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http://www.archive.org/details/anotherdefenceofOOflem

ANOTHER

DEFENCE

O F T H E

UNITY,

WHEREIN

St. John's Introdudion to his Gofpel, and his Account of the Word's being made Flejl.\ are confidered.

WITH

A few Remarks on fome very late notable Publications, particularly thofe of Dr. Ben- jamin Dawson, and Dr. Kennicot.

A>vX* n.ur; «? ©sc? o "Tramp >'-«! «? Kvpiog

LONDON:

Printed for T. Longman, in Pater-nofler-Row. ^ M DCC LXVI.

]

PREFATORY ADDRESS

T O T H E

READER.

A

Very elegant ivrlter has obferv- ** / \ ed, that " though the articles of religious belief, which fall " within the comprehenfion of mankind, " and feem eflential to their happinefs, are " few and fimple -, yet ingenious men have " contrived to eredt them into a moil tre- " mendous fyftem of metaphyseal fubtilty, ** which will long remain a monument of *' the extent and weaknefs of human un- " derftanding. — By attempting to eftablilli " too much, they have hurt the foundation " of the moft interefling principles of re-

" ligion."

And agaijiy he fays, — " that religion con-

" fidered as a fcience, in the manner it has

** been ufually condud;ed, is but little be-

A 2 *' neficial

<c

iv A prefatory Addrefs to the Reader,

'* neficial to mankind, neither tending to " enlarge the underilanding, fweeten the *' temper, nor mend the heart. At the " fame time the labours of ingenious men,

in explaining obfcure and difficult paf- " fages of facred writ, have been highly " ufeful and necellary. And as it is na- " tural for men to carry their fpeculations " on a fubjedt, that fo nearly concerns their " prefent and eternal happinefs, farther than " reafon extends, or than is clearly and ex- " prefsly revealed j e'-oen thefe can be fol- *^ lowed by no bad confequences, if they " are carried on with that modefty and " reverence which the fubjed requires. *' They only become pernicious when they " are formed into fyjlemsy to which the fame " credit and fubmiffion is required as to ** holy writ itfelf *".

In many of the things advanced, in his comparative vieiVy I agree with this writer. — And now refer my reader to a late very fmgular publication, which would prove from Scripture, the following propodtions,

* A c:>:np(irative %<uw of the Jlate and faculties of riion, ir'c. p. 177 & 183.

in

A prefatory Addrefs to the Reader, v

in fupport of the prefent eftablifhed Li- turgy.

" I ft, That he who redeemed us was ** very God, manifefted in the flefh, not ** the firft of created beings united to an ** human body, nor a mere man in whom *^ the fulnefs of the Godhead dwelt not."

** 2dly, That Jefus Chrift was indeed " perfect man, of a reafonable foul and " human fle(h fubfifting 3 but that man in " whom God himfelf, and no other being, " in nature inferior dwelt."

" 3dly, That the holy ghoft is of a na- ^* ture perfedly divine ; not a diftincfl and ** feparate nature from the Father almighty, *' inferior both to him and the Son, but " true and very God j or, in other words, " that he, who hath fandtified, is one and ** the fame God with him that created and *' redeemed us *."

The reafon of my making this citation, is, to fhew, that if fuch an interpretation of Scripture can be brought in defence of an eftahlified Liturgy^ by a conforming di-

* Dr. Ben'Jamin Dawson's Ulujlrahovs of fcv:ral i(xU of fcr'tpiure, &c. A. D, i;66.

vine ',

vi A prefatory Addrefs to the Reader,

vine ; the following confiderations upon the Wordy and upon the Word's being made jlejhy can never give the leaft reafonable offence to the Sons of our church.

Much light had before been thrown on the fubjedl, by the late reverend and learned Mr. Moses Lowman j in his three trads, T7Z.' — " on the appearances of the true God, " under the old teftament — on the Shecbi- *' «j^; — and on the texts of Scripture re-

" lating to the Logos." Which trads

were publifhed in the year 1756.

Since then, another very learned and ju- dicious traft favoured the public, under the title of, a Letter writ in the year 1730. con- cerning the queftion, *' whether the Lo- *' Gos fupplied the place of ^ human foul *' in the perfon of Jefus Chrifl ?" which made its firft open appearance, in the year 1759. and which indeed has great merit, both from the candour, perfpicuity and weight of the argument.

What is now offered, I truft, is, in har- mony with the defign of thefc publications, tho' with fome peculiarity of interpretation. And the Author, in defence of them and

himielf,

3

A prefatory Address to the Reader, vii

himfelf, would take the liberty of adopting what a man of genius has faid of art^ and fciences, as applicable to the religious prc- feflion. " No fcience, fays he, ever flourifli- " ed, while it was confined to a fet of men " who lived by it, as a profeffion. Such ** men have purfuits very different from the ** end and defign of it. The interefted *' views of a trade are far different from the ** enlarged and different profpedis of ge- " nius and fcience.— When the knowledge *' of an art is confined in this manner, « every private practitioner mufl attend to " the general principles of his craft j or *^ ftarve. If he goes out of the common " path, he is an objedl of the jealoufy and *^ abufe of his brethren, and among the " reft of mankind he can neither find judges ** nor patrons."

Thefe fine obfervations made upon arts and fciences, are extremely applicable to the religious profeffion ; and hence fo few have dared to make an open defence of the UNITY.

This publication would have had no place, had not the Author been of opinion, that it is

in

viii A prefatory Addrefs to the Reader,

in fome degree, calculated to the end of re- ftoring an almoft loft idea of the Scripture dodtrine of the one God-, which lofs has fad- ly depraved the tempers of mankind. — For, fays the above writer, " the worft effedts " of controverfial theology are thofe, which " it produces on the temper and affections. « — When the mind is kept conftantly em- " barraffed in a thorny path, where it can ** find no fteady light to fhew the way, nor " foundation to reft upon, the temper lofes " its native chearfulnefs, and contracts a ** gloom and feverity, partly from the cha- " grin of difappointment, and partly from ** the focial and kind affedions being extin- " guifhed for want of exercife. — Which " evil has been exafperated, when men have " been perfuaded, that their holding cer- " tain opinions intitled them to the divine " favour 5 and that thofe who differed from " them, were devoted to deftrudion *." See the QuicuNQUE vuLT, in its damnatory claufes J and alfo the creed of popifh and other fanatics.

* A comparaihe vkzv^ Jcc. p. i8o, i8i,

CON-

CONSIDERATIONS

O N T H E

LOGOS.

WHAT has occafioned fo much controverfy concerning the Lo- gos, or Word of Gody among chriflian divines, feems principally to have been, " an apprehended difficulty in the " mtrodu6lion to St. John's Gofpel." — Com- i?ientators are much difagreed in their inter- pretations. And what fliould be the precife fenie of the Logos, has been the warm difpute of ages. If therefore a confident, eafy, and clear reading can be given to this, we may hope, that every difficulty or ob- fcurity, fuppofed to lye upon that intro- dudlion, will remove.

Now the Logos or Wo?'d of Gody in the

language of the facred books of the old

teftament, does denote, (as fhall prefently

be fhewn,) '^ the exprefs manifeftative will

B " of

2 Considerations on the Logos.

" of God, whenever made, or in whatever " manner." — And thus underftood, it is as well conceived of when creating, as it is when fuccouring, or when informing and correding his moral creation.-^— Hence when St. ychn opens his hiftory, he very perti- nently fays, — in the beginning was the Word, and the V/ord was with Gody ajid the Word was God. The fame was in the beginning with God. All things were made b^ him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. — There is no kind of difficulty found in this reprefentation ; for the mani- feftative will of God, was not only in the beginnings but had been ever with God, and muft be venerated, as God ^ even becaufe it is the exprefs manifeftation of God. This very fame idea St. Paid conveys, when he obferves, that the invijible things of hi?n fro?n the creation of the world are clearly feen, be- ing underftood by the things that are madi^ even his eternal power and godhead. In which obvious fenfe, the Word may be faid to be God, and alfo to be in the beginning with him ; inafmuch as all things were made by him -, and without him^ was not miy thing

made

Considerations on the Logos. 3

made that ivas fnade. In other words, not any thing could come into exigence, but what would manifeft the will of the crea- tov.

