wherefore God highly exalted him is the grace of union And satisfaction being made by his death for us that glory may be ours also is propter quod finale the externall impulsive or first finall Wherefore of his exaltation The Papist here slander us in saying we allow not Christ to merit ought For first our tenet is that not for any thing in the flesh but for the Word whereto the flesh is united was the flesh exalted Secondly that God being made man in the person of God and Man was worthinesse to deserve over and over what we can conceive Thirdly that it is supercilious curiosity wherein Scriptures are silent to define what Christ merited to himselfe Fourthly that it is expressed throughout the Testaments old and new that he had little or no regard of himselfe but for us All that might be for our Salvation Lastly that the humility and the glory being set downe in the eternall decree the glorification followed the humiliation suâ sponte of its owne accord or by the union necessarily And this is held the principall reason wherefore the man so humbled both might and ought to be so highly exalted Bring these together and the Lutherans and Calvinists so well agree here that who oppose in what follows will be condemned at 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by that which went before True Christians we referre the Wherefore in the Text not to Christs being made obedient onely but to the cause also of his humiliation It was his charity there He would be humbled unto that we might be delivered from death And his Charity here also He would be exalted that we through him might be glorified Our freedome then from hell and entrance into Heaven beginning at his love have perfection after his obedience by his exaltation His humiliation merited our exaltation though not his owne His owne was by the union and not in any thing else measured unto him We finde not why hee should merit any thing to himselfe whose perfection wanted nothing that might be acquired by merit This we know it was decreed that God should be inhumanated to dye and rise againe for us As inhumanated he dyed and is exalted as inhumanated The flesh is the instrument of the Word wherein it doth subsist The flesh therefore subsisting in the person of the Sonne of God we determine the propter quod or wherefore why the Sonne of God did dye The same subsistence propter quod etiam the wherefore also why he is exalted He dyed How As man Why For us He is exalted How As man Why For us For us then is the other propter quod or Wherefore in the Text. Wherefore also God hath highly exalted him Tract II. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God hath highly exalted him WHerefore hath beene declared we now are at the exaltation and that first of the person by God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God is agent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 high exaltation the worke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the whole person of God and Man the object These three may not be separated For none can super-exalt save God and none be super-exalted save Jesus God is the onely powerfull and Jesus the onely worthy Before it was said Christ humbled himselfe ver 7. but now it is God that exalts Christ In the low estate the humane nature was very busie but this high advancement must be a divine act onely As God onely could never have dyed so man onely could never have beene exalted Man did nothing in the exaltation God was all in all Rom. 1.4 The Originall is Emphaticall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the God which Christ was in his humiliation For he resumed his Soule by the same power wherein he laid it downe John 10.17 Though the Scripture ascribes Christs exaltation to the Father Acts 2.24 yet doth not exclude the power of the Sonne It sheweth Essentiae operationis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the identity of essence and power in them The very same God which the Father the Sonne and the Holy Ghost are is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the God The God which the Father is For God the Father raised him from the dead 2 Cor. 2.21 and set him at his right hand Act. 2.33 The God which the Sonne is For God the Sonne raised againe the Temple of his body John 2.19 ascended into heaven John 3.13 and is set downe at the right hand of the throne of God Heb. 12.2 The God which the Holy Ghost is For God the Holy Ghost shall quicken us Rom. 8.11 with the same Spirit was Christ annointed above his fellowes Psalm 45.7 and beyond measure John 3.34 The exaltation then is a worke of the whole Trinity undivided and essentially common to the three persons Not that it is essentiall for then the Father and the Holy Ghost must be exalted and not the Sonne onely But the worke is personall because terminated in the person of the Sonne of God The Father and the Holy Ghost did exalt but neither the Father nor the Holy Ghost is the person exalted It is the reall distinction of the persons makes this distinction reall This is the Symphony of the Church the Fathers in all the Councels expound it thus and so ◠s it understood in the Articles of our Faith One and the same God in three persons exalting and yet not three but one exalted person The God it was is proved but what the God did would be declared 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith the Apostle that is multiplicavit sublimitatem he multiplyed his sublimity as the Syriacke he exalted him as the Vulgar super-exalted as Arias Montanus insummam extulit sublimitatem he lifted him up unto the height of all heights as Erasmus Beza c. highly exalted as our Translatours We have here as the most reverend Bishop observed a decompound super-exaltavit his exalting hath an ex and a super whence and whither his person was exalted Whence From the Dungeon with Joseph from the Den with Daniel from the Whales belly with Jonas Or if you will from the three extreames of his exinanition Death the Grave and Hell Whither To life to Heaven to the Throne of God The full of his exaltation is his Resurrection Ascension and sitting downe in the highest glory Three to three the highest three answer the three lowest First he dyed then was buryed last of all descended into Hell So at his exaltation first he rose then ascended last of all sate downe at the right hand of the Father The amends is full For Death Shame and a death of shame in the former verse he hath Life Glory and the life of glory in this These all and ever all For he is factus Dominus made the Lord of life and glory This last is ultimus gradus the super or that above super quod non est super above which there is nothing above The day in deed of his Resurrection was the Feast of the first fruites Levit. 23.10
