begotten into the World he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let all the Angels of God worship him The word among the Hebrews for Worship somtimes signifies Prostrating the whole Body as 2 Chron. 20.18 Jehosophat and the men of Israel did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fall to the Ground before the Lord 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such worship is given to the Lord Jesus Luke 17.16 The Lepper that was cleansed fell upon his Face at his Feet 2ly 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It signifies to inclinate and bend the Head as in Gen. 24.48 So the Angels are said to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 incurvate Verticis inclinationem significat and bend their Heads to understand the things concerning Christ in the Gospel 1 Pet. 1.12 3ly 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A stooping of the Head with the Superior parts of the Body Esther 3.5 4ly 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lastly they use a word for worship which signifies to bless with Bended knees 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 genuflectere Psal 45.6 O come let us Worship and bow down let us kneel before the Lord our maker so it is said Every knee shall bow to the Lord Jesus All these external gestures are to signifie the internal humble actings of the Mind Now seeing Angels are glorious Creatures and that part of worship scil Petition is not so proper to them therefore they are imployed in the other scil Praise and Blessing and Adoring of him although not for their redemption by him being never captivated yet for their confirmation and election in him for it is the opinion of our orthodox Divines that the Angels in Glory stand by vertue of their eternal election in Christ therefore they have cause to extol Rev. 5.12 13. praise and magnify the Lord of Glory we read that all Creatures in Heaven and in Earth are at this word giving honour and blessing and Praise to the Lamb for ever and ever This makes it evident that Divine Honour is attributed to the Lord Jesus and there are sure grounds for it if we consult and believe the Scriptures which term him Zach. 13.7 Phil. 2.6 The Fathers Fellow Equal to God i. e. the Father But because the Lord of Life and Glory did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 empty himself of his glory and honour when he assumed the humane nature and became Man therefore the most honour him little more than if he was a man I am somthing larger upon these particulars then I intended but when I consider what the Apostle said Phil. 2.10.11 Every Tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the Glory of the Father It is for the glory of God the Father as well as the good of Souls to understand aright and also confess this main fundamental truth scil the deity of Christ it oblieges me to inlarge a little Mat. 28.9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the end I might make it more perspicuous I might heâ—r speak of being Baptized into his name Baptism is an Ordinance of Divine institution and to be Baptized in his Name 2 Tim. 2.19 is an obligation to become his in all ways of obedience to exalt his name and forsake Sin all ought to yield Love and Service to the Lord Jesus 6. Argument Shall be from the comparing Scripture of the Old and New Testament And we shall find that what is atributed to Jehovah in the Old the same is to the Lord Jesus in the New Testament and remember this we are to believe what the word of God saith and not what Caviling Unbelieving Men affirm in Numbers Num. 21.56 The People are said to Sin and Murmour against God for which he sent Fiery Serpents among them compare this with 1 Cor. 10.9 There it is said they tempted Christ for the Angel which conversed with Abraham wrestled with Jacob appeared to Moses Compare Psal 45.6 with Heb. 1.8 thy throne O God is for ever and ever and was with the Children of Israel in the Wilderness was the Lord Jesus as is excellently and evidently proved by Dr. Owen in his exercitations Psal 68.18 compared with Eph. 4.8 Psal 102.25 with Heb. 1.10 And thou Lord in the begining hast laid the foundation of the Earth compare Isa 8.13.14 with Luk. 2.34 Rom. 9.33 and 1 Pet. 2.6 These places evidently prove the deity of the Lord Jesus to any judicious and unprejudiced Reader compare Isa 6. with Jo. 12. in Isa t is said he saw the Glory of the Lord filling the Temple in Joh. it is said the Prophet then beheld the Glory of Christ Jesus compare Isa 40.9.10.11 with Jo. 10.11 In that Prophesie it is said behold your God and the Lord God will come and feed his Flock and it is applyed to the Lord Jesus in the Gospel in the last place compare Isa 45. 22 23 24 25. with Rom. 14.11 and Phil. 2.10 Do but read these Scriptures and Study the Intent and scope of them and then you will conclude with the Apostle that he is the true God and Eternal life 1 Jo. 5.20 I have not writ the Places at Large least my Book should swell too Big but I suppose you have Bibles and will Act. 17.11 like those Noble Bereans search the Scriptures 7. Argument To prove this great Point is this he that is the second Person in the blessed Trinity is God but Jesus Christ is so therefore he is God that there is a Trinity of Persons in the Unity of the essence is clear both from plain Scripture and also from Arguments deduced from thence The Scriptures to prove it are these 1 Joh. 5.7 For there are three that bear Record in Heaven the Father the Word and the Holy-ghost and these three are one This Scripture is sufficient one would think both to confirm the truth and also silence all Socinians that oppose it and that is but a weak evasion of theirs when they say it signifies no more than the words in the 8 verse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—i tres unum sunt Beza scil that they agree in one for in the Original it is These three are one i. e. Three distinct Persons subsisting in one and the same indivisible essence Mat. 3.16 17. verses will serve in some measure to Prove the Point there is the Lord Jesus ascending out of the Water the Holy Spirit descending from Heaven and the Voice of the Father proclaming this is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased But a more plain Scripture is that Mat. 28.19 Go ye therefore and teach all Nations Baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost These Scriptures may suffice to prove the Trinity of Persons in the Unity of the Divine essence but farther to confirm this that there are three distinct Persons in one Divine essence it may be proved 1 From their several and distinct Names 2 From their distinct personal acts
