divine will; accordingly the Psalmist describing it, in Psal. xxxiii. 9.
says, _He spake and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast_; so
when God, in Gen. i. 3. said, _Let there he light, and there was light_;
and when we read of the other parts of the creation, as produced by his
almighty word, it implies that they were produced by an act of his will.
Now it seems impossible, from the nature of the thing, that an
instrument should be made use of in an act of willing any more than in
an act of understanding.
7. No cause can reasonably be assigned why God should make use of an
instrument in the production of all things; for certainly he that, by
his immediate power, produced the instrument, might without any
difficulty, or absurdity, attending the supposition, have created all
things immediately without one. And we must farther suppose, that if
there were nothing in the nature of things, which required him to make
use of an instrument, he would not, by making use of one, to wit, the
Son, administer occasion to him, to assume so great a branch of his own
glory, namely, that of being the Creator of the ends of the earth; or
for his being, as the result thereof, worshipped as a divine Person
supposing him to have a right to divine worship, for no other reason.
_Object._ 1. Though no one supposes that God stood in need of an
instrument, or could not have created all things without it, yet we must
conclude that he did not, because the scripture speaks of the Father’s
creating all things by the Son; and when one person is said to do any
thing by another, it implies that he makes use of him as an instrument
therein.
_Answ._ This seems to be the only foundation on which this doctrine is
built. But there is no necessity of understanding the words in this
sense, especially if we consider that all effects are produced by the
power of God; and this power, supposing the Son to be a divine Person,
(which we have endeavoured, by other arguments, to prove) must belong to
him; and the Father, and the Son being united, in the same Godhead, one
cannot act without the other; therefore whatever is said to be done by
the Father, may, in this sense, be said to be done by the Son; for
though the Persons are distinct, the power exerted is the same.
Thus a learned writer[150] accounts for this matter, when he says, that
“The Son is of the same nature and substance with the Father, so nearly
allied, so closely united, that nothing could be the work of one,
without being, at the same time, the work of both: Hence it was, that
the Son was Joint-creator with the Father, that all things were made by
him, and nothing without him; it was not possible for them either to
act, or to exist separately; and therefore it is that the work of
creation is, in scripture, attributed to both.” This is a very safe as
well as a just way of reasoning, consistent with, and founded on the
doctrine of the Father and the Son’s being united in the same Godhead,
though distinct Persons; and therefore it is agreeable to the sense of
those scriptures, which attribute this work to the Son, in the same
sense, as when it is attributed to the Father.
But I am sensible that the Arians will reply to it; that this does not
sufficiently account for that subordination in acting, that seems to be
implied in the sense of those scriptures, in which the Father is said to
have created all things by the Son; therefore I shall take leave to
speak more particularly to those texts that treat of this matter, where
the same mode of speaking is used. And though there are several
scriptures that represent the Son as a Creator, or consider all things,
as being made by him, as well as the Father, or as a Joint-creator with
him; yet there are but two places in the New Testament, in which the
Father is said to have created all things by the Son, namely, Eph. iii.
9. in which it is said, _that God_, that is, the Father, _created all
things by Jesus Christ_; and the other is in Heb. i. 2. where it is
said, _by whom also he made the worlds_.
