The Plain Mans Senses Exercised to Discern Good and Evil, Chapter 2
CHAP. II. Errors against the Nature and Essence of God.
IT becometh all good men to speak and think of the sacred Majesty of God, with all humility, sobriety, and awfull reverence;Job 11.7. With God is terrible Majesty; touching the Almighty, Job 37.20, 23. Verse 24. Verse 20.we cannot find him out unto perfection: He is excellent in Power, and in Indgement, and in plenty of Iustice; men doe therefore feare him, he respecteth not any that are wise of heart: If a man speake, surely he shall be swallowed up. Immensity is one of Gods Attributes, and therefore he is incomprehensible, we cannot comprehend the infinitenesse of his Essence, nor draw neere the light of his Glory, nor penetrate into the secrets of his Providence. He that thinks himself wise of heart, and able by discourse of Reason, to finde out the Almighty,Dr. Jer. Taylor, Lib. Proph. p. 44. shall be swallowed up of the brightness of that glory: As he that gazeth on the body of the Sun, his eyes are dazled not able to see, what before he did see.
It is noted out of Socrates, l. 1 c 8. that Alexander, Bishop of Alexandria, in the presence of his Clergy, discoursing too curiously of the mysterious Trinity and Unity, gave occasion to Arrius (who envied the Bishops honour) to think that he denied the Trinity of Persons (which was the error of Sabellius) whereas the Bishop intended onelyonly the Unity of Nature in the Godhead: Against this, Arrius drives so furiously, that to confute Sabellius, and in him, as (he thought) the Bishop. He distinguished the Natures too, as if the Sonne and Holy-ghost were not of the same nature with God the Father; and so to secure the Article of the Trinity, to cast disgrace upon the Bishop, he destroyed the Unity. It best becomes our faith, and the weakness of our understandings, to content our selves with things revealed, with the quòd sit, that God is one, and that the Father, Son, and holy-Ghost are one in Nature, though distinct Persons, without prying curiosly into the Modus, or manner how such a thing can be, or the cur sit, why this should be, rather than that. Intricate Disputes about such Mysteries, as can hardly be explicated by us, nor well understood by the people, are fruitless and dangerous, tending to introduce Discord in the Church, or Blasphemy.
Wherefore I shall endeavour, in the most plain convincing way I can, to bear witness to the truth of God against the errors here recited, concerning the blessed Trinity: that so your knowledge may be distinct and clear, not confounding things that should be distinguished, nor dividing things that should not be divided.
SECT. I. The Errors in particular against the Nature of God are five.
THat God hath a personall shape, Error. 1 First, because Adam had, who was made in the likenesse of God, in personall shape: Secondly, God shewed unto Moses his backparts, therefore if God hath back-parts and a face, he hath a shape.
That God hath a personall shape, Doct. is flat against expresse Scripture, Deu. 14.12, 5. Moses gives the reason why the people should not go about to represent God by any visible shape or Image, because God hath none; Ye heard the voice of words, but ye saw no similitude, onelyonly ye heard a voice; if God had a Personall shape, he might be seen and represented by a picture;Iohn 4.24. But he is a Spirit (which hath not flesh and bones) an eternall, invisiible Spirit, saith Paul, 1 Tim. 1.17. Now to God eternall, immortall, invisible. God is invisible to our bodily eyes, he is seen by faith, not by the eye, that seeing of God is reserved for the life to come,Heb. 11.27. Mat. 5.8. 1 John 3.2. and therefore he cannot be likened unto any thing that is seen, Isa. 40.18. with Acts 17.29. We ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold or silver, or stone graven by Art, and mans device: We ought to think that God hath a visible shape (saith the Sectary) we ought not to think so, saith the Scripture, God hath a shape, say they; God hath not a shape, saies tht Scripture. Now which of these speak truth? Let us next consider their proofs.
Adam, Obj. 1 say they, had a personall shape, and Adam was made in the likeness of God, therefore God hath a shape.
Gods Image, Answ. or likeness in Adam, was spiritual in righteousness and holiness of truth, Eph 4.24.not bodily: The Heathens are condemned for that they changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an Image made like to corruptible Man. Rom. 1.23. It was an heathenish sin to represent the glorious God under the shape of a Man. God plagued them for it, ver. 24. which he would not have done, if Man were like to God, or God to Man in a personall visible shape.
If God hath back-parts, Obj. and a face, he both a shape.
We must distinguish between what is spoken of God properly, Answ. and what is spoken of him foreign after the manner of men. The scripture in setting forth the name, the properties, and actions of God, is faine to descend to our capacities, and speakes of the glorious God after the manner of men: for man, because he is but a man, cannot speake unto God, but as a man, and therefore God speakes againe unto him after the manner of men; because, else man would not understand what God is, nor what his will is: Thus we read Exod. 33.19 20.23. of Gods face and backs parts; Moses desired to see Gods glory, ver. 18. I beseech thee (said Moses) shew me thy Glory. The Lord in answer tells him, I will proclaime the name of the Lord before thee, I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, &c. But thou canst not see my face, for no man can see me, and live, Thou shalt see my back-parts, but my face shall not bee seen. The meaning is, that God in himselfe is incomprehensible, my face (that is) the glory of my Majesty, thou canst not see, but my backparts thou shalt see (that is) the faithfull can have but some glimpses, and obscure Tracts of Gods essence and glory, as if one should see a mans back, or the Glance of his Cheeke; here we see God through a glasse darkly, 1 Cor. 13.13.but hereafter face to face, sayes the Apostle; God did make known to Moses some Characters of the divine nature, whereby Moses might conceive, what a God he was, and this is called a proclaiming of the name of the Lord, because as men are known by their names one from another: so the Lord is known and discerned from all false Gods, and from all the creatures by these properties of his nature, which he proclaimed unto Moses. Exod. 34.5.6. And the Lord descended in the Cloud, and proclaimed the name of the Lord; and the Lord passed before him, & proclaimed the Lord, The Lord God gracious, and mercifull, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sinne, and that will by no meanes cleare the guilty. These are the name of God, whereby, as by a name, he is known from all other things, for none but God can assume those titles. I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious; and will shew mercy, on whom I will shew mercy. Moses desired to know Gods name, Exod. 3.14. And God said to Moses, I am that I am, that is, I am an eternall Beeing, who have my Beeing of my self: Thus God is known by his Essence, He is Jah, and Jehovah, that eternall Beeing; and by his properties and actions; this is by God himself expounded to be his back parts, that is, a knowledge that we have of him by his Word, revealing his Nature unto us; and it is opposed to the seeing of God face to face: The face and back-parts of God do but difference an obscure and weak knowledge of God from that full and pefect seeing of him in the life to come. Thus men use to speak and expresse themselves: thus we read; that the Scripture ascribes unto God,Prov. 15.3. Psal. 10.14. Exek. 43.7. hands, eyes, feet, as, His eyes are in every place beholding the good and the evil. God will require it with his hand. The place of the soles of his feet is his sanctuary, &c. In such speeches the Scripture humbleth it self to our capacities. Such expressions doe signifie the like actions in God, done with hands, as men perform by their hands, eyes, and feet, that is, God seeth all our wayes, God is strong to revenge all wrongs, to perform all his promises and judgements, without hands or eyes, as men do the like actions by their hands and eyes.
