The Sum of Sacred Divinity, Book 1 · Chapter 1

The Sum of Sacred Divinity · Book 1 · Chapter 1

p. 1CHAP. I.

Of God the Father, the Sonne, and the Holy Ghost.

AS all other Sciences areDiuinitie is a Doctrine of glorifying God. commended by their end, and eueryevery one eſteemed ſo much the more eminent, as the end doth more excell; ſo it is the worthie prayſe of the Doctrine of Religion, which is the ſame that we call Diuinitie, that it looketh to ſuch an end as is incomparably moſt to be deſired, moſt to be loued and embraced of vsus; that is to ſay, the glory of God, aaRom. 11. 39.Rom 11:39From whom, and by whom, and to whom, are all p. 2things: And whoſe glory ought to be a thouſand-ſold more deare vntounto vsus then our liues, yea▪ then the ſaluation of our ſoules.

This therefore is the ſcope and markeHereſies and Errors. A Theiſts, that ſay, There is no God; whom not onelyonly the Word of God, but all the Things created, eſpecially this goodly Frame and Workmanſhip of the World, and euen their owne Conſciences ſufficiently confute: ſince they cannot but ſee & vnderſtand hereby, that there muſt needs be ſome Diuine Power, before all, and aboue all, of whom theſe things were made, and by whom they are gouerned in ſo wiſe and gracious ſort, as the …poſtle teacheth, Rom. 1. 20. For his inuiſible Things, that is, his Eternall Power and Godhead, being vnderſtood by the things created, are clearely ſeene by this Frame of the World, to the end that men might be vnexcuſable. And therefore, theſe Wretches that ſtriue againſt their Conſcience, to put out ſo cleare a Light, which, will they nill they, ſhineth thus bright in their eyes, are to be left vntounto themſelues, and Gods iuſt hand vponupon them, as vtterly vnworthie to be dealt with by any further Arguments. The whole Doctrine of Poperie, which in all the points of their Religion ſpoyleth God of his glorie: for, 1. In ſtead of the true bleſſed God, they ſet vp an Idoll of their owne braine, one neither perfectly righteous, which accepteth an imperfect ſatisfaction; as whatſoeuer proceedeth from man (whom they will hauehave able to ſatisfie for his owne ſins) muſt of neceſſitie be; nor perfectly mercifull, if he do not freely forgiue ſinne, but receiue ſome part of recompence at our hands, contrary to that of Eſay 43. 25. I, I, for my ſelfe, that is, freely for mine own merciemercy and glorie do away iniquities. 2. His incomprehenſible and incorruptible glorie, they transforme into the image of a corruptible creature, as the Apoſtle ſpeaketh, Rom. 1. 23. painting him out ſometimes after the likeneſſe of an old man, ſometimes in one ſhape, ſometimes in another, as if Time did weare him, or Age alter him, who is the Eternitie of Iſrael, and neuer changeth. 3. Their prayers to Hee Saints & Shee Saints, and angels▪ which is a glorie proper vntounto God, Pſal. …0. 15. Call upon …, and I will deliuer thee: ſo ſhalt … fie mee. And their bowing to Stocks and Stones, whereof the Lord ſaith, Eſay 4…. …. I will not give my glorie to another, nor my praiſe to carued Images. 4. They teach, that the predeſtinating as well of the elect to life, as of the reprobate to condemnation, is for their workes fore-ſeene, which the Apoſtle, Rom. 9. 22, 23. ſheweth to be of his owne free pleaſure, to ſhew forth the riches of his might and glorie. 5. Touching … …w of God▪ they are not only altogether ignorant of the true vſe thereof, which is by a right humiliation of ones ſelfe, to prepare the way, and to lead him vntounto Chriſt, but ſpoyle God of the glory due vntounto him, whileſt they teach▪ That it is poſſible for a man to fulfill the Law himſelfe, and ſo falſifie that goldē ſaying of the Apoſtle, Rom. 11. 32. God hath ſh…t all vnderunder ſinne, that he might hauehave merciemercy vponupon all. 6. The means of ſaluation, they attribute in part to the worthineſſe of men, and to their due deſert, which is the free grace and gift of God, that he that glorieth, might glorie in the Lord, 1. Cor. 1. 32. 7. Whereas the wonderfull glorie of God, in his louelove vntounto mankind, hath herein ſhined forth moſt clearely, that when we were dead in ſinnes, and enemies vntounto God, he hath quickened and reconciled vsus to himſelfe, they contrarily imagine, that the wound is not to deepe, but that there remaineth ſtill a kind of life in man, and a diſpoſition to receiue the firſt grace of God, which they call Free-will, and that God may be prouoked by our merites to giuegive vsus the ſecond Grace, and to make Man a worker together with God, in that great worke of our new Birth: which the Scripture in expreſſe termes appropriateth vntounto God, calling it his owne Workmanſhip, and a Creation, Eph. 2. 10. to exclude man, and whatſoeuer is of and in man.Rom 1:20Isa 43:25Rom 1:23Isa 4Rom 9:22Rom 9:23Rom 11:321 Cor 1:321 Cor 1:7Eph 2:10 that the whole Doctrine of Diuinitie doth directly ayme and ſhoot at, and whereunto the parts are all to be referred, as to their laſt and furtheſt end: for albeit the ſeuerall Doctrines hauehave their ſeuerall and proper vſes, the Law to humble vsus, the Goſpell to giuegive vsus comfort in the Sauing Health, that through Faith is reached forth vntounto vsus, Preaching to beget Faith, the Sacraments to ſtrengthen it, Diſcipline to retaine in the obedience thereof, and ſo in the reſt: yee the laſt and vttermoſt, the moſt ſhining and glorious end, whereunto not one, but …y part, and not the parts onelyonly, but the whole body and frame of all tendeth, is this, of glorifying God. Which will appeare moſt plainely, if wee examine all this Doctrine point by point, and goe it throughout in order as it lyeth: As,

1. The whole Treatiſe of the Godhead, p. 3both of his Nature and Perſons, wherein hee ſhineth ſo glorious, that the glorie of GOD is often vſed in the Scriptures for his Perſon and Preſence. So bbExod. 33. 18.Exod 33:18Moſes beſeecheth him to cauſe his glorie to paſſe before him: And in ccEzech. 2. 22.Ezek 2:22Ezechiel, the bleſſed glorie of IEHOVA is ſaid in ſtead of his glorious and bleſſed preſence.

2. His Eternall Councels, whether of ſauing thoſe he chuſeth, or deſtroying thoſe whom he reiecteth: whereof the Wiſe man ddPro. 16. 4.Prov 16:4teacheth, that he made all for himſelfe, that is, to the prayſe of his glorie. As the Apoſtle handling the ſame Argument, doth expound it, Eph. 1. 6.

3. The Creation; which, if Men were as dumbe as Stones, would of it ſelfe ſufficiently proclayme the glorie of the Creator: And yet he that will ſee it ſo ſet forth, as men may learne to admire it, let him read the 19. Pſalme, The Heauens declare the glorie of God, and the Firmament ſheweth his handy-worke.

4. His Workes; whereof the eePſal. 113. 4, 6, 7.Ps 113:4Ps 113:6Ps 113:7Prophet cryeth out, that he is exalted aboue the Earth, yea aboue the Heauens themſelues, in the glorie of the ſame: Dwelling moſt high, but yet looking moſt low▪ both in Heauen and in Earth, rayſing the poore out of the duſt, the needie out of the dunghill, &c. as followeth in that Pſalme.

p. 45. The honor due vntounto him from all his reaſonable Creatures, in Heauen & vponupon the Earth; whoſe ffMatth. 6. 10.Matt 6:10part it is to do his will, and to performe whatſoeuer he commandeth.

6. The Couenant of Works; whereby, in his Iuſtice, he rewardeth the thorough & perfect obedience of Chriſt his Sonne, and of the holy Angels, and puniſheth all tranſgreſſion and diſobedience, as in the Angels that fell, and in reprobate and wicked men.

7. The Couenant of Grace; which the ggPſ. 19. 8, 9, 11.Ps 19:8Ps 19:9Ps 19:11Prophet calleth, The Reſtorer of the Soule, the Gladder of the Heart, the Enlightner of the Eyes, more to be deſired then Gold, yea, then much fine Gold, ſweeter then the Honey and the Honey-Combe: God hauing hhRom. 11. 32.Rom 11:32ſhut all (that is to ſay, all Men, and whatſoeuer is of Man) vnderunder ſinne, that he might hauehave mercy vponupon all whom hee meaneth for to ſaue. This is it which teacheth ii1. Cor. 1. 31.1 Cor 1:31Chriſt to be made vntounto vsus wiſdome from God, and righteouſneſſe, and ſanctification, and redemption, that as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glorie in the Lord: Becauſe in him, as the ſame Apoſtle ſheweth, kk2. Cor. 1. 20.2 Cor 1:20All the promiſes of God are yea, and Amen vntounto Gods glorie. Whereupon Iohn llReuel. 14. 6.Rev 14:6in the Reuelation teacheth▪ That this is the true voice of the euerlaſting Goſpell, Feare God, and giuegive glorie vntounto him.

p. 58. The collection and gathering of his Church, wherein, as mmPſal. 29. 9.Ps 29:9Dauid ſaith, he vttereth all his glory. Some footſteps whereof were to be ſeene in the peculiar choice. Firſt, of a Family in Abraham, Iſack, Iacob, and the twelue Patriarkes, then of a whole Nation of the Iewes, from the reſt of the people of the World. Therefore, doth the Pſalmiſt ſay, nnPſal. 76. 2.Ps 76:2In Iewry is God famous, and his Name is great in Iſrael. But the full accompliſhment of this his glory (whereof the other was but a light precurſion) is vponupon the breaking downe of the partition wall betweene the Iewes and Gentiles, and reconciling them in one body vntounto himſelfe. In which ſence, the Apoſtle ooEpheſ. 3. 10.Eph 3:10affirmeth, that euen to the Angels themſelues, to principalities and powers is made knowne through the Church, the diuers and manifold wiſdome of God. And the ppPſal. 102. 16.Ps 102:16Pſalmiſt long before had propheſied, that when Iehoua did build vp Sion (by the comming of his Sonne, the calling of the Gentiles, and the full repayring of his Church vniuerſall) then ſhould he be ſeene in his glory.

9. Sanctification of life, and the obedience of his Saints, wherein qq1. Cor. 10. 31.1 Cor 10:31Whatſoeuer wee doe, wee doe all to the glory of God.

10. The ſaluation it ſelfe of Gods Elect ſtanding in the participation of his glory. As the rrRom. 3. 23. 13.Rom 3:23Rom 3:13Apoſtle noteth, when he ſaith, All hauehave ſinned, and come ſhort of the glory of God, that is, of eternall life, which we are to ſeeke and labour for; not ſo much for our owne good and happineſſe, as for his glory, from all which we gather a rule to examine and iudge of all Doctrines, That thoſe are euer ſoundeſt, which giuegive to God the greateſt glory, and contrariwiſe, whatſoeuer ſootheth vp the proud ſpirit of man, or darkneth the glory of the liuing God, that, if there were no more, is cauſe enough to make vsus to reiect it. This our Sauiour teacheth, Ioh. 7. 18. He that ſeeketh the glory of him that ſent him, he is true, and there is no vnrighteouſneſſe in him, making it the certaine badge of all true and heauenly Doctrine, if it tend to glorifie God. As by the ſame argument, Paul auoucheth his Doctrine to bee ſuch, that an Angell from p. 6Heauen preaching otherwiſe, were to be held accurſed, for doe I now (ſaith hee) perſwade men or God? tendeth myſſGal. 1. 8, 9, 10.Gal 1:8Gal 1:9Gal 1:10 preaching to ſet vp man, or to pull downe the pride of all fleſh, that God alone may be exalted?

Two parts we make of all this holy Doctrine: one properlyWhereof there be two parts. One that concerneth God, the other concerning Imanuel, God with vsus. concerning God the Creatour, the other concerning Chriſt the Redeemer, the true Emanuel, God with vsus. For ſo our Sauiour in that which wee call the Lords Prayer doth deuide it, ſpeaking in the three former Petitions: firſt, of the Nature, Perſons, and properties of the Godhead, then of his ſoueraigntie and command, together with the duty of Allegiance, which wee owe vntounto him, which if men were able to performe as the Law of their Creation not enioyneth onelyonly, but inabled them vntounto, and as the Angels doe in Heauen, they neede goe no farther, but ſhould be bleſſed in the doing of it. But becauſe that is a path which no foot of man can tread, he propoundeth in the other three, to miſerable man fallen now away, the bleſſed Sonne of God, that peereleſſe Pearle and ineſtimable Treaſure of the World, Ieſus Chriſt the righteous, who hath gone the tracke for vsus, and regeneration, righteouſneſſe and ſanctification through him: more briefly, Iohn 17. 3. hee noteth the perfect diſtribution of Diuinity, To know thee, the only true God, and him whom thou haſt ſent, Ieſus Chriſt.

Theſe two parts lacking apt names to expreſſe them, you may perhaps (till we light vponupon ſome better) not altogether vnfitly call Theologie and Chriſtianitie, for ſo Theologie doth in his proper and naturall ſignification ſound: a Speech of or concerning God. The name of Chriſtianity, taking it for the Doctrine of Chriſtianitie (as is vſuall in words of art) may aptly bee deduced from diuers ttAct. 13. 26. and 26. 18. 1. Pet. 4. 16.Acts 13:26Acts 26:181 Pet 4:16places of holy Writ, and is the ſame in ſenſe, which the uuCol. 3. 16.Col 3:16Apoſtle calleth foreign, the Word of Christ. But till theſe termes by cuſtome and vſe bee worne and made familiar, and our eares better acquainted with them, I thinke it not amiſſe to forbeare the names, let the thing be vnderſtood.

p. 7To define God perfectly, as that great and ChriſtianGod is Iehouah, three perſons. Iehouah (which is Being or perfection it ſelf) xxRamus in his Theology.Logician ſaid, wee had neede of Gods owne Logicke, whoſe nature knowne onelyonly to himſelfe, infinitely exceedeth all thought and apprehenſion that can poſſibly bee in any creature: wherefore to keepe vsus within the limits of ſobriety, not taking vponupon vsus to define that wee know not, which were folly and madneſſe, much leſſe attempting it in the God-head, which were extreme vngodlineſſe, we muſt remember the anſwere that God made vntounto Moſes, deſiring to ſee the Maieſtie of his preſence, that he ſhould ſee his hinder yyExod. 33. 23.Exod 33:23parts, but his face could not be ſeene. There is then in God a forepart, and a face, there is a hinder part and backe. By his face, that is, his very Maieſtie and Eſſence, no man or Angell is able to define GOD, but by thoſe ſteps and markes of his glory, whereby he hath manifeſted himſelfe in his Word and Works, as it were by his hinder and backe parts, we may in ſome ſort deſcribe him, which what they are, appeare in the next Chapter, when paſſing by Moſes, (whom he ſet in the hollow of a Rocke, and couered with his hand till he were gone by) he cryed, zzExod. 34. 6.Exod 34:6IEHOVAH, IEHOVAH, the mighty God, mercifull and gracious, long ſuffering, and full of kindneſſe and truth, preſeruing kindneſſe for thouſands, forgiuing iniquity, and rebellion, and ſinne, by no meanes freeing the guiltie, viſiting the iniquity of fathers vponupon children, and vponupon childrens children to the third and fourth Generation. All which, and whatſoeuer notes of his glory elſe, ſcattered here and there, in the whole Volume of the Scriptures, or ſhining eueryevery-where in the large Volume of the Heauens, are many times comprehended in one onelyonly word, as Iah, Iehouah, or Ehieh, (that is to ſay, I am) as if you would ſay, Being or perfection it ſelfe. For theſe three (comming from the ſame aaforeignroot, and being in effect but one) are that eſſentiall and proper name of God, whereby he calleth himſelfe, when he would paint out▪ men the excellency of his Nature, and diſtinguiſh it from all other things that are in Heauen, or vponupon the earth, or vnderunder the earth. So Exod. 3. 13, 14, 15. vntounto Moſes, p. 8asking him, When I ſhall ſay vntounto them, The God of your fathers hath ſent me vntounto you, and they ſay to me, What is his name? what ſhall I ſay to them? IEHOVAH anſwered MOSES, EHIEH (or I am) for I am. And he ſaid, Thus ſhalt thou ſay to the Children of Iſrael, EHIEH (that is, I am) hath ſent me vntounto you. Againe, God ſaid to MOSES, Thus ſhalt thou ſay vntounto the Children of Iſrael, IEHOVAH the God of your fathers, the God of ABRAHAM, the God of ISACK, and the God of IACOB hath ſent me vntounto you. This is my Name for euer, and this is my Memoriall vntounto all Ages. Of the other, we reade, Pſal. 68. 5. Exalt him for his Name IAH.

It is moſt certaine, that bbPlato in his Dialogue, entituled Cratylusthe name of a thing (if it be rightly giuen) ſerueth to ſet out the true nature & property of the thing, wherein conſiſted a great part of that wiſedome which was in Adam, who ccGen. 2. 19.Gen 2:19gaue apt and fit names to all the Beaſts of the Field, and to all the Fowles of the Ayre, according to their quality and condition: much more is the ſame to be thought of, this Name which the moſt wiſe God taketh to him, and is neuer giuen to any Creature, Man, nor Angell, to Temple, Sanctuary, nor any holy place elſe, not ſo much as in a Sacramentall ſignification, if the places ſeeming to ſerue for that purpoſe be rightly skanned. Theſe words therefore doe truly and perfectly comprehend that backe part of his, or ddforeign. Rom. 1. 19.Rom 1:19whatſoeeuer may be knowne of God, ſo farre as our ſlender capacity is able to reach. For firſt, hereby appeareth that all that is, is in him ſubſiſtence, life, vnderſtanding, will, holineſſe, happineſſe, and whatſoeuer elſe: all proper to him, all his, and commeth from him: all eſſentiall vntounto him, and of his nature: all infinite, eternall, and vnchangeable. Or to ſpeake more plaine, in that he is Being, firſt, he muſt needs hauehave in himſelfe the very life, ſoule and perfection of all things that be, ſubſiſtence, life, vnderſtanding, will, holineſſe, happineſſe, and whatſoeuer elſe. Secondly, all this hee hath infinitely, for what can bee imagined, where Being ſhould be excluded? Thirdly, nothing is in him but eſſentiall and of his nature, for all is his Being. Fourthly, p. 9how can being it ſelfe otherwiſe be, then of and from it ſelfe? Fiftly, Being can neuer leaue to bee, nor hauehave beginning of his Being, and therefore is eternall. Laſtly, it is not poſſible that any thing ſhould bee, whom Being doth not make to bee. In briefe, God is being, life, vnderſtanding, will, holineſſe, happineſſe, eſſentially, infinitely, eternally, cauſally, to himſelfe and others. And ſo doth the Apoſtle at once expound all thoſe names, when hee ſaith, eeRom. 11. 36.Rom 11:36For of him and by him, and to him are all things.

