direct proposition whatever. Christ indeed says, John x. 30. "I and my Father are one;" but he sufficiently explains himself, by praying that his disciples might be one with him in the same sense in which he was one with the Father. John xvii. 21, 22. "That they all may be one, as thou Father art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us; and the glory which thou gavest to me, I have given them, that they may be one, even as we are one."

2. This one God is said to have created all things; and no intimation is given of his having employed any inferior agent or instrument in the work of creation. Gen. i. 1. "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth"-ver,3. "God said, let there be light, and there was light," &c. Ps. Axxiii. 6. "By the word of the Lord were the heavens made, and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth"-ver. 9." He spake, and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast." Is. xliv. 24. "Thus saith the Lord, thy redeemer, and he that formed thee from the womb, I am the Lord that maketh all things, that stretcheth forth the heavens alone, that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself."

3. This one God is called the Father, i. e. the author of all beings; and he is called God and Father with respect to Christ, as well as all other persons. John vi. 27. "Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth

unto

unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you; for him hath God the Father sealed." John xvii. 3. "That they might know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent." John xx. 17. "Go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father, and to my God, and your God." Eph. i. 17. "That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him." Col. i. 3. "We give thanks to God, and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ."

4. Christ is said expressly to be inferior to the Father, all his power is said to have been given him by the Father, and he could do nothing without the Father. John xvi. 28. "My Father is greater than I." 1 Cor. iii. 23. "Ye are Christ's, and Christ is God's." 1 Cor. xi. 3. "The head of Christ is God." John v. 19. "Verily, verily, I say unto you, the Son can do nothing of himself." John xiv. 10. "The words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself, and the Father that dwelleth in me he doth the works." Matt. xxviii. 18. "All power is given to me in heaven and in earth." 2 Pet. i. 17. "He received from God the Father honour and glory." Rev. i. 1. "The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him."

It is now alleged that Christ did not mean that

he

he was inferior to the Father with respect to his divine nature, but only with respect to his human nature. But if such liberties be taken in explaining a person's meaning, language has no use whatever. On the same principles, it might be asserted that Christ never died, or that he never rose from the dead, secretly meaning his divine nature ony. There is no kind of imposition but what might be authorized by such an abuse of language as this.

5. Some things were withheld from Christ by his Father. Mark xiii. 32. "But of that day, and that hour, knoweth no man; no not the angels that are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father." Matt. xx. 23. "To sit on my right-hand and on my left, is not mine to give; but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my Father."

6. As all the dominion that Christ has was derived from the Father, so it was subordinate to that of the Father. 1 Cor. xv. 24, &c. "Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father, when he shall have put down all rule, and all authority, and power. For he must enemies under his feet. be destroyed is death. under his feet. But when he saith that all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted who did put all things under him. And when

reign till he hath put all The last enemy that shall For he hath put all things

all

all things shall be subdued to him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him who put all things under him, that God may be all in all."

7. Christ always prayed to the Father, and with as much humility and resignation as any man, or the most dependent being in the universe, could possibly do. Our Lord's whole history is a proof of this; but especially the scene of his agony in the garden, Matt. xxvi. 37, &c. "And he began to be sorry and very heavy. Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceedingly sorrowful even unto death, tarry ye here, and watch with me. And he went a little further, and fell on his face and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt."

8. Christ is not only styled a man even after his resurrection, but the reasoning of the apostles, in some of the passages where he is spoken of, requires that he should be considered as a man with respect to his nature, and not in name only, as their reasoning has no force but upon that supposition. Acts ii. 22. "Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of by God, by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you." Heb. ii. 17. "Wherefore it behoved him in all things to be made like unto his brethren." Heb. ii. 10. It became him for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons

unto

unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings." 1 Cor. xv. 21. "For since by man canie death, by man came also the resurrection from the dead: for as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive."

9. Whatever exaltation Christ now enjoys it is the gift of his Father, and the reward of his obedience unto death. Phil. ii. 8, 9. " And being in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient to death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name." Heb. ii. 9. "But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour." Heb. xii. 2. "Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy which was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is sitten down at the right-hand of the throne of God.”

Let it also be considered, that no use whatever is made of the doctrine of the incarnation of the maker of the world, in all the New Testament. We are neither informed why so extraordinary a measure was necessary for the salvation of men, nor that it was necessary. All that can be pretended is, that it is alluded to in certain expressions. But certainly it might have been expected that a measure of this magnitude should have been expressly declared, if not clearly explained; that man

kind