his Father loves them and â—ears good wil to them The Father himself loves you Ioh. 16. 27 and Christ gave himselfe for to deliver us from sin and the World Death and Hell according to the will of God and our Father Gal. 1. 4. And God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever beleeveth c. II. God the Son is the object of our Faith Ioh. 14 1. Ye beleeve in God beleeve also in me even the very Jews did beleeve in God they who are Christians indeed beleeve in Christ also For this end the whole Gospel was written that men might be perswaded to beleeve that Iesus is the Christ the Son of God Joh. 20. 31 and that the belief of this grand point is necessary and effectual unto salvation is presently declared in the very same verse that beleeving ye might have life through his Name I0 â—0 31. And this is the record that God hath given to us eternal life this life is in his Son He that hath the Son hath life and he that hath not the Son hath not life These things have I written to you that beleeve on the name of the Son of God that ye may know that ye have eternal life and that ye may beleeve on the name of the Son of God Ioh. 5. 11 12 13. And if God give us an understanding to know this the knowing of beleeving and living in Iesus Christ the Son of God the true God will be effectuall unto life eternal And we know that the Son of God is come and hath given us an understanding that we may know him that is true and we are in him that is true even in his Son Iesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life 1 Ioh. 5. 20. It is for want of spirituall understanding if we do not discern that all our hopes of salvation are built upon the Sonship Godhead of Iesus we must beleeve in Christ as he is the naturall proper Son of God as he is the true God the self-same God with the Father 1. We must beleeve in Christ as he is the Naturall and Proper Son of God because this is exactly answerable to that deare and fatherly relation of God the Father of which we have discoursed so largely in this chapter For as we are encouraged to beleeve in God as the Father of Christ so are we encouraged to beleeve in Christ as the naturall Son of God and therefore I have purposely insisted on such Scriptures as do evidently demonstrate this truth That we are to beleeve on the name of the Son of God and to have life through his name 1 Joh. 5. 11 12 13 20. Joh. 20. 31. We are to beleeve in Christ as a Mediatour that our faith and hope may be setled in God Who by him do beleeve in God that raised him up from the dead that your Faith and hope might be in God 1 Pet 1. 21. Now the great encouragement to beleeve in Christ as an all-sufficient Mediator is this Iesus Christ is the naturall Son of God and therefore if Christ will but present us to his Father we are confident that the Son of God his natural Son his proper Son his only begotten Son will prevaile with his Father for us his relation to God and his interest in God doth assure us that the intercession of our High-Priest will be irresistible undenyable Christ glorified not himself to be made an High-Priest but he that said unto him Thou art my Son to day have I begotten thee As he saith also in another place Thou art a Priest for ever after the order of Melchise dech Heb. 5. 5 6. We must for the understanding of this Scripture compare three places together Psa. 1â—0 1. 4. Psa. 2. 2 7 8. Heb. 7. 25 28. The Lord said unto my Lord sit thou at my right hand Thou art a Priest Psa. 110. 1. 4. The Lord said Thou art my Son ask of me Psal. 2. 7 8. Aske what thou wilt I can deny thee nothing thou art my Son it is thy birth-right to be a Priest and it is proper for a Priest to aske and intercede Other High-Priests were men of infirmity but the Son who is consecrated and perfected for evermore is able by his powerfull intercession to save those to the uttermost who come unto God by him Heb. 7. 25 28. Nay all the offices of Christ are grounded on his Sonship his kingly power Psal. 2. I have set my King c. Thou art my Son ver 6 7. His Propheticall power is grounded on his Sonship also Mat. 17. 5. And behold a voice out of the cloud which said This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased heare ye him I have promised that ye shall be all taught of God and therfore I send my own naturall Son to teach and instruct you he is the great Prophet and Tutor of the Church hear ye him and beleeve in him for he is the true Messiah who is to teach you all things and I haue sent him on purpose for to instruct you And this is the work of God that ye beleeve on him whom he hath sent Joh. 6. 29. But enough of this because I have spoken something of it already in the seventh chapter of this book and cleerly proved that Christ could not have gone thorough with any of his divine Offices if he had not been the Natural and Proper Son of God equal to God read Nathaniels Creed Ioh. 1. 4â— and Pauls life of Faith Gal. 2. ver 20. 2. We must beleeve in Christ as God the self-same God with the Father When we know Christ to be God we must glorify him as God by beleeving in him Now I have by many undenyable Arguments proved Christ to be God and therefore I may safely conclude that we ought to beleeve in him as God for cursed is he who beleeves in an arme of flesh When Peter preached to Cornelius he told them that Jesus Christ was Lord of all Act 10. 36. Iudge of all ver 42. And that all the Prophets gave witnesse to him that through his name whosoever beleeveth in him shall receive remission of sins ver 43. I need say no more but this He that abideth in the Doctrine of Christ he hath both the Father and the Son The second Epistle of Iohn the ninth verse Every tongue must confesse that Iesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father Phil 2. 11. The Father is glorifyed in the Son Joh 14. 13. And the Son is to be glorifyed in all them whom the Father hath given him Iohn 17. 10. and Christ is to be glorified by their beleeving in him Joh. 17. 23. And the Father himselfe loves them because they beleeve in the Son Joh. 16. 27. And he who honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father Joh.
