An Answer to William Sherlock, Chapter 4 · Section 2 (1 of 3)

An Answer to William Sherlock · Chapter 4 · Section 2 (1 of 3)

p. 226SECT. II.

NOthing more eaſie to be underſtood than our Ʋnion with Christ; Mr. Sherlock.and it had certainly continued ſo, had not p. 227ſome men undertook to explain it, who have made it more than myſtical, that is, an unintelligible Ʋnion: When we enquire what this Ʋnion is, they anſwer in general, that it is a mystical Ʋnion through the Spirit and Faith: This, Myſtical, is a hard word, and therefore to explain it, they tell us, that it is an Ʋ nion of Perſons, but no Perſonal Ʋnion: Dr. Jacomb, pag. 45.The Perſon of Chriſt is united to the Perſon of the Believer, and the Perſon of the Believer is united to the Perſon of Chriſt (as it muſt needs be, where the Perſon of Chriſt is united to the Perſon of the Believer:) Which Union is made by Faith, which receives the Perſon of Chriſt, and therefore muſt unite to the Perſon of Chriſt: (I doubt that conſequence is not good, for men are not united to every thing they receive; but yet what follows may help it out:) As it is in the Marriage-union which joyns perſon to perſon: This is not very clear yet, and therefore the ſame Author deſcribes it thus: This Myſtical Union is that ſupernatural, ſpiritual, intimous Oneneſs and Conjunction, which is between the Perſon of Chriſt and the Perſon of Believers, through the Bonds of the Spirit and Faith; upon which follows mutual and reciprocal Communion with p. 228each other: This Oneneſs and Conjunction are hard words ſtill; and therefore to explain them, you muſt obſerve, that Chriſt and Saints are united; how? Why, in reſpect of that Oneneſs and Conjunction which is between them: This is as plain, as one could wiſh; they are one by their Oneneſs: Ʋnion is Ʋnion, and Christ is Chriſt, and Believers are Believers, and Oneneſs is Oneneſs; and thus Chriſt and Believers are united by their Oneneſs: But what are the Bonds of this Ʋnion? (though it had been convenient first to have underſtood the Ʋnion better:) Why, they are the Spirit and Faith; the Spirit unites Chriſt to us, and Faith unites us to Chriſt: And who can deny this to be a very Myſtical Ʋnion. But beſides this myſtical Ʋnion, there is a Legal or Law-union between Chriſt and Believers, as he is their Surety; a Moral Union, the foundation of which is Love: And thus Chriſt and Believers are united myſtically, legally, morally. The deſign of theſe diſtinctions is to prove the Ʋnion of perſons between Chriſt and Believers: And, becauſe I find this Author hath bewildred himſelf, I will help him out; for it is a very plain caſe, if Chriſt and Believers are united, their perſons p. 229muſt be ſo: For the Perſon of Chriſt is Chriſt himſelf, and the perſons of Believers are Believers themſelves. I cannot underſtand, how they can be united without their perſons, that is, without themſelves: But then they are united by mutual Relations, or mutual Affections, or Common Intereſt; not by a natural Adheſion of Perſons.

Never did I like Scoptical Divinity; foreign. Almoſt every where in this Paſſage there is a flurt and a ſting at worthy Dr. Jacomb, who yet may comfort himſelf, that Sadeel, Zanchy, Davenant, Ʋſher, Reynolds, with many more are Co. ſufferers with him; all of them (however the Author be ſo civil as not to name them) hold the very ſame Myſtical Union as Dr. Jacomb doth: But what ſaith the Author? Nothing is more eaſie to be underſtood than our Ʋnion to Chriſt: Nothing! how ſo? St. Paul calls it a great Mystery, our Church, a marvellous Incorporation, Biſhop Reynolds, one of the deep things of God, not diſcernible without the Spirit; and yet nothing more eaſie to the Author: Only ſome men have made it, as he tells us, more than myſtical, that is, an unintelligible Ʋnion. More than myſtical they have not p. 230made it; yet the Learned Whitaker ſaith,De Fe…leſ. Viſib. queſt. 2. it is Maximè myſtica & planè mirifica: Neither do they make it unintelligible, though they would have it received in Faith; according to the meaſures of Scripture, and not of meer Reaſon: This latter in the Socinians caſhier'd the Hypoſtatical Union in Chriſt, becauſe it could not pierce into the Vinculum Ʋnionis, Racov. Cat. deperſon. Chriſtiwhich tacks mortal and immortal, eternal and temporal together in one Perſon; and, unleſs it be ſubjected to Scripture, it may do as much in us touching the myſtical one. But the Dr. ſaith, Faith receives Chriſt and ſo unites to him; which conſequence is not good; for men are not united to every thing they receive: But Faith receives Chriſt as ſpiritual Food, and eating Chriſt's fleſh and drinking his blood, as the Author tells us, pag. 184. ſignifies the moſt intimate Ʋnion with him, beſides the Marriage union, which might have prevented the Exception. But Chriſt and Saints are united in reſpect of the Oneneſs between them: This is plain, ſaith the Author, they are one by their Oneneſs. I fear the Reader may think we are at Tittletattle; How ſhould they be one without Oneneſs? or who would deny or p. 231cavil at it? But the Doctor ſhould have underſtood the Ʋnion firſt, before he had come to the Bonds: And hath not the Dr. in his Book ſet down the Properties of this Union? Or what can better ſhew the Nature of it than the Bonds thereof? But the Dr. in his deſign to prove an Ʋnion of Perſons is bewildred, and the Author will help him out: Bewildred? Not by any Arguments as yet; however it is kindly meant for one, who hath interlaced his Diſcourſe with ſo many exceptions to very little purpoſe. But Christ and Believers are not united by a natural Adheſion: No, who ever ſaid ſo? Doth not the Dr. make the Union and the Bonds of it both ſpiritual? But the Author apprehends ſome ſtrange Myſtery in the buſineſs, which now muſt be heard.

Dr. Owen tells us, Mr. Sherlock.That by the Graces of Chriſt's Perſon, he doth not mean the glorious Excellencies of his Deity, conſidered in it ſelf, abſtracting from the Office, which for us as God and Man he undertook; nor the outward appearance of his Humane Nature neither, when he converſt here on earth, nor yet now as exalted in Glory; but the Graces of Chriſt's Perſon, as he is veſted with the Office of Mediation; p. 232his ſpiritual Eminency, Comelineſs, Beauty, as anointed and appointed by the Father, unto that great work of bringing home all his Elect into his boſom: Now, unleſs the Perſon of Chriſt as Mediator be diſtinct from his Perſon as God-man, all this is idle talk; for what perſonal Graces are there in Chriſt as Mediator, which do not belong to him either as God or Man? The peculiar Duties of that Office of Mediator are not perſonal Graces; his Perſonal Graces fitted him for his Office, but he hath no Perſonal Graces, as Mediator, which he hath not either as God or Man. The Dr. tells us, That Chriſt is white in his Deity, and ruddy in his Humanity; but theſe belong to his Divine and Humane Nature, and that without regard to his Mediatory Office. Again the Dr. tells us, That Chriſt is excellent in his Deity, and deſirable in his Humanity: This looks like a contradiction to what he ſaid before, but he hath a Salvo, which delivers him both from contradiction and from ſence, that he doth not conſider theſe Excellencies of his Deity or Humanity as abſtracted from his Office of Mediator, though he might if he pleaſed; for theſe Excellencies would have belonged to him as God and Man, p. 233whether he had been Mediator or not: But what becomes of his diſtinction of the Graces of Chriſt's Perſon as Mediator, from the Graces of his Perſon as God and Man? When there are no perſonal Graces in Christ, but what belong to his Deity or Humanity, an then you can find no other Perſon to be the Subject of theſe perſonal Excellencies, unleſs his Office of Mediation muſt go for a diſtinct Perſon, which is a new kind of Hereſie.

