Discourse in College-Hall 27 March 1722, Text 4 – Postscript
Nothing but the Truth.
PSALM CXVI. 10.
I believed, therefore have I ſpoken: I was greatly afflicted.
FAITH, or Belief, is the Foundation which the whole Structure of Chriſtianity depends upon. The Souls of true Believers are ſo rais'd, ſo carried, ſo elevated, & finally ſo tranſported to the upper Manſions, with the ſweet Contemplation of the high and profound Myſteries contained in the New Teſtament, that none but ſuch as have the Happineſs of enjoying them, can tell or ſay any thing about them. The Fruits that are obtained by the Meditation and Contemplation thereof are ſo raviſhing, that none can declare them in full: Even thoſe who do enjoy them, find them ſo much above their Capacities to expreſs, ſo much beyond their underſtanding to declare, and ſo ſublime to be communicated and rehearſed, (if ever they might come to be heard) that it would not be comprehended and underſtood. It is the firſt fruit of the Spirit ſaith the Apoſtle Paul to the Galatians. Gal. 5.22. and therefore how can any, that are Deſtitute or deprived of ſuch Spirit ever come to underſtand any thing of it? Carnal Men Laugh at the Truth and Orthodox Points of Chriſtianity, for lacking of Faith to believe them. The Doctrine of Chriſt crucified was to the Jews a Stumbling-block, and to the Greeks Fooliſhneſs, becauſe for want of Faith they could not be perſuaded of the Truth thereof, but it was counted in their fooliſh Conceits and carnal Minds, nothing but Fooliſhneſs, 1 Cor. 1.23.
NOW, under this Word BELIEF are included all Points of the Chriſtian Religion in general, and all, I am prone to think, King David aimed at, when he expreſſed theſe Words, I believed; becauſe he being 2 Type of Chriſt, and knowing the Meſſiah ſhould come out of his Loins, after his pondering and meditating upon the Truths and profound Myſteries that were to be revealed to the Church in the Fulneſs of Time, he cryed out, I believed; implying in theſe Words, that altho' he knew he ſhould not ſee that Day, nevertheleſs he was fully ſatisfied all thoſe Myſteries, which in Proceſs of Time God would reveal to his Elect were true; and the Reaſon of the Expreſſion, I was greatly afflicted, may have a Reference to the Condition he foreſaw the Jewiſh Nation would be in for their Unbelief.
AMONG the great, deep, and fathomleſs Points of Divinity, which God of his infinite Mercies was pleaſed to reveal, i. e. to open more clearly than he did before to his Catholick Church, is the great Myſtery of the ſacred & bleſſed Trinity. This Point I do now deſign to prove, not to be a new Doctrine ſince Chriſt, as the modern Jews thro' a Miſtake ſuppoſe, but from the very Beginning, with clear Demonſtrations out of the old Teſtament, and their own authentick Authors, i. e. thoſe that have the true underſtanding of the Law and of the Prophets, (as they ſay,) called by them, Baugnaula Bohmath hauameth, the Masters of the True Science, i. e. their Cabaliſtical Authors, ancient and modern, and anſwer the Objections that the Diſcourſe will bring forth
AND before I begin, I implore God's Aſſiſtance, ſaying with the Pſalmiſt, Pſal. 51.15. O Lord, open thou my Lips, and my Mouth ſhall ſhew forth thy Praiſe.
THIS Point is of ſuch Weight, and of ſuch great Importance, that except a Man believes it, he can never be ſaved; becauſe, to believe in God the Son as our Redeemer, as in Gal. 3.13. and Rev. 5.9. and in God the Holy Ghoſt as our Sanctifier, as in Rom. 15.16. and 1 Cor. 6.11. (Titles and Dignities belonging properly to God, becauſe none but God only can redeem and ſanctify our Souls, as in Pſal. 130.7. and Lev. 20.8.) and at the ſame Time to deny the Coequalneſs and Coevalneſs of ſhe three Perſons from all Eternity, ſeems to be ſo contrary to that Idea which the whole World of Mankind have of a God, that nothing can be more weak and abſurd in it ſelf than this is: And I am ſure ſuch as do believe this Doctrine (as the Arians did of old, and ſundry other Sects ſince) do believe in more Gods than one, contrary to what the Scriptures teach, and they themſelves pretend to affirm. And if we confider the thing aright, we ſnall find this Blaſphemous Doctrine of denying the Coequality of the three Perſons, hath been a great Stumbling-Block to the Jewiſh Nation's Converſion, as well as the worſhiping of Images by the Papiſts, there being no other Difference between theſe two Opinions only this, viz. One worſhips Idols in actu, namely, the Papiſts, and the other in potentia, i. e. the Arians, &c. and of the Two, I think, (if I may paſs my Judgment,) the laſt is the worſt, for two Reaſons.
First, BECAUSE the Poiſon of their idolatrous Worſhip is mantled under the Cloak of ſome Scriptures, which they make to be like a Noſe of Wax, to twiſt and twitch which way they will, to ſerve their Turn: Whereas the Papiſts, whatever they pretend to ſay for to uphold their Opinion, or, whatever they pretend to alledge in Defence of their Image Worſhip, yet the Words of the ſecond Commandment ſtand as Witneſſes and as Monuments, againſt their deviliſh Doctrine and Diſtinction of Latria, Dulis, and Hyperdulta, and the like.
