not no tongue can expresse no heart can imagine God hath not revealed it that he did beget his Son that is revealed but the manner how he hath not revealed yet this we are sure of in the negative we may understand how he was not begotten every thing that is applied to God being purged and freed from corruption and made perfect is applied to him therefore in generall with men there is imperfection that the Father should be before the son in time this is imperfect that the Father should beget a son out of himself is imperfect this is imperfect for a father to beget a son by motion and corruption this is imperfect but it is perfection to beget him without motion this is imperfection for a father to beget a son with part of his Essence but this is perfection to beget him without difference in Essence here the Father and the Son are both at one time the Father begets him in himself not of himself thus much for the second distinction of the roperty The third distinction from the worke or manner of working creating the world of this we need no further proofe it is enough that we beleeve in God the Father almighty c. where Father is distinguished by his power that as his Sonne hath the worke of redemption the holy Ghost of sanctification so the Father of creation then I say it is manifest that the Father created the world begetting his Son in himselfe of the same substance with himselfe creating the world out of himselfe of an unlike substance to himselfe being every way divers c. This shall suffice for the opening of this distinction Quest Why is he first in order and not in time Answ Because he is the eternall Father therefore he must have an eternall sonne and spirit an eternall wisdome and power First he is an eternall Father therefore he must have an eternall Sonne for Father and Sonne are relatives one gives the being to the other Husband and wife are relatives Kings and Subjects are relatives Kings give a being to the subjects so in this Father and Sonne are relatives no Father without a Sonne and no Son without a Father and no sooner a father then a sonne if a man be a father he he must be elder then his sonne but God cannot be a Father elder then his Sonne therefore as Father and Son they are of the same age as it were the same day the same houre as I may so speake they are coeternall and therefore both of the same time Saint Basil saith how shall not he be from the beginning that had nothing before him but himselfe from whom he had his beginning In the next place because he is an eternall God and hath an eternall wisdome no God without his wisdome deny wisdome and deny the Sonne so Prov. 8. He is called the wisdome of his Father 23. verse he saith I was before his workes before all creatures whatsoever he and his wisdome were never separated therefore it followes that he must needs be an eternall Sonne hereupon is it that which Solomon calls the wisdome of God Saint Iohn calls the word of God in the beginning was the word therefore he must be an eternall person Thirdly the eternall God must have eternall power for God without power is nothing so Luke 1.35 The holy Ghost shall come upon thee and the power of the most high shall overshadow thee where God is not without his power then we conclude that seeing he is an eternall Father he must have an eternall Son and spirit and the eternall God must have eternall wisdome power therefore he is put first in order Quest How is he distinguished by begetting Answ By communicating his whole Essence from all eternity the Sonne is begotten how by receiving his whole Essence from his Father The Father begetting the Sonne by communicating his Essence but how gives he to him his whole Essence not by alienation but by communication we thus open it he gave him his whole Essence because the whole Essence of God is so simple that it cannot be divided if it were divided it were the overthrowing of the whole Essence therefore when he communicates he communicates not a part but the whole and when he communicates he doth it not by alienation for then it should cease in him that gave it but it doth not cease so but by communication it is so given that abides his still though he communicates it to the Sonne one testimony for many Collo 2.9 In him dwelleth the Godhead bodily For in this Generation there is no division nor transmutation and yet there is a true multiplication of persons but not of the Essence that never divides Qu. The third thing how is he distinguished by the work of creation Answ Not by working but by the manner of working because the Father creates by the Son and by the holy Ghost the work is common to all for all create but the maner is different you heard the reason before these cannot be divided but the Father begins the worke and executes it by them and the