be made unequall yet may one be preferred before or undervalued beneath another by some mens opinion or practise For as Arrius undervalued the Sonne beneath the Father in that he attributed unto him a Name below the Name of the Father And as we prove against Arrius that Christ is God equall with the Father because of the identitie and samenes and equalitie of his names and attributes with the Father being called Jehovah Sonne of God called omniscient eternall c. So it will be evidently proved by necessary consequence against these men that hold that opinion howsoever they positively deny it that they are in some degree in an extreame with Arrius preferring Christ above the Father because they attribute unto him a Name greater than the name of the Father Secondly They answer that the second Person though of himselfe he be equall with the Father yet in respect of us he is greater because of the worke of redemption which he hath wrought for us I reply This is a strange answer and very unsound for 1. the Scriptures doe every where as much extoll the love of God in giving his Son as the love of Christ in giving himselfe 2. This answer doth not agree with the Text for the Text injoyneth the bowing therein not onely to us men but generally to all creatures over whom Christs Name is advanced for therfore is every knee of every thing to bow to Christ because he having a Name above every Name hath also a Name above their Names Therefore if the Son have a Name above his Fathers Name by the same reason the Father must bow to the Sonne 3. By this answer they contradict themselves for when they be challenged that in bowing at the name Jesus onely they honour the Sonne above the Father they deny it and affirme that they honour all alike at the name Jesus which indeed they cannot affirme if the second Person be greater to us than the other Persons then we to whom he is greater must honour him more than the other that to us are not so great Even as to the supreame Magistrate in a Kingdome we give a greater honour than to those that to us are not so great as he Thirdly Thus it is answered that the name Jesus is a common name to every Person in Trinitie and therefore though it be above other Divine Names yet it doth not make inequalitie between the Persons and in bowing at that onely they honour all alike Now thus they goe about to prove their Assertion God say they was called Saviour before Christ was incarnate and Jesus and Saviour is all one therefore the name Jesus denominates every Person of the Trinitie 1. I reply If Saviour and Jesus be all one why then doe they not bow as well at the sound of Saviour as Iesus for their reason is the same for both 2. I affirme that they are not all one the word Saviour indeed before Christ was incarnate shewed what God would doe in the fulnesse of time viz. send his Son to be our Redeemer but it is no proper Name Jesus is a proper name never appropriated to the second Person till Christ was incarnate and some good Authors affirme that it is the name of his humanitie onely because given him upon his incarnation and he being called generally by that name in the dayes of his flesh and sundry men being so called as Types of Christ though if it be so it doe denominate unto us his whole Person God and Man because of the inseperable union of the two natures But Bishop Andrewes assertion here is very strange who affirmes that the name Jesus is the proper and chiefe Name of God but how can it be so when it is not the proper name of Gods eternitie but was given unto the second Person in time by reason of mans fall But the name Jehovah denotes Gods eternall Being and therefore is the proper and chiefe name of God indeed And how doth the Bishop agree with himselfe in that place For thus he saith The Person is taken out of our sight all that we can do cannot reach unto it but his Name he hath left behinde to us that we may shew by our reverence and respect to it how much we esteeme him For if the name Iesus doe denominate the Person of Christ as taken out of our sight then it denominates onely his humanitie which onely was in our sight for the Deitie was never in our sight But if it be true as he saith that Jesus is the proper name of Christs Deitie then in this sense he is not gone from us but is with us alwayes unto the end of the world Mat. 28. 20. and lives and dwelles in the hearts of his Saints Eph. 3. 