that in all things he might have the preheminence But this place I have allready handled pag. 150 151 152. and therefore thither I shall referre the reader To come in the last place unto the use and application of this fullnesse of Christs Authority and here I shall make application 1. Of the fulnesse of his office and authority over the Church 2. Of the fulnesse of his authority in generall over the whole universe 1. Of the Fulnesse of his office and authority over his Church 1. Then they are here to be reprehended that wrench out of Christs own hand his fulnesse of office and intrude upon his mediatory power which is incommunicable unto either men or Angels To which of the Angels said he at any time sit thou at my right hand Heb. 1.13 unto the Angels hath he not put in subjection the world to come chap. 2. v. 5. There is but one mediatour between God and man the man Christ Jesus 1 Timoth. 2.5 There are differences of administration but the same Lord 1 Cor. 12.5 there is no Lord like or master-like power in any but in Christ unto us there is but one Lord Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 8.6 Two sorts of men have herein been especially faulty Papists and Prelatists 1. Papists hence the Pope is termed the Antichrist because he is an antagonist not so much unto the natures or person of Christ as unto his unction and office and indeed he hath been injurious unto him in all his offices 1. Unto his Priestly office as by their massing priests and masse sacrifice to propitiate for quick and dead so by communicating unto the saints here on earth a power of satisfying and meriting and unto the saints and Angels in heaven a power of interceding 2. Unto his Propheticall office by assuming unto himselfe authority to supply Scripture with unwritten traditions as also by arrogating unto himselfe infallibility in the interpretation of Scripture and decision of all controversies of religion ex Cathedrâ Lastly he hath most sacrilegiously detracted from the fulnesse of Christs Kingly office by usurping the title and office of a visible and ministeriall head or viceroy in the church without any the least warrant or commission from him the head and King of the Church as also by taking upon him a vast and almost unlimited power of making lawes concerning ecclesiasticall matters obliging the conscience per se of themselves from his meer will and authority This fulness of Christs office hath 2. been prejudiced by Prelatists in their institution of divers Church officers as also of divers ceremonies of ordained and mysticall signification appropriate unto the worship and service of God without any licence from Christ himselfe Herein they have trespassed against his Kingly and Propheticall office 1. They have invaded his soveraignty or Kingly office for he is as the chiefe so the only law-giver in his Church and hath committed unto her as Ames sheweth out of Junius in his reply to Bishop Morton no authority of appointing new things but a ministery to observe and doe such things which Christ hath appointed with order and decency unto edification Indeed the 1 Cor. 14.40 is much used by the Patrons of our ceremonies to prove that the Apostle doth grant a generall licence and authority to all Churches to ordain such ceremonies as ours But that herein the place is abused is evinced by the said Ames med Theol. lib. 2. cap. 13. Sect. 36. by two arguments * Nequè quicquam Authoritatis in istiusmodi ceremoniis instituendis ex co possunt homines fibimet arrogare quod ecclesiis omnibus mandatur ut omnia decenter et ordine faciant 1 Cor. 14.40 Nequè enim ordinis nequè decori ratiopostulat ut res aliquae sacrae de novo instituantur sed utillae quae à Deo sunt institutae er modo adhibeantur qui earum dignitati est consentaneus neque pertinent ordo decoâ—um ad res sacras tantùm sed etiam officia civilia in utrisque enim confusio indecorum sunt vitia opposita debito illi modo qui requiritur ad eorum justum siuem et usum consequendum Neither saith he can men take to themselves any authority in ordaining such ceremonies from that that it is commanded to all Churches that all things be done decently and in order 1 Cor. 14.40 For neither the respect of order nor decency requires that some holy things should be newly ordained but that those which are â—ordained by God be used in that manner which is agreeable to their dignity neither do order and decency pertaine to holy things only but also to civill duties for confusion and indecency in both are are vices opposite to that due manner which is required to the attaining the just end and use of them Nay he undertakes to manifest that this Scripture being rightly understood doth not only not justify but plainly * Reply to Norton pag. 9.10.11.12 Freshsuit against Ceremonies c. The dispute a pag. 56 usque ad 81. condemneth them this argument he hath managed so well as that he hath quite beaten out of the field Bishop Morton and his second Dr Iohn Burges And none of the