And the Church, which is the Bride of Christ, can no more have two distinct husbands, than Christ can have two distinct Churches. As the Church is the Bride, the Body, the Building of God; and as there is one Bride, one body, one building; so is there on the other hand, one God, who is the husband or Bridegroom; one Christ, who is the Head; one God with the Lamb, who is the Light of it. Compare also, Jer. iii. 1. and 31, 32. Ezek. xvi. Hos. ii. Matth. ix. 15.xxv. 1. 2 Cor. ii. 2. Eph.v. 23. Rev. xix. 7. and xxi. 2, 9.

XI.

Here follow some single Texts, to which I add no parallels; there being no danger of mistaking their application.

John xx. 28. And Thomas answered and said, MY LORD, and MY GOD.

XII.

Rom. ix. 5. Of whom as concerning the Flesh CHRIST came, who is over all, GOD BLESSED for EVER. Amen.

XIII.

2 Pet. i. 1.-Through the Righteousness of our GOD and Saviour JESUS CHRIST.

The Greek is ——78 Des nμav s Σwanp Inox Xpisthe very same, as to the order and Grammar of the words, with the last verse of this Epistle- το Κυρίε ημών και Σωτηρα Ιησε Χρισε which is thus rendered in our English version- of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. And so, without doubt, it should be in the other passage there being no possible reason why, 78 O18 nuar, should not signify our God, as well as 78 Kupi na our Lord. It is not my design to cast any reflection upon the wisdom of our excellent and orthodox Translators (whose version, taken altogether, is without exception the best extant in the world) or to advance this as any discovery of my own: for the Translators themselves have preserved the true rendering in the Margin; declaring it, by their customary note, to be the literal sense of the Greck. There is another expression, Tit. ii. 13. that ought to be classed with the foregoing. Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing, 18 μɛyays D18 ij Zarηp nuwv Inox Xpisy, of our Great God and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Of which a great man, deep in the Arian Scheme, gives this desponding Account.. "Many understand this whole Sentence to belong to one and the "same Person, viz. Christ as if the words should have been rendered, The appearing of our great God and Saviour Jesus "Christ. Which Construction, the words will indeed bear; as "do also those in 2 Pet. i. 1. But it is much more reasonable, " and more agreeable to the whole Tenor of Scripture, to under"stand the former part of the words, to relate to the Father*?" As

* Clarke's Doctr. of the Trin, C. 2. §. 1. 541.

for the whole Tenor of Scripture, it is a weighty phrase, but very easily made use of in any cause good or bad: so I shall leave the reader to judge of that, after it has been exhibited to him in the following pages. And as for the reasonableness of the thing itself, let any serious person consider, whether the Doctrine of the Scripture is not more rational under the orthodox application of these words, than under that of this Author. For to allow, as he does, that Christ is God, but not the Great God, is to make two Gods, a greater and a lesser, which is no very rational principle. And I make not the least doubt but this Author, had he been dressing up a System of natural religion, would have protested against a notion so absurd and impious. But when the Scripture was to be dealt with, he chose it as the lesser of two evils, the greater of which, was the doctrine he had subscribed to.

XIV.

2 Cor. v. 19, GOD was IN CHRIST, reconciling the world to HIMSELF.

It is allowed on all hands, that the world was reconciled by Christ Jesus to the one, only, great, and supreme God. But, this very same God (for the word is but once used in the whole sentence) was in Christ; manifest in the flesh, and reconciling the world to himself. And were there no other passage of Scripture to be found, this alone is sufficient to overthrow the whole Doctrine of Arianism; which, as far as the Scripture is concerned, depends upon this one assertion that "the word GOD, in "Scripture, NEVER signifies a complex notion of more persons "than one; but ALWAYS means one person only, viz. either the 66 person of the Father singly, or the person of the Son singly*.” Which is absolutely false for here it signifies both. The text considers God as agent and patient at the same time, and upon the same occasion; as the reconciler of the world, in the person of the Son; and the object to whom the reconciliation was made, in the Person of the Father; yet there is but one word (God) to express them both. So that the word God, though of the singular number, is of a plural comprehension. And thus I find it to have been taken by some of the most eminent writers before the council of Nice, “Plasmatus in initio homo per manus, DEI, id est, “FILII & SPIRITUS," says Irenæust; putting the singular name of God for the two persons of the Son and Spirit. And the same word, in the language of Origen, (if we are allowed to take the version of Ruffinus as genuine) includes the whole three persons- Igitur de DEO, id est, de PATRE & FILIO & SPIRITU sanctof. And our excellent church has used the word God in the same comprehensive sense; as in the Blessing after the communion service GOD ALMIGHTY, the

Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.

*

Clarke's S. D. P. II. §. 33. + Lib. V. §. 23 Lib. IV. C. 2,

VOL. VI. No. 8.

De principiis.

Qq

XV.

John xiv. 11. I am in the Father, and the Father IN

ME.

Compare this with the foregoing Article.

XVI.

I Cor. v. 20. We are ambassadors for CHRIST, as though GOD did BESEECH you by us. We pray

you IN CHRIST'S STEAD be ye reconciled to GOD. The usefulness of this text to our present subject, lies in these words" In Christ's stead we pray, as though God did beseech” where the interchanging of the Names God and Christ, shews the same person to be entitled to both.

XVII.

1 John v. 20. We are in him that is true, even in his Son JESUS CHRIST: THIS IS the TRUE COD and eternal life.

XVIII.

Col. ii. 8, 9. Beware lest any man spoil you through Philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after CHRIST for IN HIM DWELLETH ALL THE FULNESS of the GODHEAD BODILY.

