i:>' .5«t % 'k\ A iJT- in"' •'^i % 7^: .^'•Sv frf^jS"^: ^^^% A^v^^^r'C- ;; :i^- ' f M ^ PRINCETON, N. J. "^'' Presented by Mrs. Sanford H. Smith. sec Division Section Ntmiher y'A V. / T h'e GLORY OF CHRIST A S G O DM A N DISPLAYED,, . 1 N Three Difcourfes. V I z. Disc. I. A Survey of the vlfible Appearances of Christ, as God, before his Incarnation ; with fome Obfervations on the Texts of the Old Teftament applied to Christ. Disc. II. An Inquiry into the extenfive Powers of the Human Nature of Christ in its prefent glorified State, with feveral Teftimonies annexed. Disc. III. An Argument tracing out the early Exiftence of the Human Soul of Christ, even before the Creation of the World. WITH An APPENDIX, CONTAINING An Abridgment of Dr. Thomas Goodwin's Dif- courfe of the Glories and Royalties of CHRIST, in his Works m Folio, Vol. II. Book III. By ISAAC "^WATTS, D. D. Matt, xxviu. 18. All Power is given to me in Heaven and in Earth. Colof. iii. II. Chrift is all and in all. Jfohn viii. 58. Before Abraham was, I am. BOSTON: PRINTED BY MANNING AND LORING, For DAVID WEST, No. 36, Mari.borou«h-Street. ^795' THE PREFACE. „«..«..<..«^Ka^v|>>..>,.>..»,. vJUR Lord Jefus Chrift is the Author, the Foun- dation, and the glory of our religion. The fcrlpture teaches us to defcribe this bleired Perfon two ways, i. e. as a Man who is one with God, or as God who is one with Man. He is called fometimes ' God with us.* Mat. u 23. * God manifeft in the flefli.' i Tim. iii. 16. i. e. God dwelling in our mortal nature. At other times he is defcribed as the ' Man Chrift Jefus, in whom dwelleth all the fulnefs of the Godhead bodily.* 1 Tim. ii. 5. and Col. ii. 9. A Man * of the feed of David after the flcHi, who is God over all, blefTed for evermore.' Rom.' ix. 5. A Man whofe flefli Thomas the apoftle faw and felt, and yet called him, * My Lord and my God.' John xx. 27, 28. Upon fuch fcriptures as thefe my faith is built. And as it is the moft general fentiment of the Chriftian world in our age, fo 1 muft acknowledge it is very evident to me, that our blefled Saviour is, often reprefented in fcripture as a complex Perfon, wherein God and Man are united, fo as to make up one complex agent, one intelleftual compound be- ing, God joined with Man, fo as to become one common principle of aftion and paflion. Chrift wrought miraculous works, and yet it is * the Fa- ther,' or God * in him, who doth thefe works.' John xiv, 10. The God and the Man are one. A 2 And IV PREFACE. And on this account the * child Jefus* may bo well called the * mighty God.' Ifai. ix. 6. And God himfelf is faid to * redeem the church with his own blood.' Ads XX. 28. And to ' lay down his life for us.* I John iii. 16. This intimate or prefent union between God and Chrift allows him to fay, John x. 38, ' I am in the Father, and the Father in me/ And ver. 30, * I and the Father are one.' Since Chrift Jefus in his perfon and his offices hath fo large a ihare in our holy religion, we cannot be too well acquainted with his various glories. It is the ftudy and joy of angels to pry into thefe won- ders. I Pet. i. 12. And it is the duty of men * to grow in the knowledge of Chrift' their Lord, their God, and their Saviour. 2 Pet. iii. 18. It is granted, that many things relating to the ever-blefled Trinity may have heights and depths ia them which are unfearchable by our underftandings- Though we learn from fcripture,that true and proper Deity is afcribed to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and that they are reprefented often in fcripture as diJiinB perfonal agents ; yet after all our inquiries and prayers, we may be ftill much at a lofs to defcribe exadVly wherein this diJiinB perfonality confifts, and what is the diftindt communion of each of them in the divine nature. We have never yet been able, with any ftrong evidence and clear cer- tainty, precifely to adjuft this facred difficulty, how far they are one^ and how far they are three. Several fchemes and hypothefes have been invented for this purpofe, and the beft of them falls fhort of folving all queftions relating to this doftrine completely to our fatisfadtion, though fome of them are evidently much more agreeable to fcripture than others. As it is our great happinefs, that the knowledge of any fuch particular fchemes of explication are not neceflary to the falvation of men, fo neither are any of PREFACE. V of thofe different fchemes of the Trinitj^ at all need- ful to our prefent inquiries (;oncerning that glory of Chrift, which is the fubjeft of this Treatife. Let no humble Chriftian therefore be jealous of lofing his own form of explaining the Trinity by reading thefe Difcourfes, nor let him be afraid of being led into any particular human fchemes or ex- plications of that divine dodrine. I have fo far laid them all afide in this book, that there is fcarce any hint of any of them, and that in a very flight and tranfient manner. The glories of Chrift, both in his divine and hu- man nature, which are here unfolded, are not nec- eflarily confined to any particular fchemes or hy- pothcfes of the Trinity. Ail that I pretend to maintain here is, that our blefled Saviour mufh be Gody and he muft be Man ; God and Man in tuoo dif~ iin5i natures^ and one perjon, i. e. one complex per- fonal agent. Thofe who believe this do6trine may read thefe Treatifes without danger or fear ; for I would always endeavour to fearch out divine truth, and promote the knowledge of Chrifb (as far as pof- fible) without offence to the bulk of the Chriftian world, or any of the truly pious and religious of every party. Thefe three Difcourfes were written at three dif- tant and different times : I hope therefore my read- ers will be fo candid as to bear with a fmall repetition of the fame thoughts, or with references from one Difcourfe to another, though not expreffed in fo regular a manner as though I had all three confhant- ly in one view. Though the order in which thefe Difcourfes fland be not adjufted according to chronology, j^et it is fuch an order as I thought moft proper to lead my reader by degrees into thefe difcoveries of the glory ©f Chrift. In VI PREFACE. In the firft of thefe Difcourfes I have maintained the Godhead of Ckriji in his appearances under the Old Tejiament. The doctrine itfelf is entirely agree- able to the common fentiments of all our divines, and I have confirmed it by fuch arguments as leem to me mofc effcdual and convincing. I perfuade myfelf the generality of my readers will concur with me in thefe fentiments, though I will not fay I have borrowed my method of argument and vindication from any but the facred writers. In the fecond and third Difcourfes perhaps they will find fome things, which though they are de- rived from fcripture, yet appear to be more uncom- mon, and which have not been taken notice of by many authors. With regard to thefe, I beg leave to make thefe few requells to thofe who will feri- oufly, and with an honeft heart perufe what I have here written. 1. That they would fufFer themfelves to believe with me that we have not yet attained all knowK edge, nor particularly apprehended all thofe things that m.ay be learned from the Bible concerning our Lord Jcfus Chrift : and that they would permit themfelves alfo to think with me, that we are all fallible creatures, and that it is poffible for us to have been miftaken in fome points (at lead of leflcr moment) which we have been taught to believe be- fore we were capable of fearching the word of God for ourfelves : for the beft of men who have been our teachers ' know but in part,' and therefore they could ' prophefy' or inftrudl others ' but in part.' I Cor. xiii. 9. Though they have fpoken the truth, yet perhaps they have not fpoken all the truth which lies hid in the holy fcriptures. 2. That my readers would not be ftartlcd and difcompofed at any thing which m:iy feem new and Ilrange to them at firfi; appearance, nor be frighted at PREFACE. ' vli at a fentence, as though herefy were In it, becaufe it may differ a little from the fentiments which they have hitherto received. That very fame notion in any fcience vvhatfoever, which may perhaps furprife us at firft, by reading further onward may become plain and eafy and certain : and I can alTure them, that there is not one fentence in all thefe Difcourfes, but what is very confident with a firm belief of the Divinity of Chrifl, and a jufl: and fincere concern for the moft eminent and glorious truths of the gofpel, as they are profefled by Proteftants among us againfb the Socinian and Arian errors. 3. That they would not raflily conclude that any Chriftian doftrine is loft, or any article of their faith endangered, or the proper Deity of our Lord Jefus Chrift dropped or neglefted, if they fliould be led to interpret a few texts of fcripture in another manner than they themfelves have been formerly ufed to explain them : for it muft be acknowledged, that fome pious and zealous writers for the truth have muftered together out of all the Bible what- foever texts could poflibly be turned by art or force to fupport any one doftrine which they undertook to defend, juft as ancient heretics have done to fup- port their errors. Now among this great number of fcriptures, it may be ealily fuppofed, that there is here and there .one which is not fo fit and appofite to their purpofe, and which does not carry in it nat- urally that fenfe which has been impofed upon it, or at leaft which does not contain that force of ar- gument which has been generally believed ; and yet the fame point of dodrine may remain unmoveable, without the help of that particular text. Now, though they have been learned and wife and pious men that have ufed thefe fcriptures to fupport fome particular dodrine of fcripture or ar- ticle of faith, yet it is poflible they may have been miftakea Vlli PRErACt. miftakcn in the application of them. Later days, and the maturer age of the world, have given light to man}^ paffiiges of the Bible which were not well underflood in the days of the fathers : and though I read their writings with fincere reverence, yet not %vith an abfolutc fubmiffion to their didates. The fame doftrines and articles of faith which they ef- poufcd and defended in their time, may be ftill ef- poufed and defended with as much zeal and fuccefs in our day by fome new arguments brought to fup- port them, though in reafon and juftice we are con- ftrained to drop fome of the old ones. Befides, there is more honour done to the caufe of Chriftianity and the gofpcl, by building all the articles of it upon fuch fcriptures only as are firm and unOiaken to fupport them, than by multiplying feeble fhews and (hadows of defence. We expofe ourfelyes and our faith at once to the infult and ridicule of our adverfaries, by perfifting in a miftak- en expofition of fcripture, and by maintaining ev- ery colour or falfe appearance of argument, even though it be in the defence of the moft important truth. We ought to make ufe of all the advan- tages of increafing light, nor continue in a wrong application of fcriptures to fupport any point of our faith in oppofition to their moft open and evident meaning. Though truth is infinitely preferable to error, yet men may ufe infufficient arguments for one as well as the other. And in our days, 1 con- ceive a wife and thoughtful man will not be charmed at once with a title-page, merely becaufc it pretends to m-any hundred proofs of the Godhead of Chrift. 4. I requeft that they would confult their Bible with diligence, as I have done, efpecially in the places which I have cited, and like honeft Englifli readers would look only at the (enih as it lies before them, and neither confider nor care whether it be nezu PREFACE, lie new or o/Jt fo It be true : for he that does this, is much more likely to be led into the truth than a greater fcholar, full of his own notions which he has learned in the fchools, who brings his own opinions always to dired: and determine his own interpreta- tion of fcripture whenfoever he reads it ; and thus he interprets every text, not fo much according to the plain, obvious, and eafy (enle of it, and in cor- refpondence with the context, as he does in corref- pondcnce with his own opinions and his learned fchemes. 5. That they would fuffer themfelves to yield to truth wherefoever they find it, and imagine that the lofs of an old opinion by the force and evidence of truth is a vi<^ory gained over error, and an honour- able advancement in their own knowledge in the thirigs of God. 6. That they would apply themfelves with fincere diligence to contider the evidence of fcripture for any of the opinions that I have propofed or main- tained, rather than labour to invent objedions as fafl as ever they can againfl it, as though they knew it was falfe beforehand ; for if we read a treatile which contains never fo much truth, with a previous averfion to the dodrines of it, and a refolution be- forehand to object againfl it all the way, we hinder ourfelves from attending to the force of reafon, and prevent our minds from taking in the evidence on which any dodrine is founded, I grant it is necelfary that all jufl objedions fliould have their due weight, and they ought to be well confidered in our inquiries after truth ; yet when any doftrine has many and llrong arguments from fcripture and reafon advanced to fupport it, one difficulty or two which at prefent feem hard to be folved, fliould not utterly forbid our aflent, fmce, (as bifhop Fowler well obferves) " Th^re are fcarce any X fREFACE. any notions fo plain as to be uncapable of being ob- fcured and called in queftion, except the firft and felf-evident principles, or the immediate confe- quences of them." Becaufe we underftand not what is difficult, we muft not merely for that reafon de- ny that which is clear and plain ; and if we will re- fufc to believe any propofition till we are perfedlly able to mailer all objcdions againft it, we may be fceptics all our days, both in matters of philofophy and religion, and even in fome do6trines of the high- ell importance ; and with all our pretences to learn- ing, may finilh our lives like mere fools. 7. That they would acknowledge that the glories of our blelfed Lord are fo many, ib various, and fo fublime, that there is but very little of them yet known, in comparifon of the unknown glories which he poireifes ; and that a finccre love to Chrift and a zeal for his honour, fhould lead them out with pleafure and expectation to meet any further dil- coveries of this kind, which may be drawn from the word of God. That they would withhold them- felves from a hafby refufal to receive all fuch man- ifeftations, left they fhould prevent the growing hon- ours of their Saviour. .8. While I am tracing thefe early and fublime glories of our blefled Redeemer, by the gleams or the rays of light which are fcattered in feveral parts of his word, I entreat my friends, that they would not be too fevere in their cenfures of any miftaken ftep, while I own myielf fallible, and am ready to re trad any miflake. If they fliould meet with any expreffions which in their opinion do not ftand fo perfectly juft and fquare with other of my fentiments in fome diftant parts of thefe Elfays, I would perfuade myfelf they will be fo candid as to interpret them in a confift- ence with the general fcope and dcfign of my ar- gument, PREFACE. XI gument, and with my avowed fenfe of things in the more important points of religion. It is an eafy matter to be led a little aftray in pur- fuing fuch an uncommon track through the third heavens, the prefent exalted refidence of our glori- fied Saviour ; and in tracing the footfteps of our bleffed Lord through long paft ages of his pre-ex- iftent ftate, be they never fo certain, v^hich com- menced before thefe lower heavens were formed, or time was meafured by the fun and moon. Suc- ceeding writers may more happily condud them- felves in fo glorious an inquiry, and correft my wan- derings : but I am perfuaded my gracious Redeemer will forgive what errors he remarks in thefe fincere attempts to advance his honour ; and I hope my pious readers will find fome degrees of entertainment, as well as improvement, and feel fome devout thoughts awakened in them fufficient to influence their charity and candour. 9. That they would not imagine that all thefe notions and opinions which may be fomething new and ftrange to them., are pure inventions of my own, and rhere fallies of imagination, I mufh acknowledge indeed that I have endeav- oured to carry on the hints I have met with in fome great and honoured writers to a further length, and to trace the golden thread of thefe diicoveries through fardiftant fcenes and ages, by the light both of reafon and fcripture : but as I have no ambition to aflume thefe difcoveries to myfelf, fo I ought in juftice to ftand fecure from thefe cenfures which a heated and warm zeal for ancient land-m.arks, is ready to throw upon every thing that bears the ap- pearance of novelty, I have therefore, in the end of fome of thefe dif- courfes or inquiries, cited feveral writers of name and eminence, and called in the afliftance of their au- thority Xll FUEFACE. thorlty to cover thefe Eflays from the fudden and fevere reproaches of thofe who reverence the names of thofe great, and learned, and pious men. And what fuch venerable authors thought very confident with orthodox doftrine, and fo ufeful and neceflary to fupport the honours of our bleffed Lord, I hum- bly hope and requeft that my readers will not haftily abandon and rejeft as herefy, and renounce it at once without due confiJeration of the arguments. And as for thofe who have a great regard for the writings of fo ingenious and fo pious a man, fo evangelical an author, and fo great a divine as Dr. Thomas Goodwin, I might recommend to them the perufal of his Treatife of the Royaltv of Jefus Chrijl^ as God- Man, which I have abridged here j and before they read thefe Eflays I might entreat them to read this Abridgment, though I dare not pretend to give my aflent to all his opinions in thefe papers, or fupport them. Give me leave to finifli this Preface (fo far as it relates to the Difcourfcs on the pre-exilient foul of Chrift, and the extenfive powers of his glorified hu- man nature) in the modeft and amiable language of that ingenious gentleman who wrote many years ago of the Progreffive Knowledge of Soids in the future State. *' If any thing fliould drop from my pen in the progrefs of this Difcourfe which may feem too affirmative, and hardly reconcileable with a becom- ing modefiy and jealoufy, I defire thofe luxuriances of expreffion may receive fome abatements, and be made fairly agreeable thereunto. For although I may poffibly be indifferently well perfuaded of the truth of what 1 fhall difcourfe, yet I am not certain : it is not improbable that I fhould be miftaken : I am of human race, and have no privilege of exemption from human infirmities and errors." *' Whether PREFACE. iiil " Whether the proofs that I (hall make of this propofed theme be vaHd or invalid, the reader muft determine when he hath weighed and confidered them. I am content that they be efteemed jufl as they are. If my arguments be thought in- valid, and my opinion rejected, it will be no matter of provocation to me. If they be thought cogent, and my opinion worthy of acceptation with pious and ingenious men, perchance I may be a little pleafed therein. But if it may advance [the honour and] the love of God [my Saviour] and make heav- en the more acceptable to the thoughts and medi- tations of Chriftians [becaufe we have fo glorious a Mediator dwelling there] I aru fure I fhall greatly rejoice." CONTENTS. Page CONTENTS. DISCOURSE I. A SURVEY of the vifible Appearances of Chrift, as God, before his Incarnation, 17 Sect. I. An Hiftorical Account of theje Appear- ances, together with fome occafional Remarks upon them by the way, and Inferences from them in the clofe, - - - - 17 Sect. II. The Difficulties relating to this Ac- count of the Appearances of God under the Old Tefiament, relieved and adjufted, - 62 Appendix. Some Obfervations on the Texts of the Old Tejlamenty applied to Chriji, - 88 DISCOURSE II. An Inquiry into the extenfive Powers of the Human Nature of Chrift in its prefent glorified State, - - - - 99 Shct. I. The Introduftion, - - 99 Sect. II. Scriptural Proofs of the Exaltation of the Human Nature of Chriji, and the extenjive Capacities and Powers of his Soul in his glo- rified State, - - - - - 103 Sect. III. A rational Account how the Man Jefus Chrift, united to God, may be vefted with fuch extenfive Powers, - - 125 Sect. IV. Tejimonies from sther JVriters, 154 DISCOURSE jcvi CONTENTS. DISCOURSE III. Page An Argument tracing the early ExlHence of the Human Soul of Chrift before the Cre- ation of the World, - - - i6o Sect. I. IntrodnBion, - - - i6o Sect. II. Some Pro pojit ions leading to the Proof of the DoBrine propofed, - - 162 Sect. III. Arguments for the Pre-exiftence of Chrift'' s Human Souly drawn from various Conf derations of fame Things inferior to God- head, which are ajcribed to him in Scripture^ before and at his Incarnation, - 16S Sect. IV. Mifcellaneous Arguments to prove the fame Dofirine, - ~ - 190 Sect. V. A Confirmation of this DoBrine by Arguments drawn from the happy Confequences thereof and the various Advantages of it in the Chrifiian Religioyi, - - - 203 Sect. VI. ObjeBions anfwered, - 245 APPENDIX; Or a fhort Abridgment of that excellent Difcourfe of the late Rev. Dr. Thomas Goodwin, on the Glories and Royalties that belong to Jefus Chrift, confidered as God- Man, in his Third Book of the Knowledge of God the Father, and his Son Jefus Chrift, />. 95> in the Second Volume of his fVorks, - - - 269 DISCOURSE DISCOURSE I. The Glory of Christ as God-Man di/playecly By a survey of the visible Appearances OF CHRIST AS GOD, before his Incar- nation. SECT. I. An Hijiorical Account of thefe Appearances. OiNCE the Socinian dodrines have been cffe(i^ually refuted by many learned writers, efpecial- ly in the laft century, it is now, I hope, confeffed al- moft univerfally, that our bleffed Saviour had a real exiftence long before he appeared in flelh and blood, and dwelt among men. It is alfo generally acknowl- edged, that he often appeared in a vifible manner un- der the patriarchal and Mofaical difpenfations, af- fuming the names, and fuftaining the charadler and perfon of the great and bleffed God. Yet it has been a matter of conteft in thefe latter years, as well as in the ancient days of Arius, whether Chrifb, in his complex perfon, include Godhead or not : or whether he being nothing elfe but a creature or a mere contin- gent being, and is only called God, as fuftaining and reprefenting the character and perfon of one who is infinitely above him, even the great and eternal God. This is the great and Important queftion pf the age. B Noiv 1 8 Vifihle Appearances of Disc. I. Now that this matter may be determined with more evidence and certainty, let us firft trace out the accoLint which the Old Teftament gives us of the various feafons and occafions on which God, the Lord* the Lord God, Jehovah^ the A/mighty, the God cf Abraham, &c. is laid to appear amongft men, with a few remarks on them in paffing; and afterward we lliall be enabled to draw more particular infer- ences from thefe fcriptures, concerning the Deity of Chrift and his appearances before his incarnation. Whofoever will read the four firft chapters of Gen- efis with due attention, will find a very plain and eafy reprefentation of the great God, firft creating all things, and afterwards appearing to Adam, Eve, and Cain, and converfing with them with a human voice, and very probably in a human fliapc too. I am well affured that any common reader, who begins the bi- ble without prejudices or prepoffeflions of any kind, would naturally frame this idea under the words and expreffions of Mofes, the facred writer. In the firft place, God reprefents his own defign of creating man in this manner, viz. Gen. * Let the unlearned reader take notice, that there are two He- brew words, viz. Jehovah, and Adon or Adonai, both which our tranfiators render Lord. The fird, viz. Jehovah, fignifies the Eternal or Unchangeable, and has been fufficiently proved to be the proper name of the great God, the God of Ifrael, peculiar to him and incommunicable to creatures ; and it is written always in capi- tal letters LOK.D, for diftinftion fake» Thou, ivhofe name alone is JiiHOVAH, art the mojl high over all the earth. Pfal. Ixxxiii. 