17. Secondly It is absurd to affirme that nothing we can doe can reach to Christs Person because it is out of our sight by the same reason nothing that we doe can reach to God the Father or the Holy Ghost because they are invisible then farewell all Religion If nothing that we can doe can reach to Christs Person then the whole bowing can reach but to the Name none to the Person and to worship the Name without the Person is grosse Idolatry by their owne confession And how can these men affirme that they honour the Three Persons alike at the name Jesus when nothing they doe can reach to the Person of Christ Thirdly By the Bishops reason if we must bow at the Name of our Saviour because he is not present then we must not bow at the name Jesus which name saith he signifieth the Deitie which is alwayes present but at the name Christ which saith he though without ground is the name of the humanitie onely which is gone from us Secondly If Jesus be the proper and chiefe name of God then should all those that were called ordinarily by that name besides Christ be called by the proper and chiefe name of God which without horrible blasphemy could not be yeelded unto It is Antichrists impietie to call himselfe God 2 Thes. 2. 9. Yet worthy men were called Jesus and never tooke any offence at it and were never blamed for it Seeing then the name Jesus was given to the Second Person onely upon his Incarnation it cannot be the proper and chiefe name of God or of every Person in Trinitie and it no where denominates any other Person but the Second Person onely therefore it is a name peculiar to the Second Person onely Lastly This answer overthrowes their owne ground from the Text for if the name Jesus be the name of the Three Persons then cannot it be the name above every name in the Text for that Name is proper onely to the Sonne For 1. God gave him this Name and that after his humiliation therefore was it not a name naturally inherent in him as a Person of the Trinitie because he had it not before Secondly the Person onely in the Text that suffered received this
Name but neither the Person of the Father nor the Holy Ghost suffered but the Sonne onely Therefore neither the Father nor Holy Ghost received the Name above every Name but the Sonne onely SECTION IV. BUt the reason is naught why they prefer the name Jesus above other Divine names for signification sake because it signifieth our Salvation For who taught them to reason thus have they received it from the Doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles If they have they must shew where It is abominable to teach for a doctrine the fantasie of the braine but there is no shew nor shaddow for this reason punctually in this Text or any other Scripture This is answer sufficient but by Gods grace I will further encounter with it shall prove it a reason without reason indeed and to be of a very fearefull and dangerous consequence 1. If we must bow at the name Jesus because it signifieth our salvation then we must rather bow at the name Christ because this Name doth more fully and expressely signifie our Salvation than the name Jesus now these Jesu-worshippers doe not bow at the name Christ Thus saith learned Vrsinus Jesus est proprium nomen Mediatoris c. Jesus saith he is the proper name of our Mediator Christ as it were the Sirname For so is he Jesus that so he is also Christ i. e. a promised Saviour and Messias By both names his Office is designed but by the Name more summarily than expressely by the Sirname more cleerely and expressely for the Sirname Christ doth denote the three certaine parts of his Office as namely Propheticall Priestly and Kingly I will illustrate this further by this Similie If we should heare of some Potent King that he is become a great Conquerour hath atchieved a noble Victory and hath made a great conquest of his enemies hath wrought a great deliverance to his Subjects this Newes indeed is something but yet this generall relation doth not so much satisfie we desire further to heare of particulars therefore if it shall be declared unto us how the Battell was ordered how he disposed his Army and how the Victory was wrought when particular Circumstances of the Conquest shall be fully related by this means the Victory is more cleerely manifested and we rest better satisfied and contented a great deale more this way than before by the generall signification of it Thus it is concerning the Names Jesus and Christ The name Jesus doth but in generall shew Christ to be a Saviour But the name Christ doth in particular make knowne how he wrought Salvation for us For it denotes him to be a Priest to have offered up himselfe a Sacrifice for us and to make intercession for us It denotes him a King to subdue and conquer the enemies of our Salvation and to rule and reigne in our hearts by his Spirit It denotes him a Prophet to teach and instruct us and to make known Gods will unto us whereby he doth apply his purchased Redemption unto us In all reason therefore the Name Christ doth more fully and cleerely expresse our Salvation than the Name Jesus and by this their reason is rather to be bowed to than the Name Jesus Secondly if we must bow at the name Jesus because it signifieth our Salvation why then doe not they bow at the word Saviour which they make all one with Jesus which doth as plainely yea