Heresies come from Hell the Apostle calls them the Doctrines of Devils 1 Tim. 4. 1 2. and the ancient Ignatius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The inventions of Ad Tralenses the Devil All Heresies lead to hell S. Peter stiles them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Pet. 2. 1. Damnable Heresies Epiphanius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Gates of Hell Haeres 74 they involve though some men think otherwise both the Seducers and the Seduced in everlasting Ad Ephes vengeance in the judgement of Ignatius Amongst all Heresies none are more dangerous nor infectious then such as assail the Sacred Trinity God blessed for ever These are most dangerous because they rase the whole foundation of Christian Religion and by reason of the blindness curiosity wantonness pride c. of mans wit the most infectious In all Ages of the Church Satan hath bestirred himself to sowe and disperse these Heresies I intend not a catalogue of all see this in Danaeus but in stead of all the Story of this one denying the Deity of the Holy Ghost in this short Treatise confuted It was at first taught by Arrius implicitely after him publikely maintained by Macedonius Epiphan Haeres 74. Nâ—ceph Hist lib. 9. cap. 42 47. the furious Bishop of Constantinople After him propagated far and neer by Marathonius Eleusius and their Associates It was censured and condemned in the second Council at Constantinople by 180 Bishops upon this occasion Haeres 74. met together and confuted largely by Epiphanius yet it lived obscurely in after-times as Haeres 42. is observed by Danaeus and Prateolus and in the last Century began again to flie abroad broached by Servetus and dispersed by Sâ—cinusand his followers What endevours have been used to infect and prevent the Infection of the Belgick Churches with this Heresie is discovered by the Learned Cloppenburgh in his Compendiolum Socinianismi Cloppenburgh ann 51. Hoornbec prâ—sat ad Socin confutat par 1. Mares Hydra Socinianism Dr. Cheynel Rise Growth of Socin Confutati in the Preface What stickling amongst us in these times of distraction is most lamentable to rehearse the whole body of Socinianism that Hydra of Blasphemies that Racovian Catechism which walked onely in the dark and in the Latine tongue in the Bishops times is now translated into English for the more speedy corruption of the people many bold Factors for these Blasphemies which in those times durst not appear do now both publickly and from house to house disseminate their Heresies without fear amongst these is Mr. John Bidle who both in print and private doth deny the God head of the Holy Ghost and dispute against it David thought it time Psal 119. for God to work when men made void his law thou Reader canst not but think it seasonable for his servants to watch and for thy self to stand upon thy guard when the enemy is sowing tares Bless God for those Watchmen who stand upon the Towers to give warning of thy approaching danger and take warning at the sound of the Trumpet that thou Ezek. 3. Heb. 13. mayest deliver thy soul and thy bloud may not be upon thine own head this will be grievous to us and unprofitable to thee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fly from Athâ—isticall Heresies Tpist ad Trallen was the last counsel of dying Ignatius to the Trallenses agreeable to the grave advice of Solomon Proverbs 19. Cease my son to hear the instruction that counsels to erre from the words of knowledge O that this counsel might take with thee But we have a further request to thee Reader Labour that thou mayest stand fast rooted and grounded and established in the faith In Infectious times it is usual to take Antidotes and wear Amulets in these times of seduction it is no less necessary to arm our selves against prevailing Errours This Book of Mr. Bidle's is not now at first confuted the Reverend and Learned Mr. Estwick hath some yeers since answered it in a Just Treatise and since him Dr. John Cloppenburgh hath in Answer to it put forth a Plea for the Deity of the Holy Ghost in the Latine Tongue in the yeer 1652. This short and full Manual written by a Workman that needs not be ashamed is added for thy advantage In it thou shalt finde the Arguments proving the Deity of the Holy Ghost fully asserted against Mr. Bidle's Caviss the Sophisms which Mr. Bidle makes use of to darken truth and pervert thy faith clearly refuted as Epiphanius hath it Haeres 74. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the stopping of the mouthes of gainsayers and the satisfaction of the Docible That the Spirit of Wisdom may be given thee to try all things discern the things that differ and hold fast that is good is the Prayer Reader Of thy Servants for Christs sake James Cranford Arthur Jackson Thomas Manton Imprimatur Ed. Calamy To the READER THere is scarce any Truth contained in the Scriptures that hath not been opposed by Hereticks in some ages of the Church and amongst the rest this Doctrine of the Blessed Trinity hath not been without exception nay indeed it hath found as much resistance as any other partly from the ignorance of men that could not apprehend it partly from the pride of men that will believe no truth but what doth fully suit and comply with their though corrupted reason It is very