I shall put this Instance in form of an Argument that the fallacy and insufficiency thereof may the better appear That it is contrary to the Scripture to give Divine worship honour and service to a meer Creature But Divine worship honour and service is by the warrant of the Scripture given to Christ Iesus Rev. 5.12 13 14. Therefoae Christ Iesus is not a meer creature To the Major I shall thus reply 1. I conceive that your expressions having in them some ambiguity need explanation If by Divine worship honour and service you mean that worship honor and service which is in any sense Divine I utterly deny your Proposition as erroneous and unsound For there is no worship honour and service which of right belongs to the creature but is in a sense Divine God being the principall Author and ultimate Center thereof Rom. 13. Eph. 5.7 But if you mean in the strictest sense that worship honour and service which is peculiar unto the most High God then shall I say with you that it is Idolatry and contrary to the Scripture to give it to any creature whatsoever That worship honour and service which is peculiar unto God differs from that which may be yeelded to the Creature partly in the matter but wholly in the manner of it We must pray to God for all things we want and may pray to men for what they can give we must obey God and we must obey men who are set over us by God but we may not worship honour or serve men in the like manner as we doe the most High God who is the Principall and Ultimate Object of all worship honour and service his right thereto being only of himself and he himself being the sole end thereof According to this sense is that command which our Saviour mentions Mat. 4. â—0 to be understood Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serve 2. I wonder at this adjection MEER which you have added to creature as if a creature in essence could be more then a meer creature or as if some creature might have as its right and due that honor worship and service which the Scripture doth appropriate to the most High God Sure I am that creatures as creatures are excluded from sharing with GOD in that worship and service which is peculiar to him Now for your Minor That Divine worship honor and service is by Scripture-warrant given to Christ Iesus Answ Sir it is granted that Jesus Christ is the intermediate object of Divine worship honour and service being Gods Viceroy and acting amongst men in his Fathers name which the Scripture you bring helps to confirm But where the Scripture allows worship honour and service to be given to him as the Principall and Vltimate Object thereof is not yet made to appear and therefore the Conclusion may not have liberty to pass as an unquestiouable truth Instance 2 If Christ be a meer creature then it is lawfull and warrantable to beleeve in a meer Creature which is against the tenure of the whole Scripture But it is commanded in reference unto Christ Joh. 14.1 and salvation is annexed to it Jo. 3.36 Instance 3 If Christ be a meer creature then faith in a meer creature can save man which is absurd and grosse and contrary to the Scriptures for Abraham beleeved God and it was accounted to him for Righteousness Rom. 4.3 and so was saving Answ SIR these two instances the one being in respect of the other flesh of its flesh and bone of its bone I have joyn'd together and shall oppose unto these two Propositions which the Scripture will warrant and may suffice for an Answer 1. That that Faith which is needfull and necessary to salvation hath a double object God and the man Christ Jesus Joh. 14.1 the Scripture which you quote bears witness to this as a truth We are to beleeve on him that sent Jesus Christ Joh. 5.24 Verily verily I say unto you saith Christ he that heareth my Word and beleeveth on him that sent me hath everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but is passed from death to life And also on Jesus Christ that was sent John 6.29 As the Serpent was lifted up in the wilderness so must the Son of man be lifted up that whosoever beleeveth in him should not perish but have everlasting life John 3.14 15. That faith which hath but a single object is not a saving faith It is impossible that men should by a Gospel-light beleeve in God and not in Christ or in Christ and not in God Jesus cryed and said He that beleeveth on me beleeveth not on me but on him that sent me John 12.44 For by the Gospel God appears merciful in the face of Christ Christ appears instrumentall in the hand of God Rom. 4.24 Rom. 10.9 Though in some places but one is expressed yet there the other is clearly imply'd 2. That that Faith which is needfull and necessary to salvation acts in a diverse manner on God and the Lord Christ Jesus It acts towards God as the Principall and Vltimate and towards Iesus Christ as the Secondary and mediate Object of Faith Peter shews that the Saints to whom he wrote did beleeve in God through Iesus Christ and so that God was the Ultimate and Christ the Mediate object of their faith 1 Pet. 1.21 'T is from Gods Commandment that faith in Christ is needfull 1 Iohn 3.23 And 't is from Gods appointment that faith in Christ is saving Joh. 6.4 This is the will of him that sent me saith Christ that every one which seeth the Son and beleeveth on him may have everlasting life Instance 4 If Christ be but a meer creature then a meer creature is the Saviour of men saving them with a mighty and eternal salvation as the Scripture speaks but this is against the whole current of the Gospel which speaks of God our Saviour Tit. 2.10 13. and in many other places Answ Against this your instance I shall levell this Assertion which will be sufficient to discover its weakness and confute it That to affirm Jesus Christ to be the Saviour of men without God or equal with God is contrary to the current of the whole Scripture which doth distinguish God from Christ in the work of Salvation calling him a Saviour as distinct from Christ as in the 1 Tim. 1.1 where God is said to be our Saviour and the Lord Jesus Christ to be our hope and in the Text you alleadge and frequently elsewhere And in that the Scripture doth prefer God in the work of Salvation before our Lord Jesus Christ making God to be the principal Agent therein when it declares that the work of Christ in saving men was from the purpose of God who appointed him for it and from the Precept of God who injoyned him to it and from the Presence of God who assisted him in it all which from the Scriptures might be abundantly set forth
