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^THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY, |
'^ Princeton, N. J
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I
No. ®
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^
From the Rev. W. B. SPRAGUE, D.D.
Case, Pjvision i|p
Shelf, Section 2
E TRUE /^ ■ a:^(^^
\E Doctrine
THE'
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THE T R U E x^ -^^^^^^
,' Scripture Doctrine
O F T H E HOLY AND EVER-BLESSED
TRINITY,
STATED AND DEFENDED,
IN OPPOSITION TO THE
ARIAN SCHEME.
BY ABRAHAM TAYLOR.
LONDON:
Printed for John Clark and Richard Hett,
at the Bible and Crown in the Poultry near
Cheapfidc. MDCCXXVn.
/
To the Reverend
DrWATERLAND.
Sir,
OU may, perhaps, be fur- prized at the following work being infcribed to you, by a perfon fo lit- tle known to you ,- but there may this advantage attend your not know- ing any thing of my defign, that none will think the errors I may have com- mitted, have in the leaft met with your approbation.
The controverfy relating to the
do6lrine of the blefled Trinity, was
never fo carefully examined, as it has
been fince the late revival of Aria-
A i nifm
The Dedication.
nifm in our nation. The adverfaries of the truth cannot pretend they have been refufcd a fair hearing : On the other hand, their caufe has been tried, and found contrary to fcripture, rea* fon, and primitive antiquity. I am flire of having the concurrence of all judges of true merit, when I fay, none has contributed more to this great work, than your felf. In your excellent writings on the great fub- jed: of the Divinity of our blefled Lord, you have unravel'd the fo- phirtry, and laid open the fallacy of our adverfaries, you have folidly and nervoufly confuted their unfcriptural novelties, and have baffled their falfe pretences to antiquity : So that not being able to ftand before you, after the moft able hands of the party had been, for fome years, employ'd againft you, they have thought fit to make a very diflionourable re- rreat*
Seeing
The Dedication.
Seeing the controverfy has run ouc into a very great length, I appre- hended it might be ufeful, to throve together the Icripture proofs of the catholic dodlrine of the Trinity, and to try if I could fet them in an eafy and juft light. As I muft profefs my felf to have received great benefit and advantage from your learned labours, I could not but publickly teftify my gratitude, in prefenting thefe flieets to you 3 hoping that you will approve of an honeft zeal, to fupport a caufe, in which you have appeared widi fo much honour 3 and depending on your candor and goodnels, to over- look the faults, which a perfon of your difcerning cannot but find, in fo imperfed a performance.
Upon reviewing what! have wrote,
I find my felf under more obligati*
ons to you, than I was at firft fenfi-
bie of: For thofe mafterly ftrokes of
A 3 reafon-
The Dedication^.
reafoning, which occur in your wri- tings, made fo ftrong an impreffion on my mind, in reading them, that I find, in feveral cafes, I have fallen into almoft the fame thread of argu- ment, even when I was not appre- henfive I was indebted to you.
I can hardly expeA, that in all the topicks I have gone upon, my way of thinking will be wholly approved by you • but notwichftanding a va- riety in our thoughts, concerning fome incidental matters in this controverfy, and our different fentiments about o- ther things ^ yet feeing we maintain the common faith againfl; the com- mon enemy, I hope the opinions in which we differ, will be no bar a- gainft the ufefulnefs of our labours^ in defenfe of that truth in which \\x agree.
We have a clear view of the mif- chiefs produced by Arianifm, in the
fur-
The Dedication.
furprizing growth of Atheifm and Deifrrij within thefe few years 3 we have no reafon to wonder at this^, for when once men make their im- perfect reafon the ftandard, accord- ing to which matters of pure reve- lation muft be interpreted, they have but a fliort ftcp to take, to deny, that the fcriptures have any divine autho- rity at ail.
That God may appear, in our time, to fcatter the darknefs of error^ which has fo much overfpread our unhappy land, that he may preferve to us the purity of the chriftian faith, and may baffle all attempts made by mtn of corrupt minds, to rob us of this facred pledge, committed to our truft, is the fincere prayer of,
Reverend Sir,
Your faithful humble Servant,
Abraham Taylor.
V
/
J>
THE
PREFACE
HERE have been many fchemes framed, by the difputers of this world, againll the c'oStrine of the ever blefled Trinity in unity, but the moft confiderable are the Sabel- han, with which the Socinian is almcil the fame, and theArian: Both thefe hypothefes have taken their rife, from mens confounding being and perfon, and refolving that nothing fhall be a perfon, but what is a feparate being. The Sa- bellians, convinced that theTcripture reprefents the Son, and the holy Spirit, as really divine, make the facred three to be the one fupreme God with three names; and to preferve the true Deity of the Son and the Spirit, deny their rcal perfonality. This fcheme is not attended with thofe difficulties on the foot of reafon, which clog all other heretical hypothefes, which men have framed ; but it is fo dire£l:ly contrary to fcriptuie, that whenever th*" anti-trinitarians have taken refuge in it, their caufe has prefently become dcfperate.
^ The
V
ii The preface.
The Arians always have acknowledged the perfonality of the Son and the Spirit, and to preferve this, have been for reducing them to the rank of creatures; tho' in order to avoid popular cenfure, and to fcreen their true fenti- ments from the view of well meaning perfons, they have moflly been fhy of calling them foi
The fcriptures fpeak of Chriil in more capa- cities than one; he is fet forth as really God in many places, but he is, in many more places, fpokeof as mediator, and as man; inboththefc latter cafes, he is reprefented as fubordinate to the Father, as fent by him, as commiilion'd to do his will, as obeying him as his fervant, as yielding him fubjection, and as praying to him^i on feveral occafions. This reprefentation of Chrift, in his oeconomical capacity, as fubor- dinate to the Father, and as inferior to him. in office, has been improved by the Arians, to countenance the notion of an inferiority of na- ture: It has been greedily fwallowed by many, who do not carefully lock into the matter, and do not confider the high things which are elfewhere, in fcripture, fpokc of Chrift, nor at- tend to the abfurdities that flow from the fancy of an inferior, fubordinate God: On this ac- count the Arian hypothefes has had, at times, a greater run in the world, than any other heterodox fcheme.
The Arians, in all ages, have been remarka- ble for tricking and difguife, for infincerity and double dealing ; and have veiy often fliiftcd and palliated their notions. It ^ wou'd be an end- lefs task, to give a detail of all their divillons,
* I Ihall refer the Englifh reader, who dcfires a fiillef account of the rife, progrefs, and downfal of Arianifm of eld, to the tranllations of the hillories o^ Arianifm, of Fa-
amon
The preface. in
among thcmfelves j but it may not be improper to give a brief account of the feveral turns this herefy has taken in the world.
The Arian herefy, as is well known, took its name, in ^ the beginning of the fourth cen- tury, from *^ Arius, a proud conceited prefbyter of Alexandria : His firft motive to it was a perfonal fpite againft Alexander, a pious and excellent man, who was advanced, over his head, to the bifliopric, which he had afpired after. He had fome among the deacons of the church of Alexandria to join with him, among which was another perfon named Arius, the rcfl were Achillas, Euzoius, Carpones, Aethales, Lucius, Sarmates, Julius, Menas, Helladius and Caius: With thefe fome African bifhops join'd thcm- felves, as Secundus of Ptolemais, and Theonas of Marmarica, and Piftus, whom the Arians afterwards call'd bifliop of Alexandria. Seve- ral ^bifhops, in other parts, foon declared thcm- felves in favour of Arius 5 but his main fupporter was Eufebius bilhop of Nicomedia, a diflemb-
ther Maimbourg, and of M. le Nain le Tiilemont, and ef- pecially to the learned and accurate Dr. Berriman's hifto- rical account of the Trinitarian controverfy, p. 163. — 250. 257.- — 270. 320.- — 362.
^ About the year 317. the notion which he efpoufed had been, by fome obfcure perfons, ftarted before, as ap- pears from a fragment of Dionyfms bifhop of Rome, pre- ferved by Athanafius, ( De Decret. Synod. Nicen. Vol. I. p. 275, 276. Ed. Poris. Vol. I. p. 231, 232. Ed. Bened.) part of which is inferted in the following treatife, (p. 123, 124.)
* Vid. Socrat. Hift. Ecclef. Lib. I. c. 5, 6. Sozomert. Hift. Ecclef. Lib. I. c 16. Thepdorit. Hift. Ecclef. Lib. I. c. 2, 3. Epiphan. Haeres. 69.
^ Thefe were Aetius bilhop of Diofpolis, Athanafius bilhop ofAnazarbus, Auxentius bilhop of Milan, Euftathius bilhop of Scbafte, Gregory bilhop of Bcrytus, Maris bilhop of
ir The PREFACE.
ling artful courtier, who did more to proftidtd the fpreading of Arianifm, than any other per- fon whatever.
Arius, at his firft fetting our, was very bold and daring, in his denial of the Son's Divinity ; he, indeed, deceitfully caird him God, but at the fame time he affirm'dj that there was a time tvhcn he w^as not j that he is a creature, made out of nothing, and that this created Word, united to the human flefh, fupplied the place of a human foul. In his letters, ^ which are re- maining, he ufed the following cxpreflions a- mong others. ^' The Son is not made out of any prc-exiflent matter, but is, by the will and power of the Father, conftituted a perfe6t on- ly begotten Godj before all time > but he was not before he was begotten, or created. We lay, the Son has a beginnings and is made out of nothing. We own but one felf-exillent, e-
Chalcedon, Menophantus bifhop of Ephdfus, NarcifTui bl- fiiop of Irenopolis, Patrophilus bifhop of Scythopolis, Pau- linas bifliop of Tvre, Theodotus bifliop of Laodicea, and Theognis bifhop of Nice.
w«o?y o ^ 0SS5 ccvuf'^'<; jVj* ^oc riro ^iun^[/ji6x, )o en 'urrofSifj «|
f| Ittoxhi^h nvoq. Arius Epill. adEufebium Nicomed. Apud Theodorit. Hill. Ecclef Lib. i. cap. 5. p. 21. Ed. Valef 8c apud Epiphanium Haer. 69. p. 731, 732. Ed. Par.
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ternal
/
The preface. v
ternal and true God, who begot his Son before all times, by whom he made the worlds, who is conflituted unalterable, by his will, a ipcrfeS: creature of God , yet not like one of the other creatures, but Vvho was created before time, by the will of God : He received his life, and be- ing, and glory, from the Father : He was be- gotten and created by the Father, before all ages J but he is not eternal, nor co eternal with the Father j and becaufe he received from God his being, his life, his honours, and all that be- longs to him, God is his principle, and rules and governs him, as his God, and is before him, becaufe he is from him."
Arius was very diligent, to make ufe of all opportunities that ofFer'd, to propagate his opi- nions 5 and as perfons who have not opportu- nity to look into things, are moil eafily im- pofed upon, he provided fomcthing that might ftrike the imagination, and fuit the guft of fuch^ therefore he compofed ballads, ^ for the ufe of millers, failors, and travellers, which were (luf- fed with his peculiar notions, and were proper
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Z tQ
Vi The preface.
to difTeminate his hereiy, in a merry way, a^ niong the ignorant populace, and the unthink- ing mob.
For the ufe of perfons of a politer tafte, he compofed his Thalia, partly in pfofe, and partly in loofe metre, which was % drawn up in a wanton bantering way, and in a lufcious ftile, more becoming an amorous romance, than a theological treatife j of this we may take an in-
v'iic, ccfx,ih<^i^>i^ T ccv^aT^oiv. Photjus ex Piiiloftorgio. 1 1 . 2. p. 470. Ed. Valef.
^/wv, iKT'AK>Mi^cic, y^ yeXoioi^ tj^vjo-*, xuiu tvv 'AiyuTTriov S^y-
•Tj^/jv. Athanai". de Sentent« Dionyf. Vol. I. p. 552. Ed. Par.
nav aAA&v cly.av, Sw7k'^/;5 tj? lliv^nTcci 7:0.^' uuTolq, 0 kxi Trap*
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Uaq 1^ icu.6aXiyjii<^ E>cjcA)3(7Ja5 lanv^ oi T^f 'Ayo<^oXliCKy eCTtori'iX- \^-i/jivoi 7n?iv^ Kx\ KXivZv KXKCov l^iv^iTui yivcf/jivoi j o't m psj •jsyv B-UCJ9 y^x<pii)i/ Xoyix KXTxXil'^ovTitiy 7K5 i^ ©xXc-iuq Afiiiit ffoiPiXii KXivaj cvof^(^ovTS<;, ii^Jrai; thto XiyovTt(; kxiv/.v 'ui^vi<nv u-sxyy.>.>,i<(n ■ ^to Kxl B'xvjt^a-inv xv T<;, 071 tsoWx "^tcX'aZv cvv- 'myfJMTXf Kx) TrXii^xc, c^^Xlxti u^ yi tkv tc xXfiUxv xxi 7-,;v kxivhv ycu'^citTCitf, y.x) TTxfx f/jij^m Qx>.i\x<, itfJerxo^'^j?, xXXx (A}m •^«i)ji. ml'; g-TTH ^diae, tZi iAAiiy&'y, >! Ttxi^x {.{svoiq roiq 06dV(rt tcc nuiZret ^"Tx^x rroTa; fJUiiii xpoVif y.xi (ryM\ti[A^7uv iv '7rxiaixi(;^ XfiVAv Toij ysAX^ rr«p' Iti^uv. 'O ^xvyjcii^e, ^'A^u^ cveiv viui^ jiv /i>w/A^pUjW/iv(^, xXXx. Kxl rcl ruv a-TTis^XiUv ocyyoiio-xc,, xXiX^x^ T* Tzyy uX/.ckiv Xi^i<riuv oToxAzyflf^, ttjv too I^utzcoh [/^vou yiXoio- XnyiXV li^i;>Mfri ' t: yx^ ITTfiTTS TTnTv xCrvVf h ^iXovrx xxtu tou
rfiiq Kxl ^,x^iifjt,ivci<i fjoiXscrt a-r,yuuisii'.'>. Idem, ibid. p. 3*^9*
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/
The P R E P a C E. vii
fiance, in ^ this filly, as well as prophane paf- fage> " God has fpoke many words, which of thefe fhall we call the only begotten Son, and Word of the Father?" In this odd compofure, he inferted fome paflages wrote in a more grave manner, and in the way of dry debate, or ra- ther of dull cavil 5 one large fragment of this kind, is preferved by ^ Athanafius, in which the heretic has fpoke his mind boldly and freely: Among other things he has thus declared : " We call God the Father eternal, becaufe of hiia who was made in time 3 he who was without beginning, conftituted the Son the beginning of things, made and adopted him. The Soa has nothing proper to God, for he is neither equal to him, nor confubftantial with him. Ic is evident, that God is invifible to all creatures,
fjbav, ocXXci r Atyt>7rrio¥ "Zwnid^/iy h r« \k'. kx) r^ iKX^int fhip^m. Idem, De Synod. Armin. & Seleuc. Vol. I. p. 885.
i,Tiypu'^c QaXiiiCf • sVf 3 e x^^^^ztt^^ tow fii^>^lii ^xuvog kxI Jiflfc-
crates Hill. Ecclef. Lib. i. c. 9. p. 25. Ed. Par.
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made
^
viii The PREFACE.
made by the inftrumentality of the Son, and to
the Son himfelf^ for to fpeak plainly, how can
he who is invifible be fcen by the Son ? There
is a Trinity, but not of equal glory, one per-
fon being iafinitely more glorious than another;
The Father is of a different fubflance from the
Son, being without caufe : The Son once was
not, but by the will of the Father he exifted,
and he is of a different kind from other creatures.
Is not the Son what he is, by the will of the
Father ? In a word, God is ineffable to the Son ;
he can never comprehend and declare the Fa^*
ther, for certainly the Son can never fearch
out what is incomprehenfible, relating to the
Father, when he is derived from hirn, becaufe
he docs not know his own effence. What rea-
fon have we to think, that he who is of the
Father, can know and comprehend him, who
begot him? It is plain, that he who has a be-
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ginningj
The preface, ix
ginning, can never know him who is without a beginning, as he is.'* To fuch a height of bold impiety, did this unhappy man run, at his firft going forth, to defy Chrift, the Hving God. Some of his friends, at this time, were not much upon the referve, but, thinking all refiilance would fall before them, they ^ ipoke their minds freely and openly, in terms fit to make the ears of chriftians tingle.
To obviate thefe daring blafphemies of Arius and his abettors, the emperor Conftantine the great fummon'd a council of three hundred and eighteen biihops, to meet at Nice, in which cither Euflathius bifhop of Antioch, or Hofius
c'jx, eiQt 7j i?-i9. Arius in Thalia, apud Athanaf. de Svnodis Arimin. & Seleuc. Vol. I. p. 884, 885. Ed. Par. Vide & A- thanaf. Orat. 2. c. Arian. p. 311, 312.
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M« fJUiytj<Pii roi<i 'Ztfec ''Apjwv, Si' ^.iyaoriVy itv ttoi s ors isK hv 0 hio^ t5 0s5* *^ '^ 0 UTutoa lioq -yiyoviv A^a^;, }^ ciMui^ 0 Ayjuq ?j» Tf^ r5 yivi^ T HTUiocii 6 Jj HcrccVus ix, h Tr^ri^ov, kXKu. fjtiTK rctZrc6 yiyon. Georgius Laodicen. Epift. ad eund. apud Athanaf. ibid»
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TleiiT fjt/iTK yjafjbii)^ ^vci^m (rvvTxyf{^Tiov • — sv riirco t^v otK^/dcc 9^ TJjF ^ejifhTTifiit TM Xpts-3 o-vyKP/vui, f/JiXXov i) '^fOT.i/j()(ra4 ccvtcu^ j^ Mym u?^>.ij9 uvxi Tta.^ riv Xp<fB» iv r'2 Qico (ro:p,'xv, niv reu
*yecf s^i Tuv yivtifuf, j^ iii tuv vryj'mv pua-icov £,t • >c, aa-Tnp >)>.«©- I» ToTq fiMT^ofd^on Xte, fjuiv s^i Tav ^ctivof^^m^ ?^u,f^7m ^ Truini y» H9<rfAa KCCTK vr^arTU^iv rev ^i7inrn{^7(^ • Hretfi 6 iioq, Uq a>f
tfcnrZ n^rf/bot, HuXiv Ti (pi](nv, kv 7nr% on oCk w, itrof y^u^a*
a bifhop
\
X The preface.
bishop of Corduba prefided. In this council Arius and his opinions were condemned: His friends, at firfl, made a great out-cry, againft ellablifhing human forms, and creeds, not drawn up in fcripture words -, but they had neither the honelly nor courage to (land it out, but to keep their bifhoprics, fubfcribed a creed which they had rail'd at as unfcriptural. Eu- febius billiop of Nicomedia, Theognis bifhop of Nice, and Maris biHiop of Chalcedon, for fome time refufed to condemn Arius, but at laft they fubfcribed to his condemnation > for Eu- fcbius being perfuaded to do it, by the princefs Conitantia, fiftcr to the emperor, that fo he might hav'e it in his power, more to ferve Arius, t lie reft follow'd his villainous example. Among all the fivourers of Arius, none ftuck to him, but Secundus bifhop of Ptolemais, and Theonas biftiop of Marmarica.
Arius, we have feen, was at firft: open and bold, in delivering his opinions 5 but a little ex- perience fhew'd him, this was not the way to gain credit j becaufe his tenets were too iliock- ing for common chriftians to bear : Befidcs, after he had been cenfured by the council of Nice, it was vain to think to be reconciled to the emperor Conftantine, on any other foot, than feeming to fall in with what had been a- greed upon there. He ^ made ufe of a preiby-
iri^fMit • iTTu i^ Ur^oq, ?rpa tow Urfweiv itxt t^v rov t7ri<pff/jwi, Kect ?r«cA«v, ivspyirixTj (ptXoTifJttlct, tKii^n 6 iiUt «s« TFifina-ix Jl-
VMf^iUq iTTOiWi* CCU7VV 0 UXTJ}^. Kxl -TTUXlVf 'E* T* S^lAW TOU
iyp«4.f f^vat,. Athanafius, ibid. p. 887, 888, 889.
^ Vide Socrat. Hill. Ecclef. Lib. i. c. 25. Sozomcn. HilL' Ecclcf. Lib. IL c. 27.
ter.
The ? R E F a C E. xi
ter, who having perverted the princefs Gon- ftantia, the widow of Licinius, was by her, on her death bed, recommended to her brother the emperor, and was much in his favour. ThiS fly hypocrite fo far impofed on Conllantine, as to make himfelf pafs with him as a firm ad- herent to the Nicene faith, and to bring him to believe, that Arius was too hardly dealt with, and was not the man his enemies reprefented him to be. Arius being callM upon, to give an account of his faith, having learn'd the art of tricking and difguife, together with Euzoius, delivered a creed, drawn up in ambiguous ex- preffions, that bore outwardly a found mean- ing : "^ By this the emperor was inclined to have him re-admitted to communion j but feveral things hindering it for fome years, at lad, " up- on Arius's giving in an ambiguous de<:laMtion of his fentiments, which upon ait kpp^al to the fearchei;,of hearts, he declared v/as his true faith, he cothtrtahded it fhould be done, telling him withal, that if he diflembled, God would cer- tainly judge him 3 and accordingly, the day be- fore he was to be admitted, the equivocating wretch was cut off by death, in a fudden and furprizing manner.
InroZv X^i'piVy. Tvv hiov etwrow, srpo ttkvt&jv tuv cciayuy yiyivvrifd^ev Oiiv Aoyov, di » TBt TTtcvTX iy!viro^ tk rg iv h^uvui, km tu tTn t*
tt'Troak^f/^iSx ocA'/i&aqj coq TToiarcc x.ei6e>\.iKH iKKXiioiec^ KtU eci yoxCbeil cid'cca-Kuc-i, uiq KXiu Tcuvrcc TrifiuefAn, KfiTi^q v.f^ah i<^9 6 ®ioc,, Arii & Euzoii Symbol apud 8oc. Lib. I. c. 26. p. 51. Ed, Par. Sozomen. Lib. IL c. 27. p. 395.
" Vid. Athanaf. Epift. ad Serapion, Vol. I. p. 670, 671. Ed. Par. Vol. L p. 341. Edit. Ben. Socrat. Hilt Ecclef. Lib. I. c. 37, 3g. Sozomen. Hift. Ecclef. Lib, 2, c, 29, ^o. Theodorit. Haeretic. Fabul. Lib. IV. c- 1.^
a 2, his
xii The PREFACE.
His followers after him would fometimes fpeak their fentiments plainly, as in the ° fynod at Philippopoli, where they boldly condemned the term confubftantial, and declared that the Son was unlike the Father j yet they moftly chofe to fcreen themfelves, behind the mift of ambiguous words, which might carry outward- ly an orthodox appearance, to captivate the un- wary 'y but yet had a fecret meaning, to keep the perfons that ufcd them, clear from the charge of open felf-contradiclion : And accord- ingly we find the Arians, when they met in fynods, over and over p anathematizing fuch as call'd the Son a creature, or affirm'd him to be niade in time, or out of nothing > while they meant no more by this, than that Chrift was not brought into being, or created, in the fame manner with other creatures, and that they did not determine, as to the time, when he was created. They hid unfcriptural opinions un- der fcripture expreflions, wrefted and abufed; and difguifed their heretical tenets under ambi- guous and obfcurc phrafes, which might be taken in a good {cnk; that Co they might ob- trude the poifon of their opinions upon the lefs difcerning, and yet might have fomething inreferve, to plead with the few of their own party, who were bold and open, and were rea-
cftor, KUi pct,n^a<i Mivriv tv f//iv ofJi/ois(rio\f ccyuSifX/tcnQnu-i tkv ^ re*
Socrates HiH. Ecclef. Lib. II. c. 20. p. 85. Ed. Par.
P See llie Arian creeds recorded by Athanafms, (Vol. I. p. 896. 900. Ed. Par.) by Socrates, (Hift. Ecclef. Lib. IL c. 8. p. 72. Ed. Par. c. 18. p. 80. c. 19. p. 81, 82. c. 30. p. 1 01.) and by Sozomen, (Hilt. Ecclef. Lib. III. . c. in
p. 416.)
dy
The preface. xiii
dy to accufe "^ them of hypocrify and double dealing.
Some of the Arians declared their blafphe- mies, with great freedom and boldnefs, affirm- ing the Son to be made out of nothing, and to be every way unlike to the Father 5 thefc were caird Anomoeans and Exoucontians, and the principal men among them were Aetius, who for his boldnefs, in difputing againfl fcripture myfleries, was calPd the atheift, and Eunomius, who got to be bifhop of Cyzicus. The chief *^ argument, which thefe men ufed, was, that the Son could not be like the Father, becaufe the Father only is felf-exiftent. Eunomius has declared his fentiments, in a long creed, ^ which we have remaining, but in a confufed manner, frequently contradidting himfelf 5 but he has given the fum of his opinions more diftinftly,
xpcl ofjijoXo-ya oZroi TtkiTic, tu. uCtu Aty^ff"*, xfV7rru(^ovTXi J). Aetius de Eudoxio & Menophilo, apud Epiphan. Haer. 76. c. 4. Vol.1, p. 916. Ed. Pai-.
' ^xa-Kii — on a duiccrcut rv uyivmrov b^oicv uvxi rep ytwiiru ' XXI yi Kxrec tv otofjbx a^ixXXurru ' tv' f/jlv yap hif X'^vvvirov, tv ^ymnrot. Aetius, apud Epiphan. Haer. 76. c. 6. p. 918.
Ay.vviiToti ■^ at 8x XV TTon TTfoa-oiro •^yv})(nv, u^i 4 to)xg
f/jirx^Zvxi tS> yivvef//iv(a ^uau^t iK^oyot rt xv Tixirxi truyK^nnv x.xl Keivavixv Trpoq to yimfrov. Eunomius, Apologet. c. 9. In Fabric. Biblioth. Gr. Vol. VIII. p. 272.
We have remaining of Aetius, a parcel of quibbles on the word xymyir(^, which the reader may fee in Epiphanius. p. 924 — 930.
The followers of thefe two men were call'd Anomoeans, from their affirming the Son to be, xvo[jt,ei(^y unlike to the Father, and Exoucontians, for their owning him to be made, s| owe o>r<yy, out of nothing.-
^ See Eunomius's creed in the eighth volume of M. Fa- bricius's Bibliotheca Graeca, (p. 253—260.) And in Vale- rius's notes on Socrates, (,p. 48, 49, 50.)
a 5 in
\
xLv The PREFACE:
in theclofe of his apologyj which Bafil confut* ed : His words are ^ thele : " There is one felf- exiftcnt and unoriginated God, having none be- fore him J for nothing can be before him who is felf-exiltenr s nor with him, for the felf-ex- iftent God is one onlyj nor in him, for he is iimple and uncompounded : He being one only, and always the fame, is the God, and creator, and framer of all things, primarily and eminent- ly of the only begotten 5 but properly of all things made through him. He begot, created and made the Son alone, by his own power and efficacy before all other creatures, not by com- municating any thing of his fubltance to him whom he begot > for God who is incorruptible, indivifible, and infeparable, does not commu- nicate his efience : Neither does he conflitute another Hke himfelf, for he alone is felf-exiftent, and to be begotten, fo as to have the felf- exiftent efTence, is impoffible : He did not lef- fen his own eflence, but begot the Son, by his will onlyj neither did he beget him, accord- ing to his own efTence, but fuch as he pleafed : Thro' the miniftry of this Son, he made the
Tivoi ovTu, j<JV» Y* TTpo rw oi,yivv^)Ti{ iivai ovvccrsn, in (tw tcvTa, 5.-? y«p xxl f^v(^ Oio^ 6 «^'vy>}T(^, out' iv etur^, aVA«5 yxf xccl tC(njv6iT(^. Eli ^ et))i, ksc] /!/^v<^ aiv, Kcci ocA 6 uiit^c, <yy, Traaf" rtut i^ 0£(J5> x«< xT<rtJ5, Kxl J^^ispycc, Tp^rw? fjuh xccl i^oiifi- ra^ TOW Movoyivoui^, ietui; -^ ruv }i olutoZ yivofji/ivuv, tvv fjun yajp vkov, TT^o 'Tcwnuv, KUt %i^o %(t<rv^ x,7i(riU(^, fA^vov t>j Iavtov ohvufjun xu\ ivi^ytici, lyinwi 7i, koci fKritn, Kotl sTroma-iv, ou^v 'f locvrw vTreg-ufTiu^ f/^XTU^ii^ t'm ymfiHtn. ''A^^arp®- y«p, xx\ u^cclfi- T©-, y.u\ eCfjt/ipi^^ a Oioq ' 6 ^ u(pSa.^T(^ r? tuvTou oua:ccf oi
ttCroc, uyiiivi)T(^y xurx ii rnv otytvvtjTov ouaixv yivi>i6yivcci cc^'uvctTcv, OvTi ov¥ Tvi iuuTou cuaia kzix^yta-xro, uXXx rvj ^uMan /uisvvi' in xuTec T ouaifcv, <iAA' olov i(iii>i^6n iymittrs. Ka/' ^oc roZnt^ :ffci)Tov lAiiv TTecnuf kccI fJbii^w, to Ttviuyi^x, to ayiov iTFuwtv, i^a-
holy
The preface. xy
holy Spirit, the firft and greateft of all things created, by his own power and command, but by the efficience of the Son: After^the Spirit, he created all things, in heaven and earth, vifible and invifible, corporeal and incorporeal, by the Son. There is therefore one God, unbegotten, uncreated, and unmade > and there is one Lord Jefus Chrift, begotten of him who is unbegot- ten, but not in the fame way with other things begotten 5 the creature of him who is uncreated, but not created in the fame way with other creatures > the work of him who was unmade, but not made in the fame way with other things made : And there is one holy Spirit, the Jfirft and greateft of the works of the only begotten, made at the command of the Father, by the power and efficacy of the Son." This is a plain account of genuine Arianifm, and is what is really maintained by the whole party 5 tho' fome may be more cautious of fpeaking their minds than others. Aetius and Eunomius were rem.ark able for their pretending to have got fuch clear and bright ideas of God, as to be able fully to comprehend his efTence. The former thus " declared : " I know God in the fame man- ner that I know my felf> nay I do not know
cioe. f^tv ic:u, Kx) Tfioa-Tuyf/jccriy hifynu, ^ y.eu ^wizfjuu roZ vicu, fAtiToi ^ reuro, roi XoiTToi, ttuvtx ru ii o6^ctv(Z tcu] l-m y??, ci^xroc TS Kdi oiopccrct, Kcti <ra>f/joe.rct rs kxI eca-aifXtoCTcc, ^ile, rov iioZ stjvh}'
c-iv. Ei? «v 0«o? ftJymjjT©-, uy,Ti?<^, UTnunr©^, kuI «$ Kt-
p<©- lYifToZc, X^i'iZ';, 0 w;o5 Tcu ©iov, yiJVYiyjoc, rou oiyrnvm, ey« 6)5 sv Tav ymY)(J!joc.ri-)v, Kiioryju, rou ixrtVs^, oC^ ac, % ruv xricr-
7rnv[X/c6 ocytov, tt^^tov kcc) fJi/H^v frocvrav rm rev ^cnyivoZc, 'soyav, TT^erocyfuuTi fmv roZ n«r^o$, ivifyucc, ^ kxI ^vvuf^zi row 'tuoZ yg- vifBfioK Eunomii Apolog. c. 28.
Tvr 6)9 ^ Qfcv. Aetius apud Epipban. p. 989.
a 4 . my
xvi The PREFACE.
my felf fo well as I do God." The other, with greater infolence, thus pronounced : ^' ^' God knows no more of his own eflence than we do, nor is it known more clearly by him, and more obfcurely by us j but what wc know of it, he knows ^ and what he knows, we fliall find our felves to know, without any difference."
There were fome peilbns, who favour'd A- rianifm, who were fo lliock'd at thefe bold im- pieties, that they chofe to fall in with what they caird Semi-arianifm, and profefs'd to be- lieve very high things of the Son, and the Spi- rit, only they fcrupled to call them confublfan- tial with the Father 5 but proper Semi-arianifm, is meer nonfenfe and felf-contradi6lion -, for there can be no medium between God and a creature, between infinite and finite. The principal per- fons of this fort were Balil bifliop of Ancyra, and Macedonius bifhop of Conftantinopk : This laffc was the perfon, who is faid firll to have introduced the way of talking, of the Son's being like the Father in fubilance: He pretend- ed to differ very little from the catholics, with refpeft to the Son} but he utterly dilclaimed the Divinity ol the holy Spirit, making him to be a created minillring fpirit, of the fame kind with the angels j this opinion was con- demned in the council of Conltantinople,
The Arian herefy never could keep its ground, except when the fecular power fupported it ; The profefTorsof this opinion always made loud outcries againft perfecution) yet they were mofl
'*^ *0 0sfl? 5Tif< r tuvToZ ovr.cci ovhv ttXiov if/jZv tTn^etToci ' cuds jriv uvry) /w/SAAov fjutv iKuvM, kttov at i>f/ijTv ytyutTKofOjjr) ' icXX' cTtp ecv iihiyiutjtv yfJtji\(, 'ZZr6<' tx-'JiViC, toZto 5r<i»T&'5 xeiKi'ii(^ oi^v' c oi utt ^acX.11 iKUv(^, 7oZro ivfi(rii<i U7^ufoi.X?^UKTUiiv yfJuXv. Eunomius
apud. Soc. Hifl. Ecckf. Lib. IV. c. 7. p. 176, 177. Ed. Par.
bitter
The preface. xvii
bitter perfccutors, whenever they had it in theisr power. In the firll perfecution they raifed, un- der that weak prince Conftantius, who thp' not in their fentiments, was a tool to them, being wholly managed by Eufebius bifhop of Nicomedia, and Eulebius his great chamberlain, they did not perfecute any, meerly becaufe they held the catholic fiiith, but they vented their rage againft the orthodox, becaufe they would not hold communion with themj they look'd upon them as narrow fpirited bigots, who knew nothing of the noble principles of liberty, and therefore they were for propagating compre- henfive charity and moderation, by force and violence. They did not proceed to inflid ca- pital puniihment^ or if they did, they invented crimes of a civil nature, to accufe fuch of, as they had a mind to put out of the way. When Valens, who was in principle an Arian, raifed another perfecution againft the catholics, he was not content with banilhing and imprifoning fuch as maintained true faith, but he punifhed them with X death j and, in his cruelties, feem'd to make the heathen perfecuters, the model which he copied after : His behaviour, in this refpcdb, was fo intolerable, that y Themifrius a pagan, but a wife and moderate man, was moved to
» Vid. Gregor. Naz. Orat. 20. Vol. I. p. 348. Ed. Tat. Orat. 25. p. 432 — 434. Orat. 32. p. 512. Socrat. Hill. Ec- clef. Lib. IV. c. 16. p. 186. Ed. Par. Sozomen. Hift. Ec- clef. Lib. VI. c. 14. p- 533.
y Vid. Socrat. Hift. Ecclef. Lib. IV. c. 32. p. 305. So- xomen. Hift. Ecclef. Lib. VI. c. 36. p. 365. Vid. & The- mift. Orat. XII. p. 156, 157., 158, 159, 160. Edit. Harduin.
This oration of Themiftius was in commendation of Va- lens, after he had complied in part with his advice not to pfcrl'ccute for confcience fake.
cntreqjt;
^ _ »••
iviii The PREFACE:
entreat him, not to force men to change their lentiments, by tortures and violence.
The Arians, to be fure, very much weakcn'd their party, by their divifions among themfelves, and by their pe.fecuting one another, on ac- count of their differences : And I believe it may be juftly Cud, that the herefy never prevailed fo much among the people, as it did among the ecclefialtics ; therefore it is not to bewonder'd at, that as foon as ever the great and wife em- peror Tbcodofius, deprived Arianifm of the fup- port of the civil power, it, like a ruinous build- ing, fell down at once, fo as never to rife again, in the eaftern part of the world. The fup- preffing Ananifm, without ufing feverity, was the glor)' of that pious and excellent prince's reign, and contributed more to his honour, than all tne triumphs that attended his fword.
When Ananifm was entirely fupprefs'd, in the eaft, it was fpread all over the well, by the nortaern nations, who over-run the empire, in the reign of Honorius, and after. The Goths were tainted with Arianifm, by the means of Ulphiks, whom they made their bifhop, and who had been their agent at Valens's court, where he received the infeaion. All the other nations derived the Arian tenets from the Gorhsj and It IS nowonder they fhould fo readily fall into them, for the tranfition to them from pa- gamfn> is very eafy. In fome places, the bar- barians let the catholics alone, but in others they pcrfccuted them with great fiercenefs. The mo^remble perfecution of all, ^ was that raifed by Gifenc and Hunneric, the Vandal kings in
maa.r., will meet with an account of the Vandal perfecu-
Africa,
The preface, xU
Africa, in which fuch as would not deny their God and Saviour, were treated with fuch hor- rid cruelties, as might raife pity in the moft fa- vage bread. This perfecution was continued mmiy years, under their fuccelTors, but not with fo great violence. t ri- •
Afterwards, when the emperor Jultmian's general, the great Belifarius, the glory of his time, for condud and bravery, had recover'd Africa from the Vandals, and Italy from the Goths, Arianifm made very little figure in the world. The Goths a few years after, recover'd Italy, but they were foon driven out of it by Narfes. Indeed, when that brave general, to revenge the ill treatment he met with, unhap- pily caird the Lombards into Italy, the Ariaii herefy again rear'd its head in that country > but in a few years, there, and in all other parts, it dwindled to nothing.
The Arians, when they are reminded of the perfecutions, raifed by their predeceflbrs in he- refy, retort the charge of perfecution upon the orthodox j but tho' the Arians might be driven from their preferments, they cannot fhew that ever one was put to death, on account of his being of their fentiments : Nay, I believe, it cannot be proved, that any heretics were put to death, in the fourth and fifth centuries 5 on- ly fome hot headed ecclefiaftics perfuaded Max- imus, the tyrant and ufurper, to execute two or three Prifcillianifts, who had more of paga- nifm than chriftianity in their fcheme^ but this
tion, in Viftor Vitenfis, as publifli'd by father Ruinart. For the hiftory of the recovery of Africa and Italy, he may confuk Procopius's hiltories of the Vandal and Gothic y/ars.
aftion
XX The preface;
adion was, by the chriflians of that time, u-r niverfally condemn'd.
There was no attempt to revive Arianifm in the dark anti-chriflian ages, men then follow- ing other deluHons ; indeed the ingenious Peter Abelard, the celebrated lover of Eloife, and Joachim, abbot of Flora, ufed fome expreflions which might tend this wayj but that might only be from an undue fondnefs, to explain the doctrine, and probably, they meant better than they fpoke.
After the reformation, the anti-trinitarian er- rors had a great run, efpecially in Poland j but the prevailing herefy, was that of Paul of Sa- mofata, and Photinus, revived by Laelius Soci- nus, and his nephew Fauftus, which makes Chrift to be a meer man. Some, indeed, chofe the Arian fcheme, as Valentinus Gentilis, Pauli, Alciate, Gonelius and Farnovius, and Blandrata, for fome time, tho' he afterwards changed it for Socinianifm. The learned Eraimus, was too much inclined to this herefy 5 and after- wards fome of the remonltrants, as Epifcopius and Curcellaeus, if they did not embrace it, came too near it.
Petavius the Jefuit, either from an inclination to Arianifm, or from fome other view, laboured to prove, that the antenicene writers were all of that opinion, which was condemned at Nice : This was laid hold of by Zuicker, a Socinian Phyfician, but he was well confuted by the learn- ed Hoornbeck. The fame thing was ilrongly infifted on by Sandius, a profefs'd Arian, in his ecclefiaflical hiilory. Thefc pretences of Peta- vius and Sandius, caufed our learned countryman bifhop Bull, to write his admirable defenfe of the Niccne fliith, in which he has fully and ac- curately
The preface. xxi
curately vindicated the antient writers, from Co ungrounded a calumny. This elaborate work, has not had any thing wrote againft it, that can merit the name of an anfwer j what was lafl: publiih'd againft it by Dr. Whitby, feems more the effe6t of dotage than any thing elfe.
A few years ago a bold enthufiafl revived A- rianifmin England, under the name of primitive chriftianity > but as he was for enlarging the fcriptures, with fuch bungling forgeries, as the Clementine recognitions, and the apoftolical conftitutions, he has been defpifed and pitied, by all men of fenfe. When this author had broke the ice, another writer of more judgment, and of a cooler head, put Arianifm in a new and lefs offenfive drefs, and he, and his party, have been too fuccefsful in fpreading it. They pretend they do not deny the divinity of Chrift, but only deny that he is the fame fimilar, iden- tical, whole fubftance with the Father 5 but as they deny Chrift's neceflary exiftence, and affirm that the Father has a dominion over him, they, by neceflary confequence, deny his true Deity, and make him a creature, which is the eflence of Arianifm. This revival of an old herefy has produced many excellent pieces, in defence of the antient faith. Among the reft, I cannot but take notice of the writings of the learned Dr. Waterland -, he has, with great judgment and accuracy, vindicated the catholic faith, and has baffled the adverfaries pretences to fcripturc and antiquity j infomuch, that after the moft confiderable hands of the party were employed againft him, they at laft thought fit to retreat, and to leave him the entire pofleffion of the field.
My
3txii The PREFACE.
My defign, in the following work, is to give a fummary view of the controverfy, relating to the do61:rine of the Trinity, and to fet the fcripture arguments, which appear to me flrong and convincing proofs of the true Divinity of the Son and Spirit, in as eafy and juft a light, as I am able. I have not confined my felf to the confutation of any one author, but have taken the objeftions, that are made againft the catholic dodtrine, which I defend, from the writers of the other fide, which I have feen, whom I apprehend to ilate them in the ftrong- cft manner.
I have avoided railing and reviling, becaufc I know, that the wrath of man works not the righteoufnefs of God j but I have not been a- fraid to fpeak, with fome feverity, of the mean way our adverfaries often ufe, of begging the quelHon, and of the grofs untruths they fome- times would palm upon us. Fallacy and mif- rcprefentation I have avoided, looking upon fuch artifices, as too mean to be ufed in a re- ligious controverfy j for I am fully afTured, that the hidden things of dillionefty, are the moll unfit engines that can be made ufe of, to fup- port the caufe of truth.
I have all along, where there was occafion, fhew'd, as briefly as I could, that the opinions I defend, are the fame which were held, by the primitive writers, who lived, in the three firlfc centuries, before the rife of Arianifm. 1 found not my faith on the authority of any men, or bodies of men, but on the fcripture only ; how- ever I cannot think it a difadvantage to our caufe, that it is as antient, and as catholic, as it is good and true.
I do-
The preface. xxiii
I do not pretend to bring any thing new, in fome of the arguments I ufe 5 for every proper judge knows, that it is impoffible to engage in any controverfy, without ufing arguments, which have been often ufed, and difculTing ex- ceptions, which have often been made. If I have, in any meafure, fet the proofs I bring, in a jufi: and eafy Hght, I have attained my end. I am very fenfible, many imperfedions and de- fe6ls mull attend a performance, in which fo mean a hand as mine is concerned j for which I ought to make an apology > but I make no apology for my engaging in fuch a fubje6t, it being the right of every chriftian, to defend what he takes to be the faith laid down in fcrip- ture, when it is oppofed. I can, from my con- fcience, fay, I have nothing in view, but a fin- cere regard to truth, in the following work: Therefore I humbly recommend, to the bleffing of the mighty Redeemer, and the good Spirit, whofe honor and dignity I plead for, what I have wrote in defence of this fcripture and ca- tholic do6trine, that, tho' there is but one true God, yet there are three Perfons, the Father, the Son, and the Spirit, who are the one fu- preme God, the fame in fubftance, and equal in power and glory.
March j.
Abraham Taylor*
V
ERRATA.
Age 6. lin. 5, 6. read, firm belief, p. iz. I. 20. foi*
word, r. world, p. 15- 1- ult. r. Bargeus. p. 25. noc-
1. ^. r. Mark x. 18. p. 74. 1. 19, 20. r. to the feven. p. 2i8» not. I. 7. r. Broukhuiius. p. 396. not. 1. 1 1. r. Francius.
Other lefs faults I hope the reader will cxcufe, there not being many.
THE TRUE
Scripture Dodrine
O F T H E
TRINITY.
Part the First.
Containing the joint proofs of the Divi- nity of the three perfons, the Father, the Son, and the holy Spirit.
^^■^<
B
THE TRUE
Scripture Doctrine
O F T H E
ri-i
r R I N I T Y.
Part the First.
HE knowledge which we have of the things that readily prefent themfelves to our view, muil be owned to be very imperfecl:, by every one that will be fo ingenu- ous to confefs, what he mult ne- cefTanly find in himfeir, whether he will ac- knowledge it or no. If we caft our eyes on the fmalleft plant, or the moft contemptible rep- tile, we may find in them many things which may raife our admiration, and puzzle our un- derilandingsj but if we rack our invention ever lo much about them, we can fcarce get farther than a probable conjedure, how the things we lee are brought about.
II wc look on any material being, we cannot
but wonder, how the parts of it are glued to-
B 2. ^ gether>
4 The true Scripture Doctrine
getherj we can fee nothing that hinders it from falling in pieces ; We may, indeed, from fome experiments conclude % that there is a power in nature, by which every particle of matter at- tra^ls every other particle, vv'ich a force valily great at the point of contact, but not reaching far from the particles, with any fenfible effect : Thus far we may fifcly proceed, on the foot of thedifcoveries, made by the great philofopher of our age and nation: But when we come to look for the caufe of this attraction, we muft own our felves to be at a lofs. If we fuppofe it proceeds from a fubtle aetherial medium, pe- netrating bodies, and, by a6i:ing upon them, makmg their particles cohere, ifill we mud con- fcCs^ that we know not what this aether is, and that we are ignorant of the laws of its ope- ration.
If we contemplate the larger bodies of the univerfe, we may be fatisfied, from the demon- ftrations of the incomparable ^ Sir Ifaac New- ton, that the planets and comets, as they move round the fun, arc retained in their orbits by the force of gravity, and we can prove, that this force is reciprocally proportional to the fquares of the diflances from the centre 5 but in what manner this power ads upon bodies, and what is the caufe of it, wx are not able to de- termine : If it proceeds from the fame caufe as the cohefion of the particles of matter, but act- ing under a different law. Hill the fame diffi- culties return that were obferved in that aiCc, We muit, after all oiu* enquiries, own our ig-
* Sec the queries at the end of Sir If.iac Newton's optics, 2^ or 3'' edition, p. 323—327.
^ Vid. Ncwtoni principia. Lib. III. Phxnom. i-- 6. Pro- pofit. 1 — 7. 13. 40.
norance
oftheTrinity. 5
norancc of many things, and we mii{l refolve this matter into the will and power of the great creator of the univerfe.
If we confine our enquiries to our fclves, we have the dime proofs of the imperfection of our knowledge. Upon taking a view of our bodies, we have reafon to cry out, that we are fearful- ly and wonderfully niadej but we murt own, there are many things in them, which we cannot fully underiland. We know not how the fcxtus is formed in the womb -y we can fcarce guefs how nutrition is performed 5 and how the ieveral humours of the body are feparated from the blood, by their refpeclive gLmds •, and we are in the ^ dark, about the caufe of nmfcular motion. After all our fearches to find ou- the caufes of thefe natural fundions, we can go no farther than probability, but we cannot fay, that we reach to demonilratlon We are, in a manner, without any knowledge, hovx^ our na- tural fun6tions are perform'd, tho' we have the cleared evidence that they can be, nay really are, brouglit about. And to come lower, there is even a great deal of room left, tor improve- ment in the knowledge of the very parts, of which our bodies coniill, notwith (landing the many difcoveries in anatomy of the laft age.
If we contemplate the m.ore noble part that is in us, the foul, w^e lliall find our felves in- volved in perplexity, as to many things : How little are we acquainted with the nature of a fpiritual fabftance? How ihallow is our know- ledge of the foul's union with the body? And what account can we give, how our thoughts are formed?
^ See the learned Dr. Mead's introduftion to the lift edi- tion oi Mr. Cowper's Myotomia Reformata, pag. 69—77-
B } Frora
6 The true Scripture Doctrine
From what has been Taid it appears, that there are myfteries in nature, relating to things liib- jeCl: to the view of our fenfes, which we can- not pretend to know perfedly, and yet our im- pcrfc(5l knowledge of them is no bar to our in- firm belief of their reality: So that it is no jufl: objection againil our afTenting to the truth of a thing, that we can give no account how it is, what it is.
There are myfteries in natural reafon, which are far above our moll enlarged and elevated conceptions 5 fuch are the attributes of God ; of which we cannot properly be faid to have no idea, becaufe reafon forces us to believe them, but we cannot, with any truth, pretend, that we have adequate and clear ideas of them.
The felf-exillence, fimpUcity, omniprefcnce, and omnifcience of God, and above all, hispaft eternity, are things too high for our moil tower- ing contemplations, to afford us clear concep- tions of 3 yet every one, who is above theftupi- dity of taking refuge in atheifm, aflents to them in the grofs, and docs not rcjed the belief of a God, bccaufc he cannot form adequate ideas of his attributes ^.
If
^ Dcus eft reternus & infinitus, — - durat fcmper & adeil libique, - — eft unus Sc idem Deus femper & ubique. Omni- praefens eft non per virtutem folam fed per fubftantiam, nam virtus fine fubftantia fubfiftere non poteft. In ipfo continen- tur & moventur omnia — Deum Turn mum neceffario ex- iftere in confeftb eft: & eadem neceffitate Temper eft &■ ubique. Unde etiam totus eft fui fimilis, totus oculus, to- tus auris, totus cerebrum, totus brachium, totus vis fcn- tiendi, intelligendi & agendi, fed more minime humano, more minime corporeo, m'ore nobis prorfus incognito. Ut coecus non habet idcam colorum, fic nos ide.im non habe- inus modorum, quibus Deus fapientiftimus fcntit «S:-intelli- git omnia. Corpore omni & figura corporea prorfus deili- tuitur, idcoquc videri non poteft, nee audiri, nee tangi,
liec
OFT HE Trinity 7
IF there are myderies in reafon that we can- not adequately conceive, it is no Vvonder, that in things which we could never have known, without revelation, there is a depth winch we cannot flithom. If they who afHrm, that there is nothing in matters of revelation, but what wc mull fully underibmd, when the revelation is once made, before we can aflent to it, "would but coniider with what confufe, imperfe^f, and in- adequate ideas of the attributes of God, they are forced to take up, they would treat fcrip- ture myileries with more reverence than they generally do. Were this matter well weigh'd, we fhould not have fuch contempt thrown on believing the myileries of chiifcianity : They would be treated with the religion of fubmil- fion and wonder, and would be received with the devotions of filence, and the humble di (lances of adoration. But the pride of fome men is fo great, that what their fhallow reafon cannot com.prehend, they ignorantly make the fubie6L of their fcorn -, and what is above their con- denfed apprehenfion, they unjuftly treat with contempt : They rejeft the myileries of thego- fpel as f:^olifhncrs, and no wonder, for ^ with- out a fpiritual diicerning,; the things of God can neither be received nor known,
nee fub fpecie rei alicujus corpore^e coli debet. Ideas habe- mus attributorum ejus, fed quid fit rei alicujus fubdantia minime cognofcimus: videmus tantum corporum nguras & colores, audimus tantum fonos, tangimus tantum fuperficies externas, olficimus odores folos, & guftamus fapcres : inti- mas fubftantias nullo fenfu, nulla adione rcflexa ccgnoici- mus, & multo minus ideam habemus fubftantiae Dei. Hunc cognofcimus folummodo per proprietates ejus & attributa, & per fapientiffimas & optimas rerum ftrufturas, & caufas finales, 6c admiramur ob perfeftiones, veneramur autem & colimus ob dominium. Newtoni principia, p. 529. Edit. 3. I I Cor. ii. 14,
B 4 . I rea-
8 The true Scripture Doctrine
I readily grant, that what our fenfe and rea- fon can fully comprehend, and can demonftrate to be falfe, is not to be received as a myllery ; we muft not bring the things of fenfe and rea- fon to faith, fo as to exclude our felvcs from judging of them according to fenfe and reafonj for under the pretence of believing a myfcery, the papills impofe the belief of that monftrous abfurdity of tranfubftantiation. When this ex- treme is to be avoided, we ought to take care that we do not run into another as really, tho' not fo openly abfurd, of bringing down the myfteries of revelation to reafon, and ma- king that judge of matters, which fall within the com pals of faith.
A fcripture my fiery is a truth reveal'd by God, which the bare light of reafon cannot difcover, nor fully comprehend, as to the modus of it, after it is revealed : It is a truth, and fo has nothing in it contrary to right reafon > but there is in it fomcthing, that reafon, without revelation, can never find out> and there is a depth in it, that imperfe61: reafon cannot fully comprehend, even after it is difcover'd by re- velation. This is matter of fcorn to fccptical men, who deride what they really know no- thing of, and boldly refufe to fubmit to the authority of God, who has an uncontrollable right to require them to receive whatever he has feen fit to reveal j and whofe great end, in doing this, is, to humble and calt down the pride and haughtincfs of m.an's reafon. Such perfons take the wrong way to gain knowledge, for what a great author ^ has obfcrved, of the le- crets of nature, holds true in matters of a higher
^ Br. Mead of mufcular motion, p. 77.
concerns
O F T H E Tr I N I T yJ p
concern > " A mind inflated, by gmfplng at the knowledge of all things, can undcrftand no- thing tmlyi but to one prepared with the juft love of truth, the difcovery of our ignorance, in any particular, will be more grateful, than any t ran (lent fame that may attend a falfe pre- tenfion to knowledge. " All the difputings or men of corrupt minds, againll the niyfteries of revelation, mufl: be founded on this ri'diculoufly abfurd fuppofition, that the {hallow reafon of man is capable of fully coniprehending what- foever relates to the divine infinite being This pernicious miilake carries in itfuch a glaring ab- furd iry, rhai fcarce any are hardy enough to af- Icrt it in words 5 becaufe it would be expoling themfclves, feeing it is notorious, that they re- ceive things, as difficult to comprehend, as any gofpel myileries c;;n be -, but it is the real fpring of all the hard fpeeches, which the potfherds of the earth utter againfi: the right of the infi- nitely wife God that made them, to require their aflent to what he reveals, without giving them an account of his matters.
Of all the myfterics revealed in the oracles of truth, the mod: important is the dodrine of the Trinity 5 that there is one God only, is as clear from fcripture, as it is from reafon > and it is alfo exceeding plain, that there are three fpoke of in the language of perfonality, in fcripture, the Father, the'bon, and the holy Spirit, to whom the titles proper to God are afcribed, of whom the attributes of God are predicated, and by whom works, that can be done by God onlv, are re- prefentcd to be performed. This glorious doc- trine of three divine perions, in one divine na- ture, has been, in all ages, the faith of the chriftian churches > but of the modushow three z ^ perfgns
lo The true Scripture Doctrine
perfons can be one in nature, none can pretend to have a clear and adequate idea. Ideas of it we have, but they are inadequate and indeter- minate j on this account, there is fcarce any point has been more wrangled againfl:, by thofe who lean to their own underitanding. This adorable myllery has been clouded by the ex- pHcations, which have proceeded from the un- due curiolity of the inquifitive > it has been cor- rupted by the violent affe6ters of novelty -, and it has been alv/ays derided by the proud preten- ders to reafon, who have, in a peculiar manner, in all ages, fv/ell'd with malice, and foam'd with rage againil it.
There are many who, it is to be hoped, in their pra6tical belief, have affented to the true dodtrine of the Trinity, who yet have not been able to keep from the vanity of being wife above what is written > but have obfcur'd this truth with the clouds of ufelefs fubtilties and fpeculations, and the mifts of difproportionate fimilies. This arifes from an abounding mea- fure of felf- conceit : And thefe perfons, as they only grafp at clouds and beat the air, fo they obfcure matters inll:ead of clearing them ; They darken this great myftery, by hard words and uncouth terms -, and while they endeavour, as they fancy, to give a fcheme attended with bright and clear ideas, they utter things unfound as to faith, and lofc themfelves in an inextricable la- byrinth, Vv^hich they themfelves have imprudent- ly framed, without taking care to provide them- felves with a clue, to get out of the mazes of it. Such perfons are ready to take it very ill, if the name of any ancient herefy be given to their fcheme j when perhaps the cafe is, that they really, by gratifying an unbounded curio-
fity,
oFTHE Trinity. it
fity, have fallen into fome falfe opinion, which has formerly been condemned, without being rightly fenfible of what they have been doing.
There are others, who have often gone ofF from the true fcripture account of this truth, out of a fooliih itch after novelty : Such pcr- fons are ready to remove the ancient landmarks, on no other account, than that they have flood a great whiles they themfelves not knowing where to place them better : They are above going in the good old way, becaufe others have trod it before them, and lb they ftray in rugged thorny paths, till finding no track they lofe them- felves. They cannot confine themlelves to old experienced truths, but difcard the primitive doctrines, as not fit to be received by perfons of fuch free thoughts, and unconfined enquiries as they, miflakenly, imagine themfelves to be, and by this means, they are always minting fomething new, till after having been carried about a long time with every wind of doctrine, they too often end in fcepticifm.
There are flill others, who blafphemoufly de- ride this myflery, becaufe the modus of it fur- pafTes their ihallow reafon j and becaufe the doc- trine thwarts the pride of their corrupt natures. They are refolved to be their own faviors, and that, with the better grace, they may leifen the merit of ChrilVs fatisfadion, they endeavour to degrade his perfon. This I take to be the true ground of all the rude blafphemies which have been utter'd againfl this great truth, by daring infolent wretches, and. of all the pains which more thoughtful perfons have taken, to form fchemes to deprive Chrifl of the glory of his deity. In thefe attempts, by the jufl hand of God, they have been left to condemn them- 2. ^ felvcs,
12 The true Scripture Doctrine
felves, and have been Co infatuated, as to run entirely counter to reaibn, which they pretend fo xTiLich to Hand up for, and to exalt.
There is no fchcme which has been oftener flartcd, in oppoGcion to the catholick faith, than the Arian hypothefis, and this has fome- timcs flood its ground a pretty w^hile, when other fchcmes have funk, aim oil as foon as they have been framed -, but the light of truth has always prevail'd above the darknefs of this hc- lefy. It is attended with fuch fliocking abfur- dities, on the bare foot of reafon, that when once perfons come to fee the difficulties with which it is clog'd, it is impoiTible it fhould keep its ground : For nothing can be more con- trary to reafon, than admitting two Gods, one fupremc, and another inferior 5 nothing is more nbfurd, than worflrip paid to a creature, and no- thing is more fhocking to common fcnfe, than that a creature fhould create the Worli. If thefe things are not directly own'd, this herefy is flill big with nonfenfe and conrradidion 3 for, fure- ly, nothing can be more monflrous and ridicu- lous, than tlic notion of a being, which is nei- ther infinite nor finite, neitlier God nor a crea- ture.
The great myftery of the Trinity in unity, or that the Father, the Son, and the holy Spirit, tho' three real perfons, are the one infinitely blcfTed God, while yet the Father is not the Son, nor the Son the Father, nor the Spirit ei- ther the Father or the Son, is a truth that lies at the bottom of the chriflian religion > all other myfleries of revelation depend upon it : And if this prime article of faith be given up, it iignifics nothing to ihew any zeal for other doclrincs revealed in fcripture : It is therefore
an
O F T H E Tr I N I T Y. I 5
an undertaking becoming a chiillian to endea- vour to refcue this fundamental article, from the cavils and fophilhy of the difputers of this world, who endeavour to draw chriilians off from an adherence to this adorable myllery.
The true Scripture Doctrine of the Trinity is very well exprefs'd in thofe forms of found words, which have been in ufe among us. la the articles of the church of England, which we, who feparate from the national g eilablifh-: ment, fubfcribe, we have the following account: of it. '^ There is one living and true God, everlafling, without body, parts, or paffions, of infinite power, wifdom, and goodnefs, the maker and preferver of all things, both vifible and invifible ♦, and in the unity of this God- head, there are three perfons, of one fubftance, power, and eternity, the Father, the Son, and the holy Spirit. The Son, who is the Word of the Father, begotten from everlafting of the Father, is the true and eternal God, of one fub- ftance with the Father. The holy Spirit, pro- ceeding from the Father and the Son, is of one fubftance, majelly, and glory, with the Father and the Son, true and eternal God. " From this excellent form, our own confefHons (to the honour of them that franied them) do not dif- fer in the main, as will appear by producing the words in which they exprefs this dodrine : ** There is but i' one, only, living and true God 5
« The firR, fecond, and fifth articles of the church of England.
^ Weftminller and Savoy Confeffions, C. 11. Se6l. 1.3.
N. B. Thefe two confeffions only differ in this, that in our congregational confeffion, the following claufe is with great judgment added ; " The dodrine of the Trinity is the foundation of all our communion with God, and comforta- ble dependence on him. "
who
14 The true Scripture Doctrine \vho is infinite in being, and perfeclion, a mod pure fpirit, inviliblc, without body, pavts, or pafHons, immutable, immenfe, eternal, incom- prehenfiblc, almighty, moll wife, moll holy, moll free, mofl abfolute, working all things, according to the counfel of his own immu- table, and moil righteous will, for his own glory; mofl loving, gracious, merciful, long- luffcring, abimdant in goodnefs and truth, for- giving iniquity, rranfgreflion and fin, the re- warder of them that diligently feek him ; and withal, moil juil, and terrible in his judgments, hating all fin, and who will, by no means, clear the guilty. In the unity of the God- head, there are three perfons, of one fubilance, power, and eternity, God the Father, God the Son, and God the holy Spirit : The Father is of none, neither begotten nor proceeding : The Son is eternally begotten of the Father ^ the holy Spirit eternally proceeding from the Father and the Son. Which doctrine of the Trinity is the foundation of all our communion with God, and comfortable dependence on him." The £\vne do6lrine is briefly, and ad- ^mirably fumm'd up in our fhorter Catechifm K " There is but one only, the living and true God : There are three perfons in the God- head, the Father, the Son, and the holy Spirit, and thefe three are one God, the lame in fub- ilance, equal in power and glory. "
Thefe admirable fummaries of the doctrines of the Trinity, contain what! believe the icrip- tures to have declared. Though I have the higheil veneration for thofe excellent perlons, who drew them up, yet I do not legard them
I AJlembly's fhorter Catechifm^ Anf. 5, 6.
merely.
OF THE Trinity.^ 15
merely as they are the words of men, but be- caufe I take them to be juil accounts of what the fcripture reveals, concerning the Father, the Son, and the Sphit.
1 fhall endeavour to prove from fcripture ^, that the three perfons, the Father, the Son, and the Spirit, are the one God > I fhall begin my defign with the joint proofs of the Divinity of thefe three > or with {hewing, that there is but one God 3 that the Father, the Son, and the Spirit, are this one God, that thefe three are the fame in fubflance, and that they are equal in power and glory.
^ Tu vero, cujus claro de lumine lumen Exoritur nobis, tacitolque exfufcitat ignes, Unde, akam afflati mentem coeleftibus auris, Deferimus populos, & habentes nubila terras, Verus amor Patris, natique aeterna volaptas, Spiritus, hinc atque hinc, pariter qui profluis, 8c qui Cunfta movens, te tota hominum in praecordia fundis, Mortalique doces ore immortalia fari, Sanfte fave ; praefioque adfis ingentibus aufis.
P. Angelius Burgeus Syriad. Lib. I. circa init.
CHAP,
16 The true Scripture Doctrine
CHAP. I.
Of the fcripture notion of God, of the divine Unity, and of the Trinity of Perions.
T is certain, by the b'ght of nature, hat there is a God -, and it is certain, I hat this God can be but one 5 he is an infinite, eternal, unchangeable, Hidcpendent, and neceflarily exiftent being, every where prefent^ the creator, pre- ferver, and governor of all things, infinite in wifdom, power, holinels, jullice, goodnefs, and truth.
The fcripture wholly agrees with the light of reafon, in the notion it gives us of one that is really, truly, and properly God : An account of this I fliall give in the words of a =» great writer, not being able to exprefs my felf better, or more according to my own mind. " If we trace (fays he) this matter through the old teflamcnt, we fliall find, that the fcripture no- tion of a perfon, that is truly God > and fhould be received as fuch 3 includes in it, ^ power and
might
^ Dr. Waterland, in his fermons on Chrift's Divinity, p. 18, 19.
^ O Lord Jehovah — what God is there in heaven, or in earth, that can do according to thy works, and according to thy might, Deuteron. iii. 24.
Jehovah your God is among you, a mighty God, and terrible, ibid. vii. 1.
Jehovah your God is a God of Gods, and a Lord of Lords, a great God, a mighty, and a terrible, ibid. x. 17.
Thine, O Jehovah, is the greatnefs, and the power, and the glory, and the vidory, and the majeily, i Chron. xxix. 1 1 •
He
OF THE TrINI T Y. IJ
might irrefillible 5 ^ perfccb knowledge, and confummate wifdom, ^ eternity, ^ immutabili- ty, and ^ omniprefence j 8 creative powers -y
^' fupre-
He is wife in heart, and mighty in ftrength, who has harden'd himfelf againlt hiin, and profper'd r Job ix. 4.
With him is llrength and wifdom, ibid. xii. 13.
I know that thou canil do every thing, ibid. xlii. 2.
In the Lord Jehovah is everlalling firength, Ifaiah xxvi. 5.
God, even Jehovah, that created the heavens, and liretch'd them out, he that fpread forth the earth and what comes out of it, he that gives breath to the people upon it, and fpirit to them that walk therein, ibid. xlii. 5.
*" He that is perfect in knowledge is with thee. Job xxxvi. 4.
Doft thou know the wonderous works of him that is per- fe6l in knowledge ? ibid, xxxvii. 1 6.
BlelTed be the name of God \ for wdfdom and might are his, Daniel ii. 20.
^ Thy throne is eilablifhed of old, from everlafting, Pfalm xciii. 2.
God is great, and we know him not, neither can the number of his years be fearch'd cut, Job xxxvi. 26.
Abraham called on the name of Jehovah, the everlafting God, Gen. xxi. 33.
The eternal God is thy refuge, Deut. xxxiii. 27.
Thus faith the high and holy one, who inhabits eternit}', K Ivii. 15.
^ I am Jehovah, I change not, Malach. iii. 16.
^ Whither fhall I go from thy fpirit, and whither ihall I fly from thy prefence? If I afcend up into heaven, thou ar.t there ; if I make my bed in hell, behold thou art there ; if I take the wings of the mxorning, and dwell in the uttermoll parts of the fea. even there fhall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand uphold me : If I fay, furely the darknefs fliall co- ver m.e, then the night will be light about me j yea the dark- nefs hides not from thee, but the night Jhines as the day, the darknefs and the light are alike to thee, Pfalm cxxxix.
7—12.
Am I a God at hand, faith Jehovah, and not a God afar off? Can any hide himfelf in feciiet places, that I Ihall not fee him ? faith Jehovah ; Do not I fill heaven and earth \ Jer.xxiii. 23, 24.
^ Job xxvi. xxxvii. xxxviii. xxxix. xl. xli. throughout.
O Jehovah ; ■ thou art God alone, thou haft made hea- ven and earth, 2 Kings xix. 15.
C lam
1 8 The true Scripture Doctrine
^ fupremacy, independence, and neceflary ex- iftcnce. Thefe are the diilinguifhing charaiSters under which God was pleafed to make himfelf known J and it is upon thefe accounts, that he, in oppofition to all other Gods, claims to be received and honoured as God. Thefe are there- fore what make up the fcripture idea of a per- fon who is truly, really, and properly God : And if fcripture has inform'd us, what proper- ties, attributes, and perfe6tions muft be fuppo- fed to meet in one, that is truly and properly God, our own reafon muft tell us, that thefe attributes, properties, and perfe6lions, mud have a fubjeft, and this fubje6t we call fubftance : And therefore the fcripture notion of God is^ that of an eternal, immutable, omnifcient, om- niprefent, almighty fubftance. If it be pretend- ed, that thefe are the charafters of a fupreme God only, and not of every perfon that is true God : 1 anfwer, that fupremacy, ( ^ negatively confider'd, in oppofition to any fuperior nature,) is one of the chara6ters belonging to any per- fon that is truly God, as much as omnipotence, omnifcience, or any other, and confequently, he is not truly God, in the fcripture notion of God, who is not fupreme God."
I am Jehovah, that makes all things, that flretches forth the heavens alone, and fpreads abroad the earth by my felf, Ifaiah xliv. 24.
I am he, I am the lirfl, I alfo am the lafl, my hand alfo has laid the foundation of the earth, and my right hand has fpan'd the heavens, ibid, xlvii. 12, 13.
Jehovah he is the true God, he is the living God ; — i*. He has made the earth, by his power, he has eflablifli'd th^ world, by his vvifdom, and has Ilretchedput the heavens, by his difcretion, Jer. x. 10, 12.
^ God faid, I am, in that I am, Exod. iii. 14.
* I fay, negatively; becaufe pofitive fuprem'acy, over Others, could not commence till the creation.
This
OF THE TrINITV. ig
This is the true notion of God, which may be drawn from the writings of the old tefla- ment, and the fame runs thro' thofe of the new. The ancient chriflian ^ writers received no other idea of God, than this : They are by many de- fpikd^ as mean writers, but, on this head, they had more rational fentiments than many in our time, who think they can reafon better, and
Ofo? i^i. Juflin. Dial, cum Tryphone. p. 21. Ed. Jebb. p. 140, Ed. Thirlby, ^^
Qui enim fuper fe habet aliquem fuperiorem hie neque Dens; neque rex magnus did poteft. Irenaeus, lib. IV. c. 2. p. 229. Ed. Ben.
Quaecunque autem initium fumpferunt & diffolutionem poflunt percipere, & fubjefta funt, & indigent ejus qui fe fecit ; neceffe eft omnimodo uti difFerens vocabulum habe- ant, apud eos etiam, qui vel modicum fenfum in difcernendo taha habent : Ita ut is quidem., qui omnia fecerit cum verbo fuo jufte dicatur Deus & Dominus folus ; quae autem fafta funt, nonjam ejufdem vocabuli particibilia effe, neque jufte id vocabulum fumere debere, quod eft creatoris. Idem, lib III c. 8. p. 183.
Deus fubftantiae ipfms n omen, id eftDivinitatis, Dominus vero non fubftantis fed poteftatis ; fubftantiam femper fuilTe cum fuo nomine, quod eft Deus, poftea Dominus, acceden- tis fcihcet rei mentio, nam ex quo eife cceperunt, in quse poteftas Domini ageret, ex illo per acceffionem poteftatis & taftus & diftus eft Dominus. Tertullian. c. HermoRenem, c. 3.
Nega Deum quem dicis inferiorem, nega fummum mag- num quern credis minorem. Idem. c. Marcionem, lib. i. c. 6.
^ Ego non nomini Deo, nee fono, nee notae nominis hu- jus, fummum magnum in creatore defendo, fed ipfi fubftan- tiae cui nomen hoc contigit, hanc invenies folam innatam, mfeftam, folam aeternam, & univerfitatis conditricem : non nomini fed ftatui, nee appeliatiojii fed condition! ejus fum- mum magnum & afcribo & vendico. Idem ibid. c. 7.
Cum enim eos, qui non funt Dii, nominat, non in to- turn, quemadmodum praedixi, fcriptura oftendit illosDeos; led cum ahquo additamento, & fignificatione per quam often- ciuntur non clTe Dii, Irenaeus Lib. III. cap. 6.
C z have
20 The true Scripture Doctrine
have obtained clearer and more diftind ideas of things.
The word God muft be granted to be ufed, in fcripture, in an improper fenfe, when it is appHed to creatures, on account of their having a remote Hkenefs, to fome part of what enters into the notion of God. Thus, angels are call'd gods, becaufe they are fpiritual fubllances : Mo- fes is faid to be a god to Pharaoh, becaufe he publifhed commands from heaven j princes and magiflrates are ftiled gods, becaufe they exer- cife dominion -, the belly has the appellation of god, becaufe luxurious epicures wholly devote themfelves to the pampering their diforderly ap- petite ', and the devil is denominated the god of this world, becaufe the grcateft part of man- kind give themfelves up to his condu6t, and are led captive by him at his wiih but, in allthefe cafes, it is plain, the word God is ufed in a fi- gurative, improper fenfe.
It has been by fome ^ afTerted, that the word God is, in fcripture, ufed not in an abfolute fignification, but that it is a relative word of office, and not of nature •, and that the fupreme being is liiled God, in the facred writings, not becaufe of his eflential perfe6tions, but becaufe of his dominion over us. This can never be a true account of the fcripture idea of God, for that, ^ as has been proved, takes in the per- fedions of eternity, unchangcablenefs, omnifci- ence, immenfity and almighty power. The notion of God being call'd fo, in the fenfe of dominion, is only making him to be God in a
* Clarke's Scripture Dodrine, p. t6/i. Ed. 2. Reply, p. 284, 290. Jackfon's Colleftion of Queries, p. 40.
"" See more on this fubjeft in Dr. Waterland's firfl Defenfc of his Queries, pag. 47—54.
figura-
OF THETrINITY. 21
figurative, improper fenfe j but fince they ^ who firit llarted this flincy, have been forced to de- fert it, there is no great need to infill farther upon it
As natural reafon afliires us, that there can be bar one abfolutely infinite being, fo the fcrip- ture effablifhes the unity of God, in the fullcfl and ftrongefl manner : This Mofes proclaimed in the ears of Ilrael, ° " Hear, O Ifrael, Jeho- vah our God is one Jehovah i " and that there can be but one true God, the mofl high him- felf has afTured us, fpeaking thus, by the pro- phet Ifaiah 5 P " I (Jehovah of holls) am the firfl, and I am the lall, and befides me there is no godj — there is no god befides me, I know not any." Chrift acknowledg'd, that the fcribe anfwcr'd difcreetly, when he faid % " There is one God, and there is no other but he." The apoflle Paul has declared, ' " There is one God." And, not to multiply quotations in fo plain a matter > the apoftle James reprefents this truth to be too clear, to be deny'd by the devils 'y for he thus fpeaks to fuch, as vainly pre- tended to faith, without good works 5 ^ "thou believefl that there is one God, thou doft well, the devils believe and tremble." Thefe decla- rations of the unity of God, effedually guard againft all inferior, fubordinate gods, and ef- fedually exclude all creatures from having di-
" See Jackfon's Reply to Dr. Waterland, p. 171, 172. See alfo Dr. Waterland's fecond Defenfe of his Queries, p. 169 — 172. ° Deut. vi. 4. P Ifaiah xlv. 6, 8. ° Mark xii. 32. ' I Tim. ii. 5, f James ii. 19.
C 5 . vine
2 2 The true Scripture Doctrine
vine honour afcribed to them. ^ None that arc not gods by nature, can be efteemed truly and properly gods. The apoftle Paul tells the Galatian converts, that they were entirely ig- norant of the true God, while they worfhip'd (uch as, by nature, were not gods j " " Then, when you knew not God, you did fervice to them, which by nature are no gods. " None can be true God, in a fcripture fenfe, but one infinitely perfe6t being, who is God by nature, or nece&rily exiftent.
God is declared, in fcripture, to be but one j which denotes the unity of the divine nature -, but it is moft certain, three are fpoke of, un- der the chara61:ers of true divinity, and are de- fcribed in the language of perfonality, the Fa- ther, the Son, and the holy Spirit. This may be gathered from the following account of the baptifm of Chrift, given us by the cvangelift
* Neque igitur Dominus, neque Spiritus fanftus, neque apolloli eum, qui non eflet Deus, definitive & abfolute Deum nominaflent aliquando, niii effet vcre Deus ; neque Dominum appellaffent aliquem ex fua perfona, nifi qui domi- natur omnium, Deum patrem & filium ejus qui dominium acccpit a patre fuo omnis conditionis. ^m, Vere igitur cum pater fit Dominus, & lilius vere fit Dominus, merito Spiritus fanflus Domini a ppellationefignaviteos. Irenaeus, Lib. III. c. 6. p. 1 80. Ed. Bened.
Nunquam neque prophetae neque apoftoli alium Deum nominaverunt, vel Dominum appellaverunt praeter verum & folum Deum. Multo magis ipfe Dominus. Idem ibid. c. 8. p. 182.
" Ton fo^ iijc uUrtc, ©joy, i^aXiocrotli reX<i fjuli ^utrei aV* QioT<i, Galat. iv. 8.
See Dr. Knight's Scripture Do6lrine of the Trinity vindi- cated, p. 19, &c. True Scripture Dodrine of the Trinity- continued, p. 73, &c.
See al fo Dr. Waterland's firll Vindication of Chrift's Divi- nity, p. 369, &c. Second Vindication, p. 464, &c.
Luke 5
OF THE Trinity 25
Luke 5 ^ " Jefus being baptized, ?did praying, the heaven was opened, and the holy Spirit de- fcended, in a bodily fhape, like a dove, upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which faid, thou art my beloved Son, in thee I am well pleafed/' The fame may be drawn from the promife of Chrift to his difciples, "^ that the Fa- ther would fend the Spirit, as a comforter, in the name of him the Son 5 and from the com- mand y he gave them, to baptize in the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the holy Spirit.
Tho' the fcripture has revealed thefe three, under the names of the Father, the Son, and the holy Spirit, and always reprefents the Fa- ther as begetting the Son, the Son as begotten by the Father, and the holy Spirit as proceeding from the Father and Son^ yet it never gives us the reafon of thefe names, nor affords us the leaft hint, for explaining the mode, how Chrift is the eternal, and only begotten Son, or how the Spirit proceeds eternally from the Father and Son. Therefore, I fhall not be afhamed to prcfefs my ignorance of the mode of this great myilery > and ihall be very cautious of imitathig the pride and vanity of fach, who, not being content, without being wife above what is written, have endeavour'd to give clear accounts of this matter 5 which, I am well fatisfied, fur- pafTes the capacity of finite creatures > and fo have introduced numbers of hard words, and obfcure notions, into this controverfy, which are fo far from making the matter plain, that they confound and obfcure it.
^ Luke iii. 21, 22.
* John xiv. 26. XV. 26, 27. xvi. 13, 14.
'' Matt, xxviii. 20. ^,
^ C4 The
24 The true Scripture Doctrine
The three peifons, who are call'd the Father, the Son, and the holy Spirit, are defcribed, as having their diliin^t parts in the work of crea- tion, the Father commanded, the Son brought things into being, and the Spirit threw every- thing into a beautiful order : They likewife have their dillin6t parts, ^ in the oeconomy of falva- tion 3 the Father ele6bed the heirs of fiilvation to glory, and appointed the Son their redeemer 3 the Son, in the fulncfs of time, took the hu- man nature into a perfonal union with himfclf, and, by dying and rifing again from the dead, compleated the work of redeeming the ele6c of the Fatlier 3 and the Spirit fandifies, and re- news thofe whom the Son redeemed, and con- duds them till he brings them to heaven.
In thefe tranlaftions, the Son and the Spirit afled in oeconom.ical fubordination to the Fa- ther 3 and therefore are reprefented in fcripture as fubordinate to him, in a great number of places : This has made the Arians reprefent them as inferior in nature to the one fupreme God, the Father of all, who is over all^ and above all : But, as the fcripture affures us, there is but one God, and yet fpeaks of three perlbns, under the marks and charaders of true divinity 3 I fhall endeavour to prove, that the three perfons, the Father, the Son or the Word, and the Spi- rit, are the one true God, or that thefe three divine perfons diftindly fubfill in one divine na- ture.
The true Divinity of the Father is nor. deny'd by our adverfaries3 nay to preferve it, and yet to keep their favourite maxim, that being and
"^ Eleft according to the fore-knowledge of God the Fa- ther ; thro' fandlification of the Spirit to obedience, and fprinkling of the blood of Jefus Chrill, i Pet. i. 2.
perfon
OF THE Trinity. 25
perfon are the fame, they exclude the Son and Spirit from true Divinity j urging the Father's characters of fupremacy, which belong to him as God 5 and fome exclufive terms, which are, ia fcriptuie, ufed when he is fpoke of j as for in- Ihnce, where it is faid, ^ he is the only God 5 the '' only true God > *^ there is no other God than he 5 and ^ there is none good but one, that is God. But it is certain, thefe exclufive terms are not to be extended to the Son and Spirit, but muft be underilood in oppofition to falfe, fubordinate gods, and creatures : Were the matter otherwife, many abfurd confequences would follow 5 as for example, from thefe words
* John V. 44.
^ John xvii. 3.
See Dr. Bifhop's fermons, p. 54—60.
•^ Mark xii. 32.
^ Mark xix, 17.
See Dr. Bifhop's fermons, p. 93, &c.
A late writer has, on this text, made the following decla- ration ; ** If, fays he, there be any one pafTage, in any one Greek, or Latin writer, in the world, accurate or inaccu- rate, wherein the word ^ui unus] or any other mafculinc adjeftive, placed abfolutely, without any antecedent fubllan- tive (as ^hU & u<i are placed in this text,) can poifibly fignify either thing, or being, or any thing elfe, Lefide perfon, I will acknowledge my explication of this text to be erroneous, Clarke's Reply, p. 40, 41 .
That this is meer bounce, will appear from the following words of the apoftle. Gal. iii. 28. " There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female, you are all one [tW] in Chrift Jefus. " He could not but be fenfible, that this text ilood in contradidi- on to his arbitrary maxim, but thinking himfelf qualified to be a dictator in fcience, he makes a long harangue to tell us, the word sfs mull be underlloodjn a figurative fenfe, which is no more than letting us know, that he is entirely at a lofs what to fay, and yet that he has the confidence to imagine, that we mull regard his dictates, when he only blunders out €ontradi(5tions.
z of
26 The true Scripture Doctrine
oFChriftj ^ "no one knows the Son, but the Father 5 and no one knows the Father, but the Son y " it would follow, that neither the Fa- ther, nor the Son, know themfelves, and that the Spirit knows neither ; From thefe words of the apoftle Paul, ^ " the things of God knows no one, but the Spirit of Gods '* it WQuld fol- low, that the holy Spirit knows more of the things of God, than either the Father or the Son : And from what is faid of Chrift, in the 8 Revelation J "he had a name written, that no one knew but himfelf ^ " it would follow, that the Father and the Spirit knew not this name of the Son. If the exclufive terms were to be in- terpreted with the utmoft rigor, this monftrous abfurdity would inevitably follow, that every one of the three divine perfons know more, and yet, at the fame time, lefs than the other two.
It will farther appear, that the exclufive terms and titles of fupremacy, which are ufcd in fcrip- ture, when God the Father is fpoke of, mull not be underftood to be in oppofition to the Son and Spirit, if we confider that they all, or terms equivalent, are afcribed elfewhere in fcrip- ture to the Son and the Spirit, or to the Son Ungly. If the Father bears the name of Irfio- vah, fo ^ do the Son and the Spirit > if tRe Fa- ther is reprefented under the name Jehovah, with all the charafters of fupreme power, glo- ry, and majefty, fo is > the Son : If the Father
« Mat. xi. 26. See Dr. Waterland's fcrmons, p. 1 28. *■ I Cor. ii. II. See Dr. Waterland's fermons, p. 128. s Rev. xix. 12. See Dr. Waterland's fcrmons, p. 129. Second Defence, p. 26, 51.
^ See part II. chap. 3. part II. chap. i. ' See part II. chap. 3.
is
I
OF THE Trinity.' 27
is caird @£o?, God, in the abfolute fenfe, very many times in the new teftament, fo is the ^ Son, fevcral times, and the Spirit ^ more than once: If the Father iscall'd the mod High, fo is ^ the Son : If the Father is call'd the great and the mighty God, fo is "the Son: If the Father is call'd ° the only wife God, fo is p the Son: If the Father is call'd a God, befides whom there is no other, fo is ^i the Son : If the Father is call'd the only ^ true God, the ^ Son is (liled the true God : If the Father is call'd Pantocrator the Almighty, or abfolutely Su- preme over all, fo is ^ the Son : If the Father is call'd the " one Gcd and Father of all, who is over all, and thro' all, and in all 5 and the ^ one God, of whom arc all things, and we in him 'y the Son is fliled ^ our only fovereign God and Lord, the blefled and only Potentate, the God over all, by whom and for whom arc all things. If neceflary exiftent eternity be predi- cated of the Father, fo it is y of the Son : If the Father is unchangeable, fo is ^ the Son : If
^ See part II. chap. 4.
^ A6ls V. 4. I Cor. iii. 16, 17. See part III. chap, i. ^ Luke i. 76. See part II. chap. 5. " Titus ii. 13. Rev. xix. 17. Pfalm xcv. 3. If. ix. 6. ~See part II. chap. v. ^ Rom. xvi. 27.
P I Tim. i. 17. See part II. chap. v. ^ Ifaiah xlv.ig, 21, 22. ' John xvii. 3. ^ I John V. 20.
^ Rev. i. 8. See part II. chap. v. " Ephef. iv. 6. ^ 1 Cor. viii. 6. See Dr. Bifhop's fermons, p. 60—65.
* Jude iv. 1 Tim. vi. 15. Rom. ix. 5. Col. i. 16. See part II. chap. 5, 7.
y See part II. chap. 6.
* Ibid.
he
28 The true Scripture Doctrine
he is omnifcicnt, and ouihi^ refeiic, io are » the Soil and Spirit: It the father is rcpreicnt- ed as the Creator of all things, fo are ^ the Son and Spirit : If the Father is fet forth, as the object of religious worihip, fo is the ^ Son, in conjunction with him, and likewife the Spirit j and fo are the ^ Son and Spirit fmgly.
If all this be proved, as it really may, it can never be fappofed, that any high things, which are fpoke of the Father in fcripture, are meant to exclude the Son and the Spirit from true fupreme Godhead J tor the real dcfign of the facred writings is, to fet forth the Father, the Son, and the holy Spirit, as the one true God y or to reprefcnt thcfe three divine per- fons to be one in nature, and equal in power and glory.
* See part II. chap. 6. and part III. chap. 2. ^ See part II. chap. 7. p:.rt III. chap. 3. ^ See part I. chap. 3, 4. part 11. chap. iz. and part III. chap. 4.
^ See part II. chap. 12. part III. chap. 4.
CHAP.
OF THE Trinity. 29
CHAP. II.
The Father, the Son, and the holy Spi- rit, proved to be one God, or one in nature, or fubftance.
N the fcripture^ three are fpoke of under the chara61:ers of true divinity, the Father, the Word or the Son, and the holy Spirit, thefe are dcfcribed as three perfons, and three intelHgent agents j but as God is but one, and can be but one, they cannot be call'd feparate or divided perfons, but mult be fome way united. How this can be, has employ'd the fancies of men more cu- rious than wife, in every age of chriltianity It. is much the beft way, to confider it as a mat- ter of fa6b, revealed in fcripture, and to enquire, whether it is really fo, and if we find the fcrip- ture declares, that there are three divine per- fons, and yet but one God, we ought to re- ceive it, without enquiring how this can be. That the three perfons mufl be three feparate beings 5 or that it is impofHble for the Father, the Son, and the Spirit, to be one God, is what no man can ever fairly prove, becaufe none could everiix a principle of individuation 5 and till this be done, men only give their fancies, inllead of proofs, and their affirmations inftead of arguments.
In theinfpired v/ritings', the Father bears the name of Jehovah, which is a name pecuhar to God, exprefling his neceflary exillence, inde- pendent eternity, and immutability j the fame
name
30 The true Scripture Doctrine
name ^ is given to the Son, and the Spirit : The Father is call'd God, and ^ fo are the Son and the Spirit : The Father is defcribed, as in- veiled with infinite perfections, as are alfo ^ the Son and the Spirit : The Father is fet forth as creator -, and the work of creation is afcribed, ^ in the fulleft manner, to the Son and the Spi- rit : And the Father is propounded to us, as the object of our rehgious worfhip j and we, in like manner find, that ^ the Son and the Spi- rit are to be worfhip'd. Now, the' three per- fons bear the name of Jehovah, yet we are af- fured, that there are not three Jehovah s, but that Jehovah is only one 5 tho' three are ftiled God, yet there are not three Gods, but one God y tho' three are defcribed, as inverted with infinite perfections, yet it is a contradiction to fay, there are three infinites, for there can be but one infinitely perfeCt being > tho' three bear the character of creator, yet there are not three creators, for there can be but one almighty creator of all things 5 and tho' three are pro- pounded to our religious adoration, yet there are not three objeCts of worfhip, but one God only is to be adored. Therefore the necefTary and undeniable confequence is, that thcfe three, thie Father, the Word or the Son, and the holy Spirit arc the one God j and fince the na- ture and fubftance of God is but one, thefe three divine perfons muil be one in nature, or of the fame fubftance.
* See part II. chap. 3. part III. chap. i.
'^ See part II. chap. 4. part III. chap, i .
^ See part II. chap. 6. part III. chap. 2.
** See part II. chap. 7. part III. chap. 3.
* See part I. chap. 3, 4. part II. chap. 12. part III- chap. 4.
A It
OF THE Trinity. 31
It is a juft and neceflary confequence, from what We find in fcripture, that the Father, the Son, and the Spirit, are one in nature 5 and we are not without an exprefs proof of this, in the following famous pafFage of the apoille John's firfl epillle. ^ " There are three that bear wit- nefs in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the holy Spirit, and thefe three are one > " our ad- verfaries here § tell us, that thefe words prove no more than an unity of confent : That a unity of confent is not here only to be underllood, but an unity of nature, is plain, from the apolUe's varying his flile, in the next verfe, where he fpeaks of the Spirit, the water, and the blood agreeing in the fame teftimonyj for he fays, ^ " Thefe three agree in ona: " Now in the verfe under confideration, he does not fay, the Father, the Word, and the Spirit agree in one j but, " thefe three are one 5 " not one perfon, but one being, If unity of nature were not in- tended, no reafon can be given, why the apo- flle fhould fo vary his form of fpeaking. The earthly witnckTcs agree in one, becaufe they wit- nefs the fame things but the three heavenly witnefTes, the Father, the Word, and the Spi- rit, as they witnefs the fame thing, fo they are one 5 and if they are one in nature, furely they muft be one in confent, or mufl: agree in their teftimony, to the truth of this great do6brine of the gofpel, that Jefus of Nazareth is the Son of Godj the true Meffiah, who really took on him the human nature, and appeared in the fleih.
Tps<5 SKTiv el fA/U^Tfj^.^Cisq iv rZ ^(etvSj o nes/tjp, o >soy^) tcxi TV kyiov zrvivf/jcc- y^ in oi 6i r^siq Iv ii(ri, l John V. 7. 2 See Clarke's Script. Do6t. p. 205. 'Oi Tf£j5 lis 7© iv iiviy, V. 8.
Our
3 2 The true Scripture Doctrine
Our adverfaries do not give us any fubftan- tlal reafons, why this text mufl be underftood of unity of confent only, contenting themfelves with roundly affirming it -, but they attack us, as to this verfe, with bold defiance, on another foot : They tell us it is fpurious, and foifted in- to the text, and ought not to be regarded, as part of infpired fcripture, but reje6]:ed as a human interpolation. A great deal ^ has been wrote againll the authority of this text, and much ^ has been faid to prove its genuine- nefs> fo that the controverfy concerning it has run out into a great length : I fhall endeavour to flate the matter in as fhort a compafs as I can.
^ By father Simon in his Critical Hiftory of the New Teftament, cap. i8.
By le Clerc in feveral parts of his writings.
By Dr. Clarke in his Scripture Doftrine, p. 205, 206, in his Reply, p. 206- — 212. and in his Letter to Dr. Wells, p. 42—47.
By Emlyn in his full enquiry into the authority of this text, and in his two anfwers to M. Martin.
^ By Dr. Smith in his Diflertation againfl: F. Simon.
By Dr. Gir;d)e~in his Notes on Biihop Bull, p. 126. al,
P- 139-
By Dr. Mills in his Diflertation on this text.
By M. van Maellricht on the place.
By M. Kctncr in his Critical Hiftory of this text.
By M. Rogier in his Diflertation on this text.
By Dr. Jenkyn in his remarks on fome books, p. 1 86—197.
By M. Martin in his Diflertation on this text, in his exa- mination of Emlyn's anfwer, and in his genuinenefs of this text proved.
By Dr. Calamy in his four fermons on this text.
By Dr. Knight, in his true Scripture Do6lrine of the Tri- nity vindicated, p. 137, 138, 139. and in his true Scripture Doftrlne of the Trinity continued, p. 290—303.
By M.May in his nnfwcr to F. Simon, chip. 18.
By Bifliop Smallbroke in his Letter to Dr. Bcntley.
By Mr. Wade in his brief Enquiry into the Dodrine of the Trinity, p. 7 1 —90.
The
OF THE Trinity. 5^
The context favours the genuinenefs of this text, for the apoflle a little after fpcaks, by way of inference, of the tcftimony of God be- ing greater than that of men 5 1 which muft be the teilimony of God the Father 5 becaufe it is concerning his Son Jcfus Chrift : Now if the text under debate be caft out, there can no paf- kgc be found, in which the Father's teaimony IS mention'd, and confequently there would be nothing faid concerning it, in the words pre- ceding, for the apoftle to argue upon.
Beiides what may be drawn from the con- text, there are three forts of authorities which mufl be confider'd, with relation to this textj one fort of authorities to be taken from Greek manufcripts, another from the old verfions, and a third from the ancient writers who have cited it.
The firft fort of authorities I ih.all conflder, IS that of Greek manufcripts: And here, J free- ly confefs, that the words under debate are not to be found in many Greek copies 5 nay, perhaps not m the grcateft part of thofe that have been collated J and particularly, they are wanting in the two moll ancient manufcripts we have heard ^^' , ,^^^[ i" our King's libraiy at Weftminfler, calld the Alexandrian copy, and that in the Vatican library, from which pope Sixtus the fifth pubhih'd his Greek bible. 1 will not pre- tend to fay, whether they were ftruck out by hereticks, who, as a judicious hiftorian ^ has told us, from old interpreters, corrupted this epiftle of John, in order to make two perfons
lY^r. 9, ,0. ^oyhi. Socrates Hift. EccleT. VII. 32. p. 304. Ed Par
D in
34 The true Scripture Doctrine in Chrift j or whether they were omitte-d by the carelefnefs of tranfcribers, " which I rather think. I behevc the omiflion was made very foon, whilH: copies were few and fcarce, and were handed about privately. I cannot how- ever agree to what ° fome fuppofe, that the Arians have flruck thefe words out of the textj becaufe, tho' I grant, the corrupting the fiicred text, has been a badge of iniquity, that has al- ways cleaved to thofc liereticks, yet I cannot bring my fclf to think, they could have done it in this cafe, without our hearing of it from their opponents. I rather choofe to be of opi- nion, that the words were, before thofe times, left out, and that they were not in the genera- lity of the Greek copies ufed by the writers of the fourth century.
Some of our adverfaries tell us, P this text does not appear, with any certainty, to have been in any Greek manufcript at all > others "5 go farther, and, with bluflring infolence, tell us, there is not one old Greek manufcript of the new teftament, which warrants this text for genuine. That this is feeble vaunt, and an empty flouriih, will eafily appear in the fequel.
About three hundred years ago, Lorenzo Valla, a very learned Roman nobleman, engaged in a defign of comparing the Greek text of the new teltament with the vulgar Latin verfion ; to this end he made ufe of at lead: feven Greek co-
" Vid. Grabium in Bullum, p. 126. al. 139.
Inflances of tranfcribers omitting a fentence, when the next fentence ends with the fime, or nearly the fame words, .ire known to be very common, by all fuch as have been con- verfant in manufcripts.
" See Dr. Calamy's fcrmons, p. 435, Sec.
P Clarke's reply, p. 207. See alfo his letter tQDr.Wells,p.72.
•i Emlyn's anfwer to M. Martin, p. 44.
pi(*,
OFTHElRINITT. 35
pies, as he ' himfelf aiTures us : Tho' it is not certain, that all thcfe copies contain'd the whole \ new teflamentj yet it is certain, he had fome I f which contain'd the firft cpiftlc of John: In "^ his notes, he fets down the moft minute diffe- rences between the Greek text, and the Latin vcrfion 'y now lince, on the verfe under de- bate, he fays nothing of any difference be- tween the one and the other > there is all the reafon in the world to ^conclude, that he found this text in his Greek, as well as in his Latin copies.
About the time of the reformation, the fa- mous cardinal Ximenes, prime miniffer of Irate in Spain, was at the charge of a noble work, which was a beautiful edition of the Hebrew and Greek text of the bible, of the Greek ver- fion of the old tefhment, and of the common Latin verfion, which was publiOi'd at " Alcala des Henares. This work contained ^"^ the firff impreffion of the Greek text of the new tefta- ment, tho' it layby unpublifh'd 'till fome other imprefiions faw the light. The cardinal had one ancient manufcript, that was brought from Rhodes, and contain'd the apoftolical epillles 3 with the reft he was fupply'd out of the Vati- can library, by pope Leo the tenth's order, who commanded him to make one very anci-
^ Vid. in Joh". vii. 30.
^ Vid. Vallam in i Joh. iii. i.
* See M. Martin's diflertation. Part I. chap. 8- p. 54- Examination, chap. 10. p. 66 — 75. Genuinenefs ot the text demonlbated. Part II. chap. 3. p. 77, 78, 79.
" In Latin Complutum, from whence this work has gene- rally been calPd the Complutenfiam polyglot.
^ The new teftament was iinifh'd 1514, but the whole work was not finilh'd till 15 17; and the cardinal foon after dying, it was not publilh'd till about 1525.
D i ent
J 6 The true Scripture Doctrine
ent copy, which was fcnt him ^'5 the ground- work of his edition of the new teflamcnt. In this noble edition, the controverted text is in- ferted, y tho* with Tome variations from our common editions. Now fince the cardinal was commanded by the pope, not to vary from the Vatican manufcript, it can never be imagin'd, * he would infert thefe words, if they had not been in that copy : For this like wife w^e have the fuffrage o£^ Erafmus, who lived at the fame time, who has told us, he believed, the learned men employ'd by cardinal Ximenes, follow 'd the Vatican copy, when they inferted this text. What is objected, that the text is not found in the oldeil copy of the Vatican library, is of no weight in this cafe > for it is founded on a ^ miilake, that the copy from which pope Sixtus publifh'd the new teftament, at the end of his edition of the Greek vcrfion of the old tefta- ment, w^as the very copy which was ufed by car- dinal Ximencsj for thefe copies were certainly dif- ferent, if we fuppofe the Alcala edition to be pub- liilied from any Vatican manufcript 5 it having too many peculiar readings, to give us room to ima- gine, it was publifh'd from the old copy, ufed in the edition of Sixtus. It is moil likely the manufcripts ufed by cardinal Ximenes, were ne- ver returned, but are either loft, or He conceal'd
" Quibus ex pontilicis autoritate exemplar eximiae ve- tuftatis, fpedaf.eque fidei, exhibitum, e bibliotheca vatica- na, a quo julTi funt non rccedere. Erafmus, lib.xxiii. Epill:. 8- Vid. Alillii prolegomena, p. io8. Le Long Bibliotheca Soc. Vol.1, p. 8— 12. Wolfii Biblioth. Hebr. Vol.11, p. 139, 140.
y The Alcala edition reads tTn t^ p^?, & o< rfi?; tj? to h fi<r)vf and it omits thefe words at the end of the eighth vcrfe.
^ See bifl;op Smalbrokc's letter to Dr. Bentlcy, p- 12 — 30.
^ Exemplar ex eadem, ni fallor Bibliotheca (fc. vaticana) petitum fecuti funtHifpani. Frahnus in loc.
^ Sec bifhopSmalbrokc's letter to Dr. Beulley, p-3i— 47-
2 in
OF theTrinity. 37
in fome of the libraries in Spain. The fuggefti- on of foine ^^ that this text was inferted from Thomas Aquinas, is as groundlcfs as it is mean and uncharitable, and can never be gathered from the marginal '^ note, which is added in the Al- eak edition.
The nev/ teftament, in the Alcala polyglot, was printed before any of Erafmus's editions came out , but by reafon of that great work being kept fome years unpublifh'd, this learned man had opportunity of publifhiing three ^ edi- tions, before it came abroad. In his two firft editions, he omitted the difputed text, but, in his third, he inferted it on the authority of a copy in England 5 which if he faw not himfelf, as is very probable, he was fatisfied of the rea- lity of It : For he was too cautious, and honeffc a man, to infert any thing without grounds. His authority in this cafe is of greater weight, becaufe he doubted of the authenticknefs of the text. It is exceeding frivolous for our adver- faries to objeft, that the manufcript is not now
*^ Clarke's Reply, p. 209.
^ San6lus Thomas in expofitione fdcundae decretalis dc fumma Trinitate & fide catholica traftans iitum paffum contra abbatem Joachim, vid. Tres funt qui teftimonium dant in coelo. Pater, Verbum & Spiritus fanftus, dicit ad literam verba fequentia. Et ad infmuandam unitatem trium perfona- rum, fubditur, & hi tres unum funt. Quod quidem dicitur propter effentiae unitatem : Sed hoc Joachim perverfe traherc volens ad unitatem charitatis & confenfus inducebat conle- quentem auftoritatem. Nam fubditur ibidem j & tres funt qm teftimonium dant in terra. Sc. Spiritus, Aqua, & San- guis. Et in quibufdam libris additur ; & hi tres unum funt, fed hoc in veris exemplaribus non habetur ; fed dicitur efle appofitum ab haereticis Arianis ad pervertendum intelledum fanum audloritatis praemiflae de unitate elTentiae trium per- fonarum. Haec beatus Thomas ubi fupra.
! 1516, 1519, 1522.
D I ^ to
3 8 The true ScRiPiyRE Doctrine
to be found > for furely, in the compafs of two hundred years, a manufcript may be lofh, or may have had many owners, efpecially if wc confider, how the libraries in England were fcatter'd, by the diflbUition of the monaftcries. It is farther pretended, this copy was formed after the Greek veriion of the a6ls of the Late- ran council j but this is fo precarious a furmife, that it needs no confutation, efpecially fince, in this cafe, it falls out, that there are no lefs than four variations ^ between the two co- pics.
In the large edition publiih'd by Robert Ste- phen, thefe words "in heaven," are marked, as wanting in feven of the copies he had made uCc of j Ibme have thought there is a millake in the mark, but there is no certainty of this. However certain it is, that the controverted text was in fome of the copies, from which this learned printer publiih'd his edition ; this vjc are ailured of by the excellent g Beza, who was acquainted with that diligent man, and had a fight of his papers, and perhaps of fome of his manufcript copies. The teftimony of fo
^ Cod. Britannic. Gr. Concil. Latcran.
'^Ori 'T^ii^ iitriv oi y^ccolvpSf- ' On r(u<i ii<rlv ol ^«prtif»vrf5
htriv. sv iiiriv.
s Hunc verfum legit Erafmits, in Britannico codice, & extat in Complutcnli editione, Sc in nonnullis Stephani vctc- ribus libris : Non convenit tamen in omnibas inter illos co- dices. Nam Britannicus legit fine articiilis ^arnf, Aov®- xai TTvivujx. In noilris vero leguntiir articuli, & praeterea ctiam additum erat fancti epitheton Spiritui. Beza in loc.
Adhaec omnia acceffit exemplar ex Stephani noltri biblio- thcca, cum viginti quinque plus minus manufcripcis codici- bus, & omnibus poene impreffis, ab Henrico Stephano ejus fJio — collitum. Idem in praefat.
great
OF THE Trinity 3 9
great a man for learning and integrity as Beza, mufl not be thrown afide, becaiife our adverfa- ries are pleafed to furmife ^'5 that he might miftake. It is impoffible ever to come at the truth of any thing that depends on telHmony, if we are at liberty to infmuate, that fuch as affirm a thing may miflake,. when we can give no proof that they acbually did miftake '.
There is a manufcript in the King of Pruflia's library at Berlin about three hundred years old, in which the text is to be found. This copy- has been arraign'd as fpurious, and is (aid to be a tranfcript of the Alcala edition -, but this is a very great miftake, for it varies fo often from the text of the Alcala bible, that it can never be imagined to be tranfcribed from it ^. It cannot, I believe, be fully proved that the manufcript is fpurious, tho' it mufl be own'd to be not ve- ry ancient.
There is a ^ manufcript, which formerly be- long'd to archbifhop Uflier, but is now in the library of Trinity college in "^ Dublin, of about five hundred years old, in which the contro- verted
^ Emlyn's anfwer to M. Martin, p. 33-
' It has been pretended, that there muft bea miftake in this matter, becaufe the copies in the French King's library, which Stephen ufed, have not the verfe. The truth is,^ fome perfon has marked fixteen copies in that library, as it they had been ufed by Stephen, but it is certain, that thefe copies are not the fame which he ufed ; this has been proved to a demonftration by M. Martin (Genuinenefs of the text demonftrated, p. ii. c. 6. p. 102—115.) in oppofition to F. k Long.
^ See M. Martin's Genuinenefs of the text demonflrated, p. II. c. 8. p. 123 — 135.
^ See M. Martin's Genuinenefs of the text demonflrated, p. II. c. 12. p. 155—165.
"" In the Dublin manufcript, the two verfes arc read thus
*'Or« rfjr? iirlv oi uutiDTvoSvr s» t« 8v« jtkP ?^o7^ *i '^"^ uyiov,
P *4 ^ «"*
40 Tke true Scripture Doctrine
verted text is to be found, and it is read jufb as it was in the Englifh copy, that Erafmus fol- lowed, excepting one variation, fo that fome have conjeclut'd it to be the very fame.
Thus I have proved, that the text, which our advcrfarics have boldly aflerted to be found in no manurcript,is to be found in feveral. I may add,un- der this head of authority, from copies, the proof for its genuinenefs, which maybe taken from its being found in the rituals of the Greek church. One of thefervice books of that church is call'd Apodolus, which contains the portions of the apolloiicalepiftlcs, which are to be read on fab- bath days and holidays J 'Mn that appointed to be read on Trinity funday, the words difputed are to
Supra fcriptae Gnecae lineae, quae coeleftium trium, tri- umque terreitrium tedium teftimonium perhibent, hae lineae jnquani exicriptae fuere ex manufcripto codice Gracco totius novi teftamenii, qui codex, in dorfo infcriptus G. 97. mem- br.tnaceiis eft in 8"° ex manufcriptis nomine UfTerii nuncu- patis, quod re vera celeberrimi praefulis Jacobi Uflerii Arma- chani, dum in vivis, fuerc. Infuper afTeverans mcipfum verbatim, ipfas fcilicet lineas, cum aucographo fuo ex quo exfcriptae mere, contuliile, nulljmque in iis ne quidem in apice uno difcrep.intiam ab iplb reperiifle. In cujus rei tcHiinonium manum meam appofui, 25dieAugufti, 17 19.
Gulielmus Lewis,
Librariuo bibliothccac coUegii S.Trinitatis Dublinii. ° Certe in ritualibus Ecclefue Graecorum orientalis, ve- lut ab antiquis feculis, recepta eft ejufdcm in epiftola ilia lec- tio publica quotannis in quinta feria hebdomatis a pafchate tngcTimae quintae, ut liquet ex eorum codice cui titulus A^tVcA:^, Selden de Synedriis, Lib. II. c. 4.
The Mufcovite church, which is a branch of the Greek, has always had ihefe words in the verfion made ule of in it, and in the fervice of that church they are read, at the fame time that the Greek: church reads them. See M. A'lartin's Genuincncl's of tlie text demonllrated, p. 2. cliap. 10.
p. i43---i,-o.
be
OF THE Trinity. 41
be found. As this cufbom is very ancient, and as fome of the copies of this ritual are exceeding old, above a thoufand years, it is a great con- firmation of the genuinenefs of the text.
The next fort of authorities, which I am to examine, is that of ancient verfions. Our ad- verfaries have boldly ° affirmed, that the con- troverted text is not to be found in any of the ancient verfions. Upon a careful review it will appear, that there are as many verfions done from the Greek, which have this text, as there are which have it not. The old verfions which are done from the original, are only four, the Sy- riac, the Coptic, the Armenian, and the Latin.
The old Syriac verfion, which is by fome fuppofed to be of the fecond century, has not the text: But befides other omifiions, this tran- flation wants the fecond and third epiftles of John, the fecond epiftle of Peter, the epiftle of Jude, and the book of the Revelation. Thefe parts of fcripture are added, from another Sy- riac verfion made by Thomas of Heraclea -, whether the difputed text is in this latter ver- fion, is not P known. The Arabic tranflation which is publifiiVJ, is not done from the Greek, but the Syriac, and is befides of no great antiquity.
The Coptic tranflation, which is about fourteen hundred years old, has not this text. From this verfion the Ethiopic tranflation was done, and that very ill > befides, the printed editions are from copies fo extremely incor-
° See Emiyn's full enquiry, p. 14.
P Two copies of the four evangelifts, according to tins jerfion, are to be found in the Duke of Tufcany's library, Plut. I. codd. I, 9. and two more in the Bodleian library; but I never could learn, that any other parts of it have been brought into Europe.
icft.
42 The true Scripture Doctrine
re6b, that they are not in the kail to be re- garded.
The Armenian verfion, which was made a- bout a thoufand or eleven hundred years ago, ^ has the text under diiputc.
The old Italic verfion was made in the be- ginning of chriitianity J the text was certainly in it, ns appears from its being quoted by Ter- tullian, Cyprian, and Fulgent ms, and from its being referred to by Cafliodorus, who all ufed this verfion, of which hereafter. It was not re- jected by the learned Jerome, who mended the old tranflation, for in the oldcfl copies of his reformed verfion, it is to ^ be found -, elpecially in that famous copy which is preferved in the ab- bey of Vaux-celles at Rome, which was wrote in the beginning of the ninth century, by our learned coimtry-man Alcuin, who, with fome others, by command of the Emperor Charles the great, revifcd Jerome's bible. It appears like wife from a revife made in the tenth
*J Indeed the author of the full enquiry, p. i 8. tells us, that Sandius, who Hnv the Armenian bible at Amfterdam, fays, the text is not in it. But we may better rely on the credit of the late Mr. Guife, than on the word of fo worth- lefs a writer as Sandius ; that modell and very learned per- fon afTured Dr. Mills, the text was in the Armenian tranfla- tion, as he tells us in the following words, " Pericopen hanc praefert verfio Armeni.i, quod nos olim moriuit vir longe doftiffimus Gulielmus Guifius (p. 742.) " Mr. Guife un- derftood the language better than any other European, and very likely might have feen manufcripts, as well as the print- ed copy, which is exceeding rare. Whereas I do not be- >andius underftood any thing of it. I do not remem- any other, who is a proper judge, has faidany thing !imatter.
M. Martin's DifTertation, Part I. chap. 2, 3, 4. p. "f-'-zi. Examination, chap. 2, 3. p. 9—22. Genuine- nefs of the text demonllrated, P. I. chap. 9, 10. p. 54 — 64.
centuiy,
OF THE Trinity. 4^
century, which is preferved in the library of the Sorbonnc, and from the old rituals of the Latin church, that this verfe always had a place in the Latin tranflation : There are indeed fome copies that want it, but they are by much the Icis number, and can never counterbalance the authority of thofe which have it.
The lad: fort of authorities to be examin'd, with relation to this text, is that of quotations of it, in ancient writers : And here I granit, that none of the moft ancient Greek writers quote it, except one, but it has in all ages becjn cited by the Latin writers, and by fome of the latter Greek authors.
In the latter end of the fecond century iiv{!d e Tertullian, he, as we may very juftly conclude, | refers to the text in the following pafTagesj ! ^ " The Comforter, fays Chrift, fliall take of mine, as he alfo ihall of the Father's , fo th at the connexion of the Father in the Son, and of the Son in the Comforter, make three, dofo ly join'd together one of the other: Which three are one, not one perfon j in like manner as it is faid, I and my Father are one -, to de - note the unity of fubitance, and not the fingu - larity of number. " Here our adverfaries tell us, that the words are only Tertullian's owni, but they muft not expc6t to be believed, onl y on their afHrmation. Any one who knows that author's way of citing fcripture, will fee no rea- fon to deny, that he quoted the text, efpecialhf
^' Caeterum de meo fumet, ficut ipfe de patris, ita con-i nexus patris in filic, &: fA'n in paracleto, tres efficit, cohae-' rentes, alterum ex altero. Qui tres unum funt, non unus : quomodo didum eft. '' Ego & pater unum fumus : " AJ fubftantiae unionem non ad numeri fingularitatem. Contr:* Praxeam. cap. 25.
if
44 The true Scripture Doctrine
if we confider, what he adds, by way of explica- tion, that by the Father, the Son, and the Com- forter being one, is not meant unity of perfon : And that he is proving, that they are three real perfons, but yet the fame in llibltance. If it be pretended, that luppoling it be granted that TertuUian intended thefe words, " which three are one," as a quotation of fcripture, yet he might take them from the next verfe, which was myftically interpreted of the Father, Son, and Spirit; I would only reply 5 that fuch a furmife is without any foundation, for there is no proof of that interpretation being invented, fo long ago as the fecond century. Upon the whole, wx find the words, which our adverfa- ries would brand as fpurious, brought to prove a do6trine, which they infolently call a novelty, that there are three divine perfons, which are the fame in fubftance, not much above a hun- dred years after the epiillc, of which they are a noble part, was wrote.
In the third century we find Cyprian ex- preflly quoting the text. * ^' Our Lord fliys, I and my Father are one j and again, it is writ- ten concerning the Father, the Son, and the holy Spirit j and thefe three are one." And in another place, he plainly refers to it. ""If, i&ys he, any one can be rightly baptized by he- reticks, he can obtain remifTion of fins j if he
has
* Dicit Domimis *' Ego & pater unum fumus; " Et ite- rum. De Patre, Filio 6c Spiritu fanao fcriptum eft. " Et hi tres unum funt. " De unitate Ecclefiae, p. 255. Ed. Pamel.
" Nam fi baptizari quis apud haereticos potuit, utique & remi/lam peccatorum confequi potuit: Si peccatorum re- miffam confecutus ell, <Sr lanftificatus eft, & templum Dei faftu$ eft J quaero cujus Dei ? Si crcatoris, non potuit, qui
in
OF THE TrINI TY; 45
has obtained remiilion of fins, he is fanftified, and become the temple of God 5 I afk of what God? If of the Creator, he cannot be his tem- ple, who has not believed in him ; If of Chrift, he cannot be his temple, who denies Chrift to be God j if of the holy Spirit, fince thefe three are one, how can the holy Spirit be propitious to him, who is an enemy to the Father or the Son ? " Our adverfaries pretend, that Cyprian took the earthly witnciTes, the Spirit, the Wa- ter, and the Blood, myftically to denote the Fa- ther, the Word, and the Spirit > and they pro- duce w Facundus, a writer of the fixth century, in proof, that Cyprian thus interpreted the words. But the fenfe of Cyprian is beil to be underllood from his own words, which are as plain and eafy as can be defired ^ there is no fhadow of his following that myftical interpre- tation, which fome afterwards run into, I fup- pofe from their not having the feventh verfe in their copies, and yet finding the words, thefe three are one, fometimes quoted concerning the three divine perfons. Facundus was one of thefe,
in eum non credidit; fiChrilli, nee hujus fieri poteft tem- plum, qui negat Deum Chriftum ; Si Spiritus fandi, cum tres unum fmt, quomodo Spiritus fanftus placatus effe ei poteft, qui aut Patris aut Filii inimicus eft. Epift. ad Jubai- anum, p. 184.
^ Joannes apoftolus in epiftola fua de Patre, & Filio, & Spi- ritu fanfto, fic dicit, " Tres funt qui teftimonium dant in terra, Spiritus, Aqua, & Sanguis, & hi tres unum funt. " In Spiritu,fignificans Patrem— in Aqua, vero Spiritum fanftum— in Sanguine vero Filium — Quod Joannis apoftoli teftimoni- um beatus Cyprianus Carthaginienfis antiftes & martyr, in epiftola five libro, quem de Trinitat? fcripfit, ac de Patre & Fi- lio, & Spiritu fan£lo diftum intelligit. Ait enim ; " dicit Do- minus, Ego & Pater unum lumus, & iterum, de Patre, & Fi- lio, Sc Spiritu fandlo fcriptum eft, & hi tres unum funt. " Facundus Hermianenfis Defenf trium capitulorum, lib. I.
he
4^ The true Scripture Doctrine
he found Cyprian had thus apply 'd the words, and therefore he imagined it might be a myftical interpretation of the eighth verfe 3 but he might miflake Cyprian's fenfc, as well as blunder, as he does in the title of the book he quotes ; and no reafon can be given, why he fhould better understand Cyprian, than Fulgentius, who has afTured us, that he quoted the fevench vcrfe which is difputed, as will be feen below, when his teftimony comes to be confider'd in its order. What elfe our adverfaries object to Cyprian's teftimony, is fo exceeding weak, that meer pity may prevent a perfon's expo- fing it.
In the fourth century lived the anonymous author of an ufeful book, call'd the Synopfis of fcripture^ this has been attributed, thro' mif- take, to Athanafius 3 but tho' it is not his, yet it is as ancient, or very near as old. In the fummary of the apoftle John's firft epiftle, the author fays, that * " he ihews the unity of the Son with the Father." Now it would be ve- ry difficult, to find any place in this epiftle, where the unity of the Son with the Father is exprefHy {hew'd, except in the difputed text, tho' many other pafTages imply it : So that it is more than probable, this ancient v/riter had his eye upon it.
In the fime century lived Jerome, who, if the prologue to the canonical epillles be his, has given a decifive teftimony to the genuine- nefs of the text in the following words j y " If the canonical epillles, as they were di-
gefted
* T«i' tvoTiilcc 3 ■'■5 vii' Tps? rov ^cclt^oc Oiixitvcn. Athanafii op. Vol. 2. p. 138. Ed. Par.
y Quae fi ficut ab eis digeftap funt, ita quoque ab inter-
prctibus
OF THE TRINIXy.' 47
geftedby the Greeks, had been by interpreters faithfully tranflated into the Latin tongue, rea- ders would not have met with fuch ambigui- ties, nor would there have been fuch variety of opinions, clafhing one with another > efpecially in that place, where we read concerning the unity of the Trinity in John's firfl epiftlej there we find unfaithful tranflators have greatly err'd from the true faith, who have retain'd only three words, the Spirit, the Water, and the Blood, in their edition, and omitted the teflimony of the Father, the Word, and the Spirit, by which the catholick faith is greatly corroborated, and the one divine fubftance of the Father, the Son, and the holy Spirit is proved." This is wanting in fcv^ral copies, and fome other things have y been urged againfb its genuinenefs, which I ihall not difcufs. I muft own, I do not fee that it is demonftratcd to be fpurious 5 and I cannot but think, there is fome weight, in the fimilitude there is in thefe words to Jerome's ufual way of writing -, 2 however, I am content to leave the matter doubtful. If this preface has been by miftake
pretibus fideliter in Latinum verterentur eloquium ; nee am- biguitatem legentibus facerent, nee fermonum {cCe varietas impugnaret, illo praeeipue loeo ubi de unitate Trinitatis, in prima Joannis epiftola pofitum legimus ; in quo etiam ab infidelibus tranllatoribus multum erratum g& a fidei ve- ritate comperimus ; tria tantummodo vocabula, hoe eft Aqua, Sanguis, & Spiritus, in ipfa fua editione ponentibus, &Patris, Verbique & Spiritus tellimonium omittentibus, in quo maxime & fides catholica roboratur, & Patris, ae Filii ac Spiritus fanfti una divinitatis fubftantia eomprobatur.
y Vid. Millium in loe. p. 743, 744, 745. See Dr. Cala- my's fermons, p. 452.
^ See what is faid in defenfe of this prefaee by M. Mar- tinDifTert. p. i. c. 5. p. 23—33. Examinat. c. 4. p. 22^-- 31. Genuinenefs, &c, P.I. c. 8. P- 47— $4.
afcribed
4S The true Scripture Doctrine
afcribed to Jerome, ftill it is ancient, for it was certainly compofed before the eighth cen- tury.
In the beginning of the fifth century, =» Eu- cherius cited this text as an account of the Tri- nity. To this teftimony ^ our adverfaries ob- jed, that the learned know, fucli interpolati- ons of texts are frequent in the Latin fathers, and this may be of that kind, which is a mean fuggeilion, that needs no farther animadverfion than to mention it. They farther fay, it is in- confiftent with the author's underftanding, elfe- where, by a myflical interpretation, the Tri- nity to be meant by the Spirit, the Water, and the Bloody but how this can be, when he, in the place under confideration, takes the three earthly witnefles, as well as the three heavenly witnclles, to be meant of the Trinity, I can- not underftand.
Towards the end of the fame '^ centmy, Hu- neric the Vandal tyrant in Africa, a fierce pro- pagator ofArianifm, by the power ofthefword, fummon'd a meeting of the catholick biihops to the number of four hundred , at which time, a confefiion of faith was drawn up, by Euge- nius bifhop of Carthage, and fign'd by the reft of his brethren, and prefented to the pcrfecu- ting barbarian, by the common confent of the biihops of Africa, Mauritania, Sardinia, and Corfica. This confelTionis fet down by Vi6lor'^ bifhop of Vice 5 in it the difputed text is brought
^ De Trinitatc legimus in Joh::innis epiflola. Tres funt qui teftimonium dant in coclo, P;Ucr, Verbum, & Spiritus iandus, Sc tres iunt qui tellimonium dant in terra, Spiritus, Aqua, & Cr.ro. De Formulis Spiritalibus, chap. xi.
^ Emlyn^s anfwer to M. iMirtin, p. 18, 19, 20.
^^ A. D. 484.
