Common Places, Part 1 · Chapter 12
The twelfe Chapter. Of ſundrie things attributed vntounto God, and the holie Trinitie; where his godhead is prooued to be in the Sonne and in the holie Ghoſt.
THE nature of God is infinite, In 1. Sam. 17, verſe. 45.ſo as it cannot be comprehended vnderunder one title to knowe him by; wherefore his name is ver…e large: By effects and works we gather of the nature of God.yet neuertheleſſe, by effects & works are gathered his ſingular properties, whereby we may vnderſtand all the diuine nature and power, that ſéeing we cannot comprehend the whole, we may at the leaſtwiſe come vntounto the knowledge of him by parts. This ſimilitude was of ſtrange and foren coines, and could not be engliſhed properlie.If there were anie ſo rude and vnſkilfull, as he knew not the value of a double ſufferant, we would ſaie that the ſame conteineth in it, pence, grotes, teſters, ſhillings, crownes, nobles, roials, and laſtlie, the ſum of twentie ſhillings. By theſe parts and ſmall portions, vnleſſe he were excéeding blockiſh, he might vnderſtand how much a double ſufferant is woorth. Euen ſo men, after a ſort, doo perceiue the nature and infinite ſubſtance of God by theſe parts and titles to knowe him by, not that there be anie parts in God, but bicauſe that we onlie by ſuch effects & parts may gather of his power & infinit greatnes. Diuers and manifold are the titles, whereby he is knowne: as when he is called Pitifull, Mercifull, Conſtant, Iuſt, Good, The God of Sabaoth, and ſuch like.
In 1. Sam. 29, verſe. 6.2 And that this may be the better vnderſtood; he is called Iehoua of Haia, that is, To be: and that name agréeth properlie vntounto God. For God is ſo an eſſence or being, Whereof God is called Iehoua.as the ſame floweth from him vntounto all other things. Whatſoeuer things are, doo depend of him, neither can they be without his power & helpe. Laſtlie, they hauehave alſo promiſes of him, both to be, and to be performed. Wherefore that name of Iehoua is properlie attributed vntounto God: of the ſimilitude of which word, Iupiter being deſirous to be reputed for a God, commanded himſelfe to be called Ioue. The Rabbins ſaie, that thoſe letters, wherof that word conſiſteth, are ſpirituall. What the word ſpirit ſignifieth.And vndoubtedlie, God is a ſpirit; and a ſpirit firſt ſignifieth things that be without bodies, or that hauehave light bodies, as vapors and exhalations, the which in ſhew are light and thin, but yet they are of excéeding great ſtrength. For by them, earthquakes are ſtirred vp, the huge ſeas are troubled, the ſtorms of wind are blowne abroad. Wherefore that word began afterward to be applied to the ſoule of man, to angels, and to God himſelfe: for theſe things, which otherwiſe ſéeme but ſlender, doo bring great things to paſſe. Others ſaie, that thoſe letters, whereof the word Iehoua is written, be reſting letters: and that is verie agréeable vntounto God. No waie to find quietnes, but in God onlie.For ſéeing we doo all ſéeke for reſt and felicitie, there is no waie to find the ſame, but in God onelie; thus much hitherto of the word. Iehoua ſignifieth the chéefe being; wherevpon Plato had that his foreign, or eſſence. And that this may be the more manifeſt: ſome of the names of God are deriued from his ſubſtance, Names deriued from Gods ſubſtance.and other from ſome propertie. Subſtantiall names be Iehoua & Ehi: that word ſignifieth, I will be. For there is no creature that may ſaie; I will be. For if God drawe backe his power, all things doo ſtraitwaie periſh. God doubtleſſe may trulie ſaie ſo, bicauſe he cannot faile nor forſake himſelfe.
Names referred vntounto his properties.Other names are referred to ſome propertie of God; as El vntounto might, Cadoſeh vntounto holines, Schaddai vntounto ſufficiencie: howbeit theſe things in God be no accidents, but onlie as we comprehend them in our cogitations. For whereas God is infinite, and we cannot wholie comprehend him; yet by certeine tokens and effects we doo in ſome part vnderſtand of him: thereof are thoſe names, which ſignifie ſome propertie of God. The Iewes being led of a certeine ſuperſtition, pronounce not that holie name Tetragrammaton, but in the place thereof they put Adonai, or Elohim; and ſo thinke that they worſhip the name of God more purelie and reuerentlie: but God requireth no ſuch kind of worſhip. And hereby it commeth to paſſe, that in tranſlating of the holie ſcriptures, the Grecians for Iehoua hauehave made Lord: as, in ſtead of Iehoua liueth, they hauehave ſaid; The Lord liueth. And whereas in the new teſtament Chriſt is ſo oftentimes called Lord, his Godhead is nothing atall excluded by that word, as ſome vnpure men doo babble, but is rather eſtabliſhed. Vndoubtedlie Thomas ioined both togither; Iohn. 20, 28.My Lord (ſaith he) and my God.
Finallie, God, In Iudg. 2, verſe 1.to the intent that the knowledge of him might not be forgotten, hath accuſtomed to put men in mind of thoſe benefits, which he hath beſtowed vponupon them; and would that thoſe ſhould be as certeine words expreſſing vntounto vsus his nature and goodnes. And hée beginneth alwaies the reherſall at his latter benefits; and of them he claimeth to himſelfe titles or names attributed vntounto him, vnderunder which he may both be called vponupon, and acknowledged. For euen at the beginning, God was called vponupon, as he which had made heauen and earth; afterward, as he that was the God of Abraham, Iſaac, and Iacob; after that, as the deliuerer out of Aegypt; then a deliuerer out of the captiuitie of Babylon: but laſtlie, as the father of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt.
¶ Of the omnipotencie of God, looke Peter Martyr in his Treaſtiſe, Of both natures in Christ, ſet foorth at Tygure. 1563. pag. 4.
3 The words which be in the ſecond booke of Samuel, the ſeuenth chapter, In 2. Sam. 7, verſe. 23. Looke In Gen. 18. at the beginning. And In 2. Sam. 23, verſe. 2.verſe the 23. namelie, The gods came that he might redéeme vntounto himſelfe a people, are a ſharpe corſie vntounto the Hebrues, which will not acknowledge thrée perſons in the diuine nature. Som, bicauſe it is ſaid, Gods, refer it to the opinion of men. Such is that ſaieng of Paule; There be manie gods, and manie lords. 1. Cor. 8, 5.For neither can they admit or alow of a multitude of gods. But forſomuch as the intreating here is of a ſingular or particular fact, this place muſt in anie wiſe be vnderſtood of the true God. Kimhi thinketh, that Dauid ſaid, Gods, for honor ſake; euen as men alſo, to ſpeake the more pleaſinglie and ciuilie, doo oftentimes vſe the plurall number, in ſtead of the ſingular. But if it be ſo, what new religion entered ſtraitwaie into Dauid? Why did he ſtraitwaie adde; Thou Lord, in the ſingular number? For we muſt heape vponupon God all the honours that we can. Others had rather refer this ſaieng vntounto Moſes and Aaron, who were ſent to deliuer the people out of Aegypt: but this cannot be; for in the booke of Chronicles, all theſe things are ſpoken of God himſelfe by name. 1. Chro. 17, verſe 11.For ſo Dauid ſpeaketh; Thou cameſt to redeeme thy people. Wherefore we ſhall much more rightlie and trulie vnderſtand the thrée perſons in one diuine nature; The Trinitie.namelie, the Father, the Sonne, and the holie Ghoſt: which being thrée perſons, yet are they ſhut vp vnderunder one ſubſtance. This opinion is true, ſound, and catholike, whether the Hebrues will or no.
