ture impiously dishonours God, by affuming thofe names which are appropriated to him. The other great end is no lefs oppofed, by an ufurpation of God's names. For when Jefus calls himfelf God, he must apply the name, either with, or without an idea. If the latter, he acts abfurdly. If the former, it must be either the fame which men in common affix to it; or a particular one of his own. If the fame which mankind in general annex to the term, it must be that of the Supreme Being; and, confequently, he leads men directly into idolatry. If it be a particular one of his own, he lays a fnare for immortal fouls; for he takes a direct step to lead men into error, from error to idolatry, and from idolatry to damnation. He renders language a commerce of deceit and mifchief; whereas, by its natural appointment, it ought ever to be an intercourfe of truth and benefits. Befides, the fignification of the name, GOD, not depending on the caprice of any particular perfon; his latent meaning cannot acquit him from a charge of blafphemy.

Jefus Chrift, it will be objected, did not call himself God, but the Son of God.' Suppofing he did not affume the name GOD, in the course of his perfonal miniftry; fuppofing the Sanhedrim could have produced no evidence of any thing like it, as the ground of that fentence which they pronounced upon him; yet it is beyond a doubt, that his difciples gave him both the names and the praises which are peculiar to God. When, therefore, the Jews are informed, that the evangelifts and apoftles wrote the New Teftament by his authority and under his peculiar direction; they cannot, fo long as they understand their own language and read their own prophets, but confider the gofpel as impious, and are obliged to approve the fentence which their fathers paffed D

upon

upon him. For they cannot doubt, but their Sanhedrim had authority to judge him; that they had good reafon to accufe him of blafphemy, because the writings of his difciples (by which only they are able to judge of his own fentiments and claims) inveft him with the characters and honours of the true God; and, that they could not but pronounce a blafphemer worthy of death, without deferting their duty and betraying their truft.

:

But they who compofed the Sanhedrim that condemned Jefus Chrift, acted on principles of envy, malice, and rage.' — Admitting they did, yet the Jews in after-times will reply; It is not for us to fearch the hearts of our forefathers our bufinefs is, to inquire into the juftice of their fentence. It was never heard that wife and impartial men, laid more ftrefs on furmifes conceived, of the ill difpofition of 6 a judge on the bench, than on the characters of justice, or injuftice, found in the sentence he paffed. We cannot penetrate the hearts of C men; but we are taught, by our law, how to diftinguish blafphemers. For its first command < is, "Thou fhalt have no other gods before me." By this we are obliged to reject your Meffiah, for affuming the titles and honours of God; though, by your own confeffion, he is not the God of Ifrael.'

CHA P. III.

The principal Titles and Characters which, in the writings of the Prophets, form the idea of the true GOD, are applied to JESUS CHRIST.

TH

HAT Jefus Chrift affumed the name GOD, in a proper sense, appears from his apostles having afcribed to him thofe perfections, which

form

form the idea fignified by that most venerable name. For, as before obferved, there is no difference, in this refpect, between what he fays of himself, and what his difciples fay of him; they speaking by his authority and his inspira

tion.

To the name, GoD, the prophets affixed the idea of an almighty Being, who created the heavens and the earth. The work of creation is frequently mentioned by them, as the grand characteristic of the true God. Of this none can doubt.-The formation of the universe is alfo exprefsly and repeatedly afcribed to Jefus Chrift. "All things were made by him, and "without him was not any thing made that was "made. By him were all things created that 66 are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible "and invifible-all things were created by him "and for him. He laid the foundation of the "earth, and the heavens are the works of his "hands". That these things are fpoken of Chrift, is evident; nor can the words admit of a different sense, without manifeft violence, as I fhall fhew in a following part of this Treatife. Here I fhall only obferve, that the apostles, having fo frequently attributed the creation of all things to Jefus Chrift; and that work being for often mentioned, by the ancient prophets, as the effect of omnipotent agency, and the moft obvious character of the true God, especially when contending with idolaters; the writers of the New Teftament must have acted a most unaccountable part, and, they being only the amanuenfes of Chrift himself, he must have been guilty of impious arrogance, if he be a mere creature.

The prophets reprefent God, as an omniscient Being. Perfect knowledge is alfo afcribed to Jefus Chrift. "Lord, thou knoweft all things,

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"thou

"thou knowest that I love thee," faid Peter to his Divine Mafter.-Should it be objected,

It

is no where faid, that Chrift approved of the honour which is here done him, by his apostle:' I anfwer, That is little to the purpofe. For the expreffions must be either falfe, or true. If true, Jefus must approve of them, for he is truth itfelf; and they prove the point for which we plead. If they be falfe, they are pregnant with blafphemy: and, if fo, the honour of God and the falvation of Peter made it abfolutely neceffary, that he fhould have been fharply reproved for them. What, fhall Chrift fay to that very apoftle, "Get thee behind me, Satan !" when he only endeavoured to diffuade him from going up to Jerufalem, there to fuffer; and fhall he meet with no rebuke from the humble, holy Jefus, when he robs God of his glory and gives it to another, by afcribing a divine perfection to a mere man! Peter's fault, for which Jefus rebuked him, arofe from his indifcreet zeal for the honour and fafety of his Mafter. He did not perceive, while he was endeavouring to prevent the death of his Lord, that he was attempting to counteract the counfels of heaven; and to hinder an event, by which the glory of God is more highly exalted, than by any other in the whole. adminiftration of Providence.-There is nothing fo precious as the glory of God, it being the ultimate end of all things: confequently, fo far as any thing is contrary to it, it must be deteftable. But, in the paffage before us, the apostle not only speaks unadvisedly, in regard to the glory of God; but, if his affertion be falfe, he is guilty of blafphemy. For he not only afcribes to Jefus the knowledge of all things in general; but alfo that of the human heart, in particular. "Lord, thou knoweft all things, thou knoweft

"that

"that I LOVE THEE." This is a diftinguishing character of JEHOVAH's glory, and a perfection peculiar to the true God. For thus it is written; "The heart is deceitful above all things, "and defperately wicked; who can know it? I 66 THE LORD fearch the heart, I try the reins." Here the God of Ifrael attributes to himself the knowledge of the heart, as his own peculiar glory.

To place this momentous truth in a still ftronger light, the words of Solomon, in his admirable prayer at the dedication of the temple, may be confidered. "Thou, even THOU ONLY, "knowest the hearts of all the children of men.' Hence it is evident, that the title, "Searcher of "hearts," is included in that idea which the prophets give of the eternal God; and that it cannot belong to a mere creature, nor be given to him without blafphemy. Yet it is equally clear, that Jefus takes the Divine title to himfelf, and that in the most folemn and remarkable manner. "All the churches fhall know that I

am HE which fearcheth the reins and hearts; " and I will give unto every one of you accord"ing to your works." It follows, therefore, that Jefus not only affumes the name, GOD; but also afferts his intereft in thofe attributes which form, in the writings of the prophets, the most proper and fublime idea of the Great Supreme. Confequently, if Jefus Chrift be not the God of Ifrael, the Jews are obliged to reject his teftimony as falfe, and his high pretenfions as blafphemous. It will be faid, Chrift does not appropriate this title to himself in the fame fenfe in which the God of Ifrael claims it, in the ancient prophets. When God is faid to "know the "heart, and to try the reins," the words are to be understood of fuch a knowledge as is pecu

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