includes with the Name of God the Creatour the Name of man the Creature and signifies God and man reconciled Not on the contrary though hee that redeemed created also For I am that I am is one expression and I am that I am the Saviour a further God in his Name Jehovah denotes the being whence all things tooke their originall In his Name Jesus he shewes himselfe not onely the Author of being but the Recoverer of the lost and Clarifier of the Elect. In the one he overthrew Pharaoh and the Aegyptians in th other the Devill and Hell In the one he gave the Old Law in the other he established the New In the one he led the Israelites through the Red sea into the Land of Canaan in the other through his bloud wherewith we are Baptized he carries us unto Heaven The one was knowne before the other and that this other was represented in the Name Jehovah Cornelius a Lapide affirmes But what if wee say that Jehovah were quasi aenigma as it were the riddle Was not God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts 17.23 the hidden God then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we knew him not say the Seventy What ever Jehovah intimated we are sure Jesus is the highest declaration For by this Name we finde that the fulnesse of the God-head dwels 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and our nature personally in him I insist not on the many Mysteries that Lucas Tudensas hath found in the Letters of Jesus nor doe I with Cornelius a Lapide averre that this proper Name of Christ in Hebrew containes all the Letters of Jehovah aliasque proprias superaddit and super-addes it s owne other Inspect them who will there they may be had but not expressely there Thirdly this adequate Name of the word Incarnate comprehending transcends all the other many excellent Attributes given unto Christ in the Scriptures for of all are found none which sound not either pietatis gratiam the grace of piety or potentiam Majestatis the power of Majesty The Names of power are poured forth into the Names of piety As for example Isa 9.6 it is said His Name shall be called wonderfull Counsellour God Mighty Everlasting Father Prince of peace The first third and fourth Wonderfull God Mighty argue Majesty the rest Counsellour Everlasting Father Prince of peace shew piety Which of these therefore is poured forth Which The Name of Power is abundantly effused by Jesus Christ our Saviour saith Saint Bernard into the Name of piety Admirable into Counsellour God and Mighty into Everlasting Father and Prince of peace All of might and mercie are full in Jesus This is the name wherein all other doe liquescere it is mercie full of might and might full of mercie The Oyle that is poured forth Cant. 1.3 aliisque liquoribus supernatat and as Oyle it swimmes above other liquours Wine Water or whatsoever Inferiour to none and above all confessed in Heaven Earth and Hell Lastly Saint Chrysostome saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that this name is not of nature so but made so by dispensation high Seeing then the most equall three have decreed and in the text expressely set this Name highest wherein without disparagement to any one person the whole Trinity will be ever honoured why doubt we Adde this also that they have limited an act as peculiar to it above other Names and the holy Church observing our neglect binds us to it Can it be Gods pleasure the Churches desire and not our glory that it is so Bring these together and Alphonsus Abulensis shall never be condemned by me for saying it is majus peccatum a greater sinne to take the Name Jesus in vaine then the Name God To close this God will be glorified in this Name above others above other it is in it selfe and to sinners the life of all Life light joy glory and whatsoever I can conceive superexcellent haec omnia mihi simul sonant cum insonuerit Jesus these all and more in the sense of this Name sound to me When I name it or heare it named I minde one whose example we following shall be advanced in his grace unto the height of glory Have we with Origen found it to bee vocabulum gloriosum In heart then and hand within and without be it the Signet that all our thoughts words and workes may bee directed unto Jesus Of him wee receive all unto him returne we all Above all he and let his Name be so to us For God hath given the Name above every Name unto him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to him exclusivè to him and to no other To no other so as to him The Father the Sonne and the Holy Ghost are the three saving persons yet neither is the Father nor the Holy Ghost 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Sonne by the dispensation is Jesus onely For in our Salvation the Godhead and Manhood meete in one Nor to him man as to other men To him at first by the Spirit and Moses in Jehoshuah as the Figure But before his conception by the Spirit and the Angel Gabriel to him as the Substance To him the Name and the Thing To him the Sonne of his Father without a Mother and the Sonne of his Mother without a Father to him God and man To him without sinne to save soule and body his owne and others from carnall enemies and ghostly from sinne and misery not for a time for ever not by any other of himselfe He is not a Saviour onely but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the salvation Luke 2.30 None challenge it as he not the sonne of Nun nor the sonne of Josedek nor the sonne of Syrach To them given by men to them the Name not the thing to them sonnes of their Fathers by their Mothers of their Mothers by their Fathers to them sinfull men to save the body not to quicken the soule from bodily enemies not spirituall from some worldly calamity not from sinne for a time not forever by their and our Jesus not of themselves They figura futuri the shadow he the substance So Tertullian Origen Eusebius Saint Augustine c. He is so manifestly different from all other that who beleeve in him will never mistake him by any other All else be like Elishas staffe which laid on the Child could doe no good till the Master came To him onely and to him according to both natures This is orthodox though all agree not in this Some here understand Christ secundum humanam naturam as man Because as God nothing can in time be really given to him So the Scholiasts so Theodoret Hierome and others as Zanchius recites Indeed if we minde an increment of blessednesse or power or wisdome c. no such thing can in time be given to him according to his Deity Yet that he received nothing as God whereby our happinesse might be furthered and further knowne is false For to the Divine nature of Christ was