The Evangelift rifes in his reprefentation pf the Word. In him was life, and the life was the light of men : i. e. he has been made manifeft, as the infinite fource of life and lights to all his intelligent creation *. He, as a governor of moral agents, made him- felf known to our world, by confulting the life of men, in all the maxims of his rule. — But the light fnneth in darknefs^ and the darknefs comprehended it not. — Even the di- vine light of prophecy, which had, from the beginning, foretold the moft deiireable age of the MeJJiah, had been fo egregioully perverted, that the Jewifh nation had loft the benefit of that heavenly illumination. The world was become fo very blind, by prejudice and vice, as to reject the divine evidence.

Neverthelefs, there was a man fent from

God, whofe name was John. Tihe fame ca?ne

for a witnefSi to bear wilnefs of the light..

that all men through him might believe : tho'

* See tht Jpprr,4if^',

B 2 U

4 Considerations on the Logos.

he was not that light j which mankind either formerly had, or were encouraged to expedt, and hope for ; hut was fent to bear witnefs of that light. That was the true light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. • — And yet he, the Word of God, was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. So depraved, fo ignorant were the pagan idolatrous na- tions, as not to infer his eternal power and godhead, from the vifible creation. The very idea of a creator, was banifhed from a great part of the human family. Nay, he ca?72e to his own, and his own received him net ; but as many as did receive him, to them gave he power, i. c. a right or privilege, CO become -the Sotis of God, eve?! to them that believe on his name.

Old Teftament Scriptures do contain a con- vincing record of the truth of this report, concerning the divine JVord-, inalmuch as the Jevvifh nation, whom God had fepa- rated from the reft of mankind, as a pe- culiar people, did retain fuch an amazing perverfcnels, under all the appearances of God for them, that fundry prophets com-

plaii^

Considerations on the Logos. 5

plain bitterly of their notorious infidelity and flagrant impiety. Neverthelefs, there were fome of them that were much more feniible, ingenuous, and obedient j — and to thefe, it were, that he gave the privilege of Sons. — So St. Paul obferves, that they are not all Ifraelj which were of Ifrael. Rom. ix. 6. — We are next told in what manner, or upon what principle they obtained a fi- liation J — which were borUy not of bloody I. e. not becaufe of their being the natural defcendants of Abraham 3 — nor of the will of the flefiy I. e. not becaufe they had been obfervant of carnal ordinances j or had been circumcifed : neither were they born of the will of man ; i. e. not by reafon of the re- verence they had fhewn to the traditions of their elders ^ but they were honoured with this filiation, from the obedience which they had fliewn to the will of God,

This appears, to me, the mofl natural and obvious fenfe of the Evangelift ; and at once determines the teachings of the di- vine Word to the Hebrew people, as pre? cifely intended in 'this defcription.« — In like planner, all who did receive the Harbin- ger's

6 Considerations on the Logos.

ger's teftimony to the voice of prophecy, did alfo become the Sons of God. — The hiftorian, next introduces the fliechinizing of the Word, in the perfon of Jefus Chriftj which he thus exprefTes — and the Word was made jlefi and dwelt among iiSj and we beheld his glory, as the glory of the 07ily begotten of the Father J full of grace and timth."

Several diflindl inquiries fliould be made, if we would, with any precifion, affix the dodrinal meaning of this defcription. Such as eflablifliing,

ift The true fenfe of the Logos^ or Word*

sdly, Of its being made flejQi, and dwel- ling among us.

3dly, Wherein the glory of the only ber gotten of the Father did confift.

4thly, What St. John meaneth, when he fays, and we beheld his glory f

I ft, It has been already affirmed, that the term, Logos, or Word, is ufed by the Evan- gelift, for the manifefative will of God, how- ever, or whe?iever ??2ade. Now, there is not any thing more common, in the Hebrew Scriptures, than this phrafe, the Word, the fVbrd of God, or the JVord of the Lord, to 5 exprefs

Considerations on the Logos. 7

exprefs the will either of the creator, pre- fen^er, or governor of the world. Pf. xxxiii. 6. by the Word of the Lord ivere the heavens made, and all the hefts of them by the breath of his mouth, cxlviii. 5. praife the name of the hord^ for he commanded^ and they wen: created.

The very miracles by which Pharaoh was tried, performed by the inftrumentality of Mcfes, are called, the Word of the Lord 5 Pf. cv. 19. until the time that tJye Word of the Lord ca?ne j the Word of the Lord tried him. And when God had wrought de- liverance for Ifrael, he is faid to fend his Word. Pf cvii. 20. he fent his Word, andheaU ed them, and delivered them from their de- f?-u5lions. The different appearances of na- ture, in the plan of providence, are a- fcribed to the Word of God. cxlviii. 18. when the ice was cajl forth from the cloud as morfels, he fendeth out his Word and melteth them.

The phrafe is common to all the prophets ; they are wont to call the meffages which they deliver, the Word of God. — So i Sam.ix. 27. Samuel fays to Saul, Stand fill to^

day^

S Considerations on the Logos'.

day, that I may fiew thee the JVord of God.^^ i Kings xii. 22. the Word of God came to Shemaiah. The Word of God came to Na- than, faying : And it is the ulual addrefs of EzEKiEL, — the Word of the Lord came unto me. It would be endlefs to cite all the places, where the Word of God, or the Word of the Lord, is ufed to denote, his manifejl^ ative ivill. It is almofl every where to be found, in the facred fcriptures ; and will fully juftify this Evangelift, in making ufe of a term fo very familiar to the Jews ; and which never could be miftaken by any who were at all acquainted with their writings.

We accordingly find the Apoftle, vv^hen writing to the Hebrew chriflians, thus be- ginning his epiftle, by fl:»ewing them, "that *' it was the very fame Word of God by *' which the worlds were made, that had *' fpoken, at fundry times and in divers " manners, to the fathers by the prophets ; ** and in thefe laft days, by his Son." q. d. The Gofpel makes a revelation of the will of no other being, than of him who made all things, and who has been inftruding mankind from the beginning, Methinks,

this

CoNSinERATIONS ON THE LoGOS. 9

this may be llifficient to affix the fenfe of the term, Logos, or Wordj Word of God, or JVord of the Lord.

The next inquiry will be, in what fenfe the JVord was made flep ?

It is an undoubted truth, ih^ifefi, or the nian ChriflJefuSj was made by xhcLogos, or by the V/ord of God : for it was the power of the higheft. that did create or fonn him, in the womb of the virg;in. So Mary his mo- ther was alTured it fliould be, from that fame divine Word which fpake by the angel, — ^ That theo/i^r^ was God himfelf, has been fliewn from ver.. i . " where St. fdhn ufeth a *' gradation. Firii lie fays, the Word was '^ always, before all time. Then he adds, *^ and was with God -^ and lafily, that he was *' God himfelf *." But fays a conforming divine,, '^ and God was the JVcrd-f -," when we have thefe decifwe readings of the Wordy it furely would not be fo very intelligible to fay, and flejhy that is, a man became the Word and.

* Letter zvrit in the year 1730. p. 24. f r?r. Dawson's illuftration?, p. 59.

dwelt

10. Considerations on the Logos,

d^'Ji'elt among us *. Could flefh or a man be- come God ? methinks, that muft be utterly inconceivable, xa; o Ao^o5 o-ap^ g^gxo, can. never have fuch meaning, — God could not be inade man j nor could he take upon him the human nature ; tho' the man Jefus, the Mef^ fmh, had the Word, that is, the wifdom and power of God, reliding with him. The manifeilative will of God, called, the Wordy could no otherwife be made flefli, than as it fo relided with the man Chrift Jefus. He was made the Shechmahy or temple of God 5 the divine prefence with him, was oracular : or, he fet his tdbernacle in fleOi, according to I Kings \\\u 27. compared with Jlpoc. xxi. 3. The refidence of the Logos with Jefus Chrift was fo intimate and expreffive, as to iuftify St. johfiy in faying, the Word was made fiefiy and dwelt among us. Deity was, by him, fo fully declared, or made mani- fefl: in his paternal truth and grace, that our Lord fays to Philips " vvhofoever hath feen '* me, hath ktn the Father." And yet,

* Dr. Daws-on's illuftrations, p. 72, & 100.

in

Considerations on the Logos, ii

in fair conftru6tion, Philip could not fup- pofe, tfjat Jei'iis Cbrijl was the Father : but only, that the mod: exprefllve revelation of the Father, was made by him.

