is immutably true in regard of his gifts and graces In the Father of Lights there is no variablenesse nor shadow of change Jam. 1.17 Where if you take the word Father either essentially or personally this Truth standeth firme That the Father is immutably true in regard of his gifts and graces Secondly the Sonne is immutably true in regard of his gifts and graces Rev. 3.7 Jesus Christ the same yesterday and to day and for ever Heb. 13.8 He is the true and faithfull witnesse Rev. 3.14 Thirdly the Holy-Ghost is immutably true He is the Spirit of Truth Joh. 14.17 Joh. 15.26 who will guide us into all truth Joh. 16.13 The word which the Holy-Ghost speaketh must needs be fulfilled Act. 1.16 The Father the Word and the Spirit therefore are one true God who is true in himselfe and immutably true in all his Promises to his Church and people CHAP. XIV The Father the Sonne and the Holy-Ghost are one living God LIfe is essentially proper to God Deut. 32.40 He onely hath immortalitie 1 Tim. 6.16 He hath his life and essence of himselfe and is therefore stiled him thaâ— liveth for ever Dan. 4.34 The Creatures have their being from him who is their Creator their preserver Act. 17.28 In him they live and move and have their being The Lord is the Saviour of all men 1 Tim. 4.10 preserving their corporall life and delivering their bodies from danger and also preserving the Spirituall life of his Saints to his heavenly Kingdome 2 Tim. 4.18 and delivereth not onely their bodies but also their soules from spirituall death and eternall destruction And surely the Father the Sonne and the Holy-Ghost have life First the Father hath life Joh. 5.26 he is the living God Mat. 16.16 Joh. 6.69 Secondly the Sonne hath life in himselfe Joh. 5.26 Life indeed was given to him as he was a Mediatour of his Church but in him is life Joh. 1.4 and that of himselfe as God and therefore Christ who is Jehovah so Isaiah calleth him sweareth as he liveth Isa 45.25 with Rom. 14.10.11 Job acknowledgeth that his Redeemer liveth Joh. 19.25 yea he is the living God for the faithfull are the Church of the living God 1 Tim. 3.15 but the Church is Christs Cant. 2.16 Cant. 6.3 Ephes 5.27 He is life Joh. 14.6 and our life Col. 3.4 Thirdly the Holy-Ghost hath life in himselfe he is the incorruptible Spirit Wisd 12.1 he is the living God for the faithfull who are said to be the temples of the Holy-Ghost 1 Cor. 6.19 are said to be Temples of the living God 2 Cor. 6.16 Because the Holy-Ghost who is the living God dwelleth in them as in his Temple The Spirit is life Rom. 8.10 First he is the life of the soule regenerating it Secondly he is the life of the body quickning it and raising it up Rom. 8.11 Thus the Father the Sonne and the Holy-Ghost is Jer. 10.10 the living God Hu Elohim Caiim which we cannot expresse in English there being one word singular and another plurall joyned with Elohim a word of the plurall number ipse Dii viventes Hu or He there is the unitie Elohim Caiim living Gods there is the pluralitie of Persons life being essentially proper to the Father to the Sonne and to the Holy-Ghost who though three persons yet are but one living God CHAP. XV. The Father the Sonne and the Holy-Ghost are glorious GLorie as also Life Wisedome Truth Goodnesse Holynesse c. are the essence of God These in creatures are accidents and qualities but in the Creatour in whom there are no accidents but whatsoever is in him is his essence these therefore are his essence Moses desireth to see Gods glory Exod. 33.18 the Lord answering telleth him Exod. 33.20 Thou canst not see my face for there shall no man see me and live intimating that his face or essence or glorie are all one and so it is in all other of his Attributes Glorie belongeth onely to God to whom we are to ascribe it as most due yea onely due Math. 6.13 1 Tim. 1.17 There is in God both a Personall and an essentiall glorie First there is in God a Personall glorie as First the Fathers glorie is to beget the Sonne Joh. 17.5 Secondly the Sonnes glorie is to be begotten of the Father Joh. 1.14 and to be equall with him Phil. 2.6 Thirdly the Holy-Ghosts glorie is to proceed from both and to be equall with both Secondly there is in God an essentiall glorie which is not appropriated to any Person of the Deitie but is common to all three Persons and thus glorie is taken two wayes First improperly for that worship and honour which the Church of God ascribe to him both by praying to him and praysing of him which is the same with our gloryfying of God and of this God speaketh Isai 42.7 I will not give my glorie to another but of this hereafter Secondly more properly for that excellent Nature that is in God who is glorious in himselfe and also glorious in his gifts and graces which he giveth to his Church this is essentially proper to the Father to the Sonne and to the Holy-Ghost First the Father hath glorie in himselfe and giveth glorie to his Church he prepareth