the reason why It is because the Essence is most simple and without composition where there is no composition there is no number therefore there cannot be many Essences and again from hence it appeares that howsoever these things are attributed to God that he is love mercy favour and anger howsoever they are spoken as though they were many and different yet in God they are but one and the same True it is that we are of a compounded understanding they are as severall things to us because we cannot conceive God as he is yet by faith we are brought to beleeve that there is no such difference between them in God that which is the love of God is the hatred of God and that which is his wisdome is his power also because there is but one and the same Essence Saint Austin speakes to this purpose God is simple he is great and without weight or bulke and he is wise without any wisdome we cannot say that his justice is one thing and his mercy another both these are his Essence but we are of a compounded understanding and cannot but distinguish them Vse 2. Is God thus simple that his love his mercy and his justice are his very Essence we then will joine these two together here then is matter of joy and comfort and matter of terror and feare first matter of joy and comfort mercy and love are Gods Essence What is the comfort of a male factor that he hath a mercifull Judge 1. King 20.31 The servants of Benadad say we have heard that the Kings of Israel are mercifull Kings So is a man in misery what is his comfort he hath a compassionate friend full of compassion and yet these are but accidents in man and may deceive how much greater comfort then is this that God is love it selfe mercy it selfe justice it lelfe with reverence may I speake it he may cease to be before he can cease to be mercifull and good c. This is that the Prophet useth to comfort the children of God with Isai 54.8 For a moment have I hid my face from thee but with everlasting compassions will I imbrace thee So Ieâ— 31.3 I have loved you with an everlasting love Man loves and he loves but for a time the same man that loved upon a small occasion comes to hate as extreamly as he loved tenderly the reason is because man is mutable but God loves more earnestly then man can do for it is his Essence and he never changes heer is the comfort Isa 49.15 Can a mother forget her son her son new born though some mother can be so unnaturall saith God yet I will not forget you yea Christ himselfe saith if you being evill can give good things how much more shall your heavenly father give his holy spirit to those that aske him Secondly this serves also for feare and terror why because Gods anger his mercy his justice are his Essence and he is unchangeable The anger of a King is much to be feared it is like the messenger of death Prov. 14 7. yet the anger of a King is mutable for a man of wisedome will appease it but Gods anger when he sets it upon any it should make him tremble it is his Essence God himselfe is against that man these Attributes are his Essence therefore there 's no reason why any man should presume upon the mercy of God for God is justice nor despaire for God is mercy thus we have ground of comfort and fear there is no sound comfort where there is no true feare these two ever goe together true feare of his justice and comfort of his mercy Saint Bernard speakes to this purpose Bernard sex bre 25. Duo sunt pedes c. God hath two feete and one of these two feete is feare the other love and with these two God walkes in the hearts of men when he comes to the crevice of the heart of man he puts in the foot of feare and looke how much feare so much comfort If thou wilt know that God walks in thy heart in love he first sets in his left foot of feare and therefore know thus much thou must have part in these two first in the feare of God and so in the love and comforts of God these must both goe together and therefore get thy heart smitten with the feare of God or else thou art but a vaine man to presume of comfort and thus much forthe simplenesse of Gods divine Essence The next thing is the Eternity of God and the question is Quest What is the eternity of the divine Essence Answ The answer is it is an incommunicable attribute whereby the divine Essence is without beginning or ending and without succession the parts of this we will explane first it is said to be an incommunicable Attribute because it is communicated to none but proper to God Secondly that it is without beginning or ending all this appeares because God hath this name of eternity given to him Gen. 31.33 Abraham made an Altar and offered to the God of eternity Psal 90.2 From everlasting to everlasting thou art God Isai 44.6 I am the Lord and before me there was no God neither shall there be after me Rom. 1.20 The invisible things of God as his eternall power and god-head are seene To what tends all this but to tell us that he had no beginning neither any ending Thirdly the third thing is that he is without succession that is hath neither first nor latter neither present nor to come There can be no succession without time there is no succession with God for a thousand yeeres with God are but as one day 2 Pet. 3.8 so that with man there are successions but with God there are no successions for all things are naked and bare before him so the holy Ghost Psal 2. speaking of the eternall begetting of the same saith Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee Quest What grounds have you for this Answ The answer is first because he is the true Jehovah that is hath his being of himselfe c. Secondly he is the creator of all things and of time it selfe Thirdly He is the author and giver of eternall life to those that have it To explane these Reas 1. First He is Jehovah so we have heard the word explaned a God that hath his being of himselfe and not receiving it from any other for if he have his being from any he must receive it from himselfe or from some other receive it from himselfe he could not for nothing can be the efficient cause of it selfe againe he could not receive it from any other because that all other have their being after him and from him he is the first and the last Revel 7.8 10. If the first then none before him then he received it not of any other so that this is true which Saint Austin speakes This eternall can speake to the heart of man I am
Saint Austin hath a pretty similitude to expresse there are three the Spring and River and a portion taken out of these are three distinct c. but if any man should aske what is the Spring water what is the River water what is the portion taken out water come to a Well saith he fill three cups with water we can say they are three but we cannot say that they are three severall waters these mysteries being hard ought to be studied and praied for Saint Augustine saith give me that I love what is that when I set my self to know thee I beseech thee give me a heart that I may know thee even these great mysteries of salvation thus every man ought to pray c. CHAP. XXIV IOHN 5.7 There are three which beare record in heaven the Father the Word and the Spirit Quest HOw are these persons distinguished or how are these three distinguished Answ The answer is they are three not divided but distinguished truely and really not essentially but personally and that by their order properties and workes I say they are distinguished not divided there is a double distinction of persons one is called an essentiall distinction then the persons are so distinguished as they are divided and there is a personall but not essentiall distinction then one person is not severed from another because the Essence is not severed Three persons of men essentially distinguished are three men but the persons of the Trinity distinguished onely personally are not three Gods but one The former three persons are three men because their essences may be divided although not in the generall yet in the speciall the latter three persons are not three Gods because their essence cannot be divided Three men have all one nature all one humanity in the generall but they have not all one nature in the speciall for the nature of one is not the nature of another now in this the reason is manifest because that their essence is finite and divisible but here there are three persons and cannot be three Gods because their essence is infinite and indivisible so that in the Trinity there is as a Father speakes alius alius not aliud aliud that is there is but one substance yet many persons As the Father is another person but not another thing from the Sonne and the holy Ghost another from them both and this is manifestly proved after this manner Three must needs be a personall distinction they are three witnesses and a witnesse cannot change his habit as Hereticks say yet so as they are but one Iohn 1.1 In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God the last of these manifests that the Essence is not distinguished but the persons for the Word was God That there is such a distinction Psal 110.1 The Lord said unto my Lord there the person speaking and the person spoken unto are distinguished the Lord said to Sathan The Lord rebuke thee where in the first place is the Son the Lord rebuke thee he meanes the Father Iohn 5.32 there is another that beareth witnesse of me and in Iohn 8.18 I beare witnesse of my selfe Iohn 14.10 I am with the Father he doth not say I am the Father but I am with the Father whereupon it must needes be that there is distinction betweene the Father and Sonne and the holy Ghost is distinguished personally from them both Mat. 3.15 there is a voyce from heaven and the Spirit descended like a Dove the Father speaking and the Sonne is he of whom he speaks the holy Ghost he that descended Iohn 14.16.27 I will pray the Father and he shall send another comforter in my name whence it followes that therefore the Father who sends and the Sonne who prayes and the holy Ghost who is sent are three persons really distinguished This may suffise to shew unto us that there are three distinct person Quest But how are they distinguished in their orders Answ First because they are one before and after another by an unchangeable order first second and third they are not one before another in dignity but in order and that is unchangeable for the first cannot be the second nor the third the Father cannot be the second person nor the Sonne cannot be the first nor the third c. the reason of this is because the Father is of himselfe not of another having the foundation of personall existance or substance in himselfe and of himselfe therefore it must needs be that he must be the first that is that which some thinke Christ intended Iohn 5.26 The Father hath life in himselfe that is first and originally Secondly the Sonne is of another and therefore he cannot be the first person because he hath the foundation of a personall subsistance from the Father and so he cannot be the third person because he hath it onely from the Father this is that same in Iohn As the Father hath life in himselfe so hath he given to the Son to have life in himselfe c. he receiveth it from the Father The holy Ghost is neither of the Father alone nor of the Sonne alone but he is of them both therefore he is the third person receiving the foundation of personall subsistance from the Father and the Sonne then this immutable order doth distinguish them It is true that the Scripture places the Sonne before the Father and the holy Ghost before the Sonne 2 Cor. 1.13 The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ and the love of God the Father c. 2 Thes 2.16 Iesus Christ our Lord Revel 1.4 5 Iohn wishes salvation to the Churches first from the Father secondly from the Spirit this is not to change their order but because the matter they speake of requires it and to shew that there is none greater or lesser then other Quest How are they distinguished by their properties Answ They have every one incommunicable properties by which they are distinguished the Father begetting the Sonne the Sonne being begotten and the holy Ghost proceeding these properties are such as cannot be communicated to others without them nor amongst themselves such as they had before there was any beginning of the world this is as some Divines say nothing but the proper manner of existing for they say the Father is the nature of the Divine Essence subsisting by the incommunicable property of begetting The Sonne is the nature of the divine Essence subsisting by the incommunicable property of being begotten The holy Ghost is the nature of the divine Essence subsisting by his incommunicable property of proceeding I say by these relations they were distinguished amongst themselves before there was any creation The Father is unbegotten begetting the Sonne The Sonne is begotten by an unsearchable generation the holy Ghost is of the Father and the Sonne after a wonderfull manner which is called procession That they are thus distinguished is gathered out of the Scriptures thus
