YALE
UNIVERSITY LIBRARY

¦«

tjw

LETT E R
«,.- Writ in the Year 1730.
* Concerning the Q_u e s t i o n,
Whether the LoGos^fuppliid jhe Place of
a human Soul iff t)j^|f<9pon of J e s « §
CrlRI ST. ¦ ^""^
"to wiiich'are now added\
T^o f-O ST 3 € R I^P T S :
- - . -V:/;. - ' ! '- > ..
The firft, containing an Explication of thofc
Words, the Spirit, the Holy Spirit, the Spirit
of God, as ufed in the Scriptures.
The fecond, containing Remarks Upon the third!
Part of the late Biflioj>.of C log -hbr'j Virp
dication of the Hiftories of the Old and New
Teftament. * — - — **1" *"¦ ' *¦ « '  11 ' — w^»«»
Search the Scriptures. ¦ For in them Ye think Ye have,
eternal Life. And they are they, which teftify of
"Me. John v. 39. , ^
Ergo nee Parentum, nee Majorum Error fequenduserr :
fed Aucloritas Scripturarum, et Dei docerj$& Irape^
rium. Jiierim. in "Jer. cap. ix. vet?; 12 .-. , 1^^, : ~i~

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-and}. BuCKEANB', a/ "*$ BuckV;«?fif :W^*Fenner,
¦•'_.#* rA« Angel aW Blbhfc .% fia^-tf bfteriRowe.
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THE

PREFACE.

THOUGH the names in this Letter
are ficlitious, (as they always Were,
and the fame that appear now : ) it
is part of a re*al correfpondence. Papiniant
who was a man of mature age, of great
eminence^ and a diligent reader of the faered
fcriptures, has long fince accompliflied his
courfe in this world. Phiialethes is ftill
living* The letter, lent to Papinian, was
never returned. But Pbljaiethes kept a co
py of itk Though writ almoft thirty years
agoe, it has hitherto lain concealed in the
Writer's cabinet. Nor has it, till Very latelyj
been fheWn to more than two perfons, one
of whom is deceafed„ Whether this will
be reckoned full proof, that the writer is not
forward to engage in religious difputes, I
A .3. cannot

iv PREFACE.
cannot fay. This however is certain : He
would have great reafon to think himfelf-
happy, if, with the affiftance of others,
without noife and difturbance, in the way of
free, calm, and peaceable debate, he could
clear up a controverted point of religion, to
general fatisfadtion.
If any fhould afk, why is this letter pub
lished now ? I would anfwer in the words of
Solomon : There is a time to keepjilence, and
a time to Jpeak. But whether the prefent
feafon has been fitly chofen, the event, un
der the conduct of Divine Providence, will
beft (hew.
The reader is defired to take notice, that
whatever he fees at the bottom of the pages,
is additional. There are alfo fome additions
in the letter itfelf, efpecially near the end
where more texts are explained, than were
in the original letter.
For better understanding the argument,
it may be needful to obferve, for the fake
of fome, that by divers ancient writers we
are affured, it was the opinion, of Ariut, and

PREFACE. v
and his followers; " That [i] our Savi
our took flefh of Mary, but not a foul :"
" that [2] Chrift had flefh only, as a co
vering, for his Deity : and that the Word in
him was the fame, as the foul in us : and that
the word, or the Deity in Chrift, was lia
ble to fufferings in the body."
Mr Whifton, in his Hijlorical Memoirs of
the Life of Dr Clarke, giving an account of
the

£1] — o-atpkas f*ovM rov vtirripx am paapiat liAtr
{pivxi, £ia£t£xivy.ivoh *«» «'%' 4/u%^v* Epiph. de
Arianis in Indie. T. i. p. 6o6«
AAA* xau dpvxvTxi ^tuyrriv avrov avSp&wnW h^ett-
tpivxt. Id. H. 69. ». 19. p. 743. A. Conf. n. 48 .-.
5*- £2] 'Apeioc Je trdfx* f*£vw Srpos eMrexpu^nv -rr,g fisu-
t^ts; oy-oXoyli' dvr) it ts rvwScv Iv r/xu/ avj^uro*
TKTtpj rrj t|su3C*if , rev Aoyov Iv t*i <raj>x» Ae^e* ytya-
yfoxi. x. A, Athan. Contr. Apollin. I. z, n. 3. f~
942 C-
la *o autern quod Chriftutn fine anima folam car
nem fufcepifle arbitrantur, minus noti funt .. . . fc&
hoc verum efle, et Epiphanius non tacuit, et ego ex
eorum quibufdam fcriptis et collocutionibus certiffinae
inyeni. Auguji. de ijaer. c, 49.

vi P RE F AC %.
the Af5l in the Divinity Schools at (jdtft*.
bridge, in the year 1709, when Mr Ckrki>%
then Redtor of St James's, received the
Do&or's Degree, fays, at -p. 20. 21, " In
the courfe of this A£t, where I Was pre*
fent, Profeflbr James ... digrefled from
one of the Doctor's Queftions, and preffed
him hard to condemn one of the opinions^
which I had: juffc then published in my Ser
mons and Effays. Which book he held in
his hand > when he was in the Chair. I fup*
pofe, it might be this : that our Saviour
had no huaian foul, but that the Divine
Logos or Word fupplied it*s place ».'..,
However, Dr Clarke, k who, I believe, had
not particularly examined that point, did
prudently avoid either the approbation of
condemnation of it. Yet have I reafon to
believe, he long afterwards came into it, «
upon a farther examination : though, I
think, he ever avoided, according to* his
ufual caution, to declare publicly that his
approbation, even upon the moft preftmg
applications. Which is one great inftance
of that impenetrable fecrecy, which Dr Sykei
juftly notes to have been in him, upon many
occafions." So

PREFACE. vii
So Mr Whifion. Who clearly declares
his own opinion, Who likewife fuppofeth,
that the fame was for fome while received
by Dr Clarke. But he feems not to have
had any certain evidence of it. For, as he
acknowledges, Dr Clarke never publicly de
clared his approbation of it.
Neverthelefs it may not be difagreeable to
fee here what Dr Clarke himfelf fays in
his Scripture DaSirine of the Trinity. Part. i.
ch. iii. numb, 998. p. 197. " Matth. iv.
j . Then was Jefus led up of the Spirit into
the wildernefs. From this, and many other
of the following texts, it feems, that the
Logos, the Divine Nature of Chrift, did fp
far xevutrat eavr^v, diminifli itfelf, as St
Paul exprefTes it, Philip, ii. 7. that, du
ring the time of his incarnation, he was
all along under the conduct of the Holy
Spirit/' And Part, 2. feci, xxviii. p. 301. c< The
Holy Spirit is defcribed in the New Tef-
tament, as the immediate author and work
er of all miracles, even pf thofe done by
our

viii P R E F A C E.
our Lord himfelf : and as the conductor of
Chrift in all the actions of his life, during
his ftate of humiliation here on earth."
Before I finifli this preface, I muft make
fome citations from Dr Robert Clayton, late
Lord Bilhop of Clogher* Who, in the third
Part of his Vindication of the Hiflories of
the Old and New Teftament, has expreffed
himfelf after this manner. Letter v. p. 80.
81. or p. 443. " He who had glory with
the Father, before the world was, emptied
himfelf , or diverted himfelf of that glory, in
order to redeem mankind, and defcended
from heaven, and took upon him the form of
aferoant, and was made man. That is, He,
who was a glorified pre-exiftent fpirit in
the prefence of God, fubmitted to defcend
from heaven, and to have himfelf conveyed
by the wonderfull power of Almighty God,
into the womb of a Virgin. Where being
clothed with flefh, and ripening by de
grees to manhood, he was at length brought
forth into the w,orld, in the fame apparent
ftate and condition, with other human in-<
fants." Again,

PREFACE.

it

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
the virgin Mary, and wa9 made man j that
is, was made as much fo, as his mother
could make him, without being impregna
ted by man. And noW being deprived of
the immediate prefence of God the Father
and being (hut up in darknefs,and the fhadow
of death, he was after nine months brought
forth into life, in the form of a feeble in
fant, with all the weaknefs, and frailties,
and infirmities of human nature about him,
And as he grew up into life, and his reafon
emproved, this only ferved to make the ter
rible change and alteration of his condition, fa
much the more perceptible, and the recollec
tion of it fo much the more grievous and in*
fufFerable. The dreadfulnefs 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 had ever enjoyed the happinefs of
heaven, and had been in pofleffion of glory
with the Father, to be deprived thereof, and
( b ) to

X PREFACE. j
to be fent to dwell here in this world, en-
compared within the narrow limits of this
earthly tabernacle, and the heavy organs,
made of flem and bloud, it muft, literally
fpeaking, be to fuch a being, an liell upon
earth." So fays that celebrated writer;
To the Letter are now added two Poft-
fcripts. Concerning which nothing needs to
be faid here. They who look into them,
will fee what they are.
One thing the author would fay. He
hopes, the whole is writ in the way of rea
fon and argument, with meeknefs and can
dour, without acrimony and abufe : though
not without a" juft concern for fuch things
as appear to him to be pf impprtapce,
Febr. 12. 1759.

THE

f *3
THE
CONTENTS. A LETTER writ in the Year 1730.'
***• Concerning the Queftion, Whether the
Logos fupplied the Place of a human
Soul in the Perfon of J e s u s Christ. Page 1.
THE FIRST POSTSCRIPT, Containing
an Explication of thofe Words, the Spi
rit, the Holy Spirit, and the Spirit of
God, as ufed in the Scriptures. 80.
THE SECOND POSTSCRIPT, Contain
ing Remarks upon the third Part of the
late Bifhop of Clogher's Vindication of
the Hiflories of the Old and New Tef-
tament. 180

To

Oij

To be Corr0ea\
p. 17. 1. 15. for vere r. vero.
P. 20. 1. 17. r. fancTified*
P. 43.I* 3. for on r.; in
P. yt: 1. 19. for eft r. et
P. 71. 1. 19. for og r. ere
P. 163* 1. 1. r. i.John v.
P. 194. 1. lafl. for that a name r. that nafne, • *
In the Notes.
& S. 1. 2. for out i*. but
P< 52. 1. 4. for d%nity f. divinity.
P. 79. 1. 3. for 2. Cor. xii. 3 1. r. 2. Cor. xi.

A LET-

[ I ]
Sl'l'l" " I ¦ ¦'  —  •+-   — ...,, I- .... IM-H..I !¦—»«
A
LETTER WRIT
In the Year I7$o*.>'
Concerning the Queftibnj Whether
the Logos fupplied the Place of
an human Soul in the Perfon of
Jesus Christ.
ToPAPINIAN.
YOU have, it feems, heard of thd
correfpondence between Eugeuius and
Phileleutherus, and particularly of an
incidental queftion, concerning the Ariari
hypothefis. You have been informed like-
Wife, that I am Well acquainted with this
correfpondence. And, as it has excited your
euriofity, you demand of me an account of
B »*

2 ^LETTER,
it, and alfo my own opinion upon the point
in debate.If it were proper for me to deny you any
thing, I fhould entirely excufe my-felf, and
be perfectly filent : being apprehenfive, that
touching upon a fubject of fo much nicenefs
and difficulty may occafion fome trouble to
your-felf, 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 quefKon, with Phileienthe-
rus : though once, for fome while, I was
much -inclined to the other.
' However, whilft I was favorable to the
fupppfition, that the Logos was the foul of
eur Saviour, I was embaraffed with a very
confiderable difficulty. For the Scriptures
do plainly reprefent our blefled Saviour, ex
alted to power and glory, as a reward of his
fufferings here on earth. But I was at a lofs
to conceive, how that high being, the firft,
and only immediately derived being, by whom
God made the world [i ]4 fhould gain any ex
altation
, [i] Dr. Clarke, Scripture-DoSirine, &c. P. i. num.
53-5. p. 86. " The third interpretation is, that the
Word is a perfon deriving from the Father (with whom
he exifted before the world was) both his being itfelf,
and incomprehenfible power and knowledge, and <fther
divine attributes and authority, in a manner not re
vealed, and. which human wifdom ought not to pre-
lume to explain.." "

writ in the Tear 1730. 3
fcltation by receiying, after his refurrection,
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 made higher than the angels, to whom,
according to the fame hypothefisj he was
vaftly fuperior before^
But to fpeak my mind freely, I now en*
tirely diflike that fcheme, and think it all
amazing throughout, and irreconcilable to
reafon. However, that we may not take up any
prejudices from apprehenfions, which our
own reafon might afford, I fhall fufpend all
B 2 inquiries
lb. Part. 2. p. 242. §. ii. ¦" With this firft and fu-
preme caufe and Father of all things, there has ex
alted, from the begining* a fecond Divine Perfon, which
Is his Word or Son."
Page 297. §. xxvi. " By the operation of the Son*
the Father both made and governs the world."
Page 298. §. xxyii. " Concerning the Son, there
are other things fpoken in Scripture, and the higheft
titles are aforibed to him, even fuch as include all Di
vine Powers, excepting abfolute independency and fu-
premacy." A part of Mr. Peirce's Paraph'rafe Upon Col. i. 15*
16. is in thefe words : "-^and fince he was the firft
Being that was derived from the Father. And that he
muft be the firft derived frqm Him, is hence evident,
¦that all other beings were derived from God, the p;i-
mary and fupreme caufe of all, through his Son, by
whom, as their immediate Author, all things wera
created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth,- vi*
fibl& and inviiible : &c."

4 ^LETTER,
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
Gofpels. And every body took him for a
man, during his abode on this earth, when
he converfed with al! forts of people, in the
moft free and open manner. He frequently
ffiles himfelf the Son of man. He is alfo
faid to be the [on of David, and thefonof
Abraham. He is called a man, even after
his afcenfion. Acts xvii. 31. He has ap
pointed a day, in the which he will judge
the world in righteoufnefs, by that man
whom he has ordained. 1. Tim. ii. 5. For
there is one God, and one Mediator be~
tween God and men, the man Chrijl Jefus.
And St. Peter to the Jews at Jerufalem.
Acts. ii. 22. Te men of Ifrael, hear thefe
woras, Jefus of Nazareth, a man approved
of God among you by miracles, and wonders,
andfgns, which God did by him, in the midft
of you, as ye yourfelves alfo know.
Now if Jefus Chrift be a man, he confifts
of a human foul and body. For what elfe
is a man ?
This title and appellation of man being fo
often and fo plainly given to our Saviour,
muft needs lead us to think, that he was
properly man, unlefs there are fome expref-
fions of another kind, that are decifive to
the contrary. But we find, that he is not
only

writ in the Tear 1730. 5
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 behoved him to be
made like unto his brethren, iv. 15. We
have not an High- Pri eft, 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 expreffions, defcribing
our Lord to be a man, and like to us j this
point may be argued from a great number
and variety of particulars related in the New
Teftament. For two Evangelifts have re
corded our Lord's nativity. St. Paul fays :
Ged fent forth his Son, made of a woman,
made under the law. 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, weak-
nefles, and difafters, to which we are ex-
pofed : muft it not have been as needful, or
more needful, and as conformable to the di
vine wifdom, that he fhould be alfo like un
to us, in the other part, of which we are
compofed, a human foul, or fpirit ? [2]. More-
[2] " And when we fay, that perfon was conceived
and born: we declare, he was made really and truly
man, of the fame human nature, which is in all other
ojen. — For the Mediator between God and men is the
B 3 ' man

6 ^LETTER,
Moreover, this fuppofition does beft, if
not only, account for our bleffed Saviour's
temptation, and evdry part of it. For how
was it poffible, 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 tem
ple. How could all the glories of this
world, and the kingdoms of it, be any temp
tation to him, who had made all things un
der the fupreme being ? Had he forgot the
glory
man Chriji Jefus. i. .Tim. ii. 5. That f nee by man
came death, by man, alfo fhould come the refurreclion, of the
dead. 1. Cor. xv. 21. As fure, then, as the firft
Adam, and we who are redeemed, are men ; fo cer
tainly is the fecond Adam, and our Mediator, man.
He is therefore frequently called the f on of man, and in
that nature he was always promifed : firft to Eve, as,
her feed, and confequently, her fon : then to Abra
ham. And that feed is Chrift. Gal. iii. 16. and fo
the fon of Abraham ; next to David. . . . and confer
quently, of the fame nature with David, and Abra
ham. And as he was their fon, fo are we his brethren,
as defcendents from the fame father Adam. And there
fore it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren. Fop
he laid not hold on the angels, but on the feed of Abra
ham. Hebr. ii. 16. 17. And fo became not an angel^
but a man."
" As then man confifteth of two different partsj
body and foul, fo does Chrift. . . . And certainly, if
the Son of God would vouchfafe to take the frailty of
our flefh, he would not omit the nobler part, our foul,
without which he could not be man. For Jefus en-
ereafed in wifdom, and Jlature : one in refpeel of his
body, the other of his foul. Luke ii. 52." Peerfon
upon the Creed. Art. iii. p. 159. 160. the fourth edi
tion. 1676*

writ in the Tear 1730. 7
glory and power, which he once had ? If
that could be fuppofed, and that this want
of memory 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 commifuon,
with which God the Father had fent him
into the world.
The fuppofition, of Chrift. being a man,
does alfo beft account for his agony in the
garden [3 J, and the dark, yet glorious fcene
[3] Luke xxii. 44. And being in an agonie. ....
K«» ytwfuws Iv tiyttvioi,'] I would put the queftion,
whether it might not be thus translated ? And being un
der great concern. I will tranfcribe here a pafTage of
an ancient writer, reprefenting the anxiety, or fblici-
tude, of Julius Cefar, and others, when Oclaviui
Cefor, then a young man, had a dangerous ficknefs..
XaXi-tsui & Snnx.iiiJ.ivn, Wm? /*?v |u @o£i<i Wi dyta*
»nai/T£f, £( ti vitferan rnwrn <|>u<n?> ^aAir« St ¦sra.v-
rm 0 Kasurap. Aio wei<ra.u ¦ny.i^tx.v »* aura? n-flsptim otv*
tu lufiujMi'aw wafit^iv, n* ty'iTw; ¦srsy.Trwv, lesrpis r(
dtroraruv om luv. K«» wote Senrvuvri vyyu-Xi ti?,
wj fJtAurof smi, xxi jc«AeW? «x<"' '° f* '^uSi/row
m\nriinroi r\xev hba. hotrnXiviTO, xx) rav j'aTpwu e<J?(T9
lji.iroi.Ura.ra. [tiros wi> dyuvixq, xot] «Wj ¦srtzpBx.xQnro.
x. x. Mc. Damafcen. De Inftitut'we Caefaris Augufli
Ap.Valef. Excerpta. £.841.
I have obferved, that fome learned men feero ftudi-
oufly to have avoided the word agonie in their transla
tions. In the Latin Vulgate is : Et fa£tus in agonia.
But Beza tranflates. Et conftitutus in angore. L»
Clerc's French verfion is : Et comme il etoit dans une
extreme inquietude . . And Lenfcmth : Et comme il
eto.it dans un grand combat . . Which laft 1 do not
p B 4 $«&

g ^LETTER,
fcene of his fufferings on the crofs, and the
concluding prayer there : My God, my God,
why haft thou for jaken me ?
And the making the Logos to be the foul
of Chrift does really annihilate his example;
and enervate all the force, which it fhould
have upon us.
• But it may be faid, that there are fome
texts, which lead us to think, that Jefus
Chrift had a human body, but not an hu
man foul: particularly, John i. 14. and
Hebr. x. 5.
John i. 14. And the Word was made
flefh, and dwelt among us. But it fhould be
obferved, that flefh, in the fcriptures both
of the Old and New Teftament, is often
times equivalent to man. Pf. Lvi. 5. I will
not fear what flefh can do unto me. ver. 11,
I will not fear what man can do unto me.
And in innumerable other places. And in
the New Teftament, Math. xiii. 20. Luker
iii. 6. John xvii; 2. Acts. ii. 17. I Pet,
i. 24. What

think to be right. For the original word is not dyuv,
out dywix. The Syriac verfion, as tranflated into
Latin by TremelUus, TroJiius, and others, is : Cunv
effet in timore, inftanter orabat. I fhall add a fhort
paflage from V. H. Vogleri Phyfiolagia Hijloriae Paf-
fionis J. C. cap. 2. p. 4. Ideoque non immerito dici
poteft dyuvix (quam in defe£tu commodioris vocabuli
smgorem Latine vocemus) promtitudo rem quampiam.
aggrediundi, fed cum timore, et trepidatione.

writ in the Tear 1730. 9
What St. John fays therefore is this:
And the Word was made flefh, or took upon
him the human nature [4].
St. John fays 1. ep. iv. 2. 3. Every fpi-
rit, that confeffeth, that Jefus Chrift is come
in the flefh, is of God. And every fpirit, that
confeffeth not, that Jefus Chrifl 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. John refided, there arofe people, gene
rally called Docetes, who denied the real hu
manity 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 Jefus had
the innocent infirmities of the human na
ture, and that he really fuffered, and died.
But when he fays, that Jefus Chrifl came in
the flefh, 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.
£4] " He took upon him our human nature, be
came himfelf a man, fubjeft to the like frailties with
us, and lived and converted freely amongft men." Dr.
Clarke's Paraphrafe of St. John i. 14. the fourth edi
tion. 1722.
[5] Ecce in quibus verbis fuis omnino manifeftant
negare fe, quod ad unitatem perfonae Chrifti etiam hu
mana anima pertineat; fed in Chrifto carnem et divinita-
tem tantummodo confiteri. Quandoquidem cum pen-
deret

10 ^LETTER,
Hebr. x. 5. Wherefore, when he cometh
into the world, he faith : Sacrifice and <ff«r~
ing thou wouldefl not, but 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
Woid,
deret in ligno, illud, ubi ait, Pater, in mania tutu
commendo fpiritum meum, divinitatem ipfam voliint eum
intelligi commendafle Patri, non humanum fpiritum,
quod eft anima. ... Et his atque hujufmodi fanctarum
fcripturarum teftimoniis non refiftant, fateanturque '
Chriflum, non tantum carnem, fed animam quoque
humanam Verbo unigenito coaptafTe. . . . Aut fi eo mo-
ventur quod fcriptum eft, Verbum carofaclum eji, nee
illic anima nominata eft : intelligarjt, carnem pro no
mine pofitam, a parte totum fignificante locutionis mo
do, ficuti eft, Ad te omnis caro veniet. Item, Ex operi-
bus legis non jujtifieabitur omnis caro. Quod apertius
alio loco dixit : Ex lege nemo jujtifieabitur. Itemque
alio : Non jujlificatur homo ex operibus. Sic itaque die*
turn eft, verbum caro faclum ejl : acfi diceretur, Ver
bum homo factum eft. Veruntamen ifti, cum ejus fa-
lam humanam carnem velint intelligi hominem Chrif
lum, non enim negabunt hominem, de quo apertiffime
dicitur, unus mediator Dei et hominum homo Chriftus
Jefus . . . &c. Aug. Contr. fermon. Arian. cap. ix.
Tom. 8.
[6] A body here is a fynecdochical expreflion of the
human nature of Chrift. So is flejh taken, when ho
is faid to be made flejh. For the general end of bis
having this body was, that he might therein and thereby
yield obedience, or do the will of God. And the ef-
pecial end of it was, that he might have what to offer
in facrifice to God. But neither of thefe can be con^
fined unto his body alone. For it is the foul, the
other effential part of the human nature, that is tho
principle of obedience," Dr. J. Given upon Hebr. *,
5- P' 29.

writ in the Tear 1730. n
word, body, is not to be underftood exclu-
fively of the foul. St. Paul writes to the
Romans: I befeech you therefore, that ye pre-
fent your bodies a living facriflce to God. ch.
xii, 1: But no one ought hence to conclude,
that the Romans had not fouls as well as bo
dies, or that their fouls might be neglected.
No. The faculties of the mind, as well as
the members of the body, were to be con-
fecrated to God, and employed in his fer-
vice. At the begining of the next chapter
St. Paul fays : Let every foul befubjefi to the
higher powers. Where the other part of the
human nature is put for the whole.
And it is manifeft from ch. ii. 16. . . 18.
and other places, that the writer of the
epiftle to the Hebrews believed Chrift to be
man, or to have the human nature com-
pleat, like unto us. It would therefore be
very unreafonable, to underftand body in this
place exclufively of the foul.
The words of the Apoftle are a quota
tion from Pf. xl. prophetically reprefenting
the readinefs of Chrift to do the will of God
in this world.
Wherefore when he cometh into the world,
be faith. " Which [7] words are capable
of two interpretations. They may relate to
our Lord's nativity, when he, literally, en
tered into the world. Or they may relate to
the entrance upon his miniftry. Then it was, that
f 7] See Beaufohre upon Hebr, x. 5.

12 ^LETTER,
that the Father fanSlifled him, and fent him
into the world. John x. 36. and xvii. i84.
And then it was, that he devoted himfelf to
God entirely. Nor can it be well doubted,
that the prayer, which Jefus made, when
he was baptifed, and received the Spirit,
which is mentioned Luke iii. 3 1. contained
a declaration, equivalent to that in this place :
Lo, I come to do thy will, 0 God. Compare
John v. 30. and vi. 38."
I will now confider fome texts, which
have been thought by fome to reprefent to
us the pre-exiftence of the foul of our Sa
viour, 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 dif-
eafes, and railing the dead, and working
other miracles, at all times, whenever he
pleafed, and all the other evidences of his
divine miflion. This fenfe does wonderfully
accord with what our Lord fays John x.
34 . . 36. and in many other places of that
Gofpel.
f8] Mop(p«\ forma, in noflris libris non fignificat
aeternum et occultum aliquid, fed id quod in ocutos
incurrit, qualis erat eximia in Chrifto poteftas fanandi
morbos omnes, ejiciendi daemonas, excitandi mortuos,,
mutandi rerum naturas : quae vere divina funt, ita ut
Mofes, qui tarn magna non fecit, di&us ob id fuerit
peus Pharaonis. Grot, in Philip. \\. 6,

writ in the Tear 1730. 13
Gofpel. Is it not written in your law, I
faid, Te are Gods f If he called them Gods,
to whom the word of God came, and the fcrip-
ture cannot be broken, fay ye of him, whom
the Father has fanBified, and fent into the
world, thou blafphemeft, becaufe I faid, I am
the Son of God ? But though he had fo great
power, he made himfelf of no reputation : he
lived in a mean condition, and fubmitted 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 tranf-
lated without tafting death.
If this be the meaning of that text, then
2. Cor. viii. 9. is alfo explained : that [9]
though he was rich, yet Jor our fakes he be
came poor:
John i. .15. John bare witnefs of him . . .
He that cometh after me, is preferred before
me. For he was before me. And ver. 30.
This is he, of whom lfaid : After me cometh
a man, which is preferred before me. For
he was before me. But I apprehend, that
John the Baptift 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
chief,
[9] Id eft, cum vi polleret omnis generis miracul*
patrandi, etiam mortuos refufcitandi, perfonam tamen
geflit tarn humilem, ut ne domum quidem haberet pro-
prism. Grot, in he.

14 ^LETTER,
chief, or prince, or principal." This fuitj
what he fays of the great dignity, and
tranfcendent excellence of our Lord's perfon
and chara\Ster, at ver. 27. Whofe fhoes latchet
I am not worthy .to unkofe : and ver. 23,
/ am the voice of me crying in the wildernefs^
Make flrait the way of the Lord: 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 for
his reception.
John viii. 58. may be thought a ftrong
text for the pre-exiftence of our Saviour's
foul. But really he there only reprefents his
dignity, as the Median, the fpecial favour
of God toward him, and the importance of
the difpenfation by him. It is a way of
fpeaking, refembling that in Rev. xiii. 8.
Whofe names are written in the book of life,
of the lamb, fllainfrom the foundation of the
world, and explained 1. Pet. i. 20. Who ve
rily was foreordained before the foundatim
of the world [10].' See alfo Eph. i. 4,
2. Tim. i. 9. Tit. i. 2. The Jewifh people
have a faying, that [11] the Law was be
fore
[10] Fuerat ante Abrahamum Jefus divina conftitu-
tione : infra xvii. 5. Apoc. xiii. 8. 1. Pet. i. 20. Con-
flat hoc, quia de ipfo ipfiufque Ecclefia myftice dictum
erat, recente humano genere, futurum, ut femen mu-
liebre contereret caput ferpentis. Grot, in Joh, viii. 58.
Yid. et Bez. in loc.
[11] Sic Legem fuijfe ante mundum, aiunt HebraeL
Vide Thalmudem de Votis. Grot, ad Joh. xvii. 5.

writ in the Tear 1730. 15
fore the world was created. In like manner the
Difpenfation by the Meffiah was before the
Difpenfation of Abraham, in dignity, na
ture, and defign, though not in time.
The Jews were much offended at the
words, recorded in the 56. ver. Neverthelefs
our Lord does not there fay, that he had
feen Abraham, or that Abraham had feen
fcitn in perfon. What he fays is this : Toter
father Abraham rejoiced <to fee my day. And
be Jaw it, and was glad j that is, he earrteftly
defined to fee the time, when all the nations
of the earth fhould be bleffed, through his
protnifed feed, the Meffiah. And by faith
he faw it, and was glad. Compare Hebr.
xk 13. [12.3
Another text proper to be confidered here
is John xvii. 5.. And now, 0 Father, glorify
thou me with the .ghry, which I load with
thee -before the world was. But this, according
to the Jewifh phrafeology, may be very well
umderftood of the glory, always defignedfbr the
,£ 12 ] Ceterum, ex Hebraeorum idiotifmo, Ales
alicujus nihil aliud declarat, quam fpatium quo vix-
erit aliquis, aut infigne quidpkm, quod ipfi vel fa
cere vel ferre contigit. Quas res notior eft, <juam
ut teflimonio egeat. Dies ergo Domini nihil aliud fig-
nificat, quam ipfius adventum in carnem. Vidit enim
eum eminus Abraham, fidei nimirum oculis, ut decla
rator Hebr. xi. 13 . . . Ac gavifus eft, . . . Refpicit
autem exprefle Chriftus ad id quod dicitur Gen. xvii.
17. Abrahamum, accepta de nafcitufo -fibi illo femine
promiflionc, fefe proftravifTe, et rififTe. Unde et ipfi
Ifaaco nomen impofuit Dominus. Bez. ad Joh. viii. 56.

t6 A L E ? T E Ri
the Chrift by the immutable purpofe of
God. See Grotius upon the place; That our
Lord had not, before his nativity, the glo
ry, which he here prays for, is apparent from
the whole tenour of the gofpel, and from1
clear and manifeft expreffions in the con*
text. For the glory, which he now prays
for, is the reward of his obedience, ver. 4.
I have finifhed the work, which thou gaveft
me to do. And now 0 Father, glorify thou me . .
And St. Paul fays Philip, ii. 9. Wherefore
God alfo has highly exalted him, Hebr. ii. 9 . ¦
for the fluff ering of death be. was crowned with
glory and honour, ver. 10. For it became
him, for whom are all things, and by whom
are all things, in bringing many fons to gloryi
to make the captain of their falvation perfect
through fluff erings. And Hebr. xii. 2. Look
ing unto Jefus, who for the joy that wasfet
before him, endured the crofs, defpiflng the
fhame. And isfet down on the right hand of
the throne of God. And Luke xxiv. 2f5»
Our Saviour fays to the difciples, in the way
to Emmaus : Ought not the Chrifl to have
fuffered thefe things, and to enter into his
glory? And St. Peter. 1. ep. i* io. u< Of
which falvation the Prophets have inquired . *
Searching what, or what manner of time the
fpirit of Chrift which was in them didfignify,
when it teftifled before hand the fufferings of

writ in the Tear 1730. if
tther things than thofe, which the Prophets
and Mofes did fay fhould come : that theChri/l
fhould fuffer, and that be fhould be the firft
that fhould rife from the dead. All harmo
nious, as we fee, that the glory of the Mef
fiah was fubfequent to his obedience and
fufferings on this earth. See like wife Rom.
i. 3. 4.
Nor can I forbear to obferve to you, that
Augu/lin, who has largely confidered the
Words of John xvii. 5. and in fo doing
quotes Eph. i. 4. and Rom. i. 1. . . 4. un-
derftands them of Chrift's human nature,'
and explains them in the fame manner that
I have done. Quafi vere quifquam regulam
fidei intuens, Filium Dei negaturus eft prae-
deftinatum, qui eum negare hominem non
poteft. Recte quippe dicitur non praedefti-
natus fecundum id quod eft Verbum Dei,
Deus apud Deum. ; . Illud, autem praedefti-
nandum erat, quod nondVirn eratj ut fuo
tempore fieret, quemadmodum ante omnia
tempora praedeftinatum erat, ut fieret: Quif-
quis igitur Dei Filium praedeftinatum ne-
gat, hunc eundem filium hominis negat . . .
fecundum hanc ergo praedeftinationem etianx
clarificatus eft antequam mundus effet, ut
effet claritasejus ex refurredtione mortuorumf
apud Patrem, ad cujus dexteram fedet. Cum
ergo videret illius praedeftinatae fuae clarifi-
cationis veniffe jam tempus, ut et nunc fie
ret in red'didone, quod fuerat in praedeftina-
C troftef

r8 ^LETTER,
tione jam factum, oravit, dicens : Et nunc
clarifica me tu Pater apud temetipfum, cla-
ritate, quam hahui priufquam mundus effet,
apud te : tarnquam diceret, Claritatem
quam habui apud te, id 'eft, illam clarita
tem, quam habui apud te in praedeftinatione
tua, tempus eft, ut apud te habeam etiam
vivens in dextera tua. Augufl. In Joan.
Evang. cap. 17. Tr. cv. n. 8. ed. Bened. Tom.
3. P. 2.
It has been thought by fome, [13] that
Chrift, or the Son, appeared to the Patri
archs, and was oftentimes fent upon meffages,
to men by the fupreme being, before the
times of the gofpel. But where is the proof
of this ? It was the opinion of fome of the
ancient writers of the Church, who had a
philofophy, that'was a mixture of Pythago-
rifm and Platonifm. Neverthelefs, this fup-
pofition, that God had employed the Son in
former times, before the gofpel, is overthrown
by the very firft words of the Apoftle in the
epiftle to the Hebrews. God, who at fundry
times, and in divers manners fpake in time
pa/l unto the fathers by the Prophets, has in
thefe laft days fpoken unto us by his Son. It
is alfo inconfiftent with the Apoftle's argu
ments to care and circumfpection, ftedfaft^
nefs and perfeverance, which follow after
wards.
[13] That opinion is modeftly rejected by Mr
Peirce, in his Paraphrafe on the Epiftle to the He
brews. Chap. i. ver. 2.

writ in the Tear 1730. 19
wards. Hebr. ii. 1. ?. 3. Therefore we ought
to give the more earneft heed to the things,
which we have heard . . . For if the word
fpoken by angels wasfledfaft . . . how fhall we
eft ape, if 'we neglecl fo great falvation, which
at theflrft began to be fpoken by the Lord, and
was confirmed unto us by them that heard
him ? See likewife ch. iii. 1. For this man
was counted worthy of more honour than Mo
fes .. . ver; 6, But Chrift, as a Son over his
own houfe.
Still it may be faid, that nothing but the
pre-exiftence of the foul of Chrift can fuit
thofe expreflions of his being Jent from God3
and coming from God.
To which I anfwerj that the account
here given by me is well fuited to all fuch
expreflions in their utmoft latitude, accord
ing to the ftile of Scripture. For we m a
be all faid to be fent by God into the world,
without the fuppofition of a pre-exiftent
foul. Efpecially are Prophets fent from
God* But above all Jefus is moft properly
the fent of God, as he had the higheft and
moft important commiffion.
So John i. 6. There was a man fent from
God, whofe name was John. Neverthelefs
none fuppofe, that John the Baptift came
directly from heaven : but only, that he
vyas infpired, and had a divine command to
appear in the world, and bear witnefs con-
C 2 cerning

lo ^LETTER,
cerning the Chrift, who would come pre1-
fently after him.
And the commiffion, which our Lord
gave to his Apoftles, is expreffed by himfelf
after this manner. John xvii. 1 8. As thou
haft fent me into the world, even fo have I
fent them into the world. And xx. 21. As
my Father has fent me, fo fend I you.
But, as before faid, Jefus is the fent of
God, as he had the higheft commiffion.
John iii. 34. He whom God has fent, fpeak-
eth the words of God. ch. iv. 34. My meat
is to do the will of him that fent me. ch. v.
38. Te have not his word abiding in you.
For whom he has fent, ye believe not. See
alfo ver. 23. 24. 30. 34. 36. And x. 36.
Say ye of him, whom the Father has fanclifled,
and fent. into the world, Thcu blafphemeft,
becaufe I faid, I am the Son of God ? And
in the hiftory of the cure of the blind man,
recorded in the ix. chapter of the fame Gof
pel, at ver. 7. And faid unto him : Go,
wafh in the pool of Si loam, which is by in
terpretation, fent. Probably here is an al-
lufion to our Lord's character, as the fent of
God. And there may be an intimation in
tended, that he is the Shiloh, fpoken of irt
Gen. xlix. 10.
There are fome other texts needful to be
taken notice of here. John xiii. 3. Jefus
knovcing, that he was come from God, and
went to God. on aVo §sis e%yX8$. xvi. 27. For the

writ in the Tear 1730. 21
the Father himfelf loveth you, becaufeye have
loved me, and have believed that 1 came out
from God. on \yu -sroipct t» 06k efcyXdov. ver.
28. lam come forth from the Father, and am
come into the world. Again, 1 leave the
world, and go to the Father. 'E^xdov nagd th
Tt-ocTpoq. This expreffion is explained in ch.
viii. 42. Whence we perceive, that [14]
thereby is intended our Lord's divine com
miffion. Jefus faid unto them : If God were
your Father, ye would love me. For 1 pro
ceeded forth, and came from God. Neither
came I of my felf, but he fent me. 'Eyu yda
ne t5 9eQ efcijXQov, x.ctl 'fi\Ku. k. X.
The reproaches, and contradictions, which
our Lord met with, and the fuffcrings 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 j
this part of his humiliation, in clothing
himfelf with an human body, would have
been frequently reprefented, and defcribed,
in the cleareft, and moft emphatical ex
preflions. Here, if I miftake not, is a proper place
for fetting down thofe obfervations upon
this fcheme, which reafon may fuggeft, and
were paffed over before.
C 3 In
[14] Voyez cette facon de parler expliquee ci def«
fus. ch, viii. 42. par la miffion. Lenfant upon John
xvi. 27, a

