Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	according_a	speak_v	word_n	5,557	5	4.4077	3	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A91366	The way step by step to sound and saving conversion, with a clear discovery of the two states, viz: nature, & grace: and how to know in which state one is, and the way to come out of the one into the other. Or, The ready and right path-way for the first Adams posterity to get out of their fallen estate accompanied with sin and misery, into the relation and family of the last Adam, which estate is attended with grace and glory, &c. With many weighty questions answered, and cases of conscience resolved, for the clearing and confirming the truths asserted. / By Robert Purnell.	Purnell, Robert, d. 1666.	1659 (1659)	Wing P4241; Thomason E1800_1; ESTC R209703	66,581	144

that doth beget or breed grace in us doth build up nourish and increase the same these forementioned means are both the begetters and the nourishers both the breeders and feeders of grace viz. Hearing the Word preached reading the Word prayer promises good company considerations and choice experiences all these are full to nourish and strengthen grace also the Sacraments were instituted and set up for this end to increase our grace and assure us of the pardon of our sinnes and the salvation of our soules Baptisme is a seal of our entrance into the Church of God the Supper of the Lord is a seal of our continuance in the same the former is a seal of our new birth the latter is a seal of our spiritual growth● in Baptisme some of our senses are exercised in the Lords Supper all our senses are or ought to be exercised this Ordinance is to be used often baptism but once for these is but one entrance into Christ but there are many degrees of growth in him Again Consider that we are to wait on God in the use of means frequently as we must not forsake our meals for our bodies so we are not to neglect our meals for our souls cut not off religious exercises too short turn not these holy duties into matter of fashion or form but come with an hungry appetite and that thou maist so do dip thy morsels often in the sharp sawce and sowr herb of humiliation look back and consider what once thou wast Now though we grant that the Ministery of the Word whether Law or Gospel is but as it were a dead letter and profiteth little without the Spirit 1 Cor. 3. 7. Neither is he that planteth any thing nor he that watereth but God that giveth the increase We cannot prevail with the blind to see nor with the deaf to hear or with the dead to live yet are we with diligence to attend upon God in the use of means for though the means cannot work without the Spirit the Spirit ordinarily will not work without the means Man is a reasonable creature therefore God proceedeth with him by way of arguments or means but because man in some sense is a dead creature therefore he must work in him that which he perswades him to he commandeth us who are unwilling to be willing and then by the powerful efficacy of the Spirit changing the will of unwillingness he makes us willing By the first he stands at the door and knocks Rev. 3. 20. By the second he opens the door and comes in and sups with us He in his Word calls upon us to will and to do the Spirit of Christ worketh in us both to will and to do God in the Creation spake the word that such a creature should be and therewithal sent forth a ●ower causing that creature to be according to his word So whilst the Angel revealeth unto Mary the conception of Christ the power of the Holy Ghost overshadowed her whence it was with her according to his word Luk. 1. 35 38. So also whilst Jesus cried with a loud voice John 11. 43 44. Lazarus come forth there proceeded from him a power whereby he came forth So Luke 5 24. He commanded the man that was sick of the palsie to take up his bed and walk and conveyes a power together with the command whereby vers 25 He did immediately arise took up his bed and went to his house and glorified God So again Ezek. 2. 1 2. And he said unto me Son of man stand upon thy feet and I will speak unto thee and the Spirit entered into me when he spake and set me upon my feet and I heard him that spake unto me c. But in the use of these and the like precious means observe these cautions 1. Be sure that the means you make use of be means of Gods own appointment of his own providing to which he hath annexed his promise 2. Consider it is not the means singly that helps but Gods blessing upon the means without which the most likely means bringeth nothing to passe 3. Consider his blessing is dispensed not so much according to the means as according to the uprightnesse of the heart in the use of them 4. Consider notwithstanding all this we are to wait upon God in the use of them frequently as it is Gods way of conveyance for where ordinary means may do he will not use extraordinary The walls of Jericho