the Spirit searches all things yea the deep things of God It follows because he cannot be sent as Servants are by their Masters or Ambassadors by their Lords since in that mission there is always some dependency there is a Superior and inferior there is one Major and one Minor which can never be found in God it follows I say by a necessary Consequence he being sent from the Father and the Son it is because he proceeds from both You may further urge the Holy Ghost is not truly and properly God therefore he doth not proceed from the Father and the Son according to the manner as it is believed in the Church of England The Antecedent appears by these words of St. John When the spirit of truth is come he will guide you into all truth for he shall not speak of himself but whatsoever he shall hear that shall he speak and will shew you things to come From whence I thus argue First He that doth not speak of himself supposes another distinct Person from whom he hath received Instruction but the Holy Ghost doth not speak of himself therefore he supposes another distinct Person from whom he hath received Instruction therefore he is not truly and properly God because he that is truly and properly God cannot suppose any other Person from whom he should receive Instruction Secondly He that speaks what he heareth supposes another Person speaking distinct from him that heareth but the Holy Ghost speaketh what he heareth therefore he supposes another Person speaking distinct from him therefore he is not truly and properly God because he that is truly and properly God cannot suppose any other Person speaking unto him from whom he could receive Instruction this being contrary to the Nature of the true God The Major Proposition of these two Arguments is clear and certain the Minor is from St. John therefore it follows that the Holy Ghost is not truly and properly God and consequently that he doth not proceed from the Father and the Son as the Church of England believes Answ I grant that the Holy Ghost doth not speak of himself but speaks what he heareth he being not of himself but of the Father and the Son however it doth not follow but that he is truly and properly God But before I make it appear it is necessary to observe that the Holy Ghost is sometimes taken for God himself sometimes for a divine Quality sometimes for a Person really distinct from the Father and the Son First He is taken for God himself God is a spirit John 4. 24. For God being Holy and a Spirit it is evident that he is holy Spirit and Reciprocally he that is called holy Spirit per Excellentiam and without dependency is God For these Terms God and holy Spirit are really one and the same thing as likewise these following Eternal Lord Creator Conservator They differ only in reference to the different effects which we apply them to God is named Eternal because he is without Beginning and Ending Is called Lord because of his Power over all things Creator because he made them of nothing and Conservator because he keeps them from returning into nothing And he is called Holy Ghost per Excellentiam because to speak properly none but he is truly Holy and because he receives his Holiness from no body all other Creatures whatsoever have their holiness by Communication and Dependency In that sence the Holy Ghost is not really distinguish'd from the Eternal Father but only per Intellectum or in as much as the Definition which is ascribed to the Eternal Father is different from that of the Holy Ghost as the Eternal is distinguish'd from the Creator For although it be really one and the same thing yet our Understandings conceive the Eternal otherwise than the Creator in as much as the Eternal is a Being without beginning and ending and the Creator is a first and Independent Cause who produced all things out of nothing Therefore in that sence the Holy Ghost being not really distinguish'd from the Eternal Father we cannot say that he proceeds from him because it would follow that one and the same thing should be supposed at the same time existing and not existing existing because we conceive it to be so and not existing because in that instance of Reason when we should conceive it proceeding from the Father it should not be existing which is contrary to Reason since there is no instance of Reason wherein we can conceive the true God not to be Therefore it follows that the Holy Ghost in the aforementioned sence doth not proceed from the Father Secondly He is taken for a divine Quality as when the Holy Ghost said unto those of Antioch Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them We must conceive it was God who spake these words but because God did all this by that Power within him which is his Spirit therefore these words and actions are attributed to the Holy Ghost in that sence likewise the Holy Ghost is not really distinguish'd from the Eternal Father and consequently is not proceeding from him Thirdly He is taken for a Person really distinct from the Eternal Father and that he is so is evidently proved by these Texts Grieve not the holy spirit of God whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption and by this to the Romans The spirit it self maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered and by that of the first to the Corinthians The spirit searcheth all things yea the deep things of God For Grief is certainly a personal Affection of which a quality is not capable We can understand what is an interceding Person but we have no apprehension of interceding and groaning Qualities and we understand also that to search is a property belonging to a Person and not to a Quality You will urge that it is ordinary in the holy Scripture to find the like Expressions which are proper unto Persons given unto those things which are no Persons as when the Apostle saith Charity suffereth long and is kind charity envieth not vaunteth not it self c. All which personal Actions are attributed to Charity which is no Person but belonging to that Person which is charitable because that Person which is so qualified doth perform those Actions according to and by the vertue of that Charity which is in him In the same manner personal Actions are attributed to the Holy Ghost which is no Person but only the Virtue Power and Efficacy of God the Father who is a Person and doth perform those personal Actions attributed to the Holy Ghost by the Virtue Power and Efficacy in himself which is the Holy Ghost Answ This giveth no satisfaction for there are several personal Attributes given in the holy Scriptures expresly to the Holy Ghost which cannot be ascribed to God the Father as for Example to make Intercession is a