Prelaticall party hath hitherto dared to take up the cudgels against him A great Schollar I confesse of these times Dr Hammond in his view of the Directory pag. 19. hath made a new attempt from the place I shall transcribe what is argumentative in his words and I hope without offence unto the Doctor examine them I conceive saith he the cleare importance of that grand place to be that all be done in the Church according to custome and appointment The former implied in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 custome being the only rule of decency c. And the latter in plain words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to order or appointment for so the words literally import and then upon these two grounds is uniformity built and necessarily results where all that is done in the Church is ruled by one of these by custome or by law which being here commanded by St Paul is a proofe of the more then lawfullnesse of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 prescription of ceremonies in a Church and of uniformity therein This sense is I believe received by few interpreters and therefore we might reasonably expect that he should back it with very good arguments Whether he hath done so let the reader judge That the importance of the former part of the words is Let all things be done according to custome he thus goes about to prove The former is implied in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 customâ— being the only rule of decency c. He dares not affirme that this is the immediate sense of the place but only that it is implied It cannot be denied but that decency doth imply such customes the omission of which necessarily inferre undecency But that the omission of such ceremonies as ours doth inferre undecency the
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The keyes of an house towne or city are a badge of power and Authority And therefore in the yeelding of places the keyes are render'd unto the conquerour In Garrisons the keyes are every night deposited with the Governour The Steward of an house hath the keyes of it committed unto him Thus it is said of Eliakim the Steward of Hezekiahs pallace Isai 22.20,21,22 And it shall come to passe in that day that I will call my servant Eliakim c. And I will commit thy government into his hand c. And the key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder so he shall open and none shall shut and he shall shut and none shall open 2 Kings 18.18 That herein he was a type and figure of Christ the principall steward of Gods house is evident by the holy Ghosts application of the words of the place unto Christ Revel 3.7 He hath the key of David he openeth and no man shutteth and shutteth and no man openeth that is saith Diodati he is the soveraigne Lord and governour of his Church whose power is soveraigne and absolute not subject unto any contradiction diction opposition or hinderance Indeed Christ gives unto Peter in the behalfe of all the ministers of the Gospell the keyes of the Kingdome of heaven Math. 16.19 But that as Durand l. 4. dist 18 q. 1. noteth is only a key of ministery The key of excellency saith hee is Christs prerogative as the key of Authority belongs principally unto God Lastly the fulnesse of Christs Kingly office may be proved from the fulnesse of his pastorall office for the duty of a shepherd is as to feed so to governe and protect his flock and hereupon Kings are termed shepherds of their people Now what proofs we have for the fulnesse and perfection of Christ's pastorall office you may read above touching his Propheticall office I come unto a second sort of proofes that confirme Christ's Fulnesse of Authority as Mediatour as man not only in but also out of his Church his Vniversall soveraignty and dominion over all Creatures in Heaven and Earth Heb. 1.2 He hath appointed the sonne heire of all things Estius observeth that there is a Catechresis in the word heire very usuall in Scripture Psal 89.27 Gal. 4.1 For properly an heire succeeds a dead father But the Apostle termes him an heire because his father hath made him as an heire Lord of all things He is the heire the Lord not only of all things in the Church but also of all things in the world He is the heire the Lord of all persons Angels and men elect and Reprobate He is the heire the Lord not only of all persons but of all things whatsoever and that not only by nature as God but by appointment as mediatour according unto the nature which he assumed Whom he hath appointed heire of all things John 3.35 the father loveth the sonne and hath given all things into his hand g Non apponitur hic conjunctio enim quia non referuntur haec verba ad immediate praecedentia sed ad illa qui de caelo venit supra omnia est Et ut penetres contextum adverte quod quum dixisset illa duo scilicet qui de caelo venit supra omnia est quod vidit audivit hoc testatur prosecutus est priùs secundum subjungendo testimonium et reliqua spectantia adtestimonium