But this needeth ſome larger explication. Therefore it ſhall not bee amiſſe, more particularly to deduce theſe things, and to ſhew from point to point what this Being or Perfection doth include. In a word, it ſheweth, that he hath all good and perfect things in a moſt perfect and incommunicable manner.

The good and perfect things I meane are of two ſorts, firſt, thoſe, without which the creature cannot bee perfect. Of which kind are theſe three:

1. A being which God is ffReuel. 1. 4.Rev 1:4ſaid to hauehave, that he may beSignifieth a nature. knowne to bee a thing truely and indeed ſubſiſting, and in that reſpect is oppoſed, aſwell to the imaginary courſe of nature, which ſome prophane men hauehave made a god, as to the Idols of the Gentiles, which the Scripture calleth ggAmos 2. 4. foreignAmos 2:4lyes, hhIer. 10. 15. foreign Acts 14. 14. foreign.Jer 10:15Acts 14:14vanities, and ii1. Cor. 8. 4.1 Cor 8:4things of nothing. But principally hee is ſaid to Be, becauſe hee both hath his being of himſelfe, and giueth being to all other things, and namely, to his Word, aſwell of promiſe, as of threatning, of iudgement, as of mercy, which hee effecteth and cauſeth to come to paſſe. This is it he meaneth, Exod. 6. 3. I appeared indeed to ABRAHAM, ISACK, and IACOB, in the name of the mighty One, all ſufficient, but by my Name IEHOVAH, was I not knowne of them: That is, I did not make my promiſes indeed exiſt vntounto them, for otherwiſe both they knew the Name Iehouah, kkGen. 15. 8.Gen 15:8called vponupon it, and llGen. 13. 18 & 26. 25.Gen 13:18Gen 26:25built Altars to Iehouah, and hee himſelfe mmGen. 15. 7. & 28. 13.Gen 15:7Gen 28:13by that Name ſealed vp the faith and certaintie of his promiſes. For this cauſe it is, that in nnEzech. 5. 17.Ezek 5:17Ezechiel, threatning the famine, the beaſts and other p. 10plagues, hee giueth credit to it by that Name, I IEHOVAH hauehave ſpoken it, and in the ſeuenth ooEzech. 7. 27.Ezek 7:27Chapter ſhuttethThat hath all good and perfect things in a moſt perfect and incommunicable manner. The perfect things in God. Beſide life. vp all his threatnings with this, That they may finde by experience, that I am IEHOVAH. But moſt notable is that of the thirtieth of Ieremy, where in one Chapter the Lord three and twenty times repeateth this Name of purpoſe, to aſſure the peoples hearts of thoſe comfortable and golden promiſes that he maketh vntounto them in that place.

2. Life: ppEccl 9. 4.Eccl 9:4for better is a liuing Dogge then a dead Lyon. But when wee ſpeake of the life of God▪ wee meane not onelyonly that hee doth truely and properly by himſelfe and of his owne nature liue, (and therefore is called the qqPſal. 83. 2. & in many other places.Ps 83:2liuing God, and that forme of ſwearing ſo often vſed, as IEHOVAH rrIer. 5. 2. and elſewhere.Jer 5:2liueth, which in ſſDeut. 32. 40.Deut 32:40Deuteronomie he himſelfe taketh vp, For I lift my hands to Heauen, and ſay, that I liue for euer. And in another ttIer. 12. 16.Jer 12:16place maketh it the proper note of his people, to ſweare by his Name, IEHOVAH liueth) but that from him proceedeth life vntounto all his creatures. As it is ſaid, uuAct. 17. 28.Acts 17:28In him we liue and mooue, and againe, xxAct. 17. 25.Acts 17:25He giueth to all life and breath through all things, that is, to all his creatures. And in both theſe reſpects, it is that hee is ſaid to hauehave life in himſelfe, Iohn the yyIoh. 5. 26.John 5:26fifth, As the Father liueth by himſelfe, yea, to zzIoh 5. …0.John 5bee life it ſelfe, and Deut. 30. 20. Hee is thy life and the length of thy dayes: Againe, in the aaPſal. 30. 10.Ps 30:10Pſalmes, With thee is the fountaine of life: whereby it appeareth that this is proper vntounto God.

3. Vnderſtanding and will: for as the bbPſal. 94. 9. 10Ps 94:9Ps 94:10Pſalmiſt makethVnderſtāding, his diſpute. The Planter of the eare, ſhould not he heare? or the framer of the eye, ſhould not he behold? hee that teacheth knowledge, ſhould not he vnderſtand? and of his will we read: ccDan. 4. 25.Dan 4:25All And wil (without which no perfection can bee)the inhabitants of the earth are counted as nothing, but he doth according to his will in the Hoſt of Heauen, &c. among the dwellers of the earth, neyther is there any that can reſtraine his hand, or ſay to him, What doeſt thou? As if he ſhould ſay, They hauehave no will at all to ſpeake of, in reſpect of his. And ddIam. 4. 13.Jas 4:13Iames worthily reprehendeth thoſe that ſay, To day and tomorrow we will goe, &c. whereas they ſhould ſay, If the Lord p. 11will. Shewing, that vponupon his will dependeth the will of all his creatures. As the Apoſtle ſaith, In him eeAct. 17. 18.Acts 17:18wee liue and mooue. So that he only is foreign, onelyonly hath a moſt abſolute freedome of will moouing the will of all his creatures, and his owne moued of none, whoſe will no power nor force can hinder: for who, ſaith the Apoſtle, ffRom. 9. 19.Rom 9:19hath reſiſted his will? But contrariwiſe, he himſelfe doth hinder the wil of eueryevery creature, as hee doth of the Angels and Deuils, being otherwayes mighty creatures; whereof more ſhall be ſpoken, when we come vntounto his prouidence.

Of the ſecond ſort are thoſe two things (wherein weeare Holineſſe and Bleſſedneſſe. place the goodneſſe and perfection of the moſt excellent creatures,) Holineſſe and Bleſſedneſſe.

Holineſſe comprehendeth both the purity of his wholeHolines is the purity of his nature, nature, and the righteouſneſſe of all his wayes. ggHabac. 1. 13.Thou art pure of eyes, ſaith the Prophet, ſo as thou canſt not behold iniquity. And in hhEſay 6. 3.Isa 6:3Eſay, the glorious Soraphins cry, Holy, holy, holy IEHOVAH of Hoſtes.

Of the righteouſneſſe of his wayes, louing Holineſſefrom whence commeth a righteouſneſſe in al his waies. and righteouſneſſe and whatſoeuer good is, and contrariwiſe hating ſinne and vnrighteouſneſſe, and whatſoeuer naught is, the Pſalmiſt iiPſal. 45. 7, 8.Ps 45:7Ps 45:8ſpeaketh, coupling them together. Thou loueſt righteouſneſſe, and hateſt iniquity: of each part he ſaith, kkPſal. 11. 1….Ps 11:1The righteous God loueth righteouſneſſe: and againe, llPſal. 5. 5, 6.Ps 5:5Ps 5:6Thou art not a God that taketh pleaſure in wickedneſſe, with thee no euill ſhall dwell. Thou hateſt all the workers of Iniquity.

Both theſe parts our Sauiour ſeemeth to note in God, when in one mmIoh. 17. 11. 25John 17:11John 17:25Prayer he calleth him firſt, Holy Father, and then Righteous Father. And as God is moſt abſolutely good, ſo this goodneſſe in all the parts of it is proper vntounto him, in that hee hath it of himſelfe, and is the Fountaine from whence it floweth into other. Mat. 19. 17. None is good but God onelyonly.

Therefore, in the Law was written vponupon the High Prieſts Bonnet, nnExod. 39. 30.Exod 39:30Holineſſe is IEHOVAHS, and it is the voyce ooReuel. 15. 4.Rev 15:4of holy Angels: yea, the Song of Moſes, the p. 12Seruant of GOD, and of the Lambe, that God onelyonly is holy.

The righteouſneſſe of God is to be ſeene in foure chiefeSpecially ſeen to vsus in foure chiefe and principall vertues, which in the Scripture you ſhall find for the moſt part, to goe by couples or payres. and principall vertues, that hauehave reſpect vntounto his reaſonable creatures, in the Scripture you ſhall finde them for the moſt part to goe by couples or payres.

The firſt couple is ppforeign The firſt couple are Kindneſſe & Truth.kindneſſe and truth ſpecially to his Church, Exod. 34. 6. IEHOVAH, IEHOVAH, &c. aboundant in kindneſſe and truth. Pſal. 25. 10. All the paths of IEHOVAH, are kindneſſe and truth to them that keep his Couenant and his Teſtimonies. Pro. 3. 3. Kindneſſe and truth let them not forſake thee: and againe, qqProu 14. 22. Kindneſſe, in being ready to beſtow all good things.Prov 14:22Kindneſſe and truth ſhall be to them that imagine good.

Kindneſſe is that whereby hee is ready to beſtow all good things.

The kindneſſe of God offereth it ſelfe to bee conſidered for the moſt part in theſe degrees. Firſt, his long ſuffering, whereby he is ſlow to wrath, and goeth (as it were) with a leaden heele vntounto puniſhment, and neuer is a God rrSo the Iewiſh Rabbines in their language elegantly ſay that God neuer is foreign till he can no longer bee foreignof vengeance till he can no longer be a God of patience. So ſaith the Apoſtle, Rom. 2. 4. That God ſheweth forth the riches of his patience and long ſufferance to this end, that the kindneſſe of God might lead vsus to Repentance.

And ſſ1 Pet. 3. 20.1 Pet 3:20Peter giueth, as for a moſt cleere Looking-glaſſe to behold this long ſufferance of God in, both his long patience and wayting for of amendment in the dayes of Noe, whileſt the Arke was preparing, an hundred and twenty yeeres, and tt2 Pet. 3. 9.2 Pet 3:9his forbearing to deſtroy the World. Now, to the end that none of his may periſh, but all come to Repentance.

Secondly, His bounty and goodneſſe, giuing liberally all good things, as the Pſalmiſt ſaith, uuPſal. 145 9.Ps 145:9IEHOVAH is good to all, and his kindneſſe is ouer all his workes. And againe, xxPſal 36. 7.Ps 36:7Thou IEHOVAH preſeruest men and beaſts.

Thirdly, and ſpecially, in his grace and fauour, whereby he beſtoweth all theſe things, without reſpect of our worthineſſe or vnworthineſſe, as our Sauiour, Mat. 5. 45. p. 13teacheth vsus to behold in the ordinary and daily courſe of things. Hem…keth the Sunne to riſe on the euill and the good, and raigneth on the iuſt and the vniuſt.

Truth is the faithfull performance of whatſoeuer heeTruth, faithfully to performe whatſoeuer he ſpeaketh. ſpeaketh, whether he promiſe good, or threaten euill. A vertue, then the which, none can more beſeeme the Godhead: for as the zzIohn 8. 44.John 8:44Deuill is a Lyar from the beginning, and the father of lyes; ſo is God the Author of all Truth, yea, Truth it ſelfe, and true for euermore: True in his words and promiſes, without ſubtilty or guile, true in the accompliſhment and performance, without colouring or deceit. He ſpeaketh, and it is; promiſeth, and it commeth to paſſe; threatneth, and it taketh effect. aaPſal. 89. 33, 34. 35.Ps 89:33Ps 89:34Ps 89:35I will not alter (ſaith the Lord) that which is proceeded out of my lips, nor falſifie my faith. bbTitus 1. 2.Titus 1:2Nay he cannot lye, becauſe hee cc2. Tim. 2. 13.2 Tim 2:13cannot deny himſelfe. So naturall it is vntounto himſelfe to bee Truth it ſelfe. Therefore he is called, The ddPſal 31. 6.Ps 31:6God of Truth, The eeEſay 55. 16.Isa 55:16God of Amen. What is that elſe, but ſuch a God, as is alwayes one, and the ſame, true in his words, firme in his promiſes, certaine in his performance? Whereupon the ffRom. 3. 4.Rom 3:4Apoſtle cryeth out, Let God be true, and all men lyars.

The other couple are ggforeignIuſtice and Mercy, flowing fromThe other couple are Iuſtice and Mercy flowing from the former. the former: both ſpecially ſeene in the ſauing or deſtroying of men and Angels. Pſal. 116. 5. IEHOVAH is gracious and iuſt, and our God is mercifull, Pſal. 14. 5, 7, 8. The memoriall of thine abundant goodneſſe they ſhall powre out, and thy Iuſtice they ſhall ſing, that IEHOVAH is gracious and mercifull▪ &c.

Iuſtice is that whereby he rendreth to eueryevery one accordingIuſtice to render to eueryevery one his due. to his workes: for elſe, hhRom. 3. 6.Rom 3:6as the Apoſtle reaſoneth, If there were vnrighteouſneſſe with God▪ how could God iudge the World? Therefore as a moſt righteous Iudge, hee ſeuerely puniſheth the workers of iniquitie, and graciouſly recompenceth thoſe that feare him▪ with that free reward which he hath promiſed. So ſaith ii1. Pet. 1. 7.1 Pet 1:7Peter, that without reſpect of perſons hee iudgeth eueryevery one according to his workes. And kkIer. 51. 56,Jer 51:56IEREMY, The Lord that recompenceth, ſhall ſurely p. 14recompence. It is iuſt, ſaith ll2. Theſſ. 1. 6, 72 Thess 1:62 Thess 1:7PAVL, with God, to render trouble to them that trouble you, and to you that are troubled, reſt with vsus at the Comming of Ieſus Chriſt. And againe, mmRom. 1. 8.Rom 1:8The wrath of God reuealeth it ſelfe from Heauen, againſt all vngodlineſſe and vnrighteouſneſſe of men. But of himſelfe hee ſaith, nn2. Tim. 4. 8.2 Tim 4:8There is layd vp for mee a Crowne of righteouſneſſe, which the Lord, that righteous Iudge, will render vntounto mee in that Day. And oo1. Iohn 1. 9.1 John 1:9IOHN, If we confſſe our ſinnes, God is faithfull and iuſt to forgiue them, becauſe of his promiſe ſake.

Mercy is that, whereby hee helpeth out of miſery,Mercy, in being ready to helpe in time of neede. whomſoeuer it pleaſeth him. As hee ſaith to MOSES, ppExod. 33. 19.Exod 33:19I will be gracious, to whom I will be gracious, and I will hauehave mercy, on whom I will hauehave mercy. And the qqLament 3. 22Lam 3:22Prophet in the Lamentations, It is the wonderfull kindneſſe of IEHOVAH that wee are not conſumed, for his mercies fayle not: yea, hee wayteth, as the Prophet ſpeaketh, rrEſay 30. 18.Isa 30:18to ſhew mercy to vsus, being full of compaſſion in all our miſeries and neceſſities. ſſPſal. 46. 2.Ps 46:2A helpe in affliction very ready to be found, as the Pſalmiſt ſaith. Thus he tempereth his mercy with his Iuſtice, as it were water to allay the heate of his burning wrath. A vertue that aboue all other he appropriateth to himſelfe, and taketh as it were moſt pleaſure in: Neyther doth hee ſo oft call himſelfe a iuſt and righteous, as hee doth a gracious and mercifull God. Therefore, beſide his patience and long ſufferance inuiting vsus to Repentance, hee doth humble himſelfe, as it were, to mens infirmity, vſing all the meanes and helpes whereby our coldneſſe may bee quickned, and our affections ſtirred vp to ſeeke him. To this end hee giueth vsus his Word and Sacraments, confirmeth the ſame by couenants, promiſes, othes and miracles, pulleth vsus vntounto him by chaſtiſements and corrections, cenſures and admonitions. To conclude, hee ſpareth nothing that may ſerue for our good. And when all this preuayleth not, when none of his diſciplines and inſtructions is able to bow our ſtony hearts, nor to make them fleſhle and ſoft, that needes hee muſt proceede to Iudgement, ttAbac. 3. 2.Hab 3:2yet both in his wrath he remembreth mercy. And where mens obſtinacie p. 15makes that there is no place for mercy, hee puniſheth, as it were, vnwillingly; and uuLam. 3. 33.Lam 3:33againſt his heart xxEzech. 18. 23Ezek 18:23delighting in no mans deſtruction, nor taking pleaſure in the death of a This is the holineſſe of God, and his righteouſneſſe comming from it. Bleſſedneſſe is his all-ſufficiency of things that make one happy,Sinner, but rather that hee may returne from his wayes and liue: for I ſpeake not yet of that which is peculiar to his Church and choſen Children, towardes whom his LoueLove doth without all compariſon infinitely excell: but whatſoeuer commeth that way to vsus from the fauour of GOD reconciled in his Sonne, is to be handled in another place.

The Bleſſedneſſe of God, is his all-ſufficiency of things that make one happy, wanting nothing that is good, hauing nothing that is euill: for yy1. Iohn 1. 5.1 John 1:5he is light, and darkneſſe in him there is none at all.And ſtandeth in Kingdome, and Power, or Glory. Kingdome, is his ſoueraignty of commanding whatſoeuer he will.

It ſtandeth in three zzIohn in the Reuelation, Reuel. 1. 6. and Peter in his firſt Epiſtle, 1. Pet. 4 11. and 5. 11. reduceth them to two foreign, (vnderunder which they comprehend Soueraignty and Power, the word ſignifying both) and foreign, glory.Rev 1:61 Pet 4:111 Pet 5:11things, which our Sauiour in the concluſion of the Lords Prayer attributeth vntounto God, to magnifie and ſet forth his moſt abſolute and perfect bleſſedneſſe.