exclude false gods but I say it doth also deny Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost to be different Gods other gods from God the Father because they are one and the same God with the Father as is evident in those two places 1 Iohn 5. 7. 20. cited before Those learned men doe well to exclude false gods the Socinians do ill to exclude the Son and Spirit who are the same God with the Father onely doth exclude every false god but the Son and Spirit are as the Father is the onely true God blessed for ever The term onely doth not exclude any Divine person but it doth exclude all and every one of the creatures because every Divine person hath the same Divine nature but no creature is capable of the Divine nature unlesse we do understand it as 2 Pet. 1. 4. is to be understood of the image of God or having such an interest in the Divine Attributes that God will exercise and put forth his wisdome power and all for their everlasting good and be himself their all sufficient reward portion and objective happinesse And it is to be observed that the termes Only and True are both applied to the same part of the Proposition namely to the Praedicate alone 5. This is life eternall to know thee But the Text saith This is life eternall to know Iesus Christ also that is this is the way and meanes for the obtaining of eternall life and this is the beginning of eternal life to know believe love and obey Jesus Christ. But eternall life is perfected by knowing of God in heaven not by faith but by sight Now eternall life doth not consist in the knowledge belief or love of any meer creature and therefore the Godhead of Jesus Christ is proved out of this very Text which they urge who deny his Godhead to justifie their blasphemy in the denial of it 6. Eternall life doth consist in knowing of Jesus Christ whom God hath sent to be our Mediatour and this eternall life will be perfected in heaven when the mediation of Christ will have an end and therefore it is the knowing of and believing in this Mediatour as God satisfying for us which makes us happy for he doth perfect the work of Mediatour as God by his eternall Spirit that is his divine nature Heb. 9. 14. and by the bloud of God Act. 20. 28. By the sufferings of the Lord of glory 1 Cor. 2. 8. for he obtained eternall redemption for us by vertue of his eternall spirit Heb. 9. 12. 14. 7. To know Jesus that is to know him as a Saviour as one that saves us from our sins is to know him as a God as one God with his Father as the true God the only God according to that which we read Isa. 43. 10 11 12 25. that ye may know and believe and understand that I am he I even I am Iehovah and beside me there is no Saviour And Isa. 45. 21 22 23 24 25. There is no God else beside me A just God a Saviour there is none beside me Look unto me and be ye saved all the ends of the earth for I am God and there is none else to me every knee shall bow in Jehovah have I righteousnesse In Iehovah shall the seed of Israel be justified Compare this with Rom. 14. 10 11 and the Socinians may as safely conclude that theâ—e is no other God but Jesus Christ as they maâ— conclude that there is no God but God the Father from the 17. of Iohn But they and we ought to conclude from these and the other Scriptures mentioned before that Iesus Christ is not a different God from his Father but is one and the same God with him These exclusive and restrictive Terms One and Alone c. doe not then exclude any of those three who are one in nature and essence though they differ in their manner of subsistence for I cannot conclude from that â—ext 1 Cor. 8. 6. To us there is but one God the Father c. that the Father only is God no more then I can conclude from the words following in the very samâ— verse and one Lord Jesus Christ that Christ only is Lord and so exclude the Father from Lordship as the Socimans would exclude the Son from the Godhead 1 Tim 6. 14 15 16. is urged by some to prove that Jesus Christ only hath immortality but they dare not conclude from thence that God the Father is not immortall I read Mat 23. 10. One is your Master even Christ but I must not conclude that the Father is not our Master for the Father teaches Ioh. 6. 45. and the Holy Ghost was Doctor Master Teacher even to the Apostles themselves Ioh. 14. 26. Ioh 16. 13. If that Text 1 Tim. 6. 15 16. be meant as some conceive it is of God the Father yet I find the same Titles given to Jesus Christ Rev. 19. 16. and therefore I conclude That both are one and the same immortall God and King 1 â—im 1. 12 16 17. 1 Joh. 5. 20. I read 1 Cor. 12. 4. That the same God worketh all in all v. 11. that one and the self same Spirit worketh all but I dare not conclude from thence that the Spirit only is God and that the Father and the Sonne work nothing at all From these and many other such like expressions we may safely conclude 1. That these terms one and only are not alwayes universally exclusive in the Scripture sense if all circumstances be duly considered and the Scriptures rightly compared 1 Cor. 9. 6. I only and Barnabas The word only doth not exclude Barnabas but include him Barnabas was joyned with Paul but Jesus Christ is more nearly joyned with the Father Ioh 8. 9. Jesus was left alone but the woman was with him all that were for her condemnation are excluded 1 King 12. 20. There are two exclusive termes There was none followed the house of David but the Tribe of Iudah only and yet the Tribe of Benjamin adhered to David as you may read in the next verse But surely the Father Son and Holy Ghost are more closely united then the Tribe of Iudah was with the Tribe of Benjamin Deut. 1. 36. None should see the good Land save Caleb but Iosuah is joyned with him v. 38. and therefore he was not excluded You see here is some union or conjunction still between the persons that are included but there is the highest union nay unity between the Father Sonne and Spirit because these three are one in nature and that nature most simply single and singularly one 2. When the term Only or any the like term is applied to the Divine nature or to any Divine Title Attribute or Work the Father Son and Holy Ghost being one in nature cannot be divided or separated by that exclusive terme though there is a personal difference between them and a speciall order
to be God who cannot cease to be God but hath life in himselfe as well as the Father Iohn 5. 20. and hath the self-same divine life divine nature divine power which the Father hath and therefore the Schools conclude well that the Father and the Son have the same power but with a different relation but these different relations do not superadd a new Essence a new divine Nature and they who have the same Essence must needs have the same power because the Power of God is not distinguished from the Essence of God and the Father doth communicate the same Essence and Power which the Son receives 5. There is the same reason of the Son and Holy Ghost for these three are equall nay one Essentially one one God with the most perfect kind of unity as hath been shewen and some that are Metaphysical acknowledge that nothing is simply one but that which is most 〈…〉 and nothing is most singly 〈◊〉 but God who hath nothing in himself but that which is himself Aristotle discoursing of six kinds of unity saith that things may be said to be one 1. in respect of Continuity because they are one Continued body 2. In respect of their Subject as two accidents in the same subject 3. Because they are under the same Genus 4. Because they are of the same Species 5. Because they have the same definition but then he concludes that all these are but imperfect kinds of unity if compared with the last unity which is 6. When a thing is one in respect of its single and indivisible Essence Now the Father and Son are one Iohn 10. 30. The Father Son and holy Ghost are one 1 Iohn 5. 7. and they are one after the most perfect manner they are one in respect of the most single and indivisible Essence because the divine Essence is most single and perfectly one And therefore since Essence and Power are not distinguished in God it followes undenyably that these three who have one Essence have one and the same power but with different properties and relations This truth will be more evident when we have discoursed of the distinction of these three divine persons of which we are to treat in the next Chapter VI. Created Persons have a different place and presence but Uncreated Persons are omnipresent they cannot be separated or divided from one another in respect of place or presence but do subsist in one another The Father did beget the Son in the unity of the divine nature and the Son doth subsist in the nature of God Phil. 2. 