The Apostle foresaw, that a thing calling itself Philosophy would set all its engines at work to destroy the notion of Christ's true and absolute Divinity- "For in him (says he) dwelleth all "the fulness of the Godhead bodily. Philosophy will dispute this: "and undertake to demonstrate the contrary. But if you listen "to such vain deceit, it will overthrow your faith; and spoil you "for a disciple of Jesus Christ; therefore Beware."

Isai. ix. 6. For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given, and the Government shall be upon his Shoulder and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, the MIGHTY GOD, the EVERLASTING

FATHER.

XXI.

Jer. xxiii. 6. This is the Name whereby he shall be called, the Lord (JEHOVAH) our Righteousness.

XXII.

Isai. ii. 17, 18. The LORD ALONE shall be EXALTED in that day and the IDOLS he shall utterly abolish.

"Idolatry is the reverse, and direct opposite to Christianity (or, the day of Christ.) To destroy this, was the great end of Christ's coming into the world.- -But except he were God, "the very and eternal God, of one Substance with the Father, his "Religion would be so far from destroying Idolatry, that it would "only be a more refined and dangerous species of it. The "prophet therefore, concludes all, that so he might acquit the "worship of Christ from all charge of Idolatry, with this positive "assertion; that it would prove the most effectual means of put"ting an end to all false and Idolatrous Worship: The Idols he shall "utterly abolish. The like conclusion we meet with in the Apos"tle St. John; who having affirmed that Jesus Christ is the true God and eternal life, immediately subjoins and closes all with "this advice, Little Children, keep yourselves from IDOLS."

This Remark is taken from the first volume of an Essay upon the proper Lessons; written, as I am told, by a gentleman of the Laity. There needs no Apology for setting it down; it being of good use in the subject I am upon. And it also gives me an occasion of returning thanks to the pious and learned Author of that excellent work, not for myself only, but for many sincere friends to the religion of Christ.

XXIII.

Rev. i. 8. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the LORD, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the ALMIGHTY.

If the Reader will be pleased to examine the 13th and 17th verses of this Chapter, it will appear that this 8th verse was undoubtedly spoken from the mouth of Christ who therefore has a just title to every name and attribute expressed in it; and among the rest, to that of the Almighty.

Origen, who certainly was no Arian, though often represented as such, by some who would be pleased to have the vote of so celebrated a genius, has the following observation." Now "that you may know the Omnipotence of the Father and the Son "to be one and the same as HE is ONE and the SAME GOD "and LORD with the FATHER, hear what St. John had said "in the Revelation- -These things, saith the Lord, which is, “and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty," For whe is the Almighty that is to come, but Christ?

(To be continued.)

Explanation of Scriptural Types.
No. X.

JACOB a type of CHRIST.

MONG the ancients, the

tained the birthright and his father's blessing. From him, as its immediate stock or root, arose a mighty nation, and from him as concerning the flesh,

a distinguished rank. He, a all, God blessed for ever. We younger brother, first of all, ob- I may consider him as a type of

Christ in the following respects, | of God and afflicted. He was a 1. In preference to his broth-man of sorrows and acquainted er Esau, when as yet the chil- with grief but this was the way dren had done neither good nor marked out in the eternal counevil, that the purpose of God sels of infinite wisdom, to his according to election might highest advancement, his everstand, it was said, The elder shall lasting glory and felicity. Beserve the younger, Jacob have cause he humbled himself, and I loved and Esau have I hated. became obedient to death, ëven Ye children of Jacob his chosen, the death of the cross, God In preference to all the angels hath highly exalted him, and above and men below, is not given him a name which is Christ God's servant, whom he above every name; that at the will uphold, his elect in whom name of Jesus every knee should his soul delighteth? bow and that every tongue should confess that he is Lord, to the glory of God the Fa ther.

2. The life of Jacob was full of anxiety, care and sorrow. As an exile did he leave his father's house with his staffgrievously did he serve with Laban, consumed by the drought by day, and by the frost by night | great were his apprehensions from Laban and Esau-pungent was his sorrow for his Rachel, his Joseph, his Simeon and his Benjamin-and great were the things of his heart about going down and journeying in Egypt. Himself most faithfully gave the history of his life in the following impressive description, Few and evil have been the days of the years of my pilgrimage -but this for him was the right way to honor and peace in the closing scene of life, and that blessed condition where emihently the wicked cease from troubling and the weary are at rest. In circumstances of life, how great the resemblance between the patriarch Jacob, and Christ the Saviour? Persecuted in his infant state, humble in the private walks of life, despised and rejected of men, abandoned to the powers of darkness and forsaken of his God. It pleased the Lord to bruise him. We esteemed him stricken, smitten

$. Shall the distress of Jacob and his wrestling with the angel, when his brother Esau was coming against him with four hundred men, remind us of the agony of Christ in the garden, when he was assailed by the powers of darkness, and Judas with his band was coming against him, with lanterns and torches, and weapons?

4. Jacob had twelve sons, the heads of their houses, from whom the whole nation arose

and Christ had twelve apostles, on which as on twelve foundations the church is built, himself being the chief corner stone.

5. From Jacob, surnamed Israel, the nation were called Israelites and from Christ, the peculiar people, the holy nation, were called Christians.

Jacob may also be considered as a figure of all the Israel of God. Like him they are a chosen generation like him they cheerfully relinquish sensual enjoyments for the birthright and the blessing, for Christ the pearl of great price. His receiving the blessing from his