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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
earth_n	creature_n	heaven_n	world_n	8,020	5	4.5844	4	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A82528	A friendly debate on a weighty subject: or, a conference by writing betwixt Mr Samuel Eaton and Mr John Knowles concerning the divinity of Iesus Christ: for the beating out, and further clearing up of truth.	Eaton, Samuel, 1596?-1665.; Knowles, John, fl. 1646-1668.	1650 (1650)	Wing E121; Thomason E609_16; ESTC R205964	49,997	66

suppose will be silence Master Eaton's Scriptures and Instances THe Doctrine against Christ being God is not onely contradictory to the Scripture which doth most clearly hold him out to be so as when he is called God in Psal 45.6 Thy throne O God is for ever and ever The mighty God Isa 9.6 The great God and our Saviour in Tit. 2.13 The true God Joh. 5.20 and when the incommunicable name Jehovah is attributed to him in Jer. 23.6 which signifies one that hath being of himself and gives being to his promises and so becomes proper to the most high God alone and when he is called The everlasting Father Isa 9.6 and in that saying of Christ to the Jews Before Abraham was I am Joh. 8.58 and in that Rev. 1.8 I am Alpha and Omega the Beginning and the End saith the Lord which was is and which is to come the Almighty and when he is said to be in the beginning and to be with God and to be God Joh. 1.1 and when it is said that by him all things were made and without him nothing is made that was made and when Christ saith that he is always and so with all the faithful to the end of the world Matth. 28.20 and when he asserts that he knew all the works of the Churches which at that distance as meer man he could not do Rev. 2.2 and when he is said to be the first-born of every creature where his eternal generation is held out Col. 1.15 and that by him all things were created vers 16. Now because Creation is a making of all things out of nothing and required an infinite power God could make use of no instrument inasmuch as God cannot give an infinite power to any creature because no creature is capable of such a divine attribute for it would make him God to be almighty or to be infinite in power And when he is resembled in reference to his eternity to Melchizedek Without beginning of days or end of life Heb. 7.3 and that in Prov. 8.22 The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way saith Christ Before his works of old I was set up from everlasting vers 30. Then was I by him as one brought up with him c. And that in Zech. 13.7 Awake O sword against my Shepherd against the man that is my fellow And that in Joh. 3.13 No man hath ascended up into heaven but he that came down from heaven even the Son of man that is in heaven And that in Joh. 17.5 Glorifie me O Father with that glory I had with thee before the world was There be many other pregnant Scriptures which would be too long to mention for the proving of Christ to be God in that sence which we usually speak of God and therefore that opinion that denies it contradicts these Scriptures But further it may be truely said that this Doctrine that makes Christ a meer creature brings in as it were another Gospel destroys the true Gospel in many of the parts of it and brings in another Scripture in many points 1. As first if Christ be but a meer creature and not God then the giving of Divine worship and honour and service to a meer creature is lawful and warrantable and yet everywhere forbidden in reference to any creature but is practised to Christ in Rev. 5.12 13 14. and would be Idolatry if Christ were not God 2. If Christ be a meer creature then it is lawful and warrantable to believe in a meer creature which is against the tenour of the whole Scripture but is commanded in reference unto Christ Joh. 14.1 and salvation is annexed to it Joh. 3.36 3. If Christ be but a meer creature then faith in a meer creature can save man which is absurd and gross and contrary to the Scriptures for Abraham believed God and it was accounted to him for righteousness Rom. 4.3 and so was saving 4. If Christ be but a meer creature then a meer creature is the Saviour of men saving them with a mighty and eternal salvation as the Scripture speaks but this is against the whole current of the Gospel which speaks of God our Saviour Tit. 2.10 13 and in many other places 5. If Christ be but a meer creature then a meer creature is Mediator betwixt God and Man which cannot be because a meer creature is no way meet to be a days-man for God and because a Mediator must either partake of both God and Man or of neither else he will rather be a party then a Mediator if he partake of Mans nature and not of Gods if he be Man and not God Therefore this Mediator betwixt God and Man is called Emmanuel that is God with us or God in our nature God manifested in the flesh 1 Tim. 3.16 or God made flesh as in Joh. 1.14 6. If Christ be but a meer creature then the righteousness of Christ which is imputed to believers is not the righteousness of God but the righteousness of a meer creature But this is against the tenour of the Scripture Phil. 3.9 7. If Christ be but a meer creature then to pardon sin belongs not to him because Scripture testifies that none can forgive sin but God because all sin is against God therefore none can forgive it but God But it is evident