all false Gods or other pretended Gods that Christ is the True God the Supreme God the same God with the Father and not another God CHARACTER I. The first Character which we meet with of this God is that of Gen. 1.1 In the beginning God created the Heaven and the Earth Which I think no man doubts but to be meant of the True God the Supreme God And by virtue of this he claims the Sovereignty thereof The Earth is the Lord's and the fulness thereof Psal. 24.1 Jehovah the Lord of all the Earth Josh. 3.11 13. The God of the Heaven and the God of the Earth Gen. 24.3 The Heaven is my Throne and the Earth is my Footstool Isa. 66.1 Behold the Heaven and the Heaven of Heavens is the Lord's the Earth also and all that is therein Deut. 10.14 The same Character is applied to God very often Isa. 42.5 8. Thus saith God the Lord Jehovah he that created the Heavens and stretched them out he that spread forth the Earth and that which cometh out of it he that giveth breath unto the people upon it and spirit to them that walk therein I am the Lord Jehovah that is my name and my Glory will I not give unto another And Isa. 48.13 Mine hand hath laid the foundation of the Earth and my right hand hath spanned or spread out the Heavens So Psal. 8.3 When I consider the Heavens the work of Thy fingers the Moon and the Stars which thou hast ordained Psal. 146.6 Which made Heaven and Earth the Sea and all that therein is And many other places not only in the Old Testament but in the New Testament likewise as Acts 14.15 That ye should turn from these vanities unto the Living God who made Heaven and Earth and the Sea and all things that are therein And Acts 17.24 God that made the World and all things therein So Revel 4.11 Thou hast created all things Chap. 14.7 Him that made Heaven and Earth and the Sea and the Fountains of Water And it is the distinctive Character whereby he doth distinguish himself from all other pretended Gods Jer. 10. Where he who at ver 10. is called The Lord the true God the living God an everlasting King at who 's wrath the Earth shall tremble and the Nations shall not abide his indignation doth at ver 11. give this defiance to all other Gods Thus shall ye say to them The Gods which have not made the Heavens and the Earth they shall perish from the Earth and from under these Heavens Now this Character we find ascribed to Christ. Not only where it is spoken as of God indefinitely but to be understood of Christ as are some of the places already mentioned But even where it is particularly applied to him I shall begin with that of Joh. 1.1 2. where we have a large Discourse of him In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God Where by the Word is meant Christ as is evident from the further descriptions of him in the following verses 'T is he of whom John the Baptist came to bear witness ver 7 8. He who came into the World but the World knew him not ver 10. Who came to his own but his own received him not but to as many as received him he gave power to become the Sons of God ver 11.12 Who was made flesh and dwelt amongst us and we beheld his glory the glory as of the onely begotten of the Father ver 14. He of whom John bare witness and cryed saying This is he of whom I spake He that cometh after me is preferred â—efore 〈◊〉 â—or he was before me not as to his Humane Naâ—ure foâ— so John the Baptist was older than he by six months Luk. 1.26 and of his fulness saith St. John we have all received grace for grace For the Law was given by Moses but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ ver 15 16 17. 'T was Jesus Christ therefore that is here called the Word Now of this same Word it is said The same was in the beginning with God All things were made by him and without him was not any thing made which was made ver 2 3. He was in the World and the World was made by him ver 10. Consonant to that of Heb. 11.3 The Worlds we refrmed by the Word of God and 2 Pet. 3.5 By the Word of God the Heavens were of old and the Earth standing in the Water and out of the Water And by the same Word the heavens and earth are kept in store or preserved ver 7. And to the same purpose Col. 1.16 17. By him were all things created that are in heaven and that are in earth And he is before all things and by him all things consist And Heb. 1.2 By whom also he made the Worlds In Psal. 102. we have a long Prayer to the Supreme God doubtless which bears this title A Prayer of the Afflicted when he is overwhelmed and poureth out his complaint before the Lord the Lord Jehovah It begins thus Hear my Prayer O Lord Jehovah and let my cry come unto thee And at the same rate he proceeds addressing himself to the same God all along And at ver 24 25 26 27. he speaks thus O my God thy years are throughout all Generations Thou of old hast laid the Foundations of the Earth and the Heavens are the work of thy hands who is the same God therefore of whom Moses had before said In the beginning God created the Heaven and the Earth Gen. 1.1 They shall perish as the Psalmist proceeds but thou shalt endure Yea all of them shall wax old as a Garment as a vesture shalt thou change them and they shall be changed But thou art the same and thy years shall have no end And doubtless the Psalmist when he made this long Prayer thought not of addressing himself to any other than the Supreme God Not to a God who had not then a Being nor was to have till a Thousand Years after as the Socinians would have us think of Christ. He prays to God as his Redeemer that is to Christ. And that Christ is that God to whom he did thus address we are expresly told Heb. 1.8 10 11 12. But unto the Son he saith Thou Lord in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the Earth and the Heavens are the Works of thine hands They shall perish but thou remainest and they all shall wax old as doth a Garment and as a vesture shalt thou fold them up and they shall be changed but thou art the same and thy years shall not fail All which is plainly cited from that Psalm Christ therefore is that God to whom that Prayer was made the same Supreme God who created the Heaven and the Earth even Jesus Christ the same yesterday and to day and for ever Heb. 13.8 And it is very frequent in Scripture that what in one place is spoken of God
