A Glimpse of God, Part 3
A Diſcourſe of the Three Perſons in the Sacred Trinity.
1. John 5. 7. For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy-Ghoſt, and theſe three are one.
CHAP. 1.
THe coherence of theſe words is this: The Apoſtle St. John ſets forth the excellency of two main graces, Love and Faith, in reſpect of the object of both: God is the prime object of Love, and Chriſt the ſole object and matter of juſtifying Faith, from whence ſalvation is onelyonly to be expected, and ſo Faith apprehends him as the Author and finiſher of our ſalvation.
Now that our Faith may reſt upon Chriſt alone for ſalvation, the Apoſtle bringeth heaven and earth to witneſſe the ſame, whoſe teſtimony are without all poſſible exception; God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghoſt do give this teſtimony, that Chriſt is the only begotten Son of God, and that life Eternal is in his Son; theſe three do bear record in heaven: and in earth the Spirit, the Water, and the Blood. The Spirit] that is the ſanctifying efficacy of God's Spirit, purging and renewing our hearts. Water] put here for remiſſion of Sins, typified by the legall purifications, and now ſealed to us in Baptiſm: and Blood] put here for the infinite expiatory price of our Redemption from Sin; all theſe teſtifie that ſalvation is onelyonly from Jeſus Chriſt.
The mention of the three Heavenly Witneſſes are in the Text; the three Witneſſes on earth are mentioned, ver. 8. Now to open the words of my Text.
There be three that bear record, foreign, do witneſſe or give teſtimony: The teſtimony or record is expreſſed, ver. 11. that life eternall is freely given to us of God, in his onelyonly begotten Son: This is the record that God hath given to us eternall life, and this life is in his Son; to him muſt all the ends of the earth look for ſalvation.
In heaven] Theſe words are leftBeza in loc. out in ſeven antient Copies, as the learned Beza obſerveth; but yet they are to be retained, that theſe three in heaven may anſwer the three in earth; and Jerome thinks, they were left outHieron. more through malice, then errour. 'Tis ſaid in Heaven] foreign, bebecauſe in heaven the glorious God diſplaies the full brightneſſe of his glory, there he reigneth like a Glorious King.
1 The Father] here is taken foreign, for the firſt Perſon of the Trinity: God is the Eternal Father of his Eternal Son Jeſus Chriſt, by an Eternal generation; he is the Father of all the Elect in Chriſt; the Father of all men by Creation.
He bears record of Chriſt: Take one Teſtimony for all, Matth. 3. 17. This (Jeſus Chriſt whom John Baptiſt did baptize before your eyes) is my well-beloved Son in whom I am well pleaſed.
2. The ſecond witneſs is the Word] that is, the eternall Son of God: The Son of God hath many titles in the Scripture, and this is one, he is called The Word: many of the Antients endeavour to give reaſons of this title; but among all I will give but this one: he is called the Word.
The reaſon is, becauſe Jeſus Chriſt is the main ſubject of the Oracles of God, and of the whole Word: Moſes, the Prophets, and Apoſtles do all preach Chriſt: our Saviour himſelf ſaith of Moſes, that he wrote of him. Joh. 5. 45. To him alſo gave all the Prophets Witneſs: Search the Scriptures ſaith Chriſt (of the writings of the Prophets) they are they which teſtifiy of me, John 5. 39. the Apoſtles all preached Chriſt alſo; Thus Paul to King Agrippa; Having obtained help of God, ſaith he, I continue unto this day, witneſſing both to ſmall and great ſaying no other things, then thoſe which the Prophets and Moſes did ſay ſhould come; That Chriſt ſhould ſuffer, and that he ſhould be the firſt that ſhould riſe from the dead, and ſhould ſhew light unto the people, and to the Gentiles, Acts 26. 22, 23. Chriſt is the main ſubject of the Scriptures; hence Count Anhalt ſaid ofA worthy ſaying of the Count Anhalt on the Scriptures. the Scriptures, They were the ſwadling bands of the holy Child Jeſus, who is found in every page.
Now Chriſt bears record of himſelf: his teſtimony of himſelf are his own words and Miracles; how hath he teſtified to the World, that he came to call Sinners to repentance, to ſeek and ſave that which is loſt, and whoſoever beleeveth on him ſhould have, or, hath life everlaſting.
3. The third witneſſe is the Holy Ghoſt] the third perſon in the Trinity, called ſo ab officio, becauſe he ſanctifieth God's Elect, and worketh all ſpirituall graces and motions in them.