Againe, we read that the Scripture does ascribe unto God humane passions, as of Joy, Grief, Anger, Wrath, Repentance, &c. We may not thinke that God is subject to like passions, as a man is; when the Priest of Jupiter would have done Sacrifice to Paul and Barnabas, supposing they had been Gods in humane shape, the Apostle reproves their folly,Acts 24.15. saying unto them, Sirs, why doe ye these things, we are not Gods, we are men of like passions with you: So that God is differenced from a man, because he is not of like passions with men. But such expressions you must understand to be spoken after the manner of men; for by such manner of speeches, we understand the nature of God, (namely that he hates all sin, that he delights in uprightness.) As men doe shew their dislike of a thing by anger, by grieving, by repenting, by punishing, by changing their minds, &c. So the Scripture does by the like things set forth Gods displeasure against sin, and the evill wayes of mankinde, so for Joy and delight, &c. These things being attributed to God, doe shew that God is well pleased with the wayes of righteousnesse and holinesse, as men are well pleased with those things, wherein they take Joy and delight.
Lastly, in this like manner doe we speake unto God in prayer, when we say, O Lord, Turne from thy fierce anger, Numb 14.14, 16, 18.let it repent thee of the evill; let he Lord delight in us to doe us good, &c. our speech is according to our conceit of things, and by such speeches to God, we shew, not what God is in himselfe (subject to changes, &c.) But what a one we would have him towards us, and what to doe for us.
Through want of this distinction, many have grosse conceits of the divine Nature; First, Ʋse. 1 some have grosse conceits of God in their mindes, as if he were like unto man, or might be worshipped with mens hands, or as if he did dwell in Temples made with hands, or were confined to this or that place for worship, to this or that picture, &c.
Others make a quite contrary use of it; To what end (say they) is your fasting and weeping, your prayers and repentings, doe you thinke that God changeth his mind? No, but yet we thinke, that God shewes what a one he will be to an humble, praying, repenting people by taking to himself such names and affections as be in men; And by them we may comfortably gather, that God will be good to us in such wayes, because as men are mercifull and good to them, that be sorry for their offences, and humble themselves, and seek their favour: so is God to us. The reason is, because these good things which are qualities in us, are nature in God: He is just, holy, and good by nature. In essentia divinâ, nec aliud nec Accidens, the simplicity and purenesse of his nature admits of no mixtures or compositions, either of substance with his substance, or of accidents added to his substance; Therefore it is said in the Abstract, God is love, God is light: Now if we that are partakers of the divine Nature can shew forth mercy and goodnesse, Truth and kindnesse, much more God, whose Nature it is; He will be such a God to us.
SECT. II. Of their second and third Error concerning the nature of God; Error. 2 (namely) that God is the name of a Person; wherefore to take God otherwise than personally, is to take him otherwise, than he is, and indeed to mistake him.
I conceive that the intent of that senceless Error, is to confound Essence and Person in the Deity, and to deny the Trinity of Persons, Error. 3 in the Unity of Essence, as by their third Error doth expressely appeare, which saith; That it is a wretched distinction to distinguish betwixt Essence and Person: There being such an Affinity betweene these two Errors; The same Arguments will serve to confute both.
1. Against both which I lay down these two conclusions. First, that in Scripture the name of God is sometimes taken Essentially, and sometime Personally: Essentially, as Deut. 6.4. Heare O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord. God is but one Beeing, and none is, besides him; so Isa. 45.5.6. I am the Lord, and there is none else, There is no God besides me; which places and expressions doe notifie unto us, the whole Godhead as he is opposed to false Gods, and unto creatures; when God is set against creatures, or mentioned with other things, that are not God, then the word is taken Essentially,
Sometimes it is taken personally, to signifie any one of the Persons in the Trinity: And so it is taken when any Person is named with another, as Ioh 1.1. The Word was with God, and the Word was God, (that is) Jesus Christ the Word and Son of God, was with God the Father: so in that Apostolicall Benediction, 2 Cor. 13.14. The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the holy Ghost, &c.
Here all three persons be named, and the love of God is there taken personally, for the love of God the Father; by which it appeares, that to take God otherwise than personally, is not to mistake him.
2. Against their third Error I lay downe this Conclusion,The doct…ine of the Trinity in Unity. namely, there be three Persons in one individuall nature of the Deity.