When therefore the E^anselifl: fays, that the Word ivas made JieJJ;), aiid dwelt among us, he would not be underftood to mean, that the JVord was converted into flefh j or, that it became a man -, or, that the Word did conftitute any part of the perfon of the maa Chrift Jefus j tho' it had the moft expreilive and illuflrious abode with him. The Deity could not poffibly fuffer any change, or the leaft fl^adow of change.

Ameliiiiy a platonic philofopher and difci- ple of Flotinus, of whom Eufebius makes mention, has this interpretation of St. yohns. introduciiGn, — *' and this, plainly,, was the *' Word by whom, he being himfelf eter- " nal, were made all things that are, as " Heraclitus alfo would fay : and by Jove " the fame, whom the Barharia?i affirms " to have been in the place and dignity of " a principle, and to be with God, and to " be God : by whom all things were made, ** and in whom every thing that was made C 2 " has

-12 Considerations on the Logos.

" has its life and being. Who defcending *' into body, and putting on flefh, took the *^ form of man : tho' even then he gave " proof of the majedy of his nature *."

This Heathen feems to have underflood St. ^qIm much better than many chriftians have done : tho' he calls him Barhariariy becaufe he was a ^cw who wrote in Greek.

But, at the fame time, one may perceive how the platonic Philofophers miftook the true fenfe of the U^rd's being made flefi. — *' Defcending into body, and putting on flefh," don't appear to convey St. Johns fenfe, as fliall be farther (liewn.

That the Word did not become any part of the perfon of Chrifl, is evident, from his ever afcribing his fupernatural difcernment, his all-penetrating knowledge, his aflonifh- ing wifdom and power, to the Father ! he never once appropriates any divine property or perfedion to himfeif-f-. For tho' he once fays, I and the Father are one -, — ^yet,

* Dr. Lardn'er's pagan teftimonles, vol. III. p, 96, 97.

t' Sec Matth. xix. 17, John v, 19, 30. — viii. 28.

he

Considerations on thz Logos,' 13

he intended not to affert an effential or per- ibnal onenefs ; but only, that he did the '-jiiorks of his Father , and did receive the doc- trine ^ iDbich he taught^ from him. This will undeniably appear, to be his meaning, when fohn X. 30. IS diligently compared with verfes, 37th and 38di.

The Logos^ or Word, was fo far from be- ing the foul of Chrift, as fome have ima- gined, that he exprefsly denies he had any divine abilities, but what were his Father's : cf himjelf he could do nothing, — And we might as truly fay, that the Logos or Word, be- came the perfon of Mofes, of Elijah, or of any of the prophets, as that it became the foul of the man Chrift Jefus ; elfe, we might equally fay, that the perfon of Mofes be- came the JVord, as that the perfon of Chrift became the Word.

That his name was called, Emanuel, i. e. God 'with us, will be of very eafy con- ception, on account of that moft exprefs and fignificant abode which the Word of God had with him *. So confident was he of

* Hence his name Is called, the 7f^6rd of God. Apoc, xix. 13.

this

14 Considerations on the Logos.

this expreffive prefence of the Father with him, that he fays to Philipy Believeji thou not that I am in the Father and the Father in me ^ the words that I fpeak unto youy I /peak tiot of niyfelf : but the Fat her that dwelleth in mey he doeth the works. John xiv. i o.— And when he afferts the infalhbility of the judg- jnent which he gave of men and things, Chap. viii. i6. he affigns this reafbn for it,— / am not alone , but I and the Father that fent me^ And at ver. xxix. he that fent me is with me : the Father hath not left me alone, for I do always thofe things that pleafe him. Nay, he thus comforts himfelf, when taking a prophetic profpe6l of his being forfaken of all the difciples, John xvi. 32. Behold the hour Cometh^ yea^ is now come, that ye fiall be fcattered every one to his own, and flail leave me alone : and yet I am not alone, he^ caufe the Father is with me. Thus we can conceive of the Word's being made fleflo, as it abode fo illuHrioufly in, or with the perfon of the man Chrift Jefus.

In this difquifitlon, we are 3dly to in- quire, in what it was that the glory did con- iiil: ? for St. fohn faySj and we beheld his glory,

as

Considerations on the Logos. 15

m the glory of the only begotten of the Father i full of grace and truth.

Now the glofj of any being or thing, Is the perfedlion or the excellence of its nature and properties, difcoverable by fome manifefl:- ation made of that excellence.— But the re- fidence of the Logos or Word with the man Chrill: Jefus, revealing the truth and grace of God to mankind, was, what rendered him fo diftinguidiingly and {o peculiarly il- luftrious, as to be called, the only begot- ten of the Father. — Now, to be begotten of God, in the fenfe of this writer, is, to be prevailed upon by his teachings, to exprefs a cordial devotednefs, to all his will. Thus, in his mtrodiiSiiony he fpeaks of men having the privilege of Sons, who were born of God, by their doing of his will. — i, e. by ingenuoufly receiving the inftrudions that were given them, from the Logos or Word of God.

Whereas Jefus Chrifl is the only begotten of the Father J as he was diflinguillied froai all mankind by prophecy and by his formation 3 by his finlefs, and moft perfedl obedience and unreferved devotednefs to all his Father's will ; alfo by miracle ! for we are to keep in mind,

that

i6 Considerations on the Logos,

that when St. 'JoJm wrote his Gofpel, the moft complete teftimony had been adually . and extenfively given to his divine charader and miflion. For, verily, he had been greatly diilinguiihed by ;%/7j, ivonders, and divers miracles ! *' God having anointed Je- " fiis of Nazareth with the holy ghoft and *^ with power, who went about doing good, " and healing all that were opprefied of the " devils for- God was with him." as St. Peter bore an exprefs record, ABs x. 38. — But befides all this tcflinionv, thofe divine gifts which he had promifed, had been a- bundantly beflowed on his apoftles, as the writer to the Hebrew Ghriflians remarks, — - '* God had alio born them witnefs, both " with figns and wonders, and with divers ** miracles, and gifts of the holy ghoft." Chap. ii. 4. which were in proof of their Lord's being exalted to the right hand of power, and of his having a name ad:ually given him above every name.

Thus is it made manifefl: that Jefus is the ONLY BEGOTTEN of the Father *. And be-^

* See Letter writ in the year 1730. p. 29. — the only begotten, equivalent to well-betoved.

caufe

Considerations on the Logos. 17

caufe of his exaltation to fovereignty and do- minion, St. Peter fpcaks thus of him, — " who " is gone into heaven, and is at the right hand " of God, angels, authorities and powers be- *' ing made fubjecl to him." ift Epiftle ill. 22. And for the reafbn of his having this fu- premacy given him, St. Paul reprefents it as a CREATION, wherein this image, this reprefentative of the invifible God, this firfl- born, this moft excellent of every creature, has the fubjedion of all things made to him, *' that are in heaven and earth, vifible and " invifible j whether thrones, or dominions, *' or principalities, or powers, all things are " created by and for him — and he is the " head of the body the church, the Jir/l- " l^orn from the dead, that in all things he ** might have the pre-eminence." Col. i. 15.

All things thus faid to be created by him and for him, I fliould underftand, of all dynaflies, or orders of power being put un- der his fceptre. Mr. Locke has fhewn, that KriactvTi, is not always ufed by St. Paul to exprefs creatiojiy i. e. the making out of nothing ; for he ufes the word for the bringing D of

1 8 Considerations on the Logos.

of "Jew and Gentile into one fociety, or fa- mily, Eph. i. 15. and for the whole new creation under Jefus Chrift, Chap. iii. 9. or he fpeaks of the work of redemption by Chrifl, as a new creation. See his notes on the texts above. And as juftly and rea- fonably may we underfland St. Faul^ in his epiftle to the Colojfians^ as having only in view the putting of the feveral dynafties or orders of dignified beings, in heaven and earth, under tiie fceptre of the man Chriil Jefus, the Shechinah of God.