must fall Josh 6. from vers 4. to ver 15. but they must use the means although but weak means that we might not slight the means So John 9. from the 1. verse to the 7th when our Saviour opened the eyes of the man that was born blind He made clay of spittle and annointed the eyes of the blind man and bid him go wash in the pool of Siloam and be went and washed and came seeing So the stone must be rowled from Lazarus grave and Moses must sinite the rock to get water for the Israelites all which are written for our learning to ingage us to be diligent in the use of means and presents us with our duty viz. that we should leave no means unattempted for the accomplishment of what God hath promised for the means are Gods pipes of conveyance which if we cut off how can we expect the things we want which God hath promised to give Christ did not discharge us from the debt of sinne to free us from the debt of service but therefore he did pay the one that we might wait upon him in the use of the other he that withdraws himself from the promise cannot long keep close to the precept and he that keeps at a distance from the use of means shall never attain the mercies conveyed to others therein The Sacraments were instituted and set up for this very end to increase and strengthen seal and establish us the Lord knew he had to deal with doubting staggering misgiving persons and therefore he doth not only give the promise his covenant and oath for the confirmation of us but to all these he annexeth his seal the Sacraments of Baptisme and the Lords Supper Here I shall give the Reader a brief accompt of the sum and substance of what hitherto in this Treatise hath been presented and so proceed c. We have began with mans creation and of his estate before he fell of the manner of his fall and the subtilty of Satan therein and of the miserable estate he fell into and how he can never be saved unless born again renewed and restored there are four Gates shut and five exceptions made against him there be amongst the Sons and Daughters of men eighteen sorts that shall not either see nor enter into the kingdome of God there be four strong reasons why he will execute justice upon them there are four sorts of changes and but one of them spiritual and saving Man is in misery and unable and unwilling to help

it self to God that made it and Christ that bought it and so his soul is carried forth to a secret resting relying leaning staying and hanging upon the mercy of God in Christ alone for life and happinesse Now he looks after and endeavours to be found in walking in the way of sanctification he reads and finds 1 Pet. 1. 2. that if he be elected to life it is through Sanctification of the Spirit unto obedience and 2 Thes 2. 13. God hath chosen a people from the beginning to salvation through Sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth He labours for holiness as well as happiness he reads and findeth that the word of God hath a purifying faculty in it John 15. 3. Ye are clean through the word that I have spoken to you Ps 119. 9. Wherewith shall a young man cleanse his way but by taking heed thereto according to thy word Ps 119. 11. Thy word-have I bid in mine heart that I might not sinne against thee Of Grace-begetting and Soul-converting means for all heedfully to attend upon that hope to enter into Heaven THere are springs of Grace or pipes of conveyance which if cut off or neglected we may live in sinne and die in sinne and at last go to hell but if we heedfully and frequently make use of them we may live in the fear of the Lord and die in his favour and enter into heaven these means are for the increasing holiness as well as for the attaining it and therefore we are not to satisfie our selves with making use of them now and then but frequently and willingly for the same meanes that doth work the work of Illumination doth also work the work of Conversion Vocation Regeneration Faith and Repentance c. And not only work and beget these in us but increase it and cause it to flourish and grow up from one degree of grace to another untill we come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Sonne of God unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of Christ the means follow 1. Keep close to Grace-begetting and Soul-converting Ordinances 2. Dwell much upon the meditation of Grace-begetting Promises 3. Frequent the company of Grace-begetting and Soul-converting companions 4. Be frequent in the cherishing of Grace-begetting Considerations 5. Gather and treasure up Grace-begetting and Soul-converting Experiences 1. Keep close to Grace-begetting and Soul-converting Ordinances and they are these three 1. The hearing of the word preached 2. Reading of the Scriptures 3. Frequent and earnest Prayer First of the First 1. Hearing of the Word preached Acts 2. 37 41. it was by hearing Peter preach that the Jews were pricked at the heart and converted and three thousand added to the Church at once So Acts 26. 