The Sincere Christian by Archbishop George Hay

[Benedict]

Author's Introduction
JESUS CHRIST, the eternal wisdom of God, who is Himself " the way, the truth, and the life" addressing His heavenly Father, pronounces this sacred oracle: " This is eternal life, that they may know Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom Thou has sent," John xvii. 3 .

 The securing to ourselves eternal life is the great end for which we were created; it is the " one thing necessary" without which we are lost for ever; it is an affair of all others the most important, or rather, it is the only important affair we have to think of: " For what shall it profit a man, if he gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?" Mark viii. 36 . Seeing, then, that the knowledge of God the Father, and of Jesus Christ, His Son, in such a manner as we are capable of knowing Them in this world, is declared by Christ Himself to be the eternal life of our souls - that is, to be the necessary and undoubted means of acquiring that eternal life, and of bringing us to the full knowledge and possession of God in the world to come - how much ought we to esteem that Divine knowledge! How assiduous and careful ought we to be to get ourselves fully instructed in it!

What will it profit a man to know all things else, if he be ignorant of his God and of his Saviour? What though he understand the motions of the stars, the measure of the earth, and the whole circle of human sciences, if he be ignorant of that important science, the science of the saints, which alone will conduct him to eternal bliss? " If any man consents not," says St Paul, " to the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to that doctrine which is according to godliness, he is proud, knowing nothing, but sick about questions and strifes of words," I Tim. vi. 3 . To promote this heavenly wisdom among men, to instruct the ignorant in the knowledge of the great truths of God and of eternity, has at all times been esteemed by the Christian world as a most sublime employment: and God Himself has promised a most ample reward to those who practise it, saying, by His holy prophet Daniel, " They that are learned shall shine as the brightness of the firmament, and they that instruct many to justice, as stars for all eternity," Dan. xii. 3 . Hence it is, that, in every age, we find men of the greatest genius and learning, who have employed themselves with great zeal in instructing the ignorant in the truths of salvation, both by their apostolical labours during their lifetime, and by the pious monuments of their charity and zeal which they have left behind them in their valuable writings, for the benefit of future ages. ' To contribute my mite towards so laudable a purpose is the design of the present publication; to which I have been induced by several considerations.

I have often thought that the great truths of Christianity, if digested in a regular orderly method, so that the establishing one point should be a prelude and preparation to the next, would show that Divine religion in a more amiable point of view, and be a great ease and help both to those who are to instruct others, and to those who are learners: this idea has been confirmed by frequent experience, and I hope that the method which I have found so useful may prove equally beneficial to others. There are many excellent works published in our language upon different parts of religion; but I am afraid they too often suppose the generality of their readers better instructed in these matters than they commonly are, and are Written more for the learned than the ignorant. The view I have had in this present work is to assist the most unlearned, and beginning with the first rudiments of Christianity, to conduct the reader, step by step, through the whole body of the principal truths of revelation, so that the knowledge of one truth may serve as an introduction to those which follow.

The sacred Scriptures are an inexhaustible fountain of heavenly knowledge, but are commonly less used than they might be in illustrating and establishing the truths of religion. A text or two hinted at now and then seem lost in the multitude of other reflections and reasons which surround them; but, when the principal stress both of the explanation and proof is laid upon these Divine oracles, and a number of texts are placed in the proper order for illustrating the point in question, they give an incredible force to what is proposed, show that it is God Himself who speaks, and cut off all occasion for human sophistry to enter. This I have had in a particular manner in view in these instructions, and have endeavoured to collect together the several testimonies of the Word of God where the point in question is explained, illustrated, or established; that, showing the constant uniform doctrine of the Holy Scripture, I might bring full and complete conviction to the mind. Some may perhaps think I have crowded too many texts together on some occasions; but I have had in view the benefit of those who are to instruct others, that they may have a proper variety out of which to choose what they may find, by experience, to be most adapted to the various capacities of their pupils.

After this brief explanation of the plan and design of the work, I have only two things to recommend to my readers. The first is, to make themselves masters of one chapter before they proceed to another - to consider it well, to comprehend it, to penetrate the force of the reasons used in it. This will render the understanding of what follows easier, and, at the same time, more satisfactory and convincing. The second thing is, when examining the proofs from Scripture brought for any controverted point, not to consider so much how far the ingenuity of man could wrest the meaning of any particular text to a sense different from what it is brought to prove; but to consider what is the plain, natural, obvious meaning of all the various texts brought together in proof of the point proposed; for this surely must be presumed to be the sense intended by the Holy Ghost.