But thoſe words, which be added; And might doo great things for you: ſome would by Apoſtrophe or conuerſion of ſpeach, refer them to the Iewes, which me thinke is not probable. For Dauid talked not of theſe things with the people, but ſecretlie with God. Wherefore I had rather thus to vnderſtand them of God himſelfe, and to aſcribe theſe maruellous things to one God in thrée perſons. But God came to deliuer his people, when he ſent Moſes & Aaron vntounto them: for when he appointed Moſes to that meſſage, he added withall; And I will be with thee. God doubtleſſe is in euerie place at all times; Exod. 3, 12.but then he is ſaid to come, How God is ſaid to come. Exo. 12, 12.when he dooth ſome great or new thing. And ſo he was ſaid to be among the Iewes, when he ſmote the Aegyptians and their firſt borne. Againe, when Pharao followed the Iewes going foorth of Aegypt, and that they began to murmur, thinking that they ſhould euen then hauehave periſhed, Moſes on this wiſe recomforted them; God ſhall fight for you, and ye ſhall be ſtill: Exo. 14, 14.yea the Aegyptians themſelues alſo did perceiue the ſame. For they ſaid; Let vsus flie awaie, Ibidem. 25.for God himſelfe dooth fight for them. Yea and afterward, when the people had worſhipped the golden calfe, and that God was angrie, he would not go foorth with them, yet Moſes intreated him to go on with them. Eoxd. 33, 3.Wherfore to deliuer the people, there came both the Father, and the Sonne, & the holie Ghoſt. And although thoſe works were common vntounto the thrée perſons, yet are they ſeuerallie and particularlie aſcribed to the Sonne. And therefore Paule ſaith vntounto the Corinthians, 1. Cor. 10. 4. and 9.that that rocke, from whence the water did flowe, was Chriſt; And let vsus not tempt Chriſt (ſaith he) as ſome tempted him in the deſart. By which words of Paule, we manifeſtlie gather; that the Iewes murmured againſt Chriſt. Which being ſo, the Arrians may be verie well confuted by that place. Againſt the Arrians.For if it were Chriſt, as doubtleſſe it was, (which came to redéeme the people) how can Dauid ſaie; There is no other God as thou art, if the Sonne be either a creature, or inferiour to the father? For although this argument bind not the Iewes, who receiue not Paule; yet dooth it bind the Arrians, which cannot refuſe Paule.
Chriſts diuinitie is prooued. Looke part 2. plac. 17. art. …. Matt. 28 19.4 But the teſtimonies, whereby we prooue the diuinitie of Chriſt, are taken as well out of the old, as out of the new teſtament. Matthew ſaith; that We muſt baptiſe in the name of the Father, of the Sonne, and of the holie Ghoſt: In which words he ſheweth, that there be thrée perſons coequal one with an other. And we read in Iohn; This is life euerlaſting, to knowe thee, the onlie true God, Iohn. 17, 3, Iohn. 14, 6.and Ieſus Chriſt whom thou haſt ſent. Neither might Chriſt be called the firſt and principall good, or elſe eternall life, vnleſſe he were God. When the high preeſt had demanded of Chriſt with admiration, Matt. 26, 63.whether he were the ſonne of the liuing God? The Lord anſwered him; Thou haſt ſaid. The which he hearing, rent his garments, and vnderſtood that he affirmed himſelfe to be God. Furthermore, very firme is that ſaieng; And God was the word: Iohn. 1, 1eſpeciallie ſéeing it is added a little after; And the word was made fleſh. Where thou ſéeſt, that the ſubtile argument of the Arrians taketh no place, wherby they affirme, that Chriſt no doubt was called God, but yet that he was not ſo indéed: whereas Iohn ſaith moſt plainelie; that The word was God, and was made fleſh. Iohn. 1, 14.Further we read in the ſame Iohn; that No man hath ſeen God at anie time, Iohn. 1, 18.but the ſonne which is in the boſome of the father, he hath declared him. In which place thou heareſt, that the ſon of God is exempted from the common condition of men. It is ſaid by the ſame Iohn; All things are made by him. Iohn. 1. 3. Auguſtine.VponUpon which place Auguſtine dooth verie well infer, that the ſonne of God was not made: for if he had béene made, then all things that were made, had not béene created by him; at the leaſtwiſe he had beene created by another thing.
Thomas, when he had ſéene the gaſhes where the nailes entred, & the open wound of Chriſt his ſide, he ſpake foorth alowd; My Lord & my God. Iohn. 20, 28.Alſo Chriſt praied to his father ſaieng; Glorifie me, ò Father, with the glorie, Iohn. 17, 5.which I had with thee, before the world was made: which ſaieng might not ſtand, vnleſſe that Chriſt had the diuine nature; for his humane nature was not before the world was made. Alſo the Lord ſaid; Iohn. 16, 15.All things that my father hath, are mine: and that the father hath the diuine nature, it is by none called in queſtion; and ſo of neceſſitie the ſonne is not without the ſame. Beſides, Chriſt teſtifieth & ſaith; All things that my father dooth, Iohn. 5, 19.I alſo doo: but the action of them both, being all one, the natures of them muſt néeds be one and the ſame. He ſaid to the Iewes; Iohn. 8, 58.Before that Abraham was, I am: which cannot otherwiſe be referred but to his diuine nature: and no leſſe do theſe ſaiengs prooue; I am the reſurrection and the life. Iohn. 11, 25.Againe; As the father hath life in himſelfe, ſo he hath granted to the ſonne to hauehave life in himſelf. Iohn. 5, 26.Hereby it is prooued, that the ſonne is equall to the father. And the ſame Iohn wrote in his firſt epiſtle, the fift chapter; 1. Ioh. 5, 20.And we are in him that is true: that is, in his ſonne Chriſt, which is verie God, and eternall life. Our ſauiour ſaid to Nichodemus; Iohn. 3, 13.No man aſcendeth into heauen, but he that came downe from heauen, euen the ſon of man, which is in heauen. And Chriſt was not in heauen, while he talked with the Iewes, vnleſſe it were as touching his diuine nature: neither did he deſcend out of heauen, but in reſpect that he was God. Of which comming downe, he againe teſtifieth, Iohn. 6, 38.when he ſaith; I came downe from heauen, not to doo mine owne will, but the will of him that ſent me. Iohn. 16, 28.Againe, I came out from my father, and I go vntounto my father.
5 All theſe things muſt be referred vntounto the diuine nature. In the Apocalypſe alſo he teſtifieth, that he is α and ω, Apoc. 1, 8.The firſt and the laſt. And in the ſame booke, the 19. chapter, it is written of Chriſt, that there was written vponupon his thigh, and vponupon his garments, Apoc. 19, 16.King of kings, and Lord of lords. And leaſt thou ſhouldſt imagine, that that litle, was the *Addition of name.Epitheton aſcribed vntounto God, there is mention made in the ſeauentéenth chapter of the lambe himſelfe; that He had the victorie, Apoc. 17, 14bicauſe he was the King of kings, and Lord of lords. Which propertie, that it belongs onlie vntounto God, it is manifeſt by the firſt epiſtle of Paule vntounto Timothie, where, towards the end of the epiſtle, it is written; Vntill the appearing of our Lord Ieſus, 1. Tim. 6, 15.which he ſhall ſhew in due time, that is bleſſed, and Prince onlie, the King of kings, and Lord of lords. To the Romans he ſaith; Rom. 9, 5.Of them came the fathers, of whome, as touching the fleſh, Chriſt came, who is God ouer all, bleſſed for euer. Beſides, when it is commanded; Deut. 6, 13.Thou ſhalt woorſhip the Lord thy God, and him onlie thou ſhalt ſerue. It is ſaid by Paule vntounto the Philippians; In the name of Ieſus, Phil. 2, 10.let euerie knee bow, both of things in heauen, of things in earth, and things vnderunder the earth. And to the Hebrues; When he bringeth his ſonne into the world, Hebr. 1, 6.he ſaith, Let all the angels of God woorſhip him. And in the ſame place, Hebr. 1, 10.out of the ſentence of the pſalme, the power of creating is attributed vntounto him; Pſalm. 102.And thou Lord in the beginning, didſt laie the foundation of the earth. There is alſo another pſalme alledged; Therefore hath God, euen thy God annointed thee with oile of gladnes aboue thy fellowes.Hebr. 1, 9.
