## Faith in Five Fundamental ## Principles Strongly Fortified against the Diabolical, Atheistical, Blasphemous Assaults of these Times. Serving for the conviction of Opposers, the satisfaction of Doubters, and the Confirmation of Believers. In a Conference between a godly Independent Minister and a godly Presbyterian Minister with a doubting Christian. By E. F., a seeker of the Truth. 2 Corinthians 13:8 - "We can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth." London: Printed for John Wright at the King’s Head in the Old Bailey, 1650. by Edward Fisher

The Author to the Reader On the Existence of the Godhead Concerning the Scriptures as the Word of God Concerning the Deity of the Son and Holy Spirit Concerning the Immortality of the Soul Concerning the Resurrection of the Body

## The Author to the Reader

Like as it is sound military policy, when the inhabitants of one city hear and understand that the common enemy has not only assaulted but also vanquished another city within the same dominions, to use all means they can to fortify themselves against him; even so I conceive it to be good Christian policy, when one Christian hears and understands that the common enemy, Satan, has not only assaulted but also vanquished the faith of others, to use all means he can to fortify his own. Therefore, having been credibly informed that this foul fiend has vanquished the faith of some men concerning these five fundamental principles, I thought it prudent to fortify my own faith by searching all the magazines I could find for the best ammunition therein contained and arranging it as best I could for the defence of my faith.

And having so done (considering it to be ammunition of such a nature as might serve for the defence of others, while remaining no less useful to myself), I felt it my duty to make it accessible by committing it to the press.

Yet, alas, what are all these human persuasions grounded on reason, without the testimony of God’s Spirit in our hearts? Truly, they are nothing. Let us, therefore, in the reading of these things, lift up our prayers to God for the powerful working of His Spirit, to seal upon our hearts the truth of these principles. And may the Lord grant our petitions for His mercy's sake in Christ.

Amen.

## FAITH in Five Fundamental PRINCIPLES

## Interlocutors:

A moderate Independent Minister, A moderate Presbyterian Minister, And a tempted, doubting Christian.

You are well met, good Mr. B. Where are you going so quickly this way, if I may ask?

Why, truly, Mr. H., I am going somewhere I wish you would join me; that is, to meet a man whom I am persuaded is truly godly. However, because he has recently frequented the meetings of various erroneous individuals, he seems somewhat tainted with some of their mistaken opinions. At the very least, he is questioning certain fundamental truths and is unsettled in his judgment. My purpose in meeting him is to do my utmost to show him the truth and settle him in it. And truly, Sir, if your own commitments allow, I think it would

be most helpful if you would come with me and lend us your assistance.

But, Sir, if we go, are we certain to meet him, do you think? And will he be willing to converse with us?

Sir, the man appears to have a humble spirit, willing to acknowledge his errors and learn the truth. It is his own request that I should meet him today at a convenient place not far from here, to address his doubts.

Well, Sir, I shall postpone the business I was on my way to attend to until tomorrow. I will go with you, as you desire, and spend this afternoon together.

The hour he set for our meeting is one o’clock, and I think it is now about that time.

Yes, indeed, I believe it is.

Well, there is the place, and there he comes.

Does he meet you alone?

Yes, so it seems.

Oh, Sir, you have come as you promised! How much I am obliged to you!

Yes, I am here, and I have also met this godly minister along the way and invited him to join us.

Sir, I humbly thank you. I know Mr. H. very well, and he is most welcome to me.

Well now, my dear friend, if you would be so kind as to present your doubts, we shall be ready to answer you as the Lord enables us.

Why truly, Sir, as I mentioned to you before, I have recently been in places where many points of divinity have been questioned and debated, and some even flatly denied. This has raised many doubts in my heart, especially regarding five fundamental principles.

What are they, I pray you?

Why truly, I am almost afraid to name them; yet, as I am hopeful to receive clarity from you, I shall venture to tell you:

First, I find myself questioning whether there is a God.

Secondly, whether the books called the Scriptures are indeed the Word of God.