ejus modo prosequitur primum scilicet qui de coelo venit supra omnia est Et assignat rationem quarè Jesus qui de coelo venit supra omnia est ex paternâ dilectione Pater inquit diligit silium Cajetan fetcheth the coherence of the words not from those immediatly foregoing but from those in v. 31. he that cometh from Heaven is above all Here the Baptist assigneth a reason of this his supremacy It is from his fathers love the father loveth the sonne c. And because love is the ground and reason of this his supreme Authority h Formalis sermo cogit ad inteligendum quod de filio incarnato est sermo Nam dilectio quâ pater diligit filium ratio est quod incarnato omnia tradita sunt non est ratio quòd filio prout est ab aeterno genitus tradita sint omnia Quonia◠non dilectione sed generatione omnia tradita sunt unigenita Dei sed eidem unigenito filia hominis ex paterna dilectione omnia tradita sunt Cajetan concludes that it is to be understood of Christ as he is incarnate the sonne of man for all things are given into his hands as he is the only begotten son of God not by dilection but by eternall generation John 5.22 The father judgeth no man but hath committed all judgment unto the sonne that is say some he hath committed unto him all kingly power power to governe the world and to dispose of all things therein for judgment by a Synechdoche may stand for the whole duty of a king and consequently judiciary power by the like trope may be put for all the power of a king John 13.3 Jesus knowing that the father had given all things into his hands and that he was come from God and went to God Cajetan amongst those all things comprizeth the Devill the heart of Judas and every machination of the Jewes against Christ And that this soveraignty over all things agreeth here unto Christ as man is evident from the following words where we have two grounds of it 1. His incarnation that he was come from God 2. His exaltation that was at hand and went to God The chiefest creatures in heaven and the chiefest creatures in earth are not exempted from his dominion for the chiefest in heaven are the Angels and he is the head of all principalities and dominion Col. 2.10 Angels are made subject unto him 1 Pet. 3.22 The chiefest creatures in earth are men and his dominion extendeth vnto all men Thou hast given him power over all flesh Joh. 17.2 Where by all flesh is understood all men and so it is frequently used in Scripture Isai 40.6 Gen. 6.12 The most renowned and glorious of all the sonnes of men are potentates the Kings and Princes of the earth and even they are subject unto his disposall however they may resist his commands He is the Prince of the kings of the earth Revel 1.5 He hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written King of kings and Lord of Lords chapt 19. v. 16. and 17.14 He can prevaile with his father for the deposing uncrowning and dethroning of whom he pleaseth for the propagation of the Gospell he can depresse a Maxencius and a Licinius and raise a Constantine unto the Imperiall throne But this his Authority reacheth unto more powerfull Princes then any earthly Monarch whatsoever unto death the king of terrors Job 18.14 unto Beelzebub the prince of Devils Math. 9.34 the prince and
God of this world John 14.30 and 16.11.2 Cor. 4.4 the prince of the power of the aire Ephes 2.2 For he hath the keyes of Hell and death Revel 1.18 He hath the keyes of hell he can cast the Dragon that old serpent the Devill and Satan into the bottomlesse pit and shut him up and set a seale upon him that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand yeers should be fulfilled Rev. 20.3 He hath the keyes of death and one day will unlock the graves of all men In a second place we are to prove that Christ's fulnesse of Authority the all-power that was given to him in heaven and in earth was a consequent of his resurrection and this I shall make good by foure places of scripture The first is Ephes 1.20,21,22 Where we have Christs soveraigne authority or dominion set forth unto us a comparatis ab object o principalitatis or perfectionis and lastly a distributione 1. By a comparison of similitude 2. By the chiefe objects of it 3. By a distribution of it 1. A comparatis by a comparison of similitude It is as it were a placing of him at Gods owne right hand in the heavenly places v. 20. At the right hand of majesty on high Heb. 1.3 at the right hand of the throne of God Heb. 12.2 For what is this his sitting at the right hand of God but the highest degree of his exaltation whereby he enjoyeth the highest glory of his mediation and that is properly and formally a kingly glory which doth also redound unto other of his offices so that he exerciseth a kingly priesthood and a kingly prophecy as you may see in Ames Med. lib. 1. cap. 23. Num. 32 33 34. The phrase is metaphoricall in allusion to the custome of great potentates who placed at the right hand of their thrones their most inward and powerfull favourites or their