Thanksgiving. Shall we, who are rescued from the Bondage of Sin, refuse to return the tribute of our Praife to our kind Deliverer? Did the Son of God appear to abolish Death, and open unto us the Gate of everlasting Life; and fhall we efteem it too much to return him our Thanks for fo vast a Bleffing? Chrift came into the World to Save Sinners, to free us from the Power of Death and Hell; and to make us happy. Thefe glorious Defigns do demand certainly the utmoft Returns of Gratitude. Let us, therefore, as we are most bounden, offer unto God continual Thanks, for that he hath fent his Son into the World to take our Nature upon him, and to be born of a pure Virgin; and that without Spot of Sin, that he might free us from Sin. Therefore, with Angels, and Arch-Angels, and with all the Company of Heaven, let us laud and magnify God's holy Name; evermore praifing him, and faying, Holy, holy, boly, Lord God of Hofts; Heaven and Earth are full of the Majefty of thy Glory; Glory be to thee, O Lord moft High!

SERMON

SERMON II.

THE DIVINITY OF THE SON OF GOD.

i COR. viii. 6. (Part)

AND ONE LORD JESUS CHRIST.

thus,-Though

THE Context runneth thus, Though

there be that are called Gods, whether in Heaven, or in Earth (as there are Gods many, and Lord's mány) but to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all Things, and we in him and one Lord Jefus Christ, by whom are all Things, and we by bim. Not that we are to fuppofe that the Apostle is here teaching us that the Fa ther is fo God as to exclude the Son from being one God with him. For then, by the fame Rule, the Son must be fo Lord, as to exclude the Father from being one Lord

with him, which is contrary to Scripture, which constantly affirmeth the Father to be God, and the Son to be God; the Father to be Lord, and the Son to be Lord; and yet as conftantly afferteth, that there is but one God, and one Lord. But the Apostle is here fpeaking to the chriftian Converts at Corinth, who had formerly been Gentiles, and who, before their Converfion to Christianity, had acknowledged many Gods and many Lords. The Gentiles, we know, had what they called Gods, and Lords of various Sorts; Supreme and Inferior. The fupreme Gods refiding in Heaven, the inferior Gods in the Air, or on the Earth; and were looked upon as a Kind of Mediators between Men and the fupreme Gods. This, by the Way, fheweth us the extreme Wickedness (as well as Abfurdity) of the Church of Rome, which in Imitation of the Heathen, hath introduced into her Worship

A

a Number of Mediators, Angels and Saints, in Derogation to the Honour of our fole Mediator, Jefus Chrift. In Opposition to which Doctrine of Gods many, and Lords

many,

many, the Apostle telleth the Chriftian Corinthians, that to all those who profess to believe the Gospel, there is but one God, the Father, the Head, and Fountain of the Divinity; and the first in Order among the divine Perfons, of whom are all Things, and we in him. And one Lord Jefus Christ, the Son of the Father; and according to the fame Economy, the fecond among the divine Perfons, to whom the Title of Lord is in a more peculiar Manner appropriated; by whom all Things were created; and through whom, as being the only Mediator between God and Man, all our Prayers, Adorations, and Thanksgivings to Heaven, must be addreffed.

It would take up too much of our Time at prefent, to enquire in how many different Senfes Chrift Jefus may properly be called. our Lord. But as there are three particular Senfes in which he claimeth a Right to that Title in a more emphatical Manner, I fhall beg Leave to confider them more efpecially; and then to lay before you thofe C 3

Duties

Duties which arife from this Relation of our Lord to us.

First. In the firft Place then, Christ Jefus claimeth to be our Lord, as he is our Creator, our God, and our Redeemer. And first, Chrift hath a juft Title to be Lord over us by Right of Creation. By him, fays the Apostle, God made the Worlds. And again, In the Beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. All Things were made by him; and without him was not any Thing made, that was made. And again, By him were all Things created that are in Heaven, and that are in Earth; whether they be Thrones, or Dominions, or Principalities, or Powers; all Things were created by him and for him; and he is before all Things; and by him all Things confift. And again, Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive Glory, and Honour, and Power; for thou haft created all Things; and for thy Pleasure they are and were created. Since then, it is Chrift that hath made us, and not we ourselves; and