CHAPTER II.

The propofition proved, in refpect of the Chriftian Religion.

WHAT has been faid of the Angel whe appeared to Mofes, may be afferted of Jefus Chrift, if the doctrine of our oppofers be true. To prove and illuftrate the point, I would offer the following things to the reader's confideration.

The New Teftament, it is evident, afcribes the moft fignal works of God to Jefus Chrift: fuch as, the creation of all things, which had always characterized the God of Ifrael; the preservation of all things, which belongs to the Creator; and the redemption of the world, which the prophets refer to the Supreme Being, and to him only. The fame infallible rule of our faith attributes to him the perfections, and names, and glory of God. There he is defcribed, as equal with God, as one with God, and as GOD BLESSED FOR EVER. When, therefore, it is confidered, that all these things were faid and recorded of him, by his direction and under his infpiration, we may venture to affirm; That a proud, prefumptuous, rebellious creature, whofe inten tion it was to invade the honour, and to put himself in the place of God, could not have adopted a more promifing mode of proceeding, or have better fucceeded in his defign. But these things deferve a more particu lar confideration.

The New Testament afcribes to Jefus Chrift the most magnificent and fignal works of God. To begin with the work of creation. Could Paul, intending to defcribe his divine Master as the Creator of all things, have used more emphatical, or more pertinent expreffions than these? For by him were all things created that are in "heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible;

"whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principali"ties, or powers: all things were created by him, and "for him. And He is before all things, and by him all "things confift." Of Him it is faid, "There is-one "Lord Jefus Chrift, by whom are all things. All things were made by Him, and without Him was not 66 any thing made that was made. He laid the founda❝tion of the earth, and the heavens are the works of

his hands."-The prefervation of the world, or the confervation of all things, is alfo attributed to him. For it is exprefsly faid, "By him all things confift. He "upholdeth all things by the word of his power." The adminiftration of Providence; and, especially, the care of believers. "Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the "end of the world. Where two or three are gathered "together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." A promife this, which Chrift could not perform, as man, but only as God: because, as man, he is limited by time and place; as God, he acts independently on both. To fay that he is in the midst of our religious affemblies by his Spirit,' is not fufficient. For if the Spirit intended be the Spirit of Chrift, Christ must be God; because that Spirit is prefent, with devout worshippers, in all places at the fame time. But that Jefus is really and properly God, our opponents will not allow. The Spirit in queftion, therefore, must be that of the Father, and not of Chrift: confequently, not our Lord, but the Divine Father, is prefent in our affemblies. Nor is Jefus faid to be in the midst of his people by faith," which is a gift of the Holy Ghost. Elifha received a

portion of the fpirit of Elijah, in receiving from God fuch gifts as were fimilar to thofe of Elijah; yet it is never faid that Elijah was with the Jews, or in the midst of their affemblies, after his afcenfion into heaven. -That greatest of all Divine tranfactions, that most wonderful of all Divine works, REDEMPTION, is attri buted to him in a peculiar manner. Hence he is fo often, and in the most emphatical fenfe, called THE

SAVIOUR and REDEEMER: and hence the church is reprefented as his property and purchase. "The church

of God, which he purchased with his own blood.” Remarkable words! They ftrongly imply, that Jefus, the Redeemer, is Gon; and that he is declared to be fo, by the work of redemption. They lead us alfo to reflect on that gracious declaration, by an ancient prophet; "Your GoD will come-he will come and "fave you. .”—Our fun&ification is attributed to him. He enlightens our minds and converts our hearts. He quickens the dead in fin, and in his hands the faints are preferved to eternal life. Yet fanctification is a Divine work: "for it is God that worketh in us, both to will "and to do, of his good pleafure."-The Scriptures attribute the work of glorification alfo to Jefus Christ. " He that overcometh, the fame fhall be clothed in white "raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the

book of life-Him that overcometh, will I make a "pillar in the temple of my God, and he fhall go no "more out-To him that overcometh will I grant to "fit with me in my throne."

