it would follow that the Father had by that generation shewn him all things But that this is false appeareth sundry wayes first because it would follow from thence that all things had been absolutely without the exception of any thing been already shewn to Christ from eternity and that nothing more much less something greater could be further shewn unto him by that eternal Generation out of the Essence of God The Son had received the Essence of God himself and consequently also his Omnipotency together with all his natural Properties as indeed the Adversaries do believe But to him that hath these nothing farther can be shewn or a power of doing nothing can any farther be given to him no more than to the Father himself †ver 20 But Christ as we see manifestly affirmeth that the Father would yet shew unto him greater things than these which he had already shewn that is give him a faculty of performing greater works From whence it appeareth that all things had not been absolutely as yet shewn unto him Add hereunto that Christ being about to explaâ—n those greater works which the Father would shew unto him mentioneth two whereof the one is as it were subservient to the other namely a faculty of quickning the dead and authority of judging ver 21 22. But Christ afterward affirmeth that these were therefore that is should certainly be given unto him because he is the Son of Man ver 27. from whence it would follow that greater works were by the Father shewn to Christ because he is the Son of Man than by that eternal Generation out of the Essence of God which maketh him to be the most high God which overthroweth it self Besides if the Father by eternal Generation out of his own Essence had given that faculty of working to the Son he would not have given it of his own free will but of necessity For that generation is by the Adversaries held to be altogether necessary and consequently all things that are necessarily contained therein or necessarily conjoyned therewith And indeed it is necessary they should so hold otherwise that generation would not be eternal For whatsoever is simply from eternity is also simply necessary What dependeth upon the free will of God cannot be eternal because the free act of his will doth in time precede it Now Christ himself in the words ver 20. alledged by us sheweth that the Father did of his own free will not by necessiâ—y give unto him that faculty or as he himself speaketh shewed him all things For he saith The Father loveth the Son and sheweth him all things which himself doth as if you should say and therefore namely because he loveth the Son he sheweth him all things which himself doth as every one doth by himself perceive But whatsoever God doth out of his love towards any one he doth it of his own free will what he doth out of necessity so that he cannot but do it he doth not out of love Finally when the Father is said to shew all things unto the Son and that out of his love towards him it is apparent that the Son already existed when he shewed him and that he is looked upon as already begotten and not as one who is in that very act begotten But in that generation Christ is not considered as already begotten otherwise he would not be begotten but as one who is in that very act produced Wherefore the shewing was not made by generation The Distinction of Natures in Christ examined As for the latter answer which by a distinction of Natures in Christ laboureth to evade the force of our Argument because the Adversaries do most frequently make use of it therefore we must for once something more diligently examine it that the Reader may in the rest where the same answer occurreth be referred hither But forasmuch as the Adversaries commonly think that they have the Apostles for the Authors of that Description and consequently also of their answer in that the Apostles say that some things agree to Christ according to the flâ—sh Therefore in the first place we will shew how much the Adversaries are mistaken therein Then we will teach that that Distinction is of no moment to solve our Argument fetcht out of John 5.19 and other the like Finally that the very saying that some things agree unto Christ according to the humane Nature and others not doth as we will shew quite overthrow the Opinion of the Adversaries touching Christ To the intent therefore that we may dispatch what we first proposed of those places in which the Adversaries commonly think that they have an example of their destinction the first is extant Acts 2.30 where Peter saith that God swore to David that he would raise up Christ out of the fruit of his loins according to the flesh The second place is extant Rom. 1.3 where Paul saith that the Son of God was made of the Seed of David according to the flesh The third is in chap. 9. of the same Epistle where it is said that Christ was according to the flesh of the Fathers Now the Adversaries think that according to the flesh is according to the humane nature and that to this member of the distinction is tacitly opposed according to the Divine Nature especially because Paul when he had in that place Rom. 9. said that Christ was of the Fathers according to the flesh he addeth these words who is over all God or rather a God blessed for evermore when he seemeth not obscurely to afford the other member of that distinction namely according to the divine Nature But how much the Adversaries are