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I fhall transcribe a paragraph or two more. “It? appeareth, out of the fame text, that Chrift was in the Form of God before he was in the form: of a fervant, and, confequently, before he was made man. For he who is prefuppofed to be, and to think of that being which he hath, and, upon that thought to aflume, must have that being before that affumption; but Chrift is ex- ▴ prefsly faid to be in the Form of God, and, being fo, to think it no robbery to be equal with God, and, notwithstanding that equality, to take upon him the form of a fervant: therefore it cannot be denied but he was before in the Form of God. Befide, he was not in the form of a fervant but by emptying himfelf, and all exinanition neceffarily prefuppofeth a precedent plenitude; it being as impoffible to empty any thing which hath no fulness, as to fill any thing which hath ̧: no emptiness. But the fulness which Chrift had, in refpect whereof, affuming the form of a fervant, he is faid to empty himself, could be in nothing else but in the form of God, in which he was before. Wherefore, if the affumption of the form of a fervant be cotemporary with his exinanition; if that exinanition necellarily prefuppofeth a plenitude as indifpenfably antecedent.to it; if the form of God be alfo coæval with that precedent plenitude: then mult we confels : Chrift was in the form of God before he was in the form of a fervant."..

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26. Again, it is as evident from the fame : Scripture, that Chrift was as much in the form: of God as in the form of a Servant, and did as really fubfift in the divine nature as in the nature of man. For he was fo in the form of God, as thereby to be equal with God. But no other>

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TO EVAL 10α be. Pariari Deo, Tertull. Effe fe æqualem Deo, Cypr. Effe æqualis Deo, Leporius. Thus all exprefs the notion of equality, not of fimilitude: nor can we understand any lefs by to eva loa, than any idol, 1009, and is being indifferently used by the Greeks."

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form befide the effential, which is the Divine nature itself, could infer an equality with God. To whom will ye liken me and make me equal, faith the Holy One? There can be but one infinite, eternal and independent Being; and there can be no comparifon between that and whatfoever is finite, temporal and depending. He therefore who did truly think himself equal with God, as being in the form of God, must be conceived to fubfit in that one infinite, eternal, and independent nature of God. Again the phrafe, in the form of God, not elfewhere mentioned, is used by the Apostle with a refpect unto that other, of the form of a fervant, exegetically (explanatorily) continued in the likeness of man and the refpect of one unto the other is fo neceffary, that if the form of God be not real and effential as the form of a fervant, or the likeness of man, there is no force in the Apofties words, i nor will his argument be fit to work any great degree of humiliation upon the consideration of Chrift's exinanition. But by the form is certainly understood the true condition of a fervant, and. by the likeness infallibly meant the real nature of man: nor doth the fashion in which he was: found, destroy, but rather affert, the truth. of his humanity And therefore, as fure as Chrift was really and effentially man, of the fame nature with us, in whofe fimilitude he was made, fo certainly was he alfo really and effentially God, of the fame nature and being with him, in whose form he did fubfift. Seeing then we have clearly evinced from the exprefs words of St. Paul, that Chrift was in the form of a fervant, as foon as he was made man, that he was in the form of God, before he was in the form of a férvant, that, the form of God in which he fubfifted doth as truly fignify the Divine, as the likeness of man the human nature; it neceffarily followeth that Chrift had a real existence before he was begotten of the Virgin, and that the being which he had

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was the divine effence, by which he was truly, really and properly God" Pearfon on the Creed, P. 122, 123.

CHA P. XIV.

The Use of this DOCTRINE.

AND now, having both proved our Lord's Divinity, and anfwered (I hope) the molt material objections that are made to it,--I fhall clofe this Treatife, when I have added a few words refpecting the ufe of this doctrine.

