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
Every knee shall bow and Every tongue shall confesse Fourthly What is meant by these words In the Name of Jesus SECTION I. Wherein it is to be considered what is meant by the exalted Name of Christ signified in these words Name above BY Name above every Name cannot be meant a bare proper Name for these reasons First It is no way necessary so to understand it because Name is not generally or for the most part so taken in Scripture but in other senses Secondly Because this phrase a great Name made or given is never taken in Scripture for a bare proper Name Thirdly Because this phrase Name above another made or given is never taken in Scripture for a bare proper Name above another such Name Fourthly It is not agreeable to the analogie of the Text so to understand it My reason is this because the subjected Name in the Text must have of necessitie a correspondent Relation to Christs advanced Name otherwise the sense cannot be Logicall If then the high advanced Name of Christ in the Text be a proper Name it will follow necessarily that all the subjected Names must be proper Names also Yea themselves referre the Name Jesus to divine Names preferring it before the Titles Christ Sonne of God Jehovah c. And if it be so understood though the sense be Logicall yet is it not sound for this it will be The Name Jesus is a greater Name than the Name Christ Jehovah and so consequently above the Name Father or Holy Ghost above the Names of men as John Thomas Henry and so above the Names of all creatures and things which will make a most absurd sense which yet cannot be avoyded upon these mens grounds Againe seeing it is evident that all the subjected Names in the Text must bow to the Name above every Name If the said Name be understood of a proper Name they not excepting divine Names the sense will be this The names of Angels Devils the names of all things and creatures the names of men as Richard Thomas William yea divine Titles as Lord Christ Jehovah must bow to the name Jesus and how senslesse will this be Seeing then that the Names subjected to the Name above every Name are not the names of creatures and things subjected for they are referred in the Text to knees of things in heaven things in earth and things under the earth not to Names but the powers of things and creatures subjected as I shall hereafter demonstrate Then cannot the Name above them all be a proper name for then the sense will be this The name Jesus hath dominion over every thing and creature and every thing and creature most bow knees to the name Jesus which will be ridiculous Lastly seeing the names subjected to the Name above every Name are meant the powers and vertues of things and creatures they excepting not divine Names they must understand it also of the power of God then the sense will be this The name Jesus is above God and that God himselfe must bow knees to the name Jesus which sense will be horride and blasphemous Secondly If it were necessary to understand Name above every Name for a Name or Title yet may it not be understood of the Name or Title Jesus for these Reasons First The word Jesus doth no where in the whole new Testament signifie the bare name Jesus but onely then when it was promised by the Angel at Christs Conception Mat. 1. 21. and given unto him at his Circumcision Luk. 2. 21. where necessarily it must so signifie Secondly This phrase {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Name of Iesus is never taken in all the New Testament where onely it is used for the name Iesus or any other titles of Christ but in other senses If any shall thinke that it is meant of the name Jesus in this place making the word {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} to be the Dative case and to agree in opposition with the word {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} because there is no Article before it I answer in sundry places of the New Testament the selfe same phrase is used without an Article and is never put in the Dative case but alwaies in the Genitive and doth no where denote the bare name Iesus as in these places amongst others Act. 2. 38. Act. 16. 18. Act. 4. 10. Col. 3. 17. Thirdly The Name above every Name is incommunicable to any creature being the onely prerogative of the Sonne of God but the name Jesus was communicated to others as to Joshuah which is the same name with Iesus Heb. 4. 