eternall life and they are they which testifie of me WEE have heard of a twofold knowledge of God the one by Nature the other by Revelation and that is by the Word and Spirit by which you have heard how a man may come to saving knowledge Now to proceed The next question is Quest In what Word is this knowledge to be sought Answ It is to bee sought in the written Word of God the old and new Testament Seeing God hath revealed himselfe in his Word and that there is a sufficient knowledge to be found in it though not effectuall without the Spirit I think this seems reasonable that before we speak of God himself wee speak somthing of the holy Scriptures the fountain of knowledge in which God hath revealed himselfe to the world that we may know with what warrant we may ground our faith upon them Therefore it is necessary that wee know first what this Word is and then what Author it hath Answer is made that this saving knowledge is to bee sought and found in the written Word of God This is warranted upon that which I have read Search the Scriptures for they are they which testifie of me this is further confirmed Isa 8.20 To the Law to the Testimonies if question arise concerning God where shall wee finde answer To the Law and to the Testimonies goe to the written Word of God of this the Apostle saith in 2 Tim. 3.15 that it is able to make a man wise to salvation and therefore it carries in it the wisdome and knowledge of God by which a man must be saved Saint Peter also 1 Pet. 1.19 calls it a more sure Word making opposition betweene it and the word they heard from heaven in the holy mount to which wee ought to take heed as to a light shining c. Finally our Saviour Christ speaks of this in the Parable to the rich man They have Moses and the Prophets if they will know any thing concerning God faith repentance c. what need one be raised from the dead So then these testimonies shew that the saving knowledge of God is to be had in the old and new Testament This Question brings another and that is this Quest Why is knowledge to bee sought in the old and new Testament Answ First because this is the perfect rule conteining all things to be known and beleeved Secondly because it is a certaine and a sure rule Thirdly it is an infallible rule that neither deceives nor can bee deceived To explaine this Reas 1. Because it is a perfect rule therefore this knowledge is to be sought there Deut. 4.2 Thou shalt add nothing to it nor take any thing from it Add to it and thou makest it imperfect take from it and thou makest it no lesse imperfect because it is of it selfe an absolute and full rule The Apostle saith 2 Tim. 3.16 The word is given by inspiration to instruct rebuke c. It is able to make the man of God perfect c. It is full for all purposes for instruction correction c. and for all persons it perfects the Minister in his work and calling and if him then much more every other man Secondly It is a certain knowne rule That which is the rule of salvation must be a certaine knowne rule if it be unknowne it is no rule to those that shall bee saved The Word sometime from Adam to Moses was wholly unwritten yet then no doubt but God revealed himselfe to the faithfull But when the Church was growne up to bee a Nation and mixed with unfaithfull and faithfull God that hee might make a certaine rule by Moses writ his Word And that the Word was written for this end it appeares Luke 1.3 4. These things have I written unto thee most noble Theophilus that thou mightest bee certaine of these things there goes a report of Christ what he did and what hee suffered these things have I written that thou mightest be certaine and therefore our Saviour Christ being asked the question in the Gospel what was to be done to inherit eternall life hee answers How readest thou Luk. 10.26 Wilt thou be certaine then read the Scriptures and they will manifestly and surely declare what is to be done and give a perfect answer to such questions Thirdly we are to come now to the written Word because the written Word is an infallible rule an infallible rule is such a rule as cannot bee deceived nor deceive for if it could doe either it were not infallible but that the Word of God is such that it cannot deceive nor bee deceived I manifest it thus because God and his Word are one Truth therefore it cannot deceive John 17.17 Sanctifie them with thy Truth thy Word is Truth As light is not the cause of darknesse so the Word is not the cause of error This is a right rule saith S. Augustine thy Writings are my delight by them I shall never be deceived And this is the first point Use 1. If this bee so here are overthrowne all humane traditions which are by man added to the Scripture all traditions that are either written or carried from hand to hand are rejected whatsoever is taught without the Scripture is to be abhorred for the Word is the rule and he that brings any other doctrine let him be accursed Use 2. This serves to provoke men to labour for the knowledge of the Word Here I will take an occasion to speake of it because I see the carelesnesse of this age If there bee any amongst us that desire the knowledge of God then wee should labour for the knowledge of his Word Why because wee cannot know God unlesse wee know his Word This is ingratitude against God that hee should vouchsafe his Word and wee not labour to know it this is impiety against our selves that look to bee saved and yet neglect the knowledge of the Word that brings salvation There is a knowledge of God by nature but the remainder of the light that is in