^ De perfccutione Vandalica^ lib. 3.
to
OF THE Trinity. 4.^
to prove, that the Father, Son, and Spirit, are one God, ^ " That we may fhew it to be clearer than the light, that the holy Spirit is partaker of the one Godhead,with the Father and the Son, ic is proved by the teftimony of the evangelift Johnj for he fays, ^ " There are three that bear Avitnefs in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the holy Spirit, and thefe three are one : " He does not fay three feparated in different quality, or divided by any degrees of diverfity, or by a great interval of feparation, but three, fays he, are one. We can never fuppofe, fuch a num- ber of men would have been fo filly, or fo un- fair, as to have alledged a text which was not allowed to be part of fcripture, by their enemies, as well as themfelves. To this cloud of wit- nefles for the genuinenefs of the text, our ad- verfaries have nothing of moment to objeftj only 8 they endeavour to lefTen the credit of Vidror, as a relater of ft range miracles, like monkifli legends, of perfons ^ fpeaking, when their tongues were cut out. This is nothing to the purpofe 5 for fuppofing a perfon credu- lous
* Et lit adhuc luce clarius unius divinitatis efTe cum Patre & Filio Spiritum fanftum doceamus, Johannis Evangeliftae teftimonio comprobatur : ait namque, " Tres funt qui teili- monium dant in coelo. Pater, Verbum, & Spiritus fanftus, & hi tres unum funt, " nunquid ait tres in diiFerente quali- tate fejun£li, aut quibuflibet divcrfitatum gradibus, longo feparationis intervallo divifi, fed tres, inquit, ununi funt.
*■ Vid. Smith DiiTertat. Theolog. in i Joh. v. 7. p. i6g, M. Martin's Differtat. p. i. c. 6. p. 36 — 42. Examinat. €. 7. p. 43—47. Genuinenefs, &c. p. i. c. 6. p, 39—44,
^ Emlyn's full enquiry, p, 2 1 .
^ Linguas eis & manus dexteras radicitus abfcidiiTet. Quod cum faftum fuiffet, Spiritu fanfto praeflante, ita loquuti funt & loquuntur quomodo antea loquebantur. Sed fi quls ^credulus elfe volueritj pergat nunc Conftantinopolim, Sc
B ^ ibi
50 The true Scripture Doctrine lous enough to aflent to a flilfc miracle, it dotrs not follow, that he would forge a publick re- cord. But however, as to the fa6t of fome perfons fpcaking, after the blood-thirfty Arian Vandals had cut their tongues out, for confef- fing the Divinity of Chrill, nothing is better atteflcdj and if wc will not give credit to it, when it comes back'd with the fulleil authori- ty, hillory muff be own'd to be of no ufe. No lefs a perfon than the great and wife Emperor * Julfinian, has aiTured us that he himfelf, be- fore his advancement to the imperial dignity, faw the venerable perfons, who fpoke, after their tongues were cut out by the roots. Mar- cellinus, ^ his chancellor, has afTured us, that he alfo faw them. Aeneas of Gaza ^ has left us his atteifation, that he not only faw fome of thefe fufferers, and heard them fpeak, but open'd their mouths, for greater certainty, and found their tongues entirely cut out : and Pro-
ibi reperiet unum de illis, fubdiaconum Reparatum, fer- mone? politos fine ulla offeiifione loquentem: ob quam cau- fam venerabills nimium, & praecipue Regina mira eiim re- verentia veneratur. Victor Vitenfis de perfecuticne Van- dalica, lib. 5. cap. 6.
* Vidimus venerabiles viros, qui abfciffis radicitus Unguis, ppenas fuas miferabiliter loquebantur. Cod. lib. i. tit. 27. De officio praefccli praetorio Africae.
^ Ncmpe tunc idem rex Hiinnericus unius catholici ado- lefcentis, vitam a nativitate fua fine ullo fermone ducentis, linguam praecepit excidi, idemque mutus, quod fine hu- mane auditu Chrifto credens fide dedicerat, mox, praecifa fibi lingua, locutus eft, gloriamque Deo in primo vocis fuae exordio dedit. Denique ex hoc fidelium contubernio, ali- quantos ego religiofiffimos viros, praecifis Unguis, manibus truncatis, apud Byzantium, integra voce, confpcxi loquen- tes. Marcellinus Comes in Chronico, p. 45. Ed. Scaliger.
oicivor/m, cjAjjv c^ p<'(^(y|r «jy«cr;T«<0£j(r«j' ihai^ovf tkv yXu^TTUv. In Theophrallo.
copiusj
OF THE Tr I n i t r.^ 5 f
Coplus % who was far from being a bigot to Chriflianity, has declared, that he converfed with fome of them at Conftantinople, who fpokc as well, as if nothing had befallen them j only he adds, that two falling into lewdnefs, loft the ufe of their voice, and never after could fpeak. The truth of this matter is like- wife attefted by " Vidor Tununenfis, ° Eva- grius, and p feveral others. There appears therefore no reafon to impeach the credit of Viftor, becaufe of his relating this wonderful fad.
One of the fubfcribers to the confeffion, pre- fented by Eugenius, was Vigilius biihop of Tap- fus, who generally, when he wrote againfl the Arians, made ufe of feigned names. In q a trea- tife which he wrote againfl: Varimad, an Arian Vandal, under the name of Idacius Clarius, he quotes the difputed text. « John, writing to the Parthians, fays, There are three that bear witnefs on earth, the Water, the Blood, and the Flefli, and thefe three are in us s and there
Aei^cy t'c^vTw. Procopius Vandalic. lib. i. c. 8. Tom i. p. ^196. Ed. par. p. loi. Ed. Hoefchelii.
"^Quos confefTores, quod Unguis ablciffis, perfefte finem aduique locuti funt, urbs Regia adteftatur, ubi eorum cor- pora jacent. Chronic. Zenone Aug. Cof. p. 4. Ed. Scalig. ° Lib. iv. cap. 14.
J' Paulus Diaconus in Odoacro. Gregorius Mag. Dialog, "D- 3- c. 32. Ifidorus Hifpalenf. \n Chronico.
^^ Item ipfe adParthos, " Tres funt qui teilimonium per» iiibent m terra, aqua, fanguis, & caro : Et tres in nobis 3unt. lit tres funt qui teflimonium perhibent in coelo. Pa- ter verbum & Spiritus fanftus, & ii tres unum funt," cap. 97,
51 The true Scripture Doctrine
are three that bear witnefs in heaven, the Fa- ther, the Word, and the Spirit, and they three are one. " The fame author, in his trcatife of the Unity in Trinity, which he wrote under the name of x'\thana{ius, or rather in which he has brought in an Athanafian, or perhaps Atha- nafius, difputing with an Arian, after the man- ner of thofe that have written dialogues, has twice cited this text. The firft time in the * following words > '' In one example the names of the perfons are evidently fhewn, and the united na1:ural name is covertly declared, John the Evangelill having told us in his epiftle. There are three that bear witnefs in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Spirit, and in Chrill: Jefus they are one 5 not one perfon, for they cannot be one perfon." The fecond time is in thefe words, ^ " To what purpofe do you read, that John the Evangelift faid, thefe three are one, if you takf. the perfons to be different natures?"
In the fixth century, w^e find Fulgentius bi- fhop of Rufpe, feveral times quoting this text, ^ as for inilance, " The apoftle John witnefles,
faying,
' ^ In hoc exemplo veritatis, in quo nomina perfonarum evidenter funt oilenfa, & unitum nomcn naturale claufe eft declaratum, dicente Joanne Evangelilla in epiflola fua. " Tres funt qui teftimoniumdant incoelo, Pater, &verbum, &Spiri- tus, & in Chrifto Jefu unum funt : " Non tamen unus eft, quia non eft eorum una perfona, Lib. i . Ad Theophilum dc imitate Trinitatis inter opp. Athanafii. Vol. II. p. 553. Ed. Par.
^ Cur, " Tres unum funt," Johannem Evangeliftam dixiflc legitis, fi diverfas naturas in perfonis effe accipitis. Ibid. Lib. VII. p. 573.
^ ' Beatus Joannes teftatur dicens, " tres funt qui teftimo- nium perhibcnt in coelo. Pater, Vcrbum, & Spiritus fanftus, & hi tres unum funt. Quod etiam beatifiimus martyr Cy-
prianus
OF theTrinity. 55
faying, There are three that bear witnefs in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the holy Spirit, and thefe three are one} to which the blefled martyr Cyprian adds his tellinriony, in his epiftle of the unity of the church." This is not only a proof that the Latin copies had the words in the time of Fulgentius, but may be fet in oppofition to what is objected to Cy- prian's teitimony out of Facundus, which I have mentioned above. In another " place, he has thus introduced the text. " In a fliort com- pafs you have a proof, that the Father is one perfon, the Son another perfon, and the holy Spirit ftill another perfon ; different in perfon, but not different in nature, and therefore Chrill fays, " I and my Father are onej " teaching us to refer " one" to the nature, and "are" to the perfons. So Hkewife the fcripture fays, *^ There are three that bear witnefs in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Spirit, and thefe three are one. " The text likewife is cited in two w other pieces afcribed to this great man, but the genuinenefs of them is not undifputed.
All the Latin writers except one, who have quoted the difputed text, are Africans > this
prianus in epiilola de unitate Ecclefiae confitetur dicens — dicit Dominus, " Ego 8c Pater unum fumus. " Et iterum, de Patre, Filio, & Spiritu fan6lo fcriptum eft, " Et hi tres unum funt. " Fulgentii refponf. ad Arianos. Tub. fin.
" En habes in brevi alium effe Patrem, alium Filium, alimn Spiritum fanftum, alium & alium in perfona, non aliud & aliud in natura ; & idcirco " Ego, inquit, & Pater unum fumus " *' unum" ad naturam referre nos docens, " fumus" ad per- fonas ; fimiliter & illud, " Tres funt, inquit, qui teftimo- nium dicunt in coelo. Pater, Verbum, & Spiritus, & hi trcs unum funt. " Fulgent, de Trinitate ad Felicem Notarium, cap. 4;
Lib contra Pintam Arianum, contra Fabianum, lib. 6. fragment. 21.
E 3 . migh:
54 The true Scripture Doctrine might make it fcem probable, that it was pre- ferved only in the copies in ufe in Africa j but the fingle teftimony of Eucherius, (not to infid now on the preface afcribed to Jerome,) {hews, that it was in other copies. We have a farther confirmation of this, from the text being re- ferr'd to by Cafliodorius, who lived in the fixth century, in a work of his lately publiih'd in Italy, from a copy as old, or very near as old, as the author's time, by the noble and learned Marquifs Scipione MafFei, which contains brief reflections on fome books of the new tefta- mcnr. In his reflections on the chapter, to which this text belongs, he has the following words y ^ " He who believes on Jefus as God, is born of God the Father, and is without doubt a believer 3 and he who loves the Father, loves him who is born of him, that is, Ghrift. We love him, when we do his commands, which are not grievous to righteous minds j but they rather overcome the world, who believe in him that created the world, to which the three myfteries on earth bear witnefs, the Water, th(? Blood, and the Spirit > which we read were fulfilled in the pailion of our Lord : And in heaven, the Father, the Son, and the Spirit, and thefc three are the one God." This tefti- mony is pf the greater weight, becaufe Gaflio-
^ Qui Deum Jcfum credit, ex Deo patre natus eft, ifte fine dubitntione iidelis eft; & qui diligit genitorem, amat Sc eum, qui ex eo natus eft, Chriftus. Sic autem dcligi- mus ; cum mandata ejus facimus, quae juftis mentibus gravia nonvidentur: Sed potius yincunt faeculum, quando in il- ium credunt, qui condidit mundum. Cui rei teftificantur in terra tria myftcria ; aqua, fanguis, $c Spiritus : Quae in paflione Domini leguntur'impleta : In coelo autem Pater & Filius, Sc Spiritus fanftusj & hi tres unus eft Deus.. Caffio- elorii Complexioncs, p. 124, 125. Ed.'Flcr.
dorius
OF THE Trinity 55
doriiis ufed the old Italick verfion, and there- fore it is plain, the text was in copies ufed in Italy, as well as in thofe ufed in Africa. This authority would be of the utmofl importance, if what y fome have, v/ith probability, fuppofcd, could be fully proved, that, in this work, Cal- fiodorius only tranflated Clement of Alexandria : But as it is hardly pofTible to render this cer- tain, I ihall not infiil upon it, tho' I fee no reafon for entirely giving it up.
I do not think it neceflary, to trace the quo- tations ^ of the text under debate, in the Latin writers, after the ii::th century, becaufe our ad- verfaries allow, that it had a place in the Latin bibles from this time ^ I ihall therefore en- quire, what Greek authors, after the fixth cen- tury, have cited the text. ^
In the feventh century lived Maximus, who is generally fuppofed to have wrote a difpute between Arius and x^thanafius. This the tran- fcribers have reprefented, to be held in the coun- cil of Nice, but there is no evidence of this title being from the author. Our adverfaries call this a fpurious piece, but it does not de- ferve fuch a name > for if the author brought in Athanafius talking with Arius, he did no more than what other writers of dialogues have done, who bring in perfons not of their own
^ See Mr. Wade's fhort enquiry into the dodrine of the Trinity, p. 87-90.
^ Nobis unus Pater & unus Filius ejus verus Deus, & unus Spiritus fanftus verus Deus, & hi tres unum funt, una divi- r,itas, potentia $c regnum. Audtor expofitionis Fidei ad Cy- rillum inter opp. Hieronymi.
* They that would fee more of this matter, may confult M. Martin's Diflertation, P. I. c. 3. p. 11— 19. His Ge- nuinenefs of the text demonflrated, P. I. c. 9. p. 54—58. And Dr. Calamy's fermons, p. 4.79—485.
E'4 . time.
56 The true Scripture Doctrine
time, and fometimes of different ages, talking together, as all know who have read the dia- logues of Plato, Dion Chryfoftom, andLucian, Tho', perhaps, the author of this dialogue might only defign, ^ to reprefent an Athanafian and an Arian disputing together. After he had made his Athanafian urge feveral arguments, for a confubftantial Trinity, he reprefents him as fay- ing ; <= ^' Befides all thefe things, John fays, and thefe three are one," The fuggeftion of our adverfaries, that this was a Latin authorj is without any foundation 5 and their pretence, that he quotes the latter end of the eighth verfe, is only a pitiful begging the queliion.
Towards the latter end of the eleventh ccn^ tury, or in tl^ beginning of the twelfth, Eu- thymius Zigaffenus, a monk of Conftantinople, at the command of the Emperor Alexius Com- nenus, wrote a large work againft herefies, caird Panoplia Dogmatica, a Latin tranflation of which has been publiih'd in the Bibliothcca Patrum 5 the Greek original was publifh'd, ^ fix- teen years ago, in Walachia by Athanafius bi- fhop of Dryftra, at the advice of Chryfanthus Patriarch of Jerufalem, In this work, Euthy- mius produces thefe words, " three are one,'- to prove, that the three perfons are one in na- ture > ^ '^ The term one is meant of things con-
fubltantial,
^ This he feems to infinuate in the fpllovving words,
^^'i b ^'^^Ttii TTuTiu, lutcnvA ^cta-Kttf im) •* rfui tS ft «<r<r.
Athanaf. opp. Tom. I. p. 147. Ed. Par.
" Vid. Fabricii Bibliothf.c. Grace. Lib. V. c. 11. Vol. 7. p. 460, kc.
To t¥ tTTi rcoy ifju6na:eo/ >,tyiXi, \»6«c •rutro7ti<i ^uvlu^ f»fj$ hf^Tui J i/;Tc5wVj«r J»$ 7i>\ ml to Tf<'« ?y. Tit. v. The
Greek
a
OF THE Trinity. 57
fubftantial, hence there is a famenefs of nature, and a difference of perfons, according to this, and three are one. " So that we have a certain evidence, of the difputed text being in fome Greek copies, above fix hundred years fince.
In the beginning of the thirteenth century, the Lateran council was held by pope Innocent the third > fome fragments of a Greek tranfla- tion of the adls of the council, made at that time, are remaining. In the fecond chapter, which contains decrees againft the errors of the abbot Joachim, the '^^ text is cited, and faid to be extant in fome copies. Our adverfaries fay, the citation is only rendered into Greek from the Latin, but of this they give no proof j on the contrary, 8 the other quotations, in this tranflation, are not made according to the vul- gar Latin verfion, therefore there is no reafon to fay, the quotation of the text in difpute, is made after a different manner from the reft.
In the fame century lived Manuel Calecas, who wrote a ^ treatife of the principles of the catholick faith, in which he cites the contro^ verted text.
The text is likewifc quoted, in a confeflion of faith of the Greek church, and is inferted
Greek of this paflage was communicated to M. Martin, by M. Bovin, out of a copy in the French King's library. (See theGenuinenefsofthe text, P. II. c. 9. p. 140, 141. c. 13. p. 1 66, 1 67.} There has fcarce been above one copy of the edition publilhed in Walachia brought into Europe.
'Op t^ttov ci rij xuvovikv; rS lauvv^ i7Ti<joX'v[ uvxyiveoa-Kiject'
UnZf/jX uyi6v * (^ «Te< el Tpa? iv ^iixiv • ivB-i<; rt vr^oa-ri^wi' «-o iM^aq jv TiG-i Ku^^li)) iv^itTKiTui. Concil. Latcran. Capit. II.
^ See M. Martin's Genuinenefs of the text, &c, P. IL f- 13- p. 168, 169, 170.
: In Qombefifii auaario noviflimo, Tom. IL p. 219.
5 .in
58 The true Scripture Doctrine
in the modern Greek verfion, made by ' Maxi- miis of Callipoli, and publifhed in Holland near a hundred years ago. I know our advcrfaries {light this evidence as modern, but, I am apt to think, it will have fome weight, with fuch as are not under the power of prejudice.
I have gone through the evidence in favour of this celebrated text : It mufl: be own'd, that it is found in feveral Greek copies, unlefs we "will brand fome perfons of the greatefl reputa- tion, with being fools or knaves: It has been always received, as part of fcripture, by the Greek, the Mufcovite, and the Latin churches: Among the ancient Latin writers of the fix firll centuries, Tertullian, Cyprian, Eucherius, Eu- genius, and the African bifhops, Vigilius, Ful- gentius, and Caffiodorius have cited it. And it is quoted by fome Greek authors, as the author of the abridgment of fcripture, Maximus, or whoever was the author of the difpute between an Athanafian and an Arian, Euthymius Ziga- denus, the compilers of the ads of the Lateran council, and Manuel Calecas. Therefore I can- not but afFcrt it to be genuine : And as it has been, from the beginning of chriftianity, urged JLS a proof, that the Father, the Son, and the Spirit are one God, tho' not one perfon > I hope it will flill be look'd upon, as a full and exprefs proof of the fame glorious doftrinc, and that wcfliall not let our adverfaries, with empty vaunts and big flourifhes, bully us out of re^ ceiving it as a part of canonical fcripture.
^ Ot: Tpfi? ufy,i iKSivii 0 tov puot^Tv^outriv ?<? rov co^ccvov, 0 TTXT^j^y
CHAP.
OF THE Trinity^ 5^
C H A P. III.
The Father, the Son, and the holy Spirit, proved to be equal, from the equal worfhip that is paid to them.
AVING proved that God is but one, and thdc the Father, the Son, and the holy Spirit, tho' three real
perfons, are this one God, I fhall
proceed to {hew, that thefe three divine per- lons are equally to be worihipM by us. This will be a farther proof of their being one God, for if the fcripture abfolutely forbids the wor- fliip of any being, except the"onefupremeGod> and yet if it appears, that the Father, the Son, and the Spirit are worihip'd with the fame re- ligious worfhip, it will neceffarily follow, that: thefe three divine perfons are the one fupreme God, the one objea of religious worfhip.
Religious worfhip lies in acknowledging the infinite perfeftions of the fupreme being, and owning our dependence on him, for what we are, and for what we have. As there is buc one fupreme, almighty, all-fufficient God, who knows all the wants of thofe whom he has brought into being, and who is ever prefent with them, it unavoidably follows, that there can be but one objed of religious adoration : Civil worfhip, or civil refpeft, we may pay to thofe who are of the fame mould with our felves, who are exalted to high flations of au- thority : But religious worfhip mufl be paid to HO creature, becaufe no creature is a fit objefb
cf
0O The true Scripture Doctrine
of our trufl: and confidence. All creatures are confined to fome one place at a time, and fo cannot be always prefent with us, to help us in our exigencies; they are bounded in know- ledge, and fo cannot know what all our wants are, or what are the beft ways of fupplying them y their wills are mutable, and fo they can- not be uniform in their condud to us, and their power is limited, and fo they cannot do for us all the things which we might defire, or even they might be willing to do. Natural reafon fully afllires us, that creatures who depend on their maker, as much as we do, are moft im- proper to be the objefts of our hope, truft, and religious worfhip.
Were we to fuppofe the cafe otherwife % that creatures might be wife enough to know, and powerful enough to fupply, all our wants : The holy fcripture, which is the only rule to direft us in the obje6t and manner of our wor- fhip, has been beforehand with us y it has po- iitively fixed religious worfhip, to be paid only to the moft high God, and has ftridly forbid us to adore any inferior beings, let them be ever fo noble creatures. The firft command in the decalogue is, ^ " Thou ihalt not have any other Gods before me; " this may receive i'ght from the next command to it, ^ " Thou ihalt not make to thy felf any graven image, or any likenefs of what is in heaven above, or in the earth beneath, or in the waters under the earth, thou ihalt not bow down thy felf to them, nor ferve them, for I, Jehovah thy God, am a jealous God, vifiting the iniquity of the
* vSee Dr.Waterland's firftDefenfe of his Queries, p. 230— 244. Preface to his fermons, p. 40—49. ^ Ejcod. XX. 3. I Ver. 4, 5.
fathers
OF THE Tr IN IT Y.^ 6t
fathers upon the children, to the third and fourth generation of them that hate me." From hence it appears, that God, who is jealous of his own honour, looks on the worfhip of all inferiors, to be an affront offered to his divine majefty, and reckons all, who offer fuch in- dignity to him, among the number of them that hate him, whom he will follow with a juft revenge. This is often inculcated in Mo- fes's law 5 as for inftance, in the following words ', ^^^ Hear, O Ifreal, Jehovah our God is one Jehovah > Thou Ihalt love Jehovah thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy foul, and with all thy might > Thou fhalt fear Je- hovah thy God, and ferve him, and ihalt fwear by his name: You fhall not go after other gods i— left the anger of Jehovah thy God be kindled againft thee, and deftroy thee from the earth : For Jehovah thy God is a jealous God. " And again, "" " Ifrael, what does Jehovah re- quire of thee, but to fear Jehovah thy God, and to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to ferve Jehovah thy God, with all thy heart, and with all thy foul : — For Jehovah your God is a God of Gods, a Lord of Lords, a great God, and a terrible.— Thou fhalt fear Jehovah thy God, him fhalt thou ferve, and to him thou fhalt cleave, and fwear by his name j he is thy praife, and he is thy God.** God, we fee, claim'd the homage and religious wor- fhip of his people, as his right, on account of his divine perfedtions j and he fuffer'd none to come into partnerfhip with him in this mat- ter i according to what we find in another
^ Deuteron. vi. 4, 5, 13, 14, 15-. f Deuteron, x, 12, 17, 20, 21.
pl^CCy
62 The true Scripture Doctrine jlace, ^ " Thou fhalt worihip no other Godj ibr Jehovah, whofe name is jealous, is a jealous God." Under the Mofaic inftitution, who- ever ofFer'd to worfhip any other God, bcfides the true God, was to fall by the fword of civil juftice: For it is pofitively commanded, that s " He who faci ificed to any God, fave to Je- hovah only, fhould be utterly deflroy'd." Nay, the working of miracles can give no credit to any one, who fhould venture to teach the wor- ililp of any, befides Jehovah. '' ^ If there arife among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and gives thee a lign, or a wonder, and that iign or wonder come to pafs, whereof he fpoke to thee, faying •, let us go after other gods and ferve them 5 thou fhalt not hearken to that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams: —but he Ihall be put to death, becaufe he has fpoke, to turn you away from Jehovah your God. " This prohibition, to worihip any but the true God, was not confined to the Jews, but was obferved by all that had right notions of God ; as may appear from thefe words of Job, ^ " If I beheld the fun when it fhined, and the moon walking in brightnefs, and my heart has been fecretly enticed, and my mouth has kifled my hand j this alfo were an iniquity to be punifhed by the judge, for I fhould have denied the God that is above." This fliews, that any a6t of wor- ihip offer'd to the creature, is a virtual denial of the Creator.
The command of worfhipping God only, is founded in nature, and is of moral obligation :
*" Exod. xxxiv. 14.
s Exod- xxii. 20. See alfo Deut. xiii. 8—15.
** Deuteron. xiii. i, 2, 3, 5.
I Jobxxxi.' 26, 27, 28.
As
OP THE Trinity, ei
As it is amply declared, and enforced with the fcvereft penalties, in the old tefhment j fo it is confirmed, and moft finally reinforced in the new teftament. When our blefled Lord was tempted by the devil, who had a mind to be fully aflured who he was, to pay him fome fort of inferior worfhip, as the god of this world, he rejcdted his propofiil, not by telHng him, he was a reprobate fpirit, and alienated from God, and fo one v/ho had no right to wor- fhip > but by quoting the old command, which determines the objed of worfhip : ^ "Jefus fiiid to him i get thee hence, Satan, for it is writ- ten. Thou fhalt worfhip the Lord thy God, and him only fhalt thou ferve. " Chrifl farther eflablifh'd the force of the fird commandment, in his anfwcr ^ to the fcribc, where he gave the fum of the firlt table of the law j « The firfl of all the commandments is, Hear, O Ifracl, the Lord our God is one Lord: And, thou fhalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy foul," and with all thy mind, and with all thy flrength : This is the iirft com- mandment. " If we are to love God only, cer- tainly he is only to be fear'd, ferved, and wor- fhip'd by us.
We fee then the firft commandment, which forbids us to pay religious worfhip to any be- ing whatfoever, except God, is fully ratified by the authority of Chrifl himfelf. Yet, as there is nothing too bold for men left to them- fclves to vent, we find that fome of our mo-
* Mat. iv. lo. Lukeiv. 8 See^biHiop Sraalbroke's Ido- latry charged on Arianifm, p. i, &c. Dr. Bifhop's fer- mons, p.277=-28i. Dr. Waterland's firft Defence, p. 251, 232. ^ ^
I Mark xU. 29, 30,
5 dern
64- The true Scripture Doctrine
dern Arians have the impudence to affirm "^j it is repealed : they grant, that they worfhip one befides the fupreme God, and they are fo daring as to fay j It it be included in the firfl com- mand, that we fliould have no other obje6b of worfhip than the fupreme God, that command is fo far repeal'd, even as the fourth command of the decalogue, fo far as concerns the feventh day. Such a dreadful piece of rude blafphemy would have too much refpe6t fhew'd it, were it confuted elaborately j however, I think it cannot be too often mention'd, to fhew what horrible lengths men will run, rather than fub- mit their underltandings to the revelation of God,
The paying religious worfhip to creatures is fo far from being countenanced in the new tefla- ment, that it is reprefented as a great abomina- tion. The Gentiles are, by the apoftle Paul, branded as not glorifying God, when they wor- fhip'd the creature befides the creator, " " When they knew God, they glorified him not as God, — for they changed the truth of God into a lie, and worfhip'd and ferved the creature, befidcs the creator, who is blefled for ever. " The apoftle here cenfures the heathens for pay- ing any worfhip to created beings. And, in another place, he blames idol worfhippers, o " who did fervice to them that by naiure are not godsi" or worfhip'd other beings, befides the true and fupreme God.
Left any one fhould imagine, this prohibiti- on only to extend to idols, or feigned beings,
"^ Appeal to a Turk or Indun, p. 1^24, 125. ^ " E(ri^cc(r6Ka-uv ymI iPiUT^itKncv tjJ ktio-u 7:ccfoc rev KTiTciVTet^ 05 i<fiv ivXoyviTtxi S(c TOi/c, UiZvci'i, Rom. 1. 21, 2 5« «» Gal iv. 8.
we
OF THE TrINI TY. 65
"we are likewife forbid to worihip angels, which the fcripture afTures us are real beings, and crea- tures of great llrength and power. 1 his pro- hibition is laid down by the apoflle Paul , p '' Let no man beguile you of your reward, in a vo- luntary humility, and worfhiping of angels, in- truding into thofe things which he has not feen, vainly pufF'd up in his flefnly mind." Accordingly, when the apollle John went to worfhip the angel, who explained to him the wonderful vifions which he faw^ either incon- fiderately in a fudden tranfport, or imagining it might be Chrift, the angel forbid him iTicwing any fign of outward worfhip, bccaufe, God only was to be worlliip'd. ^ " Sec thou do it not, I am thy fellow fervant, and of thy bre- thren the prophets, — worfhip God." He re- fufed adoration, not bccaufe it was not com- manded, but becaufe religious worfhip was only to be paid to God.
If we look into the primitive writers, we fliall find the fame notion of worfhip prevail'd amongll them. Juflin Martyr ^has afhjred us, that he and his fellow chriiiians worfhip'd God only, and has determined, that he ought only to be adored. Athenagoras ^ has declared againft worfhiping any, but the Creator of the world.
P 1 Col. i. ig. .
1 Rev. xix. 10. xxii. 8-
' ©fov fjjevov TT^oa-K^voZfAjiv, Juilin. Apol. I. cap. 23. p. 26. tL Thirlby.
(a>iov fjucvcv ou TT^oocvtiiVy Idem Ibid. c. 21. p. 2c.
^ 'Ov rSrov (fc. T H^r'f/j^jf) clXXxT Ti;^»iTy;i' kxjxi Tr^oa-KvyrSTjej], Apolog. c. 13. p. 55. Ed. Oxon.
TJjy Id. Ibid. p. 56.
Theophi-
66 The true Scripture Doctrine
Theophilus ^ has affirmed, that none but the real and true God ihould be worfliip'd. " Ta- tian, with great zeal cries out Pgainft creature worfhip. Irenaeus ^' has inllructed us, that we fhould only worlliip the Lord our God, and not the creature. Clement of Alexandria ^ has warn'd us againft honouring angels, men, the fun, and the world, and has laid it down as a rule, that none but the divine being, the au- thor and maker of thefe, the one neceflarily exifting Almighty, is to be worfhip'd. Ter- tulHan's opinion v was, that God, the creator,
6 B«(ri?i£V5 l?r' uurS yiyem. Theophilus Antioch. Lib. i. c. 16. p. 48. Ed.Woliii.
'OuK uXXoi j|cv £f f TTfotrKvveitBui ocXX' vi ^/ijcvo^i^. Idem
Ibid.
" Oo/SjjTFOf fjijovov liv (^icv. Tatian. c. 6. p. 17. Ed. Ox.
^iXco. Idem c. 7. p. 18.
Ss/3«p T <^ci^Huv rviV t/OTS"«£ny, ^t lev 7Tii^i:i)v. Idem C. 36.
P- 79-
^ Dominum tmim adorare oportet & ipfi foli fervire, Sc
non credere, ei qui falfo promifit ea quae non funt lua, di- cens, " haec omnia tibi dabo , ^1 procidens adoraveris me. — Neque enim conditio fub ejus potellate ell quandoquidem & ipfe unus do creaturis eft. Irenaeus, Lib. V. c 22. p. 320. Ed. Bened. ' ^ Kiciiva ifyov i^i Kcci ii{'CCvo^ y^ y,M^ ' ^ ''Ayy:Aot ^ 'uv6(&>7roi
i^yX T ^U.KTVXC0V CCVtS. ■ ■ f/^>] TCV 'i^>ilOV TIC, IfJtjCOV Tracer AVViir Of y
uX}^oc 70V viXiH 7roi7tr>]y iTtiT^oBnTu ' {jjYth Tvv yja-ffjcv lyJnaLiTOy uX}ioi TCV i(^(rf/Jii ^'^fjuiti^yov iTn^TiTwu-Tv. Clem. Alex. Coh. ad Gentes, c. 4.^ p- 54, 55- Ed. Oxon.
TcV KVfiOV TO)V TTVlVfA/dCTUly XO^Sly TOV KU^iOV ToZ TTVfO^, TCV X,0<rf//it
^yjIMin^yjii ' TCV x^^la (puTuyuyov 0£o$ sVi^jjToJ, ov toc t^yei
TCV &iov. Idem Ibid. c. 6. p. 59.
VCV (Ti^iiV ©£51', tIv 0VT&>C, CVTOC. TTCCVTOK^XTO^Oi. Idcm StrOm.
lib. vi. c. 18. p. 825.
y Quod colimus, Deus unus eft, qui totam molem iftam, cum omni inftrumento elcmcntorum, corporum, Tpirituum, vcrbo, quo juffit, rationc, qua difpofuit, virtute qua potuit,
only,
OF THE TRINITr. 67
only, is the objed of the chriftian's worfhip, aud that they are forbid to worihip any other. And, to name no more, Origen ^ rightly arf^u- ed, that no creatures are to be worihip'd, %y fuch as are in fcripture taught, not to ferve the creature befides the Creator.
y/e have full proof, that the fcripture re- quires all our religious worOiip to be paid to the one true and fupreme God. Yet it is plain, religious worfhip is paid in fcripture, not to the Father only, but to the Son and the Spi- rit 5 from whence it is eafy to gather, that thefe three are one God : But' the Arians will only allow the Son and Spirit to be creatures 5 aixi that they may pay them proper honour, they have invented a diflinftion of fupreme and fubordinate worihip : This they have borrow'd from the Pagans, for they were not fo foolifh as to worfhip more than one fupreme God, but paid fubordinate worfhip to many inferior deities. ^ This didinaion has been adopted by the papiils, to countenance the worfliip they pay to the Virgin Mary, angels and founts. As the diftinclion of worfhip into fi.ipreme and fubordinate, is extremely fhocking to right rea- fon, fo there is not the leail fyllable in fcrip-
de nihllo expreffit in ornamentum majefiatis fuae. Tertul- han. Apolog. c. 17. p. 173. Ed. Havercamp.
Praefcribitur mijii ne quern alium Deam dicam : Ne dicendo non minus lingua quam manu Deum iingam : Neque alium adorem a at quoquo modo venerer, praeter unicum ilium qui^ita mandat quern & jubeor timere. Idem. Scorpi.c. c. 4.
^ Tlfca-Kvvi'i'ii Kui ^xv(/,xl^iiv x.xi cri/ouv ;^f>; roy taZtoo ^stfci^- i^roi' Kul ^AV — — :cs£^>;v^W&.'5 civ r<5 ciSoi, Sirs x^j^i^ ^oZ
^W^^^ry^Z e^cET, Ir^ ^dl ^cr' Ui^cv, Origen. c. Celfum.
i-ib.III^p. 15.8. Ed.Cant.
./ , ^"*''^"'' 0 '^^ «'^'''»'> '^^' ^^. '■'jy 0=ou ^^fjijipayyiyiccrx'
-ny fiT.frun-^, idem ibid. Lib. VII. p. 375, '
F z ' ture
68 The true Scripture Doctrine
ture to countenance it. In Scripture, the Fa- ther, the Son, and the holy Spirit, have equal divine woriliip paid to them. This I fhall pro- ceed to fhew, referving the particular proofs of divine worfliip being given to Chriil:, and an anfwer to the pleas for paying him inferior wor- Ihip, to another * place.
We have a full proof, that the Father, the Son, and the Spirit, are worihip'd with the fame woriliip, in the prophet Ifaiah's vilion, ^ which he thus relates -, " I law Jehovah fit- ting on his throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple j above it flood the Se- raphs, each one had (ix wings, with one pair he cover'd his face, with another pair he co- vered his feet, and with the other pair he ilew. And one cried to another, holy, holy, holy, Jehovah of hofts, the whole earth is full of his glory. And the polls of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the houfe was fil- led with fmokcj Then faid I, wo is me ! I am undone J— my eyes have feen the King, Jehovah of hofts : — Alfo I heard the voice of the Lord, fiying, whom Ihall I lend, and who will go for us? Then faid J, here am I, fend me: And he faid, go and tell this people j hear you indeed, but underftand not, and fee you indeed, but perceive not : make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and ihut their eyes > left they lee with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and underftand with their hearts, and convert and be healed." That Jehovah, w^hofe glory the prophet faw, is more perfons than one, appears from thefc
* Sec P^rt II. chap. 12. ^ Ifaiah vJ. 1—5, 8, 9, 10.
words,
i
OF T H E Tr I N I T Y. 69
words, " who Ihall go for us. " That the Fa- ther, the Son, and the holy Spirit, are this one Jehovah is probable, from the repetition of the word holy thrice: But this is not all> we have certain ^ proof, that all the three divine perfons are here worlhip'd by the angels. That the Father is, I believe none will deny or doubt, and therefore 1 fhall not go about to prove it.
That the Son is Jehovah, whofe glory Ifaiah faw, and whom the angels worfhip'd, we are fully afllired by the apoille John 3 ^ Tho' he had done fo many miracles, — they could not believe > becaufe Efaias fiid, he has blinded their eyes, and harden'd their heart, that they fhould not fee with their eyes, nor underftand with their hearts, and be converted, and I fbould heal them. Thefe things faid Efaias, when he faw his glory, and fpoke of him." Our ad- verfaries know not what to do with this fcrip- ture, therefore ^ they fay the meaning is, when the prophet faw the gloiy of God the Father, revealing to him the coming of Chri ft, he fore- faw the glory of him, who was to come in the glory of his Father. But this is only an info- lent contradi6bion to an infpired apoftle, who fays expreiliy, it v/as the Son's glory which Ifaiah faw, and it was of him that he fpoke. Ifaiah really faw the glory of the Father, for
^ Sec Dr. Berriman's feafomble review of Whiflon's ac- count of primitive Doxologies, p. 19. Second review, p,29— 3^.
Vid. Witfii Excrcitat. in hoc caput Mifc. Sac. Vol. II. P- 10, II. Vitringa in Ifaiam, Vol. I. p. 138, 142, 143, 152.
^ Johnxii. 37, 39, 40, 41.
V'.d. Limpe Comment, in Joh. Vol. II. p. 89,7—901.
^ Cl-arke^s Script. Do(^. P- 93-
F J . the
70 The true Scripture Doctrine
the Father and the Son are one Jehovah -, but for any to fay, he faw only the glory of the Father, andforefaw the glory of Chrift, as the Father's delegate, is fettjng their prefumptuous determination, in oppofition to a writer under the inf^ilhble direction of the Spirit of truth, who fay^ otherwife.
That the holy Spirit alfo is Jehovah, whofe glory Ifaiah fiw, is affirmed by the apoftle Paul, ^" Well fpokc the holy Spirit, by Elaias the prophet, to our fathers, faying, Go to this peo- ple, and lay, hearing you fliall hear, and fhall not underlland , and feeing you fhall fee,, and fhali not perceive." What the prophet fays Jehovah fpoke, the apoftle affirms the holy Spi- rit fpoke ; from whence it follows, that the holy Spirit was with the Father and the Son, the one Jehovah, whom the angels, with low humility worfliip'd, and whofe glory the pro- phet faw. Our advcrfaries g tell us-, Ifaiah, by the revelation of the holy Spirit, f\w God fit- ting on the throne of his glory, and heard him fpeak. Here they again irreverently contradi6b an infpired teacher 3 ior Vs'hat he exprcilly af- firms the holy Spirit to have fpoke, they fay the prophet heard the Father fpeak, by the re- velation of the Spirit.
It plainly then appears, that the Father, the Son, and the holy Spirit, are the one Jehovah, whofe glory Ifaiah faw in a viiion> which three divine perfons were diflin6tly worfhip'd by the angels, with the fame degree of religious wor- fhip. It is manifefl, that the apoil:le John re- fers to this vifion, in his account of the wor-
^ Afts xxviii. 25, 26.
i Clarke's Script. Doa. p. i8r.
fhip
OF THE Trinity 71
fhip be (Iiw paid to God in heaven. ^ "The four living creatures, had each fix wings about him, and they were full of eyes v/ithin, and they reft not day nor night, faying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God almighty, which was, and is, and is to come. " This account is juft the fame with that in Ifaiah> therefore it is extremely probable, from the threefold repetition of the word holy, that the angels here woiiliip the Father, the Son, and the holy Spirit, as one Lord God almighty, eternal, unchangeable, and necefl-arily exift"ing : This will not feem ftrange, if we confider, that thefe titles are dftuaHy given to the ^ Son in this book y and that k the Son is, without difpute, worlhip'd, in conjunaion with the Father, in the procefs of this vifion.
\n the ninety fifth Pfalm, the royal prophet has fung the praifes of Jehovah, the God o. heaven and earth, with the greateft elevation of thought and didion : " O come let us ling to Jehovah, let us make a joyful notfe to the God of our filvation : Let us come before his prefence with thankfgiving, and make a joyful noife before him with pfalms ^ for Jehovah is a great God, and a great King above all gods : In his hand are the deep places of the earth, the ftrength of the hills is his alfo 5 ^^^ fea is his, and he made it, and his hands form'd the dry land. 6 come let us worihip and bow down, let us kneel before Jehovah our maker ^ for he is our God, and we are the people ot
^^ ^ ''Ayi^, ^y;(^, uyi^, yJ^i(^, o €>iU, o i:<^ytr>%\d7m^. h fl»y, jcet» 0 ^v, xal 0 i^x>^i^oc. Rev. iv. 8-
y idc Marckium in Apocalypf. p- 187, 188.
' Rev. i. 8. See Part II. chap. 5.
k Rev. V. 8, 12, 13. vii. 10. See Part II. chap. 12.
F 4 ^ ^'^
7 2. The true Scripture Doctrine
his pafturc, the ihcep of his hand : To day if you will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the day of temptation in the wildcrnels •, when your fathers tempted me, proved me, and faw my works : Forty years was I grieved with this generation, and laid, it is a people that err in their hearts, and they have not known my ways> to whom I {wore in my wrath that they fliould not enter into my reft.'* From the ap- phcations made of this Pfalm, in the new tefla- ment, to the Son, and the Spirit, it is certain, that the three divine perfons are worfliip'd as the one Jehovah, the one fupreme God.
The latter part of this Pfalm is apply'd to Chrifl, by the apoftlePaul, in his epilUe to the Hebrews, in the following manner : ^ " We are made partakers of Chrid, if we hold the be- ginning of our confidence firm in the end *, whilft it is faid, To day, if you will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the pro- vocation, for fome, when they heard, pro- voked, — with whom he was grieved forty years, — to whom he fwore in his wrath, that they fliould not enter into lus reft." It is plain it was Chrid:, whom the rebellious Ifrae-^ lites provoked, into whofe rcfr they were not fuffer'd to enter, therefore Chrift is included with the Father, in the one fupreme Jehovah.
The fame paflage is likewife apply'd to the holy Spirit, by the apodle Paul. "^ " The ho- ly Spirit fays, harden not your hearts : — your fathers tempted me, proved me, and faw my works — therefore I was provoked with that generation 5 and-?— I fwore in my wrath, they ihall not enter into my rell." This fliews,
J H^b. iv. 14, 15, 17, 1$. m Hcb. iv. 7--U,
that
OF theTrinity. 71
that it was the holy Spirit, whom the Ifraelites tempted, proved, and provoked, who fwore, they fhoLild not enter into his reft. Therefore the ho* ly Spirit, as well as the Son, is included in the one Jehovah .
Since an infpircd apoftle has afTured us, that the Son and the Spirit are Jehovah, who being provoked by the murmuring Ifraelites, refolved, that their carcafTcs ihould fall in the wilder- nefs, and they fhould not enter into the land of Canaan > and fince none will pretend to exr elude the Father from being Jehovah > the ine- vitable confequence is, thefe three divine per- fons are the one Jehovah, whom the royal pro^ phet worfliip'd as the one fuprcme God. The Father, the Son, and the holy Spirit, therefore, are the one Jehovah, the great and the fupreme God, whofe power made the fea, and whofe almighty hand form'd the dry land, into whofe prefence we fhould come with thankfgiving, whom we fhould, with the loweft- proftration, worfhip as our maker, to whom we owe our lives, and to whom we are indebted for all the comforts we enjoy, whofe mercies if we fin away, we cannot expc6t to efcape without pa- nifhment.
If it fhould be objc&ed, that this way of ar- guing tends to make the Father, the Son, and the Spirit, one perfon , I anfwer, there are fuf- ficient proofs in the infpircd writings, that thefe are three real perfons -, therefore any part of fcripture which proves them to be one God, does not hinder them from being three perfons, no more than any other part of fcripture, which declares their diftin6t pcrfonality, can keep us from concluding, that they are all together the one true God.
Some
74 The true Scripture Doctrine
Some have thought, the three divine perfons were worlhip'd, in the folemn blefling, with which the high prieil:, under the law, difmifs'd the congregation oflfrael. " "Jehovah blefs thee and keep thee, Jehovah make his face to ihinc upon thee, and be gracious to thee. Jehovah lite up his counrcnance upon thee, and give thee peace. " For my own part, 1 fee no ab- furdity in this interpretation, tho' I will not poiitively aflert it. It fcems probable 5 and no reafon fo good can be given, why Jehovah fhould be three times invocated 5 as that the three perfons, who are one Jehovah, are pray'd to. I am however fatisfied, it cannot be proved, that the words mull not be thus underftood.
The equal worfliip of the three divine per- fons, may be proved from the apoflle John's falutation to the feven churches in A (in, to "whom he infcribed his revelation j o " John to feven churches in Afia, grace be to you and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come, and from the feven fpirits which are before his throne, and from Jefus Chriil the true and faithful witnefs, the firft begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth." The apoftle here pray'd for grace and peace to defcend on thofe to whom he wrote, from all the three perfons of the adorable Trinity : The Father is defcribed by his eternity, immutability, and neceflary ex- iftence.
The holy Spirit is invocated, in the fame manner as the Father. He is callM feven Spi- rits, by reafon of the variety of his gifts and
Numbers vi. 24, 25, 26.
« Rev. i. 4, 5.
P Vid. Marckium in loc. p. 12—20.
Opera-
OF THE Trinity. ys
operations. It would be very crude, to fuppofe angeis join'd with the Father, in a folemn in- vocation, bur ic is very naturai to fuppofe, that the holy Spirit, who is at other times wor- fliip'd togetheu with the Pother and the Son, is here joined with them. As this place muft be underdood of the Spirit, it may check the confidence of them who alTert, that he is never dire6tly invocated^ for here he is invoked by the apoflle, to bellow grace and peace, as well as the Father and the Son : This proves, that he is w^ith them the one God, to be wor- fliip'd and honoured by us: And if he be to be worlhip'd, it is the vileft facrilegc, and treafon againfl heaven, for any to deny him the glory he has a right to. I know the papifrs have alledgcd this place, to jullify their worfhiping of angels, but this has been fufficiently ex- ploded ', therefore I cannot but entertain a mean opinion of that caufe, the abetters of which will rather give up this place to the papifts, than apply it to the Spirit. It is a poor fhifc for P any, after they have told us, expofitors are not agreed whether this be meant of the Spirit 5 to compare it with thofe words of the apollle Paul, ^ where he charges Timothy be- fore God, Chrifl, and the eled angels 5 be- caufe it comes not up to the point : For, fure- ly, Vv'hen we call God and Chrifl: to witnefs, we may call angels and men to witnefs, with- out paying them any worfhip. But it feems any creatures may be honour'd with God, ra- ther than his Son and holy Spirit.
The Son is join'd Vv'ith the Father and the Spirit, in the apoille's invocation, and he is de-
P Cbrke's Script. Dod.. p. 207. ^ i Tim. v. 21.
fcribcd
76 The true Scripture Doctrine fcribed by hi^ three offices : He is the true and faithful witnefs, in that he, as the great pro- phet of the church, has given us a clear reve- lation of the mind and will of God : He is the iirft begotten from the dead, in that, after he, as a prieft, had offered himfelf a lacriiice to God's juftice, he rofe from the dead, that he might become the firft fruits of them that flept : And he is the pnnce of the kings of the earth, in that, as the univerfal Lord, he has all men in fubje^bion, his redeemed whom he will rule with a fceptre of mercy, and his enemies, whom he will govern with a rod of iron.
We have the jufteil grounds to conclude, that all the three divine perfons are dircdlly in- vocatcd in the following prayer, w^hich the apoftle Paul put up in behalf of himfelf, and of the Chriftians at Theflalonica, in his firll epiftle to them : ^ " May God himfelf, even our Father, and the Lord Jefus Chrilt, di- re6t our way to you, and the Lord make you to encreafe and abound in love towards one another, and towards all men, even as we do towards you, that he may eftablilh your hearts unblameable in holinefs, before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jefus Chriit with all his faints." That the apoflle equally invoked the Father and the Son, to afford him their prefence, guidance, and prote61:ion, in his journey, to vilit the church at ThefTalonica, is
' *Avrc<i 3 0 ©£f? y^ TTernj^ v.fltasy, ^ e yJ(K(^ yfijZv JwS^ Xpi-^<; XtcnvSuvxi iCj rl^v 6dbv Yf/jav Tr^a^ 'vujoy,^ IfJtjoic, ^ o x.'Jfi(^ TrMovonrai
iiiJuH^ he, M/^'Os;. 'E<? TO T'teA^oct if/iSv rw; •ACifiiX", uyuif/j7tTii<i ov
Kwg^'a y.fXfMv Ijjtrs ;v;p<fcy ]W/£7t< ttkvtwv tuv d^av sivTou. i ThelT.iii.
u> u, 13"
too
OF THE TrINI TY.' 77
too plain to need proof: The Lord whom he befought to caufe the chrillians there to abound in love to one another^ and to all men, mull be underflood of the holy Spirit, bccaufe he is plainly diilinguifh'd from the Father, and from Chrifl: j for the end of his making thefc believers abound in charity was, to eitablifh their hearts in holinefs, to caufe them to walk without blame, in the fight of God the Father, as pcrfons who cxpecbed the fecond coming of Chrifl, to judge the fecrets of all hearts. So that it is the holy Spirit, to whom the apoflle immediately diredled his prayer, at the fame time that he pray'd to the Father and the Son. Belides, the work of eftablifhing the hearts of chriftians in holinefs, is the particular work of the Spirit, which would have made it proba- ble, that he is the Lord to whom the apofde addrefs'd himfelf, had he not been exprcllly di- ilinguifh'd from the Father and the Son. ^ I ihall conclude my fcripture proofs, of the ' joint worfhip of the Father, the Son, and the Spirit, with one fo plain and full, that it can- not be evaded or difputed : It is the apoflolical benedidion. ^ " The grace of the Lord Jefus Chrifl, and the love of God, and the commu- \ nion of the holy Spirit be with you all. Amen." \ This has been ufed in all ages of the church, 1 as the common form of bleffing. The apo file, in it, prays, that the Grace of Chrifl, who has redeemed believers from mifery, the love of God, who chofe them to falvation, and the communication of the bleflings of the holy Spi- rit, who fandifies them, ' might refl on the
H ;5<6pj5 ToZ Kv^icu \r,ToZ Xp»5-ow, KUi ij UyotTi) rev QioZ; xoti *i KOivavix T«u fi^a 7rnoy^ciT(^^ ^ir^d iraiyTu* iyjon^ u^jui^y. 2 Cor. iiii. 13.
4 chriftians
ys The true Scripture Doctrine
chriftians at Corinth. All the three divine perfons are here folemnly invocated, and in this form, equal woriTiip has been paid them, from the beginning of the chrillian difpenfition, and it is to be hoped will be, to the very end of time.
Thus I have fhevv'd that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghoft are equally to be wor- fhijAi; it therefore follows, that they are equal in glory, even the one true God, who only is religiouily to be adored.
Our adverfaries pretend we ihould regu- late our worfhip by thefe words of the apoitle Paul ', ^ " Through Chrift we have accefs, by one Spirit, to the Father 5 '* but this is not a di- rectory for our worfhip, never to be varied from 5 it is rather an account of the privilege "we enjoy, of free accefs to the Father of mer- cies, thro' the merits of Chrilt, our great high pried, who makes intercefiion for us, and by the alliftance of the holy Spirit, who makes in- terceffion in us, helping us to pray as we ought. This merciful privilege does not debar us, when we glorify God the Father, who has chofe us to falvation before the foundation of the world, from glorifying God the Son, who has redeem'd us jfrom mifery, and God the holy Spirit, who fandifies us, and all the elect people of God.
It was cultomary in the ancient churches to glorify the Father thro' the Son in the Spirit 5 but they likewife dire6ted doxologies to all the three divine perfons. Some " of our adverfaries have confidently aflerted, and ^^ others meanly infinuated, that, in the firft ages, all doxologies
* Eph. ii. 18.
" See Whiilon's letters concerning doxologies.
*' Jackfon's reply to Dr. Waterland, p. 387.
4 • were
O F T H ^ Tr I N I t y. 79
were directed to the Father. That their un- fairnefs may be feen, I will lay ^ before the reader the proofs for the equal worfliip of the Father, the Son, and the Spirit, and the Doxo- iogies direded to thefe three, which are in the writers of the three firft centuries.
In the firil century Clement of Rome, in fome part of his works, which is loft, equally worfhip'd the three divine perfons in the form of an oath, y '' God lives, and the Lord Jefus Chrill, and the holy Spirit." This fragment is preferved by Bafil -, it is meer trifling to ca- vil againll: it, becaufe it is not to be met with in thofe remains of Clement, which have been tranfmitted fafe to us, fince there is a great de- fed in his firll epiille, and molt of his fecond epillle is loft, and it may reafonably be fup- pofed to have been in fome of thofe loft parts of his epiftles. All the three perfons are fworc by, as having life of themfelvcs, and I believe none will expofe themfelves fo £ir as to fay, this oath is not an a6t of religious wcrfhip.
In the fame century lived Ignatius, who re- ceived the crown of martydom in the begin- ning of the fecond ^ century, being expofed in the theatre to wild beafts, for his adherence to the caufe of Chrift. There is a letter remain-
_ * See this matter more fully difcufs^d by Dr. Mangey, in his defenfe of the'bifhop of London's letter.
_ And by the lerj-ned Dr. Berriman, in his feafonable re- view of Whiflon's account of primitive doxologies ; and in his fecond review. See alfo his account of the Trinitarian controverfy, p. 155 — 160.
y Z^ 6 ©£3$, Ku] 0 Ky'ci©- IvKTovc, Xf;^5, ymX rn ccyiny ^nvijcoc,
Clemens apud Bafil. de Spiritu S. cap. 29. Vol. II. p. 358. Ed. Par.
Chronologers differ about the year, but it is generally fuppofedtobe A.D. 107,
so The true Scripture Doctrine
ing, which gives an account of his fuffchngSj which is concluded with the following doxo- logy. * " Thro' whom, {viz. Chriil) and with whom, be glory and flrength, to the Father, with the holy Spirit, forever. Amen." Ouv advcrfarics object forne things '" againll the ge- nuinenefs of this piece, but they are of very lit- tle moment.
Polycarp lived in the firft century, being the paftor of the church at Smyrna, to whom the apoftle John dire61:ed the epiftle, which Chrilt diftated to him. His life was extended to a great age, to the middle of the fecond century, and being tempted to deny Chrift, he chofe ra- ther to die for the fake of fo good a m after, whom he had ferved fo many years, without ever receiving any ill at his hands. When he came to fuffer, he concluded his life with an a£b of worihip to the Father, the Son, and the holy Spirit. ^ " For this, and for all things^ I praife thee, I blefs thee, I glorify thee, with the eternal and heavenly Jefus Chrill, thy be- loved Son, with whom, to thee, and the holy Spirit, be glory both now and for ages to come. Amen. " Thefe were the words of this blefTcd martyr, while the fire w^as getting ready to wafte his fleih, and crack his aged finews. The laft ufe he made of his fpeech, was in afcribing
* Li », ncu f/ji^' i ra> TTur^l^ y ^c,\u, y,xl nv jef«T©- a-uv tS u^u TTvivfjt^xTty h^ ciiuvoKiy AjO/jjiT. Ep. dc iTiartyr. Ignatii, p. 52. Ed. Smith.
^ See Dr. Berrlman's additions to his fcafonable review of Whifton's account of primitive doxologic?, p. ji 4, 5.
*^ AiU TcZrOy tcecl sripj 'zrzcvTuy, ciiva a, ivXoya tn, dc^uCa erf,
Ajub^r. Polycarpi novilTima in epillola Ecclefiae Smymcnfis, cap. 14. p. 75- Ed. Oxon. Smith.
OF THE TrIN I T Y. 8 I
glory to the Son and Spirit, together with the Father. Tho' I build not my taith on the au- thority of any man, yet I muil own, I cannot but regard the laffc words of one, who chear- fully chofe to follow his Lord thro' burning flames, rather than conceal his faith in him, more than the artful infinuations of fuch wholiebafk- ing in warm Preferments, which they hold, by the wicked tenure, of hypocritically fubfcribing articles of fliith, which they really dcfpifc, and in oppofing and bantering which, they Ipend their time, and employ their pens.
The church at Smyrna, who were deprived of this excellent overfecr, clofe the letter, which gives an account of his fufferings, with a doxo- logy to the three divine peifons. ^ ^^ We wiili, brethren, that you may go on happily, walk- ing according to the rule of the gofpel of Je- fus Chrill:, with whom be glory to God, even the Father, and to the holy Spnit, for the fill- vation of the chofen faints."
In the fecond century, Juftin Martyr prefent- cd his apology on behalf of the chriifians, to the Emperor Antoninus Pius j in which, he gives ^ the following account of the worihip of the chriftians, by way of defenfe againfl the charge of atheifm, which the pagans brought againil them : " We are called atheifts, and we con- fefs, that in refpe6l of fuch reputed gods, we
^ Epp6;c2^ yjW/of; sv^of/UidcCy uhx<poiy ^oix.ovvTa,^ ru kxtoc t»
Kctl x^cp ^vivfjijxri IttI (rarr,^ioc r^ tuv UXiKTay. Epift. Ecclef. Smyrnenf. c. 22. p. 75.
vofAo^ofAjivm GiiJv ot6£oi Uvxi, oiXX' ^;fc;* ra c<,^y,&i^uTii, kxI TruTfiot; oiicxiO(rvyY)<i j^ (ru^oocuvrii >^ rav 'u,X>^uv ct^iTuVy stnTTi^Urif re HSiKteti ©stf, «AA' Ekhvov n, y-eii to» 5r«p' <«cT«tt lU^not, vtov, kxI
G are
82 The true Scripture Doctrine
are atheilb, but not in refpecl of the moft true God, the Father of righteoufnefs and fobriety, and all other virtues, who has in him no mix- ture of evil 5 him and the Son, who came from hmi^ (and taught us, and the hoil of the other, the good angels, who follow and refemble him, thcfc things) and the prophctick Spirit, we worfnip and adore, honouring them in rea- fon, and in truth." Our adverlaries ^ are for giving us a conilrudlion of this place, which makes the hoil of angels to be worfhip'd, with the Father, the Son, and the Spirit j but 8 no- thing can be more contrary to Juftin's avowed docftrine, than this poor fhifr, which they have borrowed from the pnpiils. Juftin has luffici-
ci^ci^ovTcc v,f/joi.Ci rcMTO, Kui Tz\ Tuv u'aXuv iTTofd^av Kctl it^ofAots-
f^iSx KXi Tipoa-KvvoufS/j, >[oya) kuI ccXfjieiU, Tif/juvnq. Juflin. A- pol. I. c. 6. p. II. Ed. Oxon. p. 1 1 .' Ed. Thirlby.
^ Whifton's account of the primitive fliith, p. 375.
Jackfon's replv to Dr. WatcrJand, p. 375.
s Vid. Bull. Defenf. Fid. Nicacme, Sed. 1 1 . c. 4. Scft. 8. p. 70, 71. al. 66, 67.
Animndverf. in G. Clerk, p. 275, 276.
Le Moyne not. in varia Sac. p. 180.
Nourrii Appnrat. ad BiWioth. Max. p. 414.
Grabium in loc. p. 11. EJ. Oxon.
Dr. Ibbetfon's fermon, p. 22 — 26.
Dr. Bcrriman's additions to his feafonable review, p. 5, 6^
Dr. Waterland's fermons, p. 299.
What Jullin fays of the angels being taught by CliriH, may receive light from tlic following paflliges.
Hie pater Domini nortri Jefu Chrilli, per Verbum fuum, qui eft filius ejus ; per eum revelatur & manifeftatur omni- bus, quibus revelatur : cognofcunt enim eum hi ; quibus revelavcrit Filius, fempcr autem coexiftens Filius Patri, olim, & ab initio, fcmper rcvelat Patrcm, &: angelis, &archange- lis, Sc poteilatibus, & virtutibus, & omnibus quibus reve- lare vult Deus. Irenacus, Lib. II. c. 30. p. 163. Ed. Ben. c. 55. p. 185. Ed. Oxon.
entlv
OF r H E Tr I N 1 T r. 85
ently declared, that the chrilKans worfhip'd ^ one God only > therefore when he alfo de- clares, that they worfhip'd the Father, the Son, and the Spirit 5 as he neceflarily muit be under- llood of their having equal worfliip paid to them, fo he could mean nothing elfe, but that thefe three divine perfons were, by the chriftians of his time, worfhip'd as the one God.
That all the three divine perfons were w^or- fhiped in his time, Juflin has in another place ailured us j ^ " Being taught, that Jefus Chrill is the Son of him w^ho is really God 3 that we with reafon worfliip him, reckoning him in the fccond place, and the prophetick Spirit in the third order, we fhall demonftrate. " Our ad- verfaries urge this place as a proof, that fu- preme worfhip was paid to the Father, and fubordinate worfhip to the Son, and the Spirit. But nothing like this can be drawn from the words, which only ihew, that the chriftians, when they worfhip'd the facred three, did not break in upon, or confound the order of the divine perfons.
In the fame century lived Clement, the ve- ry learned catechift of Alexandria -, he has left us the following doxology : ^ " Be kind to thy
HJvj -^ rat; y!yyi^}i<; fjjtfjtjcih^iitXt ru^H>\vi<Pxf3^ Try ocM^HXf^ xeci Tvvc; iTTi rTtreov oi^y^oTU^ yiytjTo] ^y^. Clemeils -Alex. Stro-
mat. Lib. VI. c. 7. p. 769. Ed. Ox.
^ 0JCV fj^voy TT^oa-KWvZfSf. Ap.I. c. 23. p. 26. Ed.Thirlby,
Oicy fjf^vov ^iiTrpcTKoviTv. Ibid. c. 2 1 . p. 25.
^ Inxeuv Xjiffpy 1 buy darcZ Tcy ovrax; 02oy fXiU&oiTiq^ KXi
ov o'iVTi^ce, y^ufec ixcvTsq, 7rnuu>6i rt 7r^o:pi/)ri)f^v^ ci r^trtj ru^u, or*
^iroi Xcya nujUiSM, u'^o^uletSfi. ApoL I- C 1 6. p. iq, 20.
Ed.Thirlby. -r- ir
G z ^ children.
84 The true Scripture Doctrine children, O Inftru61:cr, O Father, O Guide of Ifrael, Son and Father, both one, O Lord, grant us, that, following thy precepts, we may fill up a likenefs to thy image j and according to the ftrength given us, may know God, not as a fevere judge > and enable us, that we all having walked in thy peace, may be tranflated to thy city, after we have quietly liail'd thro' the waves of fin, and be carry'd on with joy by thy holy Spirit 5 and with unfpeakable wif- dom, night and day, even to the perfc6t dayj let us praife and give thanks, to the only Fa- ther and the Son, to the Son and the Father, to the Son, the Teacher and Inftruder, toge- ther with the holy Spirit, in all things one, in whom are all things, by whom all things are one, by whom is eternity, whofe members we all arc, whofe is the glory and eternity ; Who is in all things good, in all things excellent, in all things wife, in all things righteous, to whom be glory, now and for ever. Amen," This is fo eminent a proof of the three divine per- Ibns being wor/hip'd as the one God, that our adverfaries have no way to elude it j therefore they w^ould detrad from it, by calling it a ju- venile flight, and by faying, Clement was, in
cf^oiaf/jci TTX^aifrai rr' £i>(5V©-, uSuvuBui n xutzz •k^ut'^^ uycchu Tcu 0£oy, mrcu n fjuvt TTiKfcv' xui TTccfcco^t ci.7r»vrecq ctvn^, tv
f/jxvrai; rp cifjcjupjixq rov x.Xv3Kvx d'iUTrXsutrxvrcc^, yx^viavTUi tiyi»
cvy xcci Tw dyiu TTvivijuccri 'ttzcvtoc rai £v» • ov d> tu TTzivroc, oL or ite. Ttuvrex, £v, di ov to oiU ' jj |t/;f A>) Tuivnt; ' ob dc^cc, ectZnq ' TrztvToc t» uyci6cij, 'TTUvTcc T(^ xxXu.Tmvroc tu (ro(pu^ru) alifgii'M tk Tncvrec' at
^clu )cecl vvv, Kxl «<5 T8S ui'aycc^. A^vik. Clemen? Alci, Pae- dagog. Lib. III. c. 12. p. 311. Ed. Oxon.
Z his
OF THE Trinity. 85
his younger time, a Sabellianj which mean in- finuations deferve only to be pafs'd over with pity and contempt.
In the fame century Athenogenes fuffer'd martyrdom : he, as ^ Bafil alTured us, when the fire was going to be kindled about him, as a farewel to his friends and followers, fung a hymn to the honour of the holy Spirit, and it cannot be thought he omitted the Father or the Son.
In the third century Hippolytus wrote his treatife againil hereiies, the lafl chapter of which, in oppofition to Noetus, is remaining ^ he has concluded that chapter, and confequent- ly the work, with a doxology to the three di- vine pcrfons. ^ " This is the God who was made man for us, to whom the Father has fub- jeded all things, to him be glory and ftrength, together with the Father and the holy Spirit, in the holy church, now, and for ever, and for ever more. Amen " This writer alfo has con- cluded another of his pieces, with giving glory to the Son and the Spirit. " " He (who is bap- tifed) is the Son of God, and an heir together with Chrifl, to whom, with his moft'^holy,
^E{ i) r<5 KXi T If^vov Adivoyiyai; 'iyvu, ov, uxttti^ T( 'ccXXo sliTTjfiov, roT<; (rvvcZ(nv uvtZ Kccrx}iiXoi7riv o^f/uav ^^/j ^^c, tjJv Jlat irypo? TsAjwcTiv, okh y.ct\ iy^v to^ |M,«6fTOp6;v yv6)^>;v, o7tu<; ii^ov -cfei reZ z:ryiV(/jXT(^. Bafil.de Spiritu S. cap. 29. Vol.11, p. 359. Ed. Par.
rX^iV 0 TTXrup,^ cCVtSi il A'|ot km TV »^XT(^, UfAX TTxre}^ Kx] xyiid
^vivf/^xri, Kxl vZv, Kx) Ui^, Kxl ii<i xiarxi tud ectuvuv, Amv. Vol.^^II. p. 20. Ed. Fabric.
icxi xpotT©-^ c-lv TO) TTXYX^o), Kxl xyxSu, Mc) tpu7:oi(^ xvrcZ :ri>ivf/jX7t, vvv Kxl xsly Kx\ ii<; (rvfjuTTuvrx^ Ximxc, ruv ' xtavuv, ^f^"^'; Hippolyti homil. inTheophaneiam, cap. 10. Vol. I. p. 264. Ed. Fabr.
G 3 good.
S6 The true Scripture Doctrine
good, and quickening Spirit, be glory, and power, now, and for ever, and for ever more. Amen. " Our advcrfaries may perhaps fay, thefe writings are fpurious, or interpolated -, but till they give better arguments than their bare word, there is no reafon to defert the generality of learned men, who own them to be genuine.
In the fame century flourifh'd that prodigy of learning, Origen. Bafil thought this ° great man's opinion, as to the Spirit, was not alto- gether found -y yet he has allured us, that he did not venture to forfake the common method of giving glory to the Spirit j having done it in his commentary on the Pfalms. There are fome imperfe6b pieces of Origen's comments on the Pfalms remaining, but they have not been pub- lifh'd. In the conclufion of his expofition of the hundred and tenth pfalm, a doxology is found diredcd to all the three divine pcrfons. P " We fhall enjoy the good things to come, by the grace and kindnefs of our Lord Jefus Chrift, with whom, to the Father, together with the holy Spirit, be glory, honour, and worfhip, for ever and ever. Amen." He like- wife has ^ told us, that the water of baptifm fignifies nothing lefs, than the wafhing of the foul from all ftains of pollution, which mercy is conferred, " on him who dedicates himfel'f to the Deity of the adorable Trinity j by virtue of invocations, fuch a perfon partakes of the
"" Bafil. de Spiiitu S. c. 29. p. 35S.
^ Toil' Uji>^Xcvruv oC7ro>.xvct>f^ oe.yx6m, ;>af* i"* J^** ^iA«y<'p4'^wi
Ta K'JQAH iiUjm \YiG-i Xft^S, fjlji^' if TftJ 'TTCCT&^i UfJUCt. Ti* Ciyim TTIiU-
Cod. MS. Bnrocc. Num. 335.
^ To T» vd'u.T®^ XSrfov (rufj(,l3ii?i.ov rvy^ai y,u6ufcriif 4'^%<?, -TrutTX pvxot r ccrrii kukikc, ccTroTiXvmfB^v.c, • i^'iv et y,ttov xrii xu6'
principle
OF THE Trinity ^7
principle and fountain of graces.'* This paf- iage ihews, that Origen tliought all the three perfons to be invocated in baptifm.
Contemporary with Origen was the learned Julius AfricanuSj whofe chronology, to the great damage of learning, is loft : He concluded the iifth and laft book of that work, with afcribing praife to the facred Trinity. ^ " We who know the value of thofe words, and are not ignorant of the grace of faith, praife him, who has given to our fathers the Saviour of all men, even our Lord JefusCh rift, to whom be glory and great- nefs, together with the holy Spmt, for ever. "
A little after thefe great men lived Dennis, bifhop of Alexandria, who ended his fecond apologetical epiftle to his namefake, the bifliop of Rome, with a doxology to the three divine perfons, which he has aftlired us was a form he had received from thofe before him, to fliew his agreement with whom, he chofe thus to clofe his letter. ^ '< To God, even the Father, and to the Son, our Lord Jefus Chrift, with the holy Spirit, be glory and power, for ever
T^ ^vvacfAjsa^ iTTiKXysa-iaVf ;^Jap{(^^6{^V<yI' «;p;^n!' £;^« x«i 7rr,y'iiv. Ori- gen. apud Bafil. De Spir. S. cap. 29. p. 359.
This pafTage is fomething different in our printed copies of Origen ; but it is moft probable the true reading is pre- fer ved in Bafil.
"" 'Hf/Jii<; 04 kxx.^v&)v rwv ^Yif^ireov to fA/trfov tXiTSif^oi^ Xj T Tn^iUi; ^x, elyvo^vTiq rr,f ;j,sip<!', iv)(^6ifi<f^f/jiv t5 T«p«^oW/£Cft/ To<5 ioloi<; ijfjjav Tccr^oiG-i tvv rav oXm trarvtou^ y^ Ku^iov v,f/j60v \v>iriv Xp<f3? (0 if ^^cc K^ ii fjtjiyuXca-6vi)y (rip oiyico ^viufjtjccri, uc, t«5 dimett^. ApudBafd. de Spiritu S. cap. 29. p. 359.
jrps(r,5y7Tp«yp tuttcv k. y.ci'mu. Tap«A>;^crf5, ciJijo(pci>vuc, uvroic, TTpotnv- ;fc:«f'5"SvTj?, fC, ^n (c' >uv vfMiv i7riTE>^XovTi^y xetTcCTruvorefAiv. Tu> di Qiu Kcu TTurpt, KM biuj rSJ jsyp/^j yfjucov I>}(row Xp^^-oJ, <rov T*» kylof TTvivujccTt hlcc km x^xt(^, h<; T^^ <i<2r«? rZv kiavaiv. A^Jji*. Dionyfius Alex, apud Bafil. De Sp. S. cap. 29. p. 358.
G 4 ^ and
SS The true Scripture Doctrine and ever. Amciv " We are aniucd by Bafil f, Gregory of NeocaeGirea, Firmilian, and Me- letius, perfons that lived at the fame time, ufcd doxologies directed to all the three perfons.
Thus \vc have feen, that in every age, from the apoftle's time till the fourth century, in the beginning of which the Arian herefy fhew'd its loathfome head, glory was afcribed to the Son and the Spirit, as well as to the Father. It is niore than probable, that feveral fhort hymns which aie preferved to us in the old liturgies, were in ufe in the more early ages, long before thofe liturgies were framed > fuch as that com- mon form of doxology : " '' Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the'holy Spirit, now and for ever, and for ever more. Amen." And this other 5 ^^ " We praife the Father, the Son, and the holy Spirit." Thefe words in the "" apoftle John's revelation, " Holy, holy, holy Lord God almighty, the whole earth is iill'd W' ith thy glory -, " were ufed as a form of praife y to the Trinity, in the ancient churches.
We have remaining a very old hymn, which is called the evening hymn, wherein praife is afcribed to all the divine perfons, and to Chrifl in a peculiar manner. ^ " O Jefus Chrift, thou joyful light of the immortal glory of the hea- venly, holy, and blefled Father 5 being come to the fun fetting, and feeing the evening lamp
^ Bafil. de Spiritu S. p. 359, 360.
AiVUf/jSV T 5r«7Zp(56, KXI OiOV, KCU UyiOf ^VlUfJt/X.
^ Rev. iv. 8.
y See Bingham's antiquities of the chriftian church, B.XIV. c. 2. Vol. 6. p. 3R9. Ed. in 8'-"'.
lighted.
OF THE Trinity. 89
lighted, we praife God, even the Father, the Son, and the holy Spirit : Thou art worthy at all times to be praiied Vv^ith holy words, thou Son of God, who art the giver of life, there- fore the world glorifies thee." As this hymn contains the following words, " We praife the Father, the Son, and the Spirit >" which Ba- fil ^ has told us were in the evening hymn in his time, which had been ufed a long time, and of which he knew not the author j it is very probable, this was the fame hymn which that learned man mentions, and that it was compo- fed before the Arian times.
There is another very ancient hymn call'd the morning hymn, which from its being found at the end of David's Pfalms in the Alexandrian manufcript, which is in the King's library at Weftminiler, may very well be fuppofed to have been framed before the Arian times j but this 1 will not pofitively aflert. In this hymn the Father, the Son, and the Spirit are invoked. It runs in the following words 5 ^ " Glory to God in the higheft, on earth peace, and good will to men. We praife thee, we blefs thee, we w^orfhip thee, we glorify thee, we give thee
xocn^ot^ iicv KXi ef^iov •^iivfjbcc Qiov. A^icv triy ci ttuo-i kuiooZ;, Vf/jvfi^, cpavuK cua-Uic,, Tig 0£oy, tf^r,^ 6 <^;^«?, ho 6 nscyj^ trl ^olal\:-i. ^ Apud Smith Mifcellanea, p. 152.
hof/j'.t^y'Tciv ci Xiyovngy uivovf/jiv zccri^u KUt hilv Kdl zviZtox 0£ot7, Bafil. de Spiritu S. c. 29. p. 359.*
Ao|a C4/ if^foiq 0i«, Kxl iTTi ytii iiC^yij, ov Uvf^&)7rci<; iv^o- XiX. 'AiveZf/jiv c-£, ivXoyoZfjijiv aSy Tr^na-Kvvovfjijiv trt, ^o^o?\oyev-
»«6t uyiov znZ^t*. • KvfuoQidifO Ufjitv^ rcvQiov, 0 wo? tS zxTfog, o
thanks
90 The true Scripture Doctrine
thanks for thy great glory, O Lord, the hea- venly King, O God the Father almighty; O Lord, the only begotten Son, Jefus Chrift; and O holy Spirit, O Lord God, O Lamb of God, O Son of the Father, who takefl: away the fins of the world, have mercy upon us, re- ceive our fupplication. Thou that fitted at the right hand of the Father, have mercy upon us, for thou art only holy, thou art only Lord, Jefus Chrill, to the glory of God the Father. Amen. Every day I will blefs thee, and I will praife thy name for ever, and for ever and ever. Be pleafed, O Lord, to keep us without fin this day : Blefied art thou, O Lord, the God of our fathers > and blefied and glorified be thy name for ever. Amen. Blefied art thou, O Lord, teach me thy judgments. Lord, thou hall: been our refuge in all generations. I faid. Lord have mercy upon me, heal my foul, for I have finned againll thee. Lord, I have fled to thee, teach me to do thy will, for thou art my God \ for with thee is the fountain of life, in thy light we fiiall fee light. Extend thy mercy to thofe that know thee. "
cC,{,^'v TO? dyjXpTioc^ T0~ >i^(r[/tii IXi-^cov 'AfA^^ ' Tr^a-^i^cci ray otwvj jftA^v, 0 y.u,^'/\^i/^ iv ^i^ix rev "nar^oc, sAi/jcrov yfjijxq. On cl> n A(5v^ 6jyi(^, <ry h fjov©- y.(![.i(^, Inirovc, Xf»fo?, £(? 6c\xv QioZ TTur^q. Aijuviv. Ka.6' ej(^V'}>' Tr.y yujifccv ivXoyyjTa) <n, x,cci oii- yi(ro} TO lyof^ tra uq T oiico'>cc, y,xi he, T cliu-iu rou oiia>:(^- K«- roiliCJ<rov Kucn xcci tjjv v.f/ji^ccv TKvrtji civxf/jX^r'/jnfq (pvXot^^&yiyxi YiUjU'-,. 'Ev?..oy7)TB<; it o xo^i®^ lU'i ttuti^uv TTtf/^uVy y-oti CUVilXV KCH ^i^o^uc-ioivov TV ovsyjl tra u<^ rsr? oiiu'ioie. Ay,?!v. 'EvAoyrirvc, ti ■ Kt/'pis, oihi^iv fjui roc ^.xcnaifMctru <ni. Kufn x.ura.(pv}^i sysvy,^-.^^ ijfjuiv iv yiv':U Kul ynioi. Eyu hircc, Kt^^ii i>.iw'»v ^s, lua-ui njv •vj-o'- '^^'y f/jH on yf/ju-^r-iv troi • Kii^n 7rfc<i <r« y-oc-n^rr/cc di^u'^ov f/ji ttohTv •75 ^i?.y!t/j(x. c-if, tri a-u u o Qto<; jO/y. "Ot-i 5r«pas croi Trnytj ^w??- iv T(y (^uTt c-tf c-^cfAtifx (Pfoi • Sj^arttreJ' to sMce, &•« Tol'i yuiua-Kt^- Ckt ere.
J I hope
OF THE Trinity. 91
I hope it appears evident, that the Son and the Spirit have been worlhip'd, in conjun61:ion with the Father, under the old teilament ; that they are all three dire6tly worfhip'd in the new teftament > and that they have been worfhip'd in the chriftian churches all along, till the rife of the Arian herefy j fince which time, it is well known, all churches have paid them reli- gious adoration. Since God only is to be wor- ihip'd, then from the equal woriliip that is paid to the Father, the Son, and the Spirit, it evi- dently follows, that thefe three pcrfons are the one God. They have been worfhip'd and glo- rified as the one God from the beginning, and, I doubt not, will be fo honoured always, even to the end of the world.
^MWMm^MMsM^W.^W^WiW€M^M
CHAP. IV.
The equality of the Father, the Son, and the holy Spirit, proved from the form of Baptifm.
^ H E N our blefTed Lord had accom- plifh'd the great work of man's re- demption, and, by his agonies and
I death, had abohfh'd death, finifh'd
tranfgrefHon, made atonement for fin, fatisfied divine juflice, and brought in an everlafling righteoufnefs, for the juflification of thofe for whom he died 3 and when he was ready to nfcend into heaven, with all the marks of tri- umph and vi6bory5 he thought iit,^ in his infi- nite
92 The true Scripture Doctrine
nite wifdom, before he left the earth, to m^ Hitute the ordinance of baptifm, in the name of the three divine perfons 3 and to command, that this facred rite lliould be oblcrvcd in his churches, to the very end of time. We have an account of this inllitution given us by the apoftle Mat- thew, in the clofeof his gofpel. ^ " The ele- ven difciples went away into GaUlee to a moun- tain, where Jcfus had appointed them j and when they faw him they worfhip'd him, but fome doubted : And Jefus came and fpoke to them, fiiying, all power is given to me in hea- ven and in earth : ^ Go yc^u therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the holy Spirit 5 teaching them to obferve all things, whatfo- ever 1 have commanded you, and lo I am with you always, even to the end of the world." There is no variation of moment in the Greek copies, as to thefe words j therefore the pre- tence of fome ^ Socinians, that they are an ad- dition to the apollle Matthew's gofpel, is an inllance of extravagant infolence and folly : And fince Chrift has added to his inilitution this fo- folemn declaration, that he would be always with, the apoftlcs and their fucceflbrs, to aflill them in their work of baptizing and preaching the gofpel, it is plain, baptifm mull continue in the chriftian churches till time fhall be no more. So that the infinuations of fome of our ^ adverfaries, of this facred inilitution being
* Matth. xxviii. 16—20.
* Some mentioned by Sandius, Interpret. Paradox, p. 1 1 ^. and by the Englifh Socinians in their anfwer to Mr. Mil- bourn, p. 15, 16.
J See Emlyn's Trads, p. 429.
to
OF THE Trinity. 95
to be difconcinued, among the pofterity of bap- tized chrillians, are exceeding frivolous, and un- worthy of regard.
It is certain ^ the Jews ufed to baptize fuch as were profelyted to their religion, long before Chrift came in the flelli : They thought they had fome ground to gather this cuftom from the peoples wafhing or fpnnkling their cloaths, when they entered mto covenant with God at mount Sinai ^: Which the Jews always under- ftand to include waHiing orfprinkling theflelli: And they ufed this rite on profelytes, becaufc the law of Mofes commanded 8, that one ordi- nance ihould be for thofe v/ho were Ifraelites by defcent, and for the Grangers which dwelt among them, or were profelyted to them. The profelytes were to own the unity of God, and to profefs their abhorrence of idols, and then they were circumcifed, and after that bap- tized. ^
Whether the Jews were right or no, in ga- thering the cuftom of baptizing profelytes from the law of Mofes > this is certam, that baptifm received the ftamp of divine authority, when John, the harbinger of Chrift, was fent by God, to baptize with v/ater fuch as repented of their
•= Vid. Seldenum de Jure Naturae & Gentium, Lib. II. c. 2, 4^ De Synednis, Lib. I. c. 3. De lucceffionibus ad leges Hebraeorum, c. 26.
Lightfoot. Hor. Heb. in Mat. iii. & Joh. iii.
J. Altmg. de profelytis, c. 27, &c.
Witfium Oecon. utriufque Foederis, Lib. IV c 16 p. 872--875. ^ XV. c. 10.
See alfo Mr. /\inrworth on Gen. xvii. 12. p. 6^ Dr. WaU's introduftion to his hiftory of infant baptifm, ^67-,,o. Ed.m8- Anfwer to Gale, c. 9, 10. p. 2 11--*
Exod. xix. 20. * Numb, XV. 15,
fins'.
94 The true Scripture Doctrine iins, and believed in the prom i fed MefTiah, who was a very little after to appear.
When Chrill had finifhed his work on earth, he was pleafed to appoint baptifm, in the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Spirit, to be a lacramcnt of the new tcflaraent, to con- tinue in ufe to the confummation of all things. As baptifm is in the name of three, if one of the three be a perfon, the red mufl: be fo 5 therefore fince all allow the Father to be a real perfon, it follows, that the Son and the Spirit muft be acknowledged to be real perfons > for were one of the three a perfon, and the other not perfons, it can never be thought but we iliould have had Ibme mark of dillindion: And the fame reafon will hold to prove, that if the Father, one of the perfonsj is properly divine, or truly God, the other two, the Son, and the Spirit, muft be fo likewife. It would be mon- flrous to imagine, that the moft high God, and r wo creatures, are joined together in fo folemn a manner.
All allow, that baptifm includes in it a6ls of religious worfliip -, the particular acSts of wor- fhip which are comprehended in it, are dedi- cation, profeflion, and invocation. They who are baptized into the name of a perfon, dedi- cate themfelves to him as God, vow obedience to him, lift themfelves in his fervice, enter into covenant with him, and engage to be his al- ways and entirely 5 they alfo profefs their faith in him, and they invoke his prcfence and blef- Cmg^ to be with them the remaining part of their lives. Now as Chriftians are baptized in- to the name of the Father, the Son, and the Spirit, it is certain they are equally confecrated to the fervice of the facred threes they equally
profels
OF THE Trinity. 95
profcfs their belief in them, and they alike in- voke them : That is, they beheve in the three perlbns as the one God, and worihip them as fuch. Since one of the perfons is llridly di- vine, the other two, who are in baptifm equal- ly worfhip'd, muft be fo, and fince there is but one God, the objc6l of religious adoration j the three perfons are worihip'd as the one God, beddes whom there is none elfe.
The defign of the chriftian religion is, to take perfons off from the belief of a plurality of gods, to believe in one true God : There- fore it would make baptifm inconfiftent with chriftianity, if we fuppofe it to be entering into the fervice of three Gods, one fupreme, and the other two fubordinate > or one God, and two dignified creatures. Were the cafe fo, chrillianity would differ in nothing from the abominations of the heathen, except that it would reduce their great number of inferior gods to two."
Whatever honour is paid to the Father in this inflitution of our holy religion is paid to the Son and the Spirit. If we enter into cove- nant with the Father, as our God, and vow fubjc<51:ion to his laws, we come under the fame obligations to the Son and the Spirit 3 if we profefsour belief in the Father, as the true God, we do the fame as to the Son, and the Spirit > and if he be invocatcd, as the Author of all mercy, fo are they. Seeing there is but one God, thefe three perfons, as they are equal in dignity, fo they are the fame in fubflance, and in glory one. This may be gathered from the words, in which the form of baptifm runs, for we are not faid to be baptized into the names, but into the name, the one name of the Fa- ther,
96 The true Scripture Doctrine
thcr, of the Son, and of the Spirit: This fhcws the three perfons, who are equal in power and glory, to be the fame in fubilance, the one God.
Our adverfaries advance nothing of any mo- i-ncnt againll the form of baptifm being a proof, that the three divine pcrfons are equally honour- ed : They iniinuate, but do not expreflly fay, that no more may be meant by being baptized into the name of the Son and the Spirit, than ^ by being baptized to Mofes : But the expref- fion is ' different 3 it is not faid the Ifraelitcs were baptized into the name of Mofes, but to Mofes, which either means the dodrine of Mo- fes, or may be rendered by Mofes s in w^hich fenfe moil of the old tranflations take the words.
Our modern Arians, as to the form of bap- tifm, only tell us, ^ " it cannot be doubted how this text was underllood in the primitive church, there being ftill extant a profefs'd paraphrafe upon it, even the apoftles creed, which from the carlieft times of Chriftianity was with very little variation in the feveral churches, the bap- tifmal creed, or profeflion of faith which all chriftians were taught, on purpofe that they might underiland what it was they were bap- tized into." Here they are guilty of feveral miflakcs, for the creed call'd the apoftles creed, was never defign'd as a paraphrafe on the form of baptifm > neither was it taught the catechu- mens, as a full fyftem of the faith they were
^ I Cor. X. ii. ^ , _, . .
' See bifhop Stillingfleet's vindication of the Trinity, p. 222, 223.
* Clarke's reply, p. 209.
baptized
OF THE Trinity. 97
baptized into, but it contain'd ^ only fhort hints of thofe do6lrines5 in which the candidates for baptifm were more fully inftruded, previoufly to their being baptized : This was the chief ufe of all creeds, which were gradually en- larged, as herefies gave occafion. Our adver- faries abufe the world, in reprefenting the creed of one church, to be a form univerfally re- ceived. That call'd the apoftle's creed is the Roman creed, which had the name of the apoflo- lic creed on no other account, "^ than becaufe it was ufed by the only church in the weftern part of the world, in which an apoftle was known to relide any time, and was therefore caird an apoftolic church.
The beil way to know in what fenfe the ancient churches took the form of baptifm^ is to confider all the old creeds, and thofe paflages in ecclefiaflical writers, where they make any thing of a declaration of their faith, as to the Trinity. Upon a careful review it will appear, that in the firft ages of chriftiani- ty, the form of baptifm was underftood, not of God and two creatures, but of three perfons, every one of which is God, and yet altogether they are but one God.
Before I go on to the confideration of the ancient creeds, I would premifc a remark or two. It is not to be expeftcd that all creeds fhould be equally explicit, becaufe all parts of the world were not alike infefled with here- fies : And if fome creeds, and fome paflages in the primitive writers, only declare the Father
* See Dr. Waterland's Sermons, p. 321—330. Hillory of the Athanafian creed, p. 158---161.
"^ See Dr. Wall's hiftory of infant baptifm, V|?1.IL c. 9. I>. 430,
H and
ps The true Scripture Doctrine
and the Son to be the one obje6b of faith and hope, it may reafonably be fuppofed they own'd the fame of the Spirit, becaufe he is many times included with the Father and the Son, and there can nothing be brought to fhew that he is to be excluded. If any exprellions in the ancient creeds may not feem to us now, the moft proper, before we condemn them, we fhould confider what herefies they were oppo- fed to. For inftance, the confining the titles of almighty, and maker of the world, general- ly to the Father, may not feem neceflary to us at this time, when fcarce any "^ deny the Father to be almighty, or to be creator j but there was greater need to infill on this in the early ages of chriftianity, when the Marcionites de- ny'd the Father to be the fupreme God, and held that he had a God above him , and when the Gno Hicks and Valentinians wildly imagined^ that the creator of the world was different from the fupreme God. So likewife, thofe paffages, in fome creeds, where the Son is calPd God of God, and light of light, may not be efteem'd the moft proper, fince the Arians have play'd fo much with ambiguous words -, but they were ufed in oppofition to the SabelUan fcheme, which confounded the perfons, and their rela- tion one to another. I confefs, I never could fee any thing frightful in thefe expreflions, any more than in faying, Chrifl is the Son of God, and is eternally begotten of the Father.
We have the furefl ° evidence, that baptifm Was all along performed in the name of the Fa^
There are to be found in England fome mean and oI> fcure perfons, who pretend the Father has a God above him, as well as the Son, but they are very few and inconfiderable.
tlier,
OF THE Trinity.^ 99
ther, the Son, and the Spirit 5 and it is certain that profeflions oF faith P in the Son, and in tlie Spirit, were inferted in all creeds from the be- ginning. Some have ^ thought the baptifmal creed to have run, at firfl, in this form : '' I beheve in God, the Facher, the Son, and the holy Spirit , " where God is to be taken, as re- ferring to all the three perfons. Others ' have fuppofed, the baptifmal creeds, in the firfl times
9C TOO (rw7^p(^ KHA6JV IrKTOv X^i<^oZ, ^ TTyivfltUr^ «iV*^j "^ ^' '"? la'otTi Tnrs XnTf^hv iroioZvreii. Juflln. Martyr. Apol. i. c. 79. p. 116. Ed. Oxon. p. 89. Ed. Thirlby.
Poteilatem regenerationis in Deum dans difcipulis, dice- bat eis, " Euntes docete omnes gentes, baptizantes eos in nomine Patris, & Filii, &Spiritus iandti. " Irenaeus, Lib. III. c. 17. p. 208. Ed. Ben.
Novillime mandans, ut tinguerent in Patrem, Filium, Sc Spiritum fanftum, non in iinum, nam nee femel, fed ter, ad fmgula nomina, in perfonas fingulas tinguimur. TertuUian. cont. Praxeam, cap. 26.
Lex enim tinguendi impofita eft, & forma praefcripta, ** Ite, inquit, docete nationes, tinguentes eas in nomen Pa- tris, & Filii, & Spiritus fanfti. " Idem, de baptifmo, contra Quintillam, c. 13.
Dominus, poll refurredionem, difcipulos fuos mittens, quemadmodum baptizare debebant, inftituit & docuit, di- cens ; " Data eft mihi omnia poteftas in coelo & terra : Ite ergo, & docete gentes omnes, baptizantes eos in nomine Patris, Sc Filii, & Spiritus fanfti; " Infmuat Trinitatem, cujus facramento gentes baptizarentur. Cyprian. Epiit. 73. p. 183. Ed. Pamelii.
■ ■ I Cum ipfe Chriflus gentes baptizari jubeat, in plena & adunata Trinitate. Idem, Ibid. p. 1 86.
P See the prefent Lord Chancellor's critical hiftory of the creed, p 134,^35, 316-319. ^ ^^ ^ ^^
^ Tli^ivu s<5 T Qiov^ T netn^oCy rov viov, tCj to uyiev Ttno^et,
Vide Bulli Judicium Ecclefiae catholicae, cap. 3. p. 31, 32. al. p. 308, 309.
See alfo Dr. Waterland's fermons, p. 324, 32c.
' Vid. Grabii Annot. in Bulli Judic. p. 01 ■—68. al» P- 335-342-
5c« alfo Dr.Berriman's fermons, p. 21, 22. ^
Hi of
100 The true Scripture Doctrine
of chritlianity, to have contained more articles. Which conjedure Ibever of thefe is right, it does not afFed the matter under my prefent con- iideration 3 becaufe all allow, that the articles relating to the Father, the Son, and the Spirit, were ever in all creeds, whatever other articles might be of a freilier date. From the begin- ning of chriflianity all converts declared, at bap- tifm, their belief in the Father, the Son, and the holy Spirit y at the fame time profefling their faith in one God, and their abhorrence of idols, or a plurality of gods, which was called renouncing the devil and all his pomps.
We have no creeds in the few remains of the writers of the apoftolical age j therefore their fentiments, as to the Deity of the Son and Spirit, are to be gathered from the occafional mention they make of them in their works. Jultin Martyr, of the fecond century, has not given us any creed in form j but how he muft neceflarily have underflood the form of bap- tifm, may be gathered, from his declaring, that the chrillians worfliip'd God only, and yet wor- ihip'd the Father, the Son, and the Spirit ^. Which two aflertions put together, make it very plain, that, in Juftin's time, the chriftians believed in, and worihip'd three perfons, but yet own'd them, and worfhip'd them, as one God.
A little after the middle of the fecond centu- ry, Athenagoras, a learned and judicious Athe- nian convert, prefented to the Emperor Mark
^ Qi\v f^v6v rpecKvvSfAjiv. Juftin. Apol. I. c. 23. p. 32> Edit. Oxon. p. 26.^ Ed. Thirlby.
'Ewiyci' rs aai niv TTtcf eivrov vio? iX^ovrcc —- Ttvivfiiec rt Tit TF^o^nriKov Q-tficf/jiGcc icccl TrfoiTKVVovfJbiv. Idem, ibid. c. 6. p.I 1,1 2«
Ed.Oxon. p.ii.Ed.Thirlby. See above chap. 3. p. 8 1,82,83.
Aurelius,
OF THE Trinity.' rot
Aurellus, and Commodus his Ton, and partner in the imperial dignity, an apology in behalf of the perfecLited chnilians. Having mention'd the unJLifl charge of atheifm, brought by the pagans againft the chriilians, he has exprefs'd his furprize, that fo groundlefs a charge fhould meet with any credit, and has made a deck- ration of the chriftian faith in the following words ; ^ " Who would not be ailonifh'd to hear thofe perfons branded as atheiib, who own the Father to be God, the Son to be God, and the holy Spirit -, declaring their power of union, and their dillinftion of order." And the fame calumny he has refell'd " again in thefe words y " We are not atheifts, who own the Creator of this world, and the word that is from him, for our God." He has given us this other '^ confeffion of the chriftian faith: *' We affirm God, and the Son, his Word, and the holy Spirit, to be united in power, the Fa- ther, the Son, and the Spirit -, for the Son is the mind, word, and wifdom of the Father, and the Spirit is an emanation, as light from the fire. " He has likewife declared, -^ that, " The Son of God is the word of the Father, in idea and in operation > for by him, and through
TV* oit TYi roc\H ^iciifiirif, «ix»cr«5 udinq xaPiUf^im Athenag. Apol. c. 10. p. 4.O. Ed. Oxon.
" 'OuK ia-f/iih ichoif ©toy uyovTsq rov Ttoi^rv^ rSai tS TtecvTce,^ ^ rev Trap' uvrS Aeyov. Idem, ibid. C 26. p. 122.
^ <^ioy <pc6fA/iv, <^ hiov Tsv Xoyot civrSy J^ TrnvfjijcA uyiovy li-sj-
f/jiVX fO/i KCCTOt. J\)VXf//lVy TOV TTXTi^X, IZV ViOV, KcO TV TTViVfJbX ' CTi
yS<;, AflV(^, (ro<piXy lioi; rS Trxr^q^ xxl eiTrojipoix, ft/5 4'*^ ^"^^
nvQi^c, -n jrnZihx, Idem, ibid. c. 22. p. 96. ^
* 'AAA* $s-t> 0 «<65 T» ©Wtf Aay®- tow Trxr^q, cv loicA text
hifyiitc^ rr^oc, kvrtZ ^ jccti ^i uvrcu 'Tmntu, iyiViTOf ivoi cvr^
H 5 Wmj
102 The true Scripture Doctrine
him, all things are made: The Father and the Son being one j the Son being in the Father, and the Father in the Son, bv the union and power of the Spirit : The Son of God is the mind and word of the Father. " And he has reprefented the chriftians as perfons y who make it their fole endeavour, " To know God and the Word that is from him : And what is the union of the Son with the Father, what is the communion of the Father with the Son, what is the Spirit, and what is their unity and di- flindlion > the Spirit, the Son, and the Father being united. " Thefe pafTages fhew what Athenagoras's fentiments, with relation to the form of baptifm, mufi: be. Nothing can be more plain, than that he believed in three per- fons, and one God. As in thefe paflages, this faithful witnefs of Chrift Jefus, has fully fhew'd himfelf to have held a confubllantial, and coe- ternal Trinity, it may eafily be fuppofed, that he has not recommended himfelf to the eileem of the Arians. Therefore ^ they brand him with what is now call'd Sabellianifm, call him an obfcure unintelligible writer, and fuggeft that thefe paflages may be interpolations. All thefe pretences are really fo filly and trifling, that to mention them is the fame thing as to confute them.
TOW 9rfiSrp95, XU* 70V VioZ ' eiiTfl? ij TOV VlOU Oil Tc&TQjii y^j> Tcdrfd^
* lioq row Qiov. Idem, ibid. c. 9. p. 38.
^ "" M0V8 '2f 7fufcc77ifjt/7rvyjivoi Ttsra — Qtov koh rev irccf uvtov
^•ITpesJTpc? T viov KOivuv.Xy 71 ro ^vivfJUX^ T.<; »} T TOCHTUV tvej- Vic, Kxl dleciftKTi^, ivafo/imy reu TTviufA/XTo^;, tou TTXid^t;, toZ Tree- Tpo5. Idem, ibid. c. 1 1 . p. 46.
^ Vid. Whitby. Difquifit. modeft. p. 60, 62.
Jackfon's Reply to Dr. Waterbnd, p. 105, 107.
Wc
GF THE TrINITV I03
We have among the works of Lucian of Sa- mofata, an impious dialogue, wrote with de- fign to banter the chriftian faith. There is no doubt of its being a production of the fecond century, though Lucian's title to it may, per- haps, be difputed -, for my own part, I fee no reafon, to attribute it to any other. To- wards the latter end, the author mentions the Emperor's viftory over ^ the Perfians, and the deftrudion of Suze, as a thing of very frefh date y this fome have apprehended to be meant of the vidory ^ Trajan obtained over the Perfi- ans or Parthians. If this has a good foundati- on, the author was older than Lucian ; Others take the words to refer to the viCtory, ^ which the Emperors Mark Aurelius, and Lucius Ve- rus, obtained over the Parthians, by Cafiius their general in the Eaft : If this be admitted, as I believe it may, Lucian may very well be the author, for he lived at that time. There has been a late attempt made \ to bring this book as low as Dioclefian's time, but without good grounds. It has been obje6ted, that this could hot be wrote by Lucian, becaufe there is no- thing of the fpirit of that polite author in it; but there is very little in this, for the moft witty authors, when once they come to ridi-
* Tf. fjuSy ri KUivcv ViTTfcCKTcCi • KAs. frsTTruiciv o(p^U yi TtxXM
Aftft|8<«$, x^iq} y^xroZyroq Iv^imToc/rta xfuru. Lucian. Opp. p. 1 01 2. Ed. Salmur.
^ Vid. Dion. Caff. Lib. 38. p. 778 — 784. Ed. Francof.
^ Vid. Dion. Lib. 71. p. 802.
Ejus dudu Perfae, cum primo fuperaviffent, ad cxtre- mum triumpho ceffere. Aurelius Viftor, in M. Aurelio An- tonino.
•* See Moyle's difcourfe on the Philopatris in his pofthu- jaious works.
H 4 *-•"!«
I04 The true Scripture Doctrine
cule chriflianity, only manifeft trifling pertnefs, or dull malice. Whoever was the author, he knew the opinions of the chriitians, tho' he has endcavouied to expofe them with more ma- lice and buffoonery, than wit or fmartnefs. He has introduced one Tricphon, in a jeering way, inftru<51:ing Cntias, whom he calls ^ a catechu- men, among other things in the myftery of the Trinity. When the pretended catechumen had afk'd, who he mufc fwear by, the perfonated chiiftian returnM this anfwer^ ^ " By the God that reigns on high, the great, the immortal, the heavenly, with the Son of the Father^ and the Spirit proceeding from the Father, one in three, and three in one, take thefe for Jupiter, and reckon this your God. " The aniwer re- turned by the catechumen was, he did not know how one could be three, and three one. Any one will fee, that the buffoon who wrote this dialogue, has, in a filly manner, endeavour'd to burlefque the inftru6i:ions given to catechumens to prepare them for baptifm : And from what he has faid we may gather, that, in this wri- ter's time, chriftians were baptized into the be- lief of three divine perfons, and one God. The fpirit of infidelity appears to have been at all times thcflimcj for we find impious wits, near fixteen hundred years ago, took the fame liber- ty their focceffors now do, blafphemoufly to ri- dicule the great myfteries of revelation. About the latter end of the fecond century,
* P. 1003.^ Ed. Salm. Kp. Tim svret/joxrvfjuui yt -, Tp. I'^ifZ/ihivrX' ©£ok, fZ/syctv, ufJU' ficerev, if ccvi covet, lioy TTXTfoif Ttnv^cc c^ ttcct^oc, c^TTffivo/d/Jcy, fv C4t Tp«a)v, Kxi t| iv'^ct; re^u ' rxZra. vof^i^s Zyivu, T ^ Myci? &iov •
p. 998. Ed. Salm. p. 774. Ed. Amft.
Theophi-
OF THE Trinity. 105
Thcophilus biiliop oFAntioch wrote an epifto- lary apology for chriftianity, infcribed to his friend Autolycus, a heathen. He is the firft that ever mention'd the word Trinity, or Triad, which Triad, he has told us s, is God, and his word, and wifdom, meaning by wifdom the holy Spirit j thefe three divnie perfons he has ^^ alfo reprefented as coeternal j ib that no quefti- on can be made of his underflanding the form of baptifm, to be in the name of a Trinity of perfons, but one God.
About the fame time lived Irenaeus biiliop of Lyons, who is the more to be regarded, be- caufe he was not a profelyte, as thofe above mentioned all were 5 but was educated a chri- flian, lived always in the profeflion of that re- ligion, and feal'd the truth with his blood 5 his fenfe of the form of baptifm, may be gather'd from the creeds he has inferted in his trcatife again ft herefies. Thelargeft of the creeds which are to be found in that work, is drawn up in thefe terms 3 ^ " The church, tho' it is fcatter'd throughout the whole world to the ends of the eai'th, has received from the apoftles and their difciples, faith in one God the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth, the fea, and all things in them ^ and in one Jefus Chrift, the Son of God, who was incarnate for our falva-
S 'Ai rpsii; vifjtftfeci ^ ^&i^^^av ytyovvTui, tuttoi iitriv i^ r^iu^e(;^ rev S'iow, Ken rod Xoy^ ocvroZy xut «^ (ro^i«5 ecvrov. ThcophJl. adAutolyc^ Lib. XL c. 23. p. 148, 150. Ed. Wolfii.
91 h ccvroi obrcc, vi rov B-iou, x.cci Acyos 0 uyioc, uvrov, 6 uil (rvuf TTu^av uvra. Idem, ibid. c. 14. p, 120.
'H fmv ^ ix.KM(Tie6y KctUi^ xxd' oXvic, -f ounf/ttivyi^^ tuq TCz* furuv ^ y'H^ ^ng-TTccffjuivi),^ ©^' j tSv oiTro'^Xm kuI t^v iKawtt fX,cc6n'mv 7rx^x?\,cc(Bov(rcc, t>jv £<? ivcc Qton TTccri^ot TrccrrexMrefei, rov
tionj
106 The true Scripture Doctrine
tionj and in the holy Spirit, who by the pro- phets, preach'd the difpenfations, the comings, the nativity of a virgin, the paiTion, the refur- redion from the dead, and bodily afcenfion into heaven, of our dear Lord JcfusChrifl:, and his re- turning from heaven in the glory of the Father, to reftore all things, and to raife all the bodies of men -, that to Chriil Jefus, our Lord, and God, and Saviour, and King, according to the good pleafure of the invifible Father, every knee may bow, of things in heaven, and things .on earth, and things under the earth, that every tongue may confefs him, and that he may exe- cute righteous judgment on all , that he may fend wicked fpirits, and the angels that fell, and have involved themfelves in apoftacy, and ungodly, unjull, lawlefs, and blafpheming men, into everlafling fire: And that freely bellowing life on juit and holy men, who have kept his commandments, and either from the beginning have kept in his love, or have been recovered
TK iv avToic, 7n?iv ' y^ sii; ha Xfifcv 'IwSv, T iiof roZ Qiou, T rrufKuBtvTcc uTtp t^ v.^iri^Ui V6>Tr:^icc^ ' (c" £15 TrviZf/jX uyioy, t» ma rmv 7r^-j(p^T£Jv, xsia^vp^i; tuc, oiKCyof/jiu^, j^ tk? iMu<riiq, >^ T»}» fx 7:ec.^.6ivis '■^iyvwiv, 'Aoci to ttsK^v^, xctt ty^v iyi^criv Ik vtK^av, acci ,r»;v tv(ra^x.cv ii^ thi; j<p«cvB5 uvuX'^^^iv^ t» v^ysCTrviytjivii X(j<- €■04/ lyirav, rou xwitf ifXiav, j^ tjiv bk tuv isfuvaiv tv tv) J^|v} t»
xcci cc.v!X,<pi(rui 'TTua-ctv cu^ku. TTZtimq uye^wTrvTi^roq • tvcc Xpif« 'lW6v TO) xv^io) YfXiUv, 3^ &i^t ^at crurv.^i, km (idCCiXei, ksctu rtur ivdtsKiuv TOO TTur^c tov uc^xra, TTciv y^vv xa.fjb'\'V\, iTra^uvim, x.u.1 i:riyn'afVy kco Kurec^i^Sevwv^ x«c< 7»ua-cc yAacarx i^cfjuoXoyrjfroik uvtS^ xtci y.piirty oi-AUiocv it tpTc, Trutri xoivia-tjrui, tzl fJt/iv TTyivtZ/XTHf^ rvic, TToiiilfi'icg, KXi etyyiXii(; Trufcc/Si/Byfyjrus, x-cci iv u7Zo?u<noc yiyovi- Txe^, y.tti r»? atrf/Ssr?, x«< atcVxaj, kou ccvofjua^, x.x) /3?ixa-<pvif/jii^
xi*i TUc iKToAa? ecvrcv nTiif/itiJfriy xmI iv rT) cc^Trvj uvtoZ ^ecfjui- ^S/^-rflyJa-if rtic, ^iv u%' af;^5> toTc, 3 «« fjuiTUyo<tX4, ^coljV X^^'''^' fo^^, ec<p6xpnxy ^u^y.a-KTXk kou ^^xy xiayixv TTifiTToiyiTV,. Ire-
r,2£us, lib. I. cap. 2. Ed. Ox. c.ip. 10. p. 48, 49. Ed. Bcnedic.
by
OF THE Trinity." 107
by repentance, he may confer upon them im- mortality, and invefl them with eternal glory." This faith Irenaeus has ^ aflured us, as to the fubllance of it, was profefs'd by chriftians all over the world j tho' there wxre many lan- guages fpoke by the followers of Chrili, yet they with one heart, and one foul, join'd in ad- hering to the fame faith , this truth preach'd, as the fun fhining in its full ftrength, enlightened all the earth, and none that wifli'd well to them- felves, would venture to add to it, or to take from it.
Befides this admirable confeffion, Irenaeus has, in other places, put down creeds, or frag- ments of creeds. One imperfedl creed is this following : ^ " We hold the rule of truth, that there is one almighty God who framed all things by his word, and fitted them and made them out of nothing, to the end that all things fhould be 5 as the fcripture fays, by the word of the Lord the heavens were form'd, and all the holl of therxi by the breath of his mouth , and again, all things were made by him, and without him nothing was made that is made, (out of all things nothing is taken, but the Father made all things by him, whether vifible or invifible, fenfiblc or intelledual, temporal as to difpoliti-
^ Ibid. p. 49.
^ Cum teneamus nos regiilam verltatis, id eft, quod fit unus Deus ornnipotens, qui omnia condidit per Verbum fuum, & aptavit, & fecit ex eo quod non erat, ad hoc ut fmt omnia ; quemadmodum fcriptura dicit ; " Verbo enini Domini coeli formati funt, & fpiritu oris ejus omnis virtus eorum; " & iterum ; " Omnia per ipfum fa'cla funt, & fme ipfo fadum eft nihil. " (Ex omnibus autem nihil fubtrac- turn eft, fed omnia per ipfum fecit Pacer, five vifibilia, five invifibilia, five fenfibilia, five intelligibilia, five temporalia propter quandam difpofitionem, five fempiterna, & aeonia j)
on.
io8 The true Scripture Doctrine
on, or evcrlalling and eternal,) not by angels, nor by any powers feparated from his under- Handing. God needs nothing of all the crea- tures y but, by his Word and Spirit, difpofcs and governs, and is nigh to them all. This is he who made the world, (for that is compre- hended in all things j) this is he who formed man> this is the God of Abraham, the God of Ifaac, and the God of Jacob, over whom there is no other God, nor beginning, nor power, nor fulnefs 5 this is the Father of our Lord Je- fus Chriih " I have produced this creed, tho' it is not fo dirc6tly to my prefent deiign, bc- caufe it may give us hghr, as to what we find infifted on, in almoll: all creeds, concerning the Father being the almighty, the creator of the w^orld : It w^as in oppoiition to fuch heretics, as held, he had a God above him, and that in- ferior powers created the lower world.
Irenaeus gives, in another place, a creed which is an abil:rac:b of the larger creed, I have quoted from him. '" " The chriftians believe in one God, the maker of heaven and earth, and all things therein, through Jefus Chrift the Son of God , who, out of the exceeding great love which he bore to his creature, condelcended to
non per angelos, neque per virtutes aliquas abfcifTas ab ejus fententia ; nihil enim indiget omnium Deus ; fed & per Verbum & Spiritum faum omnia, & difponens, &c guber- nans, Sc omnibus efle praeftans : Hie qui mundum fecit, (etcnim mundus ex omnibus ;) hie qui hominem plafmavit; hie Deus Abraham, c^- Deus Ifaac, & Deus Jacob; fuper quem alius Deus non eft, neque initium, neque virtus, ne- que pleroma : Hie Pater Domini noftri Jcfu Chrifti. Ire- naeus, Lib. I. cap. 19. Ed. Oxon. cap. 22. p. 98. Ed. Ben. ^ Credentcs in unum Dcum, fabricatorem coeli & ter- rae, & omnium quae in eis funt, per Chriftum Jefum, Dei iilium: Qui propter eminentiiliir.am ergo iigmentum faum
be
OF THE TrinITY.^ 109
be born of a virgin, himfelf uniting man to God, he fufFer'd under Pontius Pilate, and rofe, and was received into glory 3 he fhall come with glory, the Saviour ot" fuch as fhall be laved, and the judge of fuch as are to be judg*d, and will fend into everlafting fire the corrupters of his truth, and the defpifers of his Father and his coming. "
Thefe arc the remains of the creed, to be found in the writings of Irenaeus 5 when he de- clared the belief of chriftians was in the Father, the Son, and the Spirit, he meant a belief in them, as the one God, as will appear from a remarkable pafllige, in which he has included all the three perfons, in the neceflarily exifling, or uncreated God : " " Man being created and form'd, is made after the image of the uncreated God, the Father defigning and commandmg, the Son executing and creating, and the holy Spirit nouriihing and increafing." The fame may be gather'd from what this writer, who was far from the opinion which Sabellius af- terwards efpoufed, has faid of the Son and Spi- rit ° being included in the Father, as himfelf,
dileaionem, earn quae eiTet ex Virgine generationem fufti- nuit, ipfe per fe hominem adunans Deo, & paffus Tub Pontio Pilato, & refurgens, & in claritate receptus, in gloria ven- turus, falvator eorum qui falvuntur, & judex eorum qui ju- dicantur, & mittens in ignem aeternam transfiguratores ve- ritatis, & contemptores Patris Aii & adventus ejus. Irenaeus, Lib. III. c. 4. p. 178.
TOW 3 hicu 7!^u<r<rovr(^ ncci ^fjuia^yoovrC^, reZ ^ 7rviV[jttccT(^ rcg- <poyr<^ Kx) uv^ovt(^. Irenaeus, Lib. IV. c. 38. p. 28c.
See Dr. Waterland's iirft defenfc of feme Queries, p. 438, 439' 44p- Second Defenfe, p. 505, 506, 507.
° -^^^j^ ^^ per iemetipfum, hoc eft per Verbum, & Sapi- emiam fuam. Iren. Lib. II. c. 30. p^ 163. .
in
ijo The true Scripture Doctrine
in a qualified fenfe, and of their being his hands j and from p his including the Son and the Spi^ ritin the one God, who is over all, and through all, and in all. Whofoever confidcrs thefe paf- fages without prejudice, cannot be at a lofs to find out, what Irenaeus believed concerning the three divine perfons, and how he under- ftood the form of baptifm.
The next author, in order, is Clement of Alexandria, who lived towards the end of the fecond century. He has given us a fhort decla- ration of his faith . ^ " There is one Father of the univerfe, one Word of the univerfc, and one holy Spirit, the fmie every where." Here he has afcribed the fame immenfity to the three divine perfons, which makes it evident, that he believed them to be one God, and could not fuppofe chridians were baptized into the faith of one God, and two creatures. This is farther confirmed from the doxology at the end of his paedagogue, which ^ I have above con- fider'd j there ^ the Father, the Son, and theSpi-
Nee Angeli potuerunt imaginem facere Dei, nee alius qnk praeter Verbum Domini, nee virtus longe abfiilens a Patre univerforum : Nee enim indigebat horum Deus, ad facien- dum quae ipfe apud fc praedeiinierat fieri, quali ipfe fuas non habe'ret manus. Adeil enim ei Temper Verbum & Sapientia, Filius & Spiritus, per quos, 8c in quibus, omnia libere, Sc in fponte, facit. Idem, Lib. IV. c. 20. p. 252.
P Sie unus Deus Pater oftenditur, qui ell fuper omnia & per omnia, & in omnibus ; iuper omnia quidem Pater, &: ipfe eft eaput Chrifti; per omnia autem Verbum, & ipfe ell caput ecclcfi^e ; in omnibus autem nobis Spiritus. Irenaeus, Lib. V. c. 1 8- p- 315-
^ E<5 ^jy rrUf i>,UV TTXT^p ' lie, 3 0 TU* 0?lUV Aoy^^, >Cxl Ttl
TDnufjijx TO u'yior iVf KUi TO ccvTo TrxvTuxfiv. Clemens Al. paedag. L. I. c. 6. p. 123. Ed. Oxon. "■ See above, chap. 3. p. 84.
h ^ Tu Tmnoo. Clemens Al. puedag. Lib. III. c. 12. p- 311-
rit,
OF THE Trinity. hi
ik, are declared to be in all things one, and confequently one God.
I now come to the writers of the third cen- tury 5 in the beginning of which lived Tertiil- lianj he wrote a book againll Praxeas, who was the firfh confiderable propagator of the fcheme, which makes the Father, the Son, and the Spirit one fingle pcrfon, and was after- wards caird Sabellianifm. In the beginning of that book he has inferted the following creed. ^ " We believe one God, yet under this difpen- fation, which we call oeconomy, that of this only God there is a Son, his Word, who pro- ceeded from him, by whom all things were made, and without whom nothing was made : We believe that he was fent by the Father to be born of a virgin, that he is both man and God, the Son of man, and the Son of God 5 that he was named Jefus Chrift j that he fuffer'd, died, and was buried, according to the fcrip- turesj that he was raifed by the Father, and taken up again into heaven j that he fits at the right hand of the Father, and will come to judge the quick and the dead > that he has fenc the Spirit from the Father, the holy Spirit, the comforter, to be the fandifier of the faith
* Unicum quidem Deum credimus, Tub hac tamen difpen- fatione, quam o«Woroptfisv dicimus, ut unici Dei fit Sc Filius, Sermo ejus, qui ex ipfo procefTeric, per quern omnia fa6la funt, & fine quo fiftum eft nihil : Hunc milTum a Patre in virginem, & ex ea natum, hominem & Deum, Filium ho- minis, & Filium Dei, Sc cognominatum Jefum Chriftum, hunc pafTum, hunc mortuum, & fepultum fecundum fcrip- turas, refufcitatum a Patre, & in coelos refumptum, federc ad dexteram Patris, venturum judicare vivos Sc mortuos : Qui exinde miferit, fecundum promifTionem fuam, a Patre Spiritum fanftum, Paracletum, fanftificatorem fidei ; eorum,. qui credunt in Patrem, in Filium, & Spiritum faiK^um. Ter- tuliian. cont. Praxeam, c. 2.
Z ^ of
112 The true Scripture Doctrine
of fuch as believe in the Father, the Son, and the holy Spirit." This he has alTured us ", is the rule of faith, which had continued from the beginning of thegofpel, in comparifon of which, all herefies were but of yelferday.
Tertullian has left us another creed, not much differing from that preceding : ^ " The rule of fiiith is, there is one God only, and no other, belidcs the Creator of the world, who brought all things out of nothing by his word, which he fent forth before all things : This Word was call'd his Son, who varioufly ap- peared to the patriarchs, in the name of God, who always fpoke by the prophets, and at laft, by the power and fpirit of God the Father, defcendcd into the virgin Mary, and was made flefh in her womb, and born of her, a real man, Jefus Chrifl> he then preach'd a new do6brine, and gave forth a new promife of the kingdom of heaven, he wrought miracles, was crucified,
" Hanc regulam ab initio evangelii decucurrifTe, etiam ante priorcs quofque haereticos, nedum ante Praxean hefter- num, probabit tarn ipfa polleritas omnium haereticorum, quam ipfa novellitas Praxcae heftcrni. Idem, ibid.
^ Regula eft autem fidei, — ilia, fcilicet, qua creditur ; unum omnino Deum efle, nee alium praetcr mundi condi- torem, qui univerfa de nihilo produxerit, per Verbum fuum, primo omnium emifTum ; Id verbum filium ejus appellatum, in nomine Dei varie vifum patriarchis, in prophetis Temper anditum, poftremo delatum ex Spiritu Dei Patris & virtute, in virginem Mariam carnem faftum in utero ejus ; & ex ea natum hominem, 6c cfle Jefum Chriftum ; exinde praedi- caiTe novam legem, & novam promiffionem regni coelorum, virtutes fecifle ; fixum cruci ; tertia die refurrcxilTe ; in coe- los ercptum, federe ad dexteram Patris ; mififle vicariam vim Spiritus Hmfti, qui credentes agat; venturum, cum claritate, ad fumendos iandos in vitae aeternae & promifTo- rum coeleftium fruftum, & ad prophanos judicandos rgni per- petuo, utriufque partis reiulcitatione cum carnis refurrec- none. Idem, de praefcriptione adverfus liaereticos, c 13.
z the
OF THE Trinity. 113
the third day, rofe again, and being taken up into heaven, he fits at the right hand of God > whence he fenr, in his room, the power of the holy Spirit, to guide fuch who beheve : He will come in glory to take the faints into the enjoyment of life eternal, and the promifed hea- ven, and to condemn profane finners to ever- lafling fire, having raifed both forts, by the re- furredion of the fleih." This rule of faith ^, he has declared, was inflituted by Chrift, and was queftioned by none but hereticks.
The fame author has given us part of a creed drawn up in fewer words : y " There is one rule of faith only, which can neither be changed nor mended 5 which teaches us to believe in one God almighty, creator of the world 5 and in Jefus Chriil his Son, who was born of the vir- gin Mary, was crucify'd under Pontius Pilate, on the third day rofe again from the dead, was received into heaven, where he now fits at the right hand of God, and he fiiall come again to judge the quick and the dead, by the refur- reftion of the body. "
In what fenfe TertuUian took thefe creeds, and confequently how he underflood the form of baptifm, may be eafily gathered from fome paflages in his writings. It is certain he be-
* Haec regula, " a Chriilo inftituta, nullas habet apud nos quacftiones, nifi quas haerefes inferunt, &c quae haereticos faciunt. Idem, ibid. c. 14.
