Thus alfo is our blessed Savior himself to be understood in thefe remarkable Texts. Jefus faith unto her, Touch me not: for I am not yet afcended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend · unto my Father, and your Father, and to my God, and your God, John 20. 17. Him that overcometh, will I make pillar in the temple of my God, and be shall go no more out and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon bim my new name, Rev. 3. 12.

bis

To thefe I may add the following Paffages; And be was cloathed with a vesture dipt in blood: and his name is called, The Word of God, Rev. 19.13. And out mouth goeth a fharp sword, that with it be should smite the Nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the wine-press of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God, v. 15.

I confefs, there are fome other Particulars affirmed of our bleffed Lord with refpect to his Human Nature, which have been too commonly underftood of the WORD or his Divine Nature'; and which wou'd, if that Interpretation were juft, fairly prove, that the WORD or Divine Nature of Chrift, is inferior to the Very God. Upon these therefore I fhall beftow a few Obfervations.

Our Lord is called the Image of the Invisible God, and the first born of every Creature, Col. 1. 15. But how does it certainly appear, that thefe Phrafes relate to the WORD or his Divine Nature? God is faid to have created Man in his own image, Gen. 1. 27. and he is accordingly the image and glory of God, I Cor. 11. 7. particularly as he is the Reprefentative of God, exercifing Authority in

God's

God's Name in this lower World and thus is Chrift the image of God, 2 Cor. 47 4. even the image of the invifible God, Col. 1. 15 by being, even in his Human Nature, God's Reprefentative; be caufe, 1. His preexiftent Soul did in the old Times perfonat the Divine Majefty; and 2. The Man Christ Jefus does now exercife God's Dominion over the whole Creation. And accordingly 'tis ob fervable, that the Apoftle ftyles Chrift the Image of the invisible God, plainly intimating, that the Image it felf is visible; and confequently that Phrafe must be understood as I have already explained it. And as for the other Phrafe, the Man Chrift Jefus is moft certainly the first born of every creature, not only, 1. becaufe his Human Soul was created before all other Creatures, as I have (e) already faid; but also, 2. because he is now insta ted in the actual Poffeffion of the Jus Primogeniti (which the WORD, or his Divine Nature, is effentially incapable of receiving) as being actually conftituted, and in Fact become, what he was not before his Exaltation, viz. the Governor of all created Beings.

Again, 'tis affirmed of Chrift, Col. 2.9. that in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead was (that is, not as we tranflate it, bodily; but as oue is oppofed to oxid, v. 17.) really or truly. Now this may be moft justly affirmed of the Man Chrift Jefus. For if the Fulness of the Godhead fignifys the WORD or Divine Nature; it really and truly dwells in the Man to whom 'tis perfonally united. But if Ses fignifys the Dominion of God, as you (f) con

(e) Chap. 7. p. 89.

(f) Reply to Bifhop Gaftrell, p. 283.

tend

tend it does; tis certain, that the Man Chrift Jefus does actually exercise it at prefent in the most ample Manner, as God's Vicegerent in his Kingdom of the Creation,

25 Again we read, that God hath in thefe last days Spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also be made the worlds. Who being the brightness of his Glory, and the express image of his perfon, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when be bad by himself purged our fins, fat down on the right band of the Majefty on high: Being made fo much better than the Angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent Name than they. For unto which of the Angels faid he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day bave I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son? And again, when he bringeth in the first born into the World, he faith, And let all the Angels of God worship him. And of the Angels be faith, Who maketh bis Angels fpirits, and his minifters ・flame of fire. But unto the Son he faith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a fceptre of righteousness is the fceptre of thy kingdom: Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God hath anointed thee with the oyl of gladness above thy fellows. And thou, Lord, in the beginning haft laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the Works of thine hands. They shall perish, but thou remaineft: and they all shall wax old as doth a Garment ; And as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed: but thou art the fame, and thy years Jhall not fail. But to which of the Angels faid be at any time, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool? Are they not all minifring Spirits, fent forth to minifter for them who shall be beirs of falvation? Heb. 1. 2-14.

a"

Now,

Now, as I have already proved, that thefe Words, Thou haft loved righteoufnefs, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God hath anointed thee with the oyl of gladness above thy Fellows, v. 9. do relate to the Human Nature; fo I grant, that thefe Expreffrons, by whom alfo be made the Worlds, v. z. and those Quotations from the Pfalmift, v. 6, 8, 10, 11, 12. do relate to the Divine Nature. And I am perfuaded, nobody will pretend, that any of thefe Particulars do prove or imply, that the WORD, or Divine Nature, is inferior to the Very God. But then, as for the other Affirmations concerning the Son, let them never fo plainly prove or imply an Inferiority to the Very God, yet they are moft fairly and manifeftly to be understood of the Man Christ Jefus.

For Inftance, the Man Chrift Jefus is God's Son, and is appointed heir of all things. He is the magaoua, the brightness of God's glory, and the exprefs image of his perfon or Subftance; that is, he is the glorious vifible Reprefentative of the invisible Majefty of the Very God. And he upholds (or as égar (g) ought in this Place to be rendred, he governs) sall things by the word of his power, or his powerful Word; that is, the whole Creation is at his Command. He when he had by himself purged our fins, fat down on the right hand of the majesty on high: Being made fo much better than the Angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they, v. 3, 4. By his Refurrection those Words of Pfal. 2. 9. were verify'd, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee. For St. Paul fays, We declare unto you glad tidings, how that

(g) See Grotius on the Place.

the

the promise which was made unto the fathers, God hath fulfilled the fame unto us their children, in that he hatb raised up Jefus again; as it is also written in the fecond Pfalm, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee, Acts 13. 32, 33. To him thofe Words are apply'd, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Song v. 5. To him God faid, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool, N. 13. For Chrift himfelf has explained that Paffage of his Human Na ture, by faying to the Pharisees, What think ye of Chrift? Whose fon is be? They say unto him, The Son of David. He faith unto them, How then doth David in Spirit call bim Lord, faying, The Lord faid unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right band, till I make thine enemies thy footstool? If David then call him Lord, bow is be his Son? Matt. 22. 42

-45.

In fine, I must now take the Liberty of affirming, that there is not one Text, which fpeaks of our bleffed Savior in fuch a manner, as implies his being inferior to the Very God, but what either neceffarily muft, or moft fairly may, be understood of the Man Chrift Jefus, or our Savior's Human Nature only. And therefore I conclude (and I hope you are by this time fenfible) that the Holy Scriptures do not teach, that the WORD, or Divine Nature of our Lord Jefus Chrift, is inferior to the Very God.

CHAP.