mans nature is marvellous dark Though the foolish heathen say If a man follow nature hee cannot erre wee know that nature is starke blinde in matters appertaining to God therefore men should labour to know the Word that it might dwell in them in all wisdome Saint Bernard saith This is the portion of the Jewes that they have the letter onely and so the portion of all hereticks and not of Christians Saint Augustine saith Oh unhappy hereticks which regard nothing but the outward sound of the letter having a body without a soule Therefore men that will have a bodie and a soul together must labour to have the understanding of the places that they read and to this end they must add meditation to their reading and constant and earnest prayer to God to their meditation that hee would give his spirit of wisdome and revelation and by this meanes they shall be able to search out hidden and secret things that are not
from these there was none to be had any where else and in this case it is manifest 1. Pet. 1.14 Give attendance saith the Apostle to reading in what in the written word of God Acts 26.22 The Apostle speakes of nothing but of Moses and the Prophets so the Ministers of God should speake of nothing else and as Lactantius saith learne to teach that which hath been taught before so shalt thou teach no new thing Vse 3. This seems to instruct men if they want counsell if they want advice where it is to be had let them resort to the booke of God to the law and to the testimonies this shall make them wise this shall comfort them the Scripture is able to make the man of God perfect to salvation how much more a private man That booke that can teach a man to be a Captaine can teach a common souldier how to order himselfe if he cannot finde sufficiency in it then he must blame himselfe for the defect is in his own part Saint Augustine having given certaine rules by which a man might understand the Scriptures saith thus if any man by these rules cannot understand the Scriptures let him not blame the Scriptures but let him blame himselfe as if I saith the Father do shew a man a star with my finger and he hath a weake sight and cannot see it let him not blame my finger but his owne weaknesse for conclusion every man ought to get a bible what wants any man for salvation and spirituall comfort that is not here there is distresse but here is a remedy for it no discomfort but here is a comfort c. It is like the Apothecaries shop there is no wound but there is a remedy but if a stranger come unto the Apothecaries shop though all these things be there yet he cannot tell where they are but the Apothecary himselfe knoweth so in the Scriptures there are cures for any infirmities there is comfort against any sorrowes and by conferring Chapter with Chapter we shall understand them the Scriptures are not wanting to us but we to our selves let us be conversant in them and we shall understand them when great Clerks who are negligent are kept from them CHAP. VI. HEB. 11.6 He that commeth unto God must beleeve that God is and that he is the rewarder of them that c. HAving spoken of the ground of the true knowledge of God and of so many things concerning the word as were thought necessary It remaines that we proceed to that which God teacheth us first concerning himselfe Secondly concerning his will First that there is a God Secondly that there is but one God Thirdly what this one God is in the unity of Essence and trinity of persons and now concerning these Quest What doth the word teach us concerning God Answ The answer is first that there is a God for the proofe of this my text shall serve for many he that comes to God must beleeve that he is and that he is the rewarder of them that seek him also the first of Gen. hath this many times In the beginning God created c. And in the verses following God saw that all that he had created was exceeding good Therefore it shall be needlesse for me to bring more proofes for all men confesse there is a God Quest What reasons have you to confirme this There be divers reasons first in man secondly without man within man the very being of body and soule with the powers and parts of them and secondly the terrors of conscience when they have done ill and joy and comfort when they have done well these and the like works in man doe manifest that there is a God Secondly without man the wonderfull frame of the world was not made by it selfe nor by nature nor by man therefore by God with the motions that are in it each of these we will explane that these proves that there is a God appeares by the bodies of men whence have they themselves of themselves No Psal 108. It is he that hath made us and not we our selves It appeares manifestly in that a man cannot comprehend one part of his body he knowes not himself nor the several secrets that God hath made in him but it may be sayd though a man made not himself yet his parents did no nor his parents because his parents did not know what they did beget and conceive but if parents were the cause then they should know the effect therfore it was God that made them Their soules are made by him who is above reason there is nothing that hath reason but men and Angels but they made not the soule and nothing is above reason but God This is apparant for the body Psal 94.4 He that made the eare shall he not heare it was God that planted the eare and not man And for the soule Eccles 12. The spirit returnes to God that gave it God made man and he breathed into him the breath of life Gen. 2.7 and he became a living soule Wherupon the