The Sum of Christian Religion, Catechism · Part 2 · covenant · Question 25 · Commentary · Subsection 4
4. What theſe names, Eſſence, Perſon, and Trinity ſignifie, and how they differ.
The explication of theſe words ſerve much for the underſtanding of the unconceivable myſtery of the Trinity; and therefore is it not to be read with a running eye.ESſence, in Greek foreign, as it is uſed in this doctrine for ſubstance, is a thing ſubſiſting by it ſelf (that is, a thing having a proper being, not ſuſtained in another) although it be communicated to moe. That is ſaid to be communicable, or communicated which is common, or may be made common to moe: that is ſaid to be incommunicable which is not in moe, neither can be affirmed of moe. Mans eſſence is communicable, and common to many men; but this eſſence is in generall common, not in particular, and in number: that is, the nature and eſſence of all men is in generall one, but not one in number; for every man hath his eſſence diſtinct from others, neither are all one man, but many men. But the eſſence of God is communicable in particular: becauſe the ſelfe ſame Deity in number, and that whole and entire, is common to the three perſons, and is the ſubſtance of the three perſons; and therefore the three perſons are that one God who created all things, not three Gods.
What a Perſon is.A perſon is a thing ſubſiſting, individuall, living, underſtanding, incommunicable, not ſuſtained in another, neither part of another.
Subſisting) By which word is ſignified, that it is not an accident, cogitation, decree, vaniſhing ſound, or any created quality or motion.
Individuall.) Not any generall: but a particular one in number; and therefore individuall, and called individuall.
Living.) No inanimate thing which hath no life, as a ſtone.
Underſtanding.) Not a thing which hath ſenſe only, as are brute beaſts, who are things living and ſenſible, but not underſtanding; and therefore are no perſons.
Incommunicable.) Not the divine eſſence, which is common to three: not the ſubſtance of mans nature, or any other thing created, which is communicated to the thing begotten thereof, or thence derived: But a perſon cannot be communicated.
Not ſuſtained in another.) Not the humane nature of Chriſt: for this though it be ſubſiſting, individuall underſtanding, incommunicable; yet is it no perſon, becauſe it is perſonally ſuſtained of the Word; that is, ſo, that it together with the Word, is the ſubſtance of one Chriſt, and, except it were ſubſiſting in the Word, ſhould not at all be.
Neither part of another.) Not the ſoule of man, which though it be ſubſiſting by it ſelf, intelligent, and not ſuſtained by another, yet is it no perſon, becauſe, as long as it is contained in the body, it is part of man.
What difference between Eſſence and Perſon.Hence appeareth the difference which is between the eſſence of God, and the perſons of the divine eſſence. In the Church by the name of eſſence is underſtood that which God the eternall Father, and Son, and holy Ghoſt each of them are in themſelves abſolutely, and is common to the three. By the name of Perſon is ſignified that which each of theſe three are reſpectively, or being compared one to the other: or is that very being of God conſidered reſpectively to one and another; and diſtinct by a proper and peculiar manner of being and ſubſiſting from the others. In a word, Eſſence is the very being of God; or the very eternall, and one only Deity: Perſon is the manner, after which that being or eſſence of God is in each of theſe three, or the proper and ſeverall manners of each of their beings. Wherefore in number there is one and the ſame being or eſſence in God, that is, in each of theſe three who are God: but it is after a diverſe manner in God. God the Father is that Being, of himſelf, not from another. The Sonne alſo is the ſelfe ſame Beeing or Eſſence, not from himſelfe, but from the Father. The Holy Ghost likewiſe is the ſelfe ſame divine Beeing which the Father is and the Sonne; not from himſelfe, but from the Father and the Sonne. So then the Beeing or divine Eſſence of theſe three is one and the ſame in number:Juſtin. foreign that is to …ay, One being, but three manners of being. but to be, that is, to have this one divine Eſſence from himſelfe, or to have it communicated unto him from another, whether from one, or from two, noteth, and is the manner of ſubſiſting: which manner is threefold, each ſeverally diſtinct; to wit, To be from himſefe. To be begotten of another. To proceed from others: whence ariſe the three Perſons, which are ſignified by the name of the Trinity.