mistaken in the sence of that distinction of the Apostles use is thence apparent namely that whereas those words according to the flesh do frequently occur in the Scripture yet are they never opposed to these according to the divine Nature but alwayes to these according to the Spirit which have a far differing meaning Thus Paul to run over those places only whiâ—h come nearer to our purpose in the same Epistle to the Romans chap. 4.1 saith What then shall we say that Abraham our Father according to the flesh found For so rightly if you consider the sence the antient Interpreter hath ordered the words Where you see that Paul saith Abraham was his Father as well as the Father of the other Jews accordâ—ng to the flâ—sh which every one seeth to be like this expression that Christ was raised up of the fruit of Davids loins or made of the Seed of David or to be of the Fathers * ver 11 according to the flesh to intimate that he here considereth him not as a spiritual Father For though Abraham was also the Spiritual Father of the Apostles yet was he not also the Father of the other Jews in general with whom the Apostle joyneth himself in this place For he teacheth both in the same chapter afterwards †Gal. 1.7 and elsewhere
are attributed to the Father Son and holy Spirit and of the Reason for which they are attributed unto them and consequently of the forms of speech which are used concerning them Last of all this also may be added Arg. 12 That no other is the most high God than he who was heretofore called The God of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob the God of the Israelites But this is no other than the Father of Jesus Christ Whence some of the more learned * Calvin on Acts 22.14 Adversaries write That he who heretofore would be called the God of Abraham and the Fathers is now by a proper title called The Father of Christ The name indeed or description is changed the person remaining the same Hence the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob the God of the Fathers Arg. 12 The Father only is the God of the Patriarchs being simply so called is manifestly put for the Father only Acts 3.13 for thus saith Peter The God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob the God of our Fathers hath glorified his Son Jesus If not the Father only but also the Son and holy Spirit were the God of the Fathers why is that God of the Fathers simply so called said to have raised his Son is Christ the Son of himself and also of the holy Spirit Why also doth the divine Author to the Hebrews that I may not mention others put that God who divers and sundry wayes spake heretofore to the Fathers by the Prophets and who is ever and anon called the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob or the God of Israel why I say doth he put him simply so called for the Father For he addeth that he hath in these last times spoken to us by the Son Did he not intimate that that God who in the whole Old Testament is brought in speaking and called the God of the Fathers is the same with the Father of Christ and that the one appellation is of no larger extent than the other Certainly he must be more quick-sighted than Lynceus who will discover in the Writing of that Covenant that Christ not to speak any thing of the holy Spirit was under the old Covenant acknowledged and worshipped for the most high God so great a silence is there concerning this matter But of these things hitherto SECT II. Wherein is shewn That Christ is not the Most High God that so it may be understood That the Father only is the Most High God IN the foregoing Section we have produced those places which principally shew and that directly that the Father only is the most high God nevertheless they do also prove that Christ is not that very God which we have undertaken to prove in the second place since it pertaineth to the demonstration of the former For if Christ and we will afterwards teach that the same is to be held concerning the holy Spirit is not that one most high God it remaineth that the Father only is he since there is no other of whom a Christian can so much as suspect that he should be the most high God But we have shewn that Christ in all those places is distinguished from that One God and therefore cannot be that One God For the same should be distinguished from himself And lest any one should think that he can here evade by the distinction of Natures we have shewn that in most places out of which Judgment may easily be made concerning the rest Christ is there considered not according to some nature Arg. 1 That Chrst is frequently distinguished from God which is not a person but in regard of his very Person which according to the Opinion of the Adversaries is that One God and the second Person of the Trinity as they speak But to those Reasons we think fit to add sundry more not that they may not or ought not of themselves to be sufficient for every wise and judicious man but that it may appear with how many and how strong props of the Scripture our Opinion concerning one God the Father is supported For by this means we hope it will come to pass that all wise men will not only discharge us from all fault of impiety and rashness in departing from an opinion received for so many Ages but also begin to wonder that they were dim-sighted and saw no clearer in so great a lustre of the Truth shining on every side and of its own accord