Part II.

Chap. 4.

VII.

The Use of the

Subordination.

he is not made nor created, yet he is begotten, (viz. of the Father,) as it is explain'd in the Athanafian Creed. Hence the Father as fuch has the Pre-eminence, forafmuch as He is God of himself, and fo the Fountain, as it were, or Origin of the Divinity, which is in the Son, and in the Holy Ghoft.

The Understanding of this Subordination is of great Doctrin of Chrift's Ufe in feveral Refpects. 1, As hereby is explain'd, In what Senfe or on what Account the Father is ftyl'd, not only by the Primitive Doctors of the Church, but alfo in Scripture, the Only or One God. For this is the moft eafy Explanation of thofe Words of our Saviour himself, Joh. 17. 3. where directing his Prayer to the Father, as v. 1. he ftyles him in v. 3. the Only true God, as being by way of Pre-eminence fo, inasmuch as he is the Fountain or Origin of the Only true Godhead, from which the Son and Holy Ghost derive their True Divinity. And hence and from what has been said in the laft foregoing Paragraph, it appears, in what Sense is to be understood that part of the Athanafian Creed, where it is faid, that in the Trinity None is Afore or After Other, None is Greater or Less than Another, viz. that This is to be understood only in refpect to the Effential Attributes of the Divine Nature, which, as fuch, are common to all the Three Perfons of the Godhead; not in refpect to the Perfonal Attributes, in refpect of which the Father is in Order Afore or Greater than the other two Divine Perfons; as in like manner the Son is in Order Afore or Greater than the Holy Ghost. 2ly, The Subordination of the Son and Holy Ghost to the Father is of Use, or rather Neceffity, to be believ'd, in order to preferve the Unity of the Godhead, and the Divine Monarchy, while we affert the True Divinity of the Son and Holy Ghost, as well as of the Father. He that would fee more of this Sublime Point, as it is treated of by the Primitive Fathers, let him read Bp Bull's Def. of the Nicene Creed, Sect. 4. Ch. 1, &c.

VIII.

The Opinion of Thus much I judg'd the more neceffary to be taken fome Moderns notice of in this Treatife, because there have not been of him felf,refuted. Wanting fome Moderns, who have eagerly contended,

that Chrift is God

that

ง

Part II.

that the Son is God of Himfelf. Which Opinion is not only contrary to Reafon, Scripture, and fo to the Do- Chap. 4. &trin of the Primitive Fathers, but is even inconfiftent with It felf. For if the Son be God of himself or Unbegotten, then there must neceffarily be two diftinct and altogether independent Gods; and if there may be Two, there may be as well two Hundred. So that this Opinion is in effect no other than downright Polytheifm; and fo is directly contrary to Scripture as well as to Reason, the Scripture frequently and primarily afferting, that there is but One true God. To keep Men from running into Tritheifm, or fuch a wrong Belief that Each of the three Perfons in the Godhead is God of himself, the Primitive Doctors of the Church did not fcruple to ftyle the Father, the Principle, Cause, Author, and Fountain of the Son, and fo of the Holy Ghost alfo; and therefore by way of Eminence, the One and Only God, according to Joh. 17. 3. as has been afore obferv'd. Hence it is that the Nicene Fathers began their Creed thus: I believe in One God, the Father Almighty. But laftly, the Opinion we are speaking against, is inconfiftent with it felf. For the Afferters thereof maintain the Son to be of the Father, only as he is the Son, not as he is God; or that he derives his Perfon, not his Divine Effence or Nature from the Father. Which Affertion carries in it a manifest Contradiction. For the Son cannot be begotten of the Father, unless he derives his Nature and Deity from the Father. For to be begotten, is no other than to be born of Another in the Likeness or Identity of Nature. So that he that is begotten, mult neceffarily have his Nature communicated to him from him that begot him, that he may become of the like or fame Nature with him that begot him. Further, if Christ, as he is the Son, do's not derive his Divine Nature from the Father, E then he receives only the bare Relation of Sonship from the Father. And fuch a Perfonality without any Effence can't be conceiv'd, without allowing that Perfonality in the Godhead, is no other than a meer Mode of Exiflence or Subfiftence, which is downright Sabellianifm.

R 2

The

ין

Part II.

IX.

nion whence probably arisen.

The foremention'd wrong Opinion feems to be taken

Chap. 4. up by fome Moderns, thro' a wrong Understanding of fome Expreffions used by the Primitive Writers, more The wrong opi- particularly by Origen. He in his third Book against Celfus ftyles Chrift or the Son of God, Αὐτοσοφία, αὐτοαλή Sea, and the like. Whereby the faid Moderns fuppofe Origen to have meant, that the Son was Wisdom of himfelf, Truth of himself, &c. Whereas it is certain that in thefe words the Pronoun arò fignifies only the Verity, Reality, and Perfection of What is fpoken of, not its Caufe or Origin. So that by the foremention'd compound Words Origen meant only, that the Son was very and most perfect Wisdom and Truth, &c. This will appear from Origen's use of the said Pronoun in another but like Cafe, viz. in his Comment on St John, Tom. 32. where he styles Chrift, not only ampia, but alfo auriu. For here it is manifeft, that by aurÓч can't be meant that Chrift is the Son of himself, (forafmuch as this is a downright Abfurdity and Contradiction,), but that Chrift is the Very, or moft True and genuin Son of God. In which Senfe likewife Athanafius applies the fame words to Chrift. And in this Senfe Chrift may be rightly styl'd even aur, viz. as thereby is meant (not that he is God of himself, but) Very and most true God.