to anger and of great mercy c. Chap. 18. Of the Iustice of God Pag. 199. Deut. 32.4 He is a righteous Lord and all his waies are judgement Chap. 19. Of the Anger of God Pag. 212. Jer. 64.5 Behold thou art wrath for we have sinned Chap. 20. Of the Hatred of God Pag. 224. Psal 5.5 Thou hatest all the workers of iniquity Chap. 21. Of the Authority of God Pag. 236. Psal 22.28 For the Kingdome is the Lords and he is the governour amongst the Nations Chap. 22. Of the Power of God Pag. 246. Job 9.19 If I speake of strength loe he is strong Chap 23. Of the Persons in the Trinity Pag. 256. John 5.7 There are three which beare record in heaven the c. Chap. 24. ibid. Chap. 25. Of God the Father Pag. 268. Text. Heb. 1.5 Thou art my Son this day c. Chap. 26. Of God the Sonne Pag. 279. Heb. 1.5 Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee c. Chap. 27. Of God the holy Ghost Pag. 291. John 15.26 The spirit of truth which proceedeth from the Father he shall c. OF GOD AND HIS ATTRIBUTES CHAP. I. JER 9.23 24. Thus saith the Lord Let not the wise-man glory in his wisdome c. But let him that glorieth glory in this that he understandeth and knoweth me that I am the Lord. QUESTION WHerein consisteth the chiefest wisdome of man Answer In the true knowledge of the true God The first thing observable in this Text is this That the chiefest wisdome of every man consisteth in the true knowledge of the true God For out of it I reason thus That is mans chiefest wisdome in which hee ought more to rejoyce then in all worldly wisdome or worldly strength or all earthly riches in which most men have their chiefest rejoycing But every man is bound to glory more in the knowledge of God then in worldly wisdome c. Therefore c. This is confirmed Jer. 31.33 34. I will make a covenant with the house of Israel and this is the summe of the covenant They shall all know mee from the least of them to the greatest In which place is shewed what is the chiefest end of mans new creation viz. the true knowledge of God and therefore the people Hosea 6.3 after that the Lord had raised them from death to life say And we shall know the Lord. Qu. Why doth the chiefest wisdome of man consist in this Reason 1. Because without the knowledge of God a man cannot know himselfe The knowledge of a man in things naturall is an excellent knowledge yet it is nothing without the knowledge of himselfe as Saint Augustine saith Though a man know all mysteries to the breadth of the earth and the depth of the sea and know not himselfe hee is like to a man that makes a building without a foundation but without the knowledge of God no man can know himselfe because of that wicked pride that is naturally in man that when hee lookes upon himselfe hee thinkes himselfe so holy just pure c. that hee thinks injustice to bee justice impurity to be purity c. but if once he comes to see the face of God then hee sees his owne justice to be injustice and his owne purity to be impurity and his owne righteousnesse to be folly therefore it is the principall thing for a man to know God Reas 2. Because without this a man cannot worship God aright which is the end of his creation and to this purpose there are many places of Scripture call upon us Pro. 12.13 Psal 100. Come let us worship the Lord for hee hath made us The worship of God is commanded in the first Table and the principall thing in the first Table is the knowledge of God intimating thus much That there is no worship of God where there is no knowledge of God and therefore that man might know how to worship him he first declareth himselfe saying I am the Lord thy God which brought thee out of the land of Egypt out of the house of bondage and this is the method which David layes downe to Solomon first Know thou the God of thy Father and then serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing minde 1 Chron. 28.9 Reas 3. Because without this a man cannot be partaker of true happinesse Christ saith John 17.3 This is life eternall to know thee the onely true God that is to say There is no way to attaine to life but in the knowledge of the true God It is not the knowledge of all the things in the world that can make a man happy but the knowledge of God can for as Saint Augustine saith Hee is an unhappy man that knowes all things and is ignorant of the knowledge of God but saith he hee that knowes thee and is not vaine in his conversation but labours to worship thee hee is the happy man but every man else is worse then a Toade or Snake And he saith the same Father that hath a tree and can tell the height and breadth of it by a Jacob's staffe and knowes not the Creator of it is an unhappy man but another man that hath a tree and cannot tell the height of it nor knowes the number of the branches of it yet knowes thee the Creator of it hee is the happy man if hee bee never so poore nay if hee be as poore as Job hee is the true happy man but if he know all things and know not thee there is no way but he must needs perish Use 1. This then shewes That the chiefest folly of men is their ignorance of God whether it be a necessary ignorance in them to whom God hath denyed the meanes of knowledge or a negligent ignorance in them who have the meanes and doe not apply themselves to them or a wilfull ignorance in them who pull themselves from the meanes whether they bee Ideots that know nothing or men of understanding and learning that know other things yet are fooles in the knowledge of God Where is the Scribe where is the learned Egyptian where is the disputer of the Law but God hath chosen the poore and the base things of this world that they should confound the mighty 1 Cor. 1.20 So I may say Where is the learned Egyptian hath not God made the wise men of the world fools We have a Proverb The greatest Clerks are not alwayes the wisest men True if ignorant of God and see not that true wisdome stands in this I may say as the Wise-man saith Why is there a price in the hand of a foole to get wisdome and hee hath no heart to it Pro. 17.16 Why is there such understanding in other things and men have no heart to seeke after this Certainely the holy Ghost calls them fools for Solomon in Eccles 4.13 faith hee preferrs a young and wise child before an old and foolish King that will not be instructed So I say a poore man if wise
if the stile doth not agree to this of the Prophets and Apostles they are to be rejected If wee will know all true authority wee must know it by the stile for howsoever a false Writer may take to him the name and frame of another man yet hee cannot take his stile for as every man hath his severall countenance and severall colour that though two bee never so like yet there are some things whereby they may bee discerned so the writings of other men may bee knowne from the Scriptures on which the holy Ghost hath set such a stile as is not to bee found in all or any the writings of all the world besides Reas 3. The third ground was the consent of Christ and the Apostles with the Prophets that went before them the latter Prophets consent with the former and the former agree with them therefore this must needs be from a divine direction For amongst men who have written of the same subject wee may finde often variance but these did never really contradict one another there is no discrepance in them to bee found there were some thousands of yeers between the first Prophets writings and the Apostles and some thousands of miles betweene the Prophets and Apostles that wrote at the same time yet all doe agree together the ground is this because Truth as God is ever constant to it selfe Therefore the Prophet Jeremy reproves Hanani Jer. 28. because hee did not consent to the Prophets that went before him and the Apostle pronounceth an anathema against himselfe or an Angel or whosoever should teach any other doctrine All which shewes that there is a marvellous consent in the Scriptures and therefore they must needs be written by God and not by men Quest What other internall Arguments are there in the mindes of men to prove the Scripture the Word of God Answ It is proved first by the Spirit of God who witnesseth the same in the hearts of the Elect Secondly by the power and efficacie of the Word and the working it hath in the hearts of men To explaine this First the Spirit of God witnesseth this in the hearts of the Elect God is the best witnesse of himselfe so is the Spirit the best witnesse of the Word which is not beleeved untill it be settled in the heart of man by the Spirit that wrote it for till then wee reject it Some apply that of the Prophet Isa 59.21 My Spirit that I have put upon thee and my words that I have put in thy mouth c. In this manner the Spirit and the Word must agree together and continually bear witnesse each to other whatsoever is suggested by the Spirit and agreeth not with the Word is to bee rejected whatsoever is expressed in the Word is not beleeved till witnessed by the Spirit I add to these Christs owne speech to the Jewes John 8.42 43. who bragged that God was their Father if God bee your father why doe you not beleeve my words for if God be your Father then you have the Spirit of God but it is apparant that you have the Spirit of God because you beleeve not my words and therefore God is not your Father John 10.27 My sheepe heare my voice that is they doe acknowledge that this is my voice Ver. 16. I have other sheep that are not of this fold them also I must bring in and they shall heare my voice and ver 3 4. the shepheard calleth his sheep by name and they follow him and a stranger will they not follow where he sheweth that the sons of God have the Spirit of God in them whereby they are able to discerne the writings of God from other writings the Spirit of God giving them a cleare understanding to see and a perswasion to beleeve the truth of them and such a perswasion as no man knowes out of himselfe but in himselfe It is true as wee said before That the majestie of the stile and the consent of the Writers are great arguments to prove the Scriptures Gods Word but yet they give a man no assurance but onely breed in him a kinde of reverence as Salvian saith But if a man bee once enlightened with the Spirit of God hee rests not on his owne judgement nor on the judgement of all the world because hee hath inward judgement in himselfe which is the Spirit And thus much for the first internall argument The second argument is taken from the mindes of men and from the power and efficacie that the Word hath in the hearts and consciences of all men It hath a power to convert them to God to terrifie and awaken them and also to comfort them in distresses to wound them and to make them whole which no other writing can doe therefore it cannot be humane but divine This is manifest Psalm 19. The Law of the Lord is perfect converting the soule No Philosopher can convert the heart though hee may bring men to outward civilitie like unto this The Word gives wisdome to the simple and therefore is divine It was that which made S. Paul to know that hee was dead for before the Law came hee was alive but when the Law came he was dead This the Apostle Saint Peter presseth to the Gentiles Act. 2.27 28. by which hee wounded them and with the same Word hee healed them no other Word could ever bring them to despaire of their owne righteousnesse no other could sustaine them despairing this is the power of God to salvation Rom. 1.16 Finally it is powerfull in operation Heb. 4.11 it is mighty to make a man at variance with himselfe the father against his sonne the mother against the daughter nothing was ever able to doe this but the Word of God Quest What externall proofes are there Answ First the fulfilling of the Prophecies in the Scripture in the same manner and the same circumstances in the same time and in the same persons things many hundred yeers before foretold are so accomplished as foretold this therefore cannot bee but a divine prediction Isa 41.22 The Prophet speaks of the Idols Come and let them tell us what shall come to passe hereafter arguing that to doe so must bee a divine thing The Divell cannot foretell things to come hee may ghesse at them but hee hath alwaies his shifting holes but the holy Scripture hath set downe in plaine termes the time and the persons and other circustances as 1 Reg. 13.2 Isa 45.1 Gen. 15.13 c. therefore it must needs bee a divine wisdome that did indite and inspire them Secondly The second externall argument is the antiquity of these they are ancienter then any other writings whatsoever the Egyptians indeed brag That they had writings before Moses but it is nothing but bragging and untruth Thirdly The great opposition that hath beene made against them and their preservation It is true that Aristotle burnt the books of his Master Plato a great Philosopher that himselfe might bee the more observed
