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
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
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
Phrase called implies a being really the thing so called is that †Rom. 9.25 26. I will call them my People which were not my People i. e. I will make them my People who were not so before This being Premis'd I come to the Names or Appellations given to the Son of the Virgin Mary I. Jesus Mat. 1.21 This was the proper Name of the Son of God when he took humane Flesh I confess others as Types of him had bore this Name yet never did the Signification of the Name fully agree with the Bearer till now This name Jesus shows him to be of Heavenly Extract in that it was given him from Heaven Probat Angelus caelitùs conceptum cui nomen caelitùs imponitur none but God knew the Dignity of this Person and therefore he particularly Assigns him this Name as sufficiently comprehending his Dignity This Name coming from Heaven did plainly demonstrate him to be the Son of God in that none on Earth had Power over Him to give Him a Name The Etymological Reason which the Angel gave of this Name illustrates the Deity of Him to whom it was given †Mat. 1.16 Thou shalt call his name Jesus for He shall save his People from their Sins so that he really was Sui nominis he in all things answered his Name Salvation in other Jesus's was either an empty Name or at most but a faint shadow of the Salvation which was found in him * Acts 4.12 For neither is there Salvation in any other neither is there any other Name under Heaven given among Men whereby we must be saved Salvation from Sins is God's Peculiar for so it is said †Isa 45.21 There is no God else beside me a just God and a Saviour there is none beside me so again * Hosea 13.4 For there is no Saviour beside me Thus we see God challenging Salvation as his peculiar Prerogative and hence I Argue Since by God's special Command this Name Jesus was conferr'd on the Son of the Virgin Mary because he should give Salvation from sins it is plain that he was God for he must necessarily be believed to be the Lord of Life in whose power it was to bestow Life Secondly He was called Christ and from hence also it will appear that the Son of the Virgin Mary was God Christ is a name of Dignity it is a Greek Word and of the same Signification with Messiah in the Hebrew For him the Jews looked and him they did really believe to be no other than the Son of God and this may reasonably be concluded in that they interpreted the second Psalm to be a Prophecy of him wherein we find it declared †Psalm 2.2 That he was the Anointed of God And of this Christ this Messiah it is expresly said by God himself * v. 7. Thou art my Son this Day have I begotten thee That Christ and the Messiah were Synonymous Terms and that both belonged to the Son of the Virgin Mary is evident from * Joh. 1.41 We have found the Messiah which is being interpreted the Christ both these Names signifie Anointed Kings Priests and Prophets under the Law were Anointed with Holy Oyl thereby intimating that they were Separated Sacred and Consecrated to God in the discharge of their respective Offices and were therefore called Messiae or Christi but this Son of the Virgin Mary was Messiah or Chris 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 emphatically as being both appointed to perform all those Offices and moreover anointed extraordinarily above any or all of them for * Joh. 3.24 God gave not unto him the Spirit by measure To give by Measure or Weight implies giving with a cautious or sparing Hand and contrarily to give without measure argues giving plentifully even the whole others albeit they were anointed yet were limited they had the Spirit by measure some having one Grace others another but this Jesus the Son of the Virgin Mary was anointed with the fullness of the Spirit for saith the Apostle †Col. 2.9 In him dwelled all the fullness of the God-head bodily Whosoever allows the Son of the Virgin Mary to be the Messiah the Christ must allow him to be the Son of God that the Jews did ever believe the Christ to be the real Son of God is very perspicuous * Joh. 1.49 where Nathanael allowing Jesus to be the Christ i. e. anointed to be King of Israel immediately concludes he must be the Son of God his Words are Rabbi thou art the Son of God the King of Israel and that he as Honestly as Rationally spoke what he believed there is not the least cause to doubt seeing that this Christ who knew what was in Man and needed not that any should testifie v. 47. declared of him * That he was an Israelite indeed in whom was no guile Hear we also Martha's confession of Faith grounded upon the same Reason †Joh. 11.27 I believe that thou art the Christ the Son of God What shall we say the High Priest though enraged had not forgot this truth that The Christ must necessarily be the Son of God * Mat. 26.63 I adjure thee by the living God that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ the Son of God for he was satisfied if he was the one he must be the other also Now that the Son of the Virgin Mary was The Christ is evident in that he so punctually executed the Office of King Priest and Prophet to those that would hear and believe he taught the Will of God to those who would submit to his Sceptre he became a King ruling in their Hearts by Faith and Love for he acknowledged his Kingdom was not of this World and to such he was a Priest not only in