John Hammett's CONFESSION of FAITH; Together with his ARGUMENTS For and against the DIVINITY OF JESUS CHRIST.
My Son, fear thou the Lord, and the King, and meddle not with them that are given to change.
Looking diligently, lest any Man fail of the Grace of God; lest any Root of Bitterness springing up, trouble you, and thereby many be defiled.
For we can do nothing against the Truth, but for the Truth.
NEWPORT: Printed by J. FRANKLIN. 1754.
JOHN HAMMETT of the Town of Newport on Rhode-Island, having furnished the World with an undoubted Instance in his own Person, of a Man abundantly given to Change, hath penn'd and sent to a certain Church Member, a few Days ago, a Paper, containing a Declaration or Confession of his Faith concerning our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ; and having been since waited upon, hath owned it to be his Faith, notwithstanding he hath not subscribed it with his Name: And the same being in direct Opposition to Twelve Arguments of his in a Manuscript, now in Possession of another of the Church Members, it is thought fit, for the Benefit of himself and others, to present the Contents of the said Papers to the Public; together with an Argument of his against the Divinity of Jesus Christ, taken from another of his own Manuscripts. Only advertising the Reader, That his asserting or suggesting, that the Confession of his Faith, contained in his said Paper, ‘always was [Page 4]and is the Confession of Faith which is made and accepted by all our Churches to this Day,’ is certainly a very great Evil, false in Fact, and dishonourable to the said Churches: Witness those very Confessions of Faith which have been reprinted here in Newport, and which any Man [...] compare with this of John Hammett, at Pleasure.
However, for the Satisfaction of many Readers, and saving them some Trouble, it is thought covenient to insert some Passages in this Place,
There is a Public Confession of Faith hanging up in a Frame in the Meeting House where J. Hammett used to assemble, and which hath been there many Years, and hath been lately reprinted in Newport, by Mr. Franklin. The third Article whereof, speaks thus: "That there is one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all Things, who is the only begotten Son of God, born of the Virgin Mary; being the true Lord and Root of David, and also his Son and Offspring, according to the Flesh; whom God freely sent into the World, because of his great Love to the World; who as freely gave himself a Ransom for all, tasting Death for every Man, [Page 5]a Propitiation for our Sins; and not for ours only, but also for the Sins of the whole World."
The seventh Article of the said Confession, speaks thus: "That there is one Holy Spirit, the precious Gift of God, freely given to such as obey him, Eph. 4.4. Acts 5.32. that thereby they may be throughly sanctified, and made able (without which they are altogether unable) to abide stedfast in the Faith, and to honour the Father and his Son Christ, the Author and Finisher of their Faith, 1 Cor. 6.11. There are three that bear Record in Heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit, and these Three are One, 1 John 5.7."—
There is also a Public Confession of Faith set forth by many of those Baptists who own the Doctrine of Universal Redemption; subscribed by certain Messengers, Pastors, Deacons, and Brethren, met at London, in Behalf of themselves, and many others, unto whom they did belong, in London, and in several Counties of the Nation, of the same Faith with them. Which Confession hath also been reprinted some Years ago in Newport, by Mr. J. Franklin. The first Article [Page 6]whereof, speaks thus: "We believe, and are very confident, that there is One, and but One living and true God, who is from everlasting to everlasting, and changeth not; without Body, Parts, or Passions, essentially present in all Places, of infinite Power, Wisdom, and Goodness; the Maker and Preserver of all Things in Heaven and Earth, Visible and Invisible; and in this Divine and Infinite Being or Unity of the Godhead, there are Three Persons, the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, of one Substance, Power, and Eternity: But as for all other Doctrines that are contrary and opposite to this abovesaid Article, we abhor and solemnly protest against them."
The third Article of the said Confession is thus: "That the second Person in the Trinity, is the only begotten Son of God, who did in the Fulness of Time, take to himself of our Nature and Substance, in the Womb of the blessed Virgin Mary, of whom (in Respect of the Flesh) he was made, and so is true God, and true Man, our Emanuel, Christ, whom God the Father freely sent into the World, because of his great Love to the World; who as freely gave himself a Ransom for All"—
[Page 7] This Confession of Faith being reduced to a short Compass, for the Benefit of weak Memories, and ignorant Persons: In that Form, the first Article is thus. "There is one God, an Almighty, Eternal, Infinite, Good, Merciful, Righteous, and Holy Spirit, who made the World, and all Things therein, out of Nothing; and is supream Ruler and Governor thereof."
