maintaining of saving communion with God 1. That God is For he who commeth unto God must beleeve that God is Heb. 11. 6. 2. That there is but one God Deut. 6. 4. 3. That the Father Son and Holy Ghost are this one God because they are all three Coessentiall subsistents in this most single Godhead 1 Cor. 8. 5. 6. Phi. 2. 6. 1 Io 5. 7 Ioh. 10. 30. Mat. 3. 16 17. Mat. 28. 19. Act. 5. 4. 1 Cor. 12. 6. 11. 2 Cor. 13. 14. Ioh. 15. â—6 Rev. 1. 4. 5. Reverend Calvin was not so morose and austere in this point as to contend about unnecessary words or curious phrases so there were such words used as did fitly and fully expresse the whole mistery of Faith in this weighty point and sufficiently refute the damnable errours of Arrius and Sabellius If men will but acknowledge 1. That the Father Son and Spirit are one God and the selfe same God 2. That the Son is not the Father nor the Spirit the Son but that these three are distinguished by speciall Relations Incommunicable and unchangeable properties so that there is a Trinity of Coessentiall Subsistents in the selfe-same Divine Essence we are all agreed Arrius would acknowledge that Christ is God buâ— not Consubstantiall or Coessentiall with his Father for he did deny Christ to be the same God with his Father And in like manner the Socinians will say that they acknowledge and maintaine the true Divinity of the Son and Holy Ghost but they do deny that the Son and Spirit are one and the same God with the Father and affirme that the Reformed Churches who beleeve that all three persons have the selfe same God-head do ascribe a false and imaginary God-head to the Son and Spirit which the Holy Scriptures do no where acknowledge or declare And this is the true reason why the Orthodox Doctors of the Church have been so unanimous especially of late yeares in maintaining this Proposition Pater Filius Spiritus Sanctus sunt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Father Son Holy Spirit are one and the self-same God On the other side Sabellius acknowledged that the Father Son and Holy Ghost are one God but if you say that the Father Son and Holy Ghost are three different subsistents then he cryed out as M. Fry doth that you acknowledge three Gods the best way to avoid these saith judicious Calvin is to say That there is a Trinity of Persons in one and the same essence of God For we must needs acknowledge the unity of the Divine nature because we read that the Father Son and Spirit are one and we must acknowledge the Trinity of these Coessentiall Subsistents or persons because we read that they are three Now the Trinity and unity make a Coessential Trinunity if the unity of the God-head and Trinity of the Subsistents or persons be acknowledged we shall not wrangle about curious phrases or unnecessary words The most judicious and moderate men amongst the Orthodox Doctors of the Church agree in this The learned and Reverend Doctor Davenant in his judicious exhortation to Brotherly Communion betweene the Protestant Churches teaches us how to distinguish between points that are fundamentall and Problems or Propositions that are not Fundamentall and when he comes to reckon up Fundamentals he instances in the Trinity and expresses himself after this manner That God is one in Essence three in Persons distinguished betwixt themselves That the Son is begotten of the Father That the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of the Father and the Son That these three persons are coeternall and coequall All these saith he are deservedly determined and ranked amongst the Fundamentall Articles Now if any should contend that all those things which are disputed of the School-men of the manner of proceeding and begetting are also fundamentall and necessary to be determined on one side verily he by this his rash judgement would gaine no favour with Christ. But it is objected by some who do acknowledge Christ to be God that they have no reason to close with us when we say That Iesus Christ is Coessentiall with God his eternall Father because we do impose a new word upon them and so make a new Fundamentall of our own Inventition to which I answer 1. That if we make an old truth plaine by a new word they ought to forgive us that injury 2. We explaine our new Terme 3. We save them the trouble of an artificiall and tedious deduction for as soon as they do but understand the word they must necessarily imbrace the sense and acknowledge that though the word seem new to them yet the Doctrine is old for if the persons be of a different Divine Essence then there would be more Gods then one 4. We doe hereby secure them against the subtilty of pernicious Hereticks who endeavour to seduce them into damnable Heresies For if the Father Son and Spirit have not the same Divine Essence then either there will be more Gods then one or else the Son and Spirit are no Gods at all but such petty inferiour Gods as the Socinians make them 5. No man that hath a sound braine and a single eye can conceive that there are divers Gods in the same Essence and therefore the expression is necessary and safe The Father Son and Spirit are three Coesential subsistents in the same single God-head they are all three one and the selfe-same God who is God by nature the only true God blessed for ever in this Faith we will live and in this we will dye as it becomes Orthodox Christians who were bâ—ptized in the Name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost CHAP. IX This Grand Mystery of Faith hath an Effectuall influence into the Practical Mystery of Godlinesse and Power of Religion IT is the great designe and faithfull endeavour of sincere Christians to attaine unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding to the acknowledgement of the Mystery of God and of the Father and of Christ Colos. 2. 2. They who have but a Forme of Godlines 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a kind of painted powerlesse shaddow of piety may look upon the Doctrine of the Trinity as a School-point a meer speculative Doctrine which men receive by Tradition from their fore-fathers but they who live in the spirit and walke in the spirit Gal. 5. 25. have a life that is hid with Christ in God Colos 3. 3. hid from formall men as colours are hid from blind men and these spirituall Christians do account the love of the Father the grace of Christ and the communion of the Spirit to be their Heaven upon earth They receive Iesus Christ so as to live by him walke in him and live to him Colos. 2. 6. Phil. 1. 21 1 Ioh. 5. 12 2 Cor. 5. 15. What is a Godly life but a life of faith and love of joy and thankfulnesse of self-denyall and devotion of patience and obedience hope
what I should disallow Phil. 1 9 10 19. I must choose what the Spirit approves and then prosecute what I have chosen with care hope desire and embrace what I attaine to with love and delight and in a word rest satisfyed with the love of the Father the grace of the Son and the communion of the Spirit as my al-sufficient and satisfactory portion for evermore Psal. 17. 15. Psal. 63. 5. Faith is that Grace which enables and enclines us upon the divine testimony of the Spirit to depend on Christ for righteousnesse and life according to the tenour of the Covenant of Grace The divine Testimony of the Spirit is the true ground of justifying Faith but Historicall Faith which may be in Devils Jam 2. and Temporary Faith which may be in Reprobates Luke 8. are not truly grounded on the Testimony wisdome Authority Revelation or demonstration of the Spirit We read of a Revelation of flesh and blood Mat. 16. 17. And the demonstration and Revelation of the Spirit 1 Cor. 2. 4. 10. 14 15. Ephes. 1. 17. A man who hath nothing but sense and Reason in him may have an Historicall or a Temporary Faith but he who doth upon the divine Testimony of the Spirit beleeve that Iesus is the Christ he is born of God of the Spirit of God and hath the witnesse in himself 1 Joh. 5. 1. 6 10. For the regenerate and they only have a spirituall understanding in them to know him that is true when he is revealed unto them by the Spirit of truth 1 Joh. 5. 20. 1 Cor. 2 14 15. Deut. 29. 4. For the Demonstration of the Spirit is not understood by us untill we are renewed in the spirit of our mind so that we can look upon the Divine truths testifyed by the Spirit with a spirituall eye and discern them after a spirituall manner 1 Cor. 2. 14. And therefore the Testimony of the Spirit is not received but by our renewed Spirits Rom. 8. 16. Before we are Regenerate we receive divine truths only because we judge them reasonable or because we find them in the Scriptures and we beleeve the Scriptures upon an Humane Testimony and therefore only with an Humane not a Divine Faith But the Spirituall man beleeves all upon the testimony of the Spirit and doth constantly beg the direction of the good Spirit O thy Spirit is good saith David teach me lead me quicken me by thy Spirit Ps. 143. 10 11. Finally this good spirit discovers to a man before he beleeves 1. His want of Christ 2. The worth of Christ. His want of Christ by reason of 1. His hainous sins which are inexcusable damnable 2. His Spirituall wants which are innumerable 3. His present misery and slavery which are unspeakable unsupportable The worth of Christ because he is an All-sufficient Saviour and only Saviour the Spirit discovers the treasures of Free grace the mysteries of Divine Faith which even Angels admire the unsearchable riches of Christ the fulnesse of God able to satiate the soule with heavenly glorious everlasting happinesse and even infinite content Then the soule is convinced by the Spirit of God not onely of the truth but goodnesse of the Covenant made by God with man in Christ and that there are better things laid up for beleevers in Christ then any are or can be bestowed by Sathan upon his greatest Agents and dearest favourites the darlings of the flesh and world and upon this account the soule is perswaded by this demonstration of the spirit to close with Christ and deny itself to have no ability wisdome righteousnesse will of its own but to seek wisdom Righteousnesse Sanctification and Redemption in Christ. 1 Cor. 1. 30. In a word to deny its own will and take the will of Christ for its rule and compasse to do or suffer any thing for Christ to lose or sell all for him The good spirit perswades us 1. To prize Christ highly even above all the kingdomes of the world and glory of them 2. To beleeve in Christ stedfastly 3. To love Christ deerly better then our selves or dearest friends better then worldly treasures sensuall joy or any carnall contentments whatsoever 4. To follow Christ fully that we may enjoy him eternally as our Crown our happinesse our heaven And to this end and purpose to set up the word of God in our Consciences as our only rule for to direct us 1. In all points of Faith 2. In all parts of worship 3. In all passages of our life and conversation that we may cast out the world the Devil nay flesh and self and all to make roome for Christ. Now when the Spirit hath by its own evidence testimony authority wisdome and efficacy wrought Faith in the soule to carry it into the armes of Iesus Christ Christ doth bid it welcom embraces kisses it and takes this young beleever by the hand and puts him into his Fathers bosome And when we are thus brought to beleeve in Father Son and Holy Ghost then we are fitted and prepared to worship and obey all three glorious persons as one God blessed forever And therefore I may now proceed to speak of the worship of all three and then of our obedience to all three 2. This grand Mystery of Faith hath an effectuall influence into our Gospel-worship He takes the name of Father Son and Holy Ghost in vain and doth not make that Holy use which he should of the Titles Properties workes and Ordinances of all three who doth not with Knowledge Faith Reverence sincerity and spirituall joy worship all three for this is true Gospel-worship And therefore I would intreat my Reader diligently to consider what I have delivered in the fourth and fifth chapters of this Treatise concerning the divine Nature Titles Properties works of all three in order to worship for the glory of the thrice illustrious and yet single God head and then if he will study the scope of the first Table of the Holy Law of God and the substance of Gospel-worship he will acknowledge that every one who beleeveth in all three persons will find his Faith obliging and inclining him to worship al three glorious persons as one God blessed for ever 1. God the Father is to be worshipped under the Gospel as the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ and our Father in him I have touched this point already and because it is not much controverted by our grand enemies I shall not insist long upon it All the knowledge of God which we gain by the Scriptures of truth is revealed to us on purpose for our direction in the worship of God we must not worship God according to our own devices but according to that discovery which God hath made of himselfe to us in his Holy word not onely in respect of his divine nature as when our
the Holy Spirit as well as to the Father himself because all three are Co-essentiall Co-equall and Co-eternall When the seven Electours of the Empire met at Franckford about the election of Maximilian the second some of them being strict Protestants went out of the place of Worship when the Mass began because they would not be present at that Idolatrous service but came in again when they sang Come holy Ghost eternall God We being then convinced by clear Scriptures that Christ and the holy Spirit are one and the same God with the Father we must glorifie all three Persons as one God blessed for ever 1. We must not do any divine service to them who are not Gods by nature Gal. 4. 8. But the three divine Persons have the self-same divine nature and therefore the very same divine Worship and Service both for kind and degree is due to all three Co-essentiall Persons We must not conceive otherwise of God then he hath revealed himselfe in his Word For then we shall not worship the true God but a meere phantasticall Idoll of our own braine Ye worship ye know not what saith Christ of the Samaritans Ioh. 4. 22. the Samaritans served their own Gods who were not Gods by nature but false Gods 2 Kings 17. 29. 33. 2. Nor must we give Father Son and Holy Spirit the only true God any other kind of Worship then what is prescribed in his Word Israel is said to be without the true God when they were without the Law without a Priest to teach them how to Worship God according to his Law 2 Chron. 15. 3. Now for a long season Israel hath been without the true God and without a teaching Priest and without Law The divine kind of worship prescribed both in Law and Gospell is spirituall Worship Mark 12 33. Heb. 12. 28. Psal. 51. 6 16. Deut. 6. 5. 1 Cor. 5. 8. 1 Chron 28. 9. Phil. 3. 3. Ioh. 4. 23 24. 3. The Worship of God is either Natural or instituted Worship The instituted Worship hath been changed for it was different before the Law under the Law and under the Gospell But the naturall worship and service of God is perpetuall and eternall it is to be continued in heaven both by Saints and Angels for evermore Naturall Worship is due to Jesus Christ and the holy Spirit because they have one and the self-same divine nature with God the Father Angels are called upon to give this Naturall Worship to Jesus Christ. And let all the Angels of God worship him Heb. 1 6. 4. Instituted Worship is subservient as I may so speak to this naturall worship for when we worship God with those meane helps and actions which he himself hath appointed and ordained we must worship him in spirit and truth All Ordinances of Christ are meanes of grace to beget knowledge faith hope love self-denyal gratitude humility sincerity reverence zeale and all other graces in the soule and to encrease them in us that we may exercise all these graces upon every opportunity and give God that Natural Spiritual Divine Honour which is due unto his singular Majesty infinite excellency independent perfection and eternall Godhead in knowing esteeming admiring beleeving loving obeying God that our soules may be delighted and satisfyed with God as the chiefest good as the Crown of all our joyes an All-sufficient portion of our soules for evermore This is the full scope of the first Table of the Law and this is the summe of the Gospel If the first Table of the Law did discover to us 1. The object of worship 2. The means of worship 3. The time of worship and did not also prescribe require enjoyn 4. The manner of worship we should be at a losse the Law would not be a perfect rule Our worship would not be agreeable to the nature and will of God God would be defrauded of his naturall spirituall divine worship and therefore when our Saviour doth deliver the full scope of all the foure first Commandements by reducing them to one Commandment he saith Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart with all thy soule and with all thy mind this is the first and great Commandment Mat 22. 37 38. Deut. 6. 4 5. This Spirituall worship is taught us in every Commandement of the first Table if we look upon the inside and spirituall compasse of those Commandements discovered to us by Moses the Psalmes Prophets and the New-Testament 1. In the first Commandement we are not barely required for to take God for the object of our worship but to give him spiritual worship also because we are required in mind heart will affection and the effects of all these to take the true God Father Son and Holy Ghost God in Christ by the assistance of the Spirit to be our God to know esteem admire trust love reverence adore and serve him with hope humility self-deniall patience joy and thankefulness zeal◠and constancy This is the inside and spirituall compass of the first Commandement 2. In the second Commandement we are required to worship God purely according to his Will in every Ordinance without any carnall Imagination or affections The Papists will grant that we are by the use of Ordinances and as they dreame Images also to carry our hearts to God and Christ in obedience to the second Commandement The more learned Papists will confess that it is a sin against the first Commandement to terminate our worship in any Image because no Image is Iehovah But they worship Images Relativè though not Terminativè as visible helps to devotion to carry their hearts to God in worship and it is cleare that the Jews and Heathens of old intended no more and therefore there is as much to be said for Heathenish and Iewish as there is for Romish Idolatry This then is the great sin of the Antichristian Worshippers at Rome who endeavour to defend this Relative worship of Images that they conceive that the heart of man will be better carried to God and Christ by humane inventions such as Images Crucifixes Reliques c. then by divine Institutions and this sin is called an hatred of God in the second Commandement And in the very letter of this Commandement we are directed how to expresse our love to God namely by seeking of him and closing with him in his own Ordinances and institutions with an ingenuous contempt of humane inventions in divine worship and service and though legall Ordinances are not only changeable but actually changed and abolished yet there is something morall and unchangeable in this second Commandement which is attendance upon and observance of the Institutions and appointments of God It is an immutable Law that we should give God that worship which is due unto him expresse our saith in him and love to him by a spirituall use of such means
grace and peace from this Co-essentiall Trinunity the Father the seven Spirits and Iesus Christ doth sufficiently instruct us in this mystery of Evangelicall Worship Some object that then the Spirit will be set before the Son but the answer is easie that there is a Metathesis in the words and it is observable that the Son is sometimes named before the Father 2 Cor. 13. 14. and sometimes the Spirit is named before the Son as Rev. 1. 4. 1 Pet. 1 2. and sometimes the naturall order is observed the Father is named first the Son second and the Holy Ghost third The naturall order is not overthrown when the Father is named after the Son or the Spirit before the Son Nor is the equality of Persons overthrown when the naturall order is observed And therefore that objection is not considerable Naturall worship is due to the Holy Ghost because he hath the same divine nature with the Father and the Son That divine Faith is due to the Spirit hath been proved at large That divine love is due to him is cleare Rom. 15. 30. I beseech you for the Lord Jesus Christs sake and for the love of the Spirit The Spirit is the Author and object of all those graces which are called divine ex parte objecti faith hope and love Rom. 15. 13 16 30. In a word Instituted Worship is due to the Holy Ghost by vertue of both Sacraments Mat. 28. 19. By one Spirit we are all baptized into one body and have been all made to drink into one Spirit 1 Cor. 12. 13. 2 Cor. 13. 14. Mat. 3. 11. Ioh. 5. 5. In hearing of the Word we must hearken to the Spirit with the self-same attention devotion as we do to the Father and the Son Heb. 3. 7 8. compared with Ps. 95. The holy Ghost forbids us to harden our hearts against himself speaking in the Word Acts 7. 51. We grieve the Spirit when we resist the Spirit and will not put our seale to the Word by a Spirituall assent and fiduciall consent and hinder the Spirit from sealing up our Election and Redemption to us For though Christ makes the Purchase yet the Spirit makes the assurance 1 Iohn 3. 24. Iohn 14. 16 17. Iohn 15. 26. In Prayer we are to call upon the Holy Ghost 2 Cor. 13. 14. Rev. 1. 4. because the Holy Ghost is God 1 Cor. 12 6 11. Act. 5. 3 4. I cannot but wonder at them who say that holy and spirituall worship is not due to the holy Spirit when the truth is we can give no worship at all to the Father or the Son untill we are enabled by the holy Spirit Rom. 5. 5. 1 Cor. 12. 3. 2 Cor. 4. 13. 2 Cor. 13. 14. And when by the Communion of the Spirit we have Communion with the Father and Son in Gospell-worship we are the Temples not only of the Holy Ghost but of the Co-essentiall Trinunity of Father Son and Holy Ghost all three do dwell in us walk in us and abide in us For when we receive the Spirit of truth he abides with us dwels in us perswades and enables us to love God the Father and the Lord Jesus and then all three Co-essentiall Persons make their abode with us as is clearely held forth to us Ioh. 14. 16 17 23. 2 Cor. 6. 16 18. 1 Cor. 3. 16. Ephes. 3. 16 17. But if a man have not the Spirit of Christ he hath no saving interest as yet in Iesus Christ. Rom. 8. 9. because he is not as yet the Son of God by Regeneration or Adoption he is not a member of Jesus Christ he is not the Temple of the Holy Ghost He doth not worship this Co-essentiall Trinunity as he ought to do in Spirit and in truth He who hath the Spirit in him doth worship the Spirit in spirit and truth because the Spirit is the Power of the Highest even as Christ is the Son of the Highest a Personall Power Luk. 1. 32 35. compared The Spirit is the spirit of Elohim Gen. 1. 2. The Spirit of Iehova Isa. 11. 2. The God of Israel 2 Sam. 23. 2 3. The spirit of God and the spirit which is God 1 Cor. 2. 11. 12. Acts 5. 3 4. This point hath been sufficiently proved in the fourth Chapter and therefore I need say no more considering that the Socinians have no Arguments which are considerable when compared with these plaine places of the Holy Scriptures and those many places and proofes which have been formerly produced in this Treatise If any desire to have their Arguments such as they be answered at large he may read Mr. Estwicks learned Treatise concerning the Godhead of the Holy Ghost lately published I proceed to the third part of Godliness which is Obedience 3. Obedience is due to the Father Son and Holy Ghost all three Co-essentiall Persons because they are Co-essentiall because they are one God blessed for ever 1. Obedience is due to God the Father This truth is generally acknowledged by all that are not Atheists the Iews and Socinians subscribe to it If we do acknowledge God the Father to be the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ and our Father in him the inference will be immediate cleare and strong that we ought to honour and obey our heavenly Father For how shall God put us among his Children unless every one of us say unto him my Father my Father I do obey thee and will not depart from thee But I said how shall I put thee among the Children and give thee a pleasant Land a goodly Heritage of the hosts of Nations And I said Thou shalt call me my Father and shalt not turne away from me Jer. 3. 19. And when God speaks to them as to Children they presently submit Return ye backsliding children And I will heale your backslidings they presently reply Behold we come unto thee for thou art the Lord our God Ier. 3. 22. A Son honoureth his Father if then I be a Father where is mine honour Mal. 1. 6. Mal. 2. 16. Mat. 12. 50. Mat. 23. 9. When God is considered under this endearing relation of a Father we yeeld a filiall obedience unto God we performe a foederall obedience a sincere and Evangelicall obedience I saith Jehovah will be your God I will be your Father Having these Promises saith the Apostle let us cleanse our selves from all filthinesse of the flesh and spirit perfecting holiness in the feare of God 2 Cor. 6. 16 18. 2 Cor. 71. 1 Pet. 1 14 17 18. As we are to worship God in this Fatherly relation Mat. 6. 9. Gal. 4. â— so are we to obey him also Whosoever shall do the will of my Father c. Mat. 12. 50. That all three Co-essentiall Persons are our Father hath been proved already in this very Chapter pag. 326 327. and that
