The Lord alone doth wondrous things First God the Father doth great wonders Mat. 3.17 he caused his voyce to be heard from Heaven to Earth though it passe through many Mediums and be many Millions of Miles distant Secondly God the Sonne doth great wonders He made a light to be seene above the brightnesse of the Sunne Act. 26.13 and a voyce to be heard from Heaven to Earth Act. 9.3.4 Act. 26.13 14. God did this and al other wonders by the Lord Jesus as he was man Act. 2.22 But he did them by his own power as he was God Luk. 6.19 Mar. 5.30 He clenseth the Leaper by his absolute power he toucheth him and saith I will be thou cleane Mat. 8.2 I will is the stile of God only who doth whatsoever pleaseth him in Heaven in Earth and in the Sea Psal 135.6 The commanding word I will the Imperative Mood be thou cleane if wee reade not with the false-colouring Spectacles of Arrius doe evidently shew that Christ is God and wrought this by his owne will and power for he healed this Leaper in a most exact and compendious manner both by the operation of his humanity in touching him and of his Divinity in saying I will be thou cleane He raised likewise Magisterially the young man from death Luk. 7.4 Young-man I say unto thee arise with him it being al one to say and to doe He effecting that with his Divine Power which he commanded with his humane voyce yea in his own person he grapled with death in the grave and conquered him in his own territories 1. Cor. 15.55 57. Tryumphantly raysing himselfe from the dead Joh. 2.19 Joâ— 10.18 2 Cor. 13.4 He ascended into Heaven Joh. 3.13 Joh. 6.62 Act. 1.9 And led captivity captive Eph. 4.8 And he will at his second comming make those which have beene dead for many hundred yeares to heare his voyce Joh. 5.28 Thirdly God the Holy-Ghost doth great wonders he can make his voyce to be heard from Heaven to earth Rev. 14.13 He made the Apostles in a moment to speake with strange toungs and severall languages they spake as he gave them utterance Act. 2.4 That which multitude of Schoole-masters could not effect in many years in one man the Holy Spirit doth effect it exactly in a moment and that in many and no wonder for man shall soone learne that which the Lord himselfe undertaketh to teach It was the Holy-Ghost who led the people of Jsrael safely through the red Sea and the wildernesse Esa 63.14 Thus the Father the Sonne and the Holy-Ghost have one and the same power whereby they worke miracles and therefore none of them is greater or lesser then another but are coequall and consubstantiall CHAP. XVI Gifts of Miracles is from the Father the Sonne and the Holy-Ghost THough the Apostles and others wrought Miracles yea greater Miracles then Christ Joh. 14.12 as Peters shadow cured many Act. 5.15 and Pauls Handkerchifs healed diseases Act. 19.11 yet they did them not in the same manner as the Father Sonne or Holy-Ghost did There was these notable differences First the Apostles had not this power at all times Mat. 17.16 Phil. 2.27 1 Tim. 5.23 2 Ti. 4.20 Secondly they did not effect them by their own power or in their own name Act. 3 1â—.16 but by the power of God who wrought these wonders by them Act. 15.12 It was God that gave gifts of healing 1 Cor. 12.28 for it is God alone that can worke Miracles Psal 72.18 and therefore he alone can give this power of working Miracles to others The gift of Miracles is an Essentiall worke of God and is common to the Father to the Sonne and to the Holy-Ghost First the Father giveth this power and therefore the Apostles pray to him for this power of Miracles Act. 4.31 where the Father alone is not personally prayed to but Essentially with the Sonne and the Holy-Ghost Secondly the Sonne giveth this power to the Apostles Luk. 10.19 Mar. 6.7 Mat. 10.1 8. Mar. 16.17.18 Joh. 14 12. and Miracles were done in his Name Peter telleth Eneaâ— that Jesus Christ maketh him whole Act. 9.38 and sheweth the chiefe Priests that it was not their own power and holynesse Act. 3.12 but by faith in the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazaneth they had made th clame man strong Act. 3.16 Act. 4.10 and Paul was restored to his sight by his power Act. 9.17 who though in Heaven in regard of his bodily presence yet is also on earth healing men by his Divine power Thirdly the Holy-Ghost giveth this power to men to worke Miracles 1 Cor. 12.9 10. He so illuminated the eyes of Stephen that being on earth he did not onely by the eye of Faith but with the eye of his bodily sense see Christ from earth to Heaven Act. 7.55 If the Holy-Ghost had been a Creature how could he have given such power to Steven it being proper onely to God to effect Wonders And Paul full of the Holy-Ghost struck Elymas with blindnesse Act. 13.9 10 11. Yea God the Father God the Sonne and God the Holy-Ghost wrought Miracles by the hands of Paul Rom. 15.17 18 19. I have saith he therefore whereof I may glory through Jesus Christ in those things that pertaine to God namely in God the Fathers working Miracles by him For I will not dare to speake of any of these things which Christ hath not wrought by me to make the Gentiles obedient in word and deed Thus the Lord Jesus wrought effectually in him in his Apostleship and gifts of healing through mightie signes and wonders by the power of the Spirit of God There is the Holy-Ghost working Miracles by Paul Thus the Father the Word and the Spirit one God in Power Majestie and Essence doth great wonders and gave power to Paul and others to worke Miracles and effect wondrous things CHAP. XVII The building of the Church is a worke of the Father the Sonne and the Holy-Ghost THe Church is Gods house 1 Tim. 3.15 He is the builder of it Heb. 3.3 4. the faithfull are his building 1 Cor. 3.9 Where First not only the Father buildeth it but also secondly the Sonne buildeth the Church Mat. 16.18 upon this rock will I build my Church and the gates of Hell shall not prevaile against it The gates of the City were the places where usually they sate in Councell 1 Kin. 22.10 and where their chiefest strength lay The Lord Jesus intimateth in this his promise to his Church that neither the policy nor power of Sathan and his Angels should ever prevaile against his Church a worke proper to God to promise and to effect This is the house which wâ—sedome built Prov. 9.1 Yea the Apostle proveth Christ to be God First because he built all things Secondly because he built the Church which it his house Heb. 3.3 4 5 6. the Chuch is bis Act. 20.28 the faithfull are his people Mat. 1.21 Zac. 2.11 Thirdly the Holy-Ghost buildeth us up for an habitation
used to note any instrument but an efficient cause Secondly the Preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or in is placed likewise before the working of First the Father as Act. 17.28 Eph. 3.9 1 Cor. 8.6 1 Thes 1.1 2 Thes 1.1 Rom. 11.36 1 Pet. 1.5 Secondly the Sonne Joh. 1.4 1 Thes 1.1 2 Thes 1.1 Eph 1.1 Phil. 1.1 Col. 1.14 Col. 2.11 Thirdly the Holy-Ghost Jude 20. Eph. 4.30 Eph. 1.18 1 Cor. 12.3 1 Cor. 12.3 1 Cor. 6.11 By these and the like places you may see the weake and sandy foundation on which they build their faith who make the Father Sonne and Holy-Ghost not onely to be unequall but unlike in Nature because the Apostle saith one God of whom 1 Cor. 8.6 one Lord by whom 1 Cor. 8.6 and one Spirit in whom 1 Cor. 12.3 4 13. For this different manner of speech doth not argue a different Nature in them of whom he speaketh as they blindly collect and fondly imagine For the same reason would prove the Father to be infeirour to the Sonne and it would make him his instrument as in some places above specified The Sonne and the Holy-Ghost are not instruments to but co-workers with the Father they worke together First in these common works which extend generally to all of all sorts and kinds Secondly in these speciall works which reach especially to the Church of God First the Father the Sonne and the Holy-Ghost work together in these Common works which extend generally to all of all sorts and kinds both of good and bad as namely First Creation Secondly Preservation or providence First Universally in regard of all creatures in all places of the World Secondly particularly in regard of the Sea Thirdly illumination or working of common gifts and graces in all men Fourthly judging the earth The Scriptures doe manifest the Sonne and the Holy-Ghost to be God equall with the Father by ascribing these works to them equally with the Father CHAP. II. First Creation is a work of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Holy-Ghost CReation is a work of God alone He stretcheth out the heavens alone and spreadeth abroad the earth by himselfe Isa 44.24 He alone spreadeth out the heavens and treadeth upon the waves of the Sea Job 9.8 He is the builder and maker of heaven Heb. 11.10 and He laid the foundations of the earth Job 38.4 yea Isaiah representeth the Lord speaking in his owne person I am the Lord and there is none elfe I forme the light and I create darknesse I make peace I create evill I the Lord doe all these things Isa 45..6 7 8. This our Creator is one in Essence Have we not all one Father hath not one God created us saith Malachi Mal. 2.10 and yet there are three Persons that did create us First the Father createth thus we acknowledge in the Creed the Father to be Creator of heaven and earth and the Apostle affirmeth Of him are all things 1 Cor. 8.6 and by him are all things Heb. 2.10 Secondly the Sonne createth and thus the Apostle saith by him are all things 1 Cor. 8.6 all things were made by him and without him was not any thing made that was made Joh. 1.3 the heavens were made by him Psal 33.6 they are the work of his hands and he laid the foundations of the earth Heb. 1.10 by him were all things created that are in heaven and that are in earth wither they be Thrones or Dominions or Principalities or Powers all things were created by him and for him Col. 1.16 the World was made by him Joh. 1.10 Thirdly the Holy Ghost createth He made man Joh. 33.4 he made the body of Christ out of the seed of the Woman Mat. 1.18 Luk. 1.35 he garnisheth the heavens Job 26.13 he moued upon the waters Gen. 1.2 cherishing them and making them fruitfull and fit for the creatures to live in By the Word of the Lord were the heavens made and all the Hoast of them by the Spirit of his mouth so it is according to the Originall Psal 33.6 Thus the Father the Sonne and the Holy-Ghost did create and build the World and therefore God for so the Apostle affirmeth he that built all things is God Heb. 3.4 Yea it is observeable that Moses treating of the creation useth the word Elohim and no other word above thirtie times together Gen. 1. to shew that all the three Persons did work this great work besides in creating man how plainely is the pluralitie of Persons in the unitie of the essence set forth Gen. 1.26 and God said there the Noune is plurall ard the Verb is singular although after the Verb is plurall Let us make man after our Image and after our likenesse is and our surely note a pluralitie of Persons Besides how absurd a thing would it be to imagine God if but one Person to speake to himselfe and yet in the 27. vers it is he made man in his owne image to point forth to us the unitie of his Essence I know the Jewes object divers wayes against this Object 1. That in the Scripture one man speaketh plurally of himselfe as First Bildad Job 18.2.3 Sol. But he speaketh not onely of himselfe but his other two friends Secondly Absalom 2 Sam. 16.20 but he speaketh not onely of himselfe but of his people and Armie Thirdly Daniel Dan. 2.36 but Daniel doth speake of the three Children that were his companions together with himselfe Fourthly Cant. 1.3 But the Church although one yet the members are many 1 Cor. 12.12 and as she is one body she speaketh singularly but as she is many members she speaketh plurally Object 2. That God spake after the manner of Kings Sol. First That kinde of speech was not then in use as Abon-Ezra noteth on Gen. 29.27 Moreover in the examples of Kings speeches in the Scripture there is not the like as Gen. 14.21 Gen. 20.9 Dan. 2. Dan. 3. Dan. 4. Dan. 5. Dan. 6. 2 Chr. 36.23 Ezr. 1.2 Ezr. 7. or in any King of Israel or of Juda after ages brought in this custome among Kings Secondly if the Lord would at any time have spoken plurally it would have been especially when he gave his Law where although then he manifesteth the pluralitie of Persons Exod. 20.2 5 7 10 12. and useth the word Elohim plurally yet he speaketh in the singular number Exod. 20.2 3 5 6 7. Thirdly Kings doe speake plurally because they are publique Persons and represent the whole Kingdome and act by the advice of their Councels Fourthly Kings doe not use the singular and plurall promiscuously as the Scripture doth of God Object 3. That God did speake to the Angels Sol. 1. God spake to them in whose Image man was to be made but man is not said to be made in the Image of Angels but in the Image of God Secondly the Angels did not make man but God Thirdly the Angels were not called in for advice the Lord neither had nor did need any Counsell
Persons in these Workes which concerne Christ the Head of the Church and as they are one Essence so they are one and the same cause of effecting them Oh that we could by the eye of faith see Christ ascended into Heaven and placed on the right hand of his Father then might we at once thereby behold our Saviours honour and our owne happinesse It was expedient for him for his owne honour to ascend into Heaven and to lead Captivitie captive Eph. 4.8 and to have Angels and Authorities and Powers made subject to him 1 Pet. 3.22 in regard of us it was expedient Joh. 16.7 for our eternall safetie for he is gone to prepare a place for us Joh. 14.2 He is entred into heaven to appeare in the presence of God for us Heb. 9.24 and is at the right hand of God and maketh intercession for us Rom. 8.34 Heb. 7.25 The third Section CHAP. I. The Workes of God which concerne the Church in generall are the Common Workes of the Father the Sonne and the Holy-Ghost AS the Father the Sonne and the Holy-Ghost doe Co-operate in these Workes which doe concerne Christ the Head of the Church so they likewise effect these Workes which doe concerne the bodie of Christ the Church of God which works concerne either First the Church in generall or Secondly the faithfull in particular First these Workes which concerne the Church in generall First Gods covenanting with his people Secondly his delivering Israel out of Egypt Thirdly his sending Angels on any extraordinary message to his Church Fourthly his sending Prophets under the Law Fifthly his sending Apostles Sixtly appointing them to preach in some places and not in others Seventhly his speaking in and by the Prophets and Apostles Eighthly his strengthening them in their callings Ninthly his sending Pastors and Teachers Tenthly his giving Lawes to his Church Eleventhly his giving more particularly the Law unto Mount Sinai Twelfthly the transgression whereof is an offence committed against him and Thirteenthly provoketh him to wrath grieveth him Fouretenthly his wonders Fifthteenthly his gifts of Miracles Sixteenthly his building the Church Seventeenthly his raising the dead These Workes are wrought by the Father the Sonne and the Holy-Ghost The Scriptures doe manifest the Sonne and Holy-Ghost to be God equall with the Father by ascribing to them these Workes equally with the Father CHAP. II. The making of a Covenant with the Church was a Worke of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Holy-Ghost THe Lords Covenanting with his Church and people is a Worke of God alone There is not any Dayes-man betwixt them that can lay his hand upon them both Joh. 9.33 that should or could Vmpire for them onely the Majestie of Heaven is pleased so farre to abase himselfe as to Covenant with us for whenas there was such an infinite distance between heaven and earth God and man that man could never have enjoyed Ged as his never-failing blessednesse or have had communion with him as his soule-filling happinesse but by the Lords voluntary condescention to us which he expresseth by way of Covenant it was out of the riches of his grace to us in Christ that his infinite Majestie humbled himselfe to Covenant with us that he would be our God and that we should be his people in this worke the Sonne and the Holy-Ghost have an equall share with the Father or rather they Co-worke First the Father Covenanted with us in Christ Hag. 2.5 According to the word that I coveâ—anted with you when ye came out of Aegipt he covenanted with them First that he would be their God Secondly that they should be his People Ezek 36.28 And thus Christ calleth the Father The Apostles God and Faâ—her Ioh. 20.17 who Thirdly suffereth in all the afflictions of his Church and People for so Esay telleth us In all their afflictions he is afflicted Esay 63.9 Secondly the Word who being made flesh is the Mediator of the Covenant Heb 8.6 1 Tim. 2.5 Mal. 3.1 Yet he being the second Person of the Trinitie is the Testator and Covenanter of his Church For if Christ be not a Testator whereunto tendeth the Apostles reasoning Heb. 9.16 Where a Testament is there must of