1. And its ufe appears, firit, in that it is clofely connected with all the offices, which, according to the Scriptures, Chrift fuftains, and, in the execution of which, he is our Saviour and Redeemer.It is closely connected, even with his office of a Prophet. This is my beloved Son (fays, the Father) hear ye him. In order that we may hear him with becoming reverence, entire confidence, and ready obedience, it is neceffary that we should regard him as the Father's beloved Son; and that in an higher fenfe than any Prophet, or Apoftle, or Angel, ever was, or can be

his Son a Son in whom it hath pleafed the Father that all fulness fhould dwell; yea, all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. Hence, as we have seen, he is the very Word of the Father, and what he fpeaks, the eternal truth, wifdom, and love of God, fpeaks in him. He is the Divine Oracle, and all he fays is as important and infallible as what was uttered of old, froin between the Cherubim, upon the Mercy-feat; and fhould be received with as much implicit faith, and dutiful fubmiffion, as the High-Prieft, or people of Ifrael of old, received.anfwers from that most Holy Place.

2. It is true, what was delivered by Mofes and the Prophets, by the Evangelifts and Apoftles, is alfo the Word of God; for Prophecy came not in

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old time by the will of man, but holy men of God pake as they were moved by the Holy Ghoft but not in fo high a fenfe as what was fpoken by Christ. When God spoke by them, he fpoke by his fervants; when he fpoke by Christ, he spoke by his Son. They had the Spirit by meofure he without meafure. They deliver his truths, and declare his laws he is the Truth itfelf, and the Lawgiver among his people. They come to us with authority from another, and fay, Thus faith the Lord: He fpeaks as one having authority in himfelf, and his language is-I fay unto you.

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3. And if the doctrine of the proper and peculiar, Sonfhip of Chrift be clofely connected with his prophetic office, it has ftill a clofer connection with the office of a Pricft. We have al-' ready feen that the virtue of this atonement depends upon it, and that, if he had been but a mere man, or a mere creature, his fingle and temporal life could have been no ranfom, or redemption-price, for the innumerable and eternal' lives of all men. And with regard to his appearing in the Prefence of God for us, as our Advocate and Interceffor, let thofe who deny his Divinity inform us how we are to obtain accefs to him, that we may acquaint him with our wants and griefs, and put our caufe into his hands? or how we are to be affured that he knows, and, therefore, is touched with the feeling of our infirmities, fo that he does, and will fyinpathize with us, and afford us grace to help in time of need?

4. Nay, and even as to his kingly office,-what fort of a King would he be, who could neither know his fubjects, nor deliver, nor protect, nor govern them?- -Ποιμένα λαών, "The Shepherd of his people," is a common phrafe with an Heathen Poet, when fpeaking of an Heathen King. All good Kings, whether Hea then or Chriftian, are the Shepherds of their people; and, as fuch, watch over, protect, and govern them. It is true this can only be done

very imperfectly by men, as men are very, imperfect in knowledge, and power, and love. But the King whom God hath fet upon his holy hill of Sion, is the Good Shepherd, who gave his life for the sheep, and who fays, I know my fheep, and am known of mine and again, My fheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me, and they fhall never perifh, neither shall any pluck them out of my hand. He comes with a strong hand, and his arm rules for him: He feeds his flock like a fhepherd, gathers the lambs with his arm, ries them in his bofom, and gently leads thofe that are with young. »

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5. As a King, he reigns in, as well as over, his fubjects, fubdues their lufts and paffions, cafts down their imaginations, and even brings into captivity their thoughts to the obedience of himfelf. He dwells in their hearts by faith, is in them their hope of glory, and his kingdom of righteoufnefs, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghoft, being fet up in their hearts, is to them, at once, a preparation for, and a pledge of his Kingdom of Giory, Now all these particulars fuppofe his Divinity-fuppofe him to be omniprefent, omnifcient, onnipotent-poffeffed of boundlefs wifdom, power, and love, and every divine perfection.

6. Add to this, fecondly, that the Holy Ghoft, fpeaking by David, connects our worshipping of him with his fuftaining this office of a KingHe is thy Lord, and worship thou him. And we have feen, in a former Chapter, how certainly it is our duty to comply with this divine injunction. Herein, then, especially appears the use of this doctrine concerning the Divinity of Chrift,

that while we worship him, (which we are in duty bound to do) we may know, and be perfuaded, we are not guilty of Idolatry, in worShipping a mere creature. "We are commanded to fear the Lord our God, and ferve him, and that with fuch an emphafis, as by him we are to understand him alone, because the Lord our God is one Lord. From whence, if any one arose among

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