^ This is a clear and full evidence that Jesus Christ is, and must be more than ^tXos AvOpuwos, mere man, or j'et a divine man, as Dr Liishington styles him in Heb. vii. 22. [In his anonvmous ' Expiation of a Sinner, in a Commentary upon the Epistle to the Hebrews.' 1646. Folio.— G.]
162 Christ's eternal deity proved.
you see the divine nature, the infinite excellency of Jesus Christ, is an undeniable gi-ound of this co-equal honour ; and therefore the worship due to Christ as God, the same God with his Father, is the very same worship, both for kind and degree, which is due to the Father. But, for the further and clearer opening of this, consider,
(1.) First, that all inward worship is due to Christ. As, [1.] Believiiig on him. Faith is a worship which belongs only to God, enjoined in the first commandment, and against trusting in man there is a curse denounced, Jer. xvii. 5, 6. But Christ commands us to believe in him, John i. xii. John xiv. 1, * Ye believe in God, be- lieve also in me.' John iii. 16, ' For God so loved the world, that he gave his only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.' Ver. 36, ' He that believeth in the Son hath everlasting life, and he that believeth not the Son, shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him.' John vi. 47, ' Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that believeth on me hath everlast- ing life.' The same respect that Christians give unto God the Father, they must also give unto the Son, believing on him ; which is an honour due only to God. Other creatures, men and angels, may be believed, but not believed on, rested on. This were to make them gods ; this were no less than idolatry.
[2.] Secondly, Loving of Jesus Uirist loitli all the heart, com- manded above the love, nay, even to the hatred, of father, mother, wife, children, yea, and our own lives, Luke xiv. 26. He who is not disposed, where these loves are incompatible, to hate father and all other relations, for the love of Christ, can be none of his. I ought dearly and tenderly to love father and mother — the law of God and nature requiring it of me, — but to prefer dear Jesus, who is God blessed for ever, before all, and above all, as Paul and the primitive Chris- tians and martyrs have done before me. Your house, home, and goods, your life, and all that ever you have, saith that martyr,^ God hath given you as love-tokens, to admonish you of his love, to win your love to him again. Now will he try your love, whether you set more by him or by his tokens, &c. When relations or life stand in competition with Christ and his gospel, they are to be abandoned, hated, &c. But,
(2.) Secondly, All ouiiuard worship is due to Christ. As, [1.] First, Dedication in baptism is in his name. Mat. xxviii. 19, ' Baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost :' ek to ovofia, into the name, by that rite initiating them, and receiving of them into the profession of the service of one God in three persons, and of depending on Christ alone for salvation. Baptizing them into the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, is the consecrating of them unto the sincere service of the sacred Trinity.
[2.] Secondly, Divine invocation is given to Jesus Christ. Acts vii. 59, ' Stephen calls upon the Lord Jesus to receive his spirit.' 1 Cor. i. 2, ' All that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord.' 1 Thes. iii. 11, ' God himself and our Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, direct our way unto you.' Eph. i. 2, ' Grace 1 Master Brad[ford], Acts and Mon., fol. 1492. Phil. iii. 7, 8.
Christ's eternal deity proved. 163
be to you, and peace from God our Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ.' It is the saints' character that they are such as call on the Lord Jesus, Acts ii. 21 ; Acts ix. 14.1 But,
[3.] Thirdly, Praises are offered to our Lord Jesus Christ: Rev. V. 9, ' And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof ; for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood, out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation.' Ver. 11, 'And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne, and the beasts, and the elders ; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thou- sand, and thousands of thousands.' 2 Ver. 12, ' Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.' Ver. 13, ' And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying. Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb, for ever and ever.' Here you have a catholic confession of Christ's divine nature and power. All the creatures, both reasonable and unreasonable, do in some sort set forth the praises of Christ, because in some sort they serve to illustrate and set forth his glory. Here you see that Christ is adored with religious worship by all creatures, which doth evidently prove that he is God. Since all the creatures worship him with reli- gious worship, we may safely and boldly conclude upon his deity. Here are three parties that bear a part in this new song: 1. The redeemed of the Lord ; and they sing in the last part of the 8th verse, and in the 9th and 10th verses. Then, 2, the angels follow, verses 11th and 12th. In the third place, all creatures are brought in, join- ing in this new song, ver. 13. That noble company of the church triumphant and church militant, sounding out the praises of the Lamb, may sufficiently satisfy us concerning the divinity of the Lamb. But,
[4.] Fourthly, Divine adoration is also given to him : Mat. viii. 2, * A leper worshipped him.' Mark saith he kneeled down, and Luke saith he fell upon his face, Mark i. 40 ; Luke v. 12. He shewed re- verence in his gesture. ' Lord, if thou wilt thou canst make me clean.' ^ He acknowledged a divine power in Christ, in that he saith he could make him clean if he would. This poor leper lay at Christ's feet, im- ploring and beseeching him, as a dog at his master's feet, as Zanchy [de jRed.] renders the word, which shews that this leper looked upon Christ as more than a prophet or a holy man ; and that believing he was God, and so able to heal him if he would, he gave him religious worship. He doth not say to Christ, Lord, if thou wilt pray to God, or to thy Father for me, I shall be whole ; but ' Lord, if thou wilt I
^ Ponder upon these scriptures : 2 Cor. xii. 8, 9 j 1 Thes. i. 1 ; 2 Thes. i. 1, 2 ; 2 Cor. i. 2.
'■^ This is taken out of Daniel, chap. vii. 10, whereby the glory and power of God and Christ is held forth, they being attended with innumerable millions of angels, which stood before the fiery throne of God, &c.