THAT there is such a Being as God, (by which is meant one Eternal Mind, Essence or spiritual Power, who is the Original and first Cause of all other Beings besides) is manifest; for 'tis not possible that any other Being whatsoever could give a Being to it self: Certainly nothing can be more absurd than to imagine that a thing can act any ways towards its own Production before it is.

Hence it follows, that every one of these Beings is but the real Effect of this first Cause that had a Being before it; and this first Cause of necessity must have been Eternal, and with­out Beginning: since had there been once no kind of Being at all, there then could never [Page 6] have been such a Being as God, no nor any other Being besides; for doubtless, of nothing, no­thing can be produc'd.

And as 'tis thus plain that there is a God, so 'tis utterly impossible that there can be any more than one God: for whoever is truly God, must be absolutely Infinite or Immense; that is, His Divine Essence must be boundless, and fill all that endless and inconceivable Space that is without or beyond the Limits of this World, as well as this World.

For 'tis impossible that any Being whatever can in any respect be greater than God is, or con­tain him; for then he himself could not be truly Infinite, nor excel in all Perfections. The Na­ture or Essence therefore of God is Infinite, and in Extent is without Bounds; and 'tis self-evidently impossible for two or more infinitely ex­tended Beings to subsist together: which demon­strates by Consequence, that God can be but one as to his Divine Essence or Nature.

And as right Reason does plainly teach this Truth, so do the Scriptures as evidently declare the same: to instance in a few,—The Lord he is God, there is none else besides him, Deut. 4. 35. See now that I, even I am he, and there is no God with me, Deut. 32. 39. There is none like thee, neither is there any God besides thee, 1 Chron. 17. [Page 7] 20. I am the first, and I am the last; and be­sides methere is no God, Isa. 44. 6. We know that an Idol is nothing in the World, and that there is none other God but one, 1 Cor. 8. 4.—To us there is but one God, 1 Cor. 8. 6. I might add a great Number of other Texts that speak to the very same purpose, but I think 'tis needless in a Case so plain.

Now as 'tis thus plain, that God is but one, as to his Nature or Essence; so 'tis evident like­wise, that he can in no Sense be any more than one in Person: for if, as some affirm, the Di­vine Nature did contain in it several Persons, as does the humane Nature, then each of those must be truly Immense, truly Almighty, and truly most Wise, else they could not each of them be truly God, (as some have unwarily asserted, and the Trinitarian Notion supposes); for whoever is truly God, must be every way thus qualified in all Respects.

For if that Person that is supposed to be God, be not truly immense, then some other Being of necessity must be greater than he; for whoever is not Infinite, must be bounded by some other Being, which in that respect does truly surpass that bounded Being in Greatness: But (as I said before) nothing can in any kind or respect whatsoever be greater than God is, or contain [Page 8] him; and by Consequence he alone is truly Immense.

The Person that is truly God, must be also Almighty; that is, he must be able to do more than any, or than all other Beings together can do: for doubtless none is the most High, but he that in Might and Strength does transcend all others. Touching the Almighty, says Job, he ex­cels in Power, ch. 37. 28.

The Person also that is truly God, must be most wise and knowing: 'Tis doubtless a Pro­perty essential to the true God, to know more than any other Being besides can know: Of that Day and Hour, saith our Saviour, knoweth no Man, no not the Angels which are in Heaven, neither the Son, but the Father only; Matth. 24. 36. Mar. 13. 32.

Now if that Person who is truly God, must be thus Immense in his Person, Almighty in his Power, and most Wise in his Knowledg; then it follows by direct Consequence, that 'tis impossible for more than one Person to be truly God: for nothing can be more absurd, than to believe or affirm, that two or three distinct Be­ings, such as all personal Beings are, can be each of them unlimited, as to the extent of their personal Beings; can be each of them able to do more than the rest can do, or that each of them can know more than the others know.

Suppose, for Instance, two such Beings as A and B: Now if the Person of A can do more than the Person of B, then the Person of B can­not [Page 9] do more than the Person of A; for if he could, then would not A be able to do more than B, and by Consequence he could not be Almighty.

Again, if the Person of A be most wise, and knows more than the Person of B, then B can­not know more than A; for if he did, then would not A know more than B, and so by Consequence would not be most wise: which evidently demonstrates, that no more than one Person can be truly God, since no more than one can be truly Infinite in all these afore-men­tioned Divine Perfections.

'Tis undeniably evident from the Old Testa­ment, that the God of Israel, or the Lord of Hosts, is the only true God: for thus it is writ­ten, Thou art God, and thou alone, of all the Kingdoms of the Earth, 2 Kings 19. 15. There is none like thee, neither is there any God besides thee, 2 Chron. 17. 20. Thou art God alone, Psal. 86. 10. Besides me there is no God, Isa. 44. 6. I am God, and there is none else, Isa. 46. 9. Thou shalt know no other God but me, Hos. 13. 4. Now as this is plain beyond Contra­diction, so do all Christians generally acknow­ledg, that the God here mentioned was him [Page 10] only who afterwards was called the Father of Jesus Christ.

And in the New Testament no Truth is more fully and plainly express'd than this is: thus says our Lord himself, Father,—This is Life E­ternal, to know thee the only true God, Joh. 17. 1, 3. The same do his Apostles affirm; Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 1 Cor. 1. 3. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Eph. 1. 3. With one Mind and one Mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Rom. 15. 6. We give Thanks to God, and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Col. 1. 3. He shall deliver up the King­dom to God, even the Father, 1 Cor. 15. 24. Therewith bless we God, even the Father, Jam. 3. 9. To us there is but one God, the Father, 1 Cor. 8. 6.

Now it is impossible that any one Article of the Christian Faith can be more fully and plainly express'd in Scripture than this is; the Words can be understood in no other Sense than what at the first sight they do plainly signify, and they give the most satisfying Answer that can be gi­ven to any one that shall ask who God is, name­ly, that he is only that most Divine Person who is the Father of Jesus Christ: And if in this case plain Scripture is not to be relied on, I see not of what great Use our Bibles can be to us.

For a very great Number of professed Chri­stians do notwithstanding believe, that in the Godhead there be indeed more Persons than on­ly one; and that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is God also as well as his Father. But of this Error the former Arguments are sufficient to con­vince them: for if none be God but the Father of Christ, then cannot the Son be truly God also, since he in no Sense whatever can be said to be the Father of Christ, that is, of himself.

And certainly if Men would resolve faithfully to make use but of common Sense and common Honesty, they could not but be convinced of the Absurdity of this Opinion, by only reading so often as they do in the New Testament of Jesus Christ his being the Son of God: for how can he be God himself, who truly is no other than the Son of God? If he be the Son only, then 'tis plain that he is not the Father also, who alone is God: for 'tis impossible, according to the Notion we have of Sons, for any Being whatever to be the Son of himself. No under­standing Man, when at any time he hears men­tion made of the Son of a King, is so idle in his Imagination as to believe, that thereby is meant the King who is his Father; he certainly then must be very sensless, who can think that by the Son of God is any ways meant God, that is, God most high.

'Tis also evident beyond Contradiction, that our blessed Lord cannot be truly God, since both he himself and his Apostles do very plain­ly acknowledg, that he has a God above him: for instance, My God, my God, why hast thou for­saken me? Mat. 27. 46. I ascend to my God, and to your God, Joh. 20. 17. Him that overcometh will I make a Pillar in the Temple of my God, Rev. 3. 12. The Head of every Man is Christ, and the Head of Christ is God, 1 Cor. 11. 3. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Eph. 1. 3. The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ knows I lie not, 2 Cor. 11. 31. —That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ may give you the Spirit, Eph. 1. 17. Therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the Oil of Gladness above thy Fellows, Heb. 1. 8, 9.

These Texts are very plain, and need no In­terpretation to make them be understood. Now if our Lord Christ have thus a God above him, then 'tis evident, if any thing in the World be so, that he himself is not God most high.

This Truth Christ himself does plainly de­clare; I can, saith he, of my own self do nothing, [Page 13] Joh. 5. 30. All Power is given unto me both in Heaven and in Earth, Mat. 28. 18. When the Multitude saw his Miracles, they marvelled, and glorified God who had given such Power unto Men, Mat. 9. 8. Now these things can in no tolera­ble Sense be said of him that is truly God: for he that is God most High, hath essentially in him­self all kind of Divine Dignity and Excellency, and cannot without the highest of Blasphemies be in any Sense said to receive them of another.