Thirdly, whether the Son and the Holy Ghost are truly God.

Fourthly, whether the soul of man is immortal.

And fifthly, whether there shall be a resurrection of the body. To tell you the truth, all these beliefs have been denied by some people with whom I have lately associated.

Surely, it is a sad and lamentable thing that men in these days have reached such a height of impiety as to flatly deny these fundamental truths, as if they would pluck up the very foundations themselves. Surely, these men are mere libertines and licentious in their ways, for as the firm and steadfast belief in these first principles is the basis of our upright and consistent walk with God, so when men not only question them but also flatly deny them, it opens the door to all manner of wickedness and ungodliness.

It is therefore time for us as ministers to labour to strengthen these principles, both in our own hearts and in the hearts of others. But blessed be God, my friend, that although you may question them,

you do not flatly deny them; thus, there is much more hope of rooting out these seeds of atheism from your heart than from the hearts of those who outright deny them.

## On the Existence of the Godhead

Therefore, I beseech you first to consider that the first of these five principles—namely, that there is a God—can be clearly demonstrated by plain natural reason. For, as Calvin rightly says, God has implanted in all people a certain understanding of His divine majesty, so that all men, without exception, know there is a God. Indeed, there is engraven in the minds of men a certain sense of the Godhead. And to tell you truly, this doctrine—that there is a God—is one that each man is a teacher of unto himself, even from his mother’s womb. It is also a doctrine upon which the first use of reason is employed, and one that nature does not permit anyone to forget.

Although some men, steeped in wickedness, have attempted to erase this sense from their own minds so that they might practise all kinds of evil without the check of conscience, they have nevertheless found their consciences accusing them for sins committed, even in secret. Their trembling at the approach of death reveals that their conscience tells them, by a subtle persuasion, that there is a God. It has been observed in some professed atheists that, while in health and prosperity they may openly claim there is no God, on their deathbeds they often show the greatest fear of God and His power to judge and condemn them. This led the philosopher Zeno to say, “If I

would persuade any man away from atheism, I would take him to the bed of an atheist, where he gasps his last breath.”

1. To further illustrate that this knowledge of the Godhead is

rooted in nature, consider that even among the heathen, no nation, no matter how barbarous, nor people, no matter how savage, has ever been entirely without some form of religion. From east to west, from north to south, through all ages and places, whether in cities or villages, wherever you find man, you shall find some form of religion and worship of God. This universal phenomenon across all nations and eras demonstrates that the acknowledgement of a god is an effect imprinted in the heart of every human being. Consequently, it must come from a universal cause; that is, it is written in the hearts of all men by the supreme Author of all things, whom we call God.

2. Furthermore, consider that God has not only implanted this

knowledge of Himself in the hearts and minds of men, but has also revealed Himself in the entire creation. As the Apostle testifies in Romans 1:19, there is disclosed to man enough concerning God to leave him without excuse, for all men may clearly see His invisible qualities, even His power and divine nature, through the creation of the world. As the Apostle also implies in Acts 17:27, by the very things we see, handle, and touch, we may know there is a God. Wherever we turn our eyes, in every part of the world, no matter how small, there are at least some traces of His divine image. Therefore, if you do not shut your eyes, you cannot help but see in creation a testimony of the Godhead.

3. For example, consider yourself and contemplate the origin of

your being. You must acknowledge that you cannot have your

existence from yourself; for to have your being from yourself would be as if you were God. I trust you do not believe yourself to be God, and thus you did not give yourself life. From where, then, did you come? If you look to your father and think you came from him, you must then realise that he had a father, and so on, tracing back to the first man. When you consider the first man, you must conclude he could not have made himself, for no creature can be the author of its own existence. If it could, it would be both cause and effect, both before and after itself, which is impossible. This is certain: whatever has a beginning must come from another, for nothing that began to exist can be the cause of itself. But you and all people had a beginning, and therefore must have come from another. It follows, then, that we all ultimately come from Him who has no beginning, whom we call God.