reason is because the Father hath his beginning of his person himselfe and the Sonne and the holy Ghost receive it from the Father therefore it is the Father creates by them and is distinguished from them not in the matter wrought but in the manner of working and thus I have opened this Doctrine Vse 1. This teaches us how we ought to beleeve concerning the Father namely that he is thus distinguished in order not in time if any man should have a thought nourish it that the Father should be before the Son or spirit in time he doth not only overthrow the Trinity as much as in him is but the Deity S. Ambrose saith if the Father had beginning before the Son then he was God first and Father afterwards that cannot be God turne this thought from our hearts saith he tell me then how dost thou beleeve that he is the immutable God if he be so how can this stand there is a mutation by this accession of Father there is a change how is he without change if a God first then a Father God turne such conceits from us it may well be with men he is a man now and father some yeares after for he is subject to change but bring the nature of God to a change and thou overthrowest the nature of God therefore we must beware of this thus we are to beleeve that the eternall Father is with the Sonne and the eternall Son with the Father he that will worship God aright let him joine these two together that the Diety hath joined together beware you separate none of these It is true we are to hold it after a divine manner not to judge of it by a humane generation as that the Father must be elder then the Sonne we are not to judge after this manner for this is the ground of errors againe if the
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
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
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
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
cannot nor will not cease to favour his Sonne so neither will he cease to favour those that he loves in his Sonne but as the favour of God did never leave Christ till he had brought him to glory so undoubtedly he wil never leave those that he loves in Christ for if he dealt thus with his naturall body he will deale thus with his mysticall body certainely hee will bring the mysticall body where he hath brought the naturall body for Christ hath prayed Father I will that they should be where I am certainely if he hath brought Christ to that glory he will bring his mysticall body to it why because he hath taken possession of it in our nature and therefore out of that love that God beares to them that are in Christ he wil doe it and as Tertullian saith that our nature hath taken possession of heaven already therfore he that denies thee that art a member of Christ that thou shalt be in heaven he denies Christ to be in heaven But every man that would be prataker of the glory must labour to make his election sure because there are but some that shall be partakers of this comfort let every man labour to see whether he be elected and called that so he may know whether he be in the state of salvation And these be the degrees as the Apostle layes them downe in Rom. 8. Calling sanctification and so proceeding in that order that the Apostle layes downe there every man must labour to have the feeling of his calling his sanctification his justification c. that the guilt of sinne is taken away c. Thus every man should labour to make his calling and election sure so he may be certaine of his salvation even then when God takes away his feeling of it whosoever he is that doth labour to have these tokens he hath this comfort in this life that he is the Lords and in the life to come he shall have glory and happinesse for ever CHAP. XV. EPHES. 28. By Grace ye are saved through faith THe last part of the description of Grace is bringing men to salvation To explane this we propound two Questions the answering and opening of which will explane the point The first question is this Quest Why is it further added in the description of grace bringing men to salvation Answ Because Grace is the chiefest motive and the first beginning of salvation and all the meanes that tend thereunto Quest 2. What are the meanes that bring men to salvation Answ They are either externall as the preaching of the Gospell and sending Christ to suffer or internall as vocation justification sanctification c. So that grace which is the chiefest motive and first beginning of salvation and the meanes tending to it do shew that our salvation is of faith because the beginning of salvation is without our selves in God shewing mercy wherein we are meere patients howsoever we come to assent And that this is the first and chiefest principle and first beginning of salvation we confirme Why because it is the