necessitie be the death of a Testator First it was the Lord Jesus that dyed he is therefore the Testator or Covenanter secondly the Church of God are his people Mat. 1.21 Luk. 1.77 Zach. 2.11 Mat. 16.18 Through him and in him God is ours and we are his Cant. 6.2 who thirdly suffereth in the afflictions of his people Act. 9.4 The persecuted members suffer on earth and the Lord Jesus the Head complaineth from heaven Saul Saul why persecutest thou me Thirdly the Holy-Ghost is the Author of this Covenant So the Apostle sheweth Heb. 10.15 16. The Holy-Ghost also is a witnesse to us for after he had said before This is the Covenant that I will make with them c. And surely there cannot be a better interpreter of the Leviticall Rites then the Apostle who having spoken of the first Covenant and of Divine Ordinances pertaining to it Heb. 9.18 which God had commanded Exod. 26. Lev. 16. and comming to shew their signification which was intended in them by God that ordained them he saith Heb. 9.8 The Holy-Ghost this signifying that the way out of the Holyest was not yet made manifest while as the first Tabernacle was yet standing as if he had said the Holy-Ghost in giving these ceremoniall lawes intended to shew that the way to Heaven was not so wide not so common not so open as it should be when Christ abolished in his flesh the Law of Commandements contained in Ordinances Eph. 2.15 And blotted out the hand-writing that was against us Col. 2.14 Secondly the Church of God are his People So the Apostle sheweth 2. Cor. 6.16 that this was the Holy-Ghost appeareth by comparing this verse with 1. Cor. 6.19 for we are the People of God who dwelleth in us and whose Temples we are but we are the Temples of the Holy-Ghost 1. Cor. 6.19 1. Cor. 3.16 and he dwelleth in us Rom. 8.11 And Thirdly he suffereth in the persecutions of his people and the persecutors doe resist him Act. 7.51 and doe despite to the Spirit of Grace Heb. 10.29 Thus the Father the Word and the Spirit are one God in Essence and have one common and essentiall operation and are one and the same author of the Covenant with the Church though in respect of the order of their Relations and their personall manner of working there is in this and in all their workes a distinct order Thus the Father maketh a Covenant with his Church by his Sonne who is the Mediator 1. Tim. 2.5 and through his Spirit who is the earnest of our inheritance Eph. 1.14 Which sheweth no inequalitie in the Persons but onely the voluntarie dispensation of this and other Divine Actions which God in his infinite Wisedome is pleased to use CHAP. III. The delivering of Israel out
his Brothers bloud on the Murderer out of the Citie of Refuge and also to redeeme his inheritance being lost through povertie The Lord Jesus being our flesh Heb. 2.14 is our Goel our Kinsman he is the revenger on Satan that Murderer Joh. 8.44 and a Redeemer of a better Paradice for us then that which Adam lost by sinne he is the next and immediate principle of our Redemption who as he was the Sonne of God in regard of his Divinitie became the Sonne of man in regard of his Humanitie for he that was the Sonne of God became also the Sonne of Man that we which were the Sonnes of men might be made the Sonnes of God It seemed fit to the Lord that he which was the Image of God should restore to man that Image which man by sinne had lost That he which had created the world should as it were recreate it That he should take our humane nature on him on earth that he should carry with him our humane nature into heaven that he which was our God by creation should be our Lord by Redemption The first cause of our Redemption was the Father the Sonne and the Holy Ghost God challengeth it as his Worke Isai 44.5 Thus saith the Lord the King of Israel and his Redeemer the Lord of Hosts I am the first and I am the last and besides me there is no God and Isaiah sheweth Isai 45.11 There is no God besides him a just God and a Saviour there is none besides him It is the Lord who First keepeth and delivereth us from the evill of sinne Secondly comforteth against Satans assaults and delivereth us from him Thirdly and principally he freeth us from the evill of sinne and of punishment and delivereth us from the wrath to come First the Lord our Redeemer ke peth and delivereth us from the evill of sin and therefore we pray in ihe Lords prayer Lead us not into tentation but deliver us from evill Mat. 6.13 First the Father keepeth us from the evill of sinne To this end Christ prayed to his Father Joh. 17.15 I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the World but that thou shouldest keep them from the evill As man he prayed to his Father to support his Disciples with his grace but as God he himself is prayed to by his Disciples for grace 2 Thes 2.16 17. 2 Cor. 12.8 9. and he doth support them therewith Secondly the Sonne keepeth from the evill of sinne Judâ— 1. we are persecuted in Christ Jesus when â—aue had besought the Lord Jesus for grace he received this answer from him My grace is sufficient for thee 2 Cor. 12.8 9. yea so sufficient was his grace to Paul that he acknowledged he could doe all things though Christ that strengthened him Phil. 4.13 This was the end that he gave himselfe for us to deliver us from this present evill world Gal. 1.4 yea it is God our Saviour that keepeth us from falling and presenteth us faultlesse before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy Jude 24.29 vers Thirdly the Holy-Ghost keepeth us from the evill of sin It is through the Spirit wee mortifie the deeds of the body Rom. 8.13 It is he that guideth us into all truth Joh. 16.13 It is through the Holy-Ghost that any can say Jesus is the Lord and no man speaking by the Spirit can call Jesus accursed 1 Cor. 12.3 The Father the Son and the Holy-Ghost doth redeeme his Jsrael the Church from all their iniquities Psal 130.8 CHAP. IV. The Father the Sonne and the Holy-Ghost comfort us against Satans assaults and deliver us from his power IT is God alone that comforteth us against Satans assaults and delivereth us from his power he can put a hooke into the nose of this Leviathan and bore his jaw through with a thorne Job 42. He is the God of consolation Rom. 15.5 He it is that comforteth those that are cast down 2 Cor. 7.6 He bringeth Satan under our feet Rom. 16.20 And he maketh a way to all tentations that we may be able to beare them 1 Cor 10.13 He cureth all those wounds which Satan maketh in the Soules of his people neither Angels nor Principalities nor Powers shall be able to seperate us from the love of God that is in Christ Rom. 8.39 wee are through him more then conquerers Rom. 8.37 First a Conquerer enjoyeth the benefit of his conquest but for a while but we enjoy an everlasting benefit in our conquests Secondly He conquereth only corporal enemies we conquer spirituall Thirdly He overcommeth Men we overcome Devils Fourthly Worldly Souldiers subdue their enemies by killing but the Lords Souldiers overthrow all their enemies by dying yet it is not of our selves but through him that loved us we may say of our spirituall enemies as Jehoshaphat said of his Corporall 2 Chr. 20.12 O God wee have no might against this great company that commeth against us neither know we what to doe but our eyes are upon thee The comforting us against Satans assaults and the deliverance from his power the Scripture ascribeth to the Father the Son and the Holy-Ghost First God the Father comforteth us The Apostle prayeth to him to effect this 2 Thess 2.16 and giveth thanks to him for effecting it 2 Cor. 1 3.4 And he delivereth us fâ—om the power of darknesse Col. 1.13 Secondly God the Son comforteth us 2 Cor. 1.5 Our consolations abound by Christ He is the consolatioâ— of Israel Luk. 2.25 He calleth all that are heavy laden and promiseth to ease them Mat. 11.29 Paul therefore prayeth to him for comfort for himself 1 Cor. 12.8 9. and for the Thessalonians 2 Thess 2.16 And in regard of the light of Grace and Consolation he himselfe giveth us the Holy-Ghost is stiled in relation to him another comforter Joh. 14.16 we overcome Satan by the blood of the Lâ—â—b Rev. 12.11 It is Michael and his Angels that fight â—gainst the Dragon and his Angels Rev. 12.7 In vain might even the Angels fight for us if they had not the Lord Jesus for thâ—ir Captaine Neither Angel nor man ever prevailed without Christ They that fight under this head are safe those thâ—t fight without him cannot but perish It is the Lord Jesus who by his death destroyed him that had the power of death that is the Devill Heb. 2.14 He spoyled Principalities and Powers Col. 2.12 He is our Goel or kinsman Job 19.25 that revenged us on Satan Thirdly it is God the Holy-Ghost who is a comforter to all the faithfull he is oft by the Lord Jesus stiled the Comforter Joh. 14.16 26. Joh. 15.26 Joh. 16.7 He it is that worketh spirituall joy and comforts in the hearts of the beleevers Act. 9.31 Gal. 5.22 by the sword of the spirit which is the word of God we are armed against Satan and his adherents Eph. 6.17 and well may the Word of God be called the sword of the Spirit The Spirit is the Author of it 2 Pet. 1.21
utter praise Psal 119.171 In both places there is a Metaphor as some think from a Fountaine that continually bubleth up water or as others from a full stomack and they translate it eructare to belch up Eructation proccedeth from fulnesse of stomack first David spake not of himselfe but out of fulnesse of the Spirit secondly Gods blessings lay heavy on Davids stomack he could not be at ease till he had vented himselfe by thanksgiving This was a holy surfet as Luther calleth it in David who desired to praise God with heart and tongue This Praise Honour Blessing and Glory is due to God from men and Angels It is that which God will not give to another Isa 42.8 First it is due to God alone from men The Lord alone is thus to be exalted Isai 2.11 we must make mention of his Righteousnesse even of his onely Psal 71.16 we must even as we have received so baptize and as we baptize even so beleeve and as we beleeve so pray and as we pray so give thanks We baptize in the Name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Holy-Ghost Mat. 28 19. we beleeve in the Father and in the Sonne and in the Holy-Ghost as it is briefly set down in the Apostles Creed we pray for blessings from the Father from the Sonne and from the Holy-Ghost 2 Cor. 13.14 Rev. 1.4 5. 1 Thes 3.11 12 13. and we must ascribe glory to the Facher to the Sonne and to the Holy-Ghost For Blessing Praise and Glory is to be rendred First to the Father Thus Paul by his example teacheth us it is our duty to blesse God the Father 2 Cor. 1.3 Ephes 1.3 Gal. 1.5 And Peter likewise 1 Pet. 1.3 and James maketh it not onely his own but others practise also Jam. 3.9 And surely we ought to render praise to him who worketh all things to the praise of his glory Eph. 1.6 Secondly to the Sonne The Psalmist prophesieth that daily should he be praised Psal 72.15 and all Nations shall call him blessed Psal 72.17 John rendreth praise and dominion to him Rev. 1.6 and Peter ascribeth glory to him for ever 2 Pet. 3.18 and Jude likewise Glory and Majesty Dominion and Power now and ever Jude 25. The Apostle Paul giveth thanks to him for enabling him to the Ministery 1 Tim. 1.12 The Ephesians doe magnifie his Name Act. 19.17 yea not onely the faithfull in the Church militant but also the Saints in the Church triumphant acknowledge the Lambe to be worthy to receive Praise Honour Glory and Blessing Rev. 5.12 13. Thirdly to the Holy-Ghost Zachery blesseth the Lord God of Israel Luk. 1.68 That this was the Holy-Ghost whom he praiseth with the Father and the Sonne is evident out of the 70. vâ—rse For it is he whom he blesseth that spake by the mouth of all the Prophets which was the blessed and glorious Spirit 2 Pet. 1.21 1 Pet. 1.11 Eph. 3.5 Ezek. 11.1 4 5. 2 Sam. 23. 2. Mar. 12.36 He is our Creator with the Father and the Sonne and therefore with them God blessed for ever Rom. 1.25 he is the Spirit of Glory 1 Pet. 4.14 He worketh those graces in us which are forerunners of our Glory and we ought to doe and speake that which will tend to his glory And surely the ascribing blessing to him is not to be doubted of whenas wâ— heare truth it selfe averring that the speaking against the Holy-Ghost even the blaspheming of him to be unpardonable Mat. 12.32 Luk. 12.10 That Doxology glory be to the Father and to the Sonne and to the Holy-Ghost c. was used in the Church long before Arrius time and urged by Faebadius against the Arians lib. cont Arrian If saith he there be that inequality which the Arrians affirme then doe we every day blaspheme God when we acknowledge these things common to the Father and the Sonne The Arrians being pinched with this argument hereupon altered the forme and gave glory to the Father by the Sonne and in the Spirit which had not the Arrians given it a sinister construction and made it an especiall marke of recognizance even this forme also had not been the voyce of Errour and Schisme but of sound Doctrine and sincere Religion And therefore Basil no friend to the Doctrine of Arrius yet useth this very forme sometime but it was to the offence of some weak Christians who did therefore traduce him and against whom he did largely apologize excusing this his act to his friends yet justifying it against his enemies Oh that we could enjoy the happy Vision of the glorious Deity that we might in the society and unity of the glorified Saints and holy Angels sing praises for ever to the glorious Trinity and rejoyce in our Makers so it is in the Originall Psal 149.2 Oh the blessed estate of the Saints and the glorious condition of the believer which is not to be expressed by him even when he is glorified Let us therefore pray that whiles we live on earth we may glorifie the Lords Name willingly readily cheerefully even as the Angels doe in heaven for this is likewise their worke CHAP. XIV Angels doe sing praises to the Father to the Sonne and to the Holy-Ghost IT is not onely the Work of Men on Earth but it is the whole imployment of the Angels in Heaven to sing forth Gods praises and to doe that which may glorifie his Name At the Creation of the World by the Father Sonne and Holy-Ghost these Sonnes of God shouted for joy Job 38.7 At the birth of our Saviour no lesse then a whole Hoast of these heavenly souldiers are praysing and glorifying the Lord Luk 2.14 And surely if we had the tongues not onely of Men but also of Angels we could not raise this note high enough to the glory of our Redeemer yea it is the constant worke of the glorified Saints and Holy Angels to sing forth the prayses of God day and night Rev. 4. Rev. 5. Rev. 6. Rev. 7. Rev. 19. Yea the Seraphins cry one to another holy holy holy is the Lord of Hosts the whole earth is full of his glory Isai 6.2 3. That this was the Father the Sonne and the Holy-Ghost who is there praised by the Angels is manifest First it was the Father For he whose praise is there exalted did send Isaias the Prophet verse 9. which was the Lord God and his Spirit Isai 4.48 16. the Father together with the Sonne and the Holy Spirit Secondly it was the Sonne also For he whose praise is there celebrated Isai saw his glory Isai 6.1 Now that this was the Lord Jesus whose glory Isaiah saw we have a witnesse beyond all exceptions even the Evangelist John testifying it Job 12.41 And surely Jesus Christ God and Man is joyned with God in the same Doxology Rev. 5. who is there called a Lambe being so typifyed in the legall Rites and so manifested to John in his heavenly Vision He hath ten thousand times ten thousand
