In Idcmory FREDERICK BENJAMIN KAYE, (Yale, 1914) Processor of En^tish Uorffnocsfcrn Uni-Ocrsify, 1916-1950 UorffnOosfcm Tlni-Cersity Eihrary E'Otxnsion, Illinois f Noriln^csiern TJnt^erstfy Lthrary IL'Oansion, lUinois A ^ DESIGNED END TO THE Socinian Controverfy : Or, a Rational and Plain DISCOURSE if To Prove, That no other Peribn but the Father of Chrift is God moft High. By JOHN SMITH. Father^—This is Life Eternal to know thee the only true God. John 17» 3. LONDON., Printed in the Year M DC XC V. II HT T. R. S.15.4; ^ (c 5 L I A N ADVERTISEMENT. The Reader is defiredtotake m- tice, that thefe Papers tvere writ- ten at different times, as Mat- ter did offer it' felf to the AuthoPs Mind; and for that Reafon fome Parti- culars are therein touchi'd upon more than once; for which "'tis hoped, how- ever, that there will need little Excufe, fince in relation to the whole Defgn it 'nay be pertinent enough. The Method tljo, for that Reafon, is fomewhat un- •ifual; hut I have ventuPd however to 'et it pafs as it is , ftnce not Method 'ut Matter in fuch Cafes is chiefly to 'e minded: and I doubt not but that in 'ne Part or other thereof, every Part f the Controverfy will be found to be oth fully and fairly difcufs'^d: And I Hfh none that read it may be of that A 2 evil  no nor any other Being beiides s for doubtlefSj of nothing, iK)- thing can be produc'd. ^ That th^is GoAishut one in Ndtate or EJfence. And as 'tis thus plain that there is a God, fa 'tis utterly impoiiible that there can be any more than one God : for whoever is truly God, mull be abfolutely Infinite or Immcnfe i that is, Uis Divine EJfence muji be bemdlefs^ and fill all that endlefs and inconceivable Space that is tvhhout or beyond the Limits of this Worlds as well as this World, For 'tis iinpoffiblc that any Being whatever can in any refpeU be greater than Cod is, or con-^ tain him j for then he himfelf could not be truly Infinite, nor excel in all Perfections. The Na- ture or Efiicnce therefore of God is Infinite, and in Extent is without Bounds •, and ^tis felf- evidently imfojfible for two or more infinitely ex^ tended Beings to fubfijl together : which demon* tirates by Confecjuence, that God can be but one as to his Divine Effence or Nature. And as right Reafon does plainly teach this Truth, fo do the Scriptures as evidently declare tire lame : to initancc in a few,— The Utrd he if Cod, there is none elfe be fides him, Deut. 4. 3 5. See now that /, even lam he, and there U no God Tflth mt, Peur. 32.3p. There is none Ukf thee, neither it there any God heftdes thee, i Chfon, 17, 20. , ( 7 ) I ^ tht firjty and I 4m the lafi \ and be- « lides methereism God, Ifa. 44. d. TVe\nowthat an Iddlis nothing in the World, and that there is J none other God hut one, i Cor. 8. 4. —To m there is but one God, i Cor. 8. 6. I might add a great Number of other Texts that (peak to P , the very fame purpofe, but I think 'tis needlefs ^ in a Cafe fo plain. miK Ga fjjls Qfjg ^ ^ffg Wititit! - ir> /- k{>,d m tie I gj 5tjs (jjyj piaj,-,^ that God is but one, f as to his Nature or Eflence j fo 'tis evident like- , wife, that he can in no Senfe be any more than igwiHtK Per/on: for if, as fome affirm, the Di- III, s» vine Nature did contain in it feveral Perfbns, as noiteir: Joes the humane Nature, then each of thofc • mud be truly Immenfe, truly Almighty, and truly nfinitc,r Wife, clfe they could not each of them be d li( J(j truly God, (as fome have unwarily af^erted, and 'fotiijii the Trinitarian Notion fuppofes) j tor whoever is icliiiM truly God, muft be every way thus qualified in an kit all Refpeds. f- For if that Perfon that is fuppofed to be God, ttti^^benot truly immenfe, then fome other Being of itljfto ncccility muft be greater than he *, for whoever is not Infinite, muft be bounded by fome other ut.'t'JiBeing, which in that refpcdt does truly furpafs that bounded Being in Greatnefs ; But fas I faid before) nothing can in any kind or rejpell whatfoever be greater than Cod is, or contain *' A 4 fi™ 9 (S) him i and by Confequence he alone is truly Immenfe. The Perfon that is truly God, muft be alfo Almighty j that is, he mutt be able to do more than any, or than all other Beings together can do: for doubtlefs none is the molt High, but he that in Might and Strength does tranfcend all others. Touching the Almighty^ fays he ex- cell in Pofoer^ ch. 37. 2S. The Peitbn alio that is truly God, muft be molt vvtie and knowing; 'Tis doubtlefs a Pro- perty cffential to the true God, to know more than any other Being belides can know : Of that Day and Hour, faith our Saviour, knaxveth no Adan, no not the Angels which are in Heaven, neither the Son, but the Father only ^ Matth. 24. 3<5. Mar. 13.32. Now if that Perfon who is truly God, muft be thus Immenfe in his Perfon, Almighty in his Power, and moft Wife in his Knowledg •> then it follows by diredt Confequence, that 'tis impoftible for more than one Perfon to be truly God : for nothing can be more abfurd, than to believe or affirm, that two or three diftind Be- jngs, fuch as all perfonal Beings are, can be each of them unlimited, as to the extent of their perfonal Beings; can be each of them able to do more than the reft can do, or that each of them can know more than the others know. Suppofe, for Inftance, two fuch Beings as A and B: Now if the Perfon of A can do more than the Perfon of B, then the Perfon of £ can- not \ n'.'. X ^'-lu---i-• ■ —'' T-'-X. ( 9 ) 5 ttA not do more than the Perfon o( A •, for if he could, then would not A be able to do more WalJ than and by Confequence he could not be 10 moi Almighty. :theic Again, if the Perfon of be moll wife, and \ batli knows more than the Perfon of B, then B can- nUi not know more than A-, for if he did, then til, htn would not A know more than B, and fo by Confequence would not be moll wife: which 1, iDUli: evidently demonftrates, that no more than one IcisaPr. Perfon can be truly God, lince no more than Mwrn one can be truly Infinite in all theleafore-men- t; Oji tioncd Divitie Peifedlions. ijfiw this one Perfon rvho is truly God^ ' " is him only rvho is the Father of 'fe- 3o<1,e frssChrifi. Imigliti: ioowkiii Tis undeniably evident from the Old Tefta- t, tk^ ment, that the Ged of Ifracl, or the Lord of tobeK Hofts., is the only true God : lor thus it is writ- (j^ ihaa ten, Thou art God, and thou alone, of all the liltinfib Kingdoms of the Earth, 2 Kings ip. 15. There an bets is none like thee, neither is there any Godbeftdes tol'tbt thee, 2 Chion. 17. 20. Thou art God alone, jiabk: Pial. 86. 10. Befides me there is no God, Ila. at tadii 44. 6. I am God, and there is none elfe, lla. 46. now. 9- Thou jhalt know no other God but me, HoC ngsai. 13-4- Now as this is plain beyond Contra- io0 didlion, lo do all Chriftians generally acknow- f^cii ledg, that the God here mentioned was him ( lO ) only who afterwards was called the Father of Jefus Chrift. And in the New Teftament no Truth is more fully and plainly cxprefs'd than this is: thus fays our Lord himfelf, Fathert—This is Life E- terml, to know thee the only true Gody Joh. 17. I, 5. The fame do his Apodles affirm ^ Blejfed be Gody even the Father of our Lord Jefus Chrijky I Cor. 1.5. Bleffed be the God and Father of our Lord fefus Chrijly Eph. i. 3. With one jMind and one Mouth glorify Gody even the Father ef our Lord fefus Chrijly Kom. 15.6, We give Thanks to Gody and the Father of our Lord Jefus Chrifiy Col. 1.3. He fhall deliver up the King- dom to Gody even the Fathery i Cor. 15. 24, Therewith blefs we God, even the Fathery Jam. 3. 9. To us there is but one God. the Father. ^Gor.8.6._ Now it is impoilihle that any one Article of theChfidian Faith can be more fully and plainly cxprels'd in Scriptuie than this is i the Words can be underhood in no other Senfe than what at the Hrtl fight they do plainly fignify, and they give the mod fatisfying Aafwer that can be gi- ven to any one that (hall ask who God is, name- . ly, that he is only that moif Divine Perfon who is the Father of Jefus Chrilt: And if in this cafe plaiii Scripture is not to be relied on, J fee not of what great Ufe our Bibles can be to us. >. . ' ret ( n ) bcioi" Tet this JO pUin and evident Truth is sraoK commonly denied. i". Abs LlftE- For a very great Number of profeffcd Chri- oh, 17, liians do ijotwithftanding believe, that in the , Bl bn^c both he himielt and His ApoiiJts do very plain- ly acknowledg, that he has a God above him; tor inliance, A/j God, mj God, -pthy haH thorn for- ftien me ? Mat. 27. 46. I afcend to my God, And tojottrCod, joh. io. 17. Him that overcometh viU I mahe a Pillar in the Tern fie (f my God, l Rev. 3.12. The Head of every Man is Chrifi, | and the Head of Chriji is Cod, I Cor. i i. 3. | Blefed be the Cod and Father of ettr Lord fefas Chriji, Eph. i. 3. The God and Father of cur j|_ Lard Jefui Chriji hyosot I lie net, 2 Cor. 11.31. | —That the God of oser Lord Jeftu Chriji may I giveyoM the Sfirit, Eph. i. 17. Therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the Oil of Gladnefs above thj Felkws, Hcb. I. 8, p. Thcie Texts are very plain, and need no In- rerpretation to make them be underftood. Now if our Lord Chrift have thus a Gtxl above him, then 'tis evident, if any thing in the World be fo, that he hitTildf is not Gc>d moft high. tea iWl mk Chriji not God, becaufe what he does if bj A Potter received from God. This Truth Chrift himfclf docs plainly dc- c'aie •, I can, kiith he, of tnj own felf do nothing, JobK I'Ts dim jStil kit i«t: I •bGo F*;w hm .on, th: od, flit ;tf plffi DVt liit hint'; ]Giii,a WfflJK f ui&l kil.: Lirija fW» ifiriCi ikSll! ?. i N;^ ivcltil! f'orlii; ^isii f ilydf. 'thill' ( I? ) Joh. 5« 3'^' Power is given unto me hth in Heaven and in Earth, Mat. 28. 