8. c. Therefore it is not sound what Bishop * Andrewes and Mr * Page from him doe affirme that the name Iesus is incommunicable which though it were given by men yet they say it was not given of God who appointed none this name save Jesus Christ and therefore they say that it is greater than the name Christ because many were called the Lords Christs by Gods owne allowance as Kings and Prophets For to this I answer The name Jesus was not given to some at least without a speciall providence of God as to Joshuah who was a great Saviour and type of Christ Thus saith learned Vrsinus * Atqui inquis Parentei Ioshuae c. But thou wilt say saith he that the Parents of Joshuah when they gave him this name could not imagine that God would deliver Israel by him He answers At Deus scruit voluntatem eorum direxit But God knew it and directed their will And some are no more called the Lords Christs than others are called the Lords Saviours as Nah. 9. 27. These Saviours there are called the Lords gifts which is all one as if it had been said the Lords Saviours And whereas the name Jesus was a common name to be called by generally allowed and never reprehended in any But for the name Christ howsoever some were called the Lords Christs as Types of Christ yet no man might take the name Christ as an ordinary name to be called by without horrible blasphemy Mat. 24. 23 24. Fourthly Because the Name above every Name was given to our Saviour at his exaltation according to the plaine words of the Text But the name Jesus was given to him in the beginning of his humiliation To answer here that give signifieth to advance I reply it is not agreeable to the sense of this word in other Scriptures and it marres the phrase and sense of the Text here as I shall hereafter demonstrate Fifthly Because Jesus was advanced after his Resurrection to be Lord and Christ Act. 2. 36. And it is considerable that the Evangelists doe usually call him by the name Jesus onely in the time of his humiliation But in the Epistles of the Apostles He is most commonly called Christ not neere so often Jesus And when he is called Jesus it is very commonly with the addition of Lord or Christ
as Lord Jesus or Jesus Christ or both together the Lord Jesus Christ An argument that Lord and Christ be Titles of his honour and so cannot be lesse eminent than the name Jesus Sixthly It is against the Scriptures to preferre the name Jesus above other divine Titles because God in subjecting all things to Christ did yet except himselfe 1 Cor 15. 27. And when the Scriptures doe enter into particulars Christs name is specified to be advanced onely above created names as above Angels 1 Pet. 3. 21. above Kings Psal. 87. 27. above Prophets Heb. 3. 3. above Priests Heb. Chapters 7 8 9 10. above all other creatures and things Heb. 2. 8. His name is never preferred above Gods Name Seeing then that the Name above every Name cannot be the name Jesus I understand it of the supereminent Glory and Power of Christ and that upon these Reasons First It is no way contrary to the analogie of faith so to understand it for Name is used for Glory and eminency familiarly in Scripture as Gen. 11. 4. and in common use of speech as we say Such a one hath a Name for wisdome and learning when we note him to be eminent and potent for the same Secondly Name of God c. in Scripture doth commonly denote the Power Majestie and Glory of God and that two wayes Either implicitely or expressely 1. Implicitely when the Person of God because he is glorious and full of Majestie is onely denominated properly and evidently as Psal. 5. 11. Let them that love thy Name be joyfull in thee that is Let them that love thee So Psal. 9. 2. so Act. 3. 16. even as we say to great men according to their degrees of honour Your Majestie your Grace your Honour So accordingly the Saints of God have usually spoken of God and to God and Christ in and by the Title of his Majestie thy Name because Name Glory and Kingdome are properly his 2. Expressely when the Power and Glory of God is particularly and evidently manifested by the word Name as 1 Sam. 17. 45. I come unto thee in the Name that is in the Power of the Lord of Hostes So Rom. 9. 17. That my Name that is my Glory may be declared So Act. 4. 7. By what power or in what name Thirdly It is more agreeable to the Analogie of the Scriptures so to understand it than otherwise for first a great Name doth every where signifie the great glory and dignitie of the Person Secondly Name above another doth every where signifie the Glory and Dignitie of the Person having that Name above others whose names are not so great Fourthly It must be so understood here and not for the Title Jesus because in this sense it fits the words of the Text answerable to other correspondent Scriptures for thus I reason Whatsoever Name is the gift which God gave Christ when he exalted him is the Name above every Name in the Text for so the words of the Text are God highly exalted him and gave him a name above every name But Power and Glory is the Gift which God gave Christ when he exalted him according to these correspondent Scriptures Mat. 28 18. All power is given me in heaven and in earth and 1 Pet. 1. 