Father called God Son called God Holy Ghost called God and here the Enemies of Truth should begin their Opposition which is the true way and method yet they do not but they except against the Explication which only tends to farther Edifying and Instruction and quarrel with Words as Essence Trinity Persons c. Divine Nature is One yet common to Three in the Mystery of the Trinity we must learn the Truth the Height and Excellency thereof the Truth doth not depend upon our Apprehension and Understanding of it but upon the Consent of the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments and tho' under the first Men were more in the dark yet there was Light enough to make 'em believe it with humble Faith and Piety but under the last that Truth is clearly apparent 't is by * John 5.4 Faith only that we are enabled to overcome the World so †2 Cor. 5.7 we walk by faith and not by sight to shew our Religion is matter of Faith more than of Fact to be attained unto through Belief and not through Senses whose Object is visible and temporal but that of Faith is * 2 Cor. 4.18 spiritual invisible and eternal the holy Mystery of the Trinity cannot be comprehended by the Light of Grace nor of Glory much less by that of Nature Controvertes about Principles are more intricate and difficult than about Conclusions especially in things relating to God the Principal of all Beings and that for two Reasons the first because the infinite and incomprehensible Majesty of God doth far exceed our Understanding the second upon the account of the Blindness and Vanity of Man's Mind which either will not depend upon the Revelation without which we can never know things of that nature or else goes about with its wrong Notions to depravate it not so much as to the Words as in the Sense and Doctrine wherein Heresie doth consist Now as 't is a damnable Presumption in those who in these Matters do pervert the true Sense of the Word of God so I must say 't is a great Imprudence in those who undertake to refute them to abound in their own Sense leaving the trodden way and slighting Arguments made use of by the former Assertors of these Truths to set up new Notions and Hypotheses of their own which render those Points more abstruse and these new Lights of theirs instead of clearing make them darker instead of proving they do not so much as illustrate the matter the Proofs ought to be drawn out of the Revelation and in the Explanation thereof 't is no Shame nor Loss of Reputation to follow the Steps and Methods of Learned and Orthodox Men who went before and with great Success opposed Error and Blasphemy I do not hereby intend to deny a Man the liberty of making use of the Parts and Learning which God hath endued him with above others and improve them to a further Confirmation of the Truth but I would not have them to depart from the Foundation laid before them nor to exercise their wandring Thoughts about the adorable and incomprehensible Nature of God merely to affect Singularity and thereby to be applauded This very thing hath of late led if not tumbled some into strange and horrid Precipices which to avoid they more and more intangled themselves therein as hath well been observed by others 't is no good Consequence for such to say that if a Person be a Mind a Spirit and a Substance then Three Persons must be Three distinct Minds Spirits and Substances as distinct as Adam and Abel though not separate But the Error of the Hypothesis lies in this which openeth the false Ground thereof namely because Mind Spirit and Substance in their proper signification are absolute but Person in its proper signification is a relative Term because King William is King of England Scotland and Ireland must we argue that since a King is a Man an Animal a Substance therefore because of Three distinct substantial Kingdoms he is Three distinct Men Three distinct Animals and Three distinct Substances not so because Man Animal and Substance are Terms absolute but King is relative Suppose as one said before and to the purpose a Man were Dean of Pauls of Westminster and of Windsor should we thence conclude that since a Dean is a Man an Animal a Substance therefore because of Three distinct Deanaries he is Three distinct Substances I think not because Man Animal Substance are Terms absolute but Dean is relative It is very sad now to see the blasphemous Heresie of the Threetheites or of Three Gods revived among us by such as might do better in every well-order'd Christian State Idolatry and Blasphemy ought not to be tolerated but severely punished I know there are certain Terms to be explained in the Discussion of these Controversies especially in the Schools as may be Essence Existence Subsistence Substance Individuum Suppositum Hypostasis or Person wherein they agree and wherein they differ but I conceive they who writ for a publick good and would make these Points intelligible to most if not to all Readers might well avoid too far engaging in Metaphysical Notions I humbly conceive it were better because more profitablē in a Theological way to write and explain that which is most necessary to be understood according to the Pattern of Scripture and the Practice of the Orthodox Primitive Church and of its Doctors against Hereticks as we have it in the three Creeds which are a production of their universal Consent But for some Men herein thus far to indulge their fancy as to let it spatiate as much as it will and give it a full Latitude to wander and then express it self in such Terms as one of a Hundred Thousand can hardly understand the meaning thereof Nay upon reasonable grounds it may be doubted whether the Author doth well understand them this is only to intricate the Matter to puzzle the Reader and that which is worse to want a due respect for the Majesty of God whose Mysteries ought to be handled with an awful Reverence no Man may presume to know of him beyond what he hath been pleased to reveal himself for if we cannot well and perfectly know things created much less the Creator neither can the less comprehend the greater and if * Rom. 11.33 God's Judgments be past finding out much more is he himself Besides that this way of thus managing these Matters doth much prejudice the Cause and gives the Adversaries thereof ground to say of us They cannot among themselves agree how to defend it CHAP. II. Of Divine Essence HERETICKS Dispute against the Words Essence Trinity and Person used in the Primitive Church but sound Faith contendeth not about Words when the Truth of the thing is agreed upon Trinity is the abstract whereof three is the Concret expressed 1 John 5.7 as that of Jehovah and Lord signifie the Essence render'd by him * Revel 1.8 Which is
