1. The Dignity conferred upon Christ ought not to be called the Supream Government of the World as this Author has stiled it For He acts and governs in Subordination to his Father 2. When the Scripture speaks of this Advancement of Christ it extends it especially over Angels and Men. 3. It is no Indignity to Angels as our Author pretends to be ruled and governed by a Man whom God has exalted above them Angels indeed have some natural Prerogatives above Men whereby they are more excellent Creatures than Men but if it pleases God of his free Gift to invest a Man with greater Dignity Power and all other Excellence than any Angel has why can't He be set over them as their Lord and Ruler in Subordination to God There is no Incongruity in it 4. That contrary to the Author's Assertion a meer Creature may be a fit Lieutenant or Representative of God in Personal and Prerogative Acts of Government or Power Thus Saul and David were set over the Israelites to govern and rule over them by God's Appointment in Subordination to him Nay we do commonly say That the King is the Lieutenant and Representative of God 5. God communicated to Christ such Wisdom and Power as is necessary to enable him to exercise the Dignity conferred on him In all this there is not the least Inconsistency But notwithstanding his foregoing Objections he confesses the Difficulty remains P. 161. If He be by Nature the Son of God and Natural Lord of the World how is He said to be exalted by God and to receive a Kingdom from him as the reward of his Righteousness and Sufferings He was before possessed of it ever since the Foundation of the World being natural Lord of all his Creatures He had no need to receive that which was his own or purchase what was his natural Right by such mean and vile Condescension as suffering Death on the Cross Now to reconcile this he makes a long Discourse concerning the Mediatory Kingdom of Christ which saith he hath been bestowed on the second Person of the Trinity and is peculiar to Him and distinguished from the Natural Government of the World which He has in Conjunction with the Father This Chimerical System I may overthrow I think by that single Text of St. Paul already cited There is one God and one Mediator between God and Men the MAN Christ Jesus If Christ is a Mediator and has the Mediatory Kingdom as He is the second Person of the Trinity that is as He is God why does the Apostle tell us that He is a Mediator bearly as He is Man At least he should have told us that the Mediator is the God-Man Jesus Christ It is unaccountable that the Apostle who in all his Epistles sets forth the Excellency and Glory of Christ in the most expressive Terms should tell us that the MAN Christ Jesus is the Mediator between God and Men if the Mediatory Kingdom is exercised by the Divine Person or Nature and if not Christ Man but Christ God is the Mediator But let us examine the Grounds our Author goes on He tells us ibid. A Mediatory Kingdom was necessary to reconcile God and Men to restore Man to the Integrity of his Nature and this Power and Dignity God bestowed on his own Son who had the most Right to it and was the best qualified for it being the begotten Word and Wisdom of the Father Now one would expect he should cite some Texts of Scripture to prove this Assertion but he could find no place to rely on But Christ must says he first become Man and perform the whole Will of God and then He shall be exalted Whereupon he makes this Observation pag. 162. All the Power Christ is invested with is as Head of the Church God has put all Things under his Feet and given him to be Head over all Things to the Church which is his Body the Fulness of him that filleth all Things Eph. 1. 22 23. That is saith he God has made him Governour of the World as Head of the Church I observe two Things upon this place 1. That this Text is not well interpreted The first part of it relates to the foregoing Verse and ought to be explained by it God saith the Apostle at Ver. 21. Set Christ at his own Right-Hand in the Heavenly Places far above all Principality and Power and every Name that is named not only in this World but in that which is to come Ver. 23. And hath put all Things under his Feet What Things Those that are before mentioned all the Orders of Angels and all Earthly Powers And then follows And gave him to be Head c. This is the sense not that Christ was made Governour of the whole World as Head of the Church 2. But what if all the Power Christ is invested with is as Head of the Church Will it not follow that all the Power He is invested with is as a Man not as God And this also I prove by Col. 1. 