Essence Who being the brightness of his glory and the express Image of his Person Heb 1.3 The first manner of existence in the Divine Being is here called Hypostasis which imports a distinct subsistence If the Father viz. the Correlate be a distinct subsistence there is the same reason of the Son vâ—z the Relate If the Father be a distinct subsistence the Son is a distinct subsistence If the Son be a distinct subsistence the Father is a distinct subsistence the Son is as distinct from the Father August de trinit lib. 7 c. 4. as the Father is from the Son that which the Greek calls hypostasis the latine calleth persona from which last is our English word person Christ speaking of the Father Iohn 5.32 calleth him another there is another that beareth witness of mee likewise speaking of the Holy-Ghost he calleth him another Iohn 14.16 I will pray the Father he shall give you another Comforter this predicate another is unintelligible of the Essence for so the Father Son Holy-Ghost are one Iohn 10.30 1 Iohn 5.7 therfore it must proceed concerning the Subsistence what is more manifest then that another Subsistence and another subsistence speake distinct subsistences The distinction of the persons or Subsistences is manifest from the relative properties of begetting being begotten and proceeding Psal 2.7 Iohn 15.27 Begetting is distinct from being begotten being begotten from begetting both from proceeding A personal act is God necessarily relatively and in an Incommunicable manner acting within or upon himselfe Now these acts of the Persons one upon another argue the distinctnes of the subsistences viz to beget being begotten proceeding God in the first manÌ„er of subsistence is considered as acting upon himselfe in a way of understanding in the second manner of Subsistence as reflecting upon himself understood August de trinit lib. 5. c. 11 lib. 6. c. 5. in the third manner of subsistence as willing of delighting in himselfe Hence the Spirit is called the hand of the Trinity proceeding from the two other persons as the Love of them both which selfe-sufficient and infinitely blessed Communion of God in and with himself before there was either mountain or hill while as yet he had not made the earth wee read of Prov. 8.30 Then was I by him as one brought up with him I was dayly his delight rejoycing alwayes before him The distinction of the Persons further appeares from the order of their operations upon the creature held forth in their mission or sending the second Person is sent from the Father Iohn 8.42 Iesus said unto them if God were your father yee would love mee for I proceeded forth came from God neither came I of my selfe but he sent mee The Holy-Ghost is sent from the Father the Son whom the Father will send John 14 26. whom I will send John 15.26 Sending imports two things First an eternall relative property of the Divine Essence the order original whereof is not of it self Secondly a designation of the Person distinguished by this relative property unto some work concerning the creature to be performed in time Now evident it is that he which sendeth and he which is sent are distinct That the Father sending the Son sent by the Father the Father and Son sending the Spirit and the Spirit sent by the Father Son are distinct subsistences and not the same Concerning satisfaction to some Objections Object 1 The Church was without the Scripture or written Word for the space of 2454 yeares untill Moses during which space the Doctrine of Life was communicated VOCALLY by the Patriarches Therefore there is no need of the Scripture or written Word Answ There are many Reasons obvious why the Tradition of the Rule of life by word of mouth might better suit the state of the Church in the time of the longâ—evity of the Patriarchs then now as also why God saw not good to continue unto after ages such and so frequent extraordinary manifestations of himself as wee read of in those elder times Why God dispensed the Rule of life then by word of mouth not by writing a principal reason thereof was his good pleasure The same good pleasure may stand for a principal reason way he dispenseth the Rule of life now by the word written and not by vocall tradition Even so Father because it pleaseth thee Distinguish between necessity absolute necessity according to Divine constitution God according to his absolute power can communicate the rule of life by what means he pleaseth therefore the scripture is not necessary absolutely But Gods will being to communicate the Rule of life by his written word hence the scripture is necessary by necessity of divine constitution or appointment Whilest Israel was in the wilderness God give them Manna bread from heaven in an extraordinary manner After their comming into Canaan he changeth his dispensation and giveth them bread in the ordinary way of agriculture or tillage He could still have supplyed them in an extraordinary way out he would not The Maana ceased Josh 5.12 Not the letter without the mind of the Author nor the Spirit without the letter but the Scripture i. e. the word-written as including the sense of the author is the Rule of life Distinguish between Moral-obliging-power and strengthning-Physical-power All the strengthning-Physical-power whereby we are enabled to obey the Rule is from the Spirit but the Moral-obliging-power is from the Scripture it self or CoÌ„mand as denoting