Poet Arratas of whom St. Paul speakes saith that we are of the generation of God because we have our soules from him which are indued with reason and knowledge and in this respect he is called the father of spirits so that if we looke to the beginning of man when he was first endued with wisdome and reason and made with noble qualities it appeares that there is a God Secondly the second ground is in mans self the conscience of man when he hath done ill is full of horrors all men are so Adam hid himselfe Davids heart smote him 2 Sam. 24.10 Esa 33.14 Sinners in Sion are afrayd feare hath suppressed the hypocrites And this is that in Psal 53.15 They were afrayd where no feare was that is where no outward cause of feare was conscience the deputy of God did terrifie them This was that which did fill Iudas so full of terrors Yea but say some they may feare lest those things they have done should come to the knowledge of the Magistrate and so law should take hold of them I answer this adds to their feare but Adam had none to feare because he was the first David had none to feare because he was king and so above all but yet the deputy of God was in them and that made them afraid to add to this if a man commit a thing in the wildernesse where no man knowes it yet he is afraid for somtimes he tels it in a frensie and somteme in sleepe as the Prophet Esai speaketh Esai 66.14 Enforced by the worm in them that never dies Secondly the comfort that it gives unto men when they have done wel when they know the acceptation of their owne works and live in expectation of reward and this is not only when they have done wel in the sight of men but also whē their left hand knoweth not what their right hand doth nay when men mock at them
discerned by others Saint Bernard saith when he was entred upon a text upon Cant. This Well is deepe and I have nothing to draw but yet I see by experience that if a man cover the Well with a linnen cloth he shall wring out some moysture which otherwise hee should not I have therefore bended my selfe upon it and stretched my hands to thee that thou wouldest reveale something to mee for every man bending and stretching himselfe his heart and his hands to God shall receive something for the enterance to thy Word saith David giveth light Solomon saith a diligent hand maketh rich a little stock to begin with being diligently imployed maketh rich So it is in spirituall things a diligent hand maketh rich if a man have a little knowledge if hee have a diligent heart and hand though the Word bee as it were in a dark place yet hee shall see more and more There are two things to be enquired of concerning the written Word of God First by whom it was written Secondly for whom it was written For the first that is by whom this Word was written time will not give me leave to speake of therefore I will proceed to the next Quest For whom was this Word written Answ For all men of all ages and conditions the text that I have read proves it Search the Scriptures to whom did Christ speak To all men of all Nations and Countries that were gathered there together Act. 2.39 The promise is made to you and to your children and to as many as the Lord God shall call the promises were not made to the Jewes onely but also to the Gentiles even to as many as the Lord shall call therefore the Word is written for all Rom. 15.4 Whatsoever things were written afore time were written for our learning they were not written for them onely but for us also upon whom the ends of the world are come These things are come upon them for examples 1 Cor. 10.11 Therefore it is apparent that the Word was written for all men Out of this ariseth another question Quest How is it proved that it is written for all men Answ Three wayes besides the testimony of Scripture First because the Lord that writ it is Lord over all perfect in wisdome Secondly because this written Word is Gods revealed will Thirdly because there is but one way to salvation for all men and this is laid downe in it Wee will manifest this First because it is Gods Word and God is over all times over all places and over all persons as well successors as predecessors as well them that goe before as them that follow after therefore the Word belongs to all We have a Proverb New Lords new Lawes but it is not so here God doth keepe alwayes one Law Kings that have their severall Kingdomes have all severall Lawes the reason is because they cannot make Lawes without their subjects and amongst them one thinks this fit another thinks that but the Lord is an absolute King that makes Lawes without men for the earth is the Lords and all that therein is Psal 24.1 I add to this that hee is perfect in wisdome men when they have made Lawes they repeale them againe because they are imperfect in wisdome and cannot foresee what will bee convenient for after times But God is perfect in wisdome therefore his Lawes are alwaies the same Secondly because it is Gods revealed will the rule of justice by which things are made good or evill and therefore it must needs bee a universall Law his will is over all his Word and himselfe have the same extent without any restraint whatsoever Thirdly because there is but one way to salvation and that is by the Word the Word brings salvation to all men of all times and of all conditions never had any man any way but one and that is by fulfilling of the Law only there is this difference between the Law of works and the Gospel for that by the covenant of works all that will be saved by the Law must doe the works of the Law themselves