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
and that all had gifts by which all might edifie and be edified and Christ glorified in all who hath given such gifts to men but till there be such a pouring out of the spirit let none be carried out beyond what he hath received some have much more need to learn then to teach in an Assembly And how can any preach unlesse they be sent Rom. 10. 11. unlesse persons can assume to themselves and make out to others an immediate calling as the Apostles did If they be not able to say that their calling to preach is not of men nor by men but by Jesus Christ then there must be an order in the Churches of Christ and they must fall under it If they think they have a gift they must not exercise it because they think so but they must be called forth and their gift tryed the Church must judge And unlesse this Christian-liberty of exercising gifts be thus bounded how wil the exorbitancy in the exercise of it be repressed Many run upon this work being driven therto by their lusts I speak what I know and what many with me have had woful experience of A flood-gate to errour is set open by this means and I think truth hath been as much undermined by this one stratagem of Satan viz. The setting up of multiplicity of teachers as by any other policy of his these many ages The time was that the Ministry undermined prophecy in the gifted Saints but the time is that prophesie in those that are many of them neither gifted nor called undermines Ministry And the peoples spirits are many of them inordinately carried rather after prophecy by the poorest weakest and rawest persons that will consume time that way then after the best gifts that are ministerially exercised among them I am loth to say that such who are exercised and such who put them upon it and incourage them in it do seek honour one of another and not that honour so much which is of God but if I say that there is some temptation upon their spirits sure I am I shall not misse it in reference unto many and I charge not all I am afraid lest the times be come or coming of which the Apostle speaks 2 Tim. 4. 3 4. That sound doctrine will not be endured and that men after their lusts will heap unto them teachers having itching ears and that they shall turn away their ears from the truth and shall be turned after fables For the last times are spoken of by Paul and these are the last times and now there are more teachers then all latter ages have shewed and Truth hath lesse acceptation among many then Errour at least the Reprovers of errour will not be endured but such ones in many places and to many persons makes themselves a prey And it is most certain that there is a lusting in persons to partake of every mans gift though he be a very stranger that is come among them under the profession of a Saint whose face they never saw before and there must be some new notion presented or there will be but slender acceptation expressed I desire to mourn for these things of which there hath been very sad experience in the parts where I have lived and the consequence hath been dreadful and detrimental to faith and holinesse I have cleared my self from being any enemy to prophecying yet lest I should be suspected I declare it again that I am not against it but I look upon it as an ordinance of Christ if it be rightly regulated and it is on foot in that fellowship of Saints to which I stand related those whom we have found competently furnished with the spirit for such an undertaking we have opened the door to for an occasional exercising of their parts and we have shut it against others whom we have not conceived able but I look upon that promiscuous way licentious liberty of prophecying by any that will put themselves upon it as unscriptural and justly scandalous to many that are truly good And I conceive that at this door much errour hath entred in among us for some are weak and erre in holding forth their conceptions and some are immodest and soare up in notions which themselves understand not and some are leavened and are glad of an opportunity to vent such opinions which they have received and of which they are in travel till they get a time to vent them and broach them to others 11. Many receive strangers in among them that have knowledge and plausible expressions and seeming Sanctity without inquiring after them without assurance of their soundnesse given to them without any letters of commendation from known approved persons or Churches concerning them which the Primitive Saints and Churches expected and required in reference to all strangers that came among them and it was found a necessary and a safe way for the preservation of the Churches then 2 Cor. 3. 1 2. and they are an example therein to us for otherwise wolves may be entertained in stead of the Teachers and Preachers of Christ The Apostles when they sent messengers to other Churches speaks of chosen men and passe a singular commendation upon them that they might be received and credited and they speak of others that went out from them but were not sent who had troubled them with words and subverted their souls Acts 15. 