A09339:1318
A Golden Chain
A golden chain: or The description of theology containing the order of the causes of salvation and damnation, according to Gods word. A view whereof is to be seen in the table annexed. Hereunto is adjoined the order which M. Theodore Beza used in comforting afflicted consciences.A golden chaine: or The description of theologie containing the order of the causes of saluation and damnation, according to Gods word. A view whereof is to be seene in the table annexed. Hereunto is adioyned the order which M. Theodore Beza vsed in comforting afflicted consciences.
Cambridge: printed by John Legat, 1600Cambridge: printed by Iohn Legat, 1600
AN EXPOSITION OF THE CREED. I believe in God. &c.AN EXPOSITION OF THE CREED. I beleeue in God. &c.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
if any of the persons, then he must conceive the same godhead relatively with personal proprieties. Thus the godhead considered with the propriety of fatherhood or begetting is ⟨p. 202⟩the father: and conceiving the same godhead with the propriety of generation, we conceive the Son, and the godhead with the propriety of proceeding, we conceive the holy Ghost. Neither must it seem strange to any that we use the names of nature and person, to set forth this mystery by: for they have been taken up by common consent in the primitive Church, and that upon weighty consideration to manifest the trueth, and to stop the mouths of heretics: and they are not used against the proper sense of the scriptures, nay they are therein acontained. Thus we see how it comes to pass that the three things signified by these names, Father, Son, holy Ghost, are each of them one and the same God. And this mystery may well be conceived by a comparison borrowed from light. The light of the sun, the light of the moon, and the light of the air for nature and substance are one and the same light: and yet they are three distinct lights. The light of the sun being of it self and from none, the light of the moon from the sun, and the light of the air from them both. So the divine nature is one, & the persons are three, subsisting after a divers manner in one and the same nature.
if any of the persons, then hee must conceiue the same godhead relatiuely with personall proprieties. Thus the godhead considered with the proprietie of fatherhoode or begetting is ⟨p. 202⟩the father: and conceiuing the same godhead with the proprietie of generation, we conceiue the Sonne, and the godhead with the proprietie of proceeding, we conceiue the holy Ghost. Neither must it seeme straunge to any that we vse the names of nature and person, to set forth this mysterie by: for they haue beene taken vp by common consent in the primitiue Church, and that vpon weightie consideration to manifest the trueth, and to stop the mouthes of hereticks: and they are not vsed against the proper sense of the scriptures, nay they are therein acontained. Thus wee see howe it comes to passe that the three things signified by these names, Father, Sonne, holy Ghost, are ech of them one and the same God. And this mysterie may well be conceiued by a comparison borrowed from light. The light of the sunne, the light of the moone, and the light of the aire for nature and substance are one and the same light: and yet they are three distinct lights. The light of the sunne beeing of it selfe and from none, the light of the moone from the sunne, and the light of the aire from them both. So the diuine nature is one, & the persons are three, subsisting after a diuers manner in one and the same nature.