evers are for continuance of this world and for that which is promised after the end of this world But then it must be inquired what is meant by Christs delivering up the Kingdom And in what sence it is said that Then shall the Son himself be subject To which inquiries the reader may find a full and I trust a satisfactory answer in my former book printed An. Dom. 1655. Lib. 2. c. 10. If he peruse the tenth chapter of the second book intituled The God-head of Iesus Christ which I shall not need to reherse in this place fully but only briefly to touch First Christs delivering up the Kingdom doth not signifie his relinquishing or resigning but only a presenting of his Kingdom that is his Church his Spouse his Members and Elect so saith the Expositer c Aug. de Trin. l. 2. c. 8. Non sic tradet ut adimat sibi i. e. he will not so deliver it up as if he had deprived himself of it Just so the Father is said to have delivered all things to the Son Luc. 10. 22. as he was man and the head of his Church yet for all this delivering the Fathers Dominion over all did not cease As when a Prince committeth a Province to the Goverment of one of his Captains the Prince doth not thereby lose his Soveraignity as the Father delivered his people to the Son to be governed so that the Son re-deliver the same people to the Father but in better condition then he found them for he will present them righteous holy pure just and free from all sin or matter of reproof Christ received them to govern and he governed them so well that in the end he will present them to the just God-head to be rewarded and crowned The Church on earth whilst it is Militant is said to be Black and comely Cant. 1. 5. viz. Black by reason of some pollutions of sin and Comely because it is adorned with many graces but when Christ shall present it to the Father at the end of the world it shall be delivered up Comely and not Black So that this delivering is only a presenting of his Church which is his Kingdom as good Students after their labours are presented to the University as Candidates to be rewarded with the honour of Degrees or as Queen Esther when she was purified was so Esther 2. presented to King Ahasuerus This is all that reasonably can be gathered from the phrase of Delivering up the Kingdom Secondly The Subjection of the Son is thus to be understood We know that Christ as he is man is called the head of the Church Ephes 5. 23. And the Church is called The body of Christ Col. 1. 18. of this great body all holy Christians with Christ himself are members and parts for the head is but a part of the whole body so that Christ the head and all his Saints and members are joyntly but one mystical body or Corporation and so but one Christ So we read We are members of his body of his flesh and of his bones Ephes 5. 30. And Ye are all one in Christ Jesus Gal. 3. 28. from these and the like sayings the Ancient Fathers collected this true and excellent Doctrine That Christ the head together with all his members or Church are to be accounted but one Christ which they called Christum universum and Christum totum and Christum diffusum and Christum plenum and Plenitudinem Christi i. e. The universall whole diffused and the full Christ or fulness of Christ as I have formerly shewed at larg Now when the Apostle saith that Then shall the Son himself be subject 1 Cor. 15. 28. his meaning is only this that all the members of Christ and so the Whole Christ shall be at the resurrection fully and compleatly and perfectly subject and obediently plyable to the will of God for then all the holy members of Christ shall be delivered up or presented to God pure spotless quit and free from all the dominion of the World the flesh and the Devil which before during this mortal life had some power in them whilst they were militant and in war by the Spâ—rit against the flesh but then Christ shall have put down all Rule all Authority and Power of sin so that they shall not be any longer militant but triumphant so that then and not till then the whole Christ that is not only himself as head but all his members with him shall be perfectly obedient and subject in all things to the God-head For before this delivering up or presenting this Kingdom or Church The whole Christ or whole body of Christ as it never yet was so it never will be compleatly and perfectly subjected to the will and rule of God because all the members of Christ will not till then be fully obedient for although Christ as he is man and as he is considered only by himself in his own particular humane person without relation to us was ever obedient and subject to the God-head yet this subjection of his particular self was only in capite i. e. a subjection of one part the head only but at the Resurrection when he shall present and deliver up this his Kingdom or Church then both head and members and so the whole Christ shall be perfectly and wholy subjected Finally although Christ himself as he is the Son of Man and in the form of a servant was ever subject yet the same Lord Jesus as he is the Son of God and in the form of God Philip. 