18. t4-'hen the Afultitude faw his Miracles, they marvelled, and glorified God who had given fuch Power unto Men, Mar. 8. Now thtle things can in no toleia- ble Senfc be faid of him that is truly God: for. he that is God molt High,hath effentially in him- felf all kind of Divine Dignity and Excellency, and cannot without the highelt of Blafphemies be in any Senfe faid to receive them of another. But of our Lord it is recorded, that he nei- ther faid nor did any thing, efpecially in the Work of our Redemption, but what he was commanded to fay and do by his Father s 1 have not fpoken of my [elf, (faith he) but the Father which fent me, he gave me a Commandment what I fhould fay, and what Ifhould ffeah, Jch. 12. 4P. Is he able to favc the World ? To this Power he was raifed by God : Him hath God exalted to be a Prince and a Saviour, Adfs 5.31. Can he give Power to Believers to become the Sons of God ? This Power he alfo has received ; Thou hafi given him Power over all Flefh, that he fhould give Eternal Life to as many as thou haft given him, Joh. 17.2. Has he Power to raife from the dead ? Eves this Power alio he did re- As the Father hath Life in himfelf, fo ceive hath he given to the Son to have Life in himfelf, Joh. 5. 26. Has he Power to judg the World > 'Tis God that does enable him to do this : This it he that was ordained of God to be fudg of ^ich and ( 14 ) and Dead, Ads lo. 42. I can do nothing of nt) filf as 1 hear, Ijndg. Joh. ^>30. Moreover, 'tis thus faid, The Glory which thon hafi given me, I have given them, Joh. I'J. 22, I appoint unto you a Kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me, Luke 22, 2y, The God of our Lord Jefns Chrifi hath put all things under his Feet, Eph. 1. 17. Now they tnuft impofe iirangcly upon their own Underftandings, that can (unrequired by the Gofpel) believe him to be tnily God, even Inhnite in all Pcrfedion, of whom 'tis faid fo plainly, that whatever Power and Dignity he has, is given him by a- nother. Chrifi not God, becaufe God and He are plainly difiinguifhed* This Coniidcration alone of it fclf is a very ftrong Argument, to prove our Lord Chrift not to be really and truly God, lince he is every where fpoken of as a Pcrfon that differs as much from God, as a noble Subjed differs ftotrr his Prince or King. Thus 'tis faid of him, that God anointed him-, Ads 10. 58. That he offered himfelfup to God, Heb. 9. 14. "D^nGodrmfed him from the Dead, Ads 2. 2 4. That he wa$ exalted by God, Ads 2,33. That he afeended to God, John 20.17. That he fits at God's rigf^ Hdtfid^ A<^$ 7, Thst G$d foT Chyi^^s hath forgiven us, Eph. 4> 3 2. That he hath re- deemed us unto God by his Shod, Rev.-}. That the vrht Gxi mkli rftftif. sbtrt iinliji ( M ) AII the God of our Lord fefus Chrifi hath futaU things under his Feet, Eph. i. 22. 1 might coliedl a very great Number of other j. J, Places that fpeak to the very fame purpofc, all which do evidently dcmonltrate, that the true God is not Jefus Chrift: for if Jefus were fenf of God, and rai/ed up from the Dead hjGed, and fits now at God's right Hand, 8cc. then 'tis T plain, that there is as great a Difference be- tween the true God and him, as there is be- ' tween a Prince, and him whom he is faid to ho- nour or imploy. 'Twould be llrangely abfurd for a Man to af- firm, xhit God can he fentof Cod', that God can fray to God ^ thzt God can afcend toGod^ thaC n . God can ft at Gods right Hand 5 and that God fhall deliver uf the Kingdom to God, that God may he all in alt. He that can believe this polfible, is fitted for the Reception of the moll ridiculous i,^j, and abfurd Errors that were ever found in the World. Of that Accotmt which the Scriptures III give of the P erf on of Chrift. As from what has been faid before, it appears very plainly what kind of Perfon Chrift our Lord is not s fo 'twill be like wife necelfary to fhew what the Scriptures do declare concerning him as to what he is. Now if we confider well the general Scope and Tendency of thofc facred Writings, we fhall perceive very plainly that III m foto; irS'. ■■ ' ; ( ) that Chrift,or the Mefliah, according to the Pro^,, miles, was really to be of the fame Nature with^ them, which he came to redeem *, that as l^y Man came Death, lo by Man might come iilfo the RefarreEHon of the Dead, i Cor. Tw^s by the Seed of the Woman that the Serfent^s Head was irruifed. Gen. 5. 15- To Abraham the Promile was made, that in him and in his Seed all the Nations of the Earth fhoftld be blefed, Gen. 28- 14* .d/oyer tells the Children ot Ifrael, that the Lord their Godjhould raife ap unto them a Prophet like unto him^ Deut. 8. 15. Of this Man s Seed, (mivx\^ Davids) faith Sr. Paul, hath God raifed up unto Ifrael a Saviour, fefus-. Ads 13. 23. In the Fulnefs of time God fent forth his Son,, made of a Woman, Gal. 4. 4. From all which Places 'tis mani- fell:, that as to the pcrfonal Nature of Chrift, he is the fame as were thole humane Ancellors Ifom whom he did lineally defcend •, In all things he was like unto his Brethren, except tn be-, ing a Sinner •, Heb. 2. 17. Heb. 4. 15. And accordingly we find him almoft every where mentioned by that plain Denomination and Term of A MAN', Te feek^ (laith he himfelt) to kill me, A MAN who hath told you the Truth which I have heard of God, Job. 8. 40. After me Cometh A MAN that is preferred be-• /ore wf, [oh. I. 30. fefusof N^ii^seih, A MAN approved of God by Wonders and Signs which God 4 did by him, Ads 13. 3^" He loath appointed a ^ Day in the which he will judg the World in Riohte-m^ A oujnefs aitb the Pi T ^ ^ ^'-f 0^^ God, and one Adedia- ^5 tor between Cod and Men, THE MAN Chrifi com 4i J 2. 5. But THIS MAN, he- '■ caufe he continueih ever, hath an ttnchangeabU itrf{»i, p,.iffthood, Htb. 2.7. But THIS MAN, after, , \ .h'e had once offered one Sacrifice for Sint for ever, • Vr' down at the right Hand of God, Heb. lo. 12. tfe£jj J ^ Multitude of others, but I think fejieH jj needleft. r Godjk tQ jjjg 'jjg flrange that any (hould fo WW, w. tnuch as imagine that the believing and aflerting ;h'D«ii:of chrid to be truly an humane Pcrfon, Ihould (()iti)l.r;t.,(jgjog^te from his true Honour and Dignity^ kffil«,5ivvhen the Gcfpel does fo frequently alfert him {j dHWto be fuch •} whereas on the contrary, 'tis not i'tis Kfaid fo much as once, that he is God mofl high , xofCborthat he is one of that facred Three which do neAofflconftitute or make up the true Godhead: Thefc l"Unfcriptural Titles are derived only from the 'xcf«;'meer Opinions and Traditions of either de- 15. ceived or deceiving Men, whofc Eyes the God loioft trcof this World hath blinded, fo that they cannot iioffliKifee or difcern the Truth. J_(laitii: The Primitive Confejjions concerning JoiJ'f Chrijl rverej JiU' Not that Jefus our Lord was God equal to phidiGihe Father in all kind of Divine Perfecaions^ rntmot that he was God of the Subliance of his Fa- ^as he was Man of the Subhance of his Mo- ftjal thcr^ ( i8 > ther, as forae have taught in after-times. All that thofc firtl Confeffions do contain was this, that he was the Chrifij the Son of Gody and the Saviour of the Worlds This was the Faith of Martha ; She faid unto him. Yea Lord, I believe that thou art the Chrift, the Son of Cod, that fhould come into the TVorld, John 11.27. This was St. Peters Faith, Thou art Chrifi the Son of the living God, Mat. 16. 16. This was the Eunuch's Faith, 1 believe that Chrifi is the Son of God, hQt.% 8.37. This was the Faith of the Mariners Of d Truth thou art the Son of God, Mat. 14. 33. And the Faith of Nicodemm was, TVe know thou art a Teacher come from God, for no Man can do thefe Mir a- cles that thou dofiy except God be with him, John 3. 2. St. Paul is alfo faid to preach Chrift in the Synagogues, that he was the Son of God, A<2:s p. 20. He is faid alfo to teftify to the Jews, not that fefus was God, but that Jefus was the Chrifi, Adts 18. 5. fVe have feen and do tefiify (iaith St. John) that the Father fent the Son to be the Sa- viour of the World, i Joh. 4. 14. Here's no Trinity in Unity, nor God-man, nor Hypofta- tical Union, fo much as mentioned, nor any other of thofe hard and cramping Names with which the Church of God has been fincc perplex'd. ( 19 ) *The undoubted Faith on which the Salva^ tion of all Chriftians does depend^ Is no other than this: Thefe things^ faith Sr. John, are rvritten^ that je might believe that Je- fus is the Son of God'-, and that believing^ je might have Life through his Name^ Joh. 20. 31. If Tve corfefs with our Mouth the Lord fefus, and believe in our Heart that G od raifed him from the Dead, we fhall be faved, Rom. 10. p. TVhofo- ever fhall confefs that fefus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God, i Joh. 4. 15. tfho is he that overcometh the World,b»t he that be- lieveth that fefus is the Son of God? I Joh. 5, 5. Thefe are a plain Account of that Faith which now is indifpenfably required of every Chriftlan in relation to Chrift. The Scripture no where injoins us to believe, on pain of Damnation, either that Jefus is God mort High, or that he is indeed both God and Man, or that he was Eternally begotten of the 'tiktki Father. It only teaches us thus much concern- Hot's, ing him, that the Man Chrif fefus is the Me- lOrHypot diator between God and Men, 2 Tim. 2. 5. That ed, DOlt he is the Propitiation for the Sins of the whole 'ng N® World, I Joh. 2. 2. That it pleafed the Father [ictnfiii bfhim to reconcile all things to himfelf. Col. 1.20. That there is no Salvation in any other, AtSfs 4. 12. That he appears now in the Pre fence of God for us, Hcb. p. 24. And that he fhaUjudg both !