Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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A75506
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An apology for the sentiment of the modalists and a defence of the scriptural terms.
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1700
(1700)
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Wing A3556A; ESTC N52941
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8,889
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8
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Here perhaps men may differ in the manner of expressing themselves but yet all those who acknowledg the Queen's Authority and who therefore obey her Viceroy's Commands according to her Will express'd in the Commission cannot but actually agree in the thing and mean actually the same thing This Comparison how imperfect soever it be doth in a sufficient measure illustrate the matter before us We may say that Christ is the most High God but by this his Supreme Godhead meaning the Divine Authority thta appears in him we say no more than what others mean when they express themselves in other Terms namely that in him dwells the Fulness of the Godhead God will not indeed have his Glory be given to another neither do we ascribe Divinity but to God himself For still the Authority by which Christ acts is God's own Authority and we do not of our own accord or without God's warrant assert it to be in Christ Now when God says he will not give his Glory to another the meaning visibly is this that he wills not that Men of themselves and according to their own Fancies should dispose of the Honour and Glory that is due to him As for God himself he may communicate of his own without doing any wrong and his meaning was not that he never would thus communicate himself he has not ty'd his own hands the question was not what himself might do but what his Creatures were not to presume of themselves to do Thus the Queen of England may say she will not give her Glory to another and yet she may order the same Honors to be paid to her Viceroy which are only due to her which indeed terminate on her Majesty wherever they are paid according to her Order but which could not lawfully be render'd to her in the Person of him who is her Viceroy before her Declaration of her Will and Pleasure in this matter and the delivering of the Viceroy's Commission Notwithstanding this saying of God that he will not give his Glory to another the Orthodox believe that he has given himself and so his Glory to the Man Christ Jesus Howbeit after all it is certain God has but so given his Glory to Jesus Christ as that it still remains his own Glory and the said Glory after all truly is ascrib'd to and terminates on God Tho God's Lieutenant inasmuch as he represents God to us be term'd God because the Supreme Authority he appears invested with is God's own Authority yet it cannot truly be said that we make a Creature God or hold one for God that is only a Creature for it is God or the Divine Majesty and Supreme Authority we consider and adore in Jesus Christ for in Jesus Christ dwelleth the Fulness of the Godhead and when we say that Jesus Christ is God we mean it in respect of the Deity or the Divine Wisdom Majesty and Authority that dwell in him If any think it not so proper upon that account to call Christ the most High God it is true it would be most proper to content our selves to say with the Scripture that the Fulness of the Godhead dwelleth in the Man Christ Jesus Howbeit the Deity that dwelleth in the Man Christ Jesus and is communicated to him as has been said is truly and properly the most High God or the Majesty Wisdom and Supreme Authority of the most High God and that is all we mean by the Orthodox Expressions but we do not intend that it is the Creature that is the most High God But to prove that it is Idolatry to call Christ God and to honour him as God upon the account that God dwelleth in him by Manifestation of his Wisdom in and by him and on the account that God constantly assisteth him in the discharge of his Office of representing God and acting in the stead of God at the Helm of the Universe some urge That it would be treasonable to give the Name of the Sovereign to the Viceroy on any account whatsoever whether upon the account of representing or upon the account of being upheld by the Sovereign or upon the account of the Sovereign's Majesty appearing and dwelling in him c. To this I shall reply thus much In that case the fault would be only in the Expression but not in the Sentiment it self and so this would be only a Controversy of Words And besides there is this difference in the present Comparison that in an earthly Sovereign who is a finite and imperfect Being the Sovereign's Wisdom Majesty and Authority are different from the Sovereign's own Person but it is an Axiom of Divines That every thing in God is God and it is upon this Axiom that it is said that Christ is God upon the account that the Divine Wisdom and Majesty in a supreme degree appear and dwell in him or else by Christ we mean both the Man Jesus Christ and the Divine Wisdom and Majesty that dwell in him Howbeit as to the Practice of honouring Christ as God that is countenanc'd by the Example of the Viceroy's being honour'd like the Sovereign In the Person of the Viceroy the Sovereign is honour'd and the Scripture likewise commands that every Knee should bow to Christ to the Glory of God The Viceroy in publick Solemnities wherein he represents the Sovereign might be ddress'd unto as being the Sovereign upon the account of the Sovereign's Authority by which he acts and which is present in him or dwells in him whilst he discharges his Office If that were usual it would not at all seem strange or unreasonable There is yet this difference in the said Comparison that an earthly Viceroy may prove a Rebel but this cannot be said of Christ We are sure that Christ's Laws are God's Laws Christ's Kingdom is God's Kingdom Christ's Majesty is God's Majesty Christ doth not require of us any Services that are carnal or vicious and that may be term'd Works of the Flesh as did the Pagan Gods The Gods of the Heathens were worship'd by the Slaughter of human Sacrifices by Prostitutions and by other corrupt and immoral Practices Christ commands us to worship the Father in Spirit and in Truth and directs us to ask all things of God in his name or as his Disciples and for his sake And the Orthodox declare that this is all they intend to do howsoever they express themselves What Idolatry then or what Work of the Flesh is here There can be suppos'd one would think but an Impropriety of Speech in saying that the Man Jesus Christ is truly and properly the most High God meaning that the most High God or the Divine Wisdom Majesty and Supreme Authority do truly and properly appear in him Howbeit the Meaning and Sentiment of the Modalists is certainly good And now the Result of all that has been said seems to be as followeth 1. That some Persons may condescend to the use of unscriptural Terms 2. That others who are no less sincere may