difficulties which I cannot explain, in my own perfon, I do not think it strange that there fhould be fomething in the mode of the divine exiftence which is above reafon, yet not contrary to it. It is to be prefumed, Sir, that Mr. T. fectly understands the mode of his own exiftence, and that he will clearly explain it to me in his next, and then he may go on and explain the mode of the divine existence, and thew that there is nothing in revelation that is above reason. to what Mr. T. fays relative to the mediation of Christ in its various branches, there is no difpute with him on that head: it is even granted that in his whole work as Mediator, there is an inferiority in Chrift to the Father; but I can by no means come to the fame conclufion with Mr. T. viz. That our Lord is in every sense a derived and dependent being, circumfcribed in his power, and alfo in his knowledge.' That he is not circumfcribed in his knowledge, to me appears evident from Heb. iv. 12, 13. "The Word of God is quick and powerful, and fharper than any two-edged fword, piercing even to the dividing afunder of foul and fpirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a difcerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart, neither is there any creature that is not manifeft in his fight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.' And John x. 15. As the Father knoweth me, even fo know I the Father.' Again, compare Jer. xvii. 9, 10. with Rev. ii. 23. The heart is deceitful above all things, and defperately wicked, who can know it? I Jehovah fearch the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.' And all the churches fhall know that I am He which fearcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give to every one of you according to your works.' Is it poffible to ascribe omniscience to the Father in stronger terms than it is here afcribed to Chrift.

The paffage which Mr. T. has quoted to prove that Christ is circumfcribed in knowledge will not ferve his purpose, · viz. Of that day and hour knoweth no man, no not the Son, nor the Angels, but my Father only.' For the Greek word oiden has here the force of the Hebrew conjugation hiphel, which in verbs denoting action, makes that action, whatever it is, pafs to another. Wherefore, eideo, which properly fignifies I know, used in the fenfe of the conjugation hiphel, fignifies I make another to know, I declare. The word has this meaning without difpute in Cor. ii. 2. I determined, eidcnai, VOL. II.

E

to

to know nothing among you, but Jefus Chrift and him crucified, i. e. I determined to make known nothing, &c. So in the text, But of that day, and that hour, none maketh you to know, no not the angels, but my Father only; that is, no man, nør any angel, had received commifsion to make it known, neither was it in the commifsion of the Son to make it known, but the Father only, will make it known in its proper time. See Macknight on Mark xiii. 32. Surely there is a great difference between our Lord's knowing a thing himfelf, and a commission to make it known to others; the latter of which only the above pallage refers to.

As for the power of Chrift, the omnipotence of it appears eminently in the creation of all things, to which the Apoftle adds, Ey him all things confift. Col. i. 17. And he upholdeth all things by the word of his power. Heb. i. 3.

Mr. T. ridicules the idea of making a diftinction between the human nature and divine nature of Chrift. But I apprehend without any good reafon, for one facred writer fays, Chrift is God with us. Another fays, this is a part of the myftery of godlinefs. Ged manifeft in the flesh. And another fays, that the Word, who was God was made flesh, and dwelt with us. Surely these things fully justify us in making a diftinction between his human and divine natures, and afcribing that to each, which is proper to them. Mr. T. allows Chrift to have a nature which is fuperior to humanity, although he denies his deity; let me ask him, did this fuperior nature (this nameless fomething in the mediator's perfon, which is neither God, angel, nor man) did it die? did it rife again, &c. If not, muft not Mr. T. make a distinction between the fuperior and inferior natures of our Lord? If so, what advantage has he over the plain fimple Chriftian, who believes what the Scriptures fay of the Son in human nature, viz. That he is God with us. That Mr. T does make a diftinction between the fuperior and inferior natures of Chrift `is evident, for he fays, I agree with the Querift that Chrift exifted before he was made flesh, or rather took fleth on him.’ Mr. T. fays alfo, that Jefus was very cautious of making known his divinity:' and hence he infers that "He did not intend it should be known, but let us fee whether our Lord was fo cautious on this fubject as Mr. T. infinuates.'

