The Christian Life 2, Collection of discourses · Discourse 2 (1 of 3)

The Christian Life 2 · Collection of discourses · Discourse 2 (1 of 3)

p. 129OF THE Divinity & Incarnation OF OUR SAVIOUR.

JOHN I. 14.

And the Word was made Fleſh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his Glory, the Glory as of the only begotten of his Father) full of Grace and Truth.

THESE Words contain Three diſtinct Propoſitions; I. The Word was made Fleſh: II. And dwelt among us full of Grace and Truth: III. And we beheld his Glory, the Glory as of the only begotten of his Father. Of each of theſe I intend to diſcourſe in their order.

I. The firſt is, That the Word was made Fleſh. In handling of which I ſhall do theſe three Things:

1. Shew you what we are here to underſtand by The Word.

2. Why it is called The Word.

3. What we are to underſtand by The Word's being made Fleſh.

p. 1301. What is meant by the Word? I anſwer in general, That by the Word here we are to underſtand Chriſt: For in the following Verſe you will find that this Word was He of whom John the Baptiſt was the Forerunner, and to whom he bare Witneſs, ſaying, This was he of whom I ſpake, He that cometh after me, is preferred before me; for he was before me. And in the other Evangeliſts you will find that it was Chriſt whoſe Forerunner the Baptiſt was, and to whom he gave this Teſtimony, as you may ſee at your leiſure, Matth. 3.11. and Mark 1.7. Luke 3.16. where you find John Baptiſt giving the ſame Teſtimony to Chriſt which here he gives to the Word, eſpecially v. 27. of this Chapter. Which is a plain Evidence that Chriſt and the Word are only different Titles of the ſame Perſon. But that I may more particularly explain to you the Meaning of this Phraſe, I will briefly deliver my Senſe of it in theſe following Propoſitions:

1. That this Phraſe, The Word, as it is by way of Eminence applied to a particular Subject, is derived into the New Teſtament from the Theology of the Jews and Gentiles.

2. That the New Teſtament giving no diſtinct Explication of it, it is moſt ſafe and reaſonable to fetch the Senſe of it from that ancient Theology whence it was derived.

3. That the Theology from whence it was derived, uſes it to ſignify a vital and Divine Subſiſtence.

4. That therefore our Saviour, to whom it is applied in the New Teſtament, is that vital and Divine Subſiſtence.

p. 1311. That this Phraſe The Word, as it is by way of Eminency applied to a particular Subject, is derived into the New Teſtament from the Theology of the Jews and Gentiles. Which will plainly appear to any one that ſhall conſider the exact Agreement between thoſe Titles and Characters which are given to our Saviour in the New Teſtament, and thoſe which the Jews and Gentiles give to the Word, ſo often mentioned in their Theology. For as for this Phraſe foreign, The Word, it is very anciently uſed in the Writings both of Jews and Gentiles. For Rab. Azariel in his Treatiſe of Holineſs, quotes it out of the Book of the Creation, which was written by Rab. Abraham an ancient Cabaliſt, who the Jews ſay was the Patriarch Abraham himſelf. The Spirit, ſaith he, meaning the moſt High God, bringeth forth the Word and the Voice, and theſe Three are one God. Thus alſo it is frequently uſed in the Chaldee Paraphraſe as eminently appropriated to a Divine Perſon: So in Iſa. 45.17. inſtead of Iſrael ſhall be ſaved in the Lord, they read it, by the Word of the Lord; and Jerem. 1.8. inſtead of I am with thee, they read, becauſe my Word is with thee: and Gen. 15.1. inſtead of I am thy ſhield, they read, my Word is thy ſhield; and ſo in ſundry other places. And, which is very obſervable, Pſal. 110.1. inſtead of The Lord ſaid unto my Lord, they read, The Lord ſaid unto his Word; which Words our Saviour applies to himſelf, Matth. 22.44. as being himſelf that Eternal Word, or foreign, there mentioned. And in the ſame Senſe alſo it was very anciently uſed in the Writings of the Gentile Philoſophy. Thus Zeno, p. 132as Tertullian tells us11Tertull. Apologet. c. 36 Pam. Hunc. (i.e. foreign) Zeno determinat factitorem qui cuncta in diſpoſitione formaverit, eundem que & fatum vocari & Deum & animum Jovis., ſpeaks of a foreign by which the World was made, and which he calls Fate, and God, and the Soul of Jupiter. And the ancient Orpheus, as he is quoted by Clemens Alexandrinus 22Stromat. L. 5 p. 607. foreign., exhorts Men to behold and contemplate the Divine Word, who is the immortal King of Heaven. And Plato 33Epinomis.tells us, that the Motions of the Stars were diſpoſed and ordered by the Word. By which it's plain that this Phraſe was uſed as appropriate to a Divine Perſon, both by Jews and Gentiles, long before the Writing of the New Teſtament. And that the New Teſtament derived it from their Writings is apparent; for that it attributes to Christ the ſame Titles and Characters which they were wont to attribute to the foreign. Thus as the New Teſtament calls Chriſt the Meſſias, The Word, ſo the Chaldee Paraphraſe expreſly tells us that Meſſias is called the Word of God, Oſeae, cap. 7. Thus as St. Paul calls him the King immortal, ſo Orpheus in the afore-named Place calls him foreign, the King immortal. And whereas Christ is ſaid to be the Image of God, 2 Cor. 4.4. to be the ſhining forth of his Glory, and the expreſs Character of his Perſon, Heb. 1.3. Philo calls him foreign 44Lib. 2 de Agricultutâ p. 169. Edit. Genev. 1613., the foreign and foreign 55Leg. Allegd. 2. p 60.; that is, the Character of God, and the Shadow and Image of God: And Plotin, That it is a p. 133Light ſtreaming forth from God, even as Brightneſs doth from the Sun 11Enn. 5. l. f. c. 6.. And as St. John in the firſt Verſe of this Chapter tells us, That the Word was from the beginning with God, and that it was God; ſo Philo tells us, that by Prerogative of Elderſhip he abideth with the Father; and Zeno, in the aforenamed place, that he is God; and Plotin 22Ibid.tells us, That being the Word of God, and the Image of God, he is inſeparably conjoined with him. And whereas Christ tells us, That he is the Light of the World, John 8.12. the Manna which cometh down from Heaven; and the Bread of Life, John 6.33, 35. The ſame Philo ſtiles him the Word, the Light 33Philo de Opif. mundi. p. 4, 5., the Manna 44Quod det. pot. inſ. ſol. p. 137., the foreign and foreign 55Leg. Alleg. l. 2. p. 70, & 71.; that is, the Bread and Food which God hath given to the Soul. And whereas it is ſaid, that the Father is in Chriſt, that he dwells and abides in him, John 14.10. the ſame Author ſays foreign 66De Migrat. Abrah. p. 304.; that is, the Word is the Houſe of the Father, in whom he dwells. Whereas Chriſt is ſaid to have a Name, Phil. 2.9. and to be advanced above all Principalities and Powers, Eph. 1.21. Philo tells us that this Divine Word is foreign 77Leg. Alleg. p. 71.; that is, above all Worlds, and the most ancient of all things that are. Whereas Christ is ſaid to be the High Prieſt over the Houſe of God, Heb. 10.21. p. 134Philo tells us, that the World is the Temple of God, foreign 11De Somniis, p. 463.; that is, in which the Firſt-born Divine Word is the High Prieſt. Whereas Chriſt is ſaid to be the Son of God, and the Firſt-born of every Creature; Plato calls him, the begotten Son of the Good 22De Repub. l. 6.; Plotin, the Son of God 33Enn. 5. l. 8. c. 12.; and Philo, the Firſt-begotten Son and Word of God 44De Somn. p. 463.. Again, whereas God is ſaid to have created the World by Chriſt, Heb. 1.2. and to have committed the Government of it to him; Philo calls the foreign, the foreign 55De Cherub. p. 88.; that is, the Governour of all things, and the foreign 66De Somn. p. 466., the Vice-roy of God; and alſo foreign 77Lib. Cherub. p. 100.; that is, the Inſtrument of God by whom he made the World. As in Chriſt the Fulneſs of the Godhead is ſaid to dwell, Coloſ. 2.9. ſo Plotin tells us of the foreign, that it is filled with God 88Ennead. 5. l. 3. c. 12.. As Chriſt is called the great Shepherd of our Souls, 1 Pet. 2.25. ſo Philo tells us, that God, who is King and Paſtor of the World, hath appointed the Word his firſt-begotten Son, foreign 99De Agricult. p. 152., to undertake the Care of his ſacred Flock, as his own Vice-roy and Subſtitute: and accordingly in the ſame place he makes The Word to be that Angel whom God had promis'd to p. 135ſend before the Camp of Iſrael to conduct them through the Wilderneſs. In ſhort, as the Angels are ſaid to be ſubject unto Chriſt, 1 Pet. 3.22. and as Chriſt is ſaid to be the Angel or Meſſenger of God, Joh. 9.4. ſo Philo calls the moſt ancient Word the foreign 11Quaeſt Rerum divin. haer. p. 397.; that is, the Prince of the Angels, and the foreign 22De Somn. p. 466.; the Angel or Meſſenger of God. And, to name no more, as Christ is called the Mediator of the new Covenant, Heb. 12.24. and the Interceſſor between God and Man, Heb. 7.25. and the Propitiation and Atonement: So ſaith Philo, (which is highly worthy of our Obſervation) the word foreign, &c.33Quaeſt. Rerum. Divin. her. p. 397. is the Interceſſor for Mortals with the immortal God, and alſo the Embaſſador of that great King to his Subjects; which Office, ſaith he, he willingly undertook, ſaying, I will ſtand in the middle between the Lord and you, as being neither unborn as God, nor born as you; but being a Medium between thoſe two Extreams, I will be a Pledge for both; for his Creatures, that they ſhall not utterly apoſtatize from him; for God, that he will not be wanting in his Fatherly Care towards them. And in another place he tells us, that the foreign is foreign 44De Somniis, p. 447.; that is, the Beginning and the End of God's Good-will to the World; which is all one with Propitiation.

