Son and Holy Ghost and Jesus Christ God-Man Note this No man is saved without the knowledge of the Father No man hath seen God at any time the only begotten Son which is in the bosom of the Father he hath declared him Joh. 1.18 No man is saved without the knowledge of the Son Whosoever denyeth the Son the same hath not the Father 1 Joh. 2.23 He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him Joh. 5.23 No man is saved without the knowledge of the Holy Ghost Now if any man hath not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his Rom. 8.9 Even the Spirit of Truth whom the World cannot receive because it seeth him not neither knoweth him but ye know him for he dwelleth with you and shall be in you Joh. 14.17 God heareth none but such as call upon him in the Name of Christ None can call upon God in Christ but such as are taught and assisted by his Spirit We cannot Worship God aright without the knowledge of the Trinity As God the Father Son and Holy Ghost is of the object of Faith so is he of the object of Divine Worship Baptism is an act of Worship and sign of the Covenant but we are baptized into the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Matth. 28.19 God hath committed all Judgment to the Son that all men should honour the Son as they honour the Father He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him Joh. 5.23 Believers are the Temples of the Holy Ghost 1 Cor. 3.16 6.19 The Lord of the Temple is worshipped in the Temple We worship the Trinity in Unity and the Unity in Trinity All Obedience is to be performed unto God the Father Son and Holy Ghost To him that elected us that gave Christ to redeem us that created us that brought Israel out of Egypt that in a word doth all for us is all obedience to be performed But God the Father Son and Holy Ghost and that as God the Father Son and Holy Ghost elected us gave Christ to redeem us created us c. Therefore unto God the Father Son and Holy Ghost is all obedience to be performed The plurality of Persons in the Trinity is of great use for the confirmation of the truth unto us John asserts that great Truth of Jesus Christ being the Son of God and Saviour of all them that believe not only from the testimony of one God but from the testimony of that one God who is three Witnesses for there are three that bear record in Heaven the Father the Word and the Holy Ghost and these three are one 1 Joh. 5.7 To the same purpose is the Argument Christ useth disputing against the Scribes and Pharisees proving the truth of what he had spoken concerning himself being the Light of the World because it was averred by the Father and him as two Witnesses It is also written in your Law that the testimony of two men is true I am one that bear witness of my self and the Father that sent â—e beareth witness of me Joh. 8.17 18. The knowledge of the Trinity tends unto the Consolation of Believers Paul affectionately desirous that the hearts of the Colossians might be comforted sheweth two special means thereof viz. The acknowledgment of the Mystery of God and of the Father See Mr. Norton's Orthodox Evangelist p. 33 34. and of Christ with the full assurance of understanding and Brotherly-love Of God i. e. of God and of his Attributes of the Father i. e. of the Persons the first of which is the Father of Christ i. e. of his Person and Office so some without repugnancy to the Analogie of Faith or the words of the Text. Lastly The knowledge of the Doctrine of the Trinity is requisite to our Communion which as our Union is with God the Father Son and Holy Ghost And truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ 1 Joh. 1.3 The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the communion of the Holy Ghost be with you all Amen 2 Cor. 13.13 Matth. 28.19 Though the perfect manner how one Person is of another is incomprehensible and unutterable in this life the perfect knowledge thereof being reserved unto glory yet so far hath God revealed himself unto us in his Word in this life as that we may and ought to attain unto some distinctness yea unto such distinctness as is held forth in the Scriptures of Truth which is the measure of Faith and not to rest in an implicite Faith concerning this Mystery of Mysteries Secret things belong to the Lord our God but these things which are revealed belong unto us and to our Children for ever Deut. 29.29 Upon which last words viz. To us and to our Children they say the Hebrew hath extraordinary Pricks to stir up our attention to the matter here spoken of To be wise above what is written is not wisdom but perilous sin and folly To be wise according to what is written is sobriety To be wise up to what is written though alas we have all great cause to cry God be merciful to us all herein is our Duty No where saith Augustine throughout the revealed Will of God is the truth sought out with greater labour no where is our finding out of the truth fruitfuller no where do we err with greater danger 1 Cor. 15.34 Some have not the knowkedge of God I speak this to your shame saith St. Paul To this agrees the saying of Dr. Hall in his Collections pag. 407 408. How to conceive of the Deity in our Prayers in our Meditations is both the deepest Point of all Christianity and the most necessary so deep that if we wade into it we may easily drown never find the bottom so necessary that without it our selves our services are prophane irreligious We are all born Idolaters naturally prone to fashion God to some form of our own whether of an humane body or of admirable light or if our mind have any other more likely and pleasing Image First then away with all these wicked Thoughts these gross Devotions and with Jacob burn all your strange Godds under the Oak of Shechem ere you offer to set up God's Altar at Bethel and without all mental representations conceive of your God purely simply spiritually as of an absolute being without form without matter without composition yea an infinite without all limit of thoughts Let your heart adore a spiritual Majesty which it cannot comprehend yet knows to be and as it were lose it self in his infiniteness Think of him as not to be thought of as one whose Wisdom is his Justice whose Justice is his Power whose Power is his Mercy and whose Wisdom Justice Power Mercy is himself as without quality good great without quantity everlasting without time present every-where without place containing all things without extent And
