For then was the Passeover and then in Canaan corne began to be ripe The sheafe of first fruits was on that day being the day after the Sabbath brought to the Priest and waved before the Lord that the whole harvest might be sanctified Christ was that day primitiae dormientium the first fruites of them that slept 1 Cor. 15.20 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first begotten of the dead Colos 1.18 Thenceforth was the whole lumpe sanctified But on that day he had the first fruits onely had he therefore gone no higher we could goe no further An exaltation he had then but his super-exaltation forty dayes after The stay he made was not from any defect in himselfe To confirme the truth of his Resurrection was one cause and to shew the glory of himselfe risen another The first per 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by frequent apparitions and per 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by externall workes of humane nature The second per 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by shewing himself in other formes and per 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by suddaine vanishings When his Disciples were informed their Ministry consecrated when all was done that he would he let them see that though his humiliation had an usque so farre and no further yet his Exaltation was higher and higher Beyond the sight and above our conceite He was lifted up Act. 1.9 exalted to the right hand of God Act. 2.33 and the protomartyr Saint Stephen saw him standing there Act. 7.56 Non ubi verbum Deus ante non fuerat not where the Word God never was but where the Word made flesh sate not before saith Ruffinus That is his high Exaltation and to it his Resurrection and Ascension were the motions Glorificatio Christi resurgendo Ascendendo completa est by rising and ascending he went into eternall glory So high ut nos desuper protegeret that from above he may protect us below Non ergo turbemur in terra as Saint Augustine Preached Our Saviour is in Heaven we need not therefore be troubled on earth We need not if rising from sinne to Righteousnesse we ascend in heart to Christ that his Grace may descend on us to keepe our hearts still exalted unto him The high exaltation of the Person is past the Person exalted is next 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 him Him that is Christ not according to the one or the other nature scorsum a part but totam personam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the whole person of God and Man according to both Natures Indeed In forma Dei semper suit semper erit claritas in the forme of God ever was ever will be clarity One the same without alteration But if we consider with the Fathers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one reason of the Deity in and by it selfe and another according to the dispensation that may be said of the God-head in the personall union which otherwise would derogate from God As therefore Christ emptyed himselfe according to the Deity in the former verses so is he according to the Deity exalted here He emptyed himselfe non suis se viribus exercendo as Novatianus by vailing and is exalted by manifesting the God-head in the flesh The first was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in a respect onely and so is this The Exaltation then according to the Deity is no accession thereto a declaration onely of the high power authority and Majesty thereof Rom. 1.4 But though the Deity was not could not save in that respect be exalted yet the person of Christ according to the humane nature was highly exalted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 really simply For whatsoever is spoken of the one nature doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by communion betweene the parts and the whole truely predicate of the whole person Highly therefore exalted properly as man omne quod insirmum fragile absolvendo as Ruffinus by deposing the assumed infirmities For the humane nature wanted something in it selfe though there was nothing wanting in the person wherein the flesh subsisted It wanted that through those wants the worke might be done when that was past all those supernaturall excellencies were communicated to it which might possibly stand with God and Man The gifts of Christs body and soule are more and more perfect then all other Creatures Angels and Men can comprehend Yet as high as they be above are not against nature Nature still remaines created and so in her essentials that our flesh and the seed of David shall in celestiall glory reigne for ever and ever The Majesty of Christ is not the same in both natures Increated the one created the other No creature can be equall to the Creator We extoll his humane nature to the height but convert it not into God God and Man as one Immanuel we worship with one worship but not God as one and Man as another For then Christ must be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a common man like us and partaker of Divine glory by grace saies Cyrillus Alexandrinus By the dispensation of union he hath this honour but by this one adoration the natures are not confounded nor by the two natures is the adoration doubled Hold here and erre not For as Christ was exalted quoad loeum in place out of the grave above the earth and from the earth farre above all the Heavens Ephes 4.10 So was he quoad dignitatem in dignity above all rule power might dominion and every name that is named not onely in this world but also in the world to come Ephes 1.21 Thus highly according to his humanity properly and yet his proper humanity is farre