And theſe Authorities of Philo I have the rather inſiſted upon, becauſe he being a Jew and a Platonick Philoſopher, muſt needs underſtand the Theology of Jews and Gentiles; and living about the p. 136Time of our Saviour, he muſt be ſuppoſed to have written in Terms that were then in uſe, and were very well underſtood both by Jews and Gentiles: And if ſo, then it muſt neceſſarily follow that this Phraſe The Word, ſo common in that Author, was very commonly uſed both by Jews and Gentiles in our Saviour's Time, and conſequently that it was derived from them, and ſo appropriated to our Saviour by the inſpired Writers of the New Teſtament. And indeed it is not to be imagined how thoſe inſpired Writers ſhould ever have ſo exactly agreed with the Jews and Gentiles in the Titles and Characters of the Eternal Word, had not either they themſelves, or the Spirit of God, which dictated to them, purpoſely derived it from them.

2. That the New Teſtament giving no diſtinct Explication of this Phraſe The Word, it is moſt ſafe and reaſonable to fetch the Senſe of it from that ancient Theology whence it was derived. I do not deny but it is uſual with all Writers to uſe Terms and Phraſes by way of Accommodation, and to illuſtrate their Senſe by alluding to ſomething that is like it; and therefore are not always to be underſtood in the Senſe which thoſe Terms and Phraſes do moſt commonly ſignify, but in a Senſe that hath ſome Proportion with it, as the Drift and Connection of their Diſcourſe doth plainly intimate. But when Writers uſe Words in a literal Senſe, without any Note of Alluſion, and without explaining themſelves into any different Senſe, either they muſt mean the ſame Thing which thoſe Words do commonly ſignify, or elſe they muſt mean to deceive and impoſe upon their Readers. And thus ſtands the Caſe before us; our Saviour p. 137is here ſtiled The Word, a Term of Art which was very common both in the Jewiſh and Gentile Philoſophy; and neither here, nor any where elſe, is there the leaſt Intimation that he is called ſo, only by way of Alluſion; nor is it in all the New Teſtament explained into any other Senſe than that wherein it was commonly uſed; and therefore the Intent of the Sacred Writers in uſing it muſt be either to denote the ſame thing which it ſignified before, or to deceive and impoſe upon the World. But doubtleſs if the Holy Spirit, which inſpired thoſe Writers, had meant any thing elſe by it than what it ordinarily fignifies, he would have told us of it, and not have given us ſuch an unavoidable Occaſion to miſtake in ſo great a Doctrine, by clothing its Senſe in ſuch a Phraſe as generally ſignifies what he never meant. For when he called Chriſt by the ſame Name, and attributed the ſame Titles and Characters by which the Jews and Gentiles were wont to deſcribe their ΛΟΓΟΣ, he could not but foreſee that all inquiſitive Perſons would be apt to conclude that he meant the ſame thing; and therefore if he had not meant ſo, he would doubtleſs either not have given him that Name, and thoſe Titles, or elſe, to prevent our being impoſed upon by them, he would have explained them into ſome other meaning; which ſince he hath not done, we may ſafely and rationally conclude that he hath meant the ſame Thing by this Name, and thoſe Titles with thoſe from whom he did derive them; and conſequently that the moſt certain way for us to underſtand what is the Senſe of Chriſt's being The Word, is to conſider what thoſe Jews and Gentiles meant by it from p. 138whoſe Philoſophy it was firſt borrowed and derived.

3. That both the Jewiſh and Gentile Theology uſed this Phraſe The Word, to ſignify a Vital and Divine Subſiſtence. For as for the Jews, it's plain that by The Word they meant the Meſſias; and therefore, Pſ. 110. which they ſay contains the Myſteries of the Meſſias, the Chaldee Paraphraſe, inſtead of the Lord ſaid unto my Lord, read the Lord ſaid unto his Word, that is conſequently to his Meſſias. And Rab. Arama upon Geneſis, explaining that Paſſage in the 107 Pſ. 20. The Lord ſent forth his Word, and they were healed; expreſly tells us, that by this Word is meant the Meſſias. And Rab. Simeon the Son of Johni expounding thoſe Words of Job 19.26. Yet in my Fleſh ſhall I ſee God, faith, that the Mercy which proceeds from the higheſt Wiſdom of God, ſhall be crowned by The Word, and take Fleſh of a Woman; by which it's plain that by The Word he underſtood the Meſſias. And that by the Meſſias they underſtood a Divine Subſiſtence, is evident from ſundry Places in the Chaldee Paraphraſe; which often applies the Name Jehovah to the Meſſias; which according to the Opinion of the Jews, ought not to be imparted to any Creature; as particularly, Iſa. 28.5. Jehovah Sabbaoth (for ſo it is in the Hebrew) ſhall be a Crown of Glory unto the reſidue of his People; which thoſe Interpreters underſtand concerning the Meſſias. So alſo Iſa. 18.7. In that time ſhall the Preſent be brought unto the Lord of Hoſts; that is, ſay they, unto the Meſſias. So alſo, Jerem. 33.16. By Jehovah our Righteouſneſs, they underſtand the Meſſias; and by the Name of the Everlaſting, Moſes Haderſan underſtands the Name of the Meſſias, or Anointed King. And certainly had they not believed the Meſſias to be a Divine Subſiſtence, they would never have attributed p. 139to him this incommunicable Name of God; of which they had ſo high a Veneration, that they thought it too ſacred for any Creature to name, and much more to aſſume. And the Commentary upon the fourth Pſalm expreſly ſaith, Becauſe the Gentiles ceaſe not to ask us, Where is our God, the time will come that God will ſit among the Righteous, ſo as they ſhall be able to point him out with the finger; which plainly refers to the Coming of the Meſſias. And ſo alſo the Septuagint change Shaddai, the undoubted Name of the Omnipotent God, into ΛΟΓΟΣ, The Word, Ezek. 1.24. where, inſtead of the Voice of God, (as it is in the Hebrew) they read foreign, the Voice of the Word of God. And ſo alſo the afore-named Paraphraſe, as I have already hinted, doth often uſe the Word of God for God himſelf, and that more eſpecially with relation to the Creation of the World. Thus inſtead of I made the Earth, Iſa. 45.12. they read it, I by my Word made the Earth: And inſtead of God made Man, Gen. 1.27. the Jeruſalem Targum reads, And the Word of the Lord made Man: And inſtead of They heard the Voice of the Lord, Gen. 3.8. the Paraphraſe reads it, And they heard the Voice of the Word of the Lord God. And Philo expreſly calls this Word the foreign, or Second God next to the foreign.

And as the Jews believed The Word to be a Divine Subſiſtence, ſo did the Gentiles alſo. For ſo Numenius the Pythagorean, as he is quoted by St. Cyril 11Cyril cont. Julian. l. 8., calls the Father the First, and the Word the Second God; and Plotin tells us22Enn. 5. l. 1. c. 6., that this Word, or Image of God, beholdeth God, and is inſeparably joined with him; p. 140and Porphyry, as he is cited by the fore-named Father11Cyril. ibid. l. 1., tells us that the Eſſence of God extends to Three In-beings, viz. the higheſt Good, which is the Father, and the Maker of all things, which is the Word, and the Soul of the World; and theſe he alſo calls the Firſt, and Second, and Third God. And of Pythagoras Proclus the Platoniſt affirms, that he commended Three Gods together in ONE, (even as Plato alſo doth) the Second of which was the Word or Wiſdom, whereunto he attributes the Creation of the World. And Plato, in his 6th Epiſtle, ſo far owns the Divinity of the Word, that he earneſtly exhorts his Friends that they ſhould foreign; that is, invocate God the Governour of all things that are and ſhall be, and alſo the Lord and Father of that Prince and Governour; by the firſt of which he evidently means The Word, ſince 'tis to the Word that he elſewhere22Plat. Epinom. attributes the Government of the Stars and Heavenly Bodies. By all which it is apparent, that by The Word they underſtood ſome Divine Subſiſtence, whoſe Nature is exalted above all finite Beings whatſoever; and therefore,

4. And laſtly, Our Saviour, to whom this Phraſe The Word is applied, muſt be that Divine Perſon or Subſiſtence. And ſo we find him ſtiled in the firſt Verſe of this Chapter; In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. Which Expreſſions are ſo exactly agreeable to the Phraſe of the Gentile Theology, that Amelius the Diſciple of Plotin, and a great Enemy p. 141to the Chriſtians, was forced to acknowledge that this is that Word which was from Everlaſting, and by whom all things were made, as Heraclitus ſuppoſed: And, per Jovem, ſaith he, Barbarus iſte, meaning St. John, cum noſtro Platone conſentit, Verbum Dei in Ordine Principii eſſe 11St. Auſtin. De Civit. Dei. l. 10.. This Barbarian is of our Plato's Mind, that the Word of God is ranked among the Principles. And indeed, unleſs we underſtand this Place of the Eeternal Deity of The Word, I know not how it will be poſſible to make any tolerable Senſe of it; for if by In the Beginning here, we underſtand, as the Socinians would have us, in the beginning of the Goſſpel when John: Baptiſt began to preach, the Words will imply a groſs Tautology, and the Senſe of them muſt be this; that Chriſt was when John Baptiſt preached that he was, or which is all one, that he was when he was. For how can it be worthy of an Apoſtle ſo ſolemnly to aſſert, that the Word had a Being in the Beginning of the Goſpel, when we know the Baptist taught as much himſelf? who therefore came baptizing with water, that he ſhould be made manifeſt to Iſrael, Joh. 1.31. And when St. Matthew and St. Luke, who wrote before, taught us more than this, viz. That he was in being thirty Years before, when we are ſure it was as true of any other then living as of the Word, even of Judas that betrayed him, and Pilate who condemned him. By in the Beginning, therefore muſt be meant the Beginning of the World; and that even then, the Word was with God, and the Word was God. So Phil. 2.6, 7. Who being in the form of God, thought it no robbery to be equal with God; p. 142but made himſelf of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a Servant, and was made in the likeneſs of Men. From whence theſe three Concluſions do moſt naturally reſult; First, That Christ was in the form of a Servant as ſoon as he was made Man: Secondly, That he was in the form of God before he was in the form of a Servant: And, Thirdly, That he was in the form of God; that is, did as really and truly ſubſiſt in the Divine Nature, as in the form of a Servant, or in the Nature of Man. For the Words litterally tranſlated run thus; But emptied himſelf, taking the Form of a Servant, being in the Likeneſs of Men: Which plainly implies, that Chriſt was full before he emptied himſelf, that he emptied himſelf by taking the form of a Servant, that he took the form of a Servant by being made in the likeneſs of Men; which Emptying preſuppoſes a precedent Plenitude, and which Plenitude conſiſted in being ſo in the form of God as to think it no Robbery to be equal with God. So Rev. 1.11. he ſolemnly proclaims his own Divinity; I am Alpha and Omega, the firſt and the laſt; which is the incommunicable Title by which God deſcribes his own Being, and diſtinguiſhes it from all others. And Iſa. 44.6. I am the firſt, and I am the laſt, and beſides me there is no God. Theſe and many other plain Aſſertions there are in the New Teſtament, of the Eternal Deity of the Bleſſed Word. But ſince the Eternal God was conſtantly both by the Jews and Gentiles, ſignified by this Phraſe the Word, there is no Reaſon to imagine that St. John ſhould make uſe of it in any other Notion; ſince in ſo doing he would have impoſed upon the World, and taken an effectual Courſe to make us believe that he meant what he never intended.

p. 143And ſo I have done with the firſt Thing propoſed, which was to ſhew you what is here meant by Chriſt's being the Word; the Deſign of which, you ſee is to expreſs his Eternal Godhead and Divinity.