suppose will be silence Master Eaton's Scriptures and Instances THe Doctrine against Christ being God is not onely contradictory to the Scripture which doth most clearly hold him out to be so as when he is called God in Psal 45.6 Thy throne O God is for ever and ever The mighty God Isa 9.6 The great God and our Saviour in Tit. 2.13 The true God Joh. 5.20 and when the incommunicable name Jehovah is attributed to him in Jer. 23.6 which signifies one that hath being of himself and gives being to his promises and so becomes proper to the most high God alone and when he is called The everlasting Father Isa 9.6 and in that saying of Christ to the Jews Before Abraham was I am Joh. 8.58 and in that Rev. 1.8 I am Alpha and Omega the Beginning and the End saith the Lord which was is and which is to come the Almighty and when he is said to be in the beginning and to be with God and to be God Joh. 1.1 and when it is said that by him all things were made and without him nothing is made that was made and when Christ saith that he is always and so with all the faithful to the end of the world Matth. 28.20 and when he asserts that he knew all the works of the Churches which at that distance as meer man he could not do Rev. 2.2 and when he is said to be the first-born of every creature where his eternal generation is held out Col. 1.15 and that by him all things were created vers 16. Now because Creation is a making of all things out of nothing and required an infinite power God could make use of no instrument inasmuch as God cannot give an infinite power to any creature because no creature is capable of such a divine attribute for it would make him God to be almighty or to be infinite in power And when he is resembled in reference to his eternity to Melchizedek Without beginning of days or end of life Heb. 7.3 and that in Prov. 8.22 The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way saith Christ Before his works of old I was set up from everlasting vers 30. Then was I by him as one brought up with him c. And that in Zech. 13.7 Awake O sword against my Shepherd against the man that is my fellow And that in Joh. 3.13 No man hath ascended up into heaven but he that came down from heaven even the Son of man that is in heaven And that in Joh. 17.5 Glorifie me O Father with that glory I had with thee before the world was There be many other pregnant Scriptures which would be too long to mention for the proving of Christ to be God in that sence which we usually speak of God and therefore that opinion that denies it contradicts these Scriptures But further it may be truely said that this Doctrine that makes Christ a meer creature brings in as it were another Gospel destroys the true Gospel in many of the parts of it and brings in another Scripture in many points 1. As first if Christ be but a meer creature and not God then the giving of Divine worship and honour and service to a meer creature is lawful and warrantable and yet everywhere forbidden in reference to any creature but is practised to Christ in Rev. 5.12 13 14. and would be Idolatry if Christ were not God 2. If Christ be a meer creature then it is lawful and warrantable to believe in a meer creature which is against the tenour of the whole Scripture but is commanded in reference unto Christ Joh. 14.1 and salvation is annexed to it Joh. 3.36 3. If Christ be but a meer creature then faith in a meer creature can save man which is absurd and gross and contrary to the Scriptures for Abraham believed God and it was accounted to him for righteousness Rom. 4.3 and so was saving 4. If Christ be but a meer creature then a meer creature is the Saviour of men saving them with a mighty and eternal salvation as the Scripture speaks but this is against the whole current of the Gospel which speaks of God our Saviour Tit. 2.10 13 and in many other places 5. If Christ be but a meer creature then a meer creature is Mediator betwixt God and Man which cannot be because a meer creature is no way meet to be a days-man for God and because a Mediator must either partake of both God and Man or of neither else he will rather be a party then a Mediator if he partake of Mans nature and not of Gods if he be Man and not God Therefore this Mediator betwixt God and Man is called Emmanuel that is God with us or God in our nature God manifested in the flesh 1 Tim. 3.16 or God made flesh as in Joh. 1.14 6. If Christ be but a meer creature then the righteousness of Christ which is imputed to believers is not the righteousness of God but the righteousness of a meer creature But this is against the tenour of the Scripture Phil. 3.9 7. If Christ be but a meer creature then to pardon sin belongs not to him because Scripture testifies that none can forgive sin but God because all sin is against God therefore none can forgive it but God But it is evident Christ took the authority of forgiving sin Son saith Christ thy sins are forgiven thee and Luke 7.48 8. If Christ be but a meer creature then the value of that offering which Christ offered when he offered himself to God is taken away and the satisfaction which Christ gave to Divine justice is destroyed for if the person that died were a meer man and the blood that was shed the blood of a meer man and not of God as it is called Acts 20.28 then how could it satisfie for the sins of many transgressors for there is no proportion betwixt one meer man dying for sins and many men sinning and deserving death each of them for the sins they have committed And how an infinite Justice offended should be satisfied with a sacrifice finite in value is unconceiveable and against the tenour of the Scripture 9. If Christ be a meer creature then the intercession of Christ is utterly overthrown for Christ if meer man being in heaven cannot know the state of his Church in all places upon earth therefore cannot intercede for it 10. If Christ be a meer creature then how can he protect and defend and save and direct and rule and govern his Church in all the world in every condition and against all enemies he being at such a distance and remoteness from the Church and yet it is said of him that he is able to save to the utmost those that come to God by him Heb. 7.25 and that he is with them to the end of the world and Christ stood by Paul and strengthned him in suffering Acts 23.11 and Rev. 3.10 Because thou hast kept the word of my patience I
