been willing to insert to give full satisfaction to those that are Scepticks in this point and for the confirmation of their faith that are sound and orthodox Object 2 Secondly They object that which the Angel speaks to the Virgin Mary Luke 1.35 The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee and the power of the Highest shall over-shadow thee therefore that Holy Thing that shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God Therefore also say they he was not the Son of God before his Incarnation Unto this also we may answer sundry waies Answ First The inference which the Angel produceth from his premises was to let the blessed Virgin see that the fruit of her Womb should be according to the Prophecy that went of him not of an ordinary Extraction because the Holy Ghost not a mortal man was to be the efficient thereof therefore that Holy Thing that should be born of her should be the Son of God and not of any man yet since the Nature that was produced Non Gene râ—t one â—ed 〈◊〉 benedictione was not after the similitude of the Nature and Essence of the Holy Ghost for Christ was not conceived of the substance but through the power of the Spirit we may conclude infallibly that Christ had not this denomination of the Son of Gost first given him at the time of his Incarnation Secondly Qui pascun ter ex Aqua sp sancto non ided aquae filios eos recte quispiam dixcrit Pet. Lom If it were so the Holy Ghost should by a proper right be called the Father of Christ which he never is in Scripture neither indeed did ever any that truly professed the Christian Faith acknowledge him in any respect to be for he is not the principle of the subsistence of the second person in the Trinity and therefore not the cause of the Divine eternal Sonship neither was there a new person conceived at his unconceivable over-shadowing of the Virgin and therefore he could not be the Father of Christ in respect of any inferiour filiation so that we must seek out some other sense of the Angels words then that which these Dreamers have foolishly imagined Thirdly The words therefore of the Angel may well be conceived to have reference to the Prophecy of Isaiah unto which he seems to have respect in the 31. Verse of this first of S. Luke the words of the Prophet are these Es 7.14 Mat. 1.23 Behold a Virgin shall conceive and bare a Son and shall call his name Immanuel which Immanual is being interpreted God with us Implying he shall be called both the Son of God and the Son of man and though the Angel makes mention only of the first of these Denominations V. 35. yet it is not to be taken exclusively of the other for he said before V. 31. Thou shalt call his name Jesus whereby he meaneth that he should be called also the Son of man In a word the Particle Therefore Luke 1.35 wherein the stress of this Objection lieth is not to be referred to the conception of Christ by the Holy Ghost as the cause of his Sonship but to the Prophecy that went before both of the Mother and the Son wherein they were both concern'd viz. That that should be fulfilled Fourthly Whereas it is said He shall be called the Son of God it is to be understood after the manner of the Hebrews Pro vere manifestabitur He shall be truly manifested and declared to be the Son of God as where it is said He shall be called Immanuel it is not meant He shall be called by that name but declared to be such as that name imports and acknowledged to be so among his people so by these words He shall be called the Son of God is meant he should be acknowledged to be the Son of God when he was born into the World not implying a Beginning of what he was not but that then he should begin to be manifested and acknowledged what he was Or else lastly He which was ever the Son of God in respect of his Godhead should now be called the Son of God existing in the Manhood or God manifested in the flesh as the Apostle phraseth it 1 Tim. 3.16 1 Tim. 3.16 Object 3 Thirdly They harp much upon that place of the Apostle Col. 1.15 where Christ is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The first born or first begotten of every creature Whence they will infer that he must needs be a Creature for as the first begotten say they amongst brethren is to be reckoned one of their number and of the same nature with them so the first begotten of every creature must also be connatural with the creatures and therefore cannot be begotten from Eternity but is a creature having a temporal beginning of existency even as they Thus do these Christomacho fighters against Christ shew their teeth though they cannot bite and shoot out their bolt wherewith they let fly nothing but their own folly But let them if they will Marcion enjoy their priviledge to be of his brotherhood who deservedly was called Primogenitus Diaboli the first begotten of the Devil In the mean time that their folly may be made manifest unto all men as his also was and that all who love the Lord Jesus Christ may have their faith confirmed and their affections enlarged towards him let these following answers be taken into consideration Answ First It would be observed that Christ is not called here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is The first Created as it should indeed be rendred if their sense should pass for currant but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is The first begotten of every creature which signifieth that he was begotten 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Before all the Creation as appeareth by what is presently added by the Apostle V. 16. For by him were all things created which clearly distinguisheth him from those things that are made giving him also the priority before all things V. 17. which must conclude his Generation to be Eternal Secondly If the Apostle must be taken in such a sense as that his words here should make Christ and the Creature Correlatives each to other it will not necessarily follow that he from his original was a creature too And now to make it clear that the Apostles meaning is of a higher aim and strain I shall undertake with all due reverence and sobriety to speak of this great Mystery according as God hath dealt to me the measure of faith and the Lord give us a right understanding therein Saint Paul seems here to be raised up by the Holy Ghost into a spiritual rapture setting forth the Glory of the Lord Jesus Christ as I may say in all its Dimensions the height and length and bredth and depth thereof The height in that he is the uncreated everlasting Image of the invisible God for in that sense it must be taken in regard he