of God the Father Who gave all to the Sonne to him doth all returne To him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by excellencie Because he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the preserver not onely of things Created but of the Unity in Trinity also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then is the beginning without beginning fons Deitatis the fountaine of the Deity wherein the Sonne subsists eternall with the Father and the Holy Ghost with both The Father in respect of his owne Sonne and of us his adopted Sonnes Nomen pietatis potestatis est a Name of piety it and of power saith Tertullian Of piety to love and of power to beget a Sonne and such a Sonne through whom we might be called the children of the Highest The Father therefore of the Sonne of God we mind Ad gloriam Dei patris sui to the glory of God his Father it is so the Syriak Not that the Sonne and Holy Ghost have not the glory For with the Father the Sonne is glorified and the Holy Ghost Because they three 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are one 1 John 5.7 One in substance and in dignity one Beleeve this and the rest will follow Beleeve 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for we are not able to speake many things we understand of God and we speake many things which we are not fit to understand saith Saint Chrysostome This reason you first have and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it why the Father is onely expressed when the other may not be excluded The Father is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the greater 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in respect of the generation so Athanasius As the cause said Ignatius before him and Gregory Nazianzen after A second is to shew that the Sonne is honoured as the Father and the Father not honoured without the Sonne The worship of the one and the other both one For we here see 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Father glorified when the Sonne is glorified As Saint Chrysostome Confessing the Sonne we acknowledge the Father the one cannot be without the other And the substance of both being one one cannot be honoured and not another Animadvert we our Saviours words John 5.22 23. All judgement is given to the Sonne that all men should honour the Sonne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as they honour the Father Is it not manifest there that the Sonne is the Person in quo coli vult Pater as Beza noteth in whom the Father will be worshipped Why else is all judgement given him And why else may not the Father be honoured without the Sonne Yea the conjunction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as doth teach not onely an equall worship of the Father and the Sonne but also that the worship of the Father must be exhibited in and through the Sonne Beleeving in and adoring him we beleeve in and adore the Father It is Christs doctrine He that beleeveth in and seeth me beleeveth in and seeth him that sent me John 12.44 45. And this is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the worke of God that we beleeve in him whom he sent John 6.29 If Gods worke and Christs doctrine then beleeving in Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we make perfect the will of God saith Cyrillus Alexandrinus It may be illustrated thus The Agent is not without the Object nor the Act without both in the Object then we see the Agent and of both the Act without it we can doe neither The Father is not without the Sonne nor the Holy Ghost without both the Sonne then being the Character of the Father we behold the Father in the Sonne and the Holy Ghost too because he proceedeth from them both But without the Son we can doe neither the one nor the other He is the Word incarnate God manifested in the flesh that we in and through him may be directed unto the true apprehension of the three subsistences in one substance Who therefore doth honour the first or the third without or not in the second Person doth neither honour the Father nor the Sonne nor the Holy Ghost This is the cause why our Saviour would by no meanes permit any thing to be asked of the Father but in his Name John 16.23 24. And this it that made the persecuted so resolute Dicimus palà m dicimus Deum colimus per Christum we say and we say it openly and aloud to you tormentours We worship God through Christ as Tertullian hath recorded Ascendit ad summum Deum is c. he ascends to the high God who worships him inseparably and indivisibly through Jesus the Sonne of God Cujus solius ductu pervenitur ad patrem by whom alone we goe unto the Father so Origen Ipse oculus noster ut per illum videamus Patrem he is our eye that by him we may see the Father ipse vox he that voyce by which we may speake to the Father ipse dextera he the right hand by which we may offer our Sacrifice to God the Father so Saint Ambrose And Saint Augustine saith Prayer not made through Christ doth not onely not blot out sinne sed etiam ipsa fit in peccatum but also becomes sinne Being in the harmony of the true Church keepe we ever there If the Asse will feede on Thistles let him to whom the Hony-combe is not denied we will not change our fare Who say that in bowing at the Name of Jesus and by the open confession of the tongue we worship him with other worship then the Father or preferre him before the Father may as well say we worship aliud we know not what and not alium another who is still the same with the Father One is as false as the other and both as that which contradicts the truth For we never divide the three persons in our worship of any one who doe are Idolaters We honour one and all all in the Trinity or none Bowing then at the Name unto the Person through the sense of Jesus the Father hath glory and the Holy Ghost The Holy Ghost by the Apostle commands it if obedience be acceptable I am sure in doing it we obey him And if we can beleeve the Apostle our owne eyes will tell us that with the Sonne the Father is thereby glorified For the bowing to and the confessing of Jesus injoyned by the Spirit are both expressed to the glory of God the Father The Sonne admits of no glory which shall impaire his Fathers in the least degree And ever be it our glory to give him all his due Tibi Domine tibi gloria tua mane at illibata The Arrians and all other Heresiarchs that oppose the Deity of Christ The Agnoits that charge Christ with ignorance The Manichees Seleucians Hermians Christolits that deny him as man to be glorified in Heaven The Cerinthians Chiliasts Nepotians that affirme our happinesse shall be in the fruition of carnalities The Eutychians Jacobits that say the humane nature is