22 ^LETTER,
In the firft place, I do not apprehend ft
poffible, that fo glorious and perfeft a fpirit
fhould undergo fuch diminution by being
united to an human body, as to become
thereby unconfcious, or to be greatly enfee
bled. I think, that if this fpirit were to ani
mate, and take upon it the part of a foul in
an human body j it's power, cogitation, and
knowledge, would fubfift, and remain, even
in it's infant ftate. In fhort, the human
body would be fwallowed up by this great
foul. That foul would exert itfelf in the
body, and fuftain it with all facility, with
out reft, food, or any other refrefhment,
againft all pain-, and uneafinefs, and every
kind of infirmity. This, I fay, would-be
the cafe, fuppcfing fo great a being to take
upon it a human body. If an angel (as is
fuppofed,) can move with agility a material
vehicle, made denfe enough to be fenfible to
human eyes ; what influence would not this
powerful Logos have over the groffeft hu
man body ? But this is not agreeable to fact,
as reprefented in the New Teftament. For
there Jefus is faid, to have encreafed in wif-
dom, as he grew up. And he had hunger,
and thirft, and was wearied with journeying,
and had all the finlefs infirmities of the hu
man nature, and was fubject to death.
But fecondly, fuppofing this humiliation to
be poffible, I think, it could not be reafo-
nable. It is not reafonable, that fo great a
being

writ in the Tear 1730. 23
being fhould fubmit to unconfcioufnefs, or
any fuch like debilitation. Confequently, it
cannot he required by God. It is incon
gruous to all juft notions of things, that any
other fpirit, befide a human foul, fhould be
made fubject to the infirmities of human
flefh. I forbear mentioning fome things, which
appear to me confequences from the Logos
(in the Avian fenfe of that term) being the
ioul of our 'defied Saviour. And, as they
are not mentioned, they need not affect you,
unlefs they fhould occur to your thoughts.
I now proceed to the introduction to St.,
John's Gofpel. - For I believe, you may be
of opinion, that I muft not pafs it by en
tirely, notwithftandlng it's difficulty. I will
therefore explain it briefly, or a part of it
at left, according to the beft of my ability :
ftill willing, however, to receive farther
light from any one, that fhall afford it.
In the begining was the Word. By begin-
ing, I think, cannot be intended the begin
ing 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 mani-
fefted, till thefe laft days of the world [15]. And
[15] 1. John i. 2. For the Life was manifejled.
And nve have feen it, and bear witnefs, and Jhew unto
C -4 fHK

24 ^LETTER,
And the Word was God. K«» 9so? yv o Xoyos.
Which fometimes has been rendred thus:
And God was the Word. But there are
learned men, who fay, that then the Greek
would have been K«t o 8eog yv Xoyog: and,
that the article being joyned with Xoyog,
therefore that is the antecedent, and our
tranflation is right.
Here I had been wont to fubmit to what
Dr Clarke fays, The Scripture Doclrine 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 contradiction 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.
All things were made by him, and without
him was not any thing made that was made:
Who fhould this be, but God the Father,
the one living and true God, and author of
life, and all being ? Are there more creators than
you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and
was manifejled unto us.
1. Tim. iii. 16. And without controverfy, great is tb.e
jnyftery of godlinefs. God was manifeji in the fiejh.

writ in the Tear 1730. 25
than one ? Would any Jew, or difciple of
Jefus, afcribe [16.] the creation of the world
to any, but God, or his reafon, or under-
< ftanding, or difcretion, his wifdom, his pow
er, his word, his fpirit, which is the fame
as God himfelf? ver. 10. He was in the
world, and the world was made by him. This
needs no comment, ver. 11. He came to his
own, and his own received him not. I pray,
whofe people were the Jews, but God's,
his, who ftiled himfelf Jehovah ? He now
came, in Jefus, to his own people. But
they received him not.
St John therefore intends the one true
God, not any inferior deity.
Shall I fhew this more particularly from
other places of his Gofpel ? It is obfervable,
that St John, out of the many difcourfes
of Jefus, (a great part of which he has
omitted, as appears from ch. xx. 30. 31.
xxi. 25.) has fele&ed thofe, in which out-
Lord fpeaks very expreffiy of the commif
fion, which he had received from the Fa
ther, and of his near, and intimate union
with him. In
[16.] The creation of the world is always afcribed
to the one living and true God, in the old and New
Teftament. Gen. i. Ex. xxii. Job. xxi. 13. xxvi. 13.
Pf. xxxiii. 6. cxxxvi. 5 . . 10. cxlvi. 5. 6. If. xiii. 5.
xiv. 12. Ii. 13. Jer. x. 12. Ii. 15. and elfewhere.
A£ts iv. 24. xiv. 15. xvii. 24. Rev. iv. 8.. it.
X. 6. xiv. 7.

26 ALETTE R,
In all the Gofpels our Saviour afcribes his
miracles to the Father, particularly in Luke
xi. 20. and Matt. xii. 28. And the people
do the fame. And when the multitudes f aw
it, they marvelled, and glorified God, which
had given fuch power to men. Matt. ix. 8.
But in none of the Gofpels is this done fo
frequently, and fo expreflly, as in St John's.
Ch. v. 9. The Son can do nothing of him/elf
but what he feet h 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. When
ye have lift up the Son of man, then fhall ye
know, that I am he, and that I do nothing of
my felf : but that as the Father has taught
me, Ifpeak thefe things. And he that fent
me, is with me. The Father has not left me
alone. For I do always the things that pledfe
him. ver. 42. For 1 proceeded forth, and
came from God< Neither came I of my- felf,
but he fent me. ver. 54. It is my Father that
honoureth me, of whom ye fay, that he is
your God. ch. x. 3 5. The works that I do
in my Father's name, they bear witnefs of me.
ver. 29. 30. My Father, which gave them
me, is greater than all. And no man is able
to pluck them out of my Father's hand. I
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

writ in the Year 1730. 27
thou art a teacher come from God. For no
man can do thefe miracles that thou doeft, ex
cept 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 fufficient to
fatisfy us, that by the Word, which, St John
fays, was in the begining, and was with
God, and was God, he does not mean a be
ing feparate from God, and inferior to him,
but God himfelf, or the wifdom 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 introduction to his
Gofpel, St John had intended a being fepa
rate from God, and inferior to himj it is
reafonable to expect, that he fhould be men
tioned again afterwards. 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 the 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 flefh, and dwelt among us :
that is, as before (hewn, " And the Word
was made man, or took upon him the hu
man nature." And we beheld his glory, the
glory, as of the only begotten of the Father,
l. • ' full

28 ^LETTER,
full of grace and truth. That is, " And we
beheld in Jefus fuch power and wifdom,
that we could not doubt, his being the Mef
fiah." That St. John intends the Lord Je
fus, is evident from what he adds in the
1 5. verfe. John bare witnefs of him, and
cried, faying : This is he, of whom I fpake.
He that cometh after me, is preferred befor?
me. And the word was made flefh, and dwelt
among us. And we beheld his glory, the glory
as of the only begotten of the Father, full of
grace and truth. This is the fame, which,
in other words, is faid in divers texts of the
New Teftament. Matt. i. 20 . . 23. And fhe
fhall 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 virgin fhall conceive, and fhall bring forth
a fon. And they fhall call his name Emmanu
el, which is God with us. And John iii.
34. 35. For he whom Gtd hath fent, fpeaketh
the words of God. For God giveth not the
Spirit by meafure unto him. The Father
loveth the Son, and hath given all things in
to his hand. Col. i. 19. For it pleajed the Fa
ther, that in him fhould all fullnefs dwells
And ch. ii. In whom are hid all the treafures
of wifdom, and knowledge. And ver. . 1 9,
For in him dweHeth all the fulnefs of the God*
head bodily. And.

writ in the > Tear 1730. 29
And we beheld his glory, the glory as of the
Only begotten of the Father. As before hint
ed, 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 ap
peared, and they knew him, to be, the only
begotten of the Father, or the Meffiah.
Only begotten Son. The fame phrafe is
again in John iii. 16. & 18. in our Lord's
conference with Nicodemus. Only begotten,
and well beloved Son, are equivalent. This
laft is the phrafe in feveral texts : as Mat. iii.
17. Mark i. 11. Luke iii. 22. Matt. xvii.
5. Mark ix. 7. Luke ix. 35. So Prov.
iv. 3. For I was my Father's fon, tender, and
only beloved in the fight of my mother. Comp.
1. Chron. xxix. 1.
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 character is in thefe words :
Thou art the Chrift, tbe Son of the living
God. So likewife John vi. 69. But in Mark
viii. 29. it is : Thou art the Chrifl of God.
And Lukejx. 20. the Chrifl 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. 63. and
Luke xxii. 66. 70. But now I fhall argue
it more particularly from St John's Gofpel.
ch. i. 34 . . 49. John the Baptift bears tef-
timonie

3o ^LETTER,
timonie to Jefus under feveral characters, all
equivalent to that of the MeffiVh. And 1
flaw, fays he, and bare record, that this is
the Son' of God. Again, the next day after
John flood, 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 Johnt
was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. He
Jirflfindeth his own brother Simon, and faith
unto him : We have found the Meffias. ... *
Philip findeth Nathanael, and faith unto him:
We have found him, of whom Mofes in the
Law, and the Prophets did write, Jefus of
Nazareth, the fon of Jofeph. Nathanael
likewife, after fome hefitation, is convinced,
and makes a like profefiion, faying : Rabbi,
thou art the Son of God, thou art the King
of Ifrael.
All thefe pious men, acquainted with the
fcriptures of the 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. 36. and i<
John v. i. 5.
The Jews, it is likely, had learned this
title and character of the Meffiah from Pf.
ii. 7. 12. And fee 2. Sam. vii. 14.
When Jefus was baptifed, he was folemn-
ly and publicly declared to be the Meffiah. There

writ in the Tear 1730.'' 31
There came a voice from heaven, faying : This
is my beloved Son, in whom lam well plea fed.
After which having been led up of the Spi
rit into the wildernefs, the tempter, when
he came to him, faid : If thou be the Son
of God, that is, if indeed thou art the Son
of God, [17] or the Chrift, command, that
thefe flones be made bread.
I would now endeavor to fhew, upon
what accounts Jefus is in the Scriptures faid
to be the Son of God.
Sonfhip is a term of nearnefs, dearnefs,
and affection. In general, Jefus is the Son
of God, or eminently fo, as he is, fo far
as we know, the perfon in all the world
moft dear to God the Father. To be more
particular. 1. Jefus is the Son of God, upon account
of his miraculous conception and birth.
Luke i. 31 ... 35. An angel appeared to
Mary, and faid unto her : Fear not, Mary.
For thou hafl 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, and fhall be
called

[17] II y a fimplement dans le Grec, ft vous etes Fils
de Dieu, fans article. On ne laifle pas de l'ajouter.
Car le miracle, que le diable exige de J. C. montre,
qu'il ne s' agit pas de favoir, fi Jefus ejl enfant de
Dieu, mais s'il eft le Fils de Dieu, par excellence, c.
a. d. le Meffie. Lenfant fur Matt, iv. 3.

32 ^LETTER,
called the Son of the.Higheft . . . The Holy
Ghoft fhall come upon thee, and the power of
the Higheft fhall overfhadow thee. Therefore'
alfo that holy thing, which fhdll be born of
thee, fhall be called the Son of God. A like
hiftory1 of our Saviour's nativity is in the'
fifft chapter of St. Matthew's Gofpel.
2. Jefus is the Son of God, upon account
of the efpecial commiffion given him by the
Father, and the extraordinary qualifications
beftowed upon him in order to his fulfil
ling it.
John x. 36. Say ye of him, whom the
Father has fanflified, and fent into the world,
thou blafphemefi, be caufe Ifaid, 1 am the Son
of God.When our Lord was baptifed, the. Spirit
of God defended like a dove, and refted upon
him. Matt. iii. 16. Mark i. 10. Luke iii.
21. 22. And John i. 32 ..34. And John*
bare record, faying : I flaw the Spirit defcend-
ing from heaven, like a dove, and it abode
upon him . . . And I faw, and bare record;
that this is the Son of God. And ch. iii. 34.
fays John the Baptift again ; God givetb not
the Spirit by mCafure unto him. If. xi. 1 . . 3.
And there fhall come forth a rod out of the flem
ofjeffe, and a branch fhall grow out of his
root. And the Spirit of the Lord fhall reft
upon bimt the fpirit of wifdom and underftand- .
ing, the fpirit of counfel, and might, the fpU rii

writ in the Tedr 1730. §3
rit of knowledge, and of the fear of thi
Lord. And (hall make him of quick under-
flanding in the fear of the Lord. . . Comp*
If. xiii. i . . 4. lxi. 1 . . 3. and Matt. xii. 17.
and Luke iv. 18. 19.
By virtue of this moft plentiful and ex
traordinary communication of the Spirit,
without meafure, or the indwelling of the
Father's fulnefs in him, as the fame thing is
at other times expreffed, or his being in the
bofoni of the Father, and acquainted with
all his counfels, Jefus knew the whole will
of God concerning the falvation of men,
and fpoke the words of God with full au
thority, and wrought miracles of all kinds,
whenever he pleafed, and knew the thoughts
and characters of men, and things at a
diftance, and things to come.
3. Jefus is the Son of God, upon ac^
count of his refurrection from the dead, on
the third day, to dye no more.
Rom. i. 3. 4. Concerning his Son Jejui
Chrifl, our Lord, which was made of the
feed of David, according to the flefh : and
declared to be the Son of God with power,
according to the fpirit of holinefs, by the refur-
recJion from the dead. And Hebr. i. 6. When
he bringeth in the firfl begotten into the
^world, he faith: And let all the angels of
God worfhip him. Which fome have under-
flood of our Lord's coming into the world,
at his nativity. But more generaUy inter*
D preters

34 ^LETTER,.
preters have underftood it of our Lord's en
tering into his glory, and taking pofTeffion
of his kingdom after his refurrection. 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 invefted with authority and dominion
over all flefh, and conftituted judge of the
world, by whom God will pafs fentence
Upon all mankind.
John iii. 35. The Father loveth the Son,
and hath given all things into his hand. Ch.'
v. 21. 22. The Father judgeth no man, but
hath committed all judgement unto the Son,
that all men foould honor the Son, even as
they honor the Father. Hebr. i. 1. 2. God
. . ; has in thefe (aft days fpoken unto us by his
Son, whom he has appointed heir, or lord, of
all things, ch. iii. 5. 6. Mofes verily was
faithfull in all his houfe, as a fervant. . . .
But Chrift as a Son over his own houfe.
. 5. Another token of the efpecial love of
the Father for Jefus Chrift, as his own Sqn,
is the pouring out of abundance of fpiritual
gifts, though in different degrees, upon his
Apoftles, and all who believed in him aft^r,
his refurrection.
. John i. 32 . . 34. And John bare record,
faying :, I flaw the Spirit defending from,
heaven, like a dove. And it abode upon him.
And I knew him not. But he that fent me.
to baptize with water, the fame faid untome:

writ in the Tear 1730. 35
ihe : Upon whom thou fhalt fee the Spirit de
fending, and remaining, the fame is he, which
baptizeth with the Holy Ghoft. And I faw,
and bare record, that this is the Son of God:
Comp. Matt. iii. m Mark 1. 8. Luke iii;
l6: John vii. 37 . . 39. In the lafl day, thai
great day of the flea ft, Jefus flood, and cri
ed, faying : If any man thirfl, let him come
to me, and drink. He that believeth on me,
as the Scripture hath faid, out of his belly
fhall flow rivers of living water. This fpahi
he of the Spirit, which they that believe on
him fhould receive: For the Holy Ghoft was
not yet given, becaufe that. Jefus was not yet
glorified. Acts xi. 15. 16. And as I began tofpeak,
the Holy Ghoft fell on them, as on us at the
begining. Then remembred I the word ofthi
Lord, how that he faid : John indeed bap-
fifed with water : But ye fhall. be baptifed
with the Holy Qhoft. See Acts i. 5. and ii.
1 .. 36.
Gah iv. 6. And becaufe ye are fohs, God
hath fent forth the Spirit of his Son into
your hearts, crying : Abba, Father.
Eph. iv. 8 . . 1 1. When he afcendedup oti
highj he gave gifts unto men . . ; And he
gave fome Apoftles, and fome Prophets, and,
fome Evangelifls, and fome Paflors, and
TeachetSi D 2 Upon

36 ^LETTER,
Upon all thefe accounts, and not only
upon account of his miraculous conception,
and birth, is Jefus the Son of God. The
texts alleged under each particular fuflici-
ently fhew, that they are all juftly men
tioned, and that none of them ought to be
omitted. There are fome expreflions in St. Luke's
hiftory of our Lord's nativity of a virgin-
mother, which fhew the truth of this ob-
fervation. They likewife manifeftly fhew,
that it is in refpect to his humanity, and the
dignity conferred upon it, that he has the
title of the Son of God. The expreffiorte,
which were partly alleged before, are ex
ceeding remarkable. And the angel faid unto
her : Fear not, Mary. For thou hafl 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, and fhall be called the Son
of the Higheft. And the Lord God fhall
give unto him the throne of his Father Da
vid. And he fhall reign over the houfe of
Jacob for ever. And of his kingdom there
fhall be no end. Luke i. 33.
Upon all the fore- mentioned accounts,
then, and his tranfcendent greatnefs, Jefus is
the Son of God. And all thefe things may
be fuppofed to be comprehended in that
expreflion. Hebr. i. 9. Thou haft loved
righteouJhefsi and hated iniquity. Therefore God%

writ in the Tear 1730. 37
God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with
the oyl of gladnefs above thy fellows. The
words are a quotation from' Pf. xiv; 7. and
feem to have been originally intended of
Solomon, who by divine choice and defigna-
tion was preferred before his brethren.
1. Chron. xxviii. 5. But they are alfo fitly
applied to the Meffiah. Who has been
greatly diftinguifhed, and highly honoured
above his brethren : meaning men, of whofe
nature he partook. Hebr. 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 Fa
ther, in his unfearchable wifdom, confer
red upon Jefus of Nazareth, whom he
chofe, and appointed to be the Mefiiah :
who is alfo the feed of the woman, that
fhould bruife the head of the ferpent. Gen.
iii. 15. and the feed of Abraham, in and
through whom all the families or nations of
the earth were to be bleffed. Gen. xii;, 3:
xviii. 18. Acts iii. 25. Gal. iii. 8. The
rod out of the flem of Jeffe, and the branch
that fhould grow out of his root, to whom the
Gen tils would feek. If. xi. 1. — 10. Who was
to reftore the preferved of Ifrael, and was
likewife given to be a light to the Gentils,
that he might be for falvation to the ends of
the earth. If. xlix. 6. or, as old Simeon fayd,
Alight to lighten the Gentils, and the glory
of God's people Ifrael. Luke ii. 32. For it
D 3 is

38 ^LETTER,
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 by his Prophets.
Rom. i. i . . 3. Eph. i. 4. 2 Tim. i. 9,
jo. t. Pet. i. jo . , 12.
And how agreeable the feveral articles of
this detail are to the fcriptures of the Old
Teftament, muft appear from texts already
alleged thence. Neverthelefs I fhall here
put together a few other texts, and fome of
the fame more largely, than hitherto quoted,
Not tranfcribing them now, but referring to
them, and entreating you, if you pleafe, tq
fead and confider them at your leifure.
Pf. ii. 6. 7. 8. 11. 12.
Pf. xxii. throughout.
If. xiii. 1. Behold my fervant, whom lupT
hold, my fervant, in whom my foul delighteth^
Almoft the very words of the voice, that
came from heaven at our Lord's baptifmj
and transfiguration, 7" have put my Spirit
upon him. He fhall bring forth judgement
unto the Gentils. And what follows to the
end of ver. 7.
If. xlix. 1 ... 6. Compare Acts xiii. 47,
and xxvi. 23.
We muft now be able to perceive the true
character pf our bleffed Saviour, and the
great propriety, with which the Apoftles and
Eyangelifts fpeak of him. John,

writ in the Tear 1730. 39
John i. 45. Philip findeth Nathanael^ and
faith unto him : We have found him, of whom
Mofes in the Law, and ihe Prophets did write,
Jefus of Nazareth, the Son of Jofeph. And
fee ver. 46 . . 50. And Acts ii. 22. Te men
of Ifrael, hear thefe words. Jefus of Naza
reth, a man approved of God, among you, by
miracles, and figns, and wonders, which God
did by him in the midft of you, as ye yourfelves
alfo know. See alfo ver. 36. Ch. iv. 27.
For of a truth, againft thy holy child, [ra
ther fon, or fervant,] Jefus, whom thou haft
anointed, both Herod, and, Pontius Pilate,
with the Gentils, and the people of Ifrael,
were gathered together. Ch. x. 38. how God
anointed Jefus of Nazareth with the Holy
Ghoft, and with power. Who went about
doing good, and healing all that were oppreffed
of the devil. For 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
Nazareth, whom thou perfecutefl. Acts xxii.
6.. 8. Comp. ch. ix. 5. See likewife ch. ,
iii. 6. and xxvi. 9.
From all that has been faid, it appears,
that Jefus is a man, appointed, anointed,
beloved, honoured, and exalted by God,
above all other beings. [18.] Obj.
[18. J Some now by the Soti of God underftand an
intelligent being, or emanation, begotten by the Fa-
¦ D 4 ther>

40 ^LETTER,
Obj. i. It may be faid. Admitting this
jnotion <5f our Saviour's perfon, we fhall
lofe that great inftance of humiliation, and
conde-
ther, or proceeding from Him, in an ineffable manner,
from all eternity, and of the fame eflence or fubftance
with the Father. Others thereby underftand a mighty
(pint, or angel, begotten, or formed by the will of the
Father, in time, before the creation of the world, and
of a different fubftance from the Father. Which Son
of God, according to them, became incarnate: that
js, united himfelf, either to the human nature, con-.
fifting of fqul, and body, or to an human body, fo as
to fupply the place of a human foul.
But thofe fenfes of this phrafe, or title, are not to
be found in any of the books of the New Teftament.
*l The Jews had no notion, that their Mefliah fhould
be any thing more than mere man. See Whitby upon
Rom. ix. 5." Dr. Jortin's Difcourfes concerning the
Chr'iftlaa Religion, p. 17. Which indeed is well fhewn
in the paffages of ancient authors, alledged by Whitby
jn the place referred to.
This will lead us to the true meaning of the title, the
Son of God, in the Gofpels. For there many give our
Lord that title, who took him to be a man, especially
favored by God. This title is given to our Lord, not
only by Peter in his confeflion, Matt. xvi. 16. and the
parallel places, and John vi. 69. but alfo by John the
Baptifl. John i. 34. iii. 35. 36. by Nathanael. John
i. 49. by Martha, xi. 27. and by others. Matt, xiv,
33. Luke iv. 41. Our blefled Lord likewife often
takes it to himfelf, either dire&ly, or indirectly. John
iii. 16. 17. 18. v. 25. ix. 35 . . 37. x. 36. xi. 4.
The cafe feems to be this. In the Jewifh flile, and
the language of Scripture, all good men, and all peo
ple, who are in a covenant relation to God, are his
fcans, ajid are entitled to many bjeffings and privileges \
but

writ in the Tear 1730. 41
condefcenfion, which the Arian fcheme fets
before us. For according to that, the moft
exalted fpirit, next to God the Father, fub- mits
but Jefus, as the Meffiah, is the Son of God, by way
of eminence and diftindrion.
Exod. iv. 22. 23. And thou Jhalt fay unto Pharaoh;
Thus faith the Lord : Ifrael is my fon, even my firfl-born.
And I fay unto thee : Let my fon go, that he may ferve
me. If. xliii. 6. Bring my fons from far, and my daugh
ters from the ends of the earth. See likewife If. xiv.
II. 12. And Jer. xxxi. 9. For I am a father unto
Ifrael, and Ephraim is my firft. born. ver. 20. Is Ephra
im my dear fon ? is he a pleafant child ? Hofl xi. 1.
When Ifrael was a child, then I loved him, and called
my fon out of Egypt. To which I muft add Jer. xxxi.
I . At the fame time, faith the Lord, I will be the God
of all the families of Ifrael. And they Jhall be my peo
ple. Comp. ver. 9. & 33. All which is exprefted by
St. Paul after this manner. 2. Cor. vi. 18. And I
will be a father unto them. And they Jhall be my fons
and daughters, faith the Lord Almighty. See there alfo
ver. 16. & 17.
Accordingly, in the New Teftament, the Gentils,
who received Jefus as the Chrift, being brought into
God's family, and into the number of nis people, are
called, the fons of God. John i. 12. But as many as re
ceived him, to them gave he power to become the fons of
God, even to them that believe on his name. Comp.
1. John iii. 1. And fee Rom. viii. 14 . . 17. Gal.
iv. 4 . • 7. and Hebr. ii. 10. and elfewhere.
Matt, xxvii. 54. Now when the Centurion, and they
that were with him, watching Jefus, faw the earth
quake, and. thofe things that were done, they feared great
ly, faying : Truly, this was the Son of God. Comp.
Mark xv. 39. And, fays St. Luke. ch. xxiii. 39.
jV«w when' the Centurion faw what was done, he glorified
God, faying ; Certainly, this was a righteous man.
AH

42 ^LETTER,
mits to" all the laws of infancy and child
hood, and is greatly irtcomtrioded by the
body, during it's dwelling on this earth.
To which I anfwer. I would by no
means rob you, or any one elfe, of any ar
gument, that is really fuited to engage to
humility in particular, or to all virtue in ge
neral. But, papinian, if I am not mif-
taken, it appears from what was before faid,
that this inftance of humiliation is an ima
ginary thing. It is impoffible, that fo ex
alted a fpirit fhould be the foul of a human
body. If it is not an abfolute contradiction,
it is incongruous to the nature of things,
and in the higheft degree improbable.
And if fo great a being were to inhabit a
human body, it would entirely fwallow it
up. That fpirit would ftill retain it's own
knowledge, and power, and would raife the
body

All good men and women, then, are God's fons
and daughters. But Jefus, the Meffiah, is the Son of
God, by way of eminence and diftiric"tion, and has, in
all things the pre-eminence.
This, as feems to me, is the way of thinking, to
which we are led, by comparing many texts of the
Old and New Teftament, where the title, or denomi
nation, of Son of God, is ufed.
There is therefore no foundation for the interpreta
tions, mentioned at the begining of this note. Which,
neverthelefs, have been received by mafiy, arid, have
produced intricate fchemes and fyftenis, by which the
minds of5 Chriftiahs have been greatly perplexed, and
the world itfelf fometimes thrown into confufion and
difturbance.

writ in the Year 1730. 43
"body above all pains, weakneffes, arid
wants. Whatever advantages may be fanfied on
the Arian fcheme^ there are much greater
inconveniences attending it. For, as before
hinted, it deprives us of the force of our
Saviour's example. We are common men.
But he is fuppofed to be the moft perfect
fpirit, next to God. How fhould any temp
tation, from the things of this world, affect
fuch a being ? How fhould he be tempted,
in all refpects, as we are ? It could not be.
It is altogether irrational.
But there are many and great advantages
in fuppofing, Jefus Chrift to be a man, con
fiding of foul and body. His example is
then juftly fet before us in all the ftrerigth
and beauty, with which it now appears in
the Gofpels and Epiftles of the New Tefta
ment, It is alfo upon the ground of this fcheme
alone, that the expectation of attaining to a
glory, like that of Jefus Chrift, can be fup-
ported, For which, however, there is plain
encouragement in the doctrine of the gofpel.
John xvii. 21 . . 26. Rom. viii. 17. 2. Tim.
ii. 11. 12. Rev. iii. 21. and elfewhere.
Thefe are the moft glorious, the moft
animating, hopes that can be conceived.
They excite to faithfulnefs and zeal beyond
exprefliori. We may be made like unto Je
fus Chrift hereafter, if we will but follow his

44 A L E T T E R,
example, and refemble him now. But how
can we admit the thought of .being near to
him, in the future ftate, who befide the
merit of his obedience and fufferings here,
has, in the Arian hypothefis, the glory of
being employed by God in things of a quite
different nature, fuch as creating this vifible
world, and all the angels, and invifible hofls
of heaven ?
And is not this one reafon of our floth-
fulnefs, 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 per
verted from the truth and fimplicity of the
gofpel, by the philofophical fchemes of fpe-
culative men. And fo, almoft any man
may take our crown. Rev. iii. 1 1 .
I believe, papinian, that you, as well
as other ferious Chriftians, defire, with the
Apoftle Paul, to know Chrift, and the power
of his refurredlion. Philip iii. 10. But what
is there extraordinary in the refurrection of
Chrift, according to the Arian hypothefis ?
Is it any thing extraordinary, that the Logos
(in the Arian fenfe of that word,) fhould
raife the body, in which he has acted, and
fuffered for a while ? He might be fuppofed
to have an efpecial regard for that body, and
be willing to make it glorious. But I do
not fee, that fuch a refurrection can fo fully
affure us of our own, as if we fuppofe
Chrift to be a man like unto us. For then his

writ in the Tear 1730. 45
his refurredtion is a pattern of ours. Which
is the doctrine of the New Teftament. 1.
Cor. xv. 20 . . - 23. and the glorious argu
ment of St Paul. Eph. i. 17 ... 23. Here
by we are indeed aflured of our refurrection.
God the Father, who gave his own Son for
us, and raifed him up from the dead, will,
moft certainly, raife up us alfo, as it is ex-
preffed. 1. Cor. iv. 14. Knowing, that he,
who raifed up the Lord Jefus, fhould raife
up us alfo by Jefus, and fhould prefent us with
you. And fee Philip, iii. 20. 21. In a
word, here is the beft foundation of un-
movable confidence in God. And the
Apoftle exprefily fays in the place juft re
ferred to in the 1. Cor. xv. 21. Since by man
same death, by man came alfo the refurrection
of the dead.
Obj. 2. Again, it may be objected, that
this idea of the perfon of Jefus does not ful
ly fuit the ftrong expreflions 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 love, than for that perfon, who
is immediately fent by God, who is his am-
baffadour, inverted with all his power and
authority, who is the object of the Father's
efpecial love, and therefore his own Son,
who was holy, harmlefs, and undefiled, Hebr.
vii. 16. to live a mean, defpifed, reproach-.
ed life in this world, and then to dye a
painful

46 ^LETTER,
painful and ignominious 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 ex
tolled in the New Teftament : that God
gave his Son to die for us. He that fpared
not his own Son, but delivered him up for us
aU ; how fhall he not with him freely give us
all things ? And fee before Ch. v. 6. 7. 8.
and 2. Cor. v. 14. 15. Who gave himfelf for
our fins, that he might deliver us from this
prefent evil world, according to the will of
God, even our Father. Gal. i. 4. See like-
wife 1. Tim. ii. 6. 1. Pet. i. 18. ..21.
1. John iii. 16. iv. 9. 10. and many other
places. If Chrift had dwelt in pre-exiften,t glory,,
and had come from heaven to animate a hu
man body ; this alfo would have been plain
ly, and frequently reprefented to us.
In the way, now mentioned, we go to
God directly through Jefus Chrift. And the
love of the Father is moft confpicuous in
the fuppofition, that God fent, and appoint
ed the man Jefus Chrift, for our falvation.
Herein, I fay, the love of God is moft
confpicuous, much more than in fuppofing
the pre-exiftence of the Son, the 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

writ in the Tear 1730. 47
his free, tranfcendent, and unmerited love
and goodnefs. The gofpel-account is fum-
med up in thofe words. And all things are
of God, who has reconciled us to himfelf by
Jefus Chrifl. And has given unto us the
miniflry of reconciliation : to wit, that God
was in Chrifl reconciling the world unto him
felf not imputing their trefpaffes unto them :
and hath committed unto us the word of re
conciliation. 2 Cor. v. 18. 19. See likewife
what follows in ver. 20. 21. and Eph. i.
1 . . 10.
Upon the whole, as before faid, the true
evangelical defcription of our bleffed Sa
viour's perfon and character is that, which
we have in St. Peter's words, recorded Acts
ii. 22. & 36. and ch. x. 38. and St Paul's,
Acts xvii. 31. and 1. Tim. ii. 5. Col. ii.
3 . . 9. and many other places.
Nor is this a diminifhing character. It is
the greateft, and the moft honorable to him,
on whom it is beftowed, and the moft fa-
tisfying to us, who are called upon to believe
in him, to relye upon him, and follow him in
the way of obedienee prefcribed to us.
Says God to the people of Ifrael of old,
Behold, I fend an angel before thee in the
way, .and to bring thee into the place, which
I have prepared. Beware of him, and obey
bis voice, provoke him not. For he will not
pardon your tranfgreffions. For my name is
in him. -Ex. xxiii. 20. 21. Upon which place

48 ^LETTER,
place Patrick fpeaks to this purpofe, " For
my name is in him. He acts by my autho
rity 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
after a lingular and extraordinary manner.
i.Kings viii. 16. i. Chron. vi. 5.6. Mdi-
monides expounds it, My Word is in him,
that is, fays he, God's will and pleafure was
declared by the angel . . In which . he feems
to follow the Chaldee, who tranflates \t,for
his Word is in my name, that is, what he
fpeaks is by my authority."
Afterwards, when the people had tranf-
greffed in making a golden calf, and -God
was greatly difpleafed; Mofes offered an
earneft prayer, that he would himfelf go
with them, and conduct them. Ex. xxxiii.
12. 13. And he received this gracious an
fwer, by which he was encouraged, ver. 14.
15. And he faid: My prefence fhall go with
thee •, and I will give thee reft. And he
faid : If thy prefence go not with us, carry
us not hence. [19] My
[19] " The queftion upon this occafion was,Whether
God would Himfelf go up with the people, who had
highly offended Him : or whether He fhould fend an
angel before them, to conduct them. God faid to
Mofes : 1 will fend an angel before thee. And, added :
For I will not go up in the midfl of thee : for thou art a
Jliffnecked people : leajl I confume thee in the way. Ex.
xxxii. 1 . . 3. Upon the prayer and interceffion of
Mofes,

wfit in the Tear 1730. 49
My prefence, that is, I, my felf, as in the
Greek verfion : ctVTog T3-poTrof>zviropa.t trot. In
the Hebrew it is, literally, my face. Which
is the fame as my-fllf. So 2 Sam. xvii. 11.
and that thou go to ihe battle in thy own per
fon. In the Hebrew it is ; that thy face go
to the battle.
That the prefence of God was with Jefus,
the Meffiah, our Lord and Saviour, in the
moft fignal and extraordinary manner, we
are affured by every book and chapter of the
New Teftament, and particularly by St
John's Gofpel, in the introduction, and
throughout. The dignity of Jefus, as Mefliah, is very
great, far fuperior to that of angels. We
know it from our Lord himfelf, and from
things faid by him, whilft dwelling on this
earth. Matt. xxiv. 36. But of that day
and hour knoweth no man, no not the angels
in heaven, but my Father only. Which is
thus expreffed in Mark xiii. 32. But of that
day, and that hour, knoweth no man, no not
E the
Mofes, God is pleafed to promife, that his Prefence
fhould go with him. The promife muft be underftopd
iieceflarily, in oppofition 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
«uto? 0 6t»y . . , as the Seventy juftly render it : and
that in direct oppofition to an angel in his name, and
Head." | Mr Mofes Lowmqn, in his Trails, p. 38. 39.
See alfo p. 37.

$o ^LETTER,
the angels, which are in heaven, neither the
Son, but the Father. To which let me
add John xiv. 28. If ye loved me, ye would
rejoice, becaufe I faid, 1 go unto the Father.
For my Father is greater than I. Which I
fuppofe to be faid of our Lord, as man.
Nor am I Angular therein. The fame is
faid by Auguftin, whom I fhall write out for
your ufe. Non recte cogitas, quern locum
in rebus habeat humana natura, quae condi-
ta eft ad imaginem Dei. Majores angeli
dici poffunt homine, quia majores funt ho
minis eorpore : majores funt et animo, fed
in forma,' quam peccati originalis merito cor-
ruptibile aggravat corpus. Natura vero hu
mana, qualem naturam Chriftus humanae
mentis affumfit, quae nullo peecato po
tuit depravari, Deus folus eft major ....
Natura vero hominis, quae mente rationali
et intelleduali creaturas ceteras antecedit, !
Deus folus eft major : cui utique injuria
facta non eft, ubi fcriptum eft, Major eft
Deus corde noftro. 1 Joh. iii. 20. Filius er
go Dei fufceptum hominem levaturus ad Pa
trem, quando dicebat, Si diligeretisme,gau-
' deretis uiique, quia vado ad Patrem, quia
Pater major me eft, Joh. xiv. 28. non carni
fuae folum, fed etiam menti, quam gerebat,
humanae, Deum Patrem utque praeferebat.
Aug. Contr. Maximin, Arian, I. 2. cap, xxv.
Tom. 8.

