"seed of the woman," that should bruise the head of the serpent, Gen. iii. 15, and "the seed of Abraham," in and through whom, all the families or nations of the earth were to be blessed," Gen. xii. 3. xviii. 18. Acts iii. 25. Gal. iii. 8." The rod out of the stem of Jesse, and the branch that should grow out of his root, to whom the Gentiles would seek," Is. ix. 1-10. "Who was to restore the preserved of Israel, and was likewise given to be a light to the Gentiles, that he might be for salvation to the ends of the earth," Is. xlix. 6. or, as old Simeon said, "a light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of God's people Israel," Luke ii. 32. For it is a certain truth, that the grace, which has been manifested by the appearing of Jesus Christ, was from early ages purposed by the Divine Being, and foretold by his prophets, Rom. i. 1-3. Eph. i. 4. 2 Tim. i. 9, 10. 1 Pet. i. 10-12.

And how agreeable the several articles of this detail are to the scriptures of the Old Testament, must appear from texts already alleged thence. Nevertheless I shall here put together a few other texts, and some of the same more largely than hitherto quoted: not transcribing them now, but referring to them, and entreating you, if you please, to read and consider them at your leisure.

Ps. ii. 6, 7, 8, 11, 12.

Ps. xxi. throughout.

Is. xlii. 1, "Behold my servant, whom I uphold, my servant, in whom my soul delighteth." Almost the very words of the voice, that came from heaven at our Lord's baptism and transfiguration. "I have put my Spirit upon him. He shall bring forth judgment unto the Gentiles ;" and what follows to the end of ver. 7.

Is. xlix. 1-6. Compare Acts xiii. 47. and xxvi. 23. We must now be able to perceive the true character of our blessed Saviour, and the great propriety with which the apostles and evangelists speak of him.

John i. 45," Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him of whom Moses in the law and the prophets did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of Joseph." And see ver. 46-50. and Acts ii. 22. "Ye men

of Israel, hear these words. Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you, by miracles, and signs, and wonders, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know." See also ver. 36. ch. iv. 27, " For of a truth, against thy holy child [rather son, or servant] Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were

gathered together." Ch. x. 38, "How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost, and with power. Who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil. For God was with him." Nor does our dear Redeemer disdain this title in his state of exaltation. For when he called to Saul out of heaven, and "Saul answered, Who art thou, Lord? he said, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest," Acts xxii. 6-8. Comp. ch. ix. 5. See also ch. iii. 6, and xxvi. 9.

From all that has been said, it appears that Jesus is a man, appointed, anointed, beloved, honoured, and exalted by God above all other beings.

Some now by "the Son of God" understand an intelligent being, or emanation, begotten by the Father, or proceeding from him, in an ineffable manner, from all eternity, and of the same essence or substance with the Father. Others thereby understand a mighty spirit, or angel, begotten or formed by the will of the Father, in time, before the creation of the world, and of a different substance from the Father; which Son of God, according to them, became incarnate; that is, united himself, either to the human nature, consisting of soul and body, or to a human body, so as to supply the place of a human soul.

But those senses of this phrase, or title, are not to be found in any of the books of the New Testament. The Jews had no notion that their Messiah 'should be any thing more than mere man.' See Whitby upon Rom. ix. 5. Dr. Jortin's Discourses concerning the Christian Religion, p. 17. which indeed is well shown in the passages of ancient authors, alleged by Whitby in the place referred to.

This will lead us to the true meaning of the title, "the Son of God," in the gospels; for there many give our Lord that title, who took him to be a man especially favoured by God. This title is given to our Lord, not only by Peter in his confession, Matt. xvi. 16, and the parallel places, and John vi. 69. but also by John the Baptist, John i. 34, iii. 35, 36. by Nathanael, John i. 49. by Martha, xi. 27. and by others, Matt. xiv. 33, Luke iv. 41. Our blessed Lord likewise often takes it to himself either directly or indirectly. John iii. 17, 18, v. 25, ix. 35-37, x. 36, and xi. 4.

The case seems to be this. In the Jewish style, and the language of scripture, all good men, and all people, who are in a covenant-relation to God, are his sons, and are entitled to many blessings and privileges: but Jesus, as the Messiah, is "the Son of God," by way of eminence and distinction.

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Exod. iv. 22, 23, "And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith the Lord, Israel is my son, even my first-born. And I say unto thee, Let my son go, that he may serve me.' İs. xliii. 6, "Bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth." See likewise Is. xlv. 11, 12, and Jer. xxxi. 9, " For I am a father unto Israel; and Ephraim is my first-born." Ver. 20, Is Ephraim my dear son? is he a pleasant child?" Hos. xi. 1, "When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt." To which I must add Jer. xxxi. 1, "At the same time, saith the Lord, I will be the God of all the families of Israel. And they shall be my people." Comp. ver. 9 and 33. All which is expressed by St. Paul after this manner. 2 Cor. vi. 18. "And I will be a father unto them; and they shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty." See there also ver. 16 and 17. Accordingly, in the New Testament, the Gentiles, who received Jesus as the Christ, being brought into God's family, and into the number of his peo

Obj. 1. It may be said: Admitting this notion of our Saviour's person, we shall lose that great instance of humiliation, and condescension, which the Arian scheme sets beFor according to that, the most exalted spirit, next to God the Father, submits to all the laws of infancy and childhood, and is greatly incommoded by the body during its dwelling on this earth.

fore us.

To which I answer: I would by no means rob you, or any one else, of any argument that is really suited to engage to humility in particular, or to all virtue in general. But, Papinian, if I am not mistaken, it appears from what was before said, that this instance of humiliation is an imaginary thing. It is impossible that so exalted a spirit should be the soul of a human body. If it is not an absolute contradiction, it is incongruous to the nature of things, and in the highest degree improbable.