[Benedict]

My Introduction to this book -
This is one of my favorite catechisms or catechetical works ever produced by a anglican doctor who converted  and became an archbishop and Apostolic Vicor to Scotland. It is written with a masterful understanding of the faith and a singular love and knowledge of the Sacred Scriptures.
It is relatively unknown but especially helpful for in it we shall see God the Holy Spirit teaching us the doctrines of the Church in a clear and immemorial way. Here a reference for what was held since the Apostles, here what the practice of the faith which was observed in Catholic lands is layed out. Behold this is the faith of our fathers and a fulfillment "ask your fathers and they shall tell you, ask your elders and they shall explain"

[Benedict]

Chapter I: Of God

Q. What is God?
A. God is a Spirit infinitely perfect, the Creator and Sovereign Lord of all things.

 Q. 2. What do you mean by a Spirit?
 A. An immaterial being, quite distinct from body.' Now God is a most pure, uncreated Spirit, without anybody; and those expressions of Scripture where mention is made of the hands of God, or His feet, or the like, are only figurative ways of speaking, accommodated to our weak understandings.

Q. 3. What do you mean by infinitely perfect?
 A. I mean that all possible perfections essentially belong to God, and are in Him in an infinite degree, without bounds or limitation.

Q. 4. What are the perfections of God?
A. Power, wisdom, goodness, justice, mercy, holiness, truth, beauty, eternity, immensity, and many others, of which we can have no idea. So that God is infinitely powerful, infinitely wise, infinitely good, infinitely just, infinitely merciful, infinitely holy, infinitely true, infinitely beautiful, eternal, immense, and unchangeable.

Q. 5. What do you mean by infinitely powerful?
A. I mean that God can do all things whatsoever He pleases, and in what manner He pleases; so that nothing is impossible or difficult to Him.

Q. 6. How does this appear from Scripture?
A. On this head the Scripture declares
(1.) That "with God all things are possible," Mat. xix. 26 ; and that " no word shall be impossible with God," Luke, i. 37 .
(2.) That He created this world, and all that it contains, out of nothing, by His word alone; for " in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth," Gen. i. 1 . " He made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all things that are in them," Ps. cxlv. 6 . " In Him were all things created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominations, or principalities or powers, all things were created by Him and in Him," Col. i. 16 . " He spoke the word, and they were made; He commanded, and they were created," Ps. cxlviii. 5 .
(3.) That He can do in all creatures whatsoever He pleases; for " whatsoever the Lord pleased He hath done in heaven, in earth, in the sea, and in all the depths," Ps. cxxxiv. 6 .
(4.) That "all things are in His power, and that there is none that can resist His will,"Esther, xiii. 9; for " He alone is mighty, the King of kings, and Lord of lords," i Tim. vi. 15 .

 Q. 7. What do you mean by infinitely wise?
A. I mean that God knows all things, past, present, and to come, even the most secret thoughts of the heart of man, and all things that possibly can be.

 Q. 8. How is this proved?
A. His holy Word declares that " there is no creature invisible in His sight; for all things are naked and open in the eyes of Him with whom we speak," Heb. iv. 13 . " The works of all flesh are before Him, and there is nothing hidden from his eyes; He sees from eternity to eternity, and there is nothing wonderful before Him," Ecclus. xxxix. 24 . " For the eyes of the Lord are far brighter than the sun, beholding round about all the ways of men, and the bottom of the deep, and looking into the hearts of men, into the most secret parts; for all things were known to the Lord God before they were created; so also after they were perfected, He beholdeth all things," Ecclus., xxiii. 28 . " The heart is perverse above all things, and unsearchable, who can know it? I am the Lord who searches the heart and proves the reins," Jer. xvii. 10 .

Q. 9. What do you mean by infinitely good?
A. I mean that as God is infinitely perfect and infinitely happy in Himself, so He has the most earnest desire of communicating Himself and His happiness to His creatures, and, in consequence of this, is continually bestowing good things upon them, according as they are capable of receiving them; for " every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights," James, i. 17 . And God "giveth to all abundantly, and upbraideth not," James, i. 5 . All the creatures by whose means we receive any benefit are but the instruments God makes use of to communicate good things to us; for " there is none good but God alone," Luke, xviii. 19 .

