Phil. III. 20, 21. We look for THE SAVIOUR, the Lord JESUS CHRIST

who is ABLE even to SUBDUE ALL

611

THINGS (υποταξαι τα παντα) to HIM

SELF.

It is manifest, therefore, that the exception in the former text, is not meant to set one Person of God above another Person of God; but only to distinguish the Power of the Divine Nature from that of the human in its greatest exaltation. As Christ is man, all things are subdued unto him by ANOTHER; as Christ is God, he himself is that other, and able to subdue all things to HIMSELF. And this will be sufficient to confirm the Reader in what I have already observed, that the cause of Arianism borrows its chief support from the humiliation of Christ in the flesh. Search the very best of their arguments to the bottom, by a diligent comparing of the Scripture with itself, and they all amount to this great absurdity Man is inferior to God; therefore God is inferior to himself: and this they prove, by imputing to Christ's Divinity what is said only of his humanity.

I have

I have now presented to the Readers consideration the most noted Texts, which, under the management of Arian or Socinian Expositors, may seem to have favoured their Doctrine. Many, I hope, will be of opinion, that the Catholic cause is rather beholden to them, particularly in this last instance, for the opposition they have made against it; inasmuch as the objections they have drawn from the holy Scriptures have directed us to some very clear proofs, which might otherways have escaped our notice. If there be any other Texts more for their purpose than what I have here set down, they have my free consent to produce and enlarge upon them as much as they please. In the mean time I shall proceed to give the Reader some farther satisfaction, and endeavour to convince him, with the Blessing of God, that while Heresy is obliged to glean up a few scattered Passages hard to be understood, and for that reason, easy to be wrested by men of perverse Inclinations; the Faith of the Church has the suffrage of the whole Bible, speaking in such words, as need not be refined upon by any metaphysical Expositions, but only applied and considered.

XL.

Jude 4. Denying the ONLY Lord God, and OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST

τον μονον δεσποτην θεον και Κυριον ημων Ιησεν Χρισον.

As there is no Article before Kupiov, the first and second comma are both meant of the same person; and the plain sense, when freed from the ambiguity of the English version, is this Denying the only Lord God and our Lord, Jesus Christ. This literal sense of the Greek may be supported by the parallel Greek of Phil. IV. 20. Τω δε θεω και πατρι ημων. There being here no article before warp, it would be violent and unnatural, to refer 90S to one person, and warp to another: whence Grotius paraphrases the expression by Deo qui IDEM est Pater noster; and thus may the other be rendered with equal strictness and propriety δεσποτην qui idem est

Kupi nu: and though we do not rest the proof of the Trinity on any single passage, yet is the more natural construction of this text very strong and conclusive for it.

. If this should be denied, I think the sense also is capable of demonstration. The words include

include this Proposition

- there is po

AЕEпOTHE, one supreme Governour: Now if this term be applied to Christ, it must follow that HE is that one supreme Governour, in the Unity of the Father. But it is applied to him in the parallel place of 2 Pet. II. 1. Denying (AEEПOTHE) the Lord that hath bought them τον αγορασαντα αυτές. And if it should be doubted whether this latter text be meant of Christ, it is demonstrated by another

THOU wast slain, and hast BOUGHT us (nyopacas) unto God by thy Blood". If this chain of reasoning be inverted, the force of it will be clear and undeniable. 1. Christ hath bought us. 2. He that hath bought us, is AEƐпOTHE, the Lord, or supreme Governour. But 3dly, there is, o pov AEEпOTHE, one only supreme Governour. Therefore Christ

ว

to PRESENT you faultless before the PRESENCE of HIS GLORY

ONLY WISE GOD Our SAVIOUR.

to the

a So Dr. Clarke has construed it, C. 1. §. 3. 411.

b Rev. V. 9.

Eph.

Eph. V. 27. That HE (Christ) might PRESENT it to HIMSELF a glorious Church, &c.

It is the only wise God, who is able to present us before the presence of his Glory: but Christ is to present us, as members of the Church in glory, to himself: therefore he is the only wise God, to whom also appertains the presence of Glory; for that is no other than his own presence, himself.

This is another express Instance, that pov 9, the only God, is not God in one person, but the Unity of the Trinity. For if you confine this phrase, with the Arians, to the single Person of the Father, then of course you exclude the person of Christ, and then, it is manifest, you contradict the Scripture. For though it be affirmed in this place, that the only wise God is to present us before his own presence, yet the same is elsewhere expressed by Christ presenting us to himself. Which is no way to be accounted for, unless you believe Christ to be a partaker in the Being, attributes, and offices of the one, undivided, only wise God, our Saviour. Then there is no farther difficulty.