Firſt, Kingdome, which is his ſoueraignty of commanding whatſoeuer he wil; aa1. Tim. 6. 15. Power, his ableneſſe to doe whatſoeuer he commandeth.1 Tim 6:15Being the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords.

Secondly, Power to doe what hee commands: where, if there were no more but that he is called Almightie, it were ſufficient to declare the Infiniteneſſe of his power; but there lacke not alſo cleere and expreſſe teſtimonies: As where it is ſaid, bbPſalme 145. 3.Ps 145:3His greatneſſe cannot bee ſounded: that is, none can reach the bottome of it: And in ccLuke 1. 37.Luke 1:37LVKE, Nothing is impoſſible with God. That alſo of our Sauiour Chriſt, ddMatth. 20. 26.Matt 20:26With men this is impoſſible, but with God all things are poſſible. For hee that can worke any Miracle eyther in the height or in the Deepe, in Heauen aboue, or in the Earth beneath, or whereſoeuer elſe (as to conuince Achas infidelitie, hee willeth him eeEſay 7. 11.Isa 7:11which of theſe wayes hee would, to aske a ſigne) how can any thing be impoſſible vntounto him, or how is not his power endleſſe? Therefore it is poſſible for him, he is able to doe infinitely aboue that hee doth or will doe. Matthew 3. 9. I ſay vntounto you, God is able of theſe p. 16ſtones to raiſe vp children to ABRAHAM. Marke 14. 36. Abba Father, all things are poſſible with thee.

But here wee muſt take heed, leſt aſcribing in words power vntounto GOD, wee take indeede his true power from him: as they doe, which, in ſtead of power, attribute to him things of weakneſſe and infirmitie; and in ſtead of omnipotency, things of impotency. Such are all thoſe which are contrary to his nature and perfection: for ffTitus 1. 2.Titus 1:2hee cannot lye, as the Apoſtle ſaith, Hee gg2. Tim. 2. 13.2 Tim 2:13cannot deny himſelfe: hhIam. 1. 13.Jas 1:13he cannot be tempted of euill. iiIer. 10. 7.Jer 10:7IEREMY ſpeaking of his mighty power, which maketh all Nations to ſtoope and doe him reuerence, ſaith, that the ſame reſteth in him. Whereby he doth not obſcurely giuegive to vnderſtand, that this is proper vntounto God, which the kk1. Tim. 6. 15.1 Tim 6:15Apoſtle more plainly vttereth, calling him the onelyonly Potentate. Therefore the Pſalmiſt llPſal. 89. 14.Ps 89:14ſaith, Thine is an Arme with ſtrength: Appropriating it to him: And mmPſal. 18. 32.Ps 18:32againe, Who is Goa but IEHOVAH? and there is no Rocke but onelyonly thou. And the Lord in nnEſay 44. 3.Isa 44:3ESAY, Is there any God beſides me? Ʋerily there is no Rocke: I know not any.

Thirdly, Glory, that comprehendeth all the excellenciesGlory comprehendeth all the excellencies of his nature. As Wiſedome and other graces of the minde. of his nature: As

Firſt, Wiſedome and all the graces of the minde, both knowledge for the ſound vnderſtanding of things, and counſell whereby rightly to iudge of them as the Prophet ooPſal 136. 5.Ps 136:5ſaith, Iehouah made the Heauens by vnderstanding. ppIer. 51. 15.Jer 51:15IEREMY alſo in like manner. He eſtabliſhed the inhabited World by his Wiſedome, and by his vnderſtanding ſtretched out the Heauens. And qqIob. 28. 25.Job 28:25IOB, He ſitted the Ayre by waight, and ballanced the Water by meaſure: that is, hee ordered all his Creatures in weight and meaſure moſt wiſely. And both theſe hee not onelyonly hath, and that in an infinite meaſure, but the ſame are alſo proper and peculiar vntounto him. So it is in the Prouerbes, rrProu. 8. 14.Prov 8:14Mine is counſell, and wiſedome is mine. And in ſſIob. 12. 13.Job 12:13IOB, With him is wiſedome, his is counſell and vnderſtanding. The ttRom. 11. 33.Rom 11:33Apoſtle to the Romanes notably ſetteth forth the Infiniteneſſe of them both; O the depth of the p. 17riches both of the wiſedome and knowledge of God, how vnſearchable are his Iudgements, and his wayes past finding out! DAVID uuPſal. 147. 5.Ps 147:5alſo in the Pſalmes, There is no number or meaſure of his vnderſtanding. And when all things paſt, preſent, and to come; when the moſt inward and hidden corners of mens ſecret affections are knowne vntounto him: and as it were numbred before him; xxHeb. 4 13.Heb 4:13When there is nothing created which is not manifeſt in his ſight, but all things are naked and open to his eyes: muſt it not needes follow, that this knowledge of God is infinite? and as it is infinite, ſo none but he can challenge it: For he onelyonly is yyRom. 16. 27. 1. Tim. …. 17. Iude verſe 25.Rom 16:27wiſe, zz1. Ki…. …8. 9.onelyonly knoweth the hearts of the ſonnes of men: Hee alone hath the honour of fore-knowing things to come, whereby, as by a moſt certaine and infallible note, hee ſetteth forth himſelfe to be diſcerned from all falſe gods, Eſay 44. 1, 2, 3. I am the firſt and the laſt, and beſides me there is no God: For who, as I, declareth, and vttereth this before, or ordereth this vntounto mee, ſince I hauehave ſet an euerlaſting people, that the ſignes and things to come might bee vttered vntounto them? HaueHave not I from that time vttered it vntounto thee, and declared it, and you are my Witneſſes? Is there any God but mee?

2. Strength.Strength. Comelineſſe and beautie. Graciouſnes, or an amiable and louely nature. A complete furniture of riches, honor, and of all kind of pleaſures & delights.

3. Comelineſſe and beautie.

4. Graciouſneſſe, or an amiable and louely nature.

5. A complete furniture of Riches, and of all kinde of pleaſures and delights.

God thus garniſhed and beſet with whatſoeuer perfections the heart of man can thinke, yea, infinitely aboue that, that men or Angels are able to conceiue, is alone happy and bleſſed, as the aa1. Tim. 6. 15.1 Tim 6:15Apoſtle calleth him, That bleſſed and onelyonly Potentate. Fooliſh men place happineſſe in the good things, as they terme them, of body, mind, and fortune. In all theſe, how doth the Lord excell, but after his owne, that is, a heauenly and vnſpeakable ſort▪ A Body is commended by theſe two qualities, if it bee ſtrong and faire. bbPſal. 93. 1.Ps 93:1Iehouah, ſaith the Pſalmiſt, is clothed with p. 18glory, he hath girt himſelfe with ſtrength. Againe, ccPſal. 96. 6.Ps 96:6Glory and comelineſſe is before him, ſtrength and ornament in his Sanctuary.

In another ddPſal. 104. 1.Ps 104:1place, he cryeth out, O IEHOVAH, thou art exceeding great, thou haſt clothed thy ſelfe with comelineſſe and beautie, couering thy ſelfe with light, as with a garment. If any thing in the World be glorious and beautifull, the Sunne, the Moone, the Starres and heauenly Planets are ſo without compariſon. But Looke vp, ſaith eeIob 25. 5.Job 25:5Bildad, in the Booke of IOB, euen vntounto the Moone, and it doth not ſhine, yea, the Planets are not pure in his eyes: that is, are exceeding darke, if they bee compared with him. Notable is that of ELIHV, ffIob 37. 20, 21.Job 37:20Job 37:21Men cannot abide to looke vponupon the Sunne, when the golden light commeth from the North; but in God there is a more reuerend kind of glory. To conclude, he is ggforeign.the ſtrong God, who hh1. Tim. 6. 16.1 Tim 6:16alone hath immortality, and onelyonly is iiRom. 1. 23. 1. Tim. 1. 17.Rom 1:231 Tim 1:17incorruptible, or not ſubiect to decay. A thing that falleth not into any Body or nature beſides, by it ſelfe, and of it ſelfe. What of the goods of Fortune (fondly ſo called) where Honour and Riches hauehave the preeminence? kkPhil. 2. 6.Phil 2:6He is rich, llGen. 17. 1.Gen 17:1all-ſufficient, the poſſeſſor mmGen. 14. 22.Gen 14:22of Heauen and Earth: needing nothing, but hauing all things, & miniſtring abundantly vntounto thoſe that need. nnPſal. 24. 1.Ps 24:1The Earth is the Lords, and all that doth repleniſh it. Mine, ſaith ooHag. 2. ….Hag 2he, is Gold, and Siluer is mine. ppPſ. 50. 10, 11.Ps 50:10Ps 50:11Mine is eueryevery beaſt of the Forreſt, and the Cattell vponupon a thouſand Hils. I know all the Birds of the Mountaines, and the wilde Beaſts of the field are mine. This is hee, whom men and Angels honour, worſhip, adore; yea, the Deuils themſelues with trembling are forced againſt their wils to magnifie, and the proud qqPſal. 66. 3. foreign.Ps 66:3enemie counterfeits a ſubiection. Therefore, alſo his Name is great, and he is famous throughout the World. And if pleaſures come into this account, the rrPſal. …8. 5. foreignPs 8:5triumphall Chariot whereon hee rideth, is ſweetneſſe and delight it ſelfe, comelineſſe ſſPſal. 96. 9.Ps 96:9carryeth the Mace before him, and ttPſal. 16. 11.Ps 16:11at his right hand are pleaſures for p. 19euermore. Yea, what uuPſal. 17. 5.Ps 17:5is our bleſſedneſſe elſe, but to ſee him face to face? And when as ioy xxEſay 35. 10.Isa 35:10and gladneſſe, mirth, and ſinging, are the portion of his Children: What ſhall wee thinke his fulneſſe to bee? But in the vertues of the minde, how hee glittereth and ſhineth! Theoricke, practike, Morall, Intellectuall, of the vnderſtanding, and of the will. No ignorance can miſ-lead him: no affection can diſquiet him: no paſſion can lay hold vponupon him: with yyProu. 8. 14. Iob. 12. 13.Prov 8:14Job 12:13him is counſell and wiſedome, his is knowledge and vnderſtanding, hee is wiſe in aduiſing, iuſt in decreeing, mighty in the executing of his counſels. As for Holineſſe, Mercy, Truth, Kindneſſe, they take vp their dwelling in him; yea, his very nature is nothing elſe but the perfection of them all. But doth this bleſſedneſſe of God reſt onelyonly in himſelfe, and reacheth it no farther? Yes verily, hee is not onelyonly in himſelfe, and of himſelfe, and by nature bleſſed, but he is the Fountaine of bleſſedneſſe to other. Hee zzPſal. 32. 1, 2.Ps 32:1Ps 32:2maketh bleſſed by giuing righteouſneſſe, forgiuing ſinnes through his Sonne, purging the conſcience, ſanctifying the heart vntounto obedience. Finally, by making men and Angels partakers of his moſt gracious and bleſſed preſence in Heauen: To him bee honour and prayſe for euer.

Wee hauehave hitherto ſpoken of the good and perfectTheſe are the perfect things themſelues. His perfect & incommunicable manner of hauing of them, is Infiniteneſſe and Eternitie. Infiniteneſſe, whereby he is without circumſcription. things that are in God, His perfect and incommunicable manner of hauing of them, ſtandeth in infiniteneſſe and eternitie. Both of them ſuch as no man nor Angell is capable of, nor can be communicated to any creature.

By infiniteneſſe, I meane an vnmeaſureable Power, Wiſedome, and Glory, Goodneſſe, Greatneſſe, filling Heauen and Earth, and being eueryevery-where preſent, within and without the World, whereof there bee many euident teſtimonies in the Scripture: Ieremy 23. 25. Doe not I fill Heauen and Earth, ſaith IEHOVAH? Pſal. 139. 7. Whither ſhould I go from thy Spirit? or whither ſhould I flye from thy preſence? If I ſhould climbe the Heauens, thou art p. 20there, or lay my bed in the Graue, behold, thou art preſent. If I ſhould take the wings of the Morning, and dwell in the vttermoſt part of the Earth, euen thither ſhould thy hand lead me, and thy right hand lay hold vponupon mee, Eſay 66. 1. Heauen is my Throne, and the Earth is my Footstoole. As for thoſe places of Scripture, where God is ſaid to remooue from one place vntounto another, as Geneſ. 11. 5. IEHOVAH went downe to ſee the Citie and the Towre which the ſonnes of men had built: and Geneſ. 18. 21. IEHOVAH ſaid vntounto ABRAHAM, Becauſe the cry of Sodome and Gomorrah is very much, and becauſe their ſinne is very great, I will go downe to ſee, whether according to the cry that is come vp vntounto mee, they hauehave done things worthy of deſtruction, if not, that I may know: This and whatſoeuer like, is ſpoken after the manner of men, to diſcend to our capacitie, not that truely and properly there is any change of place in God. GOD therefore is is all places at once, not onelyonly by his vertue and power, but in his whole infinite eſſence; yet wee muſt not imagine groſely of him, to thinke that eyther he is mixed with the Creatures (for that is contrary to his moſt perfect, ſingle nature) or that by the filth and contagion of the creature himſelfe can be polluted: (for that is contrary to his moſt perfect holy nature:) but in ſuch a ſort hee is preſent, as is heauenly and ſpirituall, and incomprehenſible. And albeit, by nature we ſeeke God in the Heauens, and our Sauiour Chriſt hath taught vsus to ſay, Our Father which art in Heauen, that is not in reſpect of his eſſence; and as I may ſay, of his very preſence, that hee is rather in Heauen then in Earth, or dwelleth rather in his Church, then in prophane Synagogues; in the hearts of his Saints, then in the wicked: but in reſpect of his working, and more ſpeciall grace, or of the cleerer manifeſtation of his glory, as he ſaith, aaEſay 66. 1.Isa 66:1In Heauen is my Throne. And the Prophet bbPſal. 29. 9.Ps 29:9DAVID, In his Temple hee vttereth all his glorie. And that this eueryevery-where-preſence doth onelyonly belong to God, appeareth in that by this note, hee differenceth p. 21himſelfe from all other Creatures. For when hee ſaith, ccIer. 23. 23.Jer 23:23Doe not I fill Heauen and Earth? he meaneth, that none other doth ſo. It is to bee obſerued, that hee ſaith there, Am I a God neere at hand (ſaith IEHOVAH) and am I not a God farre off? Doe I not fill Heauen and Earth? As if hee had ſaid that, which none but God can challenge. God therefore is onelyonly Infinite: Hee onelyonly is that Circle, whoſe Center is eueryevery where, and Circumference no where, who alone ddEſay 40. 12.Isa 40:12meaſureth the Waters in his fiſt, and counteth the Heauens with a ſpanne. As the Prophet would hauehave vsus to vnderſtand, when he ſetteth the ſame, as a ſpell to any whatſoeuer, that fooliſh men ſhall dare to make like vntounto him.

From this infiniteneſſe of God, threeThe Anthropomorphites, becauſe the ſcripture ſpeaketh of the eies of God, his hands, feet, & other parts, (& likewiſe, of his LoueLove, Anger, Hatred, & ſuch like) imagined God to hauehave truly and properly, Limbes, and parts of a Body, and the paſſions & affections of a man: whereas theſe things are ſpoken out to our capacitie, who cannot conceiue how the actions, which God is ſaid to doe, can be performed, without ſuch helpes: not that truely and properly there are any members or paſſions in God. And therefore of a moſt ſingle nature (that whatſoeuer is in God, is God himſelfe,)things may bee learned. Firſt, The ſingleneſſe of his nature, admitting no quality or other accident, for in that which is infinite, how can there any thing hauehave place, that is not of the eſſence? GOD therefore hath neither compoſition nor diuiſion, parts, or members, paſſions or affections, or other accidents, but whatſoeuer is in God, is God himſelfe, which is the meaning of our Sauiour Chriſt, when he calleth eeIohn 4. 24.John 4:24him a Spirit: not as if he were a Spirit, of like nature as the Angels are, or the ſoules of men, for that were moſt erroneous and blaſphemous for to thinke: but becauſe Spirits hauehave a moſt ſingle and vnmixed nature: vnderunder the ſame word, hee repreſenteth vntounto vsus that moſt ſingle and ſpirituall eſſence of GOD, which of all things in the World the Spirits come neereſt to. Now, that both this holineſſe, and all other the good things whereof wee hauehave heard, are p. 22of the very nature of God, the Scripture giueth vsus to vnderſtand when it calleth him, Light, Charity, Eternity, &c. and when he himſelfe ſpeaking of his very nature and eſſence, ſaith to MOSES, ffExod. 33. 19.Exod 33:19I will make all my goodneſſe to paſſe before thy face, for this cauſe it is, that in that moſt glorious deſcription of himſelfe, Exodus 33. before hee come to the particular vertues of Power, Goodneſſe, Iuſtice, hee ſetteth in the fore-front this name Iehouah, ſaying, IEHOVAH, IEHOVAH, the mighty God, mercifull, &c. And why doth he ſo? Both to ſtirre vp Moſes vntounto due reuerence and humiliation, before the preſence of his Maieſtie, and withall to ſhew, that as hee is Iehouah, that is, of himſelfe, and in his moſt ſingle eſſence, he is Omnipotent, Mercifull, Iuſt, &c. yea, that his very nature is nothing elſe but Power, Mercy, Iuſtice, &c. Notable is that place of the Prophet ESAY. ggEſay 43. 25.Isa 43:25I, euen I am he that blotteth out thy rebellio…s for my elſe. He ſaith not, For my Mercy, but, For my ſelfe, to teach vsus that his Mercy, and his Goodneſſe is himſelfe, and conſequently, all eſſentiall in him, and nothing accidentall. Therefore, he can neyther be tempted of euill, nor be the author of it. So ſaith hhIames 1. 13.Jas 1:13IAMES, Let no man when he is tempted, ſay, I am tempted of God, for God cannot bee tempted of euill, neither tempteth he any man. And PAVL, ii2. Tim. 2. 3.2 Tim 2:3Though we beleeue not, yet he remayneth faithfull, hee cannot deny himſelfe. And to TITVS, kkTitus 1. 2.Titus 1:2God that cannot lye. Againe, it followeth from hence, that his will is the rule of all goodneſſe, a thing being therefore good and holy, becauſe he willeth it, not willed of him becauſe it is good and holy. The Apoſtle teacheth vsus that Leſſon, Rom. 9. 22. What if God, willing to ſhew forth his wrath, and to make knowne his power, hath ſuffered, &c. As if he ſhould ſay, What haſt thou, ô man, to ſay againſt it, if it be his will and pleaſure? This alſo doth our Sauiour ſhaddow in the Parable, Matth. 20. 15. Is it not lawfull for me to doe what I will with mine owne?