to the Father to the Sonne and to the Holy-Ghost I shall instance in these following First the Names of God in the Old Testament are 1. Jehovah 2. Lord of Hosts 3. Jah 4. Ehejeh or I am 5. El 6. Elohim 7. Adonai 8. Shaddai Secondly in the New Testament in the Greek 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God and Lord. Thirdly in both the Old Testament and the New 11. Father 12. Highest 13. Lord God 14. Lord God Almightie 15. Great God 16. Great King 17. The God of Israel CHAP. III. The Name Jehovah is ascribed to the Father to the Sonne and to the Holy-Ghost JEhovah is a Name of God that describeth unto us his essence It is derived of Havah esse to be First Because the Lord alone hath essence and being of himselfe Isa 44.6 Secondly He it is that alone giveth life and being to all creatures Act. 17.25 Thirdly He giveth being to his Word and Promises effecting what he speaketh and performing what he promiseth Isa 45.2 3. Ezek. 5.17 First This Name is proper to God alone Psal 83.19 Thou whose Name alone is Jehovah and Nehem. 9.6 Thou art Jehovah alone It is the incommunicable Name Wisd 19.21 because it is never simply given to any but to God onely It was called of the Grecians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Name that was not to be expressed either in regard of the Grecians which out of want of Letters could not write it or in respect of the Jewes which out of superstition would not speake it This Name because it could not be written in Greek hath the force of it opened by the Holy-Ghost Rev. 1.4 8. Rev. 4.8 Rev. 11.17 Rev. 16.15 styling the Lord He that is that was and that will be or is to come And that you may know he expresseth an Hebrew Name he varieth not the Cases according to the manner of the Greekes but speaking in the Genitive Case he putteth this Name in the Nominative Rev. 1.4 according to the Hebrew forme 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Je the first syllable of the Name Jehovah is a note of the time to come Jeheveh He will be Ho a signe of the time present Hoveh He that is and Vah a Characteristicall marke of the time past Havah He was or hath beene This Name pointeth out the Eternitie of his Essence that he is God from everlasting to everlasting Psal 90.2 which is of himselfe and from himselfe a most absolute and perfect substance Secondly Although this Name Jehovah is a Name of Gods Essence and is alwayes used Singularly and never Plurally as Elohim and Adonai are which are Names of God in regard of his Personalitie or Subsistence and the Lord styleth himselfe one Jehovah Deut. 6.4 but never one Elohim yet the ancient Jewes before Christ did note the mysterie of the Trinitie in their expositions of this Name by twelve and by fortie and two Letters which they called Sem Hamphoras Father Sonne and Holy-Ghost was their exposition of this Name by twelve Letters in Hebrew And the Father is God the Sonne is God and the Holy-Ghost is God three in one and one in three is their exposition of that Name by fortie and two Letters it being written likewise with so many as R. Judas Nagid R. Hacadosh R. Moses Ben Mammon and others observe Adding moreover that this mysterie was to be kept secret untill the comming of the Messias who should more clearely reveale it R. Hacadosh in Galarazeia Yea they were so Catechized in the mysterie of the Trinitie that as P. Fagius observeth on Exod. 28. they collected this mysterie out of this Name which although it was called Tetragrammaton or the Name of foure Letters yet say they there were but three sorts of Letters in it י Jod signified the Father who was the beginning of all things ן Vau is a conjunction copulative and denoted the third Person ה He signified the Sonne of God And they affirme this Letter is doubled to demonstrate both Natures of the Messiah These and the like observations you may see in the learned Workes of the much admired and ever to be honoured Mornaeus de verit Christ Relig. P. Calat and others who have sufficiently proved that the ancienter Doctors of the Jewes beleeved this mysterie albeit their latter Rabbins in opposition to the Lord Jesus doe oppose it And surely the Jewes in Christs time were acquainted with this Truth in that they accuse Christ of Blasphemie when as he said he was the Sonne of God Joh. 10.33 First because he being but a man as they thought yet made himselfe God Joh. 10.33 Secondly because he made himselfe as they rightly concluded equall with God when as they said God was his Father Joh. 5.18 They not denying that there was a Sonne of God which was equall with the Father but denying him to be that Word and Sonne of God blaspheming him whom they accused of Blasphemie Mark 14.64 65. Joh. 19.7 And that the Holy-Ghost was knowne to them is evident Mat. 1.20 where the Angel telleth Joseph that Mary was with Child by the Holy-Ghost And John Baptist speaking of Christ saith He shall baptize you with the Holy-Ghost and with fire Mat. 3.10 In vaine had he spoken to them of the Holy-Ghost of whom they had not heard of before That place Act. 19.2 where the Disciples had not heard whether there were an Holy-Ghost it cannot be so understood as if they were ignorant of his Person but of the gifts of Tongues and Prophesying by him for first being Disciples they were baptized in the Name of the Father the Sonne and the Holy-Ghost secondly when the Holy-Ghost is used Personally he is pointed out with one if not with two Articles in the Originall whereas when the word is used metonymically for his Gifts and Graces you have usually no Article in the Greek prefixed as in this and divers other places Thirdly you have the same expression used by the Evangelist John Joh. 7.39 The Holy-Ghost was not He was in Person before he was as touching sanctifying Graces before but he was not yet poured forth on the Disciples as Joel prophesied Joel 2.28 in gifts of Tongues and miraculous operations Thirdly This incommunicable and essentiall Name of God is sometimes used Personally and is then ascribed either to tho Father or to the Sonne or to the Holy-Ghost for First the Father is Jehovah Gen. 19.24 The Lord rained fire and brimstone from the Lord where you have the Sonne executing Judgement from Jehovah his Father and Zach. 3.2 The Lord said to Satan The Lord rebuke thee where one that is Jehovah speaketh of another Jehovah namely Christ speaketh of his Father and Psal 2.2 The Kings of the earth stand up against the Lord and against his Anointed Secondly the Sonne is Jehovah as in the two afore-cited places Gen. 19.24 Zach. 3.2 where the Sonne is stiled Jehovah even as the Father is Isa 25.9 This is the Lord we
have waited for him who also did swallow up death in victorie Isa 25.8 which was the Lord Jesus 1 Cor. 15. in whom that Prophesie was fulfilled John Baptist is to prepare the way of Jehovah Isa 40.3 which was the way of the Lord Christ Mark 1.2 3 4. Luk. 1.76 It was the Lord Jesus who was valued at thirtie pieces of silver Mat. 27.9 whom Zacharie calleth Jehovah Zach. 11.13 I will save them by the Lord their God Hos 1.7 A Prophesie fulfilled in Christ who is the Lord our righteousnesse Jer. 23.6 Six times Zach. 12. is he called Jehovah which that it was Christ of whom the Prophet speaketh is cleare Zach. 12.10 They shall loâ—ke upon me whom they have pierced which John a faithfull eye-witnesse sheweth it was fulfilled in Christ Joh. 19.34 35. and as a true interpreter affirmeth that this Prophesie was spoken of him Joh. 19.37 He it was that appeared to the Patriarchs and Saints in the Old Testament Act. 7.30 32. who was then oft called Jehovah Exod. 3. Gen. 18. Judg. 6. Exod. 13.22 who is likewise stiled an Angel of the Lord Exod. 14.19 who oft tooke the name of an Angel but never the nature of an Angel Heb. 2.16 he being no created Angel Heb. 1.13 but the uncreated Angel of the Covenant Mal. 3.1 The Mediator betweene God and us Zach. 2.10 11. Jehovah promiseth to dwell among us which was the Word who was made flesh and dwelt among us Joh. 1.14 who is our God and we are his people Thirdly the Holy-Ghost is Jehovah Ezekiel calleth him Jehovah Ezek. 2.4 Ezek. 11.5 which he before called the Spirit Ezek. 2.2 Ezek. 11.1 5. It was the Holy-Ghost who gave orders for the Tabernacle so the Apostle sheweth Heb. 9.8 whom Moses calleth Jehovah Lev. 19.2 Exod. 25.1 The Holy-Ghost spake by the Prophets 2 Pet. 1.21 1 Pet. 1.11 whom usually they stile Jehovah Jer. 47.2 Jer. 51.1 Jer. 33.12 Yea Isaiah calleth him Jehovah Isa 6.3 5. whom Paul expressely calleth the Holy-Ghost Act. 28.25 Yea the Prophets in the New Testament say Thus saith the Holy-Ghost Act. 21.11 And the Holy-Ghost said Act. 13.1 2. And the Holy-Ghost testifieth Act. 20.21 Whereas the Prophets in the Old which spake by the same Spirit say Thus saith the Lord. Thus doth the Scriptures affirme the Father to be the true God Jehovah the Sonne to be the true God Jehovah the Holy-Ghost to be the true God Jehovah because whatsoever Name Attribute Worke or Honour is by the Scriptures ascribed to the Father is in the like manner given to the Sonne and to the Holy-Ghost as is exemplified in the Name Jehovah Not as if there were three Jehovahs differing in nature essence or substance for the Lord thy God is one Lord Deut. 6.4 and I am the Lord saith he and there is none else Isa 45.5 but because there is but one essence of Father Sonne and Holy-Ghost which yet are distinct from each other by their mutuall relations or personall properties CHAP. IV. Lord of Hosts is a Name common to the Father to the Sonne and to the Holy-Ghost JEhovah Sebaoth Lord of Hosts or Elohe Sebaoth God of Hosts is a Name proper to God Isa 51.15 Jer. 51.19 Jer. 10.16 Jer. 32.18 He hath Armies in Heaven in Earth and in all places by which he fighteth against his and the Churches enemies and he it is that ordereth and guideth all the Hosts in the world The whole battaile in a just and well-managed Warre is the Lords 1 Sam. 17.47 He is the great Commander of all creatures he hath souldiers under him of all sorts he can make Wormes to be his great Armie Joel 2.25 and by them can he render vengeance to his enemies and reward them that hate him Acts 12.23 Herods pampered Carkas is made a Stable for Wormes to live in his body is food for them to feed on as the word in the Syriack importeth yea Frogs Flies and Lice are under his command Exod. 8. He that giveth them their being sets them their stint they cannot hurt an Israelite or spare an Egyptian Yea from the lowest of all earthly to the highest of all heavenly creatures they are all under his command and fulfill his word Psal 148.2 3 10. Psal 103.20 21 22. And yet such is his Power that he need not muster his Forces nor gather his Armies together it is sufficient if he doe but arise his enemies shall be scattered if his Power doe but appeare they that haâ—â— him shall flee Psal 68.1 This Name is never given to any creature in the Scripture but to God the Father Sonne and Holy-Ghost First the Father He is the Lord of Hosts Zach. 2.9 Zach. 2.11 Ye shall know the Lord of Hosts hath sent me The Prophet speaketh of Christ who was sent by the Lord of Hosts his Father Secondly the Sonne He is the Lord of Hosts Zach. 2.8 Thus saith the Lord of Hosts after the glory hath he sent me to the Nations that spoyled you Loe the Sonne who is sent by the Father is stiled likewise the Lord of Hosts for the Prophet mentioneth one Lord of Hosts sending another Lord of Hosts sent Isaiah likewise calleth Christ the Lord of Hosts Isa 8.13 14. Sanctifie the Lord of Hosts himselfe let him be your feare and let him be your dread and he shall be for a sanctuarie but for a stone of stumbling and for a rock â—f offence to both the Houses of Israel That Christ was the Lord of Hosts who is also stiled a stumbling-block is confirmed by two un-erring Interpreters namely by Peter 1 Pet. 2.6 and Paul Rom. 9.32 33. He it was whom Hosea first calleth an Angel Hos 12.4 and in the next Verse stileth him The Lord God of Hosts Hos 12.5 The Chariots of God are twentie thousand even thousands of Angels Psal 68.17 18. That this was Christ who was the Lord of this great Host the Apostle maketh cleare Eph. 4.8 in citing the very next words and applying them to Christ Thirdly the Holy-Ghost He is the Lord of Hosts Zach. 1.3 Say thou to them Thus saith the Lord of Hosts Turne ye to me saith the Lord of Hosts and I will turne to you saith the Lord of Hosts Where you must admit the Holy-Ghost who spake by the Prophets Act. 1.16 2 Pet. 1.21 Neh. 9.30 Mar. 12.36 to be He that is stiled the Lord of Hosts in the first place unlesse you will admit a Tautologie by ascribing to one and the same Person three times commanding of or speaking to Israel when as he speaketh onely twice to them Yea the Prophet Isaiah compareth the Spirit of the Lord to a Warlike King who setteth up his Standard against the enemies of his Church Isa 59.19 When the enemie shall come in like a floud the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a Standard against him Yet that Father Sonne and Holy-Ghost are one Lord of Hosts the Prophet Isaiah maketh plaine Isa 6.1 3 5. when he was sent by him
were the transgression of the Law 1 Joh. 3.4 Secondly the Sonne hath this Name ascribed to him Job 19.25 26. I know that my Redeemer liveth and that he shall stand the latter day upon the earth and though after my skin wormes destroy this body yet in my flesh shall I see God That this whom he calleth God was the Lord Christ is cleare first He is our Redeemer our God secondly He it is who being not onely God but also man shall stand upon the earth thirdly It is the Sonne of man that shall come to judge the earth fourthly He calleth him God whom he shall see with his bodily eyes Now this could not be the Father or Holy-Ghost or the Sonne of God as God for so he is invisible but the Sonne clothed with our flesh he that is God and man the Lord Jesus Againe Isaiah saith Make straight in the Desert a high way for our God Isa 40.3 We have foure faithfull Interpreters shewing us that this was John Baptist preparing the way of Christ first Mathew Math. 3.4 secondly Marke Mark 1.3 thirdly Luke Luk. 3.4 fourthly John Joh. 1.23 Thus if you interprete the Old Testament by the New the Prophets by the Apostles you shall easily prove Christ to be God and Lord and clearely see him so acknowledged by the Prophets And indeed Isaiah oft times in his Prophesie affirmeth Christ to be God Isa 40.9 Say to the Cities of Judah Behold your God Isa 25.9 This is our God we have waited for him Isa 35.4 God will come with recompence he will come and save you Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened c. So Psal 102.24 25. O my God take me not away in the midst of my dayes thy yeares are throughout all generations of old than hast layd the foundations of the earth c. This was Christ the Apostle sheweth Heb. 1.10 Thirdly the Holy-Ghost is likewise so called Levit. 26.12 I will walke among you and will be your God and yâ— shall be my people That this is the Holy-Ghost the Apostle citing this place maketh cleare 2 Cor. 6.16 where he likewise affirmeth the Faithfull to be his Temple Now the Faithfull are the Temples of the Holy-Ghost 1 Cor. 6.19 who dwelleth in us as in his Temple 1 Cor. 3.16 He which spake by David was the Spirit of the Lord 2 Sam. 23.2 who in the third Verse is called the God of Israel Yea to expresse this mysterie of the pluralitie of Persons in the God-head this word Elohim is most frequently used in the Plurall Number and hath sometimes a Verbe Plurall joyned with it as Gen. 20.13 Gen. 35.7 2 Sam. 7.23 But more usually to expresse the Unitie of the Essence in the Trinitie of Persons it hath either a Nowne Singular joyned with it as Jehovah Elohim Deut. 6.4 Levit. 26.13 Or a Verbe Singular Gen. 1.1 Or two Verbâ—s one Singular and another Plurall Gen. 1.26 27. Or a Nowne Singular and a Verbe Singular Gen. 2.4.8.22 Or two Nownes one Singular another Plurall Josh 24.19 Jer. 10.10 Or a Verbe Singular and a Nowne Plurall Psal 58.11 Or being used in the Singular Number yet it hath a Nowne Plurall joyned with it Job 35.10 None saith Where is God my makers Surely the Scriptures in these divers constructions did point out this mysterie of the three Persons the like not to be found of Angels men or Idols though the Jewes of latter times in their blasphemous opposition of Christ have earnestly endevoured to shew it if possibly they could First Neither the Name Elohim nor any other Name of God is used plurally when it is spoken of one Angel or of one man as it is of one God As for that place Exod. 7.1 this Name is given improperly or tropically to Moses who was the Lords Embassadour to Pharaoh and did thereby represent the Father the Sonne and the Holy-Ghost who did send him and who did deliver Israel out of Pharaohs hand as I purpose to manifest He therefore representing the glorious Trinitie hath a Name given him of God which doth import the nature of this Tri-une Lord that sent him Secondly For Baalim and other Idols which are used plurally and have the Name of Elohim given to them First Baalim was a Name given by the Jewes to the true God Hos 2.16 17. and so might be used by them as Elohim and Adonai are The Jewes being Idolaters gave not onely the Worship of God but also his Names to their Idols as Exod. 32.4 5. they called the Calfe Jehovah Elohim supposing their Idols to have at the leastwise to represent the Nature of the true God and therefore secondly they thinking to represent the true God by them who is one in Essence and three in Persons who is God alone Psal 86.10 and there is no God beside him Isa 45. who neither is nor can be represented by Images Isa 40.18 Act. 17.29 would have their Idols Names to represent the Names of the true God thirdly Baalim and other names of Idols are Judg. 2. and in other places of the Scripture used plurally to expresse the severall sorts of their Idolatries there being many Baals and Idols worshipped by the Jewes who oft changed their Idols Jer. 2.36 Ezek. 16.15 16 25 26 28 29. and multiplied their gods according to the number of their Cities Jer. 2.28 Jer. 11.13 Thirdly If we should grant the Hebrewes did use sometimes the Plurall Number for the Singular yet it is not their use to put in the Plurall Number that which hath no pluralitie of Nature as in expressing of the true God to use these plurall words Elohim and Adonai if there were but one Person in the Godhead CHAP. IX Adonai is a Name of God ascribed to the Father the Sonne and the Holy-Ghost ADonai is a Name properly given to God in regard of his sustentation and dominion over the World who ruleth the World and sustaineth all Creatures therein Though this Name be given to Creatures yet it is but analogically and is not pointed in the same manner as it is when it is used plurally for the Creator This Name is used as Elohim is and the one is put for the other 2 Sam. 7.18 1 Chron. 17.16 and is joyned with Jehovah The Psalmist useth plurally both these Names Psal 136.2 5. where he speaketh of God who is one in essence as if he had spoken of many and calleth him Gods and Lords to signifie the mysterie of the Trinitie in one essence and therefore before and after in the first and fourth Verses he expresseth God by words singular where foure times doth the Psalmist exhort men to prayse the Lord onely varying the words This Name is ascribed to all three Persons First the Father hath this Name given to him by the Psalmist Psal 8.1 as the Apostle alledging this Psalme Heb. 2.6 7 8. intimateth Secondly the Sonne is so stiled The Lord said to my Lord Psal 110.1 the Father said to his Sonne and the