God is a Spirit and therefore will be worshipped in Spirit and in Truth And St. Paul saith That the fulness of the Godhead dwelleth in Christ bodily Col. 2.9 not locally but by personal Union and this is the proper object of all gospel-Gospel-worship as I have said before And it was so in the time of the Law for the Temple was God's dwelling-place Psal 76.2 there was the only place of God's publick Worship Ps 29.2 No Sacrifice might be offered in any other place Deut. 12.26 27. for there the Spiritual worshippers had by Faith a sight of God and communion with him by Christ Psal 63.2 68.24 Towards the Temple they were to look wheresoever they were 1 King 8.29 Therefore what the Temple was to them under the Law the same is Christ to us under the Gospel therefore as the true worshippers did not worship the Temple although the false did but God that dwelleth in the Temple even so we may not worship the Temple only viz. the Humane Nature of Christ but God in it for it is the Spirit that quickneth Joh. 6.53 54. And as there was in that Temple a Vail to go into the Holiest of all where God dwelt between the Cherubims even so it is now Heb. 10. We pass through the vail viz. the flesh of Christ into the Holiest if we are led thereby to worship that Godhead that dwelleth in it This is a right conception and true worship of God For the Humanity of Christ was to the Godhead as a back of mettle to a Crystal glass for look on such a glass in its pure substance and it is transparent put a back of mettle to it and it gives a beautiful reflex So if we take up conceptions of the Godhead in its pure Essence it is transparent if we consider of God as he is Infinite Almighty Immense Eternal what is this to the Creature or our comfort If we consider him in his Power Justice Wisdom Holiness Goodness and Truth what is this to us yea all these are against us as we are sinners But if we take up a conception of God in all his Attributes as they appear to us in Christ so they make a most comfortable reflex upon us In this Glass we behold the Glory of the Lord and are changed into the same similitude from glory to glory by the Spirit of the Lord 2 Cor. 3.18 In this Glass we behold that Wisdom by which we are instructed that Righteousness by which we are justified that Power by which we are preserved that Grace by which we are chosen and called that Goodness by which we are relieved and supplyed that Holiness by which we are transformed that Glory to the which we shall be conformed by all which it appeareth that our right apprehension and due conception of God must spring from the manifestation of God in Jesus Christ For no man knoweth the Father but the Son and he to whom the Son will reveal him Matth. 11.27 For the Saints in the Law meditated devoutly upon his coming in the flesh many Prophets and righteous Men saith Christ desired to see the things which you see and have not seen them Matth. 13.17 Luk. 10.24 and what were these things Surely it is God manifested in the flesh as appeareth by St. Luke Luk. 10.24 Now as Aaron the high Priest was chosen from amongst his brethren and not of a stranger Exod. 28.1 even so Christ the Antitype of Aaron was taken out of the Tribe of Judah which were his brethren according to the flesh Heb. 2.17 For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Judah saith the Holy Ghost Heb. 7.14 And this is that which Moses said A Prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you from amongst his brethren like unto me him shall you hear in all things Deut. 18.18 whatsoever he shall say unto you Acts 3.23 But notwithstanding all this the Eutychians deny that he was flesh of our flesh although the Holy Ghost saith it again and again both by the holy Prophets in the old Testament and the holy Apostles in the New for St. Paul saith We are members of his body of his flesh and of his bones Eph. 5.30 Now sith he was flesh as the Eutychians confess and yet deny him to be our flesh against all these faithful Witnesses as aforesaid I now desire them to tell me if they can what flesh it was sith St. Paul knew but four kinds of created flesh viz. one kind of flesh of Men another of Beasts another of Fish and another of Birds 1 Cor. 15.39 Now which of these will you chuse If neither of these I pray assign of what matter the flesh of Christ was made for we with St. Paul know no other than these four kinds of flesh Moreover Christ is figured out by Melchisedec and his Priesthood Heb. 7. for as he was a Priest and King even so was Christ also and as he was without Father and Mother even so was Christ viz. without Father in respect of his Humane Nature and without Mother in respect of his Divine Nature Now there is no knowing of God aright but in by and through Christ as I said before for in the works of Creation God is above us in his works of Providence a God without us in the Law a God against us in Himself a God invisible to us only in Christ he is Emmanual God manifested in our flesh God in us God with us and God for us therefore in Christ God is apprehended aright and there also worshipped aright 1 Joh. 2.23 Whosoever denieth the Son hath not the Father but he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also Who is a lyar but he that denieth that Jesus is the hrist he is Antichrist that denieth the Father and the Son vers 22. Now as the Eutichians err in their Opinion about Christ our Mediator even so they do about the Holy Trinity also for they do not rightly understand nor believe the Unity and Trinity spoken of 1 Joh. 5.7 Now if they be three they be three Operations or three Manifestations or three Subsistances but they be not the two former therefore the latter viz. three Subsistances for St. John saith The Word was with God and was God Joh. 1.1 Now where there is one and another with him there must needs be a distinction but St. John saith it is so therefore 2dly Where there is one sending and another sent there is a distinction But the Father sendeth and the Son was sent therefore a distinction Joh. 3.17.34 for God sent his Son into the World c. Again the Father and the Son send the Holy Ghost Joh. 14.16 't is another Comforter therefore a distinct Person both from the Father and the Son Now if these have all of them viz. the Father Son and Spirit Understanding and Will then they are Persons and not Qualities for no Qualities can have Understanding and Will see 1 Cor. 12. from ver 3. to
it not a wonder that many should follow those wayes that are so pernicious But it is as St. Paul saith when men receive not the love of the Truth that they might be saved then God in his just Judgment sends them or gives them over to strong delusions that they should believe a Lye 2 Thess 2.10 11. The Apostle tells Titus that there were many unruly and vain talke s and deceivers which it seems had such success that they subverted whole houses viz. turned them from the Faith teaching things which they ought not for filthy lucre sake Tit. 1.9 10. insomuch that all they that were in Asia were turned away from him See 2 Tim. 1.14 15. Yea the Spirit speaks expresly that in the latter dayes some shall depart from the Faith giving heed to seducing Spirits and Doctrines of Devils 1 Tim. 4.1 So all the World wondered after the Beast Rev. 13.3 and worshipped the Beast and the image of the Beast and was so inamoured with their Idolaty that they say Who is like unto the Beast Who is able to make War with him vers 4. For Sixthly That which is the moving Cause which sets false Teachers on work is Covetousness that which made Balaam so desire to curse the People of God was Covetousness The Apostle tells us he loved the wages of unrighteousness Jude 16. 