A Calm Inquiry Into the Scripture Doctrine Concerning the Person of Christ

Titles and Characters attributed, or thought to be attributed, to
Christ, which are supposed to imply Superiority of Nature.
I. Jehovah, p. 136. This title not given to Christ in the New

Testament, ibid.-II. God, p.137. Mr. Lindsey and others deny

that this title is ever given to Christ, ibid. 'Partakers of a divine

nature,' a title applied to christians, but not to Christ, p. 138. Matt.

i. 23, Immanuel, does not prove that Christ is God, ibid. Luke i.

16, 17, if genuine, not applied to Christ, p. 139. John i. 1, ibid.

John x. 33, Christ denies that he calls himself God, though, as a pro-

phet, he might assume the title, p. 140. John xx. 28, various inter-

pretations of the exclamation of Thomas, ibid. Acts xx. 28, Blood

of God,' Dr. Doddridge thinks the phrase inspired, p. 141. Athana-

sius imputes it to the Arians, ibid.;-certainly spurious, ibid. Rom.

ix. 5, God over all' not necessarily applicable to Christ, p. 222.

Slichtingius's very plausible conjecture, p. 142. 1 Tim. iii. 16,

God

manifest

manifest in the flesh,' p. 144 ;-different readings of the original, ibid.

-the text never appealed to in the early stage of the Arian contro-

versy, ibid. Tit. ii. 13, p. 146. Contrary to the tenor of Scripture

to speak of Christ as the great God,' ibid. Heb. i. 8, God is thy

throne' the true sense of the text, p. 147. 2 Pet. i. 1, 'God' means

'the Father,' p. 148. 1 John iii. 16, the word' God' an interpolation,

ibid. 1 John v. 20, the pronoun this clearly refers to a remote ante-

cedent, ibid. otherwise Jesus Christ might be proved to be antichrist,

p. 149. Remarks, ibid.-III. Christ One with God p. 150; as

his disciples are one with him, ibid. 1 John v. 7, proved an interpo-

lation, p. 151.-omitted in the best modern editions, p. 153;-and

ommitted or marked as doubtful in the earlier English versions, p. 154.

Arguments in favour of the text stated and answered, ibid. Gibbon's

account correct, p. 156, note. First cited, and probably forged, by

Vigilius Tapsensis, p. 160.-IV. Equal with God, p. 161.-V.

Fulness of Godhead, ibid.-VI. The Son of God, p. 163. The

Son, p. 164. God his own Father, ibid. The first-born, i. e. the

first who rose to immortal life, ibid. The beloved Son, p. 165 ;—

i. e. chosen to peculiar privileges, ibid. Only begotten Son, ibid.;

-a phrase peculiar to John, p. 166. Used by him where the other

evangelists use beloved, ibid. The Son of God equivalent to the

Messiah, p. 167.-VII. Christ the Image of God, p. 169. The ef-

fulgent ray of his glory, ibid. No mysterious emanation of the Son

intended by this metaphor, ibid.-VIII. Lord of glory, p. 171.-

IX. Alpha and Omega, ibid. Rev. i. 10, 11, Dr. Doddridge lays

great stress upon a clause now known to be spurious, p. 172, note,—

X. Lord of all, p. 173. The Son and the Lord of David, ibid.-XI.

Prince or Leader of life, p. 174.-XII. Fills all in all, p. 175,

Eph. i. 22, Christ the head supplies his body, the church, with all

things needful, ibid.-XIII. A Saviour or Deliverer, p. 176.-XIV.

King of kings, and Lord of lords, ibid.

SECTION VIII.

Collection of Passages which are supposed to teach that Christ

is the Maker and Preserver of all Things.

John i. 3, p. 177. Ver. 10, p. 178. 1 Cor. viii. 6, the new dis.

pensation intended, ibid. Eph. iii. 9, the words by Jesus Christ

an interpolation, ibid. Col. i. 15-18, explained, p. 179. Unitarian

interpretation censured by Arians and Trinitarians, ibid. Christ ne-

ver represented as creator of natural objects, ibid. The apostle details

not things, but states of things, ibid. ;-creation sometimes signifies

only a change of state, p. 181;-things often used for persons, p. 182;

—heaven and earth sometimes express political and moral distinctions,

P. 182.

p. 183. When heaven is used to express a moral dispensation, the

supposed orders of the celestial hierarchy express the ministers and

officers of that dispensation, ibid. The passage easily explained, upon

these principles, p. 185. Heb. i. 2, 3, explained, ibid. The word

atwy never signifies 'worlds,' but 'ages,' p. 186. Dr. Sykes's interpre-

tation, ibid. That of Slichtingius and the old Socinians, p. 187. Gro-

tius's interpretation proposed and defended, ibid. Heb. i. 10, addressed

to the Father, p. 189. Heb. iii, 4, irrelevant to the subject, ibid,

Rev.iii. 14, Christ the head and chief of the new creation, ibid. Remarks,

p. 190. If it had been the design of the sacred writers to teach that Christ

was the Creator of all things, it would have been easy to have expressed

the doctrine clearly and unambiguously, p. 191. Had the doctrine been

true, it could not have been omitted by the historians of his life and

ministry, ibid.

