The Civil Right of Tithes, Ecclesiastical tract · Chapter 3
CHAP. III.
Propoſition 3.
THat which boundeth and ſevereth humane Properties is humane Law: which, for the ending of Strife, preſervation of Peace, maintenance of Societies, and bettering that we call Humane Good, the wiſedom of man hath found out, and the wiſedome of God in his Laws (whether divine or natural) does not diſallow but confirm, for the bettering the condition of our humane frailty, and making our troubleſom earthly life more quiet, calm, and comfortable amid all our infirmities and tempeſt-breeding corruptions. This is that Chymiſts fire that ſets the ſeveral forms in compounded bodies on work to excite and raiſe themſelvs up to cauſe diviſion, and thereby ſeparation, that the potential parts may come in ſingle out of the heap, and that which might be diſtinct, may be. The fan that ſeparates one thing from another, this from that, which were before in the common heap; the Calamus menſurae, or mete-wand wherewith1Chap. 40 Ezekiel was to meaſure and fit the ſeveral proportions of the Sanctuary; and wherewith are meaſured out unto us every ones propriety, and limited and proportioned: The ſquare, rule, fence, meaſure that helps to cut out properties and divide them, parts the common, and encloſes it, appoints of the whole how much every man muſt have, imprinting the Characters of Meum and Tuum upon the divided parcels, and circumſcribing each with2Ex dom… nio ad modum jam dictum privato introducto evenit, ut territorii ſeu agri, cujus uſus univerſis pariter erat in arando, aedificando, depaſcendo, arbores caedendo, fructus pe…cipiendo, tranſeundo liber, proprietas ità poſſidenti, ſive per diſtributionem, ſive per occupationem, privatim acquireretur, ut is liberum ejuſmodi uſum jure poſſet impedire, nec ejus injuſſu al us licitè uti poſſet. Atque ab hac origine manavit omnium rerum proprietas ſeu dominium, quod ſive al enatione, ſive quacunque aliâ ceſſione in al…os tran…fertur, ſive poſſeſſione re…netur, Seld. Mare Clauſ. lib 1. cap. 5. Noli me tangere, meddle not with anothers, others, touch not pitch leaſt thou be defiled, lay not a greedy and unjuſt hand upon anothers, leaſt it burn thy fingers. Would we have that which reſembles Di…o's Thong, whereby ſhe parted that which was hers, from his ſhe bought her little plat of ground of, calling This, City; That, Countrey? This is it. Would we behold that Sea-banck, that bounds the raging and impetuous Waves, ſpeaking in the word as 'twere of an Almighty Creator, Hither ſhall you come, and no further; Here ſhall your proud Waves be ſtayed; That reſtrains, I mean, the raging, ravenous, impetuous, inſatiable deſires of mans greedy, reſtleſs, covetous minde, telling him, He ſhall have This, and no more, It is enough. He muſt and ought be therewith contented. The Law, the Law doth this alone, ſetting up every one his Hercules Pillars, how far he ſhall come and no farther; His bounds that he cannot paſſe, nor turn again to any of that community he has thus by his own Act excluded himſelf from, and may not re-invade though he never ſo much deſire it. Tolle Jura Imperatorum, & quis audet dicere, Mea eſt illa villa, aut Meus eſt ille Servus, &c. as replyed S. Auguſtine to ſome wo asked him, what they had to do with Emperours? And a little after: Per Jura P…um poſsidentur Poſſeſiones, The Laws of Kings give us our Lands: (which was worth remembring, having been laid down at large before:) And ſo the Student to his Doctor: The Law of Man gives man what is his, and therefore may regulate, and therefore may make conditions, one of which is ſuch as there reſolvs the doubt in hand: And Mr Selden, ſpeaking of Right, and Civil Right, and the particular Right of theſe Dues we call Tithes, makes their ſtrength here immediately founded in humane law. page 14. of the Preface to his Hiſtory.
And this is very reaſonable: for the Law is ſuppoſed every ones Act; what is thereby impaled, Every one to have an hand in the encloſing thereof, even he that would claim Reentry, but has hereby excluded himſelf from any ſuch juſt hope of: For,1Reg. Iur. Can. 29. Quod tangit omnes, ab omnibus debet approbari, and ſuppoſed ſo done, that what is paſt in Law, is paſt by page missing
NOw I come to Matth. Matth. 28. 20.28. 20. Lo I am with yon always to the end of the world.