17 18. God sent Paul to preach for the opening of mens eyes and turning them from darkness to light by teaching sinners the way of God David assured himself they shall be converted to him Psal 51. 13. the word of god is the seed of life which is sown and takes root in th● hearts of them that God will save 1 Pet. 1. 23 25. It is the word of God which is the incorruptible seed by which we are born again it was those that had ears and heard not that were not converted and born again Mark 4. 12. c. as we should hear the word preached in order to conversion so for the begetting of faith in our hearts Luke 10. 17. Faith cometh by hearing Ephes 1. 13. in whom also ye trusted after ye heard the word of truth the Gospel of our salvation Isai 55. 3. hear and your soules shall live Now in the use of this blessed meanes observe these four rules and thou shalt never miscarry but get something by every Sermon thou hearest 1. Try the doctrines preached by the Scritures Act. 17. 11. they received the word with all readiness of mind and searched the Scriptures daily whether those things were so 2. Receive what thou findest agreeable to the word as from the Lord 1 Thess 2. 13. for this cause also thank we God without ceasing because when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us ye received it not as the word of man but as it is in truth the word of God 3. Keep in memory as much of it as may be James 1. 25. Being not a forgetful hearer but a doer Heb. 2. 1 2. Therefore we ought to give the more earnest beed to the things which we have heard le●t at any time we should let them slip vers 3. How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation 4. Indeavour to practise it thy self and communicate it to others Mat. 7. 26. Every one that heareth these sayings of mine and doth them not is like unto a foolish man that built his house upon the sand James 1. 25. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty and continueth therein being not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work this man shall be blessed in his deed therefore be ye doers of the Word and not hearers only deceiving your own souls 2. The next Faith-begetting and Soul-converting Ordinance is reading the Scriptures many a soul hath had happy experience of the benefit of reading the Word Psal 19. 7. for the Law of the Lord is perfect converting the soul Acts 8. 28. The Eunuch was reading in Isaiah and in the 37th verse we read he was converted and baptised 1 Tim. 4. 13. Till I come give attendance to reading Rev. 1. 3. Blessed is he that readeth and they that hear the words of this Prophesie Acts 17. 11 12. They searched the Seriptures daily whether those things were so and many of them believed 3. The next Grace-begetting and Soul-converting Ordinance is frequent and ●arnest prayer prayer is a fruit of faith and yet prayer is a means for the begetting of faith as the Spirit is the fruit of prayer so prayer is the fruit of the Spirit Luke 11. 13. Compared with Rom. 8. 15. In the former place the Spirit is said to be the fruit of prayer in the latter place prayer is said to be the fruit of the Spirit whereby we cry Abba Father c. Isa 55. 6 7. Seek the Lord whilst he may be found call upon him while he is neer let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts c. James 1. 5. If any of you lack wisdome let him ask of God that giveth to all men liberally and ●pbraideth not and it shall be given him Joh. 4. 10. Jesus said unto her if thou knewest the gift of God and who it is that saith to thee give me to drink thou wouldst have asked of him and he would have given thee living water 2. Dwell much upon Grace-breeding and soul converting promises there are promises of direction and supportation and promises of protection and promises of justification and sanctification and promises of

and heart doth in some measure exercise these four things 1. It doth look unto him 2. It doth come unto him 3. It doth receive him 4. It doth believe in him and lay hold on him 1. It doth look unto him Isa 45. 22. Look unto me and be ye saved all the ends of the earth for I am God and there is none else Zach. 12. 10. And they shall look upon me whom they have peirced and mourn for him as one mourneth for his only sonne The soul looks upon an humbled Christ with an humble heart upon a broken Christ with a broken heart upon a bleeding Christ with a bleeding heart upon a wounded Christ with a wounded heart in a word this is such a look as sends a man away with another heart Psal 34. 