found alive at the last Day They would have Christ's Incarnation to be against Reason and Scripture they deny him to be truly God the like of the Holy Ghost That there is in One God no Trinity of Persons and that the Old Testament is needless for Christians c. All these and other Blasphemies are found in the Works of Socinus in the Racovian Catechism whereof Smalcius is the Author of Ostorodius Crellius Wolkelius Vaydovius c. but we shall by the Grace of God insist only upon some of their greatest Blasphemies Now to the Cause Matters of this high Nature and fundamental Concernment to our Holy Religion must not be prostituted to the captious scanning of Men of corrupt Minds nor the ways of God be made layable to the Judgment of Men rather humbly to be adored with Submission of Mind and Obedience of Faith to the Revelation declared in God's Word and herein we ought the more to be sober and cautious that we know Errors to be link'd together and to have a dependency one upon another he that strikes at the Grace of the Lord Jesus will afterwards make no Conscience to fly out against his Person he who denies him to be a Prophet will soon disown him to be a King and a Priest for as one Depth calls to another so an Arminian can easily become a rank Pelagian and Socinian Wherefore 't is necessary at the very beginning to oppose Errors defend every inch of ground against such as will daily grow worse and worse as do the * James 1.8 double-minded men that are for their own more than for the Truth 's Interest for they are unstable in all their ways and the more Hands orderly employed the better is the Effect like to be This Consideration makes me to appear amongst those who heretofore did and now do oppose false Teachers who not only privily but also in publick bring in again those damnable Heresies which of old Truth and Learning exploded and baffled out of the World The Divinity of Christ was the Stumbling-block to the Jews who could not endure to hear him call himself the Son of God absolutely and without limitation and thereat were enraged which made 'em take up Stones to cast at him John 8.59 and also at another time Chap. 10.31 the Doctrines about the Holy Trinity and the Person and Deity of Christ do stand and fall together In our Saviour's time it began to be oppos'd by the Jews and since from time to time continu'd to be so by the Devil's Instruments raised to that same purpose and within the last Age revived by the fore-named Blasphemers against the Rock of the Church which is built on the Confession that Christ is the Son of the living God not by any special Favour or any such Restriction for then there would be only a gradual difference between his and our being Sons of God but he is simply the Son of God yea his only begotten Before we enter upon this important Matter some things to clear the state of the Question must be premised so that we must shew wherein we agree before we speak of that wherein we differ as to the first this Foundation must be laid there is a God the Cause of all the Effect of none who hath made all and is made by none who hath given all things their Being and hath his own of himself This is not denyed so I shall not go about to prove it the Light of Nature the Book of Scripture and the Testimony of Conscience do sufficiently convince Men of it The next thing is what God is He being infinite cannot be defined but imperfectly described only according to what he hath in his Word revealed of himself how he is infinite independent self-sufficient eternal unchangeable But such is the blindness of some Mens Judgments or the Perverseness of their Hearts that they will cavil at the Nature Names Attributes and Works of this eternal and infinite Being But about this fundamental Truth our Faith must be directed by the Revelation which God hath made of it in his holy Word herein Men must not follow their own fancy for * 〈◊〉 Mat. 〈…〉 no man knoweth the father but the son and he to whom the son will reveal him Now the sum of this Revelation in the Word is that God is One that this One God is Father Son and Holy Ghost that the Father is the Father of the Son and the Son the Son of the Father and the Holy Ghost the Spirit of the Father and of the Son and that they are distinct one from another in respect of this their mutual Relation by this Rule we must be guided how to know believe worship love fear and obey him that is the Father One true God the Son One true God and the Holy Ghost One true God to be believed worshiped and obeyed Now for our Edification and further Instruction thâ—â— Doctrin admits of some Enlargement and Explanation to prevent undue Notions of God which by reason of the Blindness and Ignorance we are naturally involv'd in our Minds are liable unto thus out of the Revelation that God is One we easily deduce he is so in respect of his Nature Essence or Godhead and how being Father Son and Holy Ghost he doth subsist in these Three distinct Persons thence also is derived the manner of their Subsistence what are their mutual respects to each other and such like things by a necessary Consequence from the Revelation Upon these Grounds were compiled the Nicene Athanasian and other Creeds or Articles of Faith in opposition to the Heresies of those Times for therein was explained the true Sense of Scripture about those matters which were wrested by the Enemies of the Truth and though the Orthodox Doctors and Councils to oppose the Error and lay open the Venom made use of some Words and Expressions which in so many Letters are not set down in the Word of God yet they were not to blame for they were drawn out of it by lawful and necessary Consequences Men may lawfully conceive in their Minds what is the nature of the Things or the sense of the Words according to the scope of the Spirit of God in the Writings of the Prophets and Apostles and also as to the Analogy of Faith or else we are no better than Brutes So that if the chief Assertion contained in the Revelation be true so must also be whatsoever is therein included and in the Explication thereof drawn by a true and right Consequence Wherefore seeing God hath declared Father Son and Holy Ghost to be One God it necessarily follows they are One in Nature because therein only they can be One And this is the ground of any other Unity and seeing it is also declared they are Three it must be explained of three distinct Persons or Subsistences wherein only it is possible they can be Three The Revelation is clear there is One God this God is
Upon the Account of our Salvation which by no means can be obtained without it let Arminians say on the contrary what they will For †John 17.3 this is eternal life to know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent And who is he but ‖ 1 John 5.20 the Son of God the true God and eternal life We say Trinity or Triunity not Triplicity for this last implies a Composition of Three Parts Father Son and Holy Ghost are alius alius not aliud aliud other and other but not other thing and other thing Three distinct Persons but One and the same Nature we distinguish the Persons saith * De Trin. Vnit cap. 11. Austin but divide not the Deity or Essence they are not distinct Essentially for there is but one Essence but personally that is one Person is not the other the Father not the Son nor the Son the Father and the Holy none of the other two Peter Paul and John are not only distinct amongst themselves but also divided one from another so they are three Men though but one specifical Nature because created and finite but in an infinite Being 'tis otherwise Father Son and Holy Ghost though distinct yet not divided for there is but one numerical Nature the three are Consubstantial or Coessential in Nature Coeternal in Time and Coequal in Power The Knowledge of One God may be had by the Light of Nature but that of the Holy Trinity only out of Scripture for the one