foundation of election 2 Tim. 2.19 The foundation of God is sure the Lord knowes who are his there is election and the foundation is the grace of God Election is of grace you heard it proved before and the Apostle Paul saith Rom. 11. that it is the free grace of God Againe the grace of God is the first and chiefest principall cause of the meanes by which we are brought to salvation the meanes you heard were of two sorts externall and internall externall were the preaching of the Word and the sending Christ to suffer the former of these is meerely of grace Rom. 1.5 We have received grace and Apostleship c. that is as if he should say that all the meanes of salvation are of grace and so the Apostle saith I am the least of all the Saints yet have found grace Secondly sending his Sonne to suffer is meerely of grace 1 Iohn 3.15 16. God so loved the world c. and the Apostle affirmes manifestly Ephes 1.17 So that the externall meanes are meerely of grace The internall meanes also are of grace and the first of these is vocation and this is of grace 2 Tim. 1.9 We are called with a holy calling according to his purpose and grace So that we see that this is of grace and indeede whom did ever the Lord call that was not at the same time worthy of condemnation This we see the Apostle Paul makes cleare that before his calling he walked so that no man could say black was his eye yet for all his civill honest life he confesseth of himselfe that he was worthy of condemnation and Saint Austin hath a Meditation upon this he cast him down a persecuting Saul and raised him up a Paul I adde to this that this calling of God is to little purpose unlesse that man assent but to have power to assent is not of man but of God Ephes 2.13 God works in a moment upon our will which is unwilling at the first and therefore of grace The second meanes to bring us to salvation is Justification and that is meerely of grace so you have heard that justification is of grace Rom. 3.2 4. We are justified freely by grace not of our selves not of workes but of grace Why because there were no works before justification for then men begin to do good workes when they are justified If justification be by workes then they must goe before justification but they follow after it as Saint Augustin saith workes come after we are justified for saith he an evill tree cannot bring forth good fruit c. The third meanes is sanctification and that is of the free grace of God and this is manifest Tit. 3.4 We are saved by grace not of our works but through the renewing of the holy Ghost we are saved by sanctification How comes that by the work of the spirit Ephes 5.25 God loves his Church and out of that love comes their sanctification that he might sanctifie he washes it so that it appeares this also is of grace Graces in man are but the gifts of grace and the fruits of the spirit this appeares Ephe. 2.9 10. We are Gods work manship created unto good workes So also Eze. 36.37 he promises that he will send his spirit upon c. The fourth meanes is perseverance and this is a speciall meanes to keepe us to enter into salvation and this also is of grace Ier. 32.40 I will put my feare in their hearts and they shall never depart from me So there we see that all the meanes tending to salvation are of grace the whole masse of our corruptions deserves to be condemned and whosoever is called out of it is called freely of grace so that salvation and all the meanes tending thereunto are of grace And thus we have explaned and proved the Question and so now you have the whol explication of this description of grace Vse 1.
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
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
because the Scriptures never tell us of any originall or beginning that the Father had therefore is unbegotten Againe the Scriptures tell us that there was one begotten and that was the Sonne Psal 2.7 Thou art my Sonne this day have I begotten thee Iohn 1.14 the onely begotten Sonne Rom. 8.32 he is called his owne Sonne then it is manifest that there is a second which is begotten Lastly the Scriptures tell us of one that proceeded from them both it is manifest Iohn 15.26 The comforter that I shall send is the holy Ghost and thereupon he is called the Spirit of the Father Mat. 10. and the Spirit of the Sonne whom the Father will send in your hearts why because he proceeds from them both observe a little more these are the particulars of the persons the Father begets I doe not say the Essence begets the Sonne is begotten I doe not say the Essence is begotten this is understood of the person not of the Essence why because they must have the Essence of themselves or else they cannot be God These personall actions which they exercise one to another are called internall