clar'd by the Apoftle as truly God, and not barely, in your Senfe, the Image of God; as by being in the Form of a Servant, and in the Likeness of Man, He was really Man, and not the Appearance only of a Man.

And in 2 Cor. iv. 4. where 'tis again faid, Who is the Image of God, 'tis faid in the 6th Verfe, God hath shined in our Hearts, to give the Light of the Knowledge of the Glory of God in the Face, or rather the Perfon, of Jefus Chrift: For fo alfo wejowo fignifies, and is fo render'd, Chap. ii, 10. And Dr. Hammond in his Commentary fays, Chrift reprefents Almighty God to us, not as a Picture does the Body, but as a real, fubftantial Image

of him.

And the very next Words in the Text, Heb. i. 3. (of which we have been fpeaking) are, upholding all Things by his Power, which none can do but God who is Omnipotent.

I do own, that einer does properly, in the common Acceptation of the Word, fignify an Image or Picture of a Thing; but as, I hope, I have fhewn it does not, it cannot fo fignify in the Places aforefaid; fo it will be plain, that this Word here muft fignify not a picture, but a full, lively and perfe& Image. By another Text in this Epiftle to the Hebrews, Ch. x. V. I. The Law having a Shadow of good Things to come, and not the very Image (or Image it felf) of the Things.. Here the Image of the Things, muft fignify a full and perfect Image of the Things themselves; or else if Image fignifies only the Picture or Representation, 'tis no more than Shadow, and then 'tis no Antithefis, which was neceffary in this Argument of the Apoftle; nay, 'tis a Contradiction in the very fame Sentence, for it will run thus: The Law having a Shadow—and not having the very Shadow.

I come now to the Second Part of your Text, Col. i. 15. the Knows? Firft born of every Creature, or of the Creation, as it is render'd, Rev. iii. 14. and cited by you, p. 10. from whence you would infer our Saviour to be a Creature, tho' the Firft-horn and the Chief of them.

But if you would have added the next Verfe, and what follows, it would manifeftly have appear'd that he could not be one of them, for it is faid;

For by him were all Things created that are in Heaven, and that are in Earth, vifible and invifible; whether they be Thrones, or Dominions, or Principalities, or Powers; all Things were created by him, and for him.

Ver. 16.

Αρχα

Hence it will follow, that if He made all Things in Heaven and Earth, and, as St. John adds, that without him was not any C. i. 2. Thing made that was made; furely, He himself was not made; weis for a Creature could not make himself. All Things are of God, re• and by God, Ariftotle could fay: But we need not the Divine Ariftot.de Authority of the Scriptures, nor the Sagacity of a Philofopher; Mundo,

σαι

I Cor. i.

20.

28.

29.

common Senfe is fufficient to inform us, that the Maker cannot be a Part of the Things made.

And the following Verfe would have told you, that he was Eudoxnos God; For it pleased the Father, that in Him fhould all Fulness πᾶν τὸ dwell, or all Fulness was pleased to dwell in him; and what that Tangwa Fulness is, we fee in the Second Chapter, v. 9. all the Fulness Karon of the Godhead: Which Text is introduc'd in a very remarkable Manner, as if the Apostle had forefeen what he fays in another Place, that the Wife, the Scribe, the Disputer of this World, (to whom the Doctrine concerning Chrift, was Foolishness, tho' he truly was the Power of God, the Wisdom of God) might attempt to pervert others from the true Christian Faith. (For, as I obferv'd before of the Platonifts, Tertullian fays of the Adv. Jud. Philofophers in general, that they were Hereticorum Patriarc.9.p. 142. cha.). He cautions the Coloffians againft their Infinuations, in the Verfe immediately preceding; Beware left any Man Spoil (or make a Prey of, or enfnare) you, thro' Philofophy and vain Deceit, after the Rudiments of this World, and not after Chrift: For in him dwelleth all the Fulnefs of the Godhead bodily. And Comment. Dr. Hammond obferves, that as oua is often loft in the Geni465. tive Cafe following it; as, -8, Me, ownia Xess, Chrift; fo here owμas Bodily, may be taken in the fame Senfe by Identity of his very Effence.