The Scripture teacheth us to distinguish between Essence and Person, or betweene the divine Nature and the Persons, that partake of that Nature. The Godhead is to be considered in the Ʋnity of his Nature, and in the Trinity of Persons; the same divine Nature is communicated to three Persons, the Father is God, the Sonne is God, and the holy Ghost God; yet the Persons be not so divided, as to make three Gods, nor the Nature so one, as to deny the three Persons. There is but one God in Beeing, whose name is I am, Exod. 3.14. This cannot be denied, to note God in Essence, for it is the proper meaning of that name: And this one God in Essence is three Persons, Father, Son and holy Ghost: we must acknowledge three distinct Persons subsisting in the Unity of the Godhead: Matthew 28.19. Goe teach and baptise them in the name of the Father, of the Sonne, and of the holy Ghost. Here three are joyned together, to whom equally we performe worship, and promise our obedience, and of whom we expect remission of Sins, and everlasting Salvation. Hence our Argument is thus framed, into whose name we are baptized, He is the most high God (for we must not be baptized into the name of Paul, or Apollos, or any creature whatsoever) but we are baptized into the name of the Father, Son, and holy Ghost: therefore the Father, Son, and holy Ghost are that one, eternall, most high God, who alone is to be worshipped, and who alone is able to forgive our Sins, and save our Souls.
This is necessary to the true knowledge of God, and after this manner God hath revealed himself in Scripture. And he that does not acknowledge it, does not know God as he ought, neither can he worship him aright. Therefore, to helpe your Understandings in this great mysterie; I will shew first what a Person in the Deity is, Secondly, and give farther proofes of my second conclusion.
First,What a Person in the Godhead is. by Person we doe not mean a multiplication of Substances in particular, that subsist apart, having in them the self-same generall Nature; (as for example) Peter, James, and John do, who are humane persons, under the species of man, subsist a part, and separate one from another. The persons in the God-head are not so, they are not three particular Substances, to whom one generall Nature is common; for then there would be three particular Gods, as James, Peter, and Iohn are three singular Men, but three that subsist by one Substance, which it self is particular, yet they all Three have it, and their severall wayes of having it, are that which maketh their personall distinction:Eccles. Polit. lib. 5. sect 51. Take it in the words of judicious Hooker, The Lord our God is but one God, in which indivisible Unity, we adore the Father, as altogether of himselfe, we glorifie that Consubstantial Word, which is the Sonne; we blesse and magnifie that Coessentiall Spirit, eternally proceeding from both, which is the holy Ghost: Seeing therefore the Father is of none, the Sonne is of the Father, and the Spirit is of both, they are by these their several properties really distinguishable each from other: for the substance of God, with this property to be of none, doth make the Person of the Father the very self-same substance in number with this property, to be of the Father maketh the Person of the Son; the very same substance having this property of proceeding from the other two, maketh the Person of the holy-Ghost; So that in every Person there is implied both the substance of God, which is one, and also that property, which causeth the same Person really and truly to differ from the other two: Every Person hath his owne subsistence, which no other besides hath, although there be others besides that are of the same substance.
Qu. What is a Person in the Trinity?
A. It is whole God, not absolutely considered, but by way of some personall properties; It is a manner of Beeing in the Godhead, or a distinct subsistence, not a quality, having the whole Godhead in it. Ʋsher p. 78.
To this so cleere and safe an expression of so incomprehensible a mystery, I shall not presume to adde more words; onelyonly I wish the use of Athanasius Creed were restored to the Church, and well understood of all the people.
Obj. O! but we doe not read in Scripture, that the Father, Son, and holy Ghost are called three Persons in the Godhead; the terme Person is not fit to be used, because it implieth three particular substances, existing severally, and apart, which cannot agree to the Deity, which is but one.
Ans. It may be so indeed in your corrupt imagination onelyonly; if you will measure the Beeing and subsisting of God by rules of Logick, and humane Reason then you cannot conceive a Unity in a Trinity, how One should be three Persons, and not three divided or severed Substances. Howbeit, in the description of a divine Person now given, you see clearely how Essence and Person are distinguished according to the doctrine of the Scripture; yea the Scripture useth not onelyonly words which signifie as much as we mean by Person; The word Person used in Scripture.but the very word [Person] it self, Heb. 1.3. where Christ is called the expresse Image of Gods Person, he is called the brightnesse of his Fathers glory, I say, his Fathers glory; for the Apostle speakes of the Sonne in all this Chapter, ver. 2.5. because as the Father is glorious, so is Christ his Sonne glorious with the same glory, John 17.5. Father, glorifie thou me with thine owne selfe, with the glory which I had with thee before the World was. What glory was that? Not a created glory (for there was nothing created before the beginning of the world) it must needs be an uncreated glory; so he is called the Lord of glory, 1 Cor. 2.8. Again, he is called the expresse Image of his Fathers person, if the Father be a Person, then so is the Sonne, and so is the holy-Ghost, (there being Three named to be God) look by what name one of them is distinguished, by the same, doubtlesse, the others are distinguished; he does not say Christ is the Image of his Nature, but foreign, of his personall subsistence; why then there is one Person of the Father, and another of the Sonne; the Father is one Person, the Sonne is another Person of the Godhead, having his owne proper subsistence, as the Father hath; even as the Signets impression doth answer all the lineaments and proportion of the Seale, and as the letters and words printed upon paper are the Character, and doe answer to the image of the Types, or the letters set by the Printer. So here is one person answering to another: Angels and holy men are the image of Gods holinesse, but not of his Person: Nothing can be the expresse image of Gods person, but he that is a divine person; for Personallity is the thing, wherein they are alike, and resemble each other.
