6. And let fuch as reject the fcriptures, and confequently CHRIST JESUS as a Saviour, confider, whether they can find any other account, which contains fuch a series of things as have been fince the world began, fo well attefted, and fo clear and con- fiftent in its defcriptions of men as finners, and as under a neceffity of being faved by facrifice. And though the facrifices were for a season of inferior creatures, and but types of the antitype the great facrifice to be offered once for all; yet, as they had respect to that, they were accepted; whereby the fincere offerers were freed from their offences, and treated as though they had not offended. And as atonement for fin by the merit of CHRIST's death, and deliverance from it by his fpirit, are excellently adapted to do them good; as it frees them from every evil, and qualifies them to serve GOD in a way agreeable to himself and the first inftitution; fo it is more confiftent with man's condition as a finner, than depending on his own inerits, or the mercy of GOD without a mediator; becaufe, the wickedness of man is fuch, as renders it incompatible with a right notion of GOD to believe that it is agreeable to him, or can be expiated by any merit of a man's own, or will be forgiven without fatiffaction from a fubftitute. And, as falvation is of great and univerfal concernment, fo none through prejudice, perverfnefs, or indifferency, should omit any thing which may conduce to promote it. As fuch, if the Deift will fearch the fcriptures and prove himfelf by them, he may find more fin in himself than he can atone for; and which, if it remains untaken away, will render him unhappy for ever. Moreover, if he' did but know the true ftate of man; his contrariety to GOD in the darkness of his understanding in things fpiritual fpiritual, and the corruption of his will, in embracing forbidden objects and preferring them before GOD the chief good; was he but fenfible of his fore diforder of foul, and how incurable it is by any ability of his own, he would readily embrace the glad tidings of a Saviour, and imbibe the falvation purchafed for him. He would open his heart to receive the precious bleffing of pardon and peace; and would witnefs that fpiritual in rcourfe betwixt GoD and the foul, with its confequent comfort and fweet interchange, the flux and reflux of the foul in receiving divine light, love, power, &c; and returning them to GoD in gratitude and univerfal obedience, is more valuable than all earthly things, affords full fatisfaction, and opens a bright prospect of a blessed eternity. 7. But if there be falvation in none other, how far do the Socinians and Arians afcribe falvation to CHRIST? It is said, "Socinus was a man of a narrow "throat, and could not fwallow myfteries." It may with as much propriety be faid, that he had low conceptions of CHRIST JESUS, as he placed him on a level with other men, affirming him to be but a mere man. Herein they differ as well from the Arians as from the Orthodox. Yet how his being but a man, can agree with the perfon in whom alone is falvation, is not easy to conceive. And they allowing him no being before his birth of the virgin, it is not ftrange that they make little account of his merit and fpirit. But his having no being till he was born, will but ill comport with, "All things were made by him, and "without him was not any thing made that was made:" And, that he was before all things, and by him all things K 66 things confifts:" For the world having been about four thousand years when our LORD was born, if he made it (which is the one literal obvious fenfe of thefe words) he must have a being before it, as the effect cannot be before the cause. How false then the notion, how contrary to the letter as well as fenfe of fcripture, is a denial of the pre-exiftence of CHRIST. And as Socinianifm fails in the grand fundamental point, it deserves no farther confutation: And they and the Arians agreeing in moft other things, the fame may fuffice for both. 8. The Arians differ from the Socinians, as they dignify our LORD with a more divine character, reprefenting him inferior to the Father only, and fuperior to all other creatures; affirming him to be before all things, and the greatest meffenger the Almighty ever made ufe of. Now this is true, in refpect of his created foul, (for his body was not before the world began) which afterwards affumed a body of flefh, in which fenfe he was inferior to the Father, and might truly fay, My Father is greater than I. But being filed God, the mighty God, the true God, and God over all; one with the Father, and equal with God, and one in whom the fulness of the Godhead dwells; and having creation, prefervation, government, judgment, and every work and attribute of the Almighty afcribed to him in the fcripture: And these being titles and things which agree with none in digaity lefs than the fupreme Deity, he is both GoD and man in one CHRIST; by which he ftands diftinguifhed from all other beings both in heaven and earth, poffeffing both the natures of GoD and man: § Col. i, 179 And And therefore is with the greatest reason and higheft propriety reprefented under the incomparable epithets of Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, faith the LORD, which is, and which was, and "which is to come, the Almighty." 9. Moreover, he is characterized the Saviour, the one only Saviour of finners; who died for the fins of the whole world; and to whom alone it is owing that finners find forgivenefs, he being the one Lamb of GOD whofe "blood clean fes from all fint." Wherefore, though the union betwixt the Father and the Son be an inexplicable myftery, a matter too high for human conception; yet it being exprefly faid, that there is falvation in none other, it should have fufficient weight with all men to determine them in favour of it, and reconcile them to a dependence on him for falvation. But a dependence on CHRIST, fuppofes a finful, guilty, helpless ftate of mind; for to depend on him without knowing the want of him as a Saviour, is not a fcriptural dependence, does not imply a believing unto righteoufnefs or falvation, 10. "Tis true, he gives the form of knowledge in his word, and fo objectively faves from ignorance and error as a prophet by his precepts and practice; but being a priest who offered him felf a facrifice for fin, and lives to intercede in virtue of that facrifice, he must be believed on in that refpect, that pardon may be obtained through his name, and grace to help in time of need. Now whoever believes the fcriptures, which the Socinians and Arians profess to do, and yet refufe their affent to, and dependence on him for thefe K 2 these things, are perversly blind, and moft defperately expofe their fouls to the danger of hell-fire. For, fuppofing (not granting) that the Son is inferior to the Father in every respect; yet as it pleafed the Father to reconcile all things to himself by JESUS CHRIST*, and has ordained that all fpiritual bleffings fhould be in him, and has made a reliance on his merit and spirit neceffary to falvation; (which whoever believe the fcriptures muft allow, or they have no meaning which can be depended on) then thofe who refuse to depend on him, renounce their allegiance to GOD, and must expect to be dealt with as defperate rebels against the method prefcribed for faving immortal fouls. 11. Neither does it become wife men to treat thofe fcriptures lightly which lay fo great ftrefs on a reception of the Holy Spirit as neceffary to conftitute the chriftian, to qualify him to ferve GOD, and form a meetnefs for his everlasting kingdom. And if a reseption of the HOLY GHOST, or a new nature be abfolutely neceffary for a due difcharge of those duties, which a Being of infinite wisdom, justice, and goodnefs requires; it wisdom to be confident that man, every man, is born with primitive purity? Rather, should not the Arian renou.ce his belief of the purity of man's first birth, that he may have part in the fe cond or new birth from above? For, whoever fubmits his judgment to the word of GOD, muft difcern and believe, that the doctrine of the new birth proceeds upon the degeneracy of the first birth, or finful fate of a man's mind, which cannot otherwise be relieved; because human efforts, without divine con Col. i. 20. currence, |