18. And He is the Head of the Body the Church who is the Beginning the First-born from the Dead He who is the First-born from the Dead can be no other but the MAN Jesus Christ but He who is the First-born from the Dead is the Head of the Church as that Text expresly saith therefore the MAN Christ Jesus is the Head of the Church Thus the Apostle very plainly telling us that the Mediator and Head of the Church is the Man Christ Jesus destroys our Author's Notion of Christ's Mediatory Kingdom or that it is grounded on and exercised by his Divine Nature or Person Further if Christ God is the Mediator if the Mediatory Kingdom belongs to and is managed by the second Person of the supposed Trinity I don't see how the Government of Israel can be a Type of this Kingdom as this Author says at p. 162 163. For the King of the Israelites was between God and his People and was really diverse from both but Christ in our Author's Hypothesis is God himself One with the Father and the Holy Ghost so that he must be a Mediator between himself and Men which besides that it is contrary to the Notion of a Mediator does wholly destroy the Parallel He says at pag. 164 165. that We certainly know from the Expositions of Christ and his Apostles that the Prophets spake of Christ under the Names of Lord God and Jehovah But I desire him to reconcile these Texts with his Opinion Heb. 1. 1 2. God who at sundry Times and in divers Manners spake in times past to the Fathers by the Prophets hath in these Last Days spoken unto us by his Son Heb. 2. 2 3. For if the Word spoken by Angels was stedfast How shall we escape if we neglect so great Salvation which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord Gal. 3. 19. The Law was ordained by Angels in the Hand of a Mediator i. e. by the Intervention
of Moses Acts 7. 53. Who have received the Law by the Disposition of Angels Ver. 38. This Moses is He who was with the Church in the Wilderness with the Angel who spake to him in Mount Sinai These Texts do more than sufficiently prove that the Son of God is not meant by the Prophets and other Writers of the Old Testament where they mention the Lord God and Jehovah But to return to Christ's Mediatory Kingdom He says pag. 167. The Son has a Kingdom of his own which is peculiarly his and administred in his Name and by his Sovereign Authority But how is this consistent with what we read pag. 168. The Power indeed whereby he administers his Kingdom is the Power of the whole Trinity of Father Son and Holy Ghost for they being essentially one God have but one Energy and Power and therefore can never act separately How can the Son or the second Person of that Trinity have a Kingdom of his own if whatever he does is also done by the Father and Holy Ghost have not they hereby as great a share in this Kingdom as the Son This therefore is a plain Contradiction and perfect Non-sense Let us hear him further pag. 169 170. The Power is not taken out of God's Hands that is impossible Father Son and Holy Ghost govern the World still by one individual Act and Power but as in the Natural Government of the World the exercise of this Power begins with the Father so in the exercise of this Mediatory Kingdom it begins with the Son and is directed by his Mediation That is God governs the World now not meerly as a Natural Lord by the Rules of Natural Justice but with respect to the Mediatory Power and Authority of his Son and to serve the ends of his Mediatory Kingdom This Chimerical reasoning will not free the Author 's System from Contradiction For as in the Natural Government of the World tho as he dreams the exercise of the Power begins with the Father yet the Son and Holy Spirit acting in conjunction with the Father by an individual Act it cannot be said that the Power or Kingdom is peculiar to the Father so in the supposed Mediatory Kingdom tho the exercise of the Power begins with the Son yet as long as the Father and Holy Spirit act together with him and can never act separately it cannot be said that the Son has a Kingdom of his own or that he is the Mediatory King more than the Father or Spirit Yet by the help of this contrived Mediatory Kingdom our Author undertakes at pag. 173. to overthrow the Fourth Argument in the History of the Vnitarians even this because God doth all things in his own Name and by his own Authority but Christ comes in the Father's Name does his Will and seeks his Glory This only proves says he that he is not the Father but the Son and the King of God For this Mediatory Kingdom as he says at pag. 172. is erected by the Father and by him given to the Son But I ask is not the Son equal to the Father both in Energy and Authority How then can he be said to be sent by his Father to receive his Commands and to seek his Glory Can all this be ascribed to the Supream God Nay if the Father together with the Son and Spirit be but one God is it not absurd to say that the Father sends the Son and the Son does the Will of the Father Why not rather in his own Mediatory Kingdom does his own Will seeks his own Glory I think I could as soon believe White is Black as swallow the Absurdities of our Author 's Mediatory Kingdom But 't is plain to every discerning Reader that he has often not understood what he said Having thus shown the Absurdity of his Hypothesis concerning Christ's Mediatory Kingdom I will set down in a few Words what I take to be the true Notion of Christ's Kingdom God had promised to David that he would establish his Throne for ever and there should never be wanting one of his Seed to sit thereon Psal 89. 