is according to Reason but the other above it two ways there are to know God the 1st Nature the 2d Revelation that is defectuous this is perfect to which God tied his Church which alone knoweth and calleth upon God according to what he manifested of himself in his Holy Word and thereby her Religion is different from that of all the rest of the World and there is no other saving way to come to God but by Christ whose Gospel is preached as the only Doctrine of Salvation and we must not have of God such Notions as our Fancy or natural Reason suggest unto us but such as he hath declared in his Word for he is a voluntary Cause of all whose Ways and Methods we ought to observe and be guided by in our Religion for †Ephes 1.11 v. 5. he works all things according to the counsel of his own will and according to the good pleasure of his will Yet this Holy Mystery is a stumbling-block unto the Jews and unto the Greeks foolishness and both look upon it as Heresie though if God's Word be the Word of Truth this as we hope to shew is certainly the True Sound Doctrine because grounded upon it though unsound Men will neither believe it nor consent about it to the Faith of the Primitive Church and Orthodox Doctors of all Ages nor to the Confessions of Faith of all Christian Reformed Churches as if the Spirit of God and of Truth was departed from them All to be only amongst Socinians Second Substances do exist only in the First Man in general existeth only in James John that are individual and Words are what Use makes them an Indivisible and most single Essence abstractively considered may and doth concretively exist in Three Persons no Man may well say that an infinite Essence doth not admit of three Modes or Manners of Subsistence but he only which fancies within his shallow and finite Intellect to understand perfectly an infinite Nature with her Modes of subsisting which to pretend to implieth Absurdity and Impiety And to affirm that to be One in relation to its Essence and many as to the Modes is no more contradictory than to say the same Man is real in respect of his Essence and modal as to his Subsistence wherefore they who would terminate an infinite Essence only to one manner of subsisting so that it may not be communicated to another Person either they understand not what an infinite Nature is or else misTake the meaning of the word Terminate or Confine which is not to prescribe limits for that an infinite Nature doth abhor but the meaning is that an Essence as may be the Father's is so the Father's Essence as may not be the Son 's in the same manner but it may be in a different way Upon this Matter it ought carefully to be observed how the Divine Essence is considered either Absolutely or Relatively to the manner of existing in respect to both the Father is of himself in relation to the first the Son also is of himself but as to the second he is from the Father so is the Holy Ghost of himself in respect to the first that is absolutely consider'd but as to the second he proceedeth from both Father and Son Wherefore the Father is absolutely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 self God because both as to his Essence and as to his Person he is not from another but the Son and Holy Ghost are also Self God though not as to the Person the Son being begotten by the Father as the Holy Ghost proceedeth from both but as to the Nature because both are by that Essence which is not produced by another or depend upon another but that same which of it self and by it self doth exist from all Eternity the Three Persons have but One and the same Essence and they are not essentially distinstinguished The Son is from the Father by Generation not as to his Essence but in relation to his Person not absolutely as God but relatively as Son for the Son hath the same Nature and Substance as the Father Self God as he though not in the same manner the Father may not be called Essentiator if I may so say of the Son or Holy Ghost nor these Essentiated the Son is God of himself though not Son of himself the manner whereby theSon is said to be from the Father is in Scripture described by the word Generation which is nothing else but a Communication of one and the same Essence or Life that is Eternal and Indivisible as expressed Psal 2.7 and John 5. v. 26. which are not to be confounded with nor measured by physical Generation there being neither priority nor posteriority of Duration no mutation or passing from Power to Act from a not Being to a Being from a division and multiplication of Essence from a formal Reason of active and passive Generation from a dependency of him that is begotten upon him that hath begotten or from a greater to the lesser so there is no such Imperfections as are in Natural and Metaphysical in which are priority and posteriority of Nature though not of Time So there is no Consequence to be drawn out of one for the other thus though a natural begetter doth efficiently beget of himself materially from himself terminatively out of himself no such thing is to be conceived of this Generation of the Son of God for though in Human Things the
a gall of bitterness as well as the bond of iniquity with a slight and contempt of his person the Man that Man this Man Man in every case and all this to lose no occasion of robbing him of his Divinity 2 Kings 49.27 and Isai 3.28 this calls to my mind God's words against Sennacherib another great Blasphemer which by the Lord might have been applied to Socinus I know thy abode and thy going out and thy coming in and thy rage against me And let all his Sectators remember what the Apostle saith Jud. 14.15 behold the Lord cometh to execute judgment upon all and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him that is Christ when he cometh to judge the world Another thing here to be taken notice of is this that in verse 5. where the Lord Jehovah is called the Lord of the whole Earth it must be spoken of one and the same person for if they had been two different the copulative particle and had not been omitted after the words Psal 37.5 the hills melted like wax at the presence of the Lord there should have been and at the presence of the Lord of the whole Earth the first words of the verse do sufficiently denote the Lord of the whole Earth to be the God of Israel Jehovah named just before at whose presence only and of none else the hills melted like wax hereunto answereth that place psal 11.7 tremble thou earth at the presence of the Lord at the presence of the God of Jacob whereby the interpretation of this now in hand is confirmed and the God of Jacob is put instead of the Lord of the whole earth in both which places the repetition of the word Presence is very Emphatical which joyned with what I observed before and with the words the scope and the thing it self do all together fully shew here is but one person spoken of which is confirmed more and more because in what follows the Prophet speaks but of one as in the singular number vers 6.7 8. as thus the Heavens declare his righteousness and the people see his glory and worship him all ye Gods Also because of thy judgments whereby it appears 't is spoken of one and not of two but rather than to yield they will sooner give Christ whom otherwise they would rob of any thing he hath but his