the bloud of the Lamb. The Virgin Church is begotten Wooed perswaded governed upheld comforted by the Spirit The Prophesie blessing and Communion of the Spirit 2 Cor. 13 14. Rev. 1. 4. 5. compared with Rev. 22. 21. The Holy Spirit is to be worshipped with divine worship Rev. 1. 4. opened at large Angel worship prohibited by christ Tertia interpretatio veterum receÌ„tioruÌ„â— Doctorum solae Scripturae fidei Christianae analoga est D Pareus Com. in Apoc. c. 1. Isa. 42. 8. Why the holy Ghost is called seven spirits Gratiam precatur septem ecclesiis quibus singulis unum eunde nqque spiritum sanctum quasi septem in solidum tribuit The worship of the Coessentiall Trinunity Votum Gratiae pacis univocè concipit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 D. Parei Com. in Apoc. c. 1. Deus Trinunus gratiae Pacisqque causa adaequata integra Naturall worship is due to the Holy Ghost the Creator of the New Creature * 1 Cor. 6. 11. Tit. 3. 5 6. 1 Pet. 1. 2. Rev. 1 4. Rom. 15. 13 16. John 3. 5. Rom. 5 5 Instituted worship is due to the holy Spirit In the Sacraments In hearing of the word of God Rev. 2. 11 18. 29. Rev. 3. 1 6 13. In Prayer * By the Communion of the spirit we have Communion with the Father and the Son in gospell-Gospell-worship All three co-essentiall Persons dwell in the Temple of the holy Spirit He who is not the Temple of the Spirit is no Son of God or member of Christ. The third part of Evangelicall godlinesse Obedience is due to all three Persons Obedience is due to God the Father Filiall and Foederall Obedience 2 Cor. 7. 1. Tit. 2. 14. 1 Joh. 4. 16 19. Psa. 130. 4. Psa 103. 13 Jer. 32. 40. Mal. 2. 10 16. Mat. 12. 50 Mat. 23. 9. Hos. 3. 5. Ezek. 16. 63. 1 Joh. 4. 10. God the Son is to be obeyed Mat. 17. 5. Gal. 1. 10. Heb. 5. 9. Tit. 2 14. 1 Joh. 3. 16 The subjection of Presbyters to Iesus Christ. The life of a Christian. All manner of obedience inward and outward due to Christ. Mat. 28. 19 20. Col. 3. 23 24. Tit. 2. 14. 1 Cor. 16. 22. Rev. 12. 11. Spirituall obedience due to the holy Spirit Mat. 28. 19. Act. 5. 3 4 32. 1 Cor. 3. 16. 17. 2 Cor. 13. 14. Rev. 1. 4. We are debters to the spirit The spirit is our Creator The spirit fits us for all services The spirit of Regeneneration and Adoption The Spirit fitted the man Christ to be our Mediatour christus est Messias Messiarum Christus Christorum Joh. 20. 31. Dona ista absoluteÌ„ in se finita fuere sicut ipsa Christi natura finita est nostri tamen respectu sunt absque mensurâ Vide D. Alting exp Catech. part 2. pag. 170 171. Willfull disobedience to the spirit is a soule step towards the unpardonable sin Sincere obediense to the effectuall call of the spirit is a good evidence of our Election Comfort for such as find the spirit of Sanctification in them though they do not feele or beare the spirit of Adoption We should rejoyce in and be thankefull for our obedience to the Spirit Rom. 14. 17. The right manner of Obedience to God Psal. 101. 2 8. Zach. 12. 12 13. 14. Act. 26. 18 Heb. 9. 14. 2 Pet. 1 3 4. Eph. 3. 19. Joh. 6. 29. Eph. 6. 16. Act. 15. 9. 1 Joh. 4. 16 19. Magnes amoris amor 1 Tim. 1. 5. James 2 5. 1 Joh. 5. 3 4. 1 Cor. 8. 6. 1 Cor. 12. 6 11. 1 Chro. 28. 9. 1 Tim. 1. 5. The whole mystery of the co-essentiall Trinunity reduced to Practice The Evangelicall Ministry The grand mystery of our Election by Father Son and Holy Ghost reduced to Practice Sicut ergo caetera praedicanda sunt ut qui ea praedicat obedienter audiatur ita praedestinationem suo tempore loco praedicandam esse ut qui obedienter haec audit non in homine ac per hoc nec in seipso sed in Domino glorietur Aug de â—ono persev l. 2. c. 24. Frustra ignorantium auribus ingeris nos Liberum Arbitrium condemnare imò verò damnetur ille qui damnat Hieron ad Cresiphontem Eph. 1. 3 4 5 13. ver Col. 3. 12. Joh. 15. 16. 2 Tim. 1. 9. * Quoties Deinomen Indefinite ponitur non minus Filium Spiritum quà m Patrem designat retineatur uâ—itas essentiae habeatur ratio ordinis calvin instit lib. 1. cap. 13. sect 20. Joh. 14. 10. Joh. 15. 26. Joh. 10. 30. 1 Joh. 5. 7. Colos. 3. Pia sanctorum vigilantia non est ex ipsorum arbitrio sed ex dono gratiae in ipsis per gratiae media exuscitato Colos. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Coloss 4. 12. Confitemur neminem immeritò perdi neminem meritò liberari Prosp. The Epistle to the Ephesians Fides est medium ad salutem tamen ipsius electionis Effectus Impius sensus qui putat beatiorem esse hominem cui Deus nihil dedecit quam cui universaâ— in Christo per Spiritum Sanctum secunâ—um electionem â—ratuitam 〈◊〉 i◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 11 5 7 Mat. 20. 16 Matth. 24. 22 24. electi sumus non meriti prae rogativâ non fati necessiâ—are non teâ—â—ritate fâ—rtunae sed altiâ—dine divitiarum sapientiae scientiae Dei quam non aperit sed clausam miratur Apostolus Aug. Prosper Eulgentius The Epistle to the Romans Amori Patris aeterno gratiaeque Spiritus singulari nobiâ— in Christo destinatae totum Salutis adscriptum videmus in Epistols ad Romanos Contumeliam reddit justitia honorem donat indebitum gratia Aug. Epist. 105. Epist. 59. de bono Persev Ench. ad Laur. Pros. * Ephes. 5. 9. The fruits of the Spirit are marks of our election The first Epistle to the Thessalonians Quae sit liberae discretionis in concilio Dei causa supra facultatem humanae cognitionis inquiritur sine fidei diminutione nescitur modo con fiteamur neminem immeritò perdi nemineÌ„ meritò liberari The second Epistle of Timothy 2 Tim. 1. 9. Si omnes liberarentur lateret quid peccato per justitiaÌ„ deberetur si nemo quid gratia largiretur August Ep. 105. II. our Creation Gen. 1. 2. 1 Cor. 8. 6. Job 33. 4. Job 26. 13. Ps. 104. 30 John 1. 3. III. Providence Zec. 4. 6 7. Sam. 10. 6 2 Cor. 3. 6. Luk. 1. 35. IV. The Fall 1 Cor. 1. 9. 1 Joh. 1. 3 1 Cor. 13. 14. Rom. 15 16. 1 Thess. cap. 1. 5. Gal. 5. 5. Titus 3. 5 6 7. 1 Cor. 6 11 Ephes. 5. 25 26 27. verses Gal. 1. 3 4. Act. 26. 18 1 Pet. 1. 18 19 22 23. verses Rom. 5. 6. 8 10. Eph. 1. 13. Rom. 8. 16 Rom. 8. 15. Gal. 4. 6. 1. Hearing the Word Baptisme The Lords Supper 1 Cor. 10. 16. 1 Cor. 11. 24 25. 2 Cor. 13. 14. Prayer The Lords day The Businesse
my self my Being is absolutely necessary every way perfect altogether pure single and infinite I do therefore conclude as Hierome That the very nature of God is being it selfe and therefore he ever was and cannot cease to be he cannot borrow his Being from any thing who gives Being and wel-being to all things The absolute and independent necessity of the Divine-Being doth demonstrate its eternity and therefore all the differences of time are untied by the Talmudists to connote the Eternity of God in that text Exod. 3. 14. according to that excellent Commentary made by the Apostle Rev. 1. 8. God is the Almighty which is and which was and which is to come Hence it is that some have thought fit to translate that text Exod. 3. 14. according to the full scope of the Future amongst the Hebrews I am that I am that I was and that I will be For the Future amongst the Hebrews points at all differences of time past present and to come but others observing the strict and proper signification of the Future translate it thus I will be that I will be The Angel of the waters doth unite all differences of time in that gratefull acknowledgement Rev. 16. 5. Thou art righteous O Lord which art and wast and shalt be because thou hast judged thus And Iesus Christ who is one and the same God with his father is the same yesterday and to day and for ever Heb. 3. 8. The Rabbines upon Exod. 3. 14. expresse themselves after this manner The blessed God said unto Moses say unto them I that have been and I the same now and I the same for time to come c. or as others more agreeable to the Chaldee Paraphrase I he that is and was and hereafter will be hath sent me unto you But enough of that it is now time to conclude that this first and independent Being cannot be measured in it self because it is infinite nor in its causes for it hath no causes but is from it self of it self by it self and for it self for as the Apostle saith All things are of him and through him and to him to him be glory for ever Amen CHAP. III. God hath sufficiently and graciously revealed himself in his holy word for our edification and salvation THis incomprensible God who is of himself and for himself cannot be made known to his creatures but by himselfe Men and Angels cannot know him any further then he is pleased to reveale himself unto them The word of God is pure and perfect it doth fully discover Gods mind and our duty The Scriptures direct us in all points of faith in all parts of worship and in all passages of our life and conversation there is the whole body of Religion and the only right way to salvation sufficiently and graciously revealed unto us by God himself for God is the Author Object End of true Religion and is the only happinesse and salvation of his chosen People and therefore God alone can direct us how to serve and enjoy his own blessed self in an acceptable and comfortable way for his glory and our own everlasting satisfaction The Jesuites tell us that the Scriptures are but a partiall Rule and that we must be beholding to some unwritten word or tradition for the proofe of some points which are necessary to be known and beleeved for our everlasting salvation Some instance in the Doctrine of the Trinity others in the Worship of the Holy Ghost The Papists do generally acknowledge that it is necessary for the attainment oâ— salvation to beleeve the number of the Persons of the Trinity and their consubstantiality because no man can be saved who doth not believe in the Father Son and Holy Ghost in all three as in the only true God one and the self same God blessed for ever but some of them deny that this mystery is sufficiently revealed in the written word and therefore I shall make it my businesse to confute them and all that adhere unto them in the following Treatise The saving knowledge of God in Christ is revealed by the Spirit speaking in the Scriptures of truth nay Father Son and Holy Ghost do all joyne in revealing to us the saving mystery of faith and godlinesse that by the grace of Christ the love of God and Communion of the Holy Ghost we may have a glorious fellowship with all three as one God the only true God whom to know is life eternall John 17. 3. we are taught by the father to come to Christ for salvation John 6. 45. we are taught by the son Iohn 1. 18. Heb. 1. 2. we are taught by the Spirit Heb. 3. 7. Rev. 2. 29. and 1 Iohn 5. 6. the Spirit doth beare witnesse after an especiall manner to this saving truth it is the spirit that beareth witnesse because the Spirit is truth yet all three and therefore the whole Trinity the Father the Son and the Holy Spirit do joyn in bearing record and their record is written for it stands upon Record in the Gospel and their Record is a saving Record and there can be no other Record produced to prove that Christ is our Saviour 1 Iohn 5. 7 11 12 13 20. Iohn 20 31. if we study the Scriptures beleeve apply them worship and act according to them we shall be saved by our faith in the written Trinity in Father Son and Holy Ghost without the help of any unwritten tradition whatsoever for the holy Scriptures are able to furnish the Man of God unto Perfection and make the simple wise unto salvation 2 Tim. 3. 15 16 17. Cyrill in his Book of the Trinity and Person of Christ put forth not long since by Wegeline saith that he would not speak or think any thing of God but what is written in his Word Clemens Alexandrinus saith that we ought to make good every point in question by the Word of God because that is the surest nay that 's the only Demonstration he speaks of Theologicall Demonstration nothing can be embraced with a divine faith but that which is delivered to us upon Divine Testimony and we are to seek for the Testimony of God nowhere but in the written Word of God and therefore Basil disputes after this manner Whatsoever is not in the written Word of God is not of faith and whatsoever is not of faith is sin and therefore it is a sin to obtrude any Doctrine upon the conscience as an Article of faith which is not written in the Word of God Putean is bold to say that if Basil his meaning was according to his words he was a Hugonot that is as we use to say a Puritane When I read what the Papists write on this Argument I stand amazed at their blasphemies and am unwilling to stain my paper with the repetition of them they who have read Canus Hosius Costerus Eckius Gautierus Charronaeus Stapleton and the rest of that
This only true God who is God by nature doth subsist And if we will seek after him we shall finde that he doth not subsist very far from any of us Act. 17. 27. But the Godhead doth not subsist out of the Father Sonne and Holy Ghost For all the fulnesse of the self-same Godhead is in every one of the three and therefore the name of God is attributed to every one of the three in holy Writ 1. To the Father Rom. 7. 25. Rom 8. 3. 2. To the Sonne Act. 20. 28. Tit. 2. 13. 1 Tim. 3. 16. 1 Tim. 6 15 16. 3. To the Holy Ghost Act. 5. 3 4. Ps. 95. 3. 8 9 compared with Heb. 3. 1 Cor. 3. 16 17 Heb. 1. 1. compared with 2 Pet. 1. 21. 1 Cor. 12. 5 6. And when the name of God is specially attributed to the Father in regard of order and that gracious dispensation which is by consent of all three vouchsafed for our salvation the Son and Spirit are not excluded as we shall prove at large in this very Chapter 1. The eternal Godhead doth subsist in the Father for we read of his subsistence Heb. 1. 3. Christ is the expresse image of his Fathers subsistence or person as we do commonly translate the word but I do not hear that any but grosse Atheists have been so bold as to deny the subsistence of God the Father and therefore I need not superadde any thing to so plaine a Text. 2. The same Godhead doth subsist in the Lord Jesus who is equall to the Father because he doth subsist in the nature of God Phil. 2. 6. The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is best rendred subsisting in that place because there is a comparison there between two subsistences or persons the Father and the Son and therefore the Son counts it no robbery to be equal with the Father because he subsists in the nature of God He hath the same Divine nature the same Godhead with the Father all the fulnes of the Godhead dwells truly really bodily in the Son for Body is opposed to shadow Nay it may be rendred thus The Godhead dwels personally in the Son for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth many times signifie a person and therefore some learned men take 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be as much as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All the fulnesse of the Godhead dwells really in the subsistence or person of the Son Col. ◠9. Christ is the illustrious brightnesse of his Fathers glory the lively character of his Fathers subsistence or person Heb. 1. 3. Christ is not the character of his own subsistence but of his Fathers subsistence and therefore the Sonne hath a peculiar subsistence distinct from the subsistence of his Father Christ is the expresse image of his Fathers person and therefore the person of the Son is distinct from the person of the Father for no person is the image or character of it self Concerning the word Subsistence or Person I shall speak fully in the two next Chapters and make it evident that the Divine subsistences or Persons do infinitely excell the subsistences or persons of Men and Angels In the mean time I shall clearly prove that the Godhead doth subsist in the Son and Holy Spirit The Godhead doth subsist in Jesus Christ who was before the beginning Ioh. 1. 1. Was doth note what is past therefore had his being before the begining of time And that his eternall being is a divine being is clear because eternal and because it is not only said that he was with God before the beginning but he was God and therefore it doth clearly follow that Iesus Christ is the same eternall God with his Father for it is impossible that there should be more then one God as I shall clearly demonstrate before I conclude this Chapter I wonder at the impudent blasphemy of some who pretend to be Saints in these dayes of errour and vanity and yet are bold to affirm that they themselves are as well and as truly God as Jesus Christ because it is said that they have their being in God Act. 17. 28. are partakers of the Divine nature 2 Pet. 1. 4. and are one with Christ Joh. 17. 21 22 23 26. I shall intreat the men of this perswasion to consider that Jesus Christ is over all God blessed for ever Rom. 9. 5. God manifest in the flesh 1 Tim. 3. 16. The blessed and only Potentate the King of kings and Lord of lords who only hath immortality c. to whom honour and power everlasting is ascribed 1 Tim. 6. 16. He is the great God Tit. 2. 13. The true God 1 Joh. 5. 20. Dares any mortall man lay claime to these titles and this honour To which of the Saints or Angels did God say at any time Thou art my sonne the heire of all things the illustrious brightnesse of my glory and lively character of my person Thy throne O God is for ever and ever and all the Angels of God shall worship thee Heb. 1. These things are so cleare and plain that I am even almost ashamed to write more upon this Argument and yet I am encouraged and even provoked to proceed Jesus Christ was the Wonderfull Child a Child and yet a Father the Father of Eternity a Child and yet a Councellour the wisest of all Counsellours for he is Wisedome it self a Child and yet a God a mighty God Isa. 9. 6. Certainly this one Text is sufficient to put them to the blush who presume to compare themselves with the Lord Jesus the mighty God Iehovah is a Title proper and peculiar unto God Isa. 43. 11 12. Jehovah is the only Saviour the only God Psal. 83. 18. That men may know that thou whose name alone is Iehovah art the most High over all the earth But the Lord Christ is Jehovah and therefore the Lord Christ is God Jehovah sits on a Throne in majesty and glory Isa. 6. 1 3 5 8. but the Lord Christ is this Iehovah as the Apostle assures us Ioh. 12. 41 42 The Lord Christ is that Iehovah to whom every knee must bow as appears by comparing Isa. 45. 21 22 23 24 25. with Rom. 14. 9 10 11 12. and Phil. 2. 6 9 10 11. The like is cleare by comparing Psal. 102. 19. 22 25 26. with Heb. 1. 10 11 12. Once more compare Num. 14. 26 27. with 1 Cor. 10. 9 10. Num. 21. 6. And hence it is that Christ is so gloriously described Rev. 1. 5 6 7 8. He is Alpha and Omega the beginning and the ending which is which was and which is to come the Almighty And therefore he is Jehovah For the Apostle doth in that place and so to the end of that Chapter insist upon these and the like expressions which do comprise in them the sense and meaning of that divine and glorious Title of Iehovah I might farther insist upon this argument and
are required to give to God the Father Ioh. 5. 23. 4. Examples every way warrantable because agreeable to these precepts are frequent in the Word Act. 7. 59. 60. 1 Cor. 1. 2. Rev. 22. 20. 5. Baptisme is administred in the name and to the honour of Christ Mat. 28. 17. 18 19 20. 6. At the day of Judgement every knee must bow to him and acknowledge him to be equall to his Father Isa. 45 21 22 23 24. 25. compared with Rom. 14. 10 11 12. Phil. 2. 6 9 10 11. 7. All that are justified do believe in him and they who do believe in him shall not be ashamed Rom. 3. 25 26. 1 Pet. 2 6 7. 8. The Apostolicall benediction so often repeated in the Epistles From whence I argue since God will not give his glory to another because he is true Isa. 48. 11. and cannot because he is just it followes that though Christ be a distinct person yet he is not a distinct God from his Father but one and the same God with him God blessed for ever Much more might be produced upon this argument That which hath been said is abundantly sufficient if God set it home upon our spirits by his own Spirit but if men will not be perswaded by these Scriptures neither would they be perswaded though one should rise from the dead In the next place I am to demonstrate the Divine Nature Person Titles Attributes Works Worship of the Holy Ghost 3. The same eternall Godhead doth subsist in the Holy Ghost who is God blessed for ever The Holy Ghost is a spirituall and infinite substance subsisting with peculiar properties and acting according to the counsel of his divine will The Apostle having distinguished betweene the Spirit and the gifts of the Spirit shews that the Spirit it selfe That one Spiris l That one and self-same Spirit doth work and distribute all those excellent gifts according as he pleases 1 Cor. 12. 4. Now 1. these particularising and indigitating terms That one that same Spirit 2. The wiâ—â— of the Spirit 3. The discriminating energâ— or efficacy of the Spirit do all demonstratâ— the subsistence of the Spirit peculiarity 〈◊〉 his Subsistence When the Spirit of truth 〈◊〉 come He will guide Iohn 16. 13. he saith noâ— It but He and therefore doth not speak 〈◊〉 an Attribute but a Person He c. which is the more to be observed because thâ— word in the originall which signifies Spiritâ— is of the Neuter gender and yet our Savior speaking of the Spirit saith He to point out the peculiar subsistence or person of the Spirit When He the Spirit of Truth c. Iohn 16. 13. and therefore we ought to take speciall notice of that expression and all those notes of particularity 1 Cor. 12. applyed to the Spirit do shew that he is a particular and undivided substance one Spirit the same Spirit the self same Spirit one and the self same Spirit 1 Cor. 12. form the 4. v. to the 12. And that this spirituall particular undivided substance is a divine substance is evident because it is said that the same Spirit who doth work all in all is the same Lord and the same God 1 Cor. 12. 5 6. and Lord in the new Testament doth answer to Iehovah in the old as hath been proved above in this very Chapter when Peter drew up a charge against Ananias he puts this question to him Why hath Sathan filled thy heart to lie to the holy Ghost thou hast not lyed unto men but unto God Act. 5. 3 4. The black and unpardonable sin is after a more speciall manner committed against the Godhead subsisting in the Holy Ghost and the peculiar office and dispensation of the Holy Ghost then against the Father or the Son and that sin is in some respects pronounced the most grievous sin Mat. 12. 32. If the Holy Ghost were only the Power of God as Socinians love to dream that sin would not be so highly aggravated for it is not the highest and foulest aggravation of sin to say it is committed against the Power of God The Father Son and Spirit have but one Power as they have one and the same nature and therefore the Father is said to work in the Son and by the Spirit and hence it is that Christ is called the Power of God 1 Cor. 1. 24. and the Holy Ghost is called the Power of the most High Luk. 1. 35. because the Power of the Father who is called the most High in opposition to the highest of creatures doth reside in is exercised and made manifest by the Holy Ghost and especially manifested in that Omnipotent Work of the Conception of our Lord and Saviour the very shadow of the Holy Ghost makes a Virgin to conceive this miracle speaks him God The Holy Ghost is Jehovah the great God and King above all Gods as is evident by comparing Psal. 95. 3 6 7 8 9. with Heb. 3. 7 9. The Spirit of Iehovah is the God of Israel 2 Sam. 23. 2 3. The People rebelled against Jehovah and tempted him in the Wildernesse Deut. 6. 16. Numb 14. 26 27. Deut. 9. 7 24. now that is meant of tempting and rebelling against the Holy Ghost as well as against God the Father and Jesus Christ as is cleare if you compare Isa. 63. 10. Heb. 3. 7 9. with the places alledged The Holy Ghost is that Jehovah who made the New Covenant with his chosen People Ierem. 31. 31. compared with Heb. 10. 15 16. The Holy Ghost is that Jehovah who spake by Isaiah the Prophet compare Isa. 6. 8 9. with Acts 28. 25 26. we might argue in like manner from Levit. 19. 2. c. compared with Heb. 9. 7 8. and severall other places Num 12. 6. Heb. 1. 1 2 Pet. 1. 21. 1 Cor. 12. 5 6. The Omnipotence of the Spirit is clearly proved because he worketh all in all according to the counsell of his Will and worketh miracles which transcend not only the common course and order but the whole power of nature 1 Cor. 12. 6 9 10 11. such are the raising of the dead Rom. 8. 11. the regeneration and sanctification of our souls Tit. 3. 5. 1 Cor. 6. 11. and therefore he is called the Holy Ghost because the Father and the Son do according to Divine dispensation sanctify us by the operation of the Holy Ghost Moreover the Holy Ghost did teach the Prophets and Apostles and lead them into all truth he overshadowed the Virgin c. Iohn 16. 13. Acts 2. 4. 1 Pet. 1. 11. and 2 Pet 1. 21. The holy Ghost is the great God and Creatour of all things Psal. 93. 3. 5. Heb. 3. The Holy Ghost is Omniscient for he knowes the deep things of God and the secrets of men he inspired the Prophets and Apostles and moved them to reveale the mysteries of faith and godlines 1 Cor. 2. 10. 11. and 1 Pet. 1. 11. 2
when it is used on this occasion upon this subject we may after so many disputes about this Argument easily understand the proper and consecrated importance of the word We may take warning by the mistakes of others and avoid those rocks on which others have suffered shipwrack Some who understand that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 did signifie essence were offended with such as said there were three Hypostases in God because according to that signification of the word to say that there are three Hypostases in God is to say that there are three Essences in God and consequently that there are three Gods It is readily acknowledged that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth sometimes signifie the nature or essence of a thing not the generical or specifical nature in their latitude and abstract universality but the nature truly existing and subsisting in the world This acception of the word may all things duly considered and soberly expounded be admitted with some grains of allowance for the infinite difference which is between created and uncreated Subsistents For if Hypostasis be described in concreto for which we have with invincible reason contended all along this Chapter then Hypostasis doth connote the Divine Nature and signifies not an Abstract Subsistence but a Complete Subsistent When I say that Jesus Christ is the Character of his Fathers Subsistence I do not as I have formerly shewn understand it thus that Jesus Christ is the Character of his Fathers Abstract Personality but he is the Character of God the Father I take in the Divine Nature But you must then consider that the glory of the Trinunity must be preserved in this acception for there is not a new nature in every one of the Three but the Divine nature which is connoted in these three Hypostasâ—s is the very same there is the glory of the Mysterie which dazles the eye of carnal reason And therefore whatever we say on this argument must be taken cum granosalis and expounded 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because of the infinite difference between a finite and infinite nature and between created and uncreated persons as I shall God willing shew at large before I conclude this Chapter Three Persons may and do subsist in one and the same Infinite Nature and therefore though eâ—ery Hypostasis doth connote the Divine nature yet all â— here connote one and the same infinite nature in which all three Persons do subsist To subsist is as Aristotle the great Interpreter expounds it to have the most perfect manner of Being by it self that a Substance the best of Beings can attain to and it is very proper to say that the Father Son and Holy Ghost have the most perfect manner of Subsistence in the Divine nature that is or can be The Divine Nature considered with all Absolute Relative Perfection in Father Son and Holy Ghost doth most truly properly and perfectly subsist for there are three illustrious Subsistences in that one undivided infinite Nature and therefore the Godhead thus considered doth subsist 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Singular substances have the most perfect subsistence A Spirit is the most perfect Substance God is the most single and singular Substance and he is the only Infinite â—pirit the best of Spirits and therefore he must needs have the most perfect Subsistence Every single Person is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and therefore I will be bold to inferre that these three Persons only do perfectly subsist by themselves though in one another for they have one Independent Spiâ—itual Infinite Nature which is of it self and is complete in it self because Infinite in Perfection and therefore contains all absolute and Relative perfection in it self but when we speak of the Relative perfection we speak of three in one because the Relative properties are distinctive and when we treat of the Absolute perfection we speak of One in Three one Essence in three Persons who do all three subsist with their Relative and Incommunicable properties in that most perfect and single Essence This is that Divine Trinunity which contains all Absolute and Relative Perfection And therefore hath the most perfect and excellent Subsistence that is or can be Finally though these three Persons do mutually subsist in one another yet they are said to subsist by themselves 1. Because these Persons do not subsist in one another as Accidents do exist in a Subject for Accidents exist in another because of their imperfection but these subsist in one another because of their perfection because they have the same single infinite nature and are one infinite and omnipresent Spirit 2. They subsist mutually in one another the Father subsists in the Son Ioh. 14. 10 11. as well as the Son in the Father and therefore this subsisting in one another doth not argue any imperfection but doth demonstrate the infinite perfection of all Three Subsistents but there is no mutuall inexistence of an accident in a subject and a subject in that accident or any other 3. These three Subsistents have one and the same spirituall independent infinite nature which is complete of it self and in it self and the whole Creation doth not afford one Example to illustrate much lesse to parallel these three illustrious Subsistences in one undivided Nature And it is impossible it should for this one undivided Nature in which these three glorious Persons do subsist is an infinite nature and there can be but one Infinite and therefore the Socinians seem to have lost what they do so much idolize their Reason when they desire us to illustrate this Mysterie by an Example 4. These three Subsistents are Coequal because Coessential The Fathers upon some of these considerations did agree to use the phrase of three Hypostases and one Essence though the word Hypostasis was not so plain and familiar at first especially to Latine eares and therefore Hierome complains that some were too rigorous in imposing that word without expounding of it to such whose judgment was Orthodox though their skill but small in the Greek To conclude my discourse upon this word Subsistence be pleased to consider that we read of the Nature of God we read of the Subsistence of the Father and we read that these three Father Son and Holy Ghost are one having these two words Nature Subsistence in Scripture we are prompted by the Spirit speaking in the word to explain this Mystery thus The Father Son and Holy Ghost are three in Subsistence but one in Nature No Mystery can be explained with lesse Violence and more Sobriety for we are precise in keeping to the very words of Scripture in explaining this grand Mystery to the plainest of men and therefore they were sentenced of old that did not beleeve this plain truth IX We have no reason to be offended with the Vse of the word Person when we treat of this Argument if
