A Friendly Debate on a Weighty Subject, Overview
Maſter Eaton's Scriptures and Inſtances.
THe Doctrine againſt Chriſt being God, is not onelyonly contradictory to the Scripture which doth moſt clearly hold him out to be ſo, as when he is called God, in Pſal. 45.6. Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever; The mighty God, Iſa. 9.6. The great God and our Saviour, in Tit. 2.13. The true God, Joh. 5.20. and when the incommunicable name Jehovah is attributed to him in Jer. 23.6 which ſignifies one that hath being of himſelf, and gives being to his promiſes; and ſo becomes proper to the moſt high God alone: and when he is called The everlaſting Father, Iſa. 9.6. and in that ſaying of Chriſt to the Jews, Before Abraham was, I am, Joh. 8.58. and in that Rev. 1.8. I am Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End, ſaith the Lord, which was, is, and which is to come; the Almighty: and when he is ſaid to be in the beginning, and to be with God, and to be God, Joh. 1.1. and when it is ſaid that by him all things were made and without him nothing is made that was made: and when Chriſt ſaith that he is always, and ſo with all the faithful to the end of the world, Matth. 28.20. and when he aſſerts that he knew all the works of the Churches, which at that diſtance, (as meer man) he could not do, Rev. 2.2. and when he is ſaid to be the firſt-born of every creature, where his eternal generation is held out, Col. 1.15. and that by him all things were created verſ. 16. Now becauſe Creation is a making of all things out of nothing, and required an infinite power, God could make uſe of no inſtrument, inaſmuch as God cannot 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: And when he is reſembled in reference to his eternity to Melchizedek; Without beginning of days, or end of life, Heb. 7.3. and that in Prov. 8.22. The Lord poſſeſſed me in the beginning of his way (ſaith Chriſt:) Before his works of old, I was ſet up from everlaſting, verſ, 30. Then was I by him, as one brought up with him, &c. And that in Zech. 13.7. Awake, O ſword, againſt my Shepherd, againſt the man that is my fellow. And that in Joh. 3.13. No man hath aſcended up into heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man that is in heaven. And that in Joh. 17.5. Glorifie me, O Father, with that glory I had with thee before the world was. There be many other pregnant Scriptures, which would be too long to mention, for the proving of Chriſt to be God in that ſence which we uſually ſpeak of God: and therefore that opinion that denies it, contradicts theſe Scriptures.
But further, it may be truely ſaid that this Doctrine that makes Chriſt a meer creature, brings in as it were another Goſpel; deſtroys the true Goſpel in many of the parts of it, and brings in another Scripture in many points.
1. As firſt, if Chriſt be but a meer creature, and not God, then the giving of Divine worſhip, and honour, and ſervice to a meer creature is lawful and warrantable, and yet everywhere forbidden in reference to any creature; but is practiſed to Chriſt, in Rev. 5.12, 13, 14. and would be Idolatry, if Chriſt were not God.
2. If Chriſt be a meer creature, then it is lawful and warrantable to believe in a meer creature, which is againſt the tenour of the whole Scripture; but is commanded in reference unto Chriſt, Joh. 14.1. and ſalvation is annexed to it, Joh. 3.36.
3. If Chriſt be but a meer creature, then faith in a meer creature can ſave man, which is abſurd and groſs, and contrary to the Scriptures: for Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteouſneſs, Rom. 4.3. and ſo was ſaving.
4. If Chriſt be but a meer creature, then a meer creature is the Saviour of men, ſaving them with a mighty and eternal ſalvation, as the Scripture ſpeaks: but this is againſt the whole current of the Goſpel, which ſpeaks of God our Saviour, Tit. 2.10, 13, and in many other places.
5. If Chriſt be but a meer creature, then a meer creature is Mediator betwixt God and Man; which cannot be, becauſe a meer creature is no way meet to be a days-man for God; and becauſe a Mediator muſt either partake of both God and Man, or of neither; elſe he will rather be a party then a Mediator, if he partake of Mans nature, and not of Gods; if he be Man, and not God. Therefore this Mediator betwixt God and Man is called Emmanuel, that is, God with us, or God in our nature; God manifeſted in the fleſh, 1 Tim. 3.16. or God made fleſh, as in Joh. 1.14.
6. If Chriſt be but a meer creature, then the righteouſneſs of Chriſt which is imputed to believers, is not the righteouſneſs of God, but the righteouſneſs of a meer creature: But this is againſt the tenour of the Scripture, Phil. 3.9.
7. If Chriſt be but a meer creature, then to pardon ſin belongs not to him, becauſe Scripture teſtifies that none can forgive ſin but God, becauſe all ſin is againſt God, therefore none can forgive it but God. But it is evident Chriſt took the authority of forgiving ſin: Son, (ſaith Chriſt) thy ſins are forgiven thee: and Luke 7.48.
8. If Chriſt be but a meer creature, then the value of that offering which Chriſt offered, when he offered himſelf to God, is taken away, and the ſatisfaction which Chriſt gave to Divine juſtice is deſtroyed: for if the perſon that died were a meer man, and the blood that was ſhed, the blood of a meer man, and not of God, as it is called. Acts 20.28. then how could it ſatisfie for the ſins of many tranſgreſſors? for there is no proportion betwixt one meer man dying for ſins, and many men ſinning, and deſerving death each of them for the ſins they have committed. And how an infinite Juſtice offended, ſhould be ſatisfied with a ſacrifice finite in value, is unconceiveable, and againſt the tenour of the Scripture.
9. If Chriſt be a meer creature, then the interceſſion of Chriſt is utterly overthrown: for Chriſt, (if meer man) being in heaven, cannot know the ſtate of his Church in all places upon earth, therefore cannot intercede for it.
10. If Chriſt be a meer creature, then how can he protect, and defend, and ſave, and direct, and rule, and govern his Church in all the world, in every condition, and againſt all enemies, he being at ſuch a diſtance and remoteneſs from the Church; and yet it is ſaid of him, that he is able to ſave to the utmoſt thoſe that come to God by him, Heb. 7.25. and that he is with them to the end of the world; and Chriſt ſtood by Paul, and ſtrengthned him in ſuffering, Acts 23.11. and Rev. 3.10. Becauſe thou haſt kept the word of my patience, I will keep thee in the hour of temptation: ſo that it is Chriſt now in heaven that keeps the Saints on earth; which, being a meer creature, he cannot do.
11. If Chriſt be a meer creature, then a meer creature is the judge of the world; which is againſt the Scripture: for the Judge of all the world is God; before whom Abraham ſtood, Gen. 18.25. when he pleaded for Sodom. Rev. 2.5, 6, the day of judgement is called the day of the revelation of the righteous judgement of God, who will render to every man according to his works.
12. Laſtly (which ſhould have been before) if Chriſt be a meer creature, then prayer to him, being now in heaven, is altogether vain and frivolous, inſomuch as perſons may cry loud, long enough before Chriſt hear them at that diſtance. But the Saints have been wont not onelyonly to pray to God in Chriſts Name, but to pray to Chriſt directly and immediately, as in Acts 7.59. Rev. 22.20. Lord Jeſus receive my ſpirit. Come, Lord Jeſus, &c.