CHAP. IX. The fame Argument continued. CHAP. X. The Arian hypothefis equally indefenfible. CHAP. XI. The Language of the Holy Spirit, on the If JESUS CHRIST be not of the fame effence with his Father, there is no harmony between the prophets and CHAP. I. If JESUS CHRIST be not of the fame effence with his Father, the Prophets, who fpake of him, did not forefee things as they were to come to pafs. CHAP. II. If JESUS CHRIST be not of the fame effence If JESUS CHRIST be not the true God, neither the ancient Jewish, nor the Christian Religion, is attended with The principal objections answered; and fome Confiderations, adapted to relieve the mind refpecting the Diffi- CHAP. I. Divine Revelation, not depraved Reason, to be our Guide in all inquiries of this nature. CHAP. II. An objection from the fuppofed Silence of CHAP. III. An Objection from John xvii. 3 anfwered. CHAP IV. Ap Objection from 1 Cor. viii. 4, 5, 6. THE DEITY of JESUS CHRIST Essential to the CHRISTIAN RELIGION. INTRODUCTION. HE capital truths of religion are fo clofely connected, that, like the principles of geometry, fome of them ferve, as fo many steps, by which to defcend to the knowledge of others. In our examination of the principal evidences on which our faith is established, we were led by the truth of the existence of God, to that of natural religion; by the truth of natural religion, to that of the Jewish religion; and by the truth of the Jewish religion, to that of the Chriftian religion". The mutual relation which thefe grand truths have one to another, has led us a step further. We could not carefully examine the foundations of the Chriftian religion, without being convinced, that the fame principles eftablish the DIVINITY of Jefus Chrift-Establish it in fuch a manner, that he who doubts, whether the Lord Referring to the Author's Treatife On the Truth of the Chriftian Religion. B Meffiah be truly and properly Gon, ought alfo to queftion the truth of the Scriptures, which contain the Chriftian doctrine; and, that whoever is affured the New Teftamentis divinely authentic, ought not to difpute the Deity of Chrift. This is the general defign of the enfuing Treatife. But, for the better understanding it, one diftin&ion is highly neceffary. The Divinity of Jefus Chrift may be confidered, either as a myftery concealed from us; or as a truth revealed to us. That our Lord is really a Divine Perfon, is a truth revealed; but the modus of his Divine Subfiftence, is an unfearchable mystery; and, fo far from attempting to explain it, we ought rather to fhew, that it is inexplicable. All the difference between the people and their teachers, in this refpect, is, The ignorance of the people is modest and humble; they are not ashamed to own it. But that of their teachers is haughty, and has recourfe to fcholaftic diftinctions, in order to conceal itself. We do not, therefore, undertake to explain the mystery, but to prove the fact. We fhall have no recourfe to matephyfical fpeculations, to fhew How the thing is; but we fhall make it appear, from divine Revelation, that it REALLY IS. As my general defign is to prove, that there is a neceflary connection between the Divinity of Chrift, and the truth of the Chriftian religion, I fhall make it my principal endeavour to fhew, that they must ftand, or fall, together. For this purpofe, I fhall adopt a method which may feem a little new and extraordinary; but fuch as may, perhaps, be convincing. If Jefus Chrift be not the true God, of the fame effence with his Father, I fhall fhew, That the Mahometan religion is preferable to Chriftianity, and Chrift inferior to Mahomet-That the Sanhedrim did an act of justice in caufing Jefus to be put to death for blafphemy-That He and his apoftles have led us into a complicated and pernicious error- That there is no harmony between the Old and the New Teftament—And, that neither the ancient Jewish, nor the Chriftian religion, is attended with fufficient criteria to diftinguish it from impofture. Which particulars I fhall diftinctly confider, in five Sections: to which I fhall add a fixth, defigned to anfwer the principal objections against the orthodox faith. As the DIVINITY of Chrift, the INCARNATION, and the TRINITY, are three fubjects which may be dilinaly handled; it is proper to apprife the reader, that it is the firf only which I intend here to establish; it being, in fome refpects, fundamental to the other The brevity at which I aim not permitting me to rank the adverfaries of the orthodox doctrine in different claffes, and to engage the Arians, Semi-arians, and Socinians, feparately; I have fo managed the argument, that they are generally oppofed by the fame proofs. I diftinguish, once for all, and request the reader carefully to remember it, between the perfons of our adverfaries, and the cafe which they plead. Towards the former I have all the fentiments of love and compaffion, which are due to my erring fellow mortals. I admire the parts, the learning, and the gifts, which God has bestowed on fome of them. And though they do manifeft violence to the Scripture, I would not accufe them of fpeaking contrary to their own light; nor judge them unworthy of toleration in a Proteflant ftate. As to their caufe, I ought not to be cenfured, if I endeavour to reprefent it in its own colours-in all that deformity which neceffarily attends an hypothefis, that is contrary to Divine Revelation and the fpirit of true religion. This is my duty, and one end of my miniftry. I ought not to omit any thing, which appears to be a lawful and propable mean of convincing them |