and his Son fefus Chrifl. iot. undertook the Defence, and faith,both Interpretations,according to Calvh/s own~~ Expreilions, will fland together : Which I refer the Reader to. Now obferve Chap. I. Cdvin's Senfe, how they may fland together; mmely, That Chnfl (here) as ~ God-Man, is chiefly or direCl:ly !liled the I~ oftheinvifible God, in the Apome's Scope : Yet fo, as withal it argues, and from thiS mferred, mufl flrongly, yea it mufl nece!farily be fuppo[ed as the Foundatton ofthe other, That he is (o the Image ofGod rran[cendently above all Creatures _(as here) mufl necefiarily alfo be the e!fential Image ofGod: And tins I would m tins place preadvtfe the Reader once for all(though perhaps I !hall be enforced nece!f.1rily to inculcate it) to be the genuine drift ofall thole other Interpretations, of the like, attributed to Chrifl; which in the enfuing DifcourCes, in opening of this Place, and of ]oh. 1. I, 2, &c. I !hall pur[ue. And I defire the candid Reader {o to under– lt•nd me. In the mean time, for the refl ofthe Particulars here laid ofChrifl, that in what Senfc this of Chrifl's being the Image ofGod, is interpreted by Calvin; I il1aU with like fi-eeneG a!fen ofthem all, That they are fpoken of him as God-Man. This being but the firfl ofthis Jury, and the refl enumerated, therefore anfwers to, and are of the far::~e fort and fuir. And ifthis be fo interpreted, then let us fee, ifall the refl will not give up them[elves thereto. How this v.ill be made good ofall the Particulars that follow, I !hall !hew when I come to infifl on each apart. I !hall now colle/1 general Reafons,- for the carrying on this Analogy, and Proportion ofInterpretation through rhe whole, out ofthoft two Totals, or Summary Propolitions, wherewith he !huts up all the ParriculJrs enumerated (namc.Jy); Tbat in 11llthingi be might have the Preheminence. For it ph.tfed the Father, that in himfoould aUFuimjs'dwe/1. This General Demon(hation I give, by laying thefe two things together, out of them two. r. That all, and every one ofthefe Particulars, before rehearfed, are thole, or fame ofthofe Glories, whichps Co many feveral peices do make up this his Prcheminence in all things, and which put together with the re!l, are parts of that fulneG, which is [aid to dwell in him. And, 2. That the Apoflle makes all this Fulnef (whereof thole are the parrs) to refidein Chrifl, by an a/1 ofGod's good Pleajim. And Co by a Ddign,Decree or Purpole ofGod, by an ACl:ofhis Will: For he C.ys, It pfe,tfed the F11ther that a!J thir Fulnefi, fpoken of, Jbould dwell in him [iv&r..;a-E ;] it was ex bemplacito, from the good Pleafure ofGod. Thus Eph. 1.9. (where the fame Word is ufcd) the Apoflle calls it the Myjleryof hi< Will, f-V'TrXTiuJ tv.l't>docv, after, or according to his good Pleafure, which he had purpofed in himfelf. Now therefore, hence I infer ofall thefe parts and piece>,that they mufl be un– derflood of him as God-Man. However that other Senfe oftheirs, attributed to l1im as Second Perfon,mufl alfo come in,as that which is nece!Iarily rhe jitbjlratum, and foundation thereof, and [o originally and primarily tru~ ofhim ., fuch, at leaf! the mofl ofthem. Yet Co, as direl1ly and primaria intentione, they are intended ofthe Son ofGod made Man. For if they had been Cpoken ofhim fingly, as Second Perfon, this would nor have been faid ofthem, that they are pan of that FulneG, which i!.J>leafed the Father, by an A/1 of his Will, and according to the Purpofe of his good Pleafure !hould dwell in him, for Co they are natural to Chrifl, and n_9t at all fubjel1ed !OGq_d's Will. For Example, Ifthe[e two Speeches in verf I 5· He is the Image of the Inviji– ble God, and the Firjl-born of every Creature, !hould have been meant, the firfl of thole his E!fential Attributes of his God-head; whereby Chrifl is God ofGod, and lo the Image ofhis Father : This is not a Fulnefs that dwells in him according to God's good Pleafurc, or from God's Will; for then Chrifl !hould not be God. And that other Speech, ifit !hould be taken as meant ofthat Eternal Generation ofhim, as Second Perfon, from everlafling ; then this General that follows, That it ple<ifed the Father, that ail this Fuinefi, and theft Preheminencin (whereofrhefe Prerogatives here mentioned, and this Particular is a part) jbo11id dwell in bim5 would not have been fo expre!fed. For Chrifl's eternal Generation was an Act ofGod's Nature, nor ofGod's Will, or by a Decree of his Pleafure. He indeed begets .':Ji_ofhis own Will, (as Janm !peaks, 'Jam. r. 18.) but not fo his Son, as Second PerCon ;. for him he begets naturally. So I
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