a kingdome for the faithfull Mat. 25.34 and it is his good pleasure to give it them Luke 12.32 he is the Father of glorie Eph. 1.17 Secondly the Sonne hath glorie in himselfe Joh. 2.11 Mat. 19.28 Joh. 12.41 Jude verse 24. and he giveth glorie to the faithfull Joh. 17.22 Joh. 14.2 and he is the Lord of glorie 1 Cor. 2.8 Thirdly the Holy-Ghost hath glorie in himselfe who both prepareth glorie for the faithfull and also prepareth the faithfull for glorie and is the Spirit of glorie 1 Pet. 4.14 The Father the Sonne and the Holy-Ghost are one glorious Lord God who hath glorie essentially proper to him and doth give grace and glorie to the faithfull Psal 84.11 who is stiled First the God of glorie Act. 7.2 in regard of that glorie which he hath in himselfe and of himselfe Secondly the King of glorie Psal 24. in regard of that glorie he giveth to his Church CHAP. XVI The Father the Sonne and the Holy-Ghost are blessed BLessednesse is an essentiall propertie of God who hath blessednesse in himselfe and of himselfe being free from all evill of all sorts whatsoever and aboundeth with all kind of Good he perfectly knoweth and certainely enjoyeth his owne blessednesse he to and for himselfe is sufficient and needeth no helpe of any Psal 16.2 Job 22.3 Job 35.6 7. Rom. 11.35 Psal 50.7 8.9 10.11 12. God is debtor to none men and Angels owe all that they have unto him He is the blessed God 1 Tim. 1.16 2 Tim. 6.15 First the Father is blessed for evermore 2 Cor. 11.31 so the high Priest acknowledged him Marke 14.61 Secondly the Sonne is blessed for ever Rom. 9.5 the children of the Jewes so acknowledged him Mar. 11.9 10. yea saith the Psalmist
2 Tim. 3.16 Eph. 3.5 he made this weapon for our use Secondly the Spirit of God directeth us how to use this Weapon and helpeth our infirmities Rom. 8.26 so that through him the weapons of our warfare are mighty to the pulling down of strong holds 2 Cor. 1.9 Thus Father Sonne and Holy-Ghost doe comfort us against the assaults of Satan and deliver us from his power For the Lord Jesus who was our surety Heb. 7.22 gave himselfe a raâ—some for us Mat. 20.28 1 Tim. 2.6 and thereby hath satisfied the justice of God Isa 53.5 2 Cor. 5.21 1 Joh. 2.2 the dâ—bt that we owed is paid by him Isa 53.6 the obligation is cancelled the hand-writing of Ordinances that was against us is blotted out Col. 2.14 the Work of our redemption is thereby finished Joh. 19.30 Gods justice being satisfied we are delivered from Satan Luk. 11.21 22. Heb. 2.14 15. who is but Gods Jaylor Luk. 12.58 and who del vered us into his hand Mat. 18.34 Till his justice was satisfied and the debt that we owed was discharged by Christ which being performed by him we are redeemed out of the hands of all our enemies Luk. 1.71.74 CHAP. V. 3. The Father the Sonne and the Holy-Ghost redeeme us from eternall destruction of body and soule THe Lord is especially our Redeemer in delivering our soules from destruction Psal 103.4 Zachariah blesseth the Lord God of Israel for visiting and redeeming his people Luk. 1.68 which was not onely the Father or the Sonne but the Father the Sonne and the Holy-Ghost as I have shewed First the Father redeemeth us he delivereth us from the power of darknesse and translateth us to the Kingdome of his deare Sonne Col. 1.13 Secondly the Sonne redeemeth us He is the Lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the World Joh. 1.29 that burthen of sinne that did lye heavie on us he took and caried for us Isa 53.4 Isa 53.11 12. 1 Pet. 2.24 he is our Goel or kinsman Joh. 19.25 which did the part of a kinsman for us in redeeming us and our heavenly inheritance to us as it was figured Levi. 25.25 and foretold Hos 13.14 he redeemed us by giving himselfe for us Tit. 2.14 Act. 20.28 1 Pet. 1.18 Eph. 5.2 Isa 53.5 6 8 10. Eph. 1.7 Col. 1.14 he hath washed us with his bloud Rev. 1.3 Rev. 5.2 1 Joh. 1.7 Heb. 9.14 he became our surety Heb. 7.22 and gave himsâ—lf a ransome for us Mark 10.45 1 Tim. 2.6 As God he did redeeme us by his power but as man he purchased our redemption by his merits actively fulfilling the Law for us Rom. 5.18 19. Heb. 7.26 2 Cor. 5.21 and passiveâ—y suffâ—ring for us the punishments due to the transgressours of the Law Gal. 3.13 Rom. 3.24 25. who as God and man is the Saviour of his Church Eph. 5.23 and people Mat. 1.21 delivering us from the wrath to come 2 Thes 2.10 Thirdly the Holy-Ghost redeemeth us He is the earnest and seale of our inheritance untill the redemption of the purchâ—sâ—d possession to the praise of his glory Eph. 1.13 14. yea the Spirit promiseth to them that overcome that they shall not be hurt of the second death Rev. 2.11 The Father the Word and the Spirit are equall in glory and power and are one and the same first cause of our Redemptioâ— which was inchoatively the worke of the Trinity Although terminatively it was perfected and consummated by the Sonne of God to whose Person humane Nâ—ture was united Joh. 