Now I proceed to give you further proofes of my second conclusion,The doctrine of the Trinity proved. (namely) that there be three Persons in one individuall Nature of the Deity; you have seene this proved by the institution of our. Baptism, see the same Truth confirmed at the Baptizing of Christ, where are three distinct Persons, and names,John 1.32. Luke 3.22. and personall actions, Mat. 3.16, 17. First, there is Christ the party Baptized coming out of the water: Secondly, there is the Spirit of God descending like a Dove, and abiding on him: (non levi tantùm motu, sed corporali specie:) Thirdly, there is God the Father testifying of Christ by a voice from heaven, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased: 1 Pet 1.17.Here's the Person of the Father, and the Person of the Son; and of the Spirit of God in a bodily shape, which abiding in a bodily shape is a personall Action. These three Persons are of the same Dignity and Authority as appeares by that Apostolicall Benediction, 2 Cor. 13.14. The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the Communion of the Holy Ghost be with you: Here be three sorts of mercies wished and prayed for, from three distinct Persons, as concurring joyntly to the Churches Salvation; The which, as they cannot be given from any Creatures so neither may they be prayed for, from any that is not God; To this purpose it is worth your observing, by what kind of Argument the Apostle does perswade the Corinthians unto unity, 1 Cor. 12.4, 5, 6. It is taken from the unity of that God, from whom all their gifts did proceed. There are diversities of Gifts, but the same Spirit (the Spirit in that place is not a Gift, but a Person bestowing gifts.) And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord; and there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all: The force of Paul's reasoning is this; All, whatsoever ye have, whether gifts, or ministrations, or miraculous operations, they do proceed from one God, but those mentioned in the Text, are bestowed partly from the holy Spirit, partly from the Lord Jesus, partly from God the Father; therefore Father, Son and holy Ghost are that one God, in whom ye ought to be at unity, because the Bestowers of all your severall gifts are one. But let S. John conclude this point, 1 John 5.7. There are three that beare record in Heaven, the Father, the Word, and the holy Ghost, and these Three are One. How One? By consent and agreement: so the holy Angels and good Men are One, and so the Witnesses on Earth, ver. 8. are One, the Spirit, the Water, and the Blood, these Three agree in One, as if the Apostle did purposely intend to note a difference between the Unity of Essence, and the Unity of Consents, (he saith, signanter) the Witnesses in Heaven are One, the Witnesses on Earth are not One, onelyonly they agree in One From all which places laid together, I conclude, that to distinguish between Essence and Person, is an holy truth of God, and one of the foundations of the Christian Faith & Religion: And it is the Blasphemy of an Hereticall Braine, wretchedly subverted and turned from the Truth, to affirme, that to distinguish between Essence and Person, is a wretched distinction.
Touching the manner how the Son is begotten of the Father, and how, or in what manner the holy Ghost proceeds from them both, seeing it is not expressed in Scripture; it shall suffice us to give glory to God, and believe it, because he revealed it, rather than search curiously into that which is not revealed;Psal 13.9.14, 15. Eccles. 11.5. if our own Generation and frame in our Mothers Womb, be above our capacity, it is no marvell, though the mysterie of the eternal Generation of the Son of God cannot be comprehended. And if the Wind, which is but a Creature, be so hard to know,John 3.8. that a man knoweth not from whence it cometh, and whither it goeth; it is no marvell if the proceeding of the holy Ghost be unsearchable. Of their Errors against the Deity of the Son of God, and of the holy Ghost, I shall speak in the Chapters following.
This Doctrine touching the distinction between the Essence and Persons in the God-head, Ʋse. 1 serveth for direction in our worshipping of God, the Persons are not to be divided; for as it is common to all the Persons to heare Prayers, to forgive Sinnes, to save Soules, &c. so must our service be directed to the whole Trinity; yet carrying in our mindes, that their order in working is agreeable to the order of their subsisting.Col. 3.17. Eph. 6.18. Thus we call upon God the Father, in the name and mediation of the Son, by the assistance of the holy-Ghost. Thus Daniel prayed, Dan. 9.17. Now therefore, O our God, Heare the prayer of thy Servant, and his supplication, for the Lords sake; See Eph 2.18. The Apostle joyns all three Persons together, for through him that is Christ) we both (Jewes and Gentiles) have an accesse by one Spirit unto the Father.
There is a sweet harmony in the blessed Trinity, all concurring to our Salvation,2 Cor. 5.19. God was in Christ reconciling the world to himselfe, by the blood of his Crosse, through the Sanctification of the Spirit.Col. 1.20. We are bound to give thanks for you, Brethren, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to Salvation, through Sanctification of the spirit, and beliefe of the Truth, 2 Thes. 2.1, 14.to the obtaining of the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ. So that as it was said in the Creation, Let us make man, so now it may be said; Let us redeeme lost man, all joyning in the decree, and in the meanes of bringing the elect unto life: As man is said to believe with the whole heart, because many faculties of the soul concurr in embracing of Christ, the mind to conceive, the will to consent, the heart to trust, &c. So in this businesse the Lord our Maker is our Redeemer: The Unity of their Nature doth teach us not to divide them in our mindes, when we worship God; And the distinction of their persons doth teach us, not to confound their order of working.
In this doctrine we see the reason, Ʋse. 2 why some things are ascribed to the whole Trinity: (namely) because they all partake of one and the same divine Nature, and some things againe are peculiar and proper to each person by himselfe. First, some Properties and Actions belong alike to all three; as to be Almighty, Gracious, Just, Holy, and Good, to be co-equal; the Son thought it no Robbery to be equall with the Father. To be co-eternal and of the same time; Christ (as God) was begotten from all eternity: so he himselfe saith in the name of Wisdome, in these words, Prov. 8.24, 25. When there was no depths, then was I begotten, or brought forth, before the Mountaines or hills were setled, was I brought forth, and therefore Isaiah Cha. 9.6. calleth the Son, the everlasting Father. To be equall in Majesty, honour, and worship; For all men must honour the Sonne, even as they honour the Father, Rev. 5.13.he that honoureth not the Sonne, honoureth not the Father, Joh. 5.23. As the Father hath life in himselfe, so he hath given to the Son to have life in himselfe, ver 25. — Lastly by reason of the Unity of the God-head, they have all one will; what the Father willeth, the same also doth the Son, and the holy Ghost will, without crossing or varying one from another; Christ saith, Father I will, that they whom thou hast given me, be with me, where I am, Joh. 17.24. And this is the will of the Father, that of all which he hath given me, I should lose nothing, Joh. 6.39. The holy Ghost willeth the same, for he shall receive of mine, and shew it unto you, all things that the Father hath are mine, therefore said I, that he shall take of mine (for he is sent from the Father.) Joh. 16.14, 15.