observable how the Antitrinitarian Devil hath transformed himself into severall shapes sometimes telling us that there was but one Person onely it was called by three several names and so they made a Trinity of words but not of persons thus he spake in the mouths of the Simonians Montanists Noëtians c. Sometimes telling us that thâ— three Persons are three Gods and so they give us a Trinity of Divine Essences not of Persons onely so he spake in the Trithâ—itae Sometimes telling us that the three Persons are onely three qualities so he spake in the Aëtiani These Hâ—â—â—ticks like Samsons Foxes though their heads looked diverse wayes yet their tails were tied together and firebrands in them to set the standing Corn of the Church on fire Particularly the Deity of the Holy Ghost hath been opposed at sundry times and in divers manners Some Hereticks saying It was onely a name some saying it was a man many saying That it was not God but a Creature as the Arrians Origenists and especially Danaeus de Haeresibus the Macedonians which last pestilent Errour hath been of late reviv'd and particularly defended by Iohn Bidle in a Pamphlet entirâ—â—â—ed Twelve Arguments c. whereby the Deity of the Holy Ghost as he pretends is clearly refuted wherein although I professe as in the presence of God I finde nothing but common trivial absurd and foolish Arguments yet I observe the spirit of the man to be extraordinarily lifted up as if he had said that which would puzzle all the universities in Europe to answer He tells you in his
Omnipotency of God which is the same with God Exod. 8. 19. The Spirit of God was greater and stronger then Christ as man Again Rom. 15. 19. Mighty signes and wonders were wrought by the power of the Spirit Those Miracles which the Apostles wrought they professed they did not work by their own power Acts 4. 12. but by the power and strength of Christ And doubtlesse it had been as sacrilegious to say they wrought them by the power of an Angel or any other creature And therefore whereas sometimes they ascribe them to Christ Acts 4. 16. sometimes to the Holy Ghost as in the place now mentioned sometimes to God the Father Acts 5. 30. it hence cleerly follows that every one of these is God and because the Scripture tels us there is but one God Deut. 6. 4. therefore we conclude there are three persons and these three are one Again Rom. 8. 11. The Spirit of God raised up Christ from the dead and yet he raised himself I will raise up this temple John 2. 19. Hence also it follows that Christ and the Holy Ghost are God and are one God 3 It is proper to God to govern the Church I mean to govern it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and to send Ministers and yet this is attributed to the Holy Ghost Acts 13. 2. The Holy Ghost said Separate unto me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them Was this a comely dialect for a creature to use far different I am sure it is from the language of created Angels see Revel 22. 9. So Acts 20. 28. Take heed to the flock of God over which the Holy Ghost hath made you Over-seers and compare this with 1 Cor. 12. 28. and you shall finde that it was God that sets Officers in the Church Jesus Christ himself was sent by the Spirit Luke 4. 18. Again Acts 1â— â—8 It seemed good to the Holy Ghost and to us that is to the Holy Ghost in us to decree You see the Holy Ghost is the Law-giver of the Church and yet God is the only Law givet Jam. 4. 12. 4 The Holy Ghost acteth according to his good pleasure according to the counsel of his own will which is the property of God Ephes 1. 11. 1 Cor. 12. 11. All these things worketh the Spirit dividing severally as he will All creatures must say Not my will but thy will Lord be done Jesus Christ himself who is far higher then all the Angels said it and the Angels in particular are said not to do their own will but to do Gods Commandements hearkening to the voice of his word Psal 103. 20. And again Paul would have gone and preached in Bithynia but the Spirit suffered him not Acts 16. 7. Who is this that undertakes whom he will to save and whom he will to destroy Non vox hominem sonat It is not the language of a Creature but of the great God Jesus Christ himself whom yet the Authour to the Hebrews proves at large to be better then all the Angels Chap. 1. and so according to B's supposition better then the Holy Ghost yet he did not dispense the Word according to his own pleasure as man but according to the pleasure of his Father Matth. 15. 24. I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel I might add that the Holy Ghost sanctifies us and it would easily amount to a Demonstration But I have said enough for the proof of a point so clearly expressed in the Scripture I have done with the Cataskeuastical part I now come to the An askeâ—astical I mean to detect the fallacies and cavils wherewith the enemy of the Holy Ghost endeavours to dispute him out of his Throne and Deity And truly one may rationally expect that he that comes to dispute a truth out of the Church that hath had so long possession to throw down a doctrine that hath so firm a foundation in the Scripture should write like Tertullian and have as many sentences as words as many argnments as senteÌ„ces But contrariwise I finde in this Pneumatomachist nothing but a heap of words a Jury of arguments that are neither good nor true bold dictates imperiously obtruded upon the World without any proof ancient Land-marks removed quia ipse dixit because the Schoolmaster would have it so and such things which Non sani esse hominis non sanus juret Orestes You will say Why then do you answer him Because of that of Solomon Answer a fool according to his folly lest he be wise in his own conceit Prov. 26. 