cording to this new mode of interpretation, Abraham performed a great and wonderful act of obedience, by which his faith in the promifes, and his love to God, have been rendered illuftrious to all generations; for he offered up his own fon, his dear and only fon; and this he did in reality, not in appearance only. But God; in delivering up Jefus to death, gives us only a Servant, whom he calls his Son, that there might be a greater appearance of love in his dying for us." 14. "If, then (as Bp. Pearson adds) the fending of Chrift into the world were the highest act of the love of God which could be expreffed; if we be obliged unto a return of thankfulness, fome way correfpondent to fuch infinite love; if fuch a return can never be made without a true fense of that infinity, and a sense of that infinity of love cannot confift without an appre henfion of an infinite dignity of nature in the perfon fent, then it is abfolutely neceffary to believe that Chrift is fo the only begotten Son of the Father, as to be of the fame fubftance with him, of glory equal, of majefty co-eternal." 15. A fourth use of this doctrine, and the last I fhall mention, is to convince us, that (as our Poet fays) "No man too largely from Heaven's love can hope, For, as the Apostle argues,-He that fpared not his own Son, but freely delivered him up unto death for us all, how fhall he not with him alfo freely give us all things?But then this implies that Chrift was more than a mere man, or mere creature. For, "would it be logical, would it be rational, thus to argue? If God, in his great love, delivered up one mere man, or mere creature, to death, we may fafely conclude he will deliver millions from it. If he delivered up one to temporal fufferings, he will certainly deliver vaft multitudes multitudes from eternal torments;-if he gave a perfon infinitely inferior to himfelf, to endure the pains of crucifixion for us, he will undoubtedly grant us the enjoyment of himfelf, to make us completely and everlastingly happy. How different the Apoftle's manner of arguing in this paffage! -Whoever duly confiders how he fpeaks of God's awn Son, of us all, and of all things, cannot but observe he supposes it quite evident, that there is no proportion between Jefus Chrift and all the redeemed, though taken collectively; nor be`tween the gift of him, and the grant of all other bleffings. But fuch a way of fpeaking is abfolutely unaccountable, is highly abfurd, on the hypothefis oppofed." But, on our principles, God's not fparing his own Son, but freely de livering him up unto death for us all, gives us the highest affurance that he will perform all his gracious promises, and freely give us all things. For He that has done us the greater favour, will furely do us the lefs-He that hath given us fuch a gift as his own Son, a gift, according to our doctrine, infinite in value, will furely give us every other inferior bleffing; efpecially confidering that his Son was given for this very end,- That atonement being made for fin, and all the demands of juftice being fatisfied, Divine Mercy and Love might have free course, and God, in a way confiftent with his Attributes, might bestow upon us all bleffings---temporal---fpiritual---and eternal. F IN I S. SOCINIANISM UNSCRIPTURAL: O R, THE PROPHETS AND APOSTLES Vindicated from the Charge of holding the Doctrine of CHRIST'S mere Humanity: BEING THE SECOND PART O F A Vindication of His DIVINITY; INSCRIBED TO THE REV. DR. PRIESTLEY, A BY THE Late Rev. JOHN FLETCHER, TO WHICH IS ADDED, In a large DETAIL of INSTANCES, OF THE Want of Common Senfe in the NEW TESTAMENT WRITERS, On the Suppofition of their BELIEVING and TEACHING the abovementioned DOCTRINE: If any Man Speak, let him fpeak as the Oracles of GOD. BIRMINGHAM: Printed by E. JONES, in Bull Street, 1791, |