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on earth by legislation, judgment, and execution; for having said this task was impossible to any power but divine, he corrects himself, by adding, or angelical at least; and sure the man Christ's ability is far superior to angels; besides that he has them ministering to him, and giving him notice of matters if there be any occasion; for he has seven principal spirits, who are the eyes of the Lamb sent forth through all the earth," as the same author interprets, Rev. v. 6.

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So the author of the little book, called, The Future State, the same who wrote the Good Samaritan, a worthy Divine of the church of England, says many things very rational concerning the large extent of Christ's human knowledge; that probably, "he can as easily inspect the whole globe of this earth, and the heavens that compass it, as we can view a globe of an inch diameter !" p. 46, 47. "That he intercedes as man; and can he intercede in a case which he knows not?" So again, p. 150. The like says Limborch in his Theol. Christ. lib. 5. c. 18.

Let me add only the testimony of Dr Thomas Goodwin, who was never I suppose censured for an Idolater among Dissenters; and yet it is scarce possible that I should attribute greater knowledge to the man Jesus Christ than he. See his "Select Cases," Part III, where he says, the "human understandi of Christ takes in all occurrences which concern church. And that as he said, All power in heav and earth is given me of my Father; so m

say, all knowledge in heaven and earth is given me, that his beams pierce into every corner, that he knows the sore of every heart. And concludes with these remarkable words, "that as a looking glass wrought in the form of a globe, represents the images of all that is in the rooin, so the enlarged human understanding of Christ takes in all things in heaven and earth at once." It seems these men did not take it to be the peculiar perfection of the divine nature to know the hearts, so as that no creature could partake of it by divine assistance and revelation.

Indeed, as to the manner of knowing the heart, we cannot tell how the inhabitants of the other world have access to our minds, or to each other's; but without doubt, Jesus Christ, whose eyes are as a flame of fire, has more proper abilities for penetration, as well as more revelation from God, and more capacity for receiving and treasuring it up, than all others. In short, it is evident, Christ as man is the great administrator of God's providential kingdom; as man he must judge the whole world, which implies vast and universal knowledge. John v. 27. Acts xvii. 31. Who then dares say, that the man Christ Jesus has ledge as large as this narrow earth, or by the sea shore," without any hyperbole? I think it is beyond all reasonable doubt; and as this doctrine has appeared rational enough, and escaped all censure, as far as I know, when delivered by others than the Unitarians; so I hope it must not be counted heretic

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al in them, for which others never forfeited the glorious title of Orthodox.

Thus it appears, that all which is said of Christ's extensive knowledge in Scripture, is far from proving him to be the supreme infinite God; it may be accounted for otherwise very fairly; and the like may be also said with respect to other (which some call) divine perfections attributed to him, that they are no more truly infinite, as attributed to him, than this of knowledge, but that there are plain evidences of their being attributed to him in a limited and inferior sense, in comparison of what they are, in the most glorious God over all Gods; and therefore men had need produce other sort of arguments for the supreme deity of Christ, than from these topics.

SECTION II.

Answer to the Arguments drawn from the Worship due to our Lord Jesus, shewing ultimate Supreme Worship of Him to be inconsistent with the Gospel Doctrine of his Mediation.

Nor do I doubt but I could maintain my cause with equal advantage, upon the head of divine worship, which is another topic, whence my opposers would infer the deity of the Lord Jesus Christ. It were easy to shew, there is no instance of supreme

divine worship given ultimately to him in Scripture, but on the contrary, that all the honour it assigns to him is such as speaks him to be inferior to the Father, and dependent on him; since it is wholly grounded upon what God his father has graciously bestowed on him. Thus he requires baptism, if that be an act of immediate proper worship, in his name, because all power in heaven and earth was given to him. Thus we must honour the Son as (truly, not as greatly as) we honour the Father; because the "Father hath committed, or given, all judgment to him." John v. 22, 23. Thus at "the name of Jesus must every knee bow, and every tongue confess him to be Lord; Phil. ii. 10, 11, because as a reward of his obedience, the Father" hath given him a name above every name;" and it is added, that all this homage is ultimately to the "glory of the Father." Worship, which is thus grounded upon derived and borrowed excellency, is not supremely divine, and cannot be offered to the infinite, selforiginate, independent Deity, without a great affront, because it is not the most excellent. Mal. i. 14. To praise an independent God for honour and power granted to him by another, supposes a falsehood, and mingles reproaches with praise.

So that however there may be the same common external acts or words, such as bowing the knee, and saying glory and praise, used to God and the Mediator; as also in some instances, they are given in common to ordinary men; yet the mind of a rational

worshipper will make a distinction in his inward intention, as no doubt but those devout Jews did, who in the same act "bowed their heads, and worshipped both God and the King." 1 Chron. xxix. 20. But I shall not pursue this any farther at present.

Moreover, I judge, that to assert Jesus Christ to be the supreme God subverts the Gospel doctrine of his mediation; for if I must have one, who is supreme God and man, for my mediator with God, then, when I address to Jesus Christ as the supreme God, where is the God-man that must be my mediator with him? To say he mediates with himself, is the same as to say, that I must go to him without a mediator; and turns the whole business of mediation into a metaphor, contrary to the common sense of things, as well as against the Scripture. And I would gladly know what is the notion of going to God without a mediator, if this be all, that he mediates with himself? Who ever doubted the exercise of his own wisdom or mercy, that these do in a sort plead in him? But sure the Scriptures speak of a mediator without him, when they set forth Jesus Christ as such; and who is this mediator, when we go to Jesus Christ as the ultimate object? If it be said his human nature only acts in this mediation, though as united to the divine; I answer, that as this is still to make Christ mediator with himself, so the human nature is not God-man; and if the man, or human nature alone be capable of doing the part of a mediator, then it is not necessary that

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