24 25 26. There is good doctrine in this history and it was written for our learning that Saints and Churches may be warned that they receive not any that are not sent that are not chosen men and known persons among the Saints for while they harbour such and intrust their souls in their hands they are misled and in danger to be destroyed 12. There are many that have been raking in the filthy channel of all the old and horrid errors and heresies of former ages and have exserted the Scriptures and Arguments which they have judged most plausible and taking with the people wherewith such opinions were fortified and enforced and have held forth as if they had received them through some divine light that the spirit of God hath imparted to them and they have been entertained by the people as singular revelations and rare discoveries of the hidden truths of God which God hath made known to such who have had secret Communion with him and so they have been infected and corrupted 13. Many are grown suspicious of all that they have beleeved and received as if all had been taken up by them upon tradition and they give out that they must try all things yea principles themselves and that they must see with their own eyes by which it appears that they professe to be established in nothing rooted and grounded in nothing and so they lie open to all danger and are subject to be carried away with every winde of doctrine for if any come to them in the habit of a Saint pretending the study of divine mysteries and
opinions that are unsound and with persons also who are corrupt by which means it comes to passe that many lay themselves under strong temptations and through the righteous hand of the Lord they come to be left to errour and become as corrupt as any There are some and not a few that take great delight to talk with all kind of persons who hold any strange opinion as bring any new doctrine and if there be any book into which any poyson of corrupt doctrine is instilled they will use all means to get such a book and will choose rather to read therein then in any other till at length they be changed into the same image and be principled alike to the persons and books they are so conversant with Now this evil proceeds 1. From an opinion that some hold that it is the duty of Christians to try all things and to keep that which is good but the commandment of the Apostle is mistaken for first this trying respects all the doctrines and spirits of men that we are called necessary to partake of and be conversant in so the doctrines of our own Pastors and Teachers must be tryed and of others also whom providence leads us to hear and it respects the knowledge of doctrines whereto we have not yet attained but we are not by vertue of this commandment to rake into all opinions that are or have been among Apostate Christians nor is it a duty to be alwayes trying but we must be rooted and grounded and established as we have been taught And this is a commandment of the Apostle whereto we ought to attend and we must leave the principles and passe on to perfection that is having laid them in the foundation we must build higher and higher upon them till we come to a perfect man in Christ 2. From a presumption which persons have of their own strength they think there is no danger but that they shall be able well enough to discover the evill in any opinion and not be hurt by it and in the interim they may read or hear something that may edifie them But indeed the most of these are unacquainted with their own weaknesse and they know not the depth of Satan till they fall by them 3. From some decay of appetite so farre as concernes feeding upon wholsome nourishing truths for it is a symptome of a weak distempered stomack that it would behold variety of meats but it cannot feed upon any so when the soule is carried out to curiosity to be looking and prying in all things that any are carried to it is to be feared that it feeds upon nothing which may build it up and strengthen it 4. Error comes to be spread by the temerity invigilancy insobriety imprudence of many Christians some are sudden in entertaining of opinions not sober some are close and secret in their search and enquiry after them and never discover any thing till they be formed within them and till themselves come to be formed into the similitude of them and then it becomes an hard work to destroy that which is so firmly received and some over-match themselves while they oppose their understanding parts and abilities to the intellect and sharpnesse of apprehension and dextrousnesse of wit and vastnesse of parts and strength of braine that false Teachers and Seducers have by which means it comes to passe that they are easily overcome and advantage is given to the erroneous to propagate their corrupt opinions Whereas there ought to be great deliberation much consultation open heartednesse also in persons to their owne Pastors and Overseers or dear friends whom they may confide in and a calling out for help where it is most like to be afforded that such doctrines may be debated upon equall terms before they be received 5. The countenance and encouragement that is given to persons that bring unsound and unscripturall doctrine and the applauses and praises wherewith they are followed by some high ones and holy ones it may be for some parts that are eminent in them and for some dresse of holinesse that they appear in do give life and strength to such doctrines for when great ones and godly ones are become admirers and adorers of such persons and harbour them and honour them the eyes of others are thereby turned after them and there will be many that in a moment will be found to strengthen the hands of such evill workers and