:^ 
 
IJU-*^" 
 
 
 y- 
 
 
 LTBRA^R^^ 
 
 OP THE 
 
 Theological Seminary, 
 
 PRINCETON, N. J. 
 
 Case, C^S--S--^. OiviV • 
 
 Shelf, 30^__:D Sec 
 Booh, N« 
 
A N 
 
 ILLUSTRATION 
 
 OF SEVERAL 
 
 Texts of SCRIPTURE, 
 
 PARTICULARLY 
 
 Ttiofe in which the LOGOS occurs. 
 
 The Subflance of Eight SERMONS Preached 
 "iathe Cathedral Church of St. P a u l, in the 
 Years 1764 and 1765.. 
 
 At the Appo'ntment of 
 
 M«*^-I 1^, A T H C O T E, 
 
 ')y Perr.ilffion of the 
 
 Lord^Bifnop of LONDON; 
 
 For the Ledure Founded by Lady M O Y E R. 
 To wh'ch are added 
 
 T W O TRACTS 
 
 Relative to an 
 
 INTERMEDIATE STATE. 
 
 By BENjAMINiyAWSON, L. L. D. 
 
 Rector of Burgh in Suffolk. 
 
 Provi all rhin^(, hold fafi that which is Good. St. Paul. 
 
 L O N D O N: 
 Printed for the AUTHOR, and So\d by A. Millar, in t!>c S-ranr' -. 
 J. Kivi\GTo\, St. Paul's. Chiirth-vard; J. V/avgh, r/^-M-^a 
 Street; J. DoDSLKY, Pali-Ma. I; T. Eecket and P. i,v il^Nbi. 
 in the Strand. MDCCLXV 
 

 -^ 
 
 
 T O 
 
 The Right Rever 672(1 Father in G OD^ 
 
 p 
 
 I L 
 
 Lord Bishop of 
 
 NOR 
 
 I C I-L 
 
 Aly LORD, 
 
 N lubmittinp- to the Perufal 
 of the Public the follow- 
 ing: Difcourfes, which are the 
 
 Sub- 
 
The D E D I C A T I O N. 
 
 Subftance of the hzdyJkfoyer^s 
 Ledlures, I have honoured 
 myfelf v/ith addreffing them 
 to your Lordftiip. I fliould 
 not have had the Affurance 
 to do it, but after taking all 
 due Pains with the Subject. 
 Fully confcious of this, I 
 hope for your Lordftiip's In- 
 dulgence in what is meant 
 
 for the Intereft of Religion 
 
 m 
 
The DEDICATION, 
 
 in general, and the true Ser- 
 vice of our Church in parti- 
 cular, 
 
 I amy 
 
 My LORD, 
 
 Tour Lordship's 
 Mofl Obedient 
 and Mojl 
 
 Humble Servant 
 
 Benjamin Dawson. 
 
THE 
 
 PREFACE 
 
 TO THE 
 
 LE CTURES. 
 
 IN the Courfe of the following 
 Leclures I have undertaken to 
 prove from Scripture thefe three Po- 
 rtions, I. That He v/ho redeemed 
 us w^as very God, manifefted in the 
 FleOi ; not the Firft of created Bc-^ 
 ings united to an human Bodj^, nor 
 a 7nere Man, in v/hom the Fuhiefs 
 of the Godhead dwelt not. 2. That 
 Je/iis Chi-ift was indeed peifecv Man, 
 " of a reafonable Soul and human 
 
 '^Flelli 
 
viii PREFACE. 
 
 « Flelli fubhfting ;" but that Man 
 in whom God himfelf and no other 
 Being, in Nature inferior, dwelt. 
 3 . That the Holy Ghojl is of a Na- 
 ture perfeBly divine ; not a diftinct 
 and feparate Being from the Father 
 Almighty, inferior both to Him and 
 the Son, but true and ve?y God ; or, 
 in other Words, that He, who hath 
 fa72Bifedy is one and the fame God 
 with Him that created and redee^ned 
 us. In proving thefe three Things 
 
 and illufrrating many Paffages of 
 Scripture relative thereto, I hope I 
 fr.all be thought, if not to have de- 
 fended, at leaft to have proceeded 
 
 upon 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 IX 
 
 upon a Method, not lefs juft than 
 NEW, of defending the Dodrines of 
 the Church of Englajid on this lead- 
 ing Subjed: of our holy Religion. 
 This I may hope for from a few can- 
 did and attentive Readers. 
 
 At the fame Time, in venturing 
 a Performance of this Kind into the 
 World, I am not infenfiblc cither to 
 the Contempt, which, in tiie prefent 
 h^z^ is like cnoucrh to be fhcv/n for 
 it^ or to the fevere Refledions which 
 may be made upon it. But, though 
 I fliould ill bear the One or the Ochcr 
 from the fenfibleand judiciousReader, 
 I atn the lefs difcouraged at the Prof- 
 
 b pea 
 
X PREFACE. 
 
 pe6i; of meeting with both, on confi- 
 de rhig what Sort of Perfons I can 
 pcffibly offend J and from whom alone 
 Contempt ought to mortify an Author. 
 Ill Nature only, or Bigotry, which 
 perhaps is but a Species of ill Nature, 
 can take Offence at any Thing I have 
 faid ; And, as for Contempt from that 
 Quarter whence I moft expect it, from 
 thofe, I mean, who, difregarding all 
 Religion, look upon all religious Sub- 
 jects as equally contemptible, it re- 
 auires no g-rcat Fortitude of Mind to 
 fuftain it. 
 
 There is one Thing which may 
 feem to the candid part of my Readers 
 
 to 
 
PREFACE, xi 
 
 to want fome Apology from me ; 
 This is, the Ule of the Terms, Aricms^ 
 Socinians^ &c. for wliich I have this 
 to fay, that I ufe them not often, and 
 7ievcr by way of Reproach upon tliofe 
 Denominations of Chriftians, but bc- 
 caufe they ferve to exprefs without a 
 tedious Repetition theDodrines under 
 Coniideration. 
 
>^^^^^^t^^^^^^^^mmMMm0M^i:mmmm 
 
 THE 
 
 CONTENTS: 
 
 THAT the Being who fpake and 
 wrought in the Man Chrijl Jefiis had 
 true and perfect Divinity. 
 
 Isaiah xI. 3. 
 Prepare ye the Way of the Lord, make ftraight 
 in the Defcrt a Highicay for ciir God. 
 
 Page I 
 
 The Divinity of our Redeemer. 
 
 Mark, i 2. 
 
 Behold, I fend my Mejenger before thy Face^ 
 
 'which fuall prepare thy ¥/ay before ihce, 
 
 27 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 A Critical DiiTertation on the Logos, 
 
 John i. i, 2, 3. 
 
 In the Beginning was the Word, and the Word 
 ivas with Gody and the fFord was God. 
 
 The fame was in the Beginnijig with God. 
 
 All Things were made by Him ; and without 
 Him was not any Thing made that was 
 made, Page SS 
 
 The HoJsj'GhoJl in Nature and EfTence not 
 inferior to God. 
 
 I C o R. xii. 4, 5j 6. 
 
 Now there are Diverfuies cj Gijts but the fame 
 
 Spirit. 
 And there are Differences of AdminijlrationSj 
 
 but the fame Lord. 
 And there are Diverfities of Operations, but 
 
 it is the fame God which worketh all in all. 
 
 HZ 
 The 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 The Human Nature of yefus Chrifi. 
 
 I T I M. ii. 5. 
 
 For There is One God, and one Mediator he^ 
 tween God and Men-j the Man Chrijl 
 Jtfus. Page 167 
 
 The proper Ufe of Reafon in judging of 
 revealed Dodrrines, applied particularly to 
 the Dodrine of the Church of Englatul 
 concerning the "Jrinit'j. 
 
 Job xi. 7. 
 Canft I'hcu by Jcar cling jlnd old God f Canjl 
 thoufnd cut the Ahnigh"j unto Verj chiton. 
 
 PvCiyiarkG on Mr. Steffl^s Lccier, concerniiig 
 
 the State of the Soul en Death, 2.' 5 
 
 Remaiks on Mr. Steffc's Brief Bejettce, 275 
 
Hjh^-j^^^Si-iS^^^-Jgs-*- •^if^^''^^'^^^^^^^^^^ 
 
 ^-a 
 
 THE 
 
 D I V I N I T Y 
 
 OF OUR 
 
 REDE E MER. 
 
 c^o$oc5o(^ojoo55cc$o o5oo$oo$oo$oojoo$o o$oo$oojoc$oojo ojoojcojocjo 
 
 Isaiah XL. 3. 
 
 Prepare ye the Way of the Lord^ make jlralght 
 in the Defert a High-'way for our God, 
 
 AL L the Evangelifls have quoted 
 thisPaflage and applied it to Chrlfl. 
 The Titles therefore of Lord and 
 God are given to the Perfon that redeemed^ 
 B equally 
 
2 The Divinity of our Redeemer, 
 
 equally with the Perfon that created u?. And, 
 that thefe Titles are given to him, not as a 
 mere Man eminently diftinguiflied above his 
 Fellows, as the Socinians hold ; nor yet as 
 a Being of a fuperior Nature, above the 
 Angels themfelves, and inferior only to God, 
 but that they refped: God himfelf, and no 
 oditr Beings in this Application of them to 
 the Perfon of our Redeemer^ it fiiall be my 
 Bufinefs in this Difcourfe to prove. 
 
 Let it bs obferved then, that they are 
 throughout Scripture appropriated to God 
 alone, and intended to reprefent to the Minds 
 of Men the One fapreme Being. It is no 
 juft Objedion to this Remark,that the former 
 of thefe Titles is fometimes ufed in addreffing 
 mere human Beings, diflinguiflied'by their 
 Station in Life j nor, that Magiftrates, and 
 thofc to whom the V/ord of the Lord came, 
 are fometimes called Gods^ fo long as no (jne 
 of the Scripture Worthies is to be found 
 
 lliled 
 
Tihe Dhimty of our Redeemer, ^ 
 
 /tiled in fo abfolute a Manner as in my Text, 
 The Lord, or, Onr God. Here thefe Titles 
 mofl manifeftly refpedt the almighty Ruler 
 of the World, the living and true God, he- 
 fides whom there is no other : and yet all 
 the EvangellfTs, as I have obferved, accom- 
 modate thePafTage to the Coming of Chrift. 
 I fhall only produce the Quotation of St. 
 Mar/: ; The Beginriifig of the Go/pel of Jefus 
 Chrifly the Son of God, as it is written in the 
 Prophets^ Behold, I fend my Meffe?jger, before 
 thy Face, which fJ:all prepare thy ivay before 
 thee. "The Voice of one cryi?ig in the Wildenjefs, 
 Prepare ye the ll'ay of ibe Lord, 77iake his 
 Paths ftraight, Mark i. i, 2, 3. 
 
 Both thefe Quotations refped the Mani- 
 feftation of the Power of God himfelf. The 
 former, as it ftands in Malachi iii. i. con- 
 tains a Declaration of the Almighty, con- 
 cerning himfelf. Behold, 1 will fend my Mef- 
 fenger, and he fl:all prepare the Way before 
 
 B 2 me 
 
4 ^e Divinity of our Redeemer, 
 
 me. But the Evangelift, you fee, quotes 
 this Paffage, as the Words of the Father 
 Almighty to his Son, the Chrifl. I fend my 
 Meffenger before thy Face which fhall 'prepare 
 thy Way before thee, fohn the Baptift, there- 
 fore, was a Mellenger before the Lord^ to 
 prepare his Way, to make flraight in the 
 Dtfert, a high Way for our God^ as it is 
 exprefled in my Text, who was about to 
 make known to Men that Gofpel of Grace, 
 which had lain hid from the Foundation of 
 the World. Thefe Titles, therefore, refped 
 notChrift, as 2i7nereM2S\, but Gd?^ himfelf, 
 as about to manifcft himfelf in the Flefh, that 
 is, by the Man, Chrift Jefus. 
 
 Nor is the Notion of the Arians more 
 folid ; nay, to me it appears much more 
 Fanciful and Chimerical, than that of the 
 Socinians. They fuppofe that thefe Titles 
 refpedt neither a mere Man, nor yet the per- 
 fedi Divinity, but are applied to Chrift Jefus 
 
 on 
 
J'be Divinity of our Redeemer, ^ 
 
 on Account of fome very exalted Dignity 
 
 which he held under the Father in a pre- 
 
 cxiftent State. But the Scriptures reprtfent 
 
 not our Saviour under fuch a Character, 
 
 which indeed would fuppofe a Plurality of 
 
 Gods, viz. One infinite and eternal, the 
 
 other limited and originated. Nor can I fee 
 
 that fuch a Scheme of Theology differs, * in 
 
 this Refpe(5t, from that of the heathen World, 
 
 who fuppofcd that there was one God in^ 
 
 deed fupreme^ but that there were otlier 
 
 Beings alfoofa divine Nature, Agents in the 
 
 Government of the World under him. 
 
 It 
 
 * In Dezrce it doth, the Number cf t'^e Heathen Del- 
 ties being much greater. T\iQ ^alities ox mordX Attri- 
 butes moreover afcribei to thv m, make an important and 
 efTentiai Differei.ce, and the giofs Worfliip rendered to 
 them in confequence thereof, but this the two Schemes fecm 
 to me to have in Con:mon, vl^. what hgenerally utiderftood 
 by a Plurality < . f G od s . 
 
 The Arians indeed may argue that they acknowledge but 
 One God, inaimu^h as thry hold that the Father ^a/Tc is un- 
 ilmited'm Power, which Attribute is eflential intheldeaofa 
 God. But if fo, then by parity of Argument, the Heathen 
 Theology was not aPlurallty oiGods; for all were eftecmed 
 fulyject to the Wijl of Jove. 
 
6 The 'Divinity oj our Redeemer, 
 
 It will facilitate the Refutation of this 
 Opinion to confider the Ground of it, which 
 I take to be this, 'viz, '' that God is faid to 
 " have Jent his Son into \htJVorld?' 
 
 O N this, and the like Expreffions, the 
 Arian Hypothelis feems to be grounded j 
 and, though attempted to be fupported by 
 various Texts, yet would never, I think, have 
 been broached, or, indeed formed, had it 
 not been for this. " If, they reafon, God 
 " fent his Son into the JVorld^ then it is plain 
 *« i\\2Xf9me other Being than God came into the 
 " World J fince it is abfurd to fay, that God 
 '' Jent himfclf." But when the Scriptures 
 fpeak of Jefub Chrifl: being Je?it into the 
 World, they always refer to his^ Commijjion 
 from God to minider to the World, that 
 is, to Men, and refped not the Time either 
 of his Birth or Conception. In like rpanner, 
 yahn the Baptlft, is faid to hejhit from God, 
 when he came to preach the Baptifm of Re- 
 pentance, 
 
^he Divinity of our Redeemer. 7 
 
 pentance. So that from an Expreflion of this 
 kind there is no Ground to fuppofe that 
 any other Being than God himfelf, in the 
 Terjbn of Chrift, wrought out our Salvation 
 by his almighty Power manifefted on 
 Earth. 
 
 But having thus from a miftaken Ex- 
 preffion once formed the Notion of Chrift's 
 exifting in a prior State, a diftind: Being from 
 God, and inferior to him alone, they then 
 fancied that thefe Tides of Lord and God^ 
 might with fome Propriety be applied to 
 him. Accordingly, they fuppofe that this 
 exalted Perfonage was the fame that appeared 
 to Abraham y and the Patriarchs of old, and 
 that he is ftiled, the Lord God % or, (as they 
 fancifully tranflate JehovahAleim) iWJchovah 
 of God ; as if thefe Terms import two dif^ 
 tin5l and fcparate Lei^'gs^ viz. the one, ths 
 
 alra'ghty 
 
8 ^he Divinity of our Redeemer. 
 
 almighty Ruler of the World, the other, 
 the Meffiah, inferior^ but next In Dig- 
 nity to him : An Error of Interpretation, 
 fimilar to the above-mentioned; for, when 
 God is faid to appear to any of the Patriarchs, 
 we are not fo to underftand it, as if they 
 had, or could have, a vifible Reprefentation 
 of Him, but only that he fignified his Will 
 unto them, either in a Vifion, or byfome 
 Sign, cr by an Angel. If they underflood 
 that the MeiTage was from Heaven, the 
 Lord Gcd was faid to have appeared to them ; 
 but that Appellation refpedts not the Appear^ 
 ance itfelf, the vifible Reprefentation, but is 
 the Title of the fupreme Being, whofe Will 
 was reveakd unto them. Or, if the Tranf- 
 lation may be admitted, then the Jehovah 
 of God, can mean only the Angel of the 
 Lord, without any Foundation for fuppoiing 
 it to mean the Lord Chrift. 
 
 Having 
 
^be Divinity of our Redeemer i g 
 
 Having thus fhewn, that the Titles which 
 ©ccur in my Text applied by the Evangelills 
 to our Redeemer, always refped: one and the 
 fame Being, even the Supreme-, 1 fhall nov/ 
 endeavour to fhew that ft was Go^himfelf, and 
 not an inferior Being, that was manifcflcd to 
 the World in Flefh. This I propofe to evince, 
 
 I. From the Reprefentation given of what 
 is generally termed, the Incarnation of thQ Son 
 of God. 
 
 IL From theTeftimony of the Evangelifts 
 and Apoftlesj and 
 
 III. From the Teftimony of Chrifthimfelf. 
 
 For the Firfl, viz. the Incarnation^ 
 
 C St; 
 
I o T^he Divimty of our Redeemer^ 
 
 St .Matthew's Account thereof is as follows. 
 Now the Birth of Jefus Chrifl was on this wife, 
 When as his Mother Mary was efpoufed to Jofeph, 
 he fore they came together ^Jhe was found with Child 
 of the Holy Ghost, Matt, i. 1 8. And again. 
 Fear not to take unto thee Mary thy JFife-^ for that 
 which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost* 
 verfe 20. 
 
 This is a plain and fimple Account of the 
 Humanity of Chrift. He was born of a Wo- 
 man, partook of human Nature,and was made 
 Flefli, that is, was perfed Man. Yes, the 
 Arians will acknowledge that he was madeF/t/?'; 
 *' but then to this Flejhy or Man, fay they, was 
 ** united, a Bei?ig of afuperior Nature to Man, 
 * * even ^jGod, who was not indeed from all Eter- 
 ^/ jiity,but before all other Beings whatfoever, 
 " the Supreme alone excepted, to whom he is 
 
^he Divinity of our Redeemer, ^ 1 1 
 
 " inferior^''' — But, does this Account which 
 St. Matthew gives of the Incarnation, fuppofc 
 an Union of the human Nature with any fuch 
 Being? Isitnotexprcfly aflerted, that that which 
 wa<? conceived in the Virgin Mary^ was of the 
 Holy Gho/i^ And again, at the 23dverfe, it is 
 faid, They fnall call his name Emmanuel, 
 which being interpreted, is God with u<. No 
 Mention is here made of any other than two 
 Natures, i)iz. the one perfeSih Human, the 
 other perfe^ly Divine. 
 
 St. Luke gives much the fame Account of 
 the Incarnation of our Saviour. I'be Angel 
 anfwered and faid unto her^ The Holy Ghoft 
 fhiill come upon thee^ and the Power of the 
 Higheft fhall overjhadow thee : therefore alfo that 
 Holy Thing which Jh all be born of thee^ shall be 
 called the Son of God, Luke i. 35. Jefua 
 Chriil in this Place is called the Son of God, 
 C 2 not 
 
12 Hje Divinity of our Redeemer, 
 
 not on Account of any fecondary Dignity 
 which he held under God in a prior State 
 of Exigence, or becaufe he was created by 
 God before all other Beings, but becaufe he 
 was begotten of the Virgin Mary^ by the 
 Power of the Moft High. It was the Moft 
 High that raifed up for us a fpiritual Deli- 
 verer, even the Man Chrift Jefus, in whom 
 alfo He was manifefting himfelf to the 
 >Vorld. 
 
 Thus it appears from the Account given 
 us of the exception and Birth of Chrift, 
 that there is no Ground for fuppofing, that a 
 Beings who in a pre-exiftent State was diflind 
 from, and inferior to God, took our Nature 
 upon him, or v^^as united to Humanity. 
 
 Let us now confidcr in the fecond Place, 
 Whether the Evangelifts afcribe our Redemp- 
 tion 
 
^e Dhintty of our Redeemer. i j 
 
 tion to any other Being than to Gcd himfelf, 
 operating in the Man Chi id Jefus. And the 
 Quotation of my Text by all the Evangf hfts, 
 is one full Proof that they do not. For 
 undoubtedly the Prophet fpeaks of the Mo/t 
 High God, when he crieth out, Prepare ye 
 the Way of the Lord ; nor can we, Without 
 the greateO: Force upon the Words, fuppofe 
 that yohn the Baptift meant any other Berttg^ 
 for whom the World was called upon to pre- 
 pare a Way, than Him, who is fpoken of 
 by the Prophet Ifaiah, and who was about 
 to manifeft himfelf in the Fleshy even GW, 
 \n Chrifl» 
 
 Again, the Evangel ids ever reprcfent 
 Jefus Chrift as working by the Power of 
 God alone, and thofe that believed on him, as 
 convinced that God and no other Being was 
 with him. Thus, when our Lord faid to 
 
 the 
 
14 77j^ Divinity efotir Redeemer* 
 
 the Man afBidled with the Palfy, Son, thy Sim 
 be forgiven thee -, they fay, fFho can forgive 
 Sins but God only ? Mark ii. 5, 7. They were 
 fure that this was the Prerogative of the Mofi 
 HighjZnd therefore theObjcdion to theWords 
 of Chrift, as blajpbemous, was well founded, 
 if they were pronounced by One, that had 
 not the Power of God himfelf. But when 
 the People faw the Miracle, which Chrift 
 wrought on this Occafion, they were con- 
 vinced that he had the Power of forgiving 
 Sins, and accordingly glorified God. They 
 were far from giving Glory to any other 
 Being than to the Mo/I High -, nor could it 
 ever enter their Heads, that it was not Gody 
 but fome Angel or Demi-God, united to Hu- 
 manity that wrought the Cure. 
 
 In another Place, when ouv Saviour reftored 
 a dead Perfon to Life, it is faid, tbat there 
 
 catne 
 
The- Divinity of cur Redeemer, j 5 
 
 came a Fear on all ; and they glorified Cod, fay^ 
 ingy That a great Prophet is rifen up among us ; 
 and. That Godhatb vifited his People. Luke viL 
 16. It was a Man, the Man Chrift Jefus, that 
 touched the Bier, and faid, l^oimg Man arife. 
 But it was God alone that gave Life to the 
 Dead. It was the Power of the Almighty , 
 and not of any finite Being, which accom- 
 panied and gave Efficacy to the Command, 
 Accordingly, the Power which manifeiled it- 
 felf in Chrift Jefus is ftiled on another Oc- 
 cafion, the mighty Power of God. And Jefus 
 rebuked the unclean Spirit, and healed the Child, 
 ajid delivered him again to his Father, And they 
 were all a?nazed at the mighty Power of God. 
 Luke ix. 42, 43. 
 
 There is a flill more remarkable 
 Paflage to this Purpofe in the fame Evangc- 
 Hft. And one of them, nehen be faw that he 
 
 wa> 
 
1 6 The Dhi?iify of our Redeemer, 
 
 was healed^ turned back^ and with a loud Voice^ 
 glorified God ; a?id fell on his Face at his 
 Feety giving him Thanks. Luke xvii. 1 5. The 
 Glory was not given to Chrift, as a very great 
 and mighty Being, above Man, but inferior to 
 God. The Glory v^^as given to God, to the 
 divine "N a.turQj perfeSlIy Divine j and Gratitude 
 was the Tribute which he payed to Chrift as 
 Man. He fell down on his Face at his Feet, 
 giving him T^hanks, 
 
 St. John begins his Gofpel with this af- 
 fertion, viz. In the Beginning was the Word, 
 and the Word was with God, .■qnd the l^Tord 
 was God. Divines generally underftand by 
 the IFord, the Perfon of Jefus Chrift. And, 
 if this be the Meaning of it, then, one would 
 think, nothing can be conceived to be a more 
 exprefs Declaration of the Equality of the 
 Son with the Faiher, as to his Divinity; fince 
 
 the 
 
^he Dtvim'iy of our Redeemer, 17 
 
 the Evangelift alTertcth in plain Terms, the 
 Word was God, 
 
 But, " No, (fay the Arians) the Word 
 ** was not equal to the Father Almighty, 
 ** though he be alTerted to be God. He had 
 ** a divine Nature, (they will allow) but not 
 " One that was perjeBly Divine, being inferior 
 *^ in that refpedl to God'' If you afk them 
 the Reafon for an Interpretation fo incongru- 
 ous with the Words of St. 'John^ they think it 
 a fufficient Anfwcr, *' that it could never be 
 ** the Intention of the Evangelifl to aflert 
 " that there are two Gods." But they 
 (hould confider that he alTerts no fuch Thing, 
 even fuppofing the Tranflation to be juft. For 
 it is not faid, that the Word is a differejit Being 
 from God, equal in every refpe<fl. T^at 
 would be to affert the Exiftence of two Gods. 
 
 D But 
 
1 8 The Divinity of cur Redeemer, 
 
 But the Allertion of the Evangelifl is, that the 
 Word was that very Being whom wc under- 
 ftand by the Term, God. I argue now on the 
 Suppofition, that theTranflation above men- 
 tioned, is the true One, and that by the Word, 
 is meant, the Per/on of Chrift, as moll Divines 
 both Trinitarians and Arians underftand it. 
 I think however, both have mifunderftood 
 this Paflage. There is no Occafion to take 
 the Word here in a different Senfe from that 
 v/hich it bears in other Places of Scripture, 
 viz. the Go/pel. And this Senfe of it, which 
 is moft natural, will leave the Arians no 
 Advantage from this Quarter, and confirm the 
 Do£trine of our Church, viz. that God, and 
 no other Being, is our Saviour, and has been 
 manifefted to the World in the Flefli, by the 
 Man Chrift Jefus. But of this more fully 
 in a future Difcourfe. 
 
The Divinity of our Redeemer. ig 
 
 Nicode?Tius came to Jtf js and expreflVd his 
 Belief that he had the Power of the Ahmghty, 
 Rabbi J we know that thou art a Teacher come 
 from God, that is, commiffioned oj God to 
 teach. And how did he know this ? For no 
 Man^ fays he, can do thefe Miracles that thou 
 do/} J except God be ii'ith hi ?n. John iii. 2, Ni- 
 ccdemusfawz Man work Miracles. He was fure 
 this could not be by any Power belonging to 
 mere Humanity ; he was convinced that it 
 could not be but by the Power of the Moji 
 High, He had no Notion of any fuperior 
 created B(i\n^j refiding in, or united to the 
 Body of Chrift, by whom thefe Works were 
 done. It was evident to him that they were 
 the Works of the Almighty himfelf. 
 
 From the Heprefentatlon therefore which 
 
 the Evangelifts have given us of Jefus Chrift 
 
 D 2 and 
 
% o ^he Divinity of our Redeemer, 
 
 and the Power which manifefted itfclf in 
 
 him, it appears, that we have good Reafon 
 
 to afcribe to the Author of our Salvation 
 
 eternal Power and Godhead* The Socinians 
 
 may declaim ever fo much againft rendering 
 
 to a mere Mortal that Worfhip which is 
 
 due to God alone 5 and they are juftified in 
 
 witholding it themfelves, But if they fuppofe 
 
 that our Church Warrants fuch kind of Wor- 
 
 fhip, they are under a grofs Miftake, and in 
 
 rcprefenting Her in fo odious a Light, they 
 
 wajat that Charity towards Her, which is 
 
 above all Faith, being the Bond of Perfedlnefs, 
 
 The Church of England acknowledges no 
 
 God but One, nor any Worfhip to be due 
 
 but to the One only living and true God, 
 
 She acknowledges the Humanity of Chrift, 
 
 and has ever ftrenuoully maintained that 
 
 Dodrine j at the fame Time fhe difallows 
 
 pf divine Honours being rendered to him on 
 
 that 
 
The Divinity of our Redeemer, 2 1 
 
 that Account. Whatever Gratitude be due 
 to him as Man (and the Higheil, no doubt, 
 is due) Her Adoration neither terminates in, 
 nor is in any Meafure directed to an Arm of 
 Flefh, but refpeds the Divinity itfelf, which 
 was manifefted in the Flefli, even Him^ by 
 whofe Power the Sick were healed, the Lame 
 walked, the Bhnd faw, and the Deaf heard ; 
 Him, whofe mighty Power ftilled the raging 
 of the Winds and the Waves by a Word, 
 which called forth Lazarus ^ after four Days 
 Interment, from the Grave, and (why need 
 I mention any other Inftance of its perfedfly 
 divine Efficacy?) which raifed the Man Chrift 
 Jefus from the Dead, and which He exercifes 
 with full Authority to the well governing of 
 his Church wwrj^r/^/ both now and ever. 
 
 Let 
 
22 The Divinity. of eur Redeemer, 
 
 Let the Arians on the other Hand cxprefs 
 what Abhorrence they will of the Docflrlne of 
 the Trinity, as Idolatrous, and ever fo great 
 Aftonifhment, that any fhould believe it; it 
 would be extremely aftoniiliing (but that we 
 fee an intemperate Zeal will admit no cool 
 Confideration of any Point) that they fhould 
 confider it in this unfavourable Light, and 
 not fee that their own Notion borders more 
 upon the Error objeded againfl:. Which, I 
 would ask, favours moft of Polytheifm ? To 
 fuppofe that there is cne God, the great Crea- 
 tor and Father of all, that ihtjame redeemed 
 us in the Perfon of Chrift, and JanBified 
 us by his Holy Spirit, being one and the farne 
 eternal and uncreated Bei?2g ? Or, that thef? 
 are three J//?/«<^ Beings and fcparately exiftent, 
 theO;?^ uncreated and eternal, viz. our Ora- 
 tor ; the other, a Creature, next to God in 
 
 Dignity, 
 
^he Divinit'j of our Redeemer, a 3 
 
 Dignity, but not perje6i God, viz, our Re- 
 deemer ; and the Third, a ftlU injerior Being 
 to either, yet above the Argels, viz, the 
 Holy Ghoft, our SanBifier ? 1 am fure the 
 former is the Dodlrine of the Church of 
 England; and, if the latter be not the Doc- 
 trine of the Arians, I (hall be forry to have 
 mifreprefented them : For in this View of it, 
 the Dodlrine appears very unfcriptural^ to fay 
 the lead of it. I mean not by this Reprefen- 
 tation to retort the invidious Refledion which 
 has been caft upon our Church j nor, is it my 
 Intention, my Brethren, in mentioning the 
 fame, to excite in you a Spirit of Retaliation, 
 but only to guard you againft being mifled 
 by fo injurious an Objedion, importing the 
 heavieft of Charges, into unfavourable Senti- 
 ments of the cftablilhed Dodlrines, vi^hich, 
 rightly underftood, will be found to be pure 
 
 and fcriptural. And it is your Duty there- 
 fore 
 
ij^ Tbe £>ivimty of our Redeemer: 
 
 fore to receive, what has been faid, In the 
 Spirit of Meeknefs and Charity towards thofc 
 that differ from us. Let us hold our holy 
 Faith, firm and unmoved by the fubtle 
 Devices of thofe that would undermine \u 
 or the bold Attacks of Infidelity. For be af- 
 fured, our Faith, held in the Bonds of Peace 
 and Love, will be fafer and better fecured to 
 us, than it can be by the furious Tran(ports 
 of a blind Zeal. So pure a Faith defer ves 
 our warm Attachment to it, and a jealous Con- 
 cern for its Support under the continual and 
 various Attacks of its Adverfaries. But let 
 not a fufpicion of its Danger ever betray us 
 iiito an uncharitable Opinion of our Oppo- 
 nents, and in Confequence thereof, into un- 
 chriflian and unwarrantable Meafures of De- 
 fence ; knawing this, that an Oppofition to 
 the mofl Orthodox faith, grounded on Er- 
 ror alone, and not conducted by a Spirit of 
 
 Con- 
 
*Ihe Divhiity of our "Redeemer. 25 
 
 Contention, is far lefs culpable in the Sight 
 of Almighty God, than the Maintenance of 
 the fame on the Principles of Perfecution. 
 
 Now to the One God, our Creator, Re- 
 deemer and Sandtifier, be afcribed all Honour, 
 Might, Majefly and Piaiie, World without 
 end. Amen. 
 
 E 
 
THE 
 
 D I V I N I T Y 
 
 O F O U R 
 
 RED E E M E Tv. 
 
 •0»«0M«C003C«O*0009C00900e6eC0«»Mfl0(>30C««000«eCCC5C<>00C<0O0COCCC«e«C<M'e0«00OCft0C40CC«0CO»0««S» 
 
 Mark I. 2. 
 
 Behold 1 fend ?ny MeJJejiger before thy face, 
 ivhich fJmll prepare thy Way hejore thee. 
 
 'T"^ HE MelTenger here alluded to, is "John 
 -*" the Baptin. But who is that Being, 
 before whom he was fent to prepare the Way ? 
 Out Savicurfiod himfelfjand no other iiifnior 
 Being. But doth not the Almighty (lor they 
 E 2 are 
 
i8 'The Divinity of our Redeemer: 
 
 are his Words) fpeak to fome Per (on diftindi 
 from himfelf, when he faith, Before thy Face 
 which fiall prepare thy Way before thee? To 
 this, I anfwer, that the Evangelift, no Doubt, 
 by theTurn he has given to this Pafrage,quoted 
 from theProphets, has himfelf preferved, and 
 marks to us thejuft DijlinBionio be made be- 
 tween the Ferfon of the iv7/Zvr,and f^<2/of the 
 Son. Neverthelefs, it cannot be his Intention, 
 by thisDiftinftion, to divide the Godhead^ io as 
 to reprefent the Father and the Son, as two 
 Gods, nor yet to reprefent the latter as a 
 different Being from God, inferior to him, 
 though fuperiorto all others 5 nor laftly, as a 
 mere Man, in whom the Fuhiefs of the Godhead 
 dwelt not. For, the fame Bei?ig, which the 
 Prophet Malachi (from whom the Quotation 
 is made) fpeaks of, muil: be meant by Si.Mark-, 
 and that Beings is God himfelf ^ and no inferior 
 One, who was about tomanifcft himlelfin the 
 
 Flefli, 
 
"The Divinity of our Redeemer . 29 
 Flefli, that is, by thtMan Chrift Jefus. The 
 Words of the Prophet, fpeaking in the Name 
 of the Lord, are as follows ; Behold ^ I will fend 
 my Meffenger, and he floall prepare the Way 
 before me: which evidently refpeds the Ma- 
 nifeftation of Almighty God, 
 
 I H AVE in a preceeding Difcourfe adduced 
 fome Proofs of the Divinity of our Saviour ; 
 particularly from the Titles which are given 
 to him, o^Lord, and God; from the Account 
 of the Incarnation, and the concurrent Tefli- 
 mony of the fourEvangelifts. In thislpropofe 
 to purfue theVindication of this great Dodrine 
 of our Church on the Teftimony of the 
 Apoftlcs. 
 
 St. Peter faith, Jefus of Nazareth, a Man 
 approved of God among you b-^ Miracles, ajid 
 Wonders, and Signs, which God did by him in 
 the midft of you, as you yourjehcs alfo kno^^ 
 
 Ads 
 
30 ^be Divinity of cur Redeemer. 
 A(5ls ii. 22. Here then we have the Teftlmo- 
 ny of the Apoftle for the FerfeB Humanity of 
 Ghrift Jefus, and the "P erf e5i Divinity of that 
 Power which operated in Him, Accordingly, 
 both Feter and 'John, when they had wrought 
 a miraculous Cure on a lame Man in the ISIamt 
 of Jefus Ch rift, difclaim all Power in them- 
 felves of working fuch a Cure and afcribe it 
 wholly to the mofl: High God and not to fome 
 inferior Being operating in the Man Chrifl 
 Jefus. Why look ye /o earne/lly on us as though l>y 
 our oivnPcwer or Holi?2efSj ive had made this Man 
 to walk? TheGod of Abraham, and of Jfaac^ and of 
 facoh^ the God of our Fathers, has glorified his 
 Sonjefusj whom ye delivered up ^^c. Aifls. iii.i2. 
 And again J Be it known unto you all, and to all 
 the People oj Ifrael, that by the Name of Jefus 
 Chrift of Nazareth ^whom ye crucified, whom God 
 raifed from the Dead, even by Him doth this 
 Man fl and here before you wboki AO:s iv.io. So 
 
 that 
 
'The Divi?iity of our Redeemer. 3 1 
 
 that it was by the very fame Beivg whoraifed 
 the Man Ch.rifl: Jefus ;rom the Dead, that this 
 Miracle was wrought, and that is God, and not 
 any other Ferfon of an intermediate Nature 
 between God and Man, united to Humanity. 
 
 To the fame Being the Apoftle means to 
 afcribe this Almighty Power, when he fays of 
 Chrifl in another Place, He went about doing 
 Good, and Healing all that were opprejfed of the 
 Devil I for (he adds) God was with him. Ads. 
 X. 38. 
 
 And thus we fee, that though the Power 
 of working Miracles is fometimes afcribed to 
 Godxht Father y and at other Times to his Son 
 the Chrift, yet the Apoaiesby this Dlftindion 
 ot the Ferfcns mean net to afcribe it to any 
 other than to the Cne fupreme Being, th& 
 eternal ?.nd undivided Godhead. And wc 
 
 might 
 
3 2 The Divinitv of our Redeemer. 
 might with as muchReafon attribute O/z^Spirit 
 to Pauli that planted^ and another to ApoUos 
 th'd watered (though we are told it is God alone 
 that givcth the Increafe)as^mV^ and Jeparate 
 that eternal and unchangeable Effence, 
 v/hich viiOne and the fame Spirit^ the (ame 
 Lord, and thtfame God, under all the Diver- 
 fities of Giffs, Differences of Adminifl^rations, 
 or Diverfities of Operations 3 as St. Paul has 
 exprefTed it. Now there are Diverfities of Gijts 
 but the fame Spirit. And there are Differences 
 of Admim/ira.'ions, but the fame Lord. And 
 there are Diverfities of Operations -^ but it is the 
 fame God, which worketh all in all, i Cor. 
 xii. 4. 
 
 The fame Apoftle has cxprefly afferted, 
 that God was in Chrift, reconciling the World 
 unto himfpf, 2 Cor. v. 19. Will it be faid 
 here (as it hath been faid of another Text of 
 
 Scripture) 
 
The Divinity of our Redeemer, ^^ 
 $cv\^tnxQ)yohn ui. i\i2itih.Q fupremeBcmg is not 
 meant, but fomc other Being, ofsiDivine Na- 
 ture, and next indeed to, but not perfect God; 
 for that the Greek Article o would in that 
 Cafe have been affixed to the Word Osoj ? 
 Were we to admit fuch a Piece of Criticifm as 
 this, what an Abfurdity would rife out of it to 
 Difgrace our Religion! For once, however, be 
 it fuppofed to be juft, that we may fee the 
 Confequence. Not God, true and very God 
 was in Chrift, but only a God, that is to fay, 
 fome Being, whoj how great foever, was yet 
 inferior to the Supreme, and united toHumafiity. 
 And what then (let me afk) was this exalted 
 Perfonage,this Demi-God doing in Chrift r He 
 was reconciling theWorld untoHi mfelf Needs 
 fuch an Objedtion to the Divinity of our Re- 
 deemer, founded on fo futile a Criticifm, be 
 fliewn in any other Light to expofe theWeak- 
 .^nefs of it? For furely, it is to no other than 
 
 F God, 
 
^4 '^f^^ Dmnit^ of our Redeemer, 
 
 God himrelf, that Almighty Being whom we 
 had offended, that we were reconciled by 
 Chriil ; the fame that is ftiled, the God of 
 (5/^;-LordJefus Chrift, the Father of Glory-y Eph. 
 \, I J. whofe mighty Power, the Apoftle af- 
 ferts wrought hi Chriji, when he raifed him 
 from the Dead and fet him at his own right 
 Hand in the heave7ily Places, far above all 
 Principality y and Power , and Mighty a)id Domi- 
 nion-, and every Name that is ?iamedy not only in 
 this World, but alfo in that which is to come. 
 And hath put alllhings ufider his Feel-y and gave 
 him to he the Head over all things to the Church, 
 which is his Body, the Fulnefs c/Him thatfll- 
 cthall in all, ver.20, &c. A Defcription this of 
 that mighty Power which wrought in Chrift, 
 and which is ftill exercifed by him to the 
 jTOvernino; his Church univerfal, that muft 
 convince every one (if It be in the Power of 
 Language to do it) that it WJls the Attribute of 
 
 the 
 
^he Dhinity of our Redeemer, 35 
 
 the Almighty himfelf, the One ever-living and 
 true God. 
 
