to be a speech by Synechdoche viz. wherein a part is taken for the whole or the whole for a part Q. But those Titles which belong to the Office of Redemption are they to be attributed to the Natures severally asunder or to the Person A. To the Person as Christ is a Mediator Pastor Priest according to both Natures although each of them in that work retaining his own proper efficacy or operation Q What is the Effect of that Personal Vnion A. The bestowing of gifts whereby the Humane Nature in the Person of Christ is adorned and whereby it excelleth all other Creatures in Wisdom Goodness Holiness Power Majesty and Glory which the old Fathers call the Deifying of the Flesh the Schoolmen Habitual Grace of the Communion of Properties which is mutual one of another and the reciprocation of the Names altogether distinct Q How manifold is the state of Christ A. Two-fold one of Humiliation whereby he willingly undergoing the burdens reproaches and punishments of our Nature did humble himself to the death of the Cross the Divinity in the mean while according to Irenaeus resting or hiding it self that he might be crucified and die The other of Exhaltation whereby after his death his Humane Nature did lay aside all the infirmities of it but not the Essential Properties and was wonderfully exalted above all Creatures unto the greatest honour yet not in any case match'd and equalled to the Divine Nature of Christ Phil. 2.7 9. Q. What are the Doctrines contrary to this A. The first Heresie of Macedonius and Valentinus who affirmed That Christ brought with him a Celestial body from Heaven As also of Apelles who said His Body was aiery his Flesh star-like and that he passed from the Virgin as Water from a Pipe 2. Of the Marcionites who feigned unto him an imaginary Body 3. Of Apollinaris who denyed that Christ did assume a reasonable Soul but that his Divinity was unto him instead of his mind 4. Of Eunomius who affirmed Christ to be meer man and that he was called the Son of God by Adoption And of Ebâ—oni who said that Christ was born by Humane generation 5. Of Nestorius who taught That as there be two Natures in Christ so there are two Persons and that the Divinity is present with the Humanity by circumstance and combination but not by Personal union Therefore he denyed that Mary was the Mother of God or brought forth God and affirmed that Man not God was crucified of the Jews 6. Eutyches Heresie contrary to the former for he taught that the Humane Nature after the Union was indued with the properties of the Divinity viz. the Divine Nature was turned into flesh 7. Of the Manichees who avouched that Christ had but one only Will and not two a Divine and a Humane Will 8. Of the Vbiquitaries who attribute to the Humanity of Christ the Essential properties of the Divinity altogether forgetting that saying He that taketh away the Properties taketh away the Nature and on the contrary He that attributeth the Proprieties attributeth the Nature and of whatsoever the Essence cannot be affirmed no more can the Essential Proprieties thereof be affirmed of the same Now I have here briefly given you an account of these Eight Opinions about Christ as aforesaid And by these you see St. Peters words fulfilled 2 Pet. 2.1 But there were false Prophets also among the People even as there shall be false Teachers among you who privily shall bring in damnable HERESIES even denying the Lord that bought them and bring upon themselves swift destruction And many shall follow their pernitious wayes by reason of whom the way of Truth shall be evil spoken of Acts 20.28 For St. Paul saith Take head therefore unto your selves and unto all the Flock over which the Holy Ghost hath made you Overseers to feed the Church of God which he hath purchased with his own blood for I know this that after my departing shall grievous Wolves enter in among you not sparing the Flock also of your own selves shall men arise speaking perverse things to draw away disciples after them So Isa 9.21 saith That Manasses against Ephraim and Ephraim against Manasses and both against Judah Also Herod against Pilat and Pilat against Herod and both against Christ even so here is the Eunomians or Socinians or Bidelians against the Eutychians and both against Christ for the one denyeth his Divine Nature and the other his Humane contrary to Matth. 22.45 and Rev. 22.16 I am the root and off-spring of David and so by consequence both deny the true Christ For the Devil knoweth there is no Salvation for us without Faith in him who is David's Lord and David's Son Acts 4.12 Neither is there Salvation in any other for there is none other Name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved Acts 4.12 And now Brethren that I may as the Apostle Paul saith Acts. 20.26 be clear from the blood of you all for I have and will declare unto you all the counsel of God that I know touching this matter but as the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 13.9 So say I for we know in part and we prophesie in part for now we see through a glass darkly but then face to face now I know in part but then shall I know even as also I am known 2 Pet. 3.17 Ye therefore beloved seeing ye know these things before beware lest ye also being led away with the Error of the wicked fall from your own stedfastness For some of you have been as brands pluck'd out of the fire Jude 23. I mean out of the Eutychian Heresie which doth not only deny Christ to be truly David's Son but saith That he that was truly David's Lord and Creator was mortal and died contrary to 1 Tim. 1.17 Now unto the King Eternal Immortal Invisible the only Wise God be honour and glory for ever and ever Amen And now because the right knowledge of Christ and union of his Natures is so absolutely necessary to Salvation I will add some Questions and propound them for the Eutychians consideration CHAP. VII Containing Questions Answers about the Union of Natures in Christ Quest 1. WHy must Christ become Man and take our Nature viz. the flesh of the Virgin Mary Answ Because the Justice of God required that seeing in that Nature God was offended in that Nature should a satisfaction be made to God for the offence Now sin was committed in Man's Nature Adam sinned first and in him all his Posterity therefore Christ took Man's Nature that so he might suffer death and so make satisfaction to his Father for Men's sins Q. 2. Is there no way appointed of God to remit our sins but by shedding of blood A. No so saith the Holy Ghost Heb. 9.22 Without shedding of blood there is no remission Q. 3. Can Christ considered as he is the Eternal Word Joh. 1.1 and very God 1 Joh. 5.20 die A. No for God is immortal and