by faith and apprehends and applies this to it self 3 It not only leads to Christ but into Christ The Soul when once brought out of all self-confidence will rest and center in Christ when it has wandred about like the silly Dove and can find no safe rest she returns to the Ark Christ Jesus and seeks admittance into him for the Soul is not content only to behold Christ but also desires to enjoy him not only to come unto him but to get into him thus it was with the Apostle Paul Phil. 3.9 He would be found 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in him though stript naked of all his righteousness yet be found in him alone in him in life in him at death for ‖ Rev. 14.13 blessed are the dead which die in the Lord. Faith is the uniting and implanting grace whereby the Soul is ingrafted into Christ and so becomes a living branch of that living Vine the Lord Jesus Joh. 15.5 I am the Vine ye are the branches This is the import of the expression believe ‖ Joh. 3.36 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into Christ thus we see that by coming to Christ is meant believing in him So much for the invitation Come 2dly I come now to the second particular and that is to shew who this person is that invites weary laden sinners to come to and believe in him for I know the sinner may be ready to say who is he he makes a fair invitation but can he give rest can he make good his promise I answer yea he can to the uttermost make good his promise for he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God-man 1 Tim. 3.16 God manifest in the flesh Rom. 9.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God blessed to eternity he is not a created Angel as Ebion saith neither is he one Person with the Father as Sabellius attested neither is he one that God only dwelt in as Nicholaus said but know this for thy consolation thou heavy laden and labouring Soul that he is the true God and eternal life Joel 5.20 He is the a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 same divine Essence with the Father and not like unto it Joh. 10.30 I and my Father are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one Essence 1 Joh. 15.7 these three are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one speaking of the Trinity of Persons in the Unity of Essence the Lord Jesus and his Father are not b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dissimiles essentiâ unlike in Essence neither are they 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of diverse Essences for God is indivisible as to his simple and eternal essence neither are they 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sicut homines like men a eadem essentiâ sed non innumero the same in essence but not in number for they are coessential and consubstantial having one and the same Essence Basil contra Eunomium calleth the Lord Jesus b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 goodness itself life it self and righteousness it self in the very abstract and how can he be otherwise when there dwells in him the fulness of the Godhead 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bodily Coll. 2.9 The Father and the Son Christ Jesus are at c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 once and together in nature as the Sun and light the one hath the priority in order but not in nature so God the Father and God the Son both persons were from eternity the Father in order first but not in nature But let us go to the d melius est petere fontes quà m sectari rivulos fountain scil the holy Writ to the Law and to the Testimony Is 8.20 for if our speech and proofs be not according to that there will be no light in us Therefore we will see whether or no from thence we may more perspicuously and evidently understand this divine truth for the Scripture doth best discover this great verity scil that Christ is God-man in two distinct natures and one person therefore seeing the right understanding of this is the ground of our encouragement to come unto him and to forsake all others and relye upon him alone for ease and rest I shall endeavour to prove that the Person that invites sinners to come unto him is the true and living God therefore those that come unto him shall not fail of rest 1. Argument shall be taken from what the Scripture saith of his divine Original he is called John 1.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The only begotten of the Father Heb. 1.6 the first begotten 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to that Joh. 1.1 In the begining was the Word and the Word was with God and the word was God The divine Apostle being guided by an infallible Spirit did foresee that this truth would meet with Opposers therefore he is positive in his assertion that he who was the eternal Word is God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and if all Socinians deny this evident Scripture or put false interpretations upon it and call for humane arguments and reasons we are not to believe them for here is that in the word of God which doth far transcend all Philosophical notions and Scholastick distinctions which do rather darken than illustrate this truth for the Spirit of God was the dictator of it and he wants not wisdom to apprehend nor sutable words to express aright this fundamental point in Divinity I shall not make it my business in this Discourse to enter upon Controversy but labour to confirm this weighty point In 1 Joh. 5.20 Christ Jesus is called the Son of God in one part of the verse and in the other part he is called the true God and eternal life 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What ever the Socinians say of this text is invalid for it is evident to any truly enlightned mind that the main scope of the words is to prove the Divinity of the Son of God this were sufficient grounds for faith if there were no other Scriptures to prove the Deity of Christ when Christ asserted that he was one with the Father Joh. 10.30 the unbelieving Jews did rightly apprehend the words but could not understand or conceive the thing for they said that he by this expression who was but a meer man as they thought made himself God vers 33. therefore they term it blasphemy which yet Christ never sought to deny or vindicate himself from so enormous a crime if it had been blasphemy but goes on to confirm it Joh. 10.36 37 38. he owns that he said he was the Son of God which must necessarily be understood that it was by eternal generation therefore one with the Father in essence But I shall wave all prolixity and contract in as narrow compass as I may not being prejudicial to the truth moreover knowing that it is more learnedly and copiously handled by many worthy Divines My work shall be only to touch upon particulars to prove this point and to confirm
