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CHAP. VIII.

That during the Time of our Savior's Miniftry, the Difciples did not believe, that he was any thing more than a mere Man, conducted and affifted by the Spirit of God.

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EFORE I proceed to the Examination of the fecond Text of Scripture, which is fuppos'd to teach, that the WORD, or Divine Nature of our Lord Jefus Chrift, is inferior to the very God; 'tis neceffary for me to prove, 1. That during the Time of our Savior's Ministry, the Difciples did not believe, that he was any thing more than a mere Man, conducted and affifted by the Spirit of God; 2. That during the Time of our Savior's Miniftry, the WORD, or Divine Nature, was quiefcent in the Man Chrift Jefus.

FIRST then, during the Time of our Savior's Ministry, the Difciples did not believe, that he was any thing more than a mere Man, conducted and affifted by the Spirit of God.

Whether you will grant me this Propofition, I know not. You exprefly (a) declare, that Chrift's Difciples had not any the leaft Thought of his claiming to be God in any Senfe, when he utter'd what we read in John F. 18. Nor do I remember, that you have any where faid or fuppofed, that they had afterwards, during the Time of his Miniftry, different Sentiments. If I guefs aright, you will rather allow, that they continued of the fame Opinion till

(a) Reply to Mr. Nelfon's Friend, p. 136.

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his Miniftry was ended. However, fince you have not inform'd us, whether you do grant this Propofition or no; and becaufe 'tis certain, that too many others will not grant it: therefore I think my felf obliged to evince the Truth of it. In order thereto I observe,

First, That there is not in all the New Teftament any one Paffage, which either afferts or implys, that the Difciples believed him to have had any Divine Nature during his Ministry. They did indeed esteem him a great Prophet, even the Meffiah, the greatest of Prophets: but yet at the fame. time they esteem'd him a mere Man; and did not apprehend, that another Nature, fuperior to that of a Man, viz. the WORD of God, was perfonally united to the Man Chrift Jefus.

I can't think of more than one Text, that can poffibly be alleged against this Affertion, viz. John 16. 30. where the Difciples fay, Now are we fure, that thou knoweft all things. And if any Perfon fhould conclude from hence, that the Difciples then believ'd him to be ftrictly Omniscient, and that confequently he was more than a mere Man conducted and affifted by God's Spirit; I anfwer, 1. That the fame Spirit which did so certainly discover the moft fecret Things to him and his Difciples, might discover, if he pleas'd, even all Things in the moft abfolute and unlimited Senfe, altho' our Savior himself were at the fame time no more than a mere Man. The Text does not fay, that the Difciples thought, that Chrift had inherently in himfelf, by the Neceffity of his own Nature, a ftri& Omniscience (which would indeed have proved, that he discover'd himself to be the very God) but it fays, that they thought he knew all Things (we will now fuppofe in the utmoft Extent of the Expreffion)

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preffion) and fo might a mere Man by the Communication of the Spirit. 2. That the Words of the Disciples do by no means imply, that they thought out Savior: endued with a ftrict Omniscience. For let us obferve the Context. Our Savior had faid, A little while and ye shall not fee me and again, a little while and ye shall fee me, because I go to the Father, V. 16. His Difciples did not understand this Saying, and therefore had fome privat Difcourfe about it, which they did not speak fo loud, as that our Savior fhould hear them. For fays the Evangelift, Then said some of his disciples among themfelves, What is this, that he faith unto us, A little while and ye shall not fee me and again, a little while and ye Shall fee me and because I go to the Father. They faid. therefore, what is this that be faith, A little while? We cannot tell what he faith, V. 17, 18. Our bleffed Lord therefore, who knew their Hearts, prevented their asking a Solution of the Difficulty that puzzled them, and which they would gladly have heard him refolve. For the Text fays, Now Jefus knew, that they were defirous to ask him, and faid unto them, Do ye enquire among your felves of that I said, A little while and ye shall not fee me, and again a little while and ye shall fee me, v. 19? And then he proceeds to explain himself in fome following Verfes. After which his Difciples faid unto him, Lo, now speakest thou plainly, and Speakeft no Proverb. Now are we fure, that thou knoweft all things, and needeft not that any man Should ask thee: by this we believe, that thou cameft forth from God, V. 29, 30.

The all things therefore, which they perceiv'd from this Fact that our Lord knew, were only the Secrets of their Hearts (for they could conclude no more from that Inftance of his Knowledge) and. the following Words declare as much. For he, in

their Opinion, therefore knew all things, because he knew what they were defirous to ask, and gave them inftantly a moft apt Answer to their intended Inquiry; fo that he needed not, that any fhould ask him. By his knowing all things therefore, they can't reasonably be understood to have meant more, than that he had a vaft Knowledge, even of fuch things as are infcrutable to mere Man.

And accordingly, 'tis certain, that this Phrafe is used in a very limited Sense in both the Old and New Teftament. Thus, when the wife Woman faid to David, My Lord is wife according to the wisdom of an Angel of God, to know all things that are in the earth, 2 Sam. 14. 20. and when St. John faid to his Difciples, But ye have an unction from the holy one, and ye know all things, 1 John 2. 20. and again, the fame anointing teacheth you of all things, v. 27. no Man in his Wits can conceive, that either of them meant more by all things, than a great deal, or a very extenfive Knowledge. In the fame Senfe St. Paul faid to Timothy, The Lord give thee understanding in all things, 2 Tim. 2. 7. Nay, we our felves in common Difcourfe ufually fay, fuch an one knows every thing; but furely we don't mean, that the Perfon is ftrictly Omnifcient.

What has been already faid, is fufficient to clear the abovefaid Text. But there is one other Confideration, which demonftrats the Truth of my Interpretation. The Difciples had no fooner faid, Now are we fure that thou knowest all things, and needeft not that any man should ask thee; but they immediatly fubjoin, By this we believe, that thou camest forth from God. Now by Chrift's coming forth from God is meant his being a true Prophet. For the Difference between true and falfe Prophets is this, That the true ones are fent by God, and the falfe ones

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are not sent by him, but come of themselves. Accordingly our bleffed Lord fays, I proceeded forth (A, the fame Word which in this other Place is rendred, came forth) and came from God: neither came I (♫ 28 Exúxusu, for I did not come) of my felf, but he fent me, John 8. 42. You fee, our Lord proves, that he came forth from God, becaufe he did not come of himself, but God fent him. And confequently his proceeding forth from God fignifies his being a true Prophet, in Contradiftinction to what he would have been, had he come of himself, without God's Miffion. Now his Difciples concluded, that he proceeded forth from God (that is, was a true Prophet) because he knew all things, and needed not that any man should ask him. And indeed, this miraculous Knowledge was a good Proof of the Truth and Certainty of his Divine Miffion. But then,fince from this his miraculous Knowledge, they inferr'd nothing more, than that he was a true Prophet; 'tis manifeft, that they did not from this his Knowledge infer, that he was more than a mere Man conducted and affifted by God's Spirit, and confequently more than a true Prophet.

Whether the fame Phrase, as used by St. Peter in that remarkable Declaration, Lord, thou knoweft all things; thou knowest that I love thee, John 21. 17. does admit or require the fame limited Interpretation; I need not determin. Becaufe 'twas spoken after the Time of our Lord's Ministry was ended, even after his Refurrection; and confequently 'tis beyond the Bounds of our prefent Inquiry. But,

Secondly, As there is not in all the New Testament any one Paffage, which either afferts or implys,that the Difciples believ'd him to have had any Divine Nature during his Miniftry; fo 'tis very remarkable, that the whole Courfe of our Savior's

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