will keep thee in the hour of temptation so that it is Christ now in heaven that keeps the Saints on earth which being a meer creature he cannot do 11. If Christ be a meer creature then a meer creature is the judge of the world which is against the Scripture for the Judge of all the world is God before whom Abraham stood Gen. 18.25 when he pleaded for Sodom Rev. 2.5 6 the day of judgement is called the day of the revelation of the righteous judgement of God who will render to every man according to his works 12. Lastly which should have been before if Christ be a meer creature then prayer to him being now in heaven is altogether vain and frivolous insomuch as persons may cry loud long enough before Christ hear them at that distance But the Saints have been wont not onely to pray to God in Christs Name but to pray to Christ directly and immediately as in Acts 7.59 Rev. 22.20 Lord Jesus receive my spirit Come Lord Jesus c. Master KNOWLS his Answer to the Arguments and Scriptures alleadged by M. Samuel Eaton concerning the Divinity of CHRIST SIR IT is a good thing as the Author to the Hebrews speaks that the heart be established in grace and to me it is an indubitable truth that unsettlement is sometimes the next way to a right and firm establishment For Errour whilst misapprehended is entertained in gracious hearts as a welcome guest and Truth whilst received hand over head by tradition onely is as a Building whose foundation is but sandy which holds up no longer then the waves and windes hold in Whether most Professors have not swallowed without chewing much of that Doctrine they now profess is not my work to determine It is enough for me with shame to confess that I have been of the number of those if any such be who see with other mens eyes and pin their faith as we usually speak on the Churches sleeve But having now through the goodness of God turned over leaf and learned a new course I am resolved to examine all things by the Touch-stone of Truth that I may unlearn what I have learnt amiss and hold fast that onely which in my understanding is good Upon this account being somewhat willing to make a scrutiny into the Common Doctrine of the holy Trinity of which in most ages there have been some scruples amongst men of parts and learning and exhorting others to the same practice for the abovenamed ends but especially reasoning thereof as one dubious therein I was suspected to say no more by you and others to be in Faith unsound and Heterodox Wherefore that the Common Doctrine might be supported you published a Paper and did cast the same into my hands which lying open to many Objections I promised being urged to present you therewith upon this condition That nothing spoken might be taken for my judgment To which you agreed and therefore I shall act freely as if I were in judgement directly opposite to you and shall desire that neither you nor others do conclude before I profess what my judgement is I was about to present you with an exact Epitome of the common Doctrine of the holy Trinity with Interrogations about it Arguments against it and seeming Contradictions in it but have forborn till I finde by a modest Answer to this that your spirit is able to bear Now ad rem to the business in hand which is concerning the Deity of Iesus Christ The Question is not clearly stated in your Paper wherefore give me leave to do it The Question is not Whether Jesus Christ be a God in Name and Office Nor whether the Father dwell in him but Whether he be That most high God whose Being and Actings are originally of himself That he is you assert but I deny and that for the beating out and further clearing up of Truth The way you have taken by Scripture and Reason to make good your Assertion I cannot dislike the truth is I like no other way Whether the Scriptures brought speak on your side and whether your Reasons have weight in them is now the thing in debate I shall begin with your Scriptures and with that first which first appears which is Psal 5.6 Thy throne O God is for ever and ever and the Scepter of thy Kingdom is a right Scepter Answ First that no Argument can be found in the text to confirm the thing you assert for though it were granted that this Psalm is a Prophecie onely of Iesus Christ which I shall not allow it being spoken according to a literal sence of Solomon the King to which Willet Pareus Hugo Grotius Iunius Cotton and almost all Interpreters do consent yet this Title God will not bolster up your opinion of Christ For the name Aelohim which here is attributed unto Christ is common with the most High to Creatures both Angels and Men. It is given to Angels Psal 8.5 Thou hast made him that is Christ a little lower then Aelohim Gods so in the Hebrew which is translated by the Author to the Hebrews Chap. 2.7 the Angels To men Psal 82.1 God judgeth among the Gods that is the Rulers of Israel So vers 6. I have said Ye are gods Likewise in Exod. 22.8 9. where the word is translated Judges Secondly that some Arguments may be drawn from this Psalm to deny the thing you assert Take these 1. He that is blessed of God is not the most high God For without all contradiction the less is blessed of the better Heb. 7.7 But this God Jesus Christ is blessed of God vers 2. Grace is poured into thy lips therefore god hath blessed thee for ever 2. That God which hath a God is not the most high God But this God Jesus Christ hath a God Thou lovest righteousness and hatest wickedness therefore O God thy God hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows vers 7. Therefore c. 3. That God whose authority is derivative is not the most high God But the authority of this God Jesus Christ is derivative vers 7. where he is said to be anointed by God that is to receive Kingly or Godlike power form him Therefore this God Jesus Christ is not the most high God Now I hasten to your second Scripture Isa 9.6 And his name shall be called Wonderful Counsellor The mighty God The ever lasting Father The Prince of Peace Answ These two Titles The mighty God The everlasting Father you dig out of the text and lay them as the foundation of your faith that Jesus Christ is the most high God To this Scripture take this Reply 1. That according to some mens reading those Titles do not at all belong in this place to Jesus Christ and after some mens expounding they appertain not to Christ onely Some Jews thus read the words And this is the name by which The Wonderful Counsellor The mighty God c. shall call him to wit The
