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minion do depend; for he is given to be Head over all things to the church, Ephes. i, 22. For, he is the foundation of this church state, 1 Cor. iii, 11; the whole design and platform of it being laid in him, and built upon him. And he erects this church state upon himself, Matt. xvi, 18; “I will build my church;" the Spirit and Word whereby it is done being from him alone, and ordered by his wisdom, power, and care. And he gives laws and rules of worship and obedience to it, when so built by and upon himself, Heb. iii, 2-6. And finally he is the everlasting, constant, abiding Head, Ruler, King, and Governor of it, Ephes. i, 22; Col. ii, 19; Heb. iii, 6.

$20. Thirdly, He is Lord also of political things; of all the governments of the world that are set up and exercised for the good of mankind, and the preservation of society, according to rules of equity and righteousness. He alone is the absolute potentate; the highest on the earth are in subordination to him. That he is designed unto, Psal. lxxxix, 27; and accordingly he is made Lord of lords, and King of kings, Rev. xvii, 14; and xix, 16; 1 Tim. vi, 15; and he exerciseth dominion answerable to his title; and hath hence a right to send his gospel into all nations of the world, attended with the worship by him prescribed, Matt. xxviii, 18; Psal. ii, 9—12; which none of the rulers or governors of the world have any right to refuse or oppose, but upon their utmost peril. And all kingdoms shall at length be brought into a professed subjection to him and his gospel, and have all their rule disposed of to the interest of his church and saints, Dan. vii, 27; Isa. lx, 12; Rev. xix, 16—19.

§21. Fourthly, The last branch of this dominion of Christ consists in the residue of the creation of God; heaven and earth, sea and land, wind, trees, and fruits

of the earth, and the creatures of sense.

As they are

all under his feet, Psal. viii, 7, 8; Ephes. i, 22; 1 Cor. xv. 27; so the exercise of his power severally over them is well known from the gospel history. And thus we have glanced at this Lordship of Christ, in some of the general parts of it; and how small a portion of his glorious power are we able to declare, or even to comprehend!

APPENDIX;

CONTAINING

TWO LETTERS,

THE ONE TO

DR. PRIESTLEY,

AND THE OTHER TO

MR. DAVID LEVI,

RESPECTING THIS WORK.

BY THE EDITOR.

"Search th Scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life; and they

"are they whch testify of me."

JESUS.

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LETTER

ΤΟ

DR. PRIESTLEY.

Concerning the data requisite for a rational investigation of disputed points in theology, and the opinions of fallible men, as a guide for the purpose of interpreting the holy scriptures.

§1. Introduction. The Writer's motive. §2. Success in our inquiries after truth depends on method as well as industry and perseverance. §3. Some common principles requisite as data. Dr. P's what. Requested to be explicit on this head. §4. His appeal from scripture to historical evidence of early opinions unjustifiable. Not a good guide, because, 1. Not calculated to lessen the difficulty, as it pretends, but rather increases it. §5. 2. The precariousness and insufficiency of it appears from constant experience. §6. 3. It has been solidly refuted long ago, by Protestants in the Popish controversy; and to revive it tends to superstition. §7. 4. It is plainly reproved by Jesus Christ. §8. 5. Highly untheological in its just consequences. §9. 6. Also illogical, the conclusion being gratuitously assumed. §10. 7. If we have no better guide than this, we are left a prey to perpetual skepticism, it being insufficient from its very nature to settle the mind. §11. Divine revelation the only true data, because this alone affords objective certainty. §12. The objection, That a diversity of opinion still obtains among those who are agreed in their data and method of inquiry, answered. §13. The plan of Dr. Owen in this work. His reasoning not easily confuted. §14. This Epistle to the Hebrews utterly overthrows Dr. P's grand argument, taken from the historical evidence of early opinions concerning Christ.

REV. AND DEAR SIR,

§1. To a gentleman who has claimed, for a number of years, and in various kinds of researches, the laudable pretension of impartially inquiring after truth, no

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