And there is a compariſon of Chriſt with Melchiſedecke, namelie, that they were both without father, Hebru. 7, 3.without mother, and without genealogie; which thing accordeth not with Chriſt, but ſo far foorth as he is God. VntoUnto the Coloſſinas we reade; Coloſſ. 2, 9.that In Chriſt dwelleth all the fulnes of the godhead bodilie. Colo. 1, 16.Againe; All things are made by him, whether they be things viſible or inuiſible, Titus. 2, 13.or thrones, or dominions. VntoUnto Titus; We expecting the bleſſed hope, and comming of the glorie of the great God. Héere Chriſt is moſt plainelie called The great God. And in the ſecond to the Corinthians; 2. Cor. 8, 9.When he was rich, he was made poore for all men. It can not be meant that he was rich, but in reſpect of his diuine nature. 1. Cor. 2, 8.And in the firſt epiſtle to the Corinthians; If they had knowne him, they would neuer hauehave crucified the Lord of glorie. And in the eight chapter; 1. Cor. 8, 6.To vsus neuertheles there is one God, which is the father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Ieſus Chriſt, by whome are all things, and we by him. But if that all things are by him, verelie there is no doubt, but that he is God. And vntounto the Galathians, as touching the time of infidelitie, it is written; Gala. 4, 8.When as yee ſerued thoſe which in nature be no gods, &c. By which words, the contrarie is gathered; that ſéeing they were conuerted vntounto Chriſt, and ſerued him, they ſerued him that in nature is God.
But to followe the ſure and more vndoubted teſtimonies of the old Teſtament, Pſal. 110, 1.out of Dauid we hauehave; The Lord ſaid vntounto my Lord, Sit on my right hand, vntill I make thine enimies thy footeſtoole. Eſaie calleth him Emanuel. Eſaie. 7, 14. Eſaie. 9, 6.And againe he ſaith; His name ſhall be called Woonderfull, a Counſellour, God, &c. Ieremie in the 21. chapter, ſaith, Ierem. 21, 6.that he muſt be called God our righteouſnes, & he vſeth the name Tetragrammaton. The verie which thing thou maiſt ſée to be done by the ſame Prophet, in the 31. chapter, Iere. 31, 23.wherein, though he ſpeake of the citie, I meane of the people of God, or of the church; yet neuertheles, all that doth appertaine vntounto Chriſt, which is the head of the ſame: yea rather by him is ſuch a name attributed to the church & people of God. Alſo we reade in Eſaie; Eſaie. 53, 8.Who ſhall be able to reckon his generation? And in the Prophet Micheas; Miche. 5, 2.And thou Bethleem of Iewrie art not the leaſt among the thouſands of Iuda: for out of thee ſhall come foorth vntounto me, one that ſhall rule my people Iſrael, whoſe out-going hath bin from the beginning, and from euerlaſting: by which words, both the natures of Chriſt are ſhewed. Eſaie. 11, 10.Adde againe out of the Prophet Eſaie, that which is cited by Paule in the 15. chapter to the Romanes; Rom. 15, 12.There ſhall be a roote of Ieſſe, which ſhall ariſe to rule ouer the Gentiles, and in him ſhall the Gentiles truſt. And certaine it is, that he is to be accurſed, Looke In Rom. 1, and 4, & 25, & 8, verſe 34, & 9, a, 5, & 33, & 10, 17, & 11, 7, & 27. 1. Cor. 11, verſe. 3.which putteth anie hope in a creature. Therefore, ſéeing we muſt put our truſt in Chriſt, and that he is to be called vponupon, it plainelie appéereth that he is God. There might be heapt vp other teſtimonies of this matter, but theſe I thinke to be enough, and enough againe, to confute the boldnes of theſe men.
VVhether the holie Ghoſt be God.
In 1. Cor. 12.6 Now it ſhall not be from the purpoſe, to confirme by manie reaſons, that the holy Ghoſt is God. The word ſpirit diuerſlie taken.This word ſpirit, ſometime ſignifieth a certeine motion, or a nature mooueable; ſometimes it is taken for life, or mind, or the force of the mind, whereby we are mooued to doo anie thing; it is alſo tranſfferred to the ſignifieng of things, Why our ſoules, and angels, and God are called ſpirits.which be ſeperate from matter, as be the angels, which the philoſophers call Intelligencies: yea, and it is ſo far drawne, as it repreſenteth our ſoules. Which metaphor ſéemeth to hauehave reſpect therevnto, bicauſe we ſomtimes ſignifie by this name, the thin exhalations, which breath either from the earth, from the water, from the bloud, or from the humors of liuing creatures: which exhalations, although they be not eaſilie perceiued by the ſenſe, yet are they effectuall, and of excéeding great force; as it appéereth by winds, earthquakes, and ſuch like things. And ſo it commeth to paſſe hereby, that the name of theſe moſt ſubtill bodies, whoſe force is excéeding great, hath béene tranſlated to the expreſſing of ſubſtances without bodies. Wherefore it is taken for a word generall, Spirit is a generall word.both vntounto God, vntounto angels, and vntounto our ſoules. And that it is attributed vntounto God, Chriſt ſheweth, when he ſaith; God is a ſpirit, Iohn. 4, 24.and therevpon concludeth, that he muſt be worſhipped in ſpirit and truth. When it is ſo taken, this name comprehendeth vnderunder it, the Father, the Sonne, and the holie Ghoſt. But ſomtime it is taken particularlie; That the holie Ghoſt is a perſon diſtinct frō the Father and the Sonne.for the third perſon of the Trinitie, which is diſtinct from the Father and the Sonne. And of this perſon we ſpeake at this time, wherein two things muſt be ſhewed: firſt, that he is a perſon diſtinct as well from the Father as the Sonne: ſecondlie, we will ſhew that the holie Ghoſt is by this meane deſcribed to be God.
The firſt reaſon. Matt. 28, 19.7 As touching the firſt, the apoſtles are commanded in the Goſpell, that they ſhould baptiſe in the name of the Father, of the Sonne, and of the holie Ghoſt. Which place dooth moſt plainlie expreſſe the diſtinction of the thrée perſons, and dooth ſignifie nothing elſe, but that we be deliuered from our ſinnes, by the name, power, and authoritie of the Father, of the Sonne, and of the holie Ghoſt. And in the baptiſme of Chriſt, as Luke rehearſeth, The ſecond reaſon. Matt. 3, 16. Luke. 3, 21.the voice of the Father was heard, which ſaid; This is my beloued ſonne, &c. Further, the holie Ghoſt appéered vnderunder the forme of a dooue. Here, as thou ſéeſt, the ſonne is baptiſed, the father ſpeaketh, and the holie Ghoſt ſheweth himſelfe in forme of a dooue. In Iohn it is ſaid; Iohn. 14, 16. The third reaſon.I will aske my Father, and he ſhall giuegive you another Comforter. Here alſo the Sonne praieth, the Father heareth, and the Comforter is ſent. And againe; He ſhall receiue of mine: The fourth reaſon. Iohn. 16, 14.whereby is ſignified, that the holie Ghoſt dooth ſo differ from the Father and the Sonne, as he is deriued from both.
And leaſt that anie man ſhould thinke, that when Chriſt promiſed that the holie Ghoſt ſhuld come vponupon the beléeuers (as in the daie of Pentecoſt it came to paſſe) onlie a diuine inſpiration and motion of the mind was ſignified, the words of Chriſt are againſt it, wherein he ſaid; The fift reaſon. Iohn. 14, 26.He ſhall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, which I hauehave told you. But inſpiration and motion of the mind, doo not teach nor prompt anie thing; but are onelie inſtruments, whereby ſomething is taught and prompted. And the action of teaching and prompting, cannot be attributed but vntounto one that is a perſon indéed. Which is prooued by other words of Chriſt, when he ſaid of the holie Ghoſt; The ſixt reaſon. Iohn. 16, 13He ſhall ſpeake whatſoeuer he ſhall heare. And that this third perſon procéedeth from the Father and the Sonne, it is euident enough in the ſame Goſpell of Iohn, where it is written; Iohn. 15, 26 The 7. reaſon.When the Comforter ſhall come, whom I will ſend vntounto you: euen the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father. Séeing the ſonne ſaith, that he will ſend the Spirit, and (as we ſaid before) affirmeth him to receiue of his; no man doubteth, but that hée procéedeth from the ſonne. And he now expreſſelie addeth; Who proceedeth from the Father.
