And John 2.11 He manifested his glory and his Disciples believed in him And the Gospel is called The gospel of the glory of Christ 2 Cor. 4.4 That which is added in the Prophet v. 8. The word of our God endureth for ever that is the word of Christ of which himself said Matth. 24.35 Heaven and earth shall pass away but my word shall not pass away It follows in the Prophet v. 10. Behold your God to which that of St. John Baptist answereth Behold the Lamb of God From these Premises it follows that Christ was that God foretold by the Prophet and pointed at by John Baptist The like is Mal. 3.1 compared with Matth. 11.10 of which before Isa 6. compared with Joh. 12.41 I saw the Lord sitting on a high throne c. To this St John refers These things said Isaiah as when 〈◊〉 saw his Glory The Argument is this He whose glory Isaiah saw was the God of Israel but Jesus is he whose glory Isaiah saw there fore he is the God of Israel Both these Propositions are express Scripture Jer. 23.6 compared with 1 Cor. 1.30 The Argument is this He whose name is The Lord our Righteousness is the God of Israel but the King Messias the branch of David Christ is he whose name is The Lord our Righteousness The major is granted the minor appears from the consideration of that Deliverance and Salvation there spoken of which is spiritual and Christ alone is the Author of this Redemption or Salvation Acts 4.10 Neither is there salvation in any other for 1 Cor. 1.30 of God he is made to us wisdom and righteousness sanctification and redemption He then that is the Lord our Righteousness is Jehovah Isa 41.4 compared with Revel 1.11 17. and 2.8 and Chap. 22.13 The words are I am the first and the last which are applyed to our Saviour Revel 1.11 17. The Argument is this He that is the first and the last is the most high God Christ is the first and the last therefore he is the most high God And doubtless our Saviour would never have assumed this Title so derogatory to God so dangerous to his Church if he had been but a Creature as the Socinians say Psal 24. with 1 Cor. 2.8 The Messias in the Psalmist is called the King of Glory Lift up your heads O Gates and the King of Glory shall come in This King of Glory is called The Lord strong and mighty and the Lord of Hosts i. e. the most high God And as this was Prophesied of Christ so it is applyed unto Christ whom the Apostle calls the Lord of Glory and as our Church Thou art the King of Glory O Christ therefore Christ is that Lord strong and mighty and the Lord of Hosts the most high God Zach. 11.13 compared with Matth. 27.9 The words are The Lord said unto me Cast it unto the Potter a goodly price that I was prized at of them c. Matth. 27.9 Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by the Prophet Jeremiah saying And they took the price c. The Argument is this He that in Zachariah was valued at thirty Peices of Silver c. was the Lord God of Israel Christ was he that was thus valued therefore he is the God of Israel Zach. 12.10 compared with Joh. 19.37 Revel 1.7 The words are They shall look upon me whom they have peirced c. So St. John and another Scripture says They shall look on him whom they have peirced The Argument is this He whom the House of David and Inhabitants of Jerusalem are said to look on and to have peirced is the most high God Christ is he whom they should look on and whom they had peirced therefore Christ is the most high God It is evident that he who spake this in Zachariah was Jehovah that would pour out the Spirit of Grace and Supplication which makes the first Proposition undeniable and the Apostle confirms the second so both are undeniable Numb 21.5 6. compared with 1 Cor. 10.9 He for tempting of whom the Israelites perished in the wilderness was the God of Israel For tempting of Christ the Israelites perished in the Wilderness therefore Christ is that God of Israel Isa 52.67 compared with Rom. 10.15 The words are Therefore my people shall know my Name therefore they shall know in that day that I am he that doth speak behold it is I. How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth glad tidings that publisheth peace that bringeth good tidings of good that publisheth salvation that saith unto Sion Thy God reigneth This is a Prophecy of Christ and a certain time is spoken of his appearance In that day they shall know that I am he Ecce adsum Behold it is I. The Argument is this He that says Behold it is I or Ecce adsum is the God of Israel but it is Christ that says it in the Prophet therefore he is that God of Israel Socinus grants this place concerns the time of Christ's coming but would have it to refer to the Deliverance from Babylon But the words of the Apostle Rom. 10.15 O how beautiful are the feet c. plainly refer to the Apostles that preached the Gospel which contains the glad Tidings of Peace which the Prophet spake of with great admiration Behold thy King reigneth And Socinus grants that the Deliverance from Babylon was but a Type of that by Christ the truth or true Deliverance intended was that by Christ the God of Israel Isa 60.1 compared with Eph. 5.14 The words are Arise arise for thy light is come and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee The Apostle gives the meaning of this Scripture Eph. 5.14 Arise from the dead and Christ shall give thee light which he thus prefaceth wherefore he says i. e. the Holy Ghost in the Scripture and that Christ is spoken of appears from v. 3. And the Gentiles shall come to thy sight agreeable to A light to lighten the Gentiles The Argument then is He that was to enlighten the People of Israel and to be a Light to the Gentiles was the God of Israel but Christ was to be a light to lighten the Gentiles and to be the glory of his people Israel therefore Christ is the God of Israel Isa 54.5 compared with Matth. 