4. Secondly, if you consider the parts of your own body—so many

hundreds of bones fitting together with arteries and sinews that bind them, the harmony and purpose of each part, the excellent workmanship in all your members, the digestion of food in your stomach, and how it divides into nourishment and waste—you must confess that these workings are marvellous, crafted by a most skilled artisan, and that artisan is none other than God.

To speak more plainly, imagine you were to arrive among the native Indians and there, in the remotest place, find a simple cottage. Would you not conclude, “Surely, this land is inhabited; some person has been here”?

Yes, indeed, Sir, for I could not think that it could create itself, nor could I believe it was made by any creature other than man. Besides,

I would see in it some signs of human ingenuity, so I would have to conclude that some man had indeed been there.

Now then, consider, I beseech you, that there are in this world countless things which could not have made themselves, nor could they have been created by man, for many things are beyond human understanding and, therefore, beyond human ability to make. You know that one who makes a clock or a watch must know every wheel and every part perfectly, or he could not make them. Yet many things exist in this world that no man understands, and thus, no man could ever have made. From this, I beseech you to conclude that some wiser craftsman than any man has made them, and that is the very One we call God.

Again, suppose you were to come upon a well-ordered household, where everything is done with perfect order. Even if you saw no one there who appeared to have the years or discretion to do such a thing, would you not conclude that some wise governor had been there to put everything in its place?

Yes, indeed, Sir, I must confess I would.

Then, I beseech you to consider that in this vast house of the world, there are countless men, beasts, and other things arranged with an extraordinary wisdom—ordered in a way that all human wisdom and power could never accomplish. For example, if you observe the marvellous subordination of creatures, you will see an awe-inspiring

order. Look to the earth, and observe that when it is moistened by the dew of heaven, it nourishes the grass, the grass feeds the beasts, and the beasts, in turn, nourish and feed man. In this way, you may perceive the interconnectedness among these creatures. Here, you see an order that flows from one thing to another, all directed towards one purpose—to serve man. And must you not then think and conclude that man, in turn, is to serve the One who is the author of this order—none other than God?

And if you lift your eyes upwards, you will see the heavens adorned with the Sun, Moon, and Stars—works that no man could fashion. Look further into the structure of the world, and you will see opposing forces, like water and fire, dryness and moisture. The nature of opposites is to destroy each other, yet here they coexist in such a harmonious agreement that they neither intrude upon nor usurp one another but work together to form many things. The Earth, as you know, is heavy and massive, and enormous in size, yet it has no solid base or pillars to support it; it rests upon the waters and is suspended like a ball in the air, unmoving. Likewise, the Sea continually threatens to overwhelm the Earth, and its nature is to overflow it, yet we see it does not pass its bounds. Considering all these things, must we not conclude that there is a great and sovereign power that overrules and orders all, making them keep to their proper course? And who could that be but the God of Order?

Thus, my dear friend, you see that the whole world, with all that is within it, is an open book, laid out for all to read, even for children, to see and understand God. This understanding led one learned man to say that anyone who does not acknowledge the Godhead lacks not only reason but also sense. Another wise man even said that all men ought to be forbidden to question the existence of God, upon pain of ceasing to be men at all.

Many other clear evidences of the Godhead stamped upon creation could be presented for further confirmation, but hoping that by now you are convinced of this truth, I shall go no further on this point for now.

Indeed, Sir, I am thoroughly convinced, for I know not how to refute what you have said. Therefore, I pray, proceed to the next point, namely, to prove that the Scriptures are the Word of God.

## Concerning the Scriptures as the Word of

## God

Well, Sir, I think you have done exceedingly well in addressing this point. I hope you have not only helped him but me also; for though I do believe there is a God, I trust that hearing these arguments will strengthen my belief, confirming this conclusion and deepening my assent. But now, Sir, to show him that those they call Independent Ministers and those they call Presbyterian Ministers do not differ but agree on these fundamentals, allow me to speak to the next point.

