A Cure for the Cankering Error of the New Eutychians, Chapter 8
CHAP. VIII. Containing a brief Repetition of the preſent Diſcourſe concerning the glorious Trinity and Perſon of Chriſt.
NOw becauſe I would, if poſſibly I could, remove all doubtings about the Holy Trinity, concerning their being three Perſons, and one God; I will further add to what I have ſaid, ſome Arguments to prove that they are all three God by Nature: that ſo I might ſatisfie ſome, who muſt and will have their reaſon ſatisfied, or elſe they will not believe it. And becauſe all the Opinions that I oppoſe in this Treatiſe (as aforeſaid), ſeems to grant the Father of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt to be God by Nature, Gal. 4.4. I will therefore take it pro confeſſo, and reaſon with them by an Argumentum ad hominum. And, firſt, for the better underſtanding of the honeſt and ſimple-hearted, which peradventure may conſcionably doubt whether the Son, and Holy Ghoſt, be God equal with the Father; becauſe of the late oppoſition that is made againſt it by the maintainers of the aforeſaid Opinions. I ſay, I will go in this plain method, and make a compariſon betwixt the Father and the Son, viz. as he is the Eternal Word, Joh. 1.1. in ſeveral things that I find in Scripture concerning them: and then I will apply theſe to the Holy Ghoſt alſo, as you may ſee if you will, for I hope you are not obſtinate.
Firſt Propoſition. The Father is a Spirit by Nature, Joh. 4.24. therefore God. Parallel to this the Son is a Spirit by Nature, therefore God. Proof from God's Word, 2 Cor. 3.17.
Propoſ. 2. The Father is immutable, therefore God. Parallel to this, the Son is immutable, therefore God: proof from God's Word, Heb. 1.12.
Prop. 3. The Father is inviſible and immutable; therefore God. Parallel to this, the Son is inviſible and immutable; therefore God. Proof from Gods Word, 1 Tim. 6.16.
Prop. 4. The Father is everywhere preſent with his People; therefore God. Parallel to this, the Son is everywhere preſent with his People; therefore God. Proof from God's Word, Matth. 18.20.
Prop. 5. The Father is full of underſtanding; therefore God. Parallel to this, the Son is full of underſtanding; therefore God. Proof from God's Word, 1 Cor. 1.30. Joh. 10.30.
Prop. 6. The Father is Eternal; therefore God. Parallel to this, the Son is Eternal; therefore God. Proof from God's Word, Rev. 1.8, 11.
Prop. 7. The Father is the Maker of all things; therefore God. Parallel to this the Son is the Maker of all things; therefore God. Proof from God's Word, Col. 1.16.
Prop. 8. The Father governeth all things; therefore God. Parallel to this, the Son governeth all things; therefore God. Proof from God's Word; Joh. 5.17.
Prop. 9. The Father knoweth all things; therefore God. Parallel to this, the Son knoweth all things; therefore God. Proof from God's Word, Matth. 9.4. Joh. 2.25.
Prop. 10. The Father forgiveth ſins; therefore God. Parallel to this, the Son forgiveth ſins; therefore God. Proof from God's Word, Mark 2.10. Luk. 7.49.
Prop. 11. The Father is to be prayed unto; therefore God. Parallel to this, the Son is to be prayed unto; therefore God. Proof from God's Word, Acts 7.50. & 9.6. Rom. 10.13.
Prop. 12. The Father giveth what gifts he pleaſeth; therefore God. Parallel to this, the Son giveth what gifts he pleaſeth; therefore God. Proof from God's Word, Eph. 4.8.
Prop. 13. The Father is Almighty; therefore God. Parallel to this, the Son is Almighty; therefore God. Proof from God's Word, Rev. 1.8. & 15. 3, 4.
Now to whomſoever all theſe things may be rightly applyed, he is God by Nature; but unto the Son, as well as unto the Father, may all theſe things be rightly applyed: therefore the Son is God by Nature, Joh. 10.30.
Now all theſe may be applyed to the Holy Ghoſt alſo.
Propoſition 1. The Father is a Spirit; by Nature, and not by Creation; therefore God. Even ſo alſo is the Holy Ghoſt; therefore God. Joh. 14, 16 Chapters.
Prop. 2. The Father is Immutable; therefore God. Even ſo is the Holy Ghoſt; therefore God. Joh. 14.16.
Prop. 3. The Father is Immutable and Inviſible; therefore God. Even ſo is the Holy Ghoſt; therefore God. Joh. 14, 15.
Prop 4. The Father is everywhere preſent; therefore God. Even ſo is the Holy Ghoſt; therefore God. Pſal. 139.7.
Prop 5. The Father is Eternal; therefore God. Even ſo is the Holy Ghoſt; therefore God. Gen. 1.2.
Prop. 6. The Father is the Maker of all things; therefore God. Even ſo is the Holy Ghoſt; therefore God. Job 26.13. & 33.4. Pſal. 36.5.
Prop. 7. The Father governeth the Church; therefore God. Even ſo doth the Holy Ghoſt; therefore God. Iſa. 63.11. Acts 13.2. & 8.26.
Prop. 8. The Father knoweth all things; therefore God. Even ſo doth the Holy Ghoſt; therefore God. 1 Cor. 2.10.
