Christ had so understood it as he doth and reserved to God his own place of worship had made him his principal and ultimate object in worship he might as the less principal and intermediate object have worshipped the devil if he had pleased And this Text which he alledgeth of Mat. 4. if there had been none other would not have been of any force in this sence against it So that either Christ mistook the Scripture and alledged a Text that had not strength against worshipping of Satan or else he hath grosly mistaken the sense of the Scripture which Christ hath alleadged in giving liberty for intermediate worship to be given to him that is not God notwithstanding any thing contained in this Text. But because he keeps to generals and by that means resolves no scruple that may lie in the breasts of men about worship I shall descend to some particulars And first I shall speak of worship proper to God in the matter of it wherein he is wholly silent and then of worship proper in the manner of the performance 1. To believe or receive any report of spiritual things and matters of Faith which respect the soul proposed and presented as a truth to be rested in upon the meer credit and fidelity of the Testator or him that witnesseth it is a worship and an honour proper to God alone because God is he alone that cannot lye Tit. 1. 2. and it was the honour that Sarah by this Faith gave to God she judged him faithful that had promised Heb. 11. 11. 2. A Religious resting and depending for spiritual supply and help in spiritual works and streights is a worship and honour peculiar to God alone the reason is because there is no sufficiency of this kind in any creature but it is onely and wholly in God 2 Cor. 3. 5. Therefore the Prophet directs him that is in darkness and hath no light it is spoken of the souls darkness and distress to trust in the Name of the Lord and stay upon his God Isa 5. 10. 3. An acquiescence in the will of another whether it appear to be with us or whether it appear to be against us is an homage and an honour which is proper and peculiar to God alone 1 Sam. 3. 18 It is the Lord said Eli let him do what seemeth good in his eyes he submits quickly to that which was terrible to be thought of upon this account or ground It is the Lord to whom such subjection is due And Jesus Christ himself as man doth acquiesce and rest satisfied with the will of God which was bitter as death Not my will but thine be done And the obeying of the will of another for this sole reason because it is the will of that other when there is no other impulsive cause but that is honour peculiar and proper to God alone because his will and his alone is Essentially holy and just and good I consulted not with flesh and blood saith Paul when the will of God was revealed that he should teach him Gal. 1. 15 16. and Rom. 12. 2. 4. Praying as it is an act of Religion and then especially when it is for spiritual blessings is a worship which is proper to God alone because such a service simply considered in its nature doth imply a sufficiency of wisdom power and goodness in the person to whom we direct it in reference to which praying to any creature is accounted as praying to a god that cannot save and it is Idolatry in Scripture-reckoning Isa 45. 20. Jer. 1. 27. 5. Giving of praise and glory and thanks as it is an act of Religion is worship and honour due to God alone and not to be communicated to any creature because he is the root and fountain of all good to the creature the God of all Grace and mercy the God of blessing Therefore in Rev. 4. 9 10. 11 The four beasts and the four and twenty Elders they worship him that sate upon the Throne by giving praise to him and cast down their Crowns at his feet and say he is worthy to receive honour and glory because he had created all things And as in the time of the old Testament to offer Sacrifices of Thanksgiving to any but to the true God had been Idolatry which caused Paul Barnabas to run in with hast to stop them in the attempt of Sacrificing to them by telling them that they were but men like themselves so to offer the Calves of the Lips to offer praise to give Thanks in a Religious way is worship peculiar to God 6. To Swear or to appeal Solemnly in a religious way for Testimony in reference to any thing asserted for the truth of it is worship or honour that is proper to God and not to be given to any creature Deut. 6. 13. Thou shalt fear the Lord and serve him and swear by his Name And it is reproved that some did swear by the Lord and by Malchom that is for joyning God and Idols together in the worship of an Oath and under that all other worship is comprehended 7. The use of a Lot in which persons that are at some controversie or are doubtful what to determine of a thing do give up themselves to receive the determination of it as the Lot being cast shall decide it it is a worship and an honour proper to God Prov. 16. 33 The Lot is cast into the lap but the whole disposition thereof is from the Lord. Therefore it was used with invocation or prayer to God wherein men do profess to receive the doome or sentence or judgement or decision from the Lord Act. 1. 24. 8. A receiving of and submitting unto prescribed forms and rules as mediums in and by which that natural worship of the heart which consists in faith and hope and love is exercised and declared is worship and honour proper and peculiar to God alone and forbidden in reference to any creature in the second Commandment for under the names of graven image invented forms and mediums of worship excogitated and minted in mens own brain or of any others prescribing that is not God are meant and indeed who knows what is pleasing to God and delightsome to him but himself therefore the progative is his to prescribe and it is peculiar honour for men to submit to what he doth prescribe The subjecting of the Conscience to Laws and Ordinances and Institutions and Directions is an honor not communicable to any creature but wherein God is alone not having any to share with him for the Conscience is over-awed by none but God gives account to none but God Rom. 2. 15 the Apostle proves the love of God to be written in the excusing and accusing which work manifestly declares a Law of God within because the Conscience is accountable to nothing but such a Law for there lies the strength of his Argument that there is such a Law within them 10. In external postures in Religious duties
Mediatorship otherwise it would have been limited and restrained that that worship which is due to God who is the ultimate object of worship might have been discerned from it and the preeminence the Father hath above Christ in Worship would have been declared in Scripture And hence it follows that though Christ be an intermediate object of Worship yet he is the principal and ultimate object also The same person who is Man and Mediator is the Son of God the most high God Mediator in that nature also And if Religious Divine worship be given unto him as Mediator it is given unto him for the sake of the Divine Nature because he is the Son of God and God according to which nature apart considered from the Humane he is the ultimate object of worship but as considered with the Humane as Mediator he is the intermediate object of worship And though the Humane Nature be taken up into the fellowship as of the Godhead so of this honour and worship yet this worship is not due nor doth properly appertain to the Humane Nature And though the person be honoured with this Divine honour because of the Union yet it is for the sake of the Divine Nature and not for the sake of the Humane which beause it is not the principal and ultimate object of worship therefore that very worship and no less nor any other is given to Christ being thus intermediate or Mediator which is proper and peculiar to God alone who is the principal and ultimate object worship cannot separately and apart considered from the Divine Nature be any object at all no not an intermediate object of Religious Divine worship for then every creature that is a medium or a means by or through which God communicates himself to men and so is intermediate betwixt God and man should be an intermediate object of Divine worship which is directly repugnant to the Scripture and is greatly derogatory to God that the Manhood of Christ or the Humane Nature a part considered hath but the respect of an instrument in so glorious a work which was wrought by the efficiencie and infinite power wisdom of God I have been the larger in discussing this point of Worship because the right understanding of it will facilitate the discussing of the two next which follow which respect Faith in Christ He considers them together though I conceive they may well be distinguished from each other as different things But I shall follow him in his method Instance 2. If Christ be a meer creature then it is lawful and warrantable to believe in a meer creature which is against the tenour of the whole Scripture but it is commanded in reference unto Christ Joh. 14. 