5. Page 21, Where he makes reply to what I said against his argument from Eph. i. 19-21, he saith, He will blow away all my discourse with this clear demonstration, “That which is given to Christ he hath it not as God, and Christ as God cannot be given. But this place (Eph. i. 19-21) speaketh both of dignity given to Christ, and of Christ as a gift given; therefore Christ cannot be here understood as God.” This is in opposition to what I said, p. 45, concerning the headship and dignity of Christ, as the natural son of God, “the image of the invisible God,” Col. i. 15; and, p. 43, of the dominion of Christ, as he is the “eternal Son of God.” This being premised, the brother's demonstration is so strong as to blow himself into a blasphemous heresy. I will take the proposition from himself, and the assumption from Scripture, thus: That which is given to Christ he hath it not as God. But all power in heaven and in earth is given to Christ, Matt. xxviii. 18; life is given to Christ, John v. 26; authority to execute judgment is given to Christ, ver. 27; all things are given into Christ's hands, John iii. 35; the Father hath given him power over all flesh, John xvii. 2; He hath given him glory, John xvii. 22: therefore, by Mr Coleman's principles, Christ hath neither life, nor glory, nor authority to execute judgment, nor power over all flesh, as he is the eternal Son of God, consubstantial with the Father, but only as he is Mediator, God and man. As for the giving of Christ as God, what if I argue thus? If Christ, as he is the eternal Son of God, or Second Person of the [pg 3-011] ever-blessed Trinity, could not be given, then the incarnation itself, or the sending of the Son of God to take on our flesh, cannot be called a giving of a gift to us. But this were impious to say; therefore, again, if Christ, as he is the Second Person of the blessed Trinity, could not be given, then the Holy Ghost, as the Third Person, cannot be given (for they are co-essential; and that which were a dishonour to God the Son were a dishonour to God the Holy Ghost); but to say that the Holy Ghost cannot be given as the Third Person, were to say that he cannot be given as the Holy Ghost. And what will he then say to all those scriptures that speak of the giving of the Holy Ghost, Acts xv. 8; Rom. v. 5; 1 John iv. 13, &c.?
Finally, As Mr Coleman's demonstration hath blown away itself, so it could not hurt me were it solid and good (as it is not); for he should have taken notice, that, in my examination, I did not restrict the dignity given to Christ, Eph. i. 21, nor the giving of Christ, ver. 22, to the Divine nature only. Nay, I told, p. 44, 46, that these words of the Apostle hold true even of the human nature of Christ.
6. Page 21, He concludeth with a syllogism, which he calleth the scope of my discourse (I know not by what logic, the proposition being forged by himself, and contrary to my discourse); thus it is:—
Whosoever do not manage their office and authority under Christ, and for Christ, they manage it under the devil, and for the devil; for there is no middle—either Christ or Belial: he that is not with me is against me.
But, according to the opinion of the Commissioner, Christian magistracy doth not manage the office and authority thereof under Christ, and for Christ.
Therefore,—
He believes I shall be hard put to it to give the kingdom a clear and satisfactory answer. It is well that this is the hardest task he could set me.
The truth is, his syllogism hath quatuor terminos, and is therefore worthy to be exploded by all that know the laws of disputation. Those words in the proposition, “under Christ, and for Christ,” can have no other sense but to be serviceable to Christ, to take part with him, and to be for the glory of Christ, as is clear by the confirmation added, “He that is not with [pg 3-012] me is against me.” But the same words in the assumption must needs have another sense, “Under Christ, and for Christ;” that is, vice Christi, in Christ's stead. For that which I denied was, That magistracy is derived from Christ as Mediator, or that Christ as Mediator hath given a commission of vicegerentship and deputyship to the Christian magistrate to manage his office and authority under, and for him, and in his name; as is clear in my examination, p. 42. Nay, Mr Coleman himself, a little before his syllogism, p. 19, takes notice of so much. His words are these: “The Commissioner saith, Magistracy is not derived from Christ: I say, Magistracy is given to Christ to be serviceable in his kingdom; so that, though the Commissioners assertion be sound (which in due place will be discussed), yet it infringeth nothing that I said.” Now then, qua fide could he, in his argument against me, confound these two things which he himself had but just now carefully distinguished? If he will make anything of his syllogism he must hold at one of these two senses. In the first sense it is true that all are either for Christ or against Christ; and it is as true that his assumption must be distinguished. For, de facto, the Christian magistrate is for Christ when he doth his duty faithfully, and is against Christ if he be unfaithful. But, de jure, it holds true universally, that the Christian magistrate manageth his office under and for Christ; that is, so as to be serviceable for the kingdom and glory of Christ. In the second sense (which only concerneth me) taking “under and for Christ,” to be in Christ's stead, as his deputies or vicegerents, so his assumption is lame and imperfect, because it doth not hold forth my opinion clearly. That which I did, and still do hold, is this: That the civil magistrate, whether Christian or pagan, is God's vicegerent, who, by virtue of his vicegerentship, is to manage his office and authority under God, and for God; that is, in God's stead, and as God upon earth: but he is not the vicegerent of Christ as Mediator, neither is he, by virtue of any such vicegerentship, to manage his office and authority under Christ, and for Christ; that is, in Christ's stead, and as Christ Mediator upon earth. This was and is my plain opinion (not mine alone, but of others more learned), and Mr Coleman hath not said so much as yoυ to [pg 3-013] confute it. So much for the assumption. But in the same sense I utterly deny his proposition, as being a great untruth in divinity; for the sense of it can be no other than this: Whosoever do not manage their office and authority in Christ's stead, or as deputies and vicegerents of Christ, as he is Mediator, they manage it in the devil's stead, as the devil's deputies and vicegerents. Now I assume pagan magistrates do not manage their office as the deputies and vicegerents of Jesus Christ, as he is Mediator, therefore as the devil's deputies. Which way was the authority derived to them from Christ as Mediator? Mr Coleman, p. 19, saith in answer to this particular, formerly objected, that Christ is rightful king of the whole earth, and all nations ought to receive Christ, though as yet they do not. But this helpeth him not. That which he had to show was, that the pagan magistrate, even while continuing pagan and not Christian, doth manage his office as Christ's deputy and vicegerent; if not, then I conclude by his principles, a pagan magistrate is the devil's deputy and vicegerent, which is contrary to Paul's doctrine, who will have us to be subject for conscience' sake, even to heathen magistrates, as the ministers of God for good, Rom. xiii. 1-7. By the same argument Mr Coleman must grant that generals, admirals, majors, sheriffs, constables, captains, masters, yea, every man that hath an office, is either Christ's vicegerent, or the devil's vicegerent, than which what can be more absurd? I might, beside all these, show some other flaws in his divinity, as, namely, p. 9 and 13, he doth not agree to this proposition, that “the admitting of the scandalous and profane to the Lord's table, makes ministers to partake of their sins;” and he supposeth that ministers may do their duty, though they admit the scandalous; but of this elsewhere.