thou hast need of thy servant that he may serve thee but God is the true God and hath no need of any man but every man hath need of him therefore it is necessary that every man should returne his being to him Againe he hath no need of mans piety as Iob speakes can a man be profitable to God there is no benefit that a man can yeeld to God but man receives all from him and he may take all away at his pleasure and therefore we ought to serve him no man will say that God had need of us If a man goes to a River drinks to satisfie his thirst wil a man say the River had need of him no but that he had need of the River so here therefore every one ought to serve this God with feare for that God who made thee a man might have made thee a beast or a snake but hath not and therefore seeing we doe but draw our breathes from him there is reason that we should feare him and serve him that we may have the continuance of our lives here and eternall life hereafter and this shall suffice for this use Quest The next question is whether this Essence be one or many Answ The answer is made that there is but one simple Essence without division or partition we instance this my text I am that I am here is no more but one simple Essence without any partition like unto this is Zach. 14.9 And they shall worship one God The meaning is that after Christ shall come the Gentiles with the Jewes shall all worship one and the same true God And this is that which Christ speaks I and the Father are one this argues a plurality of persons in that he saith I the Father but when he comes to the Essence he saith are one and there he instances in the singular number Iohn 5.7 There are three that bare witnesse in heaven the Father the Word and the Spirit these three are one Where the Apostle doth shew that these three persons are one in Essence Quest Seeing there are three persons why should there be but one Essence Answ First because there can be but one God Secondly because this Essence is most perfect Thirdly because these three are alike Coeternall Reas 1. First there can be but one God therefore there can be but one Essence for it is a true position that the learned have that the Essence of God is God therefore if there were many Essences there would be many Gods but there can be but one God as hath beene shewed marke the reason if the Essence were devided there must be three Gods for where the Essence is devided there are three as Peter Iames and Iohn are three why because their Essence is devided but in the Father the Sonne and the Holy Ghost these are not three Essences but one Essence as Saint Bernard saith this God is the true God which is so simple that he cannot have parts and so one that he cannot have number therefore if he be but one God he must needs be but one Essence Reas 2. Because this Essence is most perfect in the highest degree that which is perfect in the highest degree can be but one because that one must containe all perfections If there should be many there could be none most perfect because in every one some perfection or some degree of perfection would be wanting Therfore these three persons being in the highest degree perfect can be but one Essence Reas 3. Because they are all eternall alike that is manifest for it is a maine Article of Religion to be believed that the Father Sonne and holy Ghost are Coeternall there can be but one eternall and wheras the Father is before the Sonne in regard of order yet not in time they are alike eternall therfore there are not severall Essences Vse 1. The first use serves to condem all those hereticks that denied the diety of the Son and holy Ghost yet denied not simply that they were God but that they were Gods by nature we say they are heere confuted for if the God head be but one Essence it must needs follow that these persons are Gods by nature or not at all In created things they that have a like nature are sayd to be the same Essence as in birds beasts and men whatsoever hath the nature of a man we say it is a man though he have not the same singular nature that others have yet we say he hath the nature of a man there is difference as the Learned observe betweene the like Essence and the same Essence he that hath the like Essence of some one man hath not the same Essence of that man but the Father Sonne and holy Ghost are one and the same Essence Vse 2. Here is direction for our faith what we must believe of God if we will be saved we must believe aright in God and we cannot believe aright unles we understand him what he is and here our knowledge and faith must distinguish these three persons one from another Father Sonne and holy Ghost but yet our faith may not divide the Essence we must distinguish the Essence from the persons that doe subsist in it therfore if we believe aright though there be three persons yet there is but one Essence and we must hold this as a maine Article of Christian faith Salvian sayth speaking of the Creed he that denies the first Article overthrowes all the rest so I say he that holds not this hath no faith at all Vse 3. The third use is this here is matter of comfort to those that are Gods and that which is the especiall meanes of comfort is prayer they may come boldly to the throne of grace and go away assured that they are heard because there is but one Essence you will aske me how it follows upon this I explaine it thus they that pray and pray aright cannot pray to God the Father but in the name of the Sonne neither can they pray of themselves but the spirit makes request for them Rom. 8. those that the Father commands to pray and the Son praies for and the spirit helpes shall they not have assurance seeing that God entreates himselfe for them for prayers are made to the Father through the Sonne and by the holy Ghost Saint Augustin speaking of Christ saith Christ praies for us and in us and is praied to of us Christ prayes for us as he is our Priest he prayes in us as he is our head and he is prayed to of us as he is our God now no doubt but we shall prevaile when we haue the Sonne a mediator and the spirit of God our helper therefore we may goe away with assurance for if a great Prince would not only vouchsafe to let poore creatures put ut Petitions for them and his Son to present them to him but also appoint his secretary to drawe their petitions for them and his Sonne to
present them to him undoubtedly they should speed and therefore they should goe with assurance so God vouchsafes this mercy that he will let us come to put up our petition to him and he gives us his spirit to make them his Sonne to present them and these three are one and therefore we may goe with boldnesse as Cyprian sayth if any man pray to God and use that prayer his Sonne made he may have good hope to be heard and we say he may be assured to be heard when he makes that prayer which the spirit of God made and thus have we comfort in this that the Father Son and holy Ghost are but one Essence OF GOD AND HIS ATTRIBUTES CHAP. VIII JOHN 4.24 God is a spirit and they that worship him c. THE last day you heard these things concerning God that he is one spirituall Essence distinguished into three persons In which description of God I have shewed you that we are to speake of these particulars First that he is an Essence Secondly that he is one Essence Thirdly that his Essence is spiriuall Fourthly that it is perfect of his Essence and that he is but one was spoken of the last day Now to proceed to the third viz. that it is a spirituall Essence according to our order the question and answer stand thus Quest What is meant when it is said that God is a spirituall Essence An. That God is a spirit his nature substance is indivisible and corporeall we may come to see what he is by that which he is not as it is not possible to tell what God is so it is hard to describe what a spirit is but yet by that which he is not we may see in part what he is as Saint Austin saith to know what God is is the safest way to know what he is not To prove this description of God that he is a Spirit 2. Cor. 3.17 The Lord is a spirit invisible that a spirit is invisible Christ saith Luke 24.34 see feele me for a spirit hath not flesh and bones as you see I have 1. Tim. 1.17 To God only wise invisible and he is described by negatives Col 1.15 The Image of the invisible God where it appeares that God is a Spirit invisible and incorporeall Quest How do you confirme this by reason Answ By three reasons First because he is most simple without composition Secondly because he cannot be contained in any space or place Thirdly because he is insensible he cannot be perceived by any sense therefore he must needs be invisible and incorporeall to explane every one of these Reason 1. First that God is most simple without composition as you have heard out of Saint Bernard he is so simple that there are no parts in him if he have no parts then he must needs be simple and without composition and indeed of what should he be compounded He was before all things therefore necessarily he must be without all composition all created spirits are without bodies but all created spirits have a kinde of composition but God hath none all created spirits both Angels and soules of men have a kinde of composition they are compounded of act and power but God hath neither matter nor forme nor is compounded of act and power therefore he is without composition and it may well be said that he is a spirit invisible and incorporeall Reason 2. The second reason is because he cannot be comprehended or contained in any place or space corporeall things are comprehended as the bodies that are in this place may be circumscribed the reason is because they have length bredth and depth but no such thing is in God I say all spirits are without these and free from circumscription then much more this Spirit this is that Solomon speaks of 1. Kings 8.2 Doth God indeed dwell among men behold the heavens of heavens are not able to containe thee So Ier. 23.24 I fill heaven and earth Saint Cyprian saith God is such an essence as is spirituall and is in every place and excluded out of no place nor included in any place but fills every place therefore he must needs be a spirit invisible and incorporeall Thirdly because he is insensible it must needs follow he is a spirit for spirits are not subject to senses so you heard out of Luk. 24. feel see a spirit hath not flesh bones as you see me have The reason is because spirits have not sensible qualities which are the object of mens senses much lesse hath God any such qualities in God there is no mutability nor change therefore he is not subject to sense for whatsoever is subject to sense is mutable that which is the snarpest sense and best able to comprehend is the eies but this cannot comprehend God God is infinite therefore cannot possibly fal under finit sense of man that which is subject to sense is subject to mans understāding but God exceeds mans understanding he is great we know him not saith Elihu we know him no futher then he doth reveale himselfe and when we know the most how little of him do we perceive Therefore it followes from hence that God is a Spirit Vse 1. The first use if this be so it reproves the error of those heretiques called the Anthropomorphite that taught that God had a bodily shape they are confuted by this that God is a Spirit in whom there cannot be any such thing Ob. Yea but say they the Scriptures give these things to God hands eies eares and feet Answ These are given to God by a Metaphor by a kinde of borrowed speech namely that which man doth with these members God doth without them and these are given to God in Scripture for our capacity when we say God hath a head feet or other members it is by effect and not by nature we say that God is life saith St. Ierom wisdome and hath eies c. we say God hath eies because he is wholly an eie and sees every thing in every place and so we say he hath feet because he is wholly feet he is in every place and doth behold all things and workes all things Obje And whereas it is said that man is made after the Image of God Answ He is indeed but not in bodily shape but in the soule in righteousnesse in wisdome holinesse knowlege c. therefore these are but cavells of theirs Vse 2. Secondly this reproves any representations of God in any Images either internall in the minde by thoughts or externall by Pictures there cannot be any representation of God for God is a spirit and a spirit cannot be represented by any grosse or earthly matter much lesse can God who is more spirituall then spirits It is not befitting his Majesty to to be pictured and hereupon it is that he forbids all representations of him neither did the people of God howsoever God did appear to them in bodily shapes at any time in any
