2 3 8 Chatrcli-Hiflory of Bilhops and 4.. Grace is either that which is againfl the merit of evil, or only without the merit of good. It's doubtlefs that the firft was not by them imputed to Chriíl : And it's undoubted tome, that it is confequentially Blafphemy , to fay that Chrift's HumaneNature,or any Angel had not the later. For the very being, and,therewith all the good in the conftitution and antecedent benefits of a Creature mutt go before his merits. Merit is too low a word for the Divine Nature as fuch before the Incarnation. And the Humane Nature did not merit to be before it was, e.g. to be conceived by the Holy Ghoft, &c. As free Benefits are called Grace, Chrift's Humane Nature had Grace. But they obje&, that the two Bifhops did not diffinguifh between Chrifi's Adoption, and ours. 4nfa. We have not their Writings to fee that. z. If they did not, it's like it was, becaufe they thought it needlefs, being underfloodby all. They believed the Creed, That ChriFt was confeived by the Holy Ghoft, and born of the Virgin Mary; and that the Godhead affu- med theHumanity into perfonal Union. They knew that none dreamed that it was fo with us. TheCouncil faith, That it's Herefie toufe the name Adoptionof Chrift.The twoBithops feemed to think, That God's free affuming ofthe Humanity into perfonal Unity with theWord eternallygenerated by the Father, might be called Adoption. If the improper ufe of the word be Herefie,I leave it tothe Rea- der to judge which were the Hereticks : But I think neither. But another part of the Herefie was, to fay that Chrifi as a Servant as Man. And they think hewas no Servant, becaufe a Son. Some will think confidentlythat theCouncil were here Hereticks , but I think they did but ftrive about words. By [Servant] the Council feemeth to meanexclufive- ly, [ One that is noSon.] But the other meant inclufively, [ A Son and Servant.] They take him for aServant,that oweth Service andObedience. And Chrift as Man owed Obedience to his Father on two accounts ; i. As a reafonable Creature to his Maker. z.. As one that had by voluntary Sponfion undertaken it. I might add, 3. As the fpecial Law ,of Mediation was impofed on him , or given him, as Man, by which it was made his fpecial duty todie for Man, &c. He faith when he cometh into the world, Here I am to do thy Will, O God; yea , thy Law is in myheart.Did he not take upon him the form of a fervant?Phil.2.7. which was not a Jhew of that which is not, but of that which is. Is he not called God's righteous Servant juflifying many, Ifa. 53. x 1. Doth not God oft call him, My Servant, Ifa.4.9. 6. & 52.. t 3. Zech. 3. 8. The
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