Prop. 9. The Father doth forgive ſins; therefore God. Even ſo doth the Holy Ghoſt; therefore God. Mat. 28.19, 20.
Prop. 10. We may and ought to be baptized in the Name of the Father; therefore he is God. Even ſo we may and ought to be baptized in the Name of the Holy Ghoſt; therefore he is God. Matth. 28.19, 20.
Prop. 11. The Father giveth what ſpiritual gifts he pleaſeth to the Church; therefore he is God. Even ſo doth the Holy Ghoſt; therefore he is God. 1 Cor. 12.
Prop. 12. The Father ſendeth whom he will to preach the Goſpel; therefore he is God. Even ſo doth the Holy Ghoſt; therefore he is God. Acts 18.2.
Prop. 13. The Father raiſeth men from the dead; therefore he is God. Even ſo doth the Holy Ghoſt; therefore he is God. Rom. 8.11.
Now to whomſoever all theſe things may rightly be applyed, he is God by Nature: But to the Holy Ghoſt, as well as to the Father, may all theſe things be rightly applyed; therefore the Holy Ghoſt is God by Nature.
Now of that which hath been ſaid, concerning Chriſt's Divine Nature, this is the ſum. For I have endeavoured in this Treatiſe, to ſhew you in twenty Particulars, that Chriſt is God by Nature. And here I will repeat them all for your memory-ſake. The firſt is his Eternity. 2. His Simplicity. 3. His Immutability. 4. His Inviſibility. 5. His Immenſity. 6. His Infiniteneſs. 7. His Omnipotency. 8. His Wiſdom. 9. His Goodneſs. 10. His Love. 11. His Grace. 12. His Mercy. 13. His Long-ſuffering. 14. His Holineſs. 15. His Juſtice. 16. His Faithfulneſs. 17. His Truth. 18. His Omniſciency. 19. His Omnipreſence. 20. His Providence over all his Creatures. All theſe twenty Properties and Attributes, belong to God only. But all theſe belong to Chriſt as he is Davids Lord; therefore Chriſt, as he is Davids Lord, is God by Nature, who is God over all bleſſed for ever, Amen. Rom. 9.5, &c.
And now I will briefly ſhew you how he is Davids Son according to the fleſh (as I have ſaid before.) Firſt, He had the ſubſtance of a true Body, and reaſonable Soul. 2. The Properties of Body and Soul; in the body, length, breadth, and thickneſs, and circumſcription. And in the Soul, the faculties of underſtanding both ſimple, and compound, as Will, Affection, Love, Hatred, Deſire, Joy, Fear, &c. The Powers alſo of Hearing, Feeling, Seeing, Smelling, Taſting; Moving, Growing, Eating, Sleeping, &c. 3dly, He took unto himſelf the blameleſs infirmities of mans Nature, which are certain natural defects in man, as Paſſions of Body and Mind, as to be Hungry, Thirſty, Weary, Sad, Sorrowful, and Ignorant of ſome things, and Angry; alſo, to increaſe in Stature, Wiſdom, Knowledge, &c. So that as the holy Ghoſt ſaith, We ſee by theſe things, that he was made like unto his brethren in all things; yea & in all points tempted like as we are, yet without ſin, Heb. 2.17. & 4.15.
Now ſith the Scriptures do affirm all theſe things to belong properly and truly to Chriſt, as he is Davids Son and Offſpring, then muſt he needs be Man by Nature. For unto no Creature neither in Heaven nor in Earth, doth the Holy Ghoſt apply all theſe things properly and literally, but to man only, &c. If he do, ſhew me an inſtance, for as yet I know none: and therefore why you ſhould ſo much as once doubt whether he took our Nature, (viz. the fleſh of Mary) ſith the Scripture affirms it ſo plainly again, and again, I cannot imagine. But when I do not only hear you ſay you doubt, but confidently deny that ever he took any fleſh of the Virgin Mary. This makes me to ſtand and admire, and with St. Paul ſay, Who hath bewitched you, that you ſhould deny ſo many plain and evident proofs; can any Article of the Chriſtian Faith be more plainly proved than this is? ſurely no.
Now if I did not think that the Devil had bewitched many, and that Pride, falſe Opinions, and Self-love had blinded mens underſtandings,See Mr. Greenham about the Family of Love, pag. 803. I could not believe any judicious man that believes the Scriptures to be true, if he will but now ſit down in humility, and ſeriouſly conſider what hath here been ſaid from them, to prove that Chriſt is God by Nature, and alſo Man by Nature, can ſtill remain doubting and unbelieving. But if he be one that was once inlightned into this Truth, and alſo profeſſed it with us, and was baptized into this Faith, and yet did not receive it in the love of it; and after all this advice, which now and at other times, hath been uſed, by my ſelf and others, to them; I ſay, if they ſhall ſtill oppoſe this Truth, then what can I think; but that if they do not ſpeedily repent of this their dangerous Opinion, of denying the Lord that bought them, 2. Pet. 2.2. then that which is written in 2 Theſſ. 2.11. will come upon them. But that it may never be ſo, is and ſhall be the Prayer of your very good friend, which loves your Perſons but not your Principles, (though haply not ſo eſteemed of you) that God would give you Repentance to the acknowledging of the Truth, that you may recover your ſelves out of the ſnare of the Devil, who hath taken ſome of you captive at his will.