death of Christ, and of the true nature of his kingdom. Whereas, he who now does not acknowledge the necessity of Christ's death, is, by all means, to be considered as in fundamental error. Therefore, as a man hath received of God greater or less natural abilities, so let the number of articles to which he shall give his assent, be greater or smaller; and, as revelation hath been made, or information hath been given, to a man, more clearly, or obscurely, in the same proportion is more or less required of him. Therefore, in our own case, we ought to be cautious of even the smallest errors, and to aim at the highest degree of knowledge in divine truths. In the case of others, we ought to judge concerning them with the greatest prudence, mildness, and benevolence. Hence we see, that a certain precise number of articles, which shall be necessary and fundamental to every man, cannot be determined. (Ibid, p. 531.)

PART III.

OBSERVATIONS CONCERNING THE DIVINITY OF CHRIST AND THE DOCTRINE OF THE TRINITY.

SECTION I.

Ir the temptation to the children of Israel was so great, to idolize the brazen serpent, a lifeless piece of brass, for the temporal salvation which some of their forefathers had by looking on it; how great would be their temptation to idolatry by worshipping Christ, if he were a mere creature, from whom mankind receive so great benefits? If that brazen serpent must be broken to pieces, to remove the temptation to idolatry, (2 Kings xviii. 4,) shall so great a temptation be laid before the world to idolize a mere creature, by setting him forth in a manner that he is set forth in scripture?

§ 2. Must Moses's body be concealed, lest the children of Israel should worship the remains of him whom God made the instrument of such great things? And shall another mere creature-whom men, on account of the works he has done, are under infinitely greater temptation to worship-be most openly and publicly exhibited, as exalted to heaven, seated at God's own right hand, made head over all things, ruler of the universe, &c. in the manner that Christ is? Was not this the temptation to all nations to idolatry, viz. That men had been distinguished as great conquerors, deliverers, and the instruments of great benefit? And shall God make a mere creature the instrument of so many greater benefits, and in such a manner as Christ is represented to be in the scripture, without an infinitely greater temptation to idolatry?

§3. When the rich young man called Christ good Master, not supposing him to be God, did Christ reject it, and reprove him for calling him so? He said, "There is none good but One, that is God;" meaning, that none other was possessed of

goodness that was to be trusted. And yet, shall this same Jesus, if indeed not that God who only is to be called good, or trusted in as such, be called in scripture, He that is Holy; He that is true? the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness? the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace? the blessed, and the only Potentate; the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords? the Lord of Life, that has life in himself, that all men might honour the Son, as they honour the Father? the Wisdom of God, and the Power of God? the Alpha and Omega; the Beginning and the End? God, Jehovah; Elohim, the King of Glory? Compare Isa. xlii. 8. Ps. lxxvii. 18. Isa. xlv. 20, 21, &c. "They pray unto a God that cannot save-Tell ye and bring them near; let them take counsel together; there is no God else beside me, a just God and a Saviour; there is none besides me." Yet it is said of Christ, that "He is able to save unto the uttermost." Yea, the Messiah, in this very book, is spoken of as mighty to save; saving by his own arm, and by the greatness of his strength; Isa. Ixiii. 1-6, compared with Rev. xiv. 15. And it is evident,

that it is his character, in the most eminent manner, to be the Saviour of God's people; and that with respect to what is infinitely the highest and greatest work of salvation; the greatest deliverance from the most dreadful evil; from the greatest, worst, and strongest enemies, and bringing them to the greatest happiness. It follows, Isaiah xlv. 22: Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is none else." Here, it is spoken of as the great glory of God, and peculiar to him, that he is an universal Saviour, not only of the Jews, but of all nations. And this is the peculiar character of Jesus. He is the Saviour of all nations. The glory of calling and saving the Gentiles, is represented as peculiarly belonging to him; so that he has this divine preroga tive, which is spoken of here as belonging to the One only God, and to none else. And, which is more than all this, these very things are applied to Christ in the New Testament, Philip. ii. 10, 11. "That at the name of Jesus, every knee should bow, of things in heaven, of things in earth, and things under the earth." And the things spoken of in the following verses, as the peculiar prerogative of God, in distinction from all other beings, as the only Saviour, viz. having righteousness, and being justified in him, are every where in the New Testament most eminently ascribed to Christ, as in a most special manner belonging to him.