brings God to us and carries us to God No Name like this in power it delivers us not onely out of the power of our enemies but chaines them in eternall torments also To God to us in it selfe most delightfull Nothing above it and below it all things Nor ascribe we this to the second intention we receive it not without the first The person with the Name and not the Name without the person Not part but whole Christ apprehend we at the Name of Jesus Nor doe we extend it beyond the proper subject The Sonne of Nun had it not nor any other as Christ Christ actively to save others passively to be saved They resigned that they had to him he will not resigne his unto any Who therefore impropriate this to be called thereby against them we determine that they endeavour as much as in them is to bring it beneath it selfe It is blasphemy not to regard it as his much more to remove it from him For God hath given him and none but him the Name which is above every Name Tract IV. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. That at the Name of Jesus every Knee should bow c. VVE are now proceeded from the exaltation of the Person and Name by God unto the exaltation of the Name and Person by us Which God exalted we are here enjoyned by him to exalt both Not the Name without the Person nor either according to our humours but after his prescription Not inwardly alone and alwayes nor outwardly alone at any time Outwardly and inwardly that who saved the outward and inward may by both be acknowledged the Saviour of body and soule The text is plaine and the duty precisely set First of the Knee that at the Name of Jesus it should bow Secondly of the Tongue that it should confesse that Jesus Christ is Lord. Nor is this of some and not others but of all and every one every knee and every tongue in Heaven on Earth and under the Earth All leaves out none Nor let any thinke that any of this is in vaine but to the highest purpose all For the utmost end of the knees insinuation and the tongues expression is to the glory of God the Father Hunt not after figurative constructions beleeve the plain text doe the worke faithfully doe so and you shall practise no more then yee ought and the duty so done will redound to the Majesty of the incomprehensible Trinity There is not a tittle in Gods writings without weight Every one is therefore to be pondered that ye may receive the fuller satisfaction and that ye may I will beginne with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that That is the conjunction of this to the verse before and è rationativis such a conjunction as is perfective or declares the finall cause of the Antecedent say the Grammarians Quia est istud Nomen super omne Nomen idcirco in Nomine Jesu omne genu fiectitur because the Name is above every Name therefore at the Name of Jesus every knee is bowed saith Origen That then makes the former verse the ground of this text This text therefore must be understood according to the dependance on that Literally that and this literally All was full before Full the person God and man full our redemption God and Man reconciled full his exaltation as God and Man and his Name full to expresse all The full person the full redemption the full exaltation the full Name all and every one call for full acknowledgement But full acknowledgement cannot be if this text be taken tropically It is mentall onely when the joynts are stiffe and the tongue still and though the service may be right to God in the heart to others it is not at all knowne to be there without either outward subjection or confession outward Yea where God hath manisted his Sonne to be the high exalted Saviour of soule and body it is contempt or at least neglect if the body and soule doe not humbly in the Church shew themselves as is commanded to be his saved Tertullian Origen Cyprian Hierome Chrysostome Augustine Cyrill Bernard all the Fathers that ever I saw like this consequence nor have I yet met with any late Orthodox Writer that contradicts it I need not stand long on 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that the text is plaine Wherefore God exalted him therefore must we be humbled and wherein thereof should we most highly esteeme There is cause enough in the one to induce the other and the sequell is so necessary that without blasphemy no man can denie it For my part I dare not breake the generall rule of the Ancient and Moderne Churches to broach and maintaine singularity The perpetuall truth is that those places onely in the Old and New Testament are necessarily allegoricall which either in the History 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the letter varie from the truth or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the explication of the cause are repugnant to the Law of God Gods third Commandement and our Lords first Petition will have the most sacred Name handled with all manner of reverence I goe not then beside the Analogy of the Scripture in following the simple sense of this text but sure I am who take it figuratively chop off the visible part of Gods service and shew no regard of the super-exalted Name at all The Apostle would have us be imitatours of God Eph. 5.1 If imitatours then whose person God exalted and set forth his name exalt we his Name and person God his way we ours He by giving we in acknowledging If you doubt read and beleeve God hath highly exalted him and given him a Name above every Name Why that at the Name of Jesus every knee should bow This bowing at is one end who is not wilfully blind doth plainely see In 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that having made good the ground I am now ready for the worke The Apostle could best place his words and in our Dialect standing right I will not disorder them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 At the Name of Jesus At which sacred Name I humbly bow unto the blessed Trinity imploring the grace of the one-most God that in the Name of Jesus by the power of the holy Spirit I may interpret and all learne this text to the glory of God the Father The Syriack the Vulgar Arias Montanus Erasmus read in the Name of Jesus Beza Zanchius and our Kings translation at the Name Indeed the Hebrew is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but the preposition according to both languages which we in the generall sense as a note of rest translate in in Scripture varies often Sometimes it signifies by as Acts 4.10.12 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the Name of Jesus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by it this man stands whole and that is it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereby we are saved For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with the Grecians