offering himself a Sacrifice for them but in Blessing them and turning them from their sins so that the Son of the Virgin Mary thus manifesting himself to be The Christ must by the Jews own concession be acknowledged to be the Son of God Thirdly The Son of the Virgin Mary was called Emanuel and this was likewise a demonstration of his Deity Emanuel * Mat. 1.23 which being interpreted is God with us i. e. He that was God from all Eternity hath now assumed humane Nature and is become one with us in all things sin excepted This name does plainly imply the Union of the two Natures in the one Person of our Redeemer it doth moreover point at his mediatory Office between God arid Man and demonstrates him a compleat Saviour able to save to the uttermost In him there were two Natures and yet nec inferiorem consumpsit Glorificatio nec superiorem minuit Assumptio the Deity did not swallow up his Humanity the Humane Nature was not swallowed up and lost in the Deity nor did the Deity suffer Debasement or Diminution by the Assumption of the humanity but both Natures remain whole and intire constituting but one
a Sacrifice truly Propitiatory He that recovers for others the Lost Favour of God must be one that never did Displease Him He that can Remove Natural and to Humane Power Invincible Ignorance must be the fountain of Knowledge he that can reform unruly Wills must be the God of Spirits and he that can open the Kingdom of Heaven which Sin had shut must find out a new and a living way to it But all this Jesus Christ the Son of the Virgin Mary did and much more in order to redeem us he must be therefore God Man cannot Redeem his Brother * Psal 49.7 nor make an Atonement for him no though he should live long viz. in God's Service and to his Glory man cannot find a Ransom to give to God which he will accept of the Reason follows †v. 8. For the Redemption of their Soul is Precious or as it is in another Translation It cost more to redeem it God required more than Man could give so that Man must let the redeeming of his Brother's Soul alone for ever Man become guilty of the breach of God's Holy Law and consequently subject to the Penalty Eternal Condemnation it was impossible upon the account of God's Justice he should be restor'd i. e. acquitted received into God's Grace here and Glory hereafter unless a Righteousness were found sufficient to satisfie that Law as well in respect of the Obedience required by it as the Punishment justly due upon the Violation of it The reason of this is plain in that the Law was part of God's Will and must therefore have its Effect that is to say Man must either punctually observe it or suffer for the contempt of it otherwise God must depart from his Nature and leave his Justice unsatisfied which were Blasphemy to suppose * Mat. 5.18 now no Creature Man being fallen from his Integrity was in a capacity for either of these and had Man sought for help to the Angels he had been deceiv'd seeing that they were chargeable with Folly †Job 4.18 and for the suffering part if their Love could have engag'd them to the undertaking which is not Rational to conjecture yet having a nearer access to and a more intuitive Knowledge of God than Man was capable of they could not but have clearer Apprehensions of the fierceness of his Wrath than to expose themselves to the bearing of it and if which is too great a Peradventure their Love could have surmounted their Fear yet their Imbecillity would have sunk under the Burthen But we will go farther admit they could have sustained it yet the Dignity of their Persons being no way proportionable to the Honour of the offended Deity this would have occasion'd their Sufferings to fall short of their necessary Merit and so the Redemption by them hoped for must have been imperfect and of no sufficient Validity We are told farther * Heb. 10.4 That it is impossible the Blood of Bulls and Goats should take away sins should by any Virtue inherent in them Expiate or Atone for sins these were but Typical nor can the blood of one Man though never so Righteous have satisfied for the sins of others because there could not be in his performances or sufferings a sufficient Merit He must be God therefore as well as Man that there may be found an infinite Value in all things done by him as a Redeemer We can never be assured that our Reconciliation is perfected that a compleat Reparation is made to the Honour and Justice of God except we are assured that the person who undertook this be of the same infinite Dignity as the offended for weak Causes can produce but weak Effects So that if our Redemption did not proceed from an infinite Power it would be imperfect and uncertain Therefore are we Taught that our Souls are Redeemed * 1 Pet. 1.19 With the precious Blood of Christ as of a Lamb without Blemish and without Spot We might collect a farther Justification of the Deity of Jesus Christ the Son of the Virgin Mary from his Omniscience It is proper to God only to know all things Yet it is apparent that the Holy Jesus knew all things Past Present and Future without the help of Discourse or Reasoning they were all present to him David ascribes to God as an Excellency of his Nature that he knew his Thoughts the Ideas and Reasonings that skulked in the most secret Recesses of his Mind †Psal 139.2 Thou knowest my thoughts afar off even before I know them my self and how often did our Saviour reprove the malicious Thoughts of the Scribes and Pharisees thereby