THE PRACTICE OF PIETY

[Kokavkrystallos]

I've been reading in this book, published 1611 though this is the 1842 edition:

THE PRACTICE OF PIETY; DIRECTING A CHRISTIAN HOW TO WALK THAT HE MAY PLEASE GOD. Lewis Bayley (1575-1631)​

Very deep theology, especially on the Trinity & the names of God, so far. Also learned this book was largely responsible for the conversion of John Bunyan, who wrote Pilgrims Progress. I'll quote a little here, & give link to the full eBook:

TO THE DEVOUT READER.​

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I had not purposed to enlarge the last Edition, save that the importunity of many devoutly disposed prevailed with me to add some points, and to amplify others. To satisfy whose godly requests I have done my best endeavour, and withal finished all that I intend in this argument. If thou shalt hereby reap any more profit, give God the more praise; and remember him in thy prayers who hath vowed both his life and his labours to further thy salvation as his own.

Farewell in the Lord Jesus,

Lewis Bayly.

Whoever thou art that lookest into this book, never undertake to read it, unless thou first resolvest to become from thine heart an unfeigned Practitioner of Piety. Yet read it, and that speedily, lest, before thou hast read it over, God, by some unexpected death, cut thee off for thine inveterate impiety.

The Practice of Piety consists—

First, In knowing the essence of God, and that in respect of, (I.) The diverse manner of being therein, which are three persons—Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. (II.) The Attributes thereof; which are either Nominal or Real,—(1.) Absolute, as, Simpleness, Infiniteness,—(2.) Relative, as, Life, Understanding, Will, Power, Majesty.

Second, In knowing thy own self, in respect of thy state of Corruption and Renovation.

Third, In glorifying God aright, (I.) By thy life, in dedicating thyself devoutly to serve him,—both privately, in thine own person; and publicly, with thy family, every day; and with the Church, on the Sabbath-day;—and extraordinarily, by fasting and by feasting. (II.) By thy death, in dying in the Lord, and for the Lord.

Unless that a man doth truly know God, he neither can nor will worship him aright: for how can a man love him whom he knoweth not? and who will worship him whose help a man thinks he needeth not? and how shall a man seek remedy by grace, who never understood his misery by nature? Therefore, saith the Apostle, “He that cometh to God, must believe that God is, and that he is a rewarder of them that seek him,” Heb. xi. 6.

And forasmuch as there can be no true piety without the knowledge of God; nor any good practice without the knowledge of a man’s own self; we will therefore lay down the knowledge of God’s majesty, and man’s misery, as the first and chiefest grounds of the Practice of Piety.

A PLAIN DESCRIPTION OF THE ESSENCE
AND ATTRIBUTES OF GOD,​

OUT OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURE,​

SO FAR AS EVERY CHRISTIAN MUST COMPETENTLY KNOW, AND
NECESSARILY BELIEVE, THAT WILL BE SAVES.

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Although no creature can define what God is, because he is incomprehensible (Psal. cxliii. 3) and dwelling in inaccessible light (1 Tim. vi. 16); yet it has pleased his majesty to reveal himself to us in his word, so far as our weak capacity can best conceive him. Thus:

God is that one spiritual and infinitely perfect essence, whose being is of himself eternally (Deut. i. 4; iv. 35; xxxii. 39; vi. 4; Isa. xlv. 5–8; 1 Cor. viii. 4; Eph. iv. 5, 6; 1 Tim. ii. 5; John iv. 24; 2 Cor. iii. 17; 1 Kings viii. 17; Psal. cxlvii. 5; Deut. xxxii. 4; Exod. iii. 14; 1 Cor. viii. 6; Acts xvii. 25; Rom. xi. 36.)

In the Divine Essence we are to consider two things: First, The diverse manner of being therein; secondly, The attributes thereof.

The diverse manner of being therein, are called Persons (Heb. i. 3.)

A person is a distinct subsistence of the whole Godhead (John i. 1; v. 31, 37; xiv. 16; Col. ii. 9; John xiv. 9.)

There are Three Divine Persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost (Gen. i. 26; iii. 22; xi. 7; Exod. xx. 2; Hos. i. 4, 7; Isa. lxiii. 9, 10; Zech. iii. 2; Hag. ii. 5, 6; 1 John v. 7; Matt. iii. 16, 17; xxviii. 19; John xiv. 26; 2 Cor. xiii. 13.) These three persons are 4not three several substances, but three distinct subsistences; or three diverse manner of beings, of one and the same substance and divine essence. So that a person in the Godhead is an individual Understanding and incommunicable subsistence, living of itself, and not sustained by another.

In the unity of the Godhead there is a plurality which is not accidental (Gen. i. 26; iii. 22; xi. 7; Isa. vi. 8), for God is a most pure act, and admits no accidents; nor essential, for God is one essence only—but personal."

Here's the link to the book. It's already spoken volumes to me and I'm only about 1/3 way through.

Lewis Bayly: Practice of Piety: Directing a Christian How to Walk, that He May Please God. - Christian Classics Ethereal Library

ccel.org