humane nature which they cannot do because they must have an Historical Faith or else may be they would and reduce him to nothing I say they chuse rather to give Christ that title and exclude God Jehovah from being the Lord of the whole earth than to own Christ to be Jehovah so what they do is not out of kindness they only give him that which they think the least to rob him of what they account to be the chief though indeed it be the same Again the words of verse 7. do farther confirm this Confounded be all they that serve graven images that boast themselves of Idols therefore worship him all ye Gods For who is opposed to graven Images and Idols but he that is by nature the true God And who is religiously to be worshiped but the true God Jehovah And who but he who is the God of Gods is to be adored by all Gods vers 9. This is confirmed out of verse 9. Thou Lord art high above all the earth thou art exalted far above all Gods The first part contained a proper attribute of the true God namely the highest or most high God for saith David Psal 33.18 that men may know that thou whose name alone is Jehovah art the most high over all the earth Is not this the same as to be Lord over all the earth So that both to be Jehovah and Lord over all the earth are attributed only to one and if he be the only most high upon the earth none but he is Lord over all the earth The latter part of the verse doth afford a reason and a very good one why all Gods and Angels ought to worship him because he is for exalted above all Gods No less than six times he is in this Psalm called Jehovah which cannot well be denied to be the same with God of Israel One thing more I shall say as to this Psalm which with the foregoing and following contain an exhortation to all Creatures with and without life to sing and rejoyce before the Lord and why for he cometh he cometh to judge the earth he shall judge the world with righteousness and the people with his truth which none that hath any sence can deny to be a Prophesie of Christ's coming to judge the world which he speaks of himself When the Son of man shall come in his glory Matth. 25.31 and all the holy Angels with him then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory Then indeed in that divine and glorious State being attended and worshiped by all millions of Angels he shall reign fill with joy the hearts of his people and perform the other things contained in this Psalm He that is to do all this if we believe the Psalmist is the Lord Jehovah and the Lord Jesus Christ if we must give faith to the Apostle Now we must draw nearer to the words of the Apostle who is to be believed as well as the Prophet preferably to Socinians who being not able to deny it own that Angels ought to worship Christ One would think they at last would yield to the Truth and give glory to God Phil. 2.7 8 c. but no such thing for they say they may worship him as a man and not upon the consideration of any divinity in him only upon the account of his Humiliation and Obedience unto Death even the Death of the Cross upon which account he was highly exalted But pray whence doth arise the value and merit of that Humiliation and Obedience but from the divinity of the person which underwent it If he had been a meer man it had been no very great matter no more than what many more could have done A King 's only Son sacrifices himself for the safety of a whole Kingdom some among the ordinary people might have done the like but that which raiseth the merit of the thing is not his being a man for any man else therein is equal with him but 't is the Royal Blood running in the Veins of the young Prince which doth make the act so meritorious and so considerable so if I may continue a lame comparison so defectuous to represent what I have a mind the Blood which our Saviour shed upon the Cross doth not receive its unexpressible value for coming out of the Veins of a Man but because it is the blood of God wherewith he hath purchased his Church Acts 20.28 Neither was the Obedience yielded
to the end we may know the Truths of God we must be taught them of God now as all Promises are Yea and Amen in Jesus Christ so are all and every Truth of the Gospel in him which to understand we must be taught by him and by the Holy Ghost Eph. 4.21 2 Cor. 3.6 for the letter alone killeth but the spirit giveth life It is very strange yet true that Socinians will trust and depend upon their own Reason notwithstanding the Advice of wise Solomon given them long ago Lean not unto thine own understanding Prov. 3.5 which is the Seat and Center of Reason for if Men have any thing of Reason there it lays as to natural things but as to supernatural it is derived out of Scriptures whereupon our Holy Religion is grounded therein is nothing useless and needless yet still something is mysterious either as to Matter or in the Manner wherein it is spoken and 't is this which God hath given us for our continual Exercise in this World therefore he requireth we should inquire intoâ—t with all possible Diligence and utmost Endeavours and they who fall into that course do and will by Experience upon frequent reading of the Word daily find new Lights new Discoveries and new cause of Admiration which thorough Grace from above are the Fruits of their Obedience and Industry as there is nothing unnecessary superfluous and useless and that for all sorts of Christians whether weak or strong so the the right consideration of the Matter the Words Order Contexture the Design of the Holy Ghost in them do instruct us of and guide us in our Duty towards God whereof the parts are various large great and wonderful upon this account saith David Ps 119.96 Thy commandment is exceeding broad because it contains the whole Revelation of God unto us which is full of infinite Wisdom in the whole Frame and Order of it and as the Revelation in the Word is from God so is the Understanding of that Revelation that is the reasn why Men should not as some do perplex themselves to find out the Grounds and Suitableness of some things in the New-Testament with others in the Old when they should know how 't is not in their Power to know the heighth depth length and breadth of God's Infinite Wisdom therein contained when may be the Holy Ghost aimeth at such things as they cannot dive into who by degrees openeth Man's Eyes more and more to know things necessary for them for as the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 3.2 He feeds us first with milk then with meat when we are able and strong enough to bear it for as another Apostle saith New-born Babes desire the sincere milk of the word 1 Pet. 2.2 that they may grow thereby and thus till we come unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ Eph. 4.13 And those Men who in these things rely upon the Strength of their own Reason I may well compare to these little Babes who being not able to feed themselves lay Hand into their Milk wherewith they do not feed but only slubber themselves or to that Child that would not have the Nurse to hold him tho' he wants strength of himself to go if the Hand that bears him up doth but hold off then he is gone and sure to fall So 't is of any one that trusteth to his Understanding and leaneth upon his own Reason 't is a bruised Reed that will go into his Hand