^ick and Dead, at the latter Day, Jbls 10. B 4 42. ( 20 ) 42. Thefe arc Fundamentals fo plain, and fb undoubted, that all Chriftians do univcrfally agree in the Profeilion of them, as they like- wife would do in all other Truths, were no- thing but what is really fuch impofed on the Faith of Believers. Of the tranfcendent Dignity of J^fus Chrijl. . And now although from what has been faid hitherto, it be plainly evident, that the Godhead does coHjifl but of one Divine Perfen only, even the Father of Chrifiand that Jefus, called otherways in Scripture the Son of God, is no other than an humane Perfen: yet 'tis plain alfo that he is not a common Man, but the chief and moft tranfcendently Excellent of all humane Beings, yea in Dignity above even the Angels. For as his Conception in the Womb of a Virgin was miraculous, fo wae his Life and f Adlions a Wonder; He made a perfect: Con- ^ queft both of Death and the Devil j and in that great luftance of Magnanimity has out-done all the renowned Heroes both of Greece and Rome., And unto rvhich of the Angels faid God at any , ■ time. Sit thou on my right hand ? but to this Dig- nity is Jefus exalted, Heb.i. 13. God has j crowned him with Glory and Honour, Heb. 2. 9. [ And anointed him with the Oil of Gladnefs above ' his Fellows, Hth. I, y. Angels, and Authorities, and Pomrs being made fubje^ unto i Pct.3.2 2. ^ He ( 21 ) He is afcended into Heaven in a triumphant manner ; and as he now (its there at God's right Hand in Gloryy fo at the lalt Day (hall lie come down from thence, tojudg Afankind, with fuch a furprizing Majelty as (hall amaze and confound the World. 'Tis doubtlels impoHible for any humane Underlfanding to conceive, or Tongue to expreis this moll: excellent Man's tranfcendent Dignity s his Greatnefs muft needs be very ex- traordinary, who is thus fet even ahoVe the An- gels, is the Head of every Man, and the Prince of the Kings of the Earth. i Pet. 3.22. i Cor. II. 3. Rev. I. 5. And now if to thofe foregoing Confide rati- ens we add that of his inotl: admired Love to us finful Mortals, in making Peace for us by the Blood of his Crofsy Col. i. 20. and in undergo- ing with invincible Patience all thofe Indignities and Miferics which did befal him in this the Courfe of that glorious Work of his, the opening for Men a new and living way to the Regions of Blift: The Confidcration of this, I fay, added to that other of his mod tranfcendent Glory and Power, ought evermore to raife up in us that Veneration which is futable to fuch mod wonderful Indances Jjif" of unconceivable Maiedy and Heroick Affedfion. tliiiD^ TeP it is not my way jujiifiable to ho' mur Chrijt faljly. As the Glory of God is not to be advanced by 13.2- FaKhood, fo neither can we truly honour Chrift ft B 3 by J ( 22 ) by Lies •, he defires no fuch thing at our Hands, neither at the lad Day will he reward us for af- firming him to be that which indeed he is not : they only give true Honour to Chrift who own him for the undoubted Meffiah, or the Son of God, and do ftedfaftly both believe and obey his Gofpel, As for the other vain and ungrounded Opinio ojis of Men concerning him, they no ways con- duce to the Glory of our Bleffed Redeemer. 'Tis (aid indeed that we ftiould honour the Son at we honour the Father J Job. 5. 23. But that word j4S does not import an equal Honour, no more than it does import an equal Holinefs and Purity, when we are commanded to purify our fclves AS he is pure, i John 3. 3, And AS he which hath called you is holy, fo be ye holy in all manner of Converfation, 1 Pet. i. 15. Befides, the word Honour is of a doubtful Import, and doth often-times fignify only Obe- dience, as is evident from E^hef. d. i, 2. where by honour thy Father and Afother is clearly lignir fied, ob^ your Parents. And accordingly Dr. Clagyet, in his Paraphrafc on the Place, makes it to be an honouring the Son with the fame Faith and Obedience ; implying, that we are as much bound to believe and obey the Gofpel of Chrift in the New Teftament, as we are the Law of God recorded in the Old ; that fiiKe he is made Judgof the World, to be certain he will not Ibffer the Breach of his own Laws to go unpu- pilhtd. Doubt? A ( 2^ ) Mi, Doubtlefs we ought to be as careful of afcri- foi jf. blng to Chrift thofe Glories which arc his, as snot; we are to give to God Almighcy that Honour M own which elTentially belongs to himfclf: and no eSond Man can think or fpeak too honourably of his indolr Redeemer, fo long as he no ways does thereby rob God the Father of that truly Divine Ho- Opiiii nour which is his indifpenfible Due. Our Lord myscit who fought not his own Glory, (fohn S. ^o.) ledeEmt will give us no Thanks for fuch Honours as do thtki naturally derogate from his Father's Dignity : itiBtsti but fuch is their Honour who make the Son to , nona be God ■, for then lince but one Perfon can be andPiir truly God, they do aflert by Confequence that I OUT the Father is not fo. y ht K God has indeed highly exalted Jefus his be- loved Son, and has given him a Name above every Name, and has put all things under his aWl Ffft' But when all things arc faid to be thus ,^(y! put under him, 'tis manifefi tkM he himfelf is , J excepted that did put all things under hintj i Cor. I'tailyfij * 5' ^7' notwithftanding the greatand [WiC ruighty Dignities to which God hath exalted jji;! Chrift, yet he has ftill referv'd to himfelf this moft fupremc Peoyalty of being the God and J <7hrifi.. God hath given him indeed a I Kingdom i but when the Intent of this Govern- inent of his is accomplilh'd, he (hall again re- lisDU 9°^ after-ltate of ' Eternity may be all in all, i Cor. i y. »4, zy, jouf ( 24 ) Anfwers to the frinctfal Ohjel^iofts ma,de Again^ the 'VnitarU» Do^rine. An D now the from what has been already faid, no Man vyhofe Underftanding is not inilaved by the Tyranny either of Self-conceit, Intcreft, or Education, can doubt of fo great a Truth as this is, namely, that no perfonal Being whatever, befides the Father of Chrift, is God mofi High •, as alfo that other Branch thereof, that Jefus our Lord, as to his Nature, is the fame with them whom he came to redeem. Yet fince there have been many Objections raifed againft it, I will endeavour as briefly as I can, to give them fuch reafonable Anfwers as fhall make thefc Truths beyond Exception. Of the Names of God given to Chrijl. Some object, that Chrift of neceffity muft be God, fince in fcveral Places of Scriptiue he is exprefly called by the Name of God. I anfwer, A God he mdoubtedly is ^ and a mighty Goi too, according to the way of Exfreffion ufed in ihofe antient times 5 in which thofe were called Gods who either reprefented God's Perfbn, or acted in his Name and by his Authority: but he is not God Almighty, When the Jews did accufc him for making himfelf God, he thus vindicates his Innocence; j^, faith he, they are called Gods to whom the Word ( 20 Ji^ord of God came—m.Sayj)eofhim rphom the Fa- ther hath fanBified, and fent into the World, Thou M. hlajfhemejl, hecaufe 1 [aid I am the Son of God? ^ John lo. 35, 36. Chriii had as good a flight miiiti to this Title as any of the red, if not a better", Mgist and therefore it could be no Blafphemy to ap- If-COK propriatc the fame to himfelf, had he done fo ; ' fi&K but they lied, for he did not do it, he only faid, fonalBs that he was the Son of calling God his Fatiicr. i,sGi nditk Qf fijg Mediation of fefus Chrifi. ,i!thcfc J J / J t. Others objedh, that if Chrift were not God ailed iji: as well as Man, he could not have been a fit an, toj Mediator between Gcd and Man, lince in fuch yi a a Cafe, fay they, he ought no way to be cxad:- ly the Perlbn concern'd. A fit Mediator be- twcen God and Man rnuft neither be only God, ioCfeif^or only Man, but one who by Nature is be- tween thefe two, even God as well as Man. Keffittii lanfvyeri 'Tis not neceffary that a Mediator niptiilhould be of fuch a middle Nature, nor does the ianirScripture any where affert it; There is always ro^fe/Tuppofed in the Work of Reconciliation, one ^(loffended, another offending, and a third not wttc iconcern'd in the Quarrel, interpofing to make Ptifoo, Peace between them. Now in this Senfe Chrifl, ty; kthough but a Man, was a very fit and proper Mediator: Had he been God, he had been the irmaiiiParty offended i had he been afinfulMan, he uoccnsiad been one of that Party that gave the Of- ,1,0$ fence , but being a Man perfcdfly righteous, he m there- ( 20 , therefore was fit to intercede between God and h ^ Sinners. ^ That Chrifi is out Mediator, is plain and evi- W < dent i and 'tis as plain that he is only a Man, ' and not both God and Man, as fome afTert: There faith the Scripture, one God, and one Mediator between God and Meny the Man Chrifi ikn/, Jefpuy 2 Tim. 2. 5. And 'tis moft wonderful, itiml tlrat in a Matter fo manifeftiy evident, Men fhoulddarc to impoie upon the World another Faith, or be induc'd to believe contrary to fo f® lii plain and evident a part of God's Word. ijicioiiel) ■ 'Ait Bit Of the Onenefs of God and Chrtfi. m ' eialFr Others objcd}, that Chrilt Jefus mart needs fiuloi be God, becauie 'tis laid, I and my Father are jiiipjij oney John 10.30. And again 5 There be three that bear Record—and thefe three are onCy I Job. 5, 7. To thefe I anfwer, that though 'tis faid they arc one, yet 'tie not faid what one they are; atobjB 'rA not faid they are one God. This is only the iFbh ungrounded AfTertion either of fome eafy-mind- ed, or elfc of foiue heedlefly bold and daring tjlaj" Men. Doubtlefs by that Paffage, j John y. 7. is itoj meant, that thefe three are one as to the Record which they are there faid to bear •, they pcrfeft-sPj^j^ ly a^ee in that Witnefs which they give con- cerning Jelus his being truly the Chrilt, asthciiePj, JoregoingVerfes do plainly intimate. As I (27) Jodji; As for that other Paffagc, fohnio, 'tis plain, that the Oncncfs there meant is a Myftical \indtr or Moral, and not a Natural Onenefs ; And 'tis y iMr doubtkis explained by John 17. 