9. That they would not imagine that all thefe Notions and Opinions which may be fomething new and ftrange to them, are pure Inventions of my own, and mere Sallies of Imagination. I must acknowledge indeed that I have endeavoured to carry on the Hints I have met with in fome great and honoured Writers to a further length, and to trace the golden Thread of these Discoveries thro' far diftant Scenes and Ages, by the Light both of Reafon and Scripture: But as I have no Ambition to affume these Discoveries to myself, fo I ought in juftice to ftand fecure from thefe Cenfures which a heated and warm Zeal for ancient Land-Marks, is ready to throw upon every thing that bears the Appearance of Novelty. I have therefore in the end of fome of these Difcourfes or Inquiries, cited several Writers of Name and Eminence, and called in the Affiftance of their Authority to cover thefe Essays from the fudden and severe Reproaches of those who reverence the Names of those great, and learned, and pious Men. And what fuch venerable Authors thought very confiftent with Orthodox Doctrine, and fo useful and neceffary to fupport the Honours of our bleffed Lord, I humbly hope and request that my Readers will not harily abandon and reject as Herefy, and renounce it at once without due Confideration of the Arguments. And And as for thofe who have a great regard for the Writings of fo ingenious and fo pious a Man, fo evangelical an Author, and fo great a Divine as Dr. Thomas Goodwin, I might recommend to them the perufal of his Treatife of the Royalty of Jefus Chrift, as God-Man, which I have abridged here; and before they read these Effays I might intreat them to read this Abridgement, tho' I dare not pretend to give my Affent to all kis Opinions in thefe Papers, or fupport them. Give me leave to finish this Preface (fo far as it relates to the Difcourfes on the preexiftent Soul of Christ, and the extenfive Powers of his glorified human Nature) in the modeft and amiable. Language of that ingenious Gentleman who wrote many Years ago of the progreffive Knowledge of Souls in the future State. "If any thing fhould drop from my Pen in the Progrefs of this "Discourse which may feem too affirma"tive, and hardly reconcileable with a be"coming Modefty and Jealoufy, I defire those "Luxuriances of Expreflion may receive fome "Abatements, and be made fairly agreeable "thereunto. For altho' I may poffibly be "indifferently well perfuaded of the Truth "of what I fhall difcourfe, yet I am not certain 'Tis not improbable that I fhould "be mistaken: I am of human Race, and "have no Privilege of Exemption from human Infirmities and Errors." " Whether a a "Whether the Proofs that I fhall make of this propofed Theme be valid or invalid, "the Reader must determine when he hath weighed and confidered them. I am content that they be efteemed juft as they are. If my Arguments be thought, invalid, and my Opinion rejected, 'twill be no matter "of Provocation to me. If they be thought σε cogent, and my Opinion worthy of Acceptation with pious and ingenious Men, per"chance I may be a little pleafed therein. "But if it may advance [the Honour and] "the Love of God [my Saviour] and make "Heaven the more acceptable to the Thoughts "and Meditations of Chriftians [because we "have fo glorious a Mediator dwelling there] I am fure I fhall greatly rejoice.", έτ ε THE THE CONTENTS. THE Glory of Chrift as God Man dif play'd in three Difcourfes. DISCOURSE I. A Survey of the vifis ble Appearances of Chrift, as God before his Incarnation. P. I Sect. 1. An Hiftorical Account of thefe Appearances, together with fome occafional Remarks upon them by the way, and Inferences from them in the clofe. ibid. Sect. 2. The Difficulties relating to this Account of the Appearances of God under the Old Teftament relieved and adjusted. P. 472 APPENDIX (viz.) Some Obfervations on the Texts of the Old Teftament applied to P. 72.3 · Chrift. ibid. DISCOURSE II. An Enquiry into the extenfive Powers of the Human Nature of Chrift in its prefent glorified State. p. 83. Sect. 1. The Introduction. Sect. 2. Scriptural Proofs of the Exaltation of the Human Nature of Chrift, and the extenfive Capacities and Powers of his Soul in his glorified State. p. 88. Sect P. 110. Śe&. 3. A rational Account how the Man Jefus Chrift united to God may be vefted Se&.4. Teftimonies from other Writers. p. 140. DISCOURSE III.- An Argument tra- cing the early Existence of the Human Soul Sect. 1. Introduction. Sat. 2: Some Propofitions leading to the • Proof of the Doctrine propofed. p. 148. Sect. 3. Arguments for the Pre-existence of Chrift's Human Soul drawn from various Confiderations of fome things inferior to Godhead, which are ascribed to him in Scripture, before and at his Incarnation. Sect. 4. Mifcellaneous Arguments to prove Sect. A Confirmation of this Doctrine by Arguments drawn from the happy Can Jequences thereof, and the various Advan- tages of it in the Chriftian Religion. p. 190. Sect, 6. Objections answered. P. 232. APPENDIX, or a short Abridgement of that excellent Difcourfe of the late Re- verend Dr. Thomas Goodwin, on the Glo- ries and Royalties that belong to Jelus? •Chrift, confidered as God-Man, in his third Book of the Knowledge of God the Father, . |