3 4. I have made a Covenant with my Chosen I have sworn unto David my Servant thy Seed will I establish for ever and build up thy Throne to all Generations And again vers 29. His Seed will I make to indure for ever and his Throne as the Days of Heaven Again ver 35 36 37. Once I have sworn by my Holiness that I will not lie unto David his Seed shall indure for ever and his Throne as the Sun before me it shall be establisht for ever as the Moon and as a faithful Witness in the Heavens Now that this Promise does not relate only or chiefly to David's Successors in the Political Government of Israel without any respect to the Messias who was also the Son of David does plainly appear by the Event for the Political Kingdom of David has been destroyed for several Ages and the Series of Successors in the Davidical Line is utterly broken off This Promise therefore had its full Accomplishment in our Messias Jesus Christ who is the Son of David and the King of Israel But this Kingdom of Christ is both more ample and more durable than David's was For all Power is given to him both in Heaven and Earth Mat. 28. 18. And 1 Cor. 15. 25 26. He must reign till he has put all Enemies under his Feet the last Enemy that shall be destroyed is Death Thus his Throne shall indure as long as the Sun and Moon He may be called with greater reason than David was Psal 89. 27. God's First-born Higher than the Kings of the Earth for he is Rev. 19. 16. King of Kings and Lord of Lords Rev. 1. 5. Prince of the Kings of the Earth But his Power reaches not only over Men but over Angels too 1 Pet. 3. 22. He is on the right hand of God Angels and Authorities and Powers being made subject to him This is God's Anointed whom he has invested with the Power of enacting Laws for the good of his Subjects When God did not so immediately govern Israel as during the Theocracy but by Kings David as God's Deputy and Vicegerent appointed Musick Singers Porters and made such other Regulations as were fit in the Worship of God So Christ who is a King immediately appointed by God by virtue of the Power and Instructions given to him took away the Ceremonial Law set up a Spiritual Worship and being a King over the Gentiles as well as over the Jews made such Laws as were able to unite them into one Body in the Worship of one God that there might be but one Flock and one Shepherd Christ's Kingdom is not only Spiritual but Temporal I mean he has so much Power over all Creatures as is necessary to enable him to perform the ends of his Spiritual Kingdom Nor is this contradicted by our Saviour's Words at John 18. 36. The Original has it
not My Kingdom is not of this World but from this World 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. My Kingdom is not owing to Men but to God's own appointment I am a King indeed but this Kingdom I received from God's own Hands My Kingdom is not from hence as he explains it but from above Acts 2. 36. God has made that same Jesus whom ye crucified both Lord and Christ i. e. King And chap. 17. 31. He has appointed a Day in which he will judge the World in Righteousness by the MAN whom he has ordained 1 Cor. 15. 24 28 Then cometh the end when he shall deliver up the Kingdom to God even the Father Then shall the Son be also subject to him that put all things under him that God may be all in all This I take to be the true account of Christ's Kingdom according to Scripture Thus God performed the Oath which he sware to David even by raising up an Horn of Salvation in his House Luke 1. 69. Thus the Kingdom of Christ who is the Seed of David shall last as long as the Sun and Moon But we no where find in Scripture that this Kingdom is bestowed upon him as he is the Eternal Son of God and Second Person of the Trinity St. Paul was so far from believing that that discoursing of the principal Act of Christ's Kingly Power and Authority viz. his judging the World he says that God has appointed a Day to perform this by the MAN whom he has ordained Acts 17. 31. In a Word as Christ has been exalted by God and has received a Kingdom from him So when the appointed End cometh he shall deliver it up to God and remain SUBJECT to him as St. Paul expresly teaches 1 Cor. 15. 