Where the first person in trinitie is pointed vnto Then it is sayd this is my beloued sonne There the second person is at Thirdly it is sayd that the spirit of God descended and lighted vpon him like a done Which plainlie noteth out the third person which is the holy Ghost and thus you see how y e scriptures doe auouch a plaine distinction of persons as wee say a trinitie in vnitie a vnitie in trinitie Father Yet I cannot by any reason discerne but if euery person be God then there must needs be three Gods Child We must not in this case consult with reason but simply beléeue the Scriptures though wee cannot comprehend by humane reason the manner or rather mistery of this matter For it far excéedeth all humane reach and capacitie Father Is not one person in trinitie greater then an other as the Father greater then the Sonne and the Sonne greater then the holy Ghost Child No for the persons be coequall coeternall and coessentiall Father How vnderstand you that worde coessentiall which the learned call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Child The persons in trinitie are called coessentiall not because they are only of like essence as wée sée the particulars of the same kind to be in naturall things as in thrée apples growing together in one and such like but because they are indéede one and the selfe same simple essence Therefore the persons of the deitie cannot without blasphemie be said to be onely coherent together in substance or onely of like substance Father Is it not necessarie that Christians should be well grounded in the knowledge of this vnitie of the Godhead and the distinction of the persons Child Yes verely For many errours and heresies haue growen in the world about these points Father Doe you not beleeue that the euerlasting God hath made heauen and earth and the sea all things in them contained Child Yes they are all the works of his hands Father How did he make them Child By his word As it is written Through faith wée vnderstand that the world was ordained by the word of God Father Whereof did hee make the world and all things in it Child Of nothing As it is written The thinges which wée sée are not made of things which did appeare Father To what end did God create heauen and earth Child To set forth his glorie Father Hath not God as greate a care for the conseruation of the world and all particular creatures in it as euer he had to create them Child Gods care is no lesse for the conseruation of the creature then first it was for the creation For as in great wisedome he made them all So in as great wisedome hée doth preserue thē al He is not as a carpenter which hauing built a house afterward taketh no more care of it Father Do you not thinke that God also created the Angels Child Yes they also are the workes of his fingers Father When did he create them Child In the beginning when he made all other creatures Father In which of the sixe dayes were the Angels created Child That is a curious question and I can giue you no certaine answere vnto it but it is most likely and probable that it was in the sixt and last day when man was created after Gods owne image For the Angels carry the greatest Image of God in them Father What is an Angell Child An inuisible spirit Father Our Lord Iesus saith that God is a spirit What difference then make you betwixt God and an Angell Child The difference is excéeding great For God is an infinite spirit the Angels are but finite GOD is the creator the Angels be but creatures and although they bée very glorious creatures yet God doth infinitly excéede them in glory Father Do not the Angels of all other creatures come nearest vnto the nature of GOD and furthest excell the nature of man Child The angelicall nature doth exist as a meane betwixt God mā although far nearer the lower then the vpper extreame Participating somewhat of each nature hauing had a béeginning as man and yet being immortall with God consisting of matter and forme as doth a man yet voyde of all mixture as God Subsisting in some matter subiect as a man yet being incorporeall as God Ignorant of some things as a man yet of wonderfull capacitie and knowledge as God and in a word being euery way finit as a man yet perfect in all respects as God Father As you haue shewed me the proper attributes of God so also shew the proper attributes of the Angels that so wee may more clearely discerne their glorious nature Child The Angels haue essentiall attributes proportionable though not comparable to those in God For Gods absolute vbiquitie they haue successiue vbiquity for the eternity of God they haue immortalitie for his most simple