the humane nature given fitted and personally united in time Heb. 2.16 To him according to both natures was given in time the office of a Mediatour betweene God offended and men offending To him as God and man was the Name above all Names given and in that Name doth the Father the Sonne and the Holy Ghost in time above and below of Angels and men receive the glory of our redemption Rev. 5.13 Saint Ambrose and others expound it of Christ as the Sonne of God Hoc natus accepit ut post crucem manifestaretur quid a Patre dum generaretur acceperit this Name he received being borne that what he received of the Father in his generation might be manifested after he was crucified That is as Zanchius openeth the Fathers minde in the eternall generation God the Father communicated to the Sonne that hee should be true God remaine so in the assumed flesh and after the Resurrection be every where so proclaimed The truth is both these are to be conjoyned For he that was ever 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Saviour according to his Deity is now for ever and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inchangeably Jesus according to his humanity also Not that what the sonne of God is as the Sonne of man is he Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 essentially God is man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the Union The Deity is united really to the flesh but not communicated really By the identity of the Person the Name reacheth both natures Jesus is the sonne of God and the Sonne of Man is Jesus Tota res Nominis est persona the whole thing of the Name is the Person God onely is not it nor onely Man it God and Man one Christ is all The Name then includes all the Attributes of God and Man and more then of God and Man seorsum severally all of God and Man united And here the Argument for the exaltation of the Name is yet more evident Such a person is Christ as not the like and therefore such a Name is Jesus as no such Not that this Name addes an higher degree to Gods essence or to his essentiall glory But this Name shewing the Union of God and man shewes also that in this Name God will by his Church in Heaven and on Earth and by his enemies on Earth and in Hell be most glorified Nor that his Name doth make an inequality in the Trinity For as Saint Ambrose said on Matthew 11.27 Plus dixit de filio quam de patre non quod plus habet quam pater sed quod ne minus esse videatur the text speaketh more of the Sonne then of the Father not because the Sonne hath more authority then the Father but because the Sonne should not seeme to be inferiour to the Father So is it said the Father hath given all authority to him and all things are put under him 1 Cor. 15.27 Not that he is exalted above the Father but there is nothing which shall not be subject unto Christ he excepted who subjecteth all things to him And though he be the Judge of quicke and dead he is not Judge onely but he and not the Father doth judge in forma visibili in a visible forme So neither doth the Name given him above all names seclude the Father and the Holy Ghost from the act of Salvation but sheweth that our Salvation appointed by the eternall purpose was finished in the person of the Son And because all was finished in Jesus that Name is the Name wherein the glorious Trinity as appeares throughout the New Testament will be honoured for ever and ever So be it now and ever and let all people say Amen The Marcionits who affirme that Christ is not the Sonne of God the Creatour the Benosians that he is an adopted Sonne the Samosatenians that he was not God before the Incarnation the Nativitaries that he was with before he was begotten of the Father the Symonians that he was not the word Incarnate the Sabellians that the Father was made flesh and the Theodotians that what Christ was was all mortall are condemned at 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For the giving there is the then manifesting of God the Sonne in the flesh The Jewes who terme Christ a Demoniake the Gnosticks that separate Jesus from Christ as two persons the Menandrians that stiled Menander the Saviour of the World the Ophits that conferr'd the Name on the Serpent and the Sethians that attributed Salvation unto Seth are condemned at 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For that Name which no man could receive who was not God also none but God could give The Arrians who hold that Christ was God by grace the Donatists that deny him to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 equall with the Father the Melchisedecians that make him inferiour to Melchisedec the Acatians that will have him onely like the Father in substance the Eunomians that thinke him in all things unlike the Father the Dulians that call him the servant of the Father and our Catharists Anabaptists Brownists Precisians who are so farre from esteeming the Name above all Names that they count it beneath all other Names of Christ and use the most sacred Name Jesus carelesly very blasphemously often are condemned at 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For there Christ is consubstantiall with the Father and the Name of Jesus above every Name in many respects is in no respect inferiour to any The Nestorians that seigne one person of the Deity another of the humanity the Apollinarists that convert the word into the flesh the Arrians that yeeld the Name to Christ as man made a God in repute not as God made man indeed and the Jesuits who presumptuously arrogate Christs saving Name are condemned at 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For to the Person of Christ not to the one or other nature onely to him onely and to be for ever his was the Name above all Names given This and all we maintaine from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and still the argument is the Union and our Salvation True Christians we considering wherefore God exalted Christ beleeve that for the Union and for us he spread abroad his Name God and Man being knowne to be one we know that men have grace with God He being notified to us wee take notice of him The Essence of things is brought to our understanding by second notions For in the cloud of our first fall we so lost the sight of all things in their being that now we see not the Essence but by expression Of the highest expression the substance is the highest That Name then which containes all God and us and our salvation is the fullest That God fully manifested by the visible sending of the Holy Ghost and that is acknowledged in Heaven on Hearth and in Hell to be Jesus This sounds glory to God in the highest on Earth peace to the elect and in Hell terrour to the Devils No name like this for sweetnesse it