that put their trust in him The second Interpretation of the TEXT Jesus Christ is the same yesterday to day and for ever In a reference to the whole CREATION Adsis O JESV HEnce it is that Christ calls himself the Alpha and Omega Rev. 1.11 the first and the last Being so in this sense as well as in that before-mentioned The first because he is before all things and by him all things consist Col. 1.16 The last Col. 1.16 in that he is after all things Or He shall stand the last on the earth as that place of Job may be rendred or with the last Job 19.25 Es 41.4 Col. 3.11 as the Prophet phraseth it that is continuing with or ruling this whole World to the end of it He is All and in all saith the Apostle in point of eternal salvation all meritoriously all efficiently all sufficiently so likewise is he All and in all in respect of the World and the Creatures therein for all had been nothing without him and all would fall to nothing without him the same good hand of his Power running constantly without the least Retractation or Interstitium through the whole from first to last which clearly demonstrates him what the Text proclaims him to be viz. The same yesterday to day and for ever That is The same in the work of Creation The same in the work of Preservation The same in the work of Restauration According to this triple Distribution of Time here in the Text Yesterday to day and for ever Let us therefore now consider these distinctly by themselves that we may so far as God shall be pleased to enable us take an exact view of the unchangeable power of the Lord Jesus in order to the Creatures CHAP I. How the Text is Applicable to Christ in the work of Creation JEsus Christ is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the same mighty God or the only He as the word signifies in the work of Creation he is that great Jehovah as it hath been made to appear that Ens entium The beginning of the Creation of God Rev. 3.14 Not in a Passive sense but Active that giveth a Being to all Creatures Therefore when this Jehovah saith of himself Es 48.12 I am he Es 48.12 I am the first I am also the last He presently inferreth Mine hand hath laid the foundations of the earth and my right hand hath spanned the Heavens when I call them they stand up together Ob. But we are to believe will some say according to the Tenor of our Creed that the Father is the Creatour of Heaven and Earth Sol. I answer True but that is not to be taken exclusively of the Son and of the Holy Ghost for as there is a Divine Order between the Persons in the Trinity so this Order is the same towards the Creatures as it is amongst themselves Opera Trinitatis ad extra sunt indivisa Talis agendo qualis existendo The same in working as in their existency one with another the Father is of himself the Son is of the Father the Holy Ghost is of the Father and of the Son so first the Counsel and Decree of the Father precedeth then the Son produceth that Decree into Act P.R. the Jesuit in his Treatise of Mitigati on against Dr. Morton tels us that Bellarmine Valentia c. Charge Calvin with Arianism for holding that Christ as he is the second person of the Trinity cannot properly be called the Creatour of Heaven and Earth for that say they implieth that he is not God nor equal to his Father Heb. 1.2 then the Holy Ghost maketh it effectual to all those ends and purposes for which it was ordained not as if there were any priority among them either in respect of Dignity or Time but the only wise God being the God of Order and delighting therein this Order is held in all proceedings amongst those three Heavenly Estates as it were who are not either in their Actions or Existence subordinate one to another but only co-ordinate one with another Excellently therefore according to this Rule is this Order in the work of Creation described by Arnobius an Orthodox Writer of the Fourth Century Ipse dixit facta sunt hoc est per verbum Dei facta sunt Patre loquente Filio creante Spiritu Sancto animante He spake and it was done that is By the Word of God were the Heavens and the Earth finished and all the Host of them by the Breath of his Mouth the Father decreeing the Son creating the Holy Ghost quickning Or as Basil the Great at the same time sweetly interprets it In creatione cogita principalem causam corum quae fiâ—nt Patrem conditricem Filium perfectricem Spiritum Sanctum In the work of Creation ever conceive the first Mover thereof to be the Father the working cause to be the Son the perfecting to be the Holy Ghost True it is the Father is said to work by the Son for by him that is the Son saith the Apostle Heb. 1.2 God made the World yet that will not necessarily imply as the Arians impiously construe it that the Son is only ministerial or instrumental to the Father herein as a Servant is to his Lord for this Preposition Per doth sometimes also signifie the very primary efficient cause of a thing that is acted or done v.g. A man may be said per liberum arbritrium by his free-will to undertake a Design his will though cannot be counted as his Instrument in the matter he undertakes but it is the efficient Mover of his undertaking And when a work-man per rationem Idaeam Artis that is by his skill doth perfect some rare artificial Piece we do not say that his Reason or Skill was either his Tool or his Servant that he used in his Work but the very Spring or Principle from whence the Work received its full and whole composure and formality which is so far from being an Impeachment of the Work-mans credit that it rather tends to his greater glory So when the Father is said by the Son to create the World the Son is not thereby subjected to the form of a Servant unto the Father as he was when he undertook to redeem the World but is declared thereby to be in all points 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Co-worker with him as the efficient cause of the Creation to the glory of the Father 1 Cor. 1.24 he being the wisdom of God and the power of God as saith the Apostle And yet to make this clearer we shall find that the said Preposition is in Scripture sometimes used with a reference also even unto the Father v.g. 1 Cor. 1.9 God is faithful 1 Cor. 1.9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by whom ye were called into the fellowship of his Son 2 Cor. 1.1 And 2 Cor. 1.10 Paul calls himself an Apostle of Jesus Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the will of