X.

Of the Neceffity of Having thus briefly touch'd upon and prov'd the believing Chrift's four Heads or principal Points relating to Chrift's Ditrue Divinity in vinity, it remains now in the fifth and laft place to speak order toSalvation. of the Neceffity of believing Chrift's true Divinity in order

to Salvation. It will then be fufficient to the Design of this Treatife, to obferve that whereas Simon Epifcopius in his Theological Inftitutions, and fome others con tend, that the Belief and Profeffion of Chrift's true Divinity was not judg'd necessary to Salvation in or by the Primitive Churches; Bifhop Bull has largely fhewn This to be moft Falfe, in his Latin Treatife entitled, The Judgment of the Catholick Church of the Three firft Ages concerning the Neceffity of Believing, that our Lord Jefus Christ is True God which Treatife was first publifh'd by it felf in a small Octavo, and is fince re

printed

printed with the Bifhop's other Latin Works in Folio. In this Treatife the Bishop firft alledges the Teftimonies of the Primitive Fathers teaching, that the Doctrin of Chrift's true Divinity is altogether Neceffary to be beshev'd in order to Salvation. And then the Bishop fhews from the Hiftory of the Primitive Church, that whofoever in the faid firft Ages denied the Divine Generation of Jefus Chrift by God the Father before all 5 Worlds, was therefore excommunicated the Catholick Church, and condemn'd as an Heretick.

Part II. Chap. 4.

XI.

What has been faid in this Chapter, is fufficient, chrift's Divinity not only to give the Reader a Sketch of the most ma- why oppos'd by the terial Points relating to Chrift's Divinity, but alfo to Devil. The fame learnedly defenfhew him in fhort, How eafy they are to be prov'd, as ded" by Bp Bull being confiftent with Reafon, Scripture, and the Do- and Dr waterland, &trin of the Primitive Fathers or Teachers of the Chriftian Church. That the true Divinity of Chrift fhould notwithstanding be ftill oppos'd, is no wonder, forafmuch as it being a fundamental Article of the Chriftian Religion, and that on which chiefly depends the Dignity of our Saviour on his own Part, and his Satiffaction for the Sins of Man on our Part, the Devil can No ways more vent his Enmity against Chrift and us, than by endeavouring to deprive Chrift of his Divine Dignity, and confequently us of the Benefits of Chrift's Satisfaction. But as the Devil has to thefe Ends all along rais'd up fome to disturb the Peace of the Church, by oppofing the true Divinity of Chrift: fo God has all along gracioufly rais'd up others, able to defend the true Doctrin. Among whom as Bp Bull has Largely and moft Learnedly defended the fame in Latin; fo the · Reverd Dr Waterland has done the fame lately in English with great Applaufe. On which Score no more need be faid here concerning the Divinity of Chrift.

CHAP.

T

134

I.

CHA P. V.

Of that Part of the Gospel-Covenant, which refpeds Man redeem'd; and firft of Gospel-Righteoufness in general, and then particularly of Imputed Righteousness.

Gopel-Righteous-Aving explain'd two Parts of the Gospel-Covenefs may be con- nant, viz. that which refpects God, and that fider'd in a two- which refpects God-Man our Redeemer Christ, I come

fold Respect.

II.

First, as the For

of Juftification we

to the remaining Part, which refpects Man redeem'd. Christ in his fummary Account of the Gofpel, Luk. 24. 46, 47. denotes this Part by Repentance, which is fet forth in holy Scripture as confifting of two general Parts, viz. Ceafing from Evil, and Doing that which is Good, Ifai.1.16,17. or as St Paul expreffes it, Act. 26.18. Turning from Darkness into Light, and from the Power of Satan unto God; or as the fame Apoftle expreffes it yet more plainly, Tit. 2. 12. Denying Ungodliness and worldly Lufts, and Living Soberly, and Righteously, and Godly in this prefent World. Of these two Branches is made up the Gospel-Righteousness, whereby as the Formal Caufe we are esteem'd and truly declar'd Juft or Righteous by God in the Act of Juftification; and alfo whereby as the Condition perform'd we attain the Freegift of the Forgiveness of Sins, and of eternal Life. Wherefore I fhall treat of Gofpel-Righteousness under both these Respects.

And firft, in this Chapter I fhall treat of Gofpelmal Caufe, by Righteoufnefs confider'd as the Formal Caufe, whereby which in the Act we are esteem'd Formally Just by God in the Act of Juare deem'd byGod ftification, namely according to the Gofpel-Law. For formally fuft ac- all Righteousness refpects fome Law, by which as its Rule it is to be try'd; and he is Righteous who performs What is requir'd of him by that Law whereby be is to be judg'd. Now the Tenor of the Gospel-Law is this: Whosoever believes and repents, i. e. fincerely

cording to the Gospel-Law.

grieves