1. and salvation is annexed to it Joh. 3. 36. Instance 3. If Christ be a meer creature then faith in a meer creature can save man which is absurd and gross and contrary to the Scriptures for Abraham believed God and it was accounted to him for righteousness Rom. 4. 3. and so was saving Unto these he opposeth two Propositions which the Scripture as he saith will warrant and will suffice for an Answer 1. That that faith which is needful to salvation hath a double object God and the man Christ Jesus Joh. 14. 1. which he saith the Scripture that I have quoted bears witness to as a truth 2. That that faith which is needful to salvation acts in a divers manner on God and on the Lord Jesus Christ Reply 1. Neither the Scripture that I have quoted nor any other bears witness to this That the man Jesus Christ as man is the object of faith The Person of Christ that is man is the object of faith but not as man And the place that he cites in Joh. 3. 14 15 proves it The Son of man shall be lifted up that whoever believes on him c. But there is in these words that which is called Idiomatum communicatio viz. that which is spoken in the concrete of Christ according to one Nature is transferred to another Natrue And the verse that immediately precedes viz. verse 13. declares thus much It is said that the Son of man is in heaven which at that time when Christ spake those words was impossible as Christ is the Son of man because Ubiquity or being everywhere at the same time is not compatible to any man as man but it was meant of the Person of Christ who is called the Son of man because he was truely man but according to the other nature that was in him viz. the Godhead according to which he was in heaven and on earth together because he fills both as God And Christ that did put that denomination Son of man upon himself in verse 13. continues it and under that title makes himself the object of faith but there is a translation of that which is proper to one nature to another nature to which it is not proper And indeed Christ as Mediator is an object of faith but it is not as he is man that he is the object but as he is God which is very clear for these Reasons 1. It is Christ as he is JEHOVAH that is the object of faith as it justifies and saves Isa 45. 24. compared with Rom. 14. 10 11. proves it Believers are brought in professing their faith in JEHOVAH which is Christ Surely shall one say in JEHOVAH have I righteousness and strength 1 Tim. 3. 10. God manifested in flesh is believed on in the world not Christ accordiâ—g to his Manhood 2. It is Christ as he is all-sufficient and able to save to the utmost that is the object of faith Heb. 7. 25. 2 Tim. 1. 12. But Christ as he is man is not all-sufficient and able to save to the utmost but as he is the Son of God and God Joh. 4. 25. 3. The man that trusteth in man is accursed by God's own sentence Jer. 17. 5. Therefore faith is not in Christ as he is man 4. God hath testified that all life is in his Son Joh. 5. 11. and faith must be where life is and nowhere else and therefore not in Christ as man for the Son of God is not man but God as hath been abundantly proved before And it is also said verse 12 He that hath the Son that is hath received him by faith Joh. 1. 12. hath life and he that hath him not hath not life And they are pressed to believe in the Son of God v. 13. that they may have eternal life 5. Christ himself saith Vpon this rock viz. this profession of faith that Christ is the Son of God he will build his Church Matth. 16. 16 18. Therefore Christ is the object of faith as he is the Son of God and not as he is man 6. If Christ as meer man and nothing more be the object of faith then any other man or creature whom God sends and by whom God speaks or acts may be the object of
could not save by Christ without transmitting that curse and wrath which was due to all and every of the Elect to Christ and if Christ had been but a meer man then there would have been need of so many Christs to have suffered and endured as there are Elect persons and every one of these Christs must have suffered hel viz. the torments of hell as well as death and then they must have suffered ever also without any end and yet could not have justified the Elect because while they should be suffering till that be ended God could not be satisfied and if God could not be satisfied the Elect could not be justified and discharged and so to all eternity the Elect could not be acquitted and this appears in Christ if he had suffered and had never got through his suffering we had never been saved if he had dyed and had never risen we had never risen to life and glory And this is that which I presented in that Argument or Instance as he calls it of mine viz. that the satisfaction which Christ gave to Gods justice is destroyed if Christ be but a meer man and not God for how could the blood of aman satisfie for the sins of many transgressours whereas there is no proportion betwixt one meer man dying for sin and many men sinning and deserving death each of them for the sins they have committed The righteousnesse is in Scripture called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 5 18. which signifies a just satisfaction or satisfaction according to the exactnesse of justice and Gods scope is thereby to declare himself just that is to magnifie his justice thereby Rom. 3. 26. By all this that hath been presented it appeares how sleight and weak he is in his answer to an Argument of the highest weight and moment For what thing is there of greater consequence for the satisfying of the conscience then to know that the satisfaction is full and sufficient which Christ hath given which was shewed by the Argument that I brought to be disproportionable upon his Tenent of Christs meer creatureship to which he returnes no other answer but this As the sin of one meere man was imputed unto and brought death upon all men even so the gift of grace by one man Jesus Christ whom he makes but a meer man abounded unto many unto justification and life In the next place he comes to discusse and give answer to my 2d Querie How it may be conceivable that an infinite justice offended should be satisfied by a sacrifice finite in value And thus he expresseth himself What matters it if it be unconceivable must it therefore be uncredible doubtlesse in all controversall doctrines you will not hold this for an orthodox all Tenent In the doctrine of the Trinity credit must be given to things unconceiveable but the like liberty will not be allowed in Christs Mediatorship Reply 1. If no more words had been added by me to these expressions It is unconceivable yet if there be a truth therein that it is unconceivable these bare expressions without any addition might have passed with him for an unanswerable Argument because he professeth himself to be a man so given up to reason that he will prostrate himself to use his own expressions to the shadow of it and his faith will not carry him beyond reason how shallow soever his apprehension is he will not beleeve further then he can see which hath caused him to be so unsetled and unstable in the doctrine of the Trinity and to question it so long till at last he hath rejected it 2. That which is unconceivable and wants the authority of Scripture so to countenance it is not receivable So did not the doctrine of the Trinity for though it be an incomprehensible mystery yet it is not an unscriptural doctrine but it is compassed about with a cloud of witnesses both of the old and new Testament which do declare it with the greatest clearnes but that such a thing should be in Christs Mediatorship that that which is finite in nature value should yet satisfie for that which is infinite in provocation and offence hath neither the light of reason nor the truth of Scripture to draw out consent unto it therfore is worthy to be expunged out of the Saints beliefs 3. That which is unconceivable against the tenor of the Scripture which words I added but he would take no notice therof deservs no credit with Christians but must be razed from among the articles of their faith but that a sacrifice that is finite in value should satisfie an infinite Justice offended is both incomprehensible by reason and contradictory to Scripture as appears from Heb. 9. 