4. There was never any mere man able, by his own power, to overcome the devil in all his temptations. Still, he that is also the true God (for Adam, in his state of innocency, was overcome by them, and fell under them:) But Jesus, the Son of the Virgin, did overcome them all by his own power; therefore he is very God, as well as very Man. See Genesis 3:15; Isaiah 51:9, 63:5; Matthew 4:24; Luke 4:12.
5. There was never any that did call himself the true God (and was not), which did please God in so doing. But Jesus, the Son of Mary, did call himself the true God, or account himself equal with God (which is all one), yet God was well pleased with him (Matt 3:17; Phil 2:6,7; John 8:29). And therefore Jesus the Son of Mary must needs be true God as well as man.
6. There was never any that had all power in heaven and in earth, but the true God. Jesus, the Son of the Virgin Mary, who was espoused to Joseph, hath all power in heaven and in earth in his own hand. Therefore, he is the true and great God (Matt 28:18).
7. There was never any able to keep poor souls from falling from God, saving he that is the true God. Jesus, the Son of Mary, did, and doth this (John 10:27-30, 17:12). Therefore, he is the true and great God.
8. Never could any justly call himself the first and the last, except the true God, nor honestly (as the Lord did say) I AM. But these did Jesus the Son of Mary (Rev 1:1 compared with vv 17, 18; Rev 2:8; and John 8:58). Therefore, Jesus must needs be true God as well as man.
9. Never was there any that could absolutely forgive sins but God (Mark 2:7; Luke 5:21). But Jesus, the Son of the Virgin Mary, can forgive sins (Luke 5:20; Mark 2:5). Therefore, Jesus, the Son of Mary, must needs be true God, as well as man.
10. The scriptures never call any the true and living God, but he that is the true God. The scriptures call Jesus, the Son of the Virgin, the true God (Isa 9:6; 1 John 5:20). Therefore, he is the true and great God.
11. He that made all things, whether they be visible, or invisible, whether they be thrones or dominions, or principalities, or powers, must needs be the true God. But Jesus, the Son of the Virgin Mary, did make all these (Col 1:14-18; John 1:1-16; Heb 1:2,3). And therefore, he is the true God as well as man.
12. The blood of a mere finite creature could never obtain eternal redemption for sinners. But the blood of Jesus, the Son of the Virgin Mary, hath obtained eternal redemption for sinners (Rom 3:23, 5:9; Heb 9:12,14, 10:19,20). Therefore, the blood of the Son of the Virgin must needs be the blood of God. And so the Apostle calleth it, saying to the pastors of the churches, 'Feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood' (Acts 20:28; 1 John 3:16).
13. Never was there any that could overcome death in his own power, but the true God (Hosea 13:14; 2 Tim 1:10; Heb 1:2). Jesus, the Son of the Virgin Mary, did overcome death by himself (Heb 3:14). Therefore, he is the true God as well as man.
14. He that searcheth the hearts, and knoweth the thoughts of men, must needs be the true God (Jer 17:10). But Jesus the Son of the Virgin doth (Luke 5:22, 9:47; John 2:24,25). Therefore, he is the true God.
15. He that by his own power commandeth the raging sea, must needs be the true God (Job 38:10,11; Prov 8:29). But this did Jesus the Son of Mary (Mark 4:39-41; Luke 8:24). Therefore, he is the true God.
16. He that is the WISDOM, power, and glory of God, must needs be the true God. But Jesus, the Son of the Virgin, is all these, as 1 Corinthians 1:24 and Hebrews 1:3 attest. Therefore, Jesus, the Son of the Virgin, must needs be faithful God as well as man.
SECOND.—The next thing that I am to prove is this: namely, that by this Jesus Christ, the Son of the Virgin, the world was made. And here I shall be brief, having touched on it already. Only I shall lay down some of the scriptures that hold forth this to be a truth, and so pass to the following things that I intend to speak of.
And therefore, in the first place, see Hebrews 1:2, where the Apostle speaks of the Son of God, who was born of the Virgin Mary, according to the scriptures mentioned before (Matt. 1:18-23; Luke 2; Matt. 3:17), where God himself saith, This is my beloved Son, &c. This Son of God, saith the Apostle, by whom God hath spoken to us, by him also he made the worlds. And Colossians 1, the Apostle speaking of the deliverance of the saints, saith, 'who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins': And is that all? No, but he is (also) 'the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature' (v 15). And in verses 16, 17, 'By him were all things created that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.'
Also, in Hebrews 1:10, it is thus written of this Son of God, Christ Jesus, the Son of Mary: 'And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth: and the heavens are the works of thine hands.' And again, John 1 and the first 9 verses, the Evangelist, or Apostle, speaking of the Son, saith, 'In the beginning was the Word,' which Word was the Son (Rev 19:13). This Word, or Son, was with God, and the Word was God. All things were made by him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. 'In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.' But in the ninth verse of this first chapter of John, it is written, 'That was the true light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.' Now seeing the Lord hath brought me thus far; and because the Quakers by wresting this scripture, do not only split themselves upon it, but endeavour also to split others, I shall therefore, before I proceed any further, speak a few words to it; and they are these that follow.
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