9.15 and 25.1 1 Joh. 3.29 2 Cor. 11.12 The words are For thy Maker is thy Husband the Lord of Hosts is his name The Argument is this The Husband of the Church is the God of Israel Christ is the Husband of the Church therefore Christ is the God of Israel The Prophet affirms the first Proposition the second is proved by our Saviour Mat. 9.15 where he calls himself the Bridegroom and chap. 25.1 in the Parable of the ten Virgins He is the Bridegroom Eph. 5. the Apostle speaks of Christ and his Church as of Husband and Wife This Union was prophesied of by Hosea chap. 2.16 In that day thou shalt
their Authority I have but briefly toucht them As to my Method having first considered his Preface in the next place I have considered his Apology 3. I have made some general Reflections on the Book and lastly I have discovered what Socinian Doctrines are covertly delivered in each Chapter for I find his Oracles like those of old to carry a doubtful or double Sence to be as a Reserve and Refuge that being driven from the one he might flye to the other and indeed it is more difficult to discover and draw him forth from those Ambushes wherein he lies in wait to deceive than to baffle his greatest Strength in a plain and open Field the first is my chief endeavour though I have not on occasion declined the other what I have attempted was not in confidence of my own Abilities having never been exercised in this spiny Controversie and being now by Age Miles emeritus but only to excite and provoke others to contend for the common Salvation in the Faith once delivered to the Saints and whatever the success be I hope I shall obtain the Pardon of all good Men seeing I have according to my power cast in my Mite into the Church's Treasury AN ANSWER To a Late TREATISE ENTITULED The Naked Gospel THE Author of the Naked Gospel calls himself a true Son of the Church of England now the Doctrine of the Church of England is declared in her Liturgy her Articles and Homilies in her Liturgy she hath inserted the Three Creeds viz. that called the Apostles the Nicene and the Athanasian these two last our Author would have to be restrained to the Letter of the former because that only is used in the Offices for Administration of Baptism and Visitation of the Sick but if he be a true Son of the Church he hath or should ex animo have given his Assent and Consent to all the Doctrines avowed by the Church However it is well that the Doctor seems to approve of the Apostles Creed because I find the Socinians deny the Godhead of the Son and Holy Ghost being it is not expresly affirmed in that Creed yet certainly they had not been made Objects of our Faith if they were not of the Godhead This Creed is but a larger Profession of our Christian Faith which we made at our Baptism where we dedicate ourselves to the Service of that one God who is Father Son and Holy Ghost The Right Reverend Bishop of Chester hath sufficiently proved the Deity of the Son and Holy Ghost in his learned Exposition of that Creed Nor have we ever heard of any of the Fathers that have interpreted it otherwise than as the Nicene and Athanasian Creeds have done yet I have been credibly informed that a Doctor who stiles himself of the Church of England gravely declared That this Creed also might be reformed But in the Church of England we find the reiterated Acknowledgment of the Blessed Trinity Father Son and Holy Ghost so in the Doxology in the Form used in Baptism and in the Litany O Holy Blessed and Glorious Trinity Three Persons and One God c And in that very ancient Hymn after the Communion it is said of our Saviour Thou only art Holy thou only art the Lord thou only O Christ with the Holy Ghost art most high in the Glory of God the Father In the Te Deum Thou art the King of Glory O Christ thou art the Everlasting Son of the Father In the first Article concerning the Trinity the Church of England says That in the Unity of the Divine Nature there are three Persons of the same Essence Power and Eternity Father Son and Holy Ghost In the Homely for Whitsunday she says The Holy Ghost is a Spiritual and Divine Substance the third Person in the Deity distinct from the Father and the Son Which thing may most easily be proved by most plain Testimonies of God's Holy Word Canon 〈◊〉 1640. And in the Canons it is forbidden to read Socinian Books And in the former Book of Canons we are forbid to teach any thing but what is agreeable to the Doctrine of the Old and New Testament and what the ancient Fathers and Bishops have collected out of them It was therefore a Protestatio contra factum to stile himself a true Son c. and under that Title to publish