A Vindication, Argument 5
Arg. 5. That Doctrine which denies and deſtroys the ſufficiencie of Chriſt as a Saviour, denies and deſtroys the true Goſpel and Scripture; and not onelyonly in a main point, but in the main ſcope of them.
But this Doctrine of his, which makes whole Chriſt a creature, doth deny and deſtroy the ſufficiencie of Chriſt as a Saviour:
Therefore, this Doctrine of his doth deny and deſtroy the Goſpel, and whole Scripture, not onelyonly in a main point, but in the main ſcope of them.
The Major Propoſition will be readily confeſſed by him, and denied by none; therefore needs no proof.
The Minor Propoſition muſt be fortified, elſe it will be challenged as ſlanderous.
I therefore prove it by a double medium.
1. That Doctrine that denies Chriſt to be the author of ſalvation, and makes him an inſtrument onelyonly in the hand of him that is the author; that Doctrine denies Chriſt to be a ſufficient Saviour.
But this Doctrine of his, which makes whole Chriſt a creature, doth deny Chriſt to be the author of ſalvation, and makes him onelyonly an inſtrument in the hand of the Father, who is the author:
Therefore, this Doctrine of his denies Chriſt to be a ſufficient Saviour.
He may perhaps deny the Major, and diſtinguiſh of ſufficiencie, and ſay there is an abſolute and independent ſufficiencie, which is proper to that which is the author of a thing; and there is a limited and reſtrained ſufficiencie▪ depending upon that abſolute ſufficiencie of the author, which is ſutable and proper to an inſtrument; and this later Chriſt hath, and ſo is ſufficient through God, through the Father, for the work of ſalvation, though he be but a creature.
But ſuch an Anſwer muſt be judged weak, for two Reaſons. 1. The ſufficiencie of Chriſt to ſave, is an abſolute ſufficiencie, and ſuch as is proper to the author of ſalvation, according to the teſtimony of the Scripture, Heb. 5. 9. And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal ſalvation to them that obey him. Now I hope he will not confound the Author and the Inſtrument, and make them one perſon. An inſtrumental ſufficiencie the Scripture knows nothing of, in reference to Chriſt, nor doth attribute any ſuch to him. 2. An inſtrumental ſufficiencie is no other then inſufficiencie: for an inſtrument is not able to ſave to the utmoſt, and ſo is of himſelf inſufficient to ſave; but Chriſt is able of himſelf to ſave to the utmoſt, Heb. 7. 25.
But he perhaps will endeavour to evade the ſtrength of this Aſſertion, by ſaying, that if Chriſt be able, through God the Father, to ſave to the utmoſt, it is ſufficient for the verifying of Scripture.
But neither hath this Anſwer ſtrength in it, nor is Scripture verified by it: for Scripture ſpeaks of Chriſts ability, as ability in himſelf; Heb. 1. 3, Chriſt is deſcribed to be one that upholds all things by the word of his own power, and to purge ſin away by himſelf: and Chriſt never needed to ſay of the Father, as Paul ſaid of Chriſt, I am able to do all things through Chriſt that ſtrengthneth me; ſo Chriſt, I am able to do all things through the Father that ſtrengthens me: and though he might be ſtrengthened, as the Son of man, yet not as the Son of God; but drew on the people to believe a Divine power in himſelf: for his words are without any limitation. Doſt thou believe that I am able to do this for thee? ſaith he to one that came to be cured of him, without interpoſing any words which ſhould ſhew his dependence on another. And this ability was Divine ability, becauſe it lay in this, viz. to heal without the efficacie of means which might conduce to ſuch a purpoſe. And Chriſt is called the power of the Father, becauſe the Father's power is in him. And it is ſaid that God laid help upon one that is mighty; which, though ſpoken of David, yet of him but as the Type; and is meant of Chriſt, who is the Antitype, and who is truely mighty. This ability of Chriſt within himſelf to ſave to the utmoſt, is that which the Apoſtle diſputed for, in many places of that Epiſtle, and eſpecially in the Context of that Scripture, Heb. 7. 25. He is able to ſave to the utmoſt: for he doth detect the inſufficiencie of the High-prieſt to ſave, by ſhewing their mortality, and other infirmities; and then preſents Chriſt's ſufficiencie. And if it were ſo that God could have ſaved by an inſtrument which derives his vertue from him, and is dependent upon him, a Saviour needed not to have come from heaven; for God might have done it by any earthly creature, or by any creature-inſtrument, without any reſpect had to power or ability as inherent in it at all, but by his own power manifeſted by it; and ſo might have ſaved by an Apoſtle, equally as by a Chriſt.
But I ſhall prove what I deſigne, by another medium.
2. That Doctrine which renders Chriſt inſufficient to the work of ſaving, renders him an inſufficient Saviour, or deſtroys his ſufficiencie as a Saviour.
But this Doctrine of his renders Chriſt inſufficient to perform the work of ſaving, &c.
Which I prove thus:
If Chriſt be a meer creature, he is inſufficient to execute thoſe three Offices of King, Prieſt, and Prophet, to perform the work which thoſe Offices do call for, for the ſaving of men.
I ſhall begin with his Prophetical Office, unto the execution of which it is neceſſary, not onelyonly to open the Scriptures to men, that they may conceive of them, but to open the underſtandings of men to underſtand them; and to give them eye-ſalve, that they may ſee: which, becauſe it belongs to his Office as a Prophet, he muſt be able to do from vertue and ability within himſelf. But no creature can effect this by any power of its own, nor is capable to receive ſuch power from another, becauſe it is not competent to the creature; and conſequently, Chriſt being onelyonly a creature (as he holds him) is diſabled in the principal work of that Office.
And, as a Prieſt, he was to offer up himſelf to God through the eternal Spirit, that he might purge away ſin, and that his Blood might be of greater efficacie then the blood of bulls and goats; and that he might purchaſe eternal redemption for believers: which as a creature he could not do, Heb. 9. 12. So that he diſables him in the works of his Prieſtly Office, in holding him onelyonly to be a creature.
And, as a King, he muſt conquer Death, by raiſing himſelf up from the dead, which he was to ſuffer as a Prieſt, to take away ſin. And he muſt alſo deſtroy ſin in its regnancie by Kingly power, in his members, as he was to condemn it in its guilt by his death: which work is above the power of any meer creature. So that by this opinion of his, he is made weak to perform all his Offices, which yet he came into the world to accompliſh; and that he is made an inſufficient Saviour; which overturns the Goſpel, in the principal ſcope of it. But of this more hereafter.
The laſt Argument which I ſhall now produce to prove another Goſpel and Scripture to be brought in, and the true Goſpel and Scripture to be deſtroyed, is this: