1,í,1,f''"" 178 THE CHRISTIAN DOCTRINE OF THE TRINITY. only in his divinenature before his incarnation ; and then these inferior expressions of beingGod's messenger orangel, of hay. ing a hotly prepared for him by the Father, of being sent, of coming to do the will of his Father, and of not doing his own' will, &c. must be attributed to his character and office as Me- diator, which carries something inferior in it, and which lie' assumed even from the 'beginning of the world : So that the Son who had all power and sovereignty as God, must be said, under the character of a mediator, to be the messen- ger, the servant of God the Father, and be sent by him to do his will. And thus by considering our Lord Jesus Christ, either in his inferior nature, as having a human soul, and a humanbody united to godhead, or in his inferior office as being a mediator,» we may explain all those texts which ascribe something to him below the majesty of godhead. And where we cannot apply it to hishuman nature, it must be applied to-his office. I might multiply examples out of many parts of the New' Testament and the Old, to shewwith howhiuch ease and readi- ness, this doctrine will assist us to explain and reconcile manj things that are said concerning Christ; but I chuse rather to exemplify this, in explaining those difficult expressions of our LordJesus Christ concerning himself, which are recorded in John T. 19-30. " Verily I say unto yeti, the Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do : for what things soever he loth, these also doth the Son likewise. The Father loveth the Son, and sheweth him all things that himself doth.--,4 As the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them, even so the Son quickeneth whom he will. For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment to the Son, that all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father 'rite dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God, and they that hear shall. live. For as the Father hath life in himself, sobath he given to the Son, to have life in himself; and bath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of loan." And yet a little after, he saith again, " I can of my own selfdo nothing." Here are some divine characters, which seem to be too great or any mere creature ; such as, " Whatsoever things the Fa- titer doth, these also doth the Son likewise. The Father sheweth the Son all things that himself Both. The Son raiseth thedead by his word, and quickeneth whom he will ; all men must ho- nour the Son, as they honour the Father. As the Father Bath life in himself, so the Son bath life in himself." Here are also some characters, that seem much inferior to to the dignity of godhead; "'Ihe Son can da nothing of him- self. Judgment is committed to him by the Father. He has it
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