9. Gifts and Sacrifices while the first Tabernacle was standing were offered which could not make him that did the service perfect it could not purge away his sin nor justifie him what was the reason of it could not God have taken these gifts and sacrifices for satisfaction no he could not the Apostle faith it could not be there was no proportion an offence against God must be purged away with better sacrifices then these Tâ—â— Apostle that was of Gods counsel and knew the truth tels us so Heb. 9. 23. It was necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices then these why necessary because the justice of God could not be satisfied by these nor the truth of God fulfilled therefore it was necessary there should be better then these but if these better be not proportionable to the offence to purge the guilt away in a satisfactory way to justice wherin is the betternes betwixt them there is no difference in this respect they are alike without preheminence one to the other He repeats it again Heb. 10. 1. as that which is of weighty consideration and which he would have the Christian Hebrews to be throughly instructed in The Law saith he having a shadow of good things to come can never with those sacrifices which they offered make the comers thereto perfect and v. 4. It is not possible that the blood of buls and goats should take away sin It was possible at first but after God had said In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt die the death it was not possible aâ—ter the law had cursed every one that continues not in all things written therein it was not possible and the Apostle fetcheth his confirmation from Christs own words in Ps 40. which he mentions and applies to this purpose v. 5. Wherefore he saith when he cometh into the world sacrifice and offering thou wouldst not but a body hast thou prepared in burnt offering and sacrifice thou delightest not then said I loe I come to do thy will O God Why would not God have sacrifice but prepared a body for his Son the reason is because this flesh of Christ is called a greater and more
by his Spirit I shall utterly deny it as that which both wants truth in it and is absurd as that which is neither consistent with Scripture nor reason nor congruous to his own Opinion for he takes away Christs immensity and ubiquity and puts it upon the Spirit to prevent Christs being in Heaven and on Earth at once and his filling of Heaven and Earth with his presence that he might not thereby be acknowledged God and yet he makes the Spirit to be universally present and so makes him more then a creature wherein he contradicts himself for his words are these Christ doth all these works in his absence by his Spirit therefore the Spirit is present for he supplies the defect of Christs presence and yet withall he saith The spirit which received of Christs was Christs instrument by which Jesus Christ did the work Therefore he is not God for God cannot be an instrument therefore he is but a creature wherein he crosseth himself So then what must not be yielded to in Christ least he should be God he yields to the Spirit whom he makes not God but a creature And in this he not only sets Christ below the Father whom he acknowledgeth to be God but he sets him below the Spirit whom he acknowledgeth but a creature and now Christ is neither God nor yet the first and chief of the creatures for the Spirit is more excellent then he for the Spirit can be present with all the Apostles in all the parts and Climats of the World at one time to instruct them comfort them c. and Christ is shut up in Heaven and cannot And this is contradictory to himself for he makes Christ the first of the creatures and the Maker of the rest and the Lord of them and he makes him a Spirit in his first existence and yet the Spirit that was made by him can be with all the Apostles and Disciples and Saints also and abide with them for ever and administer to them all good but Christ who is his Lord and Maker cannot O monstrous and senseless Opinion wherein God leaves him to be confounded But how contradictory to reason is this that the Spirit should be the instrument of Christ and so a creature inferiour to Christ and yet be present in all places in Heaven in Earth in the Sea and every where for where ever Saints be there the Spirit is Saints are in all these places The Spirit is one that bears witness in Heaven 1 Joh. 5. 7. Therefore there he is and he bears witness on Earth in the hearts of Believers in Rom. 8. 16. and therefore there he is And the whole Spirit dwels in every Saint for we do not read of any parts of the Spirit into which he is divided and if Saints be every where the whole Spirit is every where and such a boundless Essence is not competent to any creature it is that which God himself arrogates as proper to him do not I fill Heaven and Earth Jer. 23. 24. whole God fils every place and the whole Spirit fils every Saint As bodies have their loca their places so Spirits all created ones have their ubi their some where out of which and beyond which they are not they are confined if they be not circumscribed but of the Spirit it is said whither shall I go from thy Spirit the Spirit is everywhere It is also extreamly repugnant to Scripture that the Spirit should be Christs instrument and consequently a creature and it is as gross as the denying of the Diety of Christ and his Heresie is multiplyed in this Assertion 1. An Instrument acts and works after the will of the principal efficient but the Spirit after his own will as himself pleaseth and therefore no instrument 2. The person by whom Christ wrought Miracles was no instrument but Christ according to his humane nature wrought Miracles by the vertue and power of the Spirit therefore he was no instrument Mat. 12. 28. Acts 10. 38. 3. He that was the uncture with which Christ was annoynted and became more excellent and glorious then all his fellows he that was the enrichment of Christ as man as a creature above all creatures that exalted him in eminency above all Angels c. was not any instrument inferiour to Christ but superiour to him as a creature but the Spirit was the uncture wherewith Christ was annoynted Act. 10. 38. and he received not the Spirit by measure as others did but beyond all measure Joh. 3. 34. whence he came to excell all his fellows Heb. 1. 9. 4. He that is the Spirit of God and is to God as the spirit of a man is to man he that alone knoweth the deep things of God and searcheth them that is hath deep full perfect knowledge of them he cannot be an instrument to Christ to take what Christ a creature as he makes Christ to be shews him and no more and to shew them to men but the Spirit is the Spirit of God and stands to God as the Spirit of a man stands to man and searcheth the deep things of God therefore cannot be an instrument to take from Christ and bring and shew to men And it is contrary to Scripture to make the Spirit a creature as if he be a creatures instrument as he would make him he must needs be 1. He is called God by the Apostles of Christ therefore he is God Act. 5. 3 4. compared together prove it in the 3. ver Peter saith to Ananias Thou hast lyed to the holy Ghost in the 4. vers he saith Thou hast lyed to God He makes the holy Ghost to be God for he shews the person against whom the sin was committed it was not man it was not any creature it did rise higher it was the holy Ghost he was God So that the holy Ghost and God are one and the same thing And 1 Cor. 3. 16. Paul makes him God in these words Know ye not that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you This latter is the proof of the former because the Spirit of God dwels in you therefore saith the Apostle you are the temple of God here is no mention of Gods dwelling in them but of the Spirits dwelling in them if therefore the Spirit were not God the Argument of the Apostle were nought And by the Evangelist Luke in Act. 10. 3. 19 20. compared together he is called God in vers 3. it is said The Angel of God came in to Cornelius and commanded him to send men for Peter in vers 19. 20. it is said That the Spirit told Peter that he had sent those men to him and therefore he must go with them The men were sent upon the command of the Spirit therefore the Spirit was that God that sent the Angel and to be the Angel of the Spirit and the Angel of God is all one 2. He is called the God of Israel 2 Sam.