 But the moft direa: Teftlmony againft 
 the Arian Notion, that the Son of God was 
 an exalted Perfonage of a Nature fuperior 
 to that of Men and Angels, but infe- 
 rior to the Divine, is that which follows, 
 viz. 'There is one God and one Mediator be- 
 tween God and Men, the Man Chriji Jefys, 
 iTim. ii.5. There is no mention made, nay, 
 there is an exprefs Negation in this Paflagc 
 of any fuch intermediate Being between God 
 and the Angels, or rather, between the Father 
 and the Holy Ghoft. None other mediated 
 between God and Men, than the Man Chrifl 
 Jefus, PerfeB Man, <«tG?<y^of, and in whom 
 was no other than God, PerfeB God. For 
 in him dwelt the Fulnefs of the Godhead 
 bodily, Col, ii. 9. 
 
 F 2 Accord- 
 
5 5 ^e Divinity of oui^ Redeemer • 
 
 Accordingly, the fame Apoftle in his 
 Epiftle to T/V«j, attributeth our Salvation to 
 God alone, to One and the fame Being, giving 
 the Title notwithftanding of Saviour, both to 
 the Father and the Son . According to the Com - 
 mandment (fays he) oj God our Saviour. — 
 Grace, Mercy and Peace, from God the Father 
 and the Lordjefus Chriji our Saviour,Tit.i.3,4. 
 ^hat they may adorn the HoBrine of God our 
 Saviour in all Things. For the Grace o/God that 
 hringeth Salvation. — Locking for that blejjed 
 Hope, and the glorious Appearing oj the great 
 God, and our Saviour Jefus Chriji, Tit. 
 ii. 10, II — 13. — But after that the Kindnefs 
 and Love of God our Saviour towards Men 
 appeared -, not by Works of Right eoufnefs which 
 we have done, but according to his Mercy, he 
 faved us by the wafhing of Regeneration and re- 
 newing of the Holy Ghofl^ which hejhed on us 
 
 abund- 
 
^he Divimfy of our Redeemer, 37 
 
 abundantly thro' Jcfus Chrift our Saviour, T;V.iii, 
 4iS>^' ^°^ therefore is the Author of our Sal- 
 vation jand fhould it be made an Objedion to 
 this Dodrine, that Chriji alfo is faid to be out 
 Saviour, I anfv/er, it is fo faid, becaufe God 
 faved us by being manifefted in the Flefh or 
 by the Man Chrift Jefus. For we have 
 not two Saviours in our Religion, one of 
 which is God, and the other a mereM^n, or 
 fome other Being of an Angelick Nature. 
 We have One Saviour only, and that is God 
 in Chrift. 
 
 Time would fail me to enumerate every 
 Paflage of Scripture to this Purpofe. Nor 
 need I quote more, if thofe, which have 
 been already adduced, appear (as I think, 
 they muft appear, the Force of them impar- 
 tially confidered) fufficient Proofs of the Di- 
 vinity of our Saviour. Other Texts more 
 
 com- 
 
3 8 The Divinity of our Redeemer, - 
 
 commonly infifted upon in treating this 
 SubjedV, I have purpofely omitted ; becaufe, 
 how much ftrongcr foever they may feem at 
 firfl View, than thofe I have produced in fup- 
 port of this Tenet, yet theTranflation, the Ge- 
 nuinenefs of the Text, or the Senfe of them, 
 has been with fome Reafon queftioned by 
 the Learned, and occafioned, though with^ 
 out Reafon, fome Triumph to our Oppo- 
 nents. One of thefe is in the ninth Chapter 
 of the Epiftle to the Romans , at the fifth 
 Verfe j Chrijl camc^ who is over all, God 
 blcffcd for every Amen, This Text, no Doubt, 
 fuppofing the Reading to be genuine, and the 
 Tranflation juft, is as ftrong a Proof as can 
 be brought, that Chrift, as to his Divinity, is 
 pet^feB God, But it becomes Weaknefs to 
 urge it, after it has been obferved by the 
 learned Grotius^ that the Word (God) is not 
 in the Greek Copies ufed by the Author of 
 
 the 
 
^he Divinity cj our "Redeemer, 39 
 
 the Syriac. The Copies of St. Cypria?}^ St. 
 Hilary^ and St. Chryfojiom, want it. And 
 granting it to be the genuine Reading, yet 
 both Erafmus and Curcellaus have tranflated 
 it, not, " Chrift came, who is over all, God 
 " blefled for ever j" but, " Chrift came ; 
 " God who is over all be blefled for ever, 
 " Amen." And indeed our Tranflators have 
 thus rendered feveral fimilar Paflages in the 
 Original, 2 Cor, i. 3. Eph, i. 3, 
 
 With more Judgment has another Text 
 been adduced by the Defenders of the Trini- 
 tarian Do6lrine, viz. God was ?}ianif(ft in the 
 Flep ; I Tim. iii.i6.Yet as this has been quef- 
 tionedj withRefpeft to the Genuinenefs of the 
 Reading, and even afierted to be a wilful Cor- 
 ruption (though, for my own Part I think 
 without Reafon) I have chofen to omit urging 
 it in Proof of the Point in Queftion ; judging it 
 
 much 
 
40 ne Divinity of our Redeemer. 
 
 much better to cut off all occafion of Con- 
 troverfy from our Adverfaries, and of Doubt 
 from the unfettled, by infifting on fuch Texts 
 only (and enough of thefe there are) the true 
 Senfe and Meaning of which is moft obvious 
 and certain, being confident with the plain 
 Principles of Ghriftianity, and the general 
 Tenor of the Gofpel. While there are fo 
 many other undoubted Proofs of this facred 
 Dodrine, why need we give the Impugners 
 of it the Pleafure to obferve on the laft men- 
 tioned Paflage, that the Reading is not, 
 ** God was manifefted," but, " which was 
 manifefled," according to the SyriaCy Latin ^ 
 EthiopiCi Arme7iian^ Arabic^ and moft an- 
 cient Greek Copies ; that Macedonius^ II. 
 Patriarch of ConJiaJiti?iopIe, corrupted this 
 Text by a Subftitution of the Word, {God,) 
 inftead of (ivhich) ; and for this and other 
 Matters was depofed in an Epifcopal Council 
 
 and 
 
^he Divinity of our Redeemer, 41 
 
 and banifhed by the Emperor Anaftafius, 
 about the Year 512. Nay, and furthermore, 
 that the Word, God, in this Place is rejeded 
 by the firlT: Council of Nice ? 
 
 It would be endlefs therefore, and caa 
 ferve only as an Handle to keep up an Op- 
 pofition to the eftablillied Do(5lrines of the 
 Church, to argue on dubious Authorities 
 and difputed Paflages of Scripture. The 
 Errors of our Opponents will be moft 
 effedtually expofed, when the Defence 
 of our holy Doctrines, refts not on the 
 mere Sound of Words and Sentences, 
 picked out here and there from the moft 
 obfcure and difficult FaiTages, but on the 
 whole Authority of Scripture, on the gene- 
 ral, conftant Tenor of the Gofpel. For, 
 
 G what- 
 
42 ^he Divinity of our Redeemer^ 
 
 whatfoever is inconfiftent with that mufl be 
 falfe, as whatfoever is confiflent therewith is 
 Truth i and Truth thus entrenched within 
 the flrong Mounds of Scripture, which the 
 Holy Spirit hath raifed about her for her 
 Defence, She may be annoyed now and then 
 from the Out- Works of the Enemy, but is 
 not to be circumvented by the fubtile Strata- 
 gems, nor forced by the rudefl Attacks of 
 the Sons of Error and InfideHty. 
 
 Secure therefore of our holy Faith on this 
 firm Foundation, let us proceed to improve 
 it to our Advantage by a practical Inference 
 from what has been faid. 
 
 If the Author of our Religion be ver-^ 
 
 God, no other than that great and Almighty 
 
 Being, 
 
The Divinity of our Redeemer, 43 
 
 Being, who upholds unlverfal Nature, then 
 we may rejoice in this Refle(5tion, that we 
 have for our Saviour One, that is able to pro- 
 tedl and enlarge the Religion He has given 
 us againft all Oppofition. God is our Saviour. 
 The fame Almighty Being, who in the Be- 
 ginning by the Word of his Po'iver brought 
 Order out of Confufion and Light out of 
 Darknefs, has by the fame IVord created all 
 Things anew. V/e are no longer Subje(fts 
 and Slaves to the Prince of Darknefs, but are 
 begotten again to the glorious Light of the 
 Gofpel, and to enjoy perfect Liberty and Se- 
 curity in the Kingdom of his Son, Jefus 
 is the mighty Captain of our Salvation. He 
 has proved himfelf to be all-fuffic'ent for our 
 Deliverance from or Support under all Trials 
 and Temptations from the Enemies of oqr 
 Religion. Under him we wage not a dubi- 
 ous War. But, having; himfelf overcome 
 G 3 Death 
 
44 '^^^ Divimfy of our Redeemer, 
 
 Death and the Powers of Darknefs, we are 
 as fure to maintain through him our fpiritual 
 Rights and Priviledges, as we know that He 
 has been able to obtain them for us. We may 
 defert them, it is true, if we can be fo foolifb^ 
 fo brutifhly regardlefs of them ; but we cannot 
 be defpoiied of them agalnft our Wills, and 
 under his Guidance. We may quit his King- 
 dom, if we be fo inclined, if we fo much 
 diftaile that Liberty wherewith He hath made 
 us free, and banifh ourfelves into the gloomy 
 and diftant Regions of Superflition under the 
 defpotic Sway of Sin and Folly; but He wills 
 not this difgraceful Revolt of his Subjects, 
 nor is his Arm Ihortened that He cannot pro- 
 te<fl them, that chufe to live under his Go- 
 vernment, againft any that may rife up to 
 deftroy or lye in wait to deceive them. 
 
 Our 
 
^j€ Diviniiy of our Redeemer, ^r 
 
 Our Lord, while on Earth, and after his 
 Afcenfion by the Holy Spirit manifefted that 
 He had all Power committed unto him, when 
 He broke down the Powers in high Places, 
 that oppofed themfelves to his Religion; when 
 He put down all Rule and all Authority, and 
 built his Church on the Ruins of Idolatry 
 and the Works of the Devil. And the fame 
 Almighty Power has manifefted itfelf through 
 fucceeding Ages in its Support and Preferva- 
 tion ; if not, by the like fignal Demonftration 
 of the Spirit, yet, by the regular and efta- 
 bliflied Courfe of Divine Providence. For, 
 could a Religion, unpatronized of God, not 
 only maintain its Ground for Centuries in the 
 midft of Generations, the moft crooked, cor- 
 rupted, and depraved, but even fpread itfelf 
 over the known World, in Oppoiition to 
 Allurements from Senfe, and Trials from the 
 bittereft Perfecutions ? Could this be efFeded 
 
 without 
 
46 Tloe Divinity of our Redeemer, 
 
 without the Power of an Almighty Saviour, 
 which, though no longer difplayed in outward 
 Signs and Wonders, was, neverthelefsj invifi- 
 bly exercifed in his Church, and operating in 
 Favour of the Truth from Heaven ? The Hea- 
 then raged furioufly, and the People imagined 
 proud Things j but the Word of our God 
 prevailed. If He humble his Church by 
 Afflidtions, it is, that He may exalt it in due 
 Time. If He try it in the Fire of Perfecution, 
 it is, that it may com.e forth more pure and 
 refined. For He that fendeth his Judgments 
 among his People is mightier than they that 
 execute them in the Earth ; and He fuffereth 
 not the Wrath of Man to exceed the Purpofe 
 of his Will, which is ever the firmer Efta- 
 blifhment, the greater Purity, or the more 
 univerfal Spread of his Religion. He faw 
 and fufi^ered indeed the devouring Sword of 
 the hnpcftor to extend a Lie and grofs Delu- 
 
 fion 
 
The Dhinify of cur Redeemer, 47 
 
 Hon among thofe that were ready to believe a 
 Lie J but He fufFered it not to prevail over the 
 true Faith, which without any outward Force 
 to fupport it, nay, in Oppofiltion to all the 
 Powers in high Places, was gaining a Re- 
 ception in the Plearts of Men, by the Force 
 alone of that pure and heavenly Truth, which 
 the Holy Spirit oi God did at firfl: imprefs 
 upon it. 
 
 Nor has our Almighty Saviour left us 
 without a more recent Teftimony of his 
 Concern for the Interefl of Truth, and his 
 Ability to proted his Church from the 
 Danger to which it may be expofed, as well 
 from the Degeneracy of its own Members, as 
 the Violence of its profeffed Enemies. For 
 when, through a long Refl: from Trouble 
 and Perfecution, and a continued Series of 
 
 Prof- 
 
48 Tloe Divifiity of our Redeemer, 
 
 Profperity under the Patronage of Kings and 
 the Mighty upon the Earth, its Memhers 
 were become corrupt, and falling a Prey to 
 their own Errors, and the Superftition, Pride 
 or Craft of their fpiritual Guides, He fent a 
 Spirit of Reformation into the Hearts of his 
 faithful Paflors to call forth his Sons and 
 Daughters from amidfl the Corruptions and 
 Darknefs in which they were held by the 
 Tyranny of Rome^ into the Light of that 
 pure and bleffed Faith of which we make 
 Profeffion. And, as he hath thus far pre- 
 served his Church in Times of the moil im- 
 minent Danger, brought it forth purified and 
 refined from the Grofiiiefs of Popifh Super- 
 ftition, and eftablifhed it in this Kingdom 
 on a juft and equitable Foundation, fo wc 
 may reft aiTured that he is able to continue 
 it to us and our Pofterity, fafe from the De- 
 
 figns 
 
'l^he Divinity of our Rede erne?-. ^q 
 
 ligns and Devices of thofe that \vi{]:i and en- 
 deavour her overthrow. 
 
 But that we- may reafonably hope for this 
 Bleffing, it becomes us to implore it of our 
 Almighty Saviour, and to behave oiirlelves, 
 worthy of it. For fach a Bleffing deferves 
 not only our hearty Prayers^ but, in this 
 Day of Danger to the Church as well from 
 Infidelity as Enthufiafm, the Exertion of our 
 befi: Abilities and m.oft prudent Endeavour; 
 in Defence of our holy Doctrines ; ever 
 refting our Defence and Recommendation of 
 them on the firm and broad Bottom of Scri*)- 
 ture, agreeably to the Maxim of our Church, 
 " that nothing ir. to be required of any Man 
 *' to be believed that may not be proved 
 ** thereby." 
 
 H And 
 
5© l^he Divinity of cur Redeemer. 
 
 And if to this d?ferved Attachment to the 
 Church eflabliflied, we add our befl En- 
 deavours to adorn her Dodlrines by a vene- 
 rable Piety towards Almighty God, Sandtity 
 of Manners, an univerfal Benevolence and 
 a Spirit of Charity, Forbearance and Mode- 
 ration towards thofe that differ from us, God 
 will delight to be among us, to dwell with 
 and to blefs us. Thus built up in the Faith 
 and Do(flrine of Chrift, we fliall become a 
 living, holy and well compadted Temple for 
 the Refidence of God our Saviour, who will 
 keep it fafe from the fly and covert Approaches 
 of Popifli EmlfTaries ; nor fuffer it to be 
 fhaken and disjointed by the rude Breath of 
 Fadion and the boifterous Storms which 
 incefTantly blow upon it from the peftilent 
 and infcdious Quarters qI Fanaticifm, 
 
 Now 
 
^heDhiniiy of our Redcancr. ci 
 
 Now to God our Creator, Redeemer and 
 Sandlfier, be afcribed all Glory and Honour, 
 both now and for ever. Amen, 
 
 
 >i 
 
 
 ^.^^ 
 
O F T H E 
 
 LOGOS. 
 
 John I. i, 2, 3. 
 
 I?2 the Bcgimiing was the IFord, and the JVord 
 ivas with Gody and the JVcrd was God, 
 
 The fame was in the Beginni?2g with God. 
 
 All Things were made by Rim ; a?id without 
 Him was not any Thing made that was 
 made, 
 
 npRINITARL^NS, Arians, Soclnians and 
 -■" Sabellians, have adduced this PafTage, 
 each in Support of their peculiar Tenet con- 
 cerning 
 
56 Of the LOGO S. 
 
 cerning our Saviour Chrift. The firft fay, 
 that their Dodbrine is exprefly afferted by 
 the Evangelift in Declaring that " the Word 
 was God.*' The fecond fay, that the Evan- 
 gehft afTerts only that '^ the Word was jGod," 
 that is, a Being inferior to God, but ftiperior 
 to all other Beings. The third fay, that the 
 AfTcition amounts to no more than this, 
 *' that the Word was a mere Man," entitled 
 only to the Appellation of ^ God, on Account 
 of the mighty Works which manifefled them- 
 felvcs in him. And the lafl: fay, that the 
 Evangelifl: fpeaks of an Attribute of the Al- 
 mighty which is here called Goi^, asReafon, 
 or V/ifdom, or Power, 
 
 Were thefe different Explications contend- 
 ed for by the Enemies of Revelation, if each of 
 thefe Denominations endeavoured to expofe 
 
 the 
 
Of the LOGOS. ^j 
 
 theOpinlons of the Reft in order to expofe the 
 Weaknefs and Abfurdity of the ChrlftianReli- 
 gion, this mutual Contradidtion among our 
 Adverfaries were not to be regretted. But it 
 is painful to confider that this Difference is 
 among ourfelves. For many, a great many of 
 each Clafs, it cannot be doubted, have been 
 Well-WifherS to our holy Reh'gion, and fliewn 
 themfelves not more zealous than able in the 
 general Defence thereof. It were to be wifhed 
 thereforcjthatfucha Senfe could be clearly dif^ 
 covered to belong to this PalTage as Hiould be 
 liable to no Exception with any Denomination 
 of fincere Believers; and it is to be fufpeifled, 
 from the great Difference among themfelves, 
 that they aie under one common Miilake. 
 This I iliall endeavour to point out, and offer 
 fuch an Explication of the Paffage, againll: 
 which, in Point of Dod:ri^e, no Objection can 
 lie with thofe who believe Chriflianity at all. 
 I i.The 
 
58 Of the LOGOS. 
 
 I , The Word here fpoken of by the Evan- 
 gelift is by all of them underftood to relate to 
 the Per/on of Chrift. The Word was God, 
 that is, (fay they) jfefus Chriji was God, or, a 
 God. But by the Word^ I apprehend^ the 
 Evangelift means (what is meant by it in all 
 other Places of Scripture) the Go/pel; and 
 with a fmall but material Variation of the 
 Conftrud:ion of this fo much difputedPalTage, 
 the following natural and eafy Senfe of it will 
 appear, " That God is the original Author 
 '' of our Salvation.** 
 
 •i. In the Beginning ivas the Word, and 
 
 the 
 
 ♦Mr. Dawjon, in his Annotations on hisTranflatlon of 
 the three firft Chapters of Genefn^ conjedlures the Iright 
 Translation of this Verfe to be, " In the Beginning of the 
 «« Word's exifting, the Word was with God," This, I 
 
 doubt 
 
Of the LOGO S. 59 
 
 theWovd. was with God, and-^-Godi was the 
 
 Word. 
 
 I 2 2. It 
 
 doubt not, is the true rendering of the Hebraifm here ufed 
 by St. John\ and the Senfe is very natural and eafy, if we 
 underftand by the lFord{hogos] the Go/pel, ihat is, *'^JVhen 
 *« Jefus Chrill received the IVcrd to Pubhfh to the World, 
 «' he received it from God, with whom it was, in the 
 *' Beginning." But, taking the ITord for the Perfon of 
 Chrift in a pre-exiftent State, as Mr. Dawfon with moft 
 Divines doth, not only is the Metaphor extremely harfh, 
 but a Doclrine alfo may be Inferred from it which is cer- 
 tainly without Foundation in Scripture, viz. That Chrifl-, 
 as to his Divine Nature, had z Beginning o( his Exiflcnce. 
 Or, if no great Force is to be laid on the Exprefiiion, in the 
 Beginning, and it may relate to Eternity as well as to 
 Time, yet we cannot well fupnofe that it is the Defign of 
 theEvangelift to treat here of the metaphyficalNature and 
 .Effence of the Divinity, but of the Relation in which he 
 {lands to us, as the Author of our fpiritual Life. The 
 Context elfe would be without any Connedlion. 
 
 t The Aricvts and Socinians would have it rendered 
 t'^us, "The Word was a God ;" The former making Jefus 
 Chrift,a God, litcndly fpeaking, th;!t '::^, a Being of a Divine 
 Nature pre-exlfting before the Fouudaticn of the World, 
 
 but 
 
6o Of tie LOGOS 
 
 but Inferior to the fupreme Being ; the latter making him, 
 a God^ metaphorically fpealcing, afcribing to him no divine 
 Nature and ftiling him, a God, as thejews would ftile any 
 of t'r.eir Magiftratcs or Prophets, Gods, on account of the 
 great Power and Authority they were endowed with. 
 The Word,9«o<, (landing without the Article o is thought 
 fufHcient tojuftify fo bold a Tranflation, But, that no 
 Dependance (hould be placed upon fuch a Circumftance 
 of Stile as this is, the Occurrence of this fame Word with- 
 out its Article no lefi than three Times in this very Chap- 
 ter, and confeilediy referring to the Supreme Being, will, 
 without infilling longer upon it, fuiBce, to convince any 
 one not previoufly biaflcd iii his Judgment. 
 
 Ano'i HER fuch minute Circumftance of Stile is made 
 an Obje<^tion to the Tranflation I have given of thefe 
 Words, ^'/~. That the SuhjcEl ihould have had the Article 
 prefi){ed to it, and the Predicate have wanted it. St. Jobn^ 
 it is thought, if he had meant to fay, that " God was the 
 " Word," that is, the Author of it, would have wiittcn 
 05o< m \oysi ; as he writes (i yohn i. 6.) o Qioi zufnn, 
 and (Ibid. iv. 8.) o ^m; -xycLrr:) t^iv. 
 
 Let us fee what Weight there is in this Objetilion. 
 If fuch a Circumftance m;'y be allowed any Weight, it 
 appeals to me a!to:,ether in Favour of, fo far from being an 
 Objection to, the Interpretation I have given. 
 
 For, it is ufuai with St. Jobn^ (and indeed it i^ a Pro- 
 priety of Stile) to omit pr^'fixing the Article to the Predi- 
 Ciite when the PieJicaie is to be underflood in a more 
 
 ge::c' 
 
Of the LOGOS, 6i 
 
 general OT indefinite ?>cn^c, and to prefix the Article, when 
 if is to be taken in a more particular or definite Senfe. 
 Thus, in the former of thofe Inftanccs brought- to fup- 
 port the Objcdion, God is ftiled Light, pf^, without the 
 Article. Eecaufe it is meant indefi.nitelyy rot reflrided 
 to any particular Object. But let us fee how it is circum- 
 ftanced when the Evangelift ufes It definitely, and to fig- 
 nify a particular Light, for Example, the Light of the 
 Gofipel. It is ufed in this definite Scnfe at the 4th Verfe 
 of Chap. I ft, ii (T^'H «f T3 ZKi 7C01' a-r^^eo-rav. A ftill more 
 pertinent Example we find at Verfe 8 Ovk w iKUvoi to 
 ecci. He was not the Light, viz, tliat p;.rticular 
 Liaht which enlightened the World, that is, the Gofpel- 
 Li'yht. Here the Article is prefixed, and I believe it is 
 to all Predicates throughout this Writer, which are under 
 the fame Circumftance of Dfirdtenefs or Rejhiclion to a 
 particular Objefl, with Logos, in this Cafe. So that, 
 fuppofmg the EvangeKll to mean the Gofpel, by this 
 Word, Logos, it is quite agreeable to his Stile to prefix the 
 Article tc. it. Out of the many Inftanccs to this purpofe, 
 1 {hall produce. Chap. vi. 35. F>^.> sm; cf.'ii nK (aiU, 
 lb.48,50,51. InwhxhTexts the Article ferves to fpecify 
 or detine the Word to which it is prefixed, jufl as the En- 
 olifli Particle (tk?) dees, and which for the fame Reafon 
 we ufe in tranfiuing it, viv. I am the Bread. But at tne 
 55th Verfe of the fame Chanter, wlicre the Predicate is 
 left more indefinite or^wr/?/, the Greek Article ir. omitted ; 
 
 nor 
 
6z Of tk L O G O S. 
 
 2. It J was in the Begin?i'u^g with Go J. 
 
 nor can we prefix the Englifh one in theTranflation with- 
 out altering the Senfe. H <ratpf y.a m Cputrif, a-iuct, fxa ii]t 
 rrej-ti. Ibid. viii. 12. to ®«f. Ibid, xiv.6. zya iy.t n ot/lof, 
 ^ " rtAuSs/*. >y «^<y«. I John V. i. Ino-a? aiv o Xpi<TJo(. 
 5. InJtsi «i]iv i//of, which, according to the ObjetSlion, 
 ihould thus be rendered, *' The Chrift is Jefus," " The 
 «' Son is Jefus," if 653? "f /o;)/o; is not capable of any 
 other rendering than, " The Word was God." 
 
 :t;THE learned Grotius, aware of the Abfurdity of afTert* 
 ino- that the /^i?r^,( meaning Chi ift in a pre-exiftent State) 
 was God^ and yet that he u-as with God, as if there were 
 two Gods, two diRin£l Beings^ each of a perfeclly divine 
 Nature, fcruples not to fay, that it is the Inten;ion of the 
 Evangelift, by this Repetition of the foregoing Aflertion, 
 viz. that the Word was with God, to reprefent the ^Ford 
 or Chrift, as fomething inferior to God, not altogether and 
 ccnfumrnatcly God, His Words are, 
 
 *' Repetit hoc, quia Deum jam vccaverit; hoc vo- 
 « lens, ita Deum efTe intelligendum, ut et illud maneaf, 
 " fuiiTc eum a.ud Deum ; id eft, ut non fuerit hoyoi, 
 '< on-.ne id quod eft Deu5." Grot, m lib. Evan. 
 
 Into fo great a Difficulty do we fee this learned Inter- 
 preter thrown by fuppofing Logos to mean in this Pafage 
 any Thing clfe than (he Gjfpc?^ that Grace and Tridh 
 which <:ame to us from God, b.ing in i-he Beginning with 
 Him' 
 
Of the L O G O S, 63 
 
 3 . ^11 ivas done 6y Him ; afid without 
 Hifn was Jiot any Tubing done of that which 
 has come to pafs. 
 
 This muft be owned to be a more exa(5t 
 Tranilatlon than the other, and is to be pre- 
 ferred on the Account above-mentioned, ^ciz. 
 that it doth not necefTarily convey the Idea of 
 any difputable Dodrine, but may be under- 
 ftood in a Senfe to which no Perfon, that 
 beUeves Chriflianity at all, can have any 
 Objediion. 
 
 St. "^ohn feems to mean no mora by thele 
 Words than to preface his Account of the 
 Gofpel^ which he flilcs, the Wordy with the 
 high Original of it. 7bis was, he tells us, 
 from God himfelf ; for that in the' Begin- 
 7ij??g, before // was publifhcd to the World, 
 
 it 
 
64 Of the LOGO S. 
 
 it was with God-, God was the Word, the 
 original Author and Giver of it. It was 
 in the Beginnifig with God, lay hid from 
 the Foundation of the World in the eternal 
 Counfels of the Almighty. All was done 
 by Htm, the Whole was from God-, a?id 
 without Him was not any '■Thitig done of 
 
 that which has come to pafs ; that is, every 
 Part of the Gojpel Dijpenfation, pubhfhed by 
 
 Jefus Chrift was from God; and whatever 
 Works he wrought in Confirmation of it, not 
 one of them »='^« vt was of himfelf or came 
 to pafsx*'P'«'^» ^^^ without God. 
 
 II, Having fliewn what I apprehend to be 
 the true Senfe of this Paflage of Scripture, I 
 propofe in the next Place to obviate an Objec- 
 tion or two which may bemadetoit,andthen 
 produce from this Evangelifl fome of the many 
 Texts which fopport the Interpretation given, 
 
 con- 
 
Of the LOGOS 6$ 
 
 continuing the Proof of the perfea Divinity of 
 our Redeemer on the Tefllmony chiefly of 
 Chrifl himfelf. 
 
 I. First then, It may be thought that, 
 taking the PFord, ^^''y^^' in the Senfe I have 
 given of it, -uiz. for the Go/pel itfelf, it 
 founds extremely harfli to fay that God uds 
 the Word. To w^hich, I anfwer, that the 
 Harfhnefs objcded to, arifing from the Pecu- 
 liarity of ^uyohn'9> Phrafeology, will be found 
 to be in Favour of the Tranllation which I 
 have offered. For what is more common 
 with this Writer than to fay of God, that 
 he is Light, or Truth y or Love? And 
 alfo of Jefus Chrifl, that he is the n-'ny, 
 the Truth, the Life, nay, the Refurrc^icn ? 
 To affert that God was the IVord, is net 
 more harfh then to fay, God is Love. 
 When St. John thus expreffeth himfelf, he 
 doth not mean to afHrm, that God is that very 
 
 K Thing 
 
66 Of the LOGO S- 
 
 Thing by which he calls him, or that God 
 and Love are the fame Thing. We know very 
 well, his Meaning is, that God is pofleffed of 
 that Thing or Quality whereby he names him, 
 in this Inflance, of Love and good Will to his 
 Creatures. 
 
 So again, when our Saviour according to 
 this Evangelift faith, I am the Refiirre5lion, 
 he means not to affirm, that he and the Refur- 
 redion are one and the fameThing; but, that 
 he is the Author of our Refurredion to Life, 
 fome fuch Word being always underftood 
 in this kind of Phrafeology. And therefore 
 when it is here afferted, that God was the 
 Word^ the Meaning is natural and eafy, 
 ^oiz. That he was the Author or Giver of the 
 JVord which came by Jefus Chrift. 
 
 Once 
 
Of the LOGO S. 67 
 
 Once more, with regard to the Harfhnefs 
 of the Expreflion, God was the JVord, Is it 
 more harfli than that we have in the Vulgar 
 Tranflation, the JVord was God f So far from 
 it, that, if we were not ufed to it, (and ufe will 
 reconcile to any Thing) this lafl would appear 
 intolerably uncouth ; and, even under our 
 prefent Prejudice from Cuftom, will appear 
 ftrange enough on confidering how thofe 
 other fimilar Phrafes found conftrudted as 
 this has been. Reverfe thefe Sentences, 
 God is Lo'-ce ; God is Light-^ Chriji is the Re^ 
 Jurre5lion\ and read them thus, Love is God -y 
 Light is God ; the Refurre5tio?i is Chriji • and 
 then fay, which of thefe Confl:ru(ftlons found 
 the moflHarfli? Or whether the lafl be capable 
 of any Senfe being affixed to it ? The Cafe is 
 juft the fame with Refpcc^ to the Expreffion 
 in the Text. If our Tranflatorshad rendered 
 it as they have all the othtr Phr^ics fimilar 
 
 K 2 to 
 
68 Oj the LOGO S. 
 
 to it, viz. God was the JVord, we (hould have 
 more eafily underftood it and interpreted it in 
 the fame Manner with the other Texts, viz, 
 God was the Author of the Gofpel Difpen^ 
 fation. 
 
 2. But it may he made an Objeftion that 
 this IFord is faid to have exifted in the Begin- 
 nings which manner of fpeaking may feem to 
 be more agreeable to the common Interpre- 
 tation and to refer to the Perfon of Chrifti as 
 the Go/pel did not exift till his Coming into 
 the World, and therefore had not aBeing,was 
 not (as is here afTerted of the IVord) in the Be- 
 gimjing. To which I anfwer, that nothing 
 is more common, wiih theWriters of theNew 
 Teftament, than to reprefent thofe Things as 
 having had Exigence from the Beginning 
 which were always defigned by God to come 
 to pafs and were promifed in the Prophets, 
 
 And 
 
Of the LOGOS. 69 
 
 And, as this was more efpeclally the Cafe of 
 the Gofpely fo we find it reprefented through- 
 out the Scripture as havingexifted in the eter- 
 nal Counfels of the Almighty. Hence the 
 Co/pel is called a Kingdom prepared fro?n the 
 Foundation of the JVorld, Matt. xxv. 34. 
 We are fald to have been chofen in Chrijl before 
 the Foundation of the TForld, Eph. i. 4. St, 
 yohn fpeaks of the Gofpel, as that which was 
 from the Beginning, and that eternal Life 
 which was with the Father : ijohnv. 1,2. Ex- 
 prefliuns exadly fimilar to thofe in my Text. 
 The Apoftle Paul calls it, the hidden Myjlery 
 which God ordaineci before the World wtto our 
 Ghry, i Cor. ii. 7. In another Place, the 
 Myflery which from the Beginning of the World 
 bath been hid in God, who created all by 
 J ejus Chrift, Eph. iii. 9. Nay, it is repre- 
 fented as the Grace (of God) which was 
 given us in Chrifl Jefus before the World began, 
 
 2 Tim. 
 
7© Of the LOGO S, 
 
 2 Tim. i. 9. And in the Apocalypfe^ the Lamb 
 is faid to be Jlain from the Foundation of the 
 Worlds Rev. xiii. 8. All which Expreflions 
 amount to much the fame with what the 
 Evangelifl; has alTerted in the Text, In 
 the Beginijing was the Word, and the Word 
 was with God, 
 
 3. There is one Objedion more which 
 may be made, and that is, that this is not the 
 only Place in which the Word (Logos) feems 
 to relate to the Perfon of Chrift, for that this 
 Title is given to him both at the 14th Ver.of 
 this Chap, and alfo in the Abocalypfe xix. 13. 
 
 But in both thofe Places this Title is given 
 him on Account of his being the Minifter of 
 the Word or Gofpel to Men, and relates not to 
 his Dignity in a prior State of Exiftence, but to 
 his Oflice onEarth. This is extremely obvious 
 
 in 
 
0] tbe L O GOS, yi 
 
 In the laft mentioned PafTage from theDefcrip- 
 tion which prcceeds the Title, viz. He was 
 cloathed with a Vefture dipt in Blood -, Here is 
 a manifeft Rei<erence to his Humanity, And 
 his Name is called the Word of God, 
 9 Koyoi T« 6£». So that the Man Chrift Jefus, 
 is here ftiled, the Word of God, as having 
 been the Minifter and Publifher thereof to 
 Men. 
 
 And this is quite agreeable to what the 
 Evangelill has afTerted in the other PalTage, 
 viz. at the 14th Verfe of the Chapter in 
 which our Text is, not indeed according to 
 the prefentTranflation, {the Word was made 
 Fkp) but according to one no lefs literal and 
 more agreeable to the Original. 
 
 For 
 
72 Of th LOGO S. 
 
 For by Flefli <^^pl is plainly meant (and 
 all agree in it) Man, It is equally evident, 
 that the Word tymlo here rendered, was made ^ 
 might, more agreeably to the Original, have 
 been rendered, became. This Verfe there- 
 fore may be full as literally, and more ex- 
 actly tranflated thus, viz. And FkJJj 
 that is, a Man^ became the Word and 
 dwelt among usy &c. As God had before 
 been filled the IVord^ as being the Author 
 ©f it, fo Jefus Chrlfl: is here ftiled the TFord, 
 as being the Pttblifier of it. The Evange- 
 lift had aflerted that God v^as the original 
 Author of the Word-, thatH^ did tf//that 
 was done, properly fpeaking ; that without 
 Him nothing came to pafs of that which was 
 tranfaded j that in Hitn was that Life, that 
 Word of Life, which was the Light of Men, 
 bringing them to the Knowledge of God, . 
 whom, before, the World knew not, though 
 
 Ht 
 
0/ the LOGOS. 73 
 
 He was in the World and the World was 
 made by Him. The EvangeM, I hy, had 
 aflerted that God himfelf and no other was 
 the Original of the J^^ord ; he now tells ns, 
 that it came to fafs that this IVord of God was 
 publifhed to the World by a Ma?2. The 
 f^^ord was ftill the Word of God, and not 
 of Man: Butwhereas,in the Beginning, zV was 
 witb God, and no one elfe, it was now zi-itb 
 Men, come forth, as it were, from God and 
 comedown from Heaven into the World be- 
 ingcommitted to zMaii-, the A/^«Chrift jelus, 
 to publiOi **/ to the World. Accordingly, 
 becoming the Word^ he is faid in this flu-ne 
 Verfe to be full of Grace and TrutJ:, Now 
 this Grace and Truth of which he was full, 
 can mean- nothing elfe than the CcHeJ, the 
 Word of God (sAoQ/of tb figs j) for it is put in 
 Oppofition to the Law. The Law zvas given 
 by MoJeSj but Grace a?ui Truth, or true Gracr, 
 
 L th^t 
 
74 Of the LOGOS. 
 
 that is, the Gofpel^ came by Jefus Chri/I,{ver. 1 7.) 
 Jefus Chrifl: therefore, at the 14th Verfe, is 
 not called the IForJy with refped to his Per- 
 fon in a pre-exiflent State, but with refpedl to 
 his Office m this ; fincethe Evangelifl; is con- 
 trailing the Law given by Mofes with the 
 Word which came by "Jefus Chriji* 
 
 III. Having thus obviated all the Objec- 
 tions which I think' can be made to the In- 
 terpretation given of this noted PafTage of 
 Scripture, I proceed to {hew the Confiftency 
 thereof with the whole Strain of the Gof- 
 pel according to this Evangelift, who has re- 
 corded more fully than the reft theTeftimony 
 of our Lordhimfelf concerning this Matter. 
 The PaiTages to be adduced in fiipport of the 
 Interpretation will at the fame Time confirm 
 the great Dodrine of our Church in the De- 
 fence of which I have engaged, " That our 
 
 «' Re- 
 
Of the LOG O S. y^ 
 
 " Redeemer is God, verv GoJy and not an 
 <* inferiG?' Being, cither united to Humanity 
 *' or mere M3.n.*' 
 
 Chap. i. i8. No Man bath fee n God at 
 anyTime 'j the only begotte?!- Son which is in the 
 Bofom of the Father^ he hath declared him. 
 
 The Expreffion which is in the Bofom of the 
 Father, if it be the proper Tranllation, muft 
 mean the Love which the Father bears to- 
 wards the Son, and is much the fame 
 with the Expreffion which occurs in o- 
 ther Places of Scripture, viz. cnh be- 
 gotten and well-beloved Son, But it may be 
 rendered who was in the Bofom of the Father ; 
 and then it muft fignify the intimate Knou-~ 
 ledge which Jefus Chrift had while upon 
 Earth, of the Counfels and Will of his Father, 
 that full and bright Revelation of him/elf 
 
 L 2 which 
 
'^S 0/ the LOGOS. 
 
 which God i:,ave unto Chrifl: to declare unto 
 Men. 1ji which everSenfe we take it, Chrift 
 is here laid to have declared or revealed God 
 unto the Wor\i, which is much the fame 
 with being ftiied the IFord or Logos. 
 
 Chap, ili 2. Rabbi y we know that thou art 
 a Teacher come from God, for no Man can 
 do thcfe Miracles that thou doft^ except God 
 be ivith him. 
 