The perfections of God are afcribed to Jesus Christ.— The power of God. He "upholdeth all things by "the word of his power."-The knowledge of God. "All the churches fhall know that I am He which "fearcheth the reins and heart-Lord, thou knoweft "all things."-The eternity of God. "His name fhall "be called-The everlafting Father. Thou art the "fame, and thy years fhall not fail.”—The immenfity of God. "No man hath afcended up to heaven, but "he that came down from heaven; even the Son of man which is in heaven.”—The truth and faithfulness of God. "I am the truth-Thus faith the Amen." -The mercy of God: for He pardoneth fin.-The authority of God: for he commanded the gofpel to be preached in his own name; and fent his difciples to baptize in the name of the Father, and of the Son, "and of the Holy Ghoft;" and, as the Judge of all,

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He declares," I will give to every one according to "his works." He alfo gave power to the apostles to work miracles in his name, as the prophets wrought miracles in the name of God.-The justice of God. For of Him the Baptist speaks, when he fays; "He fhail burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire."

Jefus Chrift alfo bears the moft eminent and expreffive titles of Deity. The MOST HIGH, is a character evidently peculiar to the true God. Yet Zacharias, when full of the Holy Spirit, calls our Lord, "The "Higheft," or the Moft High-The majesty of God is expreffed, in the Old Teftament, by the title, " King of glory:" Chrift is called in the New, "The Lord "of glory."-The God of Ifrael is called "the Holy "One" Jefus, according to the evangelift John's application of Ifaiah's vifion, is adored by the feraphina as the "thrice Holy Lord."-He is alfo ftyled, "the Saviour; the King of kings, and Lord of lords; "the First and the Laft;" which are titles of the Supreme Being.

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Again He is declared to be, one with God; equal with God; the fame with God. He is one with God. "I and the Father are one," fays the Amen, the faithful and the true Witness. ONE; not in perfon, for they are distinct: besides, the word év, is in the neuter gender, and will not bear fuch an interpretation. Nor in confent; for the fenfe is too low it afferts nothing of our Divine Lord, but what may be affirmed of every creature that is perfectly holy. All the faints in light, and all the angels in glory, are one with the Father, by a confent of will; they having no inclination, no defire, contrary to his. It must, therefore, be an unity of effence that is here intended. And that it is fo appears from the context. For Jefus having declared, in the immediately preceding verfes, that "his fheep fhall never perish,' and that none fhall pluck them, either out of his own, or out of his Father's hands; adds, to confirm the affertion, and to juftify his claim of invincible, Divine

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"I and the Father are ONE. "" power; It is, therefore, an unity of power which he means. But he who afferts, that two are one by an unity of power; affirms that they are one by an unity of effence. A Chriftian, in the prefent ftate, may be one with God, by an unity of confent; he having nothing to do, in order to fuch an unity, but cordially to acquiefce in the methods of Divine providence and grace: but he could not without blafphemy fay; Thefe, or those, fhall never perifh ; nor fhall any one pluck them out of mine, or my Father's hand. I and the Father are one." But that which removes every doubt, in this refpect, is, thefe expreffions are explained, and our fenfe of them fupported, by other paffages perfectly fimilar.

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Jefus Chrift is equal with God. "He thought it "not robbery to be equal with God," fays an unerring writer. This equality muft include fomething greater, and fomething more Divine, than an unity of confent between Chrift and the Father. Nothing fhort of an unity of effence can answer the import of the phrase ; for, otherwife, it would contradict that high demand, fo often repeated by Jehovah; "To whom will ye "liken me, and make me equal, and compare me,

that we may be like "Some, perhaps, may fay; Jefus Chrift is equal with God, because the Father has exalted him to an equality. An equality, in what refpect? Of nature? Our adverfaries cannot fuppofe it. Of offices, trufs, and honours? But the delegation and grant of thefe neceffarily suppose, that he who receives them is, in that refpect, inferior to him who confers them. That the Father therefore, fhould exalt Christ to an equality with him, implies a contradiction: because in whatever refpect any one is exalted by him, in that very refpect he muft be inferior to him. Jefus Chrift we freely allow, is highly exalted by the Father; but that exaltation regards his perfon, character, and state, as mediator; under which confideration, though he is the church's head, yet he is the Father's righteous