11. where our w afftr Saviour prays that his Difciplcs might be one at 4 he And his Father mere one ^ that thej^ iaith he, Clr, may be one^ as thou Father art in me, and I in womiti thee, that they may he one in us, v. 21. which lew, denotes an Oneneis only in the fame mutual iild w Affcdion, for Believers can be one in no other Senfc but this: and look what Oneneft there Old. ought to be between one true Believer and ano- ther, the fame Onenefs there is between Chrift Cir;]f, and God, an inward Intimacy, like that be- tween real Friends, of whom 'tis ufual to fay, i miBf they are all one, one in Heart, and one in Mind; ij kiffi as thofe in Mis 4. 32. are laid to be. htrtkn m,i ' Of the Equality of God and Chrifi. ough'rii; imtinr Some objedf, that Chrift muft be God as well jjsonlj: as his Father, becaufe 'tisfaid, that bethought (tafw it no Robbery to be equal with God, Phil. 2. <5. Janddi: To this I anfwer, that Chrift himfelf hath told us, that his Father is greater than he, John 14. 28. Hence 'tis plain, that if the Son beany ways equal to the Father, yet 'tis really but in (jcyfflk fome Particulars , for were the Son equal to the irgivrt! Father in every Rcfped, then 'twere impollible ri/i, t for the Father to be greater than he. Whence 'tis clear that the Son cannot be equal to the Father in all things, though in foine things ( 28 ) things he may. For inftance, as God canfavc Believers, (o this alio Chrift can do» but this Power of Chrih is not an effential, but a dc- rived Power; Thott hafi given him Power over 4II Flejhy that he floould give Eternal Life to as many as thott hafi given him, John 17« 2. Theic are our Saviour's own Words ; and 'tis plain, that he from whom he receives the Power, muft in Power be fuperiour unto him: he is not there- fore Almighty, and fo by Confequence not God moft High, as the Objedion would fuppofc. • ' ;tol tDCCji iMi/i u'i ftlf- jirel rfjilioi ;mo Of ChriJPs being the Maker of the World. Some objed', that Chrift is faid to be the Maker of the Worlds, Heb. i. 2. and that all things were made by him, fok 1.3. and there- fore, fay they, he of neceffjty mult be God E- ternal. I aiifwer, many things are fpoken of Chrift figuratively, as he is called a Way, a Door, fit i iloltt iimlSi a Vine 1 and the Bread in the Saaament is faid " to be his Body. Now thefe, as thofe likcwife which affirm him to be the Maker of the World, are Figurative or Myftical Expreffions, in which one thing is faid to fignify another, as the Old Creation to fet forth the New. There are in the Scripture many dark and difficult Paflages, hard to be underftood, as St. Peter expreflcs it, 2 Epifi. 16. which are doubtlefs true in fome Senfe or other, could we be fo happy as to hit upon the right: But in the mean time, till this can be done, 'tis cer- tain 'm-tn '*11 flit lliu ( 29 ) I can[j£ainthat that can never be the right Senle which ( buttyontradidts the cleareft and the plained parts of but a :the Bible, as well as the greatcft and moH: certain Poww rEvidences of humane Underftanding. Lift ti The general Current of the Scripture declares ,2, Xjplainly, that or the vnas derived I'tisp/riw the Seed of Abraham ^ that he rtas the Son own,-«/David i that he-anas made of a Woman. Where- isnot'iijlorc 'tis felf-evidcnt that in a literal Senfe he ncenotC'COuld never be the Maker of the World, whofe (uppo(t,true Ancefiors were humane Perfons, and who was born, or whole Being did lirft begin to be, ^|j][}rj^fome thoufands of Years after the World was made. All Scriptures therefore that affirm 1 to IjChtiil: to be the Maker of the World^ and to be Maker of all things^ mull bcfuppoled to fpeak j, underllood in . IxGoitheir literal Senfe and Meaning, jj fpjijj In all fuch Cafes as this is, 'tis fafer to fay, jiyhat we cannot underftand truly in what Senfe ,jjj„[jjtthefe Scriptures are to be taken, than it is to con- gtfludc, that they mean that which other more jljjpyiumerous and plain Places of Scripture, as well p.as Reafon, do make to be impollible. 0/ the two Natures ofjefus Chrijt. 'nooJ, Scriptures which fay that \ ^^hrijl has a God above him 5 that he could do no- ' 5 he knew not of the Bay of It; that he died to redeem Mankind. The ' j^^Xlppofers reply, that this is meant only as to ( p ) 31 told I mn mjhi .\w i ja'iPoa his Manhood or humane Nature, but not as to his Divine Nature : for as he was God, none was his Superiour •> he had all Power clTentialiy in himfelf, knew all things, and was truly im* mortal. I anfwcr; If Chrift had really two Natures in him, fo that thereby he had been truly God as well as Man, the Perfon thus conftitutcd or made up of two fuch Natures, could never ,, have died according to his humane Nature, if "'J., by his Divine Nature he had been truly God too : for how could he in Perfon have been mortal in one Capacity, if he had been on the contrary immortal in another ? He alfo could , ^ not poflibly have been ignorant in one Capacity f of what he knew in another i nor could he have wanted any kind of Power, if in any of hisCa- pacities he had had all Power elTcntially in him- lelt i Capacity tnufi needs have fuppUed the DefeBs of the other^ efpccially the Itronger of the weaker. ilr, 'ifjsb. Of Chrifl his being the Son of God. «30(ll 'Tis objected, that as Chrift Jefus our Lord was begotten by God on the Body of the Vir- *>i1k gin \ fo he muft neceftarily be God of the Sub- fPiji ftanceof his Father, as he was Man of the Sub- ftance of his Mother. In Anfwer to this I fayf^itli that when the Angel faluted the Virgin with the tto(l Glad-tidings of her being deligned «o be the Mo- ther not of God^ but of the promifed Meffiah, 'JKaii he () lOt as! Ghofl JhouU come upon 1^1 nK > '*^'^ Power of the Highefi fhould over- ffentii 2nd that therefore that holy thing duly'[ fhould be born of her^ fhould be called the Son of God-, Luke i. 31, 35. oNate Relation of this MelTagc thcfc following Particulars are remarkable ; mWi* Power only, and not of his Perfon i the ' Nato. Higheji fhall overfhadow thee. ' Twas of the Woman only that he was made, Gal.^.^. l^j,( lu (He was not generated, as fomc think, out of been on'hi^ Father's Subftance) and fo by Confequencc le alioa miraculous and AI- :oiilb!r 5 It is not laid that therefore he fliall /,■/ be the natural Son of God in thatScnfe, as one jV Man is the natural Son of another 5 but there- fore he (hall be called the Son of God, or he fhall lb be, and be fo reputed, becaufe in this ™ one particular Inftance God was to him infiead of a Father, not a Father in the way that Men .^1 are Fathers to their Children, but a Father in f/ refpedf of the Virgin's receiving a Power from , I God j thus in an uncommon manner to con- ^^|,^^ceive in her (elf a Son of fofephmd David, :, From what has been faid I think it appears r |"i plainly, that Chrift his being God of the Sub- . i ftance of his Father, is an ungrounded Conceit, '"^"uThe Generation ol our Lord Jefus may be bet-- . .uj accounted for another way : for God the Al- ^ mighty (50 . 1. mighty Architect, and moft-wife Contrivcf of . Fffil the Creation, has leferv'd to hitnfclf a Power to alter the Courfe of Nature whenfoever he- pleales ^ and as of a Rib taken out from the lide kfo of Adam he made a Woman, fo by the lame omnipotent Power he did enable a Virgin Wo- Cyi, man to conceive a Son. If God had Power out j/fk of mere Stones to raife up Children unto Ah^a- ham. Mat. 3. 9. we ought not to think it inert- dible, that in this miraculous manner he ftiould» out of the Pollerity of Abraham raile up this ScedU fo woriderfully to be the World's Redeemer, u Of the Fotfer by which Chrijl did Miracles. i I Some J Hnd are ftrengly perfwaded that none but a Perfon truly God could do thofe wonder- fui Works that Chrilt did. To fuch I anfwer, i jajti that a Man who is no God can do things that! are miraculous, when God gives him a Power' to perform them. This is evident in thofe • taii;; which A/ofrs did, and in thole alfo which were. wrought by the Apoftles. The Works of Chrifi;» indeed were extraordinary, yet not done bya^t Power inherent in himfelf, but by a Power de- rived from God : for him.felf tells us, tbataSn^c^ Power wot given unto him both in Heaven and in [3^^ Earth, Mat. 28. 18. He was a ^ian aoyroved of A God (faith the Apoftle) by Miracles, Wonders^ and Signt which God did by him,- Adls 2.22. This (? ?) ivetoi *fhis Power God did beftowon Chrifl, to be only an Evidence of his being the true Mclliah : (aith Nicodemus, We k^ov that than art a iklii Teacher come from God j for no Man can do thefe {Ijffjgs that thou dofly except God he with himy ^uiW; jioh. ^,2. The Worksy faith Chrilt, which the pother hath given me to fnifhy the fame Works A. that I doy bear witnefs of me, ]oh. 5- ^6. His kitiia VVorks were an evident Proot that he was no kfitsilmpoftor, but a true and moft wonderful Pro- pAisSd phet -y yet IHII he is laid to he hut a Man, a iteM. Man whom God was with, a Man by whom ,,, God did Wonders. 'ijliii Of the Jncomprehenfiblenefs of GocCs Nature. liktc fe WGK Some objeA, that we muft not think to com- :hl2if''prehend the infinite Nature of God, nor under- I things hand tully every Particular that does relate to his ma Pot Divine Pcrfcdfions; for God is Incomprehenfi- It in ible, and may for ought we know be that which wliidi«yet we cannot plainly underhand him to be, ksofCi'iamely, three in Perlon, though but one in ^oncliElftnce. Pqm; 1 anfweri Some of God's Divine Pcrfedlions x?, itil.are felf-evident, and 'tis impollible that we can iniftakcn therein; We are infallibly certain ,j-j5,jth3t he mu(^ be Immcnfe in Perfon, Almighty ffgiiia Power, and moft Wife in Knowledg._ And 22, although we cannot know what God is in eve- ' ry Refpedf, yet at the fame time we miy know ii>- C cer- ( ^4 ) certainlywhat indeed he is not *, we know cer- q tainly that he is not a Many or that he was made ^ , ofa Woman, as Chrift was : We know certainly that he is not mortaly or that he cannot die, Chriff did j and we know certainly that he has not a God above hm, as Chrilt had •, and we know ® certainly that he hat not received any kind of Pow- „ & from anothery as Chrilt Jefus is laid to do. .1. ^ ' And as one Truth naturally infers another, fo we do from hence aiTuredly conclude that Perfon of Jefus our Lord is not truly God ■, for ^ '7' he ytas made of a Womany Gal. 4. 