Sir, Anſw. from the ſcope of your Paper it is eaſily ſeen what you would inferr hence; but as yet the Reaſon of your inference lies in the dark: the meaning of this phraſe, I am with you always unto the end of the World; is no more then this, I will do you good, whileſt ye remain imploy'd in my work. My Authour in this Expoſition is old Jacob, no bad Interpreter, Gen. 31. 3. the Lord commanded Jacob to return into the Land of his Fathers, and to his kindred, and for his encouragement adds to the promiſe thus, I will be with thee: which Jacob in chap. 32. 9. thus expounds, I will deal well with thee, or I will do thee good. Jeſus Chriſt is preſent with his Meſſengers, or deals well with them, when he doth inſtruct, comfort, ſtrengthen, or protect them: and all theſe works he doth in his abſence by his ſpirit, whom the Father hath ſent in his Name, Joh. 14. 26. Let me only (for brevity ſake) inſtance in the work of inſtruction. Chriſt inſtructed his Apoſtles, but not immediately; for the ſpirit which came in Chriſts Name, and received of his, was the Inſtrument, by which Jeſus Chriſt did the work, John 16. 13, 14, 15. When he the ſpirit of truth is come, he will guide you into all truth; for he ſhall not ſpeak of himſelf: but whatſoever he ſhall hear that ſhall he ſpeak, and he will ſhew you things things to come. He ſhall glorifie me: for he ſhall receive of mine, Hic locus de modo praeſentiae ſpiritus quo ſe ſuaque nobis communicat: caeterum corpore abeſt. Beza in loc.and ſhall ſhew it unto you, all things that the Father hath are mine: therefore ſaid I, he ſhall take of mine, and ſhall ſhew it unto you. Christ is now in Heaven, ſitting at the right hand of God, and is preſent with the Saints in Earth by the ſpirit, and glorious influences of grace and mercy, John 14. 16, 17, 18. This kinde of preſence by the ſpirit Beza and others underſtand to be intended in Matth. 28. 20.
REv. Rev. 2. 2.2. 2. is now to be minded, whether it doth joyn with the fore-going Texts, in ſpeaking any thing by way of Juſtification to your Aſſertion or not.
Anſw. Christ could not (ſay you) at ſo great a diſtance know all the works of the Churches as meer man.
What could he not? Is any thing too hard for the Lord? What could the Prophet Eliſha know at a very great diſtance, what the King of Syria ſaid in his bed-chamber? And yet cannot Chriſt know at a diſtance? He hath the ſpirit (to wit wiſedom, power, &c.) given him without meaſure, John 3. 34.
And therefore can know beyond what we can conceive: And yet is not the moſt high God, for his knowledge is of another, John 5. 30. I can of mine own ſelf do nothing; as I hear, I Judge; and my judgement is juſt, becauſe I ſeek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath ſent me. Though he always knew all things neceſſary for the perfect diſcharge of his Offices; yet there was a time when he was excluded from the knowledge of the hour and day of judgement, Mark 13. 32. The words from the Greek are theſe: But of that day and hour no one knoweth, neither the Angels which are in Heaven. Nor the Son, unleſs the Father. Hence it is plain, that the Father onelyonly knew the day and hour of Judgement, and that the Son himſelf was at that time excluded from the knowledge of it; therefore this knowledge was not originally of himſelf nor always perfect.
COl. Col. 1. 15.1. 15. I finde next in your Paper, but have already ſpoken to it; yet was willing here to mention it; leaſt you ſhould think I had forgot it. Sir, this Text you ſay, holds forth the Eternal Generation of Jeſus Chriſt. I pray conſider it again, and by your next let me hear what part thereof it is in which Chriſts Eternal Generation may be ſeen.
THe next Scripture is Col.Col. 1. 16. with John 1. 3. 1. 16. To which I ſhall add John 1. 3. being reſerv'd for this place.
Anſw. Sir, here you harp upon two other ſtrings, and think they ſound that alowd in your ears which you have entertained in your thoughts, to wit, that Jeſus Chriſt is the moſt high God. But pray Sir, conſider whether your Concluſion be the Eccho of thoſe Texts, or elſe of your own thoughts onelyonly. But you ſeem to gather this Argument from the words to manifeſt the verity of your thoughts.
