to the prejudice of this be guided by our own Reason which in such matters is but an ignis fatuus a false and deceitful Guide that will lead us to Rocks and Precipices that only must be our Rule which God hath revealed in his Word For an Instance Will not Human Reason suggest that if our Saviour instead of poor Fishermen unlearned and of no account in the World had called the Josephs of Arimathea the Nicodemus and men of good parts and of quality in the World the Gospel would hove gotten more ground and been more spread abroad in the World yet this is contrary to God's Method who hath hidden these things from the wise and prudent Mat. 11.25.26 1 Cor. 1.26 27 28 29 and revealed them unto Babes who hath chosen and called the foolish the weak and base things of the world to confound the wise and the mighty And why so first because so it seemed good in his sight secondly to the end that no flesh should glory in his presence Joh. 7.48 This confirmed by Experience for Have any of the Rulers or of the Pharisees believed on him So then to insist on this reason is no less than to arraign the Wisdom of God which no Man may or ought to do Farther some things there are taught by Philosophy of the Soul of the World of several things therein and of Man's Soul which to human Understanding appear to have no Truth in them yet in those things if upon the account of the Learning and Wit of those great Men we have a kind of esteem and reverence for their Opinions much more ought we to have a reverence for the Truth contained in God's Word and received by so many great and good Christians and suffer'd for by them in all Ages for never was any Divine Truth more universally and in all places and times received notwithstanding the opposition of some wicked men than the Mystery of the most holy Trinity As indeed not only the Offering and Preaching but also the whole Application of Salvation to be obtained in this and another Life do depend upon the truth of the holy Trinity because everywhere the Father works by his Son and this with the Father by the Holy Ghost which if we believe not we cannot have either the use or comfort of things relating to Salvation but God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit 1 Cor. 2.10 12. and we have received the Spirit which is of God that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God 'T is then our Duty and Comfort to know the Father in the Son and both through the Holy Ghost for the Spirit searcheth all things yea the deep things of God as Christ saith none knoweth the Father but the Son and to whom the Son will reveal him so John testifies that he that hath not the Son hath not the Father and Paul Mat. 11.27 1 Joh. 2.23 Eph. 2.12 that those that are without Christ are also without Hope and without God in the world 'T is said indeed how God at sundry times and in several manners spake in time past unto the Fathers by the Prophets but the knowledge of him and of Salvation then was in the dark till the last days when he spoke unto Men by his Son When we hear of the salvation which God sent into the World then at the same time the Son and Holy Ghost are mention'd because without them there is none Among several other places in Scripture wherein this great work is spoken of and wherein we find the three Persons mention'd that is remarkable wherein the Apostle joyneth them together Heb. 10.29 Of how much sorer punishment suppose ye shall he be thought worthy who hath trodden under foot the Son of God and hath counted the blood of the Covenant wherewith he was sanctified an unholy thing and hath done despite unto the spirit of grace All three are concerned so they were before salvation was actually effected long before when all was under Types and Figures 1 Pet. 1.11 12 compared with 2 Pet. 1.21 for by the spirit of Christ the Prophets prophesied of old so now in this great business the Son hath his part and the Holy Ghost his also As much as God hath been pleased to reveal unto us about this adorable Mystery we must study and enquire after but no farther where God is silent we must be so too and we ought to curb our Curiosity and Presumption and not to stretch our Brains to find out Proofs out of Comparisons with Sun Soul Rainbow Trees Triangle c. which are all lame and defective This I speak as to us who believe that high and incomprehensible Mystery upon God's Word wherein he hath revealed it unto us for as to the abominable wretches which out of Hell are broken loofe against it and not only make a Jest of and despise and hate it we must leave them to God if peradventure he will give them repentance 2 Tim. 2. â—â— to the acknowledging of the Truth As to our blessed Saviour whom they go about to rob of that Glory and Honour which Scripture declares do belong to him and which therein he assumeth unto himself and whom they would make a meer Man a Creature and if I dare speak it without blasphemy an imaginary and a mock God acting the part of a God as an Actor doth upon a stage that of a Prince when he is not such In Scripture the Names of God absolutely attributed to none but unto the true God and that also in so many places of Scripture whereof many we already quoted and others not We have given instances of all the incommunicable Names of Divine Nature appropriated unto him also we made it appear how all Attributes proper to the true God and never communicated to the Creature do belong to Christ as do all divine works truly such why then should not all own him to be true God by Nature seeing essential Attributes are inseparable from the Essence The Oneness of which Essence with the Father he doth attribute unto himself explaining in what sense he calleth God his Father not by Adoption or Grace or meerly by reason of his assumption of our human Nature John 10.30 38. or by vertue of any Office and Dignity but because of his eternal Generation and Co-essentiality with the Father in which sense he saith I and the Father are one Chap. 1.14 3.16 Rom. 8.3 32. Mar. 14.33 and upon the account of this oneness of Nature he saith The Father is in me and I in him And this eternal Generation in one Essence is denoted in Scripture when called only begotten of the Father Gods own and proper Son the true Son of God yea such a Son as is Heir of all things and in opposition to Angels as the Son is to the Servants which Sonship and Generation is more clearly expressed when he is called the Brightness and
that Certainty is not grounded upon the clearness of our perceiving as upon the mainness of the Evidence confirmed by a continual Experience Now natural Reason is fitted for natural Things but for supernatural it must be supernaturally endowed And besides Ideas a due temper and application of the Mind are required But about divine things besides what is in us there ought to be a Rule in them which is Revelation this is the medium or middle between Eye and Object without which in spiritual things we can see nothing till the Lord openeth our Eyes When an Army of Syrians had compassed Dothan to take Elisha his Servant seeing so many Horses and Chariots was afraid till at the Prayer of the Prophet the Lord opened the Eyes of the young man 2 Kings 6.15 16 17. then and not before he saw the mountain full of Lorses and chariots of fire round about Elisha These Heavenly Armies cannot be seen by a meer natural Eye it must be enlightned from above As we cannot know a thing of which we have no Idea so we must have a true one to make a right Judgment of it or else we go upon a wrong bottom and it still remains a Mystery to us The true Notion we ought to have of a Mystery is this namely something that is hidden from our Knowledge and above our Reason see what a false Idea a learned and rational man a Master of Israel Nicodemus had of Regeneration as we shall see somewhat lower it was a very necessary and truly rational thing to believe in Christ Joh. 7.48 yet Have any of the Rubers and Pharisees believed on him Those men in their way wanted not Reason God saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 1.27 hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise The greatest commendation of Mans Reason is to call it Wisdom yet it is confounded about spiritual things for this very thing our Saviour rejoyced in spirit and gave his Father Thanks for revealing the Mysteries of salvation unto Babes which the wise and prudent of the World could not understand for want of this Revelation Luke 10.21 Wherefore when God will have his People to know him he saith not their Reason and Mind shall know me but I will give them an heart to know me that I am the Lord Jer. 15.7 This Knowledge is not an effect of their Reason but the Gift of God The right Judgment of a thing doth sometimes depend upon so many different circumstances that a mistake in one of them doth much alter the thing and so pervert the Judgment besides that our Understanding being often disturbed through Passion and Prejudice it thereby lyeth under great mistakes If so in natural and temporal things how much more in spiritual and eternal wherein the disproportion between the Understanding and Object is infinitely greater Yet that sort of People make no difference in reasoning about the Word of God and human Writings with them it is all one to judge of God or of Men and their Reason they make the Judge of both This is to set up a Tribunal which God will never allow of to inquire after and examine his ways and works Job 33.13 when he giveth no account of any of his Matters that is he is not bound tho' sometimes out of his gracious Condescension he be pleased to do 't But once for all I must warn those Men who so much dote upon their own reason to have a care lest that very same thorough a just Judgment of God doth to them as to others prove fatal for they glory too much in it Absalom's Hair was his Pride and it became his Halter Jezebel delighted in painting her Face which as she thought made her full of Charms but a while after it was washed off with her own Blood Herod's Robes were glorious when he sat upon his Throne to make a Speech to the People but very soon after they were full of Worms whereby he was eaten up They who trust to and glory in their Reason have cause to fear some such end or other will befall them But we rely on the word of God and depend upon the Gospel as it is a promise of Grace and must endeavour to conform to it as it is the rule of Life All he saith Sect. 2. and Chap 1. doth not concern us who hold the Doctrines of the Gospel not to be contrary to true and sound Reason in his Philosophical Notions he consounds himself that is in the whole first-Section and 4th Chapter thereof As to his Ideas or Evidences Experience which is a good reason though not always for it falls sometimes sheweth how every Man hath not the same Idea or Notion of this or that thing and that which is Evidence to one is not to another then he goeth upon a false Supposition as if the Devil thorough his Suggeitions and the Corruptions of our Heare did not sometimes darken our Light deceive our Mind pervert our Judgment and over-rule our Affections 't is so in worldly things much more in Spiritual thus thorough their vain Sophistry they would set up this Reason as an independant and infallible Judge in Man and so overthrow whatsoever Scripture in so many places declareth of the Blindness Darkness and Ignorance of our Understanding and of the Perverseness Corruption and Stubbornness of our Heart The Texts he quoteth Pag. 47 48. are true and good but he should go further and own Christ to be true God not only in his Works but also in his Nature he sometimes hath some good and true things like Grains to make Chaff Currant thus Pag. 49 50. he condemns those that say the New-Testament to be written without any Order or Scope but only as Matters came into the Heads of the Apostles which is a Socinian Tenet yet he there seems to be against it The Physical Impotency to understand the Mysteries of Religion is not absolute but 't is all one as if it was so without the Help of Grace as a blind Man cannot see a dumb speak a dead Man perform any Vital Action as of himself but if God pleases he shall be restored to his Sight Speech and Life There is a moral Impotency to understand Matters and Mysteries of Religion we have a Mind but dark blind and ignorant can a blind Man see tho he hath Eyes a deaf hear tho he hath Ears a dumb speak tho he hath a Tongue a dead Man act tho he hath Organs as Hands and Feet no if he had but a Dead-Palsie Men by Revelations are not endued with new Faculties but these old Faculties are enabled to act which they could not before God gives a new Heart a new Spirit new Thoughts new Affections His Discourse of Sect. 3. Chap. 2. is all out of the Purpose the things he speaks of are Natural and unnecessary as how Rain is formed in the Air but Matters of Religion are Spiritual and necessary Matters of Election
after the Example of the good Kings of Judah begin with God's purge it of all its Filth and he will take care of yours prosper and establish them If ye mind the Honour of God and the Good of his Church with keeping out the Ravenous Wolves that would break into it then he will guide and direct in the weighty Affairs which now are and hereafter shall be before you and will preside among you with his Spirit of Wisdom Knowledge and Understanding extricate and overcome the greatest Difficulties and his gracious Providence will be as a Wall of Fire round about you God's Commands are attended not only with Promises to the Observers but also with Threatnings to the Breakers and Neglecters thereof for this Scripture is full of Proofs and therein God hath pronounced a Curse against those who do his work deceitfull Jerem. 48.10 in the case of executing Justice and Judgment and 't is but Justice what we now call for the very same Person the Eternal Son of God whose Cause within your Station I do humbly commend unto you shall at last come into the World in the glory of his Father with his Angels Matt. 16.27 chap. 25. to reward every man according to his works and the unprofitable as well as the wicked servant which with him is but one and the same shall be cast into outer darkness where shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth When Men neglect to Secure and Promote the Glory of God he hath in his Hand ways and means enough to lay their Honour in the Dust This I speak not of my self for 't is God's Language and indeed it ought to be look'd upon as the Voice of God not of Man because grounded upon God's and not Man's Word and I could almost be content never to be able to persuade if at this Time and Occasion I could effectually do 't upon these Considerations that soon or late we all must die how soon God alone knows not we for we have no certain Leases of our Lives then cometh Judgment and our Works whether good or bad shall follow us which we must give an account of and indeed this should make us tremble as well as Felix Acts 24.25 when Paul reasoned of judgment to come The Parable of the Talents shall then actually become matter of fact and the slothful and careless for want of exercising them shall be severely dealt withal Negative Sins though many mind them not shall be the cause of Damnation for we see in the Description of the last Judgment made by our Saviour the only Sins named for which Men shall be damned are all of omission ye gave me no meat ye gave me no drink ye clothed me not ye visited me not ye minded me not and ye did not for me what ye ought and might have done Matt. 25. therefore depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels This is terrible to hear and shall be more to feel O that to prevent this dreadful Doom in our several Stations we were able with Bernard to say Wherever I am and whatsoever I do it seems to me as if I had heard the voice of the Archangel saying arise ye dead and come to judgment this is the ready way to be prepared for it and to avoid being surprised therewith and to live every moment as if that same was the last of our Life and the next Luk. 16.2 give an account of thy Stewardship this ought to make every one keep his accounts ready for though Men are apt to put off till to morrow what can be done to day there shall then be no procrastination whilst 't is time Matt. 24. let us do our Duty and blessed yea thrice blessed shall that servant be whom his Lord when he comes shall find so doing but wo be to him that shall be found doing the contrary as if because his Lord delayeth his coming he was never to come and call to an account David gives us the Character of a wicked Man to say God will not require it though he speaks it not with his Tongue but only saith it in his Heart and his saying so is there called a Contempt of God wherefore doth the wicked contemn God Psal 10.13 he hath said in his heart thou shalt not require it Now the Second thing to be laid before you Heb 4.13 I shall but name 't is this all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do he is present every where Psal 139. and Ezek. 11.5 all seeing and all knowing he is acquainted with all our ways all our words and he understandeth all our thoughts afar off so cannot be deceived nor imposed upon and if Men forsake the Lord's Cause he will forsake them then look for nothing but Misery and Calamity which I think again and again I now may safely say for I hope we at this time have no Amaziah to speak thus but prophecy not again any more of Bethel Amos 7 1â— for it is the King's chappel and it is the King's court for in such places they loved not to hear the Truth nor of unpleasant Things but 't is spoken of the Court of the Kings of Israel who after the renting of the Ten Tribes from first to last proved bad every one which was not altogether of those of Judah where was a mixture of some good and some bad Seeing Arguments drawn out of God's Word the common and general Consent of the Christian Church since the Apostles time and out of true sound Reason cannot work upon or prevail with a sort of Men hardened and obstinate in their Opinions and of whom long ago David said Psal 64.5 they encourage themselves in an evil matter and the Apostle fore-told of such false teachers who should privily 2 Pet. 2.1 at first and then openly bring in damnable heresies even denying the Lord that bought them that is the Lord Jesus Saviour of the World to be true God natural and consubstantial Son of God I say 't is not improper to apply our selves unto the Civil Power that he would make use of the lawful Authority which God for his own Glory hath put into his hands with some others we have done our part with offering in this Discourse good Arguments to assert and bear Record for the Truth but remembring the Apostle's Rule a man that is an heretick after the first and second admonition reject knowing that he that is such is subverted and sinneth being condemned of himself we think such may well be condemned by those who have right to do 't thereby to put a stop to the spreading of a mortal Gargrene in a most corrupt and backsliding Age. Herein we go upon Two Heads Heresy and Blasphemy against which we have both Gospel and Law Divine and Human no Error more fundamental than that which impiously strikes at the Nature and Persons