those into whose hands this my Book may come and find acceptation with and also to encourage them to come unto Christ who so graciously invites poor sinners to come that they may have rest for their souls 2d Argument à nominibus Divinis from the names of God which are also given to Christ he is called a Rom. 9.5 God over all b 1 Tim. 3.16 God manifest in the flesh c Tit. 3 13. the great God so Is 9.6 the mighty God now the meer name is not only ascribed to the Lord Jesus as it was to them Psal 82.6 but because he truly is so 2d the name Jehovah as in Jer. 23.6 this is the name whereby he shall be called Jehovah our righteousness the name Jehovah has relation to the very essence and being of God and springs from the same root with that Exod. 3.14 I am that I am in Rev. 1.8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christ is termed He that was is and is to come 3ly Lord which relates to his dominion over and sustentation of the world Heb. 1.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And thou Lord in the begining hast laid the foundations of the Earth Psal 110.1 The Lord said unto my Lord sit thou on my right hand till I make thine enemies thy footstool The name Lord in the first place is meant of the Father but in the second of the Son as Christ himself interprets it Mat. 22.44 Thus it appears by the names of God given unto him he is not a meer creature Essentia Dei tum ex nominibus ejus tum ex proprietatibus intelligitur Wol. Job 32.21 22. for the Essence of God is understood from his names and properties Now these being given to the Lord Jesus we may conclude there is more appertains to him than meerly the names for if Elihu could say I know not to give flattering titles for in so doing my Maker would soon take me away what blasphemy then will it be to imagine that the holy Spirit will do so his names are real and proper to him for he is what the Scriptures term him to be and a happy soul wilt thou be if thou canst believingly say with Thomas my Lord and my God Joh. 20.28 3d Argument Proprietates Dei essentiales attribuntur Christo Alsted the essential properties of God which are ascribed to him prove that he is of a divine essence and nature as 1 Immensity Joh. 14 23 If a man love me he will keep my word and my Father will love him and we will come unto him and make our abode with him As Christ Jesus is of an infinite nature he is altogether immeasurable 2ly Eternity as in Micah 5.2 But thou Bethlehem Ephratah though thou be little among the thousands of Judah yet out of thee shall come forth unto me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ab initio diebus aeternitatis that is to be Ruler in Israel whose goings forth have been from of old or as in the Original from the begining from the days of eternity which very well agrees with that of the Apostle In the begining was the word and the word was with God the word was God Joh. 1.1 he does not mean here the begining of the Creation for then he might be accounted a blasphemer because he asserts that he is God Rev. 1.11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but he means that God the Son was with God the Father even from Eternity 3ly Immutability is attributed to him Heb. 1.8 Joh. 8.58 Heb. 1.10 11 12. And thou Lord in the begining hast laid the foundations of the Earth and the Heavens are the works of thy hands they shall perish but thou remainest and they all shall wax old as doth a garment and they shall be changed but thou art the same and thy years shall not fail The Lord Jesus is not mutable as the creatures are but he ever abides the same Heb. 13.8 4ly Omnisciency which is an essential property of God and cannot be ascribed to any created thing but it is written of the Lord Jesus that he knows all things Rev. 2.23 even the hearts and thoughts of men Jer. 17.10 I search the heart and I try the reins which is the great Attribute of God alone for it is he only that is God that can unlock the doors of the Soul and penetrate into the dark chambers thereof and search out its secret imaginations and actions Peter could say to Christ Lord thou knowest all things Joh. 21.17 all things past present and to come are naked plain to him he needs none to instruct him what has been or shall be or what the thoughts of men are Mat. 12.25 Jesus knew their thoughts not only their words or external actions but their internal cogitations were manifest to him 5ly Ubiquity and Omnipresency as Christ saith Mat. 18.20 where two or three are gathered together in my name there am I in the midst of them now he could not have said this of himself if he was not God So Mat. 28 20. Lo I am with you to the end of the World Lastly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in omnibus diebus Omnipotency is attributed to him for he is able to subdue all things to himself Phil. 3.21 as there is nothing too hard for God the Father so there is nothing impossible to God the Son he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Almighty Rev. 1.8 Isa 9.6 and in Isa he is called the mighty God mighty to save his Elect ones †Omnia Atttibuta propter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 singulis Divinitatis personis competunt and mighty to confound his and their enemies This clearly proves the Deity of the Lord Jesus for all the Attributes because of the sameness of the Essence belong to the three Persons only with the limitation of a Persons propriety 4. Argument ex operibus Divinis from his divine works for as never man spake as the Lord Jesus spake so there was never meer man did or could do as he hath done or can do For 1 he created the World all things both in Heaven and Earth Joh. 1.3 All things were made by him Heb. 1.10 and without him was not any thing made that was made The Apostle in the words that was made seems to exclude sin as being no creature of Gods making sin came into the World as rottenness into an apple which is meerly the defection of the creature from its primitive solidity and pure original essence Heb. 1. 10. And thou Lord in the begining hast laid the foundation of the Earth the Heavens are the works of thy hands 2ly Conservation is an act of the Lord Jesus Coll. 1.16 for he supports conserves and upholds all things by his omnipotent arm Coll. 1.17 3ly those miraculous Works which he did to confirm his doctrine do evidently prove his Divinity and call for divine faith Joh. 14.11 as Christ