The ſumme of the difference between theſe two, Eſſence, and Perſon, is: The eſſence is abſolute and communicable; the perſon reſpective and incommunicable. This may be made more manifeſt by exemplifying in a man: It is one thing to be a man, another thing to be a father or a ſon; and yet one and the ſame is both a man and a father: but he is a man abſolutely, or in himſelf, or according to his own nature; he is a father to another, or in reſpect of another namely, of his ſon. Semblably, it is one thing to be God, another thing to be the Father, or Son, or holy Ghoſt; and yet one and the ſame is both God and Father; God in reſpect of himſelf or his own nature, Father in reſpect of his Son. Again, The eſſence of a man who begetteth another, is communicated to him who is begot; but the perſon or individuall is not communicated: for the begetter bringeth forth not himſelf, but another diſtinct from himſelf, the ſame eſſence notwithſtanding being communicated unto him; and no relative is his correlative, or any part thereof: Therefore the ſon is not the father, nor the father the ſon, although both be true man. So in like ſort, the eternall Father hath by eternall generating communicated to the Son his eſſence, but not his perſon; that is, he begot not the Father, but the Son: neither is the Father the Son, or the Son the Father; albeit each is true God.God & man communicate both their eſſences to another, but their man…r of communicating is moſt different, and is much to be obſerved. Now although this be like in God and man, that both do communicate to another not his perſon, but his eſſence: yet is there an exceeding diſſimilitude in the manner whereby the divine eſſence being infinite, and the humane being created and finite, is communicated to another; which diſſimilitude is diligently to be obſerved: For, 1. In men, in the father and the ſon the eſſence is as distinct as the perſons themſelves; the father and the ſon are not only two perſons, but alſo two men diſtinct in eſſences; ſo that the father is not that man which is the ſon: But in God the perſons are ſo diſtinct, that yet the eſſence remaineth common one and the ſame; and therefore there are not three Gods, but the Son is the ſame God in number which is the Father and the Son. 2. In perſons created, hee that begetteth and generateth doth not communicate his whole eſſence to him that is begotten, (for then he ſhould ceaſe to be a man;) but onelyonly a part, which being allotted and ſevered out of the eſſence of him that begetteth, is conveyed or derived into him that is begotten, and is made the eſſence of another individuall or perſon, diſtinct from the eſſence of the individuall who begetteth: But in uncreated perſons, hee that begetteth or inſpireth communicateth his whole eſſence to him that is begotten, or proceedeth, or is inſpired; yet ſo, that hee who communicateth doth retain the ſame, and that whole. The reaſon of both differences is, that the eſſence of man, as alſo of other creatures, is finite and diviſible; but the Deity (or eſſence of God the Creatour) is infinite and indiviſible: and therefore the Deity may, being the ſame, and whole, or entire, be together both communicated and retained. Wherefore the eternall Father, and Son, and holy Ghoſt are that one true God: and yet the Father is not the Son, or the holy Ghoſt; neither is the holy Ghoſt the Son: that is, they are one God; not three Gods, but three perſons ſubſiſting in one God.