which are two of the Affections of Ens are distinguished by their severall and peculiar relations Truth hath relation to the understanding and Goodnesse to the will The Father Son and Holy Ghost are known to be distinguished by their severall and peculiar relations and if it be not unreasonable to say that there is in Entity three affections and two relations in ente simplicissimo without any Composition in or Multiplication of the Entity why should it seem unreasonable or at least why should it seem incredible that there are three subsistences and severall relations in the Godhead without any composition in or multiplication of the Godhead 9. One affection nay all the affections in abstracto do but inadaequately represent Ens unlesse you take notice of the Entity it self as well as the three Affections One single Subsistence nay all three Subsistences in abstracto do but inadaequately represent God unlesse you take notice of the Godhead in which they subsist and therefore this praecisive abstraction of the Subsistences from the Divine nature is but an inadaequate conceit of God as hath been demonstrated above in this very Chapter for we must not dream of a Trinity of Modes but assert and believe the glorious and Coessential Trinunity The Father is truly God that God who is the only true God but the Father alone doth not adaequately represent God to us as he is described in the Holy Scriptures It is true that the Divine Essence is by the Subsistence of the Father adaequately the Father but as God is represented by that Divine subsistence only he is not Deus Trinunus he is not Father Son and Holy Ghost the Father alone is not all those three Witnesses who are one God And therefore the acute Socinians with their precise abstractions do but suggest an inadaequate conceit of God that only true God whom we worship doth not subsist only in the Person of the Father We worship God subsisting with all Absolute and Relative Perfection in Father Son and Holy Ghost for these three are that one God who is the only true God blessed for ever This is the adaequate representation of God in the Scriptures of truth And we are resolved to regulate all our Metaphysical notions by the holy Scriptures that we may make the highest of Sciences to acknowledge the supremacie of that Divine science which is nowhere to be learnt but in the Word of God for the purest reason must be elevated by the Word and Spirit of God for the discovery of this mysterie 10. These affections of Ens represent the manner of that Being which Ens hath as it is transcendently confidered and the three Divine Subsistences do represent that manner of Being which God hath as he is most transcendently considered namely as subsisting after the most glorious manner with all Absolute and Relative Perfection It is the manner of a transcendent Entity to be one and true and good and it is the manner of Gods being to be one God in three Subsistences These three are one single God there is no Composition or Multiplication imaginable in this single and infinite being I was bold to adventure upon this enquiry because so many reverend learned Orthodox and pious Doctours of the Church have declared that the Divine Essence differs from the Divine subsistences as the manner of the thing doth from the thing it self and the Persons differ from one another tanquam modi a modis I conceived that there was something more in the expression then was commonly known Moreover I considered that if there might be so great simplicity or singlenesse in a Created and finite Entity notwithstanding there are three affections and two relations which do affect that Entity it seemed to me somewhat easie to beleeve that there are three subsistences in one infinite Godhead without any composition in or multiplication of the single Godhead Finally I perceive that some youthfull towring wits are drawn away from the simplicity of the Gospel by some froathy speculations presented to them as most sublime curiosities and Metaphysicall notions and therefore I humbly submit what hath been said to the judgement of the learned and conclude this discourse with the same prayer wherewith Augustine shuts up his books of the Trinity Domine Deus unus Deus Trinitas quaecunque dixi in hoc libro de tuo agnoscant et tui si quid de meo et tu ignosce tui O Lord who art one God O God who art a whole Trinity of Persons in the Godhead what ever I have said in this discourse of thine let all that are thine acknowledge what ever I have said of mine own Lord let it be pardoned by thee and thine II. Concerning the Attributes of God we may observe that they are al perfect glorious infinite because they do signifie and declare the infinite Perfection Happinesse Majesty and glory of God and to speak higher yet these glorious Attributes though they be very many are nothing else but the single undivided indivisible Essence of God we may be instructed but are even confounded with the glory of this mystery There are three reasons why we do not readily apprehend this truth 1. The defect of words to expresse it especially in English but indeed the most rich and copious languages are onely happy in the confession of their penury when we come to treat of this argument because the mystery of the Godhead doth transcend all our eloquence and teaches us to admire and adore with silence what we cannot expresse without a manifest demonstration of our ignorance 2. The imperfect manner of signifying is easie to be observed in our most significant words and therefore we must confesse that the Excellency of God doth transcend the significancy of the most significant words in the most rich and copious tongues 3 The imperfection of our own understanding and of our manner of apprehending and judging of things whiles we are in the body If any man desire to know a reason why he cannot readily apprehend these divine Mysteries let him consider the perfection of the mystery and the imperfection of his own reason he hath a sufficient reason a reason from whence he may draw a most invincible argument against idolizing of his own reason so far as to make his reason judge of the mysteries of faith Let us then prudently consider that we are not able to apprehend the infinite and impartible Essence of God but as it were by parts by many incomplete and inadaequate conceits and apprehensions The most profound and serious schoolmen have fairely expressed this truth there are not say they many Attribut all Perfections nay there is but one Perfection in God for all the Essentiall Attributes of God are nothing else but that single and undivided Essence which is singularly and altogether the same Essence in all three subsistences Nay to speak properly the Divâ—ne
to be God who cannot cease to be God but hath life in himselfe as well as the Father Iohn 5. 20. and hath the self-same divine life divine nature divine power which the Father hath and therefore the Schools conclude well that the Father and the Son have the same power but with a different relation but these different relations do not superadd a new Essence a new divine Nature and they who have the same Essence must needs have the same power because the Power of God is not distinguished from the Essence of God and the Father doth communicate the same Essence and Power which the Son receives 5. There is the same reason of the Son and Holy Ghost for these three are equall nay one Essentially one one God with the most perfect kind of unity as hath been shewen and some that are Metaphysical acknowledge that nothing is simply one but that which is most 〈…〉 and nothing is most singly 〈◊〉 but God who hath nothing in himself but that which is himself Aristotle discoursing of six kinds of unity saith that things may be said to be one 1. in respect of Continuity because they are one Continued body 2. In respect of their Subject as two accidents in the same subject 3. Because they are under the same Genus 4. Because they are of the same Species 5. Because they have the same definition but then he concludes that all these are but imperfect kinds of unity if compared with the last unity which is 6. When a thing is one in respect of its single and indivisible Essence Now the Father and Son are one Iohn 10. 30. The Father Son and holy Ghost are one 1 Iohn 5. 7. and they are one after the most perfect manner they are one in respect of the most single and indivisible Essence because the divine Essence is most single and perfectly one And therefore since Essence and Power are not distinguished in God it followes undenyably that these three who have one Essence have one and the same power but with different properties and relations This truth will be more evident when we have discoursed of the distinction of these three divine persons of which we are to treat in the next Chapter VI. Created Persons have a different place and presence but Uncreated Persons are omnipresent they cannot be separated or divided from one another in respect of place or presence but do subsist in one another The Father did beget the Son in the unity of the divine nature and the Son doth subsist in the nature of God Phil. 2. 6. and all three persons subsisting in the same single omnipresent nature they must needs subsist in one another The divine nature of the Father is in the Son and therefore the Father is in the Son the divine nature of the Son is in the Father and therefore the Son is in the Father and the like may be said of the Holy Ghost for the divine nature of the Holy Ghost is in the Father and the Son These three glorious persons are distinguished from one another and yet they do subsist in one another They do subsist in one another without any contraction commixtion or confusion as Damascen taught the Schoolmen to speak when Philip desired Christ to show him the Father our Saviour answers He that hath seene me hath seene the Father John 14. 9. because he is the Image of his Fathers Person and the illustrious brightnes of his Fathers glory nay because the nature of his Father is in him and the person of his Father is in him and therefore he calls upon Philip to beleeve that his Father is in him Iohn 14. 10 Beleevest thou not that I am in the Father and the Father in me as if he had said I wonder you should not beleeve this truth it is a special Article of your faith if you be a Christian and it is a very plaine Article for you have some sensible Arguments to confirme your faith in this point both from my words and from my works you may hear the Father speaking in me and see my Father working in me The words that I speak unto you I speak not of my selfe but the Father that dwelleth in me he doth the works Joh. 14. 10. And then he presses the point home upon him by a Peremptory Injunction in the 11. verse Beleeve me that I am in the Father and the Father in me or else beleeve me for the very works sake Philip might hear what was truly divine in the saving words of Christ and see what was divine in the miraculous works of Christ and by the words and works and Spirit of Christ making both effectuall he might be brought to beleeve this necessary point that the Nature of God the Father and the Person of God the Father is in Christ. Give me leave to insist upon this point for there is more in it then we can well observe at first view and therefore our Saviour did presse this point home very frequently and require that men would expressely beleeve it Iohn 10. 38. beleeve the works but to what end Why that yee may know and beleeve that the Father is in me and I in him This is the end of Christs working so many miracles amongst them to bring them to beleeve that he and the Father did mutually subsist in one another Credite operibus beleeve my works saith he they speak me to be God and the Son of God and therefore I am not guilty of blasphemy because I say I am the Son of God and equall to God for I am God I and my Father are one God and if you beleeve that I and my Father are one God you must beleeve that I am in the Father and the Father in me This is the summe and substance of our Saviours discourse from the 25. verse of the tenth chapter of Iohn to the 39. verse of that chapter and our Saviour did enter into this discourse at the request of the Jewes who came round about him and desired him not to hold them in suspence any longer but to tell them plainly whether he were the Christ or no. John 10. 24. all then who beleeve Jesus Christ to be the Christ the true Messiah the onely Saviour and an all sufficient Saviour must beleeve confesse and acknowledge this truth That the Father is in Christ and Christ in the Father From what hath been spoken it is clear and evident that this is a point of life and death as we say a fundamentall point a point necessary to salvation and therfore our Saviour did so often insist upon it In the 8th of Iohn our Saviour tells them more then once that he was not alone and therefore his testimony of himselfe was not a single testimony but his Father who was with him and in him did bear witnes with him and of him John 8. 16. for I
which keepeth truth for ever read and consider the six first verses of the 146. Psalme there is a great Emphasis in the sixth verse which keepeth truth for ever O let us declare it to the following generation that â—his God is our God for ever and ever and he will be our guide even unto death Psal. 48. 13 14. Happy it is for us that we are redeemed by the pretious bloud of Christ who offered up himself by by his eternall spirit his divine and eternal Nature Heb 9. 14. that he might bring in everlasting righteousnesse Dan. 9. 24. obtaine eternall redemption and purchase an eternall inheritance for us Heb. 9. 12. 15. Happy thrice happy it is for us that we are born of incorruptible seed which will abide in us for ever for we are born of the eternall spirit who will perfect his work in us and be our everlasting Comforter Finally all three uncreated Persons will be our all-sufficient and satisfactory portion and reward for ever-more IX Three Created persons have different actions and operations because they have different singular natures different powers c. as hath been shewen in this very chapter All actions of Father Son and Holy Ghost upon the creatures are undivided nay indivisible how Personall Actions ad infra differ I am to declare at large in the next chapter where I am to shew how these three glorious persons who cannot be divided are truly distinguished from one another onely before I conclude this chapter it will be requisite to note that though the Son cannot be said to beget himself yet he is not Passive in that eternall generation as hath been proved above the divine nature which is communicated to the Son by generation is the nature of the Son as well as of the Father the Father doth necessarily beget the Son in the power of that Nature and in the unity of that self-same single and indivisible Nature and that divine Nature which is communicated to the Son is not begotten by the Father but is of it self and therefore we say that Christ is God of himself though he be not a Son of himself but of the Father by eternall generation because the Father is the first principle of subsisting life I might proceed to treat of other differences that common Rule Actiones sunt suppositorum is true of divine actions and uncreated Persons but it is manifest that there are many actions of the soule of man both when it is in a state of union with and when it is in a state of separation from the body which cannot be properly and truly called actions of a person but I shall not descend so low as to take notice of such differences The nine differences which have been insisted on are all considerable And from them all we may safely conclude that the word Subsistence or Person cannot be attributed after the same maner to God Angels and men A divine Person is a Spirituall and Infinite Subsistent which must not be considered as abstracted from but as Subsisting in the Divine Nature and as related to those other Coessentiall persons from which he is sufficiently distinguished by some Personall and Incommunicable property And therefore Subsistence is attributed to God after the most excellent and glorious manner A Person signifies the most excellent kind of Subsistent an understanding subsistent as hath been shewen but then an uncreated person a divine person doth infinitely excell and transcend the person of the most glorious Angel in Heaven and therefore we must remove all those imperfections from our thoughts which are in created persons when we meditate or discouse of these divine and uncreated persons that we may think and speak according to the Analogy of faith CHAP. VII The three Vncreated Divine and Coessentiall Subsistents are sufficiently distinguished though they cannot be divided WE are now come to treat of that profound Mystery at which men and Angels stand amazed How can three be one saith the Disputer of this world or one be three Can one be distinguished again and again from himself O bold fools saith Athanasius Why do you not lay aside your curiosity and enquire no farther after a Trinity then to beleeve that there is a Trinity The Scripture saith there is but one God and the Scripture saith that the Father Son and Holy Ghost are this one God and yet the Scripture saith that the Father Son and Holy Ghost are three three and yet one three Persons and yet one God We have shewen above that the Godhead cannot be multiplyed now we are to shew that the Persons are distinguished and what kind of distinction there is between these three divine and uncreated Persons 1. These divine and uncreated Persons are sufficiently distinguished to our apprehension who ought to judge beleeve speak worship according to the Word of God 2. These uncreated Persons were truly distinguished from one another before there was any Scripture any world for the Coexistencie and distinction of these glorious Persons is eternall and therefore this distinction cannot be grounded upon the mere phrase of Scripture it is the true intent of God in severall plain expressions of Scripture to declare unto us the distinction of these divine and uncreated Persons I shall prove this point fully and clearly by certain steps and degrees 1. These uncreated Persons have distinct and proper names in the Word of God The Father the Son or the Word and the Holy-Ghost or Spirit Now that we may not be Tritheites or Sabellians let us consider that these three names do not signifie three different Natures and yet they do signifie three different Persons for it is evident that one Person cannot be praedicated of another the Father is not the Son nor is the Son the Father the Holy Ghost is not either of them nor is either of them the Holy Ghost and therefore they are three distinct Persons of the Godhead 2. These Uncreated Persons are Coequall and therefore they are distinct It is most absurd to say that the same Person is equall to himself But the Son is said to be equall to the Father Philip. 2. therefore the Son is not the Father We do usually say that the Father Son and Holy Ghost are equall in power to note a distinction of Persons but then when we speak strictly we do not say the power of the Persons is equall but we say the power of the Persons is the same to note the unity of their Essence We say the Persons are equall in power goodnesse wisdome c. to note that one person doth not exceed another in degrees of wisdom power c. because it is impossible that there should be any degrees in that which is infinite and the power wisdome c. of all the three Persons is the same infinite perfection because all three have the same infinite Essence And therefore when we look upon Power in a common notion
Christ the Father and the Son breath forth the subsistence of the Spirit with one and the same spirati on When Christ breathed upon his Disciples he said Receive ye the Holy Ghost to shew that he had power to dispose of the Spirit who did from all eternity breath forth the Spirit The Holy Ghost was breathed forth necessarily by both I say necessarily because eternally there was a double and eternall necessity of it both in respect of the persons breathing and the person breathed The spirit was not breathed forth as a creature but as a divine person a person of the Godhead he was breathed forth by Procession and subsists in the unity of the Godhead he proceeds from both and yet in both for one divine person cannot subsist out of another but all three subsist in the same undivided and infinite nature But the Socinians tell us that the Holy Ghost is nothing else but the power and vertue of God the Father To which we answer That the Spirit is the natural vertue of the Father no more then he is the naturall vertue of the Son or of himself for the vertue of God is the essence of God the Holy Ghost is his own essence and all three persons have one and the same essence The Holy Ghost who proceedeth from the Father is called the Power of the Father Luke 1. 35. because the spirit works as he proceeds in order the Father works in the Son and by the Spirit But the Spirit who proceeds from the Father is distinguished from the Father the Spirit did not breath forth himself or proceed from himself The H. Ghost doth not speak of himself John 16. 13. but the Father speaks of himself because he is of himself he is begotten of none proceeds from none of the divine persons is sent by none of them The holy Ghost doth receive of Christ is sent by Christ therefore the Holy Ghost is not the Father but clearly distinguished from him Iohn 16. 14 15. Iohn 15. 26. Iohn 14. 16 17 Matth. 3. 16 17. Matth. 28. 19. 2 Cor. 13. 14. and in diverse other places The Father and the Spirit are personally distinguished but they are essentially one 1 Iohn 5. 7. they are one in Power Nature Will and yet are three Persons three Witnesses who deliver one and the same divine testimony The testimony of the Holy Ghost is as divine as the testimony of God the Father The Witnesse of God is greater verse 9. must refer to the Witnesse of the Father Word and Spirit verse 7. though the testimony of the Father be specially insisted on in the following words for all the three Witnesses in heaven give one and the same testimony and that testimony is divine The H. Ghost is the Spirit of God and the Spirit which is of God the Spirit of Elohim Gen. 1. 2. the Spirit of Jehovah Isa. 11. 2. the Spirit which is Jehovah and the God of Israel as hath been proved at large in the fourth chapter from the 31. page to the fortieth The distinction between the Father and the Spirit will be more evident when we come to treat of the personall properties The Socinians are so confounded in this point that they are forced to acknowledge that the Holy Ghost is no Accidentall vertue no finite substance no creature but the uncreated and substantiall vertue or power of God because whatsoever is in God is the substance of God as Eniedinus confesses And Smalcius acknowledges that it may be granted that the Holy Ghost is God because whatsoever is naturally in God may be called God But I shall prove that the Holy Ghost is not only God but a person of the Godhead distinct from the Father and the Son Jesus Christ is called the Power of God 1 Cor. 1. 24. and the Holy Ghost the Power of God Luke 1. 35 Luke 24 49. The Son is a distinct Person from the Father and the Holy Ghost is as the Ancients used to call him the Personall vertue or Power of the Father proceeding from the Father by whom he doth declare and put forth his power and therefore the Spirit is said to work and distrioute all gifts and graces as he will Father Son and Holy Ghost have one and the same Will and Power still we must bottome upon that truth These three are one 1 John 5. 7. That this Procession of the Holy Ghost is mysterious and for the manner of it unsearchable we do readily grant and therefore I shall not presume to define after what manner the Holy Ghost is breathed forth from the Father and the Son but we are sure that it cannot be any corporeall procession The Ancients did constantly distinguish between Procession and Generation but the eternall generation of Christ being spirituall the procession of the Spirit must needs be spirituall for the Spirit is not only Essentially a Spirit as the Father and God the Son are but he is Personally a Spirit The more perfect and spirituall this procession is the more evident it is that the Spirit was breathed forth in the unity of the Godhead They who say the Son doth proceed from the Father use that terme Proceed in a generall and very large signification but then they say that the Son did proceed by Generation the Spirit by Spiration thereby endeavouring to distinguish the manner of proceeding 2. They say the Son did proceed from the Father alone and therefore is aid to be sent by the Father only but the Holy Ghost did proceed from the Father and the Son both and therefore is said to be sent by the Son as well as the Father Luke 24. 49. Iohn 15. 26. Iohn 14. 26. Iohn 16. 14. but Christ is sent by the Father only because he is of the Father only and was not begotten of the Spirit and the Father is not sent by any because he is of himself hereby they endeavour to distinguish the Principle of these Divine processions 3. The Son did proceed as the second person the holy Ghost as the third person of the Godhead and hereby they endeavour to distinguish the order of these divine processions We know this divine procession is 1. Spirituall 2. Eternall because divine 3. Immutable this procession is not a change of the Spirit from not being to being or from an imperfect being to a more perfect being We know that procession cannot be a motion from one place to another for the Spirit is omnipresent fills all places and therefore cannot change its place 4. Necessary The Father and Son did from all eternity breath forth the Spirit in the unity of the Godhead not by any alienation of the Godhead from themselves but by an unspeakable communication of the same divine Nature to a third person of the Godhead And this communication is naturall and therefore necessary it is but not Involuntary the Father and Son did not breath forth the Spirit by any Coaction