Samosatenus who taught That the Son did no more subsist in God than Wisdom Justice and Goodness 3. Of Arrius who denyed that the Son was begotten of the Essence of the Father that he was co-eternal co-equal and according to his Person of the same substance with the Father 4. Of Servetus who affirmed that the word Person is no otherwise to be taken then as in Comedies the name of a Person is used for the habit and the distinction of the office 5. Of the Tritheitarites who do transform the three Persons into three distinct and several Essences They deny the Son of God according to his Essence to be of the same substance with the Father and the Son to be God of himself 6. The blindness of the Jews who do affirm an Essence altogether without distinction And here I will Answer to some Objections made by divers Hereticks Object 1. If there be divers Jehovahs there must be divers Essences but Gen. 19.24 the first is true for Jehovah did rain fire from Jehovah that is the Son from the Father therefore the Son is a distinct Essence from the Father A. The Learned say it is an Hebrew phrase signifying that God did miraculously rain fire of himself from Heaven Again the word Jehovah is taken sometimes personally it is therefore a distinction in the Persons not in Essence Obj. 2. There is one life of the Father and another of the Son Joh. 5.26 therefore another Essence A. First that place is to be understood of a power communicated to Christ as he was Mediator Secondly Although the Son be from the Father in respect of the origination of his Person yet is he of himself if he be absolutely considered and therefore hath the same life with the Father Obj. 3. They who have distinct Operations have distinct Essences but the Actions of the Trinity are distinct Ergo. A. The Proposition is true if it be understood of natural and external action but if of internal and personal actions it is not true for these do not take away the unity of Essence since that the same Essence in number is wholly in every Person Obj. 4. Each Person hath not one and the same power for the Father can beget the Son the Son cannot beget ergo they have not the same Essence A. They have all one natural power but not personally as there is one Nature but not one Person Obj. 5. The Essence of the Father is communicated to the Son by Generation therefore there is one Essence in the Father another in the Son because there is one Essence begetting and another begotten A. We must distinguish betwixt Generation and Communication for the Person begets and is begotten but the Essence neither begetteth nor is begotten but communicated Obj. 6. If the Father and Son have one Essence it must follow that the Father was incarnate which is absurd Ergo. A. The Essence of God absolutely considered was not incarnate but the second Person and although the Person of the Son include the whole Essence of God yet for the proper manner of subsisting it is distinguished from the Father Obj. 7. If the Father and Son have one Essence the Son should be Mediator to himself A. The Son is properly Mediator betwixt us and his Father not absolutely betwixt us and the Divine Essence And the office of Mediator dependeth upon the most free Ordination of God Note CHAP. VI. Questions and Answers about Christ Quest 1. WHat doth this word Christ signifie A. It signifieth Anointed because he was anointed with the oyl of gladness above his fellows Joh. 1.14 Psal 2.6 110.4 Isa 61.1 as we reade in Psal 45.8 And indeed he is that King that only Priest and Prophet which was promised unto mankind Q. 2. Doth his name Christ signifie his Nature or his Person A. His Person subsisting in both his Natures and not this or that Nature alone for it is a name concrete as the Grammarians speak and not abstract Q. 3. What do you call a word concrete and what an abstract A. This word concrete in the discourse of Christ is said to be that which signifieth the nature together with the subject and doth comprehend in his signification both the thing and the subject wherein the thing is that is to say it doth define the Person of Christ as he is the Son of God because the Son of God doth not simply signifie the Nature of God but the Person of the Son of God So the Son of Man See Bucan Institut Theolog loc 2. or pag. 14. when it is spoken of Christ signifieth the Person and not his Humanity simply But this name abstract is a word that signifieth the Nature simply as the Divinity of Christ the Humanity of Christ Q. 4. How many things are especially necessary to know Christ and which be they A. Two his Person and his Office Q. 5. What is Christ A. He is the only begotten Son of God Joh. 1.14 Tit. 3.4 5. Heb. 2.16 Luk. 1.31 Luk. 1.35 Heb. 2.16 Heb. 2.14 Mat. 26.29 27.50 Heb. 2.17 4.15 who of his meer love towards mankind did create unto himself of the Seed of the Virgin Mary being Sanctified by the Holy Ghost and by creating assumed and did personally and inseparably for ever unite a true humane Body indued with a reasonable Soul And so being true God became true Man like to us in all things sin only excepted Q. 6. What things are we especially to consider in the Person of Christ A. Four 1. That Christ is God 2. That the same Christ is Man 3. That he is God and Man in one Person 4. The Phrases and the usual Speeches which are affirmed of Christ in the Scriptures Q. 7. By how many and by what kind of testimonies do you prove that Christ is God A. By three 1. By apparent and manifest sentences of Scripture wherein the Divinity of Christ is averred 2. By his Works which were altogether Divine 3. By the worship and honour which was yielded unto Christ both of the Saints that believed and of the Angels Q. 8. Shew some pregnant testimonies whereby you can prove that Christ is God A. I shall Isa 9.6 This is the Name whereby they shall call him speaking of the Messias to wit the Mighty God the Father of Eternity Jer. 23.6 The Name whereby the Branch of David shall be called shall be the Lord our Righteousness Judg. 6.11 c. That Angel which appeared to the Holy Patriarchs call himself Jehovah In the New Testament Matth. 16.16 Thou art Christ the Son of the living God Joh. 20.28 My Lord and my God Rom. 9.5 Christ being God was of the fathers according to the flesh of his Mother who is God for ever 1 Joh. 5.20 And we are in his Son Jesus Christ who is very God and life Eternal 1 Tim. 3.16 God is manifested in the flesh In which places Christ is absolutely called God and the name Jehovah so given