days and three nights in the Whale's belly when brought as an Argument to prove our Saviour ought so long to lie in the Grave But St. Paul tells us 1 Cor. 15.3 4. that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures and that he rose again the Third day according to the Scriptures And Christ in like manner Luk. 24.46 Yet I know not any thing more clear to that purpose in the Scriptures of the Old Testament than either this of Jonah's being so long in the Whale's belly to which Christ himself alludes Mat. 12.40 or that of Hos. 6.2 After two days he will revive us and the third day he will raise us up Which seems not to be more express for the Resurrection of Christ on the Third day than this of Jonah But such covert Intimations there are in the Old Testament of things afterward more clearly discovered in the New Nor was this unknown to the ancient Jewish Doctors as appears by what Ainsworth in his Notes on Gen. 1. cites from thence out of R. Simeon Ben Jochai in Zoar Come see the Mystery of the word Elohim there are three Degrees and every Degree by it self Distinct and yet notwithstanding they are all one and joined together in One and are not divided one from another only there he calls Degrees what we now call Persons So that it was not unknown to the Jews of old whatever the present Jews think of it 3. What these Three are the Father the Word and the Spirit seems to be likewise intimated in the Story of the Creation Gen. 1. where they seem to be distinctly named In the beginning Elohim God created the Heaven and the Earth ver 1. where no man doubts but God the Father is implied though perhaps not He only And ver 2. The Spirit of God moved upon the face of the Waters Where Ainsworth tells us from the ancient Rabbines whom he cites they call him The Spirit of Mercies from before the Lord The Spirit of Wisdom called the Spirit of the Living God And The Spirit of the Messias Of the same Spirit we have elsewhere mention My Spirit shall not always strive with Man Gen. 6.3 Take not thine Holy Spirit from me Psal. 51.11 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me Isai. 61.1 They vexed his Holy Spirit Isai. 63.10 and elsewhere And if it be said that by the Spirit of God is meant God himself we say so too for we do acknowledge that the Holy Ghost is God himself And of the Word there is a like intimation ver 3. God Said or spake the Word Let there be Light and there was Light And in like manner ver 6 9 11.14 20. God Said Let there be a Firmament c. So Psal. 33.6 7. By the Word of the Lord were the Heavens made c. He Spake and it was done He Commanded and it stood fast And Psal. 148.5 He Spake the Word and they were made He commanded and they were created Consonant to that of Heb. 11.3 By faith we understand that the Worlds were made by the Word of God And 1 Pet. 3.5 7. By the Word of God the Heavens were of old and the Earth c. And by the same Word they are kept in store or preserved In which places by the Word so often mentioned and with such Emphasis put upon it seems to be meant that Word mentioned Joh. 1.1 3 10. In the beginning was the Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All things were made by Him The World was made by Him just as in Heb. 11.3 the Worlds were made by the Word of God Nor was this notion of the Word Personally taken unknown to the Jewish Doctors For what we have Psal. 110.1 The Lord said unto my Lord Dixit Jehova Domino meo the Chaldee Paraphrase renders by Dixit Jehova Bemeimreh in Verbo suo meaning by His Word the Messias and of whom our Saviour himself expounds it Mat. 22.44 And it is frequent in that Paraphrase by the Word to design the Messias as S. Joh. doth Joh. 1.1 In the beginning was the Word And I put the more weight upon this because as here Gen. 1.2 3. so we have in several other places the Word and Spirit mentioned as concerned in the Creation Psal. 33.6 By the Word of the LORD Jehovah were the Heavens made and all the Hosts of them by the Spirit or breath of his mouth Berwach Where we have Jehovah his Word and Spirit Job 26.12 13. He divideth the Sea by his Power and by his Wisdom or Vnderstanding he smiteth through the proud By his Spirit he garnisheth the Heavens his Hand hath formed the crooked Serpent Where we have the Power of God the Wisdom of God and the Spirit of God And Job 33.4 â—he Spirit of God hath made me and the Breath of tâ—e Lord hath given me Life So Psal. 104.24 30. O LORD Jehovah how wonderful are thy Works in VVisdom thou hast made them all Thou sendest forth thy Spirit they are created and thou renewest the face of the Earth And it is not amiss here to take notice that as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies as well ratio as oratio so Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is called the Word of God and the Wisdom of God And as in Joh. 1.1 3 10. it is said of the Word that in the beginning was the Word all things were made by Him and the World was made by him And Heb. 11.3 The Worlds were framed by the Word of God So the same is said of Wisdom Prov. 3.19 The LORD by VVisdom hath formed the Earth by Vnderstanding hath he established the Heavens And Prov. 8.22 c. The LORD possessed me Wisdom in the beginning of his way before his works of old I was set up from everlasting from the beginning ere ever the Earth was When he prepared the Heavens I was there When he established the Clouds above When he strengthened the Fountains of the deep When he appointed the Foundations of the Earth then was I by him c. And accordingly the Holy Ghost is called the Power of God Luk. 1.35 The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee and the Power of the Highest shall over-shadow thee And 1 Pet. 1.5 Who are kept by the Power of God through Faith unto Salvation which doubtless is not without the operation of the Holy Ghost working and preserving faith in us Suitably hereunto God's Power and Wisdom are oft conjoyned He is Wise in Heart and Mighty in Strength Job 9.4 c. He is excellent in Power and in Judgment Job 37.13 But without laying too great a stress on every particular there seems a foundation clear enough to consider the Word of God and the Spirit of God as clearly distinguishable even in the great Work of Creation and that the holy Writers even in the Old Testament have considered them as distinct and that even the Jewish Writers have owned them as such I know very well that those who have a