or Compulsion and yet we cannot say that the Father and the Son did Arbitrarily or freely breath forth the Spirit as all three persons did create the world for they did create the world with such liberty and freedome as that they might not have created it but they did Naturally and necessarily breath forth the Spirit and could not but breath him forth this inward and personall Act is Naturall such is the perfection of the Godhead that it must needs be communicated to all three persons and such is the coessentiall unity of the Father Son and Holy Ghost as that all three do necessarily and naturally subsist in the self-same entire and infinite Godhead True it is that the will of God is the Nature of God but nature is a more comprehensive Word and therefore according to our manner of apprehension and in strictnesse of speech it is more proper to say that the Father and the Son did breath forth the Spirit by the perfection of their Nature then to say they breathed him forth of their own will or by some Arbitrary Decree for then it will follow that there might have been but two persons of and in the Godhead that the holy Spirit doth exist and subsist Contingently and by consequent that the Spirit is no person of the Godhead The acute Samosatenian whom learned Iunius confutes desired to know whether the Holy Ghost was produced by an action of the Will Iunius answers If you oppose the will of God to the nature of God we cannot say that the Spirit doth proceed from the Father and the Son by their will but by their nature because the Father Son and Spirit are Coessentiall for as the Father did beget his Naturall Son by his Nature so do the Father and the Son breath forth the coessentiall Spirit by their nature nor is it safe to say saith Iunius that the nature of the Father doth breath forth the Spirit by an action of his will but rather according to that manner the infinite distance being observed between what is humane and divine after which the will doth proceed in man and this saith he is but a weak resemblance of the Schools which we are not bound to defend For the Nature of God is pure single infinite and therefore we must not follow those resemblances too farre which are grounded upon the distinction of the understanding and the will in creatures because even that point is very disputable and the most single and perfect nature of God doth infinitely transcend the perfection of Angels I beleeve you are as I am willing to get out of the dark But enough of that for we read that the Saints are begotten by the will of God Iames 1. 18. But we must not conceive that Christ is begotten or the Spirit breathed forth after the same manner as we are regenerated the Spirit is breathed forth in a Connaturall and Coessentiall way in the unity of the single and entire Godhead but we are regenerated by the graces of God The spirit doth proceed equally from the Father and the Son for the unity of the divine nature and equality of divine persons cannot be maintained if that principle be denyed Peter Lombard and his adherents did mince the point with a very dangerous distinction that the Spirit doth proceed principally from the Father and lesse principally from the Son But it is clear evident that the Holy Ghost being a Coessential person hath the self-same divine nature and essence entirely communicated unto him which is in the Father and the Son without any Alienation of it from them or Multiplication of it in him and therefore the Spirit doth not proceed from the Father and Son as they stand in Relative opposition but as they are essentially and naturally one and therefore the Spirit did proceed from both equally aequè primò ac per se as we use to say The Spirit doth receive from Christ Iohn 16. 14 15. but the Spirit being God could not receive any thing but subsistence from the Father or the Son The Spirit doth glorifie the Son Iohn 16. 14. no otherwise then the Son as God doth glorifie the Father because the Son did receive his subsistence from the Father as the Spirit receives his subsistence from the Father and the Son We must carefully distinguish 1. Between the generation of the Son and procession of the holy Spirit though as we have shewen above the Son doth proceed if you take that word in a general notion The most exact Criticks wil not take upon them to distinguish between 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Yet because we want words to expresse our selves the reverend Doctors of the Church thought fit to appropriate Procession to the Holy Ghost for distinction sake and the Scripture saith that Christ is the only begotten Son of God God the Father is never called the Father of the H. Ghost nor is the H. Ghost called the Son of God Moreover the Schoolmen have given advantage to the enemies of the Trinity by discoursing of Divine Processions at large in a generall notion and for these reasons I did endeavorto distinguish the Procession of the Son from the Spirit in this Chapter in respect of the Manner Principle and order of Procession 2. We must carefully distinguish between the Eternall Procession of the Spirit and the Temporal Mission of the Spirit but the Natural and Eternal Procession of the Spirit may be evinced by the Temporal Mission of the Spirit The Greek Church doth acknowledge 1. that the Holy Ghost is God and 2. that he is one and the same God with the Father and the Son and from hence we infer 1. That the Son did not send the Spirit by way of Command as if he were greater then the Spirit 2. That the Son did not send the Spirit by way of Counsel and Advice as if he were wiser then the Spirit and therefore the only reason why he did Temporally send him is because the Spirit did Naturally and Eternally proceed from him and receive his glorious subsistence of him I might discourse more largely upon this subject but I consider what Athanasius Damascen and divers other reverend Divines who did long study these mysterious points have after many perplexed debates acknowledged The Son say they was begotten and the Spirit proceeded this we are sure of because it is written if you enquire after the manner how the one was begotten and how the other did proceed we answer that the Son was begotten and the Spirit did proceed eternally unchangeably unspeakably Those places of Scripture which are spoken of God in the Old Testament are said to be spoken of the Son and the Spirit in the New Testament and therefore do by consent of both Testaments declare that the Father Son and Holy Ghost are one and the same God for instance The sixth of Isaiah is spoken of Jehovah the God of Israel whom the Mahumetans
Sabellians and Arrians do acknowledge to be the true God but this is spoken of Christ saith Saint Iohn chap. 12. 41. These things said Isaiah when he saw his glory and spake of him But the Holy Ghost hath his share in this prophesie Acts â—8 25. therefore they who beleeve both â—estaments must concluâ—e that the Father Son and the Holy Ghost are one and the same God Finally the Personall actions and properties of these three declare them to be distinct persons therefore it is easie to conclude that Father Son and H. Ghost are three distinct persons and yet one and the same God That the Spirit is a person of the Godhead hath been proved in the fourth chapter of this Book That he is a distinct person from the Father and the Son is most clear by that which hath been said both in that chapter and in this and all those places might be heaped up which prove the personal appearance of the Spirit when he did assume the shape of a Dove and appeared as in Tongues of fire his teaching leading acting ruling comforting distributing of gifts and the like together with the several phrases of him in Scripture and frequent joyning him with the Father and Son as their equall in power and authority in bestowing all spiritual and eternall blessings do evince the same The notes of distinction Another even the Spirit These three c. The change of the gender in relative Articles which must necessarily be referred to the Spiâ—it is very considerable But I have said more then enough upon this point and therefore proceed to make the distinction of these three uncreated persons yet more evident V. These uncreated persons are sufficiently distinguished by their Order The Scripture doth most commonly place the Father first in order the Son second the Holy Ghost third when all three are named and by the inward and personall actions which have been mentioned it doth appear that this is the Naturall Order of these uncreated Persons for the Son cannot be placed in Order before the Father because he is naturally begotten of the Father the Holy Ghost cannot be placed in order before the Son because he doth naturally proceed from the Son this is the proper and natural order Basil the great in his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 complains that some in his time did place the Son in order before the Father and the Holy Ghost before the Son that they might gain some advantage by that device Basil tels them that he had received order from the Lord to Baptize in the name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost and therefore was resolved to preserve that order 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inviolable notwithstanding any devices or attempts for to prevent it When the Witnesses in Heaven are reckoned up in a businesse of the highest consequence they are reckoned in this very order 1 Iohn 5. 7. The Father the Word and the Spirit But it is confessed that sometimes it is most agreeable to the scope and purpose of the Holy Ghost to place the Son before the Father as appears 2 Cor. 13. 13. Gal. 1. 1. and hence it is likewise that the Holy Spirit is sometimes placed before the Son as Revel 1. 4 5. and sometimes before the Father and the Son 1 Cor. 12 4 5 6. But the natural order doth not overthrow either the equality or coeternity of the Persons nor doth that order of Enumeration which is pro instituto overthrow the natural order and both do sufficiently prove the distinction of the three uncreated Persons VI. The Divine Persons are sufficiently distinguished by their Personal Properties The property of the Father is to subsist of himself that is to receive subsistence or subsisting life from none but himself I shall not enter into that sad dispute whether this Personal Property be Absolute or Relative whether 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth not import something as Positive and absolute as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is pleaded that the selfe subsistence of the Father is not his Fatherhood and that that rule is beyond dispute Habere subsistentiam à se non dicit respectum ad Aliud vel Alâ—um And therefore I humbly offer it to the consideration of the learned whether that self subsistence whereby the first person is dâ—stinguished from the Son and the Spirit be Absolute or Relative I will not take upon me to determine any thing in so deep a point or suffer my reason to wax wild and wanton in discoursing of so great a mystery and therfore though there be something hinted which may amount to a videtur quod sic in the behalf of the lesse common opinion in the 142 age of this book and it is clear that all three Persons are nothing else but the Godhead considered with all absolute and Relative perfection yet I conceive it safest to wave that point and conclude with that learned divine Nos fidelem ignorantiae professionem temerariae assertioni praeferendam judicamus Whether then this self-subsistence be Absolute or Relative it is enough for our present purpose to prove that the first Person of the Godhead is distinguished by his self-subsistence from the blessed Son and holy Spirit The self-subsistence of the Father is Incommunicable It is proper and peculiar to the first Person to have subsistence from none but himselfe and to be the first Personal Principle which gives subsistence to the other two coessentiall and coequall persons The Son receives subsistence from the Father the Spirit receives subsistence from the Father and the Son as hath been proved above and therefore this self-subsistence doth make a very remarkable and undeniable difference between the Father and the two other uncreated Persons Some learned men have from hence inferred that because the Father alone hath subsistence from himselfe therefore the Father alone is God of himself But the consequence is absurd for they do not distinguish between the Essence of God the peculiar subsistences in the Godhead The Essence of God is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and is one and the same in all and every one of the uncreated Persons it is if I may so speak a self-essence and essence it selfe a self-Deity because every one of the Persons is truly properly essentially God God himselfe and therefore if the Essence of the Father be a self-Deity so is the Essence of the Son and Spirit The Divine Essence of the Son is not begotten caused produced any more then the Essence of the Father the subsistence of the Son is begotten but not caused the Divine Essence is communicated to the Son but it is not begotton by the Father for the Father doth communicate that selfe same Divine and entire Essence which is in himselfe by begetting the personal subsistence of the Son in the Unity of the Godhead from the dayes of eternity Christ is not God by grace but by nature and the Will of the Father did not precede and
Coessentiall Trin-unity of these heavenly witnesses And divers other learned and judicious men conceive that these words were blotted out in the time of Constantius and Valens the Emperours who were sworn enemies of the blessed Trinity and professed Patrons of Arrianisme 7. The Hereticks did blot out those words Ioh. 4 24. God is a spirit as Ambrose assures us and therefore this practise of expunging such words in the Scripture as did refute their errours was too common amongst the Hereticks of old as we might prove by witnesses enough if that were our businesse 8. These words 1 Ioh. 5. 7. are to be found in copies of great antiquity and best credit 9. This Text is cited by the Ancient Fathers by Athanasius in his dispute with Arrius at the counsell of Nice and Arrius never denyed it for to be Scripture which certainly he would have done if there had been any doubt made of it in the Primitive times It is cited by Cyprian also in his book de Vnitate Ecclesiae Paxillus in his booke de Monomachia proves by an induction of the learned Doctors of the Church both before and since Athanasius that the Doctrine of the Coessential Trin-Unity of these heavenly witnesses was generally received by all that were esteemed Orthodox and pious in the Church of Christ. Calovius also in his Fides Patrum ante Concilium Nicenum gives in a Catalogue for the satisfaction of all that desire resolution in this weighty point 10. These three heavenly witnesses are one in Power nature and Will all three bear witnesse to the same truth and their testimony is divine 1 Joh. 5. 9. And the truth which they bear witnesse to is a fundamentall truth a saving truth that we may beleeve on the Sonne of God and have eternall life 1 Joh. 5. 11 12 13. And if the authority of any one of these three heavenly witnesses be called into question all may be questioned upon the same grounds because their testimony is of equall authority their testimony is personall and divine and if the testimony and authority of these witnesses were not divine our faith which is built upon their testimony and authority would not be a divine Faith Quale est testimonium talis est fides All three heavenly witnesses joyne with one consent and Will in propounding this fundamentall truth and therefore if we do not beleeve and embrace it we give the lye to all the three witnesses in heaven 1 Joh. 5. 10. And if we do beleeve that Jesus is the naturall Son of God in and by whom all beleevers have eternall life then we must acknowledge that Jesus Christ is one God with his Father the true God and eternall life 1 Joh. 5. 20. Christ is God Attributivè Joh. 1. 1. Subjectivè Act 20. 28. 1 Tim. 3. 16. This one proposition That Iesus Christ is the naturall and proper Son of God is that Fundamental Confession of Faith upon which the Christian Church is built Mat. 16. 16 17 18. Thou art Christ the Son of the living God This is the Rock upon which Christ hath so firmly built his Church that the gates of Hell shal never prevail against it or this fundamentall truth We are all built upon Christ through the Spirit for an habitation of God Eph. 2. 20 21 22. Father Son Holy Ghost all three joyn in laying this foundation and all three are one and the self-same great God who is the only true God blessed for ever as hath been fully proved already in this book and therfore I may be the briefer in the discussion of this weighty point The Form of Baptism doth contain in it a short Creed or Rule of Faith Mat. 28. 19. And when the ancient Fathers speak such high things of the Creed they understand it of this short Creed which is part of Canonicall Scripture and not of that form which is commonly callled the Apostles Creed In like manner when they expound Eph. 4. 5. One Lord one Faith one Baptism they say there is one Faith and one Baptism because the sum of our Faith is contained in the forme of Baptism When Epiphanius hath reckoned up all the Heresies in his Anaceph he opposes this one Scripture Mat. 28. 19. to them all to shew that he looked upon the Doctrine of the Trinity as a Breviary or at least prime fundamentall of the Christian Faith and Eusebius Pamphilus doth the like I might produce many pertinent places out of Irenaeus Tertullian Athanasius Basil Nazianzene Augustin others to make good this useful observation That the prime Fundamentall of the Christian Faith is contained in the Form of Baptism and founded on Mat. 28. 19. It were easie to shew upon what occasion other Articles were added to the publique confessions of Faith in the most renowned Churches in severall ages And it is as easie to prove that the Doctrine of the Coessential Trin-unity was for the matter and substance if not in expresse terms in terminis terminantibus as we say constantly maintained 1. In publique Confessions of Faith composed explained confirmed by the first Generall Councels published by the decrees and edicts of pious Emperours and ratifyed by their civil sanctions from time to time I need not instance in the Nicene Creed or that Creed which was composed by Athanasius who studied this point defended suffered for it above forty yeers The Confession published by the Synod of Constantinople doth not differ in substance from the other Creeds concerning this grand mystery of the blessed Trinity I am not willing to expatiate upon this Argument because I should then be engaged to cite very many testimonies of the Ancients which would swell up my book beyond its due proportion But if any man desire to read more upon this Argument for his own satisfaction and hath not so much time as to peruse the ancient Records he may read Master Parkers book de Desc. ad inferos more especially his fourth book The learned Sermon of Reverend Doctor Vsher concerning the unity of Faith who gives a brief aud satisfactory account of the ancient Confessions of Faith with a special reference to Baptism Doctor Voetius Gomarus and the rest who have written de Symbolo Apostolico or of the mystery of the Trinity The jugling of the Arrians is so plainly set forth in the most faithfull writers of Ecclesiasticall story that I need not relate how they made use of their interest at Court and all their carnal policy in every considerable place to pack Councels forge or corrupt Creeds seduce all sorts of men who were led more by interest then Scripture and then to evade or comply with subtile distinctions mentall reservations equivocations and such unworthy shifts for to save themselves from censure in a time of Reformation 2. The Catechismes of the Ancients hold forth this doctrine the Catechumeni were trained up in the knowledge of it Lucian who lived in Trajans time
5. 23. The great mystery of uniting the soule to Christ by Faith Eph. 5. 32. and making of it one Spirit with the Lord Jesus 1 Cor. 6. 17. is a main Fundamentall of the mystery of Godlinesse as shall be proved cleerly before I conclude this chapter III. God the Holy Ghost is the object of a Christians divine Faith The Holy-Ghost speaking in the Holy Scriptures doth teach us to beleeve not only in the Father and in the Son but in himself also It is the Spirit that beareth witnesse because the Spirit is truth 1 Joh. 5. 6. There are three that bear witnesse in Heaven but here is speciall testimony given of the Spirit that we might be moved to beleeve the spirit who is to testifie the whole truth concerning the Father the Son and himself It is the Spirit saith he whose speciall office it is to bear witnesse and therefore there is this speciall testimony given of him that the Spirit is truth and then it follows that the Spirit is one with the Father and the Son one in nature one and the same God with them both These three are one 1 Joh. 5. 7. and the witnesse of God must without controversie be received unlesse we will make God a Lyer as the Apostle reasons the point from the 9th verse to the 12th The Spirit is Truth the Spirit is God therefore the Spirit is the object of Divine faith he that tells a lye to the Holy Ghost tells a lye to God Acts 5. 3 4. He that then gives the lye to the Holy Ghost gives the lye to God The testimony of the Spirit is a Divine testimony 1 Cor. 2. 1. 4. the demonstration of the Spirit a divine demonstration the power of the Holy Ghost a divine power Paul saith his Preaching was not with enticing words of mans wisdom but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power that our faith might not stand in the wisedome of men but in the power of God The wisdome power testimony of the Spirit are all of them divine the wisdome of the Spirit is infallible the power of the Spirit is irresistible and therefore our most divine faith is built and doth stand fast grounded and established upon the wisdome of the Spirit because the wisdome of the Spirit is the wisdome of God 1 Cor. 2. 4 5. We read in the Prophets that all the children of God shall be taught of God Esay 54. 13. of all three persons for the Father teacheth Mat. 16. 17. Ioh. 5. 45. and the Son who came out of the bosome of his Father and yet remained in the bosome of his Father teacheth Heb. 1. 2. But the Father and the Son especially since the Ascension of Christ and the effusion of the Spirit do teach the children of God all his Elect by the holy Spirit And therefore the Apostle shewing how God doth teach his Elect after a more peculiar manner so that even babes in Christ those whom he calleth little children are preserved even in seducing times and led into all necessary truths notwithstanding all the diligence and subtilty of those many Antichrists who are industrious to deceive he saith they have an unction from the Holy one and know all things all things necessary to be knowne and beleeved for the obtaining the remission of sins c. ver 12. But more especially he shewes that the Spirit doth teach them to continue in the Son and in the Father ver 24. and therefore in the Doctrine concerning the Father and the Son as it is more expresly set downe in the 9th verse of the second Epistle of Iohn And then he shewes that the Spirit should abide constantly in them to give them cleer and certaine direction in all necessary points 1 Iohn 2. 27. But the annointing which yee have received of him abideth in you and ye need not that any man teach you but as the same annointing teacheth you of all things and is truth and is no lye and even as it hath taught you ye shall abide in him or it Ye shall abide in Christ and abide in the truth which hath been taught you by the Holy Spirit and the teaching of the Spirit is cleare and certaine for saith he the spirit is truth and is no lye Here is the peculiar teaching of God the Spirit teacheth us to beleeve in himselfe aswell as in the Father and the Son And the Spirit was sent by the Father in the namâ— of the Son for this very purpose Moreover it is evident that the Spirit doth not only teach Babes in Christ but he taught even the Apostles of Christ. But the Comforter which is the Holy Ghost whom the Father will send in my name he shall teach you all things Joh. 14. 26. Nay the Holy Spirit did endite all the Holy Scriptures and inspire the Prophets Apostles and all the holy men of God in the writing of them The Scriptures were not written by the will of men but by the motion of the Holy Ghost 2 Pet. 1. 21. where the motion of the Holy Ghost is opposed to the will of men to shew that the motion and will of the Holy Ghost is the motion and will of God Many other places and arguments might be superadded but for the better instruction of ordinary Readers I shall draw out my Arguments into ranke and file 1. The Spirit is God The testimony of the Spirit is the testimony of God 1 Cor. 2. 1. 4. The wisedome of the Spirit the wisedome of God and the power of the Spirit the power of God 1 Cor. 2 4 5. 13. The teaching of the Spirit is the teaching of God Ihe will of the Spirit is the will of God 2 Pet. 1. 21. 1 Cor. 12. 6. 11. 2. The Spirit is the Author of the Scriptures 2 Tim. 3. 16. 1 Pet. 1. 11 12. Revel 2. 29. 3. The Spirit is the Interpreter of the Scriptures and his interpretation is cleer certaine and infallible The Spirit discovers the hidden wisedome of God the wisedome of God in a mystery the deep things of God which could not have entred into the heart of man if the Spirit had not revealed them and therefore the deep things of God â— Cor. 2. 10. are called the things of the Spirit of God ver â—4 and things which are spiritually discerned and therefore they are such things as the Spirituall man by the help of the Spirit is able to perceive discerne receive and to say with truth and comfort Now I have the mind of Christ now I know the things that are freely given me of God because the Spirit hath revealed them to me Consider the discourse of the Apostle quite throughout the Second chapter of the first Epistle to the Corinthians and this point will be very cleer 4. The Spirit
