Christianismus primitivus, or, The ancient Christian religion, in its nature, certainty, excellency, and beauty, (internal and external) particularly considered, asserted, and vindicated from the many abuses which have invaded that sacred profession, by humane innovation, or pretended revelation comprehending likewise the general duties of mankind, in their respective relations : and particularly the obedience of all Christians to magistrates, and the necessity of Christian-moderation about things dispensible in matters of religion : with divers cases of conscience discussed and resolved / by Thomas Grantham ...

SECT. III. Of the Method wherein we intend to treat of the Knowledg of Christ; chiefly concerning his Humanity, and what he did for Mankind in that capacity.

It is very sadly to be considered, how all the parts of Christian Know∣ledg hath been defaced with Error, and scarce any thing more than this which respects the Knowledg of Christ's Incarnation. Which as it is a great Mystery, 1 Tim. 3. 16. and hard to be explicated in the full Glory thereof; yet it must be acknowledged also, to be intelligible to very low Capacities, because every Christian is particularly concern'd in the knowledg and belief thereof, as ever they look for eternal Life. Wa∣ving therefore the Curiosities of old or later Times, judging it better to suppress in silence Mens various Apprehensions, than to puzzle the Rea∣der with them; we shall content our selves with what is plainly propoun∣ded in the Holy Scripture, and generally acknowledged by sober Christi∣ans, (with little variation) saving that of late, not above thirty years since, some have espoused dangerous Opinions, so dissonant to the com∣mon Faith of Christians, ever since the establishing thereof in the World, that where their Notions are admitted, it is certain the Truth concerning Christ's Incarnation and Resurrection, with the Glory then to follow, will be rejected.

Nor are we here immediately concern'd to treat of the wonderful Uni∣on between the Divine and Humane Natures, in that Heavenly Man the Lord Jesus, whose Name Immanuel, God with us, doth undoubtedly signifie, the uniting of these two Natures, as they never were before that wonderful Conception and Birth of our Saviour, Matth. 2. And therefore must not only signifie God with us, or with our Nature, by the communication of his Spirit; For so he had often been with the Pro∣phets and other Holy Men from the beginning of the World; yea, and by very remarkable signs of his presence, to Abraham and his Seed, who had God nigh unto them, in all they called upon him for: yea, they heard God speak, with audible Voice, out of the Fire, and yet did live. They had also his Presence by special manifestations in his Temple, which sometimes was filled with the Glory of the God of Israel. Yet none of

these might be called God with us, in that excellent way wherein Christ is said to be God with us. And let it be remembred, that this Name * 1.1 Immanuel, as it signifies the Strong God, so it arises from that miraculous Conception and Birth of the Lord Christ, Isa. 9. 6. Mat. 1. 18, &c. Not to his be∣ing filled with the Holy Ghost from the Womb, for so was John the Baptist. Nor to his being sanctified from the Womb, as Jeremiah. Nor from any other manner of the Presence of God in a way of Grace or favour only. Nor yet by miraculous operation, enabling him to the Work of his Ministry among Men; For so God had often been with Moses, as when he smote the Egyptians with so many Plagues, Exod. 9. and divided the Red Sea, and gave Water out of the Rock, and Manna from Heaven in the Wilderness. And such a Presence and Union with God, as to be a fellow-worker together with him could not be all; for so God was with the Apostles themselves, 2 Cor. 6. 1.

Nor can we think, from good grounds, That this Immanuel should sig∣nifie any Created Substance united to us; for the word us, referring to his Humanity, the word God must refer to an higher Nature, than any that was created or made, be it Angel or Spirit, and therefore must needs be real or very God; as it is also written, 1 John 5. 20. And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true; and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Je∣sus Christ. This is very God, and eternal Life.

And for the more familiar discovery of what is needful to be known of him, specially with respect to his Humanity, we shall observe this or∣der; to shew,

1. That the Christ, the Saviour of the World, did really take a Body of Flesh, and was truly Man by Nature.

2. That according to the Will of God, and his Eternal Wisdom, Christ did, in the place and stead of Man-kind, fulfil that Law by which the whole World stood guilty before God.

3. That he really suffered Death, in that Body of Flesh, for the Sins of the World, out of the free Grace and Love he bore unto the World.

4. That the Righteousness performed by Christ is imputed unto Men, and made theirs through Faith, which worketh by Charity; and this Faith is counted to Men for Righteousness.

5. By the Power of his Godhead he rose from the Dead bodily, and be∣came Victor over all the Power of Death, &c.

6. That this Jesus is invested with all Power in Heaven, and in Earth, and become the Universal Lord of Mankind, and Head over his Church in all things.

7. That Christ shall descend from the Created Heavens, whither he is ascended, in the same Body which was raised from the Dead; to judg and determine the final Estate of all Men and Angels to Eternity, at his Appear∣ing and Kingdom.

8. That in the interim Christ dwells in his Church, by his Holy Spirit,

whose Office it is to lead into all Truth; not to abbrogate what Christ hath taught his Church to observe, nor to introduce a Ministration distinct from that established by the Lord Jesus.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Immanuel, The strong God with us, or God made Flesh, Isa. 7. 14. Mat. 1. 23. John 1. 14. The Ʋnion of two Natures in one Person of our Redeemer, is noted in this word Immanuel. Also his Office as Mediator, &c. Wils. Christ. Dict. Let. I.