4. He died to redeem us, 2 Cor. 5- '4* He had a God a- bovthimy i Cor. 11. 5. And he did receive all the Power he had of another y J oh. 5- n 28. 18. We alfo know certainly that if the Divine Godhead did conlift of three Perfons, tliat then neither of the three Peri'bns lingly can be God. Niiit If all three be but that one God together (asj.^. the Trinitarians aflert) then no one of them can be the true God by himfelf: for the fame Deno- mination cannot properly tit each Perfon fingly, as does tit them when conjoined in onemutual''*''.'' Pvclation s for then they might be faid to be in- deed three fupreme Godheads, which is utterly'■®* impoflible. , Wc alfo know certainly that if any of tbt''^ three Perfons, faid to be in the God head,be Gcd^ by himfelf, as wc have proved God the Father^ fo undoubtedly is, then all the reft are but iupctr® '*fo ftuous and unneceffary, as to the Conftitutioo^N ovjct ( 35 ) jsjjj of a Godhead: for one Infinite, Almighty, WilePerfon,. is as fuffidentto all the itdit, Purpofes of a Godhead, as ten thoufand Deities; ;)Ki*i three be but the one true God together, W ffi them can be that one true God by himfcif alone, itodc, Lafdy? we may be infallibly certain that if Do1; Joh. 3. 13. But no Man but Ghrirt ever came ^a( down from thence, which he never could have m done had he not iirft afcended up thither. And that he was taken up to be inftrudfed in fhcaKs DixTrine he was to publifli to the World,'s plain ->^1% alfo •, The Father, faith he, that fent me, he gave me a Commandment what I jhould fay, and":l^j; what Ifhould fpeai^-. Joh. 12.4^. The Rcdrniption or Reftoration of Mankind was a Work of prodigious Difficulty j and God, ran who had lore-ordained our Saviour for the Per., \ fortnance thereof, did for his greater IiKouragt-.-jj^ ment prefent to his View the Glories, which the mrld was (Joh. 17.5.) he had deligned as Reward for his Son the Meffiah : and 'twas doubt- tnt aftc doubtlcfe this Fore-tafte of the Divine and Hea- v&tii venly Happinefs that animated him with Cou- invclit; rage and Fortitude to encounter all the Difficul- btina ties that flood in his way. Hence'tis fa id, that he for the Joj that tvas fet before hinty did endure onpl4 the Croft, and defpife the Shame, Hcb. 12. 2. bt rift f®"" Of the Eternity of Chrifl. kcfmlii iGlffjii Some object, that Chrifl isfaidto be before km, I Abraham, before all things, and that he !,IJ. i before the World vtas. This, fay hiraili: ^bey, proves him to be Eternal, and by Conle- tavflitti; quence God. I anfwer, V» imfoffible that Chrifl can be the true and living God, lince 'tis nfcniii pl^'" brom what has been faid in the former part r0 Bf 'bis Work, that no Perfon is truly God but lillpdo; the Father of Chrifl, and that Chrifl has a God ftcouHli! »hoTie him. 1; 'Tis impollible for Chrifl to be Eternal j for ijlfjin; if God be his Father, as all acknowledg, then ifjlJlsp; there was a time when the Son had not a Being: for to be a Son, and to be equal in Duration j. t with his Eternal Father that begot him, is un- 'Sdoubtedly impollible. Beildes, we are told 3[ Mii plainly, that the Son was Hrfl fore-ordained be- , jnJGifore he came to have a Being in thefe latter Jj4.f,times, iPet.i.zo. Now no fore-ordained Income Being can poflibly be Etrrnal, lince he that did ordain his Being, mufl be before him of Necefli- •, and none but the very fitfl of all Beings can Jj'wbe truly Eternal, ■ 0: C 3 How ( 38 ) How could he have a Being before AhrAham, fince'tis declared he was of the Seed of {)^ti ham} How could he be before Pavidj when 'iwas out of David's Pofterity that God raifcd up Jefus according to his Promife ? And fince Jefus the Son of God wot made of a fVoman^ Gal. 4. 4. he could not be more antient in time • - than his Mother that bare him. - (la It follows then that thefe Scriptures on which the Objedion depends, arc purely tigurativc, and ate not to be underitood in their literal Senft , , and Meaning; They declare indeed that Chrift . iafome Senfe or other vfSishdorc all things, be- lore j4hrahamy and had Glory before the World was, but not in that Senfc which the Objedots ,.:j; luppofe. For 'tis not reafonable they Ihouldbe under- fiood infuch a Scnfc as contradids both com- mon Underiianding, and the greateli and plain- ell part ot all the Bible ^ they are Places of the lame Nature with thole which St. Peter affirms " arc hard to he uttderfiood, 2 Pet. 3.16. and for that Reafon mufi by Interpretation be brought to fuch a Senfe as is agreeable to the Analogy of ^ Faith, and the moft general Scope and Dcfign , of the Holy Scriptures: that is to fay, that Chrift was before Abraham^ and before the ^ World, (^c. in the Fore-ordination, Deaec and Counfcl of God, as in very Deed St. Peter . interprets them, when he faith thus of Chtift, that he verily mas fere-ordained before the Foundik- ^' tion of the iPorld, but mas manifefi {n thefe lafi • timefj 1 Pet. 1.20. " " iAhi _ wis . ^xiniis ^n(l(K . aJfui ntintii' lonwk ligm liiajlSs thatCic iif,; ttki; *Ob|(a IdknB isbo'k :liaiK![«' >kai(f; Prtff® ■ l^. ami bciaro!! 'Analoe!' 0 f«i " brtiit' 'on, ft® J St. ft ;ofC«i tthtft' < ) the Satisft^fion that Chrifi mude to God. Sortie argue thus ^ That if Chrift had not been God, the Sacrihce he offered, or the Satif- fidtioii he made for Sinners, would not have been of that Infinite Worth which was nccclTary to fatisfy the Infinite Juftice of an offended God. "I anfwer, The Holy Scriptures do not any where dedare this Dotftrine, but on the contrary they tell us, that as hj the Offence of one^ judgment •came upon all Men to Condemnation ^ fo by the Righteoufnefs of one^ the free Gift c.-*- c upon all Mentofuftifcationof Life. Rom. 5. iS. In which Words are contained the tvhole Do- (ffrine of the Satisfadion of Chrilf i and they imply thus much only, that God was fo infi- iiitely well pleated with the unfpotted Righte- oufnefs of his Son, that for his fake he cntrcd into a new Covenant of Grace and Mercy with fWankitid, wherein he did engage himfclf to be ftill their God, and to afford them new Means -of becoming his People. Thus did God in Infinite Mercy take all Men again into Favour for the fake of one perfcdly righteous Perfon, as in infinite Juifice he had before included all Men under Suffering for their hrft Father's Sin and Tranrgreffion ; So that as 'bj Man came Deaths the Punilhrnent due to the Breach of the iirit Covenant, fo by Man came Mfo the_ Refurre^itn from the Dead, i Cor. 15. C 4 2U t-' I I i ( 4® ^) , 21. All which was not the Effec^l of any cqui- valent Price which by Chrift was given to God, rCJit but of the Righteoulncfs or Obedience, which he perform'd to his Father's Command: for at hy one Afans Difobedience many were made Sinners fo by the Obedience of one {hall many be made Righteoitt, Rom. 5. ip. Had Chiilt given to God, or made in our ftead fuch a Satisfaction as had been equivalAit to the TranfgrelTions ol all Men, in order to re- ^act deem them, how then could Eternal Life be the tsso free Gift of God ? How then could we be favtd by Free Grace ? and how could our Sins be faid .aci to be forgiven ? for Gilt, and Grace, and For- 'iin givenefs, are not proper terms where an Equi- :raii valent hath been received. .'t? Iti the Scripture 'tis faid indeed, that Chrift k" ■ hath obtained Eternal Redemption for »#, Heb. 9. T 2. That our Peace it made through the Blood of .ijt: | his Crofs, Col. 1,20. That we wert; reconciledk unto God by the Death of his Son, Rom. 5- s-b Bot it fpeaks not fo much as one Word of an h Equivalent. - But is it not faid, lay fome, that we are bought - with 4 Price, 1 Cor. 6. 2c. And that the Strnz-^ (f Man ku given his Life a Ranfom for many I ■Mat. 20. 28. 