persons in the unity of the essence But hereby is manifested that the person vilified in this Name was the Sonne of God and Man and is now in the same Name to be adored by all as God and Man which cannot be said of the Father or of the Holy Ghost Of the Sonne alone because he onely was incarnate and yet as I have ever taught to the glory of the most transcendent Trinity It is apparent now that we cautelously observing the idiotisme vary not from the sense of the phrase At the Name we rest not vainely in the sound but are carried to the substance of the name or object of our faith the person of Jesus Christ Not to the humane nature Seorsum per se severally and by it selfe For so doing we divide the person overthrow the communication of proprieties and the due unto the Creator we render to the creature which is Idolatry Yea if in our worship we can consider the Father the Sonne and the Holy Ghost three subsistences and one substance yet all this availes not unlesse we take with us our Mediatour If we mind not a true Man-hood gloriously united to the God-head without change of either nature without mixture of both whose presence whose merits must give passage vigour and acceptance our prayers ascend in vaine At this worke thoughts should be holily mixed of a God-head and humanity two natures in one person and of the same Deity in divers persons and one nature Bestirre our selves we ought so to distinguish these apprehensions that none be neglected so to conjoyne them that they be not confounded We sin if fixing the heart on one we exclude the other retaining all and mentioning one we offend not Who rest their thoughts upon the humanity must still adore the Deity and thence climbe up unto the holy consideration of the blessed Trinity For in Jesus onely is that Mystery revealed to us and through him onely is our worship directed to the sacred Trinity in Unity Following this short weake counsell study and pray that you may apprehend right and worship well Be thus minded and bowing at the name you shall not be superstitious Bow and honour Jesus heartily for the more we honour him the more we honour the whole Trinity If you cannot beleeve me yet let not the Apostle misse your faith It is Gods command he saith and therefore our duty Minding the one we shall not forget to pay the other Endevour we to pay it sincerely and the God of Heaven direct us enable us that when we worship him we may neither prove sacrilegious nor idolatrous The Jewes Infidels and Philosophers that abjure scorne and deride the Name of Jesus the Schismatickes whether Catharists Anabaptists Brownists Separatists or whatsoever called that neglect and contemne all manner of outward reverence at this Name the Papists that superstitiously use it and the Prophane that in their debauchednesse most impiously blaspheme it are condemned at 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for there the Holy Ghost will have the Name super-exalted by God by us also super-exalted with respect and honour The Arrians and other Heretiques that hold Christ a meere man onely or a God in Name not indeed the Cerinthians and Colarbasians that make Jesus one and Christ another the Nestorians that determine two persons in Christ one of the divinity and another of the humanity the Timotheans that thinke him one person of two natures mixed and confounded and the Romanists that constitute the Pope as another head beside Christ of the Church are condemned at 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the honor at the Name is to Immanuel in one person perfect God and perfect Man God hath so made him head of all above and below that at the Name of Jesus every knee should bow This and all we maintaine from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and still the argument is the union and our Salvation True Christians we seeing that God hath exalted the person and the Name and knowing why are bound in conscience for the same reason to exalt the Name and Person Not according to our owne humours but in Analogy of that Truth which is set forth for us to beleeve and doe We seeke no by-wayes to avoyd the duty nor lead we others from it A plaine Text paralleled by others literally must we understand properly as the other are The truth expressed in the Letter cannot be mistaken but by a figurative construction the Letter may be forced to a wrong sense The sense of the former verse which is the ground of this being literall makes this literall also We have proved it ever so conceived in the Church and will not alter it now Nay dare not because we are sure that by the third commandement and the first petition Gods Name whether spoken read heard or written must have reverent usage And if it must may we deny that manner which himselfe hath expressely prescribed The anathema sounds still in our eares Cursed be he that taketh from or addeth to If God then will have outward worship exhibited at the Name in the Name of God let him have it If he will be so honoured that is reason enough why he should But he hath given reasons store if we will not doe it now we are now in contempt and without repentance shall be without excuse hereafter Nor may we thinke to leave the duty undone because some count it superstition Indeed at the Name and no more were vaine But at the Name to bow unto our Saviour is one way we worship him and we have no other way to come at him save by his Name He is gone his Name is left that by his Name we may minde him and through him adore the blessed Trinity At the Name therefore let the heart ascend unto the person and outward obeysance expresse our faith in and high esteeme of whole Christ As true God and true man for as God and man he is exalted in person and Name that at the Name of Jesus every Knee should bow Tract V. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Every Knee should bow GOD who made the whole creature lookes after all he made The soule principally because it principally resembles him and the body next because in that Organ he will have the soule glorifie him 1 Cor. 6.20 The Fathers therefore according to the Scriptures carefully set forth a two-fold worship of God Internall the one externall the other Both congruous to the word and from a heart purified by faith proceed both Both spirituall because both are motions of our spirit renewed by the Holy Ghost For such worshippers will God have as shall serve him in spirit and truth John 4. vers 23. Such as in spirit practically mortifie the workes of the flesh and in truth contemplatively maintaine sound doctrine is one of Theophylacts expositions Such as moved by his Spirit doe all things sincerely in faith according to his will and unto his glory is Polanus full interpretation Such as