as possibly he can and consequently that he might by degrees totally eclipse the glory of the Lord Jesus for he hates him with a perfect hatred and utterly frustrate in the end the great work of Redemption From this Forge it is I doubt not to say it that this old Antichristianisme now newly revived concerning the needlesness of the Knowledge and Faith of Christ under the Law hath had its forming and contrivance wherein some of late have exceeded above measure It would be too tedious here to intersert all that is written of this matter in a Book called Theologia Veterum and to give answer thereunto this onely would I know how the Lord Jesus could Quatenus Mediatour be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Yesterday If all that is said concerning Justification and Salvation not onely of the Fathers that were of old taken into Covenant with God but of the very Heathen not in and through Jesus Christ but onely by a general knowledge of God the maker of Heaven and Earth be true Doubtless there cannot be truth in both these assertions and if any shall assert Doctrines contrary to the express Word of Scripture whether it is better to hearken to the Holy Ghost or them judge you But I shall leave this matter to their second thoughts who have been too rash in spreading about these Anti-scriptural Paradoxes hoping that those who continue still too pragmatically Active therein will now find Cause to repent them betimes of their errour and retract it Onely I must here add if this Errour be to be repented of how much more that other which is made the ground of it and which doth indeed snatch the Crown off from the head of Christ not suffering him to have any thing to do at all in the salvation of his people from the beginning of the World to the end thereof viz. That God was pleased to make choice not of the Object but the Act of faith The T◠Credere as it is called to be imputed to his people for Justification And what I beseech you doth this signifie but that God was not so well pleased with his Son as with us poor sinful Creatures Or as if it stood with the Wisdom and Justice of God to make choice and accept of that which was imperfect for so is Faith in the strongest Believer considering it in the Act to make sinful man Rectus in Curia righteous in his Sight and to reject that which was most Perfect If this be not to dishonour both the Father and the Son I know not what is But as the Holy Martyr said of old in retam sancta Deliberatio non habet locum When such affronts as these are put upon the Almighty God we must not be mealy-mouthed how dares any man utter such a notorious untruth as this God was not pleased to make choice of the Object of Faith for our Justification If an Angel from Heaven should come and preach this Doctrine we should spit in his face and hold him accursed Can there be any thing in this world dearer to us then this that the Lord is our Righteousness Is not this the foundation of our Comfort here and of our hope that we may lift up our heads with confidence hereafter at the great day of Retribution against all the pleas of the Law and the clamours of the great Accuser of the Brethren what Doctrine is there that the Apostle Saint Paul doth more clearly and more frequently insist upon in all his Epistles then this that It is the Righteousness of Christ and Christ alone that is imputed to us for our Justification Rom. 5.19 1 Cor. 1.30 2 Cor. 5.21 Gal. 2.16 1 7 To give some instances Rom. 5.19 By the obedience of one that is Christ many shall be made Righteous 1. Cor. 1.30 Christ Jesus is of God made unto us Righteousness 2 Cor. 5.21 We are made the Righteousness of God in him Gal. 2.16 17. Knowing this a man is justified by the faith of Jesus Christ that is by Christ himself as is plain in the Verse next following Yea and the Apostle for himself particularly professeth saying I live not but Christ liveth in me Gal. 2.20 for I live by the faith of the Son of God See how he glorieth in the Object of his Faith as that which is the staff of his Life viz. of his justification in the sight of God without which he confesseth himself to be a dead man True it is Rom. 4.5 that he saith elsewhere viz. Rom. 4.5 Faith is counted for righteousness but that must be understood relatively as faith is fixed upon the object and as the object puts virtue into it otherwise we should make the Apostle to contradict himself and it is very observable that whensoever Saint Paul speaketh of faith in this point of justification he still renders it thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is through faith or by faith as implying somewhat that we receive by faith but never thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is for faith as if Righteousness were a recompense given unto us for the bare Act of believing Neither is it ever said in an active sense faith justifieth but by faith we are justified that is Passively by a forein Righteousness which by faith as the recipient onely is applied unto us When a beggar puts forth his hand to take an almes from a liberal man should he say mine own hand or the sense of my poverty that made me beg hath releived me in my want and have no regard to the Giver or to the Alms it self whereby his Life is sustained When our Saviour tells his Disciples Mat. 5.14 They were the Light of the World Math. 5.14 Joh. 1.9 did he then deny himself to be that light which lighteth every man that cometh into the World Joh. 1.9 A power is given unto Ministers of the Gospel in many places of Scripture such as properly belongeth unto God himself and his Son Jesus Christ As for example the works of Regeneration Conversion Remission of Sins everlasting Salvation what are all these but works far beyond the reach of man or Angel being such as hath been said belong unto God and Christ yet we know all these are by the Gospel ascribed unto Ministers 1 Cor. 4.15 Act. 26.18 Joh 20.23 1 Tim. 4.16 for they are said to beget men unto God as also to convert them opening their eyes turning them from Darkness to Light and from the power of Satan unto God to remit their Sins yea to save them but now because these things are spoken of Ministers in a way of subserviency unto Jesus Christ will any man be so void of reason therefore as to exclude Christ himself and say not Christ but Ministers do regenerate convert forgive and save those that do believe Yet thus do our adversaries argue in this case because it is said faith is counted for righteousness and we are justified by faith