2. I now proceed to the next Thing propoſed, which was to ſhew you for what Reaſon it is that he is here called The Word? In anſwer whereunto, it is to be conſidered that the Word ΛΟΓΟΣ hath a twofold Signification: Firſt, It ſignifies Reaſon, which is the inferring one thing from another, and this is the Birth and Off-ſpring of the Mind. Secondly, It ſignifies Speech, which is an audible Expreſſion of our Thoughts and Reaſonings, and this is the Image and Interpreter of our Minds; and it is alſo the Executer of the Mind, eſpecially in thoſe who are in Sovereign Authority, and do rule by their Word and Command. Now our Bleſſed Saviour is called the Word upon both theſe Accounts, both as he is the Reaſon, and the Speech of God; and accordingly his being the Word denotes theſe four Things:

1ſt. His being generated of the Mind of the Father.

2dly. His being the perfect Image of that Mind.

3dly. His being the Interpreter of his Father's Mind to us.

4thly. His being the Executer of his Father's Mind.

1ſt. His being generated of the Mind of the Father, even as our Word or Reaſon is the Iſſue and Off-ſpring of our Minds. For it was the Opinion both of the Jews and Gentiles, that the Eternal Word p. 144is nothing elſe but that moſt perfect Notion, Idea, and Conception which God from the Beginning had formed of himſelf, and all other Beings in his own Mind. For thus the Jews tell us, that every thing below hath ſome Root above; which Roots, ſay they, are the Sephiroth, or Seals by which all theſe inferiour Subſtances are ſtamp'd, and ſhaped, and faſhion'd; and theſe Seals, they tell us, are thoſe moſt perfect Ideas of things which God did form in his own Mind, according to which he faſhioned all the Beings that are in the World. For, ſay they,11Vide Dr. Cudworth of the Union of Chriſt and the Church. all the Three Worlds, that is, the Rational, Senſitive, and Inanimate, were printed with the Print, and ſealed with the ſame Seal; (that is, that great Seal in the Mind of God, conſiſting of the Ideas of all things) and that which is ſealed, and receiveth the Sealing here below, is like to the Shape and Form of thoſe things above which did ſeal and ſtamp the Signature upon them. And theſe three Worlds, ſay they, being one below another, God ſet upon them the Seal of Sephiroth ſo hard that he printed them quite through the Bottom of them, that is, he ſtamp'd them all into an exact Reſemblance to thoſe Ideas which he had formed of them in his own Mind. So that according to them, before God made the World he framed the Idea and Model of it in his own Underſtanding, which, together with that Idea or Notion which from all Eternity he conceived of himſelf, they called the νΟΓΟΣ, or Eternal Word of God. Hence Philo calls the Word of God, the foreign, and alſo the foreign 22De Mundi Opif. p. 5., and p. 145the foreign, and the foreign 11Ibid. p. 3.: And tells us, that as a City before it was made, exiſted only in the Mind of the Builder; ſo the World had no other Place, foreign; that is, than the Divine Word that made it. And afterwards he tells us' that the Intellectual World, that is, the World which contains the Ideas of all things, foreign 22Ibid. p. 4., is nothing elſe but the Word of God now making the World. And accordingly the Jews call The Word the Wiſdom of God, and tell us33Rab. Iſaac Ben Schola on the laſt Verſes of the 111 & 112 Pſalms., that this Wiſdom is of the most inward Ʋnderſtanding of God, who beholds himſelf in himſelf. From all which it is apparent that the Jews attributed the Original of this Divine Word to the Mind of the Father, it being, according to their Divinity nothing elſe but that moſt perfect Conception and Idea which God from Everlaſting formed of himſelf, and all other Beings, in his own Mind. In which Opinion the moſt Divine Philoſophers of the Gentiles alſo do moſt exactly conſent. And hence they generally call The Word the foreign, or Ʋnderſtanding of the Father, he being the perfect Idea or Conception by which the Father underſtands himſelf and all other things. And accordingly Alcinous tells us, that both Socrates and Plato taught that God is a Mind, 44Alcin de Doctrinâ Platonis.and that in the ſame there is a certain Idea which in reſpect of God, is that Knowledge which God hath of himſelf, and in p. 146reſpect of the World, is the Pattern or Mould thereof, and in reſpect of it ſelf, is very Eſſence. And Plotin tells us11Plot Enn. 5. l. 6. c. 1., that God is both the Party that is conceived in the Mind or Ʋnderſtanding, and alſo the Party that conceives him; and he makes The Word to be that which God doth mind in himſelf, which is Himſelf, and his own immenſe Perfections; and that the Nature of that Idea of himſelf which he beholds in himſelf is an Act that iſſues from him, which conſiſts in beholding and minding of himſelf, and in beholding him becomes the ſelf ſame thing with him. And this Ʋnderſtanding or Knowledge which God hath of himſelf, he calls22Enn. 5. l. 8. c. 12. & Enn. 5. l. 1. c. 7., the Son of the Sovereign Father, that bears the like Reſemblance to him, as the Light doth to the Sun in the Firmament. And, to name no more, Porphyry, as he is quoted by St. Cyril, tells us, That it was the Doctrine of Plato, that of the Good, (which elſewhere he calls the Father) is begotten an Ʋnderſtanding in a manner unknown to Men, in which are all things that truly are, and the Eſſences of all things that have a Being; that is, the ſubſtantial Ideas of God, and all created things whatſoever. And upon this account it is, that they call this Divine Subſiſtence The Word, becauſe it was generated by the Mind of the Father, even as our Words are generated by our Minds. And accordingly the ancient Jews, and Chriſtian Fathers, do generally expound that great Elogium of Wiſdom, Prov. 8. concerning the Eternal Word; where it is ſaid, that Wiſdom was ſet up from everlaſting, and poſſeſſed by God in the beginning of his way; that it was brought forth by him p. 147before the World; and that when he appointed the Foundations of the Earth, then was it by him, as one brought up with him, and was daily his delight, rejoycing always before him, v. 22.— 31. And this Notion the New Teſtament doth plainly refer to when it calls Chriſt the Wiſdom of God, 1 Cor. 1.24. which is the ſame Title that both Jews and Platoniſts give to The Word upon the account of his being that Eternal Knowledge and Ʋnderſtanding which God hath of himſelf and all other Beings; and in this, John 1.4. the Apoſtle ſeems plainly to hint this Notion to us; for ſpeaking there of The Word, In him, ſaith he, was Life, and the Life was the Light of Men. Now I think it will be hard to give any natural Account how that Life that was in The Word ſhould enlighten Men, unleſs we ſuppoſe his very Life and Being to conſiſt in Knowledge and Ʋnderſtanding; for by the Light of Men here is plainly meant that Divine Knowledge which is revealed to the World by Chriſt; and this Divine Knowledge he tells us is the very Life of The Word, or the Life that was in The Word: And afterwards he expreſly calls The Word the Light it ſelf, from whence all our Knowledge of God and Goodneſs is derived, v. 9. which is exactly the ſame with what Philo ſaith of The Word, viz. that He is the Intellectual Sun that is altogether Light; and with what Plotin ſaith of the foreign, or Divine Mind, 11Enn. 5. l. 1.that he is a Light ſhed forth every where, ſtreaming from God, and begotten of him. Which is a plain Evidence of Chriſt's being the ſubſtantial Light, Knowledge, or Idea of all things which God from Everlaſting formed in his own Mind, and of his being therefore called the Word of God, becauſe p. 148he is the Off-ſpring of God's Underſtanding, even as our Reaſon is the Off-ſpring of ours.