the will of God signifyed thereby Surely they are under a Rule who have not the Spirit Since the Canon of the Scripture is closed so farr is the Spirit from being a Rule of life that to us it is not the Spirit but as it moves agreeably to the written word Hereby we are taught to discerne between the Spirit of trueth and the Spirit of error Object 2 The words of the Scripture are to be taken simply without interpretation or consideration of what is signifyed by them Answ This Objection exposeth Scripture to the imputation of non-sence which cannot be without at least the reflexion of blasphemy interpretative upon the author It was wont to be said Scripture lyeth not in the Sound but in the Sence They are not the inkie characters without the mind of the author that can constitute Scripture But taking the mind of the objection more favourably as proceeding only against any other sense or interpretation to be given of Scripture then according to the sound of the words in a proper or according to some in a literall sence yet it unscriptures a considerable part of the Scripture unto us becommeth a fruithfull womb of confusion error and absurdity should it stand in force The example those words that they may be one as wee are one John 17.22 give an uncertain sound Nay the Papists Transsubstantiation Origen's castration are hence warrantable Distinguish between no interpretation mis-interpretation sound
saith the LORD which is in effect the same with Isay 54 13 Iohn 6.45 And they shall be all taught of GOD i.e. They shall not be onely taught of man as others in externall covenant onely are These words They shall be all taught of GOD are not to be interpreted exclusively so as to exclude the teaching of man but extensively so as to include the teaching also of God witness the cloud of Scripture-instances of all those under the Gospel-dispensation who were taught of God but how by not without the teaching of man Further the promise undertakes for such a writing of the Law in their hearts such a teaching of God as that they shall not finally apostate from the Covenant Jer 32.40 But I will put my Fear in their hearts that they shall not depart from me The Subject spoken of are such persons which are actually the people of God such in whose hearts the Law is written The knowledg of God is taken either for that knowledg of him which is essential to effectual vocation or for the knowledg of edification Taking knowledg in the former notion of writing the Law in the heart indelebly this being a property of the Covenant of grace the sense naturally flowes viz that after conversion once wrought there shall be no need to speak unto such to know the Lord namely with a knowledg essential to vocation as if they were ignorant thereof for this were in effect to deny a characteristical priviledg of the Covenant and to affirm falling from grace Regeneration is not iterable they who are once converted need not to be converted from the state of nature to the state of grace a second time This seemeth to be the genuine sense of the place If we take knowledg in the latter notion viz for the knowledg of edification then the interpretation proceeds comparatively thus comparing the Gospel-Israel having the law written in their hearts being also under a clearer dispensation under the promise of an efficacious copious influence of the Spirit with the National-Israel finally impenitent under the Law the teachers of the one as to a great part of the labour of their ministry in respect of the consolatory success thereof especially in the glorious times shall not look upon it as labour compared with the fruitless labours of the other so as the forementioned Gospel-hearers in respect of the premises might seem rather comparatively to have been taught by some immediate irradiation then by meanes of ordinary instruction 1 John 2.27 But the annointing which ye have received of him abideth in you and you need not that any man teach you but as the same annointing teacheth you of all things and is no ly Hence it is inferred that believers have no need of being taught by man Answ The Objector mistakes the question The Apostle speakes of heterodox doctrine taught by man The objection proceeeds concerning teaching by man The sense of the words alledged is you believers who through grace are an̄ointed with the in dwelling saving operatiōs efficatious influence of the Spirit which is the only Teacher have so learned Christ i.e. the Lords Christ that you need not be troubled with nor ought you to harken to the doctrine of Cerinthius Ebton or the Gnosticks who though they pretend themselves to be teachers of Christ are indeed Antichrists 1 John 2.18 So teaching Christ as that they un-Christ Christ nor have you need of any other doctrine whatsoever from any other man not agreeable unto the doctrine of the true Christ which you who are annointed have received 2 Pet 1.19 We have also a more sure word of Prophesy where unto ye do well that ye take heed as unto a light that shineth in a dark place untill the day dawn and the day-starr arise in your hearts Hence is inferred that after the reception of the Spirit or believing there is no more need to attend unto the Scripture Answ This interpretation presupposeth three things any where of failing it cannot stand 1. That we are to understand by a sure word of Prophecie the whole Scripture 2. By the day dawning