5. They looked unto him and were lightened there is no change of the substance of the soul and body nor of the faculties of the soul and body but the qualities of the faculties are clearly changed so that men and women become as children in humility teachableness and beginning the world a new he hath a new heart and a new tongue new inclinations new intentions new desires new content and discontent new delight new anger new courage new fear new hope new thoughts in his heart and new work to do and yet as before there is no change of the substance of soul and body nor of the faculties of the soul but the qualities of the faculties are clearly changed c. 2. The soul doth not only look unto him but it doth come unto him Mat. 11. 28. Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest John 6. 37. Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out Some affirm that in the Greek this word hath three negatives thus I will in no wise no wise no wise cast out and if so Let the Reader consider these three things 1. The Lord doth call thee three times in one verse Isa 55. 1. come come come So in Rev. 22. 17. And the Spirit and the Bride say come and let him that heareth come and let him that is athirst come 2. As there are three calls Come come come so there are three sorts of persons invited to come and all couched in the latter words of the 17th verse of Rev. 22. And whosoever will let him take of the water of life freely 1. What person soever he be Jew or Gentil Barbarian or Scythian Acts 10. 34. 35. Then Peter opened his mouth and said of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons but in every nation he that feareth him and worketh righteousnesse is accepted of him 2. What finner soever he be he despiseth not the weeping Mary the begging Canaanite the intreating Publican the confessing Thief the adultero●s Woman the denying Disciple the persecuting Paul Isa 1. 18. though your sinnes be as scarlet they shall be cleansed c. 3. What time soever a sinner doth come so it be before the sun is set the glasse out and the golden scepter taken in if it be at the eleventh houre or as the Thief upon the Cross at the last gasp it may be thou mayst obtain mercy 4. Lastly he doth assure those that come he will in no wise in no wise in no wise cast of Now lay all these together the Lord calls Come come come the persons that he calls are of three sorts 1 what person soever 2 what sinner soever 3 what time soever he come if he indeed come to me I will in no wise in no wise in no wise cast off 3. So there is not only a looking upon him and a coming to him but there is a receiving of him John 1. 12. but as many as received him to them gave he power to become the sons of God by the habit of faith the soul doth passively receive Christ but by the act of faith the soul doth actively receive Christ In the first the soule is passive but in the second he is active there is a twofold receiving of Christ a passive and an active passive wherein the spirituall principle of grace is ingenerated or infused into the heart or soul and so we are received of Christ before we do receive Christ so that Christ in working the grace of faith receiveth us and by the act of faith we receive him so that Christ taketh the soul before the soul taketh him Now he that hath thus received the Son hath life 1 John 5. 12. he that hath the Son hath life and he that hath not the Son hath not life Collo 2. 6. As ye have therefore received Christ the Lord so walk ye in him He that truely receiveth Christ receiveth him in all his offices as a King Priest and Prophet this receiving of him is not an act of the understanding but an act of the will imbracing him and trusting on him 4. The heart doth believe in him and the soul layes hold on him so that forementioned place John 1. 12. they and they only becomes the Sons of God that doth believe in his name when the Jaylor Acts. 16 30. would know what he must do to be saved the apostles answered him and said Vers. 31. believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved so when the people asked Christ what they should do that they might work the works of God John 6. 28. Jesus answered and said unto them Vers. 29. this is the work of God that ye believe on him whom he hath sent So 1 John 3. 23. This is his commandment that we should believe in the name of his son Jesus Christ 2 Tim. 1. 12. I know saith the apostle whom I have believed there is the first act of faith of reliance and I am perswaded that he is able to keep that which I have commited to his trust there is the second act of trust When the soul is brought over to assent unto that great truth that Christ is a Saviour and a Mediator it doth rowl and rest it self upon him and so trusteth on Christ for justification and consequently for salvation Psal 37. 5. Commit thy way to the Lord trust also in him Prov. 16. 3. Rowl thy works upon the Lord and thy thoughts shall be established Cast thy burthen upon the Lord Psal 28. 7. The Lord is my strength and my shield my heart trusteth in him The Lord is the Author and Finisher of our faith he doth command us to believe he doth enable us to believe and then commends us for believing so the Lord commends Nathaniel for his faith which was only the faith of his own powerful working so he commends David for his uprightnesse Hezekiah for his perfectness Moses for his meekness Cornelius for his devotion the Publican for his compunction the poor Widdow for her liberality and the woman of Canaan for her faith and importunity all which was only the work of his own grace in them