darring its beams into the eyes of all and so understand that they shall he impiously obstinate if they shall purposely shut their eyes at so great a Light and dare to reject the true Opinion which we defend First therefore we will alledge those Testimonies of the Scripture and Arguments drawn from them which principally shew that Christ is not that One or Most High God yet do in the mean time withal attribute a Prerogative to the Father above Christ and that to him alone from which it may presently be rightly concluded that the Father only is the Most High God Then we will subjoyn them which do directly demonstrate only this That Christ namely is not the most high God CHAP. I. Argument the first drawn thence That Christ is most frequently distinguished from God AS to the Testimonies of the first sort and the Arguments drawn thence we will begin from those that are largely diffused and may be referred to the names in some sort either denied or attributed unto Christ of which we will in this place alledge but two The first is That Christ is in innumerable places openly distinguished from God simply put And that we may out of so great plenty of Examples produce a few which may put the Reader in mind of the rest How often do we read that Christ is called the Son of God elsewhere we see him called the Word or Speech of God the Image of God elsewhere we find it written that he was in the beginning with God was sent from God went out from God is the Bread of God that descended from Heaven was in the form of God and equal to God sate down at the right hand of God or of the Power of God was made Lord and Christ by God was appointed Judge by God Now it is certain that by the name of God in such places the most high God is understood How then can Christ himself be the most high God For it would be necessary by this reckoning either that there are two most high Gods he namely who is signified by the name of God and Christ and that Christ is distinguished from himself which all understand to be absurd The Defence of the Argument BUt to this Argument two things are wont to be given in answer First That by the name of God in such places the Father is denoted and that since Christ is a Person different from the Father there is no marvel that Christ is distinguished from God Next that Christ in
yea in the ninth chapter ‖ Ver. 7 8. of this Epistle That Abraham is the true Father of none but Believers and that they only are the true seed of Abraham to which the spiritual Promises of God belong In the same manner Rom. 9. where Christ is said to be of the Fathers according to the flesh a little before ver 3. the Apostle calleth the Jews his kindred according to the flesh tacitly oppesing them to his spiritual kindred or to his kindred according to the spirit Thus 1 Cor. 10.18 he commandeth to view Israel according to the flesh likewise opposing it to Israel according to the Spirit that is the Christian People for the People of Christ is the true and spiritual Israel of God Rom. 9.6 Gal. 6.16 thus 2 Cor. 5.16 he saith that he henceforth knoweth that is esteemed and approved none according to the flesh and if he hath at any time known Christ according to the flesh he now no longer knoweth him where likewise according to the flesh is tacitly opposed to that which is according to the spirit and is to be looked upon either in Christ or in them who are in Christ Likewise that place is very notable which is extant Gal. 4. where one son of Abraham namely Ishmael is said to be born according to the flesh ver 23 29. but the other namely Isaac according to the spirit ver 20. whereby is meant not according to the divine Nature but by the divine Power which for the divine Promises given before did intervene to accomplish his nativity compare ver 23 28. and Rom. 9.8 9. although the same Isaac if his generation be compared with the spiritual generation of the Christians not with the birth of Ishmael it may be said of right to be made according to the flesh Thus also Masters according to the flesh are fleshly Masters as the old Interpreter hath it Col. 3.22 that is such as have power to command only in things according to the flesh and this earthly life but not spiritual things And lest there should be any place for an evasion that very place Rom. 1.3 which the Adversaries think make for them doth confirm our Opinion For thus saith the Apostle Who was made of the Seed of David according to the flesh who was declared Gr. defined or constituted Son of God in power according to the Spirit of Holiness by the resurrection from the dead You see that these words according to the flesh are opposed to those according to the Spirit of Holiness that is the Spirit wherewith Christ was sanctified and that the discourse is concerning the matter whereof Christ was made the Son of God by the resurrection from the dead Concerning which we will speak more hereafter chap. 31. but according to the Spirit doth no where signifie according to the divine Nature neither doth the word Spirit put subjectively either alone or with some addition any where denote the divine Nature or Essence And the very word Sanctification in this place applied unto it may sufficiently intimate to every one that it is not here spoken concerning the holy Spirit the divine Vertue whereby Christ was raised from the dead and appointed heavenly King of the People of God and consequently made the Son