By all means, Sir, please do.

Well then, my good friend, I urge and beseech you, as you value the everlasting welfare of your soul, to be persuaded in your heart that those books called the Scriptures are indeed the very Word of that one God whom Mr. B has, I hope, thoroughly convinced you of; and that these Scriptures are the only writings through which He has revealed, even from the beginning, how He is to be worshipped and served.

1. To convince you of this truth, I first beseech you to consider that

these books are more ancient than any other historical writings in the world. It is universally acknowledged, even by secular historians, that the writings of Moses preceded all others. In fact, the latest of our Old Testament writers are more ancient than the earliest authors among the heathen. Have you not read how Eupolimus, in his book on the Kings of Judah, says that Moses taught letters to the Jews, who then passed them to the Phoenicians, and they to the Greeks? Similarly, Diodorus of Sicily notes that, according to the Egyptians, Moses was the first lawgiver of all. Scholars agree that the antiquity of the Scriptures confirms both their truth and their divine origin.

2. Secondly, I entreat you to consider that the majesty and

authority of the great God of heaven are clearly evident in the manner in which His will is delivered in these books. There is no introduction or apology—simply, "Thus says the Lord." No reasoning is offered, but rather, "I the Lord have spoken it." These Scriptures require belief solely because the Lord has spoken. They demand duty from everyone, regardless of status; kings and rulers are addressed as much as their subjects. Judgments are pronounced upon the rich as well as upon the poor. Commands are given to the inner person as well as the outward actions, requiring obedience in heart as well as in life.

These Scriptures even prescribe laws for thoughts, forbidding lust and covetousness, which no man-made writings attempt. Now, who else can prescribe laws for the heart and thoughts but He who knows them? And that is God alone.

3. Thirdly, consider that the content of these books, which we call

the Scriptures, is wholly directed toward exalting God and humbling man. The power, wisdom, justice, and mercy of God are abundantly displayed, while man’s vanity and weakness are made evident. Even the greatest sins and gravest failings of God’s own people are recorded without omission. The writers of these books were so free from carnal bias that they did not spare even themselves or their closest friends. An example of this you may see in Moses (Numbers 27:13-14; Deuteronomy 32:51; Exodus 6:20; Numbers 12:1) and also in the Apostle Paul (1 Timothy 1:13). From this, we can draw the following argument:

A doctrine that promotes God’s glory and humbles man must be of God, for man’s doctrines always serve his own glory. But the doctrine contained in the Scriptures wholly promotes the glory of God and the humility of man, as you have heard. Therefore, we must conclude that these Scriptures are indeed the Word of God.

4. Fourthly, I would ask you to consider that the teachings in these

books are both above and contrary to the natural wisdom and will of man. Not only is it beyond human ability to fully understand these Scriptures, but it is also against human nature to obey them willingly. There is neither command nor prohibition in these books that aligns with the natural inclinations of man; instead, they stand directly opposed. Anyone who knows his own heart knows that, by nature, he has

little love for the Scriptures, as seen in how little pleasure he takes in reading or meditating on them. Do we not see that young men and others who are wholly absorbed in flesh and blood would rather read any trivial book than the Bible?

From this, we may draw another argument:

A doctrine that is directly opposed to human wisdom and will must be from God, for man’s doctrines are always agreeable to human wisdom and will. But the doctrine in these Scriptures is directly contrary to the natural wisdom and will of man. Therefore, these books must indeed be from God.

5. And fifthly, I beseech you to consider that the doctrine

contained in these books, which we call the Scriptures, is altogether heavenly and has no trace of earthly or worldly affection. Rather, it wholly renounces and condemns such inclinations. These Scriptures aim to draw man away from all earthly attachments and lead him to salvation in God. They point out to humanity where true and eternal blessedness lies and how it may be attained. In them, one may see how man, through sin, became the enemy of God, and how he may be reconciled to God and saved eternally. There, too, is displayed the incomprehensible love of God toward man in Jesus Christ.