more plainely denote our Salvation than the Name Jesus being better understood of all SECTION V. TO hold that we must bow by the Text at the Name Jesus because it signifieth our Salvation will admit this dangerous consequence for either it will overthrow the bowing in the Text to Angels Devils Reprobates for they cannot bow at the name Iesus in this sense as they say we must bow for the name Jesus cannot signifie to them that he is their Saviour seeing the Angels never sinned To the Devils Christ was never promised and if they must bow and fulfill the Text as certainly they shall they must bow also upon the selfe same reason as we must for the reason in the Text is the same for all then they must bow also in this sense that Jesus signifieth their Salvation also which is an unspeakeable absurditie Yea it will overthrow Christs conquest of sinne death and the grave whose destruction is their bowing to Christ in the Text and it will make Christ their Saviour in stead of their destroyer It satisfieth not to answer that the very Devils could call Christ by the name Jesus for so they might call him because it was his proper Name by which he was commonly called but if they bring their reason right they must prove that Angels and Devils bow to Christ as he is their Saviour which they can never doe for so they say we must bow and the reason of the Text is the same for all It is plaine then the Name Jesus cannot be the Name in the Text in which every knee must bow because it concernes elect men onely but that Name must concerne all things and creatures alike which is the Name of Power and Glory as is above specified SECTION VI THe bowing at the Name Jesus because it signifieth a Saviour and not at Jehovah is a preferring our Salvation above Gods Glory Now to doe so is abominable therefore it is a false opinion and an unlawfull practise The Consequent is very plaine for the Glory of God is the end of all his workes Pro. 16. 4. So it must be the maine end of our workes 1 Cor. 10. 33. Moses and St Paul preferred Gods Glory above their owne Salvation Exod. 32. 32. Rom. 9. 2 3. He that loves not or serves not God for Gods owne selfe but for his owne benefit is but a false and mercenary worshipper of God and shall surely misse what he seekes for Now that this practise will make that we preferre our Salvation above Gods Glory it is evident for Jehovah is the expresse Name of Gods Glory Isa. 42. 8. I am Jehovah saith God that is my Name and my Glory I will not give to another This Name is called Gods glorious and fearefull Name which whosoever will not feare God will make his plagues wonderfull Deut. 28. 58. But the name Iesus is the Name that signifieth our Salvation therefore it will plainly follow if it be necessary to bow at any Name if we will bow onely at that Name that signifieth our Salvation and not at that Name that signifieth Gods Glory we love our selves above God and regard our owne benefit more than his Glory It availes not to answer as some doe that Jehovah is comprehended in the Name Iesus and therefore in bowing to Iesus they also bow to Jehovah and so glorifie God For it is absurd to say that the Name Iesus doth generally include the name Jehovah for Iehovah is of far larger extent than the Name Iesus The name Jehovah is the name of Gods eternity
Mediatorship but also his naturall Kingdome which from all Eternitie he enjoyed with his Father to which Kingdome he is advanced to by his Father according to his humane nature and this seemes to agree with many paraled Scriptures as 1. with John 17. 4 5. where Christ prayeth after this manner I have glorified thee on earth I have finished the worke that thou gavest me to doe And now O Father glorifie me with thine owne selfe with that glory which I had with thee before the world was 2. It is proved from Heb. 1. 2. God hath in these last dayes spoken unto us by his Sonne whom he hath made heire of all things by whom also he made the worlds that is God hath advanced his Sonne according to his humane nature to be partaker of the Glory of his Divine nature who made the worlds and all things therein now to be inheritour of all things Therefore saith Mr Calvin on that place Hic honor jure debetur c. This honour is rightly due to the Sonne of God that he should have power over all things because by him all things were made 3. It is confirmed from that paralell place of Col. 1. 15 16. 4. It is evident from 1 Cor. 15. 27. where God having excepted himselfe that did put all things under Christs feete it is plaine hath excepted nothing but himselfe 5. It is manifest from Heb. 2. 6 7 8. in which place the Apostle applyes the eight Psalme to Christ where is specified the subjection of irrationall creatures yea the Apostle saith expressely there that God having put all things under Christs feete hath excepted nothing that is not put under him 6. Seeing that it is manifest that this Text of Phil. 2. 