YALE
UNIVERSITY LIBRARY

LETTER
WRITTEN IN THE YEAR I73O,
CONCERNI.NG THE Qjtf E S T I O NT,
'Whether the Logos fupplied the Place of an
human Soul in the Perfon of Jesus Christ.
To I^UZCH AStE NOW ADDE1>
TWO POSTSCRIPTS:
The Firft, containing an Explication of thofe Words,
the Spirit, the Holy Sprit, the Spirit of God^ as ufed
in the Scriptures.
The Second, containing IJemarks upon the third Part of
. the kte Bifhop , of C i, o o h e r's .Vindication o f the
Biftories of the Old and New Teftamentt

'-Vf-
Search the Scriptures. For in them ye think ye have eCeirnall Life.
Abtl they are they, which teilify of inc. Jebn v. 39.
Ergo nee Farentum, nee Majoruitt Error fequendus eft : fed AuiSp-
ricas ScripturarUm, eC X>ei docentis Imperium; Hiirm, in Jeh,
taf. ix, Hir, tz . . i^.
- ¦ -- ,  '  ^y::
X^y NATH^J^IEL LARDNER, D.D.

Kt-PUBliSHEiJ BY THE SOCIETY FOii PROMOTINtf
THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE SCRlPTURESi

iv PREFACE.
^ Ths reader is defireiJ ta take notice,- t^l
whatever he fee's at the bottom of the pages, is
additional. There are alfo fome additions in the
letter itfelf, efpecially n?ear the end, where more
text's are explained, than were in the original
letter. For better underftarid'ing the argument, it
may be needful to obferve, for the fake of fome,
that by divers ancient writers we are affured, \t
was the Qpinion of. Arius, .and- hi^ follower* \
*' That [l], o.ur Saviour took, flefli of Mary, bwt
not a foul:" " that [2] Chrift had flefh only,'
,-ais a .covering for his Deity : and that the Weird
in him was the fame, as the foul in us : and that
the Wordi o^ the Deity in Chrift, was liable ta
fufferings in the body." , ,
Mr. Whifion, in his Hijiorical Memoirs of .ths.
Life of Dr, C/ar/^a, -giving an account of the, A6t
in the Divinity Schools at Camhridge, in the year
1709, when Mr. Clarkcr then Refl;or, of St.,
"James's, received the Dodors Degree, fays, a,%
p. 20. 21. " In the courfe of this Aft, where,
I was prefent, ProfeiSjr James . . . dig^elJejd^
from one of the Doctor's. C^eftions, and prefled
him hard to condemn one of. the opinions, which-
¦ ¦ ' ' ¦¦ I, had'

[ I ] — " cafr-a finsai nn iritiTyifa, aito fiapac ii\rilpitat, ^a^iQai-
Sftaoi, xdl »x,' •^"X'!"' Epiph. de Arianis in fndic. T-'. i.p. 6'o6.
AA^a y.a,i afWuroii i]/u%»ii' avrov atdfuirivri!/ ' ciTiiipstai. fd: H\.
6g. n. 19. /. 743. A. Conf. n. 48 . .51.
Tz] Apeiof ^% (raf'tta pomn •EJ-poj aitvApi^viv m StuTiiTo; Ojio'hayti\
eriefxi Jvsysi yt>y(iitiieii, k, A. Athan,- Contr, ApoUin\ l,>'z'.' n. 3.
/-, 94a. C- . . ¦.
In eo autem quod Chriftum fine amima, folatn x,?.rvt^Tay
fufcepifle arbitrantury minus noti funt ... fed, hoc verum
efifej et Epiphanius non tacuit, et egO ex eorum quibufdSini
fcriptis etf collocutionis certiffimc inveni^ ^ugufli. de Haer,
^.49-

P R E F A C E. V
I had j uft then publiflied in my Sermons nni
E^jfsu Whifeh book he held in his hand, when
hSvWas in the Chair. I fwppdfei it might be
this : that our Saviour had no human foul, but .
that ithe Divine Logos, or Wopd, fupplied it's
place . , . . .. Hpwever, Dr. Clarke, who, I be-^
lieve, had not particularly examined that point,
did prudently avoid either the •approbation or
condemnation of it. Yet have I reafon to be
lieve, he long afterwards came into ic, apon a
fgrrther examination : though, I think, he ever
avoided, according to his ufual caution, to de
clare publicly that his approbation, even upon
the moft preffing applications. Which is one
great inftance of that impeneiraHefecrecy, which
iDr. S^kes juftly notes to^ ha.ve, been in him, upon
rttany occafions."
So Mr. Whifton, who clearly declares his
own opinion. Who Bkewife fuppofeth, that the
fame was. for fome while received by Dr. Clarke.
Bu* be. feems not to have had any certain evi
dence of it. For, as he acknowledges. Dr.
Clarke, never puiliely dedared his approbation of it.
Neverthelefs, it may not be difagreeable to
fee here what Dr. Clarke himfelf fays in his Scrip-
tme DoSirint of the 'frinity. Part i. ch. iii. numb.
9.98. p.. 197. " Miatt. iv. I. nen zbas Jefus-
led up' ef the Spirit into the wildernefs. From
this., and raany other of the following texts, it
feemsi,, that the Logos, the Divine Nature ''of
Chrift, did. fo far ¦n.imtnu.v la-orov, diminilli itfelf,
as- St. Paul exprefles it, Philip ii. 7. that, during
the time of his incarnation, he' was all along
urider tke eonduft of the Holy S|)iriti"
And Part iL feft. xxviii. pl 301. "The Holy
Spirit is defcribed in the .New Teftament, as -the
Immediate 'author and worker of-all miracles,' even

•V4 PR E. F a-^c^e:
&ren of thofe done by our Lord himfelf: and
as the condti6tor of Chrift in all' the aftions of
his- life, during his ftate of humiliation here on
earth.'' :"! n;;",- ^ ¦ -;•..¦
¦<' Before I fihifli this preface, I muft make fome '
C4tatioin5' from Dr. JJaJ^r/ Clayton,' hie LordBi- -
f^p of C/c^fery who, in the third part of his
li^indicatioh of the Hiftories bf tiie Old and New'
TeftameEit,,.has exprefied himfelf after this man
ner. Letter v. p. 80. 8r. or p. 443. " He.tJvhs'
Jjod. -glory ijvith. the Eather, hef ote the world' was, -
emptisd himfelf or divefted himfelf of that glory,"
in order to , redeem: mankind, and defcendcd ¦
from heaven, and took upon him the form of a
firvant, and xmsmade. man. . That is. He, wha
wa.s a gloriiifid pre-exiftent fpirit in the prefence
of God, fubmicted to defcend from heaven, and
to -have himfelf conveyed by the' woriderful
power of. Aitnighty God, ' into the womb of a
Yirgiri. Where, being clothed with fiefb, and'
ripening by degrees;to manhood, he was at length-
brought forth into .rheworhJ, , in the fame- appar'
rent, ftate and condition .'with 'other human in
fants.*' Again, Letter vii.' p. 132.- 133.. or 482. 483.
*' And accordingly this exalted fpirit was,, by
the wonderful power of God, as before related,
conveyed into the womb of tlie virgin' M?ry, and
was made man ; that is, was made as much fo,
as his mother could make him, without being
itrvpregnatcd hy man. And now being deprived -
of the, ipimediate prefence of God the Father, -
;Hid being fhut up indarknefs,' andthefhadow
of death, ' he Y^as after _ nine months brought;
forth intb.life^ in the form of a feeble, infant,
with ;a!l 5he weakoefs, and frailties, and infirmir
ties, of hum^n^jiatum. about .him. And as he
• ' gf^w

PREFACE. vii
grew up into life, and his reafon improved, this
only ferved to make the terrible change and al
teration of his condition fo much the more per
ceptible, and the -recolle<3ipn of it fo much the
more grievous sind infuffei-able. The dreadful-
nels of which ftate is hardly conceivable to us,
becaufe that we never were fenfible of any thing
better than our prefent exiftence. But for any
being, "which- hiad ever enjoyed the happinefs 6£
heaven, and had -been in poffcSiion pf ghrywitb
the Father, to be deprived thereof, and to be fent
to d'ferell here in this world, encompaffed within
the narrow limits of this eirthly tabernacle,' and
the heavy organs made of fielh and blood, it
imuft, literally fpeaking, be to fuch a being, an
hell upon earth."/ So fays that celebrated writer.
' To the Letter are now added two Poftfcripts.
Concerning which nothing needs tb. be faid here.
They who look into tiiem, will fee what they
are. One thing the author would fay. He hopes,'
the whole is ¦spritten in the way of reafon and
argument, with meeknefs aiid candour, without
acrimony and abufe: though not without ajuft
concern for fuch things as appear to him to be
of importance. - -
Sihu iz, 1759.

CO N^T E .N T S.

A LETTER, written in the Year i7jd.
Concerning the Queftion, Whether the Logos
fupplied the Place of an human Soul in the
' .Perfon of Jesus Christ. ' Page i.
THE FIRST POSTSCRIPT, Containing an
Explication of thofe Words, the Spirit, the
Holy Spirit, and the Spirit of G^d, as lafed
vx the Sctiptures-. 63
THE SECOND POSTSCRIPT, Containing
Remarks upon the third Pa'rt of the late
Bifhop bf Clogher^s Vindication of the
Hiftories of the Old and New Tefta«ienl, 141

[ » i

LETTER
WRITTEN IN THE VEAR I7],<^i
CONCERNING THE' QJT E S T I O Ni •
Whether the Logos fupplied the Place of
an human Soul in the Perfon of Jesus
Christ ?

To P A P I N I A N.
YOU havci it feems, heard of the cotr
refpondence betwfcen Eugenius andPhileleu-
theruSy and particularly of an ineidfental queftion
concerning the Arian hypothefis. You have
been informed likewife,- that I am well acquainted
with . this correfpondence. And, as it has ex
cited your puriofityi you demand of trie an ac
count of it,' and alfo niy own opinion xJpdn the
point in deba,te.
. ' B If

2 A L. B T T E R
If it were proper for me to deny you anf
thing, I fhould entirely excufe myfelf, and be
perfectly filenf: being apprehenfiA^e, that touch
ing upon a fubjeft of fo much nicenefs and dif
ficulty, may occafion fome trouble to yourfelf»
as well as to me. But you are determined not
to ^accept of any excufes.
I muft then, without farther preamble, declare
to you, that I cannot but take the fame fide of
the queftion with Phileleutherus : though once,
for fome while, I was much inclined to the
othdr. However, whilft I was favourable to the fup-
pofition, that the Logos was the foul of our
Saviour, I was embarrafTed with a very con-
fiderable difEculty. For the Scriptures do
plainly reprefent our blelTed Saviour exalted to
pov/er and glory, as a reward of his fufferings
her^ on earth. But I was at a lofs to conceive, -
how that high being, the firfl, and only imme
diately derived heing, hy whom God made the
ivorld [i], fhould gain any exaltation by re
ceiving,
[^i] Dr. ClRTke,tcrtpture-DoBrine, &-C. P. i. num. 5J5.
p. 86. " The third interpretation is, ti!a.z.\. the Word \i z
perfon deriving from the Father (with whom he exifted
before the world wa?) both his bei&g itfelf, and incompre-
henfible power and knowledge, and other divine attributes
and authority, in a manner not revealed, and which humaa
¦?^ifdom ought not to prefume to explairj."
Ib. Part, -2. p- 242. § ii. " With this firft and fu-,
preme caufe, and Father of all things, there has exifted,
from the beginning, a fecond Divine Perfon, which is his
, Word or Son."
Fage 2-97. §¦ xxvi. " By the operation of the Son, the
Father both made and governs the world."
'Page 29S. ^ xxvii. " Conceraing the Son, there arfe
other things fpoken in Scripture, and the higheft, titles are
afcribed to him, even fuch as include all divine powers,
sxtepting abfolute Independency and fi>premacy." A part

en the L, o G 0 s. 2
*eiving, after his refurreftipn and afcenfion, a.
bright refplendent human body, and being made
the King and Lord of all good men in this
world, and the judge of mankind, and, if you
pleafe to add likewife, being niade higher than
the angels,' to whom, according to the fame hy
pothefis, he was vaftly fuperior before.
But to fpeak my mind freely, I now entirely
diflike that fcheme, and think it all amazing
throughout, and irreconcileable to reafon.
However, that we may not take up any pre^^
judices from apprehen fions, which our own rea
fon might afford, I fhall fufpend all inquiries
of that fort, and will immediately enter upon
the confideration of what the Scriptures fay of
the perfon of our Saviour.
He is called a man in many places of the
Go^els, A^d eyery body took liim for a man,
during his abode on this earth, when he con-
verfed with all forts of people,, in thernoft free
and open manner. He frequently ftiles himfelf
the Son of man. He is alfo faid. to be the/o« of
David, andi the fon of Abraham. He is called a
man, even after his afcenfion. A6bs xvii. 31.
He has appointed a day, in the which he will judge
the w^rld in righteoufnefs, hy that man whomhe has
ordained.' 1 Tim- iL 5.' For there is one God,
4nd one Mediator hetween God and men, the man
Chrift Jefus. And St. Peter to the Jews at Je^
,B 2 nfalem.
A part of Mr. Peirce's Paraphrafe uppn Col. i. 15. 16.
is in thefe words i " — -and fince he was the firft Being that
was derived from the Either. And that he muft be the
firft derived from Him, is hence evident, that all other
beings were derived from Gpd, the primary and fuprexR?
caufe of all, through his Son, by whom, as their imme
diate Author, all things were created, that are in heaves,
.asjd that are in earth, vifible and invifible, &p.'-'

'^ .ifLETTER
rufalem. A(5ts ii. 22. Te men of Ifrael, hear
thefe words, Jefus of Nazareth, ~a man approved
cf God among you hy .miracles, and wonders ^
(ind Jigns, which God did hy hiryiy in the midji of
you, as ye yourjelves alfo know.
Now if Jefijs Chrift be a man, he confifts of
a human foul and body. For what elfe i« a
man ? > ,
This title and appellation of J^an heing fo
often and fo plainly given to our Saviour, muft-
needs lead vs to thihk, that he was properly
man, unlefs there are fome e^preflions of another
kind, that are decifive to the contrary. But
Wt find, that he is not only called a man, but is
alfo faid to be a man as we are, or like to us.
Hebr. ii. 17. Therefore in all things it hehoved
him to he made like unto'his hrethren. iv. 15. We.
have not an High-Priefi, which cannot be touched
with a feeling of our infirmities, but was in all
points tempted like as we are, yet without fin.
And fee the fecond chapter of that epiftle
throughout. Befide thefe plain expreflions, defcribing our
Lord to be a man, and like to us -, this point
tnay be argued from a great number and variety
of particulars related in the New Teftament.
For two Evangelifts have recorded our Lord's
nativity. St. PW fays : God fent forth his Son,
made' of a tvoman, made under the Idw-. Gal. iv. 4.
If it was expedient, that our Saviour fhould be
born into the world, as we are, and live in in
fancy, and grow up to manhood, as we do, and
be liable to all the bodily wants, v/eaknefTes, and
difafters, to which we are expofed ; muft it not
have been as needful, or more needful, and as
conformable to the divine wifdom, that he fhould be

on the 1.. 0 G o s. . 5
be alfo like unto us, in the other part, of which
we are compofed, a human foul, or fpirit [2] ?
Moreover, this fuppofition does beft, if not
only, account for our bleffed Saviour's tempta
tion, and every part of it. For how was it pqf-
fible, that he fhould be under any temptation,
to try the love of God to him, by turning ftones
into bread, or by cafting himfelf down from a
pinnacle of the temple ? How could all the
glories of this world; and the kingdoms of it, be
any temptation to him, who had made all things
under the Supreme Being ? Had he forgot the
glory and power, which he oncehad? If that
^ould be fuppofed, and that this want of me-
mcTry
[2] "¦ And when we fay, that perfon was concei'ved
and born : we declare, he was made really and truly man,
of the fame huma'n nature, which is in all other men. —
For the Mediator betiAieen God and men is the man Chrijl
Jefus. I Tim. ii. 5. That fince by man came death, by man
alfo ftiould come the refurreSiion of the dead, i Cor. xv. 21.
As fure, then, as the firft Adam, and we who are redeemed,,
are men ; fo certainly is" the fecond Adatn, and our Media
tor, man. He is therefore frequently called the Son of man,
and in that nature he was always promifed : firft to Eme,
as her feed, and confequently, her fon : then to Abraham.
And that feed is Chrift. Gal. iii. 16. and fo the fon of
Abraham : next to Da-vid, . . . an'd confequently, of the
fame nature with David, and Abraham. And a,s he was
their fon, fo are we his brethren, as defcendants from the
fame father Adam. And therefore it beho-ved.him to be made
like unto his brethren. For he laid not hold on the angels, .
iut on the feed of Abraham. Hebr. ii. 16. 17. And fo be
came not an angel, but a man.
" As then man Confifteth of two different parts, body
and foul, fo does Chrift. . ¦ . And certainly, if the Son of
God would vouchlafe to take the frailty of our flelh, he
Would not omit the nobler part, our foul,' ¦v/xth.o'at which
he could not be man. For Jefus erfcreafed in luifdom, and
fi-ature : one iri refpeft of his body, the other of his
foul. Lukeii 52." Pearfon 'upon ths Creed, Art. iii. p.
159. 160. the fourth edition, 1676.

6 /^Letter
mory of paft things ftill remained; it might be
as well fuppofed, that he had no remembrance
of the orders which he had received from God,
and of the commiflion with which God the
Father had fent him into thq world.
The fuppofition, of Chrift being a man, does
alfo beft account for his agony in the garden [3],
and the dark, yet glorious fcene of his fufferings
on the crofs, and the concluding prayer there :
My God, my Cod, why hafi thou forfaken me ?
And the making the Logos to be the foul of
Chrift, does really annihilate his example, and
> enervate
[3] Luke xxii. 44. And being in an agonie. . . . K«i yim-
ptjuof £)¦ a.'iti}'i\a..~\ I would put the queftion, whether it might
not be thus tranflated ? And being undeir great concern. I
will tranfcribe here a paffage of an ancient writer, repte •
fenting the anxiety, or folicitude, of Julius Cefar, and
others, when OSamius Cefar, then a young man, had a
dangerous ficknqfs. Xa^sTru; as ^iizxei^o», isa.vWq ^ev ev (^tSua
riaav, aJoiviuslE;, a n mtiaSai rciav'.ri (pvau;, uaXira- & tmizsliiDi a
Haitrai, Aio latca'a-v rifnefa'j J) auloq tdrxfuiy avh i-j^tijiiciv ¦nraoEij^Ef,
7, ^»?ii?f 'Oji^iTciiv, icti^at; Te airoralziv ny. ewe. Kat -sjo/e S&iirvuvii
illyEiAe Tl?, "? skJvJJo; eij), y.a.i •^ciKsTcaq £j(;i>i. O Je EXTriiJijtrac
awTroSr^lot; rixsi EfSa ejoctjXeueIo, xai Tirj icHfuii ihilo si^iTraSeroilc
p.ZTOi at afciinat;, xxi avhi iirafixa.Mo. x. \. Nie. Damafcen.
De Infitutione Cafaris Augujii Ap. Valef. Excerpta. p. 84I.
I have obferved, that fome learned men feem ftudioufly
t?o have avoided the word agonie in their tranllatlons. Ia
the Latin Vulgate is : Et faftus in agonia. But Beza
tranflates, Et conftitutus in angore. Le Clerc^s French ver-
fion is : Et comme il etoit dans une e.-xtreme inquietude . .
And Lenfant^B : Et comnie il etoit dans un grand combat.
. . Which laft I do iiot think to be right. For the original
v.'ord is not aW but aTama. The Syriac verfion, as tranflated
into Latin by Tremellius, Tro/lius, and others, is : Cum
eifet in timore.'inftanter orabat. I fhall add a ihort paffage
, from F. H. Vogleri Phyfiologia Hiftorix Pafponis J. C. cap.
2. p- 4. Ideoque-non iramerito dici poteil afuna. (quam in
defeftn commodioris vocabuli angorem Latine vocemus)
jiromtitudo rem quampiam aggrediundi, fed cum timote et
tvepidatione, ...

on the Logos. 7
enervate all the force, which it fhould have upon
us. But it may be faid, that there are fome texts^
which lead us to thiiijc, that Jefus Chrift had an
human body, but not an human foul : particu
larly, John i. 14. And Hebr. x. 5.
John i. 14. And the Word was made fiejh,
and dwelt among us. But it fhould be obfei-Ved,
th-it fief}, in the fcriptures both of the Old and
New Teftament, is oftentimes equivalent to
man. Pf Ivi. 5. I will not fear tvhat flejh- can
do unto me. Ver. 1 1 . IwiU not fear what man can
do unto me. And in innumerable other places.
And in tlie New Teftament, Matth. xiii. ao.
Luke iii. 6. John xvii. 1. A£ts. ii. 17. i Pec.
i, 24.
What St. John fays therefore is this : And the.
Word was made flefh, or took upon him the hu
man nature [4].
' St. John fays i ep. iv. 2. 3.' Every fpirit, •
that conf effeth, that Jefus Chrift is come in the flefh,
is of God. And every fpirit, that confeffeth not,
that Jefus, Chrift is come in the flefh, is not of God.
See likewife 2 ep. ver. 7.
It is well known, that in the early days of
Chriftianity, particularly in Afia, where St. J^hn
refided, there arofe people, generally called
Docetes, who denied the real humanity of Chrift,"
and faid, he was man in- appearance Only. Thefe
St, John oppofeth in his Epiftles, if not in his
Gofpel alfo. , Againft them he here afferts, that
Jelias had the innocent infirmities of the human
naturej and that he really fu|fered, and died. But
[4] " He took ttpon him' our human nature, became
himfelf a man, fubjedl to the like frailties with us, and.,
lived' and converfe'd freely amongft men." Dr. Claric's-
Paraphra/i vfSt, John'x. 14. the fourth edition ^ Xjii^

S ./^Letter
But when lie fays, that Jefus Chrifi came in the
• fleftj, he does not deny, that he had an human
foul, or was man compleatly. Indeed, it is here
implied, that he was man, as we are [5].
Hebr. x. 5. Wherefore, when he cometh int a
the world, he faith : Sacrifice and offering thou
wouldft not, ' hut a body haft thou prepared me.
But.it is reafonable to think, that [6] a part
is here put for the whole, and that the word,
body, is not to be underftood exclufively of the
- foul.
[51 Ecce in quibus verbis fuis omnino manifeftant ne-
gare fe, quod ad unitatem perfonae Chrifti etiam humana
anima pertineat ; fed in Chrifto carnem et divinitatem tan-
tujnmodo confiteri. Quandoquidem cum penderet in ligno,
illud, ubi ait. Pater, in manus tuas commendo fpiritum meum,
divinitatem ipfam volunt eum -intelligi commendaffe Pa
tri, non humanum fpiritum, quod eil anima. . . Et his
atque hujufmodi fanftarum fcripturarum teftimoniis non
refiftant, fateanturque Chriftum, non tantum carnem, ^fed
animam quoque humanam Verbo unigenito coaptaffe. . ,
Aut {\ eo moventur quod fcriptum eft, Verbum caro failum
efi, nee illic anima nominata eft : intelligant, carnem pro
homine pofitam, a parte totum figflificante locutionis modo,
ficuti eft. Ad te omnis caro 'veniet. Item, Ex operibus legis^
non jufifcabitur omnis caro. Quod apertius alio loco dixit:
Ex lege nemo juftifcabi-.-.ir, Itemque alio : Non jufiifi-
catiir homo ex operibus. Sic itaque diftum eft, verbum
caro Jaatim eji_ .¦_ acfi diceretur, Verbum homo faftum eft.
Veruntamen ifti, cum ejus fol am humanam carnem velint
intelligi hominem Chriflum, non enim negabunt hominem,
de quo apertiffime dicitur, unus mediator Dei et homi
num homo Chriftus Jefus . . . &c. Aug, Contr. fermon.
Arian. cap. ix. tom. viii.
[6] A body here is a fynecdochlcal expreffion of the hu
man nature of Chrift. So \s flefh taken, when he is faid tp
be madefiefh. For the general end of his having- this body
was, that he might therein and thereby yield obedience
or do the will of God. And the efpecial end of it was
that he might have luhat to offer in facrifice to God. But
neither of thefe c^n be confined unto his body alone. For
it is the foul, the other effential part of the human nature
that is the principle of obedience*" Dr. J. O'natn upon
Hebr. X, 5. /. 49.

i)U the • L d G 6 s; ^
foul. St. .?<;?«/ writes to the Romans,: I breech
y'ou, therefore, that ye prefent your bodies a living
facrifice to God. ch.xii.'i. But nq,Qne ought
hence to conclude, that the Romans had not fouls
as well as bodies, or that their .fpuls ipight be
negleded. No. The faculties. of the mind, as
well as the members of the body, were to be
confecrated to, God, and employed in his fervice.
At the" beginning of the next chapter St. Paul
lays :, Let every foul befubjeSl, to the higher powers:
Where the other part of the human nature is
put for the v/hole. v ,
And ' it is manifeft from ch. ii, i6. ?- ,. i8,
and other places, .that the writer of the epiftle to
the- Hebrezvs believed Chrift to be ,man, or to
have the human nature compleat, like unto us.
It would therefore be ; very unreafonable to
underftand body in this place exclufively of the
foul;. , ' ^
The'v^ords ofthe Apoftle are a quotation
from Pf. xl. prophetically reprefenting the rea-
dinefs of Chrift to do the will of God in this
world. , s . , , .
Wherefore when h^ . eoheth into the world, he
Jmth. "'.Which [7] words are capable of two
interpretations. They may relate to ,Gur Lord's
nativity, when he literally entered into the
world. Or they may relate to the entrance upon
his rriiniftry; Then it was, that the Father fan'c-
tified him, and fent hini into the world. , John
X. ^6. and xvii. 18; And then it was that he
devoted himfelf to God entirely. Nor- can it be
well, doubted,- that the -prayer, which Jqftis
made, when he was baptifed, and received the
Spirit,' which is mentioned Luke iii. ji, con
tained
[-} See Beaitfobre upon Hebi". X. 5.

IO .^f L E T T E R
tained a declaration equivalent to that in this
place: Lo, I come to do thy will, o God. Com
pare John V, 30. and vi. 38."' '
I will now confider fame texts, which have
been thought by fome to reprefent to us thepre-
exiftence of the foul of our Saviour, before his.
¦ conception in the womb of the virgin Mary.
The form of God; Philip, ii. 6. feems to me to
have been enjoyed by our Lord in this world.
It [8] -denotes his knowledge of the hearts of
men, his power of healing, difeafes, and raifing
the dead-, and Avorking other miracles, at all
times, whenever he pleafed, and all the other
evidences of his divine mifTion. This lenfe does
wonderfully accord with what our Lord fays,
John x. 34 . . j6. and in many other places of
that Gofpel. hit 7tot written in your law, Ifaidy
Te are Gods ? If he called them Gods, to -whom
the, word of God came, and the fcripture cannot be
broken, fay ye of him, whom the Father hasJanEti-
fied', andfent into the world, thou, hlajphemeft, be-
ca.ufe Ifaid, I amthe Son ofGod? But though
he had fo great power, he made himfelf of no re
putation : he lived in a mean condition, and fub-
initted to the reproaches of enemies, and at laft
to death itfelf. Which was plainly a voluntary
fubmiflion. For being innocent, he needed not
to have died, but might have been tranflated
without tafting death. If
[8] JWof^n, forma, in neftris lifrris not figaificat sternum
et occjiltum aliqwd, fed id quod in oculos incurpit qualis
erat eximia in Chrifto potcftas fanandi morbos 'omnes
ejiciendi dsEmbnas,, excitandi mortuos,. mutandi rerum nn-
ttfr:a^ : qua: vere divina funt, ita ut Mofes, qui tam mag-na
non fecit, diflus ob id fuerit Dcu.s Pliaraoab. Gfot ¦
Philip, ii. 6... '• "^"

on

the L. o G o s. II

If this be the meaning of the text, then 2 .Cor-.
viii. 9. is alfo explained : that [9] though he was
rieh, yet for our fakes he became j)oor.
John i- 15. John I>are witnefs if him . . . He
that cometh after me, is preferred before me. For
he was before me. And ver. 30. 'This is he, of
whom I faid : After me cometh a man, which is
preferred before me. For he was before me. But
I apprehend, that John the fiaptift does not here
fay, that Jefus was before him in time. But he
fays : *' He who comes after me, has always been
before me, or in my view. For he is my chiefj
or prince, or principal." This fuits what he
fays of the great dignity, and tranfcendent ex
cellence of our Lord's perfon and charafter, at
ver. 27. WhoJeJhoes latchet I am not worthy , to un-
loofe : and ver.. 23, lam the voice 0/ one crying in
the wildernefs. Make ftr aight the way ofthe Lordt.
that is, *' I am the harbinger, or fore-runner, of
the great perfon, who is about to appear among
you. I am come before him to prepare fbr his
reception." John viii. 58. may be thought a ftrong text for
the pre-exiftence of otir Saviour's foul. But
really he there only jreprefents his dignity, as
the Meffiah, the Ipecial favo-ur of God toward
hira, and the importance of the difpenfation by
him. It is a way of fpeaking, refembling that
in Rev. xiii- 8. Whtfe names are written in the
hook, of life, of the lamb, ftain from the foundation
ef the world, and explained i Pet. i. 20. Who
¦verily was fore-ordained before the foundation of
C'2 the
- [8]'Id eft,,cum vi polleret omnis geaeris miracula pa-
trandi, etiam mortuos refufcitandi, perfonam tamen geflit
^m humilcm, ut ae domura quidem l^abeyet propriam.
ijrot. in loc »

il yfLETTE-R
the -ivorld [loj. See alfo Eph. i. 4. 2 Tim,
i. 9- Tit. i. 2. The Jewifh people have a faying,
that [11] the Lav/ v/as before the world was
created. In like manner the difpenfation by -the
MelTiah was before the difpenfation o^ Abraham,
in dignity, nature, and defign, thpugh not in
time. The Jews were much offended at the v/ords, re
corded in the 56th verfe. Neverthelefs ourl,.ord
does not there fay, that he had feen Abraham,
or that Abraham had feen him in perfon. What
he fays is this : Tour father Ahraham rejoiced to
fee my day. And he Jaw it and was glad; that is,
^< he earileftly defired to" fee the time, when -all the
nations of the "earth fliould be bleffed, through
his promifed feed, the MefTiah. And hy faith he
fawit, and was glad." Compare Hebr. xi. 13.
[12.] , • —
' Another text proper to be confidered here is
John xvii. 5-. And now, 0 Father, glorify thou me
' -¦ * with

[10] Fuerat ante Abrahamum Jefus divina eonftitutione:
infra xvii. 5. Apoc. xiii. 8. i Pet. i. 20. C'onftat hoc,
quia de ipfo ipfiufque Ecclefia myftice diflum erat, recente
humano genere, futurum, utfeiiien muliebre contereret ca
put feVpentisl" Grot. i,n Joh. viii- 58. Fide et Bez. in loc.
• [11] Si\<: Legem fiiiffi ante mundum, aiunt Hebrai. Vide
Thalmudemde Votis. Grot.adjch. xvii. 5..
[ 1 z\ Ceterum, ex Hebraeorum idiotifmo, dies alicujus
nihil aliud declaraf, quam fpatium qiio vixerit aliquis, aut
mfigne quidpiam, quod ipfi vel facere vel ferre contigit.
Qu« res hotior eft, quam ut teftimohio egeat. Dies ergo
Domini nihil aliud fignificat, quain ipfius adventum in car-
ne:n. Vidit enim eum eminus Abraham, fidei nimirum
oculis, ut dcclaratur Hebr. "xi. 13 ... ^c ga-vifus eft,
, . . Refpicit autem expreffe Chriftus ad id quod dicitur
Gen. .^vii; 17. Abrahamum, accepta de nafcituro filji illo
fcmine promifiione, {t{s proftravifle, et -rififl'e. Unde et
ipft Ifaaco nomen impo.'uit Dominus. Be«,. ad Ja':,
viii- 56,

on the Logos. 13
with the glory, which I had with thee before the
world was. But this, according to the Jewifh
phrafeology, may be very well underftood of the
glory, always defign&d for the Chrift by the im-
inutable purpofe of God. See Grotius upon the
place. "That our Lord had not, before his nati
vity, the glory which he here prays for, is ap
parent from the whole tenor of the Gofpel, and
from clear and manifeft expreflions in the con
text. For the glory, which he now prays for,
is' the reward of his obedience, ver. 4. / ho.ve
finijhed the work, which thou gaveft ',ns to do. And'
now, 0 Father, glorify thou me . . . - And St.
Paul fays, Phil. ii. 9. Wloerefore God alfo has
.Jiighly exalted him. Heb. ii. 9. . . for the Juffering
cf death he was crowned with glory and. honour.
Ver. 10. For it became him, for whom are all
things, and hy whom are all things, in bringing
many Jons to glory, to make the captain of their fal-
vation perfect through fufferings'. And Hebr.
xii. 2. Looking unto Jefus, who for the joy that
was Jet hefore him, endurei the crofs, dejpifing the
fhame. And is Jet down on the right hand of the
throne of God. And Luke xxiv. 26. Our Saviour
fays to his difciplif s, ' in the way to Emmaus :
Ought not the Chrift io have fuffered thefe things, and
to enter into his glory? And .St. Peter, i ep. i.
•IO. II. Of .which falvation the Prophets have
inquired . . Searching what, or what manner of
time the fpirit of Chrift which was in them did fig-
nify, when it teftified beforehand the fufferings of
Chrift, and the glory that ft; ould fellow. -And St.
Paul, Adls xxvi. 22. 23. . .fayi?ig no other things
than thofe, which the Prophets, and Mofes did fay
fhould come : that the Chrift ftoould fuffer, and that
he fhould be the firft that ftoould rife from the dead.
All harnionious/ as we fee, that the glory of the
" ' ¦  Mefliah

I/f ./^Letter.
Mefliah was fubfequent to his obedience and
fufferings on this earth. See likewife Rom. i,
3- 4-
Nor can I forbear to obferve to you, that Au-
guftin, who has largely confidered the words of
John xvii. 5. and in fo doing, quotes Eph. i. 4.
and Rom. i. i . . 4- unde.rftands them of Chrift's
human nature, and explains them in the fame
manner that I have done. Quafi vero quifquam
regulam fidei. intuens, Filium Dei negaturus eft
prsdellinatum, qui eum negare hominem non
poteft. Refte quippe dicitur non prjedeftinatus
fecundum id quod eft Verbum Dei, Deus apud
Deum. . , Illud autem prsedeftinandum erat, quod
nondum erat, ut fuo tempore fieret, quemadmo
dum- ante omnia tempora prsdeftinatum erat, ut
fieret. Quifc[uis igitur Dei Filium prsdeftina-
tum negat, hunc eundem filium hominis negat
. . . fecundum hanc ergo prasdeftinationem' etiam
clarificatus eft antequam mvmdus effet, ut effet
claritas ejus ex refurredrione mortuorum apud
Patrem, ad cujus dexti-am fedet. Cum ergo
videret illius prsdeftinatas fuE clarificationis ve-
niffe jam tempus, ut et nunc fieret in redditione,
quod fuerat in prsedeftinatione jam faftum, ora-
vit, dicens : Et nunc clarifica me tu Pater apud
temetipjum, claritate, quam. habui priujquam mun
dus effet, apud te : tanquam diceret, Claritateni
quam habui apud te, id eft, illai-n claritatem, quam
habui apud te in prsedeftinatione tua, tempus
eft, ut apud te habeam etiam vivens in dextra tua.
Aupft- In Joan. Evang. cap. 17. ?>. cv. n. 8. ed.
¦^ened. torn. 3. p. 2.
Jt has been thought by fome, [13] that Chrift, or
[13 1 That opinidn is modeftly rejefted by Mr, Peirce in
!|iis Paraphrafe on the Epiftle to the Hebre--M{. Chap, i,
iver. 2. ¦

on thit L. o G o s. 15
<
or the Son, appeared to the Patriarchs, and was
oftentimes fent upon meffages to men by the Su
preme Being, before the times ofthe Gofpel. But
where is the proof of this? Itwas the opinion
of fome of the ancient writers of the Church,
who had a philofophy that was a mixture of Py-
thagorifm and Platonifm. Neverthelefs, this
fuppofition, that God had employed the Son in
former times, before the Gofpel, is overthrown
by the very firft words of the Apoftle iri the
epiftle to the Hebrews. God, who atfundry times
and in divers manners fpake in time paft unto the
fathers by the Prophets, has in thefe laft doys fpoken
unto ' us^hy his Son. \t is alfo inconfiftent widi
the Apoftle's arguments to care and circumfpec-
tion, ftedfaftnefs a.nd perfeverance, which follow
afterwards, Hebr. ii. I. 2. 3. Therefore we ought
to give the more earneft heed to the things ivhich
we have heard . . . For if the word fpoken by an
gels was ftedfaft . . . how fhall we efcape, if we-
negleSt fo great falvation, ivhich at the firft bega^rt
/« be fpoken hy the Lord, and was confirmed ufito ush
by them that heard him ? . See likewife ch. iii. i.
For this man was counted worthy of more honour
than Mofes . . . ver. 6, But Chrifl-, as a Soft
over his own houje.
Still it niaiy be faid, that nothing but the pre-
exiftence of the. foul of Chrift can fuit thofe ex-
prefBons of his heing fent from God, -and coming
from God.
To which I anfwer, that the account here
givea by me is well fuited to all flich exprefTions;
in their utmoft latitude, according fa the ftile.of
Scripture. For we may be all faid to "be fent by
God into the world, without the fuppofition of
a pre-exiftent foul. Efpecially are Prophets fenc
from Godv But above all, Jefus is moft- pro-;
perly

x6 ^Letter
perly the fent of God, as he had the higheft and
moft important commiflion.
So John J. 6, There was a man fent from Gcd^
whofe name was John. Neverthelefs none fup-
pofe that John the Baptift came direftly fron^
heaven : but only, that he was infpired, and had
a divine command to appear in the world, and
bear v/itnefs concerning the Chrift, who would
come prefently after him.
And the commifTion, which our Lord gave to
his Apoftles, is expreffed by himfelf after this
manner, John xvii. i8. As thou haft fent ..me
into the world, even fo have I Jent them into the
world. And xx. 21. As my Father has Jent me,
fofend I you.
But, as before faid, Jefus is the fent^pf God,
as fie had the higheft commiffion, John iii. 34.
He whom God hath fent, fpeaketh the words ofGod.
ch. iv. 34. My raeat is to do the will of him that,
Jent me. ch. v. 38. Te have not his word abiding
in you. For whomhe has Jent, ye believe not. See
alfo ver. 23. 24. 30. 34. 2,(y- And x. 2>(i. Say
ye of him, whom the Father has fanSiified, andfent
into the world, Thou blajphem.eft, becaufe IJaid, I
am the Son of God? And in the hiftory af the
cure of the blind man, recorded in the ix. chap
ter ofthe fame Gofpel, at ver. 7. And faid unto
him : Go, waflj in the pool of Siloam, which is by
interpretation. Sent. Probably here is an allufjon
to our Lord's charafter, as the fent of God. And
there may be an intimation intended, that he is
the Shiloh, fpoken of in Gen. xHx. 10.
There are fome other texts needful to be taken
notice of here. John xiii. 3. Jefus knowing^
that he was ceme from >Gcd, and. went to God
DTI xiro ^is E^wxfls. xvi. 27. For the Father hini-*
Jelf loveth you, becaufe ye have loved me, and have .
V believed

DJt the Logo s. if
believed that 1 came out from God ; on syo* troitfot,
Ta 9e8 tjtixfiov. ver. 28. t dm come forth from the
Father, and am come into the world. Again, I
leave the world, and go to the Father. Eg»iA6o» Tn^pa
Ta Trarpoj. This expreffion is explained in chapj
viii. 42. Whence we perceive, that [14] thereby
is intended our Lord's divine commiflion. Jefus
faid unto them : If God were your Fa thet, ye would
love me. For I proceeded forth, and came front
God. Neither came 1 of myfelf, hut he fent me.
Ey&i yao eic ^x^ fiia t^nxfloi/, jtflsi »)kw. v.. A.
-The reproaches, and contradictions, which our
Lord met with,, and the fufferings of his death,
are often fet before us. But if the Logos, that
high and exalted fpirit, in the Arian fenfe, was
the foul of Chrift; this part of his humiliation,'
in clothing himfelf with an human body, would
have been frequently reprefented, And defcrjbed,
in the cleareftj and moft eraphaiical expreflions.
Here* if I miftake not, is a proper place for
fetting down thofe obfervations upon this fcheme,
, which reafon may fuggeft, and vjere paiTed over
before. In the firft place, I do nor apprehend it pof-
fible, that fo glorious and perfe£t a fpirit fhould
undergo fuch diminution, by being vtnited to art
human body, as to become thereby uneonfcious/
or to be greatly enfeebledi I thirik,^ than if this
fpirit were to animatey and take upon it the part
of a foul in an human body ; its power, cogita
tion, and knowledge, would fubfift, and remain,
even in its infant ftate. In fhorty th'e hui-nan
body would be fwallowed up by this great foul;
D Thai
[<4} Voyez cette fajori de patler expliquee ci deflusy
-ch. viii. 42. par la milfion.- Lsnfant u^on Jobn xvi.- 27.-

i8 .^Letteh
That foul would exert itfelf in the body, and
fuftain it with all facility, without reft, food,
or any other refrefliment, againft all pain, and
uneafinefs, and every kind of infirmity. This,
I fay, would be the cafe, fuppofing fo great a
being to take vipon it a human body. If an
angel (as is fuppofed) can move with agility a
material vehicle, made denfe enough to be fen
fible to human eyes ; what influence would not
this powerful Logos have over the grofTeft hu
man body ? But this is not agreeable to faft, as
reprefented in the New Teftament. For there
Jefus is faid, to have encreafed in wifdom, as he
grew up. And he had hunger, and thirft, and
was wearied with journeying, and had all the fin-
lefs infirmities of the human nature, and was
fubjeft to death.
But, fecondly, fuppofing this humiliation to be
poffible, I think, it could not be reafonable. It
is not reafonable, that fo great a being fhould
fubmit to unconfcioufnefs, or any fuch-like de
bilitation. Confequently, it cannot be required
by God. It is incongruous to all juft notions of
things, that any other fpirit, befide a human
foul, fhould be made fubjeft to the infirmities of
human flelh.
I forbear mentioning fome things, which ap
pear to me confequences from the Logos (in the:
Arian fenfe of that term) being the foul of our
bleffed Saviour. And, as they are not mentioned,
they need not affeft you, unlefs they fhould oc
cur to your thoughts.
I now proceed to the introduftion to St. John\
Gofpel. For 1 believe, you may be of opinion,
that I muft not pafs it by entirely, notwithftand-
ing its difficulty. I will therefore explain it
briefly^

on the Logos. 19
briefly, or a part of it at leaft, according tb the
beft of my ability : ftill willing, however, to re-
1 ceive farther light from any one that fhall afford
it. . ,
In the beginning was the Word. By beginning,
I think, cannot be intended the beginning of the
gofpel, but of the creation, or rather always,
from eternity was the Word. And the Word was
with God : that is, was always with God, though
not fully manifefted, rill thefe Iall days of the
world [15 J. And the Word was God. Kai Seo^
ill/ 0 Xoyoj. Which fometimes has been ren
dered thus : And God wa^ the Word. But there
are learned men, who fay, that then the Greek
would have been Kai 0 Geo? jiv Xnyoz : and, that
the article being joined with Xoyof, therefore that
is the antecedent, and our tranflation is right.
Here I had been wont to fubmit to what Dr.
Clarke fays. The Scripture DoSirine of the Trinity,
P. i. numb. ,535. " Of thefe words there are
only three interpretations. The firft is, that the
Word was that fame perfon, whom he was with.
And that is both a contradiftion in terms, and
alfo the antient herefy of Sabellius." But now
that does not move me. I am of opinion, that
God here is the fame God that was mentioned
before. St. John ufeth a gradation. Firft he
fays, the Word was always, before all time.
Then he adds : and was with God : and laftly,
that he was God himfelf. What follows confirms
this interpretation, ver. 3. Ali things were made
D 2 " by
[15] I John i. 2, For the Life nxias manifefied. And
•we hanje feen it, and bear mjitnejs, and Jheiu unto you that
eternal life, luhich ivas ivith the Father, and ivas manifefted
unto us,
I Tim.' iii; i6. And ivithout controiisrfy, great- is tJie-
myftery of godlinefs. God' ivas m.anifeft in theftefn-.