inferiour to his Deity Fitted so to it it is that all things are under him Every knee of things in Heaven on the earth and beneath the earth doe and must bow unto his super-exalted person The Ebionites that make Christ a meere man the Arrians that grant him no true Deity and the Apollinarists that confound the persons in the Trinity are condemned by the Apostle at 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the God the blessed Trinity exalted him The Philosophers and Sadduces who scoffe at the Resurrection of the flesh the Jewes and Corinthians that deny Christs Resurrection the Appellites who counted his Ascension a dissolution of his body into the foure Elements and the Manichees that withstand his sitting at the right hand of God in respect of his flesh are condemned at 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for to the height of heights so highly did God exalt him The Christolites that attribute the exaltation to the Deity onely the Valentinians who will have Christs body Aethereall after the Resurrection the Carpocratians that say his Soule not his Body ascended the Eutychians that imagining a reall effusion of the Divine proprieties into the humane nature deifie his flesh and the Romanists who by a Magicall demurmuration detract Christ from the third Heaven not into the globe of the Sunne where the Seleucians placed him
feare of offence saith Saint Augustine So great so reverend that the Prophet David will have us extoll the Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in or at Jah his Name How in or at Even Laud abiliter nominando by mentioning it worthily And so worthily that he invites us to bend the knee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at the faces representations or Symboles whereby he is principally knowne Psal 95.6 But he is principally knowne by the Name above every name at the Name then and in that speciall manner What was therefore prophesied and confirmed by oath Isa 45.23 is spoken of our Saviour in that Chapter applyed to Christ Rom. 14.11 and fulfilled according to this Text Phil. 2.10 For that bowing to him in Isaiah without the mentioning of his Name is here expressely at the Name As if it had beene said to me who am the Saviour and though when I will be in the flesh I shall be contemned yet after my exaltation at my Name shall every knee bow As these Texts then are paralleled by the Fathers the last leaves not out the former but sets them forth unto the full Tertullian thought so There is saith he one Christ Ad quem se curvare genu plane omne fatetur to whom every knee doth visibly shew it selfe to bow Bishop Andrewes could find no ancient Writer save he that turned all into Allegories but literally understands it Save he who is that Indeed there are now extant that strangely transforme every Text which makes against them but who if the Parenthesis be his must be understood there I confesse I know not Not Origen I am sure for he speakes it out Quia Nomen Jesus est super omne nomen idcirco in nomine Jesu omne genu flectitur because the Name Jesus is above every name therefore at the name of Jesus every knee is bowed Againe Non in hoc vocati sumus c. ut genua flectamus diabolo sed ut flectamus genua in nomine Domini Jesu we are not called unto this that we should bow the knees unto the devill but that we might bow the knees at the Name of the Lord Jesus Againe Vocabulum Jesu omni adoratu cultuque appel ari c. the glorious Name of Jesus ought to be named with all manner of adoration and worship And againe Omnes hi qui in Nomine Jesu flectentes per hoc ipsum subjectionis suae insignia declararunt all these who are bowers at the name of Jesus by this very thing have given notable tokens of their subjection Saint Cyprian is as plaine God the Father commanded that his Sonne should be worshipped and the Apostle Saint Paul mindfull of the precept Ponit dicit in Nomine c. sets downe how and saith at the Name Novatianus saith omne se in Nomine ejus genu flecter◠t every knee should bow it selfe at the name of him Saint Athanasius tels us the Sonne of God Homo factus Jesus appellatus made man and called Jesus hath this honour that every Creature doth flectere sibi in Nomine suo bow the knees to him at his Name And in another place he saith that the Church did and shall bow in nomine Jesu at the name of Jesus Saint Ambrose hath no other Exposition of it nor other hath Ruffinus Saint Hierome on the Text Vnto me every knee shall bow recites this of the Apostle and saith Perspicue significatur populus Christianus there is plainely signified the Christian people Moris enim Ecclesiastici c. For so to bow is the custome of the Church Saint Chrysostome denies it not to be the glory of Christ but saith it is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the highest glory to bow at his name Saint Augustine affirmes that Christ after his suffering received Quae consequenter contexit Apostolos all that the Apostle by consequence hath linked together at Philip. 