said to Thomas Believe me for the very works sake what works were they why they were such as are almost incredible and to many seem impossible as giving sight to the blind strength to the weak health to the sick life to the dead c. but it would be tedious for me to relate all the miracles he did upon the bodies of men and women he did and doth effect greater things upon the Soul Luk. 4.18 for he enlightens darkned understandings heals broken hearts likewise there are his works for the good of his Church My Father saith Christ worketh hitherto and I work Joh. 5.17 Christ is continually working for the glory and happiness of his beloved ones for he protects them as the apple of his eye and sends his Spirit who conveys celestial treasure into their souls fills them with grace and conducts them over the raging waves of this tumultuous World to the haven of rest Joh. 16.13 14 15. and the land of eternal felicity Christs care is continual towards his Church and therefore he hath and doth and will work wonders for it Thus his divine works prove that he is more than a creature yea that he is the Creator Joh. 20.28 5th Argum. The fifth Argument to prove his Divinity is deduced ex honore Divino from the divine honour given to him God the Father saith I will not give mine honour to another i. e. Is 4.8 Joh. 5.23 any creature yet it is said of Christ Jesus That all men should honour the Son even in the same manner and in the same measure as they honour the Father he that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him He is not only to be honoured as a person designated to the office of Mediatorship but also as he is the true living God For as Christ said to Philip He that hath seen me hath seen the Father so that one said concerning the Trinity ‖ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Greg. Naz. I cannot think of one but presently I am invironed with the glory of three I cannot discern three but immediately I am carryed to adore the glorious Unity The Angels are said to adore and worship him Heb. 1.6 When he bringeth his first begotten into the world he saith let all the Angels of God worship him i. e. give divine honour to him Is 6.3 The Angels did cry holy holy holy Lord God of Hosts Now the divine Apostle saith that it was the glory of the Lord Jesus that the Prophet did behold in that glorious Vision Joh. 12.41 When the Angels were thus magnifying and adoring him for they are but ministring Spirits in Rev. 5.12 13. we have the whole regiment of them celebrating his praise Heb. 1.14 as one worthy of divine honour 2ly Saints Militant do pay the tribute of divine honour to him who is their Lord and Saviour As 1 Faith this is accounted part of divine honour as a learned Divine hath defined it Cultus qui tendit in Deum anquam in bonum nostrum Ames Medull Theol. saith he it is a worship which extends to God as our present good Now that Faith is proper to Christ as part of divine worship I need not say much to prove because the scriptures are so clear in it as Joh. 14.1 Ye believe in God believe also in me i. e. believe that I am the second Person in the blessed Trinity therefore am able and faithful to perform what I have said and promised unto you Repentance towards God and Faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ Now we know that the Scripture saith it is sin to trust in man Act. 20.21 and a curse to them that rely on him for salvation nay to believe or depend upon Angels because they are but creatures Jer. 17.5 and it would derogate from the honour of God that we should believe for salvation from any but from him who is all-sufficient and all-mighty to save 2ly as Faith so Prayer which is part of divine worship is frequently made unto Christ Prayer as one saith is made up of two species or kinds Orationis species Duae sunt Petitio gratiarum actio Ames Phil. 4.6 scil Petition and giving of Thanks Be careful for nothing but in every thing by Prayer and Supplication with Thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God for he alone is the true object of all religious services as Christ told Satan It is written thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serve But I suppose Mat. 4.10 this granted by all Oratio est voluntatis nostrae religiosa representatio coram Deo ut illa Deus quasi afficitur Ames Medul Theol. that Prayer is a religious Act. And thus that excellent Author defines it Prayer saith he is a religious representation of our will before God that he may as it were be affected with it My work then is to enquire whether this part of divine honour be given unto Christ Jesus as 1 Petition in the 2 Cor. 13.14 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all Amen so 2 Thess 3.18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all Amen 2 Tim. 4.22 The Lord Jesus Christ be with thee All which prove that petitions are made to Christ and that for the highest mercy scil grace and peace Tim. 1.2 Rom. 16.20 21. 2 Thes 1.2 which comprehend most spiritual blessings and seeing the Apostle prays for these things it proves that he is a divine Person from whom he requests them or else he could never give such mercies for who can give grace but God alone who is the fountain of grace Eph. 2.13 14 16. now grace peace flow from the Lord Jesus to poor sinners for he has made peace by the blood of his Cross it is he that has purchased peace for believers with his Father and grace in an abundant measure Joh. 1.16 I am come that they might have life that they might have it more abundantly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gratiam super gratiam life is put here for grace other spiritual blessings for it is out of his fulness we all receive and grace for grace There is a fulness of redundancy that dwells in the Lord Jesus and well it may for there dwells in him the fulness of the God-head Bodily Col. 2.9 Rom. 9.5 Therefore the servants and true worshippers of God make their petitions to the Lord Jesus for Grace who is God over all Blessed for ever Secondly The other part which is thanksgiving and praise is by the Apostle Ascribed to him 2 Tim. 4.18 And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work and will preserve me 2 Tim. 4 18. unto his heavenly Kingdom unto whom be glory for ever and ever Amen The context makes it evident that it is applyed to the Lord Jesus Heb. 1.6 When he bringeth his first