The other two things to bee inferred from the infiniteneſſe of God, are:

p. 23Firſt, That he is inuiſible by the eyes eyther of the BodyAnd therefore alſo inuiſible, or the minde, as the mm1. Tim. 1. 17. To the King euerlaſting, immortall, inuiſible, Col. 1. 15. who is the image of the inuiſible God, Heb. 11. 1…. for he continued conſtant, ſeeing as it were him that is inuiſible: And incomprehenſible.1 Tim 1:17Col 1:15Heb 11:1Scripture in many places termeth him: whereupon it is ſaid, nn1. Tim. 6. 16.1 Tim 6:16That hee dwelleth in light, which none can hauehave acceſſe vntounto.

Secondly, that he is altogether incomprehenſible of his creatures. So true it is which ooIob 26. 14. Eternity, whereby he is without beginning, or ending. And therefore of himſelfe and vnchangeable.Job 26:14Iob once ſpake, How ſmall a little piece doe we heare of him?

Wee come to the Eternitie of God, whereby hee is without beginning and ending, and therefore of himſelfe, and vnchangeable: for eternall wee call that, that hath neyther beginning of dayes, nor end of life; but remayneth for euer one and the ſame, not ſubiect to any change. As Melchiſedek and his Prieſt-hood are typically ſet forth, Heb. 7. 3. Such a one in truth, doth the Scripture declare God to bee. That hee is without beginning, appeareth, Pſal. 93. 2. Thy Throne is eſtabliſhed before any time. Thou art from euerlaſting, Heb. 1. 2. The Apoſtle ſaith, he made all Ages, and the times, and courſes of all things. Now hee that is the Maker and Beginner of Time, muſt needs himſelfe be before all Time, for which cauſe hee is called, pp1. Tim. 1. 17.1 Tim 1:17The King of all Ages, and courſes of Time. That he hath no end, Moſes qqExod. 15. 18.Exod 15:18declareth in that Song, IEHOVAH ſhall reigne for euer and euer. Therefore he is called rr1. Tim 1. 17.1 Tim 1:17the immortall GOD, who neuer periſheth, or commeth to any end, and is ſaid ſſ1. Tim 6. 16.1 Tim 6:16alone to hauehave immortalitie: of them both Dauid ttPſal 90. 2.Ps 90:2ſaith, Before the Hi…s were framed, or thou haddeſt faſhioned the earth, and inhabited the World: to conclude, from euerlaſting to euerlaſting, thou art the mighty God.

The vnchangeableneſſe of his nature, remayning alwayes one and the ſame without alteration, is ſet forth, Iames 1. 17. when hee ſaith, that with him is neyther change nor ſhaddow of turning: and Malach. 3. 6. I am IEHOVAH, and doe not change. All this the word Ehieh doth include, being as much to ſay, as I am or I will bee. When therefore the Lord ſaith, that hee is or will bee, hee meaneth that hee is without change, and ſo will continue p. 24euer: for I am or I will be, ſheweth that hee is the cauſe of his owne being, and therefore without beginning. To which word, Iohn uuReuel. 1. 8.Rev 1:8in the Reuelation alluding, calleth him Alpha and Omega; that is, the firſt and the laſt, hee that is, and that was, and that is to come, and Eſay 44. 6. Thus ſaith IEHOVAH, I am the firſt, and I am the laſt. Yea, 1. Sam. 15. 29. he is called Eternity it ſelfe, for he that is the Eternity of Iſrael, will not lye, &c. In the 102. Pſalme, all three are ioyned together, firſt, propounded in generall, Verſe 25. Thy yeeres are from generation to generation: then diſtinguiſhed by his parts. The being before all time, Verſe 26. Thou waſt before thou diddeſt found the Earth, and the worke of thy hands the Heauens. The continuing for euer, Verſe 27. and the latter end of the 28. They ſhall periſh, but thou remayneſt, they all waxe olde as a garment, but thy yeeres ſhall not faile. Laſt of all, his immutable nature, in the reſt of the 27. and 28. Verſes. As a veſture ſhalt thou change them, and they ſhall be changed, but thou art (or continueſt ſtill) the ſame. Neyther doth it hinder, that which we hauehave ſaid of the vnchangeable nature of God, that hee is ſaid in many places to repent him, as Gen. 6. 6. It repented God that he had made man. And Ionas 3. 3. hee is ſaid to be ſuch a one, that repenteth him of euill: for ſpeaking properly, that is true which Samuel xx1. Sam. 15. 29.1 Sam 15:29ſaith, The eternity of Iſrael is not as man, that he ſhould repent him. And yyRom. 11. 29.Rom 11:29PAVL, The graces of God are without repentance. Repentance therefore, is for our vnderſtanding improperly attributed vntounto GOD in this ſence, that when GOD deſtroyeth that which before hee made, as in that place of Geneſis, and 1. Sam. 15. 11. and 16. 1. or bringeth not that iudgement or puniſhment which he threatneth, as in that of Ionas, and Exod. 33. 14. and infinite other places; he is then termed to repent, becauſe men which change their counſell, or repent them of that which before they hauehave done, vſe the like. The ſame is to bee ſaid of all the paſſions or affections attributed to God.

p. 25Laſt of all, the Eternitie of God prooueth that hee is of and from himſelfe, the cauſe of his owne being, and conſequently of all good and perfect things that bee. To which purpoſe, that of IAMES zzIam. 1. 17.Jas 1:17is a moſt worthy ſaying, EueryEvery good and perfect gift cōmeth from aboue from the Father of Lights. Two things he teacheth vsus in than ſpeech; one, that in GOD is all perfection, therefore hee calleth him the Father of Light, which is as much or more then if hee ſaid Light it ſelfe. As where Chriſt is called aaEſay 9. 6.Isa 9:6the Father of Eternity, it is moſt Emphaticall; to ſignifie that hee is Eternity it ſelfe, and the author of it. Secondly, hee teacheth that this perfection of the God-head, is the cauſe of eueryevery perfect thing in vsus. To conclude, the ſaying of Iames is in effect no more, but that which the Prophet Dauid bbPſal. 36. 10.Ps 36:10had long before conceiued, Becauſe with thee is the fountaine of life, in thy Light doe we (or let vsus) ſee light: and that from the wel-ſpring of Gods infinite perfection, doe flow the ſtreames of whatſoeuer perfectneſſe is in vsus. We need not goe farre to prooue, ſith ccActs 17. 28.Acts 17:28in him we liue, and mooue, and hauehave our being.

From the Infiniteneſſe and Eternity of God, both theſe two things doe follow. Firſt, That to ſpeake truely and properly, God onelyonly hath whatſoeuer things are good and perfect, for he onelyonly hath them from himſelfe, all other hauehave from him, he onelyonly eſſentially and of his meere nature, in other they be but qualities, ouer and beſides their nature: hee onelyonly infinitely, all other but in meaſure; he onelyonly vnchangeably, all other hauehave them ſubiect vntounto change. In regard whereof the Scripture ſaith, that all ddDan. 4. 25.Dan 4:25the Inhabitants of the Earth are accounted as nothing, eeEſay 40. 17.Isa 40:17before him are nothing: yea, leſſe then nothing, that ffActs 17. 18.Acts 17:18in him we liue, and mooue, and hauehave our being, and that ggDeut. 30. 10.Deut 30:10he is our life, as if wee in compariſon had no life, motion, nor being at all. Further, that hee findeth hhIob 4. 18.Job 4:18no ſtedfastneſſe in his Seruants, nor putteth light in his Angels. That iiIob. 15. 15.Job 15:15he findeth no ſtedfaſtneſſe in his Saints, and that the Heauens themſelues, p. 26that is to ſay, thoſe heauenly Spirits, are not cleane in his eyes, meaning, if they bee compared with him. To conclude, that there is none good but God, he onelyonly holy, onelyonly bleſſed, onelyonly mighty, onelyonly wiſe, onelyonly hath immortality. As of all theſe particulars, ſomewhat we heard before.

Secondly, That there is nor can bee butThis is it wee meane by Iehonah, who vponupon all that hath beene ſaid, is nor can be but one. Pagans & heathens, men that bring in a multitude of gods, and ſo vponupon the matter make no God at all.one God, for there can bee but one onelyonly thing infinite, one onelyonly to exiſt of and by it ſelfe, and to giuegive exiſtence vntounto all other things. Mans nature, becauſe it is imperfect, doth therefore admit compoſition, and becauſe it is finite, may in part communicate it ſelfe. Whence it commeth, that Iohn and Peter, and eueryevery ſingular man differ one from another in their eſſence and nature, becauſe the whole humane nature is not, nor cannot bee in each of them, but is part in one, and part in another, and therefore they are many men. But God, becauſe he is a moſt ſingle and perfect, and infinite eſſence, to whomſoeuer hee communicateth his nature (as hee hath before all times, to his Sonne and holy Spirit) muſt needes communicate the ſame wholly, and perfectly, and infinitely. So as there can be but one God: for if there be many, one muſt differ from another in hauing that the other hath not: ſo can they not be perfect, much leſſe can they be perfection it ſelfe, perfection being that which both is perfect of it ſelfe, and giueth perfection to all other things. But being many gods, if one ſhould giuegive perfection to the other, that other were not God. For hee had not his God-head of himſelfe, if all had of themſelues, none ſhould giuegive to other: ſo none of them were God. And infinite how can that be, which is diſtributed among many: for where there be many, all muſt be circumſcribed, becauſe, where one is, there cannot bee the other. But our God is ſuch a one as filleth Heauen and Earth, and cannot be circumſcribed, therefore in trauelling with a multitude of gods, they bring forth no God at all.

p. 27But becauſe, in ſo high and deepe a point of Chriſtian Religion, we are not to reſt vponupon naturall reaſons: leauing them, I come vntounto the vndoubted Oracles of holy Scripture: whereby it is moſt cleerely and euidently confirmed, Deut. 6. 4. Harken, Iſrael, IEHOVAH thy Gods (meaning the perſons in the God-head) are one Iehouah, or one diuine Eſſence, Deut. 32. 39. See now that I am he, and there is no God with mee. For who (kkPſal. 18. 32.Ps 18:32 ſaith the Pſalmiſt) is God beſide IEHOVAH? Eſay 44. 6. Thus ſaith IEHOVAH, I am the firſt, and I am the laſt, and beſides me there is no God. Againe, llEſay 45. 5.Isa 45:5I am IEHOVAH, and there is none but I, beſide me there is no God. And the mm1. Cor. 8. 4.1 Cor 8:4Apoſtle to the Corinths, We know there is no other God but one, for albeit there be that are called gods, both in Heauen and vponupon Earth, as there be (in the vaine conceits of men) many gods and many lords, yet to vsus there is but one God the Father, of whom are all things: and one Ieſus Chriſt, &c. The ſame hee inforceth in the nnEpheſ. 4. 5.Eph 4:5Epiſtle to the Epheſians, There is one Lord, one Faith, one Baptiſme, one God, and Father of all, &c. which alſo is a notable reaſon: For if there were many gods, there muſt alſo be many faiths, one beleeuing in this god, another in that god.

And here the ſleights of Satan hauehave from time to time beene wonderfull, who not able to wring out of mens minds, the opinion of a God ſo ſtrongly ſettled in them, hath cunningly abuſed the World, by bringing in an imaginary multitude of gods, bewitching them to worſhip, partly, fained powers, partly, bare creatures, neglecting the Creatour bleſſed for euer, Amen. By how muchThe three perſons are, each of them, that one Iehouah diuerſly ſubſiſting, and are the Father and the Sonne and the Holy Ghoſt. the more wee are to ſtriue for the holding faſt of this Truth, as the Piller of Faith, and ground of all Pietie: howſoeuer it bee a truth, of all other moſt true and certayne, that there is nor can be but one onelyonly God, for the cauſes before alleaged, ye the Scripture telleth vsus, that in this moſt ſimple and ſingle eſſence there bee three ſubſiſtences or perſons, truely ſubſiſting, whereof eueryevery one p. 28is diſtinct from other, and each hath the whole God-head in him.

The Father which eternally begat the Sonne. TheThe Father is a Perſon, which from all eternitie hath begotten the Sonne. Sonne eternally begotten of the Father. The Holy Ghoſt eternally proceeding both from the Father and the Sonne. And theſe three Perſons, are all one God, or one Diuine Nature.

The Scripture is wont to expreſſe them vnderunder the nameThe Sonne is a Perſon from all eternitie, begotten of the Father. The Holy Ghoſt is a Perſon, eternally proceeding from the Father and the Sonne. of Elohim (gods:) not as if there were more gods then one, but to note the diuers ſubſiſtences in the God-head, as you may ſee, Deut. 6. 4. Eſay 54. 5. and in a number of other places, and therefore vſeth for the moſt part to couple it with a Verbe ſingular. Wee call them Perſons, becauſe they are liuing and vnderſtanding natures, ſubſiſting by themſelues, which are the things that make a Perſon. For firſt, brute creatures are no perſons, becauſe hauing life, yet they want vnderſtanding. Secondly, eueryevery perſon muſt ſubſiſt, that is, bee ſome one particular thing, as Iohn, Peter, &c. For the whole nature of man wee doe not call a perſon, but a thing common to many perſons.

Thirdly, this ſubſiſtence muſt be by it ſelfe, neyther the part of another thing, nor ſuſtayned of another thing, as the Soule of a man, whileſt it is coupled with the Body, ſubſiſting all that while, not alone, but together with the Body, is not called a perſon. And ſo wee rightly ſay, that the humanity of Chriſt conſiſting of a reaſonable Soule and Body, as all other men doe, yet in him maketh not a perſon (as it doth in Iohn and Peter) becauſe it ſubſiſteth not alone, but in the Deitie which ſupporteth it.

To prooue the Sonne, and Holy Ghoſt,Samoſetan' Seruetus, &c make the Sonne and eternall Word of God, a bare Idea, and imaginary thing: The Holy Ghoſt nothing elſe but an operation, or moouing, whereby God worketh in his Children: And ſo rob the Church of the true God, bleſſed for euer, Amen. to bee perſons truly ſubſiſting, indued with Iudgement, will, vnderſtanding, and a liuing p. 29nature, not bare qualities or actions, the place of Geneſis ooGen …. 26,is moſt cleere and ſubiect to no cauill, Let vsus make man according to our Image. God the Father conſulteth not there with his Angels (for the glory of Creation he reſerueth to himſelfe alone, neyther was man made to the Image of Angels, but of God) he ſpeaketh not of himſelfe in the plurall number for honour ſake: (for that kind of ſpeech you ſhall not finde ſo ancient, nor knowne to the former Ages) but he ſpeaketh and conſulteth (after his manner which is Diuine, and Spirituall) with his Sonne & Holy Spirit, which, how could it be, if they were not vnderſtanding ſubſtances?

So in the diuiſion of Tongues he taketh counſell, Come, ppGen. 11. 7.Gen 11:7let vsus goe downe and confound their ſpeech. This was not with the Angels, but with the Sonne and Holy Ghoſt: For ſtraightway Moſes addeth, So IEHOVAH ſcattered them.

Touching the Sonne, In the beginning was the Word, Iohn. 1. 2. was, that is, truely ſubſiſted, for ſo is the nature of that word.

How could hee bee the qqIohn 1. 18.John 1:18onelyonly begotten Sonne of God, rrCol…ſ. 1. 15.borne before any thing was created, if hee were not a liuing perſon? He that ſſDan. 9. 13.Dan 9:13knoweth all the ſecrets of his Father, as perfectly, as if they were numbred before him, muſt not hee needes be wiſe himſelfe, and of an vnderſtanding ſubſtance? And how can he elſe be tempted, as Paul tt1. Cor. 10. 9.1 Cor 10:9ſaith, that ſome of the Fathers in the Wilderneſſe tempted him? To conclude, what can bee more plaine, then that in the uuPro… 8. …0.Prov 8Prouerbs, where he is ſaid, before the World was made, to hauehave beene the daily delight of God, ſporting before him, continually, and in Iohn 17. 5. to hauehave beene glorious with his Father before the World was? Whereunto adde the effects attributed vntounto him: he xxGen. 32. 4. … with Moſes, …Gen 32:4wreſtled with Iacob, ſpake and bleſſed him, came out from the Father, when he yyIohn 16. 18.John 16:18came into the World, &c.

p. 30Touching the Spirit, although wee grant this word to bee often vſed by a Metonymie of the cauſe; ſometimes, for the motions and working of the Spirit in the faithfull, as when zz1 Theſſ. 5. 19.1 Thess 5:19Paul ſaith, Quench not the Spirit: ſometimes, for the grace and gifts themſelues, wrought by the Spirit, in which ſenſe, aaActs 2. 4.Acts 2:4the diuerſity of Tongues is called the holy Spirit: yet there want not infinite teſtimonies, to prooue the Spirit properly taken, not onelyonly diſtinct from the graces which it worketh (which the Apoſtle doth moſt bb1. Cor. 12. 18.1 Cor 12:18euidently, ſaying, There bee diuerſity of graces, but the ſelfe-ſame Spirit) but to bee withall a liuing and vnderſtanding ſubſtance. Therefore to him is attributed will, (and that a moſt free and voluntary will) cc1. Cor. 12. 11.1 Cor 12:11He diſtributeth to eueryevery one according as hee will: Knowledge. dd1. Cor. 2. 11.1 Cor 2:11None knoweth the things of God, but the Spirit of God: Iudgement. eeActs 15. 22.Acts 15:22It ſeemeth good to the Holy Ghoſt and to vsus, hearing and declaring the ſame to others. ffIoh. 16. 14, 15.John 16:14John 16:15Of mine ſhall he take, ſaith Chriſt, and declare to you. Againe, ggIohn 16. 13.John 16:13Whatſoeuer he heareth, he ſhall ſpeake. And if hee were no liuing and vnderſtanding ſubſtance, how could hee be grieued, as the Prophet ſpeaketh? hhEſay 63. 10.Isa 63:10They grieued his Spirit. His actions likewiſe prooue the ſame. iiEſay 61. 1.Isa 61:1Hee anoynted Chriſt, ſent him to preach vntounto the poore, kkEſay 63. 14.Isa 63:14led the people of Iſrael thorow the Wilderneſſe. llLuke 1. 35.Luke 1:35The Holy Ghoſt (ſaith the Angell to MARY) ſhall come vponupon thee, and ouer-ſhaddow thee: framing and creating out of thy ſubſtance, the fleſh or humane nature of Chriſt. Our Sauiour in Iohn calleth him mmIohn 14. 16. and 15. 26. and 16. 13.John 14:16John 15:26John 16:13a Comforter: he ſaith not, comfort it ſelfe, but a Comforter, that is, a liuing and vnderſtanding perſon, comforting Gods Elect.

