The Equality of the Father Son and Holy Ghost, Book 3 · Section 2
The ſecond Section.
CHAP. I.
The Workes of God, which doe concerne the Lord Jeſus, the Head of the Church, were wrought by the Father, the Sonne, and the Holy-Ghoſt.
AS the Father, the Sonne and the Holy-Ghoſt did effect theſe common Workes, which extend generally to all; ſo alſo they effect theſe ſpeciall Works, which reach onelyonly to the Church of God, which are of two ſorts; for, Firſt, they are ſuch Workes which God alone worketh, in regard either of Chriſt, the Head of the Church: Or, Secondly, of the Church, which is the Bodie of Chriſt.
Firſt, theſe Workes which are wrought, in regard of Chriſt the Head of the Church: as namely, Firſt, Chriſts Incarnation, Secondly, his Atteſtation: Thirdly, his Vocation: Fourthly his miraculous Opperations: Fifthly, his Death and Paſſion, for the ſinnes of the World: Sixtly, his Reſurrection: Seventhly, his Aſſention were wrought by the Father, the Sonne, and the Holy-Ghoſt.
The Scriptures doe manifeſt the Sonne, and the Holy-Ghoſt, to be God equall with the Father by aſcribing to them theſe Workes equall with the Father.
CHAP. II.
Incarnation of the Word, was a Worke of the Father, of the Sonne, and of the Holy-Ghost.
THe Incarnation of the Word, is a Worke of God: it is inchoative▪ an Eſſentiall Worke of God, common to the whole Trinitie; though terminative, it is terminated, perfected, and conſummated in the Sonne of God, whoſe Perſonall Worke, it was to be made fleſh. Joh. 1.14. and to have two Natures, Divine, and Humane united in one Perſon; who, as he was the Sonne of God, was eternally begotten, of his Father; but as he was the Sonne of man, he was borne of a Woman in the fulneſſe of time. Gal. 4.4. To us a Childe is borne, Iſai. 9.6. and therefore man, to us a Sonne is given of God, and ſo he is God.
The efficient cauſe of Chriſts Incarnation, is the whole Trinitie; God ſent him, Joh. 3.34. He raiſed up this great Prophet, Deut. 18.15.18. the Lord pitched this Tabernacle, and not man, Heb. 8.2.
Firſt, the Father prepareth a Body for him, Heb. 10.5. He ſent his Sonne, made of a Woman, Gal. 4.4. Mat. 10.40. After all his Servants, he ſent unto them his Sonne, ſaying, they will reverence my Sonne, Mat. 21.37. Mar. 12.6. Luk. 20.13. and our Saviour telleth us, he that honoureth not the Sonne, honoureth not the Father that ſent him, Joh. 7.23.
Secondly, the Sone, which as God, made all things, Joh. 1.3. made alſo his owne Body; for he emptyed himſelfe, and tooke on him the forme of a ſervant, Phil. 2.7. He tooke not on him the Nature of Angels, but tooke on him the forme of Abraham, Heb. 2.15. Here are two Natures in Chriſt; Firſt, the Nature, emptying himſelfe, and aſſuming: Secondly, the Nature taken, and aſſumed; He tooke not on him the Nature of Angels, he was no created Spirit, as they are; but he tooke on him the Seed of Abraham: and therefore ſurely, he was, before he tooke this Nature of man on him and ſo he teſtifieth of himſelfe, Joh. 8.58. He tooke part of our fleſh and blood, Heb. 2.14. He made himſelfe partaker of that which was ours, that we might more eaſily take part of that which was his.
Thirdly, the Holy-…hoſt formed his body; This the Evangeliſt affirmeth, Mat. 1.18. ſo the Angel foretold to Mary, Luk. 1.35. and likewiſe telleth Joſeph, Mat. 1.20. and we acknowledge in the Creed, that he was conceived by the Holy-Ghoſt.