6. and all three persons subsisting in the same single omnipresent nature they must needs subsist in one another The divine nature of the Father is in the Son and therefore the Father is in the Son the divine nature of the Son is in the Father and therefore the Son is in the Father and the like may be said of the Holy Ghost for the divine nature of the Holy Ghost is in the Father and the Son These three glorious persons are distinguished from one another and yet they do subsist in one another They do subsist in one another without any contraction commixtion or confusion as Damascen taught the Schoolmen to speak when Philip desired Christ to show him the Father our Saviour answers He that hath seene me hath seene the Father John 14. 9. because he is the Image of his Fathers Person and the illustrious brightnes of his Fathers glory nay because the nature of his Father is in him and the person of his Father is in him and therefore he calls upon Philip to beleeve that his Father is in him Iohn 14. 10 Beleevest thou not that I am in the Father and the Father in me as if he had said I wonder you should not beleeve this truth it is a special Article of your faith if you be a Christian and it is a very plaine Article for you have some sensible Arguments to confirme your faith in this point both from my words and from my works you may hear the Father speaking in me and see my Father working in me The words that I speak unto you I speak not of my selfe but the Father that dwelleth in me he doth the works Joh. 14. 10. And then he presses the point home upon him by a Peremptory Injunction in the 11. verse Beleeve me that I am in the Father and the Father in me or else beleeve me for the very works sake Philip might hear what was truly divine in the saving words of Christ and see what was divine in the miraculous works of Christ and by the words and works and Spirit of Christ making both effectuall he might be brought to beleeve this necessary point that the Nature of God the Father and the Person of God the Father is in Christ. Give me leave to insist upon this point for there is more in it then we can well observe at first view and therefore our Saviour did presse this point home very frequently and require that men would expressely beleeve it Iohn 10. 38. beleeve the works but to what end Why that yee may know and beleeve that the Father is in me and I in him This is the end of Christs working so many miracles amongst them to bring them to beleeve that he and the Father did mutually subsist in one another Credite operibus beleeve my works saith he they speak me to be God and the Son of God and therefore I am not guilty of blasphemy because I say I am the Son of God and equall to God for I am God I and my Father are one God and if you beleeve that I and my Father are one God you must beleeve that I am in the Father and the Father in me This is the summe and substance of our Saviours discourse from the 25. verse of the tenth chapter of Iohn to the 39. verse of that chapter and our Saviour did enter into this discourse at the request of the Jewes who came round about him and desired him not to hold them in suspence any longer but to tell them plainly whether he were the Christ or no. John 10. 24. all then who beleeve Jesus Christ to be the Christ the true Messiah the onely Saviour and an all sufficient Saviour must beleeve confesse and acknowledge this truth That the Father is in Christ and Christ in the Father From what hath been spoken it is clear and evident that this is a point of life and death as we say a fundamentall point a point necessary to salvation and therfore our Saviour did so often insist upon it In the 8th of Iohn our Saviour tells them more then once that he was not alone and therefore his testimony of himselfe was not a single testimony but his Father who was with him and in him did bear witnes with him and of him John 8. 16. for I
Coessentiall Trin-unity of these heavenly witnesses And divers other learned and judicious men conceive that these words were blotted out in the time of Constantius and Valens the Emperours who were sworn enemies of the blessed Trinity and professed Patrons of Arrianisme 7. The Hereticks did blot out those words Ioh. 4 24. God is a spirit as Ambrose assures us and therefore this practise of expunging such words in the Scripture as did refute their errours was too common amongst the Hereticks of old as we might prove by witnesses enough if that were our businesse 8. These words 1 Ioh. 5. 7. are to be found in copies of great antiquity and best credit 9. This Text is cited by the Ancient Fathers by Athanasius in his dispute with Arrius at the counsell of Nice and Arrius never denyed it for to be Scripture which certainly he would have done if there had been any doubt made of it in the Primitive times It is cited by Cyprian also in his book de Vnitate Ecclesiae Paxillus in his booke de Monomachia proves by an induction of the learned Doctors of the Church both before and since Athanasius that the Doctrine of the Coessential Trin-Unity of these heavenly witnesses was generally received by all that were esteemed Orthodox and pious in the Church of Christ. Calovius also in his Fides Patrum ante Concilium Nicenum gives in a Catalogue for the satisfaction of all that desire resolution in this weighty point 10. These three heavenly witnesses are one in Power nature and Will all three bear witnesse to the same truth and their testimony is divine 1 Joh. 5. 9. And the truth which they bear witnesse to is a fundamentall truth a saving truth that we may beleeve on the Sonne of God and have eternall life 1 Joh. 5. 11 12 13. And if the authority of any one of these three heavenly witnesses be called into question all may be questioned upon the same grounds because their testimony is of equall authority their testimony is personall and divine and if the testimony and authority of these witnesses were not divine our faith which is built upon their testimony and authority would not be a divine Faith Quale est testimonium talis est fides All three heavenly witnesses joyne with one consent and Will in propounding this fundamentall truth and therefore if we do not beleeve and embrace it we give the lye to all the three witnesses in heaven 1 Joh. 5. 10. And if we do beleeve that Jesus is the naturall Son of God in and by whom all beleevers have eternall life then we must acknowledge that Jesus Christ is one God with his Father the true God and eternall life 1 Joh. 5. 20. Christ is God Attributivè Joh. 1. 1. Subjectivè Act 20. 28. 1 Tim. 3. 16. This one proposition That Iesus Christ is the naturall and proper Son of God is that Fundamental Confession of Faith upon which the Christian Church is built Mat. 16. 16 17 18. Thou art Christ the Son of the living God This is the Rock upon which Christ hath so firmly built his Church that the gates of Hell shal never prevail against it or this fundamentall truth We are all built upon Christ through the Spirit for an habitation of God Eph. 2. 20 21 22. Father Son Holy Ghost all three joyn in laying this foundation and all three are one and the self-same great God who is the only true God blessed for ever as hath been fully proved already in this book and therfore I may be the briefer in the discussion of this weighty point The Form of Baptism doth contain in it a short Creed or Rule of Faith Mat. 28. 19. And when the ancient Fathers speak such high things of the Creed they understand it of this short Creed which is part of Canonicall Scripture and not of that form which is commonly callled the Apostles Creed In like manner when they expound Eph. 4. 5. One Lord one Faith one Baptism they say there is one Faith and one Baptism because the sum of our Faith is contained in the forme of Baptism When Epiphanius hath reckoned up all the Heresies in his Anaceph he opposes this one Scripture Mat. 28. 19. to them all to shew that he looked upon the Doctrine of the Trinity as a Breviary or at least prime fundamentall of the Christian Faith and Eusebius Pamphilus doth the like I might produce many pertinent places out of Irenaeus Tertullian Athanasius Basil Nazianzene Augustin others to make good this useful observation That the prime Fundamentall of the Christian Faith is contained in the Form of Baptism and founded on Mat. 28. 