21. God raised Christ from the dead and gave him glory Ergo Power and Glory is the Name in the Text above every Name Therefore not the Name Jesus Fifthly It is proved by the scope and coherence of the Text for there is opposed the exaltation of Christs Person to the humiliation of his Person not of the name Jesus to the name Jesus or any one Title to another The conjunction Wherefore declares a correspondency of Christs exaltation according to the distinct branches of his humiliation For the sufferings of Christ in the Text are reducible to two heads The paine of feeling and the paine of losse The paine of feeling in these words He humbled himselfe and became obedient unto death even unto the death of the Crosse The correspondent honour followes in these words Wherefore God highly exalted him The paine of losse that is his departure from his Name and Glory which is amplified in two respects 1. In regard of the excellency of the Person that left his Glory He that was in the forme of God and thought it no robbery to be equall with God he became of no reputation An extraordinary matter that God should become Man that the Lord of Lords should become a servant that the God of Glory should receive shame 2. It is amplified by the measure of the Glory which he laid downe for the words are {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} He emptied himselfe of his Name and Dignitie He left as it were no Glory remaining according to Isa. 53. 3. He became not onely man but a servant not a servant onely but the most despised of all servants for he was reviled from the Prince to the abject 1 Cor. 2. 8. He was numbred with Theeves and Malefactors Mat. 27. 38. He had a name of repute beneath all names and reputes for Barrabas the murderer was preferred before him John 18. 40. See now how the Conjunction {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Wherefore answereth to this for it follows God gave him a name above all names that is Power and dignitie above all created powers and dignities whatsoever It answers expressely to the name of Power and Glory not at all to the name Jesus Thus then I argue In respect of what Name Christ by this Text suffered in the time of his humiliation in laying it downe and emptying himselfe of it in respect of that Name God his Father when he exalted him gave him a Name above every Name But Christ according to this Text in the time of his humiliation suffered in respect of his reputation and glory in laying it downe and emptying himselfe of it Not so in respect of the name Jesus Ergo God his Father when he exalted him gave him a name above every Name according to this Text in respect of glory and dignitie not in respect of the name Jesus It will thus therefore follow from the premises that seeing the Name Jesus is not the Name above every Name in the Text it cannot be the Name in which every knee should bow and seing Christs Name of Power and Glory is that Name all knees must bow in his Name of Power and Glory SECTION 2. Wherein it is to be considered what is meant by the subjected Name signified by every name which are referred to things in heaven things in earth and things under the Earth SUndry Expositors doe referre these Names to rationall creatures onely but upon my poore judgement yet submitting my selfe to better information they are to be referred to every creature and thing both rationall and irrationall without exception of any For it seemes to me that the Kingdome of Christ set forth in this Text is not onely his Kingdome of
is to deny Christs Resurrection his Ascension and his glorious Kingdome to exclude themselves from being servants to him and not to suffer him to reigne over them Yea in their own sense it is to deny him the Name Jesus and so they overthrow our Salvation f For if this Name were given him as they say because they should bow to it if they will not bow they deny him that Name Now let us view the Canon the words whereof are these When the Lord Jesus shall be mentioned in time of Divine Service due and lowly reverence shall be done by all Persons present See now is the Canon so forcible and plaine as the Text though understood in their owne sense Yet these men say that the Text doth but warrant but the Canon commands this Ceremony But the Canon saith not the Name Jesus but the Lord Jesus who is mentioned as well by any other of his Titles as by the Name Jesus 2. It specifieth onely due and lowly reverence which may be done without the corporall bowing of the g knee Grant that there were equalitie in the words and sense of either shall so great a Scripture have no more authoritie than a Church Canon yet these men give it not so much they make the Text but a servant to the Canon and to waite upon it for so long as the Canon stands the Text shall stand but if the Canon fall the Text shall fall with it h Was there ever heard of such advancing of mens traditions above Gods sacred Word as there hath been lately O errour whether wilt thou runne if thou once take footing ô how righteously will these men be clothed with shame How justly will they