heires and successors or such great persons as were next in dignity and office unto them Solomon to honour his mother seated her on his right hand 1 Kings 2.19 Vpon the kings right hand did stand the Queene in gold of Ophir Psalm 45.9 When the mother of Zebedees Children desired that her sonnes might sit the one on the right hand and the other on the left hand of Christ in his kingdome what did she crave but the two chiefe dignities in his kingdome Math. 20.21 Eccle 12.12 1 Esdr 4.29 By Christ's sitting then at the right hand of God is understood as the unspeakable glory and dignity so also the imperiall and soveraigne Authority or dominion which Christ hath as man next under God over the whole creation And unto this interpretation of the phrase we are guided by the scripture it selfe The Apostle in his quotâ—tion of that of David Psal 110. v. 1. The Lord said unto my Lord sit thou at my right hand untill I make thine enemies my footstoole thus varieth the words 1 Cor. 15.25 he must raigne till he hath put all enemies under his feet From which variation we may observe that with Paul for Christ to sit at the right hand of God toraigne are all one Thus Peter also having in his sermon Act. 2. v. 34 35. cited the very same place of of the Psalmist in v. 36. he expounds it by Gods making Jesus Lord and Christ The same exposition also he giveth of it 1 Pet. 3.22 He is gone into heaven and is on the right hand of God Angels authorities and powers being made subject unto him To be at the right hand of God is to have Angels authorities powers made subject unto him The largest comment that we have in scripture upon the phrase is in the place now under debate Here the Apostle having affirmed v. 20. that the working of Gods mighty power set Christ on his owne right hand c. In v. 21 22. he fully explaineth what is meant by his sitting at Gods owne right hand why to be farre above all principality and power and might and dominion and every name that is named not only in this world but also in that which is to come To have all things put under his feet to be given to be head over all things to the Church 2. We have Christs kingdome soveraigne authority or dominion set forth here unto us ab objecto principalitatis or perfectionis from it's chiefe or principall objects 1. The most powerfull 2. The most renowned of it's objects 1. The most powerfull of it's objects far above all principality and power and might and dominion Cartwright upon the place Where it is evident that the Apostle heapeth up divers words of one and the same signification thereby the more effectually to set forth the supereminent power of our Saviour Christ above all A great deale of Curiosity there is in interpreters touching the distinction of these termes some understanding them partly of things in earth and partly of things in heaven Others only of things in earth others only of things in heaven and here the Papists with a great deale of Confidence talke out of a counterfeit or forged Dyonysius concerning the distinction of the Orders of Angels as if they had with Paul been rapt up into the third heaven and there exactly muster'd all the heavenly Hostes Hilary Augustine and Bernard doe here with a great deale of modesty and ingenuity confesse their Ignorance herein Indeed there is no ground in Scripture for the severall signification of every of these words And for men in interpretation of Scripture to flee unto groundlesse conjectures would bring in a strange if not a mad kind of Divinity Divers learned expositors both Papists and Protestants say that if the termes be not Synonyma but have severall significations that then the Apostle speakes of them not by way of assertion but by way of concession or supposition in reference say some unto the Jewes say others unto the Gnosticks both which might hold such a distinction between the celestiall spirits or else with relation unto the fables of the Greeke Poëts their Divines who maintained perhaps such a difference betwixt their Imaginary Deities as if the Apostle should have said Suppose though not grant this distinction of principality and power and might and dominion yet Christ is advanced far above them all in dignity and authority 2. We have the kingdome or supreme dominion of Christ illustrated from the most renowned of it's objects Every name that is every person of name or renowne Famous or renowned persons were termed by the Hebrewes * Apud Hebraeos viri celebres dicuntur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id est viri nominis quos graeci vocant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quo modo etiam in vernaculo nostro sermone loquimur Beza Cornel. Alapide hath also the same note but he fetcheth it out of Beza as it will appeare to any one that will compare them together persons of name and here we have a distribution of these famous or honourable