It was the ſaying of Nazianzen, Anſwer.That there is one Conſideration of the Deity, foreign, and another foreign. Dr. Owen being to ſpeak of the Grace of Chriſt the Mediator, did not conſider the Excellencies of his Deity in it ſelf or apart, nor the Excellencies of his Humanity ſingly and by it ſelf; but the Excellencies of both Natures met in conjunction in the Perſon of the Glorious Mediator Jeſus Chriſt: This muſt be a diſtinct Conſideration from the other, or elſe what is the Hypoſtatical Union? What the foreign, the Immanuel, or Word incarnate? What is that foreign, or Communication of Properties, celebrated by Divines? How did God purchaſe his Church with his own blood? Act. 20.28. Or lay down his life for us? 1 Joh. 3.16. p. 234which way was the bleſſed Virgin foreign, as the ancient Council hath it? What is the Grace of Unction, or all thoſe full Treaſures of habitual Grace in the Humane Nature of Chriſt? And what are the opera foreign, or operations of God-man the Great Mediatour, who hath the Excellencies of both Natures in himſelf? This Conſideration being therefore a diſtinct one, the Dr. ſhews, that Chriſt was white in his Deity and ruddy in his Humanity, which needed no more have been ſlighted, than ſuch alluſions common in the ancient Fathers; but the humour of expoſing to ſcorn provokes to ſuch things. The Doctor doth not, and, I am ſure, will not own any ſuch thing, as that the Perſon of Chriſt, as Mediator, is diſtinct from his Perſon as God-man; or that the Graces of Chriſt's Perſon, as Mediator, are diſtiſtinct from his Perſon, as God-man. But, ſaith the Author, What perſonal Graces are there in Chriſt, as Mediator, which do not belong to him either as God or Man? To which I anſwer, The Grace of Union was not peculiar to either Nature in Chriſt, but common to both; the Humane Nature in him was only aſſumed, but the Divine and Humane p. 235were both united; but ſaith the Author, Thoſe excellencies would have belonged to him as God and man, whether he had been Mediator or not: To which I ſhall only ſay: That Chriſt ſhould be God and man, and yet not Mediator is ſuch an extraſcriptural conceit, as I ſuppoſe never entred into the Doctors mind.

But what ever becomes of the diſtinction, Mr. Sherlock.there is a very deep fetch in it; the obſerving of which will diſcover the whole mystery of the Perſon of Chriſt, and our Ʋnion to him: For theſe men conſider that Chriſt ſaves as Mediator, and not meerly conſidered as God or man, they imagine that we receive Grace and Salvation from Chriſt's Perſon, juſt as we do water from a Conduit, or a Largeſs from a Prince; that it flows to us from our Ʋnion to his Perſon, and therefore they dreſs up the Perſon of the Mediator with all thoſe perſonal Graces and Excellencies, which may make him a fit Saviour, that thoſe who are united to his Perſon, need not fear miſſing of Salvation; hence they ranſack all the boundleſs perfections of the Deity, and what ever they can fancy as comfort to Sinners; this is a perſonal Grace of the Mediator, they conſider the effects of his p. 236Mediation, and what ever great things are ſpoken of his Goſpel or Religion or Interceſſion, theſe ſerve as perſonal Graces too, that all our hopes may be built not on the Goſpel-Covenant, but on the Perſon of Chriſt; ſo that the diſpute now lies between the Perſon of Chriſt and his Goſpel, which muſt be the foundation of our hope, which is the way to life and happineſs.

To what purpoſe all this is, I ſee not;Anſwer. Is not Chriſt God-man, our Mediator? Do we not receive Grace and Salvation from Chriſt's perſon? And if we do, is he a conduit only, and not rather a Sea or Ocean of Grace? S. Chryſoſtome, as I have him quoted by the Learned Jeans, calls him foreign, an infinite Sea, adding, Though all the Saints that are, were, or ſhall be, did, do, or ſhall receive of his fulneſs, yet will he never be emptied, never the leſs full for all that; and why ſhould the Author utter ſuch a word, as dreſſing up of Christ? The inveſtiture of him with his ſacred Office of Mediator, is ſo far above a ſlight, that it is no leſs than the work of infinite Love, Wiſdom and Power; thoſe whom the Author oppoſes, aſcribe nothing to Chriſt, but what is founded on Scripture: And for p. 237ſuch as are united to Chriſt in truth, I verily believe that they ſhall never fall ſhort of Heaven, and to keep them in the true way thither, God puts his fear into their hearts, that they ſhall not depart away from him, but theſe men ranſack all the boundleſs perfections of the Deity? What is this for? Muſt we not own that Chriſt is God, and hath all the fulneſs of the Godhead dwelling in him? Or may we be Chriſtians without it? but they would have us build all our hopes, not on the Goſpel, but on the perſon of Christ: And where do they utter any ſuch word or ſyllable? Or how could they do ſo? To reſt upon Chriſt, and caſt away the Evangelical warrant, to ſtand for the great purchaſer, and deſpiſe or neglect the Charter is utterly impoſſible.

To make this appear, conſider, Mr. Sherlock.Dr. Owen tells us, That Chriſt is fit to be a Saviour from the Grace of Union; and if we would understand what this ſtrange Grace of Ʋnion is, It is the uniting the nature of God and man in one Perſon, which makes him fit to be a Saviour to the uttermoſt, he lays his hands upon God by partaking of his nature: Zach. 13.7. And he lays his hands on us by partaking of our nature: p. 238Hebr. 2.14. And becomes a Dayſman or Umpire between both. Now though this be a great truth, that the Ʋnion of the Divine and Humane nature in Christ did excellently qualifie him for the Office of a Mediatour; yet this is the unhappiest man in expreſſing and proving it, that I have met with: For what an untoward repreſentation is this of Chriſts Mediation, that he came to make peace by laying his hands on God and men; as if he meant to part a fray, or ſcuffle, and he might as well have named, Gen. 1.1 or Matth. 1.1. or any other Scripture for the proof of it.

Strange Grace of Ʋnion! Anſwer.No Divine is a ſtranger to the Gratia Ʋnionis: Nay, the Author himſelf confeſſes it to be a great truth, but the ſtrangeneſs is in the Doctor's untoward expreſſing of it, he being the unhappieſt man therein, that ever the Author met with, Imman. fol. 21.that is, except Biſhop Ʋſher, whoſe words are theſe, Christ the only fit Ʋmpire to take up this controverſie, was to lay his hand as well upon God the party ſo highly offended, as upon man the party ſo baſely offending: But the Doctor might as well have named Matth. 1. or Gen. 1. for the proof: The expreſſion was taken from Job 9.33. And if that p. 239expreſſion, the man God's Fellow, Zach. 13.7. do not prove Chriſt's Divinity; and that other, he took part of our fleſh and blood, Heb. 2.13. do not prove his Humanity, what can do it?

From the Deity of Chriſt, Mr. Sherlock.the Doctor obſerves, The endleſs, bottomleſs, boundleſs Grace that is in Chriſt; it is not the Grace of a creature, no, not of the humane nature it ſelf, that can ſerve our turn; if it could be conceived as ſeparate from the Deity: Surely ſo many thirſty, guilty ſouls, as every day drink deep and large draughts of Grace and Mercy from him, would, if I may ſo ſpeak, ſink him to the very bottom; nay, it could afford no ſupply at all, but only in a moral way; and that is a very pitiful way indeed.

The condemned Pelagius would allow meer moral Grace;Anſwer. but if there be no more, what means the drawing, quickning, renewing, regenerating, creating, conquering Grace ſo ſignally ſet forth in Scripture? Or how ſhould poor, loſt, lapſed, corrupted man, dead in Sins and Treſpaſſes, ever be raiſed up into the Divine life? Meer ſuaſion operates only, as propoſing an p. 240object, and not as ingenerating a power or faculty; and were there no other Grace, how ſhould the power of repenting and believing, which are things far above the Sphere of Nature, ever be produced? Or which way ſhould the acts of repenting and believing ever come forth without a power? S. Auſtin is not content with meer ſuaſory Grace, but would have ſuch an one, Quâ Gloriae magnitudo non ſolùm promittitur, De Grat. contr. Pelag. lib. 1. cap. 10.verum etiàm creditur, nec ſolùm revelatur Sapientia, verum etiam & amatur, nec ſuadetur ſolùm omne bonum, verùm & perſuadetur: And a little after, he tells Pelagius, That he muſt confeſs ſuch a Grace, if he would be a Chriſtian.

The Dr. tells us, Mr. Sherlock.That if all the world ſhould ſet themſelves to drink free Grace, and Mercy, and Pardon from the Wells of Salvation; if they ſhould ſet themſelves to draw from one ſingle Promiſe, they would not be able to ſink the Grace of the Promiſe, (of the Perſon of Christ he means, ſaith the Author) one hairs breadth; The Infiniteneſs of Grace with reſpect to its Spring or Fountain will anſwer all objections, what is our finite guilt before it? Shew me the ſinner that can ſpread his Iniquity p. 241to the dimenſions of this Grace: Here is Mercy enough for the greateſt, the oldeſt, the ſtubborneſt Tranſgreſſor, &c. Enough in all reaſon this; what a comfort is it to ſinners to have ſuch a God for their Saviour, whoſe Grace is bottomleſs, and boundleſs, and exceeds the largest dimenſions of ſin, though there be a world of ſin in them!