above and upon earth beneath there is none else And Isai. 42.8 I am JEHOVAH that is my name and my Glory will I not give unto another And Deut. 6.4 Hear O Israel the LORD thy God is one LORD or JEHOVAH thy God is one JEHOVAH there is no other Jehovah but he And Deut. 28.58 That thou mayest fear this glorious and fearful name THE LORD THY GOD or JEHOVAH thy God And to the same purpose Deut. 32.39 1 Sam. 12.2 and in many other places I will not despute whether this name JEHOVAH were never made known till God did thus declare it to Moses at Exod. 3.15 It might seem so to be by that of Exod. 6.3 I appeared unto Abraham and to Isaac and to Jacob by the name of God Almighty but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them 'T is true that God is often so called in the Book of Genesis But that Book was written by Moses after the time that Moses speaks of in Exodus And Moses might so call him by a name known at the time when he wrote though it had not been known at the time whereof he wrote As when Abraham is said to go forth from Vr of the Chaldees or of Chasdim Gen. 11.31 though Chesed the Son of Nahor from whom in likelihood the Chaldees were called Chasdim was not born till afterwards as appears Gen. 22.22 So Exod. 12.40 where the Children of Israel are said to have sojourned four hundred and thirty years it must be reckoned backward as far as Abraham's coming forth from Vr of the Chaldees at which time they could not be called the Children of Israel for Israel was not then born but it was that people who were afterwards called the Children of Israel And many such Prolepses or anticipations of Names there are in all Historians But whether it be upon this account or some other that he is said by his Name JEHOVAH not to have been known to them is not material to our present business 'T is enough that Jehovah is now known to be the signal Name of the True God and I think no where given to any other Now that our Saviour Christ is called Jehovah is not to be denied And it is for this reason that the Socinians would have us think that this Name is not peculiar to God In Jer. 23.5 6. he is called Jehovah Tzidkenu the LORD our Righteousness Behold the days come saith the Lord that I will raise unto David a Righteous Branch and a King shall reign and prosper and shall execute judgment and justice on the Earth In his days Judah shall be saved and Israel shall dwell in safety which is agreed by Jews and Christians to be understood of the Messias And this is the name whereby he shall be called JEHOVAH Tzidkenu the LORD our Righteousnâ—â—s JEHOVAH our Righteousness And to the same purpose Jer. 33.15 16. In Psal. 102. which is called A prayer of the afflicted when he poureth out his complaint before the LORD Jehovah It begins thus Hear my prayer O LORD Jehovah and let my cry come unto thee And he to whom this prayer is made is eight or nine times called the LORD Jehovah Now he to whom this prayer is made we are told Hebr. 1.8 10 11 12. is our Lord Christ Vnto the Son he saith Thou Lord in the beginning hast laid the foundations of the earth and the heavens are the works of thy hands They shall perish but thou remainest They all shall wax old as a garment and as a vesture shalt thou fold them up and they shall be changed but thou art the same and thy years shall not fail All which is cited out of that Prayer made to the Lord Jehovah So I the LORD Jehovah the first and the last Isai. 41.4 Thus saith the LORD Jehovah before me there was no God neither shall there be after me Isai. 43.10 Thus saith the LORD Jehovah the King of Israel and his Redeemer Jehovah the LORD of Hosts I am the first and I am the last and beside Me there is no God Isai. 44.6 which are the Characters applied to Christ Rev. 1.8 9. 2.8 21.6 22.13 as was shewed before 'T is true that in the Greek Septuagint of the Old Testament the name Jehovah is no where retained but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I think every where put for it Whether because of a Jewish Superstition no where to pronounce that Name or because it could not conveniently be expressed in Greek Letters I will not determine And for that reason because the Septuagints did not use it it is not used in the New Testament which doth mostly comply with the Language of the Septuagints as being the Greek Translation then in use And therefore we are not to look for the Name Jehovah there applied to Christ. But divers places are in the New Testament applied to Christ wherein the name Jehovah was used in the Old Testament And the name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Lord by which both the Septuagints and the New Testament do constantly render the Hebrew Name Jehovah is so frequently applied to Christ in the New Testament as that throughout the New Testament it is almost his constant Character the Lord the Lord Jesus Christ c. One Lord Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 8.6 Our Lord Jesus Christ the Lord of Glory Jam. 2.1 My Lord and my God Joh. 20.28 No man can say that Jesus is the Lord but by the Holy Ghost 1 Cor. 12.3 And elsewhere so often that none can be ignorant of it CHARACTER IV. The last Character which I shall insist upon of the True God the Only God is that of the Lord God of Israel Hear O Israel the Lord our God is one Lord. And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart c. Deut. 6.4 And the Lord thy God is almost the constant Language of Moses to the Children of Israel And it is the Character which God directs him to use Thus shalt thou say unto the Children of Israel The Lord God of your Fathers the God of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob hath sent me this is my name for ever and this is my memorial unto all Generations Exod. 3.15 and the Lord God of the Hebrews ver 18. And elsewhere very often throughout the Bible And doubtless he that was the Lord God of Israel is the true God the only God 'T is He who tells us I am the Lord thy God Thou shalt have no other God but Me Exod. 20.3 And Besides Me there is no other God Isai. 44.6 and so often elsewhere that it is needless to name the places And this Character as well as the rest is expresly given to Christ also Luk. 1.16 17. where we are expresly told of John the Baptist that many of the Children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord Their God to the Lord God of Israel for he shall go before Him in the spirit and power
is said of Christ Joh. 10.30 I and the Father are One is said of all Three by the same St. John â— Joh. 5.7 The Father the Word and the Holy Ghost thâ—se Three are One. Objection III. It is Objected that these words last cited are said to have been wanting in some Translations or some ancient Copies Answ. Be it so And so are some whole Epistles wanting in some Translations And considerable parts of some other Chapters But we are not therefore to cast them away as not Genuine The II d. and III d. Epistles of St. John and that of Jude are said to have been wanting in the Syriack and Arabick Translations And the Story of the Woman taken in Adultery Joh. 8. wanting in the Gothick Gospels And part of the last Chapter of St. Mark 's Gospel is said to be wanting in some Books And the Doxology in the close of the Lord's Prayer And the like in divers others But we must not thence conclude them not to be Genuine and put them out of our Bibles because they have chanced to be omitted in some Books And it is so far from being strange that such Omissions should sometimes happen that it is very