works and hereupon that ground is that the Schooles hold that their internall works are divided that they cannot be communicated the Father in begetting the Sonne in being begotten and the holy Ghost proceeding Quest How are they distinguished by their works Answ Their workes are creation redemption sanctification and the like which in the substance are common to them all three but in manner of working are proper to some one To explane this There is a rule that the works of the Trinity without them are undivided these three persons are together and worke together for there is but one worke they worke all together The Scripture speakes plainly Gen. 1.26 Let us make man where we see there is a common worke the Father faith not to the Sonne I will make man or make you the man c. but let us make c. This is that which Christ speakes Iohn 5.25 The Father workes hitherto and I worke and so Iohn 16.15 All that the Father hath is mine whatsoever it is that is the Fathers is mine the difference is in the order and manner of working this is manifest 1 Cor. 15. Thankes be unto God that hath given us victory through our Lord Iesus Christ where God gives the victory but by Christ The Fathers use much one testimony of Paul to this purpose Rom. 11.36 Of him and through him and for him are all things to him be glory for ever Amen The Apostle speakes there of works which we call works a dextra he nameth three manners of working and yet he saith there is but one God and therefore to him be glory Now on the other side as the Essence may not be divided so the persons are not to be confounded for he saith of him and through him and for him are all things the Father workes all things of himselfe by the Sonne and the Sonne workes from the Father by the holy Ghost this is the manner of working And before I come to the Reason let me adde one thing more a distinction which Martin Luther had the workes of the Trinity are to be considered absolutely as they are God so they are common to them all and relatively that is to say that every one workes according to his personall property and so one creates and another redeemes and another sanctifies The reason is this for the Father he is of himselfe and therefore workes of himselfe the Son is not of himselfe as a person but from the Father and therefore he workes from the Father and the holy Ghost from them both and is not of himselfe as a person and therefore workes not of himselfe but from them both thus the ground of their working is the manner of their subsisting therefore we give the Father the beginning of the worke and the Son the forwarding and framing and the holy Ghost the effecting c. So that we see by this that I have opened first what is communicated to them all wherein they differ and how they differ viz. by order properties and manner of working Vse 1. This takes away an imputation that Heretiques have laid upon the Church that it hath brought in vaine appellations in expressing this misstry and they tell us that it is forbiden that a woman should speake in the Church the meaning of which place they say is that Phylosophy which is but a handmaid should not speake in the Church Arius Sabelliens the great grand hereticks denied the diety of the Sonne and the holy Ghost they had this cavell for themseves we speake no other way then God speakes we are cast out of the Church and excommunicated because we will not admit these prophane voices of Trinity and Unity but the Church is not worthy of blame neither is there any excuse for them for the Church doth not take up these names out of any affectation of novelty but as Saint Austin speakes meerly out of a necessity of speech namely because that otherwise they could not meet with nor distinguish hereticks that they might be better knowne when Hereticks began to oppose this doctrine they would say there was one God and when they saw there was three persons Father Sonne and holy Ghost they would say these three were one God but how as it is said Acts 2. the Saints had all one heart therefore the Church takes these termes one in Essence to discover these Hereticks so they will say that there was a Father Sonne and holy Ghost but that the Father was sometimes the Sonne and sometimes the holy Ghost so that he was the Father in one respect and the Sonne in another hereupon the Church upon warrant of the Scriptures found out these words that whereas Hereticks would speake with the Church and would not conceive and meane with the Church they might be severed and known to be Hereticks Vse 2. Secondly here is direction for every man that will truely and savingly beleeve in one and three in one Essence and three distinct persons not dividing the Essence nor confounding the persons he that beleeves in a God and not in three persons hath a fiction of his owne braine which he beleeves in he that beleeves that there are not three persons distinguished and one Essence cannot be saved for a man cannot be saved but by true faith but he that beleeves not in the trinity as he hath revealed himselfe hath not true faith every man therefore must labour after this manner to beleeve whereupon brethren we inferre the necessity of the knowledge of this mystery for a man cannot beleeve unlesse he know it therefore every one ought to bend his eares and his head to know it if God had revealed himselfe in generall it had bin enough to know him so but God hath revealed himselfe in particular how he is one and how he is three therefore the Church knowing that this