Dr

writ in the Tear 1730. 51'
Dr. Whitby's paraph rafe of Mark xiii. 32.
is thus : tc Neither the Son, who has the
Spirit without meafure, but the Father
only." What I have been arguing for, was the
fentiment of the Nazaren 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 ex
tremely miftaken in fuppofing, that Jefus
was the fon of Jofeph and Mary. [20.] The
[20.J Athanafius fays, " That the Jews of that time
being in an errour, and thinking that the expected Mef
fiah would be a mere man, of the feed of David . . .
for that reafon the blefled Apoftles in great wifdom
firft inftructed the Jews in the things concerning our
Saviour's humanity." De Sentent. Dionyfii, n. 8. p.
248. CD.
"* Chryfoftpm, at the begining of his fourth homily-
upon St. John's Gofpel, fays : " The other Evangfc-
lifts having chiefly infilled upon our Saviour's humanity,
there was danger, leaft his eternal generation fhould
have been neglected by fome : and men might have
been of the fame opinion with Paul of Samofata, if
John had not writ." In Joh. horn. 4. T. 8. p. 27,
A. B. Bened.
In his firft- homily upon the Acts he exprefleth him>
felf again to this purpofe: " In the difcourfes of the
Apoftles, recorded in this book, little is faid about Chrift's
divinity. But they difcourfe chiefly of his humanity,
and paffion, and refurrection, .and afcenfion : becaufe
' his refurrection and afcenfion to heaven Were the points
neoefTary to be proved and believed at that time. In^
Ail. Ap. horn, i. T. 9. p. 3. A.
E 2 Jugujtin

52 ^LETTER,
The notion of an inferior Deity, pre-ex-
ifting, and then incarnate, feems to have
been brought into the Church by fome of
the
Auguftin, in one of his Sermons, fays, " Peter and
the other Apoftles have writ of our Lord, but it is
chiefly concerning his humanity." Again, " Peter
fays little of our Lord's dignity in his Epiflles," but
John enlarges upon that fubject in his gofpel : quoniam
Petrus fcripfit de Domino, fcripferunt et alii : fed fcrip-
tura eorum magis circa humanitatem Domini eft occu-
pata. . . . Sed de divinitate Chrifti in literis Petri ali
quid : [al. non aliquid :] in Evangelio autem Joannis
multuni eminet. Serm. 253. cap. iv. T. 5. And in
his Confeffions he informs us, that for a great while he
was of opinion, that Jefus was a moft wife and excel
lent man, miraculoufly born of a virgin, and fent by
God, with a high commiffion, to give us an example
of ftedfaft virtue, amidft the temptations of this world,
mand to inftruct us in the way, how we might obtain
everlafting falvation. Ego vero aliud putabam, tan-
tumque fentiebam de Domino Chrifto meo, quantum
de excellentis fapientiae viro, cui nullus poffet aequari.^
praefertim quia mirabiliter natus ex virgine, ad'exem-,,
plum contemnendorum temporalium pro adipifcenda
immortalitate, divina pro nobis cura tantam audtorita-
tcm magifterii meruifle videbatur. Conf. I. 7. c. xix.
n. 25. Ego autem aliquanto poflerius ,dtdicifle me fa-
teor . . . quomodo catholica Veritas a Photini falfitate
dirimatur. Ibid. But upon reading the works of fome
Platonic Philolophers, which were put into his hands,
* he altered his opinion. Et primo volens oftendere mi
hi .. . quod Verbum tuum caro factum eft, et habita-
vit inter homines, procurafti mihi per quemdam homi
nem immaniffimo typho turgidum, quol'dam Platonico-
rum libros ex graeca lingua in latinam verfos : et ibi
legi, non quidem his verbis, fed hoc idem omnind
multis et multiplicibus fuaderi rationibus, quod in prin-
cipio erat Verbum, &c. Ibid, cap, ix. n, 13. Fid. et
cap. xx. n. 26.

writ in the Tear 1730. 53
the learned converts from Heathenifm, who
had not thoroughly abandoned the princi
ples, in which they had been educated.
Perhaps likewife, they hoped by this means
to render the doctrine of Chrift, more pala
table to heathen people, efpecially, their Phi-
lofophers. 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
Apofile Paul had feen a temper of pride
and infolence fpringing up in the Gentil
Chriftians, in his own time : or he would
not have delivered that caution, which 'we
find in Rom. xi. 17 . . 24. [21,]
Thus
[21.] I take this breach of communion, correfpon
dence, and communication, between the Jewifh Chrif-
^tiansj that fled from Jerufalem into the Eafl, and the
¦Gentile Chriftians, (which breach continued, till the
|5ormer were totally deftroyed, or diffipated :) to have
been a great mifmanagement, and the greateft misfor
tune, that ever befell the Chriftian Church. ... St
Paul laboured with all his might, aim, and fludy, to
keep up union, communion, and friendfhip, between
thefe two bodies of Chriftians. And he did with great
difficulty preferve it in fome good meafure, as long as
he lived. . . . Epiphanius, had fome knowledge of thofe
of the Jewifh Chriftians, which remained to his time,
that is, 370. whom the Gentile Chriftians then called
Nazarehes. And he ftiles them heretics : for no other
reafon, that Lean perceive, but that they, together
¦with their Chriftian faith, continued the ufe of circum-
cifion, and of the Jewifh law. Which is a thing, that ,
St Paul never blamed in a Jewifh Chriftian* though-
E 3 ia

54 ^LETTER,
Thus far I have purfued my own
thoughts, without confulting any other
writer at all, or v'ery flightly, except in
thofe places, where I have exprefsly faid fo,
But I all along intended, before I finifhed, to
obferve a part of what is faid by Dr. Clarke in
his Scripture-DoSlrine of the Trinity. Which
I have now done. And I cannot forbear
faying, that his interpretations of texts are
generally falfe, arifing, as from fome other
caufes, fo particularly, from an averfion to
Sabellian, or Socinian fenfes : fome of which
may be abfurd, and unnatural. But Imuch
prefer Grofius's interpretations, upon the
comparifon, above Dr Clarke's. So far as I
am able to judge, Grotius explains texts bet
ter than the profeffed Socinians. The rea
fon may be, that he had more learning,
and particularly was better acquainted wittl
the Jewifh ftile. But I am apt to think,"
that their later writers have borrowed from
him, and emproved by him. However,
in the Gentile Chriftians he did." Dr. William Wall,
in the Preface to his Notes upon the 0. T. p. xi. xii.
That is a melancholy obfervation. Let us endea-;
vour to repair the damage here bewailed, by diligently
ftudying, and refolutely adhering to the. doctrine of
Chrift's Apoftles, as contained in the books of the
New Teftament. Wherein, I verily believe, are de
livered all the truths of religion, and infufficient per»
fpkuity, if we will but attend.

writ in the Tear 1730. 55
However, this is faid very much in the
way of conjecture. For I muft acknow
ledge, that I have not been greatly conver
sant with the writers of that denomination.
I have never read Crellius de uno Deo Patre ,v
though I believe, it to be a very good book.
There is alfo, in our own language, a Col
lection of Unitarian Tracts in two or three
quartoes. But I am not acquainted with it.
Nor can I remember, that I ever looked in~
to it. I have formed my fentiments upon
the Scriptures, and by reading fuch Com
mentators, chiefly, as are in the beft repute.
I may add, that the reading of the ancient
writers of the Church has been of ufe to
confirm me, and to affift me in clearing up
difficulties. I obferve then, that many of the texts in
Dr Clarke's P.i. Ch. ii. Sect. 3. concerning
|Lhe highejl titles given to Chrift, inftead of
proving his opinion, are inconfiftent with it,
and confirm that, for which I argue. Yea
they prove it, and agree with no other : fuch.
as, th* 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 Father
alfo : 1 in the Father, and you in me, and I
in you : He that hateth me, hateth my Fa
ther alfo : All things that the Father hath%
are mine. &c &c.
Script. Doftr. Ch.ii. Sect. 3. numb. 6 16.
p. 114, 115. is a quotation from Juftift,
E .4 Martyr*

56 .^LETTER,
Martyr. !" The Jews, faith he, arejuftly
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 Meffenger of the Father."
Again, afterwards, from the fame Juftin.
" Yet it was not God the Creator of the
univerfe, which then faid to Mofes, that he
was the God of Abraham, and the God of
Ifaac, and the God of Jacob."
This appears to me very ftrange, that the
Jews fhould not know, who was their God,
and 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 Juflin was miftaken, than that
the Jewifh people were miftaken, in fuch a
trnrtg as this? For Juftin was a convert
from heathenifm, and had been a Philofodi
pher, and brought along with him manyi
prejudices, which might hinder his rightly
underftanding the Old Teftament.
That God, who fpake to Mofes, and
brought the people of Ifrael out of Egypt,
is the Creator of the Univerfe, is manifeft.
Ex. xxt i. 2. 3. And God fpake all thefe
words, faying : I am the Lord thy God,
which brought thee out of the land of Egypt.
Thou fhalt have no other Gods before me.
Ver. 10. 11. But thefeventh day is the fab-
Hat b of Jehovah thy God . . .For infix days
Jehovah

writ in the Tear 1730. $y
Jehovah made heaven, and earth, the flea,
and all that in them is. If. xl. 27. 28. Why
fayefl thou, 0 Jacob . . my way is hid from
the Lord, and my judgement is paffed over
from my God? Haft thou not known? haft
thou not heard, that the everlafling God, the
Creator of the ends of the earth, faint eth
not, nor is weary? See alfo ch. xiv. n. 12.
and elfewhere.
Neither our Saviour, nor his Apoftles,
had any debate • with the jews upon this
head: but plainly fuppofe, that they were
right, as to the object of worfhip. There
fore our Lord fays to the woman of Sama
ria. John iv. 22. Te worfhip ye know not
what. We know what we worfhip. For fal
vation is of the Jews. John viii. 54. It is
my Father that honoureth me : of whom ye
fay, that he is your God. Acts iii. 13. The
wGod of Abraham,- and of Ifaac, and Jacob,
ftbe God of our fathers, has glorified his Son
Jefus ... V. 30. The God of our fathers
raifed up Jefus, whom ye flew, and hanged
on a tree. Are not thefe texts clear ? How
ever, fee like wife Matt. xi. 25. John xvii.
throughout, and xx. 17. 21. Eph. iii. 14.
Hebr. i. 1. 2. 1. John i v. 14.
Mark xii. 28. One of the Scribes came,
and afked him, Which is theflrft command
ment of all? 29. Jefus anfwered him: The
firft of all the commandments is: Hear, e
Ifrael f

58 ^LETTER,
Ifrael, the Ldrdour God is one Lord. Deut.
vi. 4. To which the Scribe affented. And
ver. 34. When Jefus faw, that he anfwered
difcreetly, he faid unto him : Thou art not
far from the kingdom of God. All which
fuppofeth, that the Jews were not miftaken
about the object of worfhip.
Gnce more. Our Lord's argument with'
the Sadducees, in behalf of a .refurrection,
taken from 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 God of the dead, but of the
living. For all live unto hint.
In fhort, if Juftin Martyr be in the
right ; it is not fufficient to fay, that the
Jewifh people Were miftaken : but we muft
fay, that the old and New Teftament, and
the facred penmen of them, ahd all who
fpeak therein by infpifation, are miftaEen.
Unqueftioriably, God may make ufe of
the miniflry of angels, as well as of men.
!But it is not the mefferiger, who is God : but
He, froni whom 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
Lord called unto Abraham out of heaven the
fecond tithe, and faid : By-my*felf \have I
fworn, fdith the Ldrd, that becaufe thou hafl
done this ihhg, and hafl riot withheld thy
fin, thy only fon ; in bleffing I will blefs thee.
Here

writ in the" Year 1730. 59
Here is mentioned an angel. But he is only
God's meffenger, and God fpeaks by him.
Of this we are fully affured by an argument
in the epiftle to the Hebrews, ch. vi. 13. 14.
For when God made promife to Abraham, be
caufe he could fwear by no greater, hefware
by himfelf, faying: Surely, bleffing I will
blefs 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 no greater than he. And that this was
the one true God, appears, as from many
other texts, fo particularly from Pf. cv.
where the Pfalmift gratefully commemorates
God's wonderful works, and expreffly men
tions his mindfulneffe of his covenant with
Abraham, and his oath unto Ifaac. ver. 9.
St. Stephen fpeaks of the Jews having re
ceived the law by the difpofition of angels.
Acts vii. 54. that is, by their miniftration,
under God the fupreme Lawgiver, who at
that time had the attendance of a numerous
hoft of his angels. Deut. xxxiii. 1. 2. Comp.
Hebr. ii. 2. And fays the Pfalmift Very
poetically, Pf. Ixviii. 17. The chariots of
God are twenty thoufmd, even thoufands of
thoufands. The Lord is among them, in his
holy place, as in Sinai, And fee If. xxxiii.
22. I muft:

60 A L E t T E R,
I muft take fome other things from the
above mentioned learned writer.
, Script. DoBr. Ob. ii. Sect. 3. numb. 576.
" John iii. 13. JVo man hath afc ended up to
heaven, but he that came down from heaven,
even the Son of man, which' is in heaven.
The meaning is explained, ch. i. 18. No
man hath feen God at any time. The only be
gotten Son, which is in the bofom of the Fa
ther, he has declared him." Excellently
well, in my opinion. That is the whole of
Dr Clarke's note upon that text.
Script. DoSl. n. 580. p. 96. John v. 18.
But faid alfo, that God was his Father,
making himfelf equal with God. Here Dr
Clarke fpeaks to this purpofe. " Affuming
to himfelf the power, and authority, of
God. It is the fame acciifation with that
other Ch. x. 33. Weflonc thee . . .for.blaf-
phemy, and becaufe that thou, being a man,
makefl thy felf God.. And Mark ii. 7. Why.
does this man thusfpeak blafphemy ? Who can
forgive fins, but God only ? The Jews, it is
evident, did not by thefe expreflions mean
to charge Jefus with affirming himfelf to be
the fupreme, felf-exiftent, independent De
ity : nay, not fo much as with taking upon
himfelf to be a Divine Perfon at all : but
only with affuming to himfelf the power and
authority of God." So far, is not amifs,,in my

writ in the Tear 1730. 61
my opinion. What follows there I leave to
thofe who may like it.
Script. Docl. numb. 645. p. 124. Col.
ii. 9. For in him dwelleth all the fulnefs of
the Godhead bodily. The note is this. " Ch.
i. 19. It p leafed the Father, that in him
fhould all fulnefs dwell. And John xiv. 10.
The Father that dwelleth in me, he does the
works." Excellently well, according to my
apprehenfion. This will lead me to proceed fomewhat
farther, and to confider fome other texts,
before I conclude.
Rom. i. 3. 4. Concerning his Son, Jefus
Chrift, our Lord, who was of the feed of
David according to the flefh, and declared
to be the Son of God with power, according
to the Spirit of holinefs, by the refurrection
from the dead.
Here are two things, firft, that Jefus was
made of the feed of David : fecondly, that
he was declared to be the Son of God by the
refurreSlion from the dead. Both which
may be illuftrated by comparing other
texts. How this text is explained by thofe, who
favor the Arian hypothefis, of the Logos
fupplying the place of a human foul in the
perfon of Jefus, may be feen in divers wri
ters [22]. I fhall explain it as I am able,
without
[22] See the paraphrafes of Mr Locke, and Dr Taylor,

62 A L E T T E R,
without attempting a particular confutation
of any.
Firft, who was made of the feed of David
according to the flefh. That ph rafe, accord
ing tq the flefh, is in feveral other texts.
Some of which may be obferved. Acts ii.
30. Therefore being a prophet, and knowing
that God hadfmom with an oath to him, that
of the fruit of his loyns, according to the
flefh, he would raife up Chrift,' to fit on his
throne . . Rom. ix. 3. For I could wifh, that
my-ftlf were accurfed from Chrifl, for my
brethren, my kinfmen according to the flefh . .
5. Whofe are the fathers, and of whom, as
concerning the flefti, Chrift came. And fee
2. Cor. v. 16.
.Secondly, it is added •. and declared to be
the Son of God, with power, according to
tbe Spirit ofholinefs, by the refurreffiion from
the dead.
There are feveral texts to be obferved
here. Acts ii; 32. This Jefus hath God raifed
up, whereof we all are witneffes . . 36. There*
fore let all the hpufe of Ifrael know affuredly,
that God hath made that fame Jefus, whom ye
have crucified, both Lord and Chrifl. Jefus
was, and had been declared to be the Chrift,
the Son of God, whilft he was here on
earth. But this was more fully manifefted
by his refurrection, and the confequent ef-
fufion of the Holy Ghoft upon the Apo
ftles, and others. See Acts xiii. 33. and
2 Hebr.

writ in the Tear 1730.' 63
Hebr. .v. 5. And our Lord himfelf had
mentioned this to the Jews, as the Sign, the
moft decifive, and demonstrative evidence,
that he was indeed the Meffiah, as he had
faid. See Matt. xii. 38 . . . 40. xvi. I . . t;.
Luke xi. 29. 30. John ii. 18. 19. iii.
14. viii. 28. xii. 32.
Now therefore we may explain, and pa-
raphrafe this text, after this manner : <c Con
cerning his Son, Jefus Chrift, our Lord,
who, with regard to the external circum-
ftances of his nativity into this world, was
of the family and linage of David: from
whom God had promifed the Meffiah fhould
defcend : And with regard to the Spirit of
holinefs, or the Divine energy and influence,
by which he had been conceived in the
womb, and by which he was fanctified to
his high office, and by which he wrought
the greateft miracles, he was the Son of
God, and was known to be fo. But was
moft fully and folemnly conftituted, and de
clared to be the Son of God, by that won-
derfull demonstration of the divine power,
his refurrection from the dead."
Nor is it eafie to avoid recollecting here,
in what terms St Paul fpeaks of the power,
which God exerted in railing Chrift from the
'dead, and exalting him to that dominion,
which was the confequence of his refurrec
tion. Eph. i. 19 . . , 23, I fhall

64 ^LETTER,
I fhall tranfcribe below [23] a part of
Grotius's Annotations upon -this text, and re*
fer to others [24].
Eph. iii. 9. And to make all men fee, what
is the fellowfhip of the my fiery, which from
the begining of the world hds been hid in God,
who created all things by Jefus Chrift.
Here it may be obferved, in the flrfl
place, that thofe words, by Jefus Chrift, are
by fome learned men fufpected to be an in;
terpolation. [25] But,
£23] Sed fenfum difficiliorem efficit curtata loctitio,
quam evolvere- conabimur. Jefus Filius Dei multis
modis dicitur : maxime populariter* ideo quod a Deo
evectus efty quo fenfu verba Pfalmi ii. de Davide dicta,
cum ad regrtam pervenit, Chrifto aptantur. Act, xiii.
33. et ad Hebr. i. 5. v. 5. Haec autem Filii feu re-
gia dignitas Jefu praedeftinabatur, et praengurabatuj,
jam tum cum mortalem agens vitam magna ilia figna
et prodigia ederet . . . Haec figna edebat Jefus per Spi
ritum ilium fanclitatis, id eft, vim divinam, per quam
ab initio conceptionj's fanctificatus fuerat. Luc. i. 35 . . .
Oftenditur ergo Jefus nobilis ex materna parte, utpote
ex Rege terreno ortus, fed nobilior ex paterna parte,
quippe a Deo factus Rex coeleftis poft refurrectionem.
Hebr. v. 9. Act. ii. 30. efxx'vi. 2. 3. Grot. Annot.
ad Rom. i. 4.
[24] Vid. Limborch. Comment, in Rom. i. 3. 4. et
Enjedini Explicat. V. et N. Teft. p. 258 . . . 264.
[25] Aia t? \w'i jtfirs] Deeft in Alexandr. Vulg.
Syr. . . . Et quidem, cum vix fieri poffit, ut exemplarr'-
bus antiquiflimis exciderint, fcribarum feu fraude, five '
incuria, verba tarn infignia, praefertim ante tempora
Arii; adjedta hocioco crediderim, interpretame'nti gra
tia, ex illo Apoftoli. Col. i. 16. Mill, in loc' Vid. et
Bez. in loc.

writ in the Tear 1730. 6$
But, fecondly, allowing them to be genu
ine, it is to be obferved, that many learned
men are of opinion, that St Paul is here
fpeaking of the new creation. So fays
Grotius. Omnia Chriftus fecit nova. 1. Cor.
v. 17. Et divinior haec creatio, quam prior
ilia. And you very well know Mr Locke's
paraphrafe, which is this : " Who frames
and manages this whole new creation by Je
fus Chrift." And he has endeavored in a
long note to fupport that paraphrafe. This
likewife is the fenfe of Calvin. Hj>ui omnia
creavit per Chriflum.] Non tarn de prima
creatione interpretari licet, quam de inftau-
ratione fpirituali. Tametfi enim verum eft
illud, Verbo Dei creata effe omnia, quem-
admodum tot locis habetur : circumftantia
tamen loci poftulat, ut de renovatione intel-
ligamus, quae continetur in beneficio re-
demtionis. Beaufobre likewife has a very
valuable note upon this text. But being
fomewhat prolix, I only refer you to it.
2. Cor. iv. 4. Chrifl is ftiled the image of
God. 'Os Igtv hzuv j-S dex. Upon which
Whitby's note is to this purpofe. " Chrift
feems here to be ftiled the image of God,
not in the fenfe of Theodoret, as being God
of God, but rather, as the text infinuates,
with relation to the gofpel, and his media
tory office : in which he has given us many
glorious demonftrations of the power, the
F wifdom,

66 ^LETTER,
wifdom, the holinefs, purity and juftice, the
mercy, goodnefs, and philanthropy of God.
Tit. iii. 4." Beza's note upon the place is
to the like purpofe. Id eft, in quo feipfum
perfpicue confpiciendum praebet Deus, ut
1. Tim. iii. 16. Neque enim Dei imagine^
nunc vocat Paulus Chriftum alio quam offi
cii ipfius refpectu : ut, licet vera, tamen
flnt a7rps<r^oi/uo-a, quae nonnulli ex veteri-
bus hoc loco "Brepl tQ o^oatrln deferuerunt. So
that I need not here appeal to Grotius.
Col. i. 1 5. Who is the image of the invi-
fible God. Mr. Peirce's note is in thefe very
words. " The Father alone is reprefented
in the New Teftament, as the inviflble God.
See John i. 18. v. 37. vi. 46. 1. Tim. i.
17. vi. 16. Hebr. xi. 27. 1. John iv. 12.
20. Chrift is never reprefented, as invifible.
It might feem ftrange, if he fhould, fince
he actually took upon him flefh, and ap
peared, and was feen in the world. Which
are things, the nature of the Father cannot
poffibly admit. His being called the image
of God in this place, and 2. Cor. iv. 4. im
plies his being vifible, and that the perfec
tions of God do moft eminently fhine forth
in him." So writes Mr Peirce. And by Chrift
feems to mean the Logos, or Chrift in his
pre-exiftent ftate, before he came into this
world. Which appears to me not a little
2 ftrange.

writ in the Tear 1730. 67
ftrange. God, the Father, unqueftionably,
is invifible. So I think, are the Logos, in
the Arian fenfe of that term, and alfo an
gels, 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 acting in
this world. God is invifible in his nature
and effence. But he can manifeft himfelf,
and make known to us his mind and will,
by thofe, whom he fends as his minifters.
This appears to me very plain and evident
from John xiv. 8 . . 11. Philip faith unto
him : Lord, fhew us the Father, and it fuf-
ficeth 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 beenfo long time with you, and
yet baft thou not known me, Philip ? He that
bath feen me, hath feen the Father. And how
fayefl thou, Shew us the Father I See what
follows, and ver. 7.
I think, that Irenaeus fays the fame that
I have juft now done. Beats mundo corde,
quoniam ipfi videbunt Deum. Sed fecundum
magnitudinem quidem ejus, et mirabilem
gloriam, nemo videbit Deum, et vivet. Ex.
xxxiii. 20. Incapabilis enim Pater. Secundum
autem dilectionem et humanitatem, et quod
omnia pofiit, etiam hoc concedit iis qui fe
F 2 diligunt,

68 ^LETTER,
diligunt, id eft, videre Deum. . . . Homo
etenim a fe non videt Deum. Ille autem
volens videtur hominibus, quibus vult, et
quando vult, et quemadmodum vult. Po-
tens eft enim in omnibus Deus : vifus qui
dem tunc per fpiritum prophetiae, vifus au
tem et per Filium adoptive. Videbitur
autem et in regno coelorum p'aternaliter.
Iren. I. 4. cap. 20. al. 37. n. 5. p. 254. [26]
So likewife, when Chrift is called the
image of God, 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 context, which fhall be
now recited more at large : . . . leaf the light
of the glorious gofpel of Chrift, who is the
image of God, fhould fhine unto them . . .For
God, who commanded the light to fhin'e out of
darknefs, hath finned in our hearts, to give
the light of the knowledge of the glory of God,
in the face or perfon of J fus Chrifl.
It follows in the fame Col. i. 15. Who is
the flrfl-born of every creature : or rather,' as
[26J I muft tranfcribe Grotius here. $>ui ejl imago
Dei invifi bills.] Dei inafpecti afpectabilis imago. Ita
enim Latini loquuntur. , Idem fenfus 2 Cor. iv. 4. et
I.Tim, iii. 16. Hebr. i. 3. Adam imago Dei fuit,
fed valde tenuis. In Chrifto perfectiffime apparuit,,
quam Deus effet fapiens, potens, bonus. Sic in aqua
folem confpicimus. Aliud imago, aliud umbra, qualis
in Lege. Hebr. x. 1. Grot, ad Col. i. 15.

writ in the Tear 1730. 69
as feems to me, of the whole creation, wpu-
totokcc -urolvviq Kritreue. : that is, he is the
chief, the moft excellent of the whole cre
ation. Pelagius fays, it is to be underflood
of Chrift in regard to his humanity. He is
the firft, not in time, but in dignity. So
it is faid : Ifrael is my firfl-born. Primoge
nitus fecundum affumti hominis formam,
non tempore, fed honore, juxta illud : Fi
lius mens primogenitus Ifrael. Pelag. in loc.
Ap. Hieron. Tom. v. p. 1070.
Grotius underftands it of the new creation.
He refers to 2. Cor. v. 17. Rev. xxi. 5.
Hebr. ii. 5. To which, perhaps, might have
been added Hebr. xii. 23. the church of the
firfl-born, whofe names are written in heaven
[27], He likewife fays, that in the facred
fcriptures the firfl-born fome'times denotes the
greateft or higheft. And refers to Pf. lxxxix.
27. Jer. xxxi. 9. Primus in creatione, no
va fcilicet, de qua 2. Cor. v. 17 . . . Primo-
genitum Hebraeis dicitur et quod primum,
et quod fummum eft in quoque genere.
For the explication of what follows. I
mean Col. i. 16 . . 20. I beg leave $0 refer
you to Grotius.
F 3 Hebr.
(27] " By Chrift we are all called to be the firfi-
born, that is, to be all hallowed, and to be called God's
peculiar, as were the firfl-born, before the Levites were
taken in their ftead." Dr Sykes upon Hebr, xii. 23.

jo .z LETTER,
Hebr, i. 1.2. God, who at fundry times,
and in divers manners, fpake in time paft un
to the Fathers by or in the Prophets, hath in
thefe lafl days fpoken unto us by or in his Son,
tlie promifed Meffiah : . . b rotg ¦srpotpyTu.ic:
. . iv J;«. Whom he has appointed heir of all
things. By whom alfo he made the worlds.
Grotius thinks, that the Greek phrafe may
be rendredyer whom. Which is very fuita-
b!e to the coherence, it having been before
faid, that he was appointed heir, or lord of
all things. Videtur <5V » hie rede accipi
poffe pro SI ov, propter quern. Ideo autem
haec interpretatio hoc loco maxime mihi fe
probat, quia ad Hebraeos fcribens videtur
refpicere ad dictum vetus Hebraeorum, prop
ter Mefliam conditum efTe mundum. [28] Ver.
f 28] Moreover, it might be obferved, " That Dr
Sykes fays, the word, aiunaj, which we render worlds,
does not fignify the heavens, and the earth, and all things
that are in them : but it means, he fays, properly, age>,
or certain periods of time, in which (uch or fuch things
were done. Such were the patriarchal, that of the law,
that of the Meffiah, that of the antediluvians ....
Thefe were properly dtwvts, ages." Admit, then,
the interpretation of Grotius, Si a, to be for whom.
And we have a moft apt and beautiful fenfe, which is
this : " For whom alfo, or for whofe fake alfo, or in
refpect to whom, he difpofed, and ordered the ages,
that is, the antediluvian, the patriarchal, the legal
ages, or periods^ and all the divine difpenfatians to
ward the fons of men."

writ in the Tear 1730. 71
Ver. 3. Who being the brightnefs of his
glory* a"d *he exprefs image of his perfon.
That exprefleth the glory of Jefus Chrift in
this world. Pie is the refulgence of the
Father's glory, which fhone upon him, and
was feen in him. In him appeared the wif
dom, the power, the truth, the holinefs,
the goodnels, the mercifulnefs of God. It
is much the fame, as the form of God. Phi
lip, ii. 6. Says Grotius. 'Oc uv a.TroLvya,<rpoi
rijc So^ris . . . Repercuffus divinae majeftatis,
qualis eft in nube, quae dicitur srupfiKtog . . .
Majeftas divina, cum per fe confpici ne-
queat, cernitur in Chrifto, ficut fol, quern
directe oculi noftri intueri nequeunt, cerni
tur in aqua, fpeculo, nube. Vide 2. Cor.iv.
4. Col. i. 15. Kat - jrupetXTrip rn\q VTrog-octrzuc.
avri . . . 'Tmg;cx.<rig hie non ita fumitur, quo
modo Platonici, eft poft Origenem ex Pla-
tonicis Chriftiani, fumpfere, ... Ita potentia,
juftitia, Veritas in Deo Chrifti Patre funt pri-
mario, in Chrifto vero fecundario, fed ita ut
nobis in Chrifto ea evidenter appareant. Joh.
xiv. 9.
The fame ver. 3 . and upholding all things
by the word of his power. This muft relate
to our Saviour's tranfactions in this world,
becaufe it precedes the mention of his death,
which follows next. I have looked into
Brenius, who fays the fame. And I fhall
tranferibe him, as it is likely, you have him
not with you, Cumque omnia potenti fuo
F 4 juffu

72 ALETTE R,
juifu in terris ferret. Qsptiv hie; ut inter-
pretes nonnulli redte annotant, potius figni-
ficat agere, five moderari, et gubernare,
quam pdrtare aut ferre : nifi ferendi aut por-
tandi verbum hoc fenfu accipiatur, ut me
taphorice defignet Chriftum etiam in terris
munus fuum adminiftrantem, omnia ad reg-
ni coeleftis in terris difpenfationem pertinen-
tia, velut humeris fuis portafle. Conf. If,
ix. 6.
To the fame purpofe likewife Limborch,
whom I fhall tranfcribe alfo in part. Sic
videmus Domini Jefu potentiae omnia fuiffe
fubjecta, ejufque miracula fuiffe univerfaJia
in totam naturam ; nullamque fuiffe creatu-
ram, quin imperium ipfius agnoverit . . Qui
bus omnibus praeconii fui divinitatem ad-
ftruxit, feque a Deo Patre fuo effe miffum
probavit. Quae omnia folo juffu efficere,
vere divinum eft. Et qui id facit quafi ima
go Dei eft, potentiamque divinam in fe re-
fidere oftendit.
Hereby, then, is reprefented the power
refiding in Jefus, whereby he wrought the
greateft miracles, whenever he pleafed, by
an effectual, all-commanding word, healing
difeafes, .raifing the dead, rebuking ftormy
winds and waves, and they fubfided, mul
tiplying provifions in defert places, caufing
a fifh to bring a ftater for the tribute- money
to be paid to the temple, for himfelf, and the

writ in the Tear 1730. 73
the difciple, at whofe houfe he was enter
tained. It follows in the fame verfe, when he had
by himfelf purged our fins, fat down on the
right hand of the majefly on high. Which
lalt words include our Lord's refurrection
from the dead, and his afcenfion to heaven,
and there fitting on the right hand of the
Father. Upon which the Apoftle farther
enlargeth. Ver. 4. 5. Being made fo much better than
the angels, as he has by inheritance obtained
a more excellent name than they. For unto
which of the angels faid he at any time, Thou
art my Son, this day have I begotten thee ?
See 2. Sam. vii. 14. Pf. ii. 7. lxxxix. 26.
Ver. 6. And again, when he bringeth in
the firfl- begotten into the world, he faith :
And let all the angels of God worfhip him.
Mr Peirce's paraphrafe of ver. 6. is thus.
" So far is he from fpeaking in fuch a man
ner of any of the angels, that on the con
trary, when he brings again his firft-begot-
ten into the world, raifing him from the
dead, he fays : And let all the angels of
God be fubject to him." See 1. Pet. iii. 21.
22. . . by the refurrection of Jefus Chrift. Who
is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand
of God, angels, and authorities, and powers,
being made fubjeSl unto him. Ver;

74 ^LETTER,
Ver. 7. And of the angels he faith :
mdketh his angels fpirit s, and his miniflers a
flame of fire.
Ver. 8. But unto the Son he faith, thy
throne, 0 God, is for .ever and ever : a fcep
tre of righteoufnefs is the fceptre of thy king
dom, ver. 9. Thou hafl loved righteoufnefs,
and hated iniquity. Therefore God, thy God,
has anointed thee with the oyl of gladnefs a-
bove thy fellows.
But unto the Son be faith, I think, it
fhould be thus rendered : But of the Son he
faith : or with regard to the Son, he faith.
For in the original it is the fame phrafe,
which in the 7. verfe we have tranflated, of
the angels he faith. So, here : With regard
to the Son, he faith : Thy throne, 0 God, is
for ever and ever. The words are in Pf.
xiv. 6. Thy throne, 0 God, is for ever and
ever. The fceptre if thy kingdom is a right
fceptre. The writer of this epiftle to the
Hebrews fays: " And with regard to the
Son, or the Meffiah, God's throne is forever
and ever : " that is, the kingdom of God,
erected by the Meffiah, is to have no period.
And this is expreffed in the words of the
Pfalmift here quoted. Comp. Luke i. 33.
34. So likewife Dan. ii. 44. And in the days
of theft kings flail the God of heaven fet up a
kingdom, which fhall never be deftroyed. And
in Rev. xiv. 6. the doctrine to be preached
to all nations is called the everlafting gofpel. Here

writ in the Year 1730. 75
Here I recollect a paffage in Origeti's books
againft Celfus, who informs us, he had met
with a Jew, efteemed a very learned man,
«« who faid, that thofe words, Thy throne,
0 God, is for ever, and ever : the fceptre of
thy kingdom is a right fceptre : are addreffed
to the Giod of the univerfe : but the follow-
lowing words, thou loveft right eoufnefs, and
hatefl iniquity : therefore, God, thy God,
hath anointed thee with the oyl of gladnefs
above thy fellows, are addreffed to the Mef-
hah." Kal fiepvypui ys srctvu dXt^eog rov ix-
SoliOV, VOlLtCoVLZVOV VO<pQV, 6K XsgSUg TMTljg. 'O^
\ > ' v '» ~ ¦}• \ ~c ~ » « ..
•wooq auTyv unropuv, £<7T£ tu tu eot,VTU n:oxio~y.ta
uKoXouSa' Xiiri 'srpoq fA.lv tov tuv oXtov Ssov si-
pviG-dsu to, 0 Opovog as o Qzoc. sig tov dtuvct t» txiw
voq, ¦peL&Sog evQvTC&Tog ij pot&Sog Trtg ^.owtXttug oss'
•urpoq $8 tov Xd'£°v T°* TfyotrtritroLq; oiKUtstrvvriv, kcci
efcitrrjo-ag avof/Axv. Ata thto ^pttrt og o oeog o
Qeog <rx, xui to. i%v\q. Contr. Celf. I. I. p. 43.
Cant. Tom.i. p. 371. Bened.
Origen did not approve of that interpre
tation. But to me it appears both very
right, and very valuable. Nor is it fo dif
ficulty but that it might have been difcerned
by a Chriftian : were it not, that we are
ftrangely milled by a great variety of wrong
notions, which prevail amongft us.
So again, ver. 10* And thou, Lord, in the
beginifig haft laid thefiomdation of the earthy
and the heavens are the work of thy hands*
\ 1 . They fhall perifh, but thou remainefl. And

76 ^ LETTER,
And they all fhall wax old, like a garment.
i 2. And as a veflure fhalt thou fold them up,
and they fhall be changed. But thou art the
fame, and thy years fhall not fail. Which
words are a quotation from Pf. cii. 25. 26/
27'. Where they are addreffed to God. And
fo they are here. In order to preferve the
connexion, we are to fupply fome fuch
words as thefe at the begining of the quota
tion. " And of the 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 effectually to fe-
cure the ftedfaftnefs of the Jewifh believers,
obferves to them, the excellence, the im
portance, the wide extent, and long dura
tion of the divine difpenfation by the Mef
fiah. The difpenfation by Mofes was li
mited to one nation, and to a certain period
of time. But the difpenfation of the Mef
fiah was to be an univerfal bleffing, and to
fubfift to the end of time. And to the
kingdom of God by the Meffiah are fitly ap
plicable the texts cited in this place from
the Old Teftament.
In a word, hereby are fhewn the dignity
and excellence of the evangelical difpenfa
tion, in that Jiigher expreflions are ufed
concern-

writ in the Tear 1730. yj
concerning it, than can be applied to any

oth

er.

