A Model of Divinity, Chapter 10
CHAPTER X. Of their Diſtinction.
Queſtion.
HOw are theſe Subſiſtences, or perſons to be diſtinguiſhed?
Anſwere.
They are Father, Sonne, and holy Ghoſt: or becauſe Relatiues are but two, into the relation of Father and Sonne, to the ſpirit, which is breathing, or ſending, or of the Father to the Sonne, which is begetting. (Spirantes ſpiritus, Gignens genitus) how eaſie were it to looſe our ſelues in this Diſcourſe? How hard not to be over-whelmed with matter of wonder; and to finde, either beginning or end? Loe, with theſe words of relation, we are happily waded out of thoſe deepes, whereof our conceits can finde no bottomes, and now may wee more ſafely, with Peter, gird our coat about vsus, and caſt our ſelues a little into this ſea: onelyonly, we muſt remember, that as thoſe which had wont to ſwim onelyonly with bladders, ſinke when they come firſt to truſt to their owne armes: ſo, wee may ſoone plunge our ſelues, if we ſuffer our owne thoughts to carry vsus along in this myſtery. If any wonder, whether this diſcourſe can tend, let him conſider that of Tertullian, Ratio divina in medulla eſt, non in ſuperficie, Divinitie is more in the marrow and roote, then the rind and ſurface of things. It cannot be doubted, but as God is the beſt being, ſo he is the beſt life, and that the beſt life is reaſonable; God therefore is the beſt vnderſtanding. Suffer your ſelues with Abrahams Ramme, to be perplexed a while in theſe bryers, that you may be prepared to preſent your ſelues for liuing ſacrifices, holy, and acceptable to this dreadfull Trinitie. Singula verba plena ſunt ſenſibus (as Hierome ſayd of the Booke of Iob.) As being by nature, ſo vnderſtanding by counſell, is able to conceiue and beget the image of it ſelfe, and from the one to the other to ſend a mutuall louelove & liking: onelyonly in the creatures both theſe are imperfect; for, nature doth generate to preſerue it ſelfe, and vnderſtanding conceiues to perfect it ſelfe. No vnderſtanding by nature conceiues it ſelfe, and no being by counſell begets it ſelfe. It is therefore the perfection of vnderſtanding naturally to conceiue it ſelfe: God doth both ſpeake, and worke in Parables, as a Father ſayth well: but here needs nothing be fayned to faſten this truth vponupon vsus. It ſhall bee evinced by plaine demonſtration. The beſt being, and beſt vnderſtanding, muſt needs conceiue the beſt image of it ſelfe; now in conceiuing it begets it, and being begotten by nature, is no leſſe then the begetter. Man by nature begets no leſſe then himſelfe: by counſell hee can conceiue that which is leſſe or greater then himſelfe: ſo the father by nature can beget no leſſe then himſelfe, though by counſell he conceiued and brought forth a whole world, nothing comparable to himſelfe in greatneſſe, or goodneſſe. Well, then in one ſimple eſſence there is neceſſarily a begetter and a begotten, and ſo we hauehave the ſubſiſtences of Father and Sonne. He is out of the danger of folly, whom a ſpeedie advertiſement leaveth wiſe. It is but an holy prevention, to be devout vnbidden, and to ſerue God vponupon our owne conceits. Let vsus then ſee how the ſecond myſtery will follow. The father in begetting his owne image, cannot but louelove it naturally, and the ſonne in being begotten cannot but as naturally louelove the begetter. And hence proceeds mutuall louelove, and becauſe it is naturall, is no leſſe in being then the begetter and begotten from whom it proceeds; for the begetter and begotten louelove themſelues naturally, and therefore the Spirit is God, and a third ſubſiſtence in the divine nature. If the perſons were eyther greater or leſſe one then another, then would this abſurditie inſue vponupon it, that neither the father could directly conceiue himſelfe, or father & ſonne equally louelove themſelues, & conſequently never inioy their owne happineſſe, which conſiſts in the full fruition of themſelues. Heb. 1.3. Chriſt is ſaid to be the expreſſe image of the fathers ſubſiſtence. Some tranſlate it, ſubſtance, or eſſence, which will all come to one paſſe, if ſubſtance be taken ſubiectiuely, not cauſely; for the divine eſſence hath eminently all the excellencies of creatures; and