and hi8 Son !fejus Chrifi. C H A P. I I. Who this 'Ferfon '/JJas that Exifled from Eternity. The two Titles 'JJJhich are gi-ven to him, as Exi– fling before the World was. I. 'That he Mthe Word. 2. The Son of God. His firfl Title, the 1-Vord, imports tWo Things ; His being EternaUy bq,otten of the Father, a_s tke Image of his El[en– tial (jlory: And that he ts gr'Ven to us by qod as bis Word, 'JJJhereby he manifefls himfelf. , Y On have feen that Chrifl: was a Perfon who exifl:ed throughout all Ge– nerations, and from Everlafl:mg, before he took Flefh. The next Enquiry is,who he was that had always fo exilled ; thus, as yet, I, pro– ceeding by degrees, do limit it: for, as concerning what he is upon the a!fuming Human Nature, that is to follow afterward. There are two eminent Titles given to Chrifr, Exifl:ing before the World, and both of them in the firfl: Chapter of'John, o My@', the Word, Job. I. 1. In the beginning wa. the Word, &c. 2. The Son of God, verf. I 4· Of whom as fuch John Baptift thrice affirmeth he was afore him, verf I 5, r8, 30, 34· And parallel to tms in the Book of'Proverbs he is fl:iled; I. Wifclom, Prov. 8. from verC 22. to 33· Then, 2. The Son ofGod. What is his NauJe, and his Sons Name, canft thou tell? Prov. 30. 4· I will not here much difpute as concernin~ the firfr, whe– ther that Title ofMy:;r, the Word, be the Title of his Perfon limply confidered in himfelf; or whether withal in refpett unto his being ordained the Manifefrati– on ana Revelation of God to us : yet fomething mufr be faid. There are two Opinions about it. Fir!l, Some fay, it importS the Divine Sub!lance ofhis Perfon, !imply confide– red ; and fo meerly notes out that Relation he bath to his Father, as begotten of him: In refpect of which he fhould be termed the Word. That look, what the . inward Thought, Concept!i<, Conceit or Apprehenfion of the Mind, is to the Mind, being the firfl·born thereof; and remains within the Mind it felf, and is the Image ofthe Mind to it felf, though never uttered to any other: Such, fay they, and in fuch a refpeCI:, is the Perfon of Chri!l termed the Word, unto God his Father. Now it is dear, that both in the 'jewifh and Greek._ Language, that which we in Englifb call Word, and which we apply only unto Speech, cloth with them betoken the inward Thought of the Mind. .Ariftot/e di!linguifheth be– tween My@-' <(wand l\Oy@-' cuew, the External of the Mouth, and tbe Internal of the Mind. Thus alfo, Job 32. 18. I am fuU ofMRtter; fo we tranflate it. And be fpeaks ofhis Mind or Spirit; fo it follows, My Spirit within me iJ fidl of Mat– ter. Now in the Hebrew 'tis, fitll of Words. Thus, Dixit in Cm·de, The Fool hath fdd in his Heart,is put to exprefs the inward Thoughts ofbad Men,l'ldi.I4.r. As alfo, of good Men, Pfd. 36. r. For Words fpoken,are but Thoughts oppear– ing. So that according to this, the whole Object of God's inward Thoughts and Wifdom is here termed the Word, which comprchenlwely is Chrifr. And this Notion or Ground, why he is termed l\Oy@-', the Fathers and Schoolmen have more generally and greedily entertained, as that which was mo!l lively and re– ally expreffive ofthe Eternal Generation ofthe Perfon ofthe Son ofGod. That as the Mind, when it would under!land it felf, begets within it felf an Idea or Likenefs ofit felf, in which it views and under!lands it felf; Like as the Eye, • I 2 when 59 -~ Chap. 2. ~
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