personal Action and this Action is attributed to the Spirit of God as it appears by these words of St. Paul Because he maketh intercession for the Saints according to the Will of God But to make Intercession is an Act which cannot be attributed to God the Father for it would follow that the Father should make Intercession to himself which is absurd because he that maketh Intercession is supposed to be distinct from him to whom he maketh Intercession Moreover To come unto men as being sent unto them is a personal Action but the Comforter or the Holy Ghost did come being sent as it is seen by these words of St. John When the Comforter is come whom I will send you from the Father and if I go not away the Comforter will not come unto you but if I depart I will send him unto you ergo the Holy Ghost cannot be ascribed in this place to God the Father since God the Father sendeth but is never sent And to speak and hear are personal Actions and both together attributed to the Holy Ghost in such a manner as they cannot be attributed to God the Father as it appears by those words of John When the spirit of truth is come he will guide you into all truth for he shall not speak of himself but whatsoever he shall hear that he shall speak Now to speak and not of himself cannot be attributed to God the Father since he doth all things of himself And to speak what he heareth cannot be also attributed to God the Father who can receive no Instruction from another Seeing then the Holy Ghost speaketh and not of himself and speaketh what he heareth it followeth evidently that he is not God the Father neither a divine Quality which cannot be said properly to speak and hear but that he is a Person distinct from the Father Now that the Holy Ghost as a Person really distinct from the Father is truly and properly God appears by these words of St. Peter for when Peter said Ananias Why hath Satan filled thy heart to lie to the Holy Ghost He repeateth the same Question in reference to the same Offence Why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart Thou hast not lied unto men but unto God He means there the true God as it appears by these words Thou hast not lied unto men but unto God For when he saith Thou hast not lied unto men but unto God it is as if he should say thou hast not lied unto Creatures since men are Creatures but thou hast lied unto him who is no Creature and consequently unto him who is true God And if the Holy Ghost could be taken sometimes for a Creature this Proposition of St. Peter To lie to the Holy Ghost is to lie unto God would not always be true therefore St. Peter speaking without distinction and without a limited sence 't is to prove that this word Holy Ghost is never taken in the holy Scripture but for the true God Moreover to whom the divine Attributes do belong as certainly as they belong unto God the Father he is truly and properly God because these are divine Attributes which are properties of the Divine Nature and none can be indued with to whom the Nature of God doth not belong But the divine Attributes as Omniscience the Sanctification of Souls and the like do belong as certainly unto the Holy Ghost as they do unto God the Father therefore it followeth that the Holy Ghost is truly and properly God and consequently that he proceedeth from the Father and the Son as it is declared in the Symbole of Nice Obj. The Church of England doth neither believe nor practice all that is contained in these words viz. Abstain from meats offered to Idols and from blood and from things strangled and from fornication therefore she is not the holy Catholick Church since the holy Catholick Church is that that believes and practises the whole Christian Doctrine as I have made it appear already Answ This Commandment was in the time of the Primitive Church but was abolished by the Apostles Because the Jews would not eat things strangled nor Blood the Apostles enjoyned that the Gentiles embracing the Christian Religion ought in Charity to Conform herein to the Jews and not give Offence where the thing was it self indifferent Wherefore St. Paul saith If meat make my brother to offend I will eat no flesh while the World standeth lest I make my brother to offend But now this Commandment is past and abolish'd by the Apostles and therefore it is not true that the Church of England doth believe and practise any thing contrary to the holy Scripture For the-better understanding of this Truth we must know that in these words enjoyned to the Gentiles embracing the Christian Religion to wit Abstain from pollution of Idols and from Fornication and from things strangled and from blood there is something bad in it self and something bad by Accident something bad for a time only something belonging to the Moral Law and something belonging to the Ceremonial The thing bad in it self for ever and belonging to the Moral Law is to abstain from Idolatry and from Fornication and the thing bad by accident for a time only and belonging to the Ceremonial Law is to abstain from things strangled and from Blood Now it is certain that to abstain from Idolatry and Fornication is a part of the Moral Law seeing it is written Thou shalt have no other Gods but me and thou shalt not commit Adultery It is also true that these things are bad of themselves and for ever because they were forbidden in time past are now unlawful and shall be for time to come which appears by these words of St. Paul to the Corinthians Neither Fornicators nor Adulterers shall inherit the Kingdom of God 'T is likewise certain that to Abstain from things strangled and from Blood belongs to the Ceremonial Law it is also without doubt that it was abolished as it is seen in these words of St. Paul Whatsoever is sold in the Shambles that eat asking no question for Conscience sake for the Earth is the Lords and the fulness thereof if any of them that believe not bid you to a Feast and ye be disposed to go whatsoever is set before you eat asking no question for Conscience sake And by these to Timothy where it is said that Every Creature of God is good and nothing to be refused if it be received with thanksgiving and forbidding to abstain from meats is a doctrine of Devils And by these to the Romans I know and am perswaded by the Lord Jesus that there is nothing unclean of it self but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean to him it is unclean And that ye may not say that these words of St. Paul were written before those of the Council held at Hierusalem or of the 15th of the Acts the