But of our Lord it is recorded, that he nei­ther said nor did any thing, especially in the Work of our Redemption, but what he was commanded to say and do by his Father; I have not spoken of my self, (saith he) but the Father which sent me, he gave me a Commandment what I should say, and what I should speak, Joh. 12. 49.

Is he able to save the World? To this Power he was raised by God: Him hath God exalted to be a Prince and a Saviour, Acts 5. 31. Can he give Power to Believers to become the Sons of God? This Power he also has received: Thou hast given him Power over all Flesh, that he should give Eternal Life to as many as thou hast given him, Joh. 17. 2. Has he Power to raise from the dead? Even this Power also he did re­ceive: As the Father hath Life in himself, so hath he given to the Son to have Life in himself, Joh. 5. 26. Has he Power to judg the World? 'Tis God that does enable him to do this: This is he that was ordained of God to be Judg of Quick [Page 14] and Dead, Acts 10. 42. I can do nothing of my self; as I hear, I judg. Joh. 5. 30.

Moreover, 'tis thus said, The Glory which thou hast given me, I have given them, Joh. 17. 22. I appoint unto you a Kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me, Luke 22. 29. The God of our Lord Jesus Christ hath put all things under his Feet, Eph. 1. 17. Now they must impose strangely upon their own Understandings, that can (unrequired by the Gospel) believe him to be truly God, even Infinite in all Perfection, of whom 'tis said so plainly, that whatever Power and Dignity he has, is given him by a­nother.

This Consideration alone of it self is a very strong Argument, to prove our Lord Christ not to be really and truly God, since he is every where spoken of as a Person that differs as much from God, as a noble Subject differs from his Prince or King. Thus 'tis said of him, that God anointed him, Acts 10. 38. That he offered himself up to God, Heb. 9. 14. That God raised him from the Dead, Acts 2. 24. That he was exalted by God, Acts 2. 33. That he ascended to God, Joh. 20. 17. That he sits at God's right Hand, Acts 7. 56. That God for Christ's sake hath forgiven us, Eph. 4. 32. That he hath re­deemed us unto God by his Blood, Rev. 5. 9. That [Page 15] the God of our Lord Jesus Christ hath put all things under his Feet, Eph. 1. 22.

I might collect a very great Number of other Places that speak to the very same purpose, all which do evidently demonstrate, that the true God is not Jesus Christ: for if Jesus were sent of God, and raised up from the Dead by God, and sits now at God's right Hand, &c. then 'tis plain, that there is as great a Difference be­tween the true God and him, as there is be­tween a Prince, and him whom he is said to ho­nour or imploy.

'Twould be strangely absurd for a Man to af­firm, that God can be sent of God; that God can pray to God; that God can ascend to God; that God can sit at God's right Hand; and that God shall deliver up the Kingdom to God, that God may be all in all. He that can believe this possible, is fitted for the Reception of the most ridiculous and absurd Errors that were ever found in the World.

As from what has been said before, it appears very plainly what kind of Person Christ our Lord is not; so 'twill be likewise necessary to shew what the Scriptures do declare concerning him as to what he is. Now if we consider well the general Scope and Tendency of those sacred Writings, we shall perceive very plainly [Page 16] that Christ, or the Messiah, according to the Pro­mises, was really to be of the same Nature with them, which he came to redeem; that as by Man came Death, so by Man might come also the Resurrection of the Dead, 1 Cor. 15. 'Twas by the Seed of the Woman that the Serpent's Head was bruised, Gen. 3. 15.

To Abraham the Promise was made, that in him and in his Seed all the Nations of the Earth should be blessed, Gen. 28. 14. Moses tells the Children of Israel, that the Lord their God should raise up unto them a Prophet like unto him, Deut. 8. 15. Of this Man's Seed, (namely David 's) saith St. Paul, hath God raised up unto Israel a Saviour, Jesus; Acts 13. 23. In the Fulness of time God sent forth his Son, made of a Woman, Gal. 4. 4. From all which Places 'tis mani­fest, that as to the personal Nature of Christ, he is the same as were those humane Ancestors from whom he did lineally descend; In all things he was like unto his Brethren, except in be­ing a Sinner; Heb. 2. 17. Heb. 4. 15.

And accordingly we find him almost every where mentioned by that plain Denomination and Term of A MAN; Ye seek (saith he himself) to kill me, A MAN who hath told you the Truth which I have heard of God, Joh. 8. 40. After me cometh A MAN that is preferred be­fore me, Joh. 1. 30. Jesus of Nazareth, A MAN approved of God by Wonders and Signs which God did by him, Acts 13. 38. He hath appointed a Day in the which he will judg the World in Righte­ousness [Page 17] by THAT MAN whom he hath ordained, Acts 17. 31. There is one God, and one Media­tor between God and Men, THE MAN Christ Jesus, 1 Tim. 2. 5. But THIS MAN, be­cause he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable Priesthood, Heb. 2. 7. But THIS MAN, after he had once offered one Sacrifice for Sins for ever, sat down at the right Hand of God, Heb. 10. 12. I could name a Multitude of others, but I think it is needless.

Now to me 'tis strange that any should so much as imagine that the believing and asserting of Christ to be truly an humane Person, should derogate from his true Honour and Dignity, when the Gospel does so frequently assert him to be such; whereas on the contrary, 'tis not said so much as once, that he is God most high, or that he is one of that sacred Three which do constitute or make up the true Godhead: These Unscriptural Titles are derived only from the meer Opinions and Traditions of either de­ceived or deceiving Men, whose Eyes the God of this World hath blinded, so that they cannot see or discern the Truth.

Not that Jesus our Lord was God equal to the Father in all kind of Divine Perfections, nor that he was God of the Substance of his Fa­ther, as he was Man of the Substance of his Mo­ther, [Page 18] as some have taught in after-times. All that those first Confessions do contain was this, that he was the Christ, the Son of God, and the Saviour of the World,

This was the Faith of Martha; She said unto him, Yea Lord, I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, that should come into the World, John 11. 27. This was St. Peter 's Faith, Thou art Christ the Son of the living God, Mat. 16. 16. This was the Eunuch's Faith, I believe that Christ is the Son of God, Acts 8. 37. This was the Faith of the Mariners; Of a Truth thou art the Son of God, Mat. 14. 33. And the Faith of Nicodemus was, We know thou art a Teacher come from God, for no Man can do these Mira­cles that thou dost, except God be with him, John 3. 2.

St. Paul is also said to preach Christ in the Synagogues, that he was the Son of God, Acts 9. 20. He is said also to testify to the Jews, not that Jesus was God, but that Jesus was the Christ, Acts 18. 5. We have seen and do testify (saith St. John) that the Father sent the Son to be the Sa­viour of the World, 1 Joh. 4. 14. Here's no Trinity in Unity, nor God-man, nor Hyposta­tical Union, so much as mentioned, nor any other of those hard and cramping Names with which the Church of God has been since perplex'd.

Is no other than this: These things, saith St. John, are written, that ye might believe that Je­sus is the Son of God; and that believing, ye might have Life through his Name, Joh. 20. 31. If we confess with our Mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in our Heart that God raised him from the Dead, we shall be saved, Rom. 10. 9. Whoso­ever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God, 1 Joh. 4. 15. Who is he that overcometh the World, but he that be­lieveth that Jesus is the Son of God? 1 Joh. 5. 5. These are a plain Account of that Faith which now is indispensably required of every Christian in relation to Christ.

The Scripture no where injoins us to believe, on pain of Damnation, either that Jesus is God most High, or that he is indeed both God and Man, or that he was Eternally begotten of the Father. It only teaches us thus much concern­ing him, that the Man Christ Jesus is the Me­diator between God and Men, 2 Tim. 2. 5. That he is the Propitiation for the Sins of the whole World, 1 Joh. 2. 2. That it pleased the Father by him to reconcile all things to himself, Col. 1. 20. That there is no Salvation in any other, Acts 4. 12. That he appears now in the Presence of God for us, Heb. 9. 24. And that he shall judg both Quick and Dead, at the latter Day, Acts 10. [Page 20] 42. These are Fundamentals so plain, and so undoubted, that all Christians do universally agree in the Profession of them, as they like­wise would do in all other Truths, were no­thing but what is really such imposed on the Faith of Believers.