together gâ—oweth unto an holy Temple in the Lord. As the ground stone in the corner because it beares up the joynts couplings of the whole edifice is therefore the chief stay thereof So Christ upholds the chief weight of his Church because he is a prop unto the salvation of every soule therein as a Prophet by his word as a Priest by the satisfaction and merit of his sacrifice and by his constant and uninterrupted presentation thereof unto his Father in his intercession and as a King by his power and spirit But now the chief corner stone though it be a foundation stone yet it is but a part though a principal part of the foundation But now Christ is not only a principal but the total sole and entire foundation of his Church that is of her salvation 1 Cor. 3.11 for other foundations can no man lay then that is laid which is Jesus Christ Acts. 4.12 Yea but the Prophets and Apostles are at least a secondary and ministerial foundation Ye are built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Jesus Christ himselfe being the chief corner stone Ephes 2.20 But 1. Some here by foundation understand Christ himselfe who is said to be the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles objectively the fundamental object of their doctrine the foundation which they laid in their ministry both by preaching and writing But suppose 2. that these words the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles be as Estius saith expounded intransitively and thus paraphrased which is the Prophets and Apostles Why then the Prophets and Apostles are taken not in regard of their persons or successours but metonymically in regard of their doctrine which they left behind them in scripture for they declared it with such infallible certainty as that it is unto the Church a doctrinal foundation and serveth as an instrument to lay every Believer on the personal foundation Christ Jesus But 2. I shall prove the sulness of each of his offices his Prophetical his Priestly his Kingly office 1. There was in him a fulness of the Prophetical office Mal. 3.1 He is the Angel or messenger of the Covenant to wit of grace and reconciliation the chief Ambassadour from the Father for the revelation offer and confirmation thereof unto the Church He is the Apostle of our profession the Gospel Christian doctrine faith or Religion which we profess and he is so tearmed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because he is the supreame of all the Ambassadours whom his Father hath sent for the promulgation thereof Thus also is he tearmed by way of eminency the faithful and true witness Revel 3.14 Because he alone hath fully and effectually revealed the truth and will of God by himselfe and his ministers He is the word of the Father because he alone hath fully disclosed his mind Math. 23.8,10 One is your master even Christ he only teacheth with authority and efficacy and therefore he alone hath the mastership amongst all the teachers of the Church between whom there is a brotherhood and equality One is your-master Christ and all yee are Brethren No Teacher is an under master unto other Teachers One part of Christ's pastoral office is his Prophetical office to feed his sheep with the sound and saving doctrine of his word to make them to lie down in green pastures to lead them beside the still waters Psal 23.2 And the pastoral office agreeth unto him in all fulness ' He is the one shepherd Eccles 12.11 The chief shepherd 1 Pet. 5.4 The great shepherd of the sheep Hebr. 13.20 2. There was in Christ a fulness of the Priestly office such an unspeakable superexcellency of Priesthood as is incommunicable unto any other of the Sonnes of men And therefore the Apostle Paul stileth him emphatically a great high Priest Heb. 4.14 an High Priest of good things to come chap. 9. vers 11 an High Priest over the howse of God chap. 10. vers 21 the High Priest of our profession chap. 3. vers 1 a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedech Heb 7.17 he hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 7.24 an intransmissible Priesthood which passeth not from one unto another as it is varied in the margent which cannot pass from his own person unto any Successours or Vicars and Substitutes 3. And lastly there was in him a fulness of the Kingly office The government to wit of the Church shall be upon his shoulder Isai 9.6 and that this Government is supreame and regal is plaine by vers 7 where it is described to be upon the Throne of David and upon his Kingdome He is the Lord of the vine-yard Math. 21.40 He is in his howse not as a Servant but as a Sonne that is as Lord and master Hebr. 3.5,6 He is the King of Saints Revel 15.3 He is Michael the great Prince which standeth for the Children of his people Dan. 12.1 and 7.14 Christ is the Lord of all Acts. 10.36 that is as appeares by the foregoing verse of all that in every nation feare God and worke righteousness He is the Lord as of all persons so of all ordinances in his Church The Sonne of man is Lord even of the Sabbath day Math. 12.8 All things are dilivered unto me of my Father