nature they haue a most thin subtile essence for his omnipotency they haue great power and might Father How proue you that the Angels haue so great power and might Child Out of the Psalme Where it is said Praise the Lord ye his Angels which excell in strength And againe out of the Booke of the Kings Where wée read that one Angell in one night did destroy the whole army of Synacherib Kinge of Assiria being an hundred fourescore and fiue thousand Father What thinke you of the agilitie and swiftnesse of Angels Child I thinke by reason of their agile and thinne substance being far more subtile and thin then the ayre it selfe that they glide thorow the ayre with vnconcernable swiftnesse and can bée any where in a moment as God is alwayes euery where Father What is your reason Child My reason is this we sée by daily experience that the sun being a visible body doth fetch the whole compas of the heauens in foure twenty houres and it is well knowne to all y e learned that the circle or circumference of the sun doth by many degrées excéede the circle or globe of y e whole earth néeds therefore must the Sunne bée caried in an vnspeakeable swift motion farre passing the musket shotte for else how could it goe through his whole spheare in 24. houres as we sée it doth then consequently it followeth that the motion of Angels must néedes bée much swifter then that of the Sunne because they are of a more thin agile aiery and inuisible nature Father Can an Angell be in many places at once Child No but in a minute of time they can be any where as I said before Father What say you to the knowledge and vnderstanding of Angels Child I say that it is excéeding great in all things far passing all knowledge of men though neuer so learned skilful Father Doe the Angels know all things Child No they are ignorant of some things as of mēs particular thoughts of some things to come of the last day and of the essence of God Father What
A PASTIME for Parents OR A recreation to passe away the time contayning the most principall grounds of Christian Religion By Arthur Dent preacher of the word of God at South-Shoobery in Essex LONDON Printed by T. E. for Thomas Man 1606. A PASTIME for Parents to bee vsed with their children for recreation to passe away the time containing the most principall grounds of Christian religion Father VVHat is God Child An infinite perfection whose being is of himselfe Father Where is God Child Alwaies euery where as the aire Father Whether is the Godhead a thing onely imaginarie or no Child The Godhead is not a thing which onely may bée conceiued in thought but indéed is a most pure and infinite selfebeing Father How then doe you conceiue of the essence and being of the Godhead Child That the substance or essence of the dietie is of all things most simple and single and is neither diuided multiplyed nor compact of any elementarie qualitie Father Expresse your minde morefully Child This I meane that the diuine nature is one simple vniforme immateriall impassible immutable illocall eternall omnipotent omniscient infinite void of al mixture cōposition combinatiō diuision or dissimilitude Father Which be the proper and essentiall attributes of God Child The proper attributes of God are vbiquitie eternitie vnitie simplicitie omnipotency for these do spring from his essence and forme as naturally necessarily and directly as the beames light heat issue from the Sunne as the streames from a fountaine of water Father Can these essentiall attributes of God increase or decrease Child Nothing that is in GOD can bée augmented or diminished or anie way altered For as hée is once at any time so is hée alwaies at all times Father What may we learne out of this Child To feare and tremble so often as wée thinke or speake of this infinite Maiestie Father What are we especially to consider in God for our comfort and instruction Child His wisedome prouidence iustice and mercie Father Are not all these in God as accidents or accidentall qualities Child No For there are no accidents or accidentall qualities in God that is nothing seperable or mutable but all these are in God as essentiall and inseperable properties or if you will of the very essence of God Father Are not these forenamed qualities of wisedome prouidence iustice and mercie accidentall and seperable both in men and Angels Child Yes verely for they are no part of their nature or essence nor yet essentiall properties for they may bée remooued and seperated from their subiects Father You said before that God is alwaies euery where that is in all places at once but how can that bee sith the opinion is that God is onely