is the Author of Faith he gives us supernaturall light and spirituall eyes 1 Cor. 2. 8 9 10. Ephes. 1. 17 18. He that beleeveth on the Son of God hath the witnes in himselfe The Spirit is called the witnesse 1 Ioh. 5. 6. 10. And the Apostle assures us that none can say with faith and full perswasion of heart that Iesus is the Lord till he hath been taught to say so by the Holy Ghost 1 Cor 12. 3. They who are sensuall and have not the Spirit Iude ver 19. do slight the testimony of the Spirit because the world cannot receive the Spirit or the things of the Spirit It is a naturall mans pride and folly to account those things below him which are above him for he doth account spirituall wisedome foolishnesse wheras indeed it is too excellent for him to understand because he is a meer naturall sensual man but these spirituall things are spiritually discerned he doth not receive them he cannot know them 1 Cor. 2. 14. This is the true reason why men do not beleeve in the Spirit and adore the Spirit because he is the Spirit of Truth whom the world cannot receive because it seeth him not neither knoweth him Ioh. 14. ver 17. But saith Christ to his Disciples ye know him for he dwelleth with you and shall be in you Ioh. 14. in the selfe-same ver and Act. 5. 32. 5. The Spirit is the Supream Judge of truth even of controverted truths in matters of Religion we need not speake of a Private judgement of Discretion such as spirituall men may passe by the help of the Spirit and word of truth nor of that Publick and ministeriall judgement which may be passed in greater or lesser Synods where Pastors and Elders are assembled by the Ordinance of Christ and therefore may pray in faith for the direction and assistance of the Holy Ghost in all their Ministeriall determinations But I speak of the supremacy and Soveraignty of Iudgement which belongs to the Holy Ghost True it is that Christ is King and head of the Church and therefore he is our master Doctor Lawgiver Mat. 23. 10. Iam. 4. 12. But the Father hath sent the Spirit in the name of Christ to teach us the meaning of the Word of Christ and to lead us into all truth and holinesse by the holy Scriptures of truth The Spirit did indite the whole Scripture and it is agreeable to the light of nature that he who made the Law should expound it This Holy Spirit is a publick Spirit he governes the whole body of Christ the whole Church and speaks in the whole body of the Scriptures every part thereof and if we do compare one place of Scripture with another we shall by comparing of Spirituall things with Spirituall come to understand the saving wisdome which the Holy Ghost teacheth which things we speak saith the Apostle not in the words which mans wisedome teacheth but which the Holy Ghost teacheth comparing spirituall things with Spirituall 1 Cor. 2. 13. The Holy Ghost speaking to us in plain places doth discover to us all that is necessary to be knowne and beleeved for our eternall salvation and doth thereby give us so much light as that we may sufficiently understand hard places if we pray as we should compare and search the Scriptures as we ought in the Spirit of Faith and modesty Iam. 1. 5. Ioh. 5. 39. Mat. 7. 7. 1 Ioh. 5. 14. Rom. 2. 2. 3. and practise what we know before Ioh. 7. 17. Phil. 3. 15 16. for we shall at least learne so much wisedom as not to expound hard places of Scripture in any sense that is contrary to the mind of the Spirit cleerly delivered in plaine places of Scripture If we expound hard places according to the Analogy of Faith cleerly delivered in other places though we should mistake in the application yet the Spirit doth so far interpose as to keep us from falling into heresie And if we meet with no plaine places to expound an hard place by there is then no danger of heresie because all things necessary to salvation are set downe cleerly in the plaine places of Scripture This conference of Scriptures is an excellent means to bring us acquainted with all Book-cases the determinations which the Spirit hath made in Scripture and left there upon Record in those sacred Rolls which are the treasury of the Church for the direction of the Saints And whether we make use of this ordinance in our private reading or in the publique ministry the spirit doth deliver his judgement authoritatively and infallibly in the holy Scriptures and we may come to be acquainted with the mind and judgment of the Spirit by both Ordinances Thine eyes shall see thy teachers And thine eares shall heare a word behind thee saying This is the way this and not that behold a cleere direction walk ye in it continue and go forward in it do not forsake it when we are wavering and even turning out of our way on one hand or the other when ye turn to the right hand and when ye turn to the left then even then doth the Spirit resolve us and put us out of doubt when we are disputing and even yielding up the truth in a controversie we have a cleer certain and infallible direction from the holy Spirit Isa 30 20 21. The Holy Ghost doth exhort the Jewes to compare the dimmer light of the Prophers with the cleerer light of the Apostles that so the Sun of righteousnesse may shine in its strength with its healing beams into their hearts and then tels them that no Prophecy of the Scripture is of private interpretation because Prophets spake as the Apostles also did not as the will of man did move or the fancy of man direct but according to the mind and will of the Holy Ghost And therefore since all the Scriptures were endited all are to be expounded by the Holy Ghost speaking in the Scriptures thus compared for the Holy Ghost did move all the Holy men Apostles as wel as Prophets to write and teach them what they should write And though we have no extraordinary revelations now by a voice from the excellent glory for our direction yet we have that which is better the writings of the Prophets and Apostles to compare together the Prophesies be darke yet they are sure more sure then those voices which may be more easily counterfeited though the Prophesies be dark yet the Spirit who did endite them will if you compare them with the writings of the Apostles give light to both and deliver his judgement as cleerly in all necessary points as if it were written with a Sun-beame this I take to be the scope of the Holy Ghost in that excellent discourse 2 Pet. 1. from the sixteenth verse to the end of the chapter
And I have consulted the most judicious and experienced writers upon that place though I cite but few in the margine because I have not time to peruse them againe True it is that we are not to beleeve every spirit and therefore are permitted to try the spirits whether they be of God or no 1 Joh. 4. 1. But in this tryall the Holy Spirit speaking in the Scriptures is the suprem Judge and the Holy Spirit doth condemn all erroneous and fantasticall spirits who forsake old truths and pretend to follow New Light The holy Spirit doth constantly teach the same truth in the holy Scriptures for he doth not change his mind or contradict himself We saith the Apostle having the same spirit of Faith according as it is written I beleeved and therefore have I spoken we also beleeve and therefore speake 2 Cor. 4. 13. The same spirit doth lead all the faithfull into all truth necessary to salvation not Absolutely and at once but by degrees For we see the Apostles themselves were for a time guilty of grosse errours Mark 10. 37 41. Act. 1. 6. But the faithfull cannot obstinately hold and continue in such odious and damnable errours as do directly overthrow the foundation of Faith And for the time in which they do erre they hearken to their own spirits so farre as they are carnall and do not as they ought search and pray and wait for the direction of the Holy Spirit It is not the Spirit of Faith which speaks in them when they dissent from such as receive the publique Testimony of the Holy Ghost speaking in the holy Scriptures And therefore the Spirit teacheth us to try the spirits and doctrines of men by the Scriptures if they speak not according to this Word it is not because they have new light from the spirit but because they have no light no morning light heavenly light conveyed unto them in that point wherein they dissent or they have not as yet received it the spirit hath not as yet sealed that portion of truth to their consciences or writ it in their hearts For the spirit doth not whisper one thing in privat to my conscience and declare the contrary in his publique Testimony delivered in the Word Behold saith the wisdome of God I will pour out my spirit unto you I will make knowen my words unto you Pro. 1. 23 For this is the Covenant of God that his Word and spirit should go together and the spirit should deliver his publique Testimony Authoritatively as it becomes his supremacy and soveraignty in the holy Scriptures This is my Covenant with them saith the Lord my spirit that is upon thee and my Word c. Isa. 59. 21. And by attendance on the ministry of the Gospel in the Church of Christ we receive the Spirit Gal. 3. 2. By hearing the doctrine of Faith preached in the Gospel they received the Spirit and therefore the ministry of the Gospel is called the ministration of the Spirit 2 Cor. 3. 8. And for these reasons we try the doctrines and Spirits of men by the word of God because the Spirit who is the Author of Scripture doth every where agree with himself and there is a friendly relation between the truth of the party witnessing the truth of the thing witnessed We do readily acknowledge that the world doth look upon this publique testimony of the Spirit in the word as a private testimony and are apt to scoffe at them who receive it as at men led by their own private spirit but the true reason is because this testimony of the Spirit is not manifest to them who have not the Spirit But it is so manifest to them that have had this publique testimony sealed up to their consciences that they will hold fast this testimony though it cost them their lives I saw under the Altar the soules of them that were slaine for the word of God and for the testimony which they held Rev. 6. 9. The testimony which they held is no other then that publick testimony which the Spirit delivers in the Word and had privately sealed up to their Spirits They were slaine for the Word of God and for the testimony which they held according to that Word They were Martyred because they gave testimony of that truth which they had learnt in the Word of God I am willing to dwell longer upon this subject because it is Fundamentum Fundamentorum and therefore we will for our better satisfaction descend from handling the point in Generall unto some very weighty points in particular and shew how the Spirit doth perswade the hearts and consciences of men to receive his testimony in particular controversies which have been raised and disputed by men of great wit and Spirit In the great controversies between us and the Papists they do as divers Hereticks have done before them urge visions miracles traditions successions prudentiall motives and sometimes Councels Fathers and for a fairer pretence the holy Scriptures But when they are beaten off from their pretending to Councels and Fathers by our learned Whitaker Iewel Abbot Vsher Rainolds not to name Chamier and other Worthyes what lamentable shifts do they make when they are pressed to stand to the publicke testimony and judgement of the Holy Ghost delivered in the holy Scriptures We do therefore in compassion to their poor soules intreat them to hearken to the Spirit of Christ and not to the Spirit of Antichrist because the right sense of the Scripture expounded by the Scripture is the sword of Gods Spirit where with all heresies whatsoever are overcome by all those good souldiers who add the shield of Faith to the Sword of the Spirit But when men neglect the Scriptures and idolize humane inventions they spend their strength in vaine and are like the blind men of Sodome who wearied themselves to find the doore The great point of the Popes Infallible Supremacy can never be proved by the Originall Universall and Perpetuall Tradition of the Church of Christ in all Ages no nor by the unanimous consent of all learned men now living in communion with the present Church of Rome The Sorbon Doctors cannot beleeve that the Popes of Rome are not subject to the sins and passions of other men and if the succession of Popes which they brag of were to be tryed by Fame Celebrity Antiquity Consent it is most evident to all that are acquainted with pure antiquity and impartiall History that the Supremacy of the Popes and Papacy would be sufficiently condemned but if the Popes infallible Supremacy come to be tryed by the Holy Ghost speaking in the holy Scriptures the Popes and Papacy will be infallibly condemned by the Supream Judge The learned Papists do not agree concerning the Infallible Propounder of Fundamentall points for 1. Some say that the Popes proposall ex Cathedrâ is sufficient but Gal. 1. 8. 2. Others
say a Councell without the Pope 3. Others the Pope and Councell both together it seems the Pope is not sent as Peter to strengthen his brethren but his brethren must be sent for to strengthen him 4. Some say both together is not sufficient either in point of manners or matter of Faith unlesse the acceptation of the Church Vniversall be superadded 5. We are not able to reckon up the number of those who deny the infallibility of the present Church and Pope of Rome 6. They cannot give us in a perfect Inventory of all written verities unwritten Traditions and Church-definitions which the whole succession of Popes have upon the credit of their infallibility determined to be necessary for all Christians to know and beleeve I need say nothing of the Papall Reservations Provisions Mandates and all postnate Dictates and Decrees which Bishops Metropolitans are by their* Oath made to the Pope at their confirmation obliged to observe Nor will I trouble my Reader with the distinction of Supremacy of knowledge in resolving Church questions because that they say belongs to the Fathers who excelled the Popes in expounding of Scriptures and Supremacy of Power to decide Church causes For this latter Supremacy is that which Popes and Cardinals and all must live by in the Court of Rome and the former Supremacy is purposely claimed for the support of this But it was a long time before the Popes presumed to challenge the power of deciding all the greater causes of the Church thorowout the world For the Bishops of Rome were at the first but Bishops within their own City then Metropolitans within their own Province afterwards Arch-Bishops or Patriarks over Metropolitans within their Princely Diocesse and last of all their pride and policy being crowned with successe did swell them up to be Popes and Lords over all the Christian or rather Antichristian world The Ecclesiasticall and Temporall Supremacy or Soveraignty of Popes is condemned by Reason and History by Fathers and Councels as others have proved at large let us not therefore be put off with that ridiculous piece of Sophistry which is so common The Pope is infallible and supream Head of the Church and Lord of the World because the Scriptures meane so and the Scriptures meane so because the Pope saith so who doth not see that the Scriptures are only put in for a meer stale and therefore the Argument had been as strong if they had proved the Popes Infallible Authority and Princely Supremacy by an ipse dixit at first The Pope saith he is Infallible ergo he is so I am not at leasure to heare what the Pope who hath endeavoured to dethrone Christ and depose the Holy Ghost saith in his owne behalfe at Rome for if he once bring this great question to be resolved in his owne Consistory he will soon bring all causes to be decided there also where he himselfe is Plaintiffe Witnesse and Iudge only in prudence and modesty he hath entertained a company of Cardinals who are to divide the spoiles with him for his Grand Inquest The Popes Supremacy is unwritten and therefore he is a fit Judge to decide all controversies amongst the Traditionaries whose faith is not written in either Testament But since the Pope doth strive with the Holy Ghost for the Chair and Christ for the Throne let us heare what Christ and the Holy Ghost do both speake in the Holy Scriptures of Truth and we shall quickly decide this grand controversie and many more Christ is the only Pastour of his Church he is to continue so and have no successor We find in holy Scripture that Christ is the only Head and Saviour of his whole Church Ephes. 1. 22. Colos. 2. 19. he doth and will continue with his Church alway even unto the end of the world to give life sense and motion to it and to rule and governe the whole and every member of it by the effectuall councell and working of his Holy Spirit The Apostles were but Ministeriall Heads or Principall Members who had a preheminence over the inferiour members for perfecting of the Saints by the worke of the Ministry 1 Cor. 12. 21. 28. First Apostles this eminent ministry or Headship did belong to all the Apostles and not to Peter only the power of remitting and retaining sins was given to the other Apostles aswel as Peter Io. 20. 21 22. 23. We deny not Peter to be the first Apostle in time as Andrew was the first Disciple and therefore Peter is first reckoned Mat 10. 2. Nay we will not deny him to be most eminent in grace and for both reasons grant him to be first in Order but we deny that he was chiefe in dignity or Supream in power Because we know the Apostles had all equall power For Christ sent them all as his Father sent him they had all of them power to open heaven to beleevers and shut it against unbeleevers The power of the Keyes was given upon the confession which Peter made in the name of al the rest Mat. 16. 16. 18. as he was wont to do Ioh. 6. 69. The confession was common to all the promise common to all the performance common to all Ioh. 20. 21 22 23. I need say no more but this 1. The Papists do entitle Peter to that Supream Soveraignty which belongs to Christ But Peter and the rest of the Apostles were joynt foundations built on Christ the only proper head and foundation Ephes. 2. 20. 2. They entitle the Pope to that power which did belong to Peter but Peter had no successour in his extraordinary and Apostolick power the Pope is no Apostle and when Peter speakes of his ordinary power he tells the Elders that he is their Fellow-Presbyter I who am also an Elder exhort the Elders 1 Tim. 5. 1. But that Peter was an ordinary Bishop of one City First of Antioch for seven yeers and then of Rome for twenty-five cannot be proved by Scripture no nor by any credible Historian I know they rely upon Eusebius his testimony But it is enough for me to reply that Eusebius his History doth dissent from his Chronicle and his Chronicle doth dissent from Scripture 3. Christ hath many Ministers to preach his Gospell but he hath no Catholick Vicar besides his Spirit who can challenge the Supream Soveraignty of deciding controversies by an infallible Sentence It is the Spirit that makes the word to be effectuall 1 Cor. 3. 7. As Christ workes by his Spirit he hath no Vicar for he himselfe is with his Disciples alwayes to the end of the world Mat. 20. Christ himselfe doth Baptize with the Holy Ghost he himselfe did open the heart of Lydia 4. The Pope challenges this power over the Gentiles but Paul was the Apostle of the Gentiles by the appointment of the Holy Ghost and Peters own consent Rom. 11. 13. Act. 13. 2. Gal. 2. 9. Paul was chief
and laboured more abundantly then any in this service 5. Peter did never claime or exercise any such power over the Princes and Kingdomes of the world as the Pope doth Lu. 22. 25 26. Mat. 20. 25 26. 6. If Peter had desired and usurped any Supremacy over the rest of the Apostles he had thereby degraded himselfe and been last of all Mark 9. 34 35. 7. If the vices of Popes may make them Supream or their errours infallible we are able to prove that by fraud violence and such like black arts they have usurped a power over the consciences of men to lead them â—nto Heresie Antichristianisme Atheisme For by endeavouring to prove their Infallibility by the Scripture and then venting grosse errours as infallible truths upon the authority of the Pope and Church they have tempted some to beleeve neither Church nor Pope nor Scripture The Pope hath told them that they had as good beleeve nothing as not beleeve all and therefore it is to be feared that too many beleeve nothing at all Let us then to the Law and the Testimony and let Christ and his Spirit be heard speake in them and we will proceed to tryal with the Papists upon what points they please We will try all their new Tutelar Gods whether Angels or dead men or their breaden God in the Masse by the 1 Command Their picturing of God and worshipping of him by pictures by the Second Commandment Their Superstitious benedictions Magicall Incantations exorcismes and all those helps to salvation which salt wax spittle bells can afford by the third Commandement and so I might proceed to the Holy-dayes Masses c. or try their Popes usurpations the cruelty of their Inquisition their allowance of Fornication forbidding to marry their equivocations rebellious concupiscence by the Second Table We will by the Gospell of Christ try the Doctrine of Justification by workes their publick prayers in an unknowne tongue their denying of the Testament of Christs bloud to the people we will examine whether there be more sacrifices of Christ then one whether they that dye in Christ rest from their labours I might proceed to examine their Doctrine concerning the Offices and benefits of Christ concerning the nature and use of faith and the Doctrine of the Sacraments and the rest of the points in controversie between us and the Papists And truly when I do read such questions as these I cannot but thinke of those Texts 1 Tim. 4. 1. 2 3. Now the Spirit speakes expresly c. the Spirit doth so expresly condemne these seducing and erring Spirits that whosoever will be perswaded by the evident demonstrations of the Spirit and be over-ruled by his positive definitions in Scripture will confesse that the Papists were very wise in offering to be tryed by unwritten Traditions or the Pope and his adherents in all points in question It is clear that the Popes have taught for Doctrines the Commandements of men He that reades the Epistles to the Romanes and Galathians 1 Cor. 14. Chap. the second Chapter to the Colossians the second Chapter of the second Epistle to the Thessalonians and the plainer places of the Book of the Revelation will acknowledge the Spirit doth speake expresly The Pope must therefore be beholding to his School-men to defend his Doctrine and to his Canonists to keep up his Discipline and pretend no more to Scriptures or pure Antiquity for his Justification If the Anti-Scripturists would but hearken to the Spirit speaking in the Scripture they would say the Spirit hath magnified both Law and Gospel and made them honorable precious and glorious in our eyes I will not insist upon those many convincing arguments whereby the Scriptures are undeniably proved to be the word of God but humbly desire all men to consider whether the true reason why those Arguments do not effectually perswade obstinate men be not cleerly this because men do undervalue the testimony of the Holy Ghost and resist vex grieve or quench the Holy Spirit whose office it is to seale up this and all other saving truths to our consciences and hearts True it is that the law of God is written in our hearts by nature but our nature is corrupted and we are blinded with pride passion prejudice with selfe conceitednes and selfe-love and therefore it is requisite that the wrath of God should be revealed from heaven against pleasing gainfull sins nay unnaturall sins Rom 1. 18. to the end of the Chapter Moreover it is to be sadly considered that the Gospell is not written in our hearts by nature nor can it be found out by any artificiall Demonstration but it is discovered to us by Divine Revelation Rom. 1. 16 17. I know many learned men have used the testimony of humane Authors in a Secondary and subservient way to confirme our Faith in this point but it is cleer that we must rest our Faith upon the Authority of God in this and all other points or else our Faith will not be a Divine Faith God sweares by himselfe because he is the greatest and doth bear witnesse to himselfe in his word Nay to his Word in his Word because he is the truest for he is indeed the prime truth the onely Infallible Truth And hence it is that the Scriptures are called the testimonies of God and the testimony of the Spirit is so often produced 1 Pet. 1. 11. Act. 5. 32. 1 Ioh. 5. 6. It is no shame to adhere to the Testimony of God in the weightiest point Psal. 119. 31 46. Hence it is that the Penmen do so often shew their Commission and cry thus saith the Lord. And hence it is that God doth so often own the Scriptures for his word This is my word saith God this came from my inspiration saith the Spirit 2 Tim. 3. 16. 2 Pet. 1. 21. This is my writing saith Iehovah I will own it and stand to it I have written to him the great things of my Law saith God Hos. 8. 12. The Scriptures are the Oracles of God Rom. 3. 2. They contain the counsel of God Act. 20. 27. God hath given us sufficient assurance that the Law was written by his own finger and all other books by his specâ—al command and inspiration All Scripture is given by inspiration of God 2 Tim. 3. 16 Prophecyâ—ame not in old time the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it came not at any time by the will of man but Holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost 2 Pet. 1. 21. Our Saviour gives a full testimony to Moses David the rest of the Penmen of the Psalms and all the Prophets Luk. 24 44. God hath sealed the testimony of the Penmen by miracles on men and divels we need not expect new miracles to confirm this Old-Testament ancient Gospel both are confirmed by the old miracles which stand upon Record in both But if any man preach a New Gospel we may