After all, fhould any be of opinion, that Col, i. 16. and Heb. i. 2, 3. mud be under- ftood of the firil creation of the heavens and of the earth : there will be no difficulty in afcribing fuch creation to that Logos or Word, which tabernacled with the man Chrift Je- fus. And ib underftood, it will correfpond with the idea of this Evangelift, who men- tions, in his introdu6tion, the creative power of the Word : and fays, that all things were made by hijn, and without him was not any thing made, that was made. Is not fuch in- terpretation much more reconcilable with our powers of conception ^ and is it not that

ia

Considerations on the Logos. 19

in which we can have far more complacen- cy, than in the ftrange opinion of Jefiis Chrift, who was truly man, made of a 'woman ^ made under tlx hni\ yerojuLevov ck ywj(uy,(^ yivof^ivov vTo vofjiGVy being reprefented, as the creator oj the 'world.

The Gofpel is a revelation or manifeftation of truth, which has confulted the powers of the human mind, in the eafy and familiar reprefentation ; and has nothing in its doc- trines that would perplex and confound. There is not any thing intricate or myfteri- ous in this laft revelation. Men JImll not teach every one his neighbour^ and every one bis brother^ faying, know the Lord : but all fall know him, from the leaf to the greatefl. — It is then fufficient, that, in forming our ideas of the exaltation of ChriO:, we confider him, as placed by the Logos, or by the expreffive will of God, above all dynafties or orders of power, in heaven and in earth.

Thefe-are very expreffive reprefentations

of his being the only begotten of the Father,

full of grace arid truth. - -The revelation

u'hich he has made of the truth and grace

D 2 of

20 Considerations on the Logos.

of God, is, that which gives the contents of Gofpel hiftory. The which, whoever will confult, with an honed mind, and a fuit- able degree of attention, will be conftrained to own, that there is a plenitude in the reve- lation. Nor need we fcruple to affirm, that there is alfo an excellence, a perfection, a .glory to be afcribed to this difplay of the will of God. We muft make fuch grate- ful acknowledgment j fince all other me-^ thods of conveying divine inftrudion, are found to fall far fhort of the gofpel demon- ftration, given us, of the paternal truth and grace of God. For which reafon, this hi- ftorian adds, that 710 ?}ian has fcen God at any time ; the only begotten So?i, which is in the hofom of the Father, he hath declared him.

4thly, It will not be of difficult con- ception, in what fenfe St. fchn affirms, and jwe beheld his glory. The learned and vene- rable Author of the Letter writ in the sear 1730. fays, " it was not the JVord, which St. *' John and others beheld, but Jefus, in ■' whom the Word dwelled. Him they be- '' held. And his greatnefs was confpicu-

Considerations on the Logos. 21

" ous : fo that lie appeared, and they knew *^. him to be, the mly begotten of th Father^ <' or the MeiTiah *."

The glory which they beheld^ did confift in thofe demonftrations of the divine pre^ ience with him, which gave the luftre of his Spirit^ of his dodrinal teachings, and of all his exemplary behaviour. Wifdom, bene- volence, and power flione throughout his public miniflrations ! and what wonder they fliould, when he was to open the dodrine of immortal life to mankind, and alTure them of his having actually made void the domi^ nion of death ! — That he, in fad:, was the well-beloved of the Father, approved of the Governor of the univerfe, they were afcer- tained, by a voice from heaven, once and again which they had heard, exprefsly de- claring him to be fo. And this hiftorian was one of the three witnefTes of his transfgura^ tion! Befides this, his refurredion and af- cenfion v^ere made known, not only to them, but to great numbers of the difciples : — and we can add to thefe very convincing evi- dences, the ability which they themfelves

* Page 29*

had

22 C-ONSIDERATIONS ON THE LoGOS.

had of working miracles in the namq. of the exalted Jefus ; which were enough to give Spirit to this declaration, — and we saw-his GLORY ! — St. Peter makes ufe of a lik? fort of speech, when he fays, " we have not ** followed cunningly devifed fables,, v^'hilft ^* we made knovA^n to you, the coming of '* our Lord Jefus Chrifl:, but were eye-wit-^! " neffes of his majefly, when there came " fuch a voice from the excellent glory, this ** is- 7ny beloved Sofiy in whom I..<ni\,',^iidl ^^ pkafed'' — — .rrxinilo

^•..The glory which the residence, of.. the ho^os had conferred oinitihe man Chrift. Je-r fus, might be farther learnt from the ejiprefs declaration of this great prophet himfelf j for he faid of his friend Lazarus, ''this fick-. " nefs is not unto death, i. e. not unto an *' irrecoverable death, but for the glory of " God y that the Son of God might be " glorified thereby." yobnx\./\.. And when. he takes a view of the tendency which his own fufferings had, to convince the world of fi/iy of righteoufnefsy and of judgemint j he fays,—" now is the Son of man glori-?. *' fied, and God is glorified in him. If God A '* be

Considerations on the Logos. 23

** be glorified in him, God fliall glorify him " in himfelf, and iliall ftraightway glorify " him." ^obn xiii. 31, 32. To this purpole, in his prayer, he greatly refrelheth his own Spirit, with the moral imprefTions that would be made on mankind, by his teachings. Chap, xvii. 10. " All mine are thine, and thine " are mine, and I am glorified in them." And again, this hifcorian fo underftood the miraculous power, which wrought by his mafler, as manifefting his glory. See chap, ii.'ii. This begimmig of miracles did fefus — and manifcjled forth his glory. — Very appo- lite then is the exordium of St. fohiis firft e- piftle, " that which was from the begin- ** ning, which we have heard, which we *' have feen with our eyes, which we have " critically looked upon, and our hands have " handled the Word of life."— -

From the above view taken of the in- troduction to St. fohris Gofpel, and the delcription which he has given of the Logos or Word, fliechinized in the man Chrift Je- fus j feveral ufeful obfer'vatio?2s may be made, or fundry important conclufions drawn from the premifes. Such as follow ;

Obf. L

j24 Considerations on the Logos*

Obf. I. St. yohn's account of the Logosi or Word, will, by no means, allow us to conceive of it as any part of the perfon of Jefus Chrift; but only as refiding in or ivith him ; and becoming divinely oracular throughout his public miniftrationSd Which, at once, removes all obfcurity, and fecures us from the unpleafing perplexity of vulgar interpretations. We can now conceive of the fame divine being, who gave exiftence to the univerfal fyftem, as manifefting his will, by creation, by prefervation, and by that government which he exercifes over his rational and moral offspring ; as, alfo in the finifliing of his plan, becoming fhechinized or as dwelling in the man Chrifl Jefus ; and thereby making himfelf moft gracioufly fa- miliar with mankind 1—

There is therefore no manner of occafion for the childifh and abfurd invention of a trinity in unity ; or, an hypoftatical union of a duplicity of natures, in the perfon of Chrifl. Nor are we led to fpeak of him, fometimes as God, at other times as man. Opinions which confound, but do not convey any one

rational.

Considerations on the Logos. 25

rational, juft, and inftrudtlve idea of the Lo- gos, or iro7'd of God.

But when we affix this fenfe to the term, as expreffive, or as manifeftative of the will of God, whether under the idea of creator, preferver, or governor, and redeemer, we are then able to conceive of it, as hi the begin- ningy as with God, and e'ven as God; becaule the^will of the Deity imports, fupreme au-- thority ; and is every where to be fo reve- renced > even as God.

In giving, what I underftand to be, the meaning of St. John in his introduction, the phrafe, in our tranflation runs, and the Word was God, xcti Qeoi Ljj 0 Xcy^' a writer above- mentioned reads, ** and God was the Word, " obferving, that Arians and Socinians read, " the Word was a God.^" ■ ■ ■■ But inafmuch as the fame writer, had before faid, " By the Word (John i. i.) 1 apprehend the Evan- " gelift means, the Go/pel -f- ;" it does not fo much illuftrate this text, as it darkens the phrafe j fince it is not fo intelligible how God is the GofpeL The reading feems much more eafy and natural as it ds-ndSj the Word was God,

* Illuftrations, p, 59. f Ibid, p. 58.

E or

26 Considerations on the Logc^v

or God himfelf J confidered and underftood to= be, the manifeftative will of God, Which in-» terpretation, perfe(5lly accords with all an- cient ufages of the term, Logos, or Word-r and enables us to harmonize the laft with all ibrmer manifeftations of God j and at the fame time renders us capable of difcerning th€ divinity of the Gofpel di^enfation clearly demonftrated.