Math. 11.27 that is as Beza restraines the place all things appertaining unto the salvation of the Elect And indeed this his restriction is warrantable by the particular instance which he brings for examplification of this general Neither knoweth any man the Father save the Sonne and he to whomsoever the Sonne will reveale him The Sonne only hath delegated unto him from the Father authority to call and enlighten the Elect and reveale the Father unto them This fullnesse of Christs Kingly office is set forth in Scripture by his Head-ship over his Church for as head he hath such a full influence upon his Church internall and externall as that he needeth no viceroy no ministeriall or visible head on earth And that to be head of the Church is a dignity proper unto Christ and incommunicable unto any other the incomparable Cartwright proves as by others so especially by these two following arguments in his confutation of the Rhemist annotations on the New Testament pag. 487. 1. By the same reason that you may give this title of head unto a meere Man you may also give him the name of the first begotten of all creatures and the first begotten of the dead considering that the Apostle fastneth this unto the Crowne of our Saviour Christ as well as he doth the other Col. 1.15,18 2. This is further strengthned by the demonstrative Article whereby the Scripture is accustomed so to appropriate a thing unto one that it shutteth forth all other from communication therewith for when he saith that he is the head it is as much as if he would say he and none other Col. 1.18 This fullnesse of Christ's Kingly office is further signified by his power of the keyes
and confirmation of his veracity He that hath received his testimony hath set to his seale that God is true And this he proves because his testimony is alwayes the testimony of God For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God ver 34. Ordinary Prophets did not alwayes speake the words of God but sometimes they spake out of their owne private spirit and not as Prophets having the spirit of prophecy upon them as is plain in Samuel 1 Sam. 16.6 and Nathan 2 Sam. 7.3 But now Christ whom God hath sent singularly and eminently as the chiefe of all his ambassadours speaketh only the words of God so that his testimony is simply and absolutely divine And of this he assigneth the reason ground or cause in the following words for God giveth not the spirit by measure to him Secondly Hence we may be informed that if Christ had lived in these our dayes he would have beene extreamly hated by all carnall and unregenerate men who yet carry a very great outward and ceremonious respect unto him and professe a deep detestation of all that had any hand in his murder and crucifying For there is nothing that they so much maligne as holinesse and therefore their malignancy against Christ the most holy would have beene unspeakable If but some few and faint some broken raies or beames of grace shine in the life of a member of Christ this presently makes him the butt of their malice And therefore if they had conversed with Christ in the dayes of his flesh they would have accounted him of all persons living the most odious They that disgust the drops of goodnesse in his would never have relished the fountaine and ocean thereof in himselfe They looke with envy upon starres of the least magnitude in the Churches firmament And therefore the sunne of righteousnesse could not but be a most unpleasing object unto them They loath the least measure of the spirit and therefore what would their abhorrence have been of him unto whom God gave not the Spirit by measure They contemne and deride that anoynting which believers receive from the holy one and therefore the unmeasurablenesse of his owne unction would have ministred unto them ample matter for their contempt and derision Secondly this point may serve for confutation of a passage in the Learned Dr Hammond against Mr Cawdrey to wit that Christs love of God was capable of farther degrees That I doe not fasten this tenet wrongfully upon him will appeare unto any rationall man by his owne words which I will therefore transcribe Dr Hammond pag. 222. In the next place he passeth to the inforcement of my argument from what we read concerning Christ himselfe that he was more intense in prayer at one time then another when yet the lower degree was sure no sin and prepares to make answer to it viz. that Christ was above the Law and did more then the Law required but men fall short many degrees of what is required But sure this answer is nothing to the matter now in hand for the evidencing of which that example of Christ was brought by me viz. that sincere love is capable of degrees This was first shewed in severall men and in the same man at sever all times in the severall rankes of Angels and at last in Christ himselfe more ardent in one act of prayer then in another The conclusion which the Dr undertakes to evidence is that sincere love