Why the difference of Eſſence and Perſon is to be held.This difference of eſſence and perſon is therefore to be obſerved and held, leſt, 1. The unity of the true God be diſtracted: or, 2. The diſtinction of the perſons be taken away: or, 3. Another thing be underſtood by the name of Perſon then the truth of Gods word declareth. Therefore theſe cautions are diligently to be regarded: Perſon in the Deity no meer Relation.That the word Perſon in this place doth not ſignifie only a relation or office, as the Latines are wont to ſpeak, Principis perſonam tueri, to defend the perſon of the Prince, as of old Sabellius falſely taught; much leſſe doth it ſignifie the countenance or viſible ſhape (as in theſe dayes Servetus ſported and trifled with the word Perſon) repreſenting the form or geſture of another, ſuch as is the perſon of a ſtage-player: but it ſignifieth a thing ſubſiſtent, truly diſtinct from others, unto whom it hath a relation and reſpect by an incommunicable property; that is, it ſignifieth that which begetteth, or which is begotten, or which proceedeth; not the office, or dignity, or degree of him that begetteth, or is begotten, or proceedeth. Perſon no ſeparate thing from the eſſence.That the perſons are not any thing ſeparated from the eſſence which is common unto them; nor the eſſence is any fourth thing ſeparate from the three perſons; but each of them are the very ſelfe ſame whole eſſence of the Divinity: But the difference is this, that the perſons are each diſtinct from the other, but the eſſence is common to them three. And that the perſon is no other thing ſubſiſting, or other ſubſtance then the eſſence, may be underſtood in ſome ſort by the example of a man. One and the ſame man, or one and the ſame ſubſtance is a father and a man, or a ſon and a man; and yet the manhood, or to be a man is one thing; the fatherhood, or to be a father, another; but there is not one ſubſiſtent which is the father, and another ſubſiſtent which is a man, but one and the ſame ſubſiſtent is both, becauſe both manhood and fatherhood is in him; manhood abſolutely, fatherhood reſpectively, as in regard of his ſon. What reference eſſence hath unto perſon.Of the word Eſſence alſo it is further to be noted, that God, or the Deity, or divine eſſence is not in reſpect of the perſons, the ſame which the matter in reſpect of the effect; becauſe God is unchangeable, neither is compounded of matter and form: Therefore we cannot ſay well, Three perſons are, or conſiſt of one eſſence. Neither is it as the whole in reſpect of the parts; becauſe God is indiviſible: Wherefore it is not well ſaid, that the perſon is a part of the eſſence, or the eſſence conſiſteth of three perſons; for every perſon is the whole divine eſſence, one and the ſame. Neither is it as the generall to the ſpeciall; becauſe eſſence is not the generall to the three perſons, nor perſon a ſpeciall to eſſence. But God is a more common name, becauſe the eſſence of the Deity is common to the three perſons, and therefore may be affirmed of each of them. But theſe names, Father, Son, and holy Ghost are more ſtrict, becauſe the perſons are indeed diſtinct, and cannot be affirmed the one of the other. Therefore it is well ſaid, God, or the divine Eſſence is the Father, is the Son, is the holy Ghost: Likewiſe, The three perſons are one God, or in one God. Again, They are one and the ſame eſſence, nature, divinity, wiſdome, &c. They are of one and the ſame eſſence, nature, divinity, &c. Yet it cannot be well ſaid, They are of one God: becauſe there is no one of theſe perſons but is whole and perfect God. Wherefore the divine eſſence is, in reſpect of the perſons, as a thing after a rare and ſingular manner communicated, in reſpect of thoſe things unto which it is common: For neither is there the like example of community in any created things. For a generall is a certain thing common to many ſpecials, and a generall and ſpeciall to many individuals; but yet ſo, that they are affirmed of thoſe many plurally, not ſingularly: as that the father and the ſon (or, this father and ſon) are two living creatures, two men. But we may not ſpeak after this ſort of God and the divine perſons, as to ſay, The Father and the Son are two Gods, two Spirits, two Omnipotents, &c. Becauſe there is but one God, one Spirit, one Omnipotent, &c. Wherefore that affirmation, The Father is God, the Son is God, the holy Ghoſt is God, is a true affirmation, affirming that which is more common of a thing which is more reſtrict: that is, affirming the eſſence of the individuall; which hath in ſome ſort an analogy and proportion only with the ſpeciall affirmed of his individuall, but it is not at all the ſame, nor of the ſame kind.
What the Trinity is.By the name of Trinity, are underſtood the three Perſons diſtinct in one eſſence of the Deity by three manners of being or ſubſiſting. Now Trinity and Triplicity, as alſo Trinall and Triple differ: That is ſaid to be Triple which is comprehended of three eſſences, or is diſtinct by three eſſences. Trinall is that which in eſſence is but one, and moſt ſimple, but hath three manners of being of ſubſiſting. God therefore is not triple, becauſe there are not more eſſences: but Trinall; becauſe he being one according to his eſſence, is three according to his perſons.