eate of the fruit of their owne way and be filled with their owne devises The occasion of my publication of this Treatise is this Sundry men in the Countrey wherein I live especially since this Archbishops time have grounded this superstition upon the Text and that upon the perill of damnation if it be refused i Vpon which multitudes of ignorant men were drawne to it upon the opinion of these mens worth Yea of my owne Parish some staggered and others were tainted with it therefore I thought it my dutie to labour in the point and I tooke paines to reade some Tracts of those of that opinion and found nothing but emptie stuffe without any ground from Scripture and being furnished with the Arguments that follow against it I delivered sundry of them to my People proving that this bowing hath no foundation upon the said Text and in no other sense I reproved it This comming to these mens eares I was presently called factious schismaticall and what not I hearing of it desired Conference with some of them and I found that they had no Scripture for their opinion but onely such muddy reasons as have been raked out of the kennels of Popish Authors I much desired to talke with one of these men of the more corrupt opinion who taking it in scorne that I should reprove what he held railed against me above measure This man never practised or preached for this Ceremony till this Archbishops time and then he began to ground it upon the Text and after a while he pressed it againe upon a very great danger if not done and the better to winne his People to it he publiquely told them that he had studied more houres in this Question than others of a different opinion had done minutes and said that he was able to satisfie any one in the Question After I had talked with this man immediately it was noised about in the Countrey that my Arguments were accounted light and k weake and his such as I could not Answer l I having heard this from many credible Persons and knowing my selfe to be wronged wrote to the said party to request another Conference before indifferent Witnesses for the other was private and shewed reasons why it could not be unequall on his behalfe and also declared unto him that none of my Arguments were solved and to avoid prolixitie instanced but onely in one shewing him how I stated it and how he answered it and how his answer made to it m sufficed not meekly desiring him to answer it more fully by Letter or else to conceive one against another time I desired him also to cleere unto me this his opinion how the Text doth but warrant this Ceremony and not injoyne it and how he can ever leave practising it as he said he would if an Act of Parliament should forbid it with a safe Conscience except he renounce his opinion I received a Letter from him in which my Arguments are againe slighted and he justifieth his opinion making it but an indifferent Ceremony and yet grounds it upon the Text of Phil. 2. 9 10. n and yet refuseth to give me his reasons utterly denies to satisfie my demands and to answer my Arguments and resolves to meddle no more in the o Question and will not admit of another Conference because it would be a Conventicle and yet he ceaseth not continually bitterly to censure those that differ from him in opinion though he refuseth to bring his opinion to light I have also received hard measure from another though not of so grosse an opinion in this point as the former who having obtained some Arguments from me promised to answer them or else to yeeld I had from him not one word of reason but all railing yet he boasteth that he hath overthrowne all my Arguments Thus lying downe under great contempts and reproaches I am necessitated to publish this Tract which otherwise I had not thought to doe to cleere my selfe and to try the strength and valour of those kinde of men that the world may judge where the truth is and also if it be possible to helpe those that stagger and are misled Now this is that I entend to prove in the ensuing Treatise that bowing at the Name Jesus hath not onely no command but also not the least warrant from Phil. 2. 9 10. If any will make answer to it I desire them to answer the whole and not a part and to ground their reasons upon the Scriptures which hitherto they have not done Thus Christian Reader I commit thee to God and rest Thine in the Lord Jesus MASCALL GILES A TREATISE AGAINST SVPERSTITIOVS JESV-WORSHIP THis Treatise I divide into two parts In the first part the true sense of the Text is laid open and from thence sundry Arguments are raised against bowing at the Name Jesus In the second part are answers to the pretended Reasons for that opinion PART I. Foure things are necessary here to be sifted and cleered First What is meant by the high exalted Name of Christ signified in these words Name above Secondly What is meant by the Names subjected to this highest Name signified in these words Every Name Thirdly What is meant by these words