The point of their perſonall ſubſiſtence being thus cleered, let vsus goe on to that which followeth. There be in all foure, things to be conſidered, touching theſe perſons.

p. 31Firſt, That they are each diſtinct from other,Sabellius, who as the former, robbeth vsus of theſe perſons, but in a more ſubtill manner. So infinite are the ſleights of Satan, who to deceiue and abuſe the world, changeth him ſelf into a thouſand formes. For granting the Sonne and holy Spirit to be perſons truly ſubſiſting, diuine, eternall, and vncreated: yet he taketh away all diſtinction between the Father and them, & maketh but one Perſon in the God-head. As if God were termed, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghoſt, no otherwiſe, then as wee terme one and the ſame man to be wiſe, learned, rich, &c. ſeuerall and diſtinct perſons. When IOHN nnIohn 1. 1.John 1:1ſaith, that the Word was with God, that is, with the Father, as in another oo1. Iohn 2. 2.1 John 2:2place he doth expound it: if he did not meane that it had ſome thing proper to it ſelfe, beſide the eſſence common with them both, he had (which is to be deteſted) miſtaken his kind of ſpeech: and hereunto it ſerueth, that Chriſt expreſly calleth the Father another then himſelfe, Iohn 5. 33. There is another that beareth witneſſe of me. So of the Spirit, Iohn 14. 16. I will pray the Father, and hee ſhall giuegive you another Comforter, the Spirit of Truth: as in the ppIohn 15. 26.John 15:26next Chapter hee doth expound himſelfe. And how elſe could the compariſon ſtand, That the qqPhil. 2. 6.Phil 2:6Sonne is equall with God, his Father, vnleſſe there be a diſtinction betweene them? But among all other, that place is very rrIohn 8. 13, 14 15, 16, 17. 18.John 8:13John 8:14notable, where, to the cauill of the Iewes, excepting that the teſtimony of our Sauiour Chriſt was not true, becauſe he bare record of himſelfe, he anſwereth, If I iudge any thing, my witneſſe is true, for I am not alone, but there is I and the Father that ſent mee. Now, in your owne Law it is written, that the witneſſe of two is true: there is, I beare witneſſe of my ſelfe, and the Father that ſent mee, beareth witneſſe of me, &c. manifeſtly making himſelfe and his Father two. As alſo of the Spirit, it doth appeare in the Prophet ESAY, ſſEſay 48. 16.Isa 48:16IEHOVAH hath ſent me, and his Spirit.

The ſecond point is, the Trinity of Perſons, euident and cleere by that which hath beene ſaid, yet, for further illuſtration, it ſhall not be amiſſe, to note from the beginning, p. 32ſuch places as ſerue vndoubtedly to prooue it, that it may appeare, by what degrees the wiſedome of God hath from time to time made knowne ſo great a Myſtery to his Church, which no reaſon can demonſtrate, nor ſince the fall could once hauehave entred into the thought or imagination of man, if God had not reuealed it. In the firſt Chapter of tt…. 1. 1, 2.Geneſis, MOSES (though more obſcurely) layeth downe this ſame God, his Word and Spirit, The Spirit of God mooued vponupon the Waters. And GOD ſaid▪ Let there bee Light, &c. whom anon hee bringeth in, taking counſell together in the making of man, diuiſion of Tongues, &c. as before wee hauehave declared. Long after that, as it were in a middle Age, Eſay uuEſay 63 …, 11Isa 63:11doth reuiue it, and ſpeaketh ſomewhat playner: I will declare the kindneſſe of IEHOVAH towards the houſe of Iſrael. The Angell of his face (Chriſt the Mediator betweene God and man) ſaued them: but they rebelled and grieued his holy Spirit, which he had put in the middeſt of them. Laſt of all, in the concluſion and winding vp (at it were) of the times of the Law, hee manifeſteth it more fully by the hands of the xxHag. 2. 5, 6.Hag 2:5Hag 2:6Prophet HAGGAI, Now therefore, ZERVBBABEL and IEHOSHVA, and all the people of the Land, be ſtrong, and doe the worke, for I am with you, ſaith IEHOVAH of Hoſtes, with my Word, in whom I made a Couenant with you, when you came out of Egypt, and my Spirit that abideth among you. And thus farre out of the Old Teſtament. In the New, as all other Myſteries of God▪ ſo this eſpecially is more cleerely reuealed by that great Prophet which was to come into the World, the High Prieſt and Apoſtle of our Profeſſion, yyMat. 3. 16, 17 and 2. Pet. 1 17.Matt 3:16Matt 3:172 Pet 1:17Chriſt Ieſus, vponupon whom, in his firſt imitation, to the worke of our Redemption (being himſelfe the Sonne, one of theſe three Perſons) the other two ſhewed themſelues from Heauen. The Holy Ghoſt in his Gifts and Graces, repreſented by the viſible ſhape of a Doue: the Father by his voyce from the Seate of Glory. This is my Beloued Sonne, in whom I am well pleaſed. In his laſt farewell to his p. 33Diſciples, being to leaue the World, and to goe vntounto the Father, hee left this Doctrine as a perpetuall Monument religiouſly to bee obſerued of the Church, to the end of the World, willing to baptize all Nations, zzMat. 28. 19.Matt 28:19In the Name of the Father, and of the Sonne, and of the Holy Ghoſt: That as in other reſpects, ſo in this it is moſt worthily ſaid, aaIohn 1. 18.John 1:18No man hath ſeene God at any time. The onelyonly begotten Sonne, who is in the boſome of the Father, hee hath reuealed him. With theſe two Teſtimonies I willingly content my ſelfe, as moſt pregnant of all the reſt. And therefore I paſſe ouer diuers other that might bee alleaged to this purpoſe, becauſe theſe twaine may ſtand in ſtead of many. OnelyOnly I will adde that golden teſtimony of his beloued Diſciple: bb1. Iohn. 5. 7.1 John 5:7There bee three that beare record in Heauen, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghoſt. It is cleere, that to the earthly witneſſe or teſtimony of men in the things which we feele and hauehave experience of within our ſelues, Regeneration, Righteouſneſſe, Sanctification, hee oppoſeth the heauenly Witneſſe or Teſtimony of theſe perſons, greater in regard of the excellence of the witneſſes, but equall in the number whereby appeareth the cleere euidence of this place.

The third point is, that theſe perſonsTritheites, who though they acknowledge the three Perſons to bee eueryevery one God indeede, yet teach that they are not onelyonly diſtinct, but ſeuered and deuided. hauehave eueryevery one the whole God-head, and Diuine nature, and are all three that one onelyonly true and euer-liuing God. For both the Apoſtle cc1. Iohn 5. 7, 9.1 John 5:71 John 5:9there calleth them ſo expreſly, and the teſtimony of all three hee knitteth vp in one, when he ſaith, If wee receiue the teſtimony of men, the teſtimony of God is greater. Euen as Moſes ddDeut. 6. 4.Deut 6:4alſo doth, when from the multitude of the Perſons, hee calleth them to the vnity of the ſubſtance. Therefore the Apoſtle Paul eeCol. 2. 9.Col 2:9ſaith, In him (Chriſt the Sonne of GOD, manifeſted in the fleſh) dwelleth all the fulneſſe of the Godhead p. 34bodily, that is perſonally, which is to bee extended to all the other Perſons. For to whomſoeuer God communicates his nature, he muſt needes communicate it wholly, as hath beene ſaid. And this myſtery (how in that moſt ſimple and ſingle eſſence of God, there bee certaine ſubſtances or perſons truly ſubſiſting▪ three in one, and one in three, differing, but not deuided, ſeuerall, but not ſundred, many, and yet the ſame▪ all one, for their nature all diſtinct for three perſons) is a ſecret of all ſecrets, paſſing all reach and vnderſtanding of man, rather reuerently to be adored, then too curiouſly to be ſearched into.

The fourth & laſt point is the incommunicable properties, whereby theſe perſons are diſtinguiſhed in thēſelues.

To the Sonne, is proper to be begotten, to the Holy Ghoſt, to proceede, the Father is of himſelfe, neyther begotten nor proceeding, but which from all Eternity hath begotten his Sonne, and hee and the Sonne together ſend forth the holy Spirit. Of the Father wee ſhall not neede to ſpeake. But that the Sonnes proper ſubſiſtence is to be begotten, as the name of Sonne importeth (giuen vntounto him of God, Marke 3. 17. This is my well beloued Sonne, and ſo called before hee tooke fleſh, Pſal. 2. 13. Kiſſe the Sonne, leſt hee be wroth. But moſt cleerely in the ffPro. 30. 4.Prov 30:4Prouerbs, What is his Name or his Sonnes Name?) So the Scripture in many places ſheweth, Iohn 1. 18. The onelyonly begotten Sonne, which is in the boſome of the Father. And a ggIohn 2. 14.John 2:14little before, Wee beheld his glory, as the glory of the onelyonly begotten of his Father. The like wee ſay of the Holy Ghoſt, who is ſometimes called the Spirit of God, ſometimes the Spirit of Chriſt, Rom. 8. 9, 10. 11. But you are not in the fleſh, but in the ſpirit, if ſo be the Spirit of God dwell in you, but if one hauehave not the Spirit of Chriſt, this man is not his. But if the Spirit of him that rayſed Ieſus from the dead, dwell in you, he that rayſed Chriſt from the dead, will alſo quicken you by his Spirit dwelling in you.

p. 35Sometimes, hee is ſaid to bee ſent from the Father, or to proceed from the Father, which is all one, ſometime to be ſent from the Sonne, Iohn 1. 5. 26The error of the Greeke Churches, who deny the Holy Ghoſts proceeding from the Sonne. But when the Comforter ſhall come, whom I will ſend vntounto you from the Father, the Spirit of Truth, which proceedeth from the Father.

As touching the God-head ofArius denyed Chriſt to be of the ſame nature with his Father, but as it were a ſecondary god; acknowledging hee was an excellent Creature, created before the World, by whom God created the World, and ſaued Mankind, and therefore as a God in office to bee adored, not in eſſence. The like of the Holy Ghoſt. But ſince it is plaine, that God made all things in ſix daies, both the Sonne and the Spirit, if they were creatures, muſt hauehave beene comprehenced in that worke. theſe three Perſons. Of the Father no man euer doubted. But the God-head of the Sonne, and Holy Ghoſt, ſome Heretikes hauehave called in queſtion: wherefore to confirme our faith herein, let vsus take Arguments for them both. For the God-head of the Sonne, we hauehave theſe: He is IAH, IEHOVAH, EHIEH: that is to ſay, being, or perfection it ſelfe. Pſal. 68. 19. Aſcending on high, thou leddeſt captiuity captiue, and gauest gifts vntounto men, euen the Rebels, thou dwelling there (that is to ſay, in Heauen) leddeſt captiue, O IAH, God, meaning Chriſt. To whoſe Aſcenſion the Apoſtle doth apply it, Epheſ. 4. 8. EHIEH hee calleth himſelfe manifeſtly, Iohn 8. 58. Before ABRAHAM was made, I am. Not made, but of my ſelfe, and from my ſelfe, without beginning: for that i… the force of am, elegantly oppoſed vntounto made. The name Iehouah is giuen him, Geneſ. 4. 1. hhThis interpretation floweth naturally from the Hebrew Text. Beſide it, there be two other which of all the reſt ſeeme moſt probable. One is Ieromes, With or by …ehouah, that is, by his goodneſſe and bleſſing, foreign. But in that ſence it ſhould hauehave beene foreign not foreign The other is that of Tremellius and Iunius (which is alſo the receiued interpretation.) I hauehave gotten a man from Iehouah, by an Ellipſis of the Prepoſition, foreign as Gen. 14. 4. and Deut 34. 1. But neyther doe theſe places, nor I thinke any other that you can bring, warrant ſuch an Ellipſis. And foreign the Verbe here vſed, hath alwaies going with it foreign or foreign or foreign and no Ellipſis of foreign at any time. As for foreign of it ſelfe neuer ſignifieth from. It is commonly the note of an Accuſatiue caſe … …ny times of an Ablatiue, and ſignifieth with. Ioyned with a neuer …ll, it may ſtand for a Nominatiue, as 1. Sam. 17. 34. 2. King. 6. 5. So if it be ioyned with a Paſſiue, as L…u…t. 13. 49 But none of theſe can agree here: and in any other ſenſe, I doe not find that it is euer taken.Gen 14:4Deut 34:11 Sam 17:342 Kgs 6:5EVE conceiued and bare KAIN and ſaid, I poſſeſſe p. 36the man IEHOVAH: that is, GOD, by opening my wombe, and making mee the Mother of a goodly Childe, hath put me in poſſeſſion (as if now I had and held him in mine armes) of that bleſſed Seed, which in the fulneſſe of time he will ſend into the World; who being the LORD from Heauen, ſhall tread downe the head of the Serpent. Prophetically ſpoken, like to that of IACOB, Gen. 48. 22 I giuegive thee one portion aboue thy Brethren, which I tooke out of the hand of the Amorite, with my Sword, and with my Bow: It was not taken till foure or fiue Generations after; but by faith hee did apprehend it, as certaine, as if it were then wonne, and tooke vponupon him to diſpoſe thereof, as of his owne. Wherefore Kain had that name, not for his owne ſake, nor was hee the purchaſe or poſſeſſion the woman fixed her eyes vponupon. Shee lifted them vp higher, and by ſo ſweet a Babe, ſuch as the World had neuer ſeene before, ſhee held her faith confirmed in the expectation of the Meſſiah, God and Man, who, many yeeres after, was to come out of the loynes of one of Eues Daughters. In effect ſhee calleth him, The man IEHOVAH, in the ſame ſenſe that God the Father, Zach. 13. 7. calleth him the man my fellow. Here therefore is a cleere teſtimonie of the Deitie of Chriſt: which I would not willingly loſe the hold off, being not onelyonly ſo plaine and pregnant, and ſuch a noble euidence of Eues faith, but withall an Antiquity of ſuch price, the firſt thing recorded after man was throwne out of Paradiſe. Which addeth, I know not how, a great waight & maieſtie to this moſt ſweet and gracious ſpeech. And that Chriſt is eueryevery-where called Iehouah, may appeare both by the Old Teſtament it ſelfe, and eſpecially if it be conferred with the New. For proofe whereof, I lay before this ground, as moſt certayne and infallible, that whereſoeuer the true God Iehouah is ſaid to hauehave appeared, in the likeneſſe of an Angell or man, this was the perſon, not of the Father, nor of the Holy Spirit, but of the Sonne, who appeared to the Fathers as a man, to p. 37note out the great Myſtery of his Incarnation, and is called an Angell (not by nature; but by office) as in iiMalach. 3. 1.Mal 3:1MALACHY, The Angell of the Couenant, and him whom kkZachar. 3 2.Zech 3:2Zachary calleth The Angell of IEHOVAH, IVDE llIude verſe 9.cermeth Michael the Arch-angell, which is Chriſt our Sauiour. This foundation laide, which cannot faile, I come to thoſe places where the Name of Iehouah is giuen to him: And firſt, to thoſe where this Angell appeared as a man, Gen. 18. Three men (being indeed Angels) appeared vntounto Abraham, of which three, one was Iehouah, for ſo the very beginning of the Chapter hath it, Further, IEHOVAH appeared vntounto him in the plaine of Mamre, for when he lift vp his eyes, behold, three men ſtood before him: and afterwards, mmGen. 18. ver. 13, 15, 17, 20.Gen 18:13Gen 18:15Gen 18:17Gen 18:20Iehouah, one of them had communication with him and his wife. Againe, of theſe three men, two nnGen. 19. 1.Gen 19:1went towards Sodome, who are called Angels. But Iehouah, ſtill remayned with Abraham, till hee had left communing with him. The very ooGen. 19. 24.Gen 19:24next Chapter it is ſaid, IEHOVAH powred downe vponupon Sodome and Gomorrah, fire and brimſtone out of Heauen from IEHOVAH, that is, Chriſt from his Father. Gen. 32. 24 When Iacob was left alone beyond the Riuer, after he had ſent away his Companie, a man wreſtled with him till the morning, whom IACOB calleth The mighty God: naming the place where this was done, Peniel, that is, The place where hee ſaw the face of the mighty God: whereby appeareth manifeſtly that it was Iehouah: which in the Prophet ppH…ſh▪ 12. 5.H…ſea is yet more euident, where Iehouah ſaith, that at Bethel God found him, that is, met Iacob, and appeared vntounto him, and there (ſaith that IEHOVAH) he ſpoke with vsus.

Ioſhua 6. IOSHVA being at Ierico, a man ſtood before him with a Sword drawne in his hand. Ioſhua demanding who hee was, hee ſaid, Hee was the Prince of the Hoſt of IEHOVAH: whereupon Ioſhua fell downe vponupon his face, and worſhipped him. Then hee bade Ioſhua plucke off his ſhooes from his feet; p. 36for the place where hee ſtood was holy. And afterwards, Iehouah ſaid to IOSHVA, Lo, I giuegive Ierico into thy hands, &c. Here the Epithere, Of the Prince of the Hoſt of IEHOVAH, the adiuncts of worſhip, belonging to GOD onelyonly, which the Angels doe renounce, and of plucking off the ſhoo, becauſe the place is holy (a peculiar marke of the Maieſty of God) and laſtly, the effects of giuing Ierico into his hands, prooue this man to bee Ieſus Chriſt, the true Iehouah, and God alone.