to the World what is so opposite to her Doctrine May not the Church complain of such Sons in the words of the Prophet Isaiah c. 1. I have nourished and brought up children and they have rebelled against me But God be thanked the Church of England doth not want more dutiful Sons such as on all occasions are ready and able to vindicate her Doctrines and assert her Discipline That famous University whereof the Author was a Member seasonably manifested her Detestation of his Heretical Opinions by condemning them to the Flames that there might not be a Spark left to kindle such dangerous Fires in the Church which Decree for the Reader 's satisfaction is here inserted The Judgment and Decree of the Vniversity of Oxford delivered in a Convocation held August 19th 1690. against some Impious and Heretical Propositions transcribed and quoted out of an Infamous Libel of late perfidiously printed within the said Vniversity and published with this Title The Naked Gospel which do Impugne and Assault the principal Mysteries of our Faith alway retained and preserved in the Catholick Church and especially in the Church of England IMPRIMATUR Jonathan Edwards Vice-Can Oxon. WHereas there is lately published an Infamous Libel entituled The Naked Gospel which under that specious Title destroys the Foundation of the Primitive Faith once delivered to the Saints assaults the chief Mysteries of our Religion and not only denies but reproacheth him that bought us the Lord Jesus Christ who is God blessed for ever And whereas it appears that this Libel deserving to be condemned to eternal Flames hath been by an unheard of Persideousness printed and published within this University therefore for the Honour of the Holy and Individual Trinity for Preservation of the Catholick Doctrine in the Church and moreover for the Defence as much as in us lieth of the Reputation and Esteem of this University which with all care we desire to preserve intire and inviolable We the Vice-Chancellor Doctors Proctors the Regent and Non-Regent Masters convocated in a full Senate of Convocation on the 19th of August 1690 in manner and place accustomed certain Propositions in the said Libel contained which we have caused to be transcribed and hereafter recited being first Read have by our Common Suffrages and the Unanimous Consent and Assent of Us all Decreed in manner following I. We do Condemn all and every of these Propositions and others to them belonging which for Brevity's sake are pretermitted as False Impious and Contumelious to the Christian Religion and especially to the Church of England And we Decree and Declare most of them to be Heretical as contrary
Service of God by the free Directions of their own Nature That to this end he sent his only begotten Son into the World teaching them That the best service of God consisteth in being like him and for their encouragement therein promising them upon their Repentance pardon of Sins past and everlasting Life This saith he is the Sum of the Gospel i. e. of his Naked Gospel Here is not a word of that Grace and Truth that came by Jesus nor that God was in Christ reconciling the World to himself Making him to be sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in him Not a word of that Redemption which St. Peter speaks of made for us by the precious Blood of the Son of God or that Christ redeemed the Church by his own Blood dying for our Sins and rising again for our Justification Revel 1. washing us in his own Blood from our Sins Not a word of that which St. Paul made his whole work to preach Christ crucified that others with him might know him and the power of his resurrection that we may be found in him not having our own righteousness but that which is through the faith of Christ the righteousness which is of God by faith Phil. 3.8 9. Nor that without the shedding of this Blood there could be no Remission of Sins But though the Apostle counts this knowledge of Christ Jesus his Lord so excellent that all things else are but loss and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dogs meat in comparison with it Yet the Doctor prefers his Natural Faith or his Carnal Reason above all this for there is not one word of all this to cover the Nakedness of his New-born Gospel but as the Socinians say God sent his only begotten Son into the World to teach them not to die for them how by the free Directions of their own Nature without any grace or assistance of the Spirit of God or any Revelations of that Grace and Truth that came by him That the best service of God consists in being like him to which end he supposeth the free Dictates of their own Nature are sufficient Deus nil fecit promising them upon their Repentance pardon of their Sins past and everlasting Life Which John Baptist and other Prophets had done before him Not a word of Christ's giving Repentance or that eternal Life is the gift of God which he grounds on that Repentance which flows from the free Directions of their own Nature What part Faith hath in all this is his next Enquiry which is to shew that it hath no part at all Enquiry II. He says is to shew What Changes or Additions later Ages have made in Matter of Faith He tells us p. 50. c. 2. That our Lord honoured