2dly. He is called The Word of God, becauſe he is the perfect Image of God, even as the Word is the Image of the Mind: For thus, as I have already told you, the Eternal Word is very frequently called the Image of God both by the Jews and Gentiles. For ſo Plotin 11Enn. 5. l. 1. c. 6., that this Divine Ʋnderſtanding, being the very Word of God, and Image of God, everlaſtingly beholds God, and cannot be ſeparated from him; and22Ibid. l. 2. that it is the begotten Iſſue, Word, and Image of the Sovereign God. And Plato himſelf calls him33Plato de Repub. l. 6. p. 478. the begotten Son of the Good, and moſt like unto him in all things; the foreign, and afterwards, foreign; that is, the begotten Son of the Good, who is moſt like unto himſelf. And Rab. Moſes the Son of Neheman, as he is quoted by Maſius, proving that that Angel of God's Preſence which went before the Camp of Iſrael was the Meſſias or Eternal Word, tells us, that he is therefore called the Angel of God's Preſence, nimirum quia ille Angelus eſt facies Dei; becauſe he is the Face of God, in whom God's Face was to be ſeen. And ſo Philo the Jew alſo doth very frequently call The Word 44Philo Legis Alleg. l. 2. p. 60., the Image and Reſemblance of God, and the foreign, the most perfect and exact Repreſentation of God. For they ſuppoſe that God being Omniſcient he muſt neceſſarily know himſelf, and that knowing himſelf, neceſſarily he muſt act ad extremum Virium, to the utmoſt p. 149of his Power, even as all other neceſſary Agents do; that acting to the utmoſt of his Power, he muſt by knowing himſelf produce as perfect an Image, Idea, or Notion of himſelf in his own Underſtanding as it was poſſible for him to do; that it was poſſible for him to produce ſuch a vital and ſubſtantial Idea of himſelf as is veſted with all the infinite Perfections of his Nature; and conſequently that ſuch an Idea he hath produced, and that this Idea is the Eternal Word. For God can do whatſoever doth not imply a Contradiction; now there is nothing in God but what he can communicate without a Contradiction, but only Self-Exiſtence; that implies a Contradiction indeed, for God to cauſe another thing to be without any Cauſe, and to exiſt of it ſelf. But as for all his other Perfections he may communicate them; and when he acts neceſſarily, as he is ſuppoſed to do in the Generation of the Word, he muſt, becauſe then he acts to his utmoſt Poſſibility. So then The Word muſt have the ſame Nature, Eſſence, and Perfections with the Father; and the only imaginable Difference between them muſt be this; that whereas the Father exiſts of himſelf, the Word exiſts of the Father; which is exactly agreeable to the Catholick Notion of Chriſtians. And indeed if it be granted that God, who is infinitely knowing, muſt neceſſarily know himſelf perfectly, then it will ſeem to-follow, that there muſt be the ſame Perfections in that Idea or Notion by which he knows himſelf, that there are in himſelf; for elſe it is not one perfect Idea of him. And hence it is that our Notions do ſo imperfectly reſemble things, becauſe we cannot communicate to them that Life and Subſtance that is in the things p. 150themſelves; and therefore if God knows himſelf perfectly, as he muſt needs do being infinitely knowing, he muſt communicate Life and Subſtance to the Notion of himſelf, or elſe 'twill be no perfect Notion of his Life and Subſtance; and he muſt communicate to it all the immenſe Perfections of his own Nature, or elſe 'twill be no perfect Notion of his own Perfections. So then the Eternal Word, which is here ſuppoſed to be the moſt perfect Notion of the Father, muſt be a vital and ſubſtantial Idea, endued with all the Perfections of the Divine Nature, which is alſo very agreeable with the Chriſtian Notion of the Divine Word: For he is deſcribed to be the Image of God, 2 Cor. 4.4. the Brightneſs of his Glory, and the expreſs Character of his Perſon, Heb. 1.3. and being ſo he muſt neceſſarily be what God is, i.e. God eſſential, or elſe he cannot be the perfect Image, and expreſs Character of God. And accordingly in the New Teſtament he is called God over all, bleſſed for ever, Rom. 9.5. and the Perfections of the Divine Nature are very frequently attributed to him, as particularly Omniſcience, John 16.30. Eternity, Heb. 1.12. and Rev. 22.13. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the firſt and the laſt. So that upon this Account alſo he may very properly be called The Word of God, becauſe as our Words are the Images of our Minds, ſo He is the moſt perfect Image of God.

3dly. He is called The Word, becauſe he is the Interpreter of the Father's Mind, even as our Words alſo are the Interpreters of our Minds to others. And this Philo the Jew doth alſo take notice of as the proper Work and Office of The Word to be foreign 11Quis rer. div. haer. p. 397., p. 151the Embaſſador of the Great King to his Subjects, to communicate his Mind and Will to them; and alſo the Angel and Meſſenger of God to Men to declare his Will and Pleaſure to them: And that in the Execution of this Office he doth foreign, &c.22De Somn. p. 461. Some as a King he commands what they ſhall do, others as a School-Maſter he profitably inſtructs, others as a Counſellor he faithfully admoniſhes; all which he performs as the Interpreter of the Mind of God. And elſewhere he calls him the foreign 33De Charitate, p. 552., the Divine Sun that enlightens the Souls of Men; and elſewhere he expreſly calls him the Interpreter of the Mind of God to Men: So that it ſeems it was upon this Account as well as others, that He was called by the Ancients, The Word of God. And the ſame Account is given of it in the New Teſtament. So Joh. 1.18. No Man hath ſeen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the boſom of the Father, he hath declared him. Where there is a particular Reaſon aſſigned, why though other Men interpreted the Mind of God to us, yet Chriſt alone is called The Word of God; becauſe he only was the immediate Interpreter of the Divine Will, even as the Word which we ſpeak is of ours. For he was in the very Boſom of the Father, and there underſtood his Mind not by the Inſtructions of an Angel, nor by Dreams and Viſions, nor only by the Holy Ghost, but by an immediate Intuition of his Thoughts and Purpoſes which from all Eternity p. 152were expoſed to his View and Proſpect. For as St. Gregory Nazianzen hath obſerved, He had the ſame Relation to the Father, as the inward Thought hath to the Mind, becauſe of his intimate Conjunction with him, and Power to declare him to the World. For the Father is known by the Son, who is a brief and eaſy Demonſtration of the Father, as every thing that is begotten is foreign, the ſilent Word of that which doth beget it.

4thly. And laſtly, He is called The Word, becauſe he is the Executor of his Father's Will, even as the Word and Command of a King is the Executor of his Will and Pleaſure: For according to the Senſe of the Ancients, God hath from the very Beginning governed the World by his eternal ΛΟΓΟΣ whom they therefore call the Immortal King, the Governor of all things that are or ſhall be, and the Vice-Roy of the great God, as I have already ſhewed you at large. And 'twas by this Word that God executed his Will when he made the World; For by his Word he made the Heavens, and all the Hoſt of them, by the Breath of his Mouth, Pſal. 33.6. He did but ſay the Word, Let there be Light, and there was Light; and to his powerful and efficacious Fiat the whole Frame of Nature was but a real Eccho. For theſe Expreſſions, Let there be Light, and let there be a Firmament, &c. are not perhaps ſo to be underſtood as if God did actually pronounce thoſe Syllables, but they rather ſeem to be a popular Deſcription of the infinite Energy of the Eternal Word by which God made the Heavens and the Earth, to whom it was as eaſy to give Being to the World as it was to command it to be; and that Paſſage of the Pſalmiſt, by the Word of the Lord were p. 153the Heavens made, and of the Author to the Hebrews, Heb. 11.3. that the Worlds were framed by the Word of God, ſeem rather to denote that powerful Act of Creation which was exerted by the vital and ſubſtantial Word of God, whereby he inſtantly, and as it were with a Words ſpeaking, gave Exiſtence to thoſe Beings he intended to create, than any articulate Words or Phraſes pronounced by God himſelf; becauſe in this Chapter, and many other Places of the New Teſtament, it is expreſly ſaid that God made the World by Chriſt, who is that living and ſubſtantial Word that was with God from the Beginning. Well therefore may Chriſt be called The Word of God, ſince by him God doth as effectually execute his Will, as if it were done by the Word of his own Mouth. For Chriſt hath ſuch Power both in Heaven and Earth, that at his Word and Command all things are preſently done according to his Will; and therefore you may obſerve in that Viſion to St. John, Rev. 19.13. Jeſus, being repreſented as the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, clothed in a royal Purple Robe, is called by the name of the Word of God, when he was executing the Divine Vengeance upon the Nations by that Power which he hath at God's Right-hand.

3. I now paſs on to the third and laſt Thing, namely, what we are to underſtand by the Word's being made Fleſh? of which I ſhall give you a brief Account, and then conclude with a few ſhort Inferences from the whole. Which Words, being made Fleſh, we ought not ſo to underſtand as if the Eternal Word was changed or converted into Fleſh, as Cerinthus taught; or as if the Fleſh was changed or p. 154converted into the Word, as Valentinus ridiculouſly aſſerted; for the Deity is immutable, and as it can be changed into nothing, ſo nothing can be changed into it. But by Fleſh we are to underſtand Man, a Part being put for the Whole; for ſo the Scripture doth very frequently call Man Fleſh, that being one of the Ingredients of his Nature. Thus Pſ. 56.4. I will not fear what fleſh can do unto me, Jerem. 17.5. Curſed be the Man that maketh fleſh his arm, that is that puts his Confidence in Man: Matth. 24.22. Except thoſe days be ſhortned, no fleſh ſhall be ſaved; that is, no Man: And Rom. 3.20. No fleſh ſhall be juſtified in his ſight, that is, no Man ſhall be juſtified. So here, The Word was made fleſh, that is The Word was made Man. Not that the Divine Nature was converted into the Nature of Man, but the Meaning is, it was made one with Man, even as our Soul is not turned into nor confounded with the Body, yet they two, though diſtinct in Natures, grow into one Man; ſo the Manhood of Chriſt was aſſumed, or taken into The Word, both being united into one Perſon, the Natures being preſerved entire and diſtinct, without any Mixture or Confuſion. For as the Fourth General Council hath defined it, He was ſo made Fleſh that he ceaſed not to be the Word, never changing that he was, but aſſuming that which he was not. And though our Humanity was advanced by it, yet his Divinity was not at all diminiſhed; and the Myſtery of Godlineſs, God manifeſted in the fleſh, was no Detriment to the Godhead, which is always unchangeably the ſame: And therefore the ſeeming Harſhneſs of this Expreſſion may be eaſily molified by comparing it with others of the ſame import; for elſewhere p. 155where it is ſaid, that he was manifeſt in the fleſh, 1 Tim. 3.16. which only denotes that the Divinity was made known, and did appear in the World in a Humane Nature. Elſewhere it is ſaid, that he took on him the Nature of Man, Heb. 2.16. which only denotes that the Divinity did aſſume the Humane Nature to it, and was perſonally united with it. So here The Word was made fleſh; that is, The Word was made one with the Fleſh by aſſuming the Humane Nature into a perſonal Union with it ſelf.

Having thus explain'd to you the Senſe and Meaning of the Words, I ſhall now conclude this Argument with three or four ſhort Inferences from the whole.

1. From hence we may infer the Eternal Divinity of our Bleſſed Saviour, even from this great name The Word, that is here attributed to him. For ſince it is ſo apparent that this Phraſe is a Term of Art derived from the Schools of the Jews and Gentiles, and ſince by it they did all ſo generally underſtand a Divine Perſon ſubſiſting from all Eternity, it muſt neceſſarily follow that the Holy Ghoſt, deriving it from them and applying it to our Bleſſed Saviour, muſt uſe it to the ſame Senſe; for otherwiſe He were better never to have uſed it at all, becauſe by diſcourſing in the ſame Language with them, he will give us juſt occaſion to think that he means the ſame thing, namely, that Chriſt, whom he calls The Word, is a Divine Perſon ſubſiſting from all Eternity; which if he doth not mean by uſing that Term, he will almoſt neceſſarily betray us into a falſe Belief concerning our Saviour. As, to inſtance briefly in a Caſe of another Nature; p. 156Our Saviour in his Sermons doth frequently preſs us to Meekneſs, and Patience, Humility and Charity, all which are Terms frequently uſed long before in the Moral Philoſophy both of the Jews and Gentiles, by which they ſignify fuch and fuch particular Virtues. Since therefore our Saviour doth uſe the ſame Terms with them, we have juſt Reaſon to conclude that he mean the ſame Virtues by them; and ſhould he mean any thing elſe, his very uſing of theſe Terms would neceſſarily impoſe upon us a falſe Senſe of his meaning; for how ſhould we underſtand his Meaning but by his Words, and how ſhould we underſtand his Words but by the common Import and Signification of them? And can we imagine that the Spirit of Truth would have ven deſcribed our Saviour by a Term that was ſo generally uſed to ſignify a Divine Perſon ſubſiſting from all Eternity, and uſed it too, as he doth, without any Reſtraint or Limitation, nay and ſo ſeemingly at leaſt to the ſame Purpoſe, as he doth in the three firſt Verſes of his Chapter, where he deſcribes the Divine Nature and Operations of Chriſt The Word, in the ſame terms in which the Jews and Gentiles were wont to deſcribe the Divinity of their ΛΟΓΟΣ can we imagine, I ſay, that the Holy Spirit would have done thus, had he known Chriſt to be nothing but a meer Man that never was before he was born of his Mother? Far be it from us to charge that Bleſſed Spirit with impoſing ſuch a Deluſion upon Mankind.