^ Regula quidem fidei una omnino eft, fola, immobilis, & irreformabilis, credendi fcilicet in unicum Deum omnipo- tentem, mundi conditorem, & filiiim ejus Jefum Chriftum, natum ex virgine Maria, crucifixum fub Pontic Pilato, ter- tia die refufcitatum a mortuis, receptum in coelis, fedentem nunc ad dexteram Patris, venturum judicare vivos & mor- tuos, per carnis refurreftionem. Idem de vdandis virgini- bus, cap. I,
I lieved.
114 The true Scripture Doctrine lieved the three perlbns, the Father, the Son, and the holy Spirit, to be every one God, and yet altogether to be one God, or one in fub- Ihnce, He has ^ made the Son to be another from the Father, and the holy Spirit to be ano- ther from the Father and the Son > but he * has declared > that he fuppofed no diverfity among them, and that tho' the fcripture diilinguiflies between the perfons, yet perfon implies no di- vifion. He exprefs'd his deteftation of the thought ^ of making two Gods, and two Lords j and has given it as his opinion, that the Father is God, that the Son is God, and that the Spi- rit is God, that each of thcfe is God, and that <^ all together they make one God : He has ac- curately guarded againft both a confufion of the perfons, and a divifion of the nature or fub- llancc. His opinion was ^, that the fubllancc of God is but one, and that this one fub-
* Ecce enim dico alium efTe Patrem, & alium Filium, & alium Spiritum, male accepit idiotes quifque hoc diftum, quafi diverfitatem fonet & ex diverfitate fcparationem pro- tendat, Patris, Filii & Spiritus : neceffitate autem hoc dico, cum cundem Patrem, & Filium, & Spiritum contendunt. Idem, copt. Praxeam, c. 9.
* Scriptura diftinguit inter perfonas ; — Habes duos, ali- um dicentem ut fiat, alium facientem, alium accipere de- beas; — perfonae non fubftantiae nomine, ad di{lin6tionem> non ad divifionem, Idem, ibid. c. 12.
** Duos tamcn Deos, & duos Dominos, nunquam ex ore noftro profcrimus, non quafi non & Pater Deus eft, & Filius Deus, & Spiritus fanftus Deus, & Deus unufquifque. Idem, ibid. c. 13.
^ Pater & Filius & Spiritus, tres crediti, unum Deum, ftftunt. Idem, ibid. c. 31.
** Ubique teneo unam fubftantiam, in tribus cohaerenti- tibus. Idem, ibid. c. 12.
Connexus Patris in Filio, & Filii in Paracleto, tres efficit cohaercntes, alterum ex aliero, ** Qui tres unum funt, *' non unus ; quomodo dic>um eft, '* F^o & Pater unum fu-
i fiance
OF THE TrINITV. 115
ftance contains in it three perfons, which tho* diftinguiih'd one from another, by perfonal pro- perties, yet are infeparably coherent, fo as to be one God : In fhort, he held a Trinity in Unity. As he took the three divine perfons, in whofe name chriflians were baptized, to be one God, fo he apprehended = every perfon to be equally the obje6t of our hope and wor- fhip.
Not long after Tertullian, Hippolytus, bl- fhop of Aden, or Porto, in Arabia, wrote againft feveral herefies j the lad chapter of this
mils, " ad fubftantiae unitatem, non ad numeri linguhrita- tcm. Idem, ibid. c. 25.
Tres autem, non ftatu, fed gradu ; nee fubftantia, fed forma ; nee poteftate, fed fpecie ; unius autem fubftantiae, & unius flatus^ & unius poteftatis ; quia unus ell: Deus, ex quo & gradus ifti, & formae, & fpecies, in nomine Patris, & pilii, & Spiritus fandi, deputantur. Idem, ibid. c. 2.
Perverfitas — quae unicum Deum non alias putat creden- dum, quam {i ipfum eundemque & Patrem, «&■ Filium, & Spiritum fandum dicat : Quafi non fie quoque unus fit om- nia, dum ex uno omnia, per fubftantiae fcilicet unitatem ; & nihilominus cuftodiatur eiKovof^Ug facramentum, quae uni- tatem in Trinitatem difponit, tres dirigens, Patrem, Filium, & Spiritum fandlum. Idem, ibid.
Imprudentes -« non intelligentcs unicum quidem, fed cum fua otKovofjot'ec cfie credendum, exp;--=-cfcunr ad oncovoyjixv^ Numerum & difpofitionem Trinitatis, divifionem praefu- munt unitatis, quando unifs ex femetip'o derivans Trinita- tem, non deftruatur ab ilia, fed adminiftratur. Itaque duos & tres jam jaditant a nobis praedicari, fe vero unius Dei cultores praefumunt : qiiali non Be unitas irrationaliter col- legia, haerefim faciat, & Trinitas rationaliter cxpenfa, veri- tatem conftituat. Idem, ibid, c 3.
In quo eft Trinitas unius divinitatis. Pater, Sc Filius, & Spiritus fandlus. Idem de pudicit. c. 2 1 .
* Fides — oblignata in Patre, & Filio, & Spiritu fan£lo ; — haberAus, per benedlftionem eofdem arbitros fidci ; quos & fpoinfores falutis ; -— cum fub tribus & tcftatio fidci, & fponiio falutispignerentur. — Idem de baptifmo cont, Quintillam. c 6
I z work
116 The true Scripture Doctrine
work is remaining, and Is a confutation of Noe- tus of Smyrna, who advanced the fame herefy in Afia, which Praxeas had done a little be- fore in Africa. This work our modern Arians decry ^ as fparious, or interpolated, but they do hot give us any tolerable g reafons, for their be- ing fo magifterially pofitive, about a matter which they really know nothing of In this excellent work, Hippolytus has left us this creed. ^ " It is necellary for every man, tho' ever fo unwilling, to own God the Father al- mighty J and Chriil Jefus the Son of God, who being God, became man, to whom the Father has fubjeded all things, except himfelf and the holy Spirit > and that thcfe are three : And if any perfon would have it fhew'd how, [con- fidently with thefe things] there can be one God, let him take notice, that the power of this God is one : As to the power, there is one God, but as to the oeconomy, there is a triple mai'iifelhtion : " (or a manifeftation of three perfons.) A little after, he has made the follow- ing declaration > ^ '^ Whatever the holy fcrip-
^ See Whifton's anfwer to the Earl of Nottingham, p. lO.
Jackfon's reply to Dr. Waterland, p. 39. and in many other pliices.
2 Vid. Fabric, praefat. in Hippolyt. p. 6, 7. Not. Vol.1, p. 235. Vol. 2. p. 5, 6.
See alfo Dr. Waterland's fecond Defenfe, p. 105, 106.
y.f«Tofoe, x«i x?^'^* ^'^^ ©tew. ©f'sv uv&^uTTof yivofO/ioij aj foiircc TTcCTjip i;TiT«|£, ^ci^iKroc, ixvrcVf kx] 7rnvf/jXT(^ ecyiov, xxi ry-
Tac, iltXi isTCJ^ T£/x. 'El i) fiilMTXl fA>X$U», TTUi U^ ©iO^ XTFOffeiX-
vvrxi, yitaa-KiTo oti fAf(x ^uvxy/K^ rtirUy xxl ofTov fA/in kxtu tkv duyxyjiv, **5 sV» ©tc?, c(rov j kxtk tijv oiKoiof/jiXv, r^f^q if £7n<^<|» iq. Hippolyt. cont. Noetum. c. 8. Vol. II. p. iz. Edit. Fabricii.
* 'Orx T^ivuv KVi^utrcraa-iv xt S-t'i«< y^x(p$c]j 1%^, kxI tcx <^«-
tures
OF THE Trinity. 117
tures proclaim, we fee ^ and whatever they teach, wc know ; As the Father will be be- lieved, we will believe 5 as he will have the Son glorified, we will glorify him 3 and as he will have the holy Spirit given, v/e will receive him J not according to our own preconception, not according to our own will j neither do wc offer violence to the revelation given us by God > but in what manner foever, he has been pleafed to mftrud: us, in the fcriptures, fo do we under- ftand." He did not take the Father, and the Son, to be two Gods, but looked upon them, and the Spirit, to be three perfons, and one God ', of this he has affured us : ^ « I will not fay there are two Gods, but one God, and two perfons, and a third difpenfation, the grace of the holy Spirit. There is one Father, but there are two perfons > for there is a Son, and there is a third, the holy Spirit. The Father commands, the Word accompliflies his com- mands ; the Son is raanifefted, through whom we believe on the Father : Their harmony of adminiltration is reduced to the one God : For
M3iiXn9n ^ict ncf ccyiui y^x<pSy ^|^,, ir^v? l^^fJOtv. Idem. ibid.
CO. p. 12, 13
vrfc<rQTx, 3 ^uo, crt Kx\ i iiU, W 3 rpixoy tz? uyio, XyiZu^x. n«- Tnjf ^TiXXtTXi, Ajy<^ rt'TflTfAn, «;^5 ^ ^Ukvvtxi ^ ^ ttx-t^^ ^*- «-|«irr«,. QtKcy^fA^U frv^u.tx^ trv^ixyirxi. i^ 'U Qiov ' h ^ sV.y p^0ifl5i c^ y^ MXivm ^x-nif, i 'j l^rxK^m mU, to S trvmirov,
^_i»9 7rnvU,X ' 0 <Vy TTX-nip £777 TJItW^I/. n k. ul\. Xi^r. ,^' ..... _1
jft,x ' 0 at* Ttx-mp i7n 'Tntvrm, 6 3, uic<i ^U -thmtuv to J y>o,^^uZfA.cc ci TT^Tiv. "AAA^5 rl 'U Qicf vefj^ia-xt y.^ h,x.
••-/^iN Idem, ibid. c. 14. p. 15, 16. ^
I 3 there
lis The true Scripture Doctrine
there is one God, the Father who commands, the Son who obeys, and the holy Spirit who inftrudts : The Father is over all, the Son is through all, and the holy Spirit is in all. We can in no wile know the one God, except we really believe in the Father, the Son, and the Spirit." From hence it is plain, that Hippo- iytus believed the Father, the Son, and the Spirit, to be three real perfons, to be all di- vine, and yet not be three Gods but one God. This Trinity in Unity he thought our Saviour intended to reach, in the form of baptifm, for he has added, ^ " The Word ofthe Father knowing the occonomy (of the three perfons) and the will of the Father, and that the Father thought fit to be honour'd no othcrwife than thus > after he was rifen, he delivered this command to his difciples, Go, (faid he) teach all nations, bap- tizing them into the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit : Shewing, that every one, who left out any of thefe, could not glorify God perfeftly, for by this Trinity the Father is glorified : For it was the Father who wiird, it was the Son who created, and it was the holy Spirit who manifefted. "
Origen was contemporary with Hippolytus ; this great man "^ wrote abundance, and that often haftily, fo that he did not always exprefs
Idem, Ibid.
»" Vid. Bulli Dcfcnf. Fid. Nicacnac. Seft. II. c. 9. Sec alfo Dr. Waterland's fecond Dcfenfc, p. 347—352.
himfeif
OF THE Trinity 119
himfelf in the bed manner : Befides hereticks took an infufFerable liberty to corrupt his works, even before he died. He took the form of bap- tifm to be meant of an invocation of three per- fons, and one God, as appears from this paf- fage. " " The wafhing with water is a fym- bol of the cleanfing of the foul, when it is walh'd from all the filth of fin, and it fignifies nothing lefs of it felf, to him who gives up himfelf to the Godhead of the adorable Trinity, by virtue of invocations, fuch an one has the beginning and fountain of all grace." Origen, as it appears, took baptifm to be a dedication to the Godhead of the adorable Trinity, accom- panied with folemn invocations. I fhall add a creed of his, of which, we have a verfion by Ruffin, leaving it without any farther remark, be- caufe we cannot wholly rely on the fidelity of the tranflator. *> " The things which are ma»
" Te u^ur(^ >^tST^v e-{/'/t*,5*Aay rvy;^¥e4 icuBx^mH 4''^^*>^, "Tmit- ret puTTov Ttt ei-TiTi )cxkIu4 'MiX?^VfUfJo^Ki' ioiv ^ wrrev K^ kccS* Uvtd ,
lotfjijiuc, Tuv t7riK>iyi(rs&>y^ ^xiKTfi^Tuv ccp^v i^€4 fC mjyr)v. Origen, apud Bafil. De Sp. S. cap. 29. Vol II. p. 359. Ed. Par. This pafTage is thus read in M. Huec's edition of Ori-
gen. ^ , . . ,
TJ if^n^ixovn Uvtvv tJ ©lioTjjrt th? a\;vuf/^iu<; tuv r wpo-
Com. in Joh. p. 124.
To this paiTagc may be added two quotations from Pam- philius's apology.
Ex quibus omnibus difcimus, tantae & auftoritatis Sz dig- nitatis fubftantiam Spiritus fanfti, ut falutare baptifmum non aliter nifi excellentifTimae omnium Trinitatis auftoritate, id eftPatris, & Filii, & Spiritus fanifti, cognominatione com^ pleatur. Inter. Opp. Hieronymi. Vol. V. p. 220. Ed. Ben.^
Nunquam utique in Unitate Trinitatis, id eft Dei Patris inconvertibilis, & Filii ejus etiam ipfe Spiritus fandlus ha- fccrctur J nifi quia & ipfe fempcr erat Spiritus fanftus. Ibid.
I Species eorum quae per praedicationem Apoftolicam
I 4 nifeftly
120 The true Scripture Doctrine
nifeftly handed down to us by the preaching of the apoftles, are j firft, that there is one God, who created and made all things, and caufed all things to fubfifl out of nothing, the God of all the righteous, from the lirll creation and ordering of the world, the God of Adam, A- bel, Seth, Enos, Enoch, Noah, Shem, Abra- ham, Ifaac, Jacob, the twelve Patriarchs, Mo- {es^ and the prophets 5 and this God, in the lalt days, as he had before promifed, by the prophets, lent our Lord Jefus Chrilf, firfl to call Ifrael, and then the Gentiles, after the perfidioufnefs of Ifrael was manifcll. This juil and good God, the Father of our Lord Jefus Chrirt, gave the law, the prophets, and the gofpel, being the God of the apollles, and of the old and new teftament. And then, that Jefus Chrifl:, who came, was begotten of the Father before all creation 5 who after he had Jninillred to the Father, in the creation of all things, (for by him all things were made,) in the laft times humbled himfelf, and became man,
manifefte traduntur, iftae funt. Primo quod unus Deus ell, qui omnia creavit, atque compofuit, quique ex nuHis fecit c{^Q univerfa : Deus, a prima creatura & conditione mundi, omnium juftorum, Deus Adam, Abel, Seth, Enos, Enoch, Noe, Sem, Abraham, Ifaac, Jacob, ducdecim patriarcharum, Moyfis & prophetarum : Et quod hie Deus in noviffimis die- bus, ficut per prophetas fuas ante promifcrat, mifit Domi- num noftrum Jefum Chriftum, primo quidem vocaturum Ifrael, fecundo vero etiam gentes, poft perfidiam populi Ifrael. Hie Deus juftus & bonus, Pater Domini noftri Jefu Chrifti, Legem & prophetas & evangclia ipfe dedit, qui & apoftolorum Deus ell, Sc veteris Sc novi Teftamcnti : Tum deinde quia Jefus Chriilus ipfe qui venit, ante omnem crea- turam natus ex Patre ell ; Qui cum in omnium conditione Patri miniftraflet, (per ipfum cnim omnia flida funt,) novif- iimis tcmporihus, feipfum exinanicns, homo fadus eft, in- carnatus eft, cum Deus cfiet, & homo manfit quod D.eus
he
OF THE Tr I N I T Y. 121
he was incarnaiie, tho' he is God, and when man, continued God, as he had been , he al- jumed a body like ours, differing only in this, rhat it was conceived of the virgin, by the ho- ly Spirit : And becaufe this Jefus was born, and fuffer'd death in truth, and not in appea- rance, he really in the ordinary way died j he really alfo rofe from the dead, and, after his re- furreaion, converfed a while with his difciples, and was taken up into heaven: And laltly they deliver'd to us, that the holy Spirit is joined in honour and dignity to the Father and the Son 5 but it is not difliniSlly exprefs'd, whether he is begotten or unbegotten, but that is to be fought for by us, as we are able, in the fcrip- ture, and by that carefully examin'd : In the mean time this is plainly taught in the church, that it was the fame holy Spirit who infpired every one of the faints, and prophets, and apoftles^ and that there was not one fpirit in thofe of the old, and another in fuch as were infpired at the coming of Chrift."
crat ; corpus aflumpfit corpori noftro fimile, eo folo diffc- rens,_ quod natum ex virgine, de Spiritu fando eft; Et quonum hic Jefus natus & pafTus eft in veritate, & non per imagmem, communem hanc mortem vere mortuus eft; vere enim a morte refurrexit, & poft refurreaionem con- Terfatus cum difcipulis fuis, affumptus eft : Tum deinde ho- nore ac dignitate Patri ac Filio Ibciatura tradiderunt Spi- ritum fanftum : In hoc non jam manifefte difcernitur, utrum natus an innatus; fed inquirenda jam ifta pro viribus funt de facra fcriptura, & fagaci perquifitione inveftiganda : Sane quod ifte Spiritus fanftus unumquemque fanftorum, vel prophetarum, vel apoftolorum infpiravit, & non alius Spiri- tus m veteribus, alius vero in his, qui in adventu Chrifti infpirati funt, manifeftiffime in ecclefiis praedicatur. Ori- gen. nif^ «p^,, in praefat. Vol. I, p. 665. Ed. Opp. Lat.
Cyprian,
122 The true Scripture Doctrine
Cyprian, of the fame age, has fufficiently ac- quainted us, in what fenfe the form of baptifm was taken by the chriftians in his time : Having quoted the words of the inititution, he has ad- ded thefe words : P " Chrift infinuates the Tri- nity, by the facrament of which the gentiles are baptized." And he has afTured us, that *i Chrilt has commanded all nations to be bap- tized in the entire and united Trinity. The fame writer has argued for the in/alidity of he- retical baptifm, from the impoflibility of any one being the temple of God, who owns not the Father, the Son, and the Spirit to be one God. "^ " If any one can be validly baptized among hereticks, he mull become the temple of God ? I afk then of what God ? If it be an- Iwer'd, of the Father 5 it cannot be, becaufe he does not believe in him 5 if of the Son, he cannot be his temple, becaufe he denies Chrift to be God > if of the holy Spirit, fince thefe three are one, how can the holy Spirit be pleafed with him, who is an enemy to the Father or the Son.'*
Not long after, Dennis biihop of Rome wrote a letter agamfl: the Sabellian hcrefy, a^ gainft fuch as maintained three Gods, and againft the notion of Chrift being a creature, a frag-
P Infmuat Trinitatem, cujus Tacramento, gentes baptiza- /cntur. Cyprian. Ep. 73. sd Jubai^num, p. 183. Ed. Pamcl.
q — Ipfc Chriftus gentc£ haptiz ri jubeat, in plena, at- <iue aclunata Trinitate. Idem, ibid. p. 1 86.
' Si baptizari quis apud hercticos potait; - — templum Dei faftus eft : quaero cujus Dei r ii creatoris, non potuit, qui in cum non credidit : Si Chrlfti* nee hujus fieri poteft lemplum, qui negat Deum Chriftum : Si Spiritus fandi, cum " tres unum Hnt, " quomodo Spiritu? fandlus placatua cfic ei potcft, qui aut Patris a\K Filii inimicus eft. Idem, ibid. p. 184.
ment
OF THE Trinity. 123
ment of this is prcferved in the writings of A- thanafius : From the following words, his opi- nion of the form of baptifm, that it was in the name of three perfons and one God, may be eafily gather'd. ^ " I cannot but fpeak a- gainft fuch as fubvcrt the moft augufl: and ve- nerable doftrine of the church of God, who di- vide the unity into three powers, three feparate fubflances, and three Godheads : Thefe perfons are diametrically oppofite to Sabellius's opinion j he blafphemouily fays, the Son is the Father, and the Father the Son, thefe preach up three Gods, dividing the facred unity into three dif^ ferent, and every way feparate fubftances. The divine Word muft needs be united to the God over all, and the holy Spirit mull abide and dwell in God : iVnd there is an abfolute necef- fity, that the divine Trinity be garher'd up in- to one head, I mean the God of the univerfe, the almighty. The followers of Chrill: know well, that a Trinity is taught in the holy fcrip- ture, but that neither the old nor the new tefta- ment teach three Gods 5 a perfon cannot lels blame thofe who think the Son is a creature,
fjuevu^^etv ii(} t()«5 ^»Ufji,ui Tiv»<i, kco f^ifjuifia-fjcjivxq vTrofua-ii^, km S«/3£AA<8 yta/Mii o litiv ^ iSAaa-^jjjiAsr, etvrov r iioy hvcci >J^ut t*
Tj{ r^f siyictv fjuaw^x ■ i^nu^ r^ ccvuyK]t toi €)sa Ttit o^fiit rot S-»7oy Aeyey, stA(f>i?ic^eofsiv j Ta> Qtu kcu iv^xnti^ ^u to uyiot vtnZ^X' Vi^vi -) "^jv ^uxv TpietJot it^ ^repv^yiv rivx, rov ©«o> tow • Aa'v, Tojf TTxvTOKfXTo^x xiyu^ o-yywi^aAfiCJifc^ Ttourx uvxyxvt' iax" ivrxi Xftyou Tftx^x (^ Krifivrrefjo/Itit v^ -^ ^ux^ yp««^«j? trx^S^ n-m^xvTxt^ rpu'i 3 ©ta^ '^rt zxXxixv tin xxiv^v ^ixG^Ktjv x?jt;T- Tgrxv a fXtiTev ^ <<y rt^ KXTXfjoif/^^oiTa xxi t»5 vriivijux "tcv
and
124 The TRUE Scripture Doctrine
and apprehend our Lord to be one of the things made -, whereas the holy fcriptures attribute to him a fit and becoming generation, but not any formation or creation j it is not a blafphe- my of a low, but of the highefl kind, to fay the Lord is, in any wife, a creature > for if the Son was made, there was a time when he was not, whereas the Son is from eternity. The wonderful and divine Unity ought not to be di- vided into three Godheads j nor fhould the dig- nity, and exceeding great majefty of the Lord, be leflenM by makuig him a creature j but it is proper to believe in God the Father almighty, and in Jefus Chrill his Son, and in the holy Spirit. The Word mufi; be united with the God of the univcrfe > for he has faid, I and my Father are one, and, I am in the Father, and the Father in me. Thus the divine Trinity, and the holy dodrine of the Unity may be pre- fei-ved.** In this excellent paflage, the judici- ous author has fhew'd his opinion to be, that the three divine perfons are one God, and has equally declared his deteftation of the errors of fuch who either confound the perfons, or di- vide the efTence, or who are for reducing the Son to the rank of creatures.
fymiJtfivuy, vof/UiXovTcCi • tuv ^itaiv Xfiyiuv ymnriv otvrZ t^v d^f^r- ravuv icec) Tt^ixao-uv^ aAA' »;^ ^XccTiv rivoi )uc\ leci^trtv TTforf/jccf- Tv^iivTM • /iXet(r<pr}fj(40v Sv is rl rvp^t, fjciyi^ot »>, ;t;f(f«9ra<»3rov rfo^ TTcv Tivoc Xtytiv rlvKvfiev ' u yaff yiyottu lio^y >)¥ on ovk nf, cci\ 3 2»-__. jfT It xecTccfjtjie^Z^iv X?*> *''? '■P"« ^tornTXi tjjk B-xvfAXstiv^ %tn ^Lav fjuovx^x ' liTi 7rei*i(rii ko>.uuv to u^iufjux KUi re i»Tip/3aAAo» fjijiyiS^ Tou xv^i'a • uXXa, TriTTK^ivxivxi uq €)iov Ttxrifx xxvroxfix- 7opx, )cx\ f<5 Xpifpv 'UareZv rov Itov Uvtou • KXi 1*5 '"« ceyiov TTyivf/tX '
Roman, apud Athanafmm de Synod. Nic. Vol. I. p. ^75, 276. Ed. Paris. Vol. i. p. 231, 232. Ed. Ben.
O F T H E TR I N I T Y.^ 125
At the fame time lived Dennis bifhop of A- lexandria, who was a very zealous and eager oppofer of Sabellius his countryman j ' in the heat of difputation he incautiouily let fall fome things which feemed to favour that herefy, which was afterwards calPd Arian. This made fome accufe him to Dennis of Rome, as hold- ing erroneous opinions: Being caird upon to give an account of his fentiments, he wrote fe ' veral letters by way of apology, wherein he complain'd, that his accufers had not dealt fair- ly by him, but only quoted fome fcraps of his writings. What his real opinion was, he has declared in the following palTage, which Atha- nafius has preferved from his fecond apologeti- cal letter. ^^ " Every one of thofe names which I have fpoke of, is indivifible and infeparable from the others : If I have fpoke of the Father, be- fore I introduced the mention of the Son, I in- clude him in the Father 5 if when I have brought in the Son, I have premifed nothing concern- ing the Father, he ought to be comprehended in the Son. I have added the holy Spirit, and at the fame time have fuggefled from whom, and thro' whom he proceeded. Thefe perfons do not know that the Father cannot be aliena- ted from the Son, as he is Father 3 for the ex-
* Vid. Athanaf. de Sentent. Dionyf. Vol. I. p. 559, 560. Ed. Par.
uaixifsrov rou TrXvinoy. Ilctri^x XkTior, tctci ^pl» i7tuyx,yu rot vioy, t^rtifAjdCvx y,»i roZrcv h ra ttcct^'i • vioy-l-Tniyciyovy si xccl fjt,n 77fc- u^Kdy rev TTurtpx, Wyr&'s uv ov rm ii5 XfoiiXt}7rro ' uytev TFyivuioe. JB-fecstfijxa, i^A' Uf/jx kcu ttz^iv kcu ^et riv<^ v^xiv itpMi/uoTX ' o* ^ UK lu-ua-iy or I fAt^Ti utd^^^otoJutui ^«7>;j) «<5, J jreSTTjp, TTfexX' TX^KTtusf yuf sV* ^ (rvvxtpuea ri cvof/^x ' Hn lioi UTraxifXi ry ^XTpq- it yoc^ TTx-nif TT^ctrnyoQ^x ^XaX r\y xoivmlxi • % n rxTi X*f^* otvTup jf* Tf mivfjux, fA>^Ts rev 7Fi^xon<^, ^«T8 76U (pi-
preffion
126 The true Scripture Doctrine
prellion denoting conjunction is of principal note J nor that the Son cannot be leparaced from the Fathei-, becaufe the term Father de- clares a communion : In the hands of both is the Spirit, who cannot be divided from him that fends him, nor from him that brings him. Therefore fince I ufe fuch terms, mud I be thought to divide and feparate thefe one from another?" A little after he has given a ihort fummary of his Faith. ^ " We extend the un- divided Unity into a Trinity, and we again ga- ther up the Trinity undiminifh'd into Unity. '* From the fame work the following paflage ^ is quoted by Bafilj " The Trinity is moft divine with the Unity. " Thefe paflages plainly fhew, that this pious and zealous writer believed the Father, the Son, and the Spirit, to be one God, and that he took the form of baptifm in that fcnfe. His being forced to clear himfelf of the charge of holding the Son to be inferior to the Father, makes it evident, that the doftrinc of a Trinity in Unity was the fettled prevailing do£i:rine of the age in which he lived, and that not the leaft deviation from the catholick faith
fXiif/ji^i^ TccvTot, t^ ufpufi^ TTxtTiXaii otAX^AA** ctdfjiiui. Dton^r. Alex, apud Athanafium de fententia Dionyfii, Vol. I. p. 261. Ed. Par. Vol. I. p. 255. Ed. Ben.
w 'iJf/jiTi iiq Ti rn» Tp««^« Ttjv MevuSk vXecrvrtfitSt ecS^ui^iror^ ^
dem, ibid.
N. B. This pnfl^Age is faulty in the common editions; I have given it as it has been reftored from manufcripts,, by Dom Bernard de Montfaucon, iii the cditien he publifh'd. Vol. I. p. 2CC.
JDionyf. Al. apud B.^fil. de Sp, S. c 29. Vol. H. p. 358. Ed. Par
could
OF THE TRINIxr. 12/
could be' bore, by fuch as wilh*d well to the caufe of chriitianity.
At the fame time lived Theodore, or Gre- gory, the celebrated bifhop of Neocaefarea: We have a creed of his remaining, which fhews him to have firmly believed a Trinity in Unity, and confequently he muft have underflood the form of baptifm, to be meant of three perfons and one God, of the fame glory, power, and eternity 5 his creed is as follows, y " There is one God, the Father of the living Word, the fubftantial wifdom and power, and the eternal image j who is a perfe(5t begetter of one per- fed, the Father of the only begotten Son. There is one Lord, one of one, God of God, the ex- prefs charader and image of the Godhead, the efficacious Word, the wifdom that comprehends the fyflem of the world, and the power that made every creature : The true Son of the true Father, the invifible Son of the invifible, the incorruptible Son of the incorruptible, the im- mortal Son of the immortal, the eternal Son of the eternal : And there is one holy Spirit, ha- ving his fubfiftence from God, and is plainly manifcfted through the Son to men, the per- fea image of thcperfeaSonj the life, the caufe
f*ii«U*^ ^aMKTl^^ ncifiny TfAsj©- riXua yimrap, TtetrK^ iieZ fjuo-
iix^f T* 0m'7^t(^-, Aey©- ji/jp^'^- So^/ic 7* r oAa;v cvfUrtui vtfiiKTiKti, 1^ ^vf»f/*tq T* ^0 A»J5 KTirtaq TTiHiriKii • 'risq iAj»^*rc$ ecXij- iivsu ^ecT^^y iopflCT®- uepKTU, ^ u(P6x(t(^ ei(p6txfTii, t^ uSuw- T^ u6xyxT}s, «J ki^eq u\fi^. Kui « TrnvfAx «y<o», eii ®tt>Z t»\
rey cifltf, Ti?iU(6 ' tjMviJ^mTai «m«, vrrjyn ec^ec, ecyiorta , ecyt- •ejT^eu xy^yk'^ ci to (pxn^oZrai 0£d5 o yretr^f 6 i^n Tniyrm, Kca ov TTUTi,^ Kcu ©eo5 0 y<c$ 6 ^Ic -mifrcot. Tp<W nXux, ^^t,K<tt
of
128 The true Scripture Doctrine
of all living , the holy fountain, the eflential fan6tity, the author of holinefsj in whom is manifellcdGod the Father, who is over all, and in all, and God the Son, who is through all. Thcfe are a perfedl Trinity, neither feparated nor divided in glory, eternity and dominion. There is in the Trinity nothing created, no- thing fervile, nothing adventitious, (or which did not once exill, but came into itj) neither was the Father ever left without the Son, nor the Son without the Spirit, but the Trinity remains the fime, unchangeable, and unaltera- ble for ever." This creed fufficiently fhews, how averfe Gregory was to the two herefies of his time; that of Sabellius, who denied the perfonality of Chrift, and that of Paul of Sa- mofata, who denied our Saviour's true divi- nity.
This creed Gregory of NylTa has told us, was deliver'd to him whofe name it bears, from heaven, by the virgin Mary, and the apollle John. From hence our adverfaries have taken occaGon to arraign the creed as fpurious : I readily admit, that Gregory of Nyfla, a credu- lous, tho' ingenious and learned man, might at the diftance of near a hundred years, be impo- icd upon by a falfe relation of a miracle ; yet I cannot allow, that credit fhould be denied him, as to what he has afTured us, ^ that the people of Neocaefirea had, by the means of this creed,
f^iv isK v7m((x.f.v, yVfpcv -) iTrnQ-iXQov' 'an iv htXiTn rore t/*a5 ttx- Tf«, ar£ iiai TT^iZfjbx, ciXX' xr^tirroi xul uy»XXotturc<^ it oivrti T^tuq eCu. Gregor. Expof. Fid. p. i. Opp. Ed. Par. apud Gre- gor. NyfT. Vol. 3. p. 546, 547. Ed. Par. Sc apud Fabric. Spicileg. Patrum Sec. 3. ad calcem, Tom, II. Opp. Hip- polyti, p. 224.
^ Zit' ^5 ^v^xyuyil^Toci /t</£;t;p« roZ iun 0 tKMOi Pwto?, Tnca-m -^
z been
OF THE Trinity. 129
been preferved from all heretical pravity, and * that they had a copy oF ir, wrote by the au- thor's own hand : Befides, his brother Bafil, who was biihop of Neocaefarea, and bred up in that church, has told his flock, ^ that he, when a child, was taught the faith which he maintained, in the words of Gregory his worthy predeceffor > and he ^ has menti- on'd the tradition of Gregory, as defign'd a- gainft the Sabellian herefy j from whence it is extremely probable, that he referred to feme creed, and there is nothing but uncertain con- jc61:ures, to keep us from admitting him to mean the creed which we have. Some parts of this creed are twice adlually quoted, by that judicious divine ^ Gregory of Nazianzum, who has told us, he ufed the words of a wife and godly man of the former age. The genu-
ui^iTiKYj^ KocKicc^ ^icc f/jiiv u4 ccTTiipKTei;. Grcg, N/f. in Vit. Gieg, Neocaef. Vol. 3. p. 546. Ed. P^r.
* ' Oreti ^ (piAov 'Zzfe< ToZra :^ii&y,vxi, ccKHiTd) r? iKKXn^Ui^ it jf r Xoyov iX'/;^vTTii, 5r«p' c;? tcvrcc rot ^apuyiJUccTx 'f y/XKafte$§ sKittTji X,ii^oc, uq in y,oil yZv S'icccra^iTxi. Idem, ibid. p. 547.
»j oT{ r^u(PivTic, y.fJijii^ tt'Tn ■nrOv. fjuux-x^i'tt yvvcAKi • MxKet^'otv xiya TJtv 77i^i(ioY>Tcv ' Trap' 1C5 io'iJh^^'jujiv Tu rS f/jUKCfioTKris Fft^yeoiii pysfl/XTCc, ccei 7rfo<i uvTr.v UKcXiiCf'te, jjuvvsf/ijiiq oiXCuSiyrec^ oivTH T» t(PvXu<r<re, kxI hm/Ss, in vyjynisq cvtx^^ WAetrrs, xxi, lfj[^^<Pis, reTi 7*}^ sv<ri/2iix<i ^yijuxtri. Bafil. Epift. 75. ad Neocaefarenfes, Vol. III. p. 130, 131. Ed. Par.
^ mmm"E^9fX TV^ 7TX(^X^0CH tS fJUiyxXH i)^ U>,1}Saq T^/iyecfn mmm
TO t5 S«/3£AA<» xetxjy 7rx?,ci\ (jijiv Kmfir, 'KUTXc-/Bi(hiv ^ r^ jqra- fxhocu rttj fjjiyccXa rfjj'ycf;^, iTTi^ii^cutri vZ* uyxvicu(3^ 8rw, I- dem, Epift. 64. ad eofdem, p. 99. .
Xi/Siiv 0£ey T0¥ "xxTifXy ©£o» T t/tflv, ©ssv TO znZojci, TV icywr»
^of/jivm ' «5 T<5 lay fXtU^f TT^o^iv ^ic^Pcfuy s<piXocri^i}a-iv, Greg, Naz. Orat. 37. Vol. I.' p. 609. Ed. Par.
'Ovdit T«5 Tpjo^o?, f^ euTOf, ditX^tt, i^ K.Ti^f^ cu^ sTsVaxref,
mcwct Tuf vc(pii Ttt<^ hiym^. Idem, Orat. 40. >. 668.
K incnefs
130 The true Scripture Doctrine
inenefs of the creed is expreflly ovvn'd by ^ Ruf- fin. Upon the whole, ^ I fee no manner of reafon to make the lead queflion of its being the compofurc of Gregory, efpecially fince 8 he ufes much the fame exprefHons, with thofe in- ferted in his creed, in his writings, the genu- inenefs of which is uncontefted.
Towards the latter end of the third centu- ry, lived Lucian, aprefbyter of Samofata, whofe creed is extant j ^ '' We believe, according to the evangelical and apofbolical tradition, in one God, the Father almighty, framer and maker of all things i and in one Lord Jefus Chrift, his only Son, God, through whom are all things; begotten before all ages of the Father, God of God, whole of whole, one of one, perfed of perfeft. King of King, Lord of Lord, the living word, the wifdom, the life, the true life, the way of truth, the refurredion, the fhep- herd, the gate; who is unchangeable, and un- alterable -y the unparallel'd image of the God- head, the eflence, the power, the council, and
* Ruffini tranflat. Eufeb. Hift. Ecclef. lib. VII. c. 25. *■ Vid. BulliDefcnf. Fid. Nic. Seft. II. c. 12. p. 137, 138. .81.152,153.
See alfo Dr. Berriman's hiflorical account, p. 138 — 142.
ri^norotrov kcu (^avroCy ko.] icvrcZ rdC Trcura vow T >^oyov s/io'vfy- XOV' Gregor. Neocaef. Panegyric, ad Origencm, p. 54. Ed. Voff. ^
y-cn fi$ iyx Kvpiev 'Ijjo-ouv Xci^v, T iiof uvroZ T fhoicytvvi^ ©«K, el a 7»s "TnivTU. lymro' tov yzvvn^ivrcc Ti^o TfocyTO/v tuv edatufy sk rot/ TTXT^ci;, Qic¥ ex Giou, tXcy £| oXn, fjuovov iK fjotvUy riMiov %k ri>^tns, "Bua-iXisc ik Bct(n?itu^, Kv^iov tCTTo xv^iti, Pio'ye? tjavTU, «ro-
cCTftTTTov Ti, Kx) U))cx,XXoiurev ' T«y T«5 0£er»)T©-, ttmec^ rt icai^ a'vvuf/,iU(i, fcu] (inMq, icxl <JV|))5 rou TTurfioi et7rccfJc?iPutKr6r »»)(5>«6 ' rojr vrffuroTOKOf Ttwri^ KTi(r£*/i' 76f cnet if ecf^"^ ^foi tcv Sit*,
the
OF THE Tr IN ITT. I3I
the glory of the Father -, firfcborn before all creation} the word of God, who in the begin- ning was with God, according to what is laid in the gofpel ; the word was God j who in the laft times came from above, and was born of a virgin, according to the fcripturcs, and was made man^ who is the mediator between God and man, the apoftle of our faith, and the prince of Hfe, as he fiid y I came not from heaven to do my ovv^n will, but the will of him that fenc mej who fuffer'd for us, and rofe again on the third day, and afcended into heaven, and fat on the right hand of the Father, who will come with glory and power, to judge the quick and the dead : And in one holy Spirit, who is given for the com- forting, fan6lifying, and perfecting them that believe, according to what our Lord jefusChrift order'd his difciples, fiying, Go teach all nati- ons, baptizing them into the name of the Fa-
Xsyov Qm, xciTu to ii^r,u>ivov cv ra» ivctyytXico ' asci Qie^ ijV o Ac- y©- ' ret g/T* i^aray tiov viyjtfm xoiTiX&cvrcc maSiVf y.a,\ yivr/i-
SiVTCC Ik TTCdtthviif KCCTti 7KS yfCfpCi^ • KXI U.i/6pU7roV yiVOf^CVi fJiti~
1^ ^coti^j oic, (p/icn, oTt xccreie./2ipi}y.x Ik row ^pscj'oy, ^?&' \ys(, T^oia ip
^iXnt/jO, TO if/jiVj Oi>iXU TV ^ihnfXjCC ToZ TTi^'^dtVUC, yji' TCV %x6hlTCf> B-CVTCi lie, {^f^va^, XCCi KyJicBiVTCC i» ^i^loi TcZ T^Urfiq ' KCi] TTliXl*
i'.c, 7Tvsvf/jci T» ftsyiov, TO Si? Trei^oCKXyKTty xoct (lyi<x,or{j^iy Kcx,i itg ts~ ?^»a<riv Toic, Trig-ivaci ciobfoficv • xcc6)i)<i xxl 6 Kufi(^ iif^ar I'/3croy$ Xpifs's ^nTuixTo rok<^ , f/jx^/irouq, hiyuv^ rroOiviivTiq ujx$'/}Ti'j(roiri 'TTZCvTcc TtL s^v:}, /3«:TTi^Tvr£5 fiJvr»5, £<$ to ovofjux rou 7rot,T^q xoti toj vicv, xxl TOW cc^a 7rviVfXj!icr<^ ■ J^AoV on 7rxrfc<; ocXi^divai ov7(^ !T«Tpo5, Kxl biov ocXv^^ivoiti biou ovr©^, xoti TTviVf/jUT^ d^a OiXijSa^ cvT©- 7tyivyjK7<^ oiyin ' Tuv cvoyttUTUv cux ecTrXZi ouas a'^yuv xiif/iiyuvy UxXx tnjfJifCCi^o vTa)V ccx^t^a^ rvy idiX)i i^^av tuv ovofjux- C^of/jiy&Jt VTro^xaiy n xxl h>^xy, xx\ TU^it ' fe-g nvxi rtj y^iy iTTofUTe^
TQAx ' Tvj 3 <rvfji,<pcoytu tv. Luclani Symbol. Apud AthanaC De Synod. Arimin. & Seleuc. Vol. I. p. 892. Ed. Par. So- trat. Hill. Ecclef. Lib. 11. c lo. p. 72, 73= Ed. Par.
K z ther.
132 The true Scripture Doctrine thcr, the Son, and the holy Spirit : Whence it is plain, that the Father is truly a Father, that the Son is truly a Son, and that the holy Spirit is truly a holy Spirit : Thcfe names not being put fimply, as empty founds, but figni- fying accurately, the perfonal fubfiflence, the glory, and the order of the three named -, fo that they are three in perfon, but one in con-» fent." This creed has exprefs'd at large what the author thought was comprehended in the form of baptifm. The Arians, after they had learn'd to equivocate, and play with words, thought fit, at their meeting at Antioch, to adopt ^ this creed for their own > and becaufe the reputation of Lucian was confiderable, he having fuffer'd martyrdom under Galerius Maxi- mine, they affe61:ed to be call'd Collucianifts. Some have thought they forged this creed, but of this there is no proof. ^ They certainly did injury to Lucian, in pretending he was of their opinion, for his creed is entirely contrary to their real fentiments : He has declared his be- lief of Chrifl's truedivinity, in terms full enough, and has intimated his unity with the Father j and if he has not cxprefs'd his confubftantiali- ty, in the llrongell manner, it is not to be wondered at 5 fince it is manifeft, the creed was level'd againfl the Sabellian herefy, which car- ried the confubftantiality fo high, as to make the Father and the Son one perfon.
I ihall next produce the creeds which were ufcd in feveral churches, before the council of Nice, tho' they are of an uncertain date 5 I
' Socrat. Hift. Ecclef. Lib. II. r. lo. Sozomcn. hift. Ec^ clef. Lib. HI. c. 5. VI. c. 12.
* Vid. Bull. Defenf. Fid. Nic. Sed, II. c. 13. p. 144 — 147, al. 160—164.
t fhall
OF THE TrIN ITY. I55
fhall leave them to the reader's judgment 5 only thus much I may juftly plead j fince it is evi- dent, the form of baptifm was thought, by all the catholick writers of the three firft centu- ries, to denote three divine perfons, yet but one God, it mud appear highly reafonable, to take the creeds which are lefs explicit, as to the Deity of the Son and Spirit, in thefenfe which was univerfally received.
The oldeft creed, ^ perhaps, of any that were ufed, as baptifmal creeds, in particular churches, is the creed of Jerufalem, which is explained by Cyril, afterwards bifhop of that church, in his catechetical le6tures, which he, as catechift, read to the candidates for baptifm. The creed which he illuftrated is as follows : ^ ^' I believe in one God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth, and of all things vilible and invifible > and in one Lord Jefus Chrift, the only begotten Son of God, begotten of the Fa- ther before all worlds, the true God, by whom all things were made j who was incarnate, be- came man, was crucified and buried, and rofe from the dead on the third day, and fits on the right hand of the Father, and fhall come to judge the quick and the dead, of whofe king- dom there fhall be no end 5 and in the holy
^ Vid. Bulli Judic. Prim. & Cath. Ecclef. c. 6. p. 325-335. al. 47 — 60.
•" Ui^ivM he, iix Gicy UxTifec rxtroKfUTofec, troijjTui »p«ck5 j^ V?? , cfetruv rt Tnivrcov >^ uofUTUV • ^ f <5 iv» KVfiov Iwif Xfifoi*, Tcr liev tS ©sS fjuoveymf rev c^« t» yrxrfoi ym*)6tvr» s'pa
Nxp»5 • i '? /ixa-iXueK »x trxi rU'^ ' 9^ «<? 75 xyiof fFfivy/X f VXfXKXnroVf 7» hx?SiTxy $\)c tZi Tfe^jj-rwi',
K 3 Spirit,
134 The true Scripture Doctrine
Spirit, the comforter, who fpoke by the pro- phets. "
In the council of Nice, Eufebius, bifhop of Caedirea, in order to fkreen the Arians, propo- fed a creed, which had in it no explicit men- tion of the fon's confublkntiality with the Fa- ther : This creed, as he has afllired us, he was taught when a catechumen 5 into the faith con- tain'd in it he was baptized j and as he had re- ceived it from the biiliops his prcdeceiTors, fo he, from the time of his being a bifliop, con- flantly taught it j which makes it evident, that it was the baptifmal creed ufed in the church of Cacfarea , it runs thus : " " We believe in one God; the Father almighty, creator of all things, vifible, and invifible -, and in one Lord Jcfus Chrift, the Word of God, God of God, light of light, life of life, the only begotten Son, firftborn before all creation, begotten of God the Father, before all worlds; by whom all things were made ; v^^ho for our falvation was incarnate, converled among men, fufFer'd, and rofe again the third day, and afccnded to the Father, and fhall come again in glory to judge the quick and the dead : We believe alfo in one holy Spirit; believing every oneof thefe to be a real perfon, the Father to be truly aFa-
Toy 0IOW Aeyop, &ihf Ik Giou, ^ac, ix. <p&."nq, I^cSv,d Ik ^m<iy hicf foevoyjvU, TTfUTDTOKoy "Tma-YiC, tc-nfriuc^, ^^ TreiyTtuv tuv ec^oovuv Ik "rev &10U rev ttxt^^ ysyivvvf^fio*, ^' oZ y^ iyiviro yu 'TlwirtK. ' T Oicc 7>jy vifjijiTi^uv trwrnQ/isiv (rufKu6ifTeCf ^ c* ecv^uTToic, TroMnv- czlfo/loy • j^ 7ru6ovrcc, <^ uvocfzicvTec rvf rg/iXif --J^Jfts, ^ uvtX6ovTX
Wii^stiofd^ iiq iv TT'jiZi/ju, kyiov ' rarwv tHMTOf uvcn km inuf^ei* Trifiv-
•»T£5, TTOCTi^CC u'M^^i TTUTt^eCf Ku) llOf uXiiQoic, VIOV, KM TFViZfJUtC
OF THE Trinity 155
ther, the Son to be truly a Son, the holy Spi- rit to be truly a holy Spirit : As our Lord him- felf, fending forth his apoflles to preach, fiid, Go teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the holy Spirit." This creed was very wifely laid afidc by the council, bccaufe it was not exprefs e- nough, as to th^e point then in debate, being le^el'd againfl: another error, that of Sabellius, as any one will fee, who reads it.
Some have thought the creed ufed in the church of Antioch, to be that of which part is preferved by Caflian. ^ " The text and faith of the creed of Antioch is this. I believe in one only true God, the Father almighty, maker of "all creatures, vifible and invifible j and in our Lord Jefus Chrift, his only begot- ten Son, the firflborn before all creatures, be- gotten of him before all ages, and not made, true God of true God, confubdantial with the Father, by whom the worlds were framed, and all things were made j who for us came, and was born of the virgin Mary, and v/as cruci'
c-UTi TnLyTco roe. %ij, ficcTni^evng uvTiic, he, iv cvof/jo, roZ Trar^i, %ta rou iiov, >ccci toZ cly.^ 7rviVfjuocT(^. EufeblUS in Epift.
apud Socrat. Hill. Ecclcf. Lib. I. c. 8. p. 20, 21. Ed. Par.
° Textus ergo & fides Antiocheni fymboli haec eft. Credo in unum & folum verum Deum, Patrem omnipotentem, crea- torem omnium vifibilium & invifibilium creaturarum : Et in Dominum noftrum Jefum Chriftum, Filium ejus unige- nitum, & primogenitum totius creaturae, ex eo natum ante omnia faccula, & non faftum, D^um verum ex Deo vero, homooufion Patri, per quem & faecula compaginata funt, & omnia fada ; Qui propter nos venit, & natus eft ex Maria virgine, & cruciiixus Tub Pontio Pilato, & fepultus, & tertia die refurrexit, fecundum fcripturas, & in codes afcendit, & veniet, iudicare vivos & mortuos. Caflian de In-
iterum vemet, judicare carnat. Lib. 6. p. 1272.
K4
fied
il6 The true Scripture Doctrine fied under Ponrius Pilate, and buried, and the third day he rofe again according to the fcrip- tures, and afcended into heaven, and he will come again to judge the quick and the dead."
The Roman creed is, as I before obferved, what is generally cali'd the apoftlcs creed j ori- ginally it was in this form. P '' I believe in God the Father almighty > and in Jefus Chrifl his only Son our Lord, who was born by the holy Spirit, of the virgin Mary, was crucify'd and buried -, on the third day he rofe again from the dead, and afcended into heaven, where he fits at the right hand of the Father, from thence fie fhall come to judge the quick and the dead j I believe in the holy Spnit.'' This is the fa- vourite creed of our modern Arians, who ad- mire it, becaufe it is not explicit as to the Dei- ty of the Son and the Spirit ^ but it is certain, as much was meant by Chrift being the only Son of God, before hereticks found out the way of evading it, as was afterwards by his be- ing confubflantial with the Father: Befides, iwe cannot have a better evidence, that in this creed faith was profefs'd in three perfons, as one God, than what may be drawn from the words of Dennis, bifhop of the church that ufed it ^ which I have produced ^ above.
P Credo in Deum Patrcm omnipotentem ; Sc in Jefum Chriftum Filium ejus unicum, Dominum nollrum ; qui de Spiritu fanfto natus ex Maria virgine ; pafTus Tub Pontio Pilato, criicinxus & fepultus, tertia die relurrexit a niortiiis, afcendit ad coelos, fedet ad dexteram Patris, inde venturus judicare vivos & mortuos: Credo in Spiritum fandum.
'^ Vid. Bui]. Judic. Ecclef. Prin-u c. 5. p. 312—323. a]. 3?— 46-
Bifhop Stillingfiect's vindication of the Trinity, ch. 9. p. 224—229.
Dr. Waterland's Icrmons, p. 328, 329, 330.
' See above p. 123, 124.
The
OF THE Tr I N I T Y. 137
The creed of Aquileia, of which Ruffin, a prefbyter of that church, wrote an expofition, is much the fame with the Roman creed. ^ '^ I beheve in God the Father almighty, invifible, and impaflible j and in Jefus Chrill, his only Son our Lord, who was born by the Spirit, of the virgin Mary, was crucified under Pontius Pilate, and buried, he defcended beneath, and on the third day rofe again from the dead, and afcended into heaven, where he fits at the right hand of the Father, from whence he fliall come to judge the quick and the dead > and in the holy Spirit."
Alexander, the pious bifhop of Alexandria, who firft difcover'd Arius, has mfertcd in a Let- ter he wrote to Alexander biihop of Conftan- tinople, a confeflion of faith, Vv^hich he has ai- fured us the church had always received. I fhall give fo ' much of it, as relates to my prefent purpofe. "We believe, astheapodolick church has done, in one unbegotten Father, who has none to be the caufe of his exigence, unchange- able and unalterable, always fubfilling in the fame manner, and capable neither of addition,
^ Credo in Deum Patrem omnipotentem, inviribilcm, & impaffibilem ; ■& in Jefum Chriftum, unicum iilium ejus, Dominum noftrum, qui natus eft de Spiritu fancflo &c Maria virgine, cruciiixus fub Pontic Pilato, & iepultus, defcendit ad inferna, tertia die refurrexit a mortuis, afccndit in coe- los, fcdet ad dexteram Patris, inde venturus eft judicarc vivos & mprtuos : Et in Spiritum fandlum. Vid Ruffini Ex- polit. in fy mbolum, ad calc. Cyprian, p. 532— .557. Edit. Pamel.
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fiei • )itn iKi iyot. K'j^tcv lijnvf XjXfo)', 751- iiov roZ Qiov rh i^oycysyy;,
no;
13 8 The TRUE Scripture Doctrine
nor diminution, the giver of the law, the pro- phecies and the gofpels, the Lord of the pa- triarchs, the apoftles, and all the faints 5 and in one Lord Jefus Chrift, the only begotten Son of God, not begotten from nothing, but of the iubftance of the Father, not in a bodily way, nor by abfcifiions, or divided emanations, which is the opinion of Sabellius and Valentinus ; but in an ineffable and inexplicable manner : His fubfiftence cannot be invefrigated, by what is feen in any created nature, as the father himfelf is alfo unfearchabie 5 for no rational nature can attain to the knowledge of the manner of the Son's divine generation of the Father : We have learn'd, that the Son is unchangeable and unal- terable, as the Father, needing no addition, a perfeft Son, like the Father, only not unbe- gotten 5 he is the moil exa<5t image of the Father: We believe, that the Son was always with the Father, but let not any take the ex- preflion always to denote being unbegotten,
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OF THE Trinity. 139
as fome whofe minds are blinded think : The expreffions, he was, always, and before ages, are not the fame with unbegotten : We muft pre- ferve to the unbegotten Father his proper dig- nity, and affirm that none can be the caufe of his exiftence : And we muft attribute to the Son his due honour, allowing to him a gene- ration of the Father without beginning, and worfhiping him j ufing the exprellions, he was, always, and before ages, in a pious fenfej not denying his Godhead, but allowing an exa<5t likenefs to the image and character of the Fa- ther 5 taking unbegotten, as the fole property of the Father. The holy fcriptures teach us, befides thefe pious fentiments concerning the Father and the Son, to confefs one holy Spirit, who has renew'd all the holy men, under the old teftament, and all divine inftruftors, under that call'd the new teftament."
When Arianifm begun to fpread, in order to put fome ftop to it, the Emperor Conftantine the great, caufed three hundred and eighteen bifhops to meet at Nice \ there Arius was con- demn'd, and the following creed, drawn up by Hofius bifhop of Corduba, was agreed upon, u (c \i^Q believe in one God, the Father al- mighty, maker of all things, vifible and invi- fible i and in one Lord Jeftis Chrift, the only
T))p< rcy srarpo? cuTrtixfi/Sofiiiytjt sfA(Pi^iiuty kxtoc 'Ttuvtcc, ecvuridiv^
^f«4 T TV) iv<ri^ii rocvTYi Trtol srotToe^ jcetl hiou iV|vj, Kstva^ iuioiq Ui ireixi y^u^xi oiducKaanv, tv Trnuf/jsc uy.ov of/jOAcyoufiiiVy to
;i:;po5/w/«Ti(^a(r;j5 KXtm Trxi^ivru^ 3-£««§. Alexander Alexandrin. Epift. ad Alexand. Conftantinop. apud Theodoretura Hift. Ecclef. Lib. I. c. 4. p. 17, 18.
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begot-
140 The true Scripture Doctrine
begotten of the Father, that is, begotten of the Father's fubftancci God of God, light of light, true God of true God, begotten not made, confubftantial with the Father, by whom all things were made, things in heaven, and things in earth j who for us men, and for our falvation defcended, took flefh, became man, fuffer*d, rofe again the third dayjand afcended into heaven,from whence hefhall come to judge the quick and the dead j and in the holy Spirit. Such as fay, there was a time v/hen the Son of God was not, that he was not before he was begotten, that he was made out of nothing, or of any other fubflance or efTence, that he is created or changeable, or liable to alteration, the catholick and apoftoHck church excommunicates.'* There were great outcries made againft the term confubftantial, it was pretended to be of human invention, and unfcriptural, but the orthodox bifhops were not to be bantcr'd out of their reafon, by fuch a fenfelefs cry, they inferred it in their creed, becaufe they found the Arians fo violently op- pofed it, and they meant ^^ by it, that Chrifl is of the fame cflence or fubftance with the Fa-
yinfi^iyToc o'j TTOivfiifTX, ofAoicrict r^ TTxrfi^ ol it TTuvrx sytYiTe, TUTi ci TV Kpaty^J, ku] tu *7rt t^ yij^ • Try ai )i^ei<; Ttc5 aVpA"P»(, xoti dlx TKf yujysTi^uv crwTJjpi'oty y.xTi?i6cyTCiy kx] (ru^KuSinti, Ivecv- ^^aZiia-oiVTot,, TTU^cfTce. xccl tlrx^vTO, rvi rfrrvj fifJUifott kx) aVfAOcvTcfl s<5 TOO? if^a^ir?, if^^inv xfot«x» ^mrx^ kxi viKfuq • *«< »<5 rv 5r>ii>^//« TO Bcyiov. T»? ^ Afycirr*?, vii Tf'tn, eri h'k vit, xxi Tr^iv yivvyj^ivxi ouK «*, Kxl on e| eux. orrtkii lytnroy u i| tTtf«« VTrV" ^ucit>)e,yi ou(Axs <Pxar}{Civrx<; >:i\ai, >i jcTifcy, »j rp«5rr<y, u x^^Xciuret Ttf liO¥ ©SCO, TKTt»5 ccvx9))fjiiX-nl^u if tcxSoXixr} xxi XTFcertXiftr] IkkMo^cc.
"^ Vid. Bull. Defenf. Fid. Nic. Sea.II. cap.i. p. 2-;— 35. See alfo Dr. Waterland's firfl dcfenfe of his queries, p.
461 — i74-
Pr. Bcrriman's Killorical account, p. 170-^1 90.
ther.
OF THE Trinity^ 141
ther, and is with him the one true and eternal God. The reafon why fo Htcle is faid about the holy Spirit, was, the Arians had not declared themfelves about his divinity, contenting them- felves with venting their malice againft the divi- nity of the Son. Our modern Arians -^ tell us, the fenfe of the Nicene creed is belt to be un- derflood from Eufebius of Caefarea > but no good reafon can be given, why a perfon of his unfleady and uncertam principles, fhouid better undcrftand it, than Athanafius who was more uniform : For the fupport of this precarious furmife, they ridiculoully refer us to the books he wrote, before the council, which is greatly expofing themfelves, while they endeavour to abufe their readers.
Athanafius was a perfon who made the bold- eft ftand of any againft Arianifms it may not thejefore be amifs to fet down one of his con- feffions of faith, v " We believe in one unbe- gotten God, the Father almighty, maker of all things vifible and invifible, who has his ex- iftence from himfelf 5 and in one only begot- ten Word, Wifdom, and Son, eternally begot- ten of his Father, without beginning 5 not a bare word fpoke forth, not a bare thought, (in the eternal mind,) not an emanation from the perfea beings not an abfciflion from the im- paffible nature, not a production 3 but a perfedb
^ See Jackfon's repl)r to Dr. Waterland, p. 389, 390.
7at 7roi»Tt^.v, ofoCTuyn kcci ccc^^rav • tvi ip^oyrx u(p' txuTou rotivx,,
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SoDj
t42 The true Scripture Doctrine
Son, a living and^operating peifon, the true image of his Father, equal in power and glory 3 true God of true God> almighty of almighty > for the Son prefides and rules over all things, which the Father prefides and rules over> whole of whole, for he was begotten ineffably and in- comprehcnfibly •, who, in the fulnefs of time, came down from the bofom of the Father, and affumed of Mary, an undefiled virgin, into uni- on with himfclf, a man like us, Jefus Chrril j his humanity he freely gave up to fuffer for us, and in our nature he was crucified, and died for us -y he rofe from the dead and was received into heaven > being created the beginning of God's ways to us, whilft he was on earth, he nvanifeiled light out of darknefs, falvntion out of ruin, and life out of death 5 and open'd to us a way into paradife, which Adam forfeited, and an entrance into heaven, where he, in his exalted hum.an nature, has entered, as our fore- runner, in which nature he will judge the quick and the dead. \\'e believe alfo ni the holy Spi-
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OF THE Trinity. 145
rit, who' fearches all things, even the deep things of God : Condemning all contrary opi- nions y for we do not believe the Son to be the Father, as the Sabellians do, who make him the fame perfon, and not of the fame fubftance with the Father, and fo in effe6b deftroying the Son : Neither do we take the body he aflumed for the falvation of the whole world, to belong to the Father : Nei- ther do we admit three divided perfons, fuch as three men> left w^e fhould run into the do- lytheifm of the heathens : The Father is not the Son, nor is the Son the Father, for the Father is the real Father of the Son, and the Son is the real Son of the Father : We do not beheve he can be a creature, or made out of nothing, who is God the creator of the uni- verfe, the Son of God, who exifts of him who exifts> who is one of one> and who as he was eternally begotten of the Father, is alike pof- fefs*d of glory and power : It is manifeft that all things were created by the Son, and confe- quently he cannot be a creature. " This con- felTion the great Athanafius drew up, w^hcn he firft enter'd the lifts againft thofe who defy'd Chrift the living God 3 to this faith he ad- hered all his life long 5 for the fake of this he endured perfecution and baniihment from the Anansj and in this belief, after he had been
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/^-. Athanaf. Expo^ Fid. Vol. I. p. .40, 241. Ed. Paris, Vol. I. p. 99, 100. Ed. Bencd. ^ ^ ^
hunted
'i44 The true Scripture Doctrine
hunted about the world, by that barbarous and blood-thirfty fadion, he . quietly yielded his fpirit to his mighty and glorious redeemer, for whofe fake he willingly luffered the lofs of all things, rather than he would deny him, or connive at fuch who did.
There are two creeds infcrted by Epipha- nius, in a treatife of his: ^ The firlf, and the fhorter, he has told us, contains the faith re- ceived from the apo files, and eftablifhM by above three hundred and ten bifhops -, by which he mufl; be undcrllood to mean, that it is a creed agreeable to the faith own'd at Nice -, tho' the treatife in which it is, was wrote be- fore the council of Conftantinople met> yet this creed is the fame which was there fix'd upon 5 therefore it is probable Epiphanius, af- ter the firfl: publifliing of his book, might in- fert the additions, which that council made to the Nicene creed. The larger creed is chiefly levcPd againfh the ApoUinarian fcheme, which had the greateil run in the time intervening, between the two general councils of Nice and Conllantinople. It runs thus j ^ We believe in one God, the Father almighty, maker of all things, vifible and inviliblc, and in one Lord JefusChrift, the Son of God, begotten of God the Father, the only begotten, that is of the fubftance of the Father, God of God, light of light, true God of true God, begotten not made, confubftantial with the Father, by whom
* Vid. Epiphan. Ancorat. c. 119, 120. Vol. II. p. 122, 123. Ed. Par.
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OF THE Trinity. 145
all things were made, things in heaven, and things on earth, things vifible and invifiblej who for us men, and for our falvation, came down and was incarnate, that is, was perfc6tly born of Mary, always a virgin, by the holy Spirit} who was made man, that is, received the entire human nature, foul, body, mind, and whatever is in man, fin only excepted 5 not by the feed of man, nor by being in man, but by framing flefh into one holy union with him- felf } not as he infpired the prophets, fpoke by them, and wrought in them, but by perfedly becoming man : For the word was made flefh, not by undergoing a change, nor by turning Godhead into manhood, but by making one entire and divine union 5 for there is one Lord Jefus Chrifl:, and not two, the fame God, the fame Lord, the fame King •, who fuffcr'd in the flefh, rofe again, afcended into the heavens in his body, and glorioufly fat down at the right hand of the Father, and will come in the fame body, to judge the quick and the dead > of
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L whofe
146 The true Sciiipture DodTRiNE
whofe kingdom there will be no end. And wc believe in the hol^ Spirit, who delivered the law, who preach'd by the prophets, who de- icended on Chriil at Jo^ bn, who fpoke by the apoilles, who d /ells in the faints : Thus we be- lieve in him, th x he i^ the holy Spirit, the Spi- rit of God, tiie per^>6t Spirit, the Spirit the Comforter, uncreated, proceeding from the Fa- ther, received from the Son. Thofe that fay there was a time when the Son and the Spirit were not, that they were made out of nothing, or of any different fubfiftence, or effence, who fay the Son of God^ or the holy Spirit, are changeable or alterable, the holy and apoftolick church excommunicates."
When the herefy of Macedonius, who de-* ny'd the divinity of the holy Spirit, made it ne- ceffary, that the creed ihould be enlarged on that head •, the Emperor Theodofius the great appointed a council of an hundred and fifty bilhops to meet at Conftantinople -, thefe agreed to the following creed drawn up by Gregory, lately bifhop of Nazianzum, then of Conftan- tinople, and Gregory bilhop of Nyffa. ^ " We believe in one God, the Father almighty, ma- ker of all things, vilible and invifible 5 and in
>i-/i(rcc9 if vcf/jce^ x.cci k^i^uv h Toit^ z-pcipriTUfq, aca xccrulSciy sth T 'lf)^aMvy}v, }\u.\zx)v h ci.7ri>^?\.oi(;j oiKoZv iv oi^oic, 'aruc, ' 'j %'iTii>of//iii iv ccvTM^ en in Trvivfjux kyicv, z-vtZfjuu Qiou, T^nvfjucc 7rA«ov, TryiZ- fXicc %u.^KXyiTc'j, uy^Ti^oVy iK Tru iioZ ^«Tp«5 tKTrepiVcf^oVf xdi iK rcZ lieu XciLOj2uyoi3jiiov, Tclt(; S ?ii'yo\/rcc^ on viv ttoti ort oCk.
r . s -A V ' ^ ' '. ,,' ,\ -f' ,>.,./ . ' .1 >»
Vj-i W1C5, « TO TTViVfJUCC VB a^UV, ti OTi it, OiiK CtTUV f^-tyiTOy V, £§
•7;p«? vTro^fTiO}^ Yi ovT^oic, ' cpeca-Kovruq siycci rfiTTTsf r, uXXoiwrvv T vuv roZ QscZ, ii TV uytov TTViZ/jjcc • r»Tif^ ocvu^tfjoxT^i^et ii kx6c' P.<xv5, y.cil ocTToToXiKVi EjcxPiWa. In Epiphan. Ancorat. c. 12I.
Tli^-ivofd/i lie, tax ©joi/ 9r«77p« TTxvTOK^Tt^ciy TreniT^v cCfxycu
I one
OF theTrinitV. 147
One Lord Jefus Chrifl, the only begotten Son of God, begotten of his Father before all worlds, God of God, light of light, very God of very God; begotten not made > confubftantial with the Father J by whom all things were madej who for us men, and for our falvation came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the holy Spirit, of the virgin Mary, and was made man, and was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate, and fuffer'd, and was buried, and on the third day rofe again, according to the fcrip- tures, and fate on the right hand of the Father, and fliall come with glory to judge the quick and the dead j of whofe kingdom there fhall be no end : And we believe in the holy Spirit, the Lord and the author of life, who with the Fa- ther and the Son is worfhip'd and glorified, who fpoke by the prophets."
I {hall conclude my collection of ancient creeds, with that truly excellent creed, v/hich is call'd the Athanafian creed. ^ " Whoever will be faved, it is above all things necefiary, that he hold the catholick faith j which unlefs a per- fon keep entire and uncorrupt, he fhall perifh
lr/(rovv Xp<f5v T" iiiv ToZ QioVf fjoovoyi*'^, rav Ik rcZ •xa.r^cc, yevni}^ B-ivrx, TT^o Tizivruv tuv UiUvm ' Qtov ix. Qicu, ^Zq Ik (p&ircq, ©sov ficXt}6hlv Ik ©jom ocM&mZ' ymi9tyTcc ou xoirMyra. ' cfjitcinrio r^ TTocrff, ^i at Tmvrec iyivzTo ' T ^i yf//oc^ tcvc, uy$(a7ris(;, kocI ^as Tijv if/iOJTifctv <r<yT>jp<«v, KXT(>.6cvToi. Ik tS)/ eCpxvZv, Kcn o-«p««y- ^iVTd iK XviVf/iUT(^ K^in, Kul Mstfixq T? TTupkyn, xul ivXvS^UTTil- a-»vrx • ^uv^o6ivrc6 rt y^rsp iS'foa'y, l"^ Uo'ma n<Aft£r«y, Kxi ttx- .^evree, k»« rx<PifTcc, kxI oitic^vrx rv« rptrj; yfJitif^, kutU tk^
Tou !T«rpo?, Kul "JTuXiv l^^f/jivo* f/fivoi ^'Ij;? xfvxi ^avrxt; kx\ 'ixf ¥? ' ot> T?5 /SoeciAiise; cuk s^ut teA(^. Kxl iic, t« tfvuj^x ro» Kyioy, xjjjjioir, Kxl ^uoTTtikoVf TO cvt jr«rpi kxI li^ (rvvz-^etrKwc-
*^ Quicunque vult falvari, ante omnia opus eft, ut teneat catholicam fidem j quam nifi quis integrara inviolatamque
L z for
148 The true Scripture Doctrine for ever. Now the catholick faith is this ; that we worihip one God in Trinity, and Tri- nity in Unity, not confounding the perfons, nor dividing the fubftance -y for there is one per- fon of the Father, another of the Son, and ano- ther of the holy Spirit 3 but the divinity of the Father, the Son, and the holy Spirit, is one, their glory equal, and their majefty coeternal. Such as is the Father, fuch is the Son, and fuch is the holy Spirit : The Father is uncreated, the Son is uncreated, the holy Spirit is uncrea- ted : The Father is immenfe, the Son is im- menfe, and the holy Spirit is immenfe : The Father is eternal, the Son is eternal, and the holy Spirit is eternal : Yet there are not thfee eternals, but one eternal 3 fo Hkewife there are not three that are immenfe, nor three that are uncreated, but one who is uncreated and im- menfe : In like manner the Father is almighty, the Son is almighty, and the holy Spirit is al- mighty, and yet there are not three almighties, but one almighty : The Father is God, and the Son is God, and the holy Spirit is God, and
fervaverit, abfque dubio in aeternum perlbit. Fides autem catholica haec eft ; ut unum Deum in Trinitate, & Trinita- tem in Unitate veneremur ; neque confundentes perfonas, neque fubftiintiam feparantes : alia eft enim perfona Patris, alia Filii, alia Spiritus fanfti ; fed Patris, & Filii, & Spiri- tus fan6li, eft una Divinitas, aequalis gloria, coaeterna ma- jeftas. Qualis Pater, talis Filius, talis & Spiritus fandus : Increatus Pater, incrcatus Filius, increatus & Spiritus fanc- tus : Immenfus Pater, immenfus Filius, immenfus & Spiri- tus fandlus : Aeternus Pater, aeternus Filius, aeternus & Spi- ritus fandus ; Et tamen non tres aeterni, fed unus aeternus; ficut non tres increati, nee tres immenfi, fed unus increatus, & unus immenfus : Similiter omnipotens Pater, omnipotens Filius, omnipotens & Spiritus fandlus ; & tamen non tres omnipotentes, fed unus omnipotens : Ita Dcus Pater, Deus Filius, Deus & Spiritus fandlus ; 8c tamen noa tres Dii, ftd
yet
OF THE TRINIXr. X^g
yet there are not three Gods, but God is one; The Father is Lord, the Son is Lord, and the holy Spirit is Lord, and yet there are not three Lords, but one Lord : Becaufc as the chriftian faith obHges us to confefs every perfon, fingly, to be God, and Lord, Co the cathohck rehgion forbids us to fay, there are three Gods, or three Lords. The Father is of none, neither made nor created, nor begotten : The Son is of the Father alone, not made, nor created, but be-, gotten y the holy Spirit is of the Father and the Son, not made, nor created, nor begotten, but proceeding : Therefore there is one Father, not three Fathers j one Son, not three Sons, and one holy Spirit, not three holy Spirits : And in this Trinity, none is before, or after the other 5 none is greater, or lefs than another; but all the three perfons are cocternal and coequal 5 fo that in all things, as was faid before, the Le- nity in Trinity, and the Trinity in Unity is to be worlhip'd. He therefore that would be faved, muft thus think concerning the Trinity. It is farther necelTary to eternal falvation, that
unus eft Deus : Ita Dominus Pater, Dominus Filius, Domi- nus & Spiritus fandus ; & tamen, non tres Domini, fed unus eft Dominus: Quia (icut figillatim unamquamq; perfonam, & Deum, & Dominum, confiteri chriftiana veritate compel- limur; ita tresDeos, aut Dominos dicere catholica rcligione prohibemur. Pater a nullo eft, neque faftus, nee creatus, nee genitus; Filius a Patre folo eft, non faftus, nee creatus, fed genitus ; Spiritus fanftus a Patre & Filio eft, non faftus, nee creatus, nee genitus eft, fed procedens : Unus ergo Pater, non tres Patres; unus Filius, non trcs Filii; unus Spiritus fanftus, non tres Spiritus fandli. Et in hac Trini- tate nihil prius aut pofterius, nihU majus aut minus, fed totae tres perfonae coaeternae funt, & coaequales ; ita ut per onnmia,^ ficut jam fupra diftum eft, & unitas in Trinitate, ^^"!^^^^^ ^" Unitate veneranda fit. Qui vult ergo falvus clie, Ita d« Trinitate fentiat : Scd neceflarium eft, ad aeter-
L } every
X5C The true Scripture Doctrine every one fhould have a right belief of the in- carnation of our Lord Jefus Chrift. The true faith is, that we beheve our Lord Jefus Chrift, the Son of God, to be both God and man j he is God, of the fubftance of the Father, be- gotten before all worlds > and, man of the fub- ftance of his mother, born in time^ perfe61: God, and perFedl man > made up of a reafonable foul, ^nd human flefh 5 equal to the Father, as to his Deity, and inferior to the Father, as to his l7umanity : Who tho' he is both God and man, is not two, but one Chrifti one, not by turn- ing the Godhead into flefh, but by taking the human nature to God j one altogether, not by confufion of fubftance, but by unity of per- fon -y for as the reafonable foul and the flefh make up one m.an'j fo God and man make up one Chrill: , who fuffer'd for our falvation, de- fcended beneath, rofe again the third day from the dead, and afcended into heaven, where he iits at the right hand of the Father, from thence he fhall come to judge the quick and
nam falutem, ut incarnationem quoque Domini noftri Jefu Chrift fideliter credat ; eft ergo Fides refta, ut credamus, C^ confiteamur, quod Domimis nofter Jefus Chriftus, Dei Fill us, Deus paritcr, & homo eft : Deus eft, ex fubftantia Patris, ante faecula genitus; Homo ex fubftantia matris, in f^ecalo n.itus : Perfeftus Deus, perfe(flus homo, ex anima rv:ionali, & humana carne fubfiftens ; aequalis Patri, fecun- dum humanitatem. Qui licet Deus Ut, & homo, non duo tamen, fed unus eft Chriftus ; unus autem non, converfion? Divinitatis in' carnem, fed-alTumptione humanitatis in Deum; Unus omnino, non confufione fubftantiae, fed unitate per- fome : Nam ficut anima rationalis & caro unus eft homo, ita Deus & homo unus eft Chriftus : Qui paffus eft pro falute poftra, dcfcendit ad inferos, tertia die refurrexit a mortuis, afcendit ad coelos, fedet ad dexteram Patris, inde venturus JuiTcare vivos & mof fuos : Ad cujus advcntum omnes ho- mines refurgere habent, cum ccrpojibus fuis, & yeddituri
the
OF THE Trinity 151
the dead 5 at whofe comirg all men iliall rife with their bodies, and fhall give an account of their adions 5 and fuch as have done good, iliall go into eternal life -, but fuch as have done evil, fhall go into everlafting fire. This is the catholick faith, and except a man faithfully and firmly believe it, he cannot be iavcd. "
This admirable fummary of the chriftian faith, as to the great do6trines of the Trinity and the incarnation, has ^ met with the eileeni it deferves, among all that have at heart the welfare of chrilHanity. Some have endea- vour'd ^ to run it down, bccaufe it contains more articles than the creed of the apoilles, who certainly would have comprehended all necellary points in their form j but this pro- ceeds from meer ignorance, in taking the Ro- man creed to be drav/n up by the apoilles. Others ^ infolently have pronounc'd it to be a compofition of an obfcure author, in one of the darkeft and moft ignorant ages of the church > but fuch rudenefs is to be defpifed : Others have depreciated it, by llraining what they call the damnatory claufes, to an unreafonable rigor, but they never could prove, that thofe claufes are to be taken in the fenfe they would put up- on them.
The creed under conlideration was certainly
funt de faftis propriis rationem : Et qui bon.i egerunt, ibunt in vitam aeternam ; qui vero mala, in ignem aeter- niim. Haec eft fides catholica, quam niri quifque fidelitcr firmiterqiie crediderit, falvus efie non poteft.
'^ See Dr. Waterland's critical liiftory of the Athanafian creed, c. 6. p. 78— 98.
* See bifhop Taylor's liberty of prophecying, Seft. I. §• 7, IG, II, 12. Se6l. II. §. 25, 27. VifitatioiY Sermon ou Titus ii. 7.
i See Clarke's Script. D06I. p. 447. firil Edit.
L 4 drawn
152 The true Scripture Doctrine drawn up by a Latin author, and g whoever is acquainted with the flate ot the controverfies, which were agitated in the fifth century, will readily grant, that it muft be drawn up before the debates occaiion'd by the contrary herefies of Neflorius and Eutyches ; that is not long after the beginning of the fifth century. It is very probable it was made in France, and tho' it is hardly pofTible to be certain, who was the author of it j yet it may, perhaps, be more juft- ly ^ attributed to Hilary bifhop of Aries, than to any other perfon.
I have made it evident that the form of bap- tifm has been always underflood in the ancient churches, of three divine perfons, and one God. I need not fhew, that for the laft twelve hun- dred ye:^rs, the fame faith has prevailed, becaufe none will deny it. The behaviour of the Ari- ans, with relation to baptifm, made it evident, that they were confcious of the inconfiftence of their notions, with the form given by Chriil. Therefore they took the freedom to vary the form, when they rcbaptized any. The chief of thefe Arian anabaptilb was Eunomius, ^ he rebaptized fuch as came off from the catholick faith, and the femi-arian fcheme, in the name of the uncreated God, of the created Son, and of the fan61:ifying Spirit, created by that created Son : Sometimes he and his adhe- rents were not fo impudent, but baptized
2 See Dr.Waterland's critical hiftory, c. 7. p. 99— ii6- ^ See Dr. Waterland's critical hiftory, c. 8. p. 1 1 7 — 12.4-
TlVf/jlVHy KOtl in etOfJUOC 7rnVfJbCCT(^ uyiCi^-lKOV , Kxl OTTO TOU KiX~
'ria-f^a iiou xTic&irr®-. Epiphanius, Vol. I, p. 992. Ed. Par.
^^into
OF THE Trinity.' 151
^ into the death of Chrift > at other times the Arians ^ baptized in the name of the Father, by the Son, in the holy Spirit. It can never be imagin'd, that thefebold innovators would have made themfelvesfo odious, in changing the form given by Chrift, if they had not been confcious, it was inconliftent with their fcheme.
The faith into which chriftians are baptized is this, There is but one God, yet there are three perfons, the Father, the Son, and the ho- ly Spirit, which are equally divine, and muft be together the one God, fince God is but one. This is the faith which has been received in the chriftian churches from the beginning, and^ this faith, I doubt not, will continue univer- fally to prevail, till all the chofen people are gathered in, and united in one general ailembly and church, in the pure realms of blefTednels above. In that happy country, the noife of controverfies will ceafe -, and none inhabiting that defireable and pleafant land, will ever have any diminifhing thoughts of the Son and the holy Spirit, rife up in their breafts. All who are brought to fta'nd in the prefence of God, drefs'd in the unblemifhM robes of innocence and immortality, will know, that all the three divine perfons were concerned in bringing
^ To ^uTrria-f/ifCt !Tc<pj^'p«|«y, oC r^ hi rr^v T^ix^ec, «;AA* itg Tor Xp<^oy /Sccni^aa-i ^ecvxToii, Socrat. Hifl. Ecclef. Lib. V. c. 24. p. 240. Ed. Par.
'E^XTTTil^cf el TFifi 'EvvefA/iOfy eux, ht; r^ii<i Kocroi^a-iK;, ^AA* l<$ fj/ica^ h(i Toy ^ecvccrov, tog i<p%trx.oyy roZ x^p/», ^uTfntpvnq ' cf et7ru% ///Eir «AA' cu^ iU, « rfiq t/Tjp iifji^ay ccn^i^ccTo. Philoflor-
gius. Lib. X. c. 4. p. 523. Ed. Par.
tjSxTFTifrt}, ' {ixTTTJ^lTUi BoC^^U^ U^ TO CVOfJUOC TcZ ^<«TpO§, ^ W<fl«
h d-i^u mit^yutcn. Theodorus Lcftor. Hift. Ecclef. Lib. II. p. 562. Ed. Par.
them
154 The true Scripture Doctrine,&c
them thither -, and as they owe their happinefs to the facred three, they will join in direding the fame fongs of praife to God the Father of mercies, who chofe them to himfelf, before the foundation of the world, to God the Son, who redeemed them from wrath, by fhedding his own precious blood, and to God the holy Spi- rit, who renew'd and fandbified them, and con- ducted them fafe, through the wildernefs of this world, into the land of uprightnefs, the coun^ try of reft and pure delight.
To the holy and ever blefled Trinity in Uni- ty, Unity in Trinity, God the Father, God the Son, and God the holy Spirit, be afcribed, as has been from the beginning, all praife, ho- nour, and glory, majefty, might and 'domini- on, now, henceforth, and for evermore. A'^ men.
THE
i?tijciv^v|}4?4'<^4'"t'4?4'4"f'4'4'4?4'4'4'4^^4'4'i**<l»<l'^''
THE TRUE
Scripture Doarine
OF THE
TRINITY.
Part the Second-
Containing the feparatc proofs of the true, proper, and fupreme Divinity of Christ.
%IK^"
THE TRUE
Scripture Doftrine
O F T H E
TRINITY.
Part the Second.
N the preceding part of this work I have given the proofs, which may be drawn from fcripture, of the equal glory of the three divine perfons in the blefTed Trinity. I
(hall, in this
part.
confider the
feparate evidence there is in the oracles of truth, for the true and fupreme Deity of the fecond perfon, Chrift the eternal Son. If the fcrip- ture is carefully fearch'd, this important doc- trine of the Divinity of our Saviour will not appear to be a remote confequence, drawn from obfcure hints, laid down in it 5 on the con- trary, it will appear to be a truth, that ihines there with the cleareit and brightefl light j and t i«
15 B The true Scripture Doctrine
is founded on proofs as full and flrong, as any rational man can dcfire.
Chrift, in fcripture, is reprefented under the chara6ler of mediator, and as fuch he is God the Father's righteous fervant j therefore it is no wonder, if we find him fometimes repre- fented, as fubordinate and infenor to the Fa- ther, in the offices he voluntarily undertook, in order to bring about our redemption. No- thing but prejudice and prepofieiTion can make men take what is faid of Chrift as mediator, to be meant of him, confider'd in his high eft capacity, becaufe there are as high things faid. of him elfewhcre, as are in any place, of the Fa- ^ ther.
Chrift is one with the Father in nature, or of the fame fubftance, and is equal to him 5 he Has taken the incommunicable name of Jeho- vah 'y he is caird God, without any reftridion, or hmitation 5 the titles of fupremacy belong to him i the attributes of God are predicated of him, for he is eternal, unchangeable, he knows all things, he is every where prefent, and is invefted with almighty power j he is the creator of all things, and other works are done by him, which require divine powers to per- form them > and he is the objcdt of our wor- Ihip, and all creatures are obliged to adore him.
This is the fcripture account of Ghrift's Di- vinity : If this be proved, as it certainly may, and as I ihall endeavour to do, by the affiftance of that ^ Spirit, who is to lead into all truth ^ it will appear moft abfurd, to fuppofc our blef-
* Qui mare, qui terras, qui coclum numine comples, Spiritus alme, tuo liceat mihi munere rcgem
fed
bF THE TRiNltrr 159
fed redeemer a creatiire, or an inferior derived being. There can be no middle being, between the infinite God, and the creatures of his hands forming > therefore, fince God is but one, it \^ill follow, from Chrifl's having the divine names, titles, and attributes, that he, with the Father, is the one fupreme God, bleflcd for ever.
Bis genitum dicere, e fuperi qui fede parentis, Virginis intaftae gravidam defcendit in alvum, Mortalefquc auras haufit puer, ut genus ultus Humanum eriperet tenebris, & carcerc iniquo, Morte fua, manefque pios inferret olympo : Ilium fponte hominum morientem ob crimina tcllus Aegra tulit, puduitque poli de verticc folem Afpicere, & tenebris infuetis terruit orbem : Fas mihi, te duce, mortali immortalia digno Ore loqui, interdumque oculos attolkrc coelo, £t lucem accipere aetheream. n
M. Hicronymus Vida, Cliriftiad. Lib. I. v. i, &cl
CHAP.
160 The true Scripture Doctrine
C H A P. L
Chrift's Divinity proved, from his con- fubftantiality with the Father, or from his being one with the Father, in na- ture and fubftance.
Shall begin my arguments for Chrift's true and proper Divinity, with confi-
dering that plain proof of it, which
may be drawn from his being reprefented in fcripture, to be one in nature with the Father, and of the fame fubftance with him. When the Arian herefy was firft broach'd in the world, the controverfy chiefly turned on ihefe two heads j whether the Son was confubftantial and coeternal with the Father: Afterwards they brought the matter to this, whether he was like the Father, and whether there could be above one perfon that was felf-exiftent> in ufing this quibble, they endeavour'd to confound the ideas of felf-exiftence and neceflary exiftence, in which they have been imitated by their fuc- cefTors of the prefent time.
I grant, that Chrift is not faid, in fo many exprefs words in fcripture, to be of the fame fubftance with the Father) yet it evidently and neceffarily follows, that he is fo, from his be- ing caird Jehovah , this is a name expreftive of the nature and neceftary exiftence of God, this name is taken by the Father, and it ^ is- taken by the Son j and yet we are fully aftlired, that Jehovah is but one : The evident confcquence
* Sc? tiHi's in alter largely proved, chap. III.
of
OF theTrinitv. I5l
of this glorious name, which denotes fubflance, or efTence, being taken by two divine perfons, is, that Jehovah the Father, and Jehovah the Son, however perfonally dillind, are one in fubitance, or eflence, one Lord Jehovah, one and the fame God.
When we find God the Father declaring in ^ fcripture 3 " I am God j and there is none like me : There is no God befides me, I know not any : Before me there was no God formed, nei- ther fliall there be after me.*' It is plain, all other beings are excluded from being true God, in any fenfe > therefore if Chrift be not ex- cluded, he mud be the fame God with the Fa-* ther, or one with him in nature : Now that Chrift is not excluded, is plain from his de- claring concerning himfelf, ^ « I am God, and there is none elfe befide me 5 " and, ^ " I am the firft and the laft, the fupreme over all ; " And from our being afliired, ^ that the Word is God, the true God> and ^ that Chrift, who came in the fleih, is the God over all. Seeing then all inferior beings are excluded from being God, and Chrift is not excluded, it follows, that he muft be the fame fupreme God, with the Father 3 or one with him in nature: If we fuppofe him otherwife, polytheifm is unavoida- ble, for a fupreme god, and an inferior god, are two gods, which is a thing contrary to rea- fon,and to the whole tenor, of divine revelation.
We are not without a pofitive fcripture proof of Chrift's being, fome way, one with
** Ifaiah xlvi. 9. xliv. 8. xliH. 10.
^ Ifaiahxlv. 18, 21, 22. See chap. III.
^ Rev. i. 8. See chap. V.
* Johni. I. I Johmv. 20.
! Romans ix, 6. Sec chap. V.
M the
i6z The true Scripture Doctrine
the Father : He has declared, that he and the Fa- ther are one j in the following palTage in John's Gofpel. 8 « I give myfhecp (laid Chrift) eter- nal life, and they ihall never perifli, neither fhall any one pluck them out of my hand 3 my Father which gave them me, is greater than all, and no one is able to pluck them out of my Fa- ther's hand 5 ^ I and my Father are one. Then the Jews took up ftones to ftone him j Jefus faid to them, many good works have I fhew'd you from my Father, forv/hich of them do you iloneme: The Jews anfwer'd him, faying, for a good work we ftone thee not, but for blaf- phemy, and becaufe thou, being a man, makeft thy felf God. Jefus anfwer'd them 5 Is it not written in your law, I faid you are gods, if he caird them gods, to whom the word of God came, and the fcripture cannot be broke, fay you of him whom the Father fm6bified, and lent into the world, thou blafphemeil:, becaufe I faid, I am the Son of God ? If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not, but if I do, tho' you believe not mc, believe the works -, " that you may know, and believe, that the Fa- ther is in me, and I in him." For the right underftanding this part of fcripture, it may be proper to take notice, that Chriil:, frequently, in his difcourfes with the Jews, gave obfcure hints of his divine nature, but he never declared it plainly, becaufe it would have been incon- fiftent with the work he came to do > that is, to lay down his life, for him to have declared himfclf, in exprefs terms, to be God ; Nay
^ Johnx. 28—38.
Vid. Lampe in jfoh.^Vol. II. p. 695—730.
, bee ywTi Ktcl mfivg-ecTt tu iV c/«»» 0 tfecj^^j KcC-fi h iyrw. 3 8.
even
OF tHE TRlNitr- l6i
even liis difciples, to whom he revealed him- fclf, and who had right conceptions concerning him, were not without doubts, till after his re- furredlion. Bearing this in mind, we may bet- ter underitand the words under confideration. The Jews had put the queftion to ChriH, v/he- therhewas the true Mefliah ; He referr'd them to his works, as he had often done, which they regarded not, and from their unbelief he inferred, they were not his fneep, becaufe his iheep al- ways liften to his voice. He then took occa- fion to declare his power to be fo great, that he could beitow on his fheep eternal life, with^ outfuffering any to wreft them out of his hand ^ that they might be fenflble, how great his power was, he added 5 none could pluck his Iheep out of the Father's hand ^ and infmuated from thence, that they could no more be pluck'd out of his own hand : The reafon he gave for this was, he and the Father were one. The Jews well underflood the meaning of this to be making himfelf God, and therefore went to ftone him. Now what apology did Chrifl make? He went on obfcurely to hint the fame thing, in words which they could not lay hold of 5 from magiftrates and prophets being impro- perly caird gods, he infinuated^ that it could not be blafphemy in him, to claim to be Son of God, in a proper fenfe, or to be one with the Father5 referring to his works, which whe- ther they believed or no, would prove, that he was in the Father, and the Father in him.
It is plain, the Jews took Chrifl's faying, he and the Father were one, making himfelf God j and faying he was the Son of God, to be things of the fame meaning j and it is plain our Lord himiclf allow'd them to be fo. Therefore what
M z our
164 The true Scripture Doctrine
our adverfaries plead, ^ that the Jews, in their anger, unfairly aggravated his faying God was his Father, into a making himfelf equal with God, has no manner of foundation. The main thing is, what is to be underllood by Chrifl and the Father being one j it has by many of our adverfaries been pretended, that they are one in confcnt, but there is nothing in the words leading to this : Therefore ^ others tell us, the meanuig is, being in the Father's hands, or being in the Son's hands, is one and the fame thing. An interpretation fo unnatural, fo forced, and fo foreign, being propofed without proof, only {hews, that they who give it, know not how to evade the force of the text "'. Chrifl: gave the reafon, why being in his hands, was as fafe as being in the Father's hands > which was, he and the Father are one. This was un- derftood by the Jews of unity of nature, or of his making himfelf God; and from our Lord's explaining them, by faying he was the Son of God, it is certain, they took him right. There can be no juft reafon or ground, for Chrifl's having the fame almighty pov/er, to keep his iheepfafe againft all the efforts of hell and earth, but his being of one fubftance with the Father > or his being in the Father, and the Father in him, by a mutual indwelling.
This Text was underftood of Chrift's being one with the Father, by unity of fubftance, by ^ feveral ancient chriftian writers, and has been
*^ Clarke's reply, p. 148.
* Clarke, ibid.' p. 146.
"^ See Bifliop Gaftrel's remarks on Dr. Clarke, p. 104—
110.
Dr. Bifhop's fermons, p. 120 — 123. " Nunquam feparatus a Patrc, aut alius a Patre, quia, ** EgO & Pater unum fumus." TeituUiaa. c. Praxeaiii> cap. 8.
urged
OF THE Trinity; x6s
urged againft fuch as oppofed the Deity of Chrift-, before the council of Nice.
x^s this text is to be underftood of unity of fubftance, fo it no way favours « unity of per- fon, and it may give light to thofe paflages, which declare ChrilVs unity with the Father, and their mutual inhabitation (which the anci- ents caird l/xur£eJ%wencr'^5 o^ circuminceflio i he has declared concerning himfelf and the Fa- ther > P I am in the Father, and the Father in me. '' This mutual indwelling of the Father and the Son, (of which the myilical union of Chrift and his people, is but a remote refem.-
Unum dicit neutrali verbo, quod non pertinet ad iingu- laritatcm, fed ad unitatem, ad conjunftionem, ad dikaio- ncm Patris, qui Filium diligit, & ad obfequium Filii, qui voluntati Patris obfequitur. " Unum fumus" dicens, quos acquat & jungit. Idem, ibid. cap. 22.
Qui " tres unri-n funt, " non unus, quomodo didum ed, «* Ego & Pater imam fumus. " Ad fubflantiae Unitatem, non ad numeri fingularitatem. Idem, ibid. cap. 25.
"Eitts^ viV9y>K64 0 KgAtr©- ro, 'E^^ij »«) ttssttjP tv ftrujiv — »» jiv biro iJ/M/Si; Y.«.\ ccXXoy ^yyxxTTiveHv tfu^x rov Ith zutn ©«ov • — tvoc Zv B-iov Tiv TTUTi^oc Kxi Tov liov ^^oiTTiuo^iv. OrigeH. c Cellum, Lib. VIII. p. 385, ^86. Ed. Cant.
Quod h. cum nullius hominis vox haec eiTe potell,^ "^ Ego & Pater unum fumus, " hanc vocem de confcientia divinita-
tis Chriftus folus edicit Merito Deus eft Chriftus. Nova-
tian. cap. 13. p. 43. Ed. Welchman.
Si homo tantummodo Chriftus ; quid eft quod ait, *•■ Ego & Pater unum fumus } Quomodo enim, " Ego Sz Pater unum fumus ? " Si non & Deus eft & Filius ? Qui idcirco unum poteft dici, dum ex ipfo eft, & dum Filius ejus eft, & dum ex ipfo nafcitur, dum ex ipfo procefiiiTe reperitur, per quod & Deus eft. Idem c. 23. al. 15. p. 53-
^up (ptiTUfy Ku\ 6 TTccTvf iv ftTfjutv. - Dionyf. P-Omsn. Apud A- thanaf. De Synod. Nic. Vol. I. p. 276. Ed. Paris. Vol. I. p. 232. Ed. Bened.
° Chrift does not fay, 'E}<o kuI ttocttj^ s«? £Jjia<, or u^ fo-fx^iv,
JDUt if iSTf/^tV.
^ John 3(iv, 10, II, zo^ See alfo xvii. 21, 22, 23.
^ M J ^ blance.
165 The true Scripture Doctrine
blance, as to the reality of it, neceflarily fup- pofes them to be of one fubitance, or the fame God.
If it fhould be ob je6Ved, that Chrift has own'd the Father's fuperiority to himfelf, when he faid, q " My Father is greater than 1." I would reply, it is certain, this is to be under- flood of Chrifl as mediator, for he gives it as the reafon, why he mufl go to the Father who had fent him. As Chrift undertook the office of mediator, he is the Father's righteous fer- vant, and was fent into the world to do his will : and in this fenfe the Father is greater than he 3 but as he is Son of God, he is one with him, and equal to him.
Chrift'sconfubHantiahty with the Father may be gather'd, from w^hat is more than once faid in the new teilament, ^ that whoever has feen and known the Son, has feen and knov/n the Father y from ^ his doing the fame works his Father does > from the Father and the Son be- ing rcprefented ^ as having one throne, and as being one temple y and from what Chrift has declared in the following words j ^^ " All things that the Father has, are mine." If all things which the Father has, are Chrift's, if the Fa- ther's perfe6lions are his perfeftions, if the Fa- ther's power is his power, if the Father's glory is his glory, furely his fubftance muft be the Father's fubftance ; if their perfections are com-^ mon, and their glory one, their nature muft be equal, and their fubftance one : The fame per-^ fon they are not, nor can be, in confiftence with fcripture 3 but one fubftance is common
*» John XIV. 28. See Dr. Bifhop's fermons, p, 84—91. ^ John viii. 19. xiv. 9. ^ John v. 17, 19.
' Rev. x.Tii. 5. xxi, 22^ ^ John xvi. 15.
to
OF THE Trinity 167
to both thefe divine perfons, the Father, and the Son.
Chrill may be proved to be of the dime nature with the Father, from his being called ^^ Logos, the word of God: " In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." Which is exprefTivc of the fame divine perfon, who is ftiled, ^ " the only begotten Son, who is in the bofom of the Fa- ther." He is as clofely united to the Father, as reafon is to the mind 5 and tho' he proceeds from him as his efTential word, yet he is never divided from him, but is in his bofom, and re- mains in him, and with him.
Chrifl may be proved to be of one fubftance with the Father, from what is faid of him by the apoftle Paul, in the beginning of his epiftle to the Hebrews : v " Who is the brightnefs of his glory, and the exprefs image of his perfon." K Chrifl be the ihining forth of the Father's: glory, and the exprefs refemblance and cha- rader of his perfon, ^ he can never be any crea- ted being, of a different nature from the Fa- ther, and infinitely below him 5 but he mufl be of the fame nature, or fubflance, with that infinite perfon, whofe exaft refemblance he is. Some choofe to tranflate the words, " the •xprefs image of his fubftance 3 " which
"^ Johni. I. ^ "^ Ver. 18. ^
tS. Heb. i. 3.
"" In Effigie & Imagine, qua Filius Patris, vere Dei prae« dicatus eft. TertuUian. contra Marcionem, Lib. V. cap. 20.
TJii5 B-uot(i (pua-ia^ ctTTuvyuTfJuec xul j^ecfux.r)i^. Origen. contra Celfum, p. 342. Ed. Cant.
£<' i^tv ukZv reu Qiov, rov oic^urn uofctr^ ukuv. Idem,
apnd Athanalium de decretis Syr. Nic. Vol. I. p- 277. Ed.
M ^ - render-
1 68 The true Scripture Doctrine
rendering does not lefTen the force of the argu- ment, drawn from the text > but rather increafes it : I am content to take the words as they are commonly tranflated. Our adverfaries " tell us, the image, or reprefentative, of the one fupreme God, cannot be himfelf that one fupreme God, whofe image or reprefentative he is ; which is a mean quibble : We fay not, that Chriil, the image of the Father, is the perfon of the Fa- ther, but that he, who is the exprefs image of the Father, muft be of the fame fubftance with him, and not inferior to him in nature.
A text of much the fame import with the laft, we have in the apoflle Paul's ^ epiftle to the ColofHans > " Who is the image of the in- vifible God, born before all creation : " This I take to be the true rendering of the text > for it is ^ certain, fuperlatives are fometimes taken
A'Tncv^a.tryjct -^ av (pcJToc, ocidta, 'Trtctrac, Koa uvrc^ ce.i<Jioi £5-<j* • ovt(^ tf) Oil] rov (^ftJTc?, JijAov 6)5 iV<i' <^£< tv UTCuvyota-fJucc. Dio- nyfms Alex, apud Athanafium d-^ fententia Dionyfii. Vol. I. p. 551. Ed. Par. 253. Ed. Montf.
Tur TTccT^iKv.v Sf/j^pifudv c<,K^i/2aiq 7n<pviii ca^uv 6 lie, tov t^cc- T^q, Tvy Kurcc %uvrc(. o^oiOTyjrcc elvroZ tM ^uinue, ccTfo^oi^oi.- fjbiv^-', X.XI ccTcC(oi>iXc6Kr(^ iiKa'v tow Trurfcq rvy^yav, xou roZ
iTfaroTVTTii i)CTV7r(^ x^otpuKT^^. Alcxatider Alcxand. Epift. apnd Theodorit. Hift. Ec. Lib. I. c. 4. p. i c.
yxv^cc roZ TTxrfoii. Idem, Epift. inter op. Achanaf. p. 339. Ed. Ben.
* Jackfon's reply, p. 66-
O5 i<riy siKeav Tou QioZ Tou cco^ura, Tt^arcrcK©^ 7ruTt}<; kti~ Vim. Colof. i. 15.
Tl^uroKoiccy rou ©iow, ku] tc^o Ttottruv -rav KTirf^ruv, Juftin. Martyr, Dial, cum Tryphone. p. 295. Ed. Jebb. p. 332. Ed. Thirlb.
^ BfeoTot; wa h ; He was before me, John i. i c;. *E/a8 rr^arof i^ouv f^ifji,i<rj)x:iv j It hated me, before it hated you, John XV. 18. TJffdTcroK©- i-J ij erv, Gr. verf. 2 Sam. xix.
compara-
OF THE Trinity;: 169
comparatively, and I do not find our ^ adverfa- ries objeft to this tranflation, which is neceffa- ry here, becaufe in the following words, a rea- fon is given, why Chrift is begotten before all creatures, and that is, he made all things. He who was before all creatures,and who is the image of the invifible God, mull be no creature, but mull be of the fame lubllance with God the Father, who is invifible.
The next proof I fliall bring for Chrifl be- ing of one fubftance with the Father, is the following paflage, out of the apollle Paul's epi- ftle to the Philippians : ^ " Chrifl Jefus, being in the form of God, thought it no robbery to be equal with God, neverth clefs emptied him- felf, and took upon him the form of a fervant, and was made in the likencfs of man. " There is no fenfe of ChnlVs being in the form of God, agreeable to the context, but that which fup- pofes the form of God, ^ to fignify the nature of God i for then it may ferve for an antithefis to the form of a fervant, which our Lord is faid to alTume 5 and which being cxplain'd, in the next words, by appearing in the likenefs of men, means certainly the real human nature.
Juftin. Paraenef. cap. 12. p- 70. Ed. Oxon.
7U¥ Tuv ^«p' hfjiAv a-o(pm. Idem, ibid. cap. 35. p. 118.
^ See Clarke's Script. Doft. p. 162.
* "■ 0$ c* /*of (^ j5 Qi'M ItTx^^oji^ »x cl^zxyfji^v iytja-oCTo, to Jvxt ica Q)ia> ' ccXX' iocvTc9 iKtvAxri, fj(jo^<Pni (JrfAs Aa/3 aii^, Iv cuioioi'- jUbttri uv6^a7rik)v yivlwi^^. Philip, ii. 6, 7.
Vid. Marckii Exegetic. Exercitat. p. 661^-674.
*" Plane de fubftantia Chriili putant & hie Marcionitae, fuffragari apoflolum fibi, quod phantaima carnis fuerit in Chrifto, quum dicit, " quod in effigie Dei conftitutus, non rapinam exiftimavit pariari Deo, fed exhaufit remetiprum iccepta effigie feryi, " ncn veritate, " & in fimilitudine ha-
As
170 Thb true Scripture Doctrine
As Chrift, by taking the form of a fervant, or by alTuming the human nature in its lowefl circumftanccs, is proved to be really and truly man, by nature j fo, by his being in the form of God, he is proved to be really and truly God by nature, or of the fame nature and fub- fiance with the Father.
Our adverfaries pretend, g that when Chrift is faid to be in the form of God, it is to be underftood of his perfonating the Father, in his appearances under the old tellament, to the pa- triarchs, and the church of Ifraeh but this no- tion is a fi6tion of their own, and has not the lead foundation in fcripture 5 and 1 wonder they have fo long urged this fancy, without faying one word in proof of the faft. Were we to allow them this fiftion, it could not be the fenfe of the words under confideration, for the form of God muft be taken ^ for the highell: ftation Chrift ever was in, as the form of a fer- vant muft be underftood, of the loweft degree of abafement he ever ftoop'd to. Now, ac- cording to thefchemc of ouradverfarics, Chrift's higheft ftation muft be his creating the world, as the Father's inftrument y but according to
minis, "non in hominc," "& figura inventus homo, " non fubftantia, id eft, non carne : Quali non & figura, & fimili- tudo, & effigies fubftantiae quoque accedant. Bene eft quod & alibi Chriftum imaginem Dei invifibilis appellat. Nun- quid ergo & hie quo in effigic eum Dei, collocat; aeque non erit Deus Chriftus, fi nee homo vere fecit, in effigie hominis conftitutus. Tertullian. c. Marcion. Lib. V. c. 20.
'O |W<6»oy£yl)5 rou ©sow Ac-yv^, 0£«4 Wu^X'^v Ik 0£ot/, Ki)ci)iii.<Kt* »«evrey,— - xe&t rv.v uh\ci ruvTYtV cnzfxcc tif^Tn^iro. Hippolyt. iragment. com. in Gen. Voh 2. P-^29^ Ed. Fabricii.
€>ffl? fjusv xtvucaq iuvrov, X^^ rou uvcct i(rte> 0£«. Concil. Ak^ tioch. Labbe, Vol. I. p. 848.
e Clarke's Script. Deft. p. 155.
^ §ce Dr. Waterland's fermons, p. 159, 160.
4, the
OF THE Trinity; 171
the fcripture account, it is his being God by nature > To that this appears to be, what is meant by ChrilVs being in the form of God.
We are told, with relation to Chrift, by the apoftle Paul, in his epiftle to the ^ Coloffians, " That all fulnefs was pleafed to dwell in him. " This text is rendered thus by our Engliih tran- slators, " It pleafed the Father that in him all fulnefs fhould dwell. " The reafon of which verfion I know not, for there is nothing like it in the original 3 yet our ^ modern Arians meanly .quote the words as they ftand in our tranflation, as a proof of Chriil's fubordination to the Father, without endeavouring to difa- bufe their Englifh readers, by acquainting them, that there is no mention of the Father in the original.
There is another pafllige in the fame epiftle, that may ferve to explain the preceding, and which is a more explicit proof of Chrift's be- ing of the fame fubftance with the Father > it is this : ^ " In him dwells all the fulnefs of the Godhead, bodily."- We ihall better under- iland what is meant by the whole fuhiefs of the Godhead, if we confider, what errors were ilarted, with relation to Chrift's perfon, in the apoftolick age.
The apoftle had, in the verfe immediately preceding, warned the Coloffians againft being pillaged of their faith by undermining feducers> " Beware left any man fpoil you, thro' philo^^ fophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men,
* See^Clarke's Script. Docfl. p. i66.
}i£s, Colpf. ii. 9,
after
\yi The true Scripture Doctrine
after the elements of the world, and not after Chrift." The times the apoftle lived in were fruitful *" of feducers, who endeavour'd to cor- rupt and overthrow the do(5]:rine of Chrift, and fo lead Chriftians into idle conceits of their own, and into mean inftitutions, which were of the world, and not after Chriil.
The chief thing that was a ftone of Hum- bling, and a rock of offence, to the difputers of this world, in thofe early ages, was the great myftery of an incarnate God. The union of two natures in one perfon was a do6trine, that none of the old hereticks would admit. The Docetae, who had their fcheme from Si- mon Magus, deny'd Chrift*s humanity, that they might fecure his deity, pretending, he only took fiefh in appearance, and not in reality j whilfl others, convinced of the vanity of fuch a fancy, either made the word a different perfon from Jefus, which was the notion of Cerinthus 3 or boldly deny'd ChrilFs divinity, and made him ameer man, which was the opinion of Ebion. However they otherwife differ'd, it is certain, they all agreed to reject the belief of the union of the divine nature, with the human, in the perfon of our redeemer 3 becaufe fuch an union was utterly repugnant to the principles of their vain philofophy, and to their pretended clear ideas, or fcience falfely fo calPd.
That the chriflians, to whom the apoflle wrote, might be convinced of the reafonable- nefs of his caution againft deceivers, he has de- clared, that in Chrift dwelt all the fulnefs of the Godhead bodily : For the clearing which words, it may be proper to obferve, that the
^' Sec Dr. Wat^rlaad's fcrmons, p. 262, 263,
hereticksj
OF THE Trinity^ 17$
hereticks, afterwards more commonly known by the name of Gnofticks, held an imaginary pleroma or fulnefs, in which relided the fu- preme unknown Father, whom they calPd By- thus, and another divine power, whom they caird Sige or filencej from this Father, they derived the only begotten, and from him the Word J fome of them fuppofed Jefus to be a man in appearance only 5 others allow'd him to be a real, tho' only a mcer man, on whom Chriil, or the Word, came down, at his bap- tifm, in the form of a dove, but left him at his paflion, flying back to the pleroma from whence he came. It is certain, " fome of thefe mon- ilrous abfurdities were ftarted very early by Si- mon Magus, the Father of almoft all herefies > from whence it is apparent, they began to in- feft the church, before the apoflle Paul's mar- tyrdom.
" 'O iMv ^ 5Tpa!r<^, ^^ 1* Asyc/e^w'/)? yva^w?? di^iosuq tk^
Uf^i ti<; l^kov ^upxKTii^x ^i^ti(.(rKci?Jiii fji/i6ecff^<rai 'Ovx?^svT^^^^
x<x,hii^^"A'^fnToy, TO J St^'v. Irenaeus, l.ib. I. c. ii. p- 52- Ed. Ben.
Idem, ibid. p. 56.
Cum fit igitur adverfus omnes haereticos deteftio, atquc conviftio varia Sc multiplex, & nobis propofitum ell omnibus iis, fecundum ipforum charadera, contradicere ; neceflarium arbitrati fumus, prius referre fontem, & radicem eorum, uti fublimiffimum ipforum Bythum cognofcens, intelligas ar- borem de quo defluxerunt tales fruftus. Simon enim Sa- maritanus, magus ille,.— docuit ; — effe fe fublimiilimam virtutem, hoc eft, eum qui lit fuper omnia Pater. Idemj» ibid. c. 22, 23. p. 98, 99.
Alii rurfus portentuofa loquuntur, efle quoddam primum lumen in virtute Bythi beatum, & incorruptibile, Idem^ c. 30. p. 108. De funonianis loquitur comp. c. ^8. p. 106- c» 29. p. 107.
4 To
174 The true Scripture Doctrine
To the pleroma, or fulnefs, devifed by thefe hereticks, it is likely, the apoftle oppofed the fulnefs of the Godhead in the text 5 it was not a remote emillioii from a fancied fulnefs, but it was all the real fulnefs of the Godhead, the Word, full and perfed God, the true divine nature, that dwelt in Chrifl. It is certain, ° ©«o- TTif, Godhead, often fignifies the divine nature. This fulnefs of the divine nature dwelt in Chrifl, bodily, (ffw/jtar/y.cl)?,) which is an expreffion of a very comprehenfive meaning 5 it may fignify,
'A 5 MofpxsAA(^ tr^XfJuee, hrCo-n&i^ 'TmXui fjuiv xiyoovy sTieti wV M/ctTi^&'i'j tC7ti<Poii,nr<i Xiyuv^ «> ©J05, ^ Si^'. Eufebius, Ec-
clef. Theolog. Lib. II. c. 9. ^
rsM^VTiii (^ oTTif rS ccyxSS rS oyif/jia^y^ TtoXif/jiic-ctvrtq, t^sirec
«|»w. Gregorius Nazianzen. Orat. 23. Vol. I. p. 414, Ed. Par.
Simoaiani o£lonarium numerum ob Aeones eos quos co- lebant honore profequebantur. Nugabantur enim Bythum cum fua Sige congreflum Mentem & Veritatem genuiffe, ac generis principes Bythum & Sigen fingebant : ab his autem fecundos Mentem & Veritatem ; ab his tertios Sennonem & Vitam ; ab his denique quartos Hominem & Ecclefiam. Elias Cretenf. in locum Gregor. p. 819. Vol. I.
Simoniani oftonarium numerum propter 06I0 illos ma- giftri fui Aeones honore habebant : Etenim ex Bythi cum Sige congreffu Mentem ac Veritatem procreatas ^& fabu- latus eft, atque ita primos parentes — Bythum 8c Sigcn con- finxit ; ab his fecundos Mentem & Veritatem ; tenios rur- fus Sermonem & Vitam ; atque ab his poftremo quartos Hominem & Ecclsfiam. Nicetas in Gregor. Orat. 44. p. 1227. ^ ^ ^ ^^ ^
o 'Ov yiyon (puTH J^toTij^ fjurret(iXfi^u<r» Tw ^vtriif n azt^% ye- f •j^wjj TJ) <pu(rn B-scTtir^ o-af>|. Hippolytus c. Beronem. Vol. I. p. 227. Ed. Fabric.
£i Kitl }iymt \f fWfflK, «5 tirfftiv^t 9^^oyjSf/(,»tiK9 tjuu '"»
that
OF THE TRINIXy.^ I75
that the divine fuhiefs was united to the human nature of Chrift, wholly, really, and truly ; and it may be tranflated perfonally, for the beft Greek p writers ufe the word o^cu/jta, from whence it is derived, to exprefs perfon. It was not a delegated fulnefs, but the whole fulnefs of the divine nature, that dwelt perfonally in Chrift. It is not faid, all divine power dwelt in Chrift, except fupremacy, independence, and abfolute neceflary eternity, which is the favourite fcheme of fome 5 but the entire fulnefs of the Deity. If th^ entire fulnefs of the divine nature dwelt in Chrift, he muft have the fame common na- ture with the Father ; and however perfonally diftin6t from him, he mufl be of the fame fub- flance with him j and can never want the per- feiStions of abfolute eternity, and neceflary ex- illence.
Since this pafliige gives fuch a flab to all an- titrinitarian fchemes, it is no wonder if we find little arts ufed to enervate it. Accordingly fome
^ ©£er;}T©- ^e/V«t. Idem. Fragm. Com. in Gqvi. Vol. II.
Tfl6 ^-spt Tov I«cr»y, x.x6o fjuiv vivotiroii ^icT'^Ti iv uvTa ^M^r B-BvrXy "iTiy ea-iet ' — kx6o 3 ecrd^iUTiVi «>», TTUvroq /M/SaAov UfS^atTTg
KtKotrfAof/,i»^ vmytstm. Origen. c. Celfum, Lib. VII. p. 342, 343. Ed. Cant.
P H cuvxf/,i^ — iJ/A£77pos — rcTi va/Aua-i ro TrXiot^ « rov; ;j;p^-' ltjot(ri. Thucydides, Lib. I. Se6l. 121. p. 66. Ed. Oxon.
hifM^iiv. Idem, Lib. I. Sed. 141, p. 80.
Idem, Lib. I. Sed. 143. p. 82.
To fA,i¥ -'- ?rp95 TU roixvTX okvv^uc, ^iXKU^t « ^^f* toZ; 'Za^etTf', 1UH Tor«j arct Xnra^yiicrAi Hkx^ov, w ^w ouk o^OSi t^cv, De- mofthcnes. Philipic. IV. p. 99. Ed. Francof.
O TTVTs y^iict. ^rotTo tTn iti o5tAo6 t»$ X^^^'^'^i kocXupj n X'i^*
jc«» TO z^iif^i^rx «^(J^Vp«T]o^ Dionyfius Halicarnaf. Antiquit. Lib. IV, cap. 15. Ed. OxoR. p. 320. Ed. Francof.
make
176 The true Scripture Doctrine
make it mean no more, than that the mind of God was made known in and by Chriftj others fay it only fignifies, that the tlilnefs of divine bleffings dwelt in Chrift j but fuch forced con- ilruftions need no confutation, and only expofe the perfons that invent them : Others 4 endea- vour to explain them by thefe '^ words of Chrift ; " The Father that dwells in me does the works : " Indeed, the Father fo dwells in Chrift, infepara- bly, that with him he is the one God -, but this is not what thefe perfons mean, and no indwel- ling, in a lower fcnfe, can anfwer to the whole fulnefs of the Godhead, dwelling in Chrift per- fonally.
Our adverfaries feem convinced of the weak- nefs of this evafion, and therefore ^ they have at hand another fubterfuge > fulnefs of the God- head they would have iignify, fulnefs of divine power, dominion, and authority, for fo they fay the word ^toTris always fignifies^ but if no more than this were intended, it fhould have rather have been ^uorn^^ as ' one of their pre- decefTors would corred it : They tell us, it is as great an abufe of language, to fuppofe (3»g6- TWf,) the Deity, that is the dominion of God, to fignify thefubftance of God, as it would be to underftand (dv^poiTrorns^) manhood, to fignify the fubftance of man. This is a very falfe af- fertionj for (^-goror) Deity, often fignifies the divine nature 5 as (avOpwTrory)?,) manhood does the human nature. At other times we are told, " the word fignifies divine dignity and autho* rityj in Ihort, it may mean any thing, but
^ Clarke's Script. Doft. p. 114. Reply, p. 283. ' John xiv. 10. ^ Clarke ibid.
* Enjedin. p. 357, 358.
• Jackfon's reply, p. zij, 2 1 8.
what
OF THE Trinity. 177
what it really does mean, becaufe its true mean- ing is not confident with a falfe heretical hy- pothesis. Were wc to admit, that the word fignifies divine power and dignity, all the ful- iicis of divine power would take in all fupreme and independent power > which would never anfwer the defign of thole that would obtrude this fenfe upon us. If Chriil be invellcd with all divine power, without any limitation, he muft be of the fimie fubftance with the Father, and pofTefs'd of all the fulnefs of the divine na- ture 5 and it is impoflible for him to be another, or a fubordinate God 5 for no inferior derived being, can be conceived to have an arm flrong enough, to wield the thunders of omnipo- tence.
I ihall bring one argument more for Chrift's confubilantiality with the Father, and that ihall be taken from his being Son of God in a pro- per fenfe. I grant, that Chrift is call'd Son of God, becaufe of his miraculous birth, as manj for thus w the angel Gabriel faid to the blelTed virgin Mary 3 " The holy Spirit fhall come up- on thee, and the power of the Higheft ihall overfhadow thee, therefore alfo that holy thing, which fhall be born of thee, fhall be call'd the Son of God." I grant likewife, that he is call'd Son of God, as mediator, which Sonfhip was eminently proclaim'd at his refurredion and af- cenfion : Then it was, -^ that " he was declared the Son of God with power 5 and then it was y that God faid to him, " thou art my Son, this day have I begotten the'e." However, I cannot help thinking, the fcripture fpeaks of Chrift's being Son of God, on a higher account,
:;: Luke i. 35. I Rom. I 4. l Pfalm ii. 7.
N which
178 The true Scripture Doctrine
which has been ufually call'd eternal generati- on 3 the mode of which great myftery, I fhall not go about ^ to explain. Chriit has declared thus of himfelf^ ^ « Jehovah pofTefs'd me in the beginning of his ways, before his works of old, —before the mountains were fettled, before the hills was I brought forth^ — when he appoint- ed the foundations of the earth, then was I by him, as one brought up with him 5 and I was continually his delight, rejoicing always before him." And it is faid of him by the prophet ^ Micah, " His goings forth are of old, from everlafting, " or from the days of eternity. Thefe texts are moil naturally ^ interpreted of Chrifl's eternal generation. Heis, befides, '^ililed, "the only begotten Son, who is in thebofom of the Father 3" and, the « firfl begotten before all creation 5 he is call'd ^ God's own proper Son> and he call'd g God his own proper Father, which the Jews rightly underftood, of a claim of equahty with God > for he did not tell them
Siquis nobis dixerit, quomodo ergo Filius prolatus a Pa- tre eft : Dicimus ei, quia prolationem iftam, five generatio- 3iem, five nuncupationem, five adapertioncm, aut quomo- dolibet quis nomine vocavcrit, generationem ejus inenarra- bilem exiftentein, nemo novit. Non Valentinus, non Mar- cion, neque S.uurninus, ncque Bafilides, neque Angeli, ne- que Archangeli, neque principes, neque poteftates, nifi fo- lus qui gcnerdvit Pater, & qui natus eft Filius. Irenaeus, Lib. XL cap. 48. cap. 28. p. 158. Ed. Ben.
* Prov. viii. 22, 25, 29, 30.
^ Micah v. 2.
*^ See Mr. Stephens's fermon on tlie eternal generation of the Son, p. ^— ig. p. ^ i — 40.
O f^c,ycyni»i(i i/ikt 0 i>f iii y^X^tf rts vtXTfoc, Joh. i. I 8.
^ Color, i. 15.
O5 Tou ii'm utcv liK l^ifa-etTOy Rom. viji. 32. M. V. 18.
they
OF THE Trinity. 179
tliey committed any miftake : As a Son over ^ his own houfe^he is oppofed to Mofesjwho was fiiith- ful as a fervant in all his houfe, which contraft cannot be Co direct, if v/e fuppofe Chrift a Son by office i for in the execution of his office, he, by voluntary condefcenfion, was the Father's fervant. If what has been produced be careful- ly laid together, it will appear a direft confe- quence from fcripture, that Chrift is the Son of God properly, as to his divine nature -, and if fo, he is of the fame fubftance with the Father : This has been ufed as an argument againft the Arians, for above fourteen hun- dred years, and I have no inclination to quit it '.
I know fome perfons, zealous for the ortho- dox faith, finding the Arians take advantage of fome curious explications of eternal generation, have been incHned to think, Chrift is only call'd Son of God, as he is mediator : But the explications of men may eafily be thrown afide, without giving up God the Son's proper gene- ration 5 and tho' the fcheme they propofe, may take fome advantages from the xArians, (which yet I queftion,) I am fatisfied, they would find as many difficulties attending their fcheme, in engaging with the Sabellians, as can be pre- tended to clog the common notion, even fct-
^ Heb. iii. 5, 6.