Here Christ sheweth the Unity of Essence in the holy Trinity, and the community of Power, Wisdome, Sanctity, Truth, Glory, and Majesty; It is an ancient Rule among Divines, opera Trinitatis ad extra sunt indivisa; All three Persons concurr in the actions, which are terminated in the creatures, they proceed from the same will in them all, as to Decree, to Create, to Governe, to Sanctifie, according as it is said, Job 35.10. Where is God thy Makers, in the plural number; so Isaiah 54.5. Thy maker is thy husband, in the Hebrew it is Conjuges tui, Factores tui, thy makers is thine husbands, which notes a plurality of Persons in one and the same Action; Iunius applyes it to the holy Trinity.
Yet there are some properties peculiar and proper to each person by himselfe, which are not communicable to the other two, the Father begets, the Son is begotten, the holy Ghost proceeds. And as there is an order of subsisting, so also of working, the Father worketh all things of himselfe (as the Originall and Fountaine of Action) in the Son, and by the holy Ghost; The Sonne worketh from and with the Father, John 1.3. All things were made by him, and without him was not any thing made, that was made. The holy Ghost worketh from them both; for he shall take of mine, (saith Christ) the Sonne worketh from the Father by the holy Ghost; the holy Ghost worketh from them both, John 14.26. The Comforter, which is the holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things: and John 15.26. It is said, that the Comforter, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of Truth, which proceedeth from the Father. Now this order of working is also peculiar unto each person, they change not places. And among these peculiar works this is one, that the Sonne onelyonly took flesh, and suffered for mans transgressions, and not the Father, nor the holy Ghost, as is falsly affirmed in their fourth Error, of which in the next place.
SECT. IV. Error. 4 Of their Error against the Nature of God, (namely that the Father, Sonne, and holy Ghost, the whole Godhead set it selfe bodily in Christ to suffer for the transgressing Creatures. Lond. Testi. pag. 6.
THis wretched Assertion is contrary to plain places of Scripture, which expresly teach, that the Son onelyonly took Flesh, and suffered for the transgressions of Man, and not the Father, nor the Holy Ghost, John 1.14. The Word was made Flesh, (that is) Jesus Christ the eternall,Heb. 1.3. and essentiall Word of God, which was in the beginning with God, and was God, by whom all things were made, John 1.1, 3. compared with Gal. 4.4, 5. But when the fulnesse of time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a Woman, made under the Law, to redeem them that were under the Law, that we might receive the Adoption of Sons,
In this place are plainly distinguished; First,The second Person onelyonly took our flesh to suffer for us. the Person sending, God the Father; and the Person sent, his Son.
Secondly, Ye have the Incarnation of the Son onelyonly; his Son was made of a Woman.
Thirdly, That the Son onelyonly suffered for our transgressions; for He was made under the Law to redeem us.
Fourthly, The end why he sent his Son to take Flesh, and to suffer for us, was to make us Sons. Adde hereunto, that as the Father sent the Son, so his Incarnation was by the power of the Holy Ghost. Luke 1.35. The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee.
It is impious therefore, to affirm, that either the Father or the Holy Ghost were incarnate, or that they suffered for the transgressing Creatures. The Apostle saith expresly, that Jesus was delivered for our offences, and raised againe for our Justification, Rom. 4.25. and Rom. 5.10. while we were enemies, we were reconciled unto God by the death of his Sonne: It is Christ therefore, that died, Rom. 8 34. not the Father, nor the Holy Ghost: It is Jesus Christ to whom this properly does belong, that he washed us from our sinnes, in his owne blood, Rev. 1.5. Then as the Father and the holy Ghost did not take flesh; so neither did they die nor suffer for our sinnes. It is true indeed, that the Sonne and the holy Ghost have the selfe same uncreated Essence or substance in themselves, as well as the Father, (otherwise they should have had no true God-head) yet this hindreth not the incarnation of one person, without the incarnation of the other two. The essence or Nature of God, by reason of its infinite simplicity, cannot be divided into parts, yet seeing it is after one manner in the Father,Tylen. Syntag. 401. nempe foreign without receiving it from any other, and after another manner in the Son, (namely) by Generation, and after another manner in the holy Ghost, (namely) by Proceeding, Hence it is that the humane Nature might well be taken into the subsistence of one Person, according to its manner of subsisting, and yet not be taken into the other two Persons, which have their proper way of subsisting.Eccles. Polit. lib. 5 S. 51. Let us heare how Mr Hooker doth expresse this mysterie, When God became Man (saith he) lest we should erre in applying this to the Person of the Father, or of the Spirit: S. Peter's concession unto Christ was, Mat 16 6. Iohn 1.14.Thou art the Son of the living God; and S John's Exposition thereof was made plaine, that it is the Word, which was made Flesh; The Father and the holy Ghost (saith Damascen) have no communion with the incarnation of the Word, otherwise than by approbation and assent; notwithstanding, forasmuch as the Word and Deity are one subject, we must beware that we exclude not the natures God from Incarnation, and so make the Son of God incarnate, not to be very God, for undoubtedly, even the nature of God it self, is the onelyonly Person of the Son, Col. 2.9.is incarnate; (in him dwelleth the fulnesse of the Godhead bodily) and hath taken to it sel… Flesh; wherefore Incarnation may neither be granted to any Person, but onelyonly to one, nor yet denied to that nature, which is common to all three.
In this mysterie of the Incarnation, we must carefully distinguish between the efficient Cause, and the matter or the subject of it, or between the beginning from which it is wrought; Terminus à quo, and the terminus in quo, wherein it is finished: The whole Trinity is the efficient cause of the Incarnation, which did begin this work, which should be terminated in the Sonne: But the subject of Incarnation is onelyonly the Son, who alone was cloathed with our flesh; the which Divines expresse by the similitude of three Virgins, imbroydering and making a garment by their joynt labour, which onelyonly one of them shall weare.
Quest. But why was it requisite the Son should take our flesh, rather than either of the other two Persons.
