nature, is fubjected to; feeing he must of neceffity be dependent upon, and be controulable by fuch a governour. And as the Father is the God or governour of the Son, so the Son must of neceffity be fubordinate to him alfo; it being alike impoffible, and a contradiction in terms, for an agent, who is abfolutely fupreme in government, to have a