the Deity of Jesus Christ because of the ends and purposes of his coming which our Saviour expresses to be two 1. He was to glorifie Christ †Joh. 16.14 He shall glorifie me for he shall receive of mine and shew it unto you whether he instructs whether he comforts you in all he shall accord with me and thereby it will be manifest that I came from God 2. He was to reprove the World * Joh. 16.8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the learned Dr. Hammond observes is to act the part of an Advocate to convince the Accuser and maintain a Cause against all Gain-sayers inexcusabiles penitus demonstrabit arguet evidentibus Argumentis probationibus docebit ita ut tergiversari non possit The Holy Ghost was to plead and justifie the cause of Christ in three particular Acts. I. He was to convince the World of their Sin of Vnbelief †v. 9. His descent was an Argument of Christ's Deity what could they farther object against his being God when now their Eyes beheld the Effusion of the Holy Ghost The various Operations of this Spirit of Grace were so many proofs of the Deity of Christ II. He was to plead the cause of Christ and to convince the World as to the point of his Righteousness * v. 10. He shall reprove the World of Righteousness because I go to my Father The Spirit of Grace descending from above shall testifie my Ascension whereby by it will be manifest that I am God and that there was no Unrighteousness in me as they Blasphemously reported III. He was to plead the Cause of Christ and to reprove the World of Judgment * v. 11. Because the Prince of this World is judged not only that the Spirit of Grace sent by me shall manifest that he that Reigned in the hearts of the Children of Disobedience and excited them to Betray Condemn and Crucifie me was the Spirit of Errour and the Enemy of their Salvation but also this Spirit assisting my Disciples to work Wonders and Signs in my Name as curing Diseases and casting out Devils shall thereby judge over-power and conquer the Prince of this World III. The Scriptures also Testifie that Jesus Christ the Son of the Virgin Mary was God We are commanded to search the Scriptures to look into them carefully with an earnest desire and endeavour to find out the meaning thereof Whereupon St. Chrysostom's Exhortation was Audite saeculares comparate vobis Biblia but Bibles now are of little more estimation than old Almanacks if a matter of doubt arises we do sometimes but very rarely consult them our Hands delight not in handling the Word of Life whereas they are too busie with Romances and Play-books with Folly and Ribaldry and I fear this is not altogether the effect of Sloath Vanity or Laziness in the Laity but occasioned by an odd Fashion crept up of late among such whose lips should preserve Knowledge the only care and study now being that publick Discourses be well larded if not to Nauseousness with flowers of Rhetorick Terms of Philosophy Tropes and Figures to Tickle itching Ears are plenty but Quotations of Scripture so thin and sparing that sometimes in an hour's Discourse not one place of Scripture is to be found besides the Text this makes some conclude it a trouble to carry their Bibles with them seeing the spirit of the Prophets will not come to this Touch-stone and by degrees they arrive to the Opinion that they are as useless at Home as at Church I shall here presume to declare a true observation that when Scripture was used as a Principal part of the Sermon the Instruction sank deeper into Mens hearts and Piety and Holiness was much more visible in Mens Conversations I might add many Pernicious and Blasphemous Principles had yet lain in Darkness or at least had not been vented in Publick had not care been first taken to leave off the Light We are charged to search the Scriptures * Joh. 1.49 because they testifie of Christ We cannot turn over the Bible but the Majesty of Christ will appear he is as well the matter as the Author and if you will hearken to their Testimony you shall hear them declare that Jesus Christ the Son of the Virgin Mary is God Take heed therefore unto your selves †Acts 20.28 and to all the Flock over which the Holy Ghost hath made you Overseers to feed the Church of God which he hath purchased with his Blood to any considering person two things here offer themselves 1. He that purchased the Church was God the Church of God which He hath purchased i. e. God 2. That this God was Jesus Christ because it is said he purchased the Church with his Blood neither the Father nor the Holy Ghost having any Blood but Jesus Christ as he assumed Humane Nature so that Jesus Christ the Son of the Virgin Mary was the God that purchased the Church with his Blood read likewise 1 Pet. 1.18 19. Rom. 9.5 Christ is called God blessed for ever Amen Great is the mystery of Godliness * 1 Tim. 3.16 God was manifest in the Flesh justified in the Spirit seen of Angels preached nto the Gentiles believed on in