and therefore cannot leave a distinct impression in any work His second Argument by which he would prove Christ to be but an instrumental Agent in creating the world is fetch'd from Reason his words are these The second reason proceeds from the verdict of pure Reason If Reason may obtain credit she will tell us that there could be in the work of Creation but one principall agent because there is by nature but one God for if there were two principall agents there must be two Gods the terms being convertible Repl. 1. There is neither pure Reason nor cleer Reason to be found among men and while he pleads so earnestly for Reason he loseth himself and the Truth in corrupted and darkened Reason which he too much follows and being in pursuit after Reason what it will present he turns aside from Scripture and attains not the knowledg of the Truth which he would seem to contend for Rep. 2. He argues from plurality of Agents in the Creation to plurality of Gods which would have force and strength in it if we held plurality of Agents really and essentially distinct from one another but if the Agent be one in essence and personally onely more then one which is the doctrine we hold no such absurd consequence will follow that there should be two or more Gods because there are two or more Agents personally but not essentially differing from one another 3. His third Reason issues from the nature of Christs being Christ is the image of the invisible God and so is distinguished from God because the image and the thing whereof it is an image is not the same in that nothing can be the image of it self Col. 1. 15. Repl. Where it is said that Christ is the image of God God is there taken Synechdochically or personally for the Father as will appear if you compare it with Heb. 1. 3. where he is called the express image of his Fathers person Now Christ may be the image of the Father and yet not the image of himself for though God taken essentially do not differ from himselfe and therefore he cannot in that sense be the image of God and be God himself because he should then be the image of himself yet God taken personally for the Father may differ from himself taken personally for the Son that is one person may doth differ from another and one may be the image of another the Son of the Father and may in that sense be the image of God and yet not of himself though he be God But he renders a reason why Christ is called the image of God Because saith he God did manifest his divine glory and dominion over the creature through him chiefly for which reason also man is called the image and glory of God 1 Cor. 11. 7. Repl. Christ according to his manhood may be called the image of God because of that glory and dominion that he was lifted up to for he was made head of all principality and power but he was the image of God in an higher way also viz. as he was a Son Heb. 1. 2. 3. which Sonship was before this collated Lordship which he had for he was a Son before there was any creature to rule over as himself hath confessed and if a Son then the image of his Father but this was discussed in my former Treatâ—se therefore I might have passed it over in silence He saith further that Christ is called the first-born of every creature Repl. The urging and the answering of this is but to weary the Reader with frivolous repetitions therefore I referre him to what hath been represented already both in the former and in this present Treatise concerning this Title First-born of every creature To conclude The force of this argument lies in this whole Christ is a creature and therefore but an instrumental Agent to prove the Antecedent he produceth Col. 1. 15. produced before He might have cited rehearsed all those Arguments Scriptures of his which he brought before wherewith he filled many pages as aptly fitly as he hath mentioned these but with little profit or delight to the Reader I shall conclude my answer to this argument that when ever he shall be able to prove Christ to be a creature I will yeild him to be an instrumentall Agent But then it must be done with repetitions I now come to answer his fourth reason which he saith doth spring from the manner of Christ's working saith he though Christ had an hand in the Creation of the world yet was it not originally of him 1 Cor. 8. 6. All things are of the Father but not of but by Jesus Christ the Father is made the first cause and originall of all things and Christ the instrument of the Father 2. In that it is said in Scripture that God acted by him in the work of creation Ephes 3. 9. where it is said that God created all things by Jesus Christ so in Heb. 1. 2. Repl. I find no new strength of argument here but what I have met with before have largely answered before in that former Treatise of mine to which I referre the Reader for I am ashamed to follow him in his causlesse iterations and repetitions yet I shall add something to what I have represented seeing he gives me an occasion As there is a distinct order of subsisting so there is a distinct order of working And the divine essence subsisting in three persons these persons work in three distinct manners the Son being begotten of the Father worketh from the Father The Son can do nothing of himself but what he seeth the Father do John 5. 19. And the Father begetting the Son worketh by the Son Col. 1. 16. 20. and in very many more places So the Holy Ghost proceeding from the Father and from the Son worketh from them both in John 16. 13. He shall not speak of himselfe but as he hears so shall he speak and he shall take of mine and shew unto you yet neither the Son nor the Holy Ghost do work as instruments The Son doth not for that is the subject in hand to be discussed nor doth the Greek particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is here translated by shew so much for it is prefixed to the works of the Father as well as to the works of the Son Gal. 1. 1. Paul an Apostle not of men nor by men but by Jesus Christ and God the Father Here we may observe three things 1. That these particles or prepositions are not always distinguishing particles putting difference betwixt thing and thing to which they are applyed but they many times are promiscuously used and are confounded for of and by applied to men do import the same thing 2. The particle by doth not declare the person to whom it is applied to be an instrument for it is applied to the Father equally as to Jesus Christ But he will not assert the Father to be an
he had a glory it was not any created glory for that consisted in dominion which was not til the world was and then what glory could it be but that which we contend for divine uncreated glory which holds forth him to be an uncreated and eternal being and by consequence to be the most high God But he brings reasons for his own tenent that whole Christ is a creature from this Text of John and attempts the overthrow of my assertion of Christs Deity which I contend for from this Text. 1. Saith he If Christ were equall with the Father why doth Christ direct his prayer to his Father There had been no need nor can cause be shewed why he should supplicate to his Father and not act relyance on the Godhead Repl. I have rendred reasons for it in my former Treatise in my reply to his fift argument which was this He that acteth with dependance on another is a creature but whole Christ acteth with dependance To which I referre the reader because it is largely discussed there and it is a tedious unpleasing thing to multiply repetitions though he delights himselfe too much therein yet lest that Treatise should not be at hand I shall satisfie the Reader thus far It behooved the Godhead in the person of the Son to be veyled for this was the Sons emptying of himselfe but not so the Godhead in the