 NicoDEMus^ convinced that the Mi- 
 racles which Jefus Chrifl: had wrought 
 were the Etfecl of the Power of God himfclf 
 operating in Chrift, acknowledges him to be 
 a Teacher conic from Gcd. We fee from hence 
 w^bat the Jews ineant when they fpakc of a 
 Perfon as coming from Gcd, Nicodemus did 
 not mean that Chrift had come from God lo- 
 cal h; that is, had exiiled with him in a pre- 
 
 exiftent 
 
Of the LOGO S. 77 
 
 exiftent State, a Jeparate and diftlndt Being 
 from God, (as the Ariam fuppofe,) inferior^ 
 but next in Dignity, and afterwards came 
 into this World from God ; for then the Rca- 
 fon he affigns for his Belief that he was come 
 from God would not be to the Purpofe, vi%. 
 that no Man could work ftich Miracles unlefs 
 God was with him. But the Miracles abun- 
 dantly proved to Nicodemus that Chrill: was 
 a Teacher come from God, in the Jewifh Senfe 
 of that Phrafe ; becaufe they proved that God 
 was ivith him, working in and fpeaking by 
 him. His coming from God therefore, and 
 God's being iscith him, we fee, are the fame 
 Thing ; and Niccdemus meant to acknowledge 
 that which St. John aflerts in our Text, viz. 
 That God was the JVord originally, or that 
 what Jefus Chrifl: had faid or done came not 
 to pafs w:tbcut God, yj^-.i za Q-f-- 
 
 Chap, 
 
7S Of the LOGOS. 
 
 Chap, iii. 13. And no Man hath afcended up 
 to Heaven^ but he that came down from 
 Heaven^ even the So?z of Man, which is in 
 Heaven^ 
 
 When our Saviour afT^rts here, that no Man 
 hath afcended up to Heaven, but excepts one 
 Man, viz, himfelf, the Son of Man, who alfo 
 is there, we cannot fuppofe him to fpeak of 
 his literal Aicenfion or AfTumption into 
 Heaven, and Refidence there, flnce he was 
 not yet afcended, but faid this of him- 
 felf, while upon Earth, and even before his 
 Crucifixion. To affert to Nicodemus that he had 
 afcended up to Heaven, and that he wasinHea- 
 ven then at the very Time he was converfing 
 with him on Earth , and this in the literal 
 Senfe of thefe Expreffions, appears too grofs a 
 Contradidion in Terms to befuppofed by any 
 one, how ignorant or prejudiced foever in Fa- 
 vour 
 
Of the LOGO S. 79 
 
 vour of literal Interpretations. He muft mean 
 therefore that no Man was acquainted per- 
 fectly with the Will of God but himfelf. 
 
 It Is fpoken In AlluHon to our Method of 
 coming at the moft certain Knowledge of any 
 Thing. We go to the Place itfelf where the 
 Thing is, and having feen it there, we can 
 make Report of it to others on the moft cer- 
 tain and undoubted Authority. The Allu- 
 lion being fo familiar is eafy enough of Con- 
 ception. Heaven is reprefented as a certain 
 Place above us, in which God has hi&Refi- 
 dence. Now we know very wtII, that the 
 great God dwelleth not in any clctermi?iatc 
 Place, being every where and in all Places. 
 To this Place however, our Saviour faith he 
 afcended, and came down from thence. 
 
 Him 
 
So Of ibe LOGO S. 
 
 Him alone had God admitted, as it were, 
 into his Counfels, and taught the Things per- 
 taining to the Kingdom of Pleaven. He canrte 
 forth into the World, not as other Prophets, 
 declaring the Will of God in part only 
 and imperfe^lly, but as from Heaven itfelf, 
 taught of God there, honoured with a View 
 and Infpe(3^ion,as it were, of heavenly and di- 
 vine Things, fo that he was qualified to teach 
 and inftrud: Mankind fully, and from the 
 mod certain Knowledge that any Man can 
 have of the Will of God. He was the Son 
 ofMrz/z, as he calls himfelf; but ^to Son of 
 Man, in whom God himfelf dwelt and fpake 
 to the World. The Man Chrift Jefus, /pake 
 not of himfelf \ his 'Docirine ivas not his own, 
 but his that fent him. He fpake immediately 
 from Heaven, from God himfelf* All which 
 is perfedly agreeable to what the Evangelifl: 
 has afTcrted in our Text, viz. T'kat the Word 
 
 iicas 
 
Of the LOGO S. 8i 
 
 *uoai uithGod, in the Beghim?ig -, but vcr. 14J 
 that God gave it to the Mc7n Chrift Jefus, 
 fo that he became the Word of God upon Earth* 
 Confidered therefore as the Wordy he is with 
 the utmoft Propriety faid (and of him only- 
 can it be fa'd with Propriety) to be from Cod, 
 to come forth from God, to come down 
 from Heaven ; not locally^ not Uterall\\ as if 
 the Divinity which was manifefted in him 
 being (as the Ariajis conceive) of a limited 
 Nature, had actually removed from one 
 Tlace to another, from Heave?i to Earth ; 
 nor * yet by Converfion of the Godhead into 
 
 M Flefli ; 
 
 Dr. 5(7«f/^ faith, " We read of no Mediator to bring us 
 
 *«to Chrift ; for though, being Godhy Nature,He dwells in 
 
 ** the hcighth of Mnjefty, and the inaccelTible Glories of a 
 
 *' Deity ; yet to keep ofFall Strangenefs between himfdf 
 
 > <* and the Sons of Men, He has condefcended to a Cognati:fi 
 
 ** and Confanguinity with us ; He hath cloathed himfelf 
 
 ** with Fiefh and Blood, that fo he might fubdue his 
 
 "Glories to a Poflibility of human Converfe." Scm//s 
 
 Serm. Tol. 2. page 64. 
 
 This 
 
82 Of the LOGOS. 
 
 Flefli J hut God was then faid to defcend on 
 
 Earth, when he manifefled himfelf to the 
 
 World 
 
 This is a very harfh and improper Manner of rcprefent- 
 ing the Incarnation of Chrift; as if God when he dwelt in 
 and fpake to the v/orld by Flefh, that is, the Man 
 Chrift Jefus, did for a while contraft his Dignity, limit 
 and lefTen his Glory thereby, and convert the Godhead in- 
 to Flefh. But what he faith a few Pages further on, is 
 really iliocking j *' Chrilt, the Son of the moft high God 
 *' the fecond Perfon in the glorious Trinity, took upon 
 «' him our Nature, that he might give a great Inihiice and 
 ** example of this Virtue ; and condefcended to be a Iidan 
 " only that he might be a Friend. Our Creator, our Lord 
 *' and King, he was before jbut he would needs come down 
 •* from all this and in a Sort become our equal. lb. page 
 S8. 
 
 A STRANGE Converfionof the Godhead this indeed! was 
 not God then our Creator.^ Lord znd Kin^, during Chrift's 
 abode on earth i No, according to this Account he v-as notj 
 For "Chriff, the fecond Perfon in the glorious Trin!i:y('whc> 
 ** was dl this before) wou'.d needs come down from all 
 (( this."*'3o ihattl.eWorld v/as left for about 30 ycnrs with- 
 out a Creator, Lord and King. No doabt the Dodor 
 meant not fuch a Confcquence, but it reaiiy is deJuciblc 
 from his AlTertionj and all theUfe I v/ould make of it is, a* 
 anAdmonition againft giving the Eacrnies of revealed Re- 
 ligion and of our Church in particular, any Advantage bj 
 fuch ungUAidfcd EjcprciHons. 
 
Of the LOGOS. 83 
 
 World in the Flefli or by the Man Chria 
 Jefus. 
 
 Ver. 34. For he ^^vhom God hath fent fpcakeih 
 iheJVords cf God: For God giveth not the 
 Sprit by Meafure unto him. 
 
 TnisTeflimcny of the Baptift concerning 
 our Saviour, 'vlz. that he [pake the JVorch of 
 Gcdy coincides with that of the Evangehft 
 at Chap, i, 14. viz. that he became the Word^ 
 ihe Pablifher of the Gofpcl D:fpcnfatlo?i -^ and 
 whereas the Eaptift adds. For God giveth 
 not the Spirit by Meafure unto him, this is 
 a ConSrmation of the Senfe v/e have put 
 upon the third Verfe of the fame Chapter, iu 
 making the Word, Him, relate to Gcd a!:d 
 not to, theJVord-y Gcd being the Original cf 
 the Word and Chrifl Jcfus the Publifher of 
 it to the World, the Man by v%hom Cod 
 fpake ar.d manifefced himfelf to the World ; 
 
 M 2 lb 
 
§4 OftheLOGO S. 
 
 fo that it was Gody and no other Being dif- 
 iinO: and feparafe from him, that was mani- 
 fefted in the Fie ill, or by the Mmi Jefus 
 Chrift. This * Ma?2 fpake not of himfelf 
 nor by the Di(5late of any other Being than 
 the fiipreme God. ylll was done by Him ; 
 and without Him nas not an'^ Thing done^ (or 
 .delivered) of that which hai been done^ of that 
 Word which came by Jcfus Chrift, 
 
 Chap. V. 22. For the Father judgeth no Man ^ 
 
 but hath committed all Judginent to the Son, 
 
 This 
 
 * It (hould not give any Offence that I fpealc thus of 
 our Saviour Chrift. I mean not to reprcfent him thereby as 
 a mere Man, in whom the Fulnefs of the Godhead dwelt 
 T\oty but as being really and truly Man. For aflerting the 
 perfefi Manhood of Chrift doth not derogate from that 
 ptrfecily Divine Nature which manifcfted itfelf fo fully in 
 him ; fo far from this, that in aficiting if, I mean to rcpre. 
 fent Chritl as having no middle Nature between God and 
 M.5n, that was united to Humanity. When I call himMan 
 I fpcak of him, as "of a reafonablc Soul, and human Flefh 
 <* fubfiiling;" and alTcrt not, *■• as touching his Godhead, 
 an Inferiority to the father," but only, ** as touching his 
 ^* Manhood." 
 
0///;^LOGOS, tS 
 
 This is perfedly confonant with the In- 
 terpretation given of the three firfl Verfes, 
 and the fourteenth of the firft Chapter, viz, 
 that the ^Vord was in the Beginning with God-, 
 but that // was given to a Man, the Man 
 Chrift Jefus, to publifli // to the World. But 
 though he was Ma?i^ perfeB Man, yet he 
 was alfo the Son of God. He therefore In 
 the next Verfe claims that Honour and Ref- 
 pect which are due to him as fuch, due to 
 him as that Man in Vv'hom God alone, perfe5l 
 God, the Almighty himfelf wrought and 
 fpake, 'viz. that all Men JJjotdd honour the 
 Son even as they honour the Father^ For on 
 ■what other Footing could he claim this equal 
 Honour ? Could he claim it as a mere Man ? 
 for any natural Power belonging to Huma- 
 nity ? Not Soci?ius himfelf, nor even the mofl: 
 iniftaken of his Followers would fay this. 
 
 Doth 
 
B6 CftbeLOGOS. 
 
 Doth he claim it as that great Perfonage 
 whom the Arians fuppofe to have exifted, 
 before his Humanity, a diflin^^ 2i\id. fepar ate 
 Being, next in Dignity but iftferior to God 
 himfelf? No. For he difclaims this Honour 
 on his own Account, teflifying that he can 
 do nothing of himfelf , that is, as a diftinct and 
 feparate Being from God -, nor indeed could 
 that Honour which is due to God alone be 
 due to an inferior Perfonage how exalted 
 focver fuppofed to be united to Humanity. 
 
 Does he claim it then as a Being in all 
 refpeds equal with God, though a Qiilindl 
 Being from him, * fubfla?itially diilinft, fo 
 
 that 
 
 * DoiSlor Sherlock in his Vindication of the Doif^rine of 
 the Holy and ever Blefied Trinity afTerts that the Divine 
 
 * Pe»ior,s in theGodhead are "Real, Subnaritial Beings'arc 
 ' Three ciilir,(£l and infinite Minds ;" *'Three Divine Per- 
 < iqm fuljiantlally diftind j" "Thefe tliree infinite Minds 
 
 * arediflinguiftied, juH as threefinite and creatcdMindt, are 
 
 * by il'l' Confciourncls." 
 
 Thefe 
 
0//^<rLOGOS. 87 
 
 that the Father and the Son are as really two 
 infinite Minds or Beings, as Peter and yohn 
 are two finite Beings? This Opinion has been 
 efpoufed indeed by fome zealous Defenders 
 of the Trinity, but rejeded with Abhorrence 
 by others not lefs zealous in the Caufe. 
 Defervedly rejcded furely ! For bcfides that 
 this would imply a Divifion of the Godhead, 
 Chrift himfelf declares his Title to this PIo- 
 nour to be quite another Thing, "^1%. becaufe 
 God has committed all Judgment to the 
 Son. l^he Father hath committed all ^iiid'/- 
 
 mcnt 
 
 Thesi: nrc very bol'-l Afiertions and iiavebeen animad- 
 verted upon by as Zealous an AiTerter of the Trinity as 
 himfelf. The IcarnedAnimadverLer h;is ruiHciently expo "ed 
 theAbfurdity of thsinand tiieir liiconfiilencyboth W;th the 
 Doutrine of the Church of £>!^ land and the Sen f;^ of the 
 Ancient Fathers concerning the Divine Perfons, nor do I 
 thinic in bringing his Charge of TriAeifm rgainft this 
 Author's E:cp;icati<;n of the Trinity he has gone too far, 
 the ugh much too far in his acrimonioub Tvlornvr cf do'uxj^ 
 it. 
 
8S Of the LOGO ». 
 
 ment to the Son , that all Menjhould honour the 
 Son, even as they honour the Father. The Fa- 
 ther therefore demands of all Men this Ho- 
 nour to the Son on Account of his having all 
 Power both in Heaven and Earth. And al- 
 though this Power was manifefled in the 
 Terfon of the Son and is ftill excrcifed by 
 him to the Advantage of the Church uni- 
 verfal, yet it is the Power of God himfelf, and 
 not of any inferior Being. By confequence, 
 the Honour and Worfhip due on that Account 
 to the Father and Son, two diflin6l Perfons, 
 are due and to be rendered to One and the fame 
 Divine Being, even to God Almighty. If we 
 honour the Son on the abovementioned Ac- 
 count, wc honour God alone, we reverence 
 thePower andWord of God,and not thePower 
 and Word of any other Being whatfoever. 
 The Being that we worfliip is one and the 
 
 fame, though under different Perfons. And 
 
 thus 
 
Of the LOGOS. 89 
 
 thus we fee that, although to the Man 
 Chrift Jefus was given all Power and Autho- 
 rity in the Execution of his Office, yet all 
 uas cf God and without Him did not any 
 Thing come to pafs cj all that which hath been 
 done, ver 30, 32, 
 
 Chap. vi. 32. But my Father giveth ycu the 
 true Bread from Heaven ^ 33. For the Bread 
 of God is he which corneth down from Heaven 
 andgiveth Lije unto theWorld,i^\. 7 hen f aid 
 they untQ hi?n, Lord, evermore give us this 
 Bread, 35. And Jefusfaid unto them, I am 
 the Bread of Life. 
 
 Here our Saviour fliles himfelf, Toe Bread 
 §f Life which cometh down from Heaven. That 
 thefe Words are not to be underftood of any 
 local Defcent of Chrift Jefus from Heaven, 
 but of his Word and DoBrine being from 
 
 N God 
 
90 0/ tbe LOGOS 
 
 God or heavenly; not of any Being whatfo- 
 cver, diftina: and feparate/y exifting from 
 God, defcending from Heaven, but of God 
 himfelf defcending, as it were, from Heaven 
 and dv^relling among us by his PFord com-, 
 mitted to a Man, is plain from what has 
 been obferved on Chap, iii. 2, 13. et feq. But 
 this is flili more evident from our Saviour's 
 own Explanation of all he had been faying 
 from the 3 2d to the 626. Verfe of this Chap- 
 ter. — His Followers, who had lately expe- 
 rienced his miraculous Power in the Diftribu^ 
 tion of the Loaves and Fifhes, were hunger- 
 ing after more Miracles of the Sort. Our 
 Lord, not ignorant of the real Motive of 
 their Attendance upon him, having remarked 
 upon their narrow and felfifli Views, and the 
 perifhable Nature of that which they fought 
 after, exhorts them to the Purfuit of that 
 Food which periflieth not but endureth to 
 
 ever^ 
 
0/ the LOGOS. 91 
 
 cvcrlafting Life. He tells them where they 
 may find this heavenly Suftenance, even in 
 himfelf the Son of Man, who could give it 
 to all them that fhould believe on him, and 
 that it was indeed their Duty to receive and 
 believe on him whom God had fent. They 
 demand a Miracle in Proof of his MilTion, 
 and, their Minds flill running on temporal 
 Food, mention, by way of challenge, as it 
 were, to our Lord, the Manna which their 
 Fathers did eat in the Delart, quoting at the 
 fame Time this Scripture, He gave them Bread 
 from Heaven to eat. Our Lord anfwers not 
 their Demand. For what Purpofe, fince the 
 Miracle of the Loaves and Fiihes left them 
 Unbelievers, would another of the fame Kind 
 ferve, but to gratify their fenfual Appetites ? 
 He judges it more proper to take Occafion 
 from the Scripture they had quoted to dif- 
 courfe to them about the End and Defign of 
 N 2 his 
 
92 Of the LOGOS. 
 
 his Miflion, which was to give them ever^ 
 lafling Life, jpiritual Food in allulion to the 
 Quotation 3 and by a Comparifon of the Na- 
 ture of the Food which they meant with that 
 which he profefled a Power to give them, to 
 engage their Preference of the latter, and 
 allure them to fome Degree of Attention to 
 their fpiritual Literefl. For this Purpofe he 
 tells them, that the Bread their Fathers eat 
 was not Jrom Heaven '-X'T^ ^P^v^' that is, of an 
 heavenly Nature. It fell by the good Pro- 
 vidence of God indeed upon the Earth ; but 
 it was not, we fee, according to our Saviour's 
 Meaning in that Expreffion, from Heaven, 
 gjtTB \i?ctvi- But the Bread, which he had for 
 them, the Bread, which God his Father was 
 now ready to beftow upon them that believed, 
 was the true Bread from Heaven^ that is, truly 
 heavenly, of a divine Quality and Efficacy, 
 
 fuch 
 
Of the LOGOS. 93 
 
 fuch as could give Life unto the World, 
 This Manner of Reprefentation had the Ef- 
 fect to keep up their Attention to him, and 
 raife in them a Defire of receiving fo precious 
 and extraordinary a Gift, as Bread, which 
 could make them immortal. Accordingly, 
 eager with the Expedation of enjoying a 
 more delicious Repaft as well as much 
 more valuable in its Nature and EfFedls on 
 the Conftitution than that which he had al- 
 ready given them in the Diftribution of the 
 Loaves and Fi(hes, they requeft of him that 
 they may always receive that heavenly Bread 
 of which he fpake ; Lord^ evermore give us 
 that Bread. To which he replies, I am the 
 Breadof Life, And, going on with the Al- 
 lulion to the Manna from Heaven, he afferts, 
 that became down from Heaven at the Will 
 of his Father. The Jews then murmured at 
 
 him 
 
94 Of the LOGO S. 
 
 him hecaufe he /aid, 1 am the Bread * which 
 
 came down Jrom Heaven. Our Saviour, to 
 
 filence 
 
 * Fpom this and the like Expreffions of our Lord, the 
 Socinians have fancied that Jefus Chrift, before he entered 
 upon his Miniftry, and in order to be qualified for the 
 Difchaige of it, was adually taken up into Heaven in the 
 Fle{h, and having been there taught of God, defcended from 
 thence as Mofes did from the Mount, with the Will of 
 God. 
 
 The Arlans^ on the other Hand,have from the like Phrafes 
 concluded that Chrift came down from fome Place above 
 ca'led Heaven, in which he ha 1 exifted aforetime, a dif- 
 tin(£l 3Lnd feparate Being from God, inferior to him, being 
 limited and created, and was united to Humanity. 
 
 Now, in fome fuch Way as this did the Jews alfo under- 
 hand our Saviour's AlTertion, that he was '* the Bread 
 *' which came dcwn from Heaven." But is it not ftrangs 
 in the laft D< gree that, when our Lord in his own Com- 
 ment up. n this Aflertion fhewed them their Miftake, ob- 
 viated their Murmurs againft him on this Mifconftrudion 
 of his Words, nay, and reproves his own Difciples for 
 interpri ti:nz them according to the Striclnefs of the Letter i 
 is it not firange, I fay, that Chriftia;n in after Ages fhoul 1 
 LW mro the fame Error, and fuppofe th<it he fpoke of hij 
 i tcra'ly and locally defcending from Heaven and not of 
 his Woi J and Docirinc being from God or heavenly f 
 
Of t^e LO GO S 95 
 
 iilence their Murmurs and Cavillings en that 
 Account, difclaims all Power and Authority 
 in himfelf and refers all to God. Though he 
 could give Life, yet it was only to them that 
 were taught of God, to them that the Father 
 fhould draw to him, that is, to fuch as were 
 difpofed to receive the Word of Gcd. Having 
 thus obviated their Difficulty on this Head, 
 he refumes the Allufion and calls himfelf, 
 The Bread of Life^ "the living Bread tvhich 
 came downjrom Heaven, that Bread, of which 
 if any Man eat, he fmll live for ever. They 
 mufl: eat this Breads he tells them, if they 
 would have Life -, they muft cat Him^ the 
 Man Chrifl: Jefus, eat his Fledi, and drink 
 his Blood ; for this, fays he, is that Bread, 
 ivhich came down from Heaven: ?iot as your 
 Fathers did eat Manna, and are dead: He 
 that eateth of this Bread ft:aU live for ever-. 
 This Saying appeared to many of his own 
 
 Dif- 
 
96 Of the LOGOS. 
 
 Difciples very hard and unintelligible. Jefus, 
 perceiving it, explains himfelf freely to them, 
 atthe6ift Verfe, not without a Reproof for 
 the Offence they had taken at his Difcourfe, 
 owing to their own abfurd Conceptions. 
 Tioth thisy fays he, offend you "^ What atid if 
 you Jhall Jee the Son of Man afoend up where 
 he was before T' that is. Do you take Offence 
 at my faying, / am the Bread of Life which 
 came down from Heaven, and. Except ye eat 
 tie Flefh of the Son of Man, and drink his 
 Blood, ye have no Life in you ? Doth thig 
 offend you ? It is owing to your taking my 
 Words in a Senfe fo ftrid: and literal as it 
 would be the groffeft Abfurdity to fuppofe 
 them to contain. For, were you now, let 
 me put the Cafe, to fee the Son of Man af- 
 cend up into Heaven from whence he hath 
 faid that he came down -, how would you un- 
 derfland my Difcourfe to you then ? Would 
 
 you 
 
Of the LOG OS. 97 
 
 you fuppofe this quickening Efficacy, where- 
 by lafcended, to be literally in my Flejb and 
 Blood? Would you fuppofe that, when I 
 faid, 7'his is the Bread which came down from 
 Heaverii I could mean it literally of the 
 Defcent of the Son of Man from the Heavens 
 as Manna fell from thence to your Fathers to 
 feed upon ? Or, when you had feen the Son 
 of Man taken up from among you, would 
 you then fuppofe that I meant to affert that 
 my Flefh and my Blood corporally eaten and 
 drank would quicken and raife you up at the 
 laft Day ? You would not furely underhand 
 me fo, when you had {ttn me actually and 
 bodily removed from you 3 or, if I fliould 
 leave my Body with you, yet furely you mufl 
 know that the Flefi of it can profit you no- 
 thing. No. It is the Spirit that quick£7ieth', 
 
 the Fledi prcfitetb nothing : The Words that 
 O I /peak 
 
98 Of the LO G O S. 
 
 I fpeak unto youj they are Spirit, and they 
 are Life. 
 
 Thus we fee that our Saviour fpeaks of 
 his DoBrine and the Spirit of God which 
 was given to him without Meafure. The 
 Words which Chrift fpake unto them, they 
 were Spirit and Life. For he fpake not of 
 himfelf but as he was taught of his Father 
 The Word of God (^oj-of t«94«) was that Ef- 
 ficacious Principle of Life which he fpake of. 
 ^his is the Bread of Life. This is that which 
 came down from Heaven, which whofoever 
 receiveth and retaineth hath eternal Life, and 
 Chrift will raife him up at the laft Day. This 
 is called eternal Life, from Heaven, from 
 God', and the Man Chrift Jefus is therefore 
 called, the Word of Life, and faid to come 
 from Heaven, from God, to have been 
 with God, to have come forth from God. 
 This cannot be underftood of his Fieili, 
 
 of 
 
Of the "LOGO S. 9^ 
 
 of his human Nature, of him as the Son 
 of Man, but of him as having the Power 
 and Word of God, as the Logos '■» 9=.«. All 
 thefe Expreffions, I fay, relate entirely to 
 Chrifl as the Word of God j and cannot be 
 underftood, are really incompatible with our 
 Ideas of Things, and inconfiftent with, and 
 contradidlory to our Saviour's own Declara- 
 tion and repeated Teftimony of himfelf, on 
 any other Suppofition than this, viz. That it 
 was God himfelf that fpake and wrought in 
 Chrift Jefus, that it was God himfelf that 
 fpake to the World and wrought our Salva- 
 tion and Redemption, and no other Self-ex- 
 iftent, Almighty and Eternal Being, fuhjlan- 
 tially diftind: from him, nor any other next 
 in Dignity to God, nor any other Being of 
 Jlill inferior Dignity but in the Order of 
 
 Angels. 
 
 Ver. 
 
>oo Of the LOGOS. 
 
 Ver. 68. Thou hajl the Words of eternal Life, 
 
 This Expreflion ufedbySt. Peter ^ is agree- 
 able to the Tranflation we have given of the 
 14th Verfe of Chap, i.viz. '' And a Man 
 *' (the Man Chriftjtfus) became the//^orJand 
 *' dwelt among us" — full of Grace and Truths 
 
 Chap. vii. 16. My DoBrine is not mine hut 
 his that Jent me. 
 
 By thefe Vv^'ords our Saviour difclaims be- 
 ing the Word in any other Senfe than as the 
 Publifier of it to the World. God was the 
 Wordy the original Author of it ; and He 
 gave it to the Man Chrifl: Jefus to publifh to 
 the World. Our Saviour therefore faith, in 
 anfwer to the Jews who murmured at his 
 pretending to teach, who was altogether an 
 
 illiterate 
 
Of the L,0 GO S. loi 
 
 illiterate Man, that he did not fpeak to them 
 Things, the Knowledge of which he had 
 acquired by human Means, but Things which 
 God himfelf taught him. He fpake to them 
 the Word of God, not the Word or Dodrine 
 of himfelf, as the Son of Man or the Word of 
 any other Being whatfoever. 
 
 Accordingly, in theVcrfe following the 
 Text above cited, he adds, ij any Mm will do 
 his Will, hefiall know of the Doctrine^ whether 
 it be of God or whether I fpeak of myfelj'. 
 
 Chap. viii. 28. I'henfaid J ejus unto them, 
 when ye have lift up the Son of Man, then 
 Jhallye know that 1 am He, and that I do 
 nothing of myfelf, but as my Father hath 
 taught me, I fpeak thefe things. And he 
 that fent me is with me. 
 
 No 
 
102 Of the LOGOS. 
 
 No Words furely can more Urongly exprefs 
 x\iQperfe5i Divinity of our Saviour, and that 
 perfeB Humanity in which it was manifeft to 
 Men than thefe. When ye have lijt up the Son 
 of Man y that is, when you have crucified and 
 put him to Death (whereby his real and per- 
 fedl Humanity will be demonitrated) you will 
 then acknowledge that he had tYiiz dh'me Pow^ 
 er which he pretended to, even the Power of 
 God himfeif, you will then acknowledge that 
 what he did was not of himfeif, could not be 
 executed by him as Maji. For as fuch he could 
 do nothing. The mighty Works which mani- 
 fefced themfelves in him, you mufl: then con- 
 fefs, could not have been wrought by any 
 Powerbelonging to Humanity, by any Power 
 belonging: to that Nature which fuffered Pain 
 .Tnd underwent Death, but by a Power which 
 belonged to a divine Nature, perfectly Divine, 
 even to the moji high God. 
 
 Our 
 
Of the LOGOS. 103 
 
 Our Lord therefore always fpeaks of him- 
 felf as Man or with refped to his human 
 Nature, whenever he teftilieth his Inferiority 
 to his Father, and his receiving any Conii- 
 mandment or Commiffion from him. 
 
 Chap. viii. 38. Ifpeak that which I haiefeen 
 with my Father ; and ye do that which ye 
 have fe en with your Father » 
 
 By this we are not to underftand our Sa- 
 viour as afTerting his having exiftedin a former 
 State, a diftinSi and different Being from God, 
 in which State he had feen fomething which 
 he now reveals, any more than wc can fup- 
 pofe him to mean by the latter Claufe, that the 
 Jews had feen (literally fpeaking) the Devil 
 doing any Thing. It muft mean, here, and 
 in all thofe Tiaces where he fpeaks of having 
 
 Jem 
 
104 0/ t^^ LOGO S. 
 
 feen God, and ittn thofe Things which he 
 relates, the mofl certain Knowledge which he 
 had of the Will of God, or the Things per- 
 taining to the Kingdom of God, in AUufion 
 to that certain and fatisfadory Knowledge 
 •which Men receive by ocular Infpedion and 
 Intuition ; T hings which God gave him to 
 reveal to Mankind, and which are good and 
 true proceeding from God, as all bad and 
 falfe Things are faid to proceed from the 
 Devil; ' 
 
 It is very common with our Lord to 
 diftinguifh himfelf as the Meffiah by fuch 
 like Expreffions as thefe, of having feen 
 God, learnt of God, proceeded forth from 
 God, come down from Heaven , &c. &c. 
 Which Manner of fpeaking has given Occa- 
 fion to Divines to biify thcmfelves about the 
 metaphyfical Nature and Exiftence of Chrill, 
 
 But 
 
Oj the LOGOS. 105 
 
 But it IS very plain that thefe ExprefTions can 
 have no Manner of Reference thereto, and 
 that from thefc two Confiderations ; i. Be- 
 caufe wherever they occur, the Context is furc 
 to determine that ourLord foeaks inReference 
 to hi? Ofice on Earth. 2. Becaufe to fuppofe 
 thefe Exprtffions to relate to his metcphxfical 
 Nature and Exiflence, we muft be forced to 
 interpret them literally, which would make 
 the greateft Confufion among our Ideas, and 
 lay the Foundation of the moft abfurd, impi- 
 ous and contradicflory Opinions and Tenets. 
 Our Lord therefore mull: mean by them to 
 aflert, that he alone had 2iperfeB Knowledge 
 of the Will and Counfels of God, which no 
 Man before him ever had ; that God com- 
 mitted to him alone they/.7/Revelation of him- 
 felf and enabled him to declare and manifcfl 
 the one true God to the World, as clearly as 
 if the Son of Man had atftuallv afcendcd up 
 
 P into 
 
io6 Of tk L O G O B. 
 
 into Heaven and there feen God and the 
 Things of the heavenly World, and then had 
 come down fromHeaven whhGrace and Trulh 
 as Alofes from the Mount, v/ith the Law, 
 Jefus Chrid hav>g fuch Knowledge and 
 Kevei^iition of theWili of God as this, together 
 with all Power andjudgme.it, dorh with the 
 Utmoft Propriety "jfe thcie Exprtinons con- 
 cerning himfelf, and that by way of Ap- 
 propriation ai;d Prerogative not bcionging 
 to IWcjrSy John the Baptifc, or any of she 
 Prophets J who, thoagii trje Prophets., v/crs 
 flill not from Heavier, but of the Eai'tij y 
 brought not that hea^ccvly Light which was 
 the Ltfe of Men. In God only was this Life, 
 and i:vVZ? Him was it hid from the Foundation 
 of the Wcr'd ; neither did it fliine forth to 
 the World, till the Cominn: of Chrifc, or the 
 Manifeftation of God in the FhiPo. 
 
 Verse 
 
Of the LOGOS. 107 
 
 Verse 42. Vor I proceeded forth and came 
 frcm God -J neither can.e I oj ff.yjitj' lut He 
 font me. 
 
 Our Lord fpfaks he-e not in Reference to 
 
 his Dh'ine but Human Nature, not as a {w- 
 peiior Being to Man^ who, iiteraily fpeakir.g, 
 defcended from a more exalted State and 
 higher Region than this, but as Man. Other- 
 wile no Senfe can be made of this PafTa^ye. 
 For the feus^ to whom it is addreHed, h..d 
 boaflcd that Abraham was their Father. No, 
 fays our Lord ; If you were A'woham'i Chil- 
 dren you ivould do the Wo) ks cf Abraham. He 
 had acknowkdged, that tliey w^ere, UteriM^ 
 ipeaking, the Children or Defcendants of 
 Abraham., but he denies it in the moral Senle 
 of t'o.at Exprtllion, iv'.?-. that they were Imi- 
 tators of him in good Works. In this Scr.f:^, 
 P 2 \- 
 
io8 Of the LOGO S. 
 
 he tells them, they were the Children of ano- 
 ther Father • another Father ! IFe be not born 
 of Fornication^ fay they. We have one Father, 
 even God. Jefus faid unto them,^ God were 
 your Father ye would love me ; that is. If He 
 was your Father and you his Sons in the 
 moral Meaning of that Relation ; if you 
 were truly good Men and fincerely defirous 
 of doing the Will of God, you would love 
 me. For I (the Man whom you perfecute 
 and feekto kill) am come from him, to in- 
 ftrudyou in his Will. I come not of myfelf, 
 but He fent me. I am commiflioned of God 
 my Father to deliver his MeiTage to you, 
 and, in Duty and filial Obedience to him, I 
 deliver it and tell you the Truth though I can 
 expe(5t nothing from you but Violence and 
 Perfecution. This you fee has plainly a 
 Reference to his Human Nature. 
 
 Bur 
 
Of the LOGOS. 109 
 
 But why need I multiply Words in Proot 
 
 hereof, when oui Lord himfelf has expielly 
 
 tcftified it in this Place, faying ; But noio ye 
 
 jeek to kill mey a Man, etr'-p -jroi- that has told 
 
 you the Truth which l have heard of God? 
 
 Verse 58. fcfus [aid unto them^ Verily, Verily^ 
 1 fay unto you y before Abraham was, 1 am. 
 
 That our Saviour here fpeaks of himfelf 
 
 as, the PP'ord of God, the MeiTenger of that 
 
 Word which was with God ^po? "^o^ ^'-°v before 
 
 ^he Foundation of the World, and had been 
 
 promifed to the Fathers, particularly to 
 
 Abraham^ is very plain. For he had faid 
 
 that Abraham rejoiced to fee his jDa', not 
 
 Himjclf \\^ a pre-exillent State; which could 
 
 have been fappofjd by none but flich abfurd 
 
 and prejudiced People as his Eiieniies were^ 
 
 to 
 
no Of the LOGOS. 
 
 to be his Meaning. The Jews^ however, 
 cither mifunderftood him or maliciouily per- 
 verted his Words. For they fay, thou art ?iof 
 yctjifty Tears oU^andhaJl iKufeen Abraham'^ 
 Our Saviour had never mentioned feeing 
 Abraham, but fpoke oi Abrahani ^ feeing his 
 T>a^\ that is, the Gofpel Times, in which 
 Times, it was revealed to Abraham, that all 
 Nations fhould be happy in his Seed. He 
 therefore anfwers them not according to their 
 perverted Confcrudtion, but according to the 
 true and very obvious Meaning of his cum 
 Words, and tells them that Abraham might, 
 and did fee his D^v, for that before Abraham 
 waSjHe waSj'u/z. with God, in the Counfels of 
 the Almighty, who revealed his Million to 
 Abraham. Whom therefore does our Saviour 
 call himfelf ? Or what State doth he refer to, 
 
 when he fays, / * am, ■?- -:^/-' -^ Mofl evidently 
 
 to 
 
 * We cannot fuppofc that our Lord by tkis Exprc^iTion, 
 intended to intimate to the Jews that he \^-?.'^ tiiat g,reac 
 
O/^y^'^L O G O S. Ill 
 
 to his State as the Son of Man. He declares 
 himfelf to be thatM?;;, that Seed oi Abrahain 
 in whom all Nations fliould be blefled, that 
 Man, \n\\o(c Day Abraham fjiw and rejoiced 
 at the Profpi'd: of it j the Man thrift Jefus, 
 who, b-fore their Anceftor Abraham was 
 born, even from the Foundation of the 
 World was appointed to be thcJl-'o dot God 
 to Men. 
 
 Chap. 
 
 Pcifonagewho In the third Chapter of ^A-fj^w/, at the 14th 
 Vti fe, rails himfclf, / am ; Nor was it at this Expreffion 
 that their Ind'iinatiop arofe,. bui at his aflertinu that he was 
 lej-jte Abraha a exifled. Tiiis h nianifeft from his ufing; 
 the amcExpr-lIlon twice before in the fame Chapter with- 
 out their taking Offence at it, viz. at verfe 24. If ye be- 
 lieve not that I avjy eyc^iui.ii and again at the 28th VerCe 
 then shall ye hxv. t' at I ani^cyc,} <tim. In both thefe Places 
 lie meai.s only to a.-.crt, that he was that Perfon whomGod 
 had fanflificd and fent into the World, and who was ap- 
 point, d in the eternal Purpofc of God to be the TJght of 
 the World, as will appear to any one on reviewing the 
 Context fioni verfc 12th. 
 
112 Of the LOGOS, 
 
 Chap, xli, 49, 50. For 1 have not fpoken of 
 tnyfelf but the Father which fent me he gave 
 me a Commandment what I Jhould fay and 
 "ivhat 1 JJmtld (peak. Whatfoever I /peak 
 thereiore, even as the Father f aid unto me^ fa 
 I /peak. 
 
 Can any one doubt, after reading thefc 
 Words, of thePropriety orReafon of theEvan- 
 gelift*s calling Chrifl, the Word? That Man 
 was well intitledto this Appellation who fpake 
 to the World, not of himfelf but from God, 
 not his own Dodtrine, but the Word of God, 
 He, this Man, the Man Chrift Jefus, became 
 the JVordy being taught of God, having the 
 Word which was in the beginning with God 
 committed unto him, to publifh and declare 
 unto Men. This was the Son of Man who 
 ajcended up into Heaven, as it were, and 
 
 brought 
 
Of the LOG OS. 113 
 
 brought us from thence that Grace and Tju^h 
 which had laid hid for ages with God^ and 
 infinitely furpaffed the Law given by Mofes. 
 No Man could tell us of heavenly Things ; 
 for noMdn had afcended up toHcavenJ^ut the^on 
 of Man ; nor had any Manfeen Gcd at any T^ime, 
 Jave the Son of Man j He is faid to h^vcjcen 
 God, and as an only begotten Son^ to have been ifi 
 the Bofom of his Father^ (admitted into his 
 moil: intimate CounCels) and to have declared 
 him to the World. Can any one doubt that 
 Jefus Chrift is called the Word by reafon 
 of the Officehz fuflained upon Earth ? and that 
 the Evangelifl: cannot mean to apply it to him 
 previous thereto, as to a Being that had a 
 feparate and dijiindl Exiftence from God, 
 whether equal or inferior ? — No furely j His 
 Defign in fliling him fo muft be the fame with 
 the Defign of our Lord in the Text we are 
 now upon, viz. to reprefent God himfelf as 
 Q beins; 
 
114 Of the LOGO S. 
 
 being originally the JVcrdy and the Man 
 
 Chrill: Jefus, as becoming the PFord at the 
 
 Will and Commandment of God ; to reprefent 
 
 the Gofpel and the amazing Power which 
 
 accompanied its Publication, as the IVord and 
 
 Power of God alone. For there cannot be 
 
 a more exprefs Declaration of this, nor hardly 
 
 a more literal one than what thcfe Words of 
 
 our Saviour contain. I have notfpoken oj myfelf-. 
 