1.14 So that two whole perfect and distinct Natures the God-head and the Man-hood were joyned together in one Person especially without either Conversion Composition or confusion of either which though he had two Natures yet he is but one Christ God and man the onely Mediatour between God and us 1 Tim. 2.5 and is the next and immediate principle of our Redemption and he as our high Priest once offered up himselfe Heb. 7.27 for our sinnes Heb. 10.12 as a Lambe without blemish and without spot 1 Pet. 1.19 CHAP. VI. Justification is a Worke of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Holy-Ghost and that first in regard of the remission of our sinnes or healing of our soule-sicknesse JUstification hath two parts which as Tilenus observeth differ not essentially but rationally Rom. 4.6 There is first a remission of sinnes or healing of our soules secondly an imputation of the righteousnesse of Jesus Christ First the Lord alone forgiveth sinnes He alone is the Physician that can cure all the maladies of our sin-sick souls he challengeth this as his owne prerogative I even I 〈◊〉 he thaâ— bâ—oâ—teth out thy transgressionâ— for mine owne sake and will not remember thy sinnes Esa 43.25 Sinne is onely committed against God Psal 51.5 Hee onely therefore can remit it And surely when he hath remittâ—d it who can lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect â—or it is God that justifieth who shall condemne it is Christ that dyed Rom. 8.33 34. The words the Apostle useth are remarkable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to call into court Satan may wranglingly dispute against thy soul thy conscience may erroneously accuse thee the Law 〈◊〉 produce cancelled Bills against thee but none of these shall hurt thee that hath an interest in Christ who hath satisfied Gods justice for thee And therefore Secondly the Apostle opposeth the death of Christ by way of challenge to whatsoever Sinne Satan Justice or Law can object when he saith not Who shall accuse for we may have accusers enough but Who shall condâ—mn it is Christ that died The Psalmist may well conclude him to be blessed to whom the Lord imputeth no sinne Psal 32.2 If the Scribes and Pharisees had not maliciously erred in the person they had concluded well in the thing None can fo give sinnes but God onely Marke 2.7 Luke 5.21 For if man could do this then he could brâ— g a cleane thing out of an uncleane which none can do Joâ— 14.4 but God onely He alone can heale our back-slidings Hos 14.4 which is nothing else but a forgivenesse of sinnes Marke calleth that a forgiving of sinnes Marke 4.12 which say and Paul do call a healing of them Esay 6.10 Act. 28.25 27. And surely forgivenesse of sins or healing of the soule is a worke of God Esay 44.22 Psal 103.3 2 Chron. 30.20 Psal 147.3 Psal 41.5 wrought by the Father the Son and the Holy-Ghost First the Father forgiveth sins Matth. 6.14 Marke 11.25 If ye forgive men their trespasses your heavenly Father will also forgive you And thus Christ as man prayed to his Father for his Enemies Father forgive them they know not what they do Luke 23.34 Moreover healing the soule is the worke of the Father Esa 6.10 with Mat. 13.15 for he sent Esaiah Esa 48.16 as I have shewed Secondly the Son forgiveth sinnes so he saith to Mary Luke 7.48 Thy sinnes be forgiven thee and so likewise he told the sick of the Palsie Marke 2.
Heb. 5.5 who was called of God an high Priest after the Order of Melchizedeck Heb. 5.10 where it is observeable that Christ as man is said to be a Priest after the Order of Melchizedeck Heb. 5.6 10. Heb. 6.20 Heb. 7.17 but as Christ was the Sonne of God so Melchizedeck is said to be made like unto him a Priest continually Heb. 7.3 Secondly the Sonne of God made himselfe of no reputation Phil. 2.7 He voluntarily undertooke this Office for so he testified For this cause came I into the World that I should beare witnesse unto the Truth Joh. 18.37 Loe I come to doe thy will O God Heb. 10.8 Thirdly the Holy-Ghost sent him He was led by the Spirit into the Wildernesse Luk. 4.1 and returned in the power of the Spirit unto Galilee Luk. 4.14 and was sent by the Spirit to preach the Gospell to the poore and anointed by him with gifts without measure Luk. 4.18 Act. 10.38 Thus there is one inseparable and undivided Working of the Father the Sonne and Holy-Ghost as there is one insepparable and undivided Nature of them CHAP. V. Christs power as man to worke Miracles was a Worke of the Father of the Sonne and of the Holy-Ghost THe Miracles tbat Christ wrought when he lived on the earth were wrought by the power of God Joh. 10.38 God did them by him Act. 2.22 they were wrought First by the power of the Father The Lord telleth the Jewes many good Workes have I shewed you from the Father Joh. 10.32 the Father that is in me he doth the Workes Joh. 14.10 the Sonne doth nothing but what he seeth the Father doe Joh. 5.19 He gave Christ the Workes that he did to finish Joh. 5.36 Secondly by the Divine Power of the Sonne whatsoever things the Father doth these also doth the Sonne likewise Joh. 5.19 Thus by his owne Power he tooke on him the forme of a servant Phil. 2.6 Heb. 2.16 in his Incarnation he raised up his owne Body in his Resurrection Joh. 2.19 he exalted his owne Body and Soule into heaven in his Ascention Eph. 4.8 9. 