I think, I have above fhewn from Scrip
ture, that Jefus Chrift was a man like unto
us, or having a human foul, as well as a
human body. Nor have you any reafon
upon that account to fufpect me of hetero-
' doxy. I think my-felf therein both a ca
tholic, and a fcriptural Chriftian. It has
been the general belief of the Church of
Chrift in all ages. And the glory of the
evangelical difpenfation depends upon it. . In
Socrates, the ecclefiaftical hiftorian, there is
a chapter, where it is afferted, that this was
the opinion of all the ancients in general,
£jt*t|/u^;o!/ tov iva,v8pa>7rviG-uvTx, of Irenaeus,
Clement of Alexandria, Apollinarius of Hie-
rapolis, Serapion Bifhop of Antioch, Origen,
and others. Socrat. I. 3. cap. viii. Conf.
Theodoret. H. E. 1. 5. cap. ix. et x. .
I can eafily fhew it to have been the opi
nion of fome later writers, who have always
been in great repute for their right faith.
Epiphanius exprefleth himfelf upon this
fubject very particularly, and very empha
tically. For though our Saviour was not
born in the ordinary way of human gene
ration, a7ro <T7ripfjt.xTog ctvSpog ovk vjv, he fays,
he was perfect man, and was tempted like
unto us, but without fin. TIxvtx. yap tb-
XtlUg 6(T%£, TX WXVTOC IXWV> °~&pXX, KXt VtVpx% XXI

78 ^LETTER,
Kxt QXe&xg, kxi tx xXXx vxvtk "ova. igl' uyop/ifi/
as a.Xvj$tvuq, xai » ooKyicref vvv Se xdi tx "srxvToi
oo-x sg-iv sv tv xvdpu7ryiast, %«^tc xpxpTixg, ug.
yeypxTTTxi . . . Hebr. iv. 1 5. Haer. 69. n. xxv.
p. 7 50.
To the like purpofe Jerome in feveral'
places, more than need to be cited here.
Quod autem infert : Homo in dolore, et
fciens ferre infirmitatem, five virum dolor um,
et fcientem infirmitatem1, verum corpus ho
minis, et veram demonftrat animam. Hieron
in If. cap. liii. T. 3. p. 383.
Quod fi oppofuerint nobis hi, qui Chrif-
tum negant humanam habuiffe animam, fed
in humano eorpore Deum fuiffe pro anima,
audiant in Chrifto fubftantiam animae de-
monftrari. Id. in Amos. cap. vi. ib. p. 1427.
Quod autem fpiritus accipiatur pro anima,
manifefte fignificat Salvatoris, oratio : Pater,
in manus tuas commendo fpiritum meum. Ne
que enim Jefus aut perverfum fpiritum, quod
cogitare quoque nefas eft, aut Spiritum Sanc
tum, qui ipfe Deus eft, Patri poterat com-
mendare, et non potius animam fuam, de
qua dixerat : Triflis eft anima mea ufque ad
mortem. Matt. xxvi. 38. Id. in. Abac. cap.
ii. ib.p. 1618.
I fhall not tranferibe here any thing from
Auguftin, but only refer you to one place in
him. Contr. Sermon, Arian. Cap. ix. T. 8.
[29] I fhall
[29] That paffage may le feen above p. 9. note [5.]

writ in the Tear ly^o* 79
I fhall proceed no farther at this time. I
need not tell you, that the Unity of God is
an important article of natural religion. And
after it has been fo ftrongly afferted in the
Jewifh revelation, and has been as clearly
taught in the New Teftament [30], it ought
not to be given up by Chriftians.
If, p a p 1 n 1 a n, you will beftow a few
thoughts upon thefe papers, and fend me the
refult of them, without compliment, and
without refentment, you will oblige
Philalethes.

[30] See Mark xii. 29. Matt. xix. 17. Mark x.
18. John xvii. 3. Rom. xv. 6. xvi. 27. 1. Cor.
viii. 6. 2. Cor. xii. 31. Eph. iv. 6. 1. Tim. ii. fi
vi. 15. 16. and elfewhere.

THE

r so]

THE
Firft POSTSCRIPT, CONTAINING
An Explication of thofe Words, the
Spirit^ the Holy Spirit^ and the
Spirit of God, as ufed in the
Scriptures.
PHILALETHES, when he wrote .
the foregoing Letter, had no occafion
to proceed any farther than he did. But now
he thinks, that if he could rightly explain
thofe words, the Spirit, and the Holy Spi
rit, and the like, he fhould do a real fervice
to religion, and contribute to the under-
ftanding of the Scriptures.
This Poftfcript will confift of three fee- j
tions. In the firft fhall be an argument,
fhewing the feveral acceptations of the words,
the Spirit, and the Holy Spirit. In the fe- .
cond fection" fuch texts will be confidercd,
as may be fuppofed to afford objections. In
the third divers other texts will be explained.
SECT. .,

the firft Poflfcriph

SECT. L
IN (hewing the feveral accepts- ¦
tions of thefe words in Scrip- m„u**
ture* I begin with a pafTage of
Maimonides, generally reckoned as learned,
and judicious a writer, as any of the jewifh
Rabbins. " The [ij Word Spirit, fays he, has feve
ral fenfes* i. It fignifies the air, that is, one of5
[i] Ruacb Vox eft homoriyma, Significat eriim^
primo, Aerem, hoc eft, unum ex quatuor elerhentis :
ut Veruach, et Spiritus Domini incubabat fuper aquaU
Gen. i. 2. Deinde, fignificat fpiritum flantem, h. e*
Ventum. Ut Veruach, ei fpiritus (ventus] orientalis at-
lulit locuftas. Ex. x. 13. Item, Ruacb, fpiritus occiden->
talis. lb. ver. 19. Et fie faepiffime. Tertio, fum'itur
pro fpiritu vitali. Ut Ruack, fpiritus vitaet Gen. vi.
17. Quarto, fumitur de parte ilia hominis incorrupt! ¦*¦
bili, quae fuperftes reffiinet pofl mortem. Ut Veruach*
et fpiritus hominis redit ad Deum, qui dedit eum. Ecc.
Xii. 7. Quints, flgnificat Influentiam Divinam, a Deo
prophetis inftillatam, cujus virtute prophetabant, quem-
admodum explicaturi fumusj quando de prophetia age-
mus : cujus ratio quoque in hoc libra pertra£tanda\ Et
feparabo, min ruach, de fpiritu^ qui eft in te± et pondm
in eis. Num. xi. 17. Et fuit, cum quieviffet fuper eos
haruaeh fpiritus. ver. 26. Item, Ruach, fpiritus lo-
quutus eft in me. 2. Sam. xxiii. 1. Sexto^ fignificat
quoque .propofitum, et voluntatem. Ut Kol riicho,-
tmriein -fpiritum futim prof ertjiultiisi Pt. xxix. II. hoc
eft, omriem intentionem, vdluntatem fuam. Sic, Et
ixhaurietur rUach fpiritus aegypti in medio ejus^ et conft-
lium ejus abfirbebo. If. xix. 3; i. e. diffipabitur propo
fitum ipfius, et gubernatio ipfius abfcondctur. Sic,
G $pi>

82 The firft Poftfcript.
of the four elements. And the Spirit of the
Lord moved upon the face of the waters.
Gen. i. 2.
2. It fignifies wind. And the eaft-wind
brought the locufts. Ex. x. 13. Afterwards,
ver. 19. And the Lord turned a mighty fir ong
weft-wind, which took away the locufts. And
in like manner very often.
3. It is taken for the vital breath. He
remembered, that they were but flefh, a wind,
a fpirit, that paffeth away, and cometh not
again. Pf. lxxviii. 39. And, all flefh, where
in is the breath of life. Gen. vi. 17.
4. It is taken for the incorruptible part of>
man, which furvives after death. And the-
Spirit fhall return to God. who gave it. Ecc.
xii. 7. 5. It
Sjhtis direxit ruach Domini, et quis vir conf Hi ejus, ut
indicare poffit eum. If. xl. 13. hoc eft, Quis eft, qui'
feiat ordinem voluntatis ejus, aut qui apprehendat et
aflequatur, qua ratione hanc rerum univeriitatem guber-/
net, et qui eum indicare poffet. Vides ergo, quod haec
vox, ruach, quando Deo attrihuitur, ubique fumatux,
partim in quinta, partim in fexta et ultima fignificat
tione, quatenus yoluntatem fignificat. Exponatur in
quoque loco pro ratione rerum et circumftantiarum,
Rabbi Mofis Maimonidis liber, More Nevohim, Part i,
cap. xl.
Veritas etquidditas prophetiae nihil aliud. eft, quam,
influentia a Dep Opt. Max. mediante intelledu, agente.
fuper facultatem rationalem primo, deinde fuper facul-
tatem imaginar.iam influens., Id More Nevoehimr P, 2,
eap. 36. v 

The firft Poftfcriptt 83
5. It fignifies the Divine Influence, infpi-
iring the prophets, by virtue of which they
prophefied. / will take of the Spirit, that
is in thee, and will put it upon them. Numb.
xl. ly. And the Spirit re fled Upon them.
Ver. 26. The Spirit of the Lord fpake by me±
and his word was in my tongue. 2. Sam.
Xxiii ; 2.
6. It alfo fignifies defign, will, purpofe*
A fool itttereth all his mind, literally, fpirit.
ProV. xxix. 1 1 . And the Spirit of Egypt fhall
fail in the midfl thereof, and I will deflroy
the tounfel thereof. If. xix. 3. Who has di
rected the Spirit of the Lord, or being his
tounftllour has taught him f If. xl. 13.
It is evident therefore, fays he, that the
Word Spirit, when fpoken of God, is to
be always underftood, either in the fifths or?
the fixtb and laft acceptation of the word,
according as the coherence and circumftances
of things direct.'*
This paflage of Maimonides, which I
have here tranfcribed at length* has been
taken notice 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 of God, or fuch
other, as may tend to explain thofe texts.
G 2 And,
[2] Selden de Synedr. I. 2. c. 4. fcf iii, iv. S. Baf.
Hag. Extrcitationes in Baron, pt 45,

84 Ihe firft Poflfcript.
¦ , And, flrfl of all, I think, that in many
places the Spirit, or the Spirit of God, or
the Holy Ghoft, is equivalent to Gbd himfelf.
The Spirit of a man is the fame as man.
So the Spirit of God muft be the fame as
God himfelf. j. Cor. ii. ii. What man
knoweth the things of a man, fave the fpirit
of man, that is in him ? Even fo the things
of God knoweth no man, [or no one] but the
Spirit of God.
I. Cor. xvi. 17. 18. I am glad of the
coming of Stephanas, and Fortunatus, and
Achaicus . . . For they have refrefhed my fpi
rit, 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 tooi"
Gal. vi. 18. The grace of our Lord
Jefus Chrift be with your fpirit : that is, with
you. 2. Tim. iv. 22. The Lord Jefus Cbrtfi
be with thy fpirit, or with thee.
Pf. cxxxix. Whither fhall I go from th,
Spirit? that is, from Thee. Or whither
fhall I flee from thy prefence? In like man
ner it is faid, with regard to Mofes. Pf. cvi.
33. becaufe they provoked his fpirit, mean-
. ing him.
If. lxiii. 10. But they rebelled, and -vexed
his Holy Spirit. Which in other texts is ex
preffed in this manner. Numb. xix. 11.
And the Lord faid unto Mofes : How long will tbh

Theflrft Poftfcript. 85
this people provoke me ! Pf. lxxviii. 56. Tet
they tempted, and provoked the Moft High
God, and kept not- his teftimonies. Pf. xcv.
When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and
faw my work.
Soul is a word refembling^/r/V, and of
ten fignifies man, or perfon. Lev. iv. 2. If a
foul fhall fin through ignorance... Acts ii.
.41. And the fame day were added to them three
thou fand fouls. So likewife ch. vii. 14. and
in very many other places.
And my fold is the fame as I, or my-felf.
Gen. xii. 13. And my foul fhall live becaufe
of thee. ch. xix. 10. that my foul may blefs
thee, before 1 die. 2. Sam. iv. 9. As the
Lord liveth, who has redeemed my foul out of
all adverflty. Job x. 1 . My foul is weary of
my life. See alfo ch. vii. 1 5 . . . Pf. xxxv. 9.
And my foul fhall be joyful in the Lord. If.
lxi. 10. / will greatly rejoice in the Lord :
my foul fhall be joyful in my God. Matt. xxvi.
38. My foul is exceeding forrowful unto death.
The Divine Being himfelf fometimes
adopts this form of fpeech. If. i. 14. Tour
new moons, and your appointed feafls, my foul
hateth. They are a trouble unto me. I am
weary to bear them. Where, my foul is the
fame as 1, which is in the following claufe.
If. xiii. 1. My eletl, in whom my foul de-
lightcth, or, in whom I delight. Compare
Matt. xii. 18. And fee Jer. v. 9. vi. 8.
and other places. G 3 Secondly,

86 The firft Pcftfcript.
. Secondly, By the Spirit of God, or the
Spirit, or the Holy Ghoft, is often meant the
power, or wifdom of God, or his will and
command, Pf. xxxiii. 6, By the word of the Lord
were the heavens made : and all the haft of
them by the breath or fpirit of his mouthy
Where the word of the Lord, and the breath
of his mouth, are all one. All things came
into being, and were difpofed by his will, at
his word and command,
In like manner Job xxvi. 13. By his
fpirit he has garnifled the heavens : his hand
has formed the crooked ferpent ; that is, the
winding conftellation in the heavens, which
we call Ihe Milky Way, or the Galaxie. The
fprit, or the hand of God, which are both
pne, has formed all thofe things.
Micah ii. 7. O thou that art named the
houfe of Jacob, is the Spirit of the Lord
flr aliened ? A part of Mr. Lowth'% note up
on which words is thus: " Is God's hand
or power fhortened ? Comp. If. lix- 1. Be
hold, the Lord's hand is not fhortened, that
it cannot fave."
Zach. iv. 6. Not by might, nor by power\
but by my Spirit, faith the Lord ofbofls. Here
Mr Lowth's note is to this purpofe. <f Zeru*
babel and Jofhup, with the Jews, under their
conduct, fhall finifh the temple, an<J ren
eftabljfh the Jewifh ftate, not by force of
arms.,

The firft Poftfcript. Sy
arms, or of human power, but by the fe-
cret afiiftance of my Providence."
Luke i. 35. And the angel anfwered, and
faid unto her : The Holy Ghofi fhall come
upon thee, and the power of the Higheft fhall
overfhadow thee. The later words explain
the former. And the Holy Ghofi is faid to
be the fame as the power of God, Where
likewife it follows : Therefore alfo, that holy
thing, which fhall be born of thee, Jhall be
called the Son of God.
Matt. xii. 28. But if I caft out demons by
the Spirit of God, then is thi kingdom of
God come unto you. Luke xi. 20. But if I
with the finger of God cafl out demons, no
doubt the kingdom of God is come upon
you. [2]
So that the finger of God, or the Spirit of
God, is the fame as the power of God, or
God himfelf. As St. Peter fays. Acts ii. 22.
Te men ty Ifrael, hear thefe words : Jefus of
. G 4 Na-
[3] " Again, Matt. xii. 28. If I cajl out devils by
the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto
you. Here the Spirit of God does not fignify the Holy
Ghoft, or the third perfon of the Holy. Trinity, but
the power of God : as appears from the parallel paflage
in St Luke Xi. 20. where inftead of the Spirit of God,
we read the finger of God. By this power the man
Chrift was enabled to caft out devils. For he fpeaks
of himfelf here in his human, not in his divine nature,
according to the notion, which the Pharifees had of
him : as is plain from his ftiling himfelf the Son of Man,
in the fbquel of his difcourfe to them." Abraham Le
Maine's Treatife en Miracles, p. 50.

88 The firft Poflfcript.
fjazareth, a man approved of God among
you by miracles, and wonders, and flgns^
which God did by him, in the midfl of you, as
ye yourfelves alfo know.
To which two texts of St. Matthew and
St Luke, juft alledged, may be added, as
very fimilar, if not exactly parallel, fome
Others. 2. Cor. iii. 3. Forafmuch as ye are
manifeftly declared to be the epiftle of Chrift,
tniniflred by us, written net with ink, but
with the Spirit of the living God : not in
tables of flone, but in flefhly tables of the
heart. Undoubtedly alluding to what is
faid of the two tables containing the ten
commandments, Ex. xxxi. 18. and Deut;
Jx. 1 o. that they were written by the finger
of God, or miraculpufly, by God himfelf,
So alfo Pf. viii. 3. When I conflder thy
heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon
and ftars, which thou haft ordained. See Pa«
trick upon Ex. xxxi. 18.
Thirdly, By the Spirit, or the Spirit of
God, or the Holy Ghoft, is oftentimes meant
an extraordinary gift from God of power,
wifdom, knowledge and understanding.
Sometimes hereby is intended courage, or
wifdom, or fome one particular advantage.
only. At other times hereby is intended a
plentiful effufion of a variety of fpirituaf
gifts. Fpr which reafon it will be needful to &U
iedger

The firft Poftfcript, 89
ledge, under this article, many texts, both
from the Old and the New Teftament.
Ex. xxxi. 1 . - 7. And the Lord fpake un
to Mofes, faying : See, I have called by 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 workman-
flip, to devife cunning work in gold, and in
filver, and in brafs . , . And behold, I have
given with him Aholiab, . . . and in the hearts
of all that are wife- hearted \ I have put wif
dom, that they may make all that I have com
manded thee. See alfo ch, xxxv. 30. . . 35.
and xxxvi. 1.2.
Numb, xi. 16. 17. And the Lord faid unto
Mofes : Gather to me Jeventy men of the el
ders of the people . . . And I will take of the
Spirit which is upon thee, and will put if
upon them. No one underftands hereby, that
God intended to take fronx Mofes a fpiritual
being, or part of a fpiritual 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
unto him, and took of the Spirit that was
upon him, and gave it unto the feventy elders.
And it came to pafs, that when the Spirit
refted upon them, they propbefled, and did not
ceafe :

90 The firft Pofifcript.
ceafe : meaning for fome while. But there
remained two of the men in the camp , . . And
the Spirit re fled upon them, , . . and they pro-
pbefledin the camp.
' Deut. xxxiv. 9. Andjojhua was full of the
Spirit of wifdom : For Mofes had laid his
hands upon him.
Judges iii. 10. And the Spirit of the
Lord came upon him, [Othniel] and be judged
Ifrael, and went out to war . , . And his
hand prevailed againft Chufhan-rifhathaim.
Judg. vi. 34. But the Spirit of the Lord
came upon Gideon , , . ch. xi. 29. Then the
Spirit of the Lord came upon Jeptha.
. . . Ch. xiv. 5. 6. Then went Samfon down,
and his father and his mother, to Timnath.
And behold, a young lion roared againft him.
And the Spirit of the Lord came mightily
upon him. And he rent him, as he would
home rent a kid. And he had nothing in his
hand. See likewife ch. xv. 14.
2. Sam. xxiii* 1 . . 3. Now thefe be the lafl.
words of David. David the fon of Jeffe
faid, and the man, who was raifed up on
high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and
thefweet Pfalmift of Ifrael, faid: The Spirit
of the Lord fpake by me, and his word was
in my tongue. Ihe God of Ifrael faid, the
rock of Ifrael fpake to me: He that ruletb
over men, muft be juft, ruling in the fear of
G$d, 2,Chroi|.

The firft Poflfcript. 94
2, Chron. xx. 14. je, Thpt upon Jahe*
isiel, the fon of Zachariah, the fon of Bena-
jah, . . a Levite of the fons of Afaph, came
the Spirit of the Lord, in the midfl of the
congregation. And be faid; Hearken ye, all
Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerufaiem . . .
Another inftance of what Maimonides calls
divine .influence, whereby a man is enabled
to prophefy, or give counfel from God in a
difficult circumftance, as that was with the
people of Judah.
So Ezek, xi. 4. $. Therefore prophefy a-
gainft them, prophefy, 0 fon <of man. And
the Spirit of the Lord fell upon me, and faid
unto me : Speak, Thus faith the Lord . . And
St. Peter fays 2. Ep. i, 20. 21. Knowing,
this firft, that no prciphecy of the fcripture is
of any private interpretation, impulfe, or
fuggeftion, Fir the prophecy came not in old
time by the will of man : but holy men fpake,
as they were moved by the Holy Ghoft, or by
the divine influence, As St Paul alfo fays,
2. Tim. iii. 16. All fcripture is given by in*
fpiration of God.
1. Chron. xii. 18. Then the Spirit came
upon Amafai, who was chief of the captains,
and be faid : Thine are we, David, and on
thy fide, tbou fon of Jeffe. Peace be unto
thee, and peace be to thy helpers, For thy
God heJpetb thee. Then David received them.
Patrick's comment is to this purpofe: " The
Spirit of power, fiiith th* Targum ; that is,
Go4

92 The firft Poflfcript.
God powerfully moved him with an heroi-
cai boldnefs and refolution, 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 Elifha : Afk, what I fhall do for
thee, before I betaken away from thee. And
Elifha faid: I pray thee, let a double portion
of thy Spirit be upon me.
By which fome have fuppofed, that Eli
fha begged to have as much more of the Spi
rit, as Elijah had. But as that would be
arrogance, the beft Commentators rather
think, he only defired, that he might be as
the eldeft, or firft-born among his fellow*
difciples : even as the firft-born in a family
had a double portion to thaf of other chil
dren. See thereafter ver 1 5. 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. Be
hold, I will pour out my Spirit unto you. I
will make known my words unto you. " That
is, I will teach you, and enable you to un
derftand the rules of virtue and holinefs.
Which if you follow, you will be happy."
Zach. xii. 10. And I wilf pour out upon
the houfe of David, and upon the inhabitants
9f Jerufidlem, the Spirit of grace andfuppti- cations.

The firft Poflfcript. 93
cations. Which cannot implye a promife of
pouring out upon them a tranfcendent being
or fpirit : but of giving them the temper,
the qualification, the difpofition of grace
and fupplication.
There are arfo in the Old Teftament pro-
mifes of the Spirit relating to the Meffiah. •
If. xi. 1 . . 3. Aid there fhall come forth
a rod out of aflem of Jeffe . . . And the Spi
rit of the Lord fhall reft upon him, the fpirit
of wifdom, and underftanding, the fpirit of
counfel 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. If. rxii. 2. Behold my fervant, whom I
uphold, my elecJ, in whom my foul delight eth.
I have put my Spirit upon him. He Jhall
bring forth judgement to the Gentiles.
And the promifes of the Spirit, in the
times of the Meffiah, import alfo a plentiful
efTufion of fpiritual gifts.
If. xliv. 3. And I will pour water upon
him that is thirfly, and flouds upon the dry
ground. I will pour my Spirit upon thy feed,
and my bleffing upon thy offspring. Comp.
John vii. 38. 39. Actsii. 17. 18. And fee
If. lix. 2. Ezek. xi. 19. xxxvi. 27. xxxvii.
14. xxxix. 29-
Joel ii. 28. 29. And it fhall come to pafs
afterwards, that I will pour out my Spirit
upon all flefh. And your fons, and your daugh ters

94 The firft Pojlfcripti
lers fhall prophefy. Tour old men Jhall dredM
dreams, your young men fhall fee vifions. And
alfo upon the fervants, and the handmaids, iii
thtift days will I pour out my Spirit. See
A&sii. 17. 184
In all which texts, as feems Very evident,
by the Spirit, and the Spirit of God, and
the Spirit of the Lord, ii meant not a being,
or intelligent agent, but a power, a gift, a
favour, a bleffing.
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 they deliver
you up, take no thought how, or what ye Jhall
fpeak'. For it fhall be given you in that fame
hour what ye jhall fpeak, For it is not ye that
fpeak, but the Spirit of your Father which
fpeaketb in you.
Mark xiii. 1 r . But when they Jhall leadyoUi
and deliver you up, take no thought beforehand
what ye floall fpeak, neither do you premeditate.
But whatfoever fhall be given you in that bour^
that fpeak ye. For it is not ye that fpeak, but
the Hbly Ghoft.
Luke xii. 11. 12. And when they bring
you unto the flynagogues, and unto magiftratesi
and powers ; take ye no thought, how, or whdt
thing ye jhall anfwer, or what ye Jhall fay.
For the Holy Ghofl flail teach you, in that fame
hour, -what ye ought to fay, Luke

Tbt firft Paftfcript. 95
Luke xxi. 14. 15. Settle it therefore in
your hearts, not to meditate before, what ye
fhall anfwer. For I will give you a mouth
and wifdom, or wife fpeech, which all your
adverfaries fljaU not be able to gainfay, or
reflfl. How thefe and the like promifes were af
terwards fulfilled, when the Apoftles of
Chrift, and other his difciples, were brought
before the Jewifh, or other rulers and go-
vernours, we fee in their hiftorie, recorded
in the book of the Acts. Of St Stephen, in
particular, it is faid, ch. vi. 9. 10. Then
there arofe certain, difputing with Stephen.
And they were not able to refift the wifdom,
and the Spirit, by which he fpake.
John iii. 34. For he, whom God hath fent,
fpeaketh the words of God. For Gad givetb
not the Spirit by meafure unto him. Here by
the Spirit, as 1 fuppofe, all underftand a
gift- John vii. 37 . : 39. In the lafl day, that great
day of the feaft, Jefus flood, and cried, flay
ing : If any man thirft, let him come to me,
and drink. He that believeth on me, as the
fcripture hath faid, out of his belly fhall flow
rivers of living water. But this fpake he of
the Spirit, which they that believe on him
fhould receive. For the Holy Ghofl. was not yet
given, becaufe that Jefus was not yet glorified. i
Here

96 Theflrft Pdflfcnpi.
Here alfo, as is very plain., by the 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
evening, being the flrfl day of the week . 1 1.
came Jefus, and flood in the midfl, and faith
unto them : Peace be unio you . . . As my Fa
ther hath fent me, even fo fend I you. And
when he had faid this, he breathed on themj ,
and faith unto them : Receive ye the Holy
Ghofl : that is, he encouraged them to relyd
upon him for the fulfilment of the promife'
he had made, that they fhould receive from
above fufficient qualifications for the dife
charge of their high office. Which actu
ally came to pafs on the day of Pentecofl
next enfuing.
Acts i. 4. 5. And being affembled together
with them, he commanded them, that they
fhould not depart from Jerufalem, but wait for
the promife of the Father, which ye have heard
of me. [Luke xxiv. 49.] For John truly bap*
tized with water : but ye fhall be baptized
with the Holy Ghofl, not many days hence*
Which Cannot be underftood of a perfon*
The meaning therefore is : Ye fhall be fa
vored with a plentiful effufion of fpiritual
gifts. As the event likewife fhews. See
John i. 33. and Acts xi. 16.
Ver. &. But ye fhall receive power , after
that the Holy Ghofl is come upon you. Acts

The firft Psftfcript. 97
Acts ii. 1 . . 4, And when the day of
Pentecoft was fully come, they were all with
tine accord in one place . . And they were all
filled with the Holy Ghofl, and began to fpeak
with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them
utterance. When all men wondered at this ftrange
appearance, and fome mocked, ver. 14 . . .
1 8. Peter ftanding up fays : This it that,
which was fpoken by the Prophet Joel. And
it fhall come to p&fs in the lafl days, faiib
God, I will pour out my Spirit upon all flefh.
And your fons and your daughters fhall pro
phefy, and your old men jhall dream dreams.
And on my fervants and my hand-maidens I
will pour out my Spirit, and t bey Jhall pro
phefy. Ver. 33. Therefore being by the right hand
of God exalted, and having received of the
Father the promife of the Holy Ghoft, be hatb
/bed forth, or poured out, this, which ye now
fee and hear.
Ver. 38. Then Peter faid unto them : Re<~
pent, and be baptized . . in the name of Jefus
Chrifl . . . And ye Jhall receive the gift of the
HolyGboft. Acts iv. 8. Then Peter, filled with the
Holy Ghoft, faid unto them : Te rulers of the
people, and elders of Ifrael . . .
• • Ver. 21. And when they had prayed, the
place was Jhaken, where they were affembled
together, and they were all filled with the
H Holy

98 The firft Poftfcrlpt.
Holy, Ghoft. And they fpake the word with
boldnefs. . . 33. And with great power gave
the Apoftles witnefs of the refurrection of
the Lord Jefus. And great grace was up
on all.
Acts vi. 3. Wherefore, brethren, look ye
out among you feven men of honefl report, full
of the Holy Ghofl and wifdom, whom we may
appoint over this buftnefs . . ver. 5. And the
faying pleafed the whole multitude. And they
chofe Stephen, full of the Holy Ghoft, and
Philip . . . ver. 8. And Stephen full of faith
and power did great wonders and miracles
among the people. 9. Then there arofe cer
tain, . . difputing with Stephen. ..10. And
they were not able to reftft the wifdom, and
the Spirit, by which he fpake.
Acts viii. 14. Now when the Apoftles,
which were at Jerufalem, heard that Sama*
ria had received the word of God, they fent
unto them Peter and John, 1 5. Who when
they were come down, prayed for them, that
they might receive the Holy Ghofl. For as yet
he was fallen upon none of them. Only they
were baptized in the name of ihe Lord Je
fus. 17. Then laid they their hands on them.
And they received the Holy Ghoft. 18. And
when Simon faw, that through laying on of
the Apoflles hands the Holy Ghoft was given,
he offered them money. And what follows.
Acts x. 44. While Peter yet fpake thofe
words, the Holy Ghoft fell on all them which heard.

The firfl Poflfcript. 99
heard the word. 45; And they of the cir-
cumcifion which believed, were aflonifheds as
many as came with Peter, becaufe that on the
Gentiles were poured out the gift of the Holy
Ghoft. 46. For they heard them flea k with
tongues, and magnify God. 47* Then an~
fwered Peter : Can any man forbid water,
that thefe fhould not be baptized, which have
received the Holy Ghoft, as well as we ?
Acts xi. 16. 17. Forafmuch then, as God
gave them the like gift, as he did unto us,
who believed on the Lord Jefus • what was I,
that I could with ft and God? xv. 18. And
God, which knows the hearts, bare them
witnefs, giving them the Holy Ghofl, as he
did unto us.
I have omitted Acts ix. 17. and x. 38.
for the fake of brevity, and as not being ne-
ceffary to be now infifted upon. The pa
ragraph in Acts xix. 1 . . 7. will be confi-
dered hereafter among the texts, that are to
be explained.
Rom. v. 5. And hope maketh not ajhamed,
becaufe the love of God is Jheff abroad in our
hearts by the Holy Ghofl, which is given
to us.
Tit. iii. 5.6... according to his mercy he has
. faved us by the wafhing of regeneration, and
renewing of the Holy Ghofl .- which he fhed
on us, [has poured out upon us, lu iVtyri^
tip ypxc.,] abundantly, through Jefus Chrift
our Saviour. H 2 Hebr.

ioo The firft Poftfcript.
Hebr. ii. 4. God alfo bearing them witnefs
both with figns and wonders, and with divers
miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghoft, ac
cording to his own will.
and gifts of the Holy Ghoft. It fhould be
rather rendred, and diftributions of the Holy
'Ghoft : Ktzt Tg-vevpocrog xyus pepitrpioig. A re
markable expreffion, plainly declaring, that
by the Holy Ghofl, or the Holy Spirit, was
meant thofe fpiritual gifts, which came down
upon men from heaven immediately, or
were communicated, in great variety, by the
laying on of the hands of the Apoftles.
Hebr. vi. 4. — thofe who were once en
lightened, and have tafted of the heavenly
gift, and were partakers of the Holy Ghoft.
— -rig ctTTotfe, (puTitrOevTetg, yevo~x[/.evifg tb Trig
luptxg rv/g £7rvpxi)its, xxi pir'o'xjsg yev^BVTxg
"srv£U[Jt.XTog ayia. 1
Dr. Whitby's paraphrafe is this : " and
having tafted of the heavenly gift, and were
made partakers of the Holy Ghoft, fent down
from heaven, and conferred on 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 expreflions, one
and the fame thing is intended, even the Holy
Ghoft: and that the writer of this epiftle
calls it the heavenly gift, in allufion to the
defcent of the Holy Ghoft upon the Apoftles and

The firft Poftfcripf. 101
and their company on the day of Pentecoft,
as related Acts ii. i . . 13.
But though Commentators do not agree
in their interpretation of the firft particular,
I fuppofe, that by the Holy Ghoft they ge
nerally underftand miraculous powers and
gifts, of which perfons here fpoken of had
partaken. So Whitby, as juft cited. So like-
wife Grotius. Subjicit etiam pdrticipes fuiffe
Spiritus SanSli, id eft, dona confecutos pro
phetiae, linguarum, fanationum, quae non
Contingebant eo tempore nifi juftificatis, id
eft, purgatis. Grot, in loc. Du faint efprit.J
Des dons miraculeux. Le Clerc.
1. Pet. i. 12. Unto whom it was revealed,
that not unto themfelves, but unto us, they did
minifler the things, which are now reported
unto you by them thai have preached the gof
pel to you, with the Holy Ghofi fent down from
heaven. Here I fuppofe to be a plain reference to
the plentiful effufion of the Holy Spirit up
on the Apoftles on the day of Pentecoft, as
related by St Luke at the begining of the
book of the Acts. It is probable, that many
of the Chriftians, to whom St. Peter is here
writing, were converted by St. Paul, who
was not prefent with the reft on that memo
rable day. Neverthelefs he had received
the Spirit in a very plentiful meafure, and
immediately from heaven, without the inter
vention of any of thofe who were Apoftles
H 3 before,

io2 The firft Poftftript.
before him. It is alfo very likely, that St
Peter himfelf, and fome others of thetwelve,
had been in thefe countreys, before his writ
ing this epiftle. For, not now to mention
St John, who perhaps did not take 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 Ghoft fent down from heaven,
I fuppofe to be meant the infpiration of the'
Apoftles, and the miraculous powers and
gifts, with which they were endowed.
1 Res illae. magnae nobis plene explicatae,
funt per Apoftolos, et eorum adjutores, coeli-
ius donatos Spiritu SanBe, id eft, donis ma-
joribus, quam ipfi Prophetae habuere, et de
quibus ipfi Prophetae funt locuti, ut Joel ii,
iS. Grot, in loc.
' 1. John iv. 13. Hereby know we, that we,
dwell in him, and he in us, becaufe he has
given us of his Spirit : oti by. t% ¦erv'tvpxTos
ttvTii SbSukbv vji^iv. And fee ch. ii. 20. ¦
'• ' ' ' " '.' ' ' !»
M Fid. Eufeb. H. E. 1. 3. c. 31. I. $. cap. 24.
in. Hieronde'V.'I: cap. 45. Polyttateu ¦ '" '• '

The firft Pofifcript, 103
In thefe texts the Spirit, or the Holy
Ghoft, is oftentimes fpoken of as a gift. And
there is a variety of expreflions, fuch as gi
ving, pouring out, falling upon men, receiving,
and being filled with, the Holy Ghoft :
which import a gift, a power, a privilege,
and bleffing, rather than a perfon.
To all which may be added, fourthly, that
jn the epiftles of the New Teftament there
are at the begining, and elfewhere, wifhes
pf peace from God the Father, and the
Lord Jefus Chrift, but none from the Spi
rit diftinctly. Nor are there any doxologies,
or afcriptions of glory, to the Spirit diftinct-
Jy, though there are feveral fuch afcriptions
to God, and Chrift, or to God through
Chrift. Rom. i. 7. To all that be in Rome, be
loved of God, called to be faints. Grace be
to you and peace from God our Father, and
the Lord Jefus Chrift. So alfo 1 . Cor. i. 3.
2. Cor. i. 2. Gal. i. 3. Eph. i. 2. and elfe
where. And Eph. vi. 13. Peace be to the
brethren, and love with faith from God the
Father, and the Lord Jefus Chrift.
Some of the doxologies are thefe. Rom,,
xi. 36. For of him, and through him, and
to him are all things, lo whom be glory for
ever. Amen. xvi. 27. To God only wife be
glory through Jefus Chrift forever. Amen.
See Eph. iii. 20. 2 1 ... Philip, iv. 8. Now
unto God, even our Father, be glory forever
H 4 and

104 The firft Poftfeript.
and ever. See i. Tim. i. 17 . . . Hebr. xiii'
20. 21. Now the God of peace . . make yon
perfecJ, . . . through Jefus Chrift. To whom
be glory forever and ever. Amen. 1. Pet. iv.
1 1 . That God in all things may be glorified
through Jefus Chrifl. To whom be praifo and
dominion for ever and ever. Amen. 2. Pet.
hi. 18. But grow in grace, and in the know
ledge of 'our Lord and Saviour Jefus Chrift ';
To him be glory both now and ever. Amen.
And fee Jude. ver. 24. 25 . . . Rev. i. 5. 6.
Unto him that loved us, and redeemed us from
our fins by his own bloud, and has made us
Kings and Pr lefts unto God, even his Father?
to him be glory and dominion for ever and
ever. Amen. See alfo Rev. iv. 9. .. 11,
v. 12. 13, vii. 10.
I quote no other books as of authority^
befide the books of Scripture commonly re
ceived by Chriftians, as of divine original.
Neverthelefs I may obferve by way of illuf-
tration, that the wifhes of peace, and the
doxologies in the moft early Chriftian wri
ters, are agreeable to thofe in the Epiftles of
the New Teftament, which have been juft
now alleged.
The epiftle of Clement, writ in the name
of the church of Rome to the church of
Corinth, begins in this manner. " Grace
and peace be multiplied unto you from God
Almighty through Jefus Chfift." In

The firft Poftfeript. 105
In this epiftle are feveral doxologiesi And
they are all afcribed to God, or Chrift, or to
God through Chrift.
The conclufion of the epiftle is in thefe
words : " The grace of our Lord Jefus
Chrift be with you, and with all every
where, who are called by God through
him : through whom to Him be glory, ho
nour, might, majefty, and. everlafting do
minion, for ever and ever. Amen."
The epiftle ofPolycarp, Bifhop of Smyrna,
which is fent to the Philippians, is infcribed
in this manner : " Polycarp, and. the Pref-
byters that are with him, to the Church of
God which is at Philippi, Mercy and
peace be multiplied unto you from God Al
mighty, and from the Lord Jefus Chrift,
our Saviour."
In the twelfth chapter, or fedtion of that
epiftle are thefe expreflions. " Now the
God and Father of 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
patience." A catholic author, fuppofed to have lived
about the year of Chrift 220. and writing
againft heretics, fays : " There is, indeed,
one God, whom we can know no other-
wife, but from the holy fcriptures 
Whatever therefore the divine fcriptures de
clare,, that let us embrace : what they teach, let

1 66 The firft Poftfcript.
Jet us learn. And as the Father willeth we
fhould believe, fo let us believe : as he wil<
leth the Son fhould be honoured, fo let us
honour him: as [5] he willeth the -Holy
Ghoft fhould be given, fo let us accept."
Jerome fays, " that [6] LacJantius in
his epiftles, efpecially thofe to Demetrian,
denyes the perfonality of the Holy JGhofl :
referring him, and his operations, as the
Jews alfo erroneoufly do, to the Father,
pr the Son."
And in another place he fays, that [7]
this was the fentiment of many Chriftians in
his own time, who did not underftand the
jcriptures. The Bifliops in the Council of Nice, hav
ing declared the doctrine concerning Go4
the Father, and our Lord Jefus Chrift, add^
" a"4

[5] . . . jew wj (IsXei ¦sti/su/ai* &y\to $u>pu<t$oti, A«a
Gupev. Hippolyt. contr, Noet. §. ix. p. 12. ap. Fair.
T, 2.
[6J La£tantius in epiftolis fuis, et maxime in epifto-,
lis ad Demetrianum, Spiritus Sahdrl negat fubftantiam,
et errore Judaico dicit eum vel ad Patrem referri, vel;
ad Filium, et fandtificationem utriufque perfonae fub
nomine ejus demonftrari. Hieron. adPamm. et Oc..ep.t
41. albs. T:$. p. 345. ' ....'"
[7] Hoc ideo : quia multi per impentiam fcriptura
rum (quod et Firmianus in bftavo ad Demetrianum
epiftolarum libra fecit;) afferunt, Spiritum fan&unv
faepe Patrem, faepe Filium nominari. Et cum perfpw
cue in Trinitate credamus, tertiam perfonam auferen-
tes, non fubftantiam ejus Volunt efle, fed nomen. . ¦ Jd^>
in Galat, cap. iv. ver. 6. T. 4, P. i. p. 268.