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
knees when the most of them have no such knees to bow If it should be said that those Subjects of such a King cannot pay where it is not it is sufficient that they pay what they are able but let them that are able pay the whole summe I answer this had been reasonable if the Kings command had been so but how shall this excuse the King that against his knowledge shall command all his Subjects to pay alike as well those that are not able as those that are So to say in respect of this Bowing let those that have no knees pay what they can but let those that have knees pay knees It were faire indeed if God should leave it so at libertie But how can this at quit God of want of wisdome and justice if he should command all creatures and things to bow corporall knees when he knoweth that the most of his creatures and things have no such knees to bow Seeing then that bowing of the knee cannot be taken literally I understand it of subjection and so it is taken Gen. 27. 29. Thus Isaac blesseth Jacob Let people serve thee and Nations bow downe to thee that is let them be subject to thee So Pro. 14. 19. c So in common use of speech when one saith to another that he will make him bow he meaneth that he will make him yeeld The same subjection is signified Psal. 2. 12. by the word Kisse where Rulers and Judges are commanded to kisse Christ that is to yeeld their subjection to him If then the word Kisse in that place cannot be taken properly but figuratively why should it be thought unreasonable by any to have bowing the knee here to be understood figuratively Now that bowing here is meant of subjection many correspondent places doe evidently prove it as 1 Cor. 15. 27. Hâ—b. 2. 8. Ephes. 1. 22. testified by the most judicious Primitive Fathers that write upon the said Text as also by our most eminent moderne Divines as that worthy and famous Confessor of Christ Master William Prin largely evidenceth in his learned Appendix against bowing at the Name Jesus to which I referre thee By bowing every knee of things in Heaven things in Earth and things under the Earth is understood the subjection of all things and creatures with all and every one of their powers faculties vertues and abilities will they nill they to the dominion and government of Christ There is not the least abilitie in the nature of man saith Master Gurnay but must finde a knee to bow to Christ our least muscles and knuckles inclinations and dispositions The like may be said of every creature they must bow the strength they have in every part of them to the power and dominion of Christ And in this generall sense the knee of the body properly so called is not excluded but in a proper and literall sense it is not injoyned Secondly It is to be considered what is meant by the confession of every tongue By the confession of every tongue is not meant properly and literally the vocall confession of that member which we call the tongue because every Name under Christs Name which must bow the knee must also confesse with the tongue which for the most part want tongues as well as knees By the confession with the tongue that Jesus Christ is the Lord is meant the expression and yeelding forth of the severall parts functions gifts powers and abilities of every creature both rationall and irrationall to the glory and praise of Christ the highest Lord 1. That it is understood of all kinds of creatures it is evident from the forequoted place of Rev. 5. vers. 10. where the foure Beasts and the foure and twenty Elders by whom are understood rationall creatures as Angels and men are said to extoll and glorifie Christ And it follows verse 13. that John heard all the creatures in Heaven and Earth and under the Earth and in the Sea and all that are in them to say Praise glory and honour be to the Lambe c. which creatures there are all irrationall creatures which have no proper tongues to speake and yet are said to speak the praise of Christ Even as the Heavens and the Earth are said Psal. 19. 1 2 3. to speake in all languages the praise of God their Creatour So now they shall praise Christ the great Lord and Redeemer And secondly that every part and parcell of the creature shall praise the Lord it appeares from Psal. 103. 1 2 3. where the Prophet David calles upon his Soule and all that is within him that is all the vigours and powers that are in every part of him to praise the Lord As David in every part of him praised God and the Messiah to come so shall every part of every creature either willingly or unwillingly praise and extoll the great Name of the Lord Jesus being come and advanced and in this generall sense the proper tongue of man is not excluded And thus at the last day the Friends of Christ with their wills and his enemies against their wills shall call Christ Lord Mat. 7. 22. Mat. 25. 