2 Pet. 2.15 For the love of Money saith St. Paul is the root of all evil which whilst some coveted after they have erred from the Faith and pierced themselves through with many sorrows l Tim. 6.10 But Seventhly When the heart is corrupt 't is no wonder if the tongue be false therefore our Apostle tells us That the Engine or Instrument which the false Teachers shall use to carry on their design of beguiling unstable Souls shall be feigned words words of deceit swelling words of vanity see 2 Pet. 2.18 19. So the Apostle Paul tells Titus There are saith he many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers whose mouths must be stopped who subvert whole houses Tit. 1.10 they subvert or turn away the minds of their Hearers from the Truth by false and deceitful words For evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse deceiving and being deceived 2 Tim. 3.13 Therefore Eightly and lastly Let us behold with horror and compassion the sad condition of those miserable Souls that are carried away with the Error of the wicked The false Teachers saith the Text shall make Merchandize of you Is it not a cruel thing to sell a man into slavery How much more cruel is it to sell the Souls of Men and Women into worse slavery and bondage than the Egyptian bondage Better that man had never been born than to be an instrument to bring any Persons into Heresie As those that convert Sinners from the Error of their way shall shine as the Stars for ever and ever Dan. 12.3 Jam. 5. ult So for those that lead them in the way of Heresie is reserved the mist of darkness for ever 2 Pet. 2.17 If the blind lead the blind both shall fall into the ditch See Matth. 15.14 False Teachers are unmerciful For as the true Servants of God labour to have the Church of Christ established in the true Faith so the Children of Belial do sell them into Perdition making them as Christ saith twofold more the Child of Hell than themselves see Matth. 23.15 Beloved I will now conclude this Preface by declaring unto you what Heresies I principally oppose in this ensuing Treatise viz. All that oppose the Essence of God the Trinity of Persons and our Lord Jesus Christ and the Union of Natures c. For this is life eternal that they may know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent Joh. 17.3 CHAP. I. Of the Divine Essence Exod. 3.14 And God said unto Moses I am that I am and he said Thus shalt thou say unto the Children of Israel I am hath sent me unto you I AM viz. I am the only true God truly subsisting and not only through the opinion of men as Idols are I am he that have an everlasting being unchangeable subsisting of it self not depending from others infinite most simple the Author and Cause of the being of all things not a borrowed changeable finite dependent and compound being c. as all the Creatures have Of this mine Essence will I give thee the highest most express and general name of all He that is Which hath remained in use amongst the Hebrews and was then first revealed by God Exod. 6.3 The French Annot. He that is which is the Name that we translate for want of another more proper the Lord God which Name God then newly revealed to Moses Exod. 6.3 See Diodat's Annotations upon the Text. The Essence of God absolutely considered is that one pure and meer act by which God is God Because through the weakness of our understanding we cannot apprehend it in any measure by one act it hath pleased God to give unto himself many Names and Attributes by the help of which we may the better conceive thereof The Divine Attributes are certain essential Properties which God is pleased in Scripture to ascribe or attribute unto himself they are also called the Perfections of God or divine Predications or Titles They are not distinguished from the Essence really but notionally that is They are not distinguished at all in God but only to us-ward according to our manner of conceiving The Perfection of his Nature is either simpleness or the infiniteness thereof The simpleness of his Nature is that by which he is void of all Logical Relation He hath not in him subject or adjunct Joh. 5.26 As the Father hath life in himself so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself compared with Joh. 14.6 I am the Way the Truth and the Life 1 Joh. 1.7 But if we walk in his light as he is light compared with vers 5. God is light and in him is no darkness Hence it is manifested that to have life and to be life to be in light and to be light in God are all one Neither is God subject to generality or speciality whole or parts matter or that which is made of matter for so there should be in God divers things and one more perfect than another Therefore whatsoever is in God is his Essence and all that he is he is by Essence The saying of Augustine in his 6th Book and 4th Chap. of the Trinity is fit to prove this In God saith he to be and to be just or mighty are all one but in the mind of man it is not all one to be and to be mighty or just for the mind may be destitute of these vertues and yet a mind Hence it is manifest That the Nature of God is Immutable and Spiritual God's immutability of Nature is that by which he is void of all composition division and change Jam. 1.17 With God there is no
12. If the Father Son and Spirit be all Creators of Heaven and Earth then are they God by Nature but they are all Creators of Heaven and Earth therefore God by Nature Gen. 1.16 2dly If they all know the thoughts and search the heart of man then are they God by Nature but they all do so therefore 3dly If they may all be ultimately sinned against then are they God by Nature but they may be so therefore 4thly If we may worship them with Divine Worship then are they God by Nature but we may worship them with Divine Worship therefore 5thly If we may be baptized in their Name then are they God by Nature but we may yea ought to be baptized in their Name therefore God by Nature Matth. 21.19 20. The reason is plain because we expect the remission of our sins in his Name into which we were baptized as also promise to worship him in Spirit and in Truth for God is a Spirit and therefore will be worshipped in Spirit and in Truth Now albeit St. John saith speaking of Christ I and my Father are one Joh. 10.30 He doth not by this saying deny the three Persons for in that he saith we are he teacheth us that he and his Father be not one Person forasmuch as ARE cannot be spoken of one Person properly and in that he saith ONE he declared that he is of the self-same substance with his Father Oh the exceeding deepness and power of God's Word which is as a two-edged Sword for with these two syllables Are and One it confoundeth two Heresies viz. the Arrians and Patripâ—ssions and Sabellians which wrest that saying of Christ He that seeth me seeth the Father also Joh. 14. which must be understood of their Essence and not of their Persons as appeareth by these words I go to prepare a place for you saith Christ and if I go I will come again which plainly proves a distinction of the Person vers 2 3. If we may not believe St. John that there be three that bear record in heaven viz. the Father the Word and the Holy Ghosh and these three are one 1 Joh. 5.7 to be a Unity and Trinity as aforesaid then these absurdities will unavoidably follow That if the Father be both the Son and the Holy Ghost as he is if their Persons be one as well as their Essence is one which is indivisible Isa 44.6 I am and there is none besides me Then the Father was he which took our Nature upon him Heb. 2.16 the Father was tempted of the Devil he suffered hunger and thirst he was buffeted and and scourged of the Jews and put to death by wicked hands he also came down in the likeness of a Dove and also of fiery Tongues he begat himself he is greater than himself he sent himself into the World he gave himself a Seat at his own right hand he is the express Image of himself he is greater than himself But if our English Eutychians cannot see these things as aforesaid to be blasphemy against God the