clar'd by the Apostle as truly God, and not barely, in your Sense, the Image of God; as by being in the Form of a Servant, and in the Likeness of Man, He was really Man, and not the Appearance only of a Man. And in 2 Cor. iv. 4. where 'tis again said, Who is the Image of God, 'tis faid in the 6th Verse, God hath shined in our Hearts, to give the Light of the Knowledge of the Glory of God in the Face, or rather the Person, of of Jesus Fe Chrift: For so also πρόσωπον fignifies, and is so render'd, Chap. ii. 10. And Dr. Hammond in his Commentary says, Christ represents Almighty God to us, not as a Picture does the Body, but as a real, substantial Image of him. And the very next Words in the Text, Heb. i. 3. (of which we have been speaking) are, upholding all Things by his Power, which none can do but God who is Omnipotent. I do own, that εἰκὼν does properly, in the common Acceptation of the Word, signify an Image or Picture of a Thing; but as, I hope, I have shewn it does not, it cannot so signify in the Places aforesaid; so it will be plain, that this Word here must signify not a picture, but a full, lively and perfet Image. By another Text in this Epistle to the Hebrews, Ch. x. V. I. The Law having a Shadow of good Things to come, and not ' the very Image (or Image it self) of the Things. Here the &κ αὐτίων Image of the Things, must signify a full and perfect Image ofἢ εἰκόνα. the Things themselves; or else if Image signifies only the Picture or Representation, 'tis no more than Shadow, and then 'tis no Antithesis, which was necessary in this Argument of the Apostle; nay, 'tis a Contradiction in the very same Sentence, for it will run thus: The Law having a Shadow_and not having the very Shadow. I come now to the Second Part of your Text, Col. i. 15. the Κτίστως! First born of every Creature, or of the Creation, as it is render'd, Rev. iii. 14. and cited by you, p. 10. from whence you would infer our Saviour to be a Creature, tho' the First-horn and the Chief of them. But if you would have added the next Verse, and what follows, it would manifestly have appear'd that he could not be one of them, for it is said; For by him were all Things created that are in Heaven, and Ver. 16. that are in Earth, visible and invisible; whether they be Thrones, 'Αρχαί or Dominions, or Principalities, or Powers; all Things were created by him, and for him. Hence it will follow, that if He made all Things in Heaven and Earth, and, as St. John adds, that without him was not any C. i. 2. Thing made that was made; surely, He himself was not made; zweis for a Creature could not make himself. All Things are of God, αυτ and by God, Aristotle could say: But we need not the Divine Ariftot.de Authority of the Scriptures, nor the Sagacity of a Philosopher; Mundo, common p. 151. D2 : πᾶν τὸ common Senfe is sufficient to inform us, that the Maker cannot be a Part of the Things made. Εν αὐτῷ And the following Verse would have told you, that he was Ευδοκηση God; For it pleased the Father, that in Him should all Fulness dwell; or all Fulness was pleased to dwell in him; and what that πλήρωμα Fulness is, we fee in the Second Chapter, v. 9. all the Fulness Karun of the Godhead: Which Text is introduc'd in a very remarkable Manner, as if the Apostle had foreseen what he says in another 1 Cor. i. Place, that the Wife, the Scribe, the Disputer of this World, (to whom the Doctrine concerning Christ, was Foolishness, tho he truly was the Power of God, the Wisdom of God) might attempt to pervert others from the true Christian Faith. (For, σαι. 20. 28. 29. as I observ'd before of the Platonists, Tertullian says of the Adv. Jud. Philosophers in general, that they were Hereticorum Patriarc.9.p. 142. cha.) He cautions the Colossians against their Infinuations, in the Verse immediately preceding; Beware left any Man spoil (or make a Prey of, or ensnare) you, thro Philosophy and vain Deceit, after the Rudiments of this World, and not after Chrift: For in him dwelleth all the Fulness of the Godhead bodily. And Comment. Dr. Hammond observes, that as σώμα is often lost in the Geni465. tive Cafe following it; as, σῶμα-μ.8, Με, σώμα Xers, Christ; so here σωματικῶς Bodily, may be taken in