Thus the Father, the Sonne, and the Holy-Ghoſt equall in Power, and glory are one, and the ſame efficient Cauſe of Chriſts Incarnation, which was terminated in the ſecond Perſon; they wrought the Mantle of his Humanitie which he put on; who continuing that he was, is made that he was not. And indeed fit it was that he, by whom man was crea…ed, ſhould reſtore, & as it were recreate man, Joh. 1.3.4. Col. 1.16. Thus was the Maker of the earth, made man on the earth. He that was the brightneſſe of Glory, tooke upon him the vileneſſe of our Nature. The Lord Jeſus, who was in the fo me of God and equall with God, tooke on him the forme of a ſervant, Phil. 2.6, 7. and made little lower then ſome of his owne Creatures, Heb. 2.7. He that was infinitely more excellent from all Eternitie then Angels, made himſelfe a little while inferiour to Angels, that he might make us like unto Angels, Mat. 22. Oh that we had the tongue of Men and Angels to ſing forh his praiſe, who thus humbled himſelfe, that he might exalt us; that he to whom the Angels miniſter, Mat. 4. and doe worſhip, Heb. 1.6. for our ſakes ſhould as it were leave the Manſions of heaven, and take up his firſt Lodging in a Stall, and be crouded in a Manger, and ſwadled in a few ragges; ſuch was the riches of his grace towards us, that though he were rich, yet for our ſakes he became poore, that we through his povertie, might be rich, 2 Cor. 8.9.
CHAP. III.
The Atteſtation, or the Witneſſe hearing of the Meſſiah, was the Worke of the Father, the Sonne, and the Holy-Ghoſt.
THe atteſtation of the Word, that he was the Meſſiah of the World, was a Worke of God. Fit it was, the Sonne of God ſhould receive teſtimony from God; he received not teſtimony from men, Joh. 5.31. God bare witneſſe that he was the Saviour of the World; Angels and holy men bare witneſſe of him ſecondarily, as Gods Meſſengers to us; but God is that witneſſe, on which our faith muſt depend, Gal 1.8. If we receive the witneſſe of men, the witneſſe of God is greater; this is the witneſſe of God, which he hath teſtified of his Sonne, Joh. 5.9. And ſurely, the Father, the Sonne, and the Holy-Ghoſt, bare witneſſe to us of the Meſſiah.
Firſt, the Father bare witneſſe of him; So the Lord Chriſt aſſureth us, Joh. 5.37. The Father which hath ſent me, hath borne witneſſe of me, Joh. 8.18. He teſtified of him at his Baptiſme, Mat. 3.17. and at his tranſfiguratio…, Mat. 17.5.
Secondly, the Sonne indeed, as man, had no power to beare witneſſe of himſelfe, Joh. 5.13. yet as God, he teſtified of himſelfe, Joh. 8.18. and did juſtifie his own teſtification, Joh. 8.16, 17, 18. who, together with his Father, witneſſed that he was the Meſſiah, Joh. 4.26. Joh. 5.17. Joh. 10.25. and that God was his Father, and he his Sonne, Joh. 5. Joh. 6. Joh. 10. yea, the Lord Jeſus telleth the Jewes, Except ye beleeve that I am, ye ſhall dye in your ſinnes; where the Lord ſtileth himſelfe, I am, a Name peculiar to God, Exod. 3.14. and telleth the Jewes, they muſt beleeve it, unleſſe they will dye eternally. Let theſe that fight againſt the Divinitie of the Lord that bought them, ſeriouſly weigh this, and other places where he ſtileth himſelfe thus, who ſay that Chriſt never profeſſed himſelfe to be God, or tooke any Name of God, on him.
Thirdly, the Holy-Ghoſt bare witneſſe of Chriſt; ſo he telleth his Diſciples: He ſhall teſtifie of me, Joh. 15.26. He ſhall receive of mine, and ſhall ſhew it unto you, Joh. 16.14. and the Apoſtles ſhew the Jewes, that the Holy-Ghoſt did beare witneſſe of Chriſt, Act. 5.32. who bare witneſſe of him at his Baptiſme, by deſcending on Chriſt, Mat. 3.16. Luk 3.22. Joh. 1.33. and after Chriſts aſcention, by deſſending on the Apostles and Diſciples of Chriſt, Act. 2. Act. 8. Act. 10. Act. 19.
There are three that beare record in Heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy-Ghoſt, and theſe three are one, 1 Joh. 5.7. not onelyonly one Witneſſe, but one God; which Text of Scripture, becauſe it is a notable Pilate to ſteere the Ship of the Church, in ſayling between the Rocks of Arrianiſme, den…ing Unitie: and of Sabellianiſme, oppoſing the Trinitie; the …nemies of the truth have therefore endeavoured to deſtroy it: raſing this Text and others out of the Scriptures. Thus the Arrians did corrupt this too, and other Texts, even as Jerome complaineth, who notwithſtanding, citeth this place againſt th…m: ſo doth Fulgentius and Epiphonius; yea, Cipryan, in Lib. de unitate Eccleſ. who lived before Arrius, rehearſeth it: and Athanaſius cited it againſt Arrius in the Nicene Councell, (as Junius obſerveth:) and it is to be found in the moſt Ancient Copies, both Greek and Latine, and is ſo ſutable to the matter the Apoſtle treateth of, and ſo fitly anſwering the eight and ninth Verſes of the ſame Chapter, and ſo conſonant to the word, that there is no reaſon to thinke this an addition to the Canon of the Scriptures.