2.9 10 11. As if the Exaltation of his person appeared not but by our Exalting of his Name Cyrillus Alexandrinus cals it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a most significant Sacrament declaring that Christ one is God in and with the humane nature 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 remaining still what he was before And at the same councell of Ephesus in his Oration he saith this is illustrious to shew that Christs obedience made him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 both glorious and worthy of admiration and conciliative of all goodnesse unto us The Fathers in the Councels render it in or at the Name and I find it not otherwise interpreted in any Church It seemes there was either neglect or irreverent performance of it among some at the time of the Councell of Basil For there it was constituted that when the glorious Name of Jesus was mentioned whereat every knee ought to bow Omnes caput inclinent all should bow the head The devout faithfull audito Nomine hearing the name Jesus bow the head or bend the knee so Alphonsus Abulensis According to the custome of the ancient Christians Soli Nomini Jesu quando nominatur fit reverentia reverence is done to the Name when it is named so Estius We bow the knee and uncover the head Ad mentionem Domini Jesu at the mentioning of the Lord Jesus so Osiander In hoc Nomine quod est Jesus at this name which is Jesus so Gorran Musculus tels us Omnino in usurpatione Nominis Dei declaratur quam sancte reverenter de Deo sentiamus that the usage of Gods Name doth declare our esteeme of God For he that Religiously thinkes of him cannot usurpe his name irreligiously You shall see many saith he that will put off their caps and shew some other token of reverence when any mention is made of the King to declare how reverently they doe judge of their Ruler And among Christian men you may find many that make mention of God the Father of his Sonne Christ Jesu our Lord and Saviour and of the Holy Ghost and heare it also of others without any token of honour Stupiditas ista plane indicium leniter de Deo sentientis quicquid tandem ore proferatur this blockishnesse doth verily betoken a light opinion of God in heart whatsoever be said in word I know Master Calvin is of no small esteeme and he brings this for an argument of our Saviours Deity that God gave a Name to his Christ whereat every knee should bow If Zanchius have any repute it is required that signification of reverence be given ad Nomen Dei ◠um prosertur at the Name of God when it is pronounced as many men doe when they heare the name of their King May he be of note among us then in or at the name is ad solam momi◠nem Nominis at the onely mentioning of the Name of Jesus for so he expounds it Nor doubted he but thence the most ancient custome arose in the Churches that when
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
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
Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father Tract IX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To the glory of God the Father VVE may here as Beza noteth interpret 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and read in the glory Novatianus doth so so doth Saint Ambrose so saith Saint Athanasius sometimes Saint Hierome alwayes and Saint Augustine too as was observed before 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 glory then involving all the excellencies of nature boundlesse in the Creatour the sense must be Christ is Lord in the same Majesty and of the same treasures with God the Father Lord of glory 1 Cor. 2.8 King of glory Psal 24.7 God of glory Acts 7.2 Fides aequat Filium Patri atque utriusque eandem gloriam confitetur saith Saint Ambrose The Father and the Sonne are in our faith both consubstantiall and coequall Neither before nor behinde other in wisdome counsell understanding power comlinesse graciousnesse blessednesse or whatsoever is Gods beyond our comprehension infinitely In this immense and increated glory Christ as the Sonne of God ever was is and with the Father shall be ever He is in the forme of God and therefore no robery for him to be equall to God vers 6. Immo non suit quasi jam non sit nec erit quasi nondum sit sed sine initio sine fine semper est claritas Yea it was not as if it were not now nor shall be as if it were not yet but without beginning without end the glory is alwayes saith Saint Augustine He is the brightnesse of Gods glory and the Image of his substance Heb. 1.3 The Apostle there declares 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his equality of substance and propinquity with the Father as Saint Chrysostome expounds it Nor did or could his inhumanation breed any disparity God forbid that we should thinke so so that the flesh brought ignominy to the Word The Sonne is not diminished in his Deity sed potius caro per verbum Dei glorificata est but the flesh rather is glorified by the Word of God saith Athanasius For as man also he from the very instant of the personall union 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was so perfectly inriched with the glory of the invisible Deity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that one and the same might be the glory of the Word and the flesh saith Damascen Vailed it in his visible body from the eyes of men yet was full in him Witnesse his transfiguration where taking nothing nor changing into any thing which was not he to his Disciples opening their sight shewed that which was Yet with Zanchius I affirme that as man he was not alwayes in this glory per perfectissimam fruitionem after the highest fruition Thus onely after death For his prayer was to be glorified with the Father in the glory which he had with him from eternity John 17.5 And though as man he by the union obtained this increated glory in respect of his person yet we deprive him not of the created wherein his humane nature resides by reall participation This though finite is so cleare in him that he in it is refulgent throughout Heaven Heaven wants no Sunne nor Moone the glory of God lightens it lucerna ejus est◠Agnus and the light thereof is the Lamb Rev. 21.13 This visible all the blessed shall behold and most happy we in enjoying this This is