We have already considered the absurdity of the Socinian way of
expounding those other scriptures, that speak of Christ as a Creator, in
which he is not said to act in subserviency to, but co-ordinately with
the Father. But inasmuch as God the Father is, in these scriptures, said
to create all things by Jesus Christ, I shall humbly offer it, as my
opinion, that though the other scriptures, in which Christ is set forth
as a Creator, have no reference to him as Mediator, nor to the new
creation, yet this seems to be the more probable sense of both these
scriptures.[151]
As for the former of them, though some suppose that it is needless to
give the sense of it, since the words, _by Jesus Christ_,[152] are
wanting in some ancient copies of scripture, as well as in the vulgar
Latin and Syriac versions; yet, since there are many copies that have
it, we will suppose it to be genuine; and that we may account for the
sense of it, we may observe that the apostle makes use of the word
_create_ three times in this epistle; we find it, in chap. ii. 10. and
iv. 24. in both which places it is taken for the new creation, which is
brought about by Christ, as Mediator; and, I humbly conceive, that it
may be taken so, in this verse, which we are now considering; and
therefore this is a part of that mystery, of which the apostle speaks in
the foregoing words, _that was hid in God_; and this sense seems not to
be excluded, by those who suppose, that in other respects, it has some
reference to the first creation of all things.[153]
As for the other scripture, _by whom also he made the worlds_, δι ου και
τους αιωνας εποιησεν, that is, by whom he made, instituted, or ordained,
the various dispensations, which the church was under, either before or
since his incarnation; this was certainly done by him as Mediator; and
herein he acted in subserviency to the Father, as well as in all other
works performed by him, as having this character. I would not be too
peremptory in determining this to be the sense of the text, inasmuch as
the apostle speaks _of his upholding all things_, in the following
verse, which is well put after this account of his having created them:
I am also sensible that the word which we translate _worlds_, is used in
Heb. xi. 3. to signify the world that was at first created, in the most
proper sense of the word _creation_, when the apostle says, that
_through faith we understand that the worlds_, τους αιωνας _were framed
by the word of God_, &c. But yet when I find that in many other places
of the New Testament, where the word is used, it is taken in the sense
but now given,[154] I cannot but conclude it the more probable sense of
the text; but that which most of all determines me to acquiesce in it,
is, because the subserviency of the Son to the Father in this work is
most agreeable to it.
If it be objected, that this sense of the text coincides with that which
is given of it by Socinus, and his followers, which we before-mentioned
and opposed;
To this I answer, that the sense I have given of it, is very foreign to
theirs, who endeavour thereby to evade the force of the argument brought
from it, to prove our Saviour’s Deity; whereas we only exchange one
argument, for the proof thereof, for another; for it seems to me to be
as great an evidence, that he is a divine Person, when considered as the
Author and Founder of the church, in all the ages thereof, or the rock
on which it is built, as when he is called, Creator of the world: if he
be the supreme Head, Lord, and Lawgiver to his church, in all the ages
thereof; if the faith and hope of all that shall be saved, is founded
upon him, as the great Mediator, Redeemer, and Sovereign thereof, then
certainly he is God, equal with the Father.
_Object._ 2. To what has been before suggested, upon which the chief
stress of our reasoning depends, _viz._ that a finite creature cannot be
an instrument in supernatural productions, it is objected, that miracles
are supernatural productions; but these have been wrought by men, as
instruments in the hand of God; therefore the creation of all things may
as well be supposed to have been performed by the Son, as an instrument
made use of to this end by the Father.
_Answ._ That miracles are supernatural productions, no one denies; and
it follows from hence, that they are either a species of creation, or
equivalent to it; therefore if it be allowed that a creature can have
power communicated to him to work them, and therein may be said to be an
instrument made use of by God, then we cannot reasonably deny that God
the Father might use the Son as an instrument in creating all things.