and pierce it Wherefore God's sends us to the law Isa 8.20 and to the testimony if they speak not according to this word it is because there is no light in them for their Light doth come from the word yet not all at once but by degrees and in their several Kinds all which as the Apostle saith worketh that one and the self-same spirit 1 Cor. 12. dividing to every man severally as he will and let us know never so much out of Scripture there is still more to be learned Ought not this to convince Men that it doth contain Mysteries The Apostle directs us to think soberly Rom. 12.3 not to allow our Fancy and curious Speculations to go beyond the bounds of a becoming Sobriety in things above us which Scripture doth both command and commend and is very much suitable unto right Reason Now the rule of that Sobriety is positively fully and unalterably given thus Secret things belong unto the Lord our God but those which are revealed unto us Deur 29 2â— and to our children In those things Divine Revelation must be the measure and rule of our Knowledge the contrary is an effect of Pride Vanity and Presumptuousness forbidden in Scripture not to 〈◊〉 above that which is written which if Mâ—n obey 1 Cor. 4.6 it will bring them to Certainty and Truth whereof the contrary leads them into all kinds of Error But to conclude this for I must no longer insist upon 't as I never intended fully to answer it only to take notice of it on my way as to the point of Reason see how foolish in these things Man is and how confounded his â—eason by the Example of Peter an Elect of God a Disciple dear unto Christ The Lord Jesus comes to him to wash his Feet but he presently said John 13.5 6 7. Thou shalt never wash my feet but our Saviour answering If I wash thee not thou host no part in me Peter soon goes to another Extream first he would not have Christ to wash him at all but now he would be washed every where not only the feet but also hand and head too but our Saviour shews him Reason why he ought to suffer himself to be guided and not to take upon him to direct his Lord and Master in what he was to do he that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet Now the cause of this wandring and error of Peter is expressed v. 7. namely his Ignorance What I do thou knowest not now Where was his Reason at that time For certainly he was unreasonable to be of a different Mind from his Saviour and till he submitted unto his Will the like we may say about these things unto those who fancy themselves so rational and would set up their blind and lame Reason for a competent Judge Reason is always striving and always at a loss all our Reason hath to do is to be guided by Scripture and to own it to be the infallible word of God all beyond this is the work of Faith for Christ is an object not to be known naturally or by natural Reason and the obligation to know Christ and believe in him springs and ariseth only from a positive Command superadded unto the Law of Nature If St. Paul speaks Truth Col. 1.27 Christ in us is a mystery considering the manner whereby he is in us therefore the Image of the new Man in us is called the hidden and inner
which was and which is to come as for Persons though it be not as to the Letter in Scripture yet 't is virtually first in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 equivalent to that of †Heb. 1.3 Person then in the very same word but spoken of * 2 Cor. 1.11 Men where it signifies an Individuum or a Person and though just the very word is not used in Scripture 't is not material because in Divinity not the Word but the Thing not the Sound but the Sense are to be minded And though the word Person be deduc'd from Stages and things not serious yet we ought to look to the Use more than to the Eâ—ymology or Derivation and what if it be taken from things created and very unlike to God So we may say Are all Words purified from their original Imperfefection But for the abuse of a Word or a Thing we must not leave the right use of it When Scripture saith there is One God this Oneness can relate to nothing but to the Being Essence or Nature of God for in this respect God is one so we have reason thereby to represent the Unity of the Godhead there is in Scripture mention of God's Godhead * Rom. 1.20 and of his Nature when they which by nature are no gods †Gal. 4.8 are excluded from being Objects of our Worship So when Scripture reveals there is Father Son and Holy Ghost it makes a distinction between them yet calls every one God have we not cause thereupon to call them Three Persons and affirm that in One Essence or Godhead are Three Persons Do not these Words express the thing without doing it any Wrong or Injury for they are neither profane nor unworthy of God if the Words Essence Unity Trinity be not in so many Letters in Scriptures no more is the Word Sacrament yet though the Name be not in the thing is But herein they are more peevish than their Father Socinus who tells Francis David * Vol. I. p. 778. that though the Terms of Essence and Person be not in Scripture if the Sense be 't is no matter and that they who went upon such Grounds exposed their Cause The Method which the Enemies to this Truth ought to take should be this Whether they own according to the Revelation the Father Son and Holy Ghost to be One God Which if they deny we want no Proofs but if they own it then let them proceed to a Debate whether they are One in Nature and Three in Persons or how the Case is to be stated for it is very unreasonable to dispute about Words and Explication of any thing concerning the Relations or Manner till the thing it self be plainly confessed or denied Now by the Grace of God we must proceed and though I love not a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Dispute about Words yet as Words do signifie Things so some are so fundamental to the matter in hand that something I must say about 'em the first is Essence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 derived from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he which is what * Exod. 3.14 we call Essence or Nature is not an imaginary thing and existing only in the Mind as in an Idea neither is it a thing separated from the Persons but always inherent in them whereby they subsist so that if there were no Individuum of such a Species there also would be no Essence of that Species as in the case of Human Nature which comprehends a rational Soul and an organical Body then Humanity is that whereby every Man is a Man but this Nature doth not subsist without Men but is so inherent in Men that in case there were no Men there could be no human Nature or Humanity Thus in God the Divine Essence is not a thing Existing without Son Father and Holy Ghost as if it was a fourth thing wherein these Three be contained but as we say in Philosophy of the Soul est tota in toto tota in qualibet parte so divine Nature is whole in the Father whole in the Son and whole in the Holy Ghost and that in an infinitely more excellent way than either Nature or the Soul are in us for they are finitely in Men but infinitely in every Person of the Trinity and exactly and perfectly the same for indeed the Essence of God is nothing else but his Nature namely the Deity or the Godhead God is not divided into divers Essences but distinguished