glory of God the Father that Jesus Christ is Lord. Saint Chrysostome applies his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as often as he useth it on the place unto 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This that Christ is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Father is the highest demonstration of the Fathers glory Yet also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when I say that such a one he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 even in this that I so say I doe againe glorifie God As if the Father having glorified the Sonne and himselfe being glorified in him we confessing it doe our way somewhat glorifie both Both for the great things we speake of the Sonne goe to the Father also And but somewhat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for it is but little to the glory of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that the world should adore him saith the same Father Not that this little doth adde any thing to his glory but his glory is in our small measure set forth by such acknowledgement Not more or lesse in it selfe for us by us more or lesse declared onely It is our duty of thankfulnesse 1 Cor. 6.20 He hath redeemed us and we have need to cast our eyes on him Totum quod recte colitur Deus homini prodest non Deo as Saint Augustine Not for want in him but for our supply The Fountaine gaines not by our drinking there nor the light by our seeing it Our recourse to him argues his fulnesse and our indigence Yea to returne all in humility to him is the onely way to keepe him most bountifull unto us For whosoever shall confesse him before men him will he confesse before his Father which is in Heaven Matthew 10.32 Who deny him by him shall be denied v. 33. Christ ever glorified the Father John 17.5 He taught us so to doe Matth. 6.9 the Apostles followed his example Acts 2.47 the blessed are alwayes in the practise Rev. 4. 5. 7. the utmost end of the sacred Trinity is the glory of God in all things Isa 63.12 14. and if here we observe the pointing of the three verses we have no stay till all be brought thereto For the ninth verse is divided by a Colon so is the tenth which shewes that neither of them are full without eleventh The eleventh then giving the period the last Comma tels whereto all before doth tend Beginne therefore at the first word of the ninth verse and from wherefore being the union of our salvation proceed and carry the exaltation of the person and Name by God descend therewith and take the exaltation of the Name and Person by us and what will become of all What I speake it with alacrity all comes to the glory of God the Father The Person before glorifying is now the Person glorified Wherein the Son did for us wherein the Father did for the Sonne and wherein we acknowledge both thereof God the Father taketh all the glory The ever blessed and glorious Virgin the Mother of God hath no part herein Her soule doth magnifie the Lord Luke 1.46 Nor any of the Saints All the Saints give thankes unto him Psal 105.10 Nor any of the Angels All his Angels praise him Psal 128.2 Nor any of the faithfull Not unto us Lord not unto us but to thy Name be the glory Psal 115.10 The Devill ambitious of it was cast into hell 2 Pet. 2.4 If any on earth entitle themselves thereto Tophet of old is prepared for the King Isa 30.33 And who attributes it unto Idols in the Law is accursed Deut. 27.15 God is in seipso sicut 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in himselfe as the first and the last in the world sicut rector author as the authour and orderer in the Angels sicut sapor decor as delight and comlinesse in the Church sicut pater-familias in domo as the goodman in the house in the soule sicut sponsus in thalamo as the bridegroome in the bride chamber in the just sicut adjutor protector as an upholder and protectour in the reprobate sicut pavor tremor as dread and horrour saith Saint Augustine If he doe all and be all in all whose is the glory That which is his peculiar he will not communicate to another Isa 42.8 Nor can he be defrauded For he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if you will 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 omnipresent nothing may evade him If as others 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he compasseth all things nothing comprehending him If from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rather then he is formidable his children will not displease him and his enemies yeeld him glory in their trembling The seventy Interpreters in the Old Testament and the Holy Ghost in the New expresse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by it The God which is the Father and the Sonne and the Holy Ghost this is he For the Hebrew word in forme plurall and in signification mighty implies the mystery of the Trinity Bring these together and if Men or Devils arrogate his glory they are sure to pay the utmost farthing But he giving all his to the Sonne as before doth neither put it from himselfe nor from the Holy Ghost Because they three being one God and the same God whatsoever is set forth in the one is not more or lesse the others Let the minde be pure at all times especially when we either speake or heare any thing of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for neither is the tongue able to speake nor the eare to heare of him as his dignity requires said Chrysostome Be religious within and consider Can we worship one Person and not another Distinguish them without division and we cannot But when it is expressed in the Scripture that as Beza noteth non possit nisi in filio gratus honor illi tribui no honour save in the Sonne can be acceptable Why should any thinke the Sonne may have too much The more the Sonne is worshipped is not the Father worshipped the more Reason will say so when no other way may be found unto him Who have another let them goe by it I am sure he points out the Sonne onely to us This is my beloved Sonne in whom I am well pleased Matth. 3.17 and 17.5 Well pleased with whom He ever was with him and now without him displeased in him is well pleased with us also And as sure I am that the Sonne sends us in his owne Name unto the Father No man commeth unto the Father but by me John 14.6 And whatsoever yee aske the Father in my Name he will give it you chap. 16. v. 23. I am in the Father and the Father is in me he is not seene without me nor will he heare save in the sense of my Name Come to me for so yee goe to him Come thus bow confesse and make an Idol if you can of me Doe what yee can to honour me and what you doe is to the glory