37. 44. SECTION IV. Wherein it is to be considered what is meant by this phrase In the Name of Jesus THe Bowers at the Name Jesus to make their opinion and practise good doe thus understand in the Name of Jesus to be at the mention of the Name Jesus But I inferre that this interpretation is sensles and absurd having for it no ground or warrant from Scripture For 1. as I said before this phrase Name of Jesus is never taken for the Name Jesus or for any other Titles of our Saviour 2. Therefore In the Name of Jesus can never be taken for at the mention of the Name Jesus anywhere 3. This phrase in the Name prefixed before any of the Titles of the Deitie as in the Name of Christ Lord God c. is never taken for at the Naming of any of these Names in any part of the Old and new Testament but if any shall fasten such a sense upon it anywhere it will marre and murder the sense as indeed it doth the sense of this Text by that exposition To instance but in two places amongst many Psal. 118. 10. All Nations compassed me about but in the Name of the Lord I will destroy them would not it be a wilde sense to say At the Naming of the Lord I will destroy them So Act. 9. 29. Saul spake boldly in the Name of the Lord Jesus were it not infinitely absurd to say that he spake boldly at the Naming of the Lord Jesus Thus ridiculous will the sense be made every where where this phrase is used according to this exposition try it who will This exposition which they make of the Text is one of the maine pillars of their cause which did they not make they should loose a maine and principall ground for this their opinion and practise and therefore this failing
them all failes them I know they are not able to bring any one Scripture for to warrant this exposition They have no vision for it therefore they are naked It is built upon the loose Sand of vaine opinion and not upon the Scriptures therefore it falles to the ground All the warrant they have for this exposition is this that in doth often signifie at or to I answer this is nothing except they can bring any Scripture for the whole phrase viz. that in the Name doth signifie at the mention of the Name which they cannot doe For my part I refuse not to take the Preposition {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} as they would have it taken and so it shall make for me and not for them Let in be as much as to or at and so for as much as I have shewed before that Name of God or Christ doth denote the Power and glory of Christ either expressely or implicitely I take it this phrase In the Name of Jesus may be indifferently referred either to the Power and glory of Christ expressely so the sense will be this Every knee or Power shall bow at or to the Power and Glory of Christ or rather to the Person of Christ implicitly enfolding his Power and Dominion and then the sense will be this Every knee shall bow at or to Christ And thus it agrees to this phrase in Psal. 63. 4. Thee will I blesse while I live I will lift up my hands in thy Name that is I will lift up mine hands to thee or I will worship and adore thee and agrees fitly also with Isa. 45. 23. which is applyed to Christ Rom. 14. 11. As I live saith the Lord every knee shall bow to me So that according to the meaning of the Preposition in in their owne sense the whole phrase being expounded according to the Analogie of Faith makes against them and not as all for them SECTION V. THus having opened the Text I will briefely gather the sense together according as it hath been opened and shew the meaning of the Text and compare it to the exposition which they make of it and then let judgement passe upon it The sense then will be this Our Lord Jesus Christ being in the forme of God equall with God made himselfe of no reputation that is laid downe his Name and Dignitie and received a Name beneath all Names and being made like unto Man and taking upon him the forme of a Servant humbled himselfe to death even to the death of the Crosse Wherefore God highly exalted him and gave him a Name above every Name that is Glory Renowne Dominion and Dignitie above all things and creatures created Powers Dignities Dominions that all things creatures powers in Heaven and Earth and under the Earth should subject themselves and all their strength vertues and abilities either willingly or unwillingly to Jesus Christ thus glorified and advanced and that they should expresse and shew forth that Jesus Christ is Lord in the glory of God the Father for so I take it that {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} must be understood {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} being often used for {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} and thus this branch of Christs exaltation will fully answer to that branch of his humiliation mentioned verse 7. where it is said that he tooke upon him the forme of a servant and was