The Grace of the Promiſe, ſaith the Dr. of the Perſon of Christ he means, Anſwer.ſaith the Author: This is juſt to as much purpoſe, as if the Author ſhould tell us, That the Grace of the Evangelical Charter, and the Grace of Chriſt the great Purchaſer cannot conſiſt together, which as yet I never found admitted among Divines: The Infiniteneſs of Chriſt's Grace is a thing no more to be ſcrupled or plaid withal, than the Verity of his Deity. When the Emperor Conſtantine had unjuſtly and unnaturally dipt his hands in the blood of his Son Criſpus, Spondan. Annal.and Nephew Licinius Junior, the Pagan Flamins were nonpluſt, and could tell of no way of Expiation for ſo horrible a Crime; but the Chriſtian Doctrine furniſhed him with one. No ſooner doth a man become Chriſtian, but he muſt own, that the Grace of Chriſt is infinite, and in a tranſcendent p. 242Exceſs above all the dimenſions of ſin, that the oldeſt and greateſt Tranſgreſſor may find mercy enough in him; and in very deed, this is a comfort for ſinners too high and ſacred to be entertained with any other laugh than that of the joy of Faith.

But what now if the Divine Nature it ſelf have not ſuch an endleſs, Mr. Sherlock.boundleſs, bottomleſs Grace? At other times the Dr. tells us of the Naturalneſs of Vindictive Juſtice. Though God be rich in Mercy, he never told us yet, that his Mercy was ſo boundleſs and bottomleſs: He hath given a great many demonſtrations of the ſeverity of his Anger againſt ſinners, who could not be much worſe than the greateſt, oldeſt, ſtubborneſt Tranſgreſſors. But ſuppoſing the Divine Nature were ſuch a bottomleſs Fountain of Grace, how comes this to be a perſonal Grace of the Mediator? For a Mediator, as Mediator, ought not to be conſidered as the Fountain, but as the Miniſter of Grace: God the Father ought to come in for a ſhare at leaſt in being the Fountain of Grace, though the Dr. is pleaſed to take no notice of him. But how excellent is the Grace of Chriſts Perſon above the Grace of the Goſpel! for that is a bounded limited thing; it is a ſtrait gate, and narrow p. 243way that leadeth unto life; there is no ſuch boundleſs Mercy, as all the ſins in the world cannot equal its dimenſions, as will ſave the greateſt, oldeſt, ſtubborneſt Tranſgreſſors.

Smalcius denies God's Mercy to be infinite and immenſe,Anſwer. and the Author ſeems to hint ſome ſuch thing; But Chriſt is God, and in his Divine Nature there can be no finite Attribute; and what if Divine Juſtice be natural and infinite too? Infinite Juſtice and Infinite Mercy may ſtand very well together; or what if Divine Juſtice break out againſt ſinners? yet is Divine Mercy infinite for all that; nay, what if Divine Mercy had ſhewed it ſelf in gracious Effects to no one man in the World? yet ſtill would it have been infinite foreign, in the divine Eſſence: And what if the Author will not call this a perſonal Grace in the Mediator? It is doubtleſs a Grace in the Perſon of the Mediator; and what if Chriſt as Mediator be God's Servant? yet is he really God, and a Fountain of Grace, and that without the leaſt excluſion of his Father being ſuch: The Son made and upholds all things, and yet, I hope, the Father did and doth the ſame; and what if in the Goſpel the Gate be ſtrait, p. 244and Way narrow? yet the Grace is never the leſs infinite, becauſe it is diſpenſed in a way decorous to the Holineſs of God: infinite Grace ſtands open to the greateſt Sinners; and yet none ſhall partake of it but upon the holy Terms of the Goſpel.

Thus the Love of Chriſt is an Eternal Love,Mr. Sherlock. becauſe his Divine Nature is Eternal; an unchangeable Love, becauſe his Nature is ſo; a fruitful Love producing all things which he willeth to his beloved; he loves Life, Grace, Holineſs into us; he loves us into Covenant, loves us into Heaven: This is an excellent Love indeed, which doth all for us, and leaves nothing for us to do; we owe this diſcovery to an Acquvintance with Christ's Perſon, or rather with his Divine Nature, for the Goſpel is very ſilent in this matter; all that the Goſpel tells us is, that Christ loved Sinners ſo as to die for them, and that he loves good men who believe and obey his Goſpel, ſo as to ſave them; and that he continues to love them, while they continue to be good, but hates them when they return to their old Vices: And therefore ſinners have reaſon to fetch their comforts, not from the Goſpel, but from the Perſon of Chriſt, which as far excels the Goſpel, as the Goſpel excels the Law.

p. 245The Dr. diſcourſes of the Love of Chriſt as he is God:Anſwer. There is in God Amor Complacentiae, a Love of Complacence, whereby he delights in good men; but is there not Amor Benevolentiae too, a gracious purpoſe of beſtowing good things on us? All the good things Temporal in the World, and Spiritual in the Church, know no other Spring or Origen than this; our Repentance, Faith, Grace, Holineſs (unleſs we will blaſpheme the great Donor, and deny them to be Gifts) are ſo many pregnant proofs of it: Hence the Apoſtle tells us, That God worketh in us to will and to do, foreign, of his good pleaſure, Phil. 2.13. And is not this Love or gracious Purpoſe an Eternal one? It can be no other; all the divine Decrees are ſo: His Works are in Time, but his Decrees in the ſame Eternity with himſelf, as being no other than Deus Volens. Should his Decrees be made in time, the Divine Will, though it ever had an infinite Reaſon and Wiſdom ſtanding by it, muſt yet hang in ſuſpence, and float in uncertainties touching things to come, till its own Creature, Time, came forth into Being; and then upon paſſing thoſe Decrees, a new Generation of p. 246Futures muſt ſtart up which were never before, and withal a new Preſcience in God to look upon thoſe novel Objects; both which are impoſſible. But this is a Love, which doth all for us, and leaves nothing for us to do: Thus the Author.Ʋſſer. de Cotteſch. The Semipelagians, to blaſt the Doctrine of St. Auſtin touching God's Free Grace, formed out of their own Brain a Story of the Praedestinatiani, an odious Sect which, as was pretended, held ſuch a Notion, as rendred an holy Life altogether unneceſſary: But why the Author ſhould charge the Dr. with any ſuch thing, I know not, he never ſaid or thought any ſuch thing; nay, he hath again and again urged the Neceſſity of Obedience: Neither do I ſee how there can be a more unnatural Conſequence framed than this; Chriſt loved us, and therefore we need do nothing our ſelves: Our Love to Chriſt is an excellent Principle of Obedience to him, and, to ſet it a working, his Love to us is a divine Inflammative to ours. But, ſaith the Author, All that the Goſpel tells us, is, That Christ loved Sinners, ſo as to die for them, and that he loves good men, who believe and obey the Goſpel: But ſure this is not all; Chriſt in his Love doth p. 247ſomething to the Quickning and Converſion of men, and ſomething to the ſanctifying and eſtabliſhing of them: This Laſt I ſuppoſe the Author allows not, for he tells us, That he loves them while they continue good, and hates them when they return to their old vices; But this is much after the rate of the Remonſtrants, who tell us, That as ſoon as men believe, there is a kind of incomplete Election, ſuch as riſes and falls with their Faith; and when they arrive at the full point of Perſeverance, it becomes complete and peremptory: The Divine Will, according to them, muſt be ſucceſſive and make its progreſs from an incomplete Election to a complete one, and in its paſſage to that Completure, it muſt all the way vary and turn about to every point as the fickle Will of Man doth; that ſtanding, there is an Election, that falling, there is none; and ſo toties quoties, as often as it pleaſes man to ſhew himſelf variable, Election will be ſomething or nothing as it happens. This Opinion doth not aſcribe Eyes and Hands to God, as the groſs Anthropomorphites did, but it aſſimilates him to the filly turnings and windings of the Creature. But to ſpeak more directly to the Author; p. 248God's electing Love antecedes all Goodneſs in in Men; and if his elect Veſſels fall into great ſins, as holy David did, and this after their Converſion, however the Light of God's Countenance be for a time ſuſpended, however their habitual Graces be weakned, and their Conſciences wounded, yet the Foundation of God ſtands ſure; electing Love remains unvariable, and will revive them again by Repentance. When God elected a People to himſelf, he did not, as Mr. Shaw ſpeaks in alluſion to the words of the Apoſtle, uſe lightneſs, or purpoſe according to the fleſh, after the manner of men, unſteady and wavering in their determinations; no, the foundation of God ſtandeth ſure, the Lord knoweth thoſe that are his.

But if the Love of Christ be infinite, Mr. Sherlock.eternal, unchangeable, fruitful, I would willingly underſtand, how ſin, and death, and Miſery came into World; for if this Love be ſo, becauſe the Divine Nature is ſo, then it was always ſo; for God always was what he is, and that which is eternal, could never be other than it is now: And why could not this Love as well preſerve us from falling into Sin, Miſery, and Death, as love Life and Holineſs into us; for it is a little odd, firſt to love us into p. 249Sin and Death, that then he might love us into Life and Holineſs, which indeed could not be, if this Love were always ſo unchangeable, and fruitful, as the Dr. perſwades us: For if this Love had always loved Life and Holineſs into us, how ſhould it happen, that we ſhould ſin and die.