seducers that do traverse the land and to strengthen their errors also 6. If it once come to passe that any eminent ones in office interest abilities graces upon whom the eyes of many people are and who are leading persons in the places where they live and after whose example many go if any such be left of God to strange doctrine they will draw away many disciples after them and the land will in a short time be filled with error if there be not some mercifull providences to prevent the diffusion of it And when it begins to take hold of Saints it is most likely to increase for then there is honour put upon it while it lodgeth in such subjects while temperizers and self-seeking persons which were men of carnall and low principles harboured it it was of base repute and prospered not but gets a better name by getting into heads and hearts of beleevers The third thing that comes to be discussed is the meanes of cure how persons may come to be healed of errors and errors may come to be destroyed in them 1. There must be an encountring with such erroneous doctrines and they must be brought to scriptural tryall and there they must be arraigned and thence they must be condemned The reason is because they are presented with the pretext of Scripture Scripture is made use of to usher them in else they could get no entrance therefore Scripture must throw them out again And Seducers mouths will not be stopped any other way nor will their followers be undeceived any other way Therefore there is a necessity that the truth should be held out and strongly fortified with Scripture and with agrument by which the mind may be filled with light and that error should be confuted and the nakednesse and sordidnesse thereof detected that those that are ingenuous may come to be ashamed that have adheared to it and may learn to abhorre it Tit. 1. 9 10. An Elder or Bishop must be able by sound doctrine to convince gain-sayers for there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers whose mouths must be stopped c. This place is worthy of observation for is shewes what ought to be done in these times And look how many wayes error hath been propagated such wayes should be taken for the spreading of truth The contrary truths to the grand errors of this age ought to be held out in words that cannot be condemned by preaching printing letters written private communication and suggestion by open conferences also and disputes and
trees therfore saith Christ unlesse you abide in me that is firmly and surely hold me ye cannot bring forth fruit 12. Let all Christians take heed how they hold the truth in unrighteousnesse how they put away a good conscience in any thing and so tempt God lest God give them up to darknesse as a punishment of such an offence 13. Let every Christian joyn to some Church of Jesus Christ that walks closely with God in the truth that by the watchings of others he may be the better kept This is regular walking and God will be sure to blesse it 4 Let not any Christians run into temptations least God should leave them under the power of them and suffer them to be overcome of them but if they hear or read a doctrine that is contrary to what they received let them with much fear and trembling hear and read it and with much looking up to heaven for guidance let them be slow in entertaining that which is new strange to them and after much examination consultation and abundant confirmation out of Scripture let them do it If Saints will walk in this way the God of truth and grace will be with them they shall be kept unto salvation FINIS A TABLE of the Scriptures and Arguments formerly produced to prove the Deity of Jesus Christ and now vindicated and confirmed in the later Treatise ALSO Six other Arguments added shewing the dangerousness and destructiveness of the contrary Doctrine The first Scripture is Revel 1. 8. I am Alpha and Omega the Beginning and the End page 15 The second Scripture is Joh. 1. 1. In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God p. 29 The third Scripture is Matth. 28. 20. Lo I am with you always unto the end of the world p. 35 The fourth Scripture is Rev. 2. 2. I know thy works c. p. 51 The fifth Scripture is Col. 1. 15. The first-born of every creature p. 61 The sixth Scripture is Col. 1. 16. By him were all things created p. 63 The seventh Scripture is Heb. 7. 3. Without father without mother without beginning of days and end of life made like unto the Son of God p. 90 The eighth Scripture is Prov. 8. 22. The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way before his works of old I was set up from everlasting p. 94 The ninth Scripture is Zech. 13. 7. Awake O sword against my Shepherd against the man that is my fellow p. 97 The tenth Scripture is Joh. 3. 13. No man hath ascended up into heaven but he that came down from heaven the Son of man that is in heaven p. 103 The last Scripture is Joh. 17. 5. And now O Father glorifie me with the glory which I had with thee before the world was p. 114 Arguments brought to prove the destructiveness of the contrary Doctrine Arg. 1. To make whole Christ a creature brings in a strange and a false God p. 126 Arg. 2. To make whole Christ a creature brings in a strange and false Christ p. 137 Arg. 3. To make whole Christ a creature brings in a false Faith p. 149 Arg. 4. To make whole Christ a creature brings in a false Baptism p. 158 Arg. 5. To make whole Christ a creature destroys the sufficiency of Christ as a Saviour p. 163 Arg. 6. To make whole Christ a creature overturns godliness p. 168 Arguments formerly produced now vindicated and confirmed Argum. 