He bears record of Jeſus Chriſt. Mat. 3. 16. as ſoon as he was baptized the heavens were opened to him, and the Spirit of God deſcended like a Dove, and lighted upon him. Act. 2. by his Apparition of fiery cloven tongues upon his Apoſtles; then the bleſſed Trinity proclaims Jeſus Chriſt the onelyonly Saviour, and from him we muſt by faith expect life eternal.
And theſe three are one.] There is a double expoſition of theſe words foreign, That is, foreign, ad unum ſunt: they agree in one, as if they were one and the ſame witneſſe: ſo Calvin and Beza expound it.
Or elſe this: Theſe three are one reſpectu eſſentiae, in reſpect of their eſſence; theſe three perſons that bear record in heaven, are but one in eſſence. From theſe words I will briefly and ſoberly handle the doctrine concerning the glorious and undivided Trinity.
CHAP. II.
HEnce I note; that in the UnityObſerv. of the Divine Eſſence there is a Plurality of perſons: or, There are three perſons, but one God. For proof hereof; whereas it is ſaid Gen. 1. 1. that In the begining the Lord made heaven and earth; Some gather the myſtery of the Trinity from theſe words Elohim Bara. Elohim is in the plural number denoting the Trinity of perſons; and Bara, which ſignifies created is the ſingular number to denote the unity of eſſence: Many arguments are brought to prove the Trinity from theſe words, as firſt, It were incongruous to put a word of the plural before a verb of the ſingular number. 2. Becauſe whom Moſes, calls here Elohim, he afterward calls Jehovah, which is the name of the Trinity. 3. Becauſe Moſes was not ignorant of the Trinity; would not ſilence it.
But others, though they approve of this as a pious and probable collection, yet upon better arguments think the Myſtery of the Trinity cannot be collected from theſe words: their reaſons are theſe.
1. Becauſe Elohim being put indefinitely, may ſignifie four or five perſons as well as three, leſs or more; ſo there may be occaſion given of making more or leſſe perſons, as well as three.
2. Becauſe if Elohim ſignifie the Trinity here, it ſhould ſignifie the Trinity in all other places of Scripture, but it doth not; and the placing of of it in the plural number with the verb in the ſingular is uſual in Scriprure without a Myſtery, as Geneſ. 9. 15. Exod. 2. 3. Joſ. 24. 19. Some ſay, 'tis put in the plural number propter reverentiae amplitudinem, becauſe the Majeſty, power, wiſdome, goodneſs of God is manifeſted in the creation.
Others would gather it from thoſe words of Moſes, Gen. 1. 26. And God ſaid, Let Us make man in our Image, after Our likeneſs,
Others again, gather the Myſtery of the Trinity from the unanimous cry of the Seraphims, Iſa. 6. 3. they cry Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty; therefore (ſay they) the word [holy] is trebled in relation to the Trinity, to the three Perſons. But theſe are not plain and evident proofs of the Trinity. Holy, holy, holy, is trebled here, principally for theſe reaſons:
1. To ſhew that the Angels do continually praiſe God.
2. To ſhew that the Seraphims do praiſe God with all vehemency and fervency.
3. To ſhew the infinite Perfection of his holineſſe, that the tongues of Seraphims and Angels cannot expreſs his holineſſe.
There are more plain proofs of the plurality of perſons in the Godhead. Mat. 3. there is a clear revelation of the Trinity: the Father ſpeaks from heaven; the Son is incarnate, and is baptized; the holy Ghoſt deſcendeth in the ſhape of a Dove. Moreover, Mat. 28. 19. the Commiſſion that our Saviour gives to his diſciples runs thus: Go teach all nations, Baptizing them in the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghoſt, baptizing them, tanquam in nomen unius veri Dei. It plainly ſheweth, that there are three perſons in the Deity, and that theſe are but one God. To be baptized into the name, is, to be bound to believe and obey, and worſhip this one God, the Trinity in the Unity, Joh. 15. 26. Theſe three are one. John 17. 22.
CHAP. III.
THe further explication of this myſterious Doctrine of the bleſſed Trinity ſhall be by Queſtions.Queſt. 1.
The firſt queſtion ſhall be about the terms uſed both by ancient and modern Divines; Whether, ſeeing the Scripture hath no ſuch terms as Divine Eſſence or Being] Perſon] or Trinity] they are then well uſed by Divines?
Though theſe terms are not literallySol. epxreſſed in any place of Scripture yet in it there is ſomething fully equivalent to them, and ſo are rightly uſed by Divines; as, to inſtance in all three,
1. For Eſſence and Being: the word foreign, Eſſence or Being hath an equivalent phraſe from that ſpeech of God to Moſes when he nameth himſelf, I AM, Exod. 3. 14. and Revel. 1. 8. where he is cal…ed foreign, which is, it hath the ſame identity with Divine Eſſence or Being; ſo then that term may be uſed.