and the day-starr arising the Spirit of grace in Regeneration 3. By the particle Vntill the limited instant of regeneration Before which though we either do or may yet after which we are not to attend unto the Scripture Peter himself expounds the word of prophecie verse 19 of the Scripture of the old Testament verse 20 21. Which Scripture-testimony compared with the verbal testimony of the Apostles concerning the voyce heard in the holy mount in relation to the doctrine of Christ he preferreth not as the most true but as the most sure ground for Faith of the two and upon this account because the verbal testimony of the Apostles though Apostolical was as yet but verbal and not scriptural So that should this text upon a false supposition be looked at as speaking of a believers non-attention unto Scripture yet it proceeds not concerning the Scripture in general but concerning the Scripture of the old testament only not of the Canon of the new Testament The day dawning and the day-starr appearing denotes either the saying light of the Spirit making our attention unto the Scripture from time to time effectual during the season of our dependance hereupon throughout this life or that day-light of the vision of glory both which senses in conclusion issue in one But it cannot be understood of the regenerating-light of the Spirit because the Apostle speakes to those who are believers still to attend upon the Scripture The particle untill any other acception not pertinent to the matter under consideration omitted either noteth a certain time before which such a thing is to be which was not before or after which such a thing is not to be which was before The Scepter shall not depart from Judah nor a Law-giver from between his feet untill Shiloh come Gen 49.10 But here it denoteth not any certain time in this life after which we are not to attend upon the word written For then that certain time notified by the day dawning and the day-starr appearing must either relate to Christs comming in the flesh or to the beginning of the Gospel-dispensation or to the effectual revelation of Christ in vocation or to some other terme that may rationally and scripturally be instanced in but it cannot relate unto the first because it is not an appearance in the flesh but an appearance in the heart that is here expresly spoken of and the day-starr arise in your HEARTS Neither indeed can it relate either unto the first or any other of the termes or limits mentioned because Peter writes unto such still to attend upon the word of Prophecie who were regenerate who were believers haveing obteined like precious faith with himself Cap 1.1 Yea such who cannot be looked at otherwise then of considerable standing proficiency in the faith and lived after his incarnation and Gospel-dispensation whence were this
Objection of force it would follow that this exhortation of the Apostle had then been as much after its time as that terme of a believers attention unto the word of prophecy be it either the incarnation Gospel-dispensation or regeneration of those whom he puts upon this duty was before this time The Gospel whether any of it were now written or not was promulged by Christ his Apostles and therefore was obliging If the particle untill bee sayd to denote a certaine terme not in this life but relating unto the dawning and rising of the vision of glory the question is graunted and the objection falleth While the Church is in a darke place the light of the Scripture is to be attended unto hence the written word is here compared unto a light that shineth in a darke place now wee know that there is much darkness and obscurity in the hearts of all the Children of light in this life 1 Corin 13.9 Or the particle untill signifyeth a terme issuing in attayning of all the good attainable in such a way or in the participatioÌ„ of the perfecting end of the subject spoken of A bruised read shall hee not break and smoaking flax shall hee not quench 〈…〉 untill he send forth judgment unto victory Mat 12.21 This notion agreeth not only with the analogie of faith but also according to the mind of the Apostles common action exhortatory seemeth more readily to flow The scope of Peter is to confirm the hearts of the twelve tribes scattered abroad concerning the trueth of the Gospel this he doth by two arguments The first taken from the testimony of the Apostles verse 15 16 17. The second from the word of Prophecy illustrated by two adjuncts the former of its sureness the latter of our taking heed thereunto this attention he amplifyeth by calling unto such a conscientious and vigorous continuance therin as may never be in vain in the Lord yea such as that the effectual light of the spirit of grace concurring with the doctrinal light of the word may from duty to duty shine upon the dark places of their hearts more and more untill the dawning of the perfect day of the vision of glory If with some Orthodox Interpreters wee understand by a dark place the time of the Church under the old Testament compared with the night wherein candles are lighted and by the day-dawning the time of the Gospel day-light wherin the Sun shineth the new Testament expounding the old and thereby giving a greater light Yet still we are to keep in mind that as the New Testament giveth light unto the Old so the Old Testament giveth light unto the New they give light mutually one unto