1. To make whole Christ a creature is to make a meer creature the object of Divine worship which yet according to Scripture is Idolatry Where the doctrine of Worship is discussed p. 173 Arg. 2 3. To make whole Christ a creature is to make a creature the object of faith and to make faith in a creature saving which yet is contrary to the Scripture p. 205 Arg. 4. To make whole Christ a creature is to make a creature a sufficient Saviour which yet is repugnant to the Scripture 214 Arg. 5. To make whole Christ a creature is to make a meer creature Mediator which is contrary to the Scripture Where the doctrine of Christ's Mediatorship is discussed p. 225 Arg. 6. To make whole Christ a creature is to make the righteousness not of God but of a meer man to he imputed to believers which is against the Scripture p. 252 Arg. 7. To make whole Christ a creature is to make a meer creature authoritively able from himself to forgive sin which yet is contrary to the Scripture p. 262 Arg. 8. To make whole Christ a creature is to destroy the doctrine of Christ's satisfaction to God Where the doctrine of Christ's satisfaction is largely handled p. 285 Arg. 9. To make whole Christ a creature destroys the intercession of Christ p. 363 Arg. 10. To make whole Christ a creature is to disable Christ to protect defend save direct rule and govern his Church in all the world which yet is attributed to Christ c. p. 373 Arg. 11. To make whole Christ a creature is to make prayer to him vain and frivolous he being now in heaven and we on earth p. 377 Arg. 12. To make whole Christ a creature is to make a meer creature the Judge of the world which is repugnant to Scripture p. 384 Concerning Errours the rise growth cure and preservatives against them p. 397 FINIS
what to call it of those persons who profess to be very sound in the doctrine of Christs Godhead but conceive of it as a very tolerable errour in such who do deny it and make slight of it Is it a small thing to deny Christ to be the Son of God Those that deny Christs Godhead do deny God in the person of the Son to have taken the nature of man upon him or they do deny the Son of God to be incarnate and by consequence they do deny Christ to be Gods Son For do they not know I speak of those that have not denied the Faith if Christ be God he can be God no other way but because God in the person of the Son or the Son of God took flesh upon him if Christ be Gods Son he can be Gods Son no other way but because God in the person of the Son hath come in the flesh and if this be denied it is denied that Christ is Gods Son And is this a trivial matter Christ consists of two Natures of Humanity and so he is the Son of man of the Deity and so he is the Son of God as I have shewed Can Christ be a true Christ if either of these be wanting A Man consists of soul and body if either of these be wanting can he be a true man If the soul be wanting which is the principal part is he any more then a stinking carcase If Christ be not the Son of God as if he be not God he is not is he any other but a carcase-Christ Can a thing have its truth of being without its constitutive parts by which it is So that Christ is destroyed unlels the Son of God and the Son of Man united together in one person be maintained I now come to present and drive on a third Argument which is this Arg. 3. That Doctrine which destroys the true Faith of Christians and brings in another Faith a strange and false Faith that Doctrine destroys the true Gospel and Scripture and brings in another Gospel and Scripture in a main Point But this Doctrine of his which makes Christ a creature doth so Therefore this Doctrine of his destroys the true Gospel and Scripture and brings in another and a false Gospel and Scripture The Major is indubitable the Minor may be thus proved That Doctrine which takes away the principal object of a Christians Faith doth destroy the true Faith of a Christian But this Doctrine of his which makes Christ a meer creature doth take away the principal object of the Faith of a Christian Therefore this Doctrine of his doth destroy the Faith of a Christian The Major cannot reasonably be denied because Faith is true and saving from the object that it is conversant about as suppose it should be Baal in stead of the true God suppose it should be Mahomet in stead of Christ or suppose it should be a false or counterfeit Christ in stead of the true Christ that faith that is carried out to such an object could neither be true nor saving The Minor may be thus confirmed That Doctrine that denies Christ to be the Son of God takes away the principal object of the faith of Christians But this Doctrine of his which makes whole Christ a creature doth deny Christ to be the Son of God Therefore this Doctrine takes away the principal object of the faith of Christians The Major hath an infallible truth in it for the Scripture makes Christ to be principally the object of a Christians faith as he is the Son of God 1. It hath its denomination from this object it is called the faith of the Son of God Gal. 2. 20. 2. Christ proposeth himself as he is the Son of God to be believed on so to the blinde man whose eyes he had opened Dost thou believe the Son of God said Christ Joh. 9. 