It is certainly of the lafl importance,- that we preferve an idea of the Logos or Word, as diftindt from the perfon of Jefus Chrift j, otherwife, we cannot underfland him when he is abfolutely difclaiming all divine per- fections ; and when he is afcribing- all that wiidom and power, v^hich did atceft his miflion, to communications of divine ability from: the Father. Here, it will be proper for us to notice fomc very extraordinary re- prefentations of our Lord's formation and birth, given us in a. Senfion ^nd ?wtes lately published, by a very karned and diftinguiilied fon of the church of England ; who, in' treating on Chrift's l?ehig born of a^'drgin^ ha* thus unwarily exprefled himfelf, — *' This '^ God vifible amongft men, inti'oduced into-

" the

CoNsjDERATJOKS DN -T^E Logos. 27

'^ the world thus, fhall yet be truly man, ** lie (liall be born as an infant, and as an " infant fhall he be brought up."

Again, *' 4^is divinity (i. e. that of the Meffiah) is marked by his being God ; his ■*' refidence upon earth, by his being God " with iis; and his humanity, by his being ^' born of ..a woman, and fed with • the ^^cufii^l ^food of infants during his-iiifant

itate

More extraordinary yet, if poffible,--^"'It ■"..feems to have been a juft mark of'dig- f*, .nity, that the author of nature jfhould *** be drfting^iflied by not being born after ** the ordinary courfe of nature : ^nd- hav- " ing evea* been as no other being was, -the *' Son of Gody he became what no other *' -ever was, the Son of n 'virgm -j-." '^

With great fubmiffion, I would afk, whe- the Dr. Kennicot has not here, in the moft exprefiive language, very unwarily countenanced the popifh dodrine, of the

* Dr. Kennicott's Sermon at Oxford, May J9» U^S» P- 26, 27. t Ibid. Notei^ p. 62.

E 2 Virgin

28 Considerations ON THE Logos.

Virgin Mary's being the mother of God? for if the author of nature could be born of a woman, afTu redly, there will be fome pre- tence for the homage paid her, by the papal world. And, me thinks, the difpute about the immaculate conception, as maintained by tlie FrancifcanSy would be in their favour, and not on the fide of the Tiominicans.

The Dr. will allow me, however, to put thefe queftions, — " If the author of nature *' was bora of a virgin, what poffible oc- ^' cafion could there be, for his having the *' Spirit poured out upon him at his bap- .** tifm? and what that fpirit was, which U was then poured out upon him T for if the God of nature, did becorae die Son of a virgin, then that Sqn of a virgin, could not be any other than the God of nature.

*' Thus ingenious men are found fup- porting that treniendous fyfterr^ of metaphyr fical fubtlety which remains a monument of the extent and weaknefs of the human ur^r derftanding, and by eftablifliing too much, dp hurt the foundation of the mod interefl- ing principles of religion.*'

But,

Considerations on the Logos. 29

But, thanks be to God, fo far from the leaft countenance being given in facred fcrip- ture to Tuch reprefentation of the MefTiah, as that of the God of nature's being born of a' Virgin, he is always fpoken of, in prophecy, as a man ; and moft commonly ipeaks of himfelf i&the Son of man j unlefs he has occafion to mention the divine mif- fion which he had to reveal the Father to mankind ; and then, he fometimes calls him- felf the Son of God. Yet, whenever he ufes that exalted flile, it is not to be imagined, he would be underftood to mean, he ivas that God ivhofe Son he was. — If therefore we would preferve any rational or intelligible ideas of Jefus Chrift, we muft contemplate the Logos, or Word, which dwelt with him, as abfolutely diftindt from his perlbn. — In a wordy the fupreme univerfal power, autho- rity and dignity, by which the Logos did exprefs itfelf, whihl dwelling with the man Chrift Jefus, was, what determined the cha- rader of the true MeJJiah, Or, in the words of a learned divine, " he was thus the true *' Shechinah j the true glory of God as really Y dwelt in him, as \vhen the fVord of the

Shechinah

i<

30 Co;^ SI DERATIONS ON THE LoGOS»

'5 S^echimh gave forth the command for tho creation of the world, or when it pub^ ^f jifhed the la\y at mount Sinai, or when it *' enter d the tabernacle: and temple, and the ^V whole worfhip of the Hebrew church, ^* and all proper divine honours were given -'V unto it,*" Yet, afluredly, no reafqn^hle man can.faj, that either the tf«^^/, thei^- hernofky ;th9 \temple, of tho.-: prophet ^ rVf.%% Other," rDJCJWMiie than the SJoechimb^.-ox^'v^i'' ilrument of conveyance, V by which a mani- feftationwas made of the Word, or will pf God. — For will any lay, that becaufe the Word of the Shechinah faid to Moles, / wiJI . make thee a God to Pharaoh j or, thujimk he to him inft.iad of God. (Exod. iv. 16. vii. i.} that therefore ^^i became the fame with the divine Wordi which wrought fuch won- ders by him ? This would be very unao •countable. The Jewilh multitudes were ex- tremely ignorant and deprived ; but yet, when they faw the miracks which our Lord wrought among them, . they garje glory to God- They did not afcribe the power to J^fus of Nazareth, but to the God of nature^

.jAh ^5 * J^VVJf^Art's Three;itra(pts, p. 5^47.

.^,.-,'. .4v who

COxV $ I DER AT rOiC S ON TH^ Lb&65. 3' £

who thus bore leftimony t6 his being th^ Meffidb, They diflingulflied between the pcrfon of Jefus Chrift, and th^t Word of God which dwelt with hini j between the Being who fent, and his meffenger.

Obf. II. The ienfe in which we have underftood the Logos, or Word of God, will quite annihilate the idea of his pre-ex- iftence, whom we call Christ.

It fhould feem, that it has been owing to menV not keeping their conceptions of the WorJy and of the perfbn of Chrift diftind:, that they have fo unnaturally fancied a pre- exiftence of the man Chrift Jefus. At the fame time, no one may call in queftion a pre-exiflence of the divine Pp^ordy which dwelt with him. And it has been fliewn,- with great evidence and mafterly addrefs, ' that the Logos did not fupply the place of any human foul in the perfon of Jefus Chrift; which may be feen, in the Letter writ in the year ijT^o. — Allow me to add, that, the i<vo or • three texts in the New Teftament, fuppofed to countenance this, will be found to have no fuch meaning, if our interpre-'^

tition*

22 Considerations on the Logos;

tation of the Logos, be juft and defenfiblci — Befides St. Johns introdudion, the texts which have moll: puzzled the minds of feme chriftians are, Jobi v'l. 62. — viii. 58. — xvil. ^. As to the Jirft pafTage, methinks, the folution may be thus given, — " What ? and *' if ye (hall fee the Son of man, after he *' has given his flefli to the tortures and " death of a crofs, re-alTume his former ** exalted chara(fler of the well-beh'-oed of the " Father ? You will then underfland the *' fpiritual and life-giving defign of my mif- " fion."« — And is not this agreeable to the drift of his reafoning ? let any one read the context. — The next difficult paflage, is, be- fore Abraham was, I am. The Jews afked him, ivhether he was greater tha?i their fa- ther Abraham f If this be an anfwer to that queftion, it is given in the affirmative ; and is the fame as if he had faid, yes, I am greater. — Should it yet be faid, the words would intimate, a prior exigence to that of Abraham f — The anfwer may be, fuch an interpretation is not at all neceflary, for he could not perfonally be before him, in point of time, any otherwife than as he

is

Considerations on the Logos. 33

is fpoken of in prophecy, as the feed of the 'woma?!. — And concerning whom Abraham had the pleafure of expe6ling fuch a defcen- dant, in who?n all nations fiould be hkjj'ed. — • Elfe we may underftand our Lord, as fpeak- ing in the perfon of the Logos^ or of the divine Word, which dwelt with him. — This had been fometimes the manner of a7igch and of prophets, by whom the Word cf the Shechinah fpake. And hovv otherwife mud we underfland him, when he fays, I a?n that Iivi?7g bread 'which cometh -down from hea'ven. — Now, by the mod reafonable and fair con- ftrudlion, our Lord could intend no other by that U'uing bread than the doctrine he delivered, which was fo expreilive of the will of the Father. Which very docftrine, was that living bread, of which men might eat, and live for ever. He mu ft, .confe- qiiently, be underftood as perfonating the Logos or Word of God, when he lays, / am the living bread, ivhich came down from heaven. And in no other (tniiQ can he be underftood, when he fays, I am the light of the 'world. John viii. 12.