5. Besides God hath in just judgement sent abroad a spirit of delusion and there are multitudes that will sooner comply with a new and erroneous opinion upon the appearance of one argument then embrace a truth though confirmed by several solid demonstrations and evident Scriptures even as one stroke will carry a man further with the tide then five against it And therefore that I may cut off an occasion from theÌ„ that seek an occasion to fall from the truth that I may leave those inexcusable that are resolved they wil not be convinced that I may lay up an evidence to justifie God and to be a witness against them who I perceive will not see against that dreadful day of judgement 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I come to answer his arguments This only in the general There is one consideration that will utterly enervate all his Arguments It must needs be acknowledged and B. himself confesseth it That there are many things that are spoken of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 after the manner of men and must be understood 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so as it do not reflect dishonour upon God And therefore when he tels you The Spirit speaketh from God heareth from God receiveth from God is sent of God is the gift of God changeth place maketh intercession for us c. The answer in a word is this and it would suffice to stop the mouth of any sober-minded man that all these things are spoken of the Holy Ghost improperly and must be so expounded as may consist with the divine Majesty of the Holy Ghost which is so clearly asserted in other Scriptures as you have heard But I shall add one thing more in the general That we all confess there is an order though not an in equality among the divine Persons and so all that B. objects may be answered if one do apply it to his several Arguments But I come to particulars Object 1. His first Argument is this He that is distinguished from God is not God But the Holy Ghost is distinguished from God Ergo the Holy Ghost is not God Answ To the Major I answer He that is distinguished from God really and substantially is not God so your Major is true otherwise not for there is a modal distinction among the persons and then in your sense the Minor is false for the Holy Ghost is not substantially distinguished
Epistle that he had waited upon and contested with sundry Learned men and could never get a satisfactory answer nor I doubt everwill in his own judgement I fear God hath given him up to a spirit of delusion to believe lies To convince an Heretick is but a little below a Miracle and therefore it is not that I expect in this Treatise but onely the establishment of those that are yet free from this infection and the reducing of them if there be any such who have followed this wretched Apostate out of the simplicity of their hearts I am sensible that this Treatise of Bidle's is fully answered by learned Mr. Estwick to which Mr. B. hath never yet made a reply nor ever will be able But there are many that are unwilling to bestow either much pains or cost about books of that nature and so that errour doth yet spread and some as I am informed are lately infected with it I was therefore importuned to put forth a short and plain confutation af Bidle's Treatise which might require lesse of the Readers money and patience and so might serve as a common Antidote against that Pestilential Doctrine Which motion I did at first utterly reject being conscious to my self of mine own utter unfitnesse for such a work And had I been left to my self I should sooner have put my finger in the fire then my pen to paper upon such terms But being solemnly almost adjured by the honour of God and good of souls and being uncessantly urged I confesse I durst not deny lest I should prefer mine own credit which I thought might be justly blemished by publishing my weaknesse in Print with a Noverint universi as thousands have done before me I say lest I should prefer my credit to the glory of God which was here so neerly concerned and I hoped might be a little promoted by mine endeavours I therefore consulted not with flesh and blood but immediately betook my self to the work And if such fools as I write learned men may thank themselves who suffer so many pestilent books to lie un-answered as are daily put forth with what satisfaction to their own consciences I know not but I am sure with the great prejudice of the Church and dissatisfaction of pious souls I wish they would seriously lay this to heart and take heed they be not found among them that wrap their talents whether they be preaching or writing talents all is one in a napkin And in this work I confesse I was helped by the labours of some that went before me Mr. Estwick Doctor Cheynell and Cloppenburgius though I may safely say there are some things added of mine own which