^ I do not however think, that, when it is faid ; " as the Father has life in himfelf, fo has he alfo given to the Son, to have life in himfelf, " John v, 26. it is to be underftood of Chrift's eternal generation; biit rather of his having a quickening power conferred on him, as mediator, hy the Father. See the controverfial papers that pafs'd between MeiTieurs Vitringa and Roel, relating to this text. M. Lampe on the place. Vol. II. p. 66—74. and, Mr. Cumming's Poft- fcript, relating to the Sonihip of Chrift, p. 224-^22 7.
N z ter'd
i8o The true Scripture Doctrine ter'd with too curious explications, in the con- troverfy with the Arians. Eternal Generati- on, or the proper Sonfhip of Chrill, is plainly gathered from fcripturc, and it is befl to take it on the foot it Hands there, without enquiring how it is 'y for if Chrift be a proper Son, it is not pofTible for us to comprehend how he is fo. There is one thing that makes me have the Icfs fav^ourable thoughts of the opinion of Chrift being Son of God, only as mediator > and that is, it is an hypothefis, framed to make fcripture eafy, and not drawn from it 5 where- as, I think, the fcripture is to be the rule, by which every hypothefis muft be tried.
The moll that I have known pleaded for this fcheme, is, that, in all the places, where Chrifl is fpoke of as Son of God, there is fomething in the words, or in the context, which fhews him to be mediator : This might be improved to a bad purpofc, for there is fcarce any place, except the beginning of John's Gofpel, where Chrill is fpoke of as God, but there is fome- thing in the context, pointing to his office j yet, I believe, thcfe worthy perfons would think it llrange, to argue from thence, that he is God only by office ; For my own part, I think it would, and I do not apprehend, that, in the other cafe, the argument is more valid.
The eternal generation of the Son, has been the current do6trine, fince the rife of Arianifm, and no argument gravel'd the old Arians more, than that drawn for his proper divinity, from his proper Sonfhip •, before this time the ancient writers did not univerfally go into the belief of Chrift's eternal generation.
The
OF T H E Tr 1 N I T Y.' I 8 I
The learned well ^ know, there was a three- fold generation of the Son, maintain'd by the primitive writers : One was his eternal genera- tion, or his eternal exifiing in and with the Fa- ther, as the eternal Logos, of the eternal mind j the fecond was, his condefceniion in coming forth from the Father, to create the world 3 and the third was, his being born of a virgin. I do not fay, that any hnve expreflly mentioned thefe three, but fome have gone into the firft notion of ChrilVs Sonfliip, and fome into the fecond ; none, I think, affirming him to be Son of God, only on account of his being born of the virgin.
Some of the ancients have aflerted eternal ge- neration > or have faid, what is equivalent to it : Thefc are, ^ Irenaeus,Clement of Alexandria, Ori- gen, Gregory of Neocaefarea, Novatian, Dennis of Rome, Dennis of AlexandriajMethodiuSjPam-
^ See Ball. Def. Fid. Nic. p. 92, 93. al. 100, loi. 204,' 205.3!. 232. Fabric, in Hippoly turn. Vol.1, p.242. Vol.11, p. 17. Dr. Waterland's firil Defenfe, p. 134, &c. Second Defence, p. 280, &c.
^ Qui ait — verbum ejus efTe hunc Nun, minus adhuc de Patre omnium fentiet ; decentiora autem magis, quam hi, qui^ gcnerationem prolativi hominum verbi, transferunt in Dei aeternum Verbum, & prolationis initium donantes & genefm, quemadmodum Sc fuo Verbo. Et in quo diftabit Dei Verbum, imo magis ipfe Deus cum fit Verbum, a verbo ho- minum, ii eandem habuerit ordinationem, & emiflionem generationis ? Irenaeus, Lib. II. c. 13. p. 132.
'O B-iTo^ Aoyo?, 0 <pccvi^&)Tccro(; o'vra^ ©so?, 0 r« J^fersrorjf tup eXm i\iTuB-ii<i • ort viv uio^ eivrou' kocI, 6 Aoyog kv i¥ T« Qtai, Cle- mens Al. Protreptic. c. lo. p. 86. Ed. Oxon.
^ AiyiTxi STfoi; uvrsv Ittv rcu BboZ a ciil i^i ro a^f/ji^oyj ^k ivi ff* itrmfx ©soy • i^ ^ iiyoZ^cci ©V* cvS^ TTfatec ' «6 AA* o frv^Toc- (ccKmvat rZ xysmri» a'vrou ^uij, iv htco<; u^u, XJ^ovoq^ iffjut^x s^c
(rxc^/v>j5, ^ ewJ'i -jS ;,u,icxq. Origen. Com. in Johan. p- 31- Ed. Hutt.
N 3 philus^
182 The true Scripture Doctrine
philus, and Alexander of Alexandria 5 but all thefe authors fpcak of it fparingly, and do not enter into the particular difcuffion of it.
The ancient writers who were in the other hypothefis of temporal proceflion, are Juftin Martyr, Athenagoras, Tatian, Theophilus of Antioch, TertuUian, and Hippolytus : They
£/<; xtfi©^ — lilt; «,Xv,6i'jU oiXyfiiv'^ rtccr^ct^- — kcCI kl^,,<^ cu'^a, Gregor. Neocaef. Symbol.
Hie ergo cum fit genitus a Patre, Temper eft in Patrc, Temper autem fic dico, ut non innatum, fed natum probem, fed qui ante omne tempus eft. Temper in Patre fuiffe dicen- dus eft. Nee enim tempus illi aflignari poteft, qui ante tempus eft : Temper enim in Patre ; ne Pater non Temper fit Pater. — Qui in Patre fuit, proceiTit ex Patre ; & qu* in Patre fuit, quia ex Patre fuit, cum Patre poftmodum fuit, quia ex Patre proceftit. Novatian. de Trinit. c. 31. p. 120, 121, 122. Ed. Oxon.
El yiyoviv vio^, y,v on ^k i>v ' ca) ^ ^v* ii ^ iy tZ TTctrQ^ ifiv-— ««J jt >aV©-, KCii <ro(PiC6 Kxl ^Jvccfjbiq 6 X(i^<;, — L ^yevsv o wc?, >)i/ on HK itv recurec. — - urcXaTccrov Jj toZto. Dionyf. Rom. apud Athanaf de decret. Syn. Nic. Vol. I. p. 276. Ed. Par. ^ ^ ^
OuK J»v cTS ©sc^ fejc ifv !T«75jp, — ^ yi (^n TouTav uyci(^ at O
©iO?,^ ihu iTTCCl^OTrOlyiG-UTO. — oW©- ^ Uii TOO 0aTzc, ^Aov 6)5
fi-iv oiu 7» UTiuvyottTfA^a ' — 6 ^ y« ©£fiS u^a!)^ov hi ^dJj, «rf if- |«(X/Ji'^«», hri AK^tv :tct£ . ^Kcvv ecimm TrfoK^.rcci, kcp avvts-iv ccv- TO, -n ccTnAn^/utrfAjci ec'vxf^^of ;^ ue^ysvic. 560. Dionvf. Al. apud Athanaf de Sentent. Dionyf Vol. I. p. 559, Ed. Par.
UXfa,Tr,fim0V r^ CTI TO fJtiiV V10¥ tii'Xl (COP/.<^U^ OC.7:i(p^V0(.T0' it
yci^ hio<i, ocvr^ i(pi,, kccI c6 ysyoyxf, ifx,(pxiiuv fjui^n 7T^(r(pcircv ecv-nv TiTvx>iy.ivxi r liohaixi, fjoyirf mu Tr^ovTrd^lovru riXei if^n^ xivcci,^ u.x>: livxi uil Toi/ uv-riv. Methodius, de Caftitate, apud Photium. Cod. ccxxxvii. p. 960. Ed. P. Steph.
Unigenitus Filius falvator nofter , qui folus ex Patre natu.-; eft, folus natura Sc non adoptione Filius eft. Pamphil A pel. pro Origen. Quod coaeternus fit Filius Patri, & extra ullum initium fit generatio Filii Dei. Idem, ibid.
lloix 'j 7Tu(x Tue, y^a.<patt, i<ptv^oyTt<i ?^x><cv<riv I'n ruZru ' 'Ofx ten 0 ©tdc, i^KT^ff Y,v uXX' ijv org 6 &ic<; xxty,^ ovk «» ' cuk uti h
• T6U B-tcu Myot; uX>C j| cuK ovrm yiyonv. Alexander Alexand. Epift. apud Socrat. Hift. Ecclef Lib. I. c. 6. p. 9, jo. Ed, Pare
have
OF THE Trinity iS^
have often fpoke of Chrift's being begotten by the will and power of the Father > and they have not faid any thing of eternal generation, bcvcral ot thefe writers "^ argued, that Chrill; is God, becaule Son of God, but they did not confider him, from eternity, under the notion of a Son. Origen and Novatian, who held eternal generation, have alfo mentioned this temporary Sonihip.
Whatever difference there was in the icheme of the ancients, relating to Chrift's Sonfliip, yet they " all agreed, in affxrming him to be confubflantial with the Father. This has been
« CUrn^ kvToZ y.cf.-r^ <poo-iV rv7;^.yi^<rcc -^ ^^rp^v.^s 0scr>;r©-, uyUrco C>7:^cx^ ^^^-pc'pM -^v ^i ctvrcZ ^£cr« vichrvMvrc^K Idem, Epift.' apud fheodorit. Hill. Ecclef. Lib. I. c.^ 4.^ p. 1 3> H-
^ ^Oi «^ Aov@-, 5?p«75ro>6(^ ^K rS 025, 0W5 w7?«p;/«. Jultin. Apolog. I. cap. 84- p. 123- Ed. Ox. p. 9^4- ^d- J^^rlby.
Kt/p*®- ^y 0 Xp<5-^.5, «^* 0*'^?. 0^« ''''^^ wTr^p;*^^^. Idem, Dial, cum Trvphone, p. 371. Ed. Jebb. p. 41;- ™7;, ^
rcZ iTTi^'^Tirv Tvj yvafjt,'^^vToZ. Idem, ibid. p. 370. Jebb. p. 411.
Thirlbv. , r^-, , ■■, t -i tt
&u>^'m 0 Xoy(^, y^ccl k 0JO? »-£<f:^>c^'?. Theopmlus, Lib. 11. cap. 3. p. 174. Ed. Woliii, p. 100. Ed. Par.
Hunc ex Deo prolatum didicimus, & prolatione genera- turn, &idcircoFiliumDei, &Deumdiaum, ex umtate iub- llantiae.Tertullian.Apol. cap.2i. p. 202. Ed. Havercamp.
Quod de Deo profeftum eft, Deus eft, & Dei Fibus, & unus ambo. Idem, ibid. p. 20.
Sermo Dei Deus, quia ex Deo. Idem contra Praxeam.
cap. 26. , J , .
" This has been fo fully proved, by the very learned bi- ihop Bull, that, 'till our adverfaries fairly anfwer his argu- ments, it is but doing over again, what has been once well done, to go about to labour this point ; I ftiall therefore on- ly fet down a few pafTages, which at prefent occur to me, wherein the ancients affert, the Father and the Son to be of one fubftance, or to be one God ; referring thofe who would fee more on this matter, to bilhop Bull. (Det. l^il. N 4 O^^^^^
I 84 The true Scripture Doctrine
often demonftrated ngainfl the adverfaries of our Lord, with great ckarnefs and ftrength of evi- dence, and tho' they oppofe cavils to the proofs which have been given, yet they never thought fit to examine the matter fully and candidly. That Chrifl is of the fame fubilance with the
Nic. Seft. u.) and to Dr. Waterland, (firft and fecond de- fenfes, undei- Queries 2. and 8. Serm. 8. Reply to Dr. Whit-
— ItKTcu Xpyey, 5? 77^ Uiamv "xa^cc ■tccr^ i)v. Ignatius Epift,
ad Magncf. c. 6. p. 22. Ed. Oxon.
•» lr,(rcvv XfK^v r cc(p' ivct; 7rxr^<; Tr^oiXiovra^ (c* s;? tvoe. ciree. y^ Xt^^Wavrx. Idem, ibid, c. 7. p 22.
'O I) iikhc sufiva, o fASv(^ Mycf^oq KV^Jiati vioc,, 0 >^iyo<; 7r(6
fKric-i Kxl Sf(^(rf/j7j<rs. Juftin. Mart. Apol. II. c 6. p. 14, 15". Ed. Oxon. p. 15. Ed. Thirlby.
■iMi Evc^ cvrcc, TOO TXT^cc, kxi rov uiov ' ovto^ S T6v i(ou cv ^a-g/, ic^ TTejrpfl? cv yif, ivir^ri (c" ^jvutjb^ 7rviufJ^XTo<i. Athc-
nagorasApol. c. 9. p. 38. Ed. Oxon.
,.~m AtyovTXi xui 020V 7:x77^x, Kx'i Cilv ©S3K, — h'.KfWTXc, ecu- Tzov T/,v cv Tv; ifacra ^ovxf/jiv. Idem, ibid. c. 10. p. 40.
Oicv cpxf/jiv^ KUi vicv eivrov, xxi zviZfjux ecymv^ iviifjunx kxtu. ^vvxf/jiv. Idem, ibid. c. 22. p. 96.
O Ac'/fl? ysycvi kxtu y,i^Krfj{ov, ^ kut' xzcrtf/jViV. Tatian. c. 8. p. 21. Ed. Ox.
h^t^'j 6 0£95 T iXVTov Xoycv iv^kxhrov c^-j Tei<; id'ioi^ (rrAay- ;^vo»? iyivvKfTiv uvrcy, — 77p) tuv o?^av. Theophil. ad Autolyc. Lib. II. c. 14. p. 118. Ed. Wolfii.
Non infeftus cs, o homo, neque Temper coexiflebas Deo, ficut proprium ejusVerbum. Irenaeus, Lib. II. c. 25. p. 153. Ed. Bencdiftin.
Semper ccexiftens Filius Patri. Idem, ibid. c. 30. p. 163.
Qui omnia fecerit, cum Verbo fuo, jufte dicatur Dcus & Dominu.^ folus. Idem, Lib. III. c. 8. p. 183.
Is qui de rubo locutus eft Moyfi, & manifeftavit fe efle Deiim Patrem, Kic eft viventium Deus : quis enim eft vivo- rum Deus, nifi qui eft fuper omnia Deus, & fuper quem ^Jius non eft Deus. — Qui igitur a prophetis adorabatur Deus vivus, hie eft vivorum Deus, & Verbum ejus, qui & locutus eft Moyfi. --- Ipfe igitar Chriftus cum Patre, vivorum eft Dcus, qui & locutus eft Moyfi. Idem, Lib. IV. c. 5. p. 232.
Father,
OF THE Trinity. 185
Father, is the faith once deUver'd to the faints > and as it has hitherto been preferved in all ages, it will certainly ftand the ihock of all oppofiti- on, till the church mihtant be fwallowed up in the church triumphant.
Cum fit unus & idem Deus Pater, & verbum ejus Temper afliftcns humano generi. Idem, Ibid. c. 28. p. 266.
Toq, rcu 'J hioZ T^^ua-c-evroc, xui oyif/jiiifyiiVTc^y rev ^ T^viJy^xTc^ r^i<pcircc, x.ul a'j|«vrc5. Idem, ibid. c. 38. p. 285.
'E-icpuit}, 0 iv ra cvri ay. Clemens Alexand. Protreptic. c. I. p. 7. Ed. Oxon. - Acyo(; ©£05 0 ill ru ttut^L Idem, Paedag. Lib. I. c. 2.
P-39- ^ ^ . ^ . /
'n TiZ ^i^>^it (5ioZ, 6) rov Ti^.im Trui^i'a ' wjss tv ttxt^], xscl
■5r«77;p iv'Jiu. Idem, ibid. c. 5. p. 1 1'2.
Ovo^v Ufa fAiiTsTrtciy vttd roZ QioZ • j u>\?\' eo^' Jrra TcZ /Koyn*
iv y«p «|U/^iw, 6 Qioq. Idem, ibid. c. 8. p. 135.
Tii Kcti TTUT/jft h uyj<pa, xc/|p»6 * — . tcj yt^^'va) TTur^i kch viu y-^l vretrfty — -TiuvTru. r^ in — vi ^i^u,. Idem, ibid. Lib. III. c. 12. p. 311.
Quod de Deo profeftum eft, & Deus eft, & Dei Filius, & unus ambo. Tertullian. Apol. c. 21. p. 203. Ed. Haver- camp.
Hunc ex Deo prolatum didicimus, Sc Deum didlum, ex unitate fubftantiae. Idem, ibid. pag. praeced.
Duas fpecies unius &indivifac fubftantiae numerabo, quam Deum &Sermonem ejus, quam Patrem & Filium. Idem, c- Praxeam, c. 13.
'£t 0 Aoyte, 7r^*$ T S^iov, ^icc, av, t\ tiv ^iccsisv «i/ r<$ ^uo ^i/-
t<5 «V<y 0 Qic<^* 0 yap KO.ivuv ttxt^^, • ^ vTrxrciimv vic<;. Hip- polyt. c. Noetum, cap. 14. Vol. II. p. 15, 16. Ed. Fab.
Eyx Oscv — T TTUTT^x Kul T viov ^i^uTCivoyjiv, Origen, C- Celfum, Lib. VIII. p. j%6. Ed. Cant.
'HvSe^ Tto ^sw Tziv oAwv T Aeyei'. Dionyf. Rom. apud .Athanafium de decret. Syn. Nic. Vol. I. p. 276. Ed. Par.
■— Qy ?ii''/oi/Tcq rov Xfifcv Ofjuoiio-iot uvxi rS Qt^, — u>^>M roC iTTi^ii^Kf^xTzi f^a 7^5 olxm'x<i ruvr'/^i eCx x'Tnc^u. Dionyf. Alex. apudAthanaf. Vol. I. p. 561.
Me»o5 ^ i ^'^^5 eii) g.^y'uf T^ fruTol Idem, apud Athanaf. V©1. L p. 56.
CHAP.
/
iS6 The true Scripture Doctrine
CHAP. II.
Chrift's Divinity proved, from his equality witli the Father.
S the fcripture, in declaring Chrifl to be one with the Father, has effe6tually fecured the unity of the divine nature, fo^inTepre renting him to be equal to the Fa- ther, it has left no room to fuppofe him an inferior God. Whether Chrift is equal with the Father, as to his divine nature, has been the turning point of the controverfy betv/cen the cathoiicks and the Arians. For if he be equal to the Father, it is not poflible the Fa- ther can have any natural rule or government over him, which is a thing now ilirenuoufly con- tended for. It is rtrongly proved that he is equal / with the Father, by his being call'd by the fame / names, by his having the fame attributes, and by his doing the fame works with the Father j and therefore every proof which is given of the Son being Jehovah, and God, of his being eter- nal, unchangeable, omnifcient, immenfe, and of his creative power, evidences his equaUty with God the Father. At prefent I {hall confine my felf to thofe paflages of fcripture, where he is pofitively declared to be equal with God, or is fpoke of, together with the Father, in fuch a manner as neceffarily infers the fame.
When God, by the prophet " Zechariah, fore- told the death of Chrifl, the great fhepherd of the iheepj he declared, that the perfon who
* Zcch. xiii. 7.
Was
OFTHE Trinity. 1S7
was to fall a facrifice to divine judice, as man, was at the fame time his equal and rellow. " A- wake, O fword, againft ray fliepherd, againfl: the man that is my fellow, faith Jehovah of hofts : Smite the fhepherd, and the fheep fhall be fcatter'd." The fv/ord of God's infinite jullice was to be brandifh'd, with the full Itrength of his almighty arm, to ftrike ^ the great ihepherd of Ifrael, who took the nature of frail man, and in that nature, willingly of- fer'd his neck to the ilroke -, but he was able to (land the fhock, becaufe he was at the fame time the mighty God, the Father's equal and fellow. As God has declared Chrift to be his fellow, it fhevvs, that he is no inferior derived being -y for it can never be imagined, that the great Creator would fpeak thus of any creature, who received its being from the word of his power, and depends for the continuance of it, on his good pleafure.
Our^Lord Jefus Chrift, in the days of his flefh, did not give always plain declarations of his being God by nature j but chofe to leave thofe that heard him in forae fufpence j referving the full manifeftation of himfelf to his difciples, till he was rifen from the dead j yet at times he was pleafed to teftify his heavenly original, and to declare his divine nature and power j ;is in particular, on occafion of his healing the impotent man, who had been many years ac the pool of Bethefda, This was done on the
^ I believe none will queftion, whether thefe words fliould be underftood of Chrift ; but if any Ihould unreafonably doubt, they may fee the latter part of the verfe, dire<5lh% by Chrift, applied to himfelf, Mat. xxvi. 31. Mark xiv. 27. See the learned M. a Marck, on the pkce, p. 1090- — 1 100.
fabbath*
1 88 The true Scripture Doctrine'
fabbath-day> "" *^ Therefore, (as the apoftlejohn has told us,) the Jews perlecutcd Jefus, and fought to kill him, becaufc he had done thcfe things on the fabbath-day *, but Jefus anfwer'd themj My Father works hitherto, and I work. Therefore the Jews fought the more to kill him, not only becaufc he had broke the fabbath,but faid alfo, ^ that God was his proper Ff.ther, making himfelf equal with God : Then anfwer'd Jefus, and faid to them 5 verily, verily 1 fay to you, the Son can do nothing of himfelf, but what he fees the Father do , for what things foever he doiss, thefe alfo doth the Son." This paflage may eafily befuppofed to grieve the Arians, who not know- ing how to vent their rancor, would feem to difcharge it againft the Jews > accordingly, « they tell us, the Jews, willing to ufe any han- dle againfl Chrift, accufed him, by way of ca- lumny, and not of llri6b reafoning, with his caUing God his Father, in a peculiar manner j and by another flep of calumny, they charged liim with making himfelf equal with God. I confefs, I do not fee how our adverfaries prove, that it was only calumny in the Jews, to charge Chrift with calling God his Father in a pecu- liar fenfc, fince they own, ^ elfewhere, that Chrill might intend to hint to his difciples, that he was God the Word : As to making himfelf equal with God, they fay, g the Jews accufed him of no more than of afluming a power and authority, like that of God j which
*' John V. i6, 17, 18, 19.
Vid. Lampe in loc. Vol. II. p. 26—40.
• Clarke's reply, p. 135, 136. . * Clarke's Script. Dotl. V- ^6. « Reply, p. 136.
Z IS
OF THE Trinity. 189
is a mean and poor fhuffle, for who can aflumc a power like God, (if the words be not de- lign'd to be ambiguous,) but he who is polTefs'd of equaUty with God ?
If we fuppofe the apoftle John only repeated what the Jews charged Chrift with, it does not appear that they were guilty of calumny, or drew ^ a malicious inference from what he faid > for had it been fo, we can never think but Chrift would have fhewM his abhorrence of what they laid to his charge j but, inftead of that, he urged the fame thing, by way of anfwer, that had given them offence. What had railed their indignation was this, heclaim'd the fame right to perform works of mercy on the fabbath day, as the Father had, " My Father works hitherto, (or, at this very time) and I work.'* When this was taken to imply his making himfelf equal with God, he did not tell them this was a groundlefs calumny, or a malicious infinuation, but he afliired them, that tho' as commiffion'd and fent into the world by his Father, he could not do any thing without his concurrence, yet he had power to do whatfoever the Father did, or to work the fame works, and he went on to fet forth, in a coverM way, his equality with God, by faying ', that he whom they reckoned to claim to him- felf too high honour, was to be their judge, who was to be honoured equally with the Fa- ther who fent him.
For my own part I am fully of the mind, that the apoftle John in relating this tranfaction, did not give us the fcnfe of the Jews, but de-
^ Jackfon's colled, of Queries, p. 96. I Vcr. 22, 23.
livffd
ipo The true Scripture Doctrine livef d his own opinion about the drift and true meaning of what Chrid had faid to the Jews : and I am fatisfied every one, who narrowly confiders the words without prejudice, will kc, that the apoflle has declared, the meaning of Chrifl's calling God his proper Father, to be making himfelf equal with God.
I fhall next confider the noble paflage we find, in proof of Ch rift's equahty with God, in the apoftle Paul's epiftle to the Philippians. ^ " Chrift Jefus fubfifting in the form of God, thought it no act of robbery to be equal with God, neverthelefs emptied himfelf, and took upon him the form of a fervant, and was made in the likenefs of men j and being found . in fafhion as a man, he humbled himfelf and be- came obedient to death, even the death of the crofs. Wherefore God alfo has highly exalted him, and given him a name above every name, that at the name of Jefus every knee fliould bow, of things in heaven, and things on earth, and things under the earth ; and that every tongue iliould confefs, that Jefus Chrift is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." The phrafes that foil moft under confideration here are the form of God, which has been explained ^ above, and that which we render, " Thought it no
Ta-x ©£«• 'AAA' ix-JTir ix.'niu(ri, iJUi^<pyy ^is>^ >.x.Qa», it c^oiai/jCiTt
oCi Ks/A 6 0J5? ci-jTvy bxtfj-iroJCTi, Kou ixecci(rxre oiVTu! cvoujcc to itTPfa TTcct ctsfjuecy \ix iv roj ciaubxri lijerew Ttoci yow xa5tt/V)f fTspa- . »i»y, yM.1 iTr.ysiMv, kc:] icxTxyJctUdf Kmi tixt* yXon^^rx t|9,u»6- XoyY,<rirxk^ oti Kj/'^io? VktcZ^ X^tfc?, ui^lay&iou zxra:\. Philip. ii. 6- — II-
Vid. Marckii Exegetic. Exercitat. p. 674. — - p. 689.
1 Chap. I p. 169, 170.
z robbery
OF THE TrIN ITY. 191
robbery to be equal with God." The cxprefTion s>t a^irayiiov f^yA'ra.ro, occurs in no claiTick writer, and there is no exprefTion any thing hkc it in the new teflament. , ^ .
The adverfaries "^ of Chrift's Deity would have the words rendered, " Did not greatly covet to be honoured as God >" and fome others join in giving up this text : for the fupport of this they bring, as evidence, a paflage or two out of Heliodorus, an elegant, tho' late writer > but there the phrafe is different : it is in " two places, ao-KayixcL -urei^h which is nothing to the purpofej in one place, « indeed, it is ap- TrayiJict r/urar, but flill that comes not up to the point, for there is a difference between dp- Tray/aof, and apirayixa i the firft fignifying the ad of robbery, and the later the prey taken. It is therefore ftrange affurance in our adverfa- ries to tell us, that in the places where this phrafe occurs in profane authors, it is always
"^ Enjcdlnus, p. 323. 324. Clarke's Scripture Doft. p. 156. Jackfon's Colleft. of Queries p. 35, 36. Reply, p. 54, &c. 251. Grotius and Whitby on the place.
I would here make one general remark, that it is feldom the celebrated author of the Scripture Doftrine makes any critical remark, but he borrows his ftridures fromEnjedinus. So that though his fcheme be different from the Socinian hypothecs, yet he is content to fight with their weapons againil the catholick faith. ^ , ,/ ,/
tt^y^viv iroinc-ecfB^tj. Heliodor. Aethiopic. lib. vii. cap. 19. p. 331, Edit. Lugdun.
''AfT>^yH>o;t tb fJjS-SK iTTOiia-xro is 'Apo-axjj. Idem. lib. viii. c. 21. p. 387. ^ ^ , ^
feuKxt lyttUxv Kc'i zfoa-TiTr.Kvietv ciTraB-iirui, icxl ovz u^7rxy{/,ic e-jh i^iAitm isyuTon -n 7T^uy[Jue6. Idem. lib. vii. C. 20. p- 350.
Commeline has obfer^'ed on thefe words ( not. p. S^7') that two manufcripts, which he ufed, read voifTrtct, for nyi^-
taken
tfi
192 The true Scripture Doctrine
taken in their fenfe, and yet to produce only a few pp.flages of Heliodorus, where the phrafe is not the Hime.
It is alfo pleaded, and pretended to be more material, that the text is always iinderilood, in this fcnfe, by the ecclefialtical writers of the three firft centuries > this is falfe in part, as will be feen in the feqnel. The P churches of Lyons and Viennc, in their letter to the churches of Ada and Phrygia, part of which is preferved by Eii- fcbius, Teem to have ufcd the phrafe in the fenfe our adverfaries contend for 5 making it expreffive of part of Chrifl's humiliation, that he did not aflume to himfelf, as he juftly might, to be ho- noured as God 5 but as they refer'd to it only in a curfory manner, and did not exprefsly explain it, no great matter can be gathered from thence. Origen and Novatian underilood the words in two different meanings 5 the i firflhas miflakcn- ly apply'd the whole text to Chrifl's human foul, which he fancied to be pre-exiftent, fa that it is no wonder he fhould take the words under confideration as he did , the ^ other meant no more, than that Chriil did not affeft
rail, fo that It is not certain this is the true reading, efpe- cially fince it appears, that u^rcxyf/^x -sroiuit is a phrafe ufed hy the author ellevvhere.
P, '0< Kccl iTn rocrcZroy ^TjXayrcn Kcci uiiyjrtTxi Xci^oZ iynmre,
^-fiT, oicTTi iv ToiU'JT'A J~i|vj y;T<ip;^4yr£5, y.xl ovy^ otTru^ ouh ci?,
Tj$, Ktti mz KXVTPif'.oc, Kxi role, yjotXuTtx^, y^ tu T^xdjf/jXTX *;\ioTi5
Tfl^lKHfB^X^ CUT (CVTol UjU^TVfX^ iXVTOU^ ccy£KriCVTTO», HTl fO^ yfJlAT tTTiTfiTTaff TitTOt 7 (y OVOfMXTi Tv^OTXyoflVUV civTiiC,, Epifl.
Ecclef. Lugdun. & V'ien. ad Ecclef. Afue & Phryg. apud Eufeb. Hift. Ecclef. lib. i. c. 2. p. 135. Ed. Paris.
*i In Joh. p. 34. Ed. Huet. vid. 8c c. Cclfum. p. 172.
^ Hie ergo quamvis efTet in forma Dei, non ell rapi- nam arbitratus aequalem fc Deo cfle ; quamvis euim fe ex
to
OF THE Trinity^ 195
to be the firft perfon, or to make himfelf the Father. As thefe three interpretations are dif- ferent, they cannot contribute to the fettling the fenfe of the phrafe in difpute.
It is farther pleaded, ^ that the following words, " But divefted himfelf," {hew the words immediately foregoing, not to be part of the preceding charafter of Chrift's greatnefs, but part of the confequent account of his humilia- tion: but to this it has been "^ well replied, that the particle dWd may be very naturally render'd neverthelefs, as it is in many other " places in fcripture.
If we were to]allow our adverfaries, that the words fhould be render'd, '^ Did not covet, or fland upon," the paflage may bear a good fenfe. Tho' Chrift was in the form of God, or God by nature, yet he did not covet, to be honour'd as God, but that he might effe6b the falvation of finners, condefcended to hide his glories, and to appear in the form of a fervant.
After all, I cannot but be perfuaded, our com- mon rendering is much the beft 5 '' Thought it
Deo Patre Deum efTe meminiiTet ; nunquam fe Deo Patri
aut comparavit aut contulit, memor ie efle ex fuo Patre.
probatur nunquani arbitratum ilium efle rapinam quandam divinitatem, ut aequaret fe Patri Deo ; quinimo contra om- ni ipfius imperio & voluntati obediens atque fubjedus, etiam ut formam fervi fufciperet, contentus fuit. Novatian, c. 17. al. c. 22. p. 84. Edit. Welchman.
^ Clarke's Script. D06I. p. 156.
* Dr. Waterland's Sermons, p. 162, 163.
" To inftance in one, Rom. v. 13, 14. Sin is not im- puted when there is no lav/; neverthelefs {»>Xoc) death reigned from Adam to Mofes, and yet with a ilrange aflu- ranceit isaflerted, (Reply to Dr. Waterland, p. 231.) that «Moc is never taken in the fenfe of neverthelefs, when it is tjfed as an adverfative to a preceding em in the fame period.
O not
194 The true Scripture Doctrine
not robbery, (or an a£b of robbery) to be equal •'with God," the later words our adverfaries would underiland of being honoured as God, fo they fay, the word 'iaa, is underftood in fcrip- ture 5 but were this true, it is of no moment, for they have not fhew'd the words «v«i xVa, to be taken fo any where. Therefore there is no need to recede from the common renderings but it is to be preferr'd, becaufe it is literal, and the literal fenfc fhould never be deferted without neceflity 5 now here is no manner of necefTity to leave the literal rendering -, for he who was in the form of God, God by nature, might very juftly think it was no robbery, no ad of injuflice, to be equal with God, becaufe it was his natural right. All the ancient ver- iions tranflatc the words in the fenfe I plead for, literally, and they are taken the fame way by * Clement of Alexandria, and y Tertullian, and by almoft all the ancient writers, after the Arian controverfy fprung up. The other in- terpretation, were it fcrewed up to the height, wou'd contradift Chrifl's prafticej for it has been proved, in vindicating the true fenfe of the text confidered immediately before this, that our blefled Lord did not difclaim equality with God.
w
Clemens Alex. Protrept. c lo. p. 86. Ed. Ox.
©ioi- iyJvu<riv ^t ixvrv¥ 6 <f>i>^oiKr,^iJbui 0£c«, cva-en ti* octB-f&rTTcv V^*a/A^* Clemens Al. Protreptic. cap. i . p. 8. Ed. Ox.
y Sermo enim Deus, qui in effigie Dei conftitutus, non npinam cxiftimavit pariari D«o. Tertullian. De refurredl. carnis, c. 6. p. 329. Ed. Par.
Deus erat Senno. Hie ccrte eft, qui in effigie Dei
conftitutus, non rapinam exiftimavit cil'c le equalem Deo. Idem c. Praxcam. c 7. p. co4'
. Our
OF THE Trinity. 195
Our kind and gracious Redeemer, being in the form of God, did not account it robbery to be equal with God 5 " Neverthelcfs he emptied himfelf, taking the form of a fervant being made in the likenefs of men." I fhall, for the illuftrating this claufe, ufe the elegant words of a very ^ learned writer. " When (fays he) our Lord is faid to have made himfelf of no reputation, or to have emptied himfelf, which fignifies much the fame, we are not to fuppofe that he loft any thing which he had before, or that he ceafed to be in the form of God, by taking on him the form of man. No, he had the fame efTential glory, the fame real dignity which he ever had, but among men concealed it •, appearing not in majefty and glory like to God, but divefted himfelf of every daz- zling appearance, and every outward mark of majefty and greatnefs, ^ condefcending to ap- pear and a6t as a man, like to us, in all things, fin only excepted. In this fenfc it is, that our Lord emptied himfelf He came not with any pomp and oftentation of greatnefs, he laid afide his godlike majefty, and difrobed himfelf, as it were, of all outward glories, becoming a man,
* Dr. Waterland's Sermons, p. 168, 169.
l«^(^, uX\e6 TUTTeiveCPfovavy xx^Uf to fPTvsvfJocc to uyiov ^Tjpt Uv
rcZ iXocXwiv. Clemens Roman. Ep. I. cap. 16. p. 68.70. Ed. Cant. ^ ^
'AwTfls (Of ^ I9 rvi u<pB-x(iTo> clvreu ^d|ij ^po^ i}fi,cc(5 fXhTv ^^u- faro dXX' y.f/iiT^ cudiTraTron ro fjusyi$(^ rtj^ Jo|}j? ccvrou l3ctfuljH\f r.^wufjiji^cc. Irenaeus Lib. IV. cap. 38. p. 284. Ed. Ben. O^i^ if xf^vi !Tpo5 751' 0£ov 6>y, ^ik Tob^ xoXXyiB-tvrot^ tvJ (rcc^Ki, ?g ytvo^ei^ cT£p (Tfltfl, iymTo orcc^^' Ivx p^^pJjS-jj vttv rav fju^i ^v- nnfOfitot eiviiv /3?iiV«v, xxB-9 Aoy^ w, y^ srpe? tvv Qm hv, >^
®ih w. Origen. c. Celfum Lib. 6. p. 322. Ed. Cant.
O z a mi(e-
196 The true Scripture Doctrine
a miferable man, and in that nature fufFering, bleeding and dying for us."
As Chrift freely and voluntarily, out of his great good will to men, condefcended to veil his awful glories, and to fhrowd his godlike majefty in a tabernacle of flefhj and out of his infinite compaffion to finners, not only took the human nature under a mean form, but in that poor appearance groan'd, bled, and died on the crofs j " Therefore God has highly exalted him, and given him a name above every name, that at the name of Jefus every knee fhould bow, of things in heaven, and things on earth, and things under the earth, and that every tongue fhould confefs, that Jefus Chrift is Lord.'* I fhall illuftrate this part of the text in the words of the judicious ^ author I quoted before, " Tho', ' (fays he) the abfolute eflential Divinity of our blefTed Lord was always the fame, and in rcfpe6l: of which he was ever equal with God, yet his relative dignity towards us, foun- ded in the obligations we received from him, never fo fignally appeared, as in that amazing and aftonifhing inllance of condefcenfion and goodnefs, his becoming man, and dying for us. We are hereby bought with a price, becoming fervants to Chrift, and Chrift a Lord to us in a particular "^ fenle, and under a new and fpe- cial title. Upon this ocafion, and on this ac- count, it pleafed God in the moft folemn and
^ Dr. Watcrland's Sermons, p. 174, 175, 176, 177, 178.^
*^ 'Hyepeec^JjTt ^ riyMc,' ^t^uTctrt J5j lit G>sop, w ra <ru(jt,xrk t/fd,uy, }^ it ra yrnv^xn IfJi^Ht etTUos, if* roZ ©jot/. i Cor. vi. io.
'£(5 TouTd yu^ Xpifs?, i^ tcyrtB-ccvi, kxi tlyUK, ««* KVi^vTif, im *^ n>cf>eif Kttl ^mrof}) Kl^nt/<r^. Rom. xiv 9.
i pompous
OF theTrinitv.' 197
pompous manner, to proclaim the high dignity of God the Son, to reinforce his rightful claim of homage, and to command heaven and earth, angels and men, to pay him all honour, reve- rence and adoration fuitable to the dignity of fo great, fo good, and fo divine a perfon as the Son of God. He had lately run through an unparalleFd work of mercy, had redeemed man- kind, and triumph'd over death and hell y upon this his Divinity is recognized, and his high
worth proclaimed. After God the Son
had fliew'd fuch amazing and aftonifhing a6ts of goodnefs towards mankind, then was it pro-
Invifibilis viUbilis fa6lus, & incomprehenfibilis faftus com- prehenfibilis, & Verbum homo, univerfa in femetipfum re-. capitLiIans : ut ficut in fupercoeleftibus, & fpiritualibus, & invifibilibus princeps eft Verbum Dei ; fic in viiibilibus, & corporalibus principatum habeat, in femetiprum principatum affumens, & apponens femetipfum caput Ecclefiae, univerfa attrahat ad femetipfum, apto in tempore. Irenaeus, Lib. III. cap. 16. p. 206. Ed. Ben.
Accipiens omnium poteftatem, quando Verbum caro fadlum eft, ut quemadmodum in coelis principatum habuit Verbum Dei, fic & in terra haberet principatum, quoniani homo juftus, " Qui peccatum non fecit, nee inventus eft dolus in ore ejus;" principatum autem habeat eorum quae funt terra, ipfe primogenitus mortuorum faftus : & ut vide- rent omnia quemadmodum praediximus fuum regem. Idem, Lib. IV. c. 20. p. 253.
Per omnem venit aetatem, & infantibus infans fa6lus, fandificans infmtcs ; in parvulis parvukis, fandlificans hanc ipfam habentes aetatem, fimul & exemplum illis pietatis efFedlus, & juftitiae & fubjedlionis : in juvenibus juvenis, exemplum juvenibus iiens, & fandtificans Domino, fic & fenior in fenioribus, ut fit perfedlus magifter in omnibu?, non folum fecundum expofitionem veritatis, fed & fecun- dum aetatem, fanftificans fimul & feniores, exemplum ipfis quoque fiens: deinde & ufque ad mortem pervenit, ut fit primogenitus ex mortuis, ipfe primatum tenens in omnibus, princeps vitae, prior omnium, & praecedens omnes. Idem, Lib, IL c. 23. p. 147, 148.
P ? per
ips The true Scripture Doctrine
per to celebrate his name to the utmoil, and to recognize the dignity and majefty of his perfon, and to recommend him to the world as their God and Lord, with all imaginable ad- vantage, with fuch endearing circumflanccs as could not but affe6t, ravifh, and aftoniH.; every pious mind. And thus I underlland the v/ords, '' Wherefore God has highly exalted him :" ^ that is, on account of the great work of redemp- tion, fo full of love and goodnefs, fo aftoniih- ing and fo endearing, God has remarkably pro- claimed his dignity, and fee forth his glory, commanding all men hereupon to acknowledge him their God and Lord, their Lord always, but now more efpecially, by a new and diflinft claim, as their f^viour and deliverer, and only redeemer."
%^irvi<i TTtcvrm KTrooioeiKTcnk' iT^y^uvluv fxAv, on Acy(^ rou Tfccr^ai
'on KO,] sy. vix^cTs KccTiXcyi^vi^ •«■ K% B-avxTn tsv B-dvarov viKcir Hippolytus de Antichrifto, c 26. Vol. I. p. 14, 15. Ed. Fabric.
'^ As to the fenie of the word exalted, nothing is more frequent in fcripture than that here given.
He is my God, and I will exak him. Exod. xv. 2. ,
Exalted be the God of the rock of my falvation. i Sam. xxii. 47. ' Let the God of my falvation be exalted. Pfalm xviii. 46.
Be thou exalted. Lord, in thy own llrength. Pfalm xxi. 13.
Thou art my God, and I will praife thee, thou art my God, and I will exalt thee. Pfalm cxviii. 28.
Jehovah alone fhall be exalted in that day. Ifa. ii. 11. 17.
Thefe are enough to juftify this interpretation ot the word exalted. Dr. V/aterland's Sermons, p. IJ9.
O 0£o$ ccvrtv l/T^ift^'^ucri' vui' o 0fio5 ^ Myu rui ©«« [MS
uxhlc xxl 0 lioi iUixa-i Tcr Uxrifx. Epiftola Dionyfio Alex. Afcript. p. 888. Vol. L Collet. Concil. Labbe.
It
OF THE Trinity 199
It is no wonder, feeing God thus exalted Chrifl, and commanded all creatures to ferve him, and every tongue to confels him, if we find it added, that this muft be done to the glory of God the Father. The Father contri- ved, in a peculiar manner, the ftupendous me- thod of our redemption, he fent the Son into the world, according to their covenant agree- ment, to execute it, and he accepted the fatis- faftion made by Chrift on our account 5 there- fore whenever we adore Chrift for his redeem- ing love, we fliould not forget to afcribe glory to the Father, who chofe us in him to falvation before the foundation of the world, and when the fulncfs of time was come, fent forth his Son, born of a woman, to complete the falva- tion concerted with him, before time begun.
Thus 1 have gone over the dire6t fcripture proofs of Chrift's equality with the Father; every proof of his true Divinity, is an indireft evidence of the fame. There are many « texts, which a careful re-ader of the new teftamenc cannot but obferve, where tho' Chrift's equa- hty with the Father is not exprefsly afTerted, yet the Father and the Son are fpoke of toge- ther, in a manner we cannot account for, unlefs we fuppofe them equal in power and dignity j and whoever ferioufly weighs the texts which
® My Father works hitherto, and I work. John v. 17.
That all men fhould honour the Son, as they lionour the Father, v. 23.
He that fees me, Tees him that fent me. xii. 45.
You believe in God, behcve alfo in me. xiv. i.
If you had known me, you would have known my Fa- ther alfo, xiv. 7.
This is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jefus Chrift whom thou haft fent. John xvii. 3,
O 4 have
^oo The true Scripture Doctrine
have been brought, for the immediate proof of this, without prejudice and partiahty, will not, I hope, be backward to acknowledge, that tho* our great Redeemer appeared once in the form of a fcrvant, or in the human nature, yet he is poflefs'd of a nature infinitely higher in dignity, being in the form of God, and having a right to claim a full equality with God.
Preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jefus Chrift. Adls viii. 12.
Teftifying— repentance towards God, and faith towards our Lord Jefus Chrift. xx. 2 1 .
Being not without law to God, but under the law to Chrift. 1 Cor. ix. 21.
Inheritance in the kingdom of Chrift, and of God. Eph. V. 5.
Which worfhip God in the Spirit, and rejoyce in Chrift Jefus. Philip, iii. 3.
Taking vengeance on them that know not God, and obey not the gofpel of our Lord Jefus Clirift. 2 TheiT. i. 8.
According to the grace of our God, and the Lord Jefus Chrift. i. 12.
Keep your felve.i in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lor<^ Jefus Chrift. Jud. 21.
The word of God, and the teftimony of Jefus Chrift. Rev. i. 2. 9.
They that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jefus. xiv. 12.
CHAP.
OF THE Trinity. 201
CHAP. III.
Chrift's Divinity proved, from his hav- ing the name Jehovah, in the old tefta- ment.
Shall now proceed to the proof of Chrifl's eternal Godhead, from his taking the title of Jehovah in the old teftament. There is fcarce any argu- ment, that more clearly fets forth his fupremucy than this will be found to do, when duly laid open ; for Chrift is not barely ftiled Jehovah, but he is defcribed in all the pomp and majefly of the great God. I do not think this matter has been confider'd as it deferves > it has gene- rally been thought fufficient, to prove, from fome paffages quoted from the old teftament in the new, that Chrift is called Jehovah > but I conceive this matter may be fet in a much flronger light, if we confider in what manner Chrill is fpoke of and defcribed, when he is in- troduced with the name Jehovah : for then there will be no high charader of true and fupreme Deity, but what will appear to belong to him. I am fenfible fome may object to the proof that may be brought from the old tcftament, for our blelTed Lord's Divinity, that it is fcarce to be conceived, that the old teftamcnt church had fo diftinfl: and explicit a revelation of the divine glory of the Me^ah, as this arguing will fuppofe them to have: but I would defire
it
20Z The true Scripture Doctrine it may be confider'd, that we muft judge of their meafure of light, by comparing fcripture with fcripture, and not by the fancies of men, who may choofe to fpeak with contempt of thofe times, which they alfe<St to call dark and obfcure ages. The holy Spirit fure did not dired the apoftles and evangelifts, to ^pply the texts they quoted from the old teftament wrong : if he did not, then what is quoted from an infpired writer and apply'd to Chrifl, mull: certainly belong to him, and the infpired writer who fpoke of him, muft have fome cx- phcit knowledge of the Jivine perfon whom he defcribed. It is ridiculous to plead againft this, the ignorance of the Jews in Chrift's time, for fure the ignorance of fuch, as lived in the dregs of time, muft not be the meafure of the knowledge of the prophets, before them, who lived in better times, and had the fupernatural light of infpiration to guide them.
There are no arguments have more cramp'd the enemies of Chrift's Deity, than what may be drawn from the old teftament> therefore, I think, it is pity that any who oppofe them, fhould let them gain the advantage of not hav- ing thofe things urged againft them, which they find it hardeft to get over 5 we have no re^fon to be fo complaifant to the fworn ene- mies of our Redeemer's honour, as to give up to them one of the beft arguments we can ufc, merely becaufe they will not admit it, and be- caufe they treat it with contempt, to hide their inability to anfwer it.
Jehovah is a name derived from niJI, fuit,
and fignifies one who was, who is, and who is
to come ; it is a word of abfolute lignifi cation,
and denotes God, as he is: It imports eternity,
z, immu-
OF THE Trinity. 205
immutability, and neceflaiy exiftence. This is the common fentiment of all men of ^ learning, and is not denied by thofe whom ^ we oppofe. The name Jehovah is the incommunicable name of God J this he himfelf has declared, in terms fo full and flrong, that it would be infufferable arrogance for any to deny it. Thus he fpoke by the prophet Ifaiah, ^ ^^ I am Jehovah, that is my name -, and my glory will not I give to another." To the fame purpofe the pfalmift Afaph fays, ^ " Thou whofc name alone is Je- hovah, art the mod High over all the earth : " To thefe more places might be added, but it fignifies nothing to multiply proofs of fuch a plain thing.
The name Jehovah then being the incommu- nicable name of God, and fignifying his eterni- ty, immutability, and neceflary exiftence, when- ever it is given to Chrift, it proves that he is God in as high a fenfe as the Father, and that he is equally eternal, immutable, and neceflari- ly exiftent^ and as it is certain, there cannot be two Jehovahs, two neceflarily exifling Gods, Chrift mud be with the Father the one Jeho- vah, the God of hofts.
It is faid by ^ fome of our adverfaries, that Jehovah is the name of a living perfon, and not of an abftrad fub fiance, and that it Hgnifies not at all, being, but perfon. Thefe oblcure ob-
^ See Dr. V/aterland's nrft defenfe, p. 57. — 66. fecond defenfe, p. 175.---178. Sermons, p. 29 — 34. 225, 226.
See alio the fecond letter to the author of the hiilory of Montanifm, p. 2. — 9.
^ See Clarke's Scripture Doftrine, p. 264. Reply, p. 164.
<^ Ifaiah xlil. 8. ^ Pfaini Ixxxiii. 18.
* Modeft Plea, p. 160. 293. and elfewhere. Jackfon's Reply to Dr. Waterland, p. 178, J79.
fervations
204 The true Scripture Doctrine
fervations do not alter the cafe, for if it is the name of a living perfon, it denotes the necefla- ly exigence of thb perfon it is apply 'd to > and feeing Chrift bears this name, as well as the Fa- ther, he is neceflarily exifting, as well as the Father, and fo tho' he is not the fime perfon with the Father, he is with him one Jehovah, fince Jehovah is one.
That Chrill has the name Jehovah in fcrip- ture, is what I fliall now advance to the proof of. I mull jufl premifc, as to thofe pafTages which I ihali ufe, which are not quoted and applied to Chrill in the new tellament, that wherever the perfon who takes the title of Je- hovah, is filled an angel, or is reprefented as appearing in a human ihapc, there I fhall un- derlland Jehovah of the perfon of the Son, the great angel of the covenant by office, who ap- peared often in a human form, by way of pre- lude to his incarnation. 1 do not think any can oppofe this, for the Father having not under- taken any fubordinate office, he cannot be call'd an angel > and there is not the leall ground in fcripture for us to think, that the Father ever appeared in a human fhape, but many things ellablilh the contrary, ^ as all men, fo far as I know, allow.
In the feventeenth chapter of Genefis, we have an account of God's appearing to the pa- triarch Abraham, to confirm to him, that in
*" The only exception which may be made, is Daniel's defcription of the ancient of days, fitting on a throne, but this is a fymbolical or emblematical defcription of the Father, and was not a real appearance. It is of the fame nature, with thofe defcriptions of the angels, wc meet with in fcripture, as having fix wings, and being in the form of living creatures with four heads.
his
OF THE Trinity^ 205
his old age he fhould have a Ton. In this hillory God is faid § to appear to Abraham, and when he had done talking, to go up from him, fo that it is highly probable, it was the perfon of the Son. He is called Jehovah, for ic is faid, ^ " Jehovah appeared to Abraham 5 " he decla- red himfelf to be God almighty, or all-fufficient, challenging his homage and obedience 5 '^ I am God all-fuificient, walk before me and be thou perfe6t." He promifed '' to be the covenant God of Abraham, and his feed : And he fpoke in the language of a fovereign and a lawgiver, when he inftitutcd the feal of circumcifion, and promifed he would make Abraham the father of many nations.
In the next chapter we have an account of another appearance of God to Abraham > at this time it is plain he appeared in a human fhape, attended by two angels, who were to be the minifters of his wrath, to deftroy Sodom and Gomorrah, and the other cities of the plain. The appearing in a human ihape fufficiently proves it was the Son > and he is call'd Jehovah at leaft ^ nine times > and he claimed to himfelf almighty power, when he faid, ^ " Is any thing too hard for Jehovah?'* The whole of Abra- ham's carriage, in his interceffion with God for Sodom, ihews, he was fenfible he was in the prefence of the fovereign lawgiver, who could fave and deftroy j and kept up a due apprehen- fion of the infinite diftance there was between a creature, and the maker of all things.
It is no new thing to take Jehovah, who is brought in, in thefe two chapters, to be meant
« Gen. xvii. i. 22. ^ v. i. ' v. 7, S.
^ Gen. xviii. i, 13, 14, 15. 20. 22, 26, 27. 33. ^ V. 14.
" of
206 The true Scripture Doctrine
of the perfon of the Son , for it has been fo underftood of fome of the ancient chriftian writers, according to the general fcheme they went upon, that it was the Son who appeared to the patriarchs: The feventeenth chapter is underftood of Chrift, by "^ Clement of Alexan- dria, as is the eighteenth by " Juflin, Tertulli- an, and Novatian j and both of them are applied to Chrift, ° by Eufebius himfelf
In the P hiilory of Jacob's wreftling with an angel, the angel is call'd a man, and that it was one in a human fhape, appears from the whole tranfa6lion, efpecially from his touching Jacob's thigh, and putting it out of joint : That this wreftler, who appear'd in a human ihape, was the true God, is moft evident, for we are told, q " Jacob call'd the name of the place Peniel ; for, faid he, I have feen God, face to face, and yet my life is preferved." That this muil be the perfon of the Son is plain, from his taking a human form : And that this was Jehovah, the God of hofts, we are told by the prophet Ho- fea, who fpeaking of Jacob, has the following ^ words j '' by his ftrength he had power with God, he had power even over the angel and prevailed, he wept and made fupplication to him y he found him in Bethel, and there he fpoke with us : Even Jehovah the God of hofts, Jehovah is his memorial." Jacob's feeking a blelling, and that with tears and entreaties, and the angels changing his name, are farther evi-
"> Vid. Clem. Al. Paedjg. Lib. I. c. 7. p. 131. Ed. Ox.
" Vid. Jullin Martyr. Dial, cum Tryphonc, p. 248. 408, 409. Ed. Thirlby. TcrtuUian. c. Praxeam, c. 16, 17. Novatiari. c. 26. al. 18. p. 66- Ed. Oxon.
° Dcraonftrat. Evangel. Lib. V. c. 9.
P Gen. xxxii. ^ v. 30. [ Hof. xii. 3, 4,- ^.
dences.
OF THE Trinity. 207
dences, that this angel was the true God, even f God the Son.
From the paflage which has been quoted out of the prophet Hofea, we learn farther, that Chrift who wreftled with Jacob, was the fame perfon who appeared to him ^ before at Bethel, even Jehovah, the God of Abraham and Ifaac : in a dream, he faw a ladder reaching from earth to heaven, by which the angels came down and went up, and we "are told > "Jehovah flood above it, and faid, I am Jehovah, the God of Abra- ham thy father, and the God of Ifaac, the land whereon thou liell:, to thee will I give it, and thy feed j and thy feed ihall be as the duft of the earth, and thou Ihalt fpread abroad to the weft, and to the eafl:, and to the north, and to the fouth , and in thee, and in thy feed, fhall all the families of the earth be blefledj behold I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goeil, and will bring thee again into this land : For I will not leave thee, till I have done what I promifed." Any one who will compare the feveral paflagcs which have been quoted, will fee, that Jehovah, who ap- peared to Jacob at Bethel, was Chrift our Lord, which was the opinion of ^-^ Juflin, and Clement of Alexandria. And if the manner in which he fpoke be coniider'd, it is plain, that he who fpoke in this fovereign authoritative way, can be no other than the moit High : well therefore might the wandering patriarch be furprized at fuch a vifion in a defert place, and cry out, " Je-
*" See Dr. Knight's Sermons, p. 125, 126, 127. * Gen. xxviii. 10.— 22. . " v. 13, 14, i^. "^ Vid. Jullin. Dial, cum Tryphone, p. 261, 262^ 263, Ed. Thirlby. I Clem. Al, Paedag. Lib. t c. 7. p. 131. Ed. Ox.
feovah
208 The true Scripture Doctrine
hovah is in this place, and I knew it not 3 how dreadful is this place ! this is no other than the liouf^of God, this is the gate of heaven ^."
I fhall now proceed to confider thofe places, where Chrift is introduced with the charafter of Jehovah, in the account the fcripture gives us, of the bringing the tribes of Ifrael out of Egypt, thro' the wildernefs into Canaan. It was a prevailing opinion among the y Anteni- cene writers, that the divine perfon who brought the children of Ifrael out of Egypt, headed and condudled them in their paflage thro' the wil- dernefs, gave them the law at mount Sinai, and at lad fettled them in the land of Canaan, was our Lord Jefus Chrift : They held, that this di- vine perfon was not the Father, becaufe it was a maxim with them, that the Father never ap- peared, which notion is very much counte- nanced in fcripture : They were fully afllired, this angel was not a created angel, from his af- fuming the divine titles > they therefore con- cluded that this perfon muft be God the Son ; and that very juflly, becaufe feveral of the paf- fages, wherein Jehovah is brought in fpeaking, are applyM to Chrift by the inlpired writers of
^ V. 16, 17.
Irewaeus, Lib. III. c. ii. p. 191. Ed. Bened.
Infeminatus eft ubique in fcripturis ejus (Mofis) Filius Dei, Idem, Lib. IV. c. 10. p. 239.
i>iiv<rcfd^uc9, ou^\ ToZd' vi^uc, h^oifnuiCi Kdl uaM otJjfv, uXXct. 35-»A-
^Jsy ©£0A0p.{0£Vi, %i<Tl.f Ti ZrCiTpt^ T^fo^ ViCV, KUt VloZ WfC? VUTSfX
Tctf uw ToZ Oiou. Origen. in Joh. p. 80.
the
OF THE Trinity. 209
the new teftamenc. They did not imagine, thac Chrift took the names of Jehovah and God Almighty, only as perfonating the Father, but they held, that he was Jehovah (0 av) and God, (0 020;,) in his own ^ perfon. 1 profefs my felf to have a very high efteem for thofe excellent writers, who tho' they may be exceeded in clofe reafoning by fome in our day, yet they will not have many equals for piety. They are only de- fpifed by the ignorant, who have not read them, and by the erroneous, who hate their do6lrine$* As to the matter under confideration, I am fa- tisfied they were entirely in the right. I be- lieve the greateft part of the padages in the books of Mofes, where Jehovah is introduced, are to be underftood of the Son, the great angel of the covenant, but to avoid tedioufnefs, and prevent cavils, I fhall confine my felf to thofe places, where we have fomething in the narra- tion, pointing out to us the perlon meant, and to thofe padages which are actually apply'd to Chrift in the new tcllament. And as I would fet this argument before my readers in its full light, I hope they will excufe the length of fomc quotations.
Mofes, in the third chapter of Exodus, has given us an account how, when he was tending his father-in-law Jethro's dock in the wildei"^ nefsj he was furprized v/ith a very unufual fpec- taclC) of a budi blazing with dre, and yet re^
^ UxXip J« cTM AiVjf, ci)& TOO liiitt zr^sa-aiTFtS , saursf ef/jo\oyu -zoou^nyayor iya Kufi(^ o Otci; <rn, o i't^ocyxyuv a-t t« 7*15 AiyuTTTn. Clemens Al. Paedag. Lib. I. c. 7. p. 121 Ed. Ox. . / r 3 .
Ex ipfms IX)mIni perfona, etfi fuerint delida veftra tan- quam rofeum, velut nivem exalbabo. Tcrtullian. c. Mar- Cion€m, Lib. lY. c. 10.
P maining
tio The true Scripture Doctrine
niaining unconfumed : He was willing, as welt he might, to be fatisfied concerning this ftrange fight, and turning afide to examine into it, was forbid to approach, and commanded to pull off his fhoes, as a token of reverence, he being in the prefence of Jehovah the God of his fathers. Thepcrfon who appeared to him, could not be God the Father, becaufe he is call'd an angel > which could not be a created angel, becaufe he calls himfelf Jehovah and God : I ihall therefore make no fcruple of affirming, it was God the Son who appeared to Mofes, to fend him on the merciful errand, of delivering the Ifraelites from the tyranny of the king of Egypt, and the cruel bondage of his hard tafkmafters. If we eonfider the whole palTage, which is rela- ted with great noblencfs, as well as fimplicity of language, it will be fecn, that no higher chara6ters of true divinity can be taken by any perfon, than were alTumed by Chriil. " Mo- fes kept the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, and he led it to the backfide of the defert, and came to the mountain of God, even to Horcb : and the angel of Jehovah appeared to him in a flame of fire, out of thcmidft of a bufh, and he looked, and the bufh burn'd with fire, and was not confumed j and Mofes faid, I will turn afide, and fee this great fight, why the bufh is not burn'd : and when Jehovah faw that he turn'd afide to fee, God call'd to him, out of the midft of the bufli, and faid, Mofes, Mofes; and he f.iid, here am I : and he faid, draw not nigh hither, put off thy iTioes from thy feet, for the place where thou ftandeft is holy ground. He farther faid, I am the God of thy Father, the God of Abraham, the God of Ifaac, and the God of Jacob, and Mofes hid his face, for I he
OF THETRiNitr. air
he was afraid to look upon God. And Jehovah faid, I have furely feen the afflidion of rhy peo- ple in Egypt, and have heard their cry, be- caufe of their tafkmafters $ for I know their forrows 5 and I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land, into a good and large country, flowing with milk and honey : — . come now therefore and I will fend thee to Pharaoh, that thou mayeft bring Ifrael out of Egypt. And Mofes faid to God, who am I, that I fhould go to Pharaoh, and bring the children of Ifrael out of Egypt ? And he faid, certainly I will be with thee, and this ihall be a proof that I have fent thee, when thou haft brought the people out of Egypt, you ihall ferve God on this mountain. And Mofes faid to God, behold when I come to the chil- dren of Ifrael and fay, the God of your fathers has fent me to you, and they fay, what is his name ? what fhall I fay to them? And God faid to Mofes, I am that I am, (H^H^ D HNIS) thus flialt thou fay to the children of Ifrael, I am (HN'^H) has fent me to you. And God faid farther to Mofes, thus {halt thou fay to the children of Ifrael, Jehovah the God cf your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Ifaac, and the God of Jacob, has fent me to you; this is my name for ever, and this is my me- morial to all generations : Go, gather the elders of Ifrael, and fay to them, Jehovah, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Ifaac, and of Jacob appeared to me, faying, I have furely vifited you, and feen what is done to you in Egypt : and I have faid, I will bring you up out of the affliaion of Egypt,- — to a land flowing with milk and honey : and they
P z fliall
21 a The true Scripture Doctrine
{hall hearken to thy voice, and thou and the elders of Ifrael fhall go to the king of Egypt and fay to him, Jehovah the God of the He- brews has met us, let us go, we befeech thee, three days journey into the wildernefs, that wc may facrifice to Jehovah our God: However I am fure that the king of Egypt will not let you go but by a llrong hand 5 therefore I will ilretch out my hand and fmite Egypt with all my wonders, and after that he fhall let you go. .. >■ ■■ And Mofes anfwer'd, they will not be- lieve me, nor hearken to my voice 5 for they will fay Jehovah has not appear'd to thee. And Je- hovah fiid to him, what is that in thy hand? and he faid, a rod : and he faid, cad it on the ground > and he call it on the ground, and it became a ferpent, and Mofes run from it : And Jehovah faid to Mofes, put forth thy hand, and take it by the tail > (and he catch'd it, and It became a rod.) That they may believe, that Jehovah the God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Ifaac, and the God of
Jacob, has appear'd to thee. And Mofes
faid to Jehovah, O my Lord, I am not elo- quent, neither before, nor fince thou haft fpokc to thy fervant, but I am flow of fpeech, and of a flow tongue. And Jehovah faid to him, who has made man*s mouth? or who makes the dumb or deaf, or the feeing or the bhnd ? have not I, Jehovah ? '*
In this amazing dialogue between the eternal Word and Mofes, Chriil claimed to himfelf the name Jehovah, in as emphatical a manner, as ever God the Father has donej this he declared was his name for ever, and this is his memorial in all ages, and he took to himfelf, in the flrideft kni^Cy the properties of true and fupremc God*
head I,
OF THE TRlNITrr 21 3
head; he ftiled himfelf over and over, the God of Abraham, Ifaac, and Jacob; he alTcrted in the llrongeft terms, his necefTary exillence, his independent eternity and immutabihty, when he faid his name was, I am that I am 3 he ma- nifefted his knowledge of the heart, when he told Mofes beforehand, that Pharaoh would not at firfl: regard him ; he promifed to Ihew himfelf almighty, in the wonders he in- tended to work, for the falvation of his peo- ple ; he afTerted his creating power, when he told Mofes he formed the mouth ; and he claim'd to himfelf abfolute fovereignty, when he afcribed it to his good pleafure, that fome have the benefit of fight, whilft others are blind, and that fome enjoy the pleafure of hcar-^- ing founds, whilft dea'fnefs is the unhappy lot ol: others. If all this be duly confider'd 5 this conclufion, that Chrift is God in the higheft fenfe, will force itfelf with irrefiftible ftrength on every ingenuous mind.
This paflage was, by the ancient * chriftian writers, underftood of Chrift ; and was by ^ Juftin Martyr urged in proof of Chrift's being himfelf God. " He whom Mofes calls an an- gel, and affirms to have fpoke to him in a flame of fire, being himfelf God, declared to Mofes, that he is the God of Abraham, and of Ifaac, and of Jacob."
The next palEige which I ftiall confider, is this following ; taken out of the fixth chapter
^ Juftin Martyr. Apol. I. c. 83. p. 93. Ed. Thirlb)^. Tcrtullian. c. Praxcam. c. 17. '
i^' U'v^fiq niOiiKXTi on ov xiyu Mutrvic, ayV^^oy iv zfv^I ^Ao- ^?, c\jt(^ ttitTQc, 0JC5 ^y^ (Tvfjtjpupii ru Mua-iT, ort ccvtvs STm o Gtlc A^^utifA, xui WfiictK Kxl locKuji. Juftin Martyr, Dial. cum Tryphone, p. 263. Edit. Thirlby,
P J . of
214 The true Scripture Doctrine
of the book of Exodus. " God fpoke to Mo- ics^ and faid to him, I am Jehovah, and I ap* pcar'd to Abraham, to Ifaac, and to Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, but by ^ my name
Jehovah was I not alfo known to them? •
wherefore fay to the children ofIfrael> I will bring you out from under the burden of the Egyptians, and I will rid you of their bondagCj and 1 will redeem you with a ftretched out arm, and with great judgments > and 1 will take you to me for a people, and I will be to you a God j and you fhall know that I am Jehovah your God, who brings you out from under the bur- dens of the Egypnanr, j and I v.^ill bring you into the land, which I fwore I would give to Abraham, Ifaac and Jacob, and I will adtually give it you for an heritage, I am Jehovah." The divine perfon here (peaking, has fpoke much to the fame purpofe,^ that Chrifi; did in the third chapter > which makes it probable, that in both places the fame perfon, even Ch rill, is brought in. This will farther appear if we Confider, that he has declared he appcar'd to Abraham and the other patriarchs, by the name of God Ali-fufficientj but the perfon who ap- peared ^ to the pat#farchs under this augud ti- tle, was not God .the Father, but God the Son.
It may be proper now to confider the ac- count of IfracPs pafling the red fea. He who open'd them a foot way thro' the ftormy waves, and cleav'd them a pafTage thro' the watry
*^ So I choofc to render the words by way of interroga- tion, for by thit rendering a difficulty is avoided. See Dr. Waterland's firfl; defenfe, p. 6i. — 65.
** Gen. xvii. 1. xxiii. 13, 14, 15. compared with xxxr. 1 1 . See above.
gulphs,
OF THE Trinity 215
gulphs, whilft he that made the fame angry bil- lows, and the fame tempeituous deeps to prove the graves of the proud Egyptian king, and his numerous hofts, was Jehovah the angel, God the word. It was this divine Perfon who con- duced Ifrael in the cloud by day, and in the £re by night j as will appear, if we put toge- ther fome verfes of the ^ thirteenth and four- teenth chapters of Exodus. We are told that, " Jehovah went before the Ifraelites by day, in a pillar of cloud to lead them, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light:" and that, " He took not away the pillar of cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night." Whillt the Ifraelites were thus going with God before them, Pharaoh repented of his letting them go, and gathering his armed powers together, pur- fued them, and overtook them on the brink of the red fea. Here Ifrael was in poor con- dition, not knowing whither to fly, the red fea was before them, Itrong garrifons were on each hand, and behind was the armed force of Egypt, for whom the naked Ifraelites were far from being a match. This made them mur- mur, and caus'd their faith to fiil j but the great prophet their general, was in no fear. '' Stand llill, (faid he,) and fee the falvation of Jeho- vah 'y — for as to the Egyptians whom you now fee, you fhall never fee them any more, for Jehovah fhall fight for you, and you ihall not aft at all." On this Jehovah faid to Mofes, ^'' Speak to the children of Ifrael to go forwards, but lift thou up thy rod, and flretch thy hand over the fea and divide it, and the children of Ifrael fhall go on dry ground in the midfl of
* Exod. xiii. 21, 22. xiv. 13—30.
P 4 the
216 The true Scripture Doctrine
the Tea, and I, behold I, will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they lliall follow them, and I will get me honour on Pharaoh, and on all his hofl, on his chariots and his horfemcn, and the Egyptians fhall know that I am Jeho- vah, when I have got me honour on Pharaohj and on his chariots and on his horfemen." This Jehovah, whofe falvation they were to fee, and who was to gain himfelf honour over the hofls of Egypt, was Chrift the angel > for it follows, that, ^' The angel of God who went before the camp of IfracI, removed and went behind them, and the pillar of the cloud went and ilood behind them : " and " Jehovah look'd to the holl of the Egyptians thro' the pillar of £re and the cloud, and troubled it." Hence it appears, that it was Jehovah the angel, God the Son, at whofe powerful word, i\Iofes by ilretching forth his rod divided the fea, to give Ifrael a fafe pafTage, and at whofe repeated command, he, by llretchir.g forth his rod again, brought back the waters, which ftood on a heap, to cover Pharaoh's numerous forces, which had infolently ventured into the gulph. Chrift was, <?' Jehovah, who faved Ifrael that day, ouE of the hands of the Egyptians:" and therefore to him it is moft probable the ^ hero, lawgiver, and poetaddrefs'd the following inimitably fub- liiTie drains of infpired eloquence: " I will fing to Jehovah, for he hath triumph'd glorioufly, the horfe and his rider he has caft into the fea. Jehovah is my itrength and fong, and he is be- come my falvation i he is my God, and I will
^ Sit mihi dux Mofe?, rubras ad littoris undas
Qui locios Phario duxit ab exilio- Arida cum virgae ta(fbu vefligia linquens,
Infterni tutum per freta vidit iter :
prepare
OF THE Trinity.' 217
prepare him a habitation, my fathers God, and 1 will exalt him. Jehovah is a mighty warri- our, Jehovah is his name. Pharaoh's chariots and his hoft he has call into the fea, his chofen captains alfo are drown'd in the red Tea.— Thy right hand, O Jehovah, is become glorious in power, thy right hand, O Jehovah, has dafh'd in pieces the enemy > and in the greatnefs of thine excellence, thou hail overthrown them that rofe up againft thee j thou fentefl forth thy wrath, which confumed them as flubble.
Sufpenfofque maris fluftus hinc inde relabi,
Abforptafque rotas, & Pharaonis equos. Quas rerum Domino perfolvit carmine grates,
Dum refonant hilari tympana quaffa manu !
Urbanus VIII. Papa, Poem. p. 4, 5. Ed. Par.
Crcditur Amramides, nihil eft illuftrius illo,
Kicidis carmen praecinuiffe fuis. Carmen erat populus, cui Mempheos arma timenti
Ipfe Deus facilem llraverat ante viam. Iverat & montes inter fecuriis aquarum :
Tanta fides pelagi diffilientis, erat. Obruerat regem flu6lu gravis unda rcfiifo :
Tanta fides pelagi mox coeuntis erat. Ibat Erythraeas Marcotica gaza per undas,
Et fra6li currus, & juga vulfa rotis. Qui miferos regni cafus ludufque referret,
Hauftaque tot pelagi millia, nullus erat. Omnia quae populus, populum praeeunte poeta,
Audiit, & paribus retulit indc modis.
Fcrd. Furftenberg, Epifcop. Monaflerf. & Paderborn. Poem, p. 36, 37. Ed. Par.
Dux flgna praeibat
Amramides, populumque fui dulcedine cantus. Per montes undarum, & per deferta fcquentem, Lenibat, facilemque fugam praeftabat eunti, Authoreraque fugae, lubmerfamque aequorc Memphira, Carminibus patriis, Sc grata voce fonabat.
P. Francius Panegyric, in Epifcop. Monaller. Heroic. Lib. II. p. 52.
Witb
21 s The true Scripture Doctrine
With the blaft of thy noftrils the waters were gathered together : the floods flood upright as an heap, and the depths were congealed in the heart of the fea. The enemy faid, 1 will purfue, I will overtake, 1 will divide the fpoil, my luft fhall be fatisfied on them > I will draw my fword, my hand fhall dcftroy them. Thou did it blow with thy wind, the fea covered them, they funk as lead in the mighty waters. Who is like to thee, O Jehovah, among the Gods ! who is like thee ! glorious in holinefs, fearful
in praifes, doing wonders. ^Jehovah fhall
reign for ever and ever.'*
There was never a more glorious outward ap- pearance of the great God, than when Jehovah the moft High, appear'd in all the pomp of
Hie pater Amramides, duftis e gurgite turmis,
Vi61oris laudes cantat &■ arma Dei ; Aafpicio merfafque acics, merfofque tyrannos,
Sceptraque Erythraeo frada natare mari. Ora Deus movet ipfe Viro, diftatque canenti
Qiiae velit a longa pofteritate coli.
J. Broukfihufius, Lib. II. Eleg. z-
Largus ingentes animare grandi Spiritu heroas, Dcus ipfc rcgum Corda facundos agitante yates
Concitat aeftu. Teftis infani domitrix profundi Principis magni lyra, fabulofi Thracis irridens remorata pronos
Carmina vivos, Quae per undoAim fine fraude pontum, Calle ficcato, folidos utrimque Vitrea muros imitante, lympha
Mille phalanges, Duxit ; 8c rvirfum coeunte fludlu, Nereum facra feriente virga, Obviis hoftes temerc infccutos
Obruit undis. Jo. Rotgcr us Torek, Poem, p. 336. Ed. Amft,
terror.
OF THE Trinity. 2IS>
terror, to give the law to Ifrael at mount Sinai. This Jehovah, who gave forth at Sinai a fiery law, was the perfon of the Son, as we are aflured by the apoftle Paul 5 who in his epiftlc to the Hebrews, in order to fet off the privilege of believers under the new teftament, above thofe under the old, told them 8 to whom he wrote, that they were not call'd to come to a mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor to blacknefs, darknefs and a tern pell, and a found of a trumpet, and the voice of words, which voice they that heard, int reared fhould not be fpoke to them any more 5 but that they were to come to mount Sion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerufalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, to the general aflembly and church of the firft born, and to the fpirits of juft men made pcr- fe6t, and to God the judge of all, and to Jefut the mediator of the new covenant, whofe blood fprinkled fpeaks reconciliation 5 from hence he took occafion to advife them ^ not to refufe him who fpeaks from heaven, and then has added ; » " Whofe voice then fliook the earth : " this plainly refers to the ihaking at the giving forth the law, and fhews it was Jcfus who then fhook the earth. That it was Chrift and not the Fa- ther who gave the law at mount Sinai, will ap- pear from the procefs of the fbory, where it is faid, that the elders of Ifrael faw their God in a human fhapc. Befides the martyr ^ Stephen has told us, it was the angel who fpoke to Mofes and Ifrael at mount Sinai. How great was th« majeily, and how awful the glory of Jehovah
« Heb. xii. 18, 19. 22, 23, 24.
* V. 25. i V. ^6. ^ Aaswi. 38.
the
220 The true Scripture Doctrine
the Son at Sinai will appear, if we throw to- gether Ibrae paflages in the nineteenth, twen- tieth, and twenty fourth chapters of Exodus. '' Jehovah fiid to Mofes, lo I come to thee in a thick cloud -, -—Go to the people and fandify
them to day and to morrow ; and be ready
againft the third day> for the third day Jeho- vah will come down in the fight of the people
on mount Sinai. And it came to pafs on the
third day in the morning, there were thunders and lightcnings, and a thick cloud upon the mountain, and the voice of the trumpet ex- ceedhig loud, fo that all the people in the camp trembled. And Mofes brought forth the peo- ple out of the camp to meet with God j and they flood at the lower part of the hill. And mount Sinai was altogether on a fmoke,becaufe Jehovah dcfcended upon it in fire, and the fmoke thereof afcended as the fmoke of a furnace, and all the hill quaked greatly. And when the voice of the trumpet founded long, and waxed louder and louder, Mofes fpoke, and God anfwer'd him by a voice. And Jehovah came down on mount Sinai, on the top of the mountain, and caird up Mofes to the top of the hill : and .Mofes v.-ent up, and Jehovah faid to Mofes, go. down, charge the people, lefh they break thro' to Jehovah to gaze, and many of them pcrifn y and let the prielis which come near Jehovah fanftify themfelves, left Jehovah break
forth upon them. So Mofjs went down to
the people and fpoke to them. And God fpoke thefc words, I am Jehovah thy God, which have brought thee out of the land oF Egypt, out oF the houfe of bondage. Thou {halt have no other Gods before me. Thou flial.t not make thee any graven imagcsj— thou ilialt not
bow
OF THE Trinity.' 221 bow down to them nor ferve them, for I Je- hovah thy God am a jealous God. Thou
flialt not take the name of Jehovah thy God in vain, for Jehovah will not hold him guiklefs, that takes his name in vain. Remember the fabbath day to keep it holy 5 — the feventh day is the fabbath of Jehovah thy God, in it
thou fhalt not do any work j for in fix
days Jehovah made heaven and earth, the fea and all that in them is, andrefted on the feventh, therefore Jehovah blelTed and fanclified the fab- bath.-— And all the people law the thund- rings and the lightenings, and the noife of the trumpet, and the mountain fmoking, and they removed and flood afar off > and faid to Moles, fpeak thou with us and we will hear, but let not God fpeak with us led we die. And Mofes faid, fear not, for God is come to prove you, and his fear is upon you, that you fin not. And the people fi:ood afar off, and Mofes drew near
to the thick darknefs where God was. And
he faid to Mofes ; come up to Jehovah, thou and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and feventy of the elders of Ifrael, and worfhip you afar off, and Mofes alone ihall come near to Jehovah j
but they fhall not come nigh. And Mofes
came and told the people all the words of Je* hovah, and all the judgments j and they anfwer'd with one voice, and (aid, all the words which Jehovah has faid we will do. And Mofes wrote all the words of Jehovah, and rofe up early in the morning, and built an altar under the hill, and twelve pillars, according to the twelve tribes of Ifrael, and fent young men who fa- crificed burnt- offerings, and peace-offerings of oxen to Jehovah ; and Mofes took half the blood and put it in bafins, and the other half
he
ti% The true Scripture Doctrine
he fprinkled on the altar 5 and he took the booK of the covenant and read in the hearing of the people, and they faid, all that Jehovah has faid we will do, and be obedient j and Mofes took the blood, and fprinkled it on the people, and fiiid, behold the blood of the covenant which Jehovah has made with you, concerning thefe words. Then went up Mofes, and Aaron, and Nadab, and Abihu, and feventy of the elders of Ifrael: and they faw the God of Ifrael, and there was under his feet, as it were a pavement of faphir ftone, like the body of heaven in its clearnefs. And upon the nobles of the children of Ifrael he laid not his hand : they faw God and eat and drank. And Jehovah faid to Mofes, come up to me into the mountain, and be there, and I will give thee tables of ftone, and a law and commandments which I have written, that thou mayeft teach them. And Mofes rofe up, and his fervant Jofhua, and Mofes went up in- to the hill of God, and a cloud coverM the mountain. And the glory of Jehovah abode upon mount Sinai, and the cloud coverM it fix days, and the feventh day he calVd to Mofes out of the midll of the cloud. And the fight of the glory of Jehovah was like devouring fire, on the top of the mountain, in the eyes of the children of Ifrael > and Mofes went into the midfl of the cloud and afcended the hill, and Mofes was in the mountain forty days and for- ty nights." In this wonderful account, our Lord Jefus Chrift is over and over call'd Jeho- vah the God of Ifrael, and he is defcribed an coming down in pomp and majefty, proper to the great God. He made the clouds his chariot, and darknefs his pavilion > he came down in fire with his thunders rattling, and his lightening
tlafliing ^
OF THE Trinity. 225
flafhings he was accompanied with a nume- rous train of the heavenly hoft, for ^ by the miniflry of fquadrons of angels he gave forth the law i at his voice the earth {hook, and at his prefence the heavens melted 5 the work he came about, was the higheil aft of fupremacy that ever God performed in a vifible manner^ fince the creation j it was to republifli with the utmoft folemnity the moral law, and to infli- tute the ceremonial and forenfick laws, that were to be obferved by the church and ftate of Ifrael > and to enter into a national covenant with that people to be their God, while they continued to keep his tellimonies. Chrift here appear'd and a£ted as Jehovah the fupreme law giver, and if this does not prove his fupreme Deity, it is not poffible any thing ihould. He declared himfelf to be the only God, and pro- hibited the Ifraelites from having any other Gods belides him, and from worihiping any images > becaufe he, Jehovah their God, was a jealous God, who would vindicate his own honour j he forbad the profaning his holy name > and in his inftitution of the fabbath, he declared him- felf the creator of heaven, earth and fea, and all things therein.
When Ifrael had provoked this divine perfon, Jehovah, the Word, who gave them the law, by making a golden calf, to worfhip God un- der a hieroglyphick figure, he threatened not to go himfelf among them, but to fend an angel before them > and on this Mofes by ear- neft prayer prevailed, that his prefence might Hill be with them, and that he might have fome token to afTure him God would go along
I A^s vii, 53.
with
224 The true Scripture Doctrine
with him, he defired to fee his glory. God in anfwer faid, "i c< j yyill make all my goodnefs to pafs before thee, and I will proclaim the name of Jehovah before thee, and will be gra- cious to whom I will be gracious, and will fhew mercy to whom I will fhew mercy." He then declared he would indulge his favourite and familiar friend, with as clear a fight of his glory, as was confiftent with a Hate of mor- tality, but affured him it was not poirible for him to fee his face, or behold the utmoft of his eflential glory and live. The account we have of God's gratifying Mofes's requeflr, and renew- ing the tables of the law, which the zealous prophet, at feeing the golden calf had broke, is in the following words : " " Jehovah faid to Mofes, hew thee out two tables of flone like the firll, and I will write on thcfe tables the words that were on the firft tables, which thou brakeft, and be ready in the morning, and come up to mount Sinai, and prefent thy felf to me on the top of the hill, and no body fhall come up with thee, nor be feen thro' all the moun^ tain ; nor let the flocks feed before it. And Mofes hewed two tables of flone, and rofe up early in the morning and went up to mount Sinai, as Jehovah had commanded him, and took in his hand the two ftone tables 5 and Jehovah defccnded in the cloud and flood with him there, and proclaim'd the name of Jehovah : and Jehovah pafs'd by before him and proclaim'd, Jehovah, Jehovah, a God merciful and graci- ous, long fuffering, and abundant in goodnefs and truth, keeping mercy for thoufands, for- giving iniquity, tranfgreiHon and fin, and that
™ flxod. xxxiii. 19. '^ Exod. xxxiv. i.— lo". 28. I "^ will
OF THE Trinity. 225
"will by no means clear the guilty, vifiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the chiidrens children, to the third and fourth generations. And Mofes made hade and bow'd his head to the earth and woriliip'd : and faid, if now I have found grace in thy fight, O Lord, let my Lord, I pray thee, go among us, (tho' this is a ilifFneck'd people,) and pardon our iniquity and our fin, and take us for thy in- heritance. And he faid, behold I make a co- venant : before all thy people I will do wonders, fuch as have not been done in all the earth, nor in any nation, and all the people among which thou art, fhall fee the work of Jehovah, for it is a terrible thing that I will do with thee.— • Thou ihalt worfhip no other God, for Jehovah
whofe name is jealous, is a jealous God.
And Mofes was with Jehovah forty days and forty nights 3 he neither eat bread nor drank water: and he wrote upon the tables the words of the covenant, the ten commandments." I will not fpend time to prove that Jehovah, in this place, is the fame perfon that appear'd at mount Sinai, at the publiihing the ten com- mandments : every one that reads this part of the book of Exodus will fee, that God the Son is Jehovah, who in the manifeftation of his glory to Mofes, proclaim'd his abfolute fove- reignty, his infinite mercy, his boundlefs com- paflions, his ll:ri6b righteoufnefs, his terrible juftice, and his jealoufy of his own honour, in that he was not able to bear any rival : he re- ceived worfhip from Mofes, and a6led as the great lawgiver, and therefore muft be true and fupreme God.
When Mofes, in the book of Deuteronomy, reminded the people of God's giving the law
226 The true Scripture Doctrine
at mount Sinai, he declared Jehovah, who there appeared, to be the only God. °" Take heed,
laid he, leil: thou forget, the day when thou
lloodft before Jehovah thy God in Horeb j — - and you came near and flood under the moun- tain, and the mountain burnt with fire to the midll of heaven, with blacknefs, clouds, and thick darknefsj and Jehovah fpoke to you out of the midfl of the fire. — Did ever peo- ple hear the voice of God, fpeaking out of the midfl of the fire, as thou haft heard, and live? or has God effay'd to go and take him a nation, from the midft of another nation, by tryals, and by figns, and by wonders, and by war, and by a mighty hand, and by a ftretch'd out arm, and by great terrors, according to all that Jehovah did for you in Egypt, before your eyes ? to thee itwasfhew'd, that thou mighteft know that Jehovah he is God, there is none elfe be- fide him : out of heaven he made thee to hear his voice, that he might inftru6t thee, and upon earth he fhew'd thee his great fire, out of which thou heardeft his words : — know therefore this day, and confider it in thy heart, "^ that Jehovah he is God in the heaven above, and there is none elfc." This pafTage will ap- pear to be meant of Chrift to any one who con- fiders, that the perfon who fpoke out of the fire, is the fame with him v/hofe voice fhook the heavens -, whofe wonders wrought in Egypt prove hira to be the only God : fo that the Son, together with the Father, who jointly works with him, i^ Jehovah the true God, befides whom there is none elfe.
I might fafcly, 1 am apt to think, conclude
** Dciit. iv. 9.— 12. 33.-36. 39.
from
OF THE Trinity, 227 from what has been confider'd, rh .t Jehovah, who conduced the Ifraelites thrj' the wilder* derncfs, was the perfon of the Son, and conle- quently that all the places in the books of Mo- fes, following thofe which have been proved to belong to him, are to be underftood of him : but to prevent cavils, I fliall only produce the account of their provoking God to del^roy them with fiery ferpents, which we have in the book of numbers, p " And the people fpoke againft God, and againft Mofes, ——and Jeho- vah fent fiery ferpents among the people which bit them, and many died. Therefore the peo- ple came to Mofes, and faid, we have fin'd for we have fpoke againft Jehovah, and againft thee, pray to Jehovah that he may take away the ferpents from us 5 and Mofes pray'd for the peo- ple : and Jehovah faid to Mofes, make a fiery ferpent and fet it upon a pole, and every one that is bit, when he looks upon it ftiall live. And Mofes made a ferpent of brafs, and put it upona pole, and it came to pafs if a ferpent had bit any man, when he beheld the ferpent of brafs, he liv'd." If we look into the firft epiftle to the Corinthians, we fhall find this paflage ex- preftly apply'd to Chrift by the apoftle Paul ; for he fays, ^ "Let us not tempt Chrift, as fome of them tempted him, and were dcftroy'd of ferpents."
I ftiall now confider that admirable fong of Mofes, which he rehears'd juft before he left the world, in which his defign was, to upbraid Ifrael for their fathers ingratitude to tr^ rock of their falvation j and to warn tlie nilng ge- neration, againft repeating their anc^ftors crimes,
P Numbers xxi. 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 ^ 2 Cor. k. 9.
22 s The true Scripture Doctrine
That it was Tung in praife of the fame divine Perfon that had deliver'd lirael, is plain j that therefore it muil be undcidood of Chrill, is, to lAy no more, extremely probable j efpecial- ly when we remember, that Jehovah is here call'd the reck of Ifrael, and we are told by the apodle ^ Paul, that rock was Chrid. If this fong be to be underflood of Chrift, as is moft likely, w-e fhall find fuch high things faid of him, as will Ihew him to be God in the Ib'id- cft fenfe. ^ " Give ear, O heavens, and I will fpeak^and hear, O earth5the words of my mouth j I will publifh the name of Jehovah, afcribeyou greatncfs to our God. He is a rock, his work is perfe6i:; for all his ways are judgment j a God of truth, and without iniquity, jufi: and righc is he. They hav^e corrupted themfelves, their fpot is not the fpot of his children, they are a perverfe and crooked generation. Do you thus requite Jehovah, O fo.olifh people ? is he not thy father that has bought thee? has he not made thee, and eilablifh'd thee? Remember the days of old, when the moftHigh divid- ed to the nations their inheritance, when he fe- parated the fonsof Adam, he fet the bounds of the people, according to the number of the children of Ifrael. Jehovah's portion is his peo- ple, facob is the lot of his inheritance. He found him in a defert land, in a wafte howling wildernefs, he led him about, in{lru61:ed him, and kept him as the apple of his eye. As an eagle ftirs up her neil, flutters over her young, fprcads abroad her wings, takes them and bears
' I Cor. X. 4.
^ Deut. xxxii. i. 3, 4.— 13. 1$' 17.— 20. 26, 27. 35, 36. 39--43V
them
OF THE Trinity. 229
them on her wings > fo Jehovah alone led them, there was no flrange god with him : he made him ride on the high places of the earth, that
he might eat the increafc of the field. But
Jeihurun grew fat and kick'd^ — —then he for- fbok God who made him, and lightly efteem-
cd the rock of his falvation. They facrific'd
to devils, not to God, to gods whom they knew not, to new gods whom their fathers fear*d not.
When Jehovah faw it he abhor'd them 5 .
and he faid, I will hide my face from them,
I will fee what their end will be: 1 would
make their remembrance ceafe from among men,
were it not, Icll: their ad verfaries Ihould fayj
our hand his highj Jehovah has not done this.
How fhould one chafe a thoufand, except
their rock had fold them, and Jehovah had fhut them up ? for their rock is not as our rock,
our enemies themfelves being judges. To
me belongs vengeance and recompence. Je- hovah ihall judge his people. See now that
I am he, and there is no God with me 5 I kill and f make alive, I wound and I heal 5 neither is there any can deliver out of my hand : for if I lift up my hand to heaven, and fay I live for ever : if I whet my glittering fwordj and my hand take hold of judgment -, I will render vengeance to my enemies, and will re- ward them that hate me ; I will make my ar- rows drunk with blood, (and my fword fhall devour flefh,) and that with the blood of the flain, and of the captives, from the beginning of revenges upon the enemy. Rejoyce, O ye nnrions, with his people, £ot he will avenge the bi:)od of his fervants, and will render vengeance to his adverfaries, and wall be merciful to his land, and to his people." The divine perfon QLi who
250 The true Scripture Doctrine
who is celebrated in this noble and fublime ode, beiides his having the names Jehovah and God, is declared to be perfedly righteous, holy, juft, and true, to be the creator, the redeemer, and prefervcr of hi. people > whilft they were true to him they were fate, but when once they for- fook him, none could be a guard, and a defenfe to them -y he is alfo brought in fpeaking in the Itile of the great and mighty God j he'has de- clared himfeif to be the only God, unchangea- ble in his nature, irrefiftible in his power, ab- folutely fovereign in his dealings v/ith his crea- tures, merciful to pafs by the tranfgreffipns of his people, and juil to take vengeance on his obflmate and implacr-ble enemies. Surely all thefe things manifeft thefupreme Deity of him, of whom they are predicated j and as it is moft probable they belong to Chrift, he is the fove- reign Lord Jehovah, ever the fame, befides whom there is no God. And of him feveral paflages of this fong are underftood ^ by the primitive writers.
Thus I have proved, that Jehovah who con- duded Ifrael thro' the wildernefs, was God the Son 'y and that he was the pcrfon who led them over Jordan, is certain from " his appearing to Jofliua in the fhape of a warriour, with fword drawn, and harnefs'd for the battle. He there took the title of captain of Jehovah's hoft ; but that he was a perfon fuperior to any angel, is plain from the worfhip that was paid him by the religious hero, whom he came to encourage. But I defign no farther ufe of this place, at pre-
* Irenaeus, p. 211. 239. 269. Ed. Ben. Clem. AI. p. 128. 131. Ed. Oxon. Tcrtulliun. De Pudicit. c. 10. '." Jof. V. 13, 14, 15.
i fent,
OF THE Trinity 231
fent, than to fhew, that it was Chriil: who ftill went before the Ifraelites, till he had brought them into the a6lual pofleffion of the promifed land.
It may not be foreign to the prefent argument, to produce fome paflages from other parts of the fcripture, where mention is made of thefe great tranfadions, of bringing Ifrael out of E- gypt, giving the law, and fettling them in Ca- naan. This will give an opportunity of quoting fome of the moft beautiful pafTages of the live- ly oracles, where there is much greater eleva- tion of thought, and pomp of language, than can be met with in any merely human compo- fures. As it was Jehovah the angel, Chriil the Son of God, who did the works which are fo • magnificently fet off, all the high things that are faid of Jehovah, who brought Ifrael out of Egypt, ferve to declare the fupreme glory of our blefTed Lord.
I fhall iirft produce the following ihort, but fublime paflage, from the ode, which the war- riour prophetefs, and the noble hero, that a6b- ed by her diredtion, fung to tlie glory and praiie of God, who had afforded them a complete vidory over the Canaanites, that opprefs'd If- rael. w cc Jehovah, when thou wenteft out of Seir, when thou marehcdll thro' the field of Edom, the earth trembled, and the heavens drop'd, the clouds alfo drop'd water 5 the moun- tains melted from before Jehovah, even Sinai it felf, from before Jehovah the God of Ifrael." The thought is much the fame, in that pafTage of the royal prophet, wJiich we have in the fixty eighth Pfalm. * " Sing to God, fing praifes
.* Judges V. 4, 5. ^ Pfalm Ixviii. 4. 8, 9, 10.
0.4 ^o
ji3 2 The true Scripture Doctrine to his name, extol him that rides upon the heavens, by his name Jah 5 and rejoyce before him.' — — O God, when thou wentefl forth be- fore thy people, when thou marchedft thro' the wilderneis, the earth fhook, the heavens alfo drop*d at the prefence of God, even Sinai itfelf was moved at the prefence of God, the
God of Ifrael. The Lord gave the word,
great was the company of them that publiili'd it." This infpired king has a fhort ode, on the fame fubject, which is divinely beautiful. y " When Ifrael w^ent out of Egypt, the houfe of Jacob from a people of fbrange language : Judah was his fan&uary, and Ifrael his domini- on. The fea faw it and fled : Jordan was driv- en back. The mountains skip'd like rams, and the little hills like lambs. What ailed thee, O lea, that thou fled'H? thou Jordan, that thou waft driven back ? you mountains, that you skip'd like rams, and you little hills, like lambs? Tremble, O earth, at the prefence of the Lord, at the prefence of the God of Jacob : who turn'd the rock into a ftanding water, the flint into a living fpring." The fame matter is touched upon, with great fublimity, by the pfalmift ^ Afaph. " I will remember the works of Je- hovah, furely I will remember the wonders of old.— —Thy way, O God, is in the fanftuary, who is fo great a God as our God ? Thou art the God that doft wonders, thou haft de- clared thy ftrength among the people : thou haft, wuth thine arm, redeemed thy people, the fons of Jacob and Jofeph. The waters faw thee, O God, the waters l^iw thee 5 they were afraid, the depths alfo were troubled, the
y Pfalm cxiv. ^ Pfalm Ixxvii. 11. 13. — 20.
V z clouds
OF THE Trinity. 23^
clouds pourM out water, the skies fent forth a found ', thy arrows alfo went abroad : the voice of thy thunder was in heaven, thy hghtnings lighten'd the world, the earth trembled and lliook. Thy way is in the fea, and thy path in the great waters, and thy footileps are not known : thou leddeft thy people, like a flock, by the hands of Mofes and Aaron." I ihall add but one paflage more, and that is part of the fong of the prophet Habbakkuk, which is as fubUme and poetical a defcription, as any in the whole infpired volume. ^ " God came from Teman, and the holy one from mount Paran, his glory covered the heavens, the earth was full of his praife, his brightnefs was as the light, he had horns coming out of his head, and there was the hiding of his power 5 before him v/ent the peflilence, and burning coals went forth sit his feet. He flood and meafured the earth, he beheld and drove afunder the nations, the everlafting mountains v/erefcatter'd, the perpe- tual hills bow'd 'y his ways are everlafting.
Was Jehovah difpleafed againil the rivers? was thine anger againfl the rivers? that thou didfl ride on thyhorfes, and thy chariots of falvation? Thy bow was made quite bare, according to the oaths of the tribes, even thy word 5 thou didfl cleave the earth with rivers. The moun- tains faw thee and trembled : the overflowing of water pafs'd by : the deep utter'd its voice, and hfted up its hands on high : the fun and moon flood Hill in their habitation 5 at the light of thy arrows they went, even at thefhin- ing of thy glittering fpear. Thou didfl march thro' the land in indignation, thou didfl threfh
I Hab. iii. 3.-6. 8.— 13. 15.
the
2 34 The true Scripture Doctrine
the heathen in anger, thou wentcft forth for the falvation of thy people, even for the lalva-
tion of thine anointed 3 thou didll walk
thro' the fea with thy horfes, thro' the heap of great waters."
It may be faid, thefe pafTages are meant of the one fupreme God, and not of Chrift j but if we fhould fuppofe the infpired authors had the one fupreme God of Ifrael in view, it could not be exclufively of Chrift the fecond perfon ; for full proof has been given, that he adually perform'd the great works which they cele- brate. Therefore we may fafely afcribe all the high things to him, which they fpeak of the moft high God. Chrift is the Lord Jehovah, who w^ent forth in glory and majefty, whofe brightnefs was as the light, whofe glory eover'd the heavens^ and with whofe praife tht earth was full. He is the moft High, that rode on the heavens by his name Jah 5 before whom w^ent the peftilencc, at whofe prefence the heavens melted, the earth fnook, the ancient moun- tains reel'd, and the perpetual hills bow'd. He- is the God from whom the fea fled, before whom Jordan's ftrcam ran back, at fight of whom the rocks danced, and the hillocks leap'd, and at w^hofe command the fun and the moon Hood ftill, when he march'd thro' the land in indig- nation, and threfh'd the heathen in anger.
Having fhew'd that our Lord Jefus Chrift was Jehovah, who appcar'd to Mofes, to deliver the favourite tribes of Jacob's fons out of Egypt, who gave forth the law, and fettled the form of Ifrael's government and worfhip, and who condu6tcd the people of his choice into the land of promife : it may be proper to fee., whether the fune divine perfon did not afterwards ap- pear
OF THE TRIN'lTy.^ 23?
pear under the lame high chara6ter 5 and in the book of Judges, we meet with one very remark- able appearance of his to Gideon, to fend that valiant hero, on the merciful errand of deli- vering his country from the yoke of Midian. ^ " There came an angel of Jehovah, and fat under an oak which was in Ophra, pertaining to Joafh the Abi-ezrite: and his fon Gideon was thre{hing wheat by a wineprefs, to hide it from the Midianites 5 and the angel of Je- hovah appear'd to him, and faid Jehovah is with thee, thou mighty man of valour: and Gideon faid, Omy Lord, if Jehovah be with us, why is all this evil come upon us? and where are all the miracles that our fathers told us of? faying, did not Jehovah bring us up from Egypt ? but now Jehovah has forfaken us, and deliver'd us into the hands of the Midianites. And Jeho- vah looked upon him, and faid, go in this thy might, and thou fhalt fave Ifrael from the hand of the Midianites, have not I fent thee? and he faid to him, O my Lord, wherewith fliall I fave Ifrael ? behold my family is poor in Ma- nafleh, and I am the leaft in my father's houfe: and Jehovah faid to him, furely I will be with thee, and thou Hialt fmite the Midianites as one man : and he faid to him, if now I have found grace in thy fight, fhew me a fign that thou talked with me> depart not hence, I pray thee, till I come to thee and bring forth my prefent : and he f\id, I will tarry till thou come again. And Gideon went in, and made ready a kid and unleavened cakes, and put the flelh in a basket, and the broth into a pot, and brought it out to him under the oak, and prefented it :
^ Judges v"l- 1 1 ^--24,
and
2i6 The true Scripture Doctrine
and the angel of God faid to him, take the flefh and the unleaven'd cakes, and lay them on this flone, and pour out the broth 3 and he did fo : and the angel of Jehovah put forth the end of the ilafF that was in his hand, and touched the flefh, and the unleaven'd cakes, and there rofc up fire out of the rock and confumcd them ; and the angel of Jehovah departed out of his fight : and when Gideon was afTured he was an angel of Jehovah, Gideon faid, alas, O Lord Jehovah, I have feen Jehovah the angel face to face. And Jehovah faid to him, peace be to thee, fear not, thou fliall not die : and Gideon built an altar there to Jehovah, and call'd it Jehovah-fhalom." I have produced this fbory at large, becaufe it will prevent any argument, to fhew that the angel who appeared to Gideon was Jehovah, and confcquently it was Jehovah the Logos, who fent Gideon with trumpets, lamps, and pitchers, to difcomfit the numerous armed forces of Midian and Amalck.
I fhall now proceed to confider, the other places in the old teftament, where Chrifl is caird Jehovah, and I fliall take them in the order of time, according to which, the books wherein they are, were wrote; therefore I muft begin with the writings of the royal prophet, who was as remarkable for the fublimity of ^ his poetry, as he was for the triumphs that attend- ed his arms. He had a very diftinfl knowledge of Chrift's perfon, and of the offices he was to
*^ At nunc quae fubito ftrepuit lyra ! me mihi totum
Surripit ot fuperis infcrit ipfa choris. Jeffide, falve regum, (alvc optime vatum,
Sive lyram, do6la feu geris arma manu.- Militiaene prius mircr, cantufne fcientem?'
Par utroque tibi nomine conilat honor.
execute^
OF THE Trinity.^ 237
execute, and the fufferings he was to undergo, in order to work out man's redemption : he had a clear fight of the glories of that great redeemer, who was to be his defcendant after the fiefh, but was his Lord, as to his divine nature.
Queis ego te regem componere regibus aufim ?
Nil potuit regno ranftius effe tuo. Queis ego te vatem componere vatibus auiim ?
Nil potuit pledro dulcius effe tuo. Luce fibi fonucre tubae, lyra no6le canebat,
Vidlorique Deo carmine gratus eras. Et modo ftrata tuis, modo fletibus ara madebat:
Et modo te tarda mufa lev^abat humo.
Ferdinandus Furflenberg, Poem. p. 37. Ed. Par*
Hebraeas tenui mulcebat arundine filvas, Dum patrias cuftodit oves per pafcua Bethlae, Pafior leffides: fceptroque infignis & ollro Rex idem, paflorque hominum, fublime canebat Carmen &: a belli ftrepitu pofl horrida vi6lor Proelia confuetas de more redibat ad artes, Pulfabatque lyram digitis regaHbus auream, Et vatum & regum clarilTmius. Audiit ilium Ipfe Deus, placuitque fuo modiilamine vates,
Petrus Francius Heroic. Lib. II. p. 52,
Hie ilium afpicias vatem, cui regia lummus Sceptra dedit rex ferre, pedo poll terga relifto, Regalem imponens capiti vittamque coronamque. O quae non, viridi temere projeftus in herba, Inter oves patrias, denfave iub arboris umbra, Concinuit ! quae non folio praedixit ab alto ! Fatidico quae non oracula fudit ab ere! Seu cafa paftorem, five ilium regia regem, Sive Dei tenuit vatem domus, omnia late Jmplebat loca, divino percuffus ab ceilro ; Immenfafque Dei laudes, terraeque polique Cantabat Dominum, & regum fuper omnia Regem, Multa quoque e caccis fatorum idem eruta libris Protulit j adventumque Dei nafcentis, amato Quern patris e gremio eliceret, gremioque foveret Virgo fuo, certo venturum retulit aevo. Quam variis idem verbis, variifque iiguris
The
zjS The true Scripture Doctrine'
The apoftle Paul, in his epiflle to the He- brews, has quoted, and applied to Chrifl, a paf- fiigeoFthe royal ^ prophet j " When he brings again the firfl: begotten into the world, he fays, let all the angels of God worfhip him : " this is certainly a paraphrafe on thofc words, in the ninety fevcnth Pfalm : " Worlliip him all you gods:" which are render'd to much the fame purpofe in the Greek ^ verfion. As thefe words are by the apoille, who wrote under the guid- ance of the infallible fpirit, apply *d to Chrifl: the whole Pfalm, which is an auguft defcrip- tion of the majefty and glory of Jehovah, muft beunderfloodofhim. " Jehovah reigns, let the earth rejoyce, let the multitude of the ifles be glad thereof : clouds and darknefs are round about him, judgment and juft-ice are the efla- blifhmeht of his throne : a fire goes before him, and burns his enemies round about : his lighten- ings lighten'd the world, the earth faw and trembled, the hills melted like wax at the pre- fence of Jehovah, at the prefence of the Lord of the whole earth : the heavens declare his righteoufncfs, and all the people fee his glory : confounded be all they that ferve graven images 5 worfhip him all you gods. Sion heard and was glad, and the daughters of Jerufalem rejoyced becaufe of thy judgments, O Jehovah : for thou,
Exhibet infantem divinum, ex aetherc fummo In terras defcendentem, callaeque per alvum Virginis, has ipfas venientem in luminis auras, Exigua Bethle genitum ; terraeque reli6lis Sedibus aethcrcas rcmeantem rurfus in arces !
Idem, Silv. Lib. III. opp. pollh. p. 305.
scecl 7iyo(rx.iivij(ruTe:'(ruv uvrf^i -ruvrt^ uyytMi Gsou. Heb. i. 6.
<^ U^ocTKvntruTi uvTui Tuccnf-y ot alyyiXoi clvrou. Pfalm xcvii. 7. Juxta Ver. Gr.
Jehovah,
OF THE Trinity. 239
Jehovah, art high above all the earth, thou art exalted far above all gods. You that love Je- hovah hate evil : he preferves the fouls of his faints, he delivers them out of the hand of the wicked. Light is fown for the righteous, and gladnefs for the upright in heart. Rejoyce in Jehovah, you righteous, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holinefs." Seeing this in- imitably fublime ode is to be underllood of Chriif, it follows, that he is Jehovah the Lord of the whole earth, whofe throne is eilablifh'd on the lading bafis of truth and righteoufnefs, and whofe kingdom lafts for ever, whofe lighten- ings lighten the world, whofe righteoufnefs the heavens declare, and whofe glory the people fee, before whofe auguft prefence the earth trembles, and the hills melt, whom angels are to worfhip, in whom the righteous are to rejoyce, and at the remembrance of whofe holinefs, they are to give thanks.
As the latter end of the hundred and third Pfalm is underftood of Chrift, by ^ the apoftle Paul, it muft be granted, that he is Jehovah, to whom David addrefled himfelf in the s fol- lowing words > " Hear my prayer, O Jehovah,
give ear to my cry : encline thy ear to me
in the day when I call, anfwer me fpeedily :— my days are like a fhadow that declines, and I am wither'd like grais, but thou Jehovah (halt
endure for ever 5 thou fhalt arife, and have
mercy on Sion. — So the heathen fhall fear the name of Jehovah, and all kings thy glory.'* The admirable defcription of Chrift's immuta- bility, towards the end of .this Pfalm, will come
i Hcb. i. 8. 10, 8cc. f Pfalm ciii.
more
240 The true Scripture Doctrine
rrjore properly, under ^ another head, where it fhall be carefully difcufs'd.
I Ihall now confider the evidence that may be found, for Chriil's having the name Jeho- vah, in the writings of the prophets. In ' Ho- fea's prophecy, we have the following remark- able words. " God Hiid, — I will have mercy on the houfe of Judah, and I will fave them, by Jehovah their God." As this place is a good proof of a perfonal dilHn^lion in the divine na- ture, fo it is evident none but Chrifl could be Jehovah, the God, by whom Judah was to be faved , for we never find, in fcripture, that God will fave his people by any other, than by Je- fus, whom he has appointed a prince and a re- deemer, to grant repentance and remiilion of lins.
In the prophecy ^ of Joel, we have the fol- lowing promife, of a plentiful effufion of the Spirit -y *' You lliall know that I am Jehovah
your God, and none elfe j- -and it fhall come
topafs afterwards, I w^ill pour out my Spirit on all flefh, and your fons and your daughters fhall
prophecy 3- and I will ihew wonders in the
heavens, and in the earth, blood and fire, and pillars of fmoke : the fun fhall be turned into darknefs, and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of Jehovah comes > and,— whofoever fliall call on the name of Jehovah, fliall be faved." The apoflle Peter, in the ^ fer- mon he preached on the day of pentccofl, after the Spirit enabled him to fpeak all languages, has aflured us, that this promife was then be- gun to be made good : as it was certainly Chrifl,
|
^ See below cl^ap. vi. ^ Joel ii. 27, 28. 30, 31, 32. |
^ Hof. i. 7, ; Aas'ih 16. |
|
who |
OF THE Trinity. 241
who pour'd forth his fpiric on the apodles, it: follows, that he mud be the Lord Jehovah, befides whom there is none elfe, that promised to do it j to whom part of this fcripture is di- reflly apply'd by the "^ apoille Paul.
I come next in order to the prophet Ifaiah, v/ho is call'd the evangelical prophet, becaufe he has foretold the fufferings of Chrift, and the glory that was to follow, m a more plain man- ner, than any other infpired writer, except the royal prophet. We are aflured, by three " of the evangelifls, that John the baptifl was the voice of one crying in the wildcrnefs, prepare you the way of the Lord 5 which was foretold by the prophet Ilaiah, who call'd it, a voice crying in the wiUernefs, prepare you the way of Jehovah. Now as John the baptill: came to prepare the way before Chrifl, it is certain Chriil; is Jehovah, who is defcribed, in the for- tieth chapter of Ifaiah, in the moft magnifi- cent ftile, as Creator and Redeemer. " The voice of one crying in the wildernefs, prepare you the way of Jehovah, make ftrait, in the defart, a highway for your God 5 every valley fhall be exalted, and every mountain and hill fhall be made low, and the crooked fhall be Itrait, and the rough places plain : and the glory of Jehovah fhall be revealed, and all flefli fhall fee it together, for the mouth of Jehovah has fpoke it. The voice faid, cry 3 and he faid, what fhall I cry ? all flefh is grafs, and all the glory thereof as the flower of the field ^ the grafs withers, the flower fades, becaufe the Ipi- nt of Jehovah blox^s upon it > furely the peo-
^ Rom. X. 13. " Mat. iii. 3. Mar. i. 3. Luke iii. 4^
R pie
24- The true Scripture Doctrine
pie is grafs. O Sion ! that bringefl good tidings^ get thee up into the high mountains j O jeru- fiilem, that bringeil good tidings, Hft tip thy voice with llrength. Hit it up, and be not afraid : iay to the cities of Judah, behold your God : behold the Lord Jehovah will come with a llrong hand, and his arm fhall rule for him, his reward is with him, and his work before him : he /hall feed his flock, like a fliepherd, and gather his lambs in his arms, and carry them in his bofom, and gently lead thofe that are with young. Who has meafured the wa- ters, in the hollow of his hand, and meted out heaven with a fpan, and weighed the mountains in fcales, and the hills in a ballance? who has directed the fpirit of Jehovah, or being his couniellor, has taught him? with whom took he counfel, and who infl:ru6ted him in the path of judgment, and taught him knowledge, and iTiew'd him the way of underflanding ? behold the nations are as a drop in the bucket, and are accounted as the fmall dull in the balance : he takes up the ifles as a very little thing: - — all nations are before him as nothing, and are count- ed to him lefs than nothing and vanity. To whom then will you Hken God? or what like-
nefs will you compare to him ? . It is he
that fits upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are graihoppers, that flretches out the heavens as a curtain, and fpreads them as a tent to dwell in > that brings the princes to nothing, he makes the judges of the earth
as vanity. To whom then will you liken
nic, and to whom fhall I be equal? faith the holy one; hft up your eyes on high, and be- hold who has created thole things, that brings out their holt by number : he calls them all by
name
OF THE Trinity. 245
name, by the greatnels of his might, bccaufe he is Ikong, not one hlls. Why fayeft thou O Jacob, and fpcakefl thou, O Ifrael? my way is hid from Jehovah, and my judgment is pafs'ci from my God. Haft thou not known ? haft: thou not heard ? that the everlafting God, Je- hovah, the creator of the ends of the earth, taints not, nor is weary 5 there is no fearching his underftanding} he gives power to the faint, and to them that have no might, he incrcafcs flrength : the youths ftiall fiiint, the young men fhall utterly fill j but they that wait upon the Lord fhall renew their ftrength -, they {hall mount up with wings as eagles, they ihall run and not be weary, they ftiall walk and not faint." Chrift, as it appears from this difcourfe of the pro- phet, is the Lord Jehovah, the everlafting God, whofe undcrftanding is unfearchable, and his power irrefiltible : he is the creator of all things, who fits on the circle of the earth, whofe right hand has fpan'd the heavens, who weighs the mountains in fcales, and the hills in a ballance, who fuftains and preferves all things, and with whom there is no variablenefs, nor fliadow of turning. This mighty Lord was to come in the flefti, and to fend John, a preacher of right- eoufnefs, to be his harbinger, to proclaim the glad tidings of the day-fpring from on high, vifiting the fons of men. This great God was to work out the redemption of his people with a ftrong hand, and was to behave himfelf, in the moft tender manner, to the ftieep of his pafture; he is the merciful faviour, who gives ftrength to the weak, and enables fuch as wait upon him, to fpring up, as with the wings of eagles, to run and walk, without wearinefs and R z fainting:
244 The true Scripture Doctrine
idinting: furely he, of whom all this is faid, muft be the God over all, bleired for ever.
The apoflle Paul, in « his epiftle to the Ro- mans, has thefe words. " We muft all ftand before the judgment feat of Chrift 3 for it is written, as I live faiih the Lord, every knee fhall bow' to me, and every tongue fhall con- fefs to God." This is taken from the forty fifth chapter of Ifiiah, where it is fpoke of Jehovah 3 fo that it is Chrift who is call'd Je- hovah, in the following p paftiige. '^ Thus faith fehovah, that created the heavens, God himfeif that form'd the earth, and made it j he has eftablifh'd it, he has created it not in vain, he form'd it to be inhabited : I am Jehovah, and none elfc. I have not fpoke in fecret, nor in a dark place of the earth : I faid not to the feed of Jacob, feek you me in vain : I Je- hovah fpeak righteoufnels, I declare the things that are right. — Who has declared this from ancient time ? have not I Jehovah ? and there is no God elfe be (ides me , a juft God and a iaviour, and there is none befidcs me. Look to me, and be faved, all the ends of the earth, for I am God, and there is none elfe. I have fworn by my felf, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteoufnefs, and fhall not return, that to me every knee fhall bow, and every tongue fliall fwear. Surely fhall one fay, in Je- hovah have I righteoufnefs and ftrength: even to him fliall men come, and all that are incenfed againft him fhall be afhamed. In Jehovah fhall all the feed of Ifrael be juftified, and fhall glory." Here we find Chrift again fet forth, under the higheft charaders: he is Jehovah the juft God,
" Rom, xiv. 10, II. P ir. xlv. 18, 19. 21.— 25.
befidcs
OF THE Trinity, 245
belides whom there is none elfe, who has creat- ed the heavens, and form'd and eftablilli'd the earth, who is a jufl: faviour, that fpeaks in truth and righreoufnefs, to whom all the ends of the earth may look for falvation. He is the righteoufnefs and ftrength of his people, fo that all who have his merit imputed to them, may greatly rejoyce in him, the Lord Jehovah, ancl be glad in him, the God, who has mercy on them, becaufe he has cloth'd them with the robe of righteournefs, and deck'd them with the garments of falvation.
Seeing the evangelical prophet had fuch high things revealed to him, concerning the great God, who was to be manifelled in the flefli, they mull be very far gone in prepof- feUion and prejudice, who can have the face to fay i the Jewifh church had not an explicit knowledge of the divine perfon, who was to work out their falvation.
The prophet Jeremiah, in a ^ prophecy which he utter'd concerning Chrift's kingdom, has filled him Jehovah. " Behold the days come, faith Jehovah, that I will raife up to David a righteous branch, and a king fhall reign and profper, and fhall execute judgment and juftice in the earth 5 in his days judah fhall be faved, and Ifrael fhall dwell fafely, and this is the name whereby he fhall be calPd, Jehovah our righteoufnefs." This King, who was Chrifl, was Jehovah, whofe righteoufnefs, imputed to his people, jullifies them in the fight of God their judge.
The prophet Ezekiel ' in the beginning of his book, has fct down an account of a viilon
5 Jcr. xxiii. 5, 6. ' Ezek. i, 26. zS. ii. 9, 4, ?.
R ^ he
2^6 The true Scripture Doctrine
he bad, of the glory of Jehovah. " Above the lirmament, thar. was over the heads of the che- rubs, was the Hkenefs of a throne, as the ap- pearance of a faphir Hone, and upon the hke- nefs of the throne, was the hkenefs of a man, •above upon it. •— This was the appearance of the hkenefs of the glory of Jehovah, and when I law it, 1 fell on my face :•— and he iliid to me, fon of man, I fend thee to the children of If- rael, to a rebellious nation : — and thou Ihalc fliy to them, thus faith the Lord Jehovah." As this Lord Jehovah was fcen,by the prophet, in a human fhape, it is extremely probable, it was Chrift, who was the Shechinah which had refided in the cloud of glory, over the mercy feat, and whofe glory the prophet law, in vi- fion, ready to depart 3 that his once favourite people might be left an eiify prey to their ene- mies.
In the prophecy of ^ Haggai we are told, that Jehovah would fhake the nations. *' Thus faith Jehovah of hofls, yet once it is a little while, and I will fhake the heavens, and the earth, and the fca, and the dry land, and I will fliake all nations ; and the defire of all nations {hall come; and I will fill this houfe with glo- ry, faith Jehovah of hofls." This is under- llood of Chrift by the apollle Paul, in ^ his e- piifle to the Hebrews, for fpeaking of him, he lays 'y he has promifed he would once more fhake the earth and the heavens. Chrift was Jehovah, who for many years fhook the world in general, with political convulfions, and bloody wars, W'hich ended in the Romans conquefl oF
' Hag. ii. 6, 7, ' Heb. xii. 26.
•; it y
OF THE Trinity. 247
it 3 and who {hook the Jews with great com- motions, which ended in the diflblution of their government, under Herod : and then he, the bright morning ilar, the defire of all nations rofe, and fill'd the earth with Hghtj and as he was pleafed to preach the gofpel in the fecond temple, that w^as fill'd with a glory, unfpcakably fuperior to what fiU'd the old temple, tho' the old vaftly exceeded the new, in the beauty of its flru6ture, and the richnefs of its materials.
I pafs on to the prophet Zechariah, who has fpoke of Chrifb, under the name of Jehovah, in " the paflage, where he fays j ^' I will llrength- en them in Jehovah, and they fhall walk up and down in his name, fliith Jehovah." In which words Chrift is not only call'd Jehovah, but the perional diflin6tion of Jehovah the Son, from Jehovah the Father, is plainly evidenced : another '^ pafTage, which we have a little af- ter 5 "Jehovah faid to me, caft it to the pot- ter, a goodly price that I was prized at by them : " it is very likely, was applied to Chrill, by the apollle ^ Matthew, in his gofpel, tho' Gur copies, at prefent, read Jeremiah in (lead of Zechariah.
In the fame prophecy, we meet with the following paflage : y " The burden of the word of Jehovah for lirael, fays Jehovah, who flretches forth the heavens, and lays the foundation of the earth, and forms the fpirit of man within him ', • I will pour out upon the houfe of David, and the inhabitants of Jerufalem, the fpirit of grace and of fupplication, and they fhall look on me whom they have pierced, and
" Zech. X. 12. "^ Zech. xi. 12.
* Matt, xxvii. 9, 10, ^ Zech. xii. i- 10.
R 4, mourn;'.
24S The true Scripture Doctrine
mourn." This is applied to Chriil:, by the a- polllc John, ^ in his gofpel, for having men- tionM Chrid's (Ide being pierced, by thefoldi- er's fpcar, he ^dds^ " The fcripture lays, they ihall look on him whom they have pierced.'* Chriil-, who was pierced for fin, was no other than Jehovah, the creator of all things. We are indeed told, ' that the meaning here is, Je- hovah was pierced in efligic, in the fufferings of his Son 3 but this is fo whimlical a turn, giv- en to a plain text, that it does not need confu- tation.
There is one pafliige ^ more, in this prophet, deferving notice, which is a prophecy of the coming of Chriil. " Then fliall Jehovah go forth, and fight againft the nations 5 — and his feet fhall Hand, in that day, upon the mount of Olives, — and Jehovah, my God, Hiall come, and all the faints with thee,— -and {ehovah fhall be king over all the earth ; in that day, Jeho- vah fhail be one, and his name one." I do not think, however 1 leave every one to his own judgment, that chefe words can be underftood "of any but Chriil, who is, with the Father, one Lord Jehovah.