is capable of degrees Now this the example of Christ will never prove unlesse it inferre that Christs love of God was capable of degrees more intense at one time then at another If Christs greater ardency in one act of prayer then in another doth not argue a greater fervency in his love at one time then another this argument from Christs praying more earnestly will never reach the proposition for which it was brought Indeed in his treatise of Will-worship p. 24. he minceth the matter and speaketh more cautelously It is possible saith he for the same person constantly to love God above all and yet to have higher expressions of that love at one time then another Thus we read of Christ himselfe Luk. 22.24 c. But of this we may say as he doth of Mr Cawdrey's answer It is nothing to the matter now in hand Because there may be a graduall difference in the expressions of the same love for degree Christs death for us was a higher expression of his love of us then his poverty hunger thirst c. and yet they might proceed from a love equally intense His Argument then you see from Christs example will not serve his turne unlesse it conclude a greater intension in his love of God at one time then at another And the falsehood of such an assertion is evident from the point here handled and confirmed the absolute fulnesse of Christs grace which by the generall consent of the Fathers and Schoolmen was such as that it excluded all intensive growth It was a sequele of the personall union and therefore it was from the very first moment of his conception The Word was no sooner made flesh but it was forthwith full of grace truth His love of God was uncapable of farther degrees unto whom God gave not the spirit that is the gifts and graces of the spirit by measure But unto Christ God gave not the spirit that is the gifts graces of the Spirit by measure Joh. 3.34 therefore his love of God was not capable of farther degrees There have beene some that here by Spirit have understood the Godhead of Christ which was given unto him as Sonne by eternall generation as man by the Hypostaticall union But whether the Doctor will imbrace either of these expositions I cannot divine Indeed many learned men have thought that the Spirit of Christ may signifie his Godhead in distinction from or opposition unto either his flesh Rom. 3.4 1 Tim. 3.16 or blood Heb. 9.14 yet that standing single and absolutely by it selfe without such comparison it should have any such signification in Scripture can never I am very confident be made good by the Doctor and therefore I shall acquiesce in the common interpretation which giveth an utter and totall overthrow unto the Doctors opinion Unto it also the Schoolmen are generally opposite as will soone be confessed by those that will peruse such of them as comment in tertiam part Summae Aquinatis quaest 7. art 12. and in tert lib. sentent distinct 13. The Scotists thinke that in grace and consequently in the love of God there is a maximum quod sic impertransibile per divinam potentiam absolutam and then they conceive that there is a great condecency in the cloathing dignifying or beautifying of Christs humanity therewith Because of all other creatures it was most straitly nearly conjoyned with the Deity the author of grace also for that it was by God designed to be the universall principle and fountaine of grace
eas nemo subalternasâ—sed vicarias appellavit Secundà non tantum aequo graâ—u cooperantes causas prejudicare inviâ—em sed etiam subalternatas gemino casu Primò quum it à subalternantur ut tamen absque iis non possit prima Causa producere effectum Exempli gratia Etsi sol in Phy sico ordine producat poma tamen quia non fine arbore quae ei subordâ—natur ideò confidenter dicat quis non esse sufficientem solem ad producenda poma Atqui audivimus Vasquez negantem posse Christi passionem quenquam efficere dignum gloriâ absque propriâ satisfactione audivimus ab aliis iniquum esse a Deo recipi in gratiám sine satis factione eum qui multa magnaque peccata admifit aequè cum eo qui pauca levia Necesse 〈◊〉 igitur fateri has satisfactiones nonnihil saltèm decerpere de honore Christi Altero in causis Ethicis suâ—alâ—ernae causae derogant primae quum instituuntur praeter autoritatem eâ—us Exempli gratia nor patietâ—r reâ—…sibi proregem ullum substitui a quoquam At nos dicimus hoc genus omne satisfactionum praetexiu subordinatae causae Christi meritis substitutum esse ipso Christo mitto jam nolente certè inscio Quod pii nec ferre nec dâ—ssimulare possunt suppose though not grant that a subordination of humane satisfactions unto Christs were a thing in it selfe possible yet it can lawfully be made onely by Christ himselfe Now that the Papist's have devised it of their own heads without any so much as colourable authority of Scripture the miserable weakenesse of their arguments is a sufficient evidence unto unprejudiced mindes But secondly they ascribe satisfaction unto man in such a manner as that they thereby