if not prevalent with Pagans yet it should with those who term themselves Christians for if they will not believe his Testimony let them cease to be called by that glorious name let them be Christians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jus not in words but in deeds now Christ saith of himself I am the Son of God Mark 14.62 not by Creation as Angels and Men not by adoption as Saints for then it could not be Blasphemy in Christ as the Jews termed it but I am the Son of the blessed God by eternal generation Joh. 11.4 Joh. 5.18 Rev. 1.8 Th◠Jews accuse Christ of this That he said he was the Son of God without any equivocation or mental reservation Now it would be horrid to think that Christ did not testify the truth who is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Joh. 14.6 ipsae veritas truth it self And if we believe he saith true when he declares he came to give himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a ransom for man Mat. 20.28 We ought to believe him in this especially 2dly Christ testifies that he is one with the Father Joh. 10.30 one in Essence Joh. 5.23 Phil. 2.6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 equal in glory and dominion for it is no Robbery in Christ to be equal to God or to be Gods fellow Zach. 13.7 and the reason is because he is God Joh. 1.1 Joh. 14.10 11. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father in me the meaning of which is in short I and my Father are one according to that known Maxim Nihil in Deo est quod non sit ipse Deus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Joh. 15.26 There is nothing in God which is not God himself there is a mutual immeation and eternal inseparable union between the Father and the Son I might here declare how the Spirit that proceeds from God according to Athanasius's Creed proceeds from Christ also John 20.22 He breathed upon them and they received the Holy Ghost 10. Argument from the Testimony of the Prophets and Apostles this is of weight to those who are called Christians and own the Scriptures to be the Word of Truth and the Penmen thereof to be guided by the holy Spirit of God 2 Pet. 1.21 I shall not number up many places because I would finish this head of Christs eternal Deity The holy Prophet saith The Lord said unto my Lord Psal 45.6 Heb. 1.8 sit thou on my right hand till I make thine enemies thy footstool which Scripture Christ applies to himself Matt. 22.24 Isaiah called him the Lord of Hosts chap. 8.13 14. applyed to Christ Luke 2.34 Rom. 9.33 and 1 Pet. 2.8 and Isa 9.6 the mighty God Jer. 23.6 Jehovah our Righteousness Now for the Apostle see Peters Confession Mat. 16.16 Thou art Christ the Son of the living God Jo. 1.1 The word was God Jo. 6.69 Thomas's confession in Jo. 20.28 My Lord and my God The Apostle Paul Rom. 1.3.4 His Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Vers 4. Declared to be the Son of God with power And in Chap. 9.5 God over all blessed for ever Hear and see you that deny the assertions of the ancient reverend Fathers will you or can you deny the Testimony of those who were chosen of God to bear witness to this Truth I might add more as 1 Joh. 3.16 and 5.20 The true God and Eternal Life 11. Argument from the acknowledgment of ancient Rabbies who were most eminent for the Interpretation of the old Testament upon that Scripture Psal 110.3 Jehovah said unto Jehovah sit thou at my right hand Rabbi Jonathan saith Rabbi Jonathan lib. Col. Misde Tehillim in Psal 2.7 Although Christ was Davids Son according to his Manhood yet he was to be Davids Lord according to his God-head And so do Rabbi Jonathan and the publick Commentaries interpret this place on Jer. 23.6 Rabbi Abda doth confess it is meant of the Messias who is saith he Comment in Then in vers 6. The Eternal Jehovah Rabbi Moses Hadarsan expounding Zeph. 3.9 saith Jehovah here in this place signifies nothing else but the Messias The Caballistical Expositors among the Hebrews do prove Christ the promised Messias to be God as well as Man In Isa 1. chap. 9. Rabbi Hacadosch expounding the words of Jeremiah before recited finding the name Jehovah there wherein the Hebrew is compounded of 3 Letters Jod Vau and He twice repeated doth Cabalistically discourse of it thus The Letter He in Jehovah is compounded of two Letters named Daleth and Vau so shall the Messias be made of two natures the one Divine the other humane and as in Jehova there is twice He and consequently two Daleths and two Vaus contained so there are two filiations or childhoods in Messias The one whereby he shall be the Son of God the other whereby he shall be the Son of a Virgin and as in Jehova the letter He is twice put and yet in effect makes but one Letter so in Messias there shall be two distinct natures and yet but one Christ Here although the Argumentation may be denied yet we see their belief concerning the Messias I might quote more places and Authors as Rabbi Simen and Ibda upon Deut. 6. Jehova our Lord is one Lord the first to signifie God the Father the second the Son the third the holy Ghost and the Word one to signifie the unity of Essence so likewise Isa 6.3 I will add this one more Philo de Exulibus speaking of the Death of a high Priest by which they should be redeemed from their Captivity saith That this High Priest shall be the very Word of God who shall be void of all sin voluntary and involuntary whose father shall be God and this Word shall be that Fathers wisdom see how agreeable this is to Scripture Joh. 1.1 The Word was God 1 Pet. 1.19 A Lamb without Spot 1 Cor. 1.24 Christ the Wisdom and Power of God 12. Argument I might here produce the sayings of some Heathens according to what was revealed to them Zoroastes called him secundam mentem the second mind they had extraordinary Revelations Clem. Alex. l. 1. Strom. Hermes Trismegistus calleth him The first begotten Son of God his only Son his dear eternal immutable and incorruptible Son whose sacred name is Ineffable these are his words Lactantius lib. 4. Divin Instit c. 6. makes much mention of certain Heathen Prophetesses called Sybilla Mern Iter. in Demund Augus lib. De Civit. Dei cap. 23. that Prophesied concerning Christ now as he saith this is the expression of one of them Know thy God which is the Son of God Another in Acrostick verses treateth of Jesus Christ Son of God the Saviour although these may not be much accounted of yet they were made use of by Justin Martyr Origen Augustine and Constantine the Emperour against the Heathens who denyed the Divinity of Christ Virgil applieth some of their Prophesies I shall not now cite