35. Under that consideration as such a person he presented himself as an adequate object of his faith for salvation 3. The primitive Saints mentioned in Scripture in their Confessions of Faith do point their Faith and terminate it upon Christ the Son of God In Joh. 11. 27 Martha said Lord I believe that thou art Christ the Son of God The Eunuch also being put upon the declaration of his faith did pitch it upon and carried it out to this object Acts 8. 37. I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God It should seem that Philip had held him forth in the excellency and glory of his person as the Son of God and had preached him under that relation as the object of saving faith and that thereupon the Eunuch received him as such and believed But before these the Apostles themselves that were bred up under Christ and were instructed by Christ they grounded their faith upon Christ as he was the Son of the living God in Joh. 6. 69. We believe and are sure that thou art Christ the Son of the living God 4. Christ makes himself as he is the Son of God the foundation of Christians upon which their faith must bottom and this Article of Faith Thou art Christ the Son of the living God he makes the Rock upon which he will build his Church and the gates of hell shall never prevail against it Matth. 16. 16. And he placeth true blessedness in it I could wish that all persons that are right in their opinion of Christs Godhead and yet plead against the fundamentalness of the errour of denying the Godhead would but ponder what is here presented and take it up in its full weight and strength They that hold Christ to be God must needs do it upon this account because God in the person of the Son or the Son of God which is the second person in the Trinity took flesh upon him and became man and that hence it is that this man and this second person in the Godhead or this Son of God make up one Christ and that Christ is hereupon justly stiled the Son of God or the second person in the Godhead And if it be also clear from Scripture that faith in Christ is onely sound and saving as it hath Christ considered as he is the Son of God or the second person in the Godhead for the object of it then what can that Doctrine be less then destructively dangerous and subverting the very foundation of Christianity that denies that there is any such God in the person of the Son or any such second person in the Godhead called the Son or that there is any such Son of God who is God such persons consequently cannot have their Faith carried out after any such Son of God who is God but after a Creature-son of God which is totally another thing from that Son of God which Scripture presents to us And what can be thought of those that hold such Doctrine but that they have left the Rock the Foundation upon which Believers are built unto the salvation of their souls and
Son in flesh that being preached to the world and received by faith becomes the seed of all piety and godliness by which we are begotten to God and are made partakers of the Divine nature This mystery of Christ revealed forms Christ in the hearts of those to whom it is revealed This Doctrine known and believed changeth men into the same image that as the eternal Son of God in flesh is become man-like so they after they have acknowledged it by faith are made God-like for therein is the rich grace and glorious mercy of the Lord revealed The love of the Father is transcendent in glory in giving such a Son who is the express image of himself and the same God essentially with himself And the love of the Son is superlative and above all the conceptions of the sons of men in giving himself when it is rightly understood that this Self whom he gives is God blessed for ever This truth believed works astonishment and the soul is ravished with the thoughts of it But the other viz. God's giving a Creature for us and a Creature 's giving it self for us is a lowe business in comparison of this nor can the heart be so confirmed in apprehension of the love of God nor can it be so inflamed with love to God but this mystery as the Apostle lays it down quickens faith love and heightens them which graces are the chariots to carry the soul out to all godliness and honesty The consequence of which is Whoever denies this mystery denies and destroys godliness and in so doing denies and destroys the Gospel which is called by the Apostle doctrine which is after godliness 1 Tim. 6. 3. Tit. 1. 1. And this is of weighty consideration to all those that acknowledge Christ to be God and yet hold it not very dreadful in those that do gainsay it but account them Saints and godly persons which they cannot groundedly do while the evidence of this text is against them which saith Great is the mystery of godliness God manifest in the flesh And if they acknowledge the truth of this text then this text will stare them in the face while they cry up the godliness of such who do oppose it Where is their godliness if this mysterie which they acknowledge not be the mysterie of godliness If godliness be the fruit of this doctrine rightly understood received if it grow upon the tree of this truth and they hew down this tree destroy this truth in the opinion which they hold doth not the fruit fall with it Godliness is cut down with the tree out of which it grows it is plucked up with the root that bears it What can be said against this Me thinks every tongue should be silent hence-forward that subscribes to this text Great is the mystery of goliness God manifest in the flesh c. But enough hath been spoken of this to convince any one that loves the Truth and will open his eyes to receive it I shall now undertake the maintaining of such Arguments or Instances as he calls them which I produced to shew the repugnancie of his Doctrine to the Gospel and to the Scripture and discover the weakness and unsoundness of the Answers that he gives The first Argument or Instance was Instance 1. If Christ be but a meer creature and not God then the giving of Divine worship and honour and service to a meer creature is lawful and warrantable which yet is everywhere forbidden in reference to any creature but is practised unto Christ Rev. 5. 