the World received up into Glory Now it is manifest this Scripture sets forth him to be God of whom all these things were verified and it is also manifestly set down in the Scriptures that all these were true of Jesus Christ he was found in the form of a Servant he took our Nature upon him he was justified by the Spirit of God to be the Messias he was preached unto the Gentiles as the true and only Saviour by Faith in whose Name they might receive Salvation he was believed on in the World while he was in the World his Disciples and some others believed him to be the Son of God he was received up into Glory he openly in the sight of many Witnesses ascended up into Heaven wherefore he that was thus manifest in the Flesh justified by the Spirit preached unto the Gentiles believed on in the World and received up into Glory was God and this is the great Mystery of Godliness or of the Christian Religion The Scriptures Testifie that Jesus Christ the Son of the Virgin Mary was God in that both the Prophecies Recorded in the Old and the performances in the New exactly accord and centre in Christ Adam that had the first Promise was told it should be in the Humane Nature that the Son of God should appear to redeem the World * Gen. 3.15 The seed of the Woman shall break the Serpents Head Abraham was inform'd that he should be of his Posterity †Gen. 12.3 In thee shall all the Families of the Earth be Blessed Jacob had a Revelation of his Tribe * Gen. 49.8 Judah thou art he whom thy Brethren shall praise David was told that he should be particularly of his Family
him might be forgotten or disbelieved as the Gnosticks were busie it should he therefore by way of Prevention delivers this Testimony of God the Father in the behalf of Jesus Christ his Son our Lord and assures them that he was an Eye-witness of the Majesty of Christ at his Transfiguration ‖ Vers 16. and also an Ear-witness of the Voice from Heaven * Vers 18. We heard it when we were with him in the Holy Mount Moreover that the Tragedy of his approaching Death might not startle their Faith in this Article a little before his Passion while our Lord was Discoursing of it †John 12.28 There came a Voice from Heaven Attesting He was heard in what he desired for the Voice said I have both glorified my Name and will glorifie it again this was the Subject of our Saviour's Prayer I have glorified the Name of my Truth and Mercy to Mankind in sending my Son into the World according to my Purpose and Promise and I will also now Glorifie the Name of my Wisdom Mercy and Justice in exacting and taking of that my Son the Punishment due unto the Sins of Believers Our Saviour's Words justifie this exposition * v. 30. for he told the Disciples and the rest of the Spectators This Voice came not because of me but for your sakes I needed neither satisfying nor reminding me who I am or what I am to do my Father 's gracious intent in this Voice was your good it was merely for your sakes in compassion to your hard heartedness that you might believe you were not willing to believe me telling you that the Father and I were one but now you cannot refuse believing seeing he speaketh the same thing from Heaven God the Father did also testifie this Truth at the Ascension of his Son * Heb. 1.6 And again when he bringeth in the first begotten into the World he saith let all the Angels of God worship him If you look to the end of the †v. 3. you may know the particular date of this Command When he had by himself purged our sins he sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on High and then the Father said Let all the Angels of God worship him The same is also declared by St. Paul * Phil. 2.9 10. How that God the Father had highly exalted his Son Jesus Christ and had given him a Name above every Name that at the Name of Jesus every Knee should bow of things in Heaven and things in the Earth and things under the Earth II. We pass on to the Testimony of the Holy Ghost The Spirit of God which is called the Spirit of Truth because it is impossible he should bear false Witness testified the Deity of Jesus Christ the Son of the Virgin Mary at his Conception †Luke 1.35 The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee and the power of the Highest shall over-shadow thee therefore also that holy thing that shall be Born of thee shall be called the Son of God The stress of which Words lies upon the Illative therefore and the Sence may be thus taken That the Son of God was designed to be Born of a Woman because the Holy Ghost shall over-shadow her the Blessed Spirit was concerned to prepare that Nature after an extraordinary manner which the God-head was determined to assume and seeing the Holy God was pleased to dwell in Flesh the Holy Ghost must prepare and form that Flesh Again At his Baptism the Holy Ghost testified the Deity of Jesus Christ the Son of the Virgin Mary for he Descended upon him * Mat. 3.16 as a Dove not in the