In those days shall Iudah be saved and Ierusalem shall dwell safely and this is the name wherewith she shall be called Iehovah our righteousness Also the City Ierusalem is called Iehovah Ezek. 48.35 And the name of the City from that day shall be Iehovah is there Yea the Altar which Moses erected when the Amalekites were discomfited is called Iehovah Nissi The Lord my Hunter Exodus 17.15 I know you will not say that the Church is the most High God much less the Altar or City Ierusalem yet you may see that the Incommunicable name Iehovah is communicated to them How your inference concerning Christ may be justified is yet not evident but remains dubious not onely for the commonness of the name but also because this Iehovah is said to be raised by another v. 5. THE Scripture which occupies the next place hath been already insisted on wherefore that which follows being Iohn 8.58 John 8.58 Before Abraham was I am is now to be spoken to Answ The words rightly understood will no ways countenance your inference from them In the words we have a Grammaticall Figure which they call Enallage whereby one time is put for another as here the present tense for the praeter Am for Was Before Abraham was I was and so they note out and signifie one or both of the things that follow 1. That Iesus Christ was instituted and revealed before Abraham had a being If we take the word I to signifie the Whole of Christ there is a necessity that the words be thus understood for Christ according to the flesh was not in being before Abraham was That he was revealed before Abraham was is clear and evident for the seed of the woman at the beginning was made known to Adam That he was ordained before Abraham had a being is from Scripture not a little manifest as 1 Pet. 1.20 And by the same reason he may here be said to be before Abraham was as he is elsewhere called the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world Rev. 13.8 2. That he had a reall being and existence before Abraham was this cannot be asserted of whole Christ and therefore according to this Exposition the Figure Synecdoche whereby the whole is put for a part must be understood in the Text. It is granted by all that contend for and by some that deny the Divinity of Jesus Christ that he had a being and existence before Abraham was but what this being was is the onely doubt Some affirm that Jesus Christ before he was born of the Virgin Mary had no other existence but in the Godhead and was onely to be considered as the Son eternally begotten of the Father Others assert that this conceit is neither Scriptural nor Rational but unsound and absurd and that he had a created being before Abraham was yea that he was the first creature and so Lord of all That this Controversie may be decided I shall lay down three Positions 1. That whole Christ doth consist of flesh and spirit Position 1 Every man is constituted of two parts flesh and spirit 2 Cor. 7.1 Iam. 2.26 and so is Christ as in Rom. 1.3 4. where the Apostle speaking of whole Christ mentions nothing but flesh and spirit According to the flesh that is the body of Christ he was of the seed of David But after the spirit of holiness he was the Son of God He that can finde another part besides those two or any nature besides what belongs to his flesh and spirit may have liberty to bring forth for ought I know what he may find out Position 2 That Christ before he took upon him the seed of Abraham did exist onely according to the spirit He had no being but a spiritual one But this is no controversall thing being on all hands concluded for truth The onely disagreement is whether this spirit of holiness after which Christ is the Son of God doth signifie the Divine Nature and Godhead or else the soul which was created or formed and did exist distinct from the flesh or body of Christ Wherefore the third Position is Position 3 That the Spirit of Christ according to which he was the Son of God is a Creature To support this take these Reasons 1. Because to affirm that the Spirit of Christ did exist distinct from his body and may be spoken of as a person is not in the least absurd For the spirit or soul of a man may exist distinct from the body and is spoken of as a person What are those spirits of just men made perfect Heb. 12.23 but the souls of good men glorified in Heaven whose bodies were in the graves In Luke 23.43 saith Christ to the Thief This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise Thou that is thy soul or spirit shall be with me that is with my spirit in Paradise 2. Because the titles which most properly belong to Christ before he took flesh do hold him forth to be a Creature first he is called the Son of God Luke 1.35 Now this title informs us of his Inferiority to God his Existency of God and his Superiority over all things 1. It holds forth his Inferiority to God God is his Father but a son is inferiour to a father and by the Law is bound to honour and obey him Wherefore Christ confesseth that his Father was greater then he Iohn 14.28 My Father is greater then I. And professeth that he did honour his Father Iohn 8.49 Iesus answered I have not a Devil but I honour my Father and ye do dishonour me That this might be put past all doubt he is called the Son of the Highest Luke 1.32 He shall be great and shall be called the Son of the Highest and the Lord God shall give unto him the Throne of his Father David And therefore not the Highest for there can be but one Highest and he is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ 2. This title Son of God proclaims his Existency on God A Son is of a Father and therefore the being of a Father is before the being of a Son God as he is a Creator is the Father of all Eph. 4.6 And all men as creatures are Gods off-spring Acts 17.28 Angels and Men who are principall creatures are called the Sons of God Job 38.7 Luke 3 38. They that hold the Deity of Christ do affirm that the Son was of the Father by an Eternall Generation But what this Generation is they cannot declare and therefore call it ineffable Yet M. Perkins will tell us that the Son was generated of the Father in that the Divine Essence was communicated to him But who can tell what this Him was to whom this Essence was communicated And who can affirm that this Essence was communicated to this Him and yet assert and evidence that he was never without it And that he was God and yet distinct from the Essence for it is said that the Essence was communicated to Him Where Scripture