cannot die 1 Tim. 1.17 for he only is without beginning and without end Q. 4. But although God as God cannot die yet cannot he change himself from a Creator to a Creature and so die A. No for saith the Holy Ghost Mat. 3.6 I am the Lord I change not Jam. 1.17 Neither is there any shadow of it Q. 5. Did Christ take our flesh and not our sin A. Yes for the Holy Ghost saith He was made like unto his brethren in all things sin only excepted Heb. 2.17 4.15 Q. 6. How could he take our flesh and not our sin also sith all other men partake of both A. All other men came from Adam and by Adam as a procreant cause Rom. 5.12 but Christ came from Adam but not by Adam viz. being made of a Woman Gal. 4.4 even as Eve was made of a Man Gen. 2. but not begotten as Cain and all other men are Matth. 1.18 Q. 7. How could Christ properly be the Son of Man and so the Son of David and of Abraham and Adam if he did not take the very flesh and blood of the Virgin Mary the Daughter of David as St. Luke in his third Chapter saith she was A. He could not for God had sworn with an oath to him That of the fruit of this Loyns according to the flesh he would raise up Christ to sit on his Throne Acts 2.30 Q. 8. If so whether then is not that Opinion heretical and damnable that denyeth Christ to be the true Son of David A. It is because there is no Eternal Salvation to be had in any other Acts 13.38 39. Q. 9. Whether if Christ had been a Creature only although an Angel or Man could he have overcome death A. No for as he was Man the Jews did destroy the temple of his body Joh. 2.19 but as God he raised it up again the third day as he told the Jews he would do Joh. 10.18 Q. 10. Whether if Death and the Grave had kept Christ Prisoner for ever could any have been saved A. No so St. Paul saith 1 Cor. 15. For then they which are asleep in Christ are perished Q. 11. Whether doth not this absurdity follow the Eutychian Opinion that if Christ be only God then he could not die as aforesaid if only Man then he cannot raise himself from the dead A. It doth unavoidably follow upon their Opinion Q 12. Whether such a Doctrine which by its natural consequences maketh the death and resurrection of Christ impossible or else in vain ought not to be abandoned by all Christians A. Yes doubtless it ought for it destroyeth the Faith of Gods Elect utterly if believed Q. 13. What must we do with those Brethren that are ignorant of these bad consequences as aforesaid A. Instruct them in the true Faith concerning Christ's death and resurrection Q. 14. But what must we do if they be obstinate and will not repent A. Then after the first and second admonition reject them Tit. 3.10 Q. 15. If Christ before he came from Heaven was of the uncreated substance of the Father their Essence being One then will it not follow that the Father was made flesh at well as the Sou sith you say it was the Essence that was made flesh not the Person of the Son took it into Personal Union as we with the Scriptures say he did Heb. 2.14 16. Q. 16. If it were possible for the uncreated substance to make it self into Flesh which by nature is a Spirit and spiritual substance Joh. 4.24 Then how could he receive nourishment from the Virgin as you say he did and grow in her womb Q. 17. If he be of the uncreated substance how could he grow in Wisdom as he did sith the uncreated substance is wisdom it self Prov. 8. Q. 18. If Christ be only of the uncreated substance then how could he be ignorant of the day of Judgment Mark 13.32 Q 19. If he was only of the uncreated substance then how could he be anointed by the Holy Ghost Luk. 4.18 Acts 4.27 Q. 20. If he be only of the uncreated substance then whose Will did he obey when he said Not my Will but thy Will be done Luk. 22.42 For the Essence is one in the Father and the Son Joh. 14.9 11. Q. 21. Why did Christ die as you say he did if he was only of the uncreated substance Did he die to satisfie himself viz. as God Answer fairly and do not now when you see all these gross absurdities follow your Opinion as the natural consequences of it say you cannot tell what he was before he was made flesh in the Virgins womb for then you worship you know not what Joh. 4.22 with the Samaritans and so you are Idolaters as they and the Athenians were Acts 17.22 23 c. Some Objections Object 1. Peradventure some may say These absurdities will follow upon your own Opinion as well as ours for you say he was God by Nature as well as we and there is but one God by Nature Gal. 4.8 Answ 1. Not so for we alwayes distinguish betwixt the Essence of the Son and the Person saying The Essence is one with his Father but not his Person therefore we say his Person was begotten not his Essence and we also say that his Person took Flesh of the Virgin Mary not the Essence and therefore it was the Person of the Son that was born of her not the Father nor the Spirit for although the Essence of the three be one yet the Persons be distinct as 1 Joh. 5.7 So that the Eternal Word the Son of God did never pray to his Father as I remember till he became our Mediator no more than the Holy Ghost doth pray to the Father which for himself you know he doth not but Christ did pray for himself which could not be for his Godhead but for his Manhood which is a Creature and therefore ought to perform homage to God the Creator For we alwayes distinguish betwixt the Natures which you deny therefore we say it was his Humane Nature that was ignorant of the day of Judgment for with his Divine Nature he knoweth all things Joh. 2.25 And by virtue of it he could and did forgive sins which two things viz. To search the heart and and to forgive sins none but God can do therefore we cannot conceive how he could become our Saviour and Mediator except he had these two Natures in one Person for if he had not took our Nature and so appeared before God in our stead bearing our sins in his own body as St. Peter saith 1 Pet. 2.24 And so St. Paul saith Was made sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in him 2 Cor. 5.21 for else Justice could not have punished him 2. If he had been put to death in the flesh which we say only died which distinction you deny but we with St. Peter say he was put to death in the flesh but