strange if there were not a great Providence of God to preserve the Scriptures pure and entire that there should be no more such mistakes than what are found For before the convenience of Printing was found out when Copies were to be singly transcribed one from another and even those but in a few hands 'T was very possible and hardly avoidable even for a diligent Transcriber sometime to skip a line Especially which is the case here when some of the same words do again recur after a line or two Men are very subject both in Writing and Printing as those well know who are versed in either to leap from one word to the same recurring soon after Nor is such Omission when it happens readily discerned if as here the sense be not manifestly disturbed by it Now when such variety of Copies happens that words be found in some which are wanting in others this must either happen by a Casual mis-take without any design of Fraud or by a willful Falsification as to serve a particular turn which I take to be the case of the Papists Indices Expurgatorii And as to the words in question If the difference of Copies happened at first by a Casual mistake as I am apt to think 't is very easy for a Transcriber unawares to leave out a Line which was in his Copy especially where such omission doth not manifestly disturb the sense but not to put in a line which was not there And in such case the Fuller Copy is likelyest to be True and the Omission to be a Fault Which happening as it seems it did some hundreds of years ago in some one Copy it might easily pass unobserved into many others transcribed thence and so to others derived from those Transcripts But an Insertion of what was not in their Copy must needs be willful and not casual On the other side If this variety of Copies were at first from a willful Falsification It is much more likely to be a willful Omission of the Arians in some of their Copies which might be done silently and unobserved than by a willful Insertion of the Orthodox For the Insertion of such a clause if wholly New and which had never before been Heard of would have been presently detected by the Arians as soon as ever it should be urged against them Nor was any advantage to be made of it by the Orthodox since the Divinity of Christ which was the Point then in question might be as strongly urged from that in St. John's Gospel I and the Father are One as from this in his Epistle These Three are One. And therefore it is not likely that the Orthodox should willfully make any such Falsification from whence they could promise themselves no advantage Nor do I find it was ever charged upon them by the ancient Arians in those days though Athanasius and others urged it against them And in very ancient Copies in which it had been left out it is found supplied in the Margin as having been faultily omitted And it is the more likely to be Genuine because in this clause The Father the Word and the Holy-Ghost the second Person is called sunpliciter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Word which is St. John's Language both here and in his Gospel Joh. 1. And is I think peculiar to him and not so used by any other of the Holy Writers of the New Testament I do not deny but that this second Person may be called the Word of God in Heb. 11.3 By Faith we understand that the Worlds were framed by the Word of God And 2 Pet. 3.5 7. By the Word of God were the Heavens of old and the Earth c. and by the same Word they are kept in store As he is by the same St. John Rev. 19.13 His name is called the Word of God But to call him the Word absolutely without other addition I think is peculiar to St. John And therefore much more likely in this place to have proceeded from the same Pen and not to have been inserted by an Interpolater some hundreds of years after And that clause These Three are One in the Epistle agreeing so well with I and the Father are one in the Gospel is a further confirmation of their being both from the same Pen. Add to this That the Antithesis which we find in the 7 th and 8 th Verses is so very Natural that it is a great Presumption to be Genuine There are Three that bear record in Heaven The Father the Word and the Holy-Ghost and these Three are One And there are Three that bear witness in Earth The Spirit and the Water and the Blood and these Three agree in One. Which as it stands is very Natural but the latter clause would seem lame without the former and the words in Earth wholly redundant in the latter if not by Antithesis to answer to the words in Heaven in the former Verse And that it was anciently so read appears from St. Cyprian by whom it is twice cited in his Book De Unitate Ecclesiae and in his Epistle ad Jubaianum before the Arian Controversy was on foot In the former place arguing for the Church's Unity not to be broken by Schisms he speaks thus Dicit Dominus Ego Pater unum sumus Et iterum de Patre Filio Spiritu Sancto scriptum est Et hi tres unum sunt Et quisquam credit hanc Unitatem de divina firmitate venientem sacramentis coelestibus cohaerentem scindi in Ecclesia posse That is Our Lord saith I and the Father are One And again of the Father Son and Holy Ghost It is Written These Three are One. And who can believe that this Unity of the Church proceeding from this Firm Union in God
it to some other occasion that I be not prevented by the time in what I have to say further That there is a God the Creator a God the Redeemer and a God the Sanctifier and that these are the same God I think cannot reasonably be Denied I shall shew it of each As to God the Creator we are told Gen. 1.1 In the beginning God Created the Heaven and the Earth And to the same purpose in many other places And I think there is none doubts but that this Creator is the True God the Supreme God And in Jer. 10.11 God doth by this Character distinguish himself from all other pretended Gods The Gods that have not made the Heavens and the Earth they shall perish from the Earth and from under these Heavens As to God the Redeemer I know that my Redeemer liveth saith Job Ch. 19.25 By which Redeemer doubtless he meant the Living God a God who did then Live a God who was then in Being and not as the Socinians would have us think who was not to Be till Two Thousand years after And Isa. 44.6 Thus saith the Lord the Redeemer the Lord of Hosts I am the first and I am the last and beside Me there is no God Which Redeemeâ— must needs be the same God with God the Creator the Lord of Hosts As to God the Sanctifier Purge me with hyssop saith David and I shall be clean wash me and I shall be whiter than snow Create in me a clean heart O God and renew a right spirit within me Psal. 51.7 10. Which certainly are works of Sanctification and the God