persons in the unity of the essence But hereby is manifested that the person vilified in this Name was the Sonne of God and Man and is now in the same Name to be adored by all as God and Man which cannot be said of the Father or of the Holy Ghost Of the Sonne alone because he onely was incarnate and yet as I have ever taught to the glory of the most transcendent Trinity It is apparent now that we cautelously observing the idiotisme vary not from the sense of the phrase At the Name we rest not vainely in the sound but are carried to the substance of the name or object of our faith the person of Jesus Christ Not to the humane nature Seorsum per se severally and by it selfe For so doing we divide the person overthrow the communication of proprieties and the due unto the Creator we render to the creature which is Idolatry Yea if in our worship we can consider the Father the Sonne and the Holy Ghost three subsistences and one substance yet all this availes not unlesse we take with us our Mediatour If we mind not a true Man-hood gloriously united to the God-head without change of either nature without mixture of both whose presence whose merits must give passage vigour and acceptance our prayers ascend in vaine At this worke thoughts should be holily mixed of a God-head and humanity two natures in one person and of the same Deity in divers persons and one nature Bestirre our selves we ought so to distinguish these apprehensions that none be neglected so to conjoyne them that they be not confounded We sin if fixing the heart on one we exclude the other retaining all and mentioning one we offend not Who rest their thoughts upon the humanity must still adore the Deity and thence climbe up unto the holy consideration of the blessed Trinity For in Jesus onely is that Mystery revealed to us and through him onely is our worship directed to the sacred Trinity in Unity Following this short weake counsell study and pray that you may apprehend right and worship well Be thus minded and bowing at the name you shall not be superstitious Bow and honour Jesus heartily for the more we honour him the more we honour the whole Trinity If you cannot beleeve me yet let not the Apostle misse your faith It is Gods command he saith and therefore our duty Minding the one we shall not forget to pay the other Endevour we to pay it sincerely and the God of Heaven direct us enable us that when we worship him we may neither prove sacrilegious nor idolatrous The Jewes Infidels and Philosophers that abjure scorne and deride the Name of Jesus the Schismatickes whether Catharists Anabaptists Brownists Separatists or whatsoever called that neglect and contemne all manner of outward reverence at this Name the Papists that superstitiously use it and the Prophane that in their debauchednesse most impiously blaspheme it are condemned at 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for there the Holy Ghost will have the Name super-exalted by God by us also super-exalted with respect and honour The Arrians and other Heretiques that hold Christ a meere man onely or a God in Name not indeed the Cerinthians and Colarbasians that make Jesus one and Christ another the Nestorians that determine two persons in Christ one of the divinity and another of the humanity the Timotheans that thinke him one person of two natures mixed and confounded and the Romanists that constitute the Pope as another head beside Christ of the Church are condemned at 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the honor at the Name is to Immanuel in one person perfect God and perfect Man God hath so made him head of all above and below that at the Name of Jesus every knee should bow This and all we maintaine from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and still the argument is the union and our Salvation True Christians we seeing that God hath exalted the person and the Name and knowing why are bound in conscience for the same reason to exalt the Name and Person Not according to our owne humours but in Analogy of that Truth which is set forth for us to beleeve and doe We seeke no by-wayes to avoyd the duty nor lead we others from it A plaine Text paralleled by others literally must we understand properly as the other are The truth expressed in the Letter cannot be mistaken but by a figurative construction the Letter may be forced to a wrong sense The sense of the former verse which is the ground of this being literall makes this literall also We have proved it ever so conceived in the Church and will not alter it now Nay dare not because we are sure that by the third commandement and the first petition Gods Name whether spoken read heard or written must have reverent usage And if it must may we deny that manner which himselfe hath expressely prescribed The anathema sounds still in our eares Cursed be he that taketh from or addeth to If God then will have outward worship exhibited at the Name in the Name of God let him have it If he will be so honoured that is reason enough why he should But he hath given reasons store if we will not doe it now we are now in contempt and without repentance shall be without excuse hereafter Nor may we thinke to leave the duty undone because some count it superstition Indeed at the Name and no more were vaine But at the Name to bow unto our Saviour is one way we worship him and we have no other way to come at him save by his Name He is gone his Name is left that by his Name we may minde him and through him adore the blessed Trinity At the Name therefore let the heart ascend unto the person and outward obeysance expresse our faith in and high esteeme of whole Christ As true God and true man for as God and man he is exalted in person and Name that at the Name of Jesus every Knee should bow Tract V. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Every Knee should bow GOD who made the whole creature lookes after all he made The soule principally because it principally resembles him and the body next because in that Organ he will have the soule glorifie him 1 Cor. 6.20 The Fathers therefore according to the Scriptures carefully set forth a two-fold worship of God Internall the one externall the other Both congruous to the word and from a heart purified by faith proceed both Both spirituall because both are motions of our spirit renewed by the Holy Ghost For such worshippers will God have as shall serve him in spirit and truth John 4. vers 23. Such as in spirit practically mortifie the workes of the flesh and in truth contemplatively maintaine sound doctrine is one of Theophylacts expositions Such as moved by his Spirit doe all things sincerely in faith according to his will and unto his glory is Polanus full interpretation Such as