into divers Persons God cannot be divided into several Natures or Parts so the Persons which subsist in that One Essence are only distinct and not separate one from another He who saith a Person of the holy Trinity saith One Essence common to Three Persons Hereupon we must know how in the most Holy Trinity something is common to the Three Persons such is the Essence and something incommunicable and proper to every one in their respective relations We ought further to know how the Words Essence Substance and Nature though in some respect they may admit of some difference yet when spoken of the Godhead they are taken for one and the same Whereunto may be added Deity and God's being there is in Schools of Divinity and Philosophy but one Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be to signifie Essence and Substance and therefore let me speak to some by way of warning that they may multiply Substances no more than Essences for 't is but one and the same thing without running into Tritheism or the Blasphemy of Three Gods neither may they entertain the Notions of Three Minds Beings or Spirits for as there is but One divine Nature and Being and but One God so that same God is but One Spirit Wherefore in these times Men should follow the Christian Prudence and Moderation of the Doctors of the Church in former Ages who were very cautious not to rush into new Notions of their own about these Matters or rashly to run into new fangled Opinions or Hypotheses as they call them or Suppositions of their own when it would be much better for them to follow the Theses of the Text among Attributes of what we call Essence Metaphysicians reckon this to be one that it is to be participatively indivisible because 't is equally imparted to those whose Essence it is for if there was any Addition Diminution or Alteration it would not be the same much more and upon a better account doth this hold about that Divine Nature by the Apostle in the very words attributed unto God 2 Pet. 1.4 In the Godhead there is no Division only Distinction the Essence and Persons not really but rationally distinct for the Essence is whole and indivisible in every Person but the Persons be really distinct one from another by means of some incommunicable Attribute for the Father is not the Son nor the Son the Father nor the Holy Ghost either Father or Son The
they do penetrate one another for they most perfectly and infinitely know and love one another now Love is an earnest desire of Union so then they be most intirely united The Apostle makes the necessary difference of the Three on Earth he saith they agree in One but of the Three in Heaven he saith they are One. Moreover either one knows something which the other doth not or loves something which the other doth not love or can do something which the other cannot do or not if the former how are they God For God knows and can do all if the last then not only they have one Will but also one Mind one Power one Knowledg one Love Now let Man think upon several Natures of the same kind which mutually do penetrate themselves and by a mutual inclination do embrace and unite themselves inseparably and have the same Thoughts Will and Action doth not all this conclude for one and the same Nature And that there is no difference but in some manner of Existing which because they are such are distinct one from another without Confusion all which from Oneness of Will leads to Oneness of Essence for the Will of God is not a thing different from his Nature Another Text wherein the most holy Trinity is demonstrated and not only may be read but also be heard and seen is that about our Saviour's Baptism where the Father speaks from Heaven and calls him his Son Christ the Son is baptized and the Holy Ghost appears in the shape of a Dove if Men do believe Scripture this they must believe to be true S. Austin lookt upon this Text as a strong and convincing Proof of that divine and essential Truth Vade ad Jordanem c. saith he Go to the River Jordan and there thou shalt find the holy Trinity and be convinced of the Verity thereof Besides these we have a Cloud of other Witnesses to prove this Truth where the Three Persons are mentioned under their proper Names and first * Acts 2.22 23. This Jesus being by the right hand of God exalted and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost the Three Persons are plainly named Again the same Jesus Christ was declared †Rom. 1.3 4. to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness Elsewhere the same Apostle saith ‖ Tit. 3.4 5 6. God saved us by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost through Jesus Christ And in another place ‡ Gal. 4.6 God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts by the word God is meaned the Person of the Father * Heb. 9.14 How much more shall the blood of Christ who through the eternal Spirit offereth himself without spot to God Furthermore †Ephes 2.18 Through him Christ we both have an access by one spirit unto the Father Our blessed Saviour himself out of his own sacred Mouth doth plainly and positively speak to this purpose when he saith * John 14.16.17 I will pray the Father and he will give you another comforter the Father I the Son and the comforter whom he calls the Spirit of Truth are Three Persons which in the next Chapter †Chap. 15 26. is by him repeated But when the Comforter is come whom I will send to you from the Father even the Spirit of truth One Text more I shall bring to confirm this * 2 Cor. 13.14 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God that is the Father and the communion of the Holy Ghost be with you all And in the Text of another Apostle †1 Pet. 1.2 are contained the Workings of the Three Persons in the Trinity Elect according to the fore knowledg of God the Father through the sanctification of the Spirit unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ As the New Testament is full of Proofs to confirm this holy Doctrine for indeed these Mysteries of the Trinity and Incarnation are more clearly and fully therein related so out of the Old Testament we have enough to confute the Enemies of this Truth and because we look upon Socinians in their Principles to be a sort of Jews and as well as they Blasphemers against our holy and blessed Saviour so we will bring such Arguments against them as we would if we were disputing against unbelieving Jew◠only a few Texts out of many We begin with the Book of Genesis Chap. 1. wherein is contained a relation of the History of the Creation which is a Work common to the Three Persons of the Trinity and though we may not look upon it as the clearer upon the matter yet in it is Light enough to shew the Truth we now assert I shall say nothing of the Name God under that of Elohim which already we have spoken of as representing the plurality of Persons in the most holy Trinity but we may say that though the Name God was there which it is not in the singular and taken for the Person of the Father yet the Son had a hand in the act of Creation for it is God said here is the word which is the proper Name of the Son our Lord Jesus Christ who in Scripture especially by S. John is so often called by that Name the Word God saying and speaking is that which made the World We read God said when any thing was created