most absolute and perfect Being, which is illustrated by some poor
comparison to us creatures, who form in our minds in the understanding of
any thing, an inward word or image of the object some representation and
similitude of that we understand. And this is more perfect than any
external vocal expression can be. So we have a weak and finite conception
of the acting of that infinite wisdom of God, by which he knows himself,
that there results, as it were, upon it, the perfect substantial image,
and the express character of the divine essence, and therefore is the Son
of God called "the Word" which was with God, and "the Wisdom" of the
Father, because he is, as it were, the very birth of his understanding and
not only the image of his own essence but the idea, in which he conceived,
and by which he created the visible world. Then we use to conceive the
Holy Ghost as the production of his blessed will, whereby he loves,
delights and hath complacency in his own all sufficient, all blessed
Being, which he himself alone perfectly comprehends, by his infinite
understanding, and therefore called, "the Spirit," a word borrowed from
resemblance to poor creatures, who have many impulses, and inclinations to
several things, and are carried to motion and action, rather from that
part which is invisible in them, the subtilest part, therefore called
spirits. So the Lord applies his almighty power, and exerciseth his
infinite wisdom according to the pleasure and determination of his will,
for that seems to be the immediate principle of working. Therefore there
is mention made of the Spirit, in the creation of the world. He sent out
his Spirit, and they were created, Psal. civ. 30. These are the weak and
low attempts of men to reach the height of that unsearchable mystery. Such
conjectures we have of this word of God, and his eternal generation, as if
trees could take upon them to understand the nature of beasts, or as if
beasts would presume to give an account of the spirit that acts in men.
Certainly the distance is infinitely greater between God and us and he
must needs behold greater vanity, folly, and darkness, in our clearest
apprehensions of his majesty than we could find in the reasonings and
conceptions of beasts about our nature. When our own conception in the
womb is such a mystery, as made David to say, O how wonderfully am I made,
and fearfully! he saw a curious art and wisdom in it that he could not
understand, and he belie