selves, but that which from the beginning even till then the ecclesiastical tradition taught, and prudent Christians did evidently set forth.” And so forth. 2
Therefore away with the pope’s champions to the place of whereof they are worthy, which, when we teach that all in points of true godliness and salvation are fully contained and taught in the canonical scriptures, by the way of objection do demand; in what place of the scripture we find the names of Trinity, person, essence, and substance; and finally, where we find that Christ hath a reasonable soul? For although those very words consisting in those syllables are not to be found in the canonical books (which were by the prophets and apostles written in another and not in the Latin tongue), yet the things, the matter, or substance, which those words do signify, are most manifestly contained and taught in those books: which things likewise all and every nation may in their language express, and for their commodity and necessity speak and pronounce them. Away also with all sophisters, which think it a great point of learning to make the reverend mystery of the sacred Trinity dark and intricate with their strange, their curious, and pernicious questions. It is sufficient for the godly, simply, according to the scriptures and the apostles’ creed to believe and confess, that there is one divine nature or essence, wherein are the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. Neither is it greatly material whether ye call them substances, or subsistences, or persons, so that ye do plainly express the distinction betwixt them, and each one’s several properties; confessing so the unity, that yet ye confound not the Trinity, nor spoil the persons of their properties.
And here now it will do very well? out of the scriptures to cite such evident testimonies as may evidently preve the mystery of the Trinity with the distinction and several properties of the three persons. The Lord in the Gospel after St Matthew saith: “All power is given to me in heaven and in earth: go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing
[οὐ yap νεαράν τινα θρησκείαν ἐπινοήσαντες els τὴν ἐκκλησίαν εἰσήγαγον,]
[ἀλλὰ ἅπερ ἐξ ἀρχῆς καὶ ἡ ἐκκλησιαστικὴ παράδοσις ἔλεγε, καὶ ἀποδεικτικῶς]
[παρὰ τοῖς Χριστιανῶν σοφοῖς ἐφιλοσοφεῖτο.--- δοογαῖθ5, H. E. Lib. 1. cap.]
[7 p- 178. ed. Reading.] (2 preestat, Lat.; it is better. ]]
Pr 11. OF GOD, AND THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD. 161 them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you.” Tertullian, alleging those words against Praxea, saith: “He did last of all command his disciples to baptize into the Father, and the Son, and the Haly Ghost. We are baptized not into one, nor once, but thrice at every name, into every several person” Thus much Tertullian. Now as every several person is severally expressed, so the divinity of them all is therein singularly taught to be one and common to them all, because he biddeth to baptize, not only into the name of the Father, but also of the Son, and? the Holy Ghost. The apostle and elected vessel, Paul, doth flatly deny that any man either ought to be, or ever was, baptized into the name of any man which is nothing else but mere man. “Were ye,” saith he, “” baptized in the name of Paul?” So then the Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Ghost is God, into whose name we are baptized.
The same Lord in the Gospel after St John saith: “When the Comforter cometh, whom I will send unto you from the Father, that is, the Spirit of truth, he will lead you into all truth. He shall not speak of himself: but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak. He shall glorify me, for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew unto you. All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I unto you, that he shall take of mine, and shew unto you.” In these words of the Lord’s thou hearest mention made of the person of the Father from whom the Spirit is sent, of the person of the Son which sendeth him, and of the person of the Holy Spirit which cometh unto us. Thou hearest also of the mutual and equal communion of the divinity and all good things betwixt the three persons. For the Holy Ghost speaketh not of himself, but that which he heareth. He shall,” saith the Son, “take of mine.” And again: “All things that the Father hath are mine.” And therefore what
[3 Novissime mandans (Christus) ut tinguerent (discipuli) in Patrem]
[et Filium et Spiritum Sanctum, non in unum: nam nec semel, sed ter,]
[ad singula nomina in personas singulas tinguimur.—Tertull. ady. Prax.]
[cap. XxVL Tom. τι. p. 199. ed. Semler. ] [2 and of, ed. 1577.) [> ab Apostolis, Lat. omitted; by the Apostles.] 11 [BULLINGER, IIL]]
things the Son hath, those are the Father’s: and the divinity, glory, and majesty of them all is co-equal.
With these most evident speeches do these two manifest testimonies of John! Baptist agree. First he saith: He whom God hath sent doth speak the words of God; for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him. The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand. He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life, &c.” Lo, here again, in the one Godhead thou hearest the three persons distinguished by their properties: for the Father loveth and sendeth the Son, and giveth all things into his hand; the Son is sent, and receiveth all things; but the Holy Ghost is given of the Father, and received of the Son according to fulness. Then again the same Baptist crieth the second time, and saith: “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like unto a dove, and it abode upon him. And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whomsoever thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and tarrying still upon him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost. And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God.” Here again are shewed unto us, as clearly as the day-light, the three persons distinguished and not confounded. For he that sendeth John is the Father: the Holy Ghost is neither the Father, nor the Son, but appeareth upon the head of Christ in the likeness of a dove: and the Son is the Son, not the Father, and that too the Son of the Father, upon whose head the Holy Ghost did abide. And now to this place doth belong the testimony of i. the Father, uttered from heaven upon his Son Christ. For he saith: “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” But one and the same cannot be both father and son unto himself. The Father is one, and the Son is one: and yet not divers things, but one and the same God, of one and the same nature. For the Son in one place doth most plainly say: “1 and the Father are one, &ec.”
Moreover, what could be more clearly spoken for the proof of the express distinction and properties of the three persons in the reverend Trinity, than that where the archangel Gabriel in St Luke, declaring the sacrament? of the