28. These two things demonstratively prove that Christ is a King barely as a Man and that his Mediatory Kingdom so much spoken of by our Author is a Chimera I proceed now to his other Answers to this Objection That Christ knows not the day of Judgment He replies pag. 177. Christ in that Text speaks of himself as Man St. Matthew does not mention the Son which shews that the Son is included in St. Matthew's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 None or no Man and therefore these Texts must speak of Christ only as a Man I answer so they do for he is no more than a Man St. Mark tells us that Christ as the Son of God knows not that Day and Hour Now our Author will have Christ's Sonship founded in his Eternal Generation from the Father and that he is the Son not as he is Man but as he is God so he saith at pag. 166. and elsewhere This is indeed a very easy distinction were it but true but Trinitarians are the Authors of it not Scripture In St. Mark 's Gradation Christ is named after Men and Angels to shew his present Excellence and Exaltation above them but in St. Matthew that very Son of God who is above Men and Angels is included in the None or no Man Thus this glorious Title of the Son of God denotes here Christ Man As the Father in St. Mark is God so the Son of God who knows not that Day and Hour is Christ Man who is so stiled in all the New Testament without any respect to a second Nature CHAP. IV. THE sixth Argument in the Brief History runs thus God giveth what and to whom He pleases He needs not the aid of any other He intreateth not for Himself or his People He cannot die and deriveth his Power from none but Himself But 't is certain that the Lord Christ could not himself without the previous Ordination of the Father confer the prime Dignities of Heaven or of the Church He placed his Safety in his Father's Presence and Help he prayed often and fervently to the Father both for himself and for his Disciples he died and was raised from the Dead by the Father after his Resurrection he received from another all that great Power which he now injoys To this he answers Christ interceeds with no Creature receives Authority from no Creature c. nor from any God neither who is separated from himself For he is One God with the Father and the Holy Ghost That he interceeds with the Father proves indeed that he is a distinct Person from the Father not that he is not one God with him But why I pray does it not prove that he is not one God with the Father For if he intercedes with God can he be that very God with whom he intercedes if he is what need is there for him to intercede Besides this Author says before pag. 167 169 170. The Three Divine Persons can never act separately they have but One Energy and whatever is done they do it by one Individual Act. Now I hope he will grant that Prayer and Intercession are real Acts or Actions I infer therefore when the Son intercedes the Father and Holy Spirit must intercede too Thus Intercession and Prayer are not peculiar to the Son but there are in the Godhead three Intercessors three Beseeching Persons Whom what Person or God does this Trinity beseech Good God! how long shall it be that Men will love Darkness rather than Light and prefer a Novel and Unintelligible Gospel before the old plain and easy One Pag. 183. He says For God to make a Creature Advocate and Mediator is to give a Creature Authority over himself which cannot be for it is a Debasement to the Divine Nature and a reproach to the Divine Wisdom it is as if God did not better know how to dispose of his Grace and Mercy than any Creature does But why so has our Author forgot or is he to learn that Moses thô a meer Creature was a Mediator between God and his People I am sure St. Paul calls him so in these Words at Gal. 3. 19. The Law was ordained by Angels in the Hand of a Mediator And at Deut. 5. 5. He stood between the Lord and them to shew them the Word of the Lord. And the same Apostle tells us that the MAN Jesus Christ is a Mediator between God and Men. Does not the Scripture mention Moses his Intercession with God and that God was moved by his Intreaty Why then does this Author affirm that to intercede with the Authority of a Mediator is above the Nature and Order of Creatures To the next Argument viz. That Jesus Christ is in Holy Scripture always spoken of as a distinct and different Person from God and described to be the Son of God and the Image of God He answers This we own and he had no need to prove it This is a wonderful Argument to convince those who acknowledg Three distinct Persons in the Godhead that Christ is not God because he is a distinct Person from the Father for so according to the Language of Scripture God signifies God the Father when he is distinguished from the Son and Holy Spirit as
