I, 2. "If any man fin, we have an advocate with "the Father, Jefus Chrift the righteous, and "he is the propitiation for our fins; and not "for ours only, but also for the fins of the whole "world."

1 John ii. 21. "I have not written unto you, because ye know not the truth, but be"caufe ye know it, and that no lie is of the "truth." We may learn, what is the truth. from ver. 22. where the apoftle tells us, the lie oppofite to it. "Who is a liar, but he "that denieth that Jefus is the Chrift? He is "antichrift that denieth the Father and the "Son." The lie is a denying the Meffiahfhip or Sonship of Chrift. The truth therefore is, that Jefus is the Chrift, the son of the living God.

2 John 1, 2." The elder unto the elect lady "and her children, whom I love in the truth, " and not I only, but also all they that have "known the truth; for the truth's fake which "dwelleth in us, and fhall be with us for ever." Ver. 7. points out to what truth he refers. "For many deceivers are entered into the world, "who confefs not that Jefus Chrift is come in "the flesh."

All thefe fcriptures lead to one conclufion, that the only begotten of the Father was fent by him to this wretched world, to be the propitiation and advocate of finners: and that a fullness of grace dwells in him, and power is given him over all flesh, that he might give eternal life to thofe given him of the Father. This doctrine is with peculiar propriety termed the truth. In it the prophecies of the Old Teftament, and types of the law, have their true and full accomplish

ment.

ment. There is a glory in it, which demonftrates its divine original, and that it is indeed. the truth of God. By it Chriftianity is diftinguished from all other religions. The belief of it conftitutes men true Chriftians, and renews and fanctifies their hearts. It is the truth which glorifies God, and faves man. And here I can freely adopt the words of Mr. Glafs's Teftimony, c. v. Sect. 2. "It takes no more to "make any man a fubject of Chrift's kingdom,. "but to be of this truth, and it requires no

lefs. In this truth, all Chrift's fubjects are: "one, however otherwife differenced. They "have different measures of light, whence dif"ferences of opinion and practice will be found.

among them, and they are liable to error in "many cafes, while they are in this world. But "they are every one of this truth, tho' they "may have different fpeculations about it, and. "controverfies of words, while the truth itself "reigns in all their hearts." Whether that ingenious writer, and those who ftand connected with him in church fellowship, ftill adhere to thefe truly fcriptural, and catholic principles, or whether they have fince renounced them, is an hiftorical queftion, which it is not my bufinefs, and indeed, which I have neither ability nor inclination to difcufs.

$5. In a variety of fcriptures, faith is described as a perfuafion of the Meffiahship and Sonfhip of Chrift. Matth. xvi. 16, 17. "Peter "answered and faid, Thou art Chrift the fon of "the living God. And Jefus anfwered and faid "unto him, Bleffed art thou Simon Barjonah; " for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven."

H 4

John

John xi. 27.

John vi. 69. "And we believe, and are fure, that thou art that Chrift, the fon of the liv"ing God." "I believe that "thou art the Chrift the Son of God, which should come into the world." John XX. 31. "But thefe are written, that ye might "believe that Jefus is the Chrift, the Son of "God, and that believing, ye might have life "through his name." Acts viii. 37. "And "Philip faid, if thou believeft with all thine "heart, thou mayeft. And he answered and faid, I believe that Jefus Chrift is the Son of "God." 1 John v. I." Whofoever believeth that Jefus is the Chrift is born of God." Ib. ver. 5. "Who is he that overcometh the "world, but he that believeth that Jefus is the "Son of God." Mr. Lock, in his Reasonablenefs of Chriftianity, has largely and unanfwerably proved, that this propofition, Jefus is the Chrift, the Son of the living God, was the only one," the belief whereof was neceffary to conftitute a Chriftian, and therefore was the grand doctrine preached by the apoftles to infidels, and in fupport of which both Chrift and his apostles wrought their miracles. But as that great phi-` lofopher obferves, Second Vindication of the Reafonableness of Chriftianity, folio edition, p. 583. "A

man cannot poffibly give his affent to any af"firmation or negation, unlefs he underftands the "terms, as they are joined in that propofition, "and has a conception of the thing affirmed or denied, and alfo of the thing concerning "which it is affirmed or denied, as they are put together." To believe therefore, that Jefus is the Chrift the Son of the living God, cannot avail us, if by these terms we understand no

thing, or fomething different from what is fignified by them in the facred oracles.

§ 6. The belief that Jefus is the Chrift, which constitutes one a Chriftian, implies fomething more than belief that Jefus is a divine teacher. Nicodemus believed that Jefus was a teacher sent from God. And yet he was not born again, or a true Chriftian, for our Lord particularly applies to him, what he had before afferted in general, as to the neceffity of regeneration. John iii. 7.." "Marvel not, that I faid unto thee, ye "must be born again.'

The meaning of the name Chrift or anointed, may be learned from these places of the Old Teftament, in which it is given to the promised Saviour. Such as 1 Sam. ii. 10. "The Lord "fhall judge the ends of the earth, and he "fhall give ftrength unto his king, and exalt the horn of his anointed." Pf. ii. 2, 6, 12.. "The kings of the earth fet themselves, and "the rulers take counfel together against the "LORD, and against his anointed. Yet have I "fet my king upon my holy hill of Zion. Kifs "the Son, leaft he be angry, and ye perifh "from the way, when his wrath is kindled but

a little bleffed are all they that put their "trust in him." Pf. xlv. 7. "Thou loveft

righteoufnefs, and hateft wickednefs: there"fore God thy God hath anointed thee "with the oil of gladnefs above thy fellows." Pf. lxxxiv. 9. "Behold O God our fhield, and "look upon the face of thine anointed." Pf. cxxxii. 10. "For thy fervant David's fake, turn "not away the face of thine anointed." Ib. ver. 17, 18. There will I make the horn of "David to bud: I have ordained a lamp for H 5 "mine

"mine anointed. His enemies will I cloath "with fhame: but upon himself fhall his 6 crown flourish." If. lxi. 1-3. "The fpirit "of the Lord God is upon me, because the "LORD hath anointed me to preach good "tidings to the meek, he hath fent me to bind 66 up the broken hearted, to proclaim liberty to "the captives, and the opening of the prifon "to them that are bound: To proclaim the "acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of

vengeance of our God, to comfort all that 66 mourn: To appoint unto them that mourn "in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, "the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of "praife for the fpirit of heavinefs, that they

might be called trees of righteousness, the "planting of the LORD, that he might be "glorified." Dan. ix. 24-26. "Seventy "weeks are determined upon thy people, and "upon thy holy city, to finish the tranfgreffion, "and to make an end of fins, and to make "reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in "everlasting righteoufnefs, and to feal up the "vifion and prophey, and to anoint the moft

holy. Know therefore and underftand, that "from the going forth of the commandment "to restore and to build Jerufalem, unto the Mes"fiah the prince, fhall be feven weeks, and "threefcore and two weeks the street shall be "built again, and the wall even in troublous << times. And after threefcore and two weeks "fhall Meffiah be cut off, but not for him"felf." From thefe places it is evident, that the Son of God, as the glorious antitype of those anointed under the Old Teftament, should be anointed with the Holy Ghoft, publish salva