made in the likenesse of Man but now being exalted he shall be manifested to be Lord in the Glory of God the Father Which shall be fully declared in the great Day of Judgement when he shall appeare in his Glorious Name of Power and Glory And of this opinion are Ambrose and Hierome and other Fathers and Calvin and Zanchius and Piscator besides sundry other moderne Expositors doe allow of it Though the other expositions be sound viz. To the Glory of God the Father because the honour of the Sonne is the honour of the Father Now this exposition is full and easie making the sense cleere but the other exposition which they make makes the sense rugged and is not agreeable to the scope of the Text nor sense of other correspondent Scriptures For thus they reason Jesus Christ being in the forme of God though it no robbery to be equall with God but made himself of no reputation c. Wherefore God highly advanced him and gave him a proper Name or Title above every Name that when the Name Jesus shall be sounded out in the Church in the time of prayer or preaching for there and then say they is the place and time of this dutie all things in Heaven and Earth and under the Earth should bow corporall knees A most absurd and sensles exposition I will note here a few absurdities which they make in the sense by this their interpretation in comparison of the cleernesse of the former exposition leaving the most materiall absurdities to be considered of hereafter First then To understand Name above every Name for Glory and Power above all hereby is evidently set downe what Name it is that God gave to Christ viz. the Name of Power and Glory But to understand Name for a proper Name to be called by it is not manifested what Name it is they say it is the Name Jesus but the Text doth not say so in that phrase as they understand it And expounding it of the Name Jesus what absurditie is this to say that God gave his Sonne that Name at his exaltation when he received it at his Circumcision This is to make God to dally with his Sonne To give and take and to give againe For it is plaine that if now he had it given him it was not then in his possession Secondly When we understand Name for the Power and Glory of Christ and bowing of subjection to the Power of Christ or to Christ himself advanced it is shewed to whom this bowing shall be performed viz. to Christ But by understanding Name for the Name Jesus and the bowing to be done at the sound thereof they onely set downe a time when the bowing shall be done but they declare not to whom it shall be done This they say At the sound of the Name Jesus every knee shall bow but they doe not manifest the Person to whom these knees shall bow Thirdly In taking in the Name of Jesus to be at the mention of the Name Jesus as they doe not plainly apply any honour to the Person so neither to the Name but it must stand but for a cypher or watch-word to give notice when the bowing shall be performed but according to this their exposition they cannot give it any honour and it is absurd to have this Name to be so highly advanced above all Names and yet not to give it honour But they will have honour to be given it therefore they will have in the Name to be understood to the Name at the mention of it And
in other Scriptures though often therein used Oh! It highly concerns us in season to provide Oyle in our Lamps that we may meet Christ with comfort at that great day and not to be like children as Bishop Babington well notes playing with letters and syllables and adoring Titles with that honour which is due to the Person It is Sathans Policy to exercise men with trifles that he may steale away their hearts from that which is necessary as wofull experience proves too true in such as are addicted to this will-worship To this I will subjoyne two other Arguments Whatsoever bowing is required by the Text shall not be fully perfected till the day of Judgement But bowing at the Name Jesus may be fully perfected before for many can now make a perfect low curtesie at the sound of that Name even almost to the ground Ergo Bowing at the Name Jesus is not required by the Text * Whatsoever bowing is required in the Text is already begun by every creature as I have proved before But corporall bowing at the Name Jesus is not practised in the least degree by the most of the creatures Ergo This bowing is not required in the Text SECTION IX VVHatsoever exposition of a Text will inferre an inequalitie of worship between the three Persons of the Trinitie is false But so to expound the Text as before-mentioned will inferre an inequalitie of worship between the three Persons of the Trinitie Ergo It is a false Exposition The Major is plaine because the three Persons being coequall ought to have a coequall worship agreeable to John 5. 23. Every one must honour the Sonne as they honour the Father The Minor is plaine for they by their exposition of the said Text of Phil. 2. 