seeke peace and pursue it This is the way to obtaine them In humility and the feare of the Lord are riches and honour and life It is true some wicked men live long but no wicked man can promise himselfe long life he is under the curse Psal 55. The bloudy and deceitfull man shall not live out halfe his daies It is true some good men die in their youth but not till they are glutted with life The child shall die an hundred yeares old Isa 65.20 that is as well satisfied with life as if he had lived an hundred yeares Thus to feare God is the way to live long in the earth nay it is the way never to die Eternall life is promised to those who with patience continue in well doing To conclude God is life God is the Fountaine of life unto him we must seek for the continuance of the life of nature the inchoation and preservation of the life of grace and the obtaining of the life of glory The next Attribute that is communicable is the wisdome of God and so according to our order the question is Quest What is the wisdome of the divine Essence Answ The answer is that it is that by which God knowes and understands himselfe and all things else not successively nor by discourse or reasoning but in a moment by one eternall act of understanding this needs a little explaning and First that it is a communicable Attribute because there is the like in man though not the same 2. By which he understands and knowes himselfe and not himselfe only but all things else with the causes circumstances and whatsoever else thereto belongeth how Not successively and by discourse and reasoning for though they be distinct one from another and come one after another yet he in a moment understands them all by one act of understanding Therefore howsoever the Scripture tells us of three things in God that there is presence science and remembrance yet they are all one in God for God to speake properly hath neither presence nor remembrance for he knowes all things by one eternall act of understanding he admits no succession howsoever in respect of us God doth foreknow yet in God there is nothing but science for by one act of understanding he knowes all things and that it is so that he understands himselfe is manifest Matth. 11. No man knoweth the Father but the son no man hath seen the Father Iohn 1.18 No man knowes the things of God but the spirit of God 1 Cor. 2.11 In which places though Christ and the Apostle expresse the Sonne or holy Ghost yet they exclude not the Father but intimate him teaching Psal 147.5 that this knowledge is in them all as he knowes himselfe so also all things else The wisedome of God is infinite if it be infinite then is nothing to be excluded from it Heb. 4.15 Every thing is manifest before him with whom we have to doe He knowes things past present and to come Prov. 15.3 The eyes of the Lord are in every place beholding the evill and the good he knowes all Gen. 6.5 He knew the wickednesse of mans heart was great So Psal 139.4 Thou seest my thoughts a farre off there is not a word in my mouth but thou knowest it Whither shall I goe from thy presence the night and the day are all one Againe he knowes all things without succession of time as well that which is present as that which is to come Therefore saith David Psal 90.4 a thousand yeares are with the Lord but as yesterday when it is past Whatsoever is to be done with the Lord a thousand yeares after is as present with him or as a thing already past The Apostle Saint Peter speaketh A thousand yeares is but as one day So that we see God understands all things past present and to come Quest Why is this wisedome Attributed to the Divine Essence Answ The answer is because this wisedome is this Essence it selfe Secondly because he is the Creator and governor of all things Thirdly because he is infinite both in time and place these things opened will manifest that he hath this infinite wisedome For the first this wisedome of God is his Essence it selfe as his will his holinesse his justice his mercy are himselfe so also the wisedome of God is himselfe You heard the rule because he is most simple and therefore of no composition nothing but himselfe therefore in this case seeing all is himselfe it will follow that his wisedome is himselfe Secondly because he is the Creator and governor of all things therefore he must needs know all things else the holy Ghost reasons not substantially Psalm 94. He that planteth the eare shall he not heare He intimates thus much that God knowes all things because he made all things And in the 11. verse he saith he knowes the thoughts of men that they are but vaine therefore he must needs know all secret things as it is with an Artist that hath made a Clock or some other instrument that hath motions in it both secret and open those that are open he seeth and all others may see them but those that are secret none knowes but he that made them so is it with God Those things which are in man no man knowes yet the Lord knowes them because he is the maker of them Secondly God governes and guides all things to their proper ends so that he must both know the things and the ends they are made for he made all things for his owne glory Thirdly he sustaines and bears up althings by his power then he must needs know every thing that he hath in his hand Againe he is the Judge of all men then he must needs know all that he may rightly judge for it is unrighteous judgement if it be not according to knowledge but God judgeth righteously I the Lord search the heart to give to every one according to his works to add to this that he is not only a Judge but a most wise Judge that will assure any thing upon his own knowledge Mal. 3.5 I will be a swift witnes against you saith God he will be both the Judge and witnes therefore he must needs know all things Finally he knowes all things not successively and by discourse of reason but by one act of understanding because he is infinite in place and in time without beginning and without ending this is the same which Saint Augustine speakes of that he is not prevented by any time or place but by one act of knowledge knowes all things and thus much for this Vse 1. The first use then teacheth us that we serve the true and living God because we serve the alknowing God we may heere discerne the true God from false gods Thus the Lord himselfe in the Prophet reasons Let them bring forth and shew us what shall happen let them shew the former things what they be or declare us things to come shew the
measured by both those truths and is not the measure of them And thus we see truth is but one because all flowes from one there is no truth in things which God implants not in them nor in the minds of men which the spirit of truth doth not lead into No man can say that Jesus is the Lord but by the holy Ghost Saint Ambrose saith whatsoever truth is in any man is from God and all lies are from the divell he is the father of them when the Saints and holy men have lied it came from the Divell when wicked men speake truth as Cayphas speaking of the death of Christ it came from God Quest Why say you he knowes all things certainly without error Answ Because he is of infinite wisdome his wisdome is infinite as himselfe Psal 147.5 A finite wisdome may erre because it doth not know all things perfectly but infinite wisdome apprehends all things perfectly therefore it cannot erre Quest Why say you he speakes and workes truth without faining and dissimulation Answ Because he is the chiefest good into which no evill can fall God is the chiefest good then dissembling cannot befall God there can be no darknesse in him because he is light it selfe then no falshood fals into God because he is truth it selfe Moreover faining and dissembling is the corruption of the understanding this cannot fall into God The workes of Sathan when they are good works are dissembling as when he testifieth of Christ that he was the Sonne of God it was a lying speech because whatsoever he doeth he doeth it to deceive for if men will beleeve him in one thing he hopes they will in another and so all the works of Sathan are lying works but on the other side all the works of God are good and so certain and true without faining or dissimulation Quest Why doth he constantly performe whatsoever he hath spoken Answ Because he is faithfull and just to performe whatsoever he hath promised or threatned Promises he any thing he will performe it because he is true and this is verifyed by the holy Ghost Psal 90.12 Deut. 7.8 That thou mightest know that the Lord thy God is a faithfull God that will keepe covenant and mercy Mercy makes him promise but truth makes him performe Promises Justice makes him threaten and truth makes him recompence his enemies to their face Thus Saint Augustin saith God hath made himselfe our Debter by promises and Bernard that man should pay that he promiseth because he makes himselfe a debter and if the Lord keepes his promises with those that are unworthy will he not much more keepe them with those he hath made worthy in his Sonne OF THE TRVETH OF GOD. CHAP. XIV PSAL. 34.8 Taste and see how gracious the Lord is YOU have heard the last day the description of the trueth of God both what it was and the confirmation of the severall parts of it and now we will lay downe some Uses Vse 1. The first If God be true in word and work this serves to awaken up secure men and to rouse them out of their naturall security These usually blesse themselves when they heare the judgements of God threatned against them and see them not presently executed I say they blesse themselves because God doth forbeare and is not a word and a blow therefore say they the Lord will neither doe good nor evill howsoever his Prophets the Ministers speake thus But let them know the Lord is true and while they thus speake or thinke of him they make him a lyer they beleeve not the truth and hereupon it is that they sit in the seat of the scornfull Psal 1.1 scorne and scoffe at those meanes which holy men use to escape judgement I meane prayer and fasting because they make God a lyer But these men shall know that the patience of God should lead them to repentance and therefore the Lord speakes because he would shew mercy he could execute as well as speak but they do abuse the patience of God to bring upon themselves greater damnation God is true and every man a lyer and their deceitfull hearts that have deceived them God shall awaken For most certainly true it is that God will make good his threatnings he will shew himselfe true in executing his judgements in his due time He hath his owne time for mercy and for judgement and he will punish them who carry it out the most stoutly for the Lord hath spoken against them and they shall feele it with a heavie hand And therefore though he doe delay let them not be secure judgement will be the more heavy when it comes The wise man in Eccles 11.9 speaking to the yong man saith Goe toyong man take thy pleasure goe on you young men and also ancient men but know for all this God shall bring you to judgement God is true he hath said it and shall he not doe it Psal 1.4 5. they then shall be as stubble before the winde therefore be awakened out of that blindenesse and security or else you shall know it to your cost Vse 2. Here is matter of comfort to every one that rests upon God by faith and constant obedience for that which he hath promised their faith shall never faile God is true it is builded upon God and his word and trueth that is the comfort of every one that beleeveth that he shall obtaine that which he hopes for Certainly God shall make it good according to his trueth therefore if any man finde weakenesse of faith if any man be troubled with doubting What is the comfort It is not our faith that makes the promise here but the promise makes our faith sure if God be true and perpetually true certainly God shall make it good and whosoever thou be that buildest upon God in that case he will performe it 1 Tim. 2.12 I know whom I have beleeved saith Saint Paul some expound this place thus As a man that hath a great debt to pay and relyes upon other men for the money and some cast doubts in his minde what if they should faile you the Apostle answers I know whom I have beleeved so that having tasted of the sweetnesse of God in his soule saith I know whom I have beleeved so ought every man to comfort himselfe upon God Rom. 4.13 that howsoever there be doubtings he may have joy the holy man Abraham was stedfast in beleeving because he knew he was able to performe what he had promised we neede not be weake in faith because he is true as Saint Austin speaking of the Promises saith they are thy Promises whom should we feare It is trueth that hath promised that cannot deceive neither can be deceived So that if a man beleeves here will be comfort Ier. 29.11 I know the thought I have toward thee of peace and not of evill but how will he doe it and when will he doe it God knowes how to doe it though we see no means how