20

A Letter

hy him, and without him was not any thing made
that was WMde. Who ftiould this be, but God
the Father, the one living and true God, and
author of life, and all being ? Are there more
j:reators than one ? Would any Jew, qr difciple
of Jefus," afcribe [iiS] the creation of the world
to any, 'but God, or his reafon, or underftand-
ing, or difpretion, his wifdom, his power, his
word, his fpirit, which is the fame as God him
felf? ver. IO. H^ was in the world, and the
world W^s made by him. This needs no com
ment, ver. 1 1 - He ca/me to his own, and his own,
received him not. 1 pray, whcfe people were the
Jews, but God's, his, who ftiled himfelf Jeho-,
yah i' He now f amCj in Jefus, tb his own people.
But they received him not.
St. John therefore intends the pne true God,
not any inferior deity.
Shall I fliew this more particularly from other
places ofhis Goipel ? It, is obfervable, that St.
John, out of the many difcourfes of Jefus, (a
great part of v/hich he has omitted, as appears
fiom ch. XX. 3p. 31. xxi. 25.) has fclefted thofe,
in which our Lord fpeaks very exprefsly of the
commiffion, which he had received from the
F-ather, and cf his near, and intimate union with
him. In aU the Gofpels our Saviovir afcribes his
miracles tb the Father, particularly in Luke xi,
20. and Matt. xii. 28., And the people do the
fiime. And when the multitudes faw it, they mar
velled,
[16] The creation of the world is always afcribed to
fhe one living and true God, ih the Old and New Tefta
ment. Gen.i. Ex. xxii. Job. xxi. 13. xxvi. 13. Pf. xxxiii."
6. cxxxvi. 5 . . 10. cxlvi. 5. 6. If. x!ii. 5. xiv. 12. li. 13.
, Jer. X. !2. li. 15. and elfewhere. A<Ss. iv. 24. xiv. i r,
Xvii. 24. Rev. iv. 8 . . 11. x. 6. xiv. 7.

on

the h o G o s. 21

^veiled, and glorified, God, which had given fuch
power to men. Matt. ix. 8.
But in none of the Gofpels is tl^is done fo
frequently, and fo exprefsly, as in St. JohtC^,
ch. V. 9. The Son can do nothing, of himfelf, but
what he feeth the Father do : and onward to
ver. 27. and ver. 30 . . 32. and ver. 36. 37.
ch. viii. 18, The Father that hath fent me, beareth
witnefs of me. Ver. 28.29. W'hen ye have lifted up
the Son of Man, then ftoall ye know, that I am he,
and that I do nothing, of myfelf : hut that as the
Father has taught me, I fpeak thefe things. And
.he that fent me, is with me. The Father has, not
left me alone. Far I do always the things that
pleafe him. Ver. 42. For I proceeded forth, and
c&me from God. Neither came I of myfelf, but he
fent me. Ver. 54. It is my Father that honoureth
me, pf whom ye fay, that he is your God. ch, ^.35.
The works that I do in my Father's name, they
fear witnefs of me. Ver. 29. 30, My Father,
which gave them me, is greater than all. And no
man is ahle to pluck them out of my Father's hand.
J and my Father are one. ¦,,
This appears alfo in the difcourfes of others,
recorded in this Gofpel, ch, iii. 2. Nicodemus
fays. Rabbi, we know, that thou art a • teacher
come from God. For no man can do thefe miracles
that thou, doeft, except God be with him. And
,ch. ix. 30. Herein is a marvellous thing, that ye
know not whence he is. And yet he has opened.
my eyes. Ver. 33. If this man were not of God,
he could do nothing. '%'
All thefe texts feem to me fufEcjent to fatisfy
us, that by the Word, which, St. John fays, was
in the beginning, and was with God, and was God,
he does not mean a being feparate from God,
and inferior to him, but God himfelf, or the wif
dom

22 'yf L E T T E R
dom and power of God, which is the fame as
God, even the Father, who alone is God, nor is
there any other:
If by the Word, in the introduftion to his Gof
pel, St. John had intended a being feparate from
God, and inferior to him ; it is reafonable to ex-
peft, that he fhould be mentioned again after-
wards.> But nothing of that kind appears. He
fpeaks indeed of the Son, and the only-begotten
Son of God. But thereby is not meant the Word,
but thf man Jefus, the Meffiah, in whom the
Word, that is, the power and wifdom of God,
refided. I now therefore proceed, Ver. 14. And the
"Word was made flejh, and dwelt among us : that
is, as before fhewn, " And the word was made
¦man, or took upon him the human nature."
And we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only-
begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth,
^hat is, " And we beheld in Jefus fuch power
and wifdom, that we could not doubt his being
the Meffiah." That St. John intends the Lord
Jefus, is evident: from what he adds in the 15th
yerfe.' John bare witnefs of him, and cried, faying:
This is he, of whom I fpake. He that cometh after
me, is -preferred before me.
And the Word was made flefh, and dwelt among
us. And we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only-
hegotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
This is the fame, which, in other words, is faid
in divers texts of the New reftament. Matt. i. .
^p • . 23. And Jhe ftoall bring forth a Son. And
thou fhalt call his name Jefus . , . Now all this was
done, that it might be fulfilled, which was fpoken,
of the .Lord by the Prophet, faying : Behold a vir
gin fhall cqnceive, and ftoall bring forth a Son. And,
they fhall 'call his, name Emmanuel, which is, God
with

on the Loco s. 23
with us. And John iii. 34. 35. For he whom
God hath fent, fpeaketh the words of God. For
God giveth not the Spirit hy meafure unto him.
The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things
into his hand. Col. i. 19. For it pleafed the Fa
ther, that in him fhould all fulnefs dwell. And
ch. ii. In whom are hid dll the treafures of wifdom
and knowledge. And ver. 19. For in him dweUeth
all the fulnefs of the Godhead bpdily.
And we beheld his glory, the glory as of the enly^
begotten of the Father. As before hinted, it was
not the Word, which St. John and others beheld,
but Jefus, in whom the Word dwelled. Him
they beheld. And his greatnefs was confpicuous:
fo that he appeared, and they knew him, to be,
the only-begotten of the Father, oi- the Mefliah.
Only-begotten Son. The fame phrafe is again
in John iii. 16, and 18. in our Lord's conference
with Nicodemus. Only-begotten, and well-be-k-ved
Son, are equivalent. This laft. is the phrafe in
feveral texts: as Matt. iii. 17. Mark i. 11,
Luke iii. 32. Matt. xvii. 5. Mark ix. 7. Luke
ix. 3S. So Prov. iv. 3. For I was my Father's
fon, tender, and only-beloved in the fight of my mo-
ther. Comp. 1 Chron. xxix. i.
The Chrift, or the Meffiah, and the Son of God,
are equivalent in the New Teftament. Matt.
xvi. 16. Peter's applauded confeffion of our
Lord's charafter is in thefe words : Thou art the
Chrift, ihe Son of the liviiig God. So likewife
John vi._69. But in Mark viii. 29. ic is: Thou
art the Chrift of God. And Luke ix. 20. the
Chrift of God.
" And that in the language of the Jews the titles ¦
of Meffiah and Son of God are the fame', may be
feen in Matt. xxvi. 6-2,. and Luke xxii. 6.6, yo.
But.

24

A L ,E T T E R

But now I fliall argue it more particularly from
St, John'i Gofpel, ch. i. 34 -. 49. John the Bap
tift bears teftimony to Jefus under feveral cha-
rafters, all equivalent to that of the Meffiah.
And I faw, fays he, and bare record, that this is
the Son of God. Again, the next day after John
ftood, and two of his difciples. And looking upon
Jefus, as he walked, he faith : Behold the Lamb of
God. Thefe difciples are convinced , . . one of
them, which heard John, was Andrew, Simon
Peter's brother. He firft Jindeth his own brQther
Simon, and faith unto him : We have found thf
Meffias. . . i . Philip findeth Nathanael, and faith
nnte him: We have found him, ofwhom Mofes in
the Law and the Prophets did write, Jefus of Na
zareth, the fon of Jofeph. Nathanael likewife,
afrer fome hefitation, is convinced, and makes
a like profeffion, faying : Rabbi, thou art the Son
of God, thou art the King of Ifrael.
All thefe pious men, acquainted with the
fcriptures ofthe Old Teftament, upon the ground
of John's teftimony, and their own converfation
with Jefus, under fomewhat different appellations,
but of one and the fame meaning, acknowledge
Jefus to be the Chrift. See alfo John ix, 35. jfi'
and 1 John v. i. 5.
The Jews, ir is likely, had learned this title
and charafter of the Meffiah from Pf. ii. 7. 12.
And. fee 2 Sam. vii. 14.
When Jefus was baptifed, he was folemnly and
publicly declared to be the Meffiah. There came
a voice from Heaven, faying : . This is my beloved
Son, in whom I am well pleafed. After which,
having been led up ofthe Spirit into the wilder
nefs, the tempter, when he came to him,. faid:
If thou be the Son of God, that is, if indeed thou art

hn the Locos. 2)
art the Son of God [17], or the Chrift, commaM,
lhat theje ftones be made bread.
I would now endealvour to fhew, upon what
accounts Jefus. is in the Scriptures faid to be the
Son of God. , ,.
Sonfhip is a terrri of nearnefs, dearnefs, and
affeftion. In general, Jefus is the Sbn of God,,
6r eniinently fo^ a? he is, fo far as we, know, the
perfon in all the wOrld, moft dea:r to God the
Father. To be more particular; .
. I. Jefus is the Son of Godi upon account of
his miraculous conceptidn and birth.
Luke i. 31 . . ; 35. ,yf« angel appeared to Mary,
and faid unto her : Fear not, Mary. For thou
h^ft. found favour with God. And behold,, thou
fhalt ton'ce,ive in thy womb, and jhalt hring forth
a Son, and thou fhalt call his name Jefus. He fhall
he great, and Jh all be called the Son. of the Higheft
. . . The Holy. Ghoft fhall come upon 'thee; and the
power of the Higheft ftoall overjhadow thee.. . There-y
fore alfo 'that holy thing, which fhall be boi(n of
thee) fhflll be coiled the Son of God. A like hif
tory' of otir. Saviour's nativity is in the firft chap
ter of St. Matthew's Gofpel.
2. .Jefus is the Son of God,- lopdn account of
the e^ecial comimiffion given him by the Father;
and the extraordinary qualifications beftowed
tipcjn him in order to his fulfilling it. Johrt
, [.1.7] II y a fimpleiri^nit lans le Gree,' _/? 'vbas fies Fijt
Je Dieu, fans article. On ne laiffe pas de I'ajouter. Car
k miracle, gue le diable exige de J, C. montre, qu'il ne
s' agit pais de favoir, fi Je/us eft enfant de Dieu, mais s' il eft*
le Fits de Dieu, par exceUence, zi a. d, le Mefiie. Lenfani
/iir Matt. iv. 3.

26 A L, E TT E R
John x. 36. Say, ye of him., whom- the Father
has Janctified, and fent into the world, thou- hlqf-
phemeft, becaufe Ifaid, I am the San of God.
When our Lord was baptifed, the Spirit of
God dejcended like a dove, and reft ed upon him.
Matt. iii. 16. Mark i. 10. Luke iii.. 21. 22.
And John i. 32 . . . 34. And' John hare record,.
faying : I faw ' the Spirit defcending from heaven,
like a dove,, and. it abode upon him . .. . And I
Jaw, and hare record, that this is the Son of
God. And ch. iii. 34. fays John the Baptili
again : God giveth not the Spirit hy meafure unto
him. If. xi. I . . 3. And there fhall come forth a
rod out of the ftem of Jeffe, ¦ and a branch fhall
grow out of his root. And the Spirit of the Lord
fhall reft npon him, the fpirit of wifdom and un-
derftanding, the fpirit of counjel, and might, the
fpirit of knowledge:, and of the fear of the Lord.
And fhall make him of quick underftanding in the
fear of the Lord.' . . Comp. If xiii. i . . 4. Ixi.
I . . 3. and Matt- xii. 17,. and Liike iv. 18. 19.
By virtue of this moft plentiful and extraor
dinary communication of the Spirit, withoui
meafure, or the indwelUng_ of the Father's, fulnefs.
in him, as, the fame thing is at pther times ex
preffed;,. or his being in the hofom of the Father,
and acquainted with all his counfels,. Jefus knew
the whole will of God concerning the falvation.
of men, and fpake the words of God with full
authority, and, wrought miracles of all kinds,.
whenever he pleafed, and knew, the thoughts and
charafter^ of men, and thirigs. a:t a diftanfie," and
thinga to come.
3. Jefus is the Son of God, upon account* of
his refurreftion from the dead^ onthe thij-d day,,
to die no more...
E0m»,

•on ths Logos. 27
Rom. i. 3. 4. Concerning his Son Jefus Chrifto
^cur I^rd, which wa's made of the feed of David,
according to the fieJh : and declared to be the Son
¦of God with power; according to the fpirit of holi-
nejs, hy the refurreSiion from the dead. And
Hebr., i. 6.. When he bringeth in the firft -begott-en
into the world, he faith: And let all the angels of
God worfhip him. Which fome have underftOod
of our Lord's coming into the world, at his na
tivity. But more generally interpreters have
underftood it of om- Lord's entering into liis
glory, and taking poffeffion of his king4om
after his refurreftion. Which brings me to
another thing.
4. Jefus is the Son of God, on account of
his exaltation to God's right-hand, and being
inverted with authority and dominion over all
flefh, and conftituted judge of the world, by
whom God will pafs fentence upon all mankind.
John iii. 3^. The Father loveth the Son, and
hath given all things intp his hand. Ch. v. 21. 22,
T'he Father judgeth no man, but .hath committed
all judgment unto the Son, that all men fhould ho
nour the Son, even as they honour the Father . .Hehr,
i. I. 2. God . . . has in thefe laft days fpoken unto
MS by his Son, whonrfe has appointed heir,' or lord,
of all things. Ch.iii- 5- 6.. Mofes verily waj faith
ful in all his h.oufe, as a f erv ant. . . . But Chrift
as a 'Soji over his -own houfe.
5. Another token of the efpecial love of the
Father for Jefus Chrift, as his Own Son, is the
pouring out of abundance of ipiritual gifts,
though in different degrees, upon his Apoftles^
and all who believed in him after his refuryeftion.
John i. 32 . . 34. A%d John bare record, Jay-
.fng : I faw the Spirit defcending from heaven, like
q dope. A'^'i l( abode upon him. And I kncvu him
E % net

28 ^ L E T T E ??.
.not. But he that fent me to baptije with watej;-^
the fame faid unto me : Upori whom thou fh^lt fee
the Spirit defcending, and remaining, the fame is
he, which baptifeth with the Holy Ghoft. ' And I
Jaw, and bare record, that this is the Sen of God.
-Comp. Matt. iii. ii. Mark i. 8. Luke iii. i6.
John vii. 37 . . 3^." In the laft day, that great
day of the feaft, Jefus ftood, and cried, faying : If
any man thirft, Ut hfm come te me, and drink.
He that believeth cn me, as the Scripture hath faid,
out XI f his belly ftoall flow rivers of livirjg waterl
This fpake he df tke Spirit, which they that be
lieve on him fhould receive. For the Holy Ghoft
was not yet given, becaufe that Jefus was not yet
glorified. Afts xi. 15. 16. And as I hegan to fpeak, the
Holy Ghoft fell on them, as on u's^ at the beginning.
Then remernbered I the word of the Lord, hoia
that he faid : John indeed baptifed with water :
'But ye jh all be baptifed with the Holy Ghoft. See"*
Afts i. 5. and ii.r .. 36.'
Gal. iv. 6. And becaufe ye are fons, God hath
Jent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts,
crying : Abba, Father.
Eph. iv. 8 . . 1 1 . Wh'sn he afcended up on high,
he gave gifts untp men . . . And he gave fome
Ap&ftles, andjome Prophets, and fome Evangelifts, ,
and fome Paftors, and Teachers. >
Upon all thefe accounts, and not only upon
acc'ouht'of his miraculous conception and birth,
is Jefus the Son of God: The texts alleged under
each p'articular fufficiently fhew, that they are
all juftly meritioned, and that non6of them ought
to be omitted.
There- are fome expreffions in St. Luke's hif
tory of our Lord's nativity of a virgin rriother,
which fhew the truth of this obfervatipn. They
likewif^^

cn the Logos. i%
Jikewife manifeftly fhew, that it is in refpeft £Q
his humanity, and the dignity conferred upon
it, that he has the title of the Son cf God. The
expreffions, which were partly alleged before^,,
are exceeding remarkable. And the angel Jaid
tin to her : Fear not, Mary. For thou h^ found
favour with God. And behold, thou fhalt conceive
'in thy womb, and fhalt bring forth a Son. And
thou fhalt call his name Jefus'. He fhall be great,
fnd fhall he called ike Sbn of the Higheft. And
the Lord God fhall give t^into him the throne of his •
Father David. And he ftoall reign over the houfe
sf Jacob for ever. And .of his kingdom there
fhall he no 'end. Luke i. 33.
' Upon all the fore-mentioned accounts, then,
and his tranfcendent greatnefs, Jefus is the Son cf
God. And all thefe' things may be fuppofed to
be comprehended in that expreffioiji. Heb. i. 9.
Thou haft loved righteoufnefs, and hated iniquity.
Therefore. God, even thy God, 'hath anointed thee
with the oil of gladnefs above thy fellows. The
words are a quotation from Pf. xiv. 7. and feem
to have "been originally intended o{ Solembn, who
by divine choice and defignation was preferred
before his brethren, i Chron. xxviii. 5. But
they are alfo fitly applied to the Meffiah, who
has been greatly difljnguifhed, and highly hp-
poured above his brethren : meaning men, of
whofe nature he partook, Heb. ii. 14. 16. 17,
or prophets, who had the. Spirit in a due, but
lefs meafure, beftowed upon them.
All thefe prerogatives has God the Father, in
his', unfearchable wifdom, conferred upon Jefus
of Nazareth, whom he chofe, and appointed to
Isp the Mefliah : who is alfo the feed of the woman,
that fhould bruife the hfead of the ferpent. Gen.
iii. 15. and the feed cf Abraham, in and tlirough
•".,'' whom

JO yfLfiTTER
whom all the families or nations of the earth
<were to be bleffed. Gen. xii. 3. xviii. 18. Afts
iii. 25. pal. iii. 8. The, rod out of the ftem of
Jeffe, and the branch that ftoould grow out of his
root, to whom the Gentiles would feek. If. xi. i. —
10. V/ho was to reft ore the preferved of Ifrael,
¦and was likewife given to be a Ught to the Gentiles,
ihat be might he for falvation to the ends of the
earth. If. xiix. 6. or, as old Simeon faid. Alight
to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of God's
people Ifrael. Luke ii. 32. For it is a certain
truth, that the grace, which has been manifefted
-by the appearing, of Jefus Chrift, was from early
ages purpofed by the Divine Being, and foretold
^y his .Prophets. Rom. i. i - . 3. Eph. i. 4.
.a Tim. i- 9. JO. I Pet. i. 10 , . 12.
And how agreeable the feveral articles of this
detail are to the fcriptures ofthe Old Teftament,
muft appear from texts already alleged thence,
.Neverthelefs I iliall here put together a few other
tests, and fome of the fame more krgely, than
hitherto quoted; not tranfcribing them., now,
but referring to thent, -and entreating you, if
you pleafe, to read and confider them at your
,|eifure. Pf. ii. 6. 7. 8. II. 12.
Pf xxii. throughout.
If xiii. I. Behold my f erv ant,, whom I uphold,
my fervant, in whom my foul delighteth. Almoft
the very words of the voice, that'came from hea
ven at our Lord's baptifm, and transfiguration,
/ have put my Spirit upon. him. He fhall hring
forth judgment unto the Gentiles. And what fol-^
lows to the ead of ver. 7.
If xlix. I ... 6. Compare Afts xiii, 47,
and xxvi, 23,'

m the IL o G o s. 34
We muft now be able to perceive tlie true
charafter of cur bleffed Saviour, and the great
propriety, with which the Apoftles and Evange
lifts fpealc of him.
John i. 45. Philip findeth Nathanael, and faith
unto him : We have found him, of 'whom Mofes in
the Law, and the Prophets di'd write, Jefus of
Noi^areth, the fon of Jofeph. And fee vpr. 46 . .
50, And A£ts ii. 22. Te men of Ifrael, hear
thefe words. JeJus of Nazareth, a man approved
ef God among you, by miracles, and figns, ani
bonders, which God did by him in the midft of you^
as ye yourjelves alfo know-. See alfo ver. 36.
Ch. iv. 27. For of a' truth, againft thy holy child;
[rather fon or fervant] Jefus, whom thou haft
anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with
the Gentiles, and the people of Ifrael, were gathered
together. Ch. x. 38. how Gad anointed Jefus ef
Nazareth ivith the Holy Ghoft, and with pc-^rr.
Who went about doing good, and healing all that
were oppreffed of the devil. Fer God was with
him. Nor does our dear Redeemer difdain this.
title in his ftate of exaltation. For when he
called to Saul out of heaven, and Saul anfwered^.
Who art thou-. Lord, he faid : I am Jefus of Na
zareth, wham thou ferjecuteft. Afts xxii- 6 . . 81.
Comp. ch. ix. 5. See likewife ch. iii. 6. and xxvi. 9,
From all tliat has been faid, it appears, that
Jefus is a man, appointed, anointed, beloved,,
honoured, and exalted by God, above all other
beings [18].
Ob>
[iS-] Some now by the Son of Go//anderftand an intelli
gent being, or emanation, begotten by the F'ather, or pro
ceeding from him, in an ineffable manner, from all eter-
plty, and of the farne effsnce or fubftance with the Father.,
Others* thereby ttiidsj-ftand a mighty fpirit, or angel, -be-
^ottea

2^ A h, E T r i 3.
Obj. 1. It may be faid : Admitting this ra
tion of our Saviour's perfon, we ftiall lofe that
great inftance of humiliation, and condefcen- fion^
begotten or foi-nied hv the will of the Father,' in time, b'e-i
fore the creation of the. world , and of a different fubftance
from the Father. Which Son of God, according to them^
became incarnate ; that is, iinited hirnfelf, either to the
human nature, confiftirig of fou! and body, or to an human
Kody, fo as to fupply tlie place of an human foul.
But thofe fenfes of this phrafe, or title, are not to be
found in any of the books of the New Teftament. '• The
Jews had no notion, that their Mefliah fliould be any thing
tnore than mere man. See Whitby upbn Romi. ix. 5." ¦
Dr. Jortin's Difcourfes concerning the Chriftian Religions
p. 17. Which indeed is well Ihewn in the paflages of an*
cient authors, alleged by Whitby in the place referred to.
This will lead us to the true meaning of the title, the
Son ofGod, in the Gofpels. For there many give our Lord
that title, who took him to be a man, efpecially favoured
by God. This, title is given to our Lord, not only by Pe-^
ter in hi,"! confeflion. Matt. xvi. 16. and the parallel places,'
and John vi. 69. but alfo by John the Baptift, John i. 34.
iii. 3Ci 36. by Nathanael, John i. i.'^, h-'j Martha, xi. 27;
and by others. Matt. xiv. 53. Luke iv. 41; Qiir bleffed
Lord likewife often takes it to himfelf, either direftly, or
indireftly, John iii. 16. 17. t8. v. 25. ix. 35 . . 37. x. 36.
A. 4.
The cafe feems to be this :— ^In the Je'wiftr ftile, and the
language of Scripture, all good men, and all people-, who
are in a covenant^relation to God, are his fons, and are
entitled to many bleflings and privileges: biit Jefus, as the'
Meffiah, is tbe'Son of Ood t by way of eminence and-diftinc-
tion.
- Exod. Iv. 22. 23. Andthou Jhalt fayunio Pharaoh: Thus,
fa'ith the Lord : Ifrael is my fon, euen my firft born. And t
fay unto thee : Let my fan go, that he may feme me. If."
xliii; 6. Bri-ng my fans from far, and my daughters from the
ends ofthe earth. See likewife If, xiv. 11. 12. Ani
Jer. xxxi. 9. For I am a father unto Ifrael, and Ephraim is
jjiyfirft-horn.- Ver. 20. Is Ephraim my dear fon ^ is he h plea-,
fant child ? Ho'f. xi. I . When Ifrael ivas a child, then I
toned him, and called my fon out of Egypt. To -which I muft
add Jer. xxxi. i . At thefatfie time, faith theLord, Iiiiill be thi

on the L d G o ^, jj
liOn, which the Arian fcheme fets before us.
For according to thati the moft exalted fpirit,
next to God the Father, fubmits to all- the laws
of infancy and childhood, arid is gready incom
moded by the body, during it's dwelling iri this
earth. '
To which I anfwer. I would by no means
rob you, or any one elfe, of any argument, that
is reatUyfuited'to, engage to humility in particu-
i ' lar.
Cod Vfall thefajftilies of Ifrael. And they ftiall "he my people.
Comp. ver. 9; and 33., All which is expreffed. by St. PW
after this manner; 2., Cor. vi. 18. And 1 mill be a father
{into them. And I'hcy fiall be my fons and daughters, faitb the
Lird 'Almighty . See there alfo vef. i6-- & 17.' '
I Accordingly, in the new Teftament, the Gentiles, -who
Received Jefus as the Chrift, being brought into God's fa
mily, and into the number of bis people, are, called, the
fons ofGod. John i. 12.' But as niany as receiiied Bim,' to thent
ga>ve he poiver to become the fons of (rod, euen to thah that b,'-
lieue cn his name. Comp. -I John iii." 1 . And fee Rom.
viii., 14 . i 17J Gal. ¦ IV. 4 .17. and.Hebr. ii. 10. and-
elfewhere. , .
¦Matt, xxvii. ,jJ4. Noiv ivhen the Cent'urion, and th'ey that
- <were ivith him, ivdtching Jefus, faiv the ed-iihquake, and
th'ofe things that; ivere done, they feared greatly, faying :
Truly, this, ivas the Son of God. Comp. Mark xv. -39.
And fays St. L-uke. ch. x.\iii. 39. tioiv ivhen the Centu
rion fahu ivhat ivas done, lie glorified God, fajiiig ': Certain
ly, this, ivas a righteous mctni
All good meii and wqinlen, then, aire God's fons and
dau^ters. but Jefus, the Meffiah, is the Son of God, by
way of eminence and diftin'diori,- an'd has in all things the
pre-eminente; , This, as feems to wei is -the vVay df thinkirig, to v/hich
¦vijs are led, by comparing m^ny texts-of the,01d an4 New
Teftament, where the - titles or denomination:, of Son of
Cod fli ufed. . . .- .
There is therefore no foundation for J:he interpretations
njentioned at the beginfiirig of this note. Which, never
thelefs, have been received by many, and have produce.d.
intricate fchemes and fyftems, by which the minds of Chrif-
tians h'ave been greatly perplexed, and the world itfelf
fometimes throvi'ii into Confufion anji' diSurbanCe.
F

34

A Letter

lar, or to ^11 virtue in generaU Butj papinian"*
ifl am not miflaken, it appears from what was
before faid, that this inftance of humiliation is
an imaginary thing. It is impoffible, that fo
exalted a fpirit fhould be the foul of the human
body. If it is not an abfolute contradiftion, it
is incongruous to the nature of things, and in
the higheft degree improbable.
And if fo great a being were to inhabit a hu
man body, it would entirely fwallow it up.
That fpirit would ftill retain it's own knowledge
and power, and would raife the body above all
pains, weakneffes, and wants.
Whatever -advantages may be fanfied on the
Arian fcheme, there are much greater inconve
niences attending it. For, as before hinted, it
deprives us of the force of our Saviour's exam
ple. We are common men. But he is fup
pofed to be the moft perfeft fpirit, next to God..
How ftiould any temptation, from the things of
this world, affeft fuch a being I How fhould
he be tempted, in all refpefts, as we are ? It
eould not be. It is altogether irrational.
But there are many and great advantages in
fuppofing Jefus Chrift to be a man, confifting,
of foul and body. His exainple is then juftly
fet before us in all the ftrength and beauty, with""
which it now appears in the Gofpels and Epif
tles of the New Teftament.
It is alfo upon the ground of this fcheme
alone, that the expeftation of attaining to a
glory, like that of Jefus Chrift, can be fupport-
cd. For whichi however, there is a plain en
couragement in the dqftrine of the Gofpel. John
xvii. 21 . , .. 26. Rom. viii. 17. 2 Tim. ii.
11, 12. Rev. iii. 2:. and elfev,^here. Thefe

m the Looo s. J5
Thefe are the moft glorious, the moft animat
ing hopes that can be conceived. They ex
cite to faithfulnefs and zeal beyond expreflron.
We may be made like unto Jefus Chrift here
after, if we will biit' follow his example, and
refemble him now. But how can we admit the
thought of being near to hira, in the future ftate,
who befides the merit ofhis obedience and fuf
ferings here, has, in the Arian hypothefis, the
glory of being eiiiployed by God in things of
a quite different nature, fuch as creating this
vifible world, and all the angels, and invifible
hofts of heaven.
And is not this one reafon of our flothfulnefs,
and other faults ? The truth is not in us : the
words' of Chrift do not abide in us. We fuffer
ourfelves to be deluded, and perverted from the
truth and fimplicity of the Gofpel, by the philo-
' fophital fchemea of fpeculative men. And fo,
almoft any man may take our crown, Ref- iii- 1 1.
I believe, p api nian, that you, as well as
other ferioxis Chriftians, defire, with the Apoftle
Paul, to know Chrifto and the power of his refur-
reSiion, Philip, iii. 10. But Vhat is there extra^r
ordinary in the refurreftion,of Chrift, according
to the Arian hypothefis ? Is it any thing ex
traordinary, that the Logos (in the Arian fenfe
of that word,) fhould raife the body,' in whicii /,
he has afted, and fuffered for a while ? He
might be fuppofed to have an elpecial regard
for that body, and be willing to make it glorious.
But I do not fee, that fuch a refurreftion cart fo
fully afTure ms of our owjp, as if we fuppofe
Chrift to be a man like unto us. Forthen^
his refurreftion is a pattern of ours.. Which is
the doftrine of the New Teftament. i Cor. xv.
' f Q. • .20 . . 23.,

|S y^ L p "T T E R ,
20 . . : 23. and the glorious argument of St,
paid. Ej)h. i., 17 . . . 23. Hereby we are
indeed affured of our refurreftion. Gpd th^
Father, who gaye his own Son for us, and raifed
,him up from the dead, will^ moft certainly,
jaife upus alfo, as it is exprefied, i Cor. iv. 14.'
KnO'iolng^ 'that he, who, raljed up the I-ord Jefus,
ftoould raife up us alfo by Jefus, ' and ft ould prefent
us with you. And fee Philip, iii. 1Q. 21.- .In a.
word, here is the beft foundation of immovable
confidence in God. jf^nd the Apoftle exprefsly
./ays in the place juft referred to iri i Cor. xv.
'21. Since by man came death, by man came alfo
the refurreSiion of thf, dead ,,,',.¦
Oisj. 2, Again, itmay be objefted, that this
idea of the perfon of Jefus does not fully fuit
the ftrong exprefli'qns in the New Teftament,
concerning the love of God, in giving his Son
for us.
But I think, it does. For can there be any
greater lpve, than for that perfon, who is im
mediately fent by God, v^ho is his ambaffa-;
dour,' inveftcd with all his power "and authority,
who is the objeft of the Father's efpecial love,
¦and therefore his own Son, who was holy, harm-
lefs, and. undefiled,, Hebr. yii. 16. to live a
inean, defpifed, reproached life in this world,
andthen to die a painful and igriominious death^
for our good, and for the good of mankind in
, general ?
Befides, this is that love of God, which is fo
much, and fo juftly magnified, and extolled in
the New Teftament : that God gave his Son to
die fdr us. He that fpared riot his own Sori^ but.
delivered him up for us all-, how fhall he not with
him freely give us alltkings ? And fee before ch,
V. 6. 7, 8. and 2 Cor. v. 14. 15.' Who gave him- Jelf

on the Loops. 37
Jelf for our fins, that he might deliver us from
f his prefent evil world, according to the will of God,
even our Father, Gal. i. 4. See likwife 1 Tim.
ii. 6. I Pet. i. 18 . . . 21. i John iii. 16.
iv. 9. I p. and many other places.
If Chrift had dwelt in pre-exiftent glory, and
had corne from heaven to animate a, human body ;
this alfo would have been plainly, and freqiielitiy
reprefented to us.
In the way, now mentioned, we go to God
direftly through Jefus Chrift. And the love of
the Father is moft confpicuous in the fuppofi
tion, that God fent, and appointed the man
Jefus Chrift, for our falvation. Herein, I fay,
jhe love ofGod is moft confpicuous, much more
than in fuppofing the pre-exiftence of the Son,
.fhe covenant of redemption, and the offer of the
Son to come into the world, and many other
fuch-like things, derogatory to the honour of
the Father ; becaufe they diminifh our idea of
his free, tranfcendent, and unmerited love and
goodnefs,. The gofpel-account is fummed up
in thefe words. And all things are of God, ivho
has reconciled us to himfelf hy Jefus Chrifto And
has given unto us the miniftry of reconciliation : to
wit, that God was in Chrift reconciling the world
unto himfelf, not imputing their trefpaffes unto them:
0nd hath committed unto us the word of reconcili
ation.. 2 Cor. V. 18, 19. See likewife what fol
lows in ver. 20. 21. and Eph, i. i . . 10,
tJpon the whole, as before faid, the true evan
gelical defcription of our bleffed Saviour's per
fon a,nd charafter is that, which we have in St,
Peter s'^ox&s, recorded Afts ii. 22. and nfy. and
ch. X. 38. and St. Paul's. Afts xvii. 31. and
1 Tim. ii. 5. Col. ii. Z • ' ' 3- and many other
places. , ¦ ¦"
"¦ ¦ •- ; Nor

io

38 yfLE'TTER,^ N
Nor is this a diminifhing charafter. It is the
¦ greateft, and the moft honourable to him, on
whom it is beftowed, and the moft fatisfying to
us, who are called upon to believe in him, to
rely upon him, apd follow him in the way of
obedience prefcribed to us.
Says God to the people of Ifrael of old, .81?-
hola, IJend an angel before thee in the way, and to
bring thee into the place, which I have prepared.
Beware of him, and obey his voice, provoke him
not. For he will not par don -your travjgrefftons.
For my name is in him. Ex. xxiii. 20. 21 . Upon
which place Patrick fpeaks to this purpofe.
*' For my name is in him. He afts by my au
thority and power, and fuftains my perfon,
who am prefent where he is. For the name of
God is faid. to be there, where he is prefent af
ter a Angular and extraordinary manner! i Kings
viii. 16. I Chron. vi. 5. 6. Maimonides ex
pounds it. My Word is in him, that is, fays he,
God's will and pleaftire was declared by the an
gel . . In which he feems to follow the Chaldee,
who tranflates it, /or his Word is in my name, that
is, what he fpealcs is by my authority."
Afterwards, when the people had tranfgreffed
in making a golden calf, and God was greatly
difpleafed, Mofes offered an earneft prayer, that
he would himfelf go with them„ and conduft
them, Ex. xxxiii, 12. 13. And he received this
gracious anfwer, by which he was encouraged^
Ver. 14. 15. And he faid: My prefence ftoall go
with thee; and I will give thee reft. And he
Jaid : If thy prefence gp not with us, carry us not
hence [19]. *
^ ^ My
[19] "The queftion upon this occafion was. Whether
Cod would Himfelf yi up with the people, who had highly-
offended

£n the Loco s.