,«

The firft Poftfcript. l cy
and in the Holy Ghoft :" that is : «' and,
we believe in the Hply Ghoft."
It follpws in the fame Creed, as it is ex
hibited 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
worfhiped 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 accuratly expreffed by Bifhop
Burnet at the begining of his Expofition of
the eighth article of the Church of Eng
land: " So that the Creed, here called the
Nice- Creed, is indeed the Conflantinopolitan
Creed, together with the addition of Filior
que, made by the Weftern Church."
I might add a great deal more from the
writers of the firft three centuries. But this
is not a place for enlargement. What has
been already faid, may be fufflcient to render
it probable, that the doctrine of the Trinity,
which is now commonly received, and which
is fo much difliked by many, was not formed
all at, oqce, but was the work of feveral
ages. SECT,

,1'oS The firft Poftfcript
SECT. II.
Objections. "R U T It may be objede^ tfet
** the Spirit, or the Holy Ghoft,
K oftentimes fpoken of as a perfon, and es
pecially in St John's Gofpel.
John, xiv. 1 6. 17. And Twill pray the Fa*
ther, and be flail give you another Comforter,
that he may abide with you far ever, even the
Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot re
ceive, becaufe it feeth him not, neither knoweth
bim. But ye know him. For he dwelleth
with you, and fhall be in you.
. . . ver. 25. 26. Thefe things have I fpoken
unto you, being prefent with you. But the
Comforter, which is the Holy Ghofl, whorri
the Father will fend in my name, he jhall teach
. you ail things, and bring all things to your rt-*
membrance, wbatfoever I have fluid unto you.
John xvi. 7. Neverthelefs I tell you the
truth. It is expedient for you, that I go
away* Mr if I go not away, the Comforters. J
will not come unto you. But if I depart, I
will fond bim unto you. ... 12. I have yet ¦¦
many tMngs to fay unto you. But^ye cannot
bear them now. 13. Howbeit, when the Spi
rit of truth is come, be . will guide you into all
truth. For he flail not fpeak of himfelf. But
wbatfoever he fhall hear, that fhall he fpeak.
And he will fhew you things to come. 14. He
fhall

The firft Poftfcript. 109
fljall glorify me. For be flail receive of mine,
and flail fl^ew it unto you. 1 5. All things
that the Father hath, are mine. Therefore
faid I, that he fhall take of mine. And flail
fhew it unto you.
In anfwer to which feveral things may
be faid.
1. It is not uncommon, in the language
of fcripture, to perfonalize many things, to
which we do not afcribe intelligence.
The book of Proverbs, where Wifdom
is brought in fpeaking, as a perfon, is a well
known and remarkable inftance. So like-
wife in the New Teftament death reigns.
Rom. v. 14. 17. and is an enemy. 1. Cor.
xv. 26. 55 . . 57. And fin is fpoken of as
a lord and matter, and pays wages, and that
in oppofition to God, the moft perfect agent.
Rom. vi. 12. Let not fin therefore reign in
your mortal body, that ye fhould obey it in the
lifts thereof. 14. For fin fhall not have do
minion over you. 17. Te were once the fer-
vantsof fin . . 23. For the wages of fin is
death. But the gift of God is eternal life
through Jefus Chrift our Lord.
And how many things are done by Cha
rity, as defcribed by St Paul ! 1 . Cor. xiii.
It fuffereth long, and is kind, thinketh no
evil, beareth all things, believeth all things,
hopeth all things, endureth all things, and
the like. I might

no the' firft Poftfcript..
I might quote here many other textS,
judg. xxiv. 26. 27; Andjojhua took a great
flone, and fet it up there under an oak . .
And Jofhuafaid unto all the people : Behold,
this flone flail be a witnefs unto us : For it
has heard all the words of the Lord, whicH
he fpake unto us. It fhall therefore be a witt
nefs unto you, leaft ye deny your God.
John xii. 48. He that rejecteth me, and
receiveth not my words, has one that judgeth
him. The word that I have fpoken ^ the fame
fhall judge him at the lafl day. ;
Let me . recite here the words of a pious
and learned Englifh writer^ [8] " To con
clude this point, the fum of our Saviour's
preaching confifts in inculcating this one
great and fundamental truth of Chriftianity :
that we are nothing, and God is all in all. It
is his Word, that enlightens our minds, his
Spirit directs our wills, his Providence orders
our affairs, his Grace guides us here, and
his Mercy muft bring us to heaven here^
after." 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 actions.
In the Jewifh language, and among the
Jewifh.
[8] Directions for profitable Reading the Holy Scrip
ture's. By William Lowtb. p. 1 00.

Theflrft Poftfcript. in
Jewifh people, fpirit would no more fignify
a perfon, than grace or mercy. Nor were
they more likely to afcribe diftinct perfonality
to the' fpirit, than we to the grace, or mer
cy, or providence of God.
2. There is not in the Act9 of the Apo
ftles, or in any other book of the New
Teftament, any account of the appearance
and manifeftation of a great agent, or per
fon, after our Saviour's afcenfion. Therefore
no fuch thing was promifed, or intended by
our Saviour, nor expected by the Apoftles,
who could not but know his meaning.
3, In other texts of Scripture, and parti
cularly in St John's Gofpel, by the Spirit,
or the Holy Ghoft, is meant a gift, or a plen
tiful effufion of fpiritual gifts; I intend
John iii. 34. vii. 39. xx. 22. which were
alleged not long agoe.
4. Our Saviour himfelf has explained what
he meant by the Comforter.
So it is in one of thofe texts, upon which
this objection is founded. John, xiv, 26.
But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghoft :
or, more literally, the Comforter, the Holy
Ghoft. 0 oe •wxpxyJkv\Tetg, to "srvsvf/.x to oiyiov.
But by the Holy Ghofl, in other places of
this Gofpel, as well as in many other texts
of the New Teftament, is not meant, as we
have plainly feeri, a powerful agent, but the
Divine Influence, or the effufion of fpiritual
gifts. This therefore is what our Lord in-
1 tended

112 Theflrft Poftfcript.
tended by the Comforter. And this fenfe!
confirmed by the book of the Acts, wheit|
is recorded the fulfilment of our Savaour'j
promife. 5. Our bleffed Lord, in fpeaking of thii
matter, has made ufe of a variety of exprcf-
lions : by attending to which we may clearly
difcern his true meaning in what he fays of
the Comforter.
Matt, xxviii, 20. And to, I am with ym
always, even unto the end of the world. In
John xiv. 16. lately quoted, he fays : Iwifl
pray the Father, and he fhall give you another
Comforter, that he may abide with you for
ever. One and the fame thing is intended
in both places.
In " the texts of St. John's Gofpel, upon
which this objection is built, our Saviour
fpeaks of the teachings of the Spirit, where
by the difciples would be enlightened, and
lead into a clear difcern ment of his fcheme
of religion. But in John xvi. 25. are thefe
expreflions. Thefe things have I fpoken unt9
you in proverbs. The time cometh, when I
fhall no mere fpeak to you in proverbs, or pa
rables : but I flail flew you plainly of the
Father. Here our Lord fpeaks of thofe
teachings, as his own.
In Matt. x. 20. it is faid : For it is not
ye that fpeak, but the Spirit of your Father,
which fpeaketb in you. To the like purpdfe
in Mark xiii. 11. and Luke xii. 12. But in

The firft Poftfcript '.¦ 113
in Luke xxi. 15. our Lord exprefieth him
felf in this manner. For I wilt give you a
mouth and wifdom^ which all your adverfa-
ries flail not be able to gainjay, nor reflfi.
•', Mark xvi. 19.20. So then after the Lord
had fpoken unto them, he was received up in
to heaven, and fat on the right hand of God;
And they went forth, and preached every
where, the Lord working with them, or the
Lord co-operating, t» xuplv trvvspyivrog, and
confirming the word with figns following^
Here the miracles of the Apoftles, after his
afcenfion, are afcribed to our Lord himfelf,
or his powerfull prefence and influence.
Acts ix. 17. i8\ And Ananias went his
way, and entred into the houfe : and putting
bis hands upon him, faid : Brother Saul, the ,
Lord, even Jefus, that appeared to thee in
the way, as thou cameft, hath font me, that
thou migbteft receive thy fight, and be filled
with the Holy Ghofi. And immediately there
fell from his eyes, as it had beenfcales. And
be received fight forthwith, and arofe, and
was baptized.
Acts ix. 32 . . 34. And it came to pafs, as
Peter paffed throughout all quarters, he came
down alfo to the faints, which dwelt at Lydda±
And there he found a certain man, named
Eneas, which had kept his bed eight years,
and wasfick of the palfle. And Peter faid
unto him : Eneas, Jefus Chrifl maketh thee'
I whole,

H4 T'he firft Poftfcript.-
whole. Arife, and make thy bed. And bt
arofo immediately .
- I might refer alfo to Ads iii. 6. iv. to . ,
12. But I -forbear.
However, I fhall add a few other texts, ,
from the Epiftles, which I think are to the
prefent purpofe, and may deferve to be con-'
fidered. Rom. xii. 3. For I fay, thr&ugh the'graee
given to me, to every man that is among you
-  to think fiber ly ', according as God has
dealt to every man the meafure of faith..
Ver. 6. Having then gifts, differing ac
cording to the grace that is given to us.
Eph, iii. 6. 7. That the Gentiles fhould
Be fellow-heir s . . . and partakers of his pro
mife in Chrifl, by the gofpel : whereof I was
made a minifter, according to the gift of the
grace of God given unto me, by the effectual
working of his power.
Eph. iv. 7. But unto every one -of us is
given grace, according to the meafure of the
gift of Chrifl . . ver. 11, 12, And He gave
fome Apoftles, and fome Prophets, and fome
Evangelifls, and fome Paftours and Teachers,
for the perfecting the faints, for the work of
the miniflry, for the edifying of the body of
Chrifl. i. Pet. iv. 10. n. As every man hath re
ceived the gift, even fo minifter the fame one
to another, as good flewards of the manifold grace

The firft Poftfcript, lit
grace of God. If any man fpeaks let him
fpeak as the oracles of God: if any man mi
nifter, let him do it, as of the ability, which
God givetb : that God in all things may be
glorified through Jefus Chrift. lo whom be
praife and dominion, for ever and ever*
Amen. And i. Cor. xii. 6. St Paul fays : Theres
are diver fities of operations : but it is the
fome God, which worketh all in all. And at
xter. 28. God hath fet fome in the Church*
firft Apoftles, fecondarily Prophets, thirdly
Teachers, after that miracles . . .
All which feems to fhew, that by the
Spirit is to be underftood that fpecial influ
ence, which, in different meafufes and pro
portions, God vouchsafes to men through
Jefus Chrift, for their own comfort and ef-
tablifhment, and for fpreading the great
truths of religion in the world.
Luke xxiv. 49. And behold, I fend the
promife of my Father upon you. But tarry ye
in the city of Jerufalem, until I ye be endowed
with power from on high.
This power, this divine influence, this ef
fufion of knowledge, and other fpiritual
gifts, our Lord caMs the Comforter, or the
Advocate, ^apxx.K7jTog , as thereby their
•caufe would be pleaded with men, and they
would be juftified in their preaching boldly
in the name of Jefus Chrift,
I 2 This

n 6 The firft Poftfcript.
This gift, this divine influence, he ealft
alfo the Spirit of truth, becaufe by that
wonderful influence on their minds the Apo
ftles would be led into the knowledge of all
the truths of the gofpel, and would be
enabled to teach them to others with per-
fpicuity. And our Lord fpeaks of the Spirit's bring
ing to their remembrance the things, which
he had faid, and of his receiving of his, and
floewing it unto them : becaufe by this mira
culous influence upon their minds, thofe
prejudices would be removed, which had
obftructed their clear difeernment of what
Chrift had faid unto them, while he was
with them.
There are other texts, from which objec
tions may be raifed. But they may be as
well confidered in the next fection. And I
think, that will be the fhbrteft method.
SECT. III.

i. Luke T F ye then, being; evil,
Texts ex- ^ ^ ± /incw ^ow to give good
gifts unto your children :
how much more flail your heavenly Father give
the Holy Spirit to them that ajk him ? Which
is parallel with Matt. vii. n. If ye then, be-
ing evil, know bow to give good gifts to youf
children : bow much more flail your Father,
which is in heaven, give good things to them that

Theflrft Poftfcript. ny
¦fhat aflk him ? Whereby we may perceive,
that by the Holy Spirit is meant any good
thing, conducive to our real happinefs. And
we are induced, to recollect here what St
James fays. i. 5. IJ any man lack wifdom,
let him afkr^of God, who giveth to all men li
berally, and upbraUeth not. And it flail be
given to him. And fee ver. 17.
2. Matt. iv. 1. Then was Jefus led up of the
Spirit into the wildernefs, to be tempted oftfa
devil. Mark i. 12. And immediately the.
Spirit driveth him into the wildernefs. Luke
iv. 1. And Jefus being full of the Holy Ghofl,
returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spi
rit into the wildernefs.
The coherence will 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 Son, in
whom I am well pleafed. Now therefore
was fulfilled the prophecy in If. xi. j. 2.
And there flail come forth a rod out of the
flem of Jeffe . . . And the Spirit of the Lord
flail reft upon him, the fpirit of wifdom and
underftanding, the fpirit of counfel and might.
... By that divine and extraordinary wif
dom, our Lord was directed, and influenced,
to retire into the wildernefs. And having
I 3 been

nS The firft Poftfcript.
been there tempted of Satan, and having
vanquifhed him, as St Luke fays, ch. iv."
14. 15, Jefus returned in the power of the
Spirit, into Galilee, fully qua 1 tried for the
difcharge of his high office, both for teach
ing his excellent doiflrine, and for confirming
it bv miracles. And there went out a fame of
him through all the regions round about. And
he taught in their fynagogues, being glorified
of all. So our Lord faid to his difciples,
as recorded Acts i. 8. Te fhall receive power,
after that the Holy Ghoft is come upon you.
Or, as it is in the margin of fome of our
bibles : Te jhall receive the pcwtr of ihe
Holy Ghoft coming upon you.
3. Matt. xii. 31. Wherefore 1 fay unto
you : All manner of fin and btafphemy fhall be
forgiven unto men. But the btafphemy againft
the Holy Ghoft flail not be forgiven unto men.
And fee ver. 32. Compare alfo Mark iii,
and Luke xii.
Dr Wall, who upon John xvi. 13. p. 113.
afterts the perfonality of the Spirit, explains
this text of St Matthew after this manner.
p. 15, " A man that fees plainly the effects
of a prefent fupernattiral power, which, he
muft be convinced in confcience, is the fin^
ger, or fpirit, or immediate miraculous
power of God: (which is that, which is
here called the Holy Spirit, or Holy Ghoft :)
and yet will malicioufly blafpheme, or fpeak
fc^fjphempus words againft it : that it is the
devil.

The firft Poftfcript. 119
devil, or that the devil helps the man that
does it : fuch an one blafphem.es God him
felf, fhewing himfelf, or his miraculous
power at that time from heaven."
" In Luke xi. 20. What is here called
the Holy Ghoft, is there called the finger of
God. And fo the Egyptian Magicians, when
convinced, called it. Ex. viii. 19,"
Afterwards, in the fame note, at p. 16,
he fays : " In Acts ii. 13. there was a mi?
raculous power of God, enabling the Apo
ftles to fpeak with tongues. Some, who
did not conceive it to be any fpirit, or mira
culous power, mochd at it. Thefe were
not denounced to be in any unpardonable
ftate." Nothing more needs to be faid for the
explication of that text in St Matthew, and
the parallel places in the other gofpels.
4. Matt, xxviii. 19. Go ye therefore, and
teach all nations, baptizing them into the
name of the Father, and of the 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 profeflion
of faith in, and an obligation to obey, the
doctrine taught by Chrift, with authority
from God the Father, and confirmed bv
the Holy Ghoft." [9] By
[9] " Baptizing them- with water, in the name of
the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy -Gbojl :
I 4 that

120 The firft Poftfcript:
By the Holy Ghoft, as I apprehend, we
are here to underftand the miracles of our
Saviour's miniftry, and likewife the miracles
wrought by his Apoftles, and the fpiritual
gifts beftowed upon the Apoftles, and other
difciples of Jefus, and all believers in gene
ral, foon after our Lord's afcenfion, and all
the miraculous atteftations of the truth and
divine original of the doctrine taught by Je
fus Chrift.
It, is obfervable, that the baptifmal forra,
which is in St Matthew, never appears, in
thofe very words, either in the book of the
Acts, or in any of the Epiftles. But men
are required to be baptized in the name of
Chrift, or faid to have been baptized into
Chrift. That is, they made a profeffion of
faith in Jefus, as the Chrift, and acknow
ledged their obligation to obey him, by being
baptized. Acts ii. 38. Repent, and be bap
tized every one of you in the name of Jefus
Chrifl. Ch. viii. 16, Only they were baptized in
that is, receiving them to a profeffion of the belief of,
and an obligation to the, pracTrife of that religion, which
God the Father has revealed and taught by the Son,
and confirmed and eftablifhed by the Holy Ghoft."
Dr Clarke's Paraphrafe.
" The true meaning is, baptizing into the profef-
;fipn of that do£trine, which is the mind and counfel of
God the Father, made known to mankind by the Son,
and confirmed by the mighty operations of the Holy
Ghoft." Mr. Jo. Burroughs' s Tivo Difcourfes on po-
0jve fnjiitutions. p. 41.

Theflrft Poftfcript. 121
in the name of the Lord Jefus. See likewife
ver- 35 • • 3^- Rom. vi. 3. Know ye not,
that fo many of us, as were baptized into Je
fus Chrifl, were baptized into his death?
Gal. iii. 27. Por as many of you, as have
been baptized into Chrift, have put on Chrifl.
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 pro-
feffion of faith in Jefus, as the Chrift, but
upon the fuppbfition, that he had taught in
the name, and with the authority of God
the Father, and had proved his commiffion
by miraculous atteftations, which could not
be denied, nor gainfayed.
5. John xvi. 7. Neverthelefs, I tell you
the truth. It is expedient for you, that I go
away. For if I go not away, the Comforter
will not come unto you. Which agrees with
what our Lord fays John vii. 37 . . 39. and
with the Evangelift's own , remark : For the
Holy Ghofl was not yet given, becaufe that Je
fus was not yet glorified.
. The fitnefs and wifdom of deferring the
plentiful effufion of the Holy Ghoft for il
luminating the Apoftles, and removing their
prejudices, and enabling them to teach the
doctrine 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
tefti*

j 22 The firft .Poftfcript.
teftimonie, concerning the refurrection and'
afcenfion of Jefus.
Ver. 8. 9. 10. ir. And when he is come,
he will reprove, or convince the world of fin,
and of right epufnefs, and of judgement : of "fin,
becaufe they believe not on me :. of righteouf
nefs, becaufe I go to the Father, and ye fee me
no more : of judgement, becaufe the prince of
this world is judged.
If we recollect 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 the Holy Ghoft had, never come
before. But hereby is meant a certain com
ing, a plentifull effufion 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 of God fpake a)
they were moved by the Holy Ghoft.
And after a long withdrawing of the Spi?
rit of God, or with-holding extraordinary
powers and gifts, from the Jewifh people^
about the time of our Saviour's nativity, we
fee divers inftanees of the divine influence
and operation in Zacharie, father pf John
the Baptift, and Elifabeth, and Anna, and
Simeon, and then on John the Baptift :who
undoubtedly taught, and preached, and
prophefyed.

The firft Poftfcript. 12 3
prophefyed by the HoJy Ghoft, though he
did no miracles. The Holy Spirit came*
down alfo upon our Lord in a glorious man
ner, and there were vitible tokens of- it :
whereby John knew him to be the Meffiah,
the great perfon, who was to come. And
He had the Spirit without meafure. John iiiA
34. The Holy Ghoft muft likewife have
been given, during the time of our Lard's
abode on this earth, in a certain meafure,
upon ieveral, particularly the twelve Apo
ftles, and the feventy other Difciples, in order
to qualify them for the difcharge of the com
miffion, which our Lord gave them for n
time, to go over the cities of Judea, and
prepare men for him. And of the Seventy
it is expreffly faid, they returned again with
joy, faying : Lord, even the demons are fob-,
jecJ to us through thy name. Luke x. 17.
By the coming of the Holy Ghoft, then, is
to be underftood, in this place, a general;
and plentifull effufion of fpiritual gifts upon
the Apoftles themfelves, and upon other be
lievers in the Lord Jefus, fuch as that re-
"laied in the Acts : when the difciples, who
had followed the Lord in the time of his
miniftry, and ftill continued together, and
afterwards many others likewife, were ena*
bled on a fudden to fpeak in divers langua-^
ges, which they had never learned, and to
peifcrm many great and extraordinary works
;n the name 'of Jefus Chrift, Indeed"

124 We firfl Poftfcript.
Indeed this coming of the Comforter, or
the Holy Ghoft, comprehends in it- all man-
Her of 'fpiritual gifts: not only thofe juft
mentioned, but alfo a clear and diftinct
knowledge of divine things, even1 the truths
of the doctrine of Chrift, and the whole
fcheme of the gofpel-difpenfation : and pro-
phefying, or foretelling things to come j as
well as working miracles, and alfo readinefs
of fpeech, and a becoming degree of cou^
rage and boldnefs in the midft of dangers,
and in the prefence of the greateft perfona-
ges : qualifications, of which the difciples
had been hitherto very deftitute.
The feveral particulars, fin, right eoufnefs,
and judgement, of which the world would be
convinced by the plentifull effufion of the
Spirit, here fpoken of, need not to be dis
tinctly explained. The fum is, that hereby
the progrefs of the gofpel would be fecured.
This large and general effufion of fpiritual
gifts would be a perfuafive and fatisfactory
evidence of the refurrection and afcenfion of
Jefus, and that he was the promifed Meffiah,
through whom all nations of the earth were
to be blefled. Or, as John the Baptift ex-
preffeth it : And I knew him not. But bt
that font me to baptize with water, the farm
faid unto me : Upon whom thou fhalt' fee the
Spirit defcending, and remaining on him, the
fame is he, which baptizetb with the Holy
Ghofti

The firft Poftfcript. \lt
Ghoft. And I faw, and bare record, that this
is the Son of God. John i. 33. 34.
And with great force, as well as propriety,
do the Apoftles fay to the Jewifh Council^
as recorded, Acts v. 2 9.. 3 2. Then Peter,
and the [other J Apoftles faid : We ought to
obey God, rather than men. The God of our
fathers raifed up Jefus, whom ye flew, and
banged on a tree. Him hath God exalted
with his right hand, to be a Prince, and a
' Saviour, to give repentance to Ifrael, andfor-
givenefs of fins. And we are his witneffes of
thefe things. And fo is alfo the Holy Ghofl,
whom God has given to them that obey him :
*' That is, fay thofe judicious Commenta
tors, Lenfant and Beaufobre, [10] the mi
raculous gifts, which Jefus had beftowed
upon his Apoftles, and which they conferred
upon believers."
6. Acts i. 2. .. after that he through the
Holy Ghofl had given commandments unto the
Apoftles, whom he had chojen.
Or, as in the Syriac verfion, [11 J after
that he bad given commandments to the Apo-
files,
[ioj Le S. E fprit. ~\ Ce font les dons miraculeux,
Jont J. C. avoit revetus fes Apotres, et qu'ils conferoi^
ent aux fideles. A6t.it. 33. viii. 15. 17." Note fur let
Acles des Apkres. ch. v. ver. 32.
[n J Aft. i. 2. Verba, Six Wu/aastgj olyU, quatj
filerique ad hn »A«/*evof referunt, conftruxit Syrus cum
ijff As^ajTo • quos [apoftolos] elegerat per Spiritum Sanc-
4tm, , . . Ex mente Syri interprets hoc dicit Lucas :
Chrift. ma

126 The firft Poftfcript.
flies, whom he had chofen by the Holy Spirit >
that is, by fpecial - direction from heaven; j
Which is very agreeable to what St Luke
writes ch. vi. >-2. 13. And it came to pafs in
thofe days, that, he' went out into a mountain
? 6 pray, and continued all night in prayer t&
God: or, in an oratory of God. And when
it was day, he called unto him his difciples.
And of them he chofe twelve,' whom alfo bt
named Apoftles. 'Indeed a right choice, of
the Apoftles of Chrift depended upon nb
lefs than infinite wifdom. And when ano^
ther was to be added to the eleven, after the
apoftafy, and death of Judas, they appointed
two, Jofeph called Barftibas, and Matthias:
And they prayed, and faid: Ihou, L-ord\,
which know eft the hearts of all men, fhew,
whether -of thefe two thoti haft chofen. Actsi.
23.24. 't|
7. Acts v.' 3. 4. Then Peter faid : Ana--
nias, why has Satan filled thy heart, to lye
unto the, Holy Ghofl, and to keep back part of
the price of the land f . . . Thou haft not tyed
¦unto men, but unto God . . . Then Peter faid
Unto her : [Sapphiraj How is it, that ye have
agreed together,, to tempt the Spirit of tb$\
Lord?
They
Chrifhrm non exfua voluntate apoftolos JegifTe, fed ex
nutu Patris, qui per Spiritum Sanctum tanto Jnunere
dignos candidates Filio demonftraveri*. J. D. Mi-
cbaelis Curse in Verfwnem Syr iacam Acluum dpofiohmm,
P. I.

The firft Poftfcript. 127
^ They tempted the Spirit of the Lord.
They acted, as if they had doubted of the
divine omnifcience, like the Ifraelites in the
wildernefs, of whom it is faid Pf. lxxviii.
,18. 19. 20. And they tempted God in their
heart, by afking meat for their In ft. They
faid : Can God furnifl a table in the wilder--
¦ nefs? ... Can he give bread alfo? Can he
provide flejh for his people? Aud as the Apo
ftles were plainly under an extraordinary di
vine influence and direction, when Ananias
and Sapphira attempted to impofe upon.
them by a falfe account, they were juftly
faid to lye to God himfelf, and not to .men
only.• Athanafius, fpeaking of this matter, -fays :
" So{i2j that he who lied to the Holy
Spirit, lied unto, God, who dwells in men
by his Spirit. For where the Spirit of God
is, there is God, As it is faid ;• Herehy know
, we, that God dwelleth in us, becaufe he has
given us of his Spirit." 1 John iv. 33,
8. Acts viii. 18. 19. And when Simon
faw, that through laying on of the Apoftles
hands the- Holy Ghoft was given, be offered
- 'them money, faying : Give me affo this power, that
"\ '
• fi2] *X2— 1 0 -i}/eoir«/*ei)Bf t« dy'm ¦smuftat*,. tu He£
lyiuiretTO; tu xarcnxistTi h oaifywrois -Siei t» ¦srvifAet.rts
RUT!?. "Ora j/ap lj-» to 'ErviufJUU 8ii9 eke? Eftv 0 Sj*
o'f.K. \. Aiban. De Incarnat. ei 'contr. Arian. n* 13-
'pfni. A;

128 The ft ft Poftfcript.
that on whomfoever I flail lay hands, be may
receive the Holy Ghofl.
Mr Le Moine explains this text in his
treatife on miracles, p. 189. " And when he
faw, 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 fame power."
So then, the Holy Ghofl, which was be
llowed upon believers by the Apoftles, was
the power of miracles, • or an extraordinary
power, by which the believers might per
form miraculous works.
9. Acts ix. 31. Then had the churches reft
throughout all Judea, and Galilee, and Sa
maria, and were edified. And walking in the
fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the
Holy Ghofl, were multiplied.
What is here faid of the churches does in
a great meafure co-incide with what we find
in ch. ii. 42. 43. and 46. 47.
. . and in the comfort of the Holy Ghoft.
tv 7-9? 'Fa.ptt.x,'Krlo-£i th ccylts •zs-vtufiuros. Which
might be rendred the patronage or affiftance
of the Holy Ghoft : agreeable to what our
Lord had promifed the difciples, as recorded
John xiv. 16.
Thefe words therefore may be now para-
phrafed in this manner. "Then had the
churches, in the feveral countreys here men
tioned, peace and tranquillity, being freed
from the perfecution, with which they had
beer*

The firfi Poftfcript. 129
been difturbed, and were more and more
confirmed in the faith. And continuing in
the devout -worfhip of God, and in the
fteady and amiable practife of virtue, and
likewife exercifing the miraculous gifts and
powers, with' which they had been favou
red, they were greatly encreafed with the
addition of numerous converts."
,\ Accordingly, there .follows in the remaining
part' of the chapter an account of. Peter's
;pafling throughout divers places, and com
ing, particularly, to Lydda, where he healed
Eneas, who had been long fick of the pal
fle. And all that dwelt at Lydda and Saron
faw him,-, recovered, and turned unto the
Lord. Afterwards Peter went to Joppa,
where bej-aifed to life Tabitha^ otherwife
named- Dorcas, . And it was known through
out Joppa: And many believed in the Lord.
. 10. Adts.xiii.- i . . 4. Now there were in
the church that- is - at Antioch certain prophets
and teachers, as Barnabas, and Simeon, that
-is called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and
ftfanaen, which had been brought up witp
Herod the Tetrarch, and Saul. As they
mniftred to . the Lord, and fafled, the~ Holy
Ghoft faid;. Separate me Barnabas and Sauf,
for* the work whereunto I have .called them],
.And when .they had fafled, and prayed, and
daid .their hands on them, thy fent thent
away. So they being fent forth by the Holy

130 The firft Poftfcript.
Ghoft, departed unto Seleucia, and thence they
failed to Cyprus.
" That is, whilft thofe prophets and
teachers were engaged with others in the
public worfhip of God, it [13] was re
vealed unto fome of them, that they fhould
fet apart Barnabas and Saul to a certain
work, for which God had , defigned them.
Which they did with prayer, and fading,
and laying on of their hands. And being
lent 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 be illuftrated by
them.
Acts xx. 22. 23. And now, behold, I go
bound, in the fpirit to Jerufalem, not know
ing the things that fhalt befall me there : fave
that the Holy Ghofl witnefleth in every city,
faying, that bonds and afflictions abide me.
That is, God had declared as much by the
mouth of Chriftian Prophets, in feveral ci
ties, through which the Apoftle had already
paffed. Which is agreeable to what St
Luke fays more particularly in the account
of what happened at Cefarea. ch. xxi. 10. 1 1.
And as we tarried there many days, there
came down from Judea a certain prophet, named
[13] ... dixit Spiritus Sanilus.] Per prophetas.
Grot, in loc.

The firft Poftfcript. 131
named Agabus. And when he came unto us,
be took Paul's girdle, and bound his own
hands and feet, and faid : Thus faith the
Holy Ghoft : So flail the. Jews at Jerufalem
bind the man that owns this girdle, and flail
deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.
St. Paul fpeaks of Timothie's having been
ordained out of a regard to fome prophe
cies concerning him. 1. Tim. i. 18. This
charge I commit unto thee, fon Timotbie, ac
cording to the prophecies, which went before
concerning tbee, that+thou by them mightefl
war a good warfare. And ch. iv. 14. Neg
lect not the gift that is in tbee, which was
given tbee by prophecie, with the laying on of
the bands of the prejbytery.
There were prophets, who, when under
infpiration, had faid fome things to the ad
vantage of Timotbie: by which the Apor
file had been encouraged to beftow upon
him eminent gifts, and to inflate him in an
important and ufeful office.
This enables us alfo to underftand what is
faid Acts xx. 28. Take beea I to your) elves, and
to the whole flock, over which the Holy Ghofl
has made you overfeers. They had been made
Bifhops by fome, who were infpired, or
who had been directed in their choice by
perfons fpeaking with infpiration.
So Barnabas and Saul were fent out from
Antioch, according to prophecie, with an
important commiffion. But their defigna-
K 2 tion

1 3 2 The firft. Poftfcript,
tion may have been more exprefs* andsfe*.
femn, than that of the others, juft takeh>
notice of by us.
n. Acts xv. 28. For it Jeemed- good unto'
ihe Holy Ghofl,. and to us, to lay upon you no-
greater burthen, than theje neceffarie things:
that is, [14J ".It has feemed good to us,
who have the Spirit of God, or are in
spired." • 12. Acts xix. 1 . . 6. And it- came -.to
pafs, that whilfl Apollos was at Corinth,
Paul having paffed, tbwough the upper coaft,.
came to Ephefus. And finding certain dif
ciples, he faid- unto them-z. Have yt received
the Holy Ghofl, fince ye .believed? And: they
faid unto him : We have not fo much as beards
whether there be any Holy Ghoft. And he
faid unto them a Unto what then were ye bap-.
ftizedl Anddhey faid : Unto John's baptifm.
Then faid Paul:. John verily baptized with
the baptifm of repentance, faying unto the
people, that they fhould believe on him which
fhould come jzfter him, that is, on Chrifl Je
fus.. When' they beard that, they were baptifed
in the name of the Lord Jefus. And when
Paul had laid his hands upon them, t-he, Holy?
Ghofl came upon them, and they fpake with
tongues-,
< [14] Vifum efl enim SpirituiSmffo, et nobis.'] Id eft, ,
npbis per Spiritum San&um, .!» Sm Svow. Grot, in loc.
Adeo ut verborum fenfus effe "videatur : Nobis qui
Spiritu San&o donati fumus, yifum efl. LimMfb. in
del. Apofi. p, 152, fin.

