Emmanuel, or, God-man a treatise wherein the doctrine of the first Nicene and Chalcedon councels, concerning the two natures in Christ, is asserted against the lately vented Socinian doctrine / by John Tombes ...

SECT. 9. (Book 9)

Col. 1. 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17. Is urged to prove the God-head of Christ.

TO those foregoing Texts in the Gospel of St. Iohn, I shall next adjoyn the words of the Apostle Paul, Colos. 1. 12, 13, 14. 15, 16, 17. where he mentions his thanks∣giving to the Father, who had translated the Colossians into the Kingdom of his dear son, or of his love, who is the image of the invisi∣ble God, the first-born of every Creature. For in or by him were all things created that are in Heaven, and that are in Earth, vi∣sible and invisible, whether they be Thrones, or Dominions, or Principalities, or Powers; all things were created by him, and for him, and he is before all things, and by him all things consist. Whence I thus argue:

He who is the Son of the Fathers love, the Image of the invisible God, the first-born of every creature, in or by whom all things were created that are in Heaven, and that are in Earth visible and invisible, whether

they be Thrones or Dominions, or Princi∣palities or Powers, by whom, and for whom all things were created, who is before all things, and by whom all things consist, was before any creature, was made, begotten of the substance of his Father, not made of no∣thing; very God of very God, of the same substance with the Father, by whom all things were made. But such was Jesus Christ: Therefore, &c. The minor is the express words of the Text: But the major proposition is denied: and for a reason of the denial, it is said;

1. That he is termed the Image of the in∣visible God, not as a Child that is begot∣ten by natural generation is the substantial I∣mage of his Father of the same substance; But as he resembles God in his Wisdom and Power, and excellent Holiness of Life; won∣derful Revelation of the Mysteries of his Counsel, and the great works he did, as the man, in respect of his Superiority and Autho∣rity over the woman, is said to be the Image and Glory of God, 1 Cor. 11. 7. or as Dr. Hammond's Paraphrase is, in whom God who is invisible is to be seen, and his will clearly declared by the Gospel (so that ••e that seeth him, seeth the Father, Joh. 14. 9.)

which is confirmed by the words following, ver. 10, 11. Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you, I speak not of my self, but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doth the works: Believe me that I am in the Fa∣ther, and the Father in me; or else believe me for the very works sake: Which words make Christ to be in the Father, and the Fa∣ther in him, whereby the Father is to be seen, and so he is his Image, in his Words and Works. Conformable to the same sense are the words of Christ, Iohn 5. 19, 20, 30, &c.

2. That he is termed the first-born of e∣very creature, and therefore is of the rank of creatures, as the first-born is taken, Heb. 11. 28. as man, the first-born among many brethren, Rom. 8. 29. or as it is Rev. 1. 5. the first-born from the dead, and the Prince of the Kings of the Earth. The first (saith Grotius annot. on the place) in the Creation, to wit, the new, of which, 2 Cor. 5. 17. Rev. 21. 5. Heb. 2. 5. more amply Dr. Ham∣mond in his annot. on Col. 1. 15. saith thus: The word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, beside the ordinary notion of first-born (which cannot so well here refer to Christs eternal generation, be∣cause

of that which is added to it, the first-born of every Greature, which only gives him a precedence before all other Creatures, and doth not attribute eternity to him) is used sometimes for a Lord, or person in power, who hath the priviledge of the first-born, dominion over all his brethren, and accord∣ing to this notion '••is used commonly in Scri∣pture, for a Prince, or principal person, So Psal. 89. 27. David is called the first-born of the Kings of the Earth, i. e. the most glorious among them; and Job 18. 13. we have the first-born of death. And so a∣mong the Civilians, haeres, Heir, signifies dominus, Lord, Justinian Instit. l. 2. tit. 19. de hae••••d. qualit. & diffe. §. ult. And thus may it fitly be a title of Christ in••arnate, in respect of his power over his Church, the key of the house of David is laid upon him: But it is possible it may peculiarly refer to his Resurrection, in which he was the first-born from the dead, verse 18. the first which from the grave was raised and exalted to Heaven, and being so risen, all Power was given unto him, in Heaven and in Earth.

3. That Thrones and Dominions, Prin∣cipalities and Powers, th••ngs Visible and In∣visible, in Heaven and Earth; all things

may be meant of Jews and Gentiles: These several titles here rehearsed, saith Dr. Ham∣mond Annot. on Col. 1. 16. may possibly be no more but the expressions of several degrees of dignity among men; So Thrones may de∣note Kings, or Monarchs and Princes, Do∣minions (or Lordships) may be the Reguli, the honours (whether of Dukes or Earls) next under Princes; Principalities, the praefects of Provinces and Cities; and Powers, inferiour Magistrates; and if so, then may they be here set down to denote all sorts and conditi∣ons of men in the Gentile world, by the chief dignities among them here on Earth. And Annot. on Col. 1. 20. And in the like phrase verse 16. All things that are in the Heavens, and on the Earth, shall signifie no more than what is in other places expressed by the world, as 2 Cor. 5. 19. The creation, the whole creation, or all creatures, the whole world of creation, or the whole world without re∣striction, which signifie all the Gentile world in opposition to the Jewish enclosure; not all the creatures absolutely, but all men of all Nations.

4. That verse 16. is to be understood of the new Creation mentioned, 2 Cor. 5. 17. Ephes. 2. 10, 13. and 3. 9. and 4. 24.

Jam. 1. 18. The things which go before, saith Grotius Annot. ad Col. 1. 16. shew these things meant of Christ, which is the name of a man; more rightly is [were cre∣ated] here interpreted were ordained, go•• a certain new state; Angels to Men, Men among themselves were reconciled under Christ; Others that Angels were reformed as being brought to a new state of acknow∣ledging the Lord Jesus Christ as their Lord, and acting at his beck as being Gods instru∣ment for the bringing of that reformation to pass, and therefore it is said they were all cre∣ated in him and by him, as the mediate cause.

5. That Christ is said to be before all things, is meant of the new Creation, and that in respect of Dignity, not of Time.

6. That in him all the new Creation con∣sists, or are reformed.