that with respect to his saints and subjects; and his enemies: as to the
former of these he will not only command them to come, and possess the
kingdom prepared for them, but the blessedness which he will confer upon
them, pursuant thereunto, is called the beatific vision, in 1 John iii.
2. _We shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is_; and the
happiness of heaven is described in such a way as plainly proves our
Saviour to be the fountain thereof, and consequently a divine Person;
for it is represented as a state, in which they will _behold his glory_,
John xvii. 24. whereas certainly the beholding the glory of the most
exalted creature, falls infinitely short of this ingredient in the
heavenly blessedness.
And on the other hand, the immediate impressions of the wrath of God on
the consciences of his enemies, or the power of his anger, which shall
render them eternally miserable, when banished from his presence, proves
him to be a divine Person, inasmuch as the highest degree of misery
consists in a separation, or departure from him, which it could not do,
if he were not the fountain of blessedness; nor could the punishment of
sinners be proportioned to their crimes, if it were not to be inflicted
by the _glory of his power_; the apostle joins both these together, in 2
Thess. i. 9. though some understand the words, as implying, that their
punishment proceeds from his immediate presence, in the display of the
greatness of his power, as a sin-avenging Judge; in either of which
senses, it argues him to be a divine Person. And that it is our Saviour
who is spoken of, is evident, from the foregoing and following verses;
it is he who shall appear _in flaming fire_, taking vengeance on them
that know not God, and obey not the gospel; and it is he that shall
_come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that
believe_; so that we have a very plain proof of his Deity, from the
exercise of his government, either in this or the other world.
Having endeavoured to prove the divinity of Christ, from his works of
creation and providence and under the former of these, offered some
things in answer to the methods taken by the Socinians, and especially
the Arians, in accounting for the sense of those scriptures that speak
of the Father’s creating all things by the Son; it is necessary for us
now to consider the most material objections, brought by the
Anti-trinitarians in general, against what has been said in defence of
this doctrine, taken from the works of common and special providence, as
ascribed to him, and, in particular, from the administration of his
kingdom of grace; it is therefore objected.
_Object._ 1. That his kingdom, and power of acting, in the
administration of the affairs relating thereunto, is wholly derived from
the Father: thus he says in Luke xxii. 29. _I appoint unto you a
kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me_; and, in Mat. xi. 27. _All
things are delivered unto me of my Father_; and in Psal. ii. 6. _Yet
have I set my King upon my holy hill of Zion._ And whatever he does in
managing the affairs thereof, is by the Father’s commission and
appointment: thus in John v. 36. he speaks of the works which he was to
perform, as those which _the Father had given him to finish_. And as for
his power of executing judgment, which is one of the greatest glories of
his kingly government, this is derived from the Father, in John v. 22.
_For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the
Son_; and, in Acts xvii. 31. it is said, that _he hath appointed a day,
in which he will judge the world in righteousness, by that man whom he
hath ordained_, meaning our Saviour; and when he speaks, in Rev. ii. 27.
of his ruling his enemies _with a rod of iron, and breaking them to
shivers, as the vessels of a potter_, he adds, that this _he received of
his Father_; from whence they argue, that since he received his
dominion, or right to govern the world and the church, from the Father,
therefore he cannot be God equal with the Father. As we say, in
opposition to their scheme of doctrine, that a derived Deity, such as
they suppose his to be, cannot be the same with that which the Father
has; so they allege this, by way of reprisal, against the argument we
have but now insisted on, that a derived dominion cannot be made use of
as a medium to prove him that has it to be a divine Person, in the same
sense in which we maintain him to be.
2. In all his works, and particularly in the administration of the
affairs of his kingdom, he acts for the Father’s glory, and not his own;
whereas a divine Person, cannot act, for any other end than for his own
glory: this therefore rather disproves, than evinces, his proper Deity;
as when he says, in John viii. 49. _I honour my Father_; and, in chap.
v. 30. he says, _I seek not mine own will, but the will of my Father
which hath sent me_. He also speaks of the Father giving him a
commandment to do what he did; as in John xii. 49. _I have not spoken of
my self, but the Father which sent me; he gave me a commandment, what I
should say, and what I should speak_; and, in chap. xiv. 31. _As the
Father gave me commandment, so do I_; and, in chap. xv. 10. he speaks of
his having _kept his Father’s commandment_, and pursuant hereunto,
_abiding in his love_, from whence they argue, that he who is obliged to
fulfil a commandment, or who acts in obedience to the Father, is
properly a subject, or a servant, and therefore cannot be God in the
same sense as the Father, who gave this commandment, is.
3. They add, that in the government of his church, and the world, in
subserviency thereunto, he acts in the Father’s name, as deputy and
vicegerent; as in John x. 25. _The works that I do in my Father’s name,
they bear witness of me_; and accordingly his works are called the
Father’s, in ver. 37. _If I do not the works of my Father, believe me
not_; and these works are said to be done _from the Father_, ver. 32.
_Many good works have I shewed you from my Father_: and, as the
consequence of all this, he acknowledges, as he ought to do, in John
xiv. 28. that _the Father is greater than he_. How then can he be a
divine Person, in the sense in which we have proved him to be, when
there is a God above him, in whose name he acts in all he does?
4. They farther argue, that he was _made both Lord and Christ_, and that
by the Father, as it is expressly said, in Acts ii. 36.
5. They farther argue that the donatives of his kingdom, or those
honours which are bestowed on his subjects, are not his to give, but the
Father’s; as it is said, in Matt. xx. 23. _To sit on my right hand, and
on my left, is not mine to give; but it shall be given to them, for whom
it is prepared of my Father._
6. This kingdom which he received from the Father, and thus administers
in subserviency to him, is, in the end, to be resigned, or delivered up:
thus, in 1 Cor. xv. 24. _Then cometh the end, when he shall have
delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father_; and in ver. 28. _When
all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be
subject unto him, that put all things under him, that God may be all in
all_; and accordingly, he shall lay aside those divine honours which he
now has, or cease to perform those works which give him a right to claim
them. These are the strongest arguments, of any, that are brought by the
Anti-trinitarians against our Saviour’s proper Deity; and, indeed, as
though they had little else to object, there is scarce an argument to
disprove it, but what is supported in this method of reasoning, which
they think to be altogether unanswerable, (and there are many more
scriptures, which might have been brought to the same purpose) therefore
it is necessary that we should consider what may be replied to it.
The sum of what has been objected, as thus branched out into several
particulars, is, that since Christ is represented as below the Father,
or inferior to him, he cannot he equal with him, for that is no other
than a contradiction.[157]
_Answ._ To this it may be replied, that though the scripture speaks of
our Saviour, as receiving a commission from the Father, and acting in
subserviency to him; yet let it be considered, that this does not
respect the inferiority of the divine nature, but the subserviency of
what is done by him, as Mediator, to the glory of the Father, as this
character and office were received from him. And, indeed, whenever the
Son is represented, as engaged in the great work of redemption, or in
any thing tending thereunto, or in any work consequent thereupon,
whereby what was before purchased is said to be applied by him, this has
a peculiar reference to him, as Mediator: therefore let us consider,
1. That nothing is more common, in scripture, than for him to be
represented as Mediator, especially in all those things that concern the
spiritual advantages, or salvation of his church, which is the principal
thing to be considered in his government; and in this sense we are to
understand those scriptures, which have been brought to support the
objection: and it is plain, that our Saviour generally speaks of himself
under this character, which is included in his being the Messiah, or
Christ, which is the main thing that he designed to evince by his
doctrine and his miracles; therefore, if we duly consider the import of
this character, it will not only give light to the understanding such
like scriptures, but sufficiently answer the objection against his Deity
taken from them.
Our adversaries will not deny that Christ is represented as a Mediator;
but they widely differ from us, when they take occasion to explain what
they intend thereby: sometimes they seem to mean nothing else by it, but
a middle-Being betwixt God and the creature; and therefore the work
performed by him as such is not what requires him to be, in the most
proper sense, a divine Person, and consequently whatever inferiority to
the Father is contained in this character, they conclude that this
respects his Deity; whereas we distinguish between the subserviency of
the work, performed by him, as Mediator, to the glory of God the Father,
together with the subjection, or real inferiority of the human nature,
in which he performed it to the Father; and the inferiority of his
divine nature: the former we allow; the latter we deny.
2. When we speak of him as Mediator, we always suppose him to be God and
Man, in one Person; and that these two natures, though infinitely
distinct, are not to be separated. As God, without the consideration of
a human nature united to his divine Person, he would be too high to
sustain the character, or to perform the work of a servant, and, as
such, to yield obedience, which was incumbent on him, as Mediator; and
on the other hand, to be a mere man, is too low, and would be altogether
inconsistent with that infinite value and dignity, that was to be put on
the work which he was to perform. Therefore it was necessary that he
should have two distinct natures, a divine and a human, or that he
should be God incarnate. This will be more particularly considered under
some following answers[158]; and therefore we shall reserve the proof
hereof for its proper place, and there consider the distinct properties
of each nature; and all that we shall observe at present is, that the
evangelist John, in whose gospel our Saviour is often described, as
inferior to the Father, as well as equal with him, which is agreeable to
his Mediatorial character, lays down this, as a kind of preface,
designing hereby to lead us into the knowledge of such like expressions,
when he says, in John i. 14. _The Word was made flesh and dwelt among
us_; which is all the proof we shall give of it at present.
3. It follows from hence, that several things may be truly spoken
concerning, or applied to him, which are infinitely opposite to one
another, namely that he has almighty power in one respect, as to what
concerns his Deity; and yet that he is weak, finite, and dependent in
another, as to what respects his humanity. In one nature, he is God
equal with the Father, and so receives nothing from him, is not
dependent on him, nor under any obligation to yield obedience. In this
nature, he is the object of worship, as all worship terminates on that
Deity, which is common to all the Persons in the Godhead: but, in the
other nature, he worships, receives all from, and refers all to the
glory of the Father; therefore,
4. Those scriptures which speak of him as receiving a kingdom, doing all
things from, or in obedience to the Father, or in his name, and for his
glory, and as inferior to, and dependent on him, are not only applied to
him, as Mediator, but they have a particular respect to his human
nature; so that all that can be inferred from such modes of speaking, as
those above-mentioned, as so many objections against the doctrine which
we are defending, is, that he who is God is also man, and consequently
has those things predicated of him, as such which are proper to a nature
infinitely below, though inseparably united with his divine.
Moreover, whereas it is said, that _the Father has committed all
judgment to the Son_, or that _he judgeth the world in righteousness, by
that man whom he hath ordained_; all that can be inferred from hence is,
that so far as this work is performed by him, in his human nature, which
will be rendered visible to the whole world at the day of judgment, it
is an instance of the highest favour and glory conferred upon this
nature, or upon God-man Mediator, as man: but whereas he is elsewhere
described, as having a right to judge the world, as God; and as having
those infinite perfections, whereby he is fit to do it, these are the
same that belong to the Father, and therefore not derived from him.
Again, when, in another scripture, before referred to, it is said, that
_God hath made him both Lord and Christ_, it is not there said, that the
Father hath made him God, or given him any branch of the divine glory;
but it signifies the unction that he received from the Father, to be the
King, Head, and Lord of his church; which, so far as this is an act of
grace, or connotes his dependence on the Father herein, it has an
immediate respect to him, in his human nature, in which, as well as in
his divine nature, this dominion is exercised; whereas his sovereignty,
and universal dominion over the church and the world, or those divine
perfections, which render him, in all respects, fit to govern it; they
belong, more especially to the Mediator, as God, and are the same as
when they are applied to the Father.