But we must take leave to deny that any, who are said to have wrought
miracles, have had infinite power communicated to them for that purpose;
therefore they are not properly instruments in the hand of God, to
produce supernatural effects; but all that they have done therein, was
only by addressing themselves to God, that he would put forth his
immediate power in working the miracle; and in giving the people, for
whose sake it was to be wrought, occasion to expect it; and afterwards
improving it for their farther conviction. It is true, miracles are
oftentimes said to have been wrought by men; but, I humbly conceive,
nothing more than this is intended thereby; which, that it may appear,
we may observe, that sometimes they who have wrought them, have not made
use of any action herein, but only given the people ground to expect the
divine interposure: thus, immediately before the earth swallowed up
Korah and his company, Moses gave the people to expect this miraculous
event, Numb. xvi. 28-30. _And Moses said, Hereby shall ye know that the
Lord hath sent me. If these men die the common death of all men, then
the Lord has not sent me. But if the Lord make a new thing, and the
earth open her mouth, and swallow them up, then shall ye know that these
men have provoked the Lord_; and as soon as he had spoken the words, the
ground clave asunder, and swallowed them up. This might be reckoned
among the miracles wrought by Moses; though all that he did was only
what tended to raise the people’s expectation, that such an
extraordinary event should immediately happen. Again, at other times,
when a miracle has been wrought, we read of nothing done but only a word
spoken to signify that God would work it: thus, when the captain, with
his fifty men, was sent by the king of Israel, to the prophet Elijah, to
command him to come to him, the prophet uses this mode of speaking, 2
Kings i. 12. _If I be a man of God, let fire come down from heaven, and
consume thee and thy fifty_; which immediately happened accordingly.
At other times, when miracles have been wrought, the Person, who, in the
sense but now mentioned, is said to work them, has made use of some
external and visible sign, which was either an ordinance for his own
faith, if no one was present but himself; as when the prophet Elisha
smote the waters of Jordan with Elijah’s mantle, and said, 2 Kings ii.
14. _Where is the Lord God of Elijah?_ or else the sign, being given by
divine direction, was an ordinance for the faith of the people present,
whose conviction was intended thereby; not that they should suppose that
the action used had any tendency to produce the miracle: but it was only
designed to raise their expectation, that God would work it by his
immediate power; as when Moses was commanded, in Exod. xiv. 16. _to lift
up his rod, and stretch out his hand over the sea, and divide it, that
Israel might pass through_; or, in chap. xvii. 6. _to smite the rock_,
whereupon God caused water to come out of it; and in several other
actions, which he used, by divine direction, when other miracles were
wrought; in which respect, though he was said, in a less proper way of
speaking, to have wrought them, yet he was no more than a moral
instrument herein, and therefore the divine power was not communicated
to, or exerted by him; and if creatures have been instruments in working
miracles in no other sense than this, it cannot be inferred from hence
that Christ might be made use of by the Father, as an instrument in
creating the world: a moral instrument he could not be; for there was no
doctrine contested, no truth to be confirmed thereby, no subjects
present to expect a divine interposure; and, indeed, none ever supposed
that the Son of God was an instrument in this sense; therefore if no one
ever was an instrument in any other, nor could be from the nature of the
thing, as has been already proved, then the force of the argument, which
we have laid down to prove it, is not in the least weakened by this
objection.
Thus we have endeavoured to prove the divinity of Christ from the work
of creation.
2. We shall proceed to consider how our Saviour’s Deity appears, from
those works of providence, which are daily performed by him. Providence
is as much a divine work, and contains as glorious a display of the
divine perfections, as creation; and this is twofold, _viz._ preserving
and governing. With respect to the former of these, some divines have
asserted, that it is, as it were, a continued creation, not formally so;
but as the one produces a creature, the other prevents its sinking into
nothing; and because it is, in all respects, dependent on the power of
God, and as much so, for the continuance of its being, as it was for its
being brought into being; therefore conserving providence is an evidence
of the divine power of him who sustains all things.
Now that this glory belongs to our Saviour, is plain from scripture,
which speaks of him, in Heb. i. 3. _as upholding all things by the word
of his power_; and in Coloss. i. 17. it is said, _by him all things
consist_; both these scriptures respect this branch of divine
providence, namely, his preserving all things in being; and this is
certainly more than can be said of any creature. And it is not pretended
that herein he acts as the Father’s instrument, even by those who
suppose that he was so, in the creation of all things, inasmuch as
scripture does not speak of God’s upholding all things by him, but of
Christ’s upholding them by his own, that is, the divine power; so that
we have as plain a proof of his Deity, from his upholding providence, as
there is of the being of a God, which is evidently inferred from it.