Hee qqIudges 6. 21.Judg 6:21which appeared vntounto Gedeon, with a walking ſtaffe in his hand, and is called The Angell of IEHOVAH, is alſo named Iehouah, and confirmeth Gedeon, that by the power which hee had giuen vntounto him, ſending him and promiſing his preſence with him, he ſhould ſaue Iſrael out of the hands of the Midianites: whereby hee doth manifeſtly declare himſelfe to be the Lord of glory.

The Angell rrIudges 13. 8, 10, 22, 23.Judg 13:8Judg 13:10Judg 13:22Judg 13:23of God which appeared to Manoah, and his Wife, by them both expreſly called a man, when he had declared himſelfe wonderfull, by his miraculous aſcending in the flame of the fire, that was vponupon the Altar, MANOAH ſaid vntounto his Wife, wee ſhall certainly dye, for wee hauehave ſeene God. But his Wife ſaid vntounto him: If IEHOVAH had pleaſed to kill vsus, hee would not hauehave receiued at our hand a burnt Offering, nor gift, nor hauehave ſhewed vntounto vsus all theſe things, &c. Here Manoah calleth him God, and his Wife Iehouah: ſo that this alſo muſt needes be the eternall Sonne of God, the Angell of the Couenant.

Geneſis 31. ſſGen. 31. 11, 13Gen 31:11Gen 31:13The Angell of God which appeared to Iacob in a Dreame, and bade him to returne into the Countrey of his Natiuitie, telleth him, I am the mightie God of Bethel, where thou anoyntedst a Pillar, and there thou vowedſt a vow vntounto me. But Vowes are onelyonly to bee made to Iehouah. And Moſes in that Story had ſo called him ttGen. 28. 13.Gen 28:13before, yea, Iacob in the Vow it ſelfe had ſaid, that uuGen. 28. 20, 21.Gen 28:20Gen 28:21IEHOVAH ſhould bee his GOD: and in his **Gen. 32. 8.Gen 32:8Prayer, when he was afraid of his Brother ESAV, O God of my p. 37Father ABRAHAM, and God of my Father ISACK: O IEHOVAH, which ſaidſt vntounto me, Returne **Gen. 38. 1.Gen 38:1vntounto thy Country, &c. And to him he is afterwards commanded to build an Altar. This Angell therefore was Chriſt, the true Iehouah.

Exodus 3. There appeared vntounto Moſes in the Mount of God, an Angell of IEHOVAH, in a fiery flame, out of the midſt of a Buſh, and when Moſes turned aſide, to ſee that great Viſion, Iehouah ſeeing him, cryed vntounto him out of the midſt of the Buſh, and ſaid, I am God of thy Father: The God of ABRAHAM, the God of ISACK, and the God of IACOB. Anon hee calleth himſelfe by the name of Ehieh, or I am, and IEHOVAH. So that Chriſt is that true Ehieh, and IEHOVAH, the God of ABRAHAM, ISACK, and IACOB; the proper name of the euer-liuing God, as appeareth by many places in the New Teſtament.

The comparing of the Olde Teſtament with the New, will make this a great deale playner. He that led the people to and fro in the Wilderneſſe, was Chriſt. For ſo the Prophet yyEſay 63. 9.Isa 63:9ſaith, The Angell of his face ſaued them, and ſetting them vponupon himſelfe, carryed them continually. And zz1. Cor. 10. 4.1 Cor 10:4PAVL, that Chriſt the ſpirituall Rocke of his Church, figured by the Cloud, by Manna, and the Rocke that flowed out water to the People, went together with them, conducting and leading them the way. But Moſes expreſly calleth him IEHOVAH: aaExod. 13. 21.Exod 13:21IEHOVAH went before them by day, in a Piller of Cloud, and by night in a Piller of fire. And this is that which the Lord himſelfe telleth them, Exodus 23. 20, 21. Behold, I ſend mine Angell before thee, to keepe thee in thy way, and to lead thee into the place which I hauehave prepared. Take heed to thy ſelfe of his preſence, and harken to his voyce. Prouoke him not; for he will not beare your rebellion, for my name is in the middeſt of him. As if hee had ſaid, he is Iehouah, and not a created Spirit.

Likewiſe, hee whom they tempted in the Wilderneſſe, p. 40was God, and Iehouah: for ſo Numb. 21. 5. 7. it is recorded, That the people ſpeake againſt God, and againſt MOSES: and afterwards, preſſed with the hand of GODS heauy Iudgement, that he ſent vponupon them by flying Serpents, they came to Moſes, and ſaid, We hauehave ſinned, in that we hauehave ſpoken againſt IEHOVAH, and thee. To which Story, Paul bb2. Cor. 20. 9.alluding, ſaith, Let vsus not tempt Chriſt, as ſome of them tempted him, and were deſtroyed of Serpents. In Zachary ccZach. 3. 2.Zech 3:2(as in Geneſis before) there is a plaine difference made of two, whereof each is, IEHOVAH, IEHOVAH ſaid, IEHOVAH rebuke thee, Satan. And this Iude ddIude verſe 9.expreſly noteth, to be the voyce of Michael the great Arch-angell, which is Chriſt, our Lord, the Angell of the Couenant, and the Mediatour, and Interceſſor of his Church. So that which Eſay eeEſay 6. 1.Isa 6:1ſaith, I ſaw IEHOVAH ſetting vponupon a Throne, &c. IOHN ffIohn 12. 41.John 12:41referreth vntounto Chriſt, Theſe things ſaid ESAY, when he ſaw his glory, and ſpake of him.

That in the 102. ggPſal. 102. 26.Ps 102:26Pſalme, Thou JEHOVAH, in the beginning madeſt the Heauens, &c. the Apoſtle hhHeb. 1. …0.Heb 1to the Hebrewes applyeth vntounto Chriſt, as pregnant teſtimony, to prooue the excellency of his Perſon aboue all Creatures; yea, aboue the Angels themſelues. Finally, the Apoſtle iiRom. 14. 10. 11Rom 14:10Rom 14:11Paul cleereth this Doctrine, when to prooue that all of vsus ſhall be preſented before the Tribunall Seat of Chriſt: he doubteth not to alleage the place of the Prophet kkEſay 45. 23.Isa 45:23ESAY, As I liue▪ ſaith the Lord, to me ſhall eueryevery knee bow: which are the words of the great Iehouah, euen there, where he doth proteſt, there is no other God but he. Whereby it is moſt manifeſt, that Chriſt is Iehouah, the true and onelyonly God.

Secondly, The properties incommunicable to any Creature, Singleneſſe, Infiniteneſſe, Eternity, are to be found in him, wee hauehave ſhewed before: that to bee called Life, Light, &c. is proper vntounto God, for that it ſignifieth as much as to be perfectly ſo, and the cauſe of it to all other. Now, theſe Epithites are giuen vntounto Chriſt. As p. 41in llIohn 14. 6.John 14:6IOHN, I am the way, the truth (in which one, his abſolute and perfect goodneſſe eueryevery way is vnderſtood) and the life, I am mmIohn 11. 25.John 11:25the reſurrection and life. Againe, this nn1. Iohn 5. 20.1 John 5:20Ieſus Chriſt is the true God, and life eternall. Why life? Becauſe he hath it of himſelfe, and giueth it to others. And thereof it is, that ooActs 3. 15. foreign.Acts 3:15Peter calleth him the Prince of life. Hence it is, that the Euangeliſt Iohn ppIohn 1. 9.John 1:9calling him the true Light, addeth the reaſon by and by: which lighteneth eueryevery man that commeth …nto the World. Hence alſo it is, that in the Prophet Eſay, he is termed qqEſay 9. 6.Isa 9:6the Father of Eternity. And in the rrPro. 1. 20.Prov 1:20Prouerbs, not onelyonly Wiſdome, but Wiſedomes in the plurall. W…ſ… armes, ſaith Salomon, that is the Wiſedome of all Wiſedome. Wiſedome it ſelfe, and the Author of it, Ieſus Chriſt, the very Wiſedome of the moſt wiſe God, cryeth abroad, &c. And that this is to be vnderſtood (not of a flitting and vaniſhing ſpeech, but) of Chriſt the eternall Wiſedome of his Father, the whole courſe of the eighth Chapter ſheweth ſo manifeſtly, that it were in vaine to ſtand vponupon it. Moreouer, he is Infinite, and in many places at once, ſſEpheſ. 3. 17.Eph 3:17Hee dwelleth in the hearts of all the faithfull. Being vponupon Earth, he was in Heauen, as he ſaith, ttIohn 3. 13.John 3:13The Sonne of man which is in Heauen: contrariwiſe, continuing now in Heauen, yet he is vponupon the Earth, Matth. 28. 20. I am with you to the end of the World. And as hee is without circumſcription of place, ſo alſo hee is Omnipotent in Power, Infinite in Knowledge, and Goodneſſe it ſelfe: for his Power, hee is expreſly called uuReuel. 1. 8.Rev 1:8the Almighty one, and of the Infiniteneſſe of his Knowledge, what more honourable teſtimony can we hauehave, then that of xxJohn 21. 17.John 21:17PETER, Lord, thou knoweſt all things: yea, things future and to come, aſwell as others, which hee declareth afore hand vntounto his Church? As the ſame yy1. Pet. 1. 16.1 Pet 1:16Apoſtle ſaith, The fore-witneſſing Spirit of Chriſt declared the things that were to befall vntounto him, and the glory that was to follow. And by this Argument is his God-head manifeſtly prooued, zzEſay 42. 22, 23, 26.Isa 42:22Isa 42:23Isa 42:26Eſay 41. where God prouoking all falſe gods, and their p. 40worſhippers, to bring their proofes, and to vſe their ſtrongeſt arguments, hee ſaith, Let them vtter and declare vntounto vsus the things that ſhall fall out. The former things what they were, declare, that we may ſet our minde vntounto them, and know the end of them, or the things to come, declare vntounto vsus, nay, (ſaith hee) declare but the ſignes of the things hereafter, that wee may know you to be gods. At the length hee concludeth, There is none that can declare, there is none that can fore-tell, there is none that can heare your wordes: A chiefe man in Sion, in whom behold, behold theſe things, and to Ieruſalem, a Publiſher of glad tydings I will giuegive. The ſumme is, none can declare things immediately, nor at the length to come to paſſe, nor giuegive any incling or ſignification of future things: but all this glory God taketh to himſelfe in Chriſt, yea, ſo infinite is this his Knowledge, that euen the ſecrets of all hearts (which God onelyonly diſcerneth) are knowne vntounto him: for that is it which the Euangeſtliſt Iohn aaIob. 2. 24, 25.Job 2:24Job 2:25expreſly noteth, Hee committed not himſelfe into the hands of the Iewes, which after a ſort beleeued in him, becauſe hee knew all men, and had no need that any ſhould testifie of man; for himſelfe knew what was in man. In another bbMatth. 9. 4.Matt 9:4place hee is ſaid to hauehave ſeene their thoughts: and Reuel. 2. 14 to ſearch the hearts and the reines. Neyther doth this knowledge reſt here, but it ſoundeth the bottomleſſe counſels of God his Father, vnſearchable of all his Creatures, Reuelation 5. The Booke with ſeuen Seales in the right hand of him that ſate vponupon the Throne, which none in Heauen, nor vponupon the Earth, nor vnderunder the Earth was able to open, nor ſo much as to looke vponupon it; this Lyon of the Tribe of Iudah, the root of Dauid, by his owne Power preuayled to open. Hereof it is, that in the Prophet ccDan. 8. 13.Dan 8:13Daniel wee find him ſet forth by the name of PALMONI: Then I heard (ſaith he) a certaine Saint ſpeaking, for the Saint ſaid vntounto PALMONI the ſpeaker, (that is, to Chriſt, the Interpreter of his Fathers will) How long ſhall this Ʋiſion be? PALMONI is a compound word, and ſignifieth as much as to hauehave all p. 41hidden and ſecret things ready told, and as wee vſe to ſpeake, at ones fingers ends moſt abſolutely and perfectly knowne, which is the proper Epithete of our Sauiour Chriſt, in whom are hidden all the treaſures of Wiſedome and Vnderſtanding, and who is ſaid to bee in the Boſome of the Father: yea, who is the very Wiſdome of God, as manifeſtly appeareth, by conference of the two Euangeliſts, Matthew and Luke: for that which Chriſt ſaith in MATTHEW, ddMatth. 23. 24Matt 23:24Behold, I ſend among you Prophets, and Wiſe-men, and Scribes, &c. LVKE ccLuke 21. 49.Luke 21:49hath it, Therefore alſo the Wiſedome of God ſaith, I will ſend among you Prophets and Apoſtles, &c. Laſt of all, hee is called Eternall, Pſalm. 93. 2. Thy Throne is establiſhed from before then (meaning any time, whereof a man may ſay then) thou art from euerlaſting. And that this Pſalme is ſpoken of Chriſt, appeareth in the very firſt beginning, Iehouah raigueth. Salomon in his Prouerbs ffProu. 8. 22.Prov 8:22doth notably inforce the ſame, IEHOVAH poſſeſſed mee in the beginning of his way, before his workes, before then. Before the World was I anoynted, before the beginning, before the firſt things of the Earth, when yet there were no deepes was I brought forth, when there were no Fountaines heauy with water, when yet Mountaines were not faſtened, before the Hils was I brought forth, yet he had not made the Earth, nor ſtreets, no not the beginning, nor dusts of the inhabited World. When hee fitted the Heauens, there was I: when he appointed the circuit vponupon the face of the Deepe, when he fortified the Cloudes aboue when he ſtrengthned the Fountaines of the Deepe, when he laid his Decree vponupon the Sea, that the waters ſhould not paſſe the commandement of his mouth, when hee appointed the foundations of the Earth. And hereunto ſerueth that to the Col…ſſi…s ggCol. 1. 15.Col 1:15Begotten before all Creation, or before any thing was …reated, and therefore from euerlaſting. Agreeable whereunto is that whereby he calleth himſelfe in the hhReuel. 18.Rev 18Reuelation, Alpha, and Omega, the beginning, and the end, which was, and which is, and which is to come. And in IOHN, iiIohn 8. 5, 8.John 8:5John 8:8before ABRAHAM was p. 44made, I am. Againe, kkIohn 17. 15.John 17:15Glorifie mee, O Father, with the glory which I had before the World was with thee. That alſo to the llHeb. 9. 14. Heb. 1. 2.Heb 9:14Heb 1:2Hebrewes, where hee is ſaid to hauehave offered vp himſelfe, by his euerlaſting Spirit, is verie pregnant to prooue his Eternall Deitie. And when by him God made all Ages, the times and courſes of all things, muſt not he the Maker and Beginner of Time, be himſelfe before all Time? But that of all other is moſt emphaticall, where he is called mmEſay 9. 5.Isa 9:5The Father of Eternity, not onelyonly eternall, but Eternity it ſelfe, and the Author of it.

Thirdly, being the Sonne and begotten, as before appeared, hee muſt needes bee vnderſtood to bee of his Fathers Eſſence. For he that begetteth, and they that are begotten, are all of one nature, eſpecially, he that hath not the like, but the ſame very Eſſence, and whole God-head in him. As he is therefore Conſubſtantiall, ſo is he coequall with his Father. A ſonne is inferiour to his father, becauſe his father is more excellent then hee, in priority of Time, in priority of Dignity: For his Wiſedome and other parts, which the ſonne by inſtruction receiueth from him. Againe, becauſe hee beſtoweth freely this benefit vponupon his ſonne, to beget him: for fleſhly Parents in gender voluntary of their free will and election, not by nature. Theſe things ſet aſide, a ſonne (who hath not the ſame, but the like nature with his father) were equall with him. How much more therefore is this true in the Sonne of God, who is not of the like, but of the ſelfeſame nature and Eſſence with his Father, and in whom none of the things before alleaged can take place? Priority of Times there is none, for all are Coeternall, nothing vnperfect: for what is the God-head, but perfection it ſelfe? Neyther doth the heauenly Father like vntounto fleſhly Parents beget his Sonne voluntarily, ſo as he might hauehave begotten him, or left him vnbegotten, or may beget moe: but hee begetteth him by nature, and therefore him alone.

p. 45Fourthly, Hee ſendeth forth the Holy Ghoſt out of his owne ſubſtance, and therefore is indeede and truth God, if (as ſhall bee prooued anon) the Holy Ghoſt himſelfe be God.