same men by way of Prophesie And it could not be spoken of the Father for never any Hereticke denyed the Divinity of the Father Paul calleth our Saviour God Tit. 1.3 According to the commandement of God our Saviour And surely he that readeth diligently the new Testament shall finde God or Lord and Christ to be used oft reciprocally for each other as 2 Cor. 5.20 Eph. 6.6 Rom. 14.10 11 12. Luke 3.6 Act. 28.28 Heb. 3.4 Jam. 1.1 2 Cor. 2.16 1 Cor. 9.21 Act. 16.31 with 34. Tit. 2.10 13. 2 Pet. 1.1 Thirdly the Holy-Ghost is God Peter calleth him God Act. 5.3 4. whom he afore had called the Holy-Ghost for reproving Ananias for lying to the Holy-Ghost he aggravateth his sin by shewing him what the Holy-Ghost is Thou hast not lyed to men but to God Againe Act. 11.17 Forasmuch then as God gave them the like gift as he did unto us who beleeved on the Lord Jesus Christ what was I that I should withstand God That it was the Holy-Ghost whom he twice calleth God appeareth by comparing this verse with the 15. verse The Holy-Ghost gave them the like gift as he did unto us He fell on these Gentiles and gave them the gift of tongues as he did to the Apostles and other Jewes The Apostle Paul likewise manifesteth the Holy-Ghost to be God 1 Cor. 3.16 17. Know ye not that ye are the Temples of God and that the spirit of God dwelleth in you If any man defile the Temple of God him shall God destroy for the Temple of God is holy which Temple ye are Three times doth the Apostle call the Holy-Ghost God Yea that text doth afford three severall arguments to confirme unto us the Deity of the Holy-Ghost First the Apostle proveth the faithfull to be the Temples of God because the Holy-Ghost dwelleth in them which argument were invalide and of no force if that holy Spirit were not God 2. The Holy-Ghost dwelleth constantly in the Faithfull as in one Temple Three times is the word Temple used singularly He uniteth all the Elect in all the world in one and so dwelleth in them all as if they all were but one and yet so fully and comfortablely dwelleth in one as if that one were all It being proper to God alone to be so infinitely boundlesse in his substance as thus to fill all places 3. We being the Temples of the Holy-Ghost he is therefore God It was unlawfull to make Temples of wood or stone but to the true God He therefore must needs be God who hath so many and such stately Temples as the faithfull are The Angell Gabriel Luke 1.35 shewing that Christ should be conceived by the power of the Holy-Ghost addeth in the 37. verse For with God nothing shall be impossible Plainely manifesting that the Holy-Ghost who was to effect this great worke was God Yea our Lord Christ manifestly affirmeth him to be God Have ye not read that which was spoken to you by God saying c. Mat. 22.31 Was it not the Holy-Ghost who spake by Moses and by the Prophets 2 Pet. 1.21 And therefore the Scriptures which were inspired by the Holy-Ghost are said to be inspired of God 2 Tim. 3.16 It is said of Cornelius he was warned of God by an holy Angel to send for Peter Acts 10.22 which Angel is called an Angel of God Acts 10.3 Yet he who sent to warne him was the Holy-Ghost for so he himselfe telleth Peter that he sent them Acts 10.20 where you see that the Holy-Ghost hath twice the Name of God ascribed to him yea the Names of God and of the Holy-Ghost are often changed 1 Cor. 14.2 He that speaketh in an unknowne tongue speaketh not to men but to God howbeit to the Spirit he speaketh mysteries and not onely in the New Testament but in the Old as Ezek 2.2 4. Ezek. 11.1 5. Num. 24.2 4. and divers other places Thus Father Sonne and Holy-Ghost are absolutely and definitively called God without limitation addition or correction of speech as Creatures are not who though three Persons yet but one true ever-living God of one and the same substance I and my Father saith Christ are one John 10.30 One in every thing but in that wherein the opposition of relation distinguisheth them That our Saviour is one with the Father by identity of Essence appeareth 1. By his owne answer John 7.29 I know him for I am of him and he hath sent me 2. By the Jewes accusation for they did not challenge him for affirming himselfe to be some Vice-gerent or second Prince but for making himselfe equall to God John 5.18 and that being Man made himselfe God John 10.33 which thing in both places is justified and maintained by our Saviour They are therefore one in Essence will and action not in Person as the Holy-Ghost is likewise one with Christ and therefore you have Christ appearing in a Vision to John Rev. 1.13 and described by Iohn in the beginning of all his seven Epistles to the seven Churches as the Person that writeth to them Rev. 2.1 8 12 18. Rev. 3.1 7 14. Yet in the conclusion of all these seven Epistles it was the Holy Spirit of God that speaketh and writeth thus to the Churches and whom they are commanded to heare Let him that hath eares heare what the Spirit saith to the Churches Rev. 2.7 11 17.29 Rev. 3.6 13 22. Thus Father and Sonne are one and the holy Spirit and the Sonne are one yea all three are one 1 John 5.7 CHAP. XII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Lord is a Name of God ascribed to the Father Sonne and Holy-Ghost 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by which the Septuagint Translation and the New Testament usually interprete the word Jehovah which we translate Lord Mat. 22.43 44. And thus there is but one Lord 1 Cor. 8.6 Eph. 4.6 and the same Lord is over all Rom. 10.12 1 Cor. 12.5 Where although the holy Pen-men of the new Testament when they speake personally of the Father in his relation to Christ they usually call the Father God and the Sonne Lord Yet when either they use these words God or Lord essentially you shall finde these Names oft changed or used for each other as Rom. 14.6 Rom. 14.11 12 or if these Names be used Personally as when the Father or Sonne are spoken of apart not onely the Sonne but also the Father and Holy-Ghost are so called For this Name Lord is common to all three Persons For First the Father is Lord. Thus Christ as man giving thanks to his Father said I thank thee Father Lord of heaven and earth Mat. 11.25 Luk. 11.21 And the Apostles in their prayer Act. 4.26 The Rulers were gathered together against the Lord and against his Christ. And the Saints in their Doxologie Rev. 11.15 The Kingdomes of the world are become the Kingdomes of our Lord and of his Christ Yea Christ and Peter in their Sermons citing that place of Psal 110.1 The Lord said to
his holy Spirit in them Isa 63.11 12. and who was afflicted in all their afflictions Isa 63.9 Secondly there was the Sonne who is called the Angel of his presence who saved them Isa 63.9 Thirdly there is the holy Spirit who led them Isa 63.14 against whom they rebelled and whom they vexed Isa 63.10 Although these are three yet but one Lord or Jehovah and one Father Who seeing he is our Father let us carry our selves to him as dutifull Children for so he requireth Mal. 1.6 A Sonne honoureth his Father and a servant his Master If then I be a Father where is mine honour and if I be a Master where is my feare saith the Lord of Hosts CHAP. XIV Most High is a Name of God ascribed to the Father the Sonne and the Holy-Ghost HIghest or most high is a Name of God who is the most high over all the Earth Psal 83. last and in the Heavens Luke 2.15 Albeit there cannot be two most High which are essentially differing from each other yet Father Sonne and Holy-Ghost which differ personally have this Name ascribed to them who are one and the same most High God First the Father is the most High So the Divell acknowledgeth Luke 8.28 And the Angel Gabriel professeth Luke 1.32 Secondly the Sonne is the most High John Baptist who was the fore-runner of Christ is said to be the Prophet of the most High to prepare his way before him Luke 1.76 Thirdly the Holy-Ghost is the most High The Lord Jesus being to be conceived as we acknowledge in the Creed by the powerfull operation of the Holy-Ghost the Angel answereth Mary who demanded of him how she should conceive that knew no man Luke 1.35 The Holy-Ghost shall come on thee and the power of the most High shall over-shadow thee Moreover that which Isaiah calleth a rebelling vexing of the Spirit Isa 36.10 and Steven a resisting of the Holy-Ghost Act. 7.51 and the Author to the Hebrews a tempting and grieving him Heb. 3.7 9. the Psalmist affirmeth it to be a tempting and provoking the most High Psal 78.56 The Holy-Ghost being most High whom they tempted whom they provoked Yea he that inspired Balaam was the Spirit of God So Moses sheweth Num. 24.2 The Spirit of God came upon him even him Balaam stileth the most High Num. 24.16 Oh let us be glad and rejoyce in the Lord and sing praises to his Name who is the most High Psal 9.2 who is the most High for evermore Psal 92.8 Even to the Father the Sonne and the Holy-Ghost let uâ— give praise CHAP. XV. Lord God is a Name ascribed to the Father to the Word and to the Spirit LOrd God is a Name peculiar to him who is the Supreame Majestie of heaven and earth 2 Kin. 19.19 Thou art the Lord God then onely Though this Name be given onely to God who is one yet this one God is distinguished into three Persons First the Father is Lord God Daniel praying to the Father to be heard for Christs sake Dan. 9.17 ascribeth to him this Name of the Lord God Dan. 9.3 And the Angel Gabriel speaking of Christs Oeconomicall Kingdome committed to him as God and Man the Head and King of his Church saith Luke 1.32 The Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his Father David Besides the Holy-Ghost is oft called the Spirit of the Lord God as Isa 61.1 Isa 48.16 Joel 2.27 28. who was the Spirit of the Father Mat. 10.20 Secondly the Sonne is Lord God Thomas so acknowledged him Joh. 20.28 My Lord and my God the Angel Gabriel doth so stile him for it was Christ John was to goe before Mar. 1.2 Lu. 1.76 who was to goe before him who was the Lord God Luke 1.16 17. John so calleth him The Lord God of the holy Prophets sent his Angel Rev. 22.6 It was the Lord Christ who sent his Angel to John Rev. 22.16 Rev. 1.1 God promiseth to save Israel by the Lord their God Hos 1.6 That this was the Lord Jesus is manifest for whomsoever the Father saveth he saveth by Christ No man commeth to the Father but by him Joh. 14.6 neither is there salvation in any other Act. 4.12 He was raised unto Israel a Saviour Act. 13.23 Moreover the Holy-Ghost is called the Spirit of the Lord God Joel 2.27 28. who was the Spirit of Christ Gal. 4.6 Rom. 8.9 Thirdly the Holy-Ghost is Lord God The Spirit which entred into Ezekiel Ezek. 2.2 Ezek. 11.1 and speaketh by him was the Lord God Ezek. 2.4 Ezek. 11 5. He it was that spake in and by the Prophets Nehem. 9.30 Num. 11.29 Act. 28.25 Act. 1.16 which by Zachary is so stiled Lu. 1.68 with Lu. 1.70 So you may see the onely Lord God is the Father the Sonne and the Holy-Ghost CHAP. XVI Lord God Almighty is a Name ascribed to the Father to the Sonne and to the Holy-Ghost LOrd God Almighty is a Name given to God in regard of his protection over his Church and people and also of the destruction of his and their enemies There can be but one Lord God Almighty but he is distinguished into three Persons or subsistences which is so called First the Father is Lord God Almighty who with the Sonne and Holy-Ghost is usually so stiled in the Revelations Revel 11.17 Rev. 15.3 Rev. 16.7 Rev. 19.6 I know some expound some of these places personally of the Father others expound them personally of the Sonne But I rather take them essentially as spoken of the Father Sonne and Holy-Ghost neither is the Father onely so stiled But Secondly the Sonne is Lord God Almighty Rev. 1.8 so Paguine rendreth it and also other Greek and Latine Copies That this is spoken of the Sonne the words before and after shew it being interposed between a double description of Christ First of his Names and Offices Secondly of his glorious Majestie appearing to John in a Vision as is laid down to us with its circumstances from the ninth verse to the end of that Chapter Thirdly the Holy-Ghost is Lord God Almighty So Paul sheweth 2 Cor. 6.16 17 18. it being the Holy-Ghost that there speaketh first it is He who is in the faithfull as in his temple 1 Cor. 6.19 secondly He dwelleth in them Rom. 8.11 thirdly He likewise maketh a Covenant to be their God and they shall be his people Jer. 31.33 with Heb. 9.15 16. Albeit the Father the Sonne and the Holy-Ghost are Lord God Almightie yet are they not three Lords or three Gods or three Almighties but one Lord God Almightie CHAP. XVII Great God is a Name ascribed to the Father to the Sonne and to the Holy-Ghost GReat God is a Title peculiarly attributed to the Lord He is a great God above all gods 2 Chron. 2.5 there being none so great a God as our God Psal 77.13 Psal 86.8 even his enemies being Judges Ezra 5.8 who stile him the great God This Name some who denie the Lord that bought them as Peter
speaketh 2 Pet. 2.7 to be God doe peculiarly give to the Father stiling him in opposition to the Sonne and Holy-Ghost the great God when as they are of one Power Majestie Glory and Essence with him First the Father is stiled the great God by Daniel Dan. 9.4 who prayed to the Lord the Father of our Lord as the sonne of Syrach speaketh Ecclus 51.14 who beseecheth God to heare him for the Lords sake Dan. 9.17 Secondly the Sonne is stiled the great God by Paul Tit. 2.13 looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and Saviour Jesus Christ First the Lord Christ is that blessed hope He is the hope of Israel Act. 28.20 and also him in whom the Gentiles trust Rom. 15.12 Secondly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Zanch. Piscat Beza shew is wholly and alone attributed to Jesus Christ in the New Testament Thirdly if by great God should be understood God the Father and Saviour onely have relation to Jesus Christ then there should be a double Article in the Greeke to distinguish them but here is onely one single Article which pointeth out one onely subject even the Lord Jesus to whom these belong Wherefore if Jesus Christ were not God by Nature but onely by Office as some blasphemously affirme he had not beene a great God Thirdly the Holy-Ghost is stiled a great God so saith the Psalmist The Lord is a great God Psal 95.3 That this was the Holy-Ghost the Apostle sheweth by citing that following part of the Psalme as spoken of him Heb. 3.7 He is the great God whom he introduceth speaking which was the Holy-Ghost But if this Verse be not spoken Personally of him but essentially of God yet this Title is due to him as he is one with the Father and the Sonne and even so in that and other places where the Name of God is taken essentially it is to be referred to him together with the Father and the Sonne CHAP. XVIII Great King is a Name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Holy-Ghost Great King is a Title properly ascribed to the Lord who is the blessed and onely Potentate the King of Kings and Lord of Lords 1 Tim. 6.15 and is God alone of all the Kingdomes of the Earth 2 Kin. 19.15 Isai 37.16 God challengeth this title Mal. 1.14 I am a great King saith the Lord of Hosts yet this onely great King who is God alone of all Kingdomes is First the Father he is a great King Mat. 5. and hath a great Kingdome Mat. 26.29 Secondly the Sonne he is King of Kings and Lord of Lords Rev. 17.14 It is his Name Rev. 19.16 He is the King of Israel Joh. 12.15 Zac. 9.9 Psal 45.5 11 13 15. who hath an eternall Throne a Scepter an Anoynting a Kingdome Heb. 1.7 8. who reigneth as a Conquerour in regard of his Victories over Sinne Death Hell Antichrist and all his enemies It being the honour of earthly Kings to rule over their Subjects with a golden Scepter to shew their riches But it is the honour of the Lord Jesus to rule over his enemies with a Rod of iron Rev. 2.27 Psal 2.9 to manifest his power and strength Thirdly the Holy-Ghost is a great King Psal 95.3 with Heb. 5.7 as I shewed afore who appointeth his inferiour Officers in the Church Act. 13.2 Act. 20.28 and who maketh Lawes for his people Act. 15.28 Yea Father Sonne and Holy-Ghost are one King Rev. 11.17 John treating both of the Lord and of Christ doth adde speaking as of one He shall reigne They have one Throne which is confirmed unto us by the mouth of two Evangelicall Prophets the Prophet Isaiah in the Old Testament and the Evangelist John in the New First Isaiah saw the Lord of Hosts sitting on a Throne Isa 6.1 whom in the fifth verse he stileth a King which did send Isaiah to the people of the Jewes which was not onely the Father which did send Isaiah but the Sonne also Isa 48.16 and so John affirmeth Ioh. 12. 