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
A TREATISE AGAINST SVPERSTITIOVS JESV-WORSHIP VVherein the true Sense of Phil. 2. 9 10. is opened and from thence is plainly shewed and by sundry Arguments proved that corporall bowing at the Name Jesus is neither commanded grounded nor warranted thereupon With answers to some of the maine reasons overthrowne And afterwards the chiefest reasons and grounds of those that produce the said Text for that opinion are examined and the weaknesse and insufficiency of them laid open Together with a discovery of sundry grosse absurdities and very dangerous erroneous Consequences that doe necessarily arise from that opinion Written especially for the benefit of weake seduced Persons that have a zeale towards God though not according to knowledge By MASCALL GILES Minister of Gods Word at Dicheling in SUSSEX I hate them that regard lying vanities but thy Law doe I love Psal. 31. 6. In vaine doe they worship me teaching for Doctrines the Commandements of men Mat. 15. 9. LONDON Printed by T. P. and M. S. for Andrew Kembe at St. Margarets hill in Southwark 1642. TO THE RIGHT VVORSHIPFVLL Mr ANTHONY STAPLEY Esquire one of the Knights in PARLIAMENT elected for the County of SUSSEX RIGHT WORSHIPFULL WHen through sundry and continued abuses offered mee by those whose superstition I have impugned I was necessitated to commit this Treatise to the Presse After some deliberation I tooke boldnesse to Dedicate the same to you being encouraged hereunto partly by reason of your favourable Affection to my poore Selfe which I thankfully acknowledge partly also and especially because of your knowne sincere affection to the Truth and hatred of all superstitious Vanities and also because you are a right Worthy Member of that Honourable Body of the House of Commons whose endeavour is to clense the waters of the Sanctuary from that filth and bitternes whereby they have been defiled by too many that they may run pure and cleere to refresh the Soules of Gods People I meane to root out those superstitions and innovations which have so long pestred the Church and grieved the well-affected amongst which this Ceremony is one which you have not long since forbidden by your religious Order though contrary to the same Pride and shame makes the Preachers of to keepe it up and such malignant Principles by which these men have polluted the Peoples judgements makes them still to practise it This opinion indeed is very specious making a shew to the ignorant of great humilitie religion and holines when indeed it is a Monster of many heads there being not many Points of Popery that produce more dangerous Conclusions than it doth especially in the sense that some hold it The Text which they pretend for this Ceremony being as contrary to it as light is to darknesse The Lord blesse you and the truly vertuous Lady the Lady Clerke your religious Yoke-fellow and all yours and hers with his choicest mercies and powre out his especiall blessings upon that Honourable House of Parliament whereof you are a Member that you may be still tendred of him as the Apple of his eye and continually preserved from the Plots and fury of the malignant partie to the glory of God the safetie of Sion and the perfect Reformation of this Church and Kingdome which all true Israelites desire and pray for that future Generations may praise GOD for you and call you blessed Thus prayeth Your Worships in all Christian duties to be commanded MASCALL GILES TO THE IMPARTIALL READER That hath not the Faith of our Lord Iesus Christ in respect of Persons CHRISTIAN READER MY Antagonists in this Question are of two sorts The first are they that ground their opinion upon the Text and thereupon make bowing at the Name Jesus a necessary dutie The Second sort do also ground their opinion upon the Text and also upon the same reasons and yet make it but an indifferent Ceremony principally grounding it upon the Canon of the Church professing that as a Law hath established it so if a Law shall forbid it they will leave a it but till that time they will use it There are farre more of this sort than of the former and they are farre more absurd in their opinion than the former for the one are true to their owne grounds though they be mistaken but the other are false to them and indeed make but a mocke of the Text yea of Christ himselfe In my Treatise I contest with them both in one here I will bend my selfe to the Second sort 1. I would know of them if they stand so much upon a Canon why did they not obey the Order of the House of Commons What was their Order inferiour to the Canon made by the Convocation onely without consent of Parliament without which no Law can binde the b Subject 2. If they did ever meane to leave it why did they fasten it also upon the Scripture Many of them never practised it nor found any Text for it till the Archbishop had charged the Canon for it which in former times as c Master Hooker saith none was constrained to use What was not the Text authentique till the Canon had made it so or were they so ignorant that they knew not how to worship God till the Canon was charged or if they were not how will they answer it before God some of them that having lived long in the Ministery yet never before this time made knowne this part of Gods Counsell to their People 3. With what honesty can these men ever leave their practise of it the Canon being overthrowne except they renounce their opinion If they had not medled with the Text they might have come off more fairely but if the Canon fall all the power in the world can never overthrow the Text but it must stand for ever inviolable Therefore whereas it is the manner of these men to call all those Ministers factious and schismaticall that observe not the Canon as they expound it what manner of Persons will these prove themselves to be that will not obey Gods sacred Word The evasion which these men make for themselves is beyond all measure ridiculous They d say the Text doth but warrant this Ceremony and the Church hath taken occasion from the Texts warranting it to command it a very learned distinction We will view therefore the Text as they exponnd it and the Canon as it stands Thus they open the Text When Christ had humbled himselfe God highly exalted him and gave him the Name Jesus to be above every Name that at the mention of it all should bow their knees to the Glory of the Father Is this but a warrant take the Text any way can there be a more serious Ordinance The dutie of the Text is the maine end of Christs exaltation and the honour of his e Kingdome What shall God lay flat this Glorious Name of Christ and lay downe his owne honour at the will of man Surely not to obey this Text