Father yet I hope you will see them to be great absurdities for they are the natural consequences of your Opinion for you say it was God that died in the likeness of Man and to prove this you wrest as you do other Scriptures Phil. 2.6 8. for you say He that was in the form of God thought it no robbery to be equal to God and you say He put himself in the likeness of Men and being found in fashion as a man he 〈◊〉 himself and became obedient to death even the death of the Cross wherefore God also hath highly exalted him c. Now if the Godhead was turned into flesh as Water was turned into Wine as you say it was and there can be but one God by Nature both you and we say and I hope believe then if the Father be that one God For to us there is but one God the Father of whom are all things and we in him and one Lord Jesus Christ by whom are all things and we by him 1 Cor. 8.6 Then I pray consider of your Opinion as also the bad consequences that depend upon it For if you shall still be obstinate and deny that the Eternal Word did ever take any flesh of the Virgin Mary into Personal Union with it self as we say it did but will still say and believe that the Eternal Word viz. God the Creator of Heaven and Earth did make himself a Creature viz. Man and so died for our sins Then how you can acquit your selves from being rightly called blasphemers of the Eternal God which is only Immortal and Immutable as I said before I cannot yet tell because of the reasons aforesaid c. Now forasmuch as I understand by some late Conferences I have had with our English Eutychians that they deny or at least doubt of God's Omnipresence and with the Anthropomorphites think of God as if he were some old Man sitting in some one place on a Throne as Kings use to do and so with the Papists and Socinians think that one may see from his right hand to his left as Dr. Owen saith in his Answer to Mr. John Biddles Catechism Now you may see by this how one Error begetteth another For first they deny the Divine Essence of the Eternal God to be Infinite Immense and as the Prophet Jeremiah saith To fill Heaven and Earth Jer. 23.24 And as Solomon saith The Heaven of Heavens cannot contain him how much less this House which I have built 2 Chron. 6.18 But they not minding such Scriptures as these or else not understanding of them but reading some other Scriptures which speak of his coming down from Heaven to see Sodom c. Gen. 18 19 chap. As also because man was made in his Image and that he hath hands and feet c. Therefore they cannot tell how he should properly be a Spirit or Spiritual substance Joh. 4.24 and therefore cannot understand the blessed Trinity as I said before And indeed without this be granted the Trinity cannot be proved to be three Persons and yet but one God as we say and believe as aforesaid for although we distinguish the Persons in the Godhead yet we do not separate them because the Essence is Infinite and Omnipresent Psal 139.7 Whither shall I fly from thy Presence If I ascend up into Heaven thou art there if I make my bed in Hell behold thou art there Amos 9.2 3 4. And to give you one instance what we mean when we say they are distinct and not separated from the Essence of God we mean after this manner as when we-say there are three Faculties in the Soul of Man viz. Understanding Will and Memory now these three Faculties are distinct yet not separated from the Soul for the Soul acts wholly in these three yet not three Souls but one Soul even so is the Eternal Godhead in the Father Son and Spirit and yet but one God but this
of the blessed Trinity is such a great Mystery that no earthly similitude will set it out plainly to our capacities But I pray consider the Vision of the three Men that appeared to Abraham Gen. 18. and the two that went to Lot Gen. 19. And there you may see although they be three Persons yet but one Lord and so called and worshipped of Abraham see chap. 18. and of the two that went to Lot after that they had told him their Message then he never called them Lords but Lord see Chap. 19.18 Which two were the Son and Holy Ghost which were sent by the Father Chap. 18.21 22. for the Father is said to send the Son and Spirit but he is never sent of them And thus you may see how Abraham saw Christ and was glad Gen. 18. compared with John 8.56 58 c. Quest How is God said to be present in all places at once Psal 95.2 6. 139.7 And also to fill Heaven and Earth Jer. 23.24 Answ There is a four-fold Presence of God mentioned in the Scriptures the first is his Presence with all his Creatures which we may call his general Providence whereby he preserveth all his Creatures substances and giveth unto them to live move and have a being and this extendeth it self to all his Creatures both good and bad Acts 17.28 The second degree is the Presence of Grace whereby he doth not only preserve the substance of all his Creatures but also giveth grace onto them this is to the Church of God on Earth The third degree is the Presence of Glory peculiar to the Saints and Angels in Heaven where they shall see God face to face The fourth degree is the Presence of the Godhead of the Son with the Manhood of Christ for in him dwelleth the fulness of the Godhead bodily Col. 2.9 Now for the better understanding of this Mystery we must know that the Scriptures are to be taken four wayes at least some of them viz. first Historically secondly Analogically thirdly Allegorically and fourthly Morally As to instance in one of them for brevity sake Numb 21.9 And Moses made a Serpent and put it upon a Pole c. It hath these four significations the first is Historical it was a Serpent made 2dly Analogically it was lifted up so must Christ Joh. 3.15 3dly Allegorically that is another thing was meant by it as appeareth by Hezekiah's taking of it away and calling of it Nehushtan that is a piece of Brass 2 King 18.4 4thly Morally for they were to look upon it for their cure Even so must we look upon Christ by Faith as saith the Prophet Isaiah Look upon me and be ye saved all the ends of the Earth Now that he is present with all his Creatures to preserve their substances as I said before appeareth from Isa 40.12 Who hath measured the Waters in the hollow of his hand and meted out Heaven with the span and comprehended the dust of the Earth in a measure and weighed the Mountains in scales the Hills in a ballance behold the Nations are as the drop of a bucket and are counted as the small dust of the ballance behold he taketh up the Isles as a very little thing vers 15. By which phrases is meant that he governeth and disposeth of them at his pleasure for neither the Sun could give his light to us nor the Fire heat all these will perish if he withdraw his Presence but a moment from them as also the Beasts of the Field for if he take away their breath they die Psal 104.28 29. Even as the body of a Man when the Soul is gone as St. James saith The body without the Spirit is dead For as St. Paul In him we live and move and have our being Acts 17.28 As also certain of your own Poets have said For we are all his off-spring 1 Cor. 8.6 Obj. But sin maketh a separation betwixt us and God for what communion hath light with darkness and Christ with Belial Therefore he is not present with them c. A. This is not to be understood in the first degree viz. to preserve their substances as in Acts 17. but is meant in the second degree viz. his Grace with his Church on the Earth Joh. 14.23 If any man love me saith Christ he will keep my words and my Father will love him and we will come unto him and make our abode with him which is meant of his Grace and Love and his dwelling with them is by his Holy Spirit as appeareth by his answer to Judas which asked How is it that thou wilt manifest thy self unto us and not unto the World he had told him before vers 15. 