He by whom all things were made is the moſt high God. But all things were made by Jeſus Chriſt.
Therefore Ieſus Chriſt is the moſt High God.
I ſhall anſwer to your Major by diſtinguiſhing betwixt the Agent Principall and Inſtrumental. That there may be in one and the ſame work, one Principal and another Inſtrumentall Agent none will deny. But whether there were in the work of Creation one Principall, and another Inſtrumentall, is a thing to be proved. That the Father was Principall therein, and ſo the moſt high God, comes not under debate. But whether the Son was onelyonly Inſtrumental in that great work of Creation, is the Controverſie, and muſt be the ſubject of our preſent inquiry. I affirm, that Ieſus Chriſt was onelyonly an Inſtrumentall Agent in the Creation of the worlds.
The Reaſons by which, I ſhall at this time guard mine aſſertion from ſuſpition of errour, are theſe that follow.
The firſt is drawn from the ſilence of all creatures. The book of the Creatures,Ex Creatione agnoſcitur Deus, ſed non Deus pater fil. & ſpir. fi quoniam vis illa efficiens quia mundus fuit creatus, pertinet ad Eſſentiam Dei, non ad ſubſiſtentiam ejus perſonalem, Ameſius. as well as the book of the Scriptures, ſpeak forth with open mouth, this ſacred truth that there is one firſt cauſe, and Principall Agent of all things. Of a Trinity of Perſons in Unity of Eſſence, as Principal Agents in the work of Creation; the whole Creation is wholly ſilent: Wherefore our Divines acknowledg, that God is known from the Creation, but not God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, becauſe that efficient power, by which the world was created, belongs to the Eſſence of God, not to his perſonall ſubſiſtence.
Yet by their leave, God is a Perſon, all actions being proper unto perſons; and therefore by their grant, the works of Creation hold forth but one Agent, who muſt needs be the Principall (if not the only) Agent therein; for it is not imaginable, that if there were then one Principall Agent, they ſhould not all be equally diſcovered by the work, being equally concerned in it: Therefore if Chriſt were an Agent, he was but an inſtrumental one.
The Second Reaſon proceeds from the verdict of pure Reaſon. If Reaſon may obtain credit, ſhe will tell us, that there could be in the work of Creation but one Principall Agent, becauſe there is by nature and in way of eminency but one God: For if there were two Principall Agents, there muſt be two Gods in way of eminency, (the terms being convertible) which to affirm would be abſurd, and eaſily diſproved. And therefore if Jeſus Chriſt were any, he was but an Inſtrumentall Agent in that work of Creation.
The Third Reaſon iſſues from the nature of Chriſts being. That whole Chriſt is a creature, hath been already proved: yet let me adde a word from Col. 1. 15. which doth immediately precede the Text now in queſtion. Chriſt is there called the image of the inviſible God; and ſo is diſtinguiſhed from God, becauſe the image and the thing whereof it is an image are not the ſame; in that nothing can be the image of its ſelf
Now he is called the image of the inviſible God, in that God through him did principally manifeſt and declare his Divine Glory, and in that the chiefeſt Dominion of the creature was by the Father committed to him; in this ſenſe man is called the image and glory of God, 1 Cor. 11. 7.
He is alſo called the firſt-born of every creature; whereby he is ranked among the creatures, yet ſo as that he is the Head of them.
Now if whole Chriſt be a creature, then will it unavoidably follow, that he was but an Inſtrument in the work of Creation: for God and creatures are contradiſtinct, and he could not be, unleſs he were God, a Principall Agent.
The fourth Reaſon doth ſpring from the manner of Chriſts working.
1. Though he had an hand in the Creation of the world, yet was it not originally of him, 1 Cor. 8. 6. where the Apoſtle doth plainly ſhew us, that all things are of God, even the Father, and that all things are by, not of Jeſus Christ, and ſo the Son is diſtinguiſhed from the Father in the work of Creation; the Father being the firſt cauſe, and originall of all things, and Chriſt the inſtrument of the Father, by whom he did manifeſt his Divine Glory in producing creatures.