 But the Father nvhich Jent me^ he gave me a 
 
 Commandment^ what I fiould fay and ivhat I 
 
 Jkould fpeak : whatfoever Ifpeak therejore even 
 
 as the Father [aid unto me yfo I fpeak. This 
 
 Declaration of our Lord concerning himfelf 
 
 exadlly correfponds with what the Evangelift 
 
 has obferved, viz. That Go^ was the Word; 
 
 that theWhole was done by Him and without 
 
 Him was not ^«y Thing done ; that in Him was 
 
 the Life, th^XPFord of Life which was the 
 
 Light of Men, direding them the Way to 
 
 God. 
 
Of the LOGOS. 115 
 
 God, whom the World was grofly ignorant 
 of, till he manifeftcd himfelf unto the World 
 in theF/fA appointing the Son of Man to be 
 his JVord to Men, one who partook of their 
 own Natures, the Man Chrift Jefus, who dwelt 
 among them full of Grace and Truth, whofe 
 Glory and great Power alfo they beheld, fuch 
 Glory and Power as manifefted him to be the 
 # only begotten of the Father, ^*f * Trt7p»f. 
 
 Chap xiv 23. If a Man love me, he will keep 
 
 ;;;v Words -y and my Father will love him j and 
 
 ive will come unto him and make our abode 
 
 ivith him. 
 
 * Oroncfo intimately beloved of God, that God com- 
 municated to him all his Counfcls, and gave him all Power 
 in Heaven and Earth. Qf ixovoyipin -n-ctp • -T-lpis] ''•^H^ 
 ** Quod Unigenam aut Unicum fignificat, Graeci, (enfum 
 *' refpicicntes, vertunt e.y.t'Trii'ity ut Genes, xxii. 2. I2. lo. 
 " Judicxu 34. Jerem. vi. 26. Jmos. viii. 10. Z:ich. xii. lO- 
 " yio'.'cyivr^f ergo hic rcBc dicitur Chrillus eo quern 
 «« diximus fignificatu, et cui addi potcfl:, qu'a fingulari 
 t' mo.lo a Deo procefllr." Grst. on the 14th Verfe of 
 tfie firft Chapter of John. 
 
 Our 
 
ii6 Of the LOGOS. 
 
 Our Lord delivers thcfe Words in Anfwer 
 to yuaas's Queftion, viz. How Chriji 'would 
 manifcfi himfelj to his Apofiles and not to the 
 Worldl — To which he anfwers, that this 
 Manifeftation con lifted in the Honour which 
 fliould be conferred on" them by the Father 
 and himfelf, in making them Apoflles and 
 giving them the Word of God to propagate 
 in the World, and this, becaufe they loved 
 Chrift. Our Lord, hov^^ever, exprclTcth this 
 in fuchTerms as gave them not a clearldea of 
 theNature of thatHonour he fpake of, but in 
 fuch as were very proper to engage and fecure 
 their Love and .Attachment to, and fupport 
 their Faith and Confidence in him. He tells 
 thtm, if they loved him and kept his Word, 
 his Father would love them, and they would 
 come and make their Abode with them. No 
 doubt, they v^rould be at a Lofs fully to com- 
 prehend 
 
Of the LOGOS. 117 
 
 prehend this Honour j But our Saviour tells 
 them they Oiould underftand his Meaning, 
 when the Holy Ghoft was come upon themj 
 And we know that God and Chrlft did make 
 their Abode Wiih them by the Spirit of Truth, 
 or by giving them the Word otGo^ to preach 
 with Power. Thus was God and Chrift mani- 
 fefted to them and not to the World. Chrift 
 could not mean that they (hould have, here, 
 upon Earth, a ^vy^^/fReprcfentationofhimlelf 
 and his Father, who would literally defcend 
 from Heaven, and have a local Refidence 
 among them. It was meant therefore of the 
 Word of God being in them, and the Spirit of 
 Power which (hould be given them, which 
 Word and Spirit, being from God and granted 
 to them at the InterceiTion of Chrift, they 
 might be faid to receive God and Chrift, who 
 were manifefted thereby to them. 
 
 Now 
 
1 1 8 0/ tbf L O G O S, 
 
 Now what I would obfcrve on this Paffagc 
 
 of Scripture is, that Chriftjefus here fays, that 
 
 He and his Father would come and refide with 
 
 his Apoftles uponEarth, and yet no one thinks 
 
 of interpreting this according to theLf//^r. Why 
 
 fliould we other wife interpret thofe Places of 
 
 Scripture, in which He is faid # to have come 
 
 down fromFIeaven,to have cotne forth fromGod, 
 
 to 
 
 * What Confufion and Irconfiilency hath ihe literal 
 Accept:. ton ol iuch PafTagcs ;ir- this occc.fioned concern- 
 ing chc Dignity of J-'fu> Chrift. When both Sdes, Trinita- 
 rians Vixxi Arians adduce th m in furport of their widely 
 different Opin. ns, we may be preity fure that both Sides 
 arc uncicr fume common Eiror of Interpretation. The 
 y^n'flwj hiterprct them as having a Reference to the Pcrfon 
 of Chrifl- in his p'>-e-exifient State. A::d Tome 'trinitarlanSy 
 whnfe Zec.l co.ifumcs the r J'jdgmenr, readily join iflue 
 with them an 1 fuffer the Caufe to proceed on tiieir Adver* 
 faries own S a;;: ^ f '.hr Cafe. After this, in order lo be con- 
 fjftent wi'h themfelves in this erroneous Iiiterprttation of 
 Scripure, they become totally inccmfifttnt with thcmfelves 
 
 in ieeonc;ling that Interpretation with the Doctrine of a 
 
 Trir^ity in Unity. 
 
 Tiius, Dr Sherlod [in bis Vindication of the DoSirine 
 
 of the Holy and ever biffed Trinity^) in order to ac- 
 count 
 
Of the LOGO ^, 119 
 
 to be from above, &c. &c ? — Need we under- 
 hand thcfe Expreflions as intended to convey 
 
 any 
 
 count for the Poflibility of Chrift's being fent from God, 
 receiving Commands from him, and interceedmg with him, 
 is forced firflinto down right Ar'ian'ifm, and then, to mend 
 the Matter, into Sahellianifm. His Words are, *' The 
 ** One fiipreme God can bo more be fent than he can be 
 ** begotten, can receive no Commands from any other, 
 *« cannot be given by any other ; cannot be iul jecc to any 
 <« other Will but his own, &c. But tie Divine Perfcns 
 ** may fend and be fent, and intcicecd with each other ; 
 " for though in the Unity of the Godhead they are sll 
 ** the One Supreme God, yet there is a mutudl Rtlaiion 
 ** and SuVordination between the Divine Pcrfons." Here 
 is a Diftin£l;on indeeci- of the One fupreme Goc), from a 
 Divine Perfon, and not without a Difference. 7>,e 
 fupreme God cannot he fent , cannot be commandedyVi Divine 
 Perfon rnay. Why is the frft a true Proportion ? Becaufe 
 none other is greater than himfelf. How then can the 
 latter be true ? It cannot be true without acknowledging 
 the Divine Perfon, who is commanded, to be lefs er infe- 
 rior to him that, commands, and this would be Jrianifm. 
 Let us fee then how this Author would extricate himfclr" 
 out of this Difficulty. *' As to inilance (he Subjoins) in 
 ** Interceflion or Prayer for himfelf or others, which is a 
 •' Contradiflion to the Notion of a fupreme God, as it 
 *' is to the Notion of an abfolute and foverv-ign Prince: 
 ** But yet a fovereign Prirxe may inteiceed with himfelf; 
 
 '* His 
 
I20 Of the LOGOS. 
 
 any other Meaning than, that Chrift, while 
 on Earth, had the Word and Spirit of God ? 
 
 that 
 
 ** His own IVtfdom., his own Mercy, Clemency, and 
 *' Compaflion may interceed with him and prevail too 
 '' without any Diminution to his fovereign Power, Thus, 
 *' though the fupreme God can interceed with no other 
 *' Being, yet the Son may interceed with the Father, 
 *' His own eternal and begotten Wifdom^ may interceed with 
 *' him and make Atonement and Expiation for Sinners, and 
 *• thus God interceed s with no Body but him .'elf, for it is 
 «' his own JVifdojn which interceeds with him, and makes 
 " the Atonement." Vind. p.i8i» Not to admit, with this 
 Author, the Divine Perfons in the Godhead to be three in- 
 finite Minds or Beings fubfta'itiaHy diftinft, he fays is both 
 Herefy and Nonfenfe. Is the above (flotation either Senfc 
 or Orthodox ? If it be Senfe, I fhould efteem it SabelUanlfm' 
 But, whatfoever elfe it may be, I am fureof this, that it is 
 totally inconfiftent with his Notion of the Trinity as laid 
 down in the other Part of his V'indication, and(which is all 
 I want to obferve) that he has been led into this remarkable 
 Inconfiftencs with himfelf, by fuppofmg fome PafTage, of 
 5'cripture to refer to tlie Dignity of Chrift in a prior State 
 of Exiftence, v»?hich refer only to his Office on Earth. 
 
 Dr. South, fr-om the like Miftake, rcprefents Chrift as 
 iitcrally and locally defcending from Heaven, yea, and 
 actually parting from fome Blifs and Glory, he before 
 
 enjoyed. 
 
Of the LOGOS. 121 
 
 That God operated and manifefied himfelf 
 
 to the World, in the FleJJ?, by the xMan Chrift 
 
 R Jefus ? 
 
 enjoyed, as if the Divinity coulJ do this. H;s Words 
 are, " The fecond Thing to he confidered is the State or 
 *'Conditionyr^ffz which Chrift came and th.it was fiom the 
 ''Eofomofthe Father, from the incomprchenfible fur- 
 *' prifing Glories of the Gcdhe \d, froffi an tteri al Enjoy- 
 ** mcnt of an abfoluce uninterrupted Blifs a;.d Picafurcin 
 *' the mutual ineffable Inteicourfj het'v.xt h!m and his 
 ** Father." This fhocking and contradictory Rcnrefen- 
 tation of the Divinity is owing to the Dec: oi's ab.urd In- 
 terpretation of that Fxpreflion ufcd by $t.jch?ij viz. ^P/jo 
 was in the Eoforn of the Father. 
 
 In another Place, this Author has thus obiioxiouHy 
 cxprcfled himfelf C(/ncerning the Divinity, "And yet this 
 ** wonderful Almighty Perfi)!-., whcm the whole World 
 *' could not circum.c:ibj by reafon of the Divinity and 
 *' Inimenfity of his Be;ng, ha.l not fo much in the fame 
 «' World a whereto lay his Head by reafon of the Mean- 
 *' nefs of his Condition." It is certainly very a' furd to fpeak 
 of Chrift as God^ and yet to fay, that he had not where to 
 lay his Head. It was the Man Chrift Jefus that had not 
 •where to lay his Head. Al: fuch Dcfcriptions given of him 
 by the EvargcliiT: muft have a Reference to his Manhood 
 only ; And can anyThing be more ri Jiculous than to fnealc 
 of the Meanncfs of the Condition oi Almighty God ? The 
 Divinity is unchangeable in his Perfections, and his 
 Bldfednefs fuffered no diminution when he manifeiicd 
 himfelf to the World in the Flelh. 
 
122 Of the LOGOS. 
 
 Jefus ? That what he fpake was not of him- 
 felf but was the JVord (^Logos) of God, who 
 dwelt in him, and no other Being whatfoever 1 
 
 Chap. xvi. 5. He Jhall not /peak of himfelf - 
 but whatfoever he Jhallhear that Pjallhe fpeah 
 
 14. He JJ: all glorify me^ for he fhall receive 
 of 7111 ne and fiall ffoew it unto you, 
 
 1 5. All things that the Father hath are mine, 
 therefore faid I that hejhall take of mine and 
 JhaUfl:eiy it unto you. 
 
 This PafTage or Scripture plainly proves, 
 that both what Chrift and what the Spirit 
 wrought was all of God. It was One and the 
 fame Being, viz. God, that operated by thefe 
 Agents. Chrift faith indeed, that the Spirit 
 Ihould take of His 5 but then he explains him- 
 
 felf 
 
OJ the LOGOS. 123 
 
 felf thus, 'uiz» that what the Spirit fliould take 
 of him was the Father'^ aho. All therefore 
 was of God. We may fay, with Propriety 
 enough, of thefe three Perfo7is^ that the r'ather 
 fent the Son, and the Son fent the Spirit upon 
 hisApoftles, and the Spirit fandified thems but 
 the Effedts proceeded not from thefe Perfofis, 
 as from three diiliuvfl and feparate Beings, 
 either three Gods or any of them lefs than God, 
 but they proceeded from one and the fame 
 Principle or efficient Caufe,even from 0;7^God. 
 
 Ch A p. xvli. 5. And now ^ O Father, glorify thou 
 ■me with thine own felf, imth the Glor\ whicj^ 
 I had with thee before the JForld was . 
 
 The Jrii7?2s fuppofe, that Chrid here prays 
 the Father to raife him to the very fame 
 Dignity he had in his pre-exiilent State in 
 Heaven, viz. the greatell, except that of the 
 
 Father 
 
134 Of the LOGOS, 
 
 Father himrdf, But, In ;11 this Prayer to his 
 Father, it is very evident, that our Saviour 
 fpeaks of iimilelf as the Men Chriil Jefus, who 
 was to receive the Rew rd of his Obedience, 
 the Glory which fiiould fuceeed his Sufferings 
 and Death, Glory which isreprefented indeed 
 as appointed from the Foundation of theWorld, 
 but as neverthelefs confequent upon and fiw- 
 Jcqurfit to his fufiering on Earth. It was to be 
 conferred upon him, as Man, and for hav- 
 ine e^orified God on the Earth. 1 Have 
 glorijied thee on the Earth ; / have jiniJJ:ed the 
 Work which thou gavcfl to me do* And now, 
 ■ O Father^ glorify y &c. This therefore doth not 
 fuppofe him to have exilled a?iother and differ- 
 ent Being from God in a State prior to this, 
 in which State he had all the Glory that was 
 conferred on liim after his Humiliation. For 
 how could it tlien be confidered as a Reward 
 for his Siuficings, or as merited by his Obc- 
 
 dence ? 
 
Of the LOGOS. 125 
 
 dience? A Reward implies an additional Glox^ 
 orHappinefs to what one had before. Bur, it we 
 confiderthisGlory as appointed from iheBcgin- 
 ning for, and conferred in theFuInefs of Tinie 
 on him as Mati, then we may have verv clear 
 and confiflent Notions of his Exaltation at the 
 right Hand of God, of his being entered into 
 hibReft and Glory, of his being conftitufedthc 
 Head of the Church, of his corning again to 
 judge the World, and of his being appointed 
 to this h'gh Office, becaufe he h the Son of 
 Man. In this View, we acknowledge \\\ti\ ar 
 perfe(5l Man^ who died for us, without dero* 
 gating from that DiVine Nauire and ptTjcSi 
 Godhead, which was manifeded by mira- 
 culous Operations. 
 
 Chap. xx. 21.. As my Failcr hath feiit wc^ 
 
 even^fo fend 1 you. 22. Apd wkfi 'he had 
 
 Jaid this^ he breathed on them and faith unto 
 
 tben:^ Receizr ye the Holy Gtojl. 
 
 pROiM 
 
126 Of the LOGOS. 
 
 ^ From thefe Words (as above xvi. 13.) It 
 is alfo very plain in what Senfe our Saviour 
 was the IVord. This Title doth not import, 
 that he is a felf-exiftent, independent, infinite, 
 eternal Being, feparate and diftind from God, 
 (which would import, that there were more 
 Gods than 0?ic) nor that he exifted, before 
 his Miffion, depejident indeed upon, but next 
 in Dignity to Gody but it imports, that God 
 dwelt in, and gave us the Gcjpel or Word by 
 him. God is the Word. It is of the higheft 
 Extraftion, even from the greateft of all Be- 
 ings. But as He fent, and fpake by, this 
 Ivlizn Qhri\\. Jefus, fo Hey God (the wtvy fams 
 Beino; that created us and all Things) is our 
 Redeemer and Siiz-iour. The Redeemer and 
 Saviour of the Vv^orld, therefore, is not a dif- 
 tind Being from God j but is very God; and 
 io alfo is the Ccmfyrter, or Sandifier of the 
 World, the Holy Ghofi, the Spirit of Truth, 
 
 con- 
 
Of the LOGOS. 127 
 
 confidered as an efjicieiit Caufe, which, in its 
 Effects, is reprefented here 2iS proceeding forth y 
 more immediately, from Chrift, upon his 
 Apoftles. It is the fame Being which ope- 
 rates in them, and makes them alfo Sons of 
 God. As the Spirit, however, is not com- 
 municated to them but by the IntercefTion of 
 Chrift Jefus, fo he is at the Head. The 
 Father has given all to him. He is there- 
 fore the Son of God, by way of Eminence, 
 the only Son of God, being pkced above all. 
 He is conftituted Head and Governor of the 
 Church univerfal. All Gifts and Graces are 
 beftowed upon it in his Name, that all, even 
 the Apoftles themfelves, fhould honour him as 
 they honour the Father. 
 
 ^PP LI-' 
 
12S 0/ the LOGO S, 
 
 APPLICAriON, 
 
 Tj^ROM the foregoing Quotations of Scrip- 
 ture in fupport of the Interpretation of 
 our Text, thefe dodlrinal Points are inferred. 
 
 I. That God is the original Author of our 
 Redemption. 
 
 II. That he has placed the Man Chrift 
 Jef .. at the Head of his Church, and 
 given him all Power in Heaven and 
 Earth, that all Men fliould honour the 
 Son as they honour the Father, 
 
 •Jll. That 
 
Of the LOGOS. 129 
 
 III. That there isbutO;zf God, our Crea- 
 tor, Redeemer and Sandlifier. The God 
 that created us is the fame that redeer^edus, and 
 He that redeemed us is the fame that fanBiJies 
 us. He fpake, firft, by the ManC\\n(\: JefuFjto 
 the World, his Gofpel of Grace : A.fterwards, 
 at the IntercefTion of the fame, He fpake by 
 the Apojiles, who preached Chrift and planted 
 his Dodrine in the World : And He conti- 
 nues to fpeak unto us by his IVord written, as 
 he did at the firll by Chrifl and his Apoflles. 
 
 IV. Their Explication of the I'rinitarian 
 Dodiine is unfcriptural,who aflerr*, that 
 there are T^kree infinite, eternal, fclf-ex- 
 iftent Beings^ as diflind from each oihcr, 
 2i% Three Men are. 
 
 For this is to fuppofe Three Gods^ each be- 
 ing alTerted to be difiinBly a God. Whereas 
 
 S the 
 
 * Dr Sherlock has afierted tliis. See Note p. 86. And 
 the numerous Tribe of his Defenders, though all of them 
 in a much more cautious Manner than the Doctor. 
 
130 Of the LOGOS. 
 
 the Scripture fays, there' is but Oiie God; 
 which God, and no other^ fpake by his Son 
 Chrifl Jefus, being manifefted in the FleJJj* 
 
 V. The DodVrine of Arius is unfcriptural, 
 who held the Gofpel to have been given, 
 or, at leaft, to have been miniftred to us 
 by a Being lefs than God, but greater 
 than any other. 
 
 For we have feen that no ftich Being is 
 afl'erted by the Evangchft to have been com- 
 miffioncd of God and fent into the World 
 from Heaven. He that was fent into the 
 World was Ma?t, the Ma?i Chrifl: Jefus ; and 
 this Man afferts over and over again, that God, 
 and no other h^feriorBt'mg, dwelt in him ; and 
 that He and the Father are therefore One. 
 
 As for thofe, who are called SccinlajiSy if 
 they mean to reprelcnt cur Saviour Chriil: as 
 
 a 
 
Of the "LOGOS, 131 
 
 a mere Man, and one in whom God did not 
 fpeak, but who I'pake and wrought by^ his own 
 Human Spirit, and of his own Power as a 
 Man, or who was taught of God but/jr- 
 //W/v, as Mofes and the other Prophets, re- 
 ceiving the Spirit by mcafure only; the former 
 Reprefentation of him is too abfurd to infift 
 upon, fmce, as A'u'cc/fww faid to cur Savicur> 
 no Man could do thefr Works except God 
 were with him. The latter, though far more 
 rational and plauiible than tlie Arian Dec- 
 trine, and more confident withjuft Criticifm 
 on the peculiar Language of the New Tefla- 
 ment, yet is certainly fhort of thofe Reprcfen- 
 tanons of his Power, Dodrine, and Autho- 
 rity, which have been produced in the fore- 
 going Quotations, 
 
 S 2 VI. From 
 
132 Of the LOGOS. 
 
 VI. From hence we ma}' fee how unjuftly 
 . the Church oi England has been charged 
 with Polythei/jn. 
 
 For {ht afTjrts the Unity of God in cxprefs 
 Terrns„ She makes not the Father and the 
 Son tn be fuvo Gods, by reprefenting them as 
 different Beings, each of perfe5ily divine Na- 
 ture. Slji': Hili'ws of no diftindtion or difFe- 
 T'^nce in their ^/;t/W Naiuie and EfTence, but 
 only as to the hwnan Nature of Chriil:. By 
 thi: cihjie is he difcinguifhed from God, and 
 noi oy any r4ivi?ie Nature inferior to that of 
 God. One and ihtfame Divinity was the 
 /iUihor of all that which our Evangelifl has 
 related as coming tf pafs through the Mediation 
 ofChr.ftJefus. The// '(?r^ which he publifhed 
 he fpake not of himjeij -^ it was the Word of 
 God. The //-V^j which he wrought, were 
 
 not 
 
Of the h O G O S, f33 
 
 not wrought by thePower of Humanltyj bat by 
 a Power perfeBly divine, even by God himfelf 
 and no other Being. Thofe, that charge the 
 Church of £/^^/flW with not holding the Doc- 
 trine of Cod^ mifreprefent her Meaning, to fay 
 the leaft of them. And indeed, how unhappily 
 foever this Dodlrine be exprefled in one of 
 her Creeds, yet, confidering that even there the 
 Do(5lrineoftheC7/z//);ofGodisexprefslyairerted, 
 and the contrary as exprefsly denied, one can 
 hardly be fo charitable as to fuppofe, that fuch 
 Mifrepuefentation of her Meaning doth not 
 fometimes proceed from a Want of Charity. 
 
 VII. The lafl Inference from what has been 
 faid, (and for the Sake of which it has 
 been faid) is this ; How high a Value we 
 (hould fet upon a Religion whofe Ex- 
 iraflion is from Go^/ himfelf. 
 
 God did at fundry Times indeed and in di- 
 vert Manners fpeak to the Fathers by his Pro- 
 phets. 
 
134 Of the L OGOS. 
 
 phets. But to us He fpeaketb by his o^vn Son 
 Chrift Jefus, from Heaven, He is the Light 
 oiihtJForU, dlred:ing all Men in the Way of 
 Life. The Lights which flione, before this Sun 
 of R ighteoufnefs arofe, were faint and glim- 
 mering, affording but GlanceSj as it were, into 
 the celeflial Regions, but, the Light, which 
 hath beamed on us, fliineth with a full and 
 fleady Luftre, irradiating the Z7£'^i'£';^/y World, 
 and difcovering the things thereof to mortal 
 Infpeftion. The Vail, which forages intercept- 
 ed them from the View of the moft enlightened 
 of the human Race, hath Chrifl removed. 
 He has (liewn us the Father himfelf, whom 
 the World knew net, cloathed not with Ven- 
 geance and rigorous Juflice, but feated on a 
 Throne of Grace and lurronnded with Love 
 and Mercy. At his Expiration on the Crofs, 
 the Vail of the Temple was rent in twain from 
 top to bottom J no longer, as it were, (liading 
 
 from 
 
Of the LOG O S. 135 
 
 from the Eyes of guilty Creatures the Mercy- 
 feat of the moft High, hut dividing to difplay 
 the Riches of his Grace and afford Acctris; 
 that all may come boLily to the Throne of 
 Grace, and, cafting off that fear of Death and 
 Condemnation, which the Law and Sin had 
 raifed in them, may take of the Gift of Life 
 freely. 
 
 Jesus, the Son of the mofl high God 
 has purchafed this Gift for us of his Father, 
 not redeemable '■ucitb co7-ruptible 'Thi?]gs as 
 Silver a?id Gold, but with tie precious Eked 
 of himfe'fy as of a La?nb without Blemifi 
 and iDithcut Spot. Eternal Life is the Gift 
 of God to us through Jefas Chrifl, our Lord. 
 It is the Gift of God. To Him we are in- 
 debted for it. For in Him was that Life 
 'which was the Light of the Jl^orld. BL:t, that 
 He might endear it to us, and that we might 
 
 not 
 
136 0/ the LOGOS. 
 
 not want a Senfe of its ineftimable Worth, He 
 has beftowed it in a Way the moft fuitable 
 to our Natures, and the beft adapted to 
 work upon the Ingenuity of the human Heart. 
 For this Purpofe, while the Gift comts freely 
 to us and without any Pur chafe on our Parts, 
 He has gracioufly, and in great Wifdom, 
 appointed, that we fhould receive it at the 
 Hands of a Mediator, at the Hands of one 
 who partook of our Natures, at the Hands 
 of the Man Chrift Jefus, who was in all 
 Things tempted like us and yet yielded not 
 to Sin, whofe Obedience to the Will of God, 
 even to extreme Suffering of Pain, Infamy 
 and Death itfelf, might be ever before us. 
 This Man did God ordain to be his IVord to 
 Men and to give Life to the World ; One 
 whofe perfedl Obedience might {hew us what 
 only was meritorious with God, and what is 
 the moil acceptable Service that we can ren- 
 der 
 
Of the LOG OS. 137 
 
 dcr him j One, whofe painful Sufferings for 
 our Sake might for ever endear him to us, 
 and be ftampt on our Minds, as indelible 
 Charadersof his perfedt good Will towards usj 
 and One, whofe Refurred:ion to Life and 
 Glory we might contemplate, both as the fure 
 Pledge of our Refurredtion, and as the happy 
 Confequence of his Love to the human Race, 
 in laying down his Life for us, iinifliing and 
 compleating the Work of Redemption by the 
 Death of himfelf, that we through him might 
 live. 
 
 But, where (will any one now ask ?) is 
 this Gift of eternal Life? IFbo among the 
 Sons oi Adam is pofTefTed of it ? Are not all 
 mortal? Do they not all die ? Yes j It is ap- 
 pointed to all hii Sons once to die. But, we 
 
 T are 
 
13S 0} the LOGOS. 
 
 are the Sons of God. We are o^thtfecoud 
 Adam over whom Death had not Power, to 
 hold him in the Grave. Through Him we 
 are paffed from Death imto Life. Do you 
 2.^iihere this Gift of God is? The Gojpel 
 of Chrift, even this, is our Life. T^'he Words 
 ijohich he /peaks imto us, they are Spirit and 
 they are Life. I'his is our Pledge of Im- 
 mortality. ^I'his is the grand Charter, if I 
 may fo exprefs myfelf, of our fpiritual Li- 
 berty, containing cur Privileges as the Sons 
 of God. If we abide firm by this^ our Title 
 to Life is clear and undoubted. But, if we 
 neglect and difufe it, Satan, ever en theWatch 
 to regain his Dominion over us, will infmu- 
 ate himfelf into Power, make gradual En- 
 croachments on our Liberty, and enflave us 
 again to Sin and Death. Let us be jealous 
 of the leaft Infringement of our immortal 
 
 Privi- 
 
Of the LOGOS. 139 
 
 Prlviledges. If we think no Care and Cau- 
 tion too great in fecuring our Property 011 
 Earth, we Qiould not, in all Reafon, ufe kfs 
 in fupporting our Claim to an Inheritance in 
 Heaven. Let m think how abfurd it is to 
 boaft fo hot a -Zeal for our civil Liberty, 
 that, in Defence thereof, we are ready to 
 refift even unto Blood, while we can tamely 
 refign up that Liberty of the Soul, wherewith 
 Chrift has made us free, fuffer ourfclves to be 
 disfranchifcd of our Citizcndiip in Heaven, 
 and ferve, in the heavy Tind difgraceful Chains 
 •of Sin and Vice, the Prince of Darknefs. If 
 we would affert true Liberty, let us follow 
 Chrift our Head. He will Lad us on fuc- 
 cefsfuUy airainft all the Powers of Dr.rknefs, 
 and condr.cl us unhurt through th^ fi.ry 
 Darts of the wicked One, to that blclT.d 
 Country, where, in his Service, we {liall be 
 ^ 1" 2 lecure 
 
14© Of tJoe L O G OS. 
 
 fecure from all Oppreflion. For his Service is 
 perfed Freedom, and we fhall have our Fruit 
 unto Life, the Gift of Cod through Jefus 
 Chrifl, our Lord. 
 
 THE 
 
THE 
 
 P I V I N I T Y 
 
 O F T H E 
 
 HOLY-GHOST. 
 
 I Cor. XII. 4, 5, 6r 
 
 J>[ow there are Dherfties of Gifts but 
 
 the Jame Spirit. 
 And there are Differences of Adminijira-* 
 
 f ions J but the fame Lord. 
 And there are Di'verf.ties of Operations^ hut 
 
 it is the fame God which worketh all in all, 
 
 ALMIGHTY God, in Condefcenfion 
 to our Nature and utter Incapacity of 
 knowing any Thing but by the Inlet of Senfe, 
 
 hath 
 
144 Of the Holy Ghojl. 
 
 hath been pleafed to manifeft himfelf to us 
 by fenjible Reprefentatlons. This Method of 
 Revelation, though the only one by which 
 fuch Creatures, as we are, could poffibly ar- 
 rive at the Knowledge of their Maker, hath 
 become the Occafion of various Opinions, and 
 (what is more to be regretted) of much Strife 
 and fharp Litigation concerning the Divine 
 EJfence. Thofe, who were left to trace the 
 Divinity in the w^/wr^/ Manifeftation of him- 
 felf, (if I may fo call the Works of Creation 
 and Providence) wanted not Evidence, and 
 accordingly did acknowledge the Exiftence 
 of fome fuperior Intelligence and Agency to 
 that of Man. But we are not ignorant of the 
 EfFe(5t, which the Variety of the Works of 
 Nature, by which God manifelled himfelf to 
 the World, had upon the Fancy and Imagina- 
 tion of the Generality of Mankind. They 
 foon made unto themfelves Gods, of the Like- 
 
 nefs 
 
Of the Hcly Ghoft. 145 
 
 nefs of every Thvig, both in H.-aven and on 
 the Earth, and in the Waters under the "Earth, 
 
 The World muft have continued under 
 this grofs Delufion, and, in confequence of it, 
 their corrupt Practices, but for the Provifion 
 of God, as well in the ycwifi Oeconomy, as 
 in that more univerfal one of the Golpel-Dif- 
 penfation, in which the Ahnighty manifefted 
 himfilf by his Son in the Flefli, and the Holy 
 Ghojl vifibly (hed on the Apoftles, But, 
 though we are told, that God was reconciling 
 the World unto himfelf by this Method, and 
 are called, both by our Lord and his Apoflles, 
 to the Knowledge of the One only living and 
 true God, our Creator, Redeemer and Sanc* 
 tiiier, yet the fenfibk Reprefentation of the 
 Divinity in this threefold Yitvf has induced 
 fome to think and hold as a necefl^iry Article 
 of Faith, <' That two other Beings befides 
 U «' God 
 
146 Of the Holy Ghoji, 
 
 ** God, of finite, though very exalted Natures, 
 ** were manifefted to the World, and claina 
 «' a fubordinate Veneration from us." 
 
 73 
 
 Having ah'eady proved the Divinity of 
 our Saviour t or, that He that redeemed us in 
 the Per/on of Jefus Chrift was true and ver-^ 
 God, not a mere Man, nor any created Being 
 of ever fo great Excellence and Pre-eminence 
 above Mortals, it remains to be (hewn, that 
 the Holy Ghoft is not a diftind 2iV\d. feparate 
 Eeing from God, of an i?iferior Nature both 
 to the Father and the Son, but of One and 
 the fame eternal EfTence, truly 2S\.^ perfeSlly 
 Dhine. 
 
 The Words of my Text appear to me fo 
 exprefs a Teftimony hereof, that I could 
 almoft think it unneceflary, to do more for 
 your Convidion than repeat them to you. 
 Ihere are Dhcrfitus of Gifts but the flime 
 
 Spirit i 
 
Of tie Holy Ghofi, 147 
 
 Spirit, mid there a*'e Differences of Adminif- 
 iratio?25y but the lame Lord-, and there are 
 Diverfities of Operations, but it is the fame 
 God which worketh all in all. It is i\\Qfa7ne 
 God which worketh all in all ! Thefe Gifts 
 therefore, which ihe Apoftles and firil Chrif- 
 tians received, were not the Gifts of any other 
 Being than the moll Ili^h God. The Gifts 
 themfelves are reprefented by the Apoftle as 
 various^ of different degrees of Efficacy, and 
 ferving to feveral feparate Ends relative to the 
 Propagation of the Gofpel ; but the Being 
 from whom they proceed, he aiTerts, at the 
 eleventh Verfe of this Chapter, to be One and 
 the fame undivided EfTence. 21? one, fays he, 
 is given by the Spirit the fVord of IVifdom \ to 
 another, th: Word of Knowledge by the fame 
 Spirit ; to another. Faith by the fame Spirit^ 
 to another, the Gifts of Healing by the fame Spirit, 
 to another, the working of Miracles ; to another^ 
 Prophecy 'j to another, di/ceniing of Spirits-, to 
 U 2 another 
 
148 Of the Holy Ghojl. 
 
 another y divers Kinds of Toj.iues; to another^ 
 the Interpretation oj T^ovigiies ; But all thefe 
 voorkeththat One and the felf fame Spirit ^ divi- 
 ding to every Man fever ally as he will. 
 
 In my Text the fame Operations, which 
 are here attributed to the Spirit, are repre- 
 fented as the Operations of God, 'There 
 are Diverfities of Operations^ but it is the 
 fame God which worketh all in all. At the 
 twenty eighth Verfe alfo of this Chapter, the 
 V erf on from whom all thefe Gifts come, 
 which are here faid to be the Gifts of the 
 Spirit^ is filled God-, and without Doubt or 
 Controverfy from any Sed, the Title is un- 
 dcrftood of the Mofi High^ true and vejj God. 
 God hath fet fome in the Church jfrfl^ Apoftles^ 
 fecondarily. Prophets^ thirdly^ 'Teachers, after 
 that, Miracles ; then Gifts of Healing, Hglps, 
 Cover n?nents, Diverfties of Tongues, So that 
 
 thefe 
 
Of the Holy Ghqfi. j^g 
 
 thefe Gifts and Appointments, though in other 
 Places reprefented as proceeding by Virtue of 
 jhe Miniftration peculiar to the Holy Gbofi, 
 are the Effedls of One and the fame Almighty 
 Being or ElTence. 
 
 In the iirft Chapter of St. Lt^ke^ at the 
 thirty fifth Verfc, it is faid. Therefore aljo that 
 Holy Thing, which jhall he born of thee^ Jloall 
 he called the Son o/God. The Ground of this 
 Title is given us in thefe Words, ^he Holy 
 Ghoft fiall come upon thee^ and the Fewer 
 of the Higheft yZW/ overfhadow thee ; ''There- 
 fore^ &c. The Holy Ghoji, and the Power of 
 the Higbejl, are equivalent Expreffions j and, 
 unlefs they were intended to reprefent the 
 Power and Agency of the Almighty hlmfelf, 
 they could not be made the Ground of our 
 Saviour's Title, that he was the Son of Cod, 
 If the Holy Ghq/l be a diilindl Being from, r.n^ 
 
 inferior. 
 
I5<5 Of the Holy Ghofl. 
 
 inferior to God, with what Propriety could 
 the Angel of the Lord announce to the Vir^ 
 gin Mary concerning that Holy Thing thus 
 to be produced, that he fliould be called the 
 Son of God^ becaufe the Holy Ghoji fhould 
 come upon her ? For, on this Suppofitlon, the 
 very Reafon given for Jefus Chrifl being 
 called the Son of God is inconfiftent with his 
 Title, he being the Son of a?iother and injerior 
 Being. 
 
 In the twelfth Chapter of St. MattheT, 
 at the twenty eighth Verfe, our Lord, re- 
 futing the malicious Accufation brought a- 
 gainft him of cafting out Devils by Beelzebub 
 the Prince of Devils, faith, But if I cajl out 
 Devils by the Spirit of God, the?i the Kingdom 
 cf God is come unto you. Now, when he 
 faith, by the Spirit oj God, he doth not mean, 
 that he caft them out by the Power of fome 
 
 Spirit 
 
Of the Holy Ghojl, 151 
 
 spirit which had a diftincft zndi Jeparate Ex- 
 iflence from God, and a Nature inferior to 
 his. It is evident, he means to fatisfy the 
 Jews, that he had the Power of the Moft 
 High. And they themfelves were very well 
 fatisfied, that God and no inferior Spirit was 
 with him, as appears by our Saviour's Inti- 
 mation to them afterwards of the heinous 
 Sin of Bhfphemy of which they ftood con- 
 vi<5led. For their Guilt of Blafphemy lay in 
 this, viz» In attributing that Power, which 
 they were convinced in their own Minds and 
 Confciences to be the Power of God alone^ to 
 a wicked Agent. In fpeaking againft the 
 spirit ^ therefore, or Holy Ghofiy this powerful 
 Agent in the Redemption of the World, they 
 fpake again ft God, and blafphemed not a 
 Creature but the Creator himfelf. 
 
 And, 
 
15s Of the Holy Ghojl. 
 
 And, that onr Lord, wlieh he afferts his 
 cafling out Devils by the Spirit of God, 
 fpedcs not of any inferior Agency to that of 
 the Almighty Ruler of the World, is further 
 evident from the different Manner in which 
 this divine Powder is eXpreflld in St, Luke on 
 the fame Occafion. But if I^ iviih the Finger 
 of God, ccijl out Devils, xi. 20. No other Be- 
 ing isr intended by, the Spirit of God, than what 
 is meant h^re, 'u/5:. God himfelf, who, ope- 
 rating in the Son of Man, made the Devils 
 themfelves fubjed: to him. They were call 
 out by the Power of the Mofl High, and 
 not by any ififenor and lirmted Being. 
 
 It is not lefs plain, that the Blafphemy 
 againft the Holy Ghofi, charged by our Savi- 
 our upon the 'JewSy was Blafphemy againll 
 the DiiH?ie Being, from that remarkable In- 
 
 ftancc 
 
OfiheHolyChoJi, 153 
 
 fiance of a Sin againft the Holy Ghof}^ in the 
 fifth Chapter of Atis at the third Verfe. But 
 Peter faid^ Anariias^ ivby hath Satan JiUed thine 
 Heart to lie to the Holy Ghofl: ? A little be- 
 low, the Apoille calls this fame Perfon, God. 
 Thcu ha II n:t lied unto Men but unto God. 
 The Hch Ghojl^ therefore, is here reprefented aS 
 being the fame with Gcd, and, though dif- 
 tindly charaderized, in his MiniJ^raticn, from 
 the Father and the Son, yet, throi:ghout 
 Scripture, is reprefented, in Nature or Ejfenee, 
 as undivided, being of one Subftance, Power 
 and Glory. 
 
