CHAPTER XI: That Christ as God-man is the Creator of all things, proved by scriptures.
the gospel. He brings it in here with the other, that Christ might have all his revenues of glory (which in the 8th verse have been styled his riches) come in together.
CHAPTER XI
That Christ as God-man is the Creator of all things, proved by scriptures.
The first proof out of the former text reassumed: 1 Cor. 8:6, 'By whom are all things.' Some further explanation how this is attributed to him as God-man, in answers to some queries respecting it.
I allege, in the first place, that preliminary text I took, of 1 Cor. 8:6.
Shewing thereout, that the one God had set up Christ as the one Lord under himself, a Lord unto all his creatures. I then proved that title of Lordship there given him was not meant of his natural Lordship, as he is God, or singly as second person, but as God-man. For evidence of which I must refer the reader thither.
That particular improvement which I now make of that passage in that scripture, 'By him are all things,' is to set it in the front to the rest of scriptures that follow, to lead on to the proof of the point in hand founded upon this.
That if this title of one Lord be given him as God-man, and in respect of an office he sustains afore God, as was there proved, the inference is strong, that then he was as such first and chiefly forelaid in God's designs and everlasting purposes as a midst or foundation unto ALL, as upon whom all things in common for creation, and we in special for our supernatural estate, had a dependence, and not merely as second person. And it is of all things, as well as of the state of the elect. For,
1. If all things be by him, as the Lord, then he, under God, is a founder of them, as the Lord of them. For that which is by another,* must needs be acknowledged, as such, to be before that other. Nor is it said only that all are for him, as if in that respect only he were their
Lord (which yet is true) as Adam, his type, was lord of all the visible world, and yet the world was not by him. But here he is such a Lord, as by whom or through whom all things are. And not only of them when they once are, but through whom they are and have their being. And so he is their founder as well as their end. Nor is he said simply to be Lord of all, as Acts 10:36, and Lord over all, Rom. 10:12; but here it is further, 'one Lord, by whom all.'
2. It is indifferently spoken of him, that all things are by him as one Lord, as that we (the church) are by him. Now all will and do acknowledge, that we, and all that belongs unto our salvation, do and doth depend on him as God-man, and as our Lord; and that that is the intent of that speech in that same 1 Cor. 8:6, 'and we by him.' In that respect, therefore, in their kind and proportion, all things else; for both are there set together and yoked in one and like parallel expression.
3. And indeed, 3dly, The dependence of all things on him, merely as God and second person, is afore included in that preceding speech;
'There is one God, the Father, of whom are all things.' And Christ, considered as second person, is one God with the Father, as our divines upon this place do affirm against the Socinian objection. And the Father is set for the other two persons, both the Son and Spirit; as in John 17:3, 'And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent.' And here the Son is evidently implied in saying, 'One God, the Father,' spoken in relation to Christ as the Son; and because they are both thus included, therefore it is that the Spirit is not mentioned at all; when yet upon him is the same dependence that is upon the Father; yea, and of the Son and Spirit it is that all things are, as well as of the Father.
To conclude: what is that great truth the apostle sets the primitive churches a-work to pray about, and that the generality of the then heathen world might come to the knowledge of, but this very thing thus stated? 'God would have all men to be saved, and come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,' 1 Tim. 2:4, 5. And doth not this Corinthian text speak just in the same parallel language, 'one
God, and one Lord?' So then it is not Christ, simply considered as second person, the apostle here intends as the one Lord here; that sense would be too narrow in comparison of this other, that comprehends the whole of our Christ, both as God, the substratum of his person, and also man, and the whole of his office in the relation he stands thereby unto God, to us, and all the whole creation.
There is a query or two may be made.
Query 1. Is not Christ's Lordship rather thus to be understood, That as God indeed he hath a natural right over all things, because as God he made them? And the title of God's dominion over all is founded on this, that he is the maker of them; and so, that Christ's official or commissionated Lordship over all as man is but only for him to be the end or ruler of them, which Ps. 8:4, compared with Heb. 2:6, gives him; 'But one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man, that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man, that thou visitest him?' What is man? Thou madest him to have dominion over the work of thy hands, &c., that is, when they are once made by him, considered as he is God; and therefore in that respect of his being man, is not to be extended to their creation, or to his being author of their very beings themselves.
I answer; That if Lord here in the text be meant of that commissionated Lordship he hath as God-man, as hath been proved; that then, as truly as that all things are said to be of one God, as God, in respect of their creation, so truly are all things said to be by this one Lord, though in a distinction from God. All things is a reaching word, and comprehends the very beings of things; and we see that in
as full an extent of latitude it is spoken of Christ, that all are by him, as the former is of God, that all are of him; only with this note of difference, of him, so of God; but by him, so of that one Lord, shewing that God hath that dominion originally, but Christ derivatively, as a commissionated Lord, as he by whom God doth all things, that yet are of God himself. Now, when it is here said of God,
'all things are of him,' all readily understand it, that all things have their beings of him, and their very creation from him. Therefore also, when it is said of Christ, 'all things are by him,' it is in like manner imported that they all depend on this commissionated Lord for their beings and creation also. And the Scriptures fall in with this phrase and manner of expression, whilst they frequently say of Christ, 'all things were made by him,' and that 'God by him did make the worlds;' whilst they particularly express Christ's share of efficiency in their making and creation. This is the common language with what is here.