well call upon him for new miracles Nay the very preservation of the Scriptures in despight of Tyrants Heretiques and Divels is a convincing miracle In a word the Testimony of the Penmen is sealed 1. By the Oath of God 2. By the blood of Christ 3. By the testimony of the Spirit 4. By the Efficacy of the Spirit The Testimony and Efficacy of the Spirit is that sweet Subject which I am now more especially engaged to insist upon the Testimony of the Spirit to the heart and conscience of every true beleever in particular is a convincing Testimony But it will be said that this is such an Argument as none can take notice of and therefore altogether insufficient to perswade other men to beleeve to whom no such Testimony hath been vouchsafed 1. I answer This is an Argument indeed whereby I cannot convince others but this is an Argument which makes all other Arguments effectual to convince me 2. The Efficacy of the Spirit in the word upon the hearts of enemies is very considerable Their minds are inlightned their judgements convinced their consciences awakened terrifyed their hearts smitten because the very thoughts of their hearts are strangely unexpectedly discovered their souls embowelled and their marrow as it were melted in their bones by this almighty spirit speaking testifying working in with the word the very letter kils them the very savour confounds them though bold Athiests scoffe at the word and do in their Jovial fits blaspeme the spirit yet sometimes their hearts quake their joynts tremble even as Belshazzars did at the very sight of the hand-writing when they do but glance their eye upon some startling Text. Their consciences do often joyne with the word and spirit against themselvs against their wils for though they be self-willed yet they are after some soule-searching Admonition self-confounded and selfe-condemned men Tit. 3. 10 11. And though the malice of some men bee too strong for their wit reason and conscience yet it is not too strong for the spirit in the Word all the powers of Hel in them are over-powred by this good Spirit all the strong-holds of Sathan batterd and they themselves so confounded that they seeme to be even damned already they thinke themselves in Hell above-ground when they are stung and bitten they fall into the passion of the heart and are taken with such Hellish convulsion-sits that they do even foam at mouth and gnash with their teeth they are cut to the soule and tormented in their conscience they cry and howle and fight against the Spirit but all in vain for even they are out-witted and over-powred who are not converted by this stinging Efficacy of the Almighty Spirit What shall we say to these things If Idols have been overthrown Oracles silenced Divels convinced by the Majesty of the Spirit in the holy Scriptures and so over awed by the Spirit that they have been forced to confesse nay beleeve these truths at which they tremble then surely those bold theists are worse then devils who do not tremble at the Word because they do not beleeve the Spirit 3. Look upon a soule in its Agony and Pangs in its Throws and conflicts at its first conversion or in its After-throws upon some sadrelapse and observe how the wit is captivated reason conquered conscience confounded heart broken and will turned nay all the powers of corrupt nature overpowred and overturned by the word and spirit of God And then you must needs cry out O the divine Efficacy of Scripture which turns a Lyon into a Lamb a Goat into a sheep a man a Beast a Divel into a Saint and perswades Philosophers and Courtiers Emperours and souldiers Publicans and Harlots Mariners and Politicians to embrace a Religion and run a course clean contrary to the carnall and Divelish wisdome of their proud reason contrary to the stubborn resolutions of their perverse wils in a word contrary to their very nature education custome contrary to dictates of policy and reasons of state contrary to their passions lusts interests friends CoÌ„panions O victorious spirit What aileth what aileth thee O thou man of war and pride thou Secretary of nature Advocate of the Devil to hâ—ng the head and weep to resigne thy estate lay down thy Commission and thy Armes burn thy Conjuring-books and sacrifice thy dearest life in the maintenance of that truth which thou hast formerly contemned I must cry as he did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is the power of the Word Behold the Efficacy of the Spirit in the word conquering and triumphing over the subtilty and obstinacy the pride and malignity of carnal men The promises of God are better then all the proffers of Sathan the divel shewes us the glory of the world the Scripture shewes us the vanity of the world and the conscience is convinced by the word and Spirit that the reversion of Heaven is infinitly better then the possessions of earth all the kingdomes of the world and glory of them are not worth one dayes Communion with Jesus Christ nay one dayes comfort from the Gospel and Spirit of Jesus Christ. Good reason have we then to beleeve the Spirit Angels admire and Divels tremble at the Majesty of the word Saints beleeve obey adore the Majesty of the Spirit speaking in the word of truth and life of grace and glory The Familists might learn by this sad discourse to beleeve the Spirit of God speaking in the word of God and not beleeve their own natural carnal phantastical spirits which contradict the word and spirit of God The Familists did learn of the Papists to call Orthodox Protestants Scripture men to scoffe at them as Scripture-wise and to say as Stapleton and divers others do that the most diligent conference of Scriptures is the ready way to the most damnable errours That the fountains of Greek and Hebrew are neither pure nor necessary and the like And yet Howlet in his Epistle to Queen Elizabeth did lay the sin of the Family of love to the charge of the Protestants But Dr. Raynolds our learned Champion in his conference with Hart doth vindicate the Protestants and make it evident that such as were godly and learned in the Scripture did detest Harry Nicolas that imp of Sathan and master of the Family of Love therfore they could not lay the Families sinto our charge as if we did foster that venemous vipers brood I keep to the Doctors own expressions that you may see how the zeal of that meek Moses was enflamed in this contest which did march into the field with Papists to strengthen their hands against Protestants The Anabaptists likewise might learn from hence to make the spirit speaking in the word the Judge of their pretended Revelations if they were not too conceited of their own inventions and apt to fall in love with the dreams of their own feaverish brain with their weak arguments but strong delusions The
Arminians the constant enemies of the Grace of God should consider that the Pelagians the advocates of Free-wil and corrupt nature were confounded with those plain Scriptures which were urged by the Councels of Carthage Milevis Orenge and Holy Augustine in his fragrant works The Socinians the enemies of the onely true God Father Son and Holy Ghost should consider that the Arrians were overthrown by the Scriptures in the Nicene councel and by the godly Pastours of the Church who instead of broken Scriptures which the Arians urged with as much fraud as the devil did Mat. 4. produced plain Scriptures and the whole Series of both Testaments and so did invincibly refute their blasphemous errours The Libertines who claym a liberty of publishing damnable Heresies and blasphemies under pretence of Prophesying might learn that where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty true liberty but no where else for he who protends to speak by the Holy Ghost and yet denies Iesus to be the Lord doth at once blaspheme Christ and the Holy Spirit and is an Anti-spiritual Lyar an Antichristian Blasphemer and hath neither Father Son nor Spirit dwelling in him For he who speaks by the Spirit doth acknowledge Jesus to be the Lord 1 Cor. 12. 3. And he who denies the Son hath not the Father Who is a lyer but he who denies that Iesus is the Christ He is Antichrist who denies the Father and the Son whosoever denies the Son the same hath not the Father 1 Jo. 2. 22 23. In like manner every Spirit which confesseth not that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God but of Antichrist 1 Joh. 4. 2 3. This is that Vorstian liberty which hath undone so many Nations already and is now Idolized in England under the name of Liberty of Conscience by such as have neither Conscience nor liberty Reverend Dr. Sibbs did exceedingly cry out against this kind of Liberty in his time He would not have way given to Vorstian lawlesse licencious liberty of prophesie that every one so soone as he is big of some new conceit should bring forth his abortive Monster for then the Pillars of Christian Faith will soon be shaken and the Church of God which is an house of Order will beâ—ome a Babel an house of Confusion The dolefull issues of which pretended Liberty we see in Polonia Transylvania and in Countries neerer hand I might proceed but this is sufficient for a taste and if I should but name all the errours of this age and not confute them I should abuse my Reader and therefore I desire to stop in time and beseech all that are spiritually minded to heaâ—ken to the Spirit speaking in the word Beloved beleeve not every spirit but beleeve the Holy Spirit who is the Author of the Scriptures the Author of Faith the Iudge of Controversies the interpreter of the Scriptures the Doctor and comforter of the Elect and he will lead you into all necessary truth for your present edification and everlasting Salvation The Holy Spirit will assure you that the Scriptures of truth were all written by his own Authority and you may safely set to your seale when you have received the infallible testimony of the Holy Ghost We are witnesses of these things saith the â—postle and so is the Holy-Ghost also Act. 5. 32. We shall never receive the word as the Word of God with joy reverence submission and assurance of Faith specially in times of â—ffliction and temptation unlesse we receive the witnesse of the Spirit and ground our Faith upon the wisdome and evident demonstration of the Spirit When we look upon the word of God and consider 1 The wonderfull consent of all those Holy and selfe-denying men that penned it 2. The marvellous fulfilling of all the strange Prophecies in the fullnesse of time appointed by God 3. The Admirable Providence of God in preserving the Scriptures notwithstanding all the rage and malice of Hereticks and persecutors 4. The supernaturall Miracles wrought for to confirm it 5. The Harmonious testimony that the Church Martyrs Saints have in all ages given to it 6. The Antiquity Majesty Efficacy of it 7. The divine and heavenly matter contained in it 1. Mysteries above reason 1 Cor. 2. 9. 2. Commands contrary to our corrupt nature sent to all Nations and even to the greatest and proudest of men 3. Threats beyond the strength of man to inflict or the capacity of man to comprehend an hard heart a seared Conscience and yet a trembling Spirit a reprobate mind and sense a spirit of madnesse giddinesse horrour or slumber an everlasting worm eternall fire torments with the devil and his Angels 4. Promises and rewards beyond the power of man to bestow or wisdome of Angels to comprehend 1 Pet. 1. 12. Ephes. 3. 10. 5. The fall corruption Redemption Salvation of man wonderfully declared in the Holy Scriptures the inward frame and disposition of mans heart his secret thoughts and most intimate projects his reserved wishes desires ends and purposes undenyably discovered for his conviction even to admiration and amazement 1 Cor. 14. â—5 then the reason of man is even confounded the obstinacy of mans heart subdued all the pride of humane glory stained and the Scriptures appeare to be the word of God But now all these Arguments and many more which I could name will not be effectuall for our regeneration and conversion untill the Spirit be pleased to set all home upon the heart by his own irresistible efficacy and seale this truth to the Conscience by his own infallible testimony But when the Spirit speaks to and works upon our spirits then we do assent and consent to all the proposals of God our very thoughts are captivated and subdued unto the obedience of Christ 2 Cor. 10. 5. Our Conscience is convinced swayed and undeniably obliged to beleeve what is promised allow what is commanded our will made willing to chose both the affections to embrace both our whole man to follow after both according to the directions of God for performing what is commanded and obtaining of what is promised Rom. 7. 12. 22. Psa. 119. 106 112 113 127 128 167 173 174. I must acknowledge my absolute total and universal dependance upon the infallible wisdome infinite truth power majesty greatnesse and goodnesse of the Holy Spirit and confesse that he hath soveraigne Right and divine authority to reveale and prescribe whatsoever he pleases upon the rewards and penalties of everlasting life and death And I am obliged to beleeve and embrace al that the Spirit teacheth without any contradiction though it seeme never so improbable to my carnall reason and be really contrary to my corrupt affections ends and esianes The spirit teaches me how to apprehend and judge of spirituall things after a spirituall manner for the spirit teaches me what to approve and
and Ordinances as he himself should from time to time appoint The due acknowledgement of Gods immensity and infinite Majesty in our attendance on the Instituted means of worship is clearly opposed to the Image-worship in the 40th Chapt of Isaiah and first Chapter to the Romans and therefore the inside and compass of this second Commandement is spirituall though the words of it are so comprehensive as to take in ceremoniall as well as Evangelicall worship For Reverend Divines have made it cleare that though the second Commandement be morall in regard of its substance and generall nature which containes the immutable Law above mentioned yet in regard of its particular application to those significant Ceremonies Sacrifices and Sacraments which God did appoint we say all Ceremoniall Institutions are referred unto and comprehended under the second morall Commandement of God See Mr. Shepheard in his excellent Treatise of the morality of the Sabbath pag. 24. 40 41. 3. The third Commandement prescribes a reverend use of all the Titles Properties Works and Ordinances of God with Spirituall understanding and affection with faith reverence love joy sincerity and thankfulnesse in thought word and life 4. In the fourth Commandement we are not only required to rest but to sanctifie a rest to Jehovah If then we find the Titles Properties Works of Jehovah given to Christ and his holy Spirit in the Old and New Testament we must conclude that Christ and his holy Spirit are to be worshipped in the same Ordinances with the same spirituall and divine worship which is due to God the Father The scope of Law and Gospell is to bring us unto God by the Mediation of Christ and assistance of the Spirit that we may rest upon Christ for justification walk and grow up in Christ in the progress of our sanctification for our everlasting satisfaction Our business therefore is to avoid those two dangerous Rocks upon which so many split and suffer shipwrack in this tempestuous age namely the Rock of neglecting duties in the course of our sanctification and the Rock of resting in Duties which overthrows our justification We must labour by all means appointed by God to gaine a spirituall Practicall experimentall knowledge of the love of Iesus Christ a knowledge which surpasses all intellectuall knowledge an affectionate knowledge which is felt in the heart but cannot be comprehended in the braine This is the right Evangelicall knowledge which prepares a man for spirituall and Evangelicall worship for heavenly Communion with Father Son and holy Ghost in all Gospell dispensations and Gospell-Conversation that he may come to be enriched with the unsearchable riches of Christ and filled with all the fulness of God For this Cause saith the Apostle and well he might I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ mark the strain it is purely Evangelicall that he would grant you according to the riches of his glory to be strengthened with might by his Spirit That Christ may dwell in your hearts Here are all the three co-essentiall Persons but how may this be obtained And to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge to know it in my heart to beleeve it with my heart to feele it in my heart because the love of God is shed abroad in my heart by the holy Spirit But what shall I gaine by this Why the Apostle goes on That ye may be filled with all the fulness of God Ephes. 3. 14 16 17 19. The great design of the Apostle was to be found in Christ having the righteousness which is of God through the faith of Christ without pleading his own righteousnesse which is of the Law for his justification And to have a Spirituall and Practicall knowledge of Christ grounded upon a deep and affectionate experience of the vertue of Christs Death and Resurrection in his own soule Phil. 3. 9 10. that he might be thereby encouraged and provoked to press forward in the course of Sanctification toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Iesus v. 14. that his faith might act in all holy services Iustifying faith is the Principle of Evangelicall Worship and Gospell-conversation Grace be to you and peace from him which is which was and which is to come and from the seven spirits which are before his throne and from Iesus Christ who loved us and washed us from our sins in his own bloud And hath made us Kings and Priests unto God and his Father to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever Amen Rev. 1. 4 5 6. The hearts of true beleevers are golden vials full of odours and incense faith and love sincerity and zeale selfe-denyall and thankfulnesse humility and godly reverence and the beliefe of their redemption by the blood of Christ moves them to acknowledge the divine power of their Redeemer and to give him divine worship The Angles Elders People all joyne even ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands of thousands in this acknowledgement Worthy is the Lamb that was slaine to receive â—â—wer and riches and wisdome and strength and honour and glory and blessing And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea and all that are in them heard I saying Blessing glory honour and power be unto him that sits upon the Throne and unto the Lamb for ever and ever And the foure beasts said Amen And the foure and twenty Elders fell down and worshipped him that liâ—eth for ever and ever Rev. 5. 8 9 10 11 12 13 14. We must be brought to the knowledge and faith of the Son of God before ever we can be wise unto Salvation 2 Tim. 3. 15. Isa. 53. 11. Ioh. 3. 14 15. Gal. 2. 20. When once we come to beleeve the love of Christ then we love adore obey Father Son and holy Spirit after an Evangelical manner All the Fundamentall Articles of our faith have reference unto Christ as the Foundation because they are all such as concern his Father his Spirit his Incarnation Mediation or his Church and the benefits which the Church receives from him And in like manner all our worship is directed unto Father Son and Spirit as one God by the Mediation of Christ and assistance of thâ— Spirit Eph. 2. 18. 2 Cor. 13. 14. 1 Pet. 2. 5 1 Ioh. 1. 3 4. Ephes. 4. 15. It is our happiness our heaven upon earth to beleeve adore anâ— live to Father Son and holy Spirit by maintaining an holy Communion with all three aâ— one God and our God in the use of all Ordinances and Duties required of us This is the mystery of Godliness the Art of living unto God this is the Lesson which all Members of the Church universall must learne the foure beasts who joyne with Angels and Presbyters in adoring the Lamb are as
the Beasts mark they renounce the Dragon and his Angels all his pomps vanities worship and all the furniture of his worship all the errours and Idols of the false Prophets though they lose their trading the comforts of their life yea and life it selfe This is the Lambs mark 9. These Redeemed Virgins make a publike profession of their faith in and love to the Lamb and his Father they have the marke of both in their forehead and they cry aloud their voice is like the voice of Thunder Rev. 14 1 2. Rev. 5. 12. They are not ashamed or afraid to acknowledge Father Son and the holy Spirit the only and adequate object of divine Faith and Worship and the sole cause of Justification Sanctification Redemption Peace and Glory for all this is held forth to us clearly in this Book of the Revelation and there is a speciall blessing promised to such as read and heare the words of this Prophesie and keep those things which are written therein â—Rev 1. 3. And amongst other blessings they have the blessing of victory and triumph vouchsafed them they get victory over the Beast over his Image his Marke and the number of his Name Rev. 15. 2. They defie the Romane errours and Idols and are armed with faith and patience against this cruelty and Tyranny of Antichrist They cannot be enticed by any rewards seduced by any subtilties terrified by any threats to embrace any doctrine or forme of worship derogotary to the honour of the Father the Lamb or the holy Spirit for the Spirit doth in this Book teach the Churches to come in to Christ and defie the Beast and the Churches hearken to the Spirit as the Fountain of truth grace peace and glory This is the mystery of Gospel-worship we must beleeve love adore obey the Father the Lamb and the Spirit of Grace and Peace the Doctour and Comforter of all Christian Churches throughout all the foure quarters of the world East West North South that so the promise Isaiah 43. may be exactly fulfilled Rev. 7. 9 10. A great multitude an innumerable multitude of all Nations cry Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the Throne and unto the Lamb. The Kingdoms of the World must become the Kingdoms of the Lord and of his Christ. Rev 11. 15. And when the Divell and his Angels who deceive the World accuse the Brethren and blaspheme Christ are cast forth then there is a loud voice in Heaven Now is come Salvation and strength and the Kingdom of our God and the Power of his Christ for the Accuser of our Brethren is cast down c. Rev. 12. 9 10. In a word when the Redeemed Virgins and noble Conquerours come to sing their triumphant Song that Song doth contain the Scope of the Law and the substance of the Gospell for they are to sing the Song of Moses and the Song of the Lamb. Rev. 15. 3. And they who sing are such as do keep the Commandements of God and the testimony of Iesus Rev. 12. 17. And the testimony of Jesus is the Testimony of the Spirit delivered in the Word to the Churches of Christ Rev. 2. 7 11. all three persons do deliver the same testimony 1 Ioh. 5. 7. but the Son and the Spirit do most eminently joyne in delivering their testimony Rev. 2. 11 18 29. Rev. 3. 1 6 7 13 14 21 22. Rev. 19. 10. The Spirit doth encourage them to beleeve his Testimony and follow the Lambe and the Martyrs are slaine for the Word of God and for the testimony which they held Rev. 6. 9. and they overcome by the bloud of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony Rev. 12. 11. The testimony of the Spirit and the testimony of Iesus Rev. 12. 17. And when the Spirit hath encouraged them to love Christ better then their lives Rev. 12. 11. and they have overcome by the testimony of the Spirit and the bloud of the Lamb then the Spirit doth pronounce them blessed Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord yea saith the Spirit Rev. 14. 13. The Church is begotten instructed perswaded governed upheld comforted by the holy Spirit as Babylon is the habitation of Devils and the hold of every foule spirit Rev 18. 2. It is the Spirit which wooes the Church and perswades her to be the wife of the Lambe and to make her selfe ready for the marriage And the Spirit and the Bride say come Rev 22. 17. And that we may look upon this whole Prophesie as comming from the Spirit as well as the Lamb the Angel assures us that the Testimony of Iesus is the Spirit of Prophesie Rev 19. 10. The love of the Father and the grace of the Lord Jesus is communicated to us by the holy Spirit and therefore although the grace of the Lord Iesus is alone expressed in the close of this Booke of the Revelation yet the love of the Father and Communion of the holy Spirit must needs be understood according to the Prayer in the beginning of the Book Rev. 1. 4 5. Grace c. 3. The Spirit is worshipped in this Book of the Revelation Grace be to you and peace from the seven Spirits Rev. 1. 4. It is not agreeable to the Christian faith to pray unto Angels and beg grace and peace of them They do not hold the Head who worship Angels Col. 2. 18 19. Angels are our fellow servants and do forbid us to give that worship to them which is due to God only and they refuse to be worshipped because it is contrary to the Testimony of Jesus Rev. 19. 10. And I fell at his feet to worship him and he said unto me see thou do it not I am thy fellow servant and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Iesus worship God This is the testimony of Jesus Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serve Mat. 4. 10. The Book of the Revelation doth containe divers cleare testimonies against worshipping of Angels I am of them saith the Angel that keep the saying of this Book worship God Rev. 22. 9. And therefore that place Rev. 1. 4. must needs be understood of the holy Spirit For God will not give his glory to another and good Angels will not take it from him but protest against this Will worship as Idolatry The Holy Ghost is called seven Spirits by an usuall Metalepsis of the effect for the cause he doth pour forth various gifts seven is a note of Perfection and the holy Spirit one and the same Spirit is given to all the seven Churches every Church hath so much of the holy Ghost as is necessary and it runs as if every one of the seven Churches had seven Spirits because every one hath enough of the Spirit for their Sanctification and Salvation The Apostle therefore begging
God the Father is our Father in a peculiar consideration pag. 328. and therefore I need not insist longer upon this Point since the Scriptures are cleare so cleare that even very Cavillers confess this truth Christ himself as man obeyed the Father Iohn 4. 34. 2. God the Son is to be obeyed This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased heare ye him Mat. 17. 5. Heare him beleeve him obey him the Godhead of Christ is the Formall reason of our Obedience but all his benefits are sweet encouragements to us to performe our duty Be obedient as children saith the Apostle and if ye call on the Father c. passe the time of your sojourning here in feare For as much as ye know ye were not redeemed but with the precious bloud of Christ. 1 Pet. 1. 14 17 18 19. Why do the Presbyters throw down their Crowns at the feet of Christ and fall down before the Lamb but to testifie their subjection and profess how ready they are to serve and obey Jesus Christ Rev. 4. 10 11. Rev. 5. 8. Christ is the Author of Salvation to them that obey him Heb. 5. 9. The life of a Christian is a living unto Christ a life of faith love and obedience Gal. 2. 20. 2 Cor. 5. 14 15. Phil. 1. 20 21. We are made new Creatures in Christ that we may performe new obedience to Christ 2 Cor. 5. 17. He who serveth Christ is acceptable to God and approved of men Rom. 14. 18. We are under the Law to Christ. 1. Cor. 9. 21. All manner of obedience inward and outward is due unto the Lord Jesus Christ. Cursed is he that doth not prize and love Christ above all the Kingdoms of the World and glory of them above all the comforts of life and life it self 1 Cor. 16. 22. Luk. 14. 26 33. Mat. 13. 44 46. Phil. 3. 7 8 10. Col. 3. 23 24. Eph. 6. 6. 7. Eph. 5. 26 27. and Tit. 2. 14. compared together 3. God the holy Ghost is to be obeyed We are devoted to his service in Baptisme our bodies and soules are temples consecrated to his honour and service the Spirit doth conquer our carnall reason mortifie our corruptions and subdue our hearts unto the obedience of himself as well as to the obedience of the Father and the Lord Jesus We are debtors to the Spirit We are his Creatures The spirit of Elohim did forme and fashion the rude Mass out of which all things were made Gen. 1. 2. The renovation of all things by continued propagation is ascribed to the Spirit Thou sendest forth thy Spirit they are created and thou renewest the face of the earth Psal. 104. 30. Our soules are breathed into us by this Spirit of life Gen. 2. 7. Iob 33. 4. The Spirit of God hath made me and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life The soule is enabled and adorned with all abilities by the Spirit that it may be qualified for all manner of service In respect of Counsell and Government Numb 11. 25. In respect of resolution and action Iudg. 14. 6. But that which is most endearing is that the Spirit is the Spirit of Conviction Regeneration Conversion Sanctification Edification and Consolation 1. Pet. 1. 2. 2 Thes. 2. 13. Gal. 5. 22. 1 Cor. 12. 8 9. The Spirit is the God of all comfort it is his speciall office to comfort mourners The Spirit fitted the man Christ to be our Mediatour as is most evident because 1. The Spirit formed the nature of man of the substance of the Virgin after an extraordinary manner Luk. 1. 35. compared with Gal. 4. 4. for the service of the Lord Christ. 2. He sanctified the humane Nature which Christ assumed after such a perfect manner that it was free from all sin in the very moment of conception Luke 1. 35. 3. He united this pure humane nature with the divine in the same Person the Person of the Son of God Luk. 1. 35. compared with Heb. 10. 5. a body hast thou fitted unto me by the holy Ghost Our Saviour was annointed with the Spirit above measure that he might be a fit head and Mediatour for us that we and his whole Church might receive of his fulnesse graces answerable to his graces Ioh. 1. 16. Ioh. 3. 34. Ioh. 1. 14. Isa. 61. 1. Psal. 45. 7. compared together Act. 10. 38. Luk. 2. 40 52. Mat. 3. 16 17. Ioh. 7. 39. If we consider how the Spirit hath manifested his divine power in garnishing heaven and earth Iob. 26. 13. in annointing Christ and Christians 1 Ioh. 2. 27. in ordering and regulating Church-affaires and enabling Ministers for all Church-service that the Elect might be gathered converted perefected saved by the efficacy of the Spirit in all Ministeriall Dispensations we shall see reason enough to acknowledge the divine power of the Spirit by all spirituall and heavenly obedience 1 Cor. 12. 4 5 6 8 9 11 13. Isa 6. 1. 9. Act 28 25. compared If we harden our hearts against the Precepts and Exhortations of the spirit speaking in the Word if we vexe grieve resist and quench the Spirit we are in a ready way to that black and unpardonable sin of doing despight to the Spirit of grace and therefore unlesse we meane to proceed to totall and finall disobedience it highly concerns us to obey the holy Spirit and answer the many cals and motions of the Spirit by sincere obedience that our effectuall Vocation may evidence our Election and the Spirit may seale us up unto the day of Redemption for the same spirit is the Spirit of Sanctification and Adoption the spirit of Revelation Mortification Vivification Consolation The Spirit quickens moves enables enclines perswades us to beleeve in Christ and to love one another to keep all the Commandements of God Now this spirit of faith love and obedience is the Spirit of Sanctification and if you find the spirit of sanctification in you be of good comfort though the spirit of Adoption seeme to withdraw yet he is certainly present nay is not idle or silent he speaks by his reall works and sweet fruits for the spirit of Sanctification is the spirit of Adoption it is one and the self-same spirit This is his Commandement That we should beleeve on the Name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another as he gave us Commandement And he that keepeth his Commandements dwelleth in him and he in him and hereby we know that he abideth in us by the Spirit which he hath given us 1 Ioh. 3. 23 24. And hereby we know that we dwell in him and he in us because he hath given us of his Spirit 1 Ioh. 4. 13. And therefore if there be a spirit of faith love and obedience in you rejoyce in it lift up your heart to God in thankfulness for it