Upon the Account of our Salvation which by no means can be obtained without it let Arminians say on the contrary what they will For †John 17.3 this is eternal life to know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent And who is he but ‖ 1 John 5.20 the Son of God the true God and eternal life We say Trinity or Triunity not Triplicity for this last implies a Composition of Three Parts Father Son and Holy Ghost are alius alius not aliud aliud other and other but not other thing and other thing Three distinct Persons but One and the same Nature we distinguish the Persons saith * De Trin. Vnit cap. 11. Austin but divide not the Deity or Essence they are not distinct Essentially for there is but one Essence but personally that is one Person is not the other the Father not the Son nor the Son the Father and the Holy none of the other two Peter Paul and John are not only distinct amongst themselves but also divided one from another so they are three Men though but one specifical Nature because created and finite but in an infinite Being 'tis otherwise Father Son and Holy Ghost though distinct yet not divided for there is but one numerical Nature the three are Consubstantial or Coessential in Nature Coeternal in Time and Coequal in Power The Knowledge of One God may be had by the Light of Nature but that of the Holy Trinity only out of Scripture for the one is according to Reason but the other above it two ways there are to know God the 1st Nature the 2d Revelation that is defectuous this is perfect to which God tied his Church which alone knoweth and calleth upon God according to what he manifested of himself in his Holy Word and thereby her Religion is different from that of all the rest of the World and there is no other saving way to come to God but by Christ whose Gospel is preached as the only Doctrine of Salvation and we must not have of God such Notions as our Fancy or natural Reason suggest unto us but such as he hath declared in his Word for he is a voluntary Cause of all whose Ways and Methods we ought to observe and be guided by in our Religion for †Ephes 1.11 v. 5. he works all things according to the counsel of his own will and according to the good pleasure of his will Yet this Holy Mystery is a stumbling-block unto the Jews and unto the Greeks foolishness and both look upon it as Heresie though if God's Word be the Word of Truth this as we hope to shew is certainly the True Sound Doctrine because grounded upon it though unsound Men will neither believe it nor consent about it to the Faith of the Primitive Church and Orthodox Doctors of all Ages nor to the Confessions of Faith of all Christian Reformed Churches as if the Spirit of God and of Truth was departed from them All to be only amongst Socinians Second Substances do exist only in the First Man in general existeth only in James John that are individual and Words are what Use makes them an Indivisible and most single Essence abstractively considered may and doth concretively exist in Three Persons no Man may well say that an infinite Essence doth not admit of three Modes or Manners of Subsistence but he only which fancies within his shallow and finite Intellect to understand perfectly an infinite Nature with her Modes of subsisting which to pretend to implieth Absurdity and Impiety And to affirm that to be One in relation to its Essence and many as to the Modes is no more contradictory than to say the same Man is real in respect of his Essence and modal as to his Subsistence wherefore they who would terminate an infinite Essence only to one manner of subsisting so that it may not be communicated to another Person either they understand not what an infinite Nature is or else misTake the meaning of the word Terminate or Confine which is not to prescribe limits for that an infinite Nature doth abhor but the meaning is that an Essence as may be the Father's is so the Father's Essence as may not be the Son 's in the same manner but it may be in a different way Upon this Matter it ought carefully to be observed how the Divine Essence is considered either Absolutely or Relatively to the manner of existing in respect to both the Father is of himself in relation to the first the Son also is of himself but as to the second he is from the Father so is the Holy Ghost of himself in respect to the first that is absolutely consider'd but as to the second he proceedeth from both Father and Son Wherefore the Father is absolutely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 self God because both as to his Essence and as to his Person he is not from another but the Son and Holy Ghost are also Self God though not as to the Person the Son being begotten by the Father as the Holy Ghost proceedeth from both but as to the Nature because both are by that Essence which is not produced by another or depend upon another but that same which of it self and by it self doth exist from all Eternity the Three Persons have but One and the same Essence and they are not essentially distinstinguished The Son is from the Father by Generation not as to his Essence but in relation to his Person not absolutely as God but relatively as Son for the Son hath the same Nature and Substance as the Father Self God as he though not in the same manner the Father may not be called Essentiator if I may so say of the Son or Holy Ghost nor these Essentiated the Son is God of himself though not Son of himself the manner whereby theSon is said to be from the Father is in Scripture described by the word Generation which is nothing else but a Communication of one and the same Essence or Life that is Eternal and Indivisible as expressed Psal 2.7 and John 5. v. 26. which are not to be confounded with nor measured by physical Generation there being neither priority nor posteriority of Duration no mutation or passing from Power to Act from a not Being to a Being from a division and multiplication of Essence from a formal Reason of active and passive Generation from a dependency of him that is begotten upon him that hath begotten or from a greater to the lesser so there is no such Imperfections as are in Natural and Metaphysical in which are priority and posteriority of Nature though not of Time So there is no Consequence to be drawn out of one for the other thus though a natural begetter doth efficiently beget of himself materially from himself terminatively out of himself no such thing is to be conceived of this Generation of the Son of God for though in Human Things the
they do penetrate one another for they most perfectly and infinitely know and love one another now Love is an earnest desire of Union so then they be most intirely united The Apostle makes the necessary difference of the Three on Earth he saith they agree in One but of the Three in Heaven he saith they are One. Moreover either one knows something which the other doth not or loves something which the other doth not love or can do something which the other cannot do or not if the former how are they God For God knows and can do all if the last then not only they have one Will but also one Mind one Power one Knowledg one Love Now let Man think upon several Natures of the same kind which mutually do penetrate themselves and by a mutual inclination do embrace and unite themselves inseparably and have the same Thoughts Will and Action doth not all this conclude for one and the same Nature And that there is no difference but in some manner of Existing which because they are such are distinct one from another without Confusion all which from Oneness of Will leads to Oneness of Essence for the Will of God is not a thing different from his Nature Another Text wherein the most holy Trinity is demonstrated and not only may be read but also be heard and seen is that about our Saviour's Baptism where the Father speaks from Heaven and calls him his Son Christ the Son is baptized and the Holy Ghost appears in the shape of a Dove if Men do believe Scripture this they must believe to be true S. Austin lookt upon this Text as a strong and convincing Proof of that divine and essential Truth Vade ad Jordanem c. saith he Go to the River Jordan and there thou shalt find the holy Trinity and be convinced of the Verity thereof Besides these we have a Cloud of other Witnesses to prove this Truth where the Three Persons are mentioned under their proper Names and first * Acts 2.22 23. This Jesus being by the right hand of God exalted and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost the Three Persons are plainly named Again the same Jesus Christ was declared †Rom. 1.3 4. to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness Elsewhere the same Apostle saith ‖ Tit. 3.4 5 6. God saved us by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost through Jesus Christ And in another place ‡ Gal. 4.6 God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts by the word God is meaned the Person of the Father * Heb. 9.14 How much more shall the blood of Christ who through the eternal Spirit offereth himself without spot to God Furthermore †Ephes 2.18 Through him Christ we both have an access by one spirit unto the Father Our blessed Saviour himself out of his own sacred Mouth doth plainly and positively speak to this purpose when he saith * John 14.16.17 I will pray the Father and he will give you another comforter the Father I the Son and the comforter whom he calls the Spirit of Truth are Three Persons which in the next Chapter †Chap. 15 26. is by him repeated But when the Comforter is come whom I will send to you from the Father even the Spirit of truth One Text more I shall bring to confirm this * 2 Cor. 13.14 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God that is the Father and the communion of the Holy Ghost be with you all And in the Text of another Apostle †1 Pet. 1.2 are contained the Workings of the Three Persons in the Trinity Elect according to the fore knowledg of God the Father through the sanctification of the Spirit unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ As the New Testament is full of Proofs to confirm this holy Doctrine for indeed these Mysteries of the Trinity and Incarnation are more clearly and fully therein related so out of the Old Testament we have enough to confute the Enemies of this Truth and because we look upon Socinians in their Principles to be a sort of Jews and as well as they Blasphemers against our holy and blessed Saviour so we will bring such Arguments against them as we would if we were disputing against unbelieving Jew◠only a few Texts out of many We begin with the Book of Genesis Chap. 1. wherein is contained a relation of the History of the Creation which is a Work common to the Three Persons of the Trinity and though we may not look upon it as the clearer upon the matter yet in it is Light enough to shew the Truth we now assert I shall say nothing of the Name God under that of Elohim which already we have spoken of as representing the plurality of Persons in the most holy Trinity but we may say that though the Name God was there which it is not in the singular and taken for the Person of the Father yet the Son had a hand in the act of Creation for it is God said here is the word which is the proper Name of the Son our Lord Jesus Christ who in Scripture especially by S. John is so often called by that Name the Word God saying and speaking is that which made the World We read God said when any thing was created which being compared with what is spoken by John * John 1.3 All things were made by him that is the Word the Person of Jesus Christ for actiones sunt suppositorum acting is proper to Persons and without him was not any thing made that was made now that Word God said is that which created every thing so then here is the Person of the Son but we also find the Person of the Holy Ghost Gen. 1.2 the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters by his acting represented by motion to cherish give life and motion to things as a Hen doth when sitting upon her Eggs for the word in the Original signifies such a thing This sense is given by a competent Interpreter †Psal 33.6.9 By the word of the Lord were the heavens made and all the host thereof by the breath of his mouth Here we can read distinctly the Lord if it were to be understood only of the first Person about which there is no dispute the Word and the Breath or Spirit this though it be clear I could set in a greater Light with comparing it with other places which I now forbear to do because I shall have occasion to make use of them in some other branch of my Discourse Another Text is this * Isai 42.1 Behold my servant whom I uphold mine elect in whom my soul delighteth I have put my spirit upon him besides the Person that speaks namely the Father here we have the Son under the name
of his Servant of his elect in whom his Soul delighteth whereby none may deny the Lord Jesus to be understood and the Holy Ghost or Spirit Nothing better than this can quadrate with the History of our Saviour's Baptism ‖ Matth. 3.16 And in another place of the same Prophet †Iâ—al 6.3 when he saw the Vision and heard that Trisagion or holy holy holy which long after was also heard by John * Rev. 4 8. that three-fold repetition of God's Name compar'd with the proper Hypotheses of the antient Jews ' that it signified three things in God is adapted to the Trinity of Persons in S. John's Vision we have some enlargement as to the Lord Jesus represented by the Lamb for the same Twenty four Elders and Four Beasts * Rev. 5.8 9 13. fell down before the lamb and sung a new song and every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea paid the same Worship to the Lamb as to him that sitteth on the Throne Again the same Prophet †Isai 61.1 The spirit of the Lord is upon me for he hath anointed me this to be understood of Christ as applyed Luke 4.18 and of the Holy Ghost by the anointing for he was anointed with the Oyl of Gladness that is the Graces of the Spirit These Three are also to be read amongst the last Words of David * 2 Sam. 23.2 saying The Spirit of the Lord spake by me and the Word was in my tongue here is the Lord the Word and the Spirit To the same purpose speaks another Prophet †Hagg. 2.5 according to the word that I covenanted with you when ye came out of Egypt so my Spirit remaineth among you the Father with the Word his Son and his Spirit made a Covenant with Israel There are several other Texts in the Old Testament of the Nature of One which I already made use of I mean of the thrice holy wherein the Name of God or Lord is thrice repeated I own I have such a persuasion of the infinite Wisdom of God as to believe there is nothing at all in his Word but what there is a particular reason for it to be in and in this belief of mine I am confirmed by what our blessed Saviour saith in earnest and with a strong Asseveration †Matt. 5.18 Verily I say unto you till heaven and earth pass one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law till all be fulfilled and I am sufficiently satisfied that though through the Infirmity of our Nature in the Ignorance of our Mind we cannot apprehend the Causes of many things in the Word of God yet therein is nothing without a Cause So out of that Principle I dare say God meaneth something when in the Blessing which he prescribed to be pronounced to the People the Lord's Name is thrice in it thus * Numb 6.24 25 26. The Lord bless thee and keep thee the Lord make his face shine upon thee and be gracious unto thee the Lord lift up his countenance upon thee and give thee peace and when God speaks unto Moses he dictates what he was to speak to the Children of Israel when he was come to them in his Name that is The Lord God of your Fathers one would have thought this had been enough but no for he addeth †Exod. 3.15 The God of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob it was the same God yet thrice named So when the Law is given he saith ‖ Exod. 20.5 I the Lord thy God am a jealous God once Lord and twice God which is the same so in another place the * Psalm 136.1 2 3. Psalmist exhorteth thrice to give thanks to whom unto the Lord unto the God of Gods to the Lord of Lords One more I shall quote and 't is this †Isa 33.22 The Lord is our Judge the Lord is our Lawgiver the Lord is our King Why thrice and no more Surely God aims at something for as he doth nothing so he saith nothing in vain these things are not in by Chance and seeing with a full assurance I believe according to Revelation a Trinity of Persons in the Divine Nature Why should not I also believe that these things relate to it Now if one would seriously attend upon these quoted places and compare them with others of the same kind may be God would impart upon the Matter greater Discoveries than I for the present am able to give only this I shall add how the Name Jehovah called in Greek Tetragrammaton because it originally consists only of four Letters signifieth both God's Self-existence for the Root whence 't is derived doth denote to be and also his Eternity for it contains all times to come present and past one out of the two first Letters draws the Words beginning and to live and the third having a Vertue of copulating or joyning together is for Love whereby is denoted the Holy Ghost as by the two before are Father and Son and because the second Letter h is twice in he would have both Natures in the Second Person of the most Holy Trinity to be meaned tho' I have nothing to say against these mysterious Interpretations which may be well grounded yet we build not our main Arguments thereupon however knowing that essential and incommunicable Holy Name to confist of three different Letters I can see nothing to hinder me from believing that that same Nature is communicated to Three Persons and as the same Letter is twice in it doth signifie Two Natures in One Person especially it falling upon the Second Letter relating to the Second Person of the most blessed Trinity and as God is the Author of the Name Why may not he in his Infinite Wisdom therein denote some Mystery This I take to be Rational Here I must not omit for Proof of this great Truth to bring in our Creed called the Apostolical as an Evidence I meddle not with the others for the Adversaries will not own them though they ever were by better more Learned more Pious and Sound in all Ages than they are or I doubt can be I know the World hath afforded some Men who out of a vain-glory and to seem to be something through a tryal of their Parts have attempted to enervate with their Criticisms the Strength and Orthodoxy of these Creeds but as to this Socinians themselves can except against it no more than they do against the written Word of God whence this is extracted Father Son and Holy Ghost are all Three named in the Creed and as the Word God is expressed when joined with the Father so 't is understood of Son and Holy Ghost thus I believe in God his only begotten Son and I believe in God the Holy Ghost for to them it also doth belong and as there we profess to believe in that is to