therefore vnderſtanding, which is able to conceiue, and in conceiuing to beget, which begetting is a relatiue propertie, and hence the Subſiſtence of the Father, whereof the Sonne is the expreſſe image. It were as we hauehave formerly ſaid, improper locution, to call him the image of the eſſence, for that begets not, yet in that is the begetter, &c. Rom. 15.30. Gal. 5.22. Where louelove is giuen to the Spirit; not onelyonly as hee worketh it in vsus, but as he is the mutuall louelove both of Father and Sonne, and ſo is ſent from both of them, to teſtifie of their louelove to vsus, Rom. 5.5. O that theſe things in their true worth could affect vsus, but alas, as in a Taverne where many Tables are ſeene repleniſhed with gueſts, halfe ſoaked, and ſowſed in wine; all the houſe reſoundeth with laughters, cries, whoopings, and ſtrange noiſe, wherein the ſweeteſt muſicke in the world, is both neglected and mocked: ſo, our age, inchanted with rude and ridiculous paſtimes, gibeth at this holy and heauenly contemplation of the ſacred and bleſſed Trinitie. How many doth God ſuffer to liue and breath, which make the Taverne their Temple, Indian-ſmoake their incenſe, Sacke their ſacrifice, and blaſphemous oathes their daily prayers: for the louelove of this dreadfull Trinitie, and the deare louelove of your owne ſoules, remember S. Pauls adviſe. Rom. 6.22. Being made free from ſinne, hauehave your fruit in holineſſe, and the end thereof ſhall be ever-laſting life. But I muſt make my courſe more ſpeedie, and haſten in the long way I hauehave to goe. Hitherto we hauehave had many Reaches to fetch in our way, and beene conſtrained to winde in by bourds, but wee are gotten off the Maine; onelyonly the ſhore is ſtill buttreſt with rockes on eueryevery hand, the Currents ſwift, the Shallowes many, that wee cannot make ſo freſh a way as wee would. HaueHave but the patience a while, and we ſhall bring thee within the view of the end of our toyleſome voyage. The ſhip that hath beene long at Sea, diſcouered many ſtrange Continents, and ryvers, ſtrugled through many hiddeous tempeſts, eſcaped many rockes and quick-ſands, and at length made a rich returne, cannot but forget her irkeſome Travell, and thinke ſhee is well apaid, when ſhee commeth within the kenne of her owne Countrey, and ſees the Land lye faire before her: So, hee that coaſts along theſe ſeverall bankes and bounds of godlineſſe, and in the Ship of the Church, is brought into the mouth of the haven of heaven, cannot but with ioy remember all the troubles and afflictions he hath indured in this world. In a word, vnderſtand this but as a letter of advertiſement from the Coaſt, whereby thou mayeſt with the greater eaſe, reape the profit of them that hauehave travelled before thee.
Q. What is the relatiue propertie of the Father, and the Sonne?
A. To breath, or ſend forth the ſpirit. Ioh. 15.26. I will ſend from the father the Comforter, even the ſpirit of truth. The ſame is ſaid to proceed. Gal. 4.6. God hath ſent forth the ſpirit of his ſonne into your hearts. Ioh. 16.8. As the ſonne comes from the father to take our nature vponupon him, ſo the ſpirit comes from them both, to apply Chriſt effectually vntounto vsus, and vsus vntounto Chriſt. But this comming, ſending, proceeding is a worke of counſell, not of nature; for the Spirit by an imminent act as he comes from father & ſon, ſo he hath his reſidence in them both, and no creature is capable of him: but as by a tranſient act hee paſſeth the worke of Redemption to vsus by application, hee is ſayd to come to vsus, and we receiue him in graces and operations. By nature he comes from the ſame perſons, and reſts in them: by counſell (not by command) he comes to vsus, and is ſaid to dwell with vsus, and that in ſpite of Satan & all his temptations. As fierce Maſtiues tyed in a chaine, which although they both barke, and hauehave perhaps a good will to bite, yet they can make no neerer approach then the chaine doth permit: ſo, that Cerberus of hell is chained vp of God, and though his malice be great to labour to enter, where he is expulſed, yet the ſpirit keepes him out by his preſence, and ſafegards our hearts in peace, againſt all his moleſtations.