CHAP. IV.
The Vocation of Chriſt to the Office of a Mediator, was a Worke of the Father, the Sonne, and the Holy-Ghoſt.
THe Vocation of Chriſt to his Mediator-ſhip, and the ſending of him to preach, was a Worke of God alone. The Lord Jeſus being to offer himſelfe a Sacrifice for the ſinnes of the World, (wherein he was both Prieſt, and Sacrifice) glorified not himſelfe, to be made an High Priest, Heb. 5.3. as man, he tooke not this Office on him; for no man taketh this Honour on him, but he that was called of God, as was Aaron, Heb. 5.4. as he was the Sonne of Man, he was called of God, an High Prieſt, Heb. 5.10. but as God, being one with the Father, and the Holy-Ghoſt, ſo he voluntarily undertooke this Office; the efficient Cauſe of this Act, was the whole Trinitie.
Firſt, the Father ſent him to preach; our Saviour ſpeaking to the Jewes, ſaith, My Doctrine is not mine, but his that ſent me, Joh. 7.16. He made him an high Prieſt, who ſaid, Thou art my Sonne, to day have I begotten thee, Heb. 5.5. who was called of God, an high Prieſt after the Order of Melchizedeck, Heb. 5.10. where it is obſerveable, that Chriſt as man, is ſaid to be a Prieſt after the Order of Melchizedeck, Heb. 5.6, 10. Heb. 6.20. Heb. 7.17. but as Chriſt was the Sonne of God; ſo Melchizedeck is ſaid to be made like unto him, a Prieſt continually, Heb. 7.3.
Secondly, the Sonne of God made himſelfe of no reputation, Phil. 2.7. He voluntarily undertooke this Office, for ſo he teſtified: For this cauſe came I into the World, that I ſhould beare witneſſe unto the Truth, Joh. 18.37. Loe, I come to doe thy will, O God, Heb. 10.8.
Thirdly, the Holy-Ghoſt ſent him. He was led by the Spirit into the Wilderneſſe, Luk. 4.1. and returned in the power of the Spirit unto Galilee, Luk. 4.14. and was ſent by the Spirit to preach the Goſpell to the poore, and anointed by him, with gifts without meaſure, Luk. 4.18. Act. 10.38.
Thus there is one inſeparable, and undivided Working of the Father, the Sonne, and Holy-Ghoſt, as there is one inſepparable, and undivided Nature of them.
CHAP. V.
Chriſts power as man to worke Miracles, was a Worke of the Father, of the Sonne, and of the Holy-Ghoſt.
THe Miracles tbat Chriſt wrought, when he lived on the earth, were wrought by the power of God, Joh. 10.38. God did them by him, Act. 2.22. they were wrought,
Firſt, by the power of the Father. The Lord telleth the Jewes, many good Workes have I ſhewed you from the Father, Joh. 10.32. the Father that is in me, he doth the Workes, Joh. 14.10. the Sonne doth nothing, but what he ſeeth the Father doe, Joh. 5.19. He gave Chriſt the Workes that he did, to finiſh, Joh. 5.36.