19. It were easie to shew upon what occasion other Articles were added to the publique confessions of Faith in the most renowned Churches in severall ages And it is as easie to prove that the Doctrine of the Coessential Trin-unity was for the matter and substance if not in expresse terms in terminis terminantibus as we say constantly maintained 1. In publique Confessions of Faith composed explained confirmed by the first Generall Councels published by the decrees and edicts of pious Emperours and ratifyed by their civil sanctions from time to time I need not instance in the Nicene Creed or that Creed which was composed by Athanasius who studied this point defended suffered for it above forty yeers The Confession published by the Synod of Constantinople doth not differ in substance from the other Creeds concerning this grand mystery of the blessed Trinity I am not willing to expatiate upon this Argument because I should then be engaged to cite very many testimonies of the Ancients which would swell up my book beyond its due proportion But if any man desire to read more upon this Argument for his own satisfaction and hath not so much time as to peruse the ancient Records he may read Master Parkers book de Desc. ad inferos more especially his fourth book The learned Sermon of Reverend Doctor Vsher concerning the unity of Faith who gives a brief aud satisfactory account of the ancient Confessions of Faith with a special reference to Baptism Doctor Voetius Gomarus and the rest who have written de Symbolo Apostolico or of the mystery of the Trinity The jugling of the Arrians is so plainly set forth in the most faithfull writers of Ecclesiasticall story that I need not relate how they made use of their interest at Court and all their carnal policy in every considerable place to pack Councels forge or corrupt Creeds seduce all sorts of men who were led more by interest then Scripture and then to evade or comply with subtile distinctions mentall reservations equivocations and such unworthy shifts for to save themselves from censure in a time of Reformation 2. The Catechismes of the Ancients hold forth this doctrine the Catechumeni were trained up in the knowledge of it Lucian who lived in Trajans time
well call upon him for new miracles Nay the very preservation of the Scriptures in despight of Tyrants Heretiques and Divels is a convincing miracle In a word the Testimony of the Penmen is sealed 1. By the Oath of God 2. By the blood of Christ 3. By the testimony of the Spirit 4. By the Efficacy of the Spirit The Testimony and Efficacy of the Spirit is that sweet Subject which I am now more especially engaged to insist upon the Testimony of the Spirit to the heart and conscience of every true beleever in particular is a convincing Testimony But it will be said that this is such an Argument as none can take notice of and therefore altogether insufficient to perswade other men to beleeve to whom no such Testimony hath been vouchsafed 1. I answer This is an Argument indeed whereby I cannot convince others but this is an Argument which makes all other Arguments effectual to convince me 2. The Efficacy of the Spirit in the word upon the hearts of enemies is very considerable Their minds are inlightned their judgements convinced their consciences awakened terrifyed their hearts smitten because the very thoughts of their hearts are strangely unexpectedly discovered their souls embowelled and their marrow as it were melted in their bones by this almighty spirit speaking testifying working in with the word the very letter kils them the very savour confounds them though bold Athiests scoffe at the word and do in their Jovial fits blaspeme the spirit yet sometimes their hearts quake their joynts tremble even as Belshazzars did at the very sight of the hand-writing when they do but glance their eye upon some startling Text. Their consciences do often joyne with the word and spirit against themselvs against their wils for though they be self-willed yet they are after some soule-searching Admonition self-confounded and selfe-condemned men Tit. 3. 10 11. And though the malice of some men bee too strong for their wit reason and conscience yet it is not too strong for the spirit in the Word all the powers of Hel in them are over-powred by this good Spirit all the strong-holds of Sathan batterd and they themselves so confounded that they seeme to be even damned already they thinke themselves in Hell above-ground when they are stung and bitten they fall into the passion of the heart and are taken with such Hellish convulsion-sits that they do even foam at mouth and gnash with their teeth they are cut to the soule and tormented in their conscience they cry and howle and fight against the Spirit but all in vain for even they are out-witted and over-powred who are not converted by this stinging Efficacy of the Almighty Spirit What shall we say to these things If Idols have been overthrown Oracles silenced Divels convinced by the Majesty of the Spirit in the holy Scriptures and so over awed by the Spirit that they have been forced to confesse nay beleeve these truths at which they tremble then surely those bold theists are worse then devils who do not tremble at the Word because they do not beleeve the Spirit 3. Look upon a soule in its Agony and Pangs in its Throws and conflicts at its first conversion or in its After-throws upon some sadrelapse and observe how the wit is captivated reason conquered conscience confounded heart broken and will turned nay all the powers of corrupt nature overpowred and overturned by the word and spirit of God And then you must needs cry out O the divine Efficacy of Scripture which turns a Lyon into a Lamb a Goat into a sheep a man a Beast a Divel into a Saint and perswades Philosophers and Courtiers Emperours and souldiers Publicans and Harlots Mariners and Politicians to embrace a Religion and run a course clean contrary to the carnall and Divelish wisdome of their proud reason contrary to the stubborn resolutions of their perverse wils in a word contrary to their very nature education custome contrary to dictates of policy and reasons of state contrary to their passions lusts interests friends CoÌ„panions O victorious spirit What aileth what aileth thee O thou man of war and pride thou Secretary of nature Advocate of the Devil to hâ—ng the head and weep to resigne thy estate lay down thy Commission and thy Armes burn thy Conjuring-books and sacrifice thy dearest life in the maintenance of that truth which thou hast formerly contemned I must cry as he did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is the power of the Word Behold the Efficacy of the Spirit in the word conquering and triumphing over the subtilty and obstinacy the pride and malignity of carnal men The promises of God are better then all the proffers of Sathan the divel shewes us the glory of the world the Scripture shewes us the vanity of the world and the conscience is convinced by the word and Spirit that the reversion of Heaven is infinitly better then the possessions of earth all the kingdomes of the world and glory of them are not worth one dayes Communion with Jesus Christ nay one dayes comfort from the Gospel and Spirit of Jesus Christ. Good reason have we then to beleeve the Spirit Angels admire and Divels tremble at the Majesty of the word Saints beleeve obey adore the Majesty of the Spirit speaking in the word of truth and life of grace and glory The Familists might learn by this sad discourse to beleeve the Spirit of God speaking in the word of God and not beleeve their own natural carnal phantastical spirits which contradict the word and spirit of God The Familists did learn of the Papists to call Orthodox Protestants Scripture men to scoffe at them as Scripture-wise and to say as Stapleton and divers others do that the most diligent conference of Scriptures is the ready way to the most damnable errours That the fountains of Greek and Hebrew are neither pure nor necessary and the like And yet Howlet in his Epistle to Queen Elizabeth did lay the sin of the Family of love to the charge of the Protestants But Dr. Raynolds our learned Champion in his conference with Hart doth vindicate the Protestants and make it evident that such as were godly and learned in the Scripture did detest Harry Nicolas that imp of Sathan and master of the Family of Love therfore they could not lay the Families sinto our charge as if we did foster that venemous vipers brood I keep to the Doctors own expressions that you may see how the zeal of that meek Moses was enflamed in this contest which did march into the field with Papists to strengthen their hands against Protestants The Anabaptists likewise might learn from hence to make the spirit speaking in the word the Judge of their pretended Revelations if they were not too conceited of their own inventions and apt to fall in love with the dreams of their own feaverish brain with their weak arguments but strong delusions The