by the covenant of grace all that will bee saved by the Gospel must apply by faith the fulfilling of the Law by Christ for he is the end of the Law to salvation he must be applyed to every man that will bee saved so that here is an admirable conclusion that man must be saved by mercy and justice and for this the Word was written for all men and for all ages Use 1. If this be so then it is necessary that all men should have the Word of God in their own language though it was written in another language and before they were yet it was written for them a point that our Jesuits cry down that every woman and every boy and every maide should have the Word they cry out of it but if God writ it as well for the unlearned as for the learned why should they not have it when God first writ the Bible did hee write it in a strange language If God had beene minded to have had the Word shut up from the people hee would have writ it in a strange language but God in his wisdome wrote it not in a strange language but in such a one as all might read Nay more then this the Churches at all times have had their Bibles translated into their owne languages Certainely the Spirit of God never knew that which the President of the Councell of Trent saith A Distaffe was more fit for a woman then a Bible when as God hath commanded that women should read it as well as men a Distaffe is fit in due times and seasons but these doe accuse God as the Divell in the Serpent did when he said to Evah God would not have you to know this this is nothing but the brood of the Serpent Saint Chrysostome saith Theeves when they meane to steale first put out the candle so hereticks when they meane to deceive first corrupt the Scriptures The Papists themselves have translated the old and new Testament into English but so darkly that none that reads them unlesse hee be a Scholler can understand them their translating proves against themselves the lawfulnesse of a translation for how dare they doe that which they judge unlawfull their affectation of obscurity is a mocking of God and of his people Use 2. Was the Word written for mee then I ought to have a care to read it and to understand it This is the ground of all wee shall never doe you good with teaching except you read the Scriptures privately God hath written them for you as if your names were expressed in them If a man had lived in the Church of Corinth when the Epistle was written to the Corinthians would hee have thought that hee had beene excluded nay hee would rather have thought himselfe to have beene bound to have read it The whole Word of God is Gods Epistle to the creature If an Emperor should
bee spoken of viz. The dignity of the Word which hath two parts the first the Authority of it the second the Sufficiencie of it because wee are to build on it and to rest upon it as the ground and rule of Faith and these are the two things which wee will handle at this time For the former of these Quest What is the authority of the written word Answ It is that by which it is authenticall and worthy of credit in it selfe being the divine and onely Canon and Rule for all things to bee beleeved and done That the Word of God hath this authority this verse which I have read doth prove So also Isa 8.20 To the Law and to the Testimonies if they speake not according to this word it is because there is no light in them if questions be asked about the dead To the Law and to the Testimonies whatsoever others say reject it this hath authority of it selfe to this is added 2 Pet. 1.19 Wee have also a more sure Word to these I add Gal. 6.16 As many men as walk after this rule peace be on them this is the rule of all things Joh. 2.16 If any man bring any other Doctrine bid him not to thy house where the word sheweth that there is no other word of any authority but this Word thus the Word witnesseth of it selfe therefore it must be true John 10.35 the Word cannot be broken therefore it must bee of that authority worthy of credit in it selfe and being divine wee must beleeve it and it must bee the Rule and Canon by which all things must bee done And this is the proofe of the first point Quest What ground have you for this that the Scriptures are thus authenticall Ans There are these First because they are Gods word to whom it belongs to appoint every one a cannon and rule that must give them direction to all things to be beleeved and done Secondly Because God hath written them for this end that they might be such a rule that might be alwayes in the Church that men should not dare to swerve from it Thirdly Because this Word is the first divine truth of God himself To explane these first they are Gods word c. This is manifest of it self that it belongs to God to appoint a rule and a cannon we further confirme this thus Deut. 7.11 Keepe my commandements my statutes and my judgements why so because they are my statutes I command you the Word is a lanterne to my feet saith David Psal 119.105 Thou shalt keepe my statutes so that if we enquire into the ground what the reason of the authority of the Scripture is it is manifest it is authenticall because it is the word of God who should teach me saith Saint Ambrose the things that appertaine to heaven God and not man Who can better teach me concerning God then God All other Divine things had need of testimony saith Salvian but onely these things spoken by God need no more testimony while therefore it is God that hath wrote this and he onely hath Divine authority therefore this must needs be of Divine authority The second answer was thus