in heauen Child God as touching his essence is no more in heauen then in this inferior world but he is said to be in heauen because his glory and maiestie doth there most clearely shine out Father Sith God is in all places at once tell me also whether he doth know all things at once Child God doth know all mens thoughts words and déeds at once all that euer haue béene are and shall be For there is nothing past or to come with God but all things are alwayes present and it is as easie a matter for God to comprehend all things past present and to come at once as it is for vs to tell one two thrée Father Is it not daungerous then to haue any base thoughts of God or carnally or basely to imagine that God is like a man or any other creature Child Yes assuredly For it is high treason to haue any such thoughts or vile conceits of God for God is like no thing as the Prophet saith to whom will ye liken God Father Is not the sinne of the Papists verie great which make Images and similitudes of God and set them vp in their Churches to breed carnall thoughts and imaginations of God in the hearts of the people Child It is a very high degrée of blasphemie for the Prophet saith What similitude will you set vp vnto him and another Prophet saith that the Image is a teacher of lies Father What shall we say then to our common swearers which daily blaspheme this great maiesty of God and take his most holy and sacred name in vaine for euery trifle Child They shall one day know and féele to their euerlasting woe what it is to blaspheme such an infinite maiestie Father What vse are the people of God to make of all this Child This to haue so great a maiestie alwayes in singular admiration and reuerence And the rather because in these corrupt times men grow so fast towards atheisme and prophainnesse that there is no more any common deuotion amongest them or any Reuerence of a Godhead Father What yet further doe you consider in God Child That he is one in substance thrée in persons I meane that in this most simple and single essence the three seuerall persons doe subsist Father Doe you meane that the Godhead is distinguished or diuided into three persons Child No for the essence of the Godhead is so simple and single as I said that it can neither bée distinguished deuided or multiplyed no not when the Sonne is sayd to bée GOD of God Father Are not the persons in the Godhead distinguished Child Yes the persons are distinguished each from other by their proper and incommunicable proprieties that is their diuers manner of being which they haue in the Godhead As the Father by creation the Sonne by redemption the holy Ghost by sanctification Father Expresse your meaning yet more fully Child My meaning is this that although the substance of the deity being most simple and single cannot be deuided or distinguished nor the same essence seperated yet I say the persons are so distinguished in office not in essēce as the one of them cannot possibly be the other Father What call you the persons in the trinitie Child I call a person a subsistence in the essence of God which hauing relation to others is distinguished by his incommunicable propriety Father Is not euery person the whole and the same substance of the deitie Child Yes for euery person is by himselfe God Father Are there not then three Gods Child No for the Scripture teacheth plainely that there is but one God and thrée persons As 1. Iohn saith there are thrée which beare record in heauen the father the word and the holy Ghost and these thrée are one that is one in substance and thrée in persons and there bée many other places of scriptures which proue the distinction of the persons As where it is sayd goe and teach all nations baptising them in the name of the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost And againe in the third chapter of the Gospel of Saint Mathew ve 16. 17. Where first mention is made of a voice from heauen which was the voice of the Father