manant not the essentiall The Sunne gives light yet the light is formally in the Sunne As the effect from the cause so is this By personall union the one by communication the other And neither the one way nor the other for himselfe For us Christ was assumed unto and abides in both Both are fully manifested in him that we through him assured to be glorified perfectly might with full voyce heart and tongue confesse him Lord in and of the glory In it himselfe without whom is no glory and of it Lord to glorifie whom he pleaseth And all this to the glory of God the Father To the glory that he is Lord and to the glory that we confesse him Lord. The Fathers take both and finding both expressed in the Scriptures we reject neither First we should confesse that all his Lordship is not to his owne glory but to his Fathers For at his Nativity the Angels give the glory thereof unto God in the highest Luke 2.13 14. God the Father twice proclaimed by voyce from Heaven that he tooke the glory of him to himselfe At his Baptisme first in the river Jordan Matth. 3.17 At his transfiguration next on Mount Tabor Matth. 17.5 Christ professeth also that he seeketh not his owne glory but honoureth the Father John 8.49 50. On earth he ever did so John 17.5 and the Father having glorified him by Super upon Super he by his Lordship over Heaven Earth and Hell glorifieth the Father for ever and ever John 17.1 As he was and what he did in his humiliation as he is and whatsoever he doth in his exaltation all in himselfe and for us is ad gloriam to the glory of the Father His humiliation was For the Word was made flesh and suffered death in the flesh non ad ignominiam Deitatis sed ad gloriam Dei Patris not to the dishonour of the Deity but to the glory of God the Father Because it is his glory hominem jam conditum amissum recuperari c. that man now lost should be recovered vivified being dead and made the Temple of God So Athanasius His exaltation too For it is the Fathers glory 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to have his Sonne Lord of all things So Cyrillus Alexandrinus And of all in himselfe and for us hath the Father glory oFor his perfection sufficiencie equality in power goodnesse wisdome is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the great argument f the Fathers power goodnesse and wisdome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this is it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he hath begotten such a Sonne so Saint Chrysostome It is the Sonnes glorie sets forth the Fathers Heb. 1.2 Per filium glorificari patrem quis negat No man denies that so Saint Augustine Thinke not then that gloria filio shall abate ought of gloria patri Let the feare be farre from us that in exalting the Sonne we shall eclipse the glory of the Father saith the reverend Bishop Nay our confession implicit by the knee and explicit of the tongue is to his glory The Syriak interpreter renders it thus Omnes lingua confiteatur Dominum Jesum Christum ad gloriam Dei Patris sui every tongue should confesse the Lord Jesus to the glory of God his Father This also intended Arias Montanus by observing two Comma's here one before 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word that another after 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the name Christ and therefore translates it in gloriam As if he had said every tongue should confesse unto the the
verses That at the Name of Jesus every knee should bow of things in heaven and in earth and under the earth And that every tongue should confesse that Jesus Christ is Lord. Secondly finis summus the highest end Gloria Dei the glory of God All that is done is to the glory of God the Father Both are raised on sure ground There is a propter quod at the entrance to tell us that A supernaturall conjunction and a supernaturall effect God and man in one to set at unity God and man For the union and for our salvation therefore God hath highly exalted him We have now gained these praecognita God is prime efficient in the exaltation we subservient God and man the materiall cause the union the formall Our Salvation the next finall and the glory of God the last The formall and the finall first in execution are first in hand The efficient and materiall will be next The subservient after But the first intension in execution last 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wherefore also The two first words wherefore and also are as the most reverend and learned Bishop Andrewes said the Axis and Cardo the very point whereupon the whole Text turneth It concernes us then to be wary here For if we mistake this we run into a Labyrinth of errors In the Text there is a cause preceding but what this cause is that is it The Papist will have humanitatis meritum his humility and obedience the meritorious cause of his glorification Which if we grant it may be thought that Christ had greater respect to himselfe then of us Secondly it will be inferred that man may merit Divine honour And thirdly it may be denyed that Christ had his clarification by nature which is Arrianisme The Fathers whom they urge Ambrose Hierome Chrysostome Augustine Vigilius Beda c. understand by merit Viam ordinem seriem perveniendi ad gloriam the way and order of the eternall purpose unto glory Meritum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dicitur opus per quod pervenitur ad honorem quamvis gratuito destinatum donatum Merit figuratively is a meanes whereby that honour is obtained which was freely given So Calvin Polanus Tilenus Vorstius c. And who will ponder Saint Augustines words immediate to those Bellarmin citeth