466 iaUESTInNS CtNCEnNING, JESUS. ence, that is filiation whereas the Father's manner of subsist- ence is paternity. Now, according to this doctrine, the divine nature of Christ can neither be the image of the Father in his essence, nor in his personality and subsistence. The divine na- titre of Christ cannot be the image of the Father's essence be- cause it is numerically' the very same essence, and nothing is said to be theimage of itself. Neither can the peculiar subsistence or personalitylof Christ as God, be the image of the Father's per- sonality or subsistence ; for sonship.or filiation is by nomeans art image of paternity or fatherhood, but is rather the very reverse, or contrary to it. A derived insulter of subsistence can never be the express image of an underived manner of subsistence. If therefore the person of Christ considered as God, be. the same numerical godhead with. the Father, together with a distinct per-. sonality, that is, filiation, and if he is neither.the image of the 'Father's godhead nor his personality ; then Christ, considered merely in his divine nature, cannot be Inc express image of the Father: 2. Another reason why Christ as God, is not the image of God the Father;- is because he is called the image of the invisi- bleGod. Now the godhead ofChrist is as much invisibleas the Father's godhead is ; and therefore when lie is called the image of the invisible God, it must signify, he is that image whereby God becomes visible, or is made known tomen ; and for this rea- son this title of Christ must include such a nature in Christ where- by the invisible God is made known to mankind, that is, it must include something of his inferior or human nature, and perhaps has a prime reference thereto. 3. When Christ is called the image of God in some scrip- tures, it would naturally lead us to conceive him distinct from and in some sense inferior to that God whose image lie is ; ami therefore it cloth as naturally lead one to conceive Christ's god- head is not denoted in those scriptures ; for the godhead of Christ and the Father is one, whereas the image is something inferior to the original. Let it be noted also, that every man is called the image of God ; 1 Cor. xi. 7. And therefore this seems to be too low a character of Christ, considered in his pure godhead. But there are three senses in which Christ is_ the most noble image of God. 1. This title most admirably agrees to Christ considered as man : His human soitl is the first, the greatest, the wisest, the holiest, and the best of all created spirits The man Jesus'is the wisest, holiest and best of men; formed after the image of God ht the greatest perfection ; and probably his human soul in his pre- existent state was the first-born of every creature, and the beginning or chief of the creation of . God, and who path more of, resemblance to. God in all natural and in all moralperfections than any man ever had, or than the whole creation besides..
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