The Equality of the Father Son and Holy Ghost, Book 1
The first Booke.
The Names of GOD are equally aſcribed to FATHER, SONNE, and HOLY-GHOST, in the Scriptures.
CHAP. I.
THERE is nothing which a Chriſtian can know with more comfort, or erre in with greater danger, then this great and holy myſterie of three Perſons in one divine eſſence; the conceit either of three ſubſtances, or of but one ſubſiſtence, is erroneous and damnable: Neither have we (I ſay not any better, but) any other Guide, to direct us with ſafetie to ſearch out this myſterious Truth, but the holy Scriptures. Reaſon muſt not beare ſway herein; not becauſe it contradicteth that, but becauſe this tranſcendeth that; where, if Reaſon might be admitted our Pilot, to ſteere our Faith in its right courſe, it would not be prayſe-worthy to beleeve. But when Faith layeth hold on a bare Truth, which is above Reaſon; now we beleeve, not becauſe it is mani …ſted by ſenſe, or demonſtrated by Reaſon, but b…cauſe it is ſo taught in the holy Scriptures: This is that which maketh us happie, and our Faith commendable. As our Saviour telleth Thomas, when he was by his outward ſenſes convinced of the Lord Chriſts divine power: Thomas, becauſe thou haſt ſeene me, thou haſt beleeved; bleſſed are they that have not ſeene, and yet have beleev…d, Joh. 20.29. For it is a ſigne we take God at his word, when we beleeve a Truth, becauſe the Scripture affirmeth it. And without doubt, the Majeſtie of Heaven is ſo farre pleaſed to reveale himſelfe to us in his Word, as we (clothed with corruptible bodies) are capable of: by which we may know ſo much of God, as is not onelyonly uſefull for our comfort, but alſo needfull for our ſalvation. The greateſt meaſure of this knowledge, which we can attaine in this life, is but darke, in compariſon of that clearer Light which we ſhall enjoy in Heaven: Although even that will not be a totall comprehending of the Lords infinite Majeſtie, yet it will be a full apprehending, in reſp…ct of our ſelves, who are finite creatures; and therefore cannot know ſo much of an infinite God, as he himſelfe knoweth of himſelfe. In that place of Paul; Then ſhall I know, as alſo I am knowne, 1 Cor. 13.12. The word (as) is a note of qualitie, not of equalitie; it intimateth a likeneſſe, it demonſtrateth no proportion: yet we ſhall have ſuch a perfect and certaine knowledge of God, as will conduce to our eternall felicitie. In the meane while, the Lord affordeth us ſome comfortable glimpſes of his Divine Majeſtie; He looketh forth upon us out of the windowes, and ſheweth himſelfe through the Latteſſe, Cant. 2.9. We may ſee Chriſt ſhining gloriouſly on our ſoules through the grates and windowes of his Word and Sacraments: The wall of our fleſh hindreth the full fruition of him. We can onelyonly by the eye of Faith ſee the Lord as through a Glaſſe, darkely, 1 Cor. 13.12. We ſee him in the Miniſterie of his Word, which we ſhall doe well, if we take heed thereunto, as unto a Light that ſhineth in a darke place, untill the day dawne, and the Day-ſtarre ariſe in our hearts, 2 Pet. 1.19. The Scriptures are the Light which we muſt looke unto, that we may ſteere our Faith aright in the troubleſome Sea of this World, that we may not make ſhipwrack of Faith and a good Conſcience, 1 Tim. 1.18, 19. Oh that we would conſider, that in all the wayes wherein we walke, if we have not this Light to direct us, we either wander in darkneſſe, or are miſ-led by an ignis fatuus, a mock-Light; which if we follow, we hazard our ſoules, and loſe our true comfort: And amongſt other Truths, we ſhall clearely diſcerne (if we looke not through the falſe-colouring Spectacles of Arrius) even this Truth; That the Sonne and Holy-Ghoſt are God, equall with the Father, when as the Scriptures aſcribe to them ſuch Names, Attributes, Workes, Worſhip, as are proper to God, and common to them with the Father.
CHAP. II.
The Scriptures manifeſt the Sonne and Holy-Ghoſt to be God, equall with the Father, by aſcribing to them equally with the Father, ſuch Names as are proper to God.
FOr theſe, who have the Names of the true God in the Scriptures properly, definitively, and abſolutely predicated of them, even as the Father hath, are truly God, as the Father is.
But the Sonne and the Holy-Ghoſt have the Names of the true God properly, definitively, and abſolutely predicated of them in the Scriptures, even as the Father hath.
Therefore the Sonne and the Holy-Ghoſt are truly God, as the Father is.
The Major is evident; the Minor I ſhall prove by induction: ſhewing unto you out of the Scriptures, That not onelyonly one or two Names of God, but all the uſuall Names of God are equally attributed to the Father, to the Sonne, and to the Holy-Ghoſt: I ſhall inſtance in theſe following.
Firſt, the Names of God in the Old Teſtament are, 1. Jehovah, 2. Lord of Hoſts, 3. Jah, 4. Ehejeh, or, I am, 5. El, 6. Elohim, 7. Adonai, 8. Shaddai.
Secondly, in the New Teſtament, in the Greek, 9. foreign, 10. foreign, God, and Lord.
Thirdly, in both the Old Teſtament and the New, 11. Father, 12. Higheſt, 13. Lord God, 14. Lord God Almightie, 15. Great God, 16. Great King, 17. The God of Iſrael.
CHAP. III.
The Name Jehovah is aſcribed to the Father, to the Sonne, and to the Holy-Ghoſt.
JEhovah is a Name of God, that deſcribeth unto us his eſſence: It is derived of Havah, eſſe, to be.
Firſt, Becauſe the Lord alone hath eſſence, and being of himſelfe, Iſa. 44.6.
Secondly, He it is that alone giveth life, and being to all creatures, Act. 17.25.
Thirdly, He giveth being to his Word, and Promiſes, effecting what he ſpeaketh, and performing what he promiſeth, Iſa. 45.2, 3. Ezek. 5.17.
Firſt, This Name is proper to God alone, Pſal. 83.19. Thou whoſe Name alone is Jehovah: and Nehem. 9.6. Thou art Jehovah alone. It is the incommunicable Name, Wiſd. 19.21. becauſe it is never ſimply given to any but to God onelyonly. It was called of the Grecians foreign, a Name that was not to be expreſſed, either in regard of the Grecians, which out of want of Letters could not write it, or in reſpect of the Jewes, which out of ſuperſtition would not ſpeake it.
This Name, becauſe it could not be written in Greek, hath the force of it opened by the Holy-Ghoſt, Rev. 1.4, 8. Rev. 4.8. Rev. 11.17. Rev. 16.15. ſtyling the Lord, He that is, that was, and that will be, or is to come. And that you may know he expreſſeth an Hebrew Name, he varieth not the Caſes according to the manner of the Greekes, but ſpeaking in the Genitive Caſe, he putteth this Name in the Nominative, Rev. 1.4. according to the Hebrew forme, foreign, &c. Je, the firſt ſyllable of the Name Jehovah, is a note of the time to come; Jeheveh, He will be: Ho, a ſigne of the time preſent; Hoveh, He that is: and Vah, a Characteriſticall marke of the time paſt; Havah, He was, or hath beene. This Name pointeth out the Eternitie of his Eſſence, that he is God from everlaſting to everlaſting, Pſal. 90.2. which is of himſelfe, and from himſelfe, a moſt abſolute and perfect ſubſtance.
Secondly, Although this Name Jehovah is a Name of Gods Eſſence, and is alwayes uſed Singularly, and never Plurally, as Elohim and Adonai are; (which are Names of God in regard of his Perſonalitie, or Subſiſtence, and the Lord ſtyleth himſelfe one Jehovah, Deut. 6.4. but never one Elohim) yet the ancient Jewes before Chriſt, did note the myſterie of the Trinitie, in their expoſitions of this Name, by twelve, and by fortie and two Letters, which they called Sem Hamphoras. Father, Sonne, and Holy-Ghoſt, was their expoſition of this Name by twelve Letters, in Hebrew: And the Father is God, the Sonne is God, and the Holy-Ghoſt is God, three in one, and one in three, is their expoſition of that Name by fortie and two Letters; it being written likewiſe with ſo many, as R. Judas Nagid. R. Hacadoſh, R. Moſes Ben Mammon, and others obſerve: Adding moreover, that this myſterie was to be kept ſecret untill the comming of the Meſſias who ſhould more clearely reveale it; R. Hacadoſh in Galarazeia. Yea, they were ſo Catechized in the myſterie of the Trinitie, that, as P. Fagius obſerveth on Exod. 28. they collected this myſterie out of this Name; which, although it was called Tetragrammaton, or the Name of foure Letters, yet (ſay they) there were but three ſorts of Letters in it: (י Jod) ſignified the Father, who was the beginning of all things; (ן Vau) is a conjunction copulative, and denoted the third Perſon; (ה He) ſignified the Sonne of God: And they affirme, this Letter is doubled, to demonſtrate both Natures of the Meſſiah. Theſe, and the like obſervations, you may ſee in the learned Workes of the much admired and ever to be honoured, Mornaeus de verit. Chriſt. Relig. P. Calat. and others, who have ſufficiently proved, that the ancienter Doctors of the Jewes beleeved this myſterie; albeit their latter Rabbins, in oppoſition to the Lord Jeſus, doe oppoſe it. And ſurely, the Jewes in Chriſts time were acquainted with this Truth, in that they accuſe Chriſt of Blaſphemie, when as he ſaid he was the Sonne of God, Joh. 10.33. Firſt, becauſe he being but a man, as they thought, yet made himſelfe God, Joh. 10.33. Secondly, becauſe he made himſelfe (as they rightly concluded) equall with God, when as they ſaid, God was his Father, Joh. 5.18. They not denying, that there was a Sonne of God, which was equall with the Father; but denying him to be that Word, and Sonne of God; blaſpheming him whom they accuſed of Blaſphemie, Mark. 14.64, 65. Joh. 19.7. And that the Holy-Ghoſt was knowne to them, is evident, Mat. 1.20. where the Angel telleth Joſeph, that Mary was with Child by the Holy-Ghoſt. And John Baptiſt ſpeaking of Chriſt, ſaith, He ſhall baptize you with the Holy-Ghoſt, and with fire, Mat. 3.10. In vaine had he ſpoken to them of the Holy-Ghoſt, of whom they had not heard of before. That place, Act. 19.2. where the Diſciples had not heard whether there were an Holy-Ghoſt, it cannot be ſo underſtood, as if they were ignorant of his Perſon, but of the gifts of Tongues, and Propheſying by him: for firſt, being Diſciples, they were baptized in the Name of the Father, the Sonne, and the Holy-Ghoſt: ſecondly, when the Holy-Ghoſt is uſed Perſonally, he is pointed out with one, if not with two Articles, in the Originall; whereas when the word is uſed metonymically, for his Gifts and Graces, you have uſually no Article in the Greek prefixed, as in this and divers other places. Thirdly, you have the ſame expreſſion uſed by the Evangeliſt John. Joh. 7.39. The Holy-Ghoſt was not: He was in Perſon before, he was as touching ſanctifying Graces before; but he was not yet poured forth on the Diſciples (as Joel propheſied, Joel 2.28.) in gifts of Tongues, and miraculous operations.
