The Sum of Christian Religion, Catechism · Part 2 · creed · Question 33 · Subsection 1
Certaine generall heads of thoſe reaſons, wherewith Heretickes, both old and new, oppugne this Doctrine, That there is both an equall, and one and the ſame God-head of the Father and the Son, and alſo of the holy Ghoſt: with Rules, whereby anſwer may be eaſily and ſoundly made unto their objections.
1. THe Heretickes build on moſt falſe principles and grounds; ſuch as this is: If the Father begot one of his ſubstance, he could alſo have begotten moe, and the Son alſo might beget another, 1. Rule.or moe ſons. For anſwer, this Rule is to be held: Wee are to judge of God according to his owne word, not according to Hereticall braines: and he is to be acknowledged ſuch as he revealeth himſelfe in his word, as being the eternall Father with the only begotten Son, and the holy Ghost: For God hath ſo revealed himſelfe, that he begot the Son, and that one Son only: Therefore wee ought to reſt here, and not to imagine falſe conceits of our owne.
2. They reaſon out of naturall principles or grounds: which are ſuch as are true in things created and finite, but falſe in God, who is an eſſence infinite: as, Three cannot be one: Three perſons really diſtinct, cannot be one eſſence: An infinite perſon cannot beget an infinite perſon. That which begetteth, and that which is begotten, are not one and the ſame eſſence. Likewiſe, He that communicateth his whole eſſence to another, doth not himſelfe remaine the ſame which he was. To this we anſwer by another Rule:2. Rule. Thoſe principles which are true of a finite nature, are fooliſhly and impiouſly tranſlated to the infinite eſſence of God. And arguments of this ſort are refuted not by a ſimple deniall of them, but by diſtinguiſhing between natures capable and uncapable of thoſe principles whereon they ground.
3. Of the properties of the humane nature in Chriſt, they inferre the inequality and diverſity of his God-head. As, Chriſt ſuffered, died, &c. Therefore he is not God. The Rule whereby we anſwer to this,3. R…el. is: Thoſe things which are proper to the humane nature, are not to be drawn to the divine nature: For Chriſt died not as God, but as man.
4. They confound the office of the Mediatour with the nature or perſon; that is, they goe from the office to the nature: As, Chriſt is ſent of the Father: Therefore he is inferiour to the Father.4. Rule. The Rule to anſwer this, is: The inequality of office doth not inferre inequality of nature or perſons. Or, as Cyril ſaith, The ſending and obedience take not away the equality of power or eſſence. So the Father is ſaid to be greater than the Son, not in nature or God-head, but in manifeſtation: For not the Father, but the Son, was made baſe and miſerable in the humane nature aſſumed. Where then Chriſt ſaith, that his Father is greater than he, it is meant in reſpect of his humane nature, and in reſpect of his office of the Mediatourſhip.
5. They exclude and ſhut out the Son and the holy Ghoſt from thoſe things which are attributed unto the Father, as the fountain of all divine operations: As, The Son ſaith, that his workes are the workes of the Father: Therefore hee is not authour of them, neither doth hee thoſe works of his own power, but only is the inſtrument, whereby God the Father doth them. The Rule and Anſwer hereto is;5. Rule. Thoſe things which are aſcribed unto the Father as fountain, are not removed from the Son, or the holy Ghoſt, to whom they are communicated, that they may have them their owne, and proper: For the Son worketh likewiſe, and in like manner: Ʋnto whom the Father likewiſe did give to have life in himſelfe.
6. They detract thoſe things from the Son and the holy Ghoſt,foreign John 5.26. whereby the Divinity in the perſon of the Father is diſcerned from creatures or falſe gods. To which, this Rule anſwereth:6 Rule. As often as in Scripture one perſon of the God-head is oppoſed to creatures or falſe gods, and is diſcerned from them, the other perſons are not excluded from the God-head, but onelyonly thoſe things are excluded, against which the compariſon is made. Or, The divine properties, operations, and honour are ſo attributed to one of the perſons, as that notwithſtanding they are not taken away from the other perſons of the God-head, but onelyonly from creatures. Againe, A ſuperlative or excluſive ſpeech uſed of one perſon, doth not exclude the other perſons of the God-head, but creatures and feigned gods, unto whom the true God, either in one, or in moe perſons, is oppoſed. John 10.25.The Father is greater then all; that is, then all creatures; not then the Son, or the holy Ghoſt. I give eternall life unto them; that is, no creature doth give it: For both the Father alſo and the holy Ghoſt doe quicken and give life. The Father onelyonly knoweth the day of judgment; that is, no creature. That they may know thee to be the onelyonly very God: Mat. 24.26. John 17.3.here the Son is not excluded from true Deity, but Idols and falſe gods, to which God the Father is oppoſed.
7. They wreſt the phraſe of Scripture to another ſenſe: as,1 Cor. 15.24. 7. Rule. The Son ſhall deliver up the Kingdome to the Father. The Rule for anſwer to this, is: Of the phraſe of Scripture wee muſt iudge according to the whole Scripture, that is, by marking circumstances of the Text alledged: and by conference of other places with it. The Son ſhall deliver up the Kingdom unto the Father, not by laying it downe, but by manifeſting it, or changing the forme thereof: For the Father alſo reigneth now: neither ſhall the Son ever ceaſe to reigne. Likewiſe, he ſhall deliver it, by ſubjecting all things under him. So the Father alſo delivereth the Kingdom unto the Son, neither yet doth he forgoe it. The Son doth nothing; to wit, nothing of himſelfe, or without the precedent will of his Father: yet he doth ſomething by himſelf from his Father.