1 Pet. 3.21 He manifested his glory in his Miracles Joh. 2.11 As man he had no power of himselfe to doe Miracles but it was given him and in regard of his humane Nature he was Anointâ—d of God with the Holy-Ghost and with power Act. 10.38 But the Man-hood being united to the second Person of the God-head he both received power of God as he was man and he had power of himselfe as he was God to worke Miracles and therefore in many Miracles which he wrought he manifested both his Natures as in curing of him that was Dumbe and Deafe Mar. 7.34 He looketh up to heaven and sigheth as Man but he commanded as God be opened In healing the Leper Mat. 8.3 to confound Manicheus denying him to be Man he touched him and to confute Arrius denying him to be God he commanded I will be thou cleane manifesting that he and none other cured him when he and none other touched him in raising Lazarus he prayeth as man but commandeth as God Joh. 11.41.43 Christ did oft cure without Prayer but yet sometimes he prayed and that for our sakes First that we might know he was sent from God Joh. 11.45 Secondly that he might teach us what to doe when we undertake any weightie imployment As for that where it is said that he could doe no great Worke there because of their unbeliefe Mar. 6.4 Mat. 13.58 We must consider there is a twofold Power in God First an absolute Power so the Lord can doe any thing if the doing thereof imployeth not a contradiction Secondly a limited Power which is limited by his Will and Decree thus God by his absolute Power could have destroyed Sodome when Lot was in it by his limited power he could not Gen. 19.22 Christ likewise by his absolute Power could have wrought Miracles in these unbeleeving Cities but in regard of his limited power he could not because it stood not with his good will and pleasure in the like manner God could by his absolute Power have removed the Cup from Christ as Christ sheweth Mar. 14.36 All things were possible to God That therefore which as Matthew puts it if it be possible hath telation to Gods limited Power Mat. 26.36 which is limited by his will and therefore Luke well explaineth it Lu. 22.42 Father if thou be willing the unbeliefe therefore of the Capernaumites did not make Christ unable to doe but it made them unfit to receive it did not diminish Christs Divine power but their owne mercies which they might have recived if they would have believed for as faith on the one side stayeth Gods hand from executing Vengeance Exod. 32.10 so unbeliefe on the other side stayeth Gods hand from reaching forth mercies Thirdly by the power of the Holy-Ghost If I saith Christ by the Spirit of God cast out Divels then is the Kingdome of God come to you Mat. 12.28 Jesus was anointed with the Holy-Ghost and with power and went about doing good c. Act. 10.38 Father Sonne and Holy-Ghost therefore have one and the same power of working Miracles yea that was done by the power of the Father and of the holy-Ghost of whom it is said there went vertue and healed them all Luk 6.19 Mar. 5.30 whose Workes when the people saw it is said they were all amazed at the mightie power of God Luk. 9.43 yea he telleth you that they were his Workes and his Fathers which he did doe Joh 10.37 38. CHAP. VI. Christs Death and Passion that it might be a Ransome for the sinnes of the world was a Work of Father Sonne and Holy-Ghost CHrists Death and Passion that it might be a Ransome for the sinnes of the World was a Worke of God God was in Christ reconciling the world to himselfe 2 Cor. 5.19 He made our sinnes his sinnes that he might make his Righteousnesse our Righteousnesse for he made him to be sinne for us who knew no sinne that we might be made the Righteousnesse of God in him 2 Cor. 5 2â— where the Apostle by an Hebrewisme calleth the expiation of siinne by sacrifice sinne chata is to sinne but chitte in pihel is to expiate sinne Christ bare the punishment of sinne and became an offering for sinne for us that we which had sinned might in and through him have our Consciences purged from dead Workes and we which were defiled therewith might be washed by the blood of Christ 1 Joh. 1.7 Rev. 1.5 wherein we may see a Worke of the Father the Sonne and the Holy-Ghost First the Father gave us his Sonne the Lord Christ Joh. 3.16 God so loved the woâ—ld that he gave his onely begotten Sonne Rom. 8.32 He spared â—ot his owne Sonne but delivered him up for us all 1 Joh. 4.10 He sent his Sonne to be a propitiation for our sinnes Herod Pontius-Pilate the Gentiles and the Jewes did that to Christ which Gods hand and his Counsell