8 Now hauehave we firſt declared out of the holie ſcriptures, Whether the holie Ghoſt be God.that the perſon of the holie Ghoſt is diſtinguiſhed, as well from the Father as the Sonne; and that he procéedeth from them both. Now muſt we ſée, whether he be God. This dooth Paule ſhew two maner of waies: firſt, when it is ſaid; There be diuerſitie of gifts, but one Spirit; The firſt reaſon. 1. Cor. 12, 4.diuerſitie of operations, but one and the ſame God. But to giuegive gifts and ſpirituall faculties, is no whit leſſe, than to diſtribute operations: wherefore, ſéeing the holie Ghoſt is ſaid to diſtribute gifts, & God to impart actions vntounto men, it is manifeſt that the holie Ghoſt is God. If the ſpirit be the author of graces, & the Father of operations; it is méet that the holie Ghoſt ſhould be equall to God the Father. Further it is added; that The ſame ſpirit dooth worke all theſe things, The ſecond reaſon. 1. Co. 12, 11diſtributing to euerie one euen as he will. Séeing then the ſouereigne choiſe is in him, to impart heauenlie gifts, he is God. And it is written; Ye are the temple of God, 1. Cor. 3, 16. The third reaſon.and the Spirit of God dwelleth in you: if anie man doo violate the temple of God, him ſhall God deſtroie. But it is not méete for anie creature to hauehave a temple, ſéeing the ſame is proper vntounto the diuine nature. Wherefore, ſéeing we be called The temples of the holie Ghoſt, it is now manifeſt, that he is God.
And leaſt we ſhould thinke it lawfull to build temples vntounto martyrs, Auguſtine ſaith that temples are not builded vntounto martyrs.let vsus heare Auguſtine, who denieth that we build temples vntounto martyrs; we build them (ſaith he) vntounto God, although they be called The memories of martyrs: and out of Auguſtine himſelfe is this forme of reaſoning gathered. Neither did the apoſtle but onlie once ſaie; that We are the temples of the holie Ghoſt, but he hath the verie ſame thing in the ſixt chapter of the ſame epiſtle, where it is written; And doo yee not knowe that your bodies are the temples of the holie Ghoſt? 1. Cor. 6, 19.Furthermore the power of creating, which is proper vntounto God, The fourth reaſon. Pſal. 33. 6.is aſcribed vntounto the holie Ghoſt; ſéeing Dauid hath written; By the word of the Lord were the heauens made, & all the powers of him by the ſpirit of his mouth. And againe; Send foorth thy ſpirit, Pſa. 104, 30.and they ſhall be created, and thou ſhalt renew the face of the earth. And in Matthew it is ſaid of the bodie of Chriſt, which ſhould be brought foorth in the virgins wombe; Matth. 1, 20.That which is borne in hir, is of the holie Ghoſt. Againe; Luke. 1, 45.The holy Ghoſt ſhall come vponupon thee, and the power of the moſt high ſhall ouerſhadowe thee. Séeing then the holie Ghoſt hath the power of creating, (as it hath béene declared) vndoubtedlie he is God.
1. Cor. 2, verſe 10.In the ſame epiſtle to the Corinthians it is ſaid, that he ſearcheth the bottome of Gods ſecrets: & it ſéemeth that the apoſtle maketh this kind of argument; The fift reaſon.The things which be of man, no man knoweth, but the ſpirit of man which is in him: euen ſo the things that be of God, none knoweth but the ſpirit of God. And ſo he will hauehave it, that euen as the ſpirit of man is vntounto man; ſo the ſpirit of God is towards God. And no man is ignorant, but that the ſpirit of man belongeth vntounto the nature of man; whereby it is certeine, that the ſpirit of God is of his diuine nature. Baſil. The ſixt reaſon.Baſil againſt Eunomius vſeth another reaſon, which commeth in a manner to the ſelfeſame; he ſaith, that the holie Ghoſt is the ſpirit both of the father and of the ſonne, and therefore of the verie ſame nature that they be. For it is written in the epiſtle to the Romans; And if the ſpirit of him, Rom. 8, 11.which raiſed vp Ieſus frō death, doo abide in you, he that raiſed vp Chriſt ſhall alſo raiſe vp your mortall bodies. This place declareth, that the holie Ghoſt dooth belong vntounto the father, who in the ſame epiſtle is ſhewed to belong alſo vntounto the ſonne, when as a little before it is ſaid; He that hath not the ſpirit of Chriſt, the ſame is not his. But in the epiſtle to the Galathians, Galat. 4, 6. The ſeuenth reaſon.both togither is expreſſed in theſe words; And bicauſe yee be children, therefore hath God ſent the ſpirit of his ſonne into your harts, whereby ye crie Abba father. Wherefore, ſéeing the holie Ghoſt is the ſpirit, aſwell of the father as of the ſonne, he is wholie partaker of their nature.
9 Moreouer in the Acts of the apoſtles, the fift chapter, Peter ſaid to Ananias; Acts. 5, 3.How dareſt thou lie vntounto the holie Ghoſt? The eight reaſon.Thou diddeſt not lie vntounto men, but vntounto God. Now in this place, he moſt manifeſtlie calleth the holy Ghoſt God. Auguſtine in his booke De trinitate, & elſe where: and Ambroſe alſo De ſpiritu ſancto doo both cite the apoſtle to the Philippians, the third chapter, Phil. 3, 3.where he writeth; Beware of dogs, beware of euill workers, beware of conciſion: for we be the circumciſion which ſerue God in the ſpirit. Where you ſée, that the worſhiping of God which the Grecians call foreign, foreign.is doon vntounto the holie Ghoſt, which he calleth God. Albeit in ſome place it is read in the genitiue caſe, foreign: as if thou ſhouldſt ſaie, Seruing the ſpirit of God. I ſée the place is not verie firme; for ſome interpret it Seruing God in ſpirit: but yet I thought it good to ſhew that the fathers hauehave vſed this argument. Baſil in his treatiſe De ſpiritu ſancto, Baſil. Didymus. The ninth reaſon.the 22. chap. and alſo Didymus De ſpiritu ſancto declare that to be God, which can be in diuers places at one time: which thing is not agréeable to anie creature. But that the holie Ghoſt, was preſent with the apoſtles and prophets in ſundrie parts of the world, at one time, no man profeſſing the faith of Chriſt doubteth: wherfore it followeth that he is God.
Alſo Baſil againſt Eunomius alleadged the epiſtle of Iohn, the fourth chapter; The tenth reaſon. Iohn. 4, 13.And in this we knowe that Chriſt dwelleth in vsus, and we in him, bicauſe we hauehave receiued of his ſpirit: which ſhould not be true, if we ſhould account the holie Ghoſt to be of another nature than Chriſt is; for then might the holie Ghoſt be communicated vntounto the faithfull without Chriſt. He addeth alſo another reaſon; The eleuenth reaſon. Iohn. 8, 15.By the holie Ghoſt we are adopted to be the children of God: wherefore he himſelfe is God. For the ſcriptures doo euerie where call him The ſpirit of adoption. But none that is not God, can adopt anie to be the children of God. In the Acts of the apoſtles we read; The holie Ghoſt ſaid, The twelfe reaſon.Separate me Paule and Barnabas vntounto the worke of the miniſterie, Acts. 13, 2.wherevnto I hauehave choſen them. And there is no doubt, but that it is the part of God onelie to call vntounto the miniſterie. Athanaſius The 13. reaſon. Acts. 20, 28.Which reaſon Athanaſius vſeth in diſputing againſt Arrius. There is alſo brought the twentie chapter of the Acts, where Paule thus admoniſheth; Take heed vntounto the whole flocke, wherin the holie Ghoſt hath made you ouerſeers, to gouerne the church. But it is the office of none but of God onlie, to chooſe miniſters and biſhops of the churches.
Ambroſe thoroughlie weieth of theſe words; All things are made by him, and he ſaith, Ambroſe. The 14. reaſon.that the holie Ghoſt ſpake in the Euangeliſt: and that therefore if it had béene a creature, he ſhould hauehave ſaid; Iohn. 1, 3.All we things are made by him: by that meanes he had not excluded himſelfe from the number of creatures. Againe, he citeth that ſaieng of Iohn; Iohn. 16, 14. The 15. reaſon.He ſhall receiue of mine: we cannot (ſaith he) vnderſtand this to be ſpoken of the bodie, no nor yet of the ſoule; and then it muſt be vnderſtood of the diuine nature. He alſo taketh the teſtimonie of Eſaie, which is written in Luke; The 16. reaſon. Luke 4, 18. Eſai. 16, 1.The Spirit of the Lord hath annointed me, and ſent me to preach glad tidings to the poore. But there is none that hath power to ſend Chriſt, no not as touching his humane nature, vnles it be God. The 17. reaſon. Pſal. 85, 9.We read in the pſalme; I will heare what the Lord God will ſpeake in me: but when Dauid ſpake theſe words, there was none ſpake in him but the holie Ghoſt, wherfore he is God. In the tenth chapter to the Hebrues; The holie Ghoſt hath teſtified, Heb. 10, 15. The 18. reaſon.This is my teſtament that I will make vntounto them: he calleth it his teſtament, which onelie God made with his people; wherefore it is manifeſt that the holie Ghoſt, which did ſpeake, is God.