manif sting that he made the Heart seeing he was so privy to it It was an impertinent Question which the Jews put forth * Joh. 7.15 They marvelled saying How knoweth this Man letters having never Learned i. e. How does he thus understand the Law and the Prophets whenas we know he never was brought up in the School of the Prophets This I say was very ridiculous in them when they were daily sensible as is Recorded †Luk. 6.8 That he knew their Thoughts he could tax them with their evil Conceptions not yet brought forth in Words * Mat. 9.4 Wherefore think ye evil in your Hearts He that did understand what was conspir'd in the secret Cabinet of their Hearts could be no stranger to what was open and legible in the Books of their Law For our full satisfaction of the Son of the Virgin Mary's Omniscience let us hearken to the Samaritan Woman †Joh. 4.29 Come see a Man that told me all things that ever I did Is not this the Christ He hath discovered those things that it is not to be imagined how he should know them I had thought my Heart had been deeper than the Well but yet he whom I concluded uncapable to come at Water because he wanted a Bucket to draw with hath fetched up from the bottom of my Heart things that have been long kept Secret things that have been hid from others by Fear and Care and from my Self by the forgetfullness of many Years What can he be less than God to whose Eyes all things are so open and naked Heb. 4.13 If any judge the forecited instance not satisfactory to the point before us let them consult * Jo. 21.17 Lord thou knowest all things c. This Jesus not only heard what Men were speaking but saw also what they were thinking If we reflect upon his Nativity such was the Mystery of his Incarnation a Virgin to become a Mother such the Majesty and Attendance as gave ample Testimony of his Deity St. John dances in the Womb a new Star arises in the East three great Kings led as may be supposed by Balaam's Prophecy * Num. 24.17 undertake a tedious Journey to pay their Homage to the King of Glory become incarnate a Choire of Angels usher'd in this King of Israel with their
own Orthodox Confession and Regular Life and doth not contribute what lieth in him to Discountenance and Suppress such Blasphemers and their Blasphemy is but Almost not so Altogether a Christian * Jude 3. We are Exhorted Earnestly to contend for the Faith once delivered to the Saints Once delivered so that when once delivered and received if it be corrupted or lost we have great Assurance of a Second Edition It was Israel's Fault that when Elijah was Contending hard with the Prophets of Baal for the Honour of the God of Israel * King 18.21 The People answered him not a word they seemed wholly unconcern'd as if Religion had been a Matter onely for the Men of God the Prophets and Priests to trouble themselves about or as if it were all one to them to Serve God or Baal The Prophet had called them to Recollect themselves and Judge which was the True God and to Follow Him I grant the People were so Mannerly as not to oppose the Prophet but what was this when in a matter of so great Importance they should have spoken on his side But in this untoward Generation How unconcernedly doth one Christian hear another Nay How patiently doth the Magistrate hear most Men Rend Tear and Blaspheme the Precious and Honourable Names of this Holy Son of God yet show little or no zeal exert not the least shadow of their Power to Controul them and which aggravates the matter by so doing they are Injurious both to God and the Poor Such Persons may be reputed Civil Magistrates but their over-much Civility is the Shame of their Office the Growing Contempt of their Power and the General Reproach of Christianity I will yet Pray against this Wickedness that if such Careless Magistrates may not be overthrown in Stony places for their too great Easiness and Connivence yet that the Accustomed Swearers would hear my Words and they must find them sweet You that can Deafen Mens Ears and even Chill the Blood of Conscientious Christians with the Vollies of most Desperate Oaths and Curses what Answer will you shape at the last day Think you that you shall not blush and be confounded when you behold him Arrayed with Glorious Majesty and sit on the Great Tribunal whose Name you have made so Vile and Trivial whose Blood you have despised and Trampled under Feet whose Wounds your Mouths have Torn Wider and Rankled here Men look'd upon you as desperate Fools so Often so Loudly so Heartily to Imprecate what you would not for the World should have befallen you there you shall find your Jest converted into Earnest and feel that Punishment Inflicted that had you Ten thousand Worlds to give you could get no Release from Oh that Men were wise and would consider what shall befall them in the end who in stead of Confessing Jesus Christ the Son of God so Monstrously Blaspheme his Name and Deity Upon this Foundation that Jesus Christ the Son of the Virgin Mary is the Son of God and Head of the Church next to that of our open Confessing of him we may raise this other Story * Rom. 13.14 Put on the Lord Jesus Christy and make not provision for the Flesh to fullfill the Lusts thereof Their Conversations who are called by the Name of Christ and profess to believe him to be God ought to be in all Purity as becometh the Gospel of Christ they are oblig'd to act as is most suitable to their being Members of that Body of which the Son of God is Head they