of God the Father Who gave all to the Sonne to him doth all returne To him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by excellencie Because he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the preserver not onely of things Created but of the Unity in Trinity also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then is the beginning without beginning fons Deitatis the fountaine of the Deity wherein the Sonne subsists eternall with the Father and the Holy Ghost with both The Father in respect of his owne Sonne and of us his adopted Sonnes Nomen pietatis potestatis est a Name of piety it and of power saith Tertullian Of piety to love and of power to beget a Sonne and such a Sonne through whom we might be called the children of the Highest The Father therefore of the Sonne of God we mind Ad gloriam Dei patris sui to the glory of God his Father it is so the Syriak Not that the Sonne and Holy Ghost have not the glory For with the Father the Sonne is glorified and the Holy Ghost Because they three 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are one 1 John 5.7 One in substance and in dignity one Beleeve this and the rest will follow Beleeve 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for we are not able to speake many things we understand of God and we speake many things which we are not fit to understand saith Saint Chrysostome This reason you first have and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it why the Father is onely expressed when the other may not be excluded The Father is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the greater 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in respect of the generation so Athanasius As the cause said Ignatius before him and Gregory Nazianzen after A second is to shew that the Sonne is honoured as the Father and the Father not honoured without the Sonne The worship of the one and the other both one For we here see 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Father glorified when the Sonne is glorified As Saint Chrysostome Confessing the Sonne we acknowledge the Father the one cannot be without the other And the substance of both being one one cannot be honoured and not another Animadvert we our Saviours words John 5.22 23. All judgement is given to the Sonne that all men should honour the Sonne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as they honour the Father Is it not manifest there that the Sonne is the Person in quo coli vult Pater as Beza noteth in whom the Father will be worshipped Why else is all judgement given him And why else may not the Father be honoured without the Sonne Yea the conjunction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as doth teach not onely an equall worship of the Father and the Sonne but also that the worship of the Father must be exhibited in and through the Sonne Beleeving in and adoring him we beleeve in and adore the Father It is Christs doctrine He that beleeveth in and seeth me beleeveth in and seeth him that sent me John 12.44 45. And this is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the worke of God that we beleeve in him whom he sent John 6.29 If Gods worke and Christs doctrine then beleeving in Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we make perfect the will of God saith Cyrillus Alexandrinus It may be illustrated thus The Agent is not without the Object nor the Act without both in the Object then we see the Agent and of both the Act without it we can doe neither The Father is not without the Sonne nor the Holy Ghost without both the Sonne then being the Character of the Father we behold the Father in the Sonne and the Holy Ghost too because he proceedeth from them both But without the Son we can doe neither the one nor the other He is the Word incarnate God manifested in the flesh that we in and through him may be directed unto the true apprehension of the three subsistences in one substance Who therefore doth honour the first or the third without or not in the second Person doth neither honour the Father nor the Sonne nor the Holy Ghost This is the cause why our Saviour would by no meanes permit any thing to be asked of the Father but in his Name John 16.23 24. And this it that made the persecuted so resolute Dicimus palà m dicimus Deum colimus per Christum we say and we say it openly and aloud to you tormentours We worship God through Christ as Tertullian hath recorded Ascendit ad summum Deum is c. he ascends to the high God who worships him inseparably and indivisibly through Jesus the Sonne of God Cujus solius ductu pervenitur ad patrem by whom alone we goe unto the Father so Origen Ipse oculus noster ut per illum videamus Patrem he is our eye that by him we may see the Father ipse vox he that voyce by which we may speake to the Father ipse dextera he the right hand by which we may offer our Sacrifice to God the Father so Saint Ambrose And Saint Augustine saith Prayer not made through Christ doth not onely not blot out sinne sed etiam ipsa fit in peccatum but also becomes sinne Being in the harmony of the true Church keepe we ever there If the Asse will feede on Thistles let him to whom the Hony-combe is not denied we will not change our fare Who say that in bowing at the Name of Jesus and by the open confession of the tongue we worship him with other worship then the Father or preferre him before the Father may as well say we worship aliud we know not what and not alium another who is still the same with the Father One is as false as the other and both as that which contradicts the truth For we never divide the three persons in our worship of any one who doe are Idolaters We honour one and all all in the Trinity or none Bowing then at the Name unto the Person through the sense of Jesus the Father hath glory and the Holy Ghost The Holy Ghost by the Apostle commands it if obedience be acceptable I am sure in doing it we obey him And if we can beleeve the Apostle our owne eyes will tell us that with the Sonne the Father is thereby glorified For the bowing to and the confessing of Jesus injoyned by the Spirit are both expressed to the glory of God the Father The Sonne admits of no glory which shall impaire his Fathers in the least degree And ever be it our glory to give him all his due Tibi Domine tibi gloria tua mane at illibata The Arrians and all other Heresiarchs that oppose the Deity of Christ The Agnoits that charge Christ with ignorance The Manichees Seleucians Hermians Christolits that deny him as man to be glorified in Heaven The Cerinthians Chiliasts Nepotians that affirme our happinesse shall be in the fruition of carnalities The Eutychians Jacobits that say the humane nature is
