Se all may be one, as [news] thou, father, art in me,

and

I in thee. Ver. 23. Thou hast loved them, as [raw's] "thou haft loved me. Wherefore, as you have (b) elsewhere explain'd this Paffage," the Meaning is not,

that the Son's Authority (you will now understand me of the Man Chrift Jefus, whatever you your "felf intended to fignify by the Son in this Place) fhould, like that of the Father, be looked upon as underived, abfolute, fupreme and independent: but that as the Jews already believed in God, so they should also for the future believe in Chrift, Chap. 14. 1. As they already 66 honour'd God the Father (I mean the very God, who is commonly call'd the Father) fo they should also for the future (viz. after his Exaltation) honor the "Son of God (who is alfo here call'd the Son of 66 Man, viz. the Man Chrift Jefus.) Honor him as having all Judgment committed to him; honor "him to the Honor of the Father which fent him; ac"knowledge him to be Lord, to the Glory of God the "Father. It is certain therefore, that to him that wafh'd us from our Sins in his own Bloud, we are bound to give Glory and Dominion for ever and ever, Rev. 1. 5, 6.

I fhall add but one thing more. The Author of the Epistle to the Hebrews quotes fome Verses of the eighth Pfalm, thus, But one in a certain place teftified, faying, What is man, that thou art mindful of him, or the Son of man, that thou vifiteft him? Thou madeft him a little lower than the Angels, thou crownedst bim with glory and honor, and didst fet him over the works of thy hands: Thou haft put all things in fubjection under his feet, Heb. 2. 6, 7, 8. He then fhews the Univerfality of Man's Dominion over the Creatures, adding immediatly, For in that he put all in.

(6) Script. Do&t. p. 132,

Subjection

fubjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under bim, ver. 8. Then he proves, that this could not be meant of Man in general, but must be underftood of our Lord Chrift in particular, faying, But now we see not yet all things put under hin: But we fee Fefus, who was made a little lower than the Angels, for the fuffering of death, crown'd with glory and honor, ver. 8, 9. This is fo manifeft a Declaration of the Exaltation of the human Nature of our Savior, that it needs no Words to apply or illuftrat it.

But tho' the Holy Scriptures do fpeak fo exprefly and fo frequently of the Exaltation of Chrift's human Nature; yet there is not one Paffage in all the Bible, which fpeaks of the Exaltation of his divine Nature, or can't very fairly and clearly be understood of the Exaltation of the human Nature only. For even Heb. 1. 9. when duly confider'd, not only well may (which would be fufficient for my Purpose) but neceffarily must, be understood of the Exaltation of Chrift's human Nature only.

To fet this matter in a juft Light, I will repeat the whole Paffage. The Apoftle quotes two Verfes of the 45th Pfalm, and affures us, that they are fpoken unto the Son; But unto the Son he faith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a Scepter of righte oufness is the Scepter of thy kingdoin: Thou hast loved righteoufnefs, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, bath anointed thee with the oyl of gladness above thy fellows, Heb. 1. 8, 9. Now 'tis agreed, that the former of thefe two Verfes is manifeftly to be underftood of Chrift's divine Nature; but the Question is, Whether the latter relates to the fame, or no. I affirm, that it does not.

In order to the Proof of my Opinion, I obferve, that the Pfalmift was undoubtedly well acquainted with our Savior's having two Natures united in... ichim.

Chap. VI. him. That he exprefly spake of his divine Nature in the Pfalm now quoted by the Apoftle, is agreed and that he elfewhere fpeaks of the human Nature alfo, appears from those Verses of the 8th Pfalm quoted by this very Apoftle, and by him proved to be spoken of the human Nature of Christ, as I noted juft now. The fame appears from diverfe other Paffages of the Pfalms, quoted in the New Teftament, and exprefly apply'd to Chrift's human Nature, which (becaufe no body can conteft it) I omit for Brevity's fake. No wonder therefore, that the Pfalmift, who fo well understood this Myftery, fhould speak of the two Natures in the fame Breath; even as St. Paul does feveral times join fuch things together, and affirm them of Chrift in the fame Breath, as relate partly to his divine, and partly to his human Nature.