the same Sense by Identity of his very Effence. And I think it is very observable, that when in the 15th Verse he had stil'd Him the First-born of every Creature, the next Verse begins, For, on, or because, By him were all Things created, &c. Now if the Apostle had meant to affert him in the 15th Verse to be a Creature, the Reason he gives for it, or the Argument he uses to prove it in the 16th Verse, viz. Because he himself created all Things, is the most surprizing that ever was urg'd by Man; especially by that Apostle, who had afserted, that the Creation of the World was a full Proof of the Rom. i.20. Eternal Godhead; and therefore could not now confiftently with himself make it also the Proof of a Creature: So that if when he undertook to declare to the Athenians the unknown God, and whom they ignorantly worshipp'd, the Philosophers, or even Men of common Sense had heard him reasoning in this Manner, they would with Justice have cry'd out, What will this Babbler Ads xvii. have? 18. : What I have here before faid of the Signification of ἀρχὴ, may serve also to explain the Meaning of First-born in this Text: For tho' the literal and primary Signification of we Tou be first-born, yet as Primogeniture gave to the Eldest a Superiority and Dominion over his Brethren; So in this Sense it ought to be taken here; and the 18th Verse of this I Coloff. leads us plainly to it; for 'tis said, He is the Head of the Body the Church, the Beginning, the First-born from the Dead, that in Πρωτέων all Things he might have the Pre-eminence, or, more literally, be Chief. So So I Chron. xxvi. 10. Because there was no Eldest, his Father ὅτι ἐκ ἦν made him the Chief, or Ruler; which Privilege did belong to προτότο the Eldest, and which, as such, he might of Right have x. claim'd. Αρχόντα. So when Ifaac had made Jacob Lord over his Brethren, or of Gen.xxvii. his Brother, Efau complain'd that Jacob had fupplanted him, 29. and taken away his (πρωτοτόκια, Rights of) Birthright, and Tῦ ἀδελ the Bleffing which appertain'd to it. And Pfal. Ixxxix. 27. I will make him my First-born, higher than the Kings of the Earth, that is, fays Dr. Hammond, the most glorious of them; for, literally, David could not be the First-born. φ. The literal Translation of this Verse seems plainer to this Sense; I will place him (leaving out my ) First-born; that is, Καλώ fet him in the Station of the First-born, or Eldest, make him τό Chief, as in the Chronicles before-mention'd; or Lord, as Ifaac κον Θήσο did Jacob. μαι αὐτὸν. viii. 23. 'Tis faid, Heb. xii. 23. ye are call'd to the General Assembly of the Church of the First-born: Must this be construed literally of the Church of the First-born, or Eldest, as 'tis in the 78th Pfalm, v. 51. he smote all the First-born in Egypt? No, surely; Rom. xvi. this is meant, and so Dr. Hammond expounds it, of the Apostles 5. and first Converts to Christianity; and so Epenetus is call'd the first Fruits of Achaia, those who had the first Fruits of the Spirit. And St. Paul tells us, another Title our Saviour had to this Appellation of First-born, viz. Whom he did foreknow, he also did Rom. viii. predestinate to be conform'd to the Image of his Son, that he might 29. be the First-born among many Brethren: Or, as he is stil'd, Heb. ii. 10. in Terms equivalent, the Captain of their Salvation, ̓Αρχηγός. whom, v. II. he was not asham'd to call Brethren; or, as it is Heb. xii. 2. the Author and Finisher of their Faith. ̓Αρχηγός. To conclude this Point; furely there are many figurative Expreffions, which it would be absurd to conftree literally; I am the Vine; This is my Body, &c. Nay, some Things, which are said of Men, cannot be so taken neither; a new Creature, created in Chrift unto good Works, born again, &c. Shall we say, like Nicodemus, Can a Man enter the second Time into his Mother's Womb? To which, and to all such Conftructions, there needs no other Answer than what our Saviour gave to him, Art thou John iii. a Master of Ifrael, and knowest not these Things? There remains but one Text more which you have cited, viz. Heb. iii. 2. Who was faithful to him that, And you say, in him. 10. ποιήσαντι. in our Translation, appointed 2 } • That God made