We arc come at length to Malachi, the lafl prophet, who clofed the canon of the old tefta- ment -y in whom we find the following ^ words : " Behold I will fend my mefTenger, who fhall prepare the way before me j and Jehovah will fbddenly come to his temple, even the meflcnger of the covenant, whom you delight in: behold he ihall come, l^iith Jehovah of hoils." Chriil,
* John xix. 37.
* Jackibn's Collc6l. of Queries, p. 26.
^ Zech. xiv. 5, 4, 5. 9. ^ Mai. iii. r.
the
OF THE Trinity. 249
the angel of the covenant, whofe mcnenger John the baptiil was, is Jehovah, whofe com- ing the faithful longed for.
Thus have I traced this matter, thro' the whole old teftament, from the writings of Mo- fes, to the prophecy of Malachi. Chrill is caird Jehovah, and not barely fo call'd, but ha$ all the charaders of independence, neceflary ex- igence, fupremacy, and infinite power. That every reader might fee this, I have produced the texts at large, which has drawn this argu- ment out to a great, but, I hope, not unpro- fitable, length. The conclufion, which is the refult of all, is, that Chritl is really and proper- ly fupreme God, and is not a nominal, mferior, fiibordinate, and created God. As the texts, in the old teilament, where God the Father is caird Jehovah, and the only God, do not ex- clude the Son from being God 5 fo thofe palTa- ges where God the Son is cali'd Jehovah, and the only God, do not exclude the Father : but the Father and the Son are one Jehovah of hofts, one God fupreme, for Jehovah is one, and there can be no more Gods than one.
The adverfaries of ChriiVs Deity cannot deny, that Jehovah fignifies neceflliry exiftence, nor that this name is given to the Son, in the old tellament; they ihew indeed their malice againll him, in faying, it is not given him in the new teftament, not confidcring, that it cannot be exprefs'd in Greek, and that the Lord, (0 Ku- ^©'j) there often anfwers it. They therefore rack their underllandings, to find fome methods to evade the force of this. argument. It may be proper to confider what they have to fay, to keep their wretched caufe in countenance, and to fence off conviction from themfelves.
One
250 The true Scripture Doctrine
One pretence is, that the name Jehovah is given to altars and places, and therefore by Je- hovah our righteouihefs, and the like, no more is proved, than by Jehovah nifli, fehovah {ha- lom, and (ijch like expreflions j but it fhcws arguments to run very low, with our adverfii- ries, that they takelliclter in this poor Socinian ilirmire, which has been fo often, and fo through- ly bafilcd, by thofe ^ who have employed their pens in confutation of that herefy. The name is never given to altars, places or cities, any o- therwife, than as they are fo call'd, in memo- rial of the truft and confidence rcpofcd in Je- hovah, by fuch as erefted them. Neither can what is added to the name Jehovah, be pro- perly predicated of the things fo call'd -, for an altar could not be Mofes's banner, nor Gideon's peace, tho' it might be a memorial, that Jeho- vah, to whofe honour thofe altars were erected, was a banner of aid to Mofes, and appear'd, not in wrath, but in a way of peace, to Gideon. Now when Chrift is, for inllance, call'd Jeho- vah our righteoufnefs, he may bear himfclf the name Jehovah, and he may properly be call'd our rightcoufneis j becaufe by the righteoufnefs he wrought out for us, we are juflified before God, our judge.
Our advcrfaries only infinuate, in a dark way, that Chriil: is call'd Jehovah, in the fame fcnfe that altars are -, their chief rcfort is to a fancy of their own invention, that this name is given to Chriil:, as he perfonated the Father, and was his reprefcntative : this we are very often *^ told by
'^ Sec Bifliop Pearfon on the Creed, p. 130.
•^ Clarke's Script. Dod. p. 88. 92. 155. 240. 264. Reply, p. 162, 163. Jackfon's Colled, of Queries, p. 20^ Reply, p. 177. Appeal to a Turk, p. 83, 84,
them i
OF THE Trinity. 251
them ; but it is only a precarious hypothefis, minted by them, to preierye their caufe from being openly baffled. I confefs, I have won- der'd, to find this evafion fo long, and fo often, made ufe of > when yet 1 never could meet with any appearance of an endeavour to fup- port it. As they bring no proofs from fcripture, to back their pretence, of Chrift's being call'd Jehovah, only as he perfon:ated the Father, but content themfelves with roundly affirming it, and falfly allerting, ^ it was the prevailing o- pinion of the ancient Chriftian writers > we may fafcly rejed it, without labouring to con- fute it. Hypothefes are but figments of the brain, and are not to be ufed as maxims, ac- cording to which fcripture mud needs be in- terpreted. Our blefTcd Lord did not barely per- fonate God, but was him fclf really God, and he fpoke in his own name, as well as in that of the Father, being himfelf Jehovah, Lord and God. The parallel that is brought, of a viceroy's per- fonating his prince, is very trifling, and makes, againft what it is brought to fupport: for tho' fuch an one a61:s by authority from his prince, as his reprefentative, yet he would be deem'd a traitor, were he to aflume the name, flilc, and title of his prince. Chrifl, according to the. figment of the Arians, might have faid, I am God the Father, which he never did*, there- fore when he fpoke under the name Jehovah^ he fpoke in his own perfon, being himfelf, with the Father, one Jehovah, the Lord God of hofts.
*■ See Waterland's firlt Defenfe, p. 33, 34. Second De- fenfc, p. 163, 164, 165. 173, 174. Sermons, p. 157, J58, i59«
CHAP.
252 The true Scripture Doctrine
CHAP. IV.
Chrift's Divinity proved, from his being called God, without reftriQion, in the old and new teftaments.
S I have proved, in the preceding chap- ter, that Chrill:, the Son of God, bears the name Jehovah, the incommunica- ble name, whereby the divine being has been pleafed to manifell himfelf 5 it will be no won- der, if we find him call'd God, in the oracles of truth. He is call'd ^ God, and the God ^ of Abraham, librae and Jacob a great many times, in the fcriptures, which have been produced above, to which I fhall be content to refer the reader, who will eafily fee, that it is im- poffible to take the word God in a fubordinate fenfe, in thofe texts. I fhall add a few more texts, from the old teftament, where the Son is call'd God, and then fhall confider the evi- dence we have for this, in the new teftamenr. It has been proved, that Jehovah, who fpoke to Jacob from the top of the ladder, which he faw reaching from earth to heaven, when he
» Gen. xvii. i. 3. 8, q. 15- 18. 23. Exod. lii. 4. 6. ti. 13, 14, 15. vi. 2. 3. 7. xix. 19. XX 2. 5. 10. xxiv. 10, II. xxxiv. 6. Numb. xxi. 5. Deut. iv. 10. ^2, 33, 34, 35. 39- xxxii. 3, 4. 15- 18. Pfalm cii. 24. liof. i. 7. Joel ii. 27. Ifaiah xl. 3. 8, 9. 1 8. 27, 28. xlv. 18. 21, 22. Zech. xiii. <>.
■» Gen. xxviii. 13. Exod. iii. 6. 16. iv. 5.
ilcd
OFTHE Trinity^ 255
fled from '^ Efau, was the Son > the fame divine perfon, appear'd to him, more than a fingle time afterwards, and afTumcd the name of God > once was to command him to leave Laban, and return to Ifaac his father y this he himfelf re- lated to his wives, in the ^ foUov/ing words : " The angel of God fpoke to me in a dream 5 — I am the God of Bethel, where thou anoint- edft a pillar, and where thou vowedfb a vow, now leave this land, and return to thy native country." This appears to be Chrifl:, the Son, from his being call'd an angel : to this God Jacob had recourfe, when he was afraid of Efau's revenge, and to him he addrefs'd himfelf ^ in this manner > " O God of my father Abraham, and God of my father Ifaac, Jehovah, who faidft to me, return to thy kindred, — deliver me from the hand of my brother Efau." In order to fcattcr his fears, this God appear'd ^ to him in the form of a man, and wreftled with him, and blefled him, fo that he could fay, " I have feen God face to face."
When Jacob return'd to Bethel, that he might fulfil the vow, which he made, when he was there before, he built an altar to God, who appeared to him > then it was s that " God appeared to him again, — and blefs'd him, and God faid to him thy name is Jacobs — but If- rael fhall from hence be thy name : — and God faid to him,- I am God all-fufficient, be fruit- ful and multiply: —and God went up from him, in the place where he talked with him." Whoever compares thefe feveral appearances,
*= SeeaboveChap. 3. * Gen.xxxi. ii. 13,
• Gen. xxxii. 9. 11. 'v. 24—30.
» Gen. XXXV. 9, 10, 11. 13.
Will
^54 The TRUE Scripture Doctrine
will find they are aU meant of one divine perfon, which could not be the Father, becaufe he never appears, nor is call'd an angel: fo that it is the Son who is call'd God, in thefe paflliges.
Chrill, the great redeemer, is call'd God, by Job, in the following noble confeflion of his taith. ^ " O that my words were now writ- ten, O that they were printed in a book, that they were engraved with an iron pen, with lead, in the rock, for ever. I know that my redeemer is the living one, and that he fhall Hand at the latter day upon the earth : and, tho', after my skin, worms dcflroy this body, yet in my flefh Ihall I fee God, whom I fhallfee for my felf, and my eyes lliall behold, and not ano- ther, tho' my reins are confumed within me." Job, in thefe words, declared what was the firm foundation of his hope, which fupported him, under the greatell heap of terrible worldly try- als, that perhaps ever fell on one mortal crea- ture. He knew that the living God was hia redeemer, and therefore he could willingly com- mit his faint and tired body to the grave, the houfe of filence, where the wicked ceafe from troubling, and where the weary are at rell> be- caufe he knew, that however worms and pu- trefadion might confume his flefh, and break his mortal form, yet he ihould awake, and fpringing from the dull, with ftrong immortal eyes, behold his incarnate God> which fight would be for his unfpeakable joy and pleafurc, and would make ample amends, for all theforrows and pains, he could poffibly endure here below. That Job had a rcfped to Chrifl the redeemer, and fpoke of the rcfune6lion, is fo plain from
^ Job XIX. 23. ---27.
the
OF THE Trinity. 255
die words,that it is wonderful, it ^ fhould be mat- ter of doubt. The poor pretence, that fo clear a degree of light, into the do6lrine of ChrilVs appearing, and the refurre6lion, does not feem fuited to Job's time, is not worth notice 3 for we are to judge, of what degrees of light the faints werefavour'd v/ith, from the accounts we have of them in fcripture. The arrogance of men, who take upon them to fay, how much Hght was proper for this, or the other faint, this and the other difpenfation is worthy of no regard, and ought to be pafled over with pity and con- tempt.
I fhould not deferve pardon of my readers, if I pafled by the fixty eighth pfalm, where Chrift isdefcribed, as God, in the mod: pompous man- ner^. "O God when thou v/entell before thy people J when thou didft march thro' the wil- dernefs 5 the earth fhook, the heavens alfo dropp'd, at theprefence of God, even Sinai it- felf, at the prefence of God, the God of Ifrael. The chariots of God are twenty thoufand, even thouGinds of angels > the Lord is among them, as in Sinai, in the holy place. Thou haft afcended on high, thou haft led captivity captive, thou haft received gifts for men j yea, for the rebellious alfo, tha t the God Jah, might dwell among them, Blefted be the Lord, who daily loads us with benefics, even the God of our faivation, he that
' If any one has a mind, to fee this matter difcuiTcd, which would be too great a difgreilion for me, he may fee it done to great advantage, by the incomparable MonfieurSpanheim. Hilt. Job. cap. 13. vol. II. p. 106—105. °PP- ^^^ by the learned and polite Dean of Chichefter, in his differtation on the fenfc of the ancients before Chrifl, concerning the confe- quencesofthefall, p. 257— 277. ^ Pfalm Ixviii. 7, 8—17—20.
2. if
2$6 The true Scripture Doctrine
is our God, is the God offalvation, to Jehovah the Lord belong the iffues from death." That this pfalin is to be undcrftood of Chrill, is cer- tain from the following words of the apoltle Paul, in his epiflle to the ^ Ephefians. '' To every one of us is given grace, according to the meafure of the gift of Chrifl, wherefore he faith > when he afcended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts to men. Now that he afcended, what is it, but that he alfo defcended fird into the lower parts of the earth ? He that defcend- ed, is the fame alfo with him who afcended up, far above all heavens, that he might fulfill all things.'* From thefe words of the apoftlc, com- pared with thofe of the pfilmiff, it is exceeding plain, that Chrift is the God of 1 fracl ; who went at the head of the people of his choice, and march'd before them, through the wildernefs, whofe voice at Sinai fhook the earth , and at whofe prefence the heavens melted : He is the al- mighty, that rode upon the skies, for the delive- rance of his inheritance, and fcatter'd kings, in the day of his wrath: Heis the God, who after he had humbled himfelf, and become obedient to death, broke the Itrong barriers of the grave > and afcended on high with power, and great glory, attended with thoufands, and ten thou- lands of angels, the witncfTes of his triumph, and dragging the powers of the infernal king- dom, as captives at his chariot-wheels: He is the God who purchafed all fpiritual gifts for his covenant feed, and who, in his exalted ftate, dif- penfes to thofe, whom of rebels he makes his willing fubjeds, the gifts which he procured by his death : He is the God of fUvation, who
' Eph.iv. -—10.
daily
OF THE Trinity. 257
daily loads fuch as are under his care with be- nefits, 'till he brings them to partake of the joys that cheer the fociety oFthe bleiTed above. Thefe are the great things, which arc fpoke of Chrifl, the God of our falvation j and they mo(t evi- dently demonftrate, that he is not God in a low, improper, fubordinate fenfe, but is with the Fa- ther the fupreme Almighty God.
It is time now to confider the evidence we have, in the new teilamcnt, for Chrifb's true and proper divinity, from his being call'd God. And the place which firft ought to bedifcufs'd, is the beginning of the apoftle John's gofpeU "^ " In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God, the fame was in the beginning with God 5 all things were made by him, and without him was not any thing m.ade that was made." In thele words, the good apoftle has fufficiently guarded againd the notion, that the Son is not a din:in6l perfonfrom the Father, becaufe he has declared, he was with God, and confequently could not be the fame perfon, with whom he was". The name Logos, or the Word, he did not borrow from Plato, as fome have pretended, but chofea term, which had been in ufe, among
0£o{ hv 0 Aoy®**" CUT"©- v]» ci» cif^vj STpc, tvd Qicv. Uuvtu ^i »vroZ iy.viTo, i^ Z^'^^i UvtoZ iyinro ou^i sv o yiymv^ John. i. I, 2, 3.
" Principio Pater omnipotens, rerum fator & fons,
Ingens, immenfus, folus regnabat ubique.
Nondum fidereos mundi procuderat orbes ;
Nondum mundus erat, necdum ibant tempora in orbem,
Nullaque coeruleo radiabant lumina ccelo.
Quicquid erat, Deus illud erat, quodcunque, ubicunque,
Complexus circum penitus Mq omnis in ipfo.
Films huic tantum, quern non efFuderat ulla,
S . his
%S^ The true Scripture Doctrine
his countrymen the Jews. This appears from ^ the Chaldee paraphrafts, who often call the Mefliah, the word of the Lord, Memra Jeho- vah, and from the apocryphal writers, and Phi- lo, who IHle the Mefliah Logos. The apoftle has farther declared to us, the true and proper P divinity of this Logos > for it can hardly be imagined, that when he had ufed the word
Vcl De3, ve] folito mortalis foemina partu : Ipie led aeterna genitor conceperat ilium, Aeternum aeternus, (diclum mirabile) mente. Haud olli terreni artus, moribundave membra, Sed fme corpore erat, Patris alta ut mente fupremi Conceptum, arcanoque latens in peftore Verbum," Quod nondum in volucres vox edita protulit auras, Omnipotens Verbum, finifque & originis expers. Quo mare, quo tellus, quo conftat maximus aether; Utque Pater Deus, aeque etiam Deus unica proles At geminos tu proinde Deos fup;e credere porro, Numen idem fimul ambobus, Deus unus uterque eft. Quinetiam, quo inter fe ambo jungujitur, amorem, (Namque ab utroque venit confpirans mutuus ardor,) Omnipotens aeque namenque Deumque vocamus; Affl.intem maria ac terras coclique profunda, Afflatu quo cunfta vigent, quo cundia moventur, Trefque unum cfle Deum, ter numen dicimus unum.
M. Hieron. Vida. Chriiliad. IV. 20, Sec,
• See Bifliop Stillingfleet's vindication of the doflrine of the Trinity, p. 128. —132. Dr. Allix's fentiments of the Jewifh Church, p. 181.— 264. Bifhop Kidder's Demon- Itration of the Melhah, Part III. p. 93.— 109. Pref. p« 5.— 12. Ed. in Fol.
Vid. & Buxtorf Lex Rabbinic, p. 125. 1268. Rittangel. in Jetziram. p. 81, &c. ejufd. libram veritatis. Seb. Edzardi Dili: Theol. Philol. de vorbo fubftantiali. Bulli Def. Fid. AN'ic. p. 13, 14, 15. Hottinger. Hill. Creation, p. 56. Wclfii Biblioth. Heb. Vol. II. p. 11 84.— 11 89.
P Dei Verbum imo magis iple Deus. Iren. Lib. II. cap. 13^ n. 8. p. 132. Ed. Ben.
*^ ©£c; Ky 6 Aoy©-. Clemens Al. Paedag. Lib. I. cap. 8- p. 13^^. Ed. Ox.
God,
OF THE Trinity. 259
God, in a proper fcnfe, he would ufe it, in an improper fenfe, in the fame fentence, without any guard or caution 5 befides that he intended to have it thought, the Logos was properly God, is plain, from his fpeaking of him as be- ing God, not being conftituted, or appointed God, in the beginning, before the creation; and from his afcribing to him the work of crca« tion, in that all things were made by him, and not one individual creature was formed without him : for he by whom all things, nothing ex- cepted, were made, mud not be a creature him- felf.
I know the enemies ^ of our Lord's true Deity pretend, that the apoflle ufes the word God, in two different fenlcs, in the fame fen- tence, becaufe it is ufed by way of contradi- ftindlion 5 but, in reality, there is not the lead fliadow of the latter part of the verfe being added, by way of contradill:inftion to the for- mer part : fo that this may pafs for a mere fhifr, devifed to fence off convi6bion.
It will farther appear, that the beloved dif- ciple's defign was, to declare ChriiVs true and proper Godhead, if we confider the occafion of his writing: his life was extended to a much greater length, than any of the other apoftles, for he reached the age of a hundred years ; the ' latter part of his time, after his return from Patmos, to which lonely ifland he was banifh'd
'El iv 0 Aoy<B^ zr^c^ Ttf ©joi', 0««5 (i)*, ti isrr (p*i<ruiv uv n^ avo >iiyiiv ©£»? j Jl'o (O^ hx, s^a ©£»5, ^^^ k tvXy -zs-^ca-uTrcc S^i ^0. Hippolytus contra Noetum, cap. 14. p. 15. Ed. Fab.
*i Jackfon's reply to Dr. Waterland, p. 183.
^ Irenaeus, p. 148. 178. Ed. Ben.
Eufeb. Hift. Ecclef. Lib. III. cap. i. p. 56. Ed. Par. cap. 18. p. 71. cap. 23. p. 73. Lib. V. cap. 24. p. 155.
S 2, by
26o The true Scripture Doctrine
by the tyrant Domitian, he fpent in the pro- vincial Afia, chiefly redding at Ephefus. The parts where this good old difciple fpent the laft Icene of his life, were infelled with the he- relies of Cerinthus and Ebion. The former of ^ thefe w^as of the fort, call'd Gnofticks, from their pretending they were the perfons, who had attain'd to clear and diftinct ideas of fcrip- tiu-e myiteries : he maintain'd, that the Word was a divine power, an emanation remote from the Father, begotten of filence, in time, and a feparate pcrfon from Jefii^, whom he fuppofed a mere man > on whom Chrift, or the Word, came down at his baptifm, in the form of a dove, but left him, at his death, flying back
^ Et Cerinthus autem quidem in Afu, non a primo Deo fiftum effe docuit, led a virtute quadam valde feparata, & diitante ab ca principalitate, quae eit fuper univerfa, & igno- rante eum, qui eft fuper omnia Dcum. Jefum autem fub- jecit, non ex virgine natum; (impoffibile enim hoc ei vifum ell: ;) fuille autem eum Joleph Sc Mariae Filium, funiHter & reliqui omnes homines, Sc plus potuifle juftitia, & pruden- tial, & lapientia ab hominibus. Et port baptifmum defcen- dilTe in eum, ab ea principalitate quae eft fuper omnia, Chriftum, figura columbae, & tunc annunciafte incognitum patrem, Sc virtutes perfccilTe, in fine autem rcvolafle ite- rum Chriftum de Jefu, Sc Jefum palfum effc, Sc refurrexifle ; Chriftum autem impaflibilem perfeveraffe, exfiftentem fpi- ritalem. Irenaeus, Lib. I. cap. 26. p. 105. "Ed. Ben.
Verbum Sc Chriftum nee adveniffe in hunc mundum vo- lunt (fc. Gnoftici) fdvatorem vero non incarnatum, neque palTum ; defcendifte autem quafi columbam, in eum Jefum, qiii faftus eflet ex difpofitione, Sc cum annunciaflct incog- nitum patrem, iterum afcendille in pleroma. Incarnatum autem Sc palfum, quidam quidem eum qui ex difpofitione fit, dicunt Jefum, quem per Mariam dicunt pertranfilfe, quafi aquam per tubum ; alii vero Demiurgi filium, in quem defccndiflc, eum Jefum, qui ex difpofitione fit ; alii rurfum Jefum quidem ex Jofeph Sc Maria natum dicunt, & in hunc dcfccndiffe Chriftum, qui de fupcrioribus fit : fine carne, & impallibilcm. Secundum autem nujjam fentcnti^m haere
to
OF THE Trinity. 261
to the plcroma, or fulnefs of the Deity, from whence he came. Ebion's ^ fcheme was the fame with what is now call'd Socinian^ he main- tained, that Chrift was a mere man, with whom the Father dwelt, in an extraordinary manner, helping him to perform greater miracles than any other prophet. In oppolition to thefe he- refies, the great apoflle, as we are told by fome ancient writers of good " authority, at the re- quell of the chriftians in Afia, wrote his gofpel,
ticorum, Verbum Dei caro f\6>um eft. — - Omnes igitur illos fallbs teftes oftendens dilcipuias Domini, ait, " Et Verbum caro faftum eft, & ixabitavit in nobis." Idem, Ijb. III. cap. II. p. 189.
^ AjtbV f^ ^ Xfi'jzv XU.I Kmov iiyoZvTe, Kdroc sr^oKOTryiv -/iBsi^
Masp/te? yiyinrijB^cv, Eufebiiis, Ecclef. Hift. Lib. I. cap. 27. p. 79. Ed. Par.
Vid. Epiphanmm haeref. 30. fcft. 23. p. 125, 126. Ed. Par.
^ Hanc fidem annuncians Joannes Domini difcipalus, vo- lens, per Evangelium annunciationem, auferre eum, qui a Cerintho infeminatus erat hominibus, errorem, Sc multo prius ab his qui dicuntur Nicolaitae, qui funt vulfio ejus, quae falfo cognominatur fcientia; ut confunderet eos & iua- deret, quoniamunus Deus qui omnia fecit per verbum fuum ; & non, quemadmodum illi dicunt, alterum quidem flibrica- torem, alium autem Patrem Domini : & alium quidem fa- bricatoris Filium, alterum vero de fuperioribus, Chriftum, quern & impaffibilem perfeverafTe, delcendentem in Jefum Filium fabricatoris, & iterum revolafTe in fuum pleroma: & initium quidem c^t Monogenem, Logon autem verum Fi- lium Unigeniti : &"eam conditionem quae eft fecundum nos, non a primo Deo fadam, fed a virtute aliqua, valde deorfum fubjefta, & abfcilla ab eorum communicatione, quae funt invifibilia, & innominabilia. Omnia igitur talia circumfcri- bere volens difcipulus Domini, & regulam veritatis conftitu- ere in Ecclefia, quia eft unus Deus omnipotens, qui per Ver- bum fuum omnia fecit, & vifibilia & invifibilia : fignifi- cans quoque, quoniam per Verbum, per quod Deus perfe- cit conditionem, in hoc & falutem his qui in conditione funt, praeftitit hominibus ; fic inchoavit in ea, quae eft fe- S 2 in
SeS; \HE TRUE ScRIPTURE DOCTRINE
in the. proem to which he has fet forth Chrift, under the high chara61:ers of true Divinity j fo
cundum evAngelium, do6lrina : *' In principio erat Verbum, Sc Verbum crat apiid Deum, & Deus erat Verbum, hoc erat in principio apud Dcum. Omnia per ipfum tadla funt, & fine ipfo £^aam ell niliil." Ircnaeus, Lib. III. cap. ii. p. 188. Ed. Ben.
^ Johannes apoilolus & evangelifta, quern Jelus amavit plu- rimum, qui lupra pcdus Domini recumbens, puriffima doc- trinarum flucnta potavit, Sc qui folus de cruce meruit audire, Ecce mater tua. Is cum effet in Afia, &jam tunc haereti- corum femina pullularent Cerinthi, Hebionis & caeterorum, qui negant Chriftum in carne veniffe, quos & ipfe in epiilola fua Antichrifhos vocat, & apoftolus Paukis frequenter per- cutit: coaftus eft ab omnibus pene tunc Afiae Epifcopis, & multarum^ ecclefiarum le_2;ationibus, de Divinitate Salvatoris altius fcribere, & ad ipfum ( ut ita dicam) Dei Verbum, non tarn audaci quam felici temeritate prorumpere : unde & ccclefiaftica narrat hiftoria, cum a fratribus cogeretur ut fcriberet, ita fa6lurum fe refpondiffe, ii indidto jejunio in commune omnes Deum deprecarentur : quo expleto, reve- latione faturatus, in illud prooemium e coelo veniens cruc- tavit ; " In principio erat Verbum & Verbum erat apud Deum, & Deus erat Verbum, hoc erat in principio apud Deum." Hieronymus, Proleg. Comment, in Matthaeum. Johannes, noviffimus omnium, fcripfit Evangelium, roga- tusabAfiae epifcopis, adverfus Cerinthum alioiquehaereticos, Sc maxime tunc Ebionitarum dogma confurgens, qui afie- runt Chrillum ante Mariam non fuille, unde & compulfus ell, divinam ejus nativitatem edicere. Idem in Catalogo. Ecclef Scrip.
umbiv mcvTot, iCf orufKuB-ivTct. EpipLmius Haeref. A log. p. 424. Ed. Par.
ivctyyiXicrcc^eci iiTriri zrXccvuiBi ; -sroX r^iTTi^i ; Ts-oi ttXv.vu^i
iytvr^j-T] 6 XfifB{ xuroc o-cc^kca, ^/,Xov' t^ou y^ uvTvt; ofjjoXoyUy in o Aoy(^ (Tfi^pl iytviTo osAAat /^(/>> e| ots iyinro c^fl, vof/ji<riiTS
TDr uvTov Sivxi. S9 cc^x.^ "I" o Ao'v®-, x«i o Ae'y<^ «v ^f^i
rov Oilv, y^ 0W5 kv 6 AcV®-*. Idem, Ibid, p. 434.
that
OF THE Trinity. 263
that the beginning of this gofpel, being wrote, with the view of confuting thofe, who denied Chrift's Deity, is a more immediate proof of his true and proper Godhead, than if it had been wrote occafionally : nay we are told, that he caufed fome time to be fpent in failing and prayer, for farther inftruction, and being mlpired
Monfieur Lampe, the very learned and worthy profciTor at Utrecht, having entertain'd a fancy, without foundation, that the apoftle John wrote his gofpel, before the deftrudlion of Jerufalem, rejefts the opinion, that has much prevail'd, of the apoiUe's having in view, the confutation of Cerinthus and Ebion, in the proem to it. To this end he furmifes, that Irenaeus's tranflator might miftake him ; (Proleg. in Jo- hannem, p. 182.) but this is not worth regard. And he leflens the credit of Irenaeus; (p. 183.) but if we muft flight an ancient writer, becaufe he is fometimes impofcd upon, there is an end of all certainty. He urges, (p. 185.) that Irenaeus himfelf makes the Gnoflicks to be after the apollle's times, but tho' thofe Gnollicks, that were the difci- ples of Carpocrates and Menander, were after the apoflle's days, yet it is certain, that this name was given to the fol- lowers of Simon Magus. ( Vid. Iren. Lib. I. c. 27. 29.) He farther urges, that Irenaeus fays, the Nicolaitans diffufed their errors, much fooner than Cerinthus did his, which may be true, and yet they might all do it before the apoftle's death. He objedls, that Cerinthus lived towards the middle of the fecond century, (p. 182.) but this does not prove, that he did not broach his herefy, towards the end of the firft century. He alio objefts, that the apoftle could not alTert Chrift's Deity, againft Cerinthus and Ebion, becaufe they did not direftly deny it ; (p. 189. 190. 195.) but cer- tainly they denied it, by neceffary confequence, when the one made Chrift a remote emanation from the divine fulnefs, and the other held him to be a mere man. As to what this learned gentleman fays, (p. 199.) of the Gnofticks having a value for the gofpel of John, it is of no importance ; they might pretend a value for it, to covei their errors, as our modern antitrinitarians do for fcripture, which yet they make to bend to their reafon. What he farther fays, (p. 201.) that the Gnofticks gathered their Emanations, jfrom what the apoftle has declared of the Logos, I confefs, I do not underftand.
S 4 with
264 The true Scriptur Doctrine
v/ith a frefh fiipply of knowledge from on high, he began ni the lofty manner, wc now find. From hence, he has been generally compa- red to an eagle, ^^ that tow'rs, in her flight, above ail other fowls, and can fix her fight, direftly, on the fun > on which others of the fcathcrM kind arc not able to look.
We fee then, that the apoftle John has filled Chrifl God j this has been turned to his re- proach, by that apoftate bigot ^Julian the em- peror : he has affirmed, that neither Matthew,
'*' ITnder the emblem of an eagle, John is finely defcribed by Sitinc-izariu5.
Hos poll: infequitur, pulchros pennata per artus, Ali^uum regina, facrae cui vertice plumae Adfurgunt : fiavoque caput diademate fulget. Ipfa ingens alis, ingentis fulminis inftar, SuprA hominum te6ta, ac montes fupraque volucres Fertur, Sc obftantes curlii petit obvia nubes.
Partus. Virgin, i. 426.
He is likewife compared to an eagle by Vida, in the fol- lowing beautiful fimile.
Qu:ilis ubi alta petens, terris aufertur ab imis Alituum regina, vagijs fpaciata per auras, Dat plaufum gyro, atque in nubila conditur alis : Aethcrea jamque ilia plaga levis inlht, & acrem Intendens aclem criniti lumina folis Sufpicit, obtutuque oculos iixa haeret acuto.
Chrifliad, IV. 10.
^TcvJijoroiv ovn Uecv^.e^;, irtAfji^rKriy iiTTiiv <S)zcy. ^rs MccT^ocio<; »7T Aay^e;^ jfjr Mci'pjf^?. ec^X o p^f)}^? Icoxtm- Julian, apud Cyrill- Lib. X. p. 327. Ed. Spanh.
r fuppofe, the fame reaibn that made Julian rail againft the apoftle John, made Enjedinus infolently and blafphe- moufly decry his Jlile. '* If (favs he; a concifc, abrupt, and incoherent obfcurity, and a Avay of writing, made up of al- legories, is to be caird fublijnity ; I own John is fublime. For you U'ill fcarce find one fpeech of Chrift recorded by him, which is not entirely allegorical, and moll difficult to iindcrihnd. p. 155, 136.
nor
OF THE Trinity. 265
nor Paul, nor Marc, nor Luke have cairdChrill God, but that John alone has been fo bold as to do it. In faying this, he has fliewM himfelf a true predeceflbr of thofe freethinkers who ad- mire him, and manifefted himlelf a man of free thought, who fcorn'd to be kepi within the narrow bounds of truth. This is a moft impu- dent Eillliood, for he is cali'dfoby yall thefe £i-^ cred writers, except Marc y and, in particular, he is caird God, in that famous paflage, in the apoftle Paul's firftepiftlc no Timothy. "With- out controverfy, great is the myllery of god- linefsj God was manifelted in the fleili, jufti- fied in the fpirit, ktn of angels, preach'd to the gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory/' It mufl be confefs'd, there is fomc variety in the copies here 3 one manulcript, and the ancient Latin, Syriac, and Coptickver- fions, read it thus, Great is the myilery of god- - linefs, which was manifelled in the fleih. But this makes the words hardly fenfe > for tho' a myftery might be preach'd to the gentiles, and be believed in the world, yet it would ^bund odd, to fay a myftery was manifefted in the fleih, and juftified in the fpirit, that it appcar'd to angels, and w^as received up into glory. One copy reads it, he who was manifefted in the fleih, was juftified in the fpirit j but this is of very lirtle authority. The common reading is found in far the greateft part of the old copies, and in the Arabic verflon, and is therefore to be retain'd. It is really a great myftery in our holy
^' Mat. i. 23. ^ Heb. i. 8. Afts xx.^ 28. ^ ;y s^vftr.i', i7:{'^vjU h Kocrf/jU), »iyiM<pCr, iv tf<?|v]* 1 Tim. iii. 1 6.
reli-
266 The true Scripture Doctrine
religion, that God fhould be manifefled in the flefh, and Ihould fatisfy divine judice, fo as to be juftified in the fpirit. I cannot but mention the wiUingnefs of our adveifaries, to deprive Chrill of the title of God, in this place : they own Chrift is call'd Gtof, God, without the ar- ticle, which, they %, is an evidence of his be- ing God, in a fubordinate fenfe : yet they are even for depriving him of this title, which, ac- cording to them, is inferior, in the words under confederation : this {hews their rancor againft him to be fo great, that they not only would deprive him of the high titles others give him, but would, if they durll, facrilegioufly rob him of every name that carries dignity in it, even ihoie names, which themfelves allow him, un- der pretence, that they exprcfs his being God, only in a fubordinate fenfe. If this fhould feem fcvcrc, I cannot help it, I am afraid it is too jull.
Chrift is, in all probability, called God in this paflage of the epiftle to the Hebrews : " ^ He that built all things, is God." Chrifl: is the only divine perfon fpoke of in the context -, the defign of which, is, to fct forth his fupe- riority to Mofcs : to bring in the Father fo abruptly, as it mud be, if we fuppofe thefe words meant of him, would make the fenfe per- plexed ', but it runs cafy and natural, if we un- dcrfland them of the Son.
Another place where Chrift is called God, is the following, taken out of the apoftle John's revelation ^. "He that overcomes, I will be his God, and lie fhall be my Son." This is
* 'O TO TTavTct Kocraa-KivuTdii, ©Jo^- Heb. iii. 4.
^ "EaroLuai UvTU Qio^, x-Ui etvTO^ i^on fj^ci 0 V<c5. Rev. Xxi. 7.
fpoke
OF THE Trinity. 267
fpoke by him that is defcribed as fitting on the throne 3 now this was certainly Chriil : for, in this chapter, the vifion is puriued, that was begun in the preceding chapter > where he, who fat upon a throne, mull: be Chrift > be- caufe he, and not the Father, is defcribed, throughout the fcripture, as fitting in judgment. The enemies of our blefled Lord's divinity are forced to own, that he is callM God > but then, with an air of infolence S they tell us, he is not ftiled God abfolutely, and by way of eminence, not caU'd 0 ©£o<r, God, with the ar- ticle. To this it has been well reply'd, ^ that the fcripture docs not lay fo great a ftrefs upon articles, becaufe God the Father is often caird God, without an article > as, for inftance, four times in the firft chapter ^ of St. John's gofpel : and becaufe the word God is ufed with the ar- ticle in an improper fenfe, ^ where moll: fuppofe it meant of the devil. Thefe things quite over- turn the great ftrefs that is laid upon the article; but, I confefs, I wonder it has been fo eafily granted, that Chrift is not call'd God, with the article, or God abfolutely, and by way of emi- nence : for it may be fairly proved, that Chrift is caird 0 Geo?, God, in an abfolute conftrudion, as well as with reference to any particular an- tecedent, as his adverfaries sare pleafed to diftin- guifti. For my own part, I can fee nothing in this diftindion, and fo ftiould not regard it, if
'^ Jackfon's colkaion of queries, p. 41 - Reply to Dr.Wa- tcrland, p. 188-
^ Dr. Waterland's firll defenfe, p. 67, 68. ^John i. 6. 12, 13. 18^ ^ ^ ^ 2 Cor. iv. 4. 0 ©f«5 t-5 «n»v(5? To*Ttf, 8 Jackfon's reply, p. 188.
5 they
26$ The true Scripture Doctrine
they did not make as if it was fome great diC- covc'.y.
The apoftlc Matthew, in relating how the birth of Chrill was declared to Jofeph by the angel, has told us, it was a completion of this prophecy of ^ Ifaiah 5 " Behold, a virgin fhall conceive and bring forth a fon, and they flvall call his name Immanuel, which, being inter- preted, is ^ God with us.'* Chrifl is here (tiled 0 02OJ, God, with the article. Our adverfaries ^ would willingly have the word God meant of the Father > but fure it was not the Father who was to be born of a virgin j fo that iii this force put upon the words, they only expofc themfelves, and their caufe. They plead ^ far- ther, that the name Immanuel proves no more than the names of places, fuch as Jehovah Jireh, and Jehovah Shalom 5 but this has been fo often ^ expofed, that it is furprizing any fhould now bring it up afrefh.
When the martyr Stephen, in his apology be- fore thejevvifh Sanhedrim, was relating the ap- pearance to Mofes in the burning bufh, he faid, *' "the Lord fpoke to him, faying, lam the God of thy fathers, the God of x^braham, and the God of Ifaac, and the God of Jacob." It is every where o @.iosj God, with the article -, fincc it has been<» proved, that it was the Son who appear'd to
^ Ifaiah vii. 1 4.
' *0 ©£65 fjuid' iifjuZy' Mat. i. 22, 23.
* Clarke's Sc. Doa. p. 71.
* Enjcdinus, p. 102. and from him Clarke Scr. Do£l. p. 71.
"* See efpecially Bifhop Pear fon on the Creed, p. 150.
iQ)io(^\ecicu^. A(Sls vii. 32. f See above, p. 209, Sec.
Mofcs,
OF THE Trinity.' 269
Mofes, it follows neceflarily, that he is called 6 OsoV, God, eminently, four times.
In the beginning of the epiftle p to the He- brews, a pailage out of the Pfalms is thus ap- ply'd to Chrill : « To the Son he fays, Thy Throne, O God, is for ever and ever." So that, in this place, Chrift is call'd God, in the ftrid fenfe > for it is 6 Qios in the Greek > and tho' it is the nominative cafe put for the voca- tive, it muft have the fame meaning, as if it flood for itfelf. Here we 1 are told, that the fcnfe of the word God, when applyM to the Son, appears from the following words 5 " God thy God has anointed thee : " but what may really be gathered from the words taken together, is this^ Chrift is really and truly God, notwithilanding the Father, who anointed him to the work of a Mediator, may, on that account, be call'd his God.
Chrifl: is called God eminently, 5 GsoV, by the apoflle Peter, in the falutation prefix'd to ^ his fecond epiftle. " Simon Peter, a fervant and apoftle of Jefus Chrid, to them that have obtain'd like precious faith with us, through the righteouf- nefs of our God and Saviour Jefus Chriit." Thac this rendering of the words is better than that in our Engliih tranflation, " the rjghteoufnefs of God and our Saviour," appears from the article being omitted, in the Greek, between God and Saviour, and from the Scriptures throughout aflerting, that we obtain faith, and every faving
P O B-povog (Ts, 0 0SOC, liq Tsv aiiuvo6 tS oiiuyoq, Heb. i. 8.
1 Clarke's Script. Doft. p. jy.
^ *£»» oixechoavni) tS &£ov kccI (roTit^eg iff/tut IwS X^i?-ou. 2 Pet. i. I.
There is fome variety in the copies here, but none that is material.
* benefit,
270 The true Scripture Doctrine benefit, through the righteoufnefs of Chrid, imputed to us. Our adverfaries ^ plead, that the common rendering is more agreeable to the next verfe, which is nothing to the purpofe, and to the whole tenor of Scripture j which is a bold prefumptuous aOertion, and, as it is back'd with no proof, it may be defpifed.
To elude the force of thefe fcriptures, our adverfaries may perhaps plead, * that 6 ^jor, in an abfolute conftrudion, is one thing, and 0 ^gof, referring to any particular antecedent, is quite another thing. I fhall therefore, in or- der to fubvertfuch a poor quibble, fhew, that Chrill; is called © ^joj, God, in an abfolute con- fir u61:ion.
When the Evangelifl Luke had cited the pro- phecy of Ifaiah, relating to John Baptifl's pre- paring the way for Chrift, he thus, after the Greek verfion, has paraph rafcd part of it j « '' All flefh fhall fee the falvation of God." It is plain, that God whofe falvation all flefh was to fee, is he whofe way John was to pre- pare, which was Chrill -, fo that Chrift is fliled 0 rS-eoj, God, in the abfolute fenfe, by the Evangelifl.
When the apoflle Paul took his final leave of the elders of the church of Ephefus at Me- letus, he left the following charge with them > ^ " Take heed to your felves, and to all the flock, over which the holy Spirit has made you overfeers, to feed the church of God, which he
'Clarke's Script. Do6l. p. 36. * Jackfon's reply, p. 188.
** 'OV-STOtt TTUTX <ru^^ T» OTCOT^flOV TOV OiOV. LukC ill. 6.
xoinirttTo o]ci rtZ t^itt etiu,x.T^. Adls xx. 28.
has
OF THE Trinity. 271
has purchafed with his own blood.'* As none but Chrift purchafed the church with his blood, he it is that is here by the apoftle callM 6 ^sos-, God in an abfolutefenfe. As the divine and human natures were perfonally united in Chrift, what is proper to one nature, is predicated of the whole perfonj and the fame way of fpeak- ing is ufed by fome primitive writers ^ of the apoflolick age. It muft be owned, that all the Greek copies do not agree, in reading the church of God -, the Alexandrian manufcript, and fome others, icad the church of the Lord 3 and thus ylrcnacus, and fome other ancient writers, quote the place > there are more copies that read it, " the church of the Lord God >" and the Sy- riac verfion reads it, the church of Chrift, in which manner ^ one or two of the ancients cite the words. This our adverfaries ^ greedily catch at 'y but as many copies, and the vulgar Latin verfion, have the common reading; and as fe- veral ^ antient writers quote the words accord-
* Tei5 s^o^ioiq Toy &iov upx^fd^oi, ra. Tru^yiUjccrcc ccvrou yjf srpa o<p^stX{jtiUi hyiiuv, Clemens Rom. i Cor. ii. p. 8. Ed. Cant.
ETTiT^'i^xri fjtjei, fJUifJt/yiTYiv (ivcci rou TrxB-a^ rod Qiou [/ja. Ignat ad Rom. cap. 7. p. 39- Ed. Oxon.
M<n</>3rot< oWi5 ©sow, civcc^uTrv^ytfrmyrii Iv enfAxri Qiou. Idem ad Ephef. cap. i. p. 11.
y Iren. Lib. III. cap. 14. p. 201. Ed. Ben. Lucifer Caralitanus. Didymus de Sp. S. Lib. 2. Conftit. Apoll. Lib. 2. cap. 26. Chryfollom. in Com. Hieron. Epifl. ad Evagrium.
* Theodoret. in Phil. i.
* Clarke's Script. D06I. p. 74.
** Athanafms Ep. ad Serapionem, Vol. I. p. 179. Ed. Par. Bafilius Reg. Moral. 80. .cap. i6. Vol. II. p. 555. Ed. Par. Epiphanius Haeref. 74. cap. 6. Vol. I. p. 89^. Ancorat. cap. 69. Vol. II. p. 74. Ed. Par. Ambrof. dc Sp. S. Lib. H. Oecumenius in loc.
272 The true Scripture Doctrine ing to it, there is no need to doubt of its being genuine. Our adverfaries ha\x fomeching elfc in referve, llippofing the word God to be ge- nuine, they - tell us, it is mod natural to un- derftand it of the Father, that is, Chrift is not fliled 6 GsoV, in this place, becaufe he cannot be caird God abfolutely, it being the peculiar title of the Father : Such a low and pitiful beg- ging the queftion is unworthy of an anfwer.
There is another ^ pafTage in the apoftle John's iirft epiiHe, of the fame import with the fore- going •, " Hereby perceive we the love of God, becaufe he laid down his life for us. " In the oiiginal it is rou esoiJ, fo that Chrift is here ililed God in an abfolute manner. I acknow- ledge, that feveral copies omit the word God, fo that our common reading is not entirely cer- tain : however if it be retain'd, the words run much eafier j and our adverfaries do not, fo far as I know, oppofe it, only they ^ fhuffle away the fcnfe, in the fame mean way with that of the preceding text.
Chrill has the title of 6 Osoj, God in an ab- folute fenie, indifputably given him, by the apoftle Paul, in a padage, vv'hich in his epiftle to the Romans, he has quoted from the pro- phet Ifaiah, '' We muil all (land before the judgment feat of Chrill, for it is written, as I live, laith the Lord, every knee fhall bow to me, and every tongue fhall confefs to God -, io then every one of us ihall give an account of
^ Clarke, ibid.
'£y TtZrca tytioKX^ t/,)) oiystTTtiv tow 0£», ori ifiiiy<^ i^t^ ijt/ja* T»y ''I'v^j^ytv uvToZ sS-Jjxf. I Joh. iii. 1 6. * Clarkc^s Script. Dod. p. 36. 78. ^ Ifaiah xlv. 23.
i himfelf
OF THE Trinity. 273
hirafelf to God. 8 " I have confider'd the pafTage of Ifaiah in another ^ place. It is as plain, as words can exprefs it, that flanding at the judg- ment feat of Chrift, and giving an account of our felves to God, are ufed, by the apoftle, to denote the fame thing > fo that it evidently fol- lows, that Chrifl is the perfon, who is, in the words cited, twice (tiled u @£or, God in an abfoliite fenfe. Our ^ adverfaries fallacioufly pre- tend, that the meaning of the words is 5 we muftgive an account of our felves to God^ who judges the world by Chrift^ but the plain mean- ing is, Chrill, at whofe awful tribunal we arc to appear, is God : and the turn which the enemies of his true Divinity give the words, only proves, that they are gravel'd, and have really nothing to fay, while yet they would appear to fay fomething.
When Chrift is introduced, by the apoflle John in his revelation, judging the world, he has the fame high title of e @£oV, God in the abfolute fenfe : ^ " I faw the dead, fmall and great, ftand before God, and the books were opened, and another book was opened, which was the book of life, and the dead were judged, from thofe things which were written in the books, according to their works." No one, who confiders, that the book of Hfe is,clfewhere in this prophecy, call'd the Lamb's book of
Zft* syav, Myu ¥>.tj^i,(^ in syjoi xui/w^^u ttuv yew, kxI ttZotcc yXaa-cra i^ofjuoXoyi\(rtTu,t rm <S>iaj. icpx euv i>caq<^ viyjSiv TFiol luvrtu >^cy:v ^aa-u 7 (Z 0sS. Rom. xiv. lo, II, 12.
^ See above p. 244, 245.
' Clarke's Reply, p. 168.
^ Emv Tisi vtK^if(i iJi^tKfvi fuel lAiyM^m ef«T«$ huTFiOf tov Siou, Rev. XX. 12.
T life,
1274 The true Scripture Doctrine
life, and that, through out all the new teftament^ Chrill is defcribed as immediately judging the world, will fcruple acknowledging, he is here caird God abfolutely, if he has not a turn to fcrve. It may, perhaps, be pretended, that God the Father is defcribed, throughout this book, fitting on a throne : but it fhould be remem- bered, this prophecy is divided into dillincSb vi- fions, and a new vifion is begun in this chapter. So that it does not follow, that becaufe the Father is defcribed, in other places, fitting on a throne, as chief ruler of the empire of provi- dence, the Son is not here reprefented as judge > becaufe, as I hinted before, the immediate work of judging the world, is always allotted to Chriil, and never to the Father, who imme- diately judges none, having committed all judg- ment to the Son.
The argument I am upon, may farther be confirmed from fome paiTages, where the Son is lliled Lord God, (Ku^©' • OcoV) in the moll emphatical manner. The angel Gabriel, hav- ing foretold to Zecharias, the birth of his fon John, added j ^" Many of the children of li- rael fliall he turn to the Lord their God, for he ihall go before him, in the fpirit and power of Ehas/' The application of thefe words to Chriil is fo plain, that I fhall not go about to prove It. We arc "^ told, indeed, the word.s, according to the whole analogy of fcripture, cannot- but fignify the Father j but fince it is granted, in ftridtnefs of conllrudion, they mud " he meant of Chriil , there is no reafon why they mull not be apply \i to him, as a proof
•/^ CJ.irke"5 Script. Do£t. p. 72. Reply, p. i-i^;'
■ • of
OF THE Trinity, 275 bf his being God, in an abfolute fenfc, unlefs the fixed refolution of confident men, that let Chrill have ever fuch high things fpoke of himj they ihall be underilood of him in a low fenfcj may pafs for an argument.
When the apoitie Thomas had been gently reproved by Chrill, for not believing the report of his fellow difciples, that his maftcr was rifen, he in extafy cryed out 5 " " My Lord, and my God." Here Chriil is not barely call'd Lord, but 0 escs-, God in the moft eiiiphatical man- ner, and in an abfolute fenfe. I am not of the mind of thofe, who take thefe vv^ords as an in- vocation to Chriil 5 I am fatisfied they are fpoke by way of confclTion ^ as if the doubting apo- flle, convinced of his finful incredulity, had fiid 5 this is indeed my rifen Lord, this is truly my God. The apoille here faid nothing of Chrift^ but what belongM to him, as is plain, frcm, ChrilVs approving of what he faid. That the Father is any where calPd God, in a more em- phatical manner, is what our adverfaries will never be able to prove.
In the concluding part of the apoille John's revelation, we have the following ^ words ^ " The Lord God of the holy prophets fent his angel, to {hew to his fervants the things that mud fhortly be done. Behold I come quick- ly." The lafl: words point out to us, that it? is Chrift, who is the Lord God, (K\j^-^ 0 ©£o?) of the prophets i for it is he who is to come again J but left: any doubt fhould remain, we are afTurcd a little after p, that it is he. " I
" 'O Kt^u^ yi^\i^ Ku] 0 0£e5 fJbOU. Joh. XX. 28,
° Kooi^ 0 ©JC5 TftJv ei^u¥ 7rfo(p7iTay. Rev. xxii. 6, 7. I V. 16.
T 2 . Jcfc
276 The true Scripture Doctrine Jefus have Tent my angel to teftify thefe things to the churches." To which I do not know any material objeaion has been made.
I have proved that Chrifl is not barely calPd God in fcripture, but that he is filled God ab- folutely, in the emphatical manner, which the enemies of his Deity would appropriate to the Father, and that he is call'd Lord God. The neceflary confequence of which is, that he is not God, only in an inferior, fubordinate fenfe, but that he is truly and properly God, or God in as high a fenfe as the Father is.
Some of our adverfaries, with a frontlefs in- folence, deny that Chrifl is ever call'd 6 OscV, God, with the article, in the ancient Chriftian writers, and others pretend he is feldom call'd fo, and when he is, not in the abfolute fenfe -, but thefe are as notorious untruths, as ever men had the hardinefs to utter, for it is certain he is fo filled, by i Clement of Rome, ^Ignatius, ^ Juflin, f Tatian, " Theophilus, ^ Ireneaus,
Uvri iTTiyjiXZ^y i^i^vKTfS^oi kn 7o7(i <r7rA«/^cc<5, Kd) roc tTuB'^- f/jXTx ccvTou h ?rpo (xp^ocXiituv v[Aiaf, Clemens Rom. Epift. I. cap. 2. p. 8. Ed. Cant.
*■ Lolpctoi \w^)i XfifaV vcf 0£ay. Ignatius Epift. ad Smyrnaeos> cap. I. p. I, Ed. Oxon.
Idem, ad Ephef. in S.ilutatione.
'O ©t06 iifJbap lyjcrovq Xp^^c; iKVo^c^in^n cc-tfo f/joi^Uit Idem, ad eofdem, cap. i8. p. i8.
'E* Iwou Xpjs-f v^ S-faJ HW;5y. Idem ad Romanes, in Salut.
'O Oicq iif/jZv UToZi Xf{f55 ly ^Tcerp; eiy. Idem, ibid. cap. 3. P- 37- ^, ,
ibid. cap. 7. p. 39.
'O Aoy^ T^ Set^jflS.;, uvttx; aiv *t(^ 0 0£5(;, UTn roZ TretT^e^ Tuv oXuv yivrij^Bic, Juftin. Dial, cum Tryphonc, p. 184. Kd. Jebb. p 267 Ed. Thirlbv.
^ Melito,
OF THE Trinity. 277
^ Melito, y Clement of Alexjindria, ^ Hippoly- tuSj ^ Origen, and ^ Dionyfius of Alexandria. So that our enemies only fhcw how men may
TouTo iiTe 0 70V OioZ Aty(^, yjVfluav y.fXiTv, cv id^Xucrs
Tiv <S>iov Xiynv. Idem, ibid. p. 185. al. p. 268.
'O f^ [IwOVi TOU HoivH) '?>^0<rKCH^OV 'i^KtV CCVTOiq TUV xAjjptJJ'fi-
f/jiciv, ccTi. o'j XPi<ro<^ 0 &i6<i uiv, i^i vioc, &ioZ' 0 d'i f/jiToe, Tf]v dyiav uy^i-xariv, uicdvicy litoi'v ttjv KXTcif^iTiv ou(ri.i. Idem, ibid. p. 33^* al. 378.
'O d^i yuj'^ri^(^ Urfoq Xptfo? 0 Qi%. Idem ( forfan ) De Refurreitione, cap. 14. apud Grabe. Spicileg. Vol. II. p.
^ Tiy J^iJijcofov Totf TfiTToy^oT^ Qiov. Tatian. cap. 22. p. 54. Ed. Oxon.
" NvjK,o.'>«r>jv sz^A^ T- cvTa>i Qiov. Tlieophil. Lib. III. c. 7. p. 306. Ed. Woliii.
"•'^ "E'jaxriv civ 'nv 'ecv^^aTtoi roi QiZ. Irenaeus, Lib. III. cap. 18. p. 211. Ed. Ben. cap. 20. p. 247. Ed. Oxon.
'Et ,«//>) crvv))vci)3-^ 0 ecyB-^i>>7:(^ tw 0i<y, »» ecv KohyytB-y} i/jiretT- ^tiv -^ u{p3-ei^(ricc^. Idem, ibid.
'O 0S55 ow ui^^uTFoi iyiviTo. Idem, Lib. III. cap. 2 1 . p. 215. Ed. Ben.
riiJ^ ^uVXVTUi (TSifB'KVCtt, it f/y/i 6 ©S05 ip 0 TTjy (TUTiJ^XV eiVTUV
STTJ y^q i^yxcru^oi; ; 1} 7:uq uvB-^aTeo^ ^ojf/iTu st? &iov, u jW/ij o ©f(j5 i^cj^yi^i) ii<i ectS-^fuTTcv. Idem, Lib. IV. cap, 33. p. 271, Ed. Ben. ^ , ^
^ 'O QsU TTiTTovB-iv uTTa h^ioi^, 'IrfXiXiTi^u Melito, citat. a Grabio. Annot. in Bull. p. 86. al. 80.
y ''{^Ti «Tt Xpj6-o? 0 &£oi, Clemens Alex. Protrephc cap. 9. p. 72. Ed. Oxon.
'RtI ^i KU] OCyC90fJljXTO<; ijV 6 0SO5, 6 KvftO^ f/jT^^TTO ytyivyijUiSvoi
$cv,%a7roq. Idem, Paedag. Lib. Leap. 7. p. 132.
n^cxTc-JTrov as tou QboZ 6 Aoyo^ a ^uti^itxi 0 0si?, x«6< yv«u£/J^s-
TCi* 70i7i KXi 'Icrpa>)A IzuVOfJlfX^Xi, 0Ti uh TOf 0SOV TVV KufiOV
wToq 0 0S55 6 Ao'yo^ 6 ^xi^xyaiyoii. Idem, ibid.
Kxl r^ 0 0£O5 iiiv (fciliceto Ady©-) Idem, Lib. III. cap. 1. p. 251.
llxyTX'^ov 3 TBii AoyoVf 05 i^t TTXVTX^ou, X; iyiviTo unv eivTov jj 3 b yrw? ^^ /u^^vov eiTTTox; t:? ^ixjjuivn^ ii TrecvTon uvto (rvfju- TTx^iTyxi^ vif/jj^oi -nv B-iov. Idem ibid. cap. 5. p. 273.
To 3 TTii^i^ Tu AoyMf ov ^k^UTKxXov uvviyo^a-Xf/tiVf kurS fKitvu TTKriva-Ui s>i, KXT ii^iv uvTifiuiiovTX ' True, ^ ClOt ts OCVTI- THTx^ tJT €>j^. Idem, Strom. Lib. II. cap. 4. p. 436.
T } be
278 The true Scripture Doctr^ine
be fleeVd againfl; convidion, by being attach'd. to a bad caufe, and by being refolv'd to ferve a falfe precarious hypothefis.
c-vfjt,;Sis>in yiiiijuiya rev ttxt^^. Idem", ibid. Lib. VII. cap.- 2. P- 832. ^ ^
^ Ouro'i ffiv 0 ©so? 0 7:ccv7a:v ku^i^ {(c. Xfi^'5) HippoIytUS,
contra Noetum. cap. 13. p. 15. Ed. Fabric. Vol.11.
■Q'jr<^ 0 Qic, 0 'ui>fficrj77o<; ^l' yfJijO,^ yiywa)i. Idem, ibid, cap. 18. p. 20.
• Tow p£y isv Kv^.a \vi(roZ X^i^ou too QioZ Trp'^x.ix.yi^vyy/iva.
Idem, de Antichriflo, cap. 6. p. 7. Ed. Fab. Vol. I.
'H iTrKpciiCM TcZ KveA>f y^ (r*JT*i^(^ i^uuav 'IwoZ Xfis-oZ toZ ©jcu kyr' a^otvcoi. Idem, ibid. cap. 64. p. 32.
Tlfocrh'J.ll'iv^ iTTiipocynxv roZ QicZ fC- (tut^.^oc, iii/jm. Idem,
ibid.^ cap. 67.^?. 3^3.
icvxijju^rnToc,, Idem contra Beronem, cap. 2. p. 226.
Yiyo'jzv uvB-p/iiTcc 0 rm oXay 0io?. Idem, ibid. p. 227.
'x/T;(!(py5'; roZ Qccij (rc^iXjci.Taa-iwq. Idem, ibid. cap. 3. p. 227,
Tiuyciyicc'j roZ Qicv <ru^y,x. Idem, ibid. cap. 8. p. 230.
Tew ©£5y Kca (TCJTYi^o^ v.^^ai) Ua-ov Xufou. Idem de Cha- rifmat. p. 245.
Sravfoy uTTifJiJiiviv, kiyj^r^^ xxreciP(evH<ru<;, 0 0iC5 A'oyoc^. Idem, Jbid,- p. 246.
UuvrK v.ci.Xci. y.Ui kocXcc Xm-j ru. rov QitZ kch arar'i^.^-aq v.y'^v ^r,f/jnify^fj(,ci,rci. Idem ferm. in 9-£o^<j4vf{a)'. cap. i.p. 261. bis-
OfjijoXoyu Ttv 0:h iTvxi 1V1 K^ifov. Idem, ibid. cap. 10. P- 264.^
Y^-rta.yyjuv bt^^i) Xpffo-; 0 0^0?. Idem Fragm. p. 267.
^iciio I, rev Z^tov Vi^j^v j^sAa!i3;;r£v d)'u, rcZ clyia TTviVfjuecTo^^
iFrct'Ttc ru. VTTO ln^ui&.'v «? ecvt^v h r^ 'Ttk^-H yivofOfioc cx^Zi
xzT:r/yii>*iro. Idem, contra Judafeos, cap. 2. p. 2. Vol.11.
■' E^&^y iv iiiVTQ rviv Ti roZ ^ecZ cJaiciVy y,cci r^v ii, ciyS-^aTruv.
Idem Fragm. p. 45;.
^ Miroc ciyof/!/Vt> sAo^io^i] o 0-0? TTUftZ ToT^ eCvof//Oi(i. Origcn
contra 'Celfum, p. 85. Ed. Cant.
Ar;c3'fa;(?«vo5 0 ©so? AoV«?. Idem, ibid. p. 323.
"O ©£ii. Acyo<; o'jK i7:i^iy^ir9 to vTrt^v^'e'j^'yivcii . Idem in Joh p. 41 3; Ed. Huet.
'O 4)tr i7n utCCITaV ©i«>5, Kt^plOti O &iC<i .'IcTfOil^A, IVifTcZc, Xp<5^§,
pionyi'. Alexind. Epill. contra Paulum 3amofat. cit. a B:.lio Dcfenr. .p. 134. al. 148.
It
OP THE Trinity. 279
It is indeed a brand, that has always ftuck to the oppofers of the do6lrine of the Trinity, in all ages of the world, that they have not pradifed common honefty, in their reprefen- tation of things j as they have ever been mailers in tricking and difguife. To they have been re- markable for their hardinefs, in aflerting noto- rious falfhoods, with relation to the evidence they produce, from fcriptiire and antiquity. This is a fign, that the perfons that oppofe the Trinity, are by God left very much to them- felves, and it is an evidence, that the caufe can never be of God, which muft be paUiated with the artifices of human pohcy, and fupportcd by all open methods of injuftice and iniquity.
This may perhaps be thought too ibverca reflection, on perfons who lay lb great a Itrefs upon fincerity, as our adverfaries generally do > but if thcfe great pretenders to fincerity, are found to be moll infincere, in their accounts of matters of fa61:> furely no cenfure can be too harfh, if it be juft. When men pracSlife the contrary to that (incQrity, to which they nak^ loud pretences, they are felf condemn'd, and ihev7 that it is not truth, which they feek af- ter, but that they labour to prop up fome pre- carious fancy of their own, to which reafon and fcripture muft yield, and to which fince- rity and common honefty muft be facrificed.
Were the rhatter before us of ever fo little importance, all deceit and guile ought entirely to be baniihed from us, in our fearches into it > but when we are engaged in a matter of the greateft moment, and of the lall importance, furely, we ought fincerely, and in the fear of God to go about it. Now nothing can be of more weight, than that caufe, in which the T 4 ^ honor
28o The true Scriptur Doctrine
honor oF our God and Saviour, and the dignity oF the holy Spirit our fan^biiier, is nearly con- cerned. IF the Arians had any thing of mo- ment to plead, from reafon, from fcripture, or from antiquity, and would do it with can- dour and uprightnefs, they ought to be fairly heard, and however miltaken, gently treated 5 but when they endeavour to fupport their baffied caufe, by quirlcs and fhuffles, lies and untruths, mifreports and mifconllructions, they can have no juil ground of complaint, if thefe methods are cali'd by their true names ; and they cannot fairly charge us with breach of charity, if wc fay, their defign has not always been foberly, and in the fear of God, to colleft and confider, what our Saviour, and his apoftlcs have taught us, in fcripture, concerning the doctrine of the blefled Trinity.
CHAP.
OF THE Trinity. 2S1
CHAP. V.
Chrifts Divinity proved, from his titles of fupremacy,
HERE is fcarce any argument, for the catholick dodrine of our blefled
Redeemer's true Divinity, where the
dispute is brought to a clofer pinch, than in the proof which may be drawn for his proper Deiiy, from the high titles that are given him in fcripture. The adverfaries of the truth, are fenfible this might be improved, to the utter confounding their irrational, as well as unfcrip- tural fancy, of an inferior God ; and therefore they labour as much as they can, by wit and criticifm, to perplex matters on this head. Some pafTages, where high titles are given to Chrift, they, in fpite of the context, will have to be underftood of the Father, and in others they difpute the true reading and rendering. This has made many, in order to avoid digrellive critical difputes, be content to drop fome texts, which, were the reference of them to the Son, and their reading and tranflation, without dif- pute, might eaiily pur an end to the contro- verfy. This may fometimes be very com- mendable, becaufe it may fhorten a debate, and prevent running off from the main queftionj but it has often given advantage to the ene- mies, who have from hence taken occafion, to claim many important texts, as if they had z been
282 The true Scripture Doctrine
been given up to them. There are as high titles given to God the Son, in fcripture, as are any where given to God the Father ^ and if the high titles given to the Father, prove him to be fupreme God, the high titles given to the Son, prove likewile his (upremacy, and cut off all pleas and pretences for the fupreme au- thority and dominion of the Father over him. Therefore fince our adverfaries, of late, feem to make the quellion chiefly turn on this point, whether the Father is alone fupreme in autho- ritv and dominion over all, I fhall endeavour to'fet in as good a light as 1 can, the argu- ment for ChriiVs Deity, taken from his titles ofluDremacy, or prove, that he, as well as the Father, is abfolutely fupreme over all.
The firft tide I (hall mention, proving Ghrill's fupreme Diviqity, is that of true God. Thus he is llilcd by the apollle John in his "^ firfl: epiille. " We know, that the Son of God is come, and has given us underftanding, that we may know him that is true, (or the true God,) and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jefus Chrift, this is the true God and rternal life." It^is moft ^ natural to make the pronoun this, c^r'S^^ to refer to the ncareft antecedent, Chriil the Son, and the words here would hardly be fenfe, were it refcr'd to the more remote. Befides, eternal life is a title
lui kvroZ Ua-oZ Xpi7a' ou-ri^i ifiv i u^M^mf^ QiU ksc) v ?^«
«i«i.jc?. I John V. '20. many copies, read yivuc-xufS^ ttV
" See Dr. WAterland's Sermons, p. 206.— -214. Dr. C-ibjny's Sermons P- 56.— -65. Lampc in Johan. Vol. Ill p. 37^ 3^7--
I given,
OF THE Trinity.' aSj
given, in a peculiar manner, to the Son of God, by the apoflle John j thus towards the begin- ning of his epiftle, <= " The life was manifelled, and we have (cen it, and bear witpefs, and ihew that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifefted to us. " Some would un- dcrftand no more to be meant by the true God, than the true religion, but this is below confu- tation. It is pretended that the text, in one part of it, fhould be read, we know the true God > but if this reading be admitted, as I think k ought, it alters not the cafe, for then the fenfe is, Chrill: has given us underftanding to know the Father, the true God, and well he might, for we are myftically united to the Son, who is alfo himfelf the true God, and eternal life.
I do not remember any thing of moment, urged againil applying this text to Chrift^ it is ^ infinuated, that it may be underftood of the Father > but this defcrves no farther anfwer, than that it may, with much more eafefrom the context, and as agreeably to the flile of the apoftle John, be apply'd to the Son. Seeing our adverfaries have nothing more to obje6b to our conitru6bion, I fee no manner of caufe for them to plume themfelves, and to run it down as modern. Some moderns, they tell us with an arrogant air, underlland this text of the Son, but others, with all the antients, undcrftand it of God the Father: This is mere romance, and ought to be defpifed j for the cafe is, this text happens not to be quoted at all by any ante- nicene writers j yet it is often quoted by the antients, who wrote againfl: the Arians j nay,
* Chap. i. V. 2. f Clarke's Script. Dod. p. 51-
the
2S4 The true Scripture Doctrine
the Arians themfdves, as appears by many of their creeds, fcrupled not to give Chrili; the ti- tle of true God, which they would hardly have done, had it not been for the fake of this text of fcripture.
Chrift is filled the living God by the apoflle Paul, in thefe words of his cpiflle to the He- brews : ^ " Take heed, brethren, left there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, of de- parting from the living God." The apoftle's defign in this chapter, is to fet forth Chrift's fupcriority to Mofes, in that he was faithful as a Son, while Mofes was only ruichful as a Ser- vant y and thereupon to fhew, that if we tempt Chrift, believe not in him, provoke him, or de- part from him, we are more worthy of punilh- ment than the murmuring Ifraelites were, who were (hut out of Canaan for their unbelief : Since this is the drift of the apoflle's reafoning, it is plain, Chrift is the living God, from whom he warns the believing Hebrews not to depart by unbelief. Chrift is alfo call'd the living one, and God at the fame time, by Job, in the noble confeftion ^ he made of his faith > ^' I know that my redeemer is the living one,- and that he fhall iland, at the laft day, on the earth , and tho' after my skin worms dcftroy this body, yet in my flefti fhall I fee God." As a farther con- firmation, in part, of the title of living God be- ing given to Chrift, it is to be obferved, that he is em.phatically § ftiled eternal life ; and that he thus has declared concerning himfclf in the
•■ BA/jrjrf, «;»%A(po), jU/« Ttcrt i<rxi h rm vfjuav KUfdicc jrovti^ itiTiriui. ci ra> octtoi^vhoh octtv &icv <^(£yT®^. Hcb. vij. 12. ^ Job xix. 25, 26.
••n 'h^^y '3 'r\vy ^^« ,
* I John i. 2. V. 20.
revela-
OF THE Trinity^ 285
revelation > ^ " I am the firft and the laft, and the living one.'* Chrifl here declared himfelf to be the living one, ^ in the fame fenfe, in which he was the firrf and the laft, and that isy as to his divinity, he is the living one, as he 15 eternal God, having life in himfclf. The title of the living one is not to be underftood of Chrift's living again from the dead, for that follows in the next words, " I was dead, and behold I am alive, and I live for evermore. "
Another high title given to Chrift, is that of great God : Thus he is calPd by the apoftle Paul in his epiftle to Titus ; ^ " Looking for the blefled hope, and the glorious appearing of our great God and Saviour Jefus Chrift, who gave himfelf for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity. ''We have very juft reafon to think, that the titles of great God, and Savi- our, are equally apply'd to Chrift, becaufe the article is not inferted in the Greek before Savi- our, as it generally is when two perfons are fpoke of J befides which, the apoftle goes on in the next fentence, to fpeak of Jefus Chrift on- ly. The fame may be farther argued, from the appearing of him who is calPd the great God; for, as expofitors^have obfervcd, the word which we tranflate appearing, is always ufed in the new
^ *Ey« hfJiJi 9 TC^UT^t >^ 0 ia-pcecre?, 3^ e ^^k. Rev. i. 17, 18.
' See Dr. Knight's letter to Dr. Lee, author of the hifto- ry of Montanifm, p. 92.
Toy ^iyxX\i ©joD, K. (TUTri^e^ yfJC/uy hrou Xf<5"ow, 05 t^UKiv txvri* vTrtf MfAWf, Irx ?iUT^£i!(r>)TUi itfjuaii, ic-jn TmnK cifOfjitisn, Tit. ii. 13, 14.
See Dr. Waterknd's fermons, p. 214, 2 1 5. Meyeri Fundamentalia, p. 285, &c.
^ tefta-
lie The true Scripture Doctrine
^ teftament, to exprefs the coming of Chrifl; in the flefh, or his return to judgment, whereai the Father is never faid to appear. Our adver- faries own, that the text will grammatically bear this conftruftion, but it is " pretended to be ttiore reafonable, that we ihould underfland the title great God of the Father, for which this reafon is given, that the word God, with any high title annex'd to it, always fignifies the Fa- ther, whieh is a falfe aflertion, and a mere beg- ging the queftion. As to our tranilation of glo- rious appearing, it may be well retain'd, but if we were to grant, that the words fhould be render'd, "the appearance of the glory," it would make no alteration, for the claufe might then be turn'd, " The appearance of the glory of our grear God and Saviour Chrift Jefus." We are not told, in the new teftament, that Chrift ihall appear as the glory, or the repre- fentative of the Father, but that he ihall appear in his Father's glory, and alfo in his own glory.
If we confider the text in the apoftlc John's
"" Then fhall be revealed the wicked one whom our Lord Ihall deflroy with the brightnefs [rvj ixi(pxyiiu) of his coming, 2 ThefT. ii. 8.
I charge thee to keep this commandment without fpot unrebukeable, till the appearing {fji^ix^i t^ iTTKpxviicti) of our Lord Jefus Qhrift, 1 Tim. vi. 14.
The grace which is now made manifeft by the appearing, {o'iu. <? sTrKpctviiu^) of our Saviour Jefus Chrift, 2 Tim. i. lor
Chrift Jefut; who will judge the quick and the dead at his appearing (xtirit r'nv jV»(p«vi<«y) and his kingdom, 2 Tim. iv. I.
There is laid up for me a crown of righteoufnefs which, the Lord the righteous judge fhall give me at that day, aad not to me^only, but to all them that love his appearing (-pjV i!Tiipoc»Hxv uvToZ) ibid. v. 8.
I Clarke's Script. Doa, p. 77. Reply, p. 85, 86. "
revcla-
OF THE Trinity. ±%y
revelation, which is brought to prove, that the title of great God is peculiar to the Father, it will appear to prove the contrary. An angel is introduced caUing thus ^ to the fowls, '' Come gather your felves together, to the fupper of the great God." In the preceding part of the chapter Chrift, the Word, is reprefented ma- jcftically riding forth againft his enemies, and is Itiled King of kings, and Lord of lords j and in the following part, he is brought in flaying thofc, whofe carcafes the fowls were call'd to feaft on, or providing the very fupper, which is call'd the fupper of the great God, It is more than probable therefore, that Chrift is here call'd the great God, becaufe he evidently provides that feaft for the fowls, which is call'd the fupper of the great God,
The Arians have a farther pretence, that the title of great God is made proper to the Father in the old teftament, but they will never be able to prove, that the great God, in the old tefta- ment, always fignifies the Father perfonally, and not the one God eftentially j but let this be as it will, it is certain that Chrift has the ti- tle of great God in the ninety fifth p Pfalm ; "Jehovah is a great God, and a great King above all gods." The latter part of this Pfalni is apply'd to Chrift, as well as to the Spirit, by the infpired penman of the cplftle to the He- brews, q as 1. have before fliew'd, and confe- quently the whole Pfalm muft be underftood of Chrift, in conjunftion with the Father and the
^ Ast/Ti y^ (rvfiyn^i »<5 TP h^mot TeZ (Jbtyei>.^ Obov. Rev. xix. 18.
^ Pfalm xcv. 3.
' ^ Hcb. iii. 7. iv. 78. Sec Parti, c 3. p. 71,72, 73.
Spirit*
288 The true Scripture Doctrine
Spirit, and he is with them the great God, and the great King above all gods.
Chrifl is call'd the mighty God in the following flimous prophecy ^ of Ifaiah. " To us a child is born, to us a Son is given, and his name ihall be caird the wonderful counfellor, the mighty God, the cverlafting Father, the Prince of peace." This title mighty God, El gibbor, is one of the highelt titles given to the fupreme God of Ifrael in the old tellament, and its being plainly given to Chrift in thefe words of Ifaiah, proves him, who was to aflume our nature, to be the fu- preme God. The Greek tranflators have here loofely paraphrafed the words, rendering them thus, according to the ^ Alexandrian copy, " his name fhall be call'd the angel of the great coun- cil, the wonderful, the counfellor, the mighty, the potentate." But as this is only a tranfla- rion, it cannot Hand againfl: the original: Be- iides, ' IrenaeuSj andClement of Alexandria, who ufed, and always folio w'd the common Greek veriion, when they bring this text in proof of Chrift's divinity, quote it as it ought to be ren- dcr'd, agreeably to the Hebrew text. This makes it probable, that the copies we have of the Greek verfion are corrupted, efpecially fincc wc find, that thofe publifh'd after the Roman
»• ir.iiah ix. 6.
Vid. Vitring;\ in loc. Vol. I. p. 245.
^ " Vocatur iiomen ejus admirabilis, confiliarius, Deus fortis"— -Deus fords eft h inenarrabile habet genus. Ire- nacus. Lib. IV. cap. 33. p. 273. Ed. Ben. ^ ^ ^^
©Ky^ot^'c a-ufjtj(iisA^y ©£tf? ivy(t<pjc^ 7FU-nj^ eHini\^ • at Toy /lAsp^Aif 0foy, CO Tov liXan TTxidm ' 1/405 cV ^«Tp», }^ TTXt^^ C9
mcZ. Clemen* Alex. Pacdag. Lib. I. cap. 5. p. 112. Ed.
Oxon. . .
" manu-
OF THE Trinity. 2Sg
" manufcripr, leave out mofl of the titles here given Chrill:. This alteration however muil be pretty early, for '^^ Juftin Martyr quotes the text, as it now is in the Greek.
Chrifl: is fliled the mighty one, or the mofl mighty, by the royal Pfalmift, and at the fame time is caird by him God. ^ " Gird thy fword upon thy thigh, O thou moft mighty, with thy glory and thy majefty, and in thy majeily ride profperoufly}— Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever, the fcepter of thy kingdom is a right fcepter." Left any fliould doubt whether thefe words are to be underftood of Chrift, we have the authority of the apoftle Paul y, applying them to him. When Chrifl is caird the moft mighty, and, at the fame time, God, it ihews that his power is fupreme, and his flrength irrefiftible.
Chrift is, by the apoftle Paul, call'd the Lord of glory. He, in his firft epiftle to the Corin- thians, after he had been fpeaking of the great myftery of the incarnation of the Son of God, has added thefe words, ^ " which none of tho princes of this world knew, for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory." The title of Lord of glory, or the glorious Lord, is exprellive of Chrift's fupreme power. In the old teftament we find the one
" The Roman eopy only retains the title of angel of the great council ; the Alcala edition, and that publifli'd by Al- dus, read the text thus, Qtoi i%v^(;, ll^aa-ixii^'i. The might)'- God, the Potentate.
^ Dial. cumTryphone, p. 302. Ed. Thirlby.
"" Pfalmxlv. 3, 4. 6. ^^ ^ y Heb. i. 8.
1 Cor. ii. 8.
U fupreme
290 The true Scripture Doctrine
fupremeGod, taking the appellations of'' King of glory, God of glory, and glorious Jehovah, where he is, in the fuliell: manner, declaring his nbfolute fuprcmacy. And 'till any good reafon appears to the contrary, wc may very juftly conclude, that when Chrifl is call'd the Lord of glory, in the new tcflamenr, as much is meant by ir, as when the one God of Ifrael is call'd the God of glory, and the King of glory, in the old teflament.
Chrift is call'd the moil: High, or theHighefl, by good old Zechariah, when infpired by the holy Spirit, he open'd his mouth, after he had been dumb fome time, upon the birth of his fon John. When he had thank'd God for the near approach of the appearing of the promifed Me/lias, he thus addrefled himfclf to his new- born fon, who was to be the forerunner of the medcnger of the covenant. ^ " Thou child fhalt be called the prophet of the Higheft^ for thou Ihalt go before the face of the Lord, to prepare his ways. " The reafon why John the Baptill was to be callM the prophet of the moft High, was, that he was to go before the face of him, who was the Lord, Jehovah, the great angel of the covenant, as his harbinger, to de- clare the joyful news of the rifing of the fun of righteoufncfs, or of the day-fpring fi'om on high viiiting the fons of men. As he was to declare, or foretel the coming of Chrill, he was the pro- phet of him the molt High.
Chrift bears the glorious title of God over all, blcfTed for ever : I'hus he is fliled by the apo-
^ Pfalm xx'iv. 7, 8, 9, 10. xxix. 3. Ifaidh xxxiii. 21. vr^otraTTou KvfioVf iToti^T$n iohv^ tivrov, Luc. i. /6»
ftk
OF THE Trinity. 291 ftlePaul, in his epiftle to the Romans. ^ " Who are Ifraelites, — whofe are the fathers, and of whom, after the flefh, Chrifl came, who is over all, God blefTed for ever. Amen. " The words are found, without variation, in all the manufcripts which have been ever collated, and in all the antient veriions> befides which, they are often quoted, as we read them, by the an- tient Chrillian ^ writers. That they are to be underftood of Chrifl, and not of the Father, is moil evident from the context, and the form of expreflion 5 '' he who is, " (6 wy) refers to the perfon of Chrifl, mentioned in the words immediately preceding j and the oppofition be- tween what he is according to the flefh, which is exprefs'd, and what he is according to the fpirit, which is implyM, necefTarily requires, that the whole pafTage be apply'd to him. This fcripture, in the moll ample manner, fets forth Chrifl's lupreme power and dignity^ as he is the God over all, blefTed for ever, to which the apoflle has added his Amen, or his folemn at- teflation, to confirm it. _
yr,To<i s<5 T»$ uiuvcti. A^juviv. Rom. ix. 5.
^ Seebifhop Pearfon on the Creed, p. 133. Dr. Mill on the place. Dr. Waterland's fermons, p. 221, Sec.
* Irenaeus, Lib. V. c. 16. p. 205. Ed. Ben. Tertullian. c. Praxeam. c. \$. 15. Hippol^tus, c. Noet. cap. 6. Vol. 11. p. 10. Ed. Fab. Origen. in loc. & Quaeft. 96. in Gen. Cy- prian, c. Jud. Lib. IL c. 6. p. 354. Ed. Pam. p. 35. Ed. Oxon. Novatian. c. 13. 30. p. 43. 118. Ed. Oxon. Pat. Antioch. Concil. Vol. I. p. 845. Ed. Labbe. Dionyf. Alex, ibid, p.873.876. Athanaf. Orat. I. c. Arian. Vol. L p.317. Ed. Par. De Incarnat. Chrifti, p. 623. Gregor. NyiTen. De Perfed. Chrifl. Vol. IL p. 719. Ed. Par. Epiphan. Haer Ivii. c. 2. 9. Vol. L p. 481. 487. Ed. Par. Ancorat. c. 69. Vol. IL p. 74. Chryfoftom, & Theodorit. in loc. CvrH. A- lex. faepiii?.
U a If
292 The true Scripture Doctrine
If thefe words are underilood of Chrift, they neccflarily overthrow the notion of an inferior God, therefore it is not furprizing to fee ^ the Arians, and other enemies of Chiiib's true Dei- ty, endeavouring all they am. to wreft them from their true fenfe. They would fain apply them to the Father, turning the latter part into a fort of doxology : " Of whom after the fleih Chrill came : He who is God over all be blef- fed for ever > " or, " of whom Chrift came, who is over all : God be blefTed for ever. " But this g makes the paflage harfh and unnatural, and not agreeable to the way of writing ufed by the apoftle Paul, who tho' he fometimes breaks out into fudden doxologies to the Father, yet never does it without mentioning him in the words going before. The word blefled being elfewhere apply'd to the Father, does not prove that it mull not be underftood of the Son here. It is befides, more agreeable to the deiign of the apoftle, in fetting forth the great honour conferred on the IfracHtes, by Chrift's being of the feed of Ifrael, after the flefli, for him to alTert Chrift's glory, by faying he was the God over all, blefled for ever, than to break out into
^ Whillon's Primitive Chriftianity, Vol. IV. p. 13. S.c» cond Letter concerning doxologiej, p. 39, 40.
Clarke's Scripture Doftrine, p. 75. Reply, p. 86.
Modeftplea, p. 142.
Jackfon's reply to Dr. Water land, p. 13.
Appeal to a Turk, p. 92.
s See Beza on the place.
Br. Whitby on the place.
Bilhop Stillingfleet'3 Vindica.tion of the Trinity, p. 153— 156.
Mr. Bo;ffe's anfwer to Emlyn, p. 9 — 14.
Grabc's defefls in V/hifton's teflimonies, p. 23, 24. ejuf- dem. Annot. in D. Bull. Se^. II. cap. III. p. 60. al. ^7-
a rap-
OF THE Trinity,' 293
a rapture oFblefling the Father, who is not men- tioned in the whole paragraph.
Some have fuggelled that the word God is not genuine 5 this doubt was fird raifed by E- rafmus, becaufe Tome copies of Cyprian, where he quotes this text, had not the word 5 biit other copies of Cyprian have it, fo that it was an error of the tranfcriber's > and had not Eraf- mus been biafs'd towards Arianifm, he would not have doubted of the genuinenefs of the word God, tho' all the copies of Cyprian had agreed. The Socinians have taken hold of Erafmus's au- thority, which is of no fignification, fmce all the manufcripts and verfions agree. It is there- fore mod aftoniihing, that any, who pretend to be fincere feekers of truth, fhould have the confidence to fay, ^' that the word God is want- ing in many copies, and yet not tell us where one may be found in which it is wanting. Such a flagrant falfliood, when there is the cleared: evidence for the contrary, ihews the perfons that utter it to have faces of flint, and brows of brafs. I hope the party, when they have dared to publifli fuch notorious untruths, will not have the boldnefs to fay, ' that their deflgn has always becnfoberly, and in the fear of God,
Dr. Waterland's fermons, p. 221—227. Second defenfe, p. 36--41.
Dr. Mangey's Defenfe of the bifliop of London, p. 71—
Dr.Berriman's feafonable review of Whillon's account of primitive doxologies, p. 13, 14. Second review, p. I5"29-
Mr. Moore's calm defenfe of the Deity of Chriil, Part i. p. 23, 24. Partll. p. 53 — 57-
Dr. Calamy's fermons, p. 38 — 40.
Dr. Bifhop's fermons, p. 73, 74-
^ Clarke's Script. D06I. p. 75. .
^ See Jackfou's preface to his reply, p. 2.
U 3 c^
294 The true Scripture Doctrine
to colle<Si: and confider, what it is that our Sa- viour himfelf, and his apoflles have, in fcrip- ture, taught us, concerning the doftrine of his true divinity.
Our adverdu-ies ^ have fomething farther to offer, concerning this textj they tell us, that when Chrifl is call'd God over all,^ it is mani- feil he is excluded, by communication of whofe divine power and fupreme authority, Chrift is God over all. I readily grant, that when Chrill is caird God over all, the Father is excepted ^ jufl as when the Father is ftiled the only true God, the God and Father of all, who is above all, and the one God, of whom are all things, thefe expreffions do not exclude the Son and Spirit, but only idols and inferior gods. As to whatisfaid about fupreme authority being com- municated, if it is not a quibble, it is no better than nonfenfe, for abfolute fupreme authority can never be communicated, in our adverfaries fenfe of communication. As Chrift has the fame divine nature with the Father, he is one with him in authority, or with him the one God over all, blefled for ever.
Some of our ^ adverfaries have, with great filihood, aflerted, that the primitive Chriltians never gave Chrift the title of God over all -, were this true, as it is not, it would be of no force, fince he is call'd fo in fcripture. The ancient Chriftians, indeed, often call the Father, as they well might, God overall^ but they ne- ver fcrupled to give Chrift this title, as appears from their applying the text under conlidera-
^- Clarke's Script. Dofl. p. 75.
' Whirton's Primitive Chriftianity, Vol. IV. p. 13. Se- cond letter concerning doxologies, p. 39. Clarkc'o anrwer to bilhop Galore], p. 268.
tian
OF THE Trinity. 295
tion to him, and from their expvefs calHng him fo. In particular, "^ Eufebius has told us ot'the inhabitants of a city in Phrygia, who, in the Diocleiian perfecution, bccauie they would not facrifice to idols, were environed with troops, and burnt in their houfes, men, women, and children, in which miferable manner they died, calling upon Chrill, the God over all. Here our adverfaries ^ pleafantly reply, that they cannot think Eufebius would thus have chofe to repre- fent the matter, and therefore they infinuate, his text is corrupted ; as if Eufebius, fuppoiing him to be of the fame principles, mull be as great a cheat as themfelves, and not be able to relate a matter of fa6b, without falfifying it. Surely Eufebius, allowing him to have fcrupled calling Chrift the God over all, if he was an impartial hiitorian, might relate that others, who could do it, afcribed that title to him. This noble company of martyrs, who foUow'd the Lamb thro' burning flames, died owning and confefling their great mailer to be God over all.
Chrift has the auguft title of the only fove- irign God and Lord given him, by the apollle Jude, who, in the beginning of his ° epillle, has the following words. ^' It was needful for
™ 'H(?j} yotTi* o>.iiv Xptftatf^f Tro^^i^fyy uvrcttsfov Uf/j^l r-^v ^^u*
%xv eivrui «c^fi6 vtiTrieiq ;^ yvvxi^l r im Truyrav ©gey Xptfsv i)Ti- 0oufAivit<;. Eufeb. Hill. Ecclef. Lib. VIII. c. 9. p. 249, Ed. Par.
^ (As to the'fe words of Eufebius, I cannot tell how to believe they are genuine : It is no way likely that our Eu- febius, of all men then living, Ihould choofe to reprefent this matter as our copies now have it. Whillon's fecond let- ter, concerning doxologles, p. 39.
U 4 jiie
294 The true Scripture Doctrine
to colle6i: iind confider, what it is that our Sa- viour himfelf, and his apoftles have, in fcrip- ture, taught us, concerning the doftrine of his true divinity.
Our adveriiu-ies ^ have fomething farther to offer, concerning this textj they tell us, that when Chrifl is call'd God over all,_^ it is mani- fclt he is excluded, by communication ofwhofe divine power and fupreme authority, Chrift is God over all. I readily grant, that when Chrill is caird God over all, the Father is excepted ^ jufl as when the Father is ftiled the only true God, the God and Father of all, who is above all, and the one God, of whom are all things, thefe expreffions do not exclude the Son and Spirit, but only idols and inferior gods. As to what is faid about fupreme authority being com- municated, if it is not a quibble, it is no better than nonfenfe, for abfolute fupreme authority can never be communicated, in our adverfiries fenfe of communication. As Chrift has the fame divine nature with the Father, he is one with him in authority, or with him the one God over all, blefTed for ever.
Some of our ^ adverfaries have, wuth great filihood, afferted, that the primitive Chriltians never gave Chrift the title of God over all -, were this true, as it is not, it would be of no force, fincc he is call'd fo in fcripture. The ancient Chriilians, indeed, often call the Father, as they well might, God over all j but they ne- ver fcrupled to give Chrift this title, as appears from their applying the text under conlidera-
*'■ Clarke's Script. Dofl. p. 75.
' Whillon's Primitive Ckriftianity, Vol. IV. p. 13. Se- cond letter concerning doxologies, p. 39. Clarkc'c ^-inlwer to bilhop Gaibel, p. 268.
tian
..t li
• tjs •■".ve
'■'1;
■":■)
■ : 2nd
.^.5 to
>:^s com- :':.ter ."-•.7 an
■■ins
jvcr
all,
witll JTWt
.•'no
The
■::i:hcr,
: ihey ne-
uippears
OF THE Trinity.
95
tion to him, and from their exprefs calHng him fo. In particular, "^ Eufebius has told us of the inhabitants of a city in Phrygin, who, in the Diocleiian perfecution, bccaule they would not facrifice to idols, were environed with troops, and burnt in their houfes, men, women, and children, in which miferable manner they died, calling upon Chrill, the God over all- Here our adverfaries " pleafmtly reply, that they cannot think Eufebius would thus have chofe to repre- fent the matter, and therefore they infinuate, his text is corrupted J as if Eufebius, (uppoiing him to be of the fame principles, mull be as great a cheat as themfelvcs, and not be able to relate a matter of fad, without falfifying it. Surely Eufebius, allowing him to have fcrupled calling Chrifl the God over all, if he was an impartial hiilorian, might relate that others, who could do it, afcribed that title to him. This noble company of martyrs, who foUow'd the Lamb thro' burning flames, died owning and confefling their great mailer to be God over all.
Chrill has the auguft title of the only fove- irign God and Lord given him, by the apollle Jude, who, in the beginning of his ° epiille, has the following words. '' It was needful for
™ Ha'n yovv oAjji' Xfi^ietvat 7FoXi^y,v utrecisfov Ufju^l t^v ^fy* ^X¥ ci i(,ux.Xu TTi^ificiXovTiq ottXTtoci, tto^ re l<pot:^um^^ Kxri^y.i- |o6v ecvrm oi/Lt'ec vnTnoK; ;^ yvvcci^l T im vncyrav 0£cy Xptf?y ifFi-
(ioufjuivnf;. Eufeb. Hift. Ecclef. Lib. VIII. c. 9. p. 249. Ed. Par.
" As to thefe words of Eufebius, I cannot tell how to believe they are genuine : It is no way likely that our Eu- febius, of all men then living, fhould choofe to reprefcnt fhis matter as our copies now have it. Whillon's fecond let- ter, concerning doxologies, p. 39.
U 4 ' iiie
29^ The true Scriptur Doctrine
me to write to you, and exhort you, that you jfhould contend earnefllyfor the faith, which was once deUver'd to the faints ; for there are certain men crept in unawares, who were of old ordained to this judgment, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lafcivioufnefs, and deny- ing our only fovereign God and Lord Jefus Chrid. " The apoille Judc, in this pafiage, has given the reafon of his writing, which was, to exhort the Chriftians, to whom he directed his cpiille, to cont-end carneftly for the faith, once delivered to the faints 5 becaufe the Gno- ilics and Nicolaitans had crept in, as it were unfcen, who were ungodly pretenders, who •abufed the doctrine of grace, for the encourage- ment of loofe prafticcs, and who deny'd Chriil Jcfus the only fovereign God and Lord. All thefe characters are to be apply'd to Chrift, be- caufe they are not feparated by an article in the Greek, and becaufe we do not find that the Gnoftic herefy had, in the apoftle's time, rofe to iuch an height, as to deny the fupremacy of the Father, and to afTert, as fome of the later Gnoflics, and the Marcionites did afterwards, that he had a God above him.
Some have p labour'd, to have the title of Dcfpotes applied to the Father, for they fay, the title of only God, can by no means be afcribed to Chrilt > but this is a bold prefump-
rcuro TV KfXfJUcc, oia-i^ut;, n^p row Qzeu ii^ay ;^jap»i' f/^irxri&ivrii; s(5 ct(riM/£Hxv , t^ ts9 f/Jtov ^i<r7rziT^v Qiov, f^ Kv^iev yf/^m Iwouv Xpt^v U(yiifj!,ivoi. Jud. 3, 4.
Some copies omit the word Qm, and others put it before
P Whitby on the place.
Clarke's Scripture Dodlrine, p. 8. 50. Reply, p. no, III. Enilyn's anfwcr to four London minifters, p. 6, 7.
tuous
OF THE Trinity. 297
tuous afTertion, for which they can bring no good proof. Such arbitrary hypothcfes, for in- terpreting fcripture, deferve no ccnlidcration j for the fcripture mufc be the rule, whereby all fuch maxims and hypothefes muft be tried. If the Father, in the new teilament, is call'd the only true God, and the only wife God, this no more excludes the Son from being the only God, than ChriiVs being call'd, in the old teilamcnt, Jehovah, befides whom there is none elfe, excludes the Father from being Je* hovah.
This precarious afTertion is, by the fame per- fons, back'd with another, as empty and ground- lefs 'y that the title Defpotes is never given to Chrift, in the new teflament. Never was any thing fo confidently aflerted, left more naked of proof : If we wmU take our adverfaries. af- firmation it is well, but if not, they have no more to fay. The apoille Peter wrote his fe- cond epiille on the fame 1 occafion that Jude did his, and he has declared there would be ^ falfe teachers, who would privily bring in dam- nable herefics, denying the Lord, (thelovereign mafter) that bought them, bringing on them- felvesfwift deftru(5cion." None that, without prejudice, confiders thefe words, will entertain any doubt, whether Chrift be the Defpotes, the fovereign mafter here fpoke of, becaufe we are bought and redeemed from Cm by him only. If againft this any fhould bring thefe words in Mofes's ^ fong, " Is not he thy Father, that
*i See Dr. Sherlock's DilTertation on the fecond epiille of Peter.
>.»cc^,^ »^ Try ayai^utruvTcc uvTiic, ^iT-Trir^ cipyvf/zivotf i7myoyTi<i ioivre^q Tctx,ir/r^ ^TraMmvj 2 Pet.ui. I. f Deut. xxxii. 6.
hatb
29S The true Scripture Doctrine hath bought thee." I would anfwer, that the fong of Mofes ^ is moffc probably to be underr ilood of Chrift, the angel, who had redeemed Ifracl. There is a paflage in the apoille Paul's fecond cpirtle to Timothy, which is not foreign to our prefent purpofe. " " Let every one that names the name of Chrifl, depart from all ini- quity 5 If a man therefore purge himfelf
from thefe things, he fhall be a velTel to honor, fan6bified and meet for the mafter's ufe, and pre- pared to every good work.*' Any impartial en- quirer, who views thefe words in their con- nexion, will fee, from the fcope of the apoflle's difcourfe, that Chrill is the Defpotes, the fo? vereign matter, here fpoke of.
Chrift is calPd the King eternal, immortal, invifible, and the only wife God, by the apoftle Paul, in his firft epiftle to Timothy. ^"Chrift Jefus came to fave iinners, of whom I am chief j however on this account, I obtained mercy, that in me firft, Jefus Chrift might ihew forth all long fuffering, for a pattern to them who fhould hereafter believe on him for hfe everlaft- ing : now to the King eternal, immortal, invi- fible, and the only wife God, be honour and glory, for ever and ever, amen." It is very e- vident, from what goes before, that this dox- ology is directed to Chrift: it is the apoftle's cxpreflion of his thankfulnefs to Chrift, for his abundant mercy and grace ftiewn to himfelf, who had been a great ftnner, and a bigotted
^ Sec above chap. iii. hi Ticcj spyov ocyaB-cv yt7cif//sc(rfdfov. 2 Tim. ii. 19. 21. Gj!?, Tifjijri KOfi oi^Xy h<i rue, eCiavUi jm tamuy. A^aviv. i TiitL.
I 15, i6, 17.
5 perfecutor
OF THE Trinity. 299
perfecutor of the right way. I queflion not, but the fuppoflil, that the word only, is never apply'd to Chriil, will be here urged j but we mud be determined by the fcope of the place, and not by falfe and precarious hypothefes, which are obtruded upon us, as infallible titles. The titles here given to Chriil, are given him elfewhere, as to' the fubftance of them. He is the King of kings, and of his dominion there is no end 3 he is incorruptible, or the fame yeflerday, to day and for evcr> he is invifible, for none has feen, or known the Son, as to his divine nature, to perfection 3 he is the only wi(c God, for he knows all things, and fearches the heart and the reins j and glory is, at other times, afcribed to him. Seeing the fcripture attributes all to Chrift, that is im.ply'd in the titles of King eternal, immortal, or incorrupti- ble, invifible, and only wife God, there is no rcafon to make the apoftle's difcourfe incohe- rent, by afferting this doxology to be addrcfs'd to an^^, but the Son of God,
One of the titles here given to Chrift, only wife God, is, in all probability, given him by the apoftle Jude, in his concluding doxology. ^ " Now to him that is able to keep you from falling, and to prefent you faultlefs, before the prefence of his glory, to your exceeding joy, to the only wife God, our faviour, be glory and majelly, dominion and power, now and for ever, amen.'* The keeping believers from fal- ling is the work of Chrift, who is in an eminent:
C-6>riifi v.^Zv^ h>%ce.y kxI (juiyx?i.o(ruvvi xfccro; tcccl i%own» xxl tZv,
manner
300 The true Scripture Doctrine
manner their faviour j therefore it is moft like- ly, that it is he who is call'd the only wife God j befides we have no warrant from fcripture to fay, God the Father will prefent believers to himfelf. Chrift will prefent his followers to his heavenly Father, and he will like wife pre- fent them to himfelf, where he appears in glory, as their judge, cloath'd with his own righte- cufnefs, unblemiih'd and complete, for their exceeding joy.
Chrill is, by the apoftle Paul, defcribed under the fublime chara6ters, of the bleffed and only potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality, whom none has feen or can fee, in the following charge, which he gave his {on Timothy, in his firft epiille to him. y " I charge thee, in the fight of God, who quickens all things, and before Chrift Je- fus, who before Pontius Pilate witnefs'd a good confellion, that thou keep this commandment without fpot, unrebukable, till the appearing of our Lord Jefus Chriftj which in his own times he ihall fhevv, who is the bleflcd and on- ly potentate, the King of kings, the Lord of lords, who only has immortality, dwelling in the light, to which no man can approach, whom no man has feen, nor can fee > to whom be honour and power everlafting. Amen." In my apprehenfion, the context fhews,that thefe high charaders are to be underdood of Chrift} when the apoftle had mentioned Chrifl's ap-
K'jPio^ -Tjvy KV^iivcvrC'JV, o fjuovo^i tx^^v uB-avctsixy, (pSiq oix.m utt^-
.^tu>',ioy. Af^^y, I Tim. vi. 13, 14, 15, 16.
5 pearing
OF THE Trinity. 501
pearing, he has added, that he would fliew it at his own time, who is the blefled, and the only potentate, the King of kings, and the Lord of lords, who is invefted with abfolute and pro- per immortality, whofe dwelling is in light un- approachable, which no created eye can pierce : now if we were to fuppofe all this, to be under- ftood of the Father, we make the fenfe more abrupt than there is need to do > feeing thefe high titles may well be apply'd to the Son, for they are only the titles of King eternal, immor- tal, invifible, and only wife God, which the apoflle had given Chrift before, explained a httle more largely. The title of King of kings, and Lord of lords, is one of the peculiar titles of Chrift, in the new teftament, which makes it probable, that he is here meant. I can think of no objection againft applying this place to God the Son, but what may be drawn from the word only, which is af no weight, as I have more than once obferved 5 unlefs any fliould think the charader of one who has not been feen, and who can never be feen by any man, does not fo properly belong to the Son, who was ma- nifefted in the flclh : but the force of fuch an objection will vanifh, if we confider, that Chrift has declared, that none knows the Son, but the Father : the Son, as to his divine nature, is not to be feen as he is, by any creatures, during their ftate of mortality and imperfedion. Up- on the whole, I doubt not but this noble pafTage is to be underftood of our blefTed Lord j and if he be the blefled and only potentate, the King of kings, and the Lord of lords, it is im- poffible, that the Father ilaould have any fu- preme dominion over him as a creature, but he is, with the Father, the one fupremeLord, the pne true God gyer all. In
302 The true Scripture Doctrine
In the old teftament, Chrift is called God Almighty, or God All-(ufiicienr, El iliaddai. This title he took, when he appeared to Abra- ham j for thus he laid to the father of the faith- ful, ^ " I am God Almighty, walk before me, and be thou perfc6t." And the fame title he took, when he nppear'd to Jacob, on his return from Mefopotamia, fpeaking thus> ^ " I am God Almighty, be fruitful and multiply." He is alfo caird the Almighty, by ^ the royal pfalmiil. I fliall not fpend time in proving the fa6t, that Chriii is the perfon, of whom thefe I'criptures arc to be underflood, having done it ^ before. The title El fhaddai, is very compre- henfivc, it fignifies the Almighty power, and the All'fufficient fullnefs of the great God > therefore fince it belongs to Chrill, it proves, that he is not a precarious dependent beings but is with the Father, the Almighty and AU- fafficient God, the creator and preferver of men.
There remains but one of Chrift's titles of fupremacy ro be confider'd, which is the glo- rious title of the Almighty, or the fupreme over all,which is the proper rendering of navTo<paTwp. This title is given to Chriii by the apollle ^ John, in the following paflage of his Revelation. ^ " Behold he comes with the clouds, and every eye {hall fee him, and they alfo which pierced liirny and all the kindreds of the earth lliall
^ Gen. xvii. i. * Gen. xxxv. ii.
^ Plalm Ixviii. 14. ' Chap. III.
'^ Sec Dr. Waterland's Sermons, p. 227.—- 232. firll Befenfe, p. 451, 452. fecond Dcfcnlb, p. 241.-— 245.
^ 'E;<o h[A,i TD A, Kctl TO n, ei^X^ y-cti TiXc^, Xiyn h K:/|9<c5, c 6Jy, y.cn 6 Kt KCCi 0 t^^fd^jo^, 0 Uecvroy.^uri'.f. Revel. i. J.; 8.
Several good Copies read Ai'vu Kt^.c; 0 Qicq,
wail
OF THE Trinity. 50}
Wciil becaufe of him : even fo amen. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end- ing, faith the Lord God, who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty, or the fupreme over all." In the firfl; part of thefe words, the apoftlc, with rapture and wonder, defcribes the glory of his exalted mafter, which will be fhew'd when he appears again, without fin, to falvation. Chrift, ac the laft day, will appear array'd with majelly and power, and all the tribes of fleih and blood, rifing from the bed of death, fhall fee him : his faints fhall, with ftrong immortal eyes, behold their Savi- our, and his enemies fliall, with fhuddering horror, behold their inexorable judge. The Jews, who mock'd and infulced Chrifl, when heappear'd as a man, a miferable man, and hung on the crofs, groaning, bleeding, fighing, dy- ing, fhall, with confudon, fee him, whom they executed as a malefadtor, come riding on the clouds, attended with the glorious legions of the hofl of heaven. And all the nations of the earth, who have followed lying vanities, or have flighted Chrift, when declared to them, j(hall be ftruck with aftoniihment, when they fee him exalted on his judgment feat, and fhall, with piteous outcries, call to the rocks to fall on them, and the hills to cover them, and to hide them from the wrath of the Lamb.
That wc may with the greater fubje<51:ion, worfliip Chrift the judge of all, the apoflle, fpcaking in his name and words, has added im- mediately, a mod auguft defcription of him, ** I am the beginning and ending, faith the Lord God, who is, who was, and who is to come, the fupreme Almighty." Chrift has de- clared, in thefe words, his neceflary exiftence,
his
504 The true Scripture Doctrine
his indepeiiclerit eternity, and Jiis abiolute fupre- macy: there is a change from ipeaking in the third pcrfo^i, to Tpeaking in the firft peifon, as is very common in the prophctick writings, but there is no change of the perfon meant.
The title Pantocrator is what the difputers of this Yforld will not allow to be given to Chriif, becaufe, as it fignifies the abfolutely fu- preme and Almighty Lord over all, it dafhes in pieces their favourite fcheme, of the Son's inferiority to the Father, in nature and power, if it be apply'd to Chrifl : therefore they la- bour, very ftrenuoufly, to have this pailage of fcripture underftood of the Father, making up their want of juft reafoning, with bold furmifes, and conndent afTertions.
That this text of fcripture is to be refer'd to God the Son, will appear, if we confider, that the words immediately foregoing are certainly meant of Chrifl : it, at the tirfL view, appears plain, that the fame perfon, who is to come with the clouds, whom every eye {hall fee, even they that pierc'd him, fpeaks of himfelf, in the next words : to bring m any other per- fon fpeaking, will only ferve to make the fenfe incoherent, without neceflity> befides it is the Son, who is magnificently defcribed, in the fubfequent part of the chapter.
It will farther appear, that Chrift is here to be underftood, in that the titles of Alpha and Omega, and other titles explanatory of them, as beginning and ending, firii and laft, are al- ways ^ufed of the Son in this book. I would not from hence argue, that they cannot be at- tributed to God the Father, but fince they are
^ Revel, i. lo. 17. ii. 8. xxi. 6- xxii. 12, 13.
fo
OF THE Trinity. 305
fo ofteii) in this prophecy, made pecuhar to Chrifl:, and do not appear, in any other place, to be given to the Father, there is no need, in fpite oFthe context, to apply them to any but Chrifl here.
As the revelation, recorded in this book, is, in the beginning, call'd the revelation of Jefus Chrift, fo it is throughout delivered to the a- poflle, immediately by him, or mediately by his angel j who fomecimes fpeaks in Ch rift's name, and fometimes in his own perfon. l£ we fearch the book throughout, wc ihall not find the Father brought in» fpcaking once. Chrift is the only divine perfon who fpeaks : indeed there is one place, that may feem an exception > in the twenty firft chapter, we arc told, 8 " He that fiit upon the throne fiid, be- hold I make all things new." Many underltand this of the Father, becaufe he is rcprefented as fitting upon a throne ^ in the fourth chapter j but this is not probable, if we confider, that this book is divided into feven diftin6t vifions, and that the twenty firft chapter begins no new vifion, but carries on the feventh vifion, which was begun in the foregoing chapter. Now the perfon fitting on the throne muft be the fame with him, who is defcribed fitting on a throne, in the ^ twentieth chapter, which is Chrift coming to judgment, and not the Father who is never thus reprefented. So that it is Chrifl who is brought in faying, " Behold I make all things new." Since then the Father is no where brought in fpeaking in this book, but always the Son, there is no reafon to fuppofe that the
s Revel, xxi. 5. ^ Revel iv, 2, 3.
' Revel. XX. II.
X Fatlfcr,
306 The true Scripture Doctrine
Father, and not the Son, is brought in fpeak- ing in the text under confiderarion.
This text was by the ancients underftood of Chrilt J in particular, ^ Tertullian and Hippo- lytus apply'd it to him, in their difpute with Praxcas and Noctus : tho' their adverfaries, at lead Noetus, had abufed this text, to prove that the Son was the Father > yet they fcruple not to apply it to Chrift, which fhews, that this was the current interpretation in their time, as it certainly was, after the Arian here lie had infeiled the world.
There are fome exceptions made by our ad- verfaries, againft applying this text to the Son, which it may not be improper to confider 5 becaufe flicwing the weaknefs of the pleas a- gainft it, will be as good as ufing arguments for it.
One pretence "^ is, that the appellation of he who is, who was, and who is to come, is ufed, in the fourth verfe, as the diftinguifhing charader of the Father, and therefore mull be underftood of him hei'e. In anfwcr to this I would obferve 5 that it is a grofs begging the
^ Interim, hie mihi promotum fit refponfum adverfus id quod & de apocalypfi Johannis proferunt: " Ego Dominus qui eft & qui fuir, & venit, Omnipotens;" & ficubi alibi JDei omnipotentis non putant filio convenire. Quafi qui venturus ell, non fit omnipotens, cum & filius omnipo- tentis tarn omnipotens fit, quani Deus Dei filius. Tertull. contra Praxcam, cap. 17.
K«A(?5 ifTTiv ( fc. 'laoivr/ie, ) 7txvTox^»ro(!6 KpiTov. Tafro fp li- TTi*^ oTTi^ iccil ccuTCt) Uid^rv^^a-ik 6 Xp^yc's. Mcc^tv^uv ^ Xp<fo? I^>},
TiottroKpxTcpct. zTK^oc nesTpfl? y^tcrsfuB-i) Xp*^''?. Hippolyt. coHtra Noetum, cap. 6. p. 10. Ed. Fabric. Vol. II.
' Vid. Epiphan. Vol. I. p. 488. Ed. Par.
"^ Eojedinus, p. 435, 436.
Cbrfce's Script. E)o6l. p. 53.
Jatkfon's Reply to Dr. Waterland, p. 506.
queflion,
OF THE Trinity. 307
tjueilion, to fuppofe, that what is apply'd to the Father as God, mull needs be a didinguiih- ing charader of the Father from the Son. We aflert that the fame divine titles and chara6tcrs are afcribcd to the Father and Son in fcripturc, and thence we juftly conclude, that they are the one God. Befides, as often asChrift is call'd Jehovah, he has this which is pretended to be the diftinguifhing charader of the Father, for it is no more than a paraphrafe on that glorious name.
Another pretence "is, that this muft be meant of the Father, becaufe of the introdudtion of this verfe, as it is found in the beft manufcripts, " laith the Lord God." If this reading be al- low'd, as I think it ought, I can fee no mean- ing in the obie6i:ion, unlefs it be fuppofed, that the title of Lord God cannot be apply'd to Chrii]-, which is again begging the queilion. ForChriil is call'd Lord God by the angel Ga- briel, who fpeaking of John Baptifr, thus de- clared, ^ " Many Ihall he turn to the Lord their God, for he fhall go before him, in the fpirit and power of Elias. " If the reading of Lord God be admitted in the p text I am conii- dering, it will only be a farther proof, that Chrift is caird Lord God.
It is farther ^ pretended, that this verfe mufl be underflood of the Father, becaufe the name Pantocrator is always apply'd to the Father by the moil ancient writers, but this is falfe in fa6t 'y for when Tertullian and Hippolytus underflood this text of Chrift, they gave
" Clarke's Script. Doft. p. 53.
«* Lukei. 16, 17,
P See above chap. IV.
} Clarke's Script. Dod. p. 53-
X 2, him
368 The true Scripture Doctrine
him this title j befides, Clement of Alexandria has called the SonPantocrator^ his words "^are, " That man needs nothing who has for his por- tion the Logos, the almighty God. Our ad- vcrfarics tell us, that this name is given to the Father only in fcripture : But this title being given to the Father clfewherc, does net prove that it is not given to Chrill: here. It is llill a farther begging the queftion, to fuppofe, that becaufe the Father is call'd Pantocrator in fome places, the Son cannot be call'd fo, where the context requires he fhould.
It is certain, that Chrift is call'd often in the old tedament Lord of hofts, which is a title render'd fometimes in the Greek verfion Lord Almighty. And if we confider one place, in the fixteenth chapter of this book of the reve- lation, it will appear moft natural to take God almighty to be meant of Chrift. The words arc thefe > ^" They are the fpirits of devils, work- ing miracles which go forth to the kings of the
'7rx}iroy-[oirc^(^ xxt ?r«rp*xoy Aoyts 773 y uk^xv coCPixv i(.xrx^xv(«.- mi v^iajTv. Clem. Alex. Paedag. Lib. I. c. 9. p. 148. Ed, Oxon.
'Anv^iViC, f^ 6 T TrxvroKpccTcfx Qicy Aoyov *i'^uii. Idem, ibid. Lib III. c. 7. p. 277.
The following pnllage of Tertullian is worth notice.
Nomen Patris Deus omnipotens altiffimus, Dominus vir- tutum, Rex Ifraelis, Qui elt quatenus fcripturae docent. Haec dicimus & in Fillum compctiiTe, Sc in his Filium ve- nilTe, Sc in his fe lemper egilTe, & fic ea in fe hominibus inanifellafle. Omnia inquit Patris mea funt. Cur non & nomina ? Cum ergo legis Deum omnipotentem, Sc altifii- mum, & Deum virtutum, & Regem Ifraelis, Sc Qui eft, vide ne per haec etiam Filius demonrtretur fuo jure Deus omnipotens, qua ScrmoDei omnipotentis. c. Praxeam. c. 17=
iyn T»5 fix<n>.iTq t^5 yr,^ Ksu 7^? oiKcviJt/iviii oXr,^, trvyxyxyuv uviiii
earth.
OF THi: Trinity. 309
earth, and of all the world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God almighty: Behold I come as a thief, blefTed is he thac watches. " This may be compared with what Chrift has declared of himfelf in the third chap- ter. ' " If thou ihalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief" If wc confider, that it is Chrift who will come as a thief, to furprize fuch as do not watch, and that this does not fo well fuit the fupremacy of office, which God the Father fuftains > and if we farther confider, that in the nineteenth chapter the kings of the earth are defcnbed, as gathering themfelves to battle, againft the Word, the Son -, wc need not be afraid of affirming, that Chrift is God al- mighty and fupreme, who will come fuddenly to be avenged of his enemies, and to be admired of his faints, and adored of all that believe.
I have been the longer in aflerting to our great Redeemer, the chara6ter of Almighty, or Supreme over all, becaufe feveral have unwarily given up this text to our adverfaries 5 who have nothing to fhew their right to it, but pitiful begging of the queftion : And becaufe I ap- prehend, this character, had wc no other argu- ments, would be fufficient to demolilh that heathenilh idol, which men of corrupt minds have raifed, a created, or inferior, or fubordi- nate God.
I have now gone thro' the argument for Chrift's true Divinity, taken from his titles of fupremacy 3 which, as the controverfy has of late taken a turn, muft be own'd to be an argument of the greateft moment and concern. I ihall
I Rev. iii. 3.
X 5 briefly
3 TO The true Scriptur Doctrine
briefly fum it up: Chrift is call'd the true, the living, and the great God, and the Lord of glory J he is ftiled the mod High, the God over all blefled for ever 5 he bears the aiiguft cha- raders of the only fovereign mafrer God and Lord, of the King eternal, incorruptible, invi- lible, and the only wife God j and of the blef- fcd and only Potentate, the King of kings, and the Lord of lords, who only has flncc immor- tality, and who inhabits light unapproachable j and he is dignified with the high titles of God ali-fufficient, and God almighty, or Supreme over all. If all this does not prove his fupreme Deity, it will be impoflibie for any fcripture proof to be given of the Father's fupremacy. Our adverfaiies plead, that the Father is alone fupreme in authority and dominion o\^er all ; this we, who defend the catholick faith, are as forward to airert as they, only we deny that God the Son is naturally fubjed to God the Father's dominion ^ and we deny it, becaufe the fcripture, which is the pillar and ground of truth, has reprcfented the Son under as high characters of fupremacy, as it has the Father. There remains therefore no other way to take, but that proflrating our rcafon at the foot of divine revelation, we acknowledge thefe two divine perfons, the Father and the Son to be the one almighty fupreme God, the one King eternal, immortal, and invifible, the one blefled and only Potentate, dwelling in light unap- proachable, whom no mortal has feen, or ever can fee, fo as fully to comprehend.
CHAP.
OF T H E Tr 1 N I T y.' 3 1 1
CHAP. VI.
Chrift's Divinity proved, from the divine attributes being afcribed to him.
P0^ Shall not fpend time in proving, that it p[Tjfe is impoflible for a creature to have di- ^^^ vine attributes > or for infinite perfedi- ons to belong to a finite being j for I take it to be felf-evident, that the finite limited nature of a creature is incapable of receiving the infinite perfedtions of God. It would be confounding one contrary with another, to al- low, that the effential, and necefi^ary properties of an infinite fubflance, can poiTibly become the properties of a finite fubftance.
The divine perfe6lions are attributed, in fcrip- ture, to the Son, in the fame manner they are to the Father, without the lead: guard or re- ftri6lion; it therefore follows, that he is God, in as high a fcnfe as the Father 5 and fince God is but one, that he is the fame God with him : It would be irrational to fuppofe, fuch high charaderifticks as eternity, immutability, om- nifcience, omniprefence, and omnipotence, can be underflood of two diftind beings, one in- finite and independent, and the other finite and dependent.
Chrifl is, in fcripture, defcribed as having a proper eternity. The exprefiions which are ufed to defcribe his eternity, are fometimes ta- ken in a lower fcnfe, to denote a limited, tho' long, duration j but they cannot be taken al- ways in this low fenfe, without weakening the fcripture proofs of the Father's eternity. They
X 4 ^^^
512 The true Scripture Doctrine
mufb denote a proper eternity, when iifed of the Father 5 therefore it is mere obilinacy to fay, they fignify lefs, when ufed of the Son. It is no wonder that words are wanting, to ex- prefs properly what thoughts cannot conceive > for oFall things, an eternity pall moil furmounts our capacity j it not only puzzles our reafon, but makes our imagination reel. This is cer- tain, that the Son's eternity (lands on the fame foot, in fcripturc, as that of the Father, and is exprcfs'd in as fh'ong words.
ThatChrifl is properly eternal, appears from his being call'd Jehovah -, this name exprellcs neceiTary exillence and eternity, and would by our adverfaries be allowed to fignifie fo much, could they have the face to confine it to the Father -, but fince they find it given to both Father and Son, it mud fignifie lefs ^ when ap- ply'd to the Son, than when apply'd to the Father. This does not deferve confutation, for no reafon can be given for it, but infufferable prejudice.
Chrill's eternity is defcribed in the revelation of the apo file John, in mofi: fignificant words > for he is brought in fpeaking in this manner, '' ^ I am alpha and omega, the beginning and the ending, which is, and which was, and which IS to come." It is very rightly obferved by our adverfaries ^, that thefe words fignify ne- cefiary eternity, only they would underfland them of the Father : But feeing it has been ^ ful- ly proved, that they belong to the Son, it is but rcafonable to take them for an exprcl's proof
^ lackfon's reply, p. 177.
" "Rev. i. 8.
' Clarke's Script. Do^t. p. 264.
^ Sec above, p. 303— 3 oq
of
OF THE Trinity.' 313
of his neceflary, independent eternity > and in- deed the Son is proved to be independently eter- nal, as often as he is call'd Jehovah j for thefc emphatical words, who is, who was, and who is to come, are no other than a paraphrafe on that glorious and incommunicable name.
When Chrill took to himfelf the titles of alpha and omega, beginning and ending, firft and laft, as he often did in the book of ^ the Revelation, he declared his majelly, fuprerae power, dignity, and glory, and his creating and governing all things 3 but above all, he has fet forth his abfolute eternity and immutability. Of this we need no proof, if we confider, he has ufed the fame ftile, in which the flipremc God of Ifrael fpoke, in the following pallages of Ifaiah's ^ prophecy, " I Jehovah the firit, and with the lall I am he. i am the fird:, and I am the laft, and befides me there is no God." If thefe phrafes exprefs the eternity of the one God, or of the perfon of the Father, they can mean no lefs when by Chrift they are taken to himfelf.
We have a famous proof of the Son's eter- nity, in the wife King Solomon's g Proverbs, where he has dcfcribed him by the name of Wifdom : " Jehovah ^' pofTefs'd me in the be- ginning of his way, before his works of old -y I was fet up from everlafting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was 5 when there were no depths, 1 was brought forth, when there were
^ Rev. i. 8. 10. 17. ii. 8. xxi. 6. xxii. 12, 13.
^ Il'aiah xli. 4. xliv. 6. See alfo xlviii. 12,
s Prov. viii. 23 — 31.