Secondly, by the Divine Power of the Sonne; whatſoever things the Father doth, theſe alſo doth the Sonne likewiſe, Joh. 5.19. Thus by his owne Power, he tooke on him the forme of a ſervant, Phil. 2.6. Heb. 2.16. in his Incarnation, he raiſed up his owne Body in his Reſurrection, Joh. 2.19. he exalted his owne Body, and Soule into heaven, in his Aſcention, Eph. 4.8, 9. 1 Pet. 3.21. He manifeſted his glory in his Miracles, Joh. 2.11. As man, he had no power of himſelfe to doe Miracles, but it was given him; and in regard of his humane Nature, he was Anoint…d of God, with the Holy-Ghoſt, and with power, Act. 10.38. But the Man-hood being united to the ſecond Perſon of the God-head; he both received power of God, as he was man; and he had power of himſelfe, as he was God to worke Miracles; and therefore in many Miracles which he wrought, he manifeſted both his Natures; as in curing of him that was Dumbe, and Deafe, Mar. 7.34. He looketh up to heaven, and ſigheth as Man; but he commanded as God: be opened. In healing the Leper, Mat. 8.3. to confound Manicheus, denying him to be Man, he touched him; and to confute Arrius, denying him to be God, he commanded, I will be thou cleane; manifeſting that he, and none other cured him, when he and none other touched him; in raiſing Lazarus, he prayeth as man, but commandeth as God, Joh. 11.41.43. Chriſt did oft cure without Prayer, but yet ſometimes he prayed, and that for our ſakes; Firſt, that we might know he was ſent from God, Joh. 11.45. Secondly, that he might teach us what to doe, when we undertake any weightie imployment. As for that, where it is ſaid, that he could doe no great Worke there, becauſe of their unbeliefe, Mar. 6.4. Mat. 13.58. We muſt conſider there is a twofold Power in God; Firſt, an abſolute Power, ſo the Lord can doe any thing, if the doing thereof imployeth not a contradiction; Secondly, a limited Power, which is limited by his Will, and Decree; thus God by his abſolute Power, could have deſtroyed Sodome, when Lot was in it, by his limited power he could not, Gen. 19.22. Chriſt likewiſe by his abſolute Power, could have wrought Miracles in theſe unbeleeving Cities: but in regard of his limited power, he could not, becauſe it ſtood not with his good will and pleaſure; in the like manner, God could by his abſolute Power, have removed the Cup from Chriſt: as Chriſt ſheweth, Mar. 14.36. All things were poſſible to God. That therefore, which as Matthew puts it (if it be poſſible) hath telation to Gods limited Power, Mat. 26.36. which is limited by his will; and therefore Luke well explaineth it, Lu. 22.42. Father, if thou be willing; the unbeliefe therefore of the Capernaumites, did not make Chriſt unable to doe, but it made them unfit to receive; it did not diminiſh Chriſts Divine power, but their owne mercies, which they might have recived if they would have believed; for as faith on the one ſide ſtayeth Gods hand from executing Vengeance, Exod. 32.10. ſo unbeliefe on the other ſide ſtayeth Gods hand from reaching forth mercies.
Thirdly, by the power of the Holy-Ghoſt; If I, (ſaith Chriſt) by the Spirit of God caſt out Divels, then is the Kingdome of God come to you, Mat. 12.28. Jeſus was anointed with the Holy-Ghoſt, and with power, and went about doing good, &c. Act. 10.38.
Father, Sonne, and Holy-Ghoſt therefore have one, and the ſame power of working Miracles, yea, that was done by the power of the Father, and of the holy-Ghoſt, of whom it is ſaid, there went vertue, and healed them all, Luk 6.19. Mar. 5.30. whoſe Workes, when the people ſaw: it is ſaid they were all amazed at the mightie power of God, Luk. 9.43. yea, he telleth you, that they were his Workes, and his Fathers which he did doe, Joh 10.37 38.
CHAP. VI.
Chriſts Death and Paſſion, that it might be a Ranſome for the ſinnes of the world, was a Work of Father, Sonne, and Holy-Ghoſt.
CHriſts Death and Paſſion, that it might be a Ranſome for the ſinnes of the World, was a Worke of God; God was in Chriſt reconciling the world to himſelfe, 2 Cor. 5.19. He made our ſinnes, his ſinnes, that he might make his Righteouſneſſe, our Righteouſneſſe; for he made him to be ſinne for us, who knew no ſinne, that we might be made the Righteouſneſſe of God in him, 2 Cor. 5.2…. where the Apoſtle by an Hebrewiſme calleth the expiation of ſiinne by ſacrifice, ſinne, (chata is to ſinne, but chitte in pihel, is to expiate ſinne) Chriſt bare the puniſhment of ſinne, and became an offering for ſinne for us, that we which had ſinned, might in, and through him, have our Conſciences purged from dead Workes, and we which were defiled therewith, might be waſhed by the blood of Chriſt, 1 Joh. 1.7. Rev. 1.5. wherein we may ſee a Worke of the Father, the Sonne, and the Holy-Ghoſt.
Firſt, the Father gave us his Sonne the Lord Chriſt, Joh. 3.16. God ſo loved the wo…ld, that he gave his onelyonly begotten Sonne, Rom. 8.32. He ſpared …ot his owne Sonne, but delivered him up for us all, 1 Joh. 4.10. He ſent his Sonne to be a propitiation for our ſinnes: Herod, Pontius-Pilate, the Gentiles, and the Jewes did that to Chriſt, which Gods hand and his Counſell determined to be done, Act. 4.27, 28.