And now although from what has been said hitherto, it be plainly evident, that the Godhead does consist but of one Divine Person only, even the Father of Christ; and that Jesus, called otherways in Scripture the Son of God, is no other than an humane Person: yet 'tis plain also that he is not a common Man, but the chief and most transcendently Excellent of all humane Beings, yea in Dignity above even the Angels.

For as his Conception in the Womb of a Virgin was miraculous, so were his Life and Actions a Wonder: He made a perfect Con­quest both of Death and the Devil; and in that great Instance of Magnanimity has out-done all the renowned Heroes both of Greece and Rome. And unto which of the Angels said God at any time, Sit thou on my right hand? but to this Dig­nity is Jesus exalted, Heb. 1. 13. God has crowned him with Glory and Honour, Heb. 2. 9. And anointed him with the Oil of Gladness above his Fellows, Heb. 1. 9. Angels, and Authorities, and Powers being made subject unto him, 1 Pet. 3. 22. [Page 21] He is ascended into Heaven in a triumphant manner: and as he now sits there at God's right Hand in Glory, so at the last Day shall he come down from thence, to judg Mankind, with such a surprizing Majesty as shall amaze and confound the World. 'Tis doubtless impossible for any humane Understanding to conceive, or Tongue to express this most excellent Man's transcendent Dignity; his Greatness must needs be very ex­traordinary, who is thus set even above the An­gels, is the Head of every Man, and the Prince of the Kings of the Earth. 1 Pet. 3. 22. 1 Cor. 11. 3. Rev. 1. 5.

And now if to those foregoing Considerati­ons we add that of his most admired Love to us sinful Mortals, in making Peace for us by the Blood of his Cross, Col. 1. 20. and in undergo­ing with invincible Patience all those Indignities and Miseries which did befal him in this the Course of that glorious Work of his, the opening for Men a new and living way to the Regions of Bliss: The Consideration of this, I say, added to that other of his most transcendent Glory and Power, ought evermore to raise up in us that Veneration which is sutable to such most wonderful Instances of unconceivable Majesty and Heroick Affection.

As the Glory of God is not to be advanc'd by Falshood, so neither can we truly honour Christ [Page 22] by Lies; he desires no such thing at our Hands, neither at the last Day will he reward us for af­firming him to be that which indeed he is not: they only give true Honour to Christ who own him for the undoubted Messiah, or the Son of God, and do stedfastly both believe and obey his Gospel.

As for the other vain and ungrounded Opini­ons of Men concerning him, they no ways con­duce to the Glory of our Blessed Redeemer. 'Tis said indeed that we should honour the Son as we honour the Father, Joh. 5. 23. But that word AS does not import an equal Honour, no more than it does import an equal Holiness and Purity, when we are commanded to purify our selves AS he is pure, 1 John 3. 3. And AS he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of Conversation, 1 Pet. 1. 15.

Besides, the word Honour is of a doubtful Import, and doth often-times signify only Obe­dience, as is evident from Ephes. 6. 1, 2. where by honour thy Father and Mother is clearly signi­fied, obey your Parents. And accordingly Dr. Clagget, in his Paraphrase on the Place, makes it to be an honouring the Son with the same Faith and Obedience; implying, that we are as much bound to believe and obey the Gospel of Christ in the New Testament, as we are the Law of God recorded in the Old; that since he is made Judg of the World, to be certain he will not suffer the Breach of his own Laws to go unpu­nished.

[Page 23] Doubtless we ought to be as careful of ascri­bing to Christ those Glories which are his, as we are to give to God Almighty that Honour which essentially belongs to himself: and no Man can think or speak too honourably of his Redeemer, so long as he no ways does thereby rob God the Father of that truly Divine Ho­nour which is his indispensible Due. Our Lord who sought not his own Glory, (John 8. 50.) will give us no Thanks for such Honours as do naturally derogate from his Father's Dignity: but such is their Honour who make the Son to be God; for then since but one Person can be truly God, they do assert by Consequence that the Father is not so.

God has indeed highly exalted Jesus his be­loved Son, and has given him a Name above every Name, and has put all things under his Feet. But when all things are said to be thus put under him, 'tis manifest that he himself is excepted that did put all things under him, 1 Cor. 15. 27. So that notwithstanding the great and mighty Dignities to which God hath exalted Christ, yet he has still reserv'd to himself this most supreme Royalty of being the God and Head of Christ. God hath given him indeed a Kingdom; but when the Intent of this Govern­ment of his is accomplish'd, he shall again re­sign it back, that so God in that after-state of Eternity may be all in all, 1 Cor. 15. 24, 25, 28.

AND now tho from what has been already said, no Man whose Understanding is not inslaved by the Tyranny either of Self-conceit, Interest, or Education, can doubt of so great a Truth as this is, namely, that no personal Being whatever, besides the Father of Christ, is God most High; as also that other Branch thereof, that Jesus our Lord, as to his Nature, is the same with them whom he came to redeem. Yet since there have been many Objections raised against it, I will endeavour as briefly as I can, to give them such reasonable Answers as shall make these Truths beyond Exception.

Some object, that Christ of necessity must be God, since in several Places of Scripture he is expresly called by the Name of God. I answer, a God he undoubtedly is, and a mighty God too, according to the way of Expression used in those antient times; in which those were called Gods who either represented God's Person, or acted in his Name and by his Authority: but he is not God Almighty.

When the Jews did accuse him for making himself God, he thus vindicates his Innocence; If, saith he, they are called Gods to whom the [Page 25] Word of God came—Say ye of him whom the Fa­ther hath sanctified, and sent into the World, Thou blasphemest, because I said I am the Son of God? John 10. 35, 36. Christ had as good a Right to this Title as any of the rest, if not a better; and therefore it could be no Blasphemy to ap­propriate the same to himself, had he done so: but they lied, for he did not do it, he only said, that he was the Son of God, calling God his Father.

Others object, that if Christ were not God as well as Man, he could not have been a fit Mediator between God and Man, since in such a Case, say they, he ought no way to be exact­ly the Person concern'd. A fit Mediator be­tween God and Man must neither be only God, nor only Man, but one who by Nature is be­tween these two, even God as well as Man.

I answer; 'Tis not necessary that a Mediator should be of such a middle Nature, nor does the Scripture any where assert it: There is always supposed in the Work of Reconciliation, one offended, another offending, and a third not concern'd in the Quarrel, interposing to make Peace between them. Now in this Sense Christ, though but a Man, was a very fit and proper Mediator: Had he been God, he had been the Party offended; had he been a sinful Man, he had been one of that Party that gave the Of­fence; but being a Man perfectly righteous, he [Page 26] therefore was fit to intercede between God and Sinners.

That Christ is our Mediator, is plain and evi­dent; and 'tis as plain that he is only a Man, and not both God and Man, as some assert: There is, saith the Scripture, one God, and one Mediator between God and Men, the Man Christ Jesus, 2 Tim. 2. 5. And 'tis most wonderful, that in a Matter so manifestly evident, Men should dare to impose upon the World another Faith, or be induc'd to believe contrary to so plain and evident a part of God's Word.

Others object, that Christ Jesus must needs be God, because 'tis said, I and my Father are one, John 10. 30. And again; There be three that bear Record—and these three are one, 1 Joh. 5. 7. To these I answer, that though 'tis said they are one, yet 'tis not said what one they are; 'tis not said they are one God. This is only the ungrounded Assertion either of some easy-mind­ed, or else of some heedlesly bold and daring Men.

Doubtless by that Passage, 1 John 5. 7. is meant, that these three are one as to the Record which they are there said to bear; they perfect­ly agree in that Witness which they give con­cerning Jesus his being truly the Christ, as the foregoing Verses do plainly intimate.

[Page 27] As for that other Passage, John 10. 30. 'tis plain, that the Oneness there meant is a Mystical or Moral, and not a Natural Oneness: And 'tis doubtless explained by John 17. 11. where our Saviour prays that his Disciples might be one as he and his Father were one; that they, saith he, may be one, as thou Father art in me, and I in thee, that they may be one in us, v. 21. which denotes an Oneness only in the same mutual Affection, for Believers can be one in no other Sense but this: and look what Oneness there ought to be between one true Believer and ano­ther, the same Oneness there is between Christ and God, an inward Intimacy, like that be­tween real Friends, of whom 'tis usual to say, they are all one, one in Heart, and one in Mind; as those in Acts 4. 32. are said to be.