Thirdly, This incommunicable and eſſentiall Name of God is ſometimes uſed Perſonally, and is then aſcribed either to tho Father, or to the Sonne, or to the Holy-Ghoſt: for,
Firſt, the Father is Jehovah, Gen. 19.24. The Lord rained fire and brimſtone from the Lord; where you have the Sonne executing Judgement from Jehovah his Father: and Zach. 3.2. The Lord ſaid to Satan, The Lord rebuke thee: where one, that is Jehovah, ſpeaketh of another Jehovah; namely, Chriſt ſpeaketh of his Father: and Pſal. 2.2. The Kings of the earth ſtand up againſt the Lord, and againſt his Anointed.
Secondly, the Sonne is Jehovah, as in the two aforecited places, Gen. 19.24. Zach. 3.2. where the Sonne is ſtiled Jehovah, even as the Father is. Iſa. 25.9. This is the Lord, we have waited for him, who alſo did ſwallow up death in victorie, Iſa. 25.8. which was the Lord Jeſus, 1 Cor. 15. in whom that Propheſie was fulfilled. John Baptiſt is to prepare the way of Jehovah, Iſa. 40.3. which was the way of the Lord Chriſt, Mark. 1.2, 3, 4. Luk. 1.76. It was the Lord Jeſus, who was valued at thirtie pieces of ſilver, Mat. 27.9. whom Zacharie calleth Jehovah, Zach. 11.13. I will ſave them by the Lord their God, Hoſ. 1.7. A Propheſie fulfilled in Chriſt, who is the Lord our righteouſneſſe, Jer. 23.6. Six times, Zach. 12. is he called Jehovah; which, that it was Chriſt of whom the Prophet ſpeaketh, is cleare, Zach. 12.10. They ſhall lo…ke upon me whom they have pierced: which John, a faithfull eye-witneſſe, ſheweth it was fulfilled in Chriſt, Joh. 19.34, 35. and as a true interpreter, affirmeth, that this Propheſie was ſpoken of him, Joh. 19.37. He it was, that appeared to the Patriarchs and Saints in the Old Teſtament, Act. 7.30, 32. who was then oft called Jehovah, Exod. 3. Gen. 18. Judg. 6. Exod. 13.22. who is likewiſe ſtiled an Angel of the Lord, Exod. 14.19. who oft tooke the name of an Angel, but never the nature of an Angel, Heb. 2.16. he being no created Angel, Heb. 1.13. but the uncreated Angel of the Covenant, Mal. 3.1. The Mediator betweene God and us, Zach. 2.10, 11. Jehovah promiſeth to dwell among us, which was the Word, who was made fleſh, and dwelt among us, Joh. 1.14. who is our God, and we are his people.
Thirdly, the Holy-Ghoſt is Jehovah. Ezekiel calleth him Jehovah, Ezek. 2.4. Ezek. 11.5. which he before called the Spirit, Ezek. 2.2. Ezek. 11.1, 5. It was the Holy-Ghoſt, who gave orders for the Tabernacle; ſo the Apoſtle ſheweth, Heb. 9.8. whom Moſes calleth Jehovah, Lev. 19.2. Exod. 25.1. The Holy-Ghost ſpake by the Prophets, 2 Pet. 1.21. 1 Pet. 1.11. whom uſually they ſtile Jehovah, Jer. 47.2. Jer. 51.1. Jer. 33.12. Yea, Iſaiah calleth him Jehovah, Iſa. 6.3, 5. whom Paul expreſſely calleth the Holy-Ghoſt, Act. 28.25. Yea, the Prophets in the New Teſtament ſay, Thus ſaith the Holy-Ghoſt, Act. 21.11. And, the Holy-Ghoſt ſaid, Act. 13.1, 2. And, the Holy-Ghost teſtifieth, Act. 20.21. Whereas the Prophets in the Old, which ſpake by the ſame Spirit, ſay, Thus ſaith the Lord.
Thus doth the Scriptures affirme the Father to be the true God Jehovah, the Sonne to be the true God Jehovah, the Holy-Ghoſt to be the true God Jehovah; becauſe whatſoever Name, Attribute, Worke, or Honour is by the Scriptures aſcribed to the Father, is in the like manner given to the Sonne, and to the Holy-Ghoſt, as is exemplified in the Name Jehovah. Not as if there were three Jehovahs, differing in nature, eſſence, or ſubſtance, (for, the Lord thy God is one Lord, Deut. 6.4. and, I am the Lord, ſaith he, and there is none elſe, Iſa. 45.5.) but becauſe there is but one eſſence of Father, Sonne, and Holy-Ghoſt, which yet are diſtinct from each other by their mutuall relations, or perſonall properties.
CHAP. IV.
Lord of Hoſts is a Name common to the Father, to the Sonne, and to the Holy-Ghoſt.
JEhovah Sebaoth, Lord of Hoſts, or Elohe Sebaoth, God of Hoſts, is a Name proper to God, Iſa. 51.15. Jer. 51.19. Jer. 10.16. Jer. 32.18. He hath Armies in Heaven, in Earth, and in all places, by which he fighteth againſt his and the Churches enemies; and he it is that ordereth and guideth all the Hoſts in the world. The whole battaile, in a juſt and well-managed Warre, is the Lords, 1 Sam. 17.47. He is the great Commander of all creatures, he hath ſouldiers under him of all ſorts; he can make Wormes to be his great Armie, Joel 2.25. and by them can he render vengeance to his enemies, and reward them that hate him. Acts 12.23. Herods pampered Carkas is made a Stable for Wormes to live in, his body is food for them to feed on, (as the word in the Syriack importeth:) yea, Frogs, Flies, and Lice, are under his command, Exod. 8. He that giveth them their being, ſets them their ſtint; they cannot hurt an Iſraelite, or ſpare an Egyptian. Yea, from the loweſt of all earthly, to the higheſt of all heavenly creatures, they are all under his command, and fulfill his word, Pſal. 148.2, 3, 10. Pſal. 103.20, 21, 22. And yet ſuch is his Power, that he need not muſter his Forces, nor gather his Armies together; it is ſufficient, if he doe but ariſe, his enemies ſhall be ſcattered; if his Power doe but appeare, they that ha… him ſhall flee, Pſal. 68.1.
This Name is never given to any creature in the Scripture, but to God the Father, Sonne, and Holy-Ghoſt.
Firſt, the Father, He is the Lord of Hoſts, Zach. 2.9. Zach. 2.11. Ye ſhall know the Lord of Hoſts hath ſent me. The Prophet ſpeaketh of Chriſt, who was ſent by the Lord of Hoſts, his Father.
Secondly, the Sonne, He is the Lord of Hoſts, Zach. 2.8. Thus ſaith the Lord of Hoſts; after the glory hath he ſent me to the Nations that ſpoyled you. Loe the Sonne, who is ſent by the Father, is ſtiled likewiſe the Lord of Hoſts; for the Prophet mentioneth one Lord of Hoſts ſending, another Lord of Hoſts ſent. Iſaiah likewiſe calleth Chriſt the Lord of Hoſts, Iſa. 8.13, 14. Sanctifie the Lord of Hoſts himſelfe, let him be your feare, and let him be your dread, and he ſhall be for a ſanctuarie, but for a ſtone of ſtumbling, and for a rock …f offence to both the Houſes of Iſrael. That Chriſt was the Lord of Hoſts, who is alſo ſtiled a ſtumbling-block, is confirmed by two un-erring Interpreters, namely, by Peter, 1 Pet. 2.6. and Paul, Rom. 9.32, 33. He it was whom Hoſea firſt calleth an Angel, Hoſ. 12.4. and in the next Verſe ſtileth him, The Lord God of Hoſts, Hoſ. 12.5. The Chariots of God are twentie thouſand, even thouſands of Angels, Pſal. 68.17, 18. That this was Chriſt, who was the Lord of this great Hoſt, the Apoſtle maketh cleare, Eph. 4.8. in citing the very next words, and applying them to Chriſt.
Thirdly, the Holy-Ghoſt, He is the Lord of Hosts, Zach. 1.3. Say thou to them, Thus ſaith the Lord of Hosts, Turne ye to me, ſaith the Lord of Hoſts, and I will turne to you, ſaith the Lord of Hoſts. Where you muſt admit the Holy-Ghoſt, who ſpake by the Prophets, Act. 1.16. 2 Pet. 1.21. Neh. 9.30. Mar. 12.36. to be He, that is ſtiled the Lord of Hoſts in the firſt place, unleſſe you will admit a Tautologie, by aſcribing to one and the ſame Perſon three times commanding of, or ſpeaking to Iſrael, when as he ſpeaketh onelyonly twice to them. Yea, the Prophet Iſaiah compareth the Spirit of the Lord to a Warlike King, who ſetteth up his Standard againſt the enemies of his Church, Iſa. 59.19. When the enemie ſhall come in like a floud, the Spirit of the Lord ſhall lift up a Standard againſt him.
Yet that Father, Sonne, and Holy-Ghoſt are one Lord of Hoſts, the Prophet Iſaiah maketh plaine, Iſa. 6.1, 3, 5. when he was ſent by him, Iſa. 6.9. Firſt, that this was the Father, if any denie, Iſaias manifeſteth it, Iſa. 48.16. Secondly, that it was the Sonne, whoſe glory he ſaw, when he ſent him, John averreth, John 12.40, 41. Thirdly, that it was the Holy-Ghoſt, who ſent him, Iſaiah affirmeth, Iſa. 48.16. and Paul putteth it out of doubt, Act. 28.25. Thus one God, diſtinguiſhed into three Perſons, Father, Sonne, and Holy-Ghoſt, hath one and the ſame glory, and is one and the ſame Lord of Hoſts, in nature, ſubſtance, and eſſence, though they are diſtinct from each other, by their mutuall relations to each other: the Father begetting the Sonne, the Sonne being begotten of the Father, and the Holy-Ghoſt proceeding from the Father and the Sonne.