 Stephen, when fuirering under the Rage 
 of Jcii-if: Perlecution for the Sake of the 
 new Faith, compares the Conduct of .his 
 Perfecutors with that of their Fathers in the 
 following Terms, i^efiif necked and uficir- 
 cumcijcd in Hart and E^irs, ye do aliz-ays refjjl 
 the Holy Ghofl ; as your Fathers did, Jo do ye. 
 It was 0?je and the fame Being that they and 
 "" X their 
 
154 Of the Holy Ghofl, 
 
 their Fathers refifted, even the God of Abra- 
 
 ha?n, Ifaac and Jacob, 
 
 St. Paul, in the twentieth Chapter o^ASls, 
 at the twenty eighth Verfe, thus exhorteth 
 his Fellow-Labourers in the Work of the 
 Mfniftry j Take heed therefore unto yourfehes 
 and to all the Fleck, over the which the 
 Holy Ghofl hath made you Gverfeers, to feed 
 the Church of God. The Holy Ghoji is here 
 faid to have made them Overfcers of the 
 Church J viz. The fame Being, who is ftiled 
 Gody at the twenty eighth Verfe of the Chap- 
 ter in which is our Text, to whom the fame 
 Thing is afcribed j viz. God hath fet fome 
 in the Church, firfi, Apo/iles, fecotidarily, Pro- 
 phets, thirdly. Teachers^ 
 
 So alfo the fame Being is reprefented as 
 having fpokcn in the Prophets, in the New 
 Teftament, by the Name and Title of the 
 HolyGhoJl; but, in the Old, by the Lord or 
 
 God. 
 
Of theEoIy Ghofl. 155 
 
 God. Thus, in the twenty eighth Chapter 
 
 of Jdis at the twenty fifth Verfe, JVell [pake 
 
 the Holy Ghofl by Efaias the Frophet unto 
 
 our Fathers, Jayi?ig, Go unto this Pecpk aiui 
 
 fa^y Hearing ye JJ:all hear^ and shall not ujider^ 
 
 Jiand> But, in the OldTeftamentjfrom whence 
 
 , this Paillige is quoted, the Commandment 
 
 "which the Prophet received is reprefented 
 
 as coming from God. 1 heard the Voice of 
 
 the Lord fcTjirg, &c. Ifa. vi.8. 
 
 ' But the perfc^ Divinity of the Hok Ghc/l 
 in ElTence and Attribute?, is very particul.u ly 
 - teftified by the Apofile, in the firft Epiftle to 
 the Corinthians^ the fecond Chapter. The 
 Demonflration of the Spirit and of Power he 
 calls, the Power of God^, oppofmg It to th^ 
 Wifdom and Power of Men. My Speech and 
 my Preaching i:-as not with enticing I Fords of 
 AlanV irijdcm, hut in F)e7nQn(lration cf the 
 X 2 Spirit 
 
136 Of the Holy Gkoft, 
 
 Spirit, mid of Power ; that your Faith fhould 
 not ft and in the Wifdom of Men, but in the 
 Tower of God. Aifd, at the tenth Verfe, he 
 attributes to the Sl-irlt the Knowledge of 
 thofe Things which had been hid not only 
 from Mortals but the Angels themfelves j 
 even, that hidden My fiery ^ which fupcrior 
 Spirits defircd to look into, bu* were not 
 able to comprehend by \kiz\x finite Intelligence. 
 The Counfelsof tlie Divinity are too deep for 
 aught^/z//^ and of a limited Nature to fathom. 
 Jnfnity alone is commenfurate (if I may fb 
 fpeak) therewith. But the Spirit^ the Apoflle 
 afTerts, is fuilicient for this. God hath revealed 
 them unto us by his Sp'mt, for the Spirit f arch- 
 eth all Things, yea, the deep Things of God- 
 This he reprefents to be as eflential to the Na- 
 ture of the Divinity, as intimate and perfedtly 
 acquainted wkh the Will of God and of 
 Chrifl, as the Spirit of a Man is efiential to 
 
 the 
 
Oj the Holy Ghofl. 157 
 
 the human Nature and confcious of every 
 Tranfaiftion and Purpofe of the Mind. For 
 what Man knoweth the Things 0/*^ Man, /ave 
 the Spirit oj Man which is in him ? Even fo the 
 Things oJ God knoweth no Man, but the Spirit 
 of God. 
 
 Although thcK?/)? Ghofl or Spirit, there- 
 fore, be frequently characterized as a Pcrfon 
 diftinft from the Pirfon o\ the Father and the 
 Son, yet, we fee, He is not to be confid^red 
 as exifting a feparate Being from Cod, ot a 
 Nature inferior or different, but the " fh^ve 
 ** inSubftance; the Glory equals the M.jcily 
 '* co-eternah** 
 
 Instead of adducing more Pa/T^gcs in 
 fupport of this great Dodrine of the Uiuty 
 of the Godhead and r//ivV2c' Agency c( 'e 
 Spirit, (which, I would hope, mud now ap- 
 
158 Of the Holy Ghcfl, 
 
 pear unnecefTary,) I fhall proceed to confider 
 briefly the Ground of the Arian Dodrine 
 on this Head, 
 
 Those who hold the Spirit or Holy Ghoil, 
 to have 2ifeparate Exiftence from, and to be 
 inferior to the Father Almighty, feem to me 
 to be led into this Error by not diftinguifliing 
 between the Manifejiation of the Spirit and 
 the Spirit itfelf^ or, between the EfeB and 
 the Efficient Caufe. In arguing for the Finite- 
 nefs and limited Nature of the Holy GhoJI, 
 they feem to confine their Ideas to thofe Ap- 
 pearances of it, which were given for the In- 
 formation of the Senfesj io\x\Q fcrjible Repre- 
 fentations being neceflary (as I have already 
 obferved) to convey to us the Knowledge of 
 Things fpiriiual and invifible. But we are 
 not to judge of its Nature and Effecce by 
 Senfe, fo as to meafure what \^ fpiriiual and 
 
 n© 
 
Of the Holy Ghofi, 159 
 
 jioWay an objed: of our Senfes by that which 
 may be comprehended thereby. For thus 
 we (liould limit and circumfcribe the Deity, 
 as the Heathens did, by our finite Ideas of 
 his Works. 
 
 The Holy Ghojl was vifibly flied on the 
 Apoftles. The Repfefentation was fenfihle, 
 l^hat, which was an Objed: of Senfe^ diftin- 
 guifhableto mortal Sight by Shape and Colour 
 and to the Ear by Sound, as of a rufliing 
 Wind, was, no doubt, Jinite and circum- 
 fcribed. But the Being or Frinclple^ from 
 whence thisManifeflation proceeded,is wjinite, 
 and uncircumfcribed, pervading Immennty 
 itfelf, prefent to all Things both vifible and 
 invifible, jearching even the deep Things cf 
 God, 
 
 WiiEti 
 
i6o 0/ the Holy Gho/l, 
 
 When we argue for the Divim'ty of the 
 Holy Ghojiy we would be underftood to affert 
 it, not of any "Degree of Power, or Wifdom, 
 or Knowledge, conveyed to the Apoftles and 
 firft Converts, but of the invifible Principle 
 from whence thefe extraordinary Gifts were 
 derived. And,that this Principle is, in EJfcftce, 
 truly and perfedlly divine, even One with God 
 the Father of all, is plain from hence, that 
 the Father gave the Holy Ghcji, that is, the 
 mighty Power which fell on the Apoftles and 
 all that believed, at the Interceffion of the 
 Son . I will p^ay the Father^ and He Jhallgive 
 ycu another Comjorter that may abide with you 
 for ever ; even the Spirit of Truth. John xiv. 1 6. 
 And again, at the twenty fixth V'erfe of the 
 fame Chapter, But when the Comforter is 
 come^ whom 1 will fend to youy from the Father, 
 even the Spirit of Truth, which proceedeth from 
 the Father, He fl:all teflify of vie. So that the 
 
 Spirit 
 
Of the Holy Ghofi: i6i 
 
 Spirit itfelf, under whatever Character it is 
 reprefented, whether as a Witnefs to the Soa, 
 as a Guide to Truth, or a Comforter !ii thei 
 Day of Trial andTemptation, is o^ ae Ffll-ncc 
 of God^ the Father Almighty. For thoui^h^ 
 as the Apoftle exprefTeth it, the Mmifeftation 
 of the Spirit is given to profit i^ithall, ^whether 
 it be Wifdoniy Knowledge ^ Faith, Prophecy, 
 Miracles^ the Gifts of Healing or divers Ki?ids 
 of TongueSi it is the fame God which worketb 
 all in all. 
 
 Wherefore, with the Apofllei and on 
 the Authority of facred Scripture in the uni- 
 verfal Tenor thereof, let us afcribe all that 
 which hath been done for us, rtfpeding the 
 grand Work of Redemption, to the One God, 
 manifefting himfslf to the World by his Son, 
 in the Flcfi, as well as by Demon flration of 
 the Spirit and Power. This is that Cathdick 
 
 Y Faith, 
 
1 62 Of the Holy Ghoft. 
 
 Faith, which was firfl; delivered to the Saints 
 by the holy Apoftles, and which, it hath 
 been the conftant Endeavour of our Church, 
 to maintain and preferve pure and uncor- 
 rupted, amldil the Variety of Opinions and 
 novel Dodrlnes, which, clafliing no lefs one 
 with another than with the primitive Faith, 
 have been attended with fuch unhappy Con- 
 fequences to Religion, and fo much Diflurb- 
 ance of the Peace and Quiet of the Church. 
 But, however great has been the Oppofition 
 which true and genuine Chriflianity has met 
 with, as well from the Quarters of D^//^, as 
 from the impertinent Zeal of Fanaticifm^ the 
 Foundations of it have been preferved fafe 
 and entire by that Almighty Spirit^ which has 
 never deferted the Church of Chrift under all 
 her Trials and Temptations, beaming upon 
 Her, through the Mifts of Error and Cor- 
 ruption, thofe Rays of Truth and divine 
 
 Comfort 
 
Of the Holj Ghofi. 163 
 
 Comfort, which have kept Her in the right 
 Way, and caufeth Her to rejoice, though yet 
 militant againft the Errors and Vices of Man- 
 kind. Let us purfue the fame heavenly Light, 
 which Ihines upon this reformed Church 
 with great Splendour, iiot tojfed to and fro 
 with every Wind of DoBrine^ but fearching 
 the Scriptures, the infallible Didate of the 
 Spirit of God, who alone is able to preferve 
 us from Error to perfedl his Saints, and to 
 bring us in the Unity of the Faith a?id of the 
 Knowledge of his Son, unto a -perfcB Man, 
 unto the Meafure of the Stature of the Fulnefs of 
 Chrifl, 
 
 Now to the One God, our Creator, Redeemer 
 ^nd Sandifier, be afcrihed everlafting Praife, 
 Am§n* 
 
 Y 2 
 

 THE 
 
 HUMAN NATURE 
 
 O F 
 
 JESUS CHRIST, 
 
 CONSIDERED. 
 
 I T I M. II. 5. 
 
 For there is One Gody and one Mediator betizeen 
 God and Men ; . the Man Chrifi Jefus, 
 
 E need not wonder, that Mankind, 
 left to trace the Divinity in his Works 
 of Creation and Providence, by their statural 
 Pov/ers alone, were involved in much Error 
 
 and 
 
1 68 Of the Human Nature of Chriji. 
 
 and Confulion. Indeed, all Nations feem to 
 have embraced this g-neral Truth, That there 
 is an invifible Power governing the World 
 and difpofing Events according to Laws un- 
 controulable by Mortals. God has, in no Age, 
 left his reafonable Creatures without Witnefs 
 of his Exiftence. Notwithftanding, if we 
 refled on the Weaknefs of human Nature, 
 and on the great Diverfity of Men's Circum- 
 ftances and Conditions in Life, which are fo 
 many different Mediums through which Ob- 
 jects are viewed, it cannot appear ftrange, 
 that their Notions of the Divinity were very 
 imperfect and very different. Every Country, 
 every City, almoft every Family, had its pe- 
 culiar Deities, 
 
 The Almighty Ruler of the World, who 
 heft knows hov/ and when to fuit his Dif- 
 penfations to the Circumftances and Neceffi- 
 
 ties 
 
Of the Human Nature of Chrijl* 169 
 
 ties of his Creatures, was pleafed to make 
 himfelf known by a fupernatural Difplay of 
 Power to the Jews fir ft. Them he feparated 
 from the Families of the Earth, and united 
 in the Worfhip of One God. Afterwards, in 
 the Fulnefs of Time, he manifefted himfcif to 
 the Gentile World in the Vitjti, that is, by the 
 Man Chrift Jeius. For in llim were all Na- 
 tions to be blefii^d with the Knowledge of the 
 true God. The middle Wall of Partition, no 
 longer neccllary to confine to one Spot the 
 true Faith, now too firmly rooted to be fiiaken 
 by the Powers of Idolatry, was to be broken 
 down, that God might become the Confi- 
 dence of the Ends of the Earth. 
 
 The uniting all Mankind In One Faith, and 
 cementing, as it were, into one Body, of 
 which Chrifl is the Head, all the Parts of the 
 human Race, prepared and fidy framed by 
 the Gofpel fortlii. blcfTed Uiiion, is a Subject 
 
 Z of 
 
170 Of the Human Nature of Chrift, 
 of Contemplation, which fills the Mind with 
 the grandeft Idea of divine Grace and Muni- 
 ficence. And, at the fame Time that the 
 Means of our Redemption are truly aflonifli- 
 ing, and appear too magnificent a Difplay to 
 bear any Proportion to fuch worthlefs Objeds 
 of it, as we are, yet, when we confider the 
 Plan in this extenfiveView, as comprehending 
 a whole Syftem of reafonable Beings to be 
 united at laft, by one common Faith, into 
 one common Caufe of Truth and Virtue, the 
 Means muft appear not more extraordinary 
 than neceflary to h great an End. 
 
 But, if this was theDefign of Providence 
 in the two grand Difpenfations of the Law 
 and the Gofpel, how are wc to account for 
 it, that there fliould ftill be fuch a Difference 
 of Opinion in Matters of Faith ? We profefs 
 the fame Religion, and yet we are evet at 
 
 . Vai- 
 
Of the Human Nature of Cbrift. 1 7 1 
 Variance about it. We break and divide 
 into fo many Sefls and Parties, and maintain 
 them with fo hot a Zeal, that it could not be 
 known from our ConduB^ that we belong to 
 Ow^Mafter, or, that he hath delivered but 
 One Syftem of Faith to his Difciples. The 
 Truth is, Chriilians are but Men ; and the 
 Infirmities of human Nature will betray them- 
 felves under the moft perfed: Difpenfation. 
 The Efted:s of Religion on the Vnderfl anting ^ 
 as well as on the Heart, operating in the 
 ordinary Way, muft be gradual. This is the 
 Method of divine Providence in the natural 
 as w^ell as in the moral World. For, as the 
 outward Fr2Lmc and Conftitution of Things 
 was produced by a fupernatural Exertion of 
 Power, landing forth inflantaneoufiy on the 
 Command of the Creator, fo was ihtjpiriiual 
 Conflitution (if I may fo exprefs myfclf) of 
 
 Z 2 tliis 
 
1/2 Of the Human Nature of Chrift* 
 this World efFedled, indeed, by a jjtiracuhus 
 Exertion of Power. But, both Conftitntions 
 being once fettled, the Ends of both arc 
 carried on according to the natural ot ordinary 
 Methods of Providence. God has created all 
 Things anew in Chrift Jefus. But this new 
 and fpiiitual Creation is flill- under the Pro- 
 vidence o^ God, governed by his good Spirit, 
 which is ever exercifed, not only to the 
 Maintenance but to the Furtherance of the 
 Faith. And we cannot well doubt, that the 
 fame Power, which hath already broken up 
 the ftrong Holds of Pagan Idolatry, is fuffi- 
 cient to efFedt the Completion of the great 
 Defign of the Gofpel Revelation, which is, 
 to bring <«// Men to the Acknowledgment of 
 the true Faith, That there is hut One God^ 
 and One Mediator between God and Men^ 
 thsM^v^ ChriH Jefii^, 
 
 It 
 
Of the Human Nature of Chr ijl. 173 
 It is the lail of thefe Pofitions which I 
 propofe to illuftrate, the former having been 
 ah-eady confidered in the preceding Lectures. 
 Our Mediator, it is aflerted in the Text, was 
 Man, *c9psjxQf ;)/p/r5? THT«f , the Man Chrift Je- 
 fus. The perfeSl Humanity of Chrift is as 
 eiTential and fundamental an Article of our 
 Faith, as that it was GcJhimfelf, the perfcB 
 Divinity, who wrought and was manifefl: in 
 Him. If we admit the Suppofition, that he 
 was not 7'eally and t?'uh Man, but a Being of 
 •a fupericr, though limited l>^(ituve, refiding 
 only in a human Body *, we can have no 
 
 con- 
 
 * The Ar'tans for the mod Part fcruple not to deny tha,': 
 yefus Chrl/I had an human Nature, or was really am' 
 txxAy Man. B'Jt the more acute of them arc too fenfibls 
 of the DiSculties with which futh a Notion is atter.ded^ 
 to avow it in exprefi Terms. Dr. Nicol Scot, in his Ser- 
 mon on the Sci.ip'iure Doiuir.e of the Incarra-jon, is at 
 great Pains to recor.cilc the direct AiTertions which occur 
 
 in 
 
174 Of the Human Nature cf Chriji, 
 
 confiftent Idea of the Account given us, ci- 
 ther of the Incarnation, or of the Mediatorial 
 Office of the Son of God. 
 
 I. First, 
 
 in Scripture, pf the Humanity of Jefus Chrift, with the 
 Jrlan Hypothefis of his being a Divinity dependent on 
 God the Father. This, however, is not to be done with- 
 out fuch a Fetch from the Sound of Words, as is unwor- 
 thy of, and very unufual with this fair Writer, and man- 
 ly Defender of our common Cliriftianity. ** Should we 
 «' confider, fays he, the true Standard, or Definition of 
 *' the Human Species, we {hall find a Ilfan to be one 
 «' fingle Spirit or intelligent Agent, animating a Body of 
 *' the fame Form and Make with our's ; and confequenf 
 " Iv, were it the Will of God, that any Spirit, or intel- 
 " ligent Agent whatever, fhould animate a Body of the 
 *f fame Form and Make with our's, he would become 
 *' a Man" But is this the true Standard and Definition 
 of the Human Specie: ? Is the outward Frame and Make 
 of Man that v.'hich principally characlc-rizeth and diitin- 
 Ijuiflieth our Species in the Scale of animated Beings? Is 
 it by this a'.cnc.vfz differ from the Brutes ? If any Spirit 
 'ivhateveVy animating a Body of the Dme Form and Make 
 with our's. becom.es a M'ln, then the Spirit of a Bcafl: {q 
 circumlhncrd would become a A-Ian. ^IW^ Auihcr how- 
 ever 
 
Of the Human Nature of Chrift, ijr 
 
 I. First, for the Incarnation. 
 
 He was born of a Woman, being conceiv- 
 ed of the Holy Ghoft j in other Words, the 
 Power of the 7noJi High ovcrfhadowing the 
 
 Virgin. 
 
 ever in faying, or iriteWgent Agent^ might mean only, that 
 any y«/)mi;r Spirits whatever, animating human Bodies, 
 would become Men. Be this the Meaning, It may ftill 
 be afked. Whether there be not efTential DifFerenccs a- 
 mong thofe intelligent Agents, in their Natures, conflL 
 tuting 33 diftindl Species, as the Human Species is di- 
 ftind from the Brute ? If there are, (and that there are 
 not, who will venture to aiTert ?) then let us fuppofa two 
 of thefe Spirits or intelligent Agents, very different in 
 Nature, but, at the Will of God, animating each a Body 
 of the fame Form and Make, would this Samenefs of ex- 
 ternal Form level their Natures P Would they not ftill be, 
 tho* in outward Appearance alike, B, in^^s of a dlrFefcnt 
 Species ? In (hort, however difficult it may be to define 
 the Humfin Spedesy yet it is very obvious, that tlie Na- 
 ture or Kind of the Spirit, which animates, ought tu br 
 confidered as well as the Form or Make of that, which is 
 animated. And if Jefus Chrift, after his Incarnation, had 
 not a banian Spirit as well as a human Body, but i-ne 
 of a rnuch fuperior Nature^ he could not, according- to 
 the Idea we have of Humanity, be veoUy and trubj 
 a Man. 
 
176 Of the Human Nature of Chrifi, 
 
 Virgin. Now, I would aik, is this Account 
 of the Conception and Birth of Jefus Chrift 
 at all confident with the Suppofition, that, 
 before this. He exifted a diilind 2.wd,feparate 
 Being from, and inferior to God alone ? Was 
 it an Angel of a very exalted Dignity, even 
 next to that of God himfelf, that was thus 
 
 conceived of the Holy Ghofl and born of a 
 Woman ? Was it not a real Child, but fome 
 angelic Being, of whom it is faid, Te fiall 
 find the Babe wrapped infwaddlihg Cloaths, ly^ 
 mg in a Ivlarger i And again. When eight 
 Days were accompl'JJjed for the circumclftng of 
 the Child, his Name was called^ J^fa^ f 
 Whom alfo his Parents, it is faid, brought to 
 'Jerufalem, to prefent him to the Lord^ as it is 
 written^ " Every Male that openeth the 
 " Womb fliall be called holy to the Lord ?'* 
 For whom they offered a Sacrifice accordi^ig 
 to that which is faid in the La%i\ " A Pair of 
 
 '' Turtle 
 
Of the Iluman Nature of Chrifl. 177 
 «' Turtle Doves or two young Fidgeons r'*^ 
 In fliort, for whom they performed all things, 
 according to the Law of the Lord, refpeding 
 the firft born of Male Childre?i ? Luke ii. 1 2. 
 
 &feqi 
 
 It is further fald, in the above-mentioned 
 Chapter, that the Child grew and waxed 
 Jlrong in Spirity filed with IViJdom ; a?:d the 
 Grace cf God was upon him ; That, at twelve 
 Years of Age, he went up with his Farents 
 to Jerufalem^ after the Cujlofn of the Feaji ; ajid 
 the Child (fo he is again Q2\\td) tarried behind, 
 and after three Days was found in the "temple, 
 fitting in the midfl of the DoBors, both hearing 
 and asking ^lejtions j That from thence he 
 we?it down with his Farents to "Nazareth and 
 was fubjeB unto them^ encrcafng in Wifdom, 
 and Stature, and in Favour with God and 
 Man. Doth not the Evangeliit, in this 
 Dcfcription, mark to us the natural Growth 
 
 A a and 
 
tyS Of the Human Nature of Chrift. 
 
 and Progrefs of Humanity'^ The gradual, 
 though, in this Inllance, great Expanfion of the 
 Facuhies of Mind and Body f ''of the reafon- 
 '* able Soul and human Flefli fubnfUno: ?" 
 When it is faid, The Child grew^ can it be 
 imagined, that the Evangelift would convey 
 to us any other Idea than what we generally 
 affix to thofe Words? Or, that in faying, 
 ih^ Child Wt'jxed Jtrong i?i Spirit^ he meant 
 not an human Spirit, but would have us un- 
 derhand him of the gradual Expanfion of 
 the Faculties of an angelick Soul, yea, and 
 that the firfl; of all created Beings, only en- 
 clofed for a while within the narrow Limits 
 of an infantine Body ? The Inconfillency of 
 fuch a Suppofition v/ith the Evangelift's 
 Account, is furely too glaring to need more 
 Words to expofe it. 
 
 II. Nor 
 
Of the Human Nature of Chrijl, 170 
 II. NoPv doth it better confiir wltli the 
 Idea of Chrifl's Mediatorial Office. For, 
 
 I. How are we to underhand his fufi: 
 Sufferings immediately after his Baptifm ? It 
 would be forcing common Scnfe itfclf, to 
 fuppofe it not a real Man, but a Perfonaae of 
 a much morecxaked Nature, thiit was afliid- 
 ed with the Scnfation of extreme Plunger, 
 that he might be induced to abufe and mif- 
 apply the divine Power, of which he found 
 himfelf poifelTed. As unnatural is it to fuppofe, 
 that all the Glory of this terreflrial Globe was 
 prcfented as a Temptation to One, \^•ho was of 
 a Nature fo far furpaHing not only that of 
 Men, but of Angels and all created Beings 
 whatever. The Profpecl, how dazzling 
 f)ever to hu?nan Scnfe, could not pcfiiblv be 
 a Trial to fuch a Being. This Scene of 
 Temptation was adapted to the Infirmities 
 
 of 
 
1 8o Of the Human Nature of Chrifl. 
 of the human Nature alone. The Motives 
 prefented were fuch as were trying to ^ Man^ 
 in the higheftDegree,being addrefled to thofe 
 natural Appetites and Paflions, which have 
 fo powerful a Sway in the Determinatipn of 
 the human Mind, but are not fuppofed to in- 
 fluence fuperior Spirits. 
 
 2. It is in rerpe(^ of his human Nature, 
 that our Saviour is fet bc;fore us, as a Pattern 
 for our Imitation. His whole Deportment 
 through Life witneiTcd a ftrong Senfe of Duty 
 to his Father, and an unremitted Exercife of 
 benevolent Atfediions towards the human 
 Race. And as he lived, fo are we exhorted 
 to live. For, in Piety and true Goodnefs, we 
 are capable of imitating him; Nor are we called 
 upon to do moie than it is our Duty to do 5 
 more than human Nature is capable of 3 more 
 than what we know he, as M;;/, did ; v/hen 
 
 we 
 
Of the Human Nature of Chrijl. 1 8 1 
 we are exhorted to live as he lived, doi?2g 
 yuftice^ loving Mercy, and walking humbly 
 before God. But conceive him, vi'ith regard 
 to his Behaviour under thofe Circumftaiices, 
 which to us are Trials of Integrity, to have 
 had a Nature different from, and i^^v fuperior 
 to Our's, and you can no longer conllder him, 
 as exemplifying our Duty by his own Ccn- 
 du(5t, or derive fi-cm it Encouragement to 
 hope forSuccefs inthelikeTemptatior.s aiTault- 
 ing our weaker Nature. V/e may, on this 
 Suppofition, admire and adore his vaftly fupe- 
 rior Excellence ; but we fhall be ever difcou- 
 raged in the purfuit of Virtue through Diffi- 
 culties, that are looked upon to require 
 more than human Nature to fi:ruo:2:]e under, 
 with any Hope of Succefs. 
 
 As an Encouragement, therefore, to ug in 
 the Day of Temptation, he is reprefented la 
 
 Scripture 
 
J 82 Of the Human Nature of Chriji, 
 Scripture as having the fame Nature with us, 
 fubjed to the like Temptations, with this 
 Difference only, that he yielded not to Sin. 
 It became him (fays the Author to the He- 
 brews) for whom are all T^hhigs^ and by whom 
 are all]thingsjn bringing many Sons unto Glor\\ 
 to make the Captain cf their Salvation perfeB 
 through Suffering, Heb. ii. lo. And the Ne- 
 ceffity of his appearing in our Nature, and 
 not in the Nature of Angels, is thus illuftra- 
 ted by the fame Writer, viz. Wherefore in all 
 ihinr-s it behoved him to be mc,de like unto his 
 Brethren j that he might be a merciful and 
 jaithful High- Priefl in things pertaining to God, 
 to make Reconciliation for the Sins of the People. 
 For in that he himfclj hath Juffcrcd^ being 
 teniptedy he is able to fucccur thin that are 
 tempted^ Hcb. ii. i 7. This is a diixcl Tefli- 
 mony of the perfcci Harfianity of Cluifl Jefus, 
 confidcrln«; him in his Medlaicrial Ofiice. 
 
 There 
 
Of the Human Nature of Chrifl. 1 83 
 There is fo far from being any Intimation of 
 an angelick Nature, united to the Human ^ that 
 the facred Writer oppofeth ,this lafl: to the 
 former, infifting upon the perfect Samenefs 
 of hisNature witliOur'3, to the total Exclufion 
 of any other, than that truly and pcrfedly 
 Divine Nature, whereby he was rendered 
 perfect in his Mediation. 
 
 3. It is In this relped:, vix, the Huma?iity 
 
 of Chrifl Jefus, that we view him exalted 
 
 at the right Hand of God, as the Reward of 
 
 his oerfed: Obedience, a Reward, not prior 
 
 (which it would be mod Inconfiflent to fup- 
 
 pofe) but fuhfequent to his Suffering in cur 
 
 Nature. For, if he w^as exalted to the Glory 
 
 alone, which he had before, to that fame 
 
 Dignity, which he is fuppofed to have ever 
 
 held under the Supreme Being, the Scriptures 
 
 would not have fet it forth to us as an In- 
 
 flance 
 
1 84 Of the Human 'Nature of Chriji, 
 fiance of divine Juftice, in rewarding that 
 Virtue and Piety, which flood the Tell of the 
 fevered Trials, His perfed Obedience, in 
 that Cafe, would have met with no Reward 
 peculiar to itfelf j Nor, would the Glory of his 
 Affumption into Heaven, have encouraged 
 his Difciples to follow him through Tribula- 
 tion and Diilrefs, if they confidered it not 
 conferred on their Mafter as a Reward of his 
 Fidelity in doing his Father's Will. For his 
 Sufferings and Death, for the Sake of Truth, 
 he was crowned with Glory, which he had 
 before with liis Father, being referved for him 
 from the Foundation of the World, but which 
 he reaped ?,ot till the Time appointed of the 
 Father. 
 
 Jesus Chrifl, therefore, our Mediator, was 
 pcrfed Man, of " a reafonable Soul and hu- 
 '' man Flcdi fubfifllng." This Dccflrine is 
 
 agreeable, 
 
Of the Human Nature of Chrif!. 1 8^ 
 agreeable, we find, to the unlverfal Tenour of 
 facred Writ. It confifts with the Account 
 given by the Evangehfls of the IncarnatioUy 
 with their Defcription of Chrift from his 
 Birth to the Time of his public Mlnijiration^ 
 with the Account of his whole Depcrtment 
 from that Time, more particularly, under the 
 Weight of Siifferifig ; with the Account of his 
 Deathy ReJurreBio?2, the M:inifeftation of 
 himfelf afterwards^ to T'homns more particu- 
 larly, and his AfTamption into Heaven, the 
 Reward of his Suffering in our Nature. The 
 whole Doflrine of the Atonement as laid 
 down by the Apoftles, goes on the fame fup- 
 pofiticn, viz \ That he was truh Man, whofe 
 Obedience as fuch was perfedt, and the infinite 
 Merits of which gained him that high Pre- 
 eminence, of being made a Prince and a Savi- 
 our to all that confide in him. 
 
 B b W& 
 
1 86 Of the Human Nature of Chriji, 
 
 We may therefore fafely oppofe the ge- 
 neral Tenour of Scripture on this Head to 
 the few Texts brought by the Ariam in Sup- 
 port of their Tenet, " That our Mediator 
 " had a Sort of middle Nature between the 
 " Divine and the Human Nature." I have 
 already remarked, * that this Notion is 
 grounded chiefly on fuch Texts, as relate to 
 his htvc^gfcnt from God, or coming down from 
 Heaven into the Worlds and fhewn that they 
 have miftaken thofe Texts in fuppoflng the 
 Mifiion fpoken of to refer to fome Time 
 prior to his Entrance on his Public Miniftry-f-. 
 The other Texts, from whence they would 
 deduce this Opinion, are but few, and on a 
 fair and impartial View of them, as they ftand 
 conneded with their Contexts and the general 
 
 Tenour 
 
 * 5cim- I. pag. 6. f I-ogos. pag. 89. et Seq, 
 
Of the Human Nature of Cbrift, 1 87 
 
 Tenour of Scripture, will appear foreign to 
 the Doctrine they are brought to fupport. 
 
 One of thefe is in the eighth Chapter of 
 St. Paul's firft Epiflle, at the fixth Verfc. But 
 to us there is hut One God the Father^ of ivhom 
 are all Things and we in hitn, a^d One L'.rd 
 yefus Chrift, by ivhom are all Thijigs, and "ive 
 by him. This PaiTage is thought to relate to 
 the firfl: Formation of a!lThin2:s, the Creation 
 of the Heavens and the Earth, which the 
 Arians attribute, indeed, to the Will of God, 
 but fuppofe, that Jefus Chriil: was the Agent 
 under him, being himfelf firfl; created. But, 
 
 I. Such a Suppofition is not at all con- 
 fulent with the Mofaick Account of the Crea- 
 tion, from which we learn, that all Things 
 were created by the immediate Power of God, 
 without the Intervention of any fuchaBeing. 
 B b 2 Cod 
 
-1 88 Of the Human 'Nature of Chrifl, 
 
 Gc^fpake, and all Things ftood forth. God 
 faidy let there be Light, afid there was Light* 
 This is the Language of Scripture concerning 
 the Creation ; Nor arc we ever given to un- 
 derftand, that God firfl: created a Being, of a 
 very exalted Nature, and then ^^ him the 
 Heavens and the Earth. 
 
 2. Such a Notion doth not comport v^^ith 
 the Defign of the Apoftle in this Place. So 
 far from labouring to convince his Converts, 
 that the Creation of the outward Frame of 
 Thins;s was effedted by the Agency of any 
 Being inferior to God, he endeavours to dii- 
 fuade them from holding any fuch Dodlrine, 
 which might tally indeed with their former 
 Profeffion, but vvas inconfiftent with their- 
 new Faith. Before they were ceated anew 
 by Chrift Jefus, they had Gods ?na?i\\ and 
 Xjords many. But the Apoflle reminds them 
 
 of 
 
Of the Human Nature ofChriJi. 189 
 
 of their new Faith, new Creation by Chrift 
 Jefus, whereby they were brought to the 
 Knowledge of God. Him alone therefore 
 they (hould now acknowledge ; For to them 
 there was now but One God, cf whom were all 
 Things, that is, all this Change and Renova- 
 tion of Things ; and One Lord or Mafler yefus 
 Chriji^ by whom all Things were, and they by 
 kirn, that is, by whofe Mediation all this was 
 brought about, viz» That they fhould become 
 the Sons of God. And, 
 
 3. This is agreeable to the Apoftle's Man- 
 ner of exprefling himfelf in other Places. 
 Thus, in the firfl Chap.':cr of this Epiflle, at 
 the thirtieth Verfe, he faith, But of Him are 
 ye in Chrijl Jefus, who of God is made unto us 
 JViJdom and Right eoiifiiefs, and SanBijication 
 and 'Redemption. And again, in the fifth 
 Chapter of the fecond Epiflle, at the feven- 
 
 teenth 
 
J ^o Of the Human Nai we of Chrijl. 
 teenth Verfe, Jf any Man be in Chrijl he is a 
 new Creature. Old Thingi are paffcd away j 
 behold all Things are become new. And all 
 Things are of God who hath reconciled us to 
 himfelf by Jefus Chrijl » Thus it is apparent, 
 that ihe Creation oi all Things by Chrift Jefus 
 relates to the new Creation, ili^JpiritualVoV' 
 raation or Renovation of Things according to 
 the Gofpel Conflitution. And, although it is 
 faid, A.11 Things are by Chrifl Jefus, yet the 
 Apoftle intends not to include the outward 
 Frame and Conflitution of Things, the na^ 
 /ar^/ Heavens and Earth, but thofe Things 
 only which relate to his prefent Subjed, viz. 
 the Mediation of Chrift, which had introduced 
 a new Syflem of Religion. 
 
 This Confideration will ferve to explain 
 another PafTage adduced by the ^r/^;;j, and 
 redify the Interpretation given of it. PFhj 
 
 created 
 
Of the Human Nature of Chrifi. i g r 
 created all things by Jefus Chriji. Eph, iii. 9, 
 That the natural Creation, or outward Frame 
 of Things, is not meant here, is extremely 
 plain from this, viz. That all thefe Thijigs 
 which are faid to be created^ are reprefented 
 as not exifting, not produced, but lying hid 
 •n God //// the Coming of Chrift, which was 
 long after the Heavens and the Earth were 
 created. 'Jhat we JJjould preach among the 
 Gentiles the unfearchabk Riches of Chrifi • and 
 to make ail Men fie ^ what is the Fellcivfiip of 
 the Myfteryy which from the Beginning oj the 
 World hath been hid in God, who created AH 
 (for Co ■rrcLvl^ maybe rendered) by JeJusChriJl. 
 The Subjed:, on which the Apoftle is writ- 
 ing, is plainly the Gofpel-Ccfijiitution, called 
 here, a Myjlery^ on account of its being hid in 
 God before the Coming of ChriH:, by whom 
 it was revealed. By all ^Things, therefore, is 
 here meant all thfe Things, which came to 
 
 pafs 
 
192 Of the Human Nature of Chriji* 
 pafs through the Mediation of Chrift, thofe 
 unfearchable Riches of Chrift, ©f which the 
 Gentiles were now made Partakers, according 
 to the eternal Purpofe^ (as it follows in the 
 Verfe but one below) uhich he purpofed in 
 Chrijl Jefus our Lord. What the Almighty 
 purpofed in Chrift Jefus was our Salvation, 
 or a new Creation of all things under the 
 Gofpel-Difpenfation, and not the o/(i Creation 
 or Formation of the outward and vifible 
 World. 
 
 It is this Manner of fpeaking concerning 
 the Mediation of Chrift, viz. in Allufion to 
 the Creation, which has occafioned the like 
 Error of Interpretation in the following Paf- 
 fage out of the fame Writer. Pf'ho is the 
 Image of the i?ivifible God, the fir(l born of 
 every Creature j jor by him were all Things cre- 
 ated that are in Heaven^ and that are in the 
 
 Earth, 
 
()f the Human Nature of Chrift. \ 9^ 
 
 Earthj vijible and invijible^ whether they be 
 thrones y or Domi?2ions, or Principalities^ or 
 Powers y all Tubings were created by him andjor 
 him ', and he is bejore all things j and by him 
 all things co?ififlj Col. i. 15. This Repre- 
 sentation of the Pre-eminenee of Jefus Ghrifl 
 is fuppofed to refer to that Dignity, which 
 he is thought to have had under God, in a 
 prior State of Exigence, and his being em- 
 ployed by the Almighty in creating theWorld. 
 But, that the Creation here fpoken of is not 
 that of the outward Frame of the World, ef- 
 fected by Ch rift as the /r/?-of Creatures, but 
 the new Creation according to the Gofpel- 
 Conftitution j and that it was cfFecfled by him 
 as Man, will appear 
 
 I. From the Connection which this Puf' 
 fage has with what precedes and fol- 
 lows it. 
 
 C-e 2. Fpom 
 
194 Of the Human Nature of Chrijl, 
 
 2. From the Reafon affigned by the A-' 
 poftle for his being the Firft-born from 
 the Dead. And 
 
 3. From the Expreffion made ufe of 
 by the Apoftle at the feventeenth Verfe, 
 viz. That by him all things confift. 
 
 For the Firft. 
 
 The ApoHle, ,in the Verfe immediately 
 preceding this Paffage, Ipeaks of Chrifl. in re- 
 ference to his Mediatorial Office. In whoniy 
 fays he, 'we have Redemption thrcmh his Bloody 
 even the Fcrgivcncfs of Sins. And, in 
 the Verfe immediately following this Paf- 
 fage, he fpeaks of him as placed at the Head 
 of the Church. fFho is the Beginm?2g^ the Fir/l- 
 bornfrom the Dead. Nov/, is it reafon able to 
 fuppofe, that the Apoflle has written fo inco- 
 herently 
 
Of tlj€ Human Nature of Cbrifi, i n - 
 herently, that, while he was treatino- of our 
 Saviour's Merits in redeeming us by his Blood 
 ^nd, m confequence thereof, his Exaltation 
 to Glory, he fliould infert a Docflrine no way 
 conned^ed with the one or the other, either 
 with his Z)t'j//6, mentioned in the Verfe pre- 
 ceding, or with \i\%Re[ur reel 1071^ mentioned 
 in the Verfe following this PafTage?. Is it at 
 all likely, that he (hould, fl.irt, as it were, io 
 Suddenly from his Subjed", ^iz. our Redemp- 
 tion by the Blood of Chrift, to inform us, 
 that he was the firft Creature in the World» 
 who created all other Things, and tl>en'refume 
 his Subject, and tsll u?, that God Iwd ex- 
 alted thi^rSiifferer, raifin? him from the Dead 
 ^nd conflituting him the Head of the 
 Church? But, 
 
 2. This would not only be an cgregioq^ 
 
 Incoherence in Writing, but a manifert; In- 
 
 C c 2 confiflency. 
 
