This is nothing to the fact I am confider ing. The power, in particular, which the Scriptures teach us that Chrift poffeffes of raising to life all who have died and all who will die, is equivalent to the power of creating a world. How inconfiftent is it to allow to him one of these powers, and at the fame time to question whether he could have poffeffed the other? -to allow that he is to restore and newcreate this world; and yet to deny that he might have been God's agent in originally forming it1?

Ac

1 Our brethren among modern Socinians seem to feel this difficulty; and therefore give a new interpretation of the Scripture account of Chrift's prefent power and dignity.-Mr. LINDSEY fays in his Sequel, page 466, &c. that the exaltation of Chrift to God's righthand, far above all might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world but in that which is to come; angels, authorities, and powers being made fubject to him; is spoken of in accommodation to the ideas of the Jews and Gentiles of those days who believed there were fuch fpiritual beings as angels and

demons,

According to fome of the old Socinian writers, Chrift, after his refurrection, reigned over all nature, and became the L3 object

demons; and means only the difplay of a Divine power in the fupport of the Gospel and its establishment among men. The throne to which Chrift was advanced was, according to him, (Ib. p. 243.) not any station of dignity in heaven, but the fubjection of the world to his Gospel; and his glory with the father, mentioned John xvii. 5. was the glorious fuccess of the Gofpel. His power over all flesh (John xvii. 2.) to give eternal life to as many as the Father had given him, was only his power to afford men full af"furance of the benevolent purpose of God to bestow "eternal life upon them, and to furnish them with the means of virtue that lead to it." P. 249.

Agreeably to the prejudices and Imaginations of "Jews and Gentiles, the fubjection of all mankind "to the rules of piety and virtue delivered by Christ "is fhadowed out under the imagery of a mighty "king to whom all power was given in heaven and "earth, placed above angels, principalities, &c." P. 473. However fingular thefe interpretations may appear, no one ought haftily to condemn them, without confidering what fo excellent a man fays to justify them in the paffages to which I have referred. It

object of religious worship". It is furprifing that men fo enlightened on religi ous fubjects as to be the wonder of the times in which they lived, did not feel the extravagance there is in afcribing to a

mere

is probable that he interprets in a like fenfe Chrift's declaration that he is the RESURRECTION AND the LIFE, and understands by it only his being the REVEALER of a future life. But I fhall indeed wonder if his good fenfe and candour will allow him to give the fame fenfe to fuch texts as the following.-John vi. 40. And I will raife him up at the last day.-John v. 29. The hour is coming in which all that are in their graves fhall hear the voice of the Son of Man and fhall come forth; they that have done good to the refurrection of life, and they that have done evil to the refurrection of damnation. -Phil. v. 20, 21. Our converfation is in heaven, from whence we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jefus Chrift; who shall change our vile body that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to fubduc all things to himself.

m Chriftus ad dextram dei in cælis collocatus etiam ab angelis adorandus eft. Catachefis Ecclefiarum Polonicarum, fect. 4. Omnem in cælo et in terra poteftatem accepit; et omnia, Deo folo excepto, ejus pedibus funt fubjecta. Ibid.

mere man an advancement fo fudden and astonishing. It is a circumftance much in favour of Christianity that, instead of afferting any fuch doctrine, it teaches us that the fame Chrift who after his resurrection had all power given him in heaven and earth, poffeffed glory with God before the world was; and that, when he afcended to heaven, he only regained a former station, and entered upon a dignity to which he had long rifen, with fuch additions to it and fuch encreased powers, as were the proper effect and reward of his having paffed through human life to fave the world.

The inconfiftency of the Socinian doctrine will, in this inftance, appear more palpable, if we will confider what the merit was for which a mere man was thus exalted; and what the end was for which a step fo extraordinary was taken, and an effort fo violent made. His merit was, facrificing his life in bearing witness to the truth; a merit by no means peculiar

to him, many other men having done the fame. The end was, the conveyance of bleffings which would have been granted (because proper to be granted) whether conveyed by him or not. But on this fubject, a good deal more will be faid hereafter.

Fifthly. The doctrine I am confidering leffens the usefulness and force of Chrift's example.-He has, the Scriptures fay, left us an example that we should follow his steps. It was an example of blamelefs and perfect virtue; but he was, according to all opinions of him", qualified

n

This

for

ervation is applicable to the opinions concerning Chrift which have hitherto been generally held by Socinians, who, in reality, make him more properly a fuperior being than a man, and differ from Arians chiefly by affigning, contrary to all that is credible, a different date to his existence.-Lately, fome of them have lowered him into a man ignorant and peccable, and no way diftinguished from the common men of his time except by being inspired; and this, I am fenfible, by bringing him down more