consumed by the Divine The Nestorians Servetans Vbiquitaries that averre the manhood is turned into the Godhead And the Macedonians Messalians Priscillianists that hold it no dishonour unto the Majesty of God to renounce the faith and profession of Christ are condemned at 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For there Christ ever equall with the Father as God is as man so glorified by the Deity in his Person that the beatificall vision of him shall be our eternall and inconceiveable happinesse And though he be so full of Divine excellencies yet our nature in him remaines intire that who now confesse him Lord may through it be enabled to behold his glory hereafter The Saturnians Basilidians Cerdonians that frame to themselves two Gods one of the Jewes contrary to the other of the Christians The Simonians that stile Simon Magus the true God The Carpocratians Marcits Severians Menandrians that repelling Christ as too infirme honour their familiar Devils as the authours and governours of all things The Gnosticks that privately and publikely maintaine the worshipping of Idols as necessary The Collyridians ' Angeliks Montanists Armenii that either attribute Divine honour to the Virgin or to the Angels or to the Image of Christ or to his Crosse And the Papists that to the former foure idolatries adde the worshipping of Saints in or by their Pictures are condemned at 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For there one and the same God the God of the Jewes and the Gentiles infinite in all that he is wonderfull in all his wayes the sole former orderer and controller of all things above and below will not permit the Name thereof to any other The highest he and therefore the highest glory must be his onely The Ptolemaeans Colarbasians Praxeans Noetians Sabellians Patripassians that confound the Persons in the Trinity The Metangismonits that will have the Sonne contained in the Father as the lesser vessell in the greater The Tritheits Triformits Tetratheits that make the three Persons three parts of God and every Person imperfect of himselfe The Roman Pontificiaries that run to the blessed Virgin Saints Angels as mediatours to the Father And our Socinian-Separatists Puritans Brownists c. that thinke the bowing of the Knee at the Name of Jesus and open confession of him a disparagement rather then glory to the Father are condemned at 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For there the Father onely expressed as first in order in him the three subsistences are included Not confounded in the manner of being are truly distinct not distinguished in substance One and the same the three and thence it is that naming but one wee give equall glory unto all This and all we maintaine from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and still the argument is the union and our salvation True Christians we looking unto Jesus exalted behold him in his triumphall Charet sweete and delectable Our faith shewes us that he is girt with strength clothed with beauty His understanding hath no measure nor his goodnesse end comlinesse carrieth the Mace before him and at his right hand are pleasures for evermore All increated perfection we acknowledge his by nature as the Sonne of God and his by personall union as the Sonne of man Not that whatsoever he as the Sonne of God hath in himselfe is by reall participation communicated to his humane nature We cannot say so and in our thoughts preserve the person of God and man in his essentials Yet such manant superexcellencies we consider in his flesh as may fulfill our blessednesse So we doe and exult that Jesus is the Lord in whom onely Gods glory is concluded For of him God hath glory before time glory in time glory beyond time Glory in filiation glory in election glory in creation glory in redemption glory in the Old Testament glory in the New glory in salvation glory in damnation for ever and ever The glory above which no glory is Christs The blessed Virgin Saints and Angels enjoy the peaee of it but no man save he that is God may challenge it He may for being one with the Father and the Holy Ghost neither the Father nor the Holy Ghost can deprive him Where there are all and all three one the glory cannot be to one and not full to every one For the Father the Sonne and the Holy Ghost being but one God the manner of their being the second of the first and the third from both doth not separate one and another It is Essence and Essence not subsistence and subsistence that overthrowes Unity in Trinity Nor may we inferre that the Sonne and Holy Ghost are not or be lesse advanced here then the Father Because he is expressed and not the other No such conclusion our sense apprehends it otherwise The Sonne hath his manner of existing of the Father and the Holy Ghost from both This glory therefore is ascribed to the Father as the Fountaine which in absolute consideration doth alike pertaine to the other persons When the Father is mentioned we in minde conceive the other persons also For no man knowes the Father but by the Sonne nor any man the Sonne but by the Holy Ghost Confessing then the Sonne we confesse all and the Father having the glory of our confession the other have it also The Father hath it to himselfe the Sonne in the Father and the holy Ghost in them both We can now tell what compasseth the text and goeth all over it The first word we have brought through all unto the last and carried the last clause unto the first The true pointing makes it cleare and sets forth the exaltation by God of the Person and Name and of the Name and Person by us in these particulars First wherefore that is for the union and for our Salvation God hath highly exalted him in and to the glory of God the Father Secondly for the union and for our salvation he gave him a Name above every Name in and to the glory of God the Father There God hath done his part next is our First that for the Union and for our salvation every knee of things in Heaven in Earth and under the Earth should bow at the Name of Jesus in and to the glory of God the Father Secondly that for the Union also for our salvation every tongue should confesse that Jesus Christ is Lord in and to the glory of God the Father What the Holy Ghost hath thus by the Apostle put together shall by us be kept firme We by the helpe of God will extoll the super-exalted Name and Person with knee and tongue in faith and hope humbly confessing that Jesus Christ is Lord in and to the glory of God the Father Tract X. AT 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if you remember I referr'd something that may not be forgotten now It was onely mentioned there and this it Christs humility was propounded as an example that we might know how and by whom to obtaine glory First how By humility For the same minde