it as the Great King did Daniel above all his Princes That he came into the World to advance it That he promised it eternal Life and both he and his Apostle make it half the Gospel we meet it in every page of the New Testament and on sight of its glory we talk as St. Peter did when confounded at the brightness of our Lord we know not what But our Author hath no sooner cried his Hosanna to Faith as the Jews did to Christ but presently proclaims his Crucifigite and casts this Daniel into a Lion's Den to be rent by such furious Beasts he first casts her from the Throne wherein Christ placed it and what the Gospel makes the Mother-Grace he makes the Mother-Error p. 51. c. 1. his words are This is the Mother-Error that whereas Faith is no better than a Retainer to Holiness we place it in the Throne as an Absolute Prince and think it our Duty to enlarge its Dominions as far and exalt its Prerogative as high as we can as if it were some precious Diamond valuable for its Brightness Hardness or other irrespective Vertue of its own Doth this Author know what he says or consider whereof he affirms these things If it be of that implicite Faith required in the Church of Rome or that naked Faith of the Gnosticks or Solifidians viz. a bare profession of Faith in Christ separate from Obedience he only beats the Air but if of that Faith required in the Gospel and professed in the Church of England the nature whereof he cannot but know then he striks at the very Life of Christian Religion for that is a Faith working by Love a Faith in Christ's meritorious Death Passion Resurrection and Intercession which the Socinians will not admit of A Faith that purifieth the Heart that teacheth us that Christ dying for all all were dead in Sins and Trespasses and that he died for all that henceforth they should not live to themselves but unto him that died for them and rose again this is the true Christian Faith grounded on the Grace of God which bringeth salvation and hath appeared to all men teaching them that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts they should live righteously soberly and godly in this present world This the end of manifesting the Gospel as St. Paul Rom. 16.26 This the Obedience of Faith This is the Faith which we preach in the Church of England and which the Doctor so opposeth and vilifieth It is evident that the Faith which this Doctor would degrade is that which hath for its Object Christ crucified bearing our Sins making an Atonement bearing the Chastisement of our Peace reconciling us to God by the Sacrifice on the Cross All which he would resolve into a Natural Faith in the Veracity of God and so makes our Faith in Christ crucified the chiefest Notion of a justifying Faith to be of none effect But let us hear the Reason he gives for his degrading of Faith p. 50. c. 2. We consider not saith he that two of the reasons which induced our Lord to call so importunately for it are expired Those Reasons I suppose we had p. 19. c. 2. 1. The Difficulties of believing 2. The Danger of professing it To which there needs no other Answer then what he himself hath given p. 50. c. 1. That Faith must necessarily be called for with importunity suitable both to the Difficulties and Dangers which at that time encompassed it and to the serviceableness which at all times accompanies it For is there not now also need of Faith to strengthen us against the Temptations of the World the Flesh and the Devil Or is our Fight now only against Flesh and Bloud are there not Spiritual Wickednesses also Are there not such Lusts as are as dear as a right Hand or Eye that must be cut off And what is it that giveth us the Victory over these and a world of others but our Faith Were not our Faith serviceable to these ends he might have some excuse for calling our Saviour a humersome and capricious Lord as he doth p. 51. c. 1. and p. 57. c. 2. that without any other motive than his unaccountable will imposeth a
more c. 11. speaking of the Divine and Humane Nature of Christ he says That as Nature teacheth that he that is born of Man is Man so it teacheth that he that is born of God is God Theognostus of Alexandria as Athanasius quotes him taught the same Doctrine That the Son was begotten of the Substance of the Father as is Beams from the Sun and as the Sun is not lessened by the effusion of its Beams so neither is the Substance of the Father diminished by begetting the Son the Image of himself Dionisius Romanus wrote an Epistle against the Sabellians wherein he says It is necessary that the Word of God be united to the God of all and that the holy Spirit remains in God and so the holy Trinity doth unite in One as in a certain Head viz. the Omnipotent God of the Universe And he confutes those who hold the Son of God to be made as other Creatures as being contrary to the Scripture Lastly That the Trinity is not to be divided into three Gods nor the Dignity of it to be lessened by the name of a Creature but we are to believe in God the Father Almighty and in Jesus Christ his Son and in the Holy Spirit And that the Son is united to the Father he proves from the words of our Saviour I and the Father are one for thus the Divine Trinity and the preaching of that Holy