Secondly, BECAUSE ſince the Papiſh Worſhip is ſo plainly and openly performed, every body who hath any Light (in the leaſt) in the Sacred Oracles, doth plainly diſcover the Falſity and Erroneouſneſs thereof, and are aware of it; But the Arians; &c. do carry on their Work ſo cunningly, and their Diſputes ſo Sophiſtically, and their Worſhip is ſo much like the true and Orthodox one, Ape like, that it is very difficult to perceive wherein the Gangreen lies, without it be by a good underſtanding Man indeed, and therefore it is the more dangerous to be Snared and caught by them, particularly to the weak and unlearned; Wherefore as I am fully perſwaded, 'tis true and infallible what Or…gen againſt Celſus ſays in his 8. Book, that the Devil dwells in the Temples of Idolaters, ſo I am fully ſatisfied He Inhabits in the Hearts of thoſe that deny the Coequality of the Three Perſons of the Ever Bleſſed and Adored Trinity from all Eternity, becauſe nothing can be more plainly demonſtrated, either from the Old or New Teſtament, than that all Three, i. e. the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghoſt, are Coequal, C…eval, and C…eternal.
BUT ſince my Deſign at preſent, is not to meddle with the Artans, I ſhall leave them, and turn my Face towards the Jews, who are my Brethren according to the Fleſh, and for whom my Heart is ready to burſt, when I Seriouſly think on them, to ſee them … in their Spiritual Darkneſs; and my Eyes do run, when I conſider the forlorn State and Condition that they are in; namely in denying the Doctrine of the moſt Bleſſed and ſacred Trinity, ſo often repeated by the Prophets of the old Teſtament, and the chief Rabbins among them.
But before I begin to quote the Authorities, for to prove my Aſſertion, I think 'tis very proper to give them to underſtand, what we mean when we ſay, We believe that God is ONE in Nature and Eſſence, and THREE in Perſons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghoſt, and afterwards make it appear, that their Rabbies, even the chief among them of old, and of late, underſtood and believed the ſame in Subſtance as we do; and the True Chriſtians and they, differ only in Terms.
IN quoting their Sayings, I do purpoſely deſign not to Criticiſe upon the Words, leaſt they may ſay, that I draw and make them ſay what I have a mind to, but only quote & Tranſlate them Faithfully, and let them Judge afterwards.
ATTEND, and let us not be miſtaken for the Lord's Sake, becauſe in this, q. d. in underſtanding this Point as it ſhould be, depends the Salvation or the Perdition of our Immortal Souls.
WE do not worſhip, neither do we believe in Three Gods, as the Jewiſh Nation, through a Miſtake, do fal…ly think, But,
WE Believe and Worſhip ONE Eternal, moſt perfect and Omnipotens, and … only Wiſe God, One and the ſame in Power, Eſſence, and Eternity, but Three in Perſons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghoſt. There is the ſame Nature, Eſſence and Deity of them … tho' they be diſtinguiſed in Perſons. Somewhat is … to thus all, as the Godhead, Divine Power and Nature. Somewhat Incomm…, as the ſeveral Properties of the Perſons, viz. The Father to Beget, the Son to be Begotten, and the Holy Ghoſt to proceed from them both. There is … Difference in the Trinity for their is ONE Eſſence and Divine Nature common to them all. The Son in the Bleſſed Trinity is Begotten of his Father's Eſſence and hath the whole Eſſence of his Father, not by Propagation, Partition, or Pro…uence, but only by Communication. The Son is not the Son of himſelf, becauſe he is the Son of the Father, but he is very God of himſelf. The Eſſence of the Son is of himſelf, not of the Father, becauſe it is one and the ſelf ſame Eſſence which the Father hath. He is indeed God of God and Light of Light, by this Diſtinction, not as he is God, is he of God, but as he is the Son: For the Perſon of the Son to be Begotten of the Eſſence of the Father we grant, but for the Eſſence of the Son to be Begotten we deny. And ſo we conclude that Chriſt, as he is the Son, he is of God the Father, but as he is God, he is of himſelf; becauſe if Chriſt's Eſſence was not of himſelf, he would not be God. The Holy Ghoſt is of the Father and of the Son, neither made nor created, but proceeding from both, of one Substance Majeſty and Glory with the Father and the Son, very Eternal God.
THIS is our Belief concerning the Three Perſons or Degrees, and Forms of the Deity, as Tertullian doth Term them. And this Doctrine we are ready at any Time to prove, and to dye for it, if Occaſion ſhould preſent.
NOW to go thro' the great and manifold Train of Scripture Proofs, for to demonſtrate my Aſſertion, and Anſwer all the Objections thereof, this would grow to a great Bulk contrary to my Deſign at preſent, and likewiſe it would prove a Task ſomewhat unneceſſary for me to undertake, being it has been done already before now, by ſuch as are more able than I am, and in likelyhood, than I am like to be. Therefore I ſhall withdraw, and only take the Pattern of a Gardiner, who, when he goes into a Garden to make a Poſie for to preſent it to any of his Friends; here he picks one Flower, and there he gathers another, and by degrees he forms it ſo conveniently, that it may be carried about, and give that pleaſure and delight to the Sight, & fragrancy to the Smell, as the Qualities and Quantities of Flowers that are in it will afford to him that bears it; but thoſe which are not ſatisfy'd with it alone, they may go to the Garden themſelves, and there they may chooſe and pick which they pleaſe; So at preſent I deſign to compoſe a ſmall Poſie, i. e. a ſmall Diſcourſe, of ſuch Flowers, i. e. of ſuch Scriptures and Proofs out of the Jewiſh Authors, upon the Doctrine of the Bleſſed Trinity, ſo as it may be carried about by any body, & they may take Delight & Pleaſure in reading of it, and admire Gods Providence in beholding ſuch Sayings, even out of the Mouths of our Enemies, and let them Judge, Deut. 32.31. and thoſe that are not ſatisfy'd, they may go to the Garden themſelves, i. e. to the Holy Scriptures, where they will find Flowers enough of all ſorts, either for Bigneſs, Col…ar, or Scent, &c. i. e. Scriptures enough to ſatisfy them in full. And for the ſake of thoſe who are not acquainted in ſaid Garden, ſo far as to find ſaid Flowers, I will nominate the chief of them, and where they are to be found, that ſo they may have a Recourſe to the Places when they ſee Cauſe, which are as follow, viz. Gen. 1.1. — 1.26. — 18.2, 3. — 20.13. — 35.7. — Exod. 3.14. — 20.5. — 34.6, 23. — Deut. 4.7. — 5.7. — 6.4a. — Joſh. 22.22a. — 1 Sam. 4.8a. — 2 Sam, 7.23. — 22.32. — Jer. 23.36. — 66.9. — Pro. 30. c. — Pſal. 2.7. — 18.32. — 58.12. — 50.1a. — 67.7, 8. — 96.1, 2.7, 8. — Iſai. 6.3a. — 48.16a. — & Mala. 1.6. —†N. B. Thoſe marked thus [a] are very remarkable Ones.