Christ took the authority of forgiving sin Son saith Christ thy sins are forgiven thee and Luke 7.48 8. If Christ be but a meer creature then the value of that offering which Christ offered when he offered himself to God is taken away and the satisfaction which Christ gave to Divine justice is destroyed for if the person that died were a meer man and the blood that was shed the blood of a meer man and not of God as it is called Acts 20.28 then how could it satisfie for the sins of many transgressors for there is no proportion betwixt one meer man dying for sins and many men sinning and deserving death each of them for the sins they have committed And how an infinite Justice offended should be satisfied with a sacrifice finite in value is unconceiveable and against the tenour of the Scripture 9. If Christ be a meer creature then the intercession of Christ is utterly overthrown for Christ if meer man being in heaven cannot know the state of his Church in all places upon earth therefore cannot intercede for it 10. If Christ be a meer creature then how can he protect and defend and save and direct and rule and govern his Church in all the world in every condition and against all enemies he being at such a distance and remoteness from the Church and yet it is said of him that he is able to save to the utmost those that come to God by him Heb. 7.25 and that he is with them to the end of the world and Christ stood by Paul and strengthned him in suffering Acts 23.11 and Rev. 3.10 Because thou hast kept the word of my patience I

proportion betwixt one meer man dying for sin and many men sinning and deserving death each of them for the sins they have committed And how an Infinite Justice offended should be satisfied with the sacrifice finite in value is unconceivable and against the tenure of the Scripture Answ Considering the words of this Instance with its scope we may draw up this Argument That Doctrine which takes away the value of Christs offering and destroys the satisfaction which he gave to Divine Iustice brings in as it were another Gospel c. But that Doctrine which makes Christ a meer creature doth so Therefore I shall grant the Major but how prove you the Minor You would confirm your Doctrine by asking two Queries 1. If Christ was say you a meer creature then who could he satisfie for the sins of many transgressours c Sir if it please you to consider Rom. 5.12 and so forward you may answer your own Query or see as good Reason of this which I shall now propound If Adam were a meer creature how could his sin make many transgressours If through the offence of one many be dead much more the grace of God and the gift by grace by one man Iesus Christ hath abounded unto many Rom. 5.15 Christ as well as Adam was a common person and therefore the Lord having laid upon him the iniquities of us all and he bearing the curse of the Law his Members are delivered from both the sin and the curse Your Second Query is this How is it conceivable that an Infinite Iustice offended should be satisfied by a Sacrifice finite in value What matters it Sir if it be unconceivable must it therefore be uncredible Doubtless in all Controversall doctrines you will not hold this for an Orthodoxall tenent In the Doctrine of the Trinity credit must be given to things unconceivable but the like liberty it seems will not be allowed in Christs Mediatorship Eut Sir the foundation you build upon is not a little questionable you take that for granted and so infer from it which you are to confirm Sure I am that not a few errours may lie under your Non-Scripturall-Language Ye tell us of an Infinite Sacrifice but what you mean by it and where Scripture tells us I am yet for to learn The Scripture tells us that Christ was made sin or a sin offering for us by taking our sins and bearing the curse But how this Sacrifice was infinite remains to me unconceivable If the suffering of Christ had been Infinite there had been no end of it If the curse had been Infinite man could not have born it being uncapable of any thing Infinite in the Infinity of it It is enough for me to believe that my Lord Jesus suffered for me whatever I deserved to suffer and that was the curse of the Law be that what it will There is a Scripture which I finde in your Instance and that is Acts 20.28 and I knew no fitteer place then the close of my Answer for it Sir I shall offer these few things to your consideration 1. That there may be some mistake in the Text. God may be put for Lord or Christ which if granted the words are thus to be read Take heed therefore to your selves and to all the slock over which the holy Ghost hath made you overseers to feed the Church of Christ which he hath purchased with his own bloud The Churches of the Saints are called the Churches of Christ Rom. 16.16 This conceit of a mistake may receive countenance from the possibility probability and facility thereof It is possible that the Scribe through carelesness or something worse might here put God for Christ There are two places one in the Old Testament another in the New which Willet conceiveth to have been mistaken by the Scribes negligence or something worse The first is Psal 22.16 where Caari signifying as a Lion is put for Caru they pierced The other is Rom. 12.11 we have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 time for Lord Also it is probable that here is a mistake for as Grotius