Fiftly, The workes which only belong to God, Chriſt doth the ſame, and that in the ſame manner, as hee ſaith in ooJohn 5. 19.John 5:19IOHH, Whatſoeuer the Father doth, the ſame the Sonne doth likewiſe. And ppIohn 5. 18.John 5:18againe, My Father worketh hitherto, and I worke. Whereupon, truely and rightly the Iewes concluded, that hee made himſelfe equall with God. It were long to goe thorow all, but to ſelect the chiefe and principall among all the workes of God, none is more neere, and inward to the Sacred Maieſty, then the Eternall Election which is within himſelfe, and knowne onelyonly to himſelfe, and whereof he alone doth keepe the Booke. This is attributed vntounto Chriſt, Iohn 15. You hauehave not choſen mee, but I hauehave choſen you that you might bring forth fruit, and that your fruit may remaine: which properly ment of the dignity and office of Apoſtle-ſhip, whereunto Chriſt had choſen them, giueth them withall this comfort, that as they had this honour to be the Arch-Maſons, and Maſter-Builders of the Church, which is the Houſe of the liuing God: ſo themſelues were liuely ſtones of that ſpirituall Building: and to hauehave part in the fruite, which by their Miniſtery, they ſhould reach forth, for the euerlaſting good of many, in qq2. Tim. 4. 6.2 Tim 4:6ſauing of themſelues, as well as others; without which, their ioy had not beene full. And aptly doth this follow, as the Root and Fountaine of that moſt Honourable Title, to bee his friends; which hee had vouchſafed to giuegive vntounto them immediately before. But more manifeſt is that, Iohn 13. 18. I ſpeake not of you all, I know whom I hauehave choſen. But it behooueth that the Scripture ſhould bee fulfilled, He that eateth bread with mee, hath lift vp his heele againſt mee. The circumſtance, of exempting one of the Apoſtles out of the number of the bleſſed, making his Election the cauſe of this their difference. p. 46referring the ſame to his owne ſecret knowledge: and finally, oppoſing to the Choſen, him that ſhould betray him, the rrIohn 17. 12.John 17:12ſonne of deſtruction, as afterwards he calleth him (who yet in familiaritie of conuerſation, was a choice and ſpeciall friend, eating bread continually at his Table) ſhew plainly, that hee ſpeaketh of Election vntounto life. As other ſſMat. 24. 31.Matt 24:31where hee doth, when ſpeaking of his ſecond Comming vntounto Iudgement: hee ſaith, The Sonne of man ſhall ſend his Angels with a great ſound of a Trumpet, Who ſhall gather together his Elect from the foure winds, &c. And no maruell, though hee call them his Elect: for ſince hee hath power and authority to ttReuel. 3. 5.Rev 3:5blot mens names out of the Booke of Life, it cannot bee choſen, but hee muſt hauehave intereſt to write them in; for of contraries, there is one and the ſame reſpect in nature. Therefore, to ſhut vp this point, and to leaue it without queſtion, the Booke of Life in the uuReuel. 13. 8.Rev 13:8Reuelation, is expreſly called, The Lambes Booke of Life. Come to that which is more glorious in the World. And firſt vntounto the Creation, the proper marke of the true God. As the xxPſal. 124. 8.Ps 124:8Pſalmiſt teacheth, Our helpe is in the Name of IEHOVAH, that hath made both Heauen and Earth. And yyIer. 10. 11.Jer 10:11IEREMY, The gods that made not Heauen and Earth, let them periſh from the Earth, and from vnderunder the Heauen. He it is that wrought with the Father, in the creating of all things, Iohn 1. 13. All things were made by him, and without him was nothing that was made, not a iot of any thing. So ſaith Paul to the zzCol. 1. 16.Col 1:16Coloſſians, By him were created all things, both in Heauen and vponupon the Earth, things viſible, and inuiſible, whether Thrones, or Dominions, or Principalities, or Powers, all things were created by him, and for him. Therefore he is called, The aaReuel. 3. 14.Rev 3:14beginning of the Creation of God, or the firſt and prime cauſe from whence the Creatures take their beginning, being all made and formed by him. And notable is that of the 102. Pſalme, which the Apoſtle to the Hebrewes bbHeb. 1. 10.Heb 1:10applyeth vntounto Chriſt, Thou, Lord, in the beginning laydſt the foundation of p. 47the Earth, and the Heauens are the worke of thy hands. And By him, ſaith the ſame ccHeb. 1. 2.Heb 1:2Apoſtle, God made the Ages, that is, Time, and the courſe and ſucceſſion of all things: with this glory of Creation is coupled another, not inferior of the cheriſhing and preſeruing of the things created. So Prou. 8. 30. he ſaith, that he is with God his Father, nouriſhing and gladding them continually. Hither belong thoſe Diuine Workes and Miracles, manifeſtly pointing out his God-head, He rebuked the Winds, and they obeyed him, rayſed vp the dead, opened the eyes of them that were blind, caſt out Deuils, had power to ſend them into Hell: to their fearefull place of torment, for ddLuke 8. 31.Luke 8:31they beſought him, not to doe it. And all this he did not as the Prophets and Apoſtles, but by his owne Soueraigne Power. As the Euangeliſt eeLuke 5. 36.Luke 5:36noteth, that hereupon feare came on all the people, maruelling what this might be. For euen, ſay they, with Authority and Power he commandeth the vncleane ſpirits, and they come out. And how muſt not this Power needes be his owne, when hee taketh vponupon him to giuegive it to others? The ffMatth. 10. 8.Matt 10:8Euangeliſt recording, that hee gaue power vntounto the twelue Apoſtles, to clenſe Lepers, to rayſe the dead, to caſt out Deuils, &c. which authority, they like faithfull Seruants did ſo purſue, as it might eaſily appeare, they deriued their whole vertue from him alone. Hence is that of ggActs 3. 6.Acts 3:6PETER, In the Name of Chriſt, ariſe and walke: and hhActs 9. 34.Acts 9:34AENEAS, Ieſus Chriſt doth heale thee. I ſtand not heere to preſſe thoſe glorious workes, whereby his God-head ſhineth moſt cleerely in the Church, in ſubduing the proud enemies thereof, and generally, all the Reprobates, hardening their hearts, and deliuering them vp vntounto their owne damnation. For ſo, the iiIohn 12. 39, 40. 41.John 12:39John 12:40John 12:41Euangeliſt, when hee had ſhewed that the Iewes could not beleeue, becauſe ESAY had ſaid, He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their hearts, leſt they ſhould ſee with their eyes, and vnderſtand with their heart, and I ſhould heale them; immediately addeth, Theſe things ſaid ISAIAH, when hee p. 48ſaw his glory and ſpake of him Contrariwiſe, he beſtoweth vponupon his Children all good graces. Therefore, the Apoſtle continually prayeth for Grace and Peace from him. He ſendeth the Holy Spirit vntounto them, The kkIohn 15. 16.John 15:16Comforter whom I will ſend. And Iohn 20. 22. He breathed vponupon them, and ſaid, Receiue the Holy Ghoſt. He giueth Faith, as appeareth by that Prayer of the Apoſtles, llLuke 17. 5.Luke 17:5Lord, increaſe our Faith. Pardoneth and remitteth ſinnes, and that by his owne Authority; He mmLuk. 7. 48, 49Luke 7:48Luke 7:49ſaid vntounto her, Thy ſinnes are forgiuen thee. And they that ſate downe with him, began to ſay in themſelues, Who is this that doth alſo forgiue ſinnes? As nnLuke 5. 21.Luke 5:21elſewhere, vponupon the like occaſion, they ſaid, He did blaſpheme, grounding themſelues vponupon a certayne truth, That none can forgiue ſinnes, but God onelyonly. He waſheth and ſanctifieth the Church, as a glorious Spouſe vntounto himſelfe; which becauſe it is the proper worke of God, is therefore expreſly ooRom. 1. 14.Rom 1:14attributed to his Spirit, or Diuine Power. And by this Argument, he confirmeth his God-head, Ioh. 5. 21. As the Father rayſeth the dead (in ſinne) and quickeneth, ſo alſo the Sonne quickeneth whom hee will. This is he, which is to iudge the World, Iohn 5. 22. The Father iudgeth no man, but hath committed all iudgement to the Sonne. Hee rayſeth vp by his mighty voyce, the bodies of the dead, Iohn 5. 22. ppIohn 5. 28.John 5:28For the time ſhall come when all that are in the graues, ſhall heare the voyce of the Sonne of man, and ſhall come forth. So in qqIohn 6. 34, 40John 6:34John 6:40another place, And I will rayſe him vp in the latter Day, Rom. 1. 4. he is ſaid to hauehave rayſed vp himſelfe. And in IOHN, rrIohn 10. 18.John 10:18I hauehave power to lay downe my ſoule, and to take it vp againe Yea, he is called the ſſIohn 11. 25.John 11:25Reſurrection; to note that hee doth this of himſelfe, and by his owne authority: who, were hee not God, could not rayſe vp himſelfe, much leſſe rayſe vp and quicken others. To conclude, as a Crowne of all the reſt, this is he, which ttIohn 1. 12.John 1:12to as many as receiue him, giueth this dignity to bee the Sonnes of God, uuReuel. 1. 6.Rev 1:6hath made vsus Kings, and Prieſts, to God his Father: and giueth euerlaſting life (which xxRom. 6. 23.Rom 6:23is the gift of God alone.) p. 49To yyReuel 3. 21.Rev 3:21him that ouercommeth, I will giuegive to ſit with mee in my Throne. So Iohn 10. 27, 28. My ſheepe heare my voyce, and I know them, and they follow me, and I giuegive euerlasting life vntounto them.

Sixtly, maruellous are thoſe markes, whereby, as by certaine ſteps and footings, we may trace out the Maieſticall glory of his God-head. Iohn 1. 14. We beheld his glory, as the glory of the onelyonly Begotten, comming from the Father. PAVL alſo calleth him. The Lord of glory. 1. Cor. 2. 8. For had they knowne, they would not hauehave crucified the Lord of glory. By which very phraſe, if there were no more, wee may eaſily diſcerne him to be ſelfe-ſame mighty God, full of Maieſty, and of Power, whom zzPſal. 24 9, 10Ps 24:9Ps 24:10Dauid termeth, the King of glory, and forthwith addeth, Who is the King of glory? IEHOVAH of Hoſts, he is the King of glory. In the Acts, aaActs 7. 56.Acts 7:56when hee ſhewed himſelfe to STEPHEN, the Heauens are ſaid to hauehave beene opened, as it were the Creature, to giuegive place vntounto the Creator. He is the bbCol. 1. 15.Col 1:15Image of the inuiſible God: The ccHeb. 1. 3.Heb 1:3engrauen forme of his Fathers Perſon, and reſplendence of his glory, hath one ddReuel. 22. 1.Rev 22:1and the ſelfe-ſome Throne with his Father: whereby equall Power and Dignity is meant: In eeIohn 1. 18.John 1:18IOHN, He is ſaid to be in the boſome of the Father. Hither belongeth that Honourable Title which the Father giueth vntounto Chriſt, when hee calleth him, ffZach. 13. 7. foreignZech 13:7the man, my fellow; as it were, another himſelfe, the repreſenter of his Perſon; as the Hebrew word doth ſignifie. The Elect and holy Angels are called the Angels of God, and neuer the Angels of any Creature, as by way of noting out any authority ouer them. But Chriſt is not onelyonly the ggIude verſe 9.Arch-angell, chiefe hhDan. 10. 13.Dan 10:13of the heauenly Princes, and iiI…ſh 8. 2.Prince of the Hoſt of IEHOVAH: but further, they are ſaid by name to be kkReuel. 12. 7, 8. Mat. 13. 4.Rev 12:7Rev 12:8Matt 13:4his Angels, and llHeb. 1. 6.Heb 1:6willed to doe him homage: Let all the Angels of God worſhip him. In the Prophets you may eueryevery where ſee, how they miniſter to Chriſt, are ſent by him, and runne at his Commandement, Ezech. 10. 6. The man clothed in linnen, p. 50with a Writers Inke-horne by his ſide (which was Chriſt the Prieſt, and Mediatour of his Church, ſealing them to eternall Life, by the Bloud of the New Teſtament) being commanded of his Father, to fill his fiſts with coles of fire, from betweene the Cherubins, and to ſcatter it vponupon the City. Aſſoone as he came and ſtood by the wheeles, one of the Cherubs (an Angell) tooke of the fire, and put it into his fiſts: preſt and ready to ſerue him, as he was to obey his Father. In mmZach. 1 9, 11Zech 1:9Zech 1:11Zachary, the Angell that ſpake to the Prophet, being the ſame nnVerſe 9.Angell that ſtood betweene the two Myrrh-trees, called alſo the man that ſtood betweene the Myrrh-trees, that it might bee knowne to be meant of Chriſt, taketh of the other Angels, a reckoning and account of their doings. The ſame Angell in the ooZach. 2. 3, 4.Zech 2:3Zech 2:4next Chapter biddeth another Angell, that came forth to meete him, as it were to know his pleaſure what he would command him, to runne and informe the Prophet, of thoſe promiſes which there hee maketh to his Church. So ppDan. 8. 16.Dan 8:16Daniel hauing ſeene a great Viſion which he vnderſtood not, heard the voyce of a man, which was Chriſt▪ calling, and ſaying, GABRIEL, make this man vnderſtand the Viſion. But in the times of the Goſpell, when the Propheticall Viſions were more cleere, then vnderunder ſhaddowes of the Law: his alſo is more manifeſt: For in the very beginning of the Booke of the qqReuel. 1. 1.Rev 1:1Reuelation, the things which Chriſt receiued from his Father, he is ſaid, to hauehave ſent and ſhewed them by his Angel, to his Seruant IOHN. And in the rrReuel. 2… 16.Rev 2:16cōcluſion of the Booke. againe. I IESVS hauehave ſent my Angell to teſtifie theſe things vntounto you. The conference of which place▪ with ſſReuel. 22. 6.Rev 22:6that which went immediately before, The Lord God of the holy Prophets hath ſent his Angel, to ſhew his Seruants the things which muſt come to paſſe ſhortly, noteth him out plainly to bee that IEHOVAH. The true God, which ſpake by the holy Prophets, Wee are ttMat 28. 19. Acts 2. 38.Matt 28:19Acts 2:38baptized into his Name. A forme of ſpeech▪ ſignifying that we dedicate and conſecrate our ſelues to him, as to our GOD p. 51and Lord. Whereupon, uu1. Cor. 1. 14.1 Cor 1:14Paul worthily deteſteth it to hauehave beene thought, as if hee baptized any into his owne Name. God xxMat. 4. 10.Matt 4:10onelyonly is to bee worſhipped. But this honour Chriſt alſo hath: For both Stephen giueth it vntounto him, when he ſaith, Lord yyActs 7. 59.Acts 7:59Ieſus, receiue my ſpirit. And it is the Epithete of all the Church, that they zzActs 9. 14. 1. Cor. 1 2.Acts 9:141 Cor 1:2call vponupon the Name of Chriſt. IOHN likewiſe, in the aaReuel. 21. 22.Rev 21:22Reuelation maketh the Lord God Almighty, and the Lambe▪ alike the Temple of that holy City, the heauenly Ieruſalem: meaning, that hee is equally to bee worſhipped, and with the ſame honour: Faith doth onelyonly reſt vponupon God, but wee are commanded to beleeue in Chriſt: Yea, bbIohn 16. 1.John 16:1beleeue in God, beleeue alſo in me. Further it is the pleaſure ccIer. 9. 24.Jer 9:24of GOD, that whoſoeuer glorieth, ſhould glory onelyonly in this, That he knoweth him to be IEHOVAH. But Paul doubteth not, to profeſſe that he ddGal. 6. 14.Gal 6:14gloried onelyonly in the Croſſe of Chriſt, and neyther preached nor choſe to know any other thing, ſaue ee1. Cor. …2.1 Cor 2onelyonly him alone. Chriſt ffIohn 17. 3.John 17:3alſo himſelfe coupleth theſe two together: This is euerlaſting life, to know thee the onelyonly true God, and him whom thou haſt ſent, Ieſus Chriſt. But what ſtay I hereupon, when teſtimonies are ſo cleere? vponupon the marke and notes, when the things themſelues are ſo euident and expreſſe: his God-head being euerywhere to bee found in moſt plaine and manifeſt termes? Which, that it may the better appeare, I will ſort all the teſtimonies of this kind into three Orders or Rankes. The firſt is, of ſuch as attribute the ſpirit vntounto him: Not as the ſpirit or ſoule of a man, but ſo as it appeareth plainly by the Epithetes adioyned, to be the Diuine Spirit, or GOD himſelfe, 1. Cor. 15. 45. The firſt man ADAM was made a liuing Soule, the latter ADAM a quickering Spirit. As bee noteth out in Adam, the whole man, by the more excellent part, the Soule; ſo doth he in Chriſt, the whole Perſon, by that moſt excellent Nature of the God head, bodily dwelling in him, calling him another Adam: for that as p. 52Adam imparted fleſhly life vntounto all that come from him: ſo doth Chriſt the Spirituall Life to all that are his. And that this may bee the better conceiued, to be meant of his Eternall Deity in the ſeuen and fortieth Verſe, hee doth more cleerely frame the compariſon. The firſt man out of the earth, earthly; the ſecond man, the Lord himſelfe from Heauen. Therefore is his Spirit or Diuine nature, ſometime called The ggHeb. 9. 14.Heb 9:14euerlaſting Spirit, (a thing proper to the God-head:) ſometime The hhRom. 1. 4.Rom 1:4Spirit of Sanctification, whereby hee ſanctifieth all Gods Elect, and ſanctified his humane Nature, otherwiſe infirme and weake, and not able to rayſe vp it ſelfe. As in iiIohn 6. 63.John 6:63Iohn he ſaith, It is the Spirit that quickeneth, the fleſh profiteth nothing. And kk1. Pet. 3. 18.1 Pet 3:18Peter, that he was put to death as touching the fleſh, but quickened as touching the Spirit. Finally, the Apoſtle ll2. Cor. 13. 4.2 Cor 13:4Paul expounding as it were this place, For though (ſaith he) he were crucified of infirmity yet he liueth by the power of God. In the name of infirmity or weakneſſe manifeſtly alluding to the Hebrew, En…ch which ſignifieth a fraile, or weake, and mortall man, and in the name Power, vntounto El, the mighty God: of the ſecond ſort are thoſe, where he is ſaid, to hauehave the mmCol 29. For in him dwelleth all the fulnes of the God-head bodily, that is, perſonally and ſubſtantially.fulneſſe of the God-head in him, to bee nnPhil. 2. 6, 7. Who being in the forme of God, emptied himſelf, taking the forme of a Seruant, becomming in the likeneſſe of men, and in habit found a very man. Where, the forme of a Seruant, noting a verie ſeruant and abiect perſon, indeed ſheweth that to bee in the forme of God, ſignifieth as much as to be really and eſſentially God himſelfe.Phil 2:6Phil 2:7in the forme of God, to be ooIohn 8. 15. For this cauſe the Iewes ſought to kill him, becauſe hee called God his owne Father, making himſelfe equall with God. Phil. 2. 6. He thought it no robbery to be equall with God.John 8:15Phil 2:6equall with God. And to conclude, to bee ppDan. 10. 13, 21.Dan 10:13Dan 10:21Michael, of equall Power with the Almighty God. And this to be an honour belonging vntounto Chriſt alone, and not to any created Angell, the Apoſtle Iude qqIude verſe 9.teacheth expreſly, when he ſo termeth Iehouah himſelfe, that in Zachary ſtroue with Satan about the Body of Moſes, or the truth and perfection of the Law of Moſes; namely, the whole Doctrine of the Goſpell, Remiſſion of ſinnes, Imputation of Righteouſneſſe, Sanctification, and Redemption; as in that Chapter the Angell reaſoneth of them all. But moſt manifeſtly this appeareth, Reuelat. 12. 7. where MICHAEL p. 53and his Angels fought with the Dragon and his angels. Againſt the Dragon, that is, the Deuill, head of the malignant Church, oppoſing Michael; that is, Chriſt; Head of Saints and Angels: and therefore calling them his Angels, which agreeth to God alone. Finally, the holy Ghoſt ſo expoundeth it, Ʋerſe 10. Now is the Saluation, and Might, and Kingdome of our God, and the Power of his Chriſt. In the third and laſt ranke come thoſe, that call him expreſly rrIohn 1. 1. The Word was God, 2. Cor. 5. 19. God was in Chriſt, reconciling the World, Luke 1. 16. 17. Many ſhall he (that is, Iohn Baptiſt) turne vntounto the Lord their God, and himſelfe ſhall goe before him in the ſpirit and power of Elias. Where (before him) being referred to Chriſt, as it muſt, ſheweth him to bee the true and vndoubted Lord God. And hither tendeth the confeſſion of Thomas▪ ſirnamed Didymus, my Lord, my God, Iohn 20. 28. Of this ſort alſo is that, 2. Peter 1. 1. Through the righteouſneſſe of our God, and Sauiour Ieſus Chriſt. The coupling and context of the ſentence without any Article before (Sauiour) which otherwiſe by the vſe of that tongue ought to hauehave beene, ſhewing plainly that the word (God) can hauehave no reference but to Chriſt our Sauiour. M… plaine is that Co…. …. 2 VntoUnto the knowledge of God, both the Father and Chriſt. Where (God) as a common antecedent is attributed to them both.John 1:12 Cor 5:19Luke 1:16Luke 1:17John 20:282 Pet 1:1God, The ſſ1. Iohn 5. 20. We are … true one, in his Sonne Ieſus Chriſt. Th… is that true God, and life euerlaſting.1 John 5:20true God; The ttTitus …. 13. Wayting for the bleſſed hope, and glorious bright appearance of the great God, and Sauiour of vsus, Ieſus Chriſt Where not onelyonly the knitting of the ſentence (as in the place of Peter before) but the phraſe of bright appearance (neuer ſpoken but of the Sonne) enforceth that whole ſentence to be meant of him.great God; The mighty uuEſay 9. 6. To vsus a Child is borne wh…le name is called Wonderfull, The might… God, Moſt ſtrong, &c.Isa 9:6God; The onelyonly xxIude verſe 4 Denying the onelyonly God and Maſter, our Lord Ieſu Chriſt.God; God yyRom. 9. 5. Of whom is Ieſus Chriſt touching the fleſh, who is God ouer all, bleſſed for euer, Amen.Rom 9:5ouer all, bleſſed for euer, Amen.