~

And I think it is very obfervable, that when in the 15th Verse he had ftil'd Him the First-born of every Creature, the next Verfe begins, For, on, or because, By him were all Things created, &c. Now if the Apoftle had meant to affert him in the 15th Verse to be a Creature, the Reafon he gives for it, or the Argument he uses to prove it in the 16th Verfe, viz. Because he himself created all Things, is the moft furprizing that ever was urg'd by Man; efpecially by that Apoftle, who had afferted, that the Creation of the World was a full Proof of the Rom. i.20. Eternal Godhead; and therefore could not now confiftently with himself make it alfo the Proof of a Creature: So that if when he undertook to declare to the Athenians the unknown God, and whom they ignorantly worshipp'd, the Philofophers, or even Men of common Senfe had heard him reafoning in this Manner, they would with Juftice have cry'd out, What will this Babbler have?

Acts xvii.

18.

What I have here before faid of the Signification of apyn, may ferve alfo to explain the Meaning of Firft-born in this Text: For tho' the literal and primary Signification of wegroTou be first-born, yet as Primogeniture gave to the Eldest a Superiority and Dominion over his Brethren; So in this Sense it ought to be taken here; and the 18th Verfe of this I Coloff. leads us plainly to it, for 'tis faid, He is the Head of the Body the Church, the Beginning, the First-born from the Dead, that in Пparday all Things he might have the Pre-eminence, or, more literally, be

Chief.

So I Chron. xxvi. 10. Because there was no Eldeft, his Father on in îv made him the Chief, or Ruler; which Privilege did belong to erithe Eldeft, and which, as fuch, he might of Right have x. claim'd.

Αρχόντα. So when Ifaac had made Jacob Lord over his Brethren, or of Gen.xxvii. his Brother, Efau complain'd that Jacob had fupplanted him, 29. and taken away his (Torod, Rights of) Birthright, and T άdeλthe Bleffing which appertain'd to it.

And Pfal. lxxxix. 27. I will make him my First-born, higher than the Kings of the Earth; that is, fays Dr. Hammond, the moft glorious of them; for, literally, David could not be the First-born.

The literal Translation of this Verfe feems plainer to this Senfe; I will place him (leaving out my) First-born; that is, Ka fet him in the Station of the First-born, or Eldeft, make him Chief, as in the Chronicles before-mention'd; or Lord, as Ifaac xov Onoodid Jacob.

μαι αὐτὸν.

'Tis faid, Heb. xii. 23. ye are call'd to the General Assembly of the Church of the First-born: Muft this be conftrued literally of the Church of the First-born, or Eldeft, as 'tis in the 78th Pfalm, v. 51. he fmote all the First-born in Egypt? No, furely; Rom. xvi. this is meant, and fo Dr. Hammond expounds it, of the Apostles 5. and firft Converts to Chriftianity; and fo Epenetus is call'd the firft Fruits of Achaia, those who had the firft Fruits of the Spirit.

viii. 23.

And St. Paul tells us, another Title our Saviour had to this Appellation of First born, viz. Whom he did foreknow, he also did Rom. viii. predeftinate to be conform'd to the Image of his Son, that he might 29. be the Firft-born among many Brethren: Or, as he is ftil'd, Heb. ii. 10, in Terms equivalent, the Captain of their Salvation, 'Agès. whom, v. 11. he was not afham'd to call Brethren; or, as it is Heb. xii. 2. the Author and Finisher of their Faith.

To conclude this Point; furely there are many figurative Expreffions, which it would be abfurd to conftrue literally; I am the Vine; This is my Body, &c. Nay, fome Things, which are faid of Men, cannot be so taken neither; a new Creature, created in Chrift unto good Works, born again, &c. Shall we fay, like Nicodemus, Can a Man enter the fecond Time into his Mother's Womb? To which, and to all fuch Conftructions, there needs no other Answer than what our Saviour gave to him, Art thou a Master of Ifrael, and knoweft not thefe Things? There remains but one Text more which you have cited, viz. Heb. iii. 2. Who was faithful to him Sin our Tranflation, appointed 2 2 in your Tranflation, made

him.

that, And you fay, that the Author to the Hebrews directly affirms, • That God made Chrift, which in the 4th Century was reckon'd fo • Heterodox, that this Epiftle was in fome Places feldom read in Publick; and that partly out of the Dread of such an Expression; as Philaftrius affures.

Αρχηγός.

John iii.

10.

ποιήσαντι.

P. 31.

Ver. 14.