9 10. shall not be perfectly fulfilled till the day of Judgement we shall finde that other things besides rationall creatures shall be subject at that day to Christ for the Apostle shewes 1 Cor. 15. 26. that he shall destroy the last enemy which is death and Rev. 20. 13. The Sea shall give up the dead which are in her and death and hell shall yeeld up the dead which are in them 7. It may appeare from Rev. 5. 13. a place correspondent in phrase and sense to Phil. 2. 9 10. where the Holy Ghost having spoken before of all rationall creatures how they praised Christ speaks there of irrationall both sensitive and insensitive and referres them to every creature in heaven in earth and under the earth and in the Sea which creatures groaning now and travelling in paine for the sinne of man doe long for the day of redemption at which time they shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious libertie of the Sons of God and now in their kinde they praise and glorifie Christ in hope of it but at that day shall their fullest praise and subjection be So that it seemes to me that no creature or thing is excepted but that all must bow to Christ yea indeed the Text of Phil. 2. 9 seemes to me plainly to inferre it for the Apostle speaking of all knees of things in every part of the whole universe as Heaven Earth and under the Earth seemes to except nothing from bowing to Christ And this appeares to be the judgement of Mr Calvin Omnia à coelis c. God hath subjected all things from heaven to hell to the rule and dominion of Christ And of this opinion are plainly Origen and Hierome as Bishop Babington cites them and thus judgeth Mr Edward Gurnais in his Vindication of the Second Commandement Pag. 72. SECTION 3. Wherein it is to be examined what is meant by bowing every knee BOwing the knee cannot be here taken plainly and literally for the bowing of that member of the body which is called the knee for these Reasons First If it be not so taken it is not contrary to the Analogie of Faith for 1. Bowing is applyed to the soules of men which properly cannot bow Psal. 44. 25. Our soule is bowed downe to the dust 2. It is applyed to mountaines and hilles Hab. 3. 6. Secondly Knees are taken figuratively and metaphorically in Scripture for strength power and abilitie as Ezech. 7. 17. where God threatens that when he shall arise to destroy Jerusalem he will make all hands to be feeble and all knees to be weake as water that is he will turne all their strength into extreame weaknes So when God promiseth to give strength and salvation to his people He bids them to strengthen the weake hands and confirme the feeble knees because by the hands and knees the strength is manifested the knees being as it were the Basis of the whole body which being feeble the body sinks Thirdly Because the most of the Creatures which here must bow knees yet have no proper knees to bow As Angels Devils many sensitive and all insensitive creatures And seeing that the Apostle begins with things in Heaven where in the highest Heaven are the Angels and the soules of just men made perfect In the second Heaven Starres and coelestiall Orbes In the lowest Heaven mists dewes and clouds it were senslesse to imagine that God in the first place should command these to bow proper corporall knees when they have no such knees to Bow hence I argue Whatsoever bowing is expresly required in the Text shall be performed by every creature But bowing of proper corporall knees shall not be performed by every creature yea not by most of the Creatures Ergo Bowing of proper corporall knees is not expressely required in the Text The corporall Bowers at the Name Jesus doe give this answer which indeed cannot satisfie They say that those creatures which have not corporall knees yet have something correspondent to knees and therefore doe bow after their kind and manner I reply 1. I would faine know how it is that they bow after their kinde and manner except it be by their obedience and subjection will they nill they to the dominion of the Lord Jesus 2. However they bow surely they doe not bow corporall knees therefore if such bowing be expresly commanded in the Text how shall they fulfill the Text Seeing then that the most of the creatures can fulfill the Text without bowing corporall knees it is manifest that bowing corporall knees is not expressely required in the Text Surely it would argue want of wisdome in God or great injustice if he should command his creatures that dutie which they cannot performe To illustrate it by this simile If a great King should send out an Edict to taxe every one of his Subjects both great and small with a taxe of twentie pound a man when he is not ignorant that there are thousands in his Dominions that are not able to pay twenty shillings a man would not this argue want of wisdome and justice In like manner this would argue the like imputation in God if he should injoyne all creatures and things to bow corporall
