The

worth the while to difpute this Point. Sum and Subftance of all is, that the Father is abfolutely, and eminently tiled is, as the Fountain of all; the Son ads, God of God, which is fufficient to our purpose. You obferve (p. 42.) that the LXXII have Oes without the Article, wherever mention is made of God, in what you call the fubordinate Senfe. The Inference I fhould draw from thence, is, that when has the Article prefix'd, the fupreme God is meant thereby. By this Rule, if the concurrent Senfe of the Ante-Nicene Writers be of any force or weight with you, our Difpute would be at an end. For they apply innumerable Texts, wherein Oeds occurs with the Article, to our Saviour Chrift. But if you flight their Authorities, yet I prefume you will be concluded by the infpired Writers, who apply fome Texts of the Old Teftament, which have us with the Article, to our Bleffed Lord. Compare

Numb. 21. 5. 6. 7.

Ifa. 45. 22, 23.

Rom. 14. 11. Phil. 2. 16.

I Cor. 10. 9.

I had almoft forgot to take notice of one Pretence more you have, for the fubordinate Senfe of Os, in Job. 1. 1. You word it thus, (p.41.) He who is God, and at the fame time is with God who begat Him, must needs be God in a different meaning; unless the fame

See this more fully explain'd and illuftrated in Dr. Fiddes's Body of Divinity, Vol. 1. p. 383, &c. and 397, &c.

+ Vid. Surenhuf. Conciliation. p. 511.

God

God could be with Himfelf, &c. To this it is readily anfwer'd, that being with God is the fame as being with the Father, (Comp. 1 Joh. I. 2.) who is God, and eminently so stiled, as being first in Order *. If he were not always with Him, and infeparable from Him, He could not be God in a proper Senfe. God and God, or God of God, fuppofes two Perfons; and therefore there is no Foundation for the Objection of the Son's being with Himself. Hav ing thus endeavored to obviate your Exceptions, I now proceed in the Proof of my Pofition. The Word is here (Job. 1. 1.) said to have been God in the Beginning, that is, before the Creation; from whence it is farther probable that He is God, in the ftrict and proper Senfe. This Circumstance may at least be fufficient to convince you, that the relative Senfe, which you contend for, is not applicable. He could have no Relation to the Creatures before they were made; no Dominion over them when they were not: And therefore could not be God in the Senfe of Dominion, or Office. But what most of all demonftrates the Word to be here called God in the proper Senfe, is, that the Creation of all Things is afcribed to Him.

There is no inconfiftency in admitting a Priority of Order, and yet denying the Son to be God in a fubordinate, or improper Senfe. There was a Priority of Order, in respect of Adam and Seth and yet Seth was not Man in a fubordinate Senfe, but in the fame Senfe as Adam was. I ufe not the Similitude, as if it would answer in other refpects: but it may ferve fo far, to illuftrate my meaning; which is fufficient. See Expofit. Fid. attributed to Juftin. Mart. P. 293. Sylb. Ed.

Crea

*

Creation is an indifputable Mark of the one true God; the distinguishing Character by which He was to be known, and for which He was to be reverenc'd above all Gods; and on Account of which, He claims to Himfelf all Homage, Worship, and Adoration. But of this I fhall have occafion to fay more hereafter, and therefore shall difmifs it for the present. I must not forget to add, that, befides what I have here urged, by virtue alfo of what hath been proved under Query the firft, I may come at my Conclufion. For, no Question can be made but that the Word is called God, by St. John, in a higher Sense than any nominal God can pretend to. And therefore, fince He is not excluded with the nominal Gods, He is included and comprehended in the one fupreme God; and confequently, is coeternal and coeffential with the Father. Enough hath been faid in Vindication of the Argument contain'd in this Query: and fo now I return it upon you, standing in full force; and expecting a more compleat, and more fatisfactory Answer.

Jerem. 10. 11.

+ Rev. 4. 10. 11.

QUERY

f

QUERY. IV.

Whether, fuppofing the Scripture-Notion of God to be no more than that of the Author and Governor of the Universe, or whatever it be, the admitting of Another to be Author and Governor of the Universe, be not admitting another God; contrary to the Texts before cited from Isaiah; and also to If. 42. 8.--48. 11. where He declares, He will not give his Glory to Another?

YOUR

OUR Anfwer is (p.42.) Supposing the revealed Senfe of the Word, God, to imply Dominion, and that He is the Author and Governor of the Universe, the admitting a Second Perfon, diftinct from the one fupreme God, to be Author and Governor, doth by no means contradict the Paffages cited from Isaiah, or any Other, or introduce two Gods, viz. two fupreme Beings, or Perfons. Give me leave to produce the Texts of Ifaiah once more; and to place others in an oppofite Column to them, only mutatis mutandis, putting Author and Governor of the Universe inftead of the Word, God; which, with you, amounts to the fame.

I am the Lord, and

there is none elfe;

The Word was Au

there is no Author and thor and Governor of Governor of the Uni- the Univerfe, Joh. 1. 1. verfe befides me,Il. 45.5.

Chrift came, who is

Is there an Author and Governor of the Univerfe befides me? over all, Author and yea, there is no Au-Governor of the Unithor, &c. befides me, verfc, blessed for ever, Isa. 44. 8.

Rom. 9. 5.

I hope you fee plainly how the. Texts, in the two oppofite Columns, confront and contradict each other; and that two Authors and Governors of the Univerfe, whom you fuppofe two distinct feparate Beings, are as plainly two Gods, as if it were faid fo in Terms. For, indeed there's no Difference more than that of putting the Definition for the Thing defined. But you have an Evafion after; That They are not two fupreme Beings. And what if They are not? Are They not ftill two Authors and Governors of the Univerfe? And is not every fuch Author and Governor, by your own Account, a God? This pretence then comes too late. Or admitting that Supreme must be added to Author and Governor, to make a true Definition of God; then Author and Governor of the Univerfe, without Supreme, is not fufficient to denominate a Perfon God; and