Q. What is the Father?
A. The firſt perſon, who by nature begets his ſonne, who muſt needs be an onelyonly ſonne, becauſe the Father cannot hauehave many images of himſelfe. Chriſt is the firſt begotten, Heb. 1.6. and the onelyonly begotten. Ioh. 3.16.18. 1 Ioh. 4.9. Ioh. 1.14.18. And therefore the relation betwixt the Father and Chriſt, is a ſpeciall and peculiar reſpect. Heb. 1.5. I will be to him a father and he ſhall be to me a ſonne. Man was made in the image and likeneſſe of God, and of the three perſons, by a divine conſultation; but Chriſt is the image of his Father, or firſt perſon, by an eternall and everlaſting generation. Luk. 3.38. Adam is called the ſonne of God, which is a moſt free and voluntary act of the Creator, in producing man in his owne image. This I inſiſt vponupon the more, that wee may be wary in our conceits, in apprehending Gods act vponupon vsus, and the fathers act vponupon his ſonne. It is happineſſe enough for vsus to come ſo neare God, that his onelyonly ſonne may ſtand betwixt vsus & him, and that wee may be called his brethren, by the Fathers choice of vsus in him.
Q. What is the Fathers relatiue propertie?
A. To beget, and not to be begotten, and therefore he is the firſt perſon in order. Pſal. 2.7. Thou art my ſonne, this day hauehave I begotten thee. Heb. 1.5. The ſame words are repeated, to proue Chriſt aboue the Angels, who (Iob. 2.1.) are called the ſonnes of God, and therefore in another ſenſe, that is, in regard of Creation, and grace, both which they obtained by the will and counſell of their Creator, who made them, and ordained them to ſtand in that favour, from which the reprobate Angels fell: but Chriſt is a naturall, and an eternall ſonne. Prov. 8.25. And therefore to day, is (as ſome Fathers expound it) put for eternitie, ſeeing all times are preſent to God, to whom a thouſand yeares are as one preſent day. Or rather this day (being the day of Chriſts reſurrection, and exaltation, in which he was mightily declared to be the ſonne of God. Rom. 1.4.) is the manifeſtation of that eternall generation, by which hee is preferred before all creatures. His conception and natiuitie, as he was man belong to his humiliation, which (as S. Auguſtine ſpeakes of his paſſion) was the ſleepe of his divinitie, as his death was the ſleepe of his humanitie. Yet as the fathers of Chalcedon ſay truly, (foreign) indiviſibly, inſeparably is the God-head of the ſecond perſon with the whole humane nature, and eueryevery part of it, ſtill, and for ever, one and the ſame perſon. The ſoule in the agony, and vponupon the Croſſe, feeles not the preſence of the God-head; the body in the graue feeles not the preſence of the ſoule: yet vponupon the third day both bodie and ſoule did feele the power of his divine nature, death being too weake to diſſolue the eternall bonds of this heauenly coniunction. And therefore vponupon the day of Chriſts reſurrection was there a manifeſt declaration of the eternall generation of the ſecond perſon.
Q. What is the Sonne?
A. The ſecond perſon, begotten of his father. Ioh. 1.14. We beheld his glory, the glory of the onelyonly begotten of the Father. Verſ. 18. No man hath ſeene God at any time: the onelyonly begotten ſonne, which is in the boſome of the father, he hath declared him.
