The reviler rebuked: or, A re-inforcement of the charge against the Quakers, (so called) for their contradictions to the Scriptures of God, and to their own scriblings,: which Richard Farnworth attempted to answer in his pretended Vindication of the Scriptures; but is farther discovered, with his fellow-contradictors and revilers, and their doctrine, to be anti-Scriptural, anti-Christian, and anti-spiritual. By John Stalham, a servant of the great bishop and shepherd of souls, appointed to watch his little flock at Terling in Essex.

Section 7.

I Had discovered their contradictious language, that, There is no Scripture for the Trinity, when the Scri∣pture is plain before them, 1 John 5. 7. There are three* 1.1 that bear witness in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the holy Spirit: and these three are one. Here is a Trinity, I said, or a Three-ness in one Essence, and One-ness of Essence in a Three-ness of Subsistence. R. F. * 1.2 challengeth me for perverting the Scripture, saying, here is Trinity, when it expresseth no such word in that nor any other Scripture as Trinity. But the Reader will easily perceive how he per∣verts my writing and fights against this Text and five more which I referred to: for I said not, here is Trinity, or, the word Trinity, but here is a Trinity asserted. He grants the Father, Son, and Spirit are one, and then beating about the

bush from John 14. 20. which mentions but two of the three, he denies it to speak of distinct persons three.

Rep. What if John 14. 20. speak not of three, 1 Joh. 5. 7. expresly saith, there are three &c. But R. F. falls point∣blank in opposition to the third in order of the three, and addeth, The holy Ghost is no person. My work therefore here is first, to clear out from this place in Johns Epistle (and the five other that I onely hinted at) that there are three di∣stinct persons, in the God-head. Secondly, that the holy Ghost is, and how he is, one of the three, I cannot open any of the six Texts which I quoted, but the latter will be proved by the former; onely in clearing the latter by it self, R. F. his Heresie and Blasphemy will be yet more evident and notorius. To the first then, I argue thus in the ge∣neral.

If the Scripture speaks of three [the Father, Son, and Spirit] that are one, and yet three, then they are as di∣stinctly three in their Persons, as they are undividedly one in their Essence.

But the Scripture speaks of these three that are one, and* 1.3 yet three.

Therefore they are as distinctly three in their persons, as they are undividedly one in their Essence. The consequence of the proposition is thus proved;

When the Scripture speaks of these three, either it is to be understood of three distinct ways of Being, or of three distinct Beings; But it cannot be understood of three di∣stinct Beings, for the Lord our God is One; I am, or Being of himself; Therefore it is to be understood of three distinct maners, or ways of Being, each of which maners of Being is no other but that which the Scripture expresseth by the word Hypostasis, or Person, when it sometime speaks of one of the three, sometime of another. The Assumption is clear from the Scriptures that either expresly say, there are three, and these are one, or reckon up three neither more, nor fewer; coequal, and of the same dignity, as co-essenti∣al, and of the same Deity. More particularly,

1. Let that 1 John 5. 7. be viewed, and weighed; let* 1.4 not men shut their eyes against the light of it, and think

lightly of its Testimony, where Unity in Trinity, and Trini∣ty in Unity is set forth by words equivalent, and of as great force, as if the very terms of [Unity] and [Trinity] were put down. The equivalent words are [there are three] and [these three are one] and the meaning this, that three distinct persons are united in the same Essence, and one and the same Essence is distinguished into three persons.

2. Let Matth. 28. 19. be heard speak for a Trinity. Here* 1.5 is express command for baptizing into the name of three [of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Ghost] The phrase [into the Name] compared with 1 Cor. 1. 13. 15.* 1.6 is as much as, into the divine service, honor and worship of some person, or persons: Paul speaks of being baptized in∣to his own name, as too great an honor for him, or any creature. But if the disciples were, and are baptized into the name of Christ, as they were dedicated to a dependence upon Christ; Christ should have his due honor given him: and if according to Christs command, they are bap∣tized, and by Baptism (as by an outward rite, and sign) given up to the name, both of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Ghost, then are they in one Essence, three persons, equally and infinitely honorable.

3. In 2 Cor. 13. 14. we have mention made of the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, there is one person; of the Love of God, or the Father, there is another; and of the Communion of the holy Ghost, there is a third.

