sL An éxpofstion (f. the CHAP, I. whoaredeprived of theirAdvantages. However both to them and us, the things were and are deep and Myfterious. And we{hall delire to handle, ( as it becometh us) both Things and Words withReverence and Godly fear, looking up unto him for Atliftance, who alone can lead us into all Truth. Webegin with the double Defcriptiongiven us of theLord Chrift at the entrance of the Verfe, as toWhat he is in himfelf; and here a double Difficulty prelims it felf un- to us ; Ertl, In general unto what Nature in Chritt, or unto What of Chrijf, this De, fcriptiondoth belong : Secondly, what 'is the particular meaning and importance of the. Words or Expreffions themfelves. . For the firft, Some affert, that thefe words intend only theDivine Nature of Chrilt, wherein he isConfubffantial with his Father. Herein as he is faid to be, GodofGod, and Light ofLight, ( an expreflton doubtlefs taken from hence ) receiving as the Son his Nature and fubfiftence from the Father, fo fully and abfolutely as that he is every way the fame withhim in refpeet of his Effence, and every way like bim in refpeet of his Perfon ; fo he is faid to be the brigbtnefl of his Glory, and the Charatier of his Perfon on that account. Thisway went the Antients generally; and of ModernEx- pofitors very many ; as Calvin, Brentius, Marlow, Rollocur, Gomarus, Parser, Effiat, Tena, Lapide, Ribera, and fundry others. Some think that theApofile fpeaks of him as Incarnate; as he isdeclared in theGo, fpel, or as preached.tobe the Imageof the invifible God, 2 Cor.4. 4. And thefe take three wayes in the Explication of the words, and theirApplication of them unto him. Firft, Some affirm that their meaning is, that whereas God is in himfelf infinite and incomprehensible, fo that we are notable to contemplate on bis Excellencies, but that we are overpowred in our minds with their Glory and Majefly, he hath in aria the Son as incarnate, contemperatedhis infinite Love,Pgwer,Goodnefs, Grace,Greatnefs and I-lolinefs, unto our Faith, Love and Contemplation, they all fhining forth in him, and being eminently expreffedln him ; foBeza. Secondly, Some think that theApofile purfues the Defcription that he was entered upon of the KinglyOffice ofYe* Cbriff, as Heir of all ; and that his being exalted in Glory unto Power, Rule and Dominion, expreffing and reprefentingthereinthePer - fonof his Father, is intended in thefe words; foCamero. Thirdly, Some refer thefe words to the PropheticalOffice of Cbriff; and fay that he was the Brightneff ofGods Glary, &c. by his revealing and declaringof the Will ofGod unto us, which before was donedarkly only, and in fhadows. So the Socinians gene- rally; thoughSchlitlingius referthe Words unto. all thatfrmilitude, which they fancy tohave been betweenGod, and the man'Chrift Jefus, whileft he was in the earth ; and therefore renders theParticiple dr, not by the prejent, but prsterimperfett tenti ; whowar, that is, whileft he was on the Earth, thoughas he (ayes, not exclusively unto what he is now in Heaven. I lhall not examine in particular the Reafons that are alledged for there feveral In- terpretations ; butonly propofe and confirm thatsenile of the place, which on full and dúeconfederation, appears, as agreeableunto theAnalogie ofFaith, fo exprefly to an- fiver theDefign and intendment of the Apoftle ; wherein alfq, the unfoundnefs of the two laft branchesor wayes of applying the fecond interpretation, with the real coin- cidenceof the firft, and firft branchof the latter Exposition, will bediscovered. To this End the following,Pofitions are tobeobferved. Firft,It is not the diredtand immediate deign ofthe Apofile to treat abfolutely of either Nature ofChrift, his Divineor Humane; but onlyof his Perfon. Hence though the things which he mentionethand exprelfeth, mayCome ofthem belongunto, or be the Properties of his Divine Nature, fame of his Humane, yetnone of them are fpoken of asJuch, but are all confideredas belonging unto his Perfon. And this folves that difficultywhich Chryfoffom obferves in the Wordsand hives to remove by afimilitudrr, namely, thatthe Apofile doth not obferveany Order or Method, in fpeaking of the Divineand Humane Natures ofChrift diflinetly one after another; but firft fpeaksof the' one, thenof the other, and then returns again to the former, and that frequently But the Truth is, he intends not to fp.ak direly, and abfolutely of either nature of Chritt; but treating exprofef o of his Perfon, fome things that he mentions concerning him, have a fpecial Foundation in, and refpeét unto his Divine Nature ; Come in and unto his Humane, as mutt every thing that is fpoken of him. And therefore the Method and Order of theApoffle is not to be enquired after in what relates in his exprefs
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