9 10. doe inferre a bowing at one of the Titles of the Sonne which they doe not practise at the Titles of any other Person The answer given to this reason is twofold First they affirme that they worship all alike in Spirit and Truth and that the word {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} translated even as in Iohn 5. 23. doth intend onely a truenes of worship not every way an equall correspondency I reply that the Persons being equall must have an equall worship and the word {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} must be there taken for the selfe-same worship in likenes and kinde because praise and glory and honour is due to God Rom. 11. last If to God then to every Person in Trinitie because every Person is God We are to serve God with our bodies as well as with our soules outward honour is true honour as well as that which is inward If then all honour both outward and inward be to be done to God not any honour must be performed to one Person that must not be performed to another therefore if we be bound to honour the Sonne by bowing at his Name we are also bound to honour the Father by bowing to his but if we be not bound so to honour the Father neither are we so bound to honour the Sonne For the exposition of the word {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} even as in Iohn 5. * Zanchius saith thus Even as they honour the Father that is I say saith he with the like selfe-same honour plainly wherewith all honour the Father and a little before To whom saith he an equall yea every way the selfe-same honour is due Secondly They answer that they doe not put a difference between the Three Persons for by bowing at the Name Jesus they worship all the three Persons in one because they cannot be divided I reply Though they cannot be divided yet they may be distinguished and that in their worship too else that place of John were to no purpose Saint Steven calls upon Christ personally and distinctly Act. 7. 59. So doth St Paul upon the Father Ephes. 3. 14. And the distinct Names of each Person doe not personally denote the other Persons as when I say I beleeve in God the Father I doe not in that Article say I beleeve in God the Sonne If then these men say that they honour every Person alike personally at the Name Jesus which they must say if they say any thing they confound the Persons For the Person of the Father is not in the Person of the Sonne nor the Person of the Sonne in the Person of the Father c. but the Persons are distinguished Every Person is in one Divine Essence and the whole Essence in every Person Therefore the Name Jesus being a proper Name to the Second Person and not the Name of the first or Third Person cannot denominate but onely the Second Person And it is plaine that the Name above every Name in the Text is onely proper to the Second Person because the Second Person onely was humbled therefore the Second Person onely received this Name From whence I agrue looke as the Sonne is personally honoured so must the Father be But the Sonne is Personally honoured by bowing at his Name Ergo So must the Father be Or the Father is not Personally honoured by bowing at his Name Therefore the Sonne must not be so honoured I grant that the honour of the Sonne is essentially the honour of all the three Persons because every Person is the selfe-same God according to Joh. 5. 24. But here the Question is of the Persons not of the Essence But let us reason from the Essence it makes against them They that honour the Sonne as they honour the Father must so honour the Sonne in the Father as they honour the Father in the Sonne But when they honour the Son in the Father they doe not bow at the Name of the Father Therefore when they honour the Father in the Sonne they must not bow at the Name of the Sonne for if they doe how doe they honour the Sonne as they honour the Father SECTION X. GOD will not require that dutie of any of his creatures to whom he hath not created Power of performance I say created to prevent an Objection But if corporall bowing at the Name Jesus be injoyned of God to all the creatures he should require that of the most of his creatures to whom he hath not created power of performance Therefore it is none of Gods injunctions The first part of the Argument cannot be denied without blasphemy by imputing crueltie to Almightie God The second part is also very plaine For what power have meere sensitive and insensitive creatures to bow at the Name Jesus as sheepe and oxen stones and minerals trees and plants which neither have knees to bow eares to heare hearts to understand when Jesus is named What shall not these be subject to Christ till Jesus be named or shall it be greater then than at another time how sensles will this be The true bowing which is the bowing of subjection as I have shewed is already performed in some degree by all