quite exclude the satisfaction of Christ as appeares by Bellarmine his answere unto this following argument of ours lib. 1. De Purgatorio cap. 14. If Christs satisfaction be applied unto us by our workes they are either two satisfactions or but one If they be two satisfactions one of Christs and another of ours then God shall be made unjust in punishing one sin twice over or if as some say the satisfaction be but one then it is either Christs and so we satisfy not or ours and so Christ satisfyeth not or else we divide the honour with him making him to satisfy for the fault and we for the punishment Unto this objection Bellarmine having reckoned up two answers pitcheth upon a third which he takes to be the more probable and it is that there is one only satisfaction and that is ours Hereby you see Christ is quite excluded at least from making satisfaction for veniall sins as they call them and temporall punishments No saith Bellarmine for it is by Christs satisfaction saith he that we have grace to satisfy He satisfyed immediately for the fault and the guilt of eternall death and mediately for the temporall punishment in as much as he giveth us grace whereby we our selves are enabled to satisfy God for it Unto this Ames very acutely replieth Bell. Enervat tom 2. lib. 5. pag. 192 193. In such a respect as this God the Father and the holy Ghost may be said to satisfy for us because we have all grace from God the father by the Spirit 2. Vpon this account the satisfaction of Christ should have no other relation unto our sins and their punishments then unto good workes as they are good for by the satisfaction of Christ we have grace enabling us to worke well And againe tom 3. lib. 5. cap. 4. pag. 229 230. 1. If Christs satisfaction be immediate and mediate then his satisfaction is manifold and not one 2. If Christ satisfyeth our satisfaction intervening then he hath satisfyed not once but he alwaies satisfieth not by himselfe but by us Then lastly he doth not so much satisfy for us as in us 3. Christ cannot be said to satisfy as he giveth unto men grace enabling men to satisfy any more then he can be said to repent or confesse sins as he giveth them grace for repentance and confession In a second place the Papists doe covertly evacuate the al-fulnesse and infinitenesse of Christs merits by their doctrine of humane merits of condignity To merit is to purchase that right unto a thing which one had not before to make that due which was not due before Now if the merits of Christ be of infinite value they have purchased in the behalfe of his members a full right unto eternall life and happinesse so that their good workes do not make the same newly due If they make it any way due they make it due either in whole or in part if in whole then Christ hach merited nothing for them if in part then there is something in eternall life which Christ hath not merited Either way there is a manifest derogation from the merits of Christ Yea but the Papists beare us in hand that their doctrine of merits doth not obscure but rather illustrate the glory of Christs merits and to make this good they have two devices the one received generally by most if not by all of them The subordination of the saints merits unto Christ's merits The second is the peculiar shift of some few The union of the saints persons with Christs person To begin with the first the subordination of the saints merits unto Christs merits Our merits say they are derived from Christs for he merited for us the power and grace of meriting and therefore our merits argue no insufficiency in but rather a wonderfull efficacy of his merits It is no blemish unto the Sun that the Moone and Starres shine with a light borrowed from it The fruitfulnesse of the branches is no disparagement unto the vine The dependant and subordinate efficiency of second causes is no detraction from the omnipotency and all-sufficiency of the first cause And why should it be any impeachment unto Christs merits to affirme that he doth not onely merit for us himselfe but also makes us able to merit Unto this fancy I shall oppose these three considerations that it is 1. Vngrounded on Scripture 2. Vnnecessary and 3. Impossible 1. Vngrounded on Scripture That Christs merit hath purchased unto us grace enabling for performance of good works we deny not but that he hath merited that we might merit is a thing unheard of in the writings of the Prophets and Apostles and therefore to be rejected not only as a frivolous but also as a presumptuous fiction But secondly it is also an Vnnecessary fiction For if Christs merits be so inestimable as that they merit for us perfection and fulnesse of happinesse and salvation what necessity is there that we our selves should merit this againe If a thing be already done sufficiently it is more then is needfull for to doe it over againe And thirdly this subordination of the merit of our workes unto Christs merits is a thing utterly Impossible as may be proved from