their calling their grace is of the power of God and God is able to keepe them God is able to doe whatsoever he will I say he can doe it if he will and he will doe it for he hath called them and given them grace without themselves and promiseth by Ieremiah 52.40 that he will marry them to himselfe with an everlasting covenant that he will never turne away from them to doe them good But how shall this be made good Here is the assurance He is able to doe whatsoever he will and none can ever faile whom God will uphold Indeede if God will change his will and loose his power a man that is called might fall away but who shall make him to faile Bernard saith that God hath two hands one latitude and the other fortitude the one is rich in mercy the other ability in power by the one hand he gives bountifully and by the other he powerfully defends whatsoever he hath given He that thinkes such a man may fall away he cuts off as it were one of Gods armes 2 Tim. 1.12 I know whom I have beleeved we have beleeved on him that is omnipotent whilst we have his word and power we are sure not that we should presume and grow desperate but that we should worke out our salvation with feare and trembling and labour to see how weake we are in our selves and yet when we looke up to the power of God should triumph and rejoyce Is God thus This teaches us to labour to feare this great God Who will not feare thee oh King of Nations Ier. 1.10 are you stronger then God who art thou then that darest provoke God to his face and please thy self in sinne if he were a weake God that thou mightest make thy party good with him it were somewhat but when he is a spirituall God of such might and power to avenge himselfe how should this worke feare in thee two evils draw men into sinne and are occasions of much evill presuming on Gods mercy and fearing mans power these two saith Saint Austin are a cause of much evill many perish by presuming others by fearing the power of men because they can kill the body how shall men be able to prevent these in few words to resist these poysoned darts consider of the power of God when thou considerest he is mercifull and gracious thinke withall that he is powerfull and just that by presuming thou sinne not against him if he were a God of patience without power then a man might doe what he list againe if a man take this God to be omnipotent then he will not feare him that can kill the body when these stand not together the power of men and the power of God then feare the great power of God which is able to take thee body and soule and throw thee to hell And thus much for this Attribute OF THE TRINITIE CHAP. XXIII IOHN 5.7 There are three which beare record in heaven the Father the Word and the Spirit and these three are one THE knowledge of God as was propounded was to be sought in his written Word which taught us not onely that there is a God and that there is but one onely God but also what that God is the description of whom out of the Scriptures you have heard that he is one Essence most perfect distinguished into three persons c. to the perfection of God belongs all the Attributes as you have heard of all the proper attributes of God we have spoken at large there be other attributes which the learned call Metaphoricall there are but few of them but may well be reduced under these We are now to goe on with the last thing of our description that is that God is distinguished into three persons for the ground of handling the Trinity we have made choyce of this Text that there are three that beare record in heaven This mystery is onely to be found in the word of God and so onely knowne of the Church of God which hath the true word of God and the Church hath endeavoured to speake as plaine as it can in such a mystery I remember a speech of Saint Augustine who wrote a booke of the Trinity of this great and excellent point we must speake with modesty and feare we ought to heare with great attention for where unity of the Trinity is to be shewed saith the Father men erre most dangerously and nothing is enquired with more difficulty nor found with more profit so that we must have great care to endevour to understand it so farre as it is revealed God hath revealed it and it is sinfull and damnable negligence not to seeke after that which is revealed by God but let us labour for humility that we looke not into this mystery further then is needfull The weakenesse of man can looke on the beames of the Sunne but not on the body of the Sunne so man in this case if he looke too farre may lose his eyes The men of Bethshemesh 1 Sam. 4.6 had the hand of God upon them when they looked into the Arke of God will it not therefore follow that we must be sober in this seeing God hath really manifested his anger against them in that manner Hence comes the blasphemy of Hereticks because they have looked into this mystery further then is meet therefore we will labour with feare to keepe our selves within the bounds of modesty and sobriety much time may be spent in explaning of words as of unity and trinity and Essence c. but I thinke that our time shall be more profitablely spent if we apply our selves rather to the matter then to explane words once take this for a trueth and as a thing granted and as a ground that will hold That as it was with Adam before the fall he gave names to every beast so in this case the Church may give names and use expressions of her owne to declare this great mystery without just offence to any and therefore now to come to the matter This is a great and principle thing to bespoken of That there are three persons and that they are three distinct persons for the opening of this mystery the better we must first describe what a person is and then shew why they are such Quest What is a person Answ The answer is It is a substance subsisting of it selfe undivideable incommunicable living understanding and willing of which description to open every word briefely because it is but an introduction to that which followes First it is a substance subsisting I doe not say that it is a substance barely but subsisting with such a property and in such a manner that it cannot be another then it is for instance Peter Paul are two persons they are both substances subsisting but Peter is in such a manner Peter as he cannot be Paul and I say after this manner a person is a substance subsisting Secondly by it selfe so it is
lighted two things the light and the fire if the question be what is the cause of the light the answer must be fire but if we should aske whether the light or heat were first we could answer they are both together if it may be thus in the creature how much more in the creator Vse 2. This in the next place commends unto us the love of Christ though he was God and equall to God the Father though he was the eternall and infinite God yet he became our redeemer the worke doth not so much commend his love as the manner of the working if comparisons may be here modestly admitted it seemes there is a greater love that Christ doth manifest then the Father c. the Father sheweth his love in appointing and sending and giving but the Sonne gives himselfe for us the Fathers love is apparent Isai 45.4.5 I will give men for thee c. where God shewes his love to the intent saith the Lord that I might free thee I put thee into their hands yet what are these these are nothing in comparison of his love in redeeming his elect he put his owne Sonne into his enemies hands so we may see Iohn 3.16 So God loved the world Rom. 5. God sets forth his love that when we were enemies Christ died for us Yet notwithstanding see the greatnesse of the love of Christ in this he being God humbleth himselfe to the lowest degree that he might redeem his as first he tooke flesh Secondly he dies c. Now all this is grounded upon this that he being God humbleth himselfe laying aside all his glory to the death of the crosse What shall I say what could he have done more this amplifies the love of Christ to give himselfe freely there was no necessity of nature or sinne compelled him but meerly voluntarily that he might redeem us Saint Augustine saith doe you thinke that the spears could have pearced him unlesse he himselfe had suffered it as he saith Matth. 26. I could intreat my Father and he could give me more then twelve legions of Angels but yet he being the mighty Sonne of God laies all aside and puts on all basenesse what of all this this should provoke us to thankfullnesse as David in 116. Psal to say What shall I render to Christ for all his benefits Israel when they were delivered out of Egypt and passed the red seas sung a song c. if such a small thing required this what doth this that we are delivered from sinne and Sathan require It is not enough that we sing songs and speake good words but let Christ have his end for which he hath redeemed us what is his end Luke 1. That we should serve him in holinesse and righteousnesse all the daies of our lives let us give our selves to his service and feare 2 Sam. 19.9 There the people reason after this manner David hath delivered us out of the hand of our enemies and shall we be slack thus we should speake to our hearts hath Christ delivered us from death and the thraldome of Sathan and shall we be slack in giving honour to Christ Ezra 9.13.14 the people reason thus that being delivered say they shall we turn back again c. how then should every one speake to his owne heart thou hast tasted of this and shall I turne backe againe and transgresse against Christ therefore learne to remember what the Apostle saith Titus 2.14 He hath redeemed us a people to himselfe to be zealous of good workes and thou that condemnest well ordered zeale thou hast no dram of religion in thee for no true zeale no religion thou criest out of zeale thou art a slave to Sathan still therefore let every man bring forth righteousnesse and deny ungodlinesse and live soberly in this presen world walking and glorifying God here that we may be glorified of him hereafter OF GOD THE HOLY GHOST CHAP. XXVII JOHN 15.26 The spirit of truth which proceeds from the faber he shall c THE third person of the Trinity is the holy Ghost Quest What is the holy Ghost Answ He is the third person of the Diety proceeding from the Father and the Sonne sanctifying the elect The thing that is described is the spirit which in the Scriptures signifies many things it may be reduced to these heads I will but name them First it hath relation to the creature Secondly to the creator as it hath relation to the creature the word signifies many things I will but name them sometimes it signifies power sometimes the soule of man sometimes the life of beasts sometimes Angels sometimes naturall motions in the heart of man and divers others which I passe over In respect of the creator it hath a double signification and it is taken Essentially and personally Essentially and so all the three persons of the Trinity are said to be a spirit according to this we have it Iohn 4.24 God is a spirit where the whole Diety is put under the name of spirit Secondly it is taken personally in the Diety concerning whom spirit may signifie two things either the person or the gifts the person it selfe it is manifest in this place the spirit that proceeds from the Father the gifts and graces of the spirit 2 Kings 2.19 Let thy spirit be double upon me So Numb 7.11 1 Thes 5.19 Quench not the spirit understanding it of the grace of the spirit againe I say the third person I need not stand upon that to shew that it is a person common to him with the other all persons are distinct one from another really and truly he is a person distinct three waies in order in property and working in order he is the third person in property he proceeds from the Father and the Son in working sanctifying the elect the Father is the first not in time not in dignity but in order so the Son the second and so the holy Ghost the third we adde the third person in the Diety that we may have occasion to manifest that he is God as well as the other that he is God there may be many testimonies Samuel 27.23 David the sweet singer of Israel the Lord God spake by me the Lord said that that is in the former the Lord and God in the next is said to be the spirit Acts 5.34 Peter said to Ananias why have you lied to the holy Ghost and in the fourth verse You have not lied to men but unto God that in 1 Gor. 3.16 You brethren are the temples of God and the holy Ghost dwelleth in you temples of God and temples of the holy Ghost both one The next thing I say is the third person proceeding from the Father and the Sonne his property is proceeding he is as Athanasius Creed hath it not made not begotten but proceeding That he doth proceed from the Father and the Sonne appeares first by these places that he is affirmed to be the Spirit of the Father and the Sonne