OF all the ſaid Quotations I muſt freely Confeſs, that altho' for the moſt part they are very ſtrong Proofs, to Convince any that have a true Grace in underſtanding the true meaning of the Scriptures, and are not prejudic'd againſt all ſorts of Opinions, (as the Jewiſh Nation, &c. are) nevertheleſs ſome are not ſo concluſive, and therefore when they ſee that, they conclude without farther Examination, that all are alike, and do form ſuch ſtrange and falſe Ideas, as to believe that all Nations but themſelves are what they ſhould not be, alledging for the Standard of their True Religion that Text of Deut. 6.4. Hear O Iſrael, the Lord our God is one Lord.
THIS is that Great Tower, that Strong Bulwark, that Impregnable Fortification, which the modern Jews, learned and unlearned have and hold, againſt all thoſe who do oppoſe the unity of the Godhead, either in Words or in Thoughts; teaching theſe Words (or this Text) in a more ſpecial Manner to all their Children from their Infancy, with a Deſign they ſhould be ingrafted into them as a ſecond Nature, and they are oblig'd to repeat it three Times a Day at leaſt, viz. twice in Publick in their Synagogues, and once before they go to Sleep, and according to R. Judah … Opinion, they are oblig'd to tell this Text in the Morning once more (beſides the Three Times aforeſaid) before they perform their Morning Dut…, as it is recorded in his Book called …autta …, §. 27.
LIKEWISE they teach (as a Tradition,) that Paradice with all the Excellences of it, was not Created, but for thoſe that believe the Unity of the Godhead, and do acknowledge it in their Hearts as well as with their Mouths, when they read the aforeſaid Verſe; and …uchmam or Hell was not Created with all the Miſeries of it, but for thoſe that ſerve Idolatry, i. e. for thoſe that do not unite or Believe in the unity of the Godhead in their Hearts and Minds.— (And leaſt they may charge me with ſaying a Thing they never ſaid, I deſire them to read what R. Moſes Kauro ſays in the Book aforeſaid, §. 91. in the Name of that Great and Famous Rabbi, called Rabbanoo Bahauya which ſignifieth, Our Univerſal Master of the Law, in his Book upon the Text aforeſaid, in the Section called, Mauethhaunaun) and therefore they believe they ſhall all be Damned, (which God forbid,) in Caſe they give Conſent to any Doctrine whatſoever beſide their own. Alas, alas! I am heartily ſorry for them all, and ſince this Text is the chief Tower which they lay ſo much Streſs upon, in Caſe I ſhould batter it, & make …pear with their own Principles, that the Doctrine of the Bleſſed Trinity is very clearly and plainly demonſtrated in it, I hope they will be Convinced, lay down their Arms, and Acknowledge it in the ſame way as we do, being the ſame as their Rabbies or Masters did actually teach and believe before now. By the Way,
LET them know that neither they nor all their Rabbies, ever believed the unity of the Godhead, as the True Chriſtians, did, do, and for evermore ſhall, i. e. with that Clearneſs that the Everlaſting Goſpel hath reveal'd, as it may be ſeen, (as I ſaid before) in as plain Words as poſſible, on purpoſe to make them know, i. e. to open the Eyes of their underſtanding if poſſible.
TO prove my Aſſertion, I would have them be pleaſed to read with Attention the following Quotations, and afterwards compare them impartially (if they can) with what we believe; and then in caſe they do not find the Doctrine to be the ſame, only differing in Words, I give them leave to judge as hard of us as ever they did in their Lives: But in caſe they find it to be the ſame, the very ſame Doctrine which they themſelves did believe, and left their Thoughts in Writing (providentially as I take it, to ſhew the Veracity of our Doctrine) I intreat them to be perſuaded of the Truth, and look to the Lord, whom their Forefathers have pierced.
