from these words of St Paul, "We know there is no other God but one; for though there be that are called Gods, whether in heaven, or in earth, as there be Gods many, and Lords many, yet to us [Christians,] there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him." 1 Cor. viii. 4, 5, 6. Where it is plainly said; first, that all Christians know, that there is but one God; secondly, that that one God is God the Father ; thirdly, that this God the Father is distinguished from our Lord Jesus Christ by this character, that he is God, it oỡ, from whom are all things; but our Lord is only he, di o, by whom are all things; and that God the Father is the Christians' one God, Christ their one Lord.

It is scarcely possible to say this more fully, or more plainly than the Apostle doth. And seeing here the Apostle speaks of the Father in person, styling him the Christians' one God; he must style him that one person, who hath emphatically, or by way of superiority, the divine nature. But of this I have given a fuller proof, in my Reply to Dr Waterland, to which he hath yet returned no answer.*

THIRDLY, This also is evident, from those places which say, that such a thing was done by Jesus Christ, or such honour was conferred upon him "to

* Sect. 4, from p. 95 to 100.

the glory of God the Father.

We are filled with

the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ to the glory and praise of God." Phil. i. 11. And that "God had exalted him, who being in the form God took upon him the form of a servant, and given him a name above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, and every tongue should confess, that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." Chap. ii. 9, 10, 11.

And, surely, he who is Lord to the glory of God the Father, "who works in us the fruits of righteousness, to the glory of God the Father," must be inferior to him, whose glory is the end, both of his exaltation to be Lord, and of that righteousness he worketh in us. So when St Peter saith, "If a man minister, let him do it, as of the ability which God giveth, that God in all things may be glorified, through Jesus Christ." For seeing actions flow from the essences of them, whose actions they are; where the singular essence is one and the same, the action must be one and the same; and when an action is done by one to this end, that another may be glorified, he, to whose glory it is done, must be superior to him, for whose glory it is done; the end being still more noble than the means by which it is accomplished.

FOURTHLY, This still more visibly appears from that plain distinction, which is put between God the Father, and the Son, by way of gradation, as in these words, "All are yours, for you are of Christ,

[or are Christ's] and Christ is of God." Now we are Christ's, as being members of that body, of which he is the head; but yet with great inferiority to him. And, therefore, it seems reasonable to conceive, that these words, "Christ is of God," should signify, that he is inferior, and subordinate to him; especially, if we add to them the like words in this Epistle, chap. xi. 3. "The head of the woman, is the man; the head of the man, is Christ; the head of Christ, is God." For the ground of these gradations, is plainly the superiority and dominion, which the one hath over the other.

FIFTHLY, This is evident from those places in which they are put in opposition; as in these words, "This is life eternal, that they may know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent." John xvii. 3. And, "Ye have turned from idols to serve the living and true God; and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus which delivered us from the wrath to come. 1 Thess. i. 9, 10. From which words it is evident, that God the Father must be in some more excellent sense, the only true God, the true and living God, than his Son Jesus Christ, whom he sent into the world.*

* Ecclesia Dei non prædicat duos Deos, οὐ γὰρ δύο ἀγέννητα, οὐδε δύο ἄναρχα, ἀλλὰ μίαν ἀρχὴν καὶ Θεὸν εἶναι, τὸν αὐτὸν Πατέρα διδάσκουσα είναι τοῦ μονογενους καὶ αγαπητοῦ υἱοῦ, μόνον ἀληθινὸν Θεὸν, μόνον σόφον, ὁ μόνος ἔχει ἀθανασίαν, Quibus epithetis Deum Patrem a Deo Filio dis tinguit. Euseb. de Eccles. Theol. L. 2. c. 23. p. 141.

The same distinction, and opposition appeareth from these words, "To the only wise God be glory, through Jesus Christ our Lord." Rom. xvi. 27. And, "I command thee before God who quickeneth all things, that thou keep this commandment unspotted, till the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which in its proper season he shall shew, who is the only potentate, who only hath immortality." 1 Tim. vi. 13, 14, 15, 16. Where the God, who quickeneth all things, is not only distinguished from our Lord Jesus Christ, but is styled the only potentate, who only hath immortality; that is, by a description, which in some eminent sense must agree to him alone.

SIXTHLY, This may be argued from those epithets, which are peculiar to God the Father, and are never in Scripture applied to the Son. As,

1. That he is cos ¿Vicròs, God most high, or the most high God. Gen. xiv. 18, 19, 20. So also he is called in the New Testament, Acts xvi. 17. Heb. vii. 1. Whereas the Son is only called vids ro üşícrov, The Son of the most high. Mark v. 7. Luke i. 32. vi. 35. viii. 28. Acts xvi. 17.

2. The word Пavтоxgáτwę, 2 Cor. vi. 18, which signifies, omnipotens Deus, qui omnibus imperat, "the omnipotent God who commands over all," in Scripture is the epithet of God the Father only. He is also styled, "The only true God." John xvii. 3. "The only good God." Matth. xix. 17.

"The only wise God." Rom. xvi. 27. "To God only wise, be glory, through Jesus Christ for ever. Amen." See also 1 Tim. i. 17. and Jude 25. All which epithets show, that these excellencies do most eminently, originally, and properly, belong to God the Father, and derivatively, and consequentially, to the Son, to whom they never are ascribed in the sacred writings.

SECTION V.

Strange Consequences of the Doctrine, that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are one and the same Being.

IN fine, this doctrine, that the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are of one and the same individual and numerical essence, seems to burlesque the holy Scriptures, or to give them an uncouth and absurd sense, from the beginning of the Gospel, to the end of the Epistles.

To select some few instances of this nature.

First, When St Matthew saith, that, at the baptism of our Saviour, the "Holy Ghost descended upon him in the shape of a dove; and a voice was heard from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased;" these words, according to this doctrine, must signify, that the supreme God