^ The Greek tranflation of this paiTage is thus, Kt/p«©- »k- TifTiv fxji <ip;^^v oJ^y «yT2, ii$ t^ycc iUvTcZ. This was laid hold on by the old Arians, as an evidence of the Son's being a
no
314 The true Scripture Doctrine
no fountains abounding with watery before the mountains were fettled, before the hills was I brought forth ^ whilll as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the highefl; part of the duft of the world. When he prepared the he.'.vcns I was there , when he fet a compafs on the face of the deep> when he eflablifh'd the clouds above , when he ftrengthen'd the fountains of the deep, when he gave the fea his decree, that the waters fliould not pafs his com- mand 3 wlien he order'd the foundations of the earth, then was I by him, as one brought up with him, and I was daily his delight, rejoicing
creature ; but this is of no force, fince the original fays no- thing like it. I cannot help being of the opinion of fuch as think, the copies are corrupted, and that, at firft, it was read iKT^c-cc-o, as it was alfo render'd by Aquila, Symma- chus, and Theodotion. As the antient chriflian writers were not skilPd in Hebrew, they were a little perplex'd with this paflage in the Greek verfion j but they never ima- gin'd it was a proof of Chrill's being a creature ; therefore they chofe to undcrfland it of the Father's conftituting and appointing Chrift to be the head over the creation. It was certainly thus taken by Dionyfius of Rome, and Eufebius.
Aiet rouro )com/*Jv| tow eC^^ytScZ^ ^iy,fJ!jec^ri)Kiiixi, tTi^ui; m ^isXiTUi
C^y civTov, ha'tlafj^oi ■ v f^iac 'f> «f toZ iKTitrif, &'? iff <n)f^ct- eiu, ■ i>trKri yuo ivruvSa. UKis9icv, uvn roo ittc^-^ti rmii vtt' uvjoZ yiyoiiQiri scyoi^y yiyevom ^ oi avrcv rev vicv ' cv^ j Tt> iKTitn luv y^iyoiT uvn red i-TiviWi ' oiccipioei yxf rou Troiiia-cci to Kiifrea.'DiQ- nyf. Rom. apud Athanaf de Decrct. Syn. Nic. Vol. I. p. 276. Ed.. Par. p. 232. Ed. Ben.
tTvcci y:ciCOi>^Satf ruurcc ccv uttci, io coo roii >.flt7i9<5 X7jcr^«crt ^ tcvrv<i c^ TOW f/jl) c9r(^ ofjtjcific, ytyovmy e ritsq ttK o^6uc, y^wAtj-
4 rou Ttavrsi jc^V/iOK (rffasVfw?, af^up j iz^t e-^wy V7fv rou xveAet TOW iuvr oZ Tcocr^c, xccrecnruyfjotv®- • rcu iKriviv hruZScc uv-n rou Mtrira%iv « xc«tsVuo-«k iipiifjbivis. Eufcb. c Marcell. Lib. III. p. 150, 151. Ed. Par.
See Dr. Waterland's fccond defenfe, p. 340— .345. and a
always
OF THE TRINITY.^ 315
always before himi rejoicing in the habitable parts of his earth, and my dehghts were with the Tons of men. " There is no need to prove, that it was Chrifl who was here introduced fpeaking by the wife man, becaufe very few difpiite it. Chrifl was from everlafting, before any of the works of the creation, and confe- quently before time, from eternity: He was from everlalling the Father's delight, and was rejoicing always before him. He is the Father's Wifdom, as infeparable from him as his own Wifdom, and fo is coeternal with him.
The fame that the wife King has declared of the Son of God, is affirmed of him, more briefly, by the apoftle Paul, in his ^ cpiftle to the Co- loflians. " He is before all things, and by him all things confift." Seeing Chrift was before all things created, as it is impoffible for him to be a creature, for then he would have been be- fore himfelf, fo he mufl be the true eternal God, who was not produced within the narrow fpan of time, but was infinitely perfe61:, and happy in the enjoyment of himfelf, before any crea- ture was made, or before the thread of time began to run. To fiy Chrifl is not properly a creature, and yet to deny him a proper eter- nity, is fo grofs an abfurdity, and fo glaring a contradiclion, that it is really aftonifliing fuch Huff" iliould be vended, by thofe who arrogate to themfelvcs the titles of maflers of reafon : It only ihews us, that when conceited mortals
dllTertation on this text by Mr. Alexander, annexed to a learned treatife on the fentiments of Irenaeus, relating to Chrift's divinity, which has come out fince thefe papers were finifh'd and in the prefs, p. 1 70—1 8 1 .
Col. i. 17,
will
31(5 The true Scripture Doctrine will take the boldncTs to advance their reafon into the throne of revelation, they often fpin out cobweb fpcculations, which as they are not to be found in fcripture, fo they are contrary to reafon, to which they make fuch confident pretences.
A farther proof of Chrift's eternity, we may gather from the words of the prophet ^ Ifaiah'j *' To us a child is born, to us a Son is given, and his name fhall be call'd the wonderful Coun- fellor, the mighty God, the everlafting Father," or, ^ " the Father of eternity." It is ^ pre- tended, the lafl: claufe fliould be turned, " the Father of the world to come," as it is tran- flated in the Greek " verfion, and that it mufl be underflood of Chrift, as the founder of the gofpel ftate : But this is perfe61:ly precarious ; for the word here tranflated everlalting, ° elfe- where in fcripture fignifies a proper eternity. So that fince this word fignifies fo much, when apply 'd to God abfolutely, or to the Father per- fonally, there is no reafon why it fliould mean lefs when apply'd to the Son, efpecially when lie is, at the fame time, calPd the mighty God.
The fame thing is declared of Chriil by the P prophet Micah j " Thou Bethlehem Ephra- tah, art thou Httle among the thoufands of Ju- dah ? Seeing out of thee {hall come forth a ruler, whole goings forth have been of old,
^ Ifaiah ix. 6.
' ny ^8
•" Clarke's letter?, i;. i6.
" TJotTJ^f TOO /w/S>iAov7-®- ec\m<^.
° Thus faith the high and lofty one, who inhabits eternity^ (ly) whole name is holy, Ifaiah Ivii. 15. f Micah V. 2.
from
OF THE TRiNirr. 317
from the days of eternity. " There are two go- ings forth here afcribed to Chrifl : He is faid to come out of Bethlehem, this was within the compafs of time, and this he did as man, when he was born of the virgin Mary j and his out- goings are faid to be from of old, from the days of eternity > this muft be before time com- menced, and this could not have been, had he not been eternal God.
I ihall add one fcripture more, and that is part of the prayer, 4 which Chrifl offer'd up, juft before his apprehenfion. " Now, O Fa- ther, glorify me with thine own felf, with the glory I had with thee before the world was. " Chrifl had condcfcended to veil his glory, and to appear in the likenefs of iinful flefh : He had indeed the fame effential glory, the fame real dignity, but he appeared not in majefly hke to God, and divefted himfelf of every daz- zling appearance, and every outward mark of greatnefs, condefcending to a6l as a man, like to us, in all things, fin only excepted. He came not with pomp and glory, buc difrobed himfelf of all outward fplendor, and being now ready to humble himfelf, and become obedient to death, he pray'd, that when he had drunk the cup of wrath divine, the fame glory might be reflored to him, as to the manifeftation of it, which he had with the Father before the world was, as he was coeternal with him. If the glory of Chrifl was eternal, his perfon mufl be eternal j if he had a glory before ever the world was, this glory mull be without a begin-
*5 John xvii. 5.
See Mr. R.Taylor's difcourfe on Chrift's divinity. p.33"3?. Mr. Hurrion's fecond fermon, on the knowledge of Chrilt crucify'd, p. 34, &c,
ningj
3i8 The true Scripture Doctrine
ning 'y and if his glory had no beginning, he mult have Tub filled with the Father, in the di- vine nature, from eternity.
The eternity of the Son of God, as it is de- liver'd in the facred records, with great clear- nefs, fo it has always been believed in the chri- ilian church. The ancient ^ writers have al- ways held Chrift to be eternal, and have de- clared this in as ftrong terms, as can be deli- red i fo that they who now contend for this truth, ftand in the old way, and tread in the ancient paths.
^ Toe vTTi^^cn^cv 7rpo<rh>Kec, T ux^wv tqv oc^utov, tov ^ iJjM/S? o/)a7»K. Ignat. Epilt. ad Polycarp. c. 3. p. 8. Ed. Oxon.
i-vTout 05 if ii/ kvTou Xoy^ UiatoCi^ evK ccth) eny^^ 7r^oi?<.B-cov. Idem Epift. ad Magnef. c. 8. p. 23.
OvT©- 0 otTT' oct}^<;, x««i»c5 <pccvu<;y »t©- 0 oiSi, crif/j<fov vlii
Aoy^c&i)'?. Juftin Martyr. Epift. ad Diognet. Tub iin.
'O Aoyo? Trfo Tuv T^oivtfJuuTuv <rvvm. Idem Apol. ii. C. 6, p. 14. Ed. Ox. p. 115. Ed. Thirlby.
'E| ci^X>^.<i yotp 0 0£o?, vey; cl'ialo(; ai, £i^5» «CvTv<i cv tuvra Ttv Aoyor, «;!?V(y? Aoy<xo5 m. Athenagoras Apol. c. 10. p. 39. Ed. Oxon.
Generationem prolativl hominum verbi tranftulcrunt in Dei actcrnum verbum. Irenaeus Lib. II. c. 13. p. 132. Ed. Ben.
Non infcftus es o Homo, nequc Temper cocxiftebas Patri ficut proprium ejus verbum. Idem, ibid. c. 25. p. 153.
Semper coexiilens Filius Patri. Idem, ibid. c. 30. p.
Filius Dei exiftens Temper apud Patrem. Idem, Lib. III. c. 18. p. 209.
Ai'jJio? ot-oi ir.xcZi. Clemens Alex. Paedag. c. 12. p. 92, 93. Ed Ox.
Aoyoi O'ivxoc, aji^yv ccrA/jre?, ^(s;§ cc'!alo¥. Idem Hymn, ad Chriftum. p. 312.
OfA/Oioryifi rvyr^avuv reZ ttut^c^ o'jx sfiv oTS evK h. Origen
apud Athanaf. de decret Synod. Nic. Vol. I. p. 227. Ed. Par.
E<' yiy&viv 0 'JiU, -^9 oTi euK i)p, ccii h ^v. Dionyf. Rom. apud Athanaf. ibid, p, 276.
Uunchange-
OF THE Trinity. 319
Unchangeablenefs is a perfe6i:ion peculiar to God, for none but an abfolutely peiiedl being, can be without variablenefs and fhadow of turn- ing. This attribute belongs to Chriil-, and is imply'd in his being eternal, and is proved by fome of the evidence brought on that head. He who is Jehovah, who is the beginning and the end, the firfl: and the lad: 5 he who is, and was, and is to come, mud be liable to no changes, but muft himfelf be the unchangeable God, who remains always, and for ever the fame.
This is not without feparate evidence in fcrip- ture : in the firft chapter of the ^ epiille to the Hebrews, it is recorded of God, that > " To the Son he faith, thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever, the fcepter of thy kingdom is a righteous fcepter." Thefe words are taken from the forty fifth Pfalm, and are brought, by the apoftle, to prove, that Chrifb, whom all the angels are commanded to worfhip, had a far more excellent name than they. Of them it is faid > * " God makes his angels fpirits, and his minifters a flame of fire." This indeed ihews them to be glorious creatures, but flill they are infinitely beneath the Son, whom they are
dV^ic(; hit. Dionyf. Al. apud eundem Vol. I. p. 200.
»«» u'uysvii;. Idem apud eundem. p. 560.
This matter has been Co fully demonllrated by the accu- rate Bilhop Bull, in the third feftion of his Defenfc of the Nicene faith, that *till our adverfaries fairly anfwcr his ar- guments, they muft give us leave to difregard their cavils. Thc reader may likewife confult Dr. Waterland's iiril and fecond Defenfes, under the feventh and eight Queries; and the learned Earl of Nottingham's anfv^^er to Whifton.
pa^^S sy^yVijTes ii fx^^eq '^ ^XTkMikq jr», Heb. i. 8. \ V. 7,
z, com*
3 20 The true Scripture Doctrine
commanded to vvorfliip ; feeing to him God the Father lays, '' Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever, the fcepter of thy kingdom is a righteous fcepter." VVhen all the kingdoms of this world fail, and are fubjecb to changes and revolutions, the throne of Chrill:, being founded on thelafting bafis of truth and juilice, and his fcepter, benig fvvay'd in righteoufncfs, his king- dom will laii, without change, amidft all the lliaking revolutions, that overturn kingdom.s here below. It is " pretended, with what view 1 know not, that thefe words, " To the Son he fays," lliould be render'd, " Of, or concern- ing the Son he fays," as before, ^^ " Of the angels he fiys." But the paflage may very well bear the rendering of our englilliverlion y how- ever if it were turned ocherwife, I cannon fee how it would alter the matter, feeing what is faid of the Son, is far above what is faid of the angels : it is ^ pretended, that the next words may as well be render'd, " God is thy throne." But this is againll: the genius of the original, and fcarce makes the words fenfe.
1 pafs on to what is added, towards the end of the chapter, y " And, (viz. to the Son he fiys,) thou. Lord, in the beginning, haft laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are
" By Dr. Clarke in his Scripture Do£lrinc, p. 8i. which pretence he has borrow'd from Enjedinus, p. 390.
^ Clarke, ibid. I?. 77- , v . ,^ /
xxl T^uvTic, ax; Iimuthv xoc?«x,io^vj<royTcn' k»1 m-u zn^i^ohxiov £%-|f($ d't'Touc,- xxl a:x>.ciyy>(rcvTcci' Sv ^ o uutoc, u- xu\ rci tn} (ra oCx, iK\tr<l>HC-i. Hcb. i. 10, II, 12.
pfaimcii. 28. lan^ S7 i^H-^'^i i<in HH^
the
OF THE Trinity. 321
the work of thy hands, they ihall perifh, but thou remaineft, they all fhall wax old as a gar- ment, and as a veflure fhalt thou fold them up, and they {hall be changed, but thou art thefame^ and thy years fhall not fail." This is the flrong, lively, magnificent, and cxpreflive defcription, which the royal prophet has given of the un- changeable nature of Jehovah, the God of If- rael. Notwithftanding the many fruitlefs at- tempts of ^ Socinians, and others, to apply it here to the Father, it is as plainly, as words ^ can do it, applied to the Son, and as it is no way reftrain'd, itmuft mean as much here, when applied to the Son, as when it is applied to Je- hovah, in the Pfalm, whence it is quoted. No words can be more emphatical than thefe* '' They fhall perifji, but thou remaineil , they fhall be changed, but thou art the fame." If thefe words do not exprefs the abfolute immu- tability of God the Son, I cannot fee of what ufe words can be. When the vifiblc heavens fhall vanifh away like fmoke, and when the earth, and all in it, fhall be changed, Chriil fhall remain the fime, that he has been, and now is, and that to all eternity.
This may receive farther light from a palTage in the fame ^ epiftle, '' Jefus Chrill the f^me yefterday, to day and for ever." Chrift who is elfewhere calPd, "" '^ He who is, and who was, and who is to come^" is here faid to be the fame yefterday, to day, and for ever 3 paft, pre-
^ Enjedin. p. 190, 191, 192. Emlyn's anfwcr to Dr, Bennet, in his Trafts, p. 399.- — 402. "" Dr. Waterland's firil Defenfc, p. 95.
Heb. xiii. 8. "^ R«v. i. 8,
Y fent,
3 22 The true Scripture Doctrine fent, and to come, are joined together, to make the defcription complete. Some tell us \ the meaning of this place is, the dodrine of Chrift once taught by the apoflles, ought to be pre- fcrved unchanged. It would indeed be happy for fuch feducers, if they would keep the doc- trine of Chrifl pure and unchanged, and not cor- rupt and change it, by reducing it to the fband- ard of their blind reafon -, but this is not the fenfe of the text t, for the propofition the in- fpired author has laid down, is this ; Jefus Chrifl, undoubtedly as to his perfon, is the fame to day, that he was yefterday, and will be the fame for ever, that he is to day : and what the enemies of our Lord's Deity would foift upon the text, as the fenfe of it, is the inference drawn from it, in the words following : " Be you not there- fore carried about with divers and ftrange doc- trines, for it is a good thing, that the heart be eftablifh'd with grace." Seeing the perfon of Chrift is unchangeable, it is the duty of his faithful followers, not to be carried about with every wind of doclrine, but to be fixed and cllablifhed in the true do6trine of Chrid. See- ing the great captain of their falvation remains the fame for ever, they who have lifted thcm- fclvcs under his banner, ought not to be fluc- tuating in their belief, but fhould be conftant and eftablifh'd in the faith.
We fee Chrift's immutabiHty is fet forth, in fcripture, not in a low, inferior way, but in the moft lively manner. Every thing in the vilible world, that lies fubje(51: to our view, is liable to variation j the heavens ihall wax old as
*• Enjedinus, p. 413, 414. Clarke's Script. Do£l. p- ti;. Reply, p. 169.
a gar-
OF THETRINItr. 32j
a garment, and they fhall vanifh away like fmokej and be fhrivcrd up like a fcroU of parchment) the Ibrs ihall fade ; the fun it felf, the foun- tain of light, ihall grow dim with age, and the whole frame of nature fhall fink under the burden of years j the fbrong foundations of the earth Ihall fail, the deeply rooted rocks iliall de- part, the lafting hills ihall be removed, and the ancient mountains ihall melt away > in fhorc, the whole world fhall be broke to fliivers, and tofs'd into a heap of ruin and confufion -, but amidft all thefe changes of the vifible creation, and in this general wreck of matter, Chriil: Ihall remain, without the Icafl fhadow of change or alteration.
Chrifl's immutability is not very often infill- ed on, in thofe antenicene writers, we have re* maining, but they mud be fuppofed to alTerc it in effe(5b, when they declare the Son to be necefTarily exiftent : however, fome of ^ them fpeak full enough, as to this matter.
* Quaecunque initium fumpferunt, & diiTolutionem poP' funt percipere & fubjefla funt, 8c indigent ejus qui fe fecit ; necelTe eil omnino, uti difFerens vocabulum habeant apud eos etlam, qui vel modicum fenfum in difcernendo talia habent : ita ut is quidem qui omnia fecerit, cujti Verbo fuo juIle dicatur Deus & Dominus foius. Irenaeus Lib. III. c. 8. p. 183. Ed. Ben.
Semper idipfum Verbum Dei. Idem, Lib. IV. c. 3^ p, 276.
Unum & idem cum Temper fit Verbum Dzl. luem^ ibid. c. 36. p. 278.
Caeterum Deum Immutubilem & irreformabilem credi ne- celTe eft, ut aeternum. Transfiguratio autem interemptio eil priilini. Omne enim quodcunque transfiguratur in aliudj, defmit ciit quod fucrat & incipit tffe quod non erat. Deus autem neque delinit efle, neque aliud poteft cffc. Sermo autem Deus, & Sermo Domini manet in aevum, perTeverando fcilicct in Tua forma, Tertullian c. Praxeam, c. 27.
y i ' Om-
324 The true Scripture Doctrine
Omnifcience, or the knowledge of all things^ is a divine perfe6lion, which is attributed to Chrift in fcripture. To fearch the heart, and to know the thoughts, is a privilege, which belongs only to the all-wife God, as he has afTured us, fpeaking by the prophet Jeremiah. * " I Jehovah fearch the heart, I try the reins, to give every man according to his works, and to the fruit of his doings. " This knowledge belongs to God, as the wife king 8 Solomon has declared j ^' Thou, even thou only, knowelt the hearts of the children of men." Yet this power of fearch ing the heart, Chrift has af- fumed to himfelf, in the epiftle which he dic- tated to his beloved difciple, to be fent to the church in Thyatira. ^ " All the churches fhall know, that 1 am he, which fcarches the reins and the hearts, and I will give to every one of you, according to his works." To know the heart is the prerogative of God, therefore (ince Chrifc fearches the hearts, he muil be omnif- cient, that is, he mufl be truly and properly God.
To KXTx^i^mci «<5 uvB-paiTTHi CM* fAo^^l^ 0ieu Ittvi^^v xeu ^oe
Ou dhTy d't f I eiyctB-m si^ kccxsp yiycnv ccvTu (ASTu/BoXv ou^*
SK, Ka.Xoo he, oiio^fov. otjcl t| iv^e6ifj(/ovi(c; h^^tv £<§ KXKe^ccifAoyiccy—' audi fAjSTX/2o?it} T<5 uvru ytyovit Ix too upUa «? ro Tsroytj^erxroP
'E* oi y-Xi vufjux B-iYiTVP, KMt uvB-^UTnyij? <pv<rtv oivxXufiav 6
t^^xmt^ 0£O5 Aoy(^, ^oKii rai KiX<rc4 eC?K>\XTTi(r^xt kx\ (jjirx- 'JrXxTTsa-B'Xi' vuxv^XTfiro tn 6 AoV®^ t« oug{x w/joff Aoy®*"
CV&if f^ TTKO^Cl tfV TTSCO^H TO (TteyjX K If ^"JX,n. Ongeil C.
Celfuin Lib. IV. p. 169, 170. Ed. Cantab.
^ Jer. xvii. 10. See alfo i Sam. xvi. 7. Pfalm vii. 9. Jer, xi. 20.
^ I Chron. vi. 30.
T\a:<roiTxt 'xutrxi x! IkkM^ui cri iya uuti i f^tvySy rt^py^ jccu KXf^xf^ Kxl ^ag-Oi vyAt «»«>« kxtx toc ^y« i'/A»y. ReV. ii. 23.
Chrill,
OF THE Trinity. 325
Chrift, in the days of his humiliation, ma- nifeiled his knowledge of the thoughts of men : this was the chief thing, that induced the ho- nefl, plain-hearted Ifraelite, Nathanacl, to be- come his difciple ; the account we have in the beginning of the apodle John's gofpel. ^ " Je- fus faw Nathanael coming to him, and faid of him, behold an Ifraelite indeed, in whom there is no guile : Nathanael faid to him, whence knoweit thou me ? Jefus anfwefd, before Phi- lip call'd thee, when thou waft under the fig- tree, I faw thee. Nathanael laid to him, Rab- bi, thou art the Son of God, thou art the King of Ifrael" When Chrift gave Nathanael the character of a lincere perfon, the good man, confcious of his plain heartedncfs, wondered he Ihould be fo well known to one, v^^hom he ap- prehended to be an utter ftranger. On this, our Lord made him fenfible of his being ac- quainted with the thoughts of his heart, while he was mufing alone, in a place where he was not fcen by Chrift' s flelhly eyes : this con- vinced him, that Jefus was the true Meftiah.
We have an inftance fomething like this, in the ftory of Chrift's difcourfe v/ith the woman of Samaria : flie had lived with a man, that pafs'd for her husband, but was not 5 this was known only to herfelf, therefore upon Chi ift's letting her underftand, that tho' he was a ftranger in thofe parts, he knew this fecret 5 fhe ac- knowledged him to be a prophet, and upon his owning himfelf to be the Meftiah, (he readily believed in him as fuch. After her difcourfe with Chrift, the apoftle John has acquainted us 3 ^'^ She went her way into the city, and
' John i. 47, 48, 49. If John iv. 28, 29.
Y I faid
3 26 The true Scriptur Doctrine
faid to the inhabitants, ^^ Come fee a man, that told me all things that I did, Is not this the MefTiah?^' The knowledge Chrifl had of what the woman knew to be a fecret lock'd up in her own bread, made her juftly conclude, that he was more than a common perfon, •and that he was the Meffiah, the Saviour of Ifrael.
Chrift never was at a lofs, in the time of his converfing with men on earth, to know the fe- cret imaginations of the heart. When his ^ dif- ciples had doubts rifing up in their minds, he knew them, when they did not utter them. When his "^ enemies had hard thoughts of him, and when they contrived his ruin, before his hour came, he knew their thoughts, and fo Gould confute their unjuil furmifes, and could
* And he asked his difciples, what was it that you difpu- ted among your felves by the way ? but they held their peace, for by the wpy they had difputed among themfelves who fhould begreateil:; and he fat down, and call'd the twelve, and faid to them. If any man defu-e to be firil, he ihall be laftofall. Mark ix. 33, 34, 35.
They faid, what is this that he faith, a little while ? we cannot tell what he fays. Now Jefus knew that they were defirous to ask him, and faid to them. Do you enquire among your felves of what I faid ? John xvi. 19.
*" The Pharifees faid, this man doth not caft out devils, unlefs by Beelzebub, the prince of devils! And Jefus knew their thoughts, and faid, every kingdom divided againft it felf cannot Hand. Matt. xii. 24, 25. See Luke xi. 15, 16, 17.
They fent to him certain of the Pharifees and Herodians, to catch him in his talk : — - and they faid, Mafter, we know that thou art true, and careft for no man j - — is it lawful to py tribute to Caefar or no?- — but he, knowing their hypocrify, faid to them. Why tempt you me ? Mark xii.
13' H> 15-.
The Pharifees watch'd him, whether he would heal on the fabbath day, — but he knew their thoughts. Luke vi. 7, 8. Sec alfo vii. 39, &c.
keep
OF THE Trinity, 327
keep them from putting their mifchicvous dc- figns in pradice, by avoiding their malice. Nay he knew what thoughts " would fpring up in the heart, for he knew that Judas would betray him, before that unhappy man had any fuch thoughts himfelf. In Ihort, he knew all men, and did not need to be informed of any thing in man. This the apoille John plainly has told us, ° " Jefus knew all men, and needed not that any fhould teflify or m.an, for he knew what was in man." The apoftles, when they fo- lemnly addrefs'd themfelves to him, to dire6b them in the choice of a perfon to fill up the place of Judas, owned his knowledge of the heart : p " Thou, Lord, who knoweft the hearts of all men, fhew whether of thefe two thou hail chofen." It is plain, Chrifl has an infpedlion into the hearts of men, and is ac- quainted with their fecret and mofl retired thoughts.
Leil any iliould think, that knowing the hearts of men is not a fufficient proof of abfo- lute omnifcience, we are aflured that Chrifl: knows all things. This the difciples declared, q " We are fure that thou knoweft all things."
" Jefus knew, from the beginning, who they were that believed not, and who would betray him. John vi. 64.
He that eats bread with me, has lift up his heel againft me ; now I tell you before it come, that when it is come to pafs, you may know that I am he. When Jcfus had thus faid, he was troubled in fpirit, and teftified and faid. Verily, verily, I fay to you, one of you fhall betray mej — He it is to whom I fhall give a fop,- — and when he had dip'd it, he gave it to Judas Ifcariot, the fon of Simon j and after the fop Satan enter'd into him. John xiii. 18, 19. 21. 26, 27.
° John ii. 24, 2C.
P Afts i. 24.
' John xvi. 13.
Y 4 And
3 28 The true Scripture Doctrine
And the apoftle Peter, when Chrifl: queftion'd him about his love to him, appealed to his mafter's omnifcience, to confirm the fincerity of his value for him. ^" Lord, (faid he,) thou Icnowefl all things, thou knoweft that I love thee. "
Chrlfl's omnifcience is alTcrted in the ftrongeft terms by the apoftle Paul in his epillle to the ' Hebrews. " The word of God is living and powerful, fliarper than any two edged Iword, piercing even to the dividing afunder of foul and fpirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a difccrner of the thoughts, and intents of the heart : neither is there any creature that is not manifeil in his fight, but all things are naked to the eyes of him with whom we have to do. " I have often wonder 'd to find any underiland this of the word preach'd 5 it is certainly meant of a perfon, even Chrift the Word, which I need not prove, becaufe our advcrfaries allow as much. It is a moft elegant and full defcription of Chrill's abfolute omnifcience, for certainly, he before whom all things are naked and bare, in whofe fight every creature is manifcd, and who difcerns the thoughts and intents of the heart, mufl be omnifcient in the ftridcft fenfe,
I Ihall add another proof on this head, and that is the following paflage in the apoiHePauPs epillle to the ^ Coloffians, " The acknowledg-
' John xxi. 17.
Zav 6 Acyoti rov ©iov, kx) ivipyfji;, xxi rcfjuart^oq vzi^ zacrccv
9eiav KU^oioc^. Kcu ovic if* x7z'c<? oc(px'^^ ivain-mv ccvtoZ ' yruvTOC, 3 yvfjbyx X.KI 7STfx^nXi(r[/jivx toT^ o<p6xAuto7^ covtoZ zfc^ ov iiyAf 6 Xo- yo^. Hep. iv. 12, 13.
k7ivx^v<poi^ C9I. ii. 3.
ment
OF THE Trinity^ 329
mentof themydery of God, and of the Father, and of Chrifi:, in whom are hid all the treafures of wifdom and knowledge. " Here our adver- faries tell " us, it is ambiguous, whether the lat- ter words are to be underftood of the Father, or of Chrifli but there is no ambiguity in this cafe, therefore they own, they are mofl proba- bly to be underftood of Chrift. If there be any doubt, it is whether they fhould be apply'd to Chrifl:, or whether we are to take them thus, that in the myftery of God and Chrift all treafures of wifdom and knowledge are hid -, but the words " in whom" may be very well apply'd to the next antecedent, and then they are a proof of Chiill's omnifcience.
It may very well be faid, that all the trea- fures of wifdom and knowledge are hid in Chrifl, for he knov/s the Father, in the fame manner as he isknovv^n of him 3 this he himfelf has aflured us ', ^^ As the Father knows me, fo know I the Father:" And at another time he faid, ^ " I knov/ him, for I am from him." And he has farther affured us, that he only knows the Fa- ther, and fo can favingly reveal him. y '^ No one knows the Son, but the Father, neither knows any one the Father, five the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him. " The Son only can give a faving knowledge of the Father, becaufe he knows him intimately, in the fame w-ay that the Father knows the Son. Origen has given us a noble exphcation of this text, which' I cannot but produce. ^ " Our
" Clarke's Script. Do6l. p. 114.
'^ John X. 15.
^ John vii. 29.
^ Mat. xi. 29.^ See alfo Luke x. 22. John i. 18.
Saviou?
3 30 The trite Scripture Doctrii^e Saviour and Lord, fays he, the Word of God, fctting forth how great a thing it is to know the Father, that he is comprehended and known, principally, and according to his dignity, by himfelf, (the Son) alone, and in the fecond place, by thofe who have their minds enlighten'd by the very Word of God, fays, no one knows the Son, but the Father 5 neither the Father, but the Son, and he to whomfoever the Son fhall reveal him : For no one can be fo able, wor- thily to know him, that was unmade and be- gotten before all created nature, as the Father who begat him : Neither can any one know the Father, as (he is known by) his living word, his wifdom, and his truth. "
As the fcripture has fully declared Ch rift's omnifcience, fo feveral of the ancient chriftian writers, of * the earlieft date, aflert it in very full terms.
ft^<i Ttii ^vaariUi T» ^etTfoq, on kxt cc^tocv Tfaj)Vl^]M/«v&)? ccvr^
iiyi^ofiii^v vTt ccoTov rou Aoya f^ Qiov, (Prinv, aJft? iTrtyvu'a-KH
axoKxXu-^^' ovTi yu^ riv uyir/irov km Wo-jj? vjcjjt?? (pJa-iuq ^p<y- *nroxov kcct' u^iccv uotvxi 7:5 auvctrxi ' aq 6 yitr/iTUc, eivrov Trcc-n.^y €uSi roi TTUTifx, ac, 0 ifjty^vxo'i hoyot^ f^ tro^ix ccvtcIj xco oiX\n&nx, Origen. cont. Celfum, Lib. VI. p. 287. Ed. Cant.
The tranilation of this excellent pafTage, I have made bold to borrow from Dr. Waterland's fecond Defenfe, where that learned gentleman has vindicated it from the charge of corruption, which is infolently brought againll it by our ad- verfaries, becaufe Chrift is calPd in it iyiW®-. See p. 275— 279.
* 'Ov^iv >^xi&uni r icu^m, icX>U k^ ru. k^vttu ii^av \yyvc, kvTia »5-<r. Ignat. Ep. ad Ephef c. 25. p. 17- Ed. Oxon.
JJ'pofJUxOiiv fjt,i¥ uvriv iiyjc, aJI f\ Gtov o-jtx . i y^ fLui^cov tj^ iiTi T« Aey*. Clem. Al. Paedag. Lib. I. c. 6. p. 113. Ed. Oxon.
Tor KOfiov l'4(r»uv xiyu rov ri TrxvToKfUTo^ix^ B-i?^yifJbXTt tmcKc- jrw -^ »«f//«f^ V.U4U1, Idem, Strom. Lib. IV. c. 16. p. 611.
Our
OF THE Trinity. 33-
Our adverfaries offer fome objefbions againft Chrifl being omnifcient, which I muft now confider : One is taken from thefe words of Chrift, '^ " I do nothing of my fell-, but as my Father has taught me, I fpeak thefe things j " but it is certain, that Chrifl came as mediator, not to do his own will, but the will of him that fent him , and as he was fent of God, to declare his will, he was taught of the Father j and he did nothing of himfelf, having volunta- rily condefcended to a6b as the Father's fervant : There is nothing in this text that can overturn the pafTagcs, which attribute ftrift omnifcience to Chrifl.
The main obje£bion of our adverfaries is taken from what is faid of Chrift's being ignorant of the day of judgment : Of this matter he him- felf has thus fpoke, in the evangelift Mark's ^ gofpel. " Of that day, and that hour knows
c06x>iim^i, TTccurcc c^av, rruvrcc UKisuv^ sidan; sToivT^t, ahvuf/jSi 7U<i ^vvufjijiKi ifivvZv. Idem, ibid. Lib. VII. c. 2. p. 851.
'AyrotfiC yu^ 4^ UTtnTcn lou Qiov, raZ tt^o KXroc/BoAtji ti^CfJC/ie
o-vfjj$ii>iii yiyofMivii r^ ttxt^;. Idem, Ibid. p. 832.
^ Johniriii. 28.
There is a paffage of Irenaeu?, (Lib. II. c. 28. p. 158, 159.) which our adverfaries would make ufc of, to fupport their pretence to that great author's concurrence with them in denying the Son's omnifcience ; but any one may be fa- tisiicd, their caufe can receive no countenance from that pajffage, who will confult bifhop Bull's defenfe of the Nicenc faith, (p. 82. aL 76, 77.) Dom. Renaud. de MafTuets pre- liminary dilTertation, (p. 133, 134.) Dr. Waterland's firll Defenfe, (p. 102 — 109.) his fecond Defenfe, (p. 235 — 239.) and Mr. Alexander's EiTay on Irenaeus's fentiments concern- ing the divinity of Chrill, (p. 129—140.}
f Mark xiiL 32.
d, no
3 32 The true Scripture Doctrine
no man, no not the angels which are in hea- ven, nor the Son, but the Father." The apo- flle Matthew ^ has rehearfedChrift's words a little differently, " Of that day and hour knows no man, no not the angels in heaven, but my Fa- ther only.'* From hence they ^ would infi- nuate, that Chrift in his highefl capacity is ig- norant of fome things : But as fcripture is con- fident with it felf, fome way mud be taken to reconcile thofe words, with thofepaflages where Chrift is faid to know all things : Now the method of folving this difficulty is pointed out to us in the context of both the evangehftsj for it is plain, that Chrift is fpoke of there, as ^ the Son of man: This fhewsthat the folution of the diffi- culty is juft, 8 which fuppofes Chrift not to know the day of judgment only as to his human nature. Chrift, as to his human nature, en- creafed in wifdom, and his knowledge was bounded j but, as to his divine nature, he knew all things. Our adverfaries objed \ that this is making Chrift guilty of equivocation j but where different natures are united in one per- fon, fome things may be faid of that perfon confider'd in one capacity, which may not be true of him confider'd in another capacity. Thus we fay, without equivocation, that man
^ Mat. xxiv. 36.
* Emlyn's Humble Enquiry, p. 1 5—24. Clarke's Scripture Doftrine, p. 132, 133, i$4- Jackfon's Reply to Dr. Waterland, p. 237, 238. Appeal to a Turk, p. 105, 106.
* Mark xiii. 26. 34. Matth. xxiv. 37. 39.
6 See Mr. Boyfe againft Emlyn, p. 92 — 108.
Dr. Waterland's fermons, p. 268 — 273.
Dr. Bilhop's fermons, p. 108 — 1 16.
? Emlyn's Humble Enquiry, p. 17, 18, 19. 22. 33.
PF THE Trinity. 333
is mortal, tho' his foul never dies, becaufe his body, one part that conftitutes him a man, is fubjed to raortahty : So it might be faid of Chrift, efpecially in the days of his flefh, that he knew not the day of judgment, as Son of man, whiift he knew all things, as Son of God. As he might fpeak of himfelf, either in his hu- man or divine capacity, he might, without equivocation, deny that he knew a thing in one capacity, which he only knew in the other ca- pacity.
Another divine attribute, that belongs to Chrift, is immenfity or omniprefence. This evidently follows, from what is faid of him by the apoitle Paul, ^ " By him all things confifL'* If he upholds all things, he mull be every where prefent. The fame may be proved, from his being prefent in heaven and earth at the fame time> whilfl he was on earth, he affirmed himfelf to be, ^ « the Son of man who is in hea- ven : " And he declared thusof himfelfi i«where two, or three, are gather'd together in my name, there I am in the midft of them. '* Chrift alfo promifed, that after the heavens fhould receive him, he would be ever prefent with his faith- ful followers 5 ^ " Lo I am always with you, even to the end of the world." From thefe fcnptures it appears, that Chrift is prefent throughout the whole creation ^ that tho' his abode is in heaven, yet he is prefent in all the aflemblies of his people, in all corners of the world, and that he will be prefent with all that believe in him, till the end of time. This is the fcripture account of Chrift's immenfity, or
' " " / • juini m- 13.
. xviii. 20, ^ Matth jOcviii. 2
omnipre-
1 aV' r '^'•. * John ili. 13.
. Matth. xviii. 20, ^ Mmh xScviii. 20.
534 The true Scripture Doctrine
omnlprefence, which was a point expreffly taught by the " antient chridian writers.
There is one divine perFedion more, which the fcripture attributes to Chrift, and that is almighty power. His almighty power is evi- dent, from his being call'd the ° mighty God, and the Almighty j and there arc fome places which manifeftly prove his omnipotence. I have fhew'd p it to be moll likely, that he is
" Nomen fill! Dei magnum & immenfum eft, & totus ab CO fuftentatur orbis. Herm. pad. Lib. III. Sim. 9. Se6l. 14. p. 1 000. Edit. Fabric.
Aey®- viv 6 ov Ttocvr) a)v. Jaftin. Martyr. Apol. 2. c. 11, p. 27. Ed. Oxon. p. 125. Ed. Thirlby.
'O Tav cIttuvtuv ri)(,\lrri<i Acy©- «— 0 TWi^uf rx Tmnec. Ire- naeus. Lib. III. c. 11. p. 190. Ed. Ben.
Menfura Patris filius quoniam & capit eum. Idem, Lib. IV. c. 4. p. 231.
Quomodo ea, quae extra pleroma eft conditio cepit eum, qui continet univerfum pleroma. Idem, Lib. V. c. 18. p-3i5«
Dominus nofter — fecundum invifibilitatem, continet quae fafta funt omnia. Idem, ibid.
Clem. AI. Strom. Lib. Vil. c. 2. ij. 831. ^
O Atyo? TSrztyrjf KtpC^fJi'iv'^, ^ TW (TfAlK^TXTO, TZWr TOW |3,«
vffuliuv iTTi^XtTru. Idem, ibid. c. 4. p. 840.
Scimus enim Dcum-— ubique confiftere, fed vi & po- teftate : Filium quoque ut individuum cum ipfo ubique. Tertullian. c. Praxeam. c. 23. _ ^.
^OA^ t,i T^uirt >^ 7:xvru>x,Wt ytf/jKrui ^ 79 TCoct, Hippol. Fragm. Vol. II. p. 45. Ed. Fab.
O ToZ Q)soZ TVsuq oi ToTi fA^vev^ a(AAai Ktd ku fiiirsC ruv (//xSh"
nuv i^i. l^^>i 5 *'*' /W/STi* Twv oc)x iiHrut ecvrvr vrecvrecj^ou ff*.
Origen. c. Celfum. Lib. V. p. 239. Ed. Cant.
Si Homo tantummodo Chriftus, quomodo adeft ubique in- vocatus cum haec hominis natura non fit fed Dei, ut adclTc omni loco poflit ? Novatian. c. 14. p. 45, 46. Ed. Ox.
There is an objedion which may be made, relating to ibme paflages of the fathers, which would be too long for me to confider, befidcs it has been admirably, fully, and fairly anfwerd by the learned Bifhop Bull ; to him therefore I fhall refer the reader. Def. >^id. Nic. Seft. IV. c. 3. p. 267 — 279. al. p. 236 — 247.
" Ifaiah ix. 6. Rev. i. 8. ^ See above, p. 228.
the
OF THE Tr I N I T Y.' 555
the divine perfon celebrated in Mofes's laft fong. There he is brought in fpeaking 'i thus: " See now that I am he, and there is no God with me, I kill and I make alive, I wound and I heal : Neither is there any that can deliver out of my hand. " If Chrift be the only God, ' fo irrefiflible in ftrength, that none can dehver out of his hand, when his wrath is kindled, furely he muft be almighty.
The next proof I fhall bring for Chrifl's om- nipotence is from the forty fifth Pfalm, that in- conteftibly belongs to Chrift : There the infpired poet has thus addrefs'd himfelf ^ to him, " Thou art fairer than the children of men, grace is pour'd into thy lips, therefore God has blefled thee for ever. * Gird thy fword upon thy thigh, O moft mighty, with thy glory and thy maje- fty, and in thy majefty ride profperoully, be- caufe of truth, and meeknefs, and righteouf- nefsi and thy right hand ihall fhew for thee terrible things. Thy arrows are fharp in the
^ Deuteron. xxxii. 49.
^ Nunc igitur, nunc me folum cognofcite veruiu EfTe Deum foli mihi verum afcribitc numen Quern penes arbitrium eft rerum vitaeque necifque, Triftia qui infligo membris, inflidlaque fano Vulnera nee noftram eft poflit qui fallere dextram.
Scaevola Sammarthanus. Cantic= Lib. I. Ecce ego fum folus ; nullus Deus omnia nutu Temperat aeternum regnans, me praeter, in acvum. Mors & vita mihi parent ; fum vulneris audor ; Non oberit quifquam, libeat fi ferre falutem.
Urbanus VIII. P. Poem. p. 21. Ed. P^r.
^ Pfalmxlv. 2, 3, 4, 5.
* Ergo, armis invidle Heros, age fortibus apta Enfem humeri s : Enfem per quem te gloria coelo Aequat & adverfum fidens fer pe6lus in hoftem. Fraena tibi currus verum moderetur & aequum ; Et quae praecipitem dementia temperat iram
heart
3 3<5 The true Scripture Doctrine
hearts of the king's enemies : whereby the peo- ple fall under thee." Chrift's almighty power is exprefs'd, when he is called the moil mighty, or the mighty one j and it appears from the manner in which he is defcribed riding forth, array'd in glory and majeily, arm'd with power irrefiftible, and fubduing all to himfelf Whe- ther we take the words to fignify Chrift's fub- duing his enemies, or rather, of his fubduing his people to himfelf, and making them willing, in the day of his power, they exprefs his irre- fiftible omnipotence.
Chrift taking vengeance on his enemies, is drefs'd in all the pomp and terrors of omnipo- tence, by the prophet Ifaiah, in the following beautiful paiTage j " " Who is this that comes from Edom, with died garments from Bozrah ! this that is glorious in his apparel, traveUing in the greatnefs of his ftrength ? I that fpeak in righteoufnefs, mighty to fave. Wherefore art thou red in thy apparel, and thy garments like him that treads the winefat ? I have trod the wineprefs alone, and of the people there was none with me : For I will tread them in my anger, and trample them in my fury, and their blood fhall be fprinkled on my garments, and I will ilain all my raiment : For the day of ven- geance is in my heart, and the year of my re- deem'd is come : And I look'd, and there was
His ducibus tibi furget honos, tua dextera fadis
Chra per ignotas fundet miracula terras ;
Cordaque vulnificis figcns inimica fagittis,
Sponte tibi coges validas procumbere gentes. ^
Nee maris aut terrae fpatium, nee terminus aevi
Timet imperium, Cccptri moderamine jufti
Quod rceis, & leges mollis clcmcnter acerbas.
^^ ^ ^ G. Buchanana?.
" Ifaiah Ixiii. i-'-6.
none
OF T H E Tr I N I T V. 3 3 7
none to help : And I wonder'd, that there was none to uphold : Therefore my own arm brought falvacion to mc, and my fury it upheld me. And I will tread down the people in my anger, and make them drunk in my fury, and I will bring down their ftrength to the earth.'* I fuppofe, none will queltion the juflnefs of ap- plying this to Chriil: > fome underiland the words of his llrugling with infinite wrath, and van- quifhing fin and Satan on the crofs > but I ap- prehend, it is manifeft from the words them- lelves, that they are to be underfiood of Chrifl taking vengeance on his and his peoples ene- mies. He is introduced as a viftorious conque- ror, drcfs'd in triumphal garments, and in robes llain'd with the blood he had filed in battle : He, in the fulleft manner, has declared his al- mighty power : He travels in the grcatnefs of his firength, and no oppofite force can Itop his march : He is mighty to fave his people from the fierceft and fi:rongefi: foes ; let ever fo many confederate againfi: him, when anger lightens in his face, and difpleafure clouds his brow, all their fl:rength is withered, all refifiance drops, and they arc trod under his feet, as grapes are trod in the wineprefs. He has no need for any to help him, for his own arm can work falva- tion for his redeemed > and can bring down the ftrcngth of the mofl: powerful of his enemies, even to the very ground : Certainly he who can do all this, by his own arm, and by his own fury, muft be irrefiftible in firength, and al- mighty in power.
In the new tefi:ament we have one paflage which is an evident proof of Chrifi;'s omnipo- tence, it is contain'd in thefc words of the
Z apoftle
5 } 8 The true Scripture Doctrine apoftle Paul, ^ " our converfation is in heaven, from whence alfo we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jefus Chrift, who fhall change our vile body, that it may be fafhioned like to his glo- rious body, according to the working (or energy) whereby he is able even to fubdue all things to himfclf. '* I do not infer Chrifl's omnipotence from its being barely faid, he can fubdue all things, becaufc that may be pretended, by our adveria- ries, to be only a general expreflion. But when it is faid, he can iubdue all things, the thing, that this power to fubdue all things is brought to prove, fhews that the apoftle intended om- nipotence : It is brought to prove the refur- redbion and glorification of the body. It is affirmed, that Chrill will change our vile bo- dy, and transform it into a likenefs to his glo- rified body, and this is to be done by the ener- gy, or efficacious virtue, whereby he overcomes every thing ; fo that, fince Chrift's efficacious power to fubdue all things, is made to be the reafon of his raifing the dead, which is a work furpaffing the power of creatures > it follows, that the power, or energy, which Chrift has to fubdue all things to himfclf, is really al- mighty.
Chrift may be proved to be almighty, from the works that he performs 5 none but one who is omnipotent, could bring all things into be- ing out of nothing > none whofe power is li- mited, could accomplifh the great work of the
"^ 'HfjuZt TO TToXlrtVfJUcc ci ev(X¥oT<; v7ru^X>^t» »| i fcul cur^fet ttTtKhx^fJUt^ec Kt^iev Itjo-ovv Xfi<^p. O? /W;ST«^^/x»«Tro"£l m (j-Sf/jei »f TXTTUvartetK; y.fjt/wv, il(^ to yirte^ uvtv (rvyjf^c^(poy ra (rafjttXTt i? ^i*K etCreVf x«m ttjh iV/pyHar rov ^m^ ciUTVf fc»l vTToTK^tti sccvTf m minu, Philip, ill. 20, 21.
OF THE Trinity; 339
redemption of finnersj no created arm can fuftain the weighty cares of an univerfal lord- fhip and dominion. Thefe works are all perform- ed by ChriH, and {hew him that can go through with them, ro be almighty. But thefe I fhall confider in the fequel, as fo many diftinft argu- ments of Chrifl's true divinity.
Thus we fee, that the divine perfedions arc attributed to Chrift, in as diftinA and ample a manner, as they are any where, in fcripture, to God the Father. It can never be imagined that fuch high perfections, as eternity, immu- tability, omnifcience, omniprefence, and om- nipotence, can any ways be underftood to be- long to two diftinft beings, unfpeakably diffe- rent in kind j one infinite, independent, and neceflarily exifling, and the other finite, depen- dent, and of an uncertain, precarious exiftence. From the divine perfeftions being afcribcd to the Father, and the Son, without any diffe- rence, it evidently follows, that thefe divine perfons are the one and the fame eternal, un- changeable, all-knowing, immenfe, and al- mighty God.
Z^ CHAP,
'340 The true Scripture Doctrine
C HAP. VII.
Chrift's Divinity proved, from his being creator of all things.
Am now to enter on another fet of ar- guments, for the true and proper Di- vinity of our blefTed Lord Jefus Chrifl:, which are taken from the works of God being afcribcd to him in fcripture. He is reprcfentcd doing fuch works, and performing fuch offices, as necefTarily require divine powers in the perfon who goes through with them j thefe are creation, redemption, univerfal domi- nion, and judging the world. As to which there is a general objedion, which I muft ob- viate. The fcripture reprefents Chrifl:, in fomc places, as performing the command of the Fa- ther in creation J and the work of redemption, the government of the church, and the world, and the power of judging, are committed to Chrift. From hence it may perhaps be infinu- ated, that Chrift is only the Father's under agents but whoever makes this bbjedion, for- gets, that perfons of the fame, and of equal dig- nity, may, by voluntary mutual agreement, a6l: in fubordination one to another. Taking the matter on this foot, the queilion ought not to be, whether Chrifl can be truly God, feeing he adbs in fubordination to the Father > but whe- ther he could perform the works and offices committed to his charge, if he were not truly God > and whether the works he performs, and the offices he executes, require infinite powers. The works and offices which Chrifl; performs,
by
OF THE Trinity. 341
by agreement with the Father, are commit- ted to him, becaufe he is able to execute them, or becaufe he is poflefs'd of infinite powers, to enable him to go through with what he has undertaken 5 but he is not render'd able to per- form them, becaufe they are committed to him 5 he is not conftituted God, becaufe he is Creator, Redeemer, and Lord, and Judge of all y but becaufe he is really divine, he is able to create, he is fufficient to finifh the work of re- demption, and is duly qualified to be Lord of all, and judge of angels and men.
The firft work that requires divine powers, in him who performs it, which is attributed to Chrifl, in fcripture, is creation. To bring any thing into being out of nothing, requires al- mighty power : Reafon afilires us of this, and fcripture abundantly confirms it. In the ora- cles of truth, the work of creation is confined to God alone. This the prophet » Jeremiah has afierted in the mod cmphatical manner. "Je- hovah is the true God, he is the living God, and an everlafting King : — the Gods that made not the heavens and the earth, fhall peri/h from under the earth and the heavens : He has made the earth by his power, he has eftablifh'd the world by his wifdom, and has Ib'etch'd out the heavens by his difcretion : — they are vanity, and the work of errors, in the time of their vi- fitation they fhall perifh > the portion of Ja- cob is not like them, for he is the former of all things : " God has affirmed the fame of him- felf, b by the prophet Ifaiah. " I am he, I am the firfi:, I alfo am the lall, my hand has laid
* Jeremiah X. lo, ii, 12. 15, iS. Ifaiah xlviii. iz, 13.
Z 5 the
34^ The true Scriptur Doctrine
the foundation of the earth, and my right hand has fpan'dthe heavens." The Levites, whofc prayer is recorded in the book of that excellent governor Nehemiah, begun their folemn ad- drefs to God, with profelling him to be only creator, ^ " Thou alone art Jehovah, thou hafl made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their hofl, the earth, and all things that are therein, the fea and all that is therein, and thou preferveft them all, and all the hoft of heaven worihips thee." The apoftle Paul, in « his fpeech to the inhabitants of Lyftra, who would, thro' ignorance, have worfhip'd him, has ftiled God, " the living God, who made heaven, and earth, and the fea, and all things therein." Whoever has but read the old teflament, mufl have obferved, that the great God has thought proper, often to dwell on ^ this topic, of his creating all things, to fhew his infinite fuperio- rity over the gods of the nations, and to raife fuitable and high ideas of himfelf, in them that worfhip him. And well he might, for, as the apoftle Paul has acquainted us, 8 " The invifi- ble things of him, from the creation of the world, are clearly feen, even his eternal power and Godhead." From hence we may infalli- bly conclude, that he who is properly creator, is truly God.
It remains then to enquire, whether Chrill be creator of the world, in a proper fenfe ; if he is, it inevitably follows that he is true God. By the Pfalmift he is call'd our maker, in this
«* Neh. ix. 6.
* Ads xiv. 1 ^.
*" See Dr. Waterland's Sermons, p. 82—98.
2 Tot UcfoiTci etojb hin xTjVfs/g yja-fji^a roi^ TroiKfAfOCfn fo^fo^a
paiTage
OF THE Trinity.' 343
paflage in the ^ ninety fifth Pfalm, which has been proved to belong to Chrift, in conjun6ti' on with the Father and the holy Spirit. '' O come let us worfhip and bow down, let us kneel before Jehovah our Maker, for he is our God, and we arc the people of his paflure, and the iheep of his hand. By the apoftle John ^ Chrift is ftiled, " the beginning of the creation of Godj" that is, the author and the efficient principle of every thing that was made, for fo the word d^x^j which we tranflate beginning, may (ignify. Chrifl was the author of nature, and every thing that is, was brought into being by his efFedive power, he ^ call'd light out of darknefs, order out of confufion, and by his word raifed the beautiful fabric of this world, out of a chaos without form, and void.
That Chrift is properly Creator, the apofllc John has declared in the beginning of hisgofpel, * " All things were made by him, and without him was not any one thing made, that was
^ Pfalm xcv. 6. 7. See above Part I. chap. 3. p. 72.
^ *Ap;^ T^ Kjla-icot; tS ©£5. Rev. iii. 14'
^ ■ At his word the formlefs mafs. This world's material mould, came to an heap: Confufion heard his voice, and wild uproar Stood ruled, flood vail infinitude confin'd : Till at his fecond bidding darknefs fled, Light flion, and order from diforder fprung.
Milton's Paradife Loft, B. HI. v. 708, &c. They view'd the vaft immeafurable abyfs. Outrageous as a fea, dark, waflful, wild. Up from the bottom turn'd by furious winds. And furging waves, as mountains, to afiault Heavens height, and with the center mix the pole : Silence ye troubled waves, and thou deep peace. Said then th* omnitic word, your difcord end.
Paradife Loft. B. VII.^^v. 210:
Joh. i. 3.
Z ^ made:
344- The true Scripture Doctrine
made : " For the right under (landing of thefe words, it may be proper to take notice, that "^ Si- mon Magus iuppofed God, by the miniltration of the firil produ6tion of his mind, to have created the angels, and the higheft heavens, but he af- firm'd the lower world to be made by angels: From him " Menander, ° Saturninus, p Bafiiides, ^ Carpocrates, and ^ Cerinthus, (againil which
^ Simon Sam?rir,inus, ex quo univerr,ie liaerefes fiibilite- runt, habct hujufmodi fedlae m:iteiiii-n. Hie Helcnam quan- dam — fecum circumduccbat, dicen% banc efle primain mentis ejus conccptionem, matrem omnium, per qur.m initio mente concepit AngeJos facere & Archaiigelos. Hanc cnim Ennoiam exfilientem ex eo, cognofcentcm quod vult pater ejus, degredi ad inferioia, Sc generare Angelos, & Po- teftates, a quibus & mundum hunc fadum dixit. Irenaeus, Lib. I. c. .'3. p. 99. Ed. Bened.
" Huiu5 (fc. Simonis) fuccefTor fuit Menander, qui pri- mam quidcm viriutem incognitam ait omnibus, — mundum autem faftum ab angelis ; quos & ipfe limiliter ut Simon, :.h Ennoia emiflbs dicit. Idem, ibid. p. 100.
° Saturninus quidem, fimiliter ac Menander unumPatrem incognitum ommibus ollendit ; qui fecit angelos, archangc- los, virtutes, poteftates. A feptem autem quibufdam angelis mundum faiSlum, & omnia quae in co ; hominem autem angelorum efie fafturam. Idem, ibid. c. 24. p. 100.
^ ^ Bafilidcs autem, ut altius aliquid & verifimilius inve- nilTe videatur, in immenfum extendit fententiam dodrinac fuae, ortendcns Nun prim.o ab innato natum patre, ab hoc autem natum Logon, deinde a Logo Phronefm, a Phroneii ?,utem Sophiam & Dynamin, a Dynami autem & Sophia Vir- tutes.^ Etprincipes, & angelos, quos & primos vocat, & ab ii,s primum coelum fadu^. Dchinc ab horum derivatione alios autem fados, aliud coelum fmiile priori fecifle, & fi- mili modo ex corum derivatione cum alii ftdi effent, An- titypi eis qui fuper eos effent, aliud tertium deformafTe coe- tum : Et a tertio deorfum dcfcendentium quartum, & dein- ceps fecundum eum modum, alteros & alteros principcs, & angelos faftos efTc dicunt, Sc coelos ccclxv. Quaprop- ter & tot dies habere annum fecundum numerum coelorum. Idem, ibid. p. 101. • q Carpocrates autem, Sc qui ab co, mundum quidem &
iafl
OF THE Trinity.^ 345
laft the apoftle John Icvel'd the proem of his gofpel,) adopted this notion. The Gnoftics who fucceeded them, grafted, if it could be, greater abfurdities upon it. It would be fruit- lefs to enter into a detail of their nonfenfc and contradidions, but this was a prevailing notion among them, that the upper world had a dif- ferent author from the lower. This, in all probability, made the apoflle, after he had po- fitively told us, that all things were made by God the Word, to add, without him not one {ingle thing was made. If all things were made by God the Word, and nothing came into be- ing without him, it is impoflible he fhould be a created derived being, as the Arians fuppofc him> foriffo, hemufl makehimfelf, oratleafl niuft a6b in a way of m.iniftration to the Father, in making himfelf, w^hich is grofly abfurd. The Socinian expofition of the place, that all things relating to the new creation, or the gofpel difpenfation, were done by Chrift, is fo ex- tremely filly and unnatural, that it needs no confutation, and fcarce deferves mention.
Another fcripture, which proves Chrift to be properly Creator, we find in the apoftle Paul's epiftle to the ^Coloflians. ^' Who is the image of the invifible God, the firflborn be- fore all creation, for by him were all things
ca quae in eo funt, ab angelis multo inferioribus Ingenito Patre faiftum eile dicunt Idem, ibid. c. 25. p. 103.
' Et Cerinthus quidem in Alia, non a primo Deo fadlum cfTe mundam docuit, fed a Virtute quadam valde feparata, Sc diftante ab ea principalitate, quae eft fuper univerfa, & ignorante eum qui ell fuper omnia Deum. Idem, ibid. c. 26. p. 105:.
O5 ifiv uKm rS Qiou uo^ocra^ TTfuivreK^^ W(r>}5 x'na-iej^ •
7?e fpasTW jc: m ««)«t*, h ts ^^sm lit r« xypjcV^Tj?, tt n eip^xi,
createdj
'$4-6 The true Scripture Doctrine
created, that are in heaven, and that are on earth, vifible and invifiblc, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers J all things are created by him, and for him, and he is before all things, and by him all things confifl." This is a noble and elegant defcription of the power put forth by God the Son, in creation : He Ms firftborn before eve- ry creature, and the reafon is, " by him all things were created, both things nigh and fub- jeft to our view, and things remote and invili- ble y not only the earth and all its inhabitants, the vifible world and its fulnefs, and rational creatures of a lower rank 5 but the heaven, and all its glorious inhabitants, from the lovvefl:, to the higheft orders, whether they are angels or archangels, whether they are cherubs orferaphs, whether they are thrones or dominions, whe- ther they are principalities or powers, all re- ceived their being from the Son : As he v/as their firft caufe, to bring them into being out of nothing, fo he is their laft end, for all things were created for him, or for the manifefling his gloiy. As he is before all things, fo they depend on him for their prefervation, for by him all things confift. Accordingly the apoftle % in another place, has defcribed Chriil as " up- holding all things by the word of his power. " By him the creation is kept from finking into nothing, out of which he brought it: He pre- ferves it from fplitting and brealcing in pieces,
>Tvi i^i 7!^ Trunm >^ tk Ttearcc u tturai cvn^nM. Colof . i. 1 5, 16, 17.
' See above chap. I. p. 168, log.
" See Dr. Waterhnd's Sermons, p. 60, 61.
and
OF THE Trinity. 347
and he knits all things together, which other- wife would inevitably tumble into a chaos of confufion.
The Arians plead ^, in oppoGtion to the ar- gument for Chrifl being Creator, drawn from thofe texts > that what we tranflate, " by him," fhould be tranflated, " through him 5" that it denotes the Son to be only the Father's mini- flcrj and that it is ufed, to dillinguiih the ope- ration of the Son from that of theFatherj this, they pretend, is countenanced by thole y texts, which fay, " God created all things by Chrift/' But the prepofition d^tei ^, can never neceifari- ly imply this -, becaufe, as our adverfaries are
* Clarke's Script. Doft. p. 78, 79.
Jackfon's Reply, p. 6. 19. 184, 185, 186. 316, 317- 319, 320.
y To us there is one God, of whom are all things •—and one Lord Jefus Chrifl, by whom (^' a) are all things, i Cor. viii. 6.
God who created all things by Jefus Chrill, (^t<« ln<r«lv Xfic-ow) Eph. iii. 9.
By whom {^i ») he made the worlds, Heb. i. 2.
* The prepofition Ji^ is ufed in fcripture, and in facred and clalTic writers, in a fenfe which denotes the principal and not the inftrument, as may appear from the following quotations.
'E| ccurov, >^ ^i ccuroZf Koi «j§ uvrivy itc TtUvru, Rom. xi. ^6-
njf»5 0 €)so$, tfV a: iK^iiGririy i Cor. i. 9
IIctpa/ytAttfis ia}j>cXfXjiv h{My ^ot rov KvS/la Ijjo-et/, l ThefT. iv. 2.
T»)V KUMV TTUfUKUTOiSyiKiiV (pvA«|(JK cJioC UvlVf/ttXTQ* tC^tlti 2 Tim.
Ai ey Tfit TTccvTUy Heb. ii. lo.
vihic, Heb. vii. 20, 21.
'^x,7}i<rxfjciv 'uv6fuT6v ^It Kv^/m, Gen. iv- i.
'Eo{yr«5 i^cciAXivrM ku] is JV ifjuou ^f^ccv, Hof. viii. 4.
Ifai. XXX. I .
forced
348 The true Scripture Doctrine
forced to own, it is ufed of the Father, for it is faid with relation to him, '^ of him, " or *' through him are all things. " rThe phrafc, through him, is ufed of the Father, as well as of the Son, with refped to the work of crea- tion, and therefore it cannot be ufed to diftin- guifh the operation of the Son from that of the Father, feeing it is ufed of the Father himfelf, who is confeiTedly inferior, or fubordinate to none.
That our adverfaries may be taken off from gaining any advantage from perverting thofe texts, where the Father is faid to create all things by the Son, I fliall proceed to confider
'Eypai^v ^i)t (SccriMa^y Eflh. viii. 20.
Tloo^KTit ««< $cccriM(i)$ ouT6>^ UTiiiT^ o'lot v^o^ijriKov Tlvivf/zec- T^. Juftin. Martyr. Apol. i. c. 50. p. 78. Ed. Ox. p. 60. Ed. Thirlby. ^ ^ ,
'Oi x»( TT^oiixov ^!u, mivfjuxr^ QioZ. Theoph. ad Autolyc. Lib. I-^P-jS. Ed.Ox.^
no>i,X6iv UK^efjUiv oc^iA<pa)v — XoiXovvTuv d'lot roZ jryjc^AaT®- yXar- trttfi. Iren. Lib. V. c. 6. p. 299. Ed. Ben.
Su cu xfuri^i l^cciriMv QtoHa-ii -« Trda-ctv iztia-KyiTete i^try.v Jjee Biou. Sozomen. praef. p. 321. Ed. Vales.
'Oi cC7tx)<ioXoi J^k row KVf^is ifJuSv Irja-oZ Xp<fot; s*»pt^|«v. Epift.
Syn. Arim. apud Socrat. Hill:. Ecclef. Lib. IL c. 37. p. 113. Ettu wv TTccvriq — yitnTiv 's^or, Atys* Trfo^ ccCrtiCi 0 TiOt re Xciv
iuioZ yivef^ec a Avt«, if/toZ ys B-iXevro^. ol' ifjtfu redurct ytvo-
lAttvx x«* /S;» fjuiTu^ovret, $-jc<5 urxl^piT civ. Plato inTimaeo, Vol. 3. p. 41. Ed. Steph. p. 1054. Ed. Francof.
Tcif ^109 iv»eix, ^' »5 iXivti^uv tmk WoAin retvrnv oiKoZfjjiv,
Bionyf. Halicarnaf. Antiquit. Lib. VIII, c. 26. p. 481. Ed. Oxon.
'O LH^t//^ —' tovro eiuTv ro tt^utov \yK.>^vifjiice, roiufhivoqy on >? K«fioJV ^ tKiivov rv-^^v ow rcc «-p«5 ii^oyinr ccvt^ B-uxxivefjjXi ', Idem, ibid. c. 31. p. ^86.
'Ex rx7:M\i /ii/sy«5 ^x tk5 ^m jy^fj^"- Idem, ibid. c. 33. p. 4S7.
To) T TruvTOii xetTf] 0io, tu f»p xr^nhciX di eturov ^vev JTojtJJ
iinuoTXTot h. Philo. de Mundi Opificio, p. 1 6. Ed. Lipf.
z fomr
9F THE TrINITV^ ^9
fome paflages offcripture, where creation is im- mediately attributed to the Son. The fortieth chapter of Ifaiah mufl, » as has been proved, be underllood of Chrift -, there he is reprefented as the immediate Creator J ^ " Who has meafured the waters in the hollow of his hand? and meted out heaven with a fpan? and comprehended the dufl of the earth in a mcafure ? and weigh'd the mountains in fcales, and the hills in a ba- lance ? — To whom will you liken me, and to whom ihall I be equal, faith the holy one? Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who has created thefe things, that brings out their hoft: by number, he call'd them all by names, in the greatnefs of his might, for that he is ilrong in power, not one fails. **
The fame is declared in ftronger terms, « in the forty fifth chapter, the latter part of which the apoftle Paul has apply'd to Chriflj " Thus faith Jehovah, that created the heavens, God himfelfthat formed the earth, and made it, he has eftabliihcd it > he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited, I am Jehovah, there is none elfe." He whom the Jews were to pierce, and confequently Chriil, has declared himfelf, by the mouth of the prophet ^ Zecha- riah, to be, "Jehovah who ftretches forth the heavens, and lays the foimdation of the earth, and forms the fpirit of man within him, " See- ing Chrift is Jehovah, befides whom there is none elfe, who himfelf formed, whofc right
* See above chap. III. p. 241, &c.
* Ifaiah xl. 12. 25, 26.
* Ifaiah xlv. 18. comp. v. 23. & Rom. xiv. 11. See above, chap. III. p. 244.
^ Zech. xii. i. comp. v. 10. John xix, 37, See above, chap. HI. p. 247, 248.
band
5 50 The true Scripture Doctrine
hand fpan'd the heavens, who created the earth, and comprehends it as it were in a meafure, weighing the mountains, and holding the wa- ters, who has made all the inhabitants of the lower world, and formed the immortal fpirit of man within him -, it can never with any jullice be pretended, that he is creator only in an in- ferior fenfe, but he muft properly be the Former of all things, the almighty maker of the uni- verfe.
I fhall produce one fcripture more to prove Chrift to be properly Creator, againft which our adverfaries have not room to play the artil- lery of their vain criticifms > becaufe, as <= others have obferv'd, there are none of the prepofiti- ons, in, and, thro', to labour with. It is in the apoftle Paul's epiftle to the ^ Hebrews. ^' To the Son he fays, thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever, — and thou. Lord, in the beginning, haft laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the works of thy hands. " Thefe words, taken from the Pfalms, are as plain and exprefs, in aflerting Chrift to have laid the foundations of the earth 5 and with his own hands to have form'd the heavens, as words can be, and they will ftand the teft againft all that the wit and dexterous fubtilty of men can invent, to overturn Chrift's creative powers. Some g have been bold and foolifh enough to infinuate, that they have been added to the text i but as this conjefture has not one copy,
• See Dr. Waterland's Sermons, p. 62, 63, 64. ^ ^
' ngj5 rot hioVf 0 ©fo^v^ cts, 6 ©«a?, 6*5 Toy ectam toZ IciZvoi—'
<rov um in oopciyo*. Heb. i. 8, lo.
8 See a Socinian pamphlet, call'd, the Judgment of the Fathers, p. 30.
nor
OF THE Trinity; 351
nor one verfion to back it, it is fit only to be fcorned. The Socinians ^ would have this place meant of a moral reformation, figuratively call'd creations but this notion is too filly to be de- fended. The ^ Arians tell us that thefe words, fpokeof God, by the Pfalmift, and applied thus to the Son, by the apoftle, are a paraphrafe on what was faid in the beginning of the chapter 5 " thro' whom he made the worlds : '* If fo, then they fiiew, there is no inferiority or in- equality, between the Father and the Son. So that our adverfaries have nothing to fay, unlefs poffibly the words may be intended, as a de- fcriptlon of the immutability of the Father, for a confirmation and aflurance of what is declared, that Chrift's kingdom fhall ever laft. But thefe words are moft certainly meant of the Son, and I cannot fee, how a defcription of the Father's immutability, coming in abruptly, can be any confirmation of what is before faid of Chriftj whereas a defcription of Chrifl's immutability, is a very proper confirmation of what is decla- red, of his throne being for ever and ever.
Upon the whole, it is certain, from the entire tenor of divine revelation, that the great God has no partner in the v/ork of creation : It is likewife certain, that Ghrill, as well as the Fa- ther, is the creator of all things > therefore Chrift is, with the Father, the one almighty creator, and maker of all things, vifible and in- vifible.
The antient.chriftian ^writers, who lived before the Arian times, in the fulleft terms de-
^ Vid. Enjedin. p. 393, 394. * Clarke's Script. Doft. p. 81. *• Vfoi ecuT^ Kcc] Ji' uurod tk, Tmvret'ivo^ o»r(^ raw ^fltrpoS J«ft»
r^v ytey, Athenag. Apol c. 9. p. 38. Ed. Ozon.
z clare.
3 52 The true Scripture Doctrine
clare, that Chrift is truly and properly creator.^ Arius, at his firll fetting out, and afterwards Eunomius and x^etius, roundly aflcrted Chrift to be a creature j but a created Creator was fo fhocking to the ears of Chrillians, that the Arians, even when the civil power was on their fide, were forced to foftcn the matter, and to deny the Son to be a creature, and even to ^ thunder out anathema's againft fuch as affirm'd
*0 Aoy(^ ct'jTvi iuvr^ Tijy vM* ^aiJUHt^yi^a-uii. Tatian. c. 8. p. 22. Ed. Ox.
Acy<^ •iy'^/i'Km ^fjuiatyoi; ^vsrui. Idem, c. lo. p. 26.
Atyu (fc. 'IcjKrjyii) toutov fjt/cvoytiijy toZtov ttccvtuv 7r6it)-
^v — TcvTot i(J<rfJi/ii TToiijTTjVf TouTov ii<; m ko\a. jAjjAw^sVcs. Ire- naeus, Lib. I c. 9. p. 44. Ed. Ben.
j!ro;9)77jy Acyov tou Qioo. Idem, ibid. c. 15. p. 79.
'O r uTreciTuv rsx,viTf]^ Aoyo?. Idem, Lib. III. c. 11. p. 190. Fabricator omnium Verbum. Idem, ibid. c. 22. p. 219. Fabricator univcrforum Dei Verbum. Idem, Lib.V. c.12.
P- 307-
Mundi fadlor vere Verbum Dei eft. Idem, ibid. c. 1 8.
P- 3*5-
'O Aoyo<; -— to Tu TTxyrx ^i^nfj^jiisytrxt. Clemens Al. Co- hort, c. I. p. 9. Ed. Ox.
'Evf/iTTccvTeJv &iov iycc f/Jyo* uvxi — aV.^ia^yoi — hic9 ci jrarp?. Idem, Paedag. Lib. I. c. 8. p. 142.
Hccvrec 6 Atyoc, ttcih — ovtc(; tw o>.ct cnujiev^yu — o-jrot; —-o rev n^o-f/tov kxI tgZ oCv^^cii,7cv otif/^iov^yci. Idem, ibid. Lib. III.
C 12. p. 310.
*0 Aoyo^ hifji^iov^yixi ccineq. Idem, Strom. Lib. V. c. 2. p- 654.^ ^ ^
Evi^yti 0 ©£95 SwTJjp — M "T^p oA&'ii «p;^'. Idem, ibid. c. 6.
Top Aoyoi 'KiTtoifiKiyxi TrxvrXy c<rx 0 rrxryip xvtu inrii>MTa. Origen. c Celfum. Lib. II. p. 63. Ed. Cant.
*0 ^nfjt/iov^yoi 6 Ao'ye?. 0 TToiTjrii'i 7&v c^av. Eufeb. in Pfalm, p. 125. Ed. Montf.
Tot Tur oiirxvro)9 yivijTiov^yof n, kxi TrottiTTiv. (De Chrifto loquitur) Idem, dc laud. Conftant. c. 14. p. 536, Ed. Par.
^ See the Arian creeds recorded by Athanafms, (opp. Vol. I. p. 895, 896. 900. Ed. Par.) and by Sgcrates, (liift, Ecclef. Lib.IL c. 10. p. 73. Ed. Par.)
OP THE Tr I N I T Y. 353
it. As no caufe, that is not of God, can Hand long, fo the darknefs of this herefy, which, for fome time, overfpread the world, was foon fcatter'd before the prevaiHng Hght of truth ; and nothing contributed more t^.t^s, than the argument drawn from Chrift's Being Creator.
Our modern Arians "^, that they may feeni not to incur the guilt of making Chrifl a crea- ture, have invented a new notion of a creature > they fay, a creature is fomething brought into being, by the power of the Word, adling in fubordination to the will of the Father > this they arrogantly call the fcripture notion j but the fcripture notion of a creature is, fomething brought into being out of nothing, by the im- mediate power of the almighty God. So that this new and whimfical notion of a created be- ing, which they would obtrude upon us, as the fcripture notion, is an inv^ention of their own, contrived to prop up feebly a ruin'd and defpe- rate caufe.
If we bear in mind, that Chrifl is truly and properly creator of all things, wefhall be moved by every thing, in the creation, which we view with our eyes, or contemplate with our minds, to have high thoughts of him. ^ If we turn our eyes to the fpacious regions of the sky, we fhall fee that they declare his glory > and if
"* See Jackfon's Colledion of Queries, p. 60.
" I doubt not but every lover of true politenefs will par- don me, for inferting here, tho' it be fomething long, the foUov^ring admirable hymn, of that incomparable poet Pope Urban the eighth, who has, in all his compofures, fhew'd, how the true dignity of poetry may be preferved by propriety of thought, without the falfe ornaments, which perfons of little judgment ufe to trick it up. The hymn feems to be direded to our God and Saviour Chrift Jefus, but it certainly may be apply'd to him, as he is creator of all.
A a we
3 54 The true Scripture Doctrine
we look into the great fpace expanded over our heads, we fliall lee evident footfleps of his handy-work j the numerous ftars that garnifh. the cope of heaven, proclaim their great origi- nal. If we look to the fun, that glorious foun- tain of light and heat, we fliall fee reafon to ad- mire the power of him, who prepared a taber- nacle for it, to convey its influences to all the planets that move about it. If we view the planetary chorus, that with regular motion dance round it, we cannot but admire the wifdom of Chrill who made them, who nicely adjufted their diftances, that they might not difturb one another's motion, and who enables them uniformly to perform their feveral revolutions:
Arbiter omiiipotens, rerum fuprema poteftas,
Cujus ab aeterno dependent omnia nutu,
Labra mihi rei'era, vocemque refolve canenti,
Ut mea lingua tuae delibet laudis honores :
Tu fine principio fueras, femperque fuifti,
Quique es Temper eris, regum ter maximus, idem
Optimus, atque tuum regnum non defmet unquam :
Omnia tu fapiens nofli, potes omnia quae vis :
Te nihil ante fuit, terras, mare, fidera, coelum,
Quaeque fuo claudit gyro, tua fola voluntas
Ex nihilo eduxit, fieri fimul annuit, atque . ]
Protinus extat opus, patuit tunc lucidus aether.
En rofeis invefta rotis aurora diei
Nuncia praecurrit r?.dios, quibus aureus ambit
Sol maris immenfos tradlus, quos undique terras
Protenfis late fpatiis ampleftitur orbis :
Hire faiiunt colles, illinc fafti-iia tollunt
Aerii montes, falebris riget ardua rupes,
Labunturque vagi per prata virentia rivi,
Ac tumidi volvunt parvis e fontibus orti,
Spumantes undas fluvii, pontique frementi !
Gurgite fe mifcent, qua plangunt litora flu6lus.
Nee tamen excedunt politos in margine fines:
Coeruleum per iter vcloci carbaia motu
Vcntus agit, pnnd.ifquc rates ac tonfa triremem
Dum crebro refluas idlu ferit acquoris undas.
It
OF THE TrINITY.^ 355
It was his almighty arm, that iirfl: flung forth thofe vail bodies, which have been kept from following the propenfity of their natural gra- vity, to fall to their centre, by the proje6l:ile force imprefs'd upon them by his powerful hand.
If we come nearer home, and take a furvey of the earth on which we live, we fhall fee in it fuch footfteps of skill, power, and contri- vance, as cannot but call for our wonder, love, and praife, to Chrift that has framed it, and adorn'd it, and may keep us from degrading thoughts of him who has eftablifh'd it. It is he .has enrich'd it with the beautiful and ufcful
Quis varios memoret fquamofa examina pifces,
Inclufofque rudis praeduro tegmine teftae,
Cruftaceumque genus pelagique natantia monftra ? \
Ut juvat infidias illis hamove parare,
Aut nafTa per aquas nantes dum pabula quaerunt ? 7
Cernimus e fcopulis evulfa corallia ramos
Quae pandunt, minioque nitent difFufa rubenti :
Succina miramur, qu^e Sarmata prom it ab undis,
Miramur niveo conchas candore corufcas,
Quas dives Bengala fuo de littore mittit :
At dudum mea mens, liquidum fpatiata per aequor,
Evehitur levi fublata per aera motu
In vacuas oras, avium quas turba volatu
Hue illuc peragfant, aquilae fe regia profert
Qua reliquis praeftat fpecies, aufuque fuperbit,
Seu praedae rtudio, pugnae vel am ore feratur :
Sic aliae pugnant do6lae venantis in ufum
Nam rapidis alis feftantur, & unquibus urgent
Segnem, quae fugit, aut roftro generofa refiftit:
Pennigerum plures cicurum, multaeque ferarum
Dulcia divitibus praebent obfonia menfis :
Obleftant aliae fuavis modulamine voci^
Attonitas aures, miros philomela canendo
Ingeminat variatque modos, feu fundat acutum
Submiflbve fono concentum, five moretur,
Autproperans iteret diverfos gutture^ flexus :
Et roftro referens humvanae verba loquelae
A a 2 variety,
5 56 The true Scripture Doctrine
variety of land and fea, plains and rivers, hills and vallics, trees and flowers, corn and fruit, lliady groves and chryftal fprings, painted mea- dows and purling Itreams. All plants, from the towering forell trees, whofe waving tops Ihade the mountains brow, and the trees which glilkr with all manner of pleallint fruit, to the mofs that creeps along the wall, may bear wit- ncfs agaihfl: us, if we are for Icflening him, who caufes them to fpring out of the earth ; as may likewife the corn, with which the vallies ftand thick, and the grafs that covers the hills. Eve- ry thing that raifes pleafure in our imagination, ought to raife our ideas of the Son of God^
Pfittacus appelkt dominum, puerofque falutat, Iratufquc tVcmens adlUnti jurgia, dicit, Scu blandum loquitur, gratam cum porrigit efcam. Dant aliae galeis Sc equino in vcrtice crillas, Hac virides, iliac croceas, albafque, nigrafquc, Cocrulcas, fulvas, Sc rubro murice tin6las Artiiici praeilant commiiTas undique plumas. Quae jundla varies aptant compagc colores, Et referunt piftas natlva ab imagine formas. Divite pennarum pavo fibi cycladc plaudit : Dat querulos gemitus viduatus conjuge turtur. Stagna colunt anates, velox petit ardca nubes ; Has vapor agglomerat, folis quern vivida virtus Elicit humentes gravida telluris ab alvo : Nafcitur hinc vcntus, feu blandac fpiritus aurae Aera quae tenucm perflat, coelumquc fcrenat. Hinc pluvii verno labuntur tempore rores, lUinit hinc pratis albentes bruma pruinas, Et nivibus montes tegit, Sc rig.it imbribus agros. Quam pulcram referunt radiantia fidera pompam ; Dum luda ducunt hilarcs in nocfle choreas ! Quis ccleres lunae curfus, folifque meatus Explicit ? hinc oritur Icries, & temporis ordo : Pomifer autumnus, florens ver, torridus aeftu Cancer, & algcnti caper additus arbiter horae Ulque vices mutant ; donee novus appetat annu5, Qui fua per tritum repecit velUgia callcm.
whether
OF THE Trinity. 357
whether it be the beautiful variety of flowers that adorn the garden, or the gay enamel that paints the meadow, or the curious drapery that veils the grove. All the tribes of living crea- tures proclaim his greatnefs : He has made the mighty elephant, the noblefl: of brute creatures, gentle and harmlefs, and fit for the ufe of man 5 he enables the lyon to hunt his prey , and has beautified the leopard with curious (pots 5 he has given the horfe ftrength, and cloathed his neck with thunder 5 he has made the ox ftrong to labour, and has ovcrfpread the paftures with flocks of fheep > by his wifdom the hawk flies, and at his command the eagle towers on high, and builds his neft in the craggy rock j he has given a beautiful train to the peacock, and graceful feathers to the oflrichj he has fiird
Sic homines, pecudumque grcges, armenta, ferafque
Foetus alit terrae & fervat fpirabilis aer
Omnibus unus amor, focia cum compare jundlum
Conjugii foedus celebrant, fobolcmque propagant.
Humanae parere jubes haec omnia menti,
Quam penes arbitrium ftatuis, fator optime rerum,
Aut vefci velit, aut operis ferviiibuo uii,
Pellere feu frigus, villofae pellis amidlu.
Candida nee defunt lini, nee munera lanac,
Nee qui fe tcnuans orditur (lamina bombyx.
Quam bonus es coeli reclor ! tua dextera campos
Fecundat fegetum donis, dat vitibus uvas,
Dat haccas oleis, apibufqucliquentia mella
Butyrum armentis prcfTique coagula laftis,
Floribus ornat agros, & laeti graminis herba
Planitiem, colles, & montes germine veftit,
Lataque pomiferis replet viridaria plantis,
Ac decorat lauris, & myrti frondibus hortos :
Serpillum areolas & mollis amaracus ambit.
Quae cinarum & marathrum fundunt, menthamquc cro-
cumque, Cinnama cum granis piperis, quod fercula condit ; Balfama cum ftyracis guttis, myrrhaeque iiquore
A a 5 the
3 5 8 The true Scriptur Doctrine
the groves with variety of birds of fong, who in their unartificial notes, with an agreeable melody, chant forth their Maker's praife. In the great deep his wonders are feen, he has made the huge whale that plays in the mighty wa- ters, and has replenifh'd the fea with innume- rable creatures of the finny race.
If we regard our felves, we cannot but fay, we are fearfully and wonderfully made 5 there- fore when we confider the exquifite art, and confummate workmanfliip, that is laid out in the formation of our bodies, much more when
Dat felix oriens, Sc odori munera thuris.
Quid loquar artis opus, feu ducat molliter aera,
Cudere feu libeat fpiranti e marmore figna
Vel miro tabulas telafque animare colore;
Belgica feu jaftet pi6lis aulaea figuris, ^;!
Quae textu vario fulgcns interlinit aurum,
Exprimat aut chartis quod nulla obliteret aetas,
Intentique legant ventura in faecla nepotes ?
Non ego gemmarum fpeciem, lapidumque decorem,
Non chalybum quod alit tellus, celatque metallum
Aeris, & argeati, nee maiTam divitis auri
Perfequar, & quicquid medicae vim fufficit arti ;
Omnibus his hominem ditas, nihil utile quod fit
Deficit, aut poffit jucundum optare voluptas.
Cardinalis Barberini, feu Urbani VIII. Poemata, p. 194—* 199. Ed. Paris, 1642. fol. Carmin. illult. poet. Ital, Vol. II. p. 29.
Chrifte potens, alto proles aequaeva parenti,
Prono fupercilio qui regis aflro tuo. Arbiter annorum, gemini fabricator Olympi.
Tu pcdibus mundi pondera vafta premis. Tuque jubes Phaebum radiantes luce quadrigas
Ducere, & optatum celfa per arva diem : Tuque jubes Lunam unicos agitare jugales,
Et cum fidereo fulgere no6te choro, Tu valida fraenas lege irreparabile tempus
Et rcrum varias conditor ufque vices : Cogis & hibernos curfu properare citato,
Cogis Sc aefUvas tardius ire dies :
wc
OF THE Trinity.' 359
we confider the nobler part oFour conftitution, our immortal fouls, we fhould caufe our tongues, the glory of our frame^ to be employ'd in found- ing forth the praifcs of the Son of God,
H we go one Ifep farther, and raife our con* templations to the world of Spirits, the more •we think on the little we know, of the adivity and power of thofe bright intelligences, thofe minifters of the court of heaven, which excel in ftrength, the more we fhall fee of the glory of Chrilt, whofe workmanfhip they are.
The argument drawn from the order and beauty of the creation, is good to prove the wifdom and power of the author of nature, againft Atheills, and the fame may to us, who
Induis ac nivibus brumali lidere montes,
Et viduas vividi frondis honore nemus : Et tu multiplici variorum flore colorum,
Foecundam verno tempore pingis humum : Et tu dum rabida findit face Sirius orbem,
Flavere auratis meffibus arva jubes : Tuque rubefcenti rofeis diademate baccis
Pomorum neftis tempora laeta patris. Tu gregibus campos, tu pifcibus aequora, tUrbae
Aera das volucri, frondea tefta feris.
Jacobus Gaddius, Poem. Lib. I. p. 25, 26.
Seu pafcit hortus lumina Florum colore gemmeo, Seu fons fufurrans vitreis Deleftat undis illico Vox furgat in laudes Dei. Sol, Luna, fulgor fiderum, Lapfus perennes amnium, Formofa filva, frugibus Ager redundans, omnia Quaecunque cerno maximam San6ti beati numinis Benignitatem cernere, Manuque tradlare faciant.
M. Antonius Flamini-us Carm. Sac. p. 84, 85. Ed.Flor. 12"^°.
A a 4 enjoy
360 The true Scripture Doctrine
enjoy, the light of revelation, ferve to aggran- dize the eternal Son of God. I fhall therefore end this chapter, with adapting to his praife, a hymn framed in honour of the Creator of the world, by our incomparable Milton, as noble a genius for poetry, as ever appeared in the world.
Thcfe are thy glorious works, author of good !
Almighty ! thine this univerfal frame,
This wonderous fair 3 thy fclf how wonderotis
then ! Unfpeakable ! who fitt'ft above thefe heavens To us invifible or dimly feen In thefe thy lowed works : Yet thefe declare Thy goodnefs beyond thought, and pow'r divine. Speak ye who bell; can tell ye fons of light. Angels for ye behold him, and with fongs And choral fymphonics, day without night, Circle his throne rejoicing, ye in heaven. On earth join all ye creatures to extol Himfirfl:, himlafl, him midft, and without end ! Faireft of flars, laft in the train of night. If better thou belong not to the dawn, Sure pledge of day that crown'il the fmiling
morn With thy bright circlet, praife him in thy fphere, While day arifes that fweet hour of praife. Thou fun of this great world both eye and foul, Acknowledge him thy greater, found his praife In thy eternal cotirfc, both when thou climb'fl, And when hi^h noon haft cain'd, and when thou
Moon that now meet'ft the orient fun, now fly'fl : And ye five other wandering fires, that move In myftic dance not without fong, refound His praife, who out of darknefs call'd up light.
Air,
OF THE Trinity.' 361
Air, and ye elements, the eldeft birth Of natures womb, that in quaternion run Perpetual circle, multiform j and mix And nourifh all things, let your ceafelcfs change Vary to our great Maker ilill new praife. Ye mifts and exhalations that now rife From full or ftreaming lake, dusky or grey. Till the fun paint your fleecy skirts with gold. In honour to the world's great author's rife j Whether to deck with clouds the uncolour'd sky Or wet the thirfty earth with falling fhowers, Rifing or falling ftill advance his praife. His praife, ye winds that from four quarters blow. Breath fofc or loud j and wave your tops, ye pines, With every plant, in fign of worfhip, wave : Fountains, and ye that warble, as ye flow, Melodious murmurs, warbling tune his praife : Join voices, all ye living fouls, ye birds. That flnging up to heavens gate afcend, Bear on your wings, and in your notes, his praife : Ye that in waters glide, and ye that walk The earth, or ilately tread, or lowly creep : Witnefs if I be filent, morn or even. To hill, or valley, fountain, or frefh fhade Made vocal by my fong, and taught his praife.
CHAR
S6z The true Scripture Doctrine
CHAP. VIIL
Chrift's Divinity proved, from his behaviour here on earth.
U R blefled Redeemer, when he carnc down to our lower world on the mer- ciful errand of working out our fal- vation, and for that end aflumed our flefh, took on him all the Unlefs infirmities of our human nature. As he came to lay down his life a facrifice for fin, it would have been inconfiftent with his defign, to have unveiled all the glories of his Godhead y for had he de- clared himfelf all along to be God, and a6bed as fuch, who would have had the infolence, or the power to have apprehended, and executed him as a malefadtor. However, though Chrifl, for the mofl part, chofe to veil the glories of his Deity, yet at times, he gave evidence of what he was : This the apoflle John has afiured us of j ' " We beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, " And in ano- ther place, having related Chrift's firft miracle of turning water into wine, he has added, ^ " Je- fus fhew'd forth his glory, and his difciples be- lieved in him." Thefe pafi^ages entirely fub- vert the notion, of the divine nature of Chrifl being wholly quiefcent, during his miniftry on earth, which fome ^ have entertained. Since his difciples, on feeing the miracle of turning wa-
* John i. 14. ^ John ii. 11.
^ See Bennet on the Trinity, chap. 8, 9.
See this more fully confuted by the learned Mr. Stephens, in his S(,rmon oa the union of the two natures in Chrift, p. 17—31.
tcr
OF THE Trinity. 361
ter into wine, acknowledged his glory, and be- lieved in him 5 and llnce they law the glory of the Word, as of the Son of God, whillt he dwelt in fleih among them^ it is impofTible to fuppofe a quiefcence of the word fo total, ^ that the difciples did not believe that Chrift was more than a mere man, conducled and afliiled by the fpirit of God ; nay fo total, ^ that the whole courfe of our Saviour's wonderful a61:ions, affords not the fmalleft intimation of his having a divine nature.
One argument for Chrifl's Divinity from his behaviour on earth, may be taken from his me- thod of teaching. The prophets always intro- duced their meffages with, " thus faith the Lord 5 " but when Chrifl refcued the precepts of the moral law, from the corrupt gloUcs of the Scribes and Pharifees, he founded the rein- forcement of the ftatutes, which had been cor- rupted, on his own authority, introducing his injundlions with ^ " I fay to you. " Such a way of talking would have been infolent in the mod dignified creature, and from ChrilVs ufing it, who was the moft perfect pattern of humi- lity, we may fafely conclude, that he is the fo- vereign lawgiver, whofe commands are incon- trollable. When he, who to appearance was a mean man, a carpenter, thus taught as one having authority, no wonder that his hearers were aftonifhed s at his doftrine, his word, that was ^ in power.
Another thing that proves Chrift's Divinity, may be drawn from the abfolute promifes he
•• Bennet, ibid. p. 90. ^ Bennet, ibid. p. 94, 9^.
lat. V. 22. 28. 32. 34. 39. 44 s Mat. vii. 28, 29. ^ Luke iv. 24
made
3<54 The true Scripture Doctrine
made to his followers, fuch as thefe ♦, ^^ ^ Ask and it fhall be given you, fcek and you ihall find, knock and it iliall be opened to you. ^ He that loles his life for my fake, ihall find it. ^ Come to me all you that labour, and I will give you reft; take my yoke upon you, and you ihall find reft for your fouls. "^ On this rock will I build my church, and the gates of hell fhall not prevail againft it. " He that has forfaken houfes, or land, for my fake, fhall in- herit eternal life. ° Whatfoever you fhall ask in prayer, believing, you fhall receive. P He that fhall humble himfelf, fhall be exalted. i Who- foever fhall give you a cup of cold water, be- caufe you belong to Chrift, I fay to you he ihall not lofe his reward. ^ Whofoever drinks of the water that I fhall give him, fhall never thirft, but it fhall be in him a well of water, fpringing up to eternal hfe, ^He that hears my word, fhall not come into condemnation, but is pafs'd from death to life. ^ The dead ihall hear the voice of the Son of God, and they that hear fhall live. " I am the bread of life, he that comes to me fhall never hunger, and he that believes in me, fhall never thirft. If any man eat of this bread, he fliall live for ever, and I will raife him up at the laft day. ^ If a man keep my faying, he fhall never fee death. ^ I give my iheep eternal life, and they ihall never periih, neither ihall any pluck them out of my hand, y I will come again, and receive you to my felf, that where I am, you may be.
' Mat. vii. 7. ^ Mat. x. 39. ^ Mat. xi. 28, 29.
"* Mat. xvi. 18. " Mat. xix. 29. " Mat. xxi. 22.
P Mat. xxiii. 12. '^ Mark ix. 41. ^ John iv. 14.
<■ John V. 24. ^ John v. 25. " John vi. 35, 51, 54. ^ John viii. ci. * John x. 28. > John xiv. iii.
Z ^If
OF THE Trinity. ^6$
«^ If I depart, I will fend the Comforter to you." To which many more might be added. This fort of language belongs not to a creature j one who has his being from God, and depends on his good pleafure, for the continuance of it, can never promife, that he will beftow fpiritual blef- fings : Therefore, fince Chrift promifed, in the days of his flefh, that he would give all fpi- ritual blefTings, nay eternal life, he manifefted himfelf to be the great God, who quickens whom he will.
One thing in our Saviour's conduft, greatly manifefted his divine nature, and that was the power he aflumed to forgive fins. A moft emi- nent inftance we have of this, in the account of Chrift's healing the paralytic. ^ " Some came to him, bringing one fick of the palfy, who was borne oF four, and when they could not come nigh to him for the prefs, they untiled the roof where he was > and v/hen they had un- covered it, they let down the bed, where the paralytic lay, [before Jefus,] when Jefus faw their faith, he faid to the fick man. Son, [be of good cheer,] thy fins are forgiven thee : But there were certain of the Scribes fitting there, and reafoning in their hearts, why does this man fpeak blafphemy? who can forgive fins, but God only? and immediately, when Jefus per- ceived, in his fpirit, that they fo reafoned with- in themfelves, he faid to them, why reafon you thefe things in your hearts ? Which is eafiefl, to fay to this fick man, thy fins are forgiven thee, or to fay, arife and walk ? But that you may know, that the Son of man has power on
* John xvi. 7.
I Mark ii. 3—12, Matth. ix. 1—8. Luke v. 18—2.6.
earth.
366 The true Scripture DocTkiNE
earth to forgive fins, (he faid to the lick man,) Arife, take up thy bed, and go thy way to thy own houfej and immediately he rofe, took up his bed, and went forth before them all, [glo- rifying God,] and they were all amazed, and glorified God, faying, we never faw any thing like this. " The Jewilli Scribes were certainly in the right, that it belongs only to God to forgive (ins, for as they are ^ committed againft him, and him only, he, and he alone, can for- give them 5 therefore, finceChrift could autho- ritatively ^ forgive fin, it follows, that he is God. Some pretend, that Chriii: only forgave fins declarativcly, or that he declared what was revealed to him, concerning the remiffion of the lick man's fins j but this is a bold contradidjon to fcripture, for our Lord afiured them that murmur'd at what he faid, ^ that he had power, or right, to forgive fins > and he proved this from his power to reilore fi:rength to the limbs, that had long loft their ufe. It is plain then, that our Lord Jefus Chrift had power, or right, to forgive fin, which is God's prerogative, fromi
^ Bene igitur Verbum ejus ad hominem dicit, " Remit- tantur tibi peccata tua. " Idem ille in quern peccaveramus in initio RemiiTionem peccatorum in fine donans. — Pec- cata igitur remittens, hominem quidem curavit, feipfum au- tem manifelle oftendit quis elTet. Si enim nemo poteil re- mittere peccata nifi folus Deus ; remittebat autem haec Do- mirius & curabat homines ; manifeftum, quoniam ipfe erat Verbum Dei filius hominis fadus, a Patre poteftatem remif- fionis peccatorum accipiens, quoniam homo, & quoniam Deus, ut quomodo Homo compafTus eft nobis, tanquam Deus mifereatur noftri, & remittat nobis debita noftra, qua« fadlori noilro debemus Deo. Irenaeus, Lib. V. c. 17. p. 313, 314. Ed. Ben.
*^ See ahb Luke vii. 47, 84.
whence
OF THE Trinity.^ 355
whence it follows, that he was God > and this proof of his divinity he gave in the days of his humiliation.
It appears from what our Lord faid, in jufli- fication of his right to forgive fins, that he would have his power of working miracles, taken as a proof of his divine nature > or to be equivalent to forgiving fins, which only God can do. As many miracles, the fame in kind with thofe our Saviour wrought, were perform- ed by his apoftles 5 I {hall not argue, from the works themfelves, that the worker mull: be God ; but from the manner in which they were performed. When the apoftles healed the fick, and caft out devils, they did it in the name of Chrift 5 but Chrift did his mighty works in a Godlike way, or in fuch a manner, as fhew'd his divine authority. When the le- prous man own'd his power, and faid > ^ " Lord if thou wilt, thou can'il: make me clean 5 *' he anfwer'd like a fovercign, " I will, be thou clean. " When he reftored blind men to fight, who profefs'd to believe he could do it ; he faid, ^" According to your faith, fo be it. " When he caft the Devil out of any, it was with a command, g " Come out of the man, thou un- clean fpiriti " or, ^ " be ftill, and come out. " The devils were forced to obey his command- ing voice, and as they knew him ^ to be the Son of the moft high, the holy one of God 5 they with fhuddcring horror faw and heard him, and worfhip'd him thro' fear, and entreated him not to infli6t fulnefs of torment on them before the time. Nay, in fuch fubjedion were
* Mat. viii, 2, 3. ^ Mat. ix. 31.
s Mark V. 8. ^ Marjc i. 25.
i Match, viii. 29. Mark i. 24. ii. 6, 7. Luke viii. 28. .n, they,
3 68 The true Scripture Doctrine they, that till he gave leave, they durft ^ not fo much as enter into a herd of fwine. When he reftored to life Jairus's daughter, it was with faying, ^ "Maid, I Giy to thee, arife." When he raifed from the dead the widow's fon of Nairn "^, it was by fuch another fovereign word. When he call'd Lazarus from the grave, and broke the bands of death, which had tied him down fevcral days, it was only by faying, " " La- zarus come forth." In fhort, if we were to confider all the wonders which our Lord wrought, whilil: he tabernacPd with men on earth, there is fomething fo divine in the man- ner of his working them, that we cannot but conclude, that he who wrought them muft be God.
If we confider the miraculous feeding ° of five thoufand with Rvc loaves, and two fmall fifhes i and the feeding P four thoufand with feven loaves, and a few fmall fifhes : The na- ture of this miracle Ihews the almighty power, and confequently the true Divinity otthe worker. Chrift who could encreafe a fmall quantity of provifions, and make it fufficient to fatisfy the defires of fo many thoufands, muft be the all- fufficient Creator, who can produce what he pleafes by his own power out of nothing.
There was one very remarkable miracle wrought by Chrift, which I ftiall confider j it is told in the fuUeft manner by the evangelift Mark. i " They took him^ as he was in the
^ Matth. viii. 31. Mark v. 12. Luke viii. 32. ' Marie V. 41. *" Luke vii. 14. " John xi. 43.
° Mat. 3civ. 1 5—2 1. Mark vi. 35—44. Luke ix. 12—17. John vi. 5—13.
P Matth. XV. 32—38. Mark viii. 1—9.
^ Mark iv. 36. 41 • See alfo M.^tih. viii. 23—27. Luke viii.
fhip,
OF THE TRINItr. ^69
fhip, and there were befides with him other lefs {hips, and there arofe a great ftorm of wind, and the waves beat into the fhip, fo that it was now full. And he was in the hinder part of the fhip afleep on a pillow, and they awaked him, and faid to him -y Mafter, careft thou not that we perifh? and he rofe, and rebuked the wir.d, and fiiid to the fea, peace, be ftill -, and there was a great calm. And he faid to them, why arc you fo fearful ? How comes it that you have no faith ? And they feared exceedingly, and faid one to another. What manner of man is this ? that even the wind and the fea obey him. " They might well wonder at w^hat they faw, for none could do what Chrift did, who was not pOiTefs'd of almighty power. He who with a look could lay the noiie of the blufter- ing wind, and who, with only faying, peace,. be flill, could fmooth the lowering hice of the tempeltuous deep, muft be the fame, who, by his powerful command, filcnced the noife of the priniitive chaos, and, by his word, raifed order and harmony, out of ruin and confu- iion.
Chrift's mighty works were performed in the view of the world, and were plain evidences of his divine miflion, and often not obfcure proofs of his divine nature j they were not done in a corner, but as one of the noble army of martyrs, in the firil age of the church, has ex- preiTed it, ^ ^' they were alv/ays feen, bcc ;ufe they were true : thofe v/ho were healed, and thofc who were raifed from the dead, were feen
' Tow SwT«f(^ itfjt/Zv TK spyfij oi.il fTftJf >5V * ccXijSii yap hv • et
TtlVOL^iVOt^ >^ etfl<^U[J!,iVOl, UXXU K, OCil TTCtO^iTZ^ ' «i^£ iTTih^jhra^
B b not
^70 The true Scripture Doctrine
not only at the time of their being heaPd, and raifed, but long after j nay they were feen noc only all the while our Saviour was upon earth, but furvived after his departure out of this world."
So great was the fame of Chrift's miracles, that it drew the following ^ teilimony from Jo- feph the noble hiftorian, tho' a Jew. " At that time lived Jefus a wife man, (if we may call him a man,) a worker of miracles, and a teacher of fuch as receive the truth with pleafure 3 he gathcr'd to him many Jews and Gentiles: This was the Chrift. After Pilate, upon his being accufed by the chief men of our nation, had inflided on him the punifhmeut of the crofs, his followers, who loved him before, did not forfake him. He appeared to them again alive on the third day j the divinely infpired pro- phets having foretold this, and many other wonderful things concerning him. The peo- ple caird chriflians from him., continue to the prefent time.'* This telHmony is ^ by fome reckon'd fpurious, but 1 profefs I know not
von ' (e)^ TE y^ itq r^^ ijf/,iTi^.ksq ;^pcv»5 rm? ecvmv etpUovro. Qua- dratus, apud Eufeb. Hill. Ec clef. Lib. IV. c. 3. p. 94. Ed. Par. ^
r,vsTcct X.CCTU T^rcv mv XP9'^^ ^yiT^'i crocp^i; civ/p^ uys ocv^^a
■^ ic. rov ^X>^Y}vix.r,Z iz'/^yxytro ' o Xpf^i^ ar©- liji', k»1 ccorvv ivda^ii
UK tTTUvtrcivTo oiys tt^-Ztov ccvrsv clyc(.7:vi<rcivri(i ' i(par/^ yu^ ccuroXq Tf^TT^v i}C^v yfjuiooiv TTuAiv ^cov, Tuv ^uuv Tr^e^KTzijv TccZru, rs >^ aAPi« yjv^'.cc ^avf^^ric/a tti^a aurou itpijKcr&v ' iit; in vvv Tur ^nc-iuvav l\>Ta ToZoi aivcf/jcca-fjbsvaif ax UTTiXtTTi to (pZXov. Jofeph.
Anriquitat. Jud. Lib. XVIII. c iii. n. 5. p. 798. Edit. Oxon. Vol. I. p 877. Ed. Havcrcamp.
, ' Vid. Macarii martyrii Afta, Gr. Vol. V. Aft. Sand. M.ui. p. 149. Etifcb. Hill. Ecclcf. Lib. L c. 11. ibiq; not.
why
OF THE Trinity. 371
why, for fcarce any palTage has more vouchers to confirm its genuinenefs, and nothing has been advanced to prove it fpurious, but groundlefs, and confequently contemptible conjectures.
If we examine Chrifl's life, we may often fee great power, fhewing it felf in the loweft parts of his humiliation : If he humbled himfelf " fo far, as to be born in a flable, and lie in a man- ger, he could caufe the angels to proclaim his
Valef. Demonrtrat. Evangel. Lib. III. c. 5. Sozomen. Hift. Ecclef. Lib. I. c. i. Hieronym. de Script. Ecclef. c. 13. Hegefip. De excid. Hierofolym. Lib. II. c. 12. Ifidor. PeluL Lib. IV. Ep. 225.
Vid. etiam, Collectanea ad calc. Ed. Havercamp. p. 6r, 62. 89—92. 187—284. Fabric. Biblioth. Gr. Lib. IV. c. 6. Vol. IIL p. 237, 238. Delea. Script. De Verit. Reiig. Chrillian. c. 2. p. 135 — 142. Spanheim. Hill. Ecclef. Sedt.I. cap. y. p. 533, 534. Ed. in fol.
See alfo M. Martin's Difiertation on this tefiimony.
'^ . L.>pfus ab alto eft
Virginis in gremium pater ipfe hominumque Deumquc Induit humanam faciem, moribundaque membra : Tantus amor noftri, miferans incommoda noftra lUe ipfe immenfi fator, 8c regnator olympi Malta tulit noiliro fubeundo mille labores Nomine, fudavitque, alfitq; famemque, fitimque Senfit : & extremo crudelem tempore mortem, Crudelem, nobis vitam tamen inde ferentem PerpeiTus, claiifi portas referavit olympi.
Lazarus Bonamicus.
■ Jamque tibi pecudiim vigiles ante omnia cingunt
Paftores, tuguri exiguum, & penetrabile culmen
Immiti Boreae, matutinaeque pruinae,
Parvaque dona ferunt, cernuntque in limine primo
Infolitos coeli thalamos & virginis aureae.
Jamque domo procul exciti, didiantibus aflrls,
Adveniunt longe Nabathaeo a littore vates.
Nee minus aetherii juvenes, circum undique culmcn
Exiguum, choreafque agitant plaudentibus alls,
Et totus rerum artifici defcendit Olympus.
Daniel Heinfms de Contemptu Mortis, Lib. IV. ^. 328, 329.
B b 2, nativity.
372 The true Scripture Doctrine
nativity, and he could nqt only bring the neigh- bouring fhepherds to do him honour, but by a ftar he could lead the wife men from a far coun- try to adore him, and to offer him prcfents : If
■" Deus ipfe, Deo genitus, fummoque parente Ante dies omnes ante omnia fecula tandem, Temporibus fummis coelo defcendit, & ultro Fadlus homo eft ; voluitque integra e virgine nafci Pauper & ignotus, Davidis non regis in aula, Verum in condudlis ftabulis, afmumque bovemque Inter i
Paftores igitur fimul illos montibus altis Nuncius excivit, claro demiffus Olympo : Numen adoratum gregibus venere reliflis, Et cecinere Deo laudes &■ carmina laeti : Angelicae voces illis cum haec verba praeirent. Pax homini in terris. Domino fit gloria coelo. Hanc quoque vim fenfere Magi coeleftibus a6li Carpere iter monitis quos longo Oriente profedlos, Ignarofque loci, praeceffit fidus euntes : Et dux ftella viae fupra caput aftitit ipfis. Dum ftratum foeno & palea fubiere cubile, Ternaque ladlanti puero tres dona tulere.
Michael Hofpitalius Galliac cancellarius, Lib. I. Epill. 7« p. 28, 29. 32. Edit. R. Stephani.
Siderei vero domus aurea plaudit Olympi,
Fulgida natali gaudet & aethra tuo : Lux difFufa polo no6lurnas dimovet umbras,
Ignea quin folito clarius aftra micant: Auditi refonant, coeli per inania cantus,
Angelicus laeto quas dedit ore chorus.
Georg. Sabinus, Lib. 5. Eleg. 2.
Paftores veniunt, tencrum ut vcnerentur alumiium,
Intrat & exilem ruftica turba cafam. Attoniti fpeftant matrem, pulcrumque riitorcm,
Qui facro pueri multus ab ore venit. Mox funduntur humi, cunfti mox poplito flcxo
Obfequii pracbent figna notafque lui.
D. Hoogflratanus, Poem. p. 24.
Expeaatc diu populls mea fcra voluptas Dive pucr, Deus ipfe Dei imm.utabile verbum Aeternum genire, acterni aequa parentis imago
he
OF THE Trinity. 373
h€ floop'd Co low as to fufFer the Devil to tempt him, he was able to confound and abafh the tempter : If he fubmitted to fuch poverty, as
Aeternum fpirans, divinum flaminis ignem; Nunc genite o terris mortales indue cultus Virginea de matre fruens, & paupere tefto Majelbtem aperi, coelique folique potentem.
Philomathus feu Alexander VII. Papa. Muf. Juvenil. p. 119. Ed. Par.
Defcendit coelo Deus, & mortalia membra
Induit, & nafci paupere gaudet hump, Bethlemii falvete lares, vos fcilicet ilium
Excipitis quern nee terra nee aethra capit. Clauditur abjedlo defolatoque mapali.
Qui mare, qui terras, fideraque alta regit. Qui coelum Ilellis, qui terram gramine vellit,
Lana homines, pecudes vellere vefte caret. Eft illi praefepe torus, virgulta tapetes,
Turba pecus, parvae tefta fuperba cafae. Ille autem,^ quern mox totus venerabitur orbis,
Vilibus in ftabulis ftraminibufque jacet. Majeftas tamen in puero eft, divinaque virtus
Emicat e teneris, & piter ipfe, genis. Agnofcunt ilium aligeri toto aethere coetus :
Et plaufu & laeto murmure cundla fonant : Pars carmen coelefte canit : pars nunciat orbi
Adyentum pueri fauftum, hominemque Deum, Deferit excubias paftor, cunafque falutat,
Et variis facram floribus ornat humum. Eoi veniunt extreme a litore reges
Plurimaque obfequii munera figna ferunt. Jpfa viam monftrant fummo rutilantia coelo
Sidera natalem refpiciuntque locum.
P. Francus, Lib. I. Eleg. 5.
Auditis ? haec quid ftramina, & furentibus . _ Ovile ventis pervium;
Quid ufta glacie membra, quid vili jubet
Projecflus in iimo Deus ? Tun' ille mundi redlor, atque hominum arbiter.
Tun' ille naturae parens } Nunc exoletis nudus in caulis jacqs,
PerpeiTus imbres & nivem j
B b 3 not
374 The true Scripture Doctrine
not to have any thing to pay tribute, when it was unjuftly demanded, he could caule a fiih to bring him a prefent fupply : If he "■" condefcend- ed to be apprehended as a malefa^lor, he could iliew, ^ that it was in his power to have deli- En alta rcgum defpuens diademati '
Auriquc ipeciofum decus, Mutas ferinis Iplendidas lufiris domes,
Paleamque praefers purpurae.
N. Sanadon Carm. Lib. I. Od. 22,
Dum cndi varios fpeflant revolubilis orbes,
Inque vago no6lis Udera pida finu ; Chaldaei inkietam mirantur fulgure flammam,
Quan mutet radiis Phofphcrus ipfe fuis Continuoqiie viam, lingua fuadente corufca,
Verfus Idumaeas corripiiere plagas. Ipfi comes du6lGrque Eicem de node miniflrat.
Deque die grefTus officiofa regit. Aft ubi Bethlemiae limen tetigere cavernae,
(Regia bis geniti nam fuit ilia Dei,) Reftitit, exciibitorque novus iuper antra refedit
Funfturus vigilis node dieqiie vicem. Ite Aiagi, atque aliam jam quaerite lampada vobis :
Hie fixa eft errans quae mode ftella fuit.
Johannes Commirius Carmin Vol. I. p. 264.
"■'' Tcrriia neglexit leges natura fuetas,
Morte tua, quando eft noftra rederapta falas. Sol rubuit faciemque atro velavit amidlu,
Informis medio nox erat orta die Omnia tunc ftabili ftupuerunt fidera coelo.
Vix etiam, mifere quafla, refedit humus. Per fua demilTi ceciderunt culmina monies,
Saxa procul querulo diffiluere fono. Condoluit natura tuae rex optime morti
Et merito quia tu conditor hujus eras.
Elias Eobanus, Heroid. Lib. I. Epift. 3.
Pendentem, mediaque in morte trcmentem.
vSaxa Dcum miferata, horrendo rupta fragore,
Diffiluere
Jacobus Wallius Pleroic. Lib. I. Carm. 3. v. 37, Sec. " John xviii. 5, 6.
ver'd
OF THE Trinity; 375
ver'd himfelf, by caufing thofe who came to take him to fall to the ground : If he abafed himfelf fo far as to hang on the crofs, he there y could promife eternal life to one who fufFer'd with him : ^ If he became obedient to death, he could throw all nature in an agony, as if it fympathized with its fufFering mafter.
Through the whole of Chrill's adions, there appeared fome glances of that divine glory, which for a time was fhaded under the veil oi his hu- miliation and fufferings : Infomuch, that from many of the things Chrifi: did whilfl he conti- nued in his earthly abode, it may be fafely ga- ther'd, that he was the great God manifeiled in the flefh.
y Luke xxiil. 40 — 43.
2 Matth. xxvii. 45. 51, 52, 53. Mark xv. 33. 38. Luke XXiii. 44, 45.
Bb4 CHAP.
3 76 The true Scripture Doctrine
CHAP. IX.
Chrift's Divinity proved, from his acconi' piifhing the work of redemption.
[F - t|MONG the many arguments with which fcriptLire furnifhes us, for the true Deity of our blefTed Lord, there ii^PJ is none that comes with greater force upon the confcience of a finccre ChriiHan, who has experienced any thing of his kind Redeemer's love, than this conlideration > that he who is fn to redeem him from fin, Satan, and hell, mud be a perfon of infinite power. Accord- ingly, the argument which may be drawn from Chrill's having completed the great work of redemption, to prove his proper Divinity, has fatisfied and quieted many a common Chriflian, who, perhaps, could not ani\ver every cavil that is raifed by the fubrilty of fuch as lie in wait to deceive. When a Chrillian is faiisfied, that it is the^grcat Immanuel only, God manifefted in the flcfn, that can redeem his loll: foul from eternal niifery, his faith remains uniliaken, amidfl all the attempts that are vainly ufed to weaken and lelTen the rock of ages.
The cafe is quite different, as to them who never tafted that the Lord is gracious > fuch are not fenfible of the great evil there is in fin, and fo they vainly imagine themfelves able to latisfy for it 3 and apprehend nothing of the need of a fatisfaction of infinite value: Nay, this is a thing they rife up with obftinate ma- lice againll:, becaufe it leaves no room for them to add any thing to the value of it. This is
the
OF THE Trinity. 3 77
the true fpring of nil the pains they take to un- ppd the Son j if they muit not be fharers with him in the glory of their falvation, they will en- deavour to bring him down into the rank of creatuies, that his obedience may not be pre- tended to be of infinite value. Such allow not ChrilVsfufferings to have higher merit in them, than thofe of any other creature without fm ; but fince they are what he needed not to have fub- mitted to on his own account, they are for al- lowing them fo much merit, as may ferve tq piece out the fincere obedience of thofe, who can do nothing without fin.
This being the cafe, I cannot expe6t what I Ihall urge on this head, will be of equal weight to all forts of perfons • but as I am perfuaded, it is an argument in it felf of good force, I fnall throw together a few confiderations that may ferve fome ways to illullrate it.
When man had finned againft his Maker, and by not continuing in the honour in which he was created, had forfeited the favour of the author of his being, it was not pofiiblc that he fhould be his own Redeemer. None of the pofterity =» of Adam can anfwer the law for them- ielves, becaufe of the imperfeftions that attend the bell duties, performed by fuch, as carry about with them a body of fin and death j much lefs can any imperfect creature anfwer for the defects of others. Sinful guilty man cannot re- move the guilt of fin, extirpate its dominion, fubdue the tyranny of Satan, and deflroy the power of death, Man, who has contra6led a habit of finning, can never reform himfelf, re-
* See Mr. R. Taylor's Scripture.Do6lrine of JuHification, p. 61—78.
3 new
3 7S The true Scripture Doctrine
new the image of God in his own foul, and work faith by his own power.
Man can never fatisfy God for his (ins, but yet fatisfaftion mull: necefTarily be made to the divine being, even fuch a fatisfa6bion as is full and complete, and commenfurate to the righte- oufnefs of God, and the holinefs of his law ; For were God to rem.it fin without fatisfadion, his hoHnefs and juflice would be tarnifhed, in that he would feem to connive at fin 5 his truth would be fullied, in that he would not fulfil his own threatening^ and a blemifh would be cafl on his infinite wifdom, in that it would feem as if he gave forth too rigorous a law, and, on fecond thoughts, fiiw fit to foften it ^ : As none of thefe things, which follow from, the fuppofition of God's remitting fin, without fa- tisfa6bion, can be imagin'd of a God of infinite and unchangeable holinefs, juflice, truth, and wifdom, it miifl be affirmed, that fatisfa6tion muil be made to God for man's fin, before he could be reinflated in the favour of his Maker.
As fiitisfa61:ion was neceflarily to be made to God's juflice, which could not be done by mere man, fo the oracles of truth afTure us, that, ^ " without fhedding of blood, there could be no remiffion j " fo that falvation mufl be brought about by the ^ means of man. Therefore, in order to recover fallen man, the eternal Son of God, according to what was Jigreed between him and the Father in the coun- fcls of peace, before the world began, in the
^ See Mr. R. Taylor's Scripture Dodrinc of Juflification, p. 46— 312.
'^ Heb. xi, 22.
^ El */oUf jw»« et,)l^w^7:^ sviKi}<rsv Try uviiTFuXov r» etuSfuVif, i'JK 4>sv olKMiwc, iviKfiSy) 6 ^/C^^i. Irenaeus III. 20.
3 fulnefs
OF THE Trinity. 379
fulnefs of time, took the human nature into a peiTonal union with himfelf : and that he might be in ac«ip'^city to iuffer for fin, afllimed a hu- man foul, an J a body of fiefh, and appeared, in all things, like thofe whom he came to re- deem, fin only excepted. When the blood of bulls and of goats could not wafli away the llains of fin, and when the afhes of facrificed heifers could not make atonement for guilr, then Chrill undertook oui caufe with God the Father, and with love and tender compnflion, laid to our awful and offended Judge ^ « '' Sa- crifices and offering thou wouldeit not, but a body hall thou prepared for me : in burnt offer- ings and fin offerings thou haft no pleafure 5 Then faid I, Lo I come, (in the volume of the book it is w^ritten of me,) to do thy will, OGod."
As Chrift, the Son of God, affumed our na- ture into a perfonal union with himfelf, our re- demption was brought about by one who is God and man, in one perfon. And this the fcripture fets forth to us with full and plain evi- dence 'y for V7e are there told, that ^ " Jehovah was pierced , " that § " God redeem'd the church by his blood > " that ^' " God, out of love, laid down his life for us > " that ^ " the fovereign Lord has bought us -, " and that ^ " the Lord of glory was crucified. '* Thefe expref- fions are Tcarce intelligible, unlefs we fuppofe, that the man Chrift Jefus, who fuffer'd for fin, was perfonally. united to the Godhead, that by the means of fuch an union, hisfufferings might be flifHciently meritorious. This was likewife
* Heb. X. ^, 6, 7. ^Zech. xii. i. 12. ^^Afts xx. 28-
* I John m. 16. ^2^et. ii. i. '^ i Gor. ii. 8,
the
3 So Vhe true Scripture Doctrin-e
the current do6brine of the primitive ^ writers, who held, that it was only one who was God
XptfB?, 0 KL^,(^ v.ijiaZv. Ignatius Ep. ad Ephef. cap. 7. pag. 14. Ed. Oxon.
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|tf{c0vf. Idem, Lib. III. cap. 19. p. 212.
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TtxT^O^, 0 fjuicirr^ SKTiXii ' ^lairviq ykp 0 Aoye<; 6 Koivoq XfjutpoTr' ©2(5y /A£v Vice, a-UTi-ii} 3 oiv6f<xi7^uv. Clemens Alex. Paedag. Lib. I. cap. 1. p. 251. Ed. Ox. 215. Par.
Deum colimus per Chrillum. Ilium hominem putate — Licuerit & Chrifto commentari Divinitatem rem propriam, £^ui homines — in agnitionem veritatis ocularet — Quae- rlte ergo, fi vera eft ifta Divinitas Chrifii. Tertullian. A- pologet. cap. 21. p. 212, 213. Ed. Havercamp.