4. Again, Matth 3. 16, 17. Jesus is baptized, there is one person; The Spirit of God descendeth upon him, there is another; And a voice from the Father (This is my beloved Son) there is a third.

5. In that Scripture John 15. 26. There you have the Comforter, the Spirit of truth, one; sent by Christ, another; from the Father, a third; (though he is the first, the Son the second, the holy Ghost the third, in order and maner of subsisting within the God-head, and of working out∣wardly upon the creature, yet there as elsewhere they are spoken of promiscuously, to note their equality of Essence, with the Trinity of persons.)

Lastly, to multiply no more places, John 16. 13, 14, 15.

There you have the Spirit pointed out as a person distinct from the Father, and the Son; [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉] ille, He, six times in ver. 13. and ver. 14. [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 again] He, there is one person, shall glorifie me, there is another, and ver. 15. All things that the Father hath &c. there is another. Let R. F. or any other consult with his Arithmetick, and reckon the number; then consult with natural Logick, or true reason, and conclude; If there be neither more nor fewer, but three in one God-head; and that the holy Ghost is one of the three: Then there is a 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, a Trinity: And if the Father, Son, and holy Ghost be co-equal, and that the Fa∣ther hath the place and dignity of one Person, and the Son hath the place and dignity of another Person, Then hath the holy Ghost the place and dignity of a third, and indeed is the Third in order of personality. Secondly, and more di∣rectly in reply to R. F. who saith, he is no person; I must tell him, and his disciples in the general, what a Person is, viz. A living intelligent substance, subsisting by it self, and* 1.7 truly and really distinct from others by his incommunicable property; more particularly,

"A Person in the God-head* 1.8 is the divine, living, understanding, uncreated, infinite Essence, subsisting by it self, and really distinct from the other by his incommunicable uncreated property, yet each of them having one and the same Essence or God∣head in him from Eternity.

By this latter clause [each of them having one and the same Essence, &c.] A divine un∣created person is distinguished from created persons: for created persons, suppose an earthly father, and a son, are not the whole Essence one in the other, but the uncreated are. One person in the divine Essence is in and with the other. In humane persons the Essence of the one stands out of the other; In the divine persons, the whole Essence of the one is the Essence and substance of the other, and as the whole Essence of the Father is in the Son of God, and the whole Essence of this Son is in His Father, so the whole Essence of both the Father, and the Son, is in the holy Ghost. By the former clause [a living understanding Essence uncreated subsisting by it self, and is really distinguished from the other by his incommunicable uncreated property] we have to consider.

1. Something common to all persons, viz. they are each of them a living, understanding substance, subsisting by it self, and distinguished by its incommunicable property.

2. Something to distinguish,* 1.9

1. God, and each person in the God-head from the crea∣ture, viz. That God is a divine un-created infinite Essence, the creature that is a person, is either humane, or Angelical, and both created Essences, and each of the divine un-crea∣ted persons, hath a distinct incommunicable un-created property; but the created Essences, men or Angels, have (though distinct, incommunicable, yet) created finite pro∣perties, and personalities.

2. Each of the persons in the God-head from one ano∣ther,* 1.10 though relating to each other. The incommunicable relative property of the first person, the Father, is to be of himself, unbegotten, and to beget his natural onely Son: the relative incommunicable property of the second per∣son, the Son, is to be (though he is God of himself, yet as the Son) begotten of the Father: the relative incommuni∣cable property of the third person, the holy Ghost, is (though he is God of himself, yet as the Spirit) to proceed from the Father, and from the Son. And hence I argue for the holy Ghost his being a person.

If the holy Spirit be distinguished from the Father, and from the Son, by his ineffable maner of being, or by his relative incommunicable property of subsisting in the God∣head, then he is one of the divine persons.

But the holy Spirit is distinguished from the Father, and from the Son, by his ineffable maner of being, or by his re∣lative incommunicable property of subsisting in the God∣head: Therefore he is one of the divine persons.

That the holy Spirit is distinguished by his ineffable ma∣ner of being, and relative incommunicable property of sub∣sisting in the God-head, is clear from that one Scripture (among others above cited) John 15. 26. In these words [which proceedeth from the Father] and in many Scri∣ptures he is called the Spirit of the Son, and the Spirit of Christ, and therefore he proceedeth from him also, and is known thereby to be a distinct person from him, and from

the Father. If any say, this doctrine of the Trinity is very mysterious, make it out by some similitude; The Prophet answereth him, or rather the holy Ghost by the Prophet, Isa 40. 18. To whom will ye liken God? or what likeness will ye compare unto him? or, we may in allusion thereunto say, Who shall compare the essence of the Creator, to the essence of the creature; and who shall liken the divine persons, with the humane? or the humane unto the divine? I shall onely, to clear out what hath been said of the holy Ghosts personality, adde this argument.

