. wife.' He told them alfo, that things more. wonderful ftill, than any thing they had feen, would be done by him: For, fays he, as the Father raiseth the dead, and quickeneth them, even fo the Son quickeneth whom he will.' Thereby intimating, that as the Father had done all things by him that related to the creation of the world, fo he would raise all the dead by him; and not only make all that are in their graves hear the voice of the Son of God, (John v. 28, 29.) but alfo make them all come before his judgment feat; (Rom. xiv. 10. 2 Cor. v. 10.) He, by the Father's appointment, being the judge of the qiuck and the dead: (Acts x. 42.) As he fays, ver. 22.. For the Father judgeth, not even one thing, but hath 'committed all judgment unto the Son.' And the immediate inference which our Lord makes from all this is, That all men fhould ho nour the Son even as they honour the Fa4ther. Does it not therefore appear most plain, from the whole tenor and fcope of our Lord's difcourfe, that as all men ought to honour the Father as their Creator, fo they ought to ho nour the Son as their Creator alfo, fince God. the Father created all things by Jefus Chrift his only-begotten Son? Eph. iii. 9.As all men ought to honour the Father as the preferver of all things, fo fhould they honour the Son alfo, as the preferver of all things, fince the Father preferves and upholds all things by him? Heb. i.3. Col. i. 17.—as the Father ought to be hoP noured noured as the quickener of all things, fo the Son ought to be honoured as the quickener of all things, fince it is by Jefus Chrift that God the Father will make all alive? 1 Tim. vi. 13. 1 Cor. xv. 22, 45-as the Father ought to be honoured as our Saviour, fo the Son ought to be honoured as our Saviour, fince it is by him that the Father faves us from fin and mifery? 1 Tim. i. 1. Tit. i. 3, 4. To fum up the whole, -as all men fhould honour the Father for his excellent glory, amiable perfections, and the interesting relations he fuftains to them, fo the Son fhould be honoured as he through whom. the Father manifefts all his glory and perfections, and in whom he fuftains all thefe relations to mankind, on which depend all their hope and happiness, in time and through eternity? As it is therefore through Jefus Chrift, the one mediator between God and men, that we ⚫ have access to the Father by one Spirit," (Eph. ii. 8.) fo it is through him, that all grace and truth is communicated to us, and every privi、 lege we enjoy for every privilege, either of the life that now is, or that which is to come, (1 Tim. iv. 8.) is contained in the promises of God; and these are in Christ, and in him they are yea and amen. (2 Cor. i. 20.) While, therefore, we hold the unity, the abfo lute, and unequalled glory and fupremacy, of the Most High God, the God and Father of our Lord Jefus Chrift, we should also confefs the mediatory glory, the univerfal power, and exclufive prerogatives of the only begotten Son, whom whom the Father hath made both Lord and Christ, (Acts ii. 36.) God over all created nature. Let us therefore worship and honour God the Father alone, as the alone fountain of all being, perfection, and bleffedness; by honouring and efteeming nothing but what comes from him: And let us honour Christ alone as mediator, or the alone Lord by whom are all things; by honouring no authority as lawful that comes not, from him, to whom the Father hath given all authority and power in Heaven and on earth.. Let us learn of him who is meek and lowly in heart, let us walk in love as he alfo walked, (Eph. v. 2.) and as he hath fet us an example, let us follow his fteps. Let all who name the name of Chrift depart from iniquity; let them walk by the fame rule, and mind the fame things, that through the enlivening, enlightening, and fanctifying influençes of the Holy Spirit, communicated through Jefus Chrift, we may be made holy and acceptable in the fight of God; of whom, and to whom, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen. FINIS. The following books, &c. may be had from the Book; fellers mentioned in the Title, or from the Author. An Humble Attempt to investigate the fcripture- A Correfpondence with the Buchanites, 6d.. A Historic and Prophetic drawing, 6d. 1784 1785 1787 1788 1788 1789 1782 1785. |