And though I have called this the reward of our humility yet it may not be said that our humility merits this No it was purchased for us by the humiliation of Jesus In whom we have it without him we challenge nothing Hoping therefore to be glorified with him in Heaven to him we conforme on earth And because he hath taught no other way to the inheritance then he went in the purchase we seeke no other nor can we thinke there might be any other more glorious For in it we never doe saith Saint Chrysostome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 descend from glory The lowest degree is ever an ascent unto the highest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the high is low the low high this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is made good in the contradiction that Christ indured against himselfe Heb. 12.2 3. And when we see his humble members despising the world yet despising no man contemning themselves and yet contemning that contempt which persecutes them doe we not behold the minde exalted above all things below Yea when we finde pride it selfe palliated with humility know we not that the proud confesse there is glory both in and for the vertue How in seeming not mistaken is the world mistaken much men thinke humility and glory opposits as if of both in one could be no subsistence It is pride that refusing the one may never come at the other Quisquis enim nunc sponte se non humiliat nequaquam hunc sequens gloria exaltat for who doth not here willingly and truly humiliate himselfe following glory never exalts him saith Gregory My close is for Christ for the vertue for the glories sake learne we the Apostles counsell Keepe we our eyes fixed on the example of Jesus and in proceeding the nearer we come to our place like naturall bodies we shall move with the more celerity Our humility will carry us and with speed enough unto the same journies end it brought him Who drawes us in the way Cant. 1.4 will crowne us in the end Rev. 2.10 Doing what he commands we shall receive what he obtained life eternall in and to the glory of God the Father The Samosatenians and Socinians that hold Christs death neither satisfactory nor meritorious but onely exemplary for us The Jewes Turkes Pagans Infidels to whom Christ is a scorne and his Crosse an offence The Atheists Nullifidians Prophane that in dirision of Gods Religion call his Church Satans Synagogue the Communion Bacchus Sacrifice and his professours Solifidians The Libertines of our age that count us fooles for our Austerity The carelesse Professours that deeme us over pitifull to others too bitter to our selves Our Church Michals Catharists Brownists Separatists that deride us for our humiliation in the service of God The Anabaptists Monks Hypocrites that will be humble without submission poore without want and rich without labour The Sadduces Simonians Saturnians c. that hoping there is no punishment after this life for the bad will have no reward for the good The Cerinthians Pepuzians Mahumetans that place happinesse in the eternal fruition of fleshly delights on earth And the Montanists Enthysiasts Papists that in the argument of the glory put the merit on themselves are condemned by the Apostles counsell in the sixth verse and his inference at the ninth verse For there the fabrick of glory that Christ built up for us being founded on his merits in such humiliation we are taught to shew our gaines by following his example Whose redeemed we are his humble servants we If glory be the reward we have no cause to stand upon the worke Be it in what degree he please we need not be abashed at the humility For who was the lowest on earth we are sure our Saviour is the highest exalted in Heaven When we have done our part God will give us our right in him This and all we maintaine from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and still the argument is the Union and our salvation True Christians we finding how hard we are beset with and prone to evill looke alwayes on our Captaine and attend his word for feare we should mistake his discipline We know how great a Conquerour he is and that he can never faile in his direction if our actions vary from we have not well minded him And though he be taken out of our sight his life is left with us and reading it we have instruction store and sure Sure if we follow it close right be alwayes sure to it Nor is it infallible in one and not in all Whereof he hath given plenty there is no doubt of any one Nor is the number of his precepts either large beyond our memory or short to leave out any thing that might further us The example he hath given is most absolute It demonstrates all things that are to be contemned and sustained all In them is no felicity to be had in these no unhappinesse to be feared He bid us come and see and we most ambitious to enjoy what here we beleeve will goe no other way then himselfe went and appointed for us A low way Christ humble a perfect way Christ the truth and a comfortable way Christ the life Having truth we are sure to have cheere in and life by our humility It is not the similitude thereof but the vertue we meane That is it and nothing being more acceptable to God we doe in nothing more nor in any thing without it expect a blessing For nothing in us doth more exalt God and our innate evill is repressed by nothing more All the Lords commands are observed with it and the vertue which springs not from that roote withers Indeed love makes up all breaches but we have no other meanes to repaire charity save humility In whom all was made up all was done in humility and who partake of all we like him will be humble to all To God in the lowest degree to his Vice-gerent next we have no envie for our Superiours nor hatred to our equals nor contempt toward our inferiours Love for God and such as will permit nothing before him not our substance not our lives And love for our neighbour and such as will pray for every one and forgive every offence The true knowledge of our superexalted Head raiseth our conversation unto Heaven whilest we live on earth And well may For we behold the eternall glory prepared for the meeke incomprehensible in the object The faith whereof hath made our appetites so eager that they can leave the greatest allectives of the world with contempt Whose servants we are to him faithfull we may challenge of him our inheritance who purchased it for us And with boldnesse seeing in humility and according to his prescription we leave all to professe him our high exalted Lord in and to the glory of God the Father To whom with the Sonne and the Holy Ghost be the Kingdome and the power and the glory for ever and ever Amen Amen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