2. For Perſon, foreign there is a plain place for t…is, Heb. 1. 3. where Chriſt is ſaid to be foreign, The expreſſe Image of his Perſon. It is true! Some would have it tranſlated, the expreſſe Image of his Subſtance, rather then of his Perſon: but this cannot be; becauſe there can be no impreſſe of the Fathers ſubſtance in the Son, becauſe the ſame …ſſence is in both: and then there would be a multiplication of the Divine Eſſence, therefore it is rightly tranſlated the expreſſe image of his Perſon.
3. As for the word foreign Trinity: Nomen ab Arithmeticis, ad Theologos traductum.there is no ſuch term in Scripture, but my Text will afford an equivalent term; there are three that bear record in heaven: this will warrant the lawfull uſe of the term, Trinity:
In the ſecond place may it be demanded,Queſt. 2 What is a perſon?Solu.
I anſwer, in general: A perſon is a Subſtance ſubſiſting by it ſelf, individual, and incommunicable: but this is rather a ſuppoſitum, then a perſona: therefore they add, Intelligent, living, and active or doing] ſo Men, ſo Angels are perſons: other creatures ſingularia, ſuppoſita individua; not perſonae.
So then a Perſon is thus defined:A Perſon deſi…ed. It is a ſubſtance ſubſiſting by it ſelf, indiviſible, incommunicable, underſtanding, living and working.
Now for the Perſons in the Godhead they are thus deſcribed: The Father, the Sonne, and the Holy-Ghoſt, are ſubſiſting in the Divine Eſſence, undiviced, incommnicable, intelligent, by their properties diſtinguiſhed among themſelves, but not divided from each other: or, in brief, thus; A Perſon, in the Godhead, is the Divine Eſſence, diſtinguiſhed by his proper manner of ſubſiſting. To illuſtrate it; conſider, that the Father is the Divine Eſſence ſubſiſting by himſelf, underſtanding, willing; diſtinguiſhed from the Son and Holy-Ghoſt, by his proper manner of ſubſiſting, or by his Perſonal property: As, the Father's Perſonal property is, To be of himſelf, and beget; The Perſonal property of the Son is, to be of the Father: And the Perſonal property of the Holy-Ghoſt is, to be from the Father and the Son: So that the Son is the Divine Eſſence ſubſiſting by himſelf, undivided, incommunicable, underſtanding, willing; diſtinguiſhed from the Father and the Holy-Ghoſt by his Perſonal property.
What is the Father, the Son, andQu…ſt 3. the Holy-Ghoſt?
The Father is Deus ingenitus▪ ſed Sol.generans, God, not begotten but begetting: The Son is God begotten, not begetting; the Holy-Ghoſt God neither begetting, nor begotten, but proceeding.
How do the Perſons differ?Queſt. 4.
They differ from the Eſſence, asSol. … modus rei à re ipſa, as the manner of a thing from the thing it ſelf: for a perſon is eſſentia divina modiſicata, or, limited with a certain manner of ſubſiſting.
Now, would you underſtand how they differ among themſelves; you muſt know, they do not differ in nature or being, for the ſame nature and being is in all: in the Deity there is not aliud & aliud, but alius & alius, the whole divine nature in each particular Perſon.
They differ theſe three waies.
1. Reſpectu ordinis; in regard of Order: the Father is before the Son and Holy-Ghoſt, not in time and in dignity, for they are all C…-eternal and Coequal; but, in order, the Father is before the ſon, the Father and the Son before the Holy-Ghoſt.
2. They differ in operationibus ad intra, where the perſonal properties▪ or actions in the Father differ from the Son, becauſe the Father begetteth, the Son is begotten.
3. In operationibus ad extra: The Father worketh of himſelf, by the Son; the Son, of the Father by the Holy-Ghoſt: hence Creation is firſt attributed to the Father, Redemption and diſpenſation to the Son, Sanctification to the Holy-Ghoſt; ſo that the ſame work is the work of the Father, Son, and Holy-Ghoſt, but there is not the ſame manner of working.
CHAP. IIII.
I Will now ſet down ſome Rules, which will much help us for the underſtanding of this Myſtery.
1. The divine Nature is not a fourth thing diſtinguiſhed from the three Perſons, but is the ſame with the three.
2. Hence each perſon is very God, becauſe the Divine Eſſence is the ſame in each Perſon.
3. Hence you may ſee that there is but one God, although there be Three Perſons; becauſe they are one with the Eſſence, which is God.