40 41. These things said Isaias when he saw Christs glory and spake of him yet the Holy-Ghost also sent and spake by him Isa 48.16 and Paul witnesseth it Act. 28.25 Well spake the Holy-Ghost by Isaiah the Prophet Secondly John describeth Gods Throne Rev. 4. Rev. 5. where is not onely God the Father but also the Sonne our Redeemer who is stiled a Lambe who is said to be in the midst of the Throne Rev. 5.6 even equall with the Father And the Lambe being there the Holy-Ghost also must be there For the Holy-Ghost called the seven Spirits is the seven Eyes of the Lambe Rev. 5.6 which is in the midst of the Throne with the Father and whose Throne it is with the Father Rev. 22.1 3. CHAP. XIX The God of Israel was the Father the Sonne and the Holy-Ghost THe God of Israel is a Name which the Lord is oft pleased to assume to himselfe Isai 45.3 and is so called of his Church and people Act. 13.17 He is so called in two respects First in regard of his love towards them they being his peculiar enclosure taken out of the Commons of the world Deut. 7.6 Secondly in respect of his service which he expecteth from them and they willingly give to him God will reigne over the wicked in spight of all their oppositions Psal 99.1 But he ruleth over the faithfull in his Church more especially that willingly offer themselves Judg. 5.9 This title distinguisheth the true God from false the Lord Jehovah from Idols and Devils This Name in holy Scripture is ascribed to First the Father he is the God of Israel Act. 3.12 13. Ye men of Israel the God of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob the God of our Fathers hath glorified his Sonne Jesus The Father of Christ was the God of the Fathers of the Israelites the God of Israel Secondly the Sonne he is the God of Israel So the Angel intimateth to Zachary Many of the Children of Israel shall John turn to the Lord their God And he shall goe before him in the Spirit and power of Elias Luke 1. 16 17. whom did John goe before but Christ whom the Angel calleth the Lord God of Israel Mal. 3.1 Mar. 1.2 Luke 1.76 Luke 7.27 who was also the King of Israel Joh 12.13 The Prophet Zephany maketh them equivalent one to the other Zeph. 3.15 And Ananias an Israelite acknowledgeth to Paul the Lord God of our Fathers hath chosen thee That this was the Lord Jesus Ananias affirmeth Act 9.17 The Lord even Jesus that appeared unto thee in the way hath sent me unto thee and Paul giveth thanks to Christ for choosing him 1 Tim. 1.12 Yea the Lord Christ that appeared to Moses and is called an Angel Act. 7.30 34. who was the Angel of the Covenant Mal. 3. stileth himselfe the God of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob Exod. 3.6 He it was that sent his Angel to
first and the last Rev. 1.11 Rev. 22.13 Rev. 2.8 Rev. 1.17 Who is the first though not the first alone because the Father is with him He is the beginning the ending Re. 22.13 He is the everlasting Father Isai 9.6 who though born in Bethlehem in regard of his humanitie yet in respect of his Divinity his goings forth hath been from of old from everlasting Mich. 5.2 Or as the Originall will beare it from the dayes of eternitie His Kingdome is everlasting Isai 9.7 Luk. 1.33 Rev. 11.15 His Throne is for ever and ever Heb. 1.8 Psal 45.7 He is without beginning or ending Heb. 3.7 He liveth for ever Rev. 1.18 Heb. 7.25 He is before all things Col. 1.17 18. He is eternal life 1 Joh. 5.20 1 Joh. 1.2 As he is the Sonne of Man he is a Priest after the order of Melchizedeck Heb. 7.15 But as he is the Sonne of God Melchizedeck is said to be like unto him that abideth a Priest continually Heb 7.3 The heavens and all other creatures shall faile but his yeares faile not Heb. 1.12 Yea the Jewes knew that the Messiah must be eternall John 12.34 John the Evangelist proveth the eternitie of Christ First because he had his being before any creature was created 1 Joh. 1.12 Secondly because he was begotten of the Father Joh. 1.18 Joh. 3.16 he was not created not made as creatures are and John Baptist sheweth Christ to be after him yet before him Joh. 1.30 After him in his Humanitie yet before him in regard of his Divinitie Yea the beloved Disciple John speaking of Christ he repeateth was foure times Joh. 1.1 2. In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and that Word was God The same was in the beginning with God He was was was was where can wicked blasphemers shew he was not Thirdly the Holy-Ghost is eternall He is the eternall Spirit Heb. 9.14 and the everlasting God which gave Commandements by the Prophets Rom. 16.26 That this was the Holy-Ghost is manifest For he spake and commanded by them 2 Pet. 1.21 Eph. 3.5 Nehem. 9.30 Isai 6.9 10. with Act. 28.25 26. 2 Sam. 23.2 he abideth with the faithfull for ever John 14.16 The Father the Son and the Holy-Ghost are consubstantiall coeternall of one and the same Substance Essence and Nature being one eternall Lord God which hath being in and by himselfe alone There cannot be more infinites nor more eternals then one as God is who is one in essence though distinguished into three Persons Father Sonne and Holy-Ghost which are not before or after each other in regard of any prioritie of Nature Honour or Time but onely in Order who are before or after each other onely in order of subsisting and working Thus the Father is before the Sonne in order who is begotten of his Father and doth nothing but what he seeth the Father doe Joh. 5.19 And the Father and the Sonne before the Holy-Ghost in order who proceedeth from them Joh. 15.26 and who speaketh not of himselfe Joh. 16.13 but receiveth of the Father and of the Sonne and sheweth that unto the faithfull Joh. 16.14 15. that neither is the Sonne before or after the Father in time neither is the Holy-Ghost after either of them but being Relatives are together by nature CHAP. IV. The Father the Sonne and the Holy-Ghost are Omnipresent OMnipresency is a propertie peculiar to God he is ever with us ever before us he alwayes overseeth us though our eyes see him not His essence is immeasurable He filleth all places Act. 7.49 1 Kin. 8.2 7. Isai 66.1 He is a God at hand and a God afarre off Jer. 23.23 God alone is every where Psal 139.8 9. Amos 9.2 3 4. He is not in loco definitivo in any place definitively as Angels are much lesse is he in loco circumscriptivo in any place circumscriptively as corporeall creatures are But he is every where present whom the Heaven of Heavens cannot containe 2 Chron. 6.18 He is in Heaven reigning in Glory and Majestie He is in earth ruling by his power and providence he is in Hell tormenting with his wrath and justice First in regard of all Creatures the immensitie and greatnesse of God is seene working in and by them Act. 17.28 and present with them And so First the Father is present in all places his eyes are upon the children of men and he heareth the prayers of his servants in all places Joh. 16.23 he dwelleth in th faithfull Joh. 14.23 Secondly the Sonne is present in all places when he was on earth in regard of his humanitie was also in heaven in regard of his Divinity Joh. 3.13 And now though ascendâ—d into heaven in regard of his humanitie Act. 1.9 10 11. Act. 7.55 yet in regard of his Divinitie he is ruling by his power both in heaven and in earth and in all places under the earth Phil. 2.10 The Lambe who is in the midst of the Throne and of the foure Beasts and in the midst of the Elders Rev. 5.6 yet also walketh in the midst of the seven Golden Candlesticks Rev. 2.1 yea where two or three are gathered together he is in the middest of them Mat. 18.20 he is with all the faithfull to the end of the world Mat. 28.20 yea he dwelleth in them Ephes 3.17 And surely where God the Father is he is in the unity of the essence with him Joh. 1.1 being in the Father and the Father in him Joh. 14.10 11. filling all things Ephes 4.10 At his ascension he ascendeth where he was before Joh. 6.62 he ascended with his bodie into heaven where he was before in his Deitie Joh. 1.18 Thirdly the Holy-Ghost is likewise every where David demandeth whither shall I goe from thy Spirit or whither shall I goe from thy presence Psal 139.7 Thus the Spirit with the Father and the Sonne are present every where The Holy-Ghost abideth at all times and in all places of the earth in the hearts of all faithfull men Joh. 14.16 17. he remaineth amongst the people of God Hag. 2.5 He dwelleth in them Rom. 8.11 Rom. 8.9 2 Tim. 1.14 1 Cor. 3.16 the beleevers are his Temples 1 Cor. 6.19 this one and the same Spirit worketh all gifts and all graces in all the faithfull 1 Cor. 12.11 2 Cor. 11.4 and is in all the hearts of the faithfull Gal. 4.6 and abideth in them for ever Joh. 17.16 1 Joh. 2.27 yea the Spirit of the Lord filleth the World and containeth all things Wisd 1.7 he proceedeth both from the Father and the Sonne Joh. 15.26 Joh. 16.7 and is with them which are mutually at the right hand of each other Psal 110.1 5. he being alwaies where they are Psal 139.7 David joyneth Gods presence and his Spirit together The Father and the Sonne being one in another Joh. 10.38 and he in both and they in him Zac. 7.12 he is the Lambes eyes who is in the midst of the Throne Rev. 5.6 he is before the
Throne Rev. 4.5 and sent forth into all the earth Rev. 5.6 That which Didymus Alexandrinus in Lib. de Spirit Sanct. writeth is notable Ipse Spiritus Sanctus si una de creaturis esset duntaxat circumscriptam haberet substantiam sicut universa quae facta sunt nam etsi non circumscribantur loco finibus invisibiles creaturae tamen proprietate substantiae finiuntur Spiritus autem Sanctus quum in pluribus locis sit non habet circumscriptam substantiam The Holy-Ghost if he were a Creature he would have a circumscribed substance as all Creatures have for although Angels and Spirits are not circumscribed with place and bounds yet they are bounded with the proprietie of their substance but the Holy-Ghost being in severall places he hath not a circumscribed substance Secondly in regard of his Church in which God ruleth more especially as in his Kingdome and dwelleth more particularly as in his owne house who is above all and through all and in all Eph. 4.6 And thus without appropriation to any Person the Holy Trinitie is over all in regard of the excellencie of his glory through all in respect of the gifts of his Majestie and in all in the presence of his dignitie Or if you will iâ— reference to all three Persons First the Father is all in all 1 Cor. 15.28 God is all in all he is all as the first cause and working in us all as in the secondary causes Secondly the Sonne is all in all Col. 3.11 Christ is all in all as John Baptist speaketh with a reduplication Joh. 3.31 is above all yea he filleth all in all Eph. 1.23 Thirdly the Holy-Ghost is all in all 1 Cor. 12.11 All these worke that one and the same Spirit dividing to every one severally as he will He is the incorruptible Spirit that is in all Wis 12.1 all Beleevers receive one and the same Spirit 2 Cor. 12.4 There cannot be many infinites which are present in all places for the infinitenesse of one would hinder the infinitenesse of another if they were not one and the same essence But Father Sonne and Holy-Ghost being gresent in all places are consubstantiall in essence one and the same infinite Lord God which worketh all in all 1 Cor. 12.6 which are mutually in each other as Christ speaketh the Father in me and I in him Joh. 14.11 and the Holy-Ghost who is the Spirit of the Father Mat. 10.20 Rom 8.11 and the Spirit of his Sonne Gal. 4.6 Rom. 8.9 Phil. 1.19 1 Pet. 1.11 and proceedeth from both Joh. 15.26 and is of both 1 Cor. 2.12 called the Spirit of Elohim Gen. 1.2 Gen. 41.38 Num. 24.2 to note the plurality of Persons from whom he proceedeth being in both even as the Spirit of man is in man 1 Cor. 2.11 and that not onely in the Father but also in the Sonne and therefore he is stiled the eyes of the Lamb Rev. 5.6 which is in the midst of the Throne and yet sent forth into all the earth where therefore the one is the other is and what the one worketh the other worketh likewise Oh that men would consider this omnipresencie of God! to wicked men it might be a Bridle to stop their course in Sinne that they runne not into all excesse of riot 1 Pet. 4.4 to consider that God is present with them he that is their Judge beholdeth them and their actions and to good men it would be also a Staffe to support them in all their soule-afflicting tentations that God knoweth their works Rev. 2.1 2. who is not unrighteous to forget their work and labour of love Heb. 6.10 CHAP. V. The Father the Sonne and the Holy-Ghost are Omnipotent or Almighty OMnipotencie is an essentiall propertie of God it is one of his Names Gen. 17.1 He nameth himselfe to Abraham the Almightie God power being essentially in God he is not onely called Almightie but power Mar. 14.62 He hath power and sufficiencie of himselfe and he giveth power and sufficiencie to all things there is a two-fold power in God First an absolute power whereby God is of Himselfe able to doe all things that are not contradictorie Mat. 3.9 Secondly there is an actuall or limited power a power which is limited by Gods will Gen. 19.22 The Lord can doe more by his absolute power then he will doe by his limited power A creature may will more then he can doe but the Creatour can doe more then he will he taketh away who can hinder him who will say unto him what doest thou Job 9.12 what God is there in heaven or in earth that is able to doe according to his works or according to his might Deut. 3.24 he doth what he will in earth and in heaven and none can stay his hand Dan. 4.35 He is Almightie First the Father is Almightie so we acknowledge in the Apostles Creed Secondly the Sonne is Almightie Rev. 1.8 That verse is put between a double description of Christ First of his Names and Offices in the Antecedent or fore-going verses Secondly of his glorious power and Majestie as he appeared to John in a Vision in the subsequent and following verses Besides in Psal 68.14 he is stiled Almightie who led captivitie câ—â—tive and ascended on high Psal 68.18 That this was Christ the Apostle cleareth Eph. 4.8 he is most mightie so the Sonnes of Korah shew Psal 45.4 6. That this was the Lord Jesus the Authour o the Hebrewes manifest Heb. 1.8 9. Isaiah calleth him the mightie Gâ—d Isa 9.6 A creature in regard of Gods deputing him to some Office may with some limitation or addition be called God as Moses is Exod. 7. and Magistrates Psal 82.1 6. But El-Gibbor the mightie God is a Name of nature and never any Creature had that denomination ascribed to him he worketh all things that the Father worketh Joh. 5.19 and is equall with the Father so he himselfe thinketh Phil. 2.6 and so his Father accounteth him Zach. 13.8 he calleth Christ his fellow and we ought to acknowledge it for his power is Divine 2 Pet. 1.3 supporting all things therewith Heb. 1.3 and is thereby able to subdue all things to himself Phil. 3.21 who is above all Joh. 3.31 which promiseth to doe whatsoever we shall aske in his Name Joh. 14.14 which he could not effect if he were not Almightie Thirdly the Holy-Ghost is Almightie that which Balaam calleth a seeing of the visions of the Almightie Num. 24.4 16. Moses manifesteth it to be the inspiration of the Spirit of God Num. 24.2 He is the power of the Almightie Luk. 1.35 he measureth the Waters in the hollow of his hand and meteth out the heavens with a span and comprehendeth the dust of the earth in a measure he weigheth the mounâ—aines in scales and the hils in a ballance Isa 40.12 And that you may know that the Prophet speaketh of the Spirit of the Lord he addeth Who hath directed the Spirit of the Lord Isa 40.13 He it was that