IN that famous Book, more ancient than the Talmud itſelf, compos'd by one of the Sages of the Miſhnau, by Name Rabbi Simeon Ben Johauy called Zohar, i. e. a Light, [for the great Light and Truths therein contained, a Book of as great Value and Authority among them all (even thoſe that know nothing about it) as the very Five Books of Moſes,] Page 43. upon the Words of the 13th of Exodus, Verſe 16. And it ſhall be for a Taken upon thine Hand, ſays thus, The holy and bleſſed one (i. e. God) created the World when he covered himſelf with the Covering of Light, (or Splendor;) and this is that which unites the Unity, and therefore the Words, Hear O Iſrael, Deut. 6.4. are next to the Words, And it ſhall come to paſs, Deut. 11.13. The Unity of every Day is the ſame in the Text. THE LORD, the firſt (or antient,) and OUR GOD, THE LORD, theſe are all one, and therefore is read ONE. Theſe are three Names, How are they one? Altho' we reed One, this One (or Unity) by the Viſion of the HOLY GHOST is known, and is as plain as the Eye-ſight, that THESE THREE ARE ONE: And this is the Mystery like the Thunder; the Voice which is heard is One, and yet are included in it Three Colours (or Things,) viz. Fire, Wind and Water; and all are One in the Secret of the Thunder, and none but One. So here alſo. THE LORD, OUR GOD, THE LORD, are One, Three Colours (or Things,) they make all One; and this is that Union which every Day is manifeſted by the Secret of the HOLY GHOST.
IF this Quotation is not ſufficient, behold what is recorded …n the ſame Book, Page 203, treating upon the Expoſition of ſaid Verſe, Deut. 6.4. in it will be found the following Words, [Take Notice of this excellent Expoſition.] THE LORD, OUR GOD, THE LORD: This is his very Secret, from the Top of the Rack is it, (i. e. from the very Beginning,) and it is united at the HEAD, STEMME, and ROOT. THE LORD: This is the Head above, a Spirit aſcended. OUR GOD: This is the Stemme, which is called the Stemme of Jeſſe. THE LORD: This is the Root which is beneath; and upon this Secret the Unity is united as it ſhould be, &c.
MOREOVER, to diſcover more fully the Deity of the Holy Ghost in particular, as proceeding from the Father and Son, take Notice of the following Expoſition, recorded in ſaid Book, P. 237. THE LORD: This is the Mark of the Letter Move the high Head of the Holy Name. OUR GOD: This is the Secret which is marked by the Letter …a, the ſecond of the holy Name. THE LORD: This is the Proceeding which proceedeth from beneath, in the Secret which is marked by the Letter Vau; theſe two Letters are drawn to be in this Place, and they are all one, (one Unity,) all theſe three are one Unity; ſince that each one is made in one Unity of themſelves.
IN that famous and moſt ancient of all the Books the Jewiſh Nation pretend to have, called Sepher …auyatzcetau, (a Book which ſome of them would have to be as ancient as our Father Abraham, and of his Compoſing alſo, as they ſay,) 'tis plain by what is ſaid concerning the Godhead, that God is Three and One, as we Chriſtians believe, tho' not with the ſame Expreſſions as we uſe, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghoſt; but he calls him Numerations, and Lights, (from whom I am prone to think Tertullian took his Expreſſions.) The Words are as follow. (N. B. I quote not the Page, becauſe I forgot it; but the Sentences are to be found in it, as may be made to appear at any Time when the Book ſhall be produced.) They are three Lights, an ANCIENT LIGHT, a PURE LIGHT, and a MOST PURE LIGHT, nevertheleſs all theſe are only ONE GOD.
IN another Place he ſays thus, And know ye, the THREE HIGH NUMERATIONS all are united together, and never are divided.
THIS Doctrine is moſt certainly received by all Cabaliſtical Authors, without Contradiction or Diſpute; ſo as that Rabbi Joſeph Giguitillia, a famous Rabbi in this Science, treating upon the Explication of the Ten Numerations or Gnauſaurau Sapheeroth, I remember he hath this Expreſſion, The three Higheſt no Eye ever ſaw, and there is not th… either Separation or Diviſion, (God forbid to ſay ſo;) & be that cuts or divides, his Blood on his head, and it had been better for him that he had never been created.
THE Kauvaunau Intention, which their beſt Cabalistical Authors do oblige them to have, when they read ſaid Verſe, is to unite the Godhead in theſe three Numerations or Lights aforeſaid, as thoſe who are acquainted with their Writings can teſtify.
NOW having with as much Faithfulneſs … poſſible, quoted and tranſlated ſome of the many places, that ſhow the Truth of our Doctrine, (altho' by them at preſent denied,) I ſhall take the Liberty to ſay ſomething of my own, which I hope will be taken for an orthodox Opinion, by all Men, even by the Jews themſelves, if they will but conſider with Attention what has been alledged out of their own Authors, & even of thoſe they acknowledge to be the wiſeſt and moſt Godly among them. (Vide more of this Nature in Buretorf's Lexicon, Page 152.)
The Tranſlation of the Verſe in Deut. 6.4. which our Engliſh Tranſlators tranſlated (conforming themſelves to the Engliſh Idiom,) Hear O Iſrael, the Lord our God is one Lord, is ſomewhat faulty, becauſe according to ſaid Tranſlation, this Doctrine (of the bleſſed Trinity) cannot be raiſed out of it. Therefore, to find out this fa…homleſs Myſtery, we muſt have Recourſe to the Original, and there we ſhall diſcover it with great Eaſe and Facility. The Words are to be tranſlated thus, Hear, O Iſrael, the Lord, our God, the Lord, is One. Now, after we have tranſlated the Verſe acording to the Original, in order to underſtand the true and genuine Meaning of it, we muſt take Notice of the preceeding Chapter's Diſcourſe, which is thus.
Moſes knowing that the End of his Life was very nigh, Deut. 33.1. was willing before his Death, to make a Recapitulation of all the Laws of God unto his People, with ſome wholſome Admonitions; that ſo after his Death they might never blame him for being careleſs in diſcharging his Duty towards them. Therefore, after he had repeated the moral Law, as the unalterable Word till the World's End, he tells them in General of a Colloquy that paſs'd between them, of their deſiring of him to be a Mediator between God and them, the Lord's hearing their Words, his Wiſhes for their keeping their Hearts towards God all their Days, to fear him, to keep his Commandments, his Counſel to them, and finally, the Promiſe of God's Favour towards them, in caſe they would follow his …, becauſe the End of the Law was the Obedience of it.