2.Inſtrumentum & Miniſt. Ter. foreign Juſt. foreign. Theoph. foreign. Origin. In that in the work of Creation the Scripture tells us, that God acted by him, Epheſ. 3. 9. where 'tis ſaid, That God created all things by Jeſus Chriſt: So in Heb. 1. 2. which openly hold forth Jeſus Chriſt as Gods inſtrument in creating the world.
He is frequently called by the Fathers the Inſtrument and Servant of God.
But you endeavour to ſtrengthen your Propoſition by a Reaſon (ſuch as 'tis) drawn from impoſſibility; God could (ſay you) make uſe of no inſtrument in the work of Creation. But Sir, this aſſertion derogates from Gods All-ſufficiency. Is any thing impoſſible with God? Is any thing too hard for the Lord?
2. It contradicts your own teſtimony. I remember that in a Conference (where I exerciſed both ſilence and patience, to the Glory of God,) ſince I received your paper, you did affirm in the hearing of not few, that God might at firſt have made an Angel, or ſome other creature, and by it have made all things.
How to reconcile one with the other is a thing unfeaſible; and therefore you muſt confeſs, that you are not always infallible: yea, that ſometimes you differ from your ſelf; and ſo 'tis no wonder, if you diſagree with others. But what ſhall I take from your preſent judgement? Muſt your laſt words ſtand? If ſo, then you have weakned your cauſe; and I may ſave a labour in returning an anſwer to that, which follows in your paper: If the former, then you muſt recant what you laſt ſaid, and I muſt not here make an end of my Reply to your Major. The truth is, I honour Reaſon ſo much, that I ſhould rather proſtrate my ſelf to its ſhadow and appearance, then to the beſt mans teſtimony and aſſertion: wherefore I ſhall honour Reaſon ſo much as not to paſs by without examination that which appears in your paper, with Reaſons dreſs on it. Your Reaſon thus runs,
Now becauſe Creation is a making of all things out of nothing, and required an infinite power, God can make uſe of no Inſtrument: inaſmuch as God cannot derive and give an infinite power to any creature, becauſe no creature is capable of ſuch a Divine Attribute, for it would make him God, to be Almighty, or to be infinite in power.
Anſw. I ſhall not anſwer to all in this Reaſon which ſeems not to be ſound doctrine, but only ſo far as the matter in hand requires.
1. Though it be true that Gods infinite power was manifeſted in the work of Creation: yet was not the Infinity of his Power manifeſted fully in that, or any other work; for he hath more power then ever yet he had need to uſe, or then could in any work be fully declared.
2. Your aſſertion plainly denies the man Chriſt Jeſus to be God; Almighty, or Infinite in power; for you ſay that God could not give or derive an infinite power to any creature, and that a creature cannot be God, Almighty, &c. The man Chriſt Jeſus was a creature, how then can that Perſon be God?
3. The ground of your Argument is ſtraw and ſtubble; For infinite power may be manifeſted by them, to whom 'tis not communicated, and ſo their proper power; As is evident in thoſe that wrought miracles and raiſed the dead, in which infinite power was manifeſted, and yet the inſtruments thereof were not in power infinite. The like might be ſaid of Goſpel-Preachers, whom God makes his Inſtruments in mens converſion, as great a work as the worlds Creation. The ſame might be ſaid of Chriſt in his work of our Redemption.
But enough of this.
I ſhall now examine your Minor, which was, That all things were made by Ieſus Christ.
This is true, Chriſt being excepted, of whoſe Creatural being I have already ſpoken.
Obj. But you will ſay, that in Iohn 1. 3. it is ſaid, That all things were made by him, and without him was nothing Made, that was Made.
Sol. The words are to be reſtrained to all thoſe things which by the uſe of an inſtrument were made and created. In the firſt verſe of this Chapter, the creation of Jeſus Chriſt is included, and in this third verſe he is ſpoken of as the inſtrument of God in creating all things, and therefore is here to be excepted. As when John the Baptist ſpeaking of Chriſt, (John 3. 32.) ſaid, What he hath ſeen and heard that he teſtifieth, and no man receiveth his teſtimony; it is evident that Iohn was to be excepted. Perſons are ſometimes ſegregated from others of the ſame kinde, in way of eminency, being chief amongſt them. Thus in Pſal. 18. 1. where 'tis ſaid, that David ſang that ſong, when the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul. What, was Saul none of Davide enemies? he was the chiefeſt, and therefore ſegregated from the reſt.
