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. 10. (Book 10)

The proof of Christs God-head from Col. 1. 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17. is vindicated from exceptions.

1. I Reply, It is true that in respect of o∣ther resemblances than of his Father's person according to his D••vine Nature Christ might be termed the Image of the invisible God, yet in this place he is not said to be the Image of the Invisible God in respect of his Office as declaring his Counsel, or re∣presenting his Power and holy Qualities by his Conversation and Works; but as A∣dam's Son is said to be begotten in his own likeness after his image, Gen. 5. 3. may be proved by these Reasons. 1. Because his being the Image of God is an••ecedent to the Creation; verse 16. therefore he was the Image of the invisible▪ God before it, and consequently, in respect of his Divine Nature. 2. What Christ was to his Church is expressed after ver. 18, 19 20. therefore v. 15. 16, 17. what he was and did in respect of his Divine Nature, it being not to be con∣ceived

that he would repeat that ver. 18, 19, 20. which he had said before, ver. 15, 16, 17. 3. An Embassadour, though he re∣presents his Princes Counsels, yet is not said to be his Image, an Image being a resem∣blance of a Person, not of his Counsels. 4. It is not said, that Christ was the Image of the invisible God to us, but is the Image of the invisible God absolutely and simply even then when he was not on earth to declare Gods will, and therefore shews what he is in himself throughout all Generations. No•• is it of any force which is urged: that because he is said to be the Image of the invisible God, therefore he must be a visible Image; Fo•• man that was made after the Image of the invisible God, and is renewed after his I∣mage, as Ephes. 4. 24. Col. 3, 10. is not after Gods Image in respect of any visible Resemblance, but in respect of Wisdom, Holiness and Righteousness of Truth, which are invisible qualities.

2. If the reading which Isidor Pelusiota in∣sists on Epist. l. 3, Epist. 31. be right, that it should be read 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the first bringer forth of every creature, not 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the first-born of every creature, which may seem probable, because it is said verse 16.

For by him were all things created, and so it should note not passively his birth, but a∣ctively his causality, in which he is said to be the beginning of the Creation of God, Rev. 3. 14. where 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 princip••um, or the be∣ginning notes not termination of time, or initiation, but signifies ••fficiency; as when we say from the Latins, the principle of a thing. as Col. 1. 18. the word is used (of which more may be seen in Sixtin••s Ama∣ma Antibarb. Biblic. l. 3.) the answer were easie, that though he be said to be 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 yet he is not in the rank of creatures, which the Arians did object from this place. But however Erasmus like it, yet Beza rejects it, for reasons set down by him, Annot. ad Col. 1. 15. which though they be not all allowed by Heinsius Exercit. sacr. l. 12. c. 1. yet the reading not agreeing with most Copies, nor necessary, that an∣swer is not to be insisted on. That other sense which Beza and others embrace, [he is said to be the first-born of every creature; that is, he that was born before any creature, conceiving in answer to the Hebrew verb, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, it may be as well applied to the Fa∣thers generation as the Mothers bearing, and so it be all one, as the begotten before all th••

creatures] would pass for current, if there were an example of so using the word as in∣cluding the preposition governing the Geni∣tive Case, and referring to the Fathers act of generation: In which methinks there should not be much difficulty, sith James▪ 1. 18. the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 which we render hath begotten, and is the act of the Father of lights, verse 17. and so notes the Fathers act of generation usually, and most properly signifies the act of the Mother bringing forth, who is said therefore to be 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Luke 2. 5. when she is great with Child, and is used James 1. 15. as of the same sense with 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, bringeth forth and so rendered. And when Christ is said, Col. 1. 18. to be the first-born from the dead, or Revel. 1. 5. the first-begotten of, or from the dead, the act of the Father in raising him from the dead is implied, to which his resurrection is a∣scribed, Acts 2. 30, 32. and 3. 15. and 4. 10. and 5. 30. and 10. 40. Rom. 6. 4. 1 Cor. 6. 14. Ephes. 1. 20. Gal. 1. 1. and herein St. Paul doth in some sort place his ••egetting of Christ, when he said, Acts. 13. 32, 33. God hath fulfilled the Promise made unto the Fathers unto us their Children, in that he hath raised up Jesus again; as it is

also written in the second Psalm, Thou ar•• my Son, this day have I begotten thee. And although the preposition from, be in those places because of the change or translation from the dead, yet the term first noting pri∣ority must needs include also the preposition before, as it doth manifestly, John 1. 15. so that it is easie to conceive this to be the mean∣ing, he was the first begotten before all the creation, or every creature, and therefore the Image of the invisible God, and he by whom, and for whom all things were created; which cannot be meant of his rising from the dead, sith that is mentioned ver. 18. and this title is put before his creating of all things, ver. 16. and as the reason of it: But must be meant of his generation before all times out of the substance of the Father, by which eter∣nity is given to him, the precedency in be∣ing before all the creation, being in Scripture language all one with Eternity. And so Christ will not be put in the rank of creatures made out of nothing, but the word is to be taken negatively, as the word first applied to God, Revel. 1. 11. which is expound∣ed, Isa. 44. 6. I am the first, and I am the last, and besides me there is no God, or Isa. 43. 10. Before me there was no God