quickned by the Spirit which we call his Divine Nature for as he did bear our sins so also our punishment for sin which was death but by his Divine Nature he overcame it as aforesaid 1 Pet. 3.18 Obj. 2. Peradventure some will object against these things as I have before laid down saying He may be the Son of David although he did not take of the flesh of the Virgin Mary and so by consequence the flesh of David inasmuch as he was born of the Daughter of David for it may be read Born of a Woman as well as made of a Woman Gal. 4.4 as also Rom. 1.3 born of the Seed of David A. We say with you He was born of the Seed of David and so of the Virgin Mary But yet so as he was also made of the Seed of David and of a Woman Which thing you deny viz. that he was made of the Seed of David and if so then he was not properly the Son of David although born of a Daughter of David no more than Bethsheba's Child was Vriah's which was begotten of her by David which you know was David's and not Vriah's Child although she was his Wife for no man is properly the Son of such a man except he partake of the substance nature or flesh of that man But you say Christ did not do so therefore he was not by your Opinion the Son of David Obj. 3. But no Child say they doth take any thing from his Mother but only nourishment therefore Christ did not A. Who told you so not God's Word and do you know by experience how bones do grow in the womb but if your Opinion be true why then doth God forbid his Children to marry their Sister by the Mothers side how is she kin to him if she was begotten by another father But God saith your Opinion is false as you may see Levit. 18.9 c. Some Queries to the Eutychians Query 1. Whether doth not the Eutychian Opinion in denying the two Natures in Christ viz. the Divine and Humane by consequence deny the Lamb the Priest and the Altar mentioned in the Law to be types of Christ contrary to the Analogy of Faith Answ They do for Christ as Man is the Lamb as God the Altar and as God-Man the Priest Q. 2. Whether doth the Holy Ghost apply these three to Christ in the New Testament yea or nay A. Yes he doth apply them for he is the Lamb or Sacrifice for sin Joh. 1.29 Heb. 9.26 10.10 and the Altar Heb. 13.10 and the Priest Heb. 5.6 For as the typical Lamb was without blemish even so was Christ saith St. Peter 1 Pet. 1.18 2.24 Secondly The Priest was sanctified or set apart to offer a Sacrifice acceptable to God even so was Christ Joh. 17.17 Thirdly As the Altar did sanctifie the Sacrifice even so did the Godhead of Christ the Humane Nature Heb. 9.14 Query 3. Whether doth not the Eutychian Opinion make the threefold Offices of Christ of none effect or deny them all A. Yes for the Divine Nature cannot be anointed to be Priest Prophet and King Query 4. Whether can any man come to the Father but through Faith in these threefold Offices of Christ A. No for what the Tabernacle or Temple was to them under the Law that is Christ to us under the Gospel And as God manifested to them in the Temple was the proper object of worship to them even so God manifested to us in Christ is the proper object of worship to us for the Flesh or Humane Nature of Christ is the medium or mean by which we have access to God in all our Worship This is proved Heb. 10.19 20 c. Some Arguments to prove the Opinion of the Eutychians heretical and dangerous Argum. 1. That Doctrine or Opinion that saith Christ was not the Seed of the Woman Gen. 3.15 which was promised of God to break the Serpents head is a dangerous Arg. 2. That Opinion that maketh the Tabernacle or Temple Lamb Priest and Altar ordained of God for Divine Worship till Christ came in the flesh no true types of him is a dangerous Opinion But such is their Opinion Therefore dangerous Arg. 3. That Opinion which in it self or the natural consequences depending thereon maketh void all the promises of God concerning man's Salvation by Christ must needs be a very dangerous Opinion But such is their Opinion therefore dangerous The Reasons appear plain to every impartial Reader in all these three Arguments But here I will add That either the Seed of the Woman Gen. 3.15 was God which was justly offended with Adam for his sin Or else it was the Man Christ which was made of a Woman Gal. 4. But it was not God that was made of a Woman therefore Man And now for you to say that God the Creator of all things in Heaven and in Earth Col. 1.16 made himself a Creature or was made so is false as I said before and also impossible sith God is Perfection it self And to say that he passed through the Virgins womb as Water through a Conduit as some Hereticks have said is also false And to say he had an imaginary body and not a real body as some Hereticks have said is also very false as appeareth by his death and resurrection As to the proof of the second Argument That the Lamb the Priest and the Altar were types of Christ see what is already said in the Questions and Answers as also the Scriptures thereunto annexed Which cannot be applyed to him viz. Christ except you with us grant the two Natures to be in one Person If you can shew us how you do it As to the proof of the third Argument That your Opinion doth deny all the Promises of God I prove it thus That Opinion that denyeth Christ to be the true Son of David denyeth all the Promises of God concerning mans Salvation But such is your Opinion Therefore c. 2ly That Opinion that denieth the proper signification of the Sacraments viz. Baptism the Lords Supper must needs be a dangerous Opinion but such is your Opinion therefore dangerous The reason of the minor Proposition is because it denyeth the two Natures in Christ which are lively set forth by the Sign and the thing signified by these Sacraments 1. For as all the Ordinances of God's instituted Worship as Sacrifices under the Law c. so all the Sacraments under the Gospel seem to have immediate relation to Christ as God manifested in the flesh For you may observe they consist of two parts the one Natural the other Spiritual the one External the other Internal the one as it were the Body the other the Soul of it the one representing the Humanity the other the Divinity of Christ so that every Ordinance of Worship is as it were a representation of Christ incarnate 2. The Divine Essence or Godhead in Christ seemeth to be the proper object of all Worship for Christ saith