1. Iohn. 5, 7. The 19. reaſon.10 And in the firſt epiſtle of Iohn, the fift chapter; There be three, which beare witnes in heauen, the Father, the Word, and the Spirit; and theſe three be one. Manie write, that this teſtimonie is not found in the Gréeke; againſt whom is Ierom in his preface of the canonicall epiſtles, who ſaith that theſe words are in the Gréeke, Ierom.but hauehave béene left out by the Latine tranſlatours. Yet Cyrillus herein agréeth not with Ierom: Cyril.for he reciteth in the 14. booke of his Theſaurus, all this whole place, and omitteth this particle. Among the Latins Auguſtine and Beda read not theſe words. Auguſtine. Beda. Eraſmus.But Eraſmus in his notes vponupon this place ſheweth, that there was found a Gréek booke in Britan, A booke found in England.which had theſe words: alſo the Spaniſh edition hath them. But admit that theſe words be not had in the Gréeke copies, the ſtrength of the argument ſhall not be anie thing diminiſhed for that cauſe: The Spaniſh edition.for that which we affirme is prooued by the other particle of the ſentence, which is found extant as well among the Gréeks, as among the Latins, namelie; There be three things, 1. Iohn. 5, 8.which beare witnes on the earth; bloud, Auguſtine.water, and the ſpirit. Auguſtine againſt Maximus the Arrian biſhop, in his third booke, the 14. chapter vſeth this place; and he would, that the ſpirit ſhould ſignifie the Father, The Spirit God the father.bicauſe God is a ſpirit; and the Father himſelfe is the fountaine and beginning of the whole diuinitie. Further, Bloud, the Sonne.bloud (as he ſaith) betokens the Sonne; bicauſe he tooke vponupon him the nature of man, and ſhed his bloud for vsus. Finallie water, in his iudgement, Water, the holie Ghoſt.dooth manifeſtlie declare the holie Ghoſt.
Wherevnto the Goſpell dooth verie well agrée. For whereas Ieſus ſaid; Riuers of liuelie water ſhall flowe out of his bellie, Iohn. 7, 38.it is expounded that he ſpake this as touching the Spirit, which they ſhould receiue that beléeued in him. Wherefore inſomuch as the thrée perſons are repreſented in theſe thrée names, and that it is added withall, that theſe thrée be one; it is manifeſtly declared, that the thrée diuine perſons hauehave one and the ſelfe-ſame ſubſtance. And Auguſtine treating vponupon this place, dooth ſpeciallie vrge that particle; And they three be one. And he would hauehave it to be a ſtedfaſt and firme thing in the ſcriptures, that when anie things are ſaid to be one, they differ not in ſubſtance. Euen as when we read in the Goſpell, that Chriſt ſaid; I and the Father be one, Iohn. 10, 30.there was ment to be one nature, both of the Father, and of the Sonne: ſo (ſaith he) we muſt now vnderſtand as touching theſe thrée, that they be one.
11 Cyrillus thus argueth vntounto this matter: The 20. reaſon.Iohn ſaith; It is the Spirit which beareth record▪ and the Spirit is veritie, bicauſe there be thrée which beare record vponupon the earth; The Father, the Word, and the Spirit, and theſe three be one: but and if ye receiue the teſtimonie of men, the teſtimonie of God is greater. In this place thou ſéeſt (ſaith he) that the teſtimonie of the holie Ghoſt, is called the teſtimonie of God; whereby it is prooued, that the holie Ghoſt is God. The ſpirit bloud, and water repreſent the three perſons.And that thoſe thrée (I meane the ſpirit, bloud, and water) doo repreſent the thrée perſons, it is ſhewed by thrée reaſons. The firſt is taken from the Analogie or conueniencie of the ſignes: which Auguſtine recited. Secondlie thou perceiueſt, that thoſe thrée are ſaid to be one; which is not méete for them, vnles thou ſhalt reſpect thoſe things which be repreſented: for otherwiſe, ſpirit, bloud, and water doo varie in nature or kind one from another. Thirdlie, thoſe thrée nounes in the Gréeke foreign, that is water, ſpirit, and bloud be of the neuter gender: vntounto which afterward is put the maſculine article, in the plurall number; namelie, foreign, that is, Theſe three be vntounto one, or be one. But the maſculine article, as touching ſignes, which be of the neuter gender, might take no place, vnles it ſhould be applied vntounto thoſe which are ſignified; that is, vntounto the Father, the Sonne, and the holie Ghoſt. Neither let it trouble vsus, that it is read ſome-where; Theſe three be vntounto one, as though it ſhould make for the Arrians, which ſaid, that theſe thrée perſons be vntounto one, bicauſe they conſented togither in one teſtimonie; as though the ſpéech concerneth not one maner of nature, but one maner of will. The Hebrue phraſe.And the phraſe commeth néere vntounto the Hebrue: ſo as To be vntounto one, and To be one, is the ſelfe-ſame thing. As when we read in the pſalme; I will be vntounto him a Father, and he ſhall be vntounto me a Sonne: it is as if it were ſaid; I will be his Father, and he ſhall be my Sonne. And in another place; They ſhall be vntounto me a people, 2. Cor. 6, 18.and I will be vntounto them a God, is all one, as to ſaie; I will be their God, and they ſhall be my people. And when it is ſaid; They be one, there is ſignified both a diſtinction of perſons, and an vnitie of ſubſtance. For vnleſſe there were ſome diſtinction, it ſhould hauehave bin ſaid; It is one.
The 21. reaſon. verſe 57.12 Alſo, they alledge the ſong of the thrée children, wherein, when all creatures are ſtirred vp vntounto the praiſes of God, the Sonne & the holie Ghoſt are not mentioned: whereby it is plaine, that they be not reckoned among creatures. Neither maiſt thou ſaie, that this ſong is a part of the Apocrypha, bicauſe this part of Daniel is wanting in the Chaldean edition: for thou ſhalt ſée the verie ſame to be done euerie-where in the Pſalmes of Dauid, wherein is the ſame ſtirring vp of creatures vntounto diuine praiſes. Iohn in his firſt epiſtle ſaith; 1. Iohn. 5, 6.The ſpirit is truth: and this cannot be written of a creature, ſéeing truth is chiefe and principall, The 22. reaſon.and dependeth not of another. They are woont to alledge the beginning of the booke of Geneſis, The 23. reaſon.where it is ſaid; The ſpirit of the Lord mooued vponupon the face of the waters. Geneſ. 1, 2.In which place they affirme, that there is mention made of thrée perſons, namelie, of the Father, which created; of the Sonne, by whome all things were made (as when it is ſaid, In the beginning, it is all one, as to ſaie, By the beginning;) and of the holie Ghoſt. I knowe that the Hebrue expoſitors interpret far otherwiſe of theſe words; but I hauehave onlie taken vponupon me to ſhew thoſe places, by which the fathers gathered the Godhead of the holie Ghoſt. Wherevnto adde, The 24. reaſon.that Paule in his epiſtles ſeldome maketh mention of the father and the ſonne, but he alſo ſpeaketh of the holie ghoſt, either expreſlie, or by adding of ſomewhat pertaining to him. And Baſil ſheweth, The 25. reaſon.that it was a cuſtome receiued in the whole church, to adde in the end of the Pſalmes, that which we now vſe; Glorie be to the Father, to the Sonne, and to the holie Ghoſt, wherein the thrée perſons are made equall the one to the other.