much because that this was written by God to that end that the Church might alway have a rule from which it should not dare to swerve Deut. 5.32 Take heed to my statutes turne not to the right hand nor to the left and that Rom. 15.4 These things were written that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope therefore from hence it is manifest that they are written to be a rule Thirdly because that this is the first divine trueth of God himselfe therefore it hath this name Ephes 1.13 Iohn 17.17 thy Word is truth with an emphasis that there is no truth but this so Ephes 2.20 it is the foundation of the Church it is builded upon the Apostles and Prophets we say it is the first truth of God himselfe because it must be first beleeved before we can beleeve by a divine faith any thing that is revealed in it faith doth first spring out of it and is last of all resolved into it and so it is the first truth This is the principle of principles and though it be not beleeved yet it hath the same authority gold is gold though no man have it the Sunne in the first day it was created was to rule the day and measure time though there was neither man nor beast to take notice of it In the Gnomen of a diall the shadow of it shewes the houres of the day though men sleepe principles in all Arts are to be granted are not denied without grosse absurdities Here are our first principles that there is a God that God hath a Word that the Scripture is the Word of God these are and ought to be assented unto by whosoever would be called Christian the denying of any one of these is to open the gate to Atheisme and all prophanesse so then this is manifest that this Word of God is of Divine authority The first Use then teacheth us that then fals to the ground the Doctrine of Popery that tels us that the Scriptures have no authority but from the Church some have spoken very blasphemously of the Word of God one for all the President of the Councell of Trent saith that the Scriptures have no more authority then Esops Fables without authority from the Church of Rome and others say they have no more authority then any other prophane books others more moderate say they have no more authority in them then they receive from the Church the question is not what authority the Church doth give to the Scriptures but what authority they have in themselves the Church can but declare their authority the Scriptures have it in themselves I had not beleeved the Scripture saith Austin We never denied that the Church hath excellent Offices concerning the Scriptures as first it is to keep them and preserve them therefore the Church is compared to a publique Notary like to the Court of Rowles the Master of the Roles gives no authority to Records but keepes them Secondly the Church is to publish the Scriptures therefore she is compared to a crier and this is the fidelity of the crier to publish the speech of the Prince and the Churches duty is to publish the Law of God The third office it hath is to discern the true Scriptures from forgeries and apocryphall It cannot make that which is Apocrypha Canonicall but it hath a power in discerning which are Apocryphall which Canonicall as it is in a City the Magistrates receiving a letter as from the Prince out of their experience are able to discerne whether it be the Princes letter or not so they that are Gods Ministers can do nothing but discerne the Word they cannot give any authority to it we conclude the Scripture hath authority in it selfe Ephe. 2.20 It is the foundation of the Church then the
Church cannot giue authority unto it The second Use serves to admonish us to receive the Scriptures for themselves for their owne authority and not for any mans authority whatsoever not for any mans person nor upon the authority of the Church for if we doe so we cannot have true saving faith Every man ought to receive the Scripture for its owne authority not that any man should condemn the authority of the Church but he may not depend onely upon it no not upon Saint Paul himselfe but must search the Scriptures to see whether it be so or no we ought not to receive the testimony of any Church in the world except it be grounded upon the Scripture we will use that which Aquinas saith of the woman of Samaria we may use the helpe of an enemy when she told them what things Christ did they beleeved but when they came to Christ himselfe they beleeved not for her saying but because they heard him themselves so we use the authority of the Church as a meanes to come to beleeve but when we beleeve let us not beleeve for the saying of the Church but for the Scriptures themselves Vse 3. This is to admonish every man when he hath received the Word to know it is the truth of God and therefore to labour to make it the Cannon of his faith for the authority it hath in it selfe we ought to examine our selves by this Word Hast thou done any thing that hath not this ground repent of it and for the time to come labour to make this the Cannon of thy life and the rule of thy obedience Art thou tempted by thy owne corruptions or by any other aske them Is there any such Word that will give leave if not thou must beleeve and hold to this for this is the Cannon by which thou oughtest to do all things Hierome complaines of some in his time who did wrest the Law to their owne wils and not their wils to the Law but we must be farre from this for whosoever walks after this rule Gal. 6. mercy and peace shall be to him but if he walke not after this rule he shall have judgement mercilesse Quest The next