1 8. Though it had been much better if tlie Hebrew name, Jehovah itfelf, had been always written in our Englifh bibles, that the hearer might diflinguiih it as well as the reader. The other name viz. yidon or Adona'i is alfo trandated Lord, and written in fmall letters, becaufe it is not the proper name of the great God ; it (ignifies his lordjhip or dominion, and is not fo pccuhar nor incommunicable. Now let it be obfcn-ed, that in almoft every place which I have cited to Hiow the various appearances of the Lord to men, it is the' name Jehovah is ufed, which the reader will find diftinguifhed by capital letters in the Englifh bible. Sect, i* Chrijl as- God. 19 Gen. i. 26. * And God faid, Let us make man in our image, after our likenefs ; and let them have do- minion over the fi!h of the fea,' &c. Ver. 27. 'So God created man after his own image : in the image of God created he him ; male and female created he them. And God blefled them, and faid imto them. Be fruitful, and multiply,' &c. Ver. 29. ' And God faid. Behold I have given you every herb bearing- feed, to you it fhall be for meat, and to every beafc of the earth, and to every fowl of the air,' &c. Now it is very probable, that when God had made man, he appeared to him in man's own lliape, and thus made it known to Adam, that he had formed him in his own image, even as to his body j that is, in fuch a form or figure as God himfelf did, and would frequently affume, in order to converfe with man. And perhaps God alfo might acquaint Adam with the natural and moral perfe6tions of his own foul, viz. knowledge, rightcoufnefs and holinefs, wherein he refembled his Maker, and bare his like- nefs, as well as that God himfelf fometimes aflumed the figure of a man. Let it be noted here alfo, that when God blefTed fome part of the animal creation, it is exprefled only, God faid, (but not to them as hearers) ' be fruitful and multiply,' as ver. 22 ; that is, God put forth a divine volition or comxmand concerning the multiplication of inferior creatures ; but he fpake to Adam and Eve dired:ly as his hearers, and moft. likely with a human voice, for * he faid unto them, Be fruitful and mul- tiply ;' and told them, that he had given them the fruits of the earth for their food, and that he had given it alfo to the fowls and the beafts : whereas God is not faid to fpeak thus concerning food to the beafts or to the fowls themielves, but only told Adam what he had appointed for their common food. This looks like a human appearance con- B 2 verfmg: 20 Vifihle Appearances of Disc. L verfing with him, and will appear more evidently in what follows. Gen. ii. 16. * And the Lord God commanded the man, faying, Of every tree in the garden thou mayeft freely eat ; but the tree of the knowledge of good and evil thou flialt not eat of it.' Ver. 19. ' And the Lord God brought every beaft of the field and every fowl of the air to Adam, to fee what he would call them.' Ver. 22. * And the rib which the Lord God had taken from man made he a v»'cman, and brought her unto the man.' All this feems to be the tranf- aftions and language of the Lord God appearing in human fliape, and with human voice to Adam. Gen. iii. 8. * And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themfelves from the pref- ence of the Lord God amongft the trees of the gar- den.' 9. * And the Lord God called unto Adam, and faid unto him, Where art thou ?' 10. ' And he faid, I heard thy voice in the garden and I was afraid, be- caufe 1 was naked, and I hid myfelf.' 11.* And he faid, Who told thee that thou wafb naked T &c. Ver. 13. ' And the Lord God faid unto the woman. What is this that thou hafb done ? and the woman faid. The lerpent beguiled me, and I did eat.' Ver. 21. * Unto Adam and to his wife did the Lord God make coats of ikins, and clothed them,' &c. I think there is a very plain defcription of a vifible appearance and a human voice in this fcene and thefe dialogues. Adam and his wife could never be faid to * hide themfelves from the prefence of the Lord,' if he had not before manifefted a vifible prefence to them ; nor could they ' know his voice,' if he had not converfed with them by a human voice before : this is a pretty plain proof that God converfed with them in a human manner in the foregoing inilances. Nor yet could they have hid themfelves from a mere Aoice S'ECT.T. Ch'ijl as God. ii voice * among trees,' nor could they have been * afhamed of their nakednefs' before a mere voice, if they had not known God before by a vifible pref- ence and appearance, whofe face they now avoided among the trees. It is probable that God not ©nly conv-erfed with Adam and Eve, but with their children and family in the fame manner in the beffinnino; of the world : for you read a plain dialogue between God and Cain, Gen. iv. 6. * And the Lord faid unto Cain, Why art thou wroth ? If thou doft well, fhalt thou not be accepted ? And 'the Lord faid unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother ? And Cain faid, I know not : ■am I my brother's keeper?' And God replied again, * What haft thou done ? the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground,' &c. ' A fu- gitive and a vagabond fhalt thou be in the earth. And Cain faid unto the Lord, My punifliment is greater than I can bear. Behold, thou haft driven me out this day from the face of the earth, and from thy face I ftiall be hid,' Ver. i6. * And Cain went out from the prefence of the Lord.' Surely every reader among the Jews, for whom Mofes wrote this, would have an idea of the great God's appearing and converiing with Adam and his houfehold in human fhape, and after the manner of men : and then ' Caia went out from the prefence of God.' But whatfoever fliape appeared to them, I think it muft be granted, that God appeared in a vifible manner, where the expreflions jxve, fo plain and fo ^ftrong, where the repetitions are fo many, that the Lord, i. e. Jehovah, the Lord God, appeared, and fat ■or walked, and did and fpake this or that. In fo ma- ny tranfaclions and dialogues it is very hard to fup- :pofe that there was nothing elfe but a created angel came affuming the name of God. Surely fuch fort of 2 2 VifibL: Appearances of Disc. I. of reprefcntations would lead all comtnon readers in- to a grofs mi (take, it God himlclt" were not here at all in a fpecial and vifiblc manner. It is very probable there miglit be fome glorious light, fome awful brightnefs, that frequently fur- rounded and invefled this human form in which God appeared and convcrfed with man, and which might be called his divine form, that he might be thereby in fome meafure diftinguiflied and well known as God. Doubtlefs the Lord, Jehovah, when he came down to vifit men, carried fome enfign of divine majefty with him, fomx fplendid cloud or lu- minous rays about him, when he defigned that men fliould know God was there. It was luch a light ap- ]ieared often at the door of the tabernacle, and fixed its abode on the ark between the cherubims, and by the Jews was called the Shecinah, i. e. the habitation of God. And thence God is defcribed in fcripture as ' dwelling in light,' and ' clothed with light as with a garment :' but in the midft of this brightnefs there feems to have been fometimes a human fliape and figure. And probably this heavenly brightnefs was that divine clothing,that 'form of God,' of which Chrifl diveftcd himfeif when he came to tabernacle, or dwell in feJJi, with a defign of humiliation, though he might convcrfc with men heretofore arrayed in this lightfomc robe, this covering or habitation of God, which alfo he put on at his transfiguration in the mount, when ' his garments were white' as the light ; and at his afcenfion to heaven, when a * bright cloud received' or invefled liim, and when he appeared to John, Rev. i. 13. And as God vifibly converfed with Adam and his family, fo alio with ieveral of the patriarchs. He was feen often by them, cfpecially luch of them as were moft eminent for holincfs, in a degenerate age, and Sect. L Chrijl as God. 23 and converfed familiarly with them in a vi/ti^/e man- ner : and thence probably came the phrafe, ' Enoch walked with God,' Gen. v. 22, 24. and ' Noah walked with God,' Gen. vi. 9. which in procefs of time became a common phrafe to fignify a pious man, who converfed much with God in a fpirifua/ manner, though thofe vifible appearances were not then vouchfafed to him. When God had chofen Abraham to be his pecu- liar favourite, he appeared to him frequently. Ads vii. 2. ' The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham, when he was in Mefopotamia, and faid unto him, Get thee out of thy country,' &c. And when he came into the land of Canaan, Gen. xii. i r. * The Lord appeared unto Abraham and faid, Unto thy feed will I give this land ; and there he built an altar unto the Lord, who appeared unto him ;' or, as the Hebrew exprelTes it, * who was feen by him.' Thefe feem to be vifible appearances furrounded with light or glory, and therefore it is faid, ' the God of glory appeared to him.' Gen. XV. i. * After thefe things the word of the Lord came unto Abraham in a vifion, faying. Fear not, Abraham, I am thy ihield and thy exceeding great reward : and Abraham faid, Lord God, what wilt thou give me ?' &c. Here was a vifion, and here was a voice j the perfon that appeared was the Lord God, or Jehovah Elohim : and yet it is faid, ' The word of the Lord came to him in a vifion ;' prob- ably this fignifies Jefus Chrift, the Logos, or IVord of God. And yet, ver. 7. he alTumes the name of yehovah, * I am the Lord that brought thee out of Ur of the Chaldees :' and ver. i 7. ' a imoaking fur- nace and a burning lamp paiTed between the pieces' of the divided facrifice, in token of God's making a covenant with Abraham ; as it follows, ver. 18. 'In that 24 Vifihle Appearances of Disc. 1. that fame day the Lord,' or Jehovah, * made a cov- enant with Abraham.'* Gen. xvi. 7. ' The Angel of the hord found Ha- gar in the wildernefs, and faid unto her, 1 will mul- tiply thy feed exceedingly :' and though he be called the Angel of the Lord, in four places in this narrative, yet, ver. 13. * She called the name of the Lord,' or Jehovah, ' that fpake to her. Thou God feeji me.'' The perfon who a})peared therefore feems to be one who was an Angel of the Lord, and was alfo the Lord, or Jehovah. Gen. xvii. i. * When Abraham was ninety years old and nine, the Lord,' or Jehovah, ' appeared to him and faid unto him, I am the Almighty God ; walk before me, and be thou perfedl.' Ver. 3. ' And Abra- ham * Here let it be obferved, that the ancient Jews, fuch as the Targumifls or commentators on fcripture, and Philo, reprefcnt the J\lenira, the Logos, that is the Word of the Lord, as appearing to the patriarchs in almofl: all thefe places where God is faid to ap- pear : and of this Divine Word they give us two different ideas, as I have fliown elfewhere : the one is, that it fignifies fomething in and of the true and eternal Godhead, fome diftin(51: principle in the Divine Nature itfelf, which is called the JVord or W'lfdom of God, ■whereby God revealed himfelf to men. The other is the idea of fome mofl excellent Angel in whom God refided, and by whom God manlfefted himfelf, and who was upon tiiat account called the Word of God. Their writings lead us plainly to both thefe ideas : nor is it at all unreafonable to fuppofe, that both thefe ideas may be united in one, and thus compofe a fort of complex perfon, an an- gel inhabited by true Godhead under the idea of Divine IViflom. Some have called tliis perfon a God- Angel \n all thefe vifible appear- ances ; and why may not our blefled Saviour be this God- Angel by reafon of his human foul pre-exiftent and united to Godhead in its unincarnate or angelic ftate, i. e. before he became complete God- Man, and afterward he was made a little loiver than the angels by dwelling in llcih and blood ? See more of this matter in other writ- ings. But this I do but juft mention as I pals along, and in the margin only, bccaufe I would not enter into any modus of explain- ing the internal diitindions in the Godhead in thefe difcourfes : efpecially fince thefe difcourfes agree well enough with any known ifcheme of internal diflindlions in the Godhead. Sect. X. Chriji as God. 25 ham fell on his face : and God talked with him, fay- ing, Behold my covenant is with thee,* &c. ' to be a God to thee and to thy feed after thee,' &c. * and I , will be their God.' Here is another dialogue ; * and God faid unto Abraham, — and Abraham faid unto God,' ver. 9, 15, 18. and in ver. 22, ' he left off talk- ing with him, and God went up from Abraham,* i. e. the vifible appearance afcended out of Abra- ham's %ht. Gen. xviii. i. * And the Lord,' Jehovah, * appeal- ed unto him in the plains of Mamre ; and he fat in the tent-door in the heat of the day, and he lift up his eyes and looked, and lo, three men ftood before him ; and when he faw them, he ran to meet them from the tent-door, and bowed himfelf toward the ground ; and faid. My Lord, if now I have found favour in thy light, pafs not away, I pray thee, from thy fervant.' His firft addrefs was made to one of the three, who feemed to bear fuperior glory ; after- ward he invites them all to eat, and * he took butter and milk,' ver. 8. ' and the calf which he had drelied, and fet it before them ; and he ftood by them under the tree, and they did eat. And he faid, Sarah thy wife (hall have a Ion :' at which tidings, when ' Sarah laughed within herfelf, the Lord,' or Jehovah, ' faid unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh ?' ver. 13. 'Is any thing too hard for the Lord,' or Jehovah .'' Now I think it is evident that one of thefe three men was exprefsly called 'JeJiovah : two of them went on- ward toward Sodom, but he that is called Jehovah feemed to ftay behind ; ver. 1 6, 1 7, and 22, 'the men,' i.e. the two men, ' turned their faces from thence, and went towards Sodom, but Abraham ftood yet before Jehovah.' And a long dialogue there enfues between Abraham and the Lord, or Jehovah, about the fpar- ing of Sodom, wherein Abraham addrelTes him as the true God, in ver. 33. ' The Lord,' Jehovah, ' went bis 2,6 Vifible Appearances of Disc. I. his way as foon as he had left communing with Abra- ham, and Abraham returned to his place.' And, Gen. xix. i. ' There came two angels to Sodom at even,' which moft i)robably were the two men that left Abraham while Jehovah tarried and talked with him. Now it is evident in the converfation, that neither of thefe two angels aflumed the name of Je- hovah ; for, ver. 13. they fay, ' the cry of the men of Sodom is Vv'axen great before the face of the Lord,* i. e. Jehovah, ' and Jehovah hath fcnt us to deftroy it.' This narrative gives us a plain account of the great God appearing to Abraham, and converfing with him in the form of a man ; for it is laid. He * appeared to Abraham,' or ' was feen of him, talked with him,' and ' went up from him.' Gen. xxi. 17. * God heard the voice of the lad,* Ifhmael, ' and the Angel of God called unto Hao;ar cut of heaven, Arife, lift up the lad, for I will make him a great nation. And God opened her eyes, and. fhe faw a well of water.' Here is a perfon fpeaking, who feems to affume fomething of Godhead, who yet is called the Angel of God : but whether there was any vifible appearance, the fcripture faith not. Gen. xxii. 11. * The Angel of the Lord called to Abraham out of heaven, and faid. Lay not thine hand upon the lad,' that is Ifaac, 'for now I know that thou fcarell God, feeing thou hafb not withheld thy fon, thine only fon ffom me.' Ver. 14. * And Abra- ham called the name of that place Jehovah-Jireh.' Ver. i^. * And the Angel of the Lord called unto Abraham out of heaven the fecond time,' and faid, * By myfcif have I fworn, faith the Lord, that in blei- fing I will blefs thee, becaufe thou haft obeyed my voice.' Here alfo is an angel of Jehovah, who feems to afllime the charader of Deity ; but wheth- er there was a vifible appearance, or only a voice, is not certain. Gen. Sect. I. Chriji as God. 27 Gen, xxvi. 2. * And the Lord,' Jehovah, ' appear- ed unto Ifaac and faid. Go not down into the land of Eoypt ; fojourn in this land, and I will be with thee, and I will blefs thee, 1 will perform the oath which I fware unto Abraham thy father.' Ver. 24. And when Ifaac went to BeerQieba, * the Lord appeared to him the fame night, and laid, I am the God of Abra- ham thy father : fear not, for J. am with thee.' Be- fidcs thefe two, 1 remember not any other appear- ance of God to Ifaac. The two firft appearances which we read, that God made unto Jacob, were both in a dream : one in Gen. xxviii. 12. ' The angels of God afcending and defcending on a ladder,' fet up on the earth and reaching to heaven ; ' and behold the Lord,' or Jeho- vah, ' ftood above it, and faid, I am Jehovah, the God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Ifaac' Gen. xxviii. 12, 13. and ver. 16. ' Jacob faid, Surely the Lord is in this place.' Gen. xxxi. 11, 13. And * the Angel of God fpake unto me in a dream, faying, Jacob ; and I faid, here am I : and he faid, I am the God of Bethel, where thou vowedft a vow unto me.' Here is an angel, in a divine or infpired dream, calling himfelf the God of Bethel. And ver. 24. ' God came to Laban the Syrian by night in a dream, and faid to him, Take heed that thou fpeak not to Jacob neither good or bad.' Doubtlefs thefe ancients had fufficient rules of diftindiion to know when fuch a dream was divine. Gen. xxxii. 24. ' And Jacob was left alone,' when his v.'ives and children were gone over the ford, ' and there wreftled a man with him until the breaking of the day :, and he faid. Let me go, for the day break- eth :' and Jacob replied, ' I will net let thee go except thou blefs me : and he faid, Thy name (liali be called no more Jacob, but Ifrael, for as a prince haft thou power with God, and with men, and haft prevailed ; and tt Viftbk Appearances cf Disc. t. and Jacob called the name of that place, Peniel, for I have feen God face to face, and my life is pre* fervcd.' * Now if we compare this hiftory with Ho- fea xii. 3, 4, 5. we fhall find that this perfon who wreftled with Jacob, and is here called a Man, and alfo God, is by the prophet called God, and an Angel, and the Lord God of Hojis, even Jehovah. The words are thefe, * By his flrength he had power with God, yea, he had power over the Angel, and prevail- ed ; he wept, and made fupplication unto him, he found him in Bethel, and there he fpakc with us ; even the Lord God of Hofts, Jehovah is his memorial.' Gen. XXXV. 9. * And God appeared unto Jacob again when he came out of Padanaram, and blefled him. And God faid, I am God Almighty, be fruit- ful and multiply,' he. And God went up from him in the place where he talked with him. And Jacob called the name of the place where God fpake with him, Bethel. Gen. xlvi. 2. ' God fpake unto Ifrael in the vifions of the night, and faid, I am God, the God of thy fa- ther, fear not to go down into Egypt.' In Gen. xlviii. 3. Jacob rehearfed the former appearance of God to him ; ' God Almighty appeared to me at Luz in the land of Canaan, and blefled me.' And ver. r <;. he blefles Jofeph thus, ' God, before whom my fathers, Abraham and Ifaac, did walk, the God which fed me all my life long unto this day, the An- gel which redeemed me from all evil, blefs the lads,' that is, the fons of Jofeph. And in this recognition of the former appearances, and favours of God, Ja- cob feems to make the God of his fathers, Abrahain and * We find here it was a very ancient opinion, that no mm could bear the fight of God and live : what is the true meaning of it, fee in the following reflexions on the appearance of the glory of God to Mofes at the giving of the law, Exod. xix, and xx. and in the hole of the rock. Exod. xxxiii. 9. Sect. I. Chriji as God. 29 and Ifaac, to be the fame perfon with the Angel that redeemed kirn from all evil. After this I find no more fuch appearances of God unto men, until that glorious apparition to Mofes in the burning bufh. Exod. ii. 2,3. 