c. But unto God the Father Son and Holy Spirit are these things only properly and truly applyed therefore they only are God by Nature 1 Joh. 5.7 There be three that bear record in Heaven the Father the Word and the Holy Spirit and these three are one And we know that the Son of God is come and hath given us understanding that we might know him that is true and we are in him that is true even in his Son Jesus Christ this is the true God and Eternal Life Little Children keep your selves from Idols vers 20 21. Now the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the Communion of the Holy Ghost be with you all Amen 2 Cor. 13.14 c. CHAP. VIII Containing a brief Repetition of the present Discourse concerning the glorious Trinity and Person of Christ NOw because I would if possibly I could remove all doubtings about the Holy Trinity concerning their being three Persons and one God I will further add to what I have said some Arguments to prove that they are all three God by Nature that so I might satisfie some who must and will have their reason satisfied or else they will not believe it And because all the Opinions that I oppose in this Treatise as aforesaid seems to grant the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ to be God by Nature Gal. 4.4 I will therefore take it pro confesso and reason with them by an Argumentum ad hominum And first for the better understanding of the honest and simple-hearted which peradventure may conscionably doubt whether the Son and Holy Ghost be God equal with the Father because of the late opposition that is made against it by the maintainers of the aforesaid Opinions I say I will go in this plain method and make a comparison betwixt the Father and the Son viz. as he is the Eternal Word Joh. 1.1 in several things that I find in Scripture concerning them and then I will apply these to the Holy Ghost also as you may see if you will for I hope you are not obstinate First Proposition The Father is a Spirit by Nature Joh. 4.24 therefore God Parallel to this the Son is a Spirit by Nature therefore God Proof from God's Word 2 Cor. 3.17 Propos 2. The Father is immutable therefore God Parallel to this the Son is immutable therefore God proof from God's Word Heb. 1.12 Prop. 3. The Father is invisible and immutable therefore God Parallel to this the Son is invisible and immutable therefore God Proof from Gods Word 1 Tim. 6.16 Prop. 4. The Father is everywhere present with his People therefore God Parallel to this the Son is everywhere present with his People therefore God Proof from God's Word Matth. 18.20 Prop. 5. The Father is full of understanding therefore God Parallel to this the Son is full of understanding therefore God Proof from God's Word 1 Cor. 1.30 Joh. 10.30 Prop. 6. The Father is Eternal therefore God Parallel to this the Son is Eternal therefore God Proof from God's Word Rev. 1.8 11. Prop. 7. The Father is the Maker of all things therefore God Parallel to this the Son is the Maker of all things therefore God Proof from God's Word Col. 1.16 Prop. 8. The Father governeth all things therefore God Parallel to this the Son governeth all things therefore God Proof from God's Word Joh. 5.17 Prop. 9. The Father knoweth all things therefore God Parallel to this the Son knoweth all things therefore God Proof from God's Word Matth. 9.4 Joh. 2.25 Prop. 10. The Father forgiveth sins therefore God Parallel to this the Son forgiveth sins therefore God Proof from God's Word Mark 2.10 Luk. 7.49 Prop. 11. The Father is to be prayed unto therefore God Parallel to this the Son is to be prayed unto therefore God Proof from God's Word Acts 7.50 9.6 Rom. 10.13 Prop. 12. The Father giveth what gifts he pleaseth therefore God Parallel to this the Son giveth what gifts he pleaseth therefore God Proof from God's Word Eph. 4.8 Prop. 13. The Father is Almighty therefore God Parallel to this the Son is Almighty therefore God Proof from God's Word Rev. 1.8 15. 3 4. Now to whomsoever all these things may be rightly applyed he is God by Nature but unto the Son as well as unto the Father may all these things be rightly applyed therefore the Son is God by Nature Joh. 10.30 Now all these may be applyed to the Holy Ghost also Proposition 1. The Father is a Spirit by Nature and not by Creation therefore God Even so also is the Holy Ghost therefore God Joh. 14 16 Chapters Prop. 2. The Father is Immutable therefore God Even so is the Holy Ghost therefore God Joh. 14.16 Prop. 3. The Father is Immutable and Invisible therefore God Even so is the Holy Ghost therefore God Joh. 14 15. Prop 4. The Father is everywhere present therefore God Even so is the Holy Ghost therefore God Psal 139.7 Prop 5. The Father is Eternal therefore God Even so is the Holy Ghost therefore God Gen. 1.2 Prop. 6. The Father is the Maker of all things therefore God Even so is the Holy Ghost therefore God Job 26.13 33.4 Psal 36.5 Prop. 7. The Father governeth the Church therefore God Even so doth the Holy Ghost therefore God Isa 63.11 Acts 13.2 8.26 Prop. 8. The Father knoweth all things therefore God Even so doth the Holy Ghost therefore God 1 Cor. 2.10 Prop. 9. The Father doth forgive sins therefore God Even so doth the Holy Ghost therefore God Mat. 28.19 20. Prop. 10. We may and ought to be baptized in the Name of the Father therefore he is God Even so we may and ought to be baptized in the Name of the Holy Ghost therefore he is God Matth. 28.19 20. Prop. 11. The Father giveth what spiritual gifts he pleaseth to the Church therefore he is God Even so doth the Holy Ghost therefore he is God 1 Cor. 12. Prop. 12. The Father sendeth whom he will to preach the Gospel therefore he is God Even so doth the Holy Ghost therefore he is God Acts 18.2 Prop. 13. The Father raiseth men from the dead therefore he is God Even so doth the Holy Ghost therefore he is God Rom. 8.11 Now to whomsoever all these things may rightly be applyed he is God by Nature But to the Holy Ghost as well as to the Father may all these things be rightly applyed therefore the Holy Ghost is God by Nature Now of that which hath been said concerning Christ's Divine Nature this is the sum For I have endeavoured in this Treatise to shew you in twenty Particulars that Christ is God by Nature And here I will repeat them all for your memory-sake The first is his Eternity 2. His Simplicity 3. His Immutability 4. His Invisibility 5. His Immensity 6. His Infiniteness 7. His Omnipotency 8. His Wisdom 9. His Goodness 10. His Love 11. His Grace 12. His Mercy 13. His
