him might be forgotten or disbelieved as the Gnosticks were busie it should he therefore by way of Prevention delivers this Testimony of God the Father in the behalf of Jesus Christ his Son our Lord and assures them that he was an Eye-witness of the Majesty of Christ at his Transfiguration ‖ Vers 16. and also an Ear-witness of the Voice from Heaven * Vers 18. We heard it when we were with him in the Holy Mount Moreover that the Tragedy of his approaching Death might not startle their Faith in this Article a little before his Passion while our Lord was Discoursing of it †John 12.28 There came a Voice from Heaven Attesting He was heard in what he desired for the Voice said I have both glorified my Name and will glorifie it again this was the Subject of our Saviour's Prayer I have glorified the Name of my Truth and Mercy to Mankind in sending my Son into the World according to my Purpose and Promise and I will also now Glorifie the Name of my Wisdom Mercy and Justice in exacting and taking of that my Son the Punishment due unto the Sins of Believers Our Saviour's Words justifie this exposition * v. 30. for he told the Disciples and the rest of the Spectators This Voice came not because of me but for your sakes I needed neither satisfying nor reminding me who I am or what I am to do my Father 's gracious intent in this Voice was your good it was merely for your sakes in compassion to your hard heartedness that you might believe you were not willing to believe me telling you that the Father and I were one but now you cannot refuse believing seeing he speaketh the same thing from Heaven God the Father did also testifie this Truth at the Ascension of his Son * Heb. 1.6 And again when he bringeth in the first begotten into the World he saith let all the Angels of God worship him If you look to the end of the †v. 3. you may know the particular date of this Command When he had by himself purged our sins he sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on High and then the Father said Let all the Angels of God worship him The same is also declared by St. Paul * Phil. 2.9 10. How that God the Father had highly exalted his Son Jesus Christ and had given him a Name above every Name that at the Name of Jesus every Knee should bow of things in Heaven and things in the Earth and things under the Earth II. We pass on to the Testimony of the Holy Ghost The Spirit of God which is called the Spirit of Truth because it is impossible he should bear false Witness testified the Deity of Jesus Christ the Son of the Virgin Mary at his Conception †Luke 1.35 The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee and the power of the Highest shall over-shadow thee therefore also that holy thing that shall be Born of thee shall be called the Son of God The stress of which Words lies upon the Illative therefore and the Sence may be thus taken That the Son of God was designed to be Born of a Woman because the Holy Ghost shall over-shadow her the Blessed Spirit was concerned to prepare that Nature after an extraordinary manner which the God-head was determined to assume and seeing the Holy God was pleased to dwell in Flesh the Holy Ghost must prepare and form that Flesh Again At his Baptism the Holy Ghost testified the Deity of Jesus Christ the Son of the Virgin Mary for he Descended upon him * Mat. 3.16 as a Dove not in the shape or form of a Dove saith the learned Dr. Hammond on the place but he lighted upon him as Doves use to light who hover over and over-shadow the place first which they intend to light upon At this Baptism of our Saviour there was Concilium Augustissimum a most Majestical meeting of the Trinity God the Father spake from Heaven challenging and owning him whom John Baptized for his Son God the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily appearance God the Son was there clad in humane Nature and being in the form of a Servant he submitted himself to the fulfilling of all Righteousness Again the Holy Ghost particularly declared this Truth to Simeon †Luke 2.26 27. It was revealed to him by the Holy Ghost that he should not see Death before he had seen the Lords Christ and that this Son of the Virgin Mary was he Simeon was informed by the same Holy Spirit as may be collected from his Action and Profession * v. 28 29 30. For he then in the Temple took this Son of the Virgin Mary up in his Arms and Blessed God saying Lord now lettest thou thy Servant depart in Peace according to thy word i. e. promise by the Holy Ghost for mine Eyes have seen thy Salvation the Person in whom Salvation is appointed This very Descent of the Holy Ghost upon our Saviour at his Baptism is called by St. Paul * 1 Cor. 2.4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Demonstration of the Spirit a Testimony given by God from Heaven intimating and confirming the Verity of Christ's God-head a Demonstration for the Holy Ghost then Demonstrated to John and others that he who was then Baptized was the Son of God I might have argued the Testimony of the Holy Ghost from the Prophecies of the Old Testament for as saith the Apostle †2 Pet. 1.21 The Prophecies came not by the Will of Man Men undertook not this office of their own Heads nor did they deliver their own fancies and