 Q. 10. What do you mean by infinitely just?
A. I mean that God gives to all men the necessary means of saving their souls, and will never require anything of us above our strength; so that we only are to blame, if we fail in our duty to Him: that, therefore, He will exercise the most impartial justice on all men, according to their deservings, without respect of persons; for, as St Paul assures us, God will " render to every one according to his works; to them indeed who, according to patience in good works, seek glory, and honour, and incorruption, (He will render) eternal life; but to them who are contentious, and obey not the truth, but give credit to iniquity, He will render wrath and indignation," Rom. ii. 6 . That " He will not judge according to the sight of the eye, nor argue according to the hearing of the ear, but will judge in justice," Isa. xi. 3 ; and that " He will not accept of any person, nor receive any gift," Deut. X. 17 .

Q. 11. What do you mean by infinitely merciful?
A. I mean that God has the most tender compassion for the miseries of His creatures, knowing their frailty and their weaknesses, and is most desirous and ready to deliver them from them; " He wills none to perish, but that all should come to repentance," 2 Pet. iii. 9 . " For, as T live, saith the Lord, I will not the death of a sinner; but rather that he should turn and live," Ezek. xxxiii. 11 . Hence " the Lord is gracious and merciful, patient and plenteous in mercy: the Lord is sweet to all, and His tender mercies are over all His works," Ps. cxliv. 8 ; and " His mercy endureth for ever," Ps. cxxxv. Yea, in the midst " of anger He will remember mercy," Hab. iii. 2 . For "as a father hath compassion on his children, so hath the Lord compassion on them that fear Him; for He knoweth our frame. He remembereth that we are dust. . . . But the mercy of the Lord is from eternity to eternity, upon them that fear Him," Ps. cii. 13 . Hence, "Thou hast mercy upon all, because Thou canst do all things, and overlookest the sins of men for the sake of repentance; for Thou lovest all things that are, and hatest none of the things that Thou hast made; for Thou didst not appoint or make any thing hating it. . . . But Thou sparest all, because they are Thine, O Lord, Also lovest souls," Wis. xi. 24 .

 Q. 12. What do you mean by infinitely holy?
A. I mean that God is holiness itself, infinitely pure, and free from every spot or stain, or shadow of imperfection. Hence He is called in Scripture the Holy of Holies; and the blessed in heaven continually adore Him under this title, saying, "Holy, holy, holy. Lord God of Hosts,"" Isa. vi. 3 . Q. 13. What do you mean by infinitely true? A. I mean that God is truth itself; that He never can be deceived Himself, and that it is impossible He should deceive His creatures; for " God is true, but all men are liars," Rom. iii. 4 . "God is not like men, that He should lie," Num. xxiii. 19 . " God is faithful in all His words," Ps. cxliv. 13 . "And heaven and earth shall pass away; but My words," says He, " shall not pass away," Luke, xxi. 33 .

Q. 14. What do you mean by infinitely beautiful?
A. I mean that God is beauty itself, infinitely lovely, infinitely excellent; that all the beauty and perfections which we see in creatures are but emanations of His divine beauty; and that, though all the beauties of the whole universe were collected together in one, it would be infinitely less than a spark of fire is to the sun, or a drop of water to the ocean, if compared to the beauty of God. " Let them know how much more the Lord of them is more beautiful than they; for the First Author of beauty made all those things," Wis. xiii. 3 . For from the rising of the sun to the going down thereof, out of Sion the loveliness of His beauty," Ps. xlix. 1 . This Divine beauty is so great that all the blessed saints and angels in heaven are enraptured with inexpressible delight in the contemplation of it, and the enjoyment of it makes God Himself infinitely and essentially happy. Hence the Scripture says: "O taste and see how sweet the Lord is; blessed is the man that hopeth in Him," Ps. lxxxiii. 9 . " They shall be inebriated with the plenty of Thy house, and Thou shalt make them drink of the torrent of Thy pleasures; for with Thee is the fountain of life, and in Thy light we shall see light," Ps. XXXV. 9 . " O how great is the multitude of Thy sweetness, O Lord, which Thou hast hidden for them that fear Thee! . . . Thou shalt hide them in the secret of Thy face," Ps. xxx. 20 , 21.