shape or form of a Dove saith the learned Dr. Hammond on the place but he lighted upon him as Doves use to light who hover over and over-shadow the place first which they intend to light upon At this Baptism of our Saviour there was Concilium Augustissimum a most Majestical meeting of the Trinity God the Father spake from Heaven challenging and owning him whom John Baptized for his Son God the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily appearance God the Son was there clad in humane Nature and being in the form of a Servant he submitted himself to the fulfilling of all Righteousness Again the Holy Ghost particularly declared this Truth to Simeon †Luke 2.26 27. It was revealed to him by the Holy Ghost that he should not see Death before he had seen the Lords Christ and that this Son of the Virgin Mary was he Simeon was informed by the same Holy Spirit as may be collected from his Action and Profession * v. 28 29 30. For he then in the Temple took this Son of the Virgin Mary up in his Arms and Blessed God saying Lord now lettest thou thy Servant depart in Peace according to thy word i. e. promise by the Holy Ghost for mine Eyes have seen thy Salvation the Person in whom Salvation is appointed This very Descent of the Holy Ghost upon our Saviour at his Baptism is called by St. Paul * 1 Cor. 2.4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Demonstration of the Spirit a Testimony given by God from Heaven intimating and confirming the Verity of Christ's God-head a Demonstration for the Holy Ghost then Demonstrated to John and others that he who was then Baptized was the Son of God I might have argued the Testimony of the Holy Ghost from the Prophecies of the Old Testament for as saith the Apostle †2 Pet. 1.21 The Prophecies came not by the Will of Man Men undertook not this office of their own Heads nor did they deliver their own fancies and perswasions for Prophecies But Holy Men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost as they were inspired and instructed by the Holy Spirit of God therefore they that deny the Deity of Jesus Christ would do well to take heed unto the sure word of Prophecy given by the Spirit of God and there they will find most ample Declarations that he who should be Born of the Virgin Mary was God as well as Man The gift of the Holy Ghost was the effect of Christ's promise the Time and Place of his coming was expresly assign'd by Christ * Luke 24.49 Tarry ye at Jerusalem till ye be endued with power from on High John Baptized his Disciples with Water but †Acts 1.4 5. Christ promised to Baptize his Disciples with the Holy Ghost and commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem but there to wait for the completion of the promise and accordingly in the place and at the time we find the Holy Ghost was plentifully poured forth upon them †* Acts 2.1 2 3. When the day of Pentecost was fully come the Apostles were all with one accord in one place viz. in an upper Room of the Temple where they constantly performed their Devotions and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost Farther the Holy Ghost did Testifie
World upon a Religious Account to give Holy Laws or reform unholy Manners to conciliate them Power and Credit convenient to their Employ he did condescend to entrust them with the power of working Miracles as is deducible from the case of Moses and the Prophets Elijah and Elisha it being expected from the People to whom they were sent that they should believe and obey them it was necessary that they should have this extraordinary power of effecting things above and contrary to Nature thereby to induce the Peoples Faith for had not the People had the Argument of miraculous Power to convince them of the Commission of the Ministers and consequently what compliance was due unto them they could not so justly have been charged with Infidelity as Ignorance In process of Time when the Ceremonial Law was to be abolish'd when all Types were to cease the substance being come that an easier and ready way might be made for that new Dispensation of the Gospel Christ and his Apostles had a full power of working Miracles for the same end to create Faith in them that should see and hear them Thus far Miracles were of use but now the Will and Mind of God being fully reveal'd to us in Holy Scriptures which thro' a Miracle of his Providence are continued to us Miracles appear not farther necessary to this end Yet there being other ends and intentions in Miracles besides the confirming and propagating Religion I see no reason why any one should conclude all Miracles ceased It were great rashness to expect the great and mighty God should prostitute his Miracles to gratifie Mens curiosity and as derogatory I take it to he to his Goodness to deny that he shall sometimes step a little out of the course of his ordinary Providence and do some mighty Work above the power of Nature when he is pleased either