person of the Father therefore the Son acts not dependance upon the Godhead that dwelt in himself in the person of the Son or as it was in himself but as it was in the Father 2. He saith We do not use to pray but praise for things we have if we know that we have them Now Christ could not want the highest glory in any sense if he were a person in the Trinity coequall with the Father especially not be without it with the Father nor in heaven in any sense whatsoever as by the clouding darkning or obscuring of it therefore the glory which he had with the Father was not the highest glory but a glory proceeding from the highest and by consequence Christ was but a creature Repl. It is true that the highest glory he being a person in the Trinity coequall with the Father could not be separated from him for it follows the divine essence and cannot be divided from it but it might be and indeedwas obscured and clouded not to the Father nor to the Son himselfe for the Father saw it and gave witnesse to it and so did the Son and comprehended it fully but to the creature it was darkned and obscured and but some small beams and rayes of it appeared the Son was incarnate or in flesh but the glory of the Son appeared not in flesh in fulnesse of lustre like the glory of the Son but the form of God in the Son was veyled and hidden in the form of a servant Now Christ prayes that that essentiall divine glory might be manifested in flesh that he the Son in flesh might appear in glory when he should come to heaven as he did before he took flesh that as the Godhead was hidden in the manhood so the manhood might be glorified with the Godhead that the flesh might be taken up into the fellowship of the glory of the Divinity by the shining forth and breaking out of the glory of the Divinity in the flesh 3. It appears saith he that the glory which he had with the Father was not divine or the highest glory because it was to be communicated Glorifie me O Father with that glory c. Now the highest glory being infinite could not be given or communicated to the humane nature which was finite and so uncapable of it c. Repl. Though the divine glory cannot be communicated to humane nature so as that it should be inherent in the humane nature yet it may gloriously shine forth upon it and appear in it which it did not before yea by reason of the hypostaticall union betwixt the divine nature and the humane nature the glory of the divine nature becomes the glory of the whole person so as that when the glory of the Son shines forth in its greatest strength in the flesh it may be predicated and asserted of the man Christ that he is glorified with the glory which the Son had with the Father before the world was Because the man Christ is the same person with the eternall Son of God Thus all the Scriptures which I drew witness to that Jesus Christ is the true God and the most high God notwithstanding all his endeavours to suffocate their testimony and his attempts by violence to silence them that they should not speak what they would speak yet they have with open mouth with one consent given glory unto Christ by witnessing to his Godhead and to his coessentialness and to his coequality with the Father I shall conclude my Vindication of them with these words Let God be true in what he hath testifyed of his Son in Scripture and every man that opposeth let him be a lyer My next undertaking must be the defence of the Arguments which I produced and drew up from Scripture by which I attempted to prove the destructivenesse of the Doctrine which he holds making whole Christ a creature to the true Gospel and oppositeness of it to the Scripture in many main points and truths of it My Assertion was That the doctrine which makes Christ a meer creature brings in as it were another Gospel and destroyes the true Gospel in many parts thereof and brings in another Scripture in many main points He cals this a reason against his doctrine of Christ a meere creature and so it is not onely to shew the falsenesse of such doctrine but also to discover the horridnesse and hideousness of the doctrine that all might be warned of it and with fear and trembling may decline it But he wisheth him to be Anathema that holds any such doctrine that destroyes the Gospel or the Scripture and falls upon the examination of the instances or Arguments which I produced to confirme that generall reason Therefore because he is so confident that his doctrine will not prove such and because he hath possessed the people that though there should be a mistake in it on his part yet it is not so dangerous as I would make it and that the salvation of mens soules is not so nearly concerned in it as I would have men to conceive and that Christ is never a whit less a sufficient Saviour though but a creature and that it is enough to beleeve unto Salvation that Christ is Lord viz. made Lord and that God raised him from the dead by which means persons have become lesse solicitous what doctrine they entertain they see it hath a specious shew and conceive it will not prove destructive though it should prove false therefore I think it expedient to fortifie my position which respects the oppositenesse of this doctrine of his both
It is utterly untrue and repugnant to the Scripture for by himself he purged away our sins Heb. 1. 3. and herein he debaseth Christ not a little he makes him as weak as one of us and he concurres with those enemies of Christ in their reproaches which they cast upon him when he was upon the Crosse he brings in the same verdict with them yea he hath meaner thoughts in some kind then they he saved others said they but himself he cannot save that is by his own power he cannot for otherwise they knew God could save him the Apostle had not so high thoughts of him but he hath as low thoughts I am able said the Apostle to do all things through Christ strengthening me but he faith Christ himself is able to do nothing without the Fathers strengthening of him If this be true which he asserts that Christ is able to petform norhing of himself without assistance of another God might then have saved by Peter or Paul or James or John or any man else whom he would have looked upon in reference to that work as by Christ Is such a Mediator as he deciphers Christ to be so poore so empty as he makes him to be not able to do any thing in discharge of that office he is designed to of himself without assistance a meet object of the faith and hope of the Saints If he had asserted this of the humane nature of Christ that it was able to do nothing by way of satisfaction in the function of Mediatorship of it self without the assistance of the Divinity or Godhead of Christ it had been an undeniable truth but to assert this of whole Christ in whom the sullnesse of the Godhead dwelt bodily or substantially and essentially and in whom are hid all the treasures all the mines of wisdome and knowledge and all excellency and in whom are all unsearchable riches this is such a vilifying of him that it is a second crucifying of him and it is not his boasting of being able to prove it that makes the evill the lesse but it is the more horrid by how much he is confident This Doctrine must needs weaken faith hope and affiance in Christ and indeed if it were so as he saith that we had such a Mediator so impotent and so weak of all creatures we were most miserable But he proceeds and attempts to break the strength of the second reason which I produced to prove that a meer creature-Christ could not be Mediator betwixt God and men which was this Because a Mediator must either partake of both God and man or of neither else he will rather be a party then a Mediator To this he answers thus Was not Moses a Mediator betwixt God and men but was Moses God and man Gal. 3. 