Nehemiah Coxe On the Trinitarian Persons

The Scripture doth also instruct us concerning the subsistence of God, or the manner of his being; and this is such a glorious mystery as by his word only is revealed to us; We cannot by reason comprehend it, but ought to adore it; and by Faith rest in his testimony concerning it…

…Here then is set before us the Divine essence, subsisting in three relative properties: The relative property of the Father is to beget, Ps. 2. 7. Joh. 3. 16. The relative property of the Son is to be begotten; The relative properly of the Holy Spirit is to be breathed, or to proceed from the Father and the Son, Joh. 15. 26. Rom. 8. 9, &c.

Now unto these relative properties belong all imaginable perfection; but no imperfection, because they are in God: Therefore as considered in him they do inferr personality, because a personal subsistence, is the most perfect manner of being in the whole reasonable nature: And throughout the Scriptures when the Father, Son or Holy Ghost are distinctly spoken of, those terms are made use of that are proper only unto a person; and personal operations are every where ascribed to them; Though in our conception of personality in the Divine nature, we must separate from it whatsoever imperfection is seen in a created person: Every created person hath a limited essence distinct and distant one from another: But all the increated persons in the Deity have the same immense undivided essence, and are the one Eternal immortal invisible only wise God. In created persons also there is difference of time in the proceeding of one from the other; but here though there be an Eternal order of origination, there is no priority of time or nature. Add hereunto the warranty of this term from Hebr. 1. 3. where it is applied to the Father, (and there is the same reason for our using it, when we speak of the Son or Spirit) and I cannot see why Mr. C. should reject or except against it as he doth, p. 11, 12. and in his Bod. of Div. However I shall not strive about words, if the thing be owned: But it is commonly seen, that men have been offended with apt terms, because the things expressed by them have been displeasing to them. But I shall pass this also, and return to the beginning of his Chapter, that his strange notions about the person of the Son of God may be brought to examination.

Vindiciae Veritatis, from pages 6 and 7 by Nehemiah Coxe