2. Hence I infer the aſtoniſhing Love of our Bleſed Saviour in condeſcending ſo low as to be made Fleſh for us, and aſſume our Nature. For what he was before he took our Nature, you have heard p. 157already: He was no leſs than the Eternal Word of the Father; in whoſe Boſom he enjoyed the ſupremeſt Degree of Bliſs and Happineſs, being crowned with Glory, and incircled about with the Eſſential Rays of the Divinity. And yet ſuch was his Love to poor Mortals, ſo infinite was his Zeal and Concern for our Happineſs, that, ſeeing the Miſery we were plunged into, he could not reſt, no not in the bleſſed Arms of his Father, but ſtrip himſelf of all his Majeſty and Bliſs, and comes down among us, and aſſumes our Nature to ſave and reſcue us, and invite and lead us to thoſe Heavenly Manſions from whence he deſcended to us. Lord, what a Prodigy of Love was here, as doth not only puzzle my Conceit, but out-reach my Wonder and Admiration! For when I ſeriouſly conſider it, though it be a Bleſſing beyond all my Hopes, and ſuch as I could never have had the Impudence to deſire; yet it fills my Mind with an awful Horror to think that there was a Time when the great God was here upon the Earth in my Form and Nature, and converſed familiarly with ſuch mortal Wights as my ſelf, and for my ſake, and ſuch poor Worms as I, patiently under-went the common Infirmities of Men, and willingly expoſed himſelf to the Contempt and Scorn of a malevolent World, and the Malice and Cruelty of thoſe barbarous Men to whom he gave Being, and could with the Breath of his Noſtrils have ſcattered into Atoms, and all this in meer Compaſſion to a Company of apoſtatized Natures, who had ſo highly deſerved to be thrown from his Care and Mercy for ever. O my Soul, how am I aſtoniſhed at this Miracle of Love! Methinks when I conſider it I am looking p. 158down from a ſtupendous Precipice, whoſe Height fills me with a trembling Horror, and even overſetting Reaſon.

3. From hence I infer what might Obligations we have for ever to love and ſerve our Bleſſed Redeemer. If our Hearts are capable of being warmed into any degree of Affection, ſure 'tis impoſſible but we muſt be affected at ſuch an unheard of Inſtance of Love. For the Son of God to leave his Father's Boſom, where he was infinitely more happy then we can expreſs and think of, and diſguiſe himſelf in mortal Fleſh, and become a Man of Sorrows that the might make me a Man of endleſs Joys: can my Heart hold when I think of this? Is it poſſible I ſhould reflect upon ſuch a prodigious Inſtance of Affection without being wrapt into an Extaſy of Love? Bleſſed Jeſus, what barbarous Hearts do we carry about with us, that will not melt before the Flames of thy Love! Flames that are ſufficient to kindle Seraphims, and to fill all reaſonable Breaſts with burning Affections towards thee! For how is it Poſſible that any Man, I had almoſt ſaid that any Devil, ſhould be ſo diſingenuous and ill-natured as not to be affected with ſuch ſtupendous Kindneſs? When we ſee a Child ſlight his careful and indulgent Parents, we are ready to account him an unnatural Monſter; when we ſee a Man neglect his Friend, or diſregard his Benefactor, we preſently call him baſe and ungrateful; nay when we ſee one abuſe a poor brute Creature that fawns upon him, and expreſſes its Kindneſs to him, we look upon it as an undoubted Sign of a very hard Heart, and an ill Nature: What Term then can we find in all the World of Words that is p. 159odious enough to expreſs our Diſaffection to our Bleſſed Redeemer, to whom we are ſo infinitely obliged? Baſe, Diſingenuous, Ill-natured, and Ʋngrateful, are all too ſoft; 'tis ſomething beyond Barbarous and Deviliſh. For one would think that neither the moſt inhumane Canibal on Earth, nor the blackeſt Devil in Hell, could ever be guilty of ſo foul a Crime, which hath ſomething in it too monſtrous for any Words to expreſs. Well therefore may the Heavens be aſtoniſhed, and the Earth tremble, and all the Creation of God ſtand amazed at us, to ſee how inſentible we are of this moſt raviſhing and endearing Love. Well may we be amazed at our ſelves, and wonder at our own Stupidity to think that the Son of God ſhould be ſo kind as to come down from Heaven to viſit us, to leave the Habitation of his Glory, and ſhroud his Divinity in mortal Fleſh, and make himſelf a miſerable Wight, meerly that he might make us happy, and advance us to that Glory and Bliſs which for our ſakes he willingly abandoned; and yet that we are no more touched and affected with it, than with the moſt indifferent Thing in the World. Bleſſed God, what are we made of? What kind of Souls do we carry about with us, that no Kindneſs will oblige us, no not the moſt endearing that ever was known or heard of? Doubtleſs ſhould any Man have ſhewn us but half this Kindneſs, ſhould a Friend but offer to die for us, or a Prince to deſcend from his Throne, and put himſelf into the State of a Beggar to inrich and advance us in the World, we ſhould have thought our ſelves bound to him as long as we lived; and ſhould we have thought any Services too much, any Requitals p. 160too dear for him, we ſhould have been lookt upon as Monſters of Ingratitude, as the Peproaches and Scandals of humane Nature, and been hiſs'd out of all Society for a Company of infamous Villains, unworthy of the least Repſect or Favour from Mankind. But for a Friend to die, or a Prince to become a Beggar for our ſakes, alas what poor inconſiderable Things are they, compared with the Condeſcentions of the Son of God, who humbled himſelf much lower in becoming a Man than the moſt glorious Angel in Heaven could have done in aſſuming the Nature of a Worm. And can we be ſo inhumane as not to be moved by ſuch a Miracle of condeſcending Love? Is it the leſs, becauſe it is the Lore of God, or doth it leſs deſerve our Requital? What Excuſe then can we make for our wretched Inſenſibility? O ungrateful that we are! with that Confidence can we ſhew our Heads among reaſonable Beings after we have ſo barbarouſly ſlighted our best Friend, and behaved our ſelves ſo diſingenuouſly towards our greatest Benefactor? How can we pretend to any thing that is modest or ingenuous, tender or apprehenſive in humant Nature, when nothing will oblige us, no not that aſtoniſhing Love that made the Son of God leave all his Glory, and become a poor miſerable Mortal for our ſakes? O bleſſed Jeſus! what do thy holy Angels think of us! how do thy bleſſed Saints reſent our Unkindneſs towards thee! yea, how juſtly will the Devils themſelves reproach and upbraid our Baſeneſs, who, had as they are, were never ſo much Devils yet as to ſpurn the Love of a Redeemer, coming down from Heaven to die and ſuffer for their ſakes! Wherefore as we would not be hiſs'd p. 161at by all the reaſonable World, and become Spectacles of Horror to God, and Angels, and Devils, let us endeavoun to affect our ſelves with the Love of our Redeemer, and to inflame our own Souls with the Senſe of his Kindneſs, who hath done ſuch mighty things to endear and oblige us.