'And the Angel of the Lord appear- ed unto him in a flame of fire out of the midft of a bufh : and he looked, and behold the bufh burned with fire, and the bufli was not coniumed.' Ver. 3. ' And Mofes faid, I will now turn afide, and fee this great fight, why the bufli is not burnt.' Ver. 4. * And when the Lord faw that he turned aiide to fee, God called to him out of the middle of the bufh, and faid, Mofes, Moles. And he faid, Here am I.' Ver. 5. * And he faid, Draw not nigh hither : put off thy Ihoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou ftandeft is holy ground.' Ver, 6. ' Moreover he faid, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abra- ham, the God of Ifaac, and the God of Jacob. And Mofes hid his face : for he was afraid to look upon God.' Ver. 7. * And the Lord faid, I have furely {Qtn. the affliction of my people which are in Egypt,' &c. Ver. 13. ' And Mofes faid unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Ifi-ael, and fhall fay unto them, The God of your fathers hath fent me unto you ; and they fhall fay to me, W^hat is his name ? What fliairi fay unto them V Ver. 14. ' And God faid unto Mofes, I AM THAT I AM : and he faid, Thus flialt thou fay unto the children of Ifra- el, I AM hath fent me unto you.' Ver. 15. ' And God faid moreover unto Mofes, Thus fhalt thou lay unto the children of Ifrael, the Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Ifaac, and the God of Jacob, hath lent me unto you : this is my name for ever, and this is my memorial unto all generations.' Chap. iv. i . ' And Mofes anfwered and faid, But behold, they will fay, The Lord hath not ^d Vifible Appea-ranres of Disc. I, not appeared unto thee.' And in order to prove that the Lord, or Jehovah, had appeared unto him,'* The Lord faid unto him, Caft thy rod on the ground,* &c. Ver. 5. ' That they may beheve that the Lord God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Ifaac, and the God of Jacob, hath ap- peared unto thee.' And thus the facred dialogue be- tween God and Mofes proceeds. This fame hiftory is briefiy repeated by Stephen, Afts vii. 30, — 36. Whoever reads this narrative, will plainly find, that this perfon who appeared to Mofes, was both the An?d of the Lord, and was God himfelf : for it is faid, ' Moles was afraid to look upon God.' He is called an angel by the flicred writer at his firft appear- ance, but he is a!fo called in the fucceeding parts of the narrative, God the Lord, 'Jehovah, the God of Abra- ham, &c. The facred hiftorian calls him fo frequent- ly, and he himfelf roundly and flrongly calls himfelf fo. He aflumes the higheft names and titles of the fupreme God, / am that I am, Scc. and that in the mofb folemn and majeftic manner that it is poffi- ble God himfelf could do, if he defigned never fo plainly to declare his own perfonal prefence. Now I would humbly propofe thefe queftions to every reader, whether if he fliould put himfelf as it were in the place of Mofes, he would not have been fully convinced, and believed that the great and eter- nal God was the perfon adlually immediately pref- ent in the burning buQi in an extraordinary man- ner ? Whether he could avoid believing that the perfon who fpake to him was really the true and eternal God ? And though he might fuppofe that it was an angel that appeared there, whether fuch flrong, exprefs and folemn affumptions of the divine nature would not lead him to believe that God and this angel, at lead in that fcafon, and for that pur- pofe were fo far united as to become as it were one agent. Sect. I. Chriji as God. 31 agent, one fpeaker, one complex perfon ? And wheth- er Mofes himfelf could have any other idea of this appearance, but as God, the great and bleffed God, dwelling or refiding in, and acting and fpeaking by this anpel ? Whether the mere idea of a creature, an angel fent as a vicegerent or deputy to fpeak in the name of God, could anfwer thefe fublime affertions of the facred writer, and thefe divine characters fo llrongly alTumed by the angel ? And whether any unprejudiced reader could underftand this to be the mere meflenger of an abfent God, (ince there is no notice through all this narrative, that he was merely an angel fent from God (confidered as abfent) to carry a meflage to Mofes, but rather many notices given, both by the perfon appearing in the buih, and by the facred hiftorian, that God himfelf was there, or fuch an angel who was alfo the great and bleffed God ? Exod. iv. 24. * And it came to pafs by the way In the inn, that the Lord met Mofes, and fought to kill him,' upon which Zipporah circumcifed her fon. This feems to be an apparition of the Lord, or Je- hovah, in the form of a man, fomething like God's wreftling with Jacob, and giving Mofes a terrible re- proof, becaufe he had neglefted to make his fon pafs under that facred rite of circumcifion. Exod. vi. 2. ' And God fpake unto Mofes, and faid unto him, I am the Lord : and I appeared unto Abraham, unto Ifaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, but by my name of Jehovah was I not known to them.' Can any thing more ftrong- ly exprefs the ancient appearance of the true God himfelf to the patriarchs, who alfo appeared lately to Mofes under a new name ? After this you have a multitude of inftances, wherein the Lord, or Jehovah, converfed freely with Mofes upon every occafion : whether under anv vifi- ble 32 Viftble Appearances of Disc. L ble appearance or figure, the fcripture does not ac- quaint us, except in the following inftances. Exod. xiii. 21. *And the Lord,' or Jehovah, *went before thcni by day in a pillar of a cloud to lead them in the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light.' Who, in Exod. xiv. 19, is called the * Angel of God wdiich went before the camp of If- rael ;' he now removed * and went behind them, and the pillar of the cloud went from before their face, and ftood behind them.* And in the 24th verfe of this chapter he is again called Jehovah : ' It came to pafs in the morning-watch, the Lord,' i. e. Jehovah, * looked unto the hod of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and of the cloud.' Exod. xvi. 9. Mofes bid Aaron fay to the people, * Come near before the Lord ;' and ' as Aaron fpake to the whole congregation, behold the glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud. And the Lord fpake unto Mofes, faying, I have heard the murmurings of the children of Ifracl, and ye fhall know that I am the Lord your God.' Exod. xvii. 5, 6, 7. * The Lord faid to Mofes, Go on before the people, and take with thee the elders of Ifrael. Behold, I will fi:and before thee there upon the rock in Horeb, and thou fhalt fmite the rock, and there fhall come water out of it. And he called the name of the place Maflah and Meribah, becaufe of the chiding of the children of Ifrael, and becaufe they tempted the Lord.' Here God promifes to ftand before Mofes on the rock, and the Ifraelites are faid to tempt the Lord, which is applied to Chrift, i Cor. X. 4. This rock on which God ftood is called Chrijl^ i. c. the type of Chrift in whom God dwelt. And ver. 9. they are faid to tempt Chrift, i. e. they tempted God, appearing in a vifible manner as flandins: on a rock. The Sect. I. Chriji as God. ^3 The other place where they tempted God, is, Deut. xxi. 5, 6. for want of bread and water, and ' the Lord fent fiery ferpents,* &c. Both thefe are joined together, Deut. viii. 15. And in both places we may juftly fay ' Chrift was tempted,' i. e. God appearing as the Leader of Ifrael in the wildernefs : For if it is exprefsly aflerted ' they tempted Chrifb* when the ferpents flew them, where there is not any exprefs account of a vifible appearance of God in the hiftory, much more may it be faid * they tempted Chrift' when Mofes fmote the rock, where there was a vifible appearance of ' God as {landing on the rock.' Exod. xix, 2,3.* Ifrael camped before the mount Sinai, and Mofes went up unto God, and the Lord called unto him out of the mountain.' Ver. 9. * And the Lord faid unto Mofes, Behold, I come unto thee in a thick cloud, that the people may hear when I fpeak with thee.* Ver. 18. * And Mount Sinai was altogether on a fmoak, becaufe the Lord defcended upon it in fire.' Ver. 19. * Mofes fpake, and God anfwered him by a voice.' Ver. 20. * And the Lord called Mofes up to the top of the mount, and Mofes went up.' Exod. xx. i. * And God fpake all thefe words, faying, I am the Lord thy God which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the houfe of bondage. Thou fhalt have no other gods before me,' &c. Ver. 19. * And the people faid to Mofes, Let not God fpeak to us, left we die.' Ver. 21. 'And the people ftood afar off, and Mofes drew near unto the thick darknefs where God was : and the Lord faid unto Mofes, Thus ihalt thou fay unto the children of Ifrael, Ye have feen that I have talked with you from heaven.* Thus God gave his laws to his people from Mount Sinai ; but neither Mofes nor the people did at this time fee any limilitude or figure ; for fo Mofes tells C them. •^f^f Vifihli Appearances of Disc-. E them, Deut. iv. 12. ' And the Lord fpake unto him out of the midft of the fire : ye heard the voice of the words ; but ye faw no fimilitude, only yc heard a voice.' And indeed it is probable that Mofes never faw any form of the countenance, or face of a man, in all the appearances of God to him : and though it be faid, Deut. xxxiv. 10. ' There arofe not a prophet lince in Ifrael like unto Mofcs, whom the Lord knew face to face,' yet we know that the fame expreflion is ufed concerning the people of Ifrael, Deut. v. 4. ' The Lord talked with you face to face in the mount out of the midfl of the fire.' Therefore this can mean no more than that God fpake with Mofes and with the people as one man does to another, when they mutually fee each other's faces ; though, the favour and intimacy to which Mofes was admit- ted, was much greater than what God beftowed on the people ;- becaufe Mofes held long dialogues with God feveral times, and could go and afk him any thing, almoft upon every occafion. But ftill it feems probable, I think, that Mofes never faw any human face in his converfes with God ; for when Mofes, in Exod. xxxiii. 18. defired to ' fee the glory of God,' God denied his requeft, and faid, ' Thou canft not fee my face, for there fhall no man fee me and live.* Upon the whole therefore, this expreffion, face to facCy in thefc texts, muft lignify no more, than a condefcending manner of converfing with men by a voice, as one man converfes with another, when they fee each other's faces : though it is abundantly evi- dent, that fome of the more ancient patriarchs con- vcrfed with God in the form of a man, and probably faw a human face, at leaft in a confuted vifion, and as has been before declared. Yet there remains fome difficulty ftill in what fenfe God faid, * Thou canft not fee my face ; for there? S.£cT. I. Ghriji as Go^. 3^ there (hall no man fee me and live,' when it is prob- able that Abraham and Jacob long before, and af- terward Jolhua and Gideon faw the face of that an- gel who is called Jehovah : and my reafon for it is this, becaufe they took him to be a man when they firft faw and fpake with him, and therefore at firft, perhaps, there was no peculiar luftre of glory, or cloud, to conceal his face, and diilinguifli him from a. common rnan. j4nfw. I . j[t is granted that this exprefiion can- not fignify that no living man fhould ever fee an apparition of God with a human face, at lead in a general glimpfe, for the reafons which are juft^now mentioned, z. Nor can this awful exprefiion of * not feeing the face of God and live,' fignify that no living man can fee ' the eflence of God as he is a fpirit,' and invifible to bodily eyes ; for in this fenfe angels and human fouls are invifible as well as God himfelf Therefore, 3. I think it muft intend that no man in this mortal ftate can bear the fight of fuch intenfe rays of light and glory as perhaps he alTumes in heaven, and as would become the great God to afliime on earth, if he appeared in all the corporeal fplendor due to divine niajefty appearing among men, as in Chrift's appearance to John, Rev, i. 17. * he fell dowp as dead.' And this expofition is yet more probable, if we confider that St. Paul defcribes God *" as dwelling in that light which no man can ap- proach unto ;' and upon this account it is added, * whom no man hath feen nor can fee.' i Tim. vi, 16. For in this fenfe, ' our God would be a confum- ing fire.' Heb. 10. ult. and that in the moft literal fenfe. It is very probable, that the unfufFerable blaze of the glory on the mercy-feat was always allayed with the cloud intervening, which might be an emblem or Jype of ' God manifeft in the flefh ;' i. e. God C 2 dwelling 3 5 Vifible Ap'pearances of Disc. I. dwelling perfonally In the man Jefus, or in the fleflv at his incarnation. And it is probable alfo for this reafon, that the high pricft, when he went into the moil holy place, was to make the fmoak of the in- cenfe arife between this glory and himfelf, that he might not die by his curiofity, or too near a]:)proach. Exod, xxiii. 20. ' God fays unto Mofes, Behold I fend an angel before thee, to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepar<5d. 21. Beware of him, and obey his voice; provoke him not ; for he will not pardon your tranfgreffions, for my name is in him.' Here fome critical writers have remarked two things, i . That the name of God is fometimes put for God himfe/f as Pfal. ii. 11. * The name of the God of Jacob defend thee :' So that God himfelf mofb probably dwelt in this angel. 2, It is faid, ' my name is in the midft of him 12")p2/ which intimates a real indwelling ; which alfo further appears, becaufe it is faid, ' he will not pardon your tranfgreflions.' Now an authority to forgive, or not to forgive fins, is a prerogative of God. And why may we not fuppofe the ' fulnefs of the Godhead' dwelling in this angel, who was a fpirit, as well as the * fulnefs of the Godhead dwelling bodily' in the complete human nature of Jefus Chrift when he took a body ? as Col. ii. 9. I add yet further, that we have much reafon to believe that this is the fame an- gel that fo often affumed the fublimeft names of God, in his appearing both to Mofes and to the patriarchs. Exod. xxiv. 9. ' Then went up Mofes and Aa- ron, Nadab and Abihu, and feventy of the elders of Ifrael.' Ver. 10. And ' they faw the God of Ifrael, and there was under his feet, as it were a paved work of a fapphire ftone, and as it were the body of heav- en in his clearnefs.' Ver. II. * And upon the no- bles of the children of Ifrael he laid not his hand :' (i. e. he did not deftroy them, though they law God) and Sect.1. Chriji as God. . 57 and it follows, * Alfo they faw God, and did eat and -drink.' Here it is probable they faw nothing but a very bright or fiery cloud, as in ver i6. But out of the midft of it God perhaps might converfe with Mo- ies ; otherwife how could they know that this was the God of Ifrael ? But 1 am inclined to believe they faw nothing of any human form ; though indeed it is expreft, ' there was a paved work of fapphire under his feet,' which may fignify only /?'^«^^/// him^ i.e. beneath this fiery cloud : but it is certain, his face they faw not. The children of Ifrael were fo prone to idolatry, that God never gave them (nor perhaps even to Mo- fes) the fight of an human face in all their vifions, that there might be no foundation for framing an image like him. Deut. iv. i6. And it is evident that when ' Mofes went up intp the mount,' Exod. xxiv. 1 6. it was only a * cloud covered the mount, and 'the glory of the Lord abode upon Mount Sinai ; and the fight of the glory of God was like devouring fire on the top of the mount ;' whence probably St. Paul might derive that expreffion, Heb. xii. 29. ' Our God is a confumins: fire.' Exod. XXV. 21. ' And thou fhalt piat the mercy- fealr above upon the ark.' Ver. 22. * And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune v/ith thee, from above the mercy-feat, from between the two cheru- bims which are upon the ark of the teftimony.' Ex- od. xxviii. 30, ic^. When Aaron goes i-nto the holy place where the mercy-feat flood, he is faid * to go in before the Lord,' Upon this account the Lord of Hofts is faid 'to dwell between the cherubims.' I Sam. iv. 4. and 2 Sam. vL 2. and Pfal. Ixxx. i. and Pfal. xcix. i. On this account alfo, when the .ark was moved from place to place, God himfelf is faid to remove. Pfal. xlvii. When David carried the ark into Zion, ver. 5. * God is gone up with a (hout, ihe Lord with the found of a trumpet.' And when the ^8 Vifthle Appearances of f)isc. L the ark came into the tabernacle or temple, Pfal. xxiv. 7. ' Lift up your heads, O ye gates ; be ye hft up, ye everlafting doors, and the King of Glory fhall come in : the Lord of Hofts, he is the King of Glory.' And when Solomon built the temple, and brought in the ark of God to it, 2 Chron. vi. 41. Solomon faid, * Arife, O Lord God, into thy refting *place, thou and the ark of thy ftrength :' which is repeated, Ffal. cxxxii. 8. And concerning Zion it is faid, Pfalm. Ixviii. 16. ' This is the hill which God defireth to dwell in/ Ver. 17. ' The chariots of God are twenty thou- fand, even thoufands of angels : the Lord is among them as in Sinai, in the holy place.' As God ap- peared on Sinai in a vifible cloiid, in fire or glory, where thoufands of angels furrounded him, fo God dwelt in Zion over the mercy-feat, in a vifible and bright cloud, between the cheriibims, reprefenting the attendance of angels. Then follows, ver. 18. * Thou haft afcended on high ; thou haft led captiv- ity captive,' which is applied to Chrift, Ephef. iv. Thus the afcent of the ark of God to Zion, was a type of the afcenfion of Chrift to heaven. For as God dwelt upon the ark between the cherubims in a bright cloud, under the Jewifh difpenfation, and thence communicated his mind to men, and was there folemnly ;invoked and worfliipped, fo the * ful- nefs of the Godhead dwelt bodily' in the man Chrift Jefus, and thus * God in Chrift' reveals himfelf to us, and is worlhipped and invoked by us iinder the Chriftian difpenfation i but ftill with this difference, that the union between God and man in Chrift Je- fus is much more near, more intimate and glorious, fo as to make one complex perfon or God- Man, and it is fo conftant as never to be diflblved ; for Chrift, who is ' of the feed of David after the flefli,' is by this union * God over all blefled for evermore.' See Rom. ix. 5. Exod. %E'.CT.t. . Chrifl as God. ^9 Exod. xxxi. 18. When * God had made an end 6f communing with Mofes on mount Sinai, he gav€ unto him two tables of teftimony-, tables of flone written with the finger of God.' This feems to in- itimate a human fliape giving the tables to Moies, but •not the vifion of a human face. In Exod. xxxii. 2. When Ifrael had offended God 'by the golden cs,lf, he faid, 'I will fend an angel be- fore thee, and 1 will drive outthe Canaanites,' &c. * for I will not go up in -the midfi; of thee, for thou -■art a ftiff-necked people, left I confume thee in the way.* It is the opinion of Dr. Owen on this place, that :t:he angel which God in his anger told them he would lend before them, when he himfelf refufed •to go up in the midft of them, was different from that angel whom he promifed to, them, Exod. xxiii. 20. ' in whom the name of God was :' but upon their mourning and repentance, and upon the inter- cefiion of Mofes, ver. 4. and 14. God fays, ' My prefence fhali go with thee, and I will give thee reft ;* which is much the fame thing as if he had faid, ' tlie angel of my prefence fhall go with thee ;' for fo this angel in whom the *,name of God' dwelt, is called, Ifai. Ixiii. 9. ' In all their afflictions he was afflidteds and the angel of his prefence faved them.' Exod. xxxiii. 9. ' Mofes entered into the taber- nacle, and the cloudy pillar defcended and ftood at tlie door of the tabernacle, and the Lord * talked with * Note, The Lord is not in the original in this place.; and this is the only place that ocoirs to me where the nominative cafe is wanting, when God or the angel is faid to talk with Mofes out of the cloud ; but ver. 1 1 . immediately it is" faid, ' The Lord,' i. e. Je- hovah, ' fpake to Mofes face to face.' And Exod. xxxiv. 5. it is faid, ' The Lord defcended in the cloud, and Itood with ^ofes there,' &c. So that this fingle ellipfis or fubintelledtion of the nominative cafe Lord^ ver. 9. ought not to be conftrued in oppo- Tition to all other places where the Lord himfelf is -faid to Ipesk '%\4<;h Mofes. 40 Vifibh Appearances of Disc. I, with Mofes, and all the people faw the cloudy pillar (land at the tabernacle door, and all the people rofe up and worlhlpped, every man in his tent-door.' Ver. II. * And the Lord fpake unto Mofes face to face, as a man fpeaketh unto his friend.' Yet (as I before intimated) perhaps this fignifies only free mu- tual difcourfe, like human and friendly converfation ; for a few verfes afterwards, God refufed to let Mofes fee his face, ver. 20. ' Thou canft not fee my face, for there fhall no man fee me and live.' Upon this account it may be queried, whether Mofes ever faw the likenefs of a human face in all the appearances of God to him : yet there feems to be the fimilitude of the back of a man as to the fhape of his body, in which God appeared to Mofes at his requeft ; for the Lord faid, ver. 21. * Behold there is a place by me, and thou flialt ftand upon a rock.' Ver. 22. ' And it fhall come to pafs, while my glory pafTeth by, that I will put thee into a clift of the rock, and I will cover thee with my hand while I pafs by.' Ver. 23. * And I will take away mine hand, and thou Ilialt fee my back parts, but my face (hall not be feen.' And accordingly in Exod. xxxiv. 5. * The Lord defcended in the cloud, and flood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the Lord.' Ver. 6. * And the Lord pafled by before him, and proclaim- ed. The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, long-fuffering,' &c. * And Mofes made hafte, and bowed his head toward the earth, and worlhipped.' Ver. 14. And the Lord faid, * Thou (halt worfliip no other god, for the Lord,' Jehovah, * whole name is Jealous, is a jealous God.' It is pofTible that thefe cxpreffions of God's ' cov- ering Moles with his hand,' while ' the glory of God palfed by,' and Moles ' feeing the back parts of God,* may fignify no more than this, that in this particu- lar Sect. I. Chijl as God. 41 lar appearance of God, he arrayed himfelf in beams of light of fuch unfufFerable fplendor, that it would have deftroyed the body of Moles, had not God fhel- 4:ered and proteded him j and that the * back parts' which Mofes faw, may only fignify this fame bright appearance after it was gone to a fafer diftance. Or we may fuppole that there was a human form in this appearance, darting unfufferable light from his face, which for that reafon could not be feen ; and that Mofes faw the fimijlitude of the back of a man, after he was pad to fome diftance from him. It is not improbable but that in fome of the other difcoveries of God to Mofes, he might appear in the eyes of Mofes in a human form, with a bright, but Tiot unfufferable fhine of glory covering all his ftature, even as the face of Mofes himfelf might appear in the eyes of the children of Ifrael, when ' the &in of his face Ilione,' fo much that ' they were afraid to come nigh him.' Exod. xxxiv. 30. And there is a great probability of it, if we confider, that God faid con- cerning Mofes, Numb. xii. 8. * the fimilitude of the Lord iliall he behold ;' i. e, God in the figure of a man, though not his face. God had promifed, in Exod. xxix. 42. that * at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation I will meet with the children of Ifrael, and the tabernacle (hall be fandified by my glory.' This promife was accomplifhed, Exod. xl. 34. When the tabernacle was ereded, then 'a cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the glory of God filled the taber- nacle.' Ver. 2,$' 'And Mofes was not able' at that time ' to enter into the tabernacle of the congrega- tion, becaufe the cloud abode thereon, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. Lev. ix. 1,4. ' Mofes called Aaron and his fons and the elders of Ifrael,' and faid, ' To-day the Lord mM appear unto you.' Ver. 5. * And all the congre- gation ■'.^^ Vijible Appearances of "Disc.t. gation drew near and flood before the Lord.' Ver. 6- ' And Mofcs faid, This is the thing which the Lord commanded, that ye fliould do. And the glory of the Lord fhall appear unto you.' And when Aaron had offered the appointed offerings for himfelf and for the people, ver. 23. 'Mofes and Aaron went in- lo the tabernacle of the congregation, and came out and bleired the people : and the glory of the Lord appeared unto all the people.' Ver. 24. * And there came a fire out from before the Lord, and confumed •upon the altar the burnt-offering and the fat, which when all the people faw they fliouted, and fell on their faces.' Here it may be obferved, that the Lord is faid to appear to them, ver. 4. when ver. 23. it was ' the glory of the Lord appearing to the peo- ple,' that is, a bright light and a confuming fire. Ver. 23, 24. Numb. xii. 5. ' And the Lord came down in the -pillar of a cloud, and ftood in the door of the taber- nacle, and called Aaron and Miriam, and they came forth.' Ver. 6. * And he faid, Hear now my words : If there be a prophet among you, I the Lord will make myfelf known unto him in a vifion, and will •fpeak imto him in a dream.' Ver. 7. ' My fervant Mofes is not fo, who is faithful in all mine houfe.' Ver. 8. * With him will I fpeak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark fpeeches, and the fimilitude of the Lord fliall he behold : Wherefore then were ye not afraid to fpeak againfl my fervant Mofes V Ver. 9. 