Some object, that Christ must be God as well as his Father, because 'tis said, that he thought it no Robbery to be equal with God, Phil. 2. 6. To this I answer, that Christ himself hath told us, that his Father is greater than he, John 14. 28. Hence 'tis plain, that if the Son be any ways equal to the Father, yet 'tis really but in some Particulars; for were the Son equal to the Father in every Respect, then 'twere impossible for the Father to be greater than he.

Whence 'tis clear that the Son cannot be equal to the Father in all things, though in some [Page 28] things he may. For instance, as God can save Believers, so this also Christ can do; but this Power of Christ is not an essential, but a de­rived Power; Thou hast given him Power over all Flesh, that he should give Eternal Life to as many as thou hast given him, John 17. 2. These are our Saviour's own Words; and 'tis plain, that he from whom he receives the Power, must in Power be superiour unto him: he is not there­fore Almighty, and so by Consequence not God most High, as the Objection would suppose.

Some object, that Christ is said to be the Maker of the Worlds, Heb. 1. 2. and that all things were made by him, Joh. 1. 3. and there­fore, say they, he of necessity must be God E­ternal. I answer, many things are spoken of Christ figuratively, as he is called a Way, a Door, a Vine; and the Bread in the Sacrament is said to be his Body. Now these, as those likewise which affirm him to be the Maker of the World, are Figurative or Mystical Expressions, in which one thing is said to signify another, as the Old Creation to set forth the New.

There are in the Scripture many dark and difficult Passages, hard to be understood, as St. Peter expresses it, 2 Epist. 3. 16. which are doubtless true in some Sense or other, could we be so happy as to hit upon the right: But in the mean time, till this can be done, 'tis cer­tain [Page 29] that that can never be the right Sense which contradicts the clearest and the plainest parts of the Bible, as well as the greatest and most certain Evidences of humane Understanding.

The general Current of the Scripture declares plainly, that Christ, or the Messiah, was derived from the Seed of, Abraham; that he was the Son of David; that he was made of a Woman. Where­fore 'tis self-evident that in a literal Sense he could never be the Maker of the World, whose true Ancestors were humane Persons, and who was born, or whose Being did first begin to be, some thousands of Years after the World was made. All Scriptures therefore that affirm Christ to be the Maker of the World, and to be the Maker of all things, must be supposed to speak figuratively, and are no ways to be understood in their literal Sense and Meaning.

In all such Cases as this is, 'tis safer to say, that we cannot understand truly in what Sense these Scriptures are to be taken, than it is to con­clude, that they mean that which other more numerous and plain Places of Scripture, as well as Reason, do make to be impossible.

When we urge those Scriptures which say that Christ has a God above him; that he could do no­thing of himself; that he knew not of the Day of Judgment; that he died to redeem Mankind. The Opposers reply, that this is meant only as to [Page 28] [...] [Page 29] [...] [Page 30] his Manhood or humane Nature, but not as to his Divine Nature: for as he was God, none was his Superiour; he had all Power essentially in himself, knew all things, and was truly im­mortal.

I answer; If Christ had really two Natures in him, so that thereby he had been truly God as well as Man, the Person thus constituted or made up of two such Natures, could never have died according to his humane Nature, if by his Divine Nature he had been truly God too: for how could he in Person have been mortal in one Capacity, if he had been on the contrary immortal in another? He also could not possibly have been ignorant in one Capacity of what he knew in another; nor could he have wanted any kind of Power, if in any of his Ca­pacities he had had all Power essentially in him­self; one Capacity must needs have supplied the Defects of the other, especially the stronger of the weaker.

'Tis objected, that as Christ Jesus our Lord was begotten by God on the Body of the Vir­gin; so he must necessarily be God of the Sub­stance of his Father, as he was Man of the Sub­stance of his Mother. In Answer to this I say, that when the Angel saluted the Virgin with the Glad-tidings of her being designed to be the Mo­ther not of God, but of the promised Messiah, [Page 31] he told her, that the Holy Ghost should come upon her, and the Power of the Highest should over­shadow her; and that therefore that holy thing which should be born of her, should be called the Son of God, Luke 1. 31, 35.

Now in the Relation of this Message these following Particulars are remarkable:

First; That Jesus our Lord is the Son of God's Power only, and not of his Person; the Power of the Highest shall over shadow thee. 'T was of the Woman only that he was made, Gal. 4. 4. (He was not generated, as some think, out of his Father's Substance) and so by Consequence was the Son only of his miraculous and Al­mighty Power.

Secondly; It is not said that therefore he shall be the natural Son of God in that Sense, as one Man is the natural Son of another; but there­fore he shall be called the Son of God, or he shall so be, and be so reputed, because in this one particular Instance God was to him instead of a Father, not a Father in the way that Men are Fathers to their Children, but a Father in respect of the Virgin's receiving a Power from God; thus in an uncommon manner to con­ceive in her self a Son of Joseph and David, Ver. 31, 32.

From what has been said I think it appears plainly, that Christ his being God of the Sub­stance of his Father, is an ungrounded Conceit. The Generation of our Lord Jesus may be bet­ter accounted for another way: for God the Al­mighty [Page 32] Architect, and most-wise Contriver of the Creation, has reserv'd to himself a Power to alter the Course of Nature whensoever he pleases; and as of a Rib taken out from the side of Adam he made a Woman, so by the same omnipotent Power he did enable a Virgin Wo­man to conceive a Son. If God had Power out of mere Stones to raise up Children unto Abra­ham, Mat. 3. 9. we ought not to think it incre­dible, that in this miraculous manner he should out of the Posterity of Abraham raise up this Seed so wonderfully to be the World's Redeemer.

Some I find are strongly perswaded that none but a Person truly God could do those wonder­ful Works that Christ did. To such I answer, that a Man who is no God can do things that are miraculous, when God gives him a Power to perform them. This is evident in those which Moses did, and in those also which were wrought by the Apostles. The Works of Christ indeed were extraordinary, yet not done by a Power inherent in himself, but by a Power de­rived from God: for himself tells us, that all Power was given unto him both in Heaven and in Earth, Mat. 28. 18. He was a Man approved of God (saith the Apostle) by Miracles, Wonders, and Signs which God did by him, Acts 2. 22.

[Page 33] This Power God did bestow on Christ, to be only an Evidence of his being the true Messiah: Rabbi, saith Nicodemus, We know that thou art a Teacher come from God; for no Man can do these things that thou dost, except God be with him, Joh. 3. 2. The Works, saith Christ, which the Father hath given me to finish, the same Works that I do, bear witness of me, Joh. 5. 36. His Works were an evident Proof that he was no Impostor, but a true and most wonderful Pro­phet; yet still he is said to be but a Man, a Man whom God was with, a Man by whom God did Wonders.

Some object, that we must not think to com­prehend the infinite Nature of God, nor under­stand fully every Particular that does relate to his Divine Perfections; for God is Incomprehensi­ble, and may for ought we know be that which yet we cannot plainly understand him to be, namely, three in Person, though but one in Essence.

I answer; Some of God's Divine Perfections are self-evident, and 'tis impossible that we can be mistaken therein: We are infallibly certain that he must be Immense in Person, Almighty in Power, and most Wise in Knowledg. And although we cannot know what God is in eve­ry Respect, yet at the same time we may know [Page 34] certainly what indeed he is not; we know cer­tainly that he is not a Man, or that he was made of a Woman, as Christ was: We know certainly that he is not mortal, or that he cannot die, as Christ did; and we know certainly that he has not a God above him, as Christ had; and we know certainly that he has not received any kind of Pow­er from another, as Christ Jesus is said to do.

And as one Truth naturally infers another, so we do from hence assuredly conclude that the Person of Jesus our Lord is not truly God; for he was made of a Woman, Gal. 4. 4. He died to redeem us, 2 Cor. 5. 14. He had a God a­bove him, 1 Cor. 11. 3. And he did receive all the Power he had of another, Joh. 5. 30. Mat. 28. 18.

