'men, is the privilege of God only; but the second text proves that "This God is Christ." It appears to me, that Mr. Jones, and other writers, continually run into error by not bearing in mind the repeated declarations of our Lord, that his power was derived from the Almighty Father. The passage from which the second text is taken, concludes with these words: "Even as I "received of my Father." St. Paul, in his Epistle to the Ephesians (1st ch., 17th and 22nd v.), says, "The God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father "of glory, hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the "Church." Surely, then, it is requisite that he should be endued with power to search and to know the hearts of those who profess to be members of his Church.

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It is remarkable, that when our Lord speaks of his possessing any of those attributes which seem to belong to underived omnipotence, he frequently prevents such an idea, by declaring that his power was derived from the Father. Speaking of his human life, he says, "I have power to lay it down, " and I have power to take it again," but immediately adds, "This commandment have I received

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of my Father." (John 10. 18.) Again, “I

give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any pluck them out

my hand. My Father which gave them me greater than all." (John 10. 28, 29.) And

again, "Thou hast given him power over all "flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many

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as thou hast given him." (John 17. 2.) These, and many other passages of the same import, make Mr. Jones's texts intelligible and rational; but, in the way he has brought them together, they are perplexing, and often appear contradictory.

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"Exceeding great and precious promises; that 2 Pet. i. 4. by these ye might be PARTAKERS of the DIVINE

NATURE."

"For we are made PARTAKERS of CHRIST, if Heb. iii. 14. "we hold the beginning of our confidence (in the

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precious promises of God) stedfast unto the end." Mr. Jones reasons thus: "What St. Peter

proposes, as the end of our hope, is to be par"takers of the Divine nature; but this, according

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to St. Paul, is to be partakers of Christ,"therefore Christ is in, or of, the Divine nature.”

This conclusion, I suppose, would hardly be denied by Mr. Jones's opponents; but it by no means follows that Christ is equal with the Almighty Father; or, as Mr. Jones continues to affirm, that " He is the same Almighty God who "declared to Abraham, I am thy shield and exceeding great reward."

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Now, St. Paul says of those who are true Christians, that they are " Heirs of God, and joint

(p. 53.)

Isai. xlv. 23.

(p. 54.)

Ephes. iv. 8.

"Heirs with Christ." (Rom. 8. 17.) And again, "If a son, then an heir of God through Christ." (Gal. 4. 7.)

After commenting upon his two texts, Mr. Jones goes into an elaborate defence of the "Catholic "Homoousian doctrine;" but, as the term is unscriptural, and the idea far beyond my comprehension, I shall not venture to meddle with it. The next argument advanced by Mr. Jones appears to me to savour so much of levity, that I shall not make any farther remark upon it.

XLV.

He says, "It is a rule laid down by St. Paul, "that GOD swears by HIMSELF for this reason, "because he can swear by no GREATER.” (Heb. VI. 13.)" But Christ has sworn by himself."

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"I have sworn by MYSELF, that unto me

every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear." This passage he applies to Christ, from Rom. XIV. 11, and concludes thus-" Christ has there"fore sworn by HIMSELF: so that if the Apostle's "rule be applied, he must for this reason be GOD, "and there can be no GREATER!"

Surely this is not entitled to a reply.

XLVI.

"When HE (Christ) ascended up on high, HE "led captivity captive, and gave gifts to men."

"Yet," says Mr. Jones. "the Scripture here "referred to, expressly affirms the person who

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ઠંડ

ascended, &c., to be the Lord God."

As proof, he quotes the following passage:

17, 18.

"The chariots of GOD are twenty thousand, Ps. lxviii. even thousands of Angels: the LORD is among "them as in Sinai, in the holy place. THOU "hast ascended on high, THOU hast led captivity captive."

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That the Psalmist speaks of Jehovah in the latter text, and St. Paul of Christ in the former, is unquestionable. Dr. Doddridge remarks, that "The Apostle beautifully accommodates the "words to the triumph of an ascending Saviour." This habit of accommodating expressions in the Old Testament to circumstances under the New, is usual with St. Paul, and by no means proves identity.

Mr. Jones has given no proof of his skill, in referring his readers to the 4th ch. of Ephesians : for if the whole of his doctrine be not plainly denied, from the 4th to the 13th verse, we can no longer hope to know the meaning of words. (See p. 143.)

It is painful to read the conclusion which Mr. Jones draws from the texts he brings forward in the three following articles; for they are profes- (p. 54.) sedly used for the purpose of proving that Jehovah, the living God, was pierced and died upon

cross!

the

XLVII.

"This is the blood of the TESTAMENT which "GOD hath enjoined you."

"Where a TESTAMENT is, there must also "of necessity be the DEATH of the TESTATOR."

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Mr. Jones thus argues :-" The Testator must

die, but God is the Testator:" it follows that God must die; and he affirms that the man who did die, was also God the Testator!

I would ask any man of common sense to read this 9th ch. of Hebrews, and to judge if any such meaning can possibly be wrung from it. The texts are unfairly brought together; a practice which Mr. Jones lays to the charge of his opponents, and severely condemns.

The next text is strangely chosen.

XLVIII.

"Thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to "GOD BY THY BLOOD."

This, Mr. Jones observes, refers to Christ's humanity, but adds, "In another place it is imputed "to his Divinity," and quotes from Acts XX. 28: "Feed the Church of God, which he hath pur"chased with HIS OWN BLOOD."

It is admitted by several orthodox writers, that many ancient manuscripts have it "the Church " of Christ," or "the Church of the Lord."

Pyle says, "The best copies have it the Church "of the Lord, 78 Kug18.”