of God by way of excellency For we shall see hereafter chap. 31. that oftentimes in the Scripture to be Christ or the King anointed by God is all one with being the Son of God from whence also may be understood another passage in the same Epistle chap. 9.5 For in what manner Christ is the Son of God in the most perfect manner so called in the same also is he a God over all to be blessed for evermore But he was made or constituted the Son of God in power by the resurrection from the dead wherefore a God over all to be blessed for ever more And indeed those words according to the flesh annexed to the precedent ones seem to require that the other members of distinction should in the following member * Or sentence be understood it is no hard thing to discern that what we would have is rather to be understood than what was according to the Adversaries Opinion to be supplied For these words according to the divine Nature would be childishly understood For this the Apostle must be imagined to speak Who according to the divine Nature is God over all blessed for evermore But when you have mentioned the divine Nature or Essence you have indeed already mentioned that which is annexed But the absurdity ceaseth if you understand that which we say the Apostle expresseth chap. 1. of the same Epistle namely according to the Spirit of Holiness I omit that neither Peter in that whole Sermon of his wherein he affirmeth that God swore to David that he would from the fruit of his loins raise up Christ according to the flesh that argueth a divine Essence in Christ but the resurrection and exaltation of Christ wrought by divine Vertue whereby he became the Son of God in the most perfect manner as we have already seen in part and will more fully shew in its place wherefore there is nothing in those places that may establish the distinction of the Adversaries But if there be nothing in them that may establish it although among others they seem most of all to confirm it it may of right be concluded that neither is there any else in the Scriptures that may establish it and consequently that it should not be applied to restrain so many places of the Scripture speaking simply and used to turn them from their plain meaning But now we must come to that which we have undertaken to prove in the second place namely that this distinction is of no moment to invalide our Argument drawn from that place John 5.19 or others like thereunto For first the custom of speaking doth not admit that what may or ought simply to be admitted of any whole should simply be denied of the same although it agreeth to the whole according to one part only and not according to the other For who for example sake will simply deny that a man doth eat drink or is fleshly thick tall or of a low stature because his soul or he according to his soul doth not eat drink nor is fleshly thick tall or on the contrary of a short stature Although the soul be the better part of a man and those things agree to him only according to the body But if Christ be the most high God it is to be simply affirmed of him that he can do all things of himself as was before shewn neither do the Adversaries who say that these words of Christ whereof we treat are to be understood of him according to the humane nature only not deny but rather urge it For neither are they wont less simply to affirm of Christ what agreeth unto him according to his better Nature than to deny what agreeth not
the Hebrews chap. 5.8 whilst without expressing his proper name he thus describeth him to whom Christ offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears namely Who was able to save him from death or deliver him from death For by that description he would distinguish that Person from the Person of Christ and withal assign the cause why he offered up prayers unto him and finally intimate what he did then so earnestly beg for himself But neither had he by this means distinguished that Person from Christ if Christ had been as able to save himself from death as the Father was to save him since common things do not distinguish but proper neither had he brought a sufficient reason why he made supplication unto him with crying and tears that he would deliver him from death CHAP. XVIII Arg. 18 That all things were given to Christ Argument the eighteenth drawn from thence That all things are given to Christ from the Father 〈◊〉 IN the fifth place Those passages may be alleaged where it is written that all things were given to Christ by the Father and that partly in general partly in special terms that is certain things given to him by the Father being expressed by name Whereunto belong very many places not only in John but also other Writers And for as much as we are citing the Testimonies taken out of John chiefly therefore let us begin from him principally because it is most frequently in him than in other Writers expresly writen that the Father gave something to the Son Thus therefore he saith chap. 3.35 The Father loveth the Son and hath given all things into his hand And chap. 5. Christ being about to declare those words whereof we have formerly spoken The Father loveth the Son and sheweth all things to him which himself doth and will shew him greater works than these that ye may marvel amongst these things he saith ver 22. For neither doth the Father judge any one but hath given all judgment to the Son that all may honour