12 13 14. and would be idolatry if Christ were not God He puts this Instance into form To give Divine worship honour and service to a meer creature is contrary to the Scripture To give Divine worship honour and service to Christ is not contrary to but by the warrant of Scripture Therefore Christ is not a meer creature He answers to the Major Proposition and distinguisheth of Divine worship honour and service First he saith All worship and honour which of right belongs to any creature is in some sence divine God being the principal author and ultimate centre thereof Rom. 13. Eph. 6. 7. Rep. But he might as truely say Every warrantable action that a man performs is divine because it hath God for the principal Author and ultimate Centre that is it hath God's command for the beginning of it and God's glory for the end of of it But by such distinguishing he confounds what ought to be distinguished he makes Divine worship and Civil worship to be the same thing because God is the principal Author and ultimate Centre of them both but these two have ever been distinguished by our Writers and made opposite species of Worship Therefore it was very frivolous for him to look upon Divine Worship in that sence 2. He saith But if you mean in the strictest sence that worship honour and service which is peculiar to the most high God then I shall say with you that it is Idolatry and contrary to the Scriptures to give it to any creature whatsoever Rep. The controversie betwixt us and the Papists is what Worship is peculiar to God and what is not peculiar but may be given to a creature And we assert against them that all Divine worship and honor is peculiar to God and none of it communicable to any meer creature But he tells us of some Divine worship which is peculiar and of some that is not peculiar For the better understanding of this Truth let it be looked into what Divine Worship is and what the grounds thereof are Divine Worship is that Observance in which we are carried directly and immediately to God in doing those things that directly bring honour to him and glorifie him in Rom. 1. 21. When they knew God they glorified him not as God neither were thankful c. 2 Cor. 8. 5. They first gave themselves up unto the Lord and then to us according to the will of God The ground of this Worship or Observance is that excellencie of God which in his sufficiencie and efficiencie shines forth It is not one attribute or perfection in God that is the formal and adequate cause and reason of Divine Worship but it is the concurrence of all infinite perfections and excellencies Exod. 34. 6 7. The Lord the Lord God merciful and gracious long-suffering and full of truth c. Therefore it is that sometimes one attribute in God is said to ingender homage and worship Psal 130. 4. But there is forgiveness with thee that thou mayst be feared And sometimes another Heb. 12. 28 29. Let us have grace whereby we may serve God with reverence and godly fear For our God is a consuming fire And Divine worship is the acknowledgement of the infinite Majestie Truth Wisdom Goodness Glory of the blessed God Divine Worship hath been wont to be divided into Natural worship and Instituted worship Natural worship flows from the very knowledge of God if it
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
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
be able to our-reason them or to present as they judge some unanswerable things to them such an one becomes prevalent and draws away such after him 14. Many conceive that they are fallen into times of great discoveries and that mysteries that have been hid from ages are now revealed to the Saints Whence it comes to passe that if any strange doctrine be broached how horrid an errour soever it be provided that plausible grounds be laid down for it it is presently sucked in and received with apprehensions that a doctrine that hath layn in darknesse many generations is now manifested to the Saints when as in truth and deed the foundation is truly laid already and hath been truly built upon else both we our selves Christians of former ages were very wretched and miserable and that which Saints shall be heightned in is this they shall know more perfectly what they knew more darkly and that which the Saints have doubted of and have been divided about they shall understand 15. The esteem of Saints is now very low among many unlesse they be able to bring some doctrine which former ages have not known or to produce some new notion and discourse of some high point which neither themselves nor others do well understand and unlesse they be able to speak in a language which the Christians of former ages have not understood plain Scriptural