17. If you love me keep my Commandments and I will pray the Father and he shall give you another Comforter that he may abide with you for ever even the Spirit of Truth whom the World cannot receive because it seeth him not neither knoweth him for he dwelleth with you and shall be in you I will not leave you comfortless I will come unto you Thus you see how sin separateth us from God's Favour Grace and Spirit but not from his Presence as David saith Whither shall I go from thy Spirit Or Whither shall I flye from thy Presence If I ascend up into Heaven thou art there If I make my bed in Hell thou art there If I take the wings of the Morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the Sea even there shall thy hand lead me and thy right hand hold me And as Amos saith speaking of sinners Amos 9.2 Though they dig into Hell thence shall my hand take them though they climb up to Heaven thence will I bring them down and though they hide themselves in the top of Carmel I will search and take them out thence c. For we must not imagine him to be contained in any one place saith the Prophet Jer. 23.24 Do not I fill Heaven and Earth saith the Lord For as Solomon saith The Heaven and the Heaven of Heavens cannot contain thee how much less this House which I have built 1 King 8.27 And St. Stephen saith He dwelleth not in Tabernacles made with hands Acts 7. and yet he dwelt saith David betwixt the Cherubims And the Lord saith of Zion This is my rest for ever here will I dwell therefore saith the Prophet Blessed be the Lord out of Zion that dwelleth at Jerusalem Psal 135.21 Now this must be meant of his Grace or gracious Presence there and not his personal Presence for if so then he was not in Heaven at that time which I think no wise man will believe therefore when St. Paul saith Whilst we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord he means the beatifical Vision or face of God in glory which cannot be seen with these mortal eyes therefore he saith When we are absent from the body we are present with the Lord 2 Cor. 5.6 8. he meaneth in
the third degree viz. the glorious Presence of God in Heaven with the Church Triumphant Heb. 12.22 Q. 2. If God be a Spirit Joh. 14.24 how then doth the Scriptures ascribe to him hands and feet and almost all the parts of a man sith Christ saith A Spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye see me have c. A. This is to be understood Metaphorically as also by way of Analogy For like as men use to hold water in the hollow of their hand and also span with it even so the Lord albeit he is a Spirit or spiritual substance yet to help our infirmity speaketh to us as it were in our own language and saith he measureth Heaven with a span and holdeth the water in the hollow of his hand Isa 40.12 And as men see with their eyes and hear with their eares even so the Lord is said to do Psal 34.15 The eyes of the Lord are over the Righteous and his ears are open unto their Prayers The hand of the Lord hath driven out the Heathen Now a Spirit hath not hands eyes and ears c. Therefore when the Scriptures attribute these to God viz. hands eyes lips tongue nose heart head face and back-parts c. it is not to be understood litterally but in the second or third sense viz. Analogically or Allegorically that is another thing is meant as Gal. 4.24 As for Example his right hand signifieth his Power for David saith The right hand of the Lord doth valiantly the right hand of the Lord is exalted Psal 118.15 16. And his finger is compared to the Holy Ghost Luk. 11.20 But if I with the finger of God cast out Devils no doubt the Kingdom of God is come unto you compared with Matth. 12.28 But if cast out Devils by the Spirit of God then the Kingdom of God is come unto you And thus I might shew how the rest might be applyed but for brevity sake I forbear Q. 3. How is God said to repent Gen. 6.6 sith other Scriptures say he is not as Man that he should repent or as the Son of Man that he should change his mind For the gifts and callings of God are without repentance Rom. 11.29 A. Albeit God is said sometimes to be angry with us and sometimes pleased this doth not prove any change in God but when we break his Commandments and set light by his Promises and follow our corrupt wayes we are changed and not he We be mutable he is immutable for in him there is no variableness nor shadow of turning Jam. 1.17 He is said to be pacified pleased when we turn from our evil ways so turn to him by true repentance See for this Jonah 3.9 Joel 2.12 Jer. 18.18 For when God is said to laugh at mens calamities and mock when their fear cometh Prov. 1.26 We are not by these and such-like sayings to think that God hath such Affections and Passions as be in Man for God hateth such as mock at his Messengers and despiseth his Word yea God abhoreth the scornful man but as those men that laugh at our calamities are the furthest off from helping of us out of it even so is God when he laugheth at our calamity See Prov. 1.26 27 28. So he is said Psal 44.23 to sleep Arise wherefore dost thou sleep O Lord Arise for our help and redeem us for thy mercy sake vers 26. Now the Lord keepeth his Vineyard lest any hurt it I will keep it night and day Isa 27.3 David saith He neither slumbereth nor sleepeth Psal 121.4 But this is to be understood Metaphorically as I said before as when he is said to awake it is meant his speedy coming to help us opposite to sleeping which is his delaying to come to help us And so when Moses is desirous to see his face and to speak with him face to face it must be meant of some high degree of his manifestation of Grace but not of Glory for so no mortal man can see his face and live No man hath seen God at any time the only begotten Son which is in the bosom of the Father he hath declared him Joh. 1.18 for he is invisible 1 Tim. 1.17 who only hath immortality dwelling in that light which no man can approach unto whom no man hath seen nor can see for he sitteth upon the Circle of the Earth and the inhabitants thereof are as grashoppers That stretcheth out the Heavens as a curtain and spreadeth them out as a Tent to dwell in That bringeth the Princes to nothing he maketh the Judges of the Earth as vanity To whom then will you liken me or shall I be equal saith the Holy One Isa 40.22 to the 26. For as St. Paul saith By these things we speak the Wisdom of God in a Mystery even the hidden Wisdom which God ordained before the World unto our glory which none of the Princes of this World knew for had they known it they would not have crucified the Lord of Glory but God hath revealed them to us by his Spirit for the Spirit searcheth all things yea the deep things of God Now we have not received the Spirit of the World but the Spirit that is of God that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God which things also we speak not in the words that man's wisdom teacheth but which the Holy Ghost teacheth comparing spiritual