AFTERWARDS he begins to particularize to them ſundry Obligations and Duties which were incumbent upon them, and the firſt that he mentions is the great and profound Myſtery of the Godhead, Three in Perſons, and One in Eſſence, with theſe Words, Hear O Iſrael, the Lord, our God, the Lord, is One. Moſes begins with this O YES, becauſe without the Knowledge of the true and living God, One in Eſſence, and Three in Perſons, none can be ſaved. Theſe three Perſons (not Gods) are plainly to be underſtood in the Repetition of the three ſacred Names, viz. THE LORD, OUR GOD, THE LORD, theſe three he tells them are One, not three, as the Words ſeem to imply, but One only and ſimply, without Beginning and without End.
THIS Doctrine he admoniſhes them to conſider and believe, when he ſaid, Hear O Iſrael. He might uſe the Phraſe of Mauauzeeno…, as he did in Deut. 32.1. and Ex…i. 15.2…. which alſo ſignifieth, Hear; but he uſes the Word Sh…mang, becauſe beſides the litteral Senſe of it, i. e. Hea…, it implys in it, …, Take heed, Take Notice, Mind, Conſent alſo; to teach & inſtruct them, that this Myſtery was ſo deep, and ſo high to be underſtood, that a bare ſuperficial Knowledge of it was not enough to comprehend it; but it required a … Study, & a deep Obſervation to be in ſome meaſure Maſter of it, elſe with a ſuperficial Knowledge of it only, it would bring a Perſon to underſtand and believe, either that there is a Plurality of Gods, or deny the Trinity of Perſons in the Godhead, (as the Jewiſh Nation have done of late, and the reſt of the Nations did of old.) This I am prone to think, is the true and genuine Meaning of this Scripture, elſe, i. e. if he meant as the Jewiſh Nation of late would have him mean, q. d. that God is One, denying the Trinity of Perſons, the Verſe ſhould run thus, Hauauzeenoo Iſrael …udonauy Thaud, Hear O Iſrael, the Lord is One: But ſince he doth not ſay ſo, but as we find it, 'tis as much as if in plain Words he had ſaid thus, Take heed, and conſider, and give Conſent, O Iſrael, that THE LORD the Father, OUR GOD the Sin, THE LORD the Holy Ghost, i… One.
DO not miſtake me, and think that there are three Gods of three different Eſſences, neither one God without the Plurality of Perſons; but yet there is One only God in Nature and Eſſence, and Three diſtinct Perſons, all equal in Power and Glory, coequal and coeval from all Eternity.
THE Jewiſh Nation cannot bear to hear or think of ſuch Diſtinction as we make, viz. Three … Perſons, and one in Eſſence; ſaying, How can it be, that God is One and Three, and Three and One? This Doctrine (they ſay) is ſo contrary to Reaſon, that any Perſon whatſoever may ſee the Abſurdity of it at the very firſt View. To this I anſwer.
LET them read and conſider the Words of the ſecond Article of their Creed; and in them they will find (when they confeſs God's Unity) the ſame Diſtinction of Words, and I think with more Abſurdity, as they call it. The Words as they are in their Jgdal being the ſame that Mar…ides ſays upon the Expoſition of the Miſhnau of Sanedrin, Chap. …clek are thus, He is One, and not one like his Unity. Now I might argue and ſay as they do, He is one and not one; How can it …e, for God to be one, and not one like unto him? This is againſt all Reaſon, for to be one and not one, and yet one. And yet for all this Contradiction of Speech, they believe he is one: So we Chriſtians ſay, That God is One and Three, and not Three, but One. And I think there is more Regularity of Speech to ſay as we do, than to ſay as they ſay; their Doctrine being more contradictory in it ſelf, than ours is.
BUT ſince I know, that ſuch Way of arguing is nothing but quarrelling about Words, I do not ſee any Neceſſity to make uſe of it, provided we underſtand one another; and as we do them, I hope they will in Fulneſs of Time underſtand us alſo.
THE Word Perſons is another Expreſſion which they cannot approve of. But as I ſaid but now, this is to quarrel about Words; and the Word Perſons being only a Word that we uſe to convey our Ideas to the Hearers, and make them underſtand in ſome Meaſure what we mean by this Doctrine. Let them uſe what Terms they will, either Numerations, L…ghts, or what they pleaſe; and in caſe they underſtand and believe the ſame as we do, I am contented.
HERE I expect the Jews will argue (if ever they come to read this Diſcourſe) thus.
IN Caſe the Verſe is to be underſtood as I ſay, Why doth it not ſay, The Lord three Times, and not, The L… Our God, The Lord, having the middle Name (in the Original) the Sophixy of the Firſt P. C. P. at the End, viz. Our.
TO this I anſwer, (and I hope, if ever they come to underſtand this Myſtery ſo far as to argue after this Manner, i. e. to criticiſe upon the Words, I have won the Field,) The firſt Perſon of the Godhead is called Jehovah, The Lord; and ſince this Name they themſelves own is given to God, and I have already proved by their own Authors to him only, (in Page 24. of The whole Truth,) I ſhall not inſiſt upon it.
THE ſecond Perſon is called Alohanoo, Our God. Here they ſtumble, for which I am very ſorry; but I wonder not, ſince what this name ſignifieth has been from the …ning a ſtumbling Block to them, as it … told in Iſai. 3.14. and I hope with God's Bleſſing they ſhall be raiſed again, according to his Promiſe.