you deeper into Hell Your continued rejecting of that rich and abundant grace that is freely and frequently tendred unto you sets you every day at a further distance from God gives the devil more hold-fast of you adds more fewel unto your Tophet making your torment hereafter the more insupportable O what a day then is this wherein men treasure up wrath against the day of wrath A most deplorable estate yet this is the Lot of all impenitent Sinners If any should yet enquire how it comes to pass that this inevitable misery falls upon these wretched kind of people that we have been speaking of I must answer There are two things which the Holy Ghost in Scripture doth plainly present unto us as the grounds and causes thereof First the sin of such persons is found out by the light of this day Secondly Their sin doth find out them When sin is found out Gods anger is enkindled when sin findes out the sinner his anger is then put in Execution The first of these will justifie God in his severest judgements against sin wheresoever it appears The second will convince the sinner of the deceitfulness of sin and of his folly in entangling himself with that which will be his utter undoing But let us consider these severally First I say their sin is made manifest by the light of this day and their Iniquity found to be hateful yea more hateful then the sin of yesterday All things saith the Apostle that are reproved are made manifest by the light and the clearer the light is the more Ugly doth a Deformity seeme in the eyes of all that look upon it Now it is that sin is become exceeding sinful that is hath gotten more strength to do mischief then formerly it was wont to do putting more malignity and perversness into the hearts of men then ever and affronting the Almighty with the greatest impudence despising those means which Divine Wisdom hath found out for the suppressing of it Now it appears in its proper colours insomuch that as our Saviour said It is inexcuseable Joh. 15.22 there being no Cloak of a carnal Apology large enough to cover it When sin then shews it self in this manner who can lay any thing to the charge of God or censure his righteous proceedings against it True it is Profane and Godless wretches do what they can to keep their sin close Pro. 28.13 that it may not be seen But they shall not prosper saith Solomon that is their projects will fail them For why The day opens all the secrets of mens hearts the light of it comes with such a mighty penetration that no corner of the Soul can escape it whatsoever lust and corruption lurketh therein it findes it out All the palliations and tergiversations of sinful men All their tricks and evasions their winding and turning things upside down their crafty contrivances to hide their wickedness are now laid Naked Heb. 4.13 and openly dissected before the eyes of God with whom they have to do Yea now is preparation made for the discoveries of the great day Rom. 2.16 for according to the light of this day shall that judgement also be And herein will that of the Psalmist be verified Ps 19 2. Day unto day uttereth speech This day will make known unto that day whatsoever sin hath been acted in it unrepented of And this now this I say is that which fretts the hearts of secure sinners that their sins which they would have lie hid and be forgotten should be thus found out and brought to light to their shame and confusion Hence comes their rage and madness against the light that they could even wish many times the Sun out of his Orb and the bright beames of Divine Truthes swallowed up in perpetual darkness rather then their sins which they love better then their Souls should be thus disturbed and discovered All which considered how righteous is God in his Anger against sin when it is found out and made manifest by the Light Secondly when sin is found out by the light of this day unless the sinner then followes the light to find out a Saviour to save him from his sins to whom it would certainly lead him if he would diligently observe it his sins will surely find out him and fall upon him with all the curses that are written in the Law wherein as the Apostle saith The strength of sin lieth and without which it could be of no force at all to produce no nor to pronounce the least Condemnation 1 Cor. 15.56 That execrable League which hath been made with sin will betray the sinner and bring him under the power of it whether he will or no. Thine own wickedness saith the Prophet shall correct thee Jer. 2.19 and thy back-slidings shall reprove thee The pride of Israel doth testifie to his face saith the Prophet Hosea Hos 5.5 Behold here how sin which for a while seemes pleasant to the sinner and promiseth to bring him much delight and contentment how it will in time slare him in the face and prove both a witness against him and his Executioner You have sinned against the Lord and be sure your sin will find you out Num 32.23 said Moses once to the two Tribes and the half Num. 32.23 which may very well be applyed to all profane persons this day In which words the Holy Ghost seems to allude unto dogs hunting greedily after their prey untill they have found it For so it is with sin somtimes it is like a Bandog that lyeth at the door of the Soul not suffering any thing that good is to enter there as some interpret that place Gen. 4 7. Sometimes it is like a Bloud-hound that pursues the sinner and wil not leave till it hath caught him by the Throat and rent the Caule of the Heart with desperation and this pursuite is the more like to speed because it is in the day wherin the light is a furtherance unto it So that the sinner shall at last in effect say to his sin as Ahab did to Elias Hast thou found me O mine Enemy And cry out in the Devils Language Art thou come to torment me before the time Undoubtedly whensoever God letteth sin loose upon the soul either to stupifie and harden the heart or to sting the conscience with that venome which this day accidentally and by the just judgement of God for the despite cast upon the light of it puâ—s into it it is the bitterest Enemy of all other wherein nevertheless the sinner doth but reap the fruit of his own folly and is filled with his own devices in nourishing such a Viper in his bosome that will bring all this mischief upon him Thus may ignorant and profane people see what a wofull day is come upon them since they will not walk in the light of it they lose themselves in most deplorable darkness Let us conclude this use with some Application
