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XLIII.

1 Kings viii. 39. THOU, even THOU ONLY KNOWEST the HEARTS of all the children

of men.

This, it seems, is the privilege of God ONLY but this God is Christ; for, says he,

Rev. ii. 23. All the churches shall know that I am HE which searcheth the reins and HEARTS.

Indeed this latter verse speaks plain enough for itself without being compared with the former. It implies, that there is one only who searcheth the hearts of men, and that Christ is he. And the Greek will very well bear it; as the learned reader will easily perceive. It is thus—εγω ειμι ο ερευνων—There is ὁ ερευ ywy, one that searcheth; but-eyeμ-I am he.

XLIV.

2 Pet. i. 4. Exceeding great and precious promises, that by these you might be (θειας κοινωνοι φυσεως) PARTAKERS of the DI

VINE NATURE.

Heb. iii. 14. For we are made (μetoxoi Ty Xp158) PARTAKERS of CHRIST, if we hold the beginning of our confidence (in the

precious promises of God) steadfast unto

the end.

What St. Peter proposes, as the end of our hope in the promises, is to be partakers of the divine nature ; but this, according to St. Paul, is to be partakers of Christ; therefore Christ is in or of the divine nature ; the same almighty Goda and Lord, who declared to Abraham-I am thy shield, and thy EXCEEDING GREAT REWARD.b So that these being compared together, are decisive for the catholic homoousian doctrine, at which the Arians, from the council of Nice to this very day, have been so grievously offended. And it has not been without reason. For if the word consubstantial be applicable to the person of Christ, it makes short work with their heresy. To this end, it was fixed upon and agreed to by the bishops of the whole Christian world,* as the most proper bar and badge of distinction between the Arians and themselves. But they object that the term is not

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*I say, of the whole Christian world: though a late author calls this Oecumenical council, summoned for the condemnation of Arius, “a famous contest," as if one half of the world had been divided against the other. And he says, it was "determined by a majority of near twenty to one;" whereas, in truth, there were but five out of three hundred and eighteen, who denied the catholic faith. I mention this, to shew how some things may be represented by some sort of people, who if they are not ignorant must think it their interest to impose upon you. What would you think of a man, who having been present at an assize, should bring a report of it home to his family, and tell them he had been at a famous contest, where there was a majority of near ten jury-men, six witnesses, and a judge against the criminal? See Ded. to an Essay on Spirit, p. 9, 10.

scriptural; nay, there are some of no ordinary figure amongst them, who have not stuck to call it an invention of popery, though it is well known, that at the time this was adopted by the church, there was no such thing as popery in the world. But the name is found to be of great use in amusing weak people, who have no ready stock of learning to contradict them, and, in some cases I fear, no good desire of being better informed. Who can think it a notable proof of their seal as Protestants, that they take a pleasure in seeing their poor mother, the Episcopal church of England, the honor of the reformation, and the dread of popery, painted and dressed up for a Jezebel, by men of her own household: who have shipwrecked their consciences by subscribing articles they never believed, and are growing fat upon the provision allotted by the providence of God, only to support the church in her journey through this world to the kingdom of heaven. A sight that would raise the indignation of a Mahometan! and almost move a Papist himself to pity and pray for us!

e

But I would hope there are some few among favorers of Arianism who are not gone quite so far out of the way, and would be ashamed of such low and base artifices, as can only serve to expose and discredit their cause with any man of common learning and honesty. To these I address myself: and now the scripture is before us, let me ask them a plain question or two. Is not the word essence or substance

a Essay on Spirit. p. 151.

of the same signification with the word nature? and have not the fathers of the church thus expounded it? and is not this phrase of the same nature—as conclusive for the divinity of Christ, as that otherof the same substance? why then should that expression of the Nicene creed be thought so offensive, when there is another in scripture so near of kin to it, that the Arians must be sensible they could gain nothing by the exchange? For the divine nature, we all agree, can be but one; three divine natures of course making three different Gods. But the scripture, compared as above, has asserted Christ to be of this divine nature. And if people were once persuaded of that, all farther disputes about the word consubstantial would be at an end. But peace and unity for Christ's sake, is a blessing of which God has deprived this church for the punishment of its sins: and as we do not seem to be in any posture of repentance, it is to be feared he will never restore it to us again in this world; but suffer us to go on from bad to worse, till the measure is filled up.

XLV.

It is a rule, laid down by St. Paul, that GOD swears by HIMSELF, for this reason, because he can swear by NO GREATER. Heb. vi. 13.

But Christ has sworn by himself:

Isa. xlv. 23. I have sworn by MYSELFthat unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear.

nature must act agreeable to the disposition of things and persons, known to himself.

XXXIII.

† 1 Cor. viii. 6. To us there is but ONE GOD, THE FAther.

If we compare this with that expression of St. Thomas.-John xx. 28-MY LORD, and MY GOD, we have the following argument:

To us there is but one GoD, the FATHER.

But To US JESUS CHRIST IS GOD: therefore, the gospel has either preached two Gods to us, one distinct from the other: or that one God the Father is here the name of a nature, under which Christ himself, as God, is also comprehended. And the same may be prov

ed of it in several other places.

XXXIV.

+ Matth. xxiii. 9. Call no man your Father upon earth, for ONE IS YOUR FAther, which is in heaven.

Ibid. v. 10. Neither be ye called masters,

for ONE is Your master, even Christ. John iii. 13. which is in heaven.

a

Dr. Clarke has a particular section, wherein he pretends to have set down the passages that ascribe the

a Chap. ii. §. 3.

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