Three Reaſons may be given, and very remarkable ones.
Firſt, BECAUSE Moſes was willing to declare to the People (tho' not with that Clearneſs as it came to paſs in the Fulneſs of Time) the great and high Myſtery of the ſecond Perſon's Incarnation, in which he was to take the Humane Nature upon him, and ſuffer for the Salvation of all thoſe Sinners that believed in him; and therefore he is called, Our God, i. e. a Man like one of us, Sin excepted, H…. 4.15.1 Joh. 3.5. and at the ſame time a God alſo, coequal with the Father, who is firſt mentioned in the Text.
Secondly, THE calling the ſecond Perſon, Our God, was to ſhow them, that he was to be incar…ted, and not the firſt nor the third, becauſe to him (the ſecond) belongs properly the Office of a Med…at…r and to no…e elſe. And,
Thirdly and …, IT may have a Reference to the Jewiſh Nation in particular, from whence he was to proceed, according to the Fleſh, as it was promiſed to …, ſome Hundreds of Years before, G…n. 21.12. And he calls him Our God, i. e. ours in a particular Manner, from one of ours, and not from any Nation elſe.
AND that this way of expounding the Words, may not ſeem to them any other than a true and orthodox one, I will prove it with quoting to them one Pa…age out of a great many, which are to be found among their Writings; from one who had the Opportunity to ſearch and examine all the Authors before him, that treat upon this Point, and fot his great Learning and Prety, was called by the Conſent of all the Jewiſh Nation, even in his Life-time, The perſon wiſe Man, The Pious or Godly, The Theologer, Glory of the wiſe Men, The Holy, Our Teacher, My Teacher, R. Jacob Saſportas in his Book called The Holy Temple, printed in Amsterdam about Seve…y Years ſince, Page 15. ſays the following Words, THE LORD: This is the Father most high. OUR GOD: This is the white Head, moſt Ancient, the Eternal One, the Soul of ….
HERE this worthy Author makes a Diſtinction in the Meaning of the Names, The Lord, and, Our God, by which Words he ſays the ſame in Subſtance as we Chriſtians believe, even that the Name of The Lord firſt mention'd, is the Father moſt high, and the Name of Our God is the Son, which is that White Head mentioned in Dan. 7.9. and in him all the Fulneſs of the Godhead dwelleth Bodily, Col. 2.9. which Text of the Apoſtle is the ſame that is recorded in the Book Zohar aforeſaid, Page 79. viz. (Take Notice of theſe Words, and judge afterwards.) And he is in the high My…ery, and for this Reaſon is called his Son; and this is the old Iſrael aforeſaid, which is the Son of the most old, i. e. of the Moſt ancient, and all is one and the ſame.
THIS old Iſrael, mentioned in this Place, is not the Jewiſh Nation, but the ſecond of the three Lights aforementioned; and this they called a Son of the moſt old, i. e. of the moſt ancient; and theſe two are one and the ſelf ſame.
THE third Perſon, i. e. the Holy Ghost, is called Jehovah the Lord alſo, to ſhow that he is very God, of the ſame Eſſence as God the Father and God the Son are. And becauſe I know they now abſolutely deny this Doctrine, to ſatisfy them, I would have them read the ſecond Verſe of the 11th Chapter of Iſar…h, and there they will plainly find the Holy Ghoſt is called Jehovah the Lord alſo,
AND now, ſince we have fetch'd Honey out of that great and mighty Rock, i. e. proved the Doctrine of the bleſſed Trinity out of the very ſame Text with which the Jews defend themſelves, and fight againſt us with, even by the Authorities of their own Rabbies, and thoſe of the firſt Rank, ancient and modern, let us ſee whether we cannot gather Oyl out of a flinty Rock alſo, i. e. prove this very ſame Doctrine to be included in this very ſame Name Jehovah, with their own Principles & Rules, and then conclude with a Word of EXHORTATION to my Brethren in particular, and to all in general.
THE Name Jehovah is ſo full of Myſtery, and there are ſo many profitable and delectable Things (i. e. ſpiritual) to be gathered out of it, as can very well be thought of any, even the wiſeſt that ever was, (in caſe we do not run too faſt upon Superſtition, as moſt of the Jewiſh Rabbies do.)
THIS is ſo certain, that it is the Opinion of a great many and worthy Divines, that Moſes Petition to God to let him ſee his Glory, Exod. 33.18. was to let him ſee the high and deep Myſteries which are included in his ſacred and everlaſting Name, i. e. the great and dreadful Name Jehovah, (which whoſoever names vainly is worthy of Death.) But ſince touching the Almighty we cannot find him out unto Perfection, even the beſt of Angels are charged with Folly, when He underſtood Moſes Requeſt, anſwered him, Verſe 20. Thou canst not ſ…e my Face, for no Man ſhall ſee Me and Live, i. e. for you to underſtand in full the Myſteries of my ſacred Name, it is impoſſible, ſaid God, ſo long as you are in Body and Soul together. It is contrary to the holy Nature of my Name to be comprehended in full by any Creature whatſoever, therefore 'tis better to deſiſt. Nevertheleſs, I will grant you ſo far, that you ſhall obtain ſo much and ſo great Honour of me, that you ſhall ſee my back Parts, but my Face ſhall not be ſeen, i. e. you ſhall acquire ſo much Knowledge, and underſtand more of the Nature of my unſearchable Name, than any of the Saints that went before you ever did, even the Patriachs themſelves, as in Exod. 6.2, 3. Therefore, let us with all Humility and holy Fear, ſee if we can find ſomething included in this fathomleſs Name, that may prove for our Inſtruſtion and ſpiritual Comfort.