ancient and moderne Confessed also by the Champions for bowing at the Name Jesus as * Bishop Andrewes and * Mr Page who in his Treatise of Justification of Bowing understands the Text of the generall subjection of all Creatures to Christ at the great day of Judgement and is forward to alledge many Authors for it as Theophilact Anselme Aquinas Illyricus Hunnius and Hyperius Salmeron Zanchius and Estius and tels us that he could cite twice as many more if he pleased The Major therefore is undeniable For the Minor I never read any yet in Print to affirme that we shall all bow at the Name Jesus at the day of Judgement Master Page indeed coasteth towards it but speaks not out plainly For thus he answereth the Argument taken from the day of Judgement * Though all shall be subject to Christ then yet shall not we be subject before we needs must and declare our subjection by our bowing at the Name of Jesus for subjection doth not exclude but include bowing It shall be true of all knees then but it must be verified of some knees now I agree with him in this that there is a present equitie of the Text I consent to Mr Calvin who saith that though the Kingdome of Christ be not prefect till the day of Judgement yet it is begun already and encreaseth daily * Christ hath now all things under his feete and all Creatures are at his Rule and becke and must and shall fulfill not their owne will but the will of Christ though they shall not be perfectly subdued till the last day But yet Master Pages inference is not to the purpose for to affirme that because we must be all subject to Christ at the day of Judgement therefore we must declare our subjection by bowing at the Name Jesus is all one as to affirme because servants must be subject to their Masters that they must shew their subjection by bowing at their Masters Name or because wives must be subject to their husbands therefore they must make a cursie at the Name of their Husbands But if Master Page will speake to the purpose he must say thus Because all creatures shall declare their subjection by bowing at the Name Jesus at the last day accordingly we must now witnes our subjection This inference is right if he can prove his ground but that lyes upon the proofe Of necessitie our present bowing must be according to the future the parts must be according to the whole the prefect bowing must regulate the imperfect therefore if bowing at the Name Jesus shall not be performed at that day it concernes none so to bow now Some to whom I have put this Argument and finding it too hot for them stand to it to affirme that bowing at the Name Jesus shall be fulfilled at the day of Judgement but they cannot prove it otherwise than by seeking shelter at this Text If any such assertion shall ever come in Print I am confident that every judicious Reader will smile at it if not grieve to see the wilfulnes of such men that rather than they will yeeld to the truth will justifie such dangerous Paradoxes I will therefore by Gods assistance encounter with it and I thinke I shall upon better reasons disprove it than they can ever prove it First There is no Scripture for it and it is in no wise to be imagined that so many cleere Scriptures speaking so fully and plainly of the Judgement-day and of the deportment of those that shall then appeare should say nothing of this ceremony of bowing at the name Jesus if it were then to be done Secondly To what end shall the Name Jesus be sounded out at that day that all shall bow at the sound of it When he shall then appeare in his most glorious Name of Power and Glory when he shall not come as a Jesus to the most that shall then bow but a Lord to all and so shall all call him Mat. 25. 37. 44. Thirdly It is absurd to imagine that the Holy Ghost would describe the perfection of Christs Kingdome onely by such a gesture as a childe can performe at the mention of his Father Fourthly Bishop Andrewes the late Father of the corporall bowing at the Name Jesus will confute it by a saying of his He is exalted to whose Person knees doe bow His Person is taken out of our sight all that we can doe will not reach to it but his Name he hath left behinde him to us that we may shew by our reverence and respect to it how much we esteeme him If then we must now bow to the Name because the Person of Christ is out of our sight then it followes that when Christ shall manifest his Person there will be no time or place for bowing at the Name But by the Bishops reason seeing he acknowledgeth the fulfilling of the Text at the day of Judgement it will follow that Christ shall send out his Name at that day to have it sounded out that all should bow at it and not come himselfe in Person or else if then he come in Person he must leave his Name behinde him and so the duty of the Text shall not be fulfilled Againe It is very absurd to affirme that our worship will reach to the Name but not to the Person of Christ for shall veneration and honour reach to a bare Name as it is sounded out by the breath of man who is lesse than nothing Isa. 40. 