brings God to us and carries us to God No Name like this in power it delivers us not onely out of the power of our enemies but chaines them in eternall torments also To God to us in it selfe most delightfull Nothing above it and below it all things Nor ascribe we this to the second intention we receive it not without the first The person with the Name and not the Name without the person Not part but whole Christ apprehend we at the Name of Jesus Nor doe we extend it beyond the proper subject The Sonne of Nun had it not nor any other as Christ Christ actively to save others passively to be saved They resigned that they had to him he will not resigne his unto any Who therefore impropriate this to be called thereby against them we determine that they endeavour as much as in them is to bring it beneath it selfe It is blasphemy not to regard it as his much more to remove it from him For God hath given him and none but him the Name which is above every Name Tract IV. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. That at the Name of Jesus every Knee should bow c. VVE are now proceeded from the exaltation of the Person and Name by God unto the exaltation of the Name and Person by us Which God exalted we are here enjoyned by him to exalt both Not the Name without the Person nor either according to our humours but after his prescription Not inwardly alone and alwayes nor outwardly alone at any time Outwardly and inwardly that who saved the outward and inward may by both be acknowledged the Saviour of body and soule The text is plaine and the duty precisely set First of the Knee that at the Name of Jesus it should bow Secondly of the Tongue that it should confesse that Jesus Christ is Lord. Nor is this of some and not others but of all and every one every knee and every tongue in Heaven on Earth and under the Earth All leaves out none Nor let any thinke that any of this is in vaine but to the highest purpose all For the utmost end of the knees insinuation and the tongues expression is to the glory of God the Father Hunt not after figurative constructions beleeve the plain text doe the worke faithfully doe so and you shall practise no more then yee ought and the duty so done will redound to the Majesty of the incomprehensible Trinity There is not a tittle in Gods writings without weight Every one is therefore to be pondered that ye may receive the fuller satisfaction and that ye may I will beginne with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that That is the conjunction of this to the verse before and è rationativis such a conjunction as is perfective or declares the finall cause of the Antecedent say the Grammarians Quia est istud Nomen super omne Nomen idcirco in Nomine Jesu omne genu fiectitur because the Name is above every Name therefore at the Name of Jesus every knee is bowed saith Origen That then makes the former verse the ground of this text This text therefore must be understood according to the dependance on that Literally that and this literally All was full before Full the person God and man full our redemption God and Man reconciled full his exaltation as God and Man and his Name full to expresse all The full person the full redemption the full exaltation the full Name all and every one call for full acknowledgement But full acknowledgement cannot be if this text be taken tropically It is mentall onely when the joynts are stiffe and the tongue still and though the service may be right to God in the heart to others it is not at all knowne to be there without either outward subjection or confession outward Yea where God hath manisted his Sonne to be the high exalted Saviour of soule and body it is contempt or at least neglect if the body and soule doe not humbly in the Church shew themselves as is commanded to be his saved Tertullian Origen Cyprian Hierome Chrysostome Augustine Cyrill Bernard all the Fathers that ever I saw like this consequence nor have I yet met with any late Orthodox Writer that contradicts it I need not stand long on 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that the text is plaine Wherefore God exalted him therefore must we be humbled and wherein thereof should we most highly esteeme There is cause enough in the one to induce the other and the sequell is so necessary that without blasphemy no man can denie it For my part I dare not breake the generall rule of the Ancient and Moderne Churches to broach and maintaine singularity The perpetuall truth is that those places onely in the Old and New Testament are necessarily allegoricall which either in the History 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the letter varie from the truth or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the explication of the cause are repugnant to the Law of God Gods third Commandement and our Lords first Petition will have the most sacred Name handled with all manner of reverence I goe not then beside the Analogy of the Scripture in following the simple sense of this text but sure I am who take it figuratively chop off the visible part of Gods service and shew no regard of the super-exalted Name at all The Apostle would have us be imitatours of God Eph. 5.1 If imitatours then whose person God exalted and set forth his name exalt we his Name and person God his way we ours He by giving we in acknowledging If you doubt read and beleeve God hath highly exalted him and given him a Name above every Name Why that at the Name of Jesus every knee should bow This bowing at is one end who is not wilfully blind doth plainely see In 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that having made good the ground I am now ready for the worke The Apostle could best place his words and in our Dialect standing right I will not disorder them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 At the Name of Jesus At which sacred Name I humbly bow unto the blessed Trinity imploring the grace of the one-most God that in the Name of Jesus by the power of the holy Spirit I may interpret and all learne this text to the glory of God the Father The Syriack the Vulgar Arias Montanus Erasmus read in the Name of Jesus Beza Zanchius and our Kings translation at the Name Indeed the Hebrew is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but the preposition according to both languages which we in the generall sense as a note of rest translate in in Scripture varies often Sometimes it signifies by as Acts 4.10.12 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the Name of Jesus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by it this man stands whole and that is it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereby we are saved For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with the Grecians