the God of his fathers Abraham and Isaac The better to know who this Angel is let us hear him speak himself to Jacob d Gen. 31.11 12 13. The angel of God saith Jacob spake unto me in a dream and what saith he I have seen all that Laban doth unto thee I am the God of Bethel where thou anointedst the pillar and where thou vowedst a vow unto me Surely this could be no created Angel The same it was that appeared unto Moses in the Bush mention'd by Stephen e Acts 7.35 by whose Hands Authority and Power Moses became Ruler and Deliverer of the People out of Egypt Now in the same Chapter Stephen saith v. 32. that he that appeared unto Moses in the Bush was the God of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob and that same God he afterwards calls the angel which spoke to him in mount Sinai v. 38. To be short this is the Angel of the Lord which appeared unto Moses out of the Bush which is called Lord and God and calls himself f Exod. 3. â— 4 6. the God of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob. The Adversaries cannot deny this to be the true and proper Character of the true God Moreover this is the Angel promised to be sent before the People let us hear what a Character God gives of him * Exodus 23.20 21. Beware of him and obey his voice provoke him not for he will not pardon your transgressions for my name is in him If this had been one of his created Angels would God have spoken of him after this manner Why God's Name in a most special manner more in him than in another Here his Name signifies his Nature and can any but the true essential God pardon Transgressions as it depends upon the Will of this Angel to do or not to do According to promise this same Angel appeared unto Joshuah under the Name of †Josh 5.14 15. captain of the host of the Lord and of him required the same humble Obedience as before he had received of Moses and this the Apostle doth point at * Heb. 2.10 when speaking of Christ he calls him the captain of our salvation of which the Deliverance out of Egypt was a Type and a Figure for he was the Rock †1 Cor. 10.4 that followed them in the Wilderness He is farther called ‖ Isai 63. the angel of God's presence God in him is present wheresoever he is because he is God but he there is also called their Saviour he saved them is there any Saviour besides the Lord Jesus the Son of God He also is called the Messenger * Mal. 3. â— or Angel of the covenant Is not God's Covenant with Men made in Christ Jesus Hath he not procured and published it It was to strengthen the Faith and confirm the Hopes of his People that God by the last of his Prophets doth so positively promise he shall come surely he then was and existed though he was not yet come The Prophet addeth whom ye delight in would to God this were true in every Christian but his Enemies can take no delight in him However it remains true that no Creature whatsoever could be this Angel and that seeing it was not the Person of the Father it must be that of his Son who is another himself and I think that to prove the Deity of the Messiah is to prove the plurality of Persons in the Godhead for as I said before Trinity imports the Divinity of the Son and the Divinity of the Son implys plurality of Persons in the Divine Nature This Angel under the shape of a Man attended by two Angels appeared unto Abraham * Gen. 18. and in the same place he is called the Lord or Jehovah and Man and behaved himself both as Lord and as Man and as both was received by Abraham Thus 't is neither impossible nor contrary to Scripture that God should in human Nature appear unto Men as then he did unto Abraham In his Promise to Abraham of a Son by Sarah and as to the Judgments upon Sodom he behaved himself as God as he did as Man in visibly walking discoursing having his Feet washed resting and eating and as herein by acting the true part of a Man he was a true Man so he was a true God for there he is six or seven times called Jehovah and five Adonai and he speaks like the Judg of the World in whose power it lyes to punish or pardon and the Adversaries can bring nothing against the Union of divine with humane Nature in the Person of Christ but what this Instance of the appearing can refute for indeed the personal Union of the divine with human Nature can be no better nor more plainly represented than by this Example and if this appearing was a sign and forerunner of Christ's dwelling and conversing among Men certainly it became him to be such as he then appeared namely God and Man Now that this was a foresight of his Incarnation our Saviour himself declares it * John 8.56 relating to this Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day and he saw it and was glad And upon the same account he upbraids them when he saith John 39.40 If ye were Abraham's children ye would do the works of Abraham but ye seek to kill me that did not Abraham for he never offered to kill as a Blasphemer that Man whom with two others he recieved into his House and who carryed himself as God on the contrary he all the while behaved himself towards him as being God and at that time the same Person that appeared unto Abrham is not only called the Lord v. 1. the Lord appeared unto Abraham but also the judg of all the earth v 25. a Property belonging to none but the true God and that Christ is to judg all the Earth it appears out of Acts 17.31 and 2 Cor. 5.10 as indeed the Destruction of Sodom and Gomorah was a figure of the Destruction of the World and of Christ's second coming The Father saith Christ hath committed all Judgment to the Son John 5.22 Here I shall add a Text which may have a place in another part of my Discourse 't is this God by the Prophet * Isai 40.9 10 11. speaks to Zion Jerusalem and the Cities of Judah Behold your God behold the Lord will come with strong hand c. here certainly by your God is meant the God of Israel for the God of Zâ—on of Jerusalem and of the Cities of Judah is the same with the God of Israel now who that Person is here called God it doth appear out of the scope of the place wherein the Prophet doth certainly speak of the coming of the Messiah who is Christ as 't is plain out of v. 3. The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness prepare ye the way for the Lord make straight in the desart
same place of Exod. v. 15. God whom we ought to believe saith this is my name for ever which elsewhere he confirmeth p Isai 42. â— I am the Lord that is my name and my glory will I not give to another So then that Name God accounts to be his Glory and that Name he would not give the Angel we have spoken of before in whom God said was his Name except he was his true Son and partaker of his Nature this is by another Prophet q Jer. 16.21 confirmed I will cause them to know mine hand and my might and they shall know that my name is the Lord and by another r Hos 12.5 even the Lord God of hosts the Lord is his memorial what follows is worthy of a most serious consideration Å¿ Psal 83.18 that men may know that thou whose name alone is Jehovah art the most high over all the earth so then if God speaks truth Jehovah is his Name alone and of none else Another Prophet is not silent upon the matter t Amos 5.8 Seek him that maketh the seven stars and Orion and turneth the shadow of death into the morning and makes the day dark with night that calleth for the waters of the sea and poureth them out upon the face of the earth the Lord is his name One thing more I add how after the People had seen the Fire of the Lord fall upon Eliah's Sacrifice and consume it and all round about they fell on their faces and said the Lord be is the God 1 Kings 18.38 39. the Lord he is the God Who after these plain and convincing Evidences can be so much a Child of the Devil I mean a Lyar as to deny the Name Jehovah to be God's proper Name and consequently deny Christ who is Jehovah to be the true natural God By Jehovah and Jah is primarily denoted the Essence proper only to God whereby God is understood to have his Being of himself and to be efficient principle in a way of Excellency of all other Beings and the Name was not altogether unknown before Moses for in that place v Exod. 6.3 the Question is not properly or formally about the Word but the Thing as of the Unchangeableness of the Divine Truth and of the Deliverance of his People The Jewes are so scrupulous about the Word that they would not have it pronounced but with some change of Letters they impiously give a magical Virtue to the Characters whereunto they attribute all Miracles done by our Saviour the Name Schaddai signifying God's Self-sufficiency is also incommunicable but 't is of Attribute as the other of Nature They cannot deny that Christ or the Son is called Jehovah wherefore they betake themselves to another Shift which is to deny the Name to be incommunicable for say they it is attributed to Angels and to other things as unto the Mount where Abraham would have sacrificed his Son to Jerusalem and unto the Ark As to the first 't is not to be understood of any created Angel but of that Angel whom we proved to be God truly and properly whom the Name doth belong unto in a proper sense When spoken of the forenamed things 't is not to be taken as a Name but as a Commendation Testimony Sign and a Symbol as if one should say There John liveth there James reigneth by a kind of Metonimy used in human things when the thing contained is put for the containing as to the Ark when Moses saith q Num. 10.35 Rise up Lord and let thine enemies be scattered he doth not speak to the Ark a material Creature unable to hear and of it self to move but to Jehovah who had his Seat in it Of this we can have no surer Interpreter than David who saith r Psal 132 8. Arise O Lord into thy rest thou and the ark of thy strength the Prayer is directed to God not to the Ark which were Idolatry the Ark doth neither rise nor return but after the manner of Men it is attributed unto God So in another place Å¿ Ps 68.1 Let God arise let his enemies be scattered besides these words of Moses were spoken when the Ark was upon a motion or at rest wherefore it had been improper to say to the Ark Rise when 't was going on and Rest when it was fixed so it must be to God who had appointed it there to manifest his special Grace or Glory Thus the Name Jehovah is consider'd either relatively or absolutely the first when joyned with some thing as we said of Jerusalem and of the Ark not to be absolutely but relatively understood as Jerusalem the City wherein Jehovah dwelleth God's Worship was tyed to the Ark for there as promised he spoke with Moses t Exod. 25 22. Levit. 16.2 1 Sam. 4 4 the second when God takes that Name to himself u Exodus 20.2 I am Jehovah or the Lord thy God and x Isai 42.8 Whose name is Jehovah the Lord of hosts Thus Moses and People say in their Song y Exodus 15.3 Jehovah is his name and that according to the Etymology which is as said from a word that signifies is hath been and herein we can agree with Crellius shall be which properly denoteth the Essence not generally but specially an infinite eternal Being existing of it self Now this figurative way of speaking in this kind is often used in Scripture whereof the following Text * Psal 24.5 6. is a considerable Instance This is the generation of them that seek him that seek thy face O Jacob where Jacob is put for the God of Jacob to seek the Face is a Duty relating to God not to Jacob or any Man pressed upon us in the Word for the Psalmist not being satisfied to have said Psal 105.3 4. Let the heart of them rejoyce that seek the Lord he addeth this Command reiterated Seek the Lord and his strength seek his face evermore 'T is then a Duty which God requireth of us for he saith * Psal 27.8 Seek ye my face and the obedient and dutiful Soul answereth My heart said unto thee thy face Lord will I seek Hence it appeareth how this religious Duty to seek the Face is not directed to Jacob but to the God of Jacob who in the latter end of the foregoing Verse is named the Lord God of our salvation Thus after this figurative way of speaking the Name Jehovah is spoken of the Mount and of the Ark which are Jehovah no more than Jacob was and therefore when God's most holy Name is concerned Men must not be so rash as to fancy and vent their profane Notions and attribute unto any Man or other Creature whatsoever that which God hath reserved as proper to himself Tertullian tells the Heathens how their Philosophers called the Maker of the World by the Name the Word Second The Word which agrees with what S. John saith * John 1.3
the Angel no less than twice doth direct to the true and only Object of worship when he said ‖ Rev. 19.10 and 22.9 worship God But this belonging to another Head I now shall proceed no farther in it Now to remove all improper and figurative meaning when the word God is attributed to Christ and to prove his Consubstantiality with the Father Scripture sets down Names and Epithets which not only distinguish him from and raise him above all and every Creature but also make him equal with God the Father Thus he is called l 1 John 5.20 the true God and m Tit. 2.13 Re. 19.17 the great God so n Rom. 9.5 God over all blessed for ever also o Jude 4. the only Lord God c. Hence the Name Jehovah is joyntly equally and comparatively given unto the Son as p Psal 2.11 12. serve the Lord with fear c. and q Isai 25.9 this is our God we have waited for him and he will save us this is the Lord we have waited for him we will rejoyce in his salvation Now comparatively or in a Parallel Christ is the same r Isai 8.13 14. Lord of Hosts which shall be for a Sanctuary a Stone of stumbling and for a Rock of Offence to both the Houses of Israel as confirm'd ſ Luke 2.34 and Rom. 9.32 Christ is he who being by the Right Hand of God exalted and having received of the Father the Promise of the Holy Ghost upon the day of Pentecost shed forth those Gifts we read of t Act. 2.3.4.33 and 't is the Lord God of Israel unquestionably the true God that promiseth u Joel 2.28 in the last days to pour out his spirit c. so 't is the same Lord God of Israel the Lord Jesus is the same who is first and last comparing x Isai 44.6 Isaiah with S. John y Rev. 1.17 The Son of God saith z Isai 48.12 16. He is sent from the Lord God and from his spirit after he had said v. 12. I am the first and also am the last So the Titles proper to the true God are given Christ as King of Kings and Lord of Lords as by God's Grace we shall shew when we speak about the Attributes So then the Son is true God as we observed before 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Son of himself when we speak of the Son simply and without relation to the Father we properly call him Jehovah and self being for he hath it of himself but when consider'd relatively to the Father then we say he hath his Being from the Father the Son is by himself not of himself his Essence hath no Spring but his Person is from the Father the Essence is not communicated to the Son but only the manner of subsisting in the Essence when the Son is called God personally then he is not call'd the manner of subsisting but an Existence with the manner of being now the modus or manner is understood with the Essence because as the manner of Divinity is not Divinity it self so the mode of Essence is not Essence it self thus when he is called God personally 't is in the Concret not in the Abstract If Christ be not God by Nature he is not true God for nothing is really such but what is so by Nature The Adversaries say that those things which comparatively are called such in Scripture are truly such as Christ is called * Joh. 1.9 Chap. 18.1 the true light and the true vine though he be so called by way of a Metaphor But we do not deny how sometimes the Name true is appropriated to those things that are so called metaphorically but then the sense of the Metaphor doth not really belong to them for in every Metaphor there is true and false in the manner of it thus Christ is call'd the True Light for though in a metaphorical way he be a Light that is spiritually works the same Effect as a corporal Light doth bodily in the like manner he is called a True Vine because that the Metaphor is truly proper to him but here the question is not about the truth of Words taken metaphorically but properly for when the word True is joyn'd to those that are properly taken then it signifieth the very Nature of the thing so when the word true is joyned with that of God it necessarily signifies the Nature of God and whensoever the Name of True God is given any thing thereby is Divine Nature attributed to it This shews how Socinians do not own Christ to be the true God because according to Scripture there is but one true God they deny him to be that only true God When God is called the onely Maker of Heaven and Earth and the onely true God 't is not said only by way of Excellency as comparing God with the Creatures but we thereby exclude all others for in those places the only true God is opposed to false gods in relation to which he is not called true by way of Eminency but because it is the truth for they are true gods by no means and the true God is ever opposed to false gods and Idols wherefore called the Living God Psal 36.9 because saith David with thee is the fountain of Life He that is God only by Participation and not by Nature is not true God for Participation doth import a Likeness but Likeness of a thing is never the thing it self and if they would have Christ to be God only by Participation this in effect is to deny him to be true God that is to make him an improper and metaphorical God and after that way Men and Angels might be called true Gods which is not only Folly but also Blasphemy to say and think But they say if God and Angels be not true Gods then God doth mock when he calls them so but 't is no Mockery to give one some Name in an improper and figurative sense or else when Christ calls his Apostles * Matth. 5.13 14. The light of the world the salt of the earth and a City that is set on an hill he would have mock'd too so would Paul calling †1 Cor. 3.11 and Eph. 2.20 Christ a foundation and a chief corner stone Seeing the Apostles are not true Light only improperly and metaphorically and Christ a Stone figuratively they that are Gods only by Likeness and Communication and not by Nature are not Gods Every thing is called true as I hinted before according to its Nature a true Man true Gold true Silver from the Nature of Man Gold and Silver Now as to Christ can he be esteemed as a true God who first had a Being according to their Principles and was not God then was God and like the Popish Wafer God by degrees was God more and more till he came to a perfection of the Godhead and we may say was