must in all things live as true Disciples in that School of which the Holy Jesus is the head Master not entertaining themselves with carnal and sensual Delights Hypocrates ordered each of his Followers to take this Oath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will maintain my Professtion unspotted and my Conversation uncorrupted If he judg'd it so expedient for the Honour of Physick that the practisers thereof should be so Upright and Vertuous how much greater care may the Institutor of our Religion challenge from us that in no good thing we come behind other Men insomuch as the Precepts he has commended to our Observation are of a more Sublime and excellent Nature and lead to a greater perfection than ever was attainable by that or any other Art whatsoever A Christian ought to be no other than a lively pattern or representation of Christ exhibiting daily in his Conversation those admirable Graces and Vertues which were so eminent in the Original therefore are such commanded to put on Christ by a most strict imitation of him Qui Christum induit omnem virtutem habet he that puts on Christ must become Holy in every respect as he was moreover this putting on must be without any intentions of depositing again I grant there are some would their number were less who put on Christ after the same manner that the resemblance of a man's Face is put on a Glass which is but for a moment no longer than the Person stands by thus some have put on Christ by Baptism and others for a fit ad Sacramenti perceptionem in order to receive the Sacrament but this is not the putting on which is required for that ought to be usque ad vitae sanctificationem to the sanctifying of the whole life their Souls and Bodies Minds and Spirits their Thoughts Words and Deeds ought to be influenced and directed altogether by their Profession We Christians are bought with a price * 1 Cor. 6.20 viz. The Blood of the Son of God and therefore must glorifie God in our Bodies and in our Spirits which are Gods our Bodies as well as Souls were his purchase and therefore both are to be devoted to his service no Christian is Vir sui Juris his own free Man we are not to serve our selves nor to live unto our selves but unto the Lord. It is said of Scipio that when at a Feast where it might have been thought his Blood had been heated an Harlot beautiful and gay presented her self such a Temptation together with such an Opportunity was gallantly resisted upon this single consideration Vellem si non essem Imperator were I not a General I should comply Menedemus preserved Antigonus in the like Assault by timely advising him to remember that he was a King's Son Christians have the advantage of far greater considerations to put back all evil Suggestions we are Sons of God Friends of Christ we are a peculiar People a Royal Priest-hood nay Co heirs with Christ and therefore as saith the Apostle * Phil. 2.5 The same mind ought to be in them as was in Christ i. e never to condescend to any thing repugnant to their Principles or beneath their present Dignity and future Expectations How monstrous a sight is it to see such who believe in God offering themselves in Vassalage to Sin and Satan or such who are acquainted that it is God's pleasure to give them an Heavenly Kingdom losing themselves
Person 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Emanuel God-man but of this we shall understand farther in speaking to the next Name There is a secret Harmony between these names Jesus and Emanuel and both declare the Deity of the Virgin Mary 's Son for he that can be a Jesus to save from sin must necessarily be God and so have Life and Salvation in his power to bestow nor can God with respect to his own Decree be a Saviour from sin except he become one of us seeing the same nature that sinned was sentenced to suffer Fourthly The Son of the Virgin Mary was called The Word which name doth also vindicate his Deity It is said †Ioh. 1.1 In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God in which words the very Heathen have ingenuously confessed there was more of the Divine Nature comprehended than could be found in all the voluminous Writings of their Philosophers The better to gather the full sence of this Verse we must first enquire who is here meant by The Word for it is evident that is the subject of which three things are here predicated namely that it was Eternal a distinct Person from God the Father yet of the same Nature and Essence I shall first make it appear that the Messiah the Christ the Son of the Virgin Mary he whom we acknowledge for our Lord and Saviour was called the Word He was known to the Jews and others by this Appellation the Lord * Psal 110.1 which Title Lord and that of the Word were interchangeably used by them for whereas according to our Translation we read †Gen. 1.23 So the Lord created Man the Targum renders it The Word of the Lord created Adam Again * Gen. 3.22 our Bibles have it The Lord said the Targum The Word of the Lord said Moreover we find the Rabbis and Jewish Doctors frequently expounded Jehovah by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Word of the Lord particularly Jonathan the Son of Vzziel who was before Christ and Author in part of the Chaldee Paraphrase Our Bibles Read †Isai 45.17 Israel shall be saved in the Lord but the Chaldee Paraphrase Israel shall be saved in the Word of the Lord so that this Apellation was no new thing of St. John's invention but the