language will not now satisfie unlesse there be high strains which sober Christians have not been much acquainted with This lays a temptation upon many precious souls to affect and to seek after novelties and so they come to be darkned with new errours that arise and are turned after fables The second thing that I propounded to discusse is the causes of the growth of errours and how they come to spread It is a certain truth that that which begets them doth also nourish them and increase them and so there must be a looking back to the causes of the springing of them and the self-same things will be found the causes of the spreading of them and of the prospering of them Ignorance and pride and affectation of glory praise and a corrupt conscience and unsanctified parts and gifts and formal implantations into Christ without reality and power and forsaking the assembling of our selves together and aspiring unduly to prophecying without a calling thereto and many others that have been mentioned these have given life to errours and these have given strength to them also But there are some special causes of the growth of errours divers from such which have been already presented as the rise of them 1. The censures of the Church are not duly exercised to represse that inordinate lusting after strange doctrine and that pride vain gloriousnesse vanity of spirit and wantonnesse of mind with which many Saints are too much carried and are sick of Not that I would have Saints cast out of the Church for every difference in judgement from their brethren or dissenting in opinion those that have known me have known that I have been evermore a stranger to such rigidnesse I would not have so much as the peace of such disturbed in the least kind by any but if any opinion strike at the foundation threatning the overturning of it and be very destructive to the faith and holinesse of Saints I think there is warrant enough and I hope I shall be able to make it out from Scripture to proceed to the questioning and censuring of such persons who by other means cannot be reclaimed And the neglecting of this ordinance of Christ is of evil consequence unto the furthering and ripening of errour for however it may be thought and spoken by some that Church-censures bring no light to men with them nor can be effectual for the conviction of persons judgements which hath truth in it yet the distemper of spirit from which errour when it is grosse doth as commonly arise as from weaknesse of judgement and unsobernesse of heart is healed and cured by Church censures 2. Communion and fellowship with those who are corrupt and unsound in their opinions is not forborn but there is the same liberty used of conversing with such and the same intimacy and familiarity shewed as with any others how sound soever when yet the Apostle saith Avoid them Rom. 16. 17. The Psalmist saith They were mingled among the Heathen and learned their works The latter followed upon the former the Apostle saith A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump that is when it is put to the whole lump and is with it but purge it out and it cannot therefore his councel is To purge out the old leaven which though it be spoken of the leaven of ungodlinesse in persons is yet applicable to the leaven of heresie and errour which is more infectious and spreading then the other Obj. But such persons are Saints why should their Communion be declined Sol. Why doth God himself withdraw from Saints and hide his face from them is it not to humble them and make them ashamed and bring them to repentance And may not yea ought not we to withdraw from unsound and corrupt persons though they should be Saints for the same reasons especially seeing our own preservation is in it Obj. But it will make divisions among Saints to forbear the fellowship of such and it will rejoyce the common adversarie therefore for the scandal that is in it such withdrawing must not be allowed Sol. A holding of Communion with such will at last cause division and not a withdrawing from them for such who bring any other doctrine by conversing with Saints do get a Party and so make division The Apostle declares whence division proceeds Rom. 16. 17. not from those who shun Communion with leavened persons but from such who are corrupt and leavened Mark those saith he who cause divisions contrary to the doctrine that ye have received Such persons who bring unscriptural doctrine cause the divisions for by their crafty insinuations they deceive the simple and draw away disciples and this ingenders a rent for the rest must oppose and resist unlesse they also will become disciples and if they do appear for the truth against the errour the rest are carried away with then there will be division following upon it As for the glorying of the common adversary there is more occasion given him to glory at that union that is betwixt hereticks and erroneous persons and such who professe to be Saints and the scandal is greater because the Adversary will give it out they are all corrupt they are unsound they are all hereticks all erroneous corrupt persons for they mix together and at least there is an allowance this is justly more scandalous then the other nay the other is not scandalous at all but it is the glory of the Saints in the presence of their enemies to keep themselves from all corrupt things and persons what profession soever they make 3. There is a tampering with