be by virtue of a natural Privilege and of a divine Prerogative which is the same he had over David Solomon's Father whose Lord he was the same he had over Abraham Pre-existence before Abraham was I am which could not be as to his Humanity wherefore in him there must be another ground namely his Divinity only therein can lay the advantage he had over them all Not only he was greater than all these but also than the Temple it self a place so eminently glorious by reason of God's immediate Presence in it that it was called not only Holy but the inner part of it was called the holiest of all into which none but the High Priest might enter and that only once a year not without Blood yet saith our Saviour Matt. 12.6 8. I say unto you that in this place is one greater than the temple which can be said of none but of God there he also calls himself Lord of the Sabbath not as Man but as God Temple and Sabbath the two holiest things in Israel The second Text is this * Isai 35.4 5. Behold your God will come with vengeance even God with a recompence he will come and save you then the Eyes of the blind shall be open and the Ears of the deaf shall be unstopp'd which our Saviour applyeth to himself who when John's Disciples ask'd him †Matt. 11.3 5. Art thou he that should come or do we look for another Jesus answered them by this the blind receive their sight c. which were the Signes wherewith Isaiah had prophefied God would come these things he commands them to give John an account of wherein he lookt to the Prophet who foretold such things should be done by the Messiah whom in that place Isaiah calleth God when he saith God himself will come and save you which must not be understood of the Father for first we never read that God the Father came into the World to save us but that he sent his Son to do 't he that sends another in his place cannot properly be said to come himself Secondly there is an Energy in the word he himself whereby is meaned not that another in God's stead but God himself by himself would come and though God be said to come when he shews some gracious effect of his Power yet when he is said to send another 't is not to be understood in that same manner And tho Socinus denies him at that time to be God only that he was appointed hereafter so to be he is refuted by his being in that Text at that time call'd the God of Israel your God whom you worship The third Text is that wherein God saith * Mal. 3.1 Behold I will send my messenger and he shall prepare the way before me and the Lord whom ye seek shall suddenly come to his temple Now who that God is before whose face John prepared his way is clear enough that he spake of the Lord Jesus not of the Father's coming after him which he pointed at when he said †John 1 26 27 29.30 compared with Act. 13.24 There standeth one among you whom ye know not he it is that coming after me is preferred before me and to make it clearer he points directly at the Person of Christ for the next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him and saith behold the lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the world which is he of whom I said after me comes a man which is preferred before me for he was before me Can there be a plainer Designation of a person than this To him alone by means of his Preaching he prepared the way and that which is remarkable our Saviour explains of himself the Text of Malachy This is he of whom it is written behold * Luke 7.27 I send my messenger before thy face which shall prepare thy way before thee and the word my face in the Prophet he renders thy face that is of Christ so he quoteth the place not according to the Words but according to the Sense †Luke 1.76 Thou child saith Zechariah of John shalt he called the Prophet of the highest a high Name proper to God for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways it is then most certain that John prepared the way for him that was to come after him and to converse with and dwell among Men not the Father but Christ came after John therefore he is that God that sent his Messenger as in Malachy Socinus his Phrase is no where in Scripture to be read that God came in Christ he sent Christ his Son but came not in him the Father is said to be and dwéll in Christ not to come in Christ he sent him in his own Name Though Christ under the Name Word be called God absolutely * Joh. 1.1 and without any restriction in the same manner as the True God is absolutely called God without any thing to pretext an improper appellation and the repetition of the Word God in the same Signification doth sufficiently demonstrate it †1 Joh. 5.20 nay though he be not barely called God but the True God whence we must necessarily conclude he is true essential God Yet they would have the Father alone to be God and that when the Name of God is absolutely set down it is to be understood only of the Father not of the Son nor of the Holy Ghost so they conclude Father Son and Holy not to be One God to which purpose they wrest some Scripture out of the Old and New Testament which in due time we shall by the Grace of God take an occasion to answer but because the Adversaries use their utmost pernicious Endeavours to oppose these Truths we to make clear these most important Doctrines which our Faith is grounded upon must somewhat more enlarge upon it though we take notice of some things we said before or to the same purpose First We say God is a Name of the Divine Essence or Nature as Man is of Human Nature but whereof there is a different Reason from that of all Names of other Natures for all Individuals are asunder one from another their Nature according to the mental Notion is one but not really so wherefore in them Nature is the species or kind which is predicated and spoken of every singular and individual Person as James is a Man and of many too as Matthew John and Luke are Three Men but as in God the Essence is but One in number and not only in the mental Notion but also is really and most simply One though in Three Persons this Name of God is not predicated as a species of every Person but according to the priority or posteriority of their Origin and Order as thus the Father is God but unbegotten the Son God begotten the Holy Ghost proceeding from both Now if the Name God was as species spoken of the Persons
but Persons endued with Reason and as I said before to Persons it belongs to act The high Names of God's Own Son Only Begotten c. which in Scripture are given the Lord Jesus are not upon the account of his miraculous Conception in the Womb of the Virgin as Socinians would have it we confess therein God had a special Hand and it was effected in an extraordinary manner but this is not enough to entitle him to the Filiation which the Question is now about to distinguish him from all others in the World called Sons of God as anon we shall have occasion to speak of Adam had also a miraculous Birth yet the Names of Only Begotten and God's Own and Proper Son do not belong to him in Christ's Conception and Birth God did not concur materially but efficiently with his Power but not with his Substance seeing Christ as to the Flesh was not of any invisible Seed of God but of the †Rom. 1.3 Seed of David what Brothers he had are quite of another ‖ Rom. 8.29 Heb. 2.12 Order and Quality they are such not by Generation but by Regeneration by Adoption not by * 1 Job 1.12 1 Joh. 3.1 1 Pet. 1.23 Jam. 1.18 Nature as the Texts quoted in the Margin which may be perused do declare wherefore Christ is Son of God in another manner than men are so he is called the Image of God and the Character of his Person in a most different way from that whereby Adam is said to be made according to God's likeness As in Creatures 't is a perfection to beget their similes or that which is like unto themselves that may not be denyed God now as we cannot conceive a communicability of a Nature which is spiritual and ad intra but by the two Faculties of Understanding and Willing whose Operations are immanent so it may well be said that there can be but two Processions in God one by way of Intellection whereby the Son is begotten who is called the Word Wisdom and Image of the Father and the other by way of Volition whereby is breathed the Holy Ghost who for that reason is specially called Love and though the Son doth also understand himself yet he begets neither himself nor another for he understands himself not of a notional Intellection to generate which belongs only to the Father but with a notional one which is common to the Father and to the Holy Ghost This is said not to prove our Faith but only to demonstrate that what we believe is not contrary to Reason though it be above it for all these matters as I observ'd before and as all Orthodox and learned Men that writ upon them are agreed are to be grounded on Scripture rather than upon human Reason The chief part of our Comfort and Salvation lies in the Belief of this Doctrine for as in Christ is but one Person so there are two Natures whereby he is in a capacity of perfecting our Redemption which otherwise he could not be in we own he is called Son of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 eminently and by Excellency but besides he is also called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 beloved proper only begotten whereby he is distinguished from adopted Sons and by his being called Son of the living God distinguish'd from Elijab Jeremiah and such extraordinary Persons that had been in the World which concludeth his Consubstantiality with the Father for it had been a monstruous Generation if out of the Father's Bosom had come a Son of another Nature He that was to be born of a Virgin was to be called the Son of the Highest not by reason of a miraculous Conception as pretended by Crollius out of Maldonat the Jesuit but because of an eternal Generation chiefly as also by reason afterwards of a personal Union of both Natures for though upon that account he might also be call'd the Son of God yet that could not intitle him to be the only begotten because he is dear and beloved but he is dear and beloved because the only begotten of the Father Christ the first begotten in respect to adopted Brethren not because their Son-ship is of the same Nature with his but only thus far as Adoption imitateth Nature as Civilians say so their Adoption * 1 Pet. 1.23 and Regeneration is a kind of Imitation of his eternal Generation and to him belong all the Privileges of the First-born and is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the †Colos 1.17 18. Rev. 3.14 beginning of the Creature not passively but actively Christ is called the Beginning of the Creation of God or of all things by him created that is the beginner or the first efficient Cause of all Creatures according to a style used in Scripture when the Thing is set for the Person as when the Jewish Nation is called by the name of ‖ Rom. 4.9 Gal. 2.9 Circumcision the Act for the Agent and the Abstract for the Concret thus Christ is said of God made unto us wisdom righteousness sanctification and redemption that is he makes us wise unto Salvation makes us righteous for he is our Justifier Sanctifier and Redeemer thus he is often called * 1 John 2. and 4.2 the Popitation for our Sins and our Salvation for Propitiatour and Saviour Though there be an infinite difference between Christ's and human Generations yet herein they agree that it imports in him that is begotten a Communication of the Nature of the Begetter it is said of Adam †Gen. 5.3 that he begat a Son in his own likeness after his Image is this to be understood of a like Nature only and not of the same Undisputably he begat him out of his own Substance and his own Nature and no other he communicated unto him well represented by the words in his own likeness and after his image the word Likeness doth not shew any Disparity or Difference but an Equality and Sameness of Nature which here by the by I observe in relation to a thing I shall have occasion to mention about the Honour to be render'd unto Christ that all men should honour the Son as they honour the Father for they would have it only to be like but not equal or the same when here Likeness is taken for Sameness and Equality Now as of Seth so we must say of Christ the Son of God as the other was of Adam for as Seth had not been Adam's Son except he were of the same Nature so Christ could not truly and properly be God's Son except he were of the same Nature with the Father Seth was begotten after his Father's Image that is of the same Nature and the Lord Jesus more strongly to shew the Sameness in Nature with the Father which he had in a more eminent way than ever Seth had his from Adam is not said to be after his Father's Image but in more noble expressive and lively Words said to be the express Image
account to be call'd such a Man's Son yet not be his proper Son thus an adopted though he excel never so much above the rest yet that can never make him to be a proper Son To refute some Cavils of theirs one thing more we are again to take notice of upon this matter how the the word God is in Scripture sometimes taken essentially for the most holy Trinity and sometimes personally for one of the Persons as when 't is said * Acts 20.28 God hath purchased his church with his own blood which is meaned our Saviour the second Person of the Godhead In the first sense must be understood those places of Scripture wherein 't is said The name of the Lord is one and there is none besides him there is but one God and others to the same purpose to shew the Oneness of the Nature which as well as they we do affirm but as to teach well one must distinguish well so for want of observing this Rule that which is spoken of the Essence of God they mis-apply it to the Persons and so make a Confusion between things to be distinguished We already proved how the Unity of Nature doth not take away the Trinity of Persons nor the Plurality of Persons destroy the Unity of Nature which Mistake of theirs doth also hold in the Mystery of the Incarnation or of the Word being made Flesh and about our Saviour's Person in whom they confound the Natures so that which is spoken of his Humanity they mis-apply to his Divinity The second Argument whereby Christ is proved to be God's natural Son is drawn from the word only begotten which for greater confirmation is attributed to Christ in several * John 1.18 places wherefore in Scripture Christ is called the Son of God to shew he is the only begotten for that 's the signification of the word and †Heb. 1.2 vers 5. Paul's interpretation of it for he saith Such is the Son to whom only God saith Thou art my son this day have I begotten thee and other places of Scripture By the words God's only begotten Son do all mean Christ only The Adversaries would have him to be called so only in a special manner above the rest as we already have taken notice of in the instance about Isaac whereunto here we shall add that of Solomon which also they made use of called say they * Prov. 4.3 only begotten in the sight of his mother but they must not go about to impose upon us for in the original the word begotten is not in but only which in our Bibles is according to the sense of the place explained by beloved only beloved one may be the only yet not only begotten Son when of many Children one alone is remaining and the rest are dead as to Isaac we already observed he was the only begotten in relation to Sarab by Promise but Christ is so called God's only begotten Son that it was never said to any one else Thou art my Son c. whence we may conclude him so to be God's Son as to be the only begotten of him that is according to his Nature in the word he is properly and absolutely called the only begotten * John 1.14 We beheld his glory as of the only begotten of the Father the Particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as is not comparative as only denoting a likeness but as Chrysostomus observes well is expressive of the truth as being really as if one willing to describe a Royal State and Carriage of a King should say as that is in a manner becoming and proper for a King and farther the Evangelist addeth v. 18. The only begotten son which is in the besom of the Father he hath declared him where Christ is called the only begotten 〈◊〉 it being his own proper Name signifying how besides him there is no true natural Son of God again ‖ John 3.16 God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son and * 1 John 4.9 God sent his only begotten son into the world See what a care the Spirit of God hath taken to confirm and make that Truth known how Christ is properly and absolutely God's only begotten Son now he is absolutely only begotten that is not only so called lookt upon and loved as such but that is really so and indeed we know our blessed Saviour is call'd †Joh. 20.17 Brother of his Disciples and of ‖ Heb. 2.17 Believers but not in a proper and strict sense The relation of Brotherhood hath a great latitude for among the Jews Persons belonging to any branch of a Family to a Tribe or to any of the Tribes were call'd Brethren * Gal. 1.19 James and John were call'd the Lord's Brothers and in another sense our Saviour calls †Mat. 12.50 his brother his sister and his mother whosoever shall do the will of God He is our Brother in that he hath taken upon him our human Nature all Men are Brothers in human Nature but Adoption cannot be the ground of his as 't is of our being call'd the Sons of God he is never called adopted as we are neither can he be adopted with us seeing we are adopted in him we are the Branches of the wild Olive-Tree that have been grafted in him who is the true natural Olive-Tree and thereby are become Members of his mystical Body How can our blessed Saviour be called God's only begotten Son if he be not partaker of the same Nature And the more to enforce this in that sâ—â—e Chapter and Verse John 18. 't is added which is in the bosom of the Father can he be in and from the Bosom of the Father and not be of the same Nature All other Children of God are made but this is begotten and only begotten none but he is properly begotten Our Third Argument is taken out of our Saviour's Question to the Pharisees * Mat. 12.41 41 4â— 44. What think ye of Christ whose son is he they say unto him the son of David he saith unto them how then doth David in spirit call him Lord By this way of arguing he shewed how in him besides human Nature there was another namely the divine according to which he by no means might be called David's Son but David's Lord which to the Pharisees proved an unanswerable Argument for upon this same 't is positively said v. 46. and no man was able to answer him a word one would think this should also stop the mouth of Socinians Indeed there the Lord proposeth the Question about the Nature of Christ or the Son whose natural Son he was Whereunto the Pharisees returned an imperfect Answer for only they said he was the Son of David but the Lord Jesus out of Scripture which they could not deny concluded that since he was by David's confession his Lord he must in him have another Nature besides human according to which he might not be called