The gracious Decree of Election is,Anſwer. as becomes the Divine Nature, eternal, unchangeable, fruitful; yet was it a free Act, terminating upon what Object it pleaſed: Hence God ſaith, Jacob have I loved, and Eſau have I hated; he infallibly brings his Elect to Glory: But no man may be ſo vain or preſumptive, as to limit the holy One, or chalk a Way or Method for him to walk in, who works all things according to the counſel of his own will. But how then came ſin and death into the World? Why, ſurely it came in by Man's Tranſgreſſion, and under God's-Permiſſion: But why could not this eternal, unchangeable, fruitful Love, preſerve us from falling? I doubt not at all, but God, who is Almighty, could have kept up Man and all his Poſterity in their primitive ſtation, as well as he did the ſtanding Angels; but if you ask on, Why did he not do it? I have nothing to anſwer, p. 248duplicate page p. 249duplicate page p. 250but that it was not his pleaſure: God loves no man into ſin; the Expreſſion is too odd for a Chriſtians Mouth or Ear; but he ſuffers his very Elect to fall into ſin, yet is his Love eternal, unchangeable, fruitful towards them; if I may allude to that of Hezekiah, Iſai. 38.17. He loves them from the pit of corruption, he fetches them out of the corrupt Maſs of Mankind by his effectual Grace; and though afterwards they have many falls and lapſes, yet electing Love ſets to its hand again, and revives them by a freſh Repentance, ſhewing it ſelf fruitful in their recovery and ſafe conduct to Heaven; and all this is managed in a way of unaccountable Sovereignty.

Not that I deny, that the Love of God is eternal, Mr. Sherlock.unchangeable, fruitful, that is, that God was alwayes good, and alwayes continues good, and manifests his love and goodneſs in ſuch wayes as are ſuitable to his nature, which is the fruitfulneſs of it; but then the unchangeableneſs of Gods love doth not conſiſt in being alwayes determined to the ſame object, but in that he alwayes loves for the ſame reaſon; that is, that he alwayes loves true virtue and goodneſs, where-ever he ſees it, and never ceaſes to love any perſon, p. 251till he ceaſes to be good; and then the immutability of his love is the reaſon why he loves no longer; for ſhould he love a wicked man, the reaſon and nature of his love would change, and the fruitfulneſs of Gods love with reſpect to the Methods of his Grace and Providence doth not conſiſt in producing what he loves by an omnipotent and irreſiſtible power, for then ſin and death could never have entered into the world; but he governs and doth good to his Creatures, in ſuch wayes as are moſt ſuitable to their Natures; he governs reaſonable Creatures by Principles of Reaſon, as he doth the material World by the neceſſary Laws of Matter, and bruit Creatures by the inſtincts and propenſities of Nature.

After all the reſt,Anſwer. the Author himſelf confeſſes, that there is in God an eternal, unchangeable, fruitful Love; how ſo? There is a Love of Virtue and Goodneſs; and is there not a Love of Perſons too? The Scripture is expreſs in it: St. Paul is a choſen veſſel, Act. 9. Jacob was loved, and that before he was born, or had done any good at all, Rom. 9. The Lord knoweth thoſe that are his, 2 Tim. 2. He calleth his ſheep by Name, Joh. 10.3. Some are drawn of the Father, Joh. 6.44. Some are called according p. 252to purpoſe, Rom. 8.28. On ſome God will have mercy, when he hardens others, Rom. 9.18. All which places places prove that electing Love is of particular perſons, who, as St. Auſtin hath it, certiſſimè liberantur, are certainly ſaved, when others are left in maſſa perditionis. Unleſs this be owned, that great Deſign of a Church, which is the Maſter-piece of Providence, muſt be carried on in ſuch a lame and imperfect manner, as if God (which is unworthy of him) ſhould ſay, I would have a Church, but I intend not who ſhall make it up: Such a Jeofail is hardly to be found in a prudent Man. But ſaith the Author, The Ʋnchangeableneſs of God's Love doth not conſist in being determined to the ſame Object, but in that he always loves for the ſame Reaſon, that is, he always loves true Vertue and Goodneſs, where-ever he ſees it, and never ceaſes to love any perſon, till he ceaſes to be good: he always loves for the ſame Reaſon; where Goodneſs is, there he loves, where Goodneſs is not, there he loves not: This is the Author's meaning, this is loving for the ſame Reaſon: But if this had been ſo, what could have become of Man, corrupt, lapſed Man, in whom, as our p. 253Church tells us, there is not a ſpark of Goodneſs? How deſperate muſt his caſe have been? Divine Love could not poſſibly have let out a drop of Mercy to ſuch an one, much leſs have ſhewed forth it ſelf in ſuch an unparalle'd Act, as the Miſſion of his own Son for our Redemption, there being not in any Son of Adam naturally, ſo much Goodneſs (the only reaſon according to the Author of divine Love) as might attract the leaſt crumb of Comfort on Earth, or the leaſt moments Reprieve from Hell. But ſaith the Author, Should he love a wicked man, the Reaſon and Nature of his Love would change: He cannot love a wicked man with a Love of Complacence, but cannot he love him in Deſign, or with a Love of Benevolence? Then, (though, as the Author tells us, pag. 88. he did paſſionately deſire and deſign the Happineſs of Man) yet he could not deſign to him (being in a lapſed corrupt Eſtate) a Chriſt, or a Goſpel, or any the leaſt Means of Salvation; Goodneſs, the only reaſon of Love, being gone by the Fall, nothing that is good could be intended to him. The Author acknowledges that God loves Goodneſs in Men, but whence came that Goodneſs? p. 254Was it a Donative of Divine Love or not? If ſo, then he loved them before they were ſuch; if not, then may we ſay with the Pelagians, A Deo habemus, quòd homines ſumus, à nobis ipſis, quòd justi ſumus; though God be neceſſary to our Being, yet he is not to our Goodneſs, Tract. 81. in Joh.as St. Austin obſerves. I ſhall add no more to this, having ſpoken before touching irreſiſtible Grace.

Chriſt being God and Man,Mr. Sherlock. made him an endleſs bottomleſs Fountain of Grace to all that believe: Thus the Dr. upon which the Author gloſſes, This he was as God, as we were told before, and his Grace was never the more bottomleſs for becoming Man: The deſign of all this is, to make the Perſon of Chriſt the Fountain of all Grace, from whence we must drink Pardon and Mercy as long as we need any.

His Grace was never the more bottomleſs for becoming Man; Anſwer.yet as God and Man he is the Fountain of all Grace to us; and unleſs he had been Man, there would have been no Communication of Grace to us. The moſt Reverend Ʋſher, upon that Text, He that eateth my fleſh, Imman. pag. 52.and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me and I in him, ſaith Three things: 1. That by the myſtical and ſupernatural p. 255Ʋnion we are as truly conjoyned with him, as meat and drink is with us: 2. That this Conjunction is immediately made with his Humane Nature: 3. That the Lamb ſlain, that is, Christ crucified, hath by that death of his, made his fleſh broken, and his blood poured out for us, to be fit food for the ſpiritual nouriſhment of Souls, and the very Well-ſpring, from whence by the power of his Godhead, all Life and Grace is derived to us. To the ſame purpoſe ſpeaks the Learned Zanchy.

To begin with the Fulneſs of Chriſt; Mr. Sherlock.and the firſt place wherein we meet with it, is Joh. 1.16. And of his fulneſs we all received, and grace for grace: Now what is meant by this Fulneſs, we may learn from ver. 14. The Word was made fleſh and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth: This Fulneſs which was in Chriſt, is a Fulneſs of Grace and Truth; and if we conſult ver. 17. we ſhall find, that this Grace and Truth is oppoſed to the Law of Moſes, The Law was given by Moſes, but Grace and Truth came by Jeſus Chriſt: So that Grace and Truth ſignifie the Goſpel, which is a Covenant of Grace, and is expreſly called p. 256the Grace of God, Tit. 2.11. and conteins the moſt clear and perſpicuous Revelation of the Divine Will, in oppoſition to the Types and Shadows under the Law; is Truth, in oppoſition to Types and Figures; this is the Fulneſs we receive from Christ, a perfect Revelation of the Divine Will, concerning the Salvation of Mankind, which conteins ſo many excellent Promiſes, that it may be well be called Grace, and preſcribes ſuch a plain and ſimple Religion, ſo agreeable to the natural Nations of Good and Evil, that it may well be called Truth: This Fulneſs dwelt only in Chriſt, and from him alone we receive it; for none of the Prophets, who were before him, did ſo perfectly understand the Will of God as he did: No man hath ſeen God at any time, but the only begotten Son, who is in the boſom of the Father, he hath declared him, v. 18. No man ever before had ſo perfect a knowledge of the Will of God (which is here called ſeeing God, becauſe ſight gives the most perfect knowledge) but the Son, who understood all his moſt ſecret counſels, hath perfectly declared the Will of the Father to us: and hence that Fulneſs we receive from Christ is explained by Grace for Grace, which ſignifies the abundance of Grace manifeſted in the p. 257Goſpel. St. Auſtin expounds it, Pro Legis gratiâ quae praeteriit, gratiam Evangelii accepimus permanentem; but this ſeems to be a forced ſence, for the Law is no where called Grace, but Grace is oppoſed to to the Law in the next verſe: But however, this they agree in, that by the fulneſs of Grace and Truth they underſtand the Goſpel, that perfect declaration which Chriſt hath made to the World. This Fulneſs was firſt in the Perſon of Chriſt, before he could communicate it to us; yet it is not this Perſonal Fulneſs we are to attend to, but the Fulneſs and Perfection of his Goſpel, from whence we muſt fetch the knowledge of the Divine Will.