As to the other branch of providence, respecting the government of the
world in general, or of the church in particular, this is also ascribed
to Christ, and thereby his Godhead is farther proved. Whatever degree of
limited dominion may be said to belong to creatures; yet universal
dominion belongs only to God; and this is assigned, as one ground and
reason of his right to divine honour; therefore it is said, in Job xxv.
2. _Dominion and power are with him_, that is, there is a holy reverence
due to him, as the supreme Lord and Governor of the world; and, in Psal.
lxvii. 4. when it is said concerning the great God, that _he shall judge
the people righteously, and govern the nations upon earth_, this is
considered as the foundation of universal joy, _O let the nations be
glad, and sing for joy_; and of praise, ver. 5. _Let the people praise
thee, O God; let all the people praise thee_; and, in Psal. xxii. 28.
when it is said, _the kingdom is the Lord’s; and he is the Governor
among the nations_; this is assigned, as the reason of their worshipping
him, ver. 27. _All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn unto
the Lord; and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before
thee._ This therefore is, undoubtedly, a branch of the divine glory; so
that if we can prove that universal dominion belongs to Christ, or that
he is the Governor of the world, and of the church therein, this will
plainly evince his Deity.
1. Let us consider him as the Governor of the world. This seems to be
the meaning of several expressions of scripture, in which royal dignity
is ascribed to him; and he is represented as sitting upon a throne, and
_his throne to be for ever and ever_, Psal. xlv. 6. and he infinitely
greater than all the kings of the earth; upon which account, he is
called, in Rev. i. 5. _The Prince of the kings of the earth_; and they
are commanded to testify their subjection to him, and all are
represented as blessed that _put their trust in him_, Psal. ii. 12. And
as his kingdom is considered, in John xviii. 36. as _not being of this
world_, and the honours due to him, such as are divine, this farther
proves his Deity.
Moreover, his universal dominion, and consequently his Godhead, is
evinced by that glorious character, which we have before
considered[155], as belonging to him, namely, the Lord of hosts, as the
prophet Isaiah says, speaking of the vision which he had of his glory,
in chap. vi. 5. _Mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts_, as
denoting his sovereignty over all the hosts of heaven, and all creatures
in this lower world, as he governs them, and makes one thing subservient
to another, and all this is done to set forth his own glory.
2. This will farther appear, if we consider him as the Governor of his
church; in this he has access to the souls of men, working in them those
graces, which are the effects of almighty power, which he does, when
they are effectually called; and the work of sanctification, which is
consequent hereupon, is carried on till it is perfected. We shall have
occasion, under some following answers[156], to prove that these are
divine and supernatural works; the more full and particular proof
whereof, we shall reserve to its proper place, and only observe, at
present, that they are spoken of as such in scripture, and ascribed to
the exceeding greatness of the power of God, no less than that _which he
wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead_, Eph. i. 18,——20.
and elsewhere they are called a _new creation_, chap. ii. 1. _a
quickening_ or _resurrection_, _a breaking the rock in pieces_, _taking
away the heart of stone_, _giving an heart of flesh_, or _a new heart_;
Jer. xxiii. 29. Ezek. xxxvi. 26. which expressions would never have been
used, had not the work been divine and supernatural; therefore it
follows from hence, that since Christ is the Author of this internal
work, he is a divine Person. Now that he is so, is obvious, from many
places in the New Testament; as when he is styled, in Heb. xii. 2. _The
Author and Finisher of our faith_; and when the apostle, in 1 Tim. i.
14. speaks of _faith and love abounding, which is in Christ Jesus_, he
speaks, at the same time, of the _grace of our Lord abounding_, as the
spring and fountain thereof; and when the apostles, in Luke xvii. 5.
desire him to _increase their faith_, not in an objective way, as
affording some greater foundation for it, but subjectively, by an
internal work, exciting and promoting the principle thereof, which was
before implanted in them; and so causing all those graces, that
accompany it, to abound, as the effects of his divine power.