shall find no other then merit abusively taken That the Mediatour of God and men the man Christ Jesus saith he might be glorified by the Resurrection Prius humiliatus passione he was first humbled in the passion Non enim a mortuis resurrexisset si mortuus non fuisset for he had not risen from the dead if he had not first beene dead By his next words then humilitas claritatis est meritum humility is the merit of glory What intendeth he but that humility goes before glory and glory followes humility Descend we but sixe lines and he sets humility and glory in order as the seed before the fruite Most evident it is in Saint Luk. 24.26 Christ ought to suffer and so goe into glory Propter quod or the Wherefore in the Text doth not tell us that Christs humility was the efficient of his exaltation or his exaltation the reward merited by his obedience But declares the cause of his comming to and for us and the going out of his submission whereby he acquired glory Or if you will his humility is there propounded as an example unto us that we might know how and by whom to obtaine glory as in the Morall For if 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here may be paralleled at Psal 45.7 Act. 20.26 Heb. 3 7. 2 Pet. 1.10 it is a note of consequence And this Saint Athanasius and Saint Cyrill have observed against the Arrians No cause other of Christs exaltation was the prevening humility unlesse that which is called sin◠quâ non as the race may be said to be the cause of attaining the bell Indeed Oportuit ut praecederet humilitas a necessity there was that the humility of his passion should be before the height of his glorification saith Saint Augustin But we must find another cause of his exaltation unlesse we will seeme to abet dangerous errours The Text is not simply 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wherefore but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wherefore also so is the Syriacke so the Vulgar and so doth Arias Montanus Erasmus Beza c. interpret There is then another wherefore or the same wherefore was before either understood or expressed Looke we backe unto the 6. verse and then forward unto this and tell how the Sonne of God came to be humbled Amavit quem precio redemit his love moved him to it saith Tertullian And his love gratia unionis by the gracious dispensation or the uniting of the divine and humane nature in one person did it The same that caused the Sonne of God to be humiliated caused also the Sonne of man to be exalted God could not be humbled but by the humanity nor man exalted but by the divinity Nor did the humanity or possibly could it merit to be assumed into the Godhead To be so assumed was that grace we terme the grace of union Nor was this grace for himselfe he wanted not our nature but for us we wanted him Because he would doe good to us he would doe it this way And this way that what was fittest for our remedy one and the same 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 might dye in the one nature and rise by the other said Leo. Secondly if at the former Verses demand be why he was so humbled The Articles of our faith and the Fathers according to the Scriptures answer Ex causa humanae salutis that the whole obedience of Christ points out our salvation as the efficient meritorious cause doth its proper effect The propter quod of his humiliation tends to us propter nos de nobis dictum est exaltavit Donavit and for us also is the propter quod of his exaltation as Athanasius In his owne person both but for himselfe neither the one nor the other So bountifull he that whatsoever he did was done to make us partakers of his excellencies Mat. 20.28 Surrexit Christus exultet universus mundus as Saint Augustin for whom Christ dyed let the whole world exult now he is risen He undertooke death ne mori timeremus that we might not feare to dye oftendit resurrectionem ut nos posse resurgere confidamus he rose that we also may be sure to rise saith Gregory For us onely his humiliation and his exaltation acquired in his person merited for us onely For us both that we might give him the more glory This is Ecclesiasticall and in primis saith Athanasius We deny therefore that Christs humiliation secundum carnem as a worke of his humanity was the propter quod that merited his exaltation But are positive that propter quod formale the internall impulsive or formall cause
wherefore God highly exalted him is the grace of union And satisfaction being made by his death for us that glory may be ours also is propter quod finale the externall impulsive or first finall Wherefore of his exaltation The Papist here slander us in saying we allow not Christ to merit ought For first our tenet is that not for any thing in the flesh but for the Word whereto the flesh is united was the flesh exalted Secondly that God being made man in the person of God and Man was worthinesse to deserve over and over what we can conceive Thirdly that it is supercilious curiosity wherein Scriptures are silent to define what Christ merited to himselfe Fourthly that it is expressed throughout the Testaments old and new that he had little or no regard of himselfe but for us All that might be for our Salvation Lastly that the humility and the glory being set downe in the eternall decree the glorification followed the humiliation suâ sponte of its owne accord or by the union necessarily And this is held the principall reason wherefore the man so humbled both might and ought to be so highly exalted Bring these together and the Lutherans and Calvinists so well agree here that who oppose in what follows will be condemned at 