Messiah the Son of God was known thereby to the Jews of old and which may give our Testimony herein the greater Credit the same name The Word was known to the Philosophers for Trismegistus Zeno Plato and others have spoken of The Word nay even in Mahomet's Alchoran Christ is called The Word so the Person signified by The Word we understand to be the Messiah The Christ the Son of the Virgin Mary I shall therefore proceed to the things promulged of him in this Verse which if found true our Faith stands fixed as on a Rock and we must believe that Jesus Christ the Son of the Virgin Mary had a Divine Essence prae-existing before the World and that he is a distinct Person from the Father but yet that he is very God 1. The Word was from everlasting In the beginning was the Word In principio Verbum Erat the Verb being here of the Preter imperfect Tense doth imply that The Word was so in the beginning of Time as that he also was before it had the Apostle put in Est in the Room òf Erat it might have given occasion to think that The Word then received its being or began to be There had been the like danger had he used Fuit for then some would have conjectured that upon the Creation of the World The Word was but that before or after it was not in being but the Word used is Erat of the Preter imperfect Tense which standing between the Present and the Preter is not absolutely either but participates of both times to demonstrate that The Word was so in the beginning that he was both before and after the beginning he had a subsistence before all times for being at that time when all things were beginning to be made plainly implys he was before the beginning of all things and so must be of the same Eternity or Everlastingness as the Father and this is yet more clear as we shall see immediately in that Phrase The Word was with God he was of the same Eternity and Coexistency with the Father Accordingly the Word is called by Nonnus the Poet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod nullo tempore sit comprehensum others give him the same Title Quasi carens Principio and †Rev. 1.11 Christ is called Alpha and Omega the first and the last without any Restriction or Limitation he was ever truly and essentially God and there is not the least ground for Arrius's Blasphemy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 time was when he was not 2. The Word was with God this demonstrates him a distinct Person from God Apud Deum not as a Property or Quality not as an Attribute or Faculty but as a Person distinctly existing and that by a different manner of Generation from the Father Apud Deum we cannot properly speaking say any Person is with himself he may be said to be with another but not with himself so that from hence we must necessarily inferr a Distinction of Persons he that is with being one and he with whom he is being another which makes flatly against the Sabellians who deny'd a Distinction of Persons Thirdly And the Word was God This Demonstrates the Identity of Nature and that the Word was of the same Nature and Essence he certainly was Alius a distinct Person from the Father but not Aliud of another but the same Nature This very Name Word is most apt to represent the Two Natures of Christ the Divine and Humane because that in a Word we must consider there is Sonus a Sound the Elision of the Air passing from the Mouth of the Speaker and possessing the Ear of the Hearer there is also Verbum the Word carried by that Sound and Informing the Understanding so that the Sound and Word though two are neither to be separated nor are they confounded Fourthly The Son of the Virgin Mary was called The Son of God and this Name also vindicates his Deity This Title is given in Scripture upon Various Considerations as sometimes times Mankind in General are called The Sons of God and †Acts 17.28 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we are his off-spring this is spoken in reference to the Creation and upon the same account the Angels * Job 38.7 are called The Sons of God Again Sons of God are taken in a larger sence for such as from the Dignity †Psal 82.6 of their Offices were so called The word is also used in a Spiritual sence they are called ‖ 1 Joh. 5.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Born of God or Sons of God who by the Spirit of God are Changed or Renewed being Regenerate
and Born a-new changed from evil to good But this Son of whom I am speaking was neither by Creation Adoption nor Regeneration but by Eternal Generation out of himself in which respect God hath no Son but this and therefore he is called The Son of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Discriminatively †Joh. 1.18 The onely begotten Son of God of which Generation I presume not to make any Declaration for I see not how we can understand farther of this Mystery than that it is the Communication of the Divine Essence or Personality or both by the Father by which he hath Begotten the Son but the Manner how we shall never understand while we are in these Houses of Clay Christ is called ‖ Luk. 1.35 The Son of God by which words is meant that he took not his beginning when he was Born of the Virgin Mary but that he was the Eternal Son of God that he was True God as the Father is and bath the same Nature Essence Will and Power with him and because this Truth was so opposed by the Arrians a Council of 318 Bishops Assembled at Nice and Expounded this Article of our Faith in Larger