13 14 16 Here is the freewill of the Elect but Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Iesus Christ who hath blessed us with all spirituall blessings in heavenly places in Christ according as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and unblameable before him in love c. Ephes. 1. 3 4 5. Our thankfulnesse should be shewen for this free Grace to all three Persons in our thanksgiving believing obeving as is cleare from these places and so our prayers should be answerable to our faith love and thankfulness and therefore it is observable that in the very same Chapter the Apostle makes his addresse after this modell That the God of our Lord Iesus Christ the Father of glory may give unto you the Spirit of Wisdome and Revelation in the acknowledgement of Christ Ephes. 1. 17. and so 2 Thes. 2 16. Rev. 1. 4 5. 2 Cor. 13. 14. many other places may be urged which containe the mystery of faith worship and obedience and if Christ and his Spirit be not alwaies named in them yet the benefits of Christ the gifts graces fruits comforts of the spirit which are named do direct us to both Moreover when the name of God is used indefinitely all three Persons must be understood to be comprehended in that essentiall Title because they are one and the same God Finally one Person doth subsist in another and the same honour is due to all three because all three have the same divine Nature which is single because infinite and therefore there is enough discovered to prevent all scruples in the upright-hearted and Cavils in the contrary-minded Read the third and fourth Chapters of the Epistle to the Colossians and there you will see a very pregnant proofe of this point Put on therefore as the Elect of God holy and beloved bowels of mercies kindnesse humbleness of mind above all these things put on charity let the peace of God rule in your hearts do all in the name of the Lord Iesus giving thanks to God and the Father by him What ever you do do it heartily as to the Lord. And then the summe of all their requests is That they may stand perfect and compleat in all the will of God This takes in the full scope of Law and Gospell whatever belongs to faith worship or obedience whatever is just and equall or well-pleasing unto God Col. 3. 20. Col. 4. 1. And the Epistle to the Ephesians runs parallel with this to the Colossians Ye are elected and therefore ye must be holy before all three Coessentiall Persons by whom ye were elected ye must beleeve the Word of truth as the truth is in Iesus that ye may be sealed with the Spirit and filled with all the fulnesse of God ye must bow your knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ you must study the unity of Faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God ye must keep the unity of the Spirit ye must grow up into Christ in all things ye must not grieve the holy Spirit whereby ye are sealed unto the day of Redemption but maintaine a fruitfull fellowship with God in Christ by the communion of the holy Ghost for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousnesse and truth ye must be filled with the Spirit giving thanks alwaies for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ ye must do whatsoever is right or equall Ephes. 6. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this is right just and equall Put on the whole armor of God take the sword of the Spirit the shield of Faith pray alwaies with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit Peace be to the Brethren and love with faith from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity I need make no inferences the words are so plaine that they prove the point in terminis terminantibus as we use to say Consider the discourse of the Apostle in the Epistle to the Romans where the Apostle hath even lost his reader in the depth of this Mystery of the eternal counsel of Father Son and holy spirit he puts this question to all the busie disputants who hath known the mind of the Lord or who hath been his Counsellour and concludes that of him and through him and to him are all things to whom be glory for ever Amen We have mercy from him faith and repentance from him by an effectual vocation according to his purpose of election Rom. 8 28 29. Rom. 9. 11. 15. 16. 18 23 24 29 30. Rom. 10. 20. Rom. 11. 2 5 6 7 29 30 32. 36. We have mercy grace and glory from all three and therefore all honour and glory be to all three for ever Amen And the Apostle doth beseech the God of patience and consolation the God of hope and the God of peace to fill them with all joy and peace in beleeving that they may abound in hope through the power of the Holy Ghost who is the God of hope comfort and peace for the Kingdom of God doth consist in righteousnesse and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost Rom. 14. 17. and if wee serve Christ who is God blessed for ever Rom. 9. 5. in these things we shall be acceptable to God and approved of men Rom. 14. 18. The fruits of the spirit in us are markes because fruits of our election by God The Apostle writing to the Church of the Thessalonians which is in God the Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ begs grace and peace for them from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ remembers their work of faith labour of love and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of God and our Father and then concludes their election of God because the Gospel came to them in power and in the Holy Ghost for they received the Word in much affliction with joy of the Holy Ghost The Apostle exhorts them in every thing to give thanks because it is the will of God in Christ Jesus and bids them beware of quenching the Spirit and beseeches the Spirit who is undeniably the God of Peace and by special office our Sanctifyer and Comforâ—er to sanctfy us wholly The very God of peace sanctify you wholly c. And the Apostle discourses in like manner in the second Epistle to Timothy God saith he hath given us the spirit of power of love and of a sound mind saved us and called us with an holy calling according to his own purpose and grace which was given us in Christ Iesus before the world began And tells us that every one who doth pretend to be elected or presumes to call upon Christ and claim an interest in him must depart from iniquity be sanctifyed
that he may be meet for the masters use and prepared unto every good work I instance in some dark expressions on purpose to shew that even in them there is by interpretation an acknowledgment That we are elected by Father Son and Holy Ghost to Grace Peace and Glory and therefore ought to admire beleeve worship love obey all three Persons as one and the same God blessed for ever we must be holy before them in faith and love 2. If we consider our Creation we are created by Father Son and Holy Ghost as hath been proved and therefore we were created for the worship and service of all three The spirit of Elohim sate upon the waters hatched the world and all the beauty and glory of it 3. If we consider the vigorous providence of God all things are preserved upheld maintained ordered governed by Father Son and Holy Ghost the Holy-Ghost governs the Church and over-rules the world also 4. If we consider our fall and therein our abominable sin and the intolerable curse due unto it 1. Our sin which we committed in Adam the first sin it was a sin of cursed atheisme divellish pride unbelief rebellion apostacy a sinning sin because it did disable pollute infect poyson both our souls and bodies with originall and damnable corruption all sins against Father Son and Holy-Ghost proceed from this root of bitternesse 2. The curse due to this sin is intolerable unavoidable it is the curse of an Omniscient and Omnipotent God a temporal spiritual eternall Curse the Curse of the Father Son and Holy Ghost Men and Angels cannot help us we cannot be pardoned Redeemed Sanctified Adopted Comforted Saved but by the Father Son and Holy Ghost still this doctrine of the Coessentiall Trinunity must be preached and applyed for our spirituall and eternal good as will appeare by our following discourse 5. If we consider our effectuall vocation The father cals us in Christ by his Spirit speaking in Law and Gospel and working powerfully upon our consciences and hearts all three Persons do joyntly performe this saving work Shew which Person can be spared 6. Our Iustification is by the free-grace of the Father manifested in the Covenant of grace by the righteousnesse of Christ imputed by the Father and applyed by the Spirit our faith is grounded on the Testimony of the Spirit and wrought by the efficacy of the Spirit 7. Our Redemption is by the Father who gave us his Son by Christ who gave us himself by the Spirit who doth draw us unto Christ and puts us into the armes and bosome of our Redeemer We are redeemed from the guilt and punishment of sin more eminently by Christ but we are redeemed from the power and dominion of sin from our vaine conversation from this present evill world and tyranny of Sathan not only by the death resurrection and intercession of Christ but by the efficacy and power of the holy Ghost And it is to be observed that though Christ makes the Purchase yet the Spirit makes and gives the Assurance 8. Our Adoption is by all three The Father doth adopt us in Christ by the Spirit of Adoption 9. The Covenant of Grace is made and confirmed by all three 10. The Church is gathered instructed preserved saved by all three the Church enjoyes and maintaines spirituall and heavenly communion with all three in all Ordinances and duties 3 Cor. 13. 4 1. In hearing the word Father Son and holy Spirit do all teach us as hath beene proved at large John 6. 45. 1 Cor. 2. 13. Heb. 1. 1 2. Heb. 3. 7. 2. We are baptized in the name of all three devoted dedicated consecrated to the service of all three 1 Cor. 12. 12 13. Mat. 28. Tit. 3. 5 6. 1 Pet. 3. 21. Matth. 3. 11. Iohn 3. 5. Rom. 6. 3 4 5 6. we are adopted into the family of God that we may be married to the Son of God and made coâ—heirs with Christ in glory 3. In the Lords Supper the Father invites and entertains us gives us his Son for our Head Husband Saviour Feast and all Christ gives us his Body and Blood to nourish us and the Spirit enables us to receive this spirituall nourishment after a spirituall manner that we may thrive and grow thereby the Spirit mortifies our lusts strengthens our faith renews our repentance inflames our zeale pacifies our conscience purifies our heart assures us of the favour and love of God seals our pardon to us and seals us up to the day of redemption The love of the Father The Grace of the Son The Communion and Peace of the Spirit is so plentifully vouchsafed to experimentall Christians in this Sacrament that I may well subscribe Probatum est 4. In Prayer and thanksgiving we do manifestly hold Communion with all three First We pray to the Father in the name of Christ by the power of the spirit of supplication Ephes. 2. 18. 1 Cor. 1. 2. 1 Thes. 3. 11. Rom. 8. Gal. 4. 2 Thes. 2. 16. Rev. 1. 4. Secondly Our thankfull praises Eph. 3. 21. Ephes. 5. 18 19 20. are presented to all three 5. We keep a Sabbath to Father Son and holy Spirit all our Fiduciall breathings after God all our Penitentiall meltings before God our Obedientiall closing with God our pangs of love raptures of zeale extasies of joy do arise and spring from the beliefe and consideration of the rich grace tender mercies and sweetest love of our deare Father our beloved Saviour and our sanctifying Comforter Gal. 2. 20. Col. 1. 12. Ephes. 1. 3 5 6 11 13 17. Eph. 2. 4 5 6 8. 1 Pet. 1. 8. Every Lords day much more every Sacrament-day should be a sealing day a sanctifying day an edifying saving Sabbath God doth upon such daies take as wholy off from our own business that we might make it our only business to serve and enjoy God by maintaining an holy Communion with God in Christ by the effectuall working of the holy Ghost for a whole day together that we may in the close of the day attaine the end of our Sabbath-service which is a rest of complacency sweet content and full satisfaction in the armes and bosome of a Father a Saviour and a Comforter this this is to enjoy a Christian Sabbath The heathens knew something of a Sabbath The Jewish Holy days were Appendices to the fourth Commandement and therefore might be well taken off again the morall Commandement remaining entire For it is granted that they are taken off from the second Commandement and yet that remaines entirely morall and I beleeve it will be cleare to any man that studies the point that the Jewish holy daies did belong most properly and directly to the second Commandement Indirectly and but Reductively to the fourth because they were at most
Soule-satiating Communion we must take delight in our converse with God enjoyment of Christ and walking in the Spirit all the day We must enter into the rest of our beloved and take a sweet complacency in the fruition of God in the glimpse of his glory in the taste of his love in the kisses of his mouth in all the testimonies of his favor in all the love-tokens sent us from heaven The joy of the Lord must be our strength and in this strength we must go forth and mortifie our corruptious resist temptations and go about our worldly business all the next week with heavenly minds I cannot stand to speak directly and fully to the particular duties of the Sabbath or extraordinary duties of Evangelical fasting and Christian Feasting for all which there should be a serious preparation in all which there must be a prudent sequestration of our minds and hearts from the world that theremay be an intire consecration of them unto God and a sincere sanctification of all these times to Father Son and holy Ghost as it becomes the Sons of God the Members of Christ and Temples of the holy Ghost We should get oyle into our vessels dress and trim our Lamps that we may meet the Bridegroome of our soules in his appointed walkes in his own Ordinances and exercises I should say something likewise of our Penitentiall meltings before God Thus in briefe then when our conscience hath been wounded by the Spirit of bondage and is renewed by the Spirit of Regeneration it will in due time be pacified by the spirit of Adoption but even then the soule will melt into teares nay then it melts most kindly and laments most affectionately O I have sinned against the tender mercies of the bowels of God I have kicked my Father upon the Bowels I have made a sport and pastime of those sins which let out the heart bloud of my dear Saviour I have grieved vexed and even quenched the holy Spirit my sweetest Comforter I have sinned against all three and so trebled all my sins I feare I have saith the Soule in its agony even done despight to the Spirit of grace and trampled on the bloud of the Son of God but I have learnt to submit and beleeve to rejoyce and tremble to weep and waite for I waite upon a Father upon him whom my soule loves the spirit of faith and love hath taught me to come with a broken heart and a bleeding conscience to a Father to a Saviour to a Comforter I desire to keep the wound open by renewed Confessions and sprinkle the clensing bloud of Christ upon it by a lively faith Oh it is soveraign bloud and must be fiducially sprinkled by a speciall application and it is the spirit which makes this speciall application and administers reviving Cordials to broken hearts and fainting soules in their swowning fits When the most Ingenuous and refined sort of unregenerate men come to see that notwithstanding all their Civility and Formality they are in the gall of bitterness by reason of their impenitence and unbeliefe their opposition to the power of godliness their undervaluing of the mercies of God the love of Christ graces and comforts of the holy Spirit and feele these sins set home upon their hearts and consciences with stinging aggravations they are even fired out of their naturall estate and by the preventing grace of the Spirit made sensible of sin and hungry after grace and mercy The dreadfull impressions of Gods infinite Majesty and damning wrath make all the sensuall impressions of sin to be remembred with proportionable and self-condemning horrour But when the most glorious treasures of Gods sweetest mercies and richest grace folded up in his fatherly bowels are opened to these ingenuous men and the Spirit hath touched their hearts to lament after Christ then this ingenuous soule will cry out Oh what restless agonies what stinging wormes what unquenchable flouds of flaming brimstone how many Hells are there treasured up in one Hell for such a wretch as I am who have undervalued the riches of Gods mercy the love and merits of Christ the graces and comforts of the Spirit heaven and earth may be astonished men and Angels amazed at my prodigious madness in undervaluing Christ and Heaven In the midst of this agony and conflict prudent astonishment and spirituall horrour the holy Spirit urges invincible Arguments which are sweetly compulsive to perswade and constraine the soule to long for Christ. For when the Spirit hath made the threats both of Law and Gospel effectual to humble us he fils the soule with despaire of mercy if it continue in its former estate in the gall of impenitence and bond of unbeliefe but withall it doth assure the soule that there is plenteous redemption and eternall salvation treasured up in Christ for penitent beleevers Then the spirit opens the mystery of free Grace contained in a Covenant sealed with the Oath of God and bloud of Christ he reveales the eternity excellency sweetness freeness fulness infiniteness of Gods mercy and grace Christs love and merits as so many motives and encouragemets unto faith and repentance The Spirit sets a Pardon and a Crown before us acquaints us with the all-sufficient righteousnes and unsearchable riches of Christ and his own free and effectuall grace unspeakable comforts and glorious joyes and then convinces us that we want this grace to sanctifie us this Pardon and righteousnesse to justifie us this Crown and these joyes to enrich and satisfie us And upon this discovery the soule is encouraged to give credit to the holy Ghost to beleeve the love of the Father to depend upon Christs satisfaction and apply his righteousnes to prize the love of the Father the merit of Christ the grace and comforts of the Spirit above a World in a word to sell all for Christ and give up all to Christ resolving to be ruled by himself and his spirit for evermore Now the soule hath a new life put into it it hungers and thirsts for a more intimate Communion with Father Son and holy Ghost and this hungry soule sucks whilest the breast is open till it hath filled it self with substantiall nourishment reviving Cordials This devout soule becomes as Chrysostome styled Saint Paul an insatiable worshipper of Father Son and holy Ghost it desires to grow in grace to presse on towards perfection to have Father Son and holy Ghost to come sup with it dwell in it rule in it that it may be enriched with the unsearchable riches of Christ and filled with all the fulness of God This converted soule doth after these Penitentiall meltings Fiduciall breathings after Christ and obedientall closing with Father Son and holy Ghost differ as much from it self when it was most ingenuous before its conversion as an Angell doth from a Divell For the most ingenuous and refined sort of unregenerate men have nothing in them which is more excellent then
common grace and common grace leaves them in the state of Nature under the power of sin and in the very suburbs of Hell wholly at the command of Sathan and if any man think otherwise let him take heed that very thought doth not naile him fast to that unregenerate and cursed estate for evermore Beleeve it Brethren that Historicall faith and Naturall wisdome do but excite some pang of self-love which makes us very solicitous how we may stop the mouth of our convinced conscience with some kind of ingenuous Civilities and outward formalities without any penitent acknowledgment of our sinfull and cursed estate any prudent esteeme of Christ whose bloud merit righteousness and grace ought to be prized above a world We never seeke Christ in earnest till he hath first sought us found us out and brought us home by his preventing quickening saving grace And when Christ dwels conquering and reigning in the soule the soule is not content with civilities and formalities with common grace or some low degree of speciall grace but it aimes at grace in perfection the heart is kindly broken by Faith and Love the soule is humble thankfull zealous mercifull diligent constant in serving Christ and Christians upon all occasions Civill and Formall men may by legall terrours be brought to some kind of Devotion they may by an Historicall saith be brought to some kind of admiration of the Gospel to many good wishes and velleities nay to a Reformation in many particulars but because they undervalue the love of the Father the grace of Christ the Communion of the Holy Ghost and consequently the power of godlinesse notwithstanding all their terrours wishes admiration reformation and hankerings after Christ and Heaven they perish in their unbelief because they never had any hungry and thirsty desires restlesse desires after Christ such as would not be satisfied without him wrought in their souls by the light of the Gospel power of the Spirit serious and seasonable offers of Christ. They never come to a deliberate choyce and thankfull acceptance of Christ to be their Saviour Husband Priest Prophet and King but did indeed choose rather to be Satans bondslaves then Christs spouse they would not make a prudent exchange of Satans fetters for Christs yoake and therefore are but dancing to hell with their fetters in the fairest path that they can possibly find to the chambers of death they could never be perswaded to be content with Christ alone as their al-sufficient portion and therefore refused to sell all for him and give up all to him but did upon mature deliberation and in coole blood reject Christ resist his Spirit refuse a pardon of sinne and Deed of Heaven purchased and sealed with the Heart-blood of God and this very consideration will sting the conscience and torment the soule of these everlasting Bedlams when they lie in chains of darknes cursing themselves to all eternity and blaspheming God for torturing of them in the angry flames of hellish brimstone But that this mystery may be yet more freely discovered take any man that is not guilty of the black and unpardonable sin of trampling on the blood of Christ and doing despight to the Spirit of grace and let him be one of the most desperate villains that ever served the devil and I dare encourage this wretch whom hell and Satan do even gape and groane for to go to Christ for preventing grace that the Holy Spirit may set home the curses of the Law and the more severe threatnings of the Gospel upon his obdurate heart in a saving way and beseech him to knock early at Heaven-gate the sooner the better because God gives Christ and his Spirit a Pardon and a Crown as Fathers give lands to their children only because they will give them he gives all Freely and Royally Christ hath gifts for the rebellious also God shews mercy and gives grace to them that do deserve neither grace nor mercy And if the spirit do open the eyes and heart of this man that the sense of his own devillish bruitishnesse may move him to enquire after God and Christ Prov. 30. 1 2 3. and gives him present support from falling under the weight of his own sin and Gods curse into despair after illumination conviction terrors before he come to hunger after Christ submit to him and close with him as an al-sufficient Saviour and an only Saviour This trembling soul may in the midst of cares and hopes and terrors be encouraged and enabled by a Spirit of Regeneration with all humility joy and thankfulnesse to accept of Christ and rest upon him for righteousnesse and life by a faith of Dependance Adherence Recumbence and to submit and melt with Evangelical repentance at a Throne of grace and when his heart is thus broken by faith and love which do cast out unbelief self-love and slavish fear which tends to despair this even now very black soule but now purified by the Spirit of Regeneration and revived by the Spirit of Adoption sprinkling the blood of Christ upon his conscience and shedding the love of God abroad in his heart will be encouraged to call God Father and Christ Saviour the Father will meet embrace adorn him wipe off his tears and filth and kisse that prodigal mouth which came from feeding with swine and kissing of harlots Christ will bid this soule welcome it shall be thrice welcome to this Co-essentiall Trinunity For God who brought his pardoning mercy preventing and effectuall grace to us when we looked not after him will surely bid us welcome when we come unto him with a prudent care a lively faith a Son-like reverence a penitent indignation against our sin and lusts melting affections and yearning bowels towards him and flaming zeale in his service and for his cause He who ran and called after us when we looked not after him will not reject us when we come unto him out of tender respect and hearty love to him and his service He that hath the Spirit shall have Son and Father also Let all churlish Nabals proud Pharises politick Gallios scoffing Ishmaels impenitent Formalists and unbeleeving Atheists consider what hath been said and look upon themselves as guilty of eternal death let them heare with wonder and amazement let them beleeve and tremble and let all the enemies of the grace of God Pelagians Papists c. know that all preparatives are wrought by the Word Spirit and that it is one great preparative to abhor the thought of all meritoriousness in all or any of those preparatives which make way for the infusion of faith for faith is the free gift of God and though there be many necessary preparatives to drive us to Christ yet there are no meritorious Qualifications in us to bribe God allure Christ or deserve grace The Spirit works when where and as he pleases and he who doth not prize the love of the Father the grace of Christ and Communion of the