4. Hence you may ſee, that all the Attributes given to the Eſſence, belong to every Perſon; the Father Almighty, the Son Almighty, &c. There is but one Will in them, one Underſtanding, becauſe there is but one Eſſence.
5. Hence all their works ad extra ſunt indiviſa, all their works outwardly are undivided, becauſe the Three Perſons are undivided in Eſſence. Creation, and Providence in One, are the actions of all Three.
6. Hence the Son and the Holy-Ghoſt are God by themſelves, not by the Father. Some ſay, that the Eſſence is communicated from the Father to the Son, and from both to the Holy-Ghoſt; and ſo they are not foreign God of themſelves: but I ſay, Filius accepit Perſona de Perſona, non Deus de Deo.filiationem, non deitatem, the Son received his filiation, not the Deity from the Father.
7. Hence the three Perſons are foreign, of the ſame nature, Coequal, Coeternal, not one before another in Eſſence, as the Eunomians falſly held. Not one before another, for in God there is neither Prius nor poſterius; not one excelling another in Grace and Dignity, as the Arrians blaſphemouſly held; but they are Coequal in their Divine perfections and Attributes, becauſe but one nature or Eſſence in all.
8. Hence they are one in another, the Father is in the Son, the Son in the Father, and both in the Holy-Ghoſt; they are ſtill glorifying and delighting one in another.
9. Theſe three Perſons in the Divine Eſſence are not confuſed, or ſeparated, or imaginary, but are really ſubſiſting and diſtinguiſhed.
CHAP. V.
BUt here, it may be objected; ThatObject. one thing ſhould be three without multiplication implies a contradiction.
I anſwer; In finite things it doth:Sol. but God is infinite, and ſo is not capable of number or parts, and of multiplication: we ſee the nature of man is multiplied according to the multiplication of men, becauſe 'tis finite, and ſo plurificabilis; but the Deity is infinite, and ſo not multiplicabilis.
There are two reaſons given, why, though there be three Perſons, yet there is but one God.
Becauſe there is but one infinite NatureReaſ. 1. in the three Perſons.
Becauſe theſe three Perſons are altogetherReaſ. 2. inſeparable. You will ſay perhaps, there is but one humane nature in all men: but here lies the difference; though there is but one humanenature in men, yet men are ſeparated from each other, but the three Perſons in the holy Trinity, as they have but one infinite nature, ſo they are altogether inſeparable.
CHAP. VI.
THis ſhould teach us to hate thatƲſe 1. abominable Idolatry of ſuch as make a repreſentative Image of the Trinity: Such an Idol is nothing; it cannot poſſibly repreſent God, becauſe he is inviſible, and he is infinite; no man can make a repreſentation of Him; 'tis horribly unlawful, becauſe expreſly forbidden in the ſecond Commandment: beſides, it is an infinite wrong to our infinite God, that ſinful Man ſhould offer to repreſent his infinite nature, within the narrow compaſs of a Picture or Statue.
Here we may admire the infiniteUſe 2. Love of God to Mankind, in that the glorious Trinity from Eternity delighted in themſelves, & glorified each other; ſo they could have done to Eternity, without Men or Angels: God the Father delighted with infinite joy in God the Son, and God the Holy Ghoſt; they all delighted in each, and each in all: Yet ſuch is the condeſcenſion of this Glorious Trin…ty, that he hath ſet his infinite and unchangeable love upon us, and his delight is with the Children of Men.
The Love of the Trinity appeareth in two ſpecial things.
1. The Love of the Father, the firſt Perſon in the Trinity, appeareth, in that he is become our Almighty and Eternal Father in Chriſt. He could have reſt ſatisfied in his onelyonly begotten Son J…ſus Chriſt: Yet behold his love! he ſaith to all Believers, Ye are all my beloved in Chriſt; I am well pleaſed with you in my onelyonly beloved Son.
2. The Love of God the Son appeareth in theſe three things. 1. In that being equal with God, very God would become very Man, by his aſſumption of our nature, like unto us in all things, ſin onelyonly excepted, for our ſalvation. 2. In that he is our Almighty and Eternal Saviour, to ſave us from the eternal wrath of God to come. 3. In that being the onelyonly begotten Son of God, he is contented to have us the ſons of God; and being the Heir of all things, to have us to be Co-heirs with him. Magna benevolentia Bernard.eſt, Unicus natus eſt, & noluit manere unus, ſaith Bernard. He goes to his Father in this manner; Father, I, that am thine onelyonly begotten Son, am contented to be made the ſon of Man, that the ſons of men may become the ſons of God.