include not God like the Samaritanes in a certaine place onely in spirit therefore not locally and such as worship not like the Jewes in the vanished shadowes in truth therefore not typically is the generall consent of Divines Who then by this text exclude all outward worship doe both wrong it and teach their owne ignorance Because the outward worship is not separated from the inward but with it proceeding from the spirit with it also is spirituall Not Saint Pauls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 corporall exercise good for little but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the godlinesse profitable unto all things 1 Tim. 4.8 Quid mibi prodest si genua corporis mei ad orationem veniens flectam Deo genua cordis mei flectam diabolo For what doth it profit me saith Origen if comming unto prayers I bow the knees of my body unto God and bend the knees of my heart to the Devill He meaneth not that the knees should not bow but not bow without the heart Without the heart the outward worship 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gains nothing Joyne both and the pious act 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gives fruit in time to come 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and doth now refresh and then saith Saint Chrysostome Of the body it therefore bodily it not of the body onely and therefore is godly Going with the minde it is holy by the Spirit that sanctifieth the soule Whom God hath joyned together let no man put asunder soule and body in his service For true Christian obedience comprehends totos nos us whole Quanti quanti sumus we such compounds as God made us ought in all things and with all we are simply to submit unto his pleasure What and as he wils is required of us in the powers both of soule and body Indeed Prov. 23.26 Wisdome cals for the heart but not for it onely For in the very same verse it is said the eyes must observe God will have every member faithfull in its office the heart and all not all or any of them without the heart The heart is most acceptable yet the rest are not left at randome They subordinate the principall being right will be conformable all chast the eyes obedient the eares undefiled the lips pure the hands and flexible the knees Every one according to the use more or lesse is charged in the Scriptures To a more speciall use more specially some The Knee and Tongue here because they are sittest for the worke in hand The Knee for humiliation and for confession the Tongue I free not any man from this duty the Holy Ghost by the Apostle hath bound 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 every one None are exempted not one of the Ministery nor one of the Laity not one of the Lords nor one of the Princes learned and unlearned meane and mighty let all looke to it All Psal 22.29 30. All Isa 45.23 All Rom. 14.11 and here every Knee of things in Heaven in earth and under the earth Above the earth I teach none and under the earth none will be taught We are in the midst and of us all and every one make a full comprehension wheresoever we are No man hath a priviledge not to doe it nor will simple ignorance much lesse wilfull excuse the neglect For who preferres not the Name which God hath given Christ above every Name puts the lie on him God saith it is above every Name yet there be that say it is not Here is high contradiction and being it is such I beleeve God who will not may doe what they please By the grace of God I doe who doe not and doe hinder others shall at last in horrour if mercie prevent not be compelled unto it For for such ill agents 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is no ignoscence left saith Saint Chrysostome No ancient Fathers no moderne Divines gaine-say this O how excellent is it for every one to practise that in the time of grace which all confesse shall be in full execution at our entrance into glory Assure your selves nothing may be required of every one then which is unlawfull for any one now For grace and glory differ not in essence but degrees The nearer therefore the Militant Church commeth to the Triumphant the more perfect she Perfect here no man can be yet that every one ought to contend unto perfection is very Apostolicall Not in one thing onely and not in others in every thing as is revealed the action and manner should be observed by every one God speakes not without purpose we all know take we heed then lest any of us heare with a purpose not to doe as he speaks Much hath beene said of this duty and much more followes God give us obedient hearts that our reverend esteeme of the Name which he hath superexalted may appeare before men to his glory and our peace Remember who have learned and amend who have neglected It is no shame for either sexe old or young to deceive the Devill The white Devill saith it is Idolatry to bow at the Name The Holy Ghost saith At the Name of Jesus every Knee shall bow What will we doe Can any Christian doe other then obey God If the Name be an Image it is metaphorically and can it not be so and be not an Idoll Can men be so injurious to their Saviour as to thinke that whom he sent to beginne and further our devotions will beguile us in them God forbid Submit every one therefore to the motion of the Spirit give Jesus his honour and the Devill will flie A lier he from the beginning and so shall appeare in the end The universality will be at full in the severall rankes the subjection is next 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Knee should bow It is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Hebrew because it hath the peculiar faculty of bowing Another part may bow and nothing else with it but if the Knees once bow all the members are in submission For in genibus vel in nervis musculis circa genua consistit robur corporis in the knees or in the nerves and muscles about the Knees consists the strength of the body as Schindler If they then yeeld no member of the body doth stand out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 therefore say Etymologists as well 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the energie there as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the inclination or pronenesse toward the earth The Knees are made to sinke downe the whole frame and enabled to raise it againe and uphold it standing For they are commissiones femorum crurum as Isidore the setting together of the thighs and legs The strongest supporters are united by them By them onely are they at once humbled and being humiliated are at once advanced by them onely But it is not my part to Anatomize the Knees Plinie can tell us hominis genibus quaedam religio inost and to teach that God careth for