'And the anger of the Lord was kindled againfl them, and he departed.' Ver. 10. ' And the cloud departed from off the tabernacle, and behold Miriam became leprous white as fnow.' It is not eafy to fay what the precife difference is between the various ways of God's ancient dilcoveries of himfelf to m.en ; but I think thus much is very •plain, which I before hinted, that though the com- mon S^E^CT.i. Chrift as God, 4^ mon method of God's converfe with the people and with Aaron was by a voice proceeding from the bright cloud, or Shechinah, yet that Mofes was ad- 'mitted to a more intimate converfe with God in a way of dialogue, as one man talks freely with another, which the fcripture calls face to face, and month to mouth. And on fome particular occafions, he beheld God in the fliape or likenefs of the body of a man ; for it is faid, ' He fhall behold the fimilitude of the Lord ;' though perhaps a cloud of glory might al- ways cover his face, becaufe the face of God vyas not to be feen by him. Numb. xxii. 9. ' And God came unto Balaam, and faid. What men are thefe with thee ? And Ba- laam faid unto "God, Salak the king of Moab hath fent unto me, faying. Come now, curfe the people,' that is, Ifrael. Ver. 12. ' And God faid unto Bai- iaam. Thou flialt not go with them, thou fhalt not curie the people ; and Balaam faid to the princes of Balak, The Lord,' or Jehovah, ' refufeth to give me leave to go with you.' And ver. 22, &c. there is the angel of the Lord meeting Balaam on the road to Moab, and converfing with him ; but I do not find that this angel either afTumes the name of the Lord, oris fo called by the facred writer : unlefs we may infer thus much by comparing what the angel laid unto Balaam, ver. 25. ' The word that I fhall fpeak unto thee, that fhalt thou fpeak ;' with chap, xxiii. 3, 4. * Balaam faid to Balak, Peradventure the Lord will come to me : and God met Balaam.' Ver. 5. * And the Lord,' or Jehovah, 'put a word in Balaam's mouth, and laid. Return unto Balak, and thus flialt thou fpeak,' &c. Again, ver. 16. * And the Lord,' or Jehovah, 'met Balaam, and put a word in his mouth,' &c. Chap. xxiv. 2. * And Balaam lift up his eyes, and the Spirit of God ^ame upon him, and he took up his parable, and faid. 44 Vijible Appearances of Disc. i. faid, The man who heard the words of God, who iaw the vlfion of the Almighty, having his eyes open- ed, hath faid. How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob ?' &c. Whether this be fufficient to determine this angel to be Jehovah, I leave to the reader. Deut. xxxii. 7,-^. * The Lord your God went ia the way before you in fire by night, to (hew you by what way you Ihoukl go, and in a cloud by day.* Deut. iv. 12. ' The Lord fpake unto you out of -the midft of the fire : ye heard the voice of words, but faw no fimilitude, only a voice.' Ver. i6.. ' Left ye corrupt yourfelves, and make you a graven image, rthe fimilitude of any figure the likenefs of male or lemale.' Deut. xxiii. 13. * Thou fhalt have a paddle up- on thy weapon, and thou flialt dig therewith, and cover that which cometh from thee : for the Lord thy God walketh in the midft of thy camp to deliv- er thee ; therefore fhall thy camp be holy, that he fee no unclean thmg in thee.' This text does not indeed prove any appearance of Cod, but may be only a repreientation of God walking through their camp after the manner of men, to imprefs a more awful idea of the prefence of God upon the people of Ifrael, that they might abftain from all legal im- purities of every kind. Joftiua V. 13. * When Jofhua was by Jericho, he lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, there ftood a man over againft him with his fword drawn in his hand : and Joftiua went unto him, and faid unto Jiim, Art thou for us, or for our adverfaries ?' Ver. 14. ' And he faid, Nay, but as the captain of the hoft of the Lord am I now come : and Jofliua fell <5n his face to the earth, and did worfhip, and faid imto him. What faith my Lord unto his fervant ?* Ver. 15. ' And the captain of the Lord's hoft faid unto Joftiua, Loofe thy ftioe from off thy foot, ^r Sect. L Chrifl as Cod. 45; the place wliereori thou ftandcft is holy ; and JoHiua did ib.' Chap. vi. 2. And ' the Lord faid unto JoQiua, See 1 have given into thine hand Jericho,* &c. Here it feems evident that the captain of the hoft of the Lord is alfo called the Lord, or JehoDah : and Jofliua is commanded, jufl as Mofes was, to ' loofe his Ihoe from his foot,' becaufe the * place was holy,' that is, becaufe God himielf was prefent there. Judges ii. t. * And an angel of the Lord came up from Gilgal to Bochim, and faid, I made you go up out of Egypt, and have brought you unto the land which I fvvare unto your fathers, and I faid I will never break my covenant with you.' This was certainly a human appearance ; for the angel came from Gilgal to Bochim, which plainly intimates a vif- ible perfon moving or paffing from one place to an- other : yet the words are as plainly the language of God ; fo that, in all probability, this was alfo the angel of God's prejence. Judges vi. II. * And there came an angel of the Lord, and fat under an oak which was in Ophra : and Gideon threfhed wheat by the wine-prefs.' Ver. 1 2. * And the angel of the Lord appeared to him, and faid unto him, The Lord,' Jehovah, * is with thee, thou mighty man of valour.' Ver. 13. * And Gid- eon faid' unto him, * O my Lord, if the Lord,' Je- hovah, ' be with us, why is all this befallen us ?' Ver. 14. 'And the Lord,' Jehovah, 'looked upon him, and liiid. Go in this thy might, and thou flialt fave Ifra- cl from the hand of the Midianites : have not I lent thee ?' Here is a long dialogue between the Lord and Gideon. Ver. 20. * And the angel of God faid unto him. Take the flelh and unleavened cakes, and lay them upon this rock, and pour out the broth ; and he did fo.' Ver. 21. ' Then the angel of the Lord put forth the end of the llafF that was 4^ V'lfihk Appearance!, of Disc-. L was in his hand, and touched the fledi and unleaven- ed cakes, and there rofe up fire out of the rock and confumed the flelli and the cakes : and the angel of the Lord departed out of his fight.' Ver. 2^. And when ' Gideon perceived that he was an angel,' Gid- eon faid, * Alas, O. Lord God, for becaufe I have feen an angel of the Lord face to face.' Ver. 23. ' And the Lord faid unto him, Peace be unto thee ; fear not, thou (halt not die.' On this tranfadion I make thefe few remarks. 1. This angel had doubtlefs a human fliape, fig- ure and voice, for he fat under an oak. : and Gideon brought him a prefent of flefh and cakes to eat, thinking at firft it might have been a man of God or a prophet j though when the angel bid him offer it in facrifice, and then confumed it by a miraculous fire, ' he perceived that it was' no man, but * an an- gel of God :' and it is hardly to be fuppofed, but that Gideon faw his face. 2. Here is an angel of the Lord, who by the fa- cred writer is feveral times called Jehovah : for thefe names the Lord^ or Jehovah, and the Angel of the Lord, are ufed promifcuouily by the hiftorian, though Gideon did not know it was God himfelf. 3. The language which this angel fpeaks, is not fuch as would immediately determine Gideon to believe it was Jehovah, or God himfelf, who appear- ed ; and therefore we find Gideon does not worlliip him, nor addrefs him as Jehovah. 4. Though Gideon does not exprefsly call this an- gel, God, or Jehovah, but only ' perceived' at laft * that he had fcen an angel of the Lord,' yet we may fuppofe that in his recolledlion he took it to be that peculiar angel in whom God refided or dwelt, for he feared he fhould die becaufe he had feen him. Now, though there was an ancient and current opinion among the Ifraelites, that ' none could fee the face of Goci Sect. I. CJinfi as God, 47. God and live,' yet there does not feem to have beet> any fuch notion that death would enfue upon the fight of a common angel. But however, whether Gideon fuppofed this angel to be inhabited by Jehovah or not, it is plain that the facred hiftorian calls him Jehovah. Judges xiii. 3. ' The angel of the Lord appeared to the wife of Manoah, and faid unto her. Thou fhalt conceive and bear a fon,' &c. Ver. 6. * The woman came and told her huiband, iaying> A man of God came to rpe, and his countenance was like the coun- tenance of an angel of God, very terrible,' &c. Ver. S. * And Manoah entreated the Lord,' or Jehovah, * and faid. Let the man of God which thou didfb fend, come again to us.' Ver. 9. ' And God heark- ened to the voice of Manoah, and the angel of God came again to. the woman : fhe called her huf- band, and Manoah faid unto him, Art thou the man, that fpakeft unto the woman ? and he faid, I am.' Ver. 15. * And Manoah faid unto the angel of the Lord, Let us make ready a kid for thee.* Ver. 16. ^ And the angel of the Lord faid unto Ma- noah, I will not eat of thy bread, and if thou wilt offer a burnt-offering, thou muft offer it unto the Lord ; for Manoah knew not that he was an angel of the Lord.' Ver, 17.* And Manoah faid to the an- gel of the Lord, What is thy name ? and the angel faid unto him. Why aikeft thou after my name, fince it is a fecret, ^}b^ or Wonderful } ' The fame name which is given to Chrift, Ifa. ix. 6. * His name fhall be called. Wonderful.' Ver, 19. ' So Manoah took a kid, with a meat-offering, and offered it to the Lord : and the angel of the Lord afcended in the flame of the altar.' Ver. 21. * Then Manoah knew that he was an angel of the Lord.' Ver. 22. ' And Manoah faid to his wife. We fliall furely die, becaufe we have feen God,' Here alfo is fuch an angel in whom 48 Vifible Appearances of Disc. I. whom God Is fuppofed to refide, for Manoah faid, * We have feen God,' and therefore he thought that they fliould both die. I do not remember any appearance of God to Da- vid. He * faw the angel of the Lord,' that was fent to fpread a peflilence among the people, * by the threlhing-place of Araunah the Jebufite.' 2 Sam xxiv. 16. And 'David fpake unto the Lord,' or Jehovah, ' when he faw the angel that fmote the peo- ple, and faid, Lo, I have finned, and done wickedly.* But it does not plainly appear by all the circum- itances of the hiftory, that this was that peculiar an- gel in whom God dwelt, or that the angel was called Jehovah. The Lord appeared alfo to Solomon, 1 Kings iii. 5. and ix. 2. but it was 'in a dream by night,' whence therefore I derive no inferences at prefent. I Kings xxii. 19, The prophet Micaiah faid, ' I faw the Lord fitting on his throne, and all the hoft: of heaven ftanding by him on his right hand, and on his left : and the Lord faid. Who fliall perfuadc Ahab ?* &c. But this feems to be a vifion divinely reprefented to the imagination of the prophet, from whence therefore I infer nothing concerning God's real appearances. Job iv. 1 3 . * When Eliphaz reprefents the appa- rition of a * fpirit before his face in thoughts from- the vifions of the night,' he does not give us fuffi- cient ground to form any concluhons concerning the real appearance either of God or an angel, in a book offuch fubli me poetry, wherein this is introduced in the manner of what the poets call a machine. Ifa. vi. I. ' In the year that king Uzziah died, I faw the Lord fitting upon a throne high and Hfted up, and his train filled the temple.' Ver. 2. ' Above it flood the leraphims, each one had fix wings,' &c. Ver. 3. ' And one cried unto another, and faid,, Holv, Sect. r. Clmft as Go J. 49 Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of Hofts, the whole earth is full of his glory.' Ver. 5. * Then faid I, Wo is me, for I am undone, becaufe I am a man of unclean lips, and dwell in the midil of a people of unclean lips, for mine eyes have feeri the King, the Lord of Hofts.' Ver. 8. ' Alfo I heard the voice of the Lord, faying. Whom fhall I fend, and who will go for us ? Then faid I, Here am I, fend me.* Ver. 9. * And he faid, Go and tell this people, Hear ye in- deed, but underftand not ; and fee ye indeed, but perceive not.* This appearance of the Lord, or Je- hovah, to Ifaiah, in his glory, is exprefsly attributed to Chrift by the Apoftle j John xii. 39, 40, 41. * Thefe things faid Efaias, when he f^w his glory and fpake of him.' It has been objeded indeed, that the word Lord^ in the firft and eighth verfes, is not yehovah in the HebreWj but Adonai ; but it is evident, that the word in the fifth verfe is Jehovah. When the proph- et fays, ' Mine eyes have feen the King, the Lord of Hofts,' Jehovah Tzebaoth j the perfon therefore: v/hom Ifaiah faw was Jehovah. Ezekiel often had the fight of God or of Jehovah,' In chap. i. and iii. and viii, and x. &c. But as it is exprefsly faid in Ezekiel i. i. * As I was by the river of Chebar, the heavens were opened, and I faw the vifions of God ;' fo whether all thefe appearances were not purely vifionary, may be queftioned \ how- ever, it may not be amifs to tranfcribe a few expref- fions of the facred writer on this fubjed. Ezek. \, 26. ' Above the firmament that was over the heads of the living creatures was the likenefs of a throne, as the appearance of a fapphire ftone, and upon the like- nefs of the throne was the likenefs as the appearance of a man above upon it, from his loins upward and down- ward, as it were the appearance of fire, and the ap- pearance of a rainbow round about. This was the D appearance ^ ViJilU Appearances of Disc. ?v appearance of the likenefs of the glory of the Lord,' of Jehovah. * And when I faw it, 1 fell upon my face^. and 1 heard a voice of one that fpake.' Ezek. iii. 22. * And the hand of the Lord was upon me, and he faiJ, Ante; go forth into the plain, and I will there talk with thee : then I arofe and went forth into the plain, and behold the glory of the Lord flood there, as the glory which I faw by the river of Chebar.* Ezek. viii. i, * As Ifat in mine houfe and the el- ders of Judah fat before me, the hand of the Lord God fell there upon me ; then I beheld, and lo, a likenefs as the appearance of fire from his loins down- ward and upward,' &c. * And he put forth the form of an hand,^and took me by a- lock of mine head, and the Spirit lift me up between the earth and the heav- en, and brought nie in the vifions of God to Jeru- ialem : and behold, the glory of the God of Ifrael was there, according to that vifion I faw in the plain.* Kzek. X. 1 8. * Then the glory of the Lord departed from off the threfliold of the houfe, and ftood over the cherubim.' Ver. 20. * This is the Hving crea- ture that I faw under the God of Ifrael by the river Chebar,' &c. Dan. iii. 25. Nebuchadnezzar,, when he had caft the three Jews bound into the fiery furnace, faid, 'Loj, I fee four men loofe walking in the midft of the fire, and they have no hurt, and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.' It is not to be fuppofed here that Nebuchadnezzar knew theMeiriah,orChrill,who was the Son of God, but he means to exprefs a divine and god-like form,* which, ver. 28. he calls ' the angel * It Is fufficiently known to tlie learned, that in the oriental ways of fpeaking, alniofl; every thing may be called 2i father^ d.fony or a daughter ; the fon of pr'ulcy for a proud man ; the fon of fwickednefs, for a wicked man ; the yonj of the mighty y for might j men ; and the word god is alfo ufed to aggrandize any idea ; the trees of God, for noble fair trees, &c. fo that in Nebuchadnezzar's mouth this phrafc, the Son of God, can only mean a very glorioui perfon above the appearance of mankind. Sect. I. Chriji as God. ^t angel of the God of Shadrach/ &c. though proba- bly it might be the pecuhar angel of God's prefence, >n whom was the name of God, and who is the only begotten Son of God. Daniel had fevcral vifions, and in fome of them God appeared to him, or Jefus Chrift in the form of a man. Dan. vii. 9, lo, 15, 14. * I beheld till the thrones were cafl down, and the Ancient of Days did fit, whofs garment was white as fnow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool : his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire. A fiery ftream iffued and came! forth from before him, thoufands of thoufands miniftered unto him, and ten thoufand times ten thoufand flood before him ; the judgment was {et, and the books were opened. 1 faw in the night vifions, and behold, one like the Son of Man came with the clouds of heaven and came to the Ancient of DaySj and they brought him near before him.' And * there was given him dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all people, nations and languages fliould fcrve him : his domin- ion is an everlafting dominion, which fhall not pafs away, and his kingdom that which fhall not be de- flroyed.' Let it be obferved here, that I do not num- ber this among the proper and real appearances of Chrift, or God ; for it is called a dream which Da- niel had, and the ' vifions of his head upon his bed/ as ver. 7, 13. yet it was a dream divinely infpired. Here the ' Ancient of Days' reprefents the Divine Being, or God himfeif, clothed in light or brightnefs. white as fnow or wool ; * one like the Son of Man coming with the clouds of heaven,' feems to be the Son of God or Jefus Chrifl, who is alfo ' the Son of Man, afcending in the clouds^ of heaven ;* and he came to the ' Ancient of Days,' that is, to God the Father, and received his dominion, glory and exalta- tion at his afcenfion into heaven in a bright cloud. D z "^ And rjt Vifihk Appearances of Disci. And it is probable, that from the language of this dream or vifion, Chrlft borrows his name, * the Son of Man ;' and it is evident that oi:r Saviour's defcrip- tion of riis ovm future appearance as * the Son of Man coming in the clouds of heaven,* Matt, xxvi. 64. is borrowed from this vifion \ and his real afcen- fion to heaven, and his exaltation there, is but an ac- compliOimcnt of this prophetical fcene. Dan. viii. 15. Daniel had feen a vifion juft before, and while he was feeklng for the meaning of it, ' Be- hold,' faid he, * there flood before me as the appear- ance of a man, and I heard a man's voice which call- ed and faid, Gabriel, make this man to underftand tlie vifion.' Surely this man who appeared feems to be Jefus Chrift, who had command over Gabriel, one of the chief angels, Dan. X. 5. * I lift up mine eyes and looked, and behold a certain man clothed in linen, whofe loins- were girded v/ith fine gold,' &c. Here is the de- fcription of an appearance very like the appearance of Chrift to the apoftle John, Rev. i. 13, but wheth- er this was the angel of Gs^d's prefence, viz. Chrift, or another angel, is hard to determine. Ver. i o. * Be- liold a,n hand touched me, and fet me upon my knees, and upon the palms of my hands ; and he faid unto me, O Daniel, a man greatly beloved, — ftand up- right, for unto thee am I now fent Fear not, for from the firft day that thou didft fct thine heart to underftand and chaften thyfelf before God, thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words. But the prince of the kingdom of Perfia withftood me one and twenty days : but lo, Michael, one (or the firft) of the chief princes came to help me, and I remained there with the kings of Perlia. Now I am come to make thee underftand what fliall befal thy people in the latter days.' Ver. 20. * Then faid he, Now " will I return to fight with the prince of Perfia : • there "Sect.I. Chrtfi as Go Jo -^^ there is none that holdeth with me in thefe things., but Michael your prince.' Here it is very }Droba- •ble, that * the prince of the kingdom of Perfia' is one of thofe fallen angels, principalities and powers of ^arknefs, who by divine permifliGn governed the 'heathen nations, and were worfhipped amongll them as gods ; for the Apoftle tells the Chriftians, that the " Gentiles facrificed to devils,' i Cor. x. 20. all un- der Satan their fovereign, who is the * god of this world,' until Chrifb at his refurredlicn and afcenfion * fpoiled thefe principalities and powers,' and difpof- jfelfed them of their dominions, Col. ii. 15. and ' led them captive,' PfaL Ixviii. 18. and took the heather, world ' for his poffeffion,' and into his own govern- ment. It cannot be a good angel, becaufe he with- ilood the good angel that was ient to Daniel with a. •divine commiffion twenty-one days ; and becaufe the ..angel who was fent to Daniel went afterwards to fight •with this prince of Feiiia. It is alfo very probable, that Michael is Jefus •Chrift, 'oecaufe he is called * your prince,* that is, •the Prince of the Jews, and one, or the ' firft of the princes,' that is, the prime archangel.* And in Dan. xii. I. he is called * Michael the great prince, which itandeth for the children of thy people,' that is, the Prince or ' King of the Jews,' for fuch was Jefus Chrift under the ancient difpenfation ; this was the known charafter of the Meffiah among the Jews ; and as ' King of the Jews' he was fent into this world, then he ' came to his own, yet his own receiv- ed him not,* John i. 11. What confirms this fentiment is, that in Rev« xii. 7. when ' there was war in heaven, Michael and his * Yet it lias 'been obferved, that though fome of the fathers, anil ©ur later divines, fpeak of feveral archangels, the fcripture vifes the •word but twice, viz. Jude 9. and i ThefT. iv. 1 6. and both times is .^he fingular number. Perhaps this Miqhael, i. e. Chrift the King #f the Jews, is the only archangel, or pfince asd head of all angels. ^4 VifibJe Appearances of Disc. !. Jiis angels fought againft the dragon and his angels,* Chrift as the head of the good angels, and fatan as the head oi the evil angcl^i maintained a war in heavr en, i. e. in the church, till the ' great dragon was caft out' of the church, ' that old ferpent called the devil and fatan, which deceiveth the whole world/ Then follows ' a loud voice in heaven,' i. e. the church, 'laying. Now is come falvation and ftrength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Chrift ;' that is, the power of Michael prevaihng over the dragon ; * for the accufer of the brethren, w'ho accufed them before God day and night, is caii down' by the prevalent interceffion of Chrift plead- ing for them, and by his dominion over all things, which God gave him at his afcenfion into heaven. Amos vii. 7, 8. * Behold the Lord ftood upon 2. wall made by a plumb-line, with a plumb-line in his hand, and the Lord,' Jehovah ' faid unto me, Amos, what feeft tiiou ? And I faid, a plumb-line. Then faid the Lord, Behold, I will fet a plumb-line in the midfl of my people Ifrael, and I will not again pafs by them any more.' Here God appears evidently in a human figure to the propiiet Amos, and the flime human form feems to appear again to Amos, chap. jx. I. 'I faw the Lord,' Jehovah, ' flanding upon the altar, and he iliid. Smite the lintel of the door, that the pofts may ihake.' Ver. 2. * Though they dig into hell, thence Ihall mine hand take them ; though they climb up to heaven, thence will I bring them down. And to make it ai)pcar that Jehovah is the peculiar name of the great God, he repeats, yer. 6. what he had before laid in chap. v. ver. 8. ' He that calleth for the waters of the Tea, and pourt cth them out upon the flice of the earth ; the Lord,' or Jehovah, ' is his name.' In many of the writings of the prophets it is faid-, ^ The Word of the Lord came unto them j' very fre- quently "SliECT.'l« Ckriji as God. ^^ quently to Ezekiel, and fometimes to Jeremiah and others ; when there is no evidence of any perfonai appearances to them at that time ; though it is not improbable but at Tome of thofe feafons our blefled Saviour, who is called the Xoyi^y or the PFord of God, might appear to them in n human form, and didatc .a divine meflage. Ar.d.fome think thofe words of our Saviour, John x. 35. ' If he called them gods tinto whom the Word of God c;gmei' may have a reference to Chrift's own appearance to the prophets, as this glorious perfon called, the fFord. I do not remember any places which feem to fa- vour this fentiment fo much as thefe three, viz. i. Gen. XV. i. * The Word of the Lord came unto Abraham in a vilion, faying, Fear not, Abraham, I am thy fliield and thy exceeding great reward.' 