But let it be observed, that the Apoftle's Defign here is only to fhow how the Man Christ Jesus fhall be the Patern of Saints raised in Glory; and 'tis no part of his Purpose here to reprefent Saints as bearing the Image of God, or his Divine Nature; but only the Image of his glorified human Nature, and therefore thefe glorious Expreffions rather refer to his human Soul.

Now put all these things together, and we can hardly fuppofe our bleffed Lord or his Apoftles fhould exprefs his real and proper human Defcent from Heaven in plainer Words than those which have been cited, or in Words more fitted to lead every common Reader into this plain and eafy Senfe...

To conclude this Section, If the moft natural and obvious Senfe of Scripture leads us to believe, that there was a glorious Being who is fometimes called an Angel, and fometimes a Man under the Old Teftament, who was clothed with peculiar Rays of Glory, and affumed Divine Prerogatives, and yet in other parts of his Character and Conduct appears' much inferior to the Majefty of pure Godhead, and that this illuftrious Being emptied and divefted himself of his peculiar Riches and Glory when he came to dwell in Flesh, that he was capable of having a Will different from the Will of his Father, as appears in thofe Words of his, Father, not mý Will, but thy Will be done; and that he did really: leave his Dwelling with the Father, and come down into our World, I know not to what Subject all this can be fo well applied as to the human Soul of Christ, and its Existence before his Incarnation..

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SECT.

SECT. IV.

Mifcellaneous ARGUMENTS to prove the fame Doctrine.

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HO' the Confiderations already offered carry with them a good Force of Argument, yet all the Reasons which fupport the Doctrine of Chrift's pre-existent Soul cannot be reduced to one general Head. There are feveral others which are not fo eafily ranged under any Head, that give their Affiftance to this Work; and therefore I call them mifcellaneous, and propofe them thus.

Argument 1. It feems needful that the Soul of Chrift fhould be pre-exiftent, that it might have Opportunity to give its previous a&iual Confent to the great and painful Undertaking of Atonement for our

Sins.

It was the human Soul of Chrift that endured all the Weakness, Poverty and Pain of his infant State, that fuftained all the Labours and Fatigues of Life, that felt the bitter Reproaches of Men, and the Sufferings of a fhameful and bloody Death, as well as the Buffetings of Devils, and the painful Inflictions of the Juftice of God. This is evident, for neither the Divine Nature, nor the mere Flesh or Body abstractly confidered, are capable of Pain nor Shame without the human Soul. Surely then it feems to be requifite that the Soul of Chrift fhould give its actual free Confent to this Undertaking before his Labours, Pains or Sorrows began, which was as foon as ever he was born.

One cannot but think it very congruous and highly reasonable, that he who was to undergo fo much for our fakes fhould not be taken from his Childhood in a mere paffive manner into this difficult and

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tremendous Work, and afterwards only give his Confent to it when he was grown up a Man, upon a fecret Divine Intimation that he was born for this Purpofe. It looks moft likely and condecent in refpect of the Nature of things, and the Juftice of God, that Chrift's human Soul which endured all the Pains, fhould well know before hand what the glorious Work of Media.ion would coft him, and that he fhould voluntarily accept the Propofal from the Father: otherwife it rather feems a Task impofed upon him, than an original and voluntary Engagement of his own; whereas fuch an Impofition would feem to diminish the Merit and Glory of this noble Undertaking, and is also contrary to Scripture in itself.

But if we fuppofe the human Soul (united to the Divine Nature at its firft Creation, and being thereby fully capacitated for this amazing Work) receiving the Propofal with Chearfulness from God his Father from the Foundation of the World, and then from an inward Delight to glorify his Father, and from a compaffionate Principle to the Children of Men, undertaking this difficult and bloody Service, and coming down into a human Body to fulfil it this highly exalts the Merit of his Love, and the condefcending Glory of his Labours and his Sufferings.