This being premis'd, I defire it may now be confider'd, that Men are call'd éro Xess, that is (not as we most improperly render it, Partakers of Christ, as if Chrift were put for what he purchased, and denoted a Thing, not a Perfon; but) as Méros, or auμé, when it governs a Word betokening a Perfon, notoriously fignifies, the Companions of Christ, or Partakers of the fame Happiness which Chrift enjoys, Heb. 3. 14. as we are call'd yangvóuo Xes, joint Heirs with Chrift, Rom. 8. 17. So that Men are certainly iro Xes with refpect to his human Nature, as they are alfo call'd expoì, his Brethren, particularly by the Author of this very Epiftle, Chap. 2. ver. 11, 12. in the fame Refpect. This Paffage therefore may, upon the plaineft Scripture Grounds, particularly of this very Epiftle, be understood of Chrift's human Nature, which upon the Account of his perfect Love of Righteousness, and perfect Hatred of Iniquity (he being free from all

Spot

1

33 Spot of Sin, even from all Original Corruption) was rewarded by God with a vaftly greater Share of Happiness, than any other Man, altho' every Man, that ferves God as well as he is able in this corrupted State, fhall in fome degree or other, buc every one in a far lower degree than our Holy Redeemer, partake of the very fame Happiness. What Reafon therefore have we to feign an Exaltation of the Divine Nature of Chrift,of which there is not one Word fpoken in any other part of Scripture; when this Text fo naturally admits the fame Senfe with numberlefs other plain and clear ones, which apparently speak of the Exaltation of his human Nature?

But farther, this Text not only fairly may, but manifeftly muft, be thus understood. For,

1. The WORD has in himself, even upon your own Principles, all the Power that the Spirit can be fuppos'd to confer; and therefore was incapable of that Unction with the Spirit, which gives the Son the Title of Meffiah. So that if the Unction of gladness be the Unction of the Meffiah; it can relate only to the Son's human Nature. But I am perfuaded, the Unction of gladness is diftinct from the Unction of the Spirit, and did not denominat him the Meffiah, but was the Reward of his difcharging the Office of the Meffiah. It manifeftly betokens his Exaltation to God's Right Hand, for having perform'd the Will of God upon Earth during his Humiliation, which Obedience is meant by his loving righteousness and bating iniquity, And confequently this Unction relates to his human Nature, which was certainly exalted upon that Account. Whatfoever therefore this Unction was, it fhews, that the Pfalmift spake of his human Nacure only.

D

2. I

2. I would fain know, who were the pan, the To, of our Savior Chrift (that is, his Fellows, Companions, or Partners) with respect to his Divine Nature. Whereas 'tis notorious, that Chriftians are his or μénger (his Fellows, Companions, Partners, and even his Brethren) with refpect to his human Nature. This Confideration therefore determins, what Nature this Phrafe is apply'd to. But for farther Confirmation it must be obferv'd, that the Pfalmift manifeftly fuppofes, that he was chofen from amongst others of the fame Nature with himfelf, and that for his Obedience he was exalted above them. Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, has anointed thee with the oyl of gladness above thy fellows. Now this is ftrictly true of Chrift with refpect to his human Nature; but 'tis unintelligible and falfe, if underflood of his Divine Nature.

If it be faid, that Chrift was devSpar, and therefore the WORD might have Tox: I answer, that tho' indeed it may be affirm'd of Chrift, that he has μlóxus, as he is árpar, yet it can be affirm'd with respect to his human Nature only. For when any thing is affirm'd of Chrift, we must always confider, in what Refpect, or upon the Account of what Nature, 'tis affirm'd of him. Elfe we shall fall into endless Blunders and Abfurdities. Since therefore Chrift has no péro with refpect to his Divine Nature, but moft certainly has uro with with refpect to his human Nature; 'tis plain, that this Verfe, which speaks of his péro, muft be underftood of his human Nature. And confequently the Exaltation here mention'd, his being anointed with the oyl of gladness, relates to his human Nature only.