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 they instance when he ascended up on high he led captivity captive and gave gifts unto men but then he gave the spirit therefore
also his sonne therefore he is called his beloved sonne Matth. 3.7 So he loves the spirit as proceeding from himselfe and being properly the love whereby the divine nature loves it selfe so he loves the creatures as Angels and men and other creatures that he loves this appears by many testimonies of Scripture Angels and men are called the children of God Angels Iob 1.6 Vpon a time the children of God came c. So Adam is called the son of God Luke 3. last Next he loves his creatures freely the cause why he loves them is in himself not in them he loves some with a speciall love and some with a generall freely that appears by the Scriptures Iohn 3.16 God so loved the world 1. Iohn 1.3 Herein is the love of God made manifest that he hath given us his sonne 1. Iohn 4.19 God loved us first if first then freely and no love in us procured his love againe he loves them not equally for he loves men more then other creatures Tit. 3.9 The love he beares to man is manifest yet further he loves some men more then others Exod. 19.5 You shall be my peculiar people as if he should say though all the Nations be mine in generall yet ye shall be my chiefe treasure Tit. 2.14 A peculiar treasure these are as treasures that men lock up he loves those that are elected and those that are called those that are elected he loved them when they were enemies Ephe. 1.4 He loved them before the foundation of the world But he loves them better whom he hath called then those he hath not called Pro. 8.17 I love them that love me those whom he hath endued with his spirit Psal 146.8 The Lord loves the righteous c. To conclude this with that of Saint Austine God loves all that he hath made he loves especially men and Angels and among men he loves those especially that are the members of his Sonne and most of all he loves his Sonne c. and so wee have made manifest this description The next question is Quest Why is love attributed to God Answ The answer to this is because there is none wills better none works better acting upon men to make them good nor delights in them more when they are good To explane these First that God is love it is not an accident for Saint Bernard saith let no man understand me when I say God is love that it is an accident for then I should say there were some things in God that were not God Againe there is none wills better you have heard there are three things in love to will good to doe good and to delight in good now none doth this better then God Iam. 1.17 Every good and perfect gift comes downe from the father of lights c. Finally he delights in those that he hath made good Saint Bernard speaking of this saith thou lovedst them when they were not that thou mightest make them to be when they were thou madest them beautifull that thou mightest delight in them The next Question is Quest Why say you that God loves himselfe and his Sonne and his spirit Answ The answer is because they are all infinitely good they are all one Essence and one will as the object of the will is good so the object of love is good and God is love then no marvell that he loves himselfe his Sonne and his spirit because they have the same Essence every thing loves it selfe and then there is no marvell as wisdome speaks Pro. 8. That he was his delight Saint Bernard saith that the love in the Trinity which is divine charity keeps them together and unites them in one and therfore he loves himselfe Quest Why is it added that he loves his creatures freely Answ Because he made them good with a severall goodnesse he loves them First he loves them being enemies he loves them not for benefit to himselfe but for their good therefore we say he loves his creatures freely each of these we will explane he made all things very good Gen. 1.31 He looked vpon all that he had made and behold it was very good but it is said he loves them freely he loved some before they were before they could