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. 14. (Book 14)

Christs Kingdom is the Kingdom of the Son of Man so termed, according to his Excellency above all men.

THe Kingdom we are to seek is termed sometimes the Kingdom of the Son of man, Mat. 16. 28. Verily I say unto you, there be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his Kingdom: which title Christ often takes to himself, Mat. 16. 13. whom do men say, that I the Son of man am? and upon this consideration, he hath the King∣dom given to him, according to what our Lord Christ saith, John 5. 27. That the Fa∣ther hath given him authority, and to do judg∣ment, because he is the Son of man: Ac∣cordingly, where Christ fore-tells his chief act of reg••lity he useth this title, Mat. 25. 31. When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the Holy Angels with him, then shall he sit upon the Throne of his glory, and ver. 34. 40. terms this Son of man the King. Whence it is apparent that this title

of the Son of Man is to be considered, that we may have right intelligence of this King∣dom. Now this title of the Son of man may be understood. 1. As noting him to be a man of the same kind with other men: And in this sense ••he Son of man is no more than a man, as Numb. 23. 19. Psal. 4. 2. & 144. 3. & 146. 3. Eph. 3. 5. &c. In which sense it is conceived, that Ezekiel is often spoken to by the title of the Son of man, as Ezek. 2. 1, 3, 6, 8. not importing any ex∣cellency above other men, but nature and in∣firmities common to other men: Mr. Gataker in his Cinnus, l. 2. c. 12. whereas it was said by Nebuchadnezzar, Dan. 3. 25. as we read it; Lo•••• see four men loose walking in the 〈…〉〈…〉idst of the fire, and they have no hurt, and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God, it▪ being 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 some will have it translated a Son of the Gods, as meaning by it an Angel, as vers. 28. or a man of ex∣cellency and dignity, who were usually stiled Sons of the Gods, as Psal. 89. 7. accord∣ing to P••gni••, concludes, that according to the profa••e Kings mind in our language, if we would rightly render it, we should say, not like the Son of God, but like a Son of the Gods, that is, a person of a most beautiful,

and as it were divine form: Also in like man∣ner when it is said, Daniel 7. 13. Behold one came with the clouds like the Son of man, it is no more than a certain person indued with human•• form, and should be termed like a Son of man; not as it is commonly rendered, like the Son of man: as if Christ were de∣signed man as well as God, as Junius in ex∣plaining hath noted; Because he is in the New Testiment most frequently named the Son of man: For how ••ould the form of the Son of God, to be represented in our flesh be then set before Daniels eyes, that whom he had seen descending from heaven, he should declare him seen as like to him, whom it is not proba∣ble that himself foresaw of what shape ••e should be? For although it may seem in very deed that he was the Son of God, whom the Prophet had beheld in that vision to have ap∣proached to God the Father, the ancient of dayes; yet nevertheless it should not be there∣fore said he was like to the Son of man, to wit Christ; For this had been as if it were said he was like to himself, but like to a Son of man, that is to a man, as Ezekiel is often termed Son of man, and sons of men for men, then which nothing is more frequent. So al∣so the Apostle, made in the likeness of men,

and found in fashion as a man, Philip. 2. 7. saving that these things are said of him ac∣cording to what he was, that according to what was represented. In like sort that of the Evangelist John is to be taken, which is Rev. 1. 13. like to the Son of man; which also the most famous man Theodore Beza saw, when he turned it, I saw (some one) like to a Son of man, and in his notes, to a Son of man, that is to a man, or who resembled a man; after the Hebrew Idiotism. For al∣though he was Christ, yet that this is to be taken in general concerning the shape of a man, appears from hence, that the Article is not added: Also from Daniel 10. 5. Where a vision altogether like is described: So ••e: To which may be added the parallel place re∣specting the same person in the same book, c••. 14. ver. 14 One sitting on a cloud like to a Son of man, that is a man▪