 Q. 15. What do you mean when you say God is eternal?
A. I mean that God had no beginning, and will have no end; that He always was, is, and ever will be; for " thus sayeth the High and the Eminent who inhabiteth eternity," Isa. lvii. 15 . "Thou art the same, and Thy years shall not fail," Heb. i. 12 . "I am the first and the last, - and behold I live for ever and ever," Rev. i. 17 .

Q. 16. Had God no beginning?
A. No; God is a self-existent, necessary Being; from Himself alone, and wholly independent on any other; and therefore never had, nor could have, any beginning, but must have been from all eternity. Hence He says of Himself to Moses, " I am who am; thus shalt thou say to the children of Israel, He who is hath sent me to you," Exod. iii. 14 . In order to show that He alone is essentially, and that all things else are a mere nothings comparison to Him, according to that text, " Behold the nations are as a drop of a bucket, and are counted as the smallest grain of a balance; behold the islands are as a little dust ... all nations are before Him as if they had no being at all, and are counted to him as nothing and vanity,"' Isa. xl. 15 , 17.

 Q. 17. What do you mean by the immensity of God?
A. I mean that God filleth all places and all things, and that He is intimately present in all creatures; for "in Him we live, and move, and have our being," Acts, xvii. 28 . " He is higher than the heavens, and what wilt thou do? He is deeper than hell, and how wilt thou know? The measure of Him is longer than the earth, and broader than the sea," Job xi. 8 . "Am I, think ye, a God at hand, saith the Lord, and not a God afar off? Shall a man be hid in secret places, and I not see him? saith the Lord. Do not I fill the heaven and the earth? saith the Lord," Jer. xxiii. 23 , 24. Hence the royal Prophet cries out to God: " If I ascend up to heaven, Thou art there; if I descend into hell. Thou art there; if I take to me the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there also shall Thy hand lead me, and Thy right hand shall hold me,"' Ps. cxxxviii. 8 . " O Israel, how great is the house of God, and how vast is the place of His possession! It is great, and hath no end; it is high and immense," Bar. iii. 24 .

Q. 18. Is it possible for us to comprehend God? A. No, no. It is impossible for any creature to comprehend God; for how can finite comprehend what is infinite? how can the creature comprehend the Creator? Hence the Scripture says: " O most mighty, great, and powerful, the Lord of Hosts is Thy name; great in counsel, and incomprehensible in thought," Jer. xxxii. 13 . " Behold God is great, exceeding our knowledge; the number of His years is inestimable,"' Job xxxvi. 26 . " He dwelleth in light inaccessible, whom no man hath seen, nor can see," i Tim. vi. i6. "The Lord is the everlasting God, who hath created the ends of the earth; He shall not faint nor labour, neither is there any searching out of His wisdom," Jer. xl. 28 . "We shall say much, and yet shall want words; but the sum of our words is, He is all. What shall we be able to do to glorify Him? For the Almighty Himself is above all His works. The Lord is terrible, and exceeding great, and His power is admirable. Glorify the Lord as much as ever you can, for He will yet far exceed; and His magnificence is wonderful. Blessing the Lord, exalt Him as much as you can, for He is above all praise. When you exalt Him, put forth all your strength, and be not weary; for you can never go far enough," Ecclus. xliii. 29 , etc.

Q. 19. Is God capable of changing? A. No; God is always the same, and altogether incapable of any manner of change whatever. Thus the Holy Scripture declares, " God is not as man that He should lie, nor as the son of man that He should be changed; " Num. xxiii. 19 . And God Himself says, "I am the Lord, and I change not," Mai. iii. 6 . Hence the royal Prophet shows this great difference between God and creatures, that " they shall perish," says he to God, "but Thou remainest; and all of them shall grow old like a garment, and as a vesture Thou shalt change them, and they shall be changed; but Thou art always the self-same, and Thy years shall not fail," Ps. ci. 27 . And St James declares that with " God there is no change, nor shadow of alteration," James, i. 17 .

Q. 20. Why then is God said to be sorry, to repent, to be angry, or the like?
A. These are only figurative expressions, accommodated to our way of conceiving things, and only mean. that God so acts in His external conduct as if such changes actually happened in Him; but, as " the works of all flesh are before Him, and there is nothing hid from His eyes, and as He sees from eternity to eternity, and there is nothing wonderful before Him" ( Ecclus. xxxix. 24 ), so nothing can be new to Him; past, present, and to come, are all continually present to Him: nothing can happen in time but He sees from eternity; hence nothing can make any new impression in Him, or cause any change to sorrow, anger, or repentance in Him.