59

IMy prefence, that is, I, myfelf, as in the
Greek ' verfion : aurof WpoTropsuo-opai ffos. In the
Hebrew it is, literally, my face. Which is the
fame-^as myfelf. So 2 Sam, xvii. 11. and that
thou go to the battle in thy o-wn perfon. In the
Hebrew it is : .that thy face go to the battle.
That the prefence of God was with Jefus, the
Mefliah, our Lord and Saviour, in the moft fig-,
nal and extraorditiary manner, we are affured.
by every book and chapter of the New Tefta
ment, and particularly by St. John's Goipel, in
the introduftion, and throughout.
The dignity of Jefus, as Meffiah, is very
great, far filperior to that of angels. We know
it from our Lord himfelf, and from things faid.
by^ him, ivhilft dwelling on this earth. Matt,
XXIV. i^. But of that day -and hour knoweth no
man, no not the angels in heaven, hut my Father on h,:
-^ Which is thus expreffed in Mark xiii. J2. but
cf that dcey and that hoUr, knoweth no man, no not
the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but
the Father. To which let me add John xiv. 28.
If ye lo'ved me, ye would r^oice, becaufe IJaid, I
go unto the Father.- For my Father is greater than
offended Hiin : or whether. He ftiould fend an angel before
them, to conduft them. God faid to Mofes : I ivill f. d
an angel before thee. And added •.'For I ivill not go up in the-
midft of thee .- for ihou art aftiffnecked people : lejt I confum-e
theein theujay. Ex. xxxii i. . . j;. Upon> the prayer and
interceffion of Mofes, God is pleated, to promiie, dx&t his-
-Srefence fliould go with him. The promife muft, be under
ftood neceffarily, in cppofition to the foregoing threatening,
that God would not go up in the midft of them, but that he-'
would fend an angel before them."
" The prefence of God therefore in this place muft be'
auTos.o &eo5 ... as the' Seventy juftly render it : and that
in direft oppofition to an hngel in his name an4 ftead."
Mr. Mtfes'Loivmuai. in his, TraUs, /.- 38, jg.. See alfoJ
r- 31- '

4.0 yf L-E -f T £ R
/. Which I fuppofe to be faid of our Lord/ dU
man. Nor am I fingular therein. The fame is faid by
Auguftin, whom I fhall write out for your ufeJ
Non refte cogitas, quem locum in rebus habeat
humana natura, quas condita eft ad imagined
Dei. Majores angeli dici poffunt. homine,. quia
majores funt hominis corpore : majores funt eC
animo, fed in forma, quam peccati originalls
merito corruptibile aggravat corpus. Natura vero
humana, qualem naturam Chriftus humanas
mentis affumfit, quse nullo peccato potuit de-
pravari, Deus folus eft major .... Natura vero
hominis, quse mente rationali et intelleftuali
creaturas ceteras antecedit, Deus folus eft major :
cui utique injuria faft a non eft, ubi fcriptum eft.
Major eft Deus corde noftro. i Joh. iii. 20. . Fi
lius ergo Dei ful'ceptum hominem levaturus ad
Patrem, quando dicebat. Si diligeretis me, gau-
d,eretis utique, quia vado ad Patrem, quia Pater
major me eft, Joh. xiv. 28. non carni fuse folum,
fed etiam menti, quam gerebat, humanse, De
um Patrem utque prseferebat. Aug. Contr.
Mciximin. Arian, I. 2. cap. xxv. tom. 8.
Dr. Whitby's Paraphrafe of Mark xiii. 32. is
thus ; " Neither the Son, who has the Spirit
without meafure, but the Father only,"
What 1 have been arguing for, was the fenti-'
ment of the Nazarene Chriftians. Nor do I think
it can be made appear, that any Jews, who were
believers, had any other idea of our Saviour :
excepting thofe called Ebionites, or fome of them,
who were extremely miflaken in fuppofing that
Jefas was the fon of Jofeph and Mary [20].
The
f2o] Athannfiis f.'.ys, *¦' That nhe Jews of that time be
ing in an eri.ar,, ar.l thinking that the ex-peded Mefliah- .
would-

on she Logos. 41
The notion of an inferior deity, pre-exifting,
and then incarnate, feems to have been brought
into the Church by fome of the learned converts from
would be a mere man, of the feed of Da<vid . , . for that
reafon the bleffed Apoftles in great wifdom firft inftrufteil
the Jews in the things concerning our Saviour's hvliiianity.^*
i>e Sentent. Dionyfii, n. 8. />. 248. CD.
' Chryfoftom, at the beginning of his fourth homily upont
St. Jo'bn^B Gofpel, fays : " The other Evangelifts having
' chiefly infifted upon o-ur Saviour's humanity, there was
danger, left his eternal generation ftiould have been neg-
lefted Jjy fome: and men might have been of the fame
opinion with /"«»/ ^ 5«aro/2i/a, if Jfo^iH had aot writ." In
Joh. hom. 4. tom. &. p. 27, A. B. Bened,
. in his firft homily upon the Afts he expreffeth himfelf
again to this purpofe; " In the difcourfes ofthe Apoftles,
recorded in this book, little is faid about Chrift's divinity.
j^ut they difcourfe chiefly ofhis humanity, and pa.ffiori, and
refurreftion, and afcenfion : becaufe his vefurreftion and
•afcenfion to Heaven were the points neceffary to be provel
and believed at that time. In Aa. Ap. bom. i. tam. 3.
p. 3. ^. ^
Auguftist, m one of his Sermons, fays, " Peter and the
Other Apoftles have writ of our Lord, but it is chiefly con
cerning his humanity." Again, " Peter fays little of our
Lord's divinity in his Epiftles," but John enlarges upon
that fabjeftin his Gofpel: ijuoniam Petriis fcripfit deDo-
jnino, fcripferunt et alii; fed fcriptura eorum .ma^.s circa
htipianitatem Domini eft occupata. . . . Sed de divitiitatc
Chrifti in literis Petri aliquid: £al. non aliquid:] iaEvan-
gelio a-utem Joannis multum -emiaet. Serm. 2J3. cap. 4.
tom. 5. And in his Confeffions he informs us, that /or a
great while he was of opinion , that Jefus was a xrtoft wife
and excellent man, miraculoufly born of a virgin, and fent
foy God, with a high commifiion, to give us an example of
iftedfaft virtQe,'amidft the temptations of this world, ahd to
iaftfuft us in the way, how we might obtain everlaftiiig fal
vation. Ego Vero aliud putabam, tantumque fentiebam
de Domino Chrifto meo, quantum de excellentis fapientise
Vi."0, cui nullus poffet squari : prj^fertim quia mirabilitef
Jiatus ex virgitie, ad exemplum contemnendonim tempora-
lium pro Sfidipifcenda immortalitate, divina pro nobis cura
Santam .auftorita-tem magifterii meruiffe videbatur. Conf.
' ' ^ ^^'
G

42

A Letter

from Heathenifm, who had not thoroughly aban
doned, the prinfciples in which they had been
educated. Perhaps likewife, they hoped, by this
means, to reruder the dodrine of Chrift more pa
latable to Heathen people, efpecially their philo-
fophers. Moreover, the Chriftians of the fecond
century, and afterwards, were too averfe' to all
Jews in general, and even to the believers from
among that people. The Apoftle Paul had feeii
a temper of pride and infolence fpringing up ill
the Gentile Chriftians, in his own time : qr he
would not have delivered that caution, which
we find in Rom. xi, 17 . . 24. [21 J. Thus
/. 7. t. 19. a. 25. Ego autem aliquanto pofterius didiciffe
me fateor .... quomodo catholica Veritas a Photini falfitate
dirimatur. Ibid. But upon reading the works of fome
Platonic philofophers, which were put into his hands, he
altered his opinion. Et primo volens oftendere mihi . . .
quod Verbum tuum caro faftum eft, et habitavtt inter ho
mines, procurafti mihi per quemdam hominem immaniflima
Typho turgidum, quofdam Flatpnicorum libros ex Graeca
lingua in Latinam verfos : et ibi legi, non quidem his ver
bis, fed hoc idem omnino multis et multiplicibus fuaderi
rationibus, quod in principio erat Verbum, &c. Ibid. c. g.
n, X3. Vid, et cap, 20; »; z6.
tzt] " I take this breach of communion, correfpondence,
and communication, between the Jewiih Chriftians, that
jled from Jerufalem into the Eaft, and the Gentile Chrif
tians, (which breach continued till the former were totally
deftroyed or diffipated), to have been a great mifmanage-
ment, and the greateft mi.sfortune that ever befel the Chri-
tian Church. ... St. Paul laboured with all his mightj
aim, and ftudy, to keep up union, communion, andfrien,d-
fliip, between thefe two bodies of Chriftians. And he did
with great difiiculty preferve it, ih fome good meafure, as
Jong as he lived. . . . Epiphanius had fome knowledge bf
-thdfe of the Jewifli Chriftians, which remained to his time,
that is, 370. .whom the Gentile Chriftians then called Naz,a'
renes. And he ftiles them heretics, for no other reafon,
that I can perceive, but that they, together with their
Chriftiati

on the Logos, ^ 43
Thus far I have purfued my own thoughts,
without confulting any other writer at all, or very
flightly, except in thofe places where I have ex
prefsly faid fo. Bilt I all along intended, before
I finiftied, to obferve a part of what is faid by
Dr. Clarke in his Scripture-Do5irine ofthe Trinity.
Which I have now done. And I cannot forbear
faying, that his interpretations of texts are gene
rally falfe, ariftng, as from fome other caules, fb
particularly, from an averfion to Sabellian, or So.-'
cinian fenfes : fome of which may be abfOrd, and
unnatural. But I much prefer Grotius\ inter
pretations, upon the comparifon, above Dr.
Clarke's. So far as I am able to judge, Grotius
explains texts better than the profefled Socinians.
The reafon may be, that he had more learning,
and particularly, was better acquainted with the
Jewifh ftile. But I am apt to think, that their
latfer writers have borrowed from him, and im-.
proved by him.
However, this is faid very, much in the way'
of conjefture. For I muft acknowledge, that I
have not been greatly converfant with the writers
of that denomination. I have never read Crellius
de uno Deo Patre : tl]_ough I believe it to be a very
good book. There is alfo, in our own langi^age,
^ Cplleftion of Unitarian Trafts^ in two or three
G 2 ' quartoes.
Chriftian faith, "continued the ufe of circumcifion, and of
the Jewifti law. Which is a thing that ;St. Paul never
blamed in a Jewifti Chriftian, though in the Gentile Chrif
tians he did." Dr. William Wall, in the Prfface to his Notes
on the O, T. p. i\. 12. ' ¦ •
That is a melancholy obfervatiop.' I^pt us endeavour to
repair the damage here bewailed, by diligently ftudying,
andrefolutely adhering to the doftrine of Chrift's Apoftjet,
as contained in the books of the New Teftament : where
in, I verily believe, are delivered alj the truths of reli^ioij»
and in fuiEcient perfpicuity, if we will but attend.

44

A t K T T E R

qitartoes. But I am not aGquainte<I with yc.
Nor can I remember that I ever looked into it,
I have formed my fentiments upon the Scrip
tures, and by reading fuch commentators chiefly
as are in the beft repute. I may sdd, that the
reading ofthe ancient writers of the Church has
been of vtfe to confi^rm me, and to affift me in
dearing up difficulties.
I obferve then, that many ofthe texts in Dr.
Clarke's p. i. ch. ii. fedt. 3. concerning tht higheft,
titles given to Chrift, inftead of proving his
opinion, are inconfiftent with it, and confirm that
for v/hich I argue. Yea they prove it, and agree
with no other r fuch as, the Father is in me, and
I in him. : He that feeth me, feeth him that fent me:
If ye had known me, ye would have known the Fai
ther alfo, : I in the Father,, ayidyou in me, and I in
you : He that hafeth me, hateth my Father alfo : All
things that the Father bath, are mine, &c. &c.
Script. Do^r. ch. ii. feft. 3. numb. 616. p. 114.
115^ is a quotauonfrom Juftin Martyr. " The
Jews, faith he, are juftly reproved for imagining,
that the Father of all things fpake to Mofes, when,
indeed, it was the Son of God, who is called
the Angel, and the Meflenger of the Father."
Again, afterwards, from the fame Juftin : " Yet
it was nbt God, the Creator of the univerfe,
which then faid to Mofes, that he was the God
ef Abraham,: and the God of Ifaac, and the Ged of
Jacob." ¦ ¦ '
This appears to m,e very ftrange, that the
Jews ftiould not know, who was their God, an(^
delivered the law by Mofes. And I cannot help
wondering, that any learned men of our times
fhould pay any regard to fuch obfervations as
thefe. Is it not better to fay,"that Juftin was mif-
taken, than that the Jewifti people were miftaken, iii

cn the Ij o G o s. 45
in fqdi. a thing as this ? For Juftin was a convert
frqm Heathenifm, and had been a philo-fopher^
and brought along with him many prej.udices,
which might hinder his rightly underftanding the
Old Teftament.
That God, who fpake to Mofes, and brought
tbe people of Ifrael out of Egypt, is the Creator
of the univerfe, is manifeft. Ex. xx. i. 2. 3.
And God fpake all thefe words, faying : -I am the
Lord thy God, which brought thee out of the land
cf Egypt. Thou fialt have no other gods before
me, Ver. 10. 11. Brut the feventh day is the fab-
bath of Jehovah, thy God . . For infix days' Je^
hovah made heaven, and earth, the fea, and all that
in them is. If xl. 27. 28. Why fay eft thou, 0 Ja
cob . . my way is hid from the Lord, and my judg
ment is paffed over from my God? Haft thou not
inown? hafi thou not, heard, that the ever laft ing
God, rhe Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth
not, nor is weary? See alfo ch. xiv, 1 1. 12. and
elfewhere. Neither our Saviour, nor his Apoftles, had any
debate with Jews upon this head : but plainly
fuppofe, /that they were right as to the objeft of
worfhip. Therefore our Lord fays to the wo
man oi Samaria, John iv. 22. Te worftipye knoij^
not -what. We know what^ we worftip. For falva
tion is of the Jews. John viii. 54. It is my Father
that honoureth me : of whom ye fay, that he is your
God. Afts iii. 13. The God of Ahraham, and of
Ifaac, ^andof Jqcok, the God of pur fathers^ has glo-
rijie-d his Son Jefus . . . V. 30. The God of our fa-.
tiers raifed up Jefus, whom yeftew, and hanged on a
'tree ? Are not thefe texts clear ? However, fee
likewife Matt. xi. 25. John xvii. throughput,
g^nd XX. 17. 21. Eph. iii. 14. ' Hebr. i. j, 2.
if John iv. 14,
¦ *' ' ¦ '¦¦ ¦ Mark

^6 yfLsTTER
Mark xii. 28. One of the Scribes came, and ajkei
Um, Which is the firft commandment of all? 29.
Jefus anfwer ed hirn : The firft of all the command-.
ments is : Hear, 0 Ifrael, the Lord our God is one
Lord. Deut. vi. 4. To which the Scribe affenr-
cd. And ver. 34. When Jefus faw that be an
fwer ed difcreetly, he faid unto him : Thou art not
far from the kingdom ofGod. All which fuppofeth,
that the Jews were not miftaken about the ob
jeft: of worfhip.
Once more. Our Lord's argument with the
Sadducees, in behalf of a refurreftion, taken front.
Ex. iii. 6. and recorded Matt, xxii, Mark xii.-
Luke XX. fuppofeth the God of Abraham, &c. to
be the one true God, who is not the Ged of the
dead, lut of the living. For all live unto him.
In fhort, if Juftin Martyr be in the right, it is-
not fufficient to fay, that the Jewiih people were
miftaken: but we muft fay, that the Old and
New Teftament, and the facred penmen of them,
and all who fpeak therein by infpiration, are
miftaken. Unqueftionably, God may make ufe of the
miniftry of angels, as well as of men. But it is
not the meffenger, who is God : but He, from
wliom he comes, and in whofe name he fpeaks.
I may fhew this by an inftance or- two. Gen.-
xxii. 15 . . 18. And the angel of the Lerd called
unto Ahraham out of heaven the fecond time, and
faid: By myfelf have I fworn, faith the Lord, that
becaufe thou haft done this thing, and haft not
withheld thy fon, thy only fon % in hleffing I will
llefs thee. Here is mentioned an angel. But he
is only God's meffenger, and God fpeaks by hitp.
Of this we are fully affured by an argument in the
Epiftle to the Hebrews, ch. vi. 13. J4. For when God

(9» the Logos. 47
God made promife to Abraham, becaufe he could
fwear by no greater, he fware by himfelf, faying:
Surely, . bleffmg I will hlefi thee, and multiplying I
will multiply thee.
For certain, therefore, this was the oath of
God Almighty, the one living and true God, and
the Creator of all things. For there was »»
greater than he. And that this was the one true
God, appearsj as from many other texts, fo par^
ticularly from Pf cV; where the Pfalmift grate;^
fully Gommeniorates God's wonderful works, and
exprefsly mentions his rnmd£ii\nt(soi his cPvenant
with Abraham, and his oath unto Ifaac, ver. 9.
St. Stephen fpeaks of the Jews having received
thelaw by the difpqfition of angels, Afts vii. 54-
that is, by their miniftration under God^ the
fupreme Lawgiver, who at that time had the at-*
ifendance of a numerous hoft of his angels, Deut
jtxxiii. I. 2. Comp. Hebr. ii. 2. And, fays the
Pfalmift, very poetically, Pf. Ixviii. 17. Tke cha
riots of God are twenty thoufand, even thoufands cf
thoufands. The Lord is among them, in his holy,
place, as in Sinai. And fee If xxxiii. 22.
I muft take fome other things from the above
mentioned learned writer.
Script. JDoSr. ch. ii. feft. 3. numb. 5^6.
"^ John iii. 13. No man hath afcended up to hea
ven, but he that came down from heaven, even tbe
Son of mani, which is in heaven: The meaning is
explained ch. i. 18. No man hath feen God at any
time. The only-begotten Son, which is in the bofom
'of the Father, he has declared him.'' Excellently
well, in my opinion. That is the whole of Dr.
Clarke's note upon that text.
Script. DoSlr. n. 58o.*p. 96. Johh v. 18. Bm
faid alfo, that God wds bis Father, making himfelf
efial mth God. Here Dr. Clarke fpeaks to this
purpofe.

4S ^Letter
purpofe. *' AQliming to himfelf the power and
authority of God. It is the fame acculation with
that other, ch. x. 33. Weftonethee . . . for blaf-
pherhy, and becaufe that thou, heing a man^ makeft
thyfelf God. And Mark ii. 7. Why does this man
thus fpeak hlafphemy? Who can forgivt fins, but
God only 'i The Jews, it is evident, did not, by
thefe expreflions, mean to charge Jefus with
affirming himfelf to be the fupreme, felf-exiftent,
independent Deity : nay, not fo much as with
taking upon him to be a divine perfon at alt ;
but only with affuming to himfelf the power and
authority ofGod." So far is not amils, in my^
opinion. What follows there, I leave to thofe
who may like it.
Script. Do5tr. n. 645. p. 124. Col. ii. 9. For
in him dwelleih all ihe fulnefs of the GodheaJ, bodily.
The note is this : " Ch. i. 19. It pleafed the Fd^
ther, that in him Jhould all fulnefs d'&elL And
John xiv. 1 o. The Father that dweUeth in ¦Me,' he
dees the works." Excellently well, according to
my apprehenfion.
This will lead me to proceed fomewhat farther,
and to confider fome other texts, before I con
clude. Rom. i. 3. 4. Concerning his Son, Jefus Chrifti
our Lord, who was of tbe feed of David accordir.g
to the flefh, and declared to be the Son of God wiA
power, according to the fpirit of holinefs, by thi
refurreSiion from the dead.
Here are two things, firft.^ that Jefus 'was made
of the feed of David : fecondly, that he was declared
te be the Son of God by the refurreSiion from thi
dead. Both which may be illuftrated by corp*
paring other texts.
How this text is explained by thofe, who fa
vour t-he Arian hypottefis, of the Logos fuppty- ins

on ihe L b o o S. 49
>fig' the 'place of a human foul in the perfoiT of
Jefus, may be feen in divers writers [22]. I ftiall
^ explain it as I am able, without atremptirig a
particular confLitation of any.
Firft, wbo wai made of the feed of t)avid, ac-
corddrig'to tbeflefi. That phrafe, According to the
flejh, is in feVef al Other texts : fome of which may
be obferved. Afts il. 36. Therefore heiitg a pro
phet, and knowing th&t God had fworn with an
oath to him, ' that of the fruit of his loins, accord
ing to the flejh, he would raife up Chrift to fit on his
throne . . Rom. ix. 3. , For I coidd wift:!, that my
felf were accurfed fi-om Chrift, for my brethren, my
kinfmen, according to the flefh ; . 5, Whofe are the
Fathers, and of whom, as concerning thefleft}, Chrift
came. And fee 2 Cor. v. 16.
¦ Secondly,; it is added : and declared to he the Son
cf God, with povoe'r, according to the Spirit oj holi-
nefs, by the refurreSfioh from the dead.
There are feveral texts to be obferved here.
Afts ii. 32. This Jefus hath God raifed up, -ivhereof
we all are witneffes . . ^6. Therefore let all the houfe
vf Ifrael know affuredly, that God hath- made thai
fame JeJus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and
Chrift. Jefus was, and had been declared to be
the Chrift, the Son ofGod, whilft hewas hereon
earrh. But this was more fully manifefted. by his
refurreftion, and the confequent effufion ot the
.Holy Ghoft upon the Apoftles, and others. Ses
Afts xiii. 33. and Hebr. v, 5. And our Lord
himfelf had mentioned this to the Jews, as ths
Sigti, the moft decifive, and deirionftracive evi
dence, that he was indeed the Meffiah, as he had
faid. See Matt. xii. 38 . . . 40. xvi; i . . 5,
Luke
[22] See the Paraphrafes of Mr; ^ocie and Dr. Taylor.
H

5-0

A Letter

Luke xi.- 2,9, 30. ,,John ii. 18, 19. iii. 14., viii.
28.- xii. 32:' , ,.,
Now therefore we may explain, and parapnrafe
this textj' after this manner: " Concerning his
Son,' Jefus Chrift, our Lord, who, with regard
to the external circumftances of his nativity intq
thi^'wprldj v/as of . the famijy and lineage of
David, from whom God had promifed the Mef
fiah Ihould defcend. And wjth regard to the
Spirit ofholinefs, or the Divine energy and influ
ence, by which, he had been conceived jn the
womb, and by M'hich he was fanftified to his
high office, ,an,^ by, which he wrought the greateft
miracles, he wa$ the Son of God,, and was knowa
to be fo. But. was moft fully" and folemnly con
ftituted, and 'declared tb be the Son of God, |Dy;
that wonderful demonftration of the divine powef,
his refurreftion from the dead."
Nor is it. eafy to ,avoid recbllefting here, in:
what terms- St. Paul fpeaks of the ppwer which
God exerted in raifing Chrift from the. dead,, and
exalting him to that dominion which was the
confequence of his: refurreftion. Eph. i. 1-9 , . ,
23.- I fhall tranfcribe below [23J a part ©f Gro-
,j ' tius'9
,[23] Sed fenfum difficiliorem efEcit curtata loentio,
^uam evolvere eonabimur. ¦'Jefus Filius Dei multis modis-
dicitur : maxime populariter, ideo "quod a Deo eveftu-s eft,
quo fenfu verba Pfalmi ii. .de Davide difta, cum ad regnum.
pervenit, Chrifto aptantur. . Aft. xiii.. 33... et ad Hebr.,, i.
5. V. 5. Hasc autem Filii' ku regia dignitas Jefu prsdefti-
nabatur, et prsfigurabatur, jam tum cum mortalem agens-
vitam magna Ula figna et prodigia ederet . . . Haec figna
edebat Jefus per Spiritum ilium, fanBitatis, id eft, 'vim d'lui-
nam, per quam ab initio conceptionis fanftificatus fuerat.
Luc. i. 35 . . . Oftenditur ergo Jefus nobilis e.x materna
parte utpote ex Rege terreno onus, fed nobilior ex pa-.-
terna parte, quippe a.J5eo faftus Rfi.x ccsleftis poft refurrec-, tionem-ii.

cn ^the L o o- o s. SI
Jius*s Annotations u^on this text, and 'refer' to
others [24].. ' • . . . ., .
_ Eph. iii. 9. And, to .make all men fee, what is
ihe fellow/hip of 'the myftery, 'which- from ihe he-
ginning of the world has been hid iU God, who
created all things by Jefus Chrift.
Here it may be obferved, in tVit firft place', that'
thofe words, hy Jefus Chrift, are .by fome learned'
men fufpefted to be an interpolation {25].
But, fecondly, allowing them to be genuine, it
is, to be obferved; that many learned men are of
opinion, that St. Paul is here fpeaking of the'
•liew creation. So 'fays Grotius. ¦ Omnia Chriftus
fecit- nova, i Cor. v. ty. EtHivinipr h^e cre
atio, quam prior iUa. And you very- well know
Mr. Locke's Paraphrafe, which is this : " Who
Jframes and manages this whole' new -creation bv
Jefus Chrift." And he has endeavoured, in a
Jong note, to fupport that Paraphrafe. This
likewiie is the fenfe of Calvin : ^i omnia creavit
per Chriftum.. Non tam de prima creadone inter-
pretari licet, quam de inftauratione fpiritualL
Tametfi enim verum eft illud. Verb© Dei creaj%
efle omnia, quemadmodum tot locis habetiir :
circumftantia tameri loei poftulat, wt de renova-
tione intellig'amus, quae •continetur in beneficio
redenitionis. ' Beaufobre likewife has a yitxj valu-
¦ H 2 able
tione'm. Heb. v. 9. Aft. ii. 30. at xxvi. 2, 3. Grot.
Anngt. ad Rom.\, A..
[24] V^id, Limborch^ Comment, in Rom. i, 3. 4> et Enjedini
Explicat.-P". et N. Teft.p. 258, . . . 264., , .
[25] Ata TS iixra' ;(ji»T«] Deeft in Alexatldr; Vulg. Syr.'
. • . Et quidem, cum vix fieri poffit, ut^exemplaribus anti-
iquiffimis exeiderint, fcribarum- feu fraude, five incuria,
verba tam infignia, prsfertim ante tempora Arii.; adjefta
hoc loco crediderim, interpretamenti gratia, exilic Apo-
' #8}i. Col. i. 16.. Mill, in loc. Fid, it .Bez. in lo.c.

52 A L I r r :Sf ^
ajsle note upon this text. But being fomewhat
prolix, I only refer you to it.
2 Cor, iv. 4. Chrift is ftiled the image of God,
Of ifi'j si-A-av rn 6ss. Upon which, Whitby's note is
to this purpofe : " Chrift feems here to be ftiled
the image of Goe], not in the fenfe of Theodarety
as being Ccd of Cod, but rather, as the text in-
finuates, with relauon, to the Gofpel, and his
mediatory office ; in which he has given us many
glorious demonftrations of the power, the wif
dom, the holinefs, purity and juftice, the mercy,
goodnefs, and philanthropy of Qod. Tit. iii, 4."
Beza's note upon the place is to the like purr
pofe. Id pft, in quo feipfum perfpique confpi-
ciendum prgebet Deus, ut ; Tim, iii. 16. Ne^
que enim Dei imaginem nunc vqpat Paulus
Chriftum alio quam officii ipfius refppftu : ut,
licet vera, tamen fint aypaffiJtoiiyff-ai, quse nonnuUi
ex veteribu? hop loco -arspi ts ofAosoiia deferueriint.
So that 1 need not here appeal to Grotius,
. ^ Col. i. 1 5. Who is the image of the invifible Gad.
Mr. Peirce's note is in thefe very words : " The
Father alone is reprefented in the New Teftament,
as the invifible God. See John i. 1 8. v. 37. yi, 46.
I Tim. i. 17. vi. 16. Hebr. xi. %y. i John iv.
12. 20. Chrift is never reprefented as invifible.
It might fee.ai ftrange if he fhould, fince he
actually, took vipon him flefh, and appearedj and
was feen in the world. Which are things the
nature of. the Father cannot poffibiy admit.
His being called the image of God, in this place,
and % Cor. iv. 4. implies his being vifible, arid
that the perfeftions ofGod do moft eminently
iliine forth 'in him." So

m the Logo s. 53
So wf ites yir,' Peirce. And by Chrift he feems
to mean the Logos, or Chrift .in his pre-exiftent
Gate, before he came into this world. Which
iippears to me not a little ftrange. God, the
Father, unqueftionably is invifible. So I think,
^re the Logos, in the Arian fenfe of that term,
and alfo angels, and the fouls of men, and all
beings, which we call fpirits. None of them are
vifible to our, bodily eyes.
-Therefore, Chrift's • being the image of God-
muft be underftood of his afting in this worid.
God is invifible in his nature and efTehce. But
he c?in manifeft himfelf, and make known to us
his mind and will, by thofe, whom he fends a.';
his minifters. This appears to me very plain
and pvident from John xiv.^ 8 . . 11. Philip faith
unlo him : Lord, fhew us' the Father, and it fufficeth
us. What, now, is the anfwer, which our Lord
makes to that difciple ? Does he reprehend him,
as afking an impoffibility ? No. His anfwer is
this. Jefus faith unto him: Have I been' fo long
time with you, and yet haft thou not Mown me,
Philip? He that hcith feen me., hath feen the -Fa
ther. And how fayeff thou. Shew us the Father I
See what follows, and ver. 7.
I think, that /ri.'«.<*'Kj fays the fame that I have,
juft now done. Beati mundo corde, quoyiiam ipfi
videbunt Deum. Sed fecundum mas-nitudtnem,
quidem ejus, etmirabiiem gloriam, nemo videbit
Deum, et vivet. Ex. xxxiii. 20. Incapabilisenim
Pater. Secundum autem dileftionem et huma-
nitatem, et qupd omnia poffit, etiam hoc conce-
4it iis qui .fe diligunt, id eft, videre Deum. . . ,,
Homo etenim a fc non videt Deum. Ille autem
volens videtur hominibus, qiiibus vult, et quando
vult, et quemadmodum vult. Potens eft enim in
omnibus Deus : vifus.. quidem tunc per fpiritum - pro-

^^ .jf L E T . T E R ¦•"-•
prophetic, vifus autem et per Filium adoptive.
Videbitur autem et in regno ccelorum paternaliter.
Iren. I. 4. cap. 20. al. o,y. n. 5. p. 154, [26 j*
So likewife, when Chrift is called the image of
Ged, in 2 Cor. iv. 4. the place before cited, the
meaning is, that he was fo in this world. This
I think to be exceeding evident from the con
text, which ftiall be now recited more at large :
. . . left the light of the glorious Gofpel of Chrift,
tjobo is the image ofGod, fhould fhifit unto them . . .
For Ged, who commanded the light to jhine out of
darknefs, hath ftined in our hearts, to give the
light of the knowledge of the glory of God, in the
face or perfon of Jefus Chrift.
It follows in the fame Col. i. 15. B^o is the
firft-born of every creature : or rather, as feems to
me, of the whole creation, -srpuTOToaof ¦nriis.a-H? -KTirsaf :
that is, he is the chief, the moft excellent of the
whole creation. Pelagius fays, it is to be under
ftood of Chrift in regard to- his humanity. He
is the firft, not in time,, but in dignity. So it is
faid : Ifrael is my firft-born. Primogenitus fe
cundum aftlimpti hoininis.formam, non tempore,
fed honore, juxta illud : Filius meus primogeni-,
tus Ifrael. . Pelag. in loc. Ap. Hieron. tom. v.
p. 1070.
Grotius underftands it of the new creation.
He refers to 2 Cor. v. \y. Rev. xxi. 5. Heb. ii. 5.
To
[26] I" r muft tranfcribe Grotius here, ^i eft imago
Dci in-vifihlis. Dei inafpefti alpeftabilis imago. • Ita enim
Latini loquuntur. Idem fenfus 2 Cor. iv. 4. et i Tim.
iii. 16. Heb. i. 3. Adam imago Dei fuit, fed valde tenuis, •
Ih Chrifto perfeftiffime apparuit, quam Dens eflet fapiens,,
ptotens, bonus. Sic in aqua folem corifpicinlus. Aliud
imago, aliud umbra, qualis in Lege. Heb. x. j. Grot, aa
Cai, i. 15.

en the Locos* 5$
I
To which, perhaps, might have been ¦ added,
Hebr, xii, 23, the church of the f.rft-born, whofe'
names are written in heaven [^27}. He likewife.
fays, that, in the facred fcriptures, the firft-born
fometimes denotes the ereateft or higheft.- And
refers to Pf. Ixxxix. 27. Jer. xxxi. 9. Primus;:
in creatione, , nova fcilicet, de qua 2 Cor. v. 17-
. ,. Primogenitu-m Hebr£eis dicitur et quod pri
mum, et quod fummum eft in quoqlie gonere.
For the explication of what .follows : I mean
Col, i. 16 . . 20. I beg leave to refer you t*
Grotius. Hebr. i. 1. 2. God, who at fundry times, and
in divers manners, fpake in time paft unto the Fa
thers by ox in tlae Prophets, hath in thefe laft days
fpoken unto us by or in his Son, the promi-fed Mef
fiah : ._ . DI. tw; -srpoifniTai,? . . ,sv uiw. Whom he haS:-
appointed heir of all things. By whom alfo he made--
ihe worlds. Grotius thinks, that the Grc'-k phrafe-
m^y be rendered /or whom.. Which is very luii-i
able to the coherence, it having been before I'aid,.
that he was appointed heir, or lord of all things.
Videtur A » hic refte accipi poffe pro & ov, prop-^-
ter quem. Ideo autern hffic interpretatio'-i hoe
loco ;m.axime mihi fe probat, quia ad Hebrseos-
-feribens videtur refpicere aiddiftum vetus He^-
brsorum, propter Meffiam conditum effe mun-v
dum .[28]. Ver,
[27] "- By Chrift we are all called-to be the firft -hem,.
that is, to be all halloiued, and to be called God's peculiar,
as were the ^/fr/^-i^or?/,. before the Le-vites were taken in
their ftead."' Dr. Sykes vpon Hehr. .xii..' 2.3.
[2,-8-] Moreover, it might be obferved, " 'PKatDr. Syles
fays, the wprd «iw>:£?, which w.e render ivorlds, does not'
fignify the hea<vens, and the earth, and all things that are in.
them: but it means, he fays, properly, fl^f.f, at certain pe
riods of time, in vvhich fuch or fuch things were done. Such
were the'Batriarchal,, that ofthe Law, that of the-M-effiah,.- that '¦

£6 yfLETTER
Ver. 3. Whe being the brightnefs of his glory i
and the exprefs image ef his perfon. That ex
preffeth the glory of Jefus Chrift in this world.'
He is the refulgence ofthe Father's glory, which
lhone«pon him, and was feen in him. In him
appeared the wifdom, the power, the truth, the
holinefs, the goodnefs, the mercifulnefs of God.
It is much the fame as the form of Ged, Philip.
ii. 6. Says Grotius, 0? wv o:7r«uyao-p« rtif Ja^nj
, . . Repercufllis divins majeftads, qualis eft
in nube, qus dicitur -arapiiXicf . . . Majeftas di
vina, cum per fe confpici nequeat, cernitur in
Chrifto, ficut fol, quem direfte oculi ndftri in
tueri nequeunt, cernitur in aqua, fpeculo, nube.
Vide 2 Cor. iv. 4. Col. i. 15. K«i p(;i5f»xfr)j mf
bTrps-affSMf auT8 . . . T-rrorainf hic non Ita fumitUTj
quomodo Platonici, et poft Originem ex Plato-
nicis Chriftiani, fumpfere, ... Ita potentia, juf-
titia, Veritas in Deo Chrifti Patre funr primario,
in Chrifto vero fecundario, fed ita ut nobis in
Chrifto ea evidenter appareant. Joh. xiv. 9.
The fame ver. 3, and upholding all things hythe
word of his power. This muft relate to our Sa
viour's tranfaftions in this world, becaufe it pre
cedes the mention of his death, which follows
next. I have looked into Brenius, who fays the
fame. And I fhall tranfcribe him, as it is likely
you have him not with you. Cumque omnia
potenti fuo jufTu in terris ferret. $£pj(K hic, ut
interpretcs nonnuUi refte annotant, potius figni ficat
that of the Antediluvians. . . . Thefe were properly ai«»£f.
ages." Admit, then, the interpretation of Grotius, It »,
to be yor whom, and we have a moft apt and beautiful
fenfe; which is this: " For luhom alfo, or for 'luhofe fake
aljo ; or in refpeft to whom, he difpofed and ordered the
ages : that is, the antcdiluviin, the patriarchal, the legal
ags3, or periods, .i.r.'^", pj.l th: divic" difpenfations toward*
she I'or.s of •i-.e-^."'

cn tbe Log C s. 57
ficat agisrcj five moderari, et gubernarej quam
portai-e aut ferre ! nifi ferendi aut portandi ver-
bum-hoc fenfu accipiatur, et metaphorice defignet
Chriftum etiam in terris munus fuu\ti admini-
ftraiitem, omnia ad regni. coekftis in terris dif-
penfationem .pertinentia, velut humeris fuis por-
taffe. Conf. If. ix. ,6. .
To the. fame purpofe likewife Limhor'ch, whom
I fhall tranfcribe alfo in part. Sic vide.mu?
Domini Jefu potently omnia fuiffe fubjefta^ ejuf-.
que miracula fuiffe univerfalia in totam natiiram j
nullamque fuilTe creaturara, quin imperium ipfius
agnoverit . . (Quibus omnibus prseconii fui divi
nitatem adftruxitj feque a Deo Patre fuo efle
miffum probavit. Quse omnia folo juffu efficere^
vere divinum eft. Et qui id facit quafi imago
Dei eft, potentiamque divinam in fe refidere
oftendit. Herebyj then, is reprefented ,the power refiding
in Jefus, whereby he wrought the greateft mir
racies, whenever he pleafed, by an effeft nal, all-'
commanding word, .liealing dife'afesj raifirig the
dead, .rebuking ftormy winds and wavesj and
they fubfidcd,. multiplying provifions . in- deferc
places, caufing afifh to bring a ftater for the
tribute-money to be paid to the temple^ for him-
felfj . and the difftiple at whofe hoiife he was en
tertained, . .
It follows in the fame verfey wh'en he had ly ^
hinifelf '.purged, cur fins i fat down,cn the right-hand
of the.majefty on high. Which laft words include
our Lord's refurreftion from the dead, and hi?
afcenfion to .heaven^ and ther^ fitting on the
right-hand of the Father. Upoh~ which th^
.Apoftle .farther enlargeth:
Ver. 4. 5. Being made fo inuch better than the
'.angels, as.he has. by .inheritance obtained a more ex-
I " celleni

^g ./^Letter
cellent name than they. For unto which of the an
gels faid he at any time. Thou art my Son, this
day have I begotten thee? See 2 Sam. vii. 14.
Pf. ii. 7. Ixxxix. 26. 27.
Ver. 6. And again, when he bringeth in the
firft-hegott-en into the voorld, he faith : And let all
the angels of God worftip him..
Mr. Peirce's paraphrafe of ver. 6. is thus.
" So fai- is he from fpeaking in fuch a manner
of any ofthe angels,, that on the contrary, when
he brings again his firft-begotten into the worlds
raifing him from the dead,, he fays : And let all
the ajngels of God be fubjeft to him." See i Pet.
Iii. 21. 22. .. hy the refurreSiion of Jefus Chrifi r
who is gone into heaven, and is on the right-hand
ef God; angels, and authorities, and powers, being
made fubjeSl unto bim-
Ver. 7. Ajjd of the angels he Jaith: Wh»
maketh his angels Jpirits,. and his minifters a flame
ef fire. Ver. 8. But unto the Son he Jaith, thy throne,
0 God, is for ever and ever : a Jceptre of righte
oufnefs is thefceptre of thy kingdom. Ver. 9. Thou
haft loved righteoufnefs, and hated iniquity j there
fore God, thy God, has anointed thee with the oil
ef gladnefs above thy fellows.
But unto the, Son he faith, (I think it fliould
be thus rendered :) But of the Son he Jaith : or
with regard to the Son,, he Jaith. For in the ori-.
ginal it is- the fame phrafe, which in the 7th
verfe we have tranflated, of the angels he Jaith.
So here : With regard to the Son„ be Jaith .- Thy
throfie, 0 God, is for ever and ever. The words
afe in Pf. xlv._6. Thy throne, 0 God, is fer ever
and ever. The fceptre of thy kingdom is a right
fceptre. The writer of this epiftle to the Hebrews
%'s : " And with, regard to the Son, or the
Meffiah^

on the L. o o o s. 59
Meffiah, God's throne is for ever and ever:"
that is, the kingdom of God, erefted by the
Meffiah, is to have no period. And this is ex
preffed in the words of the Pfalmift here quoted.
Comp. Luke i. 33. 34- So likewife Dan. ii. 44.
And in the days of thefe kings ft all the God of hea
ven fet up a kingdom, which ftoall never he de
ftroyed. And in Rev. xiv.. 6. the doftrine to be
preached to all nations is called the everlafting
-gojpd. Here I recolleft a paffage in Origen's books
againft Celfus,, who informs us, he had met witii
a Jew, efteemed a very learned man, *' who faid,
that thofe words, Thy throne, 0 God, is for ever
and ever: the Jceptre of thy kingdom is a- right
Jceptre : are addrefled to the God of the uniyerfe :
but the following words, thou loveft righteoufnefs,
and hateft iniquity : therefore God, thy God, haJh
•anointed thee with the oil of gladnefs above thy
fellows, are addreffed to the Meffiah." Kaj
fi,i{j,vri[ji,ai ¦ys isxvm S'MiJ/ac tok laJaioy, vo|'jci^OjKf!/ov ffo-
-pov, £)t ks^iuii; rocvlni;. 0< arfo; aul-nv xitopm, «5r£ t»
ru ea,vl-ts ns$aiicr[ji.u ohcoXkOw" ««¦« •STpof jwev -rrov tuv oXuv
^¦sov «p»i<r9«» T-o, 0 •S'poj/ftf (Ta o jsof es; tov a-niivx ris,
•aiMi/o?, paSiJof suSuJoiof n p'aSJo? t-»i; (SiwnABojf ca* -arpo?
Sl rov J^pi-fov TO, Ti^XTr'ncmi; St-vM-ioiS'uwnv, .y.eu (i/.i!Ti\irx%
Ci,vo[/.txv. Ai« thIo £j^pi«"£ (r£ 0 JEOf, 0 3'£0f (Ta, jcai t»
£^»if. Contr. Celf. I. i. p. 43. Cant. tom. i. />. 371.
Bened. Origen did not approve of that intei|>retation..
JBut to me it appears both very right, and very
valuable. Nor is it fo difficislt, but that it might
have been difcerned by a Chriftian ; were it not,
that we are ftrangely mifledby a great variety of
wrong notions which prevail amongft us.
' So again ver. 10. And thoui Lord, in the he-
pnning hafi laid the feundation of the earthy -and
¦ ¦ I 2 the

6o .//Letter
the heavens are the work of thy hands. 1 1. They
ftall perifh, but thou remaineft.- And they all ftall ,
wax old like a garrr.ent. 12. And' as a v eft ure,
faalt thou fold them up, and they ftall be changed.
But thou art the fame, and thy years ftall not fail.
Which v/ords are a quotation from Pf. cii. 25. 26.
27 . where they are addreffed, to God • And foXhey
are here. In order to preferve the connexion,
we are to fupply fome fuch words as thefe at the
beginning ofthe quotation. " And ofthe Son^
or with regard to the Son, or the Meffiah, the
Scripture faith :" And thou. Lord, . . . that is,
upon account of the difpenfation by the Meffiah,
which is to laft for ever, are applicable thofe
words : And thou. Lord, and what follows.
The Apoftle, the more effeftually to fecure
the ftedfaftnefs of the Jewifh believers, obferve^
to them fhe excellence, the importance, the
wide extent, and long duration of the divine
difpenfation by the Meffjah. The difpenfation
by Mofes was limited to one nation, and to a
certain period of time. But the difpenfation of
the Meffiah was to be an univerfal bleffing, and
to fubfift to the end of time. And to the king-:
dom of God by the Meffiah are fitly applicable
the texts cited in this place from the Old Teftar .
ment.
. In. a word, hereby .are fhewn the dignity and
excellence of the evangelical difpenfation, in that
higher expreffions are ufed concerning it, than
pan be applied to any other.
I think, I have above fhewn from Scripture,
.that Jefus Chrift was a man like vmto us, or
.halving a human foul, as well as a human body.
Nor have you any reafon upon that account to
fuTpeft nie of heterodoxy. I think myfelf therein
¦both a catholic, and a fcri>ptural Chriftian. It
' ' - has

en the 1^ Q c q s. ..6i

has been the general belief of the Church of
Chrift in all ages ; and the glory of the evan
gelical difpenfation depends upon it. In So
crates, the ecclefiaftical hift-orian, there is a chap
ter, where it is afferted, that this was the opi
nion of all the ancients in general, £^.>4^u;>^oj/ 7-01/
£i/a;/0pt<i,7r»i(r(xi/T«, oi Iren^eus, Clement- of Alexandria,
Apollinarius of Ilierapolis, Serapion. Bifliop of
Antioch, Origen, and others. Socrat. I. 3. cap,
viii. Conf. Theodoret. II. E. I. ^. cap. ix. et x.
I can eafily fhew it to have been the opinion
of fome later writers, who ha,ve always been in
great repute for their right faith.
Epiphanius expreffeth himfelf upon this fubjeft
yery particularly, and very emphatically. For
though our Saviour was not born in the ordi
nary way of human generation, oo-rro a:7repjji,oLTo;
i^vSpos, em -nv, he fays, he was perfeft man, and
was tempted like unto us, but without fm.
XloiivroCf y»a nXnai £!'"X£, Ta ¦mx-vra, £p(,wi/, <yccpx,oc, x»i
iiivpa, XflU ^\i6af, xai roc oi-KKa ¦ita.vroi. oaco £j-i" ^oyy\v
$'i fliAlfi'i'Wf, 'tai iS So>iin<rii' VW Ss x«i ra, -arccvrct, oirix,
tfiv IV rn »i/0pa7ryKr£i, p/wpif ap.apTia;, wj yiypcc-irrai
. . . Hebr. iv. 15. Her. 69. n. xxv.' j?. 750.
To the like- purpofe Jerome in feveral places,
jpore than need to be cited here.
. Quod autem infert : Homo in dolore, et fciens
ferre infirmitatem, five virum dolorum, et f cient em
infirmitatem, verum corpus' hominis, et veram
demonftrat ac^imam. Hieron in IJ. cap. ,liii.
i^om. iii. p. 383.
Quod fi oppofuerint nobis hi, qui Chriftum
negant humanam habuifte animam, fed in hu
mano corpore Deum fuiffe pro anima, audiant
in Chrifto fubftantiam animas demonftrari. Id.
in Amos, cap. vi. ib, p. 1427.
Quo4'

62 .</ L E T T E R, fcff.
Quod autem fpiritus accipiatur pro anima,
manifefte fignificat Salvatoris oratio : Pater, in
manus tuas commendo fpiritum meum. Neque
enim Jefus aut perverfum fpiritum, quod cogi
tare quoque nefas eft, aut Spiritum Sanftura,
qui ipfe Deus eft, Patri poterat commendare,
et non potius animam fuam, de qua dixerat:
Triftis eft anima mea ujque ad mortem. Matt.
'^xvi. 38. Id. in Abac. cap. ii. ib. p. 1618.
I fliall not tranfcribe here any thing from Au
guftin, but only refer you to one place in hiirv
Contr. Sermon. Arian. cap. ix. torn. 8. [29]
I fhall proceed no farther at this time. I need
not tell you, that the Unity ofGod is an import
ant article of natural religion. And after it has
been fo ftrongly afferted in the Jewifn revela
tion, and has been as clearly taught in die New
Teftament [30], it ought not to be given up by
Chriftians. If, PAPiNiAN, you will beftow a few thoughts
upon thefe papers, and fend me the refult of
them, without compliment, and without refent-
ment, you will oblige
PHILALETHES.