Monarchy is preserved Dionisius of Alexandria whom the Arians boasted to be of their Party wrote against them in his own defence an Epistle which he calls a Resutation wherein he declares That he never was of the Opinion of Arius but that he alway thought our Lord to be the Word and Wisdom undivided from the Father For saith he under the name of the Father I imply that he hath a Son and when I mention the Son I understand also that he hath a Father and so I joyn them together for from whom should the Son come but from the Father But the Arians will not understand that the Son cannot be separated from the Father the names implying a communion between them and the Holy Ghost is in both and cannot be separated from him that sends him How then can you suspect me who use those Names to have thought that they may be divided or separated wherefore you accuse me falsly as if I had denied that Christ is Consubstantial with God Thus I said that the Plant proceeds from the Seed or Root and is another thing from that from whence it proceeds yet is it of the same nature with that whence it proceeds the River which flows from the Fountain hath another name for we do not call the River the Fountain nor the Fountain the River yet both do exist and the Fountain is as a Father but the River is Water flowing from the Fountain Greg. Thaumaturgus Bishop of Neocesaria hath left us this Confession of his Faith recorded by Eusebius Eccl. Hist l. 7. c. 28. There is one God the Father of the Living Word the Subsisting Wisdom the Eternal Power and Character the perfect Father of him that is perfect the Father of the only Begotten There is one Lord alone from him that is alone God of God the Character and Image of the Deity the efficacious Word the Wisdom comprehending the constitution of all things and the effective Power of all things the true Son of the true Father invisible of him that is invisible incorruptible from him that is incorruptible immortal and eternal And there is one Holy Spirit that hath its existence of God who by the Son hath appeared unto Men the perfect Image of the perfect Son the Life and Cause of the Living the Holy Fountain Sanctity and Giver of Sanctification in whom God the Father is manifest who is above all and in all and God the Son which is in all The perfect Trinity which is not divided nor separated in Glory Eternity Kingdom and Power so that there is nothing in the Trinity that is created or servile nothing added or superinducted which was not before The Son was never wanting to the Father nor the Spirit to the Son but the Trinity alway remained the same immutable and invariable In the Life-time of this Greg. Thaumaturgus a Synod of Bishops met at Antioch to Censure the Heresie of Paulus Samosatenus who denied the Deity of Christ These Bishops denounced an Anathema against him having first admonished him of his Heresie and in that Epistle they say That they declare the Faith which they received from the beginning and alway held in the Catholick Church from the Apostles to that day even from those that had seen with their eyes and were made Ministers of the Word and which was preached in the Law and Prophets and in the New Testament And the Faith concerning Christ they say is this That he is the Word the Wisdom and Power of God that was before all Ages God the Son of God in substance and subsistance Pierius a Presbyter of Alexandria was of the same Opinion as Photius relates Cod. 119. That the Father and the Son were of one Substance and Equality St. Lucian a Presbyter of Antioch published the same Faith which is to be seen in Socrates l. 2. c. 10. We believe in one God the Father Almighty Maker of all things and in one Lord Jesus Christ his only begotten Son by whom all things were made begotten of the Father before all Ages God of God Whole of Whole Sole of Sole Perfect of Perfect King of King Lord of Lord the Living Word Wisdom Life the true Light Way and Truth the Resurrection Pastor and Gate not obnoxious to Change or Alteration every way the express Image of the Father's Deity Substance Power Counsel and Glory the first Begotten of every Creature who was with God in the beginning God the Word as is said in the Scripture who in the last times came down from Heaven and was born of a Virgin according to the Scripture and in the Holy Ghost which is given to Believers to comfort sanctifie and consummate them as our Lord Christ commanded his Disciples go teach all Nations baptizing them in the Name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost who are three in Person but agree in One. Arnobius gives the like Testimony That Christ without any Instrument Help or Rule but by the power of his own Nature made all things and as it was worthy of God nothing that was hurtful but all beneficial and this is the property of the true God to deny his bounty to none Lastly Lactantius whom the Arians claim to be of their Opinion says thus When we say God the Father and God the Son we do not speak of what is diverse or separated because neither the Father can be so called without the Son nor the Son be begotten without the Father seeing therefore the Father makes the Son and the Son makes him a Father there is in both one Mind one Spirit and