17. And can no worship reach to the Person who besides that he is in the glory of the Father in the heavens as man also is every where present by his infinite Deitie and especially present in and among his Saints by his Spirit Names be signes and a kinde of images of things or Persons represented by them An Idolater bowes to an image which he doth see because he deemes that it represents unto him the Person whom he adores which he cannot see whereas if the Person were present before him he would never bow to the Image The Name Jesus is as it were the signe or image of our Saviour it would be therefore worse than Idolatry it selfe to bow to Christs image efore his owne face If any shall yet inferre that though all other Scriptures say nothing for the bowing at the Name Jesus at the Judgement day yet it is enough that it be specified in one Text as viz. in this present Text of Phil. 2. 9 10. I answer It is utterly against reason to imagine that if bowing at the Name Jesus were to be done at the Judgement day that the Holy Ghost would omit to specifie it in so many cleere places treating of the Judgement day and would set it downe in an obscure Text that treats not plainly of the Judgement day but as it must be enlightned by other cleere Scriptures and that in such words and phrases that are different in sense to all those words and phrases
Apostle argues from the humiliation of Christs Person to the advancement of his Person not from a Name to a Name The Apostle doth not say that the Name Jesus was humbled therefore he doth not meane that the said Name was exalted Therefore because it hath no light from Gods Word this answer might be sufficient but because it is a reason much relyed upon and ignorant men that know little else have learned it exactly from their Teachers I will encounter with it and make it manifest that there is no strength or soundnesse in the said reason First then I deny the Antecedent The Name Jesus did not suffer above other Names It cannot be well proved that this Name suffered at all For no man denied Christ this Name but both enemies and friends gave it him It was the Person not the Name that suffered neither did Christ suffer for this Names sake When Joseph and Daniel Types of Christ were abused and persecuted can any say that their proper Names suffered neither can it be truly said that the Name Iesus properly suffered when Christ himselfe suffered Their maine proofe of this Reason they produce from John 19. 19. Where Pilate set up Christs title over his head upon the Crosse Jesus of Nazareth the King of the Jewes This they say was done to him in scorne so that his Name Jesus was made an execration say they I answer It cannot be proved that this Title was set up at all in scorne Judicious Mr Calvin on that place is of another minde For thus he saith Pilati consilium fuit c. It was Pilates policy saith he that he might revenge himselfe of the Jewes who by their obstinate importunitie had forced him to punish an innocent Person to condemn the whole Nation in the Person of Christ So by his judgement this title was a reproach to the Jewish Nation rather than to Christ He addeth yet further Atqui in Christo hoc extraordinarium fuit quod sine ignominia titulus apponitur This was extraordinary in Christ that without any reproach his title is set up 2. The offence that the Chiefe Priests of the Jewes tooke at this Title proves it not to be scornefull to Christ who were displeased with Pilate for it which if it had been reproachfull they burning in malice against our Saviour would have liked it well enough 3. Had it been set up in scorne it was not in any quarrell to the Name but to the Person 4 Had it been to a Name yet was it not to the Name Iesus but the Title King of the Jewes But the truth is the most Glorious Names of our Saviour as God Sonne of God Christ Jehovah suffered rather in him than the Name Iesus The reason that Mr Page gives to preferre the Name Iesus above these Names doth not satisfie for saith he these Names are glorious and lofty Names in themselves and therefore need no advancement but the Name Iesus was an humble and lowly Name therefore God advanced it I say this Reason is not satisfactory for the Question is not what these Names are simply considered in themselves but what they were in Christ in the time of his humiliation As the Question is not whether we are to bow at the Name Jesus simply considered but at that Name in Jesus Christ I contend then that these aforesaid Glorious Names were more humbled Names in Christ than the Name Jesus For Iesus was his proper Name given him at his Circumcision but these Names are Titles of his honour As Henry and King so is Jesus and Christ saith learned Bishop Babington Christ in respect of these Glorious Names suffered exceedingly For {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} He emptied himselfe of the Glory of these Names The Jewes generally would not give them nor suffer them to be given unto him Whosoever did but once open his mouth to ascribe any of these Titles of honour to our Saviour presently he suffered for it for whosoever did but confesse him to be the Christ was put out of the Synagogue Joh 9. 