Joh. 1.16. And of his fulneſs we all received, and Grace for Grace: Arſwer.Upon this Text the only Quaere is, Whether by Fulneſs is meant, the Fulneſs of Chriſt's Perſon, or the Fulneſs of his Goſpel? I conceive here is clearly meant the Fulneſs of Chriſt's Perſon; it is in the Text his fulneſs, his, who is God the Word, ver. 1. his, who was in the beginning with God, ver. 2. his, by whom all things were made, ver. 3. his, who is the true light, that lighteth every man that cometh into the world, ver. 9, his, who was made fleſh and dwelt among p. 258us, ver. 14. None of theſe [his's] can be attributed to the Goſpel, but they are all proper to the Perſon of Chriſt; [his fulneſs] therefore muſt ſignifie the Fulneſs of Chriſt's Perſon, from whence all Grace is derived, as Light is from the Sun, and Senſe from the Head: All true Believers receive from him grace for grace, that is, ſay ſome, Gratiam cumulatiſſimam, abundant Grace; or, as others, Grace anſwering to the Grace in Chriſt; as the Child receives from his Parents Limb for Limb, or the Glaſs from the Face Image for Image. It is further to be noted, that the words are, we received foreign, out of his fulneſs: Had the Fulneſs meant here been the Fulneſs of the Goſpel, the words would have been, We rereceived of his Fulneſs, even the whole Goſpel; but becauſe here was intended the Fulneſs of Chriſt's Perſon, the words are, We received of his fulneſs, that is, a part or ſhare of it, and, as the Apoſtle ſpeaks, Eph. 4.7. Grace according to the meaſure of the gift of Christ. We may then conclude, that the Fulneſs is in Chriſt's Perſon, and ſay of him,Hom. of Man's Miſery. as our Church doth, He is the alone Mediator between God and Man, which paid our Ranſom; he is the p. 259Phyſician, which healeth all our diſeaſes; he is the Saviour, which ſaveth us from our ſins; he is that flowing and moſt plenteous Fountain, out of whoſe Fulneſs all we have received. But ſaith the Author, We may learn what this Fulneſs is, by ver. 14. We beheld his glory, the glory, as of the only begotten Son of God, full of grace and truth; ſo that this Fulneſs is a Fulneſs of Grace and Truth; and if we conſult ver. 17. we ſhall find, that this Grace and Truth is oppoſed to the Law of Moſes, ſo that Grace and Truth ſignifies the Goſpel. To which I anſwer, In the 14. ver. we have only a deſcription of the Perſon of Chriſt, whoſe Glory is there ſet forth by being full of Grace and Truth, not a tittle in it of the Goſpel: In the 17. verſ. we have not the word, fulneſs, but we have Grace and Truth oppoſed to the Law of Moſes, but how? not as if under the Law, taken in the whole Complex and Adminiſtration of it, there were no Evangelical Truths or Graces: this is evident; for in the Second Commandment we have mercy for thouſands: Upon the renewing of the Tables we have God proclaiming himſelf in thoſe ſtately Titles of Love, The Lord gracious, merciful, longſuffering, p. 260abundant in goodneſs and truth, keeping mercy for thouſands, forgiving iniquity, tranſgreſſion, and ſin: In Deut. 30.6 we have the circumciſion of the heart; in the 37. Pſal. 31. we have the Law of God in the heart, as the Character of a righteous man: We have the holy Spirit in the Saints; hence David ſiducially prayes, Take not thy holy Spirit from me, Pſal. 51.11. We have Job looking to his living Redeemer, Job 19.25. Abraham rejoicing to ſee Christ's day, Joh. 8.56. Abraham, Iſaac and Jacob embracing the Promiſes, and looking to an heavenly countrey, Heb. 11. and, and to ſay no more, all the Types and Shadows in the Ceremonial Law, were a kind of veiled Goſpel, and pointed at Chriſt, the great Center of both Teſtaments: And hence it appears, that, in caſe the Law be never called Grace, yet Evangelical Truths and Graces were not wanting under it. But in that 17. verſ. two things are pointed out to us; the one is this, That the Evangelical Truths and Graces, after the coming of Chriſt in the fleſh, though in Subſtance but the ſame, were gradually far more excellent than before; thoſe Truths, which under the Law were in Shadows p. 261and dark Reſemblances, after the coming of Chriſt appeared in Splendour and evidential Glory; thoſe Graces, which under the Law were but as Drops and in leſſer meaſures, after his coming were as Showers and in greater plenty: The other is this, That Chriſt is in a tranſcendent manner ſupereminent above Moſes; though there were Grace under the Law, yet Moſes could not communicate it; he could declare the Law or Doctrine, but being but a Man, a Miniſter, he could go no further: Juſt as John could baptize with water, but then he was at his utmoſt: Moſes could no more communicate Grace then John could baptize with the holy Ghoſt and Fire; but Chriſt diſpenſes more than meer Doctrine, he communicates Grace it ſelf: Hence it appears, that in that 17. verſ. there is more than bare Doctrine oppoſed to the Law, and attributed to Chriſt. I confeſs the Goſpel to be the Charter and Medium of Grace, but it is in the Royal hand of Chriſt to communicate it, and that from his own Perſon: He is a Prince and a Saviour, to give repentance and remiſſion of ſins, Act. 5.31. Moreover, if all Grace, and the fulneſs of it be only in the Goſpel, p. 262in the outward Doctrine and Declaration of Gods Will, as the Author ſeems to hint, what becomes of the influences of Grace? What are the ſupplies of the Spirit of Chriſt? Phil. 1.19. What the inward drawings and teachings? John 6.44.45. What the meaſure of the gift of Chriſt? Eph. 4.7. What the effectual working in every part, which is from the Head Chriſt? Eph. 4.16. All internal operations of Grace, all vital influences from Chriſt muſt utterly ceaſe; the condemned Pelagius may come in, and ſet up the very firſt and rudeſt draught of his Hereſie, which placed all Grace in Free Will and external Doctrine; and the Orthodox Fathers, which with might and main oppoſed him therein, may be juſtly cenſured for doing ſo.