Moreover, when he says, _I seek not my own will, but the Father’s, that
sent me_; and elsewhere, _Not my will, but thine be done_; it argues
that he had a human will, distinct from his divine, in which he
expresses that subjection to the Father, which becomes a creature; this
is plainly referred to him as man; so, on the other hand, when he says,
speaking of himself co-ordinately with the Father, _As the Father
raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them, so even the Son quickeneth
whom he will_; this, though spoken of him as Mediator, has a peculiar
reference to his divine nature.
Again, when he says, in another scripture, _The Father is greater than
I_, that is applied to him as man; whereas elsewhere, in John x. 30.
when he says, _I, and my Father are one_, that is spoken of him as God,
having the same nature with the Father so that if we suppose our Saviour
to be God and Man, as he is plainly proved to be, from scripture, then
it follows, that whatever is said concerning him, as importing his right
to divine honour on the one hand, or his disclaiming it on the other,
these are both true, when we consider him in these different natures.
Thus we are to understand those scriptures, that speak of the real
inferiority of the Son to the Father: but when, in other places, nothing
is intended but the subserviency of what is done by the Son, as
Mediator, or its tendency to set forth the Father’s glory, this may be
applicable to those divine works, which the Mediator performs; and so we
may distinguish between the subserviency of the divine actions to the
Father’s glory, and the inferiority of one divine Person to another; the
former may be asserted without detracting from his proper Deity, while
the latter is denied, as inconsistent with it.
Thus we have endeavoured to explain those scriptures, which are referred
to by the Arians, to overthrow our Saviour’s divinity: and, by the same
method of explication, I humbly conceive, all others, that can be
brought to that purpose, may be understood. I have passed over that
scripture, indeed, which respects _Christ’s delivering up the kingdom to
the Father_, and being subject to him, which it might have been expected
that I should have endeavoured to explain; but I choose rather to refer
the consideration thereof to its proper place, when we speak concerning
Christ’s kingly office, and his being exalted in the execution thereof.
IV. The next argument to prove the divinity of Christ is taken from his
being the object of religious worship, which is a practical owning of
him to be a divine Person, when there is an agreement between our words
and actions, in both which we acknowledge him to have the perfections of
the divine nature. This argument is so strong and conclusive, that it is
very difficult to evade the force thereof; and, indeed, it affects the
very essentials of religion. Now, that we may herein proceed with
greater plainness, we shall,
1. Consider what we understand by worship in general, and by religious
worship in particular. I am very sensible that the Anti-trinitarians
understand the word in a sense very different from what we do, as taking
it in a limited sense, for our expressing some degree of humility, or
reverence, to a person, whom we acknowledge in some respect, to be our
superior; but whatever external signs of reverence, or words, we use, as
expressive of our regard to him who is the object thereof, this, when
applied to our Saviour, is no more than what they suppose to be due to a
person below the Father. Therefore, that we may not mistake the meaning
of the word, let it be considered; that worship is either civil or
religious; the former contains in it that honour and respect which is
given to superiors, which is sometimes expressed by bowing, or falling
down, before them, or some other marks of humility, which their advanced
station in the world requires; Though this is seldom called worshipping
them; and it is always distinguished from religious worship, even when
the same gestures are used therein. It is true, there is one scripture,
in which the same word is applied to both, in 1 Chron. xxix. 20. where
it is said, _All the congregation bowed down their heads, and worshipped
the Lord and the king_, that is, they paid civil respect, accompanied
with those actions that are expressive of humility, and that honour that
was due to David, but their worship given to God was divine or
religious. This is the only sense in which we understand _worship_ in
this argument, and it includes in it adoration and invocation. In the
former, we ascribe infinite perfection unto God, either directly, or by
consequence; an instance whereof we have in 1 Chron. xxix. 11, 12.
