that he is more than a Man conducted and affifted by the Holy Ghost.

And accordingly 'tis very obfervable, 1. That -Nathanael did not conclude from what our Savior faid, that the WORD was perfonally united to him: but only reply'd, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God, thou art the King of Ifrael, John r. 49. that is, thou art the Meffiah, whom we expect for our King, and whom the Baptift has proclaim'd to be the Son of God, v. 34. Thefe Titles our Savior conftantly affum'd and own'd; tho' 'twas never once inferr'd from thence by his Difciples, that Chrift thereby pretended to be the Son of God otherwife than with Refpect to his Human Nature only. 2. The Samaritan Woman concluded nothing more from what our Savior faid to her, than that he was a Prophet, or the Meffiah, John 5. 19, 29.

In the next place, our Lord Jefus Chrift wrought many Miracles by healing Difeafes, cafting out Devils, and likewife by raifing the Dead. Inftances of these forts I need not give. Now his cafting out Devils is exprefly afcrib'd to the Spirit by our Savior himself, who fays, But if I caft out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you, Matt. 12. 28. And the other mighty Works were manifeftly perform'd by the fame Power; which is alfo elsewhere declared to be the Power of God, and the Power of his Father, in a great Number of Places. Particularly our Savior fays, the works that I do in my Father's name, they bear witness of me, John 10. 25. And again, the Father that dwelleth in me, be doeth the works, John 14. 10. And St. Peter fays, Jefus of Nazareth, a man approved of God, among you, by miracles, and wonders, and figns, which God did by him in the midst of you, Acts 2. 22. And again, God anointed Jefus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost, and with pow

er;

er; who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppreffed of the devil: for God was with him, Acts 10. 38. Now that the very fame Power enabled his Difciples alfo to do the very fame Things in every kind, is manifeft from the Holy Scriptures, as well as from the primitive Writers. Nay, 'tis very remarkable, that as we read of the Bleffed Jefus, that there went virtue out of him, and healed them all, Luke 6. 19. and that he perceived, that virtue bad gone out of him, and healed the Woman that touched his Garment, Mark 5. 27, 28, 29, 30. Luke 8. 44, 45, 46. and that he healed the Nobleman's Son at a distance, John 4.46. So we read, that they brought forth the fick into the freets, and laid them on beds and couches, that at the leaft the Shadow of Peter paffing by, might overshadow fome of them, Acts 5. 15 and alfo that God wrought Special miracles by the bands of Paul: So that from his body were brought unto the fick handkerchiefs or aprons, and the di Leafes departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of them, Acts 19. 11, 12. And confequently, fince the Difciples were no more than mere Men conducted and affifted by the Spirit of God, notwithstanding what Miracles they wrought: fo 'tis evident, that the Miracles perform'd by our Savior during his Miniftry, did not difcover him to be more than a Man conducted and affifted by the fame Power; nor did thofe Miracles give his Difciples any Reason to imagin, that he had a Divine Nature perfonally united to his Manhood.

Laftly,Our Lord Jefus Chrift faid to the Sick of the Palfy, and to the Woman that was a Sinner, Thy fins are forgiven, Matt.9. 2,5. Mark 2.5,9. Luke 5.20,23. and 7.48. Now whatever is meant by that Phrafe, tis certain, that Chrift's forgiving Sins was no Difcovery of his Divine Nature. I fhall not argue from God's remarkable Charge to the Ifraelites, Be

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bold,

bold, I fend an Angel before thee to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared. Beware of him, and obey his voice, provoke him not: for be will not pardon your Tranfgreffions: for my name is in bim, Exod. 23. 20, 21. In which Words 'tis manifeftly imply'd, that an Angel is capable of forgiving Sins; fo that a Creature, and confequently a mere Man, may do it, if God pleafes. But what I infift on, is, that the Apostles could forgive Sins. For Chrift faid to them, Whofefoever fins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whofefoever fins ye retain, they are retained, John 20. 23. And furely no Man will fay, that the Apoftles had any Divine Nature, because they exercis'd this Power.