1 anfwer, Thefe ate but impro-SKQ per Exprellions, and arc of the fame Nature bQjj, with thole which attribute Hands, and Eyes,;^^,^^ and Eiars to God, which only imply that fuch^p^j Adts arc done by God which Men ufually per- form by thefe bodily Parts: Even fo Chrilt isJ^ faid ° < 41 ) ®V faid to ranfom us, and to buy us with a Price, toGa bccaufe by his Means we do receive Benefits e, wb; equivalent to what they do who are fet free from iind; 1 any kind of Mifery and Bondage,by the Payment itrt % of a Price to them in whofe Bondage they are. dmm I (hall, as a Clofe. to what I have to fay on this Head, add, that the Jullice of Grod fpoken aadtitt of is fatistied in a manner different from that iqjBii Ivhich the Adverfary fuppofcs; that is to fay, orfnti: tile Juhiceof God is falistied in the certain Pu- alliitk; niihment of Tranfgredi^n. Adamwzs webts commanded not to eat of the forbidden Fruit iSinsliti on pain of Death. This Command he tranf- a, audi: greffed j and 'tis evident that the Punifhment laeank was accordingly inflided, for Adam died, and all his Poflerity do die likewife. Novv when the Penalty is thus inflidlcd, 'tis plain that Ju- llice is (atisfied, and God in Equity can require iJiIkIIj no more ; but had not Chrilt obtained the Fa- vour to reftore us to Life after the Punifhment ^oiti,), was thus inflidted, there had then been an End of iWoiiii Mankind for ever. From hence 'tis apparent how idle their Fan- cy is who imagine Chrift fuffered what all Man- lj,ji (j( kind fhould have fuffered, in order to free them (gfi for ever from fuffering the fame. P'or 'tis plain jljiitijt beyond Contradidion, that we are not freed from Death, the Punifhment due to that firfl ' Tranfgredion, for we all dies God doesexadt fj,-!, the Forfeiture of every one of us, and by Con- 0]^', kquence his Jufticc, as to that OtTencc, is fa- , ctjr;- jished in all its Demands. But this, fay fome. ( 42 0 is faife, foi Hell was our Due as well as Death; and from that Chrilt has freed every one that will believe. I anfwer, 'Tis llrange that Oirilt fhould Iree Believers from one part of the Pu- nilhment and not from the other : The Scrip- turcs no where reveal this Secret, and for that Reafon wc need not believe it. Hell is the Puniflnnent which is due to the Breach of the lecond Ckavenant, and not of thfe hrit i now neither has Chrilt freed us from this by any thing tirat he has done and fuffered tor ' us. He by his Righteoufnels did indeed procure for us a new Covenant, and this new Covenant of Grace propofes Life and Pardon oti condition that wc will believe its Promifes, fincercly en- deavour to obey its Precepts, and repent of Sin i ' and they are truly the Breakers of this Covenant who live in a contiitued Courie of Difobcdiencc thereunto, and dieatlaltin final Impenitence. ®!tit Now for fuch Sinners as thefe there does remain li n IX) Sacrihce-, Chrilt never died for the Re- deiTiption of fuch, and by Conlequence can no ^ t!ia ways be faid to futfer in their Itcad. ; js Fab Of the Ohjecf of Divine Worfbip. ■ % Some objetS-, that Jefus mult be God, be- jiii as caule 'tis recorded that his Name, in the moft jitWi] Primitive Times of the Gofpel,was called upon ", fiii ■fee AEts 14. and 22. id. I anfwer-, *Tis liefj difficult to underhand rightly what is there SiPlac meant by Calling on his Name : This is cet- tain, ( 43 ) Scripture no where injotns us to IK ife Chrift the Objed of Divine Worfhip ^ itCliit " does rather exprclly intimate the contrary. Our ^ Pj Lord forewarns his Dilciples not to ask any thing ot him after his Afcenfion, but bids them ask the Father in his Name, foh. 16. 23,24,26. And when our Lord taught his own Dilciples to pray, he bids them fay, Onr Father -whichart [jotojh in Heaven, Mit, 6. p. He does not diredf them to fay, OChrilthear us: He tells the Samaritan Woman, that in the following times the trtte Kdma ^ot{hiffers fhmld worjhip the Father, Job.4.23. 'CoWiS 'Twasthe Dodbrineot St. Paul, that in every iicotiits ^^'"8 h'raycr and Supplication we ihould let our Requefts be made known unto God, Phil. 4. 6. And his own Pradfice was according to -Qj^ his Doctrine, I how my Knee (faith he) to the )i!oi*iis onr LordJefiuChrifl, Eph. 3. 14. and in many other Places, God or the Father, not ioesii# Ghrilt, is mentioned as the alone ObjeCt of Di- vine Adoration and Petition: And 'tis worth noting, that Chrili himfelf, whofe Example and Footfteps we fhould follow, prayed always to his Father, and never did fo much as once (1 petition any other Perfon of the fuppofed Tri- •' ^ nity. ^Jii And as to Thankfgiving, 'tis plainly faid to ujl be the Will of God that we Ihould do all in the Name of the Lord jefus, giving Thanks to God , . ^ and the Father by him, Col. 3. 17. And in an- other Place we are commanded to give Thanhs fjstt liteays unto Gd And the Father, in the Name of ( 4^) Chrifij Eph. 5. 20. And accordingly wc * i read in a great number of Places in the New Tc- "ifiiiis llament, how the Apoftlcs gave God Thanks jirW through Jefus Chrift. Jcius our Lord is {aid in Scripture to affear in ji 11 the Prefence of God for us, Heb. 9. 24. to be an yidvocate for Sinners, I Joh. 2. I. Totnakfln- ifeiTi terceffion for the Snints, Rom. 5. 34. Tohc the (iibt. Aiediator hetween God and Men, i Tim. 2. 5. iiieian The Minifier of the new Covenant, Heb. 8.6, (Oi^ All which proves him to be the Perfon that ^5 a pleads our Gaufe, that folicites our Acceptance, ^aln the great Tranfaflor and Manager of all Affairs ^t^ii between God and us •, but it no ways intimates any Divine Worfhip due to himfclf. (If/ii And indeed {hould we put Chrifl: inftead of , the true God, and make him the alone Objcd ! of Divine Prayer and Thankfgiving, in whofe 0 Name then (hall we approach the Throne of jju Grace ? and by whom (hall we render Thanks to God ? who (hall be our Interceffor, our Ad- vocate, our Mediator ? For my part I know but of one Mediator, and that's the Man Chrift Je- j5(Q| fus, I TVw.z.y. and he only is the Mediator be- ;t„j tween us Men and the one true God, whom 1 before have proved to be only the Father of Je- Mc fus Chriii. , To make our Lord Chrilt therefore the Ob- jcdl of our Divine Addreffes is as much as in us lies to deprive him of his Mediatory Office, which alfo by Confcqucnce is to deny him to be the Son of God, even the Beloved in whom alone ^evflt by this we deny alio the Godhead of the Father, Tkte in whofe head we do by this Means place Chrilr, than which there can be nothing in this World that is more truly Antichriftian; Sec i John . tobti 2. 2Z. Jimif. Now from the aforegoing Arguments 'tis Tolxt evident, that whatever the Senfe of the objected Tidi,!,' Places are, yet they cannot mean that which ) Hbl the Objedfor intends, lince in vaftly more nu- Mode tnerous and plain Places the Scriptures make Acctf«ffi God and not Chriff to be the alone Objcdf of our aliiiE Divine Addrefles. 15s iaK ' Of the Novelty of the VnitarUn Some objed againft the Dodrine of God's le Troi being but one in Perfon, the Novelty thereof^ ida Ik that 'tis but of Yellerday in comparifon to that rot,C(ii which aflerts a Trinity, which is, they fay, of [Hiict: atleaft idoo and odd Years ftanding. lanfwer, inCkii' that the Objedor is greatly millaken : for can Hfijiata: that be a new Dodrine which has the greateft oJ, flic and the mofl plain part of the Scripture for its aitod- Foundation? The Dodrine of God's being but one in Perlbn, is in the former part of this ort trf® VVork proved to be exprelly and plainly con- icljaiii!: fain'd both in the Old and New Teftamcnt, and jry d by Confcquence muft needs be as antient as the jiiniio: Scriptures are. liiiny. . ilcittO* • Docirine. The m t»t(i ffife "(40 The long Continuance of the contrary Do-» (ftrine, if it were as antient as the Objedtois af- hrm, is yet no Argument of its real Truth. We read that foon after the good Wheat was fown, the Enetny began tofprinkle Tares in theField ^ Mat. 13. 25. And the Myftery of Iniquity be- gan to work even in St.Pfcure Myftcries as evidently do coiv uA 11 tradidi other plain Truths, do no ways concern raiowi as we arc in the dark as to their , r i; true Senfe and Meaning. — [ When a Myhery is plainly exprefe'd in Scrip- ture, as when 'tisfaid, a Virgin did coiKeive a '' r Son, or that all Men (hall rife again, or that wftcic )"^g World, and no other plain wbnt(s S'^^P'^i^'^ontradidis if, neither is it contrary to p, humane Reafon ^ we are then to believe it, tho ^ it may be above our Underlhnding to conceive ™ / which way the Power of God fhould enable a Virgin to conceive, or in what manner our (cat- Kn (1. recolledled and revived, or '®"!| how our blelTed Saviour can be made Ht for fo [fy- ^ Work as an Univerfal Judg. wSi f But if fome Places in Scripture had faid tbefe things, but others more numerous and plain had affirmed the contrary, or had it contradidl- ed any felf-cvident Principle of Pveafon, we might then have rcjedted the Belief thereof as fafcly and with as good Authority as we now do that of the Popifh Tranfubftantiation, which by allSffliS ^ exprefly contain'd in Scripture as ftfoaffl 13 t{,3t pf Trinity. ^!"® But for Myftcries of a more doubtful Native, iliciis''' fuch as want the Qualifications before expreis d> ithtWl they can iro ways oblige our Faith, fo long as Imp their true Meaning lies hid in Obfcurity of Ex- rodciH' prcfl^on. There will be a time when all fecret ig'"''' things (ball be revealed, and all hidden things fvhic^^ , fnall caiii ' ( 4S ) (hall be brought to light, for which wc tnuft wait with Patience, and nor pretend, as fome -jIxht do, to explain even what is inoli hard and diffi- ^pJii cult, by (uch Notions as arc purely unintclligi- 1,(1(1 blc; for this is but the more to confound their Minds which were at a lofs before. 