The second Article is thus. "This one God is distinguished into Three Persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost; the Father is the Creator, the Son the Redeemer, and the Holy Ghost the Sanctifier."
To this, let it be added: There is another Confession of Faith published by a very great Number of Baptist Churches, that held the the Doctrine of Personal Election and Final Perseverance, cited by Mr. Jos. Stennet in his Answer to Mr. Russen; which, as to the Matter in Hand, saith, as cited by Mr. Stennet, p. 112, 113. "The Son of God, the second Person in the Holy Trinity, being very and eternal God, the Brightness of the Father's Glory, of one Substance, and equal with him; who made the World, who upholdeth and governeth all Things he hath [Page 8]made; did, when the Fulness of Time was come, take upon him Man's Nature, with all the essential Properties, and common Infirmities thereof, yet without Sin, being conceived by the Holy Spirit in the Womb of the Virgin Mary;—and so was made of a Woman of the Tribe of Judah, of the Seed of Abraham and David, according to the Scriptures. So that two whole, perfect, and distinct Natures were inseparably join'd together in one Person, without Conversion, Composition, or Confusion; which Person is very God and very Man, yet one Christ, the only Mediator between God and Man."
J. Hammett's Confession of Faith, taken from his own Manuscript.
"FOrasmuch as there having been of late, certain Opinions, which both by preaching and writing, have been industriously propagated among us, which hath caused some Uneasiness, and hath put us upon diligently searching, and carefully examining, the plain Scriptures of the New-Testament; and from thence we have collected the following Declaration of our Faith, which having Christ and his Apostles [Page 9]for its Foundation, we therefore hope it will sufficiently protect us from the Imputation of Error; and also it may, by the Blessing of God, be Serviceable to others: We thought ourselves conscientiously oblig'd to make it public.
THAT in Respect of the real Substance, Nature, and Essence, of the true and only Christ, the only begotten Son of God, in whom God the Father dwelt, and to whom the Father gave the Spirit without Measure, in whom the Godhead dwelt bodily, and in whom God was manifest, and that God was in Christ, reconciling the World to himself, so as there never was such a Union between God and any other Man.
Him the Scriptures declare to be the Seed of the Virgin, miraculously conceiv'd in her Womb, by the Overshadowing of the Holy Ghost, and born of her Body, made of a Woman, and was the Son of Man, made like his Brethren in all Things, Sin only excepted; and was in all Points tempted like as we are, yet without Sin, liable to the Bodily Frailties of Human Nature, he being a Mortal Man, and for our Sins died on the Cross, whom God raised from the [Page 10]Dead, and exalted and dignified him far above all others, whether in Heaven or in Earth, the Father only excepted: For God hath given him a Name, which is above every Name, that at the Name of Jesus, every Knee should bow, whether of Things in Heaven or Things on Earth; and to him God committed all Power in Heaven and in Earth; and also God hath appointed and ordained this extraordinary Person to execute those two great Offices of a Mediator between God and Man; and also that of a Judge of the final and everlasting State of all Men: And this glorious and incomparable Person, the Scriptures thus describes and sets forth, to be the compleat and only Object of Faith, God the Father only excepted; for Christ himself said, Ye believe in God, believe also in me: So that there is not any other Object of Faith recommended to us; for as to the Holy Ghost, or Power of the Highest, 'tis evident, that the Highest was his Father, by whose overshadowing Power (to whom Nothing is impossible) the Virgin conceived and brought forth her Son, and thus this Seed of the Woman, who was to bruise the Serpent's Head, became the [Page 11]only begotten Son of God, according as the Angel said to Mary; That Holy Thing which shall be born of thee, shall be called the Son of God; and also he shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest. And that we might not be mistaken, by going farther back to find out his Original, or when he began to have a Being or Existence, and thereby overlook him, and have our Eye on some other Object instead of him, the Holy Ghost hath carefully provided against this Uncertainty, by informing us, That when he was disputing the Doctors in the Temple, he was then about Twelve Years of Age; and when he was baptized of John in the River of Jordan, he then began to be about Thirty Years of Age; so that Christ the Son of God could not pre-exist, or exist, before that Time, saving in the Ordination or Pre-determination of God, who calleth Things that are not, as tho' they were; and in this Sense and Way of speaking, he is said to be a Lamb slain from the Foundation of the World, tho' 'tis evident, he was not really then in Being, much less to be then slain or crucified. And