to whom David prayed is doubtless the Living God a God then in Being And when God promiseth â—o Israel I will give them a hearâ— to kâ—ow me and they shall return unto me with their whole heart Jer. 24.7 I will give them one heart and one way that they may fear me for ever I will put my fear in their hearts that they shall not depart from me Jer. 32.39 40. I will give them one heart and put a new spirit within them I will take away the heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh Ezek. 11.19 and 36.26 I will put my Law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts Jer. 31.33 The Lord thy God will circumcise thine heart and the heart of thy seed to love the Lord thy God with all thine heart and with all thy soul that thou mayst live Deut. 30.6 All these are sanctifying works and that God who doth them is God the Sanctifier And it is the same God who doth thus Sanctifie that is the Creator and the Redeemer Now this God the Creator God the Redeemer and God the Sanctifier I take to be the same with what we otherwise call God the Father God the Son and God the Holy Ghost And our Church doth so expound it in her Catechism First I learn to believe in God the Father who hath Made me and all the World Secondly In God the Son who hath Redeemed me and all Mankind Thirdly In God the Holy Ghost who Sanctifieth me and all the Elect people of God And it is no more absurd or inconsistent to say that God the Father God the Son and God the Holy-Ghost are the same God than to say that God the Creator God the Redeemer and God the Sanctifier are the same God As they stand related to us they are called God the Creator God the Redeemer and God the Sanctifier As to the different Oeconomy amongst themselves one is called the Father who is said to Beget another the Son who is said to be Begotten a third the Holy-Ghost who is said to Proceed or Come forth But are all the same God Objection IV. But then here I meet with another Objection on which the Socinians lay great weight If God the Creator God the Redeemer and God the Sanctifier or God the Father God the Son and God the Holy-Ghost be the same God they cannot then be Three Persons And if they be Three Persons they must be Three Gods For like as Three Persons amongst Men doth signifie Three Men so Three Persons who are God must be Three Gods Contrary to the First Commandment which allows us to have but One God To which I answer First This is only to cavil at a Word when they have nothing of moment against the Thing So that if inâ—â—ead of saying â—hese Three Persons are One God we say These Three are One God or give them another Name instead of Persons or say these Three Somewhats without giving them a Name this Objection is at an end 2. I say further 'T is very true that in our English Tongue by another Person we sometimes understand another Man because that other Person is very often another Man also But it is not always so nor is that the proper Signification of the Word but an Abusive sense put upon it And the reason of using the word Person in this abusive or improper sense is for want of an English word to answer the Latin word Homo or the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which might indifferently relate to both Sexes For the word Man doth properly relate to the Male and Woman to the Female And if the word Man be sometimes so used as to imply the Woman also it is by a Synecdoche putting the Name of One Sex to signifie Both. And 't is for want of such a Word which might indifferently relate to both Sexes that we sometime make use of Person in a borrowed sense rather than to use a Circumlocution of Man and Woman by naming both Sexes And if we should use such Circumlocution of Man and Woman yet even this would not reach the whole Species For we do not use to call them Man and Woman till they be of a considerable Age before which time they are called Children and therefore to comprehend the whole Species we say Man Woman and Child We do indeed sometimes to that purpose make use of the word Mankind adding the word kind to that of Man to Ampliate the Signification of it But this relates only to Genus Humanum in a Collective sense not to Homines taken Distributively For we do not say a Mankind two Mankinds c as we say Homo Homines We are fain therefore for want of a proper English word to make use of Person in a borrowed sense to answer the Latin Homo But the Ancient Fathers who first applied the word Persona to the Sacred Trinity did not speak English And therefore we cannot from the present use of the word Person in our Language conclude in what sense they used the word Persona 3. Again the Schoolmen in later Ages have yet put another sense on the word Persona peculiar to themselves extending it indifferently to Men and Angels for want of a proper word of that Extent so as to signifie with them what they call Suppositum Rationale or what we call a Reasonable
than the Infinite the Eternal the Almighty God The same yesterday and to day and for ever as he is called Heb. 13.8 The Blessed and only Potentate the King of Kings and Lord of Lords who only hath Immortality c. as he is described 1 Tim. 6.14 15 16. And again The King of Kings and Lord of Lords Rev. 17.14 and Rev. 19.16 The Great God and our Saviour Tit. 2.13 Where our Saviour is so contra-distinguished not as another from the Great God but as another Title of that same Person He that is our God and Saviour or God our Saviour as it is Tit. 3.4 like as God and the Father Ephes. 5.2 and again Col. 3.17 Giving thanks to God and the Father For 't is manifest that here Tit. 2.13 it is spoken of Christs coming to judgment which is here called the Glorious appearance of the Great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ that is the glorious appearance of Jesus Christ who is the Great God and our Saviour The title that Jeremy gives to God Jer. 32.18 The great and mighty God the Lord of Hosts is his name Christ therefore our Saviour is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Great God And the Doxology there added Rev. 1.6 To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever Amen is equivalent to that of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 9.5 God blessed for ever And the like 1 Tim. 6.16 To whom be Honour and Power everlasting Amen And much more that of Rev. 5.12 13 14. Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive Power and Riches and Wisdom and Strength and Honour and Glory and Blessing As High a Doxology as that in the close of the Lords-prayer To which we have the Acclamation of every Creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the Sea and all that are therein saying Blessing Honour Glory and Power be unto him that sitteth upon the Throne and unto the Lamb for ever and ever And the four Beasts said Amen And the four and twenty Elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever Too great things to be said of a mere Creature or a Titular God but very agreeable to Christ being as he is the same God with the Father the only True God I might here add a like Remark on that of Isai. 48.12 Hearken O Israel I am HE I am the First I am also the Last And in like manner Isai. 41.4 Isai. 43.10 13 25. Deut. 32.39 I even I am HE Hu and there is no other God with me or beside me And to the same purpose elsewhere Ani Hu I am HE so we render it I am HE What HE 'T is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 'T is the HE Absolutely taken and Emphatically applied to God Which I take to be of like import with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I AM I that Am or That which IS The Greek Septuagint in the places cited renders Ani Hu by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And the vulgar Latin indifferently by Ego Sum Ego Ipse Ego Sum Ipse Ego Ipse Sum That is I am He or I AM. And Christ of himself Joh. 8.58 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Before Abraham was I AM. And I the rather take it so to signify in the places cited because I there find it attended exegetically with an Intimation of his Eternity He Is He is the First and he is the Last Before him none Was and after him none shall Be He Is and ever Was and ever shall Be. CHARACTER III. The next Character that I shall insist upon is that of the two Proper Names of God Jah and Jehovah which I take to be Proper to God and Incommunicable to any other I put them both together because they be both of the same import and indeed of the same with Ehjeh I AM before-mentioned The chief difference is that Ehjeh I AM retains the form of the Verb but Jah and Jehovah are Nouns verbal from Hajah or Havah which signifie to Be All denoting Gods absolute Being And All peculiar to the Supreme God and no where applied in Scripture that I know of to any other I know the Socinians would perswade us that Jehovah is sometime given to an Angel which we do not deny but we say that Angel is not a Created Angel but the Angel of the Covenant who is God himselâ— The name Jah comes often in the Old Testament but not so often as Jehovah Particularly in Psal. 68.5 Sing unto God sing praises to his Name extol him that rideth upon the heavens by his Name JAH So we find it in our Bibles and it agrees with the Original But in our Psalters by a continued mistake instead of Jah or Ya is printed Yea. But this name is no where I think retained in the Greek Septuagint the Septuagint renders it by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nor in the New Testament which frequently follows the Septuagints form of Speech unless in the Solemn Form of praise Hallelu-Jah which the Greek puts into one word Alleluia that is Praise Jah or as it is usually rendred Praise ye the Lord. Which is jointly applied to him that sits upon the Throne and to the Lamb Rev. 19.1 3 4 6. whom I take to be there meant by the Lord our God ver 1. and the Lord God Omnipotent ver 6. and the Great God ver 17. For the Supper of the Great God ver 17. is the same with the Supper of the Lamb ver 7 9. The name Jehovah is in the Old Testament much more frequent especially in the Original Hebrew But in our Translation is frequently rendered by the LORD as in all those places if the Printers have been careful where LORD is printed in Capital Letters The name Jehovah is at Exod. 3.14 â—5 made equivalent to Ehjeh I AM. For what is said at ver 14. Thus shalt thou say unto the Children of Israel I AM hath sent me unto you is thus repeated at ver 15. Thus shalt thou say unto the Children of Israel JEHOVAH the God of your Fathers the God of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob hath sent me unto you with this Addition This is my name for ever and this is my memorial unto all generations And Psal. 81.18 That men may know that thou whose Name alone is JEHOVAH art the most High over all the earth In which place the restrictive word Alone cannot be understood to affect the word Name as if it were thus to be construed cujus nomen est Jehovah solum Whose name is Only Jehovah For God we know had other Names whereby he is often called But to the word Whose cujus solius nomen est Jehovah To whom Alone or to whom Only the name Jehovah doth belong So Isai. 45.5 I am JEHOVAH and none else there is no God beside me And Deut. 5.35 39. JEHOVAH he is God and there is none else beside him JEHOVAH he is God in heaven
of Elias Now we all know whose fore-runner John Baptist was and before whom he was to go in the Power and Spirit of Elias And he before whom he was thus to go is the Lord God of Israel and therefore not only a Titular God or a Creature God but the True God the Supreme God the same God with that God who is the Lord God of Israel whom no man doubts to be the True God the Supreme God the Only God I might add many other Characters given to Christ proving him to be the True God as that Rev. 2.13 I am he which searcheth the Reins and Hearts and I will give unto every one according to his Works and to the same purpose Rev. 22.12 and elsewhere which God the True God claims as his peculiar Prerogative Jer. 17.9 10. The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked Who can know it I the LORD search the Heart I try the Reins to give to every man according to his ways and according to the fruit of his doings And to the same purpose Jer. 11.20 Jer. 20.12 1 Chron. 28.9 Psal. 7.9 Psal. 139.1 and in many other places And that likewise of Isai 9.6 His Name shall be called Wonderful Councellor the Mighty God the Everlasting Father the Prince of Peace c. with many other Characters of like nature which can never agree to any but the True God But it is not my business in this short Discourse to say All that might be said but what may be sufficient He therefore that is as hath been shewed God the True God the Mighty God the Everlasting Father the Eternal God the First and the Last before whom nothing was and after whom nothing shall be that Was and Is and shall Be the same yesterday and to day and for ever the Almighty by whom the World was made by whom all things were made and without whom nothing was made that was made who laid the foundations of the Earth and the Heavens are the work of his hands who when the Heavens and the Earth shall fail his years endure for ever who searcheth the heart and the reins to give to every one according to his works who is Jehovah the Lord God of Israel the Supreme being which is over all God blessed for ever who is the Blessed and only Potentate the King of Kings and Lord of