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sed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God, and our Saviour Jesus Christ; none ever denied that he, who is said to appear, is true and proper God, and therefore the principal thing we have to prove is, that the text refers only to our Saviour, or that the apostle does not speak therein of two Persons, to wit, the Father and the Son, but of the Son; and accordingly, though we oftentimes take occasion to vindicate our translation, here we cannot but think it ought to be corrected; and that the word and should be rendered even: * But, because I would not lay too great a stress on a grammatical criticism, how probable soever it may be; we may consider some other things in the text, whereby it appears that our Saviour is the only Person spoken of therein, from what is said of him, agreeable to his character as Mediator: thus the apostle here speaks of his appearing; as he also does elsewhere, in Heb. ix. 28. He shall appear the second time without sin unto salvation; and in 1 John iii. 2. When he shall appear, we shall be like him, &c. and then he who, in this text, is said to appear, is called the blessed hope, that is, the object of his people's expectation, who shall be blessed by him when he appears: thus he is called, in 1 Tim. i. 1. our hope, and in Coloss. i. 27. The hope of glory; now we do not find that the Father is described in scripture as appearing, or as the hope of his people. It is true, a late writer t gives that turn to the text, and supposes, that as the Father is said to judge the world by Jesus Christ, and as when the Son shall come at last, it will be in the glory of his Father; so, in that sense, the Father may be said to appear by him, as the brightness of his glory shines forth in his appearance. But since this is no where applied to the sense of those other scriptures, which speak of every eye's seeing him in his human na

* It is certain, that raì is oftentimes exegetical, as well as copulative; and it appears to be so, by a great many instances in the New Testament; when it is put between two nouns, the first whereof has an article, and the other none; thus it will be acknowledged by all, that it is taken, in 2 Cor. i. 3. Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, í Oròç kas Пalip; so in Eph. i. 3. 2 Thes. ii. 16. 1. Pet. i. 3. Rom. xv. 6. Phil. iv. 20. 2 Cor. xi. 31. and in Col. ii. 2. In these scriptures, and others of the like nature, the Arians themselves allow that this rule holds good, though they will not allow it, when it proves our Saviour's Deity, because it militates against their own scheme; as in Eph. v. 5. where the apostle speaks of the kingdom of Christ, and of God, as we render it; but, I think, it ought to be rendered, even of God; for it is, rv Xpicu u Os so in 2 Thess. i. 12. The grace of our God, and, or even, of the Lord Jesus Christ, the words are, Ons nur nas nupix 'Inox Xpise. See among many other scriptures to the like purpose, 1 Tim. v. 21. and chap. vi. 13. 2 Pet. i. 2. It is true there are several exceptions to this rule, though they are generally in such instances, in which it is impossible for the latter word to contain an explication of the former, though, in other instances, it, for the most part, holds good; and therefore it will, at least, amount to a probable argument, tha: the words in this text, τα μεγάλου θες και σωτήρος ημών Ιησε Χρισε ought to be rendered, of the great God, even our Saviour Jesus Christ. Vide Granville Sharp on the Greek article, and Middleton on the same subject. See Dr. Clark's reply

", page 85.

ture, and plainly refer to some glories that shall be put upon that nature, which shall be the object of sense; why should we say that the text imports nothing else but that the Father shall appear in his appearing, which is such a strain upon the sense of the words, that they who make use of it would not allow of, in other cases? I might have added, as a farther confirmation of the sense we have given of this text, its agreeableness with what the apostle says, in Tit. ii. 10. when he calls the gospel, The doctrine of God our Saviour, and with what immediately follows in ver. 14. where, having before described him as our Saviour, he proceeds to shew wherein he was so, namely, by giving himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity; and he is not only called God our Saviour by this apostle, but he is so called in 2 Pet. i. 1, where the church is said to have obtained like precious faith, through the righteousness of God, and our Saviour Jesus Christ; or as the marginal reading has it, of our God and Saviour; this seems to be so just a reading of the text we are considering, that some, on the other side of the question, allow that the words will very well bear it; but they think their sense agreeable, as the author but now mentioned says, to the whole tenor of Scripture, which is little other than a boast, as though the scripture favoured their scheme of doctrine, which, whether it does or no, they, who consider the arguments on both sides, may judge; and we think, we have as much reason to conclude that our sense of the words, which establishes the doctrine of our Saviour's being the great God, is agreeable to the whole tenor of scripture; but, passing that over, we proceed to another argument.

