Q. What dost thou answer to this testimony f
A. To this testimony I answer, that it is not to be understood of Christ, but of
VOL XII. ' 18
27'^i VINDICI^ EVANGELIC^.
God. But because this writer refers it to the Son of God, it is to be considered that the discourse in this testimony is expressly about not one, but two things chiefly. The one is the creation of heaven and earth; the other, the abolishing of created things. Now, that that author doth not refer the first unto Christ is hence evident, because in that chapter he proposeth to himself to demonstrate the excellency of Christ above the angels ; not that which he hath of himself, but that ■which he had by inheritance, and whereby he is made better than the angels, as is plain to any one, verse 4; of which kind of excellence seeing that the creation of heaven and earth is not, nor can be, it appeareth manifestly that this testimony is not urged by this writer to prove that Christ created heaven and earth. See- ing, therefore, the first part cannot be referred to Christ, it appeareth that the latter only is to be referred to him, and that because by hitn God will abolish heaven and earth, when by him he shall execute the last judgment, whereby the excellency of Christ above angels shall be so conspicuous that the angels them- selves shall in that very thing serve him. And seeing this last speech could not be undei'stood without those former words, wherein mention is made of heaven and earth, being joined to them by this word "they," therefore the author had a necessity to make mention of them also; for if other holy writers do after that manner cite the testimonies of Scripture, compelled by no necessity, much more was this man to do it, being compelled thereunto.
Q. But where have the divine tvriters done this?
A. Amongst many other testimonies take Matt. xii. 18-21, where it is most ma- nifest that only verse 19 belongeth to the purpose of the evangelist, when he would prove why Chi'ist forbade that he should be made known. So Acts ii. 17-21, where also verses 17, 18, only do make to the apostle's purpose, which is to prove that the Holy Ghost was poured forth on the disciples; and there also, verses 25-28, where verse 27 only is to the purpose, the apostle proving only that it was im- possible that Christ should be detained of death. Lastly, in this very chapter, vei'se 9, where these words, " Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity," are used, it is evident that they belong not to the thing which the apostle proveth, which is that Christ was made miore excellent than the angels.*
That in all this discourse there is not any thing considerable but the horrible boldness of these men, in corrupting and j)erverting the word of God, will easily to the plainest capacity be demonstrated ; foi' which end I offer the ensuing animadversions: —
1. To say these things are oiot spoken of Christ, because they are spoken of God, is a shameless begging of the thing in question. We prove Clirist to be God because those things are spoken of him that are proper to God only.
* " Ad quintum quid respondes ? — Ad id testimonium id respondeo, quod non de Christo, verum de Deo accipiendum sit. Quia vero idem scriptor illud ad Filium Dei referat, oxporidendum est scrmonem in testimouio, non de una re sed de duabus, potis- simum haberi esprcsse. Una est cceli et terrre creatio ; altera rerum creatarum abo- litio. Quod vero is autor priorem ad Christum non referat, Line perspicuum est, quod in 60 capite prtcstantiam Christi demonstrare sibi proposuerit; non cam quam a seipso habeat, verum earn quam hrereditavit. et qua proestantior aiigclis efiFectus sit, ut e ver. 4, cuivis planum est; cujus generis prrest.antia, cum creatio cceli et terrre non sit, ncc esse possit, apparot manifesto non in eum fincm testimonium ab co scriptore allatum, ut Christum creasso ccelum ct terram probaret. Cum igitur prior ad CEris- tura referri nequeat, apparet posteriorem tantum ad eum refcrendam esse, id vero propterca quod Deus ccelum et terram per cum aboliturus sit, turn cum judicium extrcmuni per ipsimi est cxecuturus, quo quidem tantopcre pra;stantia Clnisti prte angclis conspicua futura est, ut ipsi angeli sint ci ca ipsa in re ministraturi. Qute
DEITY OF CHEIST PROVED, ETC. 27S
2. It is one thing in general that is spoken of, namely, the deity of Christ; which is proved by one testimony, from Ps. cii,, concerning one property of Christ, namely, his almighty power, manifested iu the making of all things, and disposing them in his sovereign will, himself abiding unchangeable.
3. It is shameless impudence in these gentlemen, to take upon them to say that this part of the apostle's testimony which he pro- duceth is to his purpose, that not; as if they were wiser than the Holy Ghost, and knew Paul's design better than himself.
4. The foundation of their whole evasion is most false, — namely, that all the proofs of the excellency of Christ above angels, insisted on by the apostle, belong peculiarly to what he is said to receive by inheritance. The design of the apostle is to prove the excellency of Christ in himself, and then in comparison of angels: and there- fore, before the mention of what he received by inheritance, he affirms directly that by him " God made the worlds;" and to this end it is most evident that this testimony, that he created heaven and earth, is most directly subservient.