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But how contrary to every idea of wisdom, goodness, and propriety, is this history of Christ, if he be no more than a man, or a creature! Why then at his birth is he called the Lord? Why does he do the works of God in the manner of God? Why speak the language which appertains to God only? Why in his death receive attestation to his innocence from the whole inanimate creation? Why after his resurrection receive worship as God from Thomas, from all his disciples, from all the churches, from saints and angels in heaven?

So interwoven is this grand article of the Christian creed in the whole scheme of scriptural religion, that you demolish it all, as soon as you degrade Christ into a mere man, or a creature. For immediately our natural condition and character, sinful and corrupt in that degree the scriptures describe it, must be denied; our obligations to love, obey, and trust God, must be diminished exceedingly; our estimate of the nature and demerit of sin, of the divine displeasure against its of the perfections of God, and the way in which eternal life is to be attained, must be totally different from what the church of Christ hath ever believed. Immediately we must see great reason to be offended at ma

ny things which Christ spoke, and many strong passages in scripture, which nothing but the utmost violence of interpretation can pervert from testifying to his supreme divinity. And if we are true to our principles, and men of thought, we shall very soon be involved in the utmost perplexity, to account for this greatest of all mysteries; how the Christian church, with the apostles at the head of it, were all suffered to fall into idolatry; to continue in the abominable worship of a mere man or creature, with the worship due to the supreme God. This is a strong objection against the Revealer himself: and will lead to a contempt of Christianity. For what great good has it done? Jews and Turks, not Christians, are the true worshippers, according to their scheme, who deny the Son. And the crime of the Jews in calling Christ, if but a mere man, though a true prophet, accursed; or of the Turks, in setting aside his gospel, because they think it exceedingly corrupted, is as nothing, compared to the universal idolatry of the Christian church in adoring Christ, as "God, over all, blessed for ever." For those who thus worship him, must be, in their eyes who deny him to be very God, idolators. And they in ours, enemies to the cross of Christ, blas

phemers of his adorable name, and subverters of his holy religion.

So far, therefore, is it from being, as many most falsely assert, a point of speculation in divinity, what we believe concerning the character and nature of Christ, that not one article in the whole compass of religion is of equal importance. And if there be any one point of faith more characteristic of the Christian church than another, it is this, that "Jesus Christ is the true God, and eternal life."

CHAP. XXVIII.

ON CONTEMPT OF PREACHING.

THE great utility of the Baptist's ministry, predicted in this prophecy, proves their mistake, who undervalue the preaching of the gospel. For allowing both the mission and endowments of the Baptist and the apos, tles were in several respects extraordinary, still all ministers whom Christ sends, are, as they were, appointed to "give light to them that sit in darkness, and to turn the hearts of the disobedient to the wisdom of the just." They are also furnished with qualifications

for this office, and have assurance of success, in some measure, as the Baptist and apostles had in a superabundant degree.

The proof of these assertions should animate every faithful pastor with confident expectation of saving the souls of men; and convince those who disparage this mode of spreading divine knowledge, that they great. ly err, and offend God.

All preachers, sent by Christ, it was said, are appointed to the same kind of work as the Baptist and apostles were. Read the institution of the ministerial office. You must confess it to be one and the same in every age: for "when the Lord ascended up on high, after leading our captivity captive," he, to perpetuate the benefits of his glorious triumph, "gave some apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, for the perfecting of the saints for the work of the ministry, for the edifying the body of Christ, till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man; unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ," Ephes. iv.

To secure these grand purposes, the Christian ministry was at first instituted and, as the terms necessarily import, must be exer. cised, so long as Christ has a church upon

earth. But in this institution, the extraordinary officers of the church are appointed to the very same spiritual employment. Neither the splendid gifts peculiar to the apostles, prophets, and evangelists; nor their unequalled extent of usefulness, prevent a perfect equality in this respect. They are all set apart to preach Christ, and call sinners to repentance; that "they may receive remission of their sins, and an inheritance amongst them that are sanctified through faith which is in him :" for this is the work of the ministry. They are all set apart "for the perfecting of the saints," by cementing them together in the unity of the faith, "and for the edifying the body of Christ ;" that is, promoting their obedience, and increasing their comfort by more full discoveries of the counsel of God, till they enter into glory.

But on the supposition, that pastors and teachers whom Christ sends, can ever cease to be useful in this most beneficent manner, then his gift to the church must become of no value. Then either the conversion of sinners, and advancement of the faithful in spiritual life, must entirely cease, or be produced and maintained by other means than the Saviour ordained for this purpose; which would at once impeach his veracity, and cast contempt on his own appointment; a case

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