If those actions are properly attributed to the holy Ghost which are proper to a person, then he is a person.

But those actions are properly attributed to the holy Ghost which are proper to a person; therefore he is a per∣son. I shall mention but some (of many) actions properly attributed to the holy Ghost; as 1 Cor. 12. 11. all these worketh that one and self same Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will. Here the Spirit is described, not as a motion or operation, but as a person properly acting, willing, working. Act. 20. 28. he is said to constitute elders or make overseers over the Church, the flock of God; Luke 12. 12. to teach, John 16. 8. to convince, Acts 13. 2. to call, and ver. 4. to send forth Barnabas and Saul, Act. 2. 4. to give utterance: and that very action which R. F. granteth to the Spirit, of dwelling in the Saints, is so far from disproving him to be a person (for which end he pro∣duceth it) as it clearly proves him to be one. For how doth he dwell in the Saints? not personally, yet properly (more then by way of operation) as a owner, or inhabitant in his house; as a God, and as a Lord in his Temple: this person dwels in the Saints, though not personally, yet mystically and in a true spiritual way of inhabitation. 1 Cor. 3. 16. Know ye not that ye are the Temple of God, and that the Spi∣rit of God dwelleth in you? And do we-know that, and shall we not know, and acknowledge him a person, and a person of note and eminency? He is not a Person, saith R. F. but he dwelleth in persons. If that be a reason why the holy Ghost is no person, the Father (with this corrupt reason) must be no person, nor the Son any (who yet have the very

title given them, Heb. 1. 3. Christ the express image of the Fathers person) for the Father dwelleth in the Saints, and the Son also, John 14. 21. what have we next to make out R. E. his sense? [he dwelleth in persons or bodies of Saints] It seems he accounts none to be persons but those that have bodies. Why beasts have bodies, yet are no per∣sons, and Angels are persons spiritual, immaterial crea∣tures * 1.11 subsisting by themselves, (though not of themselves, as not any creature doth thus subsist) although they have no bodies of flesh and bones, Luke 24. 39. as men have: nor is the body of a Saint the person of a Saint, as he is a man, but a part of it (his person or suppositum consisting of body and soul) and of such a composition is every humane person; but a divine person in the God-head, and in parti∣cular the holy Ghost (of whom I have briefly spoken for R. F. his conviction, or for others consolation, as informa∣tion) is no compositum or third thing made up of other things different from the Essence, yet is he distinguished, by his maner of subsisting (as hath been shewed.) To little purpose, doth R. F. * 1.12 conclude this subject with that Scri∣pture, 2 John, ver. 9. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, hath both the Father and the Son, but against himself, for as* 1.13 whosoever denyeth the Son, the same hath not the Father; so, he that denyeth the holy Ghost, in that maner as R. F. hath done, abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, and hath nei∣ther the Father nor the Son. Let him well consider, that the holy Ghost dwelleth in the souls of Saints as well as in their bodies, let him beware of conceiving him (with Samosate∣nus) onely to be that * 1.14 un-personal energy, or operation which is in believers, And let him be far from putting the Believer in the room of the Spirit, or from making no more of the Spirit of God, then the believing soul in the bodies of the Saints, for this were to turn the glory of the Crea∣tor unto the Creature.

Notes

• * 1.1

  1 Iohn 5. 7. vindicated.
• * 1.2

  Page 7, 8.
• * 1.3

  There is a Trinity, or three persons in one God∣head, pro∣ved from and by the Scriptures.
• * 1.4

  1 John 5. 7. opened.
• * 1.5

  Mat. 28. 19: opened.
• * 1.6

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
• * 1.7

  What a per∣son is.
• * 1.8

  What a per∣son in the God-head is.
• * 1.9

  Distinct from created per∣sons.
• * 1.10

  How distin∣guished in the Deity.
• * 1.11

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• * 1.12

  Page 8.
• * 1.13

  1 John 2. 23.
• * 1.14

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.