the Son as they honour the Father And ver 26. For as the Father hath life in himself so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself and he hath given him also power to do judgement because he is the Son of Man To which places as touching the Life given to the Son by the Father that other is not unlike which you find chap. 6.29 As the living Father hath sent me and I live by reason of the Father even so he that eateth me shall live by reason of me every thing that the Father giveth to me that is every man of an honest heart whom the Father draweth to me shall come unto me which in some sort he repeateth ver 39. and chap. 10.29 My Father which gave them the Sheep me is greater than all Chap. 13.3 Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands And chap 17.2 Thou Father hast given him the Son power over all flesh that every thing which thou hast given unto him he should give unto them eternal Life Ver. 5. Glorifie me thou Father with thy own self with the Glory which I had before the World was with thee For it is all one to glorifie as to give glory as it is of it self apparent and is also evident from ver 22.24 Again ver 6. I have manifested thy Name to the Men whom thou hast given to me out of the world thine they were and thou hast given them to me And by and by ver 7. Now have they known that all the things that thou hast given to me are from thee See also ver 9.11 12 14. and ver 22. And the Glory which thou hast given me have I given them And ver 24. That they may see my Glory which thou hast given to me because thou lovedst me before the making of the World The same John at the beginning of the Revelation saith The Revelation of Jesus Christ which God gave unto him This Revelation is largely related afterwards chap. 5. from the beginning unto the 10th verse And this cause therefore is added For he was slain and bought us by his blood and made us Kings and Priests unto our God Let the whole place be read as in a very lively manner setting forth all the business Moreover In the second chapter about the end the very Son of God saith He that overcometh â—â—d keepeth to the end my works I will give unto him power over the Nations and he shall rule them with an Iron rod c. as I have also reâ—eived of my Father Which very same thing he explaineth in other words afterwards about the end of the third chapter ver 21. Now that we may come to the other Writers of the New Testament who either expresly or with words equivalent affirm that something yea all things even the divinest of all were delivered unto Christ by God the Father First Among other things Christ himself Mat. 11.27 speaketh on this wise All things have been delivered unto me by my Father And chap. 21.24 he citeth concerning himself these words Psal 118.21 The Stâ—ne which the Builders refused the same is become the head of the corner this was the Lords doing and it is marvellous in our eyes Which place is also in part cited Acts 14.11 and elsewhere although the word Give is not extant yet is the thing extant which is signified by that word that is it is intimated that the Glory Power and Empire is given unto Christ by God Concerning which thing Mat. 28.18 Christ speaketh more plainly and openly whilst he saith All Power in Heaven and in Earth is given unto me Likewise in Luke chap. 1.32 the Angel speaketh of him thus He shall be great and he shall be called the Son of the Most High and the Lord God shall give unto him the Throne of David his Father And he shall reign over the House of Jacob for ever and of his Kingdom there shall be no end And chap. 22.30 Christ himself saith And I dispose to you a Kingdom as my Father hath disposed unto me For that disposal argueth a giving Likewise in the same Writer Acts 2.33 Peter saith Being therefore exalted namely Christ by the right hand of God and having received the promise of the holy Spirit from the Father he hath poured out this which ye now see and hear And presently after when he had cited the words of David concerning Christ The Lord saith unto my Lord sit at my right hand until I make thy enemies the footstool of thy feet He addeth ver 35. Wherefore let all the House of Israel know assuredly that God hath made him both Lord and Christ even this Jesus whom you have crucified And chap. 3.13 The God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob the God of our Fathers hath glorified his Son Jesus And chap. 5.31 Him hath God exalted by his right hand to be a Prince
and Saviour to give repentance to Israel and remission of sins And chap. 10.42 And he Christ commanded us to preach to the People and testifie that it is he who is appointed of God Judge of quiâ—k and dead Which Paul afterward doth repeat in part chap. 17.31 Out of whose Epistles that we may not be too tedious we will produce certain places 1 Cor. 15.27 He saith out of the 8th Psalm He God the Father hath put all things in subjection under his feet namely Christ But when he saith that all things are in subjection to him it is manifest that he is excepted who put all things in subjection to him Which he also clearly explaineth Ephes 1.20 c. where he saith that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ * ver 17. the Father of Glory did set Christ at his right hand in heavenly places far above all principality and power and might and authority and every name that is named nâ—â— only in this world but also in that