Lords who only hath immortality to whom be Honour and Power Everlasting Amen That God I say of whom all these great things are said is certainly not a mere Titular God who is called God but is not a Creature God or only a dignified Man For if these be not Characters of the True God by what Characters shall the True God be described I know the Socinians have imployed their Wits to find out some tricks to evade or elude some of these plain places which I shall not trouble my self or you to repeat or to give an answer to them For they are so weak and so forced that the plain words of Scripture read together with the forced senses they would put upon them are answer enough nor do they need or deserve any further answer OBJECTION VIII The last Objection which I shall now take notice of is this That the Doctrine of the Trinity was not known to the Jewish Church before Christ. To which I answer 1. If it were not made known to them it was not necessary for them to know For matters of pure Revelation are not necessary to be known before they are revealed nor farther than they are revealed But may be so to us to whom they are Revealed The whole Doctrine of our Redemption by Christ was doubtless unknown to Adam before his Fall And had he not fallen it would have been no fault in him not to have known it at all And when after his fall it was first made known to him in that first promise that the Seed of the Woman should break the Serpents head Gen. 3.15 it was yet so dark that he could know very little as to the particulars of it of what is now known to us And as God by parcels 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at sundry times and in divers manners declared more of it to Abraham to David and the Prophets so were they obliged to know and believe more of it and when in the last days he had declared the whole of it by his Son Heb. 1.1 2. it is now necessary for us to believe much more of which they might be safely ignorant And of the Trinity likewise if it were not then revealed 2. But Secondly There were many things which though not fully revealed so as to be clearly understood by All were yet so insinuated as to be in good measure understood by some and would more be so when the Veil should be taken off from Moses's face 2 Cor. 3.13 15 16. Thus the Death and Resurrection of Christ were not understood even by his own Disciples till after his Resurrection Yet we must not say that these things were not before intimated in the Scriptures though covertly for when their understandings were opened to understand the Scriptures and what had been written of him in the Law of Moses and in the Prophets and in the Psalms they then perceived that it was so written and that it behooved Christ to Suffer and to Rise from the dead the Third day Yet this was therein so covertly contained that they seem no more to have understood it than that of the Trinity And St. Paul in the Epistle to the Hebrews declares a great deal to have been covered under the Jewish Rites and Ceremonies which certainly most of the Jewish Church did not understand though in good measure it might be understood by some I might say the like of the Resurrection which was but darkly discovered till Immortality was brought to light through the Gospel 2 Tim. 1.10 We must not yet say it was wholly unknown to the Jewish Church of whom many no doubt did believe it Yet neither can we say it was generally received For we know the Pharisees and the Sadduces were divided upon that point Act. 23.6 7 8. And so little is said of it in the Old Testament that those who had a mind to be captious might have found much more specious pretence of cavilling against it then than our Adversaries now have against the Doctrine of the Trinity 3. I say Thirdly as of the Resurrection there were then divers intimations which are now better understood in a clearer light than at that time they were So I think there were also of the Doctrine of the Trinity I shall instance in some of them 1. That there was in the Unity of the God-head a Plurality of Somewhat which now we call Persons seems fairly to be insinuated even in that of Elohim-bara Gen. 1.1 In the beginning God created where Elohim God a Nominative Case Plural is joined with Bara a Verb Singular which is as if we should say in
Wittichio Lugduni Batavorum apud Cornelium Boutestein 1682. Let. IV. p. 36. l. 26. after Athanasius Add 'T is the same thing with me whether it were written by Him or some Other as long as I find it agreeable to Scripture At the end of the same line Add Wherein yet I would not be thought to encourage dangerous Errors For the Errors are equally Dangerous and equally Fundamental whether I do or do not Anathematize them p. 38. at the End Add Jan. 13. 1690 1. Yours John Wallis Let. VI. p. 9. l. 25. Add this Marginal Note Socinus 's Words are these Velim autem scias me duplici de causa praeter eam quam ipse commemoras ab ista quaestione De Animae Immortalitate abstinuisse Nam mihi res erat cum homine qui me calumniandi inque omnium invidiam vocandi omnem occasionem quaerebat Necdum mihi quid de quaestione ista statuendum sit plane exploratum erat quemadmodum nec hodie quidem est Tantum id mihi videtur statui posse Post hanc vitam animam seu animum hominis non ita per se subsistere ut praemia utla poenasvé sentiat vel etiam ista sentiendi sit capax Quae mea Firma Opinio facile potest ex Disputatione ista colligi Cum ex multis quae identidem à me ibi dicuntur Tum ex ea ipsa de qua praecipuè agitur sententia mea Nam quamvis cum ipso Puccio disputans qui ut immortalitatem primi hominis ante peccatum probaret animi ipsius Immortalitatem mihi objiciebat ostendi non propterea dici posse hominem immortalem quia anima ipsius non moriatur Tamen satis apparet me sentire non ita vivere post hominis ipsius mortem animam ejus ut per se praemiorum poenarúmve capax existat Cum in ipso primo homine totius Immortalitatis rationem uni gratiae Divinae tribâ—o nec in ipsa Creatione quidquam Immortalis Vitae agnosco Socini Epist. 