A Stock of Divine Knowledge, Chapter 25
OF GOD THE FATHER. CHAP. XXV.
HEB. 1.6. Thou art my Sonne, this day, &c.
IN the next place it followes, that we ſpeake of every one of the perſons in their order: and the firſt is the Father, this text that I have read, gives ground to ſpeake of him, concerning whom, the firſt Queſtion principally to be handled is this; namely:
Queſt, What is the Father?
Anſw. He is the firſt perſon in order, not in time; begetting the Sonne, creating the world: the thing that is deſcribed, is the Father: This word (Father) is applied to God in Scriptures two waies. Firſt, Eſſentially. Secondly, Perſonally. Eſſentially, in the firſt place; that is, when divine things, are oppoſed to humane; eternall, to earthly; God to the creature: and Father in this ſenſe, is not applied to the firſt perſon in Trinity, but to the whole Eſſence: and this is that which Chriſt taught us, Matth. 6. Our Father which art in heaven: Father, there belongs to all. Mal. 2.10. We have all one Father; and in this reſpect the Sonne is called Father; Iſai. 9.6. Father of eternity: Heb. 2.13. Here I am, and the children that thou haſt given me: ſpeaking of Chriſt, and thoſe that were begotten by his word: and in this reſpect, the holy Ghoſt may have the name of Father, given to him: becauſe it is he that begets us againe, in which reſpect it is, that God is called Father, by creation, and Adoption.
Secondly, the Father is to be taken perſonally, and that is with reference to the Sonne, and not to the creature: and ſo in this deſcription, Father is to be applied to the fitſt perſon; as appears by that which I have read. The next thing, I ſay, he is a perſon; the Eſſence is common to them all: but the diſtinction is three fold: by his order, and by his properties, and by his workes. Firſt, order, I ſay, the Father is firſt in order, not in time; becauſe the Son is coeternall with him, he not before him: Iohn 1.1. In the beginning ginning, (when other things began) there was the word with God. Prov. 8.22. He poſſeſſed me, in the beginning of his waies: a place ſo manifeſt of the Sonne of God, as Arrius, the grand enemy could not deny it; where he ſaith, I was with him before the world was: and thus the Prophet Micha 5.2. hath it, ſpeaking of Chriſt, His goings forth have been of old, from everlaſting: there is mention, of two goings forth: one in time, and that is, as he was man, his incarnation. Secondly, another from everlaſting; and this was his begetting, of God from everlaſting and ſo the Father was not before him, in time: Heb. 9.14. He is called the eternall ſpirit: a place commonly underſtood, of the divine nature of Chriſt: ſo that by all this it appeares, he was before him, in order; not in time. The next thing is his property; begetting his Sonne, included in the name Father; the Father is unbegotten, and begets the Sonne; the Son is begotten, becauſe he hath a beginning of his perſon, from the Father: as Saint Baſil obſerves; the Father hath his foundation within himſelfe; we may beleeve the reaſon, becauſe that never any Heretique denied it; now he begat his Son, I ſhewed you it before: Pſal. 2.2. Thou art may Son this day &c. and ſo heer, unto which of the Angels, did he ſay, thou art my Sonne, this day have I begotten thee? and therefore he is called the onelyonly begotten Son: Iohn 1.14. We ſaw his glory, as the glory of the onelyonly begotten Sonne of God: therefore he is called the firſt begotten: Col. 1.15. If any aske me,
Queſt. How begat he him?
Anſ. I anſwer, I know not; no tongue can expreſſe, no heart can imagine, God hath not revealed it: that he did beget his Son, that is revealed; but the manner how, he hath not revealed: yet this we are ſure of; in the negative, we may underſtand how he was not begotten; every thing that is applied to God, being purged, and freed from corruption, and made perfect, is applied to him; therefore in generall, with men, there is imperfection, that the Father ſhould be before the ſon in time, this is imperfect; that the Father ſhould beget, a ſon out of himſelf, is imperfect; this is imperfect, for a father to beget a ſon by motion, and corruption, this is imperfect: but it is perfection, to beget him without motion: this is imperfection, for a father to beget a ſon with part of his Eſſence, but this is perfection to beget him without difference in Eſſence: here the Father, and the Son, are both at one time; the Father begets him, in himſelf, not of himſelf: thus much for the ſecond diſtinction of the roperty.
The third diſtinction from the worke, or manner of working, creating the world; of this we need no further proofe: it is enough that we beleeve in God, the Father almighty, &c. where Father is diſtinguiſhed by his power: that as his Sonne hath the worke of redemption; the holy Ghoſt of ſanctification; ſo the Father of creation: then I ſay, it is manifeſt, that the Father created the world, begetting his Son in himſelfe, of the ſame ſubſtance with himſelfe, creating the world out of himſelfe, of an unlike ſubſtance to himſelfe, being every way divers &c. This ſhall ſuffice for the opening of this diſtinction.
Queſt. Why is he firſt in order, and not in time?
Anſw. Becauſe he is the eternall Father; therefore he muſt have an eternall ſonne, and ſpirit, an eternall wiſdome, and power.