Socinus the Uncle and the Nephew brought from thence They who are acquainted with Ecclesiastical Writers can readily declare what difficulties they wrestled with and what persecutions they did undergo rather then they would consent to any Syncretisme with the Arians when it was obtruded or yeeld to any agreement when it was offered to them upon plausible and tempting conditions They who have read the Acts of the Nicene Syrmiensian and both the Ariminensian Councels Athanasius Hilary Epiphanius Nicetas Socrates Sozomen Theodoret Augustin know this to be as cleare as if it were written with a Sun-beame Was there not an Anathema denounced against Liberius by great Hilary for yielding to such a Syncretisme with the Arians as Acontius did propound for an Accommodation between Christians and Socinians pardon the harshness of that expression I am not in passion or in haste but follow the example of the Orthodoxe Doctors of the Church who did use the name of Christians in opposition to the Arians to shew that they did not acknowledge the Arians for to be Christians because they denied the true Christ who is God-man the only Mediatour and Saviour of his people from their sins Melancthon and Bucer were men of great prudence modesty and moderation as well as piety and learning but they never offered to conclude a peace with any of these new Arians they would not admit any into Christian Communion with them unlesse they would subscribe the Confessions of faith received in the foure first general Councels They who deny the Godhead of our Saviour and the holy Ghost are Antichristian Antispiritual men their Idolatry in worshipping Christ whom they look upon as a meere Creature their impiety in denying worship to the holy Ghost their horrid blasphemies to the dishonour of Christ and Christianity their poysoning of soules disturbing of Christian Societies should be laid to heart by all Christian Magistrates all Ministers and Members of Jesus Christ and therefore this Acontian Syncretisme is abominable Upon these and divers other considerations I was desired to make a report to the Reverend Assembly concerning the danger of translating and Printing of Acontius in English the heads of the report were briefly these The Report made to the Reverend Assembly March 8. 1647-48 By Mr Cheynell We humbly conceive THat Acontius his Enumeration of Points necessary to be known and beleeved for the attainment of Salvation is very defective 1. Because in the Creed which Acontius framed there is no mention made either of the Godhead of Iesus Christ or of the Godhead of the holy Ghost And 2. Although Acontius doth acknowledge Christ to be truly the Son of God yet he doth not in his Creed declare him to be the natural Son of God That these points are necessary to be known and believed for the attainment of salvation is in our judgement clearly expressed in the holy Scriptures 1 Joh. 5. 7 20. compared with Joh. 17. 3. We do therefore conceive that Acontius was justly condemned because he maintains that the points of Doctrine which he mentions are the only points which are necessary to be known and beleeved and did not hold forth or mention the points aforesaid as necessary to salvation And we esteeme him to be the more worthy of censure because he lived in an age when the Photinian Heresie was revived and yet spared the Photinians though he condemned the Sabellians Finally Acontius doth cautelously decline the Orthodox expressions of the Ancient Church in the foure first generall Synods and doth deliver his Creed in such general expressions that as we conceive the Socinians may subscribe it and yet retaine the worst of their blasphemous errours The promises being humbly presented we leave it to the judgement of this Reverend Assembly Whether Acontius his Stratagems was a Book fit to be translated into English and recommended to the Parliament Army and City to direct them how to distinguish truth from errour in this juncture of time Upon these few heads of the Report I discoursed somewhat affectiontely and freely according to the weight and moment of the Point in Question And thereupon the reverend Assembly did unanimously desire the Prolocutor to perswade me to print something about that Argument as soone as the heat of our employment at Oxford was over for the satisfaction of the Kingdom I am very willing to obey the Commands of that Assembly famous for learning and piety even to the admiration of those great Schollers whose hearts were once espoused to another Interest If the debates of that Reverend Assembly upon severall Articles of Faith were printed and published to the world all ingenuous enemies of piety would blush at the remembrance of those bitter censures which have been passed upon men of whom this Age is unworthy But I must hasten for my Book begins to swell beyond its just proportion and I am called away to another service which cannot be performed at any other time Acontius hath invented very pretty diversions instead of Excuses to abate our zeale against the most dangerous errours he saith that Hereticks do not intend to make Christ a lyar the controversie between them and us is not concerning the truth but concerning the meaning of the words of Christ. To which I answer that he who beleeves the words of Christ in the sense of Antichrist and rejects the sense of Christ and his Spirit is not a Christian but is indeed and truth Antichristian The sense of Scripture is the Scripture and therefore if men be permitted in these great and weighty Articles to impose a new sense upon the Church of Christ they do clearely impose a new Creed a new Gospell upon us and deserve that Anathema Gal. 1. 8 9. though they should pretend to Apostolical authority or Angelical purity Although we or an Angel from heaven preach any other Gospel unto you then that which we have preached unto you let him be accursed As we said before so say I now againe if any man preach any other Gospell unto you then that you have received let him be accursed Grotius in the daies of his modesty refused to sollicite in the behalfe of the Socinians and professed that he did not know a man in the grand Assembly in Holland that would not pronounce the Socinians accursed The distinguishing question which was then put was the old question Do you beleeve that Christ is God by nature If you do not you are an Arian and if you be an Arian you are no Christian. Acontius reckons up some things as necessary to beleeve which are expressed in Scripture some other things which are necessarily inferred from what is expressed but he doth not reckon up the Godhead of Christ or the holy Ghost in his Catalogue of things that are plainely expressed or necessarily inferred as is most evident by his whole discourse in his third Book which is now in English Finally the Socinians take away
the right foundation of faith hope worship justification as hath been proved lay a wrong foundation they bring in a new Christ a meer man and a new Gospel a new Iudge in the highest matters and mysteries of Religion their own reason which they might infallibly know to be not only fallible but corrupt They deny the true causes and means of salvation the right application of them Their impiety in not worshipping of the Spirit Their Idolatry in worshipping one whom they esteeme to be a meere man and refusing to be washed and purged with the bloud of the Covenant will justifie all that reject them and their Confederates from Christian Communion I am not at leasure to handle the Magistrates duty in this point nor are many of them at leasure to consider all that is fit to be considered in that weighty point but for the present satisfaction of such as know not how to study in these busie times I shall point at some unquestionable truths for the ending of that unhappy and fatall Controversie in the Church of Christ. 1. There is no warrant given in the Word to any Minister of the State or Officer of the Church to molest oppresse or persecute any man for Righteousnesse sake he who doth persecute a man for following his conscience when rightly informed by the Word and Spirit of the Lord Jesus doth certainely persecute the Lord Jesus Christ. Saul Saul why persecutest thou me I am Iesus whom thou persecutest it is a fit Text to be preached on this twenty second of February 1649. But I am now learning another Lesson which is to suffer persecution patiently for righteousnesse sake and pray for such Benefactours who do besides their intention and against their will make Christians happy by endeavouring to make them miserable in their outward man by an unexpected persecution Yet I could not but take notice of the seasonablenesse of this truth and put down the day the moneth and the yeare as the Prophet did Ezek. 8. 1. And it came to passe in the sixth yeare in the sixth moneth in the fifth day of the moneth as I sate in mine house and the Elders of Iudah the Princes of the people sate before me c. The great Statesmen were at leasure now in the time of the Captivity to hear the Prophet if they would have heard beleeved obeyed before they had never gone into Captivity for the misusing of the Prophets and despising of their message was the sin against the most Soveraigne remedy and when there was no other remedy then God sent them away Captive c. 2 Chron. 36. 16 17. Let all such consider this who are poasting on in the high-way to Captivity 2. No man ought to be punished for following his mis-informed conscience untill he hath been better informed and spiritually admonished as we have formerly shewn twice or thrice and is so unconscionable as to despise good information reject prudent and faithful admonitions contrary to the doctrine of godliness and all good conscience for of such a man the Apostle saith not only that he is perverted but he is subverted Tit. 3. 10. 3. The Ministers of God the Civill Magistrates and the Ministers of Christ and all Church-Officers whatsoever must joyne together and uphold one another in the discharge of their several duties that they may be in a capacity to revenge all disobedience and execute the judgement that is written Rom. 13. 4. 2 Cor. 10. 6. I Cor. 4. 21. Deut. 13. 10 11. 4. Heretical Seducers Blasphemous Apostates and Idolatours of whom we have discoursed at large are Wolves that subvert whole houses Tit. 1. 11. Churches Gal. 5. 10 12. Act. 15. 24. States and Kingdomes and therefore they must be driven from the sheepfold lest the very vitals of Christianity be corrupted Religion destroyed many soules poysoned God extremely dishonoured the Church and State endangered as is fully declared unto us in the holy Scriptures of truth 5. God doth work by these Legal terrours and executions of vengeance sometimes upon the party punished the false Prophet converted by the spirit of God working in this great Ordinance doth in the day of his visitation confesse the justice and charity of those Officers who did stigmatize him with wounds in his hands Zach 13. 6. as M. Cotton doth observe in the ninth Chapter of his Answer to Mr Williams pag. 20 21. Moreover it is most cleare that God doth make use of the Magistrate as his Minister and Instrument for the overawing of the people by inflicting exemplary punishment on such as do speake lies in the name of the Lord blaspheme the name truth person of Christ and seduce or thrust men away from the only true God Father Son and holy Ghost Deut. 13. 6 8 9 10 11. The Morall equity of this Command is very evident for the punishing of such as do entice men from the true Religion because there is a reason given which is of general and perpetual equity Thou shalt stone him Because he hath sought to thrust thee away from Iehovah thy God It is now certainly as great a fault to seduce men from Father Son and holy Ghost nay a greater fault now because it is a sin committed against clearer light And it is of generall and publique concernment to have such great examples made in a nation to make the generality of men affected with an awfull regard of the truth goodnesse Majesty and Justice of God For this is Gods ordinance to strike the people with such a reverence as shall at least restraine them from this sin And all Israel shall heare and feare and shall do no more any such wickedness Deut. 13. 11. The Lord is acquainted with the frame of our hearts and spirits and he doth propound such remedies as are proper suitable to our distempers and he who doth ordaine such remedies will make them effectual by his own Spirit who doth often sanctifie legal terrours and outward afflictions and makes them subservient to spiritual purposes and therefore these outward weapons are spiritually used and are of a spiritual efficacy according to the Counsell of Gods will When the Magistrate as a Minister of God draws the Sword in the cause of God for the honour of God according to the Ordinance of God expressed in the thirteenth of Deuteronomy compared with the thirteenth of Zachary and the thirteenth to the Romanes the Sword that is thus drawn is not the Sword of Gideon only the Sword of man but the Sword of God And it is certainly most proper to restraine them by the Sword who will not be restrained by any other Ordinance of God men that have seared consciences have strong passions and exemplary punishments will work effectually upon the passion of feare in a self condemned man when no spiritual Physick will work upon him because all wholsome admonitions are rejected by him Carnall men are ready to
Civill states Princes and People for this Spiritual Pollution The Turke was let loose from the River Euphrates to punish the worshippers of Imamages Rev. 9. 14. 20. The flourishing of Religion is the flourishing of the Civill state and the decay of Religion the decay and ruine of the Civil state according to the ordinary dispensations of God When Christ had rode through the Roman state on the white horse of his Gospel of grace and was rejected then followed the Red horse of Warre the black horse of Famine and the pale horse of Pestilence and other deadly plagues Rev. 6. from the 2. to the 8 vers Can any Christian state hope upon Scripture grounds that it shall enjoy honour health riches peace safety settlement if Faith and Piety be overthrowen by the indulgence of that state if Seducers bee permitted to poyson soules to teach damnable Doctrines and perswade men to deny the Lord that bought them to deny his divine nature and subsistence his Offices and the efficacy of them nay his very Redemption by way of purchase by way of proper and alsufficient satisfaction as the Socimans do The patience and bounty of God acting as it were by Praerogative is gloriously manifested in our dayes but surely no Christian state can be secured by a councell or an army which permits men to live without Christ without God in the world without any spirituall communion with God in his Coeternall Son by his Coessentiall Spirit Woe be to us if we neglect so great Salvation as is yet offered to us in this day of Grace XV. The Church as a Church hath no sword it doth therefore belong to the Magistrate to smite with the sword but the Church may exhort the Magistrate to doe his duty 1 Kings 18. 40. XVI We must distinguish between Christian Forbearance vouchsafed to weak Brethren that they may live quietly in all godlinesse and honesty and Antichristian indulgence extended to blasphemous Heretikes and seducing Apostates that they may live quietly in all ungodlinesse and dishonesty to the infection and seduction of others The Kings shall bee rewarded for burning and God praised for judging the seducing whore But judicious Mr. Cotton is afraid that the Antichristian Whore will steale in at the Back-doore of a Toleration XVII Gospel-dispensations are as spirituall for the conversion of Sorcerers Adulterers Murtherers as for recovery of blasphemous Heretiks and seducing Apostates and therefore they who plead for the Toleration of these obstinate persons in hope of their conversion doe indeed proclaime a generall pardon for all malefactours save such only as sin against the Holy Ghost XVIII They who permit men to deny supernaturall Principles do permit them to overthrow the Gospel which is not writen in our hearts by nature as the Law is And yet it should be considered that they who deny the Gospel do consequently sin against the light of nature because they make God a liar by rejecting the testimony of Gâ—d concerning his Son 1. Ioh. 5. 10. They who did seduce men from the beliefe and worship of God as revealed in the Old Testament were to die the death and yet the Old Testament is as divine and supernaturall a Revelation as the New Testament it self And it is cleare that God did reveale himselfe in Christ even in the Old Testament for there is much Gospell in the Law and the Prophets because all the Law and the Prophets bare witnesse of Christ and Moses saith our Saviour wrote of me If then there be an indulgence granted to such as deny supernaturall truths men may overthrow both the Old and New Testament and be Antiscripturists without controule nay it wil if this absurdity be granted clearly follow that the Magistrate may punish such severely who deny the truths which are wrote in Aristotle but must not touch them who deny all the supernaturall mysteries of Faith Written in the Book of God Blush ye Heavens and be ashamed O Earth at the Atheisticall libertinisme of this licentious age Seducers who did thrust men out of the way which the Lord commanded them by his written word to walk in were put to death Deut. 13. 5 10. though they were directed by a supernaturall Revelation to walk in that way Reverend Mr. Burroughs doeth often acknowledge in his Irenicum that such as professe Christianity are justly punished for sinning against the common light of Christianity For it is not conscience but the Devil in the conscience which moves Christians to maintaine errours against the light of Christianity errours that are destructive to the Christian Religion and if any man hath a minde to be an Advocate for the Devil I dare not be an Advocate for him only I desire him to beware how he hearkens to the Divell in Samuels mantle and beseech him to cry mightily to him who alone can cast out Devills to cast the Devil out of his conscience place himself there as on a Throne that he may rule the conscience and command the whole man by his Word Spirit XIX He that by seducing seeks to thrust men away from the beleife and worship of the only true God Father Son and Holy Ghost doth deserve to be punished for his very attempt and endeavour to subvert soules though he doth not prevaile with one soule to depart from God Because he hath sought to thrust thee away from Jehovah thy God Deut. 13. 10. The very murtherous attempt of killing a soule by abusing an Ordinance of God corrupting of Religion telling lyes in the name of the Lord fathering our own damnable lyes upon the holy â—pirit is a Capitall crime XX. Christians are in a worse condition then the Jewes were if men may seduce our wives and children into such opinions and practices as will certainly undoe their souls to all eternity and wee must onely intreat them not to seduce our friends to Hell and the Christian Magistrate hath no power to punish these Soule murthering seducers This argument is affectionately pressed by sweet Mr. Burroughs in his book of Heart divisions pag. 23. 24. I have much more to deliver upon this weighty point but I remember what Hugo said That it is best at some time to say nothing at every time to say enough but at no time to say all 6 MA 50 FINIS Tertul. Apolog cap. 46. Lactant. Epiphan Cicero l. 3. de finibus De Authoritate verborum 1 Jo. 5. 7. Rob. Stephanus Senior Iunior MS optimae sidei Hieron Prob. in Epist. Cathol Hieron Epist. ad Marcel ult Bedae translatio laborat Cyprian de unitate Ecclesiae Tertul. Praescript Antichrist Racoviens Vide Cat. Racoviens Scripta Socini Moscorovii Crelâ—ii Volklii Smalcii Goslavii AlcuinuÌ„ de Trinitate in Praefatione ad Carolum magnum Schlusselbergium de Haeresibus Stegmannum Junium Zanchium Gomarum Voetium de Trinitate a Act. Concil Nicen. Nicer The saur Orth. fid l. 4. haeres 32. Epiph. haeres 65. Aug. de haeres c.
Saviour saith God is a Spirit and from thence concludes that God is to be worshipped in Spirit and truth but in respect of the Divine Persons also We are to worship God as a Creator as the first of Causes last of Ends best of Beings to whom we owe our Being and our well-being but we must worship God the Father as God and look upon him as the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ and as our Father reconciled to us in Christ this is that worship which becomes the Gospel and therefore we ought to worship God the Father considered after this Evangelicall manner that he may be glorifyed we moved and affected with those endearing expressions O God the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ and our Father in him Such expressions as these do beget in us 1. Holy boldnesse mixed with Reverence 2. Christian confidence our Father wil supply the wants of his children out of his rich treasure for he commands Heaven earth 3. Filial Love and cheerefull obedience which are even con-naturall to our new man upon due consideration of this sweet relation between God and us Ier. 3. 19. 4. A thankefull acknowledgement of Gods fatherly bounty even unto admiration Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the sons of God 1 Joh. 3. 1. Nay heyres of God Rom. 8. 17. What are we vile wretches wormes and no men yea by reason of our filthinesse Dogs and Devils that we should be adopted into the family of God married to the Sonne of God and made co-heyrs with the Lord of glory When the Spirit of a man is raised by such thankfull acknowledgements unto an Holy admiration then it is brought into a Gospel frame and by such high and sweet thoughts of Gods fatherly love and bounty fitted for filiall and Gospel-worship But it will be said that the whole Trinity is our Father and therefore all three persons are to be worshipped under that fatherly consideration and in that deare Relation To which I answer 1. That when the word Father is attributed unto God essentially though all creatures are excluded yet all the three Divine persons are included because they are co-equal they have one nature will and worship they are one and the same God and they are one Father also in opposition to Images Ier. 2. 27. To Saints Is. 63. 16. Doubtlesse thou art our Father though Abraham be ignorant of us and Israel acknowledge us not Thou O Lord art our Father our Redeemer thy name is from everlasting And in opposition to all creatures Mat. 23. 9. and in the Lords Prayer Father Son and Holy Ghost are all called upon as our Father 2. The word Father is sometimes taken personally and attributed to a single person of the God-head More frequently and more peculiarly to God the Father who is the first Principle of subsisting life even in respect of his own naturall and Co-essentiall Son as hath been proved at large in this Treatise and is to be reckoned first in order and finally in regard of our Adoption and the mysterious and divine Oeconomy and dispensation vouchsafed for the salvation of man and yet these peculiar notions do not exclude the other persons from being God as hath been proved above in the fourth chapter nor do they exclude them from being our Father in the common notion of Father in opposition to creatures and Idols nay all three persons have a Fatherly care of us and love to us and therefore Christ is called our Father Isa. 9. 6. Heb. 2. 13 14. And it is the proper office of the Holy Ghost to Regenerate us as it is of the Father to Adopt us but then the Father doth Adopt us in Christ who is a Father to us though a Son to God the Father and the holy Spirit is the Spirit of Regeneration and Adoption and therefore all three Co-essentiall persons are our Father 3. We may direct our Prayers to any one person as Steven directed his to the Lord Jesus Act. 7. 59. Lord Iesus receive my Spirit 4. We may direct our Prayers expressely unto two of the divine persons Now God himself and our Father and our Lord Iesus Christ direct our way unto you 1 Thes. 3. 11. 5. We may direct our Prayers unto all three as we do in the administration of Baptisme and in that Fundamentall Benediction 2 Cor. 13 14. 6. When we direct our prayers to one of the divine persons we exclude none because the Persons are in one another the Father is in the Son and they are all three coessentiall coequall They are one God and therefore are to be worshipped with that selfe same religious and divine Worship which is due to their single and undivided Godhead 7. When we direct our prayer to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ the terme Father is taken in a peculiar notion not in the common notion and the Apostle directs his prayer after this peculiar manner Eph. 3. 14. For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ of whom the whole Family in Heaven and Earth is named God the Father looks upon us poore wormes as part of his Family nay as his deare children whilest we are here on earth as well as he looks upon his other children the glorious Saints who are made perfect in heaven Oh what a quickning consideration is this to bring us upon our knees at a Throne of grace before Christs Father and our Father that we may have a childs Portion and be prepared for that place which Christ is now preparing for us We are part of the Family numbred amongst those of the best ranke we are children and have the same Father that Christ and the Saints in heaven have Iohn 20. 17. Ephes. 3. 14. and therefore shall come to be Coheires with Christ and them Here is heavenly encouragement unto Gospell-worship and Gospell-conversation It is no wonder then if that Gospell-worship be frequently performed to God under this endearing consideration and in this sweet and comfortable relation The Apostle wishes us grace and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ Rom. 1. 7. and in like manner 1 Cor. 1 3. 2 Cor. 1. 2. Observe that solemn forme of thanksgiving Blessed be God even the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort 2 Cor. 1. 3. Oh how willingly and cheerefully do we run to the God of all mercies and comfort in a time of temptation and affliction 2 Cor. 1. 4. For the Father discovers his bowels of mercy on purpose to invite us to him The Father himselfe loves you Iohn 16. 27. All spirituall glorious eternall blessings our Election Redemption Salvation are ascribed to this Father of all grace mercy comfort glory