chief of the Orthodox Interpreters have thus explained this Context of the Colossians Among the Ancients St. Cyril Fulgentius Procopius Gazeus and even Athanasius himself Of the Moderns Salmero Montanus Grotius and many more Before I put an end to this I must observe that our Author is greatly mistaken in his Explication of Col. 1. 18. The Apostle says he proceeds from Christ's Creation of the natural World to his Mediatory Kingdom Which proves that He did not speak of that before I see the Author does not observe his own rule p. 146. To consider in expounding Scripture what goes before and what follows It was no hard matter to see that the Apostle at Ver. 16. speaks First in the general of Things that are in Heaven and that are in Earth Visible and Invisible but then afterwards he explains what he meant by the Things that are in Heaven viz. all the Orders of Angels this he doth in the latter part of the same Verse and what he means by Things that are on Earth He tells us fully at Ver. 18. viz. the Church The 18th Verse being an Explication of some part of Ver. 16. it appears not to have been Paul's Design to proceed from Christ's Creation of the World to his Mediatory Kingdom Thus I have done with the famous Context of Col. 1. 15 16 c. The Author of the Brief History had proved that Christ was God's Minister and Servant because He was appointed or made by God the Apostle and High-Priest of our Profession To this the Author I am now considering Answers But here is a Restriction to his being High-Priest and therefore no danger of Blasphemy tho He be God For we may observe that thô the Jewish High-Priest was but a Man yet he was a type of an High-Priest who is more than Man even the eternal Son or Word of God as some of the Learned Jews acknowledge This is indeed an admirable Answer Christ has been appointed by God an High-Priest which seems to prove that Himself is not God No says the Doctor you are mistaken for thô the Jewish High-Priest was but a Man yet He was a Type of an High-Priest more than Man of an High-Priest who is the eternal Son of God How does he prove it As some says he of the Learned Jews acknowledge And what then if some Learned Jews have spoken non-sense must we speak non-sense too One would expect the Author should prove by Scripture and not by Jewish Writers that the Jewish High-Priest was a type of an High Priest who is the eternal Son and Word of God The Jewish High-Priest being a Type of Christ was a Type of an High-Priest more eminent and greater than Himself in all respects thô he were not God He goes on For the Son of God is the only proper Mediator and Advocate with the Father If you ask him why he will answer Philo Judaeus who often calls the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Word the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or High-Priest says so and shows that the Garments of the High-Priest were Figures of Heaven and Earth Which seems to signify that the eternal Word which made the World is the true High-Priest Here comes upon the stage one of his Learned Jews Philo by whose Testimony he proves that the second Person of the Trinity is the only proper Mediator and Advocate with the Father But Philo being Plato's Follower did not believe such a Trinity as the Doctor teaches Sure there is a great difference between Plato's three Principles and the Doctor 's Trinity But if there were not must we believe Philo Judaeus rather than St. Paul who plainly tells us in direct opposition to Philo that as there is One God so there is One Mediator between God and Men the MAN Christ Jesus 1 Tim. 2. 5. As for the Garments of the High-Priest which Philo will have to be a Figure of Heaven and Earth and our Author's Story about Jaddus both which our Author alledges as Arguments at least as Congruities whereby to prove the Divinity of Christ I shall so far trust the Judgment of the meanest Reader as to take no notice of them That which follows is no less ridiculous I am sure says the Author the Apostle distinguishes Christ from High-Priests taken from among Men and makes his Sonship the Foundation of his Priesthood Heb. 5. 1 6. The contrary to both these is true and evident also in the Text he cites The Priesthood is the Foundation of the Sonship and Aaron and Christ are there made Instances of High-Priests taken from among Men. The Objection therefore remains still that Christ being an High-Priest appointed and made by God cannot Himself be God He goes on As for his next Objection from 1 Cor. 3. 