another T is the same Christ the same Gospel which is held forth both in the old in the New TestameÌ„t Heb 13.8 Gal. 3.8 As the trueths of the old Testament are confirmed by the New so what more frequent then the confirmation of the New Testament from the Old both by Christ and his Apostles The word Vntill doth not here intend a certain time whereat they were discharged from after attention to the word of Prophecie as if they who were commended for their attention hitherto were now dismissed therefrom and stood not from henceforth obliged any more Gen 28.15 For I will not leave thee untill I have done that which I have spoken to thee of 2 Sam 6.23 Therefore Michal the daughter of Saul had no child unto or untill the day of her death Mat 16 28. They shall not tast of death untill they see the Kingdome of God It were ill gathered from hence either that God did forsake Jacob after he had performed that promise concerning his safe return Or that Michal had a child after the day of her death Or that the Disciples which saw his glory in the Mount should not out-live the Assension Mission of the Holy Ghost and the promulgation of the Gospel to the Gentiles with signes ensuing Mat 11.13 For all the Prophets and the Law prophecyed untill John Mat 22.44 Sit thou at my right hand untill I make thine enemyes thy footstoole John 5.17 My Father worketh hitherto or untill now and I work 1 Tim 4.13 Till I come give attendance to reading to exhortation to doctrine In his exempris praeâ—eri tam ita negarat ut contrarium 〈◊〉 non significetur It cannot be gathered from hence either that after John there is no more Law and Prophets Or that after Christs enemyes are subdued he shall sit no longer at the right hand of his Father Or that after Christ spake those words the Fathers Governing-providence of the world ceased Or that after Pauls comming Timothy is no more to attend to reading exhortation and preaching In the Negative examples the word untill so inferreth the denyall of a thing concerning the time before it as that it doth not at all inferr the affirmative of that thing concerning the time after it In the affirmative examples the word untill so inferreth the affirmative of a thing concerning the time before as that it not at all infers the denyal of that thing concerning the time after it The summe is according to this last interpretation the word untill is taken extensively not exclusively So farr then is this text from disobliging believers from their attendance upon the Scriptures as that it is a most solemn serious incentive as of all others to whom the sacred Canon shall be revealed so also of believers in particular not only to attend upon the word of prophecie or the Scripture but so to take heed thereunto as that their attention through the co-operation of the Spirit may be effectual and that so long as their hearts are dark places i. e. during their present state of imperfection untill Christ the bright morning-starr appear in their soules according to the fulness of the Spirit of grace and the noon-day-light of the perfection of glory The heterodoxie errour of such who from the text alledged inferr the old Testament to be unnecessary unto those that live under the Gospel is argued thus Promises given unto the Saints in the old Testament belong unto believers living under the new Testament The Promise made unto Joshua Josh 1.5 to David Psal 118.6 The Hebrews are led by the hand unto taught confidently to make use of in reference unto their present and Personal cases For he hath said I will never leave thee nor forsake thee So that we viz believers under the Gospel not onely David may boldly say the Lord is my helper I will not feare what man shall do unto mee The trueths held forth by the Prophets touching salvation by Christ concerned not onely those who lived in the times of the old but also us who live in the times of the new Testament 1 Pet 1.10 11 12. Vnto whom it was revealed that not unto themselves but unto us they did minister the things which are now reported unto you
interpretation Non-sense a false sense and the true sense The two former are wiles of the enemy the last is the gift of the Spirit of trueth and a great part of the work of the Ministry So they read in the book of the Law of God distinctly and gave the sense caused them to understand the reading Nehem. 8.8 He expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself Luke 24.27 Philip said understandest thou what thou readest and he said how can I except some man should guide me Act. 8.30 31 Object 3 Nothing is to be acknowledged Scripture-trueth but what is contained therein in express termes Answ A Scripture consequence is a Trueth evidently necessarily arising out of a proposition held forth therein in express termes So that if the doctrine conteined in the proposition held forth in express termes be true then is the doctrine conteined therein by consequence also true Those trueths are Scripture-trueths which are conteined or held forth in the Scriptures though not in express termes yet by just evident consequence Exod. 3.6 I am the God of Abraham and the God of Isaak the God of Jacob. Hence Mat 22.29 30. Christ proves the Resurrection by consequence the summ whereof is as if he had said that which God spake to Moses in the Bush inferreth the whole persons of Abraham Isaak and Jacob to be in everlasting covenant with him and