parison of whofe immensity, the difference between an angel and a worm, is annihilated. Then, all they who pay divine worship to Jefus, who love him above all, truft him. with all their concerns for time and eternity, and address him in the language of Thomas, My Lord, and my God, are involved in the grofs and heinous crime of idolatry; by afcribing to him that glory, which the great God has declared, he will not give to another. On the contrary, if he be God over all bleffed for ever, Jehovah, the Lord of hofts, then they who refufe him the honour due unto his name, worship they know not what . For there is but ene God, and, according to this plan, they who know him not in Christ, know him not at all, but are without God in the world. The judgment. we form of the Saviour, demonftrates likewife how far we know ourfelves. For it may be fairly prefumed, that they who think a creature capable of making atonement for their fins, or of fuftaining the office of thep herd and bishop of their fouls, have too flight thoughts both of the evil of fin, and of. * John xx. 28. + Ifa. xlii. 8. ↑ John iv. 22. I Ephef. i. 12.

the

the weakness and wickedness of the human heart.

We afcribe it therefore to the wisdom and goodness of God, that a doctrine fo important, the very pillar and ground of truth, is not afferted once, or in a few places of fcripture only. It does not depend upon texts which require a nice skill in criticism, or a collection of ancient manufcripts, to settle their fenfe; but, like the blood in the animal economy, it pervades and enlivens the whole fyftem of revelation. The books of Mofes, the Pfalms and the Prophets, all testify of Him, who was styled the Son of God in fo peculiar a fenfe, that the apoftle, in this paffage, confiders it as a fufficient proof, that he is by nature fuperior to all creatures. The form of the queftion, implies the strongest affertion of this fuperiority. As if he had faid, Conceive of the highest and most exalted of the angels, it would be abfurd to fuppose that God would fay to him, Thou art my Son, this day have 1 begotten thee.

The verfe contains three terms which require explanation, My Son-Begotten-This day. But who is fufficient for thefe things? If I attempt to explain them, I wish to speak

in

with a caution and modefty becoming the fense I ought to have of my own weakness, and to keep upon safe ground; lest instead of elucidating fo fublime a subject, Ihould darken counsel by words without knowledge. And I know of no fafe ground to go upon these enquiries, but the fure testimony of fcripture. It would be to the last degree improper to indulge flights of imagination, or a fpirit of curiofity or conjecture upon this occafion. Those are the deep things of God, in which if we have not the guidance of his word and Spirit, we fhall certainly bewilder ourfelves. Nor would I speak in a positive dogmatizing ftrain; at the fame time I trust the scripture will afford light fufficient, to preferve us from a cold and comfortless uncertainty.

The gracious defign of God in affording us his holy fcripture, is to make us wife unto falvation. His manner of teaching is therefore accommodated to our circumstances. He inftructs us in heavenly things by earthly. And to engage our confidence, to excite our gratitude, to animate us to our duty by the most affecting motives; and that the reve* 2 Tim. iii. 15.

rence

rence we owe to his great and glorious Majefty, as our Creator and Legislator, may be combined with love and cheerful dependence, he is pleased to reveal himself by those names which express the nearest relation and endearment amongst ourselves. Thus he condescends to style himself the Father, the Husband, and the Friend of his people. But though in this way, we are affifted in forming our conceptions of his love, compaffion, and faithfulness; it is obvious that these names, when applied to him, must be understood in a sense agreeable to the perfections of his nature, and in many respects different from the meaning they bear amongst men. And thus when we are informed that God has a Son, an only Son, an only begotten Son, it is our part to receive his testimony, to admire and adore: and for an explanation adapted to our profit and comfort, we are to consult, not our own pre-conceived ideas, but the further declarations of his word, comparing fpiritual things with fpiritual, attending with the fimplicity of children to his inftructions; and avoiding, as much as poffible, those vain reasonings, upon points above our comprehenfion, which, though flattering to the pride

of

our hearts, are fure to indifpofe us for the reception of divine truth. A diftinction in the divine nature, inconceivable by us, but plainly revealed in terms, must be admitted, upon the teftimony and authority of him, who alone can inftruct us in what we are concerned to know of his adorable effence. There are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghoft, and these three are one*. To each of thefe three, the perfections of Deity are attributed and afcribed in various parts of fcripture. Each of them therefore is God; and yet we are fure, both from fcripture and reafon, there is, there can be but one God. Thus far we can go fafely; and that we can go no farther, that our thoughts are loft and overwhelmed, if we attempt to reprefent to ourfelves, how, or in what manner three are one, and one are three, may be easily accounted for, if any just reason can be given, why a worm cannot comprehend infinity. Let us first, if we can, account for the nature, effence, and properties of the things with which, as to their effects, we are familiarly acquainted. Let us explain the

111