636 THE GLORY OF CHRIST AS GOD-MAN. supposing it still capable of, and fit for such an union to a human body as .I have described. III. The powers of the human soul of Christ in his now glorified state, are represented in the word of God to be so ex- tensive beyond and above men or angels, that might give as just an occasion for this objection as any thing I have asserted con- cerninghis pre-existent state, and yet he is still a man. What large and comprehensive faculties of understanding and will may be communicated to a glorified creature, is far above our skill to determine: Now Christ was in glory, or was a glorified crea- ture before he was in flesh, even before the worldwas made; John xvii. 5. And therefore his ancient powers in the pre-exis- tent state might be very great, and yet his soul might still be a human soul. But if no mere creature were capable of such powers and honours as are attributed to Christ in his exalted state, yet we cannot determine what vast and amazing capacities such a creature may be endued with, who was always personally united to God ; and it is in this view, it is Christ as a man united to godhead, who has such extensive powers as may fit him to go- vern, and to judge the world, as I have shewn in a former dis- course, to which I refer the reader. I add further, that it was the perusal and study of some of those scriptures wherein so vast and extensive a knowledge and power are attributed to the man Jesus in his present glorified state, that led the way to my more easy belief of the powers and glories of his ancient state of pre-existence: And thence I thought I might infer, that since the manwho has these amazing glories and powers now, was once without them here on earth ; therefore the same human soul might be with God the Father from the beginningof the world ; might enjoy some part of these powers and glories, and yet for a season divest himself of them at his incarnation, and then be restored to them again with a most illustrious addition as a reward of his sufferings; John xvii. 5. Objection II. Some persons have been ready to cry out against this doctrine, as though it supposed the " pre- existent nature or natures of Christ to be united to a mere carcass, if it were united only to an animal body without a soul or spirit." Answer I. In ancient and more ignorant ages, this might perhaps be a stumbling-block to some weaker philosophers, who would mingle their mistaken philosophy with their christianity, and falsely imagined that an animal body was a mere dead car- cass, without some immaterial being in it, some superior vital soul or spirit : But in the present age, when it is generally be- lieved by the best philosophers, that animal bodies may have am- mal life in and of themselves, and all correspondent animal motions and powers, without any spiritual intelligent thinking
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=