not because he was sent but because he proceeds both from the Father and the Sonne and that is this which Saint Augustine observes when he gave the Spirit he breathed upon the Apostles Iohn 20. to signifie that when he gave the spirit it was proceeding and this is the same which the Psalmist called the breath of God Psal 33.6 by the word of God were the heavens made and the host of them by the breath of his mouth and thereupon he is said to be the breath of the Sonne also in 1 Thes 2.8 he shall consume Antichrist with the breath of his mouth further that he did proceed from the Father is manifest by the place which we have read Iohn 15.26 and that he proceeds from the Son Iohn 15 16. all that the Father hath is mine so he saith he shall receive of mine therefore the procession is from them both so that when our Saviour Christ saith that it proceeds from the Father he doth not exclude himselfe but after a speciall manner of speaking he sets his name after the name of his Father Why because he hath his person from the Father and the holy Ghost received it from them both therefore we may give it to the Father as the beginning and this shall suffise to manifest this therefore we will conclude as Saint Nazianzen doth How is it that the Sonne is of the Father and the holy Ghost is of them both comming from them both differently the Sonne from the Father as the light from the light hee shines by the manner of begeting the holy Ghost he is from the lights not by manner of generation but by manner of procession The third distinction by which he is different from the other is the worke of Sanctification Rom. 1.4 therefore the name of life is given to him it is he that mortifies the old man and quickens the new man Rom. 8.7 The law of the Spirit of life hath freed us from the law of sinne and of death therefore he is after compared to water Iohn 3.5 Except a man be borne of water and the holy Ghost now the nature of water is to cleanse and to make fruitfull and to revive things that are ready to dye so the Spirit is he that cleanseth us from our filthinesse so in Ezek. 36.21 I will power cleane water upon you and you shall be cleansed from all your filthines What is that in the 27. verse I will powre my Spirit upon you so that the Spirit you see is compared to water In this respect also it is compared to fire Mat. 3. He shall baptise you with the holy Ghost and with fire that doth quicken up the heart and cheare it and sanctifie it therefore hence it is in many places that holinesse is called the fruit of the Spirit Gal. 5.22 the fruits of the spirit are joy and peace gentlenesse meeknesse long-suffering c. all these are fruits of the spirit therefore it followes that the holy Ghost is he that hath this worke of sanctifying the elect Quest Why say we that he is the third person in the deitie and so God Answ Because he hath the name of Jehovah Secondly Essentiall Attributes Thirdly workes proper to God Fourthly divine worship and therefore he is God First the name Jehovah is given unto him that appeares by these texts of the old testament Ier. 1.14 Ezek. 1.4 and so in the new testament is given him the name of Jehovah Act. 7.51 You stiffe necked that resist the spirit of God as did your fathers so doe you they resisted him in the Prophets and you now do follow them resisting him in the Apostles one place more Isai 6.9 that which is said The Lord saith go and make the heart of this people fat that same 28. Acts 20. the Apostle Paul saith The holy Ghost spake by Esai as the Prophet and therefore the name Jehovah being a peculiar name given to none but to him that is naturally God the spirit having this name must needs be God Secondly there are given unto him Essentiall Attributes now Essentiall Attributes are foure principally eternity ubiquity omniscience omnipotency all these are given to the spirit first he is eternall for before the beginning he moved upon the waters and Heb. 9.14 He is called the eternall spirit Secondly omnipresence Psal 139. Whither shall I goe from thy spirit the holy Ghost is said to dwell in the Saints Rom. 8.9 2 Cor. 1.16 1 Iohn 2.27 arguing that it is proper to him to be every where Thirdly he is omniscient and knowes all things Iohn 14.26 He shall teach you all things Iohn 16.13 He shall lead you into all truth 1 Cor. 2.10.11 He searches the hidden things of God and no man knowes the hidden things of God but the spirit Fourthly omnipotent because it is he that casts out divells Matth. 12. The spirit of God casts c. this cannot be done by any created power but he must be God that doth it 1 Cor. 12. It is God that worketh all in all And in the 11. verse The spirit worketh all these things and therefore he must be omnipotent and so by these foure Attributes we see he is God Againe he must needs be God for the proper works of God are given to him Gen. 1.2 The spirit moved upon the waters that is preserving them Iob 26.13 The spirit of God hath garnished the heavens So in the 33. Iob 4 The spirit of the Almighty hath made me Psal 33.6 By the word of the Lord were the heavens made and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth Fourthly because divine honour and worship cannot be without sacriledge given to any person that is not God but is given to him Mat. 28.19 Baptizing them in the name of the Father Sonne and holy Ghost And so the Apostle praies the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God the father and the Communion of the holy Ghost Nazianzen hath sufficient to this purpose he saith he whom the Church doth professe to believe in is God now the Church doth professe to believe in the holy Ghost so that by these it necessarily followes that hee is God Quest How comes he to proceed from the father and the Sonne Answ Because he received from the father and the sonne the whole Essence communicated to him by way of procession that we manifest thus the Sonnes begetting of the Father you heard to be by receiving the whole Essence from him by way of begetting so the holy Ghost is sayd to proceed from the Father and the Sonne because he received the whole Essence from them by way of proceeding the thing is manifest that he proceeded from the Father and the Sonne and therefore is not said to be begotten but to proceed and as the Scripture hath been strict and carefull to reserve these relations unconfounded so the Church hath diligently imitated them and alwaies saies that the Sonne is begotten and the holy Ghost proceeds
and therefore as it is said of the Sonne that he is the onely begotten Son of the Father so it is said in the same place of the spirit that he proceeds from the Father and the Sonne but how may we understand this he received the whole Essence how he received it without division he received it without multiplication because that which is infinite cannot be multiplied yet he received it without alienation because he received so the whole Essence as it abides still in the Father and the Sonne Quest How is he said to sanctifie the elect Answ Because he dwells in the elect creating faith in them incorporating them into Christ applying Christ his death and resurrection to them To explane this First he dwells in them first he is said to sanctifie the elect in that he dwells in them in this we doe not exclude the Father and the Sonne any more then we did in the former they are all workes ad extra and therefore undivided yet understand the manner of working the holy Ghost is said to dwell in the elect it is he that creates faith in their hearts c. they all sanctifie the Father and the Son mediatly by the spirit the spirit immediatly by himselfe and why first he dwells in them namely not as by his gifts but a person therefore we may say this is his worke the Father not by any phrase of Scripture is said to dwell in them though they are said to be the temples of God he dwells in them not by his gifts onely but by his person because he is called the spirit of his Sonne when he dwells in them and again God hath sent the spirit of his Son Rom. 8. If the spirit that raised Christ from the dead dwells in you therefore they goe together Rom. 5. God hath shed his love in our hearts there is love which was the gift and the spirit which was the person againe he created faith that the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 12.9 By the same spirit he gave to one the gift of miracles and to another the gift of faith c. 2 Cor. 4.13 He is called the spirit of faith faith is that that doth sanctifie as an instrument Acts 15. After that he had purified their hearts by faith Next that he doth incorporate men into Christ Rom. 8.9 He that hath not the spirit of Christ he is none of his intimating he that hath the spirit of Christ he is his Iohn 4.13 Hereby we know that God dwells in us by his spirit 1 Cor. 12.13 We are all baptised into one body by the spirit then we are all united into one body by one spirit for as Rom. 8 10. If the spirit be in you the body is dead by reason of sin but the spirit is alive for righteousnesse sake and by this he doth apply unto us the death of Christ to the death of sinne and the resurrection of Christ to the life of grace Rom 6.3.4.5 As many as are baptised into Christ are baptised into the death of Christ by baptisme we are also ingrafted into the similitude of his resurrection therefore the spirit sanctifies when he dwells in every one of the elect c. it is necessarily and fitly said that it is he that sanctifies the elect and thus I have explaned this point so much as I thought fit to communicate unto you Vse 1. This teaches us that we ought to labour for the knowledge of this that we may keep our selves from error it was a commendable diligence of the ancient Fathers that taught when the spirit was taken for the person and when for the gifts because heresies have sprung from hence because they understood the words amisse therefore that we may hold the truth we are to labour to know it and in this case although we finde not a proper name given to the third person yet we must acknowledge him distinctly because we know there is a Father a Son and a Spirit Object You tell us he is a Spirit Answ We answer so is the Father and so is the Sonne but so the name of Father is common to all and the Sonne is said to be the Father and the holy Ghost also therefore there is no reason why we should conceive them to be three names given to the same God in divers respects but rather conceive that there was but a common name given to him because he was the common substantiall joy and love between the Father and Son Vse 2. This serves to confirme us in the faith against all hereticks that deny the holy Ghost not to stand upon their arguments the Macedonians stand up as it were to oppose the Diety of the holy Ghost and say he is not God and they thinke they have a colour for it from the counsell of Nice in which we say we beleeve in the Father God and Lord and in the Sonne God and Lord but when they come to the holy Ghost we beleeve in the holy Ghost and therefore these hereticks say that he was not God Saint Basil answering to this objection from the Nicen counsell saies they had no reason to explane this concerning the spirit as they had done the Father and Sonne for no man then made any question of the divinity of the holy Ghost nay saies Nazianzen this is a sufficient confession of his Deity for they say a particular thing assenting by it that he is God because they beleeve in him and whereas they observe that the spirit is taken for the gifts of the spirit true it is it is so but it is put for the person also and therefore though it be taken sometime for the gifts yet it doth not overthrow that he is a person as the Arians that could not deny of Christ that he was a person said notwithstanding he was but a made God so these say of the spirit that he is not a God by nature but it is manifest that he must needs be a God by nature when he hath the name Jehovah and the proper workes of God attributed to him yea but say they if he were a God by office yet he had a created nature and so not God from eternity the Fathers called these by that name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies fighters against the spirit of God for they say there was no spirit till after Christs glorification grounded upon Iohn 17.39 The spirit was not given because that Christ was not yet glorified and hereupon they added that blasphemy the Church in the beginning was content to beleeve in one God afterwards the counsell of Nice must have two persons and after this the counsell of Constantinople must have three but to answer their cavill that he was before all these appears Iohn 1.32 I saw the holy Ghost saith Iohn Baptist at Christs baptisme Iohn 1.33 Thou seest the holy Ghost to discend after he was risen Iohn 20.21 He breathed upon the Apostles and saies receive the holy Ghost Object But