his own and his own c. John 1.14 The word was made flesh c. Acts 1.6 When they therefore were come together c. Acts 1.7 It is not for you to know the times c. Rom. 8.19 For the earnest expectation of the Creature c. Rom. 8.20 For the creature was made subject to vanity c. Rom. 8.21 Because the creature also it self shall be delivered c. Rom. 8.22 For we know that the whole Creation groaneth c. Rom. 8.29 The first-born among many Brethren c. Rom. 11.25 Blindness in part is hapned to Israel until c. Rom. 11.26 And so all Israel shall be saved c. Rom. 11.27 For this is my Covenant with them when c. Gal. 4.5 To redeem them that were under the Law that we c. Col. 1.15 Who is the Image of the invisible God c. 1 Tim. 2.5 For there is one God and one Mediatour c. Tit. 1.5 For this cause left I thee in Crete c. Tit. 1.7 For a Bishop must be blameless c. 1 Pet. 4.17 For the time is come that judgement must begin c. 1 Pet. 4.18 And if the righteous scarcely be saved c. Rev. 1.11 I am Alpha and Omega the first and the last c. The Interpretation of these Texts of Scripture Gentle Reader as they are rendred in this Treatise I do leave unto thy most serious consideration Not but that there are besides these sundry Expositions of other places of Scripture here also given that are not usual yet nevertheless may well be conceived to be according to truth without condemning those that have been commonly received These likewise you will meet with as you go along in your reading and will require your most ponderous meditations Onely I do desire that when you meet with an interpretation of the Holy Scripture which may seem somewhat strange unto you not to be hasty in passing censure upon it till you have found the whole discourse about it to be fully finished Again it will perhaps be objected unto me by some that I do here take but a slight occasion to be very large and vehement in maintaining the honour of our Church against her Adversaries by justifying the Order which she observeth in the Publick Worship of God and Ecclesiastical Government Whereto it may well be answered Is there not a cause When not onely the Church which is our Mother the most eminent Pillar and Stay of Divine Truth hath been miserably rent and torn by Schismes and Divisions but our Lord Jesus Christ himself also was very much dishonoured thereby being made by a sort of wretched people the very Authour and Fautor of their Divisions as if he had not been and were not still to be to his poor Church what the Text here insisted upon proclaims him to be viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Same Cause enough then there is for every true Son of the Church to spend his Zeal in this Contrast upon all occasions and to marke them as the Apostle adviseth who cause these Divisions and Offences that they may be avoyded It must be confessed the late Schisme while it grew more and more prevalent in this Kingdome till it pleased God to reduce us to our pristine order by a merciful providence never to be forgotten did bring us especially of the Ministery into such a low despondency and pusillanimity of spirit that we had almost lost that Christian Valour yea and English courage pro aris focis for which our Church and Nation have in times before us been so much renowned But since the Lord God hath spoken who can but prophecy when deliverance hath been sent unto us by the out-stretched arm of an Almighty Power who can forbear to rejoyce in it And when God hath shewed us our Errour in suffering our selves to be deluded by a spirit of seduction who can but lament his back-slidings and appeare with his utmost strength in the vindication of that Truth and Church which have been so treacherously forsaken For my own part I do here in the truth and uprightness of my heart solemnly protest before God and men as I have been ashamed of my credulity in giving heed for some time to the cunning insinuations of those who pretended they were for the cause of God but were found Lyars so now though possibly it may be said of me as it was of Saint Paul 2 Cor. 10.10 that my bodyly presence is weak and my speech contemptible and therefore it is but little that can be expected from me that may be for the advantage of the Church in any kinde all which I will not deny yet I do and must account it my duty with that little strength that I have to endeavour what I can by all wayes and means the undeceiving of those poor seduced people who being bewitched with the like sorceries do yet continue in their perverseness against the Lord and against his Anointed What else should I do after so woful a defection that hath been among us when to my apprehension I hear often the word of our Saviour to his Apostle Saint Peter sounding in mine eares Luk. 22.32 tu conversus confirma fratres when thou art converted strengthen thy brethren Let no man therefore blame me for my forwardness and vehemency in this matter upon any occasion for I cannot but speak the things which I have seen and heard as the same Apostle also said yea let my tongue cleave to the roofe of my mouth and my right hand forget her skill how poor and slender soever it be if my tongue and pen both be not now ready for the Churches service to fill up the acclamation at the setting on the Head-stone of this great Work of Omnipotency in the re-establishment of Order among us both in point of Divine Worship and of Civil and Ecclesiastical Government with Grace Grace unto it Lastly I should now also be loth to be so far mistaken as that by giving new experiments of rendring the sense of Scripture otherwise then it hath been generally taken I should thereby incline to favour that upstart Sect of holders-forth of new Lights and new Truths against whom I have alwayes protested my dislike with much loathing and abhorrency and do still account of them no better then the smoke that comes out of the bottomless pit which would in time darken the light of the Gospel as much as the foggy mists of Popery ever did where it prevaileth Deplorable is their estate and accursed be their attempts whosoever they are that set up any of their pretended Lights in competition with the Holy Scripture and are not contented with that truth which hath already been revealed to the Church in those things that are necessary to salvation The bed of divine truth is green all the year long Cant. 1.16 no filthy weeds of spotted Errour so much as once appearing therein nor no room at all to be found
