incited by the malice and envy of the Rulers. That Jefus liv'd and died guiltless, is acknowledg'd by all Chriftians, of every fect or denomination. Let us enquire then on what grounds He was condemn'd. We learn from Saint Matthew, that the chief Priests and Elders and all the Council fought falfe witness against Jefus to put Him to death, but found none; yea though many falfe witneffes came, yet found they none. This account is farther explain'd by Saint Mark, who tells us, that many bare false witness against Him, but their witness agreed not together. They then endeavour'd to fubftantiate against Him a charge of fome intention of destroying their Temple. We heard Him fay, I will destroy this Temple that is made with hands, and within three days I will build another made without hands. But neither fo did their witness. agree together. Thus baff'd and disappointed, but still perfevering, at last the High Priest stood up in the middle, and having tried in vain to get an answer from Jefus, who difdain'd to reply to fuch frivolous and inconfiftent charges, he puts to Him this decifive question, Art Thou the Christ, the Son of the Bleffed? or according to Saint Matthew, I adjure Thee by the living God, that Thou tell us, whether Thou be the Chrift, the Son of God. To this decifive queftion thus folemnly

1

afk'd,

afk'd, He plainly and decifively anfwers, I am. Then the High Priest rent his clothes, and faid, what need we any further witneffes? Ye have heard his blafphemy: what think ye? and they all condemned Him to be guilty of death.

Here let me addrefs you in the words of the High Priest, What think Ye? Ye have heard the charge, a charge of blafphemy, and that blafphemy exprefsly condemn'd by the Law of God given to Mofes. And what was the blafphemy? that Jefus acknowledg'd Himfelf to be the Son of God. By this expreffion it is plain that his enemies underftood Him as arrogating Divinity to Himself; otherwise they could not have condemn'd Him. It is as plain that He defign'd they should understand Him fo; otherwife as an explanation of his words in a lower fenfe would effectually have quafh'd the accufation, fo we cannot fuppofe that He would patiently have fubmitted to a sentence founded on a mifconftruction which might have been so easily rectified, and which even the truth itfelf oblig'd Him to rectify. Clearly then did Jefus acquiefce in the fenfe put upon his words by his judges; and as clearly did He thereby declare Himself to be God. If then He was not God, He was manifeftly guilty of falfehood as well as blafphemy,

phemy; and the Unitarian must on his own principles approve of the bloody fentence, and pronounce the Saviour and Redeemer of the world to have fuffer'd juftly. But what think Ye? is it in a guilty Malefactor that ye have plac'd all your hopes of falvation? does not every pious hearer even fhudder at the horrid fuggeftion? Let the Unitarian and his brother Jew brood over their moft execrable blafphemies; while the true Chriftian adores and glorifies in the Person of the bleffed Jefus, his Saviour, his Redeemer, and his God!

I will conclude this difcourfe with recommending one method more to fuch of my hearers, as may wish for still farther fatisfaction on this important point. It is that of comparing Scripture with itfelf; or collating various texts one with another. But as this may be too difficult a task for the unletter'd reader, and requires more time than can well be fpar'd by the man of bufinefs; I would inform fuch that the work is already executed to their hands in a moft masterly manner, in a small and cheap book, intitl'd, The Catholic doctrine of a Trinity, by the Reverend William Jones. You will there find upwards of an hundred short clear arguments, all exprefs'd in the terms of the Holy Scripture. And having hitherto chiefly dwelt

upon the Divinity' of the fecond Perfon in the Trinity, and but briefly touch'd on that of the third; I will close with a specimen of his manner, in a proof of the Divinity of the Holy Ghoft.

Read then the fixth chapter of the Prophecy of Ifaiah. You will there find a most fublime description of a Vifion, wherein the Prophet beheld the Lord Jehovah fitting upon a throne of glory. Mine eyes, fays he, have seen the King, the Lord of hofts. God vouchfafes to fend him on an errand: Go, and tell this people, hear ye indeed, but understand not; and fee ye indeed, but perceive not. Then turn to the laft chapter of the Acts of the Apostles, and mark the words of Saint Paul to the Jews: Well spake the Holy Ghoft by Efaias the Prophet unto our Fathers, faying, Go unto this people, and fay, hearing ye fhall hear, and shall not underftand; and feeing ye fhall fee, and not perceive. Here the fame words which Ifaiah declares to have been spoken by God, are by Saint Paul declar'd to have been spoken by the Holy Ghoft. Ifaiah was infpir'd, and Saint Paul was infpir'd: nor can Inspiration err. What follows? What can follow, but this, that the Holy Ghost is God.

Doubt

Doubt ye not then that the Holy Ghost is God: doubt ye not that Chrift Jefus is God: doubt ye not but that Father, Son, and Holy Ghoft, though three Perfons, are nevertheless but One God. This is the true Catholic Faith; in this Faith were we all baptiz'd; even in the Name of this everbleffed Trinity in Unity: to whom be afcrib'd all Adoration and Praife through the Ages of Eternity.