23. Christ is God's I know not what he means by it for there is no doubt but Christ is God's Son God's Christ God's High-Priest serves the Ends and Designs of God's Glory and what then Therefore he is not God by no means he may conclude that He is not God the Father because He acta subordinately not that therefore He is not God the Son The Author of the Brief History meant I suppose this that as you are Christ's in that Text signifies Men are subject to Christ so Christ is God's must signify Christ is subjected to God and therefore not Himself God This I think is good Sonse and a good Argument But can it be said that the second Person of the Trinity who is the supream God nay One God with the First is God's Son God's Christ God's High Priest serves the Ends and Designs of God's Glory All these Titles denote a dependance upon the Father and a real subjection to Him which cannot agree to any Person who is indeed Himself a Supream God Here is another sensless Answer to a good and strong Objection P. 158. His next proof is That God calls Christ his Servant in the Prophet Isaiah But it is his Servant in whom his Soul was pleased which is the peculiar Character of his Son and is that very Testimony which God gave to Christ at his Baptism This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased I desire here the Reader to observe the Doctor 's accurate way of reasoning This is the Objection Christ is called God's Servant therefore He is not God No this is a mistake says He for Christ is God's beloved Servant P. 159. He says in answer to the Objection from Phil. 2. 8 9. Because He voluntarily condescends below the Dignity of his Nature does He forfeit the Dignity of his Nature But I ask can it be said of the Supream God with whom is no Variableness neither Shadow of turning that He has condescended below the Dignity of his Nature P. 159 160. He goes on in a florid way of Speech to show how inconsistent it is that Christ were He a meer Creature should be advanced to that Power and Authority whereunto He has been promoted Hereupon I observe
was certainly by Revelation If our Author should reply that it is well known that Elisha was but a Prophet and could know no such thing but by Inspiration or Revelation I answer It is likewise well known that Christ knew not all things and particularly not the Day of Judgment Mark 13. 32. therefore he could not be God for God knows all things Besides the Scripture assures us that God gave to Christ his Revelation Rev. 1. 1. which proves that all his extraordinary Knowledg was derived from God But he always knew all Men saith the Author which cannot be done by Revelation which is particular and occasional Why not God's Revelation may be perpetual if he pleases There is no Contradiction or Impossibility in it But how has he perverted the first Verse of St. John's Revelations The Revelation of Jesus Christ which God gave to him to shew unto his Servants things which must shortly come to pass This says he doth not signify that this was a Revelation made to Jesus Christ but that Revelation which Christ made for thô God is said to give to him it is to shew unto his Servants that is by appointment of God Christ shewed this Revelation unto John Alas if our Author was not able to answer this place he should not have studied to clude it If Christ made this Revelation because he is God how is it said to be given to him which can in no sense agree to him who is true God He received it says our Author to shew unto his Servants But of whom can the true God receive either Knowledg or Authority to dispense it But here are two Arguments against our Author's Doctrine 1. That God gave to Christ a Revelation But he that is God can need no Revelation because himself knoweth all things 2. That He is appointed to shew this Revelation to others Which no more can agree to one who is God than Revelation does He concludes that He desires a Mediator who knows more and in a more perfect manner But I think 't is fit we should be contented with such a Mediator as God was pleased to give us IV. His last Charge is that Socinianism justifies at least excuses both Pagan and Popish Idolatries at least as it is taught by those Men who allow of the Worship of Christ which it is certain too the Christian Religion teaches In answer hereto I will 1. Shew in what consists the Worship or Honour due to Christ 2. Compare this Worship with the Worship which Pagans exhibited to their false Gods and Papists to their Saints 1. I observe that in the Unitarian Hypothesis the Worship or Honour due to Christ is not a supream Worship such as we ought to pay to God Christ being a Creature can never be worshipped as God is Thô he be never so great and glorious a supream Worship is proper only to Almighty God and can never be bestowed on any Creature 2. As it cannot be denied that there are divers Orders of Creatures so the Honour paid to them ought to be proportionable to their Greatness and Dignity Thus in a Kingdom those who by reason of their Dignity are above the common sort of Men deserve a greater Respect and Honour than others and the King who is above them all has an Honour paid to him which is incommunicable to the rest of his Subjects By the same reason Angels who are more excellent than Men are worthy of greater Honour But Christ who has been exalted above both Men and Angels since he is King of Kings and Lord of Lords hath a proper Worship due to him which can never be given either to Angels or Men. He is God's Beloved Son by way of Excellence all Power is given to him in Heaven and Earth he is at the Right-hand of God having all things put under his Feet he deserves therefore an Honour so much greater than theirs as he is greater Phil. 2. 