The-firfl Poftfcript. 133
tongues, and prophefled. And all the men
^were about twelve.
In the preceding chapter ver. 24. 25. we
are informed of a Jew named Apollos, born
at Alexandria, an eloquent man, and mighty
in the fcriptures, who came to Ephefus,-'  •
knowing only the baptifm of John. This like-
wife was the cafe of the men here fpoken of.
They were in Judea, when John preached,
or when he began to preach, and left it, be
fore our Lord appeared publicly. Or elfe
they had been inftructed by Apollos, or fome
other fuch perfon, who was not fully ac
quainted with the doctrine of Chrift. And
they knew nothing of the preaching of the
Apoftles,. and other^tranfactions at Jerufa
lem, and in Judea; after our Lord's af
cenfion. ,Dr Wall's explication of ver. 2. Critical
Notes upon the. N. T. p. 164. is this : "We
have-not fo much as heard, whether there be
any fuch powers, of prophefying, fpeakirtg
with tongues, &c. granted to thofe that be-
leve. Which interpretation feems to me to be
very right. Thefe .men did not know, or
had not heard, that there was then any ge
neral .pouring out of the Holy Ghoft, in
which they could, partake. They might
know, that a general effufion of extraordi-*
nary gifts had been foretold by the prophets,
as the privilege of the days of the Meffiah.
K $ But

1 34 t The firft Poftfcript:
But they had not heard, or been informed
by any, that fuch a thing was yet vouchfafed
to men : fo far were they from having re
ceived it themfelves.
And I fhould think, it muft appear evi
dent to all, that in this paragraph, the Holy
Ghoft, where- ever mentioned, that is, in
Paul's queftion, in the anfwer made by thefe
men, and in the Apoftle's following aflion,
denotes a power, a bleffing, a privilege, and
not a perfon.
Miraculous gifts being then very common,
and generally beftowed upon thofe; who
profeffed faith in Jefus Chrift, St Paul meet
ing with thefe men at Ephejiis, afks them :
Have ye received the Holy Ghofl, fince ye be
lieved? And they faid unto him: We have
net fo much as heard, that there is any Holy
Ghoft. And when Paul had laid his hands
upon them, the Holy Ghofl came upon them,
and they fpake with tongues, and prophefled :
that is, when he laid his hands upon them,
they received miraculous powers, and imme
diately fpake with tongues, and prophefled.
I fhall place below, in the margin, the
obfervations of [15] Grotius, and [16] Wit- ftus
[15] Si Spiritum Sanilum accepiftis credentes?] Spi
ritus Sanclus hie, et in fequentibus, ita ut Johannis vii.
34. funt dona ifta Ecclefiae Chriftianae refervata : quae
Paulus baud dubium quin pluribus vocibus defcripferit.
Sed neque ft Spiritus Sanclus efi, audivimus.] Non
audivimus dari nunc talia dona. Grot. adAcl. xix. 2.
[16J Quos interrogat, icauid Spiritum SancJumac- cepiffent,

The firft Poftfcript. 135
fius upon this text, who fpeak to the fame
purpofe, or not very differently.
13. Rom. xiv. 17. For the kingdom of
God is not meat and drink, but rigbteoufnefs,
peace, and joy in the Holy Ghofi.
The laft claufe, which fhould now be ex
plained by me, has been differently under-
ftood. Whitby, in his Annotations, fays,
M it fignifies an inward joy, arifing from the
confolations of the Holy Ghoft." And Le
Cterc, " The inward fatisfaction, which we
enjoy, when we live according to the fpirit
of the gofpel." Mr Locke, " joy in the
gifts and benefits of the Holy Ghoft under
the Gofpel."
But Grotius hereby underftands [17] "a
care and concern to exhilarate others, by the
K 4 gifts
cepiffent, pofiquam erediderunt. Mi vero negant, audi-
viffe fe, fitne Spiritus Sanclus. Refpondent ex cate-
chefi majorum, qua edocti erant, a morte Ezrae,
Haggaei, Zachariae, et Malachiae, Spiritum Sanclum
ab Ifraelitis efle ablatum. Porro, reftitutum efle, ne
gant fibi compertum. Palam eft, non de perfona Spi
ritus S. fed de flngularibus et vifibilibus illius donis
utrimque fermonem effe. Witf. De Vita Pauli Seel.
viii. p. 107.
[17 J Cura exhilarandi alios per dona Spiritus Sanfti,
non autem eos irritandi, quod modo dixit Au7tei».
Grot, in loc.
Limborch, in his Commentarie upon the epiftle to
the Romans, largely afferts the fame fenfe. Beatifobri
likewife, in a few words, finely illuftrates the text,
after this interpretation. I would alfo refer to Mr Jo-
feph Morris's Sermons, publifhed in 1743. particularly
hisfermons upon i.ThefT, v. 16. Rejoyce evermore.

536 The firft Poftfcript.
gifts of the Spirit." And confiders; it • .%%
oppofed to the grieving, offending, pro*
voking, our brother, fpoken of, and cau
tioned againft- at ver'. 15. * * • .
That this is, the Apoftle's intention, ap;
pears, I think, from the whole argument in
this, chapter, and in the begining of the
next, and particularly from the-neareft cotfr
text, both before and after. Peace is not in
ward quiet of mind,vbut ; peaceablenefs, a
love and ftudy' ef peace, and doing all "in*
our power to feoure and p-omote'it. Nor
does the Apoftle fpeak of the joy,-, which
we poffefs ourfelves, but of -that, w*hich we
ought to give to offers. So likewife Gal.
v. 22. The 'fruit' of the -Spirit- -is -love, joy,
peace, tong-fuff'ering. 'Where' joy is>joyned
with other virtues and duties toward our
neighbour. And cannot mean the fatisfac-
tiori, which" We'.feel b"orfelves,rbat the fatif-
faction, wjiich we. procure to others1,* : *'
St fPaul then here fays t- ',' The. kingdom
of God does^not confift in- fbch' things, a"?
meat and drink,- but "iii Ihe practife' of rigff-
teoufn^fs,vin ajove.and ftudy. of peace, and
care to pleafe and edify our brother by. a
mild a'hd'toridefcend'iRg behaviour, -and dif
courfes fuited to his capacity, according to
the doctrine of- ths~ gofpel, confirmed by
mighty works, anclknany' miraculous gifts?
and powers b'eftow'elwteon believers in ge\-
n.eral." Therefore .he' offers; tha.t" eajnefr,
prayer, ch. xj. 5., Now the Godof.paMence, and

TU firft Pojlfcript. 137
and confolation .grant you to be . like-minded
according to Chrift Jefus, That is, accord
ing to the will, and command of Chrift.
«v 7,4. In the. twelfth chapter, pf- the firil
epiftle to the Corinthians the Apoftle has a
long argument about fpiritual gifts, or JpU
ritual perfons, as; fome, underftand -the ex-
preffion in ver. 1. JJboI Sb tuv wveypocTiuuv.
Here, undoubtedly, are fome perfonalizing
expreflions. As ver. 11. But all thefe work
ed b that one and the felf -fame Spir it,. dividing
to* every one fever ally, as he will, But then
there are other expreflions, by which he
fhews, .that by the "Spirit he means a blef.
fing, a gift, a power.
f..Yer. 7. But the manifeflation Of the Spirit
is given every man to profit withall: " That
is, but the plentiful effufion of fpiritual
gifts, with which the Church of God is
now favored, is defigned for general good.
Ar^d every one is to exercife his own parti
cular gift in the way moft conducive to the
advantage of his brethren in Chrift."
^nd'yer. 13. For by one Spirit, are we
all- .baptized into one body, whether we be
Jews or Gentils, whether we. be bond or free.
And have been alt, made to drink into one
Spirit. So we tranflate the words. But I
fuppofe, they might he better rendred in
this manner, [18] For we have all been
baptized
v&» .%W iv h) ?rvsu/*«Tj dftsi; Wmf its tv

138 ^he firft Poftfcript.
baptized with one [19] Spirit, that tee
might be one body, whether we be Jews, or
Gentils, whether we be bond or free, and we
have been all made to drink into one Spirit.
All believers in Jefus Chrift, of every nation
and people, of every rank and condition,
had received the like or felf-fame fpiritual
gifts, that they might reckon themfelves to
be, and behave as one body : being all
united together in love and friendfhip, in
communion and worfhip. Moreover in the
fame context the Apoftle fays, ver. 6. And
there are diverfities of operations : but it is
the fame God, which worketh all in all. And
ver. 28. And God hath fet fome in the church,
firft Apofiles, fecondarily Prophets, thirdly
Teachers, after that Miracles, then gifts of
Healing, Helps, Governments, Diverfities of
Tongues. Many interpreters have fuppofed, that in
the phrafe, and have been all made to drink
into one Spirit, the Apoftle alludes to the
euchariftical cup. But I do not perceive
any good ground for it. I think, the Apo
ftle carries on the fame allufion. Men were
baptized with water. Receiving the Spirit in
rujua ICflMrno-fiji/usii , . - x«t warns its t" vvcujua tiro-
Ti'<r9sty*£v. [19] Matt. iii. n. / indeed baptize you with water
, . . But be that cometh after me Jhall baptize you with
the Holy Ghoft, and with fire. 'Autoj vpet; fionrrmt m>
vhv/koti iy'm, x«« wifi.

The firft Poftfcript. 139
in a plentiful effufion is called being baptized
with the Spirit. And the Spirit is compared
to water. John vii. 37 . . . 39. And fee
If. xliv. 3. Joel. ii. 18. and elfewhere. I
think, the Apoftle compares the Spirit, or
the plentifull effufion of fpiritual powers
and gifts, fuch as the Church of Chrift was
then favored with, to a fountain, or river.
We have all drunk at, and been refrefhed
out of <he fame fountain.
The Syriac verfion of the laft claufe of
this verfe is : And we have all drunk-in one
Spirit. Et omnes nos unum Spiritum im-
bibimus. The Latin verfion may be alfo
obferved : Et omnes in uno Spiritu potati
fumus. 1 5. I may take this opportunity, to con-
fider the difficult words of the third verfe of
this chapter. Wherefore 1 give you to under
ftand, that no manfpeaking by the Spirit of
God, calleth Jefus accurfed, or anathema:
and that no man can fay, that Jefus is the
Lord, but by the Holy Ghoft. " That is,
you may be allured, that man is not infpired,
whatever pretenfes he may make, who pro
nounces Jefus accurfed. Nor can any man
profefs faith in Jefus, as the Chrift and
Lord of all, under God the Father, and
recommend that faith to others, unlefs he
has been himfelf made partaker of miracu
lous powers and gifts, or feen miraculous
works performed by others in the name of
Jefus."

140' The firft Poftfcript.
Jefus." St:. John fpeaks to the like pur*
pofe. 1. ep. iv. 1 . . .3. -- * - • . . ,
.16. 2. Cor. iii. 17. 18. Now the Lord is
that Spirit. And where the Spirit of tk
Lord is, there is liberty. But -we all with
open face beholding as in a'glafs the glory of
the Lord, are changed into the fame image
from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of
the Lord. Or, as others choofe to render it,
by the Lord the Spirit. However, in' both
is the fame fenfe.
Dr Whitby will aflift us in 'explaining thefe
words. For in his Annotations upon ver. 7
: . . 11. of this chapter, he fays : " The
Glory of God, or of the Lord, in the Old
Teftament, imports a bright light, or flame
included in a cloud, ftiled the Cloud of Glory.
And becaufe this, whenever it appeared, was
a fymbol of God's glorious prefence, it is
Ailed by the Jews Schechinah, the Habitd*
tion. See Ex. Xvi. 7. 10. xl. 34. This
glory, faith the Author of Cofri, is the di
vine light, which God voucbfdfeth to his
people. By the Schechinah, fays Elias, we
underftand the Holy. Spirit. As it is evident
they do, in thefe fayings : The Schechinah
will not dwell with forrowfull or melancholy
men. Ihe Schechinah will only dwell with
a ftrdng, rich, wife, and humble man. The
Schechinah dvtells with the meek. And! the
like." We

Tb* firft Poftjcript. 1 41
We fhould now obferve the nearefiV con
text,- from ver. 12. Seeing then that %we
have fuch hope, or fuch confidence, and well-
grounded affurance, we, the Apoftles; of
Chrift, uje great plainnejs 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.
vail over his face. . . ver. 14. For untillthh
day remaineth the vail un taken away, in the
reading of the Old Teftament. Which vail
is done away in Chrifl. 1 5. But even unto
this day, when Mofes is read, the vail is up
on their hearts. ¦ 1 6. Neverthelefs, when if
Jhall turn unto the Lord, the vail flail be
taken away. 17. Now the Lord is that Spi*
rit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is,
there is liberty.
' ., Here is throughout an allufion to the hif-
tory of Mofes, aftenhis receiving from God,
the fecond time, the two tables of the law
in the, mount.
Ex- xxxiv. 29 K. . 34. And it came to
pafs, when Mofes came down from mount Si
nai . . . that Mofes wift- not, that the Jkin of
his face flone . . . And when Aaron, and all
the children of Ifrael, faw Mofes, behold the
flin of his face flone. And they were afraid
to come nigh him. And Mofes called ujito
him._ And Aaron, and all the rulers of- the
congregation returned unto him. And Mofes
tylked with them. Afterwards all the children
1 of

142 The firft Poftfcript.
of Ifrael came nigh. . . . And till Mofes had
done fpeaking unto them, he put a vail on his
face. But when Mofes went before the Lord,
to fpeak with him, he took the vail off, until
be came out.
That is what the Apoftle alludes to, when
he fays, ver. 16. 17. Neverthelefs, when it
jbail turn to the Lord, that is, when the
Jews fhall come to Chrift, and believe in
him, the vail flail be taken away. For
Mofes, when he went in, to appear before
the Lord, took off the vail. New 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 with
out a vail. Which is what is meant by thofc
words : And where the Spirit of the Lord is,
there is liberty.
Then it follows in ver. 1 8. But we all
with open face, beholding as in a glajs the
glory of the Lord, are changed into the fame
image, from glory to glory, even as by the Spi
rit of the Lord. " But it is not now with us,
as it was with the Ifraelites of old, who only
faw the face of Mofes through a vail, and
received no derivation of his glory upon
themfelves ; the brightnefs of it, having been
intercepted by the vail. No, it is not fo
with us. For now, we all, both Jews and
Gentils, who are followers of Jefus, and the
people of God, under the gofpel- difpenfa
tion, with open, or unvailed,/tff£, beholding as

The firft Poftfcript. 143
as in a mirrour the glory of the Lard, feeing
a ftrong and lively impreflion of the divine
glory in the perfon of Jefus Chrift, and his
gofpel r and there being a bright, and clear,
and ftrong refulgence of that glory upon us,
we are changed into the fame image from glory
to glory, as by the Spirit of the Lord: We
are transformed into the fame 1 ikenefs, which
is continually encreafing, and emproving.
And the impreflion, made upon us, is much
the fame, as if we were in the divine pre
fence, and faw the glory of God, with
as near and full a manifeftation, as can be
admitted in the prefent ftate."
17. 2. Cor. xiii. 14. The grace of our
Lord Jefus Chrifl, and the love of God, and
the communion of the Holy Ghofl, be with
you all. Amen.
The laft claufe may imply a with, that
thofe Chriftians might continue to partake
in miraculous 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.
Compare Matt. vii. 11. 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 communion in all the
bleffings of the gofpel, and all other needful
good things. 18.

f 44 f&t firfl Poftfcript:
- 1$. Eph. ii. 22. Inwhom'ye alfo'are'bnilifb.
ed* for an habitation"^, of God' through the
Spirit. '¦ . '¦ *.
Dr Jeremiah Hunt fhall explain the text
for us: [20] ' 
" I think, fays he, there is an expreflioii
made;ufe of in refpect to all believers hi ''the
firft age. Ye are the habitation of God through
the Spirit. We, Chriftians, are the habi
tation of God's Shechinah, the people, a*
mong' whom God dwells. Hedwek'as^a
political King with the Jews, by a fenfibli
fymbol of > his prefence. He dwelt with
Chriftian Societies, (when this doctrine was
firft planted,) by thofe extraordinary gifts of
the Spirit. That is fpoken of, in fuch
terms, as-- are made ufe of, to exprefs God's
inhabiting among the people of Ifrael. He
dwelt with the Jews in the tabernacle,; and
thetemple. He dwelt with Chriftians, irit
the firft eftablifhment of this religion, by
the extraordinary gifts, which he imparted
to the Apoftles, who were to found his doc
trine, and to eftablifh it. Thus far, ypu-
fee, we are free from enthufiafm."
CC'I- would farther " bbferve, Chrift pro-
mifeth thofe who believe in him; and keep
his commandments, that he would love them, and *
[20] See bis Sermon upon Communion with God: on
1. Jahni, 6. 7. VoJ. Hi, p- 426. 427.

The firft Poftfcript. 145
and that his Father would love them, and
that they would come, and make their abode
with them. John xiv. 21. 23. Thefe ex
preflions have been ufed in a wrong fenfe by
cnthufiafts. But the phrafes are fcriptural,
and eafie to be underftood. I 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 confer, I will induce you to be
lieve in me. You will then become the
habitation of my Father. He will have c om*
munion or fociety with you, by thofe gifts,
which he will enable me to impart, and by
which that doctrine fhall be confirmed, and
eftablifhed." Ther$ are divers other texts, where Chri
ftians 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 Jewifh people, and in the tem
ple at Jerufalem.
1.) 1 Cor. iii. 16. 17. Knew ye not, that
ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit
of God dwelleth in you. If any man defile
the temple of God, him fhall God deflroy. For
the temple of God is holy, which ye are.
2.) 1. Cor. vi. 19. What, know ye not,
that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghofl ±
which ye have of God !

2-1

146 The firft Poftfcript
3.) 2. Cor. vi. 16. And what agreement
bath the temple of God with idols ? Por ye are
the temple of the living God : as God hath
faid 1 I will dwell in them, and walk in them :
and I will be their God, and they flail be my
people. See Lev. xxvi. 11. 12.
I would obferve; that in the fecond of
thefe three texts the Apoftle feems to fpeak
of the Spirit, as a gift : Which, fays he, ye
have of God. Grotius fays, that the Holy
Ghoft here is the fame as the Schechinah. I
fliall place his note below. [21]
And upon the third, the laft cited text,
ye are the temple of the living God, he fays :
" Where [22] God dwells, there is a tem ple.
[2 1 J Spiritus Sanclus hie idem quod Sehekinah,
Numen Divinum in templo. Totus homo templum
Dei, fupra iii. 16. 17. Sed adytum eft mens hominis :.
arn'mi ceterae partes bafilica ternpli : corpus vero porti-
cus, cum fubdialibus. Bene hunc locum explicatTer- '
tullianus-libro de Cuhu Feminarum. Cum omnes tem
plum Jimus Dei, illato in nos et confecrato Spiritu SaniJo,
, ejus ternpli- aeditua et antifiiia Pudicitia eft, quae nihil
immundum ac profanum inferri finat, ne Deus ille, qui
inhabit at, inquinatam fed em offenfus derelinquat.
'Oj f%£Ti otiro flfs.] Spiritus ille a Deo eft multo
magis quam fplendor ille, qui apparebat interdum inter
Cherubinos. Conftrudtio eft Graeca, quae relativo
pronomini dat cafum praecedentem. Grot in loc.
[22] Vos enim eftis templum Dei vivi.J' Templum
efl, ubi Deus habitat. In pits habitat Deus per Spiri
tum Sandtum. Sunt igitur templum Dei. Idemfen-
fus 1. Cor. iii. 17. et yi. 19. Necfruftra addidit £uiito£,
<{uia dii gtntium erant homines mortui. Grot, in-loc*

The firft Poftfcript. 147
pie. God dwells in good men by his Spi
rit. They therefore are the temple of God.
Nor is it without reafon added living, Fof
the Gods of the Heathen were dead men."
19. The commonnefs of fpiritual gifts,
and the ends and ufes of them, appear from
many texts.
1.) Eph. i. 13. In whom^v? alfo trufled,
after that ye heard the word of truth, the
gofpel of your falvation : in whom alfo after
that ye believed, ye were fealed with that
Holy Spirit of promife : or, with that Holy
Spirit, which had been promifed.
Upon which text Mr. Locke remarks in
thefe words : " The Holy Ghoft was nei
ther promiled, nor given to the Heathens,
who were apoftates from God, and enemies,
but only to the people of God. And there
fore the converted Epheflans having received
it, might be affured thereby, that they were
now the people of God, and might reft^ fa-
tisfied in this pledge of it."
2.) Eph. ii. r8. For through him we both
have accefs by one Spirit unto the Father.
" For through him we are all encouraged
in our accefs to the Father, and are perfua-
ded of our acceptance with him : the like
miraculous gifts, which can come from
God only, having been beftowed equally
upon Jews and Gentiles."
3.) Eph. iv-. 30. And grieve not the Holy
Spirit of God', whereby ye are fated unto
L 2 the

148 The firft" Poftfcript.
the day of redemption : or rather, wherewith
ye were foaled in the day of redemption.
The miraculous gifts and powers bellowed
upon the Chriftian Church, in it's early
days, are enumerated in fcveral places. Rom.
xii. 6 . . 8. i. Cor. xii. i . . ii. 28 . . 30.
xiii. 1.2. xiv. Eph. iv. n. 12. And fee
Eph. v. 18 . . 20. Col. iii. 16. 1. Theff.
v. 19 . . 21.
Thefe gifts and powers, beftowed upon
the Apoftles, and others, foon after our
Lord's afcenfion, vindicated them, and jus
tified their preaching in his name, and ena
bled them to do it with fuccefs.
The pouring out of fuch gifts upon Cor
nelius, and his company, in an extraordina-
rie manner, immediately from heaven4 fatif-
fied the Apoftles, that Gentils might be re
ceived into the Church, as God's people,
upoji faith in Jefus Chrift, without taking
upon them the obfervation of the rituals of
the law of Mofes. Acts x. '44 . . 48. xii
15 . . 18.
And gifts of the Spirit were beftowed up^
oft many with the impofition of the hands
of the Apofiles. Which afforded great com
fort to them [23], as it fatisfied them, that
they -'were' received by God, as his people and
[23] Sic et dona ilk Dei, puta prophetiae, fanatio--
ne,s, linguae, ejectiones .daemonum, certos reddebant*
credentes, de paterna Dei: in fe bsnevolentia. Grot, iff
Epb. i. 13.

The firft Poftfcript. 149
and children. This appears in feveral textSf
Some more of which fhall be here alleged.
4.) Rom. i. 11. For 1 long to fee you, that
I may impart unto you fome fpiritual gift, to
the end you may be eftabiifhed, Comp. xv. 29.
5.) Rom. v. 5. And hope maketh not
afhamed, becaufe the love of God is (loed
abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghoft, which

is given to us.

tf) Rom.viii. 15 . .17. For ye have received
the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry : Ab
ba, Father. The Spirit itfelf beareth wit
nefs with our fpirits, that we are the children
of God. And if children, then heirs, heirs
of God, and joy nt heirs with Chrift. See al
io ver. 23. And compare Gal. iv. 5 . . 7.
7.) 1. Cor. vi. 11. And fuch wer-e fome
of you. But ye are wajhed, but ye are fanc-
tified, but ye are fuftifled, in the name of our
Lord Jefus Chrift, and by the Spirit of our
God, " That is, ye have been cleanfed,
and fanctified by the doctrine of Chrift, and
have be'en fully affured of your acceptance
with God, by the fpiritual gifts, conferred
upon you."
8.) 2. Cor. i. 21. 22. Now he which ef-
tablijheth us with you, in Chrift, and has
anointed us, is God. Who has alfo foaled us,
and given the earneft of his Spirit in our
hearts. 9.) 2. Cor. xi. 4. For, ij. he that cometh
fo you, preacbeth another Jefus, whom we
L 3 have

1 50 . Ihe firft Poftfcript.
have not preached-, or, if ye receive another
Spirit, which ye have not received: or ano
ther gojpel, which ye have not accepted, ye
Plight well bear with him.
By another Spirit the Apoftle cannot mean
another intelligent agent : but muft mean
greater and more excellent fpiritual gifts,
than, thofe, which 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 Spirit, than thofe you
have received from me." See 1. Cor. xii.
10.) Gal. iii. 2. This only would I learn
of you. Received ye the Spirit by the works
of the law, or by the hearing of faith !
This is paraphrafed by Mr Locke after this
manner. ,c This one thing 1 defire to know
pf you. Did you receive the miraculous
gifts of the Spirit by the works of tbe law,
or by the gofpel preached to you ?r?
11.) Ver. 5. He therefore that miniftreth
fo you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among
you, doth he it by ihe works of the law, or
by the hearing of faith ? Here again Mr
Locke's paraphrafe is this : " The gifts of
the Holy Ghoft that have been conferred up
on you, have they not been conferred upon you
[24] ft znitvft* triftv X«ju.£awe, 0 s'x foccSirt,
A,ut fj is vobis potiora dona Spiritus cohferre potuit,
(t'uain nos per manuum impofitionem vobis contulimus.
Grot, in !oi..

The firft Poftfcript. 151
you as Chriftians, profeffing faith in Jefus
Chrift, and not as obfervers of 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, how common
fpiritual gifts were in the churches of Chrift.
St Paul, in Eph. i. 13. cited juft now, ufeth
the expreffion, that holy Spirit of promife.
Our Lord's own words are : And behold, I
fend the promife of my Father upon you.
Luke xxiv. 49, Again, He commanded
them, that they fhould not depart from Jeru
falem, but wait for the promife of the Fa
ther : which, faid he, ye have heard of me.
Acts 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 meafure, than to others.
The promife of the Spirit is delivered by Je
fus himfelf, by his fore-runner, and by the
ancient Prophets, as the great bleffing of the
evangelical difpenfation, or the privilege of
the times of the Meffiah.
Says our Lord's fore-runner, I baptize
you with water. . . He fhall baptize with the
Holy Ghoft, and with fire, Matt. iii. 11.
Comp. Acts i. 5. xi. 16. Our Lord fays John
vii. 38. 39. He that believeth on me, as the
L 4 Scripture

"152 The fir [I Poftfcript.
Scripture hath faid, oat of his belly flail ft$w
rivers of living water . . , And, adds the
Evangelift : This he fpake of the Spirit,
which. they that believe on himftjould receive.
And Mark xvi. 17. 18. Thefe figns Jhall
follow them that believe. In my name Jhall
they caft out demons. They fhalt fpeak with
new tongues. They ftoall take up ferpents.
And if they drink any deadly thing, it fhall
not hurt them. They fhall lay hands on the
fick, and they fhall recover. For the pro-
mifes of the old Teftament, I need now
refer only to Acts ii. 16 . . 18. And St
Peter, directing and comforting thofe who
were much affected with his firft difcourfe
after Chrift's afcenfion, faid unto them: Reo
pen t, and be baptized every one of you in the
name of Jefus ¦ Chrift, for the remiffion of
fins. And ye ftoall receive the gift of the
Holy Ghoft, For the promife is to you, and
to your children, and to all that are afar off,
even as many, as the Lord our God fhall call.
ii. 38, 39. Again : And we are his witneffes
of thefe things. And fo alfo is the Holy
Ghofl, which God has given to them that obey
him. v. 32.
20. I fhall here put together fome of
thofe texts, which contain exhortations to
fuch as were partakers of the Holy Ghoft,
pr had been favored with fpiritual gifts, ,
I.) Eph, iv. 30. And grieve not the Holy
Spirit of God, whereby ye are foaled unto the
day

The firft Poftfcript. 153
day of redemption. Or, with which ye were
foaled in the day of redemption. This text
was quoted before, upon another account.
Here may be a reference to If. lxiii. 10.
By the Spirit of God the Apoftle means
thofe powers and gifts, with which thofe
Chriftians had been foaled : and by which
they might be known, both to themfelves
and others, to be the people of God. See
Eph. i. 13. 14. In the preceding and fol
lowing verfes the Apoftle cautions the Ephe-
flans to avoid every thing, 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 communication proceed
out of your mouth . . . Let all bit'ternefs, and
wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil-
fpeaking, be put away from you, with all ma
lice. 2.) Eph, v. 18. 19. And be not drunk
with wine, wherein ii excefs : but be filled
with the Spirit, fpeakingto yourf elves in pf alms,
and hymns, and fpiritual fongs, finging, and
making melodie in your heart to the Lord.
t' That is, be careful not to be drunk with
wine, in which men are too liable to ex
ceed. But, when you are difpofed to be
chearful, gratify and entertain yourfelves
and others, with a free exercife of the fpi
ritual gifts, wherewith God has bleffed you."
Comp. Col. iv, 16. 3')

154 The firft Poftfcript.
3.) 1. Theff. v. 19 . . 22. Quench not the
Spirit. Defpife not prophefyings. Prove all
things. Hold faft that which is good. Ab-
ftain from all appearance of evil.
" Quench not, nor damp the fpiritual
gifts, with which you have been favored,
either by a neglect of any pf them, or by
an irregular exercife of them, or by the in
dulgence of any fin. And efpecially, do
,notdefpife, but cherifli, and highly tfteem
the gift of prophefying, or fpeaking by in
fpiration for the inftruction. and edification
of the church. And be fure, that you take
heed to, and examine what is propofed to
you in your public affemblies. Embrace
whatever is right and good, and reject every
thing that is evil."
The comment of Grotius upon thofe
words, Quench not the Spirit, is to this pur-
pofe. [25] By the Spirit are meant the
gifts of healing, and of tongues, which are
fitly compared to fire. And therefore may
be faid to beflirred upf as in 2. Tim. i. 6.
and
[25] To 7irv£u/*« f*nv o-6/wim.] Spiritus hie funt do
na fanationum et linguarum, quae ficut in ignis forma
data eranr, ita igni recte comparantur* ac proinde di-
cuntur, exfufiitari. 2. Tim. i. 6. et contra exftingui.
Sufcitantur precibus, gratiarum-adtione, ac perpetuo
Audio pietatis. Exjiinguuntur per contraria. Nam in
Novo Teftamento, maxime poft conftitutas ecclefias,
Deus ilia dona non vult dare aut fervare, nifi credenti?
bus, et pie viventibus. Vide Marc. xvi. 17. Grot.
in loc.

Theflrft Poftfcript. 155
and on the other hand to be exftinguijhed.
They are flirred up by prayer, giving of
thanks, anrl a continued regular practife of
piety. And are exftinguifhed by the con-
trarie. For God, under the evangelical dif
penfation, does not vouchfafe, cr at left
continue thofe gifts to any but fuch as be
lieve, and live pioufly. See Mark xvi. 17."
And Wolflus fays, that [26] by the Spirit,
undoubtedly, are meant gifts of the Spirit,
who is fometimes compared to fire, as 2.
Tim. i. 6.
The Apoftle having delivered that direc
tion, Quench not the Spirit, relating to fpi
ritual gifts in general, adds a particular cau
tion, defpife not prnphefyings, becaufe, though
it was the moft ufeful, and valuable gift of
all, fome, as it feems, were apt to prefer
fpeaking with tongues, as a more fhewy gift.
This may be collected from what he writes
2. Cor. xiv. And fee particularly ver. 39.
Abftainfrom all appearance of evil. Many
underftand this to be a direction, relating to
practife in life, agreeably to our verfion :
that Chriftians fhould not only abftain from
what is really, and manifeftly evil, but alfo
irom eyery thing that has but the appearance of
[26] Quod ad rem fpe<5t-ar, to W?vjt*« omnia funt
4ona Spiritus S. qui cum igne folet comparari, quo
fenfu Paulus 2. Tim. i. 6. dvocCfiivvfiiv to p^«p»<r^*et Sea
jubet. fVolf. Curae. in i. Th. v. 19.

156 The firft Poftfcript.
of being evil. And fo Grotius underftood this
claufe [27]. But to me it feems, that this laft
claufe is to be underftood, in connection with
the former part, prove, all things : and that
it is intended to direct the right exercife of
the judgement. Chriftians fhould examine
all things propofed to them, embracing what
is right, and rejecting every thing that is
wrong. So this exhortation was underftood
by Pelagius [28]. And Grotius himfelf in-,
terprets the former expreflions, prove all
things, and hold faft that which is good, in
the like manner. [29]
4.) 1. Tim. iv. 14. Neglect not the gift
that is in tbee, which was given thee by pro
phecie, with the laying on of the hands of
the preflytery.
5.) 2. Tim. i. 6. Wherefore I put thee in
remembrance, that thou ftir up the gift of
God,
£27] 'Atto tsocvtqs 'ito%; wovwps airi%eri.] Chriftiani
non a rebus malis tantum, fed ab iis, quae fpeciem h'a-
bent mail, abftinere debent. Exemplum vide 1. Cor. viii.
10. Grot, in 1. Thejf. v. 22.
[28] Tantum, ut probetis, fi Legi non funt con
traria, quae dicuntur : fi quid tale fuerit, refutate. Pe-.
lag. in 1. Thejf. v. 21. 22. Ap. Hieron. Opp. T. v. p.
1082. [29] Ila'tiTa <3«cijt*a£oiiTSf, to itaXo\ y-ocri^irt.
Hoc pertinet ad Stootptints •Brusu/x.aTwv. 1. Cor. xii. xiv.
Sic 1. Joh. iv. 1. AaxlfAol^ere ra. vvivpxTx . • . Ergo
wesVr*, omnia, hie reftringendum ex antecedente ad ea
quae dicuntur ab eis, qui fe Prophetas di&itant. Grot.
ad ver, 21.

The firft Poftfcript. 157
God, which is in thee by the 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 directions for
regulating the exercife of fpiritual gifts, with
which that church abounded. It is fufiicient
for me to refer to them. There are like-
wife in other epiftles of the New Teftament
divers exhortations to Chriftians in regard to
the gifts, with which they were favored ;
as Rom. xii. 3 . . . 8. 1. Pet. iv. 10. 11.
21. 1. Theff. i. 5. For our gofpel came
not unto you in word only, but alfo in power,
and in the Holy Ghoft, and in much affurance
. . . 6. And ye became followers of us, and of
the Lord, having received the word in much
affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghofl.
The explication of this text fhall be taken
from Dr Benfon's Paraphrafe on the epiftle.
" In as much as the gofpel, preached by us,
did not come unto you in word only : but
was accompanied alfo with a miraculous
power, and with our imparting unto you
the Holy Spirit, and with full and abundant
conviction to your minds."
. . " And we can bear witnefs to your
amiable behaviour. For you became imita
tors of us, and of the Lord Jefus Chrift :
in that you fteadily adhered to the truth,
amidft great difficulties and difcouragements, after

158 The firft Poftfcnpt,>
after you- had received the gofpel, in much
affliction, with the joy, which arifeth from
your having the Holy- Spirit." The fame
learned writer, in hi,s note upon the fifth
verfe, fays: " By power I underftand the
power of working miracles, exerted by the
Apoftle, or his Afliftants. And by the Holy
Ghofl, or Holy Spirit, I underftand the gift
of the Spirit, as imparted to the Tbeffalo-

nians.