which being compared with what is spoken by John * John 1.3 All things were made by him that is the Word the Person of Jesus Christ for actiones sunt suppositorum acting is proper to Persons and without him was not any thing made that was made now that Word God said is that which created every thing so then here is the Person of the Son but we also find the Person of the Holy Ghost Gen. 1.2 the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters by his acting represented by motion to cherish give life and motion to things as a Hen doth when sitting upon her Eggs for the word in the Original signifies such a thing This sense is given by a competent Interpreter †Psal 33.6.9 By the word of the Lord were the heavens made and all the host thereof by the breath of his mouth Here we can read distinctly the Lord if it were to be understood only of the first Person about which there is no dispute the Word and the Breath or Spirit this though it be clear I could set in a greater Light with comparing it with other places which I now forbear to do because I shall have occasion to make use of them in some other branch of my Discourse Another Text is this * Isai 42.1 Behold my servant whom I uphold mine elect in whom my soul delighteth I have put my spirit upon him besides the Person that speaks namely the Father here we have the Son under the name
unto the Son of Man this could not be the Father and if any doubt should remain 't is cleared ver 17 18. for St. John having known him fell at his Feet he said not as the Angel see thou do not but he said to him fear not I am he that liveth and was dead which cannot be spoken of the Father who never died and these words I am Alpha and Omega the beginning and the end are spoken * Rev. 21.6 again and all the general Words spoken asunder in this Book are together repeated I am Alpha and Omega Chap. 22.13 the beginning and the end the first and the last and here as they began so they will end for they will own Christ to be the first because say they he is the first that shewed Men the way of Salvation But did not the Prophets and John Baptist before Christ was manifested and preached the Gospel shew Men the way of Salvation Which way did Patriarchs Prophets and Miartyrs go to Heaven and could be saved if they had not known the way to Salvation before Christ began to preach the Gospel And were not after his Ascension many things conducing to the way of Salvation declared by his Apostles If he be the first only because he first taught Men the way to Glory and Immortality he being the last as well as the first must also be the last to enter into it which how false it is let the Enemies themselves be the Judges There is one thing more material to prove the Eternity of Christ which I must not omit for as what I have said proves him to have been before Abraham and other Patriarchs so what remains will shew him to have been before the World it self the words are plain * 1 John 17.5 And now O Father glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world began Our blessed Saviour never spoke to Men any thing but the Truth much more to his Father but most of all upon this occasion when he was about leaving the World and going to him there is a Glory which Christ desired should be made known to all namely that of the Gospel which is called the glorious Gospel and this Glory of Christ was effected in the Preaching thereof all the World over Paul alone published it †Rom. 15.19 from Jerusalem into Illyricum the Gospel certainly tended to the Glory of God the Father's Mercy being highly revealed therein and of this he saith I have glorified thee on the earth and as he had glorified the Father making known his Name and Glory unto Men which before had never been done to that degree this work which the Father had given him to do being over he now speaks for himself and now O Father glorify thou me with thine own self To be glorified with God is to be glorified with the same Glory which he hath in Heaven with God in the Bosom and at the Right Hand of the â—ather with an equal Majesty and Honour with the Father served by innumerable Legions of Angels which is a Glory unknown to the World this is a Glory which the Son of God had before the World was This Stile of Scripture before the World was signifies Eternity for there was nothing created before the World seeing in the beginning God created Heaven and Earth and every thing therein contained but John saith not in the beginning the Word was made or began to be but was had his being consequently eternal for beyond the beginning of the World there is nothing but Eternity time began at the Creation I say if Christ had a Glory with the Father before the World was then Christ was before the World for a Glory he could not have except he had a Being but here Christ says he had a Glory with the Father before the World was and we believe he speaks Truth therefore Christ was before the World this cannot be understood of Human Nature which he took only in time long after the World was created therefore it must be spoken of a Divine Nature for before the Creation of the World there was nothing but God Notwithstanding this positive Truth they give our blessed Saviour the lye and say he had no real Glory before the World was but only by a Decree and Appointment he was ordained to have a Glory Good Lord When will this People let the Son of God have his own They go about to rob him wholly or in part of every thing he hath Christ says not the Glory which thou didst decree or ordain for me but which I had was in possession of and enjoyed To have a title to and be in possession of a thing are two very different things we defie them even to give any instance how to have absolutely taken signifies to be appointed to have if after this rate Men allow their Fancies such a latitude as to forge new and unusual Significations to the words of Christ we can be sure of nothing Whensoever any one is absolutely said to have a thing it implys him to be at the same time for he that is not can have nothing 't is true we are said * 2 Cor. 5.1 Heb. 10.34 to have a building of God an house not made with hands eternal in the heavens and to have in heaven a better and an induring substance Believers are indeed said to have such things but when are they said so certainly not before the World was nor before they were themselves but after they are What is said also * 2 Tim. 1.9 of the grace which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began makes nothing against us 't is one thing to have something given us and another actually to have it the first is the act of the Giver the second of the Receiver we have not now really that which is given us till after we received it one may have a Place in Reversion which may be he shall never have Lands may be given me by a Will which I cannot be laid to have till I am actually in possession thereof as it never was heard of that any one gave any thing before he was so none can receive any thing before he is besides in the Text now in question 't is not simply said that Grace was given us but given us in Christ Jesus now this Grace is so given us in Christ that he must have it before he can communicate it unto us so then we cannot be said to have a thing when we have it not though we be appointed to have it These two things are different Who may say that Paul was an Apostle of Jesus Christ had Faith in Christ Charity and brotherly Love when he was an Unbeliever Contra rationem nemo sobrius cont scripturam nemo Christianus cont Ecclesiam nemo pacificus a Blasphemer and Persecuter To Socinians we may apply this Saying No Man may be called sober
