Of the d nExpo[ttion 3· Perfons. · are three formes or differences of one God, A ~right:for vnity in trinity, and t~inity invnity as fon'e heretikes haue dreamed, whoranght ts to bee wor!hipped; one God mull be worthat the Father alone is God, a"d that hee is fhtppedm rhe Father, in the Sonne,and in the calleda Father in one refpeCt, the Sonne in aholy Gho£l:& ifwewor!hip God the Farher, nother,and the holy Gho(lin athird. For this Wtthout the Son and the holy Gho(l :orifwe \Vere noth\ng elfe, b~t to make the perfonall worfhip the Son, without rhe Father and the proprieties to be nothing bur imaginarieacholy Gho£\: and rhe holy Gholl:, without the cidents,which indeede, or at the leallin mans Father and the Soune,we worfl1ip nothing bur conceit,mightcome and goe, and be either in an idol. Againe,ifwe worfl1ipthe three per- ,••>!.,... rheperfons,or forth ofthem. For the perfofans "?'as oncGod,but as three Gods, rhen nail relations, though in (•) minde they may hkewtfe we make three idols. be dillingui!hed from the diuine e!fence , yet Note further, that of all rhe three perfons b••1•~•. (b) indeederheyareonewithit.Butfomewill thefirfr petfon the Father is fer in rhe firfr fay,ifthey make this dill:inetion, there is rar!ace,anddefcribed rovs by threeohings.I.by rher a quarernitv then aTrinity: for the Godhtstttle,that he" • F•th<T.II.by his attribute head isone, rhcFarheranorher, rhe Sonnea B rharheisAim\ghtJ. III. byhiseffetl,rharhe; third,and theholy Ghotl: a fourth. Thus fome u m•ker_ofhe•uen •ndwth:ofthefe in order,as heretickes luue obietled againtl: the ditl:in· rheyhemthe Creed.And firfrofrheritle(F•- I'l:ion of the Trinity: but it is vntrue which ther.) Itmayfeeme that he hath fome prerothey fay: F0r the Godhead motl:not be feuered gatiue ouer the Sonand the holy Ghofr, be.' from rhe Father, nor from the Sonne, nor caufehe is fer before rhem:but wemul\ know from the holy Gholl:: for the Father is God that he isfet b_efore them rieither in regard of or the whole Godhead, fo alfo is the Son and nme, nor ofdtgmty, fur therein all three are the holy Ghofr: and theGodhead likewife is equall: but in regard oforder onely. The Fain euery oneofthefe three perfons, and euery ther is the firfr,rhe Sonne the fecond and the , one ofthem fubfilting in the Godhead, the holy Ghol\ the third : as may appea;e by this fame mu£lbeconceiuedtobe in them all, aRd !imthrude. Ifthree Emperours equall in dignotasa fourth thing out ofthem. And theremty !Jlould meet all in oneplace, being equal! fore we mutl:frill mainraine, rhar thefe three alfo mpower and maiefrie, ifall three fhould perfonsaredifringui!hed, and nor deuided, as" lit downe, though one be no better then anothree men are diuided in beeing and fttbther, yeroneof them mufr needs fir downe ftance: for this diuifion cannot beinrhem, be- C the firfr, and another in the fecond place and cade all three l11ue one diuine nature and one then the third ·: but yetwe cannotfay, rhar he Godhead. This is the~yfreryofall myfreries which fare downe firfr isthechiefeti:.And fo it to ber·eceiued of vs all, namely, theTrinitie is in the Trinity,though none be greater ora· ofthe perfons in the vnirie of the Godhead. boue another; yet the Father is in the firfr Thisforme of dotlrine mutl: be retained and place, nor becaui'e he is before the Sonne or holdenforthefecaufes: I. Becaufebyitwe the holyGhoft in dignity and honour, 'but are able to ditl:inguilh this true God from all becaufe he is the fountaine of the deitie the falfegodsandidols. I I. Becaufe among all Sonne being from him, and the holy Ghofr otherpoi~tsofreligion this is one ofthe chicfrom them both. felt, beingihe very foundation thereof. For Now letvs come to the title ofthe firfr Them" it isnot fufficienr for vs to knowGod as wee perfon. The name F.roer in Scriptures is af- mog. cJn conceiueof him in our qwn iri1agination; cribed eitherto God t1kcn indefinite!),, and but wee·mutl: know him ashee harh rcuealed foby confcqucnr ro all the three Perfons in himf<lfe in his word. And it is not lltfficient Trini'y: or particularly to the fir!\ perfon ato faluationto belecue in God confufedly, but lone. For the fir£\, God isa Father properly wemutl:beleeuein one God ditl:inet.ia three and principally, accordmg to the faying of per(ons, the Father, the Sonne, and rhe holy 1 D Chnfr, C•ll no manf•ther vpon t41'th,[.rth<rt u Gho£1:: : yt~and more then this, wee mull: bnt oneyo11r Fathtr Ph1ch is m he~tHen: that is Mar,: 3' 9 I holde and beleeue, that God the Farh" is pri"cipally: whereas earthlyparents, who~ our Father, the Sonne our redeemer, the we are commanded to worfhip and honour holy Gho£l our fantlifier and comforter. are but cert1ine images or refemblances of Well then, ifwe mullin this manner beleeue ourheauenly Father,hauing this blefsing,th>r in God, then we muti: alfo know him; for we they are fathers from him. Aod hereupon this can hane no t~lith in tht: thing which is ·vtterttitle agrees to men, not !imply, but fo farre ly vnknowne. Wherfore ifwe·would bcleeue forth as God honoureth them with f.1therin the Father,Sonne, or holy Ghofl:,wce mnll: j huod in calling them to be fathers, whereas know them in part.loh.17·3~ 7hUi& life etanal l 1 Godhimfelfe receiuesthis houour from none. tokn"w thef the onely Gdd, and whfnn thou h~P God is rearmed afather in refpect both qf nafent !c[UJChrifl. Ioh. 14 17. Theworldc..nn3t , tureandgrace. Hcisaf:tthcrinregJrdofna· recciuctheJpir.it oftn1th, b~caJif~ it h.1th neither I tme, becaufe hce created and gouerneth lll fu.cebrfn,nor ~"'"""'him., .Ioh.2.2J.Whofot1i<r things. In this regard he is called the (•) Fa- 'H,b,u I dent~thth~ So,;ne, harh rJOt the Father. Thirdly, ther of,!pirits;and(b) Ad4,» is called the Son of tL k J this dotlrine dirctlns in wor01ipping God · God.He is afather ill ref(>eetofgrace.bccau/e 1 3~," · • . "c
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