22. Hebr. ix. 14. How much more fhall
the bloud of Chrift, who through the eternal
Spirit offered himfelf without fpot to God,
purge your conjcience from dead works, to
ferve the living God?
Dr Whitby, in his Annotations upon Hebr.
v.- 5. fays, that Chrift was by his death con-
fecrated to his priefthood, and dates the
commencement of our Lord's priefthood at
his refurrection. This fentiment has been
much emproved by the late Mr Thomas Moore
in his Difeourfe concerning the Priefthood
of Chrift. I may refer to one place parti
cularly, where he fays, " The time, when
Jefus was called to,, and invefted with the
order of priefthood, was at his refurrection
from the dead." Which he argues from
Hebr. v. 10. compared with Ac\s xiii. 3.3.
See him p. 11. 12. 13.
That may be the key to this text. Howe
ver, there are fome other interpreters, who
ha.va well explained it, as we fhall- fee pre-
fently,

The firft Poftftript. 159
fently, though they have not fo diflinctly
fettled the date of Chrift's priefthood.
How much more Jhall the bloud of Chrift,
who through the eternal Spirit offered himfelf
without fpot to God, purge your confidence . , f
When our Lord offeree! himfelf to God,
or prefented himfelf before God, he was
rifen from the dead, and had obtained ever
lafting life, to dye 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
priefthood is fpoken of, it is faid : The Lord
has fworn, and will not repent : Thou art a
priefi for ever, after the order of Melchife-
dec. 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. 11.
And at ver. 24. 25. But this man, becaufe
he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable
priefthood. Wherefore he is able alfo to fave
them to the uttermoft, that come unto God by
him : feeing he ever liveth to make intercefflon
for them. And ver. 15. 16. of the fame
chapter: For that after the fimilitude of Mel-
chijedec there arifeth another priefi, who is
made, not after the law of a carnal command
ment, but after the power of an endlefs life.
And eh. v. 9. And being made perfect, he
became the author of eternal falvation to them
that obey him. And ver. 12. of this ch. ix.
Juft before the text, which we are now con-
fidering,

i6o The firft Poftfcript.
fidering, he fpeaks of Chrift's having ob
tained eternal redemption for us. and ver. 1 5.
-r-that they which are called might receive
the promife of eternal inheritance. And in
1. 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 entred
into heaven itfelf. ix. 24. that is, the true
Holy of Holies, by his own never dying
fpirit, or by the power of an endlefs life, vii.
16. he offered himfelf to God, or prefented
himfelf before God, having been innocent,
and unfpotted in his whole life on earth, and
being now made perfect, and higher than the
heavens." Ch. v. o. and vii. 26. 28.
Which is very agreeable to the an nota-,
tions of Grotius upon this verfe. [30] There
[30] Oblatio autem Chrifti hie intelligitur ilia, quae
oblationi legali in adyto factae refpondet. Ea' autem eft
non oblatio in altari crucis facta, fed facta in adyto
coelefti. Facia autem ibi eft, per Spiritum coelejlem,
aut, ut ante dixit vii. 16. per vim vitae indijfolubilis,
quia fpiritus ejus jam non erat vivens tantum, ut in
vita hac terrena, fed in aeternum corpus fibi adjumShim,
vivificans. i. Cor. xv. 45. . . Ai« hie fume, ut fupra
ver. 12. pro praepofitione cum, quomodo et Hebraeum
3 poni folet. Intelligitur hinc dignitas oblationis, quod
earn fecit is, qui jam fpiritu et eorpore erat immortalis.
Sanguini autem purgatio ifta tribuitur, quia per fangui-
nem, id eft, mortem Chrifti, fecuta ejus excitatione et
evedtione, gignitur in nobis fides. Rom. iii. 25. . . Cum
dicit «/*w/*9v, refpicit legem victimarum Lev.'xxii. 20.
• " In

The firft Poftfcript. i6i
There are fome others likewife, who have
fo pertinently criticifed upon this text, that
I am willing to tranfcribe their remarks be
low, for the fake of intelligent readers; [31J
M 23.
i . . In victimis legalibus nullum debebat effe corporis
vitium : In Chrifti vita nihil fuit vitiofum. Et ideo
Spiritu illo aeterno donatus eft. Grot. Annot. in Hebr.
ix. 14.
[31] "O? Stoi •n-vEup.aToj aifcvis.] Qui a mortuis
fufcitatus, cum fpirituali et immortali eorpore (quod an
tequam in coelefte tabernaculum ingrederetur, accepit,)
omnis infirmitatis et patibilitatis labe, quae mortali na
turae inhae'rent, purgatum femetipfum obtulit Deo,
fedens ad dexteram majeftatis ejus in coelis. Brenius
in loc.
Chriftum autem, cujus fanguinerri opporiit fanguini
taurorum et hircorurh, defcribit, quod per fpiritum ae
ternum feipfum Deo immaculatum obtulerit, Chrifto jam
e mortuis fufcitato tribuit fpiritum aeternum : quia poft
refufcitationem anima ejus non amplius eft anima vivens,
fed fpiritus vivificans. i. Cor. xv. 45. diciturque habe
re vitam indiflblubilem, fupra, vii. 16. et in aeternum
manere. ver. 24. Vivit ergo in omnem aeternitatem,
, ut fit aeternus Pontifex. Chriftus nimirum fanguinem
fuum, tanquam vidtima, in cruce effudit, et cum ifto
fanguine, id eft, virtute illius fanguinis^ jam e mortuis
fufcitatus, et fpiritus vivificus ac aeturnus, feipfum in
coelis obtulit Deo, id eft, coram Deo pro nobis com-
pumit. Dicitur autern hie, fe obiulijfe immacidatum, non tan
tum refpeftu vitae fuae, quam hie in terrib degit, qua
tenus fine ulla peccati labe vixit. 1. Pet. ii. 22. 2. Cor.
v. 21. fed et refpectu flatus illius coeleftis, quo nunc
fruitur, ab omni infirmitate, cui hie in terris in ftatu
humiliationis obnoxius fuit, adeo ut nihil in ipfo, ut
aeternus fit Pontifex, defiderari pomt. Vid. cap. vii. 26.
Ph. Limborch in Ep. ad. Hebr. Cap. ix. 14.

162 The fir f Poftfcript .
23. Hebr. x. 28. 29. He that defpiftd
Mofes law, died without mercy, under two
or three witneffes. Of how much forer pu-
niftMent, fuppofe ye, fhall he be thought wor
thy, who has troden under foot the Son of
God, and has counted the bloud of the cove
nant, wherewith he was fanctified, an unholy
thing, and has done defpite unto the Spirit of
Grace ?
The cafe here fuppofed is that of apoftafy
from the Chriftian faith. The perfons in
tended are fuch as thofe fpoken of ch. vi.
4. who had tafted of the heavenly gift, and
were partakers of the Holy Ghoft. And one
of the aggravations of their apoftafy is, that
they had done defpite to the Spirit of grace :
or rejected, and caft reproach upon that
great evidence of the truth of the Chriftian
Religion, the miraculous gifts, which God
had moft gracioufly beftowed upon them
felves, and others. So [32] Grotius. And
Limborch expreffeth himfelf to the like pur-
Pofe- [33] 24.
[32] K«l to zmHufjkcc rns y^dftros lwGpi<rx( : et Spi-
ritui gratiae contumeliamfecerit.] Spiritum ilium, quern
fummo Dei beneficio acceperat, contumelia affici-
<ns : nullius pretii aeftimans tantum donum, quo fe
Jpfe ait privatum. Grot, in loc.
[33] Tertium. Et Spiritum gratiae contumelia af-
fecit. Spiritus gratiae eft fpiritus ille, qui in initio
praedicationis Evangelii datus fuit credentibus, ad con-
tirmationem divinitatis evangelii ; nimirum dona ilia
extra-

The firft Poftfcript. 163
24. John v. 5 ... 10. Who is he that
overcometb the world, but he that believeth,
that Jefus is the Son of God? This is he that
came by water and bloud, even Jefus Chrifti
not by water only, but by water and bloud.
And it is the Spirit that beareth witnefs, be
caufe the Spirit is truth. For there are three
that bear witnefs : the Spirit, and the water,
and the bloud. And thefe three agree in one.
If we receive the witnefs of men, the witnefs
of God is greater : For this is the witnefs of
God, which he has teftified of his Son. He
that believeth on the Son of God, hath the
witnefs in himfelf. He that believeth not
God, hath made him a liar, becaufe he be
lieveth 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 modern, printed copies :
which, indeed, deferve not any regard.
Some have paraphrafed the former part of
ver. 6. in this manner. " Now that this
Jefus Chrift was a real man, and died, we
have the utmoft teftimony. For I my-felf,
M 2 when
extraordinaria Spiritus Sancti, quae paffim. in A&is e^
Epiftolis Apoftolorum in credentes effufa legimus. Qui
vocatur Spiritus gratiae, tum quia ex gratia divina cre
dentibus datus eft: tum quia per ilium obfignata fuit
divinitas doclrinae Jefu Chrifti, in qua maxima et ex-
cellentiflima Dei gratia patefacta eft. Limb, in Ep, ad
Hebr. p. 667.

164 Theflrft Poftfcript.
when he expired on the crofs, faw his fide
pierced with a fpear, and bloud and water
gufh out at the wound: which are two de
termining proofs', that he really died." Sup«-
pofing, that here is a reference to what is
related in St John's Gofpel. xix. 34. 35.
But that is manifeftly a weak and arbitra<-
ry interpretation. [34] St John is not here
obferving the proofs of our Lord's real hu
manity, but of his being the Son of God,
the Meffiah.
To me it feems, that the water, an em
blem of purity, [Ezek. xxxvi. 25.] denotes
the innocence of our Lord's life, which was
without fpot, and exemprarie : and the rea<-
fonablenefs, excellence, and perfedion of
his doctrine, which, after the ftricteft exa
mination, and niceft fcrutiny, cannot be
charged with any errour or falfhood. The
bloud denotes our Lord's willing and patient,
though painful and ignominious death, the
utmoft teftimony, that can be given of in
tegrity. The Spirit intends our Lord's
many miraculous works, wrought by the
Spirit, the finger, the power of God, or
God himfelf. This teftimonie is truth, that
is, exceeding true, fo that it may be relied
upon.
[34J And yet it is followed by the late Mr Wetflein :
Probavit fe non phantafma, fed verum hominem efle,
(liii ex fpiritu, fanguine, et aqua feu humore conftareU
joh. xix. 34. 35. J. J. IVetften in he. p. 721.

The firft Poftfcript. v 165
upon. For it is unqueftionable, and can
not be gainfayed. See John v. 32 . . . 37.
x. 25. Acts ii. 22.
Here are three witneffes [35]. And they
agree in one, They are harmonious, all fay
ing the fame thing, and concurring in the
fame teftimonie.
The Apoftle adds ver. 9. If we receive
the witnefs of men, the witnefs of God is
greater : referring to the appointment in the
law of Mofes, that by the mouth of two or
three witneffes any matter might be eflablifhed.
Deut. xvii. 6. and xix. 75. Whatsoever was
attefted by two or three men, was deemed
true and certain. In the point before us
there are three moft credible witneffes, one
of whom is God himfelf. Refufing this tef
timonie therefore would be the fame, as
making God a liar, or charging him with
giving falfe evidence, and with a defign to
deceive, and impofe upon his creatures. He
that believeth not God, hath made Him a liar,
becaufe he believeth not the teflimony, which
God giveth of his Son.
M 3 This
I35-J rtOrj Tr^'> *«"Jv at juapTupam?. x. A. ' I fhall
here put down a fimilar expreffion of the Sophift Aeli-
us Ariftides, in the fecond centurie. Oration. T. i. p.
146. edit. Jebb. al. p. 272. Tpsif yxf tta-vi 01 ptxprv-
.(Wotyres ¦erafx^vfAoi A^nvdtm T»ra» rriv vUnv, A8«v«to(,
Aa/KiSxty.mot, BotUTot.

166 The firft Poftfcript:
This interpretation is the fame, as that in
Grotius [ 36 J, or not very different.
25. Rev. xxii. 17. And the Spirit and
the Bride fay : Come. " That is, fays [37]
Grotius, men, who are endowed with fpi
ritual *|ifts."
Mr Pyle's paraphrafe is this : " The
whole body of truly good Chriftians, who
are the true church and fpoufe of Chrift."
And in his notes he fays. " The Spirit and.
the Bride, or the fpiritual Bride, that is,
the true church of Chrift. Thus grace and
truth is a truth conveying the greateft fa
vour. John i. 1 7. Glory and Virtue is glo
rious virtue or power. 1. Pet. i. 3. kingdom
and glory, a glorious kingdom. 1. Theff. ii.
12. Had the generality of Commentators
obferved this, they would not have had oc-
cafion to interpret this of the Holy Spirit of
God, wifhing, and praying for the coming of
Chrift's kingdom, in the fame manner, and
with the fame ardency, as St John, and the
Chriftian Church here does. Which to me
feems very incongruous." So Mr Pyle
whofe interpretation is approved by Mr
Lowman. Brenius
[36] Et in epiftola 1. Joh. v. 8. Aqua eft puritas
vitae ,Chriftianae, quae fimul cum martyrio, etmiracu-
lis, teftimonium.reddit veritati dogmatis. Grot. Ann,
in Joh. iii. 5.
[37J Id eft, viri propheticis donis clari. Vide fimra.
ver. 6. Eft abftractum pro concrete: Spiritus pro ha-
fcentibus Spiritum. Dicunt : Fent. &c. Grot, in loc.

The firft Poftfcript. 167
Brenius [38] is not very different. Or,
ps fome [39] other Interpreters exprefs it :
" The Spirit and the Bride: that is, the
Church animated by the Spirit, and ardently
longing for the coming of Chrift."
Every one may perceive, that we have
been difcourfing of miraculous gifts and
powers : which now are, and for a long
time have been commonly called extraordi
nary gifts of the Spirit. Thefe are not
faving. They who received fuch gifts after
baptifm, and profeffion of faith in Jefus
Chrift, were thereby fatisfied, that the doc
trine of Chrift was true, and from heaven.
And they were affured, that if they acted
according to that faith, they might be faved,
without obferving the peculiarities of the law
of Mofes. But fuch gifts alone were not
faving, without fincere virtue, and the prac
tife of a good life.
So fays St Paul 1. Cor. xiii. 1.2. But co
vet earnefily the beft gifts, rd. xxplo-fiaTot t«
xpuTTom. And yet flew 1 unto you a more ex
cellent way. Though I fpeak with the tongues
M 4 of
[38] Spiritus qui eft in Sponsa, vel Sponfa per Spi
ritum, qui In ipsa refidet, dicit : id eft, credentium om
nium vota, tum feparatim tum conjunctim, hoc idem
contendunt. Bren, in loc.
[39] C'eft a dire, l'Epoufe, qui eft l'Eglife amines
du S. Efprit, et foupirant ardemment apres l'apparition
de J. Q, Lenf. et, Beauf,

1 68 Tie firft Poftfcript.
of men and angels, and have not charity, f
am become as founding brafs, or a tinkling
cymbal. And though I have the gift oj pro
phecy, and underftand all myfteries, and all
knowledge : and. though I have all faith, fo.
that 1 could remove mountains, and have not
charity, I am nothing. The fame might be
faid of the neceffity of fobriety, and humi
lity, and megknefs, or any other virtue,
that is there faid of charity, or love. And
perhaps all focial virtue is comprehended by
the Apoftle in the one virtue here mentioned
by him. For in another place he fays : Love.
is the fulfilling of the law. Rom-, xiii. 8 . . .
ip. And that all virtues ought to be joyned
together, and carefully cultivated by thofe
who make a profeflipn of the Chriftian Re
ligion, is fhewn by St Peter. And befide
this, fays he, giving all diligence, add to
your faith virtue, or fortitude, and to virtue
knowledge, and to knowledge temperance, and
to temperance patience, and to patience god-
linefs, and to godiinefs brotherly-kindnefs . . .
For fo an entrance fhall be minifired to you
abundantly into the everlafting kingdom of our
Lord and Saviour J fus Chrift. 2. Pet. i. 5
... 10. I have now finifhed what I
Gonchfion. propofed at the begining of this
Poftfcript, having explained^ acT
cording

The firft Poftfcript. 169
cording to my ability, thofe words, the Spi
rit, the Holy Spirit, and the Spirit of God,
as ufed in the Scriptures.
Many of the interpretations, which have
been given by me, will be readily affented
to by all. If any others fhould not be ap
proved of at firft, I hope, no offenfe needs
to be taken. I do not dictate: but with
humility and deference recommend thefe
thoughts to the confideration of my brethren
in Chrift Jefus.
It becomes us all to examine the doc
trines, which are propofed to us. We fhould
not be Chriftians and Proteftants upon the
fame grounds, that others are Mahometans
and Papifts : barely becaufe fuch or fuch
opinions are generally received, and eftablifti-
ed in the countrey, where we live.
Our bleffed Lord and his Apoftles have
forewarned us, that men would arife, teach
ing perverfe things, that tares would be
mingled with the good grain, and errour
with truth. The event has been according
ly. If there are any notions concerning a
Trinity of Divine ^Perfons, which are not
right and juft : if tranfubftantiation is not a
reafbnable and fcriptural doctrine : if the
worfhip of angels, and departed faints, and
pf their images, is not required, and com
manded, but condemned and forbidden in
the Old and New Teftament: it muft be
'ajlowed, that corruptions have been brought into

170 The firft Poftfcript.
into the Chriftian Church.. For fuch things
there are among thofe, who are called
Chriftians. What is to be done in this cafe ? Are they,
who difcern fuch corruptions, obliged to ac-
quiefce ? Would it be fin, to fhew, how
unreafonable and unfcriptural fuch things
are ?„ I do not fee, how this can be faid,
provided it be done with meeknefs and gen-
tlenefs. Plato, in his Timaeus, fays, " Tbat [40}
it is very difficult to find out the author and
parent of the univerfe, and when found, it
is impofflble to declare him to all." Cicero,
who tranflated that work of Plato into La
tin, renders the laft claufe, as if Plato had
faid: " When [41] you have found him, it
is unlawfull to declare him to the vulgar."
Perhaps^ that was Cicero's own fentiment.
Being a Statefman, and Politician, as well
as a Philofopher, he might be more con
cerned for peace than truth. A multitude
of deities being the prevailing belief, he was
afraid to oppofe the prejudices of the people,
who might be offended at the doctrine of
the Divine Unity with it's confequences. But

[40] Ton pt\v ?u Tzowrnv itasi TrarrkfOt, m Si m zt&vto;
tvftlV T£ fyyOV, X«» lllpOVTflS, It? 'B'GSVTflSf olSvMTOV AeJ<£IV.
Platan. Timaeus. p. 28. T. 3, Serran. et ap. Fair.
p. 336.
[4 1 J — — et cum jam inveneris, indicare in vulgus,
aefas.

The firft Poftfcript. 171
But fo it fhould not be among Chriftians,
who, befide the light of nature, have alfo
the light of revelation.
Says the Pfalmift : In Judah is God
known. His name is great in Ifrael. Pf.
Ixxvi. 1. It was their great privilege, and
happinefs, that God was known among
them, and worfhiped,. and ferved by them :
when Heathen people were ignorant of the
true God, and worfhiped fenflefs idols. That
diftinction was owing to the revelation,
which God had made of himfelf to Abra
ham, and his defcendents. Which benefit
we alfo now enjoy, together wich the clearer
and fuller revelation of God and his will,
which has been made by our bleffed Saviour,
the promifed Meffiah. See John i. 18. iv.
23. 24. xvii. 25. 26.
Says that moft excellent teacher of men
in an addrefs to the Father : And this is life
eternal, that they might know thee the only
true God, and Jefus Chrifl, whom thou hafl
font. John xvii. 3.
The right knowledge of God and Chrift,
therefore muft be the greateft of bleflings,and
(hould be fought after in the firft place, and
be prized above all things. And where-ever
the benefit of it is obstructed by wrong no
tions, it may be the duty of fome to give,
and of others to receive inftruction : that
God may be glorified, and men may be edi
fied, and faved. The

172 The firft Poftfcript:-
The Scriptures are acknowledged to be the
fountain of religious knowledge. Accord
ingly fome there have been among us, and
in our own times, who have endeavoured to
give a clear account of the Scripture-Doc
trine concerning God and Chrift : men of
unqueftioned piety, and eminent for natural
and acquired abilities. And though their
fchemes have not been exactly the fame, and
they have not all had equal fuccefs and ac
ceptance, it muft be acknowledged, that their
writings'' h*ve been very ufeful. They have
kept up, and cherifhed a fpirit of inquiry
and thoughtfulnefs in things of religion.
And they nave promoted knowledge, mode
ration, candour and equity among Chriftians.
And may fuch excellent difpofitions prevail
among us yet more and more i
Saith the venerable Dr Sherlock, Biftiop of
London in the fourth volume [42] of his
Difcourfes, lately publifhed, p. 321. 322.
" From thefe things laid together it is evi
dent, that the Apoftles were witneffes and
teachers of the faith, and had no authority
to add any thing to the doctrine of Chrift,
or to declare new articles of faith."
" Now if the Apoftles, commiffioned
directly by Chrift himfelf, and fupported
by miraculous gifts of the Spirit, had not
this
[42J It is the xii. Difcourfe in that volume. The
text is the epiftle of St Jude. ver. 3. latter part.

The firft Poftfcript. 173
this power, can . any of their fucceffors in
the government of the Church, without
great impiety, pretend to it ? Did the Bi-
fhops and Clergy of the ninth and tenth
centuries know the articles of the faith bet
ter than the Apoftles did ? Of were they
more powerfully aflifted by the Holy Spi
rit ? No Chriftian can think it, or fay it.
Whence 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 deftruction who re
ceive them not ? Can any fober, ferious
Chriftian truft himfelf to fuch guides, and
not tremble, when he reads the woe de
nounced by St Paul : Though we, or an an
gel from heaven, preach any other gofpel ...
let him be accurfed? Gal. i. 8."
Certainly, that is a noble declaration, and
well deferving the regard of all Chriftians.
His Lordfbip here allows, or even afferts
the rights of private judgement. He fup-
pofes, that common Chriftians, who have
no (hare in the government of the Chureh, are
able to underftand the do&rine delivered by
the Apoftles, and the determinations of Bi-
fhops, and to compare them together, and
to difcern, wherein they differ. And he al
lows us to reject new articles, not delivered
and taught by Chrift's Apoftles. And ftrong-
ly represents to us the great hazard of truft- ing

174 The firft Poftfcript '.
**## to fuch affuming-g-K/'/fcr, as make and im
pofe new articles of faith.
If we may judge of articles, taught by
the Bifhops and Clergy of the ninth and
tenth centuries ; we may for the fame rea
fon judge concerning thofe decreed by the
Bifhops and Clergy of the fourth and fifth
centuries . . For neither were they Apoftles,
but at the utmoft no more than fucceffors of
the Apoftles. And if it fhould appear, that
they taught and recommended any articles,
which are no part of the faith, once delivered
to the faints by Chrift's Apoftles, fuch arti
cles may be rejected by us.
And fince it is allowed, that the Bifhops
and Clergy of the ninth and tenth centuries
have affumed an authority to decide new
articles, to which they had no right : fhould
not this put Chriftians upon their guard, and
induce them to examine the doctrine pro
pofed to them, and confider, whether it is
the faith once delivered to the faints, or fome-
what added to it ? For what has been done,
or attempted, in fome ages, may have been
attempted in others.
His Lordfhip blames the Church of Rome
for making new articles of faith, and dooming
all to eternal deftruction, who receive them
not. We fhould be impartial. If any others do
the like, are not they blamable alfo ? It is
well

The firft Poftfcript. 1^5
well known, that there is a Creed, in great
authority with many, befide the Church
of Rome, containing an abftrufe doctrine,
very hard to be believed. And it would be
a very difficult undertaking to fhew, that it
adds not any thing to the doctrine of Chrift,
as taught and teftified by his faithful Apo
ftles. And yet it is there faid : " This is
the catholic faith, which except a man be
lieve faithfully, he cannot be faved." And
" which faith, except every man do keep
Whole and undefiled, without doubt he
fhall perifh everlaftingly." Can this be juf-
tified ? And does not the Bifhop's argu
ment, juft recited, oblige me to add, though
unwillingly : May it not deferve to be con-
fidered by every fober andferious Chriftian,
who folamnly recites that Creed : On whom
thofe anathemas may fall, if God fhould
treat men according to ftrict juftice !
But I forbear enlarging. For I have been
defirouSi if poflible, not to fay any thing
offenfive. Therefore I do not indulge my-
fel in grievous complaints, and fevere repre-
henfions 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 connection with the fubject of this
Poftfcript. " Glory

176 The firft Poftfcript.
" Glory be to the Father, and to the"
.Son, and to the Holy Ghoft: As it was
in the begining, is now, and ever fhall be,
world without end. Amen."
Doubtlefs this is faid by many very fre*
quently, and with great devotion* But can
it be faid truly ? Does not that deferve con
fideration ?. Is there any fuch doxology in
the New Teftament ? If not, how can it
be faid, to have been. in the begining? Are
not the books of the New Teftament the
moft ancient, and the moft authentic Chrif
tian writings in all the world? It matters
not much, to inquire, when this doxology
was firft ufed, or how long it has been in
ufef, if it is not in the New Teftament.
And whether it is there, or not, may be
known by thofe, who are pleafed to read it
with care : as all may, in Proteftant coun-
treys, where the Bible lyes open to be feen
and read by all men.
I would therefore, after many others, re
commend the diligent ftudy of the Scrip
tures, and the making ufe of all proper
means for gaining the true fenfe of them.
If we had the knowledge of the Chriftian
Religion, as contained in the Scriptures, the
advantages would be great and manifold.
k Jefus would be unfpeakably amiable : and
the gofpel would appear to be a pearl of great
price: Chriftians would be no longer wa
vering and unfettled. but would be firmly
5 efta-

The firft Poftfcript. 177
eftabliftjed in a faith, that is throughout rea-
fonable, and excellent, and well attefted to be
of divine original. As our Lord fays to the
woman of Samaria. John iv. 14. Whofoever.
drinketh of the water that 1 jhall give hint,
Jhall never thirft. He will be fully fatisfied..
He will defire no other in ft ruction concern
ing the right way of worfhiping and ferving
God, or obtaining true happinefs. But the
water that I fhall give him, Jhall be in him
a well of water, fpringing up into everlafting
life. If we would fincerely ftudy, heartily em-
, brace, and openly profefs the Chriftian doc-.
trine in it's purity, and would diligently re
commend it to others, upon the ground of
that evidence, with which God hath clothed
it, we fhould gain upon deifts and infidels
of all forts. For a religion, reafonable and
excellent in all it's principles, promulged by
a teacher of an unfpotted character, with a
commiffion from heaven, confirmed by many
mighty works, which could be performed
by God only, has an evidence, which can-
jiot be eafily withftood, and gainfayed. But
no authority can recommend falfhood and
.abfurdity to rational beings, who think a°nd
confider. Every one therefore', who loves
the Lord Jefus in fincerity, muft be willing
to reform abufesand corruptions, which have
been introduced into the Chriftian profef-
N9 fiofi,

178 The firft Poftfcript.
fion, and are matter of offenfe to heathens
and infidels.
When the religion profeffed by Chriftians
fhall be in all things agreeable to the Scrip
tures, the only ftandard of religious truth j
the advantages, juft mentioned, 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 heavie weight
upon Cnriftendom, will fink, and fall to
the ground : Impofitions upon confcience,
which undermine religion at the very foun
dation, and prevail at prefent to a great
degree in almoft all Chriftian coun treys,
will 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 great diverfity of opi
nions, and fierce contentions among Chrif
tians, which are now fo great an offenfe
and fcandal to by-ftanders, will ceafe :
Chriftians will live in harmony, and will
love one another, as brethren. And the
Church of Chrift will be the joy and th«
praife of the whole earth.
As an unbiaffed and difinterefted love
and purfuit of truth are of great impor
tance, and would mightily conduce to the
good ends and purpofes which are fo defi-
rable ; I cannot but wifh, that we did all of

The firft Poftfcript. 179
of us lefs mind our own things, the things of
our own worldly wealth and credit, our
own church and party, and more the things
of Jefus Chrift. To whom be glory and
dominion now and ever. Amen.

The End of the firft Poftfcript.

N 2

THE

[ i8o ]

THE
Second POSTSCRIPT,
C O N T A INI N G
Remarks upon the Third Part of
the late Bifhop of Clogher's
Vindication of the Hiflories of the
Old and New Teftament. %*
LETT.
*** 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 Bifhop of
Clogber, who departed this Life the preceding month.
Which gave me much concern upon divers accounts.
In particular, I was in hopes, that thefe Remarks,
fuch as they are, might be perufed by his Lordfhip. I
could wifh likewife, that Mr Whijion were ftill Jiving.
But they are both removed out of this world, as I like-
wife fhall be in a fhort time. And certainly, it be
hoves us all, to emprove diligently the feafon of life,
whilft it lafts, and to ferve God and man, according to
the ability, which God has given us, and the flation,
in which we have been^placed, that we may give up
an account of our ftewaTdfhip with joy, and not with
grief. Though thofe eminent and ufeful men are now
no more in this world, their writings remain. It is
with

The fecond Poftfcript. 1 8 1
LETT. iv. p. 59. 01-425. •f'-l-'t " But,
my Lord, fuppofing we fhould allow,
that there were more Gods than one con
cerned in the creation of the world, as ma
nifestly appears that there were from Gem i.
26. and Gen. iii. 22. where it is faid : Let
us make man in our image. And, behold the
man is become as one of us."
Is then creative power a property commu
nicable to many, or feveral ? St Paul fpeaks
of one Creator only, Rom. i. 25. and
blames the heathens, who worfhiped, and
ferved the creature more than the Creator,
who is bleffed for ever. Amen. What then
would be the confequences, if Chriftians
fhould come to believe, that there are more
creators than one ?
It is hard, that we fhould be put to prove,
what is fo very evident, as that there is one
N 3 God
with thefe that I am concerned; If I have inadver
tently mifreprefented them, Iprefume, they have friends,
who are able to vindicate them. And, if my argu
ment does not appear conclufive, I wifh, that they, or
fome others, may fhew, wherein it fails. Jan. 25.
1759- flf The Author, in compofing thefe Remarks upoa
tbe third Part of the Bijhop's Vindication, made ufe of
that edition, which was printed at London in 1758.
But another edition of the whole Vindication, with all
the three Parts, having beeir 'publifb.ed here on the 23.
day of this inftant January^ 1759. juft as thefe fheets
were going to the prefs, Hennas taken care to add the
pages of this new edition to thofe of the former.

1 82 The fecond Poftfcript!
God Creator. However, I fhall here proVe
it from the Old, and New Teftament.
Ex. xx. 1. And God fpake all thefe words,
faying. . . ver. 3. Thou fhalt have no other
Gods before me. ver. 10. 11. But the feventh
day is the fab bath of the Lord thy God. . For
in fix days the Lord made heaven and earth,
the fea, and all that in them is.
Pf. cxxxvi. O, give thanks to the Lord,
to him, who alone doth great wonders, to -him
that by wifdom made the heavens, to him that
firetched out the earth above the waters : to
bim that made great lights, the fun to rule by
day, the moon andflars to rule by night. &c.
If. xiii. 5. Thus faith God the Lord, he
that created the heavens and firetched them
out : he that fpread forth the earth, 'and that
which cometh out of it : He that give th breath
to the people upon it, and fpirit to them that
walk therein.
If xl. 28. Haft thou not known, hafl thou
not heard, that the everlafting God, the Crea
tor of the ends of the earth, faint eth ncti
nor is weary ?
Ch. xliv. 24. Thus faith the Lord, thy
redeemer, and he that formed thee from the
womb : I am- the Lord, that maketh all things,
that fir etcheth forth the heavens alone, that
fpreadeth abroad the earth by my-felf See',
alfo ch. xiv. 11. 12. li. 12, 13. Jer. x. 12,
lif 15. and elfewhere.

Tbe fecond Poftfcript. 183
Let us now confider the words of Gen. i.
20. And God faid: Let us make man in our
image, after our likenefs.
Some Chriftians have faid, that here is
proof of a trinity pf perfons in the unity
of the Godhead. The teamed writer, now
hefore us, argues hence for feveral creators,
one fupreme, another, or feveral fubordi-
nate. But it is eafie to anfwer, that the
Jewifh people never underftood thefe expref
lions after that manner. For they always
believed one God and Creator, and that God*
to be one perfon. And many learned inter
preters among Chriftians have faidj that [1]
the ftile, common with princes, and other-
great men, who often fpeak in the plural
number, is here afcribed to God. Nor needs
the confutation, here reprefented, be fup
pofed to be between equals. But God may
be rather underftood to declare his mind to
the angels, as his counfellours.
But indeed we need not fuppofe any dif-
courfe, or confultation at all. The mean
ing is no more than this. c< All other things
being made, God proceeded, to the creation
of man : or, he now purpofed, at the con-
clufion, to make man." And it may be
reckoned probable, that Mofes introduces
N 4 God,,
[1] Faciamus.] Mos eft Hebraeis de Deo, ut de
Rege loqui. Reges, res magnas agunt de confilid Pri-
morum. 1. Reg. xii. 6. 2, Paral. x. 9. Sic et Deus
I. Reg,, xxii. 20. Vid. et infra xi. Grot, ad Gen. i. 26.

1 84 The fecond Poftfcript.
God, in 'this peculiar manner deliberating and
confulting upon the creation of man, to
intimate thereby, that he is the chief of the
works of God. Or, in' other words, ac
cording to Patrick, « God not only refer-
ved man for the laft of his works, but does,
as it were, advife, and confult, and delibe
rate about his production : the better to re-
prefent the dignity of man, and that he
was'made with admirable wifdom and pru
dence." We may be confirmed in the reafonable-
nefs 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
effect. God faid : Let there be light, and
there was light. God faid : ' Let there be a
firmament in the midfi of the waters . . . And
God faid: Let the earth bring forth the li
ving creature after his kind.
Tnere is another like inftance, ch. ii. 18.
And the Lord God, Jehovah Elohim, faid:
It is not good, that the man fhould be alone,
I will make him an help meet for him. The
defign of the other expreflions, as before ob
ferved, was to intimate the great dignity and
fuperior excellence of man above the other
creatures, whofe formation had been already
related. In like manner, when God pro
ceeds to the making of the woman, he is re
prefented as confulting, and refolving what
to do ; that the man might be the. more
fenfiblq

The fecond Poftfcript. I 8 5
fenfible of the goodnefs of the Creator in
providing for him fo fuitable a help.
Moreover, though in Gen. i. 26. the
words are . And God faid : Let us make man
in our image, after our likenefs : the execu
tion of that purpofe, as related in ver. 27. is
in thefe words. So God created man in his
own image : in the image of God created he
him: male and female created he them. And
when the formation of man is mentioned in
other places of fcripture, no intimation is
given, that more than one had a hand in his
creation. See particularly Matt. xix. 3 . . 6.
Mark x. 2 ... 9. Where our bleffed Lord
himfelf fays : From the beginning of the cre
ation God made them male and female. And
what God has joyned together, let no man put
afunder. For certain therefore man, as well
as the other creatures, was made by God
himfelf. If more than one being had been con
cerned in the creation of man, or any other
parts of the world, we ought to have been
acquainted with it, that due refpect might
be paid to them by us. As Scripture is here
filent, no man has a right to afcribe that to
another, which the Scripture afcribes to God
alone. And wherein, as in Pf. cxlviii. all
beings, of every rank, in heaven and on earth,
are required to praife God, for the wonders
of their formation. Praife ye the Lord.
Praife him from the heavens. Praife bim, all

"IMS

I &6 The fecond Poftfcript.
all ye his angels, praife ye him all his hofts.
Praife ye him, fun and moon. Praife him,
all ye ftars of light. . . Let them praife the
name of the Lord. For he commanded, and
they were created. . . Kings of the earth, and
all people : Princes, and all Judges of the
earth. . . . Let them praife the name of the
Lord, For his name alone is excellent. And
bis glory is above the earth and heaven.
*cc. xii. i. Remember now thy creator in
the days of thy youth. In the Hebrew the
word is plural, creators. Neverthelefs not
only our own, but all other verfions tran
flate, and rightly, creator.
Kcw ptv^crdviTt t» ktiitxvto; <re iv yfiepactg vbo*
tvjtos era. Gr.
Memento Creatoris tui in diebus juventu*
tis tuae. Lat.
If. liv. 5. For thy maker is thy hufland.
In the Hebrew, literally, for thy makers are
thy hufbands. Neverthelefs the words are
always underftood, as lingular. And what
follows, fhews, that one perfon only is in
tended. The Lord of hofts is his name.
Calvin's remark upon Gen. iii. 22. is to
this purpofe. " Whereas, fays he, many
Chriftians from this place draw the do&rine
of a Trinity of perfons in the Deity ; I fear,
their argument is not folid." Quod autem
eliciunt ex hoc loco chriftiani do&rinam de
tribus in Deoperfonis, vereor ne fatis firmum
fit argumentum. But

The fecond Poftfcript. 187
But Patrick fays : " Thofe words plainly
infinuate a plurality of perfons. And all
other interpretations feem forced and unnatu
ral." And he particularly rejects what Cal
vin fays.
For my part, fo far as I am able to judge,
if thofe .words implied more Divine Perfons
than one, or more Creators than one ; it
would not be worth while to difpute, whe
ther they are equal, or not. <-
But, as before intimated, I rather think,
that here, and in fome other like texts, there
is a reference to the angelical order of beings,
fuppofed to be more perfect, and more
knowing than man. For though Mofes*
gives no particular account of the creation of
angels, their exiftence is fuppofed in divers
parts of his hiftory. And they may be
confidered as counfellours only, or witneffes
and attendents.
And I cannot help being of opinion, that
thofe Chriftians, who endeavor to prove, from
the Old Teftament, a Trinity of Divine
Perfons, or more Creators than one, whe
ther co-equal or fubordinate, expofe them
felves to the unbelieving part of the Jewifh
People, whom they are defirous to gain. For
the Divine Unity is with them a fundamen
tal article of religion. Remarkable are th*
words of Lord King, in his Critical Hiftory
of the Apoftles Creed, upon the firft article
of it. p. $$. 56. " As for the perfons, who
. were

1 8 8 The fecond Poftfcript.
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 in the Mofaical law, and
the body of that people have been fo im
movably fixed and confirmed in the belief
thereof, that now, throughout their fixteen
hundred years captivity and difperfion, they
have never quitted or deferted that principle,
that God is One : as is evident from their
thirteen articles of faith, compofed by Mai-
monides, the fecond whereof is The Xfnity
of the BleffedGod. Which is there explain
ed to be in fuch a peculiar and tranfcendent
manner, as that nothing like it can be found.
And in their Liturgy, according to the ufe
of the Sepharadim, or the Spaniards, which
is read in thefe parts of the world, in their
fynagogues, in the very firft hymn, which
is an admiring declaration of the excellences
of the Divine Nature, the repeated chorus
is this : All creatures, both above and below,
teftify and witnefs, all of them as one, that
the Lord is One, and his name One."
And if we would but read the New Tef
tament with care, and then confider what
we have read and feen therein; we njight "
know, that one object of worfhip is there
recommended by Chrift and his Apoftles,
and that he is the everlafting God, the Crea
tor of the world, and all things therein, and the