[Benedict]

Chapter II: Of The Blessed Trinity

Q. I. What do you understand by the Trinity?
A. I understand that there is but one living and true God, and that in God there are three distinct Persons, called the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.

 Q. 2. What do you mean by One God?
A. I mean that the Divine Nature, the Divine Substance, the Divinity, or the Godhead, which all signify the same, is but one - and therefore that God is one; and that there cannot possibly be more than one such divine Nature, nor more than one God, seeing that God is immense and infinite, and filleth all places and all things.

 Q. 3. How does the unity of God appear from Scripture?
A. In Scripture it is thus declared: " Hear, O Israel, the Lord thy God is one Lord," Deut. vi. 4 . And all the wonderful things that God did for His people, when He brought them out of the land of Egypt, are declared to have been wrought expressly that " they might know that the Lord He is God, and beside Him there is no other," Deut. iv. 35 . And God Himself, by Moses, says: " See ye that I alone am, and there is no other God besides Me; I will kill, and will make alive; I will strike, and I will heal; and there is none that can deliver out of my hand," Deut. xxxii. 39 . And by Isaiah, He says, ' I am the first and the last, and besides Me there is no God," Isa. xliv. 6 . Hence He expressly commands us, " Thou shalt have no other God but Me," Exod. xx.

Q. 4. Can it be shown from the Old Testament that there are three Persons in God?
A. Yes, it can; " For God said, Let Us make man to Our image and likeness," Gen. i. 26 , where these words, God said, show the unity of the Godhead; and these other, Let Us make, and to Our image, show the plurality of the Persons. So also, " God said, Lo, Adam is become as one of Us, knowing good and evil," Gen. iii. 22 , where the same truth appears. Again, " The Lord said to my Lord . . . from the womb, before the day-star, I begot Thee," Ps. cix. 1 , 3, where God the Father speaks to God the Son as to a distinct person. Also God the Son says, " I am appointed King by Him over Sion, His holy mountain, preaching His commandment: the Lord hath said to Me, Thou art My Son, this day have I begotten Thee," Ps. ii. 6 , 7. Lastly, " By the Word of the Lord the heavens were established, and all the powers of them by the Spirit of His mouth," Ps. xxxii. 6 , where all the three Persons are expressly mentioned, the Lord, who is the Father, the Word of the Lord, who is the Son; and the Spirit of the Lord, who is the Holy Ghost.

Q. 5. How is the Trinity of the Persons shown from the New Testament?
 A. This appears from several texts of Scripture; thus, our Saviour says, " I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Comforter, the Spirit of Truth," John, xiv. 16 , where the three persons are clearly pointed out as distinct Persons - to wit, God the Son, who speaks, I will ask; God the Father, of whom He promises to ask; and God the Holy Spirit, who, He promises, shall be given. So also, " There are three who bear testimony in heaven - the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost, and these three are One," i John, v. 7 . Here the Trinity of the Persons and the Unity of the Godhead are expressly declared. Hence the Apostles are commanded to baptise " in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost." In the name, and not in the names, to show there is but one God; and " of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost," to show there are three Persons in God.

Q. 6. Are these three Persons really distinct among Themselves? A. Yes, They are really distinct Persons, as appears from the above sentence, spoken by Jesus Christ, where He says, " I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Comforter . . . the Spirit of Truth," John, xiv. 16 ; for one who asks is evidently a distinct person from the one of whom he asks; and the one who is given is distinct from him by whom he is given.

Q. 7. How else does it appear that the three Persons are distinct among Themselves?
 A. Because each of the three has certain personal properties which the others have not; and we can say with truth of the one what cannot be said of the others.

Q. 8. What are the personal properties of the Father which cannot be said of the Son or of the Holy Ghost?
A. That the Father is from no other, neither made, nor created, nor begotten; but is the Origin or Principle from whom the other two Persons proceed, and therefore He is called it first Person, and the Father.