SECTION IX.

Whether Jesus Christ was the Medium of the Divine Dispensa-

tions to the Patriarchs, and to the Hebrew Nation, and whe-

ther he ever appeared under the Name and Character of Je-

hovah.

This doctrine probably the invention of Justin Martyr, p. 193, note.

The doctrine of two Jehovahs plainly inconsistent with the Jewish

Scriptures, ibid. Arguments examined and confuted, p. 194. He-

brew idiom mistaken, ibid. Jehovah, and the Angel of Jehovah, the

same person, p. 196. Chaldee paraphrasts give no countenance to

the doctrine of two Jehovahs, p. 198. No proof that the Jehovah.

angel animated the body of Christ, p. 199.

SECTION X.

The present Exaltation of Christ, the high Offices which he now

sustains, or to which he is to be appointed hereafter, are said

to be incompatible with the Supposition of his proper and sim-
ple Humanity.

I. His universal government, p. 202. Matt. xxviii. 18, considered,

ibid. How understood by Trinitarians and Arians, ibid. Strange

hypothesis of the Polish Socinians concerning the universal govern-

ment of Christ, p. 203. Unitarian interpretation, p. 204. Dr. Priest-

ley understands it of some personal dignity, ibid. Mr. Lindsey,

more correctly, of the moral influence of the Gospel, p. 205.

II. Christ personally present with his disciples, p. 207. Matt.

xxviii. 20, considered, ibid. The promise only extends to the apo-

stolic age, p. 209. Facts accounted for by this interpretation, ibid.

Intercession of Christ explained, p. 210. In what sense Christ for-

gives sin, p. 211. 'Sinner' often equivalent to Heathen,' and does

not always imply guilt, p. 212.

III. Christ

11. Christ appointed to raise the dead, p. 213.

1 Cor. xv. 22,

proves the proper humanity of Christ, ibid. Mr. Tyrwhit's judicious

observations, ibid. Christ raises the dead by his Father's power,

p. 214.

IV. Christ appointed to the office of universal judge, p. 215. Matt.

xxv. 31, &c. understood, by some, of the destruction of Jerusalem,

ibid. Many texts assert the judicial office of Christ, p. 216. &c. Hence

many reflecting persons have inferred his superior nature, p. 218. But

the Scriptures attribute this office to him as a Man, p. 219. They

represent the apostles and all christians as assessors with Christ in this

office, ibid. Events often different from what the language of pro-

phecy leads to expect, p. 220. Prophets said to perform what they

only predict, p. 221. This principle may perhaps apply to the judge-

ment of the world by Jesus Christ, ibid. ;—countenanced by our Lord's

expressions, John xii. 48, p. 222. Advantages of this hypothesis,

p. 223.

SECTION XI.

Concerning the Worship of Jesus Christ.

Religious worship and idolatry defined, p. 224. Christian idolatry

distinguished from Heathen, p. 225. Socinian worship of Christ ex-

ploded, ibid. Modern Arians abandon the worship of Christ, and

hence claim the title of Unitarians, ibid. Christ said to be the ob-

ject of religious regard, p. 226;-of faith, ibid. ;—of love, p. 227.

Love to Christ not a personal affection, p. 228. Committing the care

of the soul to Christ, p. 230. Great mistake of Dr. Doddridge and

others upon this subject, ilid. Christians live to Christ, p. 231. Ex-

ternal homage paid to Christ while on earth, ibid. ;—this no more

than civil respect, ibid. John v. 23, explained, p. 232. Baptism to be

administered into the name of Christ, ibid. Form of baptism no proof

of Christ's equality or unity with the Father, ibid. Angels required

to worship Christ, p. 234. Every knee to bow at his name, ibid.

Adjuration by him, ibid. Appealed to as a witness, p. 235. Chris-

tians described as those who invoke his name, ibid. This phrase ex-

plained, ibid. Dependance on his direction and blessing, p. 236.

Doxologies addressed to Christ, p. 236. Thanksgivings to him, ibid.
Prayer to Christ, p. 239. Devout wishes of blessings from him,
p. 240;-not to be confounded with prayers, ibid.

SECTION XII.

Direct Arguments for the proper Humanity of Jesus Christ.

Not necessary to the validity of the Unitarian doctrine, p. 243.

-1. The total silence of three evangelists, p. 244. How accounted

for by Athanasius, Chrysostom, and others, ibid. note.-2. Pre-exist-

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A Calm Inquiry Into the Scripture Doctrine Concerning the Person of Christ ...