[29] That paffage may be J'en aho've, p. S". note [5].
[30] See Mark xii. 29. Matt. xix. ly. Mark x. 18.
John xvii. 3. Rom. xv. 6. xvi. 27. 1 Cor, viii. 5.
aCor. xi. 31. Eph. iv. 6. 1 Tim. ii. 5, vi. 15. 16. and
elfewhere.

[ 63 }

THE

FIRST POSTSCRIPT,

CONTAINING

-An Explication of thofe Words, the Spirit ,.
the Holy Spirit, and the Spirit oJ God, as
ufed in the Scriptures.
PHILALETHES, when he wrote the
foregoing Letter, had no occafion to pro
ceed any farther than he did. But now he thinks,^
that if he could rightly explain thofe words, the
Spirit, and the Holy Spirit, and the like, he fhould
do a real fervice to religion, and contribute ta
the underftanding of the Scriptures.
This Poftfcript will coafift of three feftions-
In the firft fhall be an argument, fhewing the
feveral acceptations of the words, the Spirit, and
tlie Holy Spirit. In the fecond feftion, fuch-
texts will be confidered, as may be fuppofed tO'
afford objeftions. In the third,, divers other texts*
will be explained.

SEC T..

6+ The Firft Poftfcript.

SECT. I.
N fhewing the* feveral acceptations
_ of thefe words in Scripture, I be- "j„e^f"
gin with a paffage of Maimonides ,
generally reckoned as learned and judicious a
writer as any of the Jewifh Rabbins.
" The [ I ] word Spirit, faj^s he, haf, feveral
fenfes. i. It fignifies the air, that is, one of

[t] Ruach vox eft homonyma. Significat enim, primo,
Aerera, hoc eft, unum ex quatuor elemeptis : nt Feruachj
ct Spiritus Domini incub'abat fv.per aquas. Gen. i. 2. De
inde, fignificat fpiritum flantem, h. e. ventum. Ut Veruach,
ct fpiritus (ventus) orientalis attulit locuftas. Ex. x. 13. Item,-
Ruach, fpiritus occidcntalis. lb. ver. 19. Et fie fspiiSme.
'Crtio, iumitur pro 'piritu vitali. Ut Ruach, fpiritus
'vitrc. Gcn.vi. 17. ^tario, fumitur de parte ilia hominis
incorruptibili, qua; fuperftcs remanet poft mortem. Ut
Vcri'.ach, et fpiritus hominis redit ad Deum, qui dedit eum.
Ecc. xii. 7. i^iinto, fignificat Influentiam Divinam, a Deo'
prophetis ini^illatam, cujus virtute prophetabant, quem
admodum explicaturi fumus, quando de prophetia age-
mus : cujus ratio quoque in hoc libro pertraftanda. Ef
feparabo, min ruach, de Jpiritii, qui eft in te, et ponam in eis.
Num. :d. 17. Et fuit, ci'm quie-vi/Ja fuper .eos haruach.yj>/-
ritus. ver. z6. Item, Ruach, fpiritus loquvtus eft in me.
¦2. Sam. xxiii. 2. S-xto, fignificat quoque propofitum, et
voluntatem. Ut Kol rucho, omne>n fpiritum fuum proferi
ftultus. Pf. xxix. II. hoc eft, omnem intentionem, volun
tatem fuam. Sic, Et cxhanrietur ruach fpiritus jSgypti in
.¦7tjdi:i ejus, et conf lium pj:-:s ahj'orbebo. If. xi.Y. 3. i. e. diffipabi-
tur propofitum ipfius, et gubel-natio ipfius abfcondetur.
Sic, ^is dir exit ruach Domini, et quis 'vir conftlii ejus, ut
indicare prj/it eum. If. xl. 13. hoc eft, Quis eft, qui fciat
ordinem voluntatis ejus, aut qui apprehendat et affequatur,
qua ratione lianc rerum univerfitatem gubeinet, et qui eum
judicare pofiet. Vides ergo, quod ha;c vox, ruach, quando
Deo attribuitur, ubique fumatur partim in quinta, parting
in fexta et ultima figni;'icatione, qu.^tenus voluntatem fig-

The Firft Poftfcript: 6$
<6f tHe four elements. And the Spirit of the
Lord moved up'dfi the face of the waters. Gen.
i. 2.
2. It i\gm?ie's wind: 'And 'the eaft-wind brought
the locufts. Ex. x. 13. Afterwards, ver. 19;
And th'e. Lord tikrned a rhighty ftrong iveft'^wind, .
which took away the lotufts. Artd in like manner
very often.
3- It is taken for the Vital breath. He remem
bered, that they xvere but fteft, a- wind, a fpirit,'
that'pdffeth atd'ay, andtom'eth not again. Pf. Ixxviii;
39. And, all fie ft, wherein is the "breath of Uf\'
Gen. vi. 17.
4. It -is taken Fo'r the iico'rr-Upti'ble part of man, ,
which furvives after death. And the Spirit fhall '
return to God, i^hogave it: Ect. xii. 7.
5. Ir fignifieS the DiT)ine Influence, ihfpiring
the pi'ophets, by virtue of ''^hich they prophe-^
.fied. I will take of the spirit, thai is Upon thee, and
will put it upon them. Numb. xi. 17. And the
Spirit .refied .upon. them. ver. 26., Tht Spirit of the
Lord fpake by me, and hi's word Was 'in rity 'tongue.
2 Sam. xxiii. 2;
6. It alfo figniflels defign; will, purpofe. A
fool uttereth all Ms mind, literally, fpirit. Prov.
xxix. 1 1 . And the Spirit 'of Egypt ftall fail in the-
midfi thereof, and I will deftroy the counfel thereof.
If xix. 3. Who has dire-Sled the Spint of, thi '
Lord, or being his 'counfel'l'or has taught him ? .
If. xl. 13. ¦ • It ¦
nificat. Eiponattir iii quoqlie .loco pro ratione rerum et
circumftantiarum. Rabbi Mcfts MaiHionidis liber More Ne-
¦vohim. Part i. cap. xl. , .
'Veritas et quidditas propjietiae nijiil aliud eft, quam iri-
fluentiaa D^eo Opt. Ma:e. m&diantc intelleftu,, agente fupef
fafcultatem' ratiorialem primo, deinde fuper ,faciiltaterii ima*
¦ ginariam influens. Id. Mo-re Ne^Mhi-m. P. t.' cap. 36:

65 The Firfi Peftjeript.
It is evident therefore, fays he, tKat the word
Spirit, when fpoken ofGod, is to be always un
derftood, either in the fifths or the fixth, and
laft acceptation of the word, according as the
coherence and circumftances of things direft."
This paffage of Maimonides, which I have
here tranfcribed at length, has been taken no
tice of by divers learned Chriftian writers [2].
My defign leads me to obferve thofe texts only
of the Old and New Teftament, where the word
Spirit is fpoken. oS God, or fuch other, as may-
tend to explain thofe texts.
And, firfi ef all, I think, that in many places*
the Spirit, or the Spirit of God, or the Holy Ghoft,
is equivalent to God himfelf.
The Spirit of a man is the fame as man,. Sq
the Spirit of God muft be the fame as God him
felf. I Cor. ii. II. What man knoweth the
things of a manj. JaVs the fpirit ef a man, that is:
in him ? Even Jo the things of God knoweth no man,,
[or no one] but tbe Spirit of God,
I Cor. xvi, 17- iS. / am glad of the coming of
Stephanas, and Fortunatus, and Achaicus . . .For
they have refrefted myjpirit, and yours : that is,
me and you. Or, as Mr. Locke paraphrafeth
the place : " For by the account, which they
have given me of you, they have quieted my
mind and yours too."
Gal. vi. 18. The grace efour Lerd Jefus. Chrift
he with your fpirit : that is, with you. 2 Tim.
iv.- 22, Tbe Lord JeJus Chrift he xvith thy Jpirity
or with thee.
Pf. cxxxix. Whither ftall Igo from thy Spirit ?
that is* from Thee, Or whither ftiall I flee frorn^ thy
[2] Seldert de Synedr. I. *. e. iv. afid iii.- iv. 5. Bafr.az,
Sxercifaiiones in Raron, p. 4„5.. '

'The Firft P'oftjcript, €j
$by prejenxe ? In like manner it is faid, with re-
.gard to Mofes, Pf cvi. 23- becaufe -they provoked
i'Wj^JiW?, meaning him..
If. Ixiii. IO. But tbey rebelled^ and v£xed his
Holy Spirit, Which in other texts is expreffed ih
this manner. Numb. xix. ii. And the Lord Jaid
unto Mofes : How, long will this people provoke
mei Pf Ixxviii. 56. Yet tbey tempted and pror
¦voked th.e Mcft High God, and kept not hit teft,iT
monies. Pf. xcv, 9. Wben yonr Jatherstem^pted me,
proved me, and Jaw my works.
Soul is a word refembling fpirit, and often
fignifies man, os perjem. Lev. iv. 2. If afoul ftall
Jin through ignora'nce . . . Afts ii. 41. And tbe
fame day were added to them ibree thoufand fouls^
So likewife ch, viL 14. and in very many other
.places, Kn^ my Joul is the fame as .^ or .myfdf. Gen.
xii. 13, And my foul Jh all live becaufe of tbee.
Ch. xix. 10. That my Joul may hlefs thee, before I
die. 2 Sam. iv. 9, As tbe Lord liveth, who has
redeemed my foul out of ali <adv'erjity. Job. x. i .
My Joul is weary , of my life. See alfo ch. vii. 15..
. . . Pf. xxxv. 9. jlnd my Joul ftall be joyful in
the Lord. If Ixi. 10. I will greatly rejoice in the
Lord: my Joul fhall be joyful in my Gad,. Matt.
xxvi. 38.. My Joul is exc^eeding Jorrowful unto
death. ' .
The Divine Being himfelf fometimes adopts
this, form of fpeech. if i. 14. Your new mmms,
and your appointed feafts, .my foul hateth. They
are a trouble unto me. I am w4ary te bear them.
Where my Joul is the fame as I, which is in the
following claufe.
If xiii. I. My eleSl, i'n whom my foul delight-
etht or, in whom I delight. Compare Matt.
K .2 ¦ ' xij.

63 The Firft Poftfcript,
xii. 1 8. And fee Jer. v. 9. vi. 8- and othe-j!
places. Secondly, By the Spirit- qf God, or the Spirit ^^
or the Holy Ghoft, is often meant the power, or
v/ifdom of God, or- his will and command.
Pf. xxxiii. 6. By the word of the.- Lord were,
tbe heavens made : and all the; hoft of them hy the,
breath qr fpirit ,,gf his mouth, 'Where the word of.
the Lord, and the breath of his mouth, are all,
one. All things came into being, and were dif
pofed by his will, at his word and command.
In like manner. Job xxvi. 13. By ^is Spirit he
'has garnifted the heavens : his hand has formed,
the crooked ferpent : that is, the winding conftef-
lation in the heavens, which v/e call The Milky
Way, or the Galaxy. Th^ Spirit, or the hand
cf God, which are both one, has formed all thofe
things. Micah ii. 7. 0 thou that art named the houfe of,
Jacob, is the. Spirit of the Lord ftraitened ? A
part of Mr. Lowth's note upon which words is
thus: " Is God's hand or power fhortened?.
Comp. If. lix. I. Behold^ the Lord's band is no^
ftjcrtened, that it cannot fizve."
Zech. iv. 6 Not by might,- nor by power, but
hy my Spirit, faith the Lord of hofts. Here Mr.^
Lo'-wth's note is to this purpofe. " Zerubbabe^
and Jojhua, with the Jews under their conduft,-
fhall finifh the temple, and re-eftablifh the Jewifti
ftate, not by force of arms, or of human power,
but by the fecret a.ffiftan-ce of my Providence." *
Luke I. 2S' -^'"^ il^^ angel anfuuered, and faid
unto her : Tbe Holy Ghoft ftall come upon thee, and
tbe power of the Higheft ftall overftadow thee.
The lacter words explain the former. And the
Holy Ohoft. is faid to be the fame as the power of ^
Cod. Wliere likewife it follows : Therefore alfo'
that

I^he Firfi Poftfcript, ^Sr
that holy thing, which ftall he born of thee,. ft all,
f>e called the^ Son. of God.
Matt. xii. 28. But if I .caft out demons by the
Spirit of God, then, is thf kingdom of God come unto
y.ou., Luke xi, 20. But if I with the finger of
God caft out demons, no doubt the kingdom of God
is come upon you [3]- ' - .
So that the finger of God, or the Spirit of God,
is the fame as the power of God, or God him
felf : As St. Peter fays, Afts ii. 22. Ye men of
Ifrael, hear thefe words : Jefus of Nazareth, a
man - 'approved of God among you hy miracles, and
wonders, and figns, which God did by him, in the,
midft of you, as ye y ourfelves alfo know.
Tp which two texts of St. Matthew, and St.
L'U,ke, juft alleged, may be added, as yery fimi-
lar, if not exaftly parallel, fome others. 2. Cor.
iii. 3. Forajmuch as ye are manifeftly- declared to
be the epiftle of Chrift, miniftered by us,, written
not witb ink, but with the Spirit of the living God:
not in tables of ftone, but in fleftoly tables of tbe
heart. Undoubtedly alluding to wha.t is faid of
the two tables containina: the ten commandments.
Ex- xxxi. 18. and Deut. ix. 10. that they were
written by the finger of God, or miraculoufly,. by
God himfelf. So alfo Pf. viii, 3. Wben I confider - thy

[3] " Again, iVIatt, xii. 2S. If I caft out de'vils by iLe
Spirit of God, the-n the iingdom of God is come unto you.
Here the Spirit of God does not fignify the Holy Ghoft,
pr the third perfon of the Holy Trinity, but the power of
God : as appears from the parallel paffa'ge in St. Luke xi.
20. where, inllead of the Spirit of God, we read the finger
of God. By this power the man Chrift was enabled to caft
out devils. Eor he fpeaks of himfelf here in his human,
not in his divine nature, according to the notion which
the Pharifees had of hira : as is plain from his ftiling him
felf the Sjn ef 'man, in the fequel of his difcourfe to them."
dbrabam Le Moiacs Trcalif on Miracles, p. 5».

70 The Firft Peftjcrtpf,
thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, , the mogn and
ftars, which then baft ordained. See Patrick upon-
Ex. xxxi. 18.
Thirdly, By the Spirit, or the Spirit of God, or
the Hofy Ghoft, is oftendmes meant an extraor- .
dinary gift from God, of power, wifdom, know-
Jedge, and underftanding.
Sometimes hereby is intended courage, or wif
dom, or fortie one particular "advantage only.
At other times hereby is intended a plentiful ef-
fufion of a variety of fpiritual gifts.
For which reafon it (will be needful to allege,
vjnder this article, many texts, both from the^
Old and the New Teftament.
Ex. xxxi. I . . 7. And the Lord fpake unto
Mofes, faying : See, I have called hy name Bezaleel
the fon of Uri, the fon of Hur, of the tribe of Judah.
And I have filled him with the Spirit of -God, in
wifdom, and in knowledge, and in all manner of
workmanfhip, te devife cunning work in gold, and
infilver, and in brafs . . . And behold, I have given
with bim Aholiah, . . . and in the hearts of all that
are wife-hearted, I have put wifdom, that they may
make all that I have commanded thee. See alfo
ch. xxxv. 30 . . . 35. and xxxvi. i. 2.
Numb. xi. i6, 17. And the. Lord faid unte
Mofes : Gather to me feventy men ef tbe elders of
tbe people - . . And I will take of the Spirit which
is upon thee, and will put it upon them. No one
underftands hereby, that God intended to take
from Mofes a. fpiritual being, or part of a fpi
ritual being : but that He determined to beftow
upon thofe elders qualifications of wifdom and
underftanding, refembling thofe in Mofes^ by
which he was fo eminent and diftinguifhed.
Afterwards it is faid, ver. 25. 26, And the
Lord came down in a cloud, and fpake unco him, and

The Firft Poftfcript. jt
if nd took ef tbe Spirit that was upon him, and gave
it unto the feventy elders. And it came to pafs,-
that when the Spirit refted upon tbem, theyprophe-
fied, and did not ceafe : meaning, for fome while.
But there remained two of the men in the camp.. . .
And the Spirit refied upon them, . . . and they pro-
phefied in the camp.
Deut. xxxiv. 9. And Jefiua was full of the.
Spirit of wifdom : For Mofes had laid his bands,
upon bim.
Judges iii. 10. And the Spirit of the Lord cams
upon him [Othniel], and he judged Ifrael, and went
out to war . . . And his hand prevailed ,ag(iinft
Cbuftan-riftatbaim- Judg. vi. 34. But the Spirit ofthe Lord came
upen Gideon . . . Ch. xi. 29. Then the Spirit of the
Lord came upon Jeptha.
... Ch. xiv. 5. 6. Then went Sampfon down,
e,rid his father and his mother, to Timnath. Aird
behold, a young lien roared againft him,. And the'
Spirit of the Lerd came mistily upen him. And
he rent him, as he would have rent a kid, A'^d he-
had nothing in his band. See likewife ch, xv. 14.
2 Sam. xxiii. i . . 3. Now thefe be tbe laft
•words ef David. David the fon of Jeffe faid, and
tbe man, who was raifed up on high, tbe anointed of
the. God ef Jacob, and the fweet Pfalmift of Ifrael,
faid : The Spirit ef the Lord fpake hy me, and his'
•word was in my tongue. The Ged of Ifrael faidi,
the roik ef Ifrael fpake to me: He that ruleth' ever
men, muft be juft, ruling in tbe fear of God.
2 Chron. xx. 14. 15. Then upon Jahcziel, the"
fon of Zachariah, the fon of Benajdh, a Levite of
the fens ef-Afapb, clime the Spirit ef tbe Lord, in
the midft ef the congregation. And he faid : Hearken
ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerufalem - , .
Another inftance of what Maimonides- Cills divine^
I influence^:

y-z The Firft Poftfcript.
influence, whereby a man is enabled to prophefy'
or give counfel from God in a difficult circum-
ft-ance, as that was with the people of Judah.
.So Ezek. xi. 4. 5. Therefore propbefy againfi
ihem, propt^zf^ , 0 fon of fnan. 'And the Spirit of
tbe Lord fell upon me, and faid unto me : Speak,
Tbus faith the Lord . . And St. Peter fays, 2 Ep.
i. 20. 21. Knowing tbis firft, that no prophecy of
the. fcripture' is of any private interpretation, im-
pulfe, or fuggeftion. For the prophecy came noi
in old time by tbe will of man : but holy men fpake,
as they were moved by the Holy Ghofi, or hy the
divine influence. As St. Paul alfo fays, 2 Tim.
iii. 16. All fcripture is given hy infpiration ofGod.
I Chron. xii. 1 8. Then the Spirit came upon
Amafai, who was chief of the captains, and he faid :
Thine are we, David, and on thy fide, thou fon of
Jeft'e. Peace be unto thee, and peace, be to thy
helpers. For thy God belpeth thee. Then David^
'received them-. Patrick's comment is to this pur
pofe-: "The Spirit of power, faith the Targum:
that is, God powerfully .moved him with an he-
roical boldnefs and relblution, in the' name of
them all, to proteft fidelity to David, in fuch
pathetical words, as convinced him they were
friends. "^
2 Kings ii. 9. And it came to pafs, when they
were gone over [Jordan], that Elijah faid unto
Elifta : Afk', wbat I ftall do for thee, before I be
taken away from thee. And Elifta faid : I pray
thee, let a double portion of thy Spirit he upon me.
By which, fome have fuppofed, that Eliftaah.
begged to have as much more of the Spirit as' -
Elijah had. But as that would be arrogance,'
the beft commentators rather think, he only de-'
fired, 'that he m.ight be as the'eldeft, or firft-
born among his fellow-difciples* : even as the
firft-

The Firft Poftfcript. jl
&rft-born iri a family had a double portion tb
that of other children. See thereafter, ver. 15.
and Deut. xxi. 17. and Grotius, and Patrick,
upon this text. All muft be fenfible, that a
gift, not a perfon, is here intended.
Prov. i. 23. Turn you at my reproof. Behold,
I will pour out my Spirit unto yo'u. I vJill make
known my words Unto you. That is, '•• I will
teach you, and enable you t6 uriderftand the
^ rules of virtue and holinefs : which, if you fol
low, you will be happy."
Zech. xii. 10. ¦ And I will pour oiit upon the
houfe of David, and upon the inhabitants bf Jeru
falem, 'the Spirit of grace 'and fupplications. Which
6annOt imply a prdmife df pouring upon them
a tranfcenderit being or fpirit : but of giving
them the temper,, the qualification^ the difpofitiori
of grace" and fdppli'cadoii,
Thefe are alfo, in ithe Old Teftametit; prdmifts
bf the Spirit relating to the Meffiah.
If. xi. I . . 3. And there ftoall come forth a rod out
of the ftem of Jeffe . . . And th'e Sfii'rii of the Lord
fh'dl- reft upon him, ' the fpirit of wifdom and under
ftanding, the fpirit of coiiilfel ahd might; the 'fpirit
of kno-iuledge, and 6f the fear of the Lord ; and
fhall mdke-bim of rpiitk uMe'rftahding iii the fear of
the Lord. • .¦
If Ixii. 2. Behold my fervant, who^ I upheld;
iny eleB, ih whom my foul delighteth. I have put
my Spirit inphn him He fhall bring forth jMgm'ent
tb tbe^GenlU'es.
And. the proriiif^s of thfe Spirit, ih the time^
of the Mefiiah,. impott alfo a plehtiful effufiort
of fpiritual gifts. , , _ ^ ,
If xliv. 3. Ahd i i&ilf pour water upon hini that,
is tbirfty, and floods upon the 4''y ground. I will
pour my Spirit upon -thy feed, and my bleffing upon
L thy

74 The Firft Poftfcript.
thy offspring. Comp. John vii. 38. 39. Afts ii.
\']. 18. And fee If. lix. 2. Ezek, xi. 19. xxxvi.
27. xxxvii, 14. xxxix. 29.
Joel ii. 28. 29. And it ftall ceme to pafs after
ward.s, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flefh.
And your fons and your daughters fhall propbefy.
Your old men ftall dream dreams, your young men
ftall fee vifions. And aljo upon the fervants, and
the handmaids, in thofe days will I pour out my
Spirit. See Afts ii. 17. i8.
In all which texts, as feems very evident, by
the Spirit, and the Spirit of God, and the Spirit ef^
the Lord, is meant not a being, or intelligent
agent, but a power, a gift, a favour, a blelTing,
I proceed to the New Teftament, in which
likewife many texts are to be taken notice of by
us. Matt. X. 19. 20. But when tbey deliver you up,
take no thought how, or what ye ftall fpeak. For
it ftall be given you in that fame hour what ye
fhall fpeak. For it is not ye that fpeak, hut the
Spirit of your Father wbich fpeaketh inyou.
Mark xiii. 1 1 . But when tbey ftall lead yon,
and deliver yeu up, take no thought beforehand,
what ye ftall fpeak, neither do ye premeditate. But
whatfoever fhall be given you in that hour, that
fpeak ye. For it is not ye that fpeak, but the Holy
Ghoft,. ¦ Luke xii. II. 12. And when they bring you unto
the fynagogues, and unte magiftrates, and powers 5
take ye rio thought how, or what thing ye ftall an-
fwsr, or what ye- ftall -fay.. For the Hely Ghoft
ftiall teach you, in thflt fame hour, what ye ougbt
to fay. Luke xxi. 14. 15. Settle- it therefor^ in ypur
•hearts, not to meditate before,, what ye ftall anf^ff^.
For I will give you a mouth andiaifdom, or v/ife
fpeech.

The Firft Poftfcript, yi
fpeech, which all your adverfaries ftall not be able
to gainfay, er refift.
How thefe and the like promifes were after
wards fulfulled, when the Apoftles of Chrift, and
other his difciples, were brought before the Jew
ifti, or other rulers and governors, we fee in their
hiftory, recorded in the book of the Afts. Of
St, Stephen, in particular, it is faid, ch, vi. 9. 10.
Then there arofe , cer't&in difputing with Stephen.
And they were not able to refift tbe wifdom, and
the Spirit, by whicb he fpake.
John iii. 34. For hei, whomGod hath fent, fpeaketh'
the words of God. For God giveth not the Spirit
by meafure unto him. Here, by the Spirit, as I
fuppofe, all underftand a gift. ^
John vii, 37 . . 39. In tbe laft day,, tbat great
day of tbe feaji^ JefUs flood, and cried, faying : If
any man thirft, let him come to me, and drink. He
tbat believeth en me, as tbe Scripture hath faid,
out of his belly ftall flow rivers of living water.
But this fpake he of'' the Spirit, wbich tbey tbat
believe en bim ftould receive. For the Hely Ghoft
was mt yet givin^ becaufe that Jefus was not yet
glorified. Here alfo, as is very- plain, by tbe Spirit, and
the! Holy Ghoft, is meant a gift, or a plentiful
efFufion of fpiritual gifts.
John XX. 19 . . 22. Then the fame day at even-^
ing, heing the fir H day of the -week . . , came Jefus,
and fiood in the midft, and faith unto them : Peace
ie unto you . . . As my Father bath feht me, even
fo fend I .ydu. And when he had faid this, he
breathed oh themt and faith unto tb^m: Receive ye
the Holy Ghoft : that is, he encouraged them to
rely upon him for the fulfilment of the promife
he had made, that they' fliould receive from
ialjove fufficient qualifications for the difcharge
L 2 ', pf

^6 Th? Firft Poftfcript,.
of their high office. Which aftually came tOi
pafg on the day of Pentecoft next enfuing.
¦ Afts' i. 4. 5. And being affembled together with
ihem, he commanded them, that tbey ftoould not de~,
' part from Jerufalem, but wait for tbe promife of
the Father, which ye have heard of nie, [Luke xxiv.
49.] For John truly baptifed with water: hut
ye ftoall be baptifed K'iih the Holy Ghoft, not many.
days hence. Which cannot be underftood of a
peribn. The meaning therefore is : Ye fhall be
favoured with a plentiful effufiojti of fpiritual
¦gifts. As the event likewife ftiews. See John
i. i^^, and Afts. xi. 16.
Ver. 8. BuJ; ye ftoall receive power, after that
^e Holy Ghoft is come upon you.
Afts ii. I . . 4. A'nd when the day of Pente^
ccft was fidly come, they were all' with one accord
i-n one place , , And they were all filled with the Holy.
Ghoft,, and began: to fpeak with otber tongues, as,
the spirit gave them utterance,
'When all men wondered at this ftrange ap
pearance, and fome mocked, ver. 14 . . . iS,
Peter, ftanding up, fays : This is that, which was
fpcken by the Prophet Joel, And it ftoall come pafs
in the laft days, faith God, I will pour out my Spirit
upon all- fteft, Afid your fons and your daughters
fhall propbefy, and your eld men ftall dream dreams.
And on my fervants and my hand-maidens I will
pour out my Spirit, and they ftall propbefy.
Ver. 33. Therefore being by the right-hand of
God exhaked, and having received of the Father the
promife of the Holy Ghaft, he haih fted forth, or
jjoured ont, this, which ye now fee a,nd hear.
Ver. 38. Then Peter faid unto them: repent,
and be' baptifed . . in the name of Jefus Chrift . . .
And ye ftoall receive tbe gift of the Holy Ghoft. Aft^

The Firft Poflfcrip, 77
¦
Afts iv. 8. Then Peter, filled with tbe Holy
Ghoft, faid unte them ; Te rulers of tbe people, and
. elders cf Ifrael ...
* • Ver. 21. And when they had prayed, tbe
place was ftaken, where they were affembled together,.
and tbey were all filled with the Holy Ghofi. And
they fpake the word with boldnefs. . .33. .And
with great power gave the Apoftles witnefs of the
refurreSiion of the Lord Jefus. And great grate
was upen tbem all.
, "Afts yi. 3. Wherefore, brethren, look ye out
among you feven men of honeft refdrt, full ef tbe
Holy Ghoft and wifdom, whom we may appoint, over
tbis hufinefs . . ver. 5. And the faying pleafed the
whole multitude. And they chofe Stephen, full of the
Holy Ghoft, and Philip . . . ver. 8. A'nd St^phm,
full of faith and fower, did great wonders and mi--
racies among tbe people.. 9. Then, ther'e'' arofe cer
tain, , .difputing with Stephen. . . 10. And they
were not able to refift the wijdom, and tbe . Spirit,
hy wioich he fpake. . , ,
Afts viii. 14. Now when tbe Apoftles, wbich
were at Jgrufalem, heard that Samaria had re
ceived the word of God, tbey fent unto them Peter
•and John. .15, JVho, when they were comedown,
prayed for them, that tbey might receive tbe Holy
Ghoft. For as yet he was fallen upon none of them.
Qpfythey were baptifed in the name, -of the Lord
Jefus. 17. Then laid they their bands on tbem.
And they received the Holy Ghoft. 18. And when
Simon faw, that through- laying on of the Apoftles
hands 'the Holy Ghoft was given, he offered them
money. And what follows.
Afts X. 44. While Peter yet fpake thofe words,
the Holy Ghoft fell on ail them which heard tbe
word. 45, And tbey of the cireumcifion wbich he-
feved, were aftoniftoed, as many as, came with Peter,
becaufe

78 The Firft Pofifcript.
becaufe that on the Gentiles alfo was poured out the gift
ef the Holy Ghoft. 46. Fer tbey heard them fpeak
with tongues, and magnify Ged. 47- Then anfwer*
ed Peter : Can any man forbid water, that thefe
ftould not he baptifed, ' winch have received the
Holy Ghoft, as well as we ?
Afts xi. 16. 17. Forafmuch then, as God gavi
them the like gift, as he did unto us, who believed
on the Lord Jefus •, what was I, that I could tvith^
fiand Ged? xv. 8. And God, whicb knows the
hearts, hare them witnefs, giving them the Holy
Ghoft, as he did unte us.
1 have omitted Afts ix. 17. and x. 38. for the-
fake of brevity, and as not being neceffary to be
now infifted upon. The paragraph in Afts xix.
X . . 7. will be coafidered hereafter among the
texts that are to be explained.
Rom. V. 5. And hope maketh not aftamed,- be
caufe the love of God is fted abroad in our hearts''
by the Holy Ghoft, which is given to us.
'Tn. iii. g. 6. . . according to his mercy he has
faved us by the wafting of regeneration, and renew-
ing ef the Holy Ghoft: which he (bed on us [has
poured out upon us, om t^iyi^v ?ip' vimxi^I abundant--
ly, through Jefus Chrift, our Saviour.
Hebr. ii. 4. God alfo- bearing tbem, witnefs
hoth with figns and wonders, and with divers mi
racles, and gifts ef the Holy Ghojl, according to his
own will.
And gifts of tbe Hely Ghoft. It fhould be ra
ther rendered, and diftributions of the Hefy Ghoft :
y,ou -iBvivikd^si «yi8 |*£pK7potj. A remarkable ex
preffion, plainly declaring, that hythe Holy Ghoft,
or the Holy Spirit, were meant thofe fpiritual gifts,
which, came down upon men from heaven imme
diately, or were communicated, in great variety,
jay the laying on of the hands of the Apoftles. Hebr.

The Firft Poftfcript. 79
Heb. vi. 4. — thofe wbo were once enlightened,
and bave tafted of tbe heavenly gift, and were par
takers of the Holy Ghoft ; — ra? aTrag ipwltirfiEvV?,
y£U(r«/*Ei/ii? T£ TH? ^lupEaf th? eTrnfioivus, xai ju,s1o;^a5
y£vnhvl»i wi/eU|1*^1o? otyia. , '
Dr. Whitby's paraphrafe is this : " and having
tafted of . the heavenly gift, and were made par
takers of the Holy Ghoft, fent down from heaven,
and conferred ok ,them by the impofition of
hands." Learned interpreters, are not agreed in the
meaning of the heavenly gift. To me it feems,
that by both thefe expreffions, one and the faree
thing is intended, even the Holy Ghoft: and that the
writer of this epiftle calls it the heavenly gift, in
allufion to the defcent ofthe Holy Ghoft Upon the
Apoftles arid their company on the day of Pen
tecoft, as related Adb ii, i . .13.
, But though commentators do not agree in
their interpretation of the firft particular, I fup
pofe, that by the Holy Ghoft they generally under
ftand miraculous powers and gifts, of which the
perfons here fpoken of had partaken. So Whitby-,-.
as juft cited. So likewife Grotius. Subjicit
tixi.m participes fuiffe Spiritus SanEli, id eft, dona
confecutos prophetis, linguarum, fanationum,
qu3E non contingebant eo tempore nifi juftificatis,
id eft, p.urgati.s. Grot, in loc. Du faint efprit,
Des dons niiraculeux. Le Clere.
I Pet. i. 12. Unto whom it waj revealed, tbat
not unto themfelves, but unto us, they did minifter
the things which are now reported unto you hy
¦ tbem that bave preached the Gofpel to you, with
the Holy Ghoft fent down from beaven.
Here I fuppofe to be a plain reference to the
plentiful effufion'of the Holy Spirit ypbn the
Apoftles, on the day of Pentecoft, as related, bySt,

So The Firft Poftfcript
St. Lt^e at the beginning of the book of Afts..
It i$/probable, that many of the Chriftians, to
whom St. Peter is here writing, were cc-.verted
by St. Paul, who was not prefent with the reft
on that memorable day. Neverthelefs he had
received the Spirit in a ^vcry plentiful meafure,
and immediately from heaven, without the in
tervention of any of thofe whq were Apoftles
before him. It is very likelfr, that St. Peter
himfelf, and fome others of the Twelve, had been
in thefe countries, before his writing this epiftle.
For, not to mention St. John, who perhaps did
not itake up his abode at Ephefus till after the
writing this epiftle of Peter, I think we have
good evidence, that [4] Philip, one of .the twelve
Apoftles, refided for fome time, and died at
Hierapolis in Phrygia, And it may be reckoned
probable, that he was for a while very ufeful in
preaching the Gofpel in thofe parts, and that
he wrought miracles among the people there.
By the Holy Ghojl fent down from heaven, I fup^
pofe to be mean: the infpiration of the Apoftles,
and the miraculous pdwers and gifts with which
they were endowed.
Res illse magna; nobis plene explicatse funt
per Apoftolos, et eorum adjutores, ccelitus donates
Spiritu San£io, id eft, donis majoribus, quam ipfi
ProphetsB habuere, et de quibus ipfi Prophetas
funt locuti, ut Joel ii. 28. Grot, in, loc.
¦ 1 Jphn iv. 13. Hereby know we, that we dwell
in him, and he in us, becaufe he bas given us of
his Spirit : on ik ts trviviJidioi a,-S\^ SiSunav h/ajv.-
And fee ch. ii. 20.
In thefe texts, the Spirit, or the Holy Ghoft, is
oftentimes fpoken of as a gift. And there is a
variety
.[4:] r.d. Eufch. H,E.l.-i,,c.--i,\.l.t,,Ci 24. i„ Hieron il
V.:',I. f«45. Palycrates.

