h PREFACE. his being the character, similitude, or image of him " who is the first." The divine personality of Christ consists in this, that the whole divinenature being com- municated unto him by eternal generation, he is the image of God, even the Father, by whom he is re- presented unto us. Seethe same book, chap. 7. to the same purpose. Also De Ecclesiast. Theol. contra Marcell. lib. 2. cap. 17. Clemens abounds much in the affirmation of this truth concerning the person of Christ; and we may yet add from a multitude to the same purpose, one or more tes- timonies from him. Treating of Christ, as the teacher of all men (his ,ra,Aayayos), he affirms that he is o,ús t, â¿Sgví,ra rx,,ar, " God in the figure or forni of man;" ütigavres erargoq S:Aí ,00, 8,ás,,4, 2141os, 0E4, t h aargl, i4 ds ,aa ra aargbs, rt, 4a7 Ta 0.644.a17 Ost, " impolluted, ser- ving the will of the Father, the Word, God, who is " in the Father, on the right hand of the Father, and in or with the form of God." Oúros (art ,iai0, ñ ú4a21I1,- ros, Tiro a I Sírs, no Ti,, iloso,8v sì, 44axñv. " He is the " image (of God) unto us, wherein there is no blemish, " and with all our strength are we to endeavour to ren- " der ourselves like unto him." This is the great end of his being the representative-image of God unto us. And Stromar. lib. 4. '0 4i, O,t, Bs4ros b.snpeor,s4. 'O 8d Vas ce¢ia 1n éosi "si imrrí5S 4 r,hílo,a, öso á2121a seso rvyys,y, " As God (absolutely) falls not " under demonstration, (that is, cannot perfectly be " declared), so he doth not (immediately) effect, or " teach us knowledge. But the Son is wisdom, and " knowledge, and truth unto us, and every thingwhich " is cognate hereunto. For in and by him doth God " teach us, and represent himself unto us." CHAP. 7. Upon the glory of this divine person of Christ depends the efficacy of all his offices; an especial demonstration whereofis given in his prophetical office. So it is well expressedby Irenaeus; qui nil molitur in- epte, lib. i. cap. 1. Non maim aliter nos diocese poter- ' amus glue sunt Dei, nisi magisternosier Verbuin existeno, homo foetus fuisset. Neque enim aliaspoterat enarrare nobis quce cunt Patris, nisi proprium ipsius Verbum. (Luisenim alias congnovit sensumDomini? ant quis alias ejus consiliarua foetusest ? Neque rnrsus nos aliter dis- cere poteramus, nisi Magistrum nostrum videntes, et per audit= nostrum tocem ejas percipientes) utt imitatores XV quidenz operum, factoresautena sermonum ejusfacti, - com- munionem habeamus cum ipso. .s We could not other- " wise have learned the things of God, unless our Mas- " ter being and continuing the (eternal) Word, liad " been made man. For no other could declare unto us " the things of God, but his own proper Word. For " who else hath known the mind of the Lord? or who " else hash been his counsellor? Neither on the other " side could we otherwise have learned unless we had " seen our Master, and heard his voice, (in his incar- " nation and ministay), whereby following his works, andyielding obedience unto his doctrine, we may have " communion with himself." I do perceive, that if I should proceed with the same kind ofattestations unto the doctrine of all the chapters in the ensuing discourse, this preface would be drawn forth into a greater length than was ever designed unto it, or is convenient for it. I shall therefore chuse out one or two instances more, to give a specimen of the concurrence of the ancient church in the doctrine de- clared in them, and so put a close unto it. CHAP. 9. In the ninth chapter, and those following, we treat of the divine honour that is due unto the per- son of Christ, expressed in adoration, invocation, and obedience proceeding from faith and love. And the foundation of the whole, is laid in the discovery of the true nature and causes of that honour: and three things are designed unto confirmation herein. (I.) That the divine nature, which is individually the same in each person of the holy Trinity, is the proper formal object of all divine worship, in adoration and invocation. Wherefore no one person is or can be worshipped, but in the same individual act of worship, each person is equally worshipped and adored. (2.) That it is lawful to direct divine honour, worship and invocation unto any person, in the use of his peculiar name, the Father, Son, or Spirit; or unto them altogether; but to make any request unto one person, and immediately the same unto another, is not exemplified in the scripture, nor among the ancient writers of the church. (3.) That the person of Christ as God man, is the proper object of all divine honour and worship, on the account of his divine nature: and all that he did in his nature are motives thereunto. The first of theseis the constant doctrine of the whole
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