There is one scripture in which our Saviour is called both Lord and God, viz. John xx. 28. And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord, and my God. The manner of address to our Saviour, in these words, implies an act of adoration, given to him by this disciple, upon his having received a conviction of his resurrection from the dead; and there is nothing in the text, but what imports his right to the same glory which belongs to the Father, when He is called his people's God. Herein they lay claim to him, as their covenant God, their chief good and happiness; thus David expresses himself, Psal. xxxi, 14. I trusted in thee, O Lord, I said thou art my God; and God promises, in Hos. ii. 23. that he would say to them which were not his people, Thou art my God; and chap. viii. 2. Israel shall cry unto me, My God we know thee; and the apostle Paul speaking of the Father, says, Phil. iv. 19. My God shall supply all your need, &c. that is, the God from whom I have all supplies of grace; the God whom I worship, to whom I owe all I have, or hope for, who is the Fountain of all blessedness. Now if there be nothing in this text we are considering, that

determines the words to be taken in a lower sense than this, as there does not appear to be, then we are bound to conclude, that Christ's Deity is fully proved from it.

Object. Some of the Socinians suppose, that the words, my Lord, and my God, contain a form of exclamation, or admiration; and that Thomas was surprized when he was convinced that our Saviour was risen from the dead, and so cries out, as one in a rapture, O my Lord! O my God! intending hereby the Father, to whose power alone this event was owing.

Answ. Such exclamations as these, though often used in common conversation, and sometimes without that due regard to the divine Majesty, that ought to attend them, are not agreeable to the scripture way of speaking. But, if any scriptures might be produced to justify it, it is sufficica.y evident, that no such thing is intended in these words, not only because the grammatical construction will not admit of it, but because the words are brought in as a reply to what Christ had spoken to him in the foregoing verse; Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord, &c. whereas it is very absurd to suppose, that an exclamation contains the form of a reply, therefore it must be taken for an explicit acknowledgment of him, as his Lord, and his God; so that this objection represents the words so contrary to the known acceptation thereof, that many of the Socinians themselves, and other late writers, who oppose our Saviour's proper Deity, do not think fit to insist on it, but have recourse to some other methods, to account for those difficulties, that lie in their way, taken from this, and other texts, where Christ is plainly called God, as in John i. 1. and many other places in the New Testament.

Here we may take occasion to consider the method which the Anti-trinitarians use to account for the sense of those scriptures, in which Christ is called God. And,

1. Some have have recourse to a critical remark, which they make on the word as God, namely, that when it has the article before it, it adds an emphasis to the sense thereof, and determines it to be applied to the Father. And inasmuch as the word is sometimes applied to him, when there is no article, (which, to some, would appear an objection, sufficient to invalidate this remark) they add, that it is always to be applied to him, if there be nothing in the text that determines it otherwise. This remark was first made by Origen, and afterwards largely insisted on by Eusebius, as Dr. Clarke observes;† and he so far gives into it, as that he apprehends it is never applied,

* The words, o Kups and o One are in the nominutive case, which denotes that they are not spoken in a way of exclamations

See reply to Nelson, page 67.

when put absolutely in scripture, to any other Person; we shall therefore enquire into the justice thereof.

By the word God absolutely taken, (whether 6 have an article before it or no) we understand nothing else but its being used without any thing to determine its application, either to the Father, Son, or Holy Ghost; whereas, on the other hand, when it is not absolutely used, there are several things, by which we may certainly know to which of the divine persons it belongs: thus it is particularly applied to the Father, when there is something in the text that distinguishes him from the Son or Spirit; so John xiv. 1. Ye believe in God, viz. the Father, believe also in me; and in all those scriptures, in which Christ is called the Son of God, there the word God is determined to be applied to the Father; and when God is said to act in relation to Christ as Mediator, as in Heb. ii. 13. Behold, I and the children which God hath given me, it is so applied.