things with spiritual But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishness unto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned 1 Cor. 2. c. Now I have according to my measure given you my understanding of these great Mysteries of God and the Father and of Christ and of the Holy Ghost Col. 2.2 in as short and plain a method as I could for your information c. Now of that which hath been spoken as concerning God by me in this Treatise this is the summe That God is a Spirit Joh. 4.4 or spiritual substance or pure nature immutable invisible unsearchable filling Heaven and Earth Full of understanding of truth and righteousness of mercy and wisdom and all manner of goodness without beginning and without ending not created nor made and Maker of all things subject to nothing and governing all things knowing all things yea even the inward thoughts and intents of the hearts of men forgiving sins only to be honoured and called upon only hearing our prayers justifying and saving us of an almighty arm and majesty the Father unbegotten the Son begotten the Holy Ghost proceeding from them both as I have proved by the Word of God which cannot lye Now all these things as aforesaid be rightly applyed to the Father Son and Holy Spirit so that it plainly appeareth that to whomsoever these things may rightly be applyed he is God by Nature and not by Name only as they are Psal 82.6 I have said ye are Gods but ye shall die like men
The truth is this That good and bad shall rise again yet there is a great difference in the rising of the one and the other for the Godly shall rise by vertue of Christ's Resurrection and that to Eternal Glory But the Ungodly rise by the Power of Christ as he is a terrible Judge and to execute Justice on them Now to the Faithful Christ is said to be the first fruits of them that sleep 1 Cor. 15.16 Because as in the first Fruits of Corn being offered unto God the owner had an assurance of God's blessing on the rest So here by Christ's Resurrection the Believers have a Pledge of their own resurrection Now of his Ascention into Heaven Luke saith Acts 1.9 That he was taken up the meaning is this was done principally by the mighty Power of his Godhead and partly by the supernatural property of a glorified Body which is to move as well upward as downward without constraint or violence And thus Christ ascended into Heaven really and actually and not in appearance only And he went also locally by changing his place and going from Earth to Heaven so as he is no more on Earth bodily as we are now on Earth And whereas it may be doubted If he be so departed from us at touching hit bodily Presence how that may be true that he said he would be with us unto the end of the World Matth. 28.20 The Answer is He said also That he would leave the Word to go to the Father Joh. 16.28 wherefore he must be understood to speak by a distinction True it is he was before Abraham Joh. 8.85 and so is he with the Church to the Worlds end according to his Divine Nature in Majesty Grace Vertue Power and Effectual working of his Holy Spirit Joh. 17.11 14.16 17. 16.13 But his bodily Presence is in Heaven Secondly If any doubt further Whether the Natures be not thus severed if where the one it the other is not alwayes I Answer No For the Divinity which cannot be comprehended must of necessity out-reach and yet comprehend the Humanity and thereunto be personally united It is not alwayes that of two things conjoyned where the one is there must be the other also For the Sun and his beams are both joyned together yet they are not both in all places together for the body of the Sun is seated and carried only in his Celestial Orbe in the Heavens but his beames are here beneath on the Earth In those Holy Phrases then we must remember that as Learned Men speak the Properties of both Natures must be distinguished in Christ for in such places properties belonging to one Nature are ascribed unto the other because of the Hypostatical Union of both Natures in one Person And thus far for the sense of the words of this Article where we see briefly that Christ's Ascention is an Exaltation or a receiving up of his Humanity to fit in the highest Heavens till the glorious day of his Appearance in Judgment Heb. 1.3 Now I come to the use of this Faith First When I do thus believe the Ascension of Christ I do believe also all the Effects thereof and all the Holy Adjuncts appertaining thereunto namely these two principal which the Apostle specially mentioneth Eph. 4.8 12. First that when he ascended up on high he led captivity captive By Captivity I understand a multitude of Captives as the Psalmist doth Psal 68.19 By Captives here are meant the World the Flesh Sin Satan and Death it self and whatsoever Engins and Confederates these had against Christ in his Humiliation and his Members all their dayes on Earth He so triumphed over them all on his Cross Col. 1.12 but especially in his Ascension that howsoever they may fear us otherwhile and scar us to waken us from Security yet they shall never hurt us for Christ hath taken away their sting 1 Cor. 15.55 and hath pinioned their hands behind them as Captives and set us Free if we will come unto him when he calls us by his Gospel Wherefore if we refuse now his Call our state is the more dangerous See Mr Perkins upon the Creed pag. 285. A man lies bound hand and foot in a dark Dungeon and the Keeper sets open the Prison door takes off his Irons and bids him come forth If he refuse and say he is well may it not be said he is mad and who will pity him in that case This is the state of all impenitents and contemners of the Gospel Secondly It is said also That then he gave gifts to his Church as Kings do in their triumph and his gifts were those Apostles Prophets Evangelists Pastors and Teachers for the planting of the Church and the Propagation of the same and for the gathering of his Elect to the Worlds end If these were Christ's principal blessings which Christ gave his Church in his Ascension and so richly and highly to be accounted as being destinate and sent for so great a Work as the building of the Body of Christ which is his Church on Earth Eph. 4.12 Then they do not believe rightly and truly the Ascension of Christ that so basely and vilely esteem the sacred Ministry and Preaching of the Gospel of Christ and the Administration of his Sacraments as Atheists and Papists and all carnal Gospellers do Thirdly Like as our Justification is ascribed unto his Resurrection and Merit of the same So our proceeding in Grace and Perseverance may truly be attributed to his Ascension to Heaven and Intercession there for us Joh. 17. And like as he could never have risen in that Body wherein he was accursed for us unless he had been acquitted and justified from all our sins so much less could he have Ascended into the highest Heavens if he had not been pure from all our spots imputed unto him His Ascension is a clear evidence of his Righteousness Joh. 16.9 10. and consequently of our Righteousness in him and by him for which these Articles are sweetly knit together for the confirmation of our Faith touching our free Justification by Christ Rom. 8.33 34. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect Is God that justifieth who shall condemn It is Christ which died yea or rather which is risen again who is also at the right-hand of God and maketh request for us Wherefore ever remember to reject the Doctrine of Antichrist who teacheth that Christ by his Death did merit our Justification but we once Justified do further merit our Salvation Whereas thou feest here not only the beginning but also the continuance yea the accomplishment of the whole Work of our Salvation in our Vocation Justification Sanctification and Glorification is wholly and only to be ascribed to the merit of Christ Fourthly We receive also by his Ascension a confirmation touching our Ascension into Heaven for in believing the one we believe the other for the Head and Members must go together We be not now coldly to