Peace among our selves love towards one another and union to the holy Catholick Church out of which whosoever is is a Schismatick and excluded all hopes of Salvation as I will make appear hereafter then they will cease to hate and begin to love me But oftentimes it happens quite contrary to our good intention as when Jesus Christ manifested unto the Jews the Vices which they were given to his intention was that they should hate their sins and not the Physician who was willing to heal them But it hapned on the contrary they were ungrateful saith Augustine for being grown mad they assaulted the Physician who came to cure them I may say the same thing concerning those who are unwilling to hear Christian Doctrines their Interest is to know them since it concerns their eternal Salvation and therefore they ought to receive those who are so charitable as to instruct them with a greater kindness than a King doth the dearest of his Courtiers But too often we see the contrary They look upon those Physicians of their Souls as upon their greatest Enemies nevertheless since there are some who are glad to hear the truth and receive it in meekness to those especially I direct this Discourse my design is to convince them and so to draw them out of the Error in which they have walked many years wherein I hope with God's assistance to have good success because I shall say nothing but grounded upon sound Reason and the Authority of the holy Scripture and Fathers which I shall quote faithfully to the end that these Authorities may be as many Bucklers to defend me from all the stroaks which some would offend me with that I may not be wounded before I see them run through and overthrown Naked Truth and the publishers of it are commonly hated in this World And though it be written in Esdras that Truth is stronger than Wine than Women than Kings yet we daily see by experience that for all its strength it is oftentimes cruelly assaulted and miserably subdued upon Earth Every one knows what Persecutions Jesus Christ suffered because he would make it appear unto all men his Apostles Disciples and Martyrs were not only hated but after his Example endured several Torments even death it self because they would defend and make it manifest If I have written any thing not agreeable to the Word of God or sound Reason I shall be very glad and thankful in being informed of it therefore I submit this small Treatise to the censure of the Church and to the judgment of all learned and godly men whose delight is to draw Truth from the holy Scripture Farewel ADVERTISEMENT IF any Gentleman or Gentlewoman hath a mind to learn French or Latin the Author of this Treatise will wait upon them he liveth in Thames-street over against Baynard's Castle THE Church of England Prov'd the Holy Catholick Church THe Roman Church appropriates this glorious Title to her self only thunders Anathema's against all other Churches whatever calls them Hereticks and Schismaticks declares unless they unite themselves with her they are without any hope of Salvation uses a thousand subtilties to draw them to her Communion deceives and frightens the simple and ignorant making them believe that out of her there is no Salvation offers great rewards to the learned persecutes them that will not be either corrupted with fat Preferments or deceived and frightned with several Fables wherewith they are entertain'd deprives them of their Estates and Employments c. and forces them to forsake their Country as the poor Protestants of France are now necessitated to either causing them to be burnt alive or inflicting several other cruel torments upon them as it is at this time the Custom in Italy and Spain I confess that the Roman Church was not always cruel I grant that in the Apostle's time and first Ages I mean when they observed the holy Scripture both in its Practice and Doctrine they could justly boast of this glorious Title Holy Cacholick But since they were corrupted and have diminished from and added unto the holy Scripture several points of Faith which they impose upon us under pain of Damnation and since they are fallen into Heresie they have lost this fair and glorious Title These words Holy Catholick cannot be justly attributed unto them it is the Church of England which now most 〈◊〉 and gloriously possesses these honourable Qualities But as women that have lost their honour are grown debauch'd when they quarrel with them that are honest and vertuous are used to call them Whores first lest that villainous and odious name should be cast upon themselves so the Church of Rome having lost the fair qualities of Holy Catholick and being fallen into Heresie is wont to call the Church of England Heretical lest she should justly reflect upon her that which she falsly accuses her with I will not go abovt here to prove that the Church of Rome is Heretick I have done it already per argumentum adhominem that is by their own Principles in a small Treatise so intituled Those who have the Book and have read it over are fully convinced of it and those that have it not if they desire to have it may be satisfied as soon as they are pleased to acquaint me with their laudable intention Wherefore I shall here make it evident that the Church of England is the holy Catholick Church which being proved there being but one holy Catholick Church it will appear that the Church of Rome hath lost this glorious and noble Title But before I make it appear it will be necessary rightly to understand the words Church Holy Catholick The word Church is usually taken either for the place where people are gathered together to pray and worship God or else for a Congregation of humane Persons professing the Christian Faith whereof Jesus Christ is the foundation For other Foundation can no man lay than that is laid which is Jesus Christ and though the Apostles and the Prophets be also termed the Foundation yet Jesus Christ himself is the chief corner Stone in whom all the Building fitly framed together groweth unto a holy Temple in the Lord. We accept the word Church in this latter sence wherefore by the Church we understand a Body or Collection of humane Persons professing the same Faith in Christ gathered together in several places of the World for the Worship of the same God The Church thus described may be called Holy in several respects and for several Reasons First In reference to the Vocation by which all the members thereof are called and separated from the rest of the World to God which Separation in the Language of the Scriptures is a Sanctification and so the calling being holy for God called us with an holy calling the Body which is thus separated and congregated may well be termed Holy Secondly In relation to the Offices appointed and the Powers exercised in the Church