inward man So again in another Psal 40. 8. I delight to do thy will thy Law is in my hear● there was a principal within him agreeable to the precept without him this is a clear demonstration of a new creature though he may drive heavily sometimes under vexing and lasting temptations 3. He that is effectually converted he i● brought unto an unfeined hatred of the whole body of sin especially his beloved sins that did most powerfully captivate him before Col. 3. 7 8. But now you put off all these anger wrath malice blasphemy filthy communication see 1 Corinth 6. 11. compared with Titus 3. 3 4 5. c. Nay further he hath an unfeined hatred of the whole body of sin as it is the greatest evil in the world sin is worse than hell there may be good in punishment but there can be no good in sin it makes God hide his face from us and shut out our prayers Isa 59. 2. it is the cause of all wars James 4. 1. it is the cause of all sickness Deut. 28. In a word sin is the cause of all misery both temporal spiritual and eternal therefore Daniel was content to be thrown into the den of Lyons rather than to sin the three Children in the fire Paul and Silas into the prison and many Christians have chosen to imbrace prisons stakes fire and the hottest persecutions rather than sin a converted person comes to see the weakness and wickedness of his own heart he knows he cannot trust any member alone without a guard 4. He that is indeed converted may know it by this viz. his greatest and hottest conflicts are against inward pollution his close spiritual and secret sins that are known only to God and himself he doth accuse himself for that which no man can accuse him he blames himself for that which no man can blame him he judgeth and arraigneth himself for that which no man can judge him for he makes a through and sound search he knows Hypocrisie is spun of a fine thred and is not discerned without diligent search Again he knows that one stab at the heart though it be with a pen-knife will kill a man one little leak in a Ship will sink it and one secret sin unrepented of will damn a Soul the least sin contains in it the nature of all sin no sooner did one sin enter into Adams heart but he had all sin in him 5. He often mourns for the sins of others and for the want of more grace in himself we read Jer. 13. 17. that the Prophet did weep in secret places for the sins of others so in another place mine eyes run down with tears because men keep not thy laws c. and as for the sins of others so for the want of more grace in themselves viz. Isaiah 6. 5. I am a man of unclean lips said Isaiah I abhor my self in dust and ashes said Job Job 42 6 Surely I am more brutish than any man and have not the knowledge of a man said Augur Pro. 30. 2. I am less than the least of all Saints said Paul Eph. 3. 8. nay I have so little grace that I am the greatest of Sinners 1 Tim. 1. 15 Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners of whom I am chief 6. He doth dearly love to be ever now and then speaking of those great and saving truths which his heart took in the work of conversion he feeleth most savour of life in those necessary points which were instruments of this blessed change that there is made upon him and upon these he feed●th and delighteth even on the inward life of spiritual things and so he feedeth his hungry Soul in hearing and reading praying and conversing with Christians he endeavours to learn something from ●very thing 7. He doth begin to keep a watch over his own heart eyes and tongue and feet c. 1. He keeps his heart with Solomons diligence Prov. 4. 24. 2. He keeps his eyes with Jobs Covenant Job 31. 1. 3. He keeps his tongue with Davids bridle Psalm 39. 7. 4. He keeps his foot with Solomons guard Eccles 5. 1. In a word we should not trust any Member without its Keeper for there doth and will remain even in the converted themselves the remnants of corruption a body of death a rebelling flesh and thi● will be still tempting and draw them from God so that the whole way to Heaven is a continual warfare there be enemies that will dispute every foot of the way there is no going a step forward but as the ship doth in the Sea by cutting its way through the waves there is Self our greatest enemy and there is Sathan and the world and almost all that we meet with in it will prove hinderances in the way to Heaven therefore keep up your watch with your loynes girt and your lamps burning 8. He that is truly converted makes conscience of keeping every known duty or command in respect of the general bent and frame of his heart he doth subject himself to Christ freely universally and constantly and unweariedly at least in desire if it be not so he could wish it were so he endeavours prays to have it so he considereth that Christ did not discharge us from the debt of sin to free us from the debt of service but therefore did he pay the one that we might be able to return the other Rom. 8. 