2. 6. he thought it no robbery to be equal with God and therefore as he is God the Word or the Eternal Son of the Eternal Father in this consideration of his divine Person he never was nor ever shall be subject Indeed his Man-hood or Man-head is subject but in Christ there is another head and that is his God-head as we read 1. Cor. 11. 3. The head of Christ is God This head of Christ shall never bow it self to any but all knees shall bow to it Rom. 14. 11. Philip. 2. 10. for by this head he is said to be Over all God blessed for ever Rom. 9. 5. and by vertue of his head it it said Heb. 1. 6. 8. Thy Throne O God is for ever and ever and Let all the Angels of God worship him This I trust is enough for clearing this doubt SECT II. Of Christ's Kingdom over all the world and every Creature that it ceased not at his death That neither the Roman Consistorie nor Presbyterian vestry can be called Christs Throne How it is in this World and yet not of this World That the Policy of Christs Kingdom is altogether unlike and diverse from Worldly policies Mr. Mede's argument above mentioned is grounded upon another false supposition besided the former alledged viz. That Christs Kingdom is not yet commenced or begun or that Christ hath not yet reigned as a King either in Heaven or Earth nor
any form of prayers used by the Christian Church that ever it was said Domine Jesus ora pro me Lord Jesus pray for me was never said nor never will be in any Church Catholick therefore the Apostle when he mentioneth Christs praying writeth circumspectly as it were on purpose to prevent this error saying Heb. 5. 7. That in the dayes of his flesh he offered up prayers thereby limiting the time of Christs praying to be before his death Indeed we find often mention of his prayers on earth by all the four Evangelists but not one of them Mat. 14. 23. Mar. 6 46. Luc 22. 32. Ioh. 14. 16. speaketh of any prayer of Christ after his resurrection nor any Apostle mentioneth his praying after his Ascension The Socinians would have us beleeve that Christ Sacrificeth or prayeth in Heaven because themselves do not beleeve that Christ is the Supream God for one of their arguments against his God-head is this That the Supream God doth not pray Therefore because Christ prayed they say he is not God This was an old cavil of the Arians and was often answered by the Fathers as I have partly shewed before One saith b Iustin Mart. n 32. Quaest ad Orth Christus crebrius orabat ut inde homo esse appareret because as another saith c Theod. in Ro. 8. 34. ut Deus non perit sed suppeditat So Chrysostom answered d Chrys Hom. 32. Antioch Christus orabat ut homo nam Deus non orat and Austin often e Aug. in Ps 20. Ps 34. Ps 87. Secundum quod verbumest non orat sed exaudit humanitas interpellat Divinitatem and again Habes Majestatem ad quam ores humanitatem quae oret prote orat verbum caro factum and in another place Christus oravit non secundum formam Dei sed secundum forman servi i. e. Christ prayed only as he was man as he was made flesh as he was in the form of a servant his God-head did not pray But is prayed unto c. If it be demanded why Christ doth not pray in Heaven as he did on earth before his death We answer 1. He prayed before his death because till then he had not paid our ransom by his precious blood and death 2. Because he had fully satisfied the Justice of the God-head before his Ascension even to the utmost farthing therefore after this satisfaction there could be no need or use of further praying 3. When he ascended he took possession of Heaven not only for himself or for his own proper humane nature but also for and in the behalf of his whole mystical corporation and every member thereof therefore now no need of praying for that for neither do we petition for things that are already granted and by us obtained and possessed Our Saviour after his meritorious life and perfect obedience Active and after his satisfactory death and thereby his perfect obedience passive whereby the Covenant and Law was fully performed and executed had no cause at all in his own or our behalf to petition but might and did justly challeng Heaven as due to himself and in him to his whole body and every member thereof But then if Christ do not pray for us it would be inquired what the meaning is of those Scriptural words which signifie his acts and demeanour in Heaven and seem to imply his praying as when he is called a Priest Heb. 7. 17. should not a Priest pray So he is called our Advocate 1 Joh. 2. 1. and our Mediator Rom. 8. 