your selves and them who were entring ye hindred Or forbid those Lawyers called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are sometimes taken for the Scribes called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because they were writers of the Law and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Tim. 1.7 Dionisius de tribus sectis l. 2. Chap. 11. The teachers of the Law of Moses they did expound the Law to the People in Esra 7.6 But yet by their false interpretation took away the Key of Knowledg i. e. the right meaning of it and so shut out both themselves and others from happiness by their false and corrupt glasses Upon Texts of Scripture it is probable they prohibited and forbid the Jews to believe that Christ was the promised Messiah therefore they ought not to obey him who is the only way to Eternal Life Thus the Papists Socinians and Pelagians have perverted Souls and caused whole Kingdoms to deviate and turn out of that direct way which leads unto Christ but O what a dreadful account will these Soul-Murderers have to give in at the day of Christ The Papist is for his Works and Merits the Socinian for his Faith not laying hold upon the object and Foundation the Lord Jesus the Pelagian for his free Will he will come to Christ when he pleaseth Others by a bare notion and assent thus when they should do as the Apostle 2 Cor. 4.5 Not Preach themselves but Jesus Christ they on the contrary Preach down Christ and extol themselves but Sinner receive none of these Doctrines which Savour not of Christ but reject them with that saying of Augustine when he read Cicero's Works Dukes non sunt quia nomen Jesu non est in illis Aug. They are not sweet because the name of Jesus is not in them Let him be alone exalted and held forth as the Brasen Serpent for the Eye of thy Faith to look unto Jo. 3.14 That thou maist receive cure for thy wounded Soul 2ly By their evil example for this hath a great influence upon the common sort and generality of mankind Exemplis sanè qui docet ille docet He teacheth well who teacheth by examples These pretend to believe in Christ yet live like the Servants of Satan Linaker reading the 6. 7. Chap. of Mat. and considering the lives of Christians threw away his Testament saying Certainly Certè aut hoc non est Evangelium Christi aut nos non sumus Christiani either this is not the Gospel of Christ or we are not Christians I say this has been and is at this day a very great Let to poor Sinners and keeps them from coming to Christ The conversation of such who profess Christ ought to be mannaged so uprightly that thereby they might win others unto Christ I know the evil of this by experience for when I was Puris Naturalibus in my Natural State and Condition and observing the loose conversation of one who seemed a great Zealot for Christ and pure Christianity it proved an obstacle unto me for a time and kept me back from fully closing with the Lord Jesus Therefore I only say this Christians look to your lives that they be exemplary for holyness and Sinner look to the word of God which will lead thee unto Christ who is the best example and pattern of Piety 3ly By their Edicts and strict Laws against them and their threatning of them Thus the Jews threatned the Apostles that they should not Preach up Christ Act. 4.17 And thus the Papists threaten people with fire and faggot if they come unto Christ their Bloody Inquisitions scares many from believing professing and imbracing the truth of the Gospel this they have done ever since Christs time but let not these things deter thee but consider the answer of the Apostles when called before the Councel Act. 4.19 Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more then unto God judg ye 4ly By keeping the word of God from them and not permiting them to read the holy Scriptures which are able by the assistance of the holy Spirit to make one wise unto Salvation 2 Tim. 3.15 Chrisostom calls them Animae Pharmaca the Medicines of the Soul there the wounded may find cure the blind may receive sight the Scriptures are such a copious treasure that the Soul may have full supplies in time of straits there it may have councel as David had they were the men of his councel there the Soul may come to understand its misery the way of justification and Salvation by a Redeemer who and what person he is that he is the Eternal Son of God Jo. 3.16 The only begotten Son of God In fine there are all things necessary to Salvation it is like a well stored Magazin wherein there is plenty of Amunition to offend and defend against the Enemy and also plenty of Provision to supply the wants of those inclosed in the Garison But cruel Papists deny them to the Layety and by that means prevents them from knowing who Christ is and the necessity of coming unto him many have been converted by reading the Scriptures as Augustine Tertullian and Luther with several others therefore labour to get the Scriptures to read and understand them that thou maist come unto Christ and that thy Soul may be made eternally happy by him 5ly By persecuting of and destroying those who are Christs faithful Embassadors that would bring them to Christ Justin Martyr was converted by seeing the undanted Spirit of those who suffered for Christ And many more instances I might give Thus the Papists have spit out their poisonous venome how many have they made to deny the Lord that bought them although it must be confessed that God is pleased to order it so that Sanguis Martyrum est semen Ecclesiae The Blood of the Martyrs is the Seed of the Church and the more they have been oppressed the more they have Augmented and by scattering have been increased as they were in the Apostles days yet quite contrary to the design of their Adversaries as it is said of the great King of Assyria Isa 10. He designed to destroy Nations not a few But God designed no such thing but only to convert and chastise those who had sinned against him so the wicked persecutors of the World in all the ten bloody persecutions and in the Marian Days here in England their whole purpose and intent was to keep Persons from believing in Christ and laying hold upon him for Salvation therefore they destroyed the shepheards that the Sheep might go astray others through fear of their cruelty be impeded and letted from coming but that this may not hinder consider that to have Christ at a dear rate is better than to have the World at a Cheap for thou wilt infinitely be a looser if thou hast the whole world and yet missest of Christ One Christ will make thee amends for all thy sufferings and afflictions