And the word God is determined to be applied to the Son, when he is particularly mentioned, and so called, or described, by any of his Mediatorial works or characters; as in Matt. i 23. God, viz. the Son, with us; and 1 Tim. iii. 16. God manifest in the flesh; or when there is any thing in the context, which discovers that the word God is to be applied to him.

Also, with respect to the Holy Ghost, when any of his Personal works, or characters, are mentioned in the text or context, and the word God applied to him, to whom they are ascribed, that determines it to belong to the Holy Ghost; as in Acts v. 3, 4. speaking concerning lying to the Holy Ghost, it is explained, Thou hast not lyed unto men, but unto God; and 1 Cor. iii. 16. Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you; but more of this when we speak of the Deity of the Holy Ghost. In these, and such like cases, the word God is not put absolutely; but, on the other hand, it is put absolutely when there is nothing of this nature to determine its application; as in those scriptures that speak of the divine Unity, viz. in Matt, xix. 17. There is none good but one, that is God; and in 1 Cor. viii. 4. There is none other God but one; and in James ii. 19. Thou believest that there is one God, &c. and John x, 33. Thou, being a man, makest thyself God; and in many other places of the like nature, in which there is an idea contained of the divine perfections; but it is not particularly determined which of the Persons in the Godhead is intended thereby.

This is what we are to understand by the words, God, being put absolutely without any regard to its having an article before it, or not; from whence nothing certain can be determined concerning the particular application thereof, since many scriptures might easily be referred to, in which it is put without VOL. I.

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an article, though applied to the Father; and, on the other hand, it has very often an article put before it when applied to idols, or false gods; * and the devil is called, as rels, the god of this world; and it may be observed, that in two evangelists,f referring to the same thing, and using the same words, one has the word with an article, and the other without.

Therefore, setting aside this critical remark about the application of the word God, when there is an article before us, the main thing in controversy is how we are to apply it, when neither the context, nor any of the rules above-mentioned, give us any direction, therein, namely, whether it is in that case only to be applied to the Father, or indifferently to any of the Persons in the Godhead. The author above-mentioned, in his scripturedoctrine of the Trinity, always applies it to the Father; and it may easily be perceived, that he has no other reason than this to apply many scriptures to the Father, which others, who have defended the doctrine of the Trinity, in another way, apply to the Son, as being directed herein by something spoken of him in the context, as in Rev. xix. 4, 5, 6, 17.‡

And this is, indeed, the method used by all the Anti-trinitarians, in applying the word God, especially when found absolutely in scripture. That which principally induces them hereunto, is because they take it for granted, that as there is but one divine Being, so there is but one Person who is truly and properly divine, and that is the Father, to whom they take it for granted that the word God is to be applied in scripture to signify any finite being, as the Son, or any creature below him. But this supposition is not sufficiently proved, viz. that the one divine Being is a person, and that this is only the Father, whom they often call the supreme, or most high God, that is, superior, when compared with the Son and Spirit, as well as all creatures; but this we cannot allow of, and therefore cannot see sufficient reason to conclude, that the word God, when put absolutely, is to be applied to no other than the Father.

That which I would humbly offer, as the sense of the word, when thus found in scripture, is, that when the Holy Ghost has left it undetermined, it is our safest way to consider it as such, and so to apply it indifferently to the Father, Son, or Spirit, and not to one person, exclusive of the others: thus when it is said, Mark xii. 29, 32. The Lord our God is one Lord; and there is one God, and there is none other but him; the meaning is, • Acts vii. 43. chap. xiv. 11. † See Matt. xix. 26. compared with Mark x. 27. See Scripture-doctrine, &c. page 67, 68, and in many other places.

§ This is the sense of Dr. Clarke's first section in Part 2, on which the whole scheme seems to be founded; and he speaks to the same purpose in several other pla ces; and, in particular, in his reply to Nelson, page 67, 68, he concludes the word Go, God, absolutely taken to import the same, as o wavlonpatap or o eni wavlav Bros, by which he always intends the Father.

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