2. Gen. xxxii. 24, 28. ' There wreflled a man with Ja- cob till the breaking of the day; and- he faid, Thy name Ihall be called no more Jacob, but TfraeL* Concerning which appearance, it is recorded, i Kings, xviii. 31.* The Word of the Lord came to Jacob, daying, Ifrael fliall be thy name.* And 3. In;the beginning of the book of Jonah, Chap. j. ver. i, 2, 3, * Now the Word of the Lord came unto Jonah the fon of Amittai, faying, Arife, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry againft it. But Jonah rofe ■up to flee unto Tardiidi from the prefence of the Lord, and he found a lliip, and went down into it to go unto Tarfhiili from the prelence of the Lord.* Now if Jonah had only an inward infpiration and no •vifion, how could he imagine that he could flee from this infpiration by changing his place? and vvhylhould it be expreffed that ' he fled from the prefence of the. Lord,' unle|^, God had manifefled fome vKible pref- ,ence to him ? Yet on the other hand, when I read, Micah i. i. J* The word of the Lord which came unto Micah, whicti ^6 Viftble Appearances of Disc. I. which he favv concerning Samaria and Jerufalem ;' and when I read alfo, Amos i. i. ' The words oY Amos which he faw concerning Ifrael ;' I am a httk incHned to think, that this expreflion in Jonah might be an Hebrew idiom of fpeech among the prophets, attributing a fort of vifible prefence metaphorically to the ' word' or ' words of God* which came to them by inward infpiration, or perhaps by a voice : pr it may be, the things themfelves which they fore- t:old, were reprefented to their imagination, and on this account the * word' or ' words of God' may be reprefented as vifible. But I leave this matter as a point of difficulty not fufficiently determined. Zech, i. 7. * In the fecond year of Darius came the word of the Lord unto Zechariah, faying,' ver. 8. ' I favv by night, and behold a man riding upon a red horfe, and he flood amongft the myrtle trees, and behind him were red horfes fpeckled and white,' Ver. 9. ' Then faid I, O my Lord, what are thefe ? And the angel that talked with me faid, I will (hew thee what thefe be.' Ver. 10. ' And the man that flood among the myrtle trees faid, Thefe are they- whom the Lord hath fent to walk to and fro through the earth.' Ver. 11. * And they anfwered the angel of the Lord that flood among the myrtle trees, and faid. We have walked to and fi:o through the earth, and behold all the earth fitteth flill, and is at reft.' Ver. 12. * Then the angel of the Lord anfwered and faid, O Lord of Hofts, how long wilt thou not have mercy on Jerufalem, and on the cities ot Judah, againll which thou hafl had indignation thefe three- fcore and ten years ?' Ver. 13. ' And the Lord,' that is, Jehovah, ' anfwered the angel that talked with me with good words and comfortable words^ Ver. 14. ' So the angel that communed with me faid unto me, Cry thou, faying. Thus faith the Lord of Hofts, \ am jealous for Jerufalem,' &c. Here obferve, this' angel Sect. I. Ch'iji as God. -jj^ Angel of the Lord that flood among the myrtle trees had the form of a man, ver. 8. and is not called Je- iiovah. He feems to be our blefled Saviour inter- ceding for Jerufalem ; for we do not find common angels introduced as interceflbrs in fcripture ; ' there is but one mediator between God and man, the man Chrift Jefus.' And the Lord, or Jehovah, anfw.er- ,cd him comfortably. Perhaps this anfwer of the Lord, or Jehovah, was a voice without any figure or appearance : but after all, it is difficult precifely to leprefent this whole fcene, and to adjuft every part of thefe tranfa£tions. There feems to us to be fome £onfufion in it, for want of knowing the various wa5^s and methods of God's diicovery of himfelf and his mind to the prophets. Zech. iii. i. * And he* (that Is, one of the angels whom he fpake of, cliap. ii. 4.) * fhewed me Jofliua the high prieft ftanding before the angel of the Lord, and fatan flandinof at his right hand to refift him.* Ver. 2. ' And the Lord,' Jehovah ' faid to fatan, the Lord,' Jehovah, ' rebuke thee, O fatan, even the Lord,' Jehovah, ' that hath chofen Jerufalem, rebuke thee.' Ver. 3. ' Now Jofliua was clothed with fil- thy garments, and flood before the angel.' Ver. 4. * And he anfwered and fpake unto thofe that flood before him, faying, Take away the filthy garments from him ; and unto Jofliua he faid, Behold I have caufed thine iniquity to pafs from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment,' &c. Whether here was an appearance of Jehovah, or whether our Saviour appeared here only as. a man or an angel, does not feem plainly determined by the words. Having thus given a brief abridgment or hiftorical parrative of the feveral appearances of God to men in the Old Teftamen^, i proceed to make thefe few obfervations or remarks upon them, or rather to fet forth in one fhort view the occafional obfervations wjiich I made as I pad along. L It |;8 Vifible Appearances of Disc. 'L I. It is evident that the great and blclTed God ap- peared feveral times of old in the form of * a bright cloud' or ' flame of fire/ and from this cloud or fire proceeded a voice, afluming the moft glorious and Stwful names of God, viz. ^he Lord^ 'Jehovah^ the ■God of Abraham^ I am that I am, &c. whence all that faw and heard -it mud naturally infer, that the sreat God dwelt in a moft eminent manner, and re- iided in that bright cloud or fire. II. Sometimes this great and blefled God appear- ed in the form of a man or an angel. And indeed when the apparition is called an angel, in fe.veral places, it was the real form of a man, becaufe at firft when the fpeflator faw it, he took it to be a man indeed. So ' Abraham faw three men,' fo ' Jacob wreftled with a man,* fo Jofliua and Gideon and Manoah and his wife .thought at firft that they faw and fpoke with a '^ man,' who afterwards appeared to be an * angel of the Lord.' But it is evident that the true God fefided or dwelt in this man or this ano-el, becaufe fometimes he calls himfelf God, and af- fumes the higheft names and characters of Godhead ; and fometimes the fpedator calls him Lord or Jeho- vah, and God j and fometimes the facred hiftorian calls him "Jehovah and God. And there are fome in- ilances wherein all thefe concur, as Gen. xxviii. and Gen. xxxii. compared with Hof. xi. and Exod. iii.. Now if thefe things are a proof that the true God refided in the bright cloud or the fire, when he fpoke from thence, it is at leaft as good a proof that the jame great God refided in the angel to whom the fame things are attributed. III. There arc feveral inftances of the appearance of angels who do not aflume to themfelves any of the names or characters of God \ fo that it is evident that it was not the cuftom of common angels when ;vient by the great God to carry meflages to men to affums •JSect. I. Ckrijl as God. 59 affume divine titles, or fpeak with an air of divine 'authority in themfelves, without the preface of — > Thus faith the Lord :' but there was one angel pe- culiarly diftinguifhed from the reft ' in whom the name of God was,' as Exod. xxiii. and who is prop- ,erly called the * angel of God's prcfence.' Ifai. ixiii. and ' the prefence of God.' Exod. xxiii. and * the angel' emphatically, as in Ecclef. v. 6. and who is very probably the fame with the melienger or 'angel of the covenant.' Mai. iii. i. And this alfo was the common opinion of the ancient Jews, ^s is fliewn in a Differtation on the L^gos. It may be further obferved alfo under this head, that fince our blelTed Saviour, who is the ' angel of the covenant,' came in the flefh, there have been many appearances of other angels, viz. to the (hep- herds, to Jofephj to Chrijl himfelf ; to the difciples, "viz. to women at the refurredtion of Chrift, and men at his afcenfion, to St. Peter, to St. Paul, to St. John, to Cornelius, and perhaps to others ; but fiot one of them ever alTumed the names, titles, charaders, or worfliip belonging to God. Thence we may confirm this inference, that the ' angel' who under the Old Teftament affum.ed di- vine titles, and accepted religious worihip, v/as that peculiar ' angel of God's prefence' in whom God refided, or who was ynited to the Godhead in a pe- culiar manner, even the pre-exiftent foul of Chrift, who afterward took flefh and blood upon him, and was called Jefus Chrift on earth. And thercfqre fince his incarnation no angel has ever, appeared that durft call himfeif God, and af- fume divine titles, or accept of worfliip ; but has father exprefsly forbid the worfliip of him ; as Rev. xix. 10. and xxii. 9. iV. Il is very plain and obvious to every reader, diat one of the moft glorious and illuftrious appari- tions 69 Vifible appearances of Disc. I. -tions of the great God (even that wherein the fer- aphs adore him as the * Lord of the whole earth,* and who ' filled the earth with his glory,' and where- in Ifaiah calls him, * the King, the Lord of Hofts') is exprefsly applied to our Lord Jefus Chrifl: in the New Teftament, John xii. * Thefe things faid Efaias, when he faw his glory and fpake of him.' Now this may be a key to explain the reft, and makes it very probable .that Chrift was the perfon who thus often appeared. V. It is generally agreed by all Chriftlan writers, iCven from the moft primitive times, that God, con- ^dered under the idea and character of paternity, and in the perfon of the Father, is always reprefented as invifible, ' whom no man hath feen nor can fee:' but Jefus Chrift is defcribed as ' the image of the invifi- ble God, the brightnefs of his Father'^ glory, the ex- prefs image of his perfon,"* he in whom the Father or tokens of the prefence of the true God. And this objedion of the Socinlans may be further enforced, when we confider, that when this bright- cloud moved, God is faid to move ; where this bright cloud dwelt or refbed, God is faid to dwell or reft. God himfelf is faid to * go before the Ifraelites' in the wildernefs when the cloud went before them, * God dwelt in the bulh' when the fire was there, God is faid to * dwell between the cherubim,' PfaL Ixxx. I. becaufe the bright light was there. ' God is gone up with a fhout, the Lord,' i. e. Jehovah, * with the found of a trumpet,' Pfal. xlvii. 5. when the ark where God dwelt was carried up to Sion : and upon this occafion David addrelTes God, Pfal. Ixviii. 18. ' Thou haft afcended on high,' when the ark was carried up to the ' hill which God defired tQ dwell in,' ver. i6. What more than this can be faid concerning the angel ? Or what greater reafons can be given why this angel Ihould be called God, rath- er than the cloud or fire, which alfo might be call- ed God in a figurative fenfe, becaufe they were fym- bols of the divine prefence ? Anfw. In order to fet this matter in a true Iight> we may confider the following things. I. Whatfoever be our conception of the dfftinft perfonalities in the divine nature, yet the Godhead has been generally allowed to be one and the fame ia all the three perfoas. If tlierefore Chrifl be God, he 64 Vifi'blc Appearances of DiSc. f. he is the fame one God as the Father, i. e. he has the fame, and not another Godhead. 2. Whenfoever this great God is faid to appear in fcripture, it is generally attributed to Jefus Chrift, or the fecond perfon in the facred Three. This is agreed both by Arians and Athanafians : and there is this reafon for it, that God under the perfonality of the Father may always maintain the character of ' the invifible God.' The ancients of all parties were united in this fentiment. 3. God frequently manifefced himfelf or appeared to men under the Old Teftament in and by a corpo- real relemblance, as inhabiting in a cloud, or light, or fire, and fometimes he raanifefted himfelf alfo to merr as reliding in or inhabiting a man or an angel under the Old Teftament 5 for fo he appeared to Abraham, to Jacob, Sec. Whatfoever created being God re- lided in, this was called the Shechinah, or habitatiori of God. If it was a bright light or fire, it was a cor- poreal Shechinah. If it was a man or an angel, it might be called an intelledual Shechinah, and moft probably in an human form.* 4. Whatfoever * The Hebrew word Shechinah Signifies a hal^tation or dwell- ing, and it was the name which the ancient Jews gave to that bright cloud or fire wherein God dwelt upon the ark between the cherubim, and in which he often appeared to the patriarchs and to Mofes. They alfo gave the fame name of Shechinah to the glorious Spirit in and by which God a<5led or manifefted himfelf to men, whether in a vifi- ble or invifible manner ; that is, whether he came with a cloud of light, or with a voice, or only by filent and fecret influences : for they call this Shechinah by the names of Mamrey Logos, or the Word of God, and they not only fuppofe this Shechinah to take pofTeffion of the tabernacle and the temple, and to refide there in the form of light, but it was a faying among them, ' That where two or three are met together to read or ftudy the law, the Shechinah is with them,' (though in an invifible manner ;) which is parallel to the words of Chrift, * Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midft of them,' Matt, xviii. 20. See Diflert. 4. on the Logos, Sedt. iii. p. 25. ^ECT. ti. Chriji as God. 65 4. Whatfoever habitation God aflumed, that habitation itfelf (whether corporeal or intelledlual) is not called God merely upon the account that God refided there, unlefs you include alfo the divine in- habitant, that is, God himfelf : So that neither the cloud, nor the bu{h, nor the fire, nor the man, or angel, arc ever reprefented as God, or called Jehovah, without including the idea of that Godhead that re- fided or inhabited in them. So when it is faid, ' God. is gone up with a fliout,' Ffal. xlvii. it doth not mean merely the ark which ivas carried up to Zion, but God dwelling oxi the ark or the mercy-feat. And in the fame manner the geftures, motions and appearances are afcribed to God, which were viflblc in that body in which God at that time refided, and which he made the fymbol of his prefence : but this body is never called God when taken alone, without including the prefent Godhead or almighty Spirit refiding there. 5. Hence it will follow, that the words God^ Lord, Almighty, yehovahy w^hich are ufed in Scripture on thefe occafions, are not funk into a figurative or di- minutive fenfe on purpcfe to be applied metaphori- cally to a cloud, a fire, or an angel, as a refemblance or emblem of the true God, or as a fymbol of his prefence ; but thefe divine names and titles are pre- ferved in their original and rnoft fublime and divine fenfe, and applied to God himfelf, confidered in and together with thefe his habitations or places of ref- idence. 6. It is very probable that the great God never refided (if I may fo fpeak) immediately in any cor- poreal habitation Vs^ithout the medium of an angelic* or * Note, Though in fcreral places I reprefent Chrift in his pre- tfxiftent ftate as an angel according to fcripture, yet I always fuppofe this pre-exiftent foul of Chrift to be a proper human fpirit, i. e. fuch afpirit as by its own nature is iuited to aft in yital union with ^ ^ bumai* t'6 Difficulties of thefe t)i%c.t. or intellednal being by whom he fpokc and acted, and b}^ whom he moved this corporeal habitation a's he pleafed. We have good reafon to fuppofe that the ' angel of God's prefence/ the * angel of the covenant,' * the angel in whom was the name of God,' was {liir the more immediate Shechinah or' refidence of God, whether he dwelt mediately in a cloud, or light, or fire, or a huma-n fhape. And on this account in the narration of the fame tranfaftioh it is exprefled fometimes that the ' angel of the Lord appeared,' and fometimes the * Lord God* himfelf * appeared,' ex. gr. to Mofcs in the bufh, to Abrat- ham, &c. The names God, or the Lord, or the an- gek are ufed promifcuoufly in thefe narratives. Thus it was not properly the cloud, light, or fire» but the angel who was intimately and immediately united to Godhead j and it was this angel who af- fumed the names, titles and charafters of God\, Lord, and Jehovah : for we may reafonably fuppofe that the union between God and this glorious angel, (that is, the pre-exiftent foul of Jefus Chrift in its non-incarnate or angelic ftate) was incomparably more near and intimate than the union of the great God with a pillar of cloud or fire : and upon this account human animal body. Thefe things are proved at large in the h(t of thefe difcourfes. The reafon why he is called an angel, is partly bccaufe he was then an unbodied fpirit, and lived as angels do^ not united to an animal body ; and partly becaufe he was fent iS the Father's meffenger, which is the meaning of the word an^d in the original languages, Greek and Hebrev/. Note further, Tliat this does not at all hinder the human foul of Chrift from having intelledual capacities and powers vaftly fuperior to any other human foul, or to any angel in heaven, even as the ca- pacities and intelledual povers of one man are vaftly fuperior to an- other, as the foul of Milton or Sir Ifaac Newton to an idect ; and efpecially while we confider this human foul as conftantly inhabited, by, and perfonally united to the eternal Godhead, we have abundant ?eafon to fuppofe h:s human faculties fuperior to thofe of any othcc ereatur*. Sect. II. Appearances adjufied. ^7 account the angel may be called God in a more prop- er manner than the fire, cloud or bufh could ever be, becaufe of the intimacy of the union which made God and this angel one complex perfon. 7. None of the corporeal appearances, or habita- tions of God, viz, the cloud, the light, the fire, are faid in fcripture to fpeak to man, it is only faid, that * God fpake out of them.' The cloud, the fire, the bufh, are never faid to aflume thefe names or titles, * 1 am the Lord, I am God Almighty, I am the God of llrael.' But now the angel who appeared fpeaks to men, and he affumes thefe divine names and titles in the Old Teftament, as is abundantly evident iri Exod. iii. and in other places ; and fo doth Jefus Chrifi; in the New Teftament, Rev. i, and ii. and iii. * I am the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End, the Firll and the Lad,' &c. Thence we may juftly infer, thefe was a nearer and more intimate .union, between the Godhead and that angel than be- tween God and the cloud, or fire, &c. feven fuch art union as may be called perfonal, whereby God and the angel may be looked upon as one complex intel- ligent agent or perfon ; and thus Chrift may be call- ed (as I remember one or more of thofe learned writers have called him) the God-Angel, before he was complete God-Man, 8. None of thefe corporeal appearance^ 6r habita- tions of God, neither the cloud, nor the fife, nor the bright light, are exprefsly and diredly called God by the holy writers in a categorical and expfefs manner.- He is ' Emanuel,' or ' God with us :' He is * Jeho- vah our righteoufnefs :' He is ' God over all, blefied forever :' which further fhews a more intimate union between the Godhead and the man Jefus, than there tvas between God and the cloud or fire ; and it Ihews alfo that Chrift is a complex perfon or God- Man. E 2 9.' Obfert* X>lfficulties of inefs 6is'cr. \, 9. Obferve alfo, that God did not always or con- ftantly dwell in the feme corporeal habitation, i.e. cloud, or fire, but God conftantly relided in this *angel of the covenant,' this ' angel of his prefence,* who was his own Son. He kept the fame intellectu- al habitation always, though he frequently changed his corporeal habitation. God, who was always unit- ed to this unbodied human fpirit or angel, did alfo fometiraes afilime a cloud, a fire, a bufh, or the fig- ure of a man, to appear in under the Old Teftament, but it was only for a feafon ; and thefe were only fo many ditferent praludiwns to his future incarnation, or dwelling in flefh : fo that the angel of God's pref- ence, or human foul of Chrift in his angelic (late, who was the conftant Shechinah or habitation of the Godhead, v/as ' one with God,' and might be much, better called God than the cloud or fire, which were but occafional habitations. 10. When this glorious angel, (the human fpirit or foul of Chrift) together with his divine inhabitant the indwelling Godhead, descended from his angelic ftate, and was made actual ' partaker of fleih and blood,' he was then * made a little lower than the angels,' Heb. ii. 9. He took human flefh into a conftant partnerfhip of his perfon, and became a man. ' The Word' who * v*-as God, was made flefii,* John i. I, 14. This never was faid, nor could it ev- er properly be faid, concerning the cloud or the fire. When God was manifeft in the flefh, this flefli w-as united into one perfon with the angel, and became the human or bodily Shechinah, or conftant habita- tion of God. ' In him dwelt all the fulnefs of the Godhead bodily.' Col. ii. Then Jefus Chrift, who was in all former ages the God- Angel in a proper and complete fenfe, became God-Man. Though the cloud or the fire could not properly be called God, bccaufe they were not thus united in- to ^ECT. II. Appearances adjujled. 69 to one perfon with God, nor in the angci in whom 'God dwelt, yet the man Jefus, as united in a perfon- al manner to the divine nature, might properly be called the true God. It could not be faid concern- ing the cloud or fire, that they were affumed to be parts of the perfon of Chrifc, but it might be faid concerning this angel, i. c. the foul of Chriil, and concerning his body, th^y were parts of his complex perfon j and thus Chrift in his complex perfon hath the names of Deity and humanity given him ; he :that is of ' the feed of David after the flelhi, is God .oyer all, ;blefled for evermore. Amen,' Rom. ix. 3' 4> 5- Obje^. 2. Doth not the Apoftle to the Hebrews, chap. i. ver. i, 2. fufficiently intimate, that this an- gel by whom God converfed with men was not his own Son Jefus, when he fays, 'God, v/ho at fundry times and in divers manners fpake in time pad unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in thefe lad days fpoken unto us by his Son ?' Does not this imply 'that God did not fpeak ' by his Son' under the Old Teftament ? AnJ. I. We may anfwer this difficulty thias : Though the angel who revealed the will of God to the patriarchs and prophets was really Jefus Chrift the Son of God, yet he then fpake by a corporeal me- dium and organsj which he aflumed for that occafion to form a voice, which medium was not part of his perfon, or perfonally united to him : therefore the Son of God did not fpeak immediately to men by himfelf, i. e. by his own perfon, but fpake by the prophets, and by corporeal iliapes, &c. Yet when he affumed fielh and blood adually into a perfonal union with liimfelf, when he made this fiefii a part of his perfon, and became a complete man by a mi- raculous conception, then he was more completely the Son pf God both in foul and body, and then a^ th^ 5d Difficulties of tjiffs Disc. I, the Son of God he fpake immediately by himfelf, by his own complete perfon, (i. e. foul and body) to mankind ; or God fpake to mankind by the very perfon of his Son, which was never done in the fame manner under the Old Tellament. Nbr is this any ftrange expofition, for the ancient fathers are wont to fpeak to the fame purpofe : Juf- tin Martyr fpeaks thus in his apology, " The Word foretold things to come by the prophets heretofore, but when he was made like unto us, he taught us thefe things by himfelf." So Clemens Alexandrinus fays, " The Lord was truly the inftrudor of the an- cient people by Mofes, but he is the guide of his new people by himfelf face to face.'