36 DIVINE NATURE AN man, that is not forsaken of all natural reason as well as spiritual light, choose nowbut determine that either the scripture designed to draw him into errors and mistakes about the principal concernments of his soul, and so to ruin him eternally; or that these persons who would impose such a sense upon it, are indeedcorrupt seducers, that seek to overthrow his faith and comforts? Such will they at last appear to be. I shall now proceed to con- firm the argument proposed. Sect. t l: 1. All things necessaryto this purpose are comprised in the solemn form of our initiation into co- venant with God. Matth. xxviii. 19. Our Lord Jesus Christ commands hisapostles to " disciple all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost." This is the foundation we lay of all our obedience and profession, which are to be regulated by this initial engagement. Now, no man will or doth deny but that the Father and the Son are distinct persons, Some indeed there are.who deny the Son to be God; but none are so mad as to deny him to be a person, though they would have him only to be a man, All grant him, whether God and man, or only man, to be a distinct person from the Father. Now what confusion must this needs introduce, to add to them, and to join equally with them, as to all the con- cerns of our faith and obedience, the Holy Ghost, if he be not a divine person, even as they? If, assome fancy, he be a person indeed, but not one that is divine, but a creature, then here is openly the same honour assigned unto him who is no more, as unto God himself. This elsewhere the scripture declares to be idolatry to be de- tested, Gal. i. 8. Rom. i. 25. And if he be not a per- son, but a virtue and quality in God, and emanation of power from him, concerning which our adversaries zegáeereyar,, speak things portentous and unintelligible, what sense can any man apprehend in the words? Sect. 12.Besides; whatever is ascribed unto the o- ther persons, either with respect unto themselves, or our duty towards them, is equally ascribed unto the Holy Ghost. For, whatsoever is intended by the name of the Father and the Son, he is equally with them con- cerned therein. It is not the name Father, and the name Son, but the name of God, that is of them both, that is intended. It is a name common to them all, and distinctly applied unto them all; but they have no in this sense distinctor divers names. And by the name D PERSONALITY GE of God, either his being, or his authority is signified; for other intention of it none have been able to invent. Take the name here in either sense, and it is sufficient as to what we intend. For if it be used in the first, way, then the being of the Spirit must be acknow- ledged to be the same with that of the Father. lf, in the latter, he path the same divine authority with him. He who hat: the nature and authority of God is God, is a divine person. Sect. 13. -Our argument then from hence, is not merely from his being joined with the Father and the Son; for so as to some ends and purposes any creatures may be joined with them. This our adversaries prove from Acts xx. 32. Ephes. vi. 10. Phil. iii. 10. 2 Thess.. i. 9. and might do it from other places innumerable, although the first of these will not confirm what it is produced to give countenance unto; Schlicting. de Tri- nitat. ad Meitner. p. 605. But it is from the man- ner and end of his being conjoined with the Father and the Son, wherein their name, that is, their divine .. nature and authority are ascribed unto him, that we argue, Sect. 14.Again, we are said to be baptized, ace en d,,5aa, into his name. And no sense can be affixed un- to these words, but what doth unavoidably include his personality. For two things they may and do intend, norany thing else but what may be reduced unto them: First, Our religious owning the Father, Son, and Ho- ly Ghost, in all our divine worship, faith, and ohe- diente.. Now, as we own and avow the one, so we do the other; for we are alike baptized into their dame, * equally submitting to their authority, and equally taking the profession of their name upon us. 1f then we avow and own the Father as a distinct person, so we do the Holy Ghost. Again, by being baptized into the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, we are sacredly initiated and consecrated, or dedicated unto the service and worship of the Fa- ther, Son, and Holy Ghost. This we take upon us in our baptism. Herein lies the foundation of all our faith and profession, with that engagement of ourselves unto God, which constitutes our Christianity. This is the Baptieata Gentes in Nomine Fatris at Filü et Spiritus Sanct;, In Nomine dixit, non in Nominibus. Non ergo oliud no,nen Patric, -aliud nomen Pitii, aliad nn en Spiritus Sancti, ram onus Deus,Ambros. de Sp. Sanct. lib. 1. cap. h,
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=