And if so great a being were to inhabit a human body, it would entirely swallow it up. That spirit would still retain its own knowledge, and power, and would raise the body above all pains, weaknesses, and wants.

Whatever advantages may be fancied in the Arian scheme, there are much greater inconveniences attending it. For, as before hinted, it deprives us of the force of our Saviour's example. We are common men. But he is supposed to be the most perfect spirit, next to God. How should any temptation, from the things of this world, affect such a being? How should he be tempted, in all respects, as we are? It could not be. It is altogether irrational.

But there are many and great advantages in supposing

ple, are called "the sons of God." John i. 12, "But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.' Comp. 1 John iii. 1. and see Rom. viii. 14-17, Gal. iv. 4-7, and Heb. ii. 10, and elsewhere.

Matt. xxvii. 54, Now when the Centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly, this was the Son of God." Comp. Mark xv. 39. And, says St. Luke, ch. xxiii. 47, "Now when the Centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying, Certainly this was a righteous man.'

All good men and women, then, are God's sons and daughters. But Jesus, the Messiah, is "the Son of God," by way of eminence and distinction, and has in all things the pre-eminence.

This, as it seems to me, is the way of thinking, to which we are led, by comparing many texts of the Old and New Testament, where the title or denomination of "Son of God" is used.

There is therefore no foundation for the interpretations mentioned at the beginning of this note: which, nevertheless, have been received by many, and have produced intricate schemes and systems, by which the minds of chrisfians have been greatly perplexed, and the world itself sometimes thrown into confusion and disturbance.

Jesus Christ to be a man, consisting of soul and body. His example is then justly set before us in all the strength and beauty, with which it now appears in the gospels and epistles of the New Testament.

It is also upon the ground of this scheme alone, that the expectation of attaining to a glory, like that of Jesus Christ, can be supported. For which, however, there is plain encouragement in the doctrine of the gospel. John xvii. 21-26, Rom. viii. 17, 2 Tim. ii. 11, 12, Rev. iii. 21, and elsewhere.

These are the most glorious, the most animating hopes that can be conceived. They excite to faithfulness and zeal beyond expression. We may be made like unto Jesus. Christ hereafter, if we will but follow his example, and resemble him now. But how can we admit the thought of being near to him, in the future state, who, beside the merit of his obedience and sufferings here, has, in the Arian hypothesis, the glory of being employed by God in things of a quite different nature, such as creating this visible world, and all the angels, and invisible hosts of heaven?

And is not this one reason of our slothfulness, and other faults?" The truth is not in us: the words of Christ do not abide in us." We suffer ourselves to be deluded, and perverted from the truth and simplicity of the gospel, by the philosophical schemes of speculative men. And so, almost any man may take our crown," Rev. iii. 11.

I believe, Papinian, that you, as well as other serious christians, desire, with the apostle Paul, "to know Christ, and the power of his resurrection," Philip. iii. 10. But what is there extraordinary in the resurrection of Christ, according to the Arian hypothesis? Is it any thing extraordinary, that the Logos (in the Arian sense of that word) should raise the body, in which he has acted, and suffered for a while? He might be supposed to have an especial regard for that body, and be willing to make it glorious. But I do not see, that such a resurrection can so fully assure us of our own, as if we suppose Christ to be a man like unto us. For then his resurrection is a pattern of ours. Which is the doctrine of the New Testament. 1 Cor. xv. 20-23, and the glorious argument of St. Paul, Eph. i. 17-23. Hereby we are indeed assured of our resurrection. God the Father who gave his own Son for us, and raised him up from the dead, will, most certainly, raise up us also, as it is expressed, 1 Cor. iv. 14, " Knowing that he, who raised up the Lord Jesus, should raise up us also by Jesus, and should present us with you." And see Philip. ¡¡. 20,

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21. In a word, here is the best foundation of unmoveable confidence in God. And the apostle expressly says in the place just referred to, in 1 Cor. xv. 21," Since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead."

Obj. 2. Again, it may be objected, that this idea of the person of Jesus does not fully suit the strong expressions in the New Testament, concerning the love of God, in giving his Son for us.

But I think it does. For can there be any greater love, than for that person, who is immediately sent by God, who is his ambassador, invested with all his power and authority, who is the object of the Father's especial love, and therefore his own Son, who was "holy, harmless, and undefiled," Heb. vii. 16, to live a mean, despised, reproached life in this world, and then to die a painful and ignominious death for our good, and for the good of mankind in general?

Besides, this is that love of God, which is so much, and so justly magnified, and extolled in the New Testament: that God gave his Son to die for us. "He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all; how shall he not with him freely give us all things?" And see before, ch. v. 6-8, and 2 Cor. v. 14, 15, "Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God, even our Father." Gal. i. 4. See likewise 1 Tim. ii. 6, 1 Pet. i. 18-21, 1 John iii. 16, iv. 9, 10, and many other places.

If Christ had dwelt in pre-existent glory, and had come from heaven, to animate a human body; this also would have been plainly and frequently represented to us.

In the way now mentioned, we go to God directly through Jesus Christ. And the love of the Father is most conspicuous in the supposition, that God sent, and appointed the man Jesus Christ, for our salvation. Herein, I say, the love of God is most conspicuous, much more than in supposing the pre-existence of the Son, the covenant of redemption, and the offer of the Son to come into the world, and many other such like things, derogatory to the honour of the Father; because they diminish our idea of his free, transcendent, and unmerited love and goodness. The gospel account is summed up in these words: "And all things are of God, who has reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ. And has given unto us the ministry of reconciliation to wit, that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto limself.not imputing their trespasses unto them: and hath committed. anto us the word of reconciliation," 2 Cor.