formed, neither shall there be after me. And when the Law appointed the first-born male to be Gods, Exod. 13. 2. Numb. 8. 16. by the first-born was understood that which opened the womb though no other were born after, as the Mother of Christ understood the Law, Luke 2. 22, 23. who is called her first-born, notwithstanding she had-no other, Mat. 1. 25. But if this exposition of the Title [the first born of every Creature] be not received, but that it note only Christs dominion or inheritance of every creature, yet will this sense prove his Generation before all Creatures, and his being exempt from the rank of creatures, sith the reason of his be∣ing the first-born of every creature, and so Lord or Heir of them, is ver. 16. Because by him and for him they were all created, which must needs prove that he is not one of the creatures, sith he created all things, there∣fore not himself created, and he must needs have a being before every creature by whom, all were created, and confequently was be∣gotten before all time. Nor can this title be applied to Christ as man or incarnate as if it, noted that he was first in the new Creation or▪ in respect of his power over his Church: For▪ John Baptist, Luke 1. 15. was before him

in the New creation in time, and it is no•• said he was designed or appointed to be the first-born of every creature, but that he is the first-born, not made the first-born of them, but he by whom all were created; nor can the Church peculiarly be meant by every creature, or the new Creation, sith it is not said of the Creation, or of the new Creation, but of every Creature, even those that are invisible, as verse 16. shews; And therefore he cannot be said to be the first-born of every creature as the first-born of man is, because the Angels are some of the creatures, verse 16. but not of the same kind with man.

3. That by Thrones, and Dominions, and Principalities and Powers, verse 16. are not meant several degrees of dignity among men, and no more, may appear, not only as Dr. Hammond saith, because they may also sig∣nifie the several degrees of Angels, and be∣cause there follows mention of visible and in∣visible, and the Angels may most probably be contained by the latter of them, as this lower world of men by the former, and be∣cause it is the creation that is here referred t••, and the creating of Angels as well as men, &c. belongs truely to Christ as God, there∣fore

it will be most reasonable in this place to interpret it in the greater extent to comprehend Angels and Men too, the highest and most e∣minent of both sorts: But also because it is necessary for these Reasons.

1. Because these terms do elsewhere sig∣nifie in the same Apostles writings, invisible beings, powers of the world to come, Ephes. 1. 21. Principal••ties and Powers in Heaven∣ly places, Ephes. 3. 10. Spiritual beings in High or Heavenly places, opposed to flesh and blood, Ephes. 6. 12. Angels, Princi∣palities and Powers, are reckoned among the most potent beings of most force to separate us from the love of God, Rom. 8. 38. An∣gels, and Authorities and Powers are said to be subject to Christ now on the right-hand of God, 1 Pet. 3. 22. Nor can the spoiling of Principalities and Powers be understood otherwise than as Dr. Hammond's own Pa∣raphrase of Col. 2. 15. explains it, of devest∣ing the evil Spirits of their power, Grotius Annot. ad Eph. 1. 21. Intelligunt quidam de imperiis terrenis. Sed locus Col. 1. 16. & quod in his infra est, 3. 10. evincit agi hic de eximiis Angelorum clasibus. Similis or∣dinum distinctio etiam in Satanae Regn•• in∣fra, 6. 12. 1 Cor. 15. 24. Rom. 8. 38.

2. If by them Angels were not meant, there should be no invisible beings said to be created, Col. 1. 16. whereas the distributive particle [whether] is put next after invisible, to shew the Thrones, Dominions, Princi∣palities, Powers to be invisible beings.

3. Several degrees of Dignity and Rule a∣mong men, neither in this Epistle, nor else∣where, are said to be things in Heaven, or Invisible.

4. Angels may be said to be reconciled, Col. 1. 20. and gathered together into one with the Church, Ephes. 1. 10. Christs blood reconciling the Gentiles to God by expiat∣ing their Idolatry, and so reducing them to God, and thereby to the good Angels, who rejoyce at their conversion, Luke 15. 7, 10, observe their order in their Church meetings, 1 Cor. 11. 10. are their Angels, Mat. 18. 10. But it could not be said in S. Paul's time, when he wrote to the Colossians, that the Rulers on Earth were created by, and for Christ, that is, reformed and made new creatures in Christ, they were not brought to the obedience of the Gospel by Christ, but were enemies to it, Acts 4. 27. 1 Cor. 1. 26. James 2. 6, 7▪ nor were they ordered by Christ according to the

meaning of the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 by us translated Ordinance, Heb. 9. 11. 1 Pet. 2. 13. that is, constituted or appointed by Christ as Media∣tour in order to his Church for their help, in St. Paul's time; and therefore cannot be said to be created in the sense some would expound creation, Col. 1. 16. and meant by Thrones, Dominions, Principalities and Powers.

