32 6 VINDICIJi: EVANGELICyE.
and not to Christ, is purely, without any pretence of proof, to beg the thing in question. Neither is that any thing to the purpose which is urged from Eph. iii. 9, for we confess that as Christ is equal with his Father as to his nature, wherein he is God, so as he is the Son in office, he was the servant of the Father, who accomplishes his own mind and will by him.
3. The subject-matter in this place, as to the words under consi- deration, is the demonstration of the one God and Lord of Christians, asserted in opposition to the many gods and lords of the heathen, from the effects or works of that one God and Lord, " of him and by him are all things ; " and this is the difference that God elsewhere puts between himself and idols, Jer. x. 10, IL And if there be any such subject-matter as proves Christ not to be the one Lord abso- lutely, but in some respect, it proves also that the Father is not the 07ie God absolutely, but in some resjject only.
4. The words " to us" and " Father" do one of them express the persons believing the doctrine proposed concerning the one true God and Lord, the other describes that one true God by that name whereby he revealed himself to those believers ; neither of them at all enforcing the restriction mentioned.
Christ, then, is absolutely the one Lord of Christians, who made all things ; and so is by nature God, blessed for ever.
I should but needlessly multiply words, particularly to animadvert on Grotius' annotations on this place. I do it only where he seems to add some new shifts to the interpretation of our adversaries, or varies from them in the way, though he agrees in the e7id; neither of which reasons occurring in this place, I shall not trouble the reader with the consideration of his words. By di' ov rd vdvra, to maintain his former expositions of the like kind, he will have all the things of the new creation only intended; but without colour or pretence of proof, or any thing to give light to such an exposition of the words.
Our catechists next mention 1 Cor. n. 8, " For had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory."
Who is the Lord of glory, or God of glory, the Holy Ghost de- clares, Acts vii. 2, " The God. of glory appeared unto our father Abra- ham, when he was in Mesopotamia;" and Ps. xxiv. 8, " Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle." Christ, therefore, is this God ; and, indeed, is intended in that psalm. But they say, —
A divine nature cannot be proved from hence, seeing it treateth of him who was crucified, which cannot be said of a divine nature, but of a man ; who is therefore called the " Lord of glory," that is, the glorious Lord, because he is crowned of God with glory and honour.*
' " Cum in eo agatur de eo qui crucifixus sit, apparet ex eo naturam divinam non probari, cum de hac illud dici nequeat, verum de hominc, qui ideo Domiiius glorios di- citur, hoc est, Dominus gloriosus, quod a Deo gloria et honore corouatus sit."
TESTIMONIES TO THE DEITY OF CHRIST VINDICATED. 327
But, — 1. Though the divine nature could not be crucified, yet he that had a divine nature might be and was crucified in the nature of a man, which he also had. Our catechists know they do but beg in these things, and would fain have us grant that because Christ had a human nature, he had not a divine. 2. He is called " The Lord of glory," as God is called "The God of glory;" and these terms are equivalent, as hath been showed. 3. He was the Lord of' glory when the Jews crucified him, or else they had not crucified him Avho was the Lord of glory, but one that was to be so; for he was not crowned with glory and honour until after his crucifying.
Grotius' annotation on this place is worth our observation, as hav- ing somewhat new and peculiar in it. " Kupiov rng ^6^r}g. Eum quem Deus vult esse omnium judicem. Nam gloria Christi maxima ilium diem respicit, 1 Pet. iv. 13. Christus Kvptos 5&'$»3j, prsefiguratus per arcam, quae '^i^sn "ipD^ Ps. xxiv. 9." For the matter and sub- stance of it, this is the same plea with that before mentioned : the additions only deserve our notice. ]. Christ is called " The Lord of glory," as God is called " The God of glory;" and that term is given him to testify that he is the God of glory. If his glory at the day of judgment be intended, the Jews could not be said to crucify the Lord of glory, but him that was to be the Lord of glory at the end of the world. Our participation of Christ's glory is mentioned 1 Pet. iv. 13, not his obtaining of glory. He is essentially the Lord of glory ; the manifestation whereof is various, and shall be eminent at the day of judgment. 2. That the ark is called '^i^?'!' '=1?'? is little less than blasphemy. It is he alone who is the Lord of hosts who is called "The Lord of glory," Ps. xxiv. 9. But this is another shift for the obtaining of the end designed, — namely, to give an instance where a creature is called " Jehovah," as that king of glory is; than which a more unhappy one could scarce be fixed on in the whole Scripture. The annotations of the learned man on that whole psalm are very scanty. His design is to refer it all to the story of David's bringing home the ark, 2 Sam. vi. That it might be occasioned thereby I will not deny; that the ark is called " The King of glory" and " The Lord of hosts," and not he of whose presence and favour the ark was a testimony, no attempt of proof is offered. Neither, by the way, can I assent unto his interpretation of these words, " ' Lift vip your heads, O ye gates ; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors : ' that is. Ye gates of Zion, made of cedar, that are made hanging down, and when they are opened, they are lifted up." Certainly something more sublime and glorious is intended.