To the ſame purpoſe the Apostle diſcourſes in Coloſſ. 9.10.Mr. Sherlock. For in him dwelleth all the fulneſs of the Godhead bodily, and ye are complete (foreign, filled) in him, who is the head of all Principalities and Powers: The expreſſion is alluſive and Metaphorical: For God who is a Spirit, cannot in a proper ſence dwell bodily in any thing: The Apoſtle's deſign in this Chapter is to perſwade the Coloſſians to p. 263adhere to the Goſpel, not to be ſeduced by Jews or Gnoſticks, (who talk'd very much in their canting phraſe of the Pleromata) to corrupt the Religion of Chriſt with Jewiſh Ceremonies, or Pagan Superſtitions; and the principal argument he urges to this purpoſe is the perfection of the Goſpel-revelation, that in Chriſt (that is the Goſpel) are hid all the treaſures of wiſdom and knowledge; Verſe 3. foreign, that is, not in whom are hid, but in whom are all the hidden treaſures of wiſdom and knowledge, that is, who hath now revealed to us all thoſe treaſures, which in former ages were hidden from the world; upon this he exhorts them to be firm to the Goſpel, Verſ. 6.7. To beware leſt any man ſpoil them through Philoſophy and vain deceit, after the traditious, of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Chriſt; and then adds, For in him (that is, in Chriſt) dwelleth all the fulneſs of the Godhead bodily: So this muſt refer to the complete and perfect revelation of the Goſpel, which needs not be ſupplied by the Philoſophy or Traditions of men. To understand the reaſon of this phraſe, and the force of Argument, we muſt conſider, that this is an alluſion to Gods dwelling in the Temple p. 264at Jeruſalem by Types and Figures, which were the Symbols of his preſence: The Temple was Gods houſe, the Mercy-Seat and Cherubims, &c. were the emblems of Gods preſence; he dwelt among them by Types and Figures, and therefore inſtituted a typical and figurative Religion, and this was an imperfect declaration of himſelf to the world: But now God hath ſent his ſon to tabernacle among us. Joh. 1.14. The Deity it ſelf dwells in the Temple of Chriſt's Body, not by Types and Figures, but by a real and immediate Preſence and Ʋnion; and therefore thoſe revelations, which are made by Chriſt, are anſwerable to the inhabitation of the Godhead in him, contain a true and perfect declaration of God's will, in oppoſition to the imperſect rudiments and types of the Law, ſo that foreign, or bodily, is oppoſed to figurative and typical; and this is a plain demonſiration of the perſection of the Goſpel-revelation, that the fulneſs of the Deity dwelt ſubstantially in Christ; his Religion anſwers the greatneſs of his Perſon, the Godhead dwelt in him bodily, and his Religion is foreign too, all truth and ſubſtance, The Law was but a ſhadow of things to come, but the body is of Chriſt, p. 265Verſe 17. His Religion is body, truth, and ſubſtance, this place is exactly parallel with Joh. 1.14. the word foreign, tabernacled among us: Herein the Figure of the Tabernacle was fulfilled, that God dwelt in our fleſh, and the Revelations he made of Gods Will did agree with the manner of his appearance, were full of Grace and Truth; not typical, but a plain and perfect declaration of God's Will, and as the Evangeliſt tells us, That of his fulneſs we have all received, that we are perfectly inſtructed by him: So our Apostle adds here, And yè are complete in him, filled in him; you need no Inſtructor but Chriſt; ſo that this fulneſs of the Godhead dwelling bodily in Christ, does ultimately reſolve it ſelf into the perfection of the Goſpel-revelation: For ſince the fulneſs of the Deity did inhabit in Chriſt's Perſon, he was able to acquaint us with the whole Will of God; the force of this reaſon our Saviour takes notice of: John 3.34, 35. He whom God hath ſent, ſpeaketh the words of God, that is, declareth his whole will to us; for God giveth not the Spirit by meaſure to him; it is not with him, as it was with the meaner Prophets, who bad only particular Revelations: The fulneſs of the Godhead p. 266dwells in him bodily; the Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand.

That place Col. 2.9.Anſwer. In him dwelleth all the fulneſs of the Godhead bodily, ſpeaks not of the Goſpel, but of the Perſon of Chriſt, it being a moſt pregnant, invincible proof of his Deity: The Socinians would fain wreſt away this Scripture: Here Biſhop Wren againſt the Racovian Catechiſm, firſt ſetting down their odd interpretation, and then paſſing his worthy cenſure on it, In Chriſto, id eſt, in Evangelic, habitat, id eſt, patefacta eſt, omnis plenitudo, ideſt, tota voluntas, Deitatis, id eſt, Dei, corporalitèr, id eſt, integrè & reipſâ: Ʋt placet verò! Quid malum! Naſo ſuſpenditis has gloſſas; ſatiſque ridiculè coactas eſſe clamatis! Erratis profectò Juvenes, neque ſatis rem adſecuti eſtis; praetèr enim quod gratis dictae ſunt, ſunt etiàm inſanùm violentae, & ſeriò execrandae: Thus he. The interpretation was execrable in his eyes, and well it might be ſo, contrary to all juſt rules of interpreting Scripture without any neceſſity at all urging thereunto, they decline from the native proper ſence of the words, and run into Tropes and Figures; Chriſt p. 267is taken for Doctrine, Dwelling for Manifeſtation, the fulneſs of the Godhead for the Will of God, and Bodily for Clearly and Perfectly; all is a meer force and violence upon the Text: Was it ever heard or read that the Allfulneſs of the Godhead ſhould ſignifie the Will of God, or the knowledge thereof; This is ſuch a Catachreſis, (ſaith Mr. Jeans) for which they can bring no Precedent or Parallel; it ſounded ſo harſh in the ears of their own Eujedinus, as that it drave him to affirm, That foreign, was by the careleſneſs of tranſcribers crept into the Original, inſtead of foreign; but the thing is clear by the after-words, In him dwelleth all the fulneſs of the Godhead bodily, ſaith the ninth Verſe: What is this, In him? In him, who is the Head of all Principality and Power: Verſe 10. In him, in whom we are circumciſed with the Circumciſion made without hands: Verſe 11. In him, with whom we are buried in Baptiſm: In him with whom we are riſen through Faith: In him, who was raiſed from the dead, Verſe 12. In him, who nailed the handwriting of Ordinances to his Croſs, Verſe 14. In him, who ſpoiled and triumphed over Principalities and Powers: p. 268Verſe 15. All which are proper, not to the Goſpel, but to the perſon of Chriſt; In him therefore dwells the fulneſs of the Godhead bodily, not in the Goſpel, but in the Perſon of Chriſt: But ſaith the Author, The expreſſion is alluſive and metaphorieal; for God who is a Spirit, cannot in a proper ſence dwell bodily in any thing: I anſwer, God is a Spirit, but I take it, that the foreign here is put for foreign, bodily is the ſame with perſonally: For as Biſhop Davenant obſerves, among the Hebrews, Souls are put for Perſons: Gen. 14.21. And among the Greeks, foreign ſignifies a Perſon, and ſo it is uſed in the vulgar Epigramm, — foreign.

In him dwells all the fulneſs of the Godhead bodily; that is, by the hypoſtatical Union, the eternal Word aſſuming, and the humane Nature aſſumed, becoming one Perſon: The Apoſtle's deſign in this Chapter (ſaith the Author) is to perſwade the Coloſſians to adhere to the Goſpel, and that, becauſe of the perfection of the Goſpel; in Chriſt, that is, in the Goſpel, are hid all the treaſures of wiſdom and knowledge, or there are the hidden p. 269treaſures: But I anſwer, the Apoſtle exhorts them to adhere to Chriſt; the Perſon of Chriſt, (In whom are hid all the treaſures of Wiſdom and Knowledge, Verſe 3. In whom dwelleth all the Fulneſs of the Godhead bodily, Verſe 9.) is oppoſed to the perſons of the Seducers, with all their Philoſophy and vain deceit: Thus Biſhop Wren ſaith, Christum ipſum iis opponi, quia ipſa Deitas in Christo inhabitat: Neither Verſe 3. nor Verſe 9. ſpeak of the Goſpel, but of the Perſon of Chriſt: The Godhead (ſaith the Author) dwelt in Chriſt bodily, not by Types and Figures, and his Religion is foreign too, all truth and ſubstance; but we muſt remember, that this foreign, the ſubſtance of the Chriſtian Religion was under the Law, though the face of it did not ſhine with ſuch a Luſtre and Glory as after the incarnation; but the Author goes on, Ye are complete in him: Verſe 10. You need no Inſtructer but Chriſt, who hath revealed God's will to us; ſo that this Fulneſs of the Godhead dwelling bodily in Chriſt, does ultimately reſolve it ſelf into the perfection of the Goſpel-revelation: To which I anſwer, We are complete in him; but is inſtruction a Chriſtians completure? p. 270Oh! no, beſides knowledge, there muſt be juſtifying and ſanctifying Grace, Chriſt's Righteouſneſs, and the Holy Spirit with all its Divine Furniture, to make a Chriſtian complete, and in whom, or in what is he complete? Not in the Goſpel, (of which the Apoſtle ſpeaks not) but in the Perſon of Chriſt: To which purpoſe Biſhop Wren hath an excellent paſſage, Quid non ſunt praeſtituri fideles, atque ſummâ fide elaboraturi, ut divelli ſe nunquam patiantur ab illius (in quo & ſeipſos quoque Divinitatis repletos eſſe intelligunt, foreign, Verſ. 10.) ſpirituali & myſticâ Ʋnione? Obſerve, he owns that Believers are united to Chriſt by a myſtical Union, and in him complete, and according to the Creature-model, filled with the Divinity: As for that in the Author, That the Fulneſs of the Godhead ultimately reſolves it ſelf into the Goſpel; If the meaning be only this, the Fulneſs of the Godhead is in Chriſt, therefore the Goſpel is Divine, I own it; but if the meaning be, the Fulneſs of the Godhead is in Chriſt, and by him transfuſed into the Goſpel, I utterly deny that transfuſion.Mr. Sherlock.