Name is Oyle poured forth Ecce Christus Ecce Jesus behold Christ behold Jesus both poured out to the Angels both poured forth on men Shall it be poured forth to them and not be received or how can they receive and not take notice of it It was the hope of all the Fathers and the joy of the Martyrs in the Church that they should magnifie this Name in Heaven which they professed on earth And if we examine the moderne writers no Divines will be found that deny the fulfilling of Phil. 2.10 in the life to come Yea they who not onely neglect but decry also the duty here confesse the full payment hereafter What discording musicke is theirs Hereafter it shall be perfectly performed and yet the Name never named hereafter When their doctrine is knowne to be at oddes they will stand amazed and keepe the distance of those men that frighten each other It is time to conclude who will not beleeve can never learne their duty because a duty is never learned till it be practised nor practised till it be well beleeved Have some faith and we shall have more and the more we have the greater will our practise be The Name is most glorious in Heaven therefore the blessed bow at the Name The Name is most sweete to Christians on earth therefore good Christians beginne here to bow at the Name The Name is most dreadfull in Hell therefore the damned bow at the Name These against the will most willingly the other The Simonians Caimies Angelicies c. that against the Scriptures bring in and maintaine the worshipping of Angels the Collirydians Papists that adore the Virgin Mary also pray unto Saints and bow the knee at their Images the Aristotelians and the Fanatiks of our time that make the Angels such simple intelligences as may no way bow the knee are condemned at 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For there the Angels and Saints receive no divine worship but submissively bow downe at the Name The Manichees that say Jesus is the Redeemer of the soule onely and therefore yeeld not the body unto his honour the Jewes Turkes Pagans Infidels that on earth deny his Name the Zuinglians and our very late Reformists that stand covered as stiffe as stakes or sit as senslesse of Grace without any expression of honour at the Name of Jesus are condemned at 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For there beleeving Christians hoping to partake of glory with their Saviour shew their delight in and high esteeme of him by bowing at his Name The Carpocratians Marcits Severians that fall downe before familiar Devils the Pythagoreans Origenists and many prophane Famulists in these dayes that teach a revolution of soules as if Hell were but for a time and in time the Devill and all the wicked with him should remove thence as the Popelings say soules doe out of Purgatory are condemned at 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For there the Devill his Angels and all the Damned chained for ever on their knees justifie the righteousnesse of our Saviour in bowing with horrour at the Name of Jesus This and all we maintaine from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and still the argument is the union and our salvation True Christians we beleeve that though the Angels have not knees like ours yet will bend the knees they have We thinke them not elementary spirituall they be Devoid of body in respect of us but if God be considered corporeall they For where now they are they cannot now be elsewhere and being ministers to us must have such a being wherein they may administer In a being they assist us which sometimes they either make visible or assume another visible and by the same in an analogy to us humbly expresse the honour due unto our Saviour Not coacted but with alacrity and such as if we could behold it our hottest zeale would seeme stone-cold They are indued above us and can doe much much more yet we in a holy emulation praying to doe as they doe contend after them We shift nothing off that ought to be done because when we have done the most it is knowne we have done too little here If the Angels and Spirits good and bad properly have no knees it is certaine we have Whom it concernes looke we to ourselves We cannot be too forward no feare of that in goodnesse but our backwardnesse brings evill enough on us Whilest others then be backward we will be as forward as we can that our forwardnesse may prevene Gods anger We dare not forbeare the knees and with-hold what else we owe at the Name lest he take his Name from and we be not reputed his To whom he is most precious most honourable he among sinners Whilest therefore we have the use of our bodies they shall set forth our obedience For we finde who will because they will be in contempt shall at last be compelled with smiting knees to honour that Name wherein they will then despaire of comfort We may conceive the Devils in their kinde and the other damned in theirs manacled without hope of release crouching at the Name of Jesus under the immense and eternal waight of Gods wrath So it is decreed and cannot be altered that who will not now doe what he should shall against the will hereafter doe what he would not Jesus will be honoured in Heaven and in Hell we are in the middest to make our choyce who will have Heaven doth his duty unto Christ voluntarily on earth who doth not so shall be tormented to it in Hell For God hath given him a Name above every Name that at the Name of Jesus every knee should bow of things in Heaven and in earth and under the earth Tract VII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. And that every tongue should confesse c. VVE are now at the duty which is generall of the tongue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 every tongue Secondly evident 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it should confesse Thirdly veridicall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that Jesus Christ is Lord And then kindly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unto the glory of God the Father 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and inferres this necessary as the former nay more Not exclusively more as if this being done the other may not at all be done But necessary more as more excellent the subject And so excellent is the tongue that of all other members the Psalmist cals it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our glory Psal 16.9 Nor is it spoken thereof the soule for the Apostle expounds it of the tongue Acts 2.26 The tongue is the vocall instrument wherewith we glorifie God the other make but dumbe acknowledgements The knee then being set before the tongue doth not challenge the more worth nor the tongue lose any of its owne They be marshalled right said the reverend Bishop For having by the knee bowed put our selves in minde of due regard we are the fitter to speake of and to our Saviour with meete respect In the