Luke 5.20 Matth. 9.6 And this he did to manifest his power Marke 2.10 That they might know the Son of man had power on earth to forgive sinnes Where the Lord Jesus manifested his divine power in healing corporally the sicknesse of the body and curing spiritually the infirmities of the soule He caused the filthy Garments to be taken away from the holy Priest and he said Behold I have caused thine iniquities to passe from thee and I will clothe thee with change of raiment Zach. 3.4 he tooke away his sin and clothed him with his righteousnesse And surely this is an unquestionable truth in the Apostles judgement and therefore he saith Col. 3.13 As Christ forgave you so also do ye This healing of the soul is a worke of Christ Joh 12.40 Luke 4.18 He as God healeth by the power of his Deity but as man by the merit of his passion Esa 53.5 his blood being a Soveraigne balme to cure our sin-wounded soule yea Esa 43.25 I even I am he that blot out thy transgressions for mine owne sake He it is that forgiveth who was made to serve with our sinnes which was Christ who took on him the formâ— of a servant Philippians 2.6 Secondly he who forgiveth forgiveth sins for his owne sake but our sinnes are forgiven in â—hrist it is his blood wâ—sheth them away 1 John 1.7 Rev. 1.5 Heb. 9.14 Acts 20.28 Eph. 5.2 Thirdly the Holy-Ghost forgâ—veth sins Heb. 10.15.17 The Holy Ghost that made a Covenant with Israel as I have shewed promiseth them to forgive their sins The Holy-Ghost also commanded legall sacrifices Heb. 9.8 whereby attonement was made for sinne yea because the Holy-Ghost doth apply and distribute remission of sins whiâ—h is obtained by the blood of Christ Therefore when as our Saviour entrusteth his Disciples with the keyes of the Kingdome of Heaven ministerially to binde or loose he first saith Receive the Holy-Ghost John 20.22 manifesting thereby that it was the Holy-Ghost who did remit sins by them It is the Spirit who promiseth to give to them that overcome a white stone Rev. 2.17 The Holy-Ghost alludeth to the custome of the Gentiles to whom he wrote which used these stones in judicature If the Judge gave a white stone it was a token of absolution but if it were a black stone it was a signe of condemnation The Spirit promiseth to give absolution or pardon of sin or freedome from condemnation to them that overcome Moreover healing of the soule is a worke of the Holy-Ghost so Paul manifesteth Acts 28.25 27. And I should heale them saith the Holy-Ghost there The Father the Son and Holy Ghost are equall in Power Majesty and Glory and do co-worke in forgiving of sins and healing of the soule of the believer CHAP. VII 2. The Father the Sonne and the Holy-Ghost do co-worke in imputing of Christs Righteousnesse ANd as not imputing our sinnes is a worke of God 2 Cor. 5.19 so the imputation of Christs righteousnesse to the believer is his worke likewise Though we have not a righteousnesse of our owne yet the Lord giveth us a righteousnesse of his own Rom. 10.3 which is answerable to his justice and what man or Angell is able to resist it He justifieth who shall condemn Rom. 8.33 It is one God that justifieth the circumcised Jew by faith and the uncircumcised Gentile through faith Rom. 3.30 Yet this one God is distinguished into three persons who do co-operate in this great work of justifying man through faith by the imputative righteousnesse of Christ which word imputed though divided by Papists yet is eight times used by the Apostle in one chapter Rom. 4.6 8 10 11 22 23 24. First The Father justifieth us not onely by pardoning of sin but by imputing of Christs righteousnesse which the Apostle calleth the righteousnesse of God Rom. 10 3. And that first because it is it which God imputeth for righteousnesse to us secondly because it is that which God accounteth for righteousnesse in us thirdly because it is that righteousnesse which Jâ—sus Christ who is God over all blâ—ssed for ever Rom. 9.5 hath wrought for us Thus the Father who raised Christ from the dead Gal. 1.1 1 Thes 1.10 imputeth this righteousnesse to us Rom. 4.24 Secondly the Sonne justifieth us By his knowledge saith Esay shall he justifie many Esa 53.11 He it is that maketh a reconciliation for sinne and bringeth in everlasting righteousnesse Dan. 9.24 But more cleerly doth the Apostle shew this truth 1 Cor. 6.11 Ye are justified in the Name of the Lord Jesus This righteousnesse of ours by faith Peter calleth the righteousnesse of God and of our Saviour Jesus Christ 2 Pet. 1.1 Not as if the Apostle spake of two distinct persons there being but one Article in the Originall and therefore there cannot be two distinct persons described thereby Yea our Lord Jesus promiseth to them that overcome to clothe them in white raiment Rev. 3.5 Thirdly The Holy Ghost justifieth us Ye are justified in the Name of the Lord Jesus and the Spirit of our God 1 Cor. 6.11 Thus the Father