Secondly, the Sonne gave himſelfe for us, Tit. 2.14. He gave himſelfe for us, to redeeme us from all iniquitie, Gal. 1.4. He gave himſelfe for his Church, that he might ſanctifie it, and clenſe it, Mat. 20.28. 1 Tim. 2.6. He gave his life a ra…ſome for many, Heb 9.14. He offered up himſelfe, Col. 2.20. He loved me, (ſaith Paul) and gave himſelfe for me, Joh. 10.17.18. He laid down his life of himſelfe.
Thirdly, through the Holy-Ghoſt, this Worke was done, Heb. 19.14. Chriſt, through the Eternall Spirit, offered himſelfe; He ſent him to doe this Worke, Luk. 4.18, 19.
This Worke, though it was conſummated, perfected, and terminated by the Sonne of God, when his ſoule did make an offering for Sinne, Iſai. 53.10. (So the Tranſlators render it in the Margent) it being terminatively wrought by Chriſt; yet inchoactively it was the Worke of the whole Trinitie, and ſo Iſa. 53.10. The Lord ſhall make his ſoule an offering for ſinne. And thus the Tranſlators render it in the Text; the Originall will beare either; neither of them is contrary to the Analogie of faith: for Chriſt ſuffered and dyed for the ſinnes of the World, by the common decree of the Father, the Sonne, & the Holy-Ghoſt: which was their eſſenſiall, and common Worke, Act. 2.23. He was delivered by the determinate Counſell, and fore-knowledge of God: whom the Jewes tooke, and by wicked hands crucified, and did ſlay. It being a worke of love to Man in God: but a Worke of malice to Chriſt in the Jewes.
CHAP. VII.
The raiſing of Chriſts Body from death, was a Worke of the Father, and of the Sonne, and of the Holy-Ghoſt.
THe Reſurrection of Chriſt, or raiſing up of his Body, was a Worke of God, Act. 3.15. Rom. 10.9. Act. 10.40. Act. 2.32. Rom. 4.24. Act. 4.10. It required a Divine power to effect this.
Where the Lord Jeſus may be conſidered, either,
Firſt, eſſentially, as he is one Eſſence with the Father, and the Holy-Ghoſt; ſo he raiſeth, and is not raiſed.
Secondly, Perſonally, and that, Firſt, as he is the Sonne of Man; and ſo he is raiſed, Mat. 17.22, 23. Luk. 9.22. and raiſeth not.
Secondly, as he is the ſecond Perſon in the Trinitie, which was made fleſh, Joh. 1.14. and thus he is raiſed, Luk. 9.21. and did riſe againe, Luk. 18.33. yea, did raiſe up himſelfe, Joh. 2.19. The reſurrection of Chriſt from the dead, is attributed to the whole Chriſt: and yet is was actively wrought according to his Divinitie: and paſſively, according to his Humanitie. This Doctrine was mightily explauded by Philoſophy, who thought Paul to be a Babler, and ſetter forth of ſtrange Gods, becauſe he preached Chriſts Reſurrection, Acts 17. but Chriſtians doe know by the Word,
Firſt, the Father raiſeth him, Gal. 1.1. 1 Theſ. 1. laſt. Rom. 6.4. Rom. 8.11. Act. 13.33.
Secondly, the Sonne raiſeth himſelfe, Joh. 2.19. 1 Pet. 3.16. 2 Cor. 13.4. 1 Cor. 15.12. Joh 10 17, 18. I have power to lay down my life, and I have power to take it up; where he ſeemeth to compare his life to a garment, that he can take up, and lay down at his pleaſure; It was not poſſible that Death ſhould hold him by force.
Thirdly, the Holy-Ghoſt raiſeth him, Rom. 1.4. The Father therefore raiſeth the Sonne by the Sonne, and the Sonne raiſeth himſelfe by the Spirit of Sanctification, whereby he is declared to be the Sonne of God: where therefore the Scripture aſcribeth the raiſing of Chriſt from the dead to the Father: it excludeth not the power of the Sonne, and Holy-Ghoſt, but ſheweth the Identitie, or ſameneſſe of Will, Power, Operation in them.