Ans. 2. The assertion is not that as man, singly considered, this is attributed unto him, but as God-man. Singly and alone as man he hath no such Lordship at all, either over all the creatures to rule them, much less to create; for a mere man was not capable of it (as was said). Nor, on the contrary, is it true that as he is God, singly considered, he only can create; but that as God-man he can create also (especially having been therewith commissioned thereto as such by God), even as well as forgive sins; which he takes on him as Godman to do. The Jews in a like manner objected, Mark 2:7, 'This man speaks blasphemies: who can forgive sins but God?' It is true, none could but he that is God. But it was not true that it was not so a property of God, considered singly as God only, that a man that was one person with God, or God-man, could not be partaker of it, as his personal privilege, by virtue of that union, or have a virtual influence thereunto, as well as God. And to put an end to that controversy,
Christ gives this real demonstration of it, ver. 9 and 11, 'Whether is it easier to say, Thy sins are forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, take up thy bed and walk? But that ye may know the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins.' Yea, Christ as God-man, doth greater works
every day than create worlds. He creates 'new creatures,' and thereby causeth 'all old things to pass away, and all things to become new.'
And he will 'create new heavens and a new earth;' and 'change our vile bodies, that they may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working of his mighty power, whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself,' Philip. 3:21. Which are all spoken of Christ as God-man, even him whom visibly we 'look for from heaven,' as it is there in the verse afore.
Ans. 3. Nor are these things attributed to him merely by way of communication of properties; whereby what is proper only to the divine nature singly as God is attributed to the manhood; but these all by way of influence and virtual efficacy are attributed to him as God-man, as truly as the works of redemption, mediation, and forgiveness of sins, all which are secundum utramque naturam attributed to Christ, in respect of both his human and divine natures, as we affirm against the papists.
Ans. 4. To affirm this is (as not any of those other afore-mentioned) no way derogatory unto God. It is proper indeed to God to create by his own sole power originally; all the essential power is solely his, and the man Jesus can add nothing of power thereunto. Yet derivatively the person of the Son, as God-man, may be and was empowered thereto, over and above what simply, as God and second person, his power was for. As by way of difference, it is said, 'all things are by him,' as Lord; but of God, that 'all is of him.'
Ans. 5. Nor is it true that the sole foundation or rise of God's being Lord over all is, that he is maker of all things; and that therefore this is peculiar to God as God; for he was 'Lord over all' before they were made, in that he could make them, &c. His Lordship as God is founded on a sovereignty in himself. And accordingly doth learned
Cameron speak upon this occasion of Christ himself; Dominium illud essentiale, &c., 'This essential dominion (namely as God) belongs not only to Christ for the cause or ground that he is the Creator of all things, but upon that height and sovereignty of the divine nature;
which is such, and so high and lofty in kind above that of all the creatures, that although the world had not been made by him (which yet we cannot so much as feign the supposition of), he had yet been the Lord of all things, namely, as God.'
Query 2. That seeing he existed not as man at the creation, nor until four thousand years thence after; as also by Peter the first date of his being made Lord, as God-man, is made upon his ascension into heaven, Acts 2, ver. 34, 36; how then can his having created all be ascribed unto him as God-man, the Lord?
Ans. 1. This hinders not his virtual influence (as God-man) into the work of creation, no more than his not having existed as man did hinder his virtual influence (and that as God-man) into the work of redemption all along under the Old Testament, in which Christ is so often styled 'the Redeemer.' And further, by the same reason (if this allegation should avail) he should not have been made the Christ no more than the Lord neither, until he had ascended; for both are there equally joined, 'Him hath God made both Lord and Christ.' But as Christ, and Jesus also, he is 'the same yesterday,' in the Old
Testament; 'and to-day,' in the New; as well afore his ascension as after, 'and for ever,' Heb. 13:8, and therefore as Lord also.
Ans. 2. The actual execution by the man Jesus (he now actually existing as such), was indeed first more openly and publicly entered upon, and manifestly declared before angels and men upon his ascension; but was afore secretly executed and performed, in all the works and parts belonging to it, by the Son of God, who was the person then existing; and yet not as then by him, as singly considered, as merely second person, but as having been appointed and commissionated thereto by the three persons in God's decrees, and himself having also undertaken to be man, and therewith he sustaining that personage, he performed and issued forth all acts afore his Father, sub eo nomine. Observe how the second of the Acts speaks, 'Let all the house of Israel know assuredly' (by this open and
visible demonstration given) 'that God hath made that same Jesus whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.'
Ans. 3. Nor doth he say that when he ascended (the visible effects of which 'ye now see and hear,' says he, ver. 23, were the evidence for this, that God had made him Christ, and Lord; which effects the apostle refers them there unto), that then first God made him the Lord and Christ, or that then first he had entered upon that office; but he produceth it as an undeniable testimony, that God hath made him so, &c., and that he was the person whom God had made; but when first made, is not there said.
Ans. 4. These words hath made do as well, and as effectually speak, and involve his having been appointed to it, as now to note out the actual execution of it, by the man as actually ascended. Appointed is put to express being made, and è contra; so Heb. 3:2 treats of Christ,
'He was faithful to him that appointed him;' the Greek is, 'that made him.' And his being appointed Lord, will allow us, and send us to an higher date, even to afore the creation, yea, even to eternity: Heb.
1:2, 'God hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds.'
The subject of these elogies is not singly the second person, but the whole of Christ as now made man, and by whom he had now in the last days spoken to us as such. And yet, because he had said, that in the last days this was done, and not till then; to pre-occupate the very same objection we have been answering, he goes on, 'Whom he hath appointed heir of all things,' &c. As if he had said, Although our
Christ, as man, actually existed not until four thousand years after the creation (at which period it was the last days began, or perhaps rather at his ascension), yet he was long afore that appointed the heir, that is, Lord of all things that were so long actually extant afore him as man; yea, he was so appointed long before the very creation of them; and therefore he sets this his being appointed first, and afore that of their creation, 'by whom also he made the worlds.' Yea, and because as God-man he was appointed the Lord of them,