Page images
PDF
EPUB
[ocr errors]

look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein 'dwelleth righteoufnefs.Wherefore, beloved, feeing that ye look for fuch things, be diligent that ye may be found of him, (that is found of a mere man!) in peace, without fpot and blamelefs. And account that the long-fuffering of our Lord, (viz. the long-fuffering of a mere man!) is falvation.- And grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jefus Chrift (that is, in the knowledge of a mere man!) To him, that is, to a mere man!) be glory, both now and for ever!'

Methinks, Rev. Sir, were there no other argument to prove that the Lord Jefus Chrift is more than a mere man, thefe doxologies are fufficient to evince it. For, if it be not idolatry to to afcribe glory to a mere man, or mere creature, I confefs I know not what is. Leaving you to adore with me the wifdom and goodness of God, in furnishing us with fo many and fuch inconteftable proofs of the falfity of a doctrine, which of all others, is the most inimical to our peace, and our best interefts, in time and in eternity,

[blocks in formation]

LETTER IX.

RIV. SIR,

WE

E come now to the Epiftles of St. John, I think Dr. Priestley has not pronounced him to be an inconclufive reafoner. But if, as he fuppofes, that Apoftle confidered our Lord as a mere man, he is certainly as much entitled to that character as St. Paul himself. He begins his first Epiftle by terming the Lord Jefus the Word of Life, the Life and the Eternal Life, appellations which certainly but ill agree with the character of a mere man. He informs us, that he was with the Father from the beginning, though it were only in thefe latter ages, that he was manifefted in the flesh to us, and affures us that, notwitstanding he was now returned to the Father from whom he came, and was no longer vifible among his difciples as formerly, yet that they had ftill fellow fhip with him as well as with the infinite and eternal Father. That which was from the beginning, fays he, which we have 'feen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the · WORD OF LIFE: For the LIFE was manifefted, ' and we have seen it and bear witness, and shew unto you that ETERNAL LIFE, which was with the 'Father, and was manifested to us :-That which have feen and heard, declare we unto you, that ye alfo may have fellowship with us, and " truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jefus Chrift.' Now, is it of a mere man, that all this is fpoken ? Is a mere man the Word of Life, the Life, the Eternal Life? Was a merc man áith the Father, before his manifeftation in the flesh? yea, from the beginning? Can a mere man, while with God, in the third heaven,

we

be

be nevertheless prefent with men on earth, so that his true followers may have union and cominunion with him? And, can the blood of a mere man, as he affirms, verle 7, cleanfe from all fin? Or, as he declares in the 2d verfe of the next Chapter, can a mere man be a propitiation for our fins, and not for ours only, but alfo for the fins of the whole world? Surely, to fuppofe thefe things, is noft ridiculous.

In the following verfes he repeatedly calls the commandments of God his Chrift's) commandments, and the word of God his word; and, (verse 12) affures the children of God, that their fins are forgiven for his name fake, that is, as Dr. Priefley will have it, for the name's fake of a mere man! And, (verfe 22) affociating him with the eternal Father, he teftifies that he is Antichrift,

that denicth the Father and the Son, (that is, according to the Deftor's hypothefis, that denicth the eternal God and a mere man!) Whofoever, proceeds he, denieth the Son (denieth a mere man!) the fame hath not the Father. If that ' which ye have heard from the beginning remain in you, ye alfo fhall continue in the Son and the Father (that is in a mere man, and in the Eternal God!)--1hefe things have I written un o you, concerning them that feduce you.-And now, little children, abide in him, (the fame mere man !) that when he fhall appear, we may have confidence, and not be afhamed before him (a mere man !) at his coming.-If 'know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousnels is born of him ;' (viz. of a mere man!)

[ocr errors]

ye

Hence, it appears, that according to St. John, on the Socinian principles, a mere man is the author of our regeneration! We are born of the fpirit of a mere man! An extraordinary doctrine indeed! And yet not more extraordinary than

the

the doctrine taught us by the fame Apostle, in the following Chapter, concerning Chrift's being manifefled to take away our fins, and to defroy the works of the Devil; a doctrine which never can be reconciled with the notion of Chrift's mere humanity, on the principles of common fense. For, as the expreffion, He was manifefted, plainly implies, that he exifted before fuch manifeftation, fo the declaration of the end for which he was manifefted befpeaks him more, I will not fay, than a mere man, but more than a mere creature. For, how can a mere man, or mere creature take away our fins, or deftroy the Devil's works?

6

But let us pafs on to the famous paffage, in which this Apoftle profeffedly characterizes the fpirit of truth, and the fpirit of error, and let us fee how it reads, if understood, according to the Socinian doctrine. Chap. iv. 1. Beloved, believe not every fpirit, but try the fpirits whether they be of God; because many falfe Prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby, know we the Spirit of God. Every Spirit that confeffeth that Jefus Chrift (that is, that a mere man) is come in the flesh, is of God. And, every Spirit that 'confeffeth not that Jefus Chrift (the fame mere • man!) is come in the flesh, is not of God. And this is that spirit of Antichrift, whereof ye have heard that it fhould come, and even now already it is in the world.' Now, what a firange and uncouth phrafeology is this, which, on the Doctor's principles, the Apoftle ufes? Who ever expreffed himielf in fuch a manner before? Who ever, fpeaking of the birth of a mere man, faid he came in the flesh? Certainly, fuch a form of expreflion is unexampled in any Author, ancient or modern, facred or profane. The reafon is plain: a mere man must come in the flesh, if he come at all: he cannot come, or be born into the world otherwife.

It

It is therefore unneceffary, and indeed ridiculous to mention that circumftance. It is just as if one were to fay a man came clothed with skin, or with an head upon his body.

But, to ufe fuch a phrafeology concerning a being that might come otherwife, concerning an Angel, for inftance, or a departed fpirit, would be at leaft good fense: to say that Gabriel came in the flefh, or that Elijah, or Mofes rofe again. and came in the flesh, however the affertion might offend our faith, by its falfhood, it would not fhock our common fenfe, by its abfurdity: It would be only like faying, a man came clothed in fearlet, which was a circumftance that might properly be mentioned, as he might have come clothed in raiment of another colour. Juft fo, the Apoftle's relating and folemnly teftifying that Chrift came in the flesh, as it was a fact true in itfelf, fo it was very neceffary it fhould be mention d, it neing very poffible, nay, and likely, that he fhould come otherwife, even without flesh, in the fpirit, in his fpiritual and divine nature, as indeed he had come from the beginning, whether to the Patriarchs, in the early ages of the world, or to his Church in the wildernefs, and to his Prophets in after times.

But, fays the Doctor, Hift. of Cor. P. 142. "This doctrine has ftaggered many, when they "reflect coolly upon the fubject, to think that fo "exalted a Being as this, an Unique in the creation, (an only one) a Being, next in dignity and intelli

66

[ocr errors]

46

gence to God himself, (he fhould rather fay, "one with God) poffeffed of powers abfolutely "incomprehenfible by us, fhould inhabit this particular fpot of the univerfe, in preference "to any other in the whole extent of, perhaps, "boundless creation." It is worthy of observation, here, that the very do&trine, which flaggers

the

« PreviousContinue »