among all
that I know. And so, excluding all ruling elders from government who are
neither magistrates, nor the same with ministers, he must needs take upon
him that which I charged him with.

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 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 H