Milk for Babes, Questions · Question 4
4. Q. How many Gods are there?
A. There are three perſons, and, to us Chriſtians, but one God.
Goe to Jordan, and thou ſhalt ſee the heavens opened, There are three perſons. Matth. 3.16, 17.whence the Father ſent a voice from heaven, the Sonne baptized, and the Holy Ghoſt deſcending like a Dove to make up three perſons. Reflect upon thy own Baptiſme, and thou ſhalt behold thy admittance into the Church, in the name of the Father, Matth. 28.19.and of the Sonne, and of the Holy Ghoſt, to make up three perſons again.
Conſider our witneſſes, and thou ſhalt finde that we have three that beare record in heaven, the Father, the Word, 1 Joh. 5.7.and the Holy Ghoſt, and that theſe three are one.
For though there are three names or perſons in the Godhead, Yet is there but one God. 1 Cor. 8.5, 6.and though there be many that are called Gods, and Lords, yet to us Chriſtians there is but one God.
This heavenly myſtery may be ſhadowed unto thee a little in a fiered coale. There is the ſubſtance of the coale, the light of the coale, and the heat of the coale, and yet but one fiered coale. So ſoone as ever the coale is fiered there are theſe three, the ſubſtance of the coale, the light, and heat of it. So in the ſame Divine Eſſence (though in a more tranſcendent way) is there the Father, the Sonne, and the Holy Ghoſt.
Yea it may be ſhadowed in thy ſelfe. So ſoone as ever thou art borne into this world thou art a creature to God, a childe to thy Parents, and a ſubject to thy King, and yet art thou but one. So, ſo ſoone as ever as God is (that is, from all eternitie) he is Father, Sonne, and holy Ghoſt, and yet but one God.
Vſe. This will help thee mightily in cleaving to the Scriptures, and in all thy devout prayers to God. Art thou tempted to queſtion the truth of the Scriptures? doe not yeeld: 2 Tim. 3.16. 2 Pet. 1.19.For all Scripture is given by Inſpiration of God; and ſo, is a ſure word, to which thou muſt take heed as unto a light that ſhineth in a darke place; becauſe it hath this threefold teſtimony, in one God, which cannot faile thee. Doth the Scripture give any precept, make any promiſe, denounce any threatning? Reſt upon it, that thou muſt obey it. Imbrace it, and tremble under it as Gods truth confirmed by three witneſſes which ſhal ſtand, when all other witneſſes ſhall fail.
Wouldſt thou powre out thy devouteſt prayers to God? Thinke upon this one God, three Perſons as a fountaine to ſupply all thy defects. Haſt thou any brack or defect in the nature of thy body and ſoule? Pray to God the Father, as thy faithfull Creator, that, for the merits of Chriſt, and by the working of the holy Ghoſt, he would perfect thy parts to doe him ſervice. Haſt thou ſinned againſt thy good Maker? Pray to God the Sonne, as thy faithfull Redeemer, that from the love of the Father, for his merits, and by the operation of the holy Ghoſt, he would procure a pardon ſealed to thy conſcience. Haſt thou, for want of beleeving in his name, ſinned againſt thy good Saviour? Pray to God the Holy Ghoſt, as thy faithfull Sanctifier, that from the love of the Father; for the holy bloud-ſhed of the Sonne, and by his bleſſing worke of preparation, and Inſition, he would apply thee to Chriſt, and make thee one with him, that thou mayſt have all the benefits of his Paſſion.
Now (my child) remember what I have ſaid.
Q. Who made thee?
A. God.
Q. What is it to make thee?
A. To give mee that being which I have.
Q. Who Redeemed thee?
A. Jeſus Chriſt.
Q. What is it to Redeeme thee?
A. To buy me again when I was loſt.
Q. How cameſt thou to be loſt?
A. By the ſinne of Adam.
Q. How did Chriſt buy thee again?
A. By laying down his life for me.
Q. Who ſanctified thee?
A. The holy Ghoſt.
Q. What is it to ſanctifie thee?
A. To make me holy.
Q. How doth he make me holy?
A. By taking away ſinne, and giving me grace.
Q. By what means doth he this?
A. By the Word, Sacraments, and Prayer.
Q. How many Gods are there?
A. Three perſons for all my neceſſities, and but one God to ſerve alone.
Thinke of theſe points ſeriouſly, and the Lord give thee underſtanding in all things. It may be, thou canſt not ſo clearely conceive ſome of theſe high myſteries, as of three in one, in a more excellent way then can be expreſſed: or of Eſſence, which is one Nature in three: or of Perſons, which are the ſeverall manners of being in the ſelfe ſame God; as in reſpect of Creation, God is the Father; in reſpect of Redemption, God is the Sonne; in reſpect of Sanctification, God is the Holy Ghoſt. Theſe things, I ſay, are above reaſonable capacitie. But it is otherwiſe with thee in the underſtanding of other things, and of theſe myſteries. In other things thou muſt firſt know, and then beleeve: but in theſe things thou muſt firſt beleeve, and then know, as Peter ſaid, We beleeve, and are ſure, Joh. 6.69.that thou art that Chriſt the Sonne of the living God. And if thou adde but this, Joh. 7.17.To will to doe thy God's will, thou ſhalt know of the doctrine whether it be of God, and ſo, reſt with confidence upon theſe moſt divine myſteries to comfort thy ſoule.
Now let us goe on: Tell me