THAT the holy and moſt bleſſed Trinity every Perſon by it ſelf is called Jehovah has been demonſtrated by ſundry worthy Divines before now, whoſe Names will be for a Bleſſing to the Generations to come. But that all the three Perſons are included and comprehended in the Name Jehovah, I do not know any who have ſhewed it before me. Therefore I ſhall premiſe ſome things which I think are very neceſſary to be known for the better Intelligence of it, begging the Reader's Patience for a while. Viz.
Firſt, THE Name of the Lord in the Original is, Jehovah, the Root is Kavauh, which ſignifieth a Being, or Eſſexce.
Secondly, THIS Name amounts, according to the Hebrew Numeration, to the Sum of 26. viz. Yode 10, …a 5, is 15. Uaw 6, makes 21, and … 5, ſumms in all 26.
Thirdly, OUT of this Name the Cabaliſtical Authors do form ſeveral Different Names, and all are in the ſame Eſteem and Veneration among them, as the very Name Jehovah, and they are very cautious not to Reveal any of them to any Body, even of their own Nation, except it be to a Man accepted in General for a wiſe, pious, ſober, and blameleſs Perſon from his Infancy, according to the ſtrict Rules of Religion. Some of the different ſort of Names are as follow.
1. THE Name of 45 as they call it, which is formed thus, Bode Vau Dauleth, …a Juleph, Vau Juleph Vau, Ea Juleph, The Numeration of ſaid Letters together as they are wrote amounts to 45.
2. THE Name of 52 as they call it, which is formed thus, Yode Vau Dauleth, Ha Ha, Uau Uau, Ha Ha, following the ſame Rule, it amounts to the Number of 52. A great many more they do form, which I omit at preſent not being to my purpoſe.
Fourthly, THEY have three different Ways of Numeration, viz. the firſt they called Miſpaur Grudol, a large Reckoning. The ſecond Miſpaur Kautaun, a …ort Recoming. The third Miſpaur Gmtzaugn…e, a middle Reckoning, The firſt is that Way which is moſt common, i. e. from 1 to 9, from 10 to 90, and from 100 to 900. The ſecond is that Way of Reckoning, which never riſes higher than 9. e. g. from Juleph to Jeth is 9, and then begins again, from Yode to Tzadde is 9 alſo, and then again, from Kuph to Tzadde final, makes 9 likewiſe. The third is that in which the final Letters are not to be counted higher than their Equals, e. g. Cauph …auph amounts to 20 each, and not 20 and 500, as the common Way is, and ſo all the reſt of the double or final Letters follow the ſame Rule.
Fifthly and laſtly, AS they numerate by the Letters of the Alphabet, ſo they do alſo by the Punctation of ſaid Letters, and ſo every Tittle or Point amounts to 10, the Pautauh to 6, and the Caumetz to 16. And when they want any Number to make up the Sum of what they are a going to ſhew or teach, ſometimes they make it up by the Number of Letters, ſometimes by the Number of Words, and ſometimes by both.
THESE Five Premiſes will be ſufficient at preſent to make appear the Truth of what I am going to aſſert, even according to their Cabaliſtical Principles.
NOW obſerve, Our ſovereign Lord Jeſus Chriſt is called a Son, becauſe he is the true and beloved Son of the living God; him we are all obliged to obey, and follow his Laws and Directions, as in Mat. 17.5. And lo, a Voice from Heaven, ſaying, This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleaſed, hear ye him.
THE more immediate Word for a Son in the Original is Ben, this amounts according to the third Rule of Reckoning to 52, which is the ſame Numeration of the Name Jehovah, as the ſecond Way of Spelling of it. Again,
The Lord Jeſus Chriſt is called Idam as the Apoſtle Paul ſays to the Corinthians, 1 Cor. 15.45. The firſt Man Adam was made a living Soul, the last ADAM was made a quickning Spirit. Now the Word Idam following the ſame rule amounts to 45, and ſo likewiſe the Name Jehovah according to the firſt Way of Spelling of it amounts to 45. and ſaid Name is called by them Idam alſo in ſeveral places of the Book Zohar aforeſaid, p. 98. & 117. (for Brevity ſake I omit the Words, but I am ready to ſhow hem at any Time when demanded of me.)
A great many Myſteries and high Secrets the Cabaliſtical Rabbies do pretend to know, and do declare they are included and Incloſed in this Name of 45. aforeſaid, and altho' I am ſure they teach a great many Chimerical Notions, Nevertheleſs, very often they ſay ſomethings which are nothing but pure Chriſtianity, cloathed under different Terms, for want of the true Knowledge of the everlaſting Goſpel. One that juſt now came into my mind I will Rehearſe, that ſo the Truth of my Aſſertion, may be made to appear, and I am more free in telling of it, becauſe it is very much to my preſent purpoſe.
THEY teach that God created the World with the Name of 45. and they prove it out of Prov. 3.19. The Lord by Wiſdom hath founded the Earth. The Word in the Original is Bahohmah, and they turn ſaid Word, which is tranſlated, By Wiſdom, according to their way of explaining the moſt part of the Scriptures, thus, Bahohmah Bacoauh Mau,
By Wiſdom, By the Strength of Mau i. e. by the Strength of the Name 45, ſaying, The Lord by the Strength of this Name founded the Earth.
NOW I beg any to conſider what Doctrine this is, but the ſame that is recorded in John, at the Beginning of his holy Evangelium, John 1.1, 2, 3. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God; the ſame was in the beginning with God; all things were made by him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.