F This

34 Considerations on the Logos.

This perfonating of the Logos, or of the manifeftatlve will of the Father, is very fami- liar to him ; neverthelefs St. yohn obferves, ver. 27. that the captious Jews, did not un~ derfiand that he fpake to them of the Father ^ when he was perfonally affirming thefe things of his dodrine.

May we not alfo underftand our Lord, as perfonating the Logos, when he fays, I ajn the refiirreciion and the life ! — and he that be- lieveth in me fiall not perijh, but fiall have eternal life ? — It cannot reafonabiy be im- derftood as intending any thing lefs than the energy of the divine Word, operating under V.^c Gofpel difpenfation, and giving the \a.Cz efficacy to the adminiflration of this one Lord. It will be extremely difficult to conceive of Jefas Chrift being any otherwife the refurreclion and the life, but as the Fa- ther who has life in himielf ; clTentially and underived -, fo has he given to the Son to have life in hlmfelf. And as the Father raifcth up the dead, and quickneth them : even fo the Son quickneth whom he will, comp. John v. 21. and 26. And his autho- rity to execute judgment, is alfo given him ;

becai;fe

Considerations on the Logos. 35

becaufe he is the So?2 of man : he therefore could have no fuch authority, if the Father had not given it to him, ver. 27. . It' is not to be w^ondered at, he iliould fo frequently fpeak in the perfon of the Father, when he could exprefsly declare, I am come in my Father s name. — T^he works which I do are in my Father's name.

But, that no one fliould mlilake him, as if he made any claims to real divinity, he fays, ye JJjall know that I am he^ and that I

'{ do nothing of myfef: / have not fpoken of

myfefj but the Father who fent ine^ hath given me a commandment ^ what I fiould fay^ and what I fiould fpeak. Whofoever Jljall receive fncj • receiveth not jne, but him that fent me. — Thefe palTages are fufficient to fhew, that when the bleffed Jefus fays j before Abraham was I am-, he may be well underftood, as perfonating the divine Word which fpake by him. And this fenfe is not at all impro- bable, when we advert to the language he ufes in the antcedent context, fee ver. 47. }ie that is of Gody heareth God's words : ye therefore hear not^ becaufe ye are not of God.—^

F 2 As

36 Considerations on the Logos.

As to the third difficult text, where he prays, that the Father would glorify him, ivith the glory which he had with him before the world was — It has been underftood, by thofe who have denied the pre-exiflence of Jefus Chrifl:, to Intend, the glory which God had originally defigned him, in reward of his obedience unto death, even the death of the crofs. Which is a very rational and juft interpretation, and agrees well with thofe other fcriptures, where chriftians are faid to be chofen in Chriji before the foundation of the world. And where Jefus Chrift is faid to be a la:nb flain befof'e the foundation of the world.

The judicious author oithe Letter writ in the year 1730, has faid more to the purpofe on this dibjed, than any other I have ever yet leen ; and from vvliom I have borrowed much information : he has written with a freedom, which does not, which unhappily cannot attend the pen of a church-man. —

Obf III. If there Is no divine perfon, but that of the Father, as fliould appear to be the teaching of Chrift and of all his a- poliles J then the opinion of more than one

perfon

Considerations on the Logos. 37

perfon in the godhead, muft be unfcriptural. To affirm therefore, as fome have done, *' that there are three perfons of one fub- " fiance, power and eternity in the unity of " the Godhead \ muft throw darknefs and confufion upon the unity. For, in truth, the unity might every whit as well be proved from the pagan polytheifm, as from the A- thanafian Symbol. None need fcruple to fay, that thefe proportions are mathemati- cally falfe, — viz. " three are not more than one ; and one is not lefs than three" No Trinitarian is, or ever will be, able to con- fute the advocate for Transubstantia-

TION. •

Obf. IV. We have infinite reafon of ad- miration, gratitude, and praife, becaufe the Woi'd cf Gody by which the worlds were made, and have been preferved and go- verned, did condefcend fo to refide with the man Chrifl JeiiTS, as to manifeft all that truth and grace^ which can either guide and diredl, fuccour and fiipport, comfort and refrefh mankind, under all the darkneffes, difficulties, dangers, burdens and grievances

of

.38 Considerations on the Logos,

of this prefent life j and alfo qualify them for the blifsful fruitions of a future ftate and world. It is very pleafing, nay, it is highly ■ tranfporting to contemplate the divine ad- vantages of Gofpel infl:ru6lion.

It fliould, indeed, be reafonable to con- clude, that no age of the world has been without fome teachings of the divine Word, The will of God, has been fome way or other made manifeft to mankind. Yet no antecedent teachings, of which we are in- formed, have been able to bear a compari- ibn with thofe under the Gofpel. Were not this a truth, v/e could not account for St. John's pouring fo much contempt on the Mofaic difpenfation, as he does, juft after he has mentioned the in-dwelling of the Word with the man Chrijl Jefiis j fee ver. 1 7. the law was given by Mofes j but grace and truth came by Jefus Cb?HJ}. q. d. comparatively, till then, grace and truth had not had any clear and full exhibition. Agaiii^ if we can fuppole that the apoftles did underfland the import- ance of the dodrine which they delivered, we muft be perfuaded, they had fufficient

reafon 2

Considerations on the Logos. 3;^

reafon for being in raptures, whenever they mention the benevolence it fhews to man- kind.

Obf. V. An apparent advantage it mufl be of to any one, in reading the Gofpels, to preferve in his own mind, pure and unadul- terated, an idea of the divine unity, ivsr. " that there is but one Hving and true God, " of necellary, everlafting, and unchangeable ** exiftence, without body, parts, or paffions ; ** of wifdom, power, and goodnefs infinite : " the maker, preferver, and governor of all ** things vifible and invifible." This would fecure the human mind from all thofe wild, and unreafonable opinions, which divide, difturb, and diftradl the whole chriflian pro- feffing world, e. g. What heated controver- fies have been agitated about the mataphyiir cal nature of Chrift ? or rather, about his having two natures -, the one divine, the other human ! and whether he had one will, or two wills ? Such futile, fuch unedifying mat- ters of debate, have filled the world with noife and clamor, and the church with fable dark- nefs and much confufion. Whereas the ma- pifeft defign of Gofpel teachings, is, to give

mankind

40 Considerations on the Logos.

mankind a moft perfect revelation of the truth and grace of God.

If the moral or the pradical end had been kept in view, and religioufly obferved, by the profeffing world, the honours due to the di- vine miffion of Jefus, would have been paid by a more univerfal obedience to his teach- ings. But as it is, a thoufand ftrange opi- nions are propagated ; nor only fo, but the homage of the chriftian is become extreme- ly ceremonious, idle, and fuperftidous.

Among other extravagancies, Popery could never have found where to have fet the fole of her foot, if the divine unity had been preferved pure and uncorrupt. That monftrous deteftable fuperflition, was erecft- ed upon mens depraving this firil-principle of all religious worfhip ! for, when once chriftians had learnt to imagine, the Godhead divided into three perfons i and one of thofe perfons into two natures j when they could once conceive of the divine Logos, as the Soul of Jefus Chrift, they were then pre- pared to embrace any fanciful opinion, that could be grafted upon thefe mofl abfurd principles.

Considerations on the Logos. 41

Not any thing gave the artful Mahomet fo much advantage, as chriilians corrupting the dodrine of the unity. This was what rendered him Co very capable of fpreading his impofture, when he could call himfelf a prophet of the one God^ ivho had no ■part- ners ■* / The very unguarded way, which chriilians had ufed, of fpeaking about an e- ternal generation of the Son^ was what gave him the opportunity of ridiculing the opinion with fo much Spirit -f-. — The doSlrine of the trinity he thus authoritatively condemns ; " O ye, who have received the Scriptures ! " exceed not the juft bounds in your reli- " gion, neither fay of God any other than ** the truth. Verily Jefjs Chrift, the Sen of " of Mary, is the apoftle of God, and his " Word, which he conveyed into Mary, " and a Spirit proceeding from him. Be- " lieve therefore in God, and in his apoftlesj *' and fay not, 'There are three Gcds; forbear " this, it will be better for you J." And

* See Ockky's hiflory of the Saracens, vol. II. p. 38, 279. .

f See Sale's Koran, vol. I. p. 23. vol. IL p. lO, J845 315- t Vol. I. p. 12^.