God Whereby surely is not meant that the Father is subservient in either of these respects but the first Mover and efficient cause in both so is the Son also in the work of Creation though the Father is said to work by him for he saith John 5.17 My Father worketh hitherto and I work John 5.17.19 And what things soever the Father doth these do the Son likewise V. 19. As the Father therefore is the sole Creatour of all things so in like manner is the Son John 10.30 because the Father and the Son are both one the Father by the Son and the Son from the Father excluding only all Creatures in Heaven or in Earth from having any concurrency herein To conclude Peter Lombard's sense concerning this Point or rather S. Chrysostom's quoted by him will give us some clear light in this Mystery and it is indeed well worthy to be remembred by us The Father Lib. 2. Dist 13. saith he worketh by the Son Quia tum genuit omnium opificem Because he begat him in that ineffable and eternal Generation the Creatour of all things and if the Father be the cause of the Son secundum quod Pater est As he is Father much more is he the cause of those Creatures which are created by the Son Hence it appeareth John 5.26 that as the Father hath life in himself and hath given to the Son to have life in himself so the Father hath this honour soo modo ordine In his glorious Rank and Order to be the Creatour of all things and he hath given to the Son in his order likewise to be the Creatour too the like we may say also of the Holy Ghost in his Order Since then it is the priviledge of the Son by virtue of his Divine Generation to be entituled to this Honour in an equality with the Father let him be as the Apostle calleth him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Bringer forth of every Creature Col. 1.15 And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Authour the Beginner Rev. 3.14 the Prince of the whole Creation the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he and none but he He it was that stretched forth the Heavens alone Es 44.24 Psal 104.9 Ps 147.4 and did spread abroad the Earth by himself he made his Angels Spirits and his Ministers a flaming fire He telleth the number of the Stars and calleth them all by their names or as it is rendred Giveth names unto them He prepared the Light and the Sun Ps 74.16 Ps 104.19 Job 38.28 29. Job 38.22 Ps 135.7 Ps 33.7 Ps 24.1 the Moon also he appointed for seasons And what Father hath the Rain but he Or who but he hath begotten the drops of Dew Out of whose Womb came the Ice And the hoary Frost of Heaven who but he hath gendred it He created the treasures of the Snow the Hail and the Wind and he laid up the Depth in Storehouses The Earth is his and the fulness thereof whether it be in the Surface or in the Bowels of it the round World and they that dwell therein In fine the Apostle sums up altogether Col. 1.16 By him were all things created that are in Heaven and that are in the Earth visible and invisible Col. 1.16 whether they be Thrones or Dominions or Principalities or Powers all things were created by him and for him And the Evangelist agrees in the same account saying All things were made by him John 1.3 and without him was not any thing made that was made Thus was Jesus Christ Yesterday that is in the beginning 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the only he in the work of Creation He himself undertook it without the assistance of Angels whom Saturnius Basilides Cent 2. cap 5. and other Hereticks of old would obtrude upon him to be his Co-agents in the Work And he was likewise the same in carrying on his work there was no variableness in him whilest he continued in it exercising his Divine Artifice and Dexterity in the Magnitude Variety Multitude Distinction Order Harmony of his Creatures which he produced one day after another till all was finished At which time he look'd upon all with much complacency and delight beholding the Travel that he had gone over and was satisfied therewith not retracting the least thing that had passed through his fingers for he was not ashamed of his Work but set his Seal unto the whole giving this Testimony of it That it was all very good Gen. 1.31 With men indeed there is a marvellous mutability in their Works either they are not able to perfect what they begin and so are not the same when they have wearied themselves about their work as they were at first entrance upon it ashamed and vexed to see their expectations frustrated As it was with Solomon after he had stretched forth his uttermost Abilities which in truth surpassed all others to extract the most exquisite Spirits and purest Quintessence for his delight which the variety of the Creatures could afford how miserably alas was he deluded I locked saith he on all the works that my hands had wrought R◠2.11 and on the labour that I had laboured to do and behold all was vanity and vexation of spirit Or else they are not wise enough to carry on their Enterprizes to such a progress and maturity as may probably produce any desirable Issue being fain to sit down many times re infectâ even as wise as they began or out of envy they are not willing to impart their Experiments to others Plutarchus in vita Alex. As Alexander would not have Aristotle to publish his Acroamatical Sciences for wherein saith he shall we excel others if those things which thou hast secretly taught us be made common to all O! but the Lord Jesus Christ is the same all along in his Works shewing forth the immutability of his Wisdom Coodness and Power therein for by his Wisdom he made the Heavens and by his Wisdom he made the Worms Gen. 1.25 which though they may be generated by corruption Ps 136.5 Gen. 1.25 yet they had their Original by virtue of the Principles of the first Production caused by that Omnipotent Fiat which gave Being to all things and the smaller the Creature is the more is the Divine Workmanship to be admired both in the shaping and in the using thereof The Hebrews have an opinion as it is observed that Enchanters cannot shew their skill in little things if they be less then a Barley-corn and therefore the Sorcerers of Egypt failed in producing Lice Exod. 8.18 But the Wisdom of the great Creatour is the same in the smallest Creature of the World as in the greatest the organical body of a little Ant is no less to be wondred at then the huge body of Behemoth His goodness also is the same shining clearly throughout the whole Creation It was not out of any need that he began this Work