The 26. reaſon.13 The Synod of Nice ſet foorth a créed, in which we ſaie; I beleeue in the holie Ghoſt. But it is verie manifeſt, that we muſt not repoſe our confidence in anie thing that is created. And bicauſe in thoſe daies the contention was not much ſproong vp of the holie Ghoſt, there was nothing elſe added: but afterwards, when diuers and ſundrie hereſies grew vp as touching him, The Councell of Conſtantinople.then in the Councell of Conſtantinople, which was the ſecond among the foure principall, manie things were added to make this article plaine. For we grant, that We beleeue in the holie Ghoſt, both the Lord & giuer of life. By the particle (Lord) they make him equall vntounto Chriſt, who in the ſcriptures is commonlie called Lord, which epitheton or addition, they would therefore to be expreſſed, Againſt the Arrians.bicauſe the Arrians affirmed, that Chriſt was altogether a creature, but yet the nobleſt (they ſaid) which next vntounto God was the chéefe. And they ſaid, that the holie ghoſt was yet leſſe than the ſonne, and euen his miniſter. Wherefore the Synod in place of Miniſter, put the title of Lord. The ſelfe-ſame thing did they in the particle; The giuer of life: for they ſaw that it is written in Iohn, that not onlie the father doth giuegive life, but that the ſonne alſo can quicken whom-ſoeuer he will; and ſo, leaſt the holie ghoſt might ſéeme to be excluded from this propertie, they added that particle. And that his Godhead might be the more manifeſt, it was added, The 27. reaſon.that He together with the father and the ſonne is woorſhipped and glorified.
14 Further, Athanaſius hath in his créed; The 28. reaſon.God the Father, God the Sonne, and God the holie Ghoſt. And to prooue this thing, no leſſe is the forgiuing of ſins taken for an argument which they grant as proper to the holie Ghoſt. For when Chriſt had breathed vponupon his diſciples, he ſaid; Receiue yee the holie Ghoſt, Iohn. 20, 22.and whoſe ſinnes ye remit, they be remitted vntounto them; and whoſe ſinnes ye reteine, they be reteined. Whereby it appéereth, that this power is yéelded to the holie Ghoſt, and is proper vntounto God. And this, euen the Scribes themſelues teſtified, The 29. reaſon.who hearing Chriſt ſaie to the man ſick of the palſie; Thy ſinnes be forgiuen thee, Matth. 9, 2.cried out that he ſpake blaſphemie, in that he durſt take vponupon him the office of God. Furthermore, The 30. reaſon.the holie ſcriptures doo call this ſelf-ſame ſpirit, both A ſanctifier and giuer of light, which faculties are méete to be attributed vntounto God onlie. In Exodus, the fourth chapter, it is ſaid vntounto Moſes (when he detracted the time of dooing his meſſage, bicauſe he had an impediment in his ſpéech; Exod. 4, 11.) Who hath giuen a mouth vntounto man? Or who maketh the dumbe or deafe, the blind & ſeeing? HaueHave not I the Lord? Wherfore I will be in thy mouth. By which place it is ſhewed, that it is the worke of almightie God, to ſpeake in his miniſters, to open their mouths, & to make them readie of ſpéech. But Chriſt, when he ſpeaketh of this matter, ſaith; It is not you that ſpeake, but the ſpirit of your father: whereby it ſéemes to be prooued, Mat. 10, 20.that the holie Ghoſt is God, ſéeing he hath one and the ſelfe-ſame action with him.
Auguſtine in his epiſtle to Paſcentius ſaith, Auguſtine.that he doth woonder how it can be, that Chriſt, whoſe members we are, is beléeued to be God; and that the holie Ghoſt, whoſe temple we be, ſhould be denied to be God; ſéeing the excellencie of the Godhead is more prooued in the latter condition, than in the firſt. The reaſons which we hauehave brought, do in part prooue of neceſſitie, and doo plainelie ſhew, What maner of reaſons hauehave bin alleged.that the holie Ghoſt is God. Others indéed be not altogether of ſuch efficacie, but being ioined with other things, doo confirme the minds of the faithfull in this truth; neither is there anie of them, which the fathers hauehave not ſome-where vſed. There might alſo be added other arguments of this ſort, but with theſe we will hold our ſelues contented.
What may be obiected againſt this doctrine. Rom. 8, 26.15 Now remaineth to conſider, what is woont to be obiected againſt this doctrine. Some ſaie; The holie Ghoſt praieth for vsus, and that with ſighings vnſpeakeable. How can he then bée God, ſéeing it is not méete for God, to humble himſelfe after the maner of ſuppliants? Some anſwere and ſaie; That the ſonne doth make interceſſion for vsus, How the holie Ghoſt praieth for vsus. Rom. 8, 34. Looke In Rom. 8, verſe 26. The holie Ghoſt hath not taken vponupon him anie creature into the vnitie of perſon.who neuertheleſſe is God, and that therefore to praie, is not ſtrange from the nature of God; howbeit, this is friuolous, For Chriſt, in that he was man, was inferiour to the father, and therefore might be a ſuter vntounto him. But the holie Ghoſt hath not taken vppon him the nature of anie creature, into vnitie of perſon. Wherefore the reſpect that muſt be had towards him, and towards Chriſt, is far differing and vnlike: and therefore we will anſwere, that the ſpirit praieth, and maketh requeſt for vsus, as it is written in the epiſtle to the Romanes, bicauſe it driueth vsus forward to doo theſe things: and it is therefore ſaid to ſigh, bicauſe it maketh vsus to ſigh. Neither is this phraſe ſtrange from the ſcriptures, God is ſaid to doo thoſe things which he cauſeth vsus to doo. Gen. 22, 12.but it is verie often vſed. For God ſaid vntounto Abraham, when he would hauehave ſacrificed his ſonne; Now hauehave I knowne that thou feareſt God. That vndoubtedlie was knowne before vntounto the diuine maieſtie, and was commanded. For the harts and cogitations of men are not hidden from him. But, I hauehave knowne, in that place, is as much to ſaie, as, I hauehave cauſed to knowe. That this phraſe is ſo to be vnderſtood, the Apoſtle teſtifieth to the Galathians, when he ſaith; And ſeeing yee be children, Galath. 4, 6.therefore God hath ſent the ſpirit of his ſon into your harts, crieng Abba father. In which words he ſéemeth to affirme, that the holie Ghoſt himſelfe doth crie vntounto God. But to the Romanes, the ſame Apoſtle doth make it verie plaine; For ye hauehave not receiued the ſpirit of bondage, Rom. 8, 15.to feare anie more, but yee hauehave receiued the ſpirit of adoption of children, whereby we crie Abba father: in which place it appeareth moſt plainelie, that it is wée which crie, the holie Ghoſt ſtirring and driuing vsus forward therevnto.
16 Further they demand, that If the ſpirit procéed from the father, Why the holie Ghoſt is not ſaid to be the ſon.and alſo from the ſonne, what is the cauſe why he is not called a ſonne, ſéeing he hath not beginning of himſelfe? We anſwere; Bicauſe that in diuine and ſecret things, we followe both the doctrine and manner of ſpéech of the holie ſcriptures. Séeing then that the ſcripture hath in no place ſaid, that the holie Ghoſt either is begotten, or is the ſonne, why ſhould we attempt thus to ſaie? And doubtles vntounto godlie men this anſwere ſhould ſuffice. It muſt be added moreouer, that this iſſuing out of the holie Ghoſt, is called a procéeding, therefore we muſt call it ſo. And albeit that betwéene the Gréeke and Latin churches, A long contention betweene the Greeke and Latine Churches. Looke In Rom. 3. verſe 30.there was a long contention, whether the holie Ghoſt procéeded from the ſonne, yet was it not of anie great importance, vnleſſe it had bin aggrauated with the ſpirit of ambition. For after the time that the Grecians began to contend in the Church for primacie, they eaſilie tooke in ill part the opinions of the Latins. But the diſſention was taken vp in the Councell of Florence, where it was manifeſt, The Synod of Florence.that the Latins meant no other thing, but that the holie Ghoſt had his procéeding or iſſuing out, as well from the father as from the ſonne. The which ſéeing it may be found, as we hauehave ſaid, that in the holie ſcriptures it is called a procéeding, we are not to be blamed. Iohn. 20, 22.The ſonne is ſaid to ſend the holie Ghoſt, for when he breathed vponupon the Apoſtles, he ſaid; Receiue yee the holie Ghoſt. Iohn. 16, 14.Againe he ſaid; He ſhall receiue of mine. And manie of the fathers, before the Councell of Florence, wrote, that the holie Ghoſt is deriued as well from the father as the ſonne. Auguſtine againſt the heretike Maximinus, Auguſtine.and elſewhere, ſheweth it verie plainelie. Alſo Epiphanius in Ancorato confeſſeth, Epiphanius.that the holie Ghoſt procéedeth from both, that is, from the father and the ſonne.