4. Hence also may appear that no other sense but of the Creation at first out of no∣thing, can be rightly meant by the creating, Col. 1. 16. For the words are general, includ∣ing all things simply, and that twice expres∣sed, which shews it comprehends all things universally that were created; and left any thing should be excepted, there's a three∣fold division. 1. Of things in Heaven, and things on the Earth. 2. Of visible and in∣visible. 3. Of the invisible Thrones, Domi∣nions, Principalities, and Powers. Of which Principalities, the unclean Spirits are a part, Col. 2. 15. Ephes. 6. 12. who cannot be said to be reformed, or constituted, or appointed by Christ in the sense, in which creation is taken, either Eph. 2. 10. Jam. 1. 18. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Cor. 5. 17, Gal. 6. 15. or Heb. 9. 11. 1 Pet. 2. 13. In the good Angels nothing was to be

reformed, or new created; in the evil nothing was, nor were they, o•• other things con∣stituted, or ordained by Christ as man; nor is it true, that all things in Earth were re∣formed, or constituted for the Church. And for the New Creation, which consists in re∣novation of mind, it was done in many be∣fore Christs Incarnation, Ezek. 36. 26. Psal. 51. 12. and therefore that Creation cannot be meant, when it is said, All things were created by Jesus Christ, by them who sup∣pose him not to have been afore his Incarna∣tion. Lastly, Neither is there any place brought by them, by which it may be prov∣ed, that the work of Creation absolutely put is meant of renovation, or reformation, meant by the New Creation: Nor do the particles 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 translated by him, prove Christ only a mediate or instrumental cause of the Creation. For it is said of him, who is the principal cause, Rom. 11. 36. All things are of him, and by him, and for him, as Col. 1. 16. and therefore the particles note a principal concurrent or consociate cause: And the particle 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 by or through is applied to God the Father, Gal. 1. 1. Heb. 2. 10. and in is used as by, Heb. 1. 1. and applied to God, Acts 17. 28. yet it is not to be de∣nied,

that there is a priority in the Father to the Son in respect of being, not of time, but original, as Bishop Davenant saith, Com. on Col. 1. 15. Christ hath principium originis, a beginning of original, to wit, his Father from whom he was begotten, but not a beginning of time, or to use Dr. Pearsons words in his Exposition of the first Article of the Creed, p. 36. of the second Edition, the Father hath that essence of himself, the Son by communication from the Father. From whence he acknowledgeth that he is from him, John 7. 29. that he liveth by him, John 6. 57. that the Father gave him to have life in himself, and generally referreth all things as received from him; so as that the Father is by the Antients termed the fountain, root, authour, origin, head, cause of the Son and the whole Divinity, p. 41. whence the Son is termed in the Nicene Creed; God of God, very God of very God, light of light, and this origination in the Divine Paternity, hath antiently been looked upon as the asser∣tion of the Unity: and therefore the Son and Holy Ghost have been believed to be but one God with the Father, because both from the Father, who is one, and so the Union of them. For if there were more than one, which

were from none it could not be denied, but there were more Gods than one, p. 44. And answerably here••o there is an order in the o∣perations of the Father and the Son, so as that there is a priority, if not in some sense a majority in the Father, whom some of the Antients, cited by Dr. Pearson, p. 37. under∣stand to be greater than * 1.1 Christ as the Son of God, John 14. 28. with refe∣rence not unto his Essence, but his Generation, by which he is understood to have his being from his Father, who only hath it of himself, and is the original of all Power and essence in the Son, and conse∣quently some preheminence in working▪ whence Christ saith, I can of mine own self do nothing; The Son can do nothing of him∣self, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doth, these also doth the Son likewise, which intimate a priority of order in the Fathers operation, if not a dependance of the Son on him therein. And so as Mr. Gataker in his Advers. mis••el. c. 17. saith from Col. 1. 16. Christ both in making the world, as also in instructing his

Church is said to exhibit ministery to God the Father, and the Father by him to have performed and to perform both those things, Heb. 1. 2. in which place he is said to have spoken to his people 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 by his Son, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 by whom also he made the worlds.

5. Christs priority in dignity is expressed before verse 15. where he is said to be the first-born of every creature, and in respect of the Church, vers. 18. where he is termed the head of the body the Church, that in a〈…〉〈…〉 things he might have the preheminence: therefore he is said to be before all things, ver. 17. in time, and that not only before Angels, but all things created, it being 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 of the same latitude with all things, v. 16. and that not only in the New Crea∣tion, for so he was not in time before Da∣vid, Psal. 51. 10. John Baptist, who was filled with the Holy Ghost even from his Mo∣thers womb, Luke 1. 15. but in respect of the first Creation.

6. The consistence of all things by Christ, is to be understood of all things created, ver. 16. and not only things belonging to the new Creation, and of a consistence by sustaining and preserving all things simply by his power and providence, as it is said, 2 Pet. 3. 〈◊〉〈◊〉.

By the Word of God the Heavens were of old, and the Earth 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 consisting, which is no where meant of Evangelical reformation, but of powerful sustentation, as Heb. 1. 2, 3. To which I pass

Notes

• * 1.1

  Athanasius, Bazil, Nazianzen, Epi∣phanius, Chryso∣stom, Hilary, Au∣gustin, &c. John 5. 19. 30.