many other things blasphemously spake they against him and Paul what before his Conversion he said or acted against he for that same calls himself ‖ 1 Tim. 1.13 a Blasphemer and when he made others to do as he did that he calls * Acts 26.11 2 Tim. 3.2 Act. 18.6 he compell'd them to blaspheme I believe the Spirit of God pointed at Socinians among others when he said by the Apostle that in the last days men shall be blasphemers as were those that opposed Paul when he preached Christ wherein they blasphemed We have many Heads more and abundance of Texts of Scripture to prove the Lord Jesus to be true natural Son of God begotten of the Father from all Eternity and these places we in the following part of our Discourse shall have occasion to make use of one of the fullest and plainest we shall begin with afforded by John †Joh. 1.1 In the beginning was the word and the word was with God and the word was God Which to corrupt the Heresiarch Socinus used his utmost wicked Endeavours the word is said to have been in the beginning not as if he then had begun to be but that then he was existing and so from all Eternity before any Creatures were made there was no time only Eternity Christ is call'd the Wisdom of God to shew he as well as the Father is from everlasting it were Blasphemy to think that ever there was a time when God wanted his Wisdom which speaking of himself saith ‖ Prov. 8.23 I was set up from everlasting and God by him manifested himself in the World in the Creation thereof That Christ the Word is eternal that is he was before his Incarnation before the Virgin Mary and before the Gospel began to be preached it appears out of John's Evidence In the beginning was the word out of which both his Deity and Eternity are proved the other Evangelists do write of Christ's Humanity in relation to his Birth or temporal Generation when he took upon him our human Nature and in time was born of the blessed Virgin Mary for in her Womb the word was made flesh and his Body therein formed out of her Substance without company of Man But John falls immediately upon his Divinity and calls him the Word for he was the Davar promised unto the Fathers now this was in the beginning that is before any thing was when things began to be made he then was when the World was not yet made afterwards he indeed was made Flesh but had a pre-existing Being Socinians cavil that by the beginning is meant the preaching of the Gospel which is clearly false for that doth not answer the scope of the Evangelist whose design is to prove the Word to be God which to do he draws his Argument from his Being in the beginning so by the word Beginning that must be understood which concludeth the Word to be God Their Interpretation agreeth with that of Arius That time had been when the Word was not and because it is in that sense taken in some places * Mark 1.1 Luke 1.2 for a temporal Beginning that is the time of his Incarnation it doth not follow that it is so to be taken in S. John for Mark begins his Book with these words The beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ the Son of God he writes the Gospel for he is an Evangelist and in his very first words he gives the Contents of what he is writing but herein the Person of Christ is not immediately concerned he with other Evangelists gives an account of his Humanity but John speaks of his Divinity he alludes to Moses who had given the History of the Creation and begins his Gospel in the words wherewith Moses began his Book of Genesis In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth and he his Gospel In the beginning was the word But our Evangelist is not satisfied to say the word was with God but addeth in the next Verse the same was in the beginning with God and so v. 3. he falls upon speaking of the Creation for all things were made by him c. we know how in Scripture the word Beginning as well as several others hath different Significations but in this place such a sense destroys the Analogy of Faith and contradicteth those Texts which affirm the Eternity of God's Son which hereafter we shall have occasion to mencion as that of the Prophet †Isai 53.8 Who shall declare his generation 't is ab impossibili as if he had said no Man can declare it and elsewhere under the Type of Solomon 't is said * Psal 72.17 his name shall endure for ever c. not only of an Eternity à parte post but also à parte ante as without ending so without beginning as expressed in the Prophetical Psalm of Christ's Kingdom and Priesthood †Psalm 110.3 from the womb of the morning thou hast the dew of his youth And now I am upon this first Verse of the first Chapter of St. John I shall observe three Things much to our purpose the First that the word Beginning absolutely spoken doth in Scripture relate to the Creation or beginning of the World out of several places so well known in Scripture I shall now only quote one and more hereafter as I shall have occasion for hath it not been told you from the beginning have ye ‖ Isa 40.21 not understood from the foundations of the earth here by Beginning is signified the Foundation of the Earth The second Thing I observe is this the Word was with God here is a personal Distinction between God and the word who was with God as if he had said resided till he was made Flesh and in respect to this Incarnation he is said to have come down from the Father The third Thing observed is this the word was God the Person called the Word as it appears by the Article is the Subject here called and asserted to be God that is in the same essential Sense as the God with whom the word Was is said to be God that is by Nature for as in this Verse but one Word though thrice named is to be understood so but one true God in Nature though thrice named is meaned in the place Thus the Essentiality and Eternity of the word who is the Son with the Father are here evidently set forth but this is more at large set down in the next Reason But a second Reason is that John makes the Word equal with God when he saith the word was with God which hath a relation to his Eternity it was always with God for here not only he distinguisheth the Persons but makes the Word equal with God the Father he saith the Word that was in the beginning was one and God the Father whom he was with another the Persons of the Son and of the Father were distinct indeed but in making them
different things thô pertaining to one and the same Subject or else every Lord were a God thus a Husband were a God unto his Wife because Sarah called Abraham her Lord the Lord of the unfaithful Servant were his God because he calls him his Lord the Lord of the Vineyard were the God of the Vineyard because called it's Lord and many more such Instances And I shall illustrate the thing by a trivial Saying among us A Servant may say his Master is Lord but not God at home The Text that saith * 1 John 2.22 23. Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ He is Antichrist that denieth the Father and the Son whosoever denieth the Son the same hath not the Father these words do import how he that denyeth Jesus to be the Christ doth thereby deny the Son not that Christ and the Son do formally signifie the same in themselves but because to be Christ and Son of God do meet in one Person so that none but the Son of God is Christ and Redeemer of the World Withall after this Socinian way of arguing it would follow in this Text that the Names Christ Father and Son do signifie the same for here the Apostle offereth two Propositions the first He is a Lyar that denyeth Jesus to be the Christ the last He is Antichrist that denyeth the Father and the Son The Adversaries make them both equivalent for in both is the same Object of denyal whence they infer that Christ and the Son are of the same signification but according to this Kule it may be concluded that Christ the Father and the Son signifie the same because in the first Proposition Christ is the Object of the denyal and in the last the Father and Son together Any one may see the Absurdity of such Consequences But because Christ to prove himself to be the Son of God speaks to the Jews about his Sanctification by the Father which Sanctification is the anointing spoken of by Peter †Acts 10.38 wherefore they would have that to be the cause of his being Son of God but if there was no other reason of that divine Filiation but the Sanctification and Anointing then the cause by the Angel given in ‖ Luke 1.35 Scripture were false So then Christ is called the Son of God not only upon the account of his extraordinary Birth and of his kingly Office as Socinus saith but for being of the same Nature and Essence with the Father which that Text of John 10. is not against for in that place our Saviour doth not give in the cause why he is Son of God but only goes about to refute the Slander of Blasphemy by the Jews cast upon him not by an Argument à pari taken from equal things but from the lesser to the greater He had said v. 30. I and my Father are one thereby expresly asserting his Consubstantiality and Oneness of Nature with the Father whereupon they took Stones to stone him because of that pretended Blasphemy in that he being man made himself God which Objection he answereth with an Instance from less to greater Thus if those are without Blasphemy called Gods who exercise a divine Office in their ruling and judging of Men much more and upon a better account may Christ the Messiab from eternity begotten by the Father and in time sent down from Heaven into the World be called God wherefore there is no Blasphemy nor have ye any just cause of stoning me because I said I am the Son of God one with the Father The Name Son of God relates to the eternal Generation by and Consubstantiality with the Father therefore not a Name of Office but of Nature and Person and the Names Christ and Son agree as to the material in one Person but not in the formal the Name Son is by reason of an eternal Generation and that of Christ upon the account of a temporal Anointing to an Office In the mean while we retain the proper and literal Sense of the word and not the metaphorical till we see cause to the contrary And this we leave for them to prove how because Magistrates by reason of their Office are called Children of the most high therefore not because of an eternal Generation and Coessentiality with the Father but for his Royal Dignity the Lord Jesus is called Son of God To be short we have other Texts to prove how the Name God's Son signifieth some essential thing in Christ as that heretofore quoted Christ was made of the seed of David according to the Flesh c. the Flesh signifies his Humanity as doth Declared the son of God according to the spirit of holiness his Divinity for we see * Dan. 9.24 To anoint the most holy doth denote by the most holy his divine Person and by to anoint his Office of Mediatour So we have that of the Angel to the Virgin The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee and the power of the highest shall overshadow thee therefore also that holy thing that shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God The Angel's meaning is that in Christ's Conception the Power of God was necessary to the end he that was to be born might be called Son of God but if that Name had related only to the Office and he that was to be invested with it had been a meer Man no need of that Power of the Spirit in the Conception now the Angel calls holy that which it Essential in Christ he was holy before he should be born and that essential holy thing is called the Son of God The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth not that Man that was to be born not holy in the Concret but holy in the Abstract Withall seeing in Baptism the word Son doth not in Christ signifie his Office but his Nature for the Names Father and Holy Ghost do not denote any Office but Persons so in Christ it signifies his divine Nature not his Office All this may also be proved out of other Texts as this †John 3.16 God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son c. compared with ‖ Rom. 8.32 He that spared not his own Son but delivered him up for us all wherein God's Love towards the World and us is so highly comended which if it were only an Office laid upon Christ would come very short of that inflnite Love of God which as Paul saith * Ephes 3.19 18. Passeth knowledg and gives it the four Dimensions bredth length depth and height But to say that God spared not his own beloved and only begotten Son but deliver'd him to death this is Love indeed The same we may learn out of this Heb. 5.8 that though he were a Son yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered What Man is he that would sacrifice his Son to the Safety and Preservation of his Enemies Yet God hath done it
the meaning of a Text and we give an Interpretation different from theirs this Interpretation of ours ought to be grounded upon some other place of Scripture and we have reason from them to expect the like for neither they nor we must be Judges in our own Cause and Scripture ought to be explained by Scripture But a great general Fault in them is to force a sense upon the words that is contrary to the scope of the place and to the Analogy of Faith and to give unusual Meanings and different from the whole course of Scripture as we made it appear in several places and yet give no good reason for it nay sometimes none at all They must pardon us if we have no such implicit Faith as to take their bare word though they boast never so much of their strength of Reason We now know better than to approve of the old Saying Magister dixit ergo verum the Master said so therefore 't is true indeed in relation to our great Lord and Master we agree to 't but not so when 't is apply'd to any Man or Sect whatsoever We see by experience how commonly in these things one Depth calleth to another and when once Men are fall'n in into a wrong way the longer they go in the farther from the true one Hence it is that Errors in Judgment are attended with others in Practice That People that think they know all will also believe they can do all things as they are of opinion nothing is or can be above their natural Reason so out of Self-Love and Conceit they will easily be perswaded that nothing is beyond their natural strength Thus as they can easily know what God is so as easily they can do what he commands and such Pharisees will not question but that they may fulfil the Law they can repent and believe if they please for all such Free-Willers are of that mind yet of so many Instances I shall bring but one wherein the word of God doth confute and confound them indeed 't is one if not the main about Mens ordering their Carriage and Conversation in the whole course of their Life 't is called Steps for as we are Pilgrims and Passengers in this World so our Actings therein are in Scripture expressed by Walking Now our Adversaries will say their Actions are guided by their Reason against which I bring two Evidences without exception Father and Son both great Men and both in several things Types of Christ the Son of God for David saith * Psal 37.23 The steps of a man are ordered by the Lord And Solomon declares †Prov. 16.9 A mans heart deviseth his way but the Lord directeth his steps Reason indeed subservient to Revelation and guided by Faith is a good Companion but postponing or putting first last and last first and altering the order of things is in these contrary to true Religion The Prophet knew better than so when he said ‖ Jer. 10.23 O Lord I know that the way of man is not in himself it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps But these Matters of Grace I elsewhere discussed somewhat at large A Plea for Free grace against Free-will wherefore now I shall not engage in it Only in relation to what a little before I spoke about Comparisons I shall say how though we must lay no stress upon them in Matters of this nature nor screw up Consequences for divine from human things by reason of an infinite disproportion between them Yet notwithstanding that Disparity to convince some sorts of Men even among those natural things God hath not left himself without Witness in relation to the great Mystery about God the Father and God his Son grounded upon a Comparison drawn from the Sun and its Beams First the Sun in relation to the Beam is of it self and the Beam of the Sun so is the Father of himself and the Son of the Father Secondly as the Sun in order of Nature is before the Beam but in time they both are co-existent so is the Father in order of Nature before the Son though in Existence both co-eternal Thirdly as the Sun without Diminution or Division of its Substance or change in its Nature produceth the Beams so is the Son begotten of the Father Fourthly as the Sun cannot be seen but by the Beam no more can the Father but by and in the Son Fifthly as the Beam is never separated from the Sun nor can the Sun be without the Beam no more can the Son be from the Father nor was the Father ever without the Son Sixthly as the Beam is distinguished from the Sun so that the Sun is not the Beam nor the Beam the Sun so it is between the Father and the Son Notwithstanding the infinite Disparity in it this Comparison I have chosen as the most sit and proper to illustrate that adorable incomprehensible and incomparable Mystery after what the Apostle said of it when alluding to the Sun he calls the Son * Heb. 1.3 The brightness of his Fathers Glory The next thing I am to do is to shew how true divine and incommunicable Attributes do also belong to him CHAP. VII Essential Divine Attributes belong to Christ OF God's Attributes some are Negative as Infifinite Independent Immortal Unchangeable c. which remove from God all manner of Imperfection and though these teach not what he is yet they teach what he is not others are Affirmative as Eternal Almighty All-knowing c. these are not so strong as the others because they represent Things but imperfectly other Attributes there be as Wisdom Goodness Mercy Justice c. which in some Degree God is pleased to impart unto the Creature but these I intend not to speak of only of those that are essential and incommunicable to the Creature and this Rule must be laid that whensoever any of these Attributes are in Scripture given to God essentially taken they are attributed to Christ because he is essentially God as I hope is sufficiently proved But before I proceed something in general may be spoken about Divine Attributes The Attributes of God are those Proprieties whereby he makes himself known unto us and shews the Difference that is between him and the Creature these Attributes in God are not as Attributes in the Creatures for they are no Qualities nor Accidents nor Things different from the Essence or from one another according to the Rule that nothing is in God but what is God himself God's Infiniteness and Eternity are God Infinite and Eternal wherefore because we cannot comprehend God's Infiniteness Eternity Simplicity c. we say we cannot comprehend his Essence and Nature The Knowledge that is in us comes in by Parts and Degrees How then can we know one Attribute of God as may be his Simplicity and Absoluteness which hath no Parts For it doth not consist of any Genus and Difference Substance and Accident Power and Act