CHAP. V.
Jah is a Name of God aſcribed to the Father, Sonne, and Holy-Ghoſt.
JAh is a Name of God, of the ſame ſignification and derivation with Jehovah; it is not oft uſed in the Scriptures, unleſſe it be in Pſalmes, or Songs of Thankſgiving. Sometime this Name is redoubled, as Iſa. 38.11. I ſhall not ſee the Lord, the Lord in the land of the living. Sometime it is joyned to Jehovah, as Iſa. 12.2. Iſa. 25.4. and ſometimes with Elohim, as Pſal. 68.19. Oft times it is joyned to Hallelu, and ſo it is uſed in the beginning and ending of the five laſt Pſalmes. It ſhould be the firſt and laſt, our higheſt and chiefeſt end, to glorifie Father, Sonne, and Holy-Ghoſt.
Jah is not a proper Name of Chriſt incarnate, (as ſome imagine, who ſay, That Chriſt in his incarnation was Deus contractus, when all the fullneſſe of the God-head dwelt bodily in him, Col. 2.9. as they ſay, Jah is contracted of Jehovah:) for this Name is given,
Firſt, to the Father, together with the Sonne and Holy-Ghoſt, Exod. 15.2. The Lord is my ſtrength, and ſong. Iſrael did acknowledge Jah to be their deliverer, who delivered Iſrael out of Egypt, and deſtroyed his and their enemies; which I ſhall ſhew to be the workes of Father, Sonne, and Holy-Ghoſt. Pſal. 35.3, 4. Jah is prayſed, who made a Covenant with his people; which was not onelyonly the Father, but alſo the Sonne and Holy-Ghoſt, as I purpoſe to manifeſt.
Secondly, the Sonne hath this Name aſcribed to him, Pſal. 68.4. which Pſalme the Apoſtle, by citing the eighteenth Verſe, ſheweth belongeth to Chriſt. And, Pſal. 118.14, 18, 19. The Lord, or Jah, is my ſtrength; and, the Lord hath chaſtened me ſore; and, prayſe the Lord; which was Chriſt: as out of the twentie and ſecond Verſe of that Pſalme, by being compared with 1 Pet. 2.4. Act. 4.11. Math. 21.42. Mar. 12.10. doth eaſily appeare.
Thirdly, to the Holy-Ghoſt. Pſal. 68.18. Thou receiveſt gifts from men, for the rebellious alſo, that the Lord, or Jah, God might dwell amongst them: Or, if you reade it according to the Apoſtles interpretation, Epheſ. 4.8. gave gifts unto men: It is both wayes a Propheſie of Chriſt, who received the promiſe of the Holy-Ghoſt from his Father, Act. 2.33. and did give him to his Church, who alſo dwelleth in the faithfull, Rom. 8.9. 2 Tim. 1.14. Rom. 8.11. 1 Cor. 3.16. Jam. 4.5. 1 Cor. 6.19. 1 Pet. 4.14.
Oh, that as prayſe is in precept, Pſal. 146.1. laſt. Pſal. 147.1. laſt. Pſal. 148. Pſal. 149. Pſal. 150. Pſal. 135. joyned to this word, that it might be ſo likewiſe in our practiſe: at the leaſtwiſe, let it be our endevours to performe it. Give prayſe to Father, Sonne, and Holy-Ghoſt. Prayſe the Lord in his Name, Jah.
CHAP. VI.
Ehejeh, or I am, or I will be, is a Name of God, aſcribed to Father, Sonne, and Holy-Ghoſt.
EHejeh is a Name of God, of the ſame ſignification and derivation with Jehovah; it noteth unto us the eternitie, and immutabilitie of God, both in himſelfe, and in his Promiſes: a Name which God is pleaſed to ſtile himſelfe by, Exod. 3.14. I am. To this Name Chriſt alluding, ſtileth himſelfe, I am, Joh. 8.58. Joh. 8.28. Joh. 8.24. Joh. 13.19. Joh. 4.26. I ſhall ſhew not onelyonly the Father, but alſo the Sonne and the Holy-Ghoſt to be Ehejeh, when as I treat of the worke of God in bringing Iſrael out of Egypt, as he promiſed, Exod. 3. who are one God, of one eſſence and ſubſtance: The Word being the Fathers owne, Rom. 8.3. proper, Rom. 3.32. begotten Heb. 5.5. Heb. 1.5. his onelyonly begotten Son…, Joh. 3.16, 18. Joh. 1.18. 1 Joh. 4.9. And therefore of the ſame eſſence with him that begat him. Neither is the Spirit differing in nature from the Father and the Sonne, from whom he proceedeth, and in whom they are; no more then the ſpirit of man differeth in nature and eſſence from a man, in whom he is, 1 Cor. 2.11.
CHAP. VII.
El is a Name of God, aſcribed to the Father, to the Sonne, and to the Holy-Ghoſt.
EL is a Name of God, in regard of his Power which he hath in himſelfe, and which he giveth to all creatures. This Name is aſcribed,
Firſt, to the Father. Thus Chriſt in the dayes of his fleſh offering up prayers and ſupplications, Heb. 5.7. to his Father, ſtileth him El Mat. 27.46. Mar. 15.34. Eli, Eli, &c. My God, my God, why haſt thou forſaken me?
Secondly, to the Sonne. He is El Gibbor, Iſa. 9.6. The mightie God; a Name not communicable to a creature: His name is Emmanuel, Iſa. 7.14. Mat. 1.23. A Virgin ſhall conceive, and beare a Sonne, and ſhall call his Name Emmanuel. And therefore he was borne of a woman, after the manner of men, that it might be manifeſted he was truly man: And yet not borne of mans ſeed, that he might be knowne to be not onelyonly man, but God alſo, as his Name importeth.
Thirdly, to the Holy-Ghoſt. He hath ſaid, which hath heard the words of God, which ſaw the viſion of she Almightie, falling into a traunce, but having his eyes open, Num. 24.4. He, whoſe words Balaam heard, was the Spirit of God, Num. 24.2. He ſpake by him, and in him, and yet in the fourth and ſixteenth Verſes, it was the words of El which he heard.
Father, Sonne, and Holy-Ghoſt, having one and the ſame Name properly and definitively given to them in Scripture, are one in Nature alſo.
CHAP. VIII.
Elohim, or Eloah, is a Name aſcribed to the Father, Sonne, and Holy-Ghoſt.
ELohim is a Name of God, attributed to him in regard of his Power and Almightineſſe. It is commonly uſed plurally, and is oft joyned with Jehovah, which is alwayes uſed ſingularly; the one, noting the unitie of the eſſence; the other, the pluralitie of Perſons of this one God. This Name the Lord challengeth, and demandeth: … there any God beſide me? Iſa. 44.8. David acknowledgeth no God, beſides the Lord, 1 Chron. 17.10. 2 Sam. 7.22. Yet this excludeth neither of the three Perſons of the bleſſed Trinitie from being God.
Firſt, the Father hath this Name Eloah given to him. Pſal. 40.8. I delight to doe thy will, O my God. The Lord Jeſus, as man, delighted to doe God his Fathers will, both by active obedience, in fulfilling the Law, and by paſſive obedience, in ſuffering, and dying for our ſinnes, which were the tranſgreſſion of the Law, 1 Joh. 3.4.
Secondly, the Sonne hath this Name aſcribed to him. Job 19.25, 26. I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that he ſhall ſtand the latter day upon the earth; and though, after my skin, wormes deſtroy this body, yet in my fleſh ſhall I ſee God. That this whom he calleth God, was the Lord Chriſt, is cleare: firſt, He is our Redeemer, our God: ſecondly, He it is, who being not onelyonly God, but alſo man, ſhall ſtand upon the earth: thirdly, It is the Sonne of man that ſhall come to judge the earth: fourthly, He calleth him God, whom he ſhall ſee with his bodily eyes. Now this could not be the Father, or Holy-Ghoſt, or the Sonne of God, as God, for ſo he is inviſible; but the Sonne, clothed with our fleſh; he that is God and man, the Lord Jeſus. Againe, Iſaiah ſaith, Make ſtraight in the Deſert a high way for our God, Iſa. 40.3. We have foure faithfull Interpreters, ſhewing us, that this was John Baptiſt, preparing the way of Chriſt: firſt, Mathew, Math. 3.4. ſecondly, Marke, Mark. 1.3. thirdly, Luke, Luk. 3.4. fourthly, John, Joh. 1.23. Thus if you interprete the Old Teſtament by the New, the Prophets by the Apoſtles, you ſhall eaſily prove Chriſt to be God, and Lord, and clearely ſee him ſo acknowledged by the Prophets. And indeed, Iſaiah oft times in his Propheſie affirmeth Chriſt to be God, Iſa. 40.9. Say to the Cities of Judah, Behold your God. Iſa. 25.9. This is our God, we have waited for him. Iſa. 35.4. God will come with recompence, he will come and ſave you: Then the eyes of the blind ſhall be opened, &c. So Pſal. 102.24, 25. O my God, take me not away in the midſt of my dayes, thy yeares are throughout all generations; of old than haſt layd the foundations of the earth, &c. This was Chriſt, the Apoſtle ſheweth, Heb. 1.10.
Thirdly, the Holy-Ghoſt is likewiſe ſo called, Levit. 26.12. I will walke among you, and will be your God, and y… ſhall be my people. That this is the Holy-Ghoſt, the Apoſtle citing this place, maketh cleare, 2 Cor. 6.16. where he likewiſe affirmeth the Faithfull to be his Temple. Now the Faithfull are the Temples of the Holy-Ghoſt, 1 Cor. 6.19. who dwelleth in us as in his Temple, 1 Cor. 3.16. He which ſpake by David, was the Spirit of the Lord, 2 Sam. 23.2. who in the third Verſe is called the God of Iſrael.