I hope may not be altogether uselesse and inconsiderable Such as it is here thou hast it read consider examine seriously diligently reverently and the Lord open the eyes of thy minde that thou mayest receive this truth in the love of it If thou art already drawn into that pestilent errour that is here confuted by the cunning craftinesse of those seducers that lie in wait to deceive thou hast the more need to look to thy self for as thy distemper cannot be lesse then mortall if it be an errour as indeed it is because it strikes at the very Deity of God himself so it is almost incurable And therefore it is high time for thee to awake out of sleep for now is thy damnation neerer then when thou didst first Apostatize It is hard for thee to kick against the pricks Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen and repent Seriously bethink thy self whether those foolish cavils thou pleasest thy self with here are likely to bear thee out and passe for currant at that great day Besides what is in this Treatise which will either satisfie thee or else I fear one day condemn thee consider one thing further whereas your Champion cries out upon us as Idolaters whether it be probable that God who hath promised to lead his people into all truth to be with his Church to the end of the world should suffer all his people those that did most sincerely love and worship him most firmly believe in him to fall 〈◊〉 live and die in such a foul and indeed damnable sin as Idolatry is and that for so many ages together Take one Caution more do not think to comprehend this Mystery in thy shallow understanding How should divine mysteries be depths if a creature could fathome them Do not make thy reason the rule of thy faith So did the wise Grecians the rational Romans and that was the great cause why the preaching of the Crosse was foolishnesse to them The riches of Christ are unsearchable shall we therefore dis-believe them the peace of God passeth all understanding shall we therefore dispute it out of the world For you that are not yet tainted with this soul-murdering doctrine 1 Blesse God for it 2 Take beed lest you also fall 3 Be wise unto sobriety And the Lord give you a spirit of discerning to distinguish between things that differ So prayeth he Who passionately labours for thy Conviction and Conversion or Establishment and Edification M. P. The DEITY of the HOLY GHOST PROVED BEfore I come to answer Mr. B's Arguments I shall lay down some Arguments to prove the Deity of the Holy Ghost I shall not follow his way in contending more by number and multitude then strength and force of Arguments in multiplying words without weight I shall forbear to bring many Arguments that might be alleadged and that upon good grounds and shall only â—ull out some chief ones and vindicate those which B. hath cavill'd against And thou blessed Spirit the Spirit of Truth plead thine own cause sâ—nd out Thy Light and Thy Truth that they may guide me in the handling of this controversie that Thy Divine Majesty may be fully vindicated Thy people solidly establish'd and Thine enemies may be either conâ—â—â—ted or confounded Amen Arg. 1. He whom the Scripture calls the Great and the True God is God But the Scripture calls the Holy Ghost the Great and the True God Ergo the Holy Ghost is God I make that addition in the Premisses the Great and True God because it is known and confessed that Magistrates are said to be gods though they are never so called but there is something added by way of qualification and diminution I have said You are gods but you shall die like men Psal 82. 6 7. So I have made thee a god to Pharaoh Exod. 7. 1. A made god and a god to Pharaoh The Major will be confessed All the doubt will be about the Minor For the proof I shall only urge two places of Scripture The first place is Acts 5. v. 3. why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie unto the Holy Ghost compared with the end of verse 4. Thou hast noâ— lâ—â—d to men but to God That he speaks concerning the great God is confessed by the adversary and needs no proof So that
is contrary to common sense that three should be 〈◊〉 Thus it fares with men when they will make sense and reason the Judge of Scripture controversies Hath B. never read that the naturalman receiveth not the things of God 1 Coâ— 2. â—4 that when Peâ—â—â—r said Christ was the Son of the living God Christ told him Flâ—sh and bloud hath not revealed this to thee Matth. 16. that The carnal minde is enmity against God Rom. 8. 