observes many Copies have Lord and the Syriack Christ not God Lastly it was easie to mistake taking one for the other from that compendious writing which was anciently much in use where for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they wrote onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. But in the next place if it be proved that there is no mistake in the Text yet there may be a defect in the words For the last clause some Greek copies thus have it which he hath purchased with the blood of his own and so the word Son is to be understood with the blood of his own Son 3. Last of all if both these may bee removed yet the words may have another meaning then what you and many others allot to them Christs blood may be said to be Gods own blood in way of eminency it being more excellent by farre then the blood of the Legall Sacrifices In the old Testament tall trees are called Cedars of God the like Phrases are frequently there to be found And the New Testament is not wholly a stranger to the like Phrases In this sence Christ is called the Lamb of God Joh. 1.36 because he was far more excellent then either the Paschall Lamb or any other Lamb which was to be slain in way of Sacrifice under the Leviticall Priesthood The Divine Authour to the Hebrewes speaking both of the blood of legall sacrifices and of Christ Jesus preferres the blood of Christ far before all other blood that was shed for the expiation of sinne Heb. 9.13.14 Now I hasten to your ninth substance which is this Instance 1 If Christ be a meere creature then the intercession of Christ is overthrown for Christ if meere man being in heaven cannot know the state of the Church in all places upon earth therefore cannot intercede for it Answ Sir the reducing of this your Instance into an Argument will be sufficient to discover its vanity and weaknesse Thus it may be formed without the least injury to your meaning if your mind agree with the import of your words That Doctrine which utterly overthrows the Intercession of Christ brings in as it were another Gospel c. But the Doctrine which makes Christ to be a meere creature utterly overthrows the intercesson of Christ Therefore Sir to your major I yield the fullest concession being so much a friend to Christs Incercession Your minor brings in an high accusation but pray Sir how is it attended with probation you onely say that if Christ were a meere creature being in heaven he could not know the state of the Churches in all places upon earth and therefore if he were but a meere creature he could not intercede What must we again take your word for a proffer I wish a better for there is no goodnesse in that We have already been too long troubled with the word I say in

stead of proof What have you learn'd to measure the knowledge of him who hath receiv'd the spirit without measure cannot he as man know in heaven what things are done in earth Who told you so None but the man Christ Jesus can intercede it being absurd to conceive that God can interede unlesse it might be conceived that God hath a Superiour Now if the man Christ Jesus doth intercede for his Church he knows her state and why he may not know the state of the Church by a communication of power from the Father notwithstanding he be not God and man in one Person is a riddle for the unfolding whereof I would willingly plow with your heifer Thus I take leave of your ninth Instance that I may visit the tenth which because it is of the same value and in that part which I would deny it already answerd'd in my reply to Matth. 28.20 whither I refer you I shall passe it by and be take my self to examine the eleventh which now follows ●●●●nce 11. If Christ be a meere creature then a meere creature is the Judge of the World which is against the Scritpure for the Judg of the World is God before whom Abraham stood in Gen. 18.25 When he pleaded for Sodom Rom. 2.5 6. tho day of judgment is called the day of Revelation of the righteous Judgement of God who will render to every man according to his words Answ Sir this Argument will speak out the midd of this Instance That Doctrine which makes a meer creature the judg of the world is against the Scripture Gen. 18.15 Rom. 2.5 6. But Christ is the judg of the world Therefore that doctrine which makes Christ a meer creature is against the Scripture To your Major take these Answers 1. That in a sense it is false for Christ shall judg the world But you will say he is not a meer creature But what say you to the Apostles were not they meer creatures but what will you say if I shal shew from the word that they shall be judges at the last day see Mat. 19.28 and you shall hear Christ telling Peter that they of the Apostles Who had followed him in the regeneration should sit upon 12 Thrones judging the 12 tribes of Israel And are not all the Saints meer creatures Doubtless at that instant when you fram'd this Instance you had not in your mind what Paul speaks in 1 Cor. 6.2 3. Do ye not know saith he that the Saints shall judge world and if the world shall be judged by you are ye unworthy to judg the smallest matters Know ye not that we shall judge Angels 2. That in a sense it is true no creature can be as God is the judg of the world for God is Principal in the judgment being both the Alpha Omega of it deriving his power frō none being the original of al power Thus you may see that your Proposition