The Firfi Poftfcripn 8 1
Variety of expreffions, fuch as gi'ving, .pouring
iS'Uty fd-lling upon men, receiving,- and being filled
wi^h, the Holy Ghoft; which import a gift, a
po)ver, a privilegCj and bleffing, rather than a
perfon.. To all which may be added, fourthly-, that in
the epiftles of the New Teftament there are at the
beginning, and elfewhere, wifhes of peace from
God the Father, and the Lord Jefu? Chrift, but
none from the Spirit diftinftly. .. Nor are there
any doxologies, or afcriptions of glpryj to the
Spirit diftinftly, though there are feveral fiich
afcriptions to God, and Chriftj or to God
through Chrift.
- . Rom. i. 7: To all that be in Rome, beloved cf
God, called to he faints. Gfcice be to you ^ and peace
from God our Father, and the Lord Jefus Chrifi.
So alfo I Cor. i. 3, 2 Cor. i. 2. Gal; i. 3. Eph.
i. 2. and elfewhere. And Eph. vi. 13; Peace
he to tbe brethren, and love with ^ ftiith from God
ihe Father, and the Lord JeJus Chrift.
Some of the doxologies are thefe. , Rom. xi.
36. For of him, and through him, and, to him are
all things. To, •whom be glory for ever. Amen',
xvi. 27. To Gpd only wife be glory f through Jefus-
Chrift far ever. Amen. See Eph. iiii 20. .21 . . .
Philip, iv., 8.- Now untp God) even our Father,
he glory for ever and, ever. See i Tim. i, 17 . . .
Hebr. xiii. 20. 21. Now tbe God of peace . .
make you perfect, . . . through Jefus Chrift. To^
whom be glory for ever and ever i -, Amen, i Pet;,
iv. Ill That God in fill things may be glorified
through Jefus Chrift. To whom be .pri^ife .and do-^
minion for ever and- ever. Amen. 2 Pet. iii. 18:
But grow in grace, and, in the knowledge of our
Lord and Saviour Jefus Chrift. ¦ To him be glory
both-now and ever. > Afnen. J^nd fee Jude^, ver;
^ ¦ ¦ M ' • 24;

8^2 The Firft Poftfertpt.
24. 25 . . . Rev. i. 5^. 6, Unto him that loved m,
and redeemed us from 01^ fins hy bis own blood-y
and has made us Kings and Priefis unto God, even
his Father : te him be glory and deminipn for- ever
and ever. Amen. See alfo Rev. iv. 9 . . . 11.
V; 12. 13. vii. 10.
I quote no otber books as of authcffity, befide
the books of Scripture commonly' received by
Chriftians, as of divine origiitaL Neverthelefij
I may obferve by way of illuftration, that the
wifhes of peace, and the doxologies in the moft
early Chriftian writers, are agreeaMe to thofe in
the epiftles of the New Teftanaient, which have
been juft now alleged.
The epiftle of Clement^ written in tbe name
of the church of Rome to the church of Corinth ^
begins in this manner. ** Grace and peace be
multiplied uato you from God Almighty-throiJgh
Jeliis Chrift."
In this^ epiftle are feveral doxologies. And
they are all afcrit^d fio God> or Chrift, or to
God through Chrift.
The coRclafion of the epiftle is in thefe words :
"' The^ grace of our Lord Jefus Chrift be with
you, and -v^rith all eveirywhere, who are called
by God through him :¦ through wbgm, to Him
be glory, honour, mighty majefty, and everlafting
dominion, foP ever and ever. Amen." ^
The. epiftle of Pelyearp,: Bifhop of Smyrna,
which is. fent to-the Philippfans, is infcribed in
this maEftjjer^:: "^ Pofi^tMrpj-and the Prefbyters that
are with him„ t» tli* Church of God which is atr
Philippi. Mercy and peace be multiplied, unto
you froiri God Almighty, and firom the Lord
Jefus Chrift, our Saviour." . ' •
Itt the twelfth chapter, or feftion of that «)iftje,-
*re thefe expreffioas... " ,Now1he-God and Fa-
theri,

The Firft Poftfcript. &3
ther pf our Lord Jefus Chrift, and He himfelf,
who is our everlafting High-Prieft, the Son of '
God, Jefus Chrift, build you : up in faith and
truth, meeknefs and patiertce."
A catholic author, fuppofed to have lived
about the year of Chrift 220, and wjiting againft
heretics, fays: " There is, indeed, ,©iae God,
whom we can know sio "Otherwife, but from the
fioly fcriptures. . . .. Whatever^ therefore, the di
vine fcriptures xleclare, that let m% embrace :
what they teacli^ let us learn : and as the Father
willeth we Ihould believe, fo let us believe : as
he willeth tke Son fhould be honoured, fo let
(US honour him : as [5] he willeth the Holy Ghoft
ihould be given, fo let us accept."
Jerome fays, " that [6] LaEiantius in his epif
tles, efpecially thofe t© Demetrian, denies, th,e '
perfonality of, the Holy -Ghoft : referring him,
and his operations, as the Jews alfo erroneoufly
dd, to the Father, or the Son."
And in anpther place he fays, that [7] this
was the fentiraent of many Chriftians in his own
Cime, who did not underftand the fcriptures.
.-•Ma The
folyt. coptr. Noet. § ix, p. tz. ap;. Fabr. T. ii.
[6] LaiSahtius in epiftoUs fuis, et maxime in epiftolis
adpeitietriantiiii; Spiritus Sarifti negat fubftantiam, et er-
JOre Judaico dicit fiuBi yei ad Patrem referri, veJ ad Filium,,
-et fandlificationem utriuCjae perfons fub nomine ejus de-
ipionftrari. Hieron^ ad j'toiiita. et 'Oc, ep. 4a. al. 65. f, itr.,
/• 34?- [7I Hoc, Ideo : <[ula m-ulti per iajperitiam fcripturarum
((quod et Firmianus jn ixSavo ad Demetrianujn epiftolarum
libro fecit :) aflerunt, Spiritum -Sanft^im fsepe Patrem,
fepe P'iliuip nominari. Et cum perfpicue in Trinitate cre-
Jdamns, tertiam perfonam auferentes, non fubflantiana eju5
wolunt ?fle, fed nomen, I4, in Galat. .caj)., ip, -ver. 5,
f,- iv-. P. i, P-. z§%-.

§4 The Firft Poftjcript.
The Bifhops in the Council of Nice, having
declared the, doftrine concerning. God the Fa
ther, and our Lord Jefus Chrift, add : V -and
in the Holy Ghoft :" that is ; " and we believ;?
in the Holy Ghoft."
It follows in the fame creed, as it is exhi
bited in the Liturgy of the Church of England :
•" The Lord and giver of life. Who proceedeth
from the Father and the Son, Who with the
Father and the Son is worfhipped and glorified,
"Who fpake by the Prophets." But that is not
in the Creed of the Council of Nice, which fat
in the year of our Lord 325; but it is taken
from the Creed of the Council of Conftantinople,
which was convened in the year 381. Or, as it
is more accurately expreffed by Bifhop Burnet
at the beginning ofhis Expofition of the eighth
article of the Church of England : *' So th^t
the Creed, here called the Nice-Creed, is indeed
the Conftantinopolitan Creed, .together with the
addition of Filioque, made by the Wefteri^
Church." I might add a great deal more from the wri
ters of the firft three centuries. But this is not
a place for enlargement. What has been already
faid, may be fufficient to render it probable,
that the doftrine of the Trinity, which is now
commonly received, and which is fo m.uch dif-
liked by many, was not formed all at once, but
was.the work bf feveral ages.

SECT,

fhtt Firft Poftfcript. ^$
SEC T. II.
p.. T> U T it may be objefted, that ths
je ions. J^ , ^^ — ^^ Qj. ^j^g if^gly QJ^gJl^ is oftenj.
times fpok^ri of as a perfon, and efpecially ift
'St. Johnh Gofpel,
John xiv. 1 6. 17. And I will pray the Fa
ther,' and he ftall give you another Comforter, tbat
he may abide with you for ever, even the Spirit of
truth, whom tbe world cannet receive, becaufe it
feeth bim not, neither knoweth him. But ye know
him. For he dweUeth with you, and ftall be in
you, ¦. . . ver. 25. 26. Thefe things bave I fpoken
unto you, heing prefent witb you. But the Cem-
forter, which is the Holy Ghoft, whom tbe F'ather
'will fend in my name, he ftall teach you all things,
and bring all things to your remembrance, whatfo
ever Ihave faid unto yeu. ....
John xvi. 7. Neverthelefs I tell you the truth.
It is expedient for you, that I go- awa,y. For if I
go not awayi the Comforter will not come unto you..
¦But if I depart, I will fend him unto you. ... 12.
I bave yet many things to fay unto you. But ye
eannot hear tbem now. 13. Howbeit, when the
Spirit of truth is come, he will guide you into all
fruth. "For he ftall not fpeak of himfelf ^ But
whatfoever he ftall hear, that ftall be fpeak. And
he will ft'ew' you things, to come. 14. He ftaU
glorify me. For he ftall receive ef mine, and ftall
fhew it unto you. 15. All things that the Father
hath, are mine. Therefore faid I, that he ftaU
-take ,pf mine. And ftall ftew it unte you.
In anfwer to v/hich feveral things may be
faid. I. It

-86' The Firft Poftfcript.
I. It is not uncommon, in the language of
fcripture, to peripnalize many things, to which
we do not afcriiJe intelligence.
The book of Proverbs, whereWifdom is brought
in fpeaking, as a perfon, is a well-known and
remarkable inftance. So likewife in the New
Teftament, Death reigns. Rom. v. 14. 17. and is
all enemy, i Cor. xv. 26. 55 . . 57. And Sin is
fpoken of as a lord and mafter, and pays wages,
and that in oppofition to God, the moft perfeft
tageht. Rotn, vi, 12. Let not fin therefore reign
in your mortal body'', that ye ftould obey it in the,^
•hfts thereof , 14. For fin ftall not have dominion
every eu. 17. Ye were ence tbe fervants of fin . .
23. For tbe wa^es of fin is death. But the gift of
Ged is eternal life throttgh Jefus Chrift our- I.ord-
And how many things are done by Charity,
as defcribed by St. Paul! 1 Cor, xiii. It fuffer-
etb long, and is kind, thinketh no evil, heareth all
iiangs, believeth all things, hopeth iill things, enr
(iureth all things, and the like.
I might quote here many other texts. Judg.
Kxiv, 26. 27, And Joftua took a great ftone, and
Jet it up there under an oak . . , . And Joftua faid
unte all the people : Beheld, this flane ftall he a
•witnefs unto us : For it has heard all the words of
tbe Lord, which he fpake unte us. It fhall there'
fere be a 'witnefs unte you, left ye deny your Ged.
John xii. 48. He that rejeMeth' me, and receiv-
¦fth net my words, has one that judgeth Mm. Tbe
¦word that I have fpoken, the fame ftall judge him
M the laft.- day.
Let me recite here the words of -a pious, and
learned. Englifh writer [8] ^* To conclude thi^
point
[8] Dir.saions for profitable rettding fhe Holy Scripturts.
Sj H-'Uliam Lo'Wth. p. lOO.

The Firft Poftfcript. «7
point, the fum of our Saviour's preaching coa-
fifts in inculcating this one great and funda-
fnental truth of Chriftianity : that we are nothing,
and God is all in all. It is his Word that en
lightens our minds, his Spirit direfts our wills,
his Providence orders our affairs, his Grace
guides us here, and his Mercy muft bring us to
heaven hereafter."
' Why is God's Spirit a perfon more than his
Providence, or his Grace, or Mercy? We
know, that by thefe laft this writer does- not
intend perfons, though he afcribes to them the
guidance of US, or other aftions. In the Jewifh
language, and among the Jewifh people, fpirit
tsroiild no more fignify a perfon, than grace or-
mercy. Nor were they more likely to afcribe
diftjnft perfonality to the fpirit, than we to the
grace, 6r mercy, or providence of God.
¦' 2. There is not in the A&of the Apoftles, or
any other book of the New Teftament, any ac
count of the appearance and manifeftation of a,
great agent, or perfon, after our Saviour's ai^
cenfion. Therefore no fuch thing was promifed,-
or intended by our Saviour, nor expefted by the
Apoftles, who could not but know his mean-
3.. In other texts of fcripture, and particularly^
in St. John's Gofpel, by tbe Spirit, or the Holy.
Ghoft, is meant a gift, or a plentifdi efFufion
df ^Jiritual gifts. I intend John iii. 34. vii. 2g.
XX. 22. which were alleged not long ago.
4. Our Saviour himfelf has explained what he
meant by the Comforter. • .
So It is in one of thofe texts, upon which
this objeftion is founded. John xiv. 26. But
tle Os'mf otter y which is the Holy Ghofi : or, more
' Uteraljy^-

88 The Firft Poftjcript. '
literally, tbe Comforter, the Holy Ghefi. « h tsu,"
faixArflo?, TO ¦ts^iMiJ.a, .to ooUot. But b'y the Hely
Ghoft, in other places of this Gofpel, as well as
in raany otiier texts of the New. Teftament, is
|iot meant, as we have plainly feeny a powerful
agent, but the Divine Influence, or the efFufion
of fpiritual gifts. This therefore is what our
Lord intended by the Comforter, And this fenfe
is confirmed by the book of the Afts, wherein is
recorded the fulfiJrnent of our Saviour's pro
mife. 5. Our bleffed Loi»d, in fpeaking of this mat
ter, has made ufe of a variety of expreffions :
by .attending tq which, we may clearly difcern
his true meaning in what he fays of the Com-
• fbrter. Matt, xxviii. 20. And lo, I am with you al •
ways, even unto the end of the -world. In John
xiv. 1 6 . lately quoted, he fays : / will pray tbe
Father, and be ftall give you another Comforter,
that he may abide with you for ever. One and the
laine thing is intended in both places.
In the texts of St. Johns Gofpel, upon which
tills objeftion is built, our Saviour fJDeaks of
the teachings of the Spirit, whereby the difci
ples would be enlightened, and led into a clear
difcernment of his fcheme of religion. But in
John xvi. 25. are diefe expreflions. Thefe things
have I fpoken unto you in proverbs. The time
cometh, when I ftoall no more fpeak to you in pro
verbs, or parables : but I ftoall ftew you plainly
of the Father. Here oXir Lord fpeaks of thofe
teachings, as his own.
; In Matt. X. 20. it is faid : For it not ye that'
fpeak, but tfe Spirit of your Father, which fpeak-.
ctb inyou. To the like purpofe in Mark. xiii. 11.'
acid

The Flrff Poftfcript'. 89
&nd Lqkfe 3fii. ,12. But in Luke xxl. 15. our,
Lord expreffeth himfelf in this manner. For I
will give yeu a mouth and wifdom, whicb all your
ad-verfaries ftoall not he able. to gainfay ^ nor- refift.
Mark xvi. 19. 20. So then after the Lord had
Jpoken unto tbem, be was received up into heaven;
and fat on tbe right-hand of God, . And they went
forth, and preached every^iahere, tbe Lord zvorking
with them, or the Lord co-operating, ra itupia o-'j-
vEpfsi/lg?, and confirming the word with figns follow
ing. Here the miracles of the Apofdes, after';
his afcenfion, are afcribed to our Lord himielf,
or his powerful prefence and influence,
Afts ix. 17. 18, And Ananias went his .way}
and entered into the houfe : and putting his hands
upen him, faid : Brother Said, the Lord, even Je
Jus, tbat appeared to' th'ee in the way, as thou
earneft, ¦ hath fent me, that thou might eft. receive thy
fight, and be filled witb tbe Holy Ghoft. And im
mediately there fell from his eyes^ as it had beei
Jcales. . ; And he received fight forthwithi and arofe,'
and was baptifed.
Afts ix. 32 . . 34; And ii eame io pifsi as
Peter pcffed throughout all quarters, he caire down,
<alfo\ to the faints, wbich d-welt at^ Lydda. And
there he found a certain man, named Eneas i which
had kept his bed eight years^ and was Jick of the
palfy.. And Peter faid unto hini : Eneas, Jefus
Chrifi maketh thee whole. Arifcs dnd mixke thy
bed' And he arofe immediately.
I might refer alfo. to Afts iii; 6. iv. 10 . .12.
But I, forbear.
Hov/eVer, I fhall add a few other texts, from'
the epiftles, wihich' I think are to the prefent pur
pofe, and may deferv6 'tabe confid,er^d.'
Rom. xii. 3. Far If ay, ¦ through the grace' given
te me, to - every man that is aniong you ^-~ — tb
N think

^ -The Firft Poftjcript.
think Joherly, according has God as dealt to every
man the meafure of faith.
Ver. 6 f 'Having then gifts, differing according ta
the grace that is given to us.
Eph. iii. 6.7. Tbat tbe Gentiles ftould he fel
low-heirs . . . and partakers ef his promife in
Chrift, by the Gofpel : whereof I was made a mi
nifter, according to the gift of the grace of Ged
given unto me,, hy the ejfeiludl working of his
power, Eph. iv. 7. But unto every one of us is given
grace, according to the meafure ef the gift of Chrift
. . ver. II. 12. And he gave feme Apoftles, and
Jome Prophets, andjome Evangelifts, andjome PaJ-
tors and Teachers, for the perfening the faints, fer
tbe work of tbe miniftry, for the edifying of the body
qfChrift, I Pet. iv. 10. XJ, As every man bath received
the gift, evenfo minifter tbe fame ene to another, as
good ftewards of the rnanif old grace ofGod., If anj
man fpeak, let him fpeak.as the oracles pf God: if,
eny man minifter, let bim do it, as ofthe dbility which
God giveth -, that God in all things may he glorified
through Jefus Chrifi. To whom he praije and do
minion, for ever and ever. Amen.
.And I Cor. xii. 6. St. Paul fays : There are
diverfities ef operations: but it is the fame God,
which worketh all in all. And at ver. 28. God
hath fet fome in tbe Church, firft Apoftles, fecendarily
Prophets, thirdly Teachers, after that miracles . . .
All which feems to fhew, that by tbe Spirit is
to be underftood that fpecial influence, which»
in difft;rent meafiares and proportions, God
" vouchfafes to men through Jeftis Chrift, for their
own comfort znd eftablifliment, and for fpreadt
ing the great triiths-of religion in the world.- '
Luke

Tbe Firft Poftfcript. ' ^t
Luk:e.xxiv. '49. And behold, I fend the promife
sf my Father upen-you. But tarry ye in tbe city of
Jerufalem, until ye be endowed with power from
on high.
"TKis power, this divine influence, this efFufion
of knowledge, and other fpiritual gifts, our Lord
calls the Comforter, or the Advocate, ¦ -ziraspajtAHlo?.,
as thereby theii- caufe would be pleaded with
men, and they would bf juftified in their preach
ing boldly in the name of Jefus Chrift.
This gift, this divine influence,' he calls alfo
ihe Spirit of Truth, becaufe, by that wonderful
influence on their minds, the Apoftles would be
led into the knowledge of all the truths of the
Gofpel, and would be enabled to teach them to
Others with perfpicuity.
And our Lord fpeal^ ofthe Spirit's bringing
to their remembrance the things which he had faid,
and of his receiving ef his, and ftewing it .unto
^hem : becaufe, by this mira.culovis influence upon
their minds, thofe prejudices would be removed,
which had obftru£ted their clear difcernment of
what Chrift had faid unto them whilp he was
with them. ,
There are other texts, from wh'rch objeftions
may be rajfed. But they may be as well con-
.fidered in the next feftion. And, I think, that
will be the fhorteft method.

N 2 SEC T^

92 The Firft Pbftfcripi.

SECT. Ill,
_, I, Luke TF ye then, .being evil, know.
plained ^'" -"S" ^^"^^ ^° glVC gOOd gljtS UntO
your children : how much more
fhall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to
'tbem that afk him^ ? Which is parallel with
'Matt. vii. ii; If ye then, being evil, ' known how
to, give good gifts to your children : bow much mort
fhall your Father,^ which is in heaven, give good
'things -to, then} that afk him? 'Whereby we may
perceive, that by the Holy Spirit is meant gny
good thing, conducive to our real happinefs.
And we are induced to recolleft here what St,
James ia.ys, i. 5. If any man lafk wifdom, let him
afk of God, who giveth to all men liberally, and up
braideth not. And it ftall be given to hipi. And
fee ver. 17.
2. Matt. iv. I. Tben was Jefus led up of the _
Spirit into the wildernefs, to. be tempted of the
Devil. Mark i. 12. And immediately the Spirit
'¦drivet'b him into the wildernefs. Luke iv. i . And
Jefus being full of the Holy Ghoft, returned from
Jordan, and was led by the Spirit itj,to tbe w'llde^-
"nefs. ¦ ¦ '
' The coherence xyill lead us into the true
meaning of thefe words. Our blefFed Lord had
juft been baptifed, and the Holy Ghoft defcended
from heaven, and abode upon him. At the
fame time he was folemnly inaugurated, and
publicly declared to be the Meffiah, There
came a voice from heaven, faying : This is my
beloved Soft; in whom I arn well pleafed. Now
therefore *was fulfilled the prophefy in If. xi. i. 2.
And there ftall come jorth a rod out of the ftem of
Jeffe . . . And the Spirit of tbe Lord ftall reft upon
'• ' ^ him^

' The Firft Poftfcript. 93
him, the fpirit of wifdom and underftanding, the
fpirit of counfel and might. ,- . . By that divine and
extraordinary wifdom, our Lord was "direftcd
and influenced to retire into the wildernefs.
And having been there tempted of' Satan, and
having vahquifhed him, as Sc. Luke fays, ch. iv,
14, 15, Jefus returned in the power of the Spirit,
into Galilee, fully qualified for the difcharge of
his high office, both for teaching his excellent
doftrine, and for confirming it by miracles. And
there, went out a fame of him through all the re--
gions round about. And he taught in their fyna-.
gogues, being glorified of all. So our Lord faid
tp his difciples, as recorded Afts i. 8. Te ftall
receive power, after that tbe Holy Ghoft is cdme
upon you. Or, as it is in the margin of fome of
our Bibles : Te ftall receive the power of the Holy
Ghoft coming upon you.
3. Matt. xii. 31. Wherefore I fay unto you:
AU manner of fin and hlafphemy ftall be' forgiven
unto men. But the hlafphemy againft. the Holy
Ghoft ftall not be' forgiven unto men. And fee
Yer. .32. Compare alfo Mark iii. and Luke xii.
Dr. Wall, who upon John xvi. 13. p. 113.
"afferts the perfonality of the Spirit, explains this
text of St.^ Matthe-'w after this manner : p. 15.
" A man that fees plainly the efFefts of a prefent
fupernatural power, which, he muft be con
vinced in confcience, is the finger, or fpirit, ,or
immedjate miraculous power of God (which is
that which is here called the Holy Spirit; or Holy
Ghoft), and yet will malicioully blafpheme, or
fpeak blafphemous words againft it: that it is
the Devil, or that the Devil helps the man that
does it : fuch an one blafphemes God himfelf,
fliewing himfelf, or his miraculous power, at that
fiaie, from heaven.
' ' '  •' " In

94 The Firft Poftfcript.
" In Luke xi. 20. What is here called tht
Holy Ghoft, is there called the finger of God. And
fo the. Mgyptian Magicians, when convinced^
called it.' Ex, viii, 19."
Afterwards, in the fame note, at p. 16. he
fays: " In Afts ii. 13. there was a miraculous
power of God, enabling the Apoftles to fpeak
with tongues. Some, who did not conceive it
to he- znj fpirit, or miraculous power, mscked &t
it. Thefe were not derjounc^d to be in any un
pardonable ftate."
Nothing more needs to be faid for the explica
tion of that text in St, Matthew, and the paral
lel places in the other gofpels.
4,Mattt xxviii. 19. Ge ye therefore, and teach
all nations, haptifing tbem into the name ef the Fa
ther, and of tbe Son, and of the Holy Ghoft'. " That,
is, Go ye therefore into all the world, and teach,,
or difciple all nations, ^baptifing them into the
profefllon of faith in, ^nd an obligation to obey,
the doftrine taught by Chrift, with authority'
from God the Father, and confirmed by the
Holy Ghoft [9]."
By the Holy Ghoft, as I apprehend, we are here
to underftand the miracles of our Saviour's mi,.
riftry, and likewife the miracles wrought bv his
.^poftles, and the fpiritual gjfts beftowed upoa the
{9I " Baptifing them with water, in the name of fhe , Fa
ther, and of the Son, and ofthe Holy Ghofi : that is, receiving
them to a pfjofeffion of the belief of, and an obligation to
the pradlice of that religion, which God the Father has re
vealed and taught by the Son, and confirmed and eftabliihed
by the Holy Ghoft." Dr. Clarke's Paraphrafe.
" The true meaning is, baptifing into the profeffion of
that doftrine, which is the mind and counfel of God the
Father, made known to mankind by the Son, and confirme4
fay the mighty operations of the Holy Ghoft." Mr. Jo,
Burroifgh's Two Difcourfes pn Pofitpve j-rfiitutions, /. 4?. '

The Firft' Poftfcript. 9-5
the Apoftles, and other difciples of Jefus, and all
believers in general, foon after our Lord's afcen
fion, and all the' miraculous atteftations of the
truth and divine original of the doftrine taught
by Jefus Chrift,
It is obfervable, that the baptifmal form,
which is in St. Matthew, never appears in thofe
very words, either in the book of the Afts, or
in any of the Epiftles. But men are required to
be baptifed in the name of Chrift, or faid to have
been baptifed into Chrift. That is, they mdde a
profeffion of faith in Jefus, as the Chrifi, and ac
knowledged their obligation to obey him, by being
baptifed. Afts ii, .38. Repent, and be baptifed
every one of you in the name of Jefus Chrift, Ch, viii.
16, Only they were baptifed in the name of the
Lerd Jefus. See likewife ver. ^c, . . 38. Rom.
vi. 3. Know ye not, that fo many of us, as were
baptifed into Jefus Ch'rift, 'were baptifed into his
death ? Gal. iii. 27. For as many of you, as have
been baptifed into Chrift, have put on Chrift.
But though the form, which is in St. Matthew,.
never appears elfewhere, the thing intended
thereby- is always implied. Nor could any be
brought to make a profeffiori of faith in Jefus,,
as the Chrift, but upon the fuppofition, that
he had tai^ght in the name, and with "the autho
rity of God the Father, and had proved his com
miffion by miraculous, atteftations,, which could
not be denied, nor gainfayed.
5. John xvi. J.' Neverthelefs, I tell you the-
truth. It is expedient for you, that T go away^-
For if I go not away, the Comforter will not come
unto you. Which agrees with what our Lo'''i
fays John vii. j,'] . ^ ^9- and with the fevangelift's
own remark : For the Holy Ghoft was not yet
given, becaufe .that JeJus was net yii glorified. Ther

§6 The Firft Poftfcript.
The fitncfs and wifdom of deferring the plen*
tiful efFufion of the Holy Ghoft for illuminating
the Apoftles, and removing their prejudices, and
enabling them to teach the doftrine of Chrift
with perfpicuity, and to confirm it by wonderful
works, muft be apparent to all, who confider,
what evidence was thereby afforded to the truth
of their teftimony, concerning the refurreftion
and afcenfion of Jefus.
'Ver. 8. 9. IO. 1 1. And wben be is come, he will
reprove, or convince the world of fin, and of righte
oufnefs, and of judgment' : of fin, becaufe they be
lieve not on me : ef righteoufnefs, becaufe I go to
tbe father, and ye fee me no more : of judgment,
becaufe the prince of tbis world is judged.
If we recolleft the many texts, which have
been already alleged, and particularly what our
Lord fays in John vii. 37 . . 39. juft now taken
notice of, we fhall find no great difficulty in
underftanding this text.
And when he is come. It is not to be hence
argued, that ihe Holy Ghoft had never come be
fore. But hereby is meant a certain, coming, a
plentiful eftufion of the Holy Ghoft, foretold
by the Prophets, and-by our Lord,^
The Spirit had in former times come upon
Mofes, and. the Prophets. For, as St. Peter fays,
2 ep. i. 21. Holy men cf God fpake as they were
moved by tbe Holy Ghoft.
And after a long withdrawing of the Spirit of
God, or withholding extraordinary powers and
giits, from the Jewifli people, aboutthe time of
our Saviour's nativity, we fee divers inftances of
the divine influence and operation in Zacharie,
father oi John the Baptift,, and Elijabeth, and
A'ltiia, and Simeon, and then on John the Baptift :
v/ho undoubtedly taught, and- preached, and
prophe-

The Firft Poftfcriplj §f
prophefiedby the Holy Ghoft, though he did no
miracles. The Holy Spirit came down alfa
upon our Lord in a glorious manner, and there
were -vifible tokens of- it : whereby John knew
him to be the MeSiah, the great perfon, who was
to come. And He had the Spirit Witheut mea
fure. John iii. 34. The Holy Ghoft muft like-'
Wife have bedn given, during the time of our
Lord's abode on this earth, in a certain meafure,'
upon feveral, particularly the twelve Apoftles,
and the' feventy other difciples, rn order to qua->
lify them- for- the difcharge of the cOmmiffion,:
which our Lord gave them for a time, to go
over the cities -of Judea, and prepare] men for'
him. And of the Seventy it is exprefsly faid,
they returned , again with joy, faying: Lord, even
the demons are' fubjeSl to us through thy name.
Luke X, 1 7, -
By the coming of the Holy Gboft,.then, is to be
underftood, in this place, a general and plentiful
efFufion of fpiritual gifts upon the Apoftles
themfelves,' and upon other believers in the Lord.
Jefus ; fuch. as that related in the Afts : when.
the difcipje^, who had followed the Lord in the
tiine ofhis miniftry, and ftill continued together^
and afterwards many others likewife, we're en
abled on a fodden to fpeak in divers languages^
which they, had never .learned, and to perform
many great ahd extraordinary works in the name
of Jelus Chriftj .
. Indeed this coming of the Comforter, or the
Holy Ghoftj comprehends in it all manner of
fpiritual gifts : not only thofe juft mentioned,
but alfo a clear and diftinft knowledge of divine
things, even thetruths ofthe doftrine of Chrift,
and the whole feheme ofjthe .gofpel-difptnfiuionj
O and

g8 The Firfi Poftfcript.
and prcphefying, or foretelling things to come,
as well as working miracles, and alfo readinefs of
fpeech, and a becoming degree of courage and
boldnefs in the midft of dangers, and in the pre
fence of the greateft perfonages : qualifications^
of which the difciples had been hitherto very
deftitute. The feveral particulars, fin, righteoufnefs, and
judgment, of which the world would be convinced
by the plentiful efFufion of the Spirit here fpoken
of, need not to be diftinftly explained. The
fum is, that hereby the progrefs of the Gofpel
would be fecured. This large and general effu-
fion of fpiritual gifts would be a perfuafive and
fatisfaftory evidence of the refurreftion and
afcenfion of Jefus, and that he was the promifed
Mefliah, through whom all nations of the earth
were to be biefled. Or, as John the Baptift ex
preffeth it: And I kne-w bim not. But he t^at
fent me to baptife with water, the fame faid unto
me : Upon whom, thou ft alt fee the Spirit defcending,
. and remaining on him, the fame is he which bap
tifeth witb Jhe Holy Ghoft. And I faw, and bear
record, that this is the Son of Ged. John i. 33.
34- . , .
¦ And with great force, as well as propriety, da
the Apoftles fay to the Jewifh Council, as recorded
Afts V. 29 .. 32. Then Peter, and the [other]
Apoftles faid: We ought to obey God, rather than
men. The Ged of our fathers raifed up Jefus.,
whom ye flew, and hanged en a tree. Him hath
Ged exalted with his right-hand te be a Prince, and
aSaviour, te give repentance- to Ifrael, and fergive-
nefs of fins. And we are. his witneffes of thefe
things. And fo is alfo the Hely Ghaft, whom Ged
has given to them tbat obey him: " That. is, fay
thole

The Firft Poftfcript, 99
tiiofe judicious commentators, -'Lehfant and
Beaujohre, [10] the miraculous gifts, which Jefas
had beftowed upon his Apoftles, and which they
conferred upon believers."
6. Afts i. 2. , . , after that he. through the
Holy Ghoft had. given commandments unto tbe Apof
tles whom he had chojen.
Or, as in the Syriac verfion [11], after that
loe had given commandments to tbe Apoftles, whom
he had ebojen by tbe Hely Spirit : th^t is, by fpe
cial direftion from heaven ; which is very agree
able to what St. Luke writes, ch. vi. 12. 13.
And it came te pajs in thojt days, th&t he went out
into a mountain to pray, and. continued all night in
prayer to God : or, in an oratory of God. And
-when it was day, be called unto him his difciples :
and of tbem he fhoje twelve, whon^ alfo he named
Apoftles. Indeed, a right choice of the Apoftles
¦of Chrift depended upon no Jefs than infinite
wifdom. And when another was to be added
to the eleven, after the apoftacy, and death ef
Judas, they appointed two, Jofeph called Barfahas,
jind Matthias. And they prayed, and faid : Thou,
Lerd, which knoweft the hearts of all men, ftew,
'whether of thefe two tbm haft chojep. Afts i. 23.
34. .0 2 7. Afts
¦[io] LeS, EjpHt,} Ce font les dons -rairaculeux, dont
J. C avoit revetus ^s Apotres, et qu'ils fonferoient aux
fideles. Aft. ii. 33. viii. 15. 17." Note fur les ASes -du
Apitres, ch. "u. iiet^, 32.
[11] Aft. i. z. 'V^erba, Ji« i3-*iVftaV «!*», quse' plerique
ad Efiei^KftEKj; referunt, conftruxit Syrus cum iliAeJoio* quos
fapoftolos] elegerat per Spiritum San^iim. . . . Ex mente
Syri, int&rprejtis hoc. dicit Lucas : Chriftum non ex fua vo.;
Suntate Apoftolos legiffe, fed ejf nutu Patris, qui per Spi
ritum Sanftum tanto munere dignos candidates Fills de-
monftraverit. J. D, MichaeUs Cune in Vtrfionem Syriacam
A&uum Apofiolarum, p. \i

loo The Firft Poftfcript.
7.'A'fts V. 3; 4. Then Peter Jaid : Ananias,
why has Satan filled thy heart, to lye unto the
Holy Ghoft, and to' keep hack part of the price of
the land ? . . . Thou haft not lyed unto men, but
¦unto God'. . . Then Peter faid unto her: [Sapphira]
How is. it, that ye have agreed together, to tempt
the Spirit of the Lord ?
' ', They tempted the Spirit of the Lord. They
; afted as if they had doubted of the divine omnir-
-fcience, like the Ifr^efites in the wildernefs, of
whom it is faid, Pf. Ixxviii. 18. 19. 20. And they
tempted God in their heart, by afking meat for
their luft. ' Tbey, faid : Can God furnift a table
in tke wildernefs .<*... Can he give bread alfo ?
':Can he pfovide fteft for his people ? And- as the
.Apoftles were plainly under an extraordinary di
vine influence and direftion, when Ananias and
Sapphira attempted to impofe upon them by a
falfe account, they were juftly faid to lye to God
hiftifelf," and not to men only*.
Athariafius, fpeaking of this matter, fays : " So
[ 1 2] that he who lyed to the Holy Spirit, lyed
unto God, who dwells iq men by hi? Spirit.
For where the Spirit of God is, there is God.
As it is faid : Hereby know w.e that God dweUeth
in us, becaufe he has given us ofhis Spirit. '" i-John
iv. 32-.
B. Afts viii. 18. 19. And wben Simon Jaw,
that through Ifyittg on oJ the Apoftles bands -the
Holy Ghoft was given, be offered tbem money, fay
ing :' Give me alfo this power, that on whomfoe'ver
I ftall lay bantis, he may receive 'the Holy Ghoft.
Mr.
[12I IVf, 0 ¦iS^e-Jfaft.iVfii; ti/i af\u mviVf/.ali, iTiii Seid ir^tva-aia, ra
seci'oixywt ev av%puii<^i(; Oia, ra tayiv^aita; a-Jlti, Ottb yap EftTo <jsviv-
^a Seu, ixe; ehc o '%o;. k, ?,. Athan, De Incarnat, et conti;.,
Arian, n. 13. /. 88!. A: ¦

The,' Firft Poftfcript. io,i
¦- Mr; Le Maine explains this text in his treatife
on miracles, p. 189. '¦'¦ And when he Jaw, that
^through laying on ¦ of their hands, the Holy Ghoft,
or: the power of working miracles, was given,
he offered them money, to have the fartie power.",
-So, then, tbe Holy Ghoft, which v/as beftovifed
vipon believers by the Apoftles, -Cvas the power
of miracles, or an extraordinary power, by which
the believers might perform miraculous works.-,
9. Afts ix. 31. Then had the churches reft
throughout all Judea, and Galilee, and Samaria,
and were edified ; and walking in the fear of the
Lord, and in the comfort pf the Holy Ghoft, were >
iTrultiplied. Wh^t is here faid of tbe churches, does in a
great meafure coincide with what ' we , find in
ch. ii. 42. 43. and 46. 47,
. . and in the comfort of the Holy Ghoft, ly r-n
TB-apaxAriff-H ts afia •nri/EUjiAaloc, Which might be
'-ren4ered the patronage or affiftance of the Holy
Ghoft : agreeable to what our Lord had promifed
the difciples, as recorded John xiv. 1 6.
Thefe ¦y7ords therefore may be now paraphrafed
in this manner : " Then had the churches, in
the feveral countries here mentioned, peace and
tranquillity, being fi-eed from the perfecution
with which' they had ^een difturbed, and were
jnore and more cgofiriried in the faith. And
continuing in the devout worfhip of God, and
in the fteady and aniiable praftice of virtue, and
likewife exercifing the miracylous gifts and
¦pqwers with which' they had been > favoured,
they were greatly increafed vfith-the addition of
numerous converts."
Accordingly, there follows, in the remaining
part of the chapter, an account of Peter's pafTing
throughout divers places, a,iid coming, particu larly.

ib2 The Firft Poftfcript.
larly, to Lydda, where he healed Eneas, who had
been long fick of the palfy. And all that dwelt
at Lydda and Saron faw him, recovered, and
turned unte the Lord. Afterwards Peter went to
Joppa, where he raifed to life Tabitha, otherwife
named Dorcas. And it was known throughout
Joppa ; and many believed in the Lord.
I®. Afts xiii. I . . 4. Now there were in the
church that is at Antioch certain prophets and teacB-
ers, as Barnabas, and Simeon, that is called Ni^er,
and Lucius ef Cyrene, and Manaen, which had
been breught up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.
As they miniftered te the Lord^ and f afted, the
Holy Ghoft faid : Separate me Barnabas and Saul,
for the work whereunto I have called them. And
when tbey had f afted, and prayed, and laid their
hands en them, they fent them away. So theybei^
fent forth by the Holy Ghoft, departed unto Seleucia,
and thence they failed to Cyprus.
" That is, whilft thofe prophets and teachers
'V?ere engaged with others in the public worfhip
ofGod, it [13] was revealed unto fome of them,.
that they Ihould fet apart Barnabas and Saul to a
certain work, for which God had defigned them.
Which they did with prayer, and fafting, and
laying on of their hands. And being fent forth by
that fpecial appointment of heaven, they went
to Seleucia, and thence they failed to the ifland
of Cyprus.
This text, compared with others, may caft
light upon them, and l^e illuft>ated by them.
Afts XX. 22. 23. And new, behold, I go bound
in the fpirit to -Jerufalem, not knowing the things
tbat ftall befal me there : fave that the Holy Ghoft
wimeffeth
[13] ... dixit Spirittis San ff us. 1 Per prcphetas. Grot.
in loe-i

The Firft Poftfcript, 103-
witneffeth in every city, faying, that bonds and af-
fliSlions abide me. That is, God had declared as
much by the mouth of Chriftian Prophets, in
feveral cities, through which the Apoftle, had.
already palTed, Which is agreeable to what Sc.
Luke fays more particularly in the account of
what happened at Cefarea, ch. xxi. 10. 11. And
as we tarried there many days, there came down
frem Judea a certain prophet, named Agabus. And
^hen he came unto us, he took Paul's girdle, and
bound his own hands and feet, and faid : Thus
faith the Holy Ghoft : So fhall the Jews at Jeru
falem bind the man that owns this girdle, and ftall
deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.
St. Paul fpeaks of Timothy's having been or-,
dained out of a regard to fome prophecies con-
ccrniiig him, i Tim. i, 18. Tbis charge I commit
unto thee, fon Timothy, according to the prephecies
which went before concerning tbee, that thou be'
them mighteft war a good warfare. And ch. ivjr
14. NegleU net the gift that is in thee^ which was,
given tbee by prophecy, witb tbe laying on of the
hands of the prefby tery.
There were prophets, who, when under infpi-.
ration, had faid fome things to the advantage of
Timothy,- hy which the Apoftle had been encou-
r.aged to beftow upon him eminent gifts, and to
inftate him in an important and ufeful ofiice.
¦ This enables us alfo to underftand what isfaid
Afts XX. 28. Take heed te y ourfelves, and to the.
whale fleck, over wbich the Holy Ghoft has made
you overfeers. Tkey had been made Bifhops by
fprne. who were infpired, who had been direfted
ih their choice by perfons fpeaking with infpira-.
tion. So Barnabas and Saul were fent out from An
tioch, according to prophecy, with an important.
eommiirion.