doth assert and how reason will make out an Eternall Generation and whether the phrase Eternall Generation doth not contain in it a meer contradiction let him that can shew Now let it be asserted That Jesus Christ is the Son of God as he is a creature and then let us see whether a definition may not be made of his Generation His Generation is that act of Creation whereby the God of all beings did immediately and in the first place bring forth and produce him Generation and Creation to beget and create are sometimes in Scripture terms equivalent As is evident from the work of God in changing the creature which is sometimes called a new Creation sometimes Regeneration and the person changed is in one place said to be created in another to be begotten In the last place this title Son of God sets forth his superiority over all things We shall find that Son of God Christ are terms convertible if we compare Matth. 16.16 with Mark 8.29 when Christ asked his Disciples this quaery Whom think ye that I am Then Simon Peter answered and said Thou art Christ the Son of the living God So Matthew But Mark in relating the same answer gives it thus Thou art the Christ From which is evident that Christ and the Son of God are terms equivalent for one Evangelist useth both that one might expound the other but another leaves out one of the terms because either was sufficient both being Synonama's So likewise in Acts 9.20 compar'd with vers 22. of the same chap. And 't is as manifest in the scripture that Christ King of Israel and chosen of God are convertible terms noting out one and the same thing to wit Authority Dominion and Power It will appear to you as clear as the sunn if you compare these Texts together Matth. 27.42 Filij dicuntur qui aliqua exparte alicui sunt similes Mark 15.32 Luke 23.35 Magistrates and Princes by reason of that Dominion they have over others are called the the sons of the most High Ps 82.6 I have said ye are Gods and all of you are sons of the most High So David is called in Psal 2.7 which mystically and more properly belong to Christ Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee which sets forth the Kingly Office of Jesus Christ according to the confession of all Now Christ is named The son of God in way of Eminency as being King of Kings and Lord of Lords That this superiority which Christ hath over all things might be the more perspicuous he bears this name also The onely begotten Son of God Jo. 3.16 which title points at his Heirship Jesus Christ by whom God made the world was appointed to be heir of all things Heb. 1.2 now he that is an Heir is as the Apostle speaks Lord of all Gal. 4.1 In this sense Isaac is said to be Abrahams onely begotten son Heb. 11.17 not that Abraham had no other son for he had one by Hagar and diverse by Keturah but because Isaac was his heir To the rest he gave gifts but to Isaac all that he had The second Title is the word of God Rev. 19.13 And his name is called The Word of God This name is imposed on him for two Causes First because he is the Image of Gods invisibility God is invisible and dwels in unaccessible light and therefore in this life he cannot be known as he is notwithstanding because the knowledg of God is eternal life he hath reveal'd himself so farr as necessary and in a way suitable to our capacity This discovery of God is made in his son Jesus who is therefore called Col. 1.15 the Image of the invisible God and also the brightness of the Fathers glory character of his substance Heb. 1.3 And this Image Jesus Christ hath his Shadows whereby he reveals himself and so consequently the Father His shadows are the works of God Christ being Gods principall and immediate Instrument in all his works And also the words of God are a shadow of Christ for by them are the works of God made known or made more clear unto us and therefore Christ is fitly called The word of God in that a word or speech is the discoverer of mans invisibility The excellency or deformity of the minde the tongue makes evident Secondly because he was produced by God immediately This title declares not only that he was made but also that he was Gods immediate work Facere verba to make words is no unusuall phrase mens words are their creatures And for the producing or making of words no instrument distinct from the Agent intervenes but the Agent is the instrument Therefore a word is a lively shadow of Jesus Christ who was the first creature that ever God made and the instrument by which he made all things The third title is this The first-born of every Creature Coll. 1.15 It is evident from the Text that this title is appropriated to Jesus Christ by whom all things are made and it cannot be applyable to him any otherwise but as a creature and it holds him forth to be the first of Creatures A mans first-born is the first that he begets and is brought forth to him The same word is used to express the first-born among the Egyptians children Heb. 11.28 The fourth title is The beginning of the creation of God Rev. 3.14 The beginning of the creation of God that is the first of Gods creatures the words will bear this exposition for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 beginning signifies the first part of any thing or the first of things in the same kinde so in Luke 1.2 Mat. 24.8 Joh. 2.11 But some will say that he is called the beginning because he is the Prince of the creation But where the word is used in the singular number to signifie a Prince I doe not at present minde True it is that Christ is the chief because he is the first of all the Creatures Others will affirm that he is thus called because he is the Author of the creation But this exposition is excluded in that the creation whereof he is the beginning is called the Creation of God who is the author of all created things Now for the third reason which doth confirm the third position That the Spirit of Christ according to which he is the Son of God is a Creature Reason 3 Because whole Christ is a creature If whole Christ be then doubtless every part of Christ is a creature That whole Christ is a creature these following Arguments will demonstrate Argum. 1 That which is distinct from GOD is a creature But whole CHRIST is distinct from GOD therefore whole CHRIST is a CREAIVRE The Major is evident to sense and Reason for God is but one and 't is absurd to imagine him distinct from himself But some peradventure will make use of the usuall distinction betwixt person and essence and so affirm that one may be distinguished from God