19. Rep. Moses was a typicall Mediator and was that mystically and figuratively which Christ was really and truly Moses was not God and man but man onely essentially and substantially yet he was as God to Aaron and to the people Exod. 4. 16. God reputatively he was and representatively and this was sufficient for him that was not that true Mediator but the shadow of him but he that was shadowed out and is no shadow but Mediator indeed and in truth he must be God indeed and in truth And this Argument of his fetched from Moses is strong against him it is like that of Melchisedech produced to prove the eternity of Christ upon which I have insisted more largely the sinews of which no humane strength can cut asunder But he saith When I brought this reason I knew not what I did for it gives witnesse against me And he argues against me by the help of the reason which I have produced I said if Christ were not God as well as man he would rather be a party then a Mediator and he thence disputes against me thus If Christ the Mediator were God he was a party but Christ the Mediator was not a party therefore Christ the Mediator was not God Rep. The Major Proposition how clear soever it is to him is notstithstanding unsound and untrue in it self for there is a twofold Mediator there is Mediator participationis and Mediator negationis a Mediator of participation and a Mediator of negation that is a Mediator that partakes of both and a Mediator that partakes of neither If there be a breach betwixt the father and the mother and a child comes betwixt and mediates the child stands related alike to both of them and partakes equally of both of them and is a Mediator of participation If there be a breach betwixt two neighbours and a third neighbour comes in and Mediates he stands in relation to neither of them nor partakes of either of them he is a Mediator of negation neither the one nor the other is any thing to him neither of these Mediators are parties the latter is not by his own confession and it is as clear that the former is not for he is not properly a party that partakes of both but he that partakes not of both or at least not of both alike but partakes of the one and not of the other or partakes more of the one then of the other for disparity of relation in the Mediator to the persons betwixt whom he mediates makes the Mediator a party and not parity and equality If there should be a difference betwixt two brethren and a third brother come in betwixt them to mediate and make peace he is not a party or if he be he is a party to both and a party to both is in proper manner of speaking a party to neither but if there be a controversie between two half brothers and another comes in to mediate who is a whole brother to one of them he is rather a party then a Mediator because he stands not in so near a relation to the one as to the other The application is easie Christ is a Mediator betwixt God and man not of negation but of participation for a man he is without all controversie betwixt him and me and in all things like to us sinne onely excepted and if he be a man then he partakes of man and partaking of man he calls men his brethren Heb. 2. 11 and if he should not partake of God equally as he doth of man and stand in like relation to God as he doth to man he would be a party rather than a Mediator but being God as well as man he is no party but a Mediator or a middle person in a proper acception not negatively but relatively standing in equality of relation without any disparity and in this sense it would be true as he saith that if Christ were God he would be a party if he were not man also as well as God for then then there would be a disparity and inequality of relation in Christ the Mediator in reference to the one of the persons betwixt whom he mediates he would
of himself to act such a work in such a way The 8th Argument or Instance as he calls it is this If Christ be a meer creature then the value of that offering which Christ offered when he offered himself to God is taken away and the satisfaction which Christ gave to divine justice is destroyed for if the person that dyed were a meer man and the blood that was shed was the blood of a meer man and not of God as it is called Acts 20. 28. then how could it satisfie for the sins of many transgressours For there is no proportion betwixt one meer man dying for sin and many men sinning and deserving death each of them for the sins they have committed And how an finite justice offended should be satisfied with a sacrifice infinite in value is unconceiveable and against the tenor of the Scripture He puts it into this forme That doctrine which takes away the value of Christs offering and destroyes the satisfaction which he gave to divine justice brings in as it were another Gospel c. But that doctrine which makes Christ a meer creature doth so therefore He grants the Major and answeres to the proofs of the Minor proposition which are presented in the forme of two Queries the first was If Christ was a meer creature then how could he satisfie for the sins of many transgressours To this he makes this reply If it please you to consider Rom. 5. 12 and so forward you may answer your own Querie or see a good reason of this which I shall now propound If Adam were a meer creature how could his sin make many transgressours If through the offence of one many be dead much more the grace of God and the gift by grace by one man Jesus Christ hath abounded unto many Rom. 5. 15. Christ as well as Adam was a common person and therefore the Lord having laid on him the iniquity of us all and he bearing the curse of the Law his members are delivered both from the sinne and curse Reply There is nothing in the place which he hath directed me to viz. Rom. 5. 15. which he hath or can fetch out with all his consideration that will answer my Querie His asking of an other question will be no answer to mine Adams sinne might make many transgressours upon that account as no mans righteousnesse can render them being transgressours righteous and just persons 1. All persons which afterward sprung from him were in his loyns at that time when he sinned and were parts of him and consequently they sinned in him and with him his sinne was their sinne it extended unto them and they could not but participate of it as of Levi it is said that he paid tythes in Abrahams loynes Heb. 7. 9 10. 2. Adams state in which he stood when the whole world was in him was a state of grace and favour with God from which if he sinned himself was to fall and all his posterity with him after the manner of some persons that holds an estate upon the good will of their Lord whom if they offend they are cast out and all their posterity with them for that is the condition upon which it is given to be possessed and the children and off-spring are in volved in the guilt of such persons trespasses whose favour is on such termes God is to be looked upon as soveraigne Lord of all creatures to whom it belongs to shew favour to what creatures he will and upon what termes he will and under what conditions he pleaseth and under what penalties in case of transgression liketh him therefore it was that he set Adam over the works of his hands entred into a conditionall League and Covenant with him and did both priviledge him and restrain him and abridge him therein and this was done under penalty of dying both to him and his in case of trespasse thou shalt dye the death saith God to him And thus it came that through the offence of one many are dead 3. Sinne was propagated and generated to and in Adams posterity after that Adam fell and lost Gods image It is said of him that begat a son after his own image Gen. 5. 