་

Did the Jews think him fo cautious? There were as zealous for the unity of God as any modern Arian, Unitarian, or Socinian can be, and from this very zeal they charged our Lord with blafphemy. In John v. 18. They fought to kill

him,

him, because he had faid God was his Father, making himfelf equal with God,' And what did he do when this charge was brought against him? Did he rend his cloaths and thew an abhorrence of it like Paul and Barnabas at Lyftra? See Acts xiv. No. He ftill maintained his claim. See the following verfes to the 30th.; in which, although he point out his inferiority to the Father, in his office capacity as mediator, yet he declares that what foever things the Father doth, thefe alfo doth the Son likewife. And afferts, That men fhould honour the Son, even as they honour the Father.' And if this be not a claim to deity, I know not what is. I can but think that the Jews understood our Lord as making fuch a claim, and that the reply to them fully admitted it. The fame charge was brought by them. John x. 30. Where Jefus faid, I and my Father are one. Then the Jews took up ftones again to ftone him. Jefus anfwered, many good works have I fhewed you from my Father-for which of thefe works do you ftone me? The Jews anfwered him, faying, for a good work we ftone thee not: but for blafphemy, and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God.' Our Lord mentions three things in his defence which follows. First, that the word God, had been used in the law in application to men. Pfalm lxxxii. 1. 6. Jefus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I faid ye are gods? Secondly, That in his mediatorial office, he was greater than any of thofe to whom the word God had been applied. If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the Scripture cannot be broken; fay ye of him whom the Father hath fanctified (fet apart) and fent into the world. Thou blafphemeft, bebecause I faid I am the Son of God? Thirdly, he goes higher and afferts, That he doeth the works of the Father, and that the Father was in him, and he in the Father. As an explanation of which, fee John v. 17. My Father worketh hitherto, and I work,' and 19. Whatfoever things he (the Father) doth, thefe alfo doth the Son likewife.' From the whole I conclude, that laying claim to the fame honour with the Father, faying that the Father was in him, and he in the Father; that the Father and he were one, and whatever works the Father did; the Son did the fame; all this I fay was fo far from fhewing that the Jews were mistaken, when they said he made himself equal with God, that it had an evident tendency to confirm them, in their views of his claims. Let me add that Paul had the fame views of his divine mafter,

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for

for he fays that He, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God, (or to be as God.)

Laftly, give me leave to afk, will Mr. T's fentiments contribute much to establish the doctrine of the Divine Unity He fays that Chrift is a God, but the Father is the God. Are there not then two Gods? The one greater than the other?

I am, Sir, Yours,

CHRISTOPHILUS.

CHRONOLOGICAL LIST

OF THE MOST REMARKABLE OCCURENCES IN
THE YEAR 1797.

JANUARY.

GOVERNMENT received advice

that a formidable French feet, with feveral thousand troops on board had anchored near Bantry Bay, on the fouthern coaft of Ireland.

Advice received that the enemy's fleet had been disperfed off the coast of Ireland, and that they were on their return to Breft.

An account received that a large frigate,called the Impatient, belonging to the enemy, had foundered in Bantry Bay, in attempting to get to fea.

The Irish papers anocunced that the Seduifante French fhip laden with flour, having a great number of troops

A Lifbon mail arrived, bringing an account of the lofs of his majesty's fhips Bombay Cattle and Courageux,of 74 guns each,in a dreadful gale of wind the former on the Spanish coaft, be tween Tari and Croma Povia, and the latter at the entrance of the Ta-on board, belonging to the Brelt argus. mament, went to pieces in coming out of that harbour; and that feveral lives were 1 ft.

The French Minifter to the united States of America, declared to the Secretary of State at Philadelphia, that his functions had ceafed, in confequence of the commercial regulations which had taken place between that country and Great Britain.