them unto Christ vers 37.39 All that the Father giveth me shall come unto me Eph. 1.4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the Foundation of the World so 1 Pet. 1.2 God hath elected and made choice of thee if thou art come to Christ Jer. 31.3 I have loved thee with an everlasting love therefore with loving kindness have I drawn thee Gods Love was fixed from all Eternity and he manifests it in time unto the Soul in drawing it unto Christ Jo. 6.37 All that the Father hath given him shall come unto him God hath chosen them and given them to his Son therefore he draws them to him Sinners are not able to move hand nor foot Zyon-ward unless God draws them they cannot come unto Christ 2ly If thou art come unto Christ the holy Spirit hath been at work upon thy Soul 1. To illuminate and inlighten thy understanding 2. Convince thy Conscience 3. Incline thy will 4. Sanctify thy affections 5. Work grace in the inward Man 1. The Spirit doth inlighten the understanding By nature Man is darkness Eph. 5.8 Therefore he must be turned from darkness to light Act. 26.18 And this is done by the Spirit of God he opens the Sinners Eyes that he may know himself Know thy self descended from Heaven it is said concerning the Prodigal Luk. 15.17 When he came to himself then he thought of returning home to his Father not before so it must be with every Sinner he must come to himself to know what he is before he will come to Christ if thou art come to the Lord Jesus thou hast been made to see thy miserable and deplorable condition by nature that thou art a Child of wrath Eph. 2.3 subject and obnoctious to the wrath of God deservest nothing but wrath and it were justice in God to execute wrath upon thee even for thy natural pollution and defilement much more for that contracted filth and impurity in thy conversation that thou art lost and shalt perish for ever without a Redeemer a Jesus to save thee that thou art an enemy to God Rom. 5.10 and needest reconciliation with him through the Blood of Christ that thou art unregenerate and without regeneration no seeing the Kingdom of God Jo. 3.3 miserable all over nothing but Wounds and Bruises and Putrifying Sores miserable because in thy flesh Rom. 7.18 dwelleth no good thing Sin Raigning Satan Captivating at his will the World allureing and perswading and thou art without strength or ability to resist and overcome these and many more I might number up are the evils which in Puris naturalibus in thy Natural condition make it deplorable therefore the holy Spirit brings thee first to know thy self before thou comest unto Christ 2ly To know and understand the Scriptures is another effect of the Spirit upon the understanding of those who are come to and have closed with the Lord Jesus As it is said Luk. 24.45 He opened their understandings that they might understand the Scriptures Therein all things concerning Christ are revealed Jo. 5.39 Search the Scriptures for in them ye think to have eternal Life i. e. the knowledge of eternal Life and they are they which testify of me Now the Spirit doth open the Eye of the understanding that it may in the glass of the Scriptures see those things clearly which are necessary to Salvation to wit repentance towards God and faith towards our Lord Jesus Act. 20.21 it declares the mind and will of God fully and directs poor Sinners who are stung in the Wilderness to look up to the BrazenSerpent scil the Lord Jesus Jo. 3.14 it declares that there is Salvation in none other I do not here say Act. 4.12 that the Spirit teaches all to read the Scriptures who are adult and grown into a capacity of exercising their Reason for there are many who I am perswaded have closed with Christ Luther Tertullian and others were converted from Papism and Gentilism by being brought to understand the Scriptures that could not read the Scriptures but this I assert that the understanding is inlightened by the Spirit to discern the things of God and Christ when preached or read to them out of the holy Scriptures for without a right understanding of the Scriptures there can be no apprehending the right way of Salvation All the Phylosophers of old with all their profound Learning Arts Sciences did not know Christ so consequently they were ignorant of the way of Salvation because Christ is the only way 3ly Thou art brought to understand and know thy duty in a great measure thy duty towards God thy duty towards thy Neighbour and thy duty towards thy self 1. Towards God that thou oughtest to Love him for himself to Love him as thy Creator and as a bountiful Benefactor to thee to Love him primarily superlatively and above all as the Text saith Thou shalt Love the Lord thy God with all thy Heart and with all thy Mind and with all thy Strength Deut. 6.5 To love him fervently and permanently if thou art not come to Christ besure there is none of this sincere love in thee for as God loves not the Sinner but as chosen in Christ Eph. 1.4 so the Sinner can never love God as he ought but in and through Christ and as God sees no lovelyness in the Sinner considered out of Christ so the Sinner perceives no amiableneness in God but in the Face of Jesus Christ for God is a consuming fire to Sinners if they be seperate from Christ so that I say Heb. 12. ult thou art taught to love God as an infinite good 2. To fear him not with a Bondage Slavish fear Rom. 8.15 but with a Filial and Holy fear such a fear as becometh Gods Children a reverential fear a fearing to displease him such a fear Christ Jesus had in his humiliation state Heb. 5.7.8 and such a fear have all his members who are come unto him and are implanted in him 3. Taught to serve him before thou wast the Servant of Sin and Satan but now the Servant of the living God Rom. 6. now thou desirest and indeavourest to obey him constantly as to the time fervently faithfully as to the manner and universally as to the Practice of them in all holy dutys as it was said of Zachary and Elizabeth They walked in all the Commandments of God Luk. 1.6 So it is thy care and Study to obey him in all things he requires from thee 4. Thou art taught to glorify God as being the chief end of thy Creation For he hath made all things for himself Psal 16.4 Thou indeavourest to glorify thy Soul and Body which are his according to that command 1 Cor. 6.20 Glorify God in your Bodys and in your Spirits which are Gods Thus Christ Jesus did as he saith Jo. 17.4 I have glorified thee on Earth so he saith of his Disciples Jo 15.8 Herein is my Father glorified that ye bare much Fruit so