In other places the Fulneſs of Christ p. 271ſignifies the Church, Eph. 1.22, 23. the Church is called his body, the fulneſs of him that filleth all in all; the Church makes him (as it were) complete and perfect; for he cannot be a perfect Head without a Body: Hence the Church is called Chriſt, 1 Cor. 12.12. Beza tells us, That this is the reaſon of that Phraſe, which ſo frequently occurrs in the New Teſtament, of being in Chriſt, that is, being Members of the Chriſtian Church. Now the Church is called Chriſt's fulneſs, with reſpect to its extent and univerſality, that it is not confined to any particular Nation, as the Jewiſh Church was, but takes in Jews and Gentiles, bond and free: This I take to be the meaning of Col. 1.19. For it pleaſed the Father, that in him ſhould all fulneſs dwell. Beza obſerves, that ſome Expoſitors by his fulneſs, underſtand the Church; for ver. 18. the Apoſtle tells us, That he is the head of the body, the Church, who is the beginning, the firſt-born from the dead, that in all things he might have the preeminence: For it pleaſed the Father that in him ſhould all fulneſs dwell: Where fulneſs muſt be expeunded of the Church, that it pleaſed God to unite his Church unto Chriſt; for the Apoſtle aſſigns this as the p. 272Reaſon of Chriſt's being the Head of the Church. And if you would know, why the Church is called fulneſs, and all fulneſs ſaid to dwell in Chriſt, the Reaſon follows in 20, 21. And having made peace through the blood of his Croſs, to reconcile all things by him, I ſay, whether they be things in earth, or things in Heaven; and you, who were ſometimes alienated, and enemies in your minds by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled: This is that fulneſs that dwells in Christ, that he is made the Head of the Ʋniverſal Church, both in heaven and earth, that Jews and Gentiles are now united in one Body, that Christ is the univerſal Shepherd and Biſhop of Souls, by him to reconcile all things to himſelf: And this is the meaning of that phraſe, The fulneſs of him who filleth all in all; the Church is his fulneſs, becauſe he filleth all in all, that is, doth not conſine his care and providence, and the influences of his Grace to any one Nation, but extends it to the whole World: Thus the fulneſs of Chriſt ſignifies in Eph. 4.13. Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the meaſure of the ſtature of the fulneſs of Chriſt, which is the explication, of, to a p. 273perfect man, that is, to that perfection of Faith and Knowledge, which becomes the Chriſtian Church; for foreign ſignifying the age, and growth and ſtature of a Man, the fulneſs of Chriſt cannot ſo properly be underſtood of any thing, as of the Chriſtian Church: This is all I can find in Scripture concerning the Fulneſs of Chriſt, which either ſignifies the Perfection of his Goſpel, or the Ʋniverſality of his Church; which is a plain Demonſtration of thoſe mens skill in expounding Scripture, who make this Fulneſs a Perſonal Grace in Chriſt.

Eph. 1.22, 23.Anſwer. The Church is called Chriſt's body, the fulneſs of him that filleth all in all: But this is not the Church Viſible, which is made up of Believers and Unbelievers (theſe latter being dead and putrid Members, do not as, Biſhop Davenant hath obſerved, complere Corpus Chriſti, ſed corrumpere & deformare;) but it is the Church Catholick which is made up only of Saints; theſe make up the Myſtical Body of Chriſt, and without them Chriſt as Head accounts not himſelf complete: The Church is Chriſt's Fulneſs, but is there not a perſonal fontal Fulneſs in Chriſt? No doubt there is; the Text tells us, That he filleth all in all, and p. 274that he is head to the Church, and ſo muſt diſpenſe vital Influences of Grace to all his Members: Hence the whole Body is foreign, ſupplied with all the Furniture of Grace from him as Head, Col. 2.19. and all the Members of that Body are foreign, filled with all graces in him, Col. 2.10. Without this fontal Fulneſs in Chriſt, what would become of the Church? In a moment the foreign or Body would turn into Corruption, and the foreign or Fulneſs would vaniſh into Confuſion; but, becauſe it is myſtically united to him as a living Head, hence it is called Christ, 1 Cor. 12.12. The phraſe, being in Chriſt, ſignifies the Myſtical Union with him: Hence Beza on that place, There is no condemnation to them which are in Chriſt, Rom. 8.1. ſaith, Quia ſumus per fidem facti unum cum Chriſto. That place Col. 1.19. For it pleaſed the Father, that in him ſhould all fulneſs dwell, ſpeaks not of the Church as Chriſt's Fulneſs, but of the fontal perſonal Fulneſs in Chriſt; the Church is called Chriſt's Fulneſs, but never the All-fulneſs of him; the All-fulneſs is not the Church's Fulneſs, but Chriſt's, ſuch as made him fit to be Head of the Church, and the Origen of all Graces p. 275in the Church: The All-fulneſs is an antecedent Reaſon, why Chriſt was Head of the Church, the Church's being Chriſts Fulneſs is a conſequent and reſult from thence. But ſaith the Author, The Church is called fulneſs, becauſe ver. 20, 21. Christ reconciled all things in heaven, and earth, he is Head of the Church Ʋniverſal in heaven and earth, Jews and Gentiles are now united in one body: To which I anſwer, Chriſt is indeed the Head of the Church Univerſal, but the All-fulneſs made him meet to be ſuch an Head, elſe he could not have reconciled all things. Christ (ſaith the Author) filleth all in all, that is, he extends the influences of his Grace to the whole world: This I ſuppoſe, is ſomewhat hard to be maintained; in the Pagan World it is difficult to believe, that there are Influences: There they are without God in the world; the only Name, Jeſus, is not named; the holy Spirit, the Fountain of all Grace, is not heard of; the holy Ordinances, the Chariot of the Spirit, are wanting; and how can we think of the Influences of Grace there? The Fathers in the fourth Council of Carthage would have every Biſhop believe,Crab. Concil. Tom 1. that Extra Eccleſiam Catholicam nullus ſalvetur. I therefore conclude p. 276with Camero, Vult Apoſtolus omnem plenitudinem eſſe à Chriſto, non vult omnes participes eſſe hujus plenitudinis: Thus ſaith the Author) the fulneſs of Chriſt, Eph. 4.13. ſignifies the fulneſs of the Church; the meaſure of the ſtature of the fulneſs of Chriſt, is the explication of the perfect man; foreign ſignifies the age and ſtature of a man, the fulneſs is to be underſtood of the Chriſtian Church. I confeſs this Text may well be conſtrued, as Eph. 1.23. ought to be, of the Church; only whereas there the Apoſtle ſpeaks of the Churches being the Body of Chriſt, here he ſpeaks of its growing to ripeneſs and full perfection, which is chiefly accompliſhed above in Glory: But we muſt ſtill remember, that the Churches being Chriſt's Fulneſs doth not deny, but ſuppoſe a perſonal fontal Fulneſs in Chriſt, who ſilleth all in all.

Let us now conſider in what ſence Chriſt is called our Life; Mr Sherlock.he is called Life with reſpect to his Doctrine; he preached the Word of Life, and brought life and immortality to light by the Goſpel: In him was life, and the life was the light of men, Joh. 14.6. that is, he preached the Word of Life, which enlightneth the dark Minds of men, it is not imaginable how Life ſhould be Light p. 277in any other ſence. Christ tells his Diſciples, I am the way, the truth, and the Life, Joh. 14.6. that is, I declare the true way to Life: Thus he calls himſelf the bread of life, Joh. 6. with reſpect to the Doctrine he preached, ver. 33. and with reſpect to that Sacrifice he offered for the Life of the World; The bread I will give is my fleſh, which I will give for the life of the world, ver. 51. Chriſt is alſo our Life, becauſe he hath power to bestow immortal Life upon all his ſincere followers: Joh. 11.25. I am the Refurrection and the Life; Joh. 5.25. The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead ſhall hear the voice of the Son of God, and they that hear ſhall live: He first raiſes thoſe who are dead in ſin, to a new ſpiritual Life by the power of his Doctrine, and then hath Authority to raiſe them to an immortal life: Thus Col. 3.3, 4. Ye are dead, and your life is hid with Chriſt in God: When Chriſt, who is our life, ſhall appear, then ſhall ye alſo appear with him in glory: That is, you profeſs your ſelves dead to the world in conformity to Christ's Death; and though that immortal Life, which you expect to enjoy with Chriſt, who is now riſen again from the dead, be at preſent concealed from your p. 278view; yet when Christ, who is the Author of Eternal Life, and hath power to raiſe us up from the dead, ſhall appear the ſecond time to judge the world, then ſhall ye appear with him in glory. We must not dream of fetching Life from the Perſon of Christ, as we draw water out of a Fountain; but we must ſtedfaſtly believe and obey his Goſpel, which is a Principle of divine Life in us, and then we may expect a Reſurrection and immortal Life.