possibly desire any thing therefore freely he loved some when they were his enemies Rom. 5.8 When we were his enemies God set forth his love insending Christ to die for us as Saint Bernard saith God loveth them for their owne benefit not for his good God hath no neede of the creature he created them not for himselfe but that he might make them partakers of his owne goodnesse and so we see that God loves them freely without any merit or desert in them Quest Why is it said he loves them not equally Answ Because they are not all alike to him Some creatures onely others servants onely some children and among his children he loves those that are called better then those that are not called I say they are not all alike to God man loves the worke of his owne hands well but he loves his servants better and his childe best of all if it be so with man much more is it so with God some are his creatures some his servants some his sonnes so that he loves them not all alike some are his children but not begotten againe he loves those with a good will and purpose to call them those that he hath called he hath justified sanctified and hath bestowed upon them faith repentance and grace and he delights in these especially that he hath bestowed his grace upō And thus I have laid open the love of God now to come to the Uses Vse 1. This teacheth us first that which the Apostle Saint Iohn gives us to know he that loves not his brother knowes not God for God is love let him boast what he will that he loves God if he loves not his brother he is a lyer he knowes not God to be love he hath not the experimentall feeling of it for if he knowes God to be love he cannot but out of his experimentall knowledge love his brother so the Apostle saith that man loves not God that loves not his brother that is he hath no experience of the love of God we may allude to that which is said of Pharaoh Exod. 1. that he used the people hardly the reason is given because he knew not Ioseph for there was another Pharaoh risen that knew not Ioseph so we may say that many men because they are ignorant of God and the love of God use his children hardly they are scoffers and mockers of those that desire to love God certainly these men know not the love of God but they are fed like an Oxe to the slaughter Saint Austin hath a speech to this purpose Doest thou heare the Apostle say God is love and darest thou so goe against God as not love thy brother for to goe against those that are beloved of God is
Begetting and proceeding how they differ 302 C Church offices concerning the Scriptures 43 D Dominion of God what 239 Dominion why given to God 240 Creatures have their power of God 251 Why God workes by creatures 250 E Essence of God proved to be one 66. which distinguishes the true from false Gods 65. Confutes Hereticks and directs faith 68. 69. Comforts in praier 69 Election and grace immutable 137 Election may be knowne 175 Election how made sure 177 Election is of a few 174. 182 Evill things how and why willed of God 124. 128 F Father what 269 Father taken Essentially and Personally 269 The First person how 270 Fore knowledge no cause of sin 239 Faith shall not faile 99. Strengthned 144 Feare God 119. 220 Faith directed 265 G There is a God proved by reason 50. 51. c. God is but one 56. 57. 88 God what he is 61 Vses to be made of the Deiety 55. 58. c. Goodnesse of God what 148 Goodnesse of God proved 150 Goodnesse in God absolute 151 Goodnesse communicated to the creaturs 152 Vses to be made of Gods goodnesse 153 Grace of God what 171 The object of Grace 172 Grace why ascribed to God 173 Grace the cause of salvation 178 Grace may be made sure 175 Grace ground of thankfulnesse 187 Grace is not universall 229 Godly comforted 89. 100. 210 Godly cannot fall from Grace 254 Generation of the Son to be adored in silence 287 Against falling from Grace 305 H Hatred of God what 224 Hatred what it signifies 225 Hatred against some is absolute yet just 226 Vses to be made of Gods Hatred 229 Gods people Hated in the world and why 245 Heresies confuted 68. of Marcion 155 Humility the ground of it 136 Humbled sinners finde mercy 198 Holy Ghost what 291. Is God 292. 295. proceeds from the Father and the Sonne 293. 297. dwels in the elect 298. Incorporates into Christ ibid. I Immensity of God what and how proved 102. 103. c. Immensity of God should restraine from sin 107 Immutability of God what how many fold 96 Immutability of Gods number proved 97 Immutability proves God the true God 98 What uses to be made of it 98. c. Immutability not opposed to freedome 128 Objections against Gods Immutability answered 132 Ignorance of God the greatest folly 4. kinds of it ibid. Iustice of God what 200 Iustice why given to God 202 Object of Iustice 203 It is Iustice to reward the godly 204 It is Iustice to free some from sin and leaue others 207 It is Iustice to lay the punishment of the elect on Christ 208 There is a day of Iudgement proved 209 Acknowledge God to be Iust 205 Iudgements remooved in anger 223 Impossible things of two sorts 249. 