3 From their distinct personal Propertys Mat. 28.19 1 Joh. 5.7 1 From their distinct Names they are called Father Son and Holy Ghost so Father Word and Holy Ghost These names do manifest a distinction not of Nature and Essence for they are one therefore of Personality 2 From the Distinct personal acts ascribed to the three Persons as 1 The giving of the Spirit is ascribed to the Father Joh. 14.16 I will pray the Father and he shall give you another Comforter the act of giving is proper to a Person that hath understanding and will 2 Sending the Comforter is ascribed to the Son Jo. 15.26 And it is proper to Christ to send his holy Spirit to his Servants 3 Guiding into all truth is ascribed to the Holy Ghost Jo. 16.13 their Personal Acts as Giving Sending and Guiding prove the distinction and trinity of persons yet there can be but one single and 〈◊〉 essence which proves the unity 3 that they are three distinct persons is evident from their distinct Personal and incommunicable propertys as 1 The personal Property of the Father is to beget the Son Heb. 1.5 2 The personal Property of the Son is to be Begotten Joh. 1.14 We beheld his glory the glory as of the only begotten of the Father 3 The personal property of the Holy Ghost is to proceed from the Father and the Son Jo. 15.26 And when the Comforter is come whom I will send from the Father even the Spirit of truth which proceedeth from the Father he shall testifie of me I need not say more to prove the Blessed Trinity or that the Lord Jesus is the second Person of those that require further satisfaction in this point let them consult the famous Duplesses in his treatise de vera Religione I could say much more to prove this Point that the Lord Jesus is a Divine Person and that he is the Second in order although not in Nature in the blessed trinity but having proved the trinity from the word of God I suppose the other Granted viz. That the Lord Jesus is God 8. Argument Shall be taken from the greatness of the sufferings that the Lord Jesus indured and satisfaction he made to his Fathers justice the sufferings of Christ were infinite in regard they were the sufferings of an infinite Person Act. 20.28 The Church of God which he hath purchased with his Blood Est aliquid in Christo quod non est passum Vrsin spoken Senechdochally because of the communication of properties the communication of properties is to attribute to the whole Person that which is the property of one of the Natures the Deity of the Lord Jesus is impassible and altogether incapable of depression suffering or affliction it was his humane Nature suffered and died it was Christ who is God-man that did bear our sorrows 1 Tim. 2.5 He is called man and in 1 Jo. 3.16 He is called God Hereby perceive we the Love of God because he laid down his Life for us continebat paenas maximas quia miseriam illam totam aequabat hominum peccata merebantur Ames Med. Theo. he what he even he that was God-man in one person and two distinct natures By the one he underwent Death and by the other viz. his divine he overcame and triumphed over Death and the Grave if he had not been an Almighty Person he would have been pressed down under that load of guilt and punishment for he sustained the greatest punishment in that it did equal all the misery which our Sins merited and we to eternity ought to have suffered 2 The satisfaction he made was infinite Bellarmin de Justificil 2. Cap. 7. Ser. 4. confesseth that nothing can make satisfaction for sin which is an infinite wrong to God but that only which is Infinite in value so was the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the price that Christ paid Ca. 22. i.e. quod nos in aeternum debuissimus pati Vrsin it was of infinite Value for it gave satisfaction to infinite justice offended by the Sinner he could never have made peace except he had broken down the middle Wall of Partition between God the party offended and poor Sinners the partys offending and this he did by that Price he paid viz. His blood 1 Pet. 1.19 And having paid the uttermost Farthing he came out of the Prison of the Grave Id circo illis tertio diae vita resumpta denuo apparuit Joseph lib. 14. Antiq. Cap. 4. and appeared to his Disciples as both Scripture and History relate the third day he reassumed life and appeared to his Disciples if Christ had not done and suffered that which was equivolent to the demands of divine justice and made full satisfaction for every Sin of his elect ones we might then question whether his satisfaction was of infinite value but he has done so and made compleat satisfaction therefore it is said The Blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth from all sin 1 Joh. 1.7 Joh. 1.29 Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the Sins of the World Now this could not be if he had not compleatly satisfied every demand of justice and paid an infinite Price for our Sins Peccati gravitas irae Dei immensum intolerabile pondus mortis imperium tirannis Diaboli quae tollere vincere abolere placare nemo potuit nisi Deus Bucanum So that the Sufferings being Infinite and the Satisfaction infinite it must needs be of an Infinite Person which is Christ the second Person of the Blessed Trinity and so his suffering and satisfaction becomes Meritorious now there are three things required in a Person that merits 1 He must be a free voluntary Agent no way obligated to the performance of that act done by him but of this sort there are neither Angels nor Men for they are all obligated and injoyned to do their uttermost for the glory of God 2 What they merit with must be of their own but as the Apostle saith What have we or Angels that we have not received 1 Cor. 4.7 Mensura debet esse unigenira similis mensurato 3 The work must be equivalent to the reward But these qualifications are found in none but in Christ and the work he did he was a free voluntary Agent no way oblieged till he bound himself and became our surety as he himself saith Joh. 10.17 18. Therefore doth the Father love me because I lay down my Life none 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 takes it from me but I lay it down of my self I have power to lay it down and I have power to take it up again So the work was perfected by his own Divine Power as being Almighty and it was of equal value to the reward even grace pardon life and glory for ever then we conclude that Christ Jesus the Inviter is God blessed for ever Rom. 9.5 9. Argument From Christs Testimony of or concerning himself and we shall find this is no slight Argument