have been but there is no reall thing in God which might not have beene 2. There can be no reall relation between two extremes one of which two extremes is unchangeable and the other might not have been 3. God was not in any passive Potentiality or Power before he did create the world to receive any reall act because he is really a pure act and it is evident that a new reall relation is a kind of act wherof the pure single perfect and unchangeable essence is uncapable 4. Our weak understanding comparing God with the creatures is apt to frame many denominations which according to the manner of signifying seem to import as if God were in potentiâ ad multa yet if we do consider the thing signified as we ought in a way agreeable to the pure single and infinite Perfection of God we shall find that these are but extrinsecall denominations This point is much beaten upon by the most acute Schoolmen and Writers of Metaphysicks and therefore I need not insist upon it only observe that when I say created persons are distinguished by a heap of Accidents I do not mean that a person is made compleat in his subsistence by any Accident or an heap of Accidents for I have refuted that conceit in this present chapter pag. 73. I hasten to the eighth Difference VIII Humane Persons with whom we are best acquainted may exist in a very different time as well as in different places some lived before some since the flood some before the Incarnation others since the Death and Resurrection of our Lord and Saviour but herein all agree that time is the measure of them all their duration is very imperfect their duration is not always contemporary never Coessentiall But all three uncreated Persons are Coeternal because they are Coessential because they have the same divine eternal Essence Angels are said to have an eternall duration but they are not eternall in the same sense that the Father Son and Holy Ghost are Eternall 1. Because they were created Coloss. 1. 16. and therefore did begin to be they have not as the Schools say an interminable or interminated duration à parte ante 2. If they had been created from eternity yet they could not have beene esteemed Coeternall with their Creatour who did create them out of nothing and did not beget or breath them forth in the unity of his own divine Essence 3. There can be no lesse then an infinite difference between the finite dependent changable defective duration of an Angel and the infinite independent immutable duration of these three uncreated and all creating persons who are one independent unchangeable eternall infinite God the eternity of the three glorious persons is interminable indefectible immutable 4. If Angels had been created from eternity yet they would not have been essentially or intrinsecally eternall because their essence doth not include any repugnancy to an actuall beginning 5. If Angels had been created from eternity yet God might have annihilated them afterwards and then they had actually ceased to be 6. Although they were not actually annihilated yet the very possibility of being annihilated is enough to prove their duration terminable changeable defectible and therefore though they had been created from all eternity they would not have been coeternall with their maker nor would three Angels have been coessentially coeternall with one another 7. If Angels had been created from eternity they would have been eternall not by any intrinsecall or naturall duration as hath been proved and therefore they would have been eternall only by an extrinsecall denomination taken from the Eternity of God 8. Upon consideration of the Premises many Reverend Doctours of the Church conclude that Angels are eternall only à parte post and they are eternal à parte post not by their own nature but by the free favour and appointment of God and therefore there is an infinite difference between the duration of these three uncreated persons and the duration of the most glorious Angels in Heaven Angels are muâ—able and God is free Agent both in respect of Creation and in respect of preservation and therfore God and Angels are not Coeternall as the Peripateticks dreamt God did voluntarily engage himself to create and preserve Angels by his own Decree and therefore that subordinate aeternity which they have à parte post is vouchsafed unto them by the free and undeserved favour of God For as Damascen saith well whatsoever had a beginning would soon have an ending if he who gave a beginning to it by his infinite power should think fit to suspend his upholding and preserving influence or put forth his Almighty and irresistible power against it in a destructive way I will not take this faire occasion to speak of the acts or motions of Angels to make this difference seeme greater for that which hath been said is suâ—â—â—cient to make it evident that Angels do not coexist with God the Father with the same duration wherewith God the Son and God the Holy Ghost do coexist with him because these three coessentiall persons are Coeternall they are all three one God who is his owne Essence his owne Eternity The Scripture calls the God of Israel the Eternity of Israel 1 Sam. 15. 29. and Aristotle calls him life it selfe the best life an Eternall life that hath neither beginning nor ending nor succession and therefore it is evident that he did not beleeve God to be subject to change or variation God is saith he a self-sufficient and eternall life God is truly self-sufficient because he is alsufficient he is infinite in perfection and therefore infinite in duration his infinite perfection and duration is nothing else but but his infinite Essence and this infinite Essence is the self-same in all three Coessentiall Coeternall and Coequall persons as hath been proved And therefore we have good cause to rejoyce and triumph in this glorious difference between created and uncreated persons Give me leave to sweeten this dispute with some devotion We have an everlasting Father an everlasting Saviour and an everlasting Comforter and we have good cause to lay a charge upon our immortall souls to blesse praise all three Coeternal persons for their eternall love our eternall redemption and salvation Praise the Lord O my soule while I live will I praise the Lord whilst I have any being will I sing praises to my God and put confidence in him for with the Lord there is plenteous and eternall redemption But O put not your trust in Princes nor in those sons of men in whom there is no salvation for their breath goeth forth they returne to their first earth and in that day all their thoughts and counsels perish Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help whose hope is in the Lord his God which made heaven and earth the sea and all that therein is