Answ. This was most meet, first, because as all things were made by him, so all should be restored by him.Col. 1.16, 18, 2 Col. 1.16. By him were all things created, that are in Heaven, and that are in Earth; therefore by him did God reconcile all things unto himselfe, by him, I say, whether they be things in Earth, or things in Heaven: Our Maker is our Redeemer and Saviour.
Secondly, Because by the naturall Sonne of God, we are made the Sons of God by Adoption and Grace.Gal. 1.5. He was made of a Woman, Made under the Law, for this end, that we might receive the Adoption of Sons, so that we could not have been Sons, but by the Incarnation of the Sonne of God. By uniting us unto the Son of God, we are made Children of our heavenly Father, Heb. 2.10. For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many Sons to glory, to make the Captaine of their salvation perfect through sufferings: Jesus Christ, to bring many Sons unto glory, did take of our flesh and blood, that through death he might deliver us from him that had the power of death, ver. 14. Christ the onelyonly Son of God by nature, was made like unto his Brethren, to bring them to glory, by our coupling unto Christ, the naturall Son of God, we also become the Sonnes of God, Heires of God, and joynt Heires with Christ; we are joyned with the naturall Son of God in his honour of being a Son, and in the benefit of being an Heire, Rom. 8.17. The root of our Adoption or Sonship, is by the eternall Son of God, and we are Sons of God, because of Christ, who is, first, the Son of God; for God is first the Father of Christ, then our Father, as Christ himself saith, John 20.17. We that are borne the Children of wrath, are made the Children of God by grace, in, and through our Union with him, who is the naturall Son of God, the Mediator between God and us. Therefore seeing the second Person alone is the Son, and we claim the Inheritance by no other title, but by our Sonship, it behoved the Son of God to be made the Son of Man, rather than either of the other Persons, that the Sons of men having by him obtained that right and priviledge, might be made his Brethren and fellow-Heires.
SECT. V. Of their fifth Error against the Nature & Essence of God (namely) that God is the Author, Error. 5 not of those actions alone, in and with which Sin is, but of the very Pravity, Ataxie, Anomie, Irregularity, and sinfulnesse it self, which is in them; yea, God hath more hand in mens sinfulness, than they themselves. Lond. Test. p. 6.
O Horrid Blasphemy! Is this a comfort for Believers? Is it not the ready way to seale up unto them their Damnation, through the hardnesse and impenitency of their hearts? For how can they repent, that impute their sins not to themselves for their humiliation and amendment, but unto God as the Author of them? We Sinners should lay our sins upon Christ, Heb. 9.28.as our sacrifice, who was offered to beare the sins of many; but to impute them unto God, as the Author of them, is an abominable Blasphemy.
For proof, consider these places of Scripture, 1 Iohn 1.5. God is Light, a pure, perfect light, and in him is no darknesse at all: there is not the least mixture of any evill in him, as the Psalmist speaks; Psal. 5.4. Thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness, neither shall any evil dwell with thee. God cannot be defiled with evill from others, God cannot be tempted with evill, no evill can dwell with him, neither does God, who is nothing but light, defile any man, nay, he hath no hand in the sins of men, for he tempteth no man, James 1.13. If God do not so much as tempt unto sin,God is no way the Author of sin. then much lesse is he the Author of their sins, either by instilling into man any evill, or by commanding or forcing him to sin, or causing him to act irregularly, wickedly, and unholily.
For it is against, and inconsistent with the nature of God, if God hath an hand in mens sinfulnesse, as much, or more, than they themselves, then he is a sinner, as they are; and so he should not be God; we have so much to do in our own sinfulnesse, that it does truly make us sinners: and if God have more hand in our very sinfulnesse, then he is a greater sinner than we are, and so he should cease to be God; for God is holy and good, yea, so transcendently good,1 Sam. 2.2. that none is good but God, None is holy as the Lord, there is none besides him. Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God of Hosts; so holy, that the Prophet cried out, Wo is me, for I am undone: Why? Because I am a man of uncleane lips, and mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of Hosts, Isa. 6.3, 5. God is so infinitely holy, that men cannot endure his presence, by reason of their uncleannesse, God is a od Gof purer eyes than to behold evil, Hab. 1.13.or to look on iniquity with any liking, or countenancing of it; and man so unclean, that he cannot look upon so holy a Lord God. But if God were the Author of mans sinfulnesse, he would like his own work. There need not be such a dread in man, by reason of his uncleannesse, yea, if he had so great an hand in mans sinfulnesse as they themselves, then he should delight in evill, for so does man. God doth hate, forbid, threaten, and punish all sin, therefore he cannot be Author of any sin, Zechariah 8.17. Let no man imagine evill in his heart against his Neighbour, and love no false Oath, for all these are things that I hate, saith the Lord; And he taketh vengeance on them, Rom. 1.18. for the wrath of God is revealed from Heaven, against all ungodlinesse and unrighteousnesse of men. Tribulation and anguish upon the soul of every soul of man that doth evil, whether he be few or Gentile. Rom. 2.9. Now how could God be a Punisher and Revenger of Sin, if he were the Author of it? There is no such unrighteousness with God, therefore let us take to our selves the shame and blame of all our sins, and attribute them unto the right cause, the Devil, and our own corrupt naughty hearts. 1. Joh. 2.16. For all that is in the world, the lusts o… the Flesh, the lust of the Eye, and the pride of Life, is not o… the Father, but it is of the World: It is not of God, that's cleer, ye must look out some other Author.
Qu. But doth not God will the evil of Sin? If he did not i… some sort will it, Sin could not have entred into the world, whether he would or no; and is not his will the cause of the being and existing of such things as he willeth, &c.
Answ. We must distinguish between the will of God
Commanding and Approving.
Permitting and Governing.
Againe, we must consider two things in sinne, really distinct the one from the other, (namely) the Action wheret… sinne cleaveth, and the deformity, Pravity or corruption… the Action, (that is) when the Action doth decline from the rule of Gods Word; and this properly is sinne, or the form… of it, The Action is as it were the matter or subject, where… sinne resideth: Hence in Answer to the Question, I lay down these conclusions.