unto the Son of Man this could not be the Father and if any doubt should remain 't is cleared ver 17 18. for St. John having known him fell at his Feet he said not as the Angel see thou do not but he said to him fear not I am he that liveth and was dead which cannot be spoken of the Father who never died and these words I am Alpha and Omega the beginning and the end are spoken * Rev. 21.6 again and all the general Words spoken asunder in this Book are together repeated I am Alpha and Omega Chap. 22.13 the beginning and the end the first and the last and here as they began so they will end for they will own Christ to be the first because say they he is the first that shewed Men the way of Salvation But did not the Prophets and John Baptist before Christ was manifested and preached the Gospel shew Men the way of Salvation Which way did Patriarchs Prophets and Miartyrs go to Heaven and could be saved if they had not known the way to Salvation before Christ began to preach the Gospel And were not after his Ascension many things conducing to the way of Salvation declared by his Apostles If he be the first only because he first taught Men the way to Glory and Immortality he being the last as well as the first must also be the last to enter into it which how false it is let the Enemies themselves be the Judges There is one thing more material to prove the Eternity of Christ which I must not omit for as what I have said proves him to have been before Abraham and other Patriarchs so what remains will shew him to have been before the World it self the words are plain * 1 John 17.5 And now O Father glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world began Our blessed Saviour never spoke to Men any thing but the Truth much more to his Father but most of all upon this occasion when he was about leaving the World and going to him there is a Glory which Christ desired should be made known to all namely that of the Gospel which is called the glorious Gospel and this Glory of Christ was effected in the Preaching thereof all the World over Paul alone published it †Rom. 15.19 from Jerusalem into Illyricum the Gospel certainly tended to the Glory of God the Father's Mercy being highly revealed therein and of this he saith I have glorified thee on the earth and as he had glorified the Father making known his Name and Glory unto Men which before had never been done to that degree this work which the Father had given him to do being over he now speaks for himself and now O Father glorify thou me with thine own self To be glorified with God is to be glorified with the same Glory which he hath in Heaven with God in the Bosom and at the Right Hand of the â—ather with an equal Majesty and Honour with the Father served by innumerable Legions of Angels which is a Glory unknown to the World this is a Glory which the Son of God had before the World was This Stile of Scripture before the World was signifies Eternity for there was nothing created before the World seeing in the beginning God created Heaven and Earth and every thing therein contained but John saith not in the beginning the Word was made or began to be but was had his being consequently eternal for beyond the beginning of the World there is nothing but Eternity time began at the Creation I say if Christ had a Glory with the Father before the World was then Christ was before the World for a Glory he could not have except he had a Being but here Christ says he had a Glory with the Father before the World was and we believe he speaks Truth therefore Christ was before the World this cannot be understood of Human Nature which he took only in time long after the World was created therefore it must be spoken of a Divine Nature for before the Creation of the World there was nothing but God Notwithstanding this positive Truth they give our blessed Saviour the lye and say he had no real Glory before the World was but only by a Decree and Appointment he was ordained to have a Glory Good Lord When will this People let the Son of God have his own They go about to rob him wholly or in part of every thing he hath Christ says not the Glory which thou didst decree or ordain for me but which I had was in possession of and enjoyed To have a title to and be in possession of a thing are two very different things we defie them even to give any instance how to have absolutely taken signifies to be appointed to have if after this rate Men allow their Fancies such a latitude as to forge new and unusual Significations to the words of Christ we can be sure of nothing Whensoever any one is absolutely said to have a thing it implys him to be at the same time for he that is not can have nothing 't is true we are said * 2 Cor. 5.1 Heb. 10.34 to have a building of God an house not made with hands eternal in the heavens and to have in heaven a better and an induring substance Believers are indeed said to have such things but when are they said so certainly not before the World was nor before they were themselves but after they are What is said also * 2 Tim. 1.9 of the grace which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began makes nothing against us 't is one thing to have something given us and another actually to have it the first is the act of the Giver the second of the Receiver we have not now really that which is given us till after we received it one may have a Place in Reversion which may be he shall never have Lands may be given me by a Will which I cannot be laid to have till I am actually in possession thereof as it never was heard of that any one gave any thing before he was so none can receive any thing before he is besides in the Text now in question 't is not simply said that Grace was given us but given us in Christ Jesus now this Grace is so given us in Christ that he must have it before he can communicate it unto us so then we cannot be said to have a thing when we have it not though we be appointed to have it These two things are different Who may say that Paul was an Apostle of Jesus Christ had Faith in Christ Charity and brotherly Love when he was an Unbeliever Contra rationem nemo sobrius cont scripturam nemo Christianus cont Ecclesiam nemo pacificus a Blasphemer and Persecuter To Socinians we may apply this Saying No Man may be called sober
Grave Victorious as coming from Bozrah in his glorious and red apparrel Isa 63.1 3. I that speak in righteousness mighty to save I have troden the wine press alone and of the people there was none with me No Angel or any other Creature was joyned with him in that work so that with his own arm he hath gotten himself the Victory As to the applieation of that purchased redemption it cometh from him in every part thereof as Vocation Adoption Justification Sanctification which contain spiritual life and every other grace and at last Glorification which in Scripture are all attributed to the Lord Jesus all but the last are wrought in us by the ministery of the word which ministery himself instituted Ephes 4.8 11. by sending Ministers he doth continue it and with his blessing doth promote and according to his promise will do so to the end of the world Resurrection from death is followed with eternal life John 6.54 1 John 5.20 both attributed to Christ who is called the true God and eternal life for not only he give life but also he is life nay eternal life for whosoever hath him is sure of eternal life As to the great work of our effectual Calling and Conversion that we may answer the call he first openeth our understanding Luke 24.45 Acts. 16.14 as he opened the understanding of his disciples that they might understand the Scriptures After he openeth our hearts as he did the heart of Lydia that she attended unto the things which are spoken by his Servants he also bestoweth all other means of grace upon us Acts. 5.31 Chap. 11.18 2 Cor. 7.10 Heb. 12.2 as repentance for he is a Prince and Saviour to give repentance to Israel such as is called repentance unto life and unto salvation without which we cannot be saved Faith also is his gift so intirely that he is called the Author and finisher of our Faith from him comes the beginning progress and perfecting of it this made his disciples aske him Lord increase our faith Luke 17.5 John 1.16 what Love Charity Meekness Humility Temperance Sobriety Goodness Joy Peace c. are in us Of his fullness have we received it all 1 Cor. 1.30 Moreover he is made unto us wisdom righteousness sanctification and redemption In few words he is our all in all Psal 87.7 John 15.26 and in him are all our springs he gives the Holy Ghost ruleth governeth and preserveth his Church These few things more I must add how it is clear out of Scripture that he is true and eternal God who is the author of Salvation and eternal Life for this the Lord the King of Israel attributes to himself to be his redeemer â—â—a 44.6 Chap. 45.15.17.21 and 43. â—â— the Saviour of Israel by whom Israel shall be saved with an everlasting salvation no God else besides him a just God and a Saviour all this undisputably spoken of the true essential God Now Christ is the King of Israel John 1.49 Matth. 1.21 1 John 1.7 Heb. 12.24 Chap 9.15 16. Gal. 3.15 that saveth his people from their sins and his blood cleanseth us from all sin he is the mediator of the new Covenant of the new Testament being himself the Testator which the Apostle denyeth to be a man's Covenant these several places I quoted to shew how under the Old Testament the true Eternal God delighted to call himself the God the Saviour and the Redeemer of his people which being one of the works proper to God and not only being attributed but in a special and singular manner being applied to Christ who is no better known by any name than that of Saviviour of the world and in him Luke 1 4â— Acts 4.12 Res 1.7 as in her God and Saviour the spirit of Mary rejoyced because there is no salvation in any other for he is the Lord our God by whom the Lord doth save us This I say to me doth evidence how he who under the New Testament is by his proper name called Saviour or Jesus must be if not the same person at least of the same nature with him who under the Old was pleased at several times to call himself the Saviour and Redeemer of his people But now being upon the divine works of grace proper to the Lord Jesus I must not omit one highly considerable and most singularly proper to God which is to forgive sins which our blessed Lord appropriated unto himself Luke 7.48 Mark 2.5 when he said to the woman thy sins are forgiven and to the man sick of the Palse Son thy sins be forgiven thee whereat the Jews were so startled and offended as presently to say Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies who can forgive sins but God only In that thing they were in the right to say that none but God can forgive sins but in the other they were in the wrong not to believe Christ to be God if they had all had been set at rights and their prejudice removed wherefore to convince them how they were in an error and that he had not taken upon him as a man to pardon sins but as God he presently proved his divinity by a miracle and cured the man he who of himself could work a miracle had certainly power on earth to forgive sins And as he is a Prince and Saviour so he hath right to give forgiveness of sins Acts 5.31 certainly he declares himself true essential God when by his authority he forgives sins and giveth others power in his name to declare the same as he did Now if to what hath been said we add that he is the resurrection and the life John 20.23 John 11.25 Chap. 5.26 v. 21. Chap. 6.39.40 Phil. 3.20.21 and that he that believeth in him though he were dead yet shall he live seeing he hath life in himself and quickeneth whom he will also all the Father hath given him and every one that believeth in him he will raise up at the last day wherefore our Conversation is in Heaven from whence also we look for the Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ who shall change our vile body that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body According to the working whereby he is able to subdue all things unto himself All these and many more which for brevity's sake we omit are sufficient evidence to convince any in whom the God of this world hath hot blinded their minds that Christ is the eternal Son of God of the same nature but to unbelievers he saith if you will not believe me at least believe me for the works sake John 5.36.1 for the works I do bear witness of me but alas all men have not faith for faith is a gift of God CHAP. IX Worship proper and due to the true God belongs to Christ NOW Christ appropriateth to himself all these and many more works that belong only to the true God to the end that
him are such things attributed as belong not to one of a different nature but to him that is one and the same with him what is added about graven Images is to condemn Idolatry and to take away all manner of excuse from Idolaters not only in those times when all Nations were Idolaters and also that abominable sin was gotten in the Land of Judah but in relation to other Countries after the coming in the flesh of the Son of God The other Text of Scripture is this Matth. 4.10 Deuter. 6.13 thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serve Which our Saviour quoted out of another place hence the Conclusion for the essential divinity of Christ is clear he that is religiously to be worshiped is the true God but Christ is religiously to be worshiped therefore he is the true God no command can be more positive absolute and plain than this to worship the Lord thy God that is the God of Israel for the words were directed to Israel whom Jews and Socinians do allow to be the only true God the latter part of the verse doth contain a general Negative him only shalt thou serve the word only gives the exclusion to any thing else or person whatsoever to say as they do to worship and serve him as God of himself will not serve their turn for they say God the Father is only such but Christ is a made God and by Grace by this God of himself they mean the first Author of all things but did they ever hear of a second Author of all things Is there a first Creator and a Second one Wherefore this restriction is idle and superfluous whereby all manner of Idolatry may be excused for both the Heathens and the Jewish Idolaters worshiped many things which they never took to be the first Authors and Causes of all the Devil himself desired not to be worshiped by Christ as if he had been the Author of all things for he owned the power and glory of the Kingdome of the world were delivered unto him Luke 4.5 6. But if the Lord thy God is only to be worshiped and served and Christ be not that Lord God why should he be adored O! say they when we adore Christ we adore in him the Father that hath given him so much glory and power by the same reason the Jews might have worshiped Moses who was so full of glory when he came down from the Mountain that they could not behold his face If they had a right notion of Christ's person it would be well to say that he that honoureth the Son doth also honour the Father but according to their impious opinion they adore a Man of a quite different nature from the Father the Father is God by Nature the Son by Grace the Father is from Eternity the Son only since the fullness of time one Creator the other Creature one the Highest the other Subordinate one God the other Man and both to be adored such a Son as doth differ from his Father more than any other Son in the world doth from his whereby they quite overthrow God's nature and confound the Creator with the Creature Let Christ be owned either to be true God or no God at all for there is no middle between these two We know God made Men but now we find Men Socinians as well as Papists take upon them to make Gods and worship them as such whether Wafer or Metaphorical 't is all one as long as they will not own them to be such by nature To talk of a Secondary and Subordinate God is a meer contradictio in adjecto a perfect nonsence the Jews would not deny him to be what he was being convinced by his works when Christ cometh will he do more miracles than these which this man hath done 〈◊〉 7.31 Whence they concluded This is of a 〈◊〉 that prophet that should come into the world John 6.14 Therefore they would come and take him by force to make him a King v. 15. and at another time They that were in the ship worshipped him saying of a truth thou art the Son of God Matth. 14.33 Yet for all this they still retained a prejudice Shall Christ come out of Galilee John 7.41 Is not this Jesus the Son of Joseph whose Father and Mother we know chap. 6.42 Is not this the Carpenters Son is not his Mother called Mary and his brethren James and Joses Simon and Judas Matth. 13.55 Thus Socinians cannot deny him to be God but must have him a made God Doth this hold any proportion or is there any reason in the case To come off with this the Heresiarch saith that the commandment of worshiping God alone doth properly relate to the time under the Old Testament a wide Door open to let in Idolatry 1 John 5.21 but certainly that precept doth oblige Christians as much as ever it did the Jews and I think that of all moral Commandments none belongeth to the times of the Gospel more than that of worshiping God alone and we are as much bound to avoid all Idolatry as ever they were They say when this precept was given they mean in the time of Moses then Christ was not but when it was made use of by Christ Christ was and also endued with Divine Power and Authority though they say the contrary for before he was tempted in the Wilderness he had been haptized and proclaimed from Heaven the Son of God the Spirit had descended upon him and when he returned from Jordan he was full of the Holy Ghost Luke 4.1 He was God worthy of divine worship when he made use of that Text against the Tempter Two frivolous things more they say first the word only is not joyned to worship but to serve as if a religious worship was not meant by this last as well as by the first though it had been joyned with the former they had never wanted a pretence to Cavil but if in the thing there be any difference Acts 10.25 26. I think 't is more binding with to serve than to worship for to serve may seem of a larger extent than to worship The other Cavil is we are forbidden to worship others that is say they after our own Fancy and Pleasure but Christ you are commanded to worship but here is no ground for such an interpretation for 't is simply said to worship and serve only the Lord thy God we own that here not only the thing but also the manner of it was forbidden but here is nothing to shew by what authority and name we are to worship others only the thing to do 't is forbidden To the proofs I have given to shew how God alone is to be worshiped I now shall by the grace of God joyn some examples out of the New Testament to confirm it with a demonstration of the practise The first is that of Peter Act. 10.25 26. whom Cornelius the Centurion