196 Of the Human Nature of Chrift, 
 
 conflilency. For, if we fo underftand thefc 
 Words, All things ni'ere created by kirn and far 
 him ; and he is before all things y as referring 
 to his Pre-eminence, in a prior State of Ex- 
 iftence, above all Creatures, being himfelf 
 the FirJ}^ how are we to underftand the A- 
 poflle, when he faith, in the very next Verfe, 
 that Chrifl was the Firfl-born from the Dead^ 
 that he might have the Pre-eminence in all 
 things ? Could this give him greater Pre-emi- 
 nence than he is fuppofed to have had be- 
 fore f \^''as it not faid, that all things 'u:ere 
 created by hifn and for him^ and he is be^ 
 fore all things'^ How then was he raifedfrom 
 the Dead, that he might have the Pre-emi- 
 neiice ? 
 
 The Truth is the Creation here fpoken 
 of is the fame with that we have before 
 Qonfidered, '■ciz. that new and fpiritual Crea^ 
 
 tion 
 
Of the Hufjwn Nature ofChriJl, ig-j 
 tlon or Renovation of all Things, which was 
 brought about by our rvlcdiator, the Man 
 Chrift Jefus. He undertook to reconcile ug 
 unto God, and, to this End, falrered in our 
 Nature, extreme Pain, Ignominy, and, at 
 laft, Death itfelf-, in Recompence for which 
 unreferved Obedience to the Will of his Fa- 
 ther, God raifed him from the Dead, and 
 placed him at the Head of the Church, giv- 
 ing him the Pre-eminence in all things. Thus 
 underflanding It, there is both Coherence and 
 Confidence in the Apoftle's Account of 
 Chrift's Dignity and Pre-eminence. 
 
 IN Chrifl^ he had faid, n.ve have Redemp- 
 iion through his Blood. He then goes on to 
 fpeak of his Dignity after Death, and incon- 
 fequence of his Suffering for our Sakcs; and 
 he reprefents him as crowned for this with 
 creat Glory and Power, (liling him the hnage 
 
198 Of the Human Nature of Chrlji, 
 of the Invifihle GoJ, at the Head of the wholb 
 Creation. For fo ^^o-Hf yS^iazc^i fliould bs 
 rendered, and not en)ery Creature, And 
 what further fliews that he fpeaks here of 
 his Exaltation after Death, and not of his 
 Glory in a prc-exiftent State, the Apoflle 
 cxprefTeth himfelf by the Word '7r^ta\o^tKCi,FirJi' 
 born ; alluding evidently enough to his Re- 
 furredion from the Dead. So that it was 
 the Man Chrift Jefus, even he whom God 
 raifed from the Dead, and not an Angela cr 
 Xh^firfl of created Beings, that was placed 
 at the Head of this new Syftem of Things, 
 which was all framed by him and for him 3 
 that is, fo that it (hould be his, under his 
 Diredion and Government, by whom all was 
 done. Accordingly it is added, 
 
 ;. And by him all things consist. 
 
 Now, 
 
Of the Human Nature of Chrifi, 1 9 9 
 Now, it muft be allowed, that tta^I* (all 
 things) fiiould be underflood in as compre- 
 henfive a Scnfe bere^2is in the Vcrfe above.But 
 here it cannot with any Propriety be extend- 
 ed to the firft Formation of all things, having 
 a manifeft Connexion with the Verfe follow- 
 ing, and comprehending tbofe things only 
 over which Chrift is faid to be placed, ivz. 
 the Church. For the Word, c-wcjs-n=t-:, (con- 
 fifts) implies that all things were compaBed, 
 and pat together by him, fo as to make one 
 Body or Buildijig. By all things^ therefore, 
 muft be meant all the Parts or Metnbcrs ot 
 the Church, v/hich, being compared and fit- 
 ly framed one to another by Jefas Chrift, are 
 called by the Apoftle a Body ^ and of this 
 Body, even the Churchy Chrift is tljc Head, 
 JVho is the Begimiing, the Firft-born {■r^^J',o'^,o.:ct 
 the fame Word that was ufcd at the i6th 
 Verfe) from the Dead, that in all things U 
 
 niioihc 
 
200 Of the Human Nature ofChrtfl. 
 might have the Pre-eminence. For it pJeafed 
 the Father that in him fiould all Fulnefs dwell. 
 A?id (having made Peace through the Blood of 
 his Crofs) to reconcile all things unto himfelf-, by 
 him (I fay) whether they be things in Earth or 
 things in Heaven, Here again, you fee, all 
 things tr^tv']* cannot relate to the outward 
 Frame of things, although it be faid. Whether 
 they be 'Things in Earth or Things in Heaven ', 
 becaufe they are reprefented as effeded and 
 formed by ihcMediation of Chrift,and through 
 the Blood of his Crofs ; whereas the iirft For- 
 mation of all things, as of the Sun, Moon 
 and Stars, in the natural Heavens, or, of Ani- 
 mals, Vegitablcs andFoffils, in t,he Earth, is 
 never reprefented as coming to p^fs by the 
 Efficacy of the Cro/} of Chrift, JefusChrift, 
 therefore, is, in this Paflage, fpoken of in 
 Reference to his hunian Nature, even as that 
 Man who fhcd his Blood upon the Crofs, and 
 
 by 
 
Of tie Human Nature of Chrifl- 2 o i 
 by whom, ralfed from the Dead, God is novv 
 governing the Church Univerfal thus pur- 
 chafed. 
 
 There is but one Text more, which, I 
 think, can be urged, with any Plaufihility, in 
 Favour of the Dodtrine, " That Jefus Chrifl is 
 *' the firft of all created Beings, who created 
 *' all others.'* This is in Heb.i^ ij2, 3. As 
 it is circumftanced, however, much like the 
 laft PafTage we have been confidering, there 
 is no Occafion to enter into an Ejtaminatioii 
 of it. What has been faid of /to, will fervc 
 to illuftrate the Senfe of this, and to refute 
 the above-mentioned Dodlrinc inferred from 
 it. 
 
 I SHALL conclude with two Obfervations 
 
 refpedting the Dodrine laid down by the 
 
 Apoflle, viz, That there is hut One Mediator 
 
 between God and Men, the Man Chriji Jffis. 
 
 D d J. OvK 
 
2 z Of the Human Nature of Chri/l, 
 
 I. Our Faith reils upon the firmeft Foun- 
 dation, and what will fupport it to the lateft 
 Aees, 'viz. on the PfWd of God and the 
 Power of the moji Highy manifefting himfelf 
 in the Fkp^ that is, by the Man Chrift Jefus 
 The World could not be impofed upon by 
 this.Method of Revelation. It carries not the 
 Air of a Vifionary Delufion. We are prefented 
 with an Obje(51: of 3enfe and not a Creature of 
 the Imagination, A Man a-vSpa^of, One whofe 
 Birth, daily Suftenance, Sufferings and Death, 
 witnefled the common Condition of Huma- 
 nity, himfelf teilifying the fame, with an in- 
 genious Acknowledgment of an utter Inabi- 
 lity to do any Thing oi himfelf -j This Perfon, 
 I fay, calls upon the World to believe in the 
 One true God, as manifefted in him. There 
 could be no Unrighteoifnefs in him, that is, 
 no Deceit or Defign to impofe on the Credu- 
 lity 
 
Of the Human Nature of Chrif. 203 
 
 lity of Mankind, li^ho fou'^lt 7Kt bis o-.in 
 Glory but the Glory of hi?n that fent him. He 
 did not, in fpeaking o{ himfffy pretend to 
 greater Abilities or more enlarged Faculties, 
 than other Men. He did not call upon the 
 World to believe hin) to be an Angela or fomc 
 fuperior jinite Spirit incarnate only for a 
 While. When accufcd of this by the Jews, 
 through a Mifanderftanding or Pervtrfion of 
 his Expreflions, he immediately exculpated 
 himfelf, difclaiming any fuch Pretenfions ». 
 
 Let us then put ourfclvcs i;i the Situation 
 of his Hearers, and the Spectators of his 
 Works, and confider, what EfTe(ft the Sl<;h.t 
 of Miracles, and yet, our hearing him, tl~t.it 
 wrought them, acknowledge the lame Na- 
 ture with us, muft have liad iiron u?. Ko 
 doubt, the very fame Eftec!:! which it hjd on 
 
 NicodemuSj who thus exprclTcd his CcPivic- 
 D d 2 ti m 
 
 * Vi(i. Dinerlaion concerr.i 'g the Lo^'s j v. !iat has 
 been there iaiJ on Ciiap. vi. 32, iS: ilnj. 
 
£04 Of the Human Nature of Chriji. 
 
 tlon of the Divinity which manifefted itfelf 
 in the Flep, ]So Man can do thefe Miracles 
 that thou deft, except GoA be with him. The 
 Vifion of an heavenly Hoft dividing the Ele- 
 mencs afimder, and prefenting itfelf in full 
 Splei dour to mortal View, proclaiming with 
 ^ Voice of Thunder the Behefts of the Al- 
 mighty, might more affed; the Imagination^ 
 but could not fo efFcdtually convince the 
 '^U{^g7nent, nor reach fo intimately theUnder- 
 flaiiLliii^ and Reaibn of Men, as the Divinity 
 vcilirg itielf in our Humanity, and accom- 
 modated (if I may be allov/cd theExpreffioq) 
 to the Nature of Man. In fhcrt; Set the 
 Imagination to Vv^ork ■ frame every polTible 
 Method of revesline the V\^ill of God to 
 Mankind, and you v^ill find yourfelves un- 
 able to fix upon any that would be fo well 
 adapted, either, to convince Men of the 
 Truth of Religion, or, to endear it to their 
 
 Mindsj 
 
Of the Human Nature af Chrlft, 205 
 Minds, and enforce thePradice of it, as that 
 which hath taken Place. Nay rather, Chrif- 
 tians, inftead of fo fruitlefs a Search, fufFer 
 me to exhort you to employ that Time in con- 
 templating the Wifdom and Goodnefs of 
 God, in thus condefcendingto our imperfed: 
 Natures, and revealing himfelf unto us, not, 
 as of old, in Fire and Blacknefs and Tem- 
 peft, but in the milder Diiplay of that Grace 
 and Mercy which came by Jejus ChrijL 
 
 2. I BEG leave to obferve, that the Doc- 
 trine concerning the Manhood of Chrift Jefus, 
 in his Mediatorial Office, Is of great Impor- 
 tance towards the Maintenance of the true 
 Faith and WorOiip refpeding the Dhinity 
 which wrought in Him. For, if we can fup- 
 pofe that tills was not /)^r/>^ God, but a 
 Creature of an angelic Nature, even the firft 
 pf the Creation, we Hiall be in Danger of 
 
 con- 
 
2o6 Of the Human Nature of Cbrijl. 
 
 conforming our religious Adorations to fuch a 
 Sentiment. I mean not to accufe, or throw 
 out an unfavourable Reflexion upon, any 
 Denomination of Chriftians. Nor do I take 
 upon me to allert, that they, who hold and 
 contend for Chrift's Inferiority to the Father 
 jn a pre-exiftent State, entertain that Notion 
 any othervvife than as a Matter of Speculation. 
 This, however, it but becomes me to do,i;/^. 
 to warn you of any Danger which I appre- 
 hend to lie in this Tenet, apparently Incon- 
 fiflent with the general Tenour of Scripture ; 
 and, under this Apprehenlion, the more 
 ftrongly to recommend to your.Ejfieem the 
 great Care, which the Compilers of our Li- 
 turgy have taken, that this Danger may be 
 avoided. For, whatever diJiinElion we are 
 taught to make of the Perfons of the Father, 
 the Son,and theHolyGhoft,we are moft care- 
 fully warned againft the Dhi /ion of the God- 
 head 
 
Of the Human Nature ofChrift, 207 
 head j and all our Devotions are addrefled to 
 One and they^w^God, through the Mediation 
 of Chrift Jefus, agreeably to the whole Te- 
 nour of Scripture, and, particularly, to the 
 Dodrine laid down in the plaineft Terms in 
 my Text, That there is but One God and 
 One Mediator between God and Men^ the 
 Man Chriji Jefns. 
 
 Now, to the only wife God, our Creator, 
 Redeemer and Sandlifier, he afcribed allPraifi 
 and Glory t World without End. Amen, 
 
THE 
 
 Proper Ufe of Reason 
 
 I N 
 
 Judging of Revealed Doctrines, 
 
 Applied particularly to the 
 
 Dodlrine of the Church of ENGLAND 
 
 CONCERNING THE 
 
 TRINITY. 
 
 Job. XI. 7. 
 
 Canfi thou by fearching Ji?2d cut God? Canjt 
 thoufiid cut the Almighty unto FerJeBion F 
 
 T D O net fee why the Quellion, as it is put 
 -®- in the former Claufc of the Text, may not 
 be anfwercd, even by the moft modefl En- 
 quirer after Truth in the Affirmative. But 
 E e 2 then 
 
212 No Danger from a National hiquiry 
 
 then by, finding out God, mufl be underftood 
 the Dilcpvery of a iirft Caufe in general, or, 
 in other Words, that there is fome fuperior 
 Intelligence to that of Man, which made and 
 fuperintends all Things. Indeed, the Proofs 
 hereof are fo numerous, and they lie fo ob- 
 vious to the Senfe and Reafon of Mankind, 
 that, without the groffeil: Negled: or Abufe of 
 both, no Man can well overlook them. Should 
 any One, therefore, profefs a doubt, concern- 
 ins: the Exiftence of a God, it would be but a 
 reafonabie Reproach upon his extreme Inat- 
 tention, or Perverfion of his Underflanding, to 
 refer him to the Brute Creation in the Lan- 
 guage of Holy Job -y Ajk f20w the Beafls, and 
 they JJjall teach thee ; and the Fowls of the Air^ 
 a7?d the'<i JJjall tell thee : Or^ fp^ak to the 
 Earth, a?2d it JJcall ^each thee ; and the Fiflies 
 of the Sea, /JmII declare unto thee, JIIjo knoiveth 
 not; in all thcje, that the Hand of the Lord hath 
 
 ivrought 
 
 \ 
 
Concerning tbe Divinity. 2I3 
 
 wrought this ? In whofe Hand is the Soul of 
 every Uving Thing, and the Breath of all Ma?:- 
 kind. Job. xii. 7, 
 
 The Being of a God, then, is difcoverable 
 by the Light of Nature, or, the Exercife of 
 our rational Powers. We may gofomething 
 farther j and, without offending againft Mo- 
 delly, fo far afTert the Dignity of our Nature, 
 as to expedl, upon a diligent and ferious Ap- 
 phcation of the Faculties of the Mind, to form 
 fome juft Conclufions and worthy Apprehen- 
 fions concerning the Divine Nature, Perfec- 
 tions and Providence. What the wifeft and 
 moft knowing among Men, however, can by 
 their deepeft Refearches colledt of the infinite 
 Mind, is too Inconfiderable to allov^' to hu-» 
 man Nature, a Claim to the Ability of finding 
 put the Almighty to Pcrfe5lion» 
 
 But 
 
214 ^^^ Danger Jrom a 'Rational Inquiry 
 
 But what then? — Shall we be difcouraged 
 from purfuing our Enquiries into a Subjedl 
 the mofl worthy of them? — Shall we be con- 
 tent to remain in a total Ignorance of our 
 Maker, or, what is flill worfe, under flilfe 
 and unworthy Notions of Him, becaufe we 
 cannot know AlU — -If what has been faid by 
 fome timid, fe.rvile Thinkers, but bold and 
 free Declaimers againfl: human Knowledge 
 were j'jil, this, without doubt, would be our 
 Duty. We {liould have nothing to do but to 
 believe on, and rcfl fatisfied with our prefent 
 Opinions, whatever they are, and however 
 vvc Ijave come by them. Bat can we think 
 this the Duty of a reafonable Being ? Or, (liall 
 we not indignantly rcjedfuch unjufi: Reflec- 
 tions upon thofe Powers Vvhich God has given 
 usi---Evcry ikife Man muft needs reject them, 
 in til at they arc not only falfe and fcanda- 
 
 lows 
 
Co?icerni?ig the Divi?jity. 21c 
 
 lous, but cannot be admitted without D.mger 
 of Impofition in Matters of the greatefl Con- 
 cernment to us, refpeding both our Comfort 
 here, and our Salvation hereafter. 
 
 Is there no D-inger then, it may be ajfked, 
 on the other Hand ? — Are we quite fafe, under 
 the Condudl of our limited Reafon, on a Sub- 
 je<fl that knows no Bounds ? — May we tru/l 
 ourfelves on this vaft Ocean, in the Cmall 
 Bark of human Underftanding, with perfe(5l 
 Security from Danger ? — Is there no fear of 
 making Shipwrack of our Faith ? Of being 
 drivers by the rough Storms of Paflion, on the 
 Shoals and Quickfands of Error, or, caftaway 
 under the Steerage of vain Conceit, on the 
 wafte and comfortlefs Coafl of Scepticifm and 
 Infidelity? — Yes truly — It muft be owned, 
 there is great Danger. But this is no good 
 Reaion for dropping our Enquiries, though 
 
 it 
 
211 6 No Danger from a "Rational Liquiry 
 it certainly ought to check our Prefiunption, 
 It fhould not damp our Zeal for the Truth, 
 but only make us cautious in the Purfuit of it. 
 Far from fuppreffing the Voice of Reafon, we 
 fhould encourage and promote its Influence, 
 by clearing away thofe Paffions and Prepof- 
 feffions, which obftrudt its Progrefs, darken 
 the Underftanding, and fo often, by engaging 
 the Mind on the Side of Vice, pervert its Fa- 
 culties to the Purpofe of Error. 
 
 The Danger arifes not from the Ufe of 
 our reafonable Faculties, but from the Difufe 
 of them, or, from exercifing them under the 
 allowed Predominancy of Pafiion and Preju- 
 dice. And let me add, that they may be as 
 freely and fecurely exercifed on the Subjed: 
 before us, as they may on the plaineil Doc- 
 trines of Chriflianity. Nay, the more in- 
 tricate and myfterious the Dodrine of the fa- 
 
 cred 
 
Concerning the Dinjiriity. 2 1 7 
 
 crcd Trinity is fuppofed to be, the greater 
 Gare fhould be taken to fecure the Mind from 
 Impofition. And the Way to do this is, not 
 furely to take every thhig for granted, that is 
 told lis about it, and to brieve it in aiiy Senfe 
 that any One may pleafe to put upon it, {(o 
 indeed we mufl believe Contradidtion itfelfj) 
 but, to ufe our own bell: Judgment, and abide 
 by that which appears moil reafonable. 
 
 Nor will it matter to fay, '' That the 
 *' Dodrine itfelf is abfolutely Incomprehen^ 
 " fible^ and, therefore, that Reafonhd^s nothing 
 ^* to do with it." For, let us fee whither fuch 
 an Argument Would carry us ?— If we are not 
 to ufe our beft Judgrrient, or, in other Words, 
 (for the Thing is the fame) to exiTcife the 
 Faculty of Rcafm in Dodrines which are 
 efteemed myfierious, but mufl: embraee them 
 with a mofl cordial and implicit Faith, it fo!- 
 F f ^ lows, 
 
21^ No Danger from a 'Rational Inquiry 
 
 lows, that the Doflrine of T^ranjuhflantlatlon 
 has good Right to our Faith. And thus we 
 land on Popery, trufting to thofe very Ar- 
 o-uments forour Guides, which are fent us by 
 the Church of Rome to pilot us, left with- 
 out our true Compafs, through the dark Roads 
 of Superflition, into the Haven of all Manner 
 of Mjjiery and Iniquity. 
 
 I AM well aware, that there may be Doc- 
 trines which we are bound to belisve on the 
 Foot of Revelation, and which una[fified Rea- 
 fon could never have difcovered. And fuch 
 is the Dodrine of the 'trinity- I am far from 
 pleading the Caufe of thofe ra{h and preuimp- 
 tuous Speculatiils, who reject every Thing 
 which Reafon without Revelation would not 
 have fuggefted, or, is not able to account for, 
 ijohy it (l:iould be, or, how it can be. This is 
 
 Rajhicf-, and not Reafon. And it is the over- 
 weening 
 
CoJicerning the Divinity, 2 1 gi 
 
 weening Prefumption of thefe Magnifiers of 
 their own Abilities, with the fad EtTcd of [t^ 
 (Infidelity and the Contempt of every thing 
 efteemed facrcd) which has brought the Ui'e 
 of our Reafon in Matters of Religion fo much 
 into Difcredit. Men of found Senfe and Judg- 
 ment can defpife fuch a Condudt, and pity 
 them for the dangerous Confequences of their 
 Vanity. But no wonder, really, that weaker 
 MindSj taking Offence at their infojent Man- 
 ner of treating Revelation, Hiould become 
 difgufted with that Reafon, which thefe vain 
 Pretenders to it, make them furpe(ffc to be 
 at Enmity with all Religion. They may 
 not ealily diftlnguifli between Kcafon and 
 'Rcafoning^ The former always accords with 
 Truth ; the latter may be employed for or 
 ogainji it. So that we can fay of a Man's 
 Reafoningy that he reafons right, cr, that he 
 
 rea- 
 
220 No Danger from a Rational hiquiry 
 
 reafoiis ^jorong^ and is miftaken. But we can 
 never fay of him, who has Reafon en his lide, 
 that b-" is in the wrong. This is conflituted 
 Judge as it were of the other. A Man, in 
 reaibiii ng, may be r^.Hcd by going upon 
 falfe Premifes \ or he n- y make a v\ r- ng In- 
 ference frcxii true Premifes. In both Cafes, 
 his Reajoring will be erroneous ; And if he 
 rely upon his Conclufions, as folid, merely, 
 becaule they havj been made by his rea-^ 
 fomng Talent, he ads quite contrary to 
 Reafon, 
 
 Oftentimes, therefore, they are mifta- 
 
 ken for extolling ReafoUy who mean only to 
 
 extol their own Talent at Reafcmng. And 
 
 we may be allured of it, that thofe People 
 
 always mean this, who rejed a Dodrine, as 
 
 falfe or abfurd, becaufe they are not able to 
 
 prove 
 
Concerning the Divinity. 22 r 
 
 prove it by natural Arguments without the 
 Authority of facred Scripture. For, if a Re- 
 velation be given to Men, it v/ere abfurd to 
 fuppofe, that it con rains nothing but what 
 might cafily have been known b\ the Light 
 of Nature. And, iherefo'-e, •^-j reject a Doc- 
 trine as unworthy to be received, merely, be- 
 caufe it refts on fupernatural Authorli.y, is 
 highly iinreajonable. And, whatever Enco- 
 miums they may pleafe to pafs on i?£'^«, they 
 follow not its Didtate in this Inflance, but 
 the Vanity of their own Minds ; and the 
 Compliment muft only be meant for their 
 fuperior Underflanding. 
 
 The Sum of what has been faid then is 
 
 this. That it is our Duty to inform ourfelves 
 
 of the Nature and Evidence of the Dodrines 
 
 which we profefs to believe : But, at the 
 
 fame 
 
22 2 No l)anger from a Rational Inquiry 
 fame time, that our Abilities in reafoning of 
 them fliould not be made the Heft of their 
 Truth or Falfliood, exclufive of Scripture 
 Authority. 
 
 To apply this to that great Dodrine of our 
 Church, which we have endeavoured to e- 
 vince in the foregoing Lecftures ; Let us fee, 
 how far it may be the Subjed: of our Confi- 
 deration, and may demand the Exertion of 
 our rcafonable Facuhies. And alfo on what 
 Frinciples the Objedions to it are generally 
 grounded. 
 
 1. First then, it can never be deemed un- 
 fealbnable to confider, on what Authority our 
 Faith in the Doclnne of the T^rinity fliould 
 reil. Now, as it is confefTed on all hands 
 to be of fuch a Nature, that Reafon unaflifted 
 by Revelation could not have difcovered it, 
 
 W8 
 
Concenii?2g th Dmm'ty* 223 
 
 we mud have Recourfe to the facred Scrip- 
 tures for the Proof of it. In tJxm we mud 
 fearch, if we now doubt, whether there 
 be any^ and what Foundation there is for it. 
 We are not to reft fatisfied with what i^fiy one 
 Man, 2iYiy Body oi Men, nay, anyone Church 
 afferts, but what the Scripture^ the Didate 
 of the Holy Spirit, and the Foundation of all 
 the Churches, which name the Name oiC/jri/it 
 hasaiTerted. 
 
 2. But fince, in fearching even the Scrip- 
 ture, we may be drawn afide from the Truth 
 by Prejudice, or unable, thvd' want cj- Lear n^ 
 ing and a critical Knowledge of the Original^ 
 to fee it clearly, and as it may hereafter be 
 more fully known, it becomes us to divell 
 ourfelves of the^r/?, and to fuller the Confi- 
 deration of the to^rto keep us modeft, and 
 make us content to receive peaceably and 
 
 thank- 
 
224 No Danger from a Rational Inquiry 
 thankfully fo much Light, as it hath pleafed 
 providence to give us, without arrogantly 
 difputing againft the Faith of others. And, 
 
 3. Because the Terms ufed by the 
 Church in expreffing this Dodtrine have 
 been underftood differently, by very emi- 
 nent Defenders of it themfelves, it be- 
 comes us, inftead of haflily rejeding it as un- 
 fcriptural, to examine carefully into the true 
 Senfe and Meaning of the Church, and be 
 very fure, before we find fault with, that v/e 
 undcrftand her AfTertions concerning it. This 
 is net vainly to pry into a Myjier\\ and to try 
 our Strength of Underftanding in fomething 
 that doth not belong to us to know. For, 
 however deep and unfathomable the SubjeSi 
 itfelf of theDodrine is, <viz. the Divi?2e Be- 
 tjjgy ytifomuch, as is propofed to our Belief, 
 may be underflood, or, we believe, we know 
 
 not 
 
CoJicerning the Divinity, 225 
 
 not what. We cannot know, whether It be 
 agreeable, either, to Reafon or Scripture^ if 
 we have no Meaning, nor affix any determi- 
 nate Ideas to what we profefs to believe. Tliis 
 therefore is our Duty, to enquire into the 
 Senfe of the Church, v/hen She calls upon us 
 to hold the Catholick Faith of a T.rinity in 
 ljmty\ andU/zZ/y in 'Trinity. And, indeed, to 
 make this Enquiry, and to do it with great 
 Care, is but doing Juftice to the Church. Be- 
 caufe we may reprelcnt Ker as. maintainino 
 and requiring to be believed, a Dodrine dif- 
 ferent from, perhaps, the Reverfe of what 
 She requires us to believe, by publifhing and 
 proclaiming abroad only cur own crude and 
 miftaken Notions of this Dcdrine. 
 
 2. By what Rule, then, it may be faid, 
 
 fhall we come at the true Senfe of our 
 
 ^ Z Church 
 
2 26 No Danger from a Rational Inquiry 
 Church on this Head, if her Expreflions be 
 liable to be mifunderftood ?— I anfvver j By 
 the fame Rule that we (hould come at the 
 Meaning of any difputed Paffage cf Scrip- 
 ture 'j that is, by interpreting her Words in 
 confidence with the general Tenor and uni- 
 verfal Strain of her Liturgy as well as Ar- 
 ticles. For, whatever Acceptation of her 
 Exprefiions makes Her inconfiftent with, and 
 contradidory to Herfelf, thatmufi: be wrong, 
 and will imply what She means not to 
 affirm. 
 
 And, here, I cannot proceed w^ithout 
 cxpreffing the Regret I feel on reviewing 
 the feveral Defences of the Trinity, 
 even by the mod: eminent Divines of cur 
 Church. They appear to mc to have ex- 
 pended their ingenious Labours on the De- 
 fence 
 
Concerning the Divinity, 227 
 
 fence of the Therms and * Expre/Jions in which 
 
 this Dodtrine has been cloathed by the Com- 
 
 G g 2 piler 
 
 * And I may add, that itioft of them, in attempting 
 to defend the Exprcffions of that Creed, have cxprefled 
 themfelves much more obfcurely than the Compiler of it 
 himfelf. The following PafDige from Dr. Sherlock's 
 Vindication^ 5:c. is not the moft exceptionable of any 
 that might be produced from this Writer and his De- 
 fendcrsi 
 
 *' This fhevvs alfo, how thefe Three di{l:in£l Perfons 
 ** are each of them God, and yet are all but One God. 
 " Each Perfon is God, for each Perfon has the whole 
 " and entire Perf.«5tions of the Godhead, having by this 
 <' mutual Confcioufne's, the other Perfons in himfelf, 
 «* that each Perfon is in fome Senfe the whole Tiini'.y ; 
 " The Son is in the Father, and the F.rher in the Son, 
 ", and the Ho!y Spirit In Father and Son, ar,d Father 
 " and Son in the Hcly Spirit; and therefore if the whole 
 " Trinity be God, the Father is Go^, the Sm is God, 
 *' and the Holy Ghofl: God, they beii g ;'li mutually in 
 ** eaeh other | and yet this is a pl^in Demonflraiion, 
 ** th lit they a:e not Three (jods, but One God; be- 
 *' caufe neither of them are the Oiie Sn: rcme C^od, bat 
 *' as tlms intiuwitcly unit' d to all th. RcH ; and then 
 
 " thty 
 
228 No Danger from a Rait anal Inquiry ' 
 
 piler of the Creed, commonly called the 
 Creed of St, AthanafiuSy too much to the 
 Negledt of defending the DoBrine itfelf on 
 the plahi and undoubted Principles of the 
 Liturgy in general. Hence has arifen that 
 mutual Contradidlion and Difputation among 
 themfelves, fo much to the Difgrace, I will 
 
 *' they can be all Three, but One Supreme God : This 
 " gives an intelligible Account of one of the moft diffi- 
 ** cult Problems in all School-Divinity, which the Ma- 
 " Her of the Sentences borrowed from St. Auftin as he 
 ** has done mofl of his other Diminutions j That the 
 " whole Trinity is not greater, than any One Perfon in 
 *» the Trinity, l^his founds very harfhly at firft hearing, 
 *' and yet if v/e confider it, we muft confcfs it to be 
 '* true, unlefs we will fa/, that there is a greater and 
 " lefs in God, or that the Three Perfons in the Trinity 
 *' make One God, as Three Parts make a Whole, each 
 " of which Parts muft be lefs than the Whule j and yet 
 " I Ci'.nnot fee any pofiiblc way to underftand this 
 ** Matter, but only thit : Tn;.t the whole Trinity by a 
 " n-.utual Confcioufuefs ii> in each Peifon, and thercforg 
 " no Feribn Ls le/s than the whole Trinit}-." Sherlock's 
 f^indhutiajy Page 82. 
 
 not 
 
Concerning the Divinity . 229 
 
 not fay, of the Do(3;rine of the Trinity ; but, 
 however, to the Advantage of their common 
 Opponents, who are not only ready to take 
 the Advantage of them, but to ufe it alfo 
 againft the Dodrine itfelf and triumph in 
 it, as if they had gained fome over the 
 Church. But they have gained none here. 
 The Do(ftrine itfelf remains entire, and tho* 
 the Fences raifed about it by weak and falli- 
 ble Men, jealous of the leaft Innovation, may 
 be broken through, it is for all that perfedtly 
 fafe, being fenced about by the Strength of 
 the Almighty in Proofs of Holy Writ : For, 
 defended on the general Principles of the 
 Church of England, it will be found to be 
 perfedtly conliftent with Scripture Principles. 
 
 Having thus (hewn how far it is our Dutv 
 to enquire, and in what Manner we fliould 
 condu(fl our Enquiry into this great Dodrine, 
 
 I ffiall 
 
230 No Danger from a Rational Inquiry 
 I fhall conclude with a View of the Ground 
 on which the Objections to it are raifed, 
 giving a brief Anfwer to them. 
 
 Some then found their Objedion on this 
 Principle, That whatever is not an Objed of 
 Reafon, and cannot be proved thereby, is not 
 to be admitted for Truth. To which I an- 
 fwer ; That, if they mean by Reafon, the na- 
 tural Faculties of the human Mind, unafiifted 
 by Revelation, then no revealed Dodtrine 
 whatfoever is to be believed ; and the Doc- 
 trine of a Refurreclion to Life {lands hable to 
 the fame Objedion. If they mean that no 
 revealed Dodrine reds on fufficient Evidence, 
 and fuch as right Reafon will admit, I deny 
 the AfTertion, right Reafon always according 
 with the Dictates of Revelation. 
 
 Another Principle on v/hich the Ob- 
 jefters to the Doctrine of the Sacred Trinity 
 
 pro- 
 
Concerning the Bhinlty 2 ^ i 
 
 proceed is, That a Myflery can be no Objed: 
 of Faith. In anfwer to which it will be pro- 
 per to repeat an Obfervation before made 
 That, however deep and unfathomable the 
 *' Siibjc5l itfelf of the Dodrine is, --oiz. The 
 *' Divine Nature and Eflence (for who can 
 " by fearching find out God ?) Tet Jo much 
 *' as is propofed to our Belief may be under- 
 " flood." Properly fpeaking, therefore, the 
 Dodrine is not myftcrious, nor does the 
 Church confider it as fuch, affirming that it 
 play be proved by Scripture •, which could 
 not be done, if no determinate Idea could be 
 affixed to the Doctrine to be proved. The 
 Myftery of the Trinity confifts not in the 
 Nature of the Thing aflerted, but in the 
 Incomprehcnfibility of the Divinity concern- 
 ing whom the AiTertion is made. So that 
 ^his Objection founded on the Trinity being 
 g Myftery, is of no Weight againil: the Truth 
 
 of 
 
(23^ ^'^ Danger from a Rational Inquiry 
 of the DoBrine^ or Propofition afferted, re- 
 fpe(5ting the Divine Being, 
 
 But the laft and grand Charge brought 
 againft this Do<5trine is, That it alTerts more 
 Gods than One j a Charge, which whether 
 it proceed upon a Miftake, or a wilful Per- 
 verfion of the Church's Meaning, is not 
 eafy to determine. On One I am fure it 
 muft proceed ; and as Nothing I fhould fay, 
 however juft, in Refutation of the Charge 
 can be expeded to be v/ell received by thofe 
 that ground it on the latter j fo, with fuch Ob- 
 jefters as are under a Miflake, it may be 
 hoped it will be fufficient for their Convic- 
 tion to appeal to themfelves ; Whether that 
 Church holds a Plurality of Gods, whofe 
 Devotions are throughout the Liturgy ad- 
 drelTed to One and the fame Almighty Being, 
 in. the Name and through the Mediation of 
 I Jefus 
 
Concerning the Divinity. 233 
 
 Jefus Chrifl ; Which maketh Profefiion in 
 One of her Creeds of believing in *' Gcd 
 •• the Father Almighty, Maker of Heaven 
 *' and Earth ; And in Jefus Chrifl; his only 
 ** Son our Lord, w^o was conceived, &c." 
 In another, of " believing in One God, the 
 " Father Almighty, Maker of Heaven and 
 *' Earth, and of all Things vlfible and invi- 
 '' fible; And in One Lord Jefus Chrifl the 
 " only begotten Son of God, &:c." Which, 
 after invoking feverally the facred Perfons in 
 the TrinitV (as if forefeeing the Offence that 
 might elfd be taken, and williijg to cut off 
 all Occafion of Offence) addreffeth the holy, 
 bleifed and glorious Trinity, as " Three 
 *^ Perfuns, and 0?ie Gcd j" Which, in the 
 very Creed generally efceemed to be more ex- 
 ceptionably worded than the others, maketh 
 Comment, as it were, of her Exprefiions con- 
 cerning the Three Sacred Perfons, declaring 
 H h plainly, 
 
% 
 
 34 "No Danger jrom a Rational Inquiry 
 plainly, '' 1 hat there are r.-jt'lhree Inccm- 
 ^' prehenfibles, nor 'three Uijcreated, but 
 ^' One; That, they are not T/jr^^ Almighties, 
 ^' but O'fieJ' In fhort, '< That they arc 720t 
 " Three Gods, but One God." Whatever In- 
 tricrxy, therefore, there may be in the Terms 
 of this Doctrine exprefft-d by Trinity in 
 TJnityy and Uiiity in 'Trinity ; Nay, fuppoling 
 fomething of an Impropriety in the Ufe of 
 them, yet we cannot be at a Lofs to know 
 this, that it iG not the Intention of the Church 
 that we fhould hold any fuch Docfcrine as. the 
 Objefters rcprefent it, or any other Dodrine 
 concerning the Divinity, than what is laid 
 down in Terms plain enough in the finl x'\r- 
 ticle, 'viz, " There is but One livinp- and 
 
 o 
 
 " true God, everlaftin^, without Body, 
 *' Parts, or Paffions ; of infinite Power, 
 '' Wifdom and Goodnefs ; The Maker and 
 y Preferver of all Things both vifible and 
 
 " invifiblc; 
 
Concerning the Dhinity. 235 
 
 "" invifiblej And in Unity of this Godhead 
 ** there be Three Perfons of One SubHancc, 
 *' Power and Eternity J the Father, the Son, 
 
 '' and the Holy Ghoft." 
 
 . To ivhich One God, cirr Crcntor, Re- 
 deemer, j/7^' San(fliiicr, he ajcribed everlafting 
 P'dije. Amen. 
 
 
TWO 
 
 TRACTS. 
 
 Relating to the Doctrine 
 
 O F A N 
 
 INTEPvMEDIATE STATE, 
 
 BEING 
 
 REMARKS 
 
 O N 
 
 Mr. S T E F F E's L E T T E R 
 
 CONCERNING THE 
 
 State of the Soul after Death, 
 
 AND 
 
 His Brief Defence of the Same. 
 
 ~B . T) CN '/^^" Son , 
 
T O T H E 
 
 Reverend Dr. LAW, 
 
 Mailer of Sr. Peter's College in Cambridge, 
 
 THE following Sheets, 
 In Teftimony of the Author's Eftcem 
 
 FOR HIS 
 
 Character and Learning, 
 
 ARE 
 
 With the greateft Deference 
 INSCRIBED, by 
 
 The AUTHOR. 
 
ADVERTISEMENT, 
 
 Y TiYD E R the prefent brijk Agitation 
 ^^ of the ^e/iion, concerning the State 
 of the Soul after Death, the Re pub- 
 lie at ion of the following TraSfs, with the Ad- 
 dition of an Anfwer to fome Brif Notes made 
 on the firfi of them^ will not he thought wife a- 
 fonable. The ObjeBer fould havj recei^ced an 
 Anfwer fooner , ij it had not been extremely in- 
 convenient for ike Author to have given one 
 in a fe par ate Publication. 
 
REMARKS.^ 
 
 O N 
 
 Mr. STEFFE's LETTER^ 
 
 CONCERNING THE 
 
 State of the SOUL after Death. 
 
 MR. Strfe mentions four Texts in fup- 
 port of his Opinion, that after 
 Death the Soul exifts feparately from the Body. 
 Two of thefe are quoted from Ecclejtafies, 
 the other two from St. Paul's Epiflles. 
 
 I THINK with the Author, that the facred 
 Writings can alone decide the Point in Qaef- 
 tion, it being ** a Dodrine not fo much of 
 
 ** Reafon 
 
 * Originally Publiflied in the form of a Letter to the 
 
 j^^OI]thIy Reviewers, lor May 1757. 
 