question is what is the sufficiencie of this Word Answ The answer is that it is that by which it is perfected concerning all things necessary to salvation that place which the Apostle hath 2 Tim. 3.17 doth prove this it is able to make the man of God wise unto salvation and therefore it is sufficient so Deut. 12.32 Thou shalt keepe all these Commandements thou shalt adde naught thereto nor take ought therefrom and therefore it must needs be perfect that to which nothing can be added and from which nothing can be taken must needs be perfect also Psal 19.7 the Law of the Lord is perfect Revel 22. Whosoever shall adde unto this booke God shall adde unto them the plagues that are written in this booke Thus the Word testifies of it selfe and therefore seeing the Word is true it must needs be a perfect rule Quest What Reason doe you shew for further proofe of this Answ First because it was the written Will and testimony of God Secondly Because after the Lord had given the Law in writing the Jewes were never guided by any unwritten word Thirdly Because Christ and his Apostles never proved their Doctrine by any unwritten word To explane these First It is the written Will and testimony of God therefore we call these the old and new Testament a mans will after it is confirmed no estate will admit to be altred therefore if we may not alter mans will much lesse may we alter Gods Secondly It is sufficient because that after the Lord had given his Law in writing the Jewes were never guided by traditions before the giving of the Law the truth went from hand to hand but after that God had written the Law they never came to him but upon some especiall occasion as for the Blasphemer c. Bellarmine confesseth this that there are some Catholiques speake with great probability that the Jewes after God had written the Law had no traditions Austin saith in the old Testament the Gospell was hid but in the new Testament it was made more plaine If God would teach the Jewes by nothing but by the written Word when it was more obscure much lesse us who have it more cleare Thirdly Because whatsoever Christ and his Apostles taught they proved by the written Word thus saith a Prophet and thus saith the Psalmes nay certainly Christ opposed traditions when he found that their authority corrupted the Law Mat. 5. but I say unto you rejecting those traditions the true word of God is this therefore the conclusion is that the Scriptures are a perfect rule containing all things to be beleeved and done Vse 1. The first Use teacheth us that then must fall to the ground all unwritten traditions the ground of all which is said to be the insufficiency of the Scriptures but if the Scriptures be sufficient then traditions have nothing to leane upon but it is blasphemie to thinke that God would not perfect that Word he began and therefore traditions are nothing Oh! say they the Scriptures doe not containe all fundamentall points for faith To this I answer If they had said the Scriptures doe not containe all the fundamentall points of their faith I would willingly subscribe to it the word of God no where speakes of Saint Peters successours the word no where speakes of invocation of Saints prayer for the dead indulgences and pardons these things the Scripture doth not containe but these are all of them contrary to the foundation but we beleeve nothing as necessary to salvation besides the Scripture We doe not doubt but that the Saints kept many excellent speeches and sayings of Christ as that in the Acts as the Lord said it is a more blessed thing to give then to receive but if there be any such tradition that is not for substance to be found in the word that we reject because the Scriptures are sufficient for the conclusion we will end with a speech of St. Austin I seek in the Gospell if I finde it not there where shall I finde it so may I say if we find not traditions in the word where shall we find them Vse 2. This teacheth the Ministers of God that they must prove the Doctrine they teach unto the people where shall they have that light no where but from the word they must not follow the vision of any man but only the word wherein God hath comprized every thing that he will have his people taught as it was in the creation the light was at large before the Sunne was created but after that was created God inclosed all light in the Sun so some time the word of God was taught from hand to hand God informed some and they taught others but after that God had written the Scriptures all were to receive their light
because the Scriptures never tell us of any originall or beginning that the Father had therefore is unbegotten Againe the Scriptures tell us that there was one begotten and that was the Sonne Psal 2.7 Thou art my Sonne this day have I begotten thee Iohn 1.14 the onely begotten Sonne Rom. 8.32 he is called his owne Sonne then it is manifest that there is a second which is begotten Lastly the Scriptures tell us of one that proceeded from them both it is manifest Iohn 15.26 The comforter that I shall send is the holy Ghost and thereupon he is called the Spirit of the Father Mat. 10. and the Spirit of the Sonne whom the Father will send in your hearts why because he proceeds from them both observe a little more these are the particulars of the persons the Father begets I doe not say the Essence begets the Sonne is begotten I doe not say the Essence is begotten this is understood of the person not of the Essence why because they must have the Essence of themselves or else they cannot be God These personall actions