Yea, to expreſſe this myſterie of the pluralitie of Perſons in the God-head, this word Elohim is moſt frequently uſed in the Plurall Number, and hath ſometimes a Verbe Plurall joyned with it, as Gen. 20.13. Gen. 35.7. 2 Sam. 7.23. But more uſually to expreſſe the Unitie of the Eſſence in the Trinitie of Perſons, it hath either a Nowne Singular joyned with it, as Jehovah Elohim, Deut. 6.4. Levit. 26.13. Or a Verbe Singular, Gen. 1.1. Or two Verb…s, one Singular, and another Plurall, Gen. 1.26, 27. Or a Nowne Singular, and a Verbe Singular, Gen. 2.4.8.22. Or two Nownes, one Singular, another Plurall, Joſh. 24.19. Jer. 10.10. Or a Verbe Singular, and a Nowne Plurall, Pſal. 58.11. Or being uſed in the Singular Number, yet it hath a Nowne Plurall joyned with it, Job 35.10. None ſaith, Where is God my makers?
Surely, the Scriptures in theſe divers conſtructions did point out this myſterie of the three Perſons; the like not to be found of Angels, men, or Idols: though the Jewes of latter times, in their blaſphemous oppoſition of Chriſt, have earneſtly endevoured to ſhew it, if poſſibly they could.
Firſt, Neither the Name Elohim, nor any other Name of God, is uſed plurally, when it is ſpoken of one Angel, or of one man, as it is of one God. As for that place, Exod. 7.1. this Name is given improperly, or tropically, to Moſes, who was the Lords Embaſſadour to Pharaoh, and did thereby repreſent the Father, the Sonne, and the Holy-Ghoſt, who did ſend him, and who did deliver Iſrael out of Pharaohs hand, as I purpoſe to manifeſt. He therefore repreſenting the glorious Trinitie, hath a Name given him of God, which doth import the nature of this Tri-une Lord that ſent him.
Secondly, For Baalim, and other Idols, which are uſed plurally, and have the Name of Elohim given to them: Firſt, Baalim was a Name given by the Jewes to the true God, Hoſ. 2.16, 17. and ſo might be uſed by them as Elohim and Adonai are. The Jewes being Idolaters, gave not onelyonly the Worſhip of God, but alſo his Names to their Idols, as Exod. 32.4, 5. they called the Calfe Jehovah Elohim, ſuppoſing their Idols to have, at the leaſtwiſe to repreſent the Nature of the true God: and therefore, ſecondly, they thinking to repreſent the true God by them, who is one in Eſſence, and three in Perſons, who is God alone, Pſal. 86.10. and, there is no God beſide him, Iſa. 45. who neither is nor can be repreſented by Images, Iſa. 40.18. Act. 17.29. would have their Idols Names to repreſent the Names of the true God: thirdly, Baalim, and other names of Idols, are Judg. 2. and in other places of the Scripture, uſed plurally, to expreſſe the ſeverall ſorts of their Idolatries; there being many Baals, and Idols, worſhipped by the Jewes, who oft changed their Idols, Jer. 2.36. Ezek. 16.15, 16, 25, 26, 28, 29. and multiplied their gods according to the number of their Cities, Jer. 2.28. Jer. 11.13.
Thirdly, If we ſhould grant, the Hebrewes did uſe ſometimes the Plurall Number for the Singular, yet it is not their uſe, to put in the Plurall Number that which hath no pluralitie of Nature; as in expreſſing of the true God, to uſe theſe plurall words, Elohim, and Adonai, if there were but one Perſon in the Godhead.
CHAP. IX.
Adonai is a Name of God, aſcribed to the Father, the Sonne, and the Holy-Ghoſt.
ADonai is a Name properly given to God, in regard of his ſuſtentation and dominion over the World, who ruleth the World, and ſuſtaineth all Creatures therein. Though this Name be given to Creatures, yet it is but analogically, and is not pointed in the ſame manner, as it is when it is uſed plurally for the Creator. This Name is uſed as Elohim is, and the one is put for the other, 2 Sam. 7.18. 1 Chron. 17.16. and is joyned with Jehovah. The Pſalmiſt uſeth plurally both theſe Names, Pſal. 136.2, 5. where he ſpeaketh of God, who is one in eſſence, as if he had ſpoken of many, and calleth him Gods, and Lords, to ſignifie the myſterie of the Trinitie in one eſſence: and therefore before, and after, in the firſt and fourth Verſes, he expreſſeth God by words ſingular, where, foure times doth the Pſalmiſt exhort men to prayſe the Lord, onelyonly varying the words. This Name is aſcribed to all three Perſons.
Firſt, the Father hath this Name given to him by the Pſalmiſt, Pſal. 8.1. as the Apoſtle alledging this Pſalme, Heb. 2.6, 7, 8. intimateth.
Secondly, the Sonne is ſo ſtiled; The Lord ſaid to my Lord, Pſal. 110.1. the Father ſaid to his Sonne: and, the Lord, whom ye ſeeke, ſhall come into his Temple, Mal. 3.1. That this was Chriſt, you have it ſo interpreted in three Evangeliſts, Luk. 1.76. Mark. 1.2. Mat. 11.10. He is thy Lord, and worſhip thou him, Pſal. 45.11. That this was the Meſſiah, not onelyonly the Apoſtle, Heb. 1.7, 8. but alſo the Jewiſh Rabbies ſo affirme; and Daniel intreated the Lord to heare him for the Lords ſake, Dan. 9.17.
Thirdly, the Holy-Ghoſt, Ezek. 2.4. he is there ſtiled the Lord, which in the ſecond Verſe is called the Spirit; and ſo likewiſe, Ezek. 11.1, 6.
Yea, Iſaiah manifeſteth this truth more clearely; where God, called Adonai, ſaith, Whom ſhall I ſend? or, who ſhall goe for us? Iſa. 6.8. Whom ſhall I ſend? There is the Unitie: and, who ſhall goe for us? There is the Trinitie. That this was the Sonne and Holy-Ghoſt, together with the Father, is cleare, if ye compare Joh. 12.39, 40, 41. Act. 28.25, 26. and Iſa. 48.16. with this Iſa. 6.8, 9, 10. as I have ſhewed. Yea, Malachy uſeth this word in the forme Plurall, and joyneth with it a word Singular, Mal. 1.6. If I be M…ſters; (Ani) is Singular, and (Adonim) is Plurall: If I, There is the Unitie of the Eſſence; be Maſters, there is the pluralitie of Perſons.
I know ſome may object, Iſa. 19.4. That Adonim Caſheh is ſo uſed, when aſcribed to men; and Adonai, Gen. 24.33. Gen. 42.30.
But firſt, Caſheh may be a Subſtantive, and it may be tranſlated, Lords of Crueltie: but if Caſheh be an Adjective Singular, and Adonim a word Plurall, joyned to it; it then may note the multitude of Maſters which the captived Egyptians ſhould ſerve: and yet their unanimitie in crueltie towards theſe Egyptians, which though many, yet ſhould joyne as one man, in Lording over that ſlaviſh people: So that this place maketh not againſt the Argument, for the proofe of the Trinitie, from the uſe of the word plurally.
Secondly, that place, Gen. 24.35. Abrahams ſervant uſeth this word plurally, The Lord hath bl…ſſed my Maſters greatly; but he ſpeaketh of Iſaac (whom he calleth his Maſter likewiſe, Gen. 24.65.) as well as of Abraham: For where the word is reſtrained to Abraham, he uſeth it ſingularly, as in 36, 37, 39, 42. Verſes, &c.
Thirdly, that place, Gen. 42.30. though Adonei be uſed there plurally, yet it maketh nothing for the Adverſaries of this Truth. It may then be read according to the Originall; The man of the Lords of the Countr…y ſpake roughly to us: that is, the chiefe of the Lords, or the chiefe Lord, ſpake roughly to us: Now Joſeph was chiefe Lord under Pharaoh, Gen. 41.40. Pſal. 105.21. Act. 7.10. And it is an Hebraiſme frequently uſed in the Old and New Teſtament, to adde the name of Man, thereby to expreſſe any excellencie: as a man of Words, is an eloquent man, Exod. 4.10. a man of Arme, is a mightie man, Job 22.8. a man of Warre, Exod. 15.3. a noble or chiefe Warrior; a man of Countenance, 2 Sam. 23.21. and a man of Meaſure, 1 Chron. 11.23. is a goodly man.
Beſides, in theſe two laſt Objections, the force is in the Points, and not in Letters: If the Points in the Hebrew be not coevall with the Letters, then theſe Objections are of no force from the Text, but onelyonly from the Maſſorites additions.
CHAP. X.
Shaddai, or Almightie, is a Name of God, aſcribed to the Father, to the Sonne, and to the Holy-Ghoſt.
SHaddai is a Name that God is pleaſed oft times to call himſelfe by. It ſetteth out Gods all-ſufficiencie and ſelfe-ſufficiencie, both in regard of himſelfe, as alſo in regard of his children, to bleſſe, protect, and to make them eternally happie; as alſo in regard of his enemies, to deſtroy and ruine them. To which the Scripture hath reference, when it ſaith, (Shad) Deſtruction commeth from (Shaddai) the Almightie, Joel 1.15. Iſa. 13.6. This Name is never aſcribed to any creature, neither indeed can it: for no creature hath ſufficiencie of it ſelfe, but it hath dependance on the Creator, Act. 17.28. In him we live, and move, and have our being.
This Name is aſcribed,
Firſt, to the Father. Job 33.4. The Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almightie hath given me life: where the Father, and the Sonne, from whom the Spirit of God proceedeth, Joh. 15.26. Joh. 16.7. and whoſe Spirit he is, Mat. 10.20. Rom. 8.11. with Gal. 4.6. Rom. 8.9. 1 Pet. 1.11. are called Almightie, and God.
Secondly, to the Sonne. Gen. 35.11. Chriſt calleth himſelfe, El-ſhaddai. That this was Chriſt, Hoſea cleareth, Hoſ. 12.4. where he calleth him an Angel, yet it was no created Angel, Hoſ. 12.5. It was the Lord God of Hoſts, the Lord is his memoriall. But the Father and the Holy-Ghoſt have not the Name of an Angel aſcribed to them, onelyonly the Sonne of God is oft ſo ſtiled, who is likewiſe by the Pſalmiſt called Shaddai, Pſal. 68.14. When the Almightie ſcattered Kings, &c. This the Apoſtle ſheweth to be Chriſt, if you compare the eighteenth Verſe of the ſame Pſalme with Eph. 4.8. And ſurely, though Chriſt was rich, yet for our ſakes he became poore, 2 Cor. 8.9.
Thirdly, to the Holy-Ghoſt: He is Shaddai, the Almightie. Balaam ſaw the Viſions of the Almightie, Num. 24.4. Num. 24.16. which were the Viſions of the Holy-Ghoſt; for ſo Moſes intimateth, Num. 24.2. The Spirit of God came on him.