3. And so all persons came to be conceived in iniquity and to be borne in sin for out of an unclean thing nothing that is clean can proceed And so it comes to passe that Adams sinne made many transgressours for by propagation all men have sins of their own over and above the sinne of Adam imputed to them Thus the passage of sin and death from one Adam to all men appears facile and easie there is no obstruction in the way soveraignty and holinesse and justice and truth furthered it effected it But now in reference to Christ it cannot be thus asserted that righteousnesse passeth upon men after this manner 1. Righteousnesse is not propagated at all but only imputed 2. It is not by participation because none are in Christs loynes by nature Christ hath no naturall seed that are parts of him 3. If there be any such relation betwixt Christ and men as that Christ should be a father to them and they children to him that he should be as a second Adam it is not unto all but to those only that beleeve and this is also meerely through grace and so there may be an imputation of righteousnesse from one to many but it is through grace Therefore it is said the grace of God hath abounded by one man unto many Not unto all men but to all that receive it that do beleeve vers 17. 4. being to be imputed through grace there comes to be an obstruction to it justice and truth must be satisfied before there be any place for grace and if grace cannot passe the gift of grace which is righteousnesse and life to men through Christ cannot passe neither And so it appears that the way of sins passing is more ready from one man to many then the way of righteousnesse abounding through one to many Because of satisfaction that must interpose that grace may have a free and open passage unto many 5 If it be through satisfaction that must interpose before the grace of God and the gift by grace can by one abound to many and if first the sins of those many that grace abounds to through one must be laid upon that one that that one might bear the curse of the Law that by this means the grace of deliverance which consists in righteousnesse imputed and in life might passe over through that one and abound to those many as he himself though somewhat darkely doth confesse then this one man through whom grace must abound to many cannot be any one but such an one who is able to give satisfaction for many And concerning this satisfaction the querie is made how it could be that any one meer man could satisfie for the sinnes of many transgressours and the disproportion is pleaded No proportion betwixt one meer
and destroying of them that saints may be kept and preserved sound and incorrupt in the faith or at least may be recovered out of errors into which they have fallen I shall give some few hints of these four particulars 1. Of the cause of Errors how they come to spring 2. Of the growth of Errors how theâ— come to spread 3. Of the cure of Errors what ought to be done to heal the persons of them and to destroy the Errors in them 4. Of the preservatives against errors when they are rife and not easily cured where they have taken root and how Christians may be kept untainted and undefiled of them 1. The causes of Errours are many by which meanes it comes to pass that many are leavened with them 1. There are many Apostate Christians who have put away a good conscience and concerning faith they have made shipwrack of it as the Apostle speaketh 1 Tim. 1. 19. and in Gods just Judgement it comes to pass many times that these have a Spirit of errour let lose upon them and these as the false Prophets and false Apostles of old go about as seducers and deceivers and say that they have dreamed and they have received a word from the Lord and they utter lyes and falsehoods in the name of the Lord these have a dextrous way of insinuation to ingratiate themselves among the people and to steale away their hearts from their sound and powerful Pastors and Teachers as the false Apostles bewitched the people and alienated their affections from the Apostles of Christ These serve not the Lord Jesus as the Apostle Paul speaketh Rom. 16. 17. but their own bellies and for filthy lucre sake make merchandize of the souls of the poore people 2. There are many persons of great parts and gifts and of unsanctified hearts and spirits these are apt to be puffed up with pride and to fall into the snare and condemnation of the divel 1. Tim. 3. 6. These are ambitious of glory and would fall under observation for singularity These are seldom wise to sobriety these have bin wont to abound in notions and conceptions to be greatly extravagant therein and Satan hath commission given unto him to enter into them to work effectually in them and by them they become notable instruments in his hands and he is a lying spirit in their hearts and tongues and these have the art and skill of putting off corrupt and adulterate Doctrine as if it had Gods touch and stamp upon it by the sharpness and acuteness of the parts and wits of these simple and more unwary Christians come to be beguiled 3. Many of the people are weake and injudicious and have not a good root of knowledge in them they do not know things in the reasons and causes of them but have received the notion of the truth without the ground of it they have not a deep insight but a superficiall knowledge onely and have seen the out side but know not the mistery within and so it comes that with every wind of Doctrine they are shaken Eph. 4. 14. through the slight of men and cunning craftiness for it is easy to present things with another face while persons look not after that which is within and the fraud and falshood comes not to be discerned for the net and the snare is not in sight and that which is specious is only presented 4. Many persons are ambitious after knowledge that they may increase it and are wholy given as the Athenians to understand news so they to understand Doctrine to arrive at higher notions and conceptions nor for the honour of God nor in affection to the truth but to furnish themselves unto discourse and to increase their repute and so they become swift in hearing and quick in receiving any new Doctrine and God gives them up to strong delusions that they may believe lyes 2 Thes 2. 10 c. who neither seek nor receive the truth in the love of it that they may be saved but that they may be praised 5. Persons that have a real inplantation into Christ and those that have onely a visible and formal inplantation but want a true ingraftment they live together not only in the world but in the Church of Christ also and are under some droppings and waterings of external enjoyments and have a name to live and yet are truly dead and the honour and praise of those that are saints indeed are put upon them Now God that discernes betwixt the sheep and the goats and seperates betwixt them and he also who unmaskes hypocrites and pluckes the vizard off from them he that can distinguish betwixt the natural complexion in his own people and the paintings of others who pretend to him but are none of his he in his providence brings an houre of temptation both upon the one and other he tryes them both with the wind of false Doctrine and heresie and for this end he doth it that they which are approved may beâ—e manifest and that the hypocrisie of the rest may be made detected that himself may have glory in his own and that the others may ly under shame 1 Cor. 11. 