Where if Chriſt had not dyed, we could not have lived: and if he had not riſen againe, we had ſlept for ever; but loe, the Dragon is vanquiſhed, and the Lamb is victorious; the Lord of life grapling with Death, foiled him in his owne Territories; He brake all the Priſons of death, and unfettered all his fellowes. If, when Chriſt was borne, old Simeon was willing to dye, Luk. 2.27. how willingly ought we to dye, that know Chriſt is riſen from the dead, and become the firſt fruites of them that ſleepe, 1 Cor. 15.20. Seeing that the firſt fruites differ onelyonly in maturity, from the time of the Harveſt; Let an Infidell ſorrow immoderately for his friend that is dead, as for a man without hope: and let an unbeleever bewaile the miſery of his dying ſoule; but we have not ſo learned Chriſt, Eph. 4.20. Chriſt who is the Key of our reſurrection, hath raiſed himſelfe, and opened a way for us to follow, Heb. 10.20.
CHAP. VIII.
The lifting up of Chriſts body into Heaven, or his aſcention, was the Worke of Father, Sonne, and Holy-Ghoſt.
THe Aſcention of Chriſt, or the lifting up his body into Heaven, is a worke of God; None but the Lord did receive him into glory, 1 Tim. 4, 16. and did ſet him at his owne right hand in heavenly places.
Firſt, it was a Worke of the Father, not onelyonly to raiſe him from the dead, but by lifting up his body to to ſet him at his owne right hand, Eph. 1.20.
Secondly, it was a worke of the Sonne to aſcend into Heaven; ſo the Pſalmiſt foreſheweth, Pſal. 68.18. and the Apoſtle affirme, Eph. 4.8. 1 Pet. 3.22. and Christ himſelfe witneſſeth, Joh. 20.17. Joh. 3.13. Joh. 16.15. As man, he was taken up into heaven, Mar. 16.19. Act. 1.9.11. and was ſet at Gods right hand: which poſture of his, imployeth, Firſt, reſting from his labours; Secondly, raigning as a King; Thirdly, judging as a Judge; but as he was alſo God, ſo he lifted up his owne body, Pſal. 68.18. He aſſended by his owne power: He that did at the firſt make, Joh. 1.3. and doth ſtill ſupport all things by his power, Heb. 1.13. did likewiſe exalt himſelfe, and aſcend above all things, by the power of himſelfe, who uſed a cloud, rather to magnifie his Divinitie, Pſal. 104.3. in his riding theteon, Pſal. 68 4. and commanding it, then for any aſſiſtance he received from it; He ſupporteth the cloud, the cloud of itſelfe could not ſupport him.
Thirdly, it was a Worke of the Holy-Ghoſt; He led Chriſt into the Wilderneſſe, Mar. 1.12. Mat. 4.1. Luk. 4.1. He tranſlated the bodies of the faithfull from place to place, 1 King. 18.12. Act. 8.39. He who formed Chriſts body in the Virgins Wombe, Mat. 1.18, 20. Luk. 1.33. who raiſed up his body out of the grave, Rom. 1.4. did alſo exal… his body into heaven: who was exalted by the right h…nd of God, Act. 2.33. Now the Spirit of God is called the Finger of God. Luk. 11.20. with Mat. 12.28. The Hand of God, Act. 11.21. Ezek. 8.1. Ezek. 1.3. Ezek. 3.14. yea, Peter, Act. 2.33. doth diſtinguiſh this right hand of God from the Father, and therefore it cannot be taken perſonally for him, where if it be uſed Eſſentially, the Holy-Ghoſt is neceſſarily included: but if Perſonally, the Holy-Ghoſt is then there deſcribed to be him, by whom Chriſt was exalted.
Father, Sonne, and Holy-Ghoſt doe co-operate as they are three Perſons, in theſe Workes which concerne Chriſt the Head of the Church: and as they are one Eſſence, ſo they are one, and the ſame cauſe of effecting them.
Oh that we could by the eye of faith, ſee Chriſt aſcended into Heaven, and placed on the right hand of his Father, then might we at once thereby behold our Saviours honour, and our owne happineſſe. It was expedient for him, for his owne honour to aſcend into Heaven, and to lead Captivitie captive, Eph. 4.8. and to have Angels, and Authorities, and Powers made ſubject to him, 1 Pet. 3.22. in regard of us, it was expedient, Joh. 16.7. for our eternall ſafetie, for he is gone to prepare a place for us, Joh. 14.2. He is entred into heaven, to appeare in the preſence of God for us, Heb. 9.24. and is at the right hand of God, and maketh interceſſion for us, Rom. 8.34. Heb. 7.25.