which is to come and hath put all things in subjection under his feet and hath given him head over all things to the Church which is his Body And Phil. 2.9 Wherefore namely because Christ humbled himself becoming obedient to the very death of the Cross God also hath highly exalted him and given him a name which is above every name that in the name of Jesus every knee should how of things in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and every tongue might confess that Jesus is Lord to the glory of God the Father And who is able to reckon up all the places of the Scripture See among others Heb. 1.2 and so forth to the end of the chapter and chap. 2.7 8 9. and chap 3.2 c. chap. 5.5 6 7 8 9. and 1 Pet. 1.21 Now in the Old Testament besides the places which are contained in the Testimonies of the Writers of the New Covenant cited by us namely out of Psal 8. and 110. that passage of the second Psalm ver 6 7 8. is very notable I God the Father have set my King upon my holy Mountain Sion I will declare the Decree namely whereby I have been constituted a King for they are the words of Christ the Antitype of David The Lord said unto me Thou art my Son I this day begot thee Ask of me and I will give unto thee the Nations for thine inheritance and the ends of the Earth for thy possession thou shalt rule them with a rod of Iron c. To which is to be joyned that famous Vision in Daniel chap. 7.13 where he saith I saw in the night Vision and behold in the Clouds of Heaven there came one like the Son of Man and he came to the antient of dayes that is the eternal God before cited ver 9.10 and they offered him in his sight and he the Antient of dayes gave unto him Power and Honour and a Kingdom and all people tribes and tongues shall serve him his power is an everlasting Power which shall not be taken away and his Kingdom that which shall not be destroyed We wittingly and willingly omit more places Now from these passages it is evinced that Christ is not the most high God for none can bestow any thing on him much less all things since he bestoweth all things upon all But we see that the Father hath bestowed on Christ so many and so great things yea all things Wherefore Christ is not the most high God You might also frame more Arguments especially out of those places wherein the word give or bestow is not met withal but there is the same force of Argument as if you should say He that is exalted by God or glorified by him or made Lord and Christ is not the most high God The Defence of the Argument TO this Argument and the places of Scripture whereon it is built neither do all nor the same persons every where make the same answer For some directly seem to deny the Major as they call it of our Argument others seek refuge in distinctions For as to the former some say that even the * The first answer and its refutation Apostle doth affirm that Christ shall deliver the Kingdom to God even the Father 1 Cor. 15.24 In which place there is the same word that Christ useth Mat. 11.27 when he saith All things are delivered unto me by my Father Wherefore they say that something miâ—ht be delivered or given even to the most high God Again as Christ John 17.2 5. desireth of his Father to be glorified and so that Glory should be given to him so also doth he there affirm that he had glorified the Father and hereafter would glorifie him But first we will speak of such a Giving as proceedeth from the grace and bounty of the Giver for which cause we did in our Argument make use of this word bestow For such is that Giving whereby all things have been given to Christ by the Father For Christ openly ascribeth it to the love of the Father towards him in the 3d and the 5th chapters of John and chap. 17. he doth intreat for the Glory designed unto him And God in the second Psalm saith to the Son Ask of me and I will give unto thee the Nations for thine inheritance c. And Paul Phil. 2. saith there was bestowed on Christ or given out of grace for so the Greek word signifieth a Name that is above every name And the reason for which the power of quickning and exercising Judgment was given unto Christ namely because he is the Son of Man doth sufficiently argue that it was such a Giving as we have spoken of which very thing is evident from that place of Daniel chap. 7. and others like thereunto But that the giving whereby Christ shall deliver the Kingdom to God the Father is not such an one all men do of themselves easily perceive For neither can it be imputed to the grace or bounty of Christ towards the Father who needeth the bounty of none For that is such a delivery of the Kingdom as for example sake when a General appointed by his King to manage a certain War doth when it is ended lay down the Power that was given unto him and restore it unto his King who had hitherto exercised it by him that if he be so pleased he may hereafter exercise it by himself And all this is no other than what Right it self doth require in as much as the Power was given unto him by the King for the management of that War only In like manner Christ who hath received Royal Power from the Father to subdue his and our enemies and hitherto exerciseth the same in the Fathers name when all the enemies are subdued shall yield it up to his Father that is so lay it down that the Father may afterwards exercise it by himself and as Paul speaketh God may be all in all From whence also ariseth