r,o4 The. Firft -P-pftfcr ipt..
c-om-miflion. But their defignation may- have
been more exprefs and folemri, than that of the
others juft taken notice of by us,
II. Afts XV. 28. For it feemed good'-urito tht
Holy Ghoft, and. to us, to. lay Upon you no greater-
burthen tban thefe neceffary things: that is,' [14J
"It has feemed good to us, who have the Spirit"
ofGod, or are ini'pired."
12. Afts XX. r . . 6. And it came to pafs,, that _
whilft Apollos was. at Corinth, Paul having paffed
through the iipper codft, came to Ephefus. And
finding certain difciples, he faid unto them : Have .
yg received the Holy Ghoft fince ye believed ? And
they faid unto him : We have not fo much as beard,
whether there be any Holy- Ghoft. And he faid knto
them : Unto what then were ye baptifed? And they
faid: Unto John's baptifm. Then faid Paul:
John verily baptifed with the baptifm of repentance,
faying unte the; people, that they ftould believe on
him which ftould come after him, that is, on Chrift
Jefiis. When they heard that, they were baptifed
in the name of the Lord Jefus. And when Paul.
had laid his hands upon them, tbe Holy Ghoft came
upon them, and they fpake with tongues, and pre-
phefied. And all the men were about twelve.
In the preceding chapter, .ver. 24. 25. we are
informed of a Jew named Apollos, bern at Alex
andria, an eloquent man, and mighty in tbe fc'rip'—
tures, wha came to Ephefus,  ^knowing onfy the
baptifm ef John. This likewife was the cafe of
the men here fpoken of. They were in Judea
when John preached, or when he began to
preachf
[14] V'lftim eft enim Syiritui S-zn^o, et nobis."] Id eft^,
nobis p7r Spiritum Sanftum. £» iia ^oi*. Grot, in he.
^Adeo ut verborum fenfus ciTe vidcatur : Nobis qui Spirita
wnfto donati fumu-s," vifum eft.- -Liinbarch. in AB, A'poflJ
^. 152. fin. "i

The Firft Poftfcript. , ih'f
t,
preach, and left it before our Lord preached'.
publicly. Or elfe they had been inftrufted by
Apollos, or fome other fuch perfon, who was not
fully acquainted with the doftrine of Chrift.'
And they knev/ nothing of the preaching of the
Apoftles, and other tranfaftions at Jerufalem, and
in Judea, after our Lord's afcenfion.
, Dr. ^«/iJ's explication of ver. 2. Critical Notes
Upon tbe N.T, §, 164. is this t " We have not fo
tiiucb as heard, whether there be any fubh powei^s^
of prophefying, fpeaking with tongues, &c.
granted t6 thofe that believe."
Which interpretation feems to rne td be very'
right. Thefe men did not know, '"or had not,
heard, that there was then any general pouring
' out of the Holy Ghoft, ih which they dould par--
take. They might know, that a general efFtifion
of extraordinary gifts had been foretold by the
' Brophets, as the privilege of the days of the
Meffiah. But they had not he'ard, ot be'en in
formed by any, that fuch a thing was yet vbubl>
, fafed to men : fo far were they from having
received it themfelves.
And i fliould think, it muft .appear evident to
all, that in ichis paragraph, the Holy Ghoftj where-
ever mentioned, that is^ in Paul's queftion, in
the anfwer made by thefe meri, and in the Apo-
ftle's^foUowing aftion, denotes a pow^r, a blef
fing, a privilege, and- not a perfon.
Miraculous gifts being then very common,'
and gehei'ally beftotved upon thofe who prafelfeti
faith in 'Jefus Chrift, St. Paiil meetifig V/ith thefe
men at Ephefus, afks them : Have ye 'received thi
Holy Ghoft fince yi believed f Ahd they faid uni'o
him.: we .have mt fo much as heard, that there it.
''any Holy'QboJl„ ^ Add when Paul had laid his hands
lipon thera, the Holy (Shoft came upon them, and they
P fpake

.ioS The Firft Poftfcript.
fpake with tongues, and prephefied : thatis, when
he laid his hands upon them, they received r^ii-
raculous powers, and immediately fpake with
tongues, and prophefied,
I fliall place below, in the ma;]gin, the ob
fervations of [15] Grotius, and [16] Witfius,.
tipon this text, who fpeak to the ^me purpofe,
or not very difTerently.
13. Rom. xiv.- 17, For the kingdom ofGod is
not meat and drink, hut righteoufnefs, peace, and<
joy in the Holy Gho/i.
The laft claufe, , which Ihould now be ex
plained by me, has been differently rtnderftood.
Whitby, in his Annotations, fays, '' It fignifies an
inward joy, arifing from the Gonfoiations of the
Hply Ghoft." And £1? Clere, " The inward
fatisfaftion which we enjoy, when we live ac
cording to the fpirit of the Gofpel." Mr. Locke,,
" Joy in the gifts and benefits of the Holy
Ghofi" under the Gofpel."
But Grotius hereby underftands [173 "a. care and
[fj] Si Spiritum SanBum acccfifiis 'cre4entes?'\ Spiritus
Sa-nBus hic, et in fequentibus, ita ut Johannis vii. 34. fuAc
dona ifta Eccleiia: Chriftianx rcfe*vata : qujfe Paulus haud
dubium quin pluribus vocibus-defcripferit.
Sed neque ft Spiritus SanB-ut efi, audin/imusJ] Non audi-
¦vimus dart nunc talia dona. Grot, ad A(l. xix. 2-.
'[16] Q.a;oS interrogat, ecquid Spiritum SanButn aciepiffinty
pofiquam crediderunt. Illi vero negant, audiviffe fe, 'fitnr
Spiritus SanB'us, Refp©tident ex catacheli, majorum, qua.
edofti erant, a morte Ezra, Haggaji, Zacharias,. et Mak...
chia:, Spiritum Sanftura ab Ifraelitis efle- abtatum. Porro,
reftitutUHs efle, negant fibi coiiipertum. Palam 6ft, nOn de
perfona Spiritus S, fed de fingularibus et viitbiiibas ilUua
donis ntrimqiie fermonem eife. Witf, J>e Vita Fmlfr
feB, viii. /. 107.
[17] Cura exh.ilarandi alios per dona Spjritiis Sanftt,
non autem eos irritandi,. quod modo dixit '^tref** Grot. ¦»«-
l,j'-, LimhorclffL

^%e Firft Poftfcript. toy
and Concern to exhilarate others, by 'the gifts of
the Spirit." And confiders .it as oppbfed to thfe
grieving, (jfffending, provoking our brother,' fpo
ken of and cautioned againft at ver. 15,
That this is the Apoftle's intention, appears,,
I think, from the whole arg-jument in this chap
ter, ahd in the beginning of the next, and parti;-
cularly from the nea.rcft context, both before
and after. Peace is not inward quiet of mind,
but peaceablenefs, a love and ftudy of peace,
and doing all in our power to fecure and pro
mote -it Nor does the Apoftle fpeak of the Joy
which we poflefs ourfelves, but of that which wk
ought to give to others. So likewife Gal. v. 22,
The frait ^ the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long^
Juffering. Where j^j is joined with other virtues
and duties toward our Beighbour •, and eannot
mean the fatisfaftion which we feel ourfelves, biiKt
the fatisfaftion which we procure to others.
St. Paul then here fays: '¦'- The kingdom oc
God .does not cqnfift in fu^ph things as meat and
drink, but in the praftice pf righteoufnefs, in a
love and ftiidy of peace, and care to pleafe and
edify our ferorher by a mild and condefeending
tehaviour, and difcourfes fuited to his capacity,
iaccording to t^ doftrine of ^he Gofpel, con-
firriled by mighty worJis, and many miraculous
gifts and-poWers beftowed upon believers in ge
neral." Therefpre he offers that earneft prayer,
ch. XV, 5, Now tbe God of patienoe and confola-
tion girOnt yeu to he Uke-minded, according to Jefas
P 2 Chrift.
Limhorch, 'vn Ms .Commentary ¦i'p^h <lie epSftle to the
Romans, largely afferts the fame fenfe. -B'eaufobre lakew;ife,
ana ftw words, finely ilfuftrates th« text, after this inter
pretation. I would alfo j-efer to Mr. Jofeph Morris's Ser
mons, jju'bliftied in 174'3,- particularly his Sermons Jjpoa
1 Thel£ V. f6. Rejofce evermore.

' |o| The Firft Poftfcript.
Chrift. That is, accorcjing to the will and co.m,r
mand of Chrift.
14. In the twelfth chapter of the firft epiftle'
to tk^e Corinthians, the Apoftle has a long argu-
T^ent about fpiritual gifts, or fpiritual perfons,
as fome underftand the' expreflion in ver. i. Il£ftf
.Sl roiv •nn/jup-olwwi/. Here, undoubtedly, are fome
perfonalizing expreffions. As ver. 11. But all
thefe worketh tbat ene ¦ and the jelf -fame Spirit, di
viding to every ene fever ally, as he will. But then
there are other expreffions,. by which he fhews,
that by the Spirit h^ means a blefling, a gift, ^
power. Ver. 7. But the manifeftation of the Spirit is
given to every man to profit withal.- " That is,
but the plentiful effufion, of fpiritual gifts, with
which the Church of God is now favoured, is
(iefigned for general good. And every one is
to exercife his own particular gift in the way
irioft conducive to the advantage ofhis brethren
in Chrift."' '
And ver. 13. For by en? Spirit are we, all bap
tifed into one body, whether we he Jews er Gentiles,
whether we be bond, or fvee. And hav? been alj
made to drinfi info one Spirit. So we tranflate the
words, But, 1 fuppofe, they might be better
rendered in this manner [18]: For we have dlJ
been baptifed with one [19] Spirit, that we might
he one body, whether we be Jews er Gentiles, whe
ther we he bond or free -, and we bave been all made
¦ to' drink into ene Spirit. All believers in Jefus
,' ¦ '  ' ' ¦ ." ¦¦ • ¦ ehrlft,
[fS] Kai -yap e> £«i ini/suiioili 5)f<i.5i? 'W^y'ss £ic f^.o-u^a E6a9r1i9-8tj»
fill/ . . . xai 'itathi Sl? £» isviVft.a. mi-iiff^riiizy .
[19] ijklatti iii n. / indeed baptife you ivith ivater . . .
But he (hat cometh after me, fliall baptife you 'with, the Holy
Ghofi, and luith fire, Au/05 t/(*«s ^aitlnrn e> crjst/^asli aFiu,
xeu ravpf.

The Firft Poftfcript. lo^
Chrift, of every nation and people, of every rank
and condition, had received the like or felf-fame
fpiritua,! gifts, that they might reckon themfelves
to be, and behave as one body : being all united
together in love and friendlnip, in communion
•an4 worfliip. Moreover, in the fame context
the Apoftle fays, .ver. 6. And there are diverfities
bf operations, ': but it is the fame God, which worketh
all in. all. And ver. 28. And God bath fet fame
'in the church, firft Apoftles, fecendarily Prophets,
thirdly Teachers, after that Miracles, then Gifts
of Healing, Helps', Governments, Diverfities of
T'ongues. Many interpreters have fuppofed, that in the
phrafe, and h^'^^ ^^^^ ^H f^^t^'de to drink into one
Spirit, the Apoftle , alludes to the euchariftical
cup. But I do hot perceive any good ground
for it. I think, the Apoftle carries on the fame
. allufion, Men were baptifed with water. Re
ceiving the-Spirit in a plentiful effufion is called
being baptifed with the Spirit. And the Spirit
is compared to water, John vii. 37 . . . Z'9- ' -^"^
•fee If. xliv. 3. Joel ii. 18. and elfewhere. I think,
the Apoftle compares the Spirit, or the plentifiil
effufjon of fpiritual powers and gifts, fuch as the
Church of Chrift v/as then favoured with, to a
fountain, or river. , We have 'all drunk at, and
been »efre(hed out of the litme fountain.
The Syrihc verfion of the laft claufe of this
yerfe is : A^^ "^f '^^'^^ ^^^ drunk in one Spirit.
Et omnes nos unum Spiritum imbibirnus. The
Latin verfion may be alfo obferved : "Et omnes
' in uno Spiritu potati fumus.
15. r 'may take this opportunity to confider
the difHcult 'words of the third verfe of this chap
ter. Wherefore I give you to Underftand, that no
pt'(in fpeaking by . tbe Spirit of God, calleth. Jefus
"' "-¦¦'-¦ accurftd.

J 1 0 The Firft Poftfcript.
accurfed, pr anathema: and that no man can fay ^
tbat Jefus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghoft,
*' That is, you may be afTured, that' man is not
infpired, whatever pretences he may make, who
pronounces Jefus accurfed. Nor can any man
profefs faith in Jefus, as the Chrift and Lord of
all, under God the Father, and recbmmend thiat
faith to others, unlefs he has been himfelf made
partaker of miraculous -powers and gifts, or feeit
miraculous works performed by others in the
name of Jefus." St. John fpeaks to the like pur»
pofe, I ep. iv. I . . . 3.
1 6, 2 Cor, iii, 17. 18. Now tbe Lord is,, that
Spirit, And where the Spirit ef the Lord is,
there is libfrty. But we aU with openfacet beheld-.
ing as in a glafs the glery ef tbe Lord, are changed
into the fame ima,geJrom ,glery te glory, even as hy
ihe Spirit of the Lord,. Or, as 'others chufe to
render it, by^ the Lord tbe Spirit, However., in
both is the fame fenfe.
Dr. Whitby will affift us in explaining thefe
words. For in his Annotations upon ver, 7 , . .
1,1 . of this chapter, he fays : " The Glory ofGod,
or of the Lord, in the 0\& Teftamelsti imports a
bright light, or flame included in a cloud, ftiled /-J^
Cloud of Glery. And becaufe this, whenever it
appeared, was a fymbol of God's glorious pre
fence, it is ftiled by the Jews Schechinah^, the Ha
bitation. See Ex. xvi. 7. 10. xL 34, This glory,
faith the author of Cofri,- is the divine light whic^ '
Ged vemhfpfeth te his people. By the Schechinah,
fays EUas, we underftand the Holy Spirit. As it
js evident .they do, in thefe fayings : The Sche,ehi-
nah will hut dwell witb ferrowful or melancholy
men. T'he Schechinah will only dwell with a ftrong,
rich, wife, ahd humble man. The Schefhinah dwells
^ti the .meek. And the like." We

The Firft P/f^feript, iit
Wc fhould now oblerve the neareft cpntext,
from ver. 12. Seeing then that we have fuch hope,
or fuch confidence, and well-grounded afTurance,
we, the Apoftles of Chrift, ufe great phinnefs of
fpeech, boldly preaching the pure Gofpel of Chrift,
without recommending to men the rituals of the
law. Ver. 13. And not as Mofes, who put a
"'veil over bis face . , . Ver. 14, For until this day
remaineth the veil untaken away, in the reading of
the Old Teftament. Which veil is done away, in
Chrift. 15. But even unto this day, when Mofes
is read, tbe veil is upon their hearts. 1 6, Never
thelefs, when it ftall turn unto the Lord, the veil
fhall be ,^aken away. 17. ffow the Lord is that
Spirit, and where the Spi'dt. of tbe Lord is, there
is liberty. Here is throughout an allufion to the hiftory
. pf Mofes, after his receivirig from God, the fe
cond time, the two tables of the law in the
mount. Ex. x*civ. 29 . . . 34. And dt came 'to pafs,.
when Mofes came down from mount Sinai . , . that
Mofes, wift not, that the fkin ef his face ftojte . . ,
And when Aaron, and all the children of Ifrael, faw:
Mofes, behold the fkin ef his face ftone. 'And they
were afraid te come nigh him. And Mofes called
unto him. And Aaron, and all the rulers of the
congr^atisn, returned unto him. And Mofes talked'
witb them. Afterwards all the children of Ifrael
came nigh. . . . And till Mofes had done fpeakif^g
unto them, he put a veil on bis f tice. But where
Mofe,s went before the Lord, to fpeak with him,-
he teek the veil off, until be came out.
That is what the Apoftle alludes to,, when he
fays, ver. 16. 17. Neverthelefs, ^h^n it ftiall turn:'
to m Lord, that is, "when the Jews fhall come
tq- Chrift'^' and believe 'in him,, the- veil ftall be
taken'

112

The Firfi Poftfcript.

taken away. For Mofes, when he went in, td
appear before the Lord, took off the veil Now
the Lord is that Spirit. The Lord Jefus is the
glory of God. And by coming to him, we are
as in the Divine prefence, and converfe without a
veil. Which is what is meant by thofe words r
And where tbe Spirit of the Lord is, there is li
berty. Then it follows in ver. i8. But we all with
open face, beholding as in a glafs tbe glory of the
Lord, are changed into ihe fame image, from glory
to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. " But •
it is not now with us, as it was with the Ifraelites
cf old, who only faw the face of Mofes through
a veil, and received no derivation of his glory
vipon themfelves ; the brightnefs of it having-
been intercepted by the veil. No, it is not fo
with us. For now, we all, both Jews and Gen
tiles, who are followers of Jefus, and the people
of God, under the gofpel-difpenfation, with epeh,'
or unveiled face, beholding as in a mirrour the
glory of the Lord, feeing a ftrong and lively im-
preffion of the divine glory in the perfon of-
Jefus Chrift, and his Gofpel: and there being a
bright, and clear, and ftrong refulgence of that-
glory upon us, we are changed into tbe fame image
from glory to glory, as by tbe Spirit ef the Lord :
We are transformed into the fame likenefs, which
is continually increafing and improving. And
the impreffion made upon us, is much the fame
as if we were in the Divine prefence, and faw the
glory of God, with as near and full a manifefta
tion as can be admitted in the prefent ftate."
17. 2 Cor. xiii. 14. Tbe grace of eur Lord
Jefus Chrift, and the love of Ged, and the com
munion of tbe Holy Ghoft, be with you all. Ameri.
Th^

^he Firfi Poftfcript. 113
The laft claufe mayjmply a wifh, that thbfc
Chriftians might continue to partake in miraeu.-r
lous gifts, and powers. But we have obferved,
that fometimes by the Spirit,, or Holy Spirit, may
be underftood any good things, conducive to
mens real happinefs. Compaire; Matt. vii. ji.
with Luke xi. 13. And fee Eph, i. 3. Prov*.
i. 23. In this place therefore we may fuppofe
to be hereby meant a participation of, and com
munion in all the bleffings ofthe gofpel, and all
other needful good things.
18. Eph. ii. 22. 1» whom ye alfo are buiU-
ed for an habitati-on of Cod through the Spirit.
Dr. Jeremiab. Hunt fhall explain the text fbr
us. [20].
" I. thinkr,: fays he, there is an expreffion made "
ufe of in refpeft to all believers- in the firft age.
Xe are the habitation of God through the Spirit.
We, Chriftians', are the habitation of God'a
Schechinah, the people, among whoni God dwells.
He dwelt as a political King with the Jews, by
a fenfible fymbol of his prefence. He dwelt
-with Chrilliian Societies, (when this doftrine was
firft planted) by thofe extraordinary gifts of the^
Spirit. That is fpoken of, in fuch terms, as are
figtade ufe of, to exprefs God's inhabiting among
the people of Ifrael. He dwelt with the Jews
to. the tabernacle, and the temple. He dwelt
•with Chriftians in the firft ieftablifhrnent of this
religion, by the extraordinary gifts which he im
parted to the Apoftles, who were to found his
doftrine^ and to eftablifli it. Thus far, you fee,
¦we are free from enthufiafm." "I woJi}14
[20] See his Sermon ttpon Communion with God : on i Juhn,
i« 6> 7. vol. iii. p. 426. 427..

T 14 fbe Firft Peftfcrip,
¦«* I would farther obferve, Chrift promifeth
thofe who believe in him, and keep his com-^
mandments, that he would love them, and that
his Father wpuld love them, and that they would
come, and make their abode with them. John
xiv. 21. 23. Thefe expreflions have been ufed
in a wrong fenfe by enthufiafts; But the phrafes'
are fcriptural, and eafy to be underftood. / will
come and dwell with you. There is a reference to
the Schechinah, the divine glory. By the fpiri
tual gifts, which the Father has given me power
to opnfer, I will induce you to believe in me.
You will then become the habitation of my Father.
He will have communion or fociety with you, by
thofe gifts which he will enabld me to iniparti
and by which that doftrine fhall be confirmed,
and eftabliflied."
There are divers other texts, where Chriftians
are fpoken of as the temple of God through the
Spirit. And in all of them there is an allufion to
the prefence of God among the Jewifli people,
and in the temple at Jerufalem,
I.) I Cor. iii. 16. 17. Know ye not, that ye
are the temple ef God, and tbat tbe Spirit ef Ged
dweUeth in you. If any man defile the temple of
God, bim ftall God deftroy. For tbe temple of God
is holy, which ye are.
2.) I Cor. vi. 19. Wbat, know ye not, that
your body is the teinple of the Holy Ghofi, ivhich ye
have of God ?
3.) 2 Cor. vi. 16, And what agreement hath
tbe temple of God with idols ? Fer y? are the tem
ple of tbe living God', as God hath Jaid : I will
dwell in them, and walk in them : and I will be
their God, and tbey ftall be my people. See Lev.
xxvi. 11.12.- I would

The Firft Poftjcript. n 5
, I wopld obferve, that in the fecond of thefe
three texts the Apoftle feems to fpeak of the Spi»
rit, as a gift -j Which, fays he^ ye bave of God.
Grotius fays, that the Holy Ghoft liere is the fame
as the Schechinah. I fhall place his note be
low. [2;i]
^And upon the third, the Jaft citeci text, ye are
the temple of tbe living God, h,e fays : " 'Where
[22] God dwells, there is a temple. God dwells
in good men by his Spirit. They therefore are
tjje temple of God. Nor is it without reafon
added living. For the Gods of the Heathen-
were dead men."
19. The commonnefs of fpiritual gifts, and
the ends and ufes of thein^ appear frpm many
texts. I.) Eph. i. 13. In sfhamye alfo trufted, after
that ye heard .the word ef truth, the gofpel of
y^iir falvation : in whom aljo after that ye believed,
ye werejealed with tbat Holy Spirit of promife : or,
0^2 with
{21] Spiritus SanOus hic idem quod Schekinah, Numen-
Dipinum in templo. Totus Jhuomo templum Dei, fupra iii.
16. 17. Sed adytujm eft mens hominis : animi ceteras par
tes hafilica templi : corpus vero porticusi cum fubdiahbus.
' Bene hunc locum explicat T.ertuliianus libro de Cultu Fe-
minarum. Cum omnes ,temp}um fimus Def, illato in nos et con-^
feflTfito Spiritu San6io, ejus templi <sditua et antifiita Pudicitia
efi , ^uts nihil fmmundum acprofanum inferrifinat, ne Deus ille,.
qui'inhabitat, inquinatamjedem ofenfus derelinquat'
Ov tx^t aitro Seu.] Spiritus ille a Deo eu' multo magis
quam fplendor ille, qui apparebat interdum inter Cherubi-
nos. Conftruftio eft Grzeca, qua: relativa pronomini dat '
cafum praecedentem. Grot, in loc.
[22] Fos enim eftis templum Dei ^ivi-l Templum eft».
libi Deus habitat. In piis habitat Deus per Spiritum
Sanftum. Sunt igitur templum Dei. Idem lenfus i Cor.
iii. 17.. etvi.,j9. Nee fruftra addidit ^wflo;, quia dii gentiuci'
erant homines mortni. Gret. in loc.

n6 the Firft Prfifcr^r.
with that Holy Spirit, which had been pra-
ifiifed. Upoia which text Mr. Loit^i? remarks in thefe
words : *' The Holy Ghofi was neither pro
mifed, ¦ rior given to the heathens,- whp were
apoftates froqn Gods and qiemies, but only to
me people of "God. And therefore the converted
B^hefians having Teceived it, might be affured
thereby, that they -were now the people of God,
and might reft fatisfied in this pledge of it."
2.) Eph. ii. i8. For through him ^e both
have arccefs -hy one Spirit unto, tbe Father. " For
through him we are all encouraged in our accefs'
to the Father, and are perfuaded of our accept
ance with * him : the like miraculous gifts,
which can come from God oniy, having 'beeri
beftowed equally upon Jews and Gentiles."
'3.) Eph. iv. 30 And grieve not the Holy Spi
rit of God, whereby ye are fealed unto the day of
redemption : or rather, wherewith ye were fealed in,
the day of redemption.
The miraculous gifts and powers 'oeftowed
upon the Chriftian Church, it it's early aays,
are enumerated in feveral places. Rom. xii, 6.
.".8. I Cor. xii. i . . 11. 28 . . 30. xiii, 1. 1.
xiv, Eph. iv, II. 12. And fee Eph. v- 18 . .
20. Col. iii. i6> I Theff. v. 19 . . 21.
Thefe gifts and powers, beftowed upon the
Apoftles J ajid others, foon after our Lord's af
cenfion, vindicated them, and juftified tlieir
preaching in his name, and enabled them to do
it with fuccefs.
The pouring out of fuch gifts upon Cornelius
a.nd his conripany, in an extrasordinary ma,nner,
immediately from heaven^ fatisfied the Apoftles,
that Gentiles mig-ht be received into the Church, as

The Firft Poftfcript, 1 17
as God's people, upon faith in Jefus Chrifl;, with
out taking upon them the obfervation of the .ri
tuals of the law of Mofes. Afts x. 44 . . 48.
xi. 15 . . 18.
And gifts of the Spirit -were beftowed upoa
many with the impofition of the hands of tl^
Apoftles : which afforded, great comfort to
them [23], as it fatisfied them, that, they were
received by God, as. his people and children.
This appears in feveral texs. Some^ more of
which. fhall be here alleged.
4.) Rom. i. XI.' Fer I long to fee you, that I
may impart unto yeu fome fpiritual gift, to the end
yeumay beeftablifhed. Com. xv. 29.
5.) Rom. V, 5. And hope maketh net aftamed,
becaufe the love ef God is fted abroad in our hearts
by the Hely Ghoft, which is given te us.
6.) Rom. viii, 15 . . 17, For ye have received
the Spirit of adoption, whlfrehy we cry: Abba,
Father. The Spirit itfelf beareth witnefs with our
fpirits, that we are the children of God. And if
children, then heirs, heirs af God, and joint hdrs
witb Chrift. See alfo ver. 23. And compare
Gal. iv. 5 . . y,
J.) I Cor. vi. II. Andjiich were fome ef yeu.
But ye are wafted, but ye are fanSlified, hut ye are
juftified, in tbe name ef eur Lord Jefus Chrift, and
by the Spirit of our God, " That is, ye have been
cieanfed, ahd fanftified by the doftrine of Chrift,
and have been fully affured of your acceptance
with God, by the fpiritual gifts, conferred upon
you.'* 8.) 2 Cor.
[23] Sic et dona ilia Deii puta prophetic, fanationes, lin
gua;, ejeftiones daemonum, certos reddebant crcdentes,
de paterna Dei in fe beneToIentia. Grot, in Uph i. 13.

jlS The Firft Poftjcript.
%.) 2 Cor. i. 21. 22. Now he which eftablifto-
eth as with you, in Chrift, and bas anointed us, is
Ged. Wbo has alfe fealed us, and given the earneft
ofhis Spirit in eur hearts.
9-) 2 Cor. xi. 4- For, if he tbat cometh to yeu,
preitcheth mother Jefus, whom we bave not preachy
ed : er, if yt receive another Spirit, which yeJoave
net received : or another gofpel, which ye have not
accepted, ye might well bear with him.
By another Spirit the Apoftle cannot mean ano
ther intelligent agent : but muft mean greater
and more excellent fpiritual gifts than thofe
whicb had been imparted to the Corinthians by
himfelf. [24] Mr. Locke's paraphrafe is in thefe
words : " Or, if you have received from him
(the intruder) other, or greater gifts of the Spi
rit, than thofe you have received from me." See,
I Cor. xii. . .
10.) Gal. iii. 2. This only would I learn ef
ym. Received ye tbe Spirit by the works afthe la-w,
or by the hearing of faith ? This is paraphrafed
by Mr. Locke after this manner. *' This one
thing I defire to know of you. Did yOu receive
the miraculous gifts of the Spirit by the works
of the law, or by the gofpel preached to you ?"
II.") Ver. 5. He therefore that minifiretb te you
tbe Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doth
he it by tbe werks ef tbe law, or hy the hearing ef
faith.? Here again Mr. Lockers paraphrafe is
this : " The gifts ofthe Holy Ghoft that have
been conferred upon you, have they not been
conferred upon you as Chriftians, profefllng
faith in Jefus Chrift, and not as obfervers of
the
f 2.| J >) iBstiv^oL ilifot ^iai^^asili, a ax. e>,aQ3e, Aut R is voMs
potiora dona Spiritus conferre potuit, quam nos permanuum
irapofjtionem vobis contulimus. Grot, in loc.

The Firft Poftfcript. 1 1 9
the law? And hath not he, who has conveyed
thefe' gifts to you, and done miracles among
you, done it as a preacher and profeffor of the
gofpel ?"
By all which texts we fee, hovv common fpiri
tual gifts were in the churches, of Chrift. St.
Paul, iti Eph. i. 13. cited juft now, ufeth the
expreffion, that hely Spirit of promife. Out Lord's
own words are -, And heboid, I fend you tbe pro
mife af tny Father upon ydu. Luke xxiv, 4,5.
_ Again, He commanded tbem, tbat they ftould not
depart from Jerufalem, but wait for the promife of
the Father : which, faid he, ye have heard of me.
Afts i. 4. And fee ii. 33.
Indeed the promife of the Spirit was made to
all believers in general, and not to Apoftles only:
though to them efpecially, and in a greater mea
fure, than to others. The promife of the Spi
rit is delivered by Jefus himfelf, by. his fore-run-^
ner, and by the ancient Prophets, as the great
blefling of the evangelical difpenfation, or the
privilege of the times of the Meffiah.
Says olir Lord*s fore-runner, I ba,ptife you
witb water. . . He ftall baptife with the Holy
Ghoft, and with fire. Matt. iii. ii. Comp. Afts
j. 5. xi. 16. Our Lord fays, John vii. 38. 39,
He that believeth on me, as the Scripture hath jaid,
out of his belly ftall ftew rivers of living water . . .
And, adds the Evangelift : This he fpake of the
Spirit, which tbey tbat believe on him ftjould receive.
And Mark xvi. 17. 18. Thefe figns ftall follow
them that believe. In my name fhall they caft
cut demons. They ftall fpeak with new tongues,
Tbey ftall take up ferpents. And if they drink
any deadly thing, it ftall not hurt them. They
fliall lay hands on the fick, and they ftall recover.'
For the promifes ofthe .Old Teftament, \ need
now refer only to Afts ii. 16. . , 18. And St.
Peter,

I20 The Firft Poftfcript
peter, direfting and comforting thofe who were
much affefted with his firft. d.ifeDurfe after Chrift's
afcenfion, faid unto tbem : Repent, and be baptifed
every one of you in tbe name of Jefus ' Chrift, for
the remijfion of fins. And ye (hall receive the gift of
tbe Holy Ghoft. Fer the promife is to you and te
your children, and te all tbat are afar eff, even as
many, as the Lerd eur God fttdl caH. ii, 38, 39.
Again : And we are bis witneffes ef thefe things.
Andfo'^alfo is tbe Holy Ghoft., which Ged ban given
te them thai obey him, v. 32.
20, I ftiall here put together fome of thofe
texts, which contain exhortations to fuch as were
partakers of the Holy Ghoft, or had been fa
vored with fpiritual gifts,
I,) Eph, iv. 30. And grieve not the Holy Spi'
fit of God, whereby ye are fealed unto the day ef re
demption. Or, with which ye were fealed in thi
day of redemption. This text was quoted before,
upon another account.
Here mav be a reference to If Ixiii. 10. By
the Spirit of God the Apoftle means thofe powers
anfi gift.";, with which thofe Chriftians had been
fealed: and by which they might be fcnown^
both to themfelves and others, to be people of
God. See Eph. i. 13. 14. In the preceding
arfd following verfcs the Apoftle cautions the
^phejtans to avoid everything, by which God
might be offended, and provoked to withold his
gracious influences, or to withdraw from them
the gifts, that had been beftowed upon them.
Let no corrupt eemmunieation proceed out of yo,ulF
mouth . . . Let all hittemefs, and wrath, end an
ger, and clamour, and evil-fpedking, he put away
front yoU, with att ¦ rhaUc&.
2.) Eph. V, 18. 19. And be' not drunk witb mm:,
¦wherein is excefs : but be filled with the Spirit,
Jpeakit^

Th'e Firft Poftfcript. , iii
fpedking to yourjelves in pfalms, and hymns]
and fpiritual Jongs, finging, and making melody
in your heart to the Lord. " That is, be
careful not to be drunk with wine, in which
men are too liable to exceed : but, -when you
are difpofed to be chearful, gratify and entertain
yourfelves and others, with a free exercife of the-
fpiritual gifts wherewith God has blefl^ed you."
Comp. Col. iv. 16,
3.) I Theff. V. 19 ... 22. Quench not the
Spirit. Defpife not propbefyings. Prove all things.
Hold faft that whicb is good. Abftain from all
appearance of evil.
" Quench not, nor damp the fpiritual gifts,
with which you have been favoured, either by i
negleft of any of them, or by an irregular ex
ercife of them, or by the indulgence of any fin.
And efpecially do not defpife, but cherifh, and
highly efteem the gift of prophefying, or fpeak
ing by infpiration for the inftruftion and edifi
cation of the church. And be fure, that you
take heed to, and examine what is propofed td
you in yoiir public affemblies. Embrace v/hat-
ever is right and gdod, and rejeft e-very thing
that is evil.'"
The comment of Grotius Upon thofe -^ord^,
^ench not tbe Spirit, is to this purpofe, [25J'
By the Spirit are meant the gifts of healing, and
'of
t^j] To OTXED/xa (Hi) irCeH/Jie] Spiritus hic funt dona fana
tionum et linguarum, qua; ficut in ignis forma data erant,
ita igni'-re£le'comparant»r, ac proinde dicuntur, stfifcitari.
d Timj i. 6. et contra exfiingui. S ufci t/znt ur ¦precibus, gra-
tiarum aftione, ac perpetuo ftudio pietatis. ' Exfiinguuntur
per contraria. Nam' in Novo Teftamento, maxime poft
conftitutas ecclefias, Deus, ilia dona non vult dare aut fer-
vare, rifi credentibus, et pie viventibus.' Vide Marc. xv*i.
il.' Gni. in loc.

122 The Firft Poftjcript',
of tongues, which are fitly compared to fi'r.e.
And therefore may be faid to. be ftirred up,, as irt
aTim.i. 6.. and on the other hand to be ex^
tinguifted. They are ftirred up by prayer, giving.-
of thanks, and a continued regular praftice of
piety ; and are extinguifted by the contrary.^ For
God, under the evangelical difpenfation, does'
not vouchfafe,. or at leaft. continue thofe gifts to
any but fuch as believe, and live pioufly. See-
Mark xvi. 17." .
And Wolfius fays, that \_i6']'bjtbe Spirit, un
doubtedly, ars meant gifts of the Spirit, who is.
fometimes compared to fire, as 2 Tim. i. 6.
The Apoftle having delivered that direftion,.
^eneh net the Spirit, relating to fpiritual gifts
in general, adds a particular caution, dejpije not:
prophejyings, becaufe, though it was the moffc
ufeful,. and valuable gift of all, fome, as it feems,,
were apt to prefer fpeaking witb tongues, as a
more fhe-wy gift. Ihis may be coUefted from
what he v/rites 2 Cor. xiv. and fee particularly
i»er. 39,
Abftain from all appear anae. ef evil. Many un
derftand this to be a direftion relating to prac
tice in life, agreeably to our verfion : that Chrif
tians fhould not only abftain from what is really,.
and manifeftly evil,, but alfo from • every thing.
that has but the appearance of being evil. And-
fo Grotius underftood this claiife [27], But to
mc

[26] Quod" ai£ rem fpe&it, to crfsu^a-. omnia funt dona
Spiritus S, qui cum igwe folet comparari, quo fenfu Paulus ¦
2! Tim. i. 6. ava^TtufBit-ro p(apcrnei ^ea jubet. Wolf. Cura„
in \ Th. 't/i 1^. ¦ -
[27] Atto •sratio; «?«? ¦sronjps aijtexf.i,] , Chriftiani non a
rebus nialis tantum-, fed ab iis, qua: fpeciem habent ntali,
abiHnei-e debent. £xemp,lura vide i>,Cor. viii.-i6. Qrot,rJ
in I Theff. 'v. 2 2...

The Firft Poftjcript. 1123
me it feems, that this laft claufe is to be under
ftood in conneftion with the former part, prove all
things : and that it is intended to direft the right
exercife of the judgment. Chriftians fliould ex
amine all things propofed to them, embracing
what is right, and rejefting every thing that is
Tvrong. So this exhortation was underftood by
Pelagius [28]. And Grotius himfelf interprets
the former expreffions, prove all things, and bold
faft that which is. good, in' the like manner [29].
4.) I Tim. iv. 14. NegleSi not the gift that is
in tbee, whicb was given thee by prophecy, with
the laying en ef tbe hands ef the prefiytery.
5.) 2 Tim. i. 6, -Wherefore I put thee in re-
membrance, that thou ftir up the gift of God,
which is in thee by tbe putting on of my hands. -
I take no notice of any other texts of this
kind : but it is well known, that the twelfth
and fourteenth chapters of the firft epiftle to the
Corinthians contain many direftions foi" regulating
the- exercife of fpiritual gifts, -with which that
church abounded. It is fufficient for me to re
fer to them. There are likewife in other epiftles
of the New Teftament divers exhortations to
Chriftians in regard to the gifts with which they
were favoured.: as Rom, xii. 3 ... 8. i Pet.
iy, 10. II.
21. I Theff., i, 5. For aur gofpel came not unte
you in word only^ hut alfo in power, and in the
R 2 Holy
(28] Tantam, ut probetis, fi L?gi non funt contraria,
quse dicuntur : fi quid tale fuerit, refutate. Pclag. in i
Theff. i;. 21. 22. Ap. Hieron. Opp. T. 'V. p. 1082.
[29] Ilaula Joxifia^oA;, to ,y.a,'\iiii x.d}£^P.i . Hoc pertinet ad
Jiaxfio-«? ¦zsvevfiifiuv. I Cor. xii. xiv. Sic t Joh. iv. r. Av.
-HifM»^s!s ra «T»£t>j«»Ia . . . Ergo usaila, omnia, hic reftringen-
dum ex antecedente ad ea qua dicuntur ab eis, qui fe Pro-
phetas diftitant. Grot, ad <ver, zi.

1^4- The Firft Poftfcript.
Holy Ghoft, and in much' affur ance - . . 6. And yc
became followers of us, and of the Lord, having
received the word in much affliSiion, with joy of
'the Holy Ghoft.
The explication of this text fhall be taken
from Dr. BenJ'ons Paraphrafe on the epiftle.
" Inafmuch q,s the gofpel, - preached by us, did
not come unto you in -word only ; but was ac
companied alfo -jvith a miraculous power, and
with our imparting unto you the Holy Spirit,
and with full and abqndant 9onyiftipn to your
Xjiinds." . . " And we can bear -witnefs to your amiable
behaviour ; for you became imijiatqrs pf us, and
of the Lord Jefus Chrift: in th^t ypu fteadily
adhered to the truth, amidft great difficulties
and difcouragements, after you had received the
gofpel, in much affliftion, with the joy which
arifeth from your having the Holy Spirit." The
fame learned writer, in his note upon the fifth
-verfe, fays : " By power I ynderftand the power
of v/orking miracles, exerted by the Apoftle, or
his affiftants. And by the Holy Ghoft, ox Holy
Spirit, I undgrftand the gift pf 'the Spirit^ as
imparted to the Thejfalpniajis,"
22. Hebr. ix. 14. How much more ftall the
blood of Chrift, who through tbe eternal Spirit of
fered himfelf without fpol to God, purge your con-'
fcience from dead works to ferve tbe, living God ?¦
Tir. Whitby, in his Annptations upon Hebr. v.
5. fays, that Chrift was by his death confecrated
to his priefthood, and dates the commencement
of dur Lord''s priefthood " at "his refurreftion.
This fentiment has been much improved by the
late Mr. Thomas Moore, in his- Difcourfe con
cerning the Priefthood of Chrift. I may refer
to one place particularly, where he fays, " The
' , - time.