Terms as you may Read in your Common-Prayer-Books I Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ Nicene the onely Begotten Son of God Begotten of his Father before all Worlds God of God Very God of very God Begotten not Made c. When St. Peter had made his Confession of Faith †Matt. 16.16 Acknowledging Christ to be the Son of the Living God it is worthy our Serious Observation that not onely was this Confession made the Standard of Faith by those words * Vers 18. Vpon this Rock will I Build my Church but our Saviour did also declare that the Knowledge of this Great Truth came to Peter from above †Vers 17. Flesh and Blood hath not revealed this unto thee but my Father which is in Heaven From whence it is obvious to a very ordinary capacity that if the Virgin Mary's Son had been the Son of God no other way but by Eminency in respect of the Excellent Gifts that were in him there had been no occasion for this Revelation from Heaven seeing that those Gifts and Graces were sufficient to testifie this this Revelation therefore amply declares his Filiation or Sonship to be of a more Transcendent Nature He was a Son by Real and Eternal Generation he was a Son Consubstantial with the Father the thing Begotten being of the same Essence and Substance with that which Begets it and for this cause our Saviour Averr'd * John 10.30 I and the Father are one Vnum not Vnus not one in Will but in Nature he is not onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Like Being but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the same Substance Thus hath it appear'd that the Names Ascribed to the Son of the Virgin Mary as Jesus Christ Emanuel The Word the Son of God do all Assert and Prove his Deity Our next undertaking was to show that the Properties of the Deity are attributed to him from whence his Deity will necessarily be Inferr'd There are not properly speaking any Attributes Properties or Qualifications in God because whatsoever is in God is God but in compliance to the capacity of our shallow Understandings they are admitted and here the Caution takes place that we should not account these Properties parts of the Divine Essence because that every Property is really his very whole Essence as for Instance the Wisdom of God is no other but the Wise God the Mercy of God includes the Merciful God c. The use of these Properties or Attributes is to declare and set forth unto us the Essence of God I have already manifested the Eternity of Jesus Christ and shall distinctly speak next of his Immense Power Wisdom Mercy and Goodness discernible in those Great Works of Creation and Redemption I shall not so confine my self to those but that in handling I shall give you such light into his other Attributes that you may thereby gather a clear Manifestation of his Deity I. The Work of Creation is ascribed to Jesus Christ the Son of the Virgin Mary To Create is to make something out of nothing to doe which requires an Infinite and Uncontroulable Power such as can no where be found but in God St. John brings this as a farther Proof of the Deity of Christ whom he had called the Word * Joh. 1.3 All things were made by him as if he had said The Word or Jesus Christ whom he meant by the Word was certainly God for he made all things and without him was not any thing made which was made This was so manifest and withal so full a Proof of his Assertion that he reinforces it ‖ Vers 10. The World was made by him and the World knew him not It is sad that the Generality of Men did not formerly nor will not latterly take notice of him in the Capacity of a Creator That this Jesus Christ when he lay in the Bosom of his Father was a Principal Coagent or Efficient with the Father and the Holy Ghost in the Work of Creation Solomon declares it for †Prov. 8.22 23 c. Christ is there called the Wisdom of the Father by whom the World and all things were made For all Interpreters not excusing Arrius himself agree that these Words of the Wise Man were spoken concerning Christ but being intended to oppose the Deity of Christ that Arch Heretick though he had not the Impudence to deny the words to be spoken of Christ yet such was his Perverseness that he Corrupted the Text and for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He Possessed me Verse 22d he Read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He Created me and so Blasphemously from his own Corrupted Text Argued That Christ was no more than a Creature We have great need to look well to our Bibles to Read Mark Learn and Inwardly Digest the Sound Doctrine thereof because there are too many in the World besides those of Rome who could they get all our Bibles into their hands would soon Teach them to speak a strange Language The Apostle St. Paul does as plainly Ascribe the Creation to Jesus Christ * Col. 1.16 For by him were all things created that are in Heaven and that are in Earth visible and invisible whether they be Thrones or Dominions or Principalities or Powers all things were created by him All things both those that are the Subject of our Sight as the Corporeal and those whose Nature and Spiritual Being as Angels and the Souls of Men submits not to Mortal Intuition That which most chiefly makes for our Present Purpose is to declare That this Creator was Jesus Christ the Son of the Virgin Mary and this is Justified †by calling him v. 15. That Created the Image of God and the First-born of every Creature and ‖ he is stiled v. 18. The