We also know certainly that if the Divine Godhead did consist of three Persons, that then neither of the three Persons singly can be God. If all three be but that one God together (as the Trinitarians assert) then no one of them can be the true God by himself: for the same Deno­mination cannot properly fit each Person singly, as does fit them when conjoined in one mutual Relation; for then they might be said to be in­deed three supreme Godheads, which is utterly impossible.

We also know certainly that if any of the three Persons, said to be in the Godhead, be God by himself, as we have proved God the Father undoubtedly is, then all the rest are but super­fluous and unnecessary, as to the Constitution [Page 35] of a Godhead: for one Infinite, Almighty, and most Wise Person, is as sufficient to all the Purposes of a Godhead, as ten thousand Deities: but if three be but the one true God together, then no one of them can be that one true God by himself alone.

Lastly, we may be infallibly certain that if Doctrines grounded on so many numerous and great Evidences both of Scripture and self-evi­dent Reason, as these are, That God is but one in Person; That the Person who is truly God, is no other than the Father of Jesus Christ; and that the most excellent of Men, even Jesus Christ, was only a Man, be false; Then we cannot be certain of the Truth of any other Principle in Religi­on: If the Evidences here collected do deceive us, 'tis in vain to hope by any other Methods to find the Truth.

Some, as a Proof of our Saviour's Godhead, urge those Texts of Scripture, where 'tis said, He came down from Heaven; came forth from the Father, and ascended up where he was before. To which I answer, that these prove not that for which they are intended, since 'tis plainly inferred from other Scriptures, that Christ, some time before he was sent to declare the Glad­tidings of the Gospel, was assumed or taken up from the Earth into his Father's more immedi­ate [Page 36] Presence, (as St. Paul was some time after into the third Heaven) there to be instructed in the Mind and Will of God, and to be invested with that great Dignity and Power of being a Prince and a Saviour.

To this the Prophet Daniel's Vision plainly alludes; I saw, saith he, in the Night Visions, and behold one like the Son of Man came to the Antient of Days, and they brought him before him; and there was given him Dominion and Glory, and a Kingdom, that all People, and Nations, and Languages should serve him, Dan. 7. 13. And from the Words of our Saviour himself 'tis plain, that he ascended up into Heaven before he came down to declare his Father's Will to Men; No Man, saith he, hath ascended into Heaven, but he that came down from Heaven, Joh. 3. 13. But no Man but Christ ever came down from thence, which he never could have done had he not first ascended up thither. And that he was taken up to be instructed in the Doctrine he was to publish to the World, is plain also; The Father, saith he, that sent me, he gave me a Commandment what I should say, and what I should speak, Joh. 12. 49.

The Redemption or Restoration of Mankind was a Work of prodigious Difficulty; and God, who had fore-ordained our Saviour for the Per­formance thereof, did for his greater Incourage­ment present to his View the Glories, which before the World was (Joh. 17. 5.) he had designed as a Reward for his Son the Messiah: and 'twas [Page 37] doubtless this Fore-taste of the Divine and Hea­venly Happiness that animated him with Cou­rage and Fortitude to encounter all the Difficul­ties that stood in his way. Hence 'tis said, that he for the Joy that was set before him, did endure the Cross, and despise the Shame, Heb. 12. 2.

Some object, that Christ is said to be before Abraham, before all things, and that he had Glo­ry with God before the World was. This, say they, proves him to be Eternal, and by Conse­quence God. I answer, 'tis impossible that Christ can be the true and living God, since 'tis plain from what has been said in the former part of this Work, that no Person is truly God but the Father of Christ, and that Christ has a God above him.

'Tis impossible for Christ to be Eternal; for if God be his Father, as all acknowledg, then there was a time when the Son had not a Being: for to be a Son, and to be equal in Duration with his Eternal Father that begot him, is un­doubtedly impossible. Besides, we are told plainly, that the Son was first fore-ordained be­fore he came to have a Being in these latter times, 1. Pet. 1. 20. Now no fore-ordained Being can possibly be Eternal, since he that did ordain his Being, must be before him of Necessi­ty; and none but the very first of all Beings can be truly Eternal.

[Page 38] How could he have a Being before Abraham, since 'tis declared he was of the Seed of Abra­ham? How could he be before David, when 'twas out of David's Posterity that God raised up Jesus according to his Promise? And since Jesus the Son of God was made of a Woman, Gal. 4. 4. he could not be more antient in time than his Mother that bare him.

If follows then that these Scriptures on which the Objection depends, are purely figurative, and are not to be understood in their literal Sense and Meaning: They declare indeed that Christ in some Sense or other was before all things, be­fore Abraham, and had Glory before the World was, but not in that Sense which the Objectors suppose.

For 'tis not reasonable they should be under­stood in such a Sense as contradicts both com­mon Understanding, and the greatest and plain­est part of all the Bible; they are Places of the same Nature with those which St. Peter affirms are hard to be understood, 2 Pet. 3. 16. and for that Reason must by Interpretation be brought to such a Sense as is agreeable to the Analogy of Faith, and the most general Scope and Design of the Holy Scriptures: that is to say, that Christ was before Abraham, and before the World, &c. in the Fore-ordination, Decree and Counsel of God, as in very Deed St. Peter interprets them, when he saith thus of Christ, that he verily was fore-ordained before the Founda­tion of the World, but was manifest in these lust times, 1 Pet. 1. 20.

Some argue thus; That if Christ had not been God, the Sacrifice he offered, or the Satis­faction he made for Sinners, would not have been of that Infinite Worth which was necessary to satisfy the Infinite Justice of an offended God. I answer. The Holy Scriptures do not any where declare this Doctrine, but on the contrary they tell us, that as by the Offence of one, Judgment came upon all Men to Condemnation; so by the Righteousness of one, the free Gift came upon all Men to Justification of Life. Rom. 5. 18.

In which Words are contained the whole Do­ctrine of the Satisfaction of Christ; and they imply thus much only, that God was so infi­nitely well pleased with the unspotted Righte­ousness of his Son, that for his sake he entred into a new Covenant of Grace and Mercy with Mankind, wherein he did engage himself to be still their God, and to afford them new Means of becoming his People.

Thus did God in Infinite Mercy take all Men again into Favour for the sake of one perfectly righteous Person, as in infinite Justice he had before included all Men under Suffering for their first Father's Sin and Transgression: So that as by Man came Death, the Punishment due to the Breach of the first Covenant, so by Man came also the Resurrection from the Dead, 1 Cor. 15. [Page 40] 21. All which was not the Effect of any equi­valent Price which by Christ was given to God, but of the Righteousness or Obedience, which he perform'd to his Father's Command: for as by one Man's Disobedience many were made Sinners; so by the Obedience of one shall many be made Righteous. Rom. 5. 19.

Had Christ given to God, or made in our stead such a Satisfaction as had been equivalent to the Transgressions of all Men, in order to re­deem them, how then could Eternal Life be the free Gift of God? How then could we be saved by Free Grace? and how could our Sins be said to be forgiven? for Gift, and Grace, and For­giveness, are not proper terms where an Equi­valent hath been received.

In the Scripture 'tis said indeed, that Christ hath obtained Eternal Redemption for us, Heb. 9. 12. That our Peace is made through the Blood of his Cross, Col. 1. 20. That we were reconciled unto God by the Death of his Son, Rom. 5. 10. But it speaks not so much as one Word of an Equivalent.

But is it not said, say some, that we are bought with a Price, 1 Cor. 6. 20. And that the Son of Man has given his Life a Ransom for many? Mat. 20. 28. I answer, These are but impro­per Expressions, and are of the same Nature with those which attribute Hands, and Eyes, and Ears to God, which only imply that such Acts are done by God which Men usually per­form by these bodily Parts: Even so▪ Christ is [Page 41] said to ransom▪ us, and to buy us with a Price, because by his Means we do receive Benefits equivalent to what they do who are set free from any kind of Misery and Bondage, by the Payment of a Price to them in whose Bondage they are.

I shall, as a Close to what I have to say on this Head, add, that the Justice of God spoken of is satisfied in a manner different from that which the Adversary supposes: that is to say, the Justice of God is satisfied in the certain Pu­nishment of Adam's Transgression. Adam was commanded not to eat of the forbidden Fruit on pain of Death. This Command he trans­gressed; and 'tis evident that the Punishment was accordingly inflicted, for Adam died, and all his Posterity do die likewise. Now when the Penalty is thus inflicted, 'tis plain that Ju­stice is satisfied, and God in Equity can require no more: but had not Christ obtained the Fa­vour to restore us to Life after the Punishment was thus inflicted, there had then been an End of Mankind for ever.

