ploy all my time in difproving what he himself knows to be lies of his own inventing.

The damnable herefy of denying the divinity of our Lord and Saviour feems to me to render him of no use in any one of his office characters; it renders, alfo, his great undertaking and his finished work neither meritorious nor efficacious; for no mere creature can merit for himself, much less for another. His divine nature ftamps infinite dignity on all his office characters, and fo it does on all his mighty works.

His kingly office ftands on this-But unto the Son he faith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever; a fceptre of righteousness is the fceptre of thy kingdom. Which kingdom ftands in power, and is

always called the kingdom of God.

His name fhall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, the mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of peace; of the increafe of his government and peace there fhall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice, from benceforth even for ever: the zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this. Ifa. ix. 6, 7. Hence he is called King of Zion, and King of glory.

The merit and dignity of his prieftly office proceeds on the fame footing. How could any mere man's dying atone for all the tranfgreffions that were committed under the firft teftament, and all the fins of God's elect under the second? Infomuch as those

that are called do receive the promise of eternal inhe

ritance.

ritance. Heb. ix. 15. Hence it is afferted that by bis one offering be bath perfected for ever all them that are fantified. The dignity of his office and the merits of his oblation fpring from his divine fonhip. For the law maketh men high-priests which have infirmities; but the word of the oath, which was fince the law, maketh the Son, who is confecrated for evermore. Heb. vii. 28.

His prophetic office, and the perfection of it, proceeds on the foundation of his proper deity. The Lord came from Sinai, and rose up from Seir unte them; be fined forth from mount Paran, and be came with ten thousands of faints: from his right hand went a fiery law for them. Yea, he loved the people: all his faints are in thy band, and they fhall fit down at thy feet; every one shall receive of thy words. Deut. xxxiii. 2, 3. At this divine prophet's feet did Mary fit, and receive of his word, when Martha was cumbered with much ferving. And in allufion to this text is Mary commended, and is faid to choofe the good part, which fhall not be taken from her. She was a difciple that was brought up at the Lord's feet; and, as all God's children are taught of the Lord, Mary was one of this family, who could never be deprived either of the word of life which the received, nor yet of her adoption into God's family; he was an heir of promife, and a child of God. And who but the only-begotten Son could reveal and make known God's counfel and covenant, his good-will of purpofe and of promife; his tender

tender mercy, loving-kindness, pity, and compaffion, which were but dimly known under the former difpenfation? And that God is love (1 John iv. 8), was not known, at least not recorded, under the first testament, All things are delivered unto me of my Father; and no man knoweth the Son but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father fave the Son, and be to whomsoever the Son will reveal him. Matt. xi. 27.

His office of mediator could ftand us in no ftead if he were not Immanuel, God with us. The breach opened by fin between God and man was infinite, as the scriptures witnefs-Is not thy wickedness great, and thine iniquities infinite? Job xxii. 5. Our fin had separated between us and our God. Mofes, indeed, was at times allowed to ftand in the gap; but it was by virtue of his office, in which he perfonated the Saviour, that he was suffered to mediate there; and, though at times he prevailed to lengthen out Ifrael's tranquillity, yet judgment always overtook them at last. I have pardoned according to thy word. But they have tempted me now these ten times, furely they shall not fee the land. Numb. xiv. 20, 22. No prayer of Mofes, Noah, Daniel, or Job, will purge our fins, magnify the law, or fatisfy divine juftice. He that ftands in this breach, and lays his hand upon both, must be God's equal, Phil. ii. 6, and man's fellow, Pfalm xlv. 7; or else mercy and truth will never meet together, nor will righteousness and peace kifs each other. But Chrift

was

was the mighty God when a child born, and the Prince of life when crucified; A&is iii. 15; the Holy One, who faw no corruption, when in the tomb, Pfalm xvi. 10. It was truth that sprung out. of the earth at his refurrection, when righteousness looked down from heaven well-pleafed. Pfalm lxxxv. 11. He was God manifeft in the flesh received up into glory. 1 Tim. iii. 16. And the Lord of bofts and King of glory when he entered there.. Pfalm xxiv. 9, 10. And we can have no better proof of all this than by feeing poor prifoners come! forth out of the pit in which is no water, by the blood of his covenant. Zech. ix. 11.

when he was

And fure I am that his being our Advocate with the Father, if he be no more than a creature, would never be fufficient to filence law and juftice, Satan and conscience; but, as he is the wonderful Counsellor, and the mighty God, he can do it; and, bleffed be his precious name, we know that he has done it, and will do it.

His endearing character of a Husband is founded on the fame divine bafis-Thy Maker is thy busband; the Lord of bofts is his name, the God of the whole earth fhall be be called.

His character of a Father ftands on the fame bottom-The fecond Adam, the quickening Spirit, the Lord from beaven; hence called the mighty God, the everlafting Father, the Prince of peace.

And that of a Saviour muft needs ftand on the fame footing-God has laid help upon one that is

mighty:

mighty. For how can a creature fave? Vain is the belp of man. Pfal. cviii. 12. In that day it shall be faid to Jerufalem, Fear thou not; and to Zion, Let not thine hands be flack. The Lord thy God, in the midst of thee, is mighty; he will fave, be will rejoice over thee with joy ; be will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with finging. Zeph. iii. 16, 17.

The efficacy of his blood fprings from the fame divine fource; for, though he was put to death only in the flesh, yet his human nature fuffered in union with his divine perfon. Take heed, therefore, unto. yourselves, and to all the flock over the which the Holy Ghoft bath made you overfeers, to feed the church of God, which be hath purchased with his own blood. Acts xx. 28.

The efficacy and excellency of his everlasting righteousness takes its divinity and dignity from hence-Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a fervant, and was made in the likeness of man: and, being found in fashion as a man, he bumbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Phil. ii. 6-8. From hence fprings the glory and efficacy of his obedience; and by the obedience of [this] one fball many be made righteous; yea, in the Lord fhall all the feed of Ifrael be justified and fhall glory; for he has brought in an everlasting righteoufnefs, which takes its name from the Saviour's divine nature. I am not afhamed of the gospel of Chrift, for therein is