Long-suffering 14. His Holiness 15. His Justice 16. His Faithfulness 17. His Truth 18. His Omnisciency 19. His Omnipresence 20. His Providence over all his Creatures All these twenty Properties and Attributes belong to God only But all these belong to Christ as he is Davids Lord therefore Christ as he is Davids Lord is God by Nature who is God over all blessed for ever Amen Rom. 9.5 c. And now I will briefly shew you how he is Davids Son according to the flesh as I have said before First He had the substance of a true Body and reasonable Soul 2. The Properties of Body and Soul in the body length breadth and thickness and circumscription And in the Soul the faculties of understanding both simple and compound as Will Affection Love Hatred Desire Joy Fear c. The Powers also of Hearing Feeling Seeing Smelling Tasting Moving Growing Eating Sleeping c. 3dly He took unto himself the blameless infirmities of mans Nature which are certain natural defects in man as Passions of Body and Mind as to be Hungry Thirsty Weary Sad Sorrowful and Ignorant of some things and Angry also to increase in Stature Wisdom Knowledge c. So that as the holy Ghost saith We see by these things that he was made like unto his brethren in all things yea in all points tempted like as we are yet without sin Heb. 2.17 4.15 Now sith the Scriptures do affirm all these things to belong properly and truly to Christ as he is Davids Son and Off-spring then must he needs be Man by Nature For unto no Creature neither in Heaven nor in Earth doth the Holy Ghost apply all these things properly and literally but to man only c. If he do shew me an instance for as yet I know none and therefore why you should so much as once doubt whether he took our Nature viz. the flesh of Mary sith the Scripture affirms it so plainly again and again I cannot imagine But when I do not only hear you say you doubt but confidently deny that ever he took any flesh of the Virgin Mary This makes me to stand and admire and with St. Paul say Who hath bewitched you that you should deny so many plain and evident proofs can any Article of the Christian Faith be more plainly proved than this is surely no. Now if I did not think that the Devil had bewitched many and that Pride false Opinions and Self-love had blinded mens understandings See Mr. Greenham about the Family of Love pag. 803. I could not believe any judicious man that believes the Scriptures to be true if he will but now sit down in humility and seriously consider what hath here been said from them to prove that Christ is God by Nature and also Man by Nature can still remain doubting and unbelieving But if he be one that was once inlightned into this Truth and also professed it with us and was baptized into this Faith and yet did not receive it in the love of it and after all this advice which now and at other times hath been used by my self and others to them I say if they shall still oppose this Truth then what can I think but that if they do not speedily repent of this their dangerous Opinion of denying the Lord that bought them 2. Pet. 2.2 then that which is written in 2 Thess 2.11 will come upon them But that it may never be so is and shall be the Prayer of your very good friend which loves your Persons but not your Principles though haply not so esteemed of you that God would give you Repentance to the acknowledging of the Truth that you may recover your selves out of the snare of the Devil who hath taken some of you captive at his will CHAP IX Containing an Answer to several Objections Object CHrist as Man was flesh and bones and not a Ghost as you seem to say we by our Opinion make him and this shews your Ignorance of our Opinion and therefore you sentence it as you do But doth not Paul say Rom. 8.3 he came in the likeness of sinful flesh therefore he took not our Flesh as you say he did Answ St. Paul doth not say he took upon him the likeness of flesh simply as it is flesh but of the flesh of sin or sinful flesh for he had said before Chap. 1.3 That he was made of the Seed of David according to the flesh And also again in Chap. 9.5 Whose are the Fathers and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came c. And I pray you tell me what St Paul meaneth by these words vers 3. For I could wish that my self were accursed from Christ for my Brethren my Kinsmen according to the flesh And then you may tell your selves what he means by these words vers 5. Whose are the Fathers and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came The word flesh being the same in the 3d and 5th verse and of the same signification Object 2. From Joh. 1.14 But the Eutychians say That the Divine Nature of Christ was turned into flesh and so was made like to his brethren in all things excepting two viz. sin and earthy matter Answ 1. The Holy Ghost doth except but one thing viz. Sin if it be proper to call sin a thing Heb. 2.17 4.15 And how dare you say two Have you no fear of the curse of God coming upon you sith he saith Cursed is he that addeth or diminisheth See Deut. 4.2 Rev. 22.18 Add thou not unto his words lest he reprove thee and thou be found a lyar Prov. 30.6 Bur Secondly I answer to that of Joh. 1.14 it having the most shew of any of the Texts that I know for your Opinion therefore I will endeavour by God's help to shew you that it was never written to that end to justifie your Opinion and therefore I pray consider what St. John saith vers 1. The Word which was in the beginning was with God and was God by whom all things were made and without whom was nothing made that was made In whom was Life and the Life was the light of men for he lighteth every man that cometh into the World by whom the World was made Was in the fulness of time made a Man in a Humane Body having his Divine Majesty dwelling in him full of Grace and Truth so that we beheld his Glory saith St. John in his Miracles in his Grace and Truth in his Holy and wise Doctrine such as manifested him to be the only begotten of the Father vers 14 16. which is in the bosom of the Father mark that word is in the bosom of the Father he doth not say which was but is which must be understood of his Generation before the World was made of the substance of his Father for the term notes Generation and subsistence from his substance not Creation or making that which was the Creator into flesh that so he might be a