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
of him when he was a dying here is the comfort of good children when their parents feare God God lives for ever to helpe and blesse them though their parents be dead but where the parents will excessivelv care for them God leaves them how many doe we see come to poverty that have had thousands left them how comes this to passe God hath with-drawne his blessing and providence from them their parents tooke care to gather and heape up but not to sowe religion in their hearts and intrest them in God Brethren if you would bestow halfe the time in labouring to make your children religious that you spend to make them great and rich Gods favourable providence would be greatly seene towards them but for want of this the same riches that perchance carrie the father to hell in getting them may bring the sonne after him in spending them thus then we see to Gods people it is a marvailous comfort that we have a God that lives for ever that will take care for us and our posterity and thus much for this Immutability of God To come to the next thing his infinitenes and to avoid all descriptions defining infinitenes and divisions shewing how many wayes God is infinite and to keepe our selves to this place It affoords only the Infinitenes of place and this is the thing that we are now to speake of Quest What is the Infinitenes and the Immensity of the Divine Essence Ans It is an incommunicable property wherby it is presentin all places in the world and out of the world â—tone time to explane this First I say it is an incommunicable Attribute because it cannot be attributed to any other for though some creatures are not to be limited by external bounds yet there is no creature but may be limited by his nature and thus Angels and spirits that are not to be limited by externall bounds yet by the bounds of their own nature they may and though they have not substantiall bodies externall yet they are limited in themselves internally but God is so infinite that he is not limited externally or internally and this is solely proper to God that he should be in all places in a moment and not divided in any place but the whole Essence is every where we doe not say part of the Essence as if a man were so great that his head were in England his leggs in Spaine his armes in France but the whole is not in every place I doe not say so but our God is never divided he is never parted but his whole Essence is every where We explane this by the similitude of the soule the whole is in every part of the body there is not some in the foote some in the head and some in the hand but the whole is in every parte thus have I explaned this question I now come to prove it Psal 139. Whither shall I goe from thy presence if I ascend up to heaven thou art there If to the utmost part of the earth thou art there There is no place to which we can goe from God for he is in every place and excluded out of no place Isai 66.1 Heaven is my throne and earth is my foote sloole St. Hilar. de trin lib. 1. observes the Prophet so speakes to shew that the Lord fills heaven and earth Ier. 23.24 explanes it I fill heaven and earth and more then this he is neere to every one Act. 17.27 This shewes that God is within the world and without the world that apeares in 1 King 8. The heaven of heavens are not able to containe thee how much lesse the house that I have built and thus the Prophet Isaiah saith Isa 40.12 He hath the sea in his fist and hath measured the heavens with his Spann where is be that shuts up the dust of the earth in a void place and hath weyed the mountaines therefore it is manifest that he is in all places both within and without the world The next question is Quest Why is he so infinite in every place Ans The answer is because he is simple neither having nor possible to have parts secondly because the power of the Divine Essence is every where thirdly because there is but one Essence in three persons of the Diety common to them all To explane these Reas 1. First that the Divine Essence is most simple I explaned it the last day The next that it is without parts it followes if it have no parts it is whole and this is the reason that Philosophers and antient Divines have given that the soule should be whole in every part because it is most simple and hath no parts Reas 2. Secondly because the power of the divine Essence is every where for nothing is in God but his Essence if therfore the power of God be every where then it must needs followe that God is every where It is manifest that his power is in the creating of every thing we will not now stand to prove it therefore he being the only maker of all things shall necessarily be in them but God doth not only make all things but su staineth all things made and therefore he must needs be every where this is manifest Gen. 1.2 the Spirit moved upon the waters that is for the sustaining and the upholding of them by his power what power but his Essencial As a hen hatches her egges by sitting over them so doth the holy Ghost sustaine all things by mooving upon them and therefore his Essenciall presence must be every where This the Apostle St. Paul teaches Act. 17. he is neere to every one of us in him we live move and have our being so that by this it appeares that God is infinite Reas 3. Thirdly because there is but one Essence of the three persons in the deietie that is common to them all and is in severall and distinct places at one and the same time then it must followe that it is infinite for first the Essence is not divided part in the Father part in the Sonne part in the holy Ghost but is intire in each person as hath bin proved Secondly these three are in severall places not at severall times as a finite thing may be but at the same time which nothing can be that is not infinite This appeares the Father is said to be in heaven who is the same Essence with the Sonne who was somtimes on earth and dwelt amongst us the Sonne at the same time was in heaven when he was upon the earth Ioh. 3.13 Heaven and earth are distinct places therefore it must needs follow that the same Essence being in them both at the same time is infinite the scripture maketh this more plaine Ioh. 16.32 I am not alone but the Father is alway with me So likewise Ioh. 14.11 I am in the Father and the Father in me How is this mutuall immeation made they have both the same Essence therefore the persons though distinguished
not an attribute nor part of another thing An accident subsisteth by another thing for it is not a substance in it selfe but in another every accident is in some substance as white and blacke Againe it is not part of another for that which is part of another doth not subsist in it selfe but in the whole of which it is part for instance the matter whereof a man is made in the wombe of a woman so long as it is part of the woman is no person till it have in it a soule and then ceaseth to be a part and so the humanity of Christ hath subsistance in the second person of the Trinity and is no person of it selfe because it hath no subsistence of it selfe Thirdly Individuall that is a particular it is one in number Fourthly Incommunicable it is not Communicable as the Essence is as the nature of things is communicable to all that are of that kind the nature of man is communicable to all men the nature of Angells is communicable to all Angells so the Essence and nature of the divinity is communicable to all the persons but the persons are not so amongst themselves therefore we say it is incommunicable Fiftly we say it is living for that which is without life cannot be a person a Book or a Board cannot be a person neither is every thing that hath life a person and therefore I adde understanding and willing that is so living that it understands and wills thus a Beast and Trees have life but they want understanding and reason therefore they cannot be a person so now you have the description of a person Quest How many such persons bee there in the Diety Answ Three the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost we must prove that these three be substances c. It is manifest first in generall the Father is a substance subsisting by himself individuable incommunicable so is the Sonne and so is the holy Ghost therefore there are three persons in the Trinity Gen. 11.7 Let us goe down and confound their language let us goe is more then one and God doth not speake to the Angels by way of consultation let us but of command go you and in the eight verse it is said the Lord confounds their Language Isai 6.3 Holy holy holy Lord c. three holies is spoken of three persons applied to one that is called the Lord that is one Essence that this is meant of three persons is aparent it is granted by all that the Father is one and then the Sonne is another Iohn 12.34.40 The Testimony of the Prophet is alledged and there used as applied to Christ thus saith the Evangelist Esai spake of him when he saw his glory therefore the Sonne is a person the same is also for the holy Ghost Act. 28.25.26 Well saith the holy Ghost c. that which is spoken of the Father in the old Testament the holy Ghost applies to the Sonne and to himselfe in the new therefore there are three substances c. my text is a manifest proofe of this there are three which c. they are not three names nor three properties nor three severall words they are three that is three substances or persons three that are severall that we may manifest this a little more and that particularly There was never any Heretique that denied the Father to be God concerning the sonne these testimonies Gen. 32.24 Iacob wrestled with a man this same man that Iacob wrestled withall was God so saith Hosea 12.3 that Iacob wrestled with God the text in Gen. saith it was man the other text saith it was God but how appeares this that it was the Sonne because that the Father never appeared in any shape Againe 1 Iohn 1. In the beginning was the word here he is called the word to this may be aded Iohn 8.28 Before Abraham was I am a person severed from the Father Iohn 17.5 Now Ftaher Glorifie me with that glory which I had with thee before the world was A person speaking to the Father severed from the Father Thirdly the holy Ghost is a person Iohn 14.16 I will pray the Father and he shall send you another comforter here is plainely seene the Father Sonne and holy Ghost he speakes not of comfort but a comforter 2 Cor. 13.13 the Apostle praies The Grace of our Lord Iesus Christ c. therfore not onely to God the Father but also to God the Son of whom grace is desired and to the holy Ghost is prayer made so that by these Scriptures appeares there are three persons living understanding c. Quest What reason is there that there are such three persons in the Trinity Answ First they are all God Secondly they all created the world Thirdly because that men in baptisme are dedicated unto them all and make a covenant with them all as well as with one we manifest it thus first that they are all God to say nothing of the Father for that is confessed of all it appeares that the Sonne is God Rom. 9.5 speaking of the Son He is God over all blessed for ever so also Heb. 1. O God thy throne indures for ever of the holy Ghost that one shall suffice Acts 5.3.4.5 The Apostle Peter chalenges Annanias and Saphira that they had not liedunto men but unto God and then he tells them that they had lied against the holy Ghost so then the holy Ghost also is God Secondly because they all created the world it appears Gen. 1.1 In the beginning God created the world that the father did create the world will be confessed of all that the Sonne created the world Col. 1.16 the Apostle speaking of the same saith By him were all things created whether things visible so Iohn 1.3 By him was created whatsoever was made and without him was nothing made that was made so Heb. 1.10 Thou Lord hast laid the foundations of the world That the holy Ghost did create appeares Psal 33.6 By thy word were the heavens made and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth so Gen. 1.2 The spirit moved upon the waters What is that as the Hen doth upon her egs to hatch them so the holy Ghost preserves them c. in the 26. verse he saith Let us make man in our Image not in the image of Angels but in the Image of God now then if these did create the world and give it a substantiall being they must needs have a substantiall being in themselves Thirdly because in baptisme men are dedicated unto them all and make a covenant with them all they cannot be dedicated to them that have no being Matth. 28.21 Go c. baptising them in the name of the father of the son and boly Ghost and therefore these three must needs subsist by themselves and therefore they must have all understanding and actions and are all persons c. more particularly we manifest it of these that be in question the son and spirit if