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by that which went before True Christians we referre the Wherefore in the Text not to Christs being made obedient onely but to the cause also of his humiliation It was his charity there He would be humbled unto that we might be delivered from death And his Charity here also He would be exalted that we through him might be glorified Our freedome then from hell and entrance into Heaven beginning at his love have perfection after his obedience by his exaltation His humiliation merited our exaltation though not his owne His owne was by the union and not in any thing else measured unto him We finde not why hee should merit any thing to himselfe whose perfection wanted nothing that might be acquired by merit This we know it was decreed that God should be inhumanated to dye and rise againe for us As inhumanated he dyed and is exalted as inhumanated The flesh is the instrument of the Word wherein it doth subsist The flesh therefore subsisting in the person of the Sonne of God we determine the propter quod or wherefore why the Sonne of God did dye The same subsistence propter quod etiam the wherefore also why he is exalted He dyed How As man Why For us He is exalted How As man Why For us For us then is the other propter quod or Wherefore in the Text. Wherefore also God hath highly exalted him Tract II. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God hath highly exalted him WHerefore hath beene declared we now are at the exaltation and that first of the person by God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God is agent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 high exaltation the worke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the whole person of God and Man the object These three may not be separated For none can super-exalt save God and none be super-exalted save Jesus God is the onely powerfull and Jesus the onely worthy Before it was said Christ humbled himselfe ver 7. but now it is God that exalts Christ In the low estate the humane nature was very busie but this high advancement must be a divine act onely As God onely could never have dyed so man onely could never have beene exalted Man did nothing in the exaltation God was all in all Rom. 1.4 The Originall is Emphaticall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the God which Christ was in his humiliation For he resumed his Soule by the same power wherein he laid it downe John 10.17 Though the Scripture ascribes Christs exaltation to the Father Acts 2.24 yet doth not exclude the power of the Sonne It sheweth Essentiae operationis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the identity of essence and power in them The very same God which the Father the Sonne and the Holy Ghost are is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the God The God which the Father is For God the Father raised him from the dead 2 Cor. 2.21 and set him at his right hand Act. 2.33 The God which the Sonne is For God the Sonne raised againe the Temple of his body John 2.19 ascended into heaven John 3.13 and is set downe at the right hand of the throne of God Heb. 12.2 The God which the Holy Ghost is For God the Holy Ghost shall quicken us Rom. 8.11 with the same Spirit was Christ annointed above his fellowes Psalm 45.7 and beyond measure John 3.34 The exaltation then is a worke of the whole Trinity undivided and essentially common to the three persons Not that it is essentiall for then the Father and the Holy Ghost must be exalted and not the Sonne onely But the worke is personall because terminated in the person of the Sonne of God The Father and the Holy Ghost did exalt but neither the Father nor the Holy Ghost is the person exalted It is the reall distinction of the persons makes this distinction reall This is the Symphony of the Church the Fathers in all the Councels expound it thus and so ◠s it understood in the Articles of our Faith One and the same God in three persons exalting and yet not three but one exalted person The God it was is proved but what the God did would be declared 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith the Apostle that is multiplicavit sublimitatem he multiplyed his sublimity as the Syriacke he exalted him as the Vulgar super-exalted as Arias Montanus insummam extulit sublimitatem he lifted him up unto the height of all heights as Erasmus Beza c. highly exalted as our Translatours We have here as the most reverend Bishop observed a decompound super-exaltavit his exalting hath an ex and a super whence and whither his person was exalted Whence From the Dungeon with Joseph from the Den with Daniel from the Whales belly with Jonas Or if you will from the three extreames of his exinanition Death the Grave and Hell Whither To life to Heaven to the Throne of God The full of his exaltation is his Resurrection Ascension and sitting downe in the highest glory Three to three the highest three answer the three lowest First he dyed then was buryed last of all descended into Hell So at his exaltation first he rose then ascended last of all sate downe at the right hand of the Father The amends is full For Death Shame and a death of shame in the former verse he hath Life Glory and the life of glory in this These all and ever all For he is factus Dominus made the Lord of life and glory This last is ultimus gradus the super or that above super quod non est super above which there is nothing above The day in deed of his Resurrection was the Feast of the first fruites Levit. 23.10
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
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