PROPOSITION XVIII. I77 given to hirn, to have life in himself; and authority to execute judgment is given hirn :" And it is repeated again, "Of him- self he can do nothing 3r, verse 30. Now may not these scriptures admit of this exposition, im. putiug the inferior characters and expressions, to his inferior or human nature, thus? Jesus is but a man, and can do nothing of himself; but because the Man Jesus is the Son of man, or the appointed Messiah ; as verse 27. therefore the Father" has ordained, that he should be personally" united to God, " it bath pleased the Father, that in him the fulness of godhead should dwell bodily ;" thus the Son of man bath union with godhead given him : And by this means, he has it given him to have life in himself; for where godhead is, there also are the properties of godhead, one of which is, to have life in himself. By this means also the person of the Son as god-man, is said to know all things that the Father does, and doth the same things which he seeth the Father do, or performs that which the Fatherhatl purposed. So the Son raiseth the dead, quickened' whom he will, and exeeuteth judgment on all mankind, and receiveth di- vine honours, as well as the Father : And yet he is said to have all thispower and honour given him by the Father, because by the appointment of the Father, the divine nature dwells in Jesus the Son of man, who of himself, and in himself is but a man, and could do nothing. The Son, as he is a man, is represented here as able to do nothing of himself : The Father, though he be Gad, is represented as willing to donothing of himself.: Therefore the Father, whose divine nature dwells in the Son, doth all thing's; by the Son, as his great agent and minister in the salvation of men. Or if this interpretation does not please, we may then sup- pose that the inferior characters here mentioned, are only attri- buted to Christ as Mediator; and thenthe interpretation is this ; viz. Though considered as God, he knows all things, he can do all things, and is the sovereign of life yet considered as Media- tor, he is supposed to wave this sovereignty ; and in this sense 'he may be said to receive these powers, instructions, and dele- gated authority from the Father, who sustains the sovereign or supreme character in the economy of grace. This shall suffice concerning the inferior actions and charac- ters, which are ascribed to Christ in the scripture. I proceed now toconsider the holy Spirit. There are also some things in scripture, which seem infe- rior to the dignity of godhead, that are attributed to the blessed Spirit, as that he is " sent by the Father at the Son's request ;" John xiv. 16. that " he issent by the Son ;" John xv. 20. that VOL. r. M
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