3 4. 1 Tim. 2. 5. And he is also said to make intercession for us Rom. 8. 34. To this we answer First For his Priesthood in Heaven that it is a Priesthood only according to the order of Melchisedech Heb. 6. 20. Therefore it must correspond to that Priesthood only and no other now we find not any act of Priesthood performed by Melchisedech but only Blessing of Abraham Gen. 14. 19 for there is no mention of his praying or sacrificing Therefore the only Priestly act of Christ in Heaven is blessing the children of Abraham And this he doth not verbally or affectionately only but really and effectually by pouring down manifold blessings favours and graces and wonderfully protecting and supporting his Abrahamites or Church here on earth in all assaults and persecutions Secondly For his intercession The Original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 7. 25. which doth not signify any supplicating intreating or oral pleading for us but only that in Heaven he is for us or standeth and is present or appeareth for us as is expressed by the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 9 24. i. e. To appear in the presence of God for us that is to be ready and at hand to succour us yet not by way of supplication for his intercession is real not oral he claimeth Heaven as due to himself and in him to all the memmers of his body mystical and this by vertue of his obedience active and passive He there presenteth the first fruits that is his own holy body and soul which he took from man as free from all matter of reprehension immaculate and innocent because he was incarnate he performed the Law and suffered death for us he overcame Death and Hell and ascended and sitteth at the right-hand of the God-head so that he is not now a petitioner for but a possessor of all glory and power and hath earned Heaven both for himself and us It is said of him Heb. 12. 24. That his blood speaketh better things then that of Abel blood doth not speak literally or orally but as Abels murther did really require vengeance on Cain so the blood of Christ doth really require acquitment of us by his full satisfaction to Divine Justice and this standing or appearing is that by which he is said to offer himself in Heaven Heb. 9. 25. Thirdly When he is called an Advocate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Joh. 2. 1. and a Mediator 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Tim. 2. 5. This Mediation and Advocateship of Christ in Heaven doth not consist in verbal mediating and pleading for us as Advocates in Courts do for the Holy Ghost is also called Paracletus Joh. 14. 26. yet no man will say that he pleadeth for us verbally or by intreating Rom. 8. 26. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gal. 4. 6 and praying no more doth Christ because Divine Justice is not satisfied by praying for if prayers or verbal pleadings could serve our turn then Christ's prayers on earth had beē sufficient to have procured our Salvation and so might have freed him from his bitter Passion and Death Indeed before his Passion he mediated for us Precario by the intercession of prayer but now after the Consummatum est that he hath performed all that the God-head required to be done and thereby hath brought salvation for us and fully paid for it his Mediation
hand of the God-head and so at the right hand both of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost that is The Son of Man is advanced to sit at the right hand of the Son of God or thus Mans nature in Christ is advanced above all Angels and Arch-angels and above all Creatures in Heaven and Earth and under the Earth and above all infernal powers and that it is in honour and power immediatly next to the supream God-head The mis-understanding of those words in the Creeds which mention Christ's sitting on the right hand of the Father hath occasioned a great abuse in mens apprehension for hereupon they haâ—e Phansied Three Seats in Heaven one for the Father and another for the Son on the right side of the Father and under both a third Seat for the Holy Ghost whereby they have advanced Christ above the Holy Ghost but we are well assured that it is both against our Christian Faith and also impossible that any one Person in the Trinity should be above the other because all are Coêqual and it is as impossible that any Creature should be above God the Creator for the humane nature of Christ is that which only is so advanced and that nature is a Creature This abuse was foreseen by St. Paul as may be thought and therefore by him care was taken to prevent it by those words He hath put all 1 Cor. 15. 