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Ephef. V. 25. CHRIST alfo LOVED the Church, and GAVE HIMSELF for it.

XXIX.

+Eph. IV. 32. Forgiving one another, even as GOD, for CHRISTS SAKE, hath

FORGIVEN you.

Col. III. 13. Forgiving one another

even as CHRIST FORGAVE you.

XXX.

+John VI. 38. I came down from heaven, NOT to do MY OWN WILL, but the WILL of HIM that SENT me. Matth. VIII. 2. And behold there came a Leper and worshiped him, faying, LORD, if THOU THOU WILT thou canst make me clean. And JESUS faid, (λ) I WILL, be thou clean.

XXXI.

†AƐts XIV. 29, 30. And now, LORD grant that figns and wonders

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may

may be done by the NAME of THY

HOLY CHILD JESUS.

It seems here, that figns and wonders were not to be wrought by Jefus Chrift, as the author of them; but by an higher power of the LORD, put into action by the name, Merits, or Interceffion of the Holy Child Jefus. Yet St. Peter makes this fame Jefus, though in heaven, the immediate author of the figns and wonders wrought by his difciples upon earth. "Eneas (fays he) JESUS CHRIST maketh the whole." Acts IX. 34.

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XXXII.

+Matth. XX. 23. TO SIT on my right hand and on my left, is NOT MINE TO GIVE, but (it shall be given) to them for whom it is prepared of MY

FATHER.

Yet our bleffed Saviour has promised elfewhere, to bestow this reward in his own right -"To him that overcometh will I GRANT to SIT "with me in MY THRONE." Rev.III.21. This is fufficient to rescue the text from any heretical use that may have been made of it. But still there remains

remains fome difficulty, which, with God's help, I fhall endeavour to clear up. It will appear to any perfon, not ignorant of Greek, that the original in this place does referve to Chrift that act of power and authority, of which the English verfion, by inferting a few words, feems to have divested him. The Greek is this

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εμον δέναι — it is not mine to give, αλλ' οις ητοιμα 504, but to them for whom it is prepared

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"nifi

quibus paratum eft." For in the 11th verfe of the foregoing Chapter, there is an expreffion exactly paralel — a'os dedoToy - Save they to whom it is given; or as Beza hath it "fed ii quibus datum." Now there can be no grammatical reason, why we should not takeαλλ' οις ητοιμασ -in the fame manner; and then the text will affirm what it now seems to deny. For to fay, that Chrift cannot give any particular reward, fave to them for whom it is prepared of his Father, is the fame as to say, that to fuch he can and will give it; according to the Exceptio probat regulam in

common maxim

non-exceptis.

The Scope of the Text therefore, is to shew, that nothing can be granted even by Almighty power itself, where there is not a fuitable merit or difpofition in the perfons who claim it. "God "shall give this honourable place to those, for

"whom

"whom it is prepared by an invariable rule of "juftice: whofe victory of Faith being fore"known and accepted, a feat is allotted them according to it." And the two paffages being laid together, fupply us with this principle. As if our Saviour, who is the speaker in both places, had faid—“Tho' it be not mine to give; yet, to "him that overcometh, will I (even I myself) grant "to fit with me in my Throne; because for him "this feat is prepared." It is not owing to a defect of power in the Trinity, or in any person of it, that the divine purpose cannot be changed; but because it is impoffible for the Power of God to break in upon the order of his distributive justice. And it is upon this account only, that we read of Chrift, Mark VI. 5. "He COULD "there do NO mighty work." For the power of doing a miracle was always present with him; but the place being improper because of their unbelief, made the thing impoffible. In the fame manner, that declaration of the Lord in Gen. XVII. 22. is to be accounted for - Hafte thee, efcape thither, for I CANNOT do any thing, till thou be come thither. No man would hence conclude, that the hand of God is ftraitned, or his power limited; but only that he does, and by his own nature muft, act agreable to the difE

pofition

pofition of things and perfons, known to him

self.

XXXIII.

+1 Cor. VIII. 6. To us there is but ONE GOD, THE FATHER.

If we compare with this, that expreffion of St. Thomas, John XX. 28, MY LORD, and MY GOD, we have the following argu

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To us there is but ONE GOD, the FATHER.

But, TO US JESUS CHRIST is GOD: therefore, The Gospel has either preached two Gods to us, one diftinct from the other: or, that one God the Father is here the name of a nature, under which Christ himself, as God, is also comprehended. And the fame may be proved of it in feveral other places.

XXXIV.

+Matth. XXIII. 9. Call no man your Father upon earth, for ONE is YOUR FATHER which is in heaven.

Ibid. v. 10. Neither be ye called maf

ters, for ONE is YOUR MASTER, even

CHRIST.

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