Cur homo Chrillus & filius Hominis, fi nihil hominis, & nihil ex homine .? nifi fi aut aiiud eft homo quam caro, aut aliunde caro hominis quam ex homine, aut aliud eft Maria quam homo. Deus haud aliter non diceretur homo Chriftus line carne : Nee hominis Filius fme aliquo parente homine: Sic'ut nee Deus fine fpiritu Dei, nee Dei Filius line Deo patre. Ita utriufque fubftantiae cenfus hominem 8c Deum exhibuit : Hinc natum, inde non natum ; hinc carneum,' jnde fpiritalem; hinc infirmum, inde praefortcm ; hinc mo- rientem inde viventcm. Qnae proprietas conditionum di- \inae oc humanae, acqua utique naturae vcritate cujufque cifpun^ta eft, eadcm fide fpiiitus & cnrnia: Virtutes fpn-i-
and
OF THE Trinity. 3^i
and man, could reftore us to the favour of God.
Upon a narrow view of Chrift's fufferings it will be found, that when he was at the lowed:
turn Dei, paffiones carnem hominis probaverunt. Si vir- tutes non fine fpiritu, proinde & paffiones non fine carne. Si caro cum paffionibus fifta, & fpiritus ergo cum virtutibus falfus. Idem, De carne Chrifti, cap. V.
Hie fequefter Dei atque hominum appellatus, ex utri- Hfque partis depofito commilTa fibi, carnis quoque depofi- tum fervat in femetipfo, arrhabonem fummae totius. Idem, De Refurredl. carnis cap. 51.
In depofito eft (caro) apud Deum, per iideliffimum fe- queftrem Dei & hominum, Jefum Chrillum, qui & homini Deum, & hominem Deo reddet, carni fpiritum & fpiritui carnem. Idem, ibid. cap. 63.
Ex his Jefus conftitit, ex carne homo, ex fpiritu Deus quern tunc Angelus (Luc. i. 35.) ex ea parte qua ipiritus erat' Dei filium pronunciavit, fervans carni filium hominis dici. Sic&Apoftolus (iTim. ii. 5.) etiam Dei & hominum ap- pellans fequeftrem, utriufque iubftantiae confirmavit. Idem contra Praxeam, cap. 27.
tl7cu^')i<i ToZ ©SOW Xoyeq. Hippolytus contra Noetum, Se6l i r p. 16. Ed. Fab. Vol. II. ^'
ysvofjcjivov TTXf' cc[/j<poTi^m Uppx^avx nvcc tiXyjipivxi^ lix <pxvu Jl'«
TTpoa-aTFm f^iajTi}^. Idem, Fragment, ex Benedift. Abraam. Vol. II. p. 4J. Ed. Fab.
tf.\)roZ evaiecg tTTiTaTxro itf^iy. Melito, apud Cave Hift. Lit. Vol. II. p. 33.
Deus cum homine mifcetur ; hie Deus nofter, hie Chriftus eft, qui mediator duorum, hominem induit quem perducat ad Patrem. Cyprian, de Idol. Vanit. p. 289. Ed. Pamel.
Et Homo & Deus Chriftus, ex utroque genere concretus, ut mediator effe inter nos & patrem pollit. Idem, Teftimon! Lib. II. cap. 10. p. 355.
Ratio & temperamcntum fcriptufarum coeleftium Chriftum oftendunt Deum, fed qua hlium Dei, &, adfumpto a
ebb,
3 82 The true Scripture Doctrine
ebb^ he gave an amazing inilance of his divine power, in converting »" the thief, who was executed with him, nothing but a work of more than human power could make a poor creature in torture, cry out to one feemingly in a worfc condition than himfelf, " Lord, re- member mc, when thou comclt to thy king- dom:" x^nd none but one who had divine power, and knowledge, could lay, " Verily, I lay to thee, to day thou fhalt be with me in paradiie." In what an amazing manner did he who v/as infulted, for not faving himfelf, fhew himfelf mighty, to fave one who was fuffering with him ?
When Chriif, the God over all, cry'd out, *' My God, my God, why had thou forfaken me>" and breath'd out his fpotlefs foul into the hands of his Father, whofe will he came to do J " this was the moft wonderous tranficli- on, that ever pais'd iince time begun. What
Deo etiam iilio hominis, credendum & hominem. Quoniamfi ad hominem veniebat, lit mediator Dei & hominum eile debe- ret, oportuit ilium cum eo eile, & Verbum carnem fieri, ut in femctipfo concordiam confibularet terrenorum pariter atque coelcflium, dum utriui^ue partis in ie conneftens pig- nora, & Deum homini, & hominem Deo copuhret ; ut me- rito filius Dei, per adfumptionem carnis, filius hominis, & fili- us hominis per rcccptionem Dei Verbi, filius Dei eflici poffit. Novatian. cap. i8. alias 23. p. 88. Ed. Welchman.
Uti Chriflum Jefum Dominum, ex utroque connexum (ut ita dixerim) ex utroque contextum atque concretum, cS>r in vadem utriufque fubilantiae concordia mutui ad invicem foederis confibulatione fociatum, Hominem & Deum, fcrip- turae hoc ipfum dicentis veritate cognofcant. Idem, cap. 19. al. 24. p. 92.
"^ Luke xxiii. 40 — 43.
^ 'A^TO iKTT)^ Ci^XC, (TiCOTOq lyiViTO iTH %Ol,(T0CV T?;? yVjV ICfiC, Oi^Ac,
>\.iym, 'HAj, 'HA<, Xoty^ a-ot/ict^&uvi ^ tcvt' «ft, &ii fjcfs, Qit /w/»,
iVftTi ^s KXTiXi7^i<: •} 'O Jj \>:(rouq TTuMv y.odiu.'; (po.yvi ^syetXn ,
could
OF THE TRINITY.N 383
could be more miraculous, than to hear the Lord of thunders groan, and figh, and cry? What could be more furprizing, than to fee the
U^tiKS TV TTViVt/jX, KXl id'S TO XXTXTirXC-l/jX ToZ V»OU iiy!(Bi] ii£
cbo }>ai tcveoSiv %uc, t{ff.7w ' kcci vi yy) ia-ncun], ksh oci Trir^xi tMo--
f/jiTX TTJC iyi^TiV U'jTCVy iiq TtiV CCyiCCV TFVAIV, KUi iVS(pCCVi<r6i}CrX»
sToMor^. Matt, xxvii. 45, 46. 50—53. vid. & Marc. xv. 33. 38. Luc. xxiii. 44 — 48.
rec^irucrfjfju ' Toe ^ifjciXicc y^(; c-uiTXi, UiciytvTUi rcc(poi, kxI iysi^evrcci vizpci ' xeci clp^ovn^ Kxrci^uvovrxi ' tiv yap xii(ru>^7cpx Ted ^ccvTXKi i7n TccvpeZ /SAfrovrs? kuuiwuitccvtu. tdv 6(p&ocX^v, kou iTxpaoeoa-ecvTx rz TrviVfjua iaov<rx '4 KTiac, iTU^!<r<r!To, y,c^ ttjv uutcu vTfiif&ctXXiicrxv ii|atv "^o'Jvicrut ov dvvccf/jiv/] i<r)ccT!^iTo. Out(^ siAd^v- ffZy 6iah)(ri to 7rviVf//X fXix6yiTa~q, y,u.\ B-v^av KiicXiiTfJjivuv ita-ip^i-
7X1, iCC/J /iMTHiVTav (A/XS/JTaV VTH) fS^sAjJ? ClCvxXxyj(iu\l'iTUi, KM l»
cshojv 7rxrfc<; KxGi^irxi, xxi ^avruv xco vixpm TTupxy^viTXi KpiT^q '
CUT^ 0 ©sec, 0 U.vi'^U7s(^ Oi Y.^/jXC, yiyU'JCiC^y U) 'TTWtTX li7:irx\if
UxT^p. Hippolytus contra Noetum, cap. 18. p. 20. Ed. Fab. Vol. II.
Jamque fere medium curfu trajecerat orbem. Cum fubito ecce ! polo tenebris caput occulit ortis Sol pallens, medioque die (trepidabile viiu .') Omnibus incubuit nox orta nigerrima terris, Et claufus latuit denfis in nubibus aether, Profpedlum eripiens oculis mortalibus omnem. Hie credam, nili coelo ablint gcmitafque dolorquc, Aeternum genitorem alto ingemuille dolore, Sidereofq; oculos terra avertifTe nefanda ; Signa quidem dedit, & luftum tellatus ab alto ell. Emicuere ignes : difFulfit confcius aether, Concuffuque tonat vafto domus ardua Olympi, Et circa immenfum percurrunt murmmu coelum : DiffiluiiTe putes divulfi moenia mundi. Sub pedibus mugit tellus: fola walla moventur: Tefta labant, nutant fiJcculTae vertice turres. Obftupuere humiles fubita formidine gentes, Et pofitae extremis terrarum partibus urbes. Caufa latet, cunclis magnum &z mJrabile vifum f Et populi aeternas mimdo timuere tenebras Attoniti dum flare vident caligine coelum. Ipfum autem propior Solymorum perculit urbem,
Almight}^
3 84- The true Scripture Doctrine
Almighty maker of heaven and earth hang on a crols, between the earth and the heaven, as if worthy of neither, and in that rueful plight,
Ac trepidas ftrant mentes p:.vor : undiquc clamor Tollitur in coeJum : Sceleris mens confcia cuique eft. Templa adeimt fubito caftae longo ordine matres : Incedunt mixti pueri, intadaeque puellac, Perque aras paccm exquirunt, quas thure vaporant SuppJiciter, facrifq; adolent altaria donis. Ecce aliud cocio fignum praefentius alto, Dat pater altitonans & templum laevit in ipfum. Velum latum ingens quod vulgi lumina flicris Arcct inacceffis, in partes finditur ambas, Et templi ruptae crepuere immane columnae. Jamque Deus rumpens cum voce noviffima verba Ingenti horrcndumque fonans, en ! cunfta pera£la : Hanc infontem animam tecum, pater, accipe, dixit Supremamque auram ponens caput expiravit.
Vida. Chrifliad. Lib. I. 964 — 1000.
Quod fcelus Eois ut primum cernet ab undis Sol, indignantes retro convertere currus Optabit : frullraque fuis luftatus habenis. Quod poterit tandem, atratos ferrugine crines Inliciet, moeftamque diu fme lumine frontem Oftendet terris, ut qui jam ploret ademptum Auftorem, regemque fuum. ■ At contra horrifono tellus concufTa tremore Cum cenitLi fremet Sc ruptis excita fepulcrls Emittet fmiulacra.
Sannazarius, Part. Virg. I. 369, &:c,
Heu fcelus, heu crudcle nefas ! jacet altus Olympi Reftor : & amifTo torpent elementa magillro.' Quinetiam vacuum alilieto fme pondere coelum Nutat, & ipfa fuum quaerunt folia aurca regem. Quem diveria procul faevo cum crimine tellus Ignotum populis caput, & miferabile corpus Suftinet, exfanguefque fmu compleditur artus, Et tremefafta, graves teftatur murmure qucftus. Teftatur fol ipfe fuum fub nube dolorcm Jam latitans, atraquc notans ferrugine frontem. Tu quoqiie deformefq; genas, pallentiaque ora Contegis, inferiafque tuo das, Luna, Tonanti.
Idem, Lament, dc Morte Chrilli
fweac
OF THE Trinity. 385
Ayeat and bleed? What could be more afto- niiliing, than to behold the great Jehovah iiuinber'd among tranfgrefTors, and the God of glory expire and die ? So great was this won- der, that things inanimate feem'd to be afFtded with the forrows of their great Madcr. All
Paftorum ad caulas, Chrifto exorlente, per umbram Emicuit peregrina dies, fuperumque canoris Laudibus infonuere agri. "Nunc deficit una Cum Domino, & mediam abrumpens ferrugine lucem Numinis dccafum trepido fol indicat orbi. Nunc tremefada gemit tellus, nunc luget olympus. Quam bene converfa in tenebras, funeftior omni Squallet no6lc dies ! gr.wiorque efFufa nocentum Caligo Judacum animis, prorapta Erebo nox. Perpetuum Solymaea chaos, coecaeque tenebrad Tefta premant. Quin tu vallo difcedis hiatu, Vifa, folo trepidante, crucis Tub pondere tellus Horrere; ac tanto fed lenius excita monilro ?
Leonardus Frizon. Theandr. Lib. II, Vol. I. p. 283.
IpHi fuo poilquam rerum natura parent!
Indoluit, fenlitque tuos, O Chriftc, labores
Multa gemens, ipfi flcrunt tua fanera montes,
Ipfae te rupes, iplae fub rupibus altis
Vifceribus diffiffae imis Hevere cavernne.
Quin & purpureo dum Titan ore niteret,
Et vefpertino praeberet lumina coelo,
Horruit afpeftu tarn diro, oculofque retorfit,
Pallentemque atri lunam infecere colores. '
His fuper incenfis erumpere nubibus ignes
Terrifici, m?.culae obfcurum per inane" rubentes^
Nigranti fulgere polo, triftefque per auras,
Audiri voces moelbe, & fuprema minari.
Criminis ipfe etiam tanti jam confcius aether
Occuluit fefe tenebris, & nofte profunda
Indixit toti fervand^ filentia mundo.
Rupit & ille dolor tumulos, manefque fepulchris,
Invitam rurfus in lucem, prodire coegit.
Et paffim fimulacra, modis pallentia miris
V ila fub obfcurum, confulam errare per urbem,
Et terrcrc vagum fubito formidine \;ulgus.
Rapini Chrill. Patien, v. 603, Sec
C c nature
3 86 The true Scripture Doctrine
nature fhudder'd, and was in pangs, as if it heard the groans of the Almighty fufferer : The earth fhook and trembled, when the great Crea- tor, who brought it into being, ftruggled under the agonies of death : The mountains totter'd, and the hills reerd, when he who founded them
Atra ferrugine coelum,
Sol £-\ciem tencbris texit miferatus acerbum Jnteritum, timuit tremeEifta fatifcere tellus, Inque Chaos prifcum timuere elementa reverti, Dum crucis in te-unco pendens, pro fontibus infons • Occidis ut places iratum vidlima patrem Sanguine : Tanta fuit noftrae tibi cura falutis : Vifi pcrimi, ut parcas, omnes dementia fines Tranfit ut effulae cures contagia culpae, Aeternique libens repares difpendia damni : Poll: triduum e tumulo furgens redivivus ad auras Lnmortale refers vifta de morte trophaeum.
Urbanus VIII. Papa, p. 199. Ed. Par.
Pendet ab infami ligno Deus intremit omni Colle S!on ; tcmplique fui velamina fcindit. Diffiliunt raontes : fudant elementa : Fugit fol : Cumque fuo Domino rcrum natura laborat.
Petrus Francius Eclog. u. p- 95-
Occumbit, moriturque Deus, fc^], occule vultum,
Lucidaque indu6lis nubibus era tege. Audit, & indiidis condit Ibl nubibus ora,
Ne videat Domino tantum obeunte nefas. Induit atratas velles, noftrique colorem
Criminis, cxtinfto, machina tota, Deo. Horrendo rcboat tonitru, micat ignibus, aether.
Hunc folum praebet gentibus ille diem. Succutitur tellus : furgunt maria afpera ponto :
Diillliuntque akis ardua faxa jugis. Eccc Sion fua templa quatit, lacra lintea rumpit,
Dile6lus fupeiis ille, D'eoq; Sion. Ipfc dator.vitae vitales deferit auras :
Dumque perit genitor lucis, &: ilia perit. Damnatur, luce indignus, caligine mundus,
llliid inextintlum lumen ut umbra tcgit Hie dum jurtitiae fol occidit, occidit Sc ibl,
Ulteriulq; fuis ire reculat equi*.
1 by
OF THE Trinity. ^$7 by his power, and eftablilh'd them by his \vi{^ dom, Dow'd his head, and brcath'd his lad : The fun hid his flice, and overfpread the earth with darknefs, as if he was afhamed to fee the light and hfe of the world clofe his eyes, and fleep the fleep of death : The veil of the tem- ple rent afunder, when the great high pricll, by offering himfelf a facrifice, fulfiU'd all that was prefigured, by the types and fhadows of the Levitical miniftration. When the living God fubmitted, for a fhort feafon, to the power of death, he fhew'd himfelf really a conqueror of that enemy, before whom, as to appearance,
Quid mirum ? Natura cadit, dum concldit au<flor:
Natume moritur lex, moriente Deo. Ecce Deus moritur, diroq; e ftipite pendet.
Opprobrium populo ludibriumq; fuo. Pendet nb excelfo ligno, terramque polumq;
Inter, qui nutu folus utrumq; regit. Latrones inter geminos fandiffimus ille
Pendet, & hanc mortem, ceu fceleratus, obit Morte cadit turpi, quo magnificentius uno.
Nil habet haec mundi machina, & ipfe polus.
Francius Eleg. I. vi. p. 136. 138.
Nate Deo, tibi nos, tibi quern debemus honorem
Solvimus, & folium volvimur ante tuum. Quamvis in media pallens jam mortc teneris,
Quamvis nil pendens in cruce, regis habes : Majeftas non tota latet. Quod terra, quod aether,
Quod mare dent ludtus tiiilia ligna lui : Quod procul adverfo coeli feftinet ab orbe,
Et retro celeres luna refleftat eqiios. Quod folis vultus, quod fe, coelumque, diertique
Occulat, imperii vis manifefta tui eit. Tu modo pallentesrevocas ad corpora manes,
E tumulifque cies offa fepulta fuis. Tu modo perpetuis frenas Plutona catenis
Et mortem moriens fub tua jura trahis. Nunc quoque te, cum fumma trahens fufpiria fenfim
Dcficis, aeternum credimus elle Deum.
Sidronius Hoflchius, Eleg. Lib. IV. 10. p. 14S. C c 2 he
3 88 The true ScriptiTre Doctrine
hebow'd. When he died hiinfdf, he powerful- ly burfl afunder the l^nds of death, that had lied down others for perhaps ages > for he raifed from their graves the bodies of many faints that flept, that they might be the cnfigns of his vidory over death, and the attendants on his triumph over the power of the grave.
Thefc things, if they are well weigh'd by us, will give us fome notion, that our Redeemer was a glorious perfon, at the fame time that he was dcfpifed and reje6led of men > and that he was poflefs'd of infinite power, when he ap- peared as a man of forrows, and acquainted with
grief.
He who bore our fins muil be God, becaufe there was a neceflity for him to be almighty, who bore the weight of infinite wrath : To bear the whole wrath of an infinite God, with- out being broke with it, fliew'd the omnipo- tence of him who bore it. The wrath of God is commenfurate to his infinite power, and there- fore mulf be inconceivcably great; of this Mo- fes was fenfible, as appears by the following ^vords of the funeral ode he compofed on the Ifraelites, who fell in the wildernefs. ^ « \yj^Q knows the power of thy anger ? according to thy fear is thy wrath. " No creatures can ftand againfl: infinite wrath, but mud groan for ever under ir, if they are left to anKver only for themfelves. It is much more above the power of any creature, to bear the wrath of God which is due to others. Had Chrifl: been a creature, he could never have bore the weight of the Father's anger, without finking under it v but he is infinitely fupcrior to all creatures, and
° Fi'Am xc. II
4' could.
OF THE Trinity. 589
could, in the greatnefs of his flrength, tread the wineprefs oF the Father's wrath, becaufe he is mighty to fave. He fully fatisiied jultice, which exa6ted of him the laft mite : And as his infinite purity enabled him to encounterdi- vine difpleaiure, without being abandon'd to defpairj fo his almighty power exempted him from fuffering cndlefs torments, becaufe it fur- nifh'd him with llrength, to undergo a punifli- ment infinite in meafure. Chrifl could not have flood againil infinite wrath, had he not been Almighty 3 and his having gone thro' this work, which required Omnipotence, proves him to be God, who only could accomplifh the great work of redemption.
Another thing that proves him who accom- plifh'd the work of redemption to be God, is the necefiity there is for infinite merit, in him who fatisfies infinite juflice. There is an infi- nite evil in fin, becaufe it is committed againfl a God of infinite perfe6tions y for the evil of the tranfgreflion is to be meafurcd, by the great- nefs of the lawgiver, againfl whom it is com- mitted. The eternal punifliment of fin is fo plain a proof, that there is infinite evil in it, that I cannot but wonder, how men can dare to pronounce this notion abfurd j it is impofli- ble for any to difprove it, unlefs they deny eter- nity of punifhment j this, indeed, I believe they, who make a jefl of the infinite evil of fin, would willingly do, if they durll: 3 but it can never be done, without throwing off the mask of Chriflianity, which they choofe to wear for their interelL If there be an infinite evil in fin, there muil be infinite merit in him, who a- tones for it, to infinite ju ftice: The perfon fa-^ tisfying, mull be equafto the perfon fitisfied j C c 3 tha^
390 The true Scripture Doctrine
that at the fame time he lays his hand on the critninals, whcfe guilt he expiates, to bring them near to their offended judge, he may alfo lay his hand on the provoked lawgiver, to ap- peafe his fury, and to prevent the fword of jiillice from defccnding with force upon them.
As Chriil has, in hd:^ completed the great work he undertook, and a6tually has fatisfied divine jufcicc, he muil have infinite merit 3 and if he has infinite merit, he muft be God. No creature could fatisfy for the fins of fo many thoufands, as he did, neither could zzy bemg, inferior to God, poillbly bring fo many ions and daughters to glory. That merit mull be infir nite, which could expiate the infinite evil of fin, faiisfy the infinite juilice of the ofi^ended Deity, and not barely free from endicis punifh- menr, but procure, over and above, a right and title to the joys of heaven. He that had merit to do all this, mud: be an infinite perion. It was ChriiVs offering himfell-^ thro' the power of the eternal Spirit, or by the ftrength of his divine nature, that rendered him able to make a proper fxtistaction to infinite jufticc, and yield himfelf a facrifice, abfolutcly, and perfe6lly5 without fpor, to God. This we are told by the apoflle Paul, in the following pafTage of his epiflle to the Hebrews 3 P " The blood of Chrill, who, thro' the eternal Spirit, offer'd himfelf, without fpot, to God, fh all purge your confcience from dead works, to ferve the living God : And for this caufc, he is the mediator of the new teftament, that, by means of death, for the redemption of tranfgreflions, that were
Heb. ix. 14, 15.
under
OF THE Trinity.' 391
under the firft teflamenr, they which are call'd might receive the promife of the eternal inheri- tance. " I choofe to underftand the eternal Spi- rit, of Chrift's divine nature, and not of the perfon of the holy Spirit, becaiife it makes the apollle's argument run eafier 5 and, I beheve, it is generally fo underftood now 5 1 know it is by lome of our adverfaries. The apoftle's argument is to this effed 5 Chrift's being able, by the flrength of his divine nature, to offer himfelf a facrifice, abfolutely perfedb, makes him fit to -be the mediator of the covenant of grace, that, by his death, he might redeem thofe who had broke the covenant of works, from the con- demnation they deferved, and might give them a right and title to inherit that land of refl which is above, where joys will ever live, and pleafures will ever lail. This I take to be the meaning of the text quoted, and it is a good proof that Chrifl, by the power of his divine nature, was able to offer up a facrifice of value fufHcient to appeafe God's anger, and to pur- chafe the fiilvation of his people.
There is one thing, which renders it impof- fible for any mere creatures to atone for o- thers 'y and that is, all the obedience they can yield to God, is previoufly due to him by the Jaw of creation's and tho' the finlefs obedience of creatures may exempt them from punifhment,. yet it cannot atone for the fins of others, be- caufe it is but the payment of a jufldebt, which they owe themfelves to the fovereign lawgiver, who gave them their being. A creature's pay- ing his jufl debt of obedience to his Maker, cannot entitle him to any reward for himfelf, any farther than what is by God's free promife, and covenant agreement 5 much lefs can there C c 4 be
3 92 The true Scripture Doctrine
be any merit in it, to purchafe a reward for others. It alters not the cafe, if we fuppofe a crea- ture exalted to ever fo high a flation^ for the higher he is in rank, the more he has received from God, and is under the higher obligations to him, who has raifed him to that eminent dignity.
Since then no creature can fatisfy for fin, and fince Chrill has a6tually fatisfied for it, it fol- lows that he is no creature 5 and fince there is nothing between God and a creature, it follows, that he mufi: be truly God. Since no creature can do more than obey the law for himfelf, and fince Chrift has procured our reconciliation with God, it follows, that his merit is of infi- nite value, and if fo, his perfon muft be of in- finite dignity.
I know it will be obje61:ed, that Chrifi's fufferings are meritorious, on accoun*; of their being the ordination and appointment of God ; but if nothing were required, in order to fatif- fy God's juftice, but a facrifice of his ordina- tion and appointment, I know not why the offering of fiain beafls, which was appointed by God, might not have put away fin 3 but the apofile Paul has afiured us, ^ " it is impofiible that the blood of bulls and of goats fhould take away fin." If the appointment of God were fufficicnt to make a latisfadion for fin of due value, without any regard had to the intrinfic merit of that fatisfa61:ion, I can fee no reafon why the legal facrifices, which had the fin6i:ion of God's ordination and appointment, fiiould not be able to take away lin. 1 know it is pretended, by fuch as deny thq need of a com-
1 Heb. X. 4.
plctc
OF THE Trinity. 393
plcte proper fatisfaction of infinite value being made to God, that God a6ts as a merciful cre- ditor, who compounds with an infolvent debtor, to take a fmall part for the whole debt 5 but let not the potfherds of the earth take upon them, to prefcribe methods of compofition to their provoked Maker. God has declared, that he will magnify his law, and make it honourable, and he has power to do this 5 fo that there is no room to imagine, that he will abate the far greateft part of his demands, and will accept of a (iitisfaftion every way imperfect. Bcfides, if iin could have been fitisned for in fuch a way, confidently with divine judicc, it never can be thought God w^ould have fent his Son to fufFer death, merelv to fet a good example to his followers to fuffcr. Till juftice is fatif- fied, mercy will never work for the filvation of finners. They, therefore, who think of be- ing faved, by God's accepting their fincerejm- perfeft obedience, by way of compofition for their vadly larger debt of perfect righteoufnefs, will, unlefs they are driven fiom this refuge of lies, be left, with confufion, to anfwer for their fins, when they appear before their judge.
A farther confideration 1 fiiall mention, to prove ChriiVs Divinity, from his completing the work of redemption, is, his raifing himfelf from the dead. He has declared himfelf, in conjuntlrion with the Father, to be the author of his own reiurredlion ; as, I believe, all v/ill grant, that to raife the dead, requires almighty power j it follows, that Chriil is proved to be God, by his raifing himfelf from the dead. It is to be owned, that God the Father concurred in raifing Chriii: from the dead j but yet Chrifi: has declared, his refurre6lion to be the work of
hi$
394 The true Scripture Doctrine his own power, as well as of the Father -, and no wonder, for he and the Father are the fame in power, becaufe the fame God. Chrifl, fpeak- ing of his body, faid, ^ " Deftroy this temple, and in three days will I raife it up : " And he declared, that whenever he laid down ^is hfe, he had power to reaflume it in the following words > ^ " I have power to lay down my life, and I have power to take it up again. " Chrift, as man, in the bloody confliA which he main- tain*'d agamft the vengeance of God, and the guilt of fin, loll his life % but he could not be kept under the power of death, bccaufe, as he was alfo God, he had ftrength to fwallow up death in victory. It was not poffible for the holy one of Ifrael to fee corruption j but when
^ John ii. 9.. ^ John x. i R.
* Tertia lux aderat, rofeo cam laetus Eoo
Surgis, mox viftor fidera laeta petis, Confortemque capis patrio cum numine curam,
Dexira tenens, dextro perfpicuufq; loco.
Johannes Jovianus Pontanus.
Prifca fuperllitio, iimuhcraque vana Deorum,
Hoc duce, iirmata religione, cadent. Sponte fua poll hac fe triilibus ofFeret aris,
Vidima facrilcga percuticnda manu. Turn iivgia? lethi defcendet vidor ad undas, Tcrribilique gerct figna tremenda manu.
Titus Vefpalianus Strozza Aeoloftich. Lib. IV. p. 222. Ed. Aid.
Pro nobiF conditor orbis Monalcs induit artus, Confors hominifque Deique, Kt lethum pertulit ultro :
Pell vida mortc triumphans Et vi propria per in.inc, Cum carnc roverfus Olympo, P.itri haefit in omnibus nequus.
HcKulcs Srroyj'.a, 0d. VT p. 3. Ed. Aid,
he
OF THE Trinity.' 39$
he had fatisfy'd God's juftice, by dying for fin, he again trod the path of life. His being able, by his own power, to rife from the dead, proves him almighty > and as his refurre6i:ion is effe6t' ed by his omnipotence, his Deity is manifefted from thence. For a while Chrift fubmitted to the ftroke of death, and for three days made the grave his dark abode •, but the almighty prifoner did not lie long in obfcurity^ for the prince of Hfe foon fprung from the bands of death, and, as a triumphant conqueror, burfl afunder the bars of the grave.
Chrift, by his death, abolifh'd death, and, by his refurredion, brought life and immortality to light : He died that he might appeafe the vengeance of God, that he might atone for the guilt of fin, and deftroy its dominion, and that he might put an end to the tyranny of Satan, and that he might abolifh death : He rofe, that he might manifeft the efficacy of his death, and the fulnefs of his fatisfaftion, and proclaim his
■ Summi numinls Aeterne iili, fiderum, Terrae marifque Conditor, Nil vafta coeli immenlitas. Nil magnus orbis continet, Non dextera fa£lum tua i Tu patris in linu fedens Alls, gubernas omnia. Tii charitate maxima, Noftrae mifertus miferiae, Mortale corpus induisj Diraque affixus cruci, Nos morte vindicas tua A fempiternis ignibus. Tu morte vi£ta regiam Reverfus ad tuam fimuly Tu colentes aurea In parte coeli collocas. }A, Antonius Flaminius, Carm. Sac. p. 74. Ed. 1551;
vi£tor|
396 The true Scripture Doctrine
vidory over fin, death, and the internal pow- ers : He " afcei; Jcd on high, carrying the marks of his bloody death, thole fears of honour, in
" Ite Dei bcllatrices in tempora kuri :
Mors debellata eft vi6taque morte Dei Ite triumphnles lauri : fpinifq; rubifquc
Implicitum veftra cingite fronde caput. Magna Deo parta eft vidoria gaudcat aether.
En bis lo, bis lo, terra triumphe canat Morte Deus vida, ducit de morte triumphum.
Sub pedibufque fuis illam Erebn.mque premit Ipfe fuo furgit tumulo. Letiq; Erebique
Vi(5lor Idumaeam, ceu prius ambit humum.
Francus, El eg. I. vii. p. 141.
Surrexit ; atra non cruce lividus Qualis pependit, vulneribus lacer, Informis obdu6lo cruore, Funereo cohibetur antro. Florent refixis vepribus aurei Crines , & altum fidera verticem Cinxere, fundanturque laeti Purpureos radii per artus. Ubi troplueum, Mors ? ubi funebres Inter cuprcflus f^ilcis ovans rigor ? Mors vida viftore perempto Immoritur, ftimuloquc Chrillus Mortis refrafto vividus emicat,
Vindcx paternis clarus honoribus ; ^_^ —
Ac fulgnrum in morem, corufci Aligcri tumulum frequentant. Leonardus Frizon Lyric. IV. 15. Vol. II. p. 190, 191.
Hauferat aethercos regali pe^lore flatus : TranfmiiToque animo ventura in fecula Chriftum Magnaque oliviferi collis fpe6lacula longe Ccpcrat admirans : manibus tum nablia Vates Increpuit: facris tum cantibus ora refolvit.
Laetiionum clangorcm inter Deus ecce tubarum Afccndit : Captivae Animac ducuntur in akun:>> Libcrtae Domini, & donis potiuntur opiinis. O ego ielicis poflim pars efl'e qatcrvac, Vidoremque Icqui, & cithara tua dicerc fa<5^a, O mea progenies ! non me fulgcnris o]ympi Siderea ci^orus illc lyra, non carmine vinccc ;
his
OF THE Trinity. 397
his flefh, with glory, crowning his head, and dragging the principalities and powers of the kingdom of darknefs, as vanqiiiih'd Oaves, at
Dicam Orci domitas acies, portafque revulfas Carceris inferni : Aiortis feralia regna Difturbata canam, & ftygia data vincla draconi ; Quern teneri illudant pueri intaflaeque puellae, Te duce gaudentes, dirum, fed inane furcntem. Confcenfa tu nube equitas : Tibi milia dcna Aligerum, currus pennis per mutua nexis Intexent oculifque rotae llellantibus ibunt Fulguris in morem. Vitreae fuper aera lymph.ic Neftareos, veniente Deo, liquantur in imbres : Et volvi affidui miris concentibus orbes : Suavius aflra rotent, Domino modnlata recepto. Tuque prior, tu laude Deum celebrare memento, O dile6la Deo, & genitum vifura tonanteni Abrami foboles ; coelique ad jura vocandae Ifacidas inter nullo difcrimine gentes ; Scandenti Domino coeli fuper ardua, qua fe Purpureo exoriens tollit novus aequore Titan, Plaudite adorato gratantcs plaudite regi. At vos, queis fuperi cuftodia credita rcgni, Aligeri proceres, valvis bipatentibus aire Regem, fidereo tollit quem gloria carra, Accipite ingentem, & fpoliis hoftilibus aucflum. Quis novus hie fuperis adventat fedibus hofpes ! Quis tanta fe mole ferens & luce corufcus Regia, honoratum fummis caput admovet allris I Armipotens Dominus, parta certamine duro Illuilris palma Dominus, viftricia coelo Signa inferre parat. Portas diducite late O proceres, portas aeterno adamante rigentes : Et, fua quem volucri fublimem gloria curru Extulit, aetherei Rex ingredietur olympi. Axe triumphal! nam quis petit aethera vidox Qaaeritis, eximio Regis fpedatus honore ? Bellipotens Dominu's Mortis qui viftor Sc orci, Humanae aflertor gentis, facroque fcquefter Sanguine, difcordes coelo componere terras Inftituit i pacemq; novam, nova foeder a fanxit : Hie ille imperio patrii fuccedet olympi. Ocyus indomito poftcs adamante fuperbos, Terrigenae obftru<aos fatali criming p^lle.-,
his
39S The true Scripture Doctrine
his chariot wheels, that he might make fure to his people the bleflings which he puichafed by his death, and might authoritatively intercede for them, being a high prieil, not barely by office and appointment, but ^ by the power of an endleCs life.
There is one thing more I fhall mention, and
Alati referant proceres, acthramque recludunt. Ille fubit cantufque inter plaufufque clientum.
Leonardus Frizon. Theandric. II. Vol. I. p. 299, Sec,
Interea jam non oculis fpeftabile Numcn
Invehitur liquidis in fua regna rods. Campus erat, coeli fpatium ; cava nubila, currus,
Flamina aequi ; ventos currus habebat equos. Aurea coeruleum variabant fidera currum,
Ut formam cocli pofTet habere fui : Auratac fulferc rotae ; temo aureus illi :
Aureus, & flellis concolor, axis erat : Argentum fe per radios difFuderat omnes ;
Ad juga Chryfolithus, multaq; ftabat onyx. Protinus aerium coeli per inania currum
Cum Zephyro Boreas. Eurus & Aufter agunt. Ipl'e triumphali Deus infidct aetheris axi,
Caecaque quadrijugis nubila findit equis. Candida erat, fimplexq; Deoq; fimillima veftis t
Ornabant dextram gcmmeo fceptra manum. Ornabant lua fceptra manum, iua fidera crines :
Splendebat facro multus ab ore decor. At chorus aligerum, coelo delapfus ab alto,
Occurrit Domino, Patre jubente, fuo. Hi currum circumvolitant, niveoque coronant
Agmine. Coeleftum pcrfonat aethra tubis. Coeleftes fonuere tubae, laetumque triumphe.
Qua vehitur, magno concinuere Deo. Illc fimul terras linquil, fimul aethera tangit,
Altaquc defpefta fidera calcat humo. Aethereac patuere fores, patet aula tonantis,
Sequc fuum fiftit jilius ante patrem. Confidct ad dextram magni genitoris, Sc orbis
Commune impcrium cum patre gnatus habct.
P. Francius, Eleg. I. viii. p. i^^, 14-
^ Heb. vii. 16.
then
OF THE TRiNITY. 399
then put an end to this argument. Chrift is, in the new teftament, worfhip'd on account of the work of redemption j now had not this been the work of God, divine adoration could not be offcr'd for it j and if it be the work of God, he that wrought it, and is therefore adored, muil be God. The apoftle Jude has concluded his epiftlc with a doxology to Chrift, on ac- count of redemption > ^ '^ To him that is able to keep you from falling, and to prefent you faultlefs, before the prefence of his glo- ry, to your exceeding joy, to the only wife God our Saviour, be glory and majefty, do- minion and power, now and for ever. Amen.'* And the apoftle John has direfted a doxolo- gy to him on the fime account j y " Jefus Chrift — loved us, and wafti'd us from our fins in his own blood, — to him be glory and do- minion, for ever and ever, Amen." Indeed, the eflcntial dignity of Chrift's perfon, which is the foundation of this worfhip, is always the {ame> but by his redeeming us, he has made a greater difplay of his glory, and afforded a new motive for praife 3 but of that I fhall treat * hereafter. As Chrift, who is God, has, by the power of his divine nature, redeem'd man- kind, they ought to adore and glorify him on that account : He, by his death, delivers the obje6bs of redeeming love from the wrath of God, from the curfe of the law, from the guilt and dominion of fin, from the reign of death, and from the power of Satan : He reconciles them to God, and juftifics them, by imputing to them his own righteoufnefs, a righteoufnels of infinite value > and he has purchaied the gift
* Jude 24, 2.^. y Rev, i. 5, 6, « Chap. XII.
of
400 The tRUE Scripture Doctrine
of the holy Spirit, to renew and fandify them, and to be their conduder in their padlige thro' the wildcrnefs of this world, till they fafely reach the borders of a land of heavenly reft. He was moved to do thefc great things by free fovereign love, and by infinite compafllon, and he has effected them with infinite power. Hiey, therefore, who are made partakers of thefc ex- cellent benefits, will never be backward to join with angels, and archangels, and all the hoil of heaven, in afcribing bieffing, honour, glory, and power, to the great God of their (alvation, who alTumed human nature, and was flain, that he might redeem his chofen feed from hell, and might purchafe for them the heavenly king- dom, where all forrows fhall be banifh'd from their breafts, and all tears {hall be wiped away from their eyes.
^©0@^S©SJ^®@®@SSO«©e©S@O
CHAP. X.
Chrift's Divinity proved, from his univerfal Lordfhip.
m S Chrift is God, in a proper fenfe, ot T^ one God with the Father, he is the uni-* -•J^ra verfal Lord and King : As he is God the Creator, who made the earth by his power, eftabliili'd the world in wifdom, and llretch'd out the heavens in difcretion, he is the everlaft* ing King, at whofe wrath the earth trembles, and whofe indignation the nations are not able
to
o)p THE Trinity. 401
to abide. He is therefore in fcriprure call'd ^ the King eternal, immortal, and invifible> the blcf- fed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and the Lord of lords, who only has immortality, whom none has feen, nor can fee to perfc61:ion j the only fovereign God and Lord. His right of dominion is founded in the infinite perfeftions of his nature j his power hii^ brought all things into being out of nothing, the highell angels, as well as the lowefi: creatures^ therefore all are iubje6t to his almighty nod -, whether they are the thrones, dominions, principalities, virtues, and powers of the fpiritual v/orld -y or whe- ther they are the inferior tribes of flcih and blood.
Chrifl gave fome difplay of his kingly power, as God, when he gave the law at mount Sinai : There he appear'd as the only fovereign, who had a right to prefcribe flatutes and ordinances to his creatures, and there he aflumed the cha- racter of the univerfal King, in requiring the homage and obedience of all who were the pro- du6t of his hands.
Befides this eflential kingdom, which mufl belong to Chrift, of neceffity, it he be really God*, he has, as Mediator, a kingdom, which he holds by another title, even that of purchafej the affairs of which he never could be able to manage, were he not truly and properly God. The eflential dignity of Chrift remains for ever the liime, as it mult needs, fuppofing him the unchangeable God > but tis mediatorial glory is the reward of his fufFerings, and his relative dignity towards us appear'd with greater luftre, in his becoming man, and dying for us, than
* I Tim. i. 17.. vi. 15, i6.
D d ever
402 The true Scripture Doctrine
ever it had before : His faffcring for us was re- warded with glory, honour, and a kingdom, or univerfal Lordlhip, as Mediator, over all perfons, and all things > and for this dominion he would not be fir, had he not infinite per- fcclion^.
Chriil, tho' equal to God^ in nature, alTumed the nature of man, and in that nature made a mean appearance, endured the contradiction of finners, died, and fuffered, that he might re- deem them that were under the curfe, by being made obedient to the curfed death of the crofsj for this caufe, as the apofilePaul has ^ acquaint- ed us J " God has highly exalted hitn, and given him a name above every name ; that at the name of Jefus every kneefhould bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth -, and that every tongue ihould confcfs, that [efus Chrift is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." Chrift, by dying for us, procured a right to reign over us, by a new and fpecial title : And as his obedience was of infinite value, no reward could be too high for it : Therefore we find that he, as Mediator, is exalted to a royal dignity, which is univerfal -, the angels, who never fin'd, are commanded to pay him homage, under the chara6ler of Re- deemer of men j and tlie principalities and pow- ers of the kingdom of darknefs, who deluded man to work out his own ruin, are forced, with confufion and regret, to fubmit to Chriil, as he riands in the relation of the Saviour^ and recoverer of man, whom their infernal arts liad , drawn to rebel againfl his Maker.
When Chriil rofe from the dead, he was dc-
Phil, ii. 9,
clared
OF T H E Tr i N I T Y. 40 J
dared to be the Son of God with power j af- ter he had, by himfelf, purged our Cms, he iac down on the right hand of the Majeily onhigh. This is very dillin6tly reprefented to us in the fecond Pililm ; <= " I have fet my King on my holy hill of Sion: I will declare the decree j Jehovah has faid to me, thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee : Ask of me, and I will give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermoft parts of the caith for a pof- feffion : Thou fhalt break them with a rod of iron, thou fhalt dafh them in pieces like a pot- ter's veflel. " Chrift, on his afcenfion to hea- ven, was inverted with full power, to fubdue his enemies, and to make his people the willing fubjedls of his kingdom of grace. This we are informed by the royaH prophet : ''Jeho- vah faid to my Lord, fit thou at my right hand, till I make thy foes thy footftool : Jehovah fliall fend the rod of thy ftrength out of Sion, rule thou in the midft of thy enemies : Thy people fhall be willing, in the day of thy power, in the beauties of holinefs, from the womb of the morning, thou hafl the dew of thy youth." It was one end of Chrill's dying, and after- wards rifing, that he might be univerfal Lord. « " For this end Chrift died, and rofe, and re. vived, that he might be Lord of the dead and the living. '* That he might bring this about, he drank of the ^ brook in the way, or of the flood of wrath divine, and then he lifted up his head, far above all principalities and powers.
It is very plainly laid down, in fcripture, that Chrift's Lordiliip is univerfal 5 this cannot but
^^ Pfal. ii. 6-9. ^Pkcx. I, 2, 3.
* Rom. XIV. 9, f Pfal. ex. 7.
D d 2 appear
4C4 The true Scripture Doctrine
appear in part from fome palTages which have been produced 3 and may farther be manifefted. The apollle Peter, while he preach'd toCorne- Hus and his family, § fpeaking of Chrift, faid, " He is Lord of all j " and by the apolUe ^ Paul, Chrill is lliled, '' Lord over all. *' Chriil Je- fus, tho' as a Lamb he condefccnded to be fa- cri ficed, and to be flain, is yet the King of kings, and the Lord of lords, having power fufficicnt to fubdue his enemies : This we are told in the book of the Revelation, where, when the bcaft, or antichriil:, and they that deliver their power to him, are brought in, making war with the Lamb, it is ' added, " The Lamb fliall overcome them, for he is King of kings, and Lord of. lords. " And in the ^ fame book, where Chriil is defcribed, marching to the de- flruftion of his enemies, in all the pomp of warj this is the name that is written upon his thigh, and upon his imperial robe. " He has on his veflurc and on his thigh, a name writ- ten, King of kings, and Lord of Lords. " It is therefore plain, that to our bleiTed Lord is given a kingdom, and dominion over all.
I readily allow to our adverfarics, that this kingdom, which they feem to make Chrift's higheft; dignity, is comniitted to him by the Father J but what I would maintain is, that feeing Chriil: manages the affairs of his media- torial kingdom hiniiclf, he muit be poiTefsM of divine powers. This government would be too . heavy for his fhoulder, if he were not the mighty God ; and this fccpter would be too weighty for him to wield, if he were not the Lord of glory.
6 Aas X. 0. ^' Rom. V. ir. ' Rev. xix. 14.
^ xix. 16
One
OF THE Trinity. 405
One divine perfection, which is abfolucely neceflary to Chrid, chat he may rightly order the concerns of an univeriiil dominionj is infi- nite wifdom. The Lord of all mud have a complete view, at once, of all aiTairs, relating to his mediatory kingdom : He mull know all the wants of his people, that he may be ready to fupply themj he muft be apprized of their weaknefTes, that he may keep them from idling j and he mull be intimatelv acquainted with their thoughts, and Avich the intentions they have in vi'.'w, other wife he could not prefent their fcr- vices before his heavenly Father: He mull be omnifcient, that he may afford an ear to all :hat call upon him., throughout the various parts of his dominion. With refped to his enemies, he mull know all their fecret machi- nation, and hidden defigns againll him and his intercll, that he may prevent them 3 and he mull know them before they are put into act, that he may be able to difappoint them, or to over- rule them for his own glory 5 both which he very often does.
Another divine perfe£lion, necefliiry in him who is Lord of all, is almighty power. Were not the King of faints, and the King of nati- ons almighty, he could not carry on his defigns, either with regard to the people of his choice, or to the fworn enemies of his fway.
Almighty power ^ is requifite, for Chrifl's carrying on his defigns on his people. The
^ Excellent are rfie following words of the very learned bilhop Bull.
Admirationem plane omnem excedit, inter Chriftianos, de Chrifto fuo longe fanftiora & fublimiora per Evangelium clariiTime edodlos, veV hodie reperiri. vel unquam repertos fuilTe, qui nudum ipfum hominem, vel meram cre.\turam
D d 3 con-
4o6 The true Scripture Doctrine
converting of a (inner is a work of fo great power, that in fcripture it is reprefented as raifing from the dead, which is the work of God. Chrifl has told us, ™ " the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead fhall hear the voice of the Son of God, and they that hear fliall live. '' It requires almighty power, to bring
fufpicarentur. Ut enim taccim Novi Teflamenti loca, quae OioXo^xv ejus immediate refpiciuntj in quibus fcilicet DeiFi- lius, & Deus ante Tecula, per quern omnia fa6la fint praedi- catur ; {]oca fane tot ac tarn diferta, ut dedita opera caecutiat ncceffe fit qui eorum lucem non videat ;) etiam ea quae de •iKovcfjuU ejus dicuntur, quaeque ad ipfius officium, five ho- norem pertinent, qua Mefiias, Chriftus, & Mediator nofter ell, certe plufquam hominem aut creaturam fonant. Oiicc- voyjU, quae ipfi tribuitur, B-ioXo^eiv neccflario, (ut loquun- tur) praefupponit, ipfamque omnino ftatuit. Quid enim, Meffiam, five Chriflum, praedicant facrae noftrae litterae, & credere nos profitemur omnes, qui fit animarum fofpita- tor ; qui nobis fit Sapientia, Jullitia, Sanftificatio & Re- dcmptio, hoc eil, nos fapientes, juftos, fanftos, ac tandem perfefte beatos efliciat ; qui preces fuorum, ubivis facro- fandum ejus nomen invocantium illico exaudiat, adeoquc omnipraefens, omnifcius, & Ka^^icyva ?■>}<; fit ; qui ecclefiae fuae per univerfum terrarum orbem diffeminatae femper praeflo fit, ac vi fua omnipotente ita earn tueatur ac pro-, tegat, ut contra ipfam nihil terrae potellates, nihil infcro- rum portae quicquam valent. Qui Deo patri o-Jv^'p©- & in eadem fede collocatus fit non modo ab hominibus nobis humi repentibus, fed ab ipfis angelis atque archangelis, atque univerfo orbe fupercoelelli, divino cultu adorandus; qui denique in exitu mundi, immenfa gloria ac majeftate re- iulgens, angelis miniftris ftipatu?, veniet orbem judicatu- rus, non modo facfta omnia, fed Sc cordis fecreta omnium, quotquot unquam fuere hominum, in lucem proditurus, inimicos fuos ad tartarum ufque relegaturus, ipfius obfe- quentes, non opibus, non honoribus, non voluptatibus ter- renis, fed coelefti gloria, vitaque ipfa aeterna donaturus. Hacccine omnia in purum hominem aut creaturam polTe competere? Fidenter dico, qui ita fentiat, non modo con- tra fidcm, fed & rationem ipfam infanire. Bull. Judicium, Ecclef catholicac, pag. 12. alias 292. "^ John V. 25.
one
OF TH E TrIN IT Y. 407
one contrary out of another. It is necelTary that Chrifb, the King of faints, Ihould be al- mighty ', for on that fiippofition he can fpeak the word, and they that lie dead in fins, can arife and live, and he can give forth the com- mand J and they that lie buried in the grave of corruption, can come forth and ihcw them- felves, {liake off the duft and pollution of fin, and fliine forth in the beauty of holinefs. It requires infinite power to fill the underflanding, that is naturally dark, with a clear light j to change the heart of ftone into a heart of fleili, and to infpire the will, which is violently fet on rebellion, with new dcfires after righteoufnefs and true holinefs. All this is done by Chriil:, when he makes the day of his power pafs on a finner> and he that does this mull be Almighty. Infinite power is alfo requifite, for ChriiVs de- fending h'is people from all fpiritual evils, and outward diftrefles, which attend them in their pafiage thro' a waile and howling wildernefs : He muft be Almighty, in order to keep any created power from plucking his fiieep out of his hand, till he brings them to feed in the green pafture* of the land of reft and pure de- light, where falvation will fpring up frelh for ever, and to lie down befide the ftill waters of the river of life, whofe pleafant ftreams flow from his right hand, to refrefh and regale all whom he brings to ftand there, in their lot a- mong the righteous, to all eternity.
Almighty power is alfo neceflary, in order to Chrift's carrying on his, defigns, with refpe6b to his enemies. Indeed there is no creature but what may be exceeded in power, by God's communicating more ftrength to another > but Chrift has not only fubdued his fpiritual foes, D d 4 but
4oS The true Scripture Doctrine
but he carries on a continued victory over them * He goes forth conquering, and to conquer, and is never interrupted in his defigns by all the powers of hell and earth : And that power which is never obftruded, mud be abfolutely irrcfidible, and fuch a power mud be infinite. Were Chrift's power over his enemies ever fo great, yet if it were circumfcribed by finite bounds, tho' he might obtain the conqueft, yet it would be with difficulty^ but he has the hearts of his enemies in his hand, and can turn them like rivers of water. Tho' the powers of the earth rage, and vainly imagine to throw of^' his dominion > and tho' the devil and his angels do all they can to obftru6l; his defigns, then' oppofition is of no more force, than the breath of an infant is, to overfpread the ocean with florms.
Chrifl will reign till he has put all his ene- mies under his {eet^ and has accomplifh'd all the defigns of his righteoufnefs, towards his ene- mies, and of his wifdom and love towards his peo- ple j and when he has deftroy'd all his enemies, and brought all his ele£b to glory > it will be the continual employment of thofe, who have wafli'd their robes, and made them white in his blood, to cry out with rapture, and fhout with triumph, Jefus Chrill the Lord God omnipo- tent reigns.
It may bs objeded, that Chrifl's kingdom is not eternal -, fince the apoftle Paul has told us ", in his firft epiftle to the Corinthians, " Then comes the end when he (liall have delivered the kingdom to God the Father, when he fhall have put down all rule, and all authority and
-^ T Cor. XY. 24. 28.
powers
OF THE Trinity. 405)
jiowerj — and when all things fhall be fubdued to him, then fhail the Son himfelf be rubjc6b to him, that put all things under him, that God may be all in all." But this place can never conclude ?gainft Chrift's reigning, as Me- diator, in any ienfe, as King to eternity, be- caufe the fcripture ^ has iiilly declared, that his kingdom is everlafting. The fenfe is, that Chrift's kingdom will ceafe, as to the form of its adminiilration, which is by the word, and facraments, by the crcfs, afflictions, and con- fli& with enemies. In the adminiftration of this kingdom Chrift employs under him angels and men, but when his enemies are all con- quered, and when the miniftry oF men and an- gels is linila'd, Chrift will deliver up his king- dom, by prefenting all thofe committed to his charge, before God, that he may appear to be a faithful Mediator : He thus will deliver up his kingdom, not to be diverted of his power, but that he may give a proof, that his work is finifti'd, that not one enemy is lefs unfubdued, and that not one foul committed to his care is loft. Tho' he will thus deliver up his king- dom, as to the form of aJminiftring it, P yet his kingdom will be everlafting 3 he will lit
° His dominion is an everlafting dominion, that Ihall not p.ifs away, and his kingdom fuch as fhall not be deftrcy'dv Pan. vii. 14.
He Ihall reign over the houfe of Jacob for ever, and of his kingdom there jfhall be no end. Luke i. 33.
Now to the King eternal, immortal,and invifible. i Tim.i. 1 7.
The kin doms of the world -are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Chrift, and he Ihall reign for ever and ever. Rev. xi. 15.
P Though the royal office of Chrift be refign'd, yet we muft not think that Chrift ihall ceafe to be a King, or lofc any of th« power and honour which before he had : The
down
4IO The true Scripture Doctrine down as a glorious victor, when all bis enemies are brought under : He now reigns as one that IS conquering j but then he will reign as one that has aftually triuniph'd over all his enemies. Then there will be an open declaration of his voluntary fubrnJlTion to the Father, in his me- diatorial capacity j and then God will be all in all, becaufe he will communicate himlclf imme- diately to the blefled inhabitants of the regions of light, without external means.
It would be moil irrational to allow, that when Chrilt has fully accomplifh'd his deiigns of mercy and goodnefs, to bring about which he laid down his life, that he Ihould be ftrip'd of one great part of the reward of his fufferings, which is univerfal dominion; This would be to fuppofe him puniili'd, Inftead of his being re- warded : He will iit King for ever and ever, and all that he has condu6bed fafe within the heavenly gates, fhall reign with him in life and glory for ever, beholding his face in righteouf- nefs, and fatisfied, to all eternity, with the joys which are in his prefence.
dominion which he has, was given him as a reward for wh:t he fuffer'd : And certainly the reward fhall not ceafc, \vheh the work is done. He has promifed to make us kings and priefls, which honour we expe6l in heaven, believing "WC /h:dl reign with him for ever, and therefore for ever muft believe him King. ^. Chrill fhall reign for ever and ever, not only to the modificatcd eternity of his mediatorfhip, fo long as there fh.dl be need of regal power, to fubdue the enemies of God's elect ; but alfo to the complete eternity of the duration of his humanity, which is for the future coeternal to his Divinity. Bifliop Pearfon on the creed.
CHAP.
OF THE Trinity. 411
C H A P. XL
Chrift's Divinity proved, from his being judge of the world.
HE fcriptures often acquaint us, that all perfons mufl appear before God to be judged by him -, and they like- wife inform us, that the work of judging the world, is, in a pecuHar manner, left to Chrift. God has appointed a time, for all perfons to appear before the awful tribunal of juftice, to be judged in righteouf- nefs by the man Chrift Jefus. Thus the apo- ftle Paul, when he preached to the Athenians, acquainted them, that ^ " God has appointed a day, in which he will judge the world in righte- oufnefs, by that man whom he has ordained. ^' Our blefTed Lord has himlelf afTured us, that ^ " The Father judges no man, but has com- mitted all judgment to the Son." And, in- deed, throughout the whole new teflament, there is not the leaft fhadow to fuppofc, that any perfon fhall be immediately employ 'd in this wonderful tranfadion of judging the world, ex- cept Chrift Jefus-; who, as man, will appear; but could never be fit to be judge of all, if he were not God.
It is moll agreeable to the awful folemnicy of the laft day, that the Judge, before v/hom the tribes of flelhand blood muft appear, fhould be vifible, and therefore none can be fo fit for this work, as the man Chriil Jefus. It is alfo
» Aftsxvii. 31, * John V, 22.
moft
412 The true Scripture Doctrine
mod congruous to juftice, that he who fufFer'd fomuch pain and iliamc, for fins not his own, fhould be exalted to this high dignity. Chriil, when he w^as ignominioully drag'd before the infolent jewifh priefts, folemnly afTurcd them, that as nnuch as they then defpifed him, he was to be their judge : " Hereafter (fiid ^ he) you fhall fee the Son of man fitting on the right hand of power, and coming with the clouds of heaven." He who in the days of his humi- liation, came meek and lowly, riding on an afs's colt, fhall come riding on the clouds of heaven: He that was flighted and r.bufed" fhall be feared of all, and he that expired upon the crofs, fhall fpeak with power from the liipreme tribunal.
It is the man Chrifl Jcfas that will appear at the lafl day -, but that this judge is God as well as man, may even be gather'd from the auguft manner of his appearance. When Chrifb comes without fin to falvation, to be exalted by his faints, and to be adored by all who believe j as his manhood will no more be in the likcnefs of linful flefh, but be glorified > fo his Godhead will no more be conceal'd, but his awful glo^- ries fhall be unvcil'd. Chrifl will ^ defcend in power and great glory, in his Father's glory^
* Matt. xxvi. 64.
^ The Son attended glorloufly, from heaven. Shall in the sky appear, and from him fend The fummoning Archangel, to proclaim His dr-^ad tribun-'.l : forthwith from all winds The livnig, and forthwith the cited dead. Of all pall ages, to the general doom Shall h^.ften, fuch a peel fhall roufc their fleep f Then all hi.^ faints afiembled, he fhall judge Bad men and angels, they arraigned fhall fink Beaeath his fenrcnce y Hell (lier numbers full)
and
OF TH£ Trinity. 413
and his own, with thoufands and ten thoufands of holy angels attending him. -He will come in flaming fire, with thunder clouding his brow with the ivvord of juftice arming his hand, and with a crown of viclory encircling his head : His face {hall be as lightening, his eyes like flames of fire, and his voice fhall be louder than the noife of great waters: And from his pre-
Thenceforth fhall be for ever ihut. Mean while The world fliall burn, and from her afhes fpring New heaven and earth, wherein th^ juil fhall dwell.
r,. . ^ . Milton.
Turn pertcrricrepos fonitus per vifcera terrae
Iri exauditum certum eft, & motibus orbis
Infolitis, circum & coeli domus alta tremifcet ;
Procumbent fuccufTae urbes, territaque tellus
Excutiet, magno fenior jam pondere nutans,
Qiiod diu onus tulerat, longo poft tempore collo.
At dum terribiles minitatur terra ruinas,
Et motu ingenti magnas tremefecerit urbes,
Non face fol rofea ex alto fe oftendet Olympo,
Sed caput obfcurum denfa inter nubila condet
Triftis, egens lucis, concedens is quoque fatis ;
Lunai globus ipfe etiam tabefcet, & ailra
Per noftem, ex undis : & cum jam furgere Eois
Deberet Phoebus, nonnulla cadentia cernent
Attoniti paflim juvenes trepidacque puellae.
Interea nigrantem infana per aequora nimbum
Fulminibus gravidum ferri, & maria omnia arenam
Evomere, & magno com.pleri murmure pontum,
Acclives portus, jamque oppida confternantem,
Et falfos coeli tollentem ad nubih fluclus,
Horrentes populi rerum novitate videbunt-
Suftulit haec ubi figna igitur dux maximus, arce
Ex coeli creber tonitrus, clangorque tubarum
Complebunt omnem raucis mugitibus orbem.
In fummum dsdufta locum, flammefcere coeli
Incipiet moles longe candentibus auris,
Amfanflique graves fauces, 8c triftis Averni
Ignitam efflabunt animam : nee tempore quoquani
Antra Aetnaea nigram magis evomuere favillam,
Flammarumque globos, vaftis nee hiatibus aequc
JExpirare ignem tellus eft vifa cavernis,
i fence
4.14 The true Scripture Doctrine
fence the heavens and the earth ihall fly away. His coming will be preceded with dreadful ihakings and revolutions. When he gave the law at mount Sinai, it was done with terrible folemnity, the mountain burnt with fire, there was blacknefs, dai^kncfs, and a tempeft, and the
Perfaepe interea fumantes aethcre ab alto Prorumpent acri piceae caligine nubes Fulminibus gravida e, late exurentibus omnia. Jam mare non mare, at exuflae magis aequor arenae, Haec iirbes eadem & montes incendia magnos In cinerem & coeli fulgentia moenia vertent. Ergo iibi clangore ingenti taratantara raucum Infonucre tubae, & magnis mugitibus aether, Terribilique omnis fonitu reboavit olympus, Pandentur coeli portae, & ftipante caterva Inmimera Rex egreflus, legionibus ire Ordine compofito, & praeferri ligna jubebit. Mox ubi quadrate fortis ftetit agmine quifque, Atque utrinque acies ardentibus adititit alis, Et paflim hac iliac {cic explicuere cohortes, Frontibus aequatis Rex ardua caftra movebit : Quern procul ut nubes, coelique ferena lecantem Sufpicient gentes, palmas ad iidera tendcnt Ingentemque una clamorem ad fidera tolient, Eftufaeque ruent. — — —
Aoniu£ Palearius. DelmmortalitateAnimorum. Lib. IIL V. 439, Sec. 493, &c. 583, &:c.
Credimus ex alto rediturum rurfus Olympo,
Cum judex olim nofler, ut orbis eris : Et te coerulea fublimc in nube ledentcm
Confpiciet Dominum terra, tremetque, luum O praeclara dies, hujulque novifTima mundi,
Tani I'peranda bonis, tam metuenda malis : Adfis fortunata, precor, coeloque fereno,
Lucidaque 8c feiix, non metuenda veni ; Ergo dies veniet, volvcntibus ordine faeclis.
Cum mnre, cum tellus, cum polus, ignis erunt r Totaque diverfis flagrabit partibus aethra;
Cun6laque Tub prifcum lunt reditura chaos ? Ilia dies veniet, veniet quoque Numen in ilia;
Si qua fides verbis, pagina facra, tuis.
i found
OF THE TrIN ITY. 4I5
found of a trumpet waxing louder and louder. There was all this at giving the law, and fare there mud be more, when Chriil comes to judge men for their iniquities. The rocks will rendj the deferts will quake, the hills will totter, and the mountains reel, the fun fhall be turn'd into
Nuntia terribilis tempeflas atra did,
Emiflufque fuo carcere ventus erk. Terrebunt pavidas, quatientque, tonitrua terras ;
Spargentur toto fuimina crebra polo. Exibunt tumuli 3 cariofa cadavera ruptis,
Aligerum clara faecla citante tuba. Hos inter Deus ipfe fuo defccndet Olympoj
Veftus in aeriis, vedus ut ante, rotis Juflitiaeque trucis medius veniaeque favemi?
Digna dabit mentis praemia cuique fuis. A dextro politos coelo tranfcribet &: aflris,
A laeva, Stygiae gujgite merget aquae. Protinus affument alias elementa figuras
Accendct vallum, qua patet, ignis humum. Fumabit late verper, fumabit &: ortus ;
Immenfus cinerum xnundus acervus erit. Ardcbit coelum, fuperumque vorantibus axejn,
Vix domus a flammis tuta futura Dei eft. Alme Deus, quern, quae coelo vexere reducent,
Labentem patrio nubila curva polo : Aere qui medio, fado de nubibus arcu.
Arbiter in totam, Chrifte, fedebis humum : Et tibi dileftae fades difcrimina turbae ;
Et tecum caras ire jubebis oves : O utinam nobis ita fit felicibus efle,
Simus ut illius pars modo parva gregis ! Quique fuis terram luftrabit, & aethera, flammis,
Sit nobis, utinam, candidus ille dies ! Parce, precor, mundoque fave, mundi indite judex.
Nee judex nobis, fed pater, efTe velis. Sis bonus o, placidufque tuo^ bone dudor, ovili,
Et profit populo mors tua, Chrifte, tuo. Chrifte veni, gentemque tuam coelo aflere, pro qua
Non detreftafti, vivat ut ilia, movi.
P. Francius, Lib. I. Eleg. 10. p. J54» 15^'
■ ■ Sedct orta Deo proles, Deus ipfe, fereno
darkncfs.
4i6 The tRUE Scripture Doctrine
darknefs, and the moon into blood, the hea- vens will pafs away with a great noife, the ele- ments will melt with fervent heat, the earth and all therein will be burnt with fire, and the
Lumine perfufus radiifquc inrpcrfus acutis. Circum tranquillae funduntur tempora flammae, Regius ore vigor fpirat, nitet ignis ocellis, Plurimaque cfFulgct majeHas numine toto. Quantum diflimilis, quantum o mutatus ab illo Qui peccata luit cruciatus non fua, Vitam Quando lu6lantcm cunftata morte trahebat ! Sed fruflra voluit defundtum Golgotha numen Condere, dum vicla fatorum lege triumphans, Nativum petiit coelum, & fuper aethera ve£lus Dcfpexit lunani exiguam Iblemque minorem.
IllullriflimusAddifonus. De Pvcfurredlionc, opp. Vol.L p. 415. Ed. 4^«.
O quam terribili complebit lumine terras
Ilia dies, extrema dies & facra furori !
Qua fubito emotis convulfus fedibus orbis
Ibit in ul trices, ilamma evertente, favillas.
Credite, divino verax ita carmine vates
Regius, & veteres olim cecinere prophetr^e.
Qualis erit rerum ficies quantufque fubibit
Mentibus attonitis, membrifque trcmentibus horror !
Cum toniirus, ignefque inter, jaculataque coelo
Fulgura, candenti volucrcs in nube per auras,
Humanos Chrillus venict difquirere mores.
Prinium horrenda dabit fonitum tuba, quo fremet omnis
Oceanus late, quo tellus concita manes
Kvomct attonitos, & coram judicc filict.
'^l unc adeo natura novo perculla Ihipore
Excita e gravibus mirabitur olla Icpulchris
Inter fe commiiia itcrum compagine jungi ;
QuaeqOe atro fuerant refolutae pulvere carne
Ollibus induci, vetorcmque refumere formam :
Vulner.t mors etiam (ua cum reparata videbit
Se vidtam, polliris fugitiva fatebitur armis.
Ergo ubi compofitae rcdivivo corpora gente^
Strabunt ante oculus Sc fummi judicis ora ;
Dejicicnt hebeti pullentia lumina vultu
Ati tcrram exangues, facietque filentia terror.
Job. Amonius du Cerceau. Opp. p. 38, 39.
frame
OF THE TrINITT. 417
frame of the vifible world will be difTolved. The archangel, a creature of the higheft rank, will reckon it honour enough to found the trumpet before his great Lord, to fummon the dead to appear at the bar of God, the Judge of all. This is the account the fcripture has given us of the manner of Chrifl's appearing to judge the world 5 and if this does not exprefs the coming of a divine perfon, it would be im- poflible for any words to do it.
There are feveral divine perfe61:ions neceflaiy in the judge of all, and therefore Chrift muft be truly God, or he could not be capable of this great work 5 but as the fcriptures repre- fent him able to go through it, it follows, that he is really poflefs'd of thole divine perfections which are requifite for that end.
Infinite power is abfolutely necefTary for rai- fing the dead, and uniting together the feveral parts of their bodies, which have been fcatter'd hither and thither after their diflblution into dult. That almighty power which firft brought men into being, only can raife them from the dull of death. Chrill:, if we allow him to be God, is Almighty, and therefore, when once he fpeaks the word, Arife ye dead, and come to judgment 5 the dead fhall ftart from their fi- lent beds, and fhaking off their long (lumber, it may be of many thoufand years, fhall all ftand before his judgment feat, to be either acquit- ted or condemned by him. That the dead are to be raifed by Chrifl, he himfelf has affured * us, " The hour is coming, when all that are in the graves fhall hear his voice, and ihali come forth, they that have done good, to the
! John V. 28, 29.
E e refur-
41 s The TRUE Scripture Doctrine
rcfurre6tion of life -, and they that have done evil, to the refurreclion of condemnation." That it is by Chrift's almighty power, that he will change the bodies of the faints into glori- ous bodies, theapoftle Paul ^ has expreflly told us, " He fhall change our vile body, that it may be fafliion'd like to his glorious body, ac- cording to the energy whereby he is able to fubdue all things to himfelf.'* As the fle/hly fubftance of man was at firll: from Chrift's crea- ting power, fo he only who can do all things, can call forth the fhatter'd parts of difTolved bodies, from the feveral rcpolitorics and dor- mitories of the earth, that men may come be- fore him, in the fame bodies they laid down in the dull.
As the dead could not be raifed by Chrift, if he were not infinite in power, fo he could not take cognizance of their actions, if he were not infinite in knowledge. Chrift is declared, in fcripturc, to be the learcher of hearts > and \vcic he not fo, he could not be judge of all, bccaufc men will be tried for every fecret thing, every retired thought, xhat has lain hid in the clofe recedes of the mind, and never broke out - into acl, as well as for the deeds they have done, in the open view of the world. Chrift muil be omnifcient, to- bring on the ftage all the a6>ions of men, in order to their being canvafs'd at the great day of account. None but one infinite in knowledge, can bring to view all the fccrct and open anions of all the men, that have been fince the foundation of the world : And none but fuch an one can be a proper judge, what dcfign men had in view in the
<■ Phil. ill. 21.
works
OF THE Trinity. 419
works they did, whilil in the body, and whe- ther they were fincere, or infinccre, in their intentions, when they performed what was good as to outward appearance. Chrift's divine knowledge will enable him to be an infallible witnefs, of things that have been done in pri- vate as well as in publick, by them who appear before him 5 and were his knowledge limited^ it would not be poffible that hypocrify, in all cAfeSy could be open to him, but as he is infi- nite in knowledge, the policy of themoft crafty cannot deceive him ; he will not be led afide by fhifts and difguifes, but the mod complete proficients in diflembling, and the moft able mailers of difguife will Hand mute before him.
Infinite knowledge is not more necefiary in the judge of all the earth, to know the crimes of men, than infinitely perfect julf ice, in order to his doing right, and awarding a jufl judg- ment. Now if we allow Chrift's true Divini- ty, he is every way fitted to do the work of a juft Judge, for he is a God of truth, and with- out iniquity, juft and righteous in his decrees, and holy in all his determinations : He is of purer eyes than to behold iniquity, and will ne- ver fuffer the evil doer to come into his blifs- ful pretence^ nor the impenitent finner to be united to his aflembly : As he is faithful and juit, he will never forget his peoples work of faith, and labour of love, but will acquit and abfolve them, and condu6l them to the pofTelfi- on of that kingdom of glory, which he has pro- vided and purchafed for them.
When Chrift has pafs'd a righteous fentence, there muft be in him infinite power to inflict it. Were he a creature, his fentence might be difputed, for he fits not only judge of the fallen
E e i race
420 The true Scripture Doctrine
race of Adam, but of the powerful princes of the kingdom of darknefs, whom for not fubmit- ting to his mediatorial rule, he threw from the battlements of heaven. Thofe ftrong and fub* tie fpirits might have another opportunity to conteft their doom, if their judge were of a created nature like themfelves. As Chrift is Almighty, when once anger lightens in his dif- pleafed face, all the llrength of rebellious crea- tures will be withered. Reprobate mortals, with rueiul fhrieks, will cry out to the rocks to hide them, and to the mountains to cover them, and the prince of the power of the air, and all the haplefi companions of his fall will tremble, and lofe all their might, and confefs that ftrong is the Lord God who judges them.
In (liorr, he who pafles an irreverfible fen- tence, mult be the God over all, or muft be poiTefs'd of abfolutely fupreme and uncontroll'd dominion. That judge, from whofe fentence there can pofTibly be no appeal, muft have no fuperior in dominion 5 now there is no appeal from the award of Chrift, therefore his domi- nion muft be fupreme, that is, he muft be God in a proper fenfe. When once a fentence of condemnation has pafs'd Chrift's mouth, it can never poftlbly be revoked ^ after millions of ages have roU'd away, and the wicked have roar'd out many ages, under the fharpncfs of his wrath, his fentence will be as far from being difannulPd, as when firft pronounced, it will ftand firm and inviolable for ever. His fentence of abfolution will entirely determine the ftate of the righte- ous j for when he declares guiltlefs, as he has no fuperior, who ihall condemn? The laft judg- ment fhall be the compleating of the happinefs of the faints, for from the bar they (hall go, I in
OF THE Trinity. 421
in body, as well as foul, into life everlafting, to be for ever in the prefence of Gocj, their ex- ceeding joy, even Jefus the mediator of the new covenant, where they {hall pofTefs pleafures grown to full perfedion, and comforts that will ever laft.
!i>«l9»«lS'fStf9'!rlK«!e^r!T-K<:e:^-:;-:r^ I-fl--^ •:^>:;-9^-K-i;':r:-4-':*^l»<ir4'
CHAP. XIL
Chrift's Divinity proved, from the religi- ous worfliip that is paid to him in fcrip- ture.
CCORDING to the pofitive and exprefs commands of fcripture, God only is the obje6t of religious worfhip, and we find nothing more flri6tly pro- hibited, than worihipping more Gods than one 5 but not with {landing religious wor{hip is ap- propriated to the one God, we Rnd precepts and warrants for paying the higheft wor{hip to our Lord Jefus ChhU. His title to religious wor{hip fully proves his true and fuprcme God- head ; for as one God, and he only, is to be wor{hip'd j and as Chrid is to be wor{hip'd, the manife{l: confequence is, that he is one God with the Father, and not a di{lin£t inferior be- ing, as the Arians pretend.-
If we take a furvey of the old te{lament, it will appear that Chrift, or the angel who took the name of Jehovah, was all along wor{hip'd by the patriarchs, and thejewiih church: And unlefs wc fuppofe, they were fo inconceiveably E c 3 wretched
4.iz The true Scripture Doctrine
wretched and miferable, as to be left to woi*" ihip they knew not what, we muft conclude, they paid di{lin6b religious worfhip to Ghrill, the Son of God, who, in the fulnefs of time, was to take human nature, and to perfeft man's redemption.
1 fhall prove the fa<5t, that Chrill; was adlu- ally worlhip'd by the patriarchs, before the pub- iifliing the law at mount Sinai. And to begin with the Father of the faithful 5 Jehovah, * who appear'd to Abraham, to afllire him, that con- trary to the courfe of nature, he ihould have a Son, and to eftablifh a fure covenant with him and his pofterity, by that Son, was Chrift, as I have proved^ : Now if we look into the hillory of this matter, it will be found, that Abraham worfhip'd the divine perfon who ap- peared to him. It is ^ faid, " Abraham fell on his faccy as God talked with him." He alfo put ^ lip a folemn petition on behalf of his Son lihmaeL " x^braham faid to God, O that Ifli- inacl might live before thee ! " His addrciling Chrift, as the fovereign author of life, ihew*d, that he paid him fupreme worfhip.
The divine perfon who appear'd to Jacob at = Bethel, was God the Son > to him Jacob bound himfelf by a folemn vow j for we are told ^ that " Jacob vow'd a vow, faying, if God v/ill be with me, and keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and rai- ment to put on> fo that I come again to my Father's houfe in peace, then Jehovah ihall b^
* Gen. xvii
b
See above Chap. Ill, p. 204, 205. ' Gen. xvii. 3. See alfo ver. 17. "^ V. i 8-
^ See above Chap. III. p. 206, 207. ^ Gen. xxviji. 20, 21.
my
OF THETaiNIXr, 42 j
my God." To this divine perfon he applied himfelf, when he was in dillrefs, and in fear of Efau his brother, in the following g prayer, "O God of my father Abraham, and God of my father Ifaac, who fiidft to me, return to thy own country, and I will deal kindly with thecj I am not worthy of the lead of thy mercies, and of all the truth thou hall: fhew'd to thy fer- vant : .^ Deliver me, I pray thee, from the hand of my brother Efau. " When Chrift, the night after this requeft was put up, appear'd to Jacob, he declared, he would not let him go without ^ a bleffing, and this blefling he fought with earneft prayer, for the prophet Hofea has alTured us j ^ " He had power over the angel and prevailed, he wept and made fupplicaiion to hini. " When the fame divine perfon, God the Son, whom Jacob had recourfe to in his Uraits, appear'd to him again at Bethel, when he was almoft got home to his father Ifaac's houfe, the good man remembered his vow, and offered* the tribute of thankfgiving for the mer- cies he had received. ^ « He fet up a pillar of itone, where God talked with him, and pour'd a drink offering and oil thereon." Thus we fee that Jacob worihip'd God the Son, while he wander'd up and down, abfcnt from his fa- ther's family. When he came to be near his end, he invoked Jehovah the angel, God the Son, who had delivered him, to bellow the bell mercies on his grandfons, Ephraim and Ma- nafleh. When he laid his hands on their heads,
* Gen. xxxii. 9, 10, ii. Comp. xxviii. 13—21. xxxi. u. 13. See above Chap. III. p. 206, 207. Chap. IV. p. 253.
^ Gen. xxxii. 26. ' Hof. xii. 4.
Gen. XXXV. 14. See above Chap. III. p. 207. Ciiap. IV. P- 253. r r . r
E c 4. he
424 The true Scripture Doctrine
he pray'd for a blefling to reft upon them, in thcfe ^ words , " The God before whom my fathers, Abraham and Ifaac, walked, the God which fed me all my life long, to this day, the angel which redeemed me from all evil, blefs the lads. " That it was Chrift, whom the good old patriarch invoked, is exceeding plain, from his being call'd the angel, at the fame time that he is ftilcd God 5 and Irom the work of re- demption being afcribed to him.
We are allured by the apoftle Paul, that it was Chrill: who gave the lav/ at mount Sinai > and if we look into the account of this glori- ous appearance, we Ihall find, that Jehovah the Son was worfhip'd by the Ifraehtes, for it ™ is faid i " Mofes fent fome young Ifraelites, who offer'd burnt-offerings, and facriiiced peace- offerings to Jehovah. " To him the church of Ifrael gave up themfelvcs, for upon hearing the law, they " faid, " All that Jehovah has fiid, we will do, and be obedient." When the If- raelites had provoked their great lawgiver, by making a golden calf, and Mofes, by earneft pray^*, prcvaiPd with him to pafs by their tranfgrclHon > as an affurance of his being heard he deiired God to ihew him his glory: After God had condefccnded to let as much of his glory be fcen, as was confiftent with a ftate of mortality 3 ° " Mofes made hafte, and bow'd his head, and worfhip'd, and faid -, if now I have found favour in thy fight, O Lord, Let my Lord go among us, — and pardon our iniquity, and our fin, and take us for thy inheritance. '* It was the fame divine Perlbn, whofe goodnefs
^ Gen. xlviii, 15, 16. " Exod. xxiv. 5.
" Ver. 7. • Exod. xxxiv. 8, 9.
pafs'd
OF THE Trinity^ 425
pafs'd before Mofes, who gave the firft tables of the law at mount Sinai, and now was pleafed to renew them j but it was God the Son p who appeared at Sinai before, therefore it was he who renew'd the tables, and whom Mofes wor- ihiped.
When the tribes of Ifrael were gather'd to- gether, to receive a bleffing from their depart- ing general and law-giver, and it came to the turn of the fons of Joleph to be blefs'd, Mofes, after he had wifh'd them an affluence of all tem- poral bleilings, pray'd that the good-will of him that dwelt in the bufh, might reft upon them. " 1 Of Jofeph he faid -, blefled of Je- hovah be his land, — for the good- will of him that dwelt in the bufh, let it reft on the head of Jofeph. " He who appeared to Mofes in the burning bufh, was "^ Jehovah the angel, God the Son > therefore when Mofes pray'd, that the good- will of him who dwelt in the bufh, might reft on the poftcrity of Jofeph, he in- voked Chrift, as the author of all good, and the fpring of all fpiritual bleflings.
When the great general of Ifrael, Jpfhua, who fucceeded Mofes, lay before Jericho, he was furprized with the fight of a man in a war- like drefs, ftanding oppofite to him 5 and when that valiant hero, upon enquiry on which fide he was, found that he was the captain of God's hoft, he worfhip'd him. This remarkable tranf- a6tion is thus related : ^" Whenjofhua was by Jericho, he look'd out, and faw a man ftanding over againft him, with hisfword drawn
^ See above Chap. III. p. ^23, 224, 225. < Deuteron. xxxiii. 13. 16. ^ Sec above Chap. III. p. 209—213. ^ Jofhua V. 13, 14, 15.
in
426 The true Scripture Doctrine in his hand, and Jofhua went to him, and faid, Art thou for us, or for our adverfarics j and he faid, no, but as captain of Jehovah's hoft am I come : And Jofhua fell on his face, and wor- Ihip'd, and faid to him -, what fays my Lord to his fervant: And the captain of Jehovah's hoft faid to Jofhua > Loofe thy fhoe from thy foot, for the place whereon thou ftandeft is holy, and Jofhua did fo. " I will not attempt to prove this was not a common angel, becaufe I do not believe that our adverfaries will fay it. It was certainly the fame angel who appear'd to Mo^ fes, and promifed to lead the Ilraelites out of Egypt into Canaan % which was the Son of God': He appear'd to Jofhua, when he had juft got within the borders of the promifed land, to encourage him, to carry on the great work which was committed to him j and he required him to fhew the fame fign of humiliation in his prefence, as he did before of Mofes, which was pulling off his fhoes. When he had once de- clared, that he came as captain of God's hoft j Jofhua was no longer at a lofs how to behave himfelf, but fell down and worfhip'd as became a creature, when in the prefence of his Lord and his God.
The angel that appear'd to Gideon, to fend him againfl the Midianites, was the Son of God ; this divine Pcrfon Gideon " worfhip'd, for he built an altar to Jehovah, who appear'd to him. The fame divine Pcrfon appear'd to Manoah and his wife, to foretel the birth of Sampfon , and when they had offer'd a facrifice to Jeho- vah, and he who appear'd in a human lliape.
Exod. iii. 2. 5. 8. 17. See Chap. III. p. 209—215. Judges vi. 24. Sec above Chap. III. p. 234, 2^5, 236.
afcended
OF THE TriNITY.^ 427
ufcended in the flame of the altar ^ > they were fenfible that the God whom they had worihip'd, had been prefent with them, and feen by them, and that they had ofFer'd facrifice to Jehovah, the very angel, which had told them at that time they ihould have a Son,
The royal poet and prophet David having, in the fecond Pfalm, fpoke of Chrift's rcfur- redion, and exaltation at the right hand of God, calls upon the powers of the earth, that were banded againft the Mefliah to worfhip him? ^ *^ Kifs the Son, left he be angry, and you perifh from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little } Blefled are all they that truft in him«" That this is meant of religious homage, the very words themfelves fhew > be- fides, the form in which the Kings of the earth were to do homage to the Son, was ufcd as a token of worfhip, as appears from thefc words of the prophet Hofca, y " They fay of their images, let the men that facrifice kifs the calves." The fame infpired Prince calls upon the church, to worfhip Chrift her King and her Lord > ^ " He is thy Lord, worfhip thou him. " Nay he calls upon the angels to worfhip him . * " Wor- fhip him all ye Gods." He himfelf pray'd to God the Son in his diftrefs, ^ and faid, " Hear my prayer, , O Jehovah, and let my cry come up to thee. " Thefe are the firft words of a Pfalm, the conclufion of which is applied to Chrift, by the apoftle ^ Paul. We ihall find that the fame fweetPfalmift of Ifrael, raifed his
"* Judges xiii. 19---23. " Pfalm ii. 12.
y Hof. xiii. 2. * Pfalm xlv. 11.
* Pfalm xcvii. 7. Comp. Heb. i. 6. See above Chap. IIL p. 236. 239.
^ Pfalm cii. i. « Heb. i. 10, 11, 12.
voice
42 8 The true Scripture Doctrine
voice to the higheft pitch, and tuned his harp in the moft charming manner, to found forth the praifcs of hnii who was to be his Son, as man j and was his Sovereign, as God. An example we may take, in fome verfes of the fixty eighth ^ Pfalm, part of which is by an '^ infpired apoftle applied to Chrift, and every one that looks into it will own, that if part of it be underflood of him, all the reft muft. There the greateft of poets lings to the honour of God the Son, in the following inimitably elegant manner. " Let the righteous be glad j let them rejoice before God, yea let them ex- ceedingly rejoice. Sing to God, fing praifes to his name, extol him that rides upon the hea- vens, by his name Jah, and rejoice before him.--- O God, when thou wentell forth before thy people, when thou marched 11 through the wil- dernefs, the earth fhook, the heavens alfo drop'd at the prefence of God, even Sinai it felf was moved, at the prefence of God, the God of If- rael.— Thou haft afcended on high, thou haft led captivity captive, thou haft received gifts for men, even for the rebellious, that the Lord God might dwell among them. Blefted be the Lord, who daily loads us with benefits, even the God of our falvation : He that is our God, is the God of falvation > to Jehovah the Lord belong the iftues of death. — Blefs God in the congregations, even the Lord, you that are of the tountain of Ifrael. — Sing to God, all king- doms of the earch, O fing praifes to the Lord, ro him that rides upon the heaven of heavens, which have been of old ; lo he fends out his
^ PGlm Ixviii. 3. 4. 7, 8. 18, 19, 20. 26. %2. 33, 34, 35. ' Eph. i.v. 8.
voice.
OF THE Trinity. 429
voice, and that a mighty voice. Afcribe ftrength to God, his excellence is over Ifrael, and his flrength is in the heavens. O God thou art terrible out of thy holy places. The God of Ifrael is he that gives flrength and power to his people > bleffed be God. " David here paid the higheft worfhip to Chrifl:. They who are for lowering the honour that is paid to God the Son, would be much puzzled, to find a place in fcripture, where God the Father is worfhip'd in a higher manner.
The prophet Joel has declared, *"that " Who- foever {hall call upon the name of Jehovah, fhall be faved. " Thefe words are afcribed to Chrift by the 8 apoftles, Peter and Paul. If falvation fhall be beftow'd on all that call upon Chriil, he has a right to v/orfhip, and this his right was declared by the prophet Joel, long before his incarnation.
In Ifaiah's ^ prophecy, Chrift is brought in fpeaking thus 3 "lam God, and there is none elfe : I have fwore by my felf, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteoufnefs, and ihall not return j that to me every knee Ihall bow, and every tongue fhall fwear. " Here Chrift claimed univerfal homage, and requirM all to worfhip him J this claim is founded in righteoufnefs, for he is God, befides whom there is none elfej and fince he has fwore, that all fhall yield him fubjedion, if they will not do it in this life, they fhall at the great day of account j for his oath fhall ftand, tho' the antient mountains may depart, and his word fhall remain firm, tho* the perpetual hills may bow.
*" Joelii. 31. s A£ls ii. 21. Rom. x. 13.
* Ifaiahxlv. 22, 23. Comp. Rom. xiv. 11. See above Chap. III. P^ 244, 245. Chap. IV. p. 272, 273,
I have
430 The true Scripture Doctrine
I have fhew'd that Chrift was worfhip'd un- der the patriarchal and levitical difpenfations, and that his right to worfhip is fully eftablilh'd in the old teftament, as interpreted by the in- fpired writers of the new teftament. Had not the perfon who appeared to the patriarchs, and converfed with them in a human ihape, and who gave the law at Sinai, been truly God, he would have reje£ted the worfhip that was of- fered to him. And were not thofe paflages in the Pfilms, and the writings of the Prophets, where Chrift's right to worfhip is fo flrongly declared, certainly to be underftood of him, they would never have been applied to him by his apollles, who were the be(l interpreters of fcripture, being direded by the fame fpirit, who fiird the prophets before.
I muil now enquire what evidence wc have of ChrilVs being worlliip'd in the new tella- ment, and what authority we may gather from thence, for our paying him religious adoration > and method requires^ that I begin this head with confidering the worfhip that was paid to him in the days of his humiliation. That Chrift was worfhip'd here on earth is exceeding plain, and had it ' not been his right to receive wor- lliip, we can never imagine that he, who was the moft perfe6t pattern of humility and meek- nefs, and who on all occafions waved every thing that verged towards a fhew of greatnefs, would have fuffer'd any to have paid it him. Our advcrfaries pretend it was only civil wor- fhip that he received on earth > but nothing is more ridiculous than this pretence, for Chrift was worfhipM by fuch as own'd him to be the
* Sec Mr. Bradbury's Myftery of Godlinefs, p. 485—488.
Soni
OF THE Trinity^ 451
Son of God, and the true MefTiah, and can wc think civil worfhip was all that was paid him ? When the wife men found the child Jcfus in Bethlehem, whom they knew to be born King of the Jews, we are told, ^ " they fell down and worfhip'd him, and when they had open'd their treafures, they prefented to him gifts." Now it can never be thought, that perfons of fuch great figure, as the eaftern Magi were, would pay civil worihip in fo humble a manner, to him who in appearance was a poor infant, born of mean parents : No, they knew him to be the Mefliah, and worfliip'd him as fuch. When the ^ leprous man worfliip'd Chrift, he own'd his fovereign power to heal whom he pleafed. When Peter, furprized at the great draught of fiih, which he and his companions had carch'd, upon cafting their net where Chrift had com- manded, he worihip'd Chrift as a perfon infi- nitely above him. "^ " He fell down at Jefus knees, faying, depart from me, for I am a fin- ful man, O Lord. '* Surely this was fomething more than civil refpedb. When Jairus, the ruler of the fynagogue % worfhip'd Chrift, he own'd his quickening power, and profefs'd his perfua- fion that a touch of his hand would bring back his daughter from the brink of the grave ; This
^ Mat. ii. II.
* There came a leper and worfliip'd him, faying. Lord if thou wilt thou canft make me clean. And Jefus put forth his hand and touch'd him, faying, I will, be thou clean, and immediately his leprofy was cleanfed. Matt. viii. 2, 3.
"" Lukev. 8.
" There came a certain ruler, and worfhip'd him, faying, my daughter is even now dead ; but come, and lay thy hand upon her, and fhe fhall live. Matt. Jx. 1 8. See alfo Luke vii. 41, 42.
. ftrong
43i The true Scripture Doctrine flrong faith in Chrift's power to heal, fhew'd that the worfliip he paid him was more than civil, which yet could not be due from a ruler of a fynagogue to a private man. When the poor oCanaanitifh woman worfhip'dChrill, he bimfelf declared, that her faith was great, and confequently her worfliip was not of alow kind. When the diiciples p faw Chrifb was able to walk on the tempeftuous Tea, and at his plea- fure dill the raging of ir, " they worfliip'd him, faying, of a truth thou art the Son of God.'* They worfliip'd him from a frefli convidion of his almighty power, therefore this mufl; be re- ligious worfliip.
When Chrifl: was pleafed ^ to fliew fomething of his glory to three of his difciples, and appeared to them with his ficefliining like the fun, and his cloaths gliftcring as the light j and in their fight talk'd with Molbs and Elias, who appeared in glory y God the Father gave him a frefli at- tefl:ation5 faying, '^ this is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleafed, hear you him : " On this the apofl:les fell down before him, thro'
,<» A woman of Canaan — - cried to him, have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David, my daughter is grievoufly vex- ed with a Devil : -— fhe came and worfhip'd him, faying. Lord help me : -— Jcfus faid, Woman great is thy faith, be it to thee as thou wilt. Mat. xv. 22. 25. 28.
P Matt. xiv. 33. *! Matt. xvii. 1—8.
Ecce ! autem fubito rubra vibratus ab aethra Cum fonitu fulgor micat, & polus intonat ingens : Nam Pater omnipotens manifeftus ab aethere nubem Ollendit radiis illuilrem lucis, & igne. Omnia collucent late loca : turbine Chriftus Corripitur rapido, mediaque in nube rcfulfit, Verus & afpedu patuit Dcus, atque per auras Divinum toto fpiravit vertice odorem Luminis aetherii fpecimen, genitoris imago. Nee fccus cmicuit rofeo pulcherrimus ore ; ^
feafi
OF THE Trinity. 435
fcar 5 if this their low proftration was only civil honour, it is ftrange Co amazing a fight fhould draw no more from them. When the ten lepers were ' cleanfed by Chrifl, only one, who was a Samaritan, came back to give him thanks : " He with a loud voice glorified God, and fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks.'* I cannot help thinking, that the evangelift Luke here call'd Chrill God, when he told us, that the man who was heal'd glorified God and fell at his feet : If fo, the honour he paid, cannot be pretended to be civil worihip. When the blind man, that Chrift had reitored to fight, was queftion'd by him, if he believed on the Son of God j and upon asking who this Son of God was, that he might believe in him, was informed, that he had feen him, and at that time talked with him ; he, being at the fame time fecretly enlightcn'd by Chrift, in the knowledge of himfelf^ pre- fently cry'd out, ^ " Lord, I believe, and wor- ihip'd him." Had this been only civil worfhip to Chrift, as a prophet fent of God, there would have been no need for him to have forbore wor-
Infolita circum perfundens omnia luce,
Quam cum mane recens, lucis fons, aureus, ingens^
Lumine fol coelum exoriens, rigat omne profufoj,
Oceani in fpeculo longe refplendet imago,
Et croceae effulgent aurata cacumina filvae.
Talem ie fociis mirantibus obtulit heros,
Amborum in medio vatum ; quorum alter adivit
Flammifero quondam invedlus cocli ardua curru;
Et tranavit, equis infultans, aeris auras.
Ifacidum Phariis genus alter duxit ab oris
Dux profugum, legefque dedit, moremque facrorum.
M. Hicronymus Vida, Chrifliad- lib. I. v. 933, &c.
^ Luke xvii. 15, 16.
^ John ix. 35—38.
F f flipping
434 The true Scripture Doctrine fhipping Chrift, till he quellion'd him as to his belief in the Son of God 5 but it was necclTary he {hould believe Chrift to be truly the Son of God, in order to worfhip him aright : And on his being brought to a right belief in this point, heworfhip'd him with religious worfhip. When Mary ' worfhip'd Chrift, it was with an ac- knowledgment, that he had power to have pre- vented her brother Lazarus's death. The ac- knowledging this, fhews flie paid him more than common civil refped. When the difci- ples were conducing Chrift in triumph into Jc- rufalem, they afcribed glory to him. " " When he was at the defcent of the mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the difciples began to rejoice, and praife God with a loud voice, for all the wonders they had feen, faying, BlefTed be the King that comes in the name of the Lord, peace in heaven, and glory in thehigheft." No one that is not attached to a particular hy- pothefis, will deny, that in theie words the evangelift Luke has reprefented the difciples as praifing Chrift as God 5 for he had wrought the ■wonders they had feen, and it was to him they direded their worfhip, which muft be of the higheft nature, for they afcribed to the King that came in the name of the Lord, glory in the higheft : And this worfliip was not mif- placed, for when the Pharifees were furprized at it, and faid to Chrift, " Mafter rebuke thy difciples ; " he anfwefd, " I aftlire you, if thefe ihould hold their peace, theftones would imme- diately cry out.'' So that Chrift, in the fuUeft
* When Mary was come wliere Jefus was, (he fell down at his feet, faying to him, Lord, if thou hadft been here, my brother had not died. John xi. 32.
^ Luke xix. 37— -1-0.
manner.
OF THE Trinity. 435
manner, aflerted his right to the highefl: kind of religious worfhip. The very devils ^ were forced to worfhip Chrift, and to own him to be the Son of God, humbly entreating him not to inflid fulnefs of torment upon them, till the lafl day. Thefe are the inftanccs of Chrifl's receiving worfhip, in the time of his abode on our earth, before his pafTion, and there is not one of them that can be interpreted of mere civil worfhip, with any tolerable propriety. He was worfhip'd, as Son of God -, and fince he declared, in the ftrongeft manner, for wor- fhipping one God, when he refiftcd the devil, who tempted him to pay him inferior worihip -, it follows, that however imperfe(5l notions of his glory were entertain'd, at times, by his fol- lowers, yet when they offered him religious wor- ihip, they own'd him to be Son of God, or one God with the Father.
After Chrill was rifen from the dead, the eleven apoftles, at his appointment, met in a mountain of Galilee, where he nppear'd to them y ^ " and when they faw him, they wor- fhip'd him, not with (landing fome doubted." When, on the mount of Olives, the difciples faw Chrift, after he had folcmnly blefTed them, parted from them, by a cloud, and beheld him
"^ There met him a man with an unclean fpirit, — and when he faw Jefus afar off, he run and worfhip'd him, fay- ing ; what have I to do with thee, Jefus, thou Son of the moll high God r I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not. Mar. v. 2. 6. 7.
What have we to do with thee, Jefus thou Son of God, art thou come hither to torment us before the time ? Matt. viii. 29.
What have I to do with thee, Jefus thou Son of God, moft high? I befeech thee torment me not. Luke viii. 28.
* Matt, xxviii. (-.
F f z afcend
43^ The true Scripture Doctrine
afcend in triumphant ftate to heaven, y they wor- fhip'd him. Our adverfarics grant that at this time the apoftles paid Chrift diflinft worfhip ; for they fay, worfhipping Chrifl, in his own diftind perlon and character, commenced from his refurreftion 5 but as this is only affirming what fhould be proved, it can never fuperfede the evidence that has been given of Chrijft's be- ing worihip'd under the old teftament, and of his receiving worfhip in the days of his humi- liation.
We often, ^ in the new teftament, find that calling on Chrift's name, is made to exprefs the chara6ber of Chrillians ; this phrafe of calling on Chrifl's name, as well as thofe of naming the name of Chrift, and having his name call'd upon us, feem to denote confefTing him to be our God and Saviour, profefling our felvcs to
y Luke xxiv. 22.
* Whofoever Ihall call on the name of the Lord fliall be faved. A6ls ii. 21.
He has authority from the chief priefls, to bind all that call on thy name. ix. 14.
Is not this he, who dellroy'd them that calPd on this name, in Jerufalem. ix 21.
The Gentiles, upon whom my name is cnird. xv. 17.
Arife, be baptized, and wafli away thy fins, calling on the name of the Lord. xxii. 16.
I ftrived to preach the Gofpel, not where Chrift was named, left I fhould build on another's foundation. Rom. xvi. 20.
Paul an apoftle of Jefus Chrift, — - to all, that in every place, call on the name of Jefus Chrift our Lord, i Cor. i- I, 2.
Let every one that names the name of Chrift, depart from iniquity. 2 Tim. ii. 19.
Follow righteoufnefs, faith, charity, and peace with them that call on the Lord, out of a pure heart, 2 Tim. ii. 22.
They blafpheme that worthy n.ime, which was call'd upon you. James ii. 7.
be
OF THE Trinity. 437
be his difciples, and confecrating our felves to him in our baptifm. All this feems fully ex- prefs'd by the apoftle Paul, Mn his epiltle to the Romans. " If thou fhalt confefs with thy mouth the Lord Jefus, and {halt believe in thy heart, that God raifed him from the dead, thou fhalt be faved > for with the heart man believes to righteoufnefs) and with the mouth confef- fion is made to falvation> for thefcripture fays, whofoever believes on him, fhall not be afhamed j for there is no difference between Jew and Greek, for the fame Lord over all, is rich to all that call upon him. For whofoever fhall call on the name of the Lord, fhall be faved : How then ihall they call on him, in whom they have not believed ?" This paflage will appear in an eafy^ light, if we take it to lignify that confefTion of Chrill, which is made at baptifm, and that fo- Icmn invocation of his name, which is hkewife to be made in that a6b of worfhip, wherein we dedicate our felves to his fervice.
We find, in fcripture, that prayers are not always ofFer'd up to the Father, through Chrirr, but are fometimes diredly addrefs'd to him. Thus the apoftles pray'd to him, as the heart- fearching God, when they wanted direfcion in the choice of one to fill up their number, which was broke by Judas's apoilafy . ^ " They pray'd, and faid, thou, Lord, that knoweft the hearts of all men, fhev/ which of thefe two thou haft chofe, that he may take part of this miniftry and apoftlefhip, from which Judas by tranf- grefiion fell, that he might go to his place.'* Our adverfaries pretend "" it is ambiguous, whe-
« Rom. X. 9—14. '' Ads i. 24, 25.
^ Clarke's Script. Dod. p. 122.
F f J ther
45 8 The true Scripture Doctrine ther this prayer be diredbed to the Father, or to Chrill: j but fince they give us no reafon for this pretended ambiguity, we may very well conclude, that it wasChrifl: was addrefs'd to by prayer, to point out which pcrfon he dcfign'd for his own apoftle. When the leader of the glorious army of martyrs, Stephen, was (loned to death, for bearing witnefs to Chrift, he end- ed his life with a folemn prayer to that good mafter, for whofe fake he laid it down, and "whom he faw exalted in glory, at the ^ right hand of the majefty on high. We are told of * the Jews, that, " they Itoned Stephen, invoking and faying, Lord Jefus receive my fpirit , and he kneePd down, and cried with a loud voice j Lord lay not this fin to their charge -, and when he had faid this, he fell afleep. " This great faint dire6l:ly invoked Chrift, to receive his de- parting fpirit, into the reft he had prepared for iti and being fill'd with the pure fire of hea- venly love, he pray'd that the fin of taking his life away unjufily, might be forgiven his mur- derers. The apoftle Paul, when he was buf- feted by a meflcnger of Satan, faid thus of him- felf, ^ " I befought the Lord thrice, that it
* Cui fe, quantus erat, manifefla in luce videndum Ipfe pater Divum dedent, cum compare nato, Sublimis, mcdioque illi fulgebat olympo. Quinetiam extreme cum jam fub fine laborum, Disjeftus duro frontem, &r cava tempora, nimbo Iret iter propius lethi ; tamcn hoftibus ipfis Pro fcclere immani morions, pro talibus aufis. Ah ! veniam fuperos anima fugiente rogabat.
Pet. Bembus, Cardinalis, Hymn, in S. Stephanum.
lv<r5 0t^«i TV 7snZf>{^ fjba. ©«<5 -^ -m yovxTot iKfu^i . ^ayyj f/,t- ^'Av;, Kt'p<£ f/,yj ^<rv,i uuToTi rut a/juxfrixy vkvtjji', kcc] t»tc» iiTWv tKoifjuti^K. Adl. vii. 59, 60. ^ 2 Cor. xii. 8, 9.
might
OF THE TrINITIT.' 45P
might depart from me."This was certainlyChrift, for when the apoftle had told us, that the Lord to whom he prayed faid to him, " My grace is fufficient for thee, for my power is perfeded in weaknefs -, " He explain'd it of the power of Chrid 5 " Moft gladly therefore will I rejoice in my infirmities, that the power of Chrift may reft upon me." Tho' our adverlaries % infinuate, without any ground, that it is doubtful whe- ther the Lord be Chrift, or the Father j yet they own, that from the following words it feems rather to be underftood of Chrift, as in- deed it certainly muft. The apoftle John has fpoke of Chrift, as the hearer of prayer, who never denies thofe requefts, which are agreeable to his righteous will, i^ « This is the confi- dence which we have in him, that if we ask any thing, according to his will, he hears usj and if we know that he hears us, whatfoever * we ask, we know that we have the petitions we defired of him." Our adverfaries would in- finuate S that by the fcope of the whole dif- courfe, thefe words feem to refer to the Fa- ther > but this I cannot underftand, for it is the Son of God, and not the Father, that is fpoke of in the words immediately preceding. The fame apoftle ^ concluded his revelation, and fo feal'd up the canon of the new teftament, with a prayer to Chrift. He who had ftiew'd him the things which he committed to writing, pro- mifed foon to return > " furely I come quickly." To this the apoftle added his fcal, his folemn atteftation, and pleaded, in prayer, the quick
« Clarke's Script. Doft. p. 125.
* I John V. 14, 15.
' Chrke's Script. Dod. p. 6. 8.
* Rev. xxii. 20.
F f 4 accom-
440 The true Scripture Doctrine
accomplifliment of it : " Amen, even fo come, Lord Jefus. " Thefe inftances of prayers being dire6tly made to Chrifl, entirely overturn a fa- vourite maxim of our adverfaries ^5 that all pray- ers ought primarily, or ultimately, to be direct- ed to the Father. Such bold aflertions, which are advanced by way of open defiance of fcrip* ture examples, to the contrary, only fhew, thofe that advance them to be void of ihame, much more of modefty.
Chrifl is in many places, in the apoflolical cpiflles, invoked for grace and peace, and that direftly and ultimately. ^ " The grace of our Lord Jefus Chrifl be with you, " or «' with your fpirits,** is the form of blefling, where- with the apoflle Paul concludes mofl of his epiflles, and the fame invocation the npoflle *'John fubjoins to his revelation. Had it not been every way proper, to offer diflinft religi- ous worfhip dire6lly to Chrifl, we can never imagine, that the holy apoflles of our Lord would have left us fo many examples to encou- rage us to do fo.
In the new teflament, Doxologies are direct- ed to Chrifl in the fullefl manner, and they are often drawn up in the flrongefl terms that can be ufed to exprefs his true Divinity. I have confider'd mofl of them in other places of this work, and therefore fhall be the fhorter here. The apoflles afcribed glory to Chrifl in the highcft flrain, whilfl he was on earth, as I have
' Clarke's Script. Do6l. p. 324.
" Rom. xvi. 20. 24. 1 Cor. xvi. 23. Gal. vi. 18. Philip. vi. 23. I ThefT. v. 28. 2 Thcff. iii. 18. zTim.iv. 22. Philcm. 25.
^ Rev. xxii. 31.
above
OF THE Trinity. 441
above obferved. « " Blefled is the King that comes in the name of the Lord, peace in hea^ ven, and glory in the higheil:." The apoflle Paul, in his firft epiitle to Timothy, has di- reded a thankfgiving to Chrift. P " I thank Jefus Chrift our Lord, who has ftrengthen'd me i " and, in the fame epiftle, he has dire61:ed two doxologies to him, conceived in the mofl auguft terms > the one is this, ^ " Now to the King eternal, immortal, inviiible, and the only wife God, be honour and glory, for ever and ever. Amen." The other ^is as follows •, *' I charge thee, — to keep this commandment,— till the appearing ot our Lord Chrift, which in his own time he ftiall fhew, who is the blef- fed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality, dwel- ling in light unapproachable, whom none has feen, nor can fee, to whom be honour and power everlafting. Amen. " I have vindicated the application of thefe two doxologies to Chrift ^ clfewhere, and fo need not do it here. If they are to be applied to him, furely none will deny, that he is woi*ftiip'd on account of his divine perfe6lions. It is moft likely, that the fame apoftle intended to dire61: to Chrift the follow- ing doxology, in his fecond epiftle to Timothy, * " The Lord fhall deliver me from every evil work, and will preferve me to his heavenly
in g^ecfu^, Kul Mlccjv 'v^i^-oi^. Luke xix. 3 8.
Vf^cov. I Tim. i. 12.
' I Tim. i. 17. »■ I Tim. vi. 13—16.
*" See above Chap. V. p. 298—301.
foa-iTen f/ji Ku^io^ ^^ JTetyTpg jfV» TrevupS, km trua'u ii^ t^v
Afjuiiv. 2 Tim. iv. 1 8.
kingdom.
442 The true Scripture Doctrine kingdom, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. " This is rather meant of Chrift than the Father, bccaufe he is moft commonly lliled the Lord, and the heavenly inheritance is gene- rally caird his kingdom, in the new teftament. In the epiftle to the Hebrews, glory is expreflly given to Chrift j " " May the God of peace that brought again from the dead our Lord Jefus Chriit, that great fhepherd of the iheep, through the blood of the everlafting covenant, make you pertccb in every good work, working in you what is well pleaiing in his fight, through Jefus Chrift, to whom be glory, for e-^er and ever. Amen." The apoftlc Peter, in his firft epiftle, has given glory to Chrift: ^ " If any man minifter, let him do it as of the ability which God gives, that God in all things may be glorified through Jefus Chrift, to whom be glory and dominion, for ever and ever. Amen." This is a plain proof, that God the Father may be glorified through Chrift the Son, as media- tor 'y and yet Chrift, as God, may be directly glorified. The fame apoftle has concluded his fecond epiftle, with a doxology to our blefted Lord -y ^ " Grow in grace, and in the know- ledge of our Lord and Saviour Jefus Chrift, to him be glory, both now and for ever Amen." Here glory is afcribed to Chrift in fo full a man- ner, that I know of none that difpute it. The apoftle Jude has concluded his epiftle with this
Al^nv. Heb. xiii. 20, 21.
" 'hot if TTOo-i ^o^u^v)TUi 6 ©ifl?, ^lU. \wcZ Xf<s-o« • a ifiv if gi^ec i^ 0 x^'t©- itq T85 UiZvuq T itiavuv. AfJiiiiv.
2 Pet. ii. 1 8.
y doxo-
OF THE Trinity. 443
y doxology : " To him that is able to keep us from falling, and to prefent us faultlefs before the prefence of his glory, to our exceeding joy, to the only wife God our Saviour, be glory and majefty, dominion and power, both now and for ever. Amen." I have, in ^ another place, fhew'd, that it is moft probable this refers to the Son. However this be, the following doxology * of the apofllejohn, is certainly di- reded to Chrift. '' To him that has loved us, and wafli'd us from our fins in his own blood, and has made us kings and priefts, to God, even his Father, to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. " Thefe fcripture exam- ples of glory afcribed to Chrill, in as full and flrong a manner, as it is any where to the Fa- ther, may ferve to check the prefumptuous confidence of our adverfaries, who roundly af- firm, without the leait fhadow of proof, that the Father, exclufive of the Son, is the ultimate objedt of praife and glory.
Chrifl has a right to fupreme honour, and the angels are commanded to pay him fuch wor- fhip as the apoftlePaul has inform'd us j ^ " when he brings again the firfl begotten into the world, he fays, let all the angels of God worfiiip him." Tho' the Father here commanded Chrilt to be worfliip'd, and tho' the worfhip required was paid upon his refurreftion, yet the worfhip is fupreme, and it is founded on the Son's effential
y Jude 24, 25.
^ See above Chap. V. p. 299, 300.
* T^ uyscTTiia-ecvri iifi^i, xco ^^iscrxvri y./t^^ ^ ^v clfLot^riZv
tciavotq Tuv Uimm. Auj^v. Revcl. i. c, 6
^ Heb. i. 6. r
4 per-
444 The true Scripture Doctrine
perfeftions > for in the ninety feventh pfalm, from which the words are taken, the gods, or the angels, are call'd upon to worfhip him, as he is Jehovah, the Lord of the whole earth, who reigns fupreme over all gods. Chrift has himfelf afTerted his right to the worfhip of all men in thefe words, quoted from Ifaiah's pro- phecy, by the apoftle Paul ; ^ " We muft all iland before the judgment feat of Chrift, for it is written, as I live faith the Lord, every knee Ihall bow to me, and every tongue fhall con- fefs to God.'* This worfhip muft be paid to Chrift, the judge of all, but he has a right to it as he is the only God, or ^ Jehovah, befides whom there is none elfe. Upon Chrifl's refur- re6bion and exaltation, God anew proclaimed his right to be worfhip'd by all creatures 5 ^ " God has highly exalted him, and given him a name above every name, that at the name of Jefus every knee fhould bow, of things in hea- ven, and things on earth, and things under the earth, and that every tongue iliould confefs, that Jefus Chrift is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. '* That this is meant only of a new declaration of Chrift's claim to religious worfhip, and not of a proper exaltation, is certain, becaufe in the fcripture conflder'd before, we find Chrift founding his claim to worfhip on his own right, and fwearing by himfelf, that to him every knee fhould bow, and him every tongue fhould confefs.
Chrift has afTurcd us that we ought to pay him equal honour with the Father, in thefe
* Rom. xiv. I o, 1 1 .
* Ifaiah xlv. 18.21. 22.
« Philip, ii. 9, 10, II. See above Chap. II. p. 196—199.
words,
OF THE Trinity. 445
words, recorded by the apoftle ^ John , " The Father judges no man, but has committed all judgment to the Son, that all men fhould ho- nour the Son, even as they honour the Father.'* Our adverfaries s pretend, that the only honour due to Chrift, is upon account of his being ap- pointed by the Father to judge the worlds but the cafe ^ is, Chrifl is not raifed to this honour, becaufe he is judge of the world, but the Fa- ther has left the work of judging all men to the Son, that men might be induced to yield him the honour, to which he has an equal right with the Father, from the confideration of his being appointed to be their judge, and fo having authority to take vengeance on all, who fhould deny him his rigkt. I grant that the particle as, (naOoJO does fometimes exprefs a general fi- mihtude, and not equality ; but in this place it muft fignify equality, becaufe the words are fpoke as a confirmation of Chrift's claim of equality with God, which had offended the Jews, his right to which appeared, from his do- ing the fame works with God. Chrifl, in this dilcourfe, declared his power to do all that the Father did ; he had the fame power to work works of mercy on thefabbath-day, to give life to whom he pleafed, to raife the dead, and to judge the world j which lafl: work is peculiar- ly committed to him, that men may be ap- prized of his dignity, and power, and may not be backward to allow him his right, in honour- ing him equally with the Father.
John V. 23.
s Jackfon's colleftion of Querie?, p. 96.
^ See Dr. Waterland's firll Def^ufe, p. 279— 2^8- Second Defenfe. p. 413—418.
We
44^ The true Scripture Doctrine
We have the fulleft evidence of Ch rift's ha- ving equal worfhip with the Father, from his being join'd with him, in invocations of grace, mercy, and peace. The apoillc Paul begun all his epiftles, except one, with this lalutation, * " Grace and peace be to you from God our Father, and the Lord JeUis Cftrift j " and he concluded one epiftle with this ^ falutation : *' Peace be to the brethren, and love, with faith, from God the Father, and the Lord Jefus Chrift." In another ^ place, he has joined the Father and Son together, in fuch a manner, as ihews their glory to be equal j " May our Lord Jefus Chrift, and God even our Father, — com- fort your hearts, and eftablilh you in every good word and work." Thefe two divine perfons are here equally honour'd, for it would have been prepofterous and monftrous, to have put the inferior before one infinitely fupcrior to him. The apoftle John alfo has join'd the Fa- ther and the Son together, ^ in a falutarion > " Grace be with you, and mercy, and peace, from God the Father, and from the Lord Jefus Chrift, the Son of the Father, in truth and love. " So that it fully appears, that the Son is honour'd equally v/ith the Father, in the new teftament.
The whole creation is reprefented by the apoftle John, in his " vifton, as paying the fame worihip, and afcribing equal glory, to the Fa- ther and the Son : " The four living creatures, and the twenty four elders, fell down before
* Rom. i. 7. I Cor. i. 3. 2 Cor. i. 2. Gal. i. 3. Ephef. i. 3. Phil. i. 2. Col. i. 2. I ThefT. i. i. 2 ThefT. i. 2. i Tim. i. 2. 2 Tim. i. 2. Tit. i. 2. Philem. 3.
^ Epri. i. 23. '2 Their, ii. 16, 17.
° 2 John 5. ° Revel, v. 8—14.
.^he
OF THE Trinity. 447
the Lamb, all having harps, and golden vials full of odors, which are the prayers of the faints, and they fung a new fong, faying, Thou arc worthy to take the book, and to open the feals of it, for thou waft ilain, and haft redeem'd us to God by thy blood, out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation, and haft made us to our God kings and priefts, and w^e fhall reign on the earth. And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels about the throne, and of the living creatures, and the elders, and the number of them was ten thoufand times ten thoufand, and thoufand s of thoufands, faying with a loud voice. Worthy is the Lamb, thac was flain, to receive power, and riches, and wifdom, and ftrength, and honour, and glory, and blelling. And every crearure ia heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and in the fea, heard I faying, Blefllng, honour, glo- ry, and power, to him that iits on the throne, and to the Lamb, for ever and ever : And the four living creatures faid. Amen -, and the twen- ty four elders fell down, and worihip'd him that lives for ever and ever." To the fame pur- port, in parr, is this other paflage, o " 1 be- held, and lo a great multitude, which no body could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, ftood before the throne, and before the Lamb, cloath'd with white robes, with palms in their hands, and cried with a loud voice. Salvation to our God, that fits upon the throne, and to the Lamb. " Thcfe are elegant reprefentations of the conftant pra6lice of the true church, in all ages, in paying equal wor- {hip to the Father of mercies, and to the great redeemer of the w^orld of the elect.
^ Revel, vii. 9, lo.
From
448 The true Scripture Doctrine
From this ftrid furvey which I have taken, of the worfhip paid to Chrift in fcripture, it fully appears, that all forts of a6ls of religious worfhip are paid to him, and that the higheft: degree of worfhip is his due, that he is wor- ihip'd equally with the Father, and confequent- ly, that the Father and the Son mufl be the one God, the one object of religious wor- fhip.
There is nothing gravels the Arians more, than the worfhip paid to Chrifl > to deny him religious worfhip, is to throw afide fcripture, and at the fame time to worfliip a creature is flat idolatry, and is ridiculoufly fhocking to common fenfc. Not knowing therefore what to do, they have invented a diflindion of wor- fhip into fupreme and inferior 5 but this is an unfcriptural p figment, and never can be fup- ported : They are put to great fliifts to give it fome colour > fometimes they plead, that the worfhip we pay to Chrifl mull be inferior wor- fhip, becaufe we worfhip God through him ; but this is of no force, becaufe we have warrant from fcripture to pay Chrifl dired wor/hip j and to join him with the Father in a6ls of reli- gious adoration : Sometimes they tell us, we may offer to Chrifl worfhip of a lower kind, be- caufe the Father glorifies the Son, but this proves no more the worfhip to be inferior, than the Son's glorifying the Father, proves inferior woi-fhip only to belong to him. They general- ly, of late, found Chrill's right to i worfhip, on the Father's commanding him to be worfhip'd,.
P See Mr. Bradbury^s Myftcry of Godlinefs, p. 675, 676-
736, 737- 791. 792, 793-
q See Jackfon^s Collcdion of Queries, p. 94, &c. Reply,
^ '"'-'''■ 4 and
OF THE Trinity. 449
and on the powers conferr'd on hiih at his re- furre^lion 3 but this is deferting their own hy- pothefis, and taking fhelter in the Socinian Tchemej which is no advantage to them, for the Father's commanding Chrill to be wor- fhip'd »■, does not prove the worfhip to be in- ferior, any more than the one God's command* ing himfelf to be worlhip'd, proves all worfhip to be inferior : Neither can power conferr'd on Chrifl at his refurre<5bion, be the only founda- tion of the worfhip paid to him -, becaufe Chriil pray'd to be reftored to that glory, in the ma- nifcllation of it, which he had from eternity with the Father, and which he had vcil'd in a tabernacle of flefh. He was God from the be- ginning, he made all things, and furely mull have a claim to religious worfliip, before he rofe from the dead, and afccnded on high.
Our adverfaries ^ talk much of mediatorial worfhip, and of ChrilVs being the mediate ob- jed, or a medium of worfhip 3 but they have never explain'd what they mean by this. ^ Whe- ther theydcfign by it, praying to Chrifl to pray for us, or asking on account of the merits of Chrifl, or glorifying the Father in and through Chriil, as a medium j or whether they mean worlhipping Chrifl, on account of his ofiiceof mediator, with fome 1^ v kind of worfhip. In fhort they are altogether confuted, and know not where or on what to fix.
They fay there is fome adoration due to Chrifl as mediator, which cannot be paid to the
' See Dr. Waterland's firft Vindication of Chrill's Divini- ty, p. 267 — 276. Second Vindication, P- 405 — 412. Far- -iher Vindication, p. 13, 14.
* See Jackfon's Reply, p. 360, 361. 366.
] See Dr. Waterland's fecondDefenfe, P- 370— 578.
G g fupremc
450 The true Scripture Doctrine
lUpreme God, but the worihip due to Chrill: mediator, is on the account of his divine na- ture J for whenever we worihip him as mediator, it isbecaufc our mediator is God as well as man : He wrought out our redemption, and authori- tatively intercedes for us, by the power of his divine nature j and therefore, when we pay our adoration to him, on account of what he has done for us, it is bccaufe he who did thefc great things, is truly God.
'^ As to the fcripturesfeeming, in fome places, to found Chrift's title towoifhip, not fo much on what he is in himfelf, as on what he has done for us, (that I may ufe the words of a very " learned writer) a very good reafon may be given for it, if it be well confider'd, by what fprings and movements moral agents are acbua- tcd, and that we love even God himfelf, with refped: to our felves, becaufe he firfl loved us. Abllracled reafons of efteem and regard are un- affeding, without a mixture of fomething re- lative to us, which our felves have a near con- cern in. The eirential dignity of Chrift's per- fon is really the ground and foundation of ho- nour and eilcem, (and confequently of worfhip, the highelt cxprelHon of both,) which ought ahvays to bear proportion to the intrinfic ex- cellency of the object : But his offices relative to us are the moving reafons, which principal- ly affe6l our wills, and without which, we fliould want theftrongell incitement to pay that honour and worlTiip, which the cilential excellence of his perfon demands. Scripture has fufficiently ap- prized us of both, difcovering at once both his abfolute and lel.uive dignity j fo that we being
- Dr. Vv':.tcn;ind in his firft Dcfenfe. p. 276, 277.
inilru6lcd,
OF theTrinitv. 451
inftrufted, as well concerning what he isinhim- felF, as what he is in refpedb to us, might un- deriland what honour juftly belongs to him, and want no motive to pay it accordingly. Chrirt's office relative to us, naturally leads us back to the antecedent excellence and perfection of that perfon, who was able to do fuch afto- nifhing things for us. Befides, that it muft ap- pear in the higheft degree probable, that no creature whatever, (fuppofing him to iiave iuita- ble abilities,) could have been entruiled with fo great, fo endearing a charge -, fuch as mud: inevitably draw after it a larger fhare of our love, rerpc61:, and elleem, than feems confident with our duty to God, and the rules laid down in fcripture for our behaviour towards the crea- tures."