or at least that haue knowledge in this present action and such as haue faith repentance and loue Father How shall a man know that hee hath these things Child Thrée wayes First by his setled purpose desire to obey God according to al the commandements of the law Secondly by his loue to the word of god Thirdly by his daily fruits towards God and men Father Who are to be reiected and put back from the communion Child Thrée sorts of men Father Which be they Child First strangers that is such as are vnknowen to the Pastor are not to bée admitted as it is written A stranger shall not eate thereof Secondly Ideots children mad men and fooles are not to be admitted for they cannot examine themselues according to the Apostles rules Thirdly notorious euill liuers by whom the congregation is offended for it is written Giue not that which is holy vnto dogs Againe It is forbidden in the law that any man being circūcised should be admitted to the communicating of the passouer because they were polluted by touching a dead corps and being at a buriall God gaue often charges and commaundements in the law that if any man had vnwittingly defiled himselfe by any legall pollution he might not enter into his owne house much lesse approch vnto the Passouer till he was purified and cleansed by offring vp a Sacrifice Now all these Scriptures do plainely prooue that no prophane or filthy persons as whooremongers drunkards blasphemers riotters and scoffers at religion and such like may be admitted to the holy communion Father What say you to such as shew no loue nor desire to this holy ordinance of God nor once so much as offer themselues vnto it except sometimes at Easter a little for fashion and law sake Child Such do shew themselues to bée little better then miscreants and atheists for they do contemptuously refuse the grace of God which hée offreth in this supper and doubtlesse to abstaine of set purpose is no lesse sinne then to receiue vnworthily For that patient which is daungerously sicke and yet maketh no account of the Phisitions receit and order deserueth no lesse blame then hée which abuseth the same receit that is doth not vse it according to that diet and order that was prescribed him Father If some very bad persons chaunce to creepe in or thrust in themselues to bee partakers of this holy institution is therfore the whole action defiled Child God forbid for wée read throughout the scriptures that good bad haue béene mingled together in matters of Gods worship and seruice both word prayer sacraments and sacifices and sure it is that the wickednes of the wicked cannot defile or pollute either the Sacrament it selfe or any of the godly communicants but onely themselues Father Are all to be admited to the sacrament of the Lords supper which professe saith and repentance either in truth or in shew Child Yes Vnlesse there bée some speciall exceptions taken against them For it is written al the cōgregation of Israel shal obserue it through their generations that is to say all the members of the visible Church which are within the outward couenant Father How ought ministers to deale with many ignorant simple men seely soules which are able to yeeld small reason of their faith are they all to be admitted to the communion or all to be reiected Child As ministers ought not rashly to accept of all that offer themselues without examination and conference so ought they not lightly to shut out any from that which should seale vp their remission of sinnes For albeit they be somewhat ignorant and simple yet finding in them any séeds of religion and sparks of the feare of God shewing it selfe in some tractablenesse to know God and in loue to the word they are to admit them with encouraging and exhorting them to go forward But if with ignorance and blindnesse be ioyned either froward contempt of meanes or méere carelesnesse or open wicked behauiour or profane dissolutenes without remorse when they be dealt withall Then they are with all mildnesse to be shut out All glory be giuen to God FINIS Iob. 11. 7. Psal 139. Exod. 3. Esay 40. Verse 18. Esay 40. Abac. 2. 18 Iohn 1. 7. Mat. 28. ver 19. Act. 4. 24. Heb. 11 3. Heb. 11. 3. Psal 19. Psal 104. ver 27. 28. Col. 1. 16. Col. 1. 16 Ioh. 4. 24. Psal 103. ver 20. Psal 34. 7. Mat. 18. 10. Psa 1. 91. 11 Mat. 18. 10. Esay 9. 2. Iohn 8. 44 2. Pet. 2. 4. Iud. ver 6. Mark 9. Mat. 26. 13 Mat. 12. 26 Eph. 6. 12. Eph. 1. 7. Eph. 6. 12. Iob. 1. 7. 1. Pet. ca. 8. Mat. 8. 29. 2. Pet. 2. 4. Iud. ver 6. Gen. 1. 26. Gen. 3. Rom. 5. Iam. 1. 14. Rom. 7. 15 1. Cor. 2. 14 Heb. 6. 4. Rom. 8. 8. Tit. 1. 15. Iohn 3. 3 Iame. 1. 18 Eph. 1. 13. Rom. 3. 20. Exod. 19. Exod. 19. Rom. 2. 2. Rom. 7. Rom. 7. Rom. 6. 14. Gal. 5. 13. 2. Cor. 3. 8. Heb. 1. 1. Rom. 6. 23. Iam. 2. 10. Gal. 3. 13. 2. Cor. 1. 21. Col. 1. 20. Col. 1. 14. Eph. 2. 13. Heb. 9. 12. Eph. 2. 14. Col. 1. 21. 2. Cor 5. 19 Ioh. 3. 15. Iohn 5. 24 1. Cor. 1. 30 Act. 4. 12. Act. 10. 43. Eph. 2. 3. Esay 64. 6. Iame. c. 13 1. Tim. 2. 8 Ioh. 15. 7. 1. Ioh. 3. 22 1. Ioh. 5 14. Eze. 14. 14 Mat. 20. 22 2. Cor. 12. 9 Luk. 18. 7. Lament 3 8. Eph. 5. 1. Cor. 10. 2 Gen. 15. 9. Iud. 6. 37. 2. Reg. 20. ◠Gen. 17. 7. 1. Cor. 7. 14 Act. 2. 39. Luk. 18. 16. 1. Cor. 11. Exo. 12. 45. 1. Cor. 11. 28 Mat. 7. 6. Exo. 12. 41. Num. 9. 6. Leuit. 13. Leuit. 14. Leuit. 15. Exo. 12. 47.