17 Albeit that betwéene procéeding and generation it is hard to put a difference, A difference betweene generating and proceeding.and that Auguſtine in the place now alledged, granteth, that he perceiued not the difference: yet he ſaid, that this he knew; namelie, that whatſoeuer thing groweth, doth alſo procéed: but he ſaith not on the other ſide, that whatſoeur things procéed, are alſo ſproong foorth. Howbeit, we cannot properlie expreſſe the difference. Wherfore the holie Ghoſt is not ſaid, The holie Ghoſt neither begotten nor vnbegotten.either to be begotten, or vnbegotten, leaſt by ſaieng vnbegotten, we might ſéeme to affirme him to be the father; or by affirming him to be begotten, we may ſéeme to call him the ſonne. This we hauehave out of Auguſtine in his third tome, at the beginning of the ſmall queſtions gathered out of the booke De trinitate. Adde withall, that if the holie Ghoſt ſhould be ſaid to be begotten, then in the trinitie we ſhould appoint two ſonnes, & two fathers. For, ſéeing the holie Ghoſt is as well of the father, as of the ſonne, he ſhould hauehave them both to be his fathers, if it might be ſaid that he is begotten of them: yea, and if the matter be well conſidered, he might (I ſaie) be called both the ſonne and ſonnes ſonne of one and the ſelfe-ſame Father. For in affirming him to be begotten of the Father, he ſhould be called his Sonne; but in aſmuch as it ſhould be ſaid, that he is borne of the Sonne, he ſhould be nephew vntounto the Father: which things be abſurd, and wholie ſtrange from the ſcriptures. Since the Sonne is called the onlie begotten, it may not be ſaid that the holie Ghoſt is begotten. Iohn. 1, 14. Iohn. 3, 16. 1. Iohn. 4, 9.Yea and further, to ſaie that the holie Ghoſt is begotten, the words of the ſcripture are againſt it, which verie often doo call the Sonne, The onlie begotten: whereof it followeth, that the holie Ghoſt is not begotten.
In the firſt chapter of Iohn, it is ſaid; We ſawe the glorie thereof, as the glorie of the onlie begotten of the father. And in the third chapter of the ſame goſpell; So God loued the world, as he gaue his onlie begotten ſonne. And the ſame Iohn in his epiſtle; In this the louelove of God towards vsus appeared, that he gaue his onlie begotten ſonne. Chriſt as touching his humane nature is called the firſt begotten. Rom. 8, 29.And Chriſt as touching his humane nature, hath béene accuſtomed in the ſcripture to be called, not The onlie begotten of God, but The firſt borne among manie brethren: as it appeareth in the epiſtle to the Romans. Howbeit doubtles as touching his diuine nature he hath no brethren. There be ſome which cauill, that in the Synod of Nice, the holie Ghoſt was not in expreſſe words called God; but that onlie the Godhead of the ſonne was expreſſed. VntoUnto which obiection Epiphanius anſwereth, Why Epiphanius in the Synod of Nice, and other fathers elſe where hauehave not expreſly named the holie Ghoſt God.that in the Synod of Nice the controuerſie was as touching the ſonne onlie. For Arrius at the firſt contended onlie againſt this point. And Councels for the moſt part define not anie other things, but ſuch as are called in queſtion: yet neuertheles, if a man diligentlie examine the matter, he ſhall ſée that thoſe things be there defined, which doo plainelie inough declare the diuine nature of the holie Ghoſt. For it is there ſaid; We beleeue in the holie Ghoſt: and it is not lawfull for one to put his confidence in a creature. Moreouer, that which was doon in the Synod of Nice, was performed in the Synod of Conſtantinople.
18 Alſo they obiect, that among the fathers there were ſome, and eſpecially of the more ancient of them, which were ſlacke in their writings, to expreſſe in plaine words the holie Ghoſt to be God. Among whom Eraſmus reckoneth Hilarie, Eraſmus. Hilarie.who was thought to be the firſt among the Latins that wrote againſt the Arrians. This father, in his booke De trinitate, neuer by expreſſe words called the holie Ghoſt God. VntoUnto this obiection we anſwere, that the moſt ancient fathers, in teaching diuine things vſed a ſingular modeſtie, and did imitate the holie ſcriptures ſo much as they could: and although they ſaid not in expreſſe words, that the holie Ghoſt is God; yet in the meane time they wrote thoſe things, which manifeſtly prooue his Godhead. And further it appeareth, that they of ſet purpoſe diſputed againſt them, which denied the Godhead of the holie Ghoſt, and equalitie of the thrée diuine perſons: as we ſée by the ſtrife that was about the word *Of like ſubſtance.Homouſion; A ſimilitude.from which manie of the Catholiks at the beginning did reſtraine themſelues, bicauſe it ſéemed to bée but new, and that it was not had in the holie ſcriptures: & yet they neuertheles did imbraſe and moſt willingly admit the thing ſignified. Howbeit we ſtriue not about theſe things, but grant firſt and chéefelie whatſoeuer is in the holie ſcriptures: and then whatſoeuer is neceſſarilie and manifeſtlie deriued out of them. Next vntounto thoſe ancienter ſort of fathers did Baſil, and diuers others ſuccéed; which by all meanes both teſtifie and defend the holy Ghoſt to be God.
19 Others cauill, bicauſe it is written; that None knoweth the Father but the Sonne, Mat. 11, 27.and on the other ſide; None the Sonne, but the Father: in which places they ſaie, that there is no mention of the holie Ghoſt; and therefore it ſéemeth vntounto them, that he knoweth neither the Father, nor yet the Sonne, & that for the ſame cauſe he is not God. To theſe alſo we anſwer, Whether the holie Ghoſt knoweth the Father and the Sonne.that when the knowing of the Father, and of the Sonne is attributed to two perſons, the holie Ghoſt muſt not be excluded; ſéeing he is ſaid to be the ſpirit aſwell of the Father as of the Sonne: wherfore that which is belonging to both, is alſo common vntounto him. And if they demand a plaine teſtimonie hereof out of the ſcriptures, we will bring foorth one out of the firſt epiſtle to the Corinth. where it is written; 1. Cor. 2, 11.The things of man none knoweth, but the ſpirit of man, which is within him: and euen ſo thoſe things which be of God, Matt. 16, 17.none knoweth but the ſpirit of God. Alſo it is written in the goſpell; Bleſſed art thou Simon the ſonne of Iona: The holie Ghoſt both knoweth the Father and the Sonne, and alſo reuealeth them.for fleſh and bloud hath not reuealed theſe things vntounto thee, but the ſpirit of my father, which is in heauen. By theſe teſtimonies it is manifeſt, that the holy Ghoſt dooth not only knowe God, but dooth alſo reueale & make him to be known vntounto others.
But this error, whereby ſome indeuor, Origins error.to rebuke the holie Ghoſt with an ignorance of heauenlie things, tooke beginning frō Origin, who affirmed a certeine degrée to be among the natures of Intelligencis; ſo as he though that the Father knoweth himſelfe onelie; & he ſaid that the Sonne did not knowe the Father; and that the holie Ghoſt knew not the Sonne: Epiphanius.and he would moreouer, that the angels perceiue not the holie Ghoſt, and laſtlie that men ſée not the angels. And that this order is ſet downe by him, Epiphanius ſheweth out of the booke, as he teſtifieth, The booke foreign.foreign; in which booke neuertheles, ſo far as hitherto I remember, I hauehave not read the matter plainlie in ſuch ſort deſcribed. Which is no maruell; for that booke which Ruffinus tranſlated, Ruffinus.hath manie things vnperfect. For he plucked out thoſe things, which hée thought tended moſt vntounto error, leaſt the readers ſhould be too much offended, whereby afterward there aroſe a great diſcord betwéene him and Ierom.Ierom.