To proue the Holy Ghoſt to be God: Firſt, he alſo is Iehouah, for he that led the people in the Wildernes, & whom they tempted ſo oft, was Iehouah, as wee hauehave obſerued. But Eſay zzEſay 63. 14.Isa 63:14ſaith, this was the Spirit of God. As a beaſt that goeth downe into a Ʋalley, the Spirit of IEHOVAH quietly led them: and aaEſay 63. 10.Isa 63:10a little before, They rebelled and grieued his holy Spirit. The bbHeb. 3. 8, 9.Heb 3:8Heb 3:9Author alſo to the Hebrewes noteth it to bee the ſpeech of the Holy Ghoſt, Harden not your hearts, as in the prouocation, as in the day of temptation in the Wilderneſſe, where your fathers tempted me, prooued me, and ſaw my workes. Againe, that which the ſame ccEſay 6. 9.Isa 6:9Prophet ſpeaketh of IEHOVAH, that he had-him goe and ſay vntounto this people▪ Hearing, ye ſhall heare, &c. PAVL ddActs 28. 25.Acts 28:25applyeth p. 54to the Holy Ghoſt, Well ſaid the Holy Ghost by ESAIAS the Prophet, to our fathers, ſaying, Goe vntounto this people, and ſay, Hearing ye ſhall heare, &c.

Secondly, the eſſentiall properties of the God-head, are here likewiſe to be found. He is termed Truth it ſelfe, to note the ſingleneſſe of his Nature. 1. Iohn 5. 6. The Spirit is Truth, hath an Immenſity and Infiniteneſſe of place, dwelling at once in the heart of all the Elect. 1. Cor. 3. 16. Know yee not that yee are the Temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? Rom. 8. 9, 11. The Spirit of Chriſt that dwelleth in you. Hee lay ouer that whole maſſe and lumpe, whereof the Heauens and Earth was afterwards made. Gen. 1. 2. The Spirit of God lay vponupon the Waters, ouer-ſpreading it as a Hen doth her Chicken. Hee filleth all things with his preſence. Pſal. 139. 7. Whither ſhall I goe from thy Spirit? Hath a free and abſolute power of working after his owne pleaſure. 1. Cor. 12. 11. He diſtributeth his gifts as he will: for hee is the very power of God. So called Luke 1. 35. The Holy Ghoſt ſhall come vponupon thee, and the power of the moſt High ſhall ouer-ſhaddow thee. And for that which eeMat. 12. 14.Matt 12:14Matthew ſaith, I will caſt out Deuils by the Spirit of God, ffLuke 11. 20.Luke 11:20LVKE hath it, If I cast out Deuils by the finger of God. Yea, he is the giuer of all Power and Vertue. Micah. 3. 8. But I am filled with Vertue from the Spirit of IEHOVAH, with Iudgement, and with Power: Is of infinite Wiſedome and Knowledge, euen to fore-tell things to come. The ggIohn 16. 14.John 16:14things that are to come, ſhall hee declare to you, ſaith Chriſt, yea, to ſound the very bottome of the moſt ſecret things of God. 1. Cor. 2. 20. The Spirit ſearcheth the depths of God. And all this hee hath from himſelfe, and of himſelfe, as moſt elegantly the hhEſay 40. 13, 14.Isa 40:13Isa 40:14Prophet teacheth, Who hath inſtructed the Spirit of IEHOVAH, as a man of his counſell taught him? with whom hath hee communicated counſell, that he might inſtruct him, and teach him the way of Iudgement, euen teach him Knowledge, and the way of Wiſedomes, (moſt abſolute and perfect Wiſedome) p. 55make knowne vntounto him. For of Goodneſſe, what ſhall I need to ſpeake? whoſe Name it ſelfe proclaymeth his Holineſſe, and whoſe iiGal. 5. 22. 23.Gal 5:22Gal 5:23fruites are Lenity, Kindneſſe, Goodneſſe, Faith, Meekeneſſe, Temperance, and whatſoeuer good is? Eternity is alſo his, in that, as ſhall bee ſhewed anon, he is the Creator of all things, and therefore muſt needes be, before any thing began.

Thirdly, not onelyonly his proceeding from God, but the very Name of Spirit ſheweth the Eſſence and Nature which hee is of. For as the ſpirit of a man muſt needes be truely of mans nature, and is the moſt formall and eſſentiall part of man: ſo, and much more it muſt bee thought of the Spirit of God; vponupon whom no compoſition falleth. This in effect is the Apoſtles owne Argument, 1. Cor. 2. 11. For who of men knoweth the things of man, but the ſpirit of man that is in him? So alſo none knoweth the things of God, but the Spirit of God, who is in him, and of his owne Eſſence, and Nature, as the oppoſition ſheweth plainely.

Fourthly, touching the Workes which onelyonly belong to God, of the eternall Decrees regiſtred in the Booke of IEHOVAH, the Prophet ſaith, His kkEſay 38. 16.Isa 38:16mouth hath commanded, and his Spirit hath collected them. Secondly, In the Creation of all things, he wrought together with the Father and the Sonne, Gen. 1. 2. The Spirit of God lay vponupon the Waters, meaning, that as a Bird lying vponupon her Egges, and couering them vnderunder her wings, doth by a naturall warmth and heate, which commeth from her, hatch and bring forth her young ones: So did the Spirit of God by his liuely power and working, frame and faſhion the World out of that lumpe of Waters, Iob 26. 13. By his Spirit he beautified (or beautifully framed) the Heauens. Eſay 40. 1…. Who helpe the Spirit of IEHOVAH? meaning▪ in the Creation, which he ſpake of next before. Hence it is, that Elihu llIob 33. 4.Job 33:4in the Booke of Iob, profeſſeth himſelfe to be his Creature; and the workmanſhip of his hands. The Spirit of the Mighty God hath made mee, and the breath of p. 56the Almighty hath put life into mee. Thirdly, hee gouerneth and adminiſtreth the things created, Zach. 4. 10. The ſeuen Eyes (or Spirits) of IEHOVAH roule vp and downe vponupon all the Earth. Fourthly, He hardeneth the wicked, and deliuereth them into a reprobate minde. For ſo the Apoſtle mmActs 28. 26.Acts 28:26noteth it to be the voyce of the Holy Ghoſt, which is ſaid in nnEſay 6. 10.Isa 6:10ESAY, Goe, make fat the heart of this people, make their eares heauy, and cloze vp their eyes. Fiftly, hee is infinite in variety of gifts, 1. Cor. 12. 11. All theſe things worketh that one and the ſame Spirit▪ diſtributing them to eueryevery one a part as he will. Iohn 16. 23. When the Spirit of Truth commeth, he ſhall lead you into all Truth. Hereupon, Iohn in the ooReuel. 1. 4.Rev 1:4Reuelation termeth him, The ſeuen Spirits of God, in regard of the manifold graces which God by him giueth vntounto his Church, Grace be to you, and Peace from him, that is, and that was, and that is to come; and from the ſeuen Spirits, which are before his Throne, and from Ieſu… Chriſt: where, by the ſeuen Spirits, I make no queſtion, the Holy Ghoſt is meant, and not the holy Angels. Firſt, becauſe theſe ſeuen Spirits ſtand before the Throne, are inſerted meane betweene the Father and the Sonne, the Apoſtle wiſheth Grace and Peace from them; they are the Hornes and Eyes of the Lambe: yea, of his owne very Nature, and being Conſubſtantiall, and Coeſſentiall things; not in the leaſt degree appertayning to the Angels. Further, let the Text be marked: It is ppReuel. 5. 5, 6.Rev 5:5Rev 5:6apparant, that theſe ſeuen Spirits, the Hornes, and Eyes of the Lambe, are noted to be that ſtrength, and moſt abſolute and perfect Wiſedome, whereby this Lyon of the Tribe of Iudah ouercame, to open the Booke and the ſeuen Seales thereof, which qqReuel. 5. 34.Rev 5:34none in Heauen, or Earth, or vnderunder the Earth, that is, no Creature could doe. And when all other rrReuel. 7. 11.Rev 7:11Angels and ſſReuel. 4. 10. and 5. 14.Rev 4:10Rev 5:14Elders are ſaid to fall downe and adore God onelyonly, theſe ſeuen Spirits doe it not. To this, I adde Prophecie of ZACHARY, ttZach. 3. 9. and 4. 10.Zech 3:9Zech 4:10That God will put ſeuen Eyes vponupon one Stone, vponupon CHRIST the Rocke and Foundation of p. 57his Church: Being (I doubt not) the ſelfe-ſame ſeuen Eyes that Iohn uuReuel. 5. 6.Rev 5:6ſpeaketh of, which neyther the Phraſe will ſuffer to be ſpoken of Angels, nor they can bee ſaid, The ingrauings of that Stone. It muſt needes bee then, that the Prophet there meaneth nothing elſe, but that which xxEſay 12. 2.Isa 12:2Eſay ſaith, VponUpon him ſhall reſt the Spirit of IEHOVAH, the Spirit of Wiſedome, and Vnderſtanding, the Spirit of Counſell, and Power, the Spirit of Knowledge, and feare of IEHOVAH, that is, an infinite ſtore of all gifts and ornaments of the Spirit. And that no man may doubt hereof, theſe Spirits that here are called ſeuen Eyes, are before yyReuel. 3. 5.Rev 3:5called ſeuen Lampes, whereby yet more manifeſtly it is prooued, to bee that one onelyonly Spirit; for ſo doth the Prophet zzZach. 4. 2.Zech 4:2Zacharie, from whom this place is fetched, or rather the Angell to the Prophet, preciſely expound that Viſion. After he had ſhewed vntounto him a Candleſticke, all of Gold, with a Bowle vponupon the top of it, and his ſeuen Lampes therein, and ſeuen Pipes to the ſeuen Lampes, which were on the tops thereof, and two Oliue Trees ouer it, one vponupon the right ſide of the Bowle, and the other vponupon the left ſide thereof: And being demanded of the Prophet, the interpretation of all this; Firſt, he deliuereth it in groſſe, This aaZach. 4. 6.Zech 4:6is the word of IEHOVAH to ZERVBBABEL, not with Power, nor with Strength, but with my Spirit, ſaith IEHOVAH, of Hoſts. Afterwards, bbZach. 4. 14.Zech 4:14expounding it piece by piece, hee ſaith in the end, The two Oliues, are thoſe that continue with the Lord of all the Earth, that is, which are in Chriſt, and by Chriſt largely powred vponupon his Church: as here ccReuel. 5. 6.Rev 5:6alſo Chriſt is ſaid to hauehave them, nay, that they be as Hornes and Eyes in his head. And this is that which ſeemeth to hauehave beene ſhaddowed in thoſe ſeuen Candleſtickes, ddExod. 23. 31.Exod 23:31commanded in the Law to be made of one entyre matter, to note out the varietie and multiplicitie of Graces, proceeding all from one Spirit, as the ee1. Cor. 12. 4.1 Cor 12:4Apoſtle ſaith, There be differences of Graces, but the ſame Spirit: neyther let it offend any man (as vnworthy of the Maieſtie of the Holy Ghoſt) that theſe p. 58ſeuen Spirits ffReuel. 5. 6.Rev 5:6are ſaid to be ſent forth into all the Earth, as if they were Miniſters and Attendants vponupon the Lambe: for both the word ſending, is ggIohn 15. 26. and 16. 17.John 15:26John 16:17many times ſpoken of the holy Spirit; and hhZach. 4. 10.Zech 4:10Zacharie hath the phraſe, of rolling to and fro vponupon all the Earth.

Sixthly, he calleth and appointeth to the worke of the Miniſtery, and that by an equall power, and as it were, a ioynt commiſſion with God, Eſay 48. 16. IEHOVAH hath ſent me, and his Spirit. Acts 13. 2. In the ſolemne Aſſembly at Antioch, whileſt they were miniſtring and faſting, the Holy Ghoſt ſaid, Separate mee now SAVL and BARNABAS to the worke whereunto I hauehave called them. So ſaith PAVL, Acts 20. 28. Take heed to your ſelues, and to all the Flocke, whereof the Holy Ghoſt hath made you Biſhops. And this was the warrant that Peter had of his calling to preach vntounto the Gentiles. Acts 10. 19, 20. Whileſt hee doubted of the Viſion which he ſaw, and made queſtion of it, the Spirit ſaid vntounto him, Behold, three men ſeeke thee, ariſe and get thee downe, and goe with them, making no queſtion at all: for I hauehave ſent them. Finally, that of the ſame Apoſtle is generall, ii1. Pet. 1. 22.1 Pet 1:22Not by the will of man was Prophecie heretofore brought, but as they were led of the Holy Ghoſt, did the holy men of God ſpeake.

Seuenthly, Regeneration, as alſo Iuſtification, and Sanctification, (all the ſole kkIohn 1. 13. Who are borne not of bloud, &c. but of God. Ro. 8. 33. It is God that iuſtifieth.John 1:13Rom 8:33and proper marke of God) come from him, Iohn 3. 5. Vnleſſe one be borne of Water, and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdome of God. Titus 3. 5. He hath ſaued vsus by the Lauer of Regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghoſt. 1. Cor. 6. 11. And ſuch were ſome of you, but you are waſhed from them, but yee are ſanctified, but yee are iuſtified in the Name of the Lord Ieſus, and by the Spirits of our God.

Eightly, the markes alſo and ſteps of his God-head are not obſcure. Firſt, Wee are llMat. 28. 19.Matt 28:19baptized into his Name. Secondly, Iohn mmReuel 1. 4. 3.Rev 1:4Rev 1:3prayeth for Grace and Peace from him. Thirdly, when the Apoſtles nnActs 15. 28.Acts 15:28doe warrant the p. 59decree which they made by this Argument, it ſeemed good to the Holy Ghoſt and vsus; is it not plaine that they giuegive him a Diuine authoritie and the ſupreme Soueraigntie of God himſelfe? Fourthly, How much maketh it for his Godhead, that the ſinne committed ooMat. 12. 13.Matt 12:13againſt him, that is, his ſpeciall grace and working, can neuer be forgiuen?

Ninthly, playne teſtimonies of Scripture calling him God, The mightie God, &c. ESAY ppEſay 40. 13, 18Isa 40:13Isa 40:18hauing diſcourſed of the excellent and incomparable, both Power and Wiſedome of the Spirit, addeth; To whom then will you liken the mightie God? manifeſtly calling him the mighty God. As Peter qqActs 5. 3.Acts 5:3alſo doth, when asking ANANIAS, Why Satan had filled his heart to lye againſt the Spirit of God, forth-with hee addeth, Thou haſt not lyed to men, but to God. Hither belongeth that vntounto the rr1. Cor. 2. 11.1 Cor 2:11Corinthians, For who among men knoweth the things of man, ſaue the ſpirit of man that is in him? So alſo none knoweth the things of God, but the Spirit of God. Where, to make the compariſon hold as it ought, you muſt needes ſay, that as the Apoſtle expreſly noteth, none to know the things of man, but a very man: So he meaneth, that none know the things of God, but hee that is GOD indeed. So that this alſo is a moſt cleere proofe of the God-head of the Spirit.

This is the ſumme of our moſt precious Faith, concerning the God-head of the Sonne and Holy Ghoſt, againſt Arrius, Seruetus, and all that helliſh crue, which either bring in a multiplicitie of gods (and ſo in truth make no God at all) or imagine a ſecondary kind of God-ſhip, making them inferior to the Father, or of the like, but not of the ſelfe-ſome eſſence: & againſt whatſoeuer Hereſies elſe, that Hell hath forged, and Satan ſet abroch, to the diſhonour of theſe three Perſons, the one onelyonly true and euer-liuing GOD, Coequall, Coeternall, and Conſubſtantiall, whom we onelyonly honour and ſerue.