another The Spirit of the Lord was upon him because he had anointed him to preach the Gospel to the poor c. Luke 4.18 Secondly His sufficiency to effect Miracles was from another The testimony that Christ gives of himself we may without scruple receive The Son saith he can do nothing of himself John 5.19 he was Gods instrument in the Miracles wrought by him Acts 2.22 Yee men of Israel saith Peter hear these words Iesus of Nazareth a man approved of God among you by Miracles Wonders and Signes which God did by him in the midst of you as yee your selves also know c. So that God the Father was the Principall Agent in all these Miracles which Christ wrought or effected which is farther confirmed by Christs saying Iohn 14.10 Believest thou not that I am in the Father and the Father in me The words that I speak unto you I speak not of my self but the Father that dwelleth in me He doth the Work In that the power by which Christ did work was the power of God as is manifest from Matth. 12.28 But if I saith Christ in Gods Spirit so in the Original cast out Devils Then is the kingdome of God come unto you By Gods Spirit we are not here to understand the Holy Ghost but the Power of God which was present with Christ for his assistance as will manifestly appear by comparing with this Text Luke 11.20 where the same speech is thus represented But if I in or by Gods finger cast out Devils doubtless the Kingdome of God is come unto you The finger of Gods power manifested in operation as in Exod. 8.19 the like phrase in the like sense is used And therefore Christ is said to do Miracles not because he was God but because God was with him Acts 10.38 He did his Miracles in his Fathers name John 10.25 When the Jews desired Christ to tell them plainly whether he were the Christ the text tells us that Jesus answered thus I told you and yee believed not The works that I do in my Fathers Name they bear witness of me Whereby Christ owned the Fathers Authority over him and acknowledged that his power to work was from him As the Apostles did in reference to Christ by doing miracles in his name Ast. 3.6 The works Christ did the Father gave him to finish that they might beare witness not that he was God but that the Father sent him Jo. 5.36 But I have greater witness saith Christ then that of John for the works which the Father hath given me to finish the same works that I do bear witnes of me that the Father hath sent me And the Rise of all was not his merits but the Fathers Love John 5.20 Thirdly His sufficiency to bestow the spirit was from another The spirit is principally from the Father wherefore Christ prayed to the Father for it Iohn 14.16 And the Father sent the Spirit in Christs name Iohn 14.26 And Christ having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost shed it forth upon his Disciples Acts 2.33 Fourthly and Lastly to name no more Christs sufficiency to quicken the dead is from another John 5.21 comp with the 26 v. The Son quickneth the dead but it is given to him to have life in himself Now why may not this Conclusion therefore whole Christ is a creature appear with boldness being usher'd in with so strong a guard as the precedent Argument is The fourth Argument which drives on the same designe now puts forth its hands to the work Argum. 4 He that acteth in obedience to another is a creature But whole Christ acteth in obedience to another Christ is the Head of the Church but God is the Head of Christ 1 Cor. 11.3 The Father is the God and Father of our Lord Iesus Christ Christ is called Gods Servant Esay 42.1 And is said to be sent of the Father Iohn 10.36 Now the Master is greater then the Servant and he that sends then he that is sent Iohn 13.16 He came in his Fathers name Iohn 5.43 He came into the world to do the will of God Heb. 10.7 Lo I come to do thy will O God He himself was not this God but the Father was this God whose will Christ came to do For he came not to do his will but the Fathers Iohn 6.38 39. I came down from Heaven not to do mine own will but the will of him that sent me and this is the Fathers will which hath sent me that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing c. The Authority and Directory of Jesus Christ was the Fathers Commandment Iohn 12.49 50. I have not saith Christ spoken of my self but the Father which hath sent me he gave me a Commandment what I should say and what I should speak and I know that his Command ment is life everlasting Whatsoever I speak therefore even as the Father said untome so I speak Therefore whole Christ is a creature The Argument which at this time is appointed to bring up the rear witnesseth what hath been said by the former to wit That whole Christ is a creature He that acteth with dependance on another is a creature But whole Christ acteth with dependance on another Therefore whole Christ is a creature No man is so Independant in respect of sense and reason as to deny the Major Wherefore let us see whether Scripture which in no part thereof is an enemy unto Reason will vote for the Minor Argum. 5 That whole Christ acteth with dependance on another is made evident from his Petitions and Professions of which the Scripture is not silent 1. Let us take a view of Christs Petitions Christ prays to another and thereby shews his dependance on another In the work of our Redemption we shall finde Christ busie in the work of Prayer See that Prophecy of Christ which you have in the 22 Psalm and you will presently see the truth of the thing asserted Reflect your eyes on the 11 verse and there shall you hear Christ praying thus Be not far from me for trouble is near for there is none to help and so on to the 19 ver where again he doth breath forth the requests of his heart Be not far from me ô Lord ô my strength hast thee to help mee c. Adde to this Prophecy the Authour to the Hebrews testimony concerning its fulfilling Heb. 5.7 Who that is Christ in the days of his flesh when he had offered up Prayers and Supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death and was heard in that he feared So in his working of Miracles we finde him in the same work of Prayer Mark 7.34 and that to the Father as is clear from Iohn 11.41 42. 2. Now for Christs Professions Christ professeth that God is the object of his dependance Psal 16.1 Preserve me O God for in thee do I put my trust And he professeth that