is and is not true I pray for the future make distinctions where need requires Now for your Minor that Christ is the judge of the world Sure you take this for a granted truth that no proof is brought to confirm it I shall grant it What then Will your design of drawing up the Conclusion prosper nothing less For it hath been brought to light that meer creatures shall be Judges of the world Wherefore if you cannot from evident scriptures demonstrate this That Jesus Christ is Principall in judging the world deriving from none his power of judgment you will doe nothing to purpose But Sir that I may preserve you from such an endless labour I shalll ay down these Propositions which also will spoil your present Market Propos 1. That the most High God who is the worlds Principall judg will not immediately but by a Delegat judg the world In Acts 17.31 the Apostle tels us That God hath appointed a day in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained whereof he hath given assurance unto all men in that he hath raised him from the dead In Iohn 5.22 Christ thus speaks The Father judgeth no man but hath committed all Iudgment to the Son Christ must raign till all enemies are put under his feet and when all things shall be subdued to him then shall the Son also himself be subject to the Father that God may be all in all 1 Cor. 15.28 That Jesus Christ is a subordinate Judg in reference unto God the supream Judg but superintendent in reference to the Saints his assessors in judgment That Christ is not the supream Judg is evident from these Scriptures In Acts 10. Peter shews that the Apostles were commanded of God to preach unto the people and to testifie That Iesus Christ is ordained of God to be Iudg of quick and dead Christ when he comes shall be sent Acts 3.20 and shall come in the glory of the Father as Viceroy and Lord Deputy Mat. 16.27 The Father hath given him authority to execute Judgement Io. 5.27 And all that honour which shall be given to him shall be for the Fathers glory Phil. 2.11 J am now to deal with your last Jnstance which is like to deal as unkindly with you as the former If Christ be a meer creature Instance 12 then Prayer to him being now in Heaven is altogether vain and frivolous inasmuch as persons may cry loud long enough before Christ hear them at that distance but the Saints have been wont not onely to pray to God in Christs Name but to pray to Christ directly and immediatly in Acts 7.59 Rev. 22.20 Lord Iesus receive my spirit Come Lord Jesus Answ By the rule of the Gospel we are to pray to God or the Father in the Name of Christ Jesus You have nothing to countenance Prayer to Christ but the two Texts you mention Jf Stephen did pray directly to Jesus Christ his act might be warranted by the visible appearance of Chrise As Lot prayed to the Angel being visible That in the Revelation is no Prayer but an intimation of the Churches desire after Christs coming The like manner of speaking we have Rev. 6.16 which is no Prayer I cannot but look upon that as vain and frivolous which you set as the Walls and Bulwarks of your Argument If Christ were but a meer creature being in heaven we might cry loud and long enough before he could hear us I would only ask you this question whether Christ could not hear as far as Stephen could see Stephen could see from Earth to Heaven though he was but a man What will hinder the Man Christ from hearing as far Thus I have with much brevity though a considerable Volume might have been written concluded my answer to your Instances which are twelve in number after your own reckoning though they might have been fewer by many being branches one of another I have studied to forget your person and endevoured onely to discover the weakness of your arguing Whether I have done any thing to purpose I leave you to be Iudge when with sobriety and impartiality you are capable to examine And so in the midst of my many other occasions I have brought my whole Answer to a full period and have time to say no more but this that my desires are that the God of light and strength would be pleased to enlighten your eyes that you may rightly discern all things and so order your spirit that by modestliness you may breath forth truth in replying to him who is Sir yours whilst you are for the truth FINIS

will keep thee in the hour of temptation so that it is Christ now in heaven that keeps the Saints on earth which being a meer creature he cannot do 11. If Christ be a meer creature then a meer creature is the judge of the world which is against the Scripture for the Judge of all the world is God before whom Abraham stood Gen. 18.25 when he pleaded for Sodom Rev. 2.5 6 the day of judgement is called the day of the revelation of the righteous judgement of God who will render to every man according to his works 12. Lastly which should have been before if Christ be a meer creature then prayer to him being now in heaven is altogether vain and frivolous insomuch as persons may cry loud long enough before Christ hear them at that distance But the Saints have been wont not onely to pray to God in Christs Name but to pray to Christ directly and immediately as in Acts 7.59 Rev. 22.20 Lord Jesus receive my spirit Come Lord Jesus c. Master KNOWLS his Answer to the Arguments and Scriptures alleadged by M. Samuel Eaton concerning the Divinity of CHRIST SIR IT is a good thing as the Author to the