indeed demonftrat, that he ought to be cloath'd with Flesh and Bloud, as we are (for if he had not had Flesh and Bloud, he would in that one thing have been unlike his Brethren) but furely his being cloath'd with Flesh and Bloud did not make him like us, or of the fame Nature with us, in all things. For the principal Part of our Nature would be ftill wanting in him, if he had not an human Soul. And fince his having Flesh and Bloud is but one Inftance of Similitude, I would fain know, what other he could have, upon Suppofition that he had not an human Soul; and confequently with what Propriety of Speech he could be faid to be like us in all things, which muft imply two things at least. Befides,if twas neceffary that he fhould have Flesh and Bloud for this very Reason, that he might be like his Brethren, or of the fame Nature with them; 'twas much more, or at leaft 'twas equally neceffary, that he should have an human Soul alfo, the. Enjoyment of which wou'd give him the principal Likeness to Mankind. So that, tho' the Apoftle did indeed attempt to prove no more, than that our. Savior ought to have a Body like ours (for he did. not fufpect, that any wou'd doubt of his having an Human Soul; and therefore did not defignedly guard against that Error) yet the whole Tenor of his Difcourfe, and the whole Force of his Argument, do neceffarily infer, that in the Apoftle's Opinion, Christ had an human Soul, as well as an human Body.

Nay,the very End of his being cloath'd with Flefn and Bloud demonftrats, that he had an human Soul. For the Apostle fays, in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest, in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the fins of the people. For in that he him

felf

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Self bath fuffered, being tempted, he is able to fuccour them that are tempted, v. 17, 18. Now thofe that deny our Lord an human Soul, affirm that the WORD fupply'd the want of it. But this Conceit makes the Apoftle's Argument ridiculous. For then, how could Chrift be a merciful and faithful High Prieft, and able to fuccor them that are tempted, for this Reason, because he himself bath fuffered being tempted? Do not the Apoftle's Words imply, that because he was tempted like us, he is therefore fenfible of human Infirmities, and will pity us in the fame Circumftances? Is not this what the fame Author elsewhere urges in this very Epiftle? Does he not fay, We have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without fin? Chap. 4. v. 15. Does he not alfo fay, that Every high priest taken from among men, is ordained for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and Sacrifices for fins: Who can have compaffion on the ignorant, and on them that are out of the way; for that be bimfelf alfo is compaffed with infirmity? Chap. 5. v. I, 2. And does he not manifeftly apply this to Chrift? But how can this be, if Chrift had no human Soul, but the WORD fupply'd the want of it? Could the WORD, who is effentially fuperior to all created Beings whatfoever, the Maker and Former of all things, be tempted like us?

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I confefs, thofe that allow Chrift an human Soul, muft, own, that there is fome Difference! between Chrift's Temptations and ours, upon the account of our laboring under Original Sin, from which Chrift was wholly free: but they are notwithstanding perfectly confiftent with the Apoftle, because they allow Chrift's Soul to be of. the fame Kind with our own; and therefore he

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was truly tempted as a Man, even as Adam and Eve were in the State of Innocency, and he had therefore a true Experience of Human Frailty; and can make futable Allowances for our Degeneracy. But if the WORD fupply'd the Defect of an Human Soul in Chrift, 'twas impoffible that Chrift could, in any tolerable Senfe, Measure, or Degree, be tempted like us, or have any Experience of our Frailty. For that Power and Wifdom, which are effential to, and infeparable from, the great Architect of the Univerfe, and the Creator of all intelligent Beings, even the brightest Angels themselves, could no more be influenc'd or wrought upon by the Artifices of the Devil, or the Allurements of the World, than a Fly (for Inftance; and even that Comparison is infinitly too low) can ftop the Motion of the Spheres, and invert the Order of Nature. Our Savior therefore certainly had an Human Soul, without which 'twas not poffible for him to be tempted like us. For I prefume, no Man in his Wits will dream of Temptations working upon mere Flefh, without an intelligent Being to inform it, and make it capable of Moral Actions.

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I could offer diverfe other Confiderations: but I think, what has been already fuggefted, is more than fufficient to filence this Difpute.

You must therefore fuffer me to affert, that our Lord Jefus Chrift was, and is, very Man, confifting of an human Body and an human Soul; and that to this Man the WORD was, and ftill is, united. For you will heartily yield, that what our Savior was, whilft he convers'd upon Earth, the same he continues ever fince his Afcenfion into Heaven, and the fame will he be at the laft great Day. ...! Vir Bes

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bunj dl @HA P.

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CHA P. IV.

That God is the Father of the Man Jefus Chrift.

NOW

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OW you well know, that the very God is the Father of the Man Jefus Christ. have already obferv'd, that the very God is the Father of all Mankind by his general Paternity, even because he is the Author of all Beings whatfoever. But then, every body knows, what we mean by the Father of a Child in the ordinary Acceptation of that Phrafe. Tho' the very God is by his general Paternity the Father of every Child, as he is the Original Author of all Beings; yet he having appointed inferior Agents to be the inftrumental and immediat Causes of different Effects, has fetled fuch a Course of Things, that Mankind is produc'd by Propagation; and he who propagats a Child, is call'd the Father of it, as being under God the inftrumental and immediat Caufe of that Child's coming into the World. Since Adam and Eve were form'd, the fame Species has been continu'd in this ufual manner, in every Inftance except the Bleffed Jefus; who tho' he is very Man, of the fame Species with ourselves, was notwithstanding begotten in a different Way; and tho' he had an human Mother, yet he had not an human Father. For the very God was to him in ftead of an human Father.

There can be no Dispute between your felf and me about this Matter. However, for the fake of others, let me prove it.

The Angel told the bleffed Virgin, that the fhould bring forth a Son, and call his Name Jefus, Luke 1.31. Then faid Mary unto the Angel, How shall

this be, feeing I know not a man? And the Angel anfwer'd and faid unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore alfo that holy thing which shall be born of thee, fhall be called the Son of God, v. 34, 35. The bleffed Virgin, having never been known by Man, could not underftand, how she should bear a Son. The Angel removes that Difficulty, by telling her, that fhe fhould conceive by the Operation of the Holy Ghoft, and that therefore her Child fhould be called the Son of God. 'Tis true, her Child was call'd the Son of Man, as we shall foon fee: but then he is also call'd the Son of God, and particularly for that very Reafon,because he was begotten, not by a Man, but by the Operation of the Holy Ghoft. I confefs, 'twas only the Body of the bleffed Jefus, which was then begotten; but yet, fince an human Soul is of Course added to every human Body, which is produc'd: 'tis certain, that God is as properly the Father of the Man Chrift Jefus, as any Man is the Father of his Child, when he begets his own Likeness. And accordingly, tho' God is the Father of all Mankind by his general Paternity, and the Father of all Chriftians by his particular or federal Paternity; yet he is the Father of the bleffed Jefus by a Special Paternity, even because the bleffed Jesus was begotten by him in fo peculiar a manner, as no other Man ever was.

Nor can it be objected, that our Lord is frequently call'd the Son of Man. No body knows better than your felf, that that Phrafe imports no more, than that he was of human Race, being defcended truly and properly from the Jewish ftock. And fo he certainly was by the Mother's fide, altho' God was his Father.