The Sum of Christian Religion

Now although this be like in God and man, that both do communicate to an other not his Person, but his Essence: yet is there an exceeding dissimilitude in the manner, whereby the divine Essence being infinite, and the humane being created and finite is communicated to another: Which dissimilitude is diligently to be observed. For first, in men, in the father & ⟨p. 343⟩the Son, the Essence is as distinct as the Persons themselves. The father and the Son are not only two persons, but also two men distinct in essences: So that the father is not that man, which is the son. But in God the persons are so distinct, that yet the essence remaineth common, one and the same, and therefore there are not three Gods, but the Son is the same God in number, which is the Father and the Sonne. Secondly, In persons created, he that begetteth and generateth doth not communicate his whole essence to him that is begotten: (For then he should cease to be a man,) but only a part, which being allotted and severed out of the essence of him that begetteth, is conveyed or derived into him that is begotten, and is made the essence of another individual or person, distinct from the essence of the individual who begetteth. But in uncreated persons he that begetteth or inspireth, communicateth his whole essence to him that is begotten or proceedeth, or is inspired: yet so, that he who communicateth doth retain the same, and that whole. The reason of both differences is, that the essence of man, as also of other creatures, is finite and divisible, the essence of God infinite and indivisible: and therefore the Deity may, being the same and whole or entire, be together both communicated and retained. Wherefore the eternal Father, and Son, and holy Ghost are that one true GOD: and yet the Father is not the Son, or the holy Ghost, neither is the holy Ghost the Son; that is, they are one God, not three Gods, but three persons, subsisting in one God.

Now although this be like in God and man, that both doe communicate to an other not his Person, but his Essence: yet is there an exceeding dissimilitude in the maner, whereby the diuine Essence being infinite, and the humane being created and finite is communicated to another: Which dissimilitude is diligently to be obserued. For first, in men, in the father & ⟨p. 343⟩the Sonne, the Essence is as distinct as the Persons themselues. The father and the Sonne are not onely two persons, but also two men distinct in essences: So that the father is not that man, which is the sonne. But in God the persons are so distinct, that yet the essence remaineth common, one and the same, and therefore there are not three Gods, but the Sonne is the same God in number, which is the Father and the Sonne. Secondlie, In persons created, hee that begetteth and generateth doth not communicate his whole essence to him that is begotten: (For then hee should cease to be a man,) but only a part, which being alotted and seuered out of the essence of him that begetteth, is conueied or deriued into him that is begotten, and is made the essence of another indiuiduall or person, distinct from the essence of the indiuiduall who begetteth. But in vncreated persons he that begetteth or inspireth, communicateth his whole essence to him that is begotten or proceedeth, or is inspired: yet so, that he who communicateth doth reteine the same, and that whole. The reason of both differences is, that the essence of man, as also of other creatures, is finite and diuisible, the essence of God infinite and indiuisible: and therefore the Deity may, beeing the same and whole or entire, bee together both communicated and reteined. Wherefore the eternall Father, and Sonne, and holy Ghost are that one true GOD: and yet the Father is not the Sonne, or the holy Ghost, neither is the holy Ghost the Sonne; that is, they are one God, not three Gods, but three persons, subsisting in one God.