creatures to communicate their nature by generation in their low and imperfect way but the great God who is not subject to imperfection doth after the most glorious and perfect manner beget a Son in the unity of his own living Essence who is therefore called the Son of the living God that is the Naturall and Coessentiall Son of God who hath the same Divine Life Nature Essence with the Father and therefore Peter is so highly commended for confessing that Christ is the Son of the living God Blessed art thou saith our Saviour for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee but my Father which is in heaven upon this fundamentall truth Christ hath built the Christian Church as on a Rock Matth. 16. 16. 17 18. He who hath life in himself is the Naturall and Coessentiall Son of the living God he hath the same Will Power Nature Essence Life with his Father Iohn 5. 18 26. Iohn 16. 15. Iohn 10. 30. 1 Iohn 5. 7. The same single and infinite Essence is in Father Son and Holy Ghost the whole undivided and indivisible Essence of God dwels in the Son in its fulnesse and infinite perfection Coloss. 2. 9. 4. The Father did beget his Son without change or motion after a most glorious and wonderfull manner there can be no change motion or succession in this eternall and most perfect generation The Essence of God is spirituall Iohn 4. 24. and therefore the Son is not begotten of the Fathers seed or any materiall substance because God is a single and pure Act who doth beget a Son within himself Essentially one with himself and therefore his Sonne doth not subsist out of himself John 14. 10. Iohn 10. 30. for an infinite nature cannot be poured forth beyond it self There can be no essentiall change in the Son by this generation because the generation is eternall and the nature which is communicated by generation is unchangable the Father did unchangably beget his Son and his Son is unchangably begotten there is no shadow of changing or turning either in the Father of lights or the Son of righteousnesse because they are one and the same unchangable Jehovah Iames 1. 17 Malach. 3. 6. They are too carnall and base who make an unworthy and odious comparison between the material generation of a weak man and this more then spirituall and supernaturall generation The eternall and unchangable Father doth beget an eternall and unchangable Son according to the perfection of his eternall unchangable infinite nature The Father doth beget his Son naturally and therefore in a way agreeable to his unchangable Nature if the Son were not necessarily begotten his being would not be necessary and then his Essence would not be divine V. Jesus Christ is truly and properly the onely-begotten Son of God and therefore the only Naturall Son of God Jesus Christ is called the Son of David according to his humane nature but the Lord of David and the Son of the living God according to his divine nature as appeares by our Saviours discourse with the Pharisees Matth. 22. from the 41. verse to the 46. And the Jewes sought to kill Christ because he called God his proper Father as appears by the originall text for our English translation doth omit that most observable Emphasis the words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iohn 5. 18. and Christ is called Gods proper Son 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 8. 32. and the Apostle gives the reason why he is called the proper Son of God in a more excellent way then the most glorious Angel is the Son of God because Christ is begotten by the Father but the Angles were only created by him observe the words of the Apostle For unto which of the Angels said he at any time Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee so that the proper reason why he is called the proper Son of God is because he is begotten of God there is the most excellent reason why Christ is said to obtain a more excellent name then Angels Christ was begotten in the unity of the Godhead and therfore he alone is properly the Son of God with a supereminent excellency The Angels are not such excellent sons as Christ is 1. Because Christ is begotten of God v. 5. 2. Worshipped by Angels with divine honour worshipped as God v. 6. 3. He hath the Throne Scepter Kingdom of God v. 8. 4. He hath the soveraign and proper Title of God v. 8. 5. The Attributes of God eternity v 8 10 â—1 12. 6. He sits at the right hand of God v. 13. All these excellencies are due to Christ as the proper Son of God Hebr. 1. wheras the Angels the most excellent sons by creation are but ministring spirits From theâ—e proper and excellent reasons we infer that Christ is the only proper or naturall Son of God because he is the only-begotten Son of God We saith Iohn beheld his glory As of the only begotten Son of God The word As is not assimilative but declarative and demonstrative in that place for it doth declare to us that the glory of Christ is agreeable to his divine nature he being the only naturall Son of God because he is the only begotten Son of God just as if when we see a King sitting in his Royall robes on his Throne with a Crowne on his head and a Scepter in his hand we should say now we see him as a King that is now he is like himselfe his state is agreeable to his Majesty even so was the glory of Christ which the Apostles beheld agreeable to the majesty of the only begotten Son of God Iohn 1. 14. and therfore the word As was not inserted tanquam terminus diminuens to diminish the glory of the only begoten Son of God for the word As is left out in the 18. verse of this very chapter The only begotten Son which is in the bosome of the Father Iohn 1 v. 18. The Scripture doth abound with several expressions to the same purpose But we are specially to observe that the only begotten Son of God is propounded to us as the object of saving Faith and therefore this point ought to be diligently studied and considered by us For so God loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever beleeves in him should not perish but have everlasting life John 3. 16. The Socinians observing how much it concernes us to stand stedfast and not yeeld one whit of ground in this point have tryed their wit to deceive and seduce us and therefore they object Isaac is called the only Son of Abraham Gen. 22. 2. 12. To this we answer without any great study That Isaac was the only Son which Abraham had by Sarah he was the onely begotten Son of the Promise though Ismael was the son of Abraham by Hagar the bond-woman in an unworthy and dishonourable way and therefore this example will
his people from their sins The first of these Propositions cannot be refused because it is grounded upon clear Scripture and he who rejects a point of the least concernment which he knowes to be revealed in Scripture doth not indeed and truth beleeve and embrace any truth at all no not truths which are of the highest concernment upon the right ground and true reason namely because God hath revealed them to us in the holy Scriptures of truth A Fundamentall point is of such high concernment that whosoever is ignorant of it is condemned for his meere Negative Infidelity and whosoever doth refuse to beleeve it is condemned for his Positive Infidelity because he rejects a truth delivered upon the Authority of God and a truth so highly credible that it is necessary to be known and beleeved for his own salvation Our Faith Piety Hope Charity Salvation are all grounded upon these necessary and Fundamentall truths Those truths or points of Doctrine are Fundamentall without the plaine and expresse knowledge whereof we can neither savingly beleeve in Christ nor rightly worship God in Christ to the obtaining of eternall life The Grand Mystery of three Divine and Coessential Subsistents in the single Godhead is a Fundamentall point I desire to make this point very plain 1. For the satisfaction of the weak 2. Information of the ignorant 3. Conviction of the obstinate 4. Edification of the meek and humble It is most cleare and evident that it doth highly concerne Christians to acknowledge 1. A Deity against the Atheists 2. The Unity of this Deity against the Pagans 3. A Trinity in this Unity against Turks Jewes Heretiques both Ancient and Modern We must 1. Know 2. Beleeve 3. Acknowledge 4. Worship 5. Obey 6. Trust to and depend upon three Persons and one God Our blessed Lord in that excellent prayer of his which is most largely recorded Iohn 17. saith That this is life eternall to know the Father the only true God and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent ver 3. This Text hath been opened and vindicated at large in this Book already from the 44. page to the 54. and therefore I shall make quick work now and desire you but to compare this Text with 1 Iohn 5. 20. We are in him that is true even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternall life both texts tell us that it is eternall life for to beleeve that the Father and the Son are the only true God and therefore this is a fundamentall point And the Scripture speakes expresly that these three the Father the Word and the Holy Ghost are one one God for the witnesse or testimony delivered by these three is the witnesse of God 1 Joh. 5. 7. 9. But it is objected by some that the words These three are one 1 Joh. 5. 7. are not to be found in some ancient Copies and therefore it will not be safe to build a point of such weight and consequence upon such a weake foundation To which we answer It is true that these words are not to be found in the Syriack Edition but they who speake most modestly do acknowledge that the Syriack Edition is not Authentick Learned Heinsius is much offended with that Edition as appeares by his Annotations upon 1 Ioh. 5. 