predicted there.-But if it must be fuppofed to be prophefied of fomewhere, it may be worth the Doctor's while to confider, whether this paffage is not as likely to foretel it as any other.

It defcribes a great and general falling away from the worship and fervice of the true Gol, a grand and univerfally fpreading idolatry, fupported by miracles real or pretended. This, according to his hypothefis must be very applicable to that Apoftacy, from the worship of one God only, which the Doctor and his friends deplore, which they are ufing all poffible means to remedy, and which he fomewhere calls the idolizing of Jefus Chrift. And however it might fhock the prejudices of fome half-thinking zealots to find, that, according to this interpretation, epithets are given to Jefus Chrift, fuch as they have not been accustomed to hear him characterized by, and fuch as their falle delicacy, may deem blafphemous yet this can no way ftagger the Doctor. For how can he think any appellation too fevere which is given to one, who, though a mere man, weak, fallible and peccable like others, for fo many centuries has been worshipped as God, and has been the grand idol of fo great a part of the known world, and has fo manifeftly, by word and deed. countenanced and encouraged, nay, and commanded that idolatry.

Now, Sir, when the Doctor has once proved this point, he will have done his business effectually indeed. He will have brought Jefus Chrift as low as he could with him. He then, instead of being the LORD OF GLORY, and SON OF God, is difcovered to be the Man of fin, and Son of But I must check myfelf: The whole truth must not be spoken at once, because you know Sir, people cannot bear it. And at prefent there is amongst us an almoft univerfally prevailing prejudice

judice that Jefus Chrift, fo far from being the per fon defcribed by St. Paul, in this paffage, whofe coming is after the working of Satan; with all pow er and figns, and lying wonders, and with all deceivableness of unrighteoufnefs in them that perish, is in reality that Lord who fhall confume that wicked one, with the fpirit of his mouth, and deftroy him with brightnefs of his coming. If this prejudice fhould have any foundation, I fear Dr. Priestley will be found to have entertained and taught a great error, and may be in danger of meeting with a fevere rebuke, if nothing worse, in that day from him he has thus degraded.

Praying that we, Rev. Sir, and all profeffing Chriftians, may be fo endowed with that Spirit of truth, whofe office it is to take of the things of Jefus, and fhew them unto us, that we may both form proper conceptions of his wonderful perfon, and pay him the honour due unto his name, I break off here, and fubfcribe myself,

Your obedient fervant,

in him, even in Chrift Jefus, &c.

LETTER

LETTER VI.

REV. SIR,

IMOTHY, Titus and Phileman, you know, were particular and intimate friends of St. Pauls In the Epiftles infcribed to them therefore, at least we may expect to find his fentiments concerning Jefus Chrift, the grand fubject of all his Letters, naked and without difguife: Let us then nar. rowly examine thefe Epiftles, and fee whether they comport with Dr. Prieftley's dottrine. In order hereto let us adopt the method purfued above, and fee whether thofe paffages, which fpeak of Chrift, appear to contain good fenfe and found divinity, when understood according to the Doctor's hypothefis Chap. i. 1. * Paul ari Apoftle of Jefus Chrift, by the commandment of God our Saviour, the infinite, eternal and fupreme Jehovah) and the Lord Jefus Chrift, (a mere man, weak, fallible and peccable, who, mere man though he be, is nevertheless) our hope unto Timothy, my own fon in the faith, grace, mercy and peace (from both thefe perfons) from God our Father (the fupreme Being and Jefus Christ our Lord (a mere man!)

Verse 12," I thank (this mere man hj Jefus Chrift our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the miniftry, who was before a blafphemer, and a perfecutor and injurious. But I obtained anercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. And the grace of this mère man! Jour Lord, was exceeding abundant, with faith and love which is in Chrift Jefus, (the faine mere man. This is a faithful faying, and worthy of all acceptation that Jefus Chrift a mere man who was not till he P

was

was born in Bethlehem!) came into the world to 'fave finners, of whom I am chief. Howbeit, for "this cause I obtained merey, that in me first (this fame mere man !) Jefus Christ might shew forth all long-fuffering, for a pattern to them fwho should hereafter believe on him (that is, believe on a mere man !) to everlasting life,' (fot everlafting life is obtained by believing on him, though a mere man!)

What a multitude of proofs, undeniable proofs, have we in these few verses, either that St. Paul was devoid of common sense, or that he viewed Jefus Chrift in a very different light from that in which Dr. Prieflley confiders him. To term. the Lord Jefus our hope, and represent himself as made an Apostle by his commandment, as well as by the commandment of God the Father; to look up to him as well as to the Father for grace, mercy and peace, to be conferred upon Timothy; to thank him for putting him into the miniftry, and enabling him to be faithful: to speak of him as exerciling towards him all long-suffering, and conferring upon him exceeding abundant grace; to glory in it as a faithful faying, and worthy of all acceptation that he came into the world (an expreffion which plainly implies his having existed before he fo came) to fave finners; and to repre fent everlasting life as being obtained by believ ing in him-furely any, and much more all of these particulars demonftrate, that if St. Paul pof feffed, I will not fay the infpiration of an Apoftie, but the reafon of a man, he must have confidered Jefus Chrift as being more than a man.

And that he did, is yet further certain from what he fays of him towards the conclufion of the 3d. Chapter, where he terms him GOD MANT FEST IN THE FLESH, which is giving him a character as far above that of a mere man, as the

Creator

Creator is above one of his creatures. The Apoftle goes on, juftified in the Spirit, "whofe ex traordinary communication (lays an eminent divine) in the midst of all the meanness of human nature in its fuffering ftate; vindicated his higli claim and marked him out, in the most illuftri ous manner, for the divine perfon. he profeffed himself to be" feen of Angels, who attentively beheld, adored and worshipped him, Heb. i. 6, preached among the Gentiles, as the great foundati on of their faith and hope, and object of their love, believed on in the world as their Redeemer and Saviour, received up into glory, far above principalities and powers, and every name that is named. If thou put the brethren (Chap. iv. 6,) in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a "good minifter of (the mere man!) Jefus Chrift,nourished up in the words of faith, and of good doctrine, whereunto thou haft attained.-And Chap. v. 21, I charge thee, before God (the omniprefent and omnifcient Jehovah) and the Lord Jefus Chrift, (a mere man that thou "obferve these things!'-Again Chap.. vi. verse 13, I give the charge in the fight of God (that infinite, omniprefent, and omnipotent Being) who quickeneth all things, and before Jefus • Chrift (a mere man, local in his prefence, and limited in his power) that thou keep the com mandment without fpot, unrebukeable, until the appearing of (this mere man) our Lord Jefus Christ, which, at the proper feafon, he fhall "manifeft who is the bleffed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords, who ,only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto, whom no' man hath feen nor can fee, to whom be honour Cand power everlasting! Amen!'

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