perswasions for Prophecies But Holy Men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost as they were inspired and instructed by the Holy Spirit of God therefore they that deny the Deity of Jesus Christ would do well to take heed unto the sure word of Prophecy given by the Spirit of God and there they will find most ample Declarations that he who should be Born of the Virgin Mary was God as well as Man The gift of the Holy Ghost was the effect of Christ's promise the Time and Place of his coming was expresly assign'd by Christ * Luke 24.49 Tarry ye at Jerusalem till ye be endued with power from on High John Baptized his Disciples with Water but †Acts 1.4 5. Christ promised to Baptize his Disciples with the Holy Ghost and commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem but there to wait for the completion of the promise and accordingly in the place and at the time we find the Holy Ghost was plentifully poured forth upon them †* Acts 2.1 2 3. When the day of Pentecost was fully come the Apostles were all with one accord in one place viz. in an upper Room of the Temple where they constantly performed their Devotions and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost Farther the Holy Ghost did Testifie
Imprimatur March 12th 1693 4. Ra. Barker JESUS is GOD OR THE DEITY OF Iesus Christ VINDICATED Being an Abstract of some Sermons Preach'd in the Parish-Church of St. James Clerkenwell By D. Pead Heb. 10.23 Let us hold fast the Profession of our Faith without Wavering LONDON Printed for George Conyers at the Golden Ring and Will. Newton over against Bartholomew-Close Gate in Little Britain 1694. TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE JOHN EARL of CLARE Baron Haughton of Haughton Grace and Mercy from our Lord Jesus Christ My Lord THAT I Presume to Usher this Small Piece into the World under so Great a NAME proceeds not from any Opinion that the Author his Labours have Right to your Patronage But having Receiv'd an Honour from your Lordship without Desert I was unwilling it should be also without Gratitude The Subject of the following Discourse Jesus Christ is so Noble so Useful and Comfortable that it were Unpardonable in me to doubt a Free and Candid Reception seeing that he is Worthy of All Acceptation and that God doth with this his SON freely give the Worthy Receiver All things A more Precious Pearl is not to be found And if God shall vouchsafe so great a Blessing that within your Noble Heart these Lines may kindle an Ambition for the PURCHASE the way will be to Imitate the Merchant in the GOSPEL to Sell all things to Make it The Wealth the Pleasures and the Honours of this World must be Sold Dismissed and Parted with if ever they shall dare to stand in Competition with the Riches of his GRACE or in the least attempt to draw away the Heart from his Love and Service He that would be Purchaser of this INESTIM BLE MERCHANDICE must sell All must tread under-foot all Opinion of Self-Righteousness or Merit and with a Lively Faith lay hold on the Sufficiency of his Righteousness onely He must Sell All he must Devote his Time Health Estate Parts Life and all that he is or hath to Advance the Honour Glory and Praise of the Son of God Jesus Christ and of the Father through him Hoping to be somewhat Serviceable to so Pious yet Difficult Undertakings these Following Lines are Most Humbly Presented thereby intending not onely your PERSONAL but the General Advantage While others from your Unshaken Faith in and Constant Obedience to the ever Blessed JESVS may observe that though it be Hard yet it is not Impossible for the Rich to enter into the KINGDOM of GOD. Where in God's Time may your Temporary Coronet be Exchanged into an Incorruptible CROWN of GLORY is the Humble Prayer of Your Honours Most Faithful and Most Obedient Chaplain D. Pead For the PARITIONERS Especially of St. James's Clerkenwell as likewise any other into whose Hands this Book shall come the Author heartily prays growth in Grace and the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ I Am not insensible what Hazards he runs who in this Nature appears in Publick the Critical Remarks and Reflections which daily come forth are warning enough to all that indulge their peace to keep within but when I consider how ready the faithful Shepherd is to adventure his Life for his Sheep I dare not judge the fear or fore-sight of Censure and Cavils sufficient to suppress my Endeavours for the General Good much less to keep from the Light this which you once having heard with the Ear now desire may be open to the Eye We live if not in the last yet to be sure in the loosest of times wherein our Saviour's Prediction as also that of the Apostles is exactly accomplished Truth is already pout up and trampled under Foot of Errour and Falsehood Hypocrisie hath got the upper hand of Religion and it is now so much out of Fashion to be really Good that Men are shy of but appearing so and therefore take great care to prevent the least suspicion thereof Piety Sobriety and Vertue are condemn'd as infallible signs of a Phanatick but excess in Drinking Pride in Apparel and Behaviour Ranting and Swearing Leudness and Vanity in Discourse are taken for the effects of Christian Liberty and