From hence 'tis apparent how idle their Fan­cy is who imagine Christ suffered what all Man­kind should have suffered, in order to free them for ever from suffering the same. For 'tis plain beyond Contradiction, that we are not freed from Death, the Punishment due to that first Transgression, for we all die; God does exact the Forfeiture of every one of us, and by Con­sequence his Justice, as to that Offence, is sa­tisfied in all its Demands. But this, say some, [Page 42] is false, for Hell was our Due as well as Death; and from that Christ has freed every one that will believe. I answer, 'Tis strange that Christ should free Believers from one part of the Pu­nishment and not from the other: The Scrip­tures no where reveal this Secret, and for that Reason we need not believe it.

Hell is the Punishment which is due to the Breach of the second Covenant, and not of the first; now neither has Christ freed us from this by any thing that he has done and suffered for us. He by his Righteousness did indeed procure for us a new Covenant, and this new Covenant of Grace proposes Life and Pardon on condition that we will believe its Promises, sincerely en­deavour to obey its Precepts, and repent of Sin; and they are truly the Breakers of this Covenant who live in a continued Course of Disobedience thereunto, and die at last in final Impenitence. Now for such Sinners as these there does remain no Sacrifice; Christ never died for the Re­demption of such, and by Consequence can no ways be said to suffer in their stead.

Some object, that Jesus must be God, be­cause 'tis recorded that his Name, in the most Primitive Times of the Gospel, was called upon; see Acts 9. 14. and 22. 16. I answer; 'Tis difficult to understand rightly what is there meant by Calling on his Name: This is cer­tain, [Page 43] that the Scripture no where injoins us to make Christ the Object of Divine Worship; it does rather expresly intimate the contrary. Our Lord forewarns his Disciples not to ask any thing of him after his Ascension, but bids them ask the Father in his Name, Job. 16. 23, 24, 26.

And when our Lord taught his own Disciples to pray, he bids them say, Our Father which art in Heaven, Mat. 6. 9. He does not direct them to say, O Christ hear us: He tells the Samaritan Woman, that in the following times the true Worshippers should worship the Father, Joh. 4. 23. 'Twas the Doctrine of St. Paul, that in every thing by Prayer and Supplication we should let our Requests be made known unto God, Phil. 4. 6. And his own Practice was according to his Doctrine, I bow my Knee (saith he) to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Eph. 3. 14. and in many other Places, God or the Father, not Christ, is mentioned as the alone Object of Di­vine Adoration and Petition: And 'tis worth nothing, that Christ himself, whose Example and Footsteps we should follow, prayed always to his Father, and never did so much as once petition any other Person of the supposed Tri­nity.

And as to Thanksgiving, 'tis plainly said to be the Will of God that we should do all in the Name of the Lord Jesus, giving Thanks to God and the Father by him, Col. 3. 17. And in an­other Place we are commanded to give Thanks always unto God and the Father, in the Name of [Page 44] Jesus Christ, Eph. 5. 20. And accordingly we read in a great number of Places in the New Te­stament, how the Apostles gave God Thanks through Jesus Christ.

Jesus our Lord is said in Scripture to appear in the Presence of God for us, Heb. 9. 24. to be an Advocate for Sinners, 1 Joh. 2. 1. To make In­tercession for the Saints, Rom. 3. 34. To be the Mediator between God and Men, 1 Tim. 2. 5. The Minister of the new Covenant, Heb. 8. 6. All which proves him to be the Person that pleads our Cause, that solicites our Acceptance, the great Transactor and Manager of all Affairs between God and us; but it no ways intimates any Divine Worship due to himself.

And indeed should we put Christ instead of the true God, and make him the alone Object of Divine Prayer and Thanksgiving, in whose Name then shall we approach the Throne of Grace? and by whom shall we render Thanks to God? who shall be our Intercessor, our Ad­vocate, our Mediator? For my part I know but of one Mediator, and that's the Man Christ Je­sus, 1 Tim. 2. 5. and he only is the Mediator be­tween us Men and the one true God, whom I before have proved to be only the Father of Je­sus Christ.

To make our Lord Christ therefore the Ob­ject of our Divine Addresses is as much as in us lies to deprive him of his Mediatory Office, which also by Consequence is to deny him to be the Son of God, even the Beloved in whom [Page 45] alone we are accepted, Eph. 1. 6. Yea, and by this we deny also the Godhead of the Father, in whose stead we do by this Means place Christ, than which there can be nothing in this World that is more truly Antichristian: See 1 John 2. 22.

Now from the aforegoing Arguments 'tis evident, that whatever the Sense of the objected Places are, yet they cannot mean that which the Objector intends, since in vastly more nu­merous and plain Places the Scriptures make God and not Christ to be the alone Object of our Divine Addresses.

Some object against the Doctrine of God's being but one in Person, the Novelty thereof, that 'tis but of Yesterday in comparison to that which asserts a Trinity, which is, they say, of at least 1600 and odd Years standing. I answer, that the Objector is greatly mistaken: for can that be a new Doctrine which has the greatest and the most plain part of the Scripture for its Foundation? The Doctrine of God's being but one in Person, is in the former part of this Work proved to be expresly and plainly con­tain'd both in the Old and New Testament, and by Consequence must needs be as antient as the Scriptures are. [Page 44] [...] [Page 45] [...]

[Page 46] The long Continuance of the contrary Do­ctrine, if it were as antient as the Objectors af­firm, is yet no Argument of its real Truth. We read that soon after the good Wheat was sown, the Enemy began to sprinkle Tares in the Field; Mat. 13. 25. And the Mystery of Iniquity be­gan to work even in St. Paul's time, 2 Thess. 2. 7. So that 'tis no wonder that some Errors, as suppose this of the Trinity, be almost of equal standing to the greatest Truths: for where God has a Church, the Devil always has a Chappel. 'Tis not the long or short Continuance of any Doctrine, as to its Profession, that makes it authentick, but that Foundation of Reason and Scripture on which it is built: A Tenet is not therefore true because of its long or general Be­lief, if at the same time it contradicts Self-evi­dence, and the general Current of the sacred Scriptures.

Some object, that much of the Scripture is mere Mystery; and therefore since all Scripture is the Object of our Faith, we must sometimes believe things which we cannot comprehend. I answer, if we are to believe Mysteries when clearly revealed, yet it does not from thence fol­low, that therefore we must believe Impossibi­lities and Contradictions. A just God can ne­ver lay on us a necessity of submitting to those Terms and Conditions of Salvation which we [Page 47] cannot possibly understand. Hence it follows that such obscure Mysteries as evidently do con­tradict other plain Truths, do no ways concern us, so long as we are in the dark as to their true Sense and Meaning.

When a Mystery is plainly express'd in Scrip­ture, as when 'tis said, a Virgin did conceive a Son, or that all Men shall rise again, or that Christ shall judg the World, and no other plain Scripture contradicts it, neither is it contrary to humane Reason; we are then to believe it, tho it may be above our Understanding to conceive which way the Power of God should enable a Virgin to conceive, or in what manner our scat­tered Dust shall be recollected and revived, or how our blessed Saviour can be made fit for so great a Work as an Universal Judg.

But if some Places in Scripture had said these things, but others more numerous and plain had affirmed the contrary, or had it contradict­ed any self-evident Principle of Reason, we might then have rejected the Belief thereof as safely and with as good Authority as we now do that of the Popish Transubstantiation, which by the way is as expresly contain'd in Scripture as is that of the Trinity.

But for Mysteries of a more doubtful Nature, such as want the Qualifications before express'd, they can no ways oblige our Faith, so long as their true Meaning lies hid in Obscurity of Ex­pression. There will be a time when all secret things shall be revealed, and all hidden things [Page 48] shall be brought to light, for which we must wait with Patience, and not pretend, as some do, to explain even what is most hard and diffi­cult, by such Notions as are purely unintelligi­ble; for this is but the more to confound their Minds which were at a loss before.

'Tis true, if any Man can rationally explain a Mystery, he then does good Service both to God and Man; but this we are infallibly certain is never done, when the Sense that is given of a doubtful Place of Scripture is contrary not only to the general Current of the rest of the Word of God, but is also a Contradiction to the most self-evident Sentiments of humane Understand­ing.