Firſt he is an eternall Father; therefore he muſt have an eternall Sonne: for Father, and Sonne, are relatives, one gives the being, to the other: Husband, and wife, are relatives: Kings, and Subjects, are relatives: Kings give a being to the ſubjects; ſo in this, Father, and Sonne are relatives: no Father, without a Sonne, and no Son without a Father; and no ſooner a father, then a ſonne: if a man be a father, he he muſt be elder then his ſonne; but God cannot be a Father elder then his Sonne: therefore as Father, and Son, they are of the ſame age; as it were the ſame day, the ſame houre, as I may ſo ſpeake, they are coeternall, and therefore both of the ſame time: Saint Baſil ſaith, how ſhall not he be from the beginning, that had nothing before him, but himſelfe, from whom he had his beginning? In the next place, becauſe he is an eternall God, and hath an eternall wiſdome: no God without his wiſdome; deny wiſdome, and deny the Sonne: ſo Prov. 8. He is called the wiſdome of his Father. 23. verſe, he ſaith, I was before his workes, before all creatures whatſoever: he and his wiſdome, were never ſeparated; therefore it followes, that he muſt needs be an eternall Sonne: hereupon is it, that which Solomon calls the wiſdome of God: Saint Iohn calls the word of God, in the beginning was the word: therefore he muſt be an eternall perſon.
Thirdly, the eternall God, muſt have eternall power, for God without power is nothing: ſo Luke 1.35. The holy Ghoſt ſhall come upon thee, and the power of the moſt high, ſhall overſhadow thee: where God is not without his power; then we conclude, that ſeeing he is an eternall Father, he muſt have an eternall Son, and ſpirit: and the eternall God, muſt have eternall wiſdome, & power, therefore he is put firſt in order.
Queſt. How is he diſtinguiſhed by begetting?
Anſw. By communicating his whole Eſſence from all eternity: the Sonne is begotten; how? by receiving his whole Eſſence from his Father: The Father begetting the Sonne, by communicating his Eſſence; but how gives he to him, his whole Eſſence? not by alienation, but by communication: we thus open it; he gave him his whole Eſſence, becauſe the whole Eſſence of God, is ſo ſimple, that it cannot be divided; if it were divided, it were the overthrowing of the whole Eſſence; therefore when he communicates, he communicates not a part, but the whole; and when he communicates, he doth it not by alienation, for then it ſhould ceaſe in him that gave it; but it doth not ceaſe ſo, but by communication it is ſo given; that abides his ſtill, though he communicates it to the Sonne; one teſtimony for many, Collo. 2.9. In him dwelleth the Godhead bodily. For in this Generation, there is no diviſion, nor tranſmutation, and yet there is a true multiplication of perſons, but not of the Eſſence; that never divides.
Qu. The third thing, how is he diſtinguiſhed by the work of creation?
Anſw. Not by working, but by the manner of working; becauſe the Father creates by the Son, and by the holy Ghoſt: the work is common to all, for all create, but the maner is different: you heard the reaſon before; theſe cannot be divided; but the Father begins the worke, and executes it by them, and the reaſon is becauſe the Father, hath his beginning of his perſon himſelfe; and the Sonne, and the holy Ghoſt, receive it from the Father; therefore it is the Father creates by them; and is diſtinguiſhed from them, not in the matter wrought, but in the manner of working: and thus I have opened this Doctrine.
Vſe 1. This teaches us, how we ought to beleeve concerning the Father: namely, that he is thus diſtinguiſhed in order not in time: if any man ſhould have a thought, & nouriſh it, that the Father ſhould be before the Son, or ſpirit, in time, he doth not only overthrow the Trinity, as much as in him is, but the Deity: S. Ambroſe ſaith, if the Father had beginning before the Son, then he was God firſt, and Father afterwards, that cannot be; God turne this thought from our hearts, ſaith he: tell me then, how doſt thou beleeve, that he is the immutable God? if he be ſo, (how can this ſtand?) there is a mutation, by this acceſſion of Father, there is a change: how is he without change? if a God firſt, then a Father: God turne ſuch conceits from us; it may well be with men, he is a man now, and father ſome yeares after, for he is ſubject to change; but bring the nature of God to a change, and thou overthroweſt the nature of God; therefore we muſt beware of this: thus we are to beleeve, that the eternall Father, is with the Sonne; and the eternall Son, with the Father: he that will worſhip God aright, let him joine theſe two together, that the Diety hath joined together; beware you ſeparate none of theſe. It is true, we are to hold it, after a divine manner; not to judge of it, by a humane generation; as that the Father, muſt be elder then the Sonne, we are not to judge after this manner, for this is the ground of errors: againe, if the Father beget his Sonne, then he is divided; we hold no ſuch thing, he did not beget him in time, and if they will follow humane generations, then the Father muſt have another ſexe, to beget him upon; and if you will have it, as in humane generations, then the mother muſt have a wombe to carry the Son, nine or ten monthes: if theſe be abſurdities; why would you tie us to this, contrary to the word? this we are to hold, and to looke to that which is revealed; and to goe no further: we conclude this uſe, with a ſpeech of Saint Ambroſe: it is impoſſible ſaith the father, for me to know, the ſecrets of this generation; he ſaith well, for we may not ſearch into theſe ſecret, and high myſteries; it is ſuch a thing, that when I thinke of it, my minde failes me, I know not how to utter it: Phil. 4. the Apoſtle ſaith, The peace of God which paſſeth all underſtanding. How much more this, the Father begetting the Son? clap thine hand upon thy mouth, and admire at theſe things! thou knoweſt he did it, but thou muſt not ſearch how it was, he did it; let us reſt with that which God hath revealed that we may not fall into error.
