certain, but that he may have always acted through fome material medium, or body, in all his dealings with men, or difpofitions he has

made in the fyftem of nature. It appears from our Lord's teftimony, that when men have obtained the refurrection body, they will be as the angels; from which it would feem they will be as fpiritual, active, and free from fleshly defires, as the angels are. And if the body of Chrift after his refurrection and afcenfion, received any modification fuperior to what it had in the pre-incarnate ftate, which it might, for any thing we know to the contrary, he might in that cafe gain fomething by the refurrection and glorification of his body.

2. Suppofing our Lord had no body till he was incarnate, it might, for any thing we know, be an advantage for him to have the glorious body he now poffeffes; for though the being, perfection, and happiness of the Son of God in his pre-incarnate ftate was inconceivably greater, than the being, perfection, and happinefs of any creature, or even all the creatures that were made, and governed by him; yet as the Father was greater than he, his glory and happiness muft ftill have been capable of increase, and infinite wifdom could only beft judge how this might be done, with glory to himself, and benefit to the whole creation.

But though the glorious body of Chrift were of no perfonal advantage to himself, fimply confidered, yet in connection with the other

parts

parts of his exaltation, it may conftitute a part of his glory and happiness, both as fubfervient to the present and future administrations of his kingdom, and a conftant memorial of his dreadful conflict with, and glorious victory over all the powers of darkness.

With refpect to the fecond, it may also be obferved,

1. That the reward which our Lord prayed for, upon his finishing the work which belonged to his humiliation ftate, is exprefsly defined by himfelf, to be the glory which he had with the Father before the world was.' Whatever different modification there might therefore be, as to the manner in which this glory was enjoyed, or manifested, it was a glory he had enjoyed before.

2. His being re-inftated in that glory may be confidered as a proper reward of his humiliation; if it was the fulfilment of a promise made to him on condition of his fubmitting to that humiliation; and that it was, or fomething fi milar, fo far as we can conceive of fuch fublime divine tranfactions, the fcriptures appear to give us fufficient ground to believe. We read, (Eph. i. 9, 10.) That God the Fatherpurpofed in himfelf; that in the difpenfation of the fulness of the times he might gather together all things in or by Chrift.' From this and other paffages, it appears, that God the Fa ther, who can declare the end from the beginning, made known to his only-begotten Son,

the

whole plan of creation and redemption; and that the whole of the labours, fufferings, and rewards, which belonged to the mediatory office were fet before him. When therefore the Son accepted this office; he engaged to fulfil all the labours, and undergo all the fufferings that were connected with that office, and the Father promised to bestow fuch rewards as were fuited to the feveral parts of his doing or fuffering, at fuch times, and in fuch a manner, as best fuited the accomplishment of his gracious purpose. Agreeable to this we are informed, that becaufe he fet his love on God, therefore he was with him in trouble, and promifed to deliver and honour him, (Pfal. xci. 14.); because he loved righteousness and hated iniquity, therefore God, even his God, anointed him with the oil of gladness above his fellows, (Pfal. xlv. 7.)'; and because he humbled himself and became obedient unto the death, even the death of the crofs, therefore God alfo hath highly exalted him, (Philip. ii. 8, 9). Upon the whole, therefore, our Lord's being exalted as a reward of his humiliation and fufferings, appears no way inconfiftent with his pre-exiftent glory, both being diftinct parts of one general plan.

As to Chrift being made Lord and King of all good men, the Judge of mankind, and higher than the angels, as a reward of his humiliation and fufferings, Dr Lardner feems to be mistaken; for Chrift was born a king, and before his fufferings were finished, or rather before his principal fufferings began, he afferted

his dominion, not only over the Jews or good men, but over all things, (Matth. xi. 27. John xiii. 3. and xvii. 2.) With respect to his being the judge of mankind, he also afferted that not only the judging of mankind, but all judgment was committed to him, and authority given him for the execution thereof before the end of his humiliation, (John v. 22, 27. The Father judgeth oudera no one, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son. And hath given him authority to execute judgment alfo, because he is the Son of man.' And with respect to his being made higher than the angels, we are informed, that before he came into the world, he was made fo much better than the angels, as by inheritance he hath obtained a more excellent name than they, (Heb. i. 4.) And hence when he was brought into the world in a moft low and humble condition, all the angels of God were commanded ftill to worship him. (Heb. i. 6.)

P. 4. Dr Lardner argues against the pre-exiftence of Chrift from his being called a Man in many places of the Gofpels; but this can be no proof against the pre-existence of Chrift, unless it can be proved that God the Father could not make his only-begotten Son to partake of flesh and blood as the children of men are partakers thereof. The conftituent parts of man in this life, are an intelligent spirit united with flesh and blood; when therefore he thus took part of flesh and blood, he was truly and properly a man. And thus made lower than

the

the angels, and brought fo far to a level with man in this fallen ftate, as to feel the forrows, temptations, and trials that affect men in this life; his temptations may be well accounted for, and his example may ftrike us in the most forcible manner. There is therefore no weight in the difficulties which Dr Lardner proposes, pages 6, and 8, in oppofition to the doctrine of the pre-existence of Chrift. But do they not prefs hard on the defence he makes to the So cinian fcheme? When he fays, p. 10.

The

form of God (Philip. ii. 6.) feems to me to ⚫ have been enjoyed by our Lord in this world, it denotes his knowledge of the hearts of men, his power of healing difeafes, and raifing the dead, and working other miracles, at all times whenever he pleafed, and all the other evidences of his divine miffion. Does not the supposition of fuch a degree of knowledge and power as this, fet Chrift as much above the reach of temptation, and make his example of as little force, as the fuppofition of a former glory being laid afide by humiliation? The Socinian hypothefis, as thus defended, is therefore liable to all the objections that Dr Lardner brings against the doctrine of pre-exiftence, in the 6, 8, and 10, pages of his letter concerning the Logos; and at the fame time it fets afide every idea of the free love, wonderful condefcenfion, and tender compaffion of Christ, which the doctrine of the pre-existence, primitive glory, and perfonal tranfaction of Chrift with the Father before he entered into a

ftate