Chriſt preached the Word of Life, Anſwer.he brought Life and Immortality to light, that is, in a more illuſtrious manifeſtation of it; Immortality, which did but dawn and glimmer under the Law, breaks forth in Luſtre and Glory under the Goſpel. That, Joh. 1.4. The life was the light of men, ſpeaks not of Chriſt's Doctrinal Word, but of his Creative, which lighted up an excellent Reaſon in Man: This is clear from the Series of the Evangeliſt's ſpeech, which in this place makes its progreſs from a ſtate of Creation, unto Darkneſs or the amiſſion of Light, and from thence to the inſtauration of it. Chriſt is the life, Joh. 14.6. not only declaring the Way to Life, but inſpiring that Spiritual Life, which is a Seed of Eternal: p. 279He is our Life with reſpect to his Sacrifice, Joh. 6. but then that Sacrifice muſt be applied to us, by the quickening Spirit, which unites to Chriſt, and by Faith, which feeds on him. He raiſes up thoſe that are dead in ſins to a new ſpiritual Life, Joh. 5.25. Not by his Doctrine only, but by his Regenerating Spirit; and when he hath raiſed them up, he is their Life ſtill by the ſupplies of the Spirit, and influences of Grace: Hence St. Auſtin upon the 26. Verſe, As the Father hath life in himſelf, ſo hath he given to the Son to have life in himſelf, obſerves, That Chriſt hath Life in himſelf, but the Believer hath not Life in himſelf, but in Chriſt, living but as a part or piece of Chriſt, and ever in dependence on him. Chriſt is called our life, Col. 3.4. that is, he is the Fountain of the glorious Life in Heaven, and withal of thoſe Graces which are the firſt-fruits and buddings of it. After all this, the Author concludes thus: We must not dream of fetching Life from the Perſon of Chriſt, as we draw water out of a fountain: This is durus ſermo indeed, we muſt not fetch Life from Chriſt; he calls us to come to him, nay, charges the unbelieving Jews for not coming to him for p. 280Life, Joh. 5.40. yet we muſt not fetch life from him. St. Paul did all things through Chriſt ſtrengthening him, Phil. 4. 13. and did not live himſelf, but Christ lived in him, Gal. 2.20. yet we muſt not: Chriſt is in Scripture an Head, who gives all vital Influences to his Members;2. Hom. of Mans miſery. and in our Church-Homily a flowing and moſt plenteous Fountain, of whoſe fulneſs we all receive; yet we muſt not: And what then muſt we do? We muſt believe and obey the Goſpel, which is a Principle of divine Life in us; ſo the Author: But is Chriſt and his Goſpel at odds indeed? If we fetch Life from Chriſt, may we not believe and obey the Goſpel? Or if we believe and obey the Goſpel, may we not fetch Life from Chriſt? What ſtrange inconſiſtencies are theſe? The Epheſians tuſted in Chriſt, and yet heard the Goſpel of Salvation, Eph. 1.13. they were for the great Purchaſer and Fountain of Life, and yet caſt not away the Charter; The Jews ſearched the Scriptures, and yet ſhould have gone to Chriſt for Life; they thought they had Eternal Life in the Scriptures, and, which was their folly, they thought they had it there in a way ſeparate from Chriſt; but he told them, that p. 281the Scriptures, if they had digged deep enough in them, would have teſtified of him unto them, and ſo have pointed out unto them the Fountain of Life in Chriſt, Joh. 5.39, 40. Nay, believing and obeying the Goſpel are ſo far from being inconſiſtent with fetching Life from Chriſt, that they cannot be without it; Without Life from Chriſt, how or which way ſhould a man believe or obey the Goſpel? May Nature, lapſed Nature do it? No ſurely, that, which of it ſelf is not ſufficient ſo much as to raiſe up an holy thought, or to ſay, Jeſus is the Lord, cannot of it ſelf believe or obey the Goſpel: Or may Nature and Doctrine do it? To place all Grace in outward Doctrine is meer Pelagianiſm: It is a ſaying of St. Austin, Solet dicere humana ſuperbia, De Grat. & Liber. Arb. c. 2.ſi ſeiſſem, feciſſem; ideò non feci, quia neſcivi: Humane pride is wont to ſay, had I known, I had done it; asking only a Rule, and preſuming upon its own power for performance: But the Scripture tells us of an internal Work, of inward Teachings, Drawings, Quickenings, and New-creatings in the Heart; where theſe things are, there the Goſpel is a Principle of Divine Life in us: There the Goſpel comes not in word only, but in p. 282power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much aſſurance; as the Apoſtle hath it: 1 Theſſ. 1.5. Believing and obeying the Goſpel, ſuppoſe internal operations of Grace; and theſe muſt come from Chriſt the fountain of life: In him we are created unto good works, and without him we can do nothing.

Thus to proceed, Mr Sherlock.Christ is the Power of God, and the wiſdom of God, and the Goſpel is the wiſdom and power of God: 1 Cor. 1.24. Chriſt the power of God, and the wiſdom of God, that is the Doctrine of a crucified Christ, as appears by the verſes before; The Jews require a Sign, and the Greeks ſeek after Wiſdom, but we preach Chriſt crucified, to the Jews a ſtumbling-block, and to the Greeks fooliſhneſs, but to them who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Chriſt the power of God, and the wiſdom of God: The Jews were all for Signs and Miracles, the Greeks for curious Philoſophical Speculations; neither of them could reliſh the plain ſimple Doctrine of a crucified Chriſt: But the Apoſtle tells us, that this Doctrine is the power and wiſdom of God; the moſt powerful method which was ever uſed by God for the reforming of the world, and the contrivance of excellent wiſdom; p. 283thus the Goſpel is called, the power of God to them that believe: Rom. 1.16. And by this fooliſhneſs of preaching, that is, by preaching this fooliſh Doctrine (as it was accounted by the world) of a crucified Chriſt; it pleaſed God to ſave them that believe: Chriſt being exalted to the right hand of Majeſty, may in a proper ſence be called the power of God, becauſe all power is given to him in Heaven and earth, and he hath the ſupreme Government of all the affairs of this ſpiritual Kingdom, and this is a perſonal power inherent in him; but the exerciſe of it is confined to the Rules of the Goſpel; he hath power to ſave thoſe that believe and obey, and to destrey his enemies; this power cannot ſave any man whom the Goſpel condemns; we have no reaſon to truſt to his perſonal power, unleſs we firſt obey his Goſpel; however omnipotent he be, his Goſpel is the meaſure of his actings, if that condemn us, his omnipotent power will not ſave us.

Chriſt is the power and wiſdom of God, and ſo is the Goſpel,Anſwer. but are they both in equal degree ſuch? No ſurely, the Goſpel is ſuch organically, and in a way of ſubordination to Chriſt, and he is ſuch principally, and in a p. 284way of excellency above the Goſpel: The Goſpel is the wiſdom of God, a Glaſs of it, and a Divine Medium to illuminate, and make us wiſe; but all this under Chriſt the brightneſs of his Fathers Glory, and great illuminator; from whom the unction or teaching anointing of the Spirit of Wiſdom and Revelation deſcends down upon us, to open our eyes & hearts upon the glorious things in the Goſpel: The Goſpel is the power of God, a Divine Scepter, to ſubdue and overcome the wills and hearts of men; but this is under Chriſt, the eternal word and power of God, who by that Scepter produces that great and ſupernatural effect. The Apoſtles, though earthen Veſſels carried about the Evangelical treaſure with them; but the foreign, or the excellency of the power was of God, and not of them: 2 Cor. 4.7. The believing Corinthians were the Apoſtles Epiſtle, and Chriſt's too, 2 Cor. 3.2. & 3. but not in equal degree: They were (ſaith the Text) Chriſt's Epiſtle miniſtred by the Apoſtles; the Apoſtles were but as the pen, which the Almighty Fingers of the Spirit uſed to make the Impreſſion or Divine Inſcription upon their hearts: Hence the Text ſaith, p. 285That the ſame was written, not with Ink, but with the Spirit of the living God: The Text quoted by the Author, (The Jews require a ſign, and the Greeks ſeek after wiſdom; but we preach Chriſt crucified, unto the Jews a ſtumbling-block, and unto the Greeks fooliſhneſs, but unto them, which are called both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wiſdom of God; 1 Cor. 1.22, 23 and 24. is a very remarkable one; they all had the Goſpel, the external call; yet, to ſhew that all was in the Royal hand of Chriſt, the diſpenſation is very different: Thoſe to whom Chriſt preached, was a Stumbling block or Fooliſhneſs, had not ſo much as any internal illumination; For it is not at all imaginable, that Chriſt the power of God, if truly underſtood, could be a ſtumblingblock to the Jews, who looked after ſigns; or that Chriſt the wiſdom of God, if truly underſtood, could be Fooliſhneſs to the Greeks, who ſought after wiſdom; but thoſe called ones among them, to whom Chriſt was the power of God, and wiſdom of God, had internal illuminations and operations of Grace: The Goſpel then is the power and wiſdom of God, but organically p. 286and in ſubſerviency to Chriſt, who hath all the power in Heaven and earth, and illuminates and ſubdues hearts by the Goſpel, as he pleaſes; he hath power to ſave ſuch as believe and obey; but that is not all; he hath power to make them believing and obedient, and to ſave them, not contrary to the Goſpel-rules, but according to them.