27. things under his feet that is All creatures are by the God-head made subject to the man Christ it follows But when he saith all things are put under him it is manifest that he is excepted which did put all things under him that is Although all creatures are now under the Man Christ yet neither the God head nor any Person therein are under Christ his Manhood is next in glory to God but in no wise above him or any Person in the Trinity The Fathers also took notice of this abuse and wrote against it Origen upon these words Sit thou at my right hand adviseth a Orig. in Mat. Tract 23. Ne describas sensibiles sessiones aut Cathedras Sedentes humano Schemate Patrem Filium est de Regno Christi and after him Austin tells us upon the same occasion b Aug. de fide Symb. Tale Simulachrum Deo in Templo Christiano collocare vel etiam in corde nefas est i. e. That we should not describe the Father and the Son sitting on seats as men do for the sitting of Christ signifieth only his Dominion such a Portraiture in a Christian Church or but in our very thoughts is unlawful Thus they Fourthly What is meant by the right hand of God This phrase is not proper but figurative and mystical because no person in the God-head hath-hands except the Son who only is incarnate and he it is that is said to sit Therefore the right hand of God must signify 1. Power 2. Happiness 3. Glory Christ saith Mat. 26. 64. you shall see the Son of Man sitting on the right hand of power The Psalmist saith At his right Ps 16. 11. hand are pleasures for ever more The Apostle Râ— â— 5. Eph. 1. 21. Philip. 2. 9. tells us Christ is over all far above all principalities and powers That to him every knee must bâ—w This implieth a Kingly Majesty by the ceremony of bowing the knee The full meaning is that Christ is placed above all creatures next to the God-head and hath fulness of Power Happiness and Glory There can not be invented a better expression of Christs glory then by this phrase of the Right hand of God for it implyeth both a Soveraignty above all others and yet a subordination to the God-head as Psal 45. 9. Vpon thy right hand did stand the Queen this because the Queen is above all the Kings people but yet not above the King So Solomon placed his mother on his right hand 1 King 2. 19. When we say Christ is subordinate to the God-head we must be understood to speak onlâ— of his humane nature for when we speak of the whole person of the Emanuel then with the Apostle we say it is no robbery to affirm him to be Philip. 2. 6. equal with God If he had been said to sit on the Left hand men possibly might imagine some Creature higher then Christ for whom the right hand was reserved but this is the right hand and highest seat it can not be said to him friend go up Lu. 14. 10. higher Or if it had been said as it is Act. 7. 56. That Christ was standing at the right hand of God without any other mention of his sitting it might have been suspected that he stood as a minister or officer only but this sitting implieth Authority and Supremacy over all Creatures for To which of his Angels said he at any Heb. 1. 1â— time Sit thou on my right hand By all which promises I trust it appeareth that Christ is the Supream Lord and King over all the World and all Creatures in Heaven and Earth and therefore surely he hath a Kingdom on earth If it be yet further demanded why this Throne of Christ is not placed on earth seeing the right hand of God that is his omnipotent power is every where as well on Earth as in Heaven and why Christ did not continue his visible residence and bodily presence here on earth as he now doth in Heaven To this we Answer First There is now no need of his bodily presence on earth seeing he hath not withdrawn the Presence of his God-head of which he said Mat. 28. 20. I am with you alwayes even unto the end of the World which Austin thus expresseth a Aug. in Ioh. Tract 50. Corpus coelo intulit Majestatem mundo non abstulit nam secundum Majestatem semper nobiscum est i. e though his body be absent yet his God-head or Majesty is with us which is the most noble part of Christ for therefore Divines call his God-head his Majesty because this word signifieth the supremacy Majesty is the Title of the Supream Magistrate we say The Kings Majesty and so when the supremacy was in the Consuls at Rome and when it was in the People then was this title given to each respectively we read both of b Tul. Orat. Majestas Consulis and Majestas Populi The God head of Christ is his Supream Majesty for The head of Christ is God 1 Cor. 11. 3. And yet his body which is in Heaven is not divided or separated from his God-head which is with us for his Divine and humane natures are eternally and inseparably united and joyntly govern all as the body of the Sun is in the Firmament of this material Heaven yet by his influence and beames moderateth the seasons on earth and so doth Christ though bodily in Heaven by the influence and beams of his Majesty govern all things here below Secondly Christ