252 K Knowledge of God chiefest wisedome 1. 2. 3 Knowledge of God is naturall 7. 8. c. Knowledge of God by revelation 12. 13. 14 Knowledge of God in the word 15. 16. by the spirit 17 Knowledge of the Trinity necessary to salvation 266 L Life of God what and how proved 109 Life proves God the true God 112 Long life how attained 113 Love of God what 158 Love why ascribed to God 160 Object of the Love of God 161 God Loves his creatures freely not equally 161. 162. 166 He that Loves not is not of God 162 Love God againe signes of Love 167 Love in God naturall or voluntary God an absoltue and free Lord 241. therefore is not unjust disposing of his creatures 243 He that hath God hath all things ibid. He must be served of all 245 Love of Christ demonstrated 288 M Merit condemned 135. 204. 205 Mercy of God what 189. generall and speciall 190. 196 Mercy is naturall eternall free 191 Mercy is more to some then others 192 Mercy shewen to the elect in three things 193 Vses to be made of Gods Mercy 194. c. Macedonians confuted 300 N Nature cannot finde God 61 P Pictures of God unlawfull 74 Perfection of God what 77 Perfection of God proved 78. c. Perfection of God different from that of creatures 79 Perfection of God wherein it consistes 84 Please God 82 Vses of Gods Perfection 80. c. Promises whether alwaies to be performed 147 Papists and Pelagians confuted 180. 181 Punishment of the wicked why deferred 209 Punishment two fold 214. Impartially inflicted 218 Power of God what 247. Active or absolute 248 Power why given to God 250 It is infinite 252 Provoke not God 255 A Person what 258. There are three Persons 260 The Son a Person 263. and the holy Ghost 265 The Persons how distinguished 258 Persons are distinguished not divided 259 Persons one before another not in dignity not in time but in order 260 Persons distinguished by their properties 261 Persons distinguished by their workes 263 Purity not to be scorned 303 Purity begun shall be perfected 304 R Redemption not Vniversall 183 S Spirit what it signifies 291 Spirit how distinguished from other Persons 292. 294 Services of men reach not to God 80 S mplicity of God what 85 S mplicity of God proved 86. c. Vses to be made of it 88. c. God a Spirit proved 71 c. God must be worshipped in Spirit 75 Swearing condemned 113 Syncerity commanded 119 Security awakened 143. 210 Scriptures reveale God 12. 13. to be searched 15. 21. 26 Scriptures a perfect sure infallible rule 19 Written for all men 23. to be translated 25 and applied 27. 39 The word of God 29. and 36. plaine reveald by the Spirit 37 Canonicall 40. and 45. Sufficient 45. and 49 Sat han why he tels truth 14 Sabellians confuted 256 Son eternall with the Father 269. 270. 287 T Truth of God what 138 Truth but one 139 Object of Truth 141. Vses of it 143 Be True as God is 146 Traditions to be abhorred 21. 47 Threatnings how to be understood 132 Thankefulnesse 156. 187 Trinity knowne by the word 257. by faith 256 V Vbiquitaries confuted 106 Vnworthinesse comforted 165 W Wicked terrified 90 Will of God what 121. is but one 125 Will of God free and immutable 122. 123. 126. 129 Object of Gods Will. 123. 127. Vses of it 135. c. Wisdome of God what 115. How proved 116 Vses of Gods wisdome 118 Women bound to know God 5 Wicked men punished 229 Workes of the Trinity undivided 263 Worship God aright and how 267 ERRATA PAg. 75. lin 23. condemn us for them p. 100. l. 3. it may doubt ibid. l. 24. Insolent against their inferiours p. 106. l. last but two from externall sinning p 115. l. 17. and 19. prescience p. 134. l. 11. one saith p. 140. l. 19. formally p. 145. l. 4. promise sure p. 148. l. 25 Good is an accident p. 158. l. 14. blot out in p 171. l. 9. in his Son though p. 176. l. 8. is in his sonne p. 185. l. 15. he chose the twelft p. 196. l. 8. 1 Cor. 10. p. 208. l. 10. 11. blot out And also punish them p. 210. l. 6. reports 212 from the end blot out the parenthesis p. 213. l. 12. simply p. 217. l. 4. d. fine blot out it p. 220. l. 14. injurious p. 224. in the text Psal 5. 5. p. 225. l. 9. one thing p. 226. l. 23. may not he make them to c. p. 230. l. 5. deny to some that grace ibid. l. 16. if he as the potter p. 239. l. dominion p. 244. l. 11. horses are thy horses p. 246. l. 5. â— fine blot out which ibid Iob 9. 19. ibid. l. 4. a fine that is authority p. 249. l. 1. blot out that yet p. 254. l. 4. a finite subject ibid. 11. effectings ibid. l. 20. actually it is p 253. l. 17. false true p. 254. l. penult fall p. 255. l. 19. Jer. 10. p. 302. l. 15. two mysteries in this