Q. 9. What are the personal properties of the Son?
 A. That He is begotten of the Father from all eternity, and proceeds from the Father only, and therefore is called the second Person, the Word, and the Son of God; according to that text, " Thou art My Son, this day have I begotten Thee,"Ps. ii. 7. And again, "The Lord said to my Lord, . . . from the womb, before the day-star, I begot Thee," Ps. cix. 1 , 3. Also, " This is My beloved Son in whom I am well pleased," Mat. iii. 17 . And, " God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son," John, iii. 16 . Q. 10. What are the personal properties of the Holy Ghost? A. That He proceeds both from the Father and the Son, and therefore is the third Person, and is called the Holy Ghost, and the Spirit of God, and the Spirit of Truth: thus God the Son says: '• When the Paraclete Cometh, whom I will send you from the Father, the Spirit of Truth, who proceedeth from the Father," John, xv. 26 ; where it is plain that the Holy Ghost is sent by the Son from the Father, and therefore must proceed from both. Again He says: " The Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things," John, xiv. 26 . Here the Holy Ghost is said to be sent by the Father in the name of the Son; in the former texts. He is said to be sent by the Son from the Father, which shows He is equally sent by both, and therefore proceedeth or comes from both. Lastly, God the Son says, - He (the Spirit of Truth) shall receive of Mine, and shall show it to you," John, xvi. 14 .

Q. 11. Does the distinction of the Persons appear in any thing else than in Their personal properties?
A. Yes; it appears also from this, that God the Father " spared not even His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all," Rom. viii. 32 . And God the Son being thus delivered up by His Father, was made man, and died upon the Cross for the sins of the world; but it cannot be said that the Father or the Holy Ghost was delivered up, or made man, and died for us; which evidently shows the Son to be a distinct Person from the Father and the Holy Ghost. In like manner the Holy Ghost appeared in the form of a dove upon our Saviour after His baptism, Mat. iii. i6; and in the form of fiery tongues upon the Apostles on Pentecost , Acts, ii. 3 ; but it cannot be said that either the Father or Son appeared in this manner; which shows the Holy Ghost to be a distinct Person from them.

Q. 12. Is the second Person really and truly God, equal to the Father from all eternity, and of the same substance or nature with Him?
A. Yes, He is; our holy faith assures us of this in the strongest terms. Thus, " In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. . . . And the Word was made flesh," John, i. 1 , 14. In which text the Word, or the second Person, the same that was made flesh, is expressly declared to be God, and the Word was God. So God the Son declares, " I and the Father are one," John, x. 30 - that is, one in substance, one in nature, one God. Of the Redeemer, the ruler in Israel, it is said, " His going forth is from the beginning, from the days of eternity," Mich. v. 2 . Of Christ, St Paul says, " Who being in the form of God, thought it no robbery to be equal with God," Philip, ii. 6 ; and again, " Christ is over all things, God blessed for ever. Amen," - Rom. ix. 5 .

Q. 13. Is the Holy Ghost also true God?
 A. Our holy faith assures us of this also. Thus St Peter first said to Ananias, " Why hath Satan tempted thy heart, that thou shouldst lie to the Holy Ghost?" and then adds, "Thou hast not lied to men, but to God," Acts, V. 3 , 4. The Divine perfections, also, are attributed to the Holy Ghost in Scripture - to wit, immensity: " The Spirit of the Lord hath filled the whole world," Wis. i. 7 ; and omniscience, " The Spirit (of God) searcheth all things, yea the deep things of God," i Cor. ii. 10 ; and He is associated with the Father and the Son in baptism, as being the same God with Them.

Q. 14. If all the three Persons be God, and at the same time be distinct among Themselves, why are They not three distinct Gods?
A. Because They all three, though distinct Persons, have but one and the self-same Divine nature, the same Divine substance, the same Godhead. Now the Divine nature being infinite and immense, cannot possibly be multiplied or more than one, but is the self-same in all the three Persons; who, therefore, are but one and the self-same God, have all the same Divine perfections, and are equal in all things.

Q. 15. But how can we conceive or comprehend this?
A. It is impossible for us to comprehend it. In the simplicity of our heart we believe it is so, because God Himself has revealed it. He alone perfectly knows and comprehends Himself: it is impossible for us, poor finite creatures, to know more of Him than what He is pleased to discover of Himself to us. Seeing, then, that He has revealed that there is but one only God, and that in God there are three distinct Persons, this we are to believe as a certain and Divine truth, without presuming to search further, or to know more about Him than He is pleased we should know; for the Scripture says, " He that searcheth into Majesty, shall be overwhelmed by glory," Prov. XXV. 1 .