From this, we may frame an argument: That doctrine which leads man away from earthly things and directs him toward salvation in God must be of God. But the doctrine contained in these books—the Scriptures—does exactly this; therefore, it must be of God.

6. Sixthly, consider that the prophecies contained in the Scriptures

are neither general, doubtful, nor obscure, as the oracles of the heathen are, but rather particular and plain, specifying persons

and events by name. For instance, see 1 Kings 13:2-3 and Isaiah 45:1. Truly, if we compare the prophecies of Scripture with their fulfilment, we shall find that they can only be attributed to the inspiration of the all-wise God. This becomes especially clear when comparing the Old Testament prophecies concerning Christ, the calling of the Gentiles, and the rejection of the Jews with their fulfilment in the New Testament. Moreover, the precise and clear foretelling of events long beforehand, with their fulfilment at the exact foretold time, abundantly proves that these books are not of man, but of God.

7. Seventhly, I ask you to consider that the Scriptures contain a

most holy and heavenly harmony among all their parts, even though they were written in different ages by different men in different places. This demonstrates that God guided the hearts of each writer in composing them.

8. Lastly, consider that these books, which we call the Scriptures,

have been continually hated and opposed by the devil and all wicked men. They have had many and powerful enemies who have sought by every means to extinguish them, yet they have never succeeded. Though the raging floods of Roman tyrants have sought to drown these books, they have not been able to do so, nor have they been able even to deface them. Though condemned to the flames, they could never be burned but have been preserved through the marvellous providence of God, despite the efforts of the devil and all wicked men. This must surely confirm that these books are not of human origin but are indeed from God.

Truly, Mr. H., you have spoken to this point in a way that reflects my own heart. I hope he is now convinced that the Scriptures are the Word of God, and I would be glad to hear you address the next point as well.

Oh no, Mr. B. If I have spoken to one point, I ask you, in turn, to address the next.

## Concerning the Deity of the Son and Holy

## Spirit

Well then, if it must be so, I beseech you, my friend, to consider that the deity of the Son and the Holy Spirit is clearly and manifestly proven by the testimony of Holy Scripture. First, regarding the deity of the Son, I ask you to consider that many attributes in Scripture are ascribed to Him which cannot rightly be ascribed to anyone but God alone. Do you not know that in John 3:31, Hebrews 1:3, and John 15:16-17, He is described as omnipotent and having equal power with the Father? How could this be if He were not God? And in Matthew 9:6 and Mark 2:5, 7, and 9, He forgives sins by His own authority— who can do that but God alone? In Matthew 9:4-5 and Mark 2:8, He knows the secrets of men’s hearts; who but God can do that? In Colossians 1:16, He is described as the Creator of all things, and in Hebrews 1:3, as the upholder of all things—roles that belong only to

God. And in Matthew 14:25, He walks upon the water; can anyone do that in their own power but God alone?

Indeed, all His actions while He lived on earth provide sufficient proof that He was God as well as man. For though we read in Luke 2:7 that He was born of His mother and wrapped in swaddling cloths as a man, yet in Matthew 2:11, a star announces Him, and the wise men worship Him as God. Though we read in Matthew 3:16 that He was baptised in the Jordan as a man, that same verse tells us that the Holy Spirit descended upon Him from heaven, marking Him as God. Though He was tempted by the devil in Matthew 4:1 as a man, He overcomes and casts out the devil in verse 10 as God. Though He grew weary, hungry, and thirsty, as noted in John 4:6, Matthew 21:18, and John 19:28, He also refreshes the weary, is the bread of life for the hungry, and gives drink to the thirsty, as seen in Matthew 11:28, John 6:35, and John 7:37, as God. Though He slept in the ship, and His disciples woke Him, as in Luke 8:23-24, He rebuked the wind and calmed the sea as God. Though He experienced sorrow, grief, and even wept (Matthew 26:37 and John 11:35), He also comforted His sorrowful disciples (John 14:1, 18) as God. Though on the cross He cried, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" (Matthew 27), He immediately comforted the repentant thief, saying, “Today, you shall be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43), as God. Though He died and was laid in the grave as a man (Matthew 27:50, 60), He had the power to rise again, and He did raise Himself to life (John 10:18, Luke 24:6) as God. After His resurrection, He walked, talked, and ate with His disciples (Luke 24:15, 31) as a man, yet in Acts 1:9, He ascended into heaven as God.