* See Bifliop Bull's Defence of the Nicene faith, Se6t. i. Chap, i, Anf. 2. But I give yet a further anfwer to this objection in the following maimer, viz. Though the angel by whom God fpake to the prophets and to the patriarchs was really Jefus Chrift or the Son of God, yet he did not appear at that time under his filial character as God's own Son, but he appeared in his angelic charadler, or as a heavenly metlenger, which was fuited to the pre-exiftent ftate of the foul of Chrift ; whereas under the New Teftament God fpeaks to us by his Son Jefus Chrift under the fpec- ial and known charafter of * his own Son,' as being now revealed to have been the * only begotten Sori of God' in his pre-exiftent ftate, John i. 14, 18. and as having a more confpicuous or fenfible chara6ter of his divine Sonlhip added to him, by his bein^ born pf a virgin without an earthly father, by the imme- diate influence of the Spirit of God, Luke i. 35. and was named the Son of God on this account ; and had alfo a further claim to this honourable title, Son of God, when he was raifed from the dead, as St. Paul explains that expreffion of the Pfalmift, * Thou art piy Son, this day have I begotten thee,* Pfalm ii. 6, compare^ j5iECT. IL Appearances adjufted. jt compared with Afts xiii. 33. and is tlierefore called by the fame Apoftle, ' The iirfl-born from the dead,' Col. i. 15. It is plain, therefore, that though Chrift was the Son of God in his pre-exiftent ftate, yet he appeared and aded rather under the charaftcr of an ■angel of old, and not under the character of a Son till the days of the gofpel. It is the frequent cull;om of fcripture to fpeak of things as they appear to men, and not always juft a$ they are in themfelves, for this is moft fuited to the bulk of mankind. Therefore the fcripture fpeaks of the ' fun's riling and going down' and its ' rejoicing to run a race,' and of the ' heavens being fixed upon pillars,' &G. which are all modes of expreiiion accord- ing to appearance, and not according to the reality of things. So when the angel who is called God, ' wreftied with Jacob,' it is laid, * a man wreftled with him,* becaufe he appeared as a man. Gen. iii, 24. So ' three men came to 4-braham,' Gen. xviii. Z. becaufe they appeared as men, though one of them ^ifterward evidently v/as known to be God, and the other two w^ere angels. And fo Chrifb never appear- ing to the patriarchs and prophets, and inftructing them under the character of the Son of God in the Old Teftament ; and being much unknown to the world under that name, it was no wonder that the Apoftle Iliould reprefent God as beginning to fpeak to us ' by his Son' under the New Teftament.* This method of folving the difEculty will have an happy influence alfo to remove the following objedion. Obje£i. 3. Though this angel fpake oftentimes in the lume of God under the Old Te{]:ament, though he * The Arlans tliemfelyes is fhelr fcheme feem to be as macl^ puzzled with this difScuky, how to fuppofe that Chrift as an angel gave the law, and yet that God fpake not by his Son till under the gofpel : and fome of them are forced to accept of this fort of folu« tion. See Modejl Pka, P*rt I. So l^hat they havis so rsdpn to pW Je^ it a£*inft us* 7 2 Difficulties of thefe Disc. I. he aflumed the glorious titles of God, and fpoke words which muft properly belong to God, yet it does not follow, that this angel was the true God, or that there was any fuch perfonal union between the divine nature and this angel, becaufe there are other inftances wherein the titles and names of God are af- fumed, and words proper to God are fpoken, where- in it is very evident from fcripture that God was not the fpeaker. Confider what the fcripture declares concerning the giving of the law at Mount Sinai ; It is exprefsly faid, Exod. xx. i, 2. And ' Godfpakc all thefe words, faying, I am the Lord thy God,* &c. Yet St. Stephen tells them, Acls vii. c,^. ' They re- ceived the law by the difpofition of angels.' And St, Paul, Gal. iii, 19. fays, * The law was ordained by angels in the hand of a m-ediator.' And Heb. ii. 2» it is exprefsly called, ' The word fpoken by angels,* and diftinguifhed from the ' word fpoken by Chrifl.* ' If the word fpoken by angels was fledfaft, and every IranfgrefTion and difobedience received a jufl; recom- penfe of reward, how fliall we efcape if we neglect fo great falvation, which firft began to be fpoken by the Lord ?' Now if the words at the giving of the law were fpoken either by the perfon of the Father, or by the perfon of the Son of God, then the Apoflle's ar- gument is loft, fince it is built upon this fuppofition, that the golpel is publiftied by a perfon fuperior to him, or them, who publiflied the law. But the Apof- tle's argument is certainly ftrong, and thence it will follow, that the angel who fpoke the law was neither God himlelf, nor Jefus Chrift, and yet he alTumes di- vine language, ' I am iht Lord thy God,' &c. Anf. It was not only the fenfe of all the ancient writers, ithe moft primitive fathers of the Chriftian church, but it is allowed by moft of the Arians them*- felves who make this objection, that Chrift himfelf was prefent at Sinai, and was employed in giving the lawv Sect. H. Appearances adjufled. .73 law. Pfal. Ixviii. 17. ' The Lord is among them as in Sinai,' even he who ' afcended on high, and led captivity captive.' Eph. iv. Now the law may ftill be faid to be ' giv^n,' declared or publiilied ' by an- gels' who attended by thoufands as miniftering ipir- its on the Lord Chrift, and yet the words might be fpoken by Chrift himfelf, the great God- Man, or God- Angel, (or the 'angel in whom God*|.>*>5.^^>»*-»»^»H»»>>'>5.^>> ^ -^ •>->»>>»>>»>--»*->>*>>*>>»^)M.>.^ DISCOURSE 11. The Glory of Christ as God-Man difplayedy By an INQTJIRY into the extensive Pow- ers OF HIS HUMAN NATURE in its present GLORIFIED StATE. G SECT. I. INTROD UCTION. OD united to man, and dwelling in a human body, is one of the myflerious glories of our religion. It was fo * without controverfy' amongd the primi- tive Chriftians, as St. Paul acquaints young Timothy the evangehft, i Tim. iii. ult. ' Great is the myftery of godlinefs, God manifefh in the flefh.' The union of the divine and human natures in the complete perfon of Chrift the Mediator, is one of thofe fub- lime wonders which could never have been found out by the reafon of man, and which were revealed flow- ly to the church in fucceflive ages. There were types and emblems and ghmpfes of it in ancient days; but the fuller difcovery of this myftery is referved to adorn the New Teftament. In thefe latter days we have a moft evident and certain revelation made to us, that Chrift Jefus the Mediator, who was * of the feed of David according to the flefh,' is * God over all, bleffed forever.' Rom. ix. 5. G 2 Yet 100 The extenfive Powers Disc. II. Yet the glories that fpring from this facred union are too bright to be all unveiled before us in the prefent ftate of infirmity. They are too vaft and ex- tenfive to be received by the narrownefs of our ap- prehenfions, while our fouls are confined in flefli and blood. The rays of Godhead once broke" through the human nature of Chrift on the mount of tranf- figuration, but the difciples were not able to bear them. It is by degrees we muft gain acquaint- ance with this divine perfon ; and as his divinity is all light and fplendor, fo his human nature, which is a creature, has doubtlefs in itfelf many peculiar excellencies and prerogatives, that it might be fit to be fo nearly allied to Godhead with decency and honour. And doubtlefs alfo it has acquired moft afhonifhing advancement, both in power, capacity and glory, by this facred and admirable alliance, as well as by its prefent exaltation in heaven. The mofl neceffary and important do£lrines of the gofpel concerning the perfon of Chrift are plain- ly written in the word of God, that the weakeft Chriftians may read and learn them, and be faved. Thefe have been known and acknowledged by all true Chriftians in all ages of the church. But there are others alfo of fome importance, which are con-^ tained in fcripture, and yet may not have been uni- verfally received among Chriftians. Some of thefe perhaps have not been obferved in our reading the Bible hitherto, becaufe our education has given us no hint of them : thefe may become the fubjedls of our delightful fearch and profitable inquiry, when we meet with the firft notices of them in the world. It is our duty to ' grow in grace and in the knowl- edge of our Lord Jefus Chrift,' 2 Peter iii. ult. and to leek what further acquaintance with him we may gain by an honeft and impartial fearch into the word of God. This will carry feveral advantages with it, viz. I. This Sect. I. f>f Chrifi glorified. loi 1. This will be for the exaltation of Chrift him- felf ; for we fliall pay him more juft honour in eve- ry refpeft, when we know more of him, and are bet- ter acquainted with the various excellencies of his facred perfon. 2. This will tend to the illuftration of the gofpel, and the confirmation of our faith ; for the whole fcheme of Chriftianity, and particularly all that doc- trine that relates to the perfon of Chrift, is fo harmo- nioully connefted, that when we gain further light into any one part of it, it (beds fome degrees of di- vine brightnefs over all the reft. 3. This will better furnifli us with anfwers to the adverfaries of our religion ; for the more we know, the better we can defend our knowledge, fupport our profeffion, and vindicate the name and honour of our blefled Saviour. 4. This will render the word of God itfelf more glorious, both in our own efteem, and in the eyes of the world, when we fee the darker and more per- plexed paflages of it unfolded, when we find a way to folve thofe difficulties which have often puzzled us and our forefathers, and when we remove thofe in- cumbrances which have given our adverfaries a han- dle to aflault our faith, and to depreciate the word of God as a volume of obfcure and inconfiftent things. Our Lord Jefus Chrift, confidered in his complete perfon, has the divine nature joined to the human ; this has been proved with abundant evidence in an- cient and modern writings. Now as the divine na- ture is all over glorious, fo there are fome glories which are peculiar and proper to his human nature : fome of thefe are native honours and excellencies that belong to the human foul and body of Chrift, and there are other furpriling powers and dignities which are derived to the Man Jefus, partly by his exalta- tion to the throne in heaven, and partly by virtue of his union with the Godhead, as was hinted before. In loi The extenjtve Powers Disc. II. In. many Inftances, it mud be confefled, it is dif- ficult, if not impoflible, for us to fay exadiy how far the human nature is the immediate fubjedt of fome fubhme honours and actions, and how far they mud be afcribed to the indwelling Deity : to find the precife limits of the agencies or honours of the two natures in Chrift in every refpe<5t, is a myftery too deep for our prcfent penetration. Yet fince the fcripture has abundantly manifefted the exalta- tion of the Man Jefus to the right hand of God, to enjoy unconceivable degrees of power, authority and fplendor, it is proper for us to do fo much honour to the Man whom God the Father delights to hon- our, as to read and underfland, as far as we can, the peculiar glories of his fpecial advancement. It has been a common pradlice with us, becaufe we know that Jefus Chrift is true God, and that his human nature is united to the divine ; therefore, whenfoever we read any glorious and fublime attri- butions to our blelfed Redeemer in fcripture, we content ourfelves immediately to refer them all to his divine nature, as being all-fufficient to fupport them ; not confidering that we may perhaps by this means fwallow up and bury fome of the moft illuf- trious excellencies and honours of the Man Chrift Jefus, nor fuffer his human nature to receive that due (hare of glory and dignity to which the Father has advanced it. We are fometimes afraid to ex- alt the Man whom the Father has exalted, left we fhould be thought to derogate from his Godhead. We are afraid to read the human name of Jefus in fome fcriptures which highly exalt the Son of God, left we Ihould be thought to weaken the force of any of thofe texts which are ufually amafTed togeth- er to prove the Deity of Chrift, or left we ftiould withhold any of them from this fervice. I grant that the facred doclrine of the Divinity, •united to the human nature in Chrift, ought to be lupported Sect. II. t>f Chrijl glorified, 103 fupported by all juft expofitions of fcripture. It is an article that we cannot part with out of our re- ligion, without fhaking the foundation. But Jefus Chrift, our Lord and our God, never requires us to ftrain one line of his word, or turn it afide from the natural fenfe, in order to fupport his deity. There are many paflages, both of the Old and New Tefta- ment, that declare and confirm this great article ; and many of thofe fcriptures alfo wherein the hu- man nature of Chrift is jointly honoured, do yet carry in them a plain proof of the united Godhead. But lince ther€ are fome fcriptures, which in their moft natural and obvious fenfe fpeak chiefly of the honours of his Godhead, and others chiefly defcribe the exaltation of his humanity, let us do fo much' juftice to our blefled Saviour, as to read the diftindt honours of both his natures in thofe very places of- Icripture where he has written them, that fo we may. pay him the full glory due to his facred and complex perfon as God -Man. Nor can it any way leflen the glory of our bleflTed. Mediator, nor derogate from the honour of his di- vine nature, to fhew what capacious powers and fub- hme dignities are derived to the Man Jefus, either! by his prefent exalted ftate, or by the influence of that Godhead which has affumed him into fo near an union, lince we ftill fecure to the bleflfed God- head all its own eminence and infinite fuperiority to the Man. ... or^o-* SECT. H. Scriptural Proofs of the Exaltation of the human Nai ture of CHRIST, and the exterfwe Capacities and Powers of his Soul in Ms glorified State. X HAT the great and blefled- God conde- fcended to afl^ume any human foul and bddy into a perfonai I04 The extenjive Powers Disc. II. perfonal union with hlmfelf, was a matter of free and fovercign favour : and that he fhould chufe this one human fpirit, and this body which was born of the virgin Mary, to be the fubjeds of this priv- ilege, was the effe(ft of the fame goodnefs and the fame fovereignty ; ' God fpake in vifion to his Holy One, and faid, I have exalted one chofen out of the people,' Pfal. Ixxxix. 19. It is a favour at firft al- together unmerited, and which the Man Jefus could not claim. * It pleafed the Father that in him all the fulnefs of the Godhead fhould dwell bodily,* Col. i. 19. and ii. 9. It was a matter of divine good pleafure, that God fliould ' dwell in' that particular fpirit, and be manifcll in that particular flefh and blood which was born at Bethlehem. Thence it will follow, that the influences and privileges derived from this union are limited by the will and pleafure of God : and the honours and powers which accrue to the human nature on this account are fufpended or beftowed, increafed and diminifhed, according to the wife counfels and de- terminations of the divine will. It feems to be one of the facred laws of this inef- fable union, that the Man Jefus fhould have ideas and influences, knowledge and power, communicat- ed to him by the indwelling Godhead, in fuch meaf- ures and at fuch fucceflive feafons as he ftood in need of them, for his feveral offices and operations in the divine economy. The human foul of Chrift cannot receive and retain all poflible ideas conftantly and fimultaneoufly : This would be to fuppofe the Man really endowed with the properties of Godhead. But as faft as the indwelling Godhead fees it proper to furnifh him with new and larger ideas and pow- ers, fo faft is he made capable of receiving and ex- erting them, both in his ftate of humiliation and exaltation. This Sect. II. of Chriji glorified. 105 This will appear, if we confider that Chrift was God-Man in the days of his humiliation : He was * Immanuel,' or ' God with us :' He was * God manifeft in the flefh :' He was that ' Word' who * was God, made flefh :' And our divines very juftly affirm, it was the fame Godhead which is in the Father that dwelt in Chrift : * I am in the Father/ fays our Lord, ' and the Father in me,' John xiv. 10. * I and the Father are one,' John x. 30. Yet while he lived upon earth, this divine union did not exert its influences to the utmoft, neither as to knowledge, or power, or authority ; for the child * Jefus grew in wifdom' as well as * ftature,' Luke ii. 52. and the 'day of judgment,' which was known to the Father, was unknown to the Son at that time, Mark xiii. 32. ' Of that day and that hour know- eth no man, neither the Son, but the Father.* His knowledge was imperfeft ; and his authority on earth, before his death, appeared rather the authority of a prophet than a king : In his younger years he was fubjeft to the commands of his parents, Luke ii. 51. And when he appeared in the world, it was as a man, fent from God, to reveal his will and to obey or fulfil it. He declared he was no king on earth, i. e. a temporal king, for * his kingdom was not of this world.' He paid tribute to C^far ; he- would not be the divider of an inheritance among contending brethren ; ' he had not where to lay his head.' The Man Jefus here on earth lived among men, and had not complete knowledge, nor could he have complete power. It pleafed the Father, and it was agreed in the covenant of redemption, that the Man Jclus fliould arrive at his exaltation by degrees : It was agreed that he fliould practife the moft profound inftaaces of humility and fubmiflion to God, as well as the moft aftonifhing ad of pity and charity toward men, in io6 The extenjtve Pozvers Disc. II. in becoming a facrifice for their lins and dying upon the crof??, before he was to receive his promifed hon- ours. The Father thought it proper to beflow the mod fubUme advancement upon him as a reward of his fufferings ; and to fufpend his rich reward till his work was done, that he might at once difplay his own grace, his equity and his truth, in the glorifica- tion of the human nature of his Son Jefus, and that he might be a more proper pattern for all his follow- ers. This dodrine runs through many pages in the Old Teftament and in the New. But when Chrift had finifhed his work, he then jirayed for the promifed glory. John xvii. 5. * Fa- ther, glorify thy Son ; 1 have finilhed the work which thou gavell me to do.' And when he afcended to heaven, and was feated at the right hand of God, then he that was ' of the feed of David' more emi- nently appeared to be ' God over all, blelFed forever,* as Rom. ix. 4, 5. Then the influences of this fa- cred union were exerted in an high degree, and hon- ours and dignities were conferred upon him in abun- dance, with intellectual and operative powers fuited to this advancement. * God manifcfb in the flefli* \yas received up to heaven in glory, i Tim. iii. 16. And there the human nature lives and a6ls,^ihines and reigns, in a manner becoming its high privilege of union to Godhead. In order to purfue my prefent defign, I fliall do tiiefe two things — Firfl, I fhall endeavour to prove from fcripture, that it is the human nature of Chrift that was peculiarly exalted after his fufferings ; and then fet before you a more particular detail of the inftances wherein this exaltation confifts. Firft, The reafons to prove that it is the Man Chrift who is exalted by God the Father, are fuch as thelc : I. St. Peter gives us an account in his firft fer- raon. Sect. II. of Chrijl glorified. 107 mon, A6ts li. 33. of Chrlft * exalted by the- right hand of God.' If we inquire more particularly of the perfon who is thus exalted, the context aiiurcs us, it is ' Jefus of Nazareth, a man approved of G k1.* ver. 22. It is that very Man of * the feed of David according to the flefii' who was appointed ' to fit on his throne/ v'er. 30. It was the Man * that was tak- en and crucified and flain,' ver. 23. The Man * whom God raifed from the dead,' ver. 32. who was thus ' exalted by the right hand of God,' ver. 33. 2. It is a r^^/ exaltation of Chrilt by the v/ill or good pleafure of God, which is expreiled in many Icriptures, and not merely a manifeflative exaltation. It is an advancement to new degrees of knowledge, to a real increafe of capacity, to new powers and ad- vantages, which he had not on earth, as well as to new dignities. But the divine nature is eternal and felf-fufiicient, full in itfelf of all real and pofiible powers and dignities, nor can it receive any new pow- ers, nor can it have any real advancement. God- head cannot be any otherwife exalted, than by having its own original and eternal powers, or the exercife of them, manlfefted or difcovered to his creatures ; it mufl be therefore a creature, even the Man Jefus, who receives this real advancement. 3. It is the human nature of Chrifl which is properly exalted, becaufe it is the Man who is ex- prefsly called ' the Mediator' in fcripture, whereas he IS never exprefsiy called Mediator as God. i Tim. ii. 5. * There is one God, and one Mediator between God and man, the Man Chrifl Jefus.' Now it was for the mofl part mediatorial honours ; and powers which he received at his exaltation ; and partly with this delign, that he qiight better fulfil the remain- ing part of his wurk as Mediator, that the Man Je- fus might reign over the nations and judge this world. Adts xi. 36, 38. Adsxvii. 31. 