'Tis true, if any Man can rationally explain a Myliery, he then does good Service both to God and Man ^ but this we arc infallibly certain Bu'Jj is never done, when the Senfe that is given of a doubtful Place of Scripture is contrary not only to the general Cunent of the rch of the VVord -^'jn, of God, but is alfo a Contradidfion to the mort'%|L felf-evident Sentiments of humane Undcrltand- '"g* uN'oti But fomc may fay. If fuch Paffages as thcfc arc lb generally to be overlook'd in the Bufincls of Religion, why then did God caufe them to jj be recorded in the (acred Scripture ? I anfwer, that it may as well be asked, why God made lo many forts of (mall, and as we think, nfe- lefs Iniedfsto live upon the Earth, (ince we know not what Beneht they are of to the World ? Doubtlefs God, who docs nothing in vain, made them for fome great Ends, though out Ihort-fighted Undcrllanding cannot perceive , y w|j3t thofe excellent Ends of his arc : Even fo likewife will his Wi(dom be manifelkd fome way or other, by what to us is yet hard to be iV. underlfood in Scripture. And though we are n ignorant of the true meaning of many of the . j molf obfcure and doubtful Parts thereof, the ( 49 ) t mi, Ends and Purpofts of God in caufing them to be Written, either are or fliallindue time be MQife gccomplifhed. In the mean time we ought to magnify that manifeft Goodneis of God, who hath comma- nicatcd to Mankind fuch a number of plain and ] y evident Precepts as will be fully lufEcient for Sal- :e botk vation, if we carefully obfervc them. All are Uycffi: concern'd in the Bufinefs of Life Eternal, there- ^knol. foxe hath God given us Laws futable to our com- iptit^mon Capacities : The Gofpel of Chrift was Stk&prcach'd to the Poor, which intimates that the 'ot^itiilGlad-tidings ol Salvation did not confitl of Jndtififfl unintelligible Myfteries, but of fuch plain and evident Notions as did ht the Undcrftandings of 128Jit the loweft People, the Bate U''Of Faith and, Reafon. ' 1 * Qd u There are a fort of People in the World of thiiii, a feveral falle Pcrfwafions, who when they can no Kc win longer maintain their Errors againft the Power tlicfeof true Reafon, fly to Faith as their laft Re- ig ia K fuge, and tell us, that 'tis by Faith only that [hoiigliiweare made able to overcome the PForld, i Job. ot |)ti®5.4. And that therefore 'tis necdfary for Men t; E?a to believe what yet they cannot comprehend. ItiitiltJ To this I anfwcr, That Fdth indeed is the [hard 10:chief Duty of the Chriftian Religion, becaufe gfiw 'tis the Belief of God's Promifes and Threat- ;„y of nings that does ingage Mankind to the Obedi- creof,!cnce of his Precepts: Few, I doubt, would be D rc-' C ) religious, were there eg Fear of HcU, nor Hopes ^ ofHearen. Tis faid, that aS. things are fc^- hie to him that heliezes, Mark p. 23. whidi^in ^ other Words imports that no Diificultj nor Ha- zard, how great fberer, ihall be at>k to fiop them in their Chriuian Race 1 And in this Serik ft only is, that Faith is {aidbe the Victory that ovcTCcmeth the World- But though'lis only a firm Perfwafion of the Truth of God's Proraifes and Thrcatnings that infpires the Faithful with Courage to overcome and conquer tlae Temptations not only of the • ^ Devil, but of the Lufts of this World too 'j jet this is no Argnmtnt that therefore we mnfi ajfen: to that which rre fee no Reafcn to helicve ; for ^ ■ then we might be every whit as liable to believe -3' things falfc as things that are true. Wherefore it bioves us to be very watchful "tttr' and circurrlix(5t in avoiding faTfe Principles ', Icr 2:1 Euror of any kind will rather make us Slaves to the Devi!, than enable us to ovcrcouEc and con- qucr him. As therefore tliou ouglitft to im- brace Truth whercibever thou doQ liud it, (b be ^ s as ready to lelinquah Errors, when by carefully tsjr* examining into Religion thou hali dlicovcred "St; t icm to be fbdi; for VA in evert reQfeS m He- t xji roick^an Acl cf Faith to believe ofcr [elves in the ^ wrzng when we rta^ are fo, as 'tis to adhere fed- ! ia> to a Troth oxdosthied, ? ^ Know then that no kind cf Faith can be true «fer that is ccruialy umeafouable, for the Light of Natore is as m'uch God s Law as DiriiK' Revc-'» lafion ,3isiefc i ■ ^ ^ lation"? and none muft «vcr tiiink that God's Law can contradid: it felf. Right (elf-evident flcafon is the only Touchftone that Men have to •diftinguifliTruth from Error; and'tis the A- greement even of Scripture with this Reafon that makes us^tnow it to be the Word of God ^ *tis mt our Forefathers faying foy but the exaEt Concurrence of the fVitnefs of our Sprit and that Teftimmy. And though fome would perfwade us not at all to truft to Reafon in Matters of Religion; }Tt 'tis obfarvablc that thofe very Men that ex- claim molt againft it, are yet necellitated to give Reafons of their own to prove, if 'twere pofli- ble, that your Reafon is not to be relied on : and certainly that Guide mult needs be molt: fafe, whom the whole World) in fome kind or other, do find it lb neceflary to follow- Of the true Nature of Religion. 'Tis certain that tlie Laws of Religion arc drfign'd by God for the only Good of Mankind i he forbids fome things and commands others, only becaufetheoneis prejudicial to Man'sWell- beingi and the other is abfolutely neceffary to his Peace and Happinefe. In order tlien to the true Happinefs of this Life there is required a fatabk way of living, even fuch as refpedts the llniverfal Good of the whole Kind ^ which, in Ibort, is that which Men call a Life of Kolintfe, or a Life pcrfedly free from every D 2 kind ( 52 ) kind of Injuftice or Mifchicf both to one's fclf and others. And as for the Heavenly State, that is a State of perfed Goodnefs and Purity •, and 'tis impoflible that any one can take delight in that Divine kind of Life hereafter which he hated here: And for that Rcafon could the Wicked be admitted into Heaven, yet then would they be unhappy, by reafon that there none of thole bafe and ignoble Pleafures would be found which their corrupted Minds on Earth did love and admire. 'Tis then only a good Life on Earth that can ht us for the Heavenly Inheri- tance. Now this Goodnefs of Life, lb neceffary to Man's both prefent and future Blifs, does not confift in Speculation but in Pradice. Belief is of no other life than as it enads Obedience •, and that's the Reafon that the Day of Judgment is reprefented as taking no notice of the Opi- nions, but of the Pradices of Men. Have you fed the Hungry ? Have you clothed the Na- ked? Have you vifited the Sick? 3 <5. At that great Solernnity the Inquiry will not be. What had you in the World ? or what did you profefs ? but what good Deeds have you done therein ? how has your Care been to promote the Univerfal Good of ratio- nal Beings ? Have you renounced the Lull of the Flelh, the Luft of the Eye, and the Pride of Life ? I John z. z6. and lived foberly^ and rlghteoujlyf and godlily in this prefent World ? Tit, ( 5? ) Tit.z.li. and done and loved Mercy y and walked humbly with Cod i Mich. 6. 8. Now if 'fis the Goodnefs of our Pradfice that is the one thing neceflaty to Salvation, then the disbelieving cither a few doubtful, or elfe a few unrcalbnable Opinions, can never be dange- rous. Let us then (as to the Point now un- der Examination) ask our felves but this one QuclHon, Will the Belief of the Dodfrine of a Trinity make me a rliore merciful and righteous Man than I (hall be if I did profefs the contrary ? Will it make me love and honour God better ? Will it make the Service which 1 render to his Divine Majcfty a more reafonablc Service ? And if on lerious Condderation you find it will not, then 'tis plain that the Unitarian Faith, which denies a Trinity of Perfons in the God- head, is much to be preferr'd, lince 'tis not perplex'd with fuch Contradidfions to humane Underhanding, but depends on more plain and noble Evidences, and does alfo in all Refpedts whatfocver ciTedlually fecure a good Life j which, when all is done, is the very Soul and Life of Religion, and will hand by a Man when Hypofiatical Vnions, and Mutual Confcioufnefsy and Somewhats, will prove but poor things to depend upon for Salvation. ' There can be no Danger of Damnation for not aflenting to fuch myfterious Notions as Men can' at no tolerable rate underhand, fuch as is that of the Dodtrinc of a Trinity, (which maf^s the Divine Power of the Godhead to re fide in three D 3 dlfiinSi (54> \ PerfoKS^ whsfe Confiitution is Hk* a free State, rather than the wore Divi»e Gevernr. Mf out ment of a fmgle Monarehy) if in the mean time Wv® they believe heartily the plain Dodirinc revealed JoiiiliS) in God's Word, and live up truly to the un- doubted Precepts which the Chriftian Religioa irasoft commands, which I am certain does no where fay, that unlefs ye believe that three Perfons are truly God, ye (ball certainly be datim'd. ■Mm S shut ion and the Belief of the Trinity rjl, 'e} not inconftjlent. "H k •JtilJK 'Tis objeded as dangerous to believe the Do- « fOo drine of God's being but one in Perfon, be- caufe we (hould hereby,as much as-ki us liies,ex- (dlin', dude from Salvation all thofepious and juft Men who in lorniei i^sges have liv'd and died in the inft Belief of a Trinity. I arjfwer ; Tiie Wildom. of the Unitarian Dodlrinc never was fo uncha»- ijitjt,;, ritableas tofuppofe this yet doubtlefs the Be- lief oi a Trinity miifr needs much leden their future Happinels, though not wholly debar them of Salvation: And therefore to perfiH therein, after due Adnnomtioaclprcitdly, &ve- vy imprudent and dangerous, r jpljl ^Tis plain, that though thofe vt Abatements upon the account of a bad Faith ; ifedfJ' Mercy rejoiceth againfi judgment. Jam. 2. 13. Rjntw" and Charity fhall cover a multitude of Sins, lyiiii 1 Pet. 4. S. a) pdii But though 'tis pcflible for a Man to be faved iijjj* ill this Faith, who orherwife has lived well, yet 'twill doubtlcfs much lefieii his future Happineji, [jdicRi, for Error of any kind is the fruitful Parent of Goltil^any Mifchiefs i it betrays us into Abfurdities, ^ »■ and involves us in many unwarrantable Words and Adions. As our Faith is, (o will our Pradtice be apt to be, and confequenrly Error in one re- fpc<^ or other will be apt to make Mens Lives D 4 lefs ( 5^ ) k{s innocent; and the Icfs innocent our Atfiions are, the le(s doubtlcCs will our Reward here- after be; For the eternal Glories, compard to that of the Sm^ and Mootif and Stars, i Cor. 15. .will be in proportion to the Degrees of our Chriliian Perfedlicn. They therefore whofc Religion is fuch only as will but jult preferve i>oiir them from Damnation, muft not expedf fo ffllo] large a (hare of the Divine Recompcncts, as by God's Grace is due to the inlarged Capacity of flwli the more exadtly knowing and undehled Soul, ul i!ic But notwithllanding what has been faid on ol the Behalf of thofc otherwife good Livers who skliiD have not been ignorant of the Truth merely riiidtG out of Malice and Defign, I add, that in cafe lUliii Men of falfe Principles are told plainly that they ajy 1 arc in the wrong, and yet they Itill do obftinatc- ukjin ly pcrfift therein, and refufe to confider feriouily anitli the'Arguments both of Scripture and Reafon ijtijjei that are