that they shall be blessed therefore there shall be a Resurrection For how can the body be glorified except it rise again and so farr were the hearers from objecting against this kind of argumentation as that they highly approved of it One of the Scribes having heard their reasoning perceived that he had answered them well Mark 12.28 Then certain of the Scribes answering said Master thou hast answered well Luke 20.39 The multitude were astonished at his doctrine Mat 22.42 And no man was able to answer him neither durst any man from that time forth aske him any more questions verse 46. Out of Psalm 16.10 Peter proves the Resurrection of Christ. Act. 2.31 He that is the Patriark David seeing this before spake of the Reserrection of Christ that his soul was not lost in hell neither his flesh did see corruption Yet the Psalmist in these words speakes not of the Resurrection in express termes but onely by consequence the question is whether the believing Galatians which were formerly heathens were justifyed by faith Paul out of those words Gen. 22.18 And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed proveth the affirmative by consequence Gal. 3 8 9 The question is whether believing Abraham hath matter of glorying before God The Apostle from Gen 15.6 concludeth the negative by consequence Rom 4.2 3. Question whether Christ did well or blasphemed in saying that he was God Chr st from Psal 71.6 justifieth his act by a Scripture consequence Io n 10.35 36. His argument proceeds from the less to the greater Question whether Circumcision is necessary unto the believing Gentiles The Apostle concludeth the negative by consequence Acts 15.8 9. God bare them witness giving them the Holy-Ghost even as he did unto us and put no difference between them us purifying their hearts by faith Therefore c Many more instances are producible if need were So many citations as there are in the New Testament of testim onies in the old Testament not extant there in express termes are so many proofes of the Scripture-consequences Scripture trueths by consequence are called Scripture yee do erre not knowing the Scripture Mat. 22.29 for what saith the Scripture Rom. 4.3 and the Scripture foreseeing Gala. 3.8 what Peter deduceth from Davids words by consequence that he affirmeth David to have said Acts. 2.31 what Paul deduceth out of Moses by just consequence that he affirmeth Moses to have said Rom. 10.5.10 That proposition the Scripture is a perfect Rule of life is understood as including Scripture-consequences otherwise it were not a trueth The greatest part of Scripture-trueth is revealed in Scripture-consequences Yea many fundamentall trueths are not held forth in express termes but by manifest consequence If there be no truth contained in the Scripture but what is held forth therein in express termes then the individuall persons of Thomas Mary c are therein neither Cōmanded Obedience nor forbidden disobedience For we no where read thou Thomas or Mary such an one by name do this or not that This trueth concerning Scripture-consequences is the more to be attended because of the time wherein many after the example of Arrius of old and the Libertines Gunter with some other Jesuites of late when they are not able to answer unto Scripture-arguments rather then to yeild unto the trueth chuse to fly to this miserable subterfuge of hereticks namely that the trueth defended against them is not contained in Scripture because it is not there in express termes Concerning the Vindication of some Scriptures Iohn 1.9 That was the true light which lighteneth every man that commeth into the world Hence they affirme that in every man Collectively i. e. in all men not one excepted there is a light which being followed is an infallible guide that this light within us not the Scripture or written word is the Rule of life In answer hereunto two things are to be cleared First that the sence of the text pretended is notoriously false Secondly what is the sence of the place Were the sence pretended sound then righteousnes should be by the law not with standing sin contrary to Rom. 8.3 For the light which is in every man that is born into the world is not Gospel-light The Gospel being the secret of God a mystery unknown to Angels Adam himself in the time of innocency The naturall man cannot know the things of the spirit of God 1 Cor 2.14 Natural is to be construed in opposition to spiritual and denoteth a man as following the dictate of reason only or the light of nature whence it is manifest that the light of nature as such and the light of the spirit are contra-distinct the one to the other The light of nature remaining in Adams posterity since the lapse is so little as that it is not to be mentioned the same day with what was in Adam before the fall The light of nature consists in common principles imprinted upon the reasonable soul by nature inclining man to assent unto some naturall and manifest trueths upon the representation of them without waiting for any proofe that is as it were by instinct without argument Viz that it is impossible for the same things at once for to be not to be that the whole is greater then the part That a man is bound not to do to others what he would not have done unto himself As also in certain Notions that there is a God that God is to be worshipped that Parents are to be honoured that there is difference to be