac Jacob Judah Jesse David it will be the Child of these Progenitours and such Predictions and Promises are Divine Characteristicks of the individual Person of Gods Son become Man both to the Ages preceding and following his Birth 9. The depravation of our Nature being removed not by the natural efficacy but supernatural efficiency of the Holy Ghost there will be no more reason to assert this Woman to have been her self born without all inordinate sensuality because she was the Mother of this Child than to affirm the same of all his Pro-parents in the direct Line up to Adam 10. But whether she is to be called the Mother of God is a question of names and strife of words for as much as there is a sense wherein she is and another wherein she is not therefore