into the World, that we might live through him; and again, v. 10. God fent his Son into the World to be the Propitiation for our Sins; All these Words being spoke of God the Father, if that Phrafe doth not exclude, but include the Son, they must admit of the same abfurd Contradiction as before.

Moreover, the Abfurdity of this Affertion is further evident from all those Prefaces, where the Apostle prays for Grace and Peace, from God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Chrift. Whereas if Jesus Christ be included in the Phrafe, God the Father, the Apostles meaning must be this, Grace and Peace be unto you, from Jesus Christ, included in God the Father; and again, from the fame Lord Jesus Chrift. And when St. John faith, in the 2d Epistle, v. 3. Grace be with you, Mercy and Peace from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father; if Christ be included in the Phrafe, God the Father, he must be both Father and Son. And this seems also plainly to be the Consequence of all those numerous Places, where God is stiled, the Father of our Lord Jesus Chrift, it being certain that he is the Son of the Father.

To his Argument in his five first Queries, from the Pasflages of Ifaiah, it hath been truly answer'd, that the Texts of Ifaiah do all of them most exprefly speak of a Person, and not of a Being, as diftinguished from a Person : Whence Whence it is rationally inferr'd, that if they include Christ at all, they must include his Perfon as well as his Effence; and so must bear this Sense, Is there any Person that is God but me? I know not any.

To which add, Secondly, that all these Texts of Scripture were originally directed to the Jews, and directed for their Instruction, and for the Preservation of them from the Idolatry of the Nations round about them; and therefore could not concern the Divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ, they never being prone to worship him, cither as the one God with, or as another God from the Creator of all things; but only those Heathen Idols which were worshipped in the Nations round about them, or whether they were carried, and dispersed, as is exceeding evident from almost all the Arguments urged by that Prophet to deter them from the Worship of them.

Moreover, it is certain, that no Jew to whom these Scriptures were directed, ever conceiv'd that the Divinity of the Son of God was ever comprehended in them, or ever own'd him to be God, much less one and the fame God, by Vertue of any of these Texts. Now can it rationally be thought, that That should be the true meaning of these Words, which no Jew, for whose sake they were indited, ever conceiv'd to be a Sense intended by them? or, that they should be written to declare declare that to Christians, which was entirely conceal'd from the Jews ?

The primitive Fathers, Justin M. Athenagoras, Theophilus, Tatian, and Novatian, all use these Texts of Dr. W-d, to prove that Chriftians own'd but one God, and could own no other, because there was no other: But not one of them ever dream'd with Dr. W--d, and much less hence inferr'd, that our Lord Jesus Christ was the only God included in those Texts. But notwithstanding this, that our Lord Jesus Chrift is true God, as having true Dominion over all things in Heaven and Earth delivered to him from the Father, and, as having all Divine Excellencies which are neceffary to enable him to exercise that Dominion whilst this World lasts, and at the close of the World to make manifeft the secrets of all Hearts, and to render to every Man according as his Works shall be, has been fully prov'd in my last Thoughts, Sect. 4 and 5.

DISCOURSE IV.

PROVERBS xxx. 6.

Add thou not unto his Words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a Lyar.

T

HAT the Words here mentioned respect the Divine Oracles, or Revelations of the Will of God, is evident from the preceeding Verse, which faith, Every Word of God is pure.

From being guilty of this Crime of adding to the pure Word of God, Agar diffwadeth his Disciples by these two Arguments.

First, That this would render them guilty of a Lie or Falsehood, in pretending to Divine Authority, when indeed they only spake the Words Words of Human Wisdom; and binding Doctrines upon the Faith and Confciences of others, upon pain of his Displeasure, which he hath never taught.

Secondly, He disswades them from doing this, as being that which would render them obnoxious to the reproof and difpleasure of that God, who hath always shewed how heinously he represents this great Presumption. For,

First, When God revealed his Law by Mofes to the Jews, he took especial Care that nothing should be added by them to it, or diminished from it: The one being an Ufurpation of Divine Authority by Men, and therefore virtual Idolatry, according to those Words, Deut. xviii. 4. Ye shall do my Ordinances, and walk therein: I am the Lord your God: The other being a detraction from Divine Authority, and so far Disobedience to the Divine Commands. Thus Deut. iv. 2. Ye shall not add unto the Word that I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the Commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you. And Chap. xii. 32. What thing foever I command you, observe to do it: Thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it. Whence it is evident, that in God's Estimation, both this Addition, and Diminution were repugnant to the Observation of God's Laws, or the doing whatfoever he commanded.