22. When at any time he did but take the due honour of any of these Names to himselfe they immediately intended mischiefe against him Ioh. 5. 18. The Iewes sought to kill him because he said God was his Father making himselfe equall with God So Joh. 10. 33. For thy good workes say they we stone thee not but that thou being a man makest thy selfe God So Mat. 26. 65. As soone as he had confessed that he was the Christ The high Priest cryed out against him that he blasphemed So that it is evident that our Saviour suffered the paine of losse in respect of these glorious Names not having the honour of them and not onely so but he suffered also the paine of feeling in himselfe and his members when at any time he or they did but ascribe the honour of these Names unto him Now that these Names and not the Name Iesus are suffering Names I will illustrate it by this Simile Suppose the Subjects of some King whose proper Name is John or Henry suppose I say his owne Subjects should hate him rise up against him and at length kill him not because he is called John or Henry but because he will be their King as indeed he is I would faine know in respect of what Name this King suffereth his name John or Henry or his Title King no man can say it is for his proper Name but for his Kingly Title which they will not give unto him In like manner our Saviour whose proper Name is Jesus which Name others had as well as he he is God he is Christ he is King The Jewes never question him for his proper Name but they will not give him his Titles of honour they will not suffer him to reigne over them Luk. 19. 27. but because he takes this due honour to himselfe they reproach him and kill him in all reason therefore these Glorious Names are suffering Names and not the Name Jesus Answ. 2. I deny the Consequent We are not bound to bow the knee at the sound of that Name which is the most suffering Name Neither can this Text or any other Scripture make good this reason there is nothing in the Text spoken of a bare Title but onely of the Person of our Saviour 2. The reason will be more evident if it were lawfull to reason without booke for bowing at the Names God Christ or King c. than the Name Jesus for thus I reason Looke what Names Christ in the time of his humiliation laid downe and at the mention of which received disdaine reproach it is meete that in the time of his exaltation he should receive honour at the mention of those Names rather than at the mention of that Name which he laid not downe and at the mention of which he received no disdaine and reproach But Christ in the time of his humiliation laid not down his Name Jesus
there is no reason for that opinion from this place but if there were a reason in this place it makes as much for bowing at other titles of Christ as Iesus yea rather at the name Christ which is onely named in the Text for the whole fulnesse of the Godhead dwels no more in Iesus than in Christ But they presse it farther thus Christ man brings us to the Father and we could never have conceived rightly of the Deitie but by the humanitie of Christ I answer Christ man onely did not bring us to the Father but Christ Mediator God and Man and though by Christ we are brought to the right conceiving and true knowledge of God it is sensles to inferre hence if the consequent were good that therefore we must bow solely at the Name Jesus except they can prove that Jesus brought us to the Father and not Christ Some say that Jesus signifieth Christs Person but Christ his Office therefore we must bow rather at the Name Jesus than Christ I answer I have proved already that Iesus signifies the Office of our Saviour as well as Christ though more summarily and I affirme againe that the Name Christ doth every where denote Christs Person as well as the Name Jesus and if this distinction abovesaid could be proved true that Iesus signifieth our Saviours Person Christ his Office yet it will be an ill Consequent to affirme if it were necessary to bow at Names that we should bow onely at that Name that signifieth Christ Person and not at that name that signifies his Office seeing by his Office he brings us to God and makes knowne unto us the Father Therefore this reason is without ground and without any light