2. He may be said to be stiled the Son of man by excellency, as when the Philosopher a common name to many is by excellency ap∣propriated to Aristotle, or the Orator to Cic••ro, or the Poet to Homer; In which sense Christ is termed the seed of the woman, Gen. 3. 15. the Son of David, Mat. 20. 30. and 22. 42, And in this sense he is termed

the second Adam, because as the first earth∣ly Adam was a common person, compre∣hending all that from him are propagated by natural generation; so Christ is the second, heavenly Adam, 1 Cor. 15. 45. the second man, verse 47. because all are comprehend∣ed in him,, that are by spiritual regenera∣tion the Sons of God. And in this respect it is said, that Adam was the type, or figure of him that was to come, Rom. 5. 14. and hereupon the parallelism of one to the other is made by the Apostle, ver. 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 21. and 1 Cor. 15. 21, 22. and all the members of the Mystical body termed Christ, 1 Cor. 12. 12. and of Christ it is said, Ephes. 2. 15. that he might make, or create in himself two unto one new man making peace; which new man is said to be put on, Ephes. 4. 24. Col. 3. 10. as else∣where Christ is to be put on, Rom. 13. 14. Gal. 3. 27. and Christ is said to be all things, and in all, Col. 3. 11. without discrimina∣tion of Greek, and Jew, circumcision and uncircum••••sion, Barbarian, Scythian, bond and free, and all the members of Christ, when they meet together are a perfect man, according to the measure of the stature of th•• fulness of Christ, Ephes. 4. 13. which is

expressed to be his body, verse 16. and this is called the Church, which is his body, the f••lness of him that filleth all in all, Ephes. 1. 22, 23. In like manner Christ is termed the seed of Abraham, Gal. 3. 16. Now to A∣braham and his seed were the Promises made; he saith not, And to his seeds, as concerning many, but as of one; And to thy seed, who is Christ: Which is meant of Christ perso∣nal primarily, and secondarily of Christ My∣stical; to wit, all Believers, who are term∣ed, verse 7. Abraham's Children, and verse 26, 27, 28, 29. Ye are all the Sons of God through Faith in Christ Jesus: For as many as have been Baptized into Christ have put on Christ: There is neither Jew, nor Greek, nor is there S••rvant, nor free, nor is there male and female, for ye are all 〈◊〉〈◊〉 one man in Christ Jesus, and if ye be Christs then are ye Abraham's seed, and Heirs ac∣cording to the Promise. And thus it is more probable to me, that Daniel 3. 5. is not to be read a Son of the Gods, to note only a person of a more excellent visage, as the Gentiles called men of rare Beauty and Ma∣jesty; but the Son of God, whom he calls the Angel, verse 28. who was known in the Church of God by the title of the Angel of

the Covenant, Mal. 3. 1. the Angel of Gods Presence, Isa. 63. 9. on which Mr. Gataker in the Annotations of sundry Divines in Eng∣lish hath this note: Certain it is that this An∣gel here spoken of, is that Angel, of whom God spake unto Moses, Exod. 23. 21, 23. termed both Jehovah, Exod. 13. 21. and 14. 10, 24. and his Face or Presence, Exod. 33. 14, 15. and an Angel, Exod. 33. 2. who that he was no other, than the Messias Jesus Christ, the conducter of them in the Wilderness, holy Stephen informeth us, Acts 7. 38. the eternal Son of God, the resplen∣dency of his Fathers Majesty, and exact I∣mage of his Person, Heb. 1. 3. in whom therefore his Name is said to be, Exod. 23. 22. he that appeared unto Moses in the bush, Exod. 3. 2. Styled Jehovah there, verse 4. and by Jacob, the Angel that delivered, or rescued him out of all evil, Gen. 48. 16. and by Malachy lastly, Jehovah, the Angel of the Covenant, Mal. 3. 1. termed an An∣gel, or Messenger, in regard of his Medi∣atourship, Heb. 8. 6. of Gods face; either because he doth exactly resemble God his Fa∣ther, John 14. 9, 10. Col. 1. 15. or, be∣cause he appeareth before the Face, or in the Presence of God, for us, Heb. 9. 24. See

Rom. 8. 34. Revel. 8. 3. this Angel secu∣red and safeguarded them all the way thorow the Wilderness, from Egypt to Canaan, Deut. 8. 2, 4. and 32. 10, 12. which it's not unlikely Nebuchadnezzar somewhat un∣derstood, as well as that God sent an Angel to deliver his Servants that trusted in him, verse 28. by Daniel, whom God used to reveal to Nebuchadnezzar the succession of the four Monarchies, whereupon he acknow∣ledged Daniels God to be a God of Gods, and a Lord of Kings, and a Revealer of secrets, Dan. 2. 47. And I judg the opinion of Came∣ron in his praelection on Mat. 16. 27. to be right, that the term Son of man, Dan. 7. 13. notes the Messiah, and that the title of Son of man is given to him, not as importing any diminution, but his excellency, and that in allusion to that place in Daniel, Christ, when he speaks of himself, Mat. 16. 27. Mat. 25. 31. John 5. 27. useth that title of the Son of man to shew, that he was meant therein, and that we need not either alter the pointing, as some of the Antients, nor make that the reason of committing judgement to him, John 5. 27. because he only of the three Persons in the holy Trinity is man; as Dr. Pearson conceives in his Exposition of the