thing but wish it were not so knowne that it might not be thus written If I have beene over bold now in the Apostles words I beseech you brethren that yee know them which labour among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you I beseech you that yee have them in singular love for their workes sake Be at peace among your selves 1 Thes 5.12 13. Be at peace and in this yee confesse that Jesus Christ is Lord. For peace is his He is the God of peace 1 Thes 5.23 and our peace too Ephes 2.14 He cannot be acknowledged the peace-maker betweene God and us nor we his members whilest we be at hatefull oddes among our selves Where love is not the Holy Ghost will not be and where he is not no man can as he ought say that Jesus Christ is Lord 1 Cor. 12.3 For confessing him Lord we confesse more then he in himselfe is our selves also to be in obedience unto him Who keepe not in his service deny him to be their Lord. For it is not enough with Saint Peter to cry Lord save I sinke Matth. 14.30 unlesse also we can with Saint Paul say Lord what wouldest thou that I should doe Acts 9.6 and doe what the Lord wils With the whole man too outwardly and inwardly where and as he requires He being wholly ours who are onely his will be whole to him Soules bodies lands goods lives and all are at his service So he be ours and we his let him doe with us as he pleaseth He saved us and we will be governed by him To whom he hath beene Lord Jesus to us be he Jesus Lord. The Ebionits Samosatenians that deny the greatnesse we affirme requisite in our Mediatour to salvation The Anabaptists Brownists Barrowists Separatists that seclude whom they please as if none save their holy on earth might ever be Saints in Heaven and yet handle our Saviour as if he were to serve their turns alwayes and they him onely when and as they list And the Simonians Menandrians Pseudo-Christs that sacrilegiously impropriate his vertue are condemned at 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For there confessing our deliverance from such evill we confesse the greatnesse of our Saviour also and acknowledge him the onely able for us and not onely for us but for the sinnes of the whole world We say not whose he is not but knowing him to be ours rest in that The Valentinians Marcionits Manichees with the other Opinats or Docits that make Christs death fictitious to take away the truth of his Sacrifice The Ethnicks that in opposition preferre Apollonius Tyanaeus before Christ the Novatians Rogatists Maximinianists Circumcelliones that borrow the broome of Donatus to sweepe the Church The Jewes Chiliasts Aeternals that provide for the Messias as if his Kingdome were of this world and our happinesse in the various delights thereof And the Papists that like the Heathen have set up a great Cauldron to purge souls in equall traditions to the Scriptures and make the Pope head of the Church are condemned at 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For there we confesse him such a Priest such a Prophet such a King as never the like In his propitiation the ransome is unvaluable in his institution the doctrine infallible in his government the supremacie incommunicable All these onely in him infinite may not be held by any other The Basilidians Origenists Arrians Apollinarists Donatists that saying there was a time when Christ was not impiously call the Sonne of God the first begotten creature The Artemonits Photinians Monophysits that will not have him God before he was incarnate The Semi-arrians whether Acatians that affirme the Sonne to be like the Father or Ennomians that teach him of another nature then the Father or Aetians that make him unlike in all things to the Father or Eudoxians that hold him as a servant of the Father The Carpocratians Messalians Coluthians that denying God the administration of the world bestow the Lordship over men on the evill Angels The Marcionits Manichees that deeming the world a worke unworthy of Divine providence substitute some Atlas to sustaine it The Pontificiaries Socinians that question the sufficiencie of Christs Lordship And Schismatiks or relapsed Protestants that scorne to give him due and full worship are condemned at 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For there Christ is confessed the eternall God consubstantiall and coequall with the Father The same before the Incarnation and no other now Lord of all above and below ruling his servants graciously in peace and trampling his enemies under his feete in ire Nothing may controll him nor is any thing too little for his providence This and all we maintaine from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and still the argument is the Union and our salvation True Christians we considering humility the basis of glory can value our Saviour even by his disrespect in the world Who would save it Jew and Gentile from sinne must be reckoned among sinners He therefore being the Sonne of the Highest the lower he appeared for us the more he shewed his love For in that estate not losing his owne all his gaines redound to us Because he could not be unlorded in ours we are dignified in his Not so as if he having served our turnes we should no longer serve him but that his annointing descending on us we might walke in the odour of his unguents He the constituted Priest to mediate by redemption and intercession we his sanctified to offer in faith the fruits of regeneration prayers praises good workes and a holy life He the Prophet by the Word and the Spirit to instruct we the Disciples to beare the characters of the one and set forth the graces of the other He the King ruling in might and mercie to preserve we the subjects in feare obedience and faithfulnesse to observe his pleasure in fighting against the enemies and maintaining the peace of his Kingdom Such we confesse him and our selves such confessours through him Nor is this all Our King our Prophet our Priest our Saviour is not transiently ours but eternall he Not now and not hereafter the same now and ever What comfort have we We being annointed shall never be feared nor ever fleeced being his saved For Jesus Christ is still that Lord which the Sonne of God he was before the Incarnation He hath the Keyes to unlocke Heaven and the Keyes to locke up Hell In whose hands we are none can snatch us from him Because he is that being whence all things have being and the immutable God having elected us will never alter his purpose That he will not we can domonstrate that He informes us by his Word confirmes us by his Sacraments and replenisheth our hearts with heavenly desires Our thoughts our words our workes tend to him And such is our reverence in adoring that if an unbeleever should be present at our publike service he falling downe would say Verily God is among us and with us confesse that Jesus