is a Spirit as the Papists think even so albeit the Saints bodies are called Heavenly doth that prove that the original Matter they were made of came from Heaven You will surely say No. Even so say I of the body of Christ For the main design of the Apostle in all this Chapter was to prove the Resurrection of the dead as appears by vers 13. But if there be no Resurrection of the Dead then is not Christ risen And vers 17. If Christ be not raised your Faith is vain you are yet in your sins then they also which are faln asleep in Christ are perished And vers 22. For as in Adam all die even so in Christ shall all be made alive c. Now where there are divers Opinions they may be all false there can be but one true and that one Truth oft-times must be fetched by piece-meal out of divers branches of contrary Opinions c. For although the Lord hath made all Nations of one blood and commanded them to seek the Lord Acts 17.30 yet if you divide them into thirty parts saith Mr. Perkins nineteen of them be Heathens and Pagans then there remains but eleven and of these five be Turks and Mahometans then there remains but a sixth-part of the thirty and of these six How few do believe in God aright God knows they be very few as for the twenty four parts of the thirty they do not own Christ to be their Saviour no not so much as in Profession as to the other six-parts it is true they all confess him to be the Son of God and in some sense their Saviour also Yet so as by some of their Opinions they by just consequence deny him either in his Divine Nature or in his Humane or else in the Union of Natures and so by consequence deny the true Christ and of them that do profess him to be both Davids Lord and Davids Son also yet of them how few do love him and keep his Commandments Luk. 6.46 Why call ye me Lord Lord and do not the things that I say The Lord grant for his Sons sake that I and you may be of those Sheep that will hear the Voice of the true Shepherd and so follow him and will not follow a stranger Joh. 10. Where shall I begin to wonder at thee O thou Divine and Eternal Peace-maker the Saviour of Men the Anointed of God the Mediator between God and Man in whom there is nothing which doth not exceed not only the conceit but the very wonder of Angels who saw thee in thy Humiliation with silence and Adore thee in thy Glory with perpetual Prayers and Rejoycings Thou wast for ever of thy self as God of the Father as the Son the Eternal Son of an Eternal Father not later in Beginning not less in Dignity not other in Substance begotten without diminution of him that begat thee while he communicated wholly to thee which he retained wholly in himself because both were Infinite without inequality of Nature without division of Essence when being in this estate thine infinite Love and Mercy to desperate Mankind caused thee O Saviour to empty thy self of thy Glory that thou mightest put on our shame and misery Wherefore not ceasing to be God as thou wert thou beganst to be what thou wast not viz. Man to the end thou mightest be a perfect Mediator betwixt God and Man which were both in one Person God that thou mightest satisfie and Man that thou mightest suffer that since Man had sinned and God was offended thou which wert God and Man mightst satisfie God for Man None but thy self which art the Eternal Word can express to us this great Mystery how God should be manifested in the Flesh justified in the Spirit seen of Angels Preached unto the Gentiles believed on in the World and received up into Glory and we in him c. CHAP. X. Containing the use of the whole Treatise NOw as aforesaid I will further add to that that I have said something by way of Vse and Application and so leave the whole to the blessing of God and your serious Consideration Vse 1. Concerning the Incarnation of the Son of God 1 Tim. 3.16 we must know that it is a great Mystery and therefore here observe First Who is Incarnate The second Person in Trinity First for that God by him created Man and therefore by him must we be recreated and redeemed Secondly for that he is the Essential Image of God to restore the Image of God lost in Adam So this I believe the whole Godhead is not incarnate Joh. 1.14 Luk. 1.35 nor any Person but the Son the Person of the Son I say subsisting in the Godhead Secondly This I must say and believe that he was a perfect Man in every respect like to Adam sin only excepted subject to all unblameable and general infirmities which appertain to the whole Nature of Man as Passions of Body and Mind Thirdly This I must believe and avouch that it was necessary that he should become Man first to satisfie God in that Nature we offend Secondly for that not one else could fulfil Righteousness which the Law required of us but he Thirdly for that our Redeemer must die for our sins Fourthly He must be a Mediator and make Requests and speak to God and Man for Reconciliation Man before the Fall could speak to God face to face but now he cannot nor may not come neer but in the face and favour of Christ whose face is to be found in the Gospel Duties which follow this Faith First Draw near to Christ and cleave unto him for we see he is come near us and become our Emmanuel Isa 7. Secondly Here is a Patern and President for us of unspeakable Humility Psal 22. Isa 53. Phil. 2.6 7. There is a secret Pride in all the Sons of Adam till God change their hearts and this Pride the less we discern it the more it is and the more we discern it the less it is This I observe touching this Incarnation of Christ That his Conception by the work of the Holy Ghost was wonderful for it was done in the Womb of the Virgin that albeit he took of her very flesh which came of sinful Adam yet was the flesh of Christ I mean his Humane Nature Body and Soul without sin To prevent that original corruption which comes to Mankind by natural Propagation the great Wisdom of God provided That his Incarnation should be by the immediate work of the Holy Ghost without any natural Generation or Means of Man on Earth or Angels in Heaven or Earth Heb. 2.14 I proceed on to speak of the Birth of Christ He was born of the Virgin Mary and of the Union of Natures Divine and Humane in this one Person This I believe indeed for so did the Patriarchs and Prophets of old because of the Divine Oracles which God gave them concerning the Incarnation of the Son of God Gen. 3.18