7. The truth is not only common sense cannot reach these mysteries But a man must have more then common faith to subject his reason to them not that reason may not clearly discern this mystery in the Scripture but that it cannot invent oâ— fathom it not but that the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is clear from the Scripture that there is a Trinity but that reason cannot finde out the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 how can these things be All men are Socinians by nature they will believe God and the Word of God no farther then they can see reason But B. adds the Câ—mâ—lut Bible hath this place otherwise I answer What then It must be here as it is in many other casâ—s of the some nature that must be over-ruled by the consent of other Copies But B. goes on tells uâ— that this place is not to be found in many Copies I answer It is certain that ancient Hereticks have offered violence to many Scriptures that did most cleerly confute them as might be instanced in many other places and yet the providence of God hath always countermined their designes by keeping some Copies pure when others were corrupted by Hereticks and some perfect when others were defective and for this particular it is certain it was extant in the Greek Copy before ever your fore-father Macedonius broached that Heresie that now you have revived And if in some Copies it be wanting we may thank those ancient Hereticks in whose steps you tread for taking it away Certtain it is that Cyprian cited this place who flourished about 250 years after Christ his words as I finde them cited by Vedelius are these Dicit Dominus Ego Pater unum sumus Et iterum de Patre Filio Spiritu Sancto scriptum est Et tres unum sunt c. Saint Hierome also cites it as our adversaries acknowledge and divers others And if it be wanting in some other Copies let it be considered that it was the complaint of divers Ancients that the old Hereticks did corrupt and deprave the Scriptures in several places that were most pregnant against them And the Aâ—titriâ—itarians were as guilty in this as any Socrates complained that those that were against the Deity of Christ blotted out those places that proved his Godhead and in particular some places out of this first Epistle of John lib. 7. c. 32. An other names two old Hereticks that made this their business to alter and corrupt the Scriptures The truth is it is rather a wonder that any Scripture is preserved from infection then that any place is corrupted Indeed the fraud of Hereticks about this place is very discernable they fumbled so unhandsomely about it that some of them left out one word of this Verse and some another and some all as any one that would further be satisfied may sufficiently inform himself out of Vedelius in a discourse upon this place But that it was there Originally and that it ought to be there will evidently appear if you consider 1 The end of the sixth Verse which doth necessarily require that that should follow for it is given as a reason why the Spirit is truth because there are three c. that is it is all one with the God of Truth and with the Son who is called Truth and so this place is parallel to John 16. 13. He will guide you into all truth for he shall not speak of himself but from the Father that is he shall speak nothing but that wherein the Father and he agrees 2 From the ninth Verse If we believe the witness of men the witness of God is greater for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son Now I beseech you where is this witness of God here hinted and pointed at if not in the seventh Verse Howsoever if there were not such a place as this in the Scripture there have been several other places alledged beyond all exception Arg. 7. He to whom those actions are ascribed that are proper to God is God But those actions which are proper to God are aâ—cribed to the H. Ghost Ergo the H. Ghost is God For the Major it will readily be acknowledged The Minor is proved in particulars 1 In Creation The H. Ghost creates Job 33. 4. The Spirit of God made me Nor can it be said God made him by the Spirit as an instrument for instrumental causes in creation are ridiculous and rejected by all men that understand any thing in Philosophy And therefore B. betrays his ignorance in saying that the Spirit was Gods instrument in creating things For 1 It implies a contradiction for every instrument must work in some subject and therefore presupposeth a subject but Creation doth not presuppose a subject but make it 2 Every instrument requires some time for its work But Creation was done in an instant and that by God himself as Genes 1. doth expresly inform us He said Let there be light c. B. speaks as if he had never read Genesis And therefore it is a most illiterate exposition that B. gives of that place Job 35. 10. where is God my Maker Heb. Makers which he is forced to confess argues that Creation was the work of several persons but the one forsooth most learnedly and profoundly he makes the instrumental cause of that Creation which I dare say all the Universities in Europe would hisse at Luke 1. 31 the Holy Ghost created the body of Christ which was neither convenient nor possible for a creature to do He that spake by the mouth of David made both heaven and earth Acts 4. 24. and who that we read Acts 1. 16. The Holy Ghost spake by the mouth of David To passe by that known and clear place Genes 1. 2. The Spirit moved upon the face of the waters and many others 2 The Spirit works Miracles Miracles are actions above nature and none can do acts above nature but he that is above nature Christ proved himself to be God by working miracles Matth. 9. 5. That you may know the Son of man hath power upon earth to forgive sins he saith to the sick of the Palsie Arisâ— None but God can forgive sins now miracles are ascribed to the Holy Ghost Matth. 12. 28. Christ cast out Devils by the Spirit of God and that which adds weight to it is that parallel place Luke 11. 20. I by the finger of God cost out Devils What Matthew calls the Spirit Luke calls the finger of God or the