The fecond Poftfcript. 1 89
the fame, who was worfhiped by the Jewifh
People, and their anceftors.
Our Lord himfelf fays, that he came in
his Father's name, and acted by his authori
ty, even his, who, the Jews faid, was their
God. And he ftiles him Lord of heaven and
earth, and the only true God. And he refer
red them to their Scriptures, as teftifying of
him. The Apoftles of Chrift after his afcenfion,
preaching to Jews, fay: Ihe God of Abra
ham, Ifaac, and Jacob, the God of our fa
thers, has glorified his fon Jefus. Acts iii.
13. the God of our fathers raifed up Jefus.
ch. v. 3. And requefting fpecial afiiftance
from heaven in their work, and under their
many difficulties, they lift up their voice to
God, and faid : Lord, thou art God, which
haft made heaven, and earth, and the fea, and
all that in them is. Who by the mouth of
thy fervant David baft faid . . . ch. iv. 24.
Paul, writing to the Jewifh believers,
fays : God, who at fundry times, and in
divers manners, fpake in time paft to the fa
thers by the Prophets, has, in thefe lafl days,
fpoken unto us by his Son. Hebr. i. 1.2. He
and, Barnabas, teaching Gentiles, fay : We
preach unto, you, that ye fhould turn from
thefe vanities unto the living God, who made
heaven and earth, and the fea, and all things
' that are therein. Acts xiv. 15. And at A-
thens,

190 . . Tbe fecond Poftfcript i
tbens, fays Paul: God that made the worlds
and all things therein, feeing that he is Lord
of heaven and earth, dwelleth. mt in temples
made 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 man, and all things
in this world.* %
Accordingly, the firft article in the Apo
ftles Creed, which ought never to be di-
minifhed, or enervated, is this : - 1 believe in
God the Father, Almighty, Maker of heaven
and earth.
Lett. vii. p. 128. or 479. " Now, up
on examination into the Scriptures, it will
appear, that this Meffiah, or Chrift, was
the fame perfon with the great archangel
Michael, who was the guardian angel of
Ifrael' '
For which the learned Author alledges
1. Cor. x. 4. and 9. and Hebr. xi. 26. But
as none of thofe texts appear to be at all to
the purpofe, for which they are alledged, I
need not flay to explain them.
That our bleffed Saviour, Jefus Chrift, is
not an angel, is evident from many plain
texts of Scripture. Hebr. i. 4. 5. 6. Being
made fo much better than the angels, as he
has
*# More texts to the like purpofe may be feen alleged
above at p. 25. note [16.J

The fecond Poftfcript. 191
has by inheritance obtained a more excellent
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 ? . . . And again,
when he bringeth in the firfl-be gotten into the
world, he faith : And let all the angels of
God worfloip him. See alfo ver. 7. and ver.
13. 14. Ch. ii. 5. But unto the angels hath
he not put in fubjection the world to come, of
which we now fpeak. ver. 1 6. For verily he
did not lay hold of angels : but he laid hold
of the feed of Abraham. See likewife the
preceding part of that chapter.
And when our bleffed Saviour is men
tioned with angels, he is diftinguifhed from
them, i" charge thee, fays Paul, before God,
and the Lord Jefus Chrift, and the elect an
gels. 1. Tim. v. 21. And St John. Grace
unto you and peace, from him which is, and
which was, and which is to come : and from
the feven fpirits, which are before the throne :
and from Jefus Chrift, who is the faithful
witnefs. Rev. i. 4. 5. Not now to mention
any other like texts.
Thefe muft be fufiicient to fatisfy us, that
Jefus Chrift is not an angel, or one of the
angelical order of beings: or we can be af-
fured of nothing.
However, I muft not omit Mai. iii. I.
Behold, I will fend my meffenger, and he
flail prepare the way before me. And the
Lord, whom yefoek, flail fuddenly come to his
temple,

192 The fecond Poftfcript.
temple, even the meffenger of the covenant, in
whom ye delight.
Here the Meffiah is fpoken of» as the mef
fenger, or angel of the covenant. Tertullian,
referring to this text, or to If. ix. 6. fays :
" Chrift is an angel by office, but not by
nature." Dictss efl; quidem magni confilii
angelus, id eft, nuntius : officii non naturae
vocabulo. Magnum enim cogitatum Pa
tris fuper hominum reftitutione annunciatu-
rus feculo erat. De Carne Chrifti. cap'. 14.
P- 37°- ... .
And St Paul writes Hebr. iii. 1. Where
fore, holy brethren, . . . confider the Apoftle,
and High- Priefi of our profeffion', Jefus
Chrift. Which is paraphrafed by Dr Sykes '
in this manner : " It is your duty to confi
der him, as a mefTenger fent by God, and as
the High-Prieft of our profeffion." - *
Lett. vii. p. 132. or 482. " And therer
fore, in the fulnefs of time, faith the Apo
ftle, God fent 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
when the fulnefs of the time was come, God
font forth his Son, made of a woman, made
under the law. It is not, to be made, but
made of a woman, made under the law. yivo*
pievov Ik yvva.tK.oc, yevoyAVov viro voyov, al. vopas :
factum ex muliere, factum fub lege. And

T*he fecond Poftfcript. 193
And the note of Grotius upon the text
fhould be obferved. E%cnrtc;BiXsii . . mifit De
us Filium fuum, primogenitum, ad quern,
abfente patre, cura pertinebat. Mifit, id
eft, poteftatem ei dedit eximiam . . factum
ex muliere : non creatum eo modo, quo
Adamus creatus eratj fed natum partu mu-
liebri, quo nobis effet fimilior : f actum fub
lege, id eft, . fubditum Legi, quia fcilicet na
tus erat Judaeus.
Lett. v. p. 78. or 441. " And therefore
it manifeftly appears from hence, that there
is no contradiction, either to reafon or reve
lation, in fuppofing the three perfons of Fa
ther, Son, and Holy Ghoft, to be three
Gods, provided it be not at the fame time
afferted, that thefe three Gods are one God,
or that the Son and Holy Spirit are felf-ex*-
iftent, or co-eternal, or co-equal with God
the Father."
But is not that an exprefs contradiction to
St Paul, who fays: We know, that there
is no other God but one. For though there
be that are called Gods, whether in heaven,
or on earth, fas 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 Jefus Chrift, by whom
are all things, and we by him. 1 . Cor. viii.
4. 5. 6. O And

1 94 The fecond Poftfcript.
And Eph. iv. 5. 6. One Lord, . . One God
and Father of all. And Philip, ii. n.,.
that every tongue fhould confefs, that Jefus
Chrift is Lord, to the glory of God the Fa
ther. Many other texts might be mentioned, but
I forbear. Lett. v. p. 83. 84. or 445. " To which
being anointed, Acts iv. 27. 28. or appoint
ed of God, he is therefore called the Mef
fiah, or Chrifl, which literally fignify the
anointed. And accordingly, at the fame
time that we are informed of the tranfgreffidn
of our firft parents, we are told for our
comfort, that the feed of the woman fhall
bruife that ferpent's head, which had occa*
fioned their fall. Which was accordingly
done, when the Meffiah, whole fpirit was
of a fuperior order to mankind, condefcend-
ed to take human nature upon himfelf, by
being born of the virgin Mary, and went
through that fcene of trials and afflictions,
to which he was anointed."
It is not unlikely, that fome others may
fpeak after the fame manner. But to me
it feems very improper. For, as a judicious
writer fays : " That [2] a name can de
note
[2] Cell s'exprimer d'une maniere fort fufpecte,
d'appeller 1 1 Nature Divine de notre feigneur du nom d*

The fecond Poftfcript. ' 195
note only a perfon, who has received gifts,
graces, perfections, and a dignity, which he
did not poffefs of himfelf."
Cbryfoftom, accordingly, fays, " That Je
fus was called Chrift from the anointing of
the Spirit, which was poured out upon him,
as man." Kail Xpt$o$ Ss cciro th ¦xjptcrQvitva.i Xe-
yeTai, 0 Kott auro ra o-u.piit.oc: \v' Xxi ttrotu, q>iq<riv,
tXccico expto-Qvi ; Ehentui pe.iv an expicrQvit •srvevpt,oi-
ti $e. Chr. in Ep. ad Rom. horn. i. T. 9. p.
43°- To the like purpofe Augufit'n. [3] And,
certainly, very agreeably to the Scriptures.
Therefore it is faid : Tou know .. . how God
anointed Jefus of Nazareth with the Holy
Ghoft, and with power. Who went about
doing good, and healing all that were opr
preffed with the devil. For God was with
bim. Acts x. 38.
And fays Mr Abraham Le Maine, in his
Treatife on Miracles, p. 51. " As to thofe
other paffages, wherein it is faid, that be
was full of tbe Holy Ghofl. Luke iv. 1. that
God gave bim not the Spirit by meafure.
John iii. 34. that God anointed Jefus of
Nazareth with the Holy Ghofl, and with
O 2 power*
de Chrift. Ce nom ne peut defigner qu'une perfonne,
qui a recu des graces, des dons, des perfections, une
dignite, qu'elle ne poffedoit par elle meme. Beauf.
tiift.Man. T. i. p. 115.
[3] Vid. Gintr. Maximin. Arian. I. 2. cap. xvi.
fern. 8.

196 The fecond Poftfcript.
power. Actsx. 38. they vifibly relate to our
Saviour's human nature."
Let. v. p. 85. or 446. " For if the di
vine efTence, or Godhead, did not enter into
the womb of the Virgin ; when was it, that
that fulnefs of the Godhead, which dwelt in
him bodily, Col. ii. 9. did enter into him ?"
Here I muft take the liberty to fay, that
I do not approve of curious inquiries in
things of religion : and that I am afraid to
attempt to anfwer fuch inquiries particularly,
leaft I fhould advance what cannot be clearly
made out by the authority of Scripture.
However, in general 1 anfwer, in the ftrft
place, that the text in Col. ii. 9. does not
fpeak of a fpirit of a fuper ior order to man
kind, as the Author faid juft now, or, as he
expreffeth it elfewhere, p. 66. or 430. a fe-
parate fpirit from the Father, and inferior to
him, St Paul's expreflion is the fullnefs of
the Deity. And there is but one Deity, or
God, even the Father. Thereby therefore
muft be meant the Father's fullnefs. So it
is faid in Eufebius's Commentarie upon Pf.
xliv. otherwife xiv. [4] " All the Father's
grace was poured out upon the Beloved.
For it was the Father that fpake in him." And

[4] 'Etei ft t? dyotvnrx ¦srsTo-* >i trxTftKit eif csutmi
sxivuQh yftr^' ^" y*P ® *r<*Tnvp \otKm h u»w. In, Pf. p.
m. d.

The fecond Poftfcript. 197
And upon Pf. lxxi. or lxxii. ver. 1. he
fays : ,c This righteoufnefs of the Father
was given to the King's Son, of the 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. lxi. 1. 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 fpirit of the Father's deity, and
therefore called Chrift."
Theodoret, who deferves to be confulted
alfo upon Col. i. 9. 10. in his Commentary
upon If. xi. 2. expreffeth himfelf after this1
manner. " And the Spirit of the Lord flail
reft upon him. [7] Every one of the Pro
phets had a particular gift. But in him
dwelt all the fulnefs of the Godhead bodily.
And as man he had all the gifts of the Spi
rit. And out of his fulnefs, as the bleffed
John fays, we have all received."
O 3 And
[5] Ev 3 HXTuxria-i, Sa-irtp h vxu o tv ®es Xoyoi xxt
r'4^tttp(ttrxot\ Stxxtoirwn. In Pf. lxxi, p. 404. B.
[6] Tu" Si wvlvptotrt riis vetrpnait Qivrimt Jcf^pia-"*
Mgmi X«» Stol t?to j£p»rov olvnyopevptivov. In Pf. xcv.
^634. E.
'"' [7] *^,"v /*** y*t "^potprtruv ex«s~o? psptxnv rtvos ISi-
%&r« yftpvt- iv is'utu Si iixraxnire i?«v to srtoipM/Afls rt\t
OioT»iT»f rajuaTixu;' xa\ Kotrpl to uv^uttivov Si uccvror-
7i^£ r» xzpio-puTac. x. A. In. Ef. tap. xi. Tom. 1.

1 98 The fecond Poftfcript.
And fays Pelagius upon Col. i. 19. *» In
others, [8] that is, Apoftles, Patriarchs, and
Prophets, there was fome particular gift.
But in Chrift the whole Divinity dwelt bo-'
dily, or fummarily."
Secondly, I fuppofe, that this fullnefle of
the Deity is the fame with what is faid of our
Saviour in other expreflions, in many texts
of fcripture.
As St John fays at the begining of his
Gofpel, The Word, the Wifdom, the Power
of God, dwelt in him, and he was full of
grace and truth. And, as John the Bap
tift faid : God giveth not the Spirit by mea
fure unto him. And as St Peter faid, juft
now, God anointed Jefus of Nazareth with
the Holy Ghofl, and with power. All fpeak-
ing agreeably to what is foretold. If. xi. 2, 3.
And the Spirit of the Lord floall reft upon
him, the fpirit of wifdom and underftanding,
the fpirit of counfel and might, the fpirit of
¦knowledge and of 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. Tbiralfc
[8] In aliis,' hoc eft, Apoftolis, Patriarchis, vel Pro-
phetis, gratia fuit ex parte. In Chrifto autem tota Dj-
vinitas habitabat corporaliter, quafi dicas, fummaliter.
Pelag, op. Hier'en. T. v. p. 1070.

The fecond Poftfcript, 199
Thirdly, I prefume not to fay, when, or
how, our blefled Saviour was filled with all
tbe fulnefs of tbe Godhead. I obferve a few
things only.
It was foretold of John the Baptift, that
be fhould be filled with the Holy Ghofi, even
from bis mother's womb. Luke i. 15. Which
may have been true of our Lord likewife.
However St Luke obferves in his hiftorie,
after Jofepb had returned to Nazareth in
Galilee, ch. ii. 40. And the child grew, and
waxed ftrong in fpirit, filled with wifdom.
And the grace of God was upon him. Af
terwards, giving an account of the journey
of Jofopb and Mary to Jerufalem, at a Paf-
fover,* when Jefus was twelve years of age,
he fays, the child Jefus tarried behind them
in Jerufalem, and feeking him, they found
him in the temple, fitting in tbe midfl of the
Doctors, both hearing them, and afking them
queftions. And all that beard him, were
aftonifled at bis underftanding and anfwer s.
ver. 41.. 47. It is added afterwards at ver.
52. And Jefus encreafed in wifdom and ft a-
ture, and in favour with God and man.
Moreover all the firft three Evangelifls, in
their hiftorie of our Lord's baptifm, fay,
that tbe heavens were opened, and tbe Holy
Ghoft defcended upon him. Matt. iii. 16. And
Jefus, when be was baptifed, went up fir ait-
way out of the water. And lo the heavens
were opened unto bim, and be faw the Spirit
O 4 of

2qo The fecond Poftfcript:
of God defcending from heaven, and lighting
upon him. See likewife Mark i. 10. n.
Luke iii. 21. 22. And Luke iv. 1. prefently
after his baptifm. And Jefus being full of
the Holy Ghoft, was led by the Spirit into the
wildernefs. And again, when the tempta
tion was over, the Evangelift fays, ver. 14.
And Jefus returned in the power of the Spirit
into Galilee. And in St John's Gofpel, ch.
j. ver. 32. 33. And John bare record, fay
ing : I faw the Spirit defending from heaven,
like a dove. And it abode upon him. And
what follows.
I 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 fanctified, and a-
nointed with the Holy Ghoft at his concep
tion, and thereby received a right unto, and
was prepared for, all thofe offices, which
belonged to the Redeemer of the world.
But when be was to enter upon the actual
and full performance of all thofe functions,
which belonged to him ; then does the fame
Spirit, which had fanctified him at his con
ception, vifibly defcend upon him at his
inauguration." And afterwards, at p. 104. fumming up
what had been before largely faid : " / be
lieve in Jefus Chrift. That is, I do affent
to this, as a certain jrutb, that there was a
mahpromifed by Goo^ and foretold -by the
Prophets,

The fecond Poftfcript. 2 0 1
Prophets, to be the Meffiah, the Redeemer
of Ifrael, and the expectation of the na
tions. I am fully aflured by all thofe pre
dictions, that the Meffiah fo promifed is al
ready come. I am as certainly perfuaded,
that the man, born in the days of Herod of
the virgin Mary, by an angel from heaven
called Jefus, . is the true Meffiah, fo long,
and fo often promifed : that, as the Mef
fiah, he was anointed to three fpecial offi
ces, belonging to him, as the Mediator be
tween God and man : Prophet . . . Prieft . .
and King. I believe this unction, by which
he became the true Meffiah, was not per
formed by any material oyl, but by the Spi
rit of God, which he received as the head,
and conveys to his members,"
Lett. vii. p. 135. or 484. " And- now,
my Lord, let any one judge, whether this
temptation of Jefus in the wildernefs, looks,
as if Satan thought the divine fpirit 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 not be know
ledge ?] as Satan manifeftly was, did not
know, whether Jefus was the fupreme God,
or not ?"
This is brought in with an air of much
triumph. But may I not afk ? Did not
Satan know, that Jefus Chrift was his Crea tor,

202 The fecond Poftfcript.
tor, under God the Father ? For this learn
ed writer argues p. 78. 79. or 441. 442.
that all things were made by Chrift, and
confequently Satan himfelf. However, I
choofe not to multiply words in expofing
this obfervation, as founded in the Author's
wrong fcheme.
The truth of the cafe is this. Jefus had
been baptifed by John. At which time he
was publicly declared to be the expected
Meffiah. He alfo received abundant quali
fications for difcharging the high office, into
which he was inaugurated. Soon after which
Satan attempted to furprife him, by divers
temptations. When he had fafted forty days,
and forty nights, he was afterwards an hun-
gred. And when the tempter came to him,
he faid: If thou be the Son of God, that is,
if indeed thou art the Chrift, command, that
thefe ftones be made bread. Afterwards, tak
ing him into the holy city, be fettetb bim on a
pinnacle af the temple, and faith unto him :
if thou be the Son of God, that is, if indeed
thou art the Meffiah, caft thy-felf down.
For it is written, He Jhall give his angels
charge concerning thee, and in their hands
they fhall bear thee up, leaft at any time thou
daft thy foot againft a flone. And what fol
lows. Matt. ch. iv. And are not all thefe
infidious propofals made to our Saviour, as
man ? The

The fecond Poftfcript. 203
The learned Author, having taken notice
of the tranfaction in the garden, goes on.
Let. vii. p. 136. 137. or 485. 486. " Here
then we poor mortals are at a ftand, being
at a lofs to know, how it is poflible for one
fpirit fo to torment another, as to put Jefus
into fuch an agony, as is above tranfcribed,
from the very apprehenfions of what he was
to undergo. If he was to fuffer nothing
but what is written concerning his
feoffs, and fcourgings, and crucifixion, and
we may add all the fufferings and tortures,
which his human nature could poffibly un
dergo ; thefe furely could never have moved
him in fo high a degree ; being only fuch
fufferings, as the Prophets of old under
went, not only without dread, but with
pleafure in their countenance. Hebr. xi. 35.
36." " Whoever therefore can fuppofe Jefus
to have been terrified at thefe things, which
could only affect his human part^ctnuft fup
pofe him to be lefs than a man. Whereas,
if we suppose Satan let loose upon
him, by the permiflion of God, and em
powered to attack him in his nobler part, in
his angelic nature, while his divine fpirit,
being encumbered with the load of flefh
and bloud, and fettered, and confined within
the compafs of an human tabernacle, was
difabled from exerting it's full powers * well
might

J

304 The fecond Poftfcript.
might he dread the conflict on fuch unequal
terms." " And if nothing is described to
US IN THE SCRIPTURES, BUT HIS SUFFER
INGS in the flesh, this we ought to con
clude was done in condefcenfion to our un-
derftandings, which are unable to compre
hend, or have any notion of his inward
fufferings. And for the fame reafon it was,
that any outward fufferings were inflicted on
him at all. Which being in their own na
ture insignificant, and trifling, could
NOT POSSIBLY BE ANY TRIAL OF HIS
obedience : but were inflicted on him by
God for us, and for our fake. Who in com-
paflion 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 (hew the great inconve
nience, and vaft difadvantage of that opi
nion, which fuppofes, that a fpirit of a fu-
perior order 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 practicable,
that exalted fpirit would fwallow up the
body, and fuftain it above all pains, wants,
and infirmities. But it is manifeft from the
Gofpels, and every book of the New Tef
tament, that our Saviour had all the inno cent

The fecond Poftfcript. 205
cent infirmities of the human nature,\There-
fore the before- mentioned doctrine 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 referred to. He calls all the
fufferings inflicted on our Saviour by men,
and all the fufferings recorded concerning
him, trifling and inftgnificant, and fays, they
could not poffibly be any trial of his obe
dience. He thinks, Jefus Chrift fuffered : but it
muft have been owing to the buffetings of
Satan. Of which however, there is not, as
himfelf owns, any diftinct account given in
the Scriptures. Is not this to be wife above
and beyond what is written ? It is manifeft-
ly fo. But does that become a Chriftian ?
And they who are wife above, or beyond
what is written, will generally contradict
what is written.
This feems to be the cafe here. The
fcourgings, feoffs, crucifixion, and all the out
ward fufferings inflicted on Jefus were infig-
nificant, and trifling, and could not poffibly be
any trial of his obedience. Neverthelefs thefe
are things, much infilled upon, diftinctly
related, and frequently repeated, in the fa-
cred writings of the New Teftament. And
the writers of the New Teftament, the Apo
ftles and Evangelifls, reprefent them to
Chriftians,,

2of> Tbe fecond Poftfcript.
Chriftians, as very great and affecting, and a
trial of the obedience of our great Lord and
Mafter. And his patience under them is fet
before us as a moving, and encouraging ex
ample to his followers. And for thefe fuf
ferings, and his patience, refignation, and
meeknefs, under them, he is reprefented to
have been highly rewarded by God the Fa
ther, fupreme Lord and difpofer of all
things. So St Paul Hebr. xii. i . . 3. Let us run
with patience the race that is fet before us,
looking unto Jefus, the author andfinifler of
our faith : Who for the joy that was fet be
fore bim, endured the crofs, defpifing the
flame, and is fet down on the right-hand of
the throne of God. For confider hint that en
dured fuch contradiction of finners againft
himfelf, leafl ye be wearied, and faint in your
minds. So likewife St Peter. 1 . ep. ii. 21 ... 24.
For even hereunto were ye called: becaufe
Chrift alfo fuffered for us, leaving us an ex
ample, that we fhould follow his fteps. Who
did no fin, neither was guile found in his
mouth. Who, when he was reviled, reviled
not again : when he fuffered, he threatened
not : but committed himfelf to him that
judgeth righteoufiy. Who his own felf bare
our fins in his own body on the tree, that we
¦being dead to fin, fhould live unto righteouf
nefs. By whofe ftripts ye were healed. See

Tbe fecond Poftfcript. 207
See Philip, ii. 1 . . . 1 1. and many other
places, and all the Gofpels, wherein are re
corded our Lord's fufferings, and efpecially
his laft.
All thefe things are thus infifted upon, as
very confiderable, and of great importance
to Chriftians, So that it feems very ftrange,
that they fhould be reckoned by any trifling,
and inftgnificant, and no trial of obedience.
There is, I think, plainly a difference
between this great Author, and our Apo
ftles and Evangelifls. Whence fhould this
come to pafs ? Is it not, that he preacbeth
another Jefus ? According 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 practife of virtue : and He has fet be
fore us a moft amiable, moft animating, and
encouraging example, under a great variety
of contradictions and fufferings. For all
which he has been highly rewarded by God
the Father Almighty, who alone is perfectly
wife, and perfectly good.
But according to this Author, Jefus is an
embodied angel, or archangel, and not ca
pable of being much, if at all, affected by
all tbe fufferings, and tortures, which human
nature could poffibly undergo. Thefe, furely,
he fays,^ could never have moved him in fo
high a degree, p. 136. 137. or 486. Indeed
{9] So likewife fays the Prophet. A man offor-
rows, and acquainted with grief. If. liii.

208 The fecond Poftfcript.
Indeed this Writer pleads, that if the
buffetings of Satan, or fuch fufferings, as he
contends for, are not deforibed to us in the
Scriptures, but his fufferings in the flefh j
this we ought to conclude was done in conde
fcenfion to our underfiandings, which are una
ble to comprehend, or have any notion of his
inward fufferings. p. 137. or 486.
For certain, all men, who advance a doc
trine, without exprefs authority from Scrip
ture, will endeavour to find out fome reafon
for the filence of Scripture about it. But
no good reafon can be affigned for the omif-
fion, here fuppofed, and granted. His out
ward fufferings, the writer fays, were infig-
nificant and trifling, and could not poffibly be
any trial of his obedience , . If they were
not, fhould not fome others have been re
corded ? The not doing it, furely, muft be
reckoned an inexcufable omiflion, and neg
lect in the facred penmen.
However, it is certain, they have record
ed fuch fufferings, as they fuppofed to be a
trial of our Lord's obedience : and his pa
tience under them, as an example and pat
tern to us.
Our great Author would have us fuppofe,
Satan let loofe upon our Lord, by the permif-
fion of God, and empowered to attack him in
his nobler part, his angelic nature, p. 137.
or 486. And fpeaks of the buffetings of Sa
tan. pf 138. or 487. — and the infults of Sa
tan.

Tbe fecond Poftfcript. 209
tan. p. 133. or 483. But why fhould fuch
things be fuppofed, when all the writers of
the New Teftament are filent about them ?
If any will invent, and defcribe fuch fuf
ferings, it muft be altogether unfcriptural,
and could be no better than a philofophical,
or theological romance.
And may I not afk : What good pur-
pofes 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 influenced.
To me then the contrivance of our great
Author appears both unfcriptural, and un
profitable. Nor can I forbear joynirrg in
with the Apoftle, and fay : But we preach
Chrifl crucified, unto the Jews a flumbling-
black, and unto the Greeks fooliflnefs : but
unto them which are called, both Jews and
Greeks, Chrifl the power of God, and tbe
wifdom of God : becaufe the foolifhnefs of God
is wifer than men : and the weaknefs of God
isftronger than men, 1, Cor. i. 23 . . 25.
However, at p. 138. or 487. it is argued
after this manner, " And therefore, when
he was betrayed, and feized by the officers,
that were fent to apprehend him, our Sa
viour faid unto them : This is your hour, and
the 'power of darknefs. Luke xxiu 53. Giving
P them

2ie> The fecond Poftfcript.
them thereby to underftand, and us through
them, that it was not only the hour of mens
wrath, but the hour of the power of darknefs,
that he fo much dreaded, when he prayed to
God the Father, to fave him from that hour.
At which time he had not only the contra
diction 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 afflicting
him." But, really, no fuch conclufion can be
drawn from thofe words : Where one and
the fame thing is expreffed in a twofold man
ner, the more emphatically to reprefent the
greatnefs of the trouble then coming upon
our Saviour. As if he had faid : " But this
is your hour, And infdeed it is a very dark
and afflictive feafon,"
Dr Clarke's paraphrafe is in thefe terms,
" But this is the time, wherein the infinite
wifdom of God has appointed me to fuffer,
And Providence has now given you power
over me, permitting you to execute your
malice and cruelty upon me, that the Scrip
ture may be fulfilled, and the eternal coun-
fels pf the divine wifdom, for the falvation
of men fully accomplilhed." To the like
purpofe Grotius uport John xiv. 30. [10] And
[10] Venit autem per homines fui plenos, quorum
vis erat Ifcvcio: tu o-xo'tx?. Grot, in Job. xiv. 30.

The fecond Poftfcript. 2 1 1
And that this is the meaning of the words^
may be argued from our Lord's manner of
expreflion elfewherej fpeaking of the fame
thing. So in John xvi. 32. 33. Behold, tbi
hour cometh, yea is now come, . . . that ye
jhall leave me alone. And yet I am not alone,
becaufe tbe Father is with me. Thefe thingi
I have fpoken unto you, that in me ye might
have peace. In the world ye flail have tribu«.
lation. But be of good chear, I have over
come tbe world. And therefore, when he
mentions Satan, it is in the character of the
prince of this world, John xiv. 30. Hereaf
ter 1 will not talk much with you, For the
prince of this world cometh. And hath no
thing in me. Which is thus paraphrafed by
Dr Whitby. " The prince of this world
cometh by his minifters, Judas, and the rulers
of the Jews, and findeth nothing in me : he
Jiimfelf having no power to inflict death
upon me, in whom is no fin, and they find
ing nothing in me worthy of death. Acts xiii*
28. Though therefore lam to fuffer death VI
do not fuffer for any fault that can deferve it,
Or on account of any power, he or his minif
ters have over me to inflict it. But I give
up my-felf to death in compliance with my
Father's will, and what follows."
7%e End of the fecond Poftfcript.
P 2 Text*

[212 ]
Texts ex\

G

Page.
EN. i. 26. 181. 185* 185,
. . . ii. 18. 184.
iii. 22. 181. 186*

• •

Ex. xxiii. 20. 21. 47. 4$.
. . xxxii. 15. 48. 49.
2. Kings ii. 9. 92,
1. Chron. xfi. 18. 91.
Pf. xl. 7. 11.
. . xiv. 7. 36. 37.
Prov. i. 23. 92.
Ecc. xii. 1. 186.
Mai. iii. 1. 191. 192.
Matth. iv. 1. 117.
: . . xii. 28. 87. note [3,3
.- . . xii. 31. 118.
. . . xxviii. 19. 1 1 9.
Mark xiii. 32. 51.
Luke xi. 13. ij6.
. . . xxii. 44. 7. note [3}
. . . xxiv. 49. 115.
John i. 1. 23. 24*
... i. 14. 8.& 27.
. . . i. 15. 13.
. . . iii. 13. 60.
... V. 18. 60.
: ..viii. 56. 58. 14. 15
. . . xiii. 3. 20. 2i,.
.. . xiv. 16. 17. 108. John

Texts ext

Joha xvi. 7 . » i 15.

. ... xvii, 5.
Acb i. 2.
. . ii. 3*. ll
.. v. 3.4.
.. Vii. 54.
. . viii. 18. 19.
..ix. 31.
i xiii. 1 - . 4'.
Acts xv. 28.
. xix. 1 . . 6.
. XX. 2 2. 23.
Rom. i. 3. 4. *
xiv. 17.
1. Cor. vi. 11.
.'. . xii. 3.
. . . xii. 7. and 1 3.
2. Cor. iii. 17. 18.
. . . iv. 4.
... xi. 4.
. . . xiii. 14.
Gal. iv. 4.
Eph. L 13.
. . . ii. 18.
. . . ii. 22.
. . . iii. 9.
. . . iv. 30.
..-. v. 18. 19.
Philip, ii. 6.
Col. i. 15.
. . . ii. 9.
1. Theff. i. 5. 6.
1. ThefX. v. 19, 22»

ntd.

21 J

Page.

108.

109. and *

121;.

.125.. • •

•15-

. .r ./!'¦:.

125.

62.

.v .t. . .

126.

. .>l , J , , .

59-

f- *i . •

127.

. f. . "/ . .

128.

. * t .xi . ,

129.

-.„r

132.

[; n -*

132*'

. ,.i -''•/[ .1

-t .130.

ijr*-"1'. • '

6i»

.txv: _v;!-t

135-

149.

139-
m>
138.
140
«*
and 68.
149.
143-
192.
147.
147.
144.
64.
147.
afcd 152V
*53-
12.
and 71.
66.
and 68.
61. and 196. 197
157-
*54
. . 156.
1. Tim.
2 1 4 Texts explained.

I. Tim. i. 1 8.

Page

i3i<

• • • 1V« *4« 131:
Hebr. i. 1.. 8. 18.70. : 74:
• • • I. O. on(
I- 9- %6. 37.

75-

• . . 1. 10.
* • "¦ 4« 100.
- • VI- 4« 100.
- • ix* *4; 158.
• . x. 5: 10. 11.
. . x. 28. 29; 162.
1. Pet. i. 12; 101.
1. John v. 5 : 1. 10. 163.
Rev. xxii. 17. 165.

An,

[«5]
An Alphabetical Table of Authors
and Matters.

A.
OUR Lord's Ago
nie in tbe garden.
A remark upon it.
p. 7. note [3]
Athanqfius. 127. 51.
note [20]
Augvftin. 9. note [5.]
17. 52. note [20]
78. 195. B,
/. Beaufobre. 11. note
[7.] 65. 125. 135.
194.
G. Benfon. 157.
7*. itezrf. 14. note [10.]
15. note [12.] 66.
Z). Brenius. fi. 16 j.
G. Burnet. 107.
j! Burroughs, j 20. note
M c
J, Calvin. 65. 186.
Chrift, or M#&&. The
ground and reafon of

that character. 194,
. . . 198.
y. Chryfoftom. 51. note
[20.I 195.
Cicero. 170.
5. Cforjk. Quoted 2;
note [1.39. note [4.3
54. 55. 60. 119.
note [9.] 2 10. Com
mended. 172.
R. Clayton, late Bifhop
ofClogher. Quoted.
181. 190. 192. 193.
194. 196. 201. 209.
Commended. 172.
180.
Clement, of Rome. 104.
Creation, The work of
God alone. 25, 56.
181 . . 190.
J. Crellius. $$i
D,
Docetes. Their opinion
concerning the per
fon of Chrift. 9.
205.
Doxologies in the N. T.
and ancient Chriftian writers.

2i6 An Alphabetical Table
writers. 103 . . 105-
And fee 1 76, .

EMomtes. Their wrong
opinion concerning
Chrift. £t.
Epiphmius. 77.
Eufebius. 19b. 197.
G.

the ancient catholic
. Chriftians,. 77. .78:
on what account he
is the Son of God.
31 . . 39. his great
dignity, as the Mef
fiah. 47 . . 49. was
not an angel. 190 . .
y. Jortin. 40. in the
notes.
Irenaeus. 67.
juftin Martyr. Quoted
and animadverted
upon. 55.. . 58.

H. Grptius.. Quoted
12. 13. 14. 64. 68
6q„ 70. 71. id 1.
102. 130.132. 134. k.
135. 146. 148. 150.
154. 156. 160.162. P.King. 1.87.
193. 210. Com-
. mended. 54. L.

H.
Hippolyius. 105. 106.
y. Hunt^ 144. I.
Jerome. 78. 106.
JESUS: A man, ac
cording to the Scrip-
turesi with an hu
man fbul,and human
. body. 4. -&C. Which
•was alfo the behef of

LaRahtius. 106.
Lenfant. 21. note [14.3
31. note (17.1
Pb. Lmborch. 64.. 72.
132. 135. 162.
J. Locke. 65. 135. 147.
150.
M. Lowman. 48. npte
[19. J 166.
W. Lowth. 86. no.

M.

Rabbi Maimonides. 8 1 .
Mef-

*f Matters. 217
Meffiah, or Chrift. The [13.] 66. 73. C$m-

ground and reafon
of that character.
194—199.
J. D. Michaelis. 125.
note [11.]
A. Le Maine. 87. 128.
195-
f-. Moore. 158.

mended. 172.
Pelagius. 69. 156. 198.
Philip, one of the twelve
Apoftles. That he li
ved, and died at Hie-
rapolis in Phrygia,
and wrought mira
cles there 102.

7. Morris. 135. note Plato. 170.

I>7-]

N.

Poly carp. 105.
ST. Py/e. 166.

T. Sherlock, Bp. of Lon
don. Quoted with
refpedt. 172.
Socinian Writers. Their
character. 54. 5. *
Socrates, the Ecclefiaf-
tical Hiftorian. 77.

JVazarm Chriftians.
Their fentiment. 51.
and note [20.] 53.
note [2-1 .]
O.
Origen, 71. 75.
^. Orcwz. 10. note [6.] .Sow 0/" God and Meffiah:
equivalent, 27. 29.
P. 3°-
Son of God : the mean
ing of that character.
39. note [i8.j Up
on what account Je
fus is th? Son of
God. 31 . .39.
7. Pearfon 5. note [2.] Spirit. Several accep-
200. tations of that word
7. Pierce. Quoted 3. in Scripture, 81 . .
note [i.J 18. note 103,

n«paxAiT»f. The mean
ing of that word,
in. 115.
S. Patrick. 48. 91. 92.
184. 187.

CL

Gifts

2t8 An Alphabetical Table, SV.
U.

Gifts of the Spirit. How
general they were in
the times of the A-
poftles. 147 . . 152.
Exhortations to
thofe, who were fa
voured with "fuch
gifts. 152 . . 157.
A. A. Sykes. 69. 70.
192.

Tertullian. Theodoret.

192. *97-

The Divine Unity. Af-
ferted. 79. 181. 189.
How held by the
Jews. 183. 187.188.
W.
W. Wall. $%. 118. 133.
D. Whitby. 40. note
[18.] 65. 100.135.
140. 158. 211.
W. Whifton. Commend
ed. 172. 180.
H.Witfius. 134.
y.c. Woifius. 15$.

BOOKS.

BOOKS lately Publifled, and fold by J.
Noon, near Mercers Chapel in Cheapfide.
i. rpHREE TRACTS, i. Remarks upon
X the Queftion : "Whether the Appear
ances under the Old Teftament were Appear
ances of the true God Himfelf, or only of fome
other fpiritual Being, reprefenting the true
God, and acting in his name. ii. An Effay on
the Schechinah. iii. Texts of Scripture re
lating to the Logos explained, [price three
fhillings fewed.] By the late Reverend and
learned Moses Lowman.
2. AN INQUIRY into the Nature and Caufes
of our Saviour's Agony in the Garden, [price.
one lhilling and fix pence.] By the late Mr
i Thomas Moore.
3. A LETTER TO JONAS HAN WAY
Efq; in which fome Reafons are affigned, why
Houfes for the Reception of penitent Women*
who have been diforderly in their Lives, ought
not to be called Magdalen- Houfes. price fix
pence. Note. In this pamphlet the Characters of
Mary Magdalen, and of divers others Women^
mentioned in the Gofpels, are confidered.