Angels, not as to the Dignity, but as to the Condition of his Perfon; that is, he was made lower than the Angels in Glory and Happiness. :

Now his Condition of Glory and Happiness has ever fince his Exaltation been manifeftly fuperior to that of the Angels: and confequently, fince the Apostle means his Condition after his Incarnation, 'tis plain, that our Savior was made lower than the Angels during the time of his Humiliation. From hence therefore I infer, that during his Humiliation (and confequently during the time of his Miniftry) the WORD was quiefcent. Because 'twas otherwife impoffible for Our Savior to be, during that Space, in a lower Degree of Glory and Happiness than the Angels.

For let any intelligent Perfon judge, whether a Man, that enjoy'd, as a Confequence of his perfonal Union therewith, a full, free, and perfect Intercourfe, and reciprocal Communication, of the Wifdom and Power of the WORD (fuppofing the WORD to be nothing greater than you your felf allow) could poffibly be in a lower Degree of Glory and Happiness than the Angels. For that Glory and Happiness, which the effential Splendor and Blifs of the WORD muft neceffarily create in a Man, who is throughly enrich'd with it, is fuch, as no Debasement whatfoever, which the Human Nature is capable of, can poffibly fo far qualify or diminish, as to render that Man's State of Glory and Happiness, upon the whole, inferior to the Glory and Happiness of Angels. Wherefore the WORD was certainly quiefcent during the Humiliation (and confequently during his Ministry) when the Man Chrift Jefus moft certainly became lower in Glory and Happiness than the Angels, notwithstanding his perfonal Union with the

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WORD. For tho' that Union rendred the Dignity of Chrift's Perfon fuperior to that of the Angels: yet, because the Man Chrift Jefus did not feel and and enjoy the Splendor and Blifs of the WORD, to whom he was perfonally united; therefore as to State and Condition, as to Glory and Happiness, he was really made lower than the Angels.

If it be ask'd, whether this Quiefcence of the WORD was total or partial; that is, whether the WORD, during the Time of his Ministry, did conftantly forbear to communicat any particular Kind of his extraordinary Influences to the Man Christ Jéfus; or whether he only forbore at certain Times to communicat them all; or whether at certain Times he communicated fome of them, tho' at the fame Times he forbore to communicat others: I answer, that I fuppofe (for I need not affert; becaufe I fhall build nothing upon the Determination of this Point; and therefore I shall only declare it to be in my Opinion highly probable) that the Quiefcence was total during the whole Ministry. For, 1. Had it been otherwife, I can't conceive, but that we must have had an Account of the WORD's discovering himself thro' the Man Christ Jefus at fome time or other. Whereas I have largely demonftrated, that during that Space, our Lord Jefus Chrift never did any thing, but what might be don by a mere Man conducted and affifted by God's Spirit. 2. If the WORD did ever exert himself during that Space, I can't conceive, why our Savior fhould, or indeed how he could, be conftantly reprefented as wholly under the Conduct of the Spirit. 3. Chrift's State during his Miniftry is reprefented as a State of Temptation. He fays himself, re are they which have continued with me in my temptations, Luke 22. 28. And the Author to

the

147 the Hebrews fays, We have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without fin, Heb. 4. 15. Now unless the WORD was totally quiefcent, I believe 'twill not be poffible to fuppofe Chrift capable of Temptations, if what I have (c) already fuggefted, be duly confider'd. 4. Since there is full Proof of the WORD's Quiefcence at certain Times, particularly at the beginning and close of his Ministry; and not the leaft Intimation of the contrary at any time, in any one Part of the intermediat Space: 'tis reafonable to conclude, that the WORD was totally quiescent during the whole Period.

Whether you your felf have written any thing, which implys your Acknowledgment of the Quiefcence of the WORD, either total or partial; I fhall not inquire. I think, fome of your Expres fions feem to hint, that you believe at least a partial Quiefcence: but if you do not allow our Savior an Human Soul, you can't poffibly acknowledge a total Quiefcence. I fhall not therefore endevor to ascertain, what were your Notions concerning this Point. But I am willing to hope, you are by this time convinc'd, that the Quiefcence of the WORD, during Chrift's Ministry, is evident from Holy Scripture. For we are therein affured, that the WORD was made Flefh; and confequently was perfonally united to the Man Chrift Jefus at his Incarnation; and that accordingly that perfonal Union continued during the Miniftry. But then it appears, that the Influences of the WORD were fufpended, and did not fhew themselves through the Man Chrift Jefus. For as the rational Soul

does not discover it felf in a new born Child, but gradually exerts its Faculties, till at length it difplays its whole Power; and even afterwards it is frequently fufpended by Sleep, notwithstanding tis always perfonally united to the Flesh from the very Birth: even fo we may conceive, that the WORD, tho' perfonally united to the Man Chrift Jefus, forbore (fo the Divine Wisdom thought good) to communicat his extraordinary Influences to him during the Space beforemention'd.

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But after the Exaltation of the Man Christ Jefus, ever fince the Very God govern'd the whole World by and through him, that Plenitude of Excellency, which is effential to, and infeparable from, the WORD, fhines thro' the Man; and the Godhead not only does dwell, but is also known and appears to dwell, in the Man, the Man Chrift Jefus being, in Confequence of his perfonal Union with the WORD, much more strictly and properly the Temple of God, than we are able to comprehend. This Scheme, the Footsteps of which are fo manifeft and fo eafily traced in the Holy Scriptures, by an attentive Reader of them, exactly answers to all the Appearances of our Savior's Conduct and Circumftances, during his Abode upon Earth, and fince his Afcenfion into Heaven.

Tho' I can't forbear adding, that the depth of his Humiliation ended at his Death. For his Refurrection opened a Way to the Poffeffion of his prefent happy and glorious Condition. He declared, that he fhould raife himself from the Dead. For Jefus answered and faid unto them, Deftroy this temple, and in three days I will raife it up. Then faid the. Jews, Forty and fix years was this temple in building," and wilt thou rear it up in three days? But be fpake of the temple of his body, John 2. 19, 20, 21. And again,

Therefore

Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of my self have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again! This commandment have I received of my Father, John 10. 14, 18. I conceive therefore, that the Human Soul having been anointed with the Spirits in the moft plentiful manner, had a Power of uniting it felf to its former Body, given it by the Very God, who poured the Spirit on him. Nor is thisy upon any account, more wonderful, than his being enabled during his Life time to raise others from the Dead. For his Soul, being the principal part of the Man Chrift Jefus, might continue endued with this miraculous Power after its Separation from the Bodymade by his Death upon the Crofs, as well as during its Conjunction with it. n kommer ban

He seems alfo to have been under the Conduct of the Spirit even till the time of his Afcenfioni. For St. Luke fays, The former treatife have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jefus began both to do and teach, until the day in which he was taken up, after that he thro' the Holy Ghoft had given commandments unto the Apostles whom he had chofen, Acts 1. 1, 2. So that he gave Commandments to his Apoftles through the Holy Ghoft after his Refurrection; and accordingly we have no Proof, that the WORD exerted himself before Chrift's Afcenfion. And therefore, tho' he faid before his Afcenfion, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth, Matt. 28. 18. yet he did not actually exercise that Plenitude of Power, with which he was rewarded for his Sufferings, till he was actually afcended into Heaven, and placed at God's Right Hand; which Phrafe manifeftly fignifies his being actually invefted with the utmoft Autho

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