But some may say, If such Passages as these are so generally to be overlook'd in the Business of Religion, why then did God cause them to be recorded in the sacred Scripture? I answer, that it may as well be asked, why God made so many sorts of small, and as we think, use­less Insects to live upon the Earth, since we know not what Benefit they are of to the World? Doubtless God, who does nothing in vain, made them for some great Ends, though our short-sighted Understanding cannot perceive what those excellent Ends of his are: Even so likewise will his Wisdom be manifested some way or other, by what to us is yet hard to be understood in Scripture. And though we are ignorant of the true meaning of many of the most obscure and doubtful Parts thereof, yet [Page 49] the Ends and Purposes of God in causing them to be written, either are or shall in due time be accomplished.

In the mean time we ought to magnify that manifest Goodness of God, who hath commu­nicated to Mankind such a number of plain and evident Precepts as will be fully sufficient for Sal­vation, if we carefully observe them. All are concern'd in the Business of Life Eternal, there­fore hath God given us Laws sutable to our com­mon Capacities: The Gospel of Christ was preach'd to the Poor, which intimates that the Glad-tidings of Salvation did not consist of unintelligible Mysteries, but of such plain and evident Notions as did fit the Understandings of the lowest People.

There are a sort of People in the World of several false Perswasions, who when they can no longer maintain their Errors against the Power of true Reason, fly to Faith as their last Re­fuge, and tell us, that 'tis by Faith only that we are made able to overcome the World, 1 Joh. 5. 4. And that therefore 'tis necessary for Men to believe what yet they cannot comprehend.

To this I answer, That Faith indeed is the chief Duty of the Christian Religion, because 'tis the Belief of God's Promises and Threat­nings that does ingage Mankind to the Obedi­ence of his Precepts: Few, I doubt, would be [Page 50] religious, were there no Fear of Hell, nor Hopes of Heaven. 'Tis said, that all things are possi­ble to him that believes, Mark 9. 23. which in other Words imports that no Difficulty nor Ha­zard, how great soever, shall be able to stop them in their Christian Race: And in this Sense it only is, that Faith is said to be the Victory that overcometh the World.

But though 'tis only a firm Perswasion of the Truth of God's Promises and Threatnings that inspires the Faithful with Courage to overcome and conquer the Temptations not only of the Devil, but of the Lusts of this World too; yet this is no Argument that therefore we must assent to that which we see no Reason to believe; for then we might be every whit as liable to believe things false as things that are true.

Wherefore it behoves us to be very watchful and circumspect in avoiding false Principles; for Error of any kind will rather make us Slaves to the Devil, than enable us to overcome and con­quer him. As therefore thou oughtst to im­brace Truth wheresoever thou dost find it, so be as ready to relinquish Errors, when by carefully examining into Religion thou hast discovered them to be such: for 'tis in every respect as He­roick an Act of Faith to believe our selves in the wrong when we really are so, as 'tis to adhere sted­fastly to a Truth undoubted.

Know then that no kind of Faith can be true that is certainly unreasonable, for the Light of Nature is as much God's Law as Divine Reve­lation; [Page 51] and none must ever think that God's Law can contradict it self. Right self-evident Reason is the only Touchstone that Men have to distinguish Truth from Error: and 'tis the A­greement even of Scripture with this Reason that makes us know it to be the Word of God; 'tis not our Forefathers saying so, but the exact Concurrence of the Witness of our Spirit and that Testimony.

And though some would perswade us not at all to trust to Reason in Matters of Religion; yet 'tis observable that those very Men that ex­claim most against it, are yet necessitated to give Reasons of their own to prove, if 'twere possi­ble, that your Reason is not to be relied on: and certainly that Guide must needs be most safe, whom the whole World, in some kind or other, do find it so necessary to follow.

'Tis certain that the Laws of Religion are design'd by God for the only Good of Mankind; he forbids some things and commands others, only because the one is prejudicial to Man's Well­being, and the other is absolutely necessary to his Peace and Happiness. In order then to the true Happiness of this Life there is required a sutable way of living, even such as respects the Universal Good of the whole Kind; which, in short, is that which Men call a Life of Holiness, or a Life perfectly free from every [Page 52] kind of Injustice or Mischief both to one's self and others.

And as for the Heavenly State, that is a State of perfect Goodness and Purity; and 'tis impossible that any one can take delight in that Divine kind of Life hereafter which he hated here: And for that Reason could the Wicked be admitted into Heaven, yet then would they be unhappy, by reason that there none of those base and ignoble Pleasures would be found which their corrupted Minds on Earth did love and admire. 'Tis then only a good Life on Earth that can fit us for the Heavenly Inheri­tance.

Now this Goodness of Life, so necessary to Man's both present and future Bliss, does not consist in Speculation but in Practice. Belief is of no other Use than as it enacts Obedience; and that's the Reason that the Day of Judgment is represented as taking no notice of the Opi­nions, but of the Practices of Men. Have you fed the Hungry? Have you clothed the Na­ked? Have you visited the Sick? Mat. 25. 36. At that great Solemnity the Inquiry will not be, What had you in the World? or what did you profess? but what good Deeds have you done therein? how has your Care been to promote the Universal Good of ratio­nal Beings? Have you renounced the Lust of the Flesh, the Lust of the Eye, and the Pride of Life? 1 John 2. 26. and lived soberly, and righteously, and godlily in this present World? [Page 53] Tit. 2. 12. and done justly, and loved Mercy, and walked humbly with God? Mich. 6. 8.

Now if 'tis the Goodness of our Practice that is the one thing necessary to Salvation, then the disbelieving either a few doubtful, or else a few unreasonable Opinions, can never be dange­rous. Let us then (as to the Point now un­der Examination) ask our selves but this one Question, Will the Belief of the Doctrine of a Trinity make me a more merciful and righteous Man than I shall be if I did profess the contrary? Will it make me love and honour God better? Will it make the Service which I render to his Divine Majesty a more reasonable Service? And if on serious Consideration you find it will not, then 'tis plain that the Unitarian Faith, which denies a Trinity of Persons in the God­head, is much to be preferr'd, since 'tis not perplex'd with such Contradictions to humane Understanding, but depends on more plain and noble Evidences, and does also in all Respects whatsoever effectually secure a good Life; which, when all is done, is the very Soul and Life of Religion, and will stand by a Man when Hypostatical Vnions, and Mutual Consciousness, and Somewhats, will prove but poor things to depend upon for Salvation.

There can be no Danger of Damnation for not assenting to such mysterious Notions as Men can at no tolerable rate understand, such as is that of the Doctrine of a Trinity, (which makes the Divine Power of the Godhead to reside in three [Page 54] distinct Persons, whose Constitution is like that of a free State, rather than the more Divine Govern­ment of a single Monarchy) if in the mean time they believe heartily the plain Doctrine revealed in God's Word, and live up truly to the un­doubted Precepts which the Christian Religion commands, which I am certain does no where say, that unless ye believe that three Persons are truly God, ye shall certainly be damn'd.

'Tis objected as dangerous to believe the Do­ctrine of God's being but one in Person, be­cause we should hereby, as much as in us lies, ex­clude from Salvation all those pious and just Men who in former Ages have liv'd and died in the Belief of a Trinity. I answer; The Wisdom of the Unitarian Doctrine never was so uncha­ritable as to suppose this; yet doubtless the Be­lief of a Trinity must needs much lessen their future Happiness, though not wholly debar them of Salvation: And therefore to persist therein, after due Admonition especially, is ve­ry imprudent and dangerous.

'Tis plain, that though those who believe a Trinity do believe more than either God or Christ do require as necessary to Salvation, yet together or therewith many Persons do also be­lieve all the chief Fundamentals in Religion that are requisite to save them; and therefore their [Page 55] Hope and Trust in God's Mercy on one Hand, may out-ballance their Error on the other. If God winked at the Ignorance of the vertuous Gentiles, how can we imagine that he should not be gracious to the heedless and unwitting Errors of the humble and contrite-hearted Chri­stian?