our poor Nature And thus have we done with the second part of my second Interpretation of the Text viz. That Jesus Christ is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the only He in the great work of Preservation I shall only add a word or two of Apology in the closure hereof I confess this latter Corolary in the Branches of it may for the most part seem to have a more proper reference to the third Interpretation of the Text that followeth as being a Consequent that might arise upon the consideration of Christs Immutability towards his Church Nevertheless I conceive it doth not bear the guilt of an unpardonable Incongruity to insert it in this place However if it be misliked by any they may if they please in their thoughts transfer it and make use of it accordingly CHAP. III. How the Text is Applicable to Christ in the work of Restauration THe third Particular in this second Interpretation of the Text viz. With a reference unto the Creatures is this Jesus Christ is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the work of Restauration the same from first to last exercising the same Wisdom Goodness Power as in the Creation and Preservation Rev. 21.5 6. so in the Restauration of the World for he shall restore all things That which the first Adam had and lost by sin shall be restored again by the second Adam Jesus Christ because he is immutably the same not to be diverted from his course either by Sin or Satan The Apostle S. Peter Act. 3. tells us of times of refreshing Act. 3.19.21 and of restitution of all things which shall be at the last yea and not only he but as he saith God hath spoken it by the mouth of all his Prophets since the world began As much as to say God is very constant in the Asseveration of this Doctrine and if God hath spoken it and spoken it so unmovably without Retractation first by his Prophets his holy Prophets yea all his holy Prophets since the World began and again asserted ratified it by his Apostles what ever men do deem of it it will be found to be a Truth built upon a sure Foundation and therefore we are not to be shy in the profession thereof That well known place of the Apostle Rom. 8.21 Rom. 8.21 runneth with a full strength in a tendency hereunto The Creature saith he shall be delivered from the bondage of Corruption into the glorious liberty of the Children of God That is as our Reverend Bishop Reynolds renders the sense Upon the Creatures shall be conferred a Glory which shall be in the proportion of their Natures a sutable Advancement unto them as the glory of the Children shall be unto them And of this Advancement the Apostle in the same place saith The Creature is in hope and expectation which hope and expectation Christ will not suffer to be frustrated he being the beginning of the Creation of God and therefore co nomine in point of his own honour so engaged unto it as not to sleight the fervent desire thereof in any thing that may really tend to its well-being But before we proceed any further it will not be out of our way a little to take into consideration according to our poor measure that obscure and intricate Scripture in its whole latitude that we may see from thence what just cause we have to extoll and magnifie the Lord Jesus Christ in this as well as in any thing else that hath been spoken in order to the Creatures The words are these For the earnest expectation of the Creature waiteth for the manifestation of the Sons of God for the Creature was made subject to vanity Rom. 8.19 not willingly but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope 20 because the Creature it self also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption 21 into the glorious liberty of the children of God 22. for we know that the whole Creation groaneth and travelleth in pain together untill now Four things are especially to be taken notice of in these words upon the discussion whereof we may through Grace come to discern somewhat of the Minde of the Spirit of God therein And they are these First The Creature is subject unto Vanity and under the bondage of Corruption Secondly The Creature waiteth and groaneth to be delivered from this Vanity and Bondage Thirdly The time of its Deliverance is when the Sons of God are manifested Fourthly The manner of the Deliverance It shall be into the Glorious Liberty of the Children of God First The Creature is subject to Vanity c. The Creature What 's that Much Controversie there is amongst Writers who this Creature should be But it is not my purpose to enter into the many tortuous and oblique Maeanders of that Debate as to tell you what some conceive of the Angels in order hereunto Nor what others say of men indefinitely Others of the Godly only Others of the Gentile World in opposition to the Jews Dr. Hammond c. For in so doing I should but lead you into doubtful Disputations which the Holy Ghost forbiddeth Rom. 14.1 and perplex the present Doctrine with more difficulty and obscurity Better it is to lay down the sense plainly which I humbly conceive and that is this By the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is here rendred Creature and afterwards V. 22. translated the Creation is to be understood Mundi Machina the whole Frame Engine and Fabrick of the World consisting both of Celestial and Elementary Regions not troubling our selves with any inquiry after those Creatures that have their Being in this Elementary part Whether they shall be interessed in that glorious Deliverance that is to come or no though they be subject unto Vanity and under the bondage of Corruption as the place of their Habitation is And this I believe will be the sasest way for us to take in this Difficulty wherein also we shall not leave the Apostle who is our Guide and Conduct in this Labyrinth but have his concurrency with us This Creature saith the Apostle is subject unto Vanity under the Bondage of Corruption This Creature so beautiful so excellent as hath been before described in the forming whereof the Omnipotent God hath shewn forth his Wisdom Power Goodness is now strugling under a miserable Thraldom and that which aggravates the Misery is that i◠should be brought into this woful plight by one who was taken out of its own Bowels and advanced to the Rule and Dominion over all the rest of her Off-spring round about him whose folly as it began this mischief so it is still laying on more and more load insomuch that unless the great and wise Creatour interpose his powerful Arm by removing this Tyrant or altering his Nature that Work whereby he sought for ever to Glorifie will in time come to nothing But let us more particularly observe the great Misery that this poor Creature is
