Cie THE GLORY GE CHRIST AS GOD -MAN. But I. proceed. The holywriter in Heb. i. 3. adds further, t'nat he was appointed heir of all things, which seems to be not iso applicable to the pure godhead of Christ ; for godhead has án original and eternal right to all things, and does not corné at it by way of inheritance or derivation, much less by beiiig an ap- pointed heir. Doctor Goodwin is so well persuaded of the sense of these words, that they are not properly applicable to pure godhead, that he again supposes the holy writer to speak by way of anticipation, and to view the divine nature of Christ in anion with the man, though he acknowledges the things which are now spoken of, were transacted before the world was There are other expressions in this chapter which seem to refer to some being inferior to godhead. Verse 4. Being made só much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they. Verse 9. Thou Yost loved righteousness and hated iniquity, and therefóre God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows; that is lias given thee the holy Spirit as a comforter, in a superior measure. These things cannot be sup- posed to be spoken of the godhead of Christ: and yet they seem<to be spoken concerning Christ before his incarnation, and then they point out to us the pre- existence of his human soul ; whereas if they are spoken of him after his incarnation, then they prove nothingof his pre-existent glory, which seems to be the designof this chapter. Since the design of the second chapter to the Hebrews is, to prove the incarnation of Christ, and his taking upon him a human body, I might here ask, whether the design of the first chapter may not be to represent our blessed Lord in his pre- existent state, both divine and human, that is, to set forth the ;loryof this human spirit both in its own excellencies and in its original union with the divinenature. And this appears the more srobable, because the author in the first chapter is frequently ;zomparing him with angels, and sets him above them in several comparisons ; now this would be hut a low and diminutive ac- count of the godhead of Christ, to raise him above angels ; but it is a glorious and sublime account of his human soul, considered as united to godhead, awl one with God. And since there are so many expressions in the first chapter which ascribe ideas to Christ which are inferior to godhead, as well as some sublimer expressions which appear incommunica- ble to any but God ; I would enquire whether the introduction of this pre. existent soul of Christ here may not be a happy clue to lend us into the very mind and meaning of this portion of scripture, rather than to suppose the godhead of Christ is al-
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