The Firft Poftfcript.. 125
time, when Jefus was called to, and invefted wit,h
the order of the priefthood, was at his refurrec-
tion from the dead." Which he argues from
Hebr. V. 10. compared with Afts xiii. 33. Sec
him p. II. 12. i'^.
That may be the key to this text. How
ever, there are fome other interpreters, who have
well explained it, as we fliall fee prefently,
though they have not fo diftinftly fettled the
date of Chrift's priefthood.
How much more ftall the blood of Chrift, who
through the eternal Spirit offered himfelf without
fpot to God, purge your confcience . . ?
When our Lord himfelf offered himfelf to
God, or prefcnted himfelf before God, he was
rifen from the dead, and had obtained ever
lafting life, te die no more, as St. Paul fays,
Rom. vi. 9. 10. And in Pf ex. 4. the only
place in the Old Teftament where Chrift's prieft
hood is fpoken of, it is faid: The Lord has
fworn, and will not repent : Thou art a prieft for
ever, after the order of Melchifedec. This the
¦writer of the epiftle to the Hebrews often obferves,
and infifts much upon. As Hebr. vii. 21. where
the text of that pfalm is quoted : fee alfo ver. 1 1,
And at ver. 24. 25. But this man, becaufe he con
tinueth ever, hath an unchangeable priefthood.
Wherefore he is able alfo to fave tbem to the utter moft,
that come unte God hy him : feeing he ever Uveth
to make interceffion for them. And ver. 15. 16.
of the fame chapter : For that after the fimilitude
of Melchifedec there arifeth another prieft, who is
made, not after the law of a, carnal 'commandment,
but after the power of an endlefs life. And ch, v.
9, And being made perfeSt, he became the author ef
eternal falvation to them that obey him. Apd
ver, 12. of this ch, ix. jiift before the text which
we are now confidering, he fpeaks of Chrift's having

126 The Firft Pofifcript,
having obtained etemal redemption for us. And,
ver. 15. — that they wbich are called might receive
the promife of eternal inheritance. And i Cor.
XV. 45. the laft Adam, meaning the Lord Jefus,
is faid to be a quickening Spirit.
The meaning of this text therefore feems to
be this: "That Chrift being now entered into
heaven itfelf, ix. 24. that is, the true Holy of
Holies, by his own never-dying Spirit, or by tbe
power of an endlefs life, vii. 16. he offered himfelf
to Ged, pr prefented himielf before God, having
been innocent and unfpotted inthis whole life on
earth, and being now made perfeEl, and higher
than the heavens," ch. v. 9. and vii. 26. 28^
Which is very agreeable to the Annotations
pf Grotius upon this verfe. [30 j
There are fome others likewife, who have fo
pertinently criticifed upon this text, that I arri
willing to tranfcribe their remarks below, for the-
fake of intelligent readers [31]. 23. Hebr.
[30] Oblatio autem Chrifti hic intelligitur ilia, quas ob-
lationi legali in adyt-o fadlae refpondet. Ea autem eft not}
oblatio in altari crucis fafta, fed fafta in adyto ccelefti,
Fafta autem ihie&, per Spiritum ccelefiem, aut, ut ante dixit
vii. 16. per mim 'uit<s indiffolubilis, quia fpiritus ejus jam
non erat vivens tantum, ut in vita hac terrena, fed in ster
num corpus fibiadjunftam, ¦vi'vificans. i Cor. xv. 45. . -
Alas hic fume, ut fupra ver. 12. pro prxpofitione cum, quo
modo et Hebrasum 3 poni folet. Intelligitur hinc dignitas
oblatioijis, quod earn fecit is, qui jam fpiritu et corpore
erat immortalis. Sanguini autem purgatio ifta tribuitur,
quia per fangiaem, id eft, mortem Chrifti, fecuta ejus ex-
citatione et eveftione, gignitur in nobis fides. Rom. iii.
jr. . . Cum dicit a/^w/^o*, refpicit legem viftimarum Lev.
xxii. 20. . . . Jn viftimis legalibus nullum debebat efle cor
poris vjtium : In Chrifti vita nihil fuit vitiofum. Et'ideo
Spiritu illo reterno don.atus eft- Grot. Annot. in Hebr. ix. 1 4.
[31] 0« \a wvivfittloi aiavia.'] Qui a mortuis fu-iitatus,
cum fpiritiiali et immortali corpore (quod antequam in
coslefte

Tbe Firft Poftfcript. 1 27
23, Hebr. x. 28. 29. He tbat defpifed Mofes*
law, died without mercy, under^two or three wit-
7ieffes. ¦ Of hew much forer puniftment, fuppofe ye,
ftall he he thought worthy, who bas trodden under
feet the Son of Ged, and bas counted fhe blood of
the covenant wherewith he was fanSified, an unholy
thing, and has done defpite unte the Spirit ef
Grace ?
The cafe here fuppofed is that of apoftafy from
the Chriftian faith. The perfons intended are
fuch as thofejrfpoken of ch. vi. 4. who had tafied
of the heavenly gift, and were partakers ef the
Holy Ghofi. And one of the aggravations of
their apoftafy is, that tbey had done defpite
to the Spirit of grace : or rejefted, and caft re-'
proach upon that great evidence of the truth of
the
ccelefte tabernaculum ingrederetur, accepit), omnis infir--
mitatis et patibilitatis labe, qux mortali naturae inha;rent„
purgatum femetipfum obtulit Deo, fedens ad dextram ma-
jeftatis ejus in coelis. Brenius in loc.
Chriftum autem, cujus fanguinem opponit fanguini tau-'
Torum et hircorum, defcrib-it, quod -per fpiritum ee,ternu!;c
feipfum Deo immaculatum ohtulerit, Chrifto jam e mortuis -
fuicitato tribuit fpiritum eeternum : quia poft refufcitatio-
nem anima ejus non amplius eft anima vivens, fed fpiritus
vivificans. 1 Cor. xv. 45. diciturqu« habere vitam indif--
folubilem ; fupra, vii. 16. et in seternum manere. Ver. 24.'
Vivit ergo in omnem aeternitatem, ut fit seternus Fontifex.
Chriftus nimirum fanguinem fuum, tanquam vidlima, in
cruce eiFudit, et cum iilo fanguine, id eft, virtute illius fan--
guinis, jam e mortuis fufcitatus, et, fpiritus vivificus ac
aternus, feipfum in coelis obtulit Deo, id eft, coram Deo
pro nobis- comparuit,
Dicitur autem hic, fe ohtuliffe immaculatum, non ta,ntunv
refpeftu vitje fuje, quam hic in terris degit, quatenus fine ulla
peccati labe vixit. 1 Pet. ii. 22. 2 Cor. v. 21. fed et re--
ipeftu ftatus illius cosleftis, quo nunc fruitur, ab omni in-
ffrmitate, cui hic in terris in ftatu humiliationis-^ obnoxius .
fuit, adeo ut nihil iii ipfo, ut aternus fit Pontifex, defider--
ari poffit. Vid. cap. vii. 26. Ph; Limhorch in Bp^ ad Hebr, -
*£/>.. ix. -14.

123 51;,? Firft Poftjcript.
the Chriftian religion, the miraculous gifts,
.which God had moft gracipufly beftowed upon
themfelves and ot'hers. So [32] Grotius, And
Limhorch expreffeth himfelf to the like pur
pofe [33J.
24. I John V. 5 ... 10. 'Who is he that over
cometh the world, but he that believeth that Jefus
is tbe Son of God .? This i:> he that came by watep
and blood, even Jefus Chrift, not hy water only, hut
by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that
beareth witnefs j, becaufe the Spirit is^ truth. Fer
there are three tbat bear witnefs : tbe Spirit, and
the water, and the blood. And thefe three agree
in one. If we receive the witnefs ef men, the
witnefs of God is greater^:. For this is the witnefs
of God,, which he bas teftified of bis Son. He that
believeth cn the Son of God, hath the witnefs in
himfelf. He that believeth -not God, hath made
bim a liar, becaufe he believeth not the record that
God gave of his Son.
I have quoted this paffage according to the
Alexandrian and other ancient manufcripts, and
the citations in ancient writers, without regarding any
[32] Kat ro ismv^a T'n; pf.apiT05 EKjfpia-a; .• et Spiritui grat its j
contuMeliam fecerit,] Spiritum ilium, quem fummo Dei*^
beneficio acceperat, contumelia afiiciens : nullius pretii
eftimans tantum donum, quo fe ipfe ait privatum. Grot.
in loc.
[33] Tertium. Et Spiritum gratia contumelia affecit,^ Spi
ritus gratia eft fpiritus ille, qui in initio preEdicationis-
E-v-arigelii dates fuit credentibus, ad confirmationem divini-
tatis Evangelii: nimirum dona ilia extraordinaria SpirituS
Sanfti, qua: paffim in Aftis et Epiftolis Apoftolorum in
credentes efflifa legimus. Qui vocatur Spiritus gratice, tum
qtiia ex gratia, divina credentibus datus eft : tum quia per"
iflum obfignata fuit divinitas doftrinae Jefu.ChrilH, in qua.
niajfima et excellentiffima Dei gratia patef&6l-a eft. Lim'bj
in tpi ad Hebr. p, 667.

The Firft Poftfcriph I2f
any modern, printed copies : which, indeed, de-
fe^^ve not any regard. >'
Some have paraphrafed the former part of
ver. 6. in this manner. " Now that this Jefus
Chrift was a re^l n^an, and died, -we have ^the
Utniqft teftimony. For I myfelf, when he ex-
pire4.on the crofs, faw his fide pierced with a
fpear, and blood and water giifli out at the
wound :' which are two determining proofs, that
he. really died." Suppofing, that here is a re
ference to what is related in St. John's Gofpel,
xix. 34. 35-
But that ismanifeftly a weak and arbitrary in
terpretation. [34] St. Jobn is not here obferving
the proofs of our Lord's real humanity, but of
his being the Son of God, the Meffiah-
• To me it feems, that the water, an emblem of
purity, [Ezek. xxxvi. 25.] denotes the innocence
of our Lprd's hfe, which was without fpot, and
exemplary :_ and the reafonablenefs, excellence,
and perfeftion of his doftrine, which, after th^
ftrifteft examination, and niceft fcrutiny, cannot
be charged with any error or falfehood. The
blood denotes our Lordes willing and patient,
though painful and ignominious death,, the ut-
'moft teftimony .that can be given of integrity.'
The.5^mV intends oar Lord's mariy miraculous
¦wprics, wrought by the Spirit, the finger, the
power of God, or God himfelf This teftimony
IS- truth, that is, .exceeding'true, fb that it m-ay iae
relied ttpon. For it is unqucftionable,' and can
not be gainfayed. Seejohn v-/ 32' .' , , 3-7. x. 25.
Afts iiV 2'"2l ' , ,
.... . Here
•[3^] Andyet it is followed by the fete Mr. Wetfiein •
Probav'it fe noh pbantafma, fed verum hominem efle, qui
ex fpirituy fanguine, et aqua feu humore con llaret. Joh'.
xix. 34.' 35* J-'J'-- '^•¦¦tfiein in lot. p. i-j-i-
h5

I30 _ The Firft Poftjcript.
Here are three witneffes [35]. And they agret
in ene. They are harmonious, all faying the
fame thing, and concurring in the fame tefti
mony. The Apoftle adds, ver. 9. Tf we receive the
witnefs of men, the witnefs of God is greater : re
ferring to the appointment in the law of Mofes,
that hy the mouth of two or three witneffes, any
matter might be eftablifted. Deut. xvii. 6. xix. 15.
Whatfoever was attefted by two or three men,
was deemed true and eertain. In the point be
fore us there are three moft credible witneffes,.
one of whom is God himfelf, Refufing this
teftimony therefore, would be the fame as making
God a liar, or charging him with giving falfe
evidence, and with a defign to deceive and im
pofe upon his creatures. He that believeth not
God, bath made Him a liar, becaufe he believeth net
the teftimony whicb God giveth of his Son.
This interpretation is the fame as that in Gro-.
mus [36], or not very different,
25. Rev. xxii. 1 7. And the Spirit and the Bride
fay: Come. " Thatis, fays [37] Grotius, men,
who. are endowed with fpiritual gifts'."
Mr. PyUs paraphrafe is this : " The whole
body of truly good Chriftians, who are the true
church and fpoufe of Chrift. And in his notes he
[35! ^''¦^ '''P'* ^"'"' "' A«»pl''p«'«'ef.. k: %. T Aall here put
down a fimilar expreffion of the fophift .Mlius Arifiides, in
the fecond century. Oration. T. i. p. 146. edit. Jebb. al,
p. 272. Tpsi; "/«,( ^1^' o' liafvftsa^aiiits iwu^ayfrinx A^ffiiUM tivat.
7)!> nxii', A6))>aio(,. Aaxt<iOH)A,onot, Bsiwioi.
[36] Et in epiftola i Joh. v. 8.. Aqua eft puritas vitE
Chriftians, quze fimul cum Biar.tyrio, et miracules, teftimo-
nium reddit veritati degmatis.. Grot. Ann. in Jaii- iii* f .
[37] Id eft, viri- propheticis donis claii. Vide fupr^.
Ver. 6. Eft abftraftam pro concrete :. Spiritus pro habentiv.
bUs Spiritum. Dicunt: Feni,Sc.ii. Gret, in iee^

The Firft Poftfcript. 131
lie fays,. " T'he Spirit and :f fie Bride, or the fpi
ritual Bride, that is, the true church of Chrift.
Thus grace and truth, is a, truth conveying the
greateft favour. John L 17, Glery and virtue
is glorious virtue or power, i Pet. i. 3. kingdom
and glory, a glorious kingdom, i Theff. ii. 12.
Had the generality, of comrnentators obferved
this, they would not have had occafion- to inter
pret this of ihe Holy Spirii of God, wifting, and
.praising for the coming of Clirift's kingdom, in
the fame marmer, and. with the fame ardency, .as
St. John and the Chriftian Church here does.
Which to me feems vet^ incongruous," So Mr,
Pyle, whofe intetpretatioa is approved by Mr.
Lowman. , .
Brenius [38] is not very different. Or, as
fome [39] other intei-preters exprefs it : " The
Spirit and tbe Bride : that is, the Church ani-
.mated by the Spirit, and ardently longing for
the coming -of Chrift." , .
Every ojae may perceive, th^ we have been
difcpurfing of miraculous gifts and pov?ers :
.which now are, and fpr a Iprvg tiwe have been,
coramonly called extraordinary gifts of the Spirit.
Thefe are not faving. They who received fuch
'gifts 3,fc.er. baptifm, and profeffion of faith in
Jefus Chrift, were thereby fatisfied, that the doc
trine of Chrift was true, and from heaven, An^
jthey were affured, that if they afted according
-S 2 to
138] Splrifcu* qui eft in Sponfa, vel Sfyonfe per Spiritum,
qui in |ipfa i;efidet, dicit : id eft, credentiam omnis m vota.,
tiim fepar'atiiu'tftin conjunftim, hoc idem contendunt. Bren,
in loc.
[39I C'eft i dire, I'Epotxfe, qui eft I'EgUfe animee du
3. Efprit, 6t foupiraat ardemment apres l*apparilion de
], q. lenf. elMeffuf.

J 3 2. The Firft Poftfcript.
to that faith, they might be faved, withput obi
ferving the pecufiarities of the law of Mofes.
But fuch gifts alone were not faving, withoup
fincere virtue, and the praftice of a good life.
So fays St. Paul i Cor. xiii. 1.2. But covet
earneftly the heft gifts. t« j^apK^-fAola t« npuTloi/iXi,
And yet I ftew unto you a more excellent way,
Thougb I fpeak with the tongues of men and angels,
and bave not 'charity, I am become as founding
brafs, 'or ti tinkling cymbal. And though I have
'the 'gift of prophecy, and underftand all myfteries.,
and 'all kriowledge ;' atid though I bave all faitb, fo
't\at Ifiould remove mountaifis, and have ' iiot cha-
'rity, I am notUng. ' This fame might be faid of
the rieceffity of fobriety^ and humility, and meek-
iiefs, br any other virtue, that is there faid qf
charity, or love. And perhaps all- focial virtue
is comprehended Ky the Apoftle ifi the pne vir
tue -here mentioned by him. For fh' another
place he fays : Love is the fulfilling -of the law,
Ropi. xiii. 8 ... 10.
'"" And that all' virtues pught to be joined toge
ther, and carefully cultivated by thofe who,ttiake
a profeffion ofthe Chriftian religion, is fliewn by
St. Peter. And befide this, fays he, giving ajl
diligence, add to your faith virtue, or fortitude,
and to virtue knowledge, and to knowledge temper-^
ance, and to temperance patience, and to .fiatiencti,
'godlinefs, cind te godlinefs, brotherly ' kindnefs . . ,
For fe'jtn entrance' ftall he -minifter id to yeu abiin-
dantly into tbe everlafting kingdom of eur Lord and
'Saviour Jefus Chrifi. 2 P?t. i. 5 , . . iq.
• ; , I have now firiifhed what I pro-
pontliiftoK, pofed at the beginning of this Poft-
_ ft^ript, having explained,' according -
'i© my ability,' thofe words, the Spirit, the Holy
Spirii,

The Fir/i Poftjcript. t3|
Spirit, and the Spirit of God, as ufed in the Scrip
tures. Many of the interpretations, which have been.
given by me, will be readily affented to by "alL
If any others fliould not be approved of "at firft,
I hope no offence needs to be taken. I do not
diftatCj but with humility and deference "re-.
commend thefe thoughts to the confideration bf
|ny brethren in Chrift Jefus.
It becomes us all to examine the doftrines
'jvhich are propofed to us. We fhould not be
Chriftians and PrOteftahts upon the fame'grounds
that others are Mahometants and Papifts, barely
becaufe fuch or fuch opinions are generally re
ceived and eftablifhed in the country -where we
live. Our bleffed Lord" and his Apoftles have fore
warned us, that men would arife, teaching perve-rfe
^bings, that tares would be mingled with the
good grain, and error with triith."'^ The event
has been accordingly.. If there are any notions
concerning a Trinity of Ditirie Perfons, ' whicH
are nor right and juft: if tranfubftantiation is
pot a reifonable and fcriptural doftrine : if the
worfhip of angels, and' departed faints, and of
their images, is not required ahd comnnanded,
but cbnderriried and forbidden in the Old and
New Teftament : it muft be allowed, that cor
ruptions have been brought into the Chriftian
Church. For fuch things there are among thofe
-who are called Chriftians,
What is to he done in this cafe ? Are they,
\^h6 difcei-n fuch corruptions, obliged to acqui-
efce ? Would it be fin to fhew how unreafonable
and unfcriptural fuch. things are ? I do not fee
"^bw this can be faid, provided it be done with
|neeknefs_ and gentlenefs. ,
"'¦' ' ^ • • ¦¦ ¦ '" Plato,

134 - The Firfi Poftfcript.
Plato, in his Timaus, fays, " That {40J.it is
very difficult to find out the author and parent
of the univerfe; and when found, it is impoffible
to decrlare him to all." Cicero, whp tranflated
that -Vf orh o{ Plato into Latin, renders the laft
claufe, as if Plato had faid : " When [41J you
have found him, it is unlawful to declare him to
the vulgar.'* Perhaps that was Cicere''s own
fentiment. Being a ft^tefman and politician, as
well as a philofopher, he might be mpre con
cerned for peace than. truth.- A rnultitude of
deities being the prevailing belief, he was afraid
to oppofe the prejudices of the people, who
might be offended at the doftfine of the .Divine
Unity, with its confequences. But fo it ftiould
not be among Chriftians,' who, befide the light of
nature, have alfo the light of revelation.
Says the Pfalmift : In Judah is God known.
IJis name is g};eat in Ifrael. Pf. Ixxvi. i. It
was their great privilege and happinefs, that
God was known among them, and v^prfhipped,
gnd ferved by them •, when Heathen people
were ignorant of the true God, and worfhipped
fenfelefs idols. That diftinftibn was owing to
the revelation which God had made of himfelf
to Abr^haan and his defcendants. Which bener-
lit we alfo now enjoy, together with the clearer
and fuller revelation of God and his will, which
has been made by our bleffed Saviour, the pro
mifed Meffiah. See John i, 18. iv. 23. 24. xvii.
25. 26.
Says that molt excellent teacher of men, in
an addrefs to the Father : And, this is Ijfe (ternal,
, , that
fi^'2 T"" /*" *" ItP^^li/ xat 'nraltfi 'ra Je t8 ¦srsn'o; ivfim rt tfi
yav, xat ivfovla, itt vndldif aivtaiiti* .^tyiii'. Platan. Timteus,
p, 28. T. Hi. Serran. et ap. Pif.ir. p. 336.
[4.13  et cura jam inveneris, indicare in ^'algus, npfa?,

tbe Firft Poftfcript. ¦ 135
that they might knew thee, tbe only true God, and
Jefus Chrift, whom tbou haft fent. John xvii. 3,
The right knowledge of God and Chrift,
therefore, muft be the greateft of bleffings, and
fhould be fought after in the firft place, and be
prized above all things. And wherever the
benefit of it is obftrufted by wrong notions, it
may be the duty of fome to give, and of others
to receive inftruftion : that God may be glori
fied, and men may be edified and faved.
The Scriptures are acknowledged to be the
fountain of religious knovvledge. Accordingly
fome there have been among us, and in our
own times, who have endeavoured to give a Clear
account of the fcripture -doftrine concerning
God and Chrift : men of unqueftioned 'piety, and
eminent for "atural and acquired abilities. And
though their fchemes have not been exaftly the
fame, and they have not' all had equrd iuccefs
' and acceptance, it muft be acknowledged, that.
their writings have been very ufeful. They have
kept lip, and cherifhed a fpirit, of inquiry" dnd
thoughtfulnefs in things of religion. And they
have promoted knowledge, moderation, can
dour, and equity, among Chriftians. And may
fuch excellent diipofitions prevail among us yet
more and more f
Saith the venerable Dr; Sherlock, bifliop^ of
London, in the fourth volume [42 J of his iJif-
Gouffes, lately publifhed, p. 321. 322. " From
thefe things laid together, it js evident, that the
Apoftles were witneffes and teachers of the faith,
and had no authority to add ariy thing to the
doftrine of Chrift, or to ded'are new articles of
faith,"
" Now-
[42} It is the i2th difcourfe In that volume. The text
is the epiftle of St. judei yer. 3. lattei- part,-

136 The Firft Poftfcript.
" Now if the Apoftles, commiffioned direftly
by Chrift himfelf, and fupported by miraculous
gifts of the Spirit, had not this power, can any
of their fucceffors in the government of the
Church, without great impiety, pretend to it ?
Did the Bifliops and Clergy of the ninth and
tenth centuries know the articles ofthe faith
better than the Apoftles did ? Or were they more
powerfully affifted by the Holy Spirit ? No
Chriftian can think it, or fay it. Whenqe is it
then, that the Church of Rome has received the
power they pretend to,' of making new articles
of faith, and dooming all to eternal deftruftion
who receive them not ? Can any fober, ferious
Chriftian truft himfelf to fuch guides, and not
tremble, when he reads the woe denounced by
St. Paul: Though we, or an angel from beaven,
preach any ether gofpel . . . let him be accurfed I
Gal. l 8."
Certainly that is a noble declaration, and well
deferving the regard of all Chriftians.
His Lordfhip here allows, or even afferts the
rights of private judgment. He'fuppofes, that
common Chriftians, who have no fhare in the
government of the Church, are able to underftand
the doftrine delivered by the Apoftles, and the
deterrninations of Bifhops, and to compare therh
together, and to difcern wherein they differ.
And he allows us to rejeft ne-ia articles, not de^
livered and taught by Chrift's Apoftles! And
ftrongly rcprefents to us the great hazard of
trufting to fiich affuming guides, ;is make and in>
pofe new articles ef faith.
If we may judge of articles taught by the
Bifhops and Clergy of the ninth and tenth centu*
ries, we may for the fame reafon judge concern
ing thofe decreed by the Bifhops and Clergy of
the

The Firft Poftfcript. 1 3 7
ihe foiirth and fifth centuries . . For neither were
they Apoftles, but at the utmoft no more than
fucceffors ef the Apoftles. And if it fhould appear,'
that they taught and recommended ariy articles,
which are no part of tbe faith, once delivered to
tbe faints by Chrift's Apoftles, fuch arti,cles may
be rejefted by us.
. And fince it is allowed, that the Bifliops and
Clergy of the ninth and tenth centuries have
affumed an authority to decide new articles, to
which they had no right : fliould not this put
'Chriftians upon their guard, and induce them to
examine the doftrines propofed to them, and
confider, whether it is the faith once delivered to
tbe faints, or foniewhat added to it ? For what
has been done, or attempted, in fome ages, may
have been attempted in others.
¦ His Lordfhip blames the Church ef Rome fon
imaking new articles of faith, and dooming ail to
eternal deftruSion, who receive tbem not^
We fhould be impartial. If any others do the
like, are they not blameable alfo.? It is well
known, that there is a creed, in great authority
with many, befide the Church of Rome, contain
ing an abftrufe doftrine, very hard to be be
lieved. And it would 'be a, very difficult under
taking to fhew, tjiat it adds not any thing to the
doilrine of Chrifl, as taught and teftified by his
faithful Apoftles. And yet it is there faid :
" This is the catholic faith, which except a man
believe faithfully, he cannot be faved." And
"which faith, except every man do keep whole
and undefiled, without doubt he fhall perifli
everlaftingly," Can this be juftified .? And does
not the Bilhop's argument, . juft cited, oblige
me td add, though unwillingly : May it not de-
-ferve to be .confidered by eyery foher and ferious
T ¦' chriftian.

ijS The Firft Foftfcript.
Chriftian, who folemnly recites that Creed; on
whom thefe anathemas may fall, "if God fhould
treat men according to ftrift juftice 1
But I forbear enlarging. For I have been
defirous, ifpoffible, not to fay anything offen-
five. Therefore' I do not indulge myfelf iii
grievous complaints, and feverc reprehcnfions of
fuch things, as by many have been thought to
be wrong.
But, if I might be permitted to do it, I would
take notice of one thing, becaufe it has a con-
Beftion with the fabjeft of this Poftfcript,
" Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and
to the Holy Ghoft : As it was in the beginning,
is now and ever fhall be, world without end.
Amen," Doubtlefs this is faid by many very frequently,
and with great devotion. But can it be faid
truly ? Does not that deferve confideration ?
Is there any fuch doxology in the New Tefta-.
ment ? If not, how can it be faid, to have been,
in the beginning? Are not the books of the
New Teftament the moft ancient, and the moft
authentic Chriftian writings in all the world ? It
matters not rauch to inquire,' when this doxology
was firft ufed, or how long it has been in life, if
it is not in the New Teftament. And whether it
is there, or not, may be kaown by thofe who are
pleafed to read it with care : as all may, in Pro-
fceftant countries, where the Bible lies open to
be feen and read by all men.
I wou-ld therefore, after many othens, recom-
tiend a diligent ftudy of the Scriptures, and the
making itfe of all proper means for gaining the
true ferife of them. If we had the knowiledge
of the Chriftian religion, as contained in the
Seriptures, the advantag.es -would be great and
fn.ani-

The Firft Poftfcript. 139
maniftdd. Jefus WQtild be unfpeakably amiable :
and the Gofpel would appear to be a pearl of
great price : Chriftians would be no longer wa^-
vering arid unfettled, bnt would be firmly eftab
liihed; in a faith, tkat is throughotit reafonable
and excellent, and well attefted to be of divine
original. As our Lord fays to the woman of 5«-
maria, John iv. 14, Whojoemer drinketh ef the
mater that I ftall give him, ftall never thirft.
He will be fully fetisfied. He will defire no
other iaftniftion concerning the right way of
Wprfhipping and ferving God, or obtaining true
bajipTQeis^ But tbe wt^er that I ftall give him,
fimi be, in him awAl of water, Jpringing up inta
,0verla/iitig 'life.
If -roe would fincerely ft:ady,. heartily em
brace, and openly profefs, the Chriftian doftrine
in its purity, and would diligently recommend
it to otkeii, upon the gro-und of that evidence
with which God hath clothed it, we fhould gaia
upon deifts and infidels of all forts. For a re
ligion, reafonable and excellent in all it's prin
ciples, promulged by a teacher of an unfpotted
chsarafter,- with a: commiflion from heaven, con
firmed by many mighty works, which could be
performed by God only,, has an evidence, which
cannot be eafily withftood,- and gainfayed. Biit
no authority can recommend falfehood and ab-
furdity to rational beings, who think and con
fider. Every one therefore, who loves the Lord
Jefus in fincerity, muft be willing to reform
abufeS and corruptions, which have been intro
duced into the Chriftian profeffion, and are iriat^
fer of offence to heathens and infidels.
When the religion profcffed by Chriftians
ihall be in all things agreeable to the Scriptures,
the only ftandard of religious trijth -, the advan-
T 2 tages.

14© The Firft Poftfcript.
tages, juft meritioned, are- very likely : as alfo
divers others, which may be readily apprehended
by every one. For then the Papal power and
tyranny, which for many ages has been a heavy
weight >ipon Chriftendom, will fink, and fall to^
the ground : Impofitions upon confcience, which
undermine religion at the very foundation, and
prevail at prefent .to a great degree in almpft all
Chriftian countries, wiU be abolifhed. . The
confequence of which will be, that true piety and
^virtue will be more general in all ranks and or
ders of men. The grea,t diverfity of opinions,
and fierce contentions among Chriftians, which
are now fb great an offence and fcandal to by-
ftanders, will ceafe : Chriftians will live in har-,
mony, and will love one another, as brethren;
And the church of Chrift will be the joy and the
praife ofthe whole earth, '
As an jinbiaffed and difinterefted love and
purfuit of truth are of great importance, and
would mightily conduce to the good ends and
purpofes with are fo defirahle ; I cannot hut wifh,
that we did all of us lefs mind eur ewn things, the
things of our own worldly wealth and credit, our
own church and party, and more tbe things of
JeJus Chrift. To whom he glory and dominion
now and ever. Amen.

THE END OF THE FIR5T POSTSCRIPT,

C H^ ]

THE

SECOND POSTSCRIPT,

CONTAINING

Remarks upon the Third Part of the late
Bifhop of Clogher's Vindication of
the Hiftories of the Old and New Tefla-,

pent *jjt*,

LETT,

f,f When I was preparing thefe Remarks in March
laft 1758, we received the tidings of the death of the
Right Reverend Dr. Robert Clayton, Lord Bifliop of
Clogher, who departed this life the preceding month:
which -gave me much concern upon divers accounts. Ia
particular I was in hopes, that thefe Remarks, fuch as the/
are, mightbe perufed by his Lordfhip. I could wilh like-
wife, that Mr. Whifion were ftill living. _ But they are
l}oth rertioved out of this world, as I likewife ftiall be in a _
fliort time. And certainly, it Jsehoves us all to improve
diligently t^ie ' feafqn of life, whilft It'lafts, and to ferve
God and maii, according to the ability which God has
given us, and the ftation in, which v?e haye been placed,
thatwe may give up an account of our ftewardfliip withjoy,
and not with grief. Though thofe eminent and ufeful men
are now no more in this world, their writings remam. It is
WltJl

142 The Second Poftfcript.
LETT. iv. p. 59. or 425 *• " But, my
Lord, fuppofing we fhould allow, that there
were more Gods than one concerned in the cre
ation, of the world, as manifeftly appears that
there were, from Gen. i.' 26. and Gen iii. 22.
-where :•. is faid : Let us make man in eur image.
And, behold tbe man is hecome as one of us."
Is then creative power a property communi
cable to many, or feveral ?- ¦ Su; Poui fpeaks of
one Creator only, Rom. i. - 25. and blames' the
heathens, who worftipped, and ferved tbe creature
more than the Creator, who is bleffed for ever.
Amen. What then would be the confequences,
if Chriftians fliould come to believe, that there
are more ereatpra than ©ne ?. •
It is hard, that we fhould be put to prove,
what ¦ is fo very evident, as that there is ene
Gpd Creator. However, I ftiall hei'e prove it
from the Old and New Teftament.
Ex. XX. i. And Godjpake all thefe word's, fay
ing , . . ver. 3. Thou fhalt have no other Gods
before me. ver. 10. 11. But the feventh day is the
Jabbath ofthe Lord thy God . . For in fix days the
Lord
vith thefe that I am concerned.. If I have inadvertently
mifreprefented them, Iprefumethey have friends, who are
able to vindicate them- And, if my argument does not
appear eoncliifiVe, I wifti that they, or fome others, may:
.fliew, whereia* it fails. Jan. 25-, 1759.
* The Author in eompofiiig thefe Remarks upon thf
third Part of the Bj/hop's Vindication, made ufe of that edi
tion, which was printed in London in 1758. But another'
edition of the whole Vindication, with all the three Parts,
having been gubliftitfd' here on the Z3d day of this^inftant,.
Jau'uary, 17591 juft as tiiefe ftieets were going to prefs. He
ias taken care to' add the pages of this pew edition to thofe
«f the farmer.

The Second Poftfcript, 143
Lord made heaven and earth, the Jea, and ail tbst
in them is.
Pf. cxxxvi. O, give thanks lo the Lord, ts
him, wbo alone doth great wonders, to him that
by wifdom made the heavens, to bim' that ftretched
out: the ^rth above the waters : to him that madt
great lights, tbe fun to rule hy day, the moon and
ftars to rule by night, &c.
if. xiii. 5. Thus faith God the. Lord, he that
created tbe heavens and ftretched them outz he
that Jpr&ad forth tbe earth, and that which cometh
out ef it : He that giveth hnath to the people upoa,
it, andfpir.it to tbem that walk therein.
If. xL 1%. H<afi thou mt known, bc^ thou net
heard, that the everlafting Ged, the Creator of the
mds of the earth, fainteth not, nor 'is weary?
Ch. xliv. 24. Thus faitb tbe Lord, thy redeemer^
and he that formed thee from the womb : I -am the
Lord, tbat maketh all things, that ftretcheth fcrth
the heavens alone, tbat fpreadeth abroad ihe earth"
by myfdf , See alfo ch. xiv. 11. 12. li. 12.. 13,.
Jer, X. 12. li. 15, and elfewhere.
Let us now confider the words of Gen. i. 26..
And G^d Jaid: Let us make man in our image,;,
if>ter our likenejs,
Sbme Chriftians have faid, that here is a proof
of a .trinity of perfons in the sujlity of the God
head. The learned writer now befbre us,, argues
hence for feveral. creators, one fupreme, another,
or feveral fubordinate. But it is eafy to an
fwer, that the Jewifh people never underftood
thefe expreflions after that manner. For tliey
always believed one God and Creator, and that
God tobe one perfon. And many learned in,-
terpreters among Chriftians have faid,. that the
ftile,.

144 '^¦^^ Second Poftfcript i :
ftile [i], conimon with princes, and other great
men, who often fpeak in the plural number^
is here afcribed to God* ,Nor needs the con-
fliltation here reprefented, be fuppofed to be be-.
tween equals* But God may be rather under
ftood to declare his mind to the angels, as his
counfellors. But indeed we need not fuppofe any difcourfe,
or confultation at all. The meaning is ho
more than this. ," All other things being made,
God proceeded to the creation of man : or, he
now purpofed, at the conclufion, to make man."
And it may be reckoned probable, that Mofes
introduces God, in this peculiar manner deli
berating and confulting upon the creation of
man, to intimate thereby, that he is the chief of
the works of God. Or, in other words', accord
ing to Patrick, " God not only referved man.
for the laft of his works, but does, as it were,
advife, and confult, and deliberate about his pro-'
duftion :. the better to reprefent die dignity of
man, and that he wa^ made with admirable wif-;
dom and prudence."
. We maj be confirmed in the reafonablenefs' of
this way of thinking, by obferving the ftile
made ufe of in fpeaking of all the other parts of
the creation, which is to this effeft. God faid :
Let there be light, and there was light. God faid:
Let there he a firmament in.the midft of the waters
. . .^And God faid: Let the earth hring forth the:
living creature after his kind. ' ¦
There is another like inftance, ch. ii. li.-.And
tbe Lord. God, Jehovah Elohim, /^^i^; It is not
¦: J. , good
[i ] Faciamus. "] Mos eft Hebrsis de Deo., ut de Rege loqui.
Reges res magnas agrnit de confilio Primorum. i Reg.^xii.
6. z,Paral. x. 9. Sic et Deus 1 Reg. xxii. 20. Vid. et
infra x. Grot, ad Gen. i. 26.

The Second Poftfcript. 145
!^^od, that the man ftould be alone, I will make him^
an help meet for him-. The defign of the other ex
preflions, as before obfervSd, was to intimate the
gre^t dignity and fuperior excellence of man-
above the other creatures, whole fonrlation had
been already related. In like manner, when
God proceeds to the making of the. woman, he is
reprefented as confulting, and refol-V-ing what to,
dp, : that the man might be the more fenfible of
the goodnefs of the Creator iri providing for him
fo fuitable a helpv
Moreover, 'though in Gen. i. s6. the^ words
are. And God faid : Let us make man in our
image, after pur likenefs: the execution of thar
purpofe, as related in ver. 27. is in thefe words.
So Go'd created man in his own. image: in tbe
image of God created he h'tm : male and female
cheated M^: them... And when the formation df
man is mentioned in other places of Scripture^
np" intimation is given, that more than one had
a hand in his creation. See particularly Matt.
xix. ;^ . . 6, Mark x. 2 ., . . g. ' When our.
bleffed Lord himfelf fays : From the beginning of
the creation God made them malg And female. And
what God bas joined together, let no man put af un
der'. Fpr certain therefore man, as well as the
other greatures, was made by (Sod himfelf.
If more than one being had been cohcerned
in the, creation of man, or any other pai-ts of
the world, we ought t'o haive been • acquainted
with it, that due refpeft might be paid "to "thenri
by us. As Scripture is here filent, no nian h.as
a right to afcribe that to another,- -which the
Scripture afcribes to, God alqne.. And wherein^
as in Pf..iG:!dviii. all beings', of every, rank, in
heaven and -on. earthi, are reqiiired to pi-aife
God, for the' wonders o"f their formation; Praife
tJ ye

1 4^ The Second Peftjcrtpf. ''¦
ye the Lord. Praife bim from ihe heavens. Praife
him, all ye bis angels, praife ye him all bis hofts.
Praife ye him, Jun and moon. Praife him, all ye
ftars of light'. . . Let them praife tbe name of the
Lord: For he commanded, and tbey were createdi.
.\ Kings of tbe earth,' and all people : Princes,
and all Judges of the earth. . . . Let tbem praife-
the name of the Lord: For his name alone is ex
cellent. And his glory is above tbe earth cind'
heaven. Ecc/'xii- I. Remember now thy creator inthe
days of thy youtb. In the Hebrew, the word is
plural, creators. Ne-vtrthelefs *hot only our own,
but all other verlions tranflate, and rightly,
creator. Gr. ' " • ¦¦"¦'¦ "
Memento Cj-eatdris tui in diebus- jviventUtis ¦
tuse- Lizt. ' • '"•¦'''''
If liv. 5. For thy maker is thy huftand. In
the Hebrew, literally, fer thy makers are- thy'
hiif ands., Neverthelefs - the -words aire always
underftood as fingular;- and what follows' fhews,-
that one perfon only is intended; The Lord of
bpfis is his name'. '
^.¦' C«/^l^;z's "remark upon Gen. iii. 22; is to this
purpofe. "Whereas, fays he, mlhy Chriftians-
from this place draw the doftrine of a Trinity
of perfons in the Deity ; I feaf, their a!r-gu'merft-
is not folid." Quod autem eliciunt ex hocloco'
c'hrjft'iani doftrinam de tribus in Deo perfeirtisv
veredi; He fatis fitmiirti fit argumentumv-. »
' But Patrick fays : " Thofe words, plainly in-
fiiiuate a plurality of perfons ; -aind all oihlt in
terpretations feem'foi-ced'a^nd unttatui-ai.-'-' ¦• And-
he particularly rejefts what' Cfl/t'/i^ fays. ^'¦' •-'-
: .Foe

The. Second Poftfcript, .14?
For my part, fo f^rias I arp .able to judge, if
thofe words, implied more Divine Perfons thai^
one, or more Creators than. one, it would not
be. worth while to difjpute, .whether they are
equal or not, , , . , .;:, "j) ...
But, as before intyisaje^,. I/rather think, that
here, and Lin- fome other li'k§ texts,, there^is.,a re
ference to the an.gelica^lLorder of beii^gs, fuppofed
to .be, more- perfeft, -gtnd wore knowing than.
man. For . though Mpfes :gives no particular
account of the creation of angels, their exift^i^^p^
is fuppofed in^ divers parts of .his hiftory : , and
ithey may be ept^ftdered as ,<;^i2«ifellprs only, or
witneffes aftd attendants, --^v ,- , ,,
And^ I cannot help being gof opinion^f that
thofe Chriftians who endeayour to prove,; from
the Old Teftament, a Trinity pf Divine Perfons,
«r more Creators than one, whether co-equal or
fubordinate, expofe themfelves to the unbeliev-
ving part of the Jewifh people,,, \v-hom they: are
defirous to gain-.:, .For the JDivine Unity is witji ,
them a fundamental article pf. religion. Re
markable are the words of Lord King, in his
Critical Hiftory of the Apoftles Creed, upon
the firft Article, of it, p. 55. 56.. . " As for the
perfons who -were condemned by this claufe, it
.will be readily granted, that they were not the'
Jews, feeing the Unity of the Godhead is every
where inculcated iw the Mofaical law, and tiie
¦body of that people have been fo immovably
fixed and confirmed ' in the belief thereof, that
¦now, throughout.theirfixteen hundred years cap
tivity and dilpeffion, they have ) never quitted
or deferted that principle, that God is One: as
is, evident ift-pm their thirteen articles of faith,
compofed by M^aimonidss, the fecond whereof is
The Unity of the Bleffed God. ' Which is there
U 2 explained

J48 The Second Poftfcript.
explained tobe in fuch a peculiar and tranfcend
ent manner, as' that nothing like it- can be found".
Andin their Liturgy i, accordirig to the ufe of
the Sepbaradim, -orthe Spaniards, which is read
in thefe parts pf the world, in their fynagogues,
in the. very ftrft hymn, v/hi'ch'is an admiring de
claration of the" excellencies of the Divine Na
ture, the repeated chortis is this : All creatures,
both abo.ve and below, teftify and witnefs, all of
ihem as- one^ that the Lord is One,' am ^-his name
One." • ¦ .
And if -we would -but read the New Teftament
with care, and then confider what we have read,
and feen therein, we might know, that one ob
jeft of worfhip -is there recommended by- Chrift
arid his Apoftles, and that he is the everlafting
God, the Creator of the v/orld,- and all things
therein, and the fame who was worfhipped by
the Jewifh people, and their anceftors. ¦ '"' ¦
Our Lord himfelf fays, that -he -came inhis
Father s name, and afted by his authority, even
his, who, the Jews faid, was their God. And
he ftiles him. Lord of heaven and earth, and tbe
only true God, And he referred therp to their
fcriptures, as teftjfying of him. '
-.' The Apoftles of Chrift, after his afcenfion,
preaching to Jews, f^y: The God ef Abraham,
Ifaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has
¦ glorifi'ed his fon Jefus, Afts iii. 13. The God of our
fathers raifed up Jefus, ch, v. 3. And requeft-
ing fpecial affiftance from heaven'' in their work,
and under their many difficulties, tbey lift up
their voice to God, and Jaid : Lord, thou art God,
which baft made heaven and earth, and the Jea,
and all that in tbem is'. Who by tbe mouth ef thy
Jervant David haft Jaid . , , ch. iv. 24. 25.
Paul^

Tbe Sicond' Poftfcript, -149
Paul, writing to th'e Je-wilh 'believers, fays;
God, wbo at fundry times, and in divers manners,
Jpake in. time paft to the fathers hy the Prophets,
has, in thefe laft days, fpoken unto us by his Son,
Hebr. i. i . 2. He and Barnabas, teaching Gen
tiles,- -fay : We preach unto you, that ye ftould
turn from thefe vanities unto the living God, who
ihade heaven and earth, and the fea, and all things
that are therein, Afts xiv. 15. Kwddi Athens,
fays Paul : Gad that w.ade the world, and all
things therein, feeing that he is Lord of heaven
and earth, - dweUeth not in templqs m^de with
hands, ch. xvii. 29.
I. think I have now proved, both from the Old
and the. New Teftament, that there is one God,
Creator of rnan, and all things in this -world,*
; : Accordingly, the firft article in the Apoftles
Creed, which ought never to be diminifhed, of
enervated, is- this : / believe in God the Father,
Allmighty, Maker (if heaven and earth,, ¦
Lett, vii, p. 128, or 479, ^' Now, upon ex^
amination into the Scriptures,, it will appear,
' that tbis Mefliah, or Chrift, was the fame perfon
with the great a.rcha.nge\..Micbael, who 'Vfas the
guardian angel of Ifrael."-
•For which the learned author alleges i Cor.
X. 4. and 9. and Hebr. xi, '16. But as none of
xhofe texts appear to-be at all to the purpofe,
for which they are alleged, I, need not ftay to
explain them.
That our bleflfed Saviour, Jefus Chfift, is not
an angel, is evident from many, plain texts of
Scripture, Hebr. ,i. 4. 5. 6. Being made fo much
- " ,1 better
¦ * More texts -to the Me purpofe may be feen alleged (tbcBe
at p, 20. note [16.]