Christ, which in the 4th Century was reckon'd fo I have not that Book, so I can't trace you in this Quotation : But I wonder that it was possible for any Man to dread this Expression or Text; for I will, with great Afsurance, affirm, That the Apostle does not say that God made Chrift in your Senfe, or in any Sense, that even an Athanafian (as you term us) will not acknowledge with Joy, and with a full Assurance of Faith: But that you should so translate and apply this Text to prove the Son of God a Creature, and charge the Apostle with afferting it expressly, I would not have believ'd from any Man but your self; for furely never was any Part of the Scripture so perverted and distorted to serve a Turn. I do agree that ποιέw does signify to make in your Sense, and you cannot deny that it also signifies to appoint or constitute and that it is so us'd sometimes in Scripture. 1 Hebr. v. 5. Christ glorify'd S to be made an High Priest. Which Word ηθlώαι more strongly denotes making in your This Third Chapter begins thus. Wherefore, holy Brethren, consider the Apostle and High-priest of our Profession Christ Jesus, who was Faithful to him that Sappointed him. Wherefore denotes an Inference from some Premisses, and so leads to the Context, and the foregoing Verses at the End of the second Chapter, viz. Forasmuch then as Children are Partakers of Flesh and Blood, he Ver. 14. also himself took Part of the same, that thro Death he might deStroy him, that had the power of Death, that is, the Devil. Ver. 16, For he took on him the Seed of Abraham. Brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful High-Prieft, For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to 18. fuccour them that are tempted. Then follows the Third Chapter, Wherefore, holy Brethren, &c. as above. You may fee that the whole Discourse of the Apostle relates to his human Nature; He took upon him Flesh and Blood, and in all Things was made like unto his Brethren; and the Reason given for it is, That he might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in Things pertaining to God; and then to offer up himself a Sacrifice to make Reconciliation for the Sins of the People: Was it not in this Respect, as Man, that he died? For, surely, 'tis Blafphemy to say, that his Godhead dy'd; and yet I know not how you can avoid it, if you apply your Text to his Divine Nature. Was it not, as Man, that he became our High-Priest ? Do not you argue from thence against Polycarp's and Justin's P. 25. calling him Eternal High-Priest ? Was it not the High-Priest that was faithful? If then he that was faithful was the High-Prieft; if the High-Prieft was he that dy'd for us; and in order to it, took our Flesh and Blood, and became Man, then it was as such, viz. as Man, that the Apostle says he was made and conftituted High-Prieft, who, as St. Paul says, ever liveth to make Inter- Heb. vii cession for us. I must also take Notice that he is here stil'd Apostle too, or as the Word signifies, Messenger: Now he was that Meffsenger as Man, to bring us the glad Tidings of Salvation, and to teach us an holy Religion, by which we might obtain it: So that he, who was made or constituted an Apostle and High-Prieft, may also be said to be made, because both as an Apostle and HighPriest he was Man, and was therefore made Man, that he might be Both. 25. I have now gone thro' and examin'd your Texts and your Testimonies; and, I hope, have thewn that the One are either not applicable to your Purpose, or very thort of proving what you aim at: And for the Other, I am very forry I must say you have very grossly corrupted your Witnesses: Such Evidence is enough to spoil even a good Cause; but I must own it is very proper for a bad one, which with such only can, with any Colour, be supported: Nevertheless you do, in a very pompous Manner, sum up your Evidence; but I can't be convinc'd by it; for your Premisses do not warrent your Conclufion, nor ought I to be carry'd about and tofs'd to and fro with Gal.iv.14. every Wind of Doctrine by the Sleight of Men; and this Advice is repeated, Heb. 13. where after the Apofile had in the 8th Verse told us, that Jesus Christ was the same Yesterday, and to Day D4 |