And indeed this voluntary Confent of his to become incarnate and to fuffer, is plainly reprefented in feveral places of Scripture; Pfal. 40. 6, 7. Heb. 10. 5. Sacrifice and Offering thou didst not defire, thefe were not fufficient to expiate the Sin of Man; Thou haft prepared a Body for me; then faid 1, Lo I come, i. e. to dwell in this Body, to undertake this Work; I delight to do thy Will, O my God. "And thefe two Expreffions, Pfal. 40. My Ears "haft thou bored, and Thy Law is in my Heart, are

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more proper (faith Dr. Goodwin, Vol. III. Book 4. "p. 142, 143.) to apply to the Soul of this human "Nature, and to be understood to be the Voice " of his human Nature, rather than of the Divine: "He was willing and obedient to do God's Will, 166 as a Servant to do his Master's." And this great Author thought this Confent fo neceffary, that he rather ventures to introduce a most miraculous Scene, than to have this early Confent of Christ as Man omitted; and therefore he fuppofes that in a miraculous way the human Soul of Chrift did give itself up to this Work from his very Birth.

His own free Confent appears plainly in these Words, He bumbled himself, Phil. 2. He emptied himself of Glory when he became Man, and died for Sinners. And he himself took part of Flesh and Blood with this Defign, that he might die, that he might thro' his Death deftroy the Works of the Devil, Heb. 2. 14. He declares further his own free Confent, John 6. 38. I came down from Heaven to do my Father's Will. And John 10. 17, 18. Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my Life that I might take it again. No Man taketh my Life from me, that is, against my free Confent; but I lay it down myself, that is, of my own Choice and voluntary Ingagement, "This Thought I propofe (fays the Defender of

Bishop Fowler's Difcourfe) to be well confidered "by all free and ingenious Minds, and by all thofe "who would not in the leaft derogate from the "Honour of their bleffed Mediator Chrift Jefus," and the amazing Love that appears in his mighty Undertaking.

Argument II. The Covenant betwixt God the Father and his Son Jefus Chrift for the Redemption of Mankind, is reprefented in Scripture as being made and agred upon from or before the Foundation of the World.

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World. Is it not then most proper that both real Parties fhould be actually prefent, and that this should not be tranfa&ted merely within the Divine Effence by fuch fort of diftinet Perfonalities as have no diftinct Mind and Will? The Effence of God is generally agreed by our Proteftant Divines to be the fame fingle numerical Effence in all three Perfonalities, and therefore it can be but one confcicus Mind or Spirit. Now can one fingle Understanding and Will make fuch a Covenant as Scripture reprefents?

I grant the Divine Nature which is in Chrift from Eternity contrived and agreed all the Parts of this Covenant. But does it not add a Luftre and Glory, and more confpicuous Equity, to this Covenant, to fuppofe the Man Chrift Jefus (who is most properly the Mediator according to 1 Tim. 2. 5.) to be alfo prefent before the World was made, to be chofen and appointed as the Redeemer or Reconciler of Mankind, to be then ordained the Head of his future People, to receive Promifes, Grace and Bleffings in their Name, and to accept the folemn and weighty Truft from the Hand of his Father, i. e. to take care of Millions of Souls? Read the following Scriptures, and fee whether they don't imply thus much: 1 Tim. 2. 5. There is one Mediator between God and Man, even the Man Chrift Jefus. Eph. 1. 34. Bleffed be the God and Father of our Lord Jefus Chrift, who bath bleffed us with all spiritual Bleffings in heaven'y Places in Chrift, according as he bath chofen us in him before the Foundation of the World. 2 Tim. 1. 8, 9, 10. God hath faved us, and called us with an boly Calling, not according to our Works, but according to his own Purpofe and Grace which was given us in Chrift Jefus before the World began. Tit. 1. 2. Eternal Life which God that cannot lye promifed before the World began. Now to whom could this Promise be made but to Jefus Chrift, and to us in him, as the great