Thus having taken off the Charet wheels of your Argument, the Concluſion cannot advance up by its aſſiſtance.
I Come now to Heb. Heb. 7. 3.7. 3.
I perceive you are willing to gather from this Text the Eternity of Ieſus Christ; Anſw. (but on this tree grows no ſuch fruit,) You ſay that Christ is here reſembled, in reference to his Eternity, to Melchiſedek, without beginning of days, or end of life. Pray Sir, was Melchiſedek Eternal? If ſo, then he was God. But he was neither the Father, nor the Son, nor the Holy Ghoſt, whatever ſome have conceived, I hope you will not allow a quaternity of Perſons in Unity of Eſſence. And therefore will allow that the words be taken in a figurative ſenſe.Quod non narratur ponitur quaſi non ſit. Melchiſedek was without beginning of days or end of life, in that there is no mention made either of his birth or death, in the Hiſtory of Moſes: or eſpecially in reference to his Prieſthood, the time of its beginning and ending being not certainly known. So our High Prieſt Jeſus Chriſt is without beginning of days, or end of life.
YOur next Scripture is Prov. Prov. 8. 22.8. 22.
Anſw. The Lord poſſeſſed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old: I was ſet up from Everlaſting, from the Beginning, or ever the Earth was.
The meaning is this,foreign, &c. Sept. The Lord who is Poſſeſſour of Heaven and Earth, obtained or created me when he began to work, before all his ancient works. And I was ſet up, or anointed to have the dominion of all things, and that from Everlaſting, that is, from the Beginning, before the Earth was.
The Septuagint have the words thus: The Lord created me the beginning of his ways for his works.Dominus acquiſivit me principium viae ſuae, ante opera ex tunc, A ſaeculo principatum habui à capite, ab initiis terrae. Mont. He founded me in the Beginning before the Earth was made. Montanus thus: The Lord obtained me the beginning of his way, before his works from thence; I had dominion from Everlaſting from the Beginning, from the beginning of the Earth.
The thirtieth verſe ſpeaks of Chriſt as having a being before Gods works of old; yet ſo as that it was created one.
THE Scripture which follows next in your Paper, is, Zach. Zach. 13. 7.13. 7.
Awake, O Sword, againſt my Shepheard, againſt the man that is my fellow, ſaith the Lord of Hoſts.
Anſw. I ſuppoſe that you would infer hence the coequality of Jeſus Chriſt with the Lord of Hoſts, whoſe words thoſe are. But doubtleſs when you drew up this Concluſion, you hearkned to the ſound, not the ſenſe of our Engliſh word Fellow, which doth not always note equality, as from Pſalm 45. 7. and Heb. 1. 9. you may be informed, where the Saints are called the Fellows of Chriſt; from which none acquainted with Reaſon or Scripture will conclude their coequality with him. Had you conſulted with the Hebrew word uſed in the Text, you would have been a ſtranger to ſo ſtrange an inference. For the words tranſlated, My Fellow, might be rendred, My Citizen, my Neighbour, my Second, Hebraea vox proximum aut amicum ſonat qui ſtat è regione alterius. Et praeſto eſt à omnia amici officia comparatus quamobrem idem in ſinu patris eſſe, & ad dexteram illius ſedere dicitur intercedens pro nobis. Trem. in Locum.my Lievtenant, my Vicar, my Friend; So the Septuagint [foreign] the man, my Citizen, or Neighbour. Tremelius, thus: [Virum proximum meum] The man my Second, my Lievetenant, my Neighbour, my Vicar, or the like.
Tremellius and Iunius in their Marginal Notes ſpeak thus. The Hebrew word (ſay they) ſignifies one that is very near, or a friend, who ſtands over againſt another, and is ready at hand for all friendly offices; wherefore the ſame, to wit, Jeſus Chriſt) is ſaid to be in the boſome of the Father, and to ſit at his right hand, interceding for us. And ſo the words acquaint us with theſe two things eſpecially,
1. That Chriſt is the Principall object of Gods deareſt affection. The man my fellow, quem maxime amo, ſaith Groti us, whom I moſt of all love.