Father, Sonne, and Holy-Ghoſt are one in Name, one in Nature, and are one ſelfe-ſufficient Lord God. Oh that we had Faith, to depend upon this our all-ſufficient God for ſafetie; and alſo Knowledge, not to miſtake our Tenure, by uſurping that as our owne, which the Lord onelyonly lendeth to us: the one, would give unto us ſoule-ſolacing content, in the enjoyment of God, and of his Graces; the other, would free us from ſoule-vexing ſorrowes, flowing either from the abſence, or loſſe of outward things: ſeeing that we are keepers, not abſolute commanders; ſtewards, Luk. 16.12. not poſſeſſors of them, as our owne; the Lord onelyonly being poſſeſſour of heaven and earth, Gen. 14.19. Pſal. 24.1. Deut. 10.14. 1 Cor. 10.26, 28. And from his al-ſufficiency commeth all ours. Oh, how would this abate our pride in outward things, and our vainglorying in inward graces! 1 Cor. 4.7. Rom. 11.20, 21.
CHAP. XI.
foreign, or God, is a Name of God uſed in the New Teſtament, and aſcribed to Father, Sonne, and Holy-Ghoſt.
foreign, or God, is a Name oft uſed in the new Teſtament; There is but one God, 1 Tim. 2.5. 1 Cor. 8.4. Eph. 4.6. And there is none other but he, Mar. 12.32. One in Nature, Subſtance, and Eſſence; though three Perſons, ſubſiſtences, or relations: For there are three that beare record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy-Ghoſt, and theſe three are o…e, 1 John 5.7. There is alius & alius, non aliud & aliud; another Perſonally, though not another Eſſentially. And though we cannot ſay there are three Gods, yet every Perſon is God. The Scripture, the rule of our faith, denyeth the one, but aſſenteth to the other, by aſcribing the Name of God, not onelyonly to the Father, but alſo to the Sonne, and Holy-Ghoſt; where we may eaſily perceive, that the Apoſtles, and other Pen-men of the new Teſtament, when they ſpeake of the Father, and of the Sonne together, call the Father, God, and the Sonne, Lord; but ſpeaking of them apart, or ſeverally, they uſe both theſe names promiſcuouſly, giving this Name God, indifferently to Father, Sonne, and Holy-Ghoſt: For,
Firſt, the Father is God; God, who in ſundry times, and in divers manners ſpake in times paſt unto the Fathers by the Prophets, hath in theſe laſt dayes ſpoken unto us by his Sonne, Heb. 1.1, 2. And to us there is but one God the Father, 1 Cor. 8.6. This is not ſpoken excluſively, as if the Sonne and Holy-Ghoſt were not God with the Father, but incluſively, by way of incluſion of the Sonne and Holy-Ghoſt; The Sonne being in the Father, and the Father in the Sonn, John 14.9. 10. They being one, John 10.30. and the Holy-Ghoſt proceeding from both, John 15.26. John 16.7. Gal. 4.6. Rom. 8.9, 11. This onelyonly excludeth Idols, not denying the Lord Jeſus, nor his holy Spirit to be one God with the Father, no more then the verſe following, ſaying, One Lord Jeſus Chriſt, denyeth the Father to be Lord, or excludeth him from having any Dominion over us. And as the Father is included in the latter, ſo the Sonne and Holy-Ghoſt is included in the former.
Secondly, the Sonne is God. Rom. 9.5. Of whom, as concerning the fleſh, Chriſt came, who is over all, God bleſſed for ever. There are two Reaſons, why the Apoſtle treating of the Jewes, doth ſet forth the Divinity of the Lord Jeſus. 1. For the honour of Chriſt, whom the Jewes blaſphemed. 2. For the honour of the Jews, whoſe manifold priviledges, ver. 4.5. he had reckoned up. In concluſion, he addeth this as the greateſt, he putteth it in the laſt place, as the weightieſt: That Chriſt who is God over all bleſſed for ever, came of them. And ſurely, if the Lord Jeſus had no other Nature but Humane, it had been needleſſe for the Apoſtle to have added theſe words, (according to the fleſh) but he was the onelyonly begotten Sonne of the Father, John 3.16. The Sonne of himſelfe, Rom. 8.3. his proper Sonne, Rom. 8.32. And therefore of the ſame eſſence with God his Father: He being oppoſed to Men and Angels, the adopted, or created ſonnes of God; he therefore had another Nature from God his Father, namely Divine, which he tooke not from Abraham his Father; For before Abraham was, I am; (as he ſaith) John 8.58. The Apoſtle putteth this out of doubt, 1 Tim. 3.16. Without controverſie great is the myſtery of godlyneſſe, God was manifest in the fleſh. There is not any thing more myſterious, there cannot be a greater wonder, then that God, who is immortall, ſhould take our fleſh, and become mortall: That he, who thundreth in the Clouds, ſhould lye ſprawling in a Cratch: That he, who was in the forme of God, ſhould take on him the forme of a ſervant. He, that was the Lord of all, the maker of Heaven, and had all the Manſions therein at his diſpoſing; ſhould for our ſakes become poore, have no Houſe to put his head in, and ſhould be ſo diſreſpected of a common Inne, that he which came to ſave men, ſhould take up his firſt lodging with Beaſts. What wonder had it beene to men, or myſtery worthy for Angels to pry into, 1 Pet. 1.12. To have ſeene a Creature manifested in the fleſh, as ſome impiouſly thinke, and blaſphemouſly ſpeake of Chriſt? But he was God, who redeemed us with his owne blood, Act. 20.28. For God to love his rebellious Enemies, and to lay downe his life for us, John 3.16. was love in him, beyond imitation, fit for our moſt ſerious admiration. In Chriſt dwelt all the fulneſſe of the God-head bodily, Col. 2.9. Where, 1. There was not divine qualities onelyonly reſident in him, but there was the God-head, that dwelt in him. 2. It was not a little meaſure thereof, but the fulneſſe of the God-head. 3. It is not onelyonly ſaid the fulneſſe, but all the fulneſſe of the God-head. He hath the full nature of God, as the Father hath; yea, all that the Father hath, Joh. 16. (he ſaith) was his: the Father having a divine Nature in him, the Sonne hath the ſame divine Nature in him. He is Emanuel, God with us. He was in the forme of God, and thought it no robbery to be equall with God; yet made himſelfe of no reputation, and tooke on him the forme of a ſervant, and was made in the likneſſe of man; he humbled himſelfe, and became obedient to death, &c. Phil. 2.6, 7. Loe you have the two Natures of the Lord Jeſus deſcribed: where you have his divine Nature ſet forth, and his equality therein with his Father plainely expreſſed; he was in the forme of God, and equall with God: as alſo his humane Nature, he was in the forme of a ſervant. For the one doth as clearely expreſſe his God-head, as the other doth his Man-hood. 2. Not onelyonly the Father ſtileth the Sonne his fellow, Zach. 13.7. but alſo the Lord Chriſt himſelfe thought it no robbery to be equall with his Father, Phil. 2.6. Why ſhould any robbe him of that honour, which the Father aſcribeth, and he knew due to himſelfe? 3. He made himſelfe of no reputatiton, or rather he emptied himſelfe; of what? even of his divine Majeſty and glory, which he did as it were lay aſide. 4. What great patterne of humility had it been in him, if he had not been equall with his Father, to have humbled himſelfe, and become obedient to his Father? But John 1.1. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. And 1 John 5.20. The Apoſtle ſpeaking of Chriſt, he addeth, This is the true God, and eternall life. Heb. 1.8. Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever. It is the Lord Chriſt, whoſe Majeſty is there deſcribed. Yea, Thomas acknowledged him to be God and Lord, Jehovah Elohim, John 20.28. My Lord and my God, which was not a fooliſh exclamation, or a fond admiration (as ſome would make it) but a faithfull acclamation, & a holy confeſſion. For, 1. Here is no note of exclamation, it is …, not …, in the Originall. 2. Thomas acknowledged ſomething now, that he did not before. But he knew the Father to be God and Lord: This ſpeech therefore concerned God the Sonne, whoſe Humanity he touched when he acknowledged his Divinity. 3. Chriſt both commended and condemned his faith, John 20.29. He commendeth the matter of his beleeving, though he condemneth the manner of his beleeving. Iude ſheweth how many ungodly men did broach this blaſphemous errour, in denying Chriſts divinity, Jude 4. They deny that onelyonly God, and Maſter, our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, for ſo it ought to be read, and underſtood of Chriſt, who is our God, that created us; our Maſter, that redeemed us; our Lord, that ruleth in us. Peter alſo, 2 Pet. 2. ſpeaketh of the ſame men by way of Propheſie. And it could not be ſpoken of the Father: for never any Hereticke denyed the Divinity of the Father. Paul calleth our Saviour, God, Tit. 1.3. According to the commandement of God our Saviour. And ſurely, he that readeth diligently the new Teſtament, ſhall finde God, or Lord, and Chriſt, to be uſed oft reciprocally for each other, as, 2 Cor. 5.20. Eph. 6.6. Rom. 14.10, 11, 12. Luke 3.6. Act. 28.28. Heb. 3.4. Jam. 1.1. 2 Cor. 2.16. 1 Cor. 9.21. Act. 16.31. with 34. Tit. 2.10, 13. 2 Pet. 1.1.
Thirdly, the Holy-Ghoſt is God. Peter calleth him God, Act. 5.3, 4. whom he afore had called the Holy-Ghoſt; for reproving Ananias, for lying to the Holy-Ghoſt, he aggravateth his ſin, by ſhewing him what the Holy-Ghoſt is: Thou haſt not lyed to men, but to God. Againe, Act. 11.17. Foraſmuch then as God gave them the like gift, as he did unto us, who beleeved on the Lord Jeſus Chriſt: what was I, that I ſhould withſtand God? That it was the Holy-Ghoſt, whom he twice calleth God, appeareth, by comparing this verſe with the 15. verſe. The Holy-Ghoſt gave them the like gift, as he did unto us. He fell on theſe Gentiles, and gave them the gift of tongues, as he did to the Apoſtles, and other Jewes. The Apoſtle Paul likewiſe manifeſteth the Holy-Ghoſt to be God, 1 Cor. 3.16, 17. Know ye not, that ye are the Temples of God, and that the ſpirit of God dwelleth in you: If any man defile the Temple of God, him ſhall God deſtroy; for the Temple of God is holy, which Temple ye are. Three times doth the Apoſtle call the Holy-Ghoſt, God: Yea, that text doth afford three ſeverall arguments to confirme unto us the Deity of the Holy-Ghoſt.
Firſt, the Apoſtle proveth the faithfull to be the Temples of God, becauſe the Holy-Ghoſt dwelleth in them; which argument were invalide, and of no force, if that holy Spirit were not God. 2. The Holy-Ghoſt dwelleth conſtantly in the Faithfull, as in one Temple. Three times is the word Temple uſed ſingularly. He uniteth all the Elect in all the world in one, and ſo dwelleth in them all, as if they all were but one, and yet ſo fully and comfortablely dwelleth in one, as if that one were all; It being proper to God alone, to be ſo infinitely boundleſſe in his ſubſtance, as thus to fill all places. 3. We being the Temples of the Holy-Ghoſt, he is therefore God. It was unlawfull to make Temples of wood or ſtone, but to the true God. He therefore muſt needs be God, who hath ſo many, and ſuch ſtately Temples as the faithfull are. The Angell Gabriel, Luke 1.35. ſhewing that Chriſt ſhould be conceived by the power of the Holy-Ghoſt, addeth in the 37. verſe: For, with God nothing ſhall be impoſſible. Plainely manifeſting, that the Holy-Ghoſt, who was to effect this great worke, was God. Yea our Lord Chriſt manifeſtly affirmeth him to be God; Have ye not read that which was ſpoken to you by God? ſaying, &c. Mat. 22.31. Was it not the Holy-Ghoſt who ſpake by Moſes, and by the Prophets, 2 Pet. 1.21. And therefore the Scriptures, which were inſpired by the Holy-Ghoſt, are ſaid to be inſpired of God, 2 Tim. 3.16. It is ſaid of Cornelius, he was warned of God by an holy Angel to ſend for Peter, Acts 10.22. which Angel is called an Angel of God, Acts 10.3. Yet he, who ſent to warne him, was the Holy-Ghoſt, for ſo he himſelfe telleth Peter, that he ſent them, Acts 10.20. where you ſee, that the Holy-Ghoſt hath twice the Name of God aſcribed to him: yea, the Names of God and of the Holy-Ghoſt are often changed, 1 Cor. 14.2. He that ſpeaketh in an unknowne tongue, ſpeaketh not to men, but to God; howbeit, to the Spirit he ſpeaketh myſteries, and not onelyonly in the New Teſtament, but in the Old, as Ezek 2.2, 4. Ezek. 11.1, 5. Num. 24.2, 4. and divers other places. Thus Father, Sonne, and Holy-Ghoſt, are abſolutely, and definitively called God, without limitation, addition, or correction of ſpeech, (as Creatures are not) who though three Perſons, yet but one true ever-living God, of one and the ſame ſubſtance. I, and my Father (ſaith Chriſt) are one, John 10.30. One in every thing, but in that wherein the oppoſition of relation diſtinguiſheth them. That our Saviour is one with the Father by identity of Eſſence, appeareth, 1. By his owne anſwer, John 7.29. I know him, for I am of him, and he hath ſent me. 2. By the Jewes accuſation, for they did not challenge him for affirming himſelfe to be ſome Vice-gerent or ſecond Prince, but for making himſelfe equall to God, John 5.18. and that being Man, made himſelfe God, John 10.33. which thing in both places is juſtified, and maintained by our Saviour. They are therefore one in Eſſence, will, and action, not in Perſon, as the Holy-Ghoſt is likewiſe one with Chriſt; and therefore you have Chriſt appearing in a Viſion to John, Rev. 1.13. and deſcribed by Iohn in the beginning of all his ſeven Epiſtles to the ſeven Churches, as the Perſon that writeth to them, Rev. 2.1, 8, 12, 18. Rev. 3.1, 7, 14. Yet in the concluſion of all theſe ſeven Epiſtles, it was the Holy Spirit of God, that ſpeaketh and writeth thus to the Churches, and whom they are commanded to heare: Let him that hath eares heare what the Spirit ſaith to the Churches, Rev. 2.7, 11, 17.29. Rev. 3.6, 13, 22. Thus Father and Sonne are one and the holy Spirit and the Sonne are one; yea, all three are one, 1 John 5.7.
CHAP. XII.
foreign, or Lord, is a Name of God, aſcribed to the Father, Sonne, and Holy-Ghoſt.
foreign, by which the Septuagint Tranſlation and the New Teſtament uſually interprete the word Jehovah, which we tranſlate Lord, Mat. 22.43, 44. And thus there is but one Lord, 1 Cor. 8.6. Eph. 4.6. and the ſame Lord is over all, Rom. 10.12. 1 Cor. 12.5. Where, although the holy Pen-men of the new Teſtament, when they ſpeake perſonally of the Father, in his relation to Chriſt, they uſually call the Father God, and the Sonne Lord: Yet when either they uſe theſe words, God, or Lord, eſſentially, you ſhall finde theſe Names oft changed, or uſed for each other, as Rom. 14.6. Rom. 14.11, 12: or if theſe Names be uſed Perſonally, as when the Father, or Sonne, are ſpoken of apart, not onelyonly the Sonne, but alſo the Father and Holy-Ghoſt are ſo called; For this Name Lord is common to all three Perſons. For,
Firſt, the Father is Lord. Thus Chriſt, as man, giving thanks to his Father, ſaid, I thank thee, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, Mat. 11.25. Luk. 11.21. And the Apoſtles in their prayer, Act. 4.26. The Rulers were gathered together againſt the Lord, and againſt his Christ. And the Saints in their Doxologie, Rev. 11.15. The Kingdomes of the world are become the Kingdomes of our Lord, and of his Chriſt. Yea, Chriſt and Peter, in their Sermons, (citing that place of Pſal. 110.1. The Lord ſaid to my Lord, Mat. 21.44. Mar. 11.36. Luk. 20.42. Act. 2.32.) doe aſcribe this Name Lord to the Father and to the Sonne.
Secondly, the Sonne is Lord. He was ſo proclaimed by Angelicall Heralds. By Gabriel, an Angel of the Lord, before his incarnation, Luk. 1.17. By another Angel to the Shepheards, at his birth, Luk. 2.11. where there is no leſſe then a whole Chore of this heavenly Hoſt aſcribe glory to God, and ſing an heavenly Hymne to his Majeſtie. He is likewiſe acknowledged ſo by Zacharie, Luk. 1.76. by Elizabeth, Luk. 1.43. by John Baptiſt, Joh. 1.23. Luk. 3.4. and that from a teſtimonie of the Prophet Iſaiah, which did prophetically proclaime him Jehovah, Iſa. 40.3. By Peter he is ſtiled, Lord of all, Act. 10.36. But why doe I inſtance in more? Seeing that the holy Writers of the New Teſtament doe five hundred times at the leaſt (as ſome more punctually have obſerved) aſcribe this Name to Chriſt.
Thirdly, the Holy-Ghoſt is Lord, 2 Cor. 3.17. Now the Lord is that Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is libertie. There the Holy-Ghoſt is ſtiled Lord, and the Spirit of the Lord. He is Lord, of the ſame eſſence with the Father and the Sonne; and yet the Spirit of the Lord, as he proceedeth from them both. And the next Verſe may be read, The Spirit of the Lord, or, the Lord the Spirit: which, divers reading the new Tranſlation according to the Originall, noteth in the Margent. Againe, the Apoſtle in his prayer (as I ſhall more fully ſhew hereafter) directed to the Holy-Ghoſt, ſtileth him Lord, 1 Theſſ. 3.12. 2 Theſſ. 3.5. Mathew likewiſe affirmeth that to be ſpoken of the Lord by the Prophets, Mat. 1.22. which Peter affirmeth to be ſpoken of th… Holy-Ghoſt by the Prophets, 2 Pet. 1.21.
Although therefore the Apoſtle ſaith there is but one Lord, 1 Cor. 8.6. Eph. 4.5. and Jude calleth him the onelyonly Lord, Jude 4. yet neither the Apoſtle Paul, nor the Apoſtle Jude excludeth the Father and the Holy-Ghoſt from being Lord; but they include them in the ſame Unitie of the Eſſence, being equall in Power, Majeſtie, and Glorie; and are all the onelyonly Lord, though they be diſtinguiſhed in their Perſons: yet the Unitie and the Eſſence of their divine Nature, and Power, is not divided.
CHAP. XIII.
Father is a Name of God, common to all three Perſons, though uſually aſcribed to the firſt.
FAther, is a Nanie we properly aſcribe to the Lord: firſt, in regard of his Creation of Men, and Angels, Luk. 3. laſt, Job 38.7. ſecondly, in regard of his gubernation of the World, Mat. 6.32. thirdly, in regard of his Regeneration of his Church, and People, Iſa. 64.8. Deut. 32.6. who is the cauſe of the being of all Creatures, and the well-being of his Church: though analogically, and improperly, it is given to theſe, who are under God the inſtruments of our being, Eph. 6.2, 4. Col. 3.21. yet not properly are they to be eſteemed Fathers, as God is, Mat. 23.9. who is our heavenly Father, Mat. 6.9. Mat. 5.48. where the word Father is not to be reſtrained to the firſt Perſon, as it is when either all three Perſons are expreſſed, as Eph. 2.18. Mat. 28.19. 1 Joh. 5.7. Gal. 4.6. or when the firſt Perſon is conferred with the ſecond, Gal. 1.3. 2 Cor. 1.3. Col. 1.3. but it is to be underſtood eſſentially of the Father, the Word, and the Spirit.