7. And if we consult the Scriptures and compare this Text with the following Verses and with some other places of Scripture which are more plaine and then adde the testimony and Interpretations of the ancient and Reverend Doctors of the Church concerning the words in question we shall be able to passe a right judgement upon the point in hand 1. The equality of the Number of witnesses suites very right three witnesses on earth and three in heaven 2 The opposition between the quality of the witnesses witnesses on earth and witnesses in heaven and yet their sweet harmony and agreement in one testimony all six beare witnesse to one and the same truth 3. The diversity of the very nature of those three who beare witnesse on earth and the unity of their divine nature who bear witnesse in heaven is very considerable and it is excellently expressed in the variation of the Phrase These three are one ver 7. and these three agree in one namely in one testimony ver 8. Though their Nature be different yet their Testimony is the same But it is objected that the Complutensian Bible saith of the heavenly witnesses that these three agree in one ver 7. I humbly offer this satisfaction to pious and learned men That we have good reason to beleeve that there is an imprudent addition in the Complutensian Bible rather then an omission of so many ancient and approved Bibles and therefore it is fit that that addition should be expunged out of that one Copy by the concurrent testimony of so many Copies Moreover it is cleer by the joynt testimony of other Copies that the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are omitted in the 7 ver and the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 belong to the eight verse and therefore there is an inexcusable omission and an imprudent transposition in that corrupt edition But then it is farther objected that these words These three are one are wanting in some other Greek copies for answer I proceed in my observations 4. If we look upon the Scripture account in other places we shall find it exactly agreeable to the account in this place 1 Ioh. 5. 7. In the eighth of Iohn our Saviour pleads that two witnesses in Law were sufficient for the proof of any point Joh. 8. 17. and in the tenth verse saith he I am one and my Father that sent me is another they are two witnesses and yet but one God I and my Father are one Joh. 10. 30. One in power and therefore one in nature He speaks not of the spirit because Christ was not yet glorified nor was the Spirit yet manifested by that eminent and glorious mission and effusion which was to follow after the Ascension of our blessed Lord. But he did foretell that the third witnesse was to be sent from the Father by the Son Joh. 15. 26. But when the comforter is come whom I will send unto you from the Father even the spirit of truth which proceedeth from the Father he shall testifie of me I might adde to these testimonies all other places of Scripture wherin all the three witnesses are named together and then produce all the places which have been formerly cited in this booke to prove the coessential Trin-unity of those heavenly witnesses 5. The copulative And in the beginning of the verse 1 Ioh. 5. 8. doth very fitly connect the whole seventh verse with the eighth as they are printed in our ordinary translation 6. Hierome doth assure us that the words in question were expunged by the Arrians because these few words do hold forth an undeniable proofe of the divine and
Holy Ghost above a world is not as yet acquainted with the mystery of Faith or the Power of Godliness he hath neither Father Son nor Spirit in him CHAP. X. Christians who have a lively sense and sweet experience of this grand mystery of Faith and practicall mystery of Godliness are afraid to hold Communion with such as pretend to be Spirituall Christians and yet deny the divine Nature and distinct subsistences of Christ and his holy Spirit IT is observed by a great States man That he who follows Truth too neere at heeles may have his Teeth heat out but I had rather lose my teeth than not teach and profess the truth He who presses this point in this Licentious Age wherein Scepticks in the highest points are called Seekers and Hereticks good Christians had need beg the promise of the Father that he may be endued with vertue from on high that is a magnanimous and more then an Heroicall spirit to preach the truth We must not feare the face of man in the cause of God if the Devill might set up his Church in England wherein Heresie is instead of a Preacher profaneness and ungodliness instead of Ruling Elders yet I must be bold to say that these Seekers whom the Reformers called Libertines are as the Fathers called them but Nullifidians and Atheists professed Atheists for They are Atheists who will not beleeve and adore the only true God Father Son and holy Ghost and such are the Seekers whom I am to deale with who deny the Lord Christ to be God and I shall easily discover that this is Atheisme whether reigning Atheisme or no let the Socinian Seekers and Deifyed Atheists judge Whosoever transgresseth and abideth not in the Doctrine of Christ hath not God he who abideth in the Doctrine of Christ he hath both the Father and the Son The second Epistle of Iohn the ninth verse Who is a lyar but he that denyeth that Iesus is the Christ He is Antichrist that denyeth the Father and the Son Whosoever denyeth the Son the same hath not the Father 1 Ioh. 2. 22 23 24. He who hath not the true God Father Son and holy Ghost for his God is an Atheist for if he do acknowledge a false God a false God being no God it must still bee granted that no man can bee excused from Atheisme by his acknowledgment or worship of any thing that is not God I speak of such speculative Atheisme as doth commonly run into practical Atheism and may consequently end in direct and down-right Atheisme or at least such affected Atheisme as will permit that Radicall and Seminall Atheisme which was borne with them to sit quietly in their hearts as on a Throne so that they have no actuall belief of the true God which doth amount to an historicall beliefe much lesse any that can effectually over-power or dethrone their natural Atheisme And yet I beleeve these Atheistical Libertines can never fully blot out all the natural notions of a Godhead written in their hearts by the finger of God though many of them have made a very unhappy progress in this devillish study for the devils themselves have not attained to any Atheistical 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Devils beleeve and tremble but enough of that the Socinians are Atheists Interpretativè at the least It is not enough for Christian Communicants to attaine to the first principle of natural Theology and confess that there is a God but they must acknowledge the first principle of Christianity which is indeed Supernatural Divinity and acknowledge that Father Son and holy Ghost are the only true God for else we go no farther then Pharaoh that grand Seeker did when he asked who is Iehovah that I should obey his voice Exo. 5. 2. or then the Samaritans and Athenians did who worshipped they knew not what Ioh. 4. 22. Act. 17. 23. The Turks the Pagans the Jews do acknowledge that there is a God unless then we do intend to hold Church-Communion with Pagans Jews Mahumetans we must require somewhat more of those whom we admit unto Christian Communion than a bare acknowledgment that there is a God or that the Father is God For he who doth deny the Godhead of the Son doth deny the Father also and consequently hath no God at all for his God as hath been proved already from the ninth verse of the second Epistle of Iohn and 1 Iohn 2. 22 23 24. He that honoureth not the Son as highly as he honoureth the Father he doth not honour the Father who sent his co-equall Son to give us life Ioh. 5. 21 23. We must acknowledge the Son to be equall to the Father for this redounds to the glory of God the Father Phi. 2. 6. 11. We can have no Christian and spiritual Communion with God the Father but in his natural Son and by their Coessential Spirit as is manifest by comparing these Texts together 1 Ioh. 1. 3. 1 Cor. 1. 9. 2 Cor. 13. 14. Rev. 1. 4 5. Mat. 28. 19 20. Ephes. 2. 18 22. 