4. From hence I infer what monſtrous Diſingenuity it would be in us to think much of parting with any thing, or doing any thing for the ſake of Chriſt, who for our ſakes parted with his Father's Boſom, and all thoſe infinite Delights which he there enjoyed, and united himſelf to our miſerable Nature that he might make us good and happy for ever. And now after all this, with what Conſcience or Modeſty can we grudge to do any thing which he ſhall require at our hands? Should he command me to deſcend into the loweſt Form of Beings, and to become the moſt wretched and contemptible of all Animals, could I be ſuch a Caitif as to deny him, who deſcended much lower for the ſake of me? Should he remand me back into Non-entity, and bid me ceaſe to be for ever; alas! the Diſtance is nothing ſo great between me and nothing, as 'twas betwixt him, and that humane Nature which he aſſumed for my ſake. Should he require me to die for him under all thoſe lingering and exquiſite Tortures which the bleſſed Martyrs ſuffered for his Name, what Proportion were there between what he requires of me, and what he hath done for me? He only requires that I ſhould paſs through Death to Heaven for him, but he came from Heaven to paſs through Death for me; ſo that for his ſake I ſhould only put off a wretched Garment of Fleſh, that I may be inrobed p. 162with Glory and Immortality; but for my ſake he put off his Robes of Glory and Majeſty, that he might wear my frail and mortal Fleſh, and therein reconcile me to God, and make me everlaſtingly happy: And when I may advance my ſelf into an Equality with Angels by ſuffering the Agonies of a miſerable Death for him, ſhall I refuſe, or thing much of it; when he who was equal with God in Glory and Happineſs, was ſo ready to be born a wretched miſerable Man for me? Should he require me to give my Subſtance to the Poor, and leave my ſelf deſtitute of all Supplies and Comforts; could I deny ſo poor a Requeſt to him, who forſook a Heaven of Infinite Pleaſures for my ſake, and expoſed himſelf naked to the Mercy of a wretched, wicked, and ill-natured World, from whom he could expect nothing but the moſt barbarous Contempt and Cruelty? Sure, one would thing 'twere impoſſible for any reaſonable Being to deny ſuch poor, ſuch inconſider able Boons to ſuch a great and deſerving Benefactor; and yet theſe are much more then what he ordinarily requires at our hands. For that which he ordinarily requires of us is, that we would forſake thoſe Vices which are as injurious to us as they are hateful to him, and which are therefore hateful to him, becauſe they are our Enemies; and that we would practiſe thoſe Virtues in which the Perfection and Happineſs of our Nature is involved, and which we can no more be happy without, then we can be without Being. And can I think much to part with thoſe Luſts for his ſake, which are my Shames and Infelicities, who never grudg'd to part with Heaven for mine? Can they be as dear to me as his Father's Boſom was p. 163to him? and yet he left that for Love of me; and ſhall not I leave theſe for Love of him? Methinks if we will not part with them for our own ſakes, as being deſtructive to our Peace and Happineſs; yet had we the leaſt ſpark of Ingenuity in us, we ſhould gladly part with them for the ſake of our Saviour, who for ours was ſo ready to part with all that was dear to him. Can we be ſuch Wretches as to refuſe to ſerve him, when he requires nothing of us but what we are obliged to by our own Intereſt? Are we ſo loſt to all that is ingenuous and modeſt, that we will not obey him when he only requires us to be kind to our ſelves? O wretched Mortals! doth his Coming down from Heaven to ſave you, deſerve this barbarous Treatment at your hands, that to ſpite him you ſhould injure your ſelves, and wound his Authority thro' your own Sides? Had he been wholly indifferent to you, it had been very unreaſonable to reject his Service when it altogether conſiſts in ſerving your ſelves; but to diſobey ſo dear a Friend, to whom we are obliged by ſuch ſtupendous Favours, when he enjoins us nothing but the Means of our own Happineſs, is ſuch a Piece of monſtrous and unnatural Baſeneſs, as the Devil himſelf can hardly parallel. O unkind that we are! that we will not be good to our ſelves for our Saviour's ſake, and that when he conjures us to it, as he doth, even by all the Love that we owe him! For ſo John 14.15. If ye love me, ſaith he, keep my Commandments; Conſider what mighty things I have done for you; how I left my Throne in Heaven for your ſakes, and became a miſerable mortal Man: And now that I am going from you, and am offering up my Life to redeem you, if ever I have p. 164merited any Love at your hands, expreſs it in keeping my Commandments. 'Tis no great matter that I require of you, 'tis only that you would be kind to your ſelves, that you would let Miſery alone, and endeavour to be as happy as Heaven can make you. This is all the Requital that I expect at your hands, that you would be as good and happy as I would have you; and this, which is the ſum of all my Commands, I conjure you ſtrictly to obſerve, even by all the Love that you owe me. O bleſſed Jeſus! one would have thought thou hadſt been requiring ſome mighty Trial of our Love to thee, that we ſhould do ſome great Thing for thee to which nothing could prompt us but only our Gratitude and Kindneſs: But when thou only requireſt us to expreſs our Love to thee in doing that which is the highest Expreſſion of our Love to our ſelves, can we be ſo diſingenuous as not to do that for thy ſake to whom we are ſo inſinitely obliged, which we are bound to do for our own ſakes as well as thine?

5. And laſtly; Hence I infer what a glorious Thing it is to do Good, ſince the Son of God, having ſo great an Opportunity of doing Good to the World, thought it worth his While to come down from Heaven, and aſſume our Natures, and undergo our Miſeries, as if he eſteemed it more glorious and becoming the Majeſty and Divinity of his Perſon to dwell upon Earth with poor miſerable Mortals, among whom he might do the greatest Good, than to ſit above upon the Throne of Heaven, and receive the moſt humble Adorations of Angels; for 'twas only for an Opportunity of doing the greatest Good that he exchanged the Glory and Happineſs of Heaven, chuſing rather to become a p. 165miſerable Man to make others good and happy, than to continue among thoſe infinite Delights with which the Heavenly State abounds. What a moſt glorious Thing then is it to do Good, when our moſt wiſe Redeemer choſe it before Heaven it ſelf, when he thought it more eligible to come down upon Earth and make us haply, than to dwell in the Boſom of his Father, and ſhine in Heaven with the Brightneſs and Glory of his Divinity. And if there be nothing in Heaven ſo glorious as doing Good, what is there upon Earth that may be compared unto it? What dim, what ſullied Things are all the Pomps and Splendors of this World compared with the Glory of doing Good to others, when God preferred it before Heaven it ſelf? To conquer Kingdoms, to lead the World in Triumph after us, how mean and inconſiderable are they compared with that Glory which the Son of God forſook meerly to do Good to the World? A Thing which he eſteemed ſo great and illuſtrious, that he did not only leave Heaven for it, but ſcorned and deſpiſed the Kingdoms of the Earth, finding nothing below that was worthy of him but only to go about doing Good! For this was his conſtant Imployment, as you may ſee Acts 10.21. And now is it poſſible that after this great Example, we ſhould think Beneficence a cheap or vulgar Thing? Can we think it a Diſhonour to ſtoop to the meaneſt Offices, whereby we may ſerve the Souls or Bodies of our Brethren, when the Son of God came down from Heaven, and vailed his Glory in mortal Fleſh for no other End but to do Good? O fooliſh Creatures that we are! did we but underſtand and conſider what a magnificent Thing it is to ſupply p. 166the Neceſſities of Men, and contribute to their Happineſs, we ſhould doubtleſs embrace it as our greateſt Preferment, and think our ſelves bound to bleſs God for ever for furniſhing us with Occaſions of doing Good, that he doth deem us worthy of ſuch an illuſtrious Imployment, to have ſome ſhare with himſelf in the Glory of it, that he will vouchſafe to us an Opportunity to honour and magnify our ſelves by acting this Divine, this Godlike Part in the World. Never then let us think that we diſhonour our ſelves, though we ſtoop never ſo low, when it is to do Good; no, though it be to viſit a Beggar, to dreſs the Sores of a poor Lazar, to inſtruct or comfort the meanest Wretch in all thy Neighbourhood. For now thou acteſt the Part of God in doing the moſt glorious Thing in all the World; a Thing for which the greatest Princes may envy thee, and the bleſſed God for ever applaud thee! Now thou art doing that which the Son of God came down from Heaven to do, and which he thought more worthy of his Choice than to reign over Angels in Heaven: So that either we muſt ſay, that He was unwiſe for preferring it before Heaven, or elſe we muſt acknowledge that we are infinitely fooliſh in preferring any Thing in the World before it.

II. I now proceed to the Second Propoſition, And dwelt among us full of Grace and Truth. For that theſe later Words [full of Grace and Truth] belong to the former, [And dwelt among us] you may plainly ſee by the Parentheſis in your Bible, by which they are interrupted and broken off from one another. In the Explication of theſe Words, I ſhall do theſe Two Things:

p. 1671. Enquire what is here meant by the Word's dwelling among us.