§ 4. Being the Saviour of God's people, is every where in the Old Testament mentioned as the peculiar work of the Deity. The Heathens are reproached for worshipping gods that could not save; and God says to the idolatrous Israelites, "Go to the gods whom ye have served, let them deliver you."

See Isaiah xliii. 3, 10-15, in which verses, we have another clear demonstration of the divinity of Christ.* Trusting is abundantly represented as a principal thing in that peculiar respect due to God alone, as of the essence of divine adoration due to no other than God. And yet, how is Christ represented as the peculiar object of the faith and trust of all God's people, of all nations, as having all-sufficiency for them? Trusting in any other, is greatly condemned; is a thing, than which nothing is represented as more dangerous, provoking to God, and bringing his curse on man.

§ 5. And how often is being the Redeemer of God's people spoken of as the peculiar character of the mighty God of Jacob, the First and Last, the Lord of Hosts, the only God, the Holy One of Israel? (So Isa. xli. 14. xliii. 14. xliv. 6, 24. xlvii. 4. xlviii. 17. xlix. 7, 26. liv. 5; and lx. 16.) And it may be observed, that when God has this title of the Redeemer of Israel ascribed to him in those places, it is joined with some other of the peculiar and most exalted names and titles of the most high God: such as the Holy One of Israel; (so Isa. xli. 14. xliii. 14. xlvii. 4. xlviii. 17. xliv. 6. and xlix. 7.) The Mighty one of Jacob, (chap. xlix. 26. and lx. 16.) The Lord of Hosts, (Isa. xlvii. 4. and xliv. 6.) The God of the whole earth, (chap. liv. 5.) The First and the Last, besides whom there is no God, (xliv. 6.) The Jehovah that maketh all things, that stretcheth forth the heavens alone, and spreadeth abroad the earth by himself, (ver. 24.) Yet the Messiah, in this very book, is spoken of as the Redeemer of God's people, in the most eminent manner, (chap. lxiii. 1—6.)

§ 6. God is careful that his people should understand, that their honour, and love, and praise, for the redemption out of Egypt, belongs only to him, and, therefore, is careful to inform them, that he alone redeemed them out of Egypt, and that there was no other God with him; and to make use of that as a principal argument why they should have no other gods before him. (See Deut. xxxii. 12; Exod. xx. 3; Psal. Ixxxi. 8, 9, 10; Hos. xiii. 4.) The words in that place are remarkable : "Yet I am the Lord thy God from the land of Egypt; and thou shalt know no God but me; for there is no Saviour besides me. If God insisted on that as a good reason why his people should know no God besides him, that he alone was their Saviour to save them out of Egypt; would he afterward appoint another to be their Saviour, in an infinitely greater salvation? § 7. The works of creation being ascribed to Christ, most evidently prove his proper divinity. For God declares, that he is Jehovah that stretcheth forth the heavens alone, and spread

*See, also, Hosea viii. 4. See, also, Isaiah xlix. 26. and lx. 16. Deut. xxxiii. 29. Jer. iii. 23. Jonah ii. 8, 9. Psalm iii. 8. Isa. xxv. 9.

eth abroad the earth by himself, Isa. xliv. 24. (See also the next chapter, xlv. 5-6, 12.) And not only is the creation of the world ascribed to Christ often in scripture, but that which in Isaiah is called the new creation, which is here represented as an immensely greater and more glorious work than the old creation, viz. the work of redemption, as this prophet himself explains it, (Isa. lxv. 17, 18, 19.) is every where in a most peculiar and distinguishing manner, ascribed to Christ. 2 Peter i. 1. "Through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ:" Εν δικαιοσύνη του Θες ημων και σωτήρος Ιησου Χριστου. Τit. ii. 13. "Looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of the great God, and our Saviour Jesus Christ ;" To μsjahs Oss και σωτήρος ημών Ιησε Χρισs. It is agreeable to the manner of the apostle's expressing himself in both places, to intend one and the same person, viz. Christ, under two titles: As when speaking of God the Father, in Eph. i. 3. "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ." ο Θεος και πατης. Goodwin's works, vol. i. p. 93, 94. § 8. That passage in Isaiah xl. 13 14. "Who hath directed the spirit of the Lord?" proves Christ's divinity; for Christ directs the spirit of the Lord. See John xvi. 13-15, and many other places. Compare the following texts, set in opposite columns; those in the first column are represented as belonging to God only, which yet in the second column, are given to Christ.

See Dr.