the surest marks of Loyalty This corruption of Manners among Christians calls loud for a Deluge of Tears that a Deluge of Judgments wash us not away But though this be as I noted deplorable yet in our Age the Devil seems to strive for the compleat Victory His Envy at God's Glory was formerly satisfied in beholding Men to Prophane the Days to despise the Word and Ordinances and to Blaspheme the Name of God with various Oaths and Imprecations but now although they are most desperately improv'd in these yet his Arms are higher for he and his Agents have dared openly to Impugne the Trinity and deny the Deity of our Blessed Saviour Time was the Jew for his barbarous Rejecting the Messiah was every where look'd upon with an evil Eye though by what means I know not they have roosted among us till we see our Faith as much corrupted as our Coin but it were a shame to be Angry with them when Professours do the same I confess for my own part could I be once perswaded to doubt whether Jesus Christ the Son of the Virgin Mary were God I see not which way to find Sence or Comfort in the rest of the Creed It must be terrible to think of God cut of Christ and but fondness to believe him Reconcil'd through Christ if this Christ were not God as well as Man I highly Reverence the Wisdom and Piety of the Honourable House of Parliament which condemn'd that late Hellish Pamphlet to the Flames in so ignominious a Manner but it is my judgment the Son of God himself hath also more sufficiently Vindicated his doubted Deity in that signal Cure wrought much about the same time upon the Cripple for it was Faith in his Name only which hath brought this strange thing to pass that we have seen even in our Days I am not free nor do I think it necessary to engage in the justifying this to be according to the exactest Rules of a Miracle nor will I be so rash on the other hand to deny its being one for though I find where the first and second Miracle that Jesus wrought are Recorded yet I no where find the last that shall be this were not only to rob our Faith and fervent Prayers of the Efficacy we are told is in them but to determine that Divine presence which was promised should continue to the end I have not been large upon this Point because my chief Design was to furnish you with an Antidote against the poison of Theism which hath so much infected this Generation From my weak Labours I hope you may gather some strength to help you in contending for the Faith deliver'd unto the Saints and now greviously assaulted by incarnate Devils An unconcernedness in this great Quarrel I could not dispense with because I observe that every Faithful Ambassadour no sooner discovers a
†2 Sam. 7.12 And when thy days shall be fulfilled I will set up thy Seed after thee which shall proceed out of thy Bowels and I will establish his Kingdom Isaiah received a Message from God that this Son of God should be born of a Virgin * Isa 7.14 A Virgin shall conceive Micah had notice of the place of his Nativity †Micah 5.2 * But thou Bethlehem Ephratah though thou be litle among the thousands of Judah yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be Ruler in Israel All these Prophecies were exactly accomplished in the person of Jesus Christ the Son of the Virgin Mary Was it said the Seed of the Woman This was punctually perform'd in the strictest Sence * Mat. 1.18 The Birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise when as his Mother Mary was espoused to Joseph before they came together she was found with Child of the Holy Ghost Was he to be of Abraham's Posterity it is accordingly Recorded †Mat. 1.1 The Book of the Generation of Jesus Christ the Son of David the Son of Abraham To this purpose the Apostle Argues * Gal. 3.29 They that are Christs viz. true Believers are Abraham's seed being one in Christ they must be so accounted in that he was so Was he to be of the Tribe of Judah So saith the Scripture he was †Heb. 7.14 It is evident our Lord sprang out of Judah Was he to be of the Family of David This was so manifestly true of the Son of the Virgin Mary that even the Blind saw it Hear them * Mat. 9.27 Thou Son of David have Mercy on us Was he to be born of a Virgin You heard it proved †Mat. 1.18 Was he to be born in Bethlehem So testifie the Scriptures he was * Mat. 2.1 Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the King Again The Scriptures Testifie that Jesus Christ the Son of the Virgin Mary was God because to that very end they had their being †Joh. 20.31 These things are Written not only what I have wrote but what Matthew Mark and Luke have Wrote also that you might believe Jesus is the Son of God and that believing you might have life through his Name they must therefore necessarily testifie sufficiently of him what they were intended to induce us to believe of him viz. that he is God There want not plenty of other Arguments to evince the Deity of Jesus Christ As that we are Commanded to be Baptized in his Name and Baptism ought not to be Administred in the Name of any Creature We are also Commanded to Believe in his Name and it were bootless to Believe in any Name but the Name of God We are called Christians from him and it cannot be thought that the Church of God hath so far degenerated