12. Therefore we are Debters not to the slesh 1 John 2. 5. Who so keepeth his word in him is the love of God perfected hereby know we that we are in him there is no known sin but he labours to avoid and no known grace but he longs to have and no known duty but he labours to perform 9. He is willing to put himself upon the tryal whether he be converted or no he is willing to have any Christian to search him and sometimes he entreats the Lord to search him he loves those company best that deals most plainly with him he carefully and continually searcheth himself and goes down with light into his heart he is jealous of his own heart he doubts of none more than himself suspects most his own graces and the witnesse of his own spirit least Sathan shine like an Angel of light and say it is the testimony of Gods spirit he is content to have his spiritual estate tryed by any not only by a searching Ministry in publick but by any private Friends he opens his heart freely for others to ask and gives answers of his hope with weaknesse and fear his ears are open to the whole word he believes the threatnings and trembles he fears also the promises lest he comes short he hath found out the hell in his heart and feels the flames of it in secret he hath found an emptiness in himself and an enmity to all good he is poor in spirit which appears by his continual complaints and importunat prayers he desireth not to be

Unbelief is the greatest sin in the world because it is a sin against the greatest love Iohn 3. 16. compared with Rom. 5. 8. it is a sin against the only remedy the sentence of the Law may be repealed by the Gospel but the sin against Gospel remedy there is no repeal of it is a sin that makes void and vain all the covenant of grace turning all the sweetnesse thereof into bitternesse and all the truth of it into a lye 1 John 5. 10. Therefore God is more severe against Unbelief than any sinne because Unbelief is most severeto God God hath no greater Enemi●s in the world than Unbelievers 7. Let us consider that a man without Faith is like a naked man in a storm or like an una●med man in a Battel like a ship unanchored and unballanced in a storm he is like a Sea without Banks a world without a Sun or a ship without a Pilot he is under the command of all his passions and enemies c. Qu. In what way are we to conceive of God when we pray to him Answ We are not to conceive of him under any shape or resemblance Deut. 4. 12 15. we are not to think that the Godhead can be resembled to any thing Acts 17. 27 29. compared together for unless we should equal God to any thing how can he be likened to it Isay 40. 18. 25. Who can by searching find out the Almighty to perfection Iob 11. 7 8 12. We are to conceive of him as one not to be fully conceived by us and so pray to him with such apprehensions of him yet we are to believe that he is and that he is a rewa●der of those that seek him Heb. 11. 6. namely that he to whom we pray is such a God which seeth and knoweth all the secrets of our hearts and all our thoughts that he is present with us where-ever we are comprehendeth us though we cannot comprehend him he is most holy most wise most mighty who is ready to do for us above what we are able to ask or think Ephe. 3 18 19 20. This is to conceive of him in the glorious and precious dimensions of his love so shall we comprehend with all Saints the heighth and breadth length and depth and know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge in this sence may we see him that is invisible Heb. 11. 27. For the true God is invisible as appears by these Scriptures Coll. 1. 15. 1 Tim. 1. 17. Tim. 6 16. The divine essence is not visible to bodily eyes in this life the essence simply considered cannot be seen by the Soul in this Life Exod. 33. 20. In the life to come though it be seen apprehensively so far as the spirits of just men made perfect are capable yet not comprehensively and fully Job 1. 1. 7 8 9 10. Q. How or in what order are we to direct our prayers to the Trinity in Unity and Unity in Trinity namely to Father Son and Holy Ghost A. In our Prayers we ought not to fix our ey● or minds so upon one in the Trinity as not thereby to be led to the other the Father being in the Son and the Son in the Father and the holy Ghost in them both Iohn 14. 10. we cannot look at one but we must eye the other they that look on Christ as their Mediator must see and eye the Father as giving of him so to be yea and at the holy Ghost as one with the Father sent and consented to his designment to that office as the Lord Christ himself sayeth Isay 48. 