what the administration of his Kingdom is and how comfortable to the Believers First That he is Lord and King over all in respect of Creation as also of Preservation and Providence it is manifest Col. 1.16 17. For by him were all things created in Heaven and Earthy c. and in him all things consist He is the same also much more by right of Redemption And his Kingdom is Eternal and Spiritual respecting the very Conscience having that only absolute Power to Command and Forbid to Condemn and to Absolve the Soul and Conscience This is testified Acts 2.36 Let all Israel know for a surety that God hath made him both Lord and Christ this Jesus I say whom ye have crucified And to testifie this his Excellency when Christ went up to sit on his Throne for the Government of his Church it is said He gave great gifts to his Church far excelling the gifts of Earthly Princes in their Coronations for it is said He gave his Church Aposties Prophets Pastors and Teachers Eph. 4.11 12. Now the End and Use of these Gifts and Benefits given by this Great King is comfortable for there it is said That these were given for the Collecting of his Church and the Building of it Luk. 11.13 Acts 16.6 9. Isa 11.2 3 4 5. Acts 2.32 33. This Collection is a separation of the Precious from the Vile Jer. 15.19 and a translation of Men from the kingdom of Darkness into the Kingdom of Light 1 Pet. 2.9 10,11 Eph. 2.2 3. by the Ministry and Dispensation of the Word of Reconciliation 2 Cor. 5.18 outwardly and the working of the Holy Ghost inwardly And this is the first part of Christ's Office in his Kingdom Secondly Christ leads his precious People as a great General doth his Army through the Wilderness of this World into his everlasting Canaan And this he doth also by the same means whereby he called them by his Word and Sacraments outwardly the mighty operation of his Spirit inwardly And in this Travel he doth Exercise them as in Canaan with manifold Afflictions and Temptations in this life Psal 23. and yet defends them against the rage of all Enemies First giving them in their life-time strength to suffer and to fight against all his Enemies most mightily Phil. 1.24 Unto you it is given for Christ that not only ye should believe in him but also suffer for his sake Chap. 4.13 I am able to do all things through him which strengthneth me Rom. 8.36 37. For thy sake we are killed all the day long we are counted at Sheep for the slaughter Nevertheless in all these things we are more than Conquerors through him that loved us And in death it self he never forsakes them Rom. 8.38 39. but then makes an everlasting Separation between them and all their Enemies Zech. 13. Luk. 16. Now I shall speak something to the last Article concerning Christ which is this From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead First I say this Article follows fitly after the former for confirmation of it For the excellency of his Kingdom shall mightily and wonderfully appear in the execution of Justice in the great day of the general Judgment which shall be in the last day of the World First to Judge or to give Judgment is the proper Action and Function of a Judge in Condemning or Justifying of any Man In Condemning by pronouncing him guilty of Sin and therefore adjudging him to some punishment for his Sin In Justifying by pronouncing him just or acquitting him of Sin and so freeing him from the punishment of Sin I say then the meaning of this Article is this I believe that Jesus Christ doth not only now exercise his Kingly Office in Heaven as is afore-shewed but shall also triumphantly descend from the right-hand of his Father in a visible form and corporal Presence to judge all men that shall be found at his coming alive or dead Now to proceed in order to speak of this great Judgment these Points must be considered First By what Arguments it may appear that there shall be a general Judgement Secondly What the form and manner thereof shall be Thirdly How this Argument serves to comfort us and to humble us First That there shall be an Universal Judgement may appear thus against cavillers that deny it First Luk. 8.17 Joh. 12.48 Jud. 14.15 2 Tim. 4.1 7 8. Joh. 5.22 27. The Scriptures are most evident for this Psal 50.1 The God of Gods hath spoken and called all the Earth from the rising of the Sun to the setting of the same our God shall come and shall not keep silence Heb. 9.27 It is appointed unto Men that they shall once die and after that cometh the Judgement Secondly Christ promiseth his coming to Judgment by himself Matth. 25.31 and by his Apostles 1 Thess 4.16 Thirdly For that he hath charged us to wait for his Coming Rom. 8.23 Eph. 1.14 Luk. 21.28 and for the Redemption of our bodies Luke 21.28 Fourthly For that the Justice and Mercy of God requires this to punish the Wicked and to crown the Godly which we see is not in this present life therefore there is a special day and time appointed with God for it Fifthly For that the Lord hath often forewarned the World of this First By pronouncing the sentence of death against sin even before the Fall Gen. 2.17 Secondly By repeating the same sentence in his Law Deut. 27.26 Thirdly By the evidence of Conscience citing as it were Men to appear at a time appointed before the great Judge Rom. 2.15 16. Fourthly By his Judgments particularly on Sodom and Gomorah on Egypt on Jerusalem and all the Jews and generally on the World in the deluge First The preparation unto Judgement First Before his Coming preparation shall be made by fire Psal 50.3 A fire shall devour before him as we heard before out of St. Peter 2 Pet. 3.7 10 11 12. for Heaven and Earth must pass through a fire not to consume them to nothing for then where should Christ appear in Judgment and Sinners must be Judged on the Earth and in the place where they have sinned but to consume their Leprosie and Corruption wherewith the sin of Man hath infected Heaven and Earth and so being as Gold purified in fire they may shine bright and glorious and may be fit to entertain the Majesty of this great King at his glorious Coming to Judgement for as the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 7.31 It is the figure or form not the Nature or Substance of the World that passeth away The same is testified Rom. 8.21 The Creature also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the of the Sons of God So Acts 1. and Psal 102.27 28. The Heavens shall wax old c. and shall be changed meaning into a better state as other Scriptures also testifie Rev. 21.1 Isa 65.17 66.22 Tit. 2.14 Secondly Then shall be the