Official intelligence received from Ireland, that the enemy's fleet, which had anchored in Bantry Bay on the 24th ul. remained there till the 27th in the evening, when they quitted their station and difappeared. An officer, who had been driven on facre with a boat's crew, upon being exa mined, ftated that the fleet, upon its leaving Bieft, confifted of about filty fail, including transports, having twenty five thousand'inen on board, under the command general Hoche, and that the whole of this force was deftined for the attack of Ireland, The Iith yeomanry and the inhabi- The fecond fquadron of French 1ants of the South, eminently diftn-fhips which had anchored in Bantry guifhed themfelves for their zeal and Bay, and that which appeared off the alacrity on the occafion. Shannon, left thofe ftations, on their

Advice received that feveral feattered French hips had appeared off the Shannon and Bantry Bay, but finding that the main force was not at either place, they immediately bore away for France.

retur

return to France, without attempting Holland, who aftewards married her ladyfhip.

to land any troops.

A Paris paper of the 7th announced the return to Breft, of one of the divifions of the French fleer, under the command of admiral Bouvette. Intelligence from Paris announced that the expedition against Ireland had totally failed; and that Mantua was reduced to fuch a degree of diftrefs, that the foldiers were obliged to eat their horfes.

American papers announced that New York, Bolton, Baltimore, and Savannah, had been partly destroyed by fire.

A dreadful earthquake happened in South America, by which forty thoufand lives were loft.

Intelligence is received from France that Mantua and several other fortreffes had tuendered to the French; that the Auftrians had poffeffed them. felves of the poft of Huninguen, on the Rhine; and that Mr. Pinckney, the American Minifter at Paris, had received orders to quit the territories of the French republic.

Ten all of victualiers from Cork taken by two French privateers.

Adal Sir John Jervis, with fifteen fail of the line defeated the Spa

Letters from America announced that Mr. Adams and Mr. Jefferfon had been elected prefident and vice nih feet confifting of twenty feven prefident of the United states.

The anniversary of the murder of Louis XVI. celebrated at Paris with great pomp and exultation.

fail of the line, and nine frigates, off Cape St. Vincent's, and to ›k four hips of the line, two of which of 112 guns each. For this gallant achieveThe Marquis Cornwallis appointment the brave admiral was foon after ed by the Board of Controul to the created Earl St. Vincent. capital fituation of the Governor-General of Bengal.

The Paris papers brought an account of Buonaparte having penetratDispatches from Petersburg aned into the Papal territories, captured nounced that the new Emperor had feveral important pofts, killed a great determined to adhere to the terms of number of his Holiness's troops, and the treaties formed by his mother, that he was proceeding on his march the late Emprefs. to Rome.

FEBRUARY.

Four hundred French troop landed The Channel fleet returned to Tor-in South Wales from on board two bay, from an unfuccessful cruize in Frence fhips of war, which immedipurfuit of the French squadron off ately departed for France, leaving the the coaft of Ireland. men to be taken prisoners.

Intelligence received of the total An order of council iffued, for fuldefeat of the Auftrian forces in Italy, pending the iffue of cafh by the bank, by General Bounaparte's army, be-on account of the great demands lately tween the 19th and 27th of January. made upon it.

The lofs of the Auftrians, certificate A meffage from his majesty on the by the French Generals, confifted of above fubject, was prefented to both about fix thousand killed and wound-houfes of Parliament, who approved ed, twenty thousand taken prifoners, of the conduct of his Majefty's minifixty pieces of cannon, twenty four fters on the occafion. Meetings of the standards, fome of which were work-bankers, merchants, and traders were ed with the Emprefs's own hands, held, for the purpose of entering and all the cattle, grain, and other ne-into agreements to accept of bank neffaries, deftined for the relief of notes in payment as ufual. Mantua. Several important pofts also fell into the hands of the French.

MARCH.

Public rejoicings took place in LonSir Godfry Webfter obtained a di-don, on account of the victory of advorce against his wife, in Doctors miral Jervis over the Spanish fleet, Commons, for adultery with Lord and a fubfcription was entered into at Lloyd's, for the relief of the widows

and