20 There were ſome which affirmed, that ſéeing the holie Ghoſt is ſaid to be ſent, in like manner as the Sonne is ſaid to be ſent; he ſhould hauehave taken vponupon him, euen as Chriſt did, ſome viſible nature into the vnitie of perſon: which reaſon of theirs is not neceſſarie. We grant, that ſometimes he tooke vponupon him either a doue, or firie toongs, by which he declared his preſence; howbeit, theſe he tooke but for a time: neither was he made one perſon with theſe two natures, as we grant it to hauehave come to paſſe in Chriſt. Albeit there hauehave bin moſt impudent heretikes, as Manes, of whom the Manicheis were named; as were Montanus, Baſilides, and ſuch other peſtilent men, which publiſhed themſelues to be the holie Ghoſt, whome Chriſt had promiſed. But in vaine were theſe things deuiſed by them; for the Acts of the Apoſtles doo ſufficientlie declare, that the promiſe of Chriſt was performed within a few daies after his aſcenſion.
In Gen. 8, verſe 1.21 But it muſt be conſidered, that the ſcripture ſpeaketh of God after the manner of men, for the affect of remembrance declareth the goodnes of God: for they which be mindfull of their fréends in danger, doo (for the moſt part) reléeue them. Howbeit, to remember, accordeth not properlie with God, ſéeing it noteth a certaine forgetfulnes that went before; which to aſcribe vntounto God, were an vniuſt thing. But of knowings we ſée there be thrée kinds, Three kinds of knowings.the which are diſtinguiſhed one from another, according to the difference of time. For if a thing preſent he found out, to one which then beholdeth, it is called a certaine beholding: and this knowledge is the roote of all the other, and more ſurer than the reſt. Further, if it hauehave reſpect vntounto things that be paſt, it is called memorie. If vntounto things to come, it is foreſight; which third (for the moſt part) ſpringeth from the ſecond. For they which hauehave experience of manie things, and remember much, are woont by a certeine wiſdome atchieued, to hauehave great iudgement of things to come. Of theſe kinds of knowledge, none is trulie attributed vntounto God, but the firſt, ſéeing all things are preſent with him: and euen as his nature, With God all things are preſent.ſo his actions are by no meanes comprehended within the courſe of time. But yet it is ſaid in the ſcriptures, that either he remembred, or that he foreſawe; bicauſe oftentimes thoſe effects are attributed vntounto him, which they are woont to doo that foreſée or remember anie thing. But memorie requireth a knowledge that is paſt. We ſhall find that the ſcripture hath ſaid, Gen. 6, 8, and 9.that Noah was iuſt and perfect in his generations. Then when he was minded to ſaue him, and had made him ſafe in the arke, he ſéemed to attend for him: and when he had taried ſo long ſhut vp in the arke, Gen. 8, 1.and was not deliuered from thence (if I ſhall ſpeake after the maner of men) God ſéemed in a maner to forget him. And againe, when he deliuereth him, he is ſaid to remember.
22 So, when it is ſaid, that God waxed angrie, In Iud. 2. verſe 15, and 18.it is not ſo to be vnderſtood, as though God were troubled with affects; for that belongeth vntounto men: but according to the common and receiued expoſition of theſe places, How we muſt vnderſtand God to be angrie and to repent.we vnderſtand it, that God behaued himſelfe like vntounto men that be angrie. After the ſelfe-ſame manner it is ſometimes written, that he repented him: wherefore God, either to repent, or to be angrie, is nothing elſe, but that he doth thoſe things, which men repenting, or being angrie, are woont to doo. For the one ſort doo either alter or vndoo all that euer they had done before; and the other reuenge themſelues of ſuch wrongs as hauehave bin done vntounto them. Ambroſe.Ambroſe in his booke of Noah and the arke, the fourth chapter, ſpeaketh otherwiſe of the anger of God. For neither (ſaith he) doth God thinke as men doo, as though he ſhould be of anie new mind; neither is he angrie, as though he were mutable. But theſe things are therefore beléeued, to the intent that the bitternes of our ſins may be expreſſed, which hath deſerued the wrath of God, that ſo much, and ſo far foorth hath the fault increaſed, as euen God (which naturallie is not mooued, either with anger, hatred, or anie other paſſion) may ſéeme to be prouoked vntounto wrath. And rightlie is there mention made of anger, before that puniſhment is rehearſed; for men vſe firſt to be angrie, before they reuenge. And anger (if we may beléeue Ariſtotle in his Rhethoricks) is nothing elſe, but a deſire of reuengement, bicauſe of contempt. For they that perceiue themſelues to be deſpiſed and contemned, doo ſtraightwaie thinke vponupon reuenge, and doo continuallie meditate how they may, by meanes of ſome puniſhment, requite either the iniurie or contumelie that is done.
23 But yet peraduenture ſome man will doubt, whether God, when he repented him, God doth not ſo repent, as he is any waie changed. After in the 15. chapter, act. 1.were in anie reſpect changed. All the godlie in a maner with one mouth confeſſe, that God cannot be changed one iote, bicauſe that would be a certaine ſigne, both of imperfection, and alſo of inconſtancie: but they ſaie, that this varietie which happeneth herein, muſt not be aſcribed to God himſelfe, but vntounto vsus. For example ſake. If one will ſaie, that God out of all doubt ceaſed to fauour the Chananits, againſt the children of Iſrael, whom he before ſo ſéemed to ſtrengthen, as he would hauehave them to oppreſſe the Iewes: & againe, that he afterward exalted the Hebrues, whom before it ſéemed that he would hauehave to be kept vnderunder by the Chananits; certeinlie no man can denie, but that theſe things be true. How ſhall we therefore defend, that the will of God is without alteration. Iere. 18, 7.I anſwere out of Ieremie the 18. chapter, that vndoubtedlie there appeareth a plaine diuerſitie to be in the effects, The alteration is in the effects, not in God.wheras God notwithſtanding dooth alwaies reteine one manner of will. For thus it is there written in his name; So ſoone as I ſhall ſpeake againſt a kingdome or nation, to deſtroie it, roote it out, and ouerthrowe it, if they ſhall repent, I alſo will repent. And contrariwiſe, when I ſhall ſpeake good of a kingdome or people, to ſet them vp and plant them; and that nation or kingdome ſhall doo euill in my ſight, I alſo will repent of the good which I ment to doo vntounto them. Theſe words ſhew, that God is not variable in theſe kind of promiſes and threatnings; for he ſpeaketh not abſolutelie and ſimplie, but vponupon condition. But the fulfilling, or making void of the conditions, is looked for in vsus: wherefore the change muſt not be attributed vntounto him, but vntounto vsus.
But if thou wilt aſke me, whether God hath knowen and decréed before what ſhall come to paſſe, as touching theſe conditions; I will grant he hath. For euen at the firſt beginning, he not onlie knew what the euents of things would be, but alſo decréed what ſhould be. But ſéeing the ſecretnes of his will, touching theſe things, is not opened vntounto vsus in the holie ſcriptures; therefore we muſt followe that rule, which is giuen by Ieremie, Ionas. 3, 4.euen as we hauehave rehearſed before. Eſaie. 38, 1.This rule, the Niniuits, and alſo Ezechias the king had reſpect vntounto, euen before the ſame was publiſhed. For although that deſtruction was denounced to them in the name of God, yet they eſcaped from it; by reaſon of the repentance and praiers, which they in the meane time vſed. Neither is there anie cauſe whie we ſhould ſuſpect that God dooth lie in anie thing, God lieth not when he threatneth things which come not to paſſe.when he threatneth or promiſeth thoſe things which doo not afterward come to paſſe. For as touching Ezechias, death was vndoubtedlie to hauehave taken hold of him, by reaſon of naturall cauſes, commonlie called the ſecond cauſes: wherefore the ſentence being pronounced according to thoſe cauſes, he might not be accuſed of a lie. Alſo the Niniuits (if God had doone by them as their ſinnes deſerued) there had béene no other way with them but deſtruction. And God commanded Ionas to preach vntounto them, according to their deſerts. Furthermore a lie, which in talke hath a ſuppoſition or condition ioined therewith, cannot be blamed in ſuch ſort, as it may be in arguments which he abſolute and without exception: ſéeing the euent dependeth of the performing or violating of the condition.