First,3Conclusions tou…hing the will of God about Sinne. Mark 1.4. that God doth never will sinne, by his commanding will. God said let there be light, and it was so; But he never said, let there be sinne, Christ said to that Leaper, I will,… thou cleane, but God never said to any man, I will, be th… uncleane. Nor by his approving will, for that which is sinfully evill, Gods will is not carried to it with love or liking, y… he hates it, as hath been already proved.
Secondly,He…. 1.3. as God made all things, so he upholdeth them i… their Beeing, and Motions and Actions, both good and bad, so that no man could either move to an Action, or have… Beeing to act if God sustained not. In him we live, and move, Acts 17.28.and have our Beeing; yet God is not the cause of the Pravity or sinfulnesse of any Action; you cannot therefore say, that in God you commit Adultery, in God you sweare, &c. The positive Act, whereunto sinne cleaveth, is of God in the same sort, that all other Actions of the creatures are; but the obliquity of the creatures Actings, are to be ascribed to their owne proper cause (namely) the devill and the corrupt Nature of man. And of the actions of the creatures are those sayings of Schoole-men to be understood, (namely) that no second cause can move without the agency of the first. And the first cause runs into the effect of the second causes, All creatures worke in the power of God. This is meant of mans created Qualities and Actions, not of the crookednesse and Pravity of his Actions, which have not God for their maker. The rider causeth the horse to goe, but not his Halting, that proceeds from another cause.
Thirdly, though God doe not make sinne, yet he willingly permitteth the sinnes of mankinde, But his permissive will is not the cause of any mans sinne; There is no evill in the world, which God knoweth not of, or whether God will or no, for that were to deny his omnipotency, God did permit & suffer Adam to fall, (that is) God did not hinder it by his omnipotent Power, nor by his extraordinary Grace. God is said to permit sin, when he doth not effectually & powerfully hinder it, but leaves the creature to its own Freedome, and inclination, as Act. 14.16. Tis said that God suffered all nations to walke in their owne wayes. and Psal. 81.11, 12. Israel would none of me, so I gave them up to their own hearts lusts, and they walked in their own Counsells Howbeit Gods permitting of sinne, is not the cause of sinne; Indeed if God did infuse any evill into mans mind, or create any corruption in mans will, which was not there before: Or if God by his providence did infuse any constraint into the mind of man to enforce it, or any error to seduce it, or impose any necessity to binde it, then we should make him the Authour of sinne, but he doth none of all this, He hates all sinne, he forbids it absolutely within us by the light of the Spirit, without us by the duplicate page duplicate page Commandement.Isa. 30.21. Rom. 2.15. Deut. 27.26. The first entrance of sinne into the world, and the continuance of it in the world, was by the voluntary action of mans will corrupting it selfe; God permitted the fall of man not by instilling into him any evill,Jam. 1.13. nor by taking from him any ability unto good, but by suffering Satan to tempt him, and leaving man to the Liberty and Mutability of his owne will, who sinned freely with a whole and intire will, and hearkened to the voice of the Serpent, more than to the voice of his God.
Qu. If then any Ask, What God has to doe about, and concerning sin? It is reduced to three actions:
First,White's way, p. 273. he sustains mankind, and upholds his Beeing in all its powers and faculties: My father worketh hitherto, he upholds the worke of his Creation, and governes them all.
Secondly,The particular Doctrine touching Gods dealing in and about sin. he leaves the sinner to himselfe, to his owne wit and strength, to his owne lusts, Counsells, and Temptations, he withholds his Grace being bound to no man, whereupon it follows, That their hearts harden, & the bent of their natural inclinations leads them to severall sins, according to the variety of objects, which are set before them, and of temptations whereunto they are exposed, and so they are carried unto severall sinnes, even as they are led. As a water-course runs downward by its owne weight, when the damme, that pent it up is removed. Thus God is said (Joh. 12.40.) to blind their eyes, and harden their hearts, not by creating Sinne in them, as he doth Grace in the elect; but by withholding the influences and supplyes of his Grace, which should soften them, and by offering them sundry objects, which they convert unto occasions of sinne, and they have no will to doe otherwise.Rom 9.19. He hardeneth by not shewing mercy, as in the Winter by the absence of the Sun, the naturall coldnesse of the aire and earth doe cause Frost and Ice.
Thirdly, God ordereth and governeth the wicked actions of men, to bring to passe certain good effects, which the sinner never intended, nor could they flow from the nature of those evill actions; but God over-ruleth all the evil actions of the Creatures, sometimes to punish a faithlesse and stubborn Generation; sometimes for the glory of his Justice in the shame and punishment of the sinner himself, sometimes to manifest his glory, mercy, and goodnesse towards his Church and People, so as their sufferings are turned to their comfort, so that God is not onelyonly a bare permitter of evill works, but a powerfull Governor of them to his glory. Thus Ioseph's Brethren sent him into Egypt out of envy, but God sent him to provide for his Church, and to bring him to that honour, which was foretold in his Dream, that his Brethrens sheafs should bow down before Ioseph's. Thus Shemei did curse David, he did it to drive David to despair, but God directed it to humble him: And God is said to bid Shemei curse him, because he gave him an occasion to vent his malice against the house of David: like as a Chyrurgion, with his Lance, opens the Wounds, and lets out the Corruption that was in the Bile before.
Lastly, Pilate, Judas, and the Jews, had all of them an hand in crucifying of Christ: Pilate, to please the People, and to keep his credit with Caesar; Judas, for lucre of the Money; and the Jewes, that our Saviour Christ should not reign over them. These all did their own work, they drave on their own designs; And God did his work by them (namely) to save many souls alive. Acts 2.23. c. 4.28.