^ " All the aOrs and offices of Chrid, relative to us, are only fo many manifelbtions of his goodnefs, power, wifdom, and other attributes, which attributes are founded in his divine na- ture, which nature is common to the Father and him : Thus all our acknowledgments ter- minate in one and the fame divine nature 5 and all the particular worfhips amount to no more than one worfhip, one divine worfliip, belong- ing equally to both. "
I fhall now enquire, what evidence we have of worfhip being paid to our God and Saviour, Jefus Chrirt, duriiii^ the three firft centuries ; I have in another ^ place given plain and full proof, that Chrifl was worfhip'd, during this period, in conjunftion with the Father, and the Spirit, from Clement of Rome, the letter con-
Dr. Waterland's fecond Defenfe, p. 378• See Part I. c. 3. p. 79 — 88.
G ^ z cerning
4-5 2 The true Scripture Doctrine
cer^ing the martyrdom oF Ignatius, Polycarp, the church at Smyrna, JulHn Martyr, Clement of Alexandria, Hippolytus, Origen, Julius Atri- canus, and Dennis of Alexandria. I fhall now collect the feparate evidence we have, that Chrift was really woriliip'd*
Clement of Rome is the moftantientchriflian author remaining. He has advifed the chrifti- •ans at Corinth, to worfnip or to live in fub- jection to Chriil, who died for them-, >' "Let us worfhip our Lord Jefus Chriil, whofe blood was given for us. " In conformity to the pat- tern and example of his great inilru6lor, the apoflle Paul, he has pray'd, that the grace of Chrilf might reft on thofe to whom he wrote 5 ''- " May the grace of our Lord Jcfus Chriil be with you, and with all, every where, who are caird by God, thro* him. " And he has in two places given glory to the Son in the fulleft manner : One of his doxologies is in thefe words, '" " The great creator and Lord of all — is kind to all his creatures, but more abundantly fo to us, who fly to his mercy, thro' our Lord Jefus Chrift, to whom be glory and greatnefs, for ever and ever. Amen. " The other runs thus, ^ " The blefling of forgivenefs of fins is be-
y Tof %.u^:(,y \r,(r^v Xfii^.v, a to oiif/joc. i/.Tjp ijojuv iCi)6Yi, ivr^ccym- fAiK CJcm. Rom. Epift. i. c. 21. p. 106. 108. Ed. O.nt.
* *^^ /J:**P*5 "^^ ^^6A^ v.fxjco* 'Ir.TcZ Xpi^Gu fjtjiB-' liAav, >^ ^iTtt, 'mi)>TCJV TToivTU^'^^ TZiv y.izXr,fAjivuv UTio TO{;©:cy, y^ ^l ctvroZ. Idem, ibid. c. 59. p. 222.
-Trtcvrci, t/rr«f£>cTrp<(ro-ftJ? -j v/^S;, rove T.^os"Xi<pvyoTcu; rn7c oiKT^^fjtjriiq ui/Tou, dioc Tou KvficZ v.iajuv ly,<rov Xpi^oy, « *t h^x ^ fjifiyc(,\o- fT'jvrit £<5 7«5 oumx'i tu' cckxvuv. Afj^i*. Idem, ibid. c. 20.
p. I02.
Ov7<^ 6 f/jCiy.upiCf/Jti f'/HCTo srri rjf^ iK>.i>.iyfjijiiii<; vm rov Giev, dice ly>(roZ X^i^c'ti rcu Kvctn vi'jxv^ o'j it ^c^a^ «<? t^5 cuaveci
"rCiti enavaiu. A^^>>. Idem, ibid. c. i^o! p. 2Co.
ftow'd
OF THE Trinity. 455
ilow'd upon fiich as are chofe by God, thro' Jefiis Chrill our Lord, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen."
Ignatius is the next author to be confider'd > he paid immediate worlliip to Chrill, as appears from the following «= noble exclamation, \vith which he begun his epillle to the church at Smyrna J " I glorify JefusChriil; our God, who has thus made you wife." The fmie may be gather'd from thefe ^ words 5 ^' I pray for your welfare at all times, in our God Jefus Chrill." He has alfo given ^ it as his opinion, that we fhould glorify Chri ft, who glorifies us j " It is meet that by all methods you glorify Jefus Chrift, v/ho has glorified you." And he defired the Chriltians at Rome to pray to Chrift on his be- half, that, when the ravenous beafts devour'd him, he might offer up himfelf an acceptable facrificej ^ *•' Pray to Chrift for me, that by thofe inftruments, (the wild beafts) I may be found a proper facrifice. " When the Empe- ror Trajan had pafs'd fentence on this fiithful fervant of Chrift, he broke out into the g fol- lowing thankfgiving, which every one who confults the context, will (ee was dire6led to Chrift. " I thank thee, O Lord, that thou haft been pleafed fo far to honour me, for the
Ignat. Epirt. ad Smyrn. c. i. p. i. Ed. Oxon.
Idem, Epift. ad Polycarp. c. 8. p. ii.
^o^xorxvrcc Ifjjuq. Idem, Epift. ad Ephef. c. 2. p. 12.
* AiTa,nv(ru.ri tvv Xp<fi5v vTrtp If/joZy Ivu, dtoc tuv o^^vav nsTUf ^vcriec Iv^i^a. Idem, Epift. ad Roman, c. 4. p. 38.
fmtrcti KctTn^iutroi, tS> UTretjJtXu <r» TluvXa ^io-fjueiq <rHvoyi<rccf <ri- ^'yj^oTe. Epift. de Martyr. Ignat. c. i. p. 48. Ed. Oxon.
G g 3 perfcft
454 The true Scripture Doctrine
peiTe6l love I bear to thee, as to caufe rne to be bound with iron chains, as thy apodle Paul was. '* And jufl before he was led into the am- phitheatre, to finilh his teftimony, this eminent martyr ^' knecrd down, and folemnly pray'd to Chrill, that he would blcls his churches j that the fury of the perfecution might ceafe, and that brotherly love might abound among all that proFefs'd the Gofpcl.
Under the Emperor Trajan, that learned and polite gentleman, Pliny the younger was pro- conful of Bithynia. In one of the letters which he (cnt to his Mafter, to know how he would have him proceed, with relation to the Chriili- ans, he told ^ him, that having examin'd fome of them, " They declared, that it was their cuilcm to meet together on a certain day, be- fore it v/as light, and jointly to fing a hymn to Chrifr, as to their God." This fhews that it was the cullom of tho Chriftians, in the moft pure ages, ilatedly and folemnly to worfliip their incarnate God.
Polycarp has, in imitation of the apoflles, be- gun his epiille ^ to the church atPhilippi, v/ith jointly invoking God the Father, and Chrift; " Mercy and peace be multiplied to you fronj God almighty, and the Lord Jefus Chrift, our
viov Tov B-ioVy vTTff Tuv iKK?^Yiiria>v^ VTTi^ T^ TOW d^iayfjbeu Kccra-Trnv- o-iuq^ VT^sf T T ci^iX<pa-j u\ oi.XM>.\iCi ccyufTVi^^y U7rii^6i) ^Eves c-t«- ^vic, ii^ TV otfjj(pihoirfov . Ibid. C. 6. p. 51.
' Aflirmabant, — quod efTent foliti, ftato die, ante lucem convcnire ; Carmenque Chrillo, quafi Deo, dicere fecum invicem. Plin. Lib. X. Ep. 97.
^ '£a£©^ VfjuCy, }C iifiivy), Tocfoc ©£«» tti^yfoKCoir op'o^,' xin KVpiM liiTou jCfi^cZ. TOO cur^f(^ r,uj&'». TXyihiv^tiv,, Polycarp. Epift. init. p. 54. Ed. Oxon.
Saviour."
OF THE TrIN I TT. 455
Saviour.'* And in another place, he V wor- lliip'd thcfe iwo divine perfons together, " May the God and Father of our Lord Jefus Chrift, and the eternal high Prieft himfelF, the Son of God, Jefus Chrili, build you up in fiiith and truth, and in all meeknefs without wrath, and in patience, long-fufFering, forbearance, and chaility, and give you a lot among his faints, and beilow the fame upon us, and upon all under the heaven, who fhall believe in our Lord Jefus Chrilf, and in his Father, who raifed him from the dead."
The church at Smyrna have begun their let- ter to the church at Philadelphia, and other churches, wherein they have given an account of the martyrdom of Poly carp their pallor, with equally invoking the Father and Chrili j "^ "Grace, peace, and love be multiplied, from God the Father, and from our Lord Jefus Chrift." Thefe worthy Chriilians had a right notion of divine worfhip being due to no crea- tures, for when they had mentioned the malice of fome ilupid Jews, who advifed the governor, that had executed Polycarp, not to let the Chriilians get his afhes, left they fhould wor- fhip him, as they did Chrift> they have added
^ Deus autem & Pater Domini noibi Jefu Chrifti, & ipfe fempiternus Pontifex, Dei Filius, Jefus Chriftus aedificet vo« in fide & veritate; & in omni manfaetudine & fine iracun- dia ; & patientia & longanimitate ; & tolerantia & caftitate ; & det vobis fortem & partem inter fanftos fuos ; & nobis vo- bifcum, & omnibus qui funtfub coelo, qui credituri funt in Dominum noftrum Jefum Chriftum, & in ipfius Patrem, qui refufcitavit eum a mortuis. Idem, ibid. c. 1 2. p. 60.
™ EAs®-, ii^yjv^j, Kj etyx^v), X^' GioZ Tcar^i;^ i^ rev kv^hs 'A^m Utw Xp<rotf 7i>^7iiwkin. Epift. Ecclef Smvrn. init. p. 62. fA. Oxon.
G g 4 "the
45^ The true Scripture Doctrine
"the following noble declaration ; " We can never leave Chrill:, who fufFer'd for the falva- tion of the whole world of fiich as are faved, the juft for the unjuilj neither can we worfhip any other. Him, who is the Son of God, we worfhip 'y but the Martyrs we have a due love for, as the difciples and imitators of our Lord, becaufe of their exceeding great efleem for rheir own King and Teacher 3 whofe companions and fellow difciples may we prove our (elves. " When they had beenfpeaking ofPolycarp, they have ° added ; '' He having received the crown of immortality, with the apofllcs, and all the •jud, cheerfully glorifies God the Father, and biefles cur Lord the governor of our bodies, and the fhepherd of the catholic church, fcat- ter'd over the world." They have inferted two doxologies to Chrifl in the clofe of their letter : One they have thus introduced; p " Let them glorify the Lord, who makes fuch choice out of his own fervants, who can bring us all, by his grace and gift, to his everlafting kingdom,
" 'OfTS TVV X^l<}iv TTOTi KCiTCCXlTrs'lV OVViiODf/jl^X, TBV V^tf '^ 70U
^ee.vTv<i n^erf/ja tuv (ruCofAjnav c&iTrtpion "VxQovTUy uf/jaf/^ov vz'to e^f^oufra^.ivv, jj Vj inpjv Tive6 (rt,3ixl^ ' ToZtov jU/fy ^y huv cvrec TcZ Qiov, Tt^nTKViov^ ^ T»5 T (t^'prypet?, ecc, ^ocQvtTzic, tc, jjjiytjrjTtii;
tclov f^xa-tXiot' Kccl ^^xa-Kdhov ' av yivoiTo »u\ '//^^ *:ojj'&'y»5 tj kcu <rv[A>^x^'^7u<i ym^. Ibid. c. 17. p. 72.
'XufTi OiKccicic, uyciXXia!f/j»(^, ^c^u^ii rvv Qiov xccl TtUTi^cc, xxi syAeyw rev K-J^icv r,fjijm, kx\ xf/Sgpijrjjv twj» a-eo^r^rm Jj/^^y, xcct Tfeii/^iiX r>J5 KXiti T/.y oiKiffJumv KxBoXu^ii iKxAnjaixi. Ibid. C. 1 9.
P-74- _ ^^ ^ ^ V , • V
P lyx tKUvoi aot,xC6J<rt tvv Kocioy^ tvv iKXoyx^ 7:r>iouvTX ^^ "Srav idiuv o^^/m-j^ rov ^'ijvxyjiyoy 7nijTX(i viyuii^ htrxyuytTvy rj} xvtou ^x^iTi y.Xi actifiUy iic, T>iv enaviev xOtov fixfriXiixy, Jltk TTXiiic, xurai TOO fJuwoyivoZi, '1-/50- cy Xpifcv ' a vj J^'|«, t<j|>0)), xp«r^, u>j*^J4- h.oQ-uy/j, ii^ xt^yxi^. Au^^r, Ibid, c. 20. p. "4.
bv
OF THE Trinity. 457
by his only begotten Son Jefus Chrift > to whom be glory, honour, ilrength and greatnels, for ever > Amen. " The other doxology is ^ this 5 *« Our Lord Jefus Chrift reigns for ever, to him be glory, honour, greatnefs, and an everlaft- ing throne, from generation to generation. A- men. "
Jufiin Martyr has declared, ^ that it was the current practice of his time to worfhip Chrift: '' We love and worihip the word of the un- created and ineffable God, after God." And he. has given it as his opinion ^, that Chrift is the mighty God, who is to be worlTiip'd, w^hofe coming was foretold by David and Ifaiah.
Eufebius has, in his ccclefiaftical hiftory, given large extrafts, from a remarkable letter, wrote from the churches at Lyons and Vienne in France, to the churches of Afia and Phrygia, wherein they have given an account of their brethren, u^ho fufier'd martyrdom in the perfe- cution under Marc Aurelius and Lucius Verus: They have begun their letter with the old apo-
Uici;vi(^, ^>^ yvjzu^ fci$ ysviuy. A{jt/v,v. Ibid. C. 21. p. 74* 75' ' Toi- ^^ uyivijTii Kccl uppyim ©£» A'oycv yuiTU. rvv Otov JT^a-
o-»vv^f>S^ Kccl uyoiTFCPfAiv. Juftiii. ApoL II. c. 13. p. 133. Ed»
Thirlby.
^ '^Ori yh J^ TToea-KvvTjTDi Ifi, ^ ©"5, kcu Xp<fB5 4""» '"ow rttZrtb
vatri. (De Pfalm. xlv. loquitur) Idem, Dial, cum TryphonCp p. 273. ^ ^ ^ ^^,.
Acc,3l^ uuTzv — - Qiov i%i>^v x«j 7Ffoirx.tJV}iToy, Xpifar erra
f^Xua-i. Idem, ibid. p. 303.
Xc<^\ x«» Qicq, Ti^os-K'jyii-nq, [ <^af Aec^i^."] Idem, ibid,
P- 407-
At' xvrov H«r«i» XtXiKTUiy cTi ol it Trfoff^ox^a-uyTtq ctutoTt >xcoi
Tuv 'iSvmi 7rio(rKvvysc-ii<rt¥ «6v7»y. Idem> Apol. I. C. 63. p. 71>72"
2 ftolical
45 8 The true Scripture Doctrine
ftolical ^ form of invoking Chrill:, in conjundi- on with the Father j wiHiing them, to whom they wrote, " Peace, and grace, and glory, from God the Father, and from the Lord Je- fiis Chrift. " And afterwards, giving an ac- count of '^ Blandinn, who after undergoing di- vers other tortures, was put into a net, to be tofs'd by a wild bull, they have acquainted us, that {he felt no pain, by rcafon of her being in- gaged in a prayer to Chrilt.
It was Irenaeus's opinion, that Chrift was worlhip'd by the patriarchs, as one God with the Father j ^ " He who was worfhip'd by the prophets, as the living God, is the God of the living, together with his Word, who fpoke to Moics, who reproved the Sadducecs, who is the author of the refurre^tion 3 who Ihew'd to thofe whofe minds were blinded, that he was the Rcfurreftion, aud God : If God is not the God of the dead, but of the living, and yet is eall'd the God of the patriarchs that flept, they, doubtlefs, live to God, being the children of the refurrection. Our Lord himfelf is the re- furredlion; — fo that Chriil, in conjunftion
roZy reZ Kvaja yfjum. Apud Eufeb. Hiil. Ecclcf. Lib. V. c. 2. p. 125. Ed. Par.
^ *H fJL>X)(^fioc BXetv^vy. i/^ira rue fjijcir.yx; [MiTu tu ^jjptct*
^il^yi' »ul Ikccvoj^ itvccfiXvfiiiiru, ^'pe^ rcZ Zodh, f/*v) j etiSitnv rrt
^dOV, X.xl CfMXiUy TTfC^ X^i<^V, iTvCvj Kxl DCVTyi. Ibid. p. I33.
* Qui a prophetis adorabatur Deus vivus, hie eft vivorum Dcus, Sc Verbum ejus, qui loquutns ell Moyfi, qui & Sad- <kicaeos redarguit, qui Sc rcfurre^lionem doricivit : utraque liis qui caecutiunt, oftendens, id eil refurre^lionem ^Deum. Si cnim Deus mortuorum non eft, fed vivorum, hie autem fJormientium patrum Deus di<^us eft, indubitate vivuntDeo, A: non pericrunt cum lint hlii refurrcftionis, Refurredio
with
OF THE Trinity. 459
with the Father, is the God of the living, who fpoke to Mofes, and was manifeilcd to the pa- triarchs.— He is himfelf the maker of heaven and earth, the only God. This writer, in ano- ther place, having been fpeaking of the mira- cles wrought by the church in his (ime, efpe- cially of calling out Devils, has thus declared concerning them 5 ^ " The church docs nothing by invocations of angels, or by inchantments, or by any wicked ihifc, but direding her pray- ers clean, pure, and openly to the Lord who made all things, and invoking the name of our Lord Jefus Chrill:, fhe works miracles for the benefit of men, and not to feduce them." From hence it appears, that Irenaeus did not queftion Chrift's right to divine worfhip> and we may farther gather, that, in his time, it was the common pra6(:ice of Chriftians, religioufly to invoke the holy name of that mighty Savi- our, who by fubmitting to the power of death for a time, gain'd a complete conqueft over Sa- tan, and all the powers of darknefs.
It is plain likewife from y Clement of Alex- andria, that it was the conftant pra61:ice of the Chriftians, to worihip Chrifl:, agreeably to the
autem ipfe Dominus nofter eft : — - ipfe igitnr Chrliliis cum Patre vivorum eft Deus, qui loquutus eft Moyfi, qui & pa- tribus manifeftatus eft: — ipfe eft fadlor coeli 8c terrae, fo- his Deus. ' kiiTc^ sViv o 7reiifni)\ ispxvov kccI 7>J$, /t/Ji<^ ©iOS. Irenaeus, Lib. IV. c. 5. p. 232. Ed. Ben.
^ Nee invocationibus Angelicis facit aliquid, nee incan- tationibus, nee reliqua prava curiofitate ; fed munde, & pure, & manifefte orationes dirigens ad Dominum, qui om- nia fecit, & nomen Domini noftri Jefu Chrifti invocans^ virtute ad utilitates hominum, fed non ad fedudionem, per- ficit. Idem, Lib. II. c. 32. p. 166.
'^ ttVTvy Kfil itytf^vx then Tn^ifTf^, m«« ^i eivTov T fmripct, hx ot>
command
j[.6o The true Scripture Doctrine
command of God > " We are commanded to "worfhip Chrift, perfuaded that he the Word, is our Saviour and guide, and thro' him the Father, and that not on fclccl days only, as is the cuftom of fome, but pradifing this con- ftantly, during our whole lives, in all places where we may come." Seeing this very learn- ed Chrillian has fo fully declared for the wor- Ihlp of Chrid, it will not be ilrangc, if we find him afcribing glory to him, together with the Father, in the llrongeil: manner 3 ^ '' This was the cafe, no one knew the Father, who is all in all, before the Son came > that it might be truly manifefl, that there is one God only, the good, the ju(l, the creator, the Son in the Father, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. " He has alfo left us a hymn compo- fed to the honour of Chriil, which befides o-
i^cttfireii; Ytfjui^cni^^ oxrTTi^ fiiAAw nvs^, uXXot trvvi^ac, rov oAei/ ^lof
TOUTO TTfUrloVTiCj KCll KCCTU TtWiTU, TfOTTOV. Clem. AlcX- Lib.
VII. c. y.j. 831. Ed. Oxon.
^ Teuro hv to, ovatlq tyva T Trxn^cc^ Truvrx ecurcv otroc, tt^U £A^£«v Toy iitoi ' u^ j('v«4«, Tficr; ofAsjf'iieti? xccrxCpumc,, to tov cvfAi^ 'TTa.vruv QioVy tvcc ycfvov avoci, ciycc6cv, d'tKuioVy ov.fjui.-sfylv, bicv ci ^tfCTpj, ct) }} ec^dy iir. Tcuq cciavtx^ Tuv cticovaty. A^jjy. Idem, Pacdag. Lib. I. c. 8. p- 142.
Clement has (p. 311.) diredled a pnyer to Chrift, which he has concluded with a doxology to the three divine perlbns, but this I have produced above. Part I. c. 3. p. 83, 84. ^
There is likevvife a fragment quoted under the name of Clement, by Macarius Chryfocephalus, in his cemmentnry on Luke, which is a Manufcript in the Bodleian Library, (Cod. 211. Baroc.) but it is a little doubtful, whether it be his or no. However it concludes with afcribing glory to Chrift, in conjundlion with the Father and the Spirit.
Tis ifx^a,.^ }^ufi(ru >oto^ '^ ec^irtiq tcZ X-fn-cZ, xurcp TTfiTzu Ao^cc X((i T<^«, g-vit T(5 rrccTft, xec) dyif TviVfjuccri, he, t»^ chuvoh tu* tlt^wv. A;x)J». Clem. Al. Fragm. p. 1019. Edit. Ox. & ap. Fabiic. Spicileg. Pat. iii. Saecul. p. 70.
thcr
OF THE Trinity.' 461
ther things, contains the following lofty flrains of praife afcribed to him, '« « O King of faints, almighty Word of the moft high Father, au- thor of wifdom, O Jefus, Saviour of the hu- man race, be thou the fhepherd of thy ihecp, lead us, O holy one, our King 5 O everlall- ing Word, O eternal, O fountain of mercy ; may we, replenifh'd by the dew of the Spirit, fing praifes to Chrift our King; may we, the children of peace, begotten of Chrift, a people
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4^2 The true Scripture Doctrine
made wife by him, praifehim, the God of peace." The fame excellent writer has left us another hymn, in which he has praifed Chrift, in con- jundion with the Father, which is drawn up in the following terms j ^ "This garland of praifc, O teacher, I offer to thee, which I have gather'd from the untainted meadow, where thou afforded us pafturc : As the dili- gent bee, gathering honey from the buds and flowers, by ufeful labour, in her hive, affords pleafanc combs to her owner. Tho' I am one of the lead: of thy fervants, yet I ought to praife thee for thy laws. O great King of men, the giver of all good, the guide of the jufl, O Fa- ther, who haft created all things, who haft nlone fixed the heavens, difpofing them by thy divine Word, who haft fhew'd the day and the light, and haft appointed the true courfe of the ftars, who caufeft the earth and fea to continue icparate, who haft eftablilh'd the return of dif- ferent feafons, and the exadfucceffionof fpring,
A'oyoi<ri 5r>.s|jd5, 91<Pmov f| ock^uth AtifjLu'^, v.uAv h TTu^i^a ruq vdf/i»^, *■ li J hy^nc, f/,tMTTce. ^ot^iuv 'uT!o
Ei y-al f^poc^u^ c^' i}iJ 77$ oiKirr,<; yg crc^ • Au yM di Toi'q (Toic, ivXoyiTv B-itr-jria-ujcia-iv "
'Ac^I iz^OTziy (Miyti-i tiiV KCC>.fi>V cJoTjjp,
KWfj!jcv rihiKUc^, ficp^^Vflt? B-iiu Aoyco O Oiiiccc, Uiiriq itfA/i^uv n y,ul (p«®-, Koti 715 V ^oAoucrtv ojffie vKjjji^Tii ahot/jov. E*' r5 a"* oT^ci yr, y^\ ^UAUtra-u '^(o<rfS^ci,
Tw Ti ftiiTUTTco;^^ Tx^iv iifi^Titrfo^r^v,
fummer.
OF THE Trinity. 46s
fummer, autumn^ and winter > who haft raifed the fabrick of the world out of confufion^^ and matter without form and void 5 Do thou aflifl: me to hve a life agreeable to thee, and afford me thy grace, that I may fpeak and acb accord- ing to thy holy fcriptures, and may always praife thee, an3 thy allwife Word, who is confub- itantial, and always prefent with thee : Give me neither poverty nor riches > but. Father, af- ford me a fufficient competency, and a happy pafTagc from this life to another. "
Towards the latter end of the fecond cen- tury lived Theodotus, a citizen of Byzantium, by trade a currier, but a perfon of learning > this unhappy man denied ^ Chrift in a time of perfecution, and being reproach 'd for denying his God, he, to get off, pretended, that C'hrilt was no other than a meer man, and confequent- ly he had not deny'd God but man : This con- fident creature was the firft who was call'd a Chriftian, that ever had the front to fay, Chrift could not be call'd God. For the Ebionites, who had maintained the fame error before him,
OAotf Tg y^iTfjuov l| ux-ea-fJiJiciq »Tj(rx^ YX/ji; i^'pc^if, TO ^ 7B T^civ KciTot(,Ti(rag,
Aiviiv eiii <rt koh t dy. <rcu Trxvtro^ov, Tqv <roi crvvovTXj kxi ttu^ovtu croi Ao'ysy, M)5 fA/ol Kcc) TTivixvj f/t-^h f/jiv 'PT^.ourev ii^t* Tec^iv ^ rev ilovr®^ ce.vrotpKSf!ZTy)y^
^ 'E15 ix.vrov ij ayi^iv kuk^v oiTToXoytav sTrtvivo'^xs, ra-n tv xs^'oti ciyf/jx, <p^crx<;' on Qiov lyu ^k yi^rAozcfXi'^v, aAAa, uv^^cottov y,cr<:-
Xp<f5v yjfvvazif/jriy uv^^nTTov, Epiphanius. Haer. I, iv. c. i. Vol. I. p. 463. Ed. Par.
' . z were
464 The truk Scripture Doctrine
were defpifed as a fort of Jews. A few years after, Artcmon, who fell into the fame fenti- merits, had the impudence to ailcrt, that ChrilVs Divinity had never been maintain'd, till the time of Victor andZephyrin, bifhops of Rome, the former of whom excommunicated the By- zantine currier. This horrid fahhood was con- futed by an antient author, of whom a frag- ment is prcferved by Eufebius, in his church hiftory, and who ^ is judg'd to beCaius, a Ro- man presbyter ; One argument he ufed to con- fute Artemon, was taken from the hymns, which were fung by the faithful, from the be- ginning, m honour of Chrifl: as God. His words ^ are, '^ Thefe perfons affirm, that all the antients, and the apoitles, held and taught the fame opinions with them, and that the true doctrine was prefervcd, till the time of Victor,
^ Vid. Photii Biblioth. cod. 48. p. 35. Ed. P. Steph. Valef. inEufeb. Lib. V. c. 28. Pearlbni op. poith. p. 147, &c. Cave Hilt. Liter, an. 210. Fabric. Bibiioth. Graec. Lib. V. c. 1. Vol. V- p. 267-
fu>.yjcpivcii Ti xal o^^i^upa^ivxi rauTcx, he iZv cvto* >.iyti<ri ' fC riTn-
VIV 'TOlC-y-OlldiKCiT^ i>^ risTpa if 'PufJtjV, iTTKT y.C'77<^ ' "^Cn j TOU rV'ril9 TTiSsiVOV TO AiyofXjiVOV, ii f/jH ^ftO^Cf f/jif eivTiTTlT^TOV UUToTi oil
B-iliCt yfu(pu\' Kccl xaiA(pm a'l rtiiuv £c< y^oCf/jyjXTUy a'ptc/SJrtfcc Tuv BiX.ro^o<; -^^ivuv, ce. iKiTvoi tt^o^ tu t6v)} uXi^ t//, x^^^fihixq, x,x\ TT^c; 7u<; TcTi xipkcru^ gypaY«tv * ?\.iyu ^ I»^'»k, kxi M<At<«JV, xx\ TxTiavov^ xesi KAiJjW/Svro?, xXi In^uv %>.uzvuy, iv cii cc»x<ri B-ioMyeiTXi 0 Xpifj^ • 7tc 'Y^ 'Ei^isvxi'ii n axl MiXlruvoti^ xat Twr ?\0k7:a})i 7i(i xyvou (3»,3Aia, 0£oi> »at xv^puTTcv xXTxyyiXXcvTX rey Xp«?"oy 3 Vf'otA/'Aii oVo* y-xl (ioxi ftJleA^oir, (C7:x^'^yi<i vtto fnsz^v yp«- (PiTc-xty Tov Aoyoy rcw 0£ou Tov Xpifc*' hf/j»cv(ri i^io?^cyaZ¥Tiq' Ilag arv ix- TotriTu* xxt 'xyyi/^Xayjiva roV i>cKX)j<riXTix.ou <P^ovi]fji>xToq sy- ^i-^'-.rv.i rcv(i ^/-i/jf^ BiKTc^oq • o-jrac, cot; 8'rot ?,iyisinv, KiK'^^v^ivxf.
Anonymus^ ieu Caius, apud Euieb. Hilt. Ecclef. Lib. V. c. 28. p. 159. Ed. ?.r.
the
OF THE Trinity. 4^5
the thirteenth bilhop of Rome from Peter j but that it was corrupted from the time of Zephy- rin, who fucceeded Vidlor. This might feem probable, did not the holy fcriptures, in the iirft place, contradid them 5 befides we have the writings of fome brethren before Vidof s time, who defended the truth againll the Pa- gans, and againft the herefies of thofe times , I mean the treatifes of Juftin, Miltiades, Ta- tian, Clement, and many others, in which the divinity of Chrift is alTerted. Who is ig- norant of the books of Irenaeus, and Melico, and others, which declare Chrift to be God as well as man ? Many pfalms and hymns, wrote from the beginning, celebrate the diviniry of Chrift the Word of God. Seeing then the contrary dodrine has been declared in the church fo many years, how can thefe men pretend, that till Viftor's time, all prcach'd agreeable to their fcheme?" This is a good evidence that Chrifl Was worfhip'd, in the days of this author, and that it had been the cuftom of the fiithful, to worfhip Chrift as God, by finging hymns to his praife, from the beginning of Chriftianity.
Tertullian allow'd ^, that the Chrirtians were worfhippers of Chrift, but not that they were Worfhippers of him, as he was man ; but as he was God, he fuppofed s invocations might be
^ Sed & vulgus jam fcit Chriftum, hominem uti aliquem, qualcm Judaei judicavcrunt, quo facilius quis nos hominis cultores exiftimaverit. V'erum neque de Chrifto crubcfci- mus, ut quos lub nomine ejus deputari, Sc damnari juvat, neque de Deo aliter praefumimus. NccelTe eft igitur pauca de Chrifto ut Deo. Tertullian. Apologetic, c. 21. p. 194, 195. Ed. Havercamp.
s Quae Dei mentio } quae Chrifti invocatio ? Idem, ad Uxorem, Lib. II. c. 6.
H h addrefs'd
466 The true Scripture Doctrine
addrefs'd to him, and he declared that he was adored by the Ch: ^Rians all over the world, in theie remarkable ^ words j " The name and rule of Chriil extends every where, he is believed on every where, he is worfhip'd by all nations, he reigns every where, he is adored every where j he is King of all, Judge of all, and God and Lord of all."
Origen has a pafTage ' which our modern Arians have taken hold of, as an evidence for the fubordinate worfhip, which they only ad- low to God the Son. " We ought to fend up all fupplication, prayer, interccffion, and thankf- giving, to the God overall, thro' the high priePc, who is above all angels, benig the living Word, and God : And we may alfo offer up fupplica- tion to the Word himfelf, and intercefilon,' and thankfgiving, and prayer, if we can but appre- hend, how prayer is taken in propriety of fpeech, and in an improper fenfe. " Origen meant no more by this, than that prayers under the chri- ilian difpenfation, are, for the generality, more properly offer'd to the Father, thro' Chrift the great high pricil, than immediately to Chrift. He was far from diiallowing Chrift's title to
^ Chrifti regnum Sc nomcn ubiquc porrigitur, ubiquc creditur, ab omnibus gcntibus — colitur, ubique rcgnat, ubiqiie adoratur. — omnibus Rex, omnibus Judex, omni- bus Deus & Dominus eft. Idem, c. Judaeos, c. 7.
* Tloicrxv fjjiv di'/ia-iv ^yu ^"^ ^iotriv^Vy kcu ivnv^iVf kcci ivj^ct^i^etv,
p/ry?, sf/^'^u^s Aoya kou ©fS * ^ti}<rofJUi6u ^ x-ccl uvt5 t5 Atyj^,
Xoii<rie>>^. Origen. c. Celfum, Lib. V. p- 233. Ed. Cant.
Vid. Bull. Def. Fid. p. 120, 121. al. p. no. • See alfo Mr. Bingham's Antiquities, Book XII. chap. 2. Vol. V. p. 45—48. and Dr. Watcrland's lecond Detenle, p. 399,
400.
4 worfhip.
OP THE TRINItY] 45f
worfhip, for he has reprefentcd it as proper, to ^ pray to him for fpiritual healing, and ^ to worfhip him with the Father j and he might well allow this, becaufe he has alTured us, that he and his fellow Chriilians worfhip'd the Fa- ther and the Son as the one God : "^ " We wor- ship the one God, the Father, and the Son." If Origen has indulged any fancies, inconfillcnc with this declaration, in fome of his lefs accu- rate writings, fuch things only fhew the weak- nefs of a great man> but it m.ay with juflice be concluded, that his books have been corrupted* His fcntiments may bell be learned, from his excellent treatifeagainli: Celfus, which was wrote with care and judgment, and has not been cor- rupted, as fome other of his pieces, in all pro- bability, have been.
Novatian fuppofed Chrift had a right to in- vocation, and from thence he very well " in- fcrr'd his omnipotence, and confequently his true Deity. " If Chriif were only a man, how could he be prefenr, wherever he is invoked ?
'Ev^iciij Tfel Acyi> 0sS ^wxfj^/ivo) etuTvv i^cra<xj^. Idem, ibid, P-238.
Aoyov rovQicZ Ti^ca-Kvvvia-o^fjiv. Idem, ibid. p. 239.
•" ' Evec 0£ov*— Tvv UocTi^a f^ tzv hicv B-i^HTTiuo^. Idem, ibid. Lib. viii. p. 386. '
This pallage may explain the words following.
Tcv tyci Qicv, t^ Tvv IV6C viQV x:^r6Vy Kj P'.oV'iy, }cj ii'^vsC, 7C(X<;
T^r QsM Tuv cXeov TO^ iv;hK(S, ^ix rev {/jr.icyivcvc, cc'jtoZ • <y T^-oa- Tor «-po(r<Pip'>f/jiv ,ecu7u<i, cczio'iJvTfq ccutov ,^ t?\(X,(r y^v once tuv ap«p»
Ktci 7K5 ivTivhi<i y,fA>&'v^ r7 sth zoiTi ©s<i). Idem, ibid.
Vid. Bull. Defenf. Fid. Nic. p. 120, 121. al. p. iio. See alfo Mr. Binghim's Antiquities, Vol. W p. ^6--A.q.
" Si homo tantammodo Chriftu?, quomcdo ?deil ubiqiie invocatus, cum haec hominis natura non fit, fed Dei, ue
H h 2, Seeing.
468 The true Scripture Doctrine
Seeing it does not belong to the nature of man^ but to the nature of God, to be prefent in all places : If Chrift were only a man, how is a man invoked, as mediator, in our prayers ? See- ing the invocation of a man mult be reckon'd ineffedlual for falvation : If Chrift is only a man, why muft hope be placed in him ? Seeing the fcripture has pronounced that hope curfed, which has man for its obje£t. '* The lame author ° al- low'd, that Chrift was the angel whom Jacob invoked, as his God, to blefs his grandfons, E- phraim and ManafTeh.
Cyprian has, in full and exprefs terms, own'd Chrift's right to worfhip, and that as God. p " We ought firft to pray to our Lord, and then thro' him, to offer our facrifice to God the Father : we have an advocate and an interceflbr for our (ins, Jefus Chrift, our Lord and God.'* He has i declared thus of himfclf and his bre- thren, " We do not ceafe, in our religious ad- dreffes, to give thanks to God the Father, and his Son Jefus Chrift our Lord, and to pray to
adefie omni loco poffit ? Si homo tantummo(k) Chriftus ; cur homo in orationibus Mediator invocatur, cum invoca- tio hominis ad praellnndam falutem inefficax judicetur? Si komo tantummodo Chriilus, cur fpes in ilkmi ponitur, cum fpes in homine maledidta referatur. Novatian. cap. 14. p. 4c, 46. Ed. Oxon.
•^ Nemo igitur Chriflum, ficut Angelum non dubitat di- cere, ita ctiam Deum haefitet pronunciare, cum hunc eun- dem, Sc Deum & angelum, intelligat invocatum fuifie. Idem, cap. 19. p. 76.
P Primo ipfum Dominum rogare, turn dcinde per ipfum Deo Patri latisfaccre debemus. Habemus advocatum & de- • precatorcm pro peccatis noflris, Jefum Chriflum, Dominum & Deum nollrum Cyprian, Ep. 8. p. 24. Ed. Pamel.
1 In orationibus noftris non celTantcsDco patri, & Chrifto filio ejus, Domino noftro, gratias agcre, & orarc pariter ac petere. Jdem, Ep. 58. p. 136
4 them;'
OF THE Trinity. 469
them." And he has ' argued, that the for- bearance of Chrift mufl: be very great, feeing he who is worfhip'd in heaven, did not avenge himfelf on fuch as perfecuted his church here on earth.
Some time after the middle of the third cen- tury, Paul of Samofita, bifhop of Antioch, a proud and vainglorious, as well as immoral man, oppofed the Deity of Chrifl, and as far as we are now able to judge, revived the herefy of Artemon, and maintain'd Chrift to be a meer man : Perhaps at his firft fetting out he might entertain fome of the tenets which before had been held by Cerinthus j thefe might be his fentiments, when the firft fynod, in which Firmilian, bifhop of Caefarea preftded, met at Antioch on his account 3 but it is certain, the fecond fynod at Antioch, which depofed him, took his opinion to be the fame with that of Ebion, Theodotus the currier, and Artemon, which made Chrift a meer man. This heretic forbid the (inging hymns in praife of Chrift, in his church of Antioch, condemning the prac- tice as an innovation -, but he had the amazing infolence, to fet women to fing hymns in his own praife on Eafter day. This we are told by the bifhops who met at Antioch on his ac- count i in their ^ letter to Dennis bifhop of Rome, and Maximus bifhop of Alexandria : *' He difcardcd the hymns that were w^ont to be fung, in honour of our Lord Jefus Chrift,
^ Qualis Dominus Jefus, Sc quanta patientia ejus, ut qui in coelis adoratur, necdum vindicetur in terns ? Idem de Bono patientiae. p. 319.
H h 3 ' as
470 The true Scripture Doctrine
as innovations, and the compofitions of mo- derns: But he provided women to fing hymns to his own praifc, in the midfb of the church, on the great feftival of Ealler, the hearing of which wns enough to fill any perfon with hor- ror, " This ihews, that it was the cuftom in the churches to fing hymns to the honour of our bleffed Lord, and that it has always been the pra6lice of heretics, impudently to arraign this cuftom as novel.
When the martyrs, v/ho counted not their lives dear for the fake of Chrift and the Gofpel, came to-finiili their teftimony, they breath'd out their pious fouls, praying to the Saviour, for whofe fake they died. Eufebius has told ^ us of the inhabitants of a city in Phrygia, who were burnt in their town by Dioclefian's troops, that they died, crying out to Chrift, the God over all. The fame author has " re- lated of Porphyry, a Scholar of Pamphilus, that he vvent to the flake with a chearful and fedate countenance, and when he was burnt, with a flow fire, he pray'd to the Son of God to af- fift him, and then quietly and filently yielded up his fpirit. Ambrofe has ^^ related of Vitalis a martyr, that he fpent his laft breath in this prayer, " O Lord Jefus Chrift, my Saviour,
yt;v»~xai5 xctpuFKivct^uii, uv kou «;x»(ra<? uv Tie, (p^i^ui» Epift,
Synod. Antioch. apud Eufeb. Hift. Ecclef. Lib. VII. c. 34. p. 229. Ed. Par.
©£01' X^i'piv t^iiBoafjuiva^. Eufeb. Hill. Ecclef. Lib. VIII. c. 1 1. p. 249. See above 294, 295.
^owy, Tvv u.ov rou Oicv \v^(roZv (zovfi^y iTri/Zoay^n^^. I'dem, de Martyr. Palaeftin. c. t 1 p. 277.
^ Domine Jefu Chrifte, Salvator mens & Deus meus, jubc ^ufcipi fpiritum meum j quia jam dcAdero ut accipiam co-
- and
OF THE Trinity. 471
and my God, command that my fpirit be re- ceived, for I earncftly defire the crown which thy holy angel has fhew'd mc. " "^
I have fhew'd, that Chriil the eternal Son of God, was worfliip'd by the patriarchs, and by the church of Ifrael > I have evidenced, that he received worfliip in the days of his flefli, which he, the mofl perfect pattern of meek- nefs and humility, would never have accepted, had it not been his right j I have proved, that all a6ls of worfliip are paid to him in the new teftament, and that he is fet forth, as the ob- ject of the rehgious adoration of angels and mcn> and I have manifefted, that he was a6tu- ally worlhip'd in the primitive ages of the church, before the rife of Arianifm. It is need- leis to demonftrate, that Chrift has been adored,
ronam, quam angelus tuus fanftus mihi oftendit. Ambrof. exhort, ad Virgin.
^ The learned Dr. Waterland has obferved, (fecond Def. p. 124.) that there are fome confiderable teflimonies, for the worihip of the Father and the Son as one God, in Ruinart's fcleft a6ts of the Martyrs, which tho' not certainly genuine, have no certain mark of fpurioufnefs : I fhall there- fore give them from him, not having the book by me.
Chriftum cum Patre & Spiritu fanfto, Deum effe confi- teor. A£l. Epipodii mart. A. D. 178. p. 76.
Polemon (rogat.) Quern Deum colis? Refpondit (Afcle- piadesj) Chriftum. Polemon. Quid ergo ifte alter eft? Re- Ipondit : Non fed ipfe quem & ipfi paulo ante confeffi funt.
P- 144-
Dominum enim Chriftum confiteor, Filium altiffimi Patris, unici unicum : Ipfum cum Patre & Spiritu fanfto, unum fo- lum Deum efle profiteer. At\. Vincentii Mart. A. D. 304. p. 369.
Patrem & Filium & Spiritum Sanftum adoro : fandam Tn- nitatem adoro, praeter quam non eft Deus. A6ta Eupli Mart. A. D. 304. p. 407.
Adorem Trinitatem infeparabilem, quae Trinitas unitas Deitads eft. ibid. p. 408.
H h 4 fincc
47- The true Scripture Doctrine
fince that time, becaufe none will be fo fronts lefs as to deny it.
Chrift has a right to religious worfhip, be- caufe of his divine perfe6lions> but he has kid all who hope for falvation, on the account of his merit and righteoufnefs, under the highelt obligations : When he was rich, for the fake of fuch he became poor j when he was in the form of God, and thought it not robbery to be equal with God, on their account, he was content to fhroud his glories behind the veil of human flefh, and to take upon him the form of a fer- vant, and in that mean appearance to die the accurfed death ot the crofs ; For this caufe the Father has highly exalted him, and has refolved, that all fhall, one way or other, bow to him : They therefore, who are concerned for their own welfare, will be very cautious, how they rob him of that fupreme worfhip, which is his due. Confident men may make light of this now, but they ought to confider, that he will hereafter be their judge, and then, if they have not given him his right, they may expeft he will fay of them j Thefe my enemies, who would not that I fhould reign over them, bring them forth, and flay them in my fight : When fuch a dreadful word is fpoke, what heart can en- dure, and what hands can be Itrong ? All that hope to appear, without fhame, at ChriiVs im- partial tribunal, fhould be afraid of denying him the fupreme honour which is his due, for he will be able to vindicate his right, and he will be too juft, to pafs by any encroachments on it. Such will worfliip their Saviour, who is to be their judge, not as a God fubordinate to the Molt High, but as one fupreme God with the Father, remembring that when once they comes
to
OF THE Trinity. 473
the defirable and pleafant realms of reft, and peace, and joy, they fhall be employed in the dehghtful work of adoring with pure affe<5lions, and with high ftrains of devotion, God the Fa- ther, who chofe them, and God the Son, who redeem'd them, by his blood, out of all kindreds, and tongues, and people, and nations.
To Jefus Chrift, the only begotten Son of God, of the fime fubftance with the Father, and equal to him, the Lord Jehovah of hofts, the true, the mighty, the great, and the only wife God, the blefled and the only potentate, who alone has immortality, whom none has feen, nor can fee, the abfolutely fupreme God over all, the eternal, unchangeable, alwife, im- menfe, and all-fufficient creator and preferver of the world, the redeemer of the ele6t, and the Lord and Judge of all, be afcribed, with the Father and the holy Spirit, all glory, honour, praife, and greatnefs, might, majelty, power, and dominion, now, henceforth, and for ever- more. Amen.
THE
;rJ-t4?(ijt4?'lj<l'ij<4?4?4?<i?<4?<i^4iJ«3fe'4?4l?^
THE TRUE
Scripture Dodrine
O F T HE
TRINITY.
Part the Third.
Containing the fcparate proofs of the true andproperDivinity of the holy Spirit.
THE TRUE
Scripture Doftrine
O F T H E
TRINITY.
Part the Third.
mm
H E fcripture has fully eftablifhed the belief of the divine Unity, and has confirmed to us what rcafon di6tates, that there is but one God > but \ye find, that the lacred Oracles not on- ly declare the Father to be God, and the Son to be God, but aUb the holy Spirit to be God -, from whence we conclude, that thefe three are one God. The Spirit is reprefented as proceeding from the Father, and the Son, but the mode of this pro- ceflion is ineffable, bccaufe incomprehenfible, and they who have gone about to explain it, have only Hiew'd how foolifh it is to attempt to be wile above what is written. The proofs of the Spirit's true Divinity are not fo numerous, as of the Sons j but befides the proofs we have iri common of the true Divinity of allthe three
perfons
47S The true Scrii^ture Doctrine perfons in the holy Trinity, we have feparate proofs of the Spirit's Divinity. He, in fcrip- ture, bears the incommunicable name of Jeho- vah, he is caird Lord and God, he has divine perfections attributed to him, he is reprefented as performing works, which cannot be done, without infinite pov/ers, and he is fet forth to us as the objeft of worfhip. Thefe things ma- nifeft, that he is one God with the Father and the Son. The only part of my defign that re- mains is to confider, by * the blefled Spirit's afTillance, the feparate fcripture evidence, which we have for his true Divinity, in which I only need to be fhort, becaufe, whatever fome of the Macedonians might do formerly, there are none to be found now, that own Chrift's true Deity, but they alfo allow the holy Spirit to be pro- perly God : And if he is truly God, at the fame time that Chrift is truly God, then fince the fcripture allows of but one God, and none will now deny the Father's true Divinity, it will follow, that thefe three Perfons, the Father, the Son, and the Spirit, are the one true God, the
* Tli mihi, perpetui quo lumina condita coeli, Irifima quo fidit tellus, Sc mobilis haeret Colledlus telluri humor, quo purior aether In fpatia eiFundit vafti fe ingentia mundi ; Per mare, per terras, tenuilque per aeris oras. Omnia qui vitam fpiranti numine reples ; Aequaevum Patri natum qui foedere jungis Aeterno, triplex unum quod numen ador.it Gens pia ; qui rudibus fibi quos rex junxit olympi In terris comites, radiis affliita repente Ora tuis fol villi, & linguis edita centum ■ Vox eadcm fummi ollendit pia jufTa parentis, Et mira attonitae gentes flupuere locutos, Sanflc ades, ignarumque tuo da flamine peflus Perfufum dignas aufis eftundere voces.
Scipio Capicius De Vate Maximo, Lib. I.
fame
OF THE Trinity^ 479
f^me in fubftance, equal in perfedions, power, and glory.
\
e H A P. L
The holy Spirit's Divinity proved, from his names and titles.
HE third perfon of the adorable Trini- ty, is often call'd in fcripture the fpirit
^ of the Lord, or of Jehovah, and the
fpirit of God, fometimes the fpirit of Chrift 5 but mod frequently the holy Spirit, as all know, who have but look'd into the infpired writings. Our adverfaries unmercifully infult us, as if he Avere not once call'd Jehovah, Lord, or God, but this is only triumphing without a vi£bory, and is no more than pleafing themfclves with fiftions of their own brains, and boalling, in'a mean arrogant way,of fuppofing what theyfhould prove. If we fearch into the fcripture account of this matter, we fhall find, that the bleffed Spirit is ftiled Jehovah, Lord, and God.
The royal prophet David, in the ninety fifth Pfalm, has afcribed the higheft degree of wor- fhip to Jehovah, the rock of falvation, a great God, and a great King above all gods : * " O come let us fing to Jehovah, let us make a joy- ful noifc to the rock of our falvation, for Je- hovah is a great God, and a great King above all gods." This, as I have ^ proved, is to be
* Pfalm xcv. 1.3.
• See above Part I. Ckip. III. p. 72, 73.
under-
4§o The TRUE Scripture Doctrine
underflood of Father, Son, and holy Spirit, who are worfhip'd as the one Jehovah -, and the fub- fequent words are applied, in particular, to the Spirit, by the apoille Paul, who has thus *^ quoted them> " The holy Spirit fays — your fathers tempted me, proved mc, and faw my works 5 — I was grieved with that generati- on 3 — fo I fwore, in my wrath, theylhall not enter into my reft. " So that it plainly appears, that the Spirit is included in Jehovah, the great God and the great King above all gods, and is fo ftiled, in conjun6bion with the Father and the Son. This pafliige refers to the account given us by Mofes in the book of Numbers, of the Ifraelites provoking God, to fwear they fhould not enter into Canaan 3 where '^ it is plain, that it was Jehovah who was provok'd by them j " Jehovah faid, — as truly as I live, all the earth lliall be fiird with the glory of Jehovah, be- caufe all thofe men which have fcen my glory, and my miracles, which I did in Egypt, and in the wilderncfs, have tempted me thefe ten times, and have not hearken'd to my voice, furely they fhall not fee the land, which I promifed by oath to their fathers, none of them who have pro- voked me fhall fee it: — I have heard the mur- murings of the children of Ifrael againft me : -^ As fure as I Hve, faith Jehovah, as you have fpoke in my ears, fo will I do to you, your carcafes fhall fall in this wildernefs 3 — certain- ly you fhall not come into the land, concern- ing which I fwore to your Fathers. '' The pro- phet Kiiah <= referring to this behaviour of the Ifraelites, has told us, that " they rcbeU'd, and
*^ Heb. iii. 7. 9, 10, 11.
< Numb. xiii. 20, 21, 22, 23. 27, 28, 29.
* Ifahh Ixiii. 10.
vex d
OF THE TrINITV. 4S1
vex'd his holy Spirit." And the martyr Ste- phen, having the fame thing in view, faid ^ thus to the Jews, " You always refift the holy Spi- rit, as your fathers did, fo do you.'* If thefe feveral pafTages of fcripture be compared toge- ther, it will plainly appear, that it was Jeho- vah, whom the rebellious Ifraelites provoked, tempted, and grieved j but it as plainly will ap- pear, it was the holy Spirit, whom they pro- voked, tempted, and grieved > therefore it un- deniably follows, that the holy Spirit is Jeho- vah, who being provoked by that llubborn race, refolved to vindicate his glory in the fight of all the earth, by not fuffering thofe hardened rebels, who flighted the good land, to enter in- to the reft, which he had promifed to their fa- thers.
When Ifaiah, in vifion, faw the glory of God, it has 8 been proved, that Jehovah whofe glory he law, was the Father, the Son, and the Spirit 'y in particular, ^ the meflage he was to carry from Jehovah to the people of Ifrael, he received from the holy Spirit, as the apoftle Paul has afTured us. So that the holy Spirit is the King, Jehovah of hofts, who was exalted on a throne high and lifted up, whofe glory the prophet faw.
The prophet Jeremiah > has recorded a very kind promife of God to his people > " Behold the days come, faith Jehovah, that I will make a new covenant with the houfe of Ifrael, and the houfe of Judahj — this fhall be the cove- nant I will make with the houfe of Ifrael, faith
*' Aas vii. 51.
« See Part I. Chap. III. p. 70, 71.
^ Ifaiah vi. i, 2, 3. 5. 8, 9, 10. Comp. Ads xxviii. 25.
I Jeremiah xxxi. 31. 33—37.
I i Jehovah)
4S2 The true Scripture Doctrine Jehovah, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts, and will be their God, and they {hall be my people. — they fhall all know me, from the leafl to the greateft, faith Jehovah, for I will forgive their miquity, and I will remember their fin no more. Thus faith Jehovah, which gives the fun for a light by day, and the ordinances of the moon, and of the Stars, for a light by night, which divides the fea, when the waves thereof roar, Jehovah of hods is his name. If thefe ordinances de- part from before me, faith Jehovah, then the feed of Ifrael fhall ceafe from being a nation be- fore me for ever : Thus faith Jehovah, if hea- ven above can be meafured, and the foundati- ons of the earth fearch'd out beneath, I will alfo call off all the feed of Ifrael, for all that they have done, faith Jehovah." The apoftle Paul, in his epiftle to the Hebrews, has afllired us, this was fpoke by the holy Spirit : ^ " The holy Spirit is a witnefs for us, in that he has faid before 5 this is the covenant I will make with them, after thofe days, faith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them j and their fins and iniquities will I remember no more." From hence it appears, that the Spirit is call'd by the names of God, and Jehovah of holb, who created the fun to give hght by day, and the moon and the ftars to rule the night , who cftablifh'd the conftant fucceffion of morning and evening, who feparates the roaring waves of the fea. This Jehovah the Spirit promifed
^ Heb. X. 15, 16.
The fame apollle had before told us, thefe words were fpoke by Chrilt, (viii. 7—13.) which fliew?, that Chrifl and th« holy Spirit are the one Jehov^ih.
' % to
OF THE Trinity. 483
to eftablifh his covenant with his people, to be their God, who would enlighten them in the knowledge of himfelF, and his will -, to keep them lledfaft in an adherence to his law -, and to forgive their iniquiaes, which God only can do. As the Spirit is Jehovah, he is unchange- able, and fo well might declare, that it is as unlikely for him to leave off to do his people good, as it is for the fure returns of night and day to ceafej as impofuble for him to call them ofFj as it is for any man to meafure the heavens, or fearch into the flrong foundations of the earth.
The prophet Ezekiel has exprefHy ftiled the holy Spirit the Lord Jehovah, ^ or rather he himfelf, fpeaking to the prophet, has call'd himfelf fo : " The Spirit enter'd into me, and fet me on my feet, and fpoke with me, and faid to me. Go fhut thy felf up in thy houfe y — but when I fpeak with thee, I will open thy mouth, and thou fhalt fay to them, thus faith the Lord Jehovah, he that hears, let him hear ; and he that forbears, let him forbear, for they are a rebeUious houfe. " The Spirit who enter'd in- to the prophet, and fpoke to him, has exprefTly Hilcd himfelf the Lord Jehovah, in whofe name he was to fpeak to thofe of the captivity.
Having proved, that the holy Spirit is fome- times call'd Jehovah, God, and Lord > I fhall next confider fome other texts of fcripture, where he has the name of God given himj as in the introdudtion to the laft words of the fweet Pfalmill of Ifrael; " The fpint of Jeho- vah fpoke by me, and his word was in my tongue 5 the God of Ifrael faid, the rock of Ifrael
• Ezek. iii. 24. 27.
I i 2 {poke
4-S4 The true Scripture Doctrine
fpoke to me.'* If any (hould deny that the lame pcrfon, who is caird the Spirit of Jeho- vah, is alfo call'd the God and the Rock of Ifracl j he would only manifeft that he is blind- ed by prejudice, and attached to fome hypo- thefis.
In the new teftament the Spirit is calVd God, 6 Bio^y God with the article : As in the follow- ing words, in the apoftle PauVs *" firft epiftle to the Corinthians 5 '^ Know you not that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you ? If any man defile the tem- ple of God, him will God deftroy, for the tem- ple of God is holy, fuch you arc.'* Thefe words may receive light by comparing them with another pafTage in the fame apoftle's ^ next cpiflle> " Your body is the temple of the holy Spirit, which is in you, and which you have of God." From hence it appears ®, that true Chriftians are the temple of God, but they are at the fame time the temple of the holy Spirit, who dwells in them, and by fandifying them, fits them for his abode 5 therefore the holy Spi- rit mud neceflarilybe acknowledged to be God, and to be call'd three times 0 ©tor, God abfo- lutely, by the apoftle.
When Ananias had attempted to deceive the apoftles, Peter thus addrefs'd p himfelf to him, ^'Ananias, why has Satan fiU'd thy heart, to lie to the holy Spirit ? — thou haft not lied to men,
*" OCk ciaeCTf «rt voio^ ©£» gj-j, y.u] to TrviZoicc T» Qzov oiKik iv IfMv ; \i Tis rvv vxov rov 0£ou (pditpn, <p6i^iT toutov 6 ©105 • o y'ctp vciU roZ &iov tiyto^ £><» o<r«?i$ sVs v'mT^. i Cor. iii. -16,
" 2 Cor. vi. 19.
*' See biHiop Pearfon on the creed, p. 31^, 320. '
P OvK i'^'i'jtriu Ky$^aTcic «jAA^ t« 0 *. Ads V. 3, 4.
but
OF THE Trinity. 485
Silt to God." And on his fpeaking thefe ter- rible words, the impoftor fell down dead iit his feet. It is plain here, that lying to the holy Spirit is 'i the fame with lying to God, which is oppofed to lying to man : And as it is God with the article, e ©eos-, it is certain, that the Spirit is call'd God abfolutely. Our adverfiries teJl us, "" the obvious meaning is, that attempt- ing to deceive infpired^pcrfons, was not barely the crime of attempting to deceive men, but was in eite6b attempting to deceive God, by whofe fpirit thofe men were infpired 5 but this is only a iliift, invented to ferve a turn, and makes the words flat and infignificant > for ac- cording to fuch a fenfe, they fhould have run thus J Thou haft not lied to man, nor to the holy Spirit barely, but to God : As the holy Spirit is not oppofed to God, as man is to God, it is plain, that the holy Spirit is here call'd God abfolutely, againft which our adveifaries have nothing to urge, bur this, that the holy Spirit is not call'd God in fcripture, which pi- tiful begging of the queftion is beneath re- gard.
Having thus fhew'd, that the Spirit is, in fcripture, call'd God, none, I hope, will be furprizcd, if I aflert, that he is fo callM in thefe words of the apoftle Paul > ^ " The God of pa- tience and confolation grant you to be like- minded to one another, according to Chrift Je- fus, that you may with one mind, and one mouth, glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jefus Chrift. " Here he who is call'd the
^ See bilhop Pearfon on the creed, p. 318, 319. ' Clarke's Reply, p. 72. See Script. D06I. p. 12.
ffc»j5 i'y «;>.;\>3A0i5, Rom. xv. 56.
I i 3 God
4.S6 The true Scripture Doctrine
God of patience and confolation, is plainly di- ftinguifh'd from Chrift, and from God the Fa- ther, whom he was to bring Chriftians unani- inoLifly to glorify, and confequently can be no other than the holy Spirit, who may well be fo caird, becaufe it is his peculiar work, to com- fort ail the followers of Chrift.
I cannot forbear thinking, that the Spirit is caird the God of peace by the apoflle Paul % in his firfl: epilllc to the Theflalonians 5 " The God of peace himfelf fandlify you wholly. " The work of fan61:ification is fo much the pe- culiar work of the Spirit, that it is extremely probable, this prayer is dircfted to him. "
V. 2^
" We are not without evidence, that the antenicene wri- ters filled the holy Spirit God, as may appear by the follow- ing citations.
fji,ur<^ rps^cpT©- Kcii uv^civ7(^. Jrenaeus, Lib. IV. c. 38. p. 285. Ed. Bened. See above p. 109.
Unus Deus — oftenditur — in omnibus, — in omnibus autem nobis Spiritus. Idem,- Lib. V. c. 18. p. 315. See above p. 1 10.
Non hie hominis, fed columbae fimilitudinem Deus af- fumpfit ; quia volebat nova quadam apparitione Spiritus per columbae fimilitudinem, limplicitatem & manfuetudinem de- clarare. Clemens Alex. Fragment, p. 1013. Ed. Oxon.
Unum ex his — quae impolita adhuc fpecie penes Deum quiefcebant ; " In primordio Spiritus Dei fuper aquas fere- batur. — {olas liquor— dignum vedlaculum Deo fubjiciebat. Tcrtullian. de Baptifmo, c. Quintillam. c. 3.
Quidam putant ipfum Deum fignificari SpiritGm, quia Spiritus Deus. Idem, c. Hermogenem, c. 32.
Cum ipfe fit dc Spiritu Dei, & Spiritus Deus eft. Idem, de Cirne Chrifli, c. 10.
Spiritus Deus & Sermo Deus, quia ex Deo. Idem, c. Praxeam, c. 26.
Pater Deus eft, & Filius Deu.", 8c Spiritus fandlus Deus, Sc Deus unufquifque, Idem^ ibid. c. 13.
I come
OF THE Trinity; 487
I come now to fhew, that the holy Spirit is caird the Lord. This title is given him, by the apoftle Paul, twice, in the following ^^ paf- fag«, in his firfl: epiftle to the Corinthians j " The Lord is that Spirit, and where the Spi- rit of the Lord is, there is liberty j but we all, with open face, beholding, as in a glafs, the glory of the Lord, are changed into the fame image, from glory to glory, as by the Lord, the Spirit. " Here the Spirit is call'd the Lord, in fuch exprefs terms '', that it may reafonably be thought no one can difpute it 5 yet our ad- verfaries being refolutely bent on depreciating the Spirit, will not fo much as allow him the title of Lord, tho' they reckon it to be only an inferior chara6ter. They fay, y to take the word Lord here to mean the Spirit, is entirely con- trary to the infpired writings. We might juft- ly look for fomething of weight, to fupport fo high a charge againft us > but all the reafon given for their aflertion is, that neither in the old, nor in the new teftament, is there any one place, where the Spirit is call'd Lord : That is, he is not call'd Lord in Scripture, becaufe he is not. But what a barbarous indignity do thefe felf-fufficient creatures offer to the underftand- ings of men, in thinking they muft take a poor begging of the queftion, and a bold affirming what ihould be proved, for clear reafoning?
Si baptizari quis apud haereticos potuit templumDei faftus eft : quaero cujus Dei ? — Si Spiritus fandi, cum |' tres unumfint," quomodo Spiritus faiw^us placatus^ ei efle po- tell, qui aut Patris aut Filii inimicus eft. Cyprian Ep. 73. ad. Jubaianum, p. 1 84. Ed. Pamel. See above p. 122.^
'^ 'O 5 KJpj©- TO TTvtvf/,^ fTiv,mm,Kx6cc7rif «7ra Kvf J8 Trnuf/jH' r©-. 2 Cor. iii. 17, 18.
* See bifhop Pearfon on the creed, p. 317. .
I eiaike's reply, p. 203. ' ^,
I i 4 They
48 8 The true Scripture Doctrine
They fliew no peifons are really more defpica- ble, than fuch arrogant opiniators, as infolent- ly aflume to thcmfelves the charader of mailers of reafon.
There are two other paflages in the writings of the apoflle Paul, where the Spirit is call'd Lord ; the one is in his firft cpiftle to the Thef- falonians > ^ u Yhe Lord make you to increafe and abound in iove, — that he may cftablifh your hearts, — before God, even our Father, at the coming of Jefus Chrilt. " The other is in his fecond epiftle to the fame, ' " The Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Chrift." In both thcfe texts, the Lord is fo plainly diftinguifh'd from the Father, and from Chrift, that a much better reafon muil be given againft taking it to be meant of the Spirit, than a bold affirming it to be abfurd, and contrary to the tenor of fcrip- ture.
Thus I have proved, by comparing fcripture withfcripture, that the holy Spirit is call'dGod, the King, the Lord Jehovah of hofts, the God of Ifrael, the great God, and the great King above all gods, the God of grace and confola- tion. Thefe hir^h titles are afcribed to him without hmitation, and in as full a manner as they are to the Father, and to the Son j from hence no jufl conclufion can be drawn, but that the holy Spirit, in conjundlion with the Father, and the Son, is the one Lord, the one true God, the one molt holy Jehovah of holts, whofe glo- ry fills the earth and the heavens. .
^ 'Tfjbu', « Kt^t(^ TTMoyecG-ui kccI TTifia-arive-xi rvj ecyiTTy i Thefl' iii. 12. 14. ^ O Kt^i©- KXTi'JJycci lu^Zy 7K5 KXf^itc^. 2 Their, iii. 5.
CHAP,
OF THE Trinity. 4S9
C H A P. II.
The holy Spirit's Divinity proved, from his attributes.
P^^HE holy Spirit is, as I have proved, "^g called in fcripture by thofe names, which are peculiar to the great and the true God. I am next to {hew, that divine perfections are attributed to him, thofe eminent perfections of eternity, immutability, omnifci- ence, omniprefence, and omnipotence, even the fame perfections which belong to the Father, and to the Sonj from whence it will appear, that he is the fame God with them.
The apoftle Paul, fpeaking of Chrift offer- ing up himfelf a facrifice to divine juflice, '•has told us, "He, thro* the eternal Spirit, of- fer'd himfelf without fpot to God. "Some co- pies read the holy Spirit, but the common read- ing has the beft and the moft vouchers. If the eternal Spirit be to be underftood of the third perfon in the Trinity, we have a plain proof of the Spirit's eternity 5 bur, I confefs, I rather choofe to underlland the words of Chrift's di- vine nature. The Spirit's immutability is Itiong- ly imply'd in thefe words, which he fpoke by the prophet Jeremiah > '^ If thofe ordinances (of the fun, moon, and Itars) fiil from before me, faith Jehovah, then the fee4 of Ifrael Ihall ceafe from being a nation before me for ever." Thefe words hint thus much, that the holy Spirit is
* Hcb. ix. 14.
^ Jer. xxxi. 36. See above Chap. I. p. 481, $cc.
invari-
490 The true Scripture Doctrine
invariable in his defigns of mercy, and if fo, he muft be in himfelf unchangeable. The eterni- ty, immutability, and neceflaryexiftence of God the Spirit, inevitably follows, from his being caird Jehovah, which name all allow to fignify one who is eternal, unchangeable, and necelTa- rily exifting. The fame attributes muft be al- lowed to belong to the Spirit, if he be creator, and that he is fo, I fhali {hew under the next head.
The holy Spirit's omnifcience is exprefs'd ia very full and ilrong terms by the apollle Paul, in his firfl epiflle to the Corinthians j ^ " The Spirit fearches all things, even the deep things of God 5 for what man knows the things of a man, fave the Spirit of man which is in him? even fo the things of God knows none but the Spirit of God." The holy Spirit fearches out all things, nay the deep myfleries of God's will are not hid from him > he has as perfe61: a know- ledge of them, as the foul of man has of the thoughts which pafs within it felf : He being more clofely united to the Father, than the foul of a man is to the man himfelf. The wifdom and knowledge of the Spirit is infinite, he knows all things, by an intuitive knowledge, and does not need any to inftruft him 5 therefore the pro- phet Ifaiah ^ might well ask, " Who has di- re61:ed the Spirit of Jehovah ? or being his coun- fellor, has taught him ? with whom took he counfel ? and who inilruded him, and taught him in the path of judgment, and taught him knowledge, and fhew'd him the way of undtr- ftanding?" The Spirit has perfe6t knowledge inherent in himfelf, and needs not to be taught
I Cor, ii. 10, M. * Ifaiah xl. 13, 14.
wifdom .
OF THE Trinity. 491
wifdom. That the Spirit has the knowledge of the thoughts of men, is apparent from the apoftle Paul's calling him to witnefs, for the truth of his fincerity, in the following folemn afleveration 5 ^ u j f^y ^.j^^ |-,.y^|^ jj^ Chrift, I lie not, my confcience bearing me witnefs in the holy Spirit. " If the Spirit did not know the thoughts of the heart, as well as Chrift, it would have been very impertinent in the apoftle to have appeaPd to him, at the fame time that he declared he fpoke the truth in Chrifl, who is known to be the fearcher of hearts.
The holy Spirit is declared to be equally im- menfe with Jehovah (the Father, as we may reafonably fuppofe,) and the omniprefence of thefe two divine perlons is defcribed alike, by the royal prophet David, in a beautiful paflage in one of his Pfalms > ^" Whither fhall I go from thy Spirit, and whither {hall I fly from thy prefence ? If I afcend up into heaven, thou art there, if I make my bed in hell, behold thou art there 5 if I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermoft parts of the fea, even there fhall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand fhall hold me. If I fay, furely the darknefs fhall cover me 5 even the night fhall be light about me ; yea the darknefs hides not from thee, but the night fhines as the day, the darknefs and the light are alike to thee." That the holy Spirit's prefence mull be as extenfivc, according to this text, as that of God the Fa* ther, none can reafonably. deny. The immen- fity of God is not defcribed fo fully, in any other place in fcripture j and as the Spirit is join'd with him, he muft be omniprefent in
• Rom. ix;. I. ' ffalm cxjaix. 7—^2.
the
492 The true Scripture Doctrine the {lri6tefl fenfe. We cannot dire6t our flight any where, fo as to exclude his prefence 5 the fpacious regions of the sky cannot afford us a lurking place, for if we afcend the heavenly heights, he is there, and if we feek a hiding place in the gloomy land of filence and of death, we fhall not find it, for go where we will, we are within his reach : Could we mount with the wings of the morning, and equal the fwift motions of light, that in the dawning of the day darts it felf in a moment over the world, yet we could not fly from the Spirit's pre- sence : It would be vain for us to imagine, that the blacknefs of the night can intercept his piercing fight, or that the folitudc of any place can hide us from his view, for a glance of his eye fcatters the darkeft fhades, and pierces the thickeft gloom, and he is as much with us in the mod fecret recefs, as when we tread the open flagc of the world. Neither the height of heaven, nor the depth of hell, nor the filence of the grave, nor the rcmotefl; regi- on of the earth, nor the thickeft darknefs of the night, can exclude the prefence of the holy Spirit, but he is prefent in all places, and he fills all things, by the immcnfiry of his divine nature.
There is one divine perfection more which 1 fhall mention, as belonging to the holy Spirit, ;ind that is almighty power : This plainly ap- pears from his being Creator, and that he is Creator, is what I fiiall next proceed to prove.
The divine perfections of eternity, immuta- bility, omnifcience, immenfity, and almighty power, belong 1.0 the Spirit : It would be ri- diculous to fay, fuch eminent charaderiftics of true Divinity, can be attributed to a creature, i nay
OF THE Trinity.' 495
nay to one created by a creature, as the Arians fuppofe the good Spirit of God to be. So that Ave have no other way to turn our felves, than to affirm, that fince the oracles of truth afcribe the fame divine perfedions to the holy Spirit, as they do to the Father and the Son, he mufl be with the Father, and the Son, the one God blefled for ever.
CHAP. III.
The holy Spirit's Divinity proved, from the works he performs.
H E holy Spirit is in fcripture reprefent- ed as doing fuch works as require di- vine power, and performing fuch of- fices, as require infinite perfections. To him is afcribed the work of creation, in a full and direct manner. It was his work to form Chriil's body, and to condud his human na- ture, during his humiliation : He infpired the prophets and apollles, and di61:ated the facred books, that compofe the canon of fcripture: He has prefided over the church of God in all ages, and particularly he takes care of the edi- fying of the church under the new teftament, and furnifhes the preachers of the Gofpel with different gifts, and he renews and fanclifies Chriilians, enables them to perfevere in holi- ncfs, and at lad conduds 'them to the reft of heaven. Thefe works require infinite perfe6ti- ons, and fince the Spirit can go through with them, he mull be pofiefs'd of infinite perfecti- ons, and confequemly muft be truly God.
Creation,
494 The true Scripture Doctrine
Creation, which requires infinite powers, is not only the work of the Father and the Son, but alfo of the holy Spirit, It has been a pre- vailing notion among many Chriftians, that the three divine perfons had each his different part in the creation of all things j that the Father gave forth the command, that the Word, the Son, brought things into being out of nothing,and that the holy Spirit difpofed and adorned the things that were brought into being. This notion is not without countenance from fcripture : The Spirit's work may be denoted by thefe words in Mofcs's account of the creation > * " The earth was without form and void, and darknefs was upon the face of the deep : The Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters," The earth, when it was firll: formed by the almighty Word, was cover'd with confufion, it was a formlefs mafs, overfpread with a watery aby fs, and in- volved in darknefs 3 then the ^ Spirit hovered over it, with a brooding motion, as fowls do over their eggs, for fo the word fignifies, and
* Gen. i. 2.
•» - O Spirit, thou from the firft
Waft prefent, and with mighty wings outfpread. Dove-like lat'ft brooding o'er the vail abyfs And mad'il it pregnant.
Milton's Paradife Loft, B. I. v. 21.
Darknefs profound
Cover'd th' Abyls ; but o'er the watry calm His brooding wings the fpirit of God outfpread. And vital virtue infus'd, and vital warmth. Throughout the fluid mafs; but downwards purg'd The black, tartfireous, cold, infernal dregs,. Adverfe to life : then founded, then conglob'd Like things to like the reil to feveral place Difparted, and between fpun out the air : And earth felf-balanc'd on her center hung.
Par. Loft. B. VIL v. 233. caufed
OF THE Trinity; 495 €aufed uproar to ceafe, brought order out of confufion, and raifed the fair flru61:ure of the earth out of a ruinous heap. All the beauty we fee in the works of nature, is from the wif- dom and power of the Spirit of life, he has garnifh'd the heavens with all their glories, and he has adorn'd the earth with all that agreeable variety, which ferves to pleafe the eyes, and recreate the minds of them that dwell up- on it. ^ That the Spirit's particular work is to regu- late and beautify the creation, will appear from the words *^ of Job, where fpeaking of God, he faid, « by his Spirit he has garniOi'd the heavens. " The royal Pfalmift ^ has told us, that, " By the word of the Lord the heavens
Thou, on the deep's dark face, immortal dove, Thou, with almighty energy, did'ft move. O'er the wild waves incumbent didft difplay Thy genial wings, and hatch primeval day : Order from thee, from thee diftinftion came. And all the beauties of this wond'rous frame.
^ Sir Richard Blackmore's Creation, B. L
Tu moderarls opus triplicis mirabile mundi,
Aeternamque doces cunfta tenere fidem, Aeris & liquidos traftus, coelique meatus
Quicquid & in toto nafcitur orbe, foves. Vis tua praecipiti magnum vertigine coelum
Non intermiffis curribus ire facit. Tu regis obliquo contra furgentia nifu.
Omnia quae certis legibus aftra micant. Quaeque fuos peragunt clariflima lumina motus;
Te fme fol fixis lunaque ftaret equis : Vis tua felices viridanti gramine colles
Veftit, & innuraeris floribus ornat humum. Tu patulos inulces foecundo flamine campos,
Ut gravidos oneret frugibus arva fmus. Petrus Lotichius Secundus, Precat. ad Spiritum. S E- leg. IV. 7.
f Jobxxvi. 13. d pfahnxxxiii. 6,
were
49^ The true Scripture Doctrine
were made, and all the hoft of them by the Spirit of his mouth. *' That this is meant of the holy Spirit, I believe, will not now be difputed. All the garniture of the heavens is from the Spirit of God. When things here below fail, their places are fupplyM by the Spi- rit of God 5 agreeably to thofe words fpoke by David ^ to God j "Thou fendcft thy Spirit, and they are created, thou renewed the face of the earth." No fooner does God fend forth his Spirit, as a creating principle, but whatever he pleafes is made, and the decays on the face of the earth are repaired.
Left we ihould take up with a fancy, that becaufe God creates by his Spirit, and fends him to perform ads of creating power, he is only an inferior agent, employed by the Father to do his will, we may farther coniider, creation is afcribed to the holy Spirit in a proper manner, as in thefe words of ^ EUhu 5 " The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Al- mighty has given me life. '* Here proper crea- tion is afcribed to the holy Spirit, and he is de- fcribed as the creator of man, in as full and ftrong a manner, as Jehovah is, in the Mofaic account of man's formation 5 8 "Jehovah formed man of the duft of the ground, and breath'd into his noftrils the breath of life, and man became a living foul." I am fatisfied, that all the three perfons a6bed together in the formation of man ; but if our adverfaries will needs confine the words of Mofes to the perfon of the Father, they mufl however grant, that from Elihu's words it appears, that the Spirit is Creator, as properly as God the Father.
* Pfalm civ. 30. ' Job xxxiii. 4. « Gen. ii. 7.
I have
OF THE Trinity. 497
I have proved ^ above, that the ninety fifth Pfalm is to be underllood of the Son, and of the Spirit, as being with the Father one God, being applied to both thefe divine perfons, by the apoitle Paul. In that Pfalm, creation is, in the fulled manner, attributed to the God who is there worfhip'd, whom wc know to be the Spirit, as well as the Son : " The fca is his, and he made it, and his hands form'd the dry land. O come let us worlliip and kneel down, let us bow before Jehovah our maker, for he is our God, and we are the people of his pafture, and the fhcep of his hand." The holy Spirit is, with the Father and the Son, the one Jehovah, our God and creator, by whom we are made and preferved, who alfo has made the fca, and whofe hands have form'd the dry land.
Another work attributed to the holy Spirit, is the forming of Chrifl's body, and condudl- ing his himian nature on earth. It is not for us to give reafons for the parts the divine perfons take in the oeconomy of our falvation, or to fhew, why the holy Spirit conducted Chrift's human nature, for the mofl: part, rather than his own divine nature 5 the reafon of thefe things is only known to the divine perfons themfelvesj for us it is fufficient, as it is written, to believe. This however \ve may fafely reft in, that Ch rift's human nature would never have been condu6b- ed by a perfon lefs knowing, lefs wife, and lefs powerful, than he was himfelf, as to his divi- nity. Therefore this work of the Spirit proves him to be divine. The formation of Chrift's human body, in the womb of the virgin, is at-
^ See Part I. Chap. UI. p. 71—73, ' Pfalm xcv. 5, 6, 7.
K k tribuced
49 8 The tRUE Scripture Doctrine tributed to the Spirit. Of this the angel Ga* briel adured Mary, in thefe words, ^ '« The holy Spirit fhall come upon thee, and the power of the higheft fhall overfhadow thee j therefore that holy Thing, which lliall be born of thee, fhall be call'd the Son of God." Chrift was to be call'd the Son of God, on account of his miraculous conception, by the power of the holy Ghoft : Now were the Spirit a creature, or not properly God, Chrift would have been called the Son of God, bccaufe a creature form- ed his body in an extraordinary manner j but there is no need to put fuch a nonfenfical mean- ing on the words. It was foretold in the old teftament that Chrift, as to his human nature, fhould be under the condu6b and direction of the holy Spirit, as in thefe words of the pro- phet Ifaiah, ^ "• The Spirit of Jehovah fhall reft upon him, the Spirit of wifdom and under- flanding, the Spirit of counfel and might, the Spirit of knowledge, and of the fear of Jeho- vah. " And in another ^ place, " Behold my fervant whom I have chofe, my eled in whom my foul delights, I have put my Spirit upon him." And again, Chrift, by the fame " prophet, is brought in thus fpeaking, " The Spirit of the Lord Jehovah is upon me, becaufe Jehovah has anointed me, to preach good tidings to the meek. " And, in another place, ° Chrift has declared, that the holy Spirit, in conjundion with the Father, had fent him j " The Lord Jehovah and his Spirit has fent me." Accord- ingly in the new teftament we are told, that P ""^ God -anointed Jefus of Nazareth with the
^ Luke i. 35. See alfo Mat. i. 18. 20.
* ITaiah xi. 2. ^ Ifaiah xlii. i. * Tiai\h Ixi. I.
^ liahhxlviii. 16. ' ^ Afls x. 38.
z holy
OF THE Trinity; 499
holy Spirit, and with power.'* The holySpi- rit defcended like a dove upon Chrifl:, at ^ his baptifm, and after that relied and abode upon him, during the time of his humiliation, and led and guided him j for whenChrift ^ went in- to the wildernefs to be tempted by the devil, he was led up by the Spirit 5 and when he re- turned from vanquifhing the tempter, he return'd m the power ^ of the Spirit. The Spirit was, in fome icnfe, the worker of the miracles per- form'd by Chrift on earth, for by the Spirit of God ^ he cad: out devils. Nay, when Chrifl lay in the grave, the Spirit's power concurr'd with the Father's, and Chrifl's, in his divine ca- pacity, to raife him from the dead > for the apoftle Peter has aflured us, that " ^« When Chrill was put to death in the flefh, he was quicken'd by the Spirit. "
The holy Spirit adtcd and infpired the pro- phets and apoflles, and didated the facred ora- cles : Now he could never have done this, had he not been infinite in wifdom > none can ihew things to come, with an irreverfible certainty, but God only wife, who foreknows every thing that fhall come to pafs^ none can infallibly di- re6b men in their teachings, but he to whom no error can approach j and none can give a per- fed rule of righteoufnefs, but he whofe under- flanding is infinite. He infpired the prophets, for they fpoke ^ as they were moved by him,
^ Mat.iii. 16. Marki, lo. Lukeiii. 22. John i. 32. ' Mat. iv. 1 . Luke iv. i . ' Luke iv. 14.
* Mat. xii. 28. Aasx. 38.
• iPet. iii. 18. 'Z 2Pet. i. 21.
500 The true Scripture Doctrine
and all ^ their knowledge came from him, as the fountain of light.
The holy Spirit conferrM upon the apoftles, the amazing gift of (peaking all languages, the account of which wonderful tranfadion is thus told, y " When the day of Pentecoft was come, they were all with one accord in one place, and fuddenly there came a found from heaven of a mighty rufhing wind, and it fill'd all the
* I Sam. xxiii. 2. Ezech. iii. 24, &c. Mar. xii. 36. A6ls i. 16. xxviii. 25. Heb. iii. 7. i Pet. i. 1 1. Luke i. 15. 41. 67. ii. 25, 26.
y Aftsii. 1—4. Ecce f autem coeli ruere ardua vice repente, Et fuperum tonat ingenti domus alta fragore : Sufpiciunt, nova lux oculis diiFulfit, & ingens Vifus ab aetherio defcendere vertice nimbus Lucis inardefcens maculis, teftumque per omne Diverfi rumpunt radii : turn innoxius ignis Omnibus extemplo fupra caput aflitit ingens, Et circum rutilis incanduit aura favillis : Striduris veluti crebrae crepitantibus olim Diffiliunt fcintillae, acres dum incudibus idlus Alternant Chalybes, robuftaque brachia toUunt, Candentem curx'a verfantcs forcipe maflam. Nam pater omnipotens, fuperaque aequaevus ab arcc Eilius afpirant una omnipotentibus auris, Infunduntque viris numen : Deus ! ecce repente I Ecce Deus cunftis divinitus algida corda Incipiunt afflata calefcere, numine tadli Implentur propriore viri, facrumque furorem Concepere, Deumque imis hauiere medullis. Nee mora nee requies, ter icintillantibus ignis Tcrrifico radiis fulgce, ter alitis aurae Turbine correpti, blando inflammantur amore, Ignofcuntque animis, atque exultantia cunftis Exercent acres ftimulis proecordia motus. Diffugiunt animis terrores : mira loquuntur Mira canunt : eadem variis (mirabile di6lu !) Gentibus accipitur vox haud obfcura, fibiquc Quilque videbatur patrias haurirc loquelas.
M. Hieroa. Vida. ChriHiad. Lib- VL v. 914, &c.
% houfe
OF THE Trinity.^ 501
houfe where they were fitting, and there ap- peared to them cloven tongues, like as of jfire, and fat upon them, and they were all fiU'd with
Ardua cum viflor repetiffet fidera Chriilus ;
Pollicitus nobis qui tua dona fuit, Ipfe miniftrorum linguis ardentibus haerens,
SparMi eloquii fchemata mille tui : Et Deus efFufus, totis jam plenior alis,
Armafti inftinftu peftora cafta tuo. Orta Dies fuerat, qua quondam in luce corufca
Edita lex, Sinae rupe tremente fuit, Haec legitur prifcis lux quinquagefima fallis,
A reditu rubei per loca vafla freti : Sic res vifa Deo pulchcrrima certa falutis
Nuncia fit poenae quae fait ante dies. Mane erat, 8c tota vox fella fonabat in urbe
Munifici celebrans fafta benigna Dei. Ipfe etiam fimul heroum convencrat ordo,
Quos fibi legatos legerat ipfe Deus. Candida divinas pangebant pedlora laudes,
Peftora fpeftanti concio grata Deo. PromifTumque decus votis precibufque petebant,
Unanimi jungat quod pia corda fide. In medio Petrus Bethfiidos acer alumnus,
Pedore fincerus ftabat, & ore fenex. lUe facros hymnos 8c vatum fcripta legebat ;
Qui decus alta tuum praccinuere Sion. Ecce repentino commotus murmure flatus
Infonat, impulfae per latus omne domus ; Illis olla tremor frigufque perambulat artus,
Spes tamen in folo numine fixa manet. Nee mora ; confpicua numen fpirabile forma
Delapfum fandli fedit in ore chori. Alter in alterius flammantem vertice linguam,
Attonitus, dodlo mox & in ore videt. Jamque nova dociles pariter virtute calefcuntj
Et capiunt vivo pedora plena Deo. Mox etiam omne genus fermonis,- & omne decorum
Incipiunt dodlo fuaviter ore loqui.
Johannes Stigelius Hymn, in Spirit. S. Sunt rata verba Dei, funt ut rata feraper Olympo
Quern modo venturum, dixerat, ecce venit ! Ecce venit, fanftufque polo delabitur alto
Spiritus in terras, difcipulofque Dei.
Kk J the
502 The true Scripture Doctrine
the holy Spirit, and begun to fpeak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance." He who could in a moment enable men, who till then could fpeak perhaps only in their na- tive tongue, to fpeak all the languages in be- ing, mult be the fame who form'd the mouth, and firft endow'd men with the gift of fpeech. The Spirit not only gave the apolHes power to fpeak all languages, but he enabled them to teach with infallibility. The promifes Chrift gave his difciples, as to the Spirit's help, which they were to have, were of a large ex- tent J z ^^ The Comforter — Ihall teach you all things. " ^ " The Spirit of truth — fhall guide Y\^ you into all truth. " The holy Spirit could ne- ^ ver have taught the apoflles all things, necefTa- ry for them to know in the courfe of their mi- niftry, had he not been omnifcient 3 neither
Tempus erat quo grata fuo libamine terrae
Gens Hebraea Deo, primitiafque dedit. Diicebant Solymen folemnia fefta per urbem,
Surgerit agricolae meffis ut ampla fuo. In flicris urbs tota fuit. Sua facra colebant
Difcipuli, una quibus mens erat, una domus. Protinus auditur rupto fragor aethere, quails
Amramida leges accipiente fuit. Ventus erat, multo permixtus turbine ventus ;
Si fuerat ventus, nee magis ille Deus. Intremuit, timuitque domus : domus igne reluxitj
Flammaque praefentcm telliiicata Dcum eft. Ante oculos lapfae ftabant ex aethere linguae. .2
Ignis erant linguae : Spiritus ignis erat In partes fe£lus varias, variafque figuras,
Igneus adftantum fedit in ore Deus- Ocyus innumeras illi cffudere loquelas,
Haftenus ignotis multaque verba fonis. Difcipuli, linguas, quas non didicere, locuti
Sped^aclum Solymos, & flupor orbis, crant.
P. Francius, Lib. I. Eleg. 9. p. 149, 150*
f John xiv. 7^, • John xvi, 13.
could
OF THE Trinity. 50^
could he have furnifh'd them with the know- ledge of all truth, and have kept them from miltakes in their teaching, had he nor been in* finite in wifdom. The Spirit never left the apoftles to themfelves, ^ but allifted them in every difficulty, and enabled them to fpeak things, which the mofl enlarged natural abili* ties could never have furnifh'd them with the knowledge of.
The holy Spirit infpired the prophets, under the old teftament, and the apoftles, under the new tellament, to write thofe books which make up the canon of the fcripture, which con- tain the revelation of what we arc to believe and are the only rule of our praftice. All fcrip- ture is, as the apoftle ^ Paul has told us, of divine infpiration. " All fcripture is by infpiration of God." But the apoftle ^ Peter has afTurcd us, that the fcripture was didated by the holy Spi- rit. " No prophecy of fcripture, (fays he,} is of private interpretation j for prophecy came not, at any time, by the will of man, but holy men of God fpoke, as they were moved by the holy Spirit." If all fcripture is by infpiration of God, and if, at the fame time, it is by infpiration of the holy Spirit, it inevitably follows, that the holy Spirit, who dilated the written word, mull be God. Suppofing we had not had a folemn declaration, that all fcripture is by di-
^ Mat. X. 19, 20. Mark xiii. ii. Luke xii. n, 12. John xvi. 13. XX. 21. Ads i. 2. 8. iv. 8. 31. vi. 3. 10' vii. 55. viii. 29. 39. X. 19, 20: xi. 12. 28. xiii. 2. 4! XV. 28. xvi. 6, 7. XX. 23. 28. xxi. 4. II. I Cor. ii. 13. yii. 40. Ephef. iii. 5. i Tim. iv. i. Heb. x. 15. i Pet. i. 12. Rev. i. 10. ii. 7. iv. 2. xiv. 13. xvii. 3. xxi, lol
^ UxTccy(>u(pn QicTrvw^®-. 2 Tim. iii. 16.
^ 2Pet. i. 20, 21.
Kfc 4 vine
504 The true Scripture Doctrine
vine infpiration, common fenfe would tell usj that if the fcripture is from the holy Spirit, he muil be God. For it would be rnoit abfurd and HTational to fuppoie, that a revelation could be given by the infpiration of any creature, which contains a fyilem of dodrines ^ too myf- terious and fublime for any to comprehend, with- out a fpiritual difcerningj and comprehends the holy law, according to which our lives mud be governed, and the unerring rule of pcrfe6t rec- titude, by which our a6lions muft be tried, without appeal to any fuperior authority. The holy Spirit muft be infinite in wifdom, other- wife he could never have given us a perfe6b rule for faith and pra61:ice.'
The holy Spirit has always taken care of the affairs of the church of God. Under the old teftament he conduced and guided the Ifraclites, and from time to time raifed up inilruments, to
•= Coeleftes chartae, coelefti neftare plenae.
Sacrum opus, aeterno pagina plena Deo ; Delapfae coelo chartae, via fola falutis,
Manfurae, dum, qui vos peraravit, erit : Et tu, qui foliis contenta oracla fub iflis
Scripfiili propria, fpiritus alme, manu ; Sedibus & fuperis dim domibufque rcliftis ^
Luftrafti noftram, ventus &: ignis humum ; Oraque difcipulum divino tafta calore
juffifti variis edere verba fonis: Pandite coeleftes coeli, precor, ardua chartae,
Claude nee aethercas, aethere lapfe, fores. Da, quas fcripfifti, facras cognofcere voces,
Atque iterum aurato labere fanfte polo : Er, quae difcipulum quondam federe fub ora
Ardentes acuant pedora nollra faces; Ufque illos variis docuifti dicere Unguis
E coelo lapfi grandia fada Dei ; Sic nobis concede, tua data munera dextra
Onbus & Unguis commemorare novis ; Acquaevumque patrem Gnato, Gnatumque parent!
Aeternumnumeris, teque, rcferremeis.
P. Frant;ius Lib. I. Eleg. 9. p. 152.
deliver
OF THE Trinity. 505
deliver them, and fitted them to do things far above the power of meer men. When the If- raelites were purfued clofe by the Egyptians, and knew not which way to fly, the fea being before them, he could enable ^ Mofes to divide the fea, and to lead them in fafety through : When they had need of a wife, as well as a daunt- lefs hero, to fubdue the nations devoted to dc- flrudion, he could furnifh g Jofhua with fo much wifdom and courage, that none could be able to refift him : When the Philiftines dif- trefs'd them, he could call the ^ heroic fhamgar from the plough, and could furnifh him with ilrength, to knock down a fmall army of his country's foes, with the fame goad, with which he ufed to drive his oxen. When the Midianites, in fwarms, overfpread the promifed land, he could take Gideon from ^ threfhing corn, and could enable him to difcomfit their numerous army, by the means of a few pitchers, trumpets, and lamps 5 and could ftrengthen him to threfli his foes, as it were, fmaller than the dufi, and to fet his feet on the necks of their infolent kings. When the Ifraelites were another time cruelly op- prefs'd by their conflant enemies, the Philiftines, he could enable ^Sampfon, to a6i:againft them, with more than gigantic llrength, and could infpire him with courage to rufh upon them, arm'd with no better weapon than the jaw bone of an afs, with which he overfpread the field with heaps of flain. When the daring Phihfline
^ Ifaiah Ixiii. ii. 14.
8 Deutcron. xxxiv. 9. comp. Jofh. i. 5, 6.
** Judges iii. 31.
' Judges vi. 34. vii. 15. --22. viii. 10, 1 1, 12. 21.
^ Judges XV. 14, 15, 16.
defy*d
5o6 The true Scripture Doctrine
defy'd the armies of Ifrael, he could call ^ David a ftripling, in the early bloom of youth, from tending the fheep, and could furniili him with llrength to fell, with a ftone out of a fling, the haughty boadcr, whofe menaces made the bold- ell: warriors tremble. In fliort, he never was at a lofs, to find inftruments to do his work, but chofe fuch, as might feem unfitted to man s judgmenr, that he might make his power known. His prefiding over the church of Ifrael, and fitting thofe whom he appointed to govern it, for their work, fliews that he is not bounded in power and knowledge, and confequently that he is truly God.
Under the new teftament difpenfation, the holy Spirit takes care of edifying the church, and furniihes the minifters of the gofpel of re- conciliation, with variety of gifts, for the in- llru6ling chriftians, in what they are to believe, and what they are to do. He furniihed the apofllcs^ and the firfl preachers of the gofpel, with power to work miracles, and with extra- ordinary gifts in teachings and he furnifhes un- infpirtd teachers, with ordmary gifts, for the edification of the church. The apoftle Paul "^ has told uss '<None can fay that Jefus is Lord, but by the holy Spirit : Now there are diverfities of gifts, but the fame Spirit, the manifeftation of the Spirit, is to every man to profit with it. For to one is given, by the Spirit, the word of wifdom j to another the word of knowledge, by the fame Spirit > to another faith, by the fame Spirit j to another gifts of healing, by the fame Spirit j to another the working ofmira-
- I Sam. rvt. 13. xvii, 40.— -50. ** 3 Cor. xii. 3, 4- 7^— -n^
cles;
OF THE Trinity. 507
cles J to another prophecy 3 to another difcern- ing of fpirits j to another divers kinds of tongues j to another the interpretation of tongues j but all thefe works that one and the felf-fame Spi- rit, dividing to every man feverally as he will." The apollle here fpoke chiefly of the extraordi- nary gifts, which were difpenfed in the early times of the church > but he likewife included common gifts, as appears from his faying, " None can fay Jefus is Lord but by the Spirit." The holy Spirit fits perfons for the great work of preaching the gofpel 5 and as he makes ufe of none but what are fitted for the work, he muft have a difccrning of their hearts 3 and as he be- flows different gifts, on different perfons, he fhews his fovereign authority, w^hereby he has a right to diftribute his gifts, according to the good pleafure of his will.
The laft work of the holy Spirit, which proves his true Divinity, which I fliall meniion, is the part he bears in renewing, fan6tifying, and conducing to heaven, all the members of Chrift's myflical body. ^ He enlightens fuch when they are in darknefs j he ° quickens them, when they are dead in fin > he p regenerates them, and renews them when they are contrary
" That the Father of glory may give you the fpirit of wif- dom and revelation. Eph. i. 17.
The fpirit of truth . ihall lead you into all truth.
Johnxvi. 13.
The natural man receives not the things of the fpirit of God, — they are fpiritually difcern,'d. i Cor. ii. 14.
° The law of the fpirit of life has made me free from the law of lin and death. Rom. viii. 2.
If you thro' the Spirit mortify the deeds of the body you Ihall live. Rom viii. 13.
■P Except a m?.n be born of the Spirit, he cannot enter in- to the kingdom of God. John iii. 5,
to
50S The true Scripture Doctrine
to God ; and ^ he fandlifies, and purifies them, when they are unholy ; When he has turn'd them from fin to righteoufnefs, he *■ dwells in them, he ^comforts them j he ^ leads them in the way of truth and holinefs > he " aflifts them in praying to God > he ^ beftows a fpiritual un6tion upon them, that they may know all things which are for their profit j he ^ witnefles to the truth of their adoption 3 y feals them to the day of redemption, and ^ when they have finifh'd their work of faith, and labour of love, he conduds them fafe, to that glorious reft that remains for all the ele6b people of God, in
^ He faved us by the renewing of the holy Spirit. Tit. Hi. 6.
Being fandiiied by the holy Spirit. Rom. xv. 6.
You are fandlified by the fpirit of our God. i Cor. Ti. II.
*■ The fpirit of God dwells in you. i Cor. iii. 16.
*^The comforter, if I depart, I will fend to you. John xvi. 7.
Walking -— in the comforts of the holy Spirit. A6ls ix. 31.
^ As many as are led by the fpirit of God, they are the fons of God. Rom. viii. 14.
'^ Praying always, with all prayer, and fupplication in the Spirit. Ephef vi. 18.
Praying in the holy Spirit. Jude 20.
The Spirit helps our infirmities, for we know not what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit him/elf makes inter- celTion for us, with groanings that cannot be uttered. Rom. viii. 26.
'^ We have an unftion from the holy one, and you know all things. 1 John ii. 20.
^ The Spirit himfelf bears witnefs with our fpirits, that we are the children of God. Rom. viii. 1 6.
y You were fealed with that holy Spirit of promife. Eph. i. 13.
Grieve not the holy Spirit of God, by whom you arc feal'd to the day of redemption. Eph. iv. 30.
^ Thy Spirit is good, lead mc into the land of upright- jiefs. Pfalro cxliii 10.
the
OF THE Trinity. 509
the dcfireable and pleafant land of uprightnefs that is now afar off: At the =^ lafl day, he will raife and quicken their mortal bodies, that their whole perfons being glorified, they may tafte, in body, as well as foul, the pleafures of that happy country, to which fin will never approach, and where forrow fhall never dwell. Thefe works require infinite perfedions, in him that performs them> and fince we find the Spirit is able to perform them, we muft conclude, that he i? one invefted with infinite perfe6tions, that is, he muft be truly God.
One divine perfedlion necefTary in him that quickens, regenerates, and fandifies finners, and afterwards condudls them in the way of holi- nefs, is almighty power. To turn perfons from one contrary to another, from darknefs to light, from fin to holinefs, and from the power of Sa- tan to God, *> is a work that tranfcends the power of creatures. This appears from feve- ral metaphorical ways of fpeaking which the fcripture ufes to exprefs this mattery it iscall'd a new birth, a new creation, and a changing the heart of ilonc into a heart of flefhi thefe
^ He that raifed up Chrift from the dead, Ihall alfo quicken your mortal bodies, by his fpirit that dwells in you. Rom. viii. II.
•* Tu miferis duro folatia tempore pracftes
Tu foveas coetus, Spiritus alme, pios. Difcute follicitos terrores, fuffice vires.
Cord V fmas coecae no£lis habere nihil. Affit amans veri ftudium, probitafque, fidefque,
A^thereae per quam fedis adimus iter. Omnip6$ejifque tuae firmet nos halitus aurae,
Solam_eri cunftis, hofle farente, malis. Erige ta pavidos & opi^ coeleftis egentes,
Sicut avis plumis mollibus ova tege :
Tk!r^^^^" a^imi, tuus omnia temperat ardor,
Munens eft, quicquid fpirat ubiquc tui,
ways
5IO The true Scripture Doctrine
ways of defcribing convcrfion, /hew thus much, that the fame ahiniighty power is put forth, in changing and renewing a finner, as was put forth in creating tlie world out of nothing. This work ispecuharly allotted to the holy Spi- rit, who muft therefore be bound lefs in power, and fo can bend the llubborn will, that is re- folutely fix'd on fin, and can make it pliable to the commands of God. The almighty Spirit is able to break the confederacy with Satan, and the league with death, into which finners have unhappily entered -, he can make thofe who are as untractable as lions of the foreft, meek as lambs > he can wafh away their worfe than Ethiopian blacknefs, and he can caufe all the loathfome fpots that overfpread them, and are the figns of their natural favagenefs, to dif- appear. "Were the Spirit's power bounded, as he could not convert finners at firft, fo he could not conduct them to heaven : The way of Chriftians lies thro' great difficulties, and very powerful oppofition they meet with; and if we fnppofe the Spirit to have only limited power, we can never fafely conclude, but that other power might obftrud, if not overturn his dc- figns; but if we fuppofe their conductor to be almighty, nothing can hinder his completing his intentions of mercy on their behalf He can call down every mountain of oppofition,
Afpicc tu miferos, tu confolare jacertfes,
Rore falutifero, Spiritus alme, juva. Peftora te fiammis agitante beata calefcant,
Sitque Deus, loli cui placuifle velint. Nee iacro avertant nos juffa minantia verbo,
Auxilio cedat mors quoquq^ifta tuo i Vt fVagiles, fumma cum luce, reliquerit artus,
Vivat in acternae fpiritus arce domus. .
P. LQtichl',is*4i^gin^Lib. IV. Elcg. 7.
that
OF T H E Tr I N I T V. 5 I t
that the infernal powers throw in his way, he can lay low every high thing, which inbred pride, and corrupt imaginations, raife to obllrud his progrefs j and he can enable Chriftians, while they rread a rugged way, to go on from ftrength to (Irength, till they come where weaknefs will never clog the wheels of their fpiritual motion any more.
Another divine perfection, abfolutcly requi- fite for the Spirit to carry on his work, in the fouls of men, is omnifcience. He that en- lightens the mind, in all things which are ne- cellary for it to know, muft be infinite in wif- dom. We find not a fyilable in fcripture, of the wifeft creatures, the angels who have had many thoufand years, to treafure up a large meafure of knowledge and experience, being employ'd in enlightening the minds of perfonsj they only have been employ'd, to make external revelations of the will of God to the prophets. It is the work of the Spirit to enlighten the mind 5 and as we never read of God's reveal- ing any thing to the Spirit, tho' v%^e read of his reveahng things to us by his Spirit 5 it follows, that when the Spirit bnngs us to know things pertaining to falvation, he does it by virtue of his own infinite knowledge. The Spirit mufl know all things, in order to his knowing all our wants, and finding out the beft way to fup- ply them. He muft have the power of fearch- ing the heart, and knowing the thoughts of fuch as are under his care, that he may afliil them in prayer 5 for if he did not know with what defign Chrillians pray for any mercy, it can never be imagined he would afiift them in calling to God for it : He mull: infallibly know who belong to God, otherwife he would never
witnefs
512 The true Scripture Doctrine
witnefs to the truth of their adoption, and to the reality of their juftification.
The Spirit muft not only be omnifcient, but he muft be omniprefent, in order to execute his office, in defending, fupporting, and guiding Chriftians in their way to heaven. He muit be ever prefent with thofe committed to his Charge, to prevent them from falling into fin, to refcue them out of danger, to keep them in the paths of holinefs, to fecure them again (I their fpiritual enemies, and to condu61: them fafe into the pofleflion of the land of honour and of happinefs.
We have feen that works are afcribed to the Spirit, which cannot be done without divine or infinite powers* He is creator of all things, he is the fovereign lawgiver, who dicSbated the rule of our faith and pradice, he guided Chrifl in his human capacity here on earth, and he is fent to fupply his place, in bringing his people to be where he is, to fee him in all his glory. Thefe mighty works are too great for the power of creatures ; the Spirit therefore who performs them, mull, with the Father and the Son, be the true and the blefled God.
CHAP,
OF THE Trinity. 51^
CHAP. IV.
The holy Spirit's Divinity proved, from the worlhip that is paid to him.
F we had neither precept nor example in fcripturefor worfhipping the holy Spi- rit, yet feeing he is declared to be God, it is plain he has a right to religious worlhip. But this is not the cale, for we have feveral * examples in fcripture of worfhip paid to God the holy Spirit. He, as well as the Fa- ther and the Son, was worfhip'd by the church of Ifrael, ^ as Jehovah the great God, and the great King above all Godsj he is worfliip'd in conjun6tion with the Father and the Son, by the angels, ^ as the moft holy Jehovah of hofts j he is folemnly ^ invoked for grace and peace, in the fame manner as the Father and the Son are> and we are baptized ^ in his name, as well as in the name of the other two divine pcrfons. All this f I have di Hindi V and fully proved ^ ibthat our caufe would noc lulier, if the holy Spuit were no where fcparately worihip'd : But there are fome other texts, v/here his title to diftindt wor- lhip is declared, which I ihall now confider.
Our bleflcd Lord has alTured us, that blaf- phemy againil the holy Spirit is irremiffible, and if blafphemy can be committed againft him, he
» See above, Part I. Chap. III. p. 67-78.
^ Pfalm xcv. comp. Heb. iii. 7— 11.
*= Ifaiah vi. i, 2, 3. 5. S, 9, 10. Comp. Afts xxviii. 25.
'^ Rev. i. 4, 5. I Theff. iii. 11, 12, 13. 2 Cor. xiii. 14..
^ Mat. xxviii. 20.
^ Sec Part I. Chap. Ill, and IV.
L 1 ciult
514 The true Scripture Doctrine
mufl be God who has a right to rehgious wor- rhip y this declaration of his is thus recorded in the apofUe § Matthew's Gofpel j " The blaf- phemy againil the holy Spirit fhall not be for- given to men: Whoever fpeaks a word againft the Son of man, it Ihall be forgiven him> but whoever fpeaks againil the holy Spirit, it fhall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, nor in the world to come." The evangeliil: Mark has expreded this declaration fomething Itronger, ^ '' He that fhall blafpheme againil the holy Spirit has never forgivenefs, but is in danger of damnation." It does not follow, that be- caufe the holy Spirit is God, blafphemy againft: him is unpardonable ; but it is moft: certain, it could not be irremiflible, if he were not God. Our advcr(Iu*ies ' pretend, that it is evident, by the holy Spirit, cannot be meant the perfon, but the works of the Spirit 5 for they fay no reafon can be given, why blafphemy againil the perfon of the Spirit is more unpardonable, than ■blafphemy againft the perfons of the Son, and of the Father 5 but this is nothing to the pur- pofc, for we may as juilly argue, that no reafon can be given, v/hy blafphem.y againft the works of the Spirit, ftiould be more unpardonable, than blafphemy againft the works of the Son, or of the Father. Blafphemy againil the perfon of the Spirit is unpardonable, becaufc he is the author and beilowcr of the greatell and beft gifts that ever were beftow'd on men, and confequently defpifing his gifts, is cafting contempt on the author and giver of the beft bteflings, which muft be the higheft aggravation of guilt. Blaf-
^ Mat. xii. 31, 32. ^ Mark iii. 29. . ' Clarke's Script. D06I. p. iS-.
^hemy
oi^ THE Trinity. 515
pliemy againft a perfon is intelligible, but fin and blafphemy againft works is a very filly way of talking. Our adverfaries farther alledge, for the fupport of their fancy, that there is no men- tion made in fcripture, of any fin againfl: the Spirit, but only of blafphemy againfl; him > but here their memories are either very ihort, or elfe their infincerity is moft flagrant, how- ever^ what they fay is a notorious untruth, for when mention is made of lying to the holy Spi- rit, or endeavouring to deceive him, furely the fcripture mentions fome fin againfl him^ as it does alfo, when it takes notice, that the mur- muring Ifraelitcs rebell'd againfl him, tempted him, provok'd and refifted him.
An oath has univerfally been look'd upon, as an a6l of religious worfhip, a folcmn appeal to the fearcher of hearts j now the r.poille Paul, in his epiflle "^ to the Romans, appeal'd to the holy Spirit, as well as toChrifl, as a witnefs of his fincerity j " I fay the truth in Chrifl, I He not, my confcience bearing me witnefs, in the holy Spirit. " This folemn appeal made by the apollle to the Spirit, is in the nature of a religi- ous oath, and fhews that the blcfled Spirit is to be worfhip'd by us.
There are two fcriptures, in which the holy Spirit is dire6fcly invocated 5 the one is in the apoflle '^ Paul's epiille to the Romans, " The God of patience and confolation grant you to be like minded, towards one another, accoiuing to Chritl Jefus, that you may with one mind and one m.outh glorify God, even the Father of
^ Afts V. 3, 4.
' Namb.xiii. 20—23. P^^lm xcv. 8,9, 10. IfaUhlxiii. 10. Afts vii. 51. fleb. iii. 7. 9, 10, 11.
"* Rom. ix. I, ' " Rom. xv. 5, 6.
Liz our
3i<5 The true Scripture Doctrine
our Lord Jefus Chrill. " The other is, in the lame apoitle's fecond epifllc to the Theflalonians, ^ '- The Lord direct your hearts, into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Chrift." In thefe two texts the holy Spirit is fo plainly diftinguifh'd from the Father and Son, as I have P before obfeivcd, that nothing but prejudice and prepofTcffion can make perfons deny that he IS in them pray'd to, as the author and giver of fpiritual bieffings. Our adverfaries 'i tell us, it is a very weak thing, to thiiik, the word Lord, in the latter of thcfe texts, fignifies the holy Spirit 5 this they fiy will appear from this text, in the '^ firft epiitle to the Corinthians 5 " Wait- ing for the coming of our Lord Jefus Chrifl, who fhall confirm you to the end, that you may beblamelcfs in theday of our Lord Jefus Chrifl:.'* But this is not a parallel place, and comes not up to the point, fo that the charge of weaknefs may, with great juiiice, be retorted upon them.
From the examples which have been given here of the Spirit being prayM to, and elfewhere of his being join'd with the Father and the Son in folemn invocations, we may know what to make of the following aHertion of the fworn enemies of his honour % that, " for putting up prayers dirc61:ly, and exprelHy, to the perfon of the Spirit, there is no clear precept, nor exam- ple in fcripture." Such bold and ftcrilegious
® 2 Thefi". ill. fj. P Sec above, Chap. I. p. 485. 488.
*i CLirke's Reply, p. 204. "■ i Gor. i. 7, 8..
^ Sec Part I. Chap. III. p. 74. 78. See alio the proofs that the Spirit was worfhip'd in the primitive time^-, in con- jundlion with the Father and the Son, ,IMcl. p. 7g--9i.
' Cl'jke's Script. Doft. p- 34S-
z attempts
oftheTrin^ity. 517
attempts to rob the great God, our comfoner and fandifier, of the honour and worfnip which is cxpreflly paid to him in fcripture, fhcw how far men, wife in their own eyes, may be left to hlmdncCs of mind, and hardnefs of heart, as a juit punilliment for their endeavouring to ad- vance their imperfect reafon into the throne of revelation. We find, in fcripture, that the holy Spirit is pray'd to, to bellow the greatell blcf- fmgs, and we have an example of glory nnd praife afcribed to him, by the angels, in liaiah's viiion 5 but fuppofing we had no example of a doxology being direded to him, yet fince we find he has a right to fome parts of religious worfhip, it ncceflarily follows, that he has a right to all other parts, and it would be daring facrilege for us to deny him any a6t of religious adoration. When we worfiiip God the Father, as the author and fpring of all our happinefs, and God the Son, as the redeemer of our fouls from guilt, and the purchafer of all bleffednefs for us ; we muft not omit to worfhip God the holy Spirit, the flmclifier and renewer of our hearts, and the comforter, who muft condu61: us fafe to the purchafed inheritance. Thefe we muft wor- fhip, not as three Gods, but as the one God, of whom, and by whom, and from whom, are all the blellings we can enjoy here, or hereafter.
To the Father, to the Son, and to the holy Spirit, three divine Perfons, but one God, the King eternal, immortal, and invifible, be praife, honour, glory, might, power, and dominion afcribed, henceforth and for evermore. Amen.
L 1 3 THE
-^4^
THE
CONTENTS.
PART I.
^ H E joint proofs of the Divinity, of the II^T'^i Father, the Son, and the holy Spirit
Page I
Chap. I. Of the fcripture notion of God, of the divine Unity, and of the Trinity of per- Ibns 1 6
Chap. II. The Father, the Son, and the holy Spirit proved to be one God, or the fame in fubfliance ^9.
Chap. III. The Father, the Son, and the holy Spirit, proved to be equal, from the equal worfhip that is paid to them fp
Chap. IV. The equality of the Father, the Son, and the holy Spirit, proved from the form of baptifm. pi
PART II.
THE feparate proofs of Chrifl's Divinity
CfiAp. I. Chrift's Divinity proved, from his being one with the Father, in nature and fub- ftance i6o
Chap. II. Chrift's Divinity proved, from his
ec^uality with the Father 1 85
z Chap.
The contents.
Chap. III. Chrift's Divinity proved, from Ins
having the name Jehovah, in the old tella-
ment 201
Chap. IV. Chrift's Divinity proved, from his
being call'd God, without rcfl;ri6lion, in the
old and new tellaments ifz
Chap. V. ChriiVs Divinity proved, from his
titles of fupremacy 28 i
Chap. VI. thrill's Divinity proved, from his
attributes 3 1 1
Chap. VII. Chrift's Divinity proved, from his
being creator of all things 340
Chap. VIII. Chriil's Divinity proved, from his
behaviour here on earth 362
Chap. IX. Chrift's Divinity proved, from his
accomplifhing the work of redemption 375 Chap. X. ChriiVs Divinity proved, from his
univerfal Lordfhip 400
Chap. XI. ChriiVs Divinity proved, from his
being judge of the world 411
Chap. XII. ChriiVs Divinity proved, from the
religious worfhip paid to him 421
PART III.
THE fcparate proofs of the holy Spirit's Di- vinity ■ _ ^ 47)- C HAP. I. The holy Spirit's Divinity proved,
from his names and titles 479
Chap. II. The holy Spirit's Divinity proved,
from his attributes 489
Chap. III. The holy Spirit's Divinity proved,
from his works 4P3
Chap. IV. The holy Spirit's Divinity proved,
from the worfhip paid to him. ^ y 1 3
LI4 INDEX
INDEX of Texts Explain'd and Vindicated.
Genesis.
1
ii
xvii
xviii
xxviii
2.
7- I5&C.
I.&C. lOj&C.
2O5 Sec. II.
24, 6cc. P56CC.
If- Exodus. iii. I5&C. i,&c. 2,&c. 21, &c, I3,&c. i,6cc.
XXXI.
xxxii.
XXXV.
xlviii.
302.
IV.
vi. xiii. xiv.
XV.
xix. XX. *—
XX. 3, Sec. —
xxii. 20, '
xxxiv. I, &c. ■
Numbers. vi. 24, &c. ■ xiii. 2O56CC. "
xxi. f^&c. '
Deuteronomy.
iv. P56CC.
vi. 4.
Page 4P4. 4P(^.
20f. 302.
2or. 207. 422.
20(5, 424.
210. 212. 2If. 2If. 2If.
zi6.
110,
60. 61.
224.
74-
480.
227.
423,
423. 423.
434-
: :>>■
225, 21. 61.
X. 12.
I N D
X. 125&C.
Joshua.
V. 1 3, ace. 230. 425-,
Judges.
V. 4, f. 231:
VI. ii,5cc. 23f. 42<j,
I Samuel. xxiii. 3« = 483.
I Chronicles.
vi. 30.
INDEX,
ex. li 4^5.
cxiv. 1 5 Sec. ■ 231.
cxxxix. 756CC. — 4pi.
Proverbs.
viii. 2256CC. — — 17P. 31;.
Isaiah. vi. i,&:c. •
HP-
240. 42p.
MiCAH.
INDEX.
M I C A H.
V. 2. ' 178, 315.
Habakkuk.
iii. ZjScc. ' 233.
Haggai.
ii. (5, 7. ' ' 246.
Zechariah.
X. 12. 247.
xi. 12. 247.
xii. 1.1O5&C. 247. 34p.
xiii. 7. ' 187.
xiv. 35&C. ■ 248.
Malachi.
iii. I. — 248.
Matthew.
i. 22, 23. ■ ' 16S.
iv. 10. " 6^.
ix. 2p. 32p^
xi. 16. • 25.
xii. 31, 32. fi4.
xviii. 20. — 333.
xxiv. 3(5. ' ^ - ' 332.
xxvi. 64. — 412.
xxvii. ip. 20. ' p2.
Mark.
ii. 3 5 Sec. 35f.
iii. 2p. f 14
iv. 3(5,6cc. ■ 358.
x. 18. ■ 2f»
xii. 2pj 30. " 6^.
32. 21. 2)-.
xiii. 32. ' 331.
Luke.
i. 16, 17. ' 2.7J.
3r
INDEX.
3f-
... 7<S- iii. 6.
ZI, 22.
iv. 8. xix. 37,6cc.
John. i. I.
?•
14.
18.
475 &c. ii. p.
24. iii. 12.
IV.
V.
25.
1 5, &c. 22.
^r 28.
44.
vi. 64.
vii. 2p.
X. If.
18.
28, &c.
•. ^^-^ xu. }7,«c.
xiii. i8.
xiv. 10.
z6.
28. xvi. ij.
XVII. J.
177- 49S.
zpo.
270.
454'
^f7-
i<57.
?4J-
167.
3P4- 3^7- 355-
\¥s.
411.
44r-
4od. 417.
^f- 3^7. 328. 325?.
3P4-
4P8- 6p«
i(5f,
f02.
327. f02. 1(5(5.
INDEX.
f ^j^.
XX. 28. < 27^.
xxi. 17. . 328.
Acts.
, |- H- 317; 4J7.
11. ijScc. 5-00.
V. 3, 4. 484.
vii. 32. 268.
f I. 481.
f9. 438.
XIV. If. 342.
XX. z8. 270.
xxviii. 2f5 2(5. ' ■ 70.
Romans.
i. 4. 177.
7- 44<5.
20. . — 342.
21, 2f. 64.
V. 13,14. ipj.
IX. I.
4pi. r^r
r 2pi.
X. P56CC. 437.
xiv. p. 401.
lOj&c. 273. 444.
XV. f. 6. 48 J-, fiy,
I Corinthians. iL 8. 28p.
10, II. 4po.
11. • 2(5.
iii. 17,18. 487.
i Corinthians.
x. p. ■ 227.
xii. 3,&c. 5-0(5.
85 &c. — ~ — 438.
Xlli. 13. 77.
Gala-
INDEX.
Galatians.
iii. 28. — ^—
iv. 8.
Ephesians*
ii. 18. - —
iv. 758CC. — -
Philippians.
ii. 6,6cc.
iii. 2O5 21.
CoLOSSIANS.
i. If.
1(5, 17.
18.
ip.
ii. p. — -
if- 64.
78. 25-6".
1(5 f. ipo. 444, 3}8. 418.
- 1(58.
- 3ir- ?33< .(55-.
' 171.
• 171-
I Thessalonians.
iii. 1I5&C. 7(5. 488.
V. 23. 486.
z Thessalonians. ii. 16. — ■
iii. f. — —
1 Timothy. i. I5',5cc.
ii. 5-.
iii. 1(5. — vi. I3,6cc.
2 Timothy.
ii. i(;j. II.
iii. 1(5.
iv. 18.
|
445. 488. |
p5. |
|
2p8. 500. |
4+1. 441. |
11. 13, 14.
Hebrews i. 3.
2p8,
5-03.
441-
Tl TUS.
34f-
157. 345.
6.
INDEX.
iji. iv.
vii. ix.
X.
xiii.
6. 8. 1056CC.
4-
7 Ac. 1456CC. 12.
'45 If.
22.
4,&c. 85 &c.
21.
James, ii. ip.
111. iv.
18. II.
2, Peter. i. I.
20, 21. ii. I. iii. 1 8.
JuDE.
24, Zf.
I John. i. z.
iii. 1 5. V. 7,8. 14.
20.
238. 44J. ^<^p. 5 1 p. 3^0. 3fO'
25(5.
7^« 480.
284. 3Po. 378.
37P. 482. 221. 442.
3Pi'
— — 21.
I Peter.
4PP.
44^.
i6p.
foj.
2P7.
- — 442-
Z96.
— 2.9P'
282.
272.
31.
43P-'
282.
3PP«
2 John,
INDEX.
A
2 J O H N.
J.
Revelation.
i. 4,&c.
7,8.
17, 18.
23.
3.
t =
9i 10.
14, If.
10.
12.
14.
15.
12.
18.
T'
7-
xxii. 6,7. Id.
II.
in.
iv,
V.
vii. xvi. xix.
XX.
XXL
' 44^.
74- 302.
28f.
324. 3 op.
345.
71- 445.
447. 308.
20.
404.
404.
275.
287.
50f.
2(S(J.
^7f- 441.
3PP. 443 3I3'
FINIS.
Cii-V ■ ^s-