Jesus was named Omnes aperiant c◠put all men should uncover their heads in testimony of adoration What though the Sorbonists Rhemists Papists hold it a duty of the Text Shall not we therefore and without superstition we See what Conradus Vorstius in behalfe of the Reformed Churches writeth Si quis ad mentionem Dei aut Christi aut Jesu c. signum aliquod honoris exhibere velit per nos sane licet id que passim in Ecclesiis nostris fieri videmus nomine re◠lamante nomine indignante If any man will at the Name of God or of Christ or of Jesus c. exhibit some token of honour truely among us it is lawfull and we see it every where done in our Churches no man disclaiming no man disdaining it Nor did Master Calvin what are the Schismatickes say reprove the Sorbon Sophisters for bowing at the name but for bowing at the sound not to the sense as there Vorstius testifieth If we come unto our owne Churches at the first yeare of Queen Elizabeth 1559. it is injoyned that whensoever the Name of Jesus shall be in any Lesson Sermon or otherwise in the Church pronounced due reverence be made of al persons young and old with lowlinesse of cursie and uncovering of heads of the mankind as thereunto doth necessarily belong and heretofore hath beene accustomed In the first of King James of blessed memory 1603. both the Vnirversities Oxford and Cambridge doe affirme that reverence done at the Name of Jesus is no superstition but an outward signe of inward subjection to his divine Majesty and apparent token of our devotion In the Synod begun at London 1603. it is thus expressed When in the time of Divine Service the Lord Jesus shall be mentioned due and lowly reverence shall be done by all persons present as it hath beene accustomed This was among the rest published under the Great Seale of England hath continued and is still in force for ought I know at these times Doctour Whitaker did honour at the Name of Jesus Bishop Whitgift saith to bow at the name is of many hundred yeares continuance and Christians used it in the beginning Doctour W◠llet allowes it when the minde is free from superstition So doth Doctor Fulke Doctor Airy Doctor B◠yes The most learned Bishop Andrewes will satisfie any man that shall not be willfully blinde Master Hooker cals it harmelesse there is no superstition at all in it Doctor Page refuteth all Master Prynns arguments and justifies bowing at the Name of Jesus most Christianly and Learnedly Master Giles Widdowes maintaines it stoutly against the lawlesse kneelesse Schismaticall Puritan And it at this day is Preached and practised by the most learned in the Kingdome In all Churches old and new Easterne and Westerne Romish and Reformed this Exposition hath beene well liked Master Cartwright knew not what to say against it and therefore his followers cannot abide it We dare not so much as speake of an earthly King unreverently Dare we not Then what reverence doe we owe unto Christ the King of Heaven and Earth saith Master Perkins on this Text. We owe much indeed and have promised much but God helpe we performe little and our little performance hath made a great disturbance in the Church of England So great that this very duty of the Text is by too many held superstition Certainely there is irreligion in them that so vainely handle the Text but in the duty can be no superstition For the Apostle saith it is done at the Name unto the glory of the Father From whom it hath beginning in him it ends Where it is so done is no vaine honoring of that which should not be honoured and therefore no superstition But grant there hath beene superstition used in it as Zanchius saith there was in bowing of the head and many other godly constitutions Suppose there hath must therefore the divine institution be cast away In running after Sermons is there not superstition among a great many now What will you doe then will you abandon hearing God forbid Remove saith Bishop Andrewes the superstition and retaine Sermons still Doe but even so here and all is at an end We may be in fault the duty can be in none If the fault be in us we ought to amend Gods prescription may not be annihilated for our miscarriage It is excellent to sweepe superstition out of the Church but chiefe wisdome not to sweepe any of Gods Religion out with it Reverence begins to abate on all hands I pray God that we by this guile of the devill may never lose our Religion It is not the crying superstition and damnable superstition that can make it such Stop we our eares at such foule blasphemy Looke to the Text follow it and pay as God requireth a reverent carriage even to his Sonnes Name What God hath exalted exalt we and feare not For God being honoured by it we at the generall day shall when all knees must bow at once find comfort that we on earth have so bowed at the Name of Jesus What the Name signifies and why at this name rather then any other was in the former Verse If any insinuate the minde that thus exalting the Name I preferre one person before another in the Trinity It is answered that cannot be For God will have us this way declare that we acknowledge Jesus to be Lord equall with the Father and the Holy Ghost and that he received this Name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to his humane nature which he ever possessed in himselfe according to the divine The Text therefore is not simply at the name but at the Name of Jesus Which is the Name of one person consisting of two natures divine and humane as before At the Name then of Jesus inferres that the whole person is to be adored the word and the flesh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with one and the same honour as the Fathers in the Councell of Ephesus defined The worship may not be divided because undivided is the person Yet true it is that the Godhead by and of it selfe simply ought to be worshipped and not the flesh save in the person and for the Godhead But seeing the Apostle directs the worship to the whole person Non est cur ab adoratione deitatis separetur caro there is no reason why the flesh should be separated from the honour of the Deity saith Zanchius And if it be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 honorificall for the Father to have his owne Sonne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lord of all Who can doubt saith Cyrillus Alexandrinus but that he kept for him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the free and superexcellent dignity of power and domination above all In this adoration then is nothing taken from the Father or from the Holy Ghost and given to the Sonne nor any thing given to the Son which is not equally to the honour of the three