Essentially exclusively not to Son and Holy Ghost but to Idols and Creatures the word Father is here taken for God as 't is when said one God and Father of all and Abba-Father Ephes 4.6 Rom. 8.15 Also the Father of Spirits The words our Father are often taken for our God and Lord In those places the word Father is said relatively not to the Son Heb. 12.9 Matth. 10.21 29. Luke 30.32 John 14.13 Chap. 3.13 but to men whose Father God is The things in the Lord's Prayer asked and prayed for are asked of the Son as well as of the Father as the coming of his Kingdom the forgiveness of our Sins whence saith our Lord Whatsoever ye shall ask in my name that I will do And the words which are in Heaven do belong to the Son as to the Father and the Holy Ghost too as appeareth out of Psal 139.7 8. and Matth. 3.16 Nay as we said before the Son is called the everlasting Father And if we consider the Etymology of the word which in the Original signifieth to preserve all things we shall find he is a Father indeed by whom all things are upheld and preserved which the Holy Spirit within us beareth witness unto when our heart laying under the sense of some trouble or mercy doth on a sudden by means of an Ejaculatory Prayer either in thoughts words or both poure it self before him begging for help or giving thanks breaking out upon occasion into these or the like expressions Lord Jesus have pity on me or Lord Jesus make me thankful Thus I through the grace of God have under those several heads brought in proofs for our blessed Lord and Saviour's divinity of many more which Scripture affords I shall take notice but of few wherein he is properly and truly called God which to assert is the main drift of the word as it is the foundation of the whole Gospel for it was absolutely necessary he should be God by nature or else any man might have preached taught prayed given good example and made intercession as well as Christ and if he came into the world and dyed only to teach us good doctrine and give us good example he had done for us no more than the Apostles and Martyrs who taught good doctrine and gave good example so might as well be called our Mediators and Saviours If this had as they say been the whole work of the Mediator our redemption had been no hard matter to be performed But I say that his threefold office of Mediatorship Prophecy Kingship and Priesthood demonstrate him to be true Essential God for none of the three could perfectly have been performed but by a God himself As to the Prophetical to enlighten the understanding and effectually to turn the heart as to the Regal to defend Believers against the Power of Satan and as to the Priestly to obtain forgiveness of Sins favour of God and glory none of these could be obtained but by him who is infinite as in Power so in Nature there is an infinite distance between God who is infinite and every finite Creature no proportion between Infinite and Finite Scripture owneth nothing but God to be higher than Angels now Christ is higher and above all Angels Besides that the necessity of satisfaction to be given to Divine Justice doth argue a necessity for Christ to be God for the satisfaction could not have been adequate as it ought to be except he was God and this divinity in him doth prove the plurality of persons in the God-head which is the whole of the difficulty alledged against the most holy Trinity Certainly the great design of the Apostles and others was to preach Christ to be truely and really God Son of God whereby their Ministry was exalted this was the foundation they were to build upon Acts 8.37 The Eunuch must make this Confession I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God before he could be baptized so did every one else being converted to the Faith this in our Religion is the first thing to be known and preached thus Paul after his Conversion Chap. 9.20 the first thing he did was to preach that Christ is the Son of God for that was the great question the Jews denyed him not to be Man Son of Man but he went about to convince them how also he was God Son of God and he was by Nature God as certainly as by nature he was Man Wherefore he would raise the thoughts of the Corinthians from the consideration of Christ's humanity to that of his Deity when he saith 2 Cor. 5.16 though we have known Christ after the flesh yet now henceforth know we him no more after the flesh but according to the spirit not in the humane but in the divine nature according to which he is called by the glorious names of the holy one Act. 3.14 15. 1 Cor. 2.8 and the just the prince of life and the Lord of glory our Blessed Saviour who when he was in the world had so often declared himself to be the Son of God in a proper sense after his Ascension when he had a full possession of that glory as it were to confirm from Heaven what he had declared upon Earth in the Revelation he made to that disciple of his who doth so eminently bear witness of his divinity 1 Joh. 4.14 15. when he saith we have seen and do testifie that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world and whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God God dwelleth in him and he in God and not otherwise I say on that occasion the Lord Jesus from Heaven proclaims himself to be Son of God in the letter to the Angel of the Church in Thiatira with this glorious description Rev. 2.18 compared with chap. 1.14 15. These things saith the Son of God who hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire and his feet like unto fine brass Tho his enemies would not hear him upon earth during the time of his humiliation when through his Passive Obedience he was about performing the first part of his Priestly Office to satisfie divine Justice and make expiation for our sins I think now they should when he speaks from Heaven whence he exercises his Royal Office I know well enough how what I say about his satisfying Divine Justice through his death doth not affect his enemies who deny he hath given satisfaction for us but what can his intercession on in Heaven which is the second part of his Priesthood be grounded upon but his own merits through his Sufferings and Death he thereby hath payed our Debts and by vertue of that payment he asks we should be released but that point I intend not to meddle with in this place In the New Testament the name Saviour is as proper to him as that of Christ as indeed that of Jesus the same with Saviour was given him by the Angel and
was the Creator of all which is the reason given in the next verse why he calls him the first born of every Creature For by him were all things created that are in heaven and that are in carth And which is more at the later end of the verse all things were created by him and for him He created all things for himself which may not be said of any Creature for if he were a Creature he had been before himself And if we desire a farther explanation we have it in the following verse heb 1.2.6 and he is before all things And if we compare this place with another we shall find a sweet harmony in both he is called God's Son Col. 1.13 yea his dear Son in the first in both Creatour or maker of the World saith the last by whom also God made the worlds As to Creation so as to preservation for one saith by him all things consist and the other by him all things are upheld and the phrase in the Colossians the first born of every Creature is in the Epistle to the Heb. interpreted by this appointed heir of all things That is to be Lord of every Creature or whole Creation the first born is the Heir and Lord The Elder Brother or First Born is loco parentis Heb. 12.13 as a Father and so in the same Epistle behold I and the children which God hath given me Now the reason is clear and the consequence obvious Christ is before all things because all things were created by him upon which account he calls himself the beginning of the Creation of God That is the efficient cause which expressions are both joyned together as being of the same importance the beginning and first born from the dead Rev. 3.14 Col. 1.13 that is the efficient cause of the Resurection from the Dead These two places out of Colos and Heb. ought to be lookt upon as parallel one with another Now by the Son of Gods or the word 's making the worlds we have an eminent Testimony of his Eternal Godhead and Power for saith the Apostle he that made all things is God Heb. 3.4 So since all things were made by the Son he must be God Here I must take notice of their cavil against the place where it is said God made the world by his Son they would have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by whom to be taken for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for whom as if God had made them for his Son for his sake which is a down-right corruption of the Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not with an accusative to signifie propter but in the Genitive which never denoteth a final but always an efficient cause In the New Testament 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by is used about 600 times with a Genitive Cafe and in no one may be rendred propter for and so cannot be here and suppose it could yet it would be against the constant use of the word for which some particular reason ought to be given why such a sence should be admitted for which there is none in this place it also must be taken notice of how the case is not the same where Things as where Persons are spoken of What now I am by the grace of God entering upon is to shew how our Blessed Saviour had a real being before he was conceived in the Womb of the Virgin and my reasons shall be drawn out of the 6. chap. of St. John's Gospel where the matter conducing to our purpose is spoken of at large â—â—r Christ doth in several places thereof speak of his being come from Heaven and shall begin with the last verse wherein he discourseth upon the point because it will by degrees lead us back to the rest Joh. 6.6 What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before which words he spoke of himself to remove the offence which what he said about the eating of his flesh and drinking of his blood had given many of his disciples for he saith his words are not literally or corporally but spiritually to be understood for he was to leave the Earth and go up into Heaven where he was before out of which words we may easily conclude how Christ was in Heaven before he was upon earth this seems to be clear But however they will not agree to it Vers 32.33 38 50.51 Ver. 41.42 first they cavil about the place saying that by where he was before Heaven is not meant when in this very chapter no less than five times he saith he came down from Heaven which the Jews took special notice of and murmured at which truth our Saviour had before declared to Nicodemns and No man hath ascended up to Heaven but he that came down from Heaven even the Son of Man Joh. 3.13 which is in Heaven so that although in this verse the word Heaven be not named yet is so plainly described that there is not the least ground left for any one to doubt of it either for his Disciples or others for what need of his naming again that which he named so many times before There is a Text parallel with this Joh. 16.28 which doth explain it I came forth from the father and am come into the world again I leave the world and go to the Father To say he shall ascend up where he was before and to return to the place whence he came is it not the same and had he not declared at several times that his Father is in Heaven And if any doubt should remain 't is wholly cleared by the execution and when the thing was fulfilled at his ascension for while they beheld he was taken up Acts 1.9 and a cloud received him out of their sight But this not serving their turn but by these Texts being pincht to the quick to hold out they take another way which is figuratively to explain the words where he was before and wrest their proper signification into a Metaphor that is Christ in his mind and thoughts conversed in Heaven being taken up in Meditation with those heavenly mysteries that are there which were so present unto him that although he was upon Earth yet he might be said to be in Heaven this indeed is a way of perverting the sense of Scriptures but not a fair one But if so our Saviour would have spoken in the present is and not in time past was for as they say he continually was taken up with such thoughts if continually then not discontinued when at that time he discoursed with them But the word before doth import a relative opposition between the time wherein our Saviour was in Heaven and that when he spoke upon Earth besides that actually and really he was upon Earth when they make him to have been in Heaven meerly in Thoughts and Meditation which holds no proportion between his being in Heaven and upon Earth so then Christ
and wrestled with him when coming from Lanban he had passed over the Ford Jabbock that same I say was God the Angel and the Lord of Hosts This happened when Jacob and his Family were going into Canaan whereof the possession had been promised him and his Posterity upon the very borders he is met by his Adversary his Brother Esau who had a pretence to that Inheritance and therefore came against him with a power which of himself he was not able to resist which made him afraid as we read v. 11 wherefore upon such a tryal to strengthen his Faith and make him lay hold the faster on the Promise 2 Cor. 1.20 he in whom all the promises are yea and Amen the Son of God Jesus Christ appeared unto him in the shape of a man because in his Seed were the Promises made but this man in appearance was God in effect and nature therefore Jacob did solemnly pray to him for his Blessing in the time of the wrestling and would not rest till he had blessed him which he obtained v. 29 and in remembrance of this Jacob called the name of the place Peniel because he had seen God face to face This solemn meeting with much Comfort and Thankfulness Jacob remembred when he blessed Joseph and his two Sons in these most remarkable words God before whom my Fathers Abraham and Isaac did walk the God which fed me all my life long unto this day the Angel which redeemed me from all evil bless the Lads The God of his Fathers the God that sed him all his life-time and the Angel which redeemed him from all evil is but one and the same And the Name Redeemer is proper to Christ the second Person of the holy Trinity All these are irrefragable Truths which Socinians can effectually say nothing against tho' out of the Rabbis or Jewish Doctors Writings they have been screwing up whatsoever they thought might serve their turn thus they were not ashamed to borrow Weapons from Christs sworn Enemies But before I leave off this Point about Angels whether the Creator or created ones for the glory of the Son of God I must say how tho' these be called Sons of God mighty in Power and excellent in created Glory yet when compared with God Job 15.15 4.18 Isa 6.3 John 12.40 't is said they are not pure in his sight and he chargeth them with folly and they cover their faces at the brightness of his glory as not being able nor worthy to look upon t. And that place about Divine Glory as I already observed we know to belong to our Saviour who is called Lord and King of Glory because all Glory is in and from him as its true Spring and proper Center Psal 24 compared with 1 Cor. 2.8 Hence it is that at his coming into the World all Angels were commanded to worship him which was performed in their attendance on his Birth proclamation of his Nativity and celebrating the Glory of God on that account and afterwards declaring his Resurrection and confirming his Ascension even ministring unto him after the Temptation and when he was in his Agony And whilst Angels are called God's Ministers who ought to worship Christ the Son as their Maker Vnto the Son he saith Thy throne O God is for ever and ever to shew that there is as much and as great a difference between the Son and Angels as there is between God and Angels between the Creator and the Creature for indeed in that same place the Heavens are said to be the work of his hands so no comparison to be made between the Son and Angels the noblest of all Creatures The Name Elohim absolutely used is never in Scripture given to any singular Angel or Man which is the same as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with the Article by the Apostle given the Son so he is denoted by that Name as the true God by Nature And this same hath a Kingdom signified by the Royal Marks of a Scepter and a Throne whereunto Eternity is annexed for 't is for ever and ever whereby its duration or lasting is expressed so is his manner of administration with righteousness His scepter is a scepter of righteousness and to shew his preparation for that administration of his 't is said He loved righteousness and hated iniquity Now the Throne is not for the Servants but for the Son because the Kingdom thereby denoted is not theirs but his who indeed is graciously pleased to promise his Apostles that at the last day they shall sit on twelve thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel that is they shall participate only at the last day with him in his Kingly Power Mat. 19.28 and in some degree be made partakers of his Glory with an Interest in his Kingdom which he is pleased to give them in the mean time the Throne is not theirs but his Here I must take notice how for preventing many Errors rash and false Opinions 't is to be wished men would follow the Apostles Practise in this place who abounding in quotations gives us a Rule and an Example to do so for with comparing Scriptures one with another we come to be acquainted with God's Mind and Will in them for by what is spoken of Angels in one place and of the Son in another we are taught what to believe of him and of them They who follow not this Rule are apt to frame in their Heads hasty wrong and false notions about God's Mind especially in the matters we are now upon And what is it that gives the Throne of the Lord Jesus Unchangeableness and Eternity but his divine Nature The words of the Psalmist whence the Apostle draws his Argument do not belong to Solomon for the words O God do not relate to him nor these Thy throne is for ever and ever for he reigned but forty years nor to his Successors who went off the Stage at or about the time of the Babylonian Captivity We know how in some things Solomon was a Type of Christ but it doth not follow that every thing relating to the Antitype should belong unto the Type for 't is enough for the Type so to represent and shadow out the Lord Jesus that what the Prophet would teach concerning him should be spoken of the Type whereby he was represented for the Antitype is what the Spirit of God ever chiefly aimed at So tho the Type and Antitype agreed in some things in others there was a vast difference between them But that in this place the Apostle doth interpret those words of the Son of God Jesus Christ it appears out of v. 8 but unto the Son he saith Thy throne O God c. And 't is in that Party but vain and idle words to go about to perswade us that the Apostle did not say what he said and which is written for our instruction And with us they should take notice how it is said When he bringeth in his