19. And the Apostle John saith they went out from us because they were not of us which is appliable to false Doctrine and error and heresie they left the truth and those that adhered to it and they went out after error 6 Many persons forsake or never put themselves in to that order which Christ hath appointed for Saints to walk in in which they might be watched over and so kept by which meanes they are in a state as sheep without shepheards and when the Wolfe commeth they become a prey for the shep are not able through weakness and simplicity to defend themselves if there be no shepheard to provide for their safety and poor weak well meaning Christians are less able sheep will fly from danger though that doth not save â—hem alwayes but Saints many times mistrust no evill and so decline not the danger The Apostle declares how he himself watched for the space of three yeers with many teares to prevent this evill of the flock being devoured by Wolves and he calls the Elders of Ephesus together and gives them this charge that they would take heed to themselves and to the flock over which the holy Ghost hath made them overseers to feed the Church of God that is with sound incorrupt doctrine and he renders this reason because after his decease grievous Wolves should enter in not sparing the flock and men of perverse minds amongst themselves Acts 20. 28 29 30. And it is to be observed that such persons how wise soever how holy soever they do professe to be and really may be who cast off Ordinances and Churches and Ministry and say there are now no Pastours nor Teachers nor flocks committed to them as in Primitive times there were and so withdraw themselves from the vigilancie of
scatter the clouds nor clear up their judgements Now Church admonition is the best expedient to bring them to repentance as the Apostle speaks of Hymeneus I have delivered him up to Satan saith he that he may learne not to blaspheme that is by denying a doctrine which he ought to have professed And so such scales of ignorance which were by sin contracted are by Church-censure removed many times Obj. But what if such persons be very holy in their lives and very profitable in their Communion must they notwithstanding undergo the censure of the Church Sol. 1. There is no holinesse but what flows from the doctrine of the Gospel rightly entertained and held by faith Therefore so long as they waver in the faith in points of great concernment and moment their holinesse must of necessity be waved also the Apostle saith Gal. 1. 7 8. Though I or an Angel from heaven bring any other Gospel and yet he means it of circumcision held by some as necessary to salvation let him be accursed 2. Such persons that are pertinacious in a corrupt opinion are evil leaven and their Communion cannot be so profitable as it is like to be hurtful to the fellowship to which they do belong 3. If they be Saints which do so greatly erre from the faith there ought to be so much the more compassion shewed to them and the greatest love and compassion that can be shewed lies in this to use the last remedy to them when other remedies fail and are ineffectual and it is the greatest cruelty to withhold any means which God hath sanctified for the healing of such as from Exod. 23. appears 5. What one Church of Jesus Christ doth this way in the execution of censure justly and according to rule all the Churches ought to ratifie for if such who are bound by any Church on earth be bound also in heaven then all the Churches in the world have not power to acquit or lose from it therefore in their walking towards such persons great or small they ought to confirme it by having no Communion nor fellowship with such that so such persons may come to see the miserable condition that they are in and may be ashamed and if any Churches or Christians should walk otherwise they sin against Christs ordinance and harden such persons in their sin and hinder their repentance and returning to the truth and will draw the blood of such souls upon their heads If this course were held with such who erre grossely and will not be healed it would awaken those who have left their first faith and are turned after fables and might recover them and would bring a trembling upon the rest that stand firme and unshaken and might preserve them from the like temptations and then there would be no cause for the interposing of the Magistrate which some do relish so evilly The fourth and last thing that I am to discusse is what the preservatives are by which persons may be kept in times in which errours are rife and the danger great in that respect 1. Let every person that pretends to saintship look to his implantation into Christ that it be right and true and that it be firme and sure and then it is to be hoped that he will abide in the Vine and the Vine in him and then he is more likely to stand fast in the faith for there is one that is able to keep him from falling and will keep him and if he fall he shall rise againe for there is one that is able to raise him and will raise him The greatest security of the Saints that they shall not depart from the faith is in their union and communion with Christ 2. Let persons commit themselves to God to be kept by him who can strengthen and settle and establish those that rest on him and wait for him while persons have leaned to their own understanding and have not looked up to the rock that is higher then they and come out of themselves and put their trust in him and begged his teaching and leading they have become vain in their thoughts and have erred from the truth 3. Let persons get a good root of knowledge within themselves and not attain onely to a generall knowledge of things but come up to a particular knowledge of them and know all things in the causes thereof so farre as Scripture gives light or as they have been taught for then though some other thing may be presented to them then what they have received yet the reasons of the things which they have beleeved will not be so soon answered in their souls If persons have but a forme of knowledge within them it is soon overturned 4. Let the love of the truth be laboured after as well as the knowledge of it for persons will be unwilling to relinquish that truth which they have found much sweetnesse in 5. Let the Scriptures be diligently searched into and perused and studied and let them be compared together and let Scripture intepret it selfe and let one Scripture give the sense of another Scripture when persons take up some one or two single scriptures and runne away with them without comparing them with other Scriptures they are led aside to error 6. Christians ought to take heed whom they hear what they hear and how they hear because of many Seducers and Deceivers that are gone abroad into the world and because there are many spirits of Antichrist who yet pretend to Christ 7. Christians ought to become wise unto sobriety and not to think of themselves above what is meet but to have humble and low thoughts of themselves for if once Christians be lifted up they readily fall in this snare of the Devill which is Error and Heresie 8. Christians ought to walk up to that light of truth that they have attained to because there is a promise belonging to such who will live in and practise the truths which they know John 7. 17. 9. Saints ought to consider that they have no more of the grace of faith then they hold of the doctrin of faith for they therfore beleeve because they have such a word of God to ground their belief upon if then they hold not that Word their belief will fall with it and then must needs be shaken as much in the grace of faith as they are in the ground of faith 10. Let them consider that there is no godlinesse but what grows out of the Gospel and springs from the truths of it if therefore the doctrine of grace in Christ be once overturned in the soule all godlinesse will be soon overturned with it 1 Tim. 6. 3. Tit. 1. 1. 11. Let them consider that if once they become unstable in the faith they become unstable in all their wayes for it is as when a tree is not firmly deeply and surely rooted in the earth but is loose in the ground it growes not flourisheth not nor is fruitful like to other