Selected quad for the lemma: heaven_n
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A23823
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A Defence of the Brief history of the Unitarians, against Dr. Sherlock's answer in his Vindication of the Holy Trinity
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Allix, Pierre, 1641-1717.
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1691
(1691)
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Wing A1219; ESTC R211860
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74,853
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56
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was certainly by Revelation If our Author should reply that it is well known that Elisha was but a Prophet and could know no such thing but by Inspiration or Revelation I answer It is likewise well known that Christ knew not all things and particularly not the Day of Judgment Mark 13. 32. therefore he could not be God for God knows all things Besides the Scripture assures us that God gave to Christ his Revelation Rev. 1. 1. which proves that all his extraordinary Knowledg was derived from God But he always knew all Men saith the Author which cannot be done by Revelation which is particular and occasional Why not God's Revelation may be perpetual if he pleases There is no Contradiction or Impossibility in it But how has he perverted the first Verse of St. John's Revelations The Revelation of Jesus Christ which God gave to him to shew unto his Servants things which must shortly come to pass This says he doth not signify that this was a Revelation made to Jesus Christ but that Revelation which Christ made for thô God is said to give to him it is to shew unto his Servants that is by appointment of God Christ shewed this Revelation unto John Alas if our Author was not able to answer this place he should not have studied to clude it If Christ made this Revelation because he is God how is it said to be given to him which can in no sense agree to him who is true God He received it says our Author to shew unto his Servants But of whom can the true God receive either Knowledg or Authority to dispense it But here are two Arguments against our Author's Doctrine 1. That God gave to Christ a Revelation But he that is God can need no Revelation because himself knoweth all things 2. That He is appointed to shew this Revelation to others Which no more can agree to one who is God than Revelation does He concludes that He desires a Mediator who knows more and in a more perfect manner But I think 't is fit we should be contented with such a Mediator as God was pleased to give us IV. His last Charge is that Socinianism justifies at least excuses both Pagan and Popish Idolatries at least as it is taught by those Men who allow of the Worship of Christ which it is certain too the Christian Religion teaches In answer hereto I will 1. Shew in what consists the Worship or Honour due to Christ 2. Compare this Worship with the Worship which Pagans exhibited to their false Gods and Papists to their Saints 1. I observe that in the Unitarian Hypothesis the Worship or Honour due to Christ is not a supream Worship such as we ought to pay to God Christ being a Creature can never be worshipped as God is Thô he be never so great and glorious a supream Worship is proper only to Almighty God and can never be bestowed on any Creature 2. As it cannot be denied that there are divers Orders of Creatures so the Honour paid to them ought to be proportionable to their Greatness and Dignity Thus in a Kingdom those who by reason of their Dignity are above the common sort of Men deserve a greater Respect and Honour than others and the King who is above them all has an Honour paid to him which is incommunicable to the rest of his Subjects By the same reason Angels who are more excellent than Men are worthy of greater Honour But Christ who has been exalted above both Men and Angels since he is King of Kings and Lord of Lords hath a proper Worship due to him which can never be given either to Angels or Men. He is God's Beloved Son by way of Excellence all Power is given to him in Heaven and Earth he is at the Right-hand of God having all things put under his Feet he deserves therefore an Honour so much greater than theirs as he is greater Phil. 2. 9 10 11. God also hath highly exalted him and given him a Name above every Name that at the Name of Jesus every Knee should bow of things in Heaven and things in Earth and things under the Earth and that every Tongue should confess that Jesus is Lord to the Glory of God the Father The Apostle does not say that every Knee ought to bow at the Name of Jesus because he is the Supream God but because God has exalted him above Men and Angels because he has obtained of God a Name above every Name the most eminent and glorious Dignity that ever was This is the true ground of the Honour which is due to Christ This St. Paul teaches and this the Unitarians profess to believe and perform 3. When we worship Christ it is to the Glory of God the Father as the Apostle speaks The Honour we pay to Christ is terminated in God we worship him as God's Ambassador and Image As he who believes in him believes in God also so he who honours him honours God also 2. Let us compare the Worship of Christ the Reader will remember we mean not thereby a Supream Worship with the Worship of False Gods among Pagans and of Saints among Papists Pagans were guilty of Idolatry because First they had no Divine Command for such Worship but even our Author confesses there is such a Command for the Worship of Christ To worship Creatures without the Warrant of God is Usurpation on and Contempt of God Secondly They worshipped and served Creatures more than the Creator as St. Paul says They set up an infinite number of Gods who had been meer Men and ascribed to them such Power as did not belong to them and such Worship as was infinitely above them They offered Sacrifices to them consecrated Temples to their Honour prayed to them in a word they paid to them such Worship as was terminated in them and so made True Gods of Men. But it is not so with the Worship of Christ We ascribe to him no other Power but what we know from the Scriptures God has bestowed on him and no other Honour but what is proportionable to that Power to the Dignity of his Person and what God himself commands us to pay him This may be applied to the Papists Let them show us any Text of Scripture which obliges us to worship St. Peter St. Paul St. Francis Were they content to keep within the bounds of Respect and Honour due to glorified Saints they should be guilty of no Fault But to pray to them as many do as Mediators both of Intercession and Merit to dedicate Churches to them to kneel down before their Images and to their Images nay to their vilest Relicks this approaches too near to Idolatry Our Author therefore mistakes when he says The greatest hurt on the Vnitarian Hypothesis seems to be that they Pagans and Papists lose their Labour but according to these Principles they do no Injury to God What then Is it all one to worship Christ by God's Appointment and to worship False Gods and Apocryphal Saints without any Warrant from God Is it all one to pay to Christ such Honour as neither exceeds his Power nor is greater than his Dignity and honour False Gods and Saints in such manner as exceeds both their Power and Merit That is Obedience to God's Will the Other detestable Usurpation and Rebellion I conclude therefore that the Vnitarians by the Worship they pay to Christ cannot be said to justify or excuse Pagans or Papists Which if it had not been an invidious Charge is so apparently False that it would not have deserved any notice And thus I have done with that part of the Doctor 's Book which I undertook to answer It may be the Historian himself might upon some Texts and to some of our Author's Objections have either explained or defended himself otherways than is here done and that we may it seems shortly see unless Dr. Sherlock thinks sit to own that he desires it not In the mean time it may be the Historian is satisfied that in these Papers I have done wrong neither to him nor to the Inviolable Truth of God God be pleased to Inspire Christians with the Spirit that leads into all Truth and with that Infallible Note of true Disciples to love one another John 13. 35. Now to him that is of Power to establish us according to his Gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ to God only wise be Glory through Jesus Christ for ever Amen FINIS