take matter of Argument against us for they say thus The Doctrin of God ought to be taught according to Scripture but those Names are not to be found therein therefore not to be used I answer the major Proposition with a distinction If they mean it of the sence of Scripture we own we ought not to depart from it but if of the letter and bare words we deny it for in the Church is the gift of Prophecy and of explaining the word And whereas Hereticks are apt to wrest the sence and under variety of words to involve and disguise the Truth it is sometimes necessary to make use of new words to hit and refute their false glosses and interpretations in defence of the Truth As to the minor about the several words we say Scripture speaks of one God whence cometh Oneness or Vnity and Divinity is attributed to three Father Son and Holy Ghost hence is Trinity Jah and Jehovah signifie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 him that is so from Esse we derive Essence all which words we are not Authors of but received them from the Primitive Church which by a publick consent used them almost from the Apostles time to these which they reject when themselves would bring in barbarian words to signifie their erroneous notions as God Essentiating and Essentiated Apostolical God Emphatical and articulated God Author and God Executor and the like Thus they make themselves really guilty of such things as unreasonably they would charge us with They must needs have a very great opinion of their own abilities seeing they would make us forbear the expressions used by the Church for so many Ages and impose their new-fangled words upon the World 'T is in them a blasphemous Impiety and a damnable Slander to charge us with bringing in new Gods under such words as are made use of to explain Scripture and they know well enough our meaning thereof as we so often explained it these different words do not change the sense so may not be called erroneous and tho' sometimes there be Variety in words and expressions the sense still remaineth the same so we do not consider them as Popish or Antichristian Forgeries Indeed they make a ridiculous Objection Jehovah the Essentiator Father is of the masculine Gender but Essence is of the feminine therefore not to be used But to say something to the purpose they must prove that in the nature of things according to the Rules of Grammar there is a difference of Sex Of the like nature is this no abstract Name signifieth a Substance but Trinity is an abstract Name therefore c. But the first proposition is false for when we call Deity or Divine Nature we understand a Substance seeing in God all things are Substance and no Accident So by the word Trinity we understand three Persons really subsisting 2 Sam. 23. We find David's mighty Men of Valour to be distinguished by three and three But as to their exception against the fore-named words once for all I say to them Tho' every Truth asserted be not in Scripture in so many Letters yet if it be therein implied and by a good and necessary consequence thence derived 't is to be esteemed the Word of God as if expressed because in it contained Thus Preaching is the Word of God because deduced out of it not as to the words but as to the sense hence it is that Preaching produces the effects attributed to the the Word as to quicken convert regenerate and sanctifie when sometimes in a whole Sermon few Sentences are repeated word by word And in several places of the New Testament the Evangelists and Apostles do quote out of the Old not in the very words but accoding to the sense and scope of the place upon such a ground our Translators do render the word Hypostasis by that of Person and so 't was among the Primitive Church which word we find used in the New Testament only four times thrice in the Epistle to the Hebrews Chap. 1.3 Chap. 3.14 Chap. 11.1 and 2 Cor. 9.4 yet every where in a different sense Some few words more I shall add to answer some other Objections in order thereunto I say In the Deity there is an Essence which is but one in that Essence do subsist three Persons really distinguished one from another but only modally from the Essence which doth not make any fourth thing in the Godhead As there is but one Essence so these three Persons are but one God which Name God is spoken not only of the Essence but also of every one of the three Persons Vnity in relation to the Nature and Trinity in respect to the Persons One Essence there is without which there is no God but the three Persons are this one God in Essence who subsist in that Essence Father Son and Holy Ghost The Adversaries are in an Error when they think there is no real difference except there be some difference in number and Essence they would have a Thing and a Substance to be the same when that which differeth by reason of the definition from another doth also really differ from it God in one number and essence admitteth of no renting or division and they are not three bare Names the Essence doth not as the Genus contain three Species but it doth subsist in three Persons in which all and in every one is the same Nature and Godhead To own three Essences were to assert three Gods and we say that Father Son and Holy Ghost as to the Nature are of themselves tho' not as to the Personality for on this last account we own the Son to be from the Father and the Holy Ghost from both I say again how the Essence maketh no fourth thing in the Godhead as if the three Persons were derived from it as from a thing pre-existing or as if it being common to the three was really distinguished from the three these we never said but are against The Essence is wholly and entirely common to every Person these Persons do not proceed from the Essence but we say they from all Eternity subsist in the Essence and tho' we own a distinction between Essence and Persons yet they are not as a thing abstracted from the Essence The great difficulty arising about this is in the case of the Incarnation which is justly called The wisdom of God in a mystery 1 Cor. 2.7 even the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the world unto our glory The Son was incarnated or made Flesh took upon him our human Nature now the Father and Holy Ghost having the same Essence with the Son how were not they both incarnated We know the Person and not the Nature was incarnated but how the Nature which is wholly in the Son as wholly in the Father and in the Holy Ghost was not made Flesh 't is a Mystery that passeth all understanding This is one of the secret things that belong to God which we
in the Firmament But to shew the falshood of their Assertion that the Son is not the most high God let us consider the following things The Angel said to the Virgin He shall be great Luk. 1.32 upon every account and absolutely so according to the Character long before given of him by the Prophet and Son of the highest that is of the true God v. 35 compared with v. 76 Isa 9.6 and so according to that Divine Nature the highest himself it ought to be observed how the word of the Angel he shall be called the Son of the Highest is the same as used by the Prophet His name shall be called wonderful Counsellor the mighty God c. As in the Prophet by being called is understood â—e shall really be so it must be in the Evangelist he shall be manifested owned and really be Thus Zecharias said of John And thou child shalt be called really and truly be the Prophet of the highest and when he spoke thus he was filled with the Holy Ghost and prophecy'd v. 67 as Elizabeth was when she said of the blessed Virgin Whence is this to me that the Mother of my Lord should come to me v. 41 43. How could he according to the flesh be her Lord before he was born In the second place seeing I already proved Jesus Christ to be Jehovah it necessarily follows he is the most high God Psal 33.18 for he whose name alone is Jehovah is the most high over all the earth Also I proved him to be he whom the People provoked in the Wilderness and Scripture calls him the most high whom they provoked in the wilderness The proper Son of God is God the Son of the Highest is the Highest And the words of Psal 107.11 Psal 78.17 56. do belong to the People in the Wilderness who rebelled against the word of God and contemned the counsel of the most high They would make use against us of that place where when Melchisedes blessed Abraham God is called the most high God whereby they would confine that Title only to the Person of the Father which before I refute I must by the by take notice how the word most high is thrice mentioned in three Verses Gen. 14.18 19 20. to shew how the Blessing upon Abraham was the Work of the three Persons in the Godhead as all three meet in the Conception of Christ in the blessed Virgin 's Womb and in his Baptism The same high God in whose name Melchisedec blessed Abraham is the same who called Abraham received him into favour and at that time had given him Victory over four Kings as it appears out of the place Now that most high God who called Abraham is the same as made a Covenant with him who afterwards commanded him to sacrifice his Son to himself who is that same Angel as before we have taken notice of who is called the Lord himself and upon that occasion said to him Gen. 22. By my self have I sworn saith the Lord that in blessing I will bless thee and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed Now the Apostle teaches that not only the Father but also the Son is Author of that Covenant when he saith The Testament or Covenant Heb. 9.16 was confirmed by the death of the Testator And I would have them to tell me who besides Christ hath with his Death and Blood sealed and confirmed that Covenant certainly none but that God that was manifest in the flesh Act. 20 28. that same God who hath purchased his Church with his own blood So that Melchisedec by the name of most high meant the Son as well as the Father who cannot be separated for as Scriptures bear witness the Son is always in the Father therefore every where in the Word of God the name most high is spoken of Father Son and Holy Ghost which with that of God of Gods and Lord of Lords is essentially taken and excludes indeed Creatures but never Son and Holy Ghost whom it doth truly and properly belong to Now we are come to the Objections that are directly against the Divinity of the Person of Christ which must be answered and in order to it we must here premise something which before we gave a hint of how the word God is taken in two senses first properly then metaphorically and the name God doth properly signifie the true God Now he is the only true God who essentially and by nature is such for every thing is called true by its nature as true Man true Gold true Silver c. as said before from the nature of Man of Gold and of Silver so that if only it be like a Man and like Gold then 't is neither true Man nor true Gold for simile non est idem the thing like is not the same If the true God be he that hath Gods Nature and Essence certainly he is the high and independent God seeing Divine Essence is in itself Chief and Independent Now secondly and improperly or metaphorically are they called Gods that in something are like God by participation and likeness as Moses was to Pharaoh so Angels and Men but these metaphorical Gods may not be called true God nor worshipt as such that which is somewhat like a thing may never be called the same thing Thus I do premise in opposition to Socinus's Notion how in Scripture the word God is taken for the high God independent from any other and for him who by the chief God is in some manner made partaker of the Divinity In the first sense God is God the Father called one in the second is Christ and some other Men he because of his Sanctification and being sent into the World where Christ as he would have it doth not affirm himself to be God but with dependency that is a titular a made and coined God as by vertue of that Sanctification and Mission when that very Sanctification and sending into the World shew him to be true God Joh 10.36 for in the place is meant that Sanctification which preceded his coming into the World for the Father sanctified first and then sent him which belonged to him not as a Man but had it before he was Man and before he came into the World for he saith first he was sanctified by the Father and then afterwards sent into the World that is he became Man for before he was made flesh he had been sanctified by the Father that is appointed and constituted Mediator and Head of the Church but Mediator he could not be except he were true eternal God As to his being sent into the World that also sheweth that his Being is not of this World but from above from Heaven whence he was sent into the World from the Bosom of the Father which argueth him to be above Man and to have had a Being before he was made Man for he was the Son of God in Heaven he was not Man but
other but Divine as it appeareth of what Scripture saith sacrifice and offering thou wouldst not Heb. 10.5 but a body hath thou prepared me He certainly need have had a Being before this natural Body was prepared for him me then he was a Person before the Body This Inferiority must be understood of his Person in that voluntary humiliation of his in his state of exinanition yet this his being inferiour to the Father in respect of his Humanity doth not at all take away the equality between him and the Father in relation to his divine Nature for he is the Word Son of God tho' when he was made Flesh he was made that which he was not before with assuming human and mortal Nature yet he still remained that which he was before namely God blessed for ever there was no addition diminution or alteration in his divine Nature but continued the same Person of the most holy Trinity begotten of the Father from all Eternity Christ is less than the Father in respect to his Office of Mediatour We are in Covenant with God not upon our account but upon that of Câ—â—â—st who is thus become the Head of all Men that are in covenant with God and in relation to this he is called the Mediatour of the New Testament Heb. 9.15 wherefore we must observe how in Scripture the Lord Jesus is said to be made Lord and Châ—ist Acts 2.36 but never said to be made God which things are very different for by Nature God is Lorâ— but Christ by Will and Appointment in respect of his Personal Dominion and of the Oeconomical Kingdom belonging to his Mediatorship He is God absolutely but Lord and Christ relatively unto us God essentially and Christ accidentally In this last sense he was anointed with that Oyl and Gifts of the Holy Ghost for in the other sense he wanted no such thing he was not anointed simply as God but as Christ a Prophet a Priest and a King for our sake and for our good And all places in Scripture wherein the Father is said to be greater than Christ to be the Head of Christ to have made Christ Lord to have exalted and anointed him and the like ought to be taâ—â—en in this sense that is in regard of his human Nature and Mediatorship and not as to the divine for when this is spoken of our Saviour himself saith I and my Father are one John 10.30 there is no difference either in Nature or Power After this manner also is to be understood that place John 5.22 27. wherein the Father is said to have committed all judgment unto the Son and given him authority to execute judgment because he is the Son of man which hath a relation to his Office of Mediatorship in the Government of the Church and Judgment over the Enemies thereof His essential Kingdom he hath of himself but this dispensatory one from the Father not because he is the Son of God but because he is the Son of Man which reason tends to breed in us Comfort and Assurance in that we are to be judged by a Man one who having taken our Nature with its Infirmities Sin excepted will compassionate us for he was tempted as we are and in human Judgments 't is a Privilege to be â—ry'd by his Peers and Equals that is of the same â—ank and condition with us In this sense ought also to be taken the place where it is said The Son also shall be subject unto him that put all things ander him 1 Cor. 15.28 and deliver up the Kingdom into his hands the Kingdom of ruling governing and preserving of the Church This giving or dellvering up of the Kingdom is no sign of inequality for as the Son is to give it up to the Father so the Father gave it up to him without any diminution of his Power neither shall the Son receive any diminution of his he shall deliver it in a perfect Oeconomical administration having overcome all Enemies and brought all his Elect to be crowned with Glory so there will be no more to do no need of being a King in that respect By the words Then shall the Son himself be subicel is to be understood the account he is to give of his administration thereof and this is a kind of subjection which shall be swallowed up in that perfect Happiness wherein God will be all in all no more Enemies to fight no more need of a Mediator But for their last gasp they reserve a frivolous and insignificant Exception for some of them say our Arguments are not coherent sometimes we plead for Unity at other times for a Trinity but we form our Arguments according to the nature of the Matters and the Principles of those whom we do dispute against Against the Gentiles and Heathens we prove That there is but one true God against the Jews That besides God the Father there is also another Person namely the Son of God who is also true God We are to deal against several Adversaries to this truth Arrians Sabellians Samosatenians Socinians Tritheists c. and accordingly we frame our Arguments suitably with the Principles of those whom we dispute against If I deal against Gentiles my Arguments must not be drawn out of Scripture which they receive not but from natural Reason and out of the Writings of their Philosophers and other Authors as St. Paul did in Athens Acts 17.28 So if against Samaritans I must argue only out of the Pentatench or five Books of Moses If against Jews only out of the Old Testament because they own not the New and so of the rest This is the substance of what they say in opposition to these Heavenly Truths which to compass they are not ashamed to wrest Scriptures to force upon them a sense contrary to the Design of the Spirit of God and to the Analogy of Faith and in order to form a detestable System whereby they do what they can to overthrow the whole foundation of our holy Religion not only they for many Years rack'd their own Brains to extract all the Poyson which Satan could infuse and 〈◊〉 â—own natural Corruption suggest but also called for Help upon the most infamous and abominable Hereticks that ever were in the Christian World and out of all made a Quintessence of all that erroneously impiously or blasphemously can be forg'd or said against the Divine Nature Attributes Persons and Grace of God Yet not wholly trusting to this they have set up a Diana a God-Idol of their own even their own natural Reason that where abusing Scripture cannot serve the turn their unreasonable Imaginations may do 't wherein they seem to scorn being guided by the Word of God where it doth not answer their Ends but divine things must not be measured by our shallow Capacity And if we believe Scripture to be the Word of God then we must receive that which God teaches us therein and we must not