4. His ro8 The extenfive Powers Disc. IL 4. His exaltation is reprefented as the reward of his rufferings and labours in many places of fcrip- ture. Ifai. liii. 10, 12. * Therefore fhall he divide the rpoil with the great, becaufe he poured out his foul unto death.' Phil. ii. 8. * He humbled him- felf, and became obedient to death, wherefore God hath alfo highly exalted him.' Rev. v. 9. * Thou art worthy to take the book,' &c. * for thou waft ilain, and haft redeemed us.' Now it is not fo prop- er to fay, the divine nature in Chrift, or his indwell- ing Godhead, is rewarded ; becaufe his human na- ture laboured and fufFered and died. The Godhead in Chrift is properly uncapable of receiving any re- wards from God the Father, for it is one and the fame Godhead or divine nature in both perfons ; nor indeed can a God be properly rewarded at all. This argument will be further enforced, if we confider, that his exaltation after his labours and fufferings, is reprefented and propofed to us as a pledge and pattern of our exaltation after we have laboured and fuffered, on purpofe to encourage us in our labours and fufFerings. Now this muft be the exaltation of his human nature or the Man Je- fus, who did both labour and fuffer as well as we. I will fay no more in this place, becaufe this doc- trine will appear more evident all the way as we pro- ceed : Yet if we had nothing further to fay for it, I think upon the whole we might venture to con- clude, that as the humiliation of Chrift the Mediator has a more peculiar refped to his human nature, fo it is the human nature is more efpecially exalted by the Father, but ftill confidered in union with the di- vine, and under the character of Mediator. My fecond general head of difcourfe is to give fome fpecial inftances wherein the exaltation of Chrift in his human nature confifts ; and this ap- pears eminently in the following particulars. I. The Sect. II. af Chrijl glorified. 109 I. The Man Chrift Jefus united to the divine nature is admitted to the knowledge of many of the decrees and the fecret counfels of God. He that knew not the day of judgment here on earth, has now the fcene of all futurities fpread open before him ; and he communicated them in vifions and figures to John the apoflle, that he might publifh them to the churches. The book of the Revelation begins with this aflertion, that ' God gave to Jefus Chrift the knowledge of things that muft fhortly come to pafs :' And in Rev. v. 5. * The Lion of the tribe of Judah hath prevailed to open the book, and to loofe the {&\en feals thereof.' Ver. 6. * The Lamb, as it had been llain, having feven horns and feven eyes, which are the feven fpirits of God, came and took the book out of the right hand of him that fat on the throne, and opened the feals thereof.* Here is the human nature of Chrift, the Lamb, rep- refented with unknown powers, viz. * feven horns and feven eyes, which are the feven fpirits of God/ The feven horns might fignify perfedl might, and the feven eyes perfeft knowledge ; and by virtue of his union to the divine nature, this may include his power to fend the Spirit of God, or to give forth his gifts or graces. He opens the book of divine counfels, by which the church and the nations are to be governed to the end of the world. Now the divine nature of Chrift knew all that was written in this book while it was fealed ; but after the fufferings of Chrift on earth, his human nature was admitted to this privilege : and having power given him to rule the world, it was necelTary he Ihould know thofe counfels and decrees of the Fa- ther by which the world is to be ruled. Obferve alfo that he is made and declared * wor^ thy to take this book and to open the feals of it, be- caufe he was flain, and has redeemed his faints to God no The exfenjive Poweri Disc. iL God bj' his blood,' ver. 9. Surely it was not the Godhead, but the Man Jefus who was flain ; and it is the Man (not the Godhead) who is become wor- thy on this account to read this book of divine coun- lels. This is that ' Revelation which God gave un- to Jefus Chrift, to fhew unto his fervants things which muft fhortly come to pafs, and he fent and fignified it by his angel unto his fervant John/ Rev. i. I. II. The human nature of Chrift, as united to God, is exalted to the government of heaven and earth. Matt, xxviii. 18. Jefus, juft before his afcen- fion, fpake unto them, faying, * All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.' And Ephef. i. 20. St. Paul tells us it was God's * mighty power, which he wrous;ht in Chrift when he raifed him ^rom the dead and fet him at his own right hand in heav- enly places, far above all principality and power, might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but alfo in the world to come, and hath put all things under his feet.' I know this fort of expreffion in fcripture is wont to be applied exprefsly to the charader of Chrift as Mediator, for it is ufually faid, Though his divine nature, abfolutely confidered, had all this dominion before, yet as Mediator it was now given to him. But let us confider thefe three things : I. Since the human nature of Chrift at leaft muft be allowed in fome fenfe to complete the perfon of the Mediator, and it is his human nature that is thus * raifed from the dead by the mighty power of God, and fet at the right hand of God in heavenly places,' it is but reafonable to conceive that the hu- man nature receives this exaltation, this power and dominion over all things, thou2:h I orant it muft be confidered in union with the divine : but if we do not fuppofe it to be the human nature which is thus Sect. IT. of Chriji glorified. til dignified and endued with authority, then we {hail be forced to interpret this text thus, viz. that God raifed his human nature from the dead, and fet his human nature at his own right hand, i. e. on high above the clouds : but has put all things under the feet of his divine nature, conlidered as Mediator ; which feems to be but a (hifting and evafive expofi- tion, if the words will admit a fenfe that is plainer and eafier : and no man who reads it with an un- bialTed mind would put this ftrained interpretation upon it. 2. Of what ufe is the frequent declaration of this power and government conferred upon Chrift after his afcenfion, if it be not conferred on his human na- ture, and if his human nature does not exercife it ? The divine nature of Chrift had this power, and ex- crcifed this government before : as God, he always did, and always will govern the world, though there had not been a word fpoken in fcripture of any ex- altation of Chrift to this government : And iince Godhead is united to the Man Jefus, Godhead in this united ftate would continue to govern the world as before, and that even during ail the hu- miliation of Chrift : What alteration then does arife from this declared exaltation of Chrift, after his la- bours and fufferings ? And befides, 3. What new advantage, what ben- efit, what gift or reward can it be to the human na- ture of Chrift, that his divine nature ftiould be made governor of all things ? Or that the divine nature Ihould exert that authority, dominion and power which it had inherent in itfelf, originally, necelTarily, and without any gift ? This government of Chrift is frequently reprefented as a gift and a reward, and therefore muft belong eminently to the inferior na- ture, which alone is capable of rewards and gifts from God. The tia The extenftve Powers Disc. II. The fame argument may be drawn from Rom. xiv. 9. * To this end Chrift both died and rofe and revived/ or hved again, ' that he might be Lord both of the dead and the Hving.' His death and refurredion belong to his human nature ; he died as man, he rofe as man, that he might as man rule over the dead and the living ; for it is hardly to be fuppofed that St. Paul could mean, " He died and rofe as man, that his Godhead might obtain this dominion, when his Godhead had this dominion eternal and unalienable in itfelf, and needed no fuch new title to dominion :" For his coming into flefh could never diveft him of it, nor could his human fufferings repurchafe fuch a divine claim and power if he had divefted himfelf Yet here I would give notice once for all, that i do not exclude this fort of fcriptures from an eco- nomical fenfe : I mean thus, they may have a re- fpe6t to Chrift in his complete perfon, as God-Man, and as Mediator ; or as a man united to Godhead : and they may and muft fignify his exaltation in his mediatorial charaiSter to thefe honours and authori- ties ; without the indwelling Godhead, feveral of them feem to be too fublime for a man. But ilill the moft natural, obvious, and primary meaning of them, refers to that human nature, which alone can be the proper fubjeft of real abafement and advance- ment, which alone could really fufFer, and which alone could receive real exaltation , for the divine nature in itfelf is utterly uncapable of either. It is the Man who is exalted, even the Man Jefus who is called the Mediator, but it is the Man who is one with God. He obeyed and fuffered and died as man, but united to God : He rofe and was exalted as man, but ftill united to God. I beg pardon if I have dwelt too long on this point, or repeated any thing which I had faid before. The doQ:rine itfelf feems t» ?>ECT. li. of Chrijf glorified. !l^ to require it of me, that if poffible I might leave no fcruple on the minds of pious readers who are honeft- ]y fearching out the truth, and would fecure the hon- ours of their blefled Redeemer. It may be inquired here, What afts can the Man Jefus put forth in his human nature toward the gov- ernment of Heaven and earth ? I anlvver — As he is now let into the counfels and decrees of God, and by his immediate union with the divine nature he nov/ receives perpetual notice of i\\ the affairs in the upper and lower worlds, fo he can give his orders to the millions of attending angels to execute works of judgment and mercy ; they are all miniftering fpirits to him. He can man- age the affiiirs of providence by angels as his inftru- ments for the government of the nations and the good of his faints; And he that has led captivity captive, and fiibdued the prince of darknefs, with alt the armies of hell into fiavery to himfelf, he can give them permiffion to exercife their rage amongft mankind, under fuch limitations and reftraints as he fees proper. Thus he may govern all things by the angels or devils, as his mediums, or inftruments : and he may do it alio by himfelf in a more imme- diate manner. Let me alk. May not Chrift keep the wheels of nature in their courfes, and adminider the providen- tial kingdom by virtue derived from the indwelling Godhead } May he not exert his dominion amonglt all the material elements, and the inhabitants of air, earth and water, as well as amongft the fpirits of the invifible world ? Shall prophets and apoftles and captains have a refemblance of fuch power given them on earth, and lliall not Jefus the Son of God have the fubftance and plenitude of it, efpecially now in heaven .'' Could a Mofes divide the fea with bis rod, and turn flints into rivers of water } Could a H Jolhu* a 4- The cxtenfrjc Powers Disc. Hi Jofnua fay to the fun, Stand thou dill, and forbid the moon to move ? Could a Paul make fevers and dropfies depart at his word, and flee at the appear- ance of his handkerchief, Acls xix. 12. ? Could Pe- ter heal the fick with his fliadow pafTing over them, Ad:s XV. 15. and command Tabitha to arife from the dead ? And (hall we not fuppofe the Man Chrifl Jefus in his exalted ftate, with all the power and glo- ry of indwelling and united Godhead ; I fay, fhall ive not fuppofe him able to rule time and nature as he pleales, and to manage all things in heaven and earth, all things mortal and immortal ? Or if we Hft our thoughts to the angelic legions a,nd furvey their powers, muft we not fuppole the power communicated to our exalted Saviour to be far fuperior to theirs? Shalt it be within the power oi a lingle angel, when fent with ar peftilence, to de- ftroy feventy thoufands of Ifracl in order to punifh David's fin, 2 Sam. xxiv. 15, 16 ? or to flay a hun- dred and fourfcore and five thoufand Aflyrian fol- diers iry the camp of Sennacherib in" one night,. 2 Kings xix. 35 ? or fliall it be within the reach of Satan's power and commifllon, as he is the ' prince of th'e powers of the air,' to raife ftorms and hurri- canes,' and to fend lightning from heaven, Job i. 16, 19? and fliall not the blelfed foul of our exalted Redeemer have more tranfcendent power than an- gels or devils?' Why fhould it not be within the reach of his human will, by methods of unknown influence, to govern the winds and the waters, the earthly and the heavenly bodies, to fubferve the counlels of his Father and his ov/n gracious purpofes towards his people ? Or if it fiiould be doubted at prefcnf by any of my readers, whether Chrift's own human power reaches to an immediate management of all thefe affairs at fa prodigious diftances, yet we may be affured, as I hinted Sect. II. of Ckyifl glorified. ii^ hinted before, it is not above the power of human nature, fo exalted and fo nearly united to God, to give orders of this kind to the {landing or fallen an- gels, which the divine nature has taken care ihall be pun£tuall5' and exadly fulfilled : and thus ' he (hall feign till he has brought all his enemies under his feet,' 1 Cor. XV. 24, 25. But a farther purfuit of this fubjc(5t is referved to the following leStion. I proceed now to the third inftance of power and dignity to which the human nature of Chriil is ex- alted. . ^ III. Chrift as man united to God is * exalted to become a Prince and a Saviour, to give repentance to Ifrael and forgivenefs of fins,' Acts v. 31, This fcripture muft certainly include and chiefly regard the manhood of Chrift, for it is that fame * Jefus,* faith St. Peter to the Jews, * whom ye flew and hang- ed on a tree,' that the * God of our fathers hatk raifed up' and exalted to this dignity. Befides, it is impo'fiible that the divine nattire ihould be really and properly ' exalted to be a PriAce and a Ssiviour,' &c. for it would be humiliation, and^ not exaltation, for the piire divine nature to accept' of thefe titles and perform thefe offices even by way of deputation and vicegerency to the Father, when' it had iupremc authority originally and eternally iri- itfelf without any donation or deputation. It will be faid here. What can the Man Jefus do' toward the giving repentance and forgivenefs ? I would humbly inquire whether it were not liis' human nature fent forth his apoftles when' he was here on earth ? And is it not the Man Jefus who" fends his niinifters abroad into the naticns' in his prefent exaltation in heaven ? Is it not ftill the Man i'n whom Godhead dwells ? Is it not he who ' p-ives apoftles, prophets, evangelifts, j^aftors and teachers' tb publ-irb' this dodrine of repentance and forgivenefs ¥k z in >i6 The extenfiv: P quo as Drsc. if: in his name r * He that afcended on high' after he had ' defcended into the lower parts of the earth ?' He that * received gifts for men,' Pfahii Ixviil. iS. and gave thefe gifts unto men ' for the perfecting the faints, for the work of the miniftry, and for th.e ed- ifying his body,' Eph. iv. 8, 12. ? And though wc may reafonably fuppofe the Man Jefus confidered alone has not now, nor could ever have fufficient power in himfelf, abflrafted from De- ity, to change the hearts of nitn, make obftinatc, fmners become penitent, and feal the forgivenefs of fins with comfort to their confcienccs ; yet the Man Jefus may fay, Father, I will that this and the other' obdurate finner be reclain:ied, foftencd and fanftified : Father, I will that his fins be forgiven him : and hereupon the bleffed Spiri^of God works this divine change in the (inner,- and feals this forgivenefs to the foul. Why may not Jefus work wonders of grace on the fouls of men, in the fame way as he wrought miracles of healing on their bodies ? I add further, the man Jefus may exert a volition' that fuch and fuch a rebellious finner be converted. Ibftened and pardoned ; and according to the facrcd and unfearchabk laws of the union between his di- vine and human nature, the efFed mav be wrou2;ht and the blefiing given by the omnipotence and au- thority of the indwelling Godhead : and in this fenfe the exalted human nature exerting fuch a vo- lition becomes a confcious inftrument or agent in- beftowing thefe divine favours. You will fay, per- haps, was it not fo in his flate of humiliation as well- as now ? And what advanta2;e then has Chrill exalt- ed ? Did not the podhcad work the miracle by the intervening a£i: of Chrift's human will ? 1 anfver, yes certainly : but the difference be- tween his agency in his exalted and in his humbled, .date feems to be this : while our Redeemer was oni earth Sect. ir. §f CJiriJi glorified. luf earth in his humbled (late, he feems to live by more apparent, conftant, immediate and aftual addrefles to and dependence on the Godhead for every fingle miracle he wrought, than perhaps he does now. This dependence was fometimes manifefted to the fjieftators, by praying to his Father when he was to work a miracle, as in raifing Lazarus from the dead. John xi. 41. He faid 'Father, I thank thee that thou haft heard me,' and yet then he fpake his will with authority, ver. 43. * Lazarus, come forth.' At other times, this actual dependence was conftant-* ly pradifed, though he did not manifeft it to the rpe6tators : fo when Chrift healed the leper, Matth. viii. the Man Jefus faid, * I will, be thou clean ;' and immediately the miracle was wrought. By the intervening volition of Chrift as man, the dead was raifed and the leper was cleanfed ; but it was the power of God was prefent with the will of the man to heal the fick and to raife the dead, as it is exprelied in'Luke v. 17. And thus the Man Jefus, being now exalted to a more fovereign fort of agency, to * quicken whom he will,' John v, 21. hath a fpecial intereft in thofe titles, a '- Prince and a Saviour,' and in beftowing f repentance and forgivenefs,' Adts ii. 31, 32, 33* becaufe his will is made as it were the agent. He afcended to heaven, he received the promife of the Spirit, he poured down thofe gifts of the Spirit on his apoftles and the primitive Chriftians, for the ordi- nary and extraordinary works of grace, for it is by his will thefe things were done. IV. The human nature of our Lord Jefus Chrift has fome influence in the fuccour and fupport of tempted Chriftians, Heb. iv. 15. The apoftle af- lures us, ' We have an High Prieft who was tempted in all points as we are, but without fin ; and he can I?? touched with the feeling of our infirmities,' i. e. b9 •ii^ The extenjive Towers Disc. II. he has a human fympathy arifing from his human fufferings, and therefore we are encouraged to ' come to the throne of grace to find help.* And, chap. ii. v. i8. ' in that he himfelf has fuffered being tempt- ed, he is able to fuccour them that are tempted.* Now fmce his ability to fuccour tempted fouls does arife in part from his human fympathy, and from his own experience of fufferings and temptations jn his human nature, it leads us naturally to con- ceive that even his human foul has fome hand iii the fuccour of tempted faints, 1. Becaufe the divine nature is not rendered more able to fuccour them by all the temptations that the human nature fuftained. The divine nature is in- finitely and eternally able to fuccour, without any regard at all to the human nature, v/hether that had been tempted or not. 2. It is the dcilgn of this chapter to fneak of the human nature, or rather the incarnation of Chrift, V. 1 7. He rnuft become like us in ' flefh and blood, that he might be a merciful High Pried to make reconciliation :' now here the human nature is the chief agent, or rather patient, in making atonement and reconciliation, though the digriity and complete merit arifeth from its union |:o the divine nature. Then in the next verfe his human nature having been tempted, is iitted and enabled to fuccour them that are tempted, by its own fympathy with them, as he was man, but Itill fuppofing him united to Deity. This is the moft natural and neceffary fenfe of the words. Obferve further, that Chrld is reprefented as the head of the church in raaay fcriptures, and the faints as his mem.bers ; now this headlliip mull be referred fpecially to his human nature, though not exclud- ing the divine, becaufe the members and head mull be of the fame nature. The ad chapter to the Hc- breivs. Se c T * n. 9f Ch^0 glorified. 1 1 ^ brews, feems to be written with this defign, to fliew the neceffity of Chrift's incarnation, in order to fufr tain the proper and appointed relations to his ovvri people, viz. ' Bec^ufe the children were partakers of ilefli and blood, therefore he took part of the fame,* that he might be a Brother, a Prieft, a Father, a Suc- pourer of the tempted, &c. Nor can any relation feem more neceffarily to require his having a human nature, than that of head and members. Now in What fcnfe can the Man Jefus bear the relation of fuch a vital or fympathifing head united to his body, the church, if he has no particuUr knowledge of the wants, forrows and fufferings of his particular mem- bers ; if he has only a mere general confufed knowl- edge that he has members on earth who endure for- row and fufiTering, though he knows not how many, nor which they be, nor is he able, as man, to do any thing for their particular relief ? Would it not be ftrange to fay, he has the mod near and intimate relation of headfliip to his members, as he is man, and of the fame nature with them, and yet he cannot do any thing for the fupport or fuccour of any of them, by the powers of the very nature, whereby he fuftains this relation, and whereby chiefly he be- comes their head ? It is granted that the indwelling- Godhead capacitates him for the fupply of the wants of his members, by furnifhing him with all grace 5 but I think that human nature by which he emi- nently fuftains this relation and becomes a head, may be allowed to be an intelligent and confcious medi- Vim of conveying thefe fupplies. V. If it (hould not be allowed that Jefus Chrifl:, as man, can beftow effedual fuccour and relief on his tempted faints, yet furely he is able to make par- ticular interccffion for them. It is upon this account he is declared ' able to fave to the uttermoft thofc that come to God by him, bccaufe he ever- lives to make }:z9 The extenjivc Powers Disc. II. make Interceflion for them,' Hcb. vii. 25. Now we cannot fuppofe it is the divine nature which prop- erly and diredtly intercedes or pleads for us in heav- en, but the Man Jefus, who gave us a pattern of that interceflion here on earth, John xvii. though it may be the diyine nature united that renders this interceffion fo univerfaHy powerful and prevalent. Nor can we fuppofe tiiat Chrift intercedes merely in general for all his faints, without knowledge of their particular perfons, or their prefent particular circumftances ; for this is no more than every Chrift- lan on earth does or fliould do : we fliould all inter- {:ede or plead in that manner * for all the faints,' Ji,phef. vi. 18. though our pleadings have not the fame efficacy as his, nor are vve fiippofed to have the lame knowledge of their wants, Wheri we are told that our great High Prieft, vvhofe fpecial work and office in heaven is to make interceflion for us, ' is palled into the heavens,' and that he * can be touched with the feeling of our in- firmities, having hirnfelf been tempted as we are ;' can we ever imagine that this does not refer to the human nature of Chrift, finpe none of thefe expref- fions are applicable to his deity ? And can we think that the fcripture vyould repreferjt our encourage- ments to apply ourfelves to him as an interceffor in fuch tender and fympathetic language, if he knew pnly in general that there were thoufands of tempted faints on earth, but had no particular knowledge of their perfons, their fpecial kinds of temptation and prefent diflrefs, which might awaken this fympathy, and engage his fpecial rcprefentation of their cafes to the Father ? VI. The human nature of Chrift imited to his Godhead is exalted to receive honours from men and angels in the upper and lower worlds, upon thq account of its obedience, forrows and fuffering^. Sect. II. e/" Clirtjf glorified. i%i it is one part of the reward promifed to men of pie- ty, that they (hall enjoy glory and honour, as well as immortality and peace, Rom. ii. 7, 10. And furely Diir bleffed Saviour has at leaft a right to (hare m thz general promife made to men, and to have his iranfcendent and perfed piety rewarded with tranfr cendent honours and glories. Therefore when the apoftle had defcribed him as ' man,' or the ' Son of man,' or the * fecond Adam,' in Hebrews ii. 9. he adds, ' We fee him for the fuf- fering of death crowned with glory and honour :' for thefe fufFerings and this death he voluntarily fuftained, as a piece of the moil fubmiflive obe- dience to his heavenly Father, and moft amazing charity to mankind ; therefore, he was entitled to Jhe glorious recompenfe. You (ind thefe honours paid to him in heaven, according to the Father's promife and appointment. Not only the faints, who were redeemed by the blood of Chrift, but the ' angels round about the throne, fay with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was (lain to receive power and riches, and wif- dom, and ftrength, and honour, and glory, and bleffing,' Rev. v. 11, 12. 