the Son and the Holy-Ghost who are one God are also one and the same efficient cause of our justification both in forgiving of sinnes and in imputing the righteousnesse of Christ through faith which is the instrument of our justification and is also the worke of God John 6.29 CHAP. VIII Faith is the worke of the Father the Son and the Holy-Ghost FAith is the instrument by which we are justified that is the hand by which we lay hold on the Lord Jesus and his righteousnesse and apply it also to our soules Yet faith is a Gift of God Eph. 2.8 It is his worke to purifie our hearts by faith Acts 15.9 Yea it is a worke of God wherein he exercised the same exceeding greatnesse of â—is power in effecting it that he used in raising Christ from the dead Eph. 1.19 20. It being as great a worke to worke faith in the heart of an unbeleever who is spiritually dead as it was to raise Christ from the grave when as he was corporally dead This being also an essentiall worke of God common to the Father Sonne and Holy-Ghost undividably to effect First the Father worketh faith in us the Apostle prayeth to him for it Eph. 6.23 Secondly the Sonne worketh faith in us the Apostle prayeth to him for it Eph. 6.23 and the Disciples of him the increase thereof Luke 17.5 And so likewise doth the father of the Lunatick Mark 9.24 By him do we believe in God 1 Pet. 1.21 Thirdly The Holy-Ghost worketh faith in us Cor. 12.9 It is a fruit of the Spirit Gal. 5.22 And we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousnesse by faith Gal. 5.5 Thus the mighty worke of faith is wrought in us by God who is distinguished into Father Sonne and Holy-Ghost which do unseparably undividably and unconfusedly worke this grace in our hearts in their personall order making us to believe and
worship which the proud Spirit would have Christ Matth. 4. given him he giveth to Christ fearefully servilely forcedly Mar. 5. Thirdly Angels are ministring Spirits sent forth at the Holy-Ghosts command So Luke sheweth Act. 10. Cornelius sending men to Peter at the command of an Angel yet the Holy-Ghost is said to send them Act. 10.20 He sent that Angel to warne Comelius who is said to be warned from God by an holy Angel Act. 10.22 it being God the Holy-Ghost as I have shewed that sent him An Angel is by him imployed as a messenger to direct Philip to Gaza Act. 8.26 Where the Holy-Ghost as the Syriack expressely sheweth imployeth Philip in preaching to the Eunuch Act. 8.29 yea the Angels worship the Holy-Ghost for he that sent Isaiah was worshiped of Angels Isa 6.2 3 9. That this was the Holy-Ghost who sent him Paul a witnesse beyond exceptions testifieth it Act. 28.25 and Isaiah himself averreth it Isa 48.16 The Father the Sonne and the Holy-Gost are of one and the same Divine Essence and Nature having one and the same Religious worship given them of Angels And surely those who have Divine worship given them of the Holy Angels may be worshiped of the Faithfull for they direct us to God as the onely object of Religious adoration and Divine worship Rev. 19.10 Rev. 22.9 who is alone worthy of worship and honour and is onely religiously to be served and obeyed as of Angels so of men CHAP. IV. We are to obey and serve Father Sonne and Holy-Ghost WE are to obey the Lord and serve him with all our heart and with all our soule Deu. 10.12 It was Samuels command to Israel that they should serve the Lord-onely 1 Sam. 7.5 and Israels commendation by Samuel that they served the Lord onely 1 Sam. 7.4 It is the honour which he requireth of us and which he will not give to another this obedience he accounteth for sacrince Heb. 13.16 yea he preferreth it before sacrifice 1 Sam. 15.22 It was the sinne of the Idolatrous Gentiles to give the Lords service to Devils 1 Cor. 10. and to serve the creature more then the Creator Rom 1.25 whenas they yeilded obedience and did service to them which by nature are no Gods Gal. 4.8 we who are dehorted from being the servants of men are exhorted to serve and obey the Father the Sonne and the Holy-Ghost First the Father is to be obeyed and served And herein we have the example of Christ who was in the forme of God and equall with God in regard of his Divine Nature yet taking on him the forme of a servant he humbled himself and as Man became obedient Phil. 2.6 7 8. or as the Apostle expresseth it Heb. 5.8 Though a Sonne â—et learned he obedience Obedience being not due in regard of stis Divine Nature but he barned it as Man Though he was most deare to his Father yet the Father imposeth and the Sonne willingly undergoeth both a bitter death on his body as also the wrath of God lying heavy on his soule Isa 53.4 5 6. which made his body to sweate no faint dew but solid drops of bloud Luke 22.43 and his soule as Mark expresseth it began 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be astonished with terrour and ready to dye with griefe Mar. 14.33 These unknowne sufferings felt by him