I hope this is sufficient to convince you of the deity of the Second Person of the Trinity, called the Son.

The deity of the Third Person of the Trinity, called the Holy Spirit, is equally evident and clear from Scripture. First, consider the testimony of Moses in Genesis 1:2, where he shows that, even before creation, the Spirit of God was active in preserving the formless mass of creation, which clearly demonstrates His divinity. The prophet Isaiah confirms this in Isaiah 48:16, saying, "And now the Lord God and His Spirit have sent me." When Isaiah 6:3 describes the angels worshipping one God whom they call holy three times over, it surely reveals the mystery of the Trinity.

It is also evident from their writings that ancient Jews, before Christ, recognised this mystery of the Trinity in their understanding of the word Jehovah. They taught that this mystery was to be kept hidden until the coming of the Messiah, who would reveal it more fully.

And indeed, not only is the deity of the Son more clearly manifested in the New Testament than in the Old, but so also is the deity of the Holy Spirit. For instance, in Isaiah 6:3, 5, the prophet calls the Lord "Jehovah." Yet the Apostle Paul, quoting these same words in Acts 28:25, states that it was the Holy Spirit who spoke them. And whereas all the prophets in the Old Testament customarily say, “Thus says the Lord,” the apostles in the New Testament often say, “Thus says the Holy Spirit” (Acts 21:11), and “the Holy Spirit said” (Acts 13:2). Similarly, we find, “The Holy Spirit testifies” (Acts 20:23). Likewise, in Hebrews 3:7, the author, quoting Psalms 95:7 (“Today, if you hear his voice”), introduces it by saying, “Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says.” Furthermore, while the Lord tells Moses in Exodus 4:11 that He alone gives a mouth and wisdom to speak, the Apostle Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 12:10 that it is the Spirit who grants this gift to man.

In the New Testament, we see that the same names, attributes, and works that belong properly to God are also ascribed to the Holy Spirit, just as they are to the Son. For instance, in 1 Corinthians 3:16- 17, the Apostle refers to the Spirit of God with the very name of God, telling the believers in Corinth that they are the temple of God because the Holy Spirit dwells in them. In 2 Corinthians 6:16-18, Paul calls the Holy Spirit "the Lord Almighty." In Acts 5:3-4, the Apostle Peter tells Ananias that he has lied to the Holy Spirit, and to underscore the point that the Holy Spirit is indeed God, he later tells him that he has lied to God.

In Acts 10, we read that Cornelius was warned by God to send for Peter, yet elsewhere in the same chapter, it is the Holy Spirit who tells Peter that He sent him. In 1 Corinthians 2:10, the Apostle states that the Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. Now, if searching the heart of man and knowing its secrets is unique to God, as Jeremiah 17:10 states, then how much more is it unique to God to know the secrets of God Himself? In Hebrews 9:14, the Apostle explicitly calls the Holy Spirit "the eternal Spirit," attributing eternity to Him. In 1 Corinthians 12:9-10, we find that the Apostles' power to work miracles and wonders came from the Holy Spirit, and since only God can work miracles and wonders, the Holy Spirit must indeed be God.

To conclude, in 1 Peter 5:10, God is called the “God of all grace,” while in Ephesians 5:9 and Galatians 5:22, all graces in the faithful are described as the fruits of the Spirit of God. This makes it clear that the Spirit of God is indeed God. Thus, you see, it is evident by Scripture that both the Son and the Holy Spirit are God, equal with the Father, and that there are three persons in one Divine Essence.