1 Cor. 12. 3 6 8 11 13. and by the full scope of all my practical Discourse in the ninth Chapter of this Treatise This is life eternal c. Iohn 1 7 3. 1 Iohn 5. 6 7 11 12 13 20. When Saint Paul doth enlarge the bounds of Christian Communion as far as he can he writes thus Vnto the Church of God which is at Corinth to them that are sanctified in Christ Iesus called to be Saints with all that in every place call upon the name of Iesus Christ our Lord both theirs and ours 1 Cor. 1. 2. We cannot maintaine any Christian Communion with such as deny the Godhead of Christ for they must as Francis David and David George c. did deny that Christ is to be worshipped with divine faith and love because as they blaspemously said he hath not the same divine nature with God the Father or else they must say as Socinus who wrote against Francis David said that Christ is to be worshipped with divine worship and then they will if you put their principles together as you may see them together in that Racovian Alcoran the Racovian Catechisme be found to be even the very best o◠them but a pack of Blasphemous Idolaters With whom We ought not to hold Communion For whilst they do blasphemously affirme that Christ is a meere man in glory and the Son of God only in a metaphoricall not any proper sense We must draw these conclusions The best of the Socinians maintaine 1. That Jesus Christ our Lord is but a meere man in glory a very Creature and no more and therefore they are blasphemers and so are all they who say that they are as much God as Iesus Christ for these are high swelling blasphemies such as the Deified Atheists of the Family of love with whom I feare Mr. Fry hath had too
holy in life We can never understand the Presence Institution and mind of Christ in this Ordinance unless we beleeve the cursed condition of men in their naturall estate the divine nature and person of Christ the greatness of the price that was paid for the satisfaction of Gods justice and appeasing of Gods wrath who did not spare his own Co-essential Son but manifested his hatred against sin and love to his Elect in not sparing his Son but breaking his body and shedding of his bloud that we might be redeemed by the bloud of God this is the mystery which is made sensible in the Sacrament and is really evident to the eye of faith Gal. 3. 1. And whosoever looks upon these great mysteries of the Gospel as fancies and doth not beleeve them to be reall things truly exhibited really presented to beleevers in a Sacramental mystical spiritual way in this Ordinance hath not yet learnt the truth as it is in Jesus and is not prepared for such high Communion We Christians do not come with hungry and thirsty soules longing after farther Communion with Christ for mortifying of our lusts and encrease of all our graces by his spirit untill we beleeve this grand mystery of Faith and we are then experimentally acquainted with the mystery of Godliness when we have been made drink into one Spirit with Christ and his Members when we look upon him whom we have pierced by our sins and acknowledge him to be the natural and Co-essential Son of God there can be none of those fiduciall breathings after Christ Penitential meltings before him or obediential closings with him as is evident by our ninth Chapter untill we do in some measure beleeve this mystery of Faith and understand the substance of the Covenant of grace which is sealed in this Sacrament by God and must be actually renewed by every good Communicant our Meditations Faith Love Repentance Joy Thankfulness will not be rightly placed or exercised if this grand mystery of Faith and Godliness be rejected by us 6. I might argue from all the Offices of Christ they who do not beleeve the divine nature of Christ do utterly disable Jesus Christ from being a Mediatour a Priest a Prophet a King for the saving of his people to the uttermost They who deny the divine Essence and Person of Christ do deny his satisfaction to be all-sufficient in our behalf They depose Christ from that spirituall and heavenly kingdom which he hath by Nature and render him uncapable of that Mediatory Kingdom which is delegated to Christ God man by the Decree of the Co-essentiall Trinunity But I have said enough of that in the former part of this Book I pass on to enquire what civill respect is due to such as do deny the divine Nature of Christ and his holy Spirit That one Text to my apprehension 2 Ioh. 9. 10 11. containes a very full and satisfactory answer Whosoever transgresseth and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ hath not God he that abideth in the doctrine of Christ he hath both the Father and the Son If there come any unto you and bring not this doctrine receive him not into your house neither bid him God speed For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evill deeds But that this point may be more clearly stated and all mistakes prevented be pleased to consider 1. That such Points of Religion and Worship as are necessary to be known and beleeved for the maintenance of Christian spirituall saving Communion with Father Son and holy Ghost are clearely delivered in the holy Scriptures of truth 2. That if men who were formerly unblameable in their life and conversation be seduced into any errour which doth contradict or subvert such Fundamentall Points they ought to be instructed with the spirit of meekness in a Christian and brotherly way 3. They are to be admonished with all faithfulness and meekness of Wisdom twice or thrice that they may understand the importance of the truth which is denyed the danger of the errour maintained the sad consequences of both that if their conscience be not feared they may return from their beloved and damned errours 4. If after all this meekness patience and forbearance all Christian instructions and brotherly admonitions they do as men that are judicially blinded for sinning against conscience 1. Persist in their errour 2 Reject and revile the truth of God in these high and necessary Points 3. Fall from the grace of God frustrate the grace and Covenant of God evacuate the death of Christ depose Christ and his Spirit from their Throne and Godhead 4. Seduce and poyson others Mat. 21. 38. 5. Deny and overthrow the foundation of divine Faith Hope Love and Justification by Faith and the Adequate object also of all Christian Faith Evangelicall Worship and sincere Obedience These bold Atheists for they deny the only true God Father Son and holy Ghost may without any scruple be rejected from Christian Communion For there is certainly some lust or other which hinders them from seeing the truth or professing that they do see it and therefore it may be taken for granted that these men are obstinate self-condemned men men that combine with their Wills and Lusts against their own conscience and cleare shining Scriptures And therefore these men cannot complaine that they are punished for their conscience when they are indeed punished for sinning against their conscience because they are condemned by their own conscience But it will be said that there are scarce any such men to be found as I have described To which I answer Be pleased but to consider what hath been delivered in this very Chapter already and compare it with the foregoing Chapters and with the many blasphemous Pamphlets which do pass up and down without controule in this licentious Age in which men adventure upon the very language of hell under pretence of exercising their Christian Liberty and speaking according to their New Light and this Point will be too cleare For we do already grant that no man ought to be troubled for following the dictates of his conscience rightly enformed but for following of pernicious errours which are contrary to his own conscience unless he be judicially blinded by God for his customary sinning against light of conscience in former times 2. Nothing is more common then for men to speak out of the abundance of that naturall Atheisme which lurkes in their hearts contrary to the dictates of their naturall conscience 3. Though conscience may be quiet whilst men are exercising their wits to maintaine some errour which is contrary to those mysteries of faith which transcend naturall reason and are repugnant to the corruption of reason especially if they are engaged in multitudâ— of business connived at by such as sit at sterne and do thrive and prosper in the world Yet conscience will find a time to speak when it may