G ^^g^ii^}

42 Considerations on the Logos.

again, — *' Chriil:, the Son of Mary, is nq *' more than an apoflle j other apoflks have " preceded him, and his mother was a wo- '' man of veracity : they both ate food."-— The 7Wte upon it is this,—" never pretending to *^ partake of the divine nature, or to be the- *' mother of God*.''

Kow unfortunate is it that the very learn- ed Dr. Ken N I COT, fhould readvance a no- tion, condemned, with £o much evidence, in the Koran : and that has been the blackefl difgrace ever brought on the chriftian name, in regard to abdird and unreafonable opinion.

We are tlius enabled to collect the ge- nuine original of that deformity vi^hich now fits on the face of the chriftian profeffion. Would v^'e then contribute all we can, to reftore the loft fimpllcity and purity of the Gofpel-profefTion ? it muft be by contem- plating the man Chrift Jefus as the temple of the divine Word, and by fo reverencing his inftrudlions, as to be daily trained, by them, unto virtue and glory.

Obf. VI. Some reafonable conjedlures may Ji^nce be formed^, about the more immediate

'* Vol. I. p. 146,

Considerations on the Logos. 43

defign of St. John, in writing his fupple- mental Golpel. The very learned and ju- dicious Dr. Lardner, thinks, that the time of its being written, and pubHdied, might be in the year 68. He fees no reafon to think it was defignedly compofed in oppofition to any chriftian hereiies ; the' many learned men have thought the introduBion was fo in- tended.— But with this ecclefiaftical hifto- rian, — " it appears agreeable to the main " defign of his Golpel ; for he therein (liews, ** that Jefus came, and a6led by the autho- " rity of God, the creator of the world, the " God, and fupreme Lawgiver of the Jewifh ** people. The eternal word, reafon, wif- ** dom, power of God, which is God him- " felf, by which the world had been made, ** by which he dwelled among the Jews in " the tabernacle and in the temple ; this '''^ fame Word dv/elled, and refided in Jefus, *' in the fulleft manner *."

He obferves, " that there is little or no- ** thing in his Gofpel, which is not new and " additional, except the account of our Sa- " viour's profecution, death, and refurredion,

* Supplement to credibility, vol. I. p. 437.

G 2 " where

44 Considerations on the Logos.

*' where all the four Evangelifts coincide in " many particulars : tho' even here alfo St. " Johjihzs divers things peculiar to himfelf *." Undoubtedly, St. John's Gofpel is fupple-- mental. And therefore the obvious defign of it certainly was, to record fome things omitted bv the other EvanQ;elifts : but inafmuch as his record, is, chiefly of thofe difcourfes, which do relate to our Lord's divine miffion and charadter, we may reafonably conclude, that this hiflorian had a more immediate defign to provide the chriftian church with the fuliell evidence, " that Jefus Chrifl both " taught and performed miracles, only by *' the wifdom and power of God, or by the *' Legos refiding with him." Nor does it ieem improbable, but he likewife forefaw, by a prophetic fpirit, the danger chriflians would more generally be in, of perverting the firft principle of all religion, by afcribing a real and proper divinity to the perfon of Jefus Chriil;.

Of all the Evangelifts, St.JoHN has been tlie mod copious, in fliewing, the nature of our Lord's divine mifilcn, and his true and proper

* Supplement to credibility, vol. I. p. 449.

hum a-

Considerations on the Logos. 4^

humanity. He narrates his explicit ?;cknow- ledgments of dependence : his afcribjag all Ifis divine abilities to the Father : and he lays before our eyes, the refped: which Jefus had to the joy fet before him. And had chriftians more religioufly, ufed their reafon and underflanding, in coniulting this Evan- gelical record, they would not cafily have been perfuaded of Jefus Chrift poiTeffing any divine perfeiflions of his own j who fo fre- quently-employed himfelf in adts of fi/pph'^ cation and hofnag-e to his Father. There would certainly have been fomething, in his prayers^ that we could not fo well reconcile with the idea of his being a divine perfon in the Godhead, of equal power and glory with

the Father,

It is indifputably evident, that notwith- ftanding the prefence of the Word of God conftantly operating by him, to all the pur- pofes of attefting and rendring efficacious his heavenly miffion ; yet, he was confcious, that this divine prefence with him, did not conflitute any part of his own perfonality : and therefore it was that he lb properly and

be- 2

-46 Considerations on the Logos;

becomingly employed himfelf in adls of ho- mage arid devotion. — Many remarkable in- ftances whereof, are recorded by this Evan* gelifl. And one prayer, at large, he has given us, wherein there is exprefTed, a moil: pleafing and exalted idea both of his piety and philanthropy. That devotional piece is truly matchlefs !

After all, fome may be apt to retort upon us, by faying, ** that (o far from St. Jo/m's " Gofpel having had the happy eifedl of •* preferving the chriftian v^^orld from a dif- " pofition to deprave the docftrine of the " unity, that it has more generally been the ** authenticated plea for fuch depravity. The " heterogeneous opinions, do pretend to fliel- " ter themfelves under the reprefentations " given, by this hiftorian, of the teachings^ *• miffion, and character of Jefus."

The anfvver to this, feems very obvious ;— the Deity, in demonftrating his eternal pov/er and Godhead, by the vifible creation, and by his univerfal providence, did, and does certainly defign to teach men to form jufl and adorable ideas of him. But this did not,

nor

I

Considerations on the Logos. 47

nor does it hinder them from forming the moft idle and vain imaginations ; or from deifying .thofe very works of his hands, the Jitfti the tnooti, and the hods of heaven! — . But u'iil any hence fay, that the vifible ma- nifeftation of God, is not adapted to dcr inonurate his being and perfections !

The cafe is analogous, or it has a great Similitude ; for St. John's infroduciion to his Gofpd, and the whole of his hiftory, has a jnanifeil tendency to ihew, ihat the very fame being who created the w jrld, and who has preferved and informed nankind in all ages, by certain teachings and interpofitions of his Word^ in this or in the other manner fhechinized, has, under the Gofpel difpen- fation, made his truth and his grace ma- rifeft, by that fame Word dwelling with the man Chrift Jefus.— But inftead of at- tending to this defign of his Gofpel, men have fancied to tht:mfelves, fome of the moft abfurd and myftical meanings in this plain, intelligible, and excellent hiftorian. Will it then follow, that St. John has not ex- prefTed himfelf with clearnefs and precilion, ^hen he has written upon the great fubje<ft

of

48 Considerations on the Logos.

of our Lord's divine miffion ? I fliould be of opinion that there is no manner of ground for fuch a difhonourable concladon.

The venerable ecclefiaftical hiftorian, men* tioned under this obfervation, will allow me to think, that tho' St. 'John did not form his introduStion^ with a delign to oppofe fome herefies, that had obtained when he wrote his Gofpel -, yet, he Was guided, by a divine infpiration, to introduce his hiftory in the manner he has done, in order, to prevent as much as poUible, the chriftiaii world from depraving and corrupting the dodrine of the unity.

P. S. The reader will perceive, that fome •late publications have led the Author to -offer his thoughts on a fubjed;, which he apprehends has not been well underftood^ except by a very, very fev/ chriftian writers. He is humbly of opinion, that Dr. Daw- son has had courage to deliver many very imr portant truths, in his illuflrations. At the fame time, he is afraid, his manner of prov- ing the liturgy of his churchy to be upon the principles of the unity; is too paradoxical, to admit of an eafy reception. .:^i\:ij

As

Considerations on the Logos. 49

As to Dr. Kennicot's propolitlons, he is perfuaded, that the Dr. has very widely and mofl: ftrangely miftaken his fubje6l.— The Author of thele confiderations, how- ever, has no defign to offend either the one or the other of thefe writers j but prefumes upon the hberty of expreffing freely his own thoughts in thofe things wherein he differs from them ; and of offering to the public fuch a train of ideas which he has formed of the LoGoSj or JVord's being made fieflo.

