202 VINDICLE EVANGELIC^.
there was in that wherewith our Saviour stopped the mouth of the Pharisees, — namely, how Christ could be the son of David, and yet bis Lord, whom he worshipped. For the places of Scripture in particular urged by Mr B., [such as] John xiv. 28, says our Saviour, " My Father is greater than I" (inittens misso, says Grotius himself, referring the words to ofice, not nature), which he was and is in respect of that work of mediation which he had undertaken; but " insequalitas officii non tollit sequalitatem naturte."^ A king's son is of the same nature with his father, though he may be employed by him in an inferior office. He that was less than his Father as to the work of mediation, being the Father's servant therein, is equal to him as his Son, as God to be blessed for ever. Mark xiii. 32, Matt. xxiv. 86, affirm that the Father only knows the times and seasons mentioned, not the angels, nor the Son; and yet, notwithstanding, it was very truly said of Peter to Christ, " Lord, thou knowest all things," John xxi. 17. He that in and of the knowledge and wis- dom which as man he had, and wherein he grew from his infancy, knew not that day, yet as he knew all things knew it; it was not hidden from him, being the day by him appointed. Let Mr B. acknowledge that his knowing all things proves him to be God, and we will not deny but his not knowing the day of judgment proves him to have another capacity, and to be truly man.
As man he took on him those affections which we call <puaixa %ai ddidCXrira Td&rj, amongst which, or consequently unto which, he might be ignorant of some things.^ In the meantime, he who made all things, as Christ did, Heb. i. 2, knew their end as well as their be- ginning. He knew the Father, and the day by him appointed; yea, all things that the Father hath were his, and " in him were hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge," Col. ii. 8.
Paul speaks to the same purpose, 1 Cor. xv. 24, 28. The king- dom that Christ doth now peculiarly exercise is his economical mediatory kingdom ; which shall have an end put to it when the whole of his intendment in that work shall be fulffiled and accom- plished. But that he is not also sharer with his Father in that uni- versal monarchy which, as God by nature, he hath over all, this doth not at all prove. All the argument from this place is but this : " Christ shall cease to be mediator; therefore he is not God." And that no more is here intended is evident from the expression of it, "Then shall the Son himself be subject;" which if it intend any
1 " Ideo autem nusquam Scriptum est, quod Deus Pater major sit Spiritu Sancto, vel Spiritus Sanctus minor Deo Patre ; quia non sic assumpta est creatura in qua appare- ret S. S. sicut assumptus est filius hominis, in qua forma ipsius Verbi Dei persona prse- sentarctur." — August, lib. i. de Triuit. cap. vi.
Auto; iffriv o I'l; Kai fn'ovos v'lo;, o Tpiv >) ASmafii yivitr^xi av Kai IcrJ iff^arta)/, 'jtoox.'o- ypcc; ffofiia. Kcii hXix'ia, xara trapxa' 'i^ti yap du QioTr,; avrou to tsXs;5V. — Proclus. Epis- cop. Coustan. Ep. ad Armenios.
OF THE PERSON OF JESUS CHRIST. 203
thing but the ceasicg from the administration of the mediatory kingdom, wherein the human nature is a sharer, it would prove that, as Jesus Christ is mediator, he is not in subjection to his Father, which himself abundantl}^ hath manifested to be otherwise. Of 1 Cor. xi. 3, and iii. 22, 23, there is the same reason, both speaking of Christ as mediator; whence that no testimony can be produced against his deity hath been declared.
He adds, 12th, " Q. Howbeit, is not Christ dignified, as with the title of Lord, so also with that of God, in the Scripture? — A. [John XX. 28,] Thomas said, " My Lord and my God." Verily, if Thomas said that Christ was his God, and said true, Mr B. is to blame who denies him to be God at all. With this one blast of the Spirit of the Lord is his fine fabric of religion blown to the ground. And it may be supposed that Mr B. made mention of this portion of Scrip- ture that he might have the honour of cutting his own throat and destroying his own cause; or rather, that God, in his righteous judg- ment, hath forced him to open his mouth to his own shame. What- ever be the cause of it, Mr B. is very far from escaping this sword of the Lord, either by his insinuation in the present query, or diversion in the following. For the present, it was not the intent of Thomas to dignify Christ with titles, but to make a plain confession of his faith, being called upon by Christ to believe. In this state he professes that he believes him to be his Lord and his God. Thomas doubtless was a Christian ; and Mr B. tells us that Christians have but one God, chap. i. ques. 1, Eph. iv. 6. Jesus Christ, then, being the God of Thomas, he is the Christians' one God, if Mr B. may be believed. It is not, then, the dignifying of Christ with titles (which it is not for men to do), but the naked confession of a believer's faith, that in these words is expressed. Christ is the Lord and God of a believer ; ergo the only true God, as 1 John v. 20. Mr B. perhaps wall tell you he was made a God ; so one abomination begets another, — infidelity idolatry ; — of this afterward. But yet he was not, according to his companions, made a God before his ascension, which was not jet when Thomas made his solemn confession.