2. What we are to underſtand by his being full of Grace and Truth.

1. What is here meant by the Word's dwelling among us? In the Greek it is foreign; that is, he pitched his Tabernacle among us; which ſeems plainly to refer to God's dwelling in the Tabernacle under the Moſaic Law. For the Greek word foreign comes immediately from the Hebrew Shacan, and differs from it only by the Greek Termination; and from Shacan comes the word Shechinah, by which the Hebrews were wont to expreſs God's glorious Preſence upon Earth, and eſpecially his Habitation in the holy Tabernacle between the two Cherubims, where he is ſaid to dwell, 1 Sam. 4.4. and 2 Sam. 6.2. becauſe from thence God was wont to ſpeak, and diſcover himſelf by a viſible Brightneſs and Glory: And accordingly this Preſence, or Habitation of God, is called in the Greek foreign and foreign, Glory and Appearing. Thus Numb. 16.19. it is ſaid, that when the Congregation drew near to the Tabernacle, the Glory of the Lord appeared unto them; and v. 42. it is ſaid, that a Cloud covered the Tabernacle, and the Glory of the Lord appeared. So when the Glory is ſaid to be departed from Iſrael, 1 Sam. 4.21. it's plain that by that Glory is meant this viſible Appearance of God in a glorious Brightneſs from between the Cherubims. So Rev. 21. when it had been ſaid of the New Jeruſalem, that it was foreign, the Tabernacle of God with us, v. 3. that being repeated p. 168again, v. 11. is ſaid to have the Glory of God in it, and the Glory of God to enlighten it, v. 23. Now it ſeems moſt probable that this glorious Shechinah, Preſence, or Habitation of God, conſiſted in the Preſence of Angels; who being the Courtiers of Heaven, where they appear there God is ſaid to be peculiarly preſent. And hence it is that the Well Lahi-roi, where the Angel appeared to Hagar, Gen. 16.7, 14. is by the Jeruſalem Targum, ſtiled the Well ubi manifeſtata illi fuit Praeſentia Domini Majeſtatica, where the Preſence of God in Majeſty was manifeſted to her: And that viſible Glory which appeared from between the Cherubims, is called by the ſame name viz, the Gloria Majeſtaticae praeſentiae Domini, the Glory of the Majeſtatick Preſence of God; which is a plain Evidence that the Jews believed the Majeſtatick Preſence of God to be nothing elſe but the Appearance of Angels. And of the ſame Mind was the Author to the Hebrews, Heb. 2.2. For the Law, ſaith he was ſpoken by Angels; and ſo St. Stephen, Acts 7.53. The Law was received by the Diſpoſition of Angels; and St. Paul, that the Law was ordained by Angels in the hand of a Mediator, Galat. 3.19. Whereas Exod. 19.11. compared with 20. v. 22. it is ſaid, that the Lord came down in the ſight of all the People, and talked with them; that is, as you will there find, he ſpoke the Law to them. Which is a plain Evidence that that glorious Deſcent of God's Preſence upon Mount Sinai, where the Law was ſpoken, was in the Opinion of the Author to the Hebrews, nothing but the Preſence of Angels; who when they were to repreſent the Divine Preſence, were wont to appear in bright and radiant Bodies; p. 169and therefore where it is ſaid in Iſaiah's Viſion, Iſa. 6.1. that he ſaw the Lord ſitting upon a Throne, and that his Train filled the Temple; that is, his Train of Angels; and this Train of Angels our Saviour calls the Glory of the Lord, Joh. 12.41. which is the ſame with the Shechinah, or Majeſtick Preſence: And therefore perhaps they are called Angels of Light in reference to that lucid, ſhining, flaming Appearance which they were wont to make: And in Pſ. 104.4. God is ſaid to make his Miniſters a flaming fire, that is, when they are to make a viſible Repreſentation of his Majeſtick Preſence to Mankind. But beſides this, Iſa. 63.9. you have mention made of the Angel of God's Preſence which ſaved Iſrael; which ſeems to denote the Head and Chief of thoſe Angels, which by their glorious Appearances did repreſent God to Mankind. By which Angel the Jews did generally underſtand the Meſſias, or Eternal Word: For ſo Philo, 11De Agricul. p. 152.ſpeaking of God's committing the Care of his Flock to his firſt born Son, The Word, tells us, That this is that Angel whom God promiſed to ſend before the Camp of Iſrael, even the Angel of his Preſence. And ſo alſo Rab. Menahem upon the 14th of Exod. 19. tells us, that the Angel which went before the Camp of Iſrael was Shechinah, the Preſence, or Majeſty of God, and that he is called the Angel or Prince of the World, becauſe the Government of the World is in his hands. And to the ſame Purpoſe Moſes the Son of Neheman, Praeterea Scriptum eſt, ſaith he, & Angelus faciei ejus ſalvos fecit ipſos, &c. that is, It is written, the Angel of his Preſence ſhall ſave them, viz. that Angel which is the Preſence of God, of whom it is ſaid, My Preſence ſhall go before thee, and I will p. 170cauſe thee to reſt. Moreover, ſaith he, this is that Angel of whom the Prophets foretold, The Lord whom ye ſeek ſhall ſuddenly come to his Temple, the Angel of the Covenant whom ye deſire; which both the Ancient Jews and Chriſtians interpret to be the Meſſias; and this, ſaith he, is He who governs the World, that brought the Children of Iſraelout of Egypt, and to whom the most High God communicates his own Name. And this without doubt was he whom God calls his Preſence when he promiſed Moſes, that his Preſence ſhould go along with him, Exod. 33.14. for this Preſence is there ſaid to be the Angel of God; both which put together make him to be the Angel of God's Preſence, Exod. 23.20. And accordingly inſtead of, Say not before the Angel of the Lord, Eccleſ. 5.6. the Septuagint render it, Say not before the Preſence of God, that is, before the Angel of his Preſence. And ſince to this Angel of his Preſence, God doth attribute not only his Prerogative of Forgiving Sins, but alſo his own Name, as you may ſee he doth, Exod. 23.21. it ſeems very probable, what not only the Jews, but many very Learned Chriſtians do aſſert, that it was no created Angel, but the Eternal Word or Meſſias: For ſaith God to Maſes, Behold I ſend an Angel before thee, &c. beware of him, and obey his Voice; provoke him not, for he will not pardon your Tranſgreſſions, for my Name is in him; that is, my Name Jehovah, which is the proper and incommunicable Name of God. And accordingly you frequently read of an Angel that is called by the Name Jehovah, which I doubt not was the ſame with this Angel of God's Preſence. Thus that Angel of the Lord which appeared to Moſes in the burning Buſh, is called by the Name Jehovah, and ſtiled the God of Abraham, Iſaac, and p. 171Jacob, Exod. 3.2. comp. 4.5. And one of thoſe Angels that appeared to Abraham in the Plains of Mamre, is called the Lord, and the Judge of all the Earth, Gen. 18.1, 25. So alſo he that ſtood on the top of the Ladder in Jacob's Viſion, is in Gen. 28.13. called the Lord God of Abraham, and the God of Iſaac; whereas in Gen. 31.11. he is called the Angel of the Lord, and afterwards, v. 13. the God of Bethel. Which ſeems to me a plain Evidence that that Angel of God was God, ſince both thoſe Titles were attributed to the ſame Perſon; and that he was alſo that very Angel of his Preſence whom God promiſed to ſend before the Camp of Iſrael, ſince in him it is apparent the Name of God was, i. e. the Name Jehovah. And it's very obſervable, that this very Angel both Philo and the Chaldee Paraphraſe ſtiles the Word of God; and therefore thoſe Words of God to Joſhua, Joſ. 1.5. As I was with Moſes, ſo I will be with thee, the Paraphraſe renders thus, As my Word was aſſiſting to Moſes, ſo it ſhall be aſſiſting to thee: And 'tis the Obſervation of the Learned Maſius, that generally where the Hebrew Text ſpeaks of God either converſing with Men, or managing their Affairs, that Paraphraſe, inſtead of God, uſes this Phraſe the Word of God. From whence it is evident, that it was the received Doctrine of the Jews that God was always preſent with Mankind by his Eternal Word; which is therefore the more conſiderable, becauſe it ſo exactly agrees with the Doctrine of the Primitive Fathers. For ſo Tertullian, Chriſtus ſemper egit in Dei Patris nomine; ipſe ad initio converſatus eſt cum Patriarchis & Prophetis. And in his Book againſt Praxian he tells us, That from Adam to the Patriarchs and Prophets, Christ always p. 172deſcended to diſcourſe with Men; and that that God who converſed upon Earth with Men, was no other than that Eternal Word that was to be made Fleſh. And the ſame Thing is ſtrenuouſly aſſerted alſo by Juſtin Martyr in his Diſcourſes with Trypho the Jew. Nor can I ſee any Reaſon why he ſhould not be the Angel of God's Preſence, ſince elſewhere he is expreſly called the Angel of that Covenant by which God hath oblig'd himſelf to be preſent with his Church for ever, Mal. 3.1. And the New Teſtament ſo often declares him to be the Image, and Character, and Repreſentative of God; and himſelf tells Philip that he did ſo perfectly repreſent the Father, that whoſoever had ſeen him had ſeen the Father, Joh. 14.9. And if this be ſo, as it ſeems highly probable, that The Word was the Angel of God's Preſence, that is, the Chief or Prince of thoſe Angels that repreſented God in the World, then it will follow that the Shechinah, or Majeſtick Preſence of God, conſiſted in a glorious and viſible Appearance of the Word with a Troop of bleſſed Angels attending him in bright and luminous Forms. And this I conceive was the glorious Preſence of God which came down firſt upon Mount Sinai, and afterwards removed into the Tabernacle, and abode between the two Cherubims. And this I am rather induced to believe, becauſe I find the Deſcent of God's Preſence upon Mount Sinai, is deſcribed in the ſame manner as Chriſt's coming to Judgment; for ſo, Matth. 16.27. it is ſaid, that he ſhall come in the Glory of his Father, with his Angels; and St. Jude tells us, that he ſhall come with his holy Myriads, or Ten Thouſands, v. 14. for ſo it ought to be render'd: And the Lord in the ſame manner p. 173is ſaid to come from Sinai with his holy Ten Thouſands, or Myriads; for ſo it is in the Hebrew, Deut. 33.2. And ſince they are both deſcribed in the ſame manner, it ſeems to follow, that they were both the ſame Majeſtick Preſence of God, even the Eternal Word aſſuming a glorious Form, and attended with Myriads of bright and ſhining Angels. And this ſame Preſence it was that was afterwards diſplayed in the Tabernacle, which was ſaid to be filled with the Glory of the Lord, which ſhone from between the Cherubims with a bright and viſible Splendour, that is, with the illuſtrious Appearances of the Eternal Word, and thoſe glorious Angels that attended him. And upon that Mount, and in that Tabernacle, did this bleſſed Word repreſent his Father, even as the Vice-Roy doth the Sovereign Prince; for there in his Father's Perſon, and by his Authority, he gave forth his Laws and Oracles to the Seed of Abraham, and as the Vice-gerent of the moſt High God governed the Houſe of Iſrael, and diſtributed to them Rewards and Puniſhments, according as they behaved themſelves towards him: For upon all the fore-named Reaſons it ſeems highly probable, that he was the Lord who ſpoke to Moſes, and from between the Cherubims, and that thence delivered the Law to him. So that as he was the Shechinah, or glorious Preſence of the moſt High God in the Tabernacle, he did there repreſent his Perſon by bearing his Authority, and ruling the Houſe of Iſrael as his Subſtitute and Vice-Roy.

And that the Words of my Text do refer to this glorious Appearance of the Word in the Tabernacle, and to his repreſenting of the moſt High p. 174God there, is very evident, in that it is not only ſaid that he tabernacled among them, which evidently alludes to his dwelling in the old Tabernacle, but that they ſaw his Glory too, which is a plain Alluſion to that Glory of his which filled the Tabernacle. So that the Meaning of theſe Words, He dwelt among us, ſeems to be this, that as Chriſt who is the Eternal Word, was the Shechinah, the Divine Preſence, or Angel of God's Preſence, which in the Tabernacle of old repreſented the moſt High to the Jews; ſo he alſo abode or tabernacled in our Fleſh as the Repreſentative of his Father to Mankind. In the Tabernacle of our Fleſh he diſplayed the Glory of his Father to us; he openly manifeſted and repreſented him to the World, even as of old he was wont to do in the Tabernacle of Moſes. For, The Word to Tabernacle among us muſt neceſſarily ſignify more then barely to dwell or live among us; for it muſt ſignify to dwell as the Shechinah in the Tabernacle, that is, as the moſt glorious Preſence or Repreſentative of the moſt High God, as one that was veſted with the Divine Authority, and that was the Vice-gerent of the Father of all things. So that, He dwelt among us, ſeems to ſignify the ſame with, He reigned among us in his Father's ſtead, as one who bore his Authority, and repreſented his Perſon, and to whom for the future we were to pay the ſame Homage and Reverence that we were bound to render to the moſt High himſelf, who under himſelf hath authorized him to be our Prince and Governour to declare his Divine Will to us, and exact our Obedience thereunto by rewarding and puniſhing us according to the Tenour of thoſe Laws p. 175which he hath eſtabliſhed in his bleſſed Goſpel; for this is plainly implied in his Shechanizing or Tabernacling, viz. his being the glorious Repreſentative of God in the World. He tabernacled among us, that is, he acted in God's ſtead, as one that repreſented his Father; and this he did in our Fleſh in a far more glorious manner than ever he did in the Moſaic Tabernacle: For in our Fleſh and Nature he tabernacled full of Grace and Truth; which brings me to the next Enquiry, viz.