not we also grown wanton with our wealth gadding about after vanities that cannot profit us When they were cast out of favour we were reconciled to God who were before strangers yea enemies unto him But have not we also many a time vexed his holy Spirit by our treacherous Apostacies as much as they And how then shall this be remedied Which way shall we have our wants supplyed Our breaches repaired Our hearts more established in the truth Doth not the Apostle who is of counsel with the Almighty in this case and therefore knew best the way of Divine dispensation of grace toward us doth not he I say tell us here plainly how all this shall be brought about to our exceeding great advantage viz. by the reception of this people into favour restoring them again fully to their dignity and preheminence among the Nations Not indeed as a meritorious cause therof that is far from the Apostles meaning but in a way of subserviency to that providence which ordereth all things for the good of Church And now let it be considered How great is that goodness which God hath laid up for his people even before the Sons of Men in the latter dayes May we not then expect a more plentiful effusion of his Spirit in the powerful operations of it upon the hearts of Believers And that all those pestilent heresies wherewith the Christian Churches among the Gentiles have been miserably infested even almost unto death should be thrown to the Moles and to the Bats The jarring and jangling sound of Schisme no more to be heard in their Assemblies and instead thereof both Jews and Gentiles to be united together in a most entire and indissoluble bond of Brother-hood And when this fulness of happiness shall come upon the Gentiles as it will surely happen unto them upon the fulness of the Jews the Apostle himself being witness may it not be reckoned according to the Apostles word as it were a new life from the dead I demand therefore again Are these things so Hath God determined to advance so much the interest of his Church by the Restauration of the Jews and is it meet that we should stand cavilling at it Shall this our Apostle thus magnifie his office and with a paternal care of our good argue so irrefragably in our behalf and should we like a company of wayward children with unkinde Recalcitrations spurn against his office and our own happiness vilifying the one and as much as lyeth in us nullifying the other How these Quaere's may be answered together with many other that might be gathered from the following branches of the Apostles arguing about the facility of the Jews Restauration shall I say be left to their consideration who not onely causlesly call it into question but peremptorily deny that the Nation of the Jews shall ever be reckoned among the Nations of the world any more and so consequently asperse the Lord Jesus Christ with inconstancy towards this his first beloved people as if he would not be ' O' 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unto them the Same to the end which he hath been from the beginning If any shall say That to put these Quaere's in such a manner is to beg the Question that is To conclude that for a truth which is in controversie whether it be so or no. I must answer If the Apostles arguing hitherto will not satisfie and that neither Possibilities nor Probabilitics heaped together will down with gain-sayers to draw them to a conviction we have a more sure word of Testimony given here in the close whereunto they should do well to take heed least unhappily they be found even to sight against God To the end therefore that no man might in this case plead ignorance which is commonly the mother of arrogance Hear what the Apostle addeth vers 25 26 c. I would not brethren saith he that you should be ignorant of this mysterie lest you should be wise in your own conceits that blindness in part is happened unto Israel until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in and so all Israel shall be saved c. I know well that these very words of the Apostle are also wrested by some to another sense as there will not want cavils against the clearest demonstrations of Truth to the worlds end And if we should give an ear to whatsoever may be suggested unto us by opposite parties we shall never be free from hesitancies in the interpretation of any Scripture nor in the asserting of any Doctrines though never so fundamental Let this present Scripture be look'd upon but with an unprejudicate eye and be considered in the most plain and grammatical sense of it and then see whether it doth not precisely determine this point viz. That there is a time approaching wherein the Jewish Nation shall be restored and become a glorious converted Nation again which God will own for his Beloved people notwithstanding all their unkinde rebellions against him To afford some help herein observe First the Apostle speaks of this matter as of a mysterie and therefore should the more diligent heed be given unto it A mysterie indeed it is First in regard of the origination of it being sprung out of the profound abyss of Gods infinite wisdom and knowledge Secondly in regard of the progress of it being much opposed by the infidelity of men who are and will be slow of heart to believe it Thirdly in regard of the unsearchable way and manner how it shall be acted when in the fulness of time it shall be brought to pass in the world however therefore men do sleight it the Apostle it seems makes great account of it Secondly He adviseth the Romans to take special notice of it I would not brethren saith he have you ignorant hereof c. As if he should say beware that you do not out of a fond conceit of your priviledges above the Jews cast this mystery out of your thoughts as a thing impertinent to your cognisance for you are concern'd in it and that which is revealed of it will certainly be required of you Thirdly He procedeth to a description of the mystery so far as it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost Non enim est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod significat nâ—â—tilationâ— alic jus partis sic in oculis coecitatem sigâ—isicat Sed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quâ—d indâ—atioâ—eâ—n significat a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 calluâ— five dâ—â—itâ—es in 〈◊〉 unde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i.e. call â—n 〈◊〉 sâ—em 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈…〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—ungo Blindness as we read it in part is happened unto Israel untill the fulness of the Gentiles be come in and so all Israel shall be saved Where first that we may the better poise this mystery let us a little by the way consider the judgement inflicted upon this people which alas alas we finde to be exceeding great So much doth the word