I confefs, the Jews objected Blafphemy to our Savior, because he pretended to forgive Sins, alleging, that none but God could do it, Matt. 9. 3. Mark 2.7. Luke 5.21. And what if their Objection was ill grounded? I'm fure, you'll grant it was. For by the God who alone could forgive Sins, they undoubtedly meant the Very God. And confequently, if they objected juftly, then (upon your Principles) the WORD, whom you fuppofe inferior to the Very God, could not forgive Sins. And yet Chrift did in Fact forgive them. But in truth, our Savior's conferring on the Apoftles the Power of forgiving Sins, demonftrats, not only the Falfhood of the Jews Pretence, but alfo that a mere Man may forgive Sins in the very fame Sense in which our Savior forgave them; unless it can be fhewn, that that Phrafe is apply'd to our Savior in one Senfe, and to his Apoftles in another quite different from it.

If it be objected, that the Apoftles forgave Sins by a delegated Power, whereas Chrift forgave them by the original and inherent Power of his

of

Divine Nature; I anfwer, 1. That this is only begging the Queftion. For the Scriptures do not warrant our making this Difference during his State of Humiliation. 2. That Men of your Principles will fcorn this Plea; because you fuppofe, that all the Power of the WORD is delegated to him from the Very God, as from a diftinct Being. 3. With refpect to the Orthodox, I answer, that as our Savior's Miracles are (as I before obferv'd) exprefly attributed to the Father, and to the Spirit: To he roundly affirms, in the moft general Terms, The Son can do nothing of himself, John 5. 19. and again, I can do nothing of my felf, ver. 30. And confequently all that fuppofe the WORD to be Very God, muft acknowledge, that tho' the WORD has an original and inherent Power of forgiving Sins; yet our Savior during his Humiliation forgave them only as a Man, viz. minifterially, and for that Reafon his forgiving Sins was ne Indication of a Divine Nature. 4. That I may at once effectually filence this Objection, the Evangelift exprefly tels us, that when the multitude faw it, they marvelled, and glorified God, which had given fuch power (mois avogais) unto men, Matt. 9. 8. So that that very Multitude, fome Perfons in which had lately thought, that none but God could forgive Sins, Mark 2. 7. Luke 5. 22. were by this very Fact convinc'd, that God had given unto Men that Power of forgiving Sins, which 'twas fuppos'd he had referv'd to himself. And confequently our Savior's forgiving of Sins, was no Proof of his having a Divine Nature.

If it be faid, that during the Time of his Miniftry, Chrift not only wrought Miracles himself, but alfo gave others a Power to do the fame (for when be bad called unto him his twelve difciples, he gave them power against unclean fpirits, to caft them out, and H 4

to

to heal all manner of fickness, and all manner of difeafe, Matt. 10. 1.) I anfwer, that Chrift's conferring on others a Power of working Miracles, was no Argument of his having a Divine Nature (and confequently his Difciples could not from thence in fer, that he had a Divine Nature) unless it be alfo granted, that the Apoftles had a Divine Nature, who conferr'd on others the very fame Power, as appears from the following Texts of Scripture. Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghoft. And when Simon faw that through laying on of the Apostle's hands, the Holy Ghoft was given, he offered them money, faying, Give me alfo this power, that on whomfoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost, Acts 8. 17, 18, 19. While Peter jet fpake these words, the Holy Ghoft fell on all them which heard the word. And they of the circumcifion which believed were aftonish'd, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles alfa was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghoft. For they heard them fpeak with tongues, and magnify God, Acts 10. 44, 45, 45. When Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophefied, A&s 19. 6. For I long to fee you, that I may impart unto you fome Spiritual gift,

Rom. I. II.

In fhort, the Man Chrift Jefus was conducted and affifted by the Spirit, from his very Conception to the time of his Death. The fame Spirit that begat him, did alfo preferve him, both from original Corruption, and from voluntary Tranfgreffion. For through the eternal Spirit he offer'd himself without fpot to God, Heb. 9. 14. that is, he offer'd himself to God without Spot through the eternal Spirit, which preferv'd him clear from all Spot, either of actual Sin, or vitiated Inclination. He was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, being forty days tempted of the

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