16. and now the Lord God and his spirit hath sent me c. we cannot look aright to the Father but we must look to him through the Son neither can we look upon the Son but by the Spirit It is true that in order we are first to direct our Prayers to God the Father yet not as first or chief in honour above the other two for even the Son who albeit as man and as Mediator he be inferiour to the Father Iohn 14. 28. yet as God as the Son of God he is equal with him Iohn 5. 18. Phill. 2. 6. and the Son is to be honored as equal with the same honor as the father Iohn 5 23. Albeit as was said the holy Ghost be not excluded but included so are we to pray unto God through Christ by the help of the holy Ghost Iohn 16. 23. we are to ask the Father in the name of the Son by the help and assistance of the holy Ghost Rom. 8. 26. Again we are baptized in the name of the Father Son and holy Ghost and therefore we are to pray unto and worship Father Son and holy Ghost we are to believe in the Father Son and holy Ghost and therefore we are to pray to the Father Son and holy Ghost so that in all external worship of God one in the Trinity being named the other are understood and are not to be excluded Q. How can there be three and yet but one God Answ God is one in essence one Jehovah one God and no more and therefore God calleth himself I am Exod. 3. 14. all besides himself are but created results of God bits of dependances upon him all Nations are before him as a drop of a Bucket as the small dust of the Ballance as a very little thing as nothing as lesse than nothing as vanity Isay 40. 15 17. This one God in essence saith Mr. Thomas Cobbert in his Treatise of Prayer pag. 542 to which I assent viz. is in personal properties three subsistences really distinct yet we are not so to let our thoughts feed themselves in musing upon the blessed persons as distinct in personal properties but with an apprehension of thē as one in essence one Jehovah one God and no more the property of begetting is applyed to God the Father and not to the Son or the holy Ghost he to whom the Scripture giveth the property of the only begotten Son of God he is Jehovah God the Son and no other and so he to whom the Scripture applyeth the property of proceeding he and only he is God the holy Ghost the Scripture applying to none other that property of proceeding or being as it were breathed forth from the Father therfore is called his Spirit Nū 8. 11. from the Son therfore is called the Sons Spirit Gal. 49. yet the holy Scriptures never mention but one Jehovah even when it mentions him in personal distinction three yet essentially but one 1 John 5. 7. There be three that bear record in Heaven the Father the Word and the holy Ghost and these three are one the Dvine essence subsisting in three relative properties Father Son and holy Ghost The personal property of the Father is to beget Ps 2. 7. The personal property of the Son is to be begotten John 1. 14 18. The personal property of the holy Ghost is to proceed from the Father and the Son John 14. 26. 15. 26. What shall Isay more As God for the helping of us to understand his essence is pleased to take unto himself certain names and attributes by the help of which we may the better understand his essence so also is he pleased to take unto himself certain names appellations to help us to the better understanding of his subsistance c. yet there is but only one living true God who is infinite in being perfection a most pure Spirit invisibly without body parts or passions immutable eternal incomprehensible working all things according to the counsel of his own will he is the alone Fountain of all beings of whom through whom and to whom are all things in his sight all things are made manifest his knowledge is infinite infallible and independent he is most holy in all his Counsels in all his Works in all his Commands c. But if any demand farther How can there be three and yet but one God I answer great is the mystery the Son in the Father and the Father in the Son and the Spirit of truth which is by the Father and the Son John 14. 11. John 15. 26. 14. 26. So that in this mystery a Christian is to believe what reason cannot comprehend the Father sent forth his Son the Son sent forth the holy Ghost yet Father Son and holy Ghost was never separated one from another Take a candle burning and there is substance light and heat and yet not three candles but one candle Look upon the good man of a House and you shall find that he is a Husband to his Wife a Father to his Children a Master to his Servants and yet not three men but one man so in the unity of the God head there be three of one substance power and eternity God the Father God the Son and God the holy Ghost the Father is of none neither begotten nor proceeding the Son is eternally begotten of the Father the holy Ghost eternally proceeding from the Father and the Son c. FINIS