also David said, Thou art my Son, this Day have I begotten thee: [Page 12]But both Peter and Paul explains this to be prophetically spoken, and to refer to his being begotten or raised from the Dead. So Christ also questioning with the Jews, he asked them, If David in Spirit call him Lord, how is he then his Son? Had these Jews understood, that David spake this in a prophetic Stile; that is, That he was in Process of Time to be his Lord, and also his Son, tho' then he was really neither his Son nor his Lord, they need not to have been so puzzled about this so plain a Question. And thus abundance of seeming Difficulties may be easily reconciled and understood; for we are not under the ignorant Uncertainty, that the Disciples of John were, when they asked Christ, Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another? but thanks be to God, we can say with Philip to Nathanael, We have found him, of whom Moses in the Law and the Prophets did write, Jesus of Nazareth. And this mean and low Character, tho' despis'd by Nathanael as well as others, yet Christ was pleas'd particularly to chuse above all others, to describe himself by, when he appeared to Paul, tho' then in his most exalted and resplendant Glory; I am Jesus of [Page 13]Nazareth! So that we are not ashamed to own him, as being our great Lord and Master; and in him therefore, we profess to believe, and with him we are fully satisfied and contented; and therefore, we are not amusing and puzzling ourselves, by looking out for another Christ, or Son of God, whom we never expect to find; for on this very Faith of Christ's Human Personality and Sufferings, he hath expressly founded and established the commemorative Communion, and as such, we all receive it. And also, that the Man Christ Jesus, whom the Jews crucified, and whom God raised from the Dead, the Apostles went every where preaching to Jews and Gentiles, That he was the Son of God, and the only Saviour; and for this they suffered abundance of Persecution: So that this was their chief and principal Doctrine of Faith, and accordingly this was the Profession of Faith which the primitive Converts made, and which was accepted by the Apostles on their Admission to Baptism; and so this always was, and is the Confession of Faith which is made and accepted by all our Churches to this Day. Luke 6.22, 23. Blessed are ye, when Men shall hate you, and when they [Page 14]shall separate you from their Company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your Name as evil, for the Son of Man's Sake: Rejoice ye in that Day, and leap for Joy, for behold your Reward is great in Heaven."
J. Hammett's Argument against the Divinity of Jesus Christ; taken from his own Manuscript.
"IF there is but one God, and Christ is emphatically the Gift of God, and there is always a Distinction to be made between the Giver and the Gift, then Christ cannot be really God."
But there is but one God, and Christ is emphatically the Gift of God; and there is always a Distinction to be made between the Giver and the Gift.
Therefore Christ could not be really God. John 4.10.
J. Hammett's Arguments for the Divinity of Jesus Christ; taken from his own Manuscript.
[Page 15] "IF none but God could raise the Dead to Life, and Christ had this Power in himself, then he must be God.
But none but God could raise the Dead to Life, and Christ had this Power in himself;
Therefore he must be God: As well as Man.
John 11.25, 43, 44. I am the Resurrection and the Life. And when he had thus spoken, he cried with a loud Voice, Lazarus come forth: And he that was dead came forth. 1 Cor. 15.22. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ shall all be made alive.
If none but God could give Spiritual Life to the Souls of Men, being spiritually dead, and quicken them to a spiritual Life, and Christ could do this, then he must be God.
But none but God could give spiritual Life to the Souls of Men, being spiritually dead, and quicken them to a spiritual Life, and Christ could do this;
Therefore he must be God: As well as Man. John 5.25. Verily, verily, I say unto you, the Hour is coming, and now is, when the Dead shall hear the Voice of the Son of God; and they that hear, shall live.
[Page 16] If none but God could forgive Men's Sins, and Christ could forgive them, then he must be God:
But none but God could forgive Men's Sins, and Christ could and did forgive them;
Therefore it follows, that he must be God: As well as Man.
Matt. 9.2, 6. Son be of good Cheer, thy Sins be forgiven thee. But that ye may know that the Son of Man hath Power on Earth to forgive Sins.
If none but God could know the secret Thoughts of Men's Hearts, and the secret Actions of their Lives; and Christ did know them, then he must be God.
But none but God could know the secret Thoughts of Men's Hearts, and the secret Actions of their Lives, and Christ did know them;
Therefore he must be God: As well as Man.
Matt. 9.4. John 4.29. And Jesus knowing their Thoughts, said, Wherefore think ye evil in your Hearts. Come and see a Man that told me all Things that ever I did; Is not this the Christ?