T 50 The Second Poftfcript.
better than the angels, as he has by inheritance oh^
tained a more' excellent name thctn they . For unto
which of tbe angels Jaid be at any time. Thou art
my Son) this day bave I begotten thee ? , . , And
again, when be bringeth in tbe firfi -begotten into
the world, he Jaith : And let all the angels of God
Worftip him.' See alfo ver. 7. and ver. 13.14;
Ch. ii. 5. But unto the angels hath he not put in
JuhjeSioH- the world to come, of which we now
fpeak. Ver. 16. Fer verily he did not lay bold of
angels : hut be laid bold ef the feed of Abraham.
See likewife the preceding part of that chapter. .
And when our bleffed Saviour is mentioned
with angels, heis diftinguifhed from them. /
(barge thee, fays Paul, hefore 'JGod, and the¬Lord
Jefus Chrift, and the eleU angels, i .Tim.'v, 21.
And St. John. G^'ace unto you and peace,' from
him which is, and which- was, and wbich is to
come : and from tbe feven Jpirits, which are before
the throne :• -and from J^us' Chrift, who is, the
faitbful witnefs. Rev. i, 4. 5. Not now to/men-
-tion any other likfe texts. ; .! . 1
Thefe muft be fufficient to fatisfy us, that
Jefiis Chrift is not an angel, or one of the an
gelical order of beings : or we can be alFured of
nothing. However, I muft not omit Mal. iii. i . Beheld,
I will fend my meffenger, and he ftall prepare the
avay before- me. And the Lord, whom ye- feek,
fhallfuddetity come to his temple, even the meffenger
of the fovenant, in whomye delight. - :;.:.-.
Here the Meffiah is fpoken of as tbe meffenger,
qr angel of the covenant. Tertullian, referring to
this text, or to If. ix. 6. fays.: Chrift is an angel
by office, but not hy nature." " Diftus eft qui
dem magni confilii angelus, id eit, nuntius :
officii non natune vocabulo, Magnum enirn
cogitatuin

The Second Pofifcript, 1 5 1
cogitatum Patris fuper hominum reftitutione an-
nunciaturus feculo erat. , De Carne Chrifti. eap.-
14.^.370. And St. Paul writes, Hebr. iii. i . Wherefore,
hely brethren, . . . confider the Apofile,,and High-
Prieft -fif eur prof ef/ion, Jefiis, Chrift. Which is
paraphrafed by Dr. Sykes in this manner : " It
is your duty tcriCpnfider him as a meffenger fent
by God, and as the High-Prieft of our pro
feffion." ,-I.:,ett. vii. p. 132. or 482. "And therefore,
in the fulnefs of time, faith the Apoftle, God Jent
forth his beloved Son, to be made of a woman, that
is, to, take human nature upon him." Gal. iv. 4.
The words of the Apoftle are thefe : But ivhen
the fulnefs of the time was come, God Jent forth
bis Son, made of a woman, made under the lq,w.
It is not, to be made, but made of a wopian, made,
under the law, <YCvop,ivov fx yuvaijco;, ysvofj,ivov i/'CTO
vvfAov, ,al. ¦ *o^8- faftum ex muliere, faftum fub
lege. And the note of Grotius upon the text fhould
be obferved. EgaTrrraAsv . . mifit Deus Filium
fuum, . primogenitum, ad quem,, , abfente patre,
cura pertinebat. , Mifit, id eft, poteftatem ei,
dedit eximiam . . faSfum ex muliere,: non creatum
eo n&odo, quo Adamus'creatus erat, fed natum
partu muliebri, quo nobis effet furiilipr : fa5lum
fuh lege, id eit, fubditum Legi, quia fcilicet natus
erat . JudsEuSi
L^tt. V. p., 78. or 44r. " And therefore it
rnanifeftly appears from hence, that there is no
contradiftion, either to reafon or revelation, in
fuppofing the three perfons of Father, Son, and
Holy Ghoft, to be three Gods,, provided it be
not

r^2 The Second Pofifcript,
not at the fame time afferted, that thefe three
Gods are one Godj or that the Son and Holy
Spirit, are felf-exiftent, or co-eternal, or co-equal
with God the Father.
But is not that an exprefs contradiftion. to
St. Paul, who fays : We know, tbat there is no
other God but one. For though there he that are
called Gods, whether in heaven, or oh earth, (as
there, are gods many, and lords many,) But to us
(Chriftians), there is but one God, the Father, of
whom are all things, and one Lord JeJus Chrift,
by whom are all things, and we by him', i Cor.
viii. 4. c^, S.
And Eph. iv. 5. 6. One Lord, . . One God and ,
Father of all. And Philip, ii. 11. . . that every
tongue ftould confefs, that Jefus Chrift is Lord, to
the glory of God the Father.
Many other texts might be mentioned, but I
forbear. Lett. V. p. 83; 84. or 445. " To- -which.
being anointed, Afts iv. 27. 28. or appointed pf
God, he js therefore called the Meffiah, or Chrift,
which literally fignify tbe anointed. And ac
cordingly, at the f^me time that we are informed
of the tranfgreffion of our firft parents, we are
told for our comfort, that the feed of the woman
fhall bruife that ferpent's head, which had oc-
eafioned their fall. Which was accordingly
done, -when - the . iVf^i2^, whofe fpirit was of a
fuperior order to mankind, condefcended to take
human nature upon himfelf, by being born of
the- virgin Mary, and W^nC thi-oligh that fcene
6f trials and affliftioris to which he was tinointed?''
'¦ It is not unlikely, that fome others may fpeak-
after the faine manner. But to irie it feems very*
;  •  irnprpperi

The Second Pbftfcripf. x^'i
improper. For, as a judicious writer fay :
'*" That [2] name can denote only a perfon,
who has received gifts, graces, peffeftions', and
a dignity, which he did not poifTefs of himfelf."
¦ Chryfoftom accordingly fays, " That Jefus was
called Chrift from the anointing of the Spirit,
Vvhich was poured out upon him, as man." Kki
p^ifs? J'e ' avro t8 j^pia-9?)tv«i AE'ysrai, 0 scat kuto t*
rospxo^ %]/' jtuj-i woiMj (p-dfl-tv^ iXaiM spj/piirfi)) ; EAaiu jwsi/
»>c ejj»)iifl--9ij, ¦Bs-veviAoi.rt Ss. Cbr. in' Ep. ad Rom.
hom. i. T, (^, p. 430.
To the like purp6fe Auguftin [3]. And, cer
tainly, very agreeably to' the Scriptures. There
fore it is faid : Tou know . . how God anointed
Jefus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghoft, and with
fewer. WhowerA about doing good, and healing
idl tbdt were eppr effe d with the devil. For God wa^
withhim. Afts x. 3S.
And fays Mr. Abraham Le Moine, in his Trea
tife on Mira-eles, p. 5 1 . "As to thofe other paf-
fagcs, wherein it is faid, that he was, full of the
Ho^Ghefti'^'LtVik.e iv. 1. that God gave him not
the Spirit kf ineajure, John iii. 34. that God
anointed Jefus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghoftj
and with pewer. Afts x. 38. they vifibly relate to
our Saviour's human n-*ture."
Lett, -v; p. 85. Or 446. " For If, the divine
elfence, or Godhead, did not enter into the womb
®f the Virgi-ri ; when was it, that thiit fulnefs of
,...'. .. - the
£2] C'eft s'exprimer d'tlne maiiiere ifort fufpediq, d'a,p-'"
peffer la ' Natute Eiivine de notre Seigrieur du nom de
Chrift,. Ce nom Ae peut defigner qu'une perfonne, qui a
re^uf'des gi-aces,- des doris^ des perfeftions, uiie dignite,
(jii'elle ne pofledbit par elle m6me. Beauf. Hifi; Man. T. i.
ip. tri. f ¦"¦ • '
[uTid. Contr.'MUKimin. -Arian, 1. 2. cap; x'vi, Tom. S.

i-5t4 '^^^ ^^<^°"^ Poftfcript,
the Godhead, which dwelt in. him bodily. Col. ii. 5»
did enter into him ?"
Here I muft take the liberty to fay, that I do-
not approve of curious inqu-iries into things of
religion : and that I am afraid to attempt to an
fwer fuch inquiries particularly, left I fhould
advance what cannot be elearly raade out by
¦'the authority of Scripture.
However, in general I anfwer, in the firft place,
that the text in Col. ii. 9, does not fpeak of a
fpirit of a fuperior order to mankind, as the author
faid juft now^ or, as he expreffeth it elfewhere,
p. 66. or 430, a feparate fpirit from the Father,
'and inferior ta him, St, Paul's ex.prefllon is the
fulnefs of the Deity. And there is but one Deity;
or God, even the Father. Thereby therefore
muft be meant the Father's fulnefs. So it is
faid in Eufebius's Commentary upon Pf. xliv.
otherv/ife xiv. [4]' "All the Father's grace was
poured out upon, the Beloved,. For it was the
Father that fpake in. him,"
And upon Pf Ixxi.. or lxxii. ver i. he fays :
*' This righteoufnefs of the Father was^ given to
the King's Son, ofthe feed of David, according
to the flefh : in [5] whom, as in a temple,, dwelt
the word, and wifdom, and righteoufnefs of
God." And upon Pf xcv. or xcvi. referring to If. Ixi.
I. and Luke iv. 18. "Shewing, fays he, that
his was not a bodily anointing, like that of
others: but [6} that he was anointed with the
[4]' E^rti Si ta ayairrUa is;a.ax » •actlf,ixri eu; avlot exeimSt} X'ff'f-
r,v yap o -mcclnf AaAia» sv via. In, Pf, p. igS, D, '
[5] £» w y.aluy.ria-i, unTtrtf tt mu o Ta ©£» JwjyoJ Kai » irolpHfL. icat-
c^izjtK/o-i.-m. In Pf. Ixxi, p.'is^Oif. B.
. [6] Tw at -afrsu^ali t»!5 -ardlfi-y.r/f deolr^oi; xEp^HTftEW/, Kelt ^ix raid
Xfin,) arvyofiVf/.iiii'j. In Pf, X(>v.. p. S^/t. £.

The Second Poftfcript, ¦ 155
the. fpirit' of the Father's deity, and therrforc
¦called Chrift."
Theodoret, who dcferves to be confulted alfe
lapon Col. i. 9.. 10. in hi.s Gipinmentary upon If.
xi. 2. expreffeth himfelf after this manner-:
" And the Spirit of the Lerd fhall reft upon him. ¦
[7] Every CMie of the Prophets had a particular-
gift.. But in hira dwelt -all the fulnefsef tbe Ged^
head bodily. Acid as man he had a-ll'^the gifts of
the Spirit. And out of his fulnefs, as the
bleffed John fays, we have ajll received."
And izjs Pelagius -a^on Col. i. 19. " In others,
[8] that is, Apoftles, Patriarchs, -and Prophets,
there was ifome particalar gift. But in Chrift
the whole Divinity dwelt bodily,' or fummarily."
Secandly, I fuppofe, that this fulnefs- of the
Deity is tiie. fame with what is faid of our Savi
our in other exprelSoHs, in many texts of Scrip
ture. , As St. John fays at the beginning of his Gof
pel, The Werd, the wifdom, the power ofGod,
dwelt in him, and he was full -of grace and truth.
And, as John the Baptift faid ¦: Gad giveth not the
Spirit by meafure nnto him. And as St. Peter
faid .juft now, God -anointed Jefus ef Nazar'eth
w,ith the Holy Ghoft,, and with power. All fpeak
ing agreeably to what is foretold. If xi. 2. 3.
Arid the Spirit of the Lord ftall reft upon him, the
fpirit of wifdom ,und underftanding, the fpirit ef
X 2 counfel
£7] ttti ftE» yap ts^l^aii Exaroc ^=f ""l" '''"'« £^s|aTo X'^f"' "
.fvjiij) tt xdlu-iiviffs wan to m^^vifafta th; aioltjloq a-ufjidlKciiq' xai xdlce,
¦rn at^uicito) Je 'maylct ei;^£ Ta j^apiir^ala. x, A. In Ef. cap. xi.
torn. -z.p. 52.
[8] In aliis, hoc eft, Apoftolis, Patriarchis, vel fnisphe-
ds, gratia fuit^ex parte. In Chrifto autem tota ^i^initas
habitabat corpora:hter, quaft dicas, fuminaliter, felog; ^/"
flitron. T. <v, p. isjo.

1-56 The Second Poftfcript.
counfel and might, the fpirit ef k-fiowledg'e dnd-' 6f
the fear of the Lord, and what follows.
And this method of interpretation is much
confirmed by the excellent pafTages: of divers
ancient writers, juft quoted. -
Thirdly, 1 prefu.me not to fay, when, or how,
our bleffed Saviour was filled witb ali the fulnefs
of the Godhead, I obferve a few things only.
It was foretold of John the Baptift, that he
ftould be filled with the Holy Ghoft, even frem his
mother's womb, Luke i. 15. Which may have
been true of our Lord likewife. However, St.
I^uke obferves in his hiftory, after Jofeph had re
turned to Nazareth in Galilee., ch; ii, 40, And the
child grew, and wasted ftrong in fpirit, filled with
wifdom. And the grace of God was upon him.
Afterwards, giving an account of the journey
of Jofeph and Mary to Jerufalem, at a Paffover,
when Jefus was i:welve years of age, he fays, the
(.hild Jefus tarried bebind them in Jerufalem, and
feekirig him, they found him in the temple, ftttir^
in tbe midft of the doSors, hoth hearing tbem, and
afking them q^ueftions. And all that heard him,
were aftonifted at bis. underftanding and anfiwers,
ver. 41 . . 47. It is added afterwards at ver. 52.
And Jefus encreafed in wifdom and ftature, and in
favour wiip God and man.
Moreover, all the firft three Evangelifts, in
their hiftory of our Lord's baptifm, fay, that the
heavens were opened, and the Holy Ghoft defcended
Upon him. Matt. iii. 16, And. Jefus, when he was
baptifed, went up ftraitway out ef the water. Ancl
lo the heavens were opened unto him, and he faw
the Spirit ofGod defending from heaven, and light
ing upon him. See likewife Mark i. 10. 11.
Luke iii. 21. 22. And Luke iv. 1. prefently
after his baptifhi. And Jefus heing full ef the
' ' Holy

The Second Poftfcript. 157
Holy Ghoft, -was led by the Spirit into the wildernefs.
And again, when the temptation was over, the
Evangelift fays, ver. 14. And Jefus returned in
the power of tbe Spirit into Galilee, And in St. '
John's Gofpel, ch. i. ver. 32. 33. And John bare
record, faying : I faw the Spirit defcending from
heaven, like a dove. And it abode upon bim. And
what follows.
1 clofe up thefe obfervations in the words of
Bifhop Pearfon upon the fecond article of the
Creed, p. 99. " So our Jefus, the Son of David,
was firft fanftified, and anointed with the Holy
Ghoft at his conception, and thereby received a
right unto, and was prepared for, all thofe offices
.vvhich belonged to the Redeemer of the world.
But when he was to enter upon the aftual and
full performance of all thofe funftions which be
longed: to him, then does the fame Spirit, which
bad fanftified him at his conception, vifibly de
fcend 4ipon him at his inauguration."
. And afterwards, at p. 104. fumming up what
had been before largely faid : " / believe in Jefus
"Qbrift. That is, I do affent to this, as a certain
truth, that there was a man promifed by God,
and foretold by the Prophets, to be the Meffiah, ,
the Redeemer of Ifrael, and the expeftation of
the nations. I am fully affured by all thofe pre-
diftons, that the Meffiah fo promifed is already
come. I am as certainly perfuaded, that the
man, born in the days of Herod, of the virgin
^ary, by an angel from heaven called Jefus, is
the true Meffiah, fo long, and fo often promifed :
J:hat, as the Meffiah, he was anointed to three
fpecial offices, belongifig to him as the Mediator
between God and man : Prophet ... Prieft . .
and King. I believe this iinftion, by which he
|)ecame the true Meffiah, was not performed by
¦¦¦'¦¦" .-. any

358 The Second Poftjcript.
any material oil, but by the Spirit ofGod, which
he received as the head, and conveys to, his
members," Lett. vii. p. 135. or 484., " And how, my
Lord, let any one judge, whether this temptation
of Jefus in the wildernefs, looks, as if Satah
thought the Divine Spirit, that was intimately
united to the humanity of Jefus, was that of the
fupreme God? And can any one think, that a
being endowed with fo much power, [.fhould it
¦aot he knowledge ?'\ as Satan manifeftly was, did
not know, whether Jefus was the fupreme God,
or not ?"
This is brought in with an air of much tri
umph. But may I not afk? Did not Satan
know, that Jefus Chrift was his Creator, under
God the Father ? For this learned writer argues,
p. 78. 7^, or 441. 442. that all things were made
by Chrift, and confequently Satan himfelf. How
ever, I chufe not to multiply words in expofing
this obfervation, as founded in the Author's
>yrong fcheme.
The truth of the pafe is this. Jefus had been
baptifed by John. At which time he was pub
licly declared to be the expefted Meffiah. He
alfo received abundant qualifications for dif-
charging the high office, into which he was in
augurated. Soon after which, Satan attempted
to furprifehim, by divers temptations. When b^ .
had f afted forty days and forty nighty, be was after
wards an hungred. And when the tempter came to
him, be faid : If .thou be the Son of God, that is, if
indeed' thou art the Chrift, command that thefe
fiones be made bread. Afterwards, taking him
into theholy city,he fetteth him en a pinnacle of the
temple, arid faith tmto him : If thou be th.e Spn of
God

Tbe Second Poftfcript. i^^
God, if indeed thou art the Meffiah, caft thyfelf
down. Fer it is written. He ftall give his angels
charge concerning thee, and in their hands they ftall
bear thee, up, left at any time thou daft thy foot
againft a ftone. And what follows. Matt. ch. iv.
And are not all thefe infidious propofals -made
to our Saviour, as man ?
The learned Author, having taken notice of
the tranfaftion in the garden, goes on. . Lett, vii,
p. 136. 137. or 485. 486. " Here then we poo?
mortals are at a ftand, being at a lofs to know,
how it is poffible for one fpirit fo to torment an
other, as to put Jefus into fuch an agony as is
above trap fc-r ibed, from the very apprehenfions of
what he was to undergo. If he was to fuffer
NOTHING BUT WHAT JS WRITTEN Concerning his
feoffs, and fcourgings, and crucifixion, and we
may add all the fufferings and tor-tures which his
human nature could poffibiy undergo ; thefe
furely could never have moved him in fo high a
degree ; being only fuch fufferings as the Pro
phets of old underwent, not only without dread,
but with pleafure in their countenance. Hebr.
xl 35- 36."
" Whoever therefore can fuppofe Jefus to have
been terrified at thefe things, which could only
affeft his human part, muft fuppofe him to be
lefs than a man. Whereas, if we suppose Sa
tan LET LOOSE, UPON HIM, by the permiffiori of
God, and empowered to attack hinv in his nobler
part, in his angelic nature, while his Divine
Spirit, being encumbered with the load of flefh
and blood, apd fettered and confined within the
compafs bf an human tabernacle, was difabled
from exerting it's full powers ; well might he
dread the eonfiift on fuch unequal terras." " And

i6o The Second Poftjcript.
"And IF NOTHING IS DESCRIBED I'O. US IW
THE Scriptures, ,but his sufferings in the
FLESH •, this, we ought to conclude, was done in
condefeenfion to our underftandings, which -are
unable to comprehend, or have any notion of his
inward fufferings. And for the fame reafon it
was, that any outward fufferings were inflifted
on him at all. Which being in their own nature
insignificant and trifling, COULD not pos
sibly BE ANY trial OF HIS OBEDIEN'CE : buC
were inflifted on him by God for us, and for our
fake. Who, in compafiion to our ignorance and
infirmities, was pleafed to appoint fome of his
fufferings to be fuch, as were within the reach of
our capacities to comprehend."
Does not all this Diew the great inconvenience,
and vaft difadvantage of that opinion; which
fuppofes, that a fpirit, of a fuperior Prder to the
human foul, animated our Saviour's body ?
I think, that* the incongruity of this' has been
fully fhewn in the preceding Letter : and that if
fuch a thing were prafticable, that exalted fpirit
would fwallow up the body, and fuftain it above
all pains, wants, and infirmities. But it is ma
nifeft from the Gofpels, and every book of the
New Teftament, that our Saviour had all the in
nocent infirmities of the human nature. There
fore the before-mentioned doftrine is not true.
This Author is not quite a Docete, or does
not profefs to be fo. Neverthelefs he does little
lefs than admit the force of the argument juft re^
ferred to. He calls all the fufferings inflifted
on our Saviour by men, and all the fufferings
recorded concerning him, trifling and infignifi-
cant, and fays, tbey could not poffibiy be any trial
of his obedience t
He

The Second Poftfcript. i6i
• He thinks Jefus Chrift fuffered: but it muft
ha-ve been O-wirtg to the buffetings of Satan., Of
"which however, there is not, as himfelf owns,
*ny diftinft account given in the Scriptures. Is
not this to be wife above and beyond what is
written P It is manifeftly fo. But does that be
come a Chriftian ? And they, who ; are wife
above, or hityond, what is written, -will generally
contradift what is written.
This feems to be the cafe here. The fcourg
ings, feoffs, crucifixion, and all the outward fuffer
ings infiiSted on Jefus, were infignificant and trifling,
and could not poffibiy be any trial ef his obedience,
Neverthelefs thefe are things, much infifted upon»
diftinftly related, and frequently repeated,... in
tlie facred writings of the-New Teftament. And
the writers of the New Teftaiuent, the Apo
ftles and Evangelifts, reprefeflt them to Chrif
tians, as very great and afFefting, and a trial of
fhe obedience of our great Lord and Mafter.
And his patience under them is fet before us as a
moving a«kd encouraging example to his fol
lowers. Afid for thefe fufferings, and bis pa*-
tience, refignation, and meeknefs, under theoij
he is reprefented to have been highly rewarded
by God the Father, fupreme Lord and difpofer
-pf all things.
So S(t. Paul, Hebr, xii. i , . 3.. Let us run
9i>itb patience the race that is fet before us,, looking
ttnto Jefus, the author and finifter of eur faith ':
Who for the joy that was fet before bim, endured the
crofs, defpifing tbe ftame, and is fet down on, the
rigbd^hdnd of -the throne of Gsd. For confider him
I that endured fuch sontradiMion of Jinners againft
-himfelf, lefi ye he wearied., and faint in your
Y §0

j62 The Second Poftfcript.
So likewife St. Peter, i ep. ii. 2i . . . 24.
For even hereunto were ye called: beCaufe Chrifi
alfo fuffered for us, leaving us an example, tbat we
ft ould follow his fteps. Who did no fin, neither.
'was guile foknd in his moufh. Who, when he,
was fevihd, reviled not again: when he fuffered,
he threatened not: hut committed himfelf to
'kim that judgeth righteoufty. Who his own Jelf
hare .our fins in' bis own body on tbe tree, that we
being ' dead tt) fin, ftould live unto rigbteoujnejs,.
By whoje firipe's ye were healed.
See Philip, ii. I ... 1 1, and many other places,
and all the Gofpel s,-^ wherein are recorded our
Lord's fufferings, and efpecially his laft.
All thefe things are thus infifted upon, as very.
confiderable, and of great impprtance to Chrift
tians. So that it feems very ftrange, thatthey
fliould be reckoned hy a.nj- trifiing, and infignifi
cant, and no trial of obedience. 
There is, I think, plainly a difference between
this great Author, and our' Apoftles and Evan
gelifts.' Whence fhould this come to ptfs ? Is
it not, that he preacheth another Jefus ? Ac
cording to them, ¦ Jefus is a man [9] like unto
us, and fuffers fuch evils, as men in' this world
are liable to, in the fteady praftice of virtue :
and He has fet before us a moft amiable, moft
animating^ and encouraging example, under a
great' variety of cotitradiftions and fufferings.'
For all which he has been highly rewarded by
God the Father Almighty, who alo.ne is perfeftly
wife, and perfeftly good.
But according to this Author, Jefus is an
.embodied angel, or archangel, and not capable
:[g\ So IHcewife fay.s the Prophet.. Aman offorronvs, and
aejuainted.'wtth^rief, Jf. Im. ' . ~

The Second Pofijinpti i^j
6f beihg< miich, if at all affefted by all the pffer
ings,: . and tortures, which human nature could,
poffibiy undergo. Th&fe, furely:,_ he fays, could
never have moved him info high a degree, p. 136.
137. or 486.
Indeed this Writer pleads, that if the buffet
ings of Satan, or fuch fiifferingSi as he contends
fbr, are not defcribed to us in the Scriptures, but
his fufferings in, tbe fteft ; this we ought to conclude.
was done in condefeenfion to our underftandings,
which are unable to comprehend, er have any no
tion ef his inward fufferings . p. 137; or 486,
For certain, all men, -wlio advance a ddftrine,
without exprefs .authority from Scriptiire, will
endeavour to find out fome reafon for the filence
of Scripture about it. But no good reafon can
be affigned for the omiffion, here fuppofed, and
granted. His , outward fufferings, the. -writer fays,
were, infignificant and trtfiiagi and could not poffibiy
be any trial of bis obe'dience . . If they were not,
fhould not fome others have been recorded r
The not doing.it, furely, niuft be reckoned an
inexeufable omiffionj arid negleft hvtlie facred
penmen. ,
However, it is certain, they haVe i'ecorded
fuch fufferings, as th^y fuppofed to be a trial
of our Lord's obedience : andhis patience under
them) as ^n example and pattern to us.
Our great Author -jvould have usfuppife, Sa-,
tan . let Igofe upon our Lord, by- the permffion of
God, and empowered io attack bim in his nobler
part, his angelic nature, "p. 1^7. of 486. .And
fpeaks of the buffetings of Satan, p. 138, or 487..
-Tran4 the inf ult s of Satan- p; 133., or 483. But
why fhpul.dflich- things he fuppofed, when all the
"writers of the New Teftament are filent abbtit
ihem?. If. any will invent, and defcribe flicli
,'Y 2 liiiFefings,

164 The Second Pofifeript.
fufferings, it muft be altogether unfcriptural, and
could be no better than a philofophical, or theo
logical romance.
And may I not aflc : What good purpofes can
be anfwered by this fcheme ? For we are neither
angels, nor embodied angels, but men, placed
here in a ftate of triaL And our trial arifes
from the good and evil things of this world, by
which our hopes and our fears are much influ
enced. To me then the contrivance of our great Au
thor appears both unfcriptural, and unprofitable.
Nor can I forbear joining in with the Apoftle,
and fay : But we preach Chrifi crucified, unto the
Je-ivs aftumbling block, and unte the Greeks foolift-
nejs : but unto them which are called, hoth Jews
and Greeks, Chrift the power of God, andthe wif
dom of God: becaufe the fooli^nefs of God is wijer
than men : and the weaknefs of Ged is ftrenger than
men. i Cor. i. 23 . . 25.
However, at p. 1 38. or 487. it is argued after
this manner, " And therefore, when he, was
betrayed, and feized by the officers,- that were
fent to apprehend Jiim, our Saviour faid unto
them : Tbis is your hour, and tbe power of dark
nefs. Luke xxii. 53. Giving them thereby to un
derftand, and us through them, that it was not
only the hour of men's wrath, but the hour ofthe
power , of darknefs , that he fo much dreaded, when
he prayed to God the Father tp fave bim from
.that hour. At which tiine he had not oniy the
contradiftion of wicked men to ftrive with, but
knew that this was the time allotted by God for
Satan, the prince of darknefs, to exercife,. and
employ, his whole power in afflifting him."
Bur, really, no fuch conclufion can be drawn
fraiTV thofe words : Where one and the- fame
thing

.^he Second Pcfijcrtpt. i fi J
thing is ^expreffed in a ^twofold manner, fhe
more emphatically: to reprefent the greatnefs of
the trouble then coming upon our Saviour. Aa
if he had faid J *< But this is your hour. Ajid
indeed it is a very dark and affliftive feafbn." ¦
Dr. C/«r^fi's paraphrafe is in theie terms.:
*' But this is the time, wherein the infinite wif-."
dom of God has appointed me to fuffer. And
Providence has now given you power over me,
permitting you to execute your malice and cru
elty upon me, that the Scripture may be ful
filled, and the eternal counfels of the divine wif
dom, for the falvation of men, fully accom-
pliffied." To the like purpofe Grotius upoa
John xiv. 30. [10]
And that this is the meaning of the words, may
be argued from our Lord's manner of expreffion
elfewhere, fpeaking ofthe fame thing. So in John
xvi. 32. ^2>- Beheld the hour cometh, yea is now
come, . . . tbat ye ftjall leave me alone. Aid yet
1 am not alone, becaufe tbe Father is with me.
Thefe things I have fpoken unto you, tbat in me ye
might bave peace. Inthe world ye ftall have tri
bulation. But be of good cheer, I have overcome
the world. And therefore, when he mentions
Satan, it is in the charafter of the prince of thii
world. John xiv. 30. Hereafter I will not talk
much with you. For tbe prince of this world com
eth. And bath nothing in me. Which is tlius
paraphrafed by Dr. Whitby. " The prince of this
world cometh by his minifters, Judas, and the
rulers ofthe Jews, and findeth nothing in me: he
himfelf having no power to inflift death upon
me,
[10] Venit autem pei^ homines fui plenos, quorum vi*
erat ^scnei. ra o-xols?. Grot, in Joh. xiv. s«.

t66 The Second Pofifcript.
me, in whoiTi is no fin, and.they finding nothing
in me worthy of death. Afts. xiii. 28. Though
therefore I am to fuffer death, I do not fuffer for
any fault that ca,n deferve it, or on account of
any power he or his minifters have over me to
inflift it.. But I give up myfelf to death in. com
pliance with my: Father's will, , and what fol-'
lows.'" !)

THE END OF THE SECOND POSTSCRIPT.

L X67 ]
TEXTS EXPLAINED,

G

EN. i. 26. page 142. 143. . 145.
ii. 1 8-. ^44.
iii. 22, 14a. 146.
J^x, xxiii. 20. 21. 38.
xxxii. 15. 38. 39.
2 Kings li. 9. 72. 73.
i Chron. xii. 18. ' 72.
Pf. xl. f. ^.
xiv. 7. 29.
Prov. i. 23, 73.
Ecc. xii. r, 146.
Mal. iii. I. 150.
Matth. iv. I. ' -92.
xii. 28, 69. note £3]
xii. 31'. 93-
xxviii. 19, 94"
Mark xiii, 32. 40.
Luke xi. 13. 92.
xxii. 44. 6. note [3]
xxiv. 49. 91.
John i. I. 18 .. . 22.
' ' i. 14. 7. and 22 . , 25,
i. 15. II.
iii. 13. , 47-
V. 18. 47.
viii. 56. 58. II. 12.
xiii. 3. 16, 17.
xiv. 16. 17. Ss,
xvi. 7 . . . 15. 85. and 95... 99.
xvii. 5. 12 . . 14.
4(Ssi. 2. 99.
ii. 32. 49.
V. 3. 4. 100.
vii. 54. 47-
viii. 18. 19;^ 100.
ix. 31. loi.
?(iii, I . . 4. 102,

A(9s

f 15S ]
Ad"tsxT.2?. page J 04.
xix. I . . r 6, - -I04.
'- XX- 2i. 23. - io2 . . 104.
Rem. 1.3.4- 4-8;
xiv. 17. 106 V . 108.
I Cor. vi. II.. JI?-
xii- 3- 109- ^'°--
xii. 7. an^ 13. 108. 109.
a Cor. iii. 17. 18. HO-
iv. 4. 52- and 54..
xi. 4. 118.
xiii.'i4. 112. 1I3._:
Gal. i^f. 4. J5I-
Egh.i. 13: 115. 116.
ir. 18. -116.
ii. 22. 113.
iiL 9. 5^-
iv. 30. 116, and 120..
V. 18. If* 120. 121,
FhUfp.ii.6. , 10. and 56..
Cd. i. 15. 52. and 54.
ii. 9. 48 and 1 54. .
iTheff-i. 5. 6. 123. 124.
V. 19. i2. 121 . . 123,.
I Tim. i. 18. 103.
iv. 14. 103.
Ucbr. i. I . . . 8, 15- 55 --59'
i.6. 27.
i. 9. 29.
. i. 10. 59. 60.
ii. 4. 78.
¦si. 4. , 79.
ix. 14, 124. . 126. :
X. S..nn 8.9.
X, 28. 29. • , , 127.
I Piet. i. 12. 79.
I John V. 5. . . SO 128.
^ev. xxii. 17; 130.

Ah

An Alphabetical Table of Aut hor S
anti Matters.

A.
f\ UR Lord's Agony
in this garden. A
remark upon it. p. 6.
note [3. J
Athanafius. 40. note
1 [20.] 100.
Auguftin. 8. note [5.]
14. 41. note [20.]
62. 153. B.
/. Beauf ohrCi 9. note
[7] 51- 99- 107-
153- ¦ •
•C Benjon. 124*
T. Beza. 11. note [10.]
12. note [12.] 53.
D. Brenius. 56. 131.
G. Burnet. 84.
J. Burroughs. 94. note
[9.j '
C.
J. Calvin: 51. 146.
Chrijl, or Meffiah. The
ground and realon df

that chai-after. 152.
. . 155.
J. Chryfoftom. 41. note
[20.] 153.
Cicero. 134.
S. Clarke. Quoted 2.
note [ I.] 7, note [4. j
43' 44- 47- 94- nOt4
[9.] 165. Commend
ed 135. "
R, Clayton, late Biftcp
of Clogher. Quoted
142. . 149. 151. 152:
>53- 154- 158- ^°4^
Commended. 135.
141.
Clement, of Rome. 82.
Creation. The worlc of
God alone.- 20. 45 *
142 . . 149. -
J. Crellius, 43.
D.
Dbcetes. Their opinion
concerning tlie per
fon of Chrift. 7,
i6d.
'Doxologies in -the N, Ti
and ancient Chriftian
', ''tvritersi,

o®

An Alphtfbeticai Table

writers. 8i , . 83.
And fee 138.
E.
Ebionites. Their wrong
opinion Chrift. 46.
'Epiphanius.' 6 1 .
Eufehius. 154.

//. Grotius. Qyoted.
II. 12. 13. 50. note
[23-J 54- 5S- 56.
79. 8o.' 102. 164,
106. 115. 117. 118.
121. 125- 126. 128.
151. 165. Cpm-
iTiended. 4^.
H.

Hippolytus, 83.
J. Hunt. 113.

Jerome. 61. 83.
JEStlS: Aman, ac
cording to the Scrip
tures, with an hu
man foul, and human
body. 4. &c. Which
was alfo the belief of

the ancient catholle
Chriftians.- 60. 61.
on what account he
is the Son of God.
25 . . 31. his great
dignity as the Mef
fiah. 37 ¦. . ;^gf, was
not aii angel 149 . .
X51."
J, Jort-in. 32. in the
notes;
Irenieus, 53.
Juftin Martyr. Quotisd
and animadverted
lipon. 44. 4^.
K.
P. King. 147. L.
I^a5iantius. S3.
Lenfant. 17. note [14,]
25. note [17.]
Ph. Limboreb. 5 1 .
104. 107. 128,
J, Locke. 51. 106.
; 118.
M. Lowman. 38. notp
119] 131-
W,-Lo-wth.6Z,

,57,
116.

86.

M,

Rabbi Maimonides. €4.
MeJ~

ef Authors and. Matters,

r/i

Meffiah, or Chrift. The
ground and reafon
of that charafter.
. 152—158-
J. D. MichaeUs. 99,
¦ note [11,]
A. Le 'Moine. 69, loi,
»i3-
T. Moore^ 124,
J. Morris, .107. note
Naztzrene Chriftians,
Their fentiment. 40.
and note [20 ] 42.
not? [21.] Q.
Origen. ^6, 59, -
J^ Owen. 8; note [6,]
P.
rfaoosifXrilof. The mean
ing of that -word.
88. 91.
f. Patrick. 2!i. 72. 73.
144, 146.
J. Pearfon. 5. note [2,}
¦ 157.
J. Pierce. Quoted 2,
iiqte \u] 14. note

[13.] 52. 58. Com^
iriended. 135.
Pelagius. 54. 123., 155.
Philip, one of the twelve
Apoftles, That he liv
ed and died ax Hiev
irapoUs^ in Phrygia,
and wrought mira
cles there. 80,
Plate,. 134,
Polycarp. 82,
T. Pyle, 130.

T. Sherlock, Bp. of Lon
don, Quoted -vyith
refpeft. 135. ¦(
Socinian Writers. Their
charafters. 43. 44.
Socrates, tfie Ecclefiaf-'
tical Hiftorian. 61.
S(in of God and Meffiah :
equivalent. 22 . . 24.
Sen of God : the mean
ing of that charafter,
31. note [18.] Upon
wha,t account Jefus
is the SoEi of God,
Spirit. Several accep
tations of that word
in Scripture. 64 . .
81. . '

Gifts

-tj^ ' Ah}^^^^^Tablep-^c;'. ' '
GJis'S'^heSpir^^^^i^^^.'i-- 'r^f^'XJ^-' ¦::
^^ncral they wfee,_ ;,'t-,-;.'rv ^ -,¦¦¦"¦¦.",:;;,;'-:'¦¦
•in the tirties; of ;t^*|;^,:?^M^^ %^^-.. Af-
Apoftles. ii^,^*^-f:'''--i^^^}'i42i t'^^;.

1 19. Exhosr^lg^^i •¦;¦ -¦ ^o»j^^-^|^#.> -by the
£. ¦vSf'fe V. ^ - - Tfe-W.S-i.-'l-di ¦i.fSA::k -. .

to thofe,; i-v^.^'^ /i^ere ,^V. .^- Jfe-w'S-i^l^jJ'. i-^j5 . . 1 48.
¦, . fiivoured?^w|^,:;3fl^./" . i '^'; ^^S.- ""¦¦'v ¦'^
.,^:Cl.' ' Sykes f'SS- ^ote;"'" '-^r?'t^<i^' -^
;.¦ - f-27 :' .a8,.,'),.ri.5 1 . - 'i' .^r. V/dlU 4%, note ['2'i-;].
, ' '¦ .- 93- 105- '¦
., -: Z>. Whitby.. 31. note
£1^8,] 52, 79. 106,

-T. .
Tjrtullian. :i^o..^

^:^

.jf. C. v/olfius. 122. ¦';