from Scripture The onely consequent that the Scripture gives signification of upon this ground is this Because Christ brings us to God and reveales to us the knowledge of the Father therefore we must pray to the Father in the Name of Christ but it doth not say that therefore we must bow at the Name Iesus and upon this their ground it may be as well inferred that we must pray to the Father by mentioning of the Name Iesus onely as bow to the Father at the mentioning of this Name onely CONCLUSION I will shut up all with this Argument drawn from the Premises EVery Exposition of a Text which doth advance the Glory of God and of Christ and doth cleere the Truth without any ambiguitie and absurditie is to be preferred before such an exposition which derogateth from the Glory of God and of Christ and produceth many ambiguities and dangerous absurdities But this exposition of Phil. 2. 9 10. To understand Name above every Name given to Christ of the Power Glory and Dominion of Christ above all creatures and things created Powers Dignities and Dominions Gods Name and Power onely excepted and to understand bowing of every knee in the Name of Jesus of the subjection of every creature thing dominion and power to the Glory Power and Dominion of the Lord Jesus advanceth the Glory of God and of Christ and cleeres the Truth without any ambiguitie and absurditie But on the other side To expound Name above every Name in the Text of the advancement of the Name or Title Jesus either absolutely or relatively above not onely all created Names but also above all Divine Names and Titles and secondly to understand bowing every knee of things in heaven things in earth and things under the earth in the Name of Jesus of bowing of expresse corporall knees when the Name Iesus is sounded out These expositions doe obscure the Text doe deface the Glory of God and of Christ and produce many dangerous consequences and absurdities Therefore the former interpretation of the said Text is to be preferred before the other yea is true when the other is false The dangerous Consequences which the second opinion doth produce are noted in the Premises to be these 1. In respect of the whole Trinitie 1. IT confoundeth the Persons of the Trinitie 2. It will make all Names and Titles of the Trinitie and Deitie as Lord God Christ Jehovah Father Holy Ghost to bow knees to the Name Jesus 2. In respect of God the Father 1. It makes him inferiour to his Sonne and to bow to his Son 2. It accuseth him of crueltie and injustice in appointing such a worship to most of his Creatures in whom he hath not created Power of performance 3. It maketh him to regard things of lesse importance and to neglect the weightier 3. In respect of God the Sonne 1. It attributes unto him a Name which they say is above every Name yet without power and authoritie making it onely the proper Name Jesus which others had as well as he 2. It overthroweth the dutie of the Text to Angels Devils and Reprobates or else it will make Christ a Saviour to them yea it will make Christ a Saviour to Hell sinne death and the Grave which must bow as well as other things as appeares by the Premises 3. It deprives Christ of the honour of the most of his creatures which cannot possibly performe the Text as they understand it so that it makes Christ Lord but of a few of the Creatures who is Lord of all 4. For those that can performe it it gives to Christ the honour onely of one part of the body when he will be honoured with the whole body and soule so that it makes him Lord but of the knee onely 5. It gives him this honour but one day in the weeke ordinarily and that but now and then in that day and but in one place ordinarily when he will be served at all times and places So that it makes Christ Lord but for the space of a few minutes in one day of the weeke and that but in one place 6. It depriveth Christ of his true Subjects and forceth upon him the members of Antichrist 7. It depriveth Christ of his honour and glory at the great day of Judgement and makes his Kingdome in the height of it to be extreamly ridiculous 8. It advanceth the Sonne above the Father 9. It giveth greater honour to the Sonne than to the Father and so maketh inequalitie between the Persons of the Trinitie 10. It attributeth our salvation either to the bare Name Jesus and so it is flat Idolatry or else it divideth Christ from himselfe making Jesus and Christ two Persons and from Jehovah making him not God or above God and so it is flat blasphemy 4. In respect of God the Holy Ghost 1. It makes him inferiour to the Second Person 2. It brings his worke into bondage at the will of man yea sometimes of vile men 5. Concerning the Church It gives her authoritie over Gods Word 6. Concerning our selves 1. It brings us into bondage by making us to performe Gods worship at every mans pleasure and so it enthralls Gods worship