Man 1 Pet. 3.4 which in the following Verse is explained of Christ's dwelling in us by faith and elsewhere the same Apostle calls Union and Relation between Christ and the Church a great Mystery Eph. 5.32 which our Reason cannot comprehend without a Revelation This made David say Psal 119.169 O Lord give me understanding according to thy word and not according to my Reason or natural Capacity and blessed is he whom thou teachest out of thy law Psa 94.12 not out of his shallow Brains Our blessed Saviour's saying he that eateth my flesh Joh. 6.16 and drinketh my blood contains Doctrines not obvious to Reason that eating and drinking with Christ's dwelling in us is so true that we may not doubt of it for the word saith it but how and the manner of it as well as our dwelling in Christ and he in us is above Reason to understand wherefore Scripture hath revealed it to be by Faith but that People will believe nothing but what they can give Reason for when Paul wrote his Epistle to the Colossians the Gospel and Doctrine of Salvation were certainly revealed yet still he calls it a Mystery the mystery of God Col. 2.2 3. and of the Father and of Christ and in the following Verse he gives an instance of it in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge That thing is so he gives it as Matter of Faith by us to be believed but how it is and how all these Treasures are hid in him 't is for us a mysterious thing Every Nation whether Jews or Gentiles in matter of Religion had Mysteries so Christians have theirs and in particular that of the Incarnation which the Apostle calls a great one beyond all Dispute and Comparison and besides all this surely there are great Mysteries in Religion God whose infinite Nature and Attributes are the Ground of all Religion is the greatest Mystery of all and most incomprehensible for this Reason the Trinity and Incarnation are great Mysteries and above Reason tho' not contrary to 't These Doctrines indeed contain great Difficulties but no Contradictions which theirs do as to set up a Metaphorical and Figurative God secondary subordinate a Creature to be God by Office not by Nature a God but of 1700 standing and this Creature God to be worshipped is not this downright Idolatry Herein we must go no farther than Scripture leads us for fear of going out of our Depth and losing our selves in the deep things of God many more things to our purpose I could say upon this Matter but for the present have no time nor place left to do 't But to come to a Conclusion of the whole and main Subject to all that hath been said I shall add this out of the Prophet where the Husband of the Church of the Gentiles that were to be call'd to communion with Christ is said to be the Lord of hosts Isa 54.5 the holy one of Israel the redeemer and the Lord of the whole earth In the whole Bible the true God of Israel never assumed unto himself higher names than these are nor ever did effect a greater outward work than to redeem his Spouse Now out of several places in the New Testament it doth appear how Christ is the Husband and Redeemer of the Church which he is said to have purchased with his own blood Act. 20.28 Eph. 5.25 and to have loved it and have given himself for it Thus this Prophecy is plainly fulfilled in Christ who is the Person therein described with those glorious Names and Attributes altogether incommunicable even the Enemies themselves being the Judges to any meer Man or Creature whatsoever Moreover every house is builded by some man Heb. 3.4 but he that built all things is God Nay the World and the Church were built by Christ and by whom also all things were created in the beginning and made of nothing and tho' we would grant which we do not to Socinians that that which is spoken of the Creation of the World is to be understood of the new Creation or Regeneration yet this very same doth import and require as Divine and Infinite a Power as doth the Creation of the World and if we may so say something more than to make something out of nothing here is no opposition nothing to hinder but to bring Light out of Darkness Good of Evil to drive away Darkness Blindness and Ignorance out of the Mind to remove perverse and corrupt Affections out of the Will and incline it to Good to change the stubborn and violent Passions of a Heart desperately wicked and deceitful above all things I say to create a new Heart and renew a right Spirit is every jot as great if not a greater Work than the Creation of the World which Christ by his own Power having done and doing it every day Day is an illustrious and ought to be an undisputable Proof of his Deity which is confirmed as by his Names and Attributes so by his other works and by that divine and glorious worship due and rendered unto him not on Earth only but chiefly in Heaven equally with the Father by the four Beasts the Elders and Millions of Angels who upon their Knees if I may so say for 't is written They fell down saying with a loud voice worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honour Rev. â— 11 12 13 14. and glory 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 and honour and glory and power be unto him that sitteth upon the throne and unto the Lamb for ever and ever Amen But if after all these Enemies of Christ do refuse to joyn their Voice in this Heavenly Concert to give him Glory one day when they shall appear before him who is to judge the Quick and the Dead and he puts Questions to them concerning their impious disowning of him like the Man that came in without the Wedding-Garment Mat. 22.12 they shall be speechless they shall have nothing to say for themselves no more than the Sadduces and Pharisees for as then in the time of his humiliation no man was able to answer him a word v. 46. much more when he doth appear in his Glory shall his Enemies Mouths be stopped Luke 13.17 and all his adversaries ashamed as we read they were tho' now they be never so shameless and brazen-faced yet at last they certainly shall be confounded FINIS Books Printed for Rich. Wellington at the Lute in St. Paul ' s-Church-yard 1. THE Works of that Excellent Practical Physitian Dr. Thomas Sydenham wherein the List of acute Diseases are treated of after a new Method but also the safest and shortest way of Curing most Chronical Diseases Translated by John Pechey of the College of Physitians 2. A Discourse upon the Nature and Faculties of Man in several Essays with some Considerations upon the Occurrences of Humane Life By Tim. Nurse Gent. 3. A general History of the Diseases of Children Collected by the most eminent Practical Authors by John Pechey of the College of Phsitians 4. The Family Physitian being a choice Collection of Approved and Experienced Remedies to cure all Diseases incident to Humane Bodies useful in Families and serviceable to Country People By George Hartman Phylo Chymiâ—t Author of the Preserver and Restorer of Health Servant to Sir Kenelm Digby till he died