not distinctly known to us made him to complaine to the Apostles Mar. 14.34 and to cry to his Father Mar. 14.36 Mar. 15.34 Heb. 5.7 And yet he for our sakes and for our example willingly obeyed and suffered And there is good reason why we should obey likewise the Father we are not our own we are his Joh. 17.16 Thine they are faith Christ of his Disciples to his Father Secondly the Sonne is to be obeyed and served It was prophesied of Christ Psal 72.11 Dan. 7.14.27 All Nations should serve him this Kingdome is given to him as the Sonne of Man Dan. 7.13 14. Luke 1.32 but it was his own as he is the Sonne of God John 16.15 The Lord Jesus is Lord of all Act. 10.36 First by right of Creation he created all John 1.2 Col. 1.16 Secondly by right of preservation he preserveth all Heb. 1.3 Col. 1.17 Thirdly by right of redemption he redeemed all his Elect Eph. 5.25 2 Tim. 2.6 1 Joh. 2.2 Fourthly by right of dominion he ruleth all Rev. 19.16 Eph. 1.22 and therefore he is surely to be obeyed and served He reproveth them that call him Lord and doe not the things that he commandeth Luke 6.46 The Israelites were commanded to obey the voyce of the Angel that went before them for Gods Name was in him Exod. 23.21 which was Jehovah Exod. 13.21 with Exod. 14.19 24. Deut. 1.31 32. even the Lord Christs 1 Cor. 10.9 God the Father being in him and he in the Father John 14.10 Joh. 10.38 And Isaias commandeth us to sanctifie the Lord God of Hoasts himselfe Let him be your feare and let him be your dread and he shall be for a Sanctuary but for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offence to both the houses of Israel Isai 8.13.14 That this Lord of Hoasts whom we are commanded to obey and serve was the Lord Jesus we have foure unerring Interpreters First Old Simeon guided by the Holy Ghost Luke 2.25 34. Secondly Christ himselfe Mat. 21.48 Luke 20.18 Thirdly Peter to whom the Gospell of Circumcision was committed 1 Pet. 2.7 and Fourthly Paul to whom the Gospel of uncircumcision was committed Rom. 9.33 all agreeing and interpreting of Christ whom we are to serve Col. 3.24 and surely there is good reason why we should obey and serve him we are not our owne we are his 1 Cor. 5.15 1 Cor. 7.22 purchased with his own bloud Acts 20.28 and we must bring into Captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ 2 Cor. 10.5 Thirdly the Holy-Ghost is to be obeyed and served Stephen complaineth of the Jewes for resisting the Holy-Ghost Acts 7.51 Ye alwayes resist the Holy-Ghost as your Fathers did so doe you Their Fathers resisted him in the Wildernesse rebelling against him and vexing him Isai 63.10 and grieving him Heb. 3.7 9 10. The Church of Antioch obey him in sending forth Paul and Barnabas Acts 13.4 who were to doe the worke he appointed them Acts 13.2 who did obey him in their travels Acts 13.4 Acts 16.6 and so did Philip Acts. 8.29 30. who being by him bid onely to goe to the Chariot of the Eunuch he ran thither And surely there is good reason why we should obey the Holy-Ghost we are not our own but his so the Apostle sheweth 1 Cor. 6.20 That this is the Holy-Ghost is evident for his we are whose Temples we are but we are the Temples of the Holy-Ghost as the Apostle did shew in the former verse whom we are to serve and obey as God in his Temple Oh let us strive to serve and obey the Father the Sonne and the Holy-Ghost whose we are in regard of all
priviledges of the Saints and are bound by baptisme to beleeve on him to love him to obey him to worship him and to glorifie him Where First that we are to be baptized in the Name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Holy-Ghost is manifest both out of the command of Christ Mat. 28.19 Teach all Nations baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Holy-Ghost As also from the continued practise of the Church of God in all ages and places of the Christian World Secondly Baptisme is a seale of the Covenant as Paul calleth circumcision Rom. 4.11 which the Father Sonne and Holy-Ghost doth make with the Church wherein God on his part promiseth to be our God which is our happinesse and we on our part doe promise and oblige our selves to serve him which is our duty Thirdly Baptisme is one Eph. 4.5 Not onely because it is once administred neither is it so onely because it is one seale of one and the same faith in all Nor is it so onely because it maketh all those that are baptized to be one body But principally in regard of the Object it is one and the same Covenant in all which we make with one and the same God The Apostle therefore Eph. 4.5.6 joyneth one Lord one faith one Baptisme and one God together putting Lord and God before and after faith and baptisme It being one Lord and God in whom we believe and one Lord and God in whole Name we are baptized Fourthly we being received into Covenant with God in Baptisme doe professe that God alone can wash away the filth of our sinnes and clense all the