Saul none of Davide enemies he was the chiefest and therefore segregated from the rest Thus having taken off the Charet wheels of your Argument the Conclusion cannot advance up by its assistance I Come now to Heb. 7.3 Heb. 7.3 Answ I perceive you are willing to gather from this Text the Eternity of Iesus Christ but on this tree grows no such fruit You say that Christ is here resembled in reference to his Eternity to Melchisedek without beginning of days or end of life Pray Sir was Melchisedek Eternal If so then he was God But he was neither the Father nor the Son nor the Holy Ghost whatever some have conceived I hope you will not allow a quaternity of Persons in Unity of Essence And therefore will allow that the words be taken in a figurative sense Quod non narratur ponitur quasi non sit Melchisedek was without beginning of days or end of life in that there is no mention made either of his birth or death in the History of Moses or especially in reference to his Priesthood the time of its beginning and ending being not certainly known So our High Priest Jesus Christ is without beginning of days or end of life YOur next Scripture is Prov. 8.22 Prov. 8.22 Answ The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way before his works of old I was set up from Everlasting from the Beginning or ever the Earth was The meaning is this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Sept. The Lord who is Possessour of Heaven and Earth obtained or created me when he began to work before all his ancient works And I was set up or anointed to have the dominion of all things and that from Everlasting that is from the Beginning before the Earth was The Septuagint have the words thus The Lord created me the beginning of his ways for his works Dominus acquisivit me principium viaesuae ante opera ex tunc A saeculo principatum babui à capite ab initiis terrae Mont. He founded me in the Beginning before the Earth was made Montanus thus The Lord obtained me the beginning of his way before his works from thence I had dominion from Everlasting from the Beginning from the beginning of the Earth The thirtieth verse speaks of Christ as having a being before Gods works of old yet so as that it was created one THE Scripture which follows next in your Paper Zach. 13.7 is Zach. 13.7 Awake O Sword against my Shepheard against the man that is my fellow saith the Lord of Hosts Answ I suppose that you would infer hence the coequality of Jesus Christ with the Lord of Hosts whose words those are But doubtless when you drew up this Conclusion you hearkned to the sound not the sense of our English word Fellow which doth not always note equality as from Psalm 45.7 and Heb. 1.9 you may be informed where the Saints are called the Fellows of Christ from which none acquainted with Reason or Scripture will conclude their coequality with him Had you consulted with the Hebrew word used in the Text you would have been a stranger to so strange an inference For the words translated My Fellow might be rendred My Citizen my Neighbour my Second Hebraea vox proximum aut amicum sonat qui stat è regione alterius Et praesto est à emnia amici officia comparatus quamobrem idem in sinu patris esse ad dexteram illius sedere dicitur intercedens pro nobis Trem. in Locum my Lievtenant my Vicar my Friend So the Septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the man my Citizen or Neighbour Tremelius thus Virum proximum meum The man my Second my Lievetenant my Neighbour my Vicar or the like Tremellius and Iunius in their Marginal Notes speak thus The Hebrew word say they signifies one that is very near or a friend who stands over against another and is ready at hand for all friendly offices wherefore the same to wit Jesus Christ is said to be in the bosome of the Father and to sit at his right hand interceding for us And so the words acquaint us with these two things especially 1. That Christ is the Principall object of Gods dearest affection The man my fellow quem maxime amo saith Groti us whom I most of all love 2. That Christ is Gods Principal Servant in his highest tranfactions One that is Gods Representative as the word in the Text holds forth and the Scripture everywhere speaks I might now collect from the words something to oppose the Doctrine you assert they being spoken of a man and in reference to the Lord of Hosts who cannot possibly have an equall unless it were possible to have two Gods BUT I shall pass by that and hasten to the Scripture next appearing which is Iohn 3.13 John 3.13 And no man hath ascended up to Heaven but he that came down from Heaven the Son of Man which is in Heaven Answ Sir what your intent was in alledging this Text I no whit doubt but the reason of your inference thence is yet to me unknown Thus the words may be understood No man hath ascended up into Heaven that is no man hath known those Divine things the knowledge whereof is reserved for another life or those Divine things which are known in this life as they are in themselves nakedly appearing without their earthly habits and as expressed in a remote and Angelicall Language But he that came down from Heaven the Son of Man being in Heaven that is The Son being excepted who was in Heaven and descended thence for some work which he had to do on Earth or thus he being excepted who came down from Heaven to wit the Son of Man who is in Heaven that is in the bosome of the Father knowing his Secrets and Divine things as they are in themselves notwithstanding he speaks only of those things and in that way which men are now capable of I shall countenance this Exposition with a few Reasons 1. Because this sense and meaning wherewithall I have cloathed those words is no way opposite to the analogy of faith There is nothing as I suppose to be picked out of my words which the Doctrine of the Gospel will pick a quarrell with But this Exposition lessens the number of those Texts that plead for Christ as most high God But let not Scripture be forced let every Text speak what it knows To misapply is to pervert Scriptures 2. Because the sense which I would that this text should own and allow is elswhere challenged by the like phrases to themselves as their due Ascendere in coelum to ascend into heaven is to penetrate the secrets of heaven as Grotius speaks on this place In the like manner doth Musculus and Bucer understand the words In the same sense is the like phrase to be taken Prov. 30.4 and so Piscator expounds it And thus to be in heaven is to