246 'Remarlis on Mr. Steffe's Letter 
 *' Rcaf^jn as Revelation." Notwithflanding, 
 whatever is quoted Irom the Scriptures of the 
 Old Tellainent can, I think, prove nothing in 
 relation to this Queftion ; as there is not the 
 leaft Reaion to believe, from the whole Te- 
 nour of them, that they contain any Revela- 
 tion * at all coricerning a State of Exigence 
 
 after 
 
 * 1. . -i.i uj. !. cLiurvcd upon this Afiertion, that, " As 
 ** the "Jewi are exprefsly charged in Leviticus with con- 
 " fulling, adding of, or enquiring of, or from the Dead 
 *' h is apparent, thry .iid, in the D.iys of Myes, believe 
 *' jhe SpintofMan exifted after its Departure- from the 
 
 TheAnnotator mua certainly have mifundcrftcod my 
 M- ani'ig, anu funporeJ th ;t I den'ed the Jews believed^ or 
 had any Notion t-f a State of Exigence afrcr the prtfent. 
 Bir this I deniel nor, nor was it at ^11 to my Purpo'*e to 
 do it. What the Jeivs mig;ht believe^ in the Time of 
 Mo es. concrnin-T a future St.ite of Eraflence. or what 
 Notions thev' mi ;ht entertain abo it the Circumflanccs of 
 f..ch a State, as whether the Soul will ^-ai^ embodied or 
 un-mb/jdie.'^ ^yas nothing to the Qu-fiiO!!; but whether they 
 haH Au:h- rify f.om their own Scripture,, to warrant their 
 Bc'-icf «f a Sratc of Exifte.ue at all zXzx De;th ; and if 
 
 thev 
 
Concerning an Intermediate S/jte. 247 
 after the prefent. This was not the Inten- 
 tion of them. All the Revelations contained 
 
 therein, 
 
 they had, then, Whether it Vv'as further revealed to them, 
 that this future Life fhould commence immediately on the 
 DiiTolution of the Body, the Soul exiting fcparately ti!I a 
 general Refureaion, when only it is fuppofeJ it wiil be 
 re-embod:ed. If tney had no Aurhoiity to believe the full; 
 I mean, if their Scriptures containtd no expiefs Revelation 
 of a future State, in general, much lefs had they Authority 
 for believing the Sp.rit of Man exifttd after its Departure 
 from the Body in an Intermediate State between Death 
 and the fuppofed general Refurreclicn. J denied even the 
 firft, viz. That they had a future State of Exiikn -e, at alt, 
 revealed to them. I think fo ftiil, and that for this Doc- 
 trine we are indebted to the Gofpel of Chnft alone. I 
 maybe m.Halcen after all ^ bur what the Aunotator hath 
 produced to the contrary, doth net conui.ce me ofaa 
 Error. The JewSy he ob'erves, " diJ, in the Days of 
 ** Mojes, believe the Sp.rit of Man exi/JeJ after its De- 
 « parture from th. Body," And what then r--Does this 
 prove that they had this Notion from ReveLii.:nF--U f: 
 it would follow, that the fame was revealed alfo to the An- 
 ti^nt i^recks and Trojans. For it i.- apparent that they 
 di.!, in the Days of Priam and Agdmernno!, believe the 
 /a;ru. And as fcr - The Jeu^s being cxi>rd;iy chargeJ, 
 ** in Leviticus, with conlulting, alkin. of, or cnoulrn,^ 
 
2 4^ Remarks on Mr. Steffe's Letter 
 
 therein, relate to the State of Men here, to the 
 Difpenfations of God towards Men in this 
 World; the mofl diilant of which was the 
 Kingdom of the Meffiah. This was the future 
 State to which the y^wi looked, viz. That un- 
 der the Meffiah their Kingdom (hould become 
 an univerfal and glorious Kingdom. But 
 there is no Promife made to them of a Life 
 after the prefect. This was to be revealed 
 by Chrijij who brought Life and Immortality 
 to Light. 
 
 So that allowing the Author's Senfe and 
 Conftrudtlon of the Texts he produces from 
 the Old Teftament to be juft, yet they do not 
 appear to contain a revealed Dodrine; but 
 to be expreffive only of the Preacher's private 
 
 Opinion, 
 
 " of, or from the Dead i" Whatever Notions it may 
 prove they had of the Dead, doth not the very Charge 
 imply that all they ielieved concc rning them was far from 
 being fclidly giounded ? 
 
Concerning an Intermediate State, 249 
 Ofiniony of what appeared to him reafonable 
 to fuppofe, or what was the Refult of his own 
 Thoughts and deep Penetration into the 
 Nature of the human Soul. And, therefore, 
 to reft the Queftion upon Aich Texts, is to 
 reft it flill upon Reafon j which he grants to 
 beinfufficient here: or rather, indeed, to reft 
 it upon the bare Authority of a Philofopher. 
 
 But if the Author fhould infift upon it, 
 that the Preacher was an inlpi red Writer, whofe 
 Sentiments are to be looked upon as divine, 
 and every Thing he delivers as the infallible 
 Dictate of the Spirit of God, let us examine 
 the Conftrudtion he puts upon the Texts, the 
 firft of which is, Eccl. iii. 21. Jl ho h:o-iceih 
 the Spirit of a Man that gocth. upwards y and 
 the Spirit of a Beajl that gocth doivnivard to 
 the Earth ? 
 
 Instead of this Traiiflation, lie offers ano- 
 ther, as both more exa^ft, and more litCFal, 
 I i liz' 
 
250 Remarks on Mr, Steffe*^ Letter 
 < Who knoweth the Spirit of the Children 
 ' of Men afcending upward, and the Spirit 
 • of a Beaft defcending under the Earth?* 
 ThisTranflation ('£ we could admit it) would 
 juftfuit the Author's Opinion. But it is evi- 
 dently lefs exadt, as well as lefs literal, 
 than the other. He tranflates, indeed, the 
 Word 1J3 (Children) which is wholly omit- 
 ed by our Tranflators. As this, however, 
 afFeds not the Senfe of the Place, it is no 
 way material. But he renders cijli^r; (Men) 
 
 which literally is Man *. Afcending upwards 
 
 is 
 
 * " CDlKH ^11 (fays the Annotator)is rightly rendered, 
 *' the Sons or Children of Men." But might it not be <7j 
 rightly, at leafl, rendered, the Sons or Children of 
 Man? — If it may, (and I think the Annotator him- 
 felf will not deny it) then to what purpofe was 
 the Obfervation made ? — The point was nor, whether 
 Mr. Steffcy was right in rendering it Sons of Men^ which, 
 in meaning, is much the lame with, Som of Man \ but 
 whether QTHn was, in point of Conllruition, more lite- 
 rally rendered, of Mcuy than of Man. The Spirit of 
 a Man., the Spirit of the %ons (f Men^ or the Spirit of the 
 cons q\ Man., are all equally well rcnderid, as to the Senfe ; 
 
 bu; 
 
Concerning an Intermediate State, 251 
 is not more literal, or more cxaift, than that 
 goeth upward. Defcending under the Earth is 
 Rioft of all unexad and illiteral. For nUQ*? 
 comes from the Verb ni33 which fignlfies 
 not, to gOy or he under, but only to incline to^ 
 wards any thing 'y fo that, the proper render- 
 ing oFits Derivative ni2G^ h downwards 5 be- 
 fides, ^ prefixed to theWord!S~ii^ determines 
 the Senfe to be fo. For what Nonfenfe 
 would it make to render nDQ7, under ^ while 
 T\'R^ fignifies, to the Earthy i. e. defcendeth 
 under to the Earth ^ 
 
 1 i 2 But 
 
 but Mr. Stejl: had propofed the fecond of tlicfe as msKe 
 I'te-ai than the firft, which is the Tranflation in the Bible. 
 Now it was in regard to the Word CI3"Ii^n o^/y that I 
 ftmaiked he had not given a more exz^ and /.'teral Ver- 
 fior. And how much depends upon the rcndciinf this 
 Word in \hG f,;igular or plwal Number muft be obvious 
 to cvx:ry one that undcrftands the State of theQuelHon.and, 
 confeqiicntly, how material it uaslfhould remark upon 
 his rc;;dcrirg it in the / /.vv?/ Number. 
 
252 Remarks on Mf\ Steffe's Letter 
 
 But, if this be the proper Conftrudion of 
 the original Words, it may be afk^d, Where 
 is the Senfe * of the AfTertion, That a Man's 
 Spirit goeth upwards, and that of a Beafl 
 downward towards the Earth ? — The Truth 
 is, there is no Senfe in fuch an Affertion -, 
 and our Audior therefore ftretches the Words 
 to a quite different one; namely, that the 
 Spirit of a Beafl defcends not towards, but 
 into, or under the Earth, i. e. with the Body 
 which moulders into Dufl, Againll which 
 
 Senfe 
 
 * " The Senfe is, (according to the Annotator) that 
 «' the Spirit of Maa afcenJeth to God who gave it, bj4t 
 " the Spirit of the Brute, defcendeth to the Earth with 
 " his Body, and they perifh together." But, if this be 
 meant, by the Spirit of a Deaft going downward towards 
 the Earth, viz. Thiit it defcendeth to the Earth with his 
 Body, and they pcrirh together. What occafion was there 
 for Mr. Stojfe to a ter the Tranilation in our Bibles and to 
 render ^7>7 TMld'l not, doivutvards, toivflrds or to, but, 
 «.>2^£r theEatth ?— It is pl.iin that he thought the former 
 could hardly exprefs fuch a Senfe as he and the Annotator 
 WQuld put upon this P.iTa^c. 
 
Concerning an Intermediate State. %c^ 
 Senfe of the Words I fhall but offer one Thing 
 more in regard to the Signification of the 
 Original, before I lay down what I conceive 
 to be the true Meaning of the Text. And this 
 ;s, that if it was the Intention of the Preacher 
 to reprefent the Spirit of a Beaft defcending a- 
 long with the Body into the Earth, he would 
 not have ufed the Word !i"\s, but hqij^, 
 yvhichis more fynonymous with "isj; than ^^ij^, 
 Signifying primarily Earth, in Oppofition to 
 other Subftances ; whereas ^jij^ properly lig- 
 nifies either the whole Earth, as diftlnguifli- 
 ed from the Heavens and the Sea, or a Tradl 
 of Land. 
 
 I WOULD offer this, then, as the mofl: lite- 
 ral Conftru(5tIon of the Text, viz. fVho know- 
 eth the Spirit of the Sons of Man, iicbo goeth 
 upivardi (walkcth upright, or who is of an 
 cred Pofture) a?2d the Spirit of ^ j^^^ji ^i^t 
 
 goeth 
 
?54 Remarks on Mr, Stefpe's LeUer 
 goeth downward towards the Earth ? (rnov^ 
 Cth or inclineth towards the Earth)*. The 
 
 only 
 
 • The Annotator has obferved upoa this Conftruftion, 
 that " I cannot produce a fingle Paflage where biiH is 
 *' put m Conftruftion with the Sons of Man ;" And adds 
 very bluntly, " There can be no doubt of its belonging 
 a to the Word Spirit.'''' Now, for the firft, What can 
 the Annotator mean by faying, that I '« cannot produce 
 *' a fingle Paflage where x^H is put in Conftrudtion with 
 *' the Sotis of Man"? — Have I put it in ConflrutSion with 
 the Sons of Man F — If I have not, what need to challenge 
 pie to juftify aConftrudion which was never made? — It is 
 very obvious that I put ^^n in Conftrudtion with the 
 Word Man, and not with the Words, the Sons of Man, 
 Nay, I mention in the very next Sentence the Objec- 
 tion that might be made to conftrudl Jig it with, Man^ and 
 endeavour to obviate it; and yet the Annotator feems 
 to underftand me as putting it in Confiruflion with, /Z>^ 
 Sons of Alan. Or, if he mean, that " I cannot produce 
 *' a fingle PalTage where ^i,-; is put in Conftruclion 
 with, Mav," it is nothing to the Purpofe, fo long a.s many 
 Inftanccs may be produced of its being put in Conftruc- 
 tion with a Word of the mafculine Gender. As the 
 Grammarians themfelves allow that ^\n and ^in ^re ufed 
 promifcuouny one for another, or fince (the Difference. 
 
 be- 
 
Concerning an Intermediate State, 255 
 only Obje(ition to this ConftfUdtion is, that 
 I make the Word goeth refer to Man, whereas 
 the Pronoun 8\n feems to determine it to relate 
 tonn (Spirit) fincc this Pronoun is reckoned by 
 the Grammarians to be of the feminine Gen- 
 der. But this, which hath led our Author 
 to underftand the Text, as he does, appears 
 to be an Objection of little or no Moment, 
 when we confider the Grammarians them- 
 felyes, though they call «in of the Mafculine, 
 and i<M of the feminine Gehder, yet own, 
 that they are ufed promifcuoufly one for the 
 other ; many Inftances of which might be 
 produced. This I take to be the literal Con- 
 
 flruc^ion of the Words. 
 
 Bar 
 
 between 1 and 1 being fo fmall) they may bare been b\' 
 Accic'ent esfily changed one for the other, the Annotatcr 
 was fomediing too pofitlve in faying, *' There can be 
 «< no Doubt of its belonging to the Woid, Spirit." 
 
256 Remarks on Mr, Stefte^s Letter^ 
 
 But, with regard to their Meaning as they 
 ftand in Connedlion with what precedes and 
 follows them, I apprehend they fhould be 
 rendered thus : Who knoweth the Spirit of a 
 Man FROM the Spirit of a Beaji ? 
 
 At the iSthVerfe it is faid, concerning 
 
 the Eftate of the Sons of Men, that they 
 
 themfelves are Beads, or as the Beafts. At 
 
 the 19th Verfe the Reafon is given. For that 
 
 which befalleth the Sons of Man befalleth Beajis, 
 
 even one thing befalleth them-, what is that ?— 
 
 Why, that they die alike, and are no more, 
 
 having all one and the fame Spirit ; as the 
 
 one diethy fo dieth the other 5 yea, they have all 
 
 07ie Breath, (or rather Spirit, the fame Word 
 
 which occurs in our Text, and is iranflated 
 
 Spirit) fo that a Man hath 710 Fre-eminence 
 
 above a Beafl j for all is FaJiity, The Preacher 
 
 continues, in the 20th Verfe, All go unto one 
 
 Place 
 
Concerning an Intermediate State, 2 ^j 
 Place, all are of the Du(l, and all turn to Diiji 
 again. Then follows the Text we are con- 
 fidering, as a Conclulion from the above Re- 
 lledions : Who knoweth (who can diftinguifh, 
 or what is the Difference, then, betwixt) the 
 Spirit of Man, who is formed upright, and the 
 Spirit of a Beajl, lihich incUfieth its Body to 
 the Earth ? Wherefore 1 perceive, that there 
 is nothing better than that a Man fiould re- 
 joice in his own Works, for that is his Portion ; 
 an odd Kind of an Inference * for the 
 Preacher to draw from fo grave a Bodtrine, 
 as our Author fuppofes the preceding Verfe 
 
 to contain. 
 
 L 1 But 
 
 * " True, (fays the Annotator) if this were the Senfe 
 *' of the Original ; which may be thus tranflatcd, 
 " viz, I favv thererore, Th:!t there was nothing go> J 
 " from which a Man may rejoice in his o .vn Works ; be- 
 •' caufc fuch is liis P.;rt or Condition ; for who thall bring 
 '* him th;.i: he may fee that which fi.all be i.ftcr him." 
 Which of t!-.efe Trandations is to be preferred, or how 
 much the Annotator hr.s mc;dvd the Preacher's Inference 
 from Mr. StcJ'e's Dofiiine, let ;he intelligent aiiu learned 
 Reader dcciuc. 
 
258 Remarks on Mr. Stefte' s Letter 
 
 But, as I am not (o folicitous to fix the 
 precife Meaning of the Preacher, as to fhew 
 how V.Viic this Text is to be depended upon, 
 in fupp^Tt of the Dodlrine of a feparate State 
 of Exigence of the Soul after Death, I fliall 
 not fiay to vindicate the Paraphrafe I have 
 given, and lliew its Coniifl:ency with the ge- 
 neral Tenour of this Book of Ecclefia/les, but 
 proceed to demonftrate by a yet dlfTerent 
 Viev7 of the Matter, the great Uncertainty, 
 at leaft, our Author goe?^ upon in vindicating 
 his Do^.rine from this Text. For this Pur- 
 pofe let us even fuppofe, that the Author's 
 Tranflation is according to the literal Senfe 
 of the Text, that n':y relates to rrr, that 
 nDcV fignifics tindery and that '("t^"^ fignifies 
 vito tbe Earth, ;ind is as properly uftd as 
 nGHK; in fljort, that his Tranflation may be 
 admitted according to all the Rules of Gram- 
 mar and Syntax, yet, it is flill dubious whe- 
 ther 
 
Concerning an Intermediate Si ate. 259 
 
 thcr he has hit upon the Senfe of ihe Woids. 
 For they are capable of being interpreted in 
 a quite different Senfe, viz. Ulokmweth that 
 the Spirit of Man ajcendeth upwards, and that 
 the Spirit of a Bead defcendeth under the Earth'^ 
 This Tranflation is no lefs confifcciit with 
 Grammar and Syntax than the Audior's; fo 
 that, fuppofing the Senfe he puts upon the 
 Words may be the true Senfe, yet tlicir be- 
 in'^ equally capable of another a:]d quite 
 contrary Senfe, deftroys the Valid' ty of the 
 Argument he has founded upon them. 
 
 Let us now fee how the Author fupports 
 his Dodrine from the other Text, Eccl. xii. 
 7. Then p.Hill the Duft return to tl:>e Earth, as 
 it was ; and the Spirit jhall return to God who 
 gave it. 
 
 L 1 2 Our 
 
26o Remarks on Mr. SteffeV Letter 
 
 Our Author very juftly maintains, that 
 the Preacher can never intend here two dif- 
 ferent Times, the one when the Body turns 
 to Dafl:; and the other when the Refurredlon 
 of the Dead fhall be. The Time for the 
 Return cf the Body to the Duft, and the 
 Spirit to God who g:ive it, is the fame ; and 
 any Objections to the Soul's feparate Exif^ence 
 from the Body, founded only upon interpret- 
 ing this Textj as referring to the Time of 
 the Refurre6lion, as well as to the Diffolu- 
 tion of the Body, are altogether weak and 
 frivolous. 
 
 But the Refutation of fuch like Objec- 
 tions is not fufficient to eflablifti the Truth 
 of his Doctrine. Notwithflanding his ob- 
 viating that Difficulty, which feemsto be the 
 only one with him, the Text appears ftill 
 wholly againft him. 
 
 If 
 
Concerning an Intermediate State, 261 
 
 If we confider what is alluded to in the 
 Expreflion the Preacher makes ufe of, we 
 Ihali be led to conftrue the Words in a very 
 difTerent Senfe from that of the Author; 
 who fuppofcthj that the Return of the Spirit 
 to God means, that it fliall exift a fepa.atc 
 confcioLis Being, in the Prefence of God. 
 Now when it is fild, the Duii fiaH return to 
 the Earth as it vecSy thi:^ plainly a'iudes to 
 the Formr-tion of the Body ; ai^d wViin it is 
 fiid, And the Spirit JJ:aU return to God that 
 gave it, the Preacher as plainly alludes to 
 God's forming Man a living Soul, by breath- 
 ' ing into him the Breath of Li^e. What is It 
 then that God gave Man ?— Why^ this Breathy 
 ro"^. the fame Word which is tranil ted in 
 our Text, Spirit. As at Death tb.e Earth 
 receives her Diift again, fo is God repre- 
 fented as taking again that Breaih of Life 
 
 which 
 
a62 Remarks on Mr. Steffe'^ Letter 
 
 which he breathed into Man. This is the 
 obvious Senfe of the Words, and it is forced 
 and unnatural to fuppofe the others not to 
 inliil upon another Confideration, which 
 oppofes the Author's Senfe of the Words, 
 'viz. The Preacher is fpeaking here of Man- 
 kind in general, of the wicked as well as the 
 righteous J . and can we imagine, that he 
 would aff^rt this of the former, that their 
 Spirits return after Death to God ? 
 
 I SHALL clofe this Remark with obferving, 
 That the Author fecms to be led into the 
 Senfe lie gives of this Text by a greater At- 
 tention to the Tranllation of it in the Bible, 
 than to the Original itfelf. Thus he infifts 
 much upon the Word thcn^ in order to get 
 clear of the above-mentioned Objc6lion, con- 
 cerning the Time referred to 3 which Objec- 
 tion is, indeed, frivolous in itfelf, and 
 
 eafily 
 
Concerning an Intermediate State. 263 
 cafily obviated J but not merely, if at a!l, by 
 the Confideration of the Word then, which 
 is only one among many others that would 
 have been, at lead, equally agreeable to the 
 original Word !. 
 
 Again, we have tranllated the Word 
 ZiV)^\ then shall return y as if the Preacher 
 intended to inform us of feme important 
 Truth, or Event; it looks like a pofitive and 
 peremptory Declaration, that the Soul J}:all 
 certainly, after the DilTolution of the Body, 
 return to God; which manner of Sneaking 
 has occafioned th.e Author to lay more Stref-^ 
 upon this Text in Confirmation of his Dec- 
 trine, than he would have done, had he 
 attended more to the Original. For 1 dees 
 not neceffarily fignify then, no more than 
 yU^ does, JJ:all return. The rncfi: natural 
 
 rendering 
 
264 Remarks on Mr, SxEFFE'i Letter 
 rendering of thcfe Words, and which beft 
 Suits the Context, is, or the Dufi return^ &C' 
 
 Thus have we confidered what the Au- 
 thor has produced from the Old Teftament 
 in favour of his Opinion, and upon the 
 moft candid Review of his Arguments, I 
 cannot but judge them very infufficient -, the 
 Texts themfelves which he inlifts upon 
 having no relation to a State of Exiftencc 
 after Death, whether feparate from the 
 Body, or otherwife. 
 
 The Texts he produces from the New 
 Tefl:ament are much more to the Purpofe, 
 as we can have no Doubt of their referring 
 to a future Exlftence. The Author, how- 
 ever, feems not to hy greater Strcfs upon 
 them, nor do^s he confider them more par- 
 ticularly th?r. the others. 
 
 V/lTH 
 
Concerning an Intermediate State, ib^ 
 
 With regard to the firft of thcfc {Phil. i. 
 23.) he does but juft argue from the literal 
 rendering of the Word AvctwaAi, which we 
 have tranflated, to depart. He obferves it 
 lignifies, to be unloofed from the Body, dij^ 
 joined, difconnedied, wliich is an improper 
 way of fpeaking, upon the Suppofition that 
 the Soul fleeps with the Body in the Grave. 
 It is fufficient to objedt to this (what the 
 Author conjedlures would be objeded) that 
 the Word is too general to determine the 
 Matter. He therefore waves any farther 
 Confideration of this Text, and produces 
 another, viz. 2 Cor. v. 8. the Language of 
 which he thinks is more exprefs and deter- 
 minate ', We are corijideiit, I fay, 'wilii?7g 
 rather to be abfent from the Body^ ly-'f^umanK 
 1% ^uixaJo(, and to be prefent with the Lord, 
 
 M m And 
 
266 Remarks on Mr. SteffeV Letter 
 
 And here I will freely own, that the 
 Expreffion (confidered apart, and inde» 
 pendent of the Context and general Do6lrine 
 of the Apoftle elfewhere) is very much in 
 favour of the Author's Opinion. Ex/«/aH(r«t/ «x 
 TK (rauet'joi can fignify nothing elfe, without 
 forcing the Conflrudion, than to be abfent 
 from, or to quit the Body, and not merely 
 to quit the troubles of Life ; And, to be f>rejent 
 with the Lord, immediately following fuch 
 an Expreffion, would lead one (without at- 
 tending to any thing farther than the Text 
 itfelf) to imagine, that the Apoflle deiired 
 his Soul might quit his Body, and remove 
 immediately to Chrift, and be with him, 
 while his Body remained in the Dull. 
 
 But 
 
Concerning an Mermedlate State, 267 
 
 But let us confider the Context, and we 
 ihall find a very different Scnfe refult from 
 the whole. 
 
 At the firfl Verfe of this Chapter the 
 Apoftle fays, Ihat if our earthly Hcufe of 
 this Tabernacle liere diffolvcd^ ur have a 
 Building of God, an Houfe not made with 
 Hands, eternal in the Heavens. And, at the 
 fecond Verfe, For in this uc groan earnefthy 
 defiring to be cloathed upon with our Houfe 
 which is from Heaven. Now this is un- 
 doubtedly that heavenly Body for which v/e 
 are to exchange this earthly; the fame glori- 
 fied, incorruptible Body which he fpeaks of 
 in another Place, relating to the Refurrec- 
 tion of the Dead. And, that this is tlie 
 Houfe into which the Apoflle cefires to re- 
 move, or the glorified Body which, after 
 M m 2 Death, 
 
268 Remarks on Mr, SteffeV Letter 
 
 Death, he defires to be cloathed with, 
 and not to exift a mere feparate Spirit, is 
 plain from the fourth Verfe, For we that are 
 in this Tabernacle do groan, being burdeneci, 
 not, fays he, Jor that we would be uncloathedt 
 but cloathed upon, &c. He goes on. 
 
 Verse 5. Now he that has wrought us for 
 the jelj-fame thing, is God, who alfo hath 
 given unto us the Earned of the Spirit. What 
 was this the Earneft of? — Why, that as God 
 had raifed Chrift from the Dead, he would 
 alfo raife them (the Apoftles) from the Dead. 
 And now obferve the Reafon he gives 
 for his being bold, undaunted, or con- 
 fident, viz. 
 
 Verse 6. Therefore we (the Apoftles) 
 are always confident -, namely, through Hope 
 
 of 
 
Concerning an Intermediate State 269 
 of the Building of God, the glorified Body 
 he mentioned above, 
 
 Verse 8. We are confident , 1 fay, and 
 vnlling rather to be abfent from the Body, 
 (from this grofs and burthenfome Body) and 
 to be prefent ivith the Lord (in our glorified 
 Body at his Appearance) : That he refers to 
 his being prefent with Chrifl, not before, 
 but after the Refurredion, the two follow- 
 ing Verfes, as well as the preceding ones 
 already mentioned, evidently {hew. 
 
 Verse 9. Wherefore we labour, that whether 
 prefent or abfent, we may be accepted cf him. 
 
 Verse 10. For lie muft all appear before 
 the Judgment Seat of Chrifl, that every one may 
 receive the "thitigs done in the Body, &c. For 
 this it is he labours, viz. That he may be ac- 
 cepted 
 
2/0 Remarks on Mr, Steffe*^ Letter, &c, 
 cepted of Chrift at the laftDay; And for 
 this it is he had rather be abfent from the 
 Body, viz. That he may receive the Things 
 he has done in the Body, and be for ever 
 with the Lord, 
 
 These Texts then are far from proving 
 our Author's Dodrine, how flrong foever 
 they may appear to the firfl Sight, and 
 confidered without reference to the Context. 
 
 In fine, the Author confiders his Subjed: 
 fomewhat too fuperficially, and concludes 
 too haftily from the Texts he produces. 
 However, he defervcs the Attention of the 
 Public, on account of his Method and 
 Perfpicuity. If he is not every where de- 
 monftrative, he is, at Icaft, always intelli- 
 gible; and appears to be a fincere En- 
 quirer after Truth. 
 
REMARKS 
 
 UPON 
 
 Mr. S T E F F E's Brief Defence 
 
 O F T H E 
 
 Firft of the Five LETTERS 
 
 O N T H E \ 
 
 INTERMEDIATE STATE. 
 
REMARKS* 
 
 UPON 
 
 Mr. S T E F F E's Brief Defence 
 
 O F T H E 
 
 Firft of the Five Letters 
 
 ON THE 
 
 INTERMEDIATE STATE. 
 
 NE great Caufe of the flow ProG;refs 
 of religious Truth, next to the Want 
 of a lincere Love for it, feems to be a cerrain 
 Impatience in conducting our Enquiries con- 
 cerning it. The Defenders of Chriftianity 
 in the firft Centuries are remarkably deficient 
 N n 2 in 
 
 • Originally publifhcd in the Grand Alafjaaine for 
 j^pril 1758. 
 
276 Remarks on Mr, Steffe'j Brief Defence, 
 
 in this refpedj and though our modern 
 Divines are not equally blamcable, they are 
 neverthelefs greatly fo. Tis this which has 
 led tbe.'"i to frame many uncertain Hypo- 
 thefes, and induJ.2:e many wild Conjeftures 
 of Things which are difcoverable by Renje- 
 lation alone ^ ..vA not to be well unJerllood 
 without a diligent and clofe Atuntion to the 
 Scriptures. 
 
 The hmt Impatie^icr. as it impedes their 
 own Knowledge, fo it frequently renders 
 them leis accurate and lefs perfpicuoub in 
 comiliunicating Knowledge to others. They 
 arc apt to crowd in their Arguments too 
 thick, and produce Paflages of Scripture in 
 fach Profulion as tends rather to confufe 
 tlran convince the R^eader. Thofe Enquiiit^s 
 which proceed upon tl:e limpleft Plan are 
 likely to be moil effcdlual for the Advance- 
 ment 
 
Remarks on Mr. Ste f fe's Brief Defence, lyy 
 
 ment of Truth j fince, though Error may 
 happen to be the Refult, yet the Error being 
 by this means confpicuous, becomes itfelf a 
 Guide to Truih. 
 
 There was this SimpHcity of Defign, I 
 muii own, iu' the firft ct Mr. Sf^e's Five 
 Letters J which t > . e ^a is no fmall Recom- 
 mendation of It, and an Inducement to 
 make thofe Remarks, which i (hould have 
 been difcoura^ed from attcmotinr , had his 
 Performance been more extenlive in its Plan, 
 or more wanting in Pcrfpicuity. 
 
 He there propofed to prove the Dodlrine 
 of the Soul's feparate State of Exigence after 
 Death, from four Texts of Scripture,- In 
 the Monthly Review for Mcy 1757, I un- 
 dertook to fliew the Infuificiency of the 
 Texts themfclve?, and of what was advanced 
 
 from 
 
278 Remarks on Mr. St'EYt'l's Brief Defence. 
 
 from them to prove fuch a Dodlrine. I 
 now propofe to conlider what he has lately 
 advanced in a Letter to hiiciUus^ entitled, 
 A Brief Defence of the Firji of the Five 
 Letters on the Intermediate State, &c. that 
 is, io far as it refpeds my Remarks. Otie 
 only of the four Texts will come under our 
 Confideration ; fince, notwithflanding Mr, 
 Steffes Acknowledgment of my ' Remarks 
 
 * dcfcrving Notice, being, for the moft Part, 
 
 * written witii Fairnefs and Candour, as well 
 ' as with the Appearance of Learning and 
 
 * Argument,* he has hardly made a Reply 
 to, fo far from attempting to refute, what 
 has been laid upon the other Three. 
 
 The PafTage in Difpute is, Eccl.ui, 21, 
 Who knoweth the Spirit of Man that goeth 
 upward, and the Spirit of a Beaft that 
 gocth dowwjcar'l to the Earth ? Mr. Stcffe 
 
 had 
 
Remarks on Mr. Steffe's Brief Defence, 279 
 had propofed another Tranflation, both a$ 
 more exadt, and more literal, viz, * Who 
 
 * knoweth the Spirit of the Children of Men 
 *' afcendiiig upward, and the Spirit of £l 
 
 * Beafi: defending under the Earth?' Which, 
 it was affertcd, is lefs exadl, and lefs literal 
 than the other; Di^n, which he renders, 
 Mcn^ being literally, Man\ and, ajcending 
 upis)f.rd^ not more exad:, or more literal 
 than, that goeth uptvard. He now, how- 
 ever, chuies thus to wave any Defence of 
 thefe two Alterations, * Whether aiKH ^J3 
 
 * fhould be rendered Children of Men, or — 
 ' of Man I ^.nd r\^yD7 nVyn going upwards, 
 ' or afcending upwards, as it is a Matter of 
 « no Coniequence, I (liall not trouble my- 
 
 * felf to enquire.* 
 
 l"^?0N which I (hall only obferve, that 
 Mr. SteJ^e fliould not have dropt this, as a 
 
 Matter 
 
2 8 o Remarks on Mr. S t e f f e V Brief Dejence. 
 
 Matter of no Conjeqiience^ becaufe he himfelf 
 propofed thefe Alterations, as fuch ; and, 
 indeed, could he have fhewn that his ren- 
 dering the Word D'iS<n of Men^ was more 
 exa6t and literal than rendering it, 'of MaUy 
 in the fingular Number, he had efFedtually 
 removed this main Objedlion to his Senfe of 
 the Text j 'viz. That the ered Poflure of the 
 Body might only be fignified by the Expref- 
 ficn, that goetb upwards. But to come to 
 thofe Alterations which Mr. Steffe under- 
 takes to defend. 
 
 KI^'V nijQV tinder the Earth: This, I 
 afferted, was mofl: of all unexa<5t and un- 
 literal, and the Reafon I gave, was the pri- 
 mary Signification of Wuj to incline towards^ 
 and the Prepofition Vs being prefixed to H"i^ 
 the literal Conftrudion of which is to the 
 Earth, To this Mr. Stcfe anfvvcrs, ' That 
 
 * the 
 
Remarks o?i Mr, SxEFFE'i Brief Defence. 281 
 * the firll of thefe Words can be rendered by 
 ' nothing elCe than beneath, or under, in the fol- 
 ' lowing PafTage, D^/'. xxviii. 13. And the 
 Lord thy God Jhall make thee the Head , and 
 not the Tail, and thou J}oalt—?iot be beneath, 
 
 niDDV' V7roy.a]u,^ Ixx. 
 
 But now, fuppofing the Inflance good, 
 and that r^n\ does in this PafTage fignify 
 under, does it follow that it is more literally, 
 or more properly rendered To, than by its 
 primary Meaning in every Palfage of Scripture? 
 — Becaufe in Deut. xxviii. 13. it may be ren- 
 dered under, which is not its primary Senfe, 
 muftit therefore mEccl. iii. 21. be rendered 
 fo, and not towards, which is its primary 
 Senfe ?-Mr. Stefe had propofcd his Tranda- 
 tion of it, as mere literal and more exadl 
 than that in the Bible. It was denied to be 
 fo. To have made, therefore, a valid De- 
 ^ fence 
 
282 Remarks on Mr, Stefte's Brief Defaice, 
 
 fence of hi& Tranflation, he fliould have 
 fliewn, that it was more literal and more 
 exaci ; inftead of which his whole Defence 
 is, that n'^D'7 fometimesy viz. in Dent, figni- 
 fies, under. 
 
 But Mr. Btefe has been extremely un- 
 happy in his Inftance ; nuoh in this Palliige no 
 more fignifying under^ than in that of Eccle^ 
 fiqfles. Downwards is its proper rendering. 
 There is no neceffity of varying from its 
 primary Acceptation. And the Lord JJjall 
 make thee the Head, atid not the Tailj and 
 thou ffoalt he, r^^l2^> above cr cpwards, 
 (as the Head isj) aiid thou fiah not he 
 
 niiC*?, How is that r Vv hy, below or 
 
 downwards^ (as the Tail is). I know not 
 of another InHance in all the Bible, which 
 is lefs to his Purpofc than this ; at the fame 
 time that the quoting fuch a Text plainly 
 
 lliews. 
 
Remarks on Mr. Steffe'j Brief Defence. 283 
 
 fliews, that he was guided entirely by the 
 Englifh and not the Original, the Word 
 beneath^ founding fo fynonimous with his, 
 under. 
 
 And now let us examine Mr. Steffc's De- 
 fence, in relation to >iii^'^. Here ^^ is pre- 
 fixed to the Word ^Jibi. Its literal Conftruc- 
 tion therefore, it was faid, is, to the Earthy 
 which connects properly enough with nCoV. 
 downiL'ardsy but very improperly, or rather, 
 not at all with it rendered, under \ under to 
 the Earth, making Nonfenfe. 
 
 To this Mr. ^teffe anfwers much in the 
 fame Manner as above, 'uiz. That '" is fome- 
 times ufed for the Emphatic !^ or as a mere 
 Expletiz-e, and produceth a Text to Ihew it, 
 Ex. XX. 4. Here, therefore, let it be ob- 
 ferved as above, that fuppofing his Injiance 
 
 O O 2 grrj^ 
 
2^4 Remarks on Mr. SteffeV Brief Defence, 
 good, yet it would not be fufiicicnt to make 
 his Defence goo J. But to try the Inftance 
 itfelf. ' T'hou JJjalt 72ot make to thee any 
 
 * Likeness of any Thhtg — ihat is in the Water 
 « under ibe Earth, ^^'inh nnnj:: — I confcfs 
 
 * I know iiot how theie two laft Word? can 
 
 * be rendered properly, without confidering 
 ' the *? as a mere Expletive or Emphatic* 
 
 Now, I confefs, there appears to me not 
 the leaft Neceflity for confidering *? as a mere 
 Expletive or Emphatic^ though there may be 
 no occafion to render it, to. For by the 
 Expreffion K1i6 nnna D^ria, is not meant 
 thofe Waters which are fubterraneous or 
 twder Ground, but the Waters which are 
 Upon the Earth ; And, whereas they are faid 
 to be nnnC' this does not lignify, that they 
 are actually under this Earth, (which would 
 be Nonfenfe) but only that they are below, 
 
 or 
 
Ji^marh on Mr, Steffe'j Brief Defence. 285 
 
 or towards the Parts below ^ in Oppolition to 
 the Hea^oens which are faid to be ahove^ or 
 towards the Parts above. In the fame Man^ 
 ner the Earth is faid to be bdow^ in Oppofi- 
 tion to the Heavens above ; the very fame 
 Word is made Ufe of to exprefs this its Situ- 
 ation, and occurs in this fame Verfe, one 
 View of which will render any further II- 
 luftration of this Point unnecefTary. ^hou 
 Jhalt not make unto thee any graven Image, or 
 any Likejiefs of any ^hing that is in Heaven 
 above VyDC, (literally, yrc;?; above, or from 
 the Parts above) or that is in the Earth be- 
 neath nnno, (literally, from beneath, from 
 the Parts below) or that is in the Waters 
 T\nnD beneath, (that is, which Waters arc 
 beneath or below the Heavens) ^iis"^ upon 
 the Earth. 
 
 This 
 
zZ6 Remarks on Mr. St-etye' s Brief Def encf- 
 
 This is the literal rendering of V, and 
 indeed makes the beft Senfe. For is it not 
 more proper and more intelligible to fpeak of 
 the Waters as being upon the Earth than 
 under it ?— Do we fay, that the Ocean, and the 
 Rivers, and the Pools are U7jJer the Earth?— 
 We always fpeak of therri as being (which 
 they really are) ns'" on the Face of the Earth, 
 So that there is no need to confider ^ as an 
 Expletive^ or any other than a Prepo/ltion. Here 
 again how obvious is it, that Mr. Steffe haS 
 been guided by the Authority of our EngliJJo 
 Tranflators, inflead of attending to the Or/^/- 
 nal ! For had they exprelTed themfelves thus, 
 viz. ' That is in the Waters below, on the 
 * Earth,' he v/ould not: have thousrht of 
 quoting, this Text in his Defence. 
 
 I OBSERVED 
 
Remarki on Mr. Steffe'j Brief Defence, 287 
 
 I OBSERVED farther, that, if it was the 
 Intention of the Preacher, in this Place, to 
 reprefent the Spirit of a Beafl: defcending 
 along with the Body into the Earth, nQ"is 
 would have been more expreffive of his 
 Meaning than xix, as this latter is not fo pro- 
 perly ufed to fignify Earth or Mould, (that 
 is, the Principle into which the Body is re- 
 folved after Death) as //j/Earth itfelf, that is, 
 the whole Globe, or a Tradl of Land. 
 
 In anfwer to this, A'Ir. Stefe would Hiow 
 from one PalTage of Scripture, that y,n^ does 
 Jometimes fignify the Soil or Mould of the 
 Earth j a Defence of the fame kind with the 
 two abovementioned. For admitting that it 
 may be ufed in this Senfe, and that the Text 
 he quotes, is a fufficient Inftance, yet what 
 doth it prove ?— Nor, that 'inn is fynonimous 
 
 with 
 
2^S Remarh on Mr. Steffe*^ Brief Defence* 
 
 with "isy or n^i^H, or that it fo properly fig- 
 nifies the Principle into which the Body is 
 rcfolved after Death, (which he fhould have 
 fhewn, to make his Defence good) but only, 
 that it is fometimes ufed in a Senfe that is 
 not its primary and proper One. 
 