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
it signifieth God to have life within himselfe to be an everlasting being and was before the name Iesus The Name Iehovah betokens Gods incomprehensiblenes his omnipotencie his omniscience his wisdome his goodnes and all his holy Attributes and that essentially in himselfe It betokens all Gods works his worke of Predestination not onely of Election but Reprobation by which he will be also glorified Pro. 16. 4. It betokens not onely his worke of Redemption but also his works of Creation and Providence for which works sake the heavens and earth doe praise him and speake his praise in all languages Psal. 19. 1 2 3. And for which works sake we must also praise him Psal. 100. 2 3. Psal. 147. It signifieth not onely his mercy but also his justice for which also we must rejoyce and praise the Lord Psal. 58. 11 12. True it is God shews his Glory abundantly in becomming a Saviour to his people yet the Name Jehovah goes beyond the Name Iesus in the extent of his Glory It denotes Gods Glory essentially in himselfe and generally in respect of all his mightie works The name Iesus denotes his Glory onely particularly in respect of the worke of Redemption and onely by way of relation to us whom he hath redeemed Therefore the reason aforesaid remaines inviolable that if we will bow onely at that Name that denotes Gods Glory particularly onely and that doth onely respect our owne benefit in the worke of Redemption wrought for us and not at that Name that betokens his Glory essentially in himselfe and that which hath relation to all his Attributes and to all his mightie works or if we will bow onely at Gods saving name and not at all at any of his commanding Names I say the reason stands firme we love our selves above God and regard our owne benefit and salvation more than his Glory or Soveraigntie over us As if a Subject will not bow to the King but onely in regard of some great extraordinary benefit bestowed upon him it is evident that he regards himselfe more than his Majestie 2. The Angels which by the Text must bow as well as we upon the same reason of the Text cannot have respect to the benefit of Salvation They serve Christ for his Glory sake and as he is their Lord 3. And lastly Seeing Devils and Reprobates must fulfill the Text as well as we and that also upon the same reason by these mens grounds they shall be more sincere in their service than we for they must bow to him gratis and as he is their Lord but we must not bow but upon a particular benefit that Christ is become our Saviour I doe ingenuously confesse that this reason that Christ is our Saviour is a very strong reason to move us to glorifie God to the utmost with our bodies and soules being redeemed by so great a price 2 Cor. 6. 20. And seeing now that Christ for suffering death is crowned with glory and honour Heb. 2. 9. and is now glorified God and man with that glory which he had with his Father before the world began Ioh. 17. 3. It highly concernes us to glorifie him now God and Man with the glory and honour wherewith we now glorifie the Father yet it is no reason to prove that we should honour the Sonne more than the Father or the Title Iesus above other Titles of the Deitie SECTION VII MAster Page gives this reason why the name Iesus hath the preferment above other Names to be bowed to viz. because above all other Names it signifieth Christs dying and suffering I cannot say Iesus saith he but presently I am put in minde of dying Answ. 1. I deny that the name Iesus is a Name that above all other Names puts us in minde of Christs sufferings For this Name in the plaine signification of it doth not directly signifie dying Many called God their Saviour in the old Testament yet few did suppose that God should dye Many were called by the Name Iesus and many Sauiours God stirred up and yet dyed not as Saviours Christs Disciples knew him all along by the Name Iesus yet thought he had raved when he once put them in minde of his death Mat. 16. 21. But indeed the name Christ doth more fully put us in minde of Christs sufferings than the Name Iesus for Iesus signifieth a Saviour but Christ signifieth Anointed it denotes him not onely a Prophet and King but also a Priest whose office was to shed bloud therefore it directly signifieth dying God if he had pleased could have shewed his mercy without his justice but he would not He could have been a Iesus without becomming a Priest but he could never have been a Priest unlesse he had been a Iesus 2. The Consequent is to be denied for if the Name Iesus should above all other Names signifie Christs death it will not follow that therefore it is the principall name to be bowed to 1. Because they have no ground of Scripture for it 2. Because it contradicts the Text for the Name above every Name is the Name that leads us to Christs exaltation and not to his suffering For God exalted him and then gave him that name yea he is become a perfect Saviour by his Glorification What profit had it been to us if he had not overcome death therefore it is said We seee Iesus crowned with glory and honour c. Heb. 2. 9. 3. If this reason be good then we must bow at the Name Iesus written upon a wall or in a Booke or when it is thought of for so it will put us in minde of dying as well as when it is heard Then also we must bow at the name Christ heard seene or thought of because this Name doth better put us in minde of dying than the name Iesus yea we must bow also more especially when we reade in a Chapter or heare the sufferings of Christ preached to us yea at every breaking of the bread in the Sacrament or powring out of the wine we must bow because Christs death and sufferings are better so notified to us than by the Name Iesus So that there is no weight in this reason SECTION VIII SOme reason thus The fulnesse of the Godhead dwels in Christ bodily Col. 2. 9. Ergo we must bow at the Name Jesus Answ. I deny the Consequent for if the fulnes of the Godhead should so dwell in Christ as that the rest of the Persons were stripped of the Godhead which is blasphemy once to imagine there might be some shew for this reason but the whole fulnes of the Godhead dwels in every Person in the First and Third as well as in the Second Person Ioh. 14. 11. But onely here is the difference that the fulnes of the Godhead dwels in Christ onely bodily because he onely had a body ordained for him that he might be a perfect Saviour Heb. 10. 5. And because he is now glorified in that body So that
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