5. ad Volkelium die 16. Novembris Anno 1596. Let. VI. p. 12. l. 3. Add this Marginal Note Sandiru 's Words are these cited by Wittichius in his Causa Spiritus Sancti Victrix pag. 4. Jam finitis illis quae ad Librum tuum regerenda duxi praeter ea quae satis à Socio meo responsum puto Oro te ne graveris ulteriùs hoc argumentum prosequi quò tandem Veritas si fieri possit patefiat velut scintilla ex silice ad Chalybem alliso prosiliat Nam ingenuè fateor mihi conjecturam mean longè verisimiliorem visam antequam Librum tuum quo me docere aggressus es legissem Non parùm contulit ad eam debilitandam consideratio mea Joh. 1.32 33. Mat. 4. â—1 Nam postquam in Baptismo Spiritus Sanctus super Christum descendit super eum mansit eumque in desertum duxit nec ab eo recessit cum non verisimile sit Christum tentationem Satanae sine Spiritus Sancti auxilio superâsse finita demum tentatione dicuntur Angeli accessisse ministrâsse ei Quod si itaque conjectura mea consistere non possit ut vix possit perpendendum erit an non Spiritus Sanctus possint esse septem Spiritus Principales vel multitudo Spirituum longè subtiliorum caeteris Angelorum ordinibus fortean naturâ ipsâ Et an per hanc hypothesin salvari possint omnes difficultates contra conjecturam meam hactenus productâ— Novi quendam qui sentit Spiritum Sanctum quidem esse unam Personam camque creatam sed totum Vniversum Essentia sua pervadentem Valdè autem dubito an haec sententia subsistere queat Illa de una Persona Spiritus Sancti comprehensis sub eo Angelis tanquam ejus ministris satellitibus mihi non admodum arridet Si autem horum nihil verum comperiatur tum demum mihi verisimillimum videbitur Spiritum Sanctum cum Deo Patre ejusque Verbo unum Deum unam Substantiam unum Individuum esse Heb. 9.15 2 Cor. 5.1 1 Pet. 1.4 Heb. 12.28 2 Cor. 4.17 1 Cor. 15.53 1 Tim. 2.5 Col. 10.20 21. Rom. 5.10 11. alibi 1 Joh. 2.2 Joh. 1.29 Heb. 9.12 15. Eph. 1.14 Heb. 7.25 Jam. 2 19. 2 Thes. 1.8 Tit. 1.16 Gal. 3.13 Matth. 5.17 Joh. 17.2 2 Thes. 1.8 1 Pet. 1.18 Tit. 2.12 13 14. * For I take the Hebrew Pronouns Hu and Hi which we commonly render by He She or It according as the Gender varies to be Derivatives from the Verb Havah or Hajah which signifies To Be. Not that I take Hu to be a proper Name of God as are Jah and Jehovah from the same Verbs But an Appellative wâ—rd common to the Creatures also but here Emphatically applâ—ed to God as are the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which are common to the Creatures alâ—o for â—hey also are in their kind 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And the Latin Pâ—onouns is id that is he or it when Relatively taken are to be expounded of their Antecedent to which tâ—â—y Relate But when put Aâ—solutely without an Antecedent they are of alike import with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Quid taken Substantively 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according â—o which we use to say even in our Metaphysâ—cks Ens Aliquid conâ—ertuntâ—r He or It so taken arâ— of the same import with a Being or What Is. And the Learned Gatâ—ker than whom I do not know that we have a better Critick more Judicious or more Acute though in his Book De â—tylo Novi Instrumenti contra Pfochenium he do nâ—t take Hu to be a Proper Name of God but communicable to Creatures however here Emphaticâ—llâ— applied to him Yet doth allow that in these places and in many others oâ— which he gives divers instances it is used for the Veâ—b Substantive Sum or Est. Which is the same wiâ—â—â—hat I say that it Imports a Being or to Be and therefore when signally applied to Gâ—d â—is Absolute Infinite Independent Self-Being And so it seems the Septuagiâ—ts did 〈◊〉 undâ—rstand it who render Ani Hu by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I AM and the Vuâ—gar Latin b◠〈◊〉 Sum and in the New Tâ—stamâ—â—t which commonly â—ollows the Phrase oâ— the â—eptâ—â—gints Christ says it of himself Before Abraham Was not I Was but I Am 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 importing â—hereby his Permanent and Insâ—ccessive Being co-exisâ—ent to all the 〈…〉 Successive Duration Past Present and Future the same Yesâ—erday and To-daâ— and foâ— eâ—er The differeâ—ce between is or id Relatively takâ—n râ—lating to what we call 〈◊〉 Antecedent and the same taken Absolutely without such reference to other 〈◊〉 it selfe is much the same as between what the Logiâ—ians call Est secundi â—djecti which is but a Copula to join the Predicate with the â—ubject and Est â—â—rrâ— adjecti where it self is or doth include the Predicate As when Sâ—cratâ—â— Est 〈◊〉 râ—solved by Socrates Est Ens or Est Existens The word Est so taken including 〈◊〉 the Copula and the Predicate Like as id or quid Substantively taken is not Relative 〈◊〉 Absolute and the same with Ens. * In one Great Bible of this Trâ—nslation amoâ—gst Mr. Selden's Books in the Bodleyan Library appointed to be read in â—â—urches as we are told in thâ— Title page printed if I do not mis-remember tâ—e date aboâ—â— the Reign of King Edwâ—rd the Sixth or the end of King Henry the Eigâ—th I find the Name JA. But in all other whether Psalters or Bibles Old or New of that Translation that I have consulted it is Yea. Of which I suppose the occasion at first was this The Hebrew Letter by different persons is differently called Jod and Yod and accordingly that Name to be written in English Ja or Ya Which being it seems in some Books written or printed Ya some after-Printer thinking it to be mis-printed for yea did so as he thought Correct it and the Error hath thence been propagated eversince Yet this having it seems been discovered by some-body some while since I find in divers late Editions of the Psalter or Psalms in our Book of Common-prayer which follows that Translation it is thus printed praise him in his name yea and rejâ—yce before him with a Comma before and after yea leaving it indifferent whether to refer Yea or Ya to the former Clause as the Name of God or to the latter Clause as the Affirmative particle yea But in the Original Hebrew and in all other Translations that I have observed in any Language I find the name Jah or somewhat equivalent thereunto as doubtless it ought to be * So in Isa. 41.10 Fear not I am with thee and ver 13. Fear not I will help thee and ver 14. Fear not I will help thee saith the Lord and thy Redeemer and ver 16. The Wind or Spirit Ruach shall carry them away and the Whirl-wind shall scatter them Is in the Chaldee Paraphrase rendred into Latin Ne timeas quia in adjutorium tuum erit Verbum meum Ne timeas quia Verbum meum erit in adjutorium tuum Ne tâ—meatis Verbum meum est in auxilium vestrum dicit dominus Redemptor vester Ventus seu Spiritus abripiet eos Verbum ejus disperget eos quasi Turbo stipulas Where we have God his Word and Spirit So in Isai. 48.11 For my own sake for my own sake will I do it and ver 12. Heaâ—ken unto Me and ver 13. My hand hath laid the foundation of the Earth and my right hand hath spanned the heavens and ver 15. I even I have spoken I have called him and ver 16. Come ye near unto me hear ye this Are in the Chaldee Paraphrase Propter Nomen meum propter Verbum meum faciâ—m Obedite Verbo meo In Verbo meo fundavi terram in Potentia mea appendi coelos Where again we have God his Word and Power or Spirit In Verbo meo pepigi pactum cum Abraham patre vestro vocavi eum Accedite ad Verbum meum audite haec And at the like rate in many other places