If any Man (saith the Apostle) build on the Foundation Hay, and Straw, and Stubble, that is, Doctrine that will not stand the Test of Truth, he shall suffer Loss; yet he himself shall be saved, but so as by Fire, 1 Cor. 3. 15. that is, with great Difficulty he shall escape Damna­tion. If God should be extream to mark what is done amiss, no Man could stand in Judgment before him; as it is in Psal. 143. 2. & 130. 3. All Salvation is of the free Grace and Mercy of God, who pardons Iniquity, Transgression and Sin, Exod. 34. 7. A good Life will make great Abatements upon the account of a bad Faith; Mercy rejoiceth against Judgment, Jam. 2. 13. and Charity shall cover a multitude of Sins, 1 Pet. 4. 8.

But though 'tis possible for a Man to be saved in this Faith, who otherwise has lived well, yet 'twill doubtless much lessen his future Happiness, for Error of any kind is the fruitful Parent of many Mischiefs; it betrays us into Absurdities, and involves us in many unwarrantable Words and Actions. As our Faith is, so will our Practice be apt to be, and consequently Error in one re­spect or other will be apt to make Mens Lives [Page 56] less innocent; and the less innocent our Actions are, the less doubtless will our Reward here­after be: For the eternal Glories, compar'd to that of the Sun, and Moon, and Stars, 1 Cor. 15. will be in proportion to the Degrees of our Christian Perfection. They therefore whose Religion is such only as will but just preserve them from Damnation, must not expect so large a share of the Divine Recompences, as by God's Grace is due to the inlarged Capacity of the more exactly knowing and undefiled Soul.

But notwithstanding what has been said on the Behalf of those otherwise good Livers who have not been ignorant of the Truth merely out of Malice and Design, I add, that in case Men of false Principles are told plainly that they are in the wrong, and yet they still do obstinate­ly persist therein, and refuse to consider seriously the Arguments both of Scripture and Reason that are offered to convince them; I see not how in any case 'tis possible for such to be sa­ved: for this is truly and plainly to reject the Counsel of God, and to do Despite to the Spi­rit of Grace.

When Men have argued whatever they can about the Necessity of Christ his being truly God, that so the Sacrifice he offered might be of Merit sufficient to answer the Demands of God's most Infinite Justice; yet after all it must [Page 57] be acknowledged, that our Peace was made with God, only by the holy Life and Death of an humane Person: for nothing that is truly God can die or shed Blood, but 'tis by Blood, even the Blood of a dying Jesus, that we are cleansed from all Sin, 1 Joh. 1. 7. And this his Death for our Redemption is an undeniable In­stance to prove, that his Person was truly hu­mane.

Christ Jesus our Lord was undoubtedly filled with the Divine Spirit, for in him dwelt the Fulness of the Godhead; but this did not make him God, any more than a Believer shall be made God by receiving of his Fulness, Joh. 1. 16. or by being Partaker of the Divine Nature promised to such, 2 Pet. 1. 4. It only fitted him for the Work of Redemption: he by that eminent Inhabitation of the Divine Spirit be­came able to surmount all Temptations to Sin; and 'twas only the underfiled Obedience of his Life, even unto Death, that made the Sacrifice which he offered unto God acceptable.

The Blood that was shed to manifest the intire Obedience of Jesus unto God, was no other than the Blood of a most holy and excellent Man; 'twas not the Blood of God, as some Men rashly do affirm: On the Cross he that thus died cried out, My God, my God, why hast thou for­saken me? Now for him to be God that thus prayed to God, is, I think, impossible. Where­fore 'tis evident, that he who thus died was not a true Deity; and yet 'twas by him that died [Page 58] that the World was redeemed; for which blessed be the Lord God of Israel, who hath thus visited and redeemed his People, and hath raised up a mighty Salvation for us, out of the House of his Servant David, Luke 1. 68, 69.

Having considered and answered the principal Objections urged in favour of the Doctrine which asserts Jesus Christ to be truly God, in opposition to that of his being only the Man who is the Mediator between God and Men, 1 Tim. 2. 5. or that which asserts that none is God but the Father of Christ, 'twill be needless to con­fute those other little Objections which still re­main; since when the chiefest Strength that does uphold an Error is overthrown, 'tis not in the Power of some little Props to maintain and sup­port it: nevertheless, lest the Minds of some should thereby be perplex'd, I here lay down one general Rule, by which all other Objections may be easily refuted, and that is this:

If any Principle in Religion be true, by the greater and by the plainer Number of Evidences, it can never be false by a few in number, or by them that are dark and doubtful.

If then the Arguments to prove the true God to be only the Father of Jesus Christ, are more in number, and plainer to be understood, than those are which are objected in favour of the con­trary, [Page 59] you need then only to reply thus, that the Proofs that make for it, are more both in Number and Weight, than those that are against it; and that therefore 'twould be unpardonable to suffer such Trifles to unsettle and shake your Faith.

Suppose a Man objects against the Doctrine of God's being but one in Person, this Text, Let us make Man, Gen. 1. 26. and endeavour to prove from thence, that God is more than one in Person, is it reasonable to suffer this to alter your Judgment, when for that one Passage, Vs, urged in favour of the Belief of more Persons than one, you have ten thousand that mention God to be but only one, in such Terms as these, I, thou, me, he, his? And as for the Terms of we, they, them, &c. they are not mentioned in Scripture so much as once, as applied to God alone.

If every single Objection that is started should be admitted to be of Authority sufficient to in­validate the best and clearest Proofs; or if every hard and doubtful Passage in Scripture were enough to overthrow all them that are clear and plain, then all true Religion would soon be at an end: for some plausible Exceptions may be made against the chiefest and plainest Truths in Religion, otherwise so many false and erroneous Opinions would not have obtained that Autho­rity that they have in the World.

Indeed when we are told plainly, that we are in an Error, and Arguments truly considerable [Page 60] are at the same time offered to undeceive us, we ought then to suffer our selves to be con­vinc'd: for if what is thus urged carries with it so much clear Evidence as makes it undoubt­ed, the changing then of our Opinions will not only be reasonable, but very honourable too, since nothing is more ignoble and base than to be a Slave to Error, from which not any thing in this World but Truth can free us.

'Tis plain from the general Analogy of true Faith, grounded on Scripture-Evidence, that the Holy Ghost is no distinct Person subsisting of himself; for then 'tis clear, that our Lord could not be the Son of him who is now called God the Father, or the first Person in the supposed Trinity, since 'tis plain that the Virgin Mary's Conception was occasioned by the overshadow­ing of the Holy Ghost, Luke 1. 35. which all Trinitarians acknowledg to be the third Person, and not the first: 'Tis expresly said, that that which was conceived in her was of the Holy Ghost, Mat. 1. 20. And that she was with Child by him, Mat. 1. 18. Wherefore 'tis evident from these additional Words, and the Power of the Highest shall overshadow thee, Luke 1. 35. that the Holy Ghost is only that Divine and Invisible Power of God, by which he works his Will and Pleasure in the World; and by Consequence, that God, and the Spirit of God, are no more [Page 61] two distinct Persons than Man and the Spirit of Man are; for to the one the other is compared in the sacred Scripture, 1 Cor. 2. 11. And as the Members of Man's Body do secretly and wonderfully obey the Dictates of his Will or Mind, so, and much more so, do all Creatures act, and are commanded by the Almighty Pow­er of God's Divine and most Wise Will and Pleasure.

When therefore all the elect People of God are said to be sanctified by the Holy Ghost, it must be understood of that new Temper and Inclination of Mind which God by his Divine and Invisible Power does work or cause in Men. When he powerfully raises up in them holy Thoughts, and excites in their Minds new De­sires, he is then truly said to sanctify them by his Spirit: And when Men wilfully reject those Motions to Goodness, which God by his Power does raise up in them, they are then truly said to resist, and grieve, and quench his Spirit.

And whereas the Spirit is said to receive, and to be sent, from whence some would infer its distinct Personality: 'tis replied, that these are but improper Expressions, such as are before noted to be spoken of God and Christ; they are Words fitted to our dull Apprehensions ra­ther than to the true Nature of the Spirit it self, even as God is represented as having the Actions and Passions of a Man, and to come down from Heaven, when yet we know that he is al­ready every where, though our mortal Eyes have [Page 62] not Powers fitted to perceive him: He that filleth all things can no ways be capable of mo­ving out of his Place. Such Expressions as these therefore are plainly improper, and must not be understood literally, or as at first sight they seem to express.