which they exercise one to another are called internall works and hereupon that ground is that the Schooles hold that their internall works are divided that they cannot be communicated the Father in begetting the Sonne in being begotten and the holy Ghost proceeding Quest How are they distinguished by their works Answ Their workes are creation redemption sanctification and the like which in the substance are common to them all three but in manner of working are proper to some one To explane this There is a rule that the works of the Trinity without them are undivided these three persons are together and worke together for there is but one worke they worke all together The Scripture speakes plainly Gen. 1.26 Let us make man where we see there is a common worke the Father faith not to the Sonne I will make man or make you the man c. but let us make c. This is that which Christ speakes Iohn 5.25 The Father workes hitherto and I worke and so Iohn 16.15 All that the Father hath is mine whatsoever it is that is the Fathers is mine the difference is in the order and manner of working this is manifest 1 Cor. 15. Thankes be unto God that hath given us victory through our Lord Iesus Christ where God gives the victory but by Christ The Fathers use much one testimony of Paul to this purpose Rom. 11.36 Of him and through him and for him are all things to him be glory for ever Amen The Apostle speakes there of works which we call works a dextra he nameth three manners of working and yet he saith there is but one God and therefore to him be glory Now on the other side as the Essence may not be divided so the persons are not to be confounded for he saith of him and through him and for him are all things the Father workes all things of himselfe by the Sonne and the Sonne workes from the Father by the holy Ghost this is the manner of working And before I come to the Reason let me adde one thing more a distinction which Martin Luther had the workes of the Trinity are to be considered absolutely as they are God so they are common to them all and relatively that is to say that every one workes according to his personall property and so one creates and another redeemes and another sanctifies The reason is this for the Father he is of himselfe and therefore workes of himselfe the Son is not of himselfe as a person but from the Father and therefore he workes from the Father and the holy Ghost from them both and is not of himselfe as a person and therefore workes not of himselfe but from them both thus the ground of their working is the manner of their subsisting therefore we give the Father the beginning of the worke and the Son the forwarding and framing and the holy Ghost the effecting c. So that we see by this that I have opened first what is communicated to them all wherein they differ and how they differ viz. by order properties and manner of working Vse 1. This takes away an imputation that Heretiques have laid upon the Church that it hath brought in vaine appellations in expressing this misstry and they tell us that it is forbiden that a woman should speake in the Church the meaning of which place they say is that Phylosophy which is but a handmaid should not speake in the Church Arius Sabelliens the great grand hereticks denied the diety of the Sonne and the holy Ghost they had this cavell for themseves we speake no other way then God speakes we are cast out of the Church and excommunicated because we will not admit these prophane voices of Trinity and Unity but the Church is not worthy of blame neither is there any excuse for them for the Church doth not take up these names out of any affectation of novelty but as Saint Austin speakes meerly out of a necessity of speech namely because that otherwise they could not meet with nor distinguish hereticks that they might be better knowne when Hereticks began to oppose this doctrine they would say there was one God and when they saw there was three persons Father Sonne and holy Ghost they would say these three were one God but how as it is said Acts 2. the Saints had all one heart therefore the Church takes these termes one in Essence to discover these Hereticks so they will say that there was a Father Sonne and holy Ghost but that the Father was sometimes the Sonne and sometimes the holy Ghost so that he was the Father in one respect and the Sonne in another hereupon the Church upon warrant of the Scriptures found out these words that whereas Hereticks would speake with the Church and would not conceive and meane with the Church they might be severed and known to be Hereticks Vse 2. Secondly here is direction for every man that will truely and savingly beleeve in one and three in one Essence and three distinct persons not dividing the Essence nor confounding the persons he that beleeves in a God and not in three persons hath a fiction of his owne braine which he beleeves in he that beleeves that there are not three persons distinguished and one Essence cannot be saved for a man cannot be saved but by true faith but he that beleeves not in the trinity as he hath revealed himselfe hath not true faith every man therefore must labour after this manner to beleeve whereupon brethren we inferre the necessity of the knowledge of this mystery for a man cannot beleeve unlesse he know it therefore every one ought to bend his eares and his head to know it if God had revealed himselfe in generall it had bin enough to know him so but God hath revealed himselfe in particular how he is one and how he is three therefore the Church knowing that this