Q. What is the relatiue propertie?
A. To be begotten, and not to beget; and becauſe he is from the father alone, therefore the ſecond perſon in order. 1. Ioh. 4.9. God ſent his onelyonly begotten ſonne into the world. Heb. 1.5. I will be to him a father, and he ſhall be to me a ſonne, therefore by the force of relation, he muſt be begotten, no begetter: otherwiſe contrary things ſhould bee the ſame.
Q. What is the holy Ghoſt?
A. The third perſon, proceeding from the Father and the Sonne. Ioh. 14.26. The comforter, which is the holy Ghoſt, whom the father will ſend in my name. Ioh. 15.26. When the comforter is come, whom I will ſend vntounto you from the father, &c. Ioh. 20.22. Chriſt breathed on them, and ſaith vntounto them, receiue yee the holy Ghoſt: he that hath power to breath on his members the gifts of the holy Ghoſt, according to his owne will and counſell, hath by nature, together with his father an ineffable manner of breathing the ſpirit; for, as the three perſons worke by counſell, ſo they ſubſiſt in the divine eſſence by nature.
Q. What is the ſpirits relatiue propertie?
A. To proceed; and becauſe he is both from the Father and the Sonne, therefore, the third perſon in order of ſubſiſtence. Ioh. 15.26. even the ſpirit of truth, which proceedeth from the father, &c. Ioh. 16.7. It is expedient for you that I goe away: for if I goe not away, the comforter will not come vntounto you: but if I depart, I will ſend him vntounto you: till the ſecond perſon hauehave fully diſpenſed the worke of Redemption, the third perſon cannot ſo fully apply it: no marvaile then if the times before the death of Chriſt, had more weake meanes of application then now we hauehave, the ſpirit being more fully giuen. Ioh. 12.32. And I, if I be lifted vp from the earth, will draw all men vntounto mee. Peter, Act. 2.41. conuerted more at one Sermon, then Chriſt did all his life; not becauſe he was the better, or more powerfull Preacher, but becauſe the ſpirit was then more fully ſent, both from the father and the ſonne, to accompliſh that which they had begun for the redemption, both of Iew and Gentile.
Q. What is the beleife of that which hath beene ſpoken?
A. I beleeue in God, who is one eſſence, moſt ſimple, pure, and abſolute, and being eſſentially indiviſible, is perſonally diſtinguiſhed into the Father, Sonne, and holy Ghoſt, and is therefore called, Vnitie in Trinitie, and Trinitie in Vnitie, or Vnitrinitie, and Trinunitie. How to conceiue of this in our prayers, and meditations, is both the deepeſt point of all Chriſtianitie, and the moſt neceſſary: ſo deepe, that if wee wade into it, wee may eaſily drowne, never finde the bottome: ſo neceſſary, that without it, our ſelues, our ſeruices are prophane, irreligious: wee are all borne Idolaters, naturally prone to faſhion God to ſome forme of our owne. Away then with all wicked thoughts, and groſſe devotions; and with Iacob bury all ſtrange gods vnderunder the oake of Shechem, ere we offer to ſet vp Gods Altar at Bethel: & without all mentall reſervations, conceiue of our God purely, ſimply, ſpiritually; as of an abſolute being, without forme, without matter, without compoſition; yea, an infinite, without all limits of thoughts. Thinke of him as not to be thought of; as one whoſe wiſedome is his iuſtice, whoſe iuſtice is his power, whoſe power is his mercy, and all himſelfe. Good without qualitie, great without quantitie, everlaſting without time, preſent eueryevery where without place, containing all things without extent. If this ſhall giuegive our devotions any light, it is well: the leaſt glimpſe of this knowledge, is worth all the full gleames of humane and earthly skill. After this weake direction, let vsus ſtill ſtudy to conceiue aright, that we may pray aright; and ſtill pray, that we may conceiue: and meditate more and more, that we may doe both. And the father, ſonne, and holy Ghoſt, direct vsus, inable vsus, that wee may doe all. Amen.