The Author will not enter into any al- tercation or debate, fhould any chufe to cri- ticife, cenfure or condemn this his defence of the unitv. — It is enough for him, that he is able to infcribe it to the honour and glory of the one God the Father, and alfo to that of the one Lord. — And were it the lafi: a(5l of his life, he fliould have a iincere pleafure in this attempt to reftore the almoft loft idea, of the DIVINE unity.

II APPEN-

APPENDIX.

T. John, in the introdudion to his Gofpel, having Ipoken of the Word as creating, makes mention of it as informing the world concerning the will of the Governor j or, as enlivening and re- frefliing the Soul of man ; which he thus exprefleSj in him ivas life^ a?id the life ic'as the light of men. This is a moft afteding reprefentation ! and is the fame as if he had faid, obedience to the will of God is a life- giving, it is an immortalizing principle. See Deut, XXX. 15. PfciL xvi. 1 1. Frov. xii. 28. Ecclef. vii. 12. Ezekiel xviii. 1 9. — xxi. 22. — xxxiii. 13, 15, 16. compare Matth. xix. 17. fohn v. 26. — vi. 57, 58. — and many more authorities might be produced from the fa- cred text. This is not affirmed of the ani- mal, or bodily life 3 but of the fpiritual or moral. Obedience to God ever gave life and light to the mind of man 3 and yet ig- norance, idolatry and vice did fo far pre- vail, that the light, is faid to have JJ:one in ila?-knefs. Nay, there was a Sect famous

among

APPENDIX. 51

among the Jews, " who would have the " actions and exped:ations of men terminate ** with this preient Hfe." — But furely, fuch could not be faid to wait for the adoption^ to ivit, the redemption of the body. Which a late learned and ftudious Di'oine obferves, " does not fignify the refurredion of thefe *' frail bodies ; but the deliverance which " good men will have, at the coming of " Chrift, from a ftate of mortality and ** weaknefs *."

I cannot but be of opinion, that all good men have ever had fuch deliverance, upon their finifhing of this bodily life : and fb I underftand our Lord, when he fays, that as the Father hath life in himfef fo has he given to the Son to have life in hi?nfelf — The be- ing who annually renews the face of na- ture, and gives frefh life to the world of plants and vegetables, v/as never unwilling to exert himfelf in behalf of reafonable be- ings : but good men have found refources in his power and wifdom, for reftoring life, and furnifhing them with fuch bodies as are adapted to a more durable and perfect

* The Reverend Mr. Jolm Alexander s paraphrafe, ^c. p. 36.

H 2 fiate

52 APPENDIX.

flate of exiftence. This feems to be a very reafonable opinion. And is it not thus that the blefTed Jefus fays, my Father ivarketh hi- therto^ and 1 ivork f

The ingenious Author above-mentioned, (tho' 2i foul Jleepe?-) confiders the refurredtion- body, " as not formed by any procefs of na- " ture, but by an immediate ad: of divine *' power, rifes fpiritual and immortal ^ the ^' body that is fown, no more than the feed " that is fown, being the body that fhall be " produced, but altogether different in its '' frame and properties ■*." — And agaln^ he " obferves, — " the apoftle fpeaks of no a(5l " of the divine pov\^er, to coUedt the fcat- *' tered particles of matter, which compofed *' the bodies of men, and reftore them to " their original place and office. — But it is " reafonable to fuppofe, that the fame be- " ing wbcfe wifdom and power are never " limited in their operations, is able to fur- " nifli mankind with bodies (di fuch mate- '* rials and of fuch a confiflence, as (liall '• be pcrfedly adapted to the ftate in which " they ihall appear and a6l -f-."

* The Reverend ?\Ir. ^[ohn Jlexanders parnphrafc, vVc. p. 87. t Ibu!. p. S5.

Thcfc

3

APPENDIX. 53

Thefe citations ferve to fhew, that the re- furredion-body, has no fort of dependence on this frail body, nor any connexion with it. And that it is alfo an inflantaneous pro- dudion of divine power.

The common opinion he explodes, 'viz, that of the re-union of the foul to its former body, which is attended with two difficulties. " Firfiy that the heavenly happinefs is nei- ^' ther completed at once, nor gradually in- " creafes, but is given at firft in fome low " degrees, and afterwards arrives, in an in- " ftant, at its height and perfection, when " the body is raifed. And. feco?idiy, that it " muft alv^'ays be a confiderable difficulty " with thinking minds to conceive, why " the honour and reward of a future ftate, " fhould be reprefented as depending more " upon the revival of the body long fince mouldered away, than upon the prefence of God and of Chrift, the fociety of an- gels and bleffed fpirits, and the exercife and improvement of all divine and focial virtues. All which enjoyments, upon thefe principles, are prior to a refjrredion of the flefli, and for any thing we know, capable of riling- in infinite prog-reffion without it."

^' ThefQ

<c

54 APPENDIX.

Thefe, undoubtedly, are great abfurdities. Butj they have no place at all -, if we fup- pofe a refurredion body immediately give?!, by an a6t of divine power. And why we may not conclude upon it, I do not under- hand. Pray what reafon can be afTigned for the fufpenfion of this a6t of divine power, which is never limited in its operation ? ef- pecially, when the foul is conceived of as hav- ing no more concern for ever with this frail body ? or, what are we to underftand by that refurredion body, which, by an immediate adl of divine power, rifes fpiritual and im- mortal ? where is the foul in the intermedi- ate ftate ? could it not ad without the frail bodily organs ? how came we to know it could not, when an apoftle did not ? fee 2 Cor. xii. 2, 3. whether i?2 the hdy, or out of the body, I cannot tell. — But I would farther afk, how is it that St. Faul was caught up into the third heaven, and faw things unutterable ? how was it, that St. 'John had his revelations and villous of the heavenly world ? and how v/as it, that St. Stephen faw Jefus (landing ready to receive his departing fpirit, if the diilblution of this body, is that which renders the mind inconfcious ? Nay, how is God, not

the-

APPENDIX. 55

the God of the dead, but of the Having, if all the pious dead do not live to him ? and how is Jefus Chrift Lord both of the dead a7id of the Uvingy if the dead do not feel the benefit of his Lordfhip ? does he exercife it over in- confcious beings !

The idea of an infinite number of Adam% defcendants, being all blotted out of life, ex- cept the few tranfient inhabitants of this globe, is very fhocking ! much more pleafing is the fuppofition, that the fame being, whofe wifdom and power are never limited in their operations, does daily furnifii the pious dead with bodies perfedly well adapted to a better ftate and world.- — It furely is not reafonable to imagine, that chriftians can triumph over death and the grave, upon the fcheme of the foul fleeper. — But, by the immediate beftow* ment of a refurredion body, the dominion of death is actually made void ; and that fame Word m which was Ife, a?id the Ufe was the light of men from the beginning, remains to be fo, as it tabernacles with the man Chrift Jefus J it thus does conftitute him, the re- furreBion and the life.

This, methinks, muft be the true flating of the cafej fince dying to a good man, is no

more

56 APPENDIX.

more than quitting his momentary mortal connexions. Moreover, the prefent bodily or- ganization is very unfuitable to more fublime, ipiritual and blifsful fcenes. Meats are for the belly, and the belly for meats, but God JJjall dejlroy both it and them. The destruction can- not extend farther. But becaufe the mind has attained to a genuine fpirituality, it can- not be found naked or unprovided with a proper vehicle ; it v/ill have an houfe from heaven j and fo it is that mortality Jlmll be fwallowed up of life. — Thus underftood, the life-givifig Word was ever and will ever be the light of men. And this is the fenfe of St. Faul, when he reprefents the Gofpel as a new creation, and the Mofaic ritual as old things that are paffed away ; yet he fays, all things are of God. 2 Cor. v. 17, i8. '* q. d. whatever concerns religion owes its birth and progrefs entirely to the fupreme mind. He is the prime intelligent adive caufe, and the LIFE of the whole difpenfation. For even under the Gofpel difpenfation, no other be- ings have any fhare, in the execution of the fcheme, but as fubordinate agents "*." .

* Confult Alexander'^ paraphrafc, p. 67, notes,

THE END.

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