neceffity of perifhing. But certainly, my brethren,. fuch tender mercy is cruelty. All the creatures of God muft look up to him as the author of their being, fince it was, undoubtedly, in his power to give, or to withhold it, at his pleafure; and, furely, a good and merciful God would have put a stop to the propagation of fuch a race of creatures, rather than fuffer them to be born in fuch fhocking circumstances; in which he infallibly forefaw, that the greatest part of them must be expofed to, and even actually fuffer remedilefs deftruction. As furely as I derive my being from a juft and merciful God, I conclude that the terms on which I came into the world are advantageous to me; and therefore, that it must be my own fault only, if I have not reason to rejoice in it, and to be thankful for it. But, indeed, I can hardly think that any man seriously believes, that the greatest part of his fellow-creatures are born into the world under a predetermined neceffity of being for ever miferable. For, in that cafe, it muft appear probable, that any children which he himself may be the means of bringing into the world will be for ever miserable; and surely no man of real goodness or compaffion would wish to have children, or be acceffary to their being born in fuch circumftances.

If this doctrine be true, what motive can any man have to endeavour to flee from the wrath to come; Matt. iii. 7 when, if it is to be his lot at all, nothing that he can do will enable him to escape it; or

what

what motive can a man have to exert himself to lay hold on eternal life; 1 Tim. vi. 12. when, if he is to enjoy it at all, he cannot poffibly miss of it, or of any thing belonging to it, or that is neceffary to prepare him for it? What reafon had the apostle Paul to exhort christians to take heed left they should fall, 1. Cor. x. 12. when none that ever did ftand could poffibly fall? and what reafon had he to labour, left after having preached to others, he himself fhould be a caft-away, 1. Cor. ix. 27. when being certain of his converfion, he muft have known that that confequence was impoffible?

This doctrine, of abfolute election and reprobation, is certainly a doctrine of licentiousness, and not a doctrine according to godliness; and let divines employ all the ingenuity they are mafters of, it is impoffible for them to clear this opinion from being the cause of fatal defpair in fome, and as fatal a security in others. If this opinion were true, and men were really aware of their fituation, I fhould think it impoffible to prevent their falling into abfolute diftraction, through terror and anxiety. It would be like a man having his all, his life, nay infinitely more than his life, depending upon the caft of a die; the decree of God being a thing that he has as little power to command. Befides, this doctrine certainly reprefents the God and Father of us all in such a light, as no man would chufe that he himself fhould appear in.

V. OF THE DIVINITY OF CHRIST.

So fatal have the confequences of the fin of Adam been represented, that you have been told that nothing but the blood of God himself could reverse them; and therefore you have been taught to believe, that Jefus Chrift, whofe proper title is the fan of man, as well as the Son of God, was not merely man, but very and eternal God himself; without confidering that, by thus making more Gods than one, you are guilty of a breach of the first and most important of all the commandments, which fays exprefsly, Thou shalt have no other Gods before me. Exod. xx. 3. But whatever fuch divines may fay, the apostle Paul fays, in direct contradiction to them, that to us there is but one God, the FATHER, of whom are all things; and one Lord, Jefus Chrift, by whom are all things, and we by him, 1 Cor. viii. 6. And again, after saying that we have one Lord, one faith, one baptifm, he adds, one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. Eph. iv. 5. 6. The creed of all chriftians, therefore, ought to be, There is ONE GOD, and one mediator between God and men, the MAN Chrift Jefus. 1 Tim. ii. 5.

The Father is frequently ftiled God, even with refpect to Chrift, as well as other beings. The God of our Lord Jefus Chrift, the Father of glory, give unto you, that ye may know the exceeding greatness of his power, which he wrought in Chrift, when he raised him from the dead, and fet him at his own right hand, &c. Eph. i.

17, &c.

17, &c. Chrift himself uses the fame language, 1 afcend unto my Father, and your Father, and unto my God, and your God. John xx. 17. My God, my God, why hast thou forfaken me? Matt. xxvii. 26.

Christ who was the image of the invisible God, and the first-born (or most excellent) of all his creatures, Col. i. 15. and in whom dwelt all the fulness of the godhead bodily, Col. ii. 9, acknowledged that his Father was greater than he. John xiv. 28. and indeed, upon all occafions, and in the clearest terms, he expreffed his dependence upon God his father, for all his power and glory; as if he had purpofely intended to guard his disciples against forming too high an opinion of the dignity of their master. Verily I fay unto you, the Son can do nothing of himself. John v. 19. I can of mine own felf do nothing. As I hear I judge, and my judgment is just, because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father who fent me. v. 30. The words that I Speak unto you, I speak not of myself, and the Father who dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. xiv. 10.

I live by the Father. vi. 57. The Father hath given to the fon to have life in himself; and hath given him authority to execute judgment. v. 26, 27. All power is given unto me, in heaven and in earth. Matt. xxviii. 18. He even calls his Father the only true God. John xvii. 3. that they might know thee, the only true God, and Jefus Christ whom thou haft fent. It appears to me not to be

in the power of language to exclude the idea of the

divinity of Chrift more expressly than by these folenin words.

Notwithstanding the divine communications with which our Lord was favoured, fome things are exprefsly faid to be withheld from him. For he himfelf, fpeaking of his second coming, fays, Mark xiii. 32. But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father. In Matthew xxiv. 36. where the fame observation is repeated, it is, but my Father only.

The apoftles, notwithstanding their attachment to their Lord and master, always preserve the idea of his fubordination to the Father, and confider all his honour and power as derived from him. He received from God the Father, honour and glory, 2 Pet. i. 17. It pleafed the Father, that in him fhould all fulness dwell. Col. i. 19. The revelation of Jefus Chrift, which God gave unto him, Rev. i. 1. Ye are Chrift's, and Chrift The head of Chrift is God.

is God's, 1 Cor. iii. 23.

I Cor. xi. 3.

The reafon why Chrift was fo much distinguished by God the Father, is frequently and fully expreffed in the fcriptures, viz. his obedience to the will of God, and especially in his fubmitting to die for the benefit of mankind. Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life. John x. 17. He humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name; that at the

name