 But here too, the Tnftance itfelf fails, 
 2 Kings ii. 19. — the Situation of this City is 
 pleafant, but the JFcter is naught and the 
 Ground li-i^^m barren. IJIK in this Paflage 
 plainly figniiies, the u^hole liraSl of Land 
 near the City, the Country itfelf, and not 
 merely, the Soil or Mould. The Idea, that would 
 here be conveyed by the Men of the City to 
 Elijhaj is, not fo much the Nature or ^/ah'ty of 
 the Soil, as the barren j^ppearance of the 
 Country around, in which Cafe M"^« is more 
 properly ufed than nc"J^ would have been^ 
 And the Men oj the City faid unto Eliflia, 
 
 behold^ 
 
Remarks on Mr. Steffe's Brtej Defence. 2 89 
 
 behold, we pray thee-, the Situation cf this 
 City is f leaf ant, as my Lord feeth ; but xij^n 
 the Land, (the Country around,) as thoujeeji^ 
 is barren. 
 
 Once more then I mvid remark, (let not 
 Mr. Sfeffe think it Want of Candour) that he 
 has been guided here more by the Sound of 
 the Englifi Tranflation, than by that ' true 
 * Tafte and Spirit of Criticifm,' with which he 
 would be criticifed upon. No doubt, the Ex- 
 preflion, the Ground is barren, appears much in 
 his favour, and as if it was the Intention of the 
 Writer to denote by it the Quality of the Soil, 
 viz. its Barrmnejs^ in which Cafe iS'i^ would 
 be ufed here for nQ-^x the Ground or Soil. Dut 
 then, this is all that appears in his favour j for 
 the Word tranllated barren \s x-\'^y^^, whole 
 root is '73!i;, which does not properly ngnify, 
 to be barren^ but, to be deprived of, Orhatus 
 
 P p full ; 
 
290 Remarks on Mr, Steffe*s Brief Defence, 
 Jui'fiAnd, therefore, its Derivative n'7DtyQ is 
 not fo properly and literally rendered barren , 
 or unfruitful as, hare or wafie. Which latter 
 Epithets apply well to ^j-ii< taken in its primary 
 Senfe, for a whole T^raB of Land, but not at 
 ^11, if taken in Mr. Steffe\ Senfe, for the Soil 
 o: Mould oi the Earth. n^DtDQ 3S"*tKn but the 
 Land (or Country) is wafte. This is literal, 
 and makes good Senfe. The Grtz^W (meaning 
 the Soil or Mould) is wafte. This is unliteral, 
 and maizes Nonfenle, 
 
 Mr Steffe, therefore, were it only to fhew 
 that s-i.js: is ever taken in his Senfe, fliould 
 have produced a more piaufiblelnftance. And 
 fuch a one I will now point out to him. It is 
 in EccL xii. 17. Then fJjall the I ufl return 
 to the Earth as it was j one of the Te:^ts 
 themfelves which he had produced in fupport 
 cf bis Do<^rine, and the Infufficiency of which 
 
 has 
 
Remarks on Mr, St'eve.'e.'s Brief Defence, 291 
 has been confidered. In this PafTage the 
 Preacher is fpeaking of the Return of 
 the Body after Death to the Earth > and 
 yet the Word jjis is made ufe of, and not 
 HQIS. I know not of another Text that 
 appears, at firft Sight, fo much in favour of 
 Mr. Steffe, and cannot but wonder at 
 his Overfight, or at his Judgment in chu- 
 ling to produce another. So flrong and, at 
 the fame time, fo very obvious an Objcdion 
 to my Diftindlion betwixt Snsi and nci^ did 
 this feem to a very acute Hebraift * and learned 
 Divine in the Eftablifhment, (with whofe 
 Correfpondence on the Occafion I have been 
 honoured, and again beg Leave to exprefs my 
 Senfibility to the Favour and my Defire of 
 its Continuance) that he thought it impoflible 
 to be confidered in any other Light than as an 
 P p 2 . Exception. 
 
 • Who has lately favoured the Public with a new anJ 
 elaborate Traallation of the three firlt Chapters of Gcncfu. 
 
Z^2 Remarks 072 Mr. Steffe^ Brief Defence, 
 Exception. I fliall not here, howeveri ftay 
 to obviate the Difficuhy as it has not been 
 urged by the Perfon, with whom alone I 
 have to do at prefent. 
 
 To pafs then to the only Word remaining 
 . to be confidered, relative to Mr. Steje's Brief 
 Defence, viz. NM. This Pronoun, in my 
 ReiTiarks on his former Performance, I had 
 conneded with DISH ; and becaufe it is ge- 
 nerally reckoned by Grammarians to be of 
 the feminine Gender, and confequently this 
 might be objedted to me, I offered fomething 
 to obviate any fuch Objedicn. This, how- 
 ever, is not his Objedion. What he urges 
 is, fomething more fmart and witty. It 
 might have favoured of Pedantry, to have 
 attempted to confute a Perfon by gramrha- 
 tical Skill. Much genteeler, furely, this 
 that follows ; * Others conned s\"i with 
 
RetnarhonMr^ S'Ti.'PfE.*% Brief BefenCe. 293 
 
 * DIKH 03 and therefore fcem to place Man's 
 •; Pre-eminenGC, neither in his Life nor his 
 < Death, but wholly in the ere6t Pofture of 
 ' his Body. Who knoweth the Spirit of Man, 
 
 * which Man goeth up'vuard, i. e. upright, 
 
 * while the Beaft h prone to the Earth. But 
 
 * this, if it be really Solomon's Definition of 
 
 * Man, fecms neither better nor truer than 
 
 * the implume bipes of Plato ^ which there- 
 
 * fore Diogenes would equally have confuted 
 
 * with his Dunghill Cock; who with Dry- 
 
 * den*s Chanticleer might havefaid, 
 
 ** I with Pleafurc fee 
 " Man ftrutting on two Legs and apeing me." J 
 
 Upon 
 
 + Mr. SteJ^e is extremely welcome to this Piece of Wir, 
 becaufe it is perfedly innocent^ and may, though not very 
 feafonable on a Subjed of this Nature, pleafe fome fort of 
 Readers. But will the R. R. Author of the Divine Lf^a- 
 fisn ofMo.^e^ be thought to have excrclfcd this f^mc Talent 
 
294. Remarks on Mr. St-ett^'s Brief Defence'. 
 Upon which I (hail only remark, that So^ 
 lomon or any Writer might mention the up* 
 
 right 
 
 of Wit, either, in a Manner worthy of himfelf, or, in- 
 deed, with Innocence ? It can, furely, be deemed but a 
 vulgar Pleafurc his Lordftiip feems to take, in calling the 
 Controverters of the Dodlrine of an intermediate State 
 fey the Name fsf Dreamers^ Sleepers, Middle- Men, &c, 
 . Such Language is more worthy of that inferior and popu- 
 lar Clafs of Writers, (to which indeed it has hitherto been 
 chiefly confined) than that Eminence, which the Bifliop of 
 Gloucefter holds in the learned World. Thefe Gentlemen 
 too, with whom his Lordfhip makes fo merry and {ofree, 
 have been too long dinn'd with fuch fort of Names to have 
 their Sleep broken by a Repetition of the rude Noife. Nor* 
 can the R. R . Author be thought to have acquitted himfelf 
 with more Decency and Propriety of Charaner, in makmga 
 very ferious Expreflion from a Sacred Writer ferve thePur- 
 pofe of a witty Sarcafm. " St. Jude's pithy Dreamers only 
 " defiledthe Flejh. Thefe defJc the Spirit^' But, though 
 we cannot fuppofe that St. Jude and the Btjkop are equally 
 ferious, yet it is not fo clear, that his Lordftiip, in bringing 
 ■ this Charge of Spiritual Defilement againfl the Dreamers* 
 is altogether in Jeft. Certain it is, that, however un- 
 willing his Lordftiip might be to fupprefs fo jocular a Sei>- 
 
 timcnt 
 
Remarks on Mr, Steffe's Brief Defence. 295 
 
 right Poflure of Man, without intending it 
 either as a Definition of Man or a Mark of 
 bis Pre-eminence. 
 
 Having 
 
 tlment, he is willing we fhould confider the Dodrinc in a 
 ferious Light, as of a dangerous and ^/i?//'«^ Nature* For 
 the Learned Author of, Corfidcrations on the Theory oj 
 Religio77, is reprefented as a Reviver of the Sadducean 
 Opinion, of the ExtirMion of the Soul on Death, his va- 
 luable Qiiotarions from Scripture fcornfuUy termed, " A 
 *' Niu-nlcr of wonderful Things." and this Scrap of 
 Scripture, thtre he gods mat-y^ judged by the R. R. Author 
 to be a ftronger Text againft the Unity of the Godhead, 
 than any this Icnrned Writer has produced for h'n Ofinion, 
 The late worthy Dr. Taylor of Norwich h called '< Ano- 
 *' ther of thcie Sleepers," and a very fenfiblc Quotation 
 from him has the foIlo\^ing decent Reflection pafled upon 
 it. *' This is the old exploded Tmjh of Coivard^ Toland 
 ^^ znd Collins." And yet, I care fay, his Lordftiip will 
 think this Writer as honourably clafs'd, in point of Au- 
 thorfoip, with Coivardy Tlijard ^nd Collins, as the BiiTiop 
 of Gloucefter would be, fhould fome one, ilinaturedy 
 pleaf^nt, and availing himfclf of his Lord(>ip's decent 
 Expreffion, clafs his Performance on this Subjedl, with the 
 old, popular— Tr^y/;— of Coddard^ Stefe and plemirg. 
 
296 Remarks on Mr, Steff^*s Brief Defeticf^ 
 
 Having thus confidered all that Mr. Suffe 
 has offered in Defence of the Senfe he had 
 put upon this Text in EccL iii. 21. that is, 
 fo far as concerned the Remarks made upon 
 the Firfl of his Five Letters on the Interme- 
 diate State-, it will now be moil proper to 
 conclude the Whole, with obferving how- 
 very defe(3:ive this Brief Defence is, in the 
 Plan itfelf, on which it proceeds, and com- 
 paring it with fuch a one as ought to have 
 been attempted. 
 
 This Text, then, v^^as brought toprovethe 
 Doctrine of an Intermediate State, For this 
 Purpofe, the following was aifertedto be the 
 true Import of the Original, -p/z. Who hicia- 
 eth the Spirit of the Children of Men, which 
 (Spirit) afcendeth upwards? and the Spirit 
 
 of 
 
Remarh on Mr, St e f f E*i Brief Defence, 297 
 cf the Beaji^ which (Spirit) defcendeth un- 
 ^tx the Earth? 
 
 Now, if this be the true Import of the 
 Text in the Original, and no other Meaning 
 can, confidently with any juft Rules of In- 
 terpretation, he affixed to the Words, then 
 it is fufficient to prove the Dodrine con- 
 tended for. But, if either this be not the 
 true Import of the Words in the Original, 
 or another Meaning can, confidently with 
 juft Rules of Interpretation, be affixed to 
 them, then the Text is no certain Proof of 
 the Dodrine. And that they are capable of 
 another and very different Meaning, and con- 
 fequently infufficient to found fuch a Dodrlne 
 upon, is what was urged in OppoHtion to Mr* 
 Steffe*^ Argument in favour of it. 
 
 Q q In^ 
 
298 Remarks on Mr. Stefipe' s Brief DtfeNcel 
 In order therefore to make a good and va- 
 lid Defence it behoved him to fhew, that the 
 Text was not capable of a differeJ2t Senfe from 
 that which he put upon it. Has this been 
 done in the Brief Dejence now confidered ? 
 No. Nay, it has not been fo much as attempt^' 
 ed. Mr, Steff'c has contented himfelf with 
 endeavouring to Ihew (tho' he is far from 
 havino- fhewn even this) that his Senfe r/jay 
 be admitted*, which was not the Point in 
 queflion. The Qiieilion is, Whether his 
 Senfe of the Words can be admitted as the 
 moft literal and moil exaB Senfe, and whe- 
 ther 110 other Meaning can be affixed to them, 
 which doth not include in it the Dod^rine of 
 an Inier?nediate ^tate. 
 
 I HAVE thought it neceli'ary to -prcfcnt 
 Mr. Steffe with this State of the Queflion, 
 
 that 
 
Remarks on Mr. S t e f f e ' j Brief Defence. 299 
 that he may fee with what Reafon 1 may 
 omit taking Notice of any future Defence on 
 this Subjedl, if it fhould proceed upon the 
 fame Plan with this, which I have been con- 
 fidering. 
 
 The end. 
 
THE 
 
 INDEX 
 
 A 
 
 A. 
 
 R I A N Sy their Notion of Chrifl 
 in a pre-exident State confidered and 
 confuted Page 4—9, 94, &c, 
 
 - their Theology compared with, and 
 in what Relpeds differing from the Hea- 
 then ^ 
 
 their Hypothefis, on what grounded 
 
 6 
 
 their Objedion to the Trinitarian 
 
 Interpretation of the Three firfl Verfes of 
 the iirft Chapter of St. Jobfii Gofpel, 
 
 Gonlidcred 1 7 
 
 ArianSy 
 
INDEX. , 
 
 Arians^ their Senfe of the Word or Logos, 
 
 vide Logos . 
 
 \AthafiaJian (Creed), Unity cf the Godhead 
 afferted, and the Divifion of it exprelly 
 denied therein P^g^ 232 
 
 B. 
 
 Begctten-QrAj Son, Meaning of that Ex- 
 
 prellionj spplied to Chrift n^ 
 
 Bojom of the Father, the Meaning of that 
 
 Expreffion 75 
 
 Chrljl pre-exiflcd not a diftindl Being from 
 
 aft d inferior to G(5^ 12, 59, et feq, 
 
 not an Angel or Demi- god united fo 
 
 Humanity 14 
 
 ■ God and not any inferior Being fpaKe 
 
 to the World by and dwelt in Him 
 
 28, 33, etjcq^ 
 ■ Cljriji, 
 
TN D E X. 
 Cbrijl, Human Nature, of Page 167—207 
 had no middle Nature between the 
 
 ciDivine and Human 8^', i86- 
 
 ■«- — Creatiqn of all Things by, how to be 
 
 interpreted 187—193 
 
 ' the FIrft-born of the new Creation 
 
 'll ■ 192—200 
 
 «^~7- Texts relating to his Miffion into the 
 
 World 76—126 
 
 Ghiirch^ Afiertions of no one Cnurch con- 
 c-cerning the Trinity, a fufiicient Ground 
 r'lof Faith, exclusive of Scripture Authority 
 
 223- 
 of Engla7idj her Wordiip vindicated 
 
 agalnfl: the Objections of the jiWAM/?^ 20 
 againft the Oljeclions of the 
 
 Ariam 2 2 
 the falreft Way of interpreting 
 
 her AfTrrtions concerning the TiaNi'ir 
 
 226 
 air J) 
 
r N D E X. 
 
 Church of England, true Method of defend-' 
 ing her Dodrincs P^g^ 49 
 
 ..-., to enquire carefully into the 
 
 Meaning of her Expreffions, but Juftie© 
 to Her 225 
 
 ' — vindicated from the Charge of 
 
 Polytheijm 133, 233—235 
 
 Council of Nice I. rejeded the Word (God) 
 
 in the i6th Verfe of the third Chapter of 
 
 the fir ft Epiftle to Timotlyj 41 
 
 Creation^ of the natural World afcribed to 
 
 Go^ alone 187— j 89 
 
 — ^ ■ when afcribed to '^jefm Chrijl to be 
 
 underftood of the new, or fpiritual 
 
 190-293 
 
 - — ■ Chrijl the Firft-born of the new 
 
 193—201 
 Creature^ every, Wtauw, YS\,isia<;, what is meant 
 
 by tliat Expreflicn, in the fifth Verfe of the 
 
 firft Chapter to the Cckfjians 19S 
 
 Creeds^ 
 
INDEX. 
 
 Creeds^ Unity of the Deity afTerted in all of 
 
 them Page 232, 235 
 
 CurcellaiiSy his Tranflation of Rom.ix. ^. 39 
 
 D. 
 
 Daiifon Mr. his Senfe of the Logos, and 
 Tranflation of the fiiftVerfe of the firft 
 Chapter of St. Joh?;^ Gofpel 58, 59 
 
 jD^/f;?r^ of the Church, fhould be fcriptural 
 
 A9 
 
 IDevotioJts of our Church addrefled to One 
 
 God 207, 232 
 
 DiftinBion, made in Scripture between the 
 
 Perfon of the Father, and that of the Son, 
 
 marks not a Divifion of the Godhead 
 
 oQ -IT 
 Zkj^ -,1 
 
 Divines, generally miftaken in their Senfe of 
 the Logos 16—18 
 
 — — many have more exceptlonably ex- 
 
 preiTed the Dodriiie of the Trinity thnn 
 
 R r the 
 
INDEX. 
 
 the Compiler of the Athanafian Creed 
 
 Page 8i, 85, 118-121, 227 
 
 Divinity true and perfect, wrought and was 
 
 manlfcfted in the Man Chriji Jejus, 
 
 1-128 
 
 — proved from the Titles given to our 
 
 Redeemer 2—9 
 
 from the Incarnation 9—12 
 
 • from the Teftimony of the Evange- 
 
 Ms 12—19 
 
 from the Teftimony of the Apoftles 
 
 29-37 
 
 from the fignal Prefcrvation of the 
 
 Church of Chri/i 45~- 49 
 
 — ■'- the Honour claimed by Chri/i on 
 
 that Account 84—89 
 Miftakc of the Jews concerning it. 
 
 as alfo of Ckrifi's own Difciples and fome 
 later Chrijlians 89—100 
 
 Miracles of C/jr//?, a Proof of it 102 
 
 Divinity^ 
 
INDEX. 
 
 Divinity, one and the fame wrought in 
 
 Chrift and was manifelled by the Spirit 
 
 Page 122, 123, 157 
 
 DoSirine of the Church of EnglarJ, con- 
 cerning the Godhead, not myfterious 231 
 
 T)oBrines revealed, Objefls of a rational 
 Enquiry 21'^, 222 
 
 of the Church of England^ not to 
 
 be blamed by thofe that mif-underftand 
 her Exprefiions 224 
 
 ■ of the Church of England^ general 
 
 Tenor of ihe Liturgy and Articles the 
 only Interpreters of them 226 
 
 .- of the Church of England, how 
 
 beft defended m /. 2 
 
 E. 
 
 Erafmus^ his Tranflation of a Pafldge in 
 Romans relative to Chrijl 3 ^ 
 
 R r 2 Enpiry 
 
INDEX. 
 
 Enquiry rational into Religion, not dan- 
 gerous Page 216 
 Eternal Power and Godhead, afcribed to our 
 " Saviour 20 
 Evangelfjisy their Account of the Incarnation 
 
 Proofs of the Divinity of our Re- 
 deemer from them 1 2—1 9 
 
 F. 
 
 Faith in revealed Do6trines, Scripture the 
 only joft Ground of 42, 223 
 
 implicit, Arguments for it lead to 
 
 Pc'pery 216 
 
 Father^ Title of Saviour given in Scripture 
 both to God the Father j and his Son, 36 
 
 — Power of working Miracles afcribed 
 
 both to the Father and the So?2, an Attri- 
 bute of one and the fame Being, or the 
 perfeQly Divine Nature 3 1 
 
 Fir/I- ' 
 
INDEX. 
 
 Firji-born of every Creature, not applied to 
 Chrijl with refpedt to his Pre-exiftence 
 
 Fage 192—200 
 Flemings Aflerter of an Intermediate State 
 
 295 
 Flejh^ who manifefted in the 4, 12, i8> 
 
 35. 99 
 
 <Ti.fl fynonimous with, ay^^u-K^^i a Man 
 
 72 
 G. 
 
 Gloucejler^ Remark on the Bifhop of 29^ 
 Glory which Chrijl had with the Father, how 
 to be interpreted 133 
 
 God, our Saviotfr proved to be true and per- 
 fect 9—20, 35, 74—126 
 
 ftiled by St. Jolfiy the ^'ord 59 
 
 . Our, a Title given in Scripture to none 
 
 but the One Supreme Being 4 
 
 Goddardy 
 
INDEX. 
 
 Goddardy one of the AfTerters of an Interme- 
 diate State 295 
 
 Godhead, undivided 28, &c. vide Dhmity 
 
 the Fulnefs of it manifefted in the 
 
 Fle{h 33, viditChrift 
 
 Gofpely in the Beginning with God the Father 
 
 58-64 
 
 ■ afterwards with the Man Chriji jefus 
 
 57 ^ M- 
 
 Grace and Truth, the Gofpel contrafled with 
 
 the Law ftiled 73 
 
 Grotius, his Obfervaticn on Rom. ix. 5, 38 
 
 ■ — ^ his Senfe of the Logos, and Perplexity 
 
 ^ occalioned thereby 62 
 
 ■ ' " his Senie of &( ^.^voyzva ■yra.^a. Hctifo? 
 
 115 
 
 H. 
 
INDEX. 
 
 H. 
 
 Heaven from, the Meaning of that and fuch 
 like Expreffions, applied to the coming of 
 Chrij} into the World Page 76 etfeq. 
 
 Holy Ghoji, not a diflindt Being from and 
 inferior to God 150 
 
 The fame in Subftance with God 157 
 
 Blafphemy againft the Holy Ghoft 
 
 Blafphemy againft God 1 50 
 
 » Divine Attributes afcrihed to the 
 
 Hoh Ghoft 155, 156 
 
 Ground of an Error concerning the 
 
 158 
 
 A proper Diftindion to be bbferved con- 
 
 cerninrr the 160 
 
 — The fame Operations afcribed to' the 
 Holy Ghoft as to Gcd 1 48 et feq^ 
 
 Human Nature of Chrifl^ proved from the 
 Account given of him from his Birth to 
 
 the 
 
INDEX. 
 
 the Time of his public Miniftry 
 
 Page i-^b—iyZ 
 
 — proved from his Mediatorial Office 
 
 179-186 
 
 I. 
 
 1 am, how underflood of Cbriji no, in 
 
 Jehovah Aleim^ imports not two diftind and 
 
 feparate Beings 7 
 
 Jefus. vide Chrijl 
 
 yews J Their Mifconftrudion of our Saviour's 
 
 Words concerning his Dignity the fame 
 
 with that of the Arians 94 
 
 — charged with an Intercourfe with the 
 Dead, no Proof of an Intermediate State 
 
 246 
 
 I?jcar72ation, 10— 12, 175 
 
 • — Arian Notion of it flated and 
 
 confuted 10 
 
 Incarnation 
 
INDEX: 
 
 Incarnation^ Dr. South's Conception of it ab- 
 furd Page 8i, 82, 121 
 
 Inferiority o^Chrift to God iht Father ^ in what 
 Rcfpea: aflertcd 84 
 
 Intermediate State 245 
 
 I. , no Proof of it in the Old 
 
 Teftament 246 
 
 •7 Objeftion from the yews con- 
 
 fulting with the Dead, confidered Ibid 
 K. 
 
 Kingdo?n of Chriji^ reprefented in Scripture 
 as exifting from the Foundation of the 
 World 69 
 
 L. 
 
 Law Jewifj, contrafted with Grace and 
 
 l^riithy or the Logos 73 
 
 " ' the main Defign of the 169 
 
 S s Legos, 
 
INDEX. 
 
 Zc^^jDllTei tation concerning thcPage 5 5— 1 40 
 _ God fo ftiled r q 
 
 .: Cbrtfi fo ftiled 71—74 
 
 . different Senfe given of it by Trim^ 
 
 tanam, Arians^ Socinians and Sabellian^ 
 
 new Interpretation of the three firft 
 
 Verfes in St, Johns Gofpel concerning it 
 
 58-64 
 
 Objedions to the new Interpretation 
 
 anfwered 59—72 
 new Interpretation of the fourteenth 
 
 Verfe of the fame Chapter concerning it 
 
 71 
 
 Confirmation of the above new Inter- 
 
 pretations, chiefly from our Saviours own 
 Words 76-126 
 Mr. Dawfojis Senfe of it 58 
 
 Grotiuis Senfe of it 62 
 
 Lord the, a Title given to God alone 3 , 7 
 
INDEX. 
 
 M. 
 
 Man, Dr. Scof^ Definition of, confidered 
 
 Page 173 
 
 MacedoniuSi accufed of corrupting the Text 
 relating to the Manifeftation of our Re- 
 deemer, viz. I Tim. ill. 16, 40 
 
 Manhood of Chrift Jejus^ what Texts relate 
 to it 187—201 
 
 Miracles, Proof of the perfed Divinity which 
 wrought in Chriji 13 --18 
 
 never afcribed by believing Spe<fta- 
 
 tors to an Arigel or Demigod operating in 
 Chrift 14- "V 
 
 Mofes, the Law given by him, contrafled 
 with Grace and Iruth, i. e. the fFord y^ 
 
 S s 2 - N. 
 
INDEX, 
 
 N. 
 
 Nature human of Chrifty not Incompatible 
 with the Divine Nature manifefted in him 
 
 Page 125 
 
 • metaphyfical of C/6r//?5 certain Expreffions 
 
 fhewn to have no Relation to the 104—107 
 
 Nicey hxa Council of, rejedted the Word 
 Qiof in I I'm. iii. 16 41 
 
 Nicodemus, his Senfe of the JewiJIj phrafe of 
 coming from God y6 
 
 I his Teflimony to the perJeB Di- 
 vinity of our Redeemer 1 9 
 
 Only begotten Son of God. 1 1 5 
 
r N D E X. 
 
 p. 
 
 Perfons^ Diftindlion made in Scripture of them 
 doth not imply a Divijion of the Godhead 
 
 Page 28, 123 
 
 — ^ Dr. Sherlock'^ Notion of them in- 
 
 confiftent with Scripture ?)6 
 
 Church of En^Iaitd holds the Dif- 
 
 tindion in Confidence with thcUm'fy of God 
 
 206 
 Polytheifm, Arians more juftly chargeable 
 
 with it than the Trinitarians of the Church 
 
 of England 22 
 
 ^- unjuftly charged upon the Church 
 
 of England 132, 232—235 
 
 R. 
 
INDEX; 
 R. 
 
 Reafott, confiftent with Revelation Page 2 1 6 
 ' — Difference between Reafon and Rea- 
 
 foning 219 
 
 Redeemer. Vide Divinity 
 
 Redemption, afcribed by the Evangeiifts and 
 ^fofties to God alone, and not to any infe- 
 rior Being that operated in Chrift 13—12, 
 
 29—40 
 ^ . God the original Author of our 
 
 128 
 
 Renovation of all Things, the Gofpel Conili- 
 
 tution fo called j 97 
 
 Revealed Do^rines, Objefls of a rational 
 
 Enquiry 217—224 
 
 ,- fome not difcoverable by Reafon 
 
 no jufl Objedtion to the Belief of them 
 
 230 
 Revelation 
 
INDEX. 
 
 Revelation, Right Reafon always accords with 
 
 Page 230 
 
 s. 
 
 SabelHamfm ^6^ ^^^ 
 
 Saint Cyprian, Hilary, Cbryfoftom, Copies of 
 
 59 
 
 Salvation, God the Author of our 36, 43, 58 
 
 Sanaijier, Creator and Redeemer of the 
 World, One and the fame God 2^, 51, 
 
 126, 1x9 
 
 Sarviour, but One, viz, God in Chrift 37 
 
 ' vide Chrift, Divi?iity 
 
 Sent into the World, this Expreffion the 
 chief Ground of the Arian Notion of 
 Cf^/ift ^ 
 
 — relates to the Office or Commiffion of 
 Chrift Jefus in this World 6, io©~i i? 
 
 Scot 
 
INDEX. 
 
 Scot (Dr. Jofeph Nicol) his Notion of the 
 Human Nature of Chrift Page 173 
 
 Scripture, general Tenor and not particular 
 Paffages of it, the Teft of revealed Doc- 
 trines 4 1 
 
 — the only Rule of Faith concern- 
 ing the Trinity 223 
 
 Sherlock, (Dean) his Notion of the Divine 
 Perfons Tritheiftical 86 
 
 confufed and obnoxious Expreffions 
 
 of 227 
 
 Socinians, their Notion oi Chrift 2 
 
 ■ more confiflent than the Ariam 
 
 ' their Senfe of the Logos 56, 60 
 
 Son ofGody to be honoured of all Men as 
 the Father 85 
 
 ' Cbrijl the Son of God by way of 
 
 Eminence j 27 
 
 Soul, 
 
INDEX. 
 
 Soul, its fcparate Exiflence on Death before 
 the Refurredlon, not proved by the four 
 following Texts, 'viz. Eccl.iW. 2\. xil. 7. 
 Phil, i. 23. 2 Cor. V. 8#-" Page 249, 
 
 259, 265 
 
 Scuth, Dr. his Notion cf the Incarnalion 8 1 
 
 — juflly charges Dean Sberkck with Tri- 
 theifm S 7 
 
 — — his miflaken Interpretation of, ^he 
 
 Bojom oj the Father J 20 
 
 Steffe, Mr. Remarks on his Letter and BrieJ 
 
 Defence 245—299 
 
 Superjtition Popif!:, Reformation from 48 
 I Foundation of it laid in implicit 
 
 Faith 217, 2j8 
 
 Svri^Cj Copies ufed by the Author of the, 
 
 want the Word U-.; in Rom ix. 5. 38 
 
 T t T. 
 
INDEX. 
 
 T. 
 
 Tri72ityy as maintained by the Church of 
 England^ not Tritheifm Fage 22, 23, 
 
 132, 232-235 
 
 the Subje(fl of it incomprehenfiblej 
 
 but not the Dodtrine or Propolition con- 
 cerning it 231 
 
 • Enquiry into the Senfe of the Church 
 
 concerning it is not prying into a Myftery 
 
 224 
 Rule laid down for com in o: at the 
 
 t> 
 
 Senfe of the Church concerning it 225 
 very excepiionably expreffcd by many 
 
 Divines ' 227 
 Objedions again H: the Doctrine, on 
 
 what grounded, and anfwered 229—234 
 the fiippcfed Myfierioufnefs of it, no 
 
 Argument againil: a rational^ Enquiry into 
 it 217 
 
INDEX. 
 
 Trinity, Dr. Sherlock's Explication of it un- 
 
 fcriptural Page 129 
 
 Tritheifmy not chargeable upon the Church 
 
 of England 232—235 
 
 u. 
 
 Unity of the Deity exprefly afTerted by the 
 Church cf £w^Az«t/. 133, 234 
 
 w. 
 
 Word The, a Title given boih to God and 
 
 Chrijl ^^,7'^ ^'^^^ Logos 
 
 Worjhip of the Church of E/igland defended 
 
 20, 22 
 
A N 
 
 INDEX. 
 
 O F T H E 
 
 TEXTS 
 
 Explained, or referred to. 
 
 GENESIS. 
 
 Chapter. 
 
 I. 
 II. 
 
 XV. 
 XXII. 
 
 Verse. 
 
 3 
 7 
 
 2 
 
 a^ 12, 1 6 
 
 Page. 
 
 i88 
 26r 
 
 7 
 
 IJ5 
 
 EXODUS. 
 
INDEX of TEXTS. 
 
 EXODUS. 
 
 Chapter. Verse. Page. 
 
 ni. 14 III 
 
 XX. 4 i45> 284 
 
 LEVITICUS. 
 
 XX. 27 246 
 
 DEUTERONOMY. 
 
 XXVIII, 13 281, 282 
 
 JUDGES. 
 
 XI. 34 115 
 
 II. K I N G S. 
 
 II. 19 288 
 
 . JO B, 
 
INDEX of TEXTS. 
 
 Chapter. 
 XI. 
 XII. 
 
 JOB. 
 
 Verse. Page. 
 
 7 211 
 
 7> Sj 9-> 10 212, 213 
 
 ECCLESIASTES. 
 
 III. 
 
 XII. 
 
 iS, 19, 20 256 
 
 21 S49» 257*259, 
 278, 281, 293, 
 
 296 
 
 22 257 
 
 7 259, 290 
 
 ISAIAH. 
 
 VI. g 
 
 3 
 
 XI-. 
 
 155 
 
 JEREMIAH. 
 
 VI. 
 
 2^ 
 
 I I 
 
 A M O S. 
 
INDEX of TEXTS, 
 AMOS. 
 
 Chapter. Verse. Page.' 
 
 yiii. lo 115 
 
 Z E C H A R I A H. 
 
 xn. 10 J15 
 
 M A L A C HI. 
 
 III. 1 3, 19 
 
 MATTHEW. 
 
 I. 
 
 
 18, 20 
 
 10 
 
 
 
 23 
 
 II 
 
 XII. 
 
 
 28 
 
 150 
 
 XXV. 
 
 
 34 
 
 69 
 
 
 M 
 
 ARK. 
 
 
 1. 
 
 
 i, 2, 3 
 
 3 
 
 
 ^ 
 
 2 
 
 4» 27» 28 
 
 II. 
 
 
 5> 7 
 
 14 
 
 JOHN. 
 
INDEX of TEXTS. 
 LUKE. 
 
 Chapter. Verse. Page. 
 
 I. 25 11, 149, 172 
 
 II. 12 
 
 , 21, 
 
 22, 23, 24 
 
 176 
 
 40 
 
 , 42: 
 
 . 43*46, 5^0 52 
 
 ^77 
 
 IV. 
 
 
 2. 5 
 
 179 
 
 vir. 
 
 
 16 
 
 15 
 
 IX. 
 
 
 42, 43- 
 
 15 
 
 XL 
 
 
 20 
 
 152 
 
 XVII. 
 
 
 13 
 
 16 
 
 
 J 
 
 H N. 
 
 
 I. 
 
 
 I 16, 5?-> 58, 
 
 59, 64, 67," 
 
 
 
 63, 7 
 
 '0, yy, 126 
 
 
 
 2 
 
 55, 62, S5 
 
 
 
 3 55' 63, 
 
 
 
 
 4 
 
 ^iy ^35 
 
 
 
 8 
 
 61 
 
 
 
 14 7^,7 
 
 2, 74, ^3, 
 
 lOQ, 1 15 
 
 
 
 U\i 
 
 I, 
 
INDEX of TEXTS. 
 
 Chapter. 
 
 Verse. 
 
 Page. 
 
 I. 
 
 .17 
 
 74, 205 
 
 
 18 
 
 75, 113, 121 
 
 III. 
 
 2 
 
 19, 76, 90, 204 
 
 
 13 
 
 78, 90, 113 
 
 
 • 34 
 
 83 
 
 V. 
 
 22 
 
 84, 87, 88 
 
 
 23 
 
 85, 87, 88 
 
 VI. 
 
 32-35 
 
 89 
 
 
 32-62 
 
 00 
 
 
 33 
 
 97 
 
 
 35 
 
 61 
 
 
 35 
 
 39 
 
 
 41 
 
 94 
 
 
 48-55 
 
 61 
 
 
 ~ 48 
 
 95 
 
 
 5^-53 
 
 95 
 
 
 ^3 
 
 97. 138 
 
 
 68 
 
 100 
 
 yii: 
 
 16 
 
 So, ICO 
 
 
 iS 
 
 20:3 
 
 VIII. 
 
INDEX. 
 
 of 
 
 T E 
 
 X T S. 
 
 
 Chapter. 
 
 Verse. 
 
 Page. 
 
 
 VIII. 
 
 12 
 
 24 
 
 
 
 62 
 III 
 
 
 28 
 
 
 101, 
 
 III 
 
 
 3S 
 
 
 
 103 
 
 
 40, 
 
 &c. 
 
 107, 
 
 ocC, 
 
 
 42 
 
 
 
 107 
 
 XI. 
 
 25 
 
 
 66 
 
 .67 
 
 XII. 
 
 49 
 
 
 112, 
 
 114 
 
 XIV. 
 
 6 
 16 
 
 22 
 23 
 
 
 
 62 
 
 160 
 
 116 
 115 
 
 XV. 
 
 26 
 
 
 
 160 
 
 XVI. 13, 
 
 &c. 
 
 
 
 122 
 
 XVII. 
 
 4 
 
 5 
 
 
 
 124 
 
 1-3 
 
 XX. " 2 1 
 
 , 22 
 
 
 
 J25 
 
 II. 
 III. 
 
 ACTS. 
 
 22 
 
 1 ■> T T 
 
 30 
 
 IV. 
 
INDEX of TEXTS. 
 
 Chapter. 
 
 Verse 
 
 . 
 
 Page. 
 
 IV. • 
 
 
 lo 
 
 30 
 
 V. 
 
 ' 
 
 3. 4 
 
 ^53 
 
 VII. 
 
 
 51 
 
 ^53 
 
 X. 
 
 
 38 
 
 31 
 
 XX. 
 
 
 28 
 
 J 54 
 
 XXVIII. 
 
 
 25 
 
 ^55 
 
 ROMANS. 
 
 IX. 5 38 
 
 iCORINTHIANS. 
 
 I. 30 189 
 
 II. 4 155 
 
 7 ^9 
 
 10 156, 159 
 
 11 157 
 VIII. 6 187, 189 
 
 XII. 4, 5, 6 32, 143, 147 
 
 6 14S 
 
 XII. 
 
INDEX 
 
 of T E 
 
 X 
 
 T S. 
 
 Chapter. Verse. 
 
 
 Page. 
 
 XII. 
 
 6, 7 
 
 
 161 
 
 
 S, 9, 10 
 
 
 147, 14S, 
 161 
 
 
 11 
 
 
 147, 148 
 
 
 28 
 
 
 148, 154 
 
 2 CO RI N T HI A NS. 
 
 I. 
 
 3 
 
 39 
 
 y. 
 
 1, 2 
 
 267 
 
 
 4> 5. 6 
 
 268 
 
 
 8 
 
 
 
 8, 9, 10 
 
 269 
 
 
 17. 18 
 
 190 
 
 
 19 
 
 32 
 
 E PHE SIA N S. 
 
 III. 
 
 3 
 
 39 
 
 4 
 
 % 
 
 17, 20, 21, 22, 23 
 
 34 
 
 s, 9 
 
 . 191 
 
 
 III. 
 
I N D E X of T E X T S. 
 
 Chapter. Verse, Page.' 
 
 III. 9 69 
 
 II 192 
 
 IV. 14 163 
 
 PHILIPPIANS. 
 
 I. 23 265 
 
 COLOSSI A NS. 
 
 J. 
 
 II. 
 
 II. 
 
 14 
 
 194, 197 
 
 15 
 
 192, 198 
 
 .i5, i; 
 
 192, 193 
 
 ^7 
 
 198 
 
 17, 18 
 
 194 
 
 16, 17, 18 
 
 196 
 
 19, 2Q 
 
 200 
 
 9 
 
 25 
 
 I 1^ I M O T H Y. 
 
 5 35^ i^7' 172 
 201, 207 
 
 III. 
 
INDEX of TEXTS. 
 
 Chapter. Verse. Page, 
 
 III. 16 29 
 
 2 TIMOTHY. 
 
 I. 9 70 
 
 TITUS. 
 
 I. 3y 4 
 
 II. 10, II, 13 
 
 III. 4, 5, 6 
 
 HEBREWS, 
 
 I. I, 2, 3 
 
 II. 10, 17, iS 
 
 36 
 
 37 
 
 201 
 182 
 
 I P E T E R. 
 
 I. • iS, 19 
 
 oj 
 
 I. 
 
 I J O H N 
 
 I, 2 
 
 ^ 5 
 
 69 
 60, 67 
 
 : IV. 
 
INDEX of TEXTS. 
 
 Chapter. Verse. Page. 
 
 IV. 8 60, 6/ 
 
 V. I, 5 62 
 
 J U D E. 
 
 8 
 
 294 
 
 REVELATIONS. 
 
 XIII. 8 70 
 
 XIX. 13 70, yi 
 
 
 
 "^■^ 
 
 ^- 
 
 
ERRATA. 
 
 Page 60, line 20, for 6 read 5. 
 
 . 122, 4> /-^ 5 ^^^d 13. 
 
 I 160,— —17, for fame r^a^ fifteenth* 
 
 187, 4, <?/?^r Epiftle, add to the Corinthians* 
 
 .. I 191, 9, yi^' we read I. 
 
 207,— '—14, Z"' ingenious read ingenuous. 
 
 — 290,— i6,/«'y' 17 read^. 
 
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