I know, Sir, that you ministers speak and write much about the mystery of the Trinity, that there are three persons and yet but one God, and that none of the three persons is greater or lesser than the others, nor any before or after the other. But for my part, I cannot conceive how it can be, and therefore I cannot believe it.

But you ought to believe it, because the Scripture proves it so fully, even if you cannot conceive how it can be. Nevertheless, to help you understand how this might be, I pray you to consider that God’s actions and effects clearly show a working nature or power within Him. In each of His works, we observe a unique skill and an extraordinary order, proving that God possesses a supreme understanding. There is nothing in God that is not His very essence or being, which means that God not only has understanding, but His understanding is His very essence; in other words, He is pure understanding itself, and this from everlasting.

God is constantly active; therefore, His understanding must be perpetually at work. What, then, could this understanding contemplate from eternity but itself? Consequently, this divine understanding must reflect upon itself, conceiving and begetting within itself a perfect image of its own being. This is precisely what we call the Son or the Word in the Trinity—the living, perfect image and wisdom of the Father. And because this understanding is eternally active, the Second Person must also be eternal. Since the Father’s being and His understanding are one and the same essence, the being of the Second Person, begotten by the Father’s understanding or self-reflection, must also be the same essence. Thus, we conclude that the Son is what the Father is, differing only in the manner of relation.

In the second place, I ask you to consider that, in addition to understanding, there is also a will in God. This will, as far as we can discern from its effects, is a faculty by which He applies His working power. This will, like His understanding, is His very essence and is eternally active. As the divine understanding reflects upon itself and begets a Second Person, whom we call the Son, so this ever-active will, having nothing else to act upon but itself, turns back upon itself and delights in the infinite good it knows within itself. Thus, it sheds itself entirely in love toward that good, producing a Third Person, whom we call the Spirit or Holy Spirit. This is the mutual affection and love of the Father for the Son and of the Son for the Father—the Father, the knower, toward the Son conceived and begotten by His understanding, and the Son in turn toward the Father, acknowledging that all He has and is comes from the Father.

Because an act of understanding precedes any act of will, we say that the Third Person is not only from the will but also from the understanding. And because He is from both, through acts of both will and understanding, we describe Him as “proceeding” rather than “begotten.” Since the Third Person proceeds from God’s will and understanding, which are His essence, and nothing can proceed from God’s essence except what is His essence, it must follow that the Third Person is not only co-eternal and co-equal but also co-essential with God. Just as to be and to understand are one and the same in God, so too are to will and to understand. Thus, all three are of one essence. So, as we have God from God—that is, the Son from the Father by the eternal operation of understanding—so we also have God from God again, the Holy Spirit, the love of both the Father and the Son, through the joint work of understanding and will. This brings us to the conclusion of three distinct persons or subsistences within one essence. And though we say, in human terms, that an act of understanding precedes an act of will, we are not to imagine any

temporal sequence among these persons, but only to present them according to the natural order.

By now, I hope you perceive the clear evidence of three persons or subsistences within one essence.

But, Sir, I would like to hear if there is any resemblance of these things in creation.

If you seek a resemblance of these things in creation, I ask you to consider the sun. The sun produces its rays, which poets call the “sun of the sun,” and from these two proceeds light, which illuminates all things below. Yet, one does not exist before the other; the sun is not before its rays, nor are the sun and its rays before the light, except in order and relation—since the rays are begotten and the light proceeds. This offers a clear image of what I have explained.

Similarly, consider water. We have the source in the earth, the spring flowing from it, and the stream made by both, which extends far from its origin. Yet it is one continuous, inseparable essence, with no temporal before or after, but only a natural order and our mental consideration of it. The source is only a source in relation to the spring; the spring is only a spring in relation to the source; the stream is only a stream in relation to both. Thus, all three are but one water and are nearly inseparable from each other. This, too, is a distinct mark of the original relations and co-essential persons within the one essence of God.

There are other such analogies, but I hope that by now you see this mystery more clearly. Therefore, let this be sufficient for this point.