Isai 40.13 for he worketh all things after the Councell of his owne will Eph. 1.11 yet the Scripture treating of God as the Creator and maker of all things speaketh not onely in this place but in divers other places plurally as Eccles 12.1 Remember thy Creators Heb. and Psal 49.2 Let Israel rejoy e in his Makers Heb. Isai 54.5 thy Makers are thy Husbands yea Eloah which is seldome used singularly yet Job 35.10 it is so used and a word of the plurall number is joyned with it Nonâ— saith where is God my Makers God there is the Unitie my Makers there is the Trinitie And surely the Sonne and the Holy-Ghost if they did not with the Father make the World they were subject to that imprecation which Jeremie teacheth the captived Jewes and delivereth it in the Caldean Language although the whole Book beside is written in Hâ—â—rew that the Jewes might answer the Caldeans in their owne Language when they tempted them to worship God that madâ— not the Heavens Jer. 10.11 Th s shall ye say to them The Gods which made not the Heâ—vens and the earth shall perish from the earth and from under these heavens Woe therefore unto them that strive with their Maker Isai 45.9 who count that their glorie which is their shame Phil. 3.19 namely that they can contend with their Maker and fight against the Deitie of the Sonne and of the Holy-Ghost who together with the Father did make them These are they which deny the Lord that bought them 2 Pet. 2.1 These bring on themselves swift destruction CHAP. III. The Workes of Providence on the dry Land are wrought by the Father the Sonne and the Holy-Ghost PRovidence is a work of God whereby he preserveth and governeth all his Creatures ordering them and all their actions to his owne glory It requiring the same power to preserve as it did to create He who is the Creator of all he is the Owner of all Psal 50.11 12. Psal 24.1 he that is the great House-keeper of heaven and earth he provideth for all Psal 104.28 they wait on him for food Psal 145.15 16. he giveth them their meate in due season he openeth his hand and satisfieth the desire of every living thing he is the preservrr of men as Jâ—b stileth him Job 7.20 and the Saviour of all as Paul sheweth 1 Tim. 4.10 as Job therefore speaketh Aske now the Beasts and they shall teach thee and the Fowles of the aire and they shall tell thee or speake to the earth and it shall shew thee or to the Fishes of the Sea and they shall declare unto thee who knoweth not in all these the hand of the Lord hath wrought this Job 12.7 8 9. where in all the long controversie between Job and his three friends the Name Jehovah is used onely there even when Job speaketh of the Lords giving life and being to all Creatures and of his preserving his life and being which he hath given them where though this Jehovah who alone provideth for all is one yet there are three Persons which doe distinctly work according to their personall order in all the works of providence both First on the dry Land as also Secondly on the broade Sea First Gods providence is seene in the Workes on the dry Land and that in regard of all the three Persons First the Father provideth for us He knoweth what things we have need of Mat. 6.32 he feedeth the Ravens â—loatheth the Lillies and careth for man Mat. 6.26 Luk. 12.24 c. and giveth good things to them that â—â—ke Mat. 7.11 and still worketh in regard of his providence Joh. 5.17 preserving men from danger Secondly the Sonne he provideth for us He upholdeth all things by the Word of his power Heb. 1.34 by him all things were created and doe consist Col. 1.16 17. he doth for us whatsoever we shall aske Joh. 14.17 he worketh alwayes in regard of his providence Joh. 5.17 19. proâ—ecting us Mat. 23.34 and preserving us from danger Rev 3.10 Jude vers 1. Thirdly the Holy-Ghost he provideth for us he prospered Zerubbabels bulding Zac. 4.6 7 8. he governed the Apostles in their journies he sent Philip to the Eunuch to preach Christ to him at that time when he was reading of Christ in the Prophet Isaias Act 8 29 33 35. he directed Paul to preach the Gospell in some Countries and suffered him not to preach in others Act. 16.6 7. Simeon to whom the Holy-Ghost revealed he should not dye till he had seene the Lord Chist was directed by the Holy-Ghost to goe then into the Temple when Christ was there Luk. 2.27 he governeth the faithfull Rom. 8.14 and suffereth them not to live after the flesh but after his direction and guiding and he worketh alwais in regard of his providence both in renewing of the Creatures Psal 104.30 by producing a new generation of them as also in preserving men from danger Psal 143. the good Spirit of the Lord leadeth us Providence is the undevided worke of the Father the Sonne and the Holy-Ghost and is equally competent to all the Persons in the holy Trinitie and is not to be attributed principally to one Person and lesse principally to another there being the same and equall Power Wisedome Will and Operation of all as Christ himselfe witnesseth My Father worketh hitherto and I worke Joh. 5.17 whence you may easily collect the Father and the Sonne are Coessentiall and Cowarkers and that in works of Providence not onely on the Land but also as I shall shew on the Sea CHAP. IV. Ruling the Sea is a Worke of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Holy-Ghost GOds providence is seene in every thing the Lord is wonderfull in all his works Psa 98.1 Psa 39.14 but especially is his overruling providence in the great Waters and he is wondrously wonderfull in the Sea Psal 107.24 25. both in the first making of it causing the Waters to gather on heapes Gen. 1.9 He shutteth it up with doores and barres Job 38. He layeth up the deep as in a treasure-house Psal 33.7 he giveth stayes and bounds to it causing the small sand to bound that which if he command shall breake down Rocks and Mountaines Job 38.10.11 he for the drowning of the world can open the Fountaines of the great deep Gen. 6. making the Waters to overflow the earth as in the first Creation and he can with a violent Wind keep back the Sea and make it dry Land Exod. 14. that Israel may passe through Psal 78. Psal 106. It is the Lord alone that ruleth the Sea and stilleth the noise and Waves thereof Psal 65.7 he bindeth up the Sea in swadling-hands Job 38.9 God swadleth the Sea as easily as the Midwife doth the young Infant Now this Worke is not a Work of one Person alone but of all three First the Father bindeth the Waters as in a garment Prov. 30.4 with the Clouds above and the Sands beneath compassing them in Secondly the
Holy-Ghost doe it by gain-saying his Word not by frustrating his Worke for he convinceth the World either to conversion or confusion He punished Ananias by Peter Act. 5.5 and Elymas by Paul who is then expressely said to be full of the Holy-Ghost Act. 13.9 10. He casteth these Sinners that doe despite unto him Heb. 10.29 into eternall punishment He that blaspemeth the Holy-Ghost shall never be forgiven in this world nor in the world to come Mat. 12.32 33. Mar. 3.29 Surely there is not the like said of the Father or of the Sonne yea our Saviour saith the contrary of sinnes committed against himselfe not as if the Holy-Ghost were greater then the Father or the Sonne but onely equall with them in Majestie and in glorie This Sinne is not onely against his Person but against his operation and working It being a sinne against the light of illumination which he terminatively worketh in them A sinne against the Father is remitted by the blood of the Sonne which washeth away all sinne 1 Joh. 1.7 and a sinne against the Sonne is done away by the worke of the Spirit who applyeth the Merrits of Christ to every penetent Soule by faith purifying their hearts Act. 15.9 but if the sinne be against the Holy-Ghost and against his Workes by falling away from his graces Heb. 6.4 5. by grieving this holy Spirit Eph. 4.30 and by maliciously opposing and blasphemously doing despite to the Spirit of grace Heb. 10.29 All hope of obtaining pardon is quite cut off for there is no fourth Person to cure this Apostatizing relapse and the Worke cannot be wrought backward for the Spirit proceedeth from the Father and the Sonne in regard of his Personalitie worketh also from them both who also begin that Worke which he terminateth which he perfecteth in us Now the Spirit worketh neither by the Father nor by the Sonne as the Sonne is God though he worketh by him as I shall have occasion to shew as he is the Sonne of man wherefore where the Spirit applyeth not the blood of Christ there is no remission of sinnes for there is neither faith nor repentance wrought in that mans heart by the Spirit of God who terminateth and perfecteth those graces which also the Father and the Sonne worketh with him in the hearts of every true beleever This sinne therefore is also against the Father and the Sonne and not onely against the Holy-Ghost but because it is more immediately against his worke therefore it is said to be against the Holy-Ghost who together with the Father and the Sonne punisheth this Apostasie by giving up such a wretch to his owne hearts lust and by delivering him up to a reprobaâ—e sense Thus Father Sonne and Holy-Ghost are coworkers in this Worke namely in judging the earth and in punishing the World which the Lord doth manifest when he was about to cast Adam and Eve out of Paradice for God saith the man is become like one of us Gen. 3.22 which cannot be spoken where there is but one Person againe in the destruction of Babel and confusion of Languages the Lord saith Gen. 11.7 Câ—me ye and let us goe downe and let us confound their Laâ—guages where the Father speaketh to the Sonne and to the Holy-Ghost Besides confusion of Languages is no worke of the Creature but a Worke proper to God alone which is spoken in the plurall Number Let us goe downe and let us confound them and yet to shew the unitie it is Jehovah who is one did scatter and confound them Gen. 11.8 9. Moses relating that action in the singular Number which God himselfe speaketh of plurally it being the worke of one God in three Persons to effect this Worke Moreover the Psalmists phrase is remarkeable Psal 58.11 Jesh Elohim Shophedim est dii judicantes word for word one word singular and another plurall is joyned with Elohim a word of the plurall number intimating the unitie of that one God in Essence and Trinitie of Persons that judge the earth Oh that men would sing Halelujah and give praise to â—od for his worke And surely the first time that Halâ—lujah is used in the Old Testament is Psal 104. last whâ—re consuming of sinners is mentioned as in the New Testament it is first used in Rev. 19. where the destruction of Antichrist that man of sinne is foretold Thus you may see the Father the Sonne and the Holy-Ghost is that one God that effecteth these Workes which extend Generally to all The second Section CHAP. I. The Workes of God which doe concerne the Lord Jesus the Head of the Church were wrought by the Father the Sonne and the Holy-Ghost AS the Father the Sonne and the Holy-Ghost did effect these common Workes which extend generally to all so also they effect these speciall Works which reach onely to the Church of God which are of two sorts for First they are such Workes which God alone worketh in regard either of Christ the Head of the Church Or Secondly of the Church which is the Bodie of Christ First these Workes which are wrought in regard of Christ the Head of the Church as namely First Christs Incarnation Secondly his Attestation Thirdly his Vocation Fourthly his miraculous Opperations Fifthly his Death and Passion for the sinnes of the World Sixtly his Resurrection Seventhly his Assention were wrought by the Father the Sonne and the Holy-Ghost The Scriptures doe manifest the Sonne and the Holy-Ghost to be God equall with the Father by ascribing to them these Workes equall with the Father CHAP. II. Incarnation of the Word was a Worke of the Father of the Sonne and of the Holy-Ghost THe Incarnation of the Word is a Worke of God it is inchoative an Essentiall Worke of God common to the whole Trinitie though terminative it is terminated perfected and consummated in the Sonne of God whose Personall Worke it was to be made flesh Joh. 1.14 and to have two Natures Divine and Humane united in one Person who as he was the Sonne of God was eternally begotten of his Father but as he was the Sonne of man he was borne of a Woman in the fulnesse of time Gal. 4.4 To us a Childe is borne Isai 9.6 and therefore man to us a Sonne is given of God and so he is God The efficient cause of Christs Incarnation is the whole Trinitie God sent him Joh. 3.34 He raised up this great Prophet Deut. 18.15.18 the Lord pitched this Tabernacle and not man Heb. 8.2 First the Father prepareth a Body for him Heb. 10.5 He sent his Sonne made of a Woman Gal. 4.4 Mat. 10.40 After all his Servants he sent unto them his Sonne saying they will reverence my Sonne Mat. 21.37 Mar. 12.6 Luk. 20.13 and our Saviour telleth us he that honoureth not the Sonne honoureth not the Father that sent him Joh. 7.23 Secondly the Sone which as God made all things Joh. 1.3 made also his owne Body for he emptyed himselfe and tooke on him the forme of a servant
Phil. 2.7 He tooke not on him the Nature of Angels but tooke on him the forme of Abraham Heb. 2.15 Here are two Natures in Christ First the Nature emptying himselfe and assuming Secondly the Nature taken and assumed He tooke not on him the Nature of Angels he was no created Spirit as they are but he tooke on him the Seed of Abraham and therefore surely he was before he tooke this Nature of man on him and so he testifieth of himselfe Joh. 8.58 He tooke part of our flesh and blood Heb. 2.14 He made himselfe partaker of that which was ours that we might more easily take part of that which was his Thirdly the Holy-â—host formed his body This the Evangelist affirmeth Mat. 1.18 so the Angel foretold to Mary Luk. 1.35 and likewise telleth Joseph Mat. 1.20 and we acknowledge in the Creed that he was conceived by the Holy-Ghost Thus the Father the Sonne and the Holy-Ghost equall in Power and glory are one and the same efficient Cause of Christs Incarnation which was terminated in the second Person they wrought the Mantle of his Humanitie which he put on who continuing that he was is made that he was not And indeed fit it was that he by whom man was creaâ—ed should restore as it were recreate man Joh. 1.3.4 Col. 1.16 Thus was the Maker of the earth made man on the earth He that was the brightnesse of Glory tooke upon him the vilenesse of our Nature The Lord Jesus who was in the fo me of God and equall with God tooke on him the forme of a servant Phil. 2.6 7. and made little lower then some of his owne Creatures Heb. 2.7 He that was infinitely more excellent from all Eternitie then Angels made himselfe a little while inferiour to Angels that he might make us like unto Angels Mat. 22. Oh that we had the tongue of Men and Angels to sing forh his praise who thus humbled himselfe that he might exalt us that he to whom the Angels minister Mat. 4. and doe worship Heb. 1.6 for our sakes should as it were leave the Mansions of heaven and take up his first Lodging in a Stall and be crouded in a Manger and swadled in a few ragges such was the riches of his grace towards us that though he were rich yet for our sakes he became poore that we through his povertie might be rich 2 Cor. 8.9 CHAP. III. The Attestation or the Witnesse hearing of the Messiah was the Worke of the Father the Sonne and the Holy-Ghost THe attestation of the Word that he was the Messiah of the World was a Worke of God Fit it was the Sonne of God should receive testimony from God he received not testimony from men Joh. 5.31 God bare witnesse that he was the Saviour of the World Angels and holy men bare witnesse of him secondarily as Gods Messengers to us but God is that witnesse on which our faith must depend Gal 1.8 If we receive the witnesse of men the witnesse of God is greater this is the witnesse of God which he hath testified of his Sonne Joh. 5.9 And surely the Father the Sonne and the Holy-Ghost bare witnesse to us of the Messiah First the Father bare witnesse of him So the Lord Christ assureth us Joh. 5.37 The Father which hath sent me hath borne witnesse of me Joh. 8.18 He testified of him at his Baptisme Mat. 3.17 and at his transfiguratioâ— Mat. 17.5 Secondly the Sonne indeed as man had no power to beare witnesse of himselfe Joh. 5.13 yet as God he testified of himselfe Joh. 8.18 and did justifie his own testification Joh. 8.16 17 18. who together with his Father witnessed that he was the Messiah Joh. 4.26 Joh. 5.17 Joh. 10.25 and that God was his Father and he his Sonne Joh. 5. Joh. 6. Joh. 10. yea the Lord Jesus telleth the Jewes Except ye beleeve that I am ye shall dye in your sinnes where the Lord stileth himselfe I am a Name peculiar to God Exod. 3.14 and telleth the Jewes they must beleeve it unlesse they will dye eternally Let these that fight against the Divinitie of the Lord that bought them seriously weigh this and other places where he stileth himselfe thus who say that Christ never professed himselfe to be God or tooke any Name of God on him Thirdly the Holy-Ghost bare witnesse of Christ so he telleth his Disciples He shall testifie of me Joh. 15.26 He shall receive of mine and shall shew it unto you Joh. 16.14 and the Apostles shew the Jewes that the Holy-Ghost did beare witnesse of Christ Act. 5.32 who bare witnesse of him at his Baptisme by descending on Christ Mat. 3.16 Luk 3.22 Joh. 1.33 and after Christs ascention by dessending on the Apostles and Disciples of Christ Act. 2. Act. 8. Act. 10. Act. 19. There are three that beare record in Heaven the Father the Word and the Holy-Ghost and these three are one 1 Joh. 5.7 not onely one Witnesse but one God which Text of Scripture because it is a notable Pilate to steere the Ship of the Church in sayling between the Rocks of Arrianisme denâ—ing Unitie and of Sabellianisme opposing the Trinitie the â—nemies of the truth have therefore endeavoured to destroy it rasing this Text and others out of the Scriptures Thus the Arrians did corrupt this too and other Texts even as Jerome complaineth who notwithstanding citeth this place against thâ—m so doth Fulgentius and Epiphonius yea Cipryan in Lib. de unitate Eccles who lived before Arrius rehearseth it and Athanasius cited it against Arrius in the Nicene Councell as Junius observeth and it is to be found in the most Ancient Copies both Greek and Latine and is so sutable to the matter the Apostle treateth of and so fitly answering the eight and ninth Verses of the same Chapter and so consonant to the word that there is no reason to thinke this an addition to the Canon of the Scriptures CHAP. IV. The Vocation of Christ to the Office of a Mediator was a Worke of the Father the Sonne and the Holy-Ghost THe Vocation of Christ to his Mediator-ship and the sending of him to preach was a Worke of God alone The Lord Jesus being to offer himselfe a Sacrifice for the sinnes of the World wherein he was both Priest and Sacrifice glorified not himselfe to be made an High Priest Heb. 5.3 as man he tooke not this Office on him for no man taketh this Honour on him but he that was called of God as was Aaron Heb. 5.4 as he was the Sonne of Man he was called of God an High Priest Heb. 5.10 but as God being one with the Father and the Holy-Ghost so he voluntarily undertooke this Office the efficient Cause of this Act was the whole Trinitie First the Father sent him to preach our Saviour speaking to the Jewes saith My Doctrine is not mine but his that sent me Joh. 7.16 He made him an high Priest who said Thou art my Sonne to day have I begotten thee