offered to convince them 5 I fee not li'isu 1 how in any cafe 'tis poflible for fuch to be fa- ved : for this is truly and plainly to rejed the lijilieo Counfel of God, and to do Defpite to the Spi- hEb jit of Grace. By rvhat Nature the World tvas redeemed, When Men have argued whatever they ca|^'(^( about the Neceliity of Chrift his being truly God, that fo the Sacrifice he offered might be of Merit fufficient to anfwex the Demands of ©ocfs moi't Infinite Juflice ; yet after all it muft j ' be ( S7 ) fiSioK be acknowledged, that out Peace was made id bat with God, only by the holy Life and Death of ifjr'it' an hutnane Pcrfon : for nothing that is truly , iCc God can die or flicd Blood, but hy Bloody es of cc even the Blood of a dying JeftUythat me are chanfed IK from all Siny i Joh. i. 7. And this his Death ipirim for our Redemption is an undeniable In- aptd ^ ftance to prove, that his Perfon was truly hu- m, 5; mane. apadti: Chrift Jefus our Lord was undoubtedly filled iUk with the Divine Spirit, for in him dwelt the mil Fulnels of the Godhead i but this did not jtii Jij make him God, any more than a Believer (hall BtliK be made God by receiving of his Fulnefsy Joh. i. btk(^ i6. or by being Partaker of the Divine Nature Ijitaij promifed to fuch, 2Pet.i./\. It only fitted looliiw him for the Work of Redemption : he by that ifikri)? eminent Inhabitation of the Divine Spirit be- and te came able to furmount all Temptations to Sin i • lltl and'twas only the undefiled Obedience of his liiiok'p Life, even unto Death, that made the Sacrifice 0 tt|ts: which he offered unto God acceptable. •toilnii The Blood that was Ihed to manifeft the intire Obedience of Jefus unto God, was no other than the Blood of a moft holy and excellent fiiitt Man i 'twas not the Blood of God, as fome Men b.ralhly do affirm: On the Crofs he that thus died ttlit)'S#criedout, MyGody my Gody why hafl thou for- eing ® f'^ken me ? Now for him to be God that thus Iffligt- prayed to God, is, I think, impoHible. Where- .manis fore 'tis evident, that he who thus died was not IJitiTpfrpsa true Deity j and yet'twas by him that died ; i that '( 5S ) that the World was redeemed; for which ir/ejfed be the Lord God of Ifrael, mho hath thus •Vffted and redeemed his Peof/e, and hath rat fed up a mighty Salvation for us-, out of the Houfe if huServantDivid., Luke i,6S,6p. A getteral Rule for anfwerittg all Objeifiotrs. Having confidered and anfweted the principal Objcdions urged in favour of the Dndrine which aflcrts Jcfus Chrift to be truly God, in oppoiition to that of his being only the Man mho is the Mediator between God and Men., i Titn. 2. 5. or that which aflcrts that none is God but the Father of Chiift, 'twill be needlels to coiv iute thofe other little Objedfions which flill re- main i lince when the chielell Strength that does uphold an Error is overthrown, 'tis not in the Power of fome little Props to maintain and fup- port it: ncvcrthelels. left the Minds of feme ihould th.ercby be perplcx'd, I here lay down one general Puule, by which all other Objedtions maybe eaflly refuted, and that is this ; If any Principle in Religion be true, by the greater and by the pLiner Number of Evidences, it can never be falfe by a few in number, or by ihein that are dark and doubtiul. If tlieiiithe Arguments to prove the true God to be only the Father of Jcfus Chiift, are more in jiumber, and plainer to be undcrliood, than ihofe aie which artobjcded in favour of the con- trary, (en ) NorDhw»9ter« 'i_l' wW tiary, you need then only to reply thus, tlpgfafy thlsiiithe Proofs that make for it, are more both in rjifn Number and Weight,than thofe that areagainft loiifji{|itj and that therefore'twould be imprdonable to fuffer fuch Trifles to unfcttle and fhake your Faith. • III . Suppofe a Man objedfs againff the Dodrine of ^ God's being but one in Pcrfon, this Text, Let us vtek? Mew-, Gen. i, 26. and endeavour to ptkif: prove from thence, that God is more than one Dfe in Pcifon, is it rcafonable to fuffer this to alter Gal,; your Judgment, when for that one Paffage, XJs, ^fiiil urged in favour of the Belief of more Ptrfons iTu' than One, you have ten thbufaud that mention iGodial God to be but otily one, in fuch Terms as thelc, fetocdj/, tlom, me, he, his i And as for the Terms of kfflU'thef, them, 8cc. they are not mentioned in Scripture fb much as once, as applied to God Btitl alone- lanifif, tf every fingle Objeiffion that is flatted fhould ; uffro be admitted to be of Authwify ftifficiem to in- JowKi: validate the beft and cleared Proofs 5 or if every jijtftj-bard and doubtful Paffage in Scripture were . rooug:; to orettbrow all them that are clear and (jijlJtpiafF), then all true Religion would foonbeaf fviJntfj an end : for feme plauliblc Exceptions maybe a? made againft the chicfeft and plainefl Truths in . Religion, orherwifc fo many falfe and erroneous fnif(i(( Optnions would mat have obtained chat Autho- , moitt, lity that tbev have in the World. kJ lb Indeed when we are fold plainly, that we are (jlttfli* in Error, and Arguments truly con(idcrable - irarfj' ■ sre ( 60 > are at the fame time offered to undeceive us, toJi/! we ought then to fuffer our felvcs to be con- Jnait vinc'd : for if what is thus urged carries with jik fi it fb much clear Evidence as makes it undoubt- ; fei cd, the changing then of our Opinions will nkk not only be reafonable, but very honourable ^ fe, too, lince nothing is more ignoble and bafe than to be a Slave to Error, from which not (jGo any thing in this World but Truth can free us. eh, Ikt 0/ the true Notion of the Holy Ghofl. ijitiii 'Tis plain from the general Analogy of true Faith, grounded on Scripture-Evidence, that the Holy Gholl is no dillindf Perfon fubfilling of jj himfelf i for then 'tis clear, that out Lord could not be the Son of him who is now called Godj, j^jj the Father, or the lirft Perfon in the fuppofcd jjj,. Trinity, lince 'tis plain that the Virgin Marfs>^ Conception was occafioned by the overfhadow- ing of the Holy Ghojly Luke I. 35. which alltjft j. Trinitarians acknowledg to be the third Perfon, and not the firft: 'Tis exprelly faid, that which was conceived in her was of the Holy Ghofi, Mat. I. 20. yind that jhe was with Child hy' him. Mat. I. 18. Wherefore'tis evident from thefe additional Words, and the Power of the Highefi JhaU overjhadow thee, Luke 1.35. thati^ the Holy Ghoft is only that Divine and InvifibleT^i Power of God, by which he works his Will and Pleafurc in the World-, and by Confequencc, that God, and the Spirit of God, arc no morc^ twd'^' two diftindt Perfons than Man and the Spirit of " Man are •, for to the one the other is compared in the facred Scripture, i Cor. 2.11. And as UMow Members of Man's Body do fecretly and lions w. wonderfully obey the Didfates of his Will or WJiaMind, fo, and much more fo, do all Creatures ■ and are commanded by the Almighty Pow- of God's Divine and mod Wife Will and ^''«t(Plcafure. ' When therefore all the eled People of God jGMUre faid to be fandified by the Holy Ghoft, it iinuft be underllood of that new Temper and -Inclination of Mind which God by his Divine ^ - and Invifible Power docs work or caufe in Men. faliiM|When he powerfully raifes up in them holy ■'^''^Thoughts, and excites in their Minds new De- '^''■fircs, he is then truly laid to fandify them by his Spirit: And when Men wilfully rejed thofc ijk,'!r Motions to Goodnefs, which God by his Power ""i^does raife up in them, they are then truly faid • to refill, and grieve, and quench his Spirit. il®lK And whereas the Spirit is faid to receive, and id, daifto be fent, from whence fome would infer its ^WC'diftind Perfonality : 'tis replied, that thefe arc iii (iJ but improper Expreffions, fuch as are before sidciiii-noted to be fpoken of God and Chrifl > they fwr f are Words fitted to our dull Apprchcnfions ra- i.35'=^therthan to the true Nature of the Spirit it felf, id Initven as God is reprefented as having the Adions sWi^nd PafTions of a Man, and to come down nl'fijiifl'trom Heaven, when yet we know that he is al- cnoii^eady every where, though our mortal Eyes have not bfit (62) iiot Powers fitted to perceive him: He that tilleth all things can no ways be capable of mo- ving out of his Place. Such Exprellions as' y thete therefore are plainly improper, and rputt .,^1^ not be underftood literally, orasatfirfi fight they fcem to cxprefe. ,1,^^ The CONCLVSION. Tt) what has been faid on this Sub je6t, I p ^ will only add this one fbktnn Protcftati-^^f^ on, that as what I here offer is grounded on the, Dikfled Lord and Matter ^ who, though he never Mm (pake, and conririncd his Dohtiin with fuch Miracks as did demonttrate him tob aTeachcr/f»t e/<7eW, yet was belk ved on bia (6; ) by a few: The Praife of -Men was then gene- rally much more belov'd than the Praife of God "> peA. 12. 43. And 1 doubt the Cafe is ftill the feme; Men now feck their own and not the things of Jefus Chrift, Phil.z. 21. They that love Riches will hardly run the haiaid of lofing any fern- poral Preferment for the lake of Truth. Others will be averfe from acknowledgingtherafelvesin a Miftakc, who before have been honoured with the Repute both of Orthodox and Learned Men ; and thofe who have been long prepoQefs'd with the contnry Perfwalion, will hardly relinquilh it, though the bcft of R.ea/bns be offered to convince them of their Error. In Qiorr, the Religion of Mankind gerterally is but a Self-righteoufnefe, a Law rather of their own making tlun of God^s appointing. There arc but very few that in all things do either live or believe as the Gofpel dire(fis them : the whole World docs for the moft part prefer fome fcnfe- Icfe Humour before facred Truth, and that ira- mortal Blifs to which it would condudl them. r E END. .Smm