Yea, the Name Father is not onelyonly eſſentially communicated to all three Perſons, but alſo Perſonally aſcribed, in reſpect of us, either to,
Firſt, the firſt Perſon, who is not onelyonly the Father of Chriſt, but alſo in him our Father, Joh. 20.17. I aſcend (ſaith Chriſt) to my Father, and your Father; to my God, and your God: which diminiſheth not, much leſſe doth it take away Chriſts Divinitie, but ſheweth the order that is in the three Perſons. The Father, who is firſt in order, and not in time, is uſually called by Divines, Fons Divinitatis & Operationis, the Fountaine of Divinitie and Operations; yet their Divine Oeconomie doth not ſhew any inequalitie in Perſons, but their order in working. And againe, Joh. 17.1. Theſe things ſpake Jeſus, and lift up his eyes to heaven, and ſaid, Father, the houre is came, &c. God is Chriſts Father after a more excellent manner then he is called our Father. He is his Sonne, or the Fathers Sonne of himſelfe, Rom. 8.3. his owne Sonne, or proper Sonne, Rom. 8.32. his onelyonly begotten Sonne, Joh. 1.14, 18. Joh. 3.16, 18. (as I have ſhewed.) And Indeed, Chriſt is an onelyonly begotten Sonne: firſt, according to h…s Divine Perſonalitie, he was begotten of his Father onelyonly: ſecondly, in regard of his humane nature, he was his mothers onelyonly begotten, he came from her onelyonly: thirdly, in regard of both, he was an onelyonly Sonne, he having no Brother: fourthly, becauſe all that the Father hath is his, Joh. 16.15. But we are in and through him Children, by Creation, Regeneration, and Adoption. He is a Sonne by nature, we by counſell, Jam. 1.18. Joh. 1.13. And ſurely, were there no other argument, to prove the equality of nature of the Father, and of the Sonne, this were ſufficient to prove it, becauſe he is the Fathers proper Sonne, the Sonne of his owne ſelfe, his begotten Sonne, his onelyonly begotten Sonne. For he that is God, cannot properly beget any other but him that is God.
Secondly, the ſecond Perſon, who although a Sonne eternally begotten of his Father, and ſo not a Father in reſpect of God, yet to us he is an everlaſting Father, Iſa. 9.6. and we are his children, by adoption and regeneration, Heb. 2.13. Joh. 1, 12. who may ſay, haply with the Apoſtle, complaining of his former wretchedneſſe, we were as men borne out of duo time, 1 Cor. 15.8.
Thirdly, The Holy-Ghoſt is our Father; He, together with the Father, and the Sonne, createth, regenerateth, and adopteth. We are by regeneration begotten of God, 1 Joh. 5.18. And, borne of the Spirit, John 3.6, 8. we are his Children, Pſal. 34.10. and are taught of God, John 6.45. And therefore the Lord Jeſus being to ſend the Holy-Ghoſt, who ſhould teach them all things, John 14.26. ſaith, he will not leave them Orphans, John 14.16. Plainely ſhewing, the Holy-Ghoſt ſhould be their Father. Yea, ſo the Holy-Ghoſt promiſeth, 2 Cor. 6.16, 18. I will be a Father to you, and ye ſhall be my Sonnes and Daughters. That he which maketh this promiſe to us, is the holy Spirit, appeareth out of the former verſes: For we are to him, that maketh this promiſe to us, Temples, and he it is that dwelleth in us: Now it is manifeſt we are Temples of the Holy-Ghoſt, 1 Cor. 6.19. and he dwelleth in us, 1 Cor. 3.16.
Though theſe be three ſubſiſtences, or Perſons, yee they be one in eſſence, ſubſtance, or nature, and to us one Father, Mal. 2.10. O Lord, thou art our Father (ſaith the Church of God) Iſa. 63.17. That this was ſpoken of all the three Perſons, is manifeſt out of the fore-going verſes. 1. There was the Father, who led them, and put his holy Spirit in them, Iſa. 63.11, 12. and who was afflicted in all their afflictions, Iſa. 63.9. Secondly, there was the Sonne, who is called the Angel of his preſence, who ſaved them, Iſa. 63.9. Thirdly, there is the holy Spirit, who led them, Iſa. 63.14. againſt whom they rebelled, and whom they vexed, Iſa. 63.10. Although theſe are three, yet but one Lord, or Jehovah, and one Father. Who ſeeing he is our Father, let us carry our ſelves to him as dutifull Children: for ſo he requireth, Mal. 1.6. A Sonne honoureth his Father, and a ſervant his Maſter: If then I be a Father, where is mine honour? and if I be a Master, where is my feare, ſaith the Lord of Hoſts?
CHAP. XIV.
Moſt High is a Name of God, aſcribed to the Father, the Sonne, and the Holy-Ghoſt.
HIgheſt, or moſt high, is a Name of God, who is the moſt high over all the Earth, Pſal. 83. laſt. and in the Heavens, Luke 2.15. Albeit there cannot be two most High, which are eſſentially differing from each other; yet Father, Sonne, and Holy-Ghoſt, which differ perſonally, have this Name aſcribed to them, who are one, and the ſame moſt High God.
Firſt, the Father is the moſt High. So the Divell acknowledgeth, Luke 8.28. And the Angel Gabriel profeſſeth, Luke 1.32.
Secondly, the Sonne is the moſt High. John Baptiſt, who was the fore-runner of Chriſt, is ſaid to be the Prophet of the most High, to prepare his way before him, Luke, 1.76.
Thirdly, the Holy-Ghoſt is the most High. The Lord Jeſus being to be conceived (as we acknowledge in the Creed, by the powerfull operation of the Holy-Ghoſt, the Angel anſwereth Mary, who demanded of him, how ſhe ſhould conceive, that knew no man, Luke 1.35. The Holy-Ghoſt ſhall come on thee, and the power of the moſt High ſhall over-ſhadow thee. Moreover, that which Iſaiah calleth a rebelling & vexing of the Spirit, Iſa. 36.10. and Steven, a reſiſting of the Holy-Ghoſt, Act. 7.51. and the Author to the Hebrews, a tempting, and grieving him, Heb. 3.7, 9. the Pſalmiſt affirmeth it to be a tempting and provoking the moſt High, Pſal. 78.56. The Holy-Ghoſt being moſt High, whom they tempted, whom they provoked; Yea, he that inſpired Balaam, was the Spirit of God. So Moſes ſheweth, Num. 24.2. The Spirit of God came upon him, even him Balaam ſtileth the moſt High, Num. 24.16.
Oh, let us be glad, and rejoyce in the Lord, and ſing praiſes to his Name, who is the moſt High, Pſal. 9.2. who is the moſt High for evermore, Pſal. 92.8. Even to the Father, the Sonne, and the Holy-Ghoſt, let u… give praiſe.
CHAP. XV.
Lord God is a Name aſcribed to the Father, to the Word, and to the Spirit.
LOrd God is a Name peculiar to him, who is the Supreame Majeſtie of heaven and earth, 2 Kin. 19.19. Thou art the Lord God, then onelyonly. Though this Name be given onelyonly to God, who is one: yet this one God is diſtinguiſhed into three Perſons.
Firſt, the Father is Lord God. Daniel praying to the Father, to be heard for Chriſts ſake, Dan. 9.17. aſcribeth to him this Name of the Lord God, Dan. 9.3. And the Angel Gabriel ſpeaking of Chriſts Oeconomicall Kingdome committed to him, as God and Man, the Head and King of his Church, ſaith, Luke 1.32. The Lord God ſhall give unto him the throne of his Father David. Beſides, the Holy-Ghoſt is oft called the Spirit of the Lord God, as Iſa. 61.1. Iſa. 48.16. Joel 2.27, 28. who was the Spirit of the Father, Mat. 10.20.
Secondly, the Sonne is Lord God. Thomas ſo acknowledged him, Joh. 20.28. My Lord, and my God: the Angel Gabriel doth ſo ſtile him; for it was Chriſt, John was to goe before, Mar. 1.2. Lu. 1.76. who was to goe before him, who was the Lord God, Luke 1.16, 17. John ſo calleth him. The Lord God of the holy Prophets ſent his Angel, Rev. 22.6. It was the Lord Chriſt who ſent his Angel to John, Rev. 22.16. Rev. 1.1. God promiſeth to ſave Iſrael by the Lord their God, Hoſ. 1.6. That this was the Lord Jeſus, is manifeſt; for whomſoever the Father ſaveth, he ſaveth by Chriſt. No man commeth to the Father, but by him, Joh. 14.6. neither is there ſalvation in any other, Act. 4.12. He was raiſed unto Iſrael a Saviour, Act. 13.23. Moreover, the Holy-Ghoſt is called the Spirit of the Lord God, Joel 2.27, 28. who was the Spirit of Chriſt, Gal. 4.6 Rom. 8.9.
Thirdly, the Holy-Ghoſt is Lord God. The Spirit which entred into Ezekiel, Ezek. 2.2. Ezek. 11.1. and ſpeaketh by him, was the Lord God, Ezek. 2.4. Ezek. 11 5. He it was that ſpake in and by the Prophets, Nehem. 9.30. Num. 11.29. Act. 28.25. Act. 1.16. which by Zachary is ſo ſtiled, Lu. 1.68. with Lu. 1.70.
So you may ſee, the onelyonly Lord God is the Father, the Sonne, and the Holy-Ghoſt.
CHAP. XVI.
Lord God Almighty, is a Name aſcribed to the Father, to the Sonne, and to the Holy-Ghoſt.
LOrd God Almighty is a Name given to God, in regard of his protection over his Church and people, and alſo of the deſtruction of his and their enemies. There can be but one Lord God Almighty, but he is diſtinguiſhed into three Perſons, or ſubſiſtences, which is ſo called.
Firſt, the Father is Lord God Almighty, who with the Sonne and Holy-Ghoſt is uſually ſo ſtiled in the Revelations, Revel. 11.17. Rev. 15.3. Rev. 16.7. Rev. 19.6. I know ſome expound ſome of theſe places perſonally of the Father, others expound them perſonally of the Sonne: But I rather take them eſſentially, as ſpoken of the Father, Sonne, and Holy-Ghoſt; neither is the Father onelyonly ſo ſtiled; But,
Secondly, the Sonne is Lord God Almighty, Rev. 1.8. (ſo Paguine rendreth it, and alſo other Greek and Latine Copies. That this is ſpoken of the Sonne, the words before and after ſhew, it being interpoſed between a double deſcription of Chriſt: Firſt, of his Names and Offices: Secondly, of his glorious Majeſtie appearing to John in a Viſion, as is laid down to us with its circumſtances from the ninth verſe to the end of that Chapter.
Thirdly, the Holy-Ghoſt is Lord God Almighty. So Paul ſheweth, 2 Cor. 6.16, 17, 18. it being the Holy-Ghoſt that there ſpeaketh: firſt, it is He, who is in the faithfull, as in his temple, 1 Cor. 6.19. ſecondly, He dwelleth in them, Rom. 8.11. thirdly, He likewiſe maketh a Covenant, to be their God, and they ſhall be his people, Jer. 31.33. with Heb. 9.15, 16.
Albeit the Father, the Sonne, and the Holy-Ghoſt are Lord God Almightie, yet are they not three Lords, or three Gods, or three Almighties, but one Lord God Almightie.