2. What is here meant by his dwelling among us full of Grace and Truth? By theſe two Phraſes the Deſign of the holy Penman is doubtleſs to diſtinguiſh the Manner of his dwelling among us from that of his dwelling among the Jews in the Tabernacle: For a little after he uſes the ſame Phraſes in Contradiſtinction to the Law of Moſes: The Law, ſaith he, was given by Moſes, but Grace and Truth by Jeſus Chriſt, v. 17. God the Eternal Word gave the Law to Moſes, and Moſes gave it to the People of Iſrael; but Jeſus Chriſt, that is, the Eternal Word incarnate, gave not the Law, but Grace and Truth. So in the Text, The Word incarnate, or tabernacled in our Fleſh, did Shechanize, or perform the Part of his Father's ſupreme Repreſentative among us full of Grace and Truth; which implies ſomething beyond what he did when he dwelt in the Tabernacle of Moſes, and there as the Vice-Roy of God reigned over the Houſe of Jacob. That I may therefore more fully explain this Matter to you, I will briefly conſider theſe two Phraſes apart, and ſhew you in what Particulars they each of them diſtinguiſh his dwelling among us from his dwelling in the Moſaick Tabernacle.

p. 1761. He dwelt among us full of Grace, which diſtinguiſhes his dwelling among us from that more ſevere and rigorous manner in the former Tabernacle; and that is theſe following Particulars:

1st. He dwelt among us full of Grace in reſpect of the Sweetneſs and Obligingneſs of his Behaviour, in Contradiſtinciton to that more dreadful and terrible manner of his converſing with the Jews, when he tabernacled among them. The Jews being a moſt ſtubborn and ſtiff-necked Generation, (as they are often called in the Old Teſtament) the Eternal Word thought fit to converſe among them in ſuch a way as was moſt ſuitable to their Genius and Temper, to break their Stubbornneſs with the Dread of his Power, and awe them with the Terror of his Majeſty. And accordingly you find that when he came down firſt upon Mount Sinal, he was attended with a loud ſounding Trumpet, with Thunders and Lightings, with Fire and Smoak, and all the Equipage of a moſt dreadful Majeſty, ſuch as cauſed the Mountain and the People to tremble, Exod. 19.16, 20. And afterwards it is ſaid that the Glory in which he appeared, when the People ſaw him upon the Mount, was like a devouring Fire, in which glorious Appearance he afterwards removed into the Tabernacle, and there abode between the Cherubims, Exod. 40.34, 35. And when in all this dreadful Majeſty he appeared unto them, they are kept at a great Diſtance from him, and were ſeverely forbid to approach him leſt he ſhould break forth upon them, and deſtroy them, Exod. 19.24. And whenever they provoked him by their Murmurings and Rebellions, his Wrath broke forth like Lightning p. 177upon them, and conſumed the ring-leading Rebels, that by their Example the reſt might be warned to do no more wickedly. Thus in all his Converſes with them he clothed himſelf in a formidable Majeſty to break, and awe their ſturdy Spirits, and force their ſtiff Necks to yield to the Yoke of his Sovereign Authority. But when he aſſumed our Nature, and tabernacled among us in our Fleſh, he laid by that aſtoniſhing Majeſty that was wont to render him ſo dreadful to the Iſraelites, and put on all the Condeſcentions and Sweetneſſes of a moſt familiar and endearing Converſation, and converſed amongſt Men in ſuch a generous, friendly, and courteous Manner as was moſt apt to charm and inamour the World. He was free without being vain or trifling, ſerious without being ſour and moroſe; his Humour always chearful and uniform, and his Gravity was equally diſtant from Moroſeneſs and Vanity; and in a word, his Deportment was made up of all the Accompliſhments that can command either Love or Honour. And though now and thn he falls into high Expreſſions of Indignation, yet 'twas only againſt thoſe baſe Fellows the Phariſees, who under a Pretence of being Saints and the Godly Party, were bloted up with Pride and Arrogance, and canker'd with Malice and ill Nature; for which they were ſo abominable in his Eyes, whoſe Temper was altogether ſo loving and divine that he could not mention them without calling them Hypocrites, and the Children of the Devil. And if to all this you add his profound Humility and Condeſcention, his Meekneſs under Reproaches, and his Conſtancy and Patience under the greatest Sufferings, how much more ſweet, grateful, and charming, was p. 178this than when he appeared in ſuch a dreadful and aſtoniſhing Majeſty upon Mount Sinai, and in the Tabernacle of Moſes? 'Tis true, the Innoccncy and Purity of his Life, the Divinity of his Doctrine, and the many mighty Miracles that he wrought, could not but imprint an awful Majeſty upon his Perſon; ubt yet 'twas a graceful Majeſty, a Majeſty full of Grace and Sweetneſs, and ſuch as was much more apt to endear than to affright Men! For, as for the Virtue of his Life, and the Divinity of his Doctrine, it could not but attract all thoſe who had any Love and Eſteem for Virtue and Goodneſs. And as for his Miracles, they were vaſtly different from thoſe which he wrought in the Wilderneſs, which had little elſe in them but Matter of Terror and Aſtoniſhment; but theſe were all ſuch as did expreſs his Kindneſs to the World, and ſo were much more apt to oblige than to terrify thoſe that beheld them: For he went about doing good, and healing all that were oppreſs'd with the Devil, Acts 10.38. and healing all manner of Sickneſs, and all manner of Diſeaſes among the People, Matth. 4.23. So that in reſpect of the Sweetneſs and Obligingneſs of his Converſation, he tabernacled among us full of Grace, in Contradiſtinction to that terrible Majeſty in which he tabernacled among the Jews.

2dly. He tabernacled among us full of Grace in regard of the Sweetneſs and Gentleneſs of his Laws, in Contradiſtinction to thoſe many burthenſom Precepts which he gave when he tabernacled among the Jews. It's apparent by the Hiſtory of that People that they were obſtinately addicted to the Cuſtoms of Egypt, from whence they were brought, and of the Neighbouring Nations round about them; p. 179and thence it was that notwithſtanding thoſe manifest Diſcoveries that God had made of himſelf to them, and of his being the only true God, ſuch as one would have thought had been ſufficient to have convinced the moſt obſtinate Gainſayers; yet ever and anon we find them ſtarting aſide to the Idolatrous Cuſtoms of the Gentiles, and revolting from that God who had ſo gloriouſly manifeſted himſelf among them. The Eternal Word therefore, when he came to tabernacle among them, he gave them abundance of Laws, the Matter of which was in its own Nature perfectly indifferent, that by thoſe as by ſo many Bounds and Fences he might keep them from breaking out of God's Incloſure into the wild Common of Gentiliſm; and ſuch were the greateſt Part of their Ceremonial Laws, ſome of which were inſtituted in Compliance with the more innocent Rites of the Heathen, and others in oppoſition to thoſe which were purely magical and idolatrous. And hence it is that in the Law of their Ceremonies, there are ſo many things injoyned them of which we can give no tolerable Account, they being either innocent Cuſtoms derived from the Heathens in Compliance with the Jews, or Prohibitions of thoſe magical and idolatrous Cuſtoms in which the Jews had been educated in Egypt, and to which they were always very prone and inclinable. So that merely to comply with the Jews in what was innocent, and to reſtrain them in what was hurtful and idolatrous, the Eternal Word was fain to impoſe a vast number of Poſitive Laws upon them, which contained nothing but what was purely indifferent, and might have been done or undone without any Prejudice to the Eternal Rules p. 180of Goodneſs. And accordingly, Ezek. 20.24, 25. it is ſaid, that becauſe their Eyes were after their Fathers Idols, therefore God gave them Statutes that were not good, that is had no intrinſick Goodneſs in them; and Judgments whereby they ſhould not live. And that God impoſed, theſe Things, not as good in themſelves, but as accommodated to the preſent State and Temper of the Iſraelites, is evident from what the Pſalmiſt ſays, Pſ. 51.16. Thou deſireſt not Sacrifice; thou delighteſt not in Burnt-offerings; though it is evident he had a farther End in impoſing very many of theſe ſacred Rites, namely to ſhadow out by them the Myſteries of the Goſpel, and give them ſome preludious Hints of that glorious Kingdom of Chriſt that was afterwards to be eſtabliſhed in the World: But by this means the Jewiſh Law was multiplied into ſo many Precepts, and thoſe many of them ſo expenſive and burthenſom, that the Apoſtle calls it a Yoke which neither they, nor their Fathers were able to bear, Acts 15.10. and elſe where a Yoke of Bandage Gal. 5.1. Thus while the Eternal Work tabernacled among the Jews, his Laws were very rigid and cumberſom, being clogg'd with ſo vaſt a number of poſitive Rites and Obſervances; But when he came to tabernacle in our Fleſh, he aboliſhed all theſe numerous Ceremonies, and impoſed nothing upon the World but what is ſweet, and eaſy, and full of Grace. And hence himſelf tells us, Matth. 11.30. foreign, My Yoke is gracious, (for ſo it is in the Greek) and my Burthen is light; for it impoſes nothing upon us but what is moſt agreeable to our rational Natures, nithing but what we our ſelves, if we were wiſe and good, ſhould reckon our ſelves obliged to, p. 181though he had never enjoined it. For all the Duty he requires of us reſults immediately from the Frame of our Natures, and the unalterable Relations we ſtand in to God and the World. For the Sum of all Chriſtian Duty is contained in thoſe three Generals, to live ſoberly, and righteouſly, and godly in this preſent World; and theſe muſt neceſſarily oblige us ſo long as we carry ſuch Beings about us, and continue in ſuch Relations. Whilſt God is our God and Creator, we cannot be diſobliged from living godly, that is, from honouring and loving him, from fearing and truſting in him, from ſerving and adoring him; for unleſs we could deſtroy our Relation to him, and caeſe to be his Creatures, the Dueneſs of theſe Acts of Homage and Worſhip frm us to him, muſt neceſſarily abide for ever: Whilſt we continue to be reaſonable Animals we cannot be freed from the Obligation of Sobriety, which conſiſts in governing our Paſſions and Appetites by our Reaſon; for till we can lay by our Reaſon, which is the ſuperiour Principle of our Nature, and ſtep into another Form of Beings, it will be always fit that our inferiour Powers ſhould be ſubject to its Conduct and Government. Whilſt we continue in the Society of Men, and are Members of the Body of Mankind, we cannot be releaſed from the Tyes of Righteouſneſs, which contains in it Charity and all other ſociable Virtues; and till we ceaſe to be related to Mankind, it can never ceaſe to be reaſonable for us to do what becomes our Relation, that is, to be juſt, benign, and charitable to one another. So that all that the Word incarnate hath enjoined us, is to do what we our ſelves muſt needs acknowledge is moſt juſt and reaſonable, and what p. 182we ſhould chooſe to do before any thing in the World, were we not prejudiced againſt it by our own baſe Luſts and unreaſonable Paſſions. So that in reſpect of thoſe gracious Laws he gave us whilſt he dwelt among us, he may well be ſaid to dwell among us full of Grace.