THIS WORD aforeſaid is the true Mau, i. e. the true Idam, which amounts to the Number of 45, as the Word Mau doth, which was from the Beginning, i. e. from Eternity with Jehovah the Lord, which amounts to 45 alſo, as aforeſaid, to ſhow that the Son and the Father are all one, of the ſelf ſame Numeration, i. e. of one and the ſelf ſame Eſſence.
NOW, having found out that the two firſt Perſons of the Bleſſed Trinity are included in the Name Jehovah, let us ſee whether we can find the third Perſon alſo.
THE third Perſon in the Hebrew is called Rooauh Eaukodeſh. This Name amounts (according to the ſecond way of Numeration, and the fifth, i. e. of the Punctation) to the Sum of 101. Now, take Notice, ſince the Holy Ghoſt is neither made, created, nor ingendered of the Father or of the Son, but proceedeth from both, one and the ſame Subſtance, ſo likewiſe we ſhall find his Name proceeds from them alſo, viz. The Name of God the Father, Jehovah, amounts to 26, according to the ſecond Rule. Jeſus Christ is called in Gen. 18.3. and more plainly in Mal. 3.1. Audonauy, which Name amounts to 65, by the firſt Rule of Numeration. Both together makes 91, and with the Addition of the eight Letters of both Names, and the two Names themſelves, according to the fifth Rule, come to be in the whole 101 alſo, to ſhow that the Holy Ghost proceedeth from both, i. e. the Father and the Son.
AGAIN, The Name Roo…h, which ſignifies properly a Spirit, amounts (according to the ſecond Rule of Numeration) to 16, and the Root of the Name Jehovah, which is Hauvau, amounts to 16 alſo, to ſhew that the Holy Ghoſt not only proceeds from the Father and Son, but even he is of the ſame Root and Subſtance, or Eſſence as the Father is, i. e. equal in Power and Glory, from Everlaſting to Everlaſting. Moreover,
THE three aforeſaid Lights commonly are called by them Ketter Hohmah Beenau, and the firſt they called Head, The Head of all things, The Head of all Heads, The incloſed of all Incloſures, &c. The ſecond they called, The firſt Adam, The firſt Head alſo, &c. and the third they called, The Holy Ancient, and ſometimes Ancient only, A living God, and ſundry other Names, which all do ſhew the very ſame Doctrine as we do teach, even that all Three are One, equal in Power and Glory; and (N. B.) of theſe Three Lights aforeſaid, they explain the Text in Deut. 32.39. See now, that I, even I am he, and there is no God with me, as it is plainly to be ſeen in the Book Zohar aforeſaid, Page 22. The Truth of this Doctrine leads me to Think,
THAT when we read in the old Teſtament, that the Saints of old, as King David, &c. did crave any Mercies or Favours of God for his NAME ſake, It was as much as if they had asked it in the Name of the whole TRINITY, becauſe in his Name Jehovah all the THREE Perſons are included, as I ſaid; and therefore they were ſometimes anſwered, if the Thing by them deſired, was according to his moſt holy Will and Pleaſure, &c.
NOW, from what has been ſaid, whoſoever fears the Lord, or hath any regard for his Soul, may eaſily diſcern how great and high a Sin it is for any Body to be guilty of the Breach of the third Commandment, and likewiſe what is the Reaſon …t whoſoever takes the Name of the Lord in vain, HE will not hold him guiltleſs, but the Curſe ſhall fall upon him, and enter into the Houſe of him that ſweareth falſly his Name, and conſume it, from the Timber even to the Stones thereof, Zech. 5.3.4.
MORE I might ſay to prove this Doctrine, even by the Authority of the Jewiſh Writers of this Science, not only upon Dent. 6.4. but upon ſundry other Texts of the Scripture: But with what has been already ſaid, I hope I have plainly and fully demonſtrated, that the God which we adore and hope to be ſaved by, is not three Gods, (God forbid we ſhould ſay ſo,) but only One living and only true God; One in Subſtance and Eſſence, but Three Perſons, Father, Son, and Holy Ghoſt, all equal in …ver and Glory from all Eternity. And therefore let us come to a Concluſion in a Way of EXHORTATION.
…LEY us follow King David's Steps, ſaying, I …, therefore have I ſpoken.
O… …et us keep ſt…faſt in this Belief, all the Days of our Life, that ſo at laſt we may come to live an …nal Life with Him who is the true Life, even Li… it ſelf.
…LEY us …ut withdraw aſide from this Belief, in believing ſtrange Gods, even the Imagination of ou… …ked and deceitful Hearts, but keep … Gods Word, in obeying his holy Command …, and be careful how we take his great and … Name in vain into our polluted Lips.
O! LET us be thankful, that ſuch Truths have been diſcovered unto us, poor, ſinful, miſerable wretched and degenerate Creatures, and cry with Aſtoniſhment and deep Admiration, O Lord, What is Man that thou art mindful of him, and the Son of Man that thou viſiteſt them.
O! LET us look upon ourſelves altogether unworthy of enjoying ſo many manifold Priviledges as we do; and above all, in living where we have the true Doctrine of God's Word declared unto us, in its right and true Meaning according to his holy Will and Pleaſure, without being diſturbed by the Enemies of his Catholick Church, when he hath not dealt ſo with any Nation, and as for his Judgments they have not known them. HAULALOOYAUH Praiſe ye the Lord.
FINIS.
POSTSCRIPT.
Gentle Reader, The Autho… …ping you are endowed with the Spirit of Forgiveneſs, deſires you would not only forgive the Errors of the Preſs, but even his appearing in Publick, ſeeing both were unavoidable.
End of the text · Benjamin Colman, Discourse in College-Hall 27 March 1722 (1722)