I have not that Book, fo I can't trace you in this Quotation : But I wonder that it was poffible for any Man to dread this Expreffion or Text; for I will, with great Affurance, affirm, That the Apoftle does not fay that God made Chrift in your Senfe, or in any Senfe, that even an Athanafian (as you term us) will not acknowledge with Joy, and with a full Assurance of Faith But that you fhould fo tranflate and apply this Text to prove the Son of God a Creature, and charge the Apoftle with afferting it exprefsly, I would not have believ'd from any Man but your felf, for furely never was any Part of the Scripture fo perverted and diftorted to serve a Turn.

I do agree that it does fignify to make in your Senfe, and you cannot deny that it alfo fignifies to appoint or conftitute; and that it is fo us'd fometimes in Scripture.

1 Chron. xxvi. 10.

His Father made him Chief.

Επιίησεν αὐτὸν ἄρχοντα.

Rev. i. 6.

Hath made us Kings and Priests.
Εποίησεν ἡμᾶς βασιλεῖς καὶ ἱερεῖς.

Mark iii. 14. Ezoinowy dá sexy.
SHe ordained Twelve.

Chrift glorify'd

Hebr. v. 5.

to be made an High Prieft. not himself revna ȧppia.

Which Word unlu more ftrongly denotes making in your Senfe, than avn; and yet furely no Man will make fo ridiculous a Construction of any of the Texts, as to call them Creations, as you would have this 3d Hebr. to be understood which plainly fignifies no more than appointing, or, if you please, making him our High Prieft; as will be moft evident.

This Third Chapter begins thus.

Wherefore, holy Brethren, confider the Apostle and High-Priest of our Profeffion Chrift Jefus, who was Faithful to him that Sappointed made

him.

Wherefore denotes an Inference from fome Premiffes, and fo leads to the Context, and the foregoing Verses at the End of the fecond Chapter, viz.

Forafmuch then as Children are Partakers of Flesh and Blood, he alfo himself took Part of the fame, that thro' Death he might deftroy him, that had the Power of Death, that is, the Devil.

For

F

For he took on him the Seed of Abraham.

Ver. 16, Wherefore in all Things it behov'd him to be made like unto his 17.. Brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful High-Prieft, in Things pertaining to God, to make Reconciliation for the Sins of the People.

For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to 18. fuccour them that are tempted.

Then follows the Third Chapter, Wherefore, holy Brethren, &c. as above.

You may fee that the whole Difcourfe of the Apostle relates to his human Nature; He took upon him Flesh and Blood, and in all Things was made like unto his Brethren; and the Reason given for it is, That he might be a merciful and faithful High Prieft in Things pertaining to God; and then to offer up himself a Sacrifice to make Reconciliation for the Sins of the People: Was it not in this Respect, as Man, that he died? For, furely, 'tis Blafphemy to fay, that his Godhead dy'd, and yet I know not how you can avoid it, if you apply your Text to his Divine Nature. Was it not, as Man, that he became our High-Priest? Do not you argue from thence againft Polycarp's and Juftin's P. 25. calling him Eternal High-Prieft? Was it not the High-Prieft that was faithful? If then he that was faithful was the High-Prieft; if the High-Priest was he that dy'd for us; and in order to it, took our Flesh and Blood, and became Man, then it was as fuch, viz. as Man, that the Apoftle fays he was made and constituted High-Priest, who, as St. Paul fays, ever liveth to make Inter- Heb. vil ceffion for us.

I muft alfo take Notice that he is here ftil'd Apoftle too, or as the Word fignifies, Meffenger: Now he was that Meffenger as Man, to bring us the glad Tidings of Salvation, and to teach us an holy Religion, by which we might obtain it: So that he, who was made or conftituted an Apoftle and High-Prieft, may alfo be faid to be made, because both as an Apostle and HighPrieft he was Man, and was therefore made Man, that he might be Both.

25.

I have now gone thro' and examin'd your Texts and your Teftimonies; and, I hope, have fhewn that the One are either not applicable to your Purpose, or very thort of proving what you aim at: And for the Other, I am very forry I must say you have very grofsly corrupted your Witneffes: Such Evidence is enough to spoil even a good Caufe; but I must own it is very proper for a bad one, which with fuch only can, with any Colour, be fupported: Nevertheless you do, in a very pompous Manner, fum up your Evidence; but I can't be convinc'd by it, for your Premiffes do not warrrnt your Conclufion, nor ought I to be carry'd about and tofs'd to and fro with Gal.iv.14. every Wind of Do&rine by the Sleight of Men; and this Advice is repeated, Heb. 13. where after the Apofile had in the 8th Verfe told us, that Jefus Chrift was the fame Yesterday, and to

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