excluded yea peradventure to see them that they have hated and disdained and refused to give any honour unto as when the Rich man shall see Lazarus received by God into the Kingdom of Heaven whom he vouchsafed not to set among his Servants and that which is more to see themselves separated hated and tugged by an innumerable sort of ugly Devils out of the presence not only of God but their Fathers Mothers Wives Husbands Children Friends Lovers and Acquaintance who shall deride and laugh at them forgetting all bonds and obligations of Nature and rejoycing at the execution of God's Justice in their Condemnation so that no eye either of God or Man shall pity them nor no tears prayers suits cryes yellings or mourning can be heard or prevail with him who is their Judge nor one to mediate or speak for them to reverse or stay Judgment but needs without mercy without stay without any farewel they shall presently be cast even to the endless easeless and remediless torments of Hell Never was there poor wretch that was condemned at the Tribunal of mortal Judgment to be compared to this estate for there the conclusion of the Judges Sentence is Lord have mercy upon thy Soul but here the Lord himself shall not only not shew any token of Mercy and loving Countenance but also with a Voyce surpassing any Thunder-clap to be heard in all Heaven Earth and Hell Curse them Body and Soul to the Pit of Hell for evermore And if this were all the present woe yet were not the case so heavy for besides this what guilt of Conscience what biting envy what horrour of mind what distraction what murmuring against the Lord what cursing of themselves their day of birth and Father and Mother what remembrance of their former lives mispent and to conclude what doth not the fear of Hell work upon them surely my heart dreadeth my mind faileth to think upon to hear to see to consider their wringing of hands their knocking of breasts their cryes as it were filling of Heaven and Earth and Hell and my Tongue and Pen cannot express it but must rest with that saying There is no peace to the wicked saith the Lord Isa 57.21 Now Beloved a few words by way of Comfort and so I shall conclude First What can be more comfortable to good men than to consider and remember that the Lord hath appointed a day to Judge the World in Righteousness by the Man Christ Jesus which was dead and buried and raised and ascended and sitteth at the right hand of God which also is ordained Judge of quick and dead against whom and for whose sake the Wicked rage and the Godly indure and therefore it is said He shall come viz. in the Clouds which was interred in the Earth the sorrows of the Grave cannot hold him no nor the Heavens when the latter day cometh but he maketh his Clouds his Charriots his Messengers flames of fire burning up the World and rideth upon the wings of the Wind and cometh with the voices of Archangels Trumpets Arise O you dead and let all men come to Judgment O how happy shall it be that day with them which have served and kissed the Son and that can say For thy sake we have been killed all the day long How shall he recompence them that have fed him How shall he pay them that by Almes-deeds and holy Works have lent unto him How shall he honour them that have honoured him How shall he revive and comfort them that have died or mourned for him * See Mr. Perkins upon the Creed And to conclude Shall he not give them ten thousand times more than all their evils amounted unto in this present World Well! O Christ we believe that thou shalt come to be our Judge we therefore pray thee help thy Servants whom thou hast redeemed with thy precious blood Come Lord Jesus come quickly and make them to be numbred with thy Saints in glory everlasting Now beloved I shall speak one word to the Place of Glory and so I shall conclude this matter Luke 12.32 Fear not little Flock it s your Fathers good pleasure to give you the Kingdom Matth. 25.34 Come ye blessed of my Father receive the Kingdom prepared for you from before the Foundation of the World Joh. 3.4 Except a man be born of Water and of the Holy Ghost he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God 1 Pet. 1.3 Blessed be God even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ which according to his abundant Mercy who hath begotten us again to a lively Hope by the Resurrection of Christ from the dead vers 4 To an Inheritance immortal and undefiled which fadeth not away reserved in the Heavens for us Joh. 17.24 Father I will that those that thou hast given me be with me where I am that they may behold my Glory which thou hast given me By all which it is manifest that the Place is Heaven where God and Christ is where is fulness of Joy and at his right hand are Pleasures for evermore As it is written Eye hath not seen nor Ear heard neither hath it entered into the Heart of Man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him He that overcometh shall inherit all things and I will be his God and he shall be my Son And because I cannot speak of the Excellency of this Place and the Glory that is therein but I shall darken it through my ignorance thereof therefore I will conclude with these words Rev. 22.14 Blessed are they which do his Commandment that they may have right to the Tree of Life and may enter in through the Gates into the City Vers 17. And the Spirit and the Bride say Come and let him that heareth say Come and let him that is athirst Come and whosoever will let him take of the Water of Life freely Amen even so come Lord Jesus The Authors APOLOGY to his Friends giving them some Reasons why he did not Print the other part of the Manuscript with this sith it was once intended and so much desired by many Friends which consisteth chiefly of these particulars viz. 1. HOw many wayes a man may be guilty in partaking of other mens sins from 2 Tim. 5.22 where is shewed Eight wayes 2. Of ten Capital Sins which many men be I fear guilty of if not some Churches also which for brevity sake are all reduced to two Heads viz. Heresie and Hypocrisie as also the remedies for the Cure of the Cankering Nature of these two great Sins which is true Faith in Christ and sincere Love to him 3. An Essay for a right stating of the question Whether Christ died for all men or for the Elect only Which when I have shewed you my meaning about it by God's help it may be a means towards an Union which I hope is unfeignedly desired by some of both Parties For doubtless it would be very much to God's honour and the Churches peace And that I may attain to the end by me propounded as aforesaid I intend God willing if ever it be published to the view of the World to proceed after this manner As First To shew the End of Christ's Death and the Application of his Death Secondly The Salvation wrought on Earth by Christ in his own Body with God for Men And the Salvation in the Application thereof he worketh from Heaven by his Spirit in Men to God Thirdly God's Love of Compassion and his Love of Delight Fourthly The Portion of Spirit sent forth before Christ's Coming in the Flesh and since his Coming and Ascension All which the Scriptures make distinct But they are usually confounded by the inconsiderate as I hope by God's Grace I shall be inabled to make it plainly appear Now the reason why I did not Print it with this was because it would make it too voluminous or big so that the poorer sort of Christians for whose sake it was chiefly intended could not be able to but it I could shew many more Reasons but shall forbear to declare them here FINIS