'and every creature in heaven, on earth, and in the fea, join their honours and their ble(rmgs to him that lits upon the throne, and to the Lamb forever,' ver. 13. As the man is atTumed into union with the Godhead, fo the vvhole peribn of Chrift the Mediator or God-Man becomes the object of adoration, as our beft divines generally agree. Read what the apoftle declares, Philip, ii. 9, 10, II. ' Chrift humbled himfelf and became obedient to the death of the crofs ; wherefore God alfo hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name, that at the name of Jefus every Jcnee fhould bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, J2Z The eKtenfive "Powers' Disc. IT. earth, and things under the earth ; and that every tongue fhould confefs that Jefus Chrlfl: is Lord, to the glory of the Father.' Surely it is the human nature that fcems to be exalted here to this dignity, as it Hands united to the divine ; and this is mani- feft, not only becaufe the divine nature could not re- ceive this exaltation, having an original and undc- rived right to worQ^ip, but alfo becaufe his human fufferings are the reafon of his exaltation. I am ready to believe that the human nature of Chrift knov/s and beholds all the knees bowing to him, and hears all the tongues confeiTing him, or eife how can this be a proper recompenfe for the fufferings of Clirifl: in his human nature ? Does the Godhead derive recompenfes from the fufferings of the man ? or can God be faid thus to exalt the pure divine nature to be the objeft of adoration ? Has the human nature of Chrift no fhare in this reward ? or is the human nature of Chrift recompenfed fome other w^ay, i. e. by making a luminous figure in heav- en, arrayed in bright ornaments above the clouds or ftars, but ignorant of the honours done him by the church on earthy while yet thefe very honours done him on earth are declared to be his appointed rec- ompenfe ? How unreafonable and ablurd is fuch u fuppofition ! It will be objected here indeed, How can any thing that is not pure God be made any part of the objeil of religi^bus worlhip ? Is not this contrary to the firft command, and to the general law of worlliip in the Old and New Tellament, which direfts it to be paid to God only ? Anfiv. 1 think, the human nature of Chrift is no othei'wife capable of religious worfnip, according to the ilatutes of heaven, but by being thus glorioully united to the divine : but when it is thus united, the whole complex perfon may be made the objeit ot rcligiouf: Se.c t . iL sf Chrijl glorified, jj 23 religious vvcrlhip, if God fee fit, lince the perfon who is worfhipped is really one with God, and has per- fonal communion with the divine nature. But for .the further removal of thefe objedions and all the difficulties of this kind, fee my pilTertation on the Worfhip of Chrift as God -Man and Mediator, DiiF, 3. Prop. S, 9. where I have not only proved it froni fcripture, but cited the teftimony of fome of our greateO: writers to fupport it, fuch as Turretine and Dr. Owen. yil. Chrift as man (but in union with God) is conftituted Judge of the world. This is often re- peated in fcripture : Acis xvii. 31. * God hath ap- pointed 2. day wherein he will judge the world in righteoufnefs by that Man whom he hath ordained, whereof he hath given affurance unto all men, in that he hath raifed him from the dead.' This is part of St. Paul's fermon to the Athenians. And St. Peter, in his fermon to Cornelius, Ads x. 38, &:c. fays, concerning * Jefus of Nazareth, who was anointed with the Ploly Ghoft, and whom God raifed from the dead, he has commanded us to preach to the people, and to teflify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the judge of the quick and the dead.' It is he, even the Man Jefus, who lived at Nazareth, fliali be the judge : it is the Man Chrift Jefus who ' defcends from heaven with a Ihout, and with the found of a trumpet,* fhali f fend his angels and gather his elect from every quarter of the earth ;' he Ihall call to the dead, and they ' that are in their graves fuall hear the voice of the Son of God and live;' for all 'judgment is committed to him,* John v. 27-*,^ becaufe he is the Son of man,' i. e. the Man the Meffiah. 1 cannot think that the manhood of Chrift would have been lb exprefsly and peculiarly reprefented under this charader and office of the final judge of the 124 The extenfive Powers Disc. IL the world, if the affairs of that awful and folemrj day were not committed to him, and if the cogni*- zance of the hearts and adlions of men, fo far as to decide their eternal ftates jultly, were not communi- cated to the Man Jefus by his perfonal union with the divine nature. Surely he fliail not (it upon that tribunal like a glorious or fhining cypher, or make a bright unactivc figure there. No, by no means. The bufinels of the judgment mull pafs through his hands and his head, as Dr. Goodwin exprefles it, concerning the government of the world, when he explains that text, Matth. xxviii. i8. And when he fpeaks of the judgment of mankind by Jefus Chrift, he fpeaks more highly and honourably of the injfluence that the human nature of Chrift will hav(i in it, than I dare venture to do here. See Vol. II. Book 3. Chap. ult. And indeed I may fupport the boldefi: language I ufe in any part of this diicourfe concerning the moft extenfive powers of the Man Jefus in his glorified (late, by fuch a venerable prec- edent : the authority of that great and excellent man will abundantly excufe and defend me among £,li thofe who have an efteem for his valuable writ-* VIII. It might be added in the lai't place, that our bleffed Saviour, confidered as man, has fome unknown and mofi; extenfive ways of communicat- ing his prefence, his influence and his glory to all the millions of faints in the heavenly world ; for the heaven of each of them confifts partly in being * prefent with Chrift,' 2 Cor. v. 8. ' and beholding his glory which the Father gave him ;' i. c. the glo- ry of his human ^ature, or at lead as God-Man. John xiv. 3. and xvii. 24. Now it is but a poor, low, and carnal idea of the heavenly ftate and blefl- cdnels, if we conceive the common rank of faints to have no nearer accefs to Chrift, and no mor.t participatiori fe'liCT. II!. ff Chriji glorified, i^-^ participation of his prefence, or views of his glory^, than merely to dwell in the fame fpacious regions of heaven, and to behold a man afar off raifed on a high throne, and arrayed in light at a great diftance. Sure- ly the immediate prefence of the Man Chrift, and im- mediate communion with him, fliall be fomething more near, more intimate, and more blifsful than fuch a diftant fight of him. Shall it be faid, that the powers of every glorified faint Ihall be vaftly enlarged, to take in the bleiFed prolped and enjoyment, though the objeft may be afar oft' ? And may it not be faid alfo with more realbn, that the powers of our glorified Saviour (hall be much more enlarged to communicate himfeif and his glories to the meaneft and mofc diftant in- habitants of heaven ? May he not make himfeif, even in his human nature as v/ell as his divine, im- mediately prefent with them all, by a moft exten- five difFufion of his hum.an a;s well as his divine glo- ries ? SECT. III. j4 rational Account Jiozv the Man Jefiis Clinjl may he vejied with fuck extenfive Pozvers. X HE great difficulty of receiving this doctrine, flill lies here — How is it poffible that a human fpirit fliouid be endued Vv^ith powers of fo vaft an extent ? Can it ever be fuppofed that a human foul, a man, fliould know all things that are done in this earth ? that he fliould be acquainted with the hearts and thoughts of all men i^ and fliould take a fufficient cognizance of every minute affair tfhat paffes through the hands and the hearts of all hum-an creatures, in order to govern and judge fo large a part of the creation, Jnfzii. ii^ The ixtenfive Powers Disc, if, AnJ'W. I. Perhaps it may not be abfolutely nec- eflary that every fingle thought, word, or adion of every particular creature fliould be known to the human foul of Chrift, in order to fulfil his part or province in governing and judging mankind : but all the greater, more general, and more confiderable affairs and tranfaftions of nations, churches and par- ticular perfons, may be made known to the Man Je- fus, {o far, that in unicii with the Godhead he may be properly called the governor and the judge, and may execute and fulfil thofe glorious offices : and if he lliould not in an immediate manner be aftually confcious of, or actually influence the minuted cir- cumffances and actions of men, yet he may have fufhcient powers fo know and influence all thofe greater affairs, in"' xvhicH the leffer and more minute circumftances are alfo involved. An earthly king may be properly faid to govern' and judge his people, who' are fpread through many large provinces, without the particular knowledge of all the minuter concerns of his fnbjeds : yet if he apply himfelf with diligence to fulfil his office, he may obtain a particular acquaintance with ten thoufand affairs that rehte to the various provinces of his dominion j and he may employ proper agents to execute all, his orders in the feveral towns and vil- lages of his government, which his own eyes or his own hands perhaps cannot reach. Now farely we may juftly believe that the intelleftual powers of our 2;lonfied Saviour in heaven-, extend vaftly beyond the natural' or acquired capacities of the greatefl prince on earth ; it is not impoirible but that the Man Jefus may not only know every faint around him in the heavenif' regions, but that every faint and finncr alfo in this world, with all their biggefh turns' of life and concerns of mind, may come within his notice. Did king Cyrus know the face and the name Sect. lit. of Chriji glorified. 127 name of every foldier in his large army, and fliall not Jeius the King of kings be fuppofed to have iinderftanding large enough to take in all the moft important affairs of this lower world, and perhaps every perfon that is under his government, though his knowledge fhould not reach ail leffer circum- ftances ? Why may not the human foul of Chrift be as well appointed to govern the world as the foul of man is appointed to govern his body, when it is evident that the foul of man does not know one thoiifandth part of the fine branchings of the muf- cles and nerves, and the more refined vapour or ani- mal fpiritSj which are parts of this body ? When the foul of man gives order to the groffer limbs to move ; all thefe minute and fubtle parts and powers exert their regular operations by an original divine influ- ence and appointment, though the foul has not a particular confcioufnefs of thefe minute parts or their iubtle operations. So our bleffed Saviour's humanity may be vefted with the proper title and real powers of a governor of the world, without an explicit knowledge ot*" every lingle atom of it ; all which infinite number of atoms, may only be under the eye and influence of Godhead. The human foul of Chrift is the briditeft imase or copy of the divine nature that is found among^ mere creatures ; and £hough it may not receive all the infinite variety of particular ideas of human af- fairs, which are in the divine mind, yet it may receive as a tranfcript from the divine m.ind, fo many of the iargeft and ftrongeft of thofe ideas which relate to human affliirs as may be fufficient to qualify him for the Judge of all, under the immediate influence of in- dwelling Deity. So a man may tranfcribe a copy of the Hebrev/ bible, viz. all the letters or conlbnants of it, fufficient for himfclf to read and underftand it, thou2:h o as . T/rn exieujtve Poviers i)i£c. it: though he leave out every point, vowel, and accent,' which ibmctimcs may be more in number than the letters thcmfelvcs. It will be objedcd further, that every thought, word and adlion of human hfe, may fome way or other have influence on the particularities of the final judgment, to diverfify, enlarge or diminifli the rewards and punilliments of men in the future flate ; and if Chrifir as man knows not the minuteft turns of thought in every heart, he cannot be a fufficient judge, nor award proper lecohipenles to every one according to their works. 1 anlwer — If this be fo, yet fince the human fou^ of Chrifb can do fo' much as I have mentioned to- ward the cognizance and judgment of mankind, he may juftly have this work afligned to him, confider- ing its union to Godhead ; and where the faculties of the human foul of Chrift are exerted to their ut- moft, and yet fall fhort, the divine nature, which is always prefent, abundantly fupplies all that defedt, by a conftant, immediate and unknown monition and influence. 'God has ordained a man to judge the world,' and yet ' God is Judge himfeif. Selah.' Acl? xvii. and Pfal. 1. And here let it be ohfcrved once for all, that I can hardly give myfelf leave to think that any cre- ated fpirit whatfoever (hould know every individual circumfbance of every being, and every adion both in the world of bodies and the world of fouls. Though Dr. Goodwin fuppofes the Man Jefus capa- ble of nil this, I rather fuppofe jt belongs only to the omnilcience of God himfeif, to take in, with one in- finite, fimultaneous and extenfive view, all the fliapcs, fizes, fituations and motions of every fmgle atom of which this whole globe of earth is compoled, with ail its animal and vegetable produdions, and all the other planetary worlds, the fun, moon and ftars,- with SfiCT. III. of Chrijl glorified. 129 with every action and circumftance of all their in- habitants. I content inyfelf rather to think it is a prerogative only of God the Creator, the infinite Spirit, to be perfeftly acquainted with every motion of the mind, every inward thought and manner of a(5tion that belongs to all the innumerable inhabit- ants of the intelledual world, both men and angels. Should it be granted that any creature could overfee and overrule every minute affair that relates to the worlds of mind and matter, and every thought and atom that belongs to them all, fometimes I think this would approach lb near to the diftinguifhing properties and prerogatives which God hath aflumed and peculiarized to himfelf in this world, that it would feem to take away that plain and obvious diftindlion between God and the creature which ought to be maintained facred and inviolable. Scrip- ture feems to limit my thoughts about a creature's power in this manner. Whatfoever therefore I may fpeak in this treatife according to the moft ralfed apprehenfions I have of the extent of the human intelledlual powers of Chrift, I can hardly fuppofe them to reach any far- ther than to take a juil cognifance of all thofe great- er and more important motions and aclions, circum- fcances and relations of the material and immaterial v/crlds on which the government of them chiefly de- pends ; and perhaps alfo even this may be impoffible Vv'ithout his peculiar union to the divine nature. He may thus have a timultaneous and comprehen- five view of all the greater affairs of every inhabitant of the upper and lower worlds, and may alfo have a fucceffive and particular knowledge of any minuter circumitances that attend them, whenever the in- dwelling Deity fees it neceliary to communicate it to him for any fpecial occafions. As the general of an army ftanding on an hiii furvcys the troops en- • 1 gaged 1 5 a The extenfvje Powers D i s c . 11 . gaged in battle, he can diftinguifh perhaps every regiment, and their changes of ground, when they charge, and when they retreat, but cannot know every fword that is drawn, nor hear every groan ; yet fome particulars of this kind which relate to the fingle foldiers may be diftinctly told him. Where that great author, Dr. Goodwin, whofe opinions I cite at the end of this book, indulges his imagination to fly beyond thefe limits, I am conftrained to leave him, left I (hould feem to deify a creature, and in- trench upon the fupreme majefty of God. Anfiv. II. To make it appear that our blefTed Lord in his human nature may poffibly be capable of knowing all the moft confidcrable affairs and cir- cumftances of mankind, let us confider how far the mere native capacities of a human fpirit may extend. We muft not judge of the innate powers and natu- ral capacities of the foul of the Meffiah, by the fcanty meafures of our own fouls and their native powers. The foul of Chrift may be reaionably fuppofed in its own nature to tranfcend the powers of all other fouls as far as an angel exceeds an idiot, and yet be but a human foul ftill ; for gracilis non mutant fpeciein, dif- ferent degrees do not change the kind or nature. When we narrow and limit our conceptions of the extenfive powers of the foul of Jefus, and bring them down too near to our own, it is bccaufe we have too high a conceit of ourfelves, and too low an idea of the great and glorious God. We are ready to fancy the difference between God and ourfelves fo fmall, as that a mind fo vaftly fupcrior to our own as I have defcribcd, muft be raifed immediately to God- head : whereas by the view of the powers of angels (which I have hinted before) it is poffible there may be endowments and excellencies equal to all the mil- lions of men on earth united in one fpirit, which may be yet but a created being, and infinitely inferi- or Sect. III. of Chrijl glorified. 131 or to the great God. And furely if there be fuch a fpirit of fuch extenfive excellencies and endowments, it is divinely proper that this fpirit fliould be the foul of Jefus, who is fo intimately united to God, and who in all things muft have the pre-eminence,. Col. i. 18. But let us proceed in this argument to raife our inquiries how great and glorious a creature may be formed by the Almighty Creator. If 1 might venture to fpeak here in the language of philofophy, it is exceedingly hard for us to deter- mine what is the maximum or minimum^ the greateft or the leaft thing in nature. That matter is infi- nitely divifible, is a doftrine now univerfally received and maintained without controverfy. Now if we cannot limit the poffible fmallnefs of corporeal be- ings, how can we limit the poffible greatnefs of them ? Even in the animal world, there are creatures whole particular limbs efcape the niceft microfcope, and are perhaps a thoufand times lefs than the fmall- eft vifible grain of fand. What amazing difference is betwixt the bulk of thefe diminutive animals and the bulk of an elephant or a whale ? And yet the Almighty Creator may form animals as much fu- perior in bulk to a whale or an elephant, as thefe huge creatures exceed thofe invifible mites, when he had formed a world of air, earth and water fit for them. And v^hy may not the fame God perform the fame wonders in the world of fpirits ? Can he not form a fpirit of fuch extenfive capacities as may be equal to a million of common human fouls ? Let us think again, what ftrangc difference there is between the life and adlivity of an eagle and an oyfter, or between a grey hound and a fnail, and yet both are animals. May not therefore the foul of our Lord Jefus Chrift exceed common fouls, both in the a<5livity and extent of its powers, as much as " I 2 the 133 Thi extenfive Powers Disc. tt. the mofl: fprlghtly animal exceeds the dulled: and mod ftupid ? As tar as fun-beams exceed fmoak and afhes, or as far as the iun exceeds cur common fires ? * For in all things he muft have the pre-eminence.* A-rain — Cannot the Maker of all things create a new world of material beings, vaftly fuperior both in bulk and in powers, to this our earth, and the inhabitants of it? Cannot an architeft build a roy- al palace larger and more exquifiteiy adorned than his own little model of it ? May he not form the model at the proportion of an inch to a thoufand yards ? And why may not the Creator of all things as much exceed our ullial ideas alio in forming a fpirit of moft extenfive and furprifing capacities above all other fpirits ? It is too affuming for us to mcafure all poilibilities by our common conceptions. But even our common conceptions will furnifii us with fomc examples fit to perfuade us of the vafi: and extenfive power of a creature. Could we ever think of the pupil of the eye, that it fhould take in a whole hemifphere of ftars, each of which is bigger than the globe of our earth, if every night's expe- rience did not convince us ? And yet this hemi- fphere, fo vafl as it is, is but one of the ideas of a human foul. There are millions of ideas befides this, which are contained in the foul or memory of every modern pliilofophcr or ingenious mechanic. Many of thefe our ideas indeed are fuccelTive : but why may not the foul of Chrifb be large enough in its native capacity to take in all at once what we take in by long fuccefiTion, or what would coft us the labour of ages ? Such a glorious created mind as belongs to the Son of God may be capable, for aught we know, of extending its thoughts backward to far didant ages, and forward bevond time, and reach far into eterni- ty, and may alfo fprcad them abroad over the na- tions! Sect. III. of Chnjl glorified, 133 tions of mankind, and all their chief aoalrs, and yet not be perfedly infinite as the knowledge of God is ;* for divine knowledge extends at once infinitely backward and forward through both eternities, and reaches to all pofilbles, as well as to what is aftualiy pafi; and future. How do we know to what prodigious diftances the prefence, the confcioufnefs and agency of the human foul of Chriil: may be extended ? We are fure this prefence is not infinite ; but while we fuppofe it to be (hort of infinity, what other limits can our reafon certainly fet to it ? How can we tell to what amaz- ing lengths, and heights, and breadths, and depths, his immediate confcioufnefs and immediate agency may reach ? Wherefoever fcripture fets limits to a creature's power, let our inquiring thoughts fcop iliort and lie filent ; but reafon hardly knows where to flop, while it inquires how powerful and knowing a creature the great God can make. Surely we have good reafon to believe that the foul of Chrifl is the mofl intelligent, the moft know- m