Heb. 5.5 who was called of God an high Priest after the Order of Melchizedeck Heb. 5.10 where it is observeable that Christ as man is said to be a Priest after the Order of Melchizedeck Heb. 5.6 10. Heb. 6.20 Heb. 7.17 but as Christ was the Sonne of God so Melchizedeck is said to be made like unto him a Priest continually Heb. 7.3 Secondly the Sonne of God made himselfe of no reputation Phil. 2.7 He voluntarily undertooke this Office for so he testified For this cause came I into the World that I should beare witnesse unto the Truth Joh. 18.37 Loe I come to doe thy will O God Heb. 10.8 Thirdly the Holy-Ghost sent him He was led by the Spirit into the Wildernesse Luk. 4.1 and returned in the power of the Spirit unto Galilee Luk. 4.14 and was sent by the Spirit to preach the Gospell to the poore and anointed by him with gifts without measure Luk. 4.18 Act. 10.38 Thus there is one inseparable and undivided Working of the Father the Sonne and Holy-Ghost as there is one insepparable and undivided Nature of them CHAP. V. Christs power as man to worke Miracles was a Worke of the Father of the Sonne and of the Holy-Ghost THe Miracles tbat Christ wrought when he lived on the earth were wrought by the power of God Joh. 10.38 God did them by him Act. 2.22 they were wrought First by the power of the Father The Lord telleth the Jewes many good Workes have I shewed you from the Father Joh. 10.32 the Father that is in me he doth the Workes Joh. 14.10 the Sonne doth nothing but what he seeth the Father doe Joh. 5.19 He gave Christ the Workes that he did to finish Joh. 5.36 Secondly by the Divine Power of the Sonne whatsoever things the Father doth these also doth the Sonne likewise Joh. 5.19 Thus by his owne Power he tooke on him the forme of a servant Phil. 2.6 Heb. 2.16 in his Incarnation he raised up his owne Body in his Resurrection Joh. 2.19 he exalted his owne Body and Soule into heaven in his Ascention Eph. 4.8 9. 1 Pet. 3.21 He manifested his glory in his Miracles Joh. 2.11 As man he had no power of himselfe to doe Miracles but it was given him and in regard of his humane Nature he was Anointâ—d of God with the Holy-Ghost and with power Act. 10.38 But the Man-hood being united to the second Person of the God-head he both received power of God as he was man and he had power of himselfe as he was God to worke Miracles and therefore in many Miracles which he wrought he manifested both his Natures as in curing of him that was Dumbe and Deafe Mar. 7.34 He looketh up to heaven and sigheth as Man but he commanded as God be opened In healing the Leper Mat. 8.3 to confound Manicheus denying him to be Man he touched him and to confute Arrius denying him to be God he commanded I will be thou cleane manifesting that he and none other cured him when he and none other touched him in raising Lazarus he prayeth as man but commandeth as God Joh. 11.41.43 Christ did oft cure without Prayer but yet sometimes he prayed and that for our sakes First that we might know he was sent from God Joh. 11.45 Secondly that he might teach us what to doe when we undertake any weightie imployment As for that where it is said that he could doe no great Worke there because of their unbeliefe Mar. 6.4 Mat. 13.58 We must consider there is a twofold Power in God First an absolute Power so the Lord can doe any thing if the doing thereof imployeth not a contradiction Secondly a limited Power which is limited by his Will and Decree thus God by his absolute Power could have destroyed Sodome when Lot was in it by his limited power he could not Gen. 19.22 Christ likewise by his absolute Power could have wrought Miracles in these unbeleeving Cities but in regard of his limited power he could not because it stood not with his good will and pleasure in the like manner God could by his absolute Power have removed the Cup from Christ as Christ sheweth Mar. 14.36 All things were possible to God That therefore which as Matthew puts it if it be possible hath telation to Gods limited Power Mat. 26.36 which is limited by his will and therefore Luke well explaineth it Lu. 22.42 Father if thou be willing the unbeliefe therefore of the Capernaumites did not make Christ unable to doe but it made them unfit to receive it did not diminish Christs Divine power but their owne mercies which they might have recived if they would have believed for as faith on the one side stayeth Gods hand from executing Vengeance Exod. 32.10 so unbeliefe on the other side stayeth Gods hand from reaching forth mercies Thirdly by the power of the Holy-Ghost If I saith Christ by the Spirit of God cast out Divels then is the Kingdome of God come to you Mat. 12.28 Jesus was anointed with the Holy-Ghost and with power and went about doing good c. Act. 10.38 Father Sonne and Holy-Ghost therefore have one and the same power of working Miracles yea that was done by the power of the Father and of the holy-Ghost of whom it is said there went vertue and healed them all Luk 6.19 Mar. 5.30 whose Workes when the people saw it is said they were all amazed at the mightie power of God Luk. 9.43 yea he telleth you that they were his Workes and his Fathers which he did doe Joh 10.37 38. CHAP. VI. Christs Death and Passion that it might be a Ransome for the sinnes of the world was a Work of Father Sonne and Holy-Ghost CHrists Death and Passion that it might be a Ransome for the sinnes of the World was a Worke of God God was in Christ reconciling the world to himselfe 2 Cor. 5.19 He made our sinnes his sinnes that he might make his Righteousnesse our Righteousnesse for he made him to be sinne for us who knew no sinne that we might be made the Righteousnesse of God in him 2 Cor. 5 2â— where the Apostle by an Hebrewisme calleth the expiation of siinne by sacrifice sinne chata is to sinne but chitte in pihel is to expiate sinne Christ bare the punishment of sinne and became an offering for sinne for us that we which had sinned might in and through him have our Consciences purged from dead Workes and we which were defiled therewith might be washed by the blood of Christ 1 Joh. 1.7 Rev. 1.5 wherein we may see a Worke of the Father the Sonne and the Holy-Ghost First the Father gave us his Sonne the Lord Christ Joh. 3.16 God so loved the woâ—ld that he gave his onely begotten Sonne Rom. 8.32 He spared â—ot his owne Sonne but delivered him up for us all 1 Joh. 4.10 He sent his Sonne to be a propitiation for our sinnes Herod Pontius-Pilate the Gentiles and the Jewes did that to Christ which Gods hand and his Counsell
of Egypt was a worke of the Father of the Sonne and of the Holy-Ghost THe deliverance of Israel from Pharaoh and the bringing them out of Egypt was a worke of God Psal 136.11 the Lord challengeth it as his worke to Israel and requireth obedience therefore from Israel Exâ—d 20.2 3. â—â—al 81.10 yea the Lord alone did lead them and there was no strange god with him Deut. 32.12 Yet this was an essentiall and common worke of the Father the Word and the Spirit First the Father brought them out of Egypt So he saith H s 11.1 Out of Egypt have I called my Sonne Which was typically true of Israel who is stiled Gods fi st-borne Exod. 4.22 but prophetically fulfilled in Christ Mat. 2.15 who was the onely begotten of the Father Joh. 1.14 18. Joh. 3.16 18. Secondly the Sonne â—rought Israel out of Egypt whom they tempted in the Wildernesse 1 Cor. 10.4 9. and were destroyed of the dâ—stroyer He was Ehejeh I am Exod. 3.14 that sent Moses to deliver Israel To which Name the Lord Jesus doth oft allude in the New Testament Joh. 8.24 Joh. 8.28 Joh. 8.58 Joh. 13.19 Joh. 4.26 He was the Angel that was sent to keepe Israel in the way and to bring them into Canaan Exod. 23.20 and was no created Angel but the Angel of the Covenant God blâ—ssed for ever For first Israel was to obey his voyâ—â— secondly â—e had power to punish or pardon sinne thirâ—ly Gods Name waâ— in him Thirdly the holy Spirit brought Israel out of Egypt he led them Isa 63.14 and he was grieved by them with their rebellions in the way that he led them Act. 7.51 Heb. 3.7 8 9 10. Isa 63.10 Yea you have the Prophet Isaiah mentioning all three Persons in treating of this worke of Israels deliverance from Egypt Isa 63.9 10 11 12 13 14. First the Father by a Synechdoche called Jehovah Secondly the Word stiled the Angel of his presence who usually in Scripture hath the name of an Angel attributed to him but never tooke the nature of an Angel on him Heb. 2.16 Thirdly the Holy-Ghost who is called the Spirit who effected this worke Yea 2 Sam. 7.23 Halecu Elohim both the Noune and the Verbe are Plurall The Gods went to redeeme a people and yet it is added to himselfe in the Singular where the pluralitie of Persons and the Unitie of the Essence is evidently demonstrated it being one and the same Divine Power in Father Sonne and Holy-Ghost that wrought this glorious deliverance for his Church and people who as God himselfe speaking to Israel saith Exod. 20.2 Deut. 5.6 I am the Lord thy Gods word for word in the Originall which brought thee out of the Land of Egypt What pluralitie is there which he intimateth but onely that which Christ expresseth when he saith Mâ—t. 28.19 In the Name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Holy-Ghost CHAP. IV. The sending of Angels on extraordinarie Messages to the Faithfull was a worke of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Holy-Ghost THe sending of Angels as his Messengers is a worke â—o God The Lord who is the God of his Church and the Father of the Faithfull for the benefit of his Church and the good of his Faithfull ones hath dispatched these Embassadours from Heaven to Earth and hath sent both Angels which are his heavenly Ministers Heb. 1.14 and Ministers which are his earthly Angels Rev. 2.1 12.18 Rev. 3.1 7 14. to fulfill his Will and to deliver his Messages to men And surely the Lord who is the God and maker of Angels hath alone absolute Power of himselfe to send them and they doe his pleasure Psal 103.21 They hearken to the voyce of his woâ—d Psal 103.20 This is an essentiall and common worke of God For First the Father maketh his Angels spirits and his Ministers a flame of fire Heb. 1.7 Yea Christ telleth Peter That at his prayer his Father would have given him more then twelve Legions of Angels Mat. 26.53 More then fourescore thousand heavenly souldiers are readie armed at Châ—ists prayer as man but at his command as God For Secondly the Sonne hath twentie thousand even thousands of Angels That this was Christ is cleare for it was he that ascended on high and that led captivitie captive Psal 68.17 18. which Paul an un-erring interpreter Eph. 4.8 9 10. sheweth to be the Lord Jesus Moreover he sendeth his Angels to gather his elect Mat. 24.31 Mat. 13.41 Mar. 13.27 2 Thess 1.7 And he sent his Angel to John Rev. 22.6 17. to shew him things to come Thirdly the Holy-Ghost sendeth Angels to the Faithfull The Angel which appeared to Cornelâ—us Act. 10.2 3. the Holy-Ghost sent Act. 10.19 20. He sent the men by direction of that Angel to Peter Act. 10.22 Thus it is the worke of the Father the Sonne and the Holy-Ghost who are equall in Power and Glory to send Angels to the Church in any extraordinarie Message CHAP. V. The sending of Prophets to the Church was a worke of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Holy-Ghost THe Lord of the Harvest alone sendeth Labourers into his Harvest Mat. 9.38 The Vinitor provideth Labourers for his Vineyard Mat. 20. God alone appointeth Ministers in his Church Prov. 9.3 No man is to take this honour on him but he that is called thereunto of God Heb. 9.4 How oft did God complaine of false Prophets in the Old Testament and false Teachers in the New that they did run and God sent them not Jer. 23. Mat. 7.21 22 23. The Church is Gods Enclosure taken out of the Commons of the World none but he may appoint Pastours to feed his Flock therein It was therefore a worke of God to send Prophets under the Law Which thing the Prophets did usually manifest in their Writings Jer. 1.1 2. Ezek. 1.3 Hos 1.1 Joel 1.1 Jon. 1.1 Mic. 1.1 And therefore the Prophets were called men of God 1 King 13. 2 King 1. 2 King 4. 2 King 6. because they were called of God and manifested the Lords will to his people This worke of God of sending Prophets was essentiall and common to the Father to the Sonne and to the Holy-Ghost First the Father sent the Prophets He who afterward sent his Sonne did first send Prophets to the Jewes Mat. 21.34 35 36 37. Luk. 20.10 11 12. Mar. 12.2 3 4 5 6. Heb. 1.1 Secondly the Sonne sent the Prophets Mat. 23.34 Luk. 11.49 The wisedome of God which was Christ Prov. 8. said I will send them Prophets who is also called the Lord God of the Propâ—ets Rev. 22.6 compared with Rev. 22.17 Thirdly the Holy-Ghost sent the Prophets Ezek. 11.1.4 he sent Ezekel and bid him prophesie Numb 24.2 The Spirit of Gâ—d came upon Baloâ—m when he prophesied The Holy-Ghost spake by David Act. 1.16.2 Sam. 23.2 And Agabus signified by the Spirit of a great dearth Act. 11.28 and certifieth the Church in the name of the Holy-Ghost that Paul should
Luke 5.20 Matth. 9.6 And this he did to manifest his power Marke 2.10 That they might know the Son of man had power on earth to forgive sinnes Where the Lord Jesus manifested his divine power in healing corporally the sicknesse of the body and curing spiritually the infirmities of the soule He caused the filthy Garments to be taken away from the holy Priest and he said Behold I have caused thine iniquities to passe from thee and I will clothe thee with change of raiment Zach. 3.4 he tooke away his sin and clothed him with his righteousnesse And surely this is an unquestionable truth in the Apostles judgement and therefore he saith Col. 3.13 As Christ forgave you so also do ye This healing of the soul is a worke of Christ Joh 12.40 Luke 4.18 He as God healeth by the power of his Deity but as man by the merit of his passion Esa 53.5 his blood being a Soveraigne balme to cure our sin-wounded soule yea Esa 43.25 I even I am he that blot out thy transgressions for mine owne sake He it is that forgiveth who was made to serve with our sinnes which was Christ who took on him the formâ— of a servant Philippians 2.6 Secondly he who forgiveth forgiveth sins for his owne sake but our sinnes are forgiven in â—hrist it is his blood wâ—sheth them away 1 John 1.7 Rev. 1.5 Heb. 9.14 Acts 20.28 Eph. 5.2 Thirdly the Holy-Ghost forgâ—veth sins Heb. 10.15.17 The Holy Ghost that made a Covenant with Israel as I have shewed promiseth them to forgive their sins The Holy-Ghost also commanded legall sacrifices Heb. 9.8 whereby attonement was made for sinne yea because the Holy-Ghost doth apply and distribute remission of sins whiâ—h is obtained by the blood of Christ Therefore when as our Saviour entrusteth his Disciples with the keyes of the Kingdome of Heaven ministerially to binde or loose he first saith Receive the Holy-Ghost John 20.22 manifesting thereby that it was the Holy-Ghost who did remit sins by them It is the Spirit who promiseth to give to them that overcome a white stone Rev. 2.17 The Holy-Ghost alludeth to the custome of the Gentiles to whom he wrote which used these stones in judicature If the Judge gave a white stone it was a token of absolution but if it were a black stone it was a signe of condemnation The Spirit promiseth to give absolution or pardon of sin or freedome from condemnation to them that overcome Moreover healing of the soule is a worke of the Holy-Ghost so Paul manifesteth Acts 28.25 27. And I should heale them saith the Holy-Ghost there The Father the Son and Holy Ghost are equall in Power Majesty and Glory and do co-worke in forgiving of sins and healing of the soule of the believer CHAP. VII 2. The Father the Sonne and the Holy-Ghost do co-worke in imputing of Christs Righteousnesse ANd as not imputing