Vſe 2. Secondly, this commends the great love of God to man; that when he had a Sonne, a naturall Sonne, begotten in, and of himſelfe, yet he would adopt other ſonnes, to be heires of the ſame glory with this Sonne; this is great love. It is the love in men, that if a man be childeleſſe, and have not a ſon, he adopts a ſtranger; this is accounted great love, that he will adopt anothers ſonne, and make him his own; but when a man hath a ſonne, then to adopt, and then to take an others, it will be accounted exceeding love: many men, when they have a naturall ſonne, deſire to have no more; ſome men have many ſonnes, and deſires to make the eldeſt great, the eldeſt ſhall have all, and the yonger nothing (God made another law, but we forget nature and law too, this by the way:) but if parents love be ſuch, Gods is much more; that when he had a naturall Sonne, he adopted many to be heires with him, Rom. 8.17. Iacob ſet forth this love to Ioſeph, that when he had twelve ſonnes, yet notwithſtanding he loved Ephraim and Manaſſes, the ſonnes of Ioſeph; he would adopt them, that they ſhould be the heires of the land of promiſe; and yet there was ſome reaſon; but ſee, here is greater love in God, when he had but one Sonne, he was content to adopt enemies to make them ſonnes, that they might be heires together with him, of the ſame heavenly inheritance.
Object, Some may ſay, you talke ſo much of Gods love to others, that you leſſon his love to Chriſt; ſurely the world will ſay, he loves him not, that he makes other heires with him.
Anſ. I anſwer, the great Emperours of the world cannot make a diviſion of their Empires, but they muſt leſſen them; but ſuch is the riches of God, that this Sonne ſhall not have the leſſe for diviſions: for as Saint Auguſtin ſpeakes of the Sunne; the Sun (ſaith he) God hath ſo created, that it may enlighten many men, and ſo every man hath abundance of the light of it, and yet the Sunne hath nothing the leſſe it ſelfe: ſo God can communicate his celeſtiall glory, and heavenly kingdome to all his ſonnes; he can make them all kings, and ſonnes, and heires, and fellow heires with Chriſt; ſo that man ſhall have enough, and he not the leſſe, for there is no dividing.
Vſe 3. Againe, this teaches us, Hath he begotten the Sonne? hath he an onelyonly begotten Sonne? we remember (ſaith Saint Ambroſe) the firſt begotten, becauſe there was none before him; and the onelyonly begotten, becauſe there was none after him; he was his owne and onelyonly Sonne, What Uſe make you of this? This: Conſider of the Juſtice of God, and the great ſtrictneſſe of juſtice, that he had but one Sonne, and he voluntarily tooke our nature upon him, and alſo tooke our ſinnes, to ſtand in our roomes, to anſwer for our ſinnes; yea, that this naturall Sonne, this onelyonly Sonne intreated his Father, that if it were poſsible this cup might paſſe from him: yet notwithſtanding, he would have him drinke of it for the ſatisfying for our ſinnes: this would be counted great ſeverity with an earthly King, if his ſonne ſhould tranſgreſſe, to cut him off; but when he had not committed any thing, to cut him off for others offences, it would be counted great injuſtice. If ſo be it was an evidence of ſtrictneſſe of juſtice, which ſtories ſpeake of heathen men, that an Emperour, when his ſonne had offended the Law, and both his eyes were to be put out, put out one of his owne eyes, and one of his ſonnes, to ſatiſfie the law: 1 Sam. 14.29. Or that of Saul, he that hath done this, ſhall dye, though it be Ionathan my ſonne: how then doth this argue a great ſtrictneſſe, and love of juſtice, ſeeing there is one, that for our ſinnes, though he was Gods naturall Sonne, was given to death of his Father? What of this? Marke here the love, and juſtice of God, that he hath ſhewed toward men; who, that he might ſpare them, would have his juſtice ſatisfied by his owne Sonne; and though he intreated him, yet he would not heare him: know hence, and ſee the ſeverity of God to ſinners, and the mercy of God to us: therefore let us make more conſcience of ſinne; let us ſee the fearefull condition of thoſe that reape no benefit of Chriſts ſatiſfaction.
This ſerves to ſtrike terrour and fear into the hearts of Gods owne children; for if they ſinne, they are ſubject to the hand of God, till they repent; for if we be wanton and careleſſe, he will not ſpare his owne adopted ſonnes, that ſpared not his naturall Son; therefore labour to know him, and ſerve him, and we ſhall have eternall life hereafter.