seventh Article of the Creed, but that Christ intimates, that all judgment was committed to him, because he was the son of man meant Dan. 7. 13. which is also the opinion of Grotius Annot. ad Johan. Evang. c. 5. 27. because he is that Son of man, of whom Da∣niel foretold, that to him should be given do∣minion and a Kingdom over all Nations without end. Dan. 7. 13, 14.

Nor is it of force to enervate this opinion, that it is said, that he who came before the Antient of * 1.1 daies, was as the Son of man: For the particle 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 signifies not only the like∣ness of a thing, but also the verity of it, as 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 doth, John 1. 14. 2 Cor. 2. 17. And if it should note only likeness and not identity, both there, and Revel. 1. 13. and 14. 14. it should intimate as if he whom Daniel and John saw were not Christ, but one like him, and so the person to vvhom dominion was given, and the person described

should not be Christ: But the words being conceived aright, Daniel saw Christ the Son of man in the apparition; Nor is it absurd to say so of Daniel, though Christ were not then Incarnate. For he had by the Spirit Christ represented to him, as he was to Da∣vid when in Spirit he called him Lord, Mat. 22. 43. And Abraham rejoyced to see his day, and saw it, and was glad, John 8. 57. And if in the apparations of the Angel, that spake to Abraham about Sodom, to Jo∣shua about Jericho it were Christ that ap∣peared, and so at other times Christ appear∣ed in humane shape, as sundry Arguments evince; then Daniel could not be ignorant, who the Son of man was▪ Nor is the defect of the Article, Rev. 1. 13. and 14. 14. a suf∣ficient reason to shew the Son of man there to be no more than a man; For the Article is also wanting, John 5. 27. and yet the Son of man is meant peculiarly of Christ: And so is Dan. 10. 5. though it be only read a man.

It is to be considered that the term Son of man is still given by Christ to himself, not as Maldonat the Jesuite conceived, as debasing himself, or speaking of himself dimi∣nutively, as Psal. 22. 6. But I am a worm,

and no man: a reproach of men and despised of the people: For he doth give himself the title of the Son of man not in his prayer to God, as Psal. 22. 6. but in his speeches to the people, and then when he expresseth his Power, Mat. 9. 6. Mat. 12. 8. Mat. 26 64. & 13. 37, 41. nor do the places alledg∣ed prove that the title of Son of man is taken by Christ to himself, to shew his debasement by it, but to imply, that though he were that Son of man to whom dominion over all Nations did belong, yet he had not then where to lay his head: And the like is to be said of that Mat. 12. 40. that even he who was the Son of man by excellency, should be three daies and three nights in the heart of the Earth: Nor is there Mat. 12. 32. a lessening of Christs person below the Holy Spirit implied by the title Son of man; the sin is less which is against the Son of man, than the Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, not because of the excellency of the Spirits Person above the Person of the Son of man, but because of the property of that sin, being against the conviction of the Spirit by his o∣peration, John 12. 34. The Jews enquire, Who is this Son of man? not meaning, that the Son of man was a diminitive term, but

doubting how that Son of man should be the Messiah, of whom he had said that he should be lifted up, verse 32. And for that place, Psal. 8. 6. Heb. 2. 6. the Son of man doth not express an abject condition, though an inferiour low nature in comparison of Gods, but rather Christs high dignity; the Authour of that Epistle proving, that to no other man were all things made subject, but to him, who being made little lower than the Angels, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 for a little time; to wit, the time of his suffering, verse 9. (as Ca∣meron expounds it, praelect. in Mat. 16. 27.) was made Superiour to Angels, and had all things subjected to him.

Notes

• * 1.1

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Chrysost. hom. 12. in Jo. 1. 14. An∣not. on Job 24. 14. (As) sometimes in Scripture lan∣guage sets not out the similitude, but the thing it self, Hos. 4. 4. and 5. 10. John 1. 14.