unto us and also revealing the Lord Christ Jesus to be in the work of Salvation an instrumental Saviour For this see onely Tit. 3. v. 4 5 6. which puts it past all question But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour towards man appeared not by works of righteousness which we have done but according to his mercy he saved us by the washof Regeneration and renewing of the holy Ghost which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour Instance 5 If Christ be but a meer Creature then a meer Creature is Mediator betwixt God and Men which cannot be because a meer creature is no way meet to be a Daysman for God and because a Mediatour must either partake of both God and Man or of neither else he will rather be a Party then a Mediator if he partakes of mans nature and not of Gods if he be man and not God Therefore this Mediatour betwixt God and man is called Emmanuel that is God with us or God manifested in the flesh 1 Tim. 3.16 or God made flesh John 1.14 Answ This your fifth Instance doubtless is intended for the same purpose as the former But if it bring not with it more evidence of truth then they afforded the Doctrine which denies Christ to be the most high God may yet be accounted free from those high and capital Crimes of bringing in as it were another Gospel and the like wherewithall it is accused That we may the better understand what it speaks I shall reduce it into the form of an Argument and that we may more clearly discern what truth it speaks I shall spend some time to examine it If we consider the words of this Instance with the scope of it we shall perceive as a natural off-spring this argument to issue from it Instance 5 That Doctrine Which makes the mediatour betwixt God and man to be a meer creature brings in as it were another Gospel destroys the true Gospel in many of the parts of it c. in that it is against Reason that the mediator should be a creature Because a meer creature is no way meet to be a Days-man for God and because a mediatour must either partake of both God and man or of neither else he Will be rather a party then a mediator c. and in that it opposeth these Scriptures Mat. 1.23 1 Tim. 3.16 Io. 1.14 But that Doctrin which denies Jesus Christ to be the most high God makes the mediatour betwixt God and man to be a meer creature Therefore Answ Although Sir your major deserves not esteem notwithstanding that attendance of Reason and Scripture you have allotted to it your Reasons being strangers to Reason and your Scriptures not bearing the Livery of your Doctrine yet you merit a Reply for that appearance of Reason and Scripture which you have drawn after your majors heels The first Reason you bring to justifie your Accusation of that Doctrine which makes the mediatour betwixt God and man to be a meer creature as destructive to the Gospel in at least some main part of it is this Because a meer creature is no way meet to be a daysman for God Sir this Reason wants a Reason to support it for 't is not in it self so evident to Reason as that none may suspect it neither is your word a sufficient Reason for any to believe it What should hinder but that a meer Creature to use your own terms may be a Daysman or mediatour betwixt God and man Is there any work which belongs to his Office which is impossible for a Creature to perform notwithstanding Divine Assistance with him I dare assert the contrary and am able to prove in whatsoever work you can in sance belonging to Christs Mediatorship that of himself he was not able to perform it unless by the assistance of another which he enjoyed and so is a compleat mediator Your second Reason which joynes hand with the former and speaks to as little purpose is this Because a mediatour must either partake of both God and man or of neither else he Will rather be a party then a mediatour Sir that there is a necessity that Christ the mediatour must be God and man or else he will be rather a party then a mediatour you say but why is yet to be learned Was not Moses a mediatour betwixt God or the Angels and men But was Moses God and man or Angel and man Moses was a meer man as all will confess but that he was a mediatour betwixt God and men or Angels and men the Scripture declares Gal. 3.19 When you brought in this Reason you did you knew not what for it gives witness against you By the assistance thereof I shall expect an Argument by which the supposed Deity of the Mediatour will be denied and shall leave you to shew where its weakness lies If Christ the mediatour Were God he was a Party but Christ the mediatour was not a Party Therefore Christ the mediatour was not God The major is clear Let me onely in the work of Reconciliation give an instance In Reconciliation by a mediatour we are to suppose three one offended another offending and a third mediating for peace betwixt them God was offended men were offenders and Christ was the mediatour Now if Christ had been a sinfull man he had been of the party offending and if he had been God he was the party offended But Christ was not a party say you and therefore I need not prove the minor but from the Proposition which I have confirmed and the Assumption which you have acknowledged draw up the Conclusion that Christ the mediatour is not God Now I shall consider the Scriptures you bring and hear what testimony they afford to the thing you assert that Christ the mediatour is the most high God Your first Scripture is Matth. 1.23 where Christs name is called Emmanuel the signification whereof is God with us Whence you would collect that there are two natures in Christ the mediatour This is I confess a common inference but that it is natural from it I cannot yet understand Emmanuel was not the name of Christ but a signification of his name Jesus which is evident if you compare the 21 22 23. verses of this chap. together now the name Jesus signifies not the nature but the office of Christ as the Angel expounds it verse 21. Thou shalt call his Name Jesus for he shall save his people from their sins And so Emmanuel notes out that certain aid that God would afford by Jesus Christ to the Church THe next Scripture is 1 Tim. 3.16 Without controversie great is the mystery of godliness God was manifested in the flesh c. Ancient interpreters saith a learned man as the Latine the Syriack the Arabick Ambrose and Augustine 1 Tim. 3.16 make this Reading to be suspected for they reade not as we do for thus they reade the words And Without controversie great