3. The Love of the Holy Ghoſt appeareth, in that he is become our ſanctifier, the Almighty and Eternal Comforter of all the godly: What comfort ſhall or can they want, who have an infinite Comforter?
Their Love alſo appeareth in their joynt-actions in two things.
1. In that they will make all Believers one with them, according to the Prayer of our Saviour for all the Faithful, Joh. 17. 21. That they all may be one, as thou, O Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they alſo may be one in us; and the glory which thou gaveſt me, I have given them, that they may be one, even as we are one; I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one. Verſ. 22, 23. That they may be one in the participation of glory and happineſs with the Trinity: the glorious Trinity do pour forth all good things upon the Elect; he excepteth not his own glory and happineſ and the happineſs of God the Father, is the fruition of God the Son and Holy Ghoſt: So ſhall the happineſs of all believers be the full Viſion and Fruition of this glorious God, they ſhall delight in God to all Eternity.
2. In that this glorious Trinity will be the reward of all them that diligently ſee God; What he ſaid to Abraham, he ſaith to every Child of his, I am your ſhield, and your exceeding great reward. For the preſent, the Almighty Trinity is a Shield to protect, defend, ſave, comfort; and hereafter the glorious Trinity will be their infinite and eternal Reward.
CHAP. VII.
BEhold here the incomparable andUſe 3. unconceiveable happineſs and priviledge of Believers, how mean, deſpicable, and troubleſome ſoever their condition in the world be. Every Believer hath an eternal intereſt in this glorious Trinity. The Eternal Father is their Eternal Father, and he will ſhew forth his Almighty Power to ſave, protect, and defend them, and w…ll bleſs them with all good: the Eternal Son is their Eternal Saviour, Brother and Co-heir: the Eternal Spirit is their Eternal Comforter and Sanctifier. This glorious Trinity do put forth their Eternal Attributes to work their eternal good: the infinite Power, the infinite Mercy, the infinite Wiſdom, the infinite Goodneſs of this glorious Trinity, worketh their good; and they ſhall be all happy, if theſe three glorious Perſons can make them ſo.
It was the anſwer of David to Saul's ſervants, Is it a ſmall thing to be ſon in law to a King? Implying it to be an high honour and dignity to be the ſon of a King: the ſame may be ſpoken of every Believer; 'tis no ſmall hononr and dignity for ſuch poor creatures as Believers are, to be the Sons of God the Father, Brethren and Coheirs with the Eternal Son of God, and to have the infinite bleſſed Spirit to be their Comforter.
Take heed then, O ye wicked of the earth, how ye do harm the Saints of God; their Father, their Saviour, their Comforter, will judge and avenge their wrongs: you cannot long wrong and oppreſs them, becauſe God is their Father; Sin and Devils cannot damn them, becauſe the Eternal Son of God is their Saviour; you ſee they can rejoyce in tribulation, becauſe the Holy Ghoſt is their Comforter.
Seeing theſe glorious Perſons doUſe 4. delight in, and love each other, and glorifie one another; let it admoniſh us, that do profeſs three Perſons and one God, to give all honour and worſhip to this Trinity in unity; to put all our delight in glorifying this one God, with one mind and heart, and with all our hearts and ſouls. If God the Father be called Father by you, then hear what the Apoſtle exhorts you to; ſee that you paſs the time of your ſoj…urning here in fear; he is an holy Father, be ye holy, as he is holy: If you call the Eternal Son of God your brother, your Saviour, then ſtrive after a conformity to his Image: if you call the Spirit of God your comforter, then take heed of grieving your comforter, by quenching and rebelling againſt his bleſſed motions: let your hearts be for God, let him have all your love, your deſires, your eſteem, and reſt fully ſatisfied in him.
From the whole verſe thus explained; we may draw two conſiderable uſes.
1. We may behold a ſtrong groundUſe. of confidence and faith in Chriſt, we have it in that this glorious Trinity with one conſent bare this record, that in Chriſt the ſon of God is life eternal: God the Father teſtifies this to all, that life eternal is from his Son: God the Son gives the ſame teſtimony, I Am the life, and whoſoever believeth on me, hath life eternal: And God the Holy Ghoſt gives this teſtimony; therefore you that look for life eternal, receive Chriſt, for in him eternal life is found; and you may be aſſured of it, the glorious Trinity hath ſpoken the word, therefore be confident.
2. It ſheweth to us the horrid nature of the ſin of unbelief, not only in that it is a full rejection of whole Chriſt, but alſo it make's the glorious Trinity a liar. 1 John 5. 10. God hath given this Teſtimony that pardon of Sin, righteouſneſs, Life Eternal is in Jeſus Chriſt, if thou believeſt not, doſt thou not make God a liar?