We might farther consider Christ’s spiritual government, as extended to
his church, collectively considered, which is exposed to many dangers
and difficulties, and meets with much opposition from its enemies, who
attempt its ruin, but in vain, because it is the object of the divine
care, kept by the power of God, through faith, unto salvation: for which
reason, the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. Now this is, in
a peculiar manner, the work of Christ; he is the rock on which it is
built; and his presence, in the midst of his people, is not only their
glory, but their safety; which it would not be, if he were no more than
a creature. We might also consider the subserviency of the various
dispensations of providence in the world to their good, as he is _Head
over all things to the church_, Eph. i. 22. which could not answer that
valuable end, had he not been a divine Person.
We might farther consider how the divine glory of Christ will be
demonstrated, in his second coming to compleat the work of salvation,
begun in this world. To prepare a way for this, there will be an
universal resurrection of the dead, which will be no less an effect of
almighty power, than the creation of all things was at first. I need not
therefore say any thing farther to prove this to be a divine work; we
need only prove that this general resurrection shall be performed by
Christ: this might be proved from several scriptures; in one whereof he
expressly asserts it himself, in words very plain and particular, _viz._
John vi. 38. _The hour is coming, in which all that are in their graves
shall hear his voice, and shall come forth_, &c.
Moreover, when, at the same time, he is represented as coming in the
clouds, with power and great glory, in his _own glory_, as well as _that
of the Father, and of the holy angels_, in Luke ix. 26. the most natural
sense of that text seems to be this, that his divine glory, which is
called _his own_, which was comparatively hid from his people, while he
was here on earth, shall eminently be demonstrated in his second coming,
and also that Mediatorial glory, which he has received from the Father,
as what he had a right to, on his having accomplished the work of
redemption, which he came into the world about; and then there is the
glory of his retinue, as appearing with all his holy angels; which bears
some resemblance to that expression whereby the majesty of God is set
forth upon another occasion, namely, as appearing on mount Sinai, to
give the law, when it is said, in Deut. xxxiii. 2. _The Lord came with
ten thousands of saints._ And to this we may add, that the work, which
he shall, immediately after this, be engaged in, to wit, that of judging
the world in righteousness, plainly proves his Deity, since none but a
divine Person can judge the secrets of all men, and bring to light every
thing that has been done, from the beginning to the end of time; and
this is to be done, in that day; for it is said, in Eccles. xii. 14.
_That God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing,
whether it be good, or whether it be evil._ This is a farther
improvement of that argument, before laid down to prove his divinity
from his omniscience; if his judgment must be, as the apostle says, in
Rom. ii. 2. _according to truth_, and consequently performed with the
greatest impartiality, as well as an exquisite knowledge or discerning
of the cause, without which it could not be said, that _the Judge of all
the earth does right_, (as he certainly will) in Gen. xviii. 25. and if
rewards shall be proportioned to every work done, so that every one
shall receive as the apostle says, in 2 Cor. v. 10. _according to what
he has done, whether it be good or bad_; and if persons are to be
rewarded, or punished, for all the secret springs of action, which must
be reckoned either good or bad, according to what they produce, as well
as the actions themselves; and if this respects not particular persons
only, but all men, who have lived, or shall live, from the beginning to
the end of the world, it evidently proves, that he, to whom this
glorious work is ascribed, must be a divine Person.
And to this we may add, that the manner of his appearing, with the
terror, as well as the majesty of a judge, being such as shall strike
his enemies with the utmost horror and confusion, is a farther proof of
this matter. This is represented in a lively manner, in Rev. vi. 15-17.
in which it is said, _the kings of the earth, and the great men_, those
who once rendered themselves formidable to their subjects shall desire
to _hide themselves in the dens and rocks of the mountains, and shall
say to the rocks and to the mountains, fall on us, and hide us from the
face of him that sitteth upon the throne, and from the wrath of the
Lamb: For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to
stand?_ And,