160 SERMONS UPON JOHN XVII. [SeR. IV.
sistence. But how came the word 'person in use? I answer — The Latin Church expressed it by ' person,' upon these grounds : partly because they woukl have a word in their own hmgunge that might ser\ e for common and vulgar use, and the right apprehension of this mystery ; partly because uTroo-racrt? and subsistence were ambiguous, and of a doubtful signification, being both often in common accepta- tion put for the same thing; and the Latin fathers, timidius usi siml ■CO vocahulo, were shy in using that word ; partly because this word is very commodious, as being proper to particular, distinct, rational sub- stances. Whatever is a person must be a substance, not an attribute or accident, as white or black ; a i)articular substance, not a general •essence or nature. It must be living ; we do not call a book or a board a person. It must be rational ; we do not call a tree or a beast -a person, though they have life ; but only man. And it must not be a part of a man, as the soul ; it must not be that which is sustained in another, but subsisteth of itself. So the humanity of Christ is not u person, because it hath no subsistence in itself, but is sustained by the godhead. Now a person in the godhead is an incommunicable subsistence in the divine essence, or the divine essence or nature distinguished by its incommunicable property; or more plainly, a diverse and distinct subsistence in the godhead. And the word is not to be taken in the extreme rigour, to infer any separation or division in the godhead. Three persons among men make three separate essences, three men ; but not here three Gods ; for in the godhead the persons are not separate and divided, but only distinguished by their relative properties ; they are co-eternal, infinite, and may be in one another, the Father in the Son, the Son in the Father, both in the Spirit. We are material, and though we communicate in the same nature, yet we live separate. In short, the word person is used to show that they are not only three acts, offices, attributes, properties, qualities, operations, but distinct subsistences, distinguished from one another by their unchangeable order of first, second, and third — Father, Word, and Spirit — and their incommunicable properties of paternity, filiation, and procession, or unbegotten, begotten, and pro- ceeding, and by their special and personal manner of operation, creat- ing, redeeming, sanctifying. Creation is by the Father, redemption by the Son, sanctification by the Spirit. More may be said, but when «hall we make an end ?
Let us apply it.
Use. Let us bless God that we have sucli a complete object for our faith. We can want nothing that have Father, Son, and Spirit, the co-operation of all the persons for our salvation ; that we can consider the Father in heaven, the Son on the cross, and feel the Spirit in our hearts ; yea, that the Avhcle Godhead should take up its abode, and come and converse with us : 2 Cor. xiii. 14, ' The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Gliost, be with you all. Amen.' Oh ! what a treble privilege is this ! Grace, love, and communion ; election, merit, and actual grace. This is_ a mystery, felt as well as believed. We have a God to love us, a Christ to redeem us, and a Spirit to apply all to the soul : 1 Peter ii. 3, ' If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.' Our spiritual estate
VeR. 3.] SERMONS UPON JOHN XVII. 161
standeth upon a sure bottom ; the beginning is from God tlie Father, the dispensation from the Son, and the application from the Holy Ghost. The Father's electing love is engaged by the merit of Christ, and conveyed by the power of the Holy Ghost. There was a purpose by the Father, the accomplishment was by the Son, and exhibition is by the Spirit ; it is free in the Father, sure in the Son, ours in the Spirit ; the Father purposeth, the Son ratifieth, the Spirit giveth us the enjoyment of all. Oh ! let us adore the mysterious Trinity ; we are not thankful enough for this glorious discovery.
Doct. 4. That God, who is one in three persons, is the only true God, ere Tov a\7)divov Oebv, 'Thee the only true God;' 1 Thes. i. 9, ' Ye turned to God from idols, to serve the living and true God.' All others are but idols and false gods ; they are not able to avenge the contempt of them that wrong them, or to save those that trust in them : Gal. iv. 8, ' Then when ye knew not God, ye did service to them that by nature were no gods.' An idol is nothing but what it is in the valuation and esteem of men. Oh ! then, let us not look upon religion as a mere fancy. God is, whether we acknowledge him or no. Usually, in great turns and changes, many turn atheists. Some turn short from gross idolatry to rest in superstition ; others turn over, and lay aside religion itself, as if all were fancy and figment. Oh ! con- sider, a God there is ; who else made the world ? And then, ' who is a god like unto the Lord our God ? ' Go, search abroad among the nations. It is some advantage sometimes to consider what a God we serve, above the gods of the Gentiles. God alloweth you the search for settlement and satisfaction: Jer. vi. 16, 'Thus saitli the Lord, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls.' If you will make a serious comparison, see where you can anchor safer than in Christianity. Where can you have more comfortable repre- sentations of God than in the christian religion? And where can you have a purer representation of the christian religion than in the churches of the Protestants ? All else is as unstable as water. Here God is represented as holy, yet gracious ; and here you may meet with a strict rule of duty, and yet best for your choice. Let it confirm you in your choice ; and bless God for the advantages of your birth and education. If you had been born among heathens, you had been liable to their darkness : ' The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart,' Ps. xix. 10.