_Thine, O Lord, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the
victory, and the majesty; for all that is in heaven, and in the earth is
thine; thine is the kingdom, O Lord, and thou art exalted as Head above
all. Both riches and honour come of thee, and thou reignest over all,
and in thine hand is power and might and in thine hand it is to make
great, and to give strength unto all_; and, in Deut. xxxii. 3. in which
we are said to _ascribe greatness_ unto him; and, in Rom. i. 21. to
_glorify him as God_, or, _give unto him the glory due to his name_,
Psal. xxix. 2.
Invocation is that wherein we glorify God, as the Fountain of
blessedness, when we ask those things from him, which none but a God can
give, which is sometimes called _seeking the Lord_, Psal. cv. 4. or
_calling upon him_, Psal. l. 15. And this includes in it all those
duties which we perform, in which we consider him as a God of infinite
perfection, and ourselves dependent on him, and desirous to receive all
those blessings from him, which we stand in need of; and particularly
faith, in the various acts thereof, is a branch of religious worship, as
connoting its object to be a divine Person; as also supreme love, and
universal obedience; and, indeed, it contains in it the whole of
religion, in which we have a due regard to that infinite distance that
there is between him and the best of creatures; and religious worship is
no where taken in a lower sense than this in scripture.
2. Religious worship, as thus described, is to be given to none but a
divine Person, according to our Saviour’s words, in Matth. iv. 10. _Thou
shall worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve._ This is
evident, from the idea we have of religion in general, which is a giving
that glory, or ascribing those perfections to God, which belong to him,
as being founded in his nature; and therefore it is the highest instance
of blasphemy and profaneness to apply them to any creature, since it is
in effect to say that he is equal with God.
3. It plainly appears, from Scripture, that Christ is the object of
religious worship, and consequently that the argument we are maintaining
is just, namely, that, for this reason, he must be concluded to be a
divine Person. Now that he is the object of religious worship, is
evident, from many examples in scripture of such worship being given to
him, when, at the same time, they, who have given it, have not been
reproved or restrained, but rather commended, for performing it. We have
various instances of this nature in the Old Testament, of which I shall
mention two or three, _viz._ in Gen. xlviii. 15, 16. _God, before whom
my fathers Abraham and Isaac did walk, the God which fed me all my life
long unto this day, the Angel which redeemed me from all evil, bless the
lads._ When he speaks of Abraham and Isaac’s walking before him, it
implies, that, in their whole conversation, they considered themselves
as under his all-seeing eye; and Jacob acknowledges him as the God, who
had sustained, preserved, and provided for him hitherto, the support of
his life, and his Deliverer, or Redeemer, from all evil. This divine
Person he addresses himself to, in a way of supplication, for a blessing
on the posterity of Joseph; and that he intends our Saviour hereby, is
evident, because he has a reference to his appearance in the form of an
angel, and therefore describes him under that character. Now we cannot
suppose that this holy patriarch is here represented as praying to a
created angel, for that would be to charge him with idolatry. Moreover,
this is the same description that is given of Christ elsewhere, in Isa.
lxiii. 9. _In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the Angel of
his presence saved them; in his love, and in his pity he redeemed them,
and he bare them, and carried them all the days of old_; and in Mal.
iii. 1. _The Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple; even
the Messenger_, or Angel, _of the covenant, whom ye delight in_; which
contains a very plain prediction of our Saviour’s incarnation, whose way
is said to be prepared by John the Baptist, who is spoken of in the
words immediately foregoing. Now it is certain, that God the Father is
never called an angel in scripture, inasmuch as this is a peculiar
description of the Mediator, who, as such, is never mentioned as the
Person sending, but sent; in which he is considered as one that was to
be incarnate, and, in our nature, to execute those offices, which he was
therein obliged to perform. This is the Person then whom Jacob adored
and prayed to.