Hebrews speaks that the heart be established in grace and to me it is an indubitable truth that unsettlement is sometimes the next way to a right and firm establishment For Errour whilst misapprehended is entertained in gracious hearts as a welcome guest and Truth whilst received hand over head by tradition onely is as a Building whose foundation is but sandy which holds up no longer then the waves and windes hold in Whether most Professors have not swallowed without chewing much of that Doctrine they now profess is not my work to determine It is enough for me with shame to confess that I have been of the number of those if any such be who see with other mens eyes and pin their faith as we usually speak on the Churches sleeve But having now through the goodness of God turned over leaf and learned a new course I am resolved to examine all things by the Touch-stone of Truth that I may unlearn what I have learnt amiss and hold fast that onely which in my understanding is good Upon this account being somewhat willing to make a scrutiny into the Common Doctrine of the holy Trinity of which in most ages there have been some scruples amongst men of parts and learning and exhorting others to the same practice for the abovenamed ends but especially reasoning thereof as one dubious therein I was suspected to say no more by you and others to be in Faith unsound and Heterodox Wherefore that the Common Doctrine might be supported you published a Paper and did cast the same into my hands which lying open to many Objections I promised being urged to present you therewith upon this condition That nothing spoken might be taken for my judgment To which you agreed and therefore I shall act freely as if I were in judgement directly opposite to you and shall desire that neither you nor others do conclude before I profess what my judgement is I was about to present you with an exact Epitome of the common Doctrine of the holy Trinity with Interrogations about it Arguments against it and seeming Contradictions in it but have forborn till I finde by a modest Answer to this that your spirit is able to bear Now ad rem to the business in hand which is concerning the Deity of Iesus Christ The Question is not clearly stated in your Paper wherefore give me leave to do it The Question is not Whether Jesus Christ be a God in Name and Office Nor whether the Father dwell in him but Whether he be That most high God whose Being and Actings are originally of himself That he is you assert but I deny and that for the beating out and further clearing up of Truth The way you have taken by Scripture and Reason to make good your Assertion I cannot dislike the truth is I like no other way Whether the Scriptures brought speak on your side and whether your Reasons have weight in them is now the thing in debate I shall begin with your Scriptures and with that first which first appears which is Psal 5.6 Thy throne O God is for ever and ever and the Scepter of thy Kingdom is a right Scepter Answ First that no Argument can be found in the text to confirm the thing you assert for though it were granted that this Psalm is a Prophecie onely of Iesus Christ which I shall not allow it being spoken according to a literal sence of Solomon the King to which Willet Pareus Hugo Grotius Iunius Cotton and almost all Interpreters do consent yet this Title God will not bolster up your opinion of Christ For the name Aelohim which here is attributed unto Christ is common with the most High to Creatures both Angels and Men. It is given to Angels Psal 8.5 Thou hast made him that is Christ a little lower then Aelohim Gods so in the Hebrew which is translated by the Author to the Hebrews Chap. 2.7 the Angels To men Psal 82.1 God judgeth among the Gods that is the Rulers of Israel So vers 6. I have said Ye are gods Likewise in Exod. 22.8 9. where the word is translated Judges Secondly that some Arguments may be drawn from this Psalm to deny the thing you assert Take these 1. He that is blessed of God is not the most high God For without all contradiction the less is blessed of the better Heb. 7.7 But this God Jesus Christ is blessed of God vers 2. Grace is poured into thy lips therefore god hath blessed thee for ever 2. That God which hath a God is not the most high God But this God Jesus Christ hath a God Thou lovest righteousness and hatest wickedness therefore O God thy God hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows vers 7. Therefore c. 3. That God whose authority is derivative is not the most high God But the authority of this God Jesus Christ is derivative vers 7. where he is said to be anointed by God that is to receive Kingly or Godlike power form him Therefore this God Jesus Christ is not the most high God Now I hasten to your second Scripture Isa 9.6 And his name shall be called Wonderful Counsellor The mighty God The ever lasting Father The Prince of Peace Answ These two Titles The mighty God The everlasting Father you dig out of the text and lay them as the foundation of your faith that Jesus Christ is the most high God To this Scripture take this Reply 1. That according to some mens reading those Titles do not at all belong in this place to Jesus Christ and after some mens expounding they appertain not to Christ onely Some Jews thus read the words And this is the name by which The Wonderful Counsellor The mighty God c. shall call him to wit The