our sinnes is a worke of God 2 Cor. 5.19 so the imputation of Christs righteousnesse to the believer is his worke likewise Though we have not a righteousnesse of our owne yet the Lord giveth us a righteousnesse of his own Rom. 10.3 which is answerable to his justice and what man or Angell is able to resist it He justifieth who shall condemn Rom. 8.33 It is one God that justifieth the circumcised Jew by faith and the uncircumcised Gentile through faith Rom. 3.30 Yet this one God is distinguished into three persons who do co-operate in this great work of justifying man through faith by the imputative righteousnesse of Christ which word imputed though divided by Papists yet is eight times used by the Apostle in one chapter Rom. 4.6 8 10 11 22 23 24. First The Father justifieth us not onely by pardoning of sin but by imputing of Christs righteousnesse which the Apostle calleth the righteousnesse of God Rom. 10 3. And that first because it is it which God imputeth for righteousnesse to us secondly because it is that which God accounteth for righteousnesse in us thirdly because it is that righteousnesse which Jâ—sus Christ who is God over all blâ—ssed for ever Rom. 9.5 hath wrought for us Thus the Father who raised Christ from the dead Gal. 1.1 1 Thes 1.10 imputeth this righteousnesse to us Rom. 4.24 Secondly the Sonne justifieth us By his knowledge saith Esay shall he justifie many Esa 53.11 He it is that maketh a reconciliation for sinne and bringeth in everlasting righteousnesse Dan. 9.24 But more cleerly doth the Apostle shew this truth 1 Cor. 6.11 Ye are justified in the Name of the Lord Jesus This righteousnesse of ours by faith Peter calleth the righteousnesse of God and of our Saviour Jesus Christ 2 Pet. 1.1 Not as if the Apostle spake of two distinct persons there being but one Article in the Originall and therefore there cannot be two distinct persons described thereby Yea our Lord Jesus promiseth to them that overcome to clothe them in white raiment Rev. 3.5 Thirdly The Holy Ghost justifieth us Ye are justified in the Name of the Lord Jesus and the Spirit of our God 1 Cor. 6.11 Thus the Father the Son and the Holy-Ghost who are one God are also one and the same efficient cause of our justification both in forgiving of sinnes and in imputing the righteousnesse of Christ through faith which is the instrument of our justification and is also the worke of God John 6.29 CHAP. VIII Faith is the worke of the Father the Son and the Holy-Ghost FAith is the instrument by which we are justified that is the hand by which we lay hold on the Lord Jesus and his righteousnesse and apply it also to our soules Yet faith is a Gift of God Eph. 2.8 It is his worke to purifie our hearts by faith Acts 15.9 Yea it is a worke of God wherein he exercised the same exceeding greatnesse of â—is power in effecting it that he used in raising Christ from the dead Eph. 1.19 20. It being as great a worke to worke faith in the heart of an unbeleever who is spiritually dead as it was to raise Christ from the grave when as he was corporally dead This being also an essentiall worke of God common to the Father Sonne and Holy-Ghost undividably to effect First the Father worketh faith in us the Apostle prayeth to him for it Eph. 6.23 Secondly the Sonne worketh faith in us the Apostle prayeth to him for it Eph. 6.23 and the Disciples of him the increase thereof Luke 17.5 And so likewise doth the father of the Lunatick Mark 9.24 By him do we believe in God 1 Pet. 1.21 Thirdly The Holy-Ghost worketh faith in us Cor. 12.9 It is a fruit of the Spirit Gal. 5.22 And we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousnesse by faith Gal. 5.5 Thus the mighty worke of faith is wrought in us by God who is distinguished into Father Sonne and Holy-Ghost which do unseparably undividably and unconfusedly worke this grace in our hearts in their personall order making us to believe and
soule-comforting graces that are therein First the Father witnesseth it to us he sendeth forth his Spirit into our hearts whereby we cry Abba Father Gal. 4.6 Secondly the Sonne witnesseth it to us he is the true and faithfull witnesse Rev. 3.16 Rev. 1.5 he witnesseth in us our salvation 1 Cor. 1.6 and testifyeth to us the comfort that are in his word Thirdly the Holy-Ghost witnesseth it to us he beareth witnesse with our spirits that we aâ—e the Children of God Rom. 8.16 There is three that beare record in heaven which doe not onely testifie Christ to be the Messiah or Saviour of the world but also to be our Messiah and Saviour the Father the Word and the Holy-Ghost and these three are one 1 Joh. 5.7 one God one witnesse Yea our Saviour Christ speaketh of this testimony plurally Joh. 3.11 we speake that we doe know and testifie that we have seene and ye receive not our witnesse a place not to be paralelld in the Evangelists where our Saviour speaketh plurally not in the name of John Baptist or the Prophets for their authority could no way adde to his neither did he receive testimony from man Joh. 5.34 where he spake it most peculiarly in regard of John Joh. 5.33 but he spake in his Fathers name and also in the Holy Spirits name whose testimony and authority he oft urged Joh. 5.32 Joh. 8.18 Luk. 4.18 19. and surely if Angel or Archangel or any Creature in heaven or in earth should onely witnesse our salvation to â—s in Christ we might then doubt but why should we doubt when the Lord himselfe witnesseth it First by word calling us in Scriptures his Children Secondly by deeds working in us grace which are the fruits of his spirit Gal. 5.22 and Thirdly by seale as I shall now shew ratifying it to our soules Eph. 1.13 CHAP. XVIII Sealing of us is a Worke of the Father of the Sonne and of the Holy-Ghost FIrst sealing is a note of appropriation we worke that which is our own and that which we have confirmed and sealed we doe account it our own now these whom the Lord chooseth to himselfe he sealeth The Lord knoweth who are his having this seale 2 Tim 2.9 Secondly sealing is a signe of distinction Lawyers cause seales to be put to Evidences Merchants set markes on their wares and Shepheards have brands for their sheep to know and distinguish them Thus Christ in a peculiar manner is sealed of God the Father Joh 6.27 and all the Elect are sealâ—d in him Eph. 1.4 Thirdly sealing is a worke of conforming There is a likenesse of the seale imprinted on the thing sealed and surely when the childe of God is sealed of God there is then an Image of God wrought on his soule God therefore sealeth us First to appropriate us as his own Secondly to distinguish us from others Thirdly to conforme us to his own Image which worke of sealing us is wrought by one God in three Persons First God the Father sealeth us so the Apostle sheweth Eph. 1.13 2 Cor. 1.22 Secondly the Sonne sealeth us Ezek. 9.3 4. He is the Angel of the Covenant Mal. 3.1 that hath the seale of the living God Rev. 7.2 who though an Angel by name yet is he not an Angel but a Sonne by nature Heb 2.16 Heb. 1.3 to 13. where the Apostle distinguisheth the creating Sonne from the created Angels plainly proving the Sonne to be the Creatour but Angels to be but creatures Thirdly the Holy-Ghost sealeth us Grieve not the Holy spirit of God by which we are sealed to the day of redemption Eph. 4.30 where the Apostle meeteth with two contrary errours First the Righteous after their calling may fall into sinne and so grieve the spirit God yet Secondly they cannot fall totally and finally for they are sealed by the spirit of God to the day of redemption Sealing of us therefore is the Worke of one God who is one in Power Will and Operation who sealeth his Children in their hearts confirming them thereby to his own Image and also sealing them in their foreheads imboldening them to professe him By the former he maketh us to love him by the latter he causeth us to acknowledge him CHAP. XIX Christian Libertie is a Worke of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Holy-Ghost BEing Redeemed Justified Adopted and Sanctified and sealed by God we have the glorious Liberty of the children of God We that were Bondmen by nature Tit. 3.3 Eph. 2.2 3. become the Lords freemen through gtace 1 Cor. 7.22 Lawyers tell us that if any Lord of a Mannor doe contract with his Villain 〈◊〉 is by that Act of his Lords dâ—livâ—â—â—â—â— from his most slavish tenure of Villenage and made free thereby surely the Lord our God condescending so low as to covenant with us in Christ he doth thereby free us from that slavish tenure we held by since Adams fall and maketh us therewith free Denizens of Heaven fellow-Citizens of the Saints and of the houshold of God Eph. 2.19 we are freed from sinne Rom. 6.22 Rom. 6.14 Rom. 8.33 we are set at libertie from Satan Heb. 2.14 15. Luk. 11.21 22. from the Law Rom. 7.3 6. Gal. 5.18 Rom. 6.18 from it's curses and maledictions Gal. 3.13 from it's condemnation Rom. 8.1 and from its rigour Gal. 3.10 there was Personall Universall Actuall and Constant obedience required in every title which left no place of repentance Repentance being an Evangelicall grace the proper priviledge of the covenant of grace Christ came from heaven to publish it Luk. 5.31 32. Mat. 4.17 he shed his bloud to purchase it Act. 5.31 he bids his Disciples to preach it Luk. 24.47 and surely therefore it cannot be legall the apostatizing Angels had not the benefit of it nor man till Christ had purchased it Christ hath freed us from this rigour of the Law and from the wrath of God Rom. 5.9 1 Thes 1.10 This Worke is a Worke of God none could effect it But First the Father procureth us Liberty He delivereth us from captivity Paul giveth thanks to God for it Rom. 7.24 25. where God is taken Essentially and not Personally for the Sonne and Holy-Ghost free us from our slavish captivity together with the Father Secondly the Sonne procureth us Liberty Gal. 5.1 Stand fast in the Liberty wherewith Christ hath made you free There are two things which the Lord hath entrusted in his Churches hand First christian faith for which we must earnestly contend Jude ver 3. Secondly christian Liberty in which we must stand fast The Apostle calleth it the Libertie we have in Christ Gal. 2.4 which is Christian liberty not onely because we must use it to the glory of Christ and according to his rules but because he is the Author of it If the Sonne make you free then are you free indeed Joh. 8.36 he delivereth us who through feare of death were all our lifetime subject to bondage Heb. 2.15 Thirdly the Holy-Ghost giveth us liberty 2
The Father the Sonne and the Holy-Ghost which gave this Law are one Jehovah Deut. 6.4 Heare O Israel the Lord thy God is one God and yet the pluralitie of Persons which is shewed by our Saviour to be the Father the Sonne and the Holy-Ghost is intimated in the word Elohim as R. Simeon Ben. Johaâ— in Zoar writing on thâ—s place affirmeth adding moreover that this Misterie shall not be revealed before the comming of the Messiah The Doctrine of the Trinitie being maintained by the Ancienter Rabbies but by these of Latter times in opposition to the Lord Jesus this truth as well as others is wilfully and maliciously opposed CHAP. XIII The breach of these Lawes was an offence against the Father the Sonne and the Holy-Ghost AS the Lord was the Maker and giver of these Lawes so he it is that is offended by the breakers of these Lawes And thus David acknowledgeth although he had sinned against Bathsheba by inticing her to folly againgst Uriah by murdering him against the whole Army by indangering them at the death of Uriah against the Church of God by giving them an evill example and against the Children of Ammon causing them by this his act to blaspheme God and to defie Israel 2 Sam. 12. yet he saith against thee against thee onely have I sinned Psal 51.4 For the Lord is properly the partie offended whether the sinne be committed immediately against him as in the sins against the first Table or whether the sinne be committed mediately against him as in sinnes against the second Table And surely the wrong done to the crâ—ature is therefore a wrong because it is against the will the command of the Creator and were it not for that no wrong were done to the creature Now as the Father the Son and the Holy-Ghost gave the Law so sinne which is the transgression of the Law is committed against the Father the Sonne and the Holy-Ghost and doth provoke them to wrath First sinne is an offence committed against First the Father Thus the Children of Israel sinned against him in breaking Moses Law Joh. 7.19 and therefore Christ in his prayer said Luk. 23.34 Father forgive them they know not what they doe As God he himselfe forgave them but as man being the great high Priest he prayed for them and as the Advocate of the Church he excused them It was great love in the Sonne of man to forgive them greater love to pray for them but most great love to excuse them Secondly the Sonne So the Children of Israel sinned against him in the Wildernesse They tempted Christ and were destroyed of the Destroyer 1 Cor. 10.9 and the Apostle telleth us that they which wound the weake conscience of their Brethren sinne against Christ 1 Cor. 8.12 he likewise is reproached by them that reproach his saints Heb. 11.25 and persecuted by those that persecute his people Act. 9.4 yea ungodly Apostataes doe crucifie afresh the Sonne of God and put him to an open shame Heb. 6.6 Thirdly the Holy-Ghost For surely the Children of Israel sinned against him They rebelled and vexed the holy Spirit Isa 63.10 Act. 7.51 wicked men by sinne doe reproach him 1 Pet. 4.14 Anâ—nias and Sapphira did lye to him Act. 5.3 4. and did tempt him Act. 5.9 and were taken away by sudden death Act. 5.5 10. yea our Saviour telleth you of a blasphemy against the Holy-Ghost which shall never be forgiven Mat. 12.32 Surely the Holy Ghost is God equall with the Father the blasphemy against him being irremissible Thus it is one God who is distingushed into three Persons the Father the Sonne and the Holy-Ghost who is the onely Law-giver and against whom any sinne when it is committed is an offence being contrary to his Will Justice and Goodnesse CHAP. XIIII The Father the Sonne and the Holy-Ghost are provoked to wrath by sinne SUrely there is no such changeable passion in the immutable God as wrath neither is there such an affection in him as anger But the Scriptures condescending to our capacity and speaking after the manner of men doe attribute anger to God and doe ascribe wrath to the most high there being only the like effect of it wrought by his Justice but no such affect as the Schooles speake in his Majestie there being such effects as anger produceth in man wrought by him though there is not any passion of anger in him And surely if any thing could possibly make God to be angry with man it would be sinne which is so contrary to his Will Nature Holynesse and all his Attributes and therefore according to the language of the Scriptures sinne provoketh God to wrath and grieveth the holy One of Israel First the Father is provoked to wrath by sinne Rev. 6.16 He that sitteth in the Throne where the Father is included though the Sonne and Holy-Ghost are not excluded Rev. 22.1 3. Rev. 5.6 his wrath is terrible to the great ones of the earth Secondly the Son is provoked to wrath by sin Ps 2.12 Kisse the Sonne lest he be angry and ye perish from the way when his wrath is kindled but a little blessed are all they that puâ— their trust in him Perishing in the way importeth suddaine destruction whiles they are doing their actions yea the great Princes of the World shall be terrified with the wrath of the Lambe Rev. 6.16 Thirdly the Holy-Ghost is provoked to wrath by sinne Isai 63.10 and grieved thereby and therefore the Apostle dehorting from sinne addeth Eph. 4.30 and grieve not the Holy Spirit sinne being that which alone angreth and grieveth this holy Spirit The Father the Sonne and the Holy-Ghost being of one Nature Power and Authoritie are alike grieved and provoked to wrath by the sinnes of the wicked and the transgressions of the ungodly Oh that men would looke in anger upon their sinnes in time which if not repented of will make the Lord look in anger on them for ever CHAP. XV. The Father the Sonne and the Holy-Ghost doe onely worke Miracles THe Lord alone for the good of his Church can and doth onely Worke Miracles Psal 136.4 He alone doth wondrous things Psal 72.18 it is not in the power of any Creature properly to doe any Miracle Joh. 10.21 Angels good and bad may and oft doe effect great and strange Workes but it is not without the helpe of God First they worke by the hâ—lpe of God they having their power and being of him Satan and his instruments can doe no more then the Lord giveth them power And it is Pareus observation that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is given is twenty times used in the Revelations even then when the Holy-Ghost speaketh of the power of evill Angels and wicked men Secondly they use the h lpe of Gods Creatures in all their workes But the Lord alone worketh of himselfe and wit out the helpe of any Creature First he alone doth wondrous things Secondly He alone giveth power to work Miracles First