If no Man could quicken his own dead [Page 17]Body, and raise it from the Dead; and Christ did quicken his own dead Body and raise it from the Dead: Then he must be God.
But no Man could quicken his own dead Body, and raise it from the Dead; and Christ quickned and raised up his own Body:
Therefore he must be God: As well as Man.
I have Power to lay down my Life, and I have Power to take it again.
If none but God could create the World, and Christ did create it, then he must be God:
But none but God could create the World, and Christ did create it;
Therefore he must be God: As well as Man.
John 1.10. He was in the World, and the World was made by him.
If none but God could be the Root of David (as Christ must be understood to mean) and Christ was David's Root; then he must be God.
But none but God could be the Root of David (as Christ must be understood to mean) [Page 18]and Christ was David's Root;
Therefore he must be God: As well as Man.
Rev. 22.16. I Jesus have sent mine Angel to testify unto you these Things in the Churches. I am the Root and Offspring of David.
If the Angels are to worship none but God, and they are to worship Christ; then Christ is God:
But the Angels are to worship none but God, and they are to worship Christ;
Therefore he must be God: As well as Man.
Heb. 1.6. When he bringeth in the first Begotten into the World, he saith; And let all the Angels of God worship him.
If Christ and God are One; then Christ is God:
But Christ and God are One;
Therefore he must be God.
John 10.30. I and my Father are One.
If none but God could give to Men living Water (thereby meaning the Spirit of God) and Christ could give Men that living Water; then he must be God:
But none but God could give to Men living Water (thereby intending the Spirit of [Page 19]God) and Christ could give that living Water to Men;
Therefore he must be God: As well as Man.
John 4.10.14. chap. 7.37, 38, 39. Thou wouldst have asked of him, and he would have given thee living Water. But whosoever drinketh of the Water that I shall give him, shall never thirst; but the Water that I shall give him, shall be in him a Well of Water springing up into everlasting Life. —Saying, If any Man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the Scripture hath said, out of his Belly shall flow Rivers of living Water. But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive.
If the Angels belong to none but God, and they are Christ's; then Christ must be God:
But the Angels belong to none but God, and they are Christ's;
Therefore he must be God: As well as Man.
Mark 13.26, 27. And then shall they see the Son of Man coming in the Clouds, with Power and great Glory. And then shall he send his Angels, and they shall gather together his Elect.
[Page 20] If Christ was both in Heaven and on Earth at one and the same Instant, then he must be the Omnipresent God:
But he was both in Heaven and on Earth at the same Time;
Therefore he must be the Omnipresent God: As well as Man.
John 3.13. And no Man hath ascended up to Heaven, but he that came down from Heaven, even the Son of Man which is in Heaven.
The End of the Arguments.
The Reader may be pleased to know, That presently after the Work of transcribing these Papers was finished, the above Confession of Faith appeared in print, without any material Alteration from what it is in the Manuscript, subscribed by John Hammett and two other Men. The Copier of these Papers was extreamly sorry to see the Names of these two Men in that Place and Company; and doubts not but the same will be an Occasion of great Grief to many others. It is to be feared, and yet it may be hoped, that they have put a great deal too much Confidence in their Scribe. However, such Events are not to be thought altogether [Page 21]strange: because the great Apostle of the Gentiles hath long since said, Acts 20.29, 30. — I know this, that after my departing, shall grievous Wolves enter in among you, not sparing the Flock. Also of your ownselves shall Men arise, speaking perverse Things, to draw away Disciples after them.
JOhn Hammett having denied that he gave me the Subscriber, such a Paper as the preceding Twelve Arguments, until it was produced in his own Hand-writing: These may satisfy the Public, That some Time past, perceiving J. Hammett did not act the upright Part; for when in my Company, he would agree with me, That our Lord Jesus Christ, with Respect to his Divinity, was from Everlasting, of the same Nature and Essence as the Father; and when with Mr. Tillinghast (I was credibly informed) would disown Christ's Divinity; and that he was not before he appeared in the Flesh. Having put the Matter close to his Conscience, he denied the same; and in a short Time presented me with a Paper, containing the Twelve Arguments before mentioned, to prove [Page 23]Christ's Divinity, wrote by himself; and in the Presence of another Person (besides myself) declared them to be his real Sentiments, which he had written, to convince me he was of my Opinion.
Test. Geo. Gardner, Distil.
John Hammett denied the preceding Twelve Arguments in my Presence, until they appeared to be his own Hand-writing.