to defend his Church fore-warn a sinfull Nation or Vindicate the Honour of the Blessed Jesus whose Name and Deity are Blasphem'd by Jews and Atheists In short to deny all farther Miracles must at least seemingly reflect upon the Honour of God as if his Goodness were Exhausted or his Power Shortened it must straiten the Promise of Christ and bring it into a narrower compass than was at first intended he having promised those Persons on whom he had bestowed suffcient Power of Working Miracles to be with them to the end of the World that is not onely with Them but their Successors and how this Promise shall be understood distinct from the Power and Privilege he engaged to be with it I confess I see not They that are fearful that New Miracles might bring the Old into Contempt may be pleased to consider in the Primitive days of the Church we have an Account of Miraculous things done by the Elders who were no Apostles as Healing the Sick by a Faithful and Fervent Prayer it is my opinion had not the World declin'd in Piety and Devotion that Power had not so palpably decay'd Why should it seem improbable that Miracles should now be done when God has still left us the most Effectual Means thereunto viz. Faith and Prayer Secondly The Second Branch of the Text was the cause of Jesus's not doing mighty works among them which is Assign'd to be their unbelief Here I. We are first to enquire what their unbelief was or wherein it did consist The Answer must be there were Four Principal Points or Arguments of their Infidelity First They Misinterpreted the Power by which he Wrought instead of Ascribing it to God they Interpreted it to be of Satan They rather chose to Proclaim themselves Fools by Asserting a Contradiction holding That Satan did cast out Satan than submit to Ascribe to God the Honour due unto his Name Secondly They did not Believe for notwithstanding all they heard and saw they continued Impenitent and Unreformed Thirdly Their Vnbelief was so great as to Reject the Gospel which was the Glad Tidings of Salvation they had rather abide by the Law of Works than Embrace the Conditions of Faith and Repentance Fourthly Their Vnbelief was That notwithstanding so clear Light and Manifestations they would not acknowledge the Deity of Christ their eyes were so intent upon the Veil of his Flesh that they could not pierce through it and Contemplate his God-head some had such Opinions as to hold him to be John the Baptist some Elias others Jeremias or one of the Prophets for they were Pythagoreans and Believ'd the Transmigration of Souls by them called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Removal from Vessel to Vessel but none of them Believed him when he said He came from God and that He and the Father were One. Now before I pursue the Intended Design of this Book I shall briefly declare some Reasons which made it possible for the Jews to Continue in Vnbelief notwithstanding such Plenty of Means as they had 1. The Pride of their Hearts turned them away from the Faith they were Supercilious and Haughty and that New Doctrine required Meekness and Humility Upon this our Saviour fixed their Infidelity †Joh. 5.44 How can you believe which receive honour one of another and seek not the honour that cometh from God onely Faith and Pride are not so Reconcilable but that we may conclude where there is much of the one there is but little of the other 2. Their Exorbitant Love of the World made it hard to believe Our Saviour told them It was Impossible to serve God and Mammon ‖ Luk. 16.13 for God required the whole heart and Mammon the World was apt to steal away too much therefore what share they allow'd the World that they deny'd to God and God would look upon himself as Despis'd by their so doing Yet how little was he Believ'd for it is said †Vers 14. The Pharisees who were covetous heard all things and they Derided him they Scoffed and Mocked him and therefore not likely that they should have Faith who Repudiated and held in Scorn the Means that Led unto it 3. They were Obstinate Perverse and Self-will'd and this Evil Temper Obstructed their Believing They would not come unto Christ that they might be healed 4. They were Envious and that hindred their Believing 5. They were Carnal and Sensual and that prevented their Believing The Natural Man receiveth not the things of the Spirit ‖ 1 Cor. 2.14 he neither believes nor values them 6. They Neglected the Scriptures and by means of these Obstructions they did not believe Jesus Christ the Son of the Virgin Mary to be True and Essentially God in which Error and Unbelief seeing many who bear the Name of Christians are in this Unhappy Age most Hotly Engag'd occasion was taken to Assert and prove his Deity Theodoret in his Ecclesiastical History telleth us That when Valens the Emperour had with his Arrian Principles Poyson'd and Disturb'd a great part of the Christian World Aphrates a Monk contrary to the Custom of