pollutions of our soules To which the Apostle seemeth to allude 1 Cor. 6.11 But ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are justified in the Name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God For as Water washeth our bodies so are our soules washed of God the Father by the sprinkling of the bloud of Christ 1 Pet. 1.2 and by the renewing of the Holy-Ghost Tit. 3.5 The Apostle Paul in the former place nameth all three Persons Our God there is the Father in the Name of the Lord Jesus there is the Sonne and by the Spirit there is the Holy-Ghost By the grace benefit and operation of these three we are Washed Justified Sanctified Fifthly in that the Sonne and Holy Ghost are joyned with as in one Covenant with the Father wherein we equally promise Faith Obedience and Worship to them with the Father they therefore are not creatures For first if creatures should have the same Covenant made with them as is with God and that at Gods command This would be in God a giving of his glory to another which God disclaimeth Isai 48.11 secondly we should then confide and trust in a Creature which would be a withdrawing of our hearts from the living God and we should by this meanes bring a curse on us and not a blessing Jer. 17.5 7. thirdly we should then be tyed by Covenant to give Religious worship service and obedience to a Creature which is expresly forbidden Mat. 4.8 and we ought not to give the least Religious worship to them which by nature are no Gods Gal. 4.8 Rev. 19.10 Rev. 22.9 Fourthly we should then be baptized into the Name of Creatures It was a thing that Paul abhorred that any should think he did baptize in his owne Name 1 Cor. 1.13.15 Sixthly we being baptized in the Name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Holy-Ghost have one and the same Communion with the Father the Sonne and the Holy-Ghost For we have First Communion with the Father 1 Joh. 1.3 Secondly Commmnion with the Sonne 1 Joh. 1.3 Thirdly Communion with the Holy-Ghost 2 Cor. 13. last Phil. 2.1 Seventhly the Name of God in Scripture is used first sometimes for Gods Attributes Psal 9.11 They that know thy Name shall trust in thee and Isai 52.6 My people shall know my Names and againe Psal 91.14 I will set him on high because he hath known my Name We know Gods Attributes but not his Essence we see his back-purts but not his face Exod. 33.23 with Exod. 34.6 7. secondly it is taken sometime for God himself Psal 20.1 The Name of the God of Jaacob defend thee and Pro. 18.10 The Name of the Lord is a strong Tower a Metonymie of the adjunct for the subject as Cartwright observeth and so likewise it is taken Exod. 23.21 My Name saith God the Father is in him God the Father was in him 2 Cor. 5.19 and he in the Father Joh. 10.38 thirdly it is taken 〈◊〉 Power and Authority The high Priests examining of Peter and John and demanding of them by what Power and Name have ye done this receive this answer from them If ye examine by what meanes this man is made whole Be it known unto you all it is by the name of Jesus Christ â—f Nazareth Act. 4.9.10 fourthly it is taken sometime for the glory of God I have manifested thy Name to the men of the World Job 17.6 and againe Father glorifie thy Name Joh. 12.28 fifthly it is taken sometimes for our faith and confidence in God I come to thee in the Name of the Lord 1 Sam. 17.45 Our Lord Christ who is God manifested in the flesh 1 Tim. 3.16 Joh. 1.14 commandeth us to be baptized in the Name not in the Names Mat. 28.19 He intimateth thereby therefore that there is one Power one God-head one glory one Faith and Confidence one Obligation in Baptisme to this one Jehovah in whose Name we are baptized who is absolutely one in respect of his Essence and Name though Relatively in respect of the Persons he is three The Father the Sonne and the Holy-Ghost Three are named and yet but one Name of them three teaching us thereby that those three the Father the Sonne and the Holy-Ghost are named which are truly distinct as Relatives one from the other yet they are not three Lords or three Gods but one Lord God whom by Covenant in Baptisme we are to obey and serve and in whose Name we are to sweare CHAP. XII Paul calleth to witnesse the Father the Sonne and the Holy-Ghost swearing by them IT was a Command that God ioyned Israel and annexed to his Law as part of that Honour which Israel owed to him and he required of them Deut. 6.13 Deut. 10.20 Thou shalt feare the Lord thy God and serve him and sweare by his Name Which was not onely required of the Church of the Jewes onely but also of the Church of the Gentiles Isai 45.23 The swearing by them that are no Gods is set down by the Prophet I had almost said as an unpardonable sin Jer. 5.7 How shall I pardon thee for this thy children have forsaken me and sworne by them that are no Gods Yea the Lord ranketh them with Idolaters in reproofe and joyneth them together in punishment Zeph. 1.4 5. that sweare