QUESTION 1b1. 453 lions; what need of promisesöf support and recompenoe ?- Row an the pure godhead -of Christ be supported, or be recompensed by the Fattier, who has eternally the same numerical glory and power In short, all these-sacred and pathetic representations of stipulation and articles in the common scheme, can amount to no more in our clear ideas; and in a proper conception of things, than the simple decree or volition of the one eternal, infinite Spirit. I grant we may suppose the great God in a figurative man- ner of speech consulting thus with his own wisdom, with the di- vine powers or principles of agency in his own nature, as a man maybe figuratively said to consult with his own understanding, er reason, or conscience : But in literal and proper language, it seems to be nothing else but an absolute decree of the great God; that- the man, Christ Jesus, when formed and united to godhead, should undertake and fulfil this work, four thousand years-afterthis world was made. And thus, according to the éommon hypothesis, -that very intelligent being whichwas to come into flesh, and to sustain all the real sufferings, gave no such earlyantecedent consent to this covenant. It was only the godhead of Christ, :which is impassible' and could really suffer nothing, did decree that the human nature shouldexist hereafter, that it should be united to.the godhead, and should sustain ago- nies and death for the sins of men: I would 'enquire farther also, according to this explication of things, what possible difference can we conceive between the love of the Father in sending his Son, and the love of the Son in consenting to be sent on this compassionate errand, if there were not two distinct consciousnesses, and two distinct wills, if it was only one simple numerical volition of the great Göd ? And how Both this abate our grand ideas of the - distinct and condescending love of our blessed Saviour;- in leis consent to this covenant, since that part of him which really suffered, that is, his-inferior: nature, had then no existence, and therefore could give no consent to this early covenant of redemp- tion. If some of these difficulties may possibly obtain any toler- able solution, by introducing many figures of speech, and be thus explained, according to the common explication of the 'Trinity, 'withoutsupposing the pre-existence of the hnman soul of Christ, yet I am much inclined to think they can never be all solvedor gxplained upon,that hypothesis. But on the other hand, if we give ourselves leave to con - ceive of-the human soul of our Lord Jesus Christ in its pre-ex- istent state as the orpw1aTOxS,, the first-born df every creature ; Col. i. as the .,qx,,, that is, the beginningOr the chief of the creation of God ; Rev. iii. 14: lying; in the bosom of the Fa- -Alter :John i. IS.`and intimately united to the eternal God, then r f 3
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