By this which hath been said, you may see a reason why, Ʋse. 1 When God and Man are declared to meet in one and the same action (as in Joseph's sending into Egypt, &c.) Man is guilty and justly condemned, & God remains without all stain of sin, and doth justly punish the sinner (namely) because in unâ & eâdem re, quam fecerunt, non est eadem causa ob quam fecerunt. The cause from whence the action cometh, is not the same in God, and in the Sinner. Joseph's Brethren sold him into Egypt out of Eny, God sent him thither in Mercy; Judas sold his Master out of Covetousnesse, and the Jewes of Envy, but God gave Christ of his meere Love: In brief, Men do their own work and wills, they intend not to obey God in their sinfull doings; God doth over-rule them to his glory, and the Churches good: As a Physician lets blood by Leeches, the Leeches do but their kind, which is to suck blood, they intend not the good of the sick party, or any service to the Physician: Howbeit the Physician ordereth by his skill the naturall quality of that worm, unto that, which by nature it could not do, (namely) the health of the Patient: So doth the Lord bring his work to passe by the hands of wicked men; they ignorantly, and against their wills, serve the Providence of God, even when they rebell against him: And for this it is, that such men are justly damned, though Gods Providence be thereby served, because they fulfilled their own lusts, and if good be brought out of such actions, it is no thanks to them: The Son of Man goeth, as it is written of him, But woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed: Gods purpose was by that means fulfilled, yet Judas is damned for his pains.
From this difference between the commanding will of God, Ʋse. 2 and his permissive, or governing Will, (namely that onelyonly good things are commanded and effected by him, and evill things are permitted and ordered, but not caused by him: This should teach us not to cast our sins upon God, upon his Providence or Decrees,Gen. 3.12. as Adam did, when he said, The Woman which thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the Tree, and I did eat, lest God proceed to Judgement with thee, as he did with Adam, ver. 17. Ʋnto Adam he said, because thou hast hearkened to the voice of thy Wife, and hast eaten of the Tree of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it; Cursed is the ground for thy sake, Dust thou art, and unto Dust thou shalt return. Thy onelyonly way to find mercy, is to give glory to God, and take shame to thy selfe, to humble thy self before thy Judge, as Daniel did, Dan 9.8, 9. O Lord! to us belongeth confusion of face, because we have sinned against thee: But to the Lord our God belongeth righteousnesse, ver. 7. and mercits and forgivenesses: And with Job 9.15. to say, How shall I answer him? whom, though I were righteous, yet would I not answer, but I would make supplication to my Judge. Say unto the Lord,…sal. 5.4. Thou art a God that hast no pleasure in wickednesse; thou dost not will iniquity, much lesse effect it: Sin is not the effect of thy power, but the defect of my naughty will:Isal. 51.4. I will therefore acknowledge my transgressions, that thou mayest be justified when thou speakest, and cleere when thou judgest: Thou Lord art just in all that is brought upon us, for thou hast done right, but we have done wickedly. It is double iniquity to bring God, the fountain of goodness, into partnership with our sins; if God were the cause of sin, he were not good; and if he be not good, he is not God; but being all good, he would not suffer evil to be, unlesse being also omnipotent, he knew how to bring good out of evill.
This Doctrine also teacheth us not to take Gods permissive will for our warrant, Gods revealed, commanding, Ʋse. 3 approving will is the onelyonly rule of our actions, and in the doing of it alone, may men take comfort: we cannot justifie our selves, or others, in things done against Gods revealed will, though it comes to passe not quite without his providentiall permissive will; let no man beare himself out upon this Principle, That it was the will of God it should be thus and thus, else it could never have come to passe, because nothing comes to passe whether God will or no; yet, wo to that man that shall do evil upon that account, his damnation is just: 'Twas Gods will to suffer Abel to be killed, yet woe to Caine that slew him, Thy Brothers blood cryeth: 'Twas Gods will that Christ should be put to death, yet they were Murderers that did it, Acts 2.23. 'Twas Gods will that the King of Babylon should take the City Jerusalem, yet, The violence done to me, and to my flesh, be upon Babylon, shall the Inhabitants of Sion say: And my blood be upon the Inhabitants of Chaldea, shall Jerusalem say: Therefore thus saith the Lord, Behold! I will plead thy cause, and take vengeance for thee, and Babylon shall become heaps, a dwelling place for Dragons, &c. Jer. 51.35, 37. Yea, happy shall he be called, that taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the stones, Psal. 137.9.
The reason is, because such persons cannot say, God is with us to approve us; they cannot say, We are workers together with God, God did set us on work: such persons are under Gods permissive will, which has for its end his own glory in the World's just punishment, not the good of the parties instrumentall. In obeying Gods commanding-will, a man shall have praise of God; but not of the former, because therein they serve not God, they obey not God, they glorifie not God; and if they thank him for prospering in evil wayes, they abuse and dishonour him the more, whereas in truth they serve their own lusts.A difference between the godly and the wicked. And from hence note one difference between a godly man and an Hypocrite, God worketh in, and by the godly: But he worketh by the wicked, not in them; they are as meanes passive in the hand of God, that is, though the Lord doth use them, yet they have no knowledge nor intention to serve or please God in the things they do. But as brute Beasts they follow their own lusts and imaginations, which God in his wisdome over-ruleth to execute his will in the just punishment of others, or in the wonderfull delverance of his Church.Isa. 44.26, 28. But as for the godly, they desire to be workers with God, first to know, and then to do his will: And God worketh in them, as well as by them; they are active means or instruments in the things they doe; God useth them, yet they have reason, knowledge, and understanding in themselves to move and direct themselves by Gods Word to Gods Glory; and for this cause the work of the godly is acceptable unto God, but not the work of the wicked, although they do the same thing, which the godly doth: Ezra and Nehemiah, Zerubbabel and Joshuah, the Son of Josedech, David also, and Solomon, were otherguesse Instruments, and Servants of the Lord, in re-building and reestablishing the Temple, and the Worship thereof, than Artaxerxes, or Darius, or any of the Kings of Persia: therefore let every godly man pray and practise that of Ps. 143.10. Teach me to do thy will, for thou art my God, thy Spirit is good, lead me in the land of uprightnesse.