CHAP. XVII.
Great God, is a Name aſcribed to the Father, to the Sonne, and to the Holy-Ghoſt.
GReat God, is a Title peculiarly attributed to the Lord: He is a great God above all gods, 2 Chron. 2.5. there being none ſo great a God as our God, Pſal. 77.13. Pſal. 86.8. even his enemies being Judges Ezra 5.8. who ſtile him the great God. This Name, ſome who denie the Lord that bought them (as Peter ſpeaketh, 2 Pet. 2.7.) to be God, doe peculiarly give to the Father, ſtiling him, in oppoſition to the Sonne and Holy-Ghoſt, the great God; when as they are of one Power, Majeſtie, Glory, and Eſſence with him.
Firſt, the Father is ſtiled the great God by Daniel, Dan. 9.4. who prayed to the Lord, the Father of our Lord, (as the ſonne of Syrach ſpeaketh) Ecclus 51.14. who beſeecheth God to heare him for the Lords ſake, Dan. 9.17.
Secondly, the Sonne is ſtiled the great God by Paul, Tit. 2.13. looking for that bleſſed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God, and Saviour, Jeſus Chriſt. Firſt, the Lord Chriſt is that bleſſed hope; He is the hope of Iſrael, Act. 28.20. and alſo him, in whom the Gentiles truſt, Rom. 15.12. Secondly, foreign (as Zanch. Piſcat. Beza ſhew) is wholly and alone attributed to Jeſus Chriſt in the New Teſtament. Thirdly, if by great God ſhould be underſtood God the Father, and Saviour onelyonly have relation to Jeſus Chriſt; then there ſhould be a double Article in the Greeke, to diſtinguiſh them: but here is onelyonly one ſingle Article, which pointeth out one onelyonly ſubject, even the Lord Jeſus, to whom theſe belong. Wherefore, if Jeſus Chriſt were not God by Nature, but onelyonly by Office, as ſome blaſphemouſly affirme, he had not beene a great God.
Thirdly, the Holy-Ghoſt is ſtiled a great God: ſo ſaith the Pſalmiſt; The Lord is a great God, Pſal. 95.3. That this was the Holy-Ghoſt, the Apoſtle ſheweth, by citing that following part of the Pſalme, as ſpoken of him, Heb. 3.7. He is the great God, whom he introduceth ſpeaking, which was the Holy-Ghost.
But if this Verſe be not ſpoken Perſonally of him, but eſſentially of God, yet this Title is due to him, as he is one with the Father and the Sonne; and even ſo in that and other places, (where the Name of God is taken eſſentially) it is to be referred to him, together with the Father and the Sonne.
CHAP. XVIII.
Great King, is a Name of the Father, and of the Sonne, and of the Holy-Ghoſt.
Great King, is a Title properly aſcribed to the Lord; who is the bleſſed and onelyonly Potentate, the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, 1 Tim. 6.15. and is God alone of all the Kingdomes of the Earth, 2 Kin. 19.15. Iſai. 37.16. God challengeth this title, Mal. 1.14. I am a great King, ſaith the Lord of Hoſts; yet this onelyonly great King, who is God alone of all Kingdomes, is,
Firſt, the Father, he is a great King, Mat. 5. and hath a great Kingdome, Mat. 26.29.
Secondly, the Sonne, he is King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, Rev. 17.14. It is his Name, Rev. 19.16. He is the King of Iſrael, Joh. 12.15. Zac. 9.9. Pſal. 45.5, 11, 13, 15. who hath an eternall Throne, a Scepter, an Anoynting, a Kingdome, Heb. 1.7, 8. who reigneth as a Conquerour, in regard of his Victories, over Sinne, Death, Hell, Antichriſt, and all his enemies: It being the honour of earthly Kings to rule over their Subjects with a golden Scepter, to ſhew their riches; But it is the honour of the Lord Jeſus, to rule over his enemies with a Rod of iron, Rev. 2.27. Pſal. 2.9. to manifeſt his power and ſtrength.
Thirdly, the Holy-Ghoſt is a great King, Pſal. 95.3. with Heb. 5.7. as I ſhewed afore, who appointeth his inferiour Officers in the Church, Act. 13.2. Act. 20.28. and who maketh Lawes for his people, Act. 15.28.
Yea, Father, Sonne, and Holy-Ghoſt are one King, Rev. 11.17. John treating both of the Lord; and of Chriſt, doth adde, ſpeaking as of one; He ſhall reigne. They have one Throne, which is confirmed unto us by the mouth of two Evangelicall Prophets; the Prophet Iſaiah in the Old Teſtament, and the Evangeliſt John in the New.
Firſt, Iſaiah ſaw the Lord of Hoſts ſitting on a Throne, Iſa. 6.1. whom in the fifth verſe he ſtileth a King, which did ſend Iſaiah to the people of the Jewes; which was not onelyonly the Father which did ſend Iſaiah, but the Sonne alſo, Iſa. 48.16. and ſo John affirmeth, Ioh. 12. 40, 41. Theſe things ſaid Iſaias, when he ſaw Chriſts glory, and ſpake of him, yet the Holy-Ghoſt alſo ſent, and ſpake by him, Iſa, 48.16. and Paul witneſſeth it, Act. 28.25. Well ſpake the Holy-Ghoſt by Iſaiah the Prophet.
Secondly, John deſcribeth Gods Throne, Rev. 4. Rev. 5. where is not onelyonly God the Father, but alſo the Sonne our Redeemer, who is ſtiled a Lambe, who is ſaid to be in the midſt of the Throne, Rev. 5.6. even equall with the Father. And the Lambe being there, the Holy-Ghoſt alſo muſt be there. For the Holy-Ghoſt, called the ſeven Spirits, is the ſeven Eyes of the Lambe, Rev. 5.6. which is in the midſt of the Throne with the Father, and whoſe Throne it is with the Father, Rev. 22.1, 3.
CHAP. XIX.
The God of Iſrael, was the Father, the Sonne, and the Holy-Ghoſt.
THe God of Iſrael is a Name which the Lord is oft pleaſed to aſſume to himſelfe, Iſai. 45.3. and is ſo called of his Church and people, Act. 13.17. He is ſo called in two reſpects. Firſt, in regard of his love towards them, they being his peculiar encloſure, taken out of the Commons of the world, Deut. 7.6. Secondly, in reſpect of his ſervice, which he expecteth from them, and they willingly give to him. God will reigne over the wicked in ſpight of all their oppoſitions, Pſal. 99.1. But he ruleth over the faithfull in his Church more eſpecially, that willingly offer themſelves, Judg. 5.9. This title diſtinguiſheth the true God from falſe, the Lord Jehovah from Idols and Devils.
This Name in holy Scripture is aſcribed to,
Firſt, the Father he is the God of Iſrael, Act. 3.12, 13. Ye men of Iſrael, the God of Abraham, the God of Iſaac, and the God of Jacob, the God of our Fathers hath glorified his Sonne Jeſus: The Father of Chriſt, was the God of the Fathers of the Iſraelites, the God of Iſrael.
Secondly, the Sonne, he is the God of Iſrael. So the Angel intimateth to Zachary; Many of the Children of Iſrael ſhall John turn to the Lord their God: And he ſhall goe before him in the Spirit and power of Elias, Luke 1. 16, 17. whom did John goe before, but Chriſt, whom the Angel calleth the Lord God of Iſrael? Mal. 3.1. Mar. 1.2. Luke 1.76. Luke 7.27. who was alſo the King of Iſrael, Joh, 12.13. The Prophet Zephany maketh them equivalent one to the other, Zeph. 3.15. And Ananias, an Iſraelite, acknowledgeth to Paul, the Lord God of our Fathers hath choſen thee. That this was the Lord Jeſus Ananias affirmeth, Act 9.17. The Lord (even Jeſus, that appeared unto thee in the way) hath ſent me unto thee; and Paul giveth thanks to Chriſt for chooſing him, 1 Tim. 1.12. Yea, the Lord Chriſt that appeared to Moſes, and is called an Angel, Act. 7.30, 34. who was the Angel of the Covenant, Mal. 3. ſtileth himſelfe the God of Abraham, the God of Iſaac, and the God of Jacob, Exod. 3.6. He it was that ſent his Angel to John, who was the Lord God of the Prophets, Rev. 22.6. which were of Iſrael, for ſo he affirmeth, Rev. 22.16.
Thirdly, the Holy-Ghoſt is the God of Iſrael, he who ſpake by the mouth of all the Prophets, Luke 1.70. was the God of Iſrael, Luke 1.68. That this was the Holy-Ghoſt, is evident, 2 Pet. 1.21. 1 Pet. 1.11. Eph. 3.5. Act. 1.16. Act. 28.25. who ſpake by the Holy-Ghoſt, 2 Sam. 23.2. who was the God of Iſrael, 2 Sam. 23.3. The Spirit of the Lord being called the God of Iſrael.
And indeed, Father, Sonne, and Holy-Ghoſt, which brought Iſrael out of Egypt (as I ſhall ſhew) is the God of Iſrael: He being their God, Exod. 20.2. that brought them out of Egypt; Jehovah Elohim, Deut. 5.6. Exod. 20.2. The Lord thy Gods, one Name of God being ſingular, and the other plurall.
Thus you ſee, Father, Sonne, and Holy-Ghoſt have the Names of God definitively and abſolutely predicated of them. And as Ireneus, who lived long before the Councell of Nice, obſerveth in his third Booke, Cont. Haereſ. Cap. 6. Neque Dominus, neque Spiritus Sanctus, neque Apoſtoli eum, qui non eſt Deus, definitivè & abſolutè Deū nominaſſent in aliquando niſi eſſet verus Deus. Neither the Lord nor the Holy-Ghoſt, nor the Apoſtles would have ever called him God, which is not definitively and abſolutely God, and unleſſe he were the true God. And indeed, he that is a diligent reader of the Scriptures, ſhall not finde any Name or Names of God aſcribed to the Creature, without ſome addition, limitation, or correction of ſpeech: by which it may eaſily be diſcerned, that they are not truly God, to whom when the Name of God is aſcribed, yet is ſo limited, is ſo reſtrained; ſeeing that Father, Sonne, and Holy-Ghoſt is the God of Iſrael. Oh let us give to the Lord alone, the honour due to his Name, and let us conclude with the Pſalmiſt, Pſal. 41. laſt. Bleſſed be the Lord God of Iſrael, from everlaſting to everlaſting, Amen, and Amen.