I answer, 1. By assuming and taking upon him the form and shape of man, and so discharging some special offices in that respect: We read often of Christs apparition before his Incarnation, and then especially when he had to do with this great Negotiation of mans Eternal happiness. Some think it not improbable that Christ assumed the form of man when he first created man; and so he made man, not only in his own image which he had as God, In holiness, and true righteousness, but in respect of that form which he had assumed. Howsoever this we find, that after man had sinned, Christ then appeared, first to Adam, then to Abraham, then to Isaac, then to Jacob, then to Moses, &c. — first, he appeared to Adam in the garden, and they heard the voice of the Lord God, walking in the garden in the cool of the day. God as he is God hath neither voice to speak, nor feet to walk, but assuming the form and shape of a man he exercised both: and so he was the first that published that first promise to the World, It shall bruise thy head. — 2. He appeared to Abraham in the plain of Mamre, where the Lord talked with Abraham, and Abraham calls him the Judge of all the Earth, which can be ascribed to none but Christ the Judge of quick and dead. Some from that saying of Christ, your Father Abraham rejoiced to see my day, and he saw it, and was glad, do gather that Abraham saw Christ, not only with the eyes of faith (as all the rest of the Patriarchs and Prophets did) but also in a visible shape which he assumed, like unto that whereunto he was afterwards to be united; And so it was Christ that renewed the Covenant with Abraham, saying, I will establish my Covenant between me and thee, and thy seed after thee in their generations, for an everlasting Covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee. — 3. He appeared to Isaac, Gen. 26.2. and to Jacob, Gen. 32.24, 30. and to Moses, Exod. 20.1, 2, 3. and to many others, of which I shall comment in order. And these apparitions of Christ were as praeludiums of his Incarnation. But this is not the way I shall insist upon.
I answer, 1. By assuming and taking upon him the form and shape of man, and so discharging some special offices in that respect: We read often of Christs apparition before his Incarnation, and then especially when he had to do with this great Nego•iation of mans Eternal happiness. Some think it not improbable that Christ assumed the form of man when he first created man; and so he made man, not only in his own image which he had as God, In holiness, and true righteousness, but in respect of that form which he had assumed. Howsoever this we find, that after man had sinned, Christ then appeared, first to Adam, then to Abraham, then to Isaac, then to Jacob, then to Moses, &c. — first, he appeared to Adam in the garden, and they heard the voice of the Lord God, walking in the garden in the cool of the day. God as he is God hath neither voice to speak, nor seet to walk, but assuming the form and shape of a man he exercised both: and so he was the first that published that first promise to the World, It shall bruise thy head. — 2. He appeared to Abraham in the plain of Mamre, where the Lord talked with Abraham, and Abraham calls him the Judge of all the Earth, which can be ascribed to none but Christ the Judge of quick and dead. Some from that saying of Christ, your Father Abraham rejoyced to see my day, and he saw it, and was glad, do gather that Abraham saw Christ, not only with the eyes of faith (as all the rest of the Patriarchs and Prophets did) but also in a visible shape which he assumed, like unto that whereunto he was afterwards to be united; And so it was Christ that renewed the Covenant with Abraham, saying, I will establish my Covenant between me and thee, and thy seed after thee in their generations, for an everlasting Covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee. — 3. He appeared to Isaac, Gen. 26.2. and to Jacob, Gen. 32.24, 30. and to Moses, Exod. 20.1, 2, 3. and to many others, of which I shall comment in order. And these apparitions of Christ were as praeludiums of his Incarnation. But this is not the way I shall insist upon.