that this sacred Person which did this great Work with his own blood is very God But here we be also to observe that there is no Communication of the Essential Properties of these Natures but in the concrete only as Logicians speak not in the abstract as we may say truly and according to the Doctrine of Godliness that God died for us but we may not say therefore the Deity died for us And here beloved I will shew you once more why our Mediator must be very God and very Man and that these two Natures must thus admirably be united together and his Conception so pure First briefly for the first He must be very God First because he hath received a Charge from his Father which did require an infinite Power to wit by his Merits and Vertue to save the Elect or Believers for it was needful that his Price should over-prize our sins Secondly If he had not been very God he could not have overcome death Rom. 1.3 4. Thirdly for that it behoved him also to overcome and kill sin and death in us even in our Consciences Joh. 5.24 25. and to quicken us Rom. 8.11 by giving us the Spirit of Faith to apprehend all his Merits and to apply the same unto our selves Now who can give the Holy Ghost but God himself Luk. 11.13 Joh. 3.7 8. Lastly He was to loosen and destroy all the accursed works of Satan in us Secondly And for the second Point He must be very Man First that God might declare his unchangeable Justice and hatred of sin and his unspeakable Love and Mercy to the Elect the first he sheweth in punishing sin in his own Son the second he declareth in that he punisheth not our sins in out selves but in another Secondly That we might conceive rightly of the Brotherly Affection of our Mediator towards us and how that he which sanctifieth and they that are sanctified are all of one Thirdly For that God had confirmed it with an Oath that the Messias should come of the loins of David Psal 133. 89. and of the Seed of the Woman according to the Gospel preached in the beginning in Paradise Gen. 3.15 Thirdly For the third Point This I believe and avouch briefly That Salvation could not have been obtained for Man unless the Nature of God and Man were united together in one Person First Because otherwise this work had not been performed by blood of the Son of God and so it had been insufficient for us Secondly Because the Humanity of Christ could never have born that punishment for sin Thirdly Salvation thus obtained could never have been maintained but that these Natures be thus knit together for that Christ is and must be the pledge of our Reconciliation for ever Psal 110.1 Matth. 22.44 Fourthly By this means we have as it were kindred with God in Jesus Christ who is become our Emmanuel God with us or God manifest in our flesh Matth. 1.1 Tim. 3.16 Fourthly For the fourth and last branch of the Question I say and believe that it was necessary our Lord and Saviour should be pure without the stain of sin in his Conception and that the Holy Ghost in this great Work did so provide First For that the most glorious and Divine Nature of God could never else be united unto the Humane Secondly For that a sinner could never have been accepted to make this Atonement or to offer up any Sacrifice for sin Thirdly For that he could not have Sanctified others unless he were the most Pure and the most Holy One of God in himself Heb. 2.11 10.9 10. Thus then the Lord Jesus Christ our most blessed Saviour and Redeemer hath taken to himself of the whole mass of mankind he took I say one Portion thereof and did perfectly sanctifie it by the power of the Holy Ghost and out of it derives perfect Holiness and Sanctification upon all his Elect by imputation of his Merits for their Justification and by his Holy Spirit working in them inherent Righteousness and Sanctification that so they may serve him continually in this life and for ever And here I will also shew you the use of this Article which we reason'd so much on in our Church-meetings when we were upon the Creed viz. I believe that he was crucified dead and buried All the Evangelists testifie with one accord that this was the form of his Execution he was crucified on a Cross and to fill him with pain his hands and feet were fastened with nayls unto the Cross Acts 3.18 Gal. 3.1 Phil. 2.8 And all this was done to accomplish God's Eternal Decree manifested before by the Prophets The brazen Serpent was a picture of this Numb 21 Joh. 3. For so he saith himself As Moses lifted up the Serpent in the Wilderness so must the Son of Man be lifted up that all that believe in him perish not but may have life everlasting And again Joh. 12.32 And when I shall be lifted up from the Earth I will draw all men unto my self Of this the Psalmist Prophesied saying They pierced my hands and my feet Secondly That we might in Conscience be resolved that Christ came under the Law Gal. 3.13 and suffered the Curse thereof for us and bare in his own Body and Soul the extremity of the Wrath of God for us And albeit other punishments were notes of God's Curse yet was the death of the Cross in a special manner above the rest accursed by vertue of a particular Commandment and special Word pronounced by God himself fore-seeing and fore-shewing what manner of Death Christ our Lord should die Thirdly The Apostle assureth us that in this form of Execution we may behold how Christ did undertake all the Malediction due unto all the Elect or Mankind himself for he saith Gal. 3 13. That he was made a Curse for us And again in the like prhrase 2 Cor 5. â—1 He was made sin for us By which manner or speaking we may not fear that any manner of reproach is offered the Son of God For both Sin and the Curse following are his by imputation Though in regard of himself he was no sinner yet as he was our Surety he became sin for us and consequently the curse of the Law for us in that the Curse every way due unto us by imputation and application were made his Instructions and Consolations which follow this Faith First We learn here with bitterness to bewail our sins for Christ suffered here the Wrath of God not for any offence that ever he committed but all for us and therefore just cause have we to mourn for our own sins which brought our Saviour to this low and base estate If a man should be so far in debt that he could not be freed unless the Surety should be cast into Prison for his sake nay which is more be cruelly put to death for his debt it would make him at his wits end if there were left but