9 10 11. God also hath highly exalted him and given him a Name above every Name that at the Name of Jesus every Knee should bow of things in Heaven and things in Earth and things under the Earth and that every Tongue should confess that Jesus is Lord to the Glory of God the Father The Apostle does not say that every Knee ought to bow at the Name of Jesus because he is the Supream God but because God has exalted him above Men and Angels because he has obtained of God a Name above every Name the most eminent and glorious Dignity that ever was This is the true ground of the Honour which is due to Christ This St. Paul teaches and this the Unitarians profess to believe and perform 3. When we worship Christ it is to the Glory of God the Father as the Apostle speaks The Honour we pay to Christ is terminated in God we worship him as God's Ambassador and Image As he who believes in him believes in God also so he who honours him honours God also 2. Let us compare the Worship of Christ the Reader will remember we mean not thereby a Supream Worship with the Worship of False Gods among Pagans and of Saints among Papists Pagans were guilty of Idolatry because First they had no Divine Command for such Worship but even our Author confesses there is such a Command for the Worship of Christ To worship Creatures without the Warrant of God is Usurpation on and Contempt of God Secondly They worshipped and served Creatures more than the Creator as St. Paul says They set up an infinite number of Gods who had been meer Men and ascribed to them such Power as did not belong to them and such Worship as was infinitely above them They offered Sacrifices to them consecrated Temples to their Honour prayed to them in a word they paid to them such Worship as was terminated in them and so made True Gods of Men. But it is not so with the Worship of Christ We ascribe to him no other Power but what we know from the Scriptures God has bestowed on him and no other Honour but what is proportionable to that Power to the Dignity of his Person and what God himself commands us to pay him This may be applied to the Papists Let them show us any Text of Scripture which obliges us to worship St. Peter St. Paul St. Francis Were they content to keep within the bounds of Respect and Honour due to glorified Saints they should be guilty of no Fault But to pray to them as many do as Mediators both of Intercession and Merit to dedicate Churches to them to kneel down before their Images and to their Images nay to their vilest Relicks this approaches too near to Idolatry Our Author therefore mistakes when he says The greatest hurt on the Vnitarian Hypothesis seems to be that they Pagans and Papists lose their Labour but according to these Principles they do no Injury to God What then Is it all one to worship Christ by God's Appointment and to worship False Gods and Apocryphal Saints without any Warrant from God Is it all one to pay to Christ such Honour as neither exceeds his Power nor is greater than his Dignity and honour False Gods and Saints in such manner as exceeds both their Power and Merit That is Obedience to God's Will the Other detestable Usurpation and Rebellion I conclude therefore that the Vnitarians by the Worship they pay to Christ cannot be said to justify or excuse Pagans or Papists Which if it had not been an invidious Charge is so apparently False that it would not have deserved any notice And thus I have done with that part of the Doctor 's Book which I undertook to answer It may be the Historian himself might upon some Texts and to some of our Author's Objections have either explained or defended himself otherways than is here done and that we may it seems shortly see unless Dr. Sherlock thinks sit to own that he desires it not In the mean time it may be the Historian is satisfied that in these Papers I have done wrong neither to him nor to the Inviolable Truth of God God be pleased to Inspire Christians with the Spirit that leads into all Truth and with that Infallible Note of true Disciples to love one another John 13. 35. Now to him that is of Power to establish us according to his Gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ to God only wise be Glory through Jesus Christ for ever Amen FINIS