the father be granted of all to be God and a person why is the Son set apart by some but is proved to be God and a distinct person by excellent reasons First because the Son did descend and take the nature of man Secondly because he is of the same Essence with the Father Thirdly because he ever was and shall be the mediator of his Church To explane these a meer name a property or quality as heretiques say he is cannot descend Iohn 3.13 Who is he that ascended but he also that descended the second person did descend the humanity did not What did he when he was descended he tooke the nature of man Iohn 1.14 The word was made flesh that is it took flesh to it for marke Heb. 2.14.16 Because that the children were partakers of flesh bloud therefore he did partake c. in the 16. verse He did not take the nature of Angels but he tooke the seed of Abraham therefore before he was made flesh he was a person even before he did descend the reason that he is a person distinct from the Father is because he is and ever was and shall be Mediator of the Church and the Angel of the Covenant even before he was made man we prove it as soone as man sinned God was offended and then man could not be saved without a Mediator therefore he was the mediator yet so still that before his incarnation he was a person 1 Cor. 10.9 Let us not tempt Christ as some of them tempted him where he calls us to remembrance that then Christ was in the wildernesse with them c. so that he was a mediator before his incarnation Iob 13.8 Iesus Christ yesterday and to day and the same for ever therefore mediator and then there is but one mediator and that is the man Christ he is called the Angel of the Covenant Mal. 3. and therefore he must needs be a person and thus I have in particular confirmed this concerning the Sonne Now for the holy Ghost he is also proved to be a person first because that he did often appear in a visible shape Secondly because there are effects attributed to him which cannot be attributed to any thing but to a person The first of these thus Mat. 3. at the baptising of Christ he descended upon him in the shape of a Dove and in the second of Acts He appeared in cloven tongues upon the Apostles and therefore is not a property or quality as heretiques teach Secondly because that to the holy Ghost there are given such effects such appellations which cannot be given to any but such a substance for there is given unto him to know secret things that are to come Secondly to determine controversies to give gifts to men to pray to be praied unto all actions of a petson and of a divine person First that he knowes secrets 1 Cor. 2 11. The spirit knows the secret things of God therefore he must needs be a person he did know and foresee things that should be how appears that 1 Tim. 3.2 The spirit speaketh evidently c. that is the holy Ghost foretells what shall be in the latter times Secondly he decrees and determines Acts 15.28 It seemed good to the holy Ghost and to us therefore it followes that he is a person Thirdly gifts are attributed to him Gal. 5.22.23 The fruits of the spirit are joy peace long suffering gentlenesse c. 1 Cor. 12.8 By the same spirit to one is given the word of knowledge and these are disposed of according to his will and therefore no property nor quality but a person c. Againe he helps men to pray and praies for men Rom. 8. We cannot pray as we ought but the spirit helpeth our infirmities he makes sighs and groanes 1 Cor. 13. The fellowship of the holy Ghost be with you he that makes praiers for us helps men to pray and is praied unto he cannot be a name and property c. as heretiques say but a person And so I have shewed you the holy Ghost is a person I remember one thing now which I should have given before a reason that I gave why the Sonne is a person is because that he was of the same nature with the Father because he is the Son a son begotten of his father not a created sonne but a begotten sonne Col. 1.15 The first begotten c. Pal. 2.7 Thou art my sonne this day have I begotten thee shewing an everlasting begetting as the Sonne is everlastingly begotten so the Father everlastingly begets so that the Sonne must be a person distinct from the Father in Divinity and also in Humanity he is the Sonne of God as God he is the Sonne of God begotten of his Father and so of the same nature with the Father and not a name but a person as man he is the sonne of God God the Sonne is joyned unto the humanity and therefore Christ saith I goe to my Father and your Father my Father by nature your Father by adoption therefore he must be a severall and distinct person Vse 1. This teacheth us to confute all Heretiques as the Sabellian who will have but one person in the Divinity and for divers respects called Father Son and holy Ghost having no severall being that the Sonne hath not the same Essence with the Father nor the holy Ghost the same Essence with them both but by this ground you are taught to abhor these and the like Heresie Vse 2. It teaches those that have heard this doctrine by faith to conceive three persons as they are delivered unto us this surpasses the reason of men and Angels therefore every man ought to labour to know this by faith and not to rely on sense and reason but on the word of God Saint Bernard saith I shall speake this boldly that which I doe not understand I beleeve that which I cannot conceive yet I beleeve never the lesse and so ought every one of us to labour to beleeve though we cannot tell how it should be there is great necessity of beleeving this truth no salvation can be except a man do hold this Trinity therefore every man ought to labour to beleeve he must walke by faith and not by sense it is unpossible that the shallow conceit of man should be able to finde these mysteries if God had not revealed them it were as possible to empty the Ocean with a spoon as to finde them out because they are matters of faith and not of sense hold fast that which God hath revealed no man may goe further then God hath revealed so far he must goe further is dangerous curuosity Deut. 22.29 Secret things belong to God but things revealed to us c. that which is manifest saith Saint Austin is ours because we cannot see that which is hid therefore labour to conceive so far as God hath revealed and yet notwithstanding if any man aske how it may appear that there are three in one
they instance when he ascended up on high he led captivity captive and gave gifts unto men but then he gave the spirit therefore it meanes the gifts not the person of the spirit Answ True he then gave gifts but what gifts not the gifts of sanctification but the gifts of tongues which is spoken of in Acts 2. and so notwithstanding this it is manifest that he is God from eternity Vse 3. This teaches how we ought and how we may beleeve truly in the holy Ghost namely to beleeve in him as God the third person proceeding from the Father and the Sonne sanctifying the elect he that changes any thing of this description cannot beleeve in him aright as he that beleeves in the holy Ghost as God yet as begotten but not proceeding beleeves not aright Object But some will say unto me why may we not say that the holy Ghost is begotten as well as the Sonne when as begetting is receiving the whole Essence by communication and what is proceeding but receiving the whole Essence by communication and why doe we say the Son is begotten and the holy Ghost proceeds Answ To this I answer as Saint Chrysostome did that which is not written thou oughtest not thinke or speake if thou finde it any where written then thou maiest if not thou maiest not amongst many things Saint Augustine observes two in this misery why should not we say that the holy Ghost is begotten he answers because the second person is said to be the Sonne yea the onely begotten Sonne therefore I dare not goe from that to ascribe the begetting to any other besides it is said that the holy Ghost proceeds he goes on to this purpose if any aske Quest How doth begetting and proceeding differ Answ I answer that they doe differ I am sure but how I know not Againe what is the difference to be begotten and to proceed I am insufficient to speak or expresse Nazianzen presses the point well tell me saith he what is to be begotten and I will tell thee what is proceeding and yet if either shall undertake to doe this by searching into it we may be both mad and lose our wits therefore we say the Father is of himself not from another the Son is of the Father alone by way of begetting the holy Ghost from them both by way of proceeding And if this seemes strange saith Nazianzen take an Image of it There is Adam Seth Evah Adam not begotten Seth begotten Evah proceeding from Adam there was one begotten that was Seth and there was one proceeding that was Evah and one begetting that was Adam in a word thus we are to believe of the personall Essence of the third person in trinity the holy Ghost Vse 4. It followes in the description he sanctifies the elect therefore this admonishes every prophane man that scoffes at purity to see and repent of this prophanesse because purity is the worke of the holy Ghost what doe you then deride when you mock at purity tell me whom thou mockest at even at the holy Ghost I say thou scoffer at purity and holines whatsoever thou art thou scoffest at the spirit of God Pro. 17. He that mocks the poore derides him that made him So I say to thee that mockest the pure that are made holy c. thou mockest the holy Ghost that made him pure and thou maiest be said in a sort to commit a sinne against the holy Ghost I say not that unpardonable sin but a sinne against his personall worke of holinesse I am sure this one thing doth make manifest that thou art not sealed by the spirit of promise and redemption even thy mocking at holinesse which is his worke know then for certaine the more base that holinesse is in thy sight the more base thou art in the sight of Gods spirit better had it beene for thee that thou hadst been made the most venomous creature on the face of the earth then that thou shouldest not be made holy by this sanctifying spirit of God pray then if it be possible the thoughts of thy heart and the words of thy mouth might be forgiven thee for thou hast not spoken against holy men only but the holy spirit of God as often as thou haft spoken against holinesse Vse 5. Here is matter of comfort Is holinesse the worke of the spirit which is God is holinesse begun as in truth here is but the beginning of it here is but the earnest the first fruits is it so that thou wrestlest with thy corruptions thou wouldest and yet thou canst not be perfect comfort thy selfe it is certaine that he will perfect it in his own time Philip. 1.6 Certainely he that hath begun this good worke will perfect it although we have many weakenesses as the Apostle cries out Oh! wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death c. when he fights with infidelity and with lust and cannot overcome it yet here is the comfort I say it againe here is the comfort he hath given thee that grace by which thou resistest and by which thou shalt overcome evill onely remember this he will perfect it as thou couldst not teach him how hee should begin grace in thee so thou must not teach him how or when to perfect it in thee howsoever in the meane time thou criest out miserable man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of sinne if thou hunger and thirst after righteousnesse he will perfect it but thou must continue wrastling till the change of the body come and who would not wrastle for so holy a prise Vse 6. Lastly we note the blasphemy of the Pelagians and Papists when they tell us of falling away from grace here is manifestly the contrary It is the spirits worke to make the elect holy will he be wanting in his owne worke away with such blasphemies from us let us serve the providence of God for our perseverance by attending upon the word and Sacraments here and he will in part sanctifie us here and will not leave us untill he hath perfectly sanctified us throughout the whole soule and body and spirit at the day of appearing of the Lord Jesus And thus much in speciall of the third person in Trinity the holy Ghost as also in generall of the description we gave of God in his owne nature A Table of the Contents A AEternity of God what 91. God is Aeternall 92. Therefore lives to reward the good and bad 93. c. Afflictions how signes of Gods love 196. 197 Anger of God what 212. 217. In Anger two things 213 Anger is and why it may be given to God 216 Anger is not simply evill 219 Anger in God incensed by sin 220 Anger appeased by removing sinne 221 Iudgements sometimes removed in Anger 223 Atheisme confuted 55 Atheisme ground of humiliation 56 Ascent to God is of God 179 Anthropomorphites confuted 74 Approbation of man not to be rested in 118 B