as to lay down the Name of God and submit to be called by the Name of a Creature We might have Argued that Divine Honour Praise and Glory are Ascribed to him We have that Knowledge that God hath declared himself Jealous of his Honour and he hath said expresly †Isai 42.8 He would not give his Honour to another Nay we have known his Jealousie burn like Fire against such as have presumed upon his Glory for this cause the Angels were thrust out of Heaven * Isai 14.12 13 14 15. Herod Alexander Caligula and Domitian have paid dearly for their Usurpation in this Kind Ascribing Glory and Honour was by the Jews allowed an Acknowledgment of the Deity When-ever the Priest in she Sanctuary made Mention of the Name of God the People used some Forms of Blessing or Praising God This may be gathered from ‖ Deut. 32.3 where Moses said Because I will publish the Name of the Lord Ascribe ye Greatness unto our God In this cafe we shall find the like Glory Ascribed to the Son of the Virgin Mary †Matt. 21.9 Hosanna to the Son of David The Jews were ordered to observe the Feast of Tabernacles which as Expositors agree not onely remembred them of their Dwelling in Tents but did also Prefigure God's pitching his Tabernacle in our Flesh At this Feast when-ever any Name or Title of God was recited by the Priest the People Repeated Hosanna which signified Save us we beseech thee St. Jerom was of opinion That much about the time of Christ's Incarnation the Jews were wont often to Read the Hundred and Eighteenth Psalm which they Interpreted of Christ in the Twenty fifth Verse whereof this word Hosanna is found this was frequently Sung in their Synagogues and the Jews being at this time big with Expectation of the Messiah met him Riding to Jerusalem and Saluted him with Hosanna the very word they used to Salute the Majesty of God on their Feast of Tabernacles a Type of Christ's Incarnation so that by this Salutation at this Time they cannot be thought to have meant any other than an owning That GOD was come among them To Justifie this Opinion I have Two Reasons 1. Because in the latter part of the Verse viz. * Matt. 21.9 it is said Hosanna in the Highest 2. Because we Read †Luk. 19.40 That if they should have held their peace and have forborn to Ascribe this Honour and Glory to Christ the Stones out of the Wall would have done it So that if Men had been obstinate and would not have Acknowledged him as God their Redeemer the Stones would have Glorified him as God their Creator The Christian Church hath continued even to our days Two Representations of the Deity of Christ which the Prince of Darkness hath laboured to get decry'd as too Superstitious and Ceremonious onely that they growing out of Request he might gradually obliterate the Sense and Belief of the Deity of the Holy Jesus the one of these is Bowing at the Name of Jesus and the other is the Eulogy given unto him when-ever his Gospel is Read in the Church saying when the Gospel is named GLORY BE TO THEE O LORD and when it is ended THANKS BE GIVEN TO THEE O LORD FOR THIS GOSPEL I referr it to modest men to Judge whether laying aside the use of these be not a Departing from one kind of Evidence of the Deity of Christ I might have added that in the end as also in other places of the Epistles Writ to the Church of God by the Apostles Christ is Prayed to as God for God the Father is Supplicated for Love Jesus Christ for Grace and the Holy Ghost for the Communication of his Gifts †2 Cor. 13.13 The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the Love of God and the Communion of the Holy Ghost be with you all Amen * Gal. 1.3 Grace be to you and peace from God the Father and from our Lord Jesus Christ But next to Plainness my great Care hath been Brevity as much as so weighty a
would Pervert and Change the Gospel of Christ yet if an Angel from Heaven should Preach any other Gospel unto you than that Jesus Christ the Eternal Son of God is the Head of the Church Let such Person be Accursed Look upon him as one Excommunicate and with whom consequently none ought to have any Commerce in Sacred Matters The Heathens had a Saying Mutus sit oportet qui non laudârit Herculem He deserves not to Speak who cannot find something to say in the Praise of Hercules Shall not Christians be thought worthy to lose their Tongues if they cleave to the Roof of their Mouths and refuse to sound forth the Noble Praise of the Blessed Son of God our Great Saviour and Redeemer How should our Tongues be Talking of his Praise all the day long It would extreamly well become Christians to be telling one the other What wonderful things this Blessed Jesus hath done for them I do not mean in the General Works of Creation and Redemption onely but his particular Favours also the Peace the Joy the Resolution the Strength the Grace they daily receive from Communion with him It can be no other than a Splendid Entertainment to the Piously Affected for they have Meat to eat that the World knows not of to recount how sweetly they were at first Translated from the Power of Satan into the Kingdom of the Son of God to tell how often and long this Blessed Son of God stood and Knocked by his Word Ministers and Spirit at the door of their hearts before he obtain'd Audience to declare how he put his finger into the hole and lifted up the latch i. e. took care to put back all Obstructions and Impediments with which the Devil the World and the Flesh had bolted up our hearts how pleasant would be the Repetition of those Passionate Perswasions and Loving Promises which the Son of God used notwithstanding the Unkindness he found how he shed abroad in their Hearts his Gracious Influences till at last by the Assiduity of his Courtship the Unweariedness of his Patience and the Fervour of his Love he overcame their Folly and Perverseness If the Shepherd not onely looks with pleasure on the Lamb he wrenched from the Jaws of the hungry Wolf but also believes the Relation of that Exploit acceptable to every Mild and Gentle Disposition Why should not Christians believe it as grateful to Communicate among themselves how often and by what ways this Great Shepherd the Son of God hath delivered them his Sheep from the Paws of that Cruel Lion who daily surrounded the Fold in expectation of his Prey What can be more Joyful than for one Christian affectionately to relate to another in what Combats with the Flesh what Bickerings with the World and in what Buffetings of Satan they have been Supported Relieved and Comforted by this Son of God How delightsome must it be for the formerly Afflicted to comfort one that at present is in the like condition by relating how when he was overwhelm'd with dismal Storms of Grief and Anxiety when he sailed in a Tempestuous Sea of Fears and Agonies and no Comfortable Light could on either hand be espy'd that then this Son of Righteousness brake out upon him his Grace Love and Mercy set them upon a Rock higher than themselves he brought them out and set them in a large place free and far enough from all their Troubles What Grace must such Discourses Minister to the Hearers And moreover this way of entertaining one another would prevent a world of filthiness scurrility foolish and inconvenient talking There is naturally so great Correspondence between the Heart and the Tongue that they are but few who delight not to speak of that Subject which most possesses and pleases their Mind Thus the Husbandman's whole Discourse is of his Land Manurement Team Plough and Crop The Souldier's Tongue runs of his Arms Colours Officers Camps Marches and Engagements and the very Huntsman will deasen your eares with the Names and Qualities of his Dogs the Obstreperous terms of his Art and the Diversity of his Game Must it not therefore argue a great poverty of Grace and that our Souls delight not themselves in the Lord when good and Edifying Discourse is so rare among us Christians especially if it be considered that we have the greatest reason not onely barely to confess but to make our boast of this Son of God all the day long But I must urge this Point farther It is not an Oral Confession onely or an Exultation in Christ the Son of God that I aim at For we Read among the Primitive Christians there were some * Tit. 1.16 viz. the Gnosticks who did profess to know God but in works they did deny him being Abominable and Disobedient and unto every good Work Reprobate too many such Titular Christians are to be found who were it not for the Oaths that fall from their Tongues it were hard to say that they had ever heard of Jesus Christ or did in the least believe him to be the Son of God they are of such Unchristian Tempers such Unsanctified Lives that they can be accounted no other than Enemies of the Cross of Christ I do heartily wish that all loose and dissolute Christians would seriously digest this Consideration How ill does Cursing Swearing Drunkenness Whoredom Prophaneness Envy Malice or whatever else is of Evil Report become them who Profess themselves Servants to the Holy Son of God such Persons notwithstanding their specious Pretences are not his Servants for it is as well the Result of Reason as the Declaration of Scripture †Rom. 6.16 That Men are properly and rightfully their Servants to whom they obey The dishonour must necessarily be very great that Ungodly Professors do to the Son of God for they cause his Name to be Evil Spoken of his Deity Doubted and his Gospel to be Despised for the Grand Reason why neither the Jews among us nor other Infidels abroad make more hast to the Mountain of the Lord is the palpable difference between the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the Lives of them that Confess him for they cannot escape all Wild and Extravagant Opinions of Christ when they perceive how little Influence his Precepts allow'd for Holy Just and Good have upon their Manners who pretend to be Govern'd by them Moreover to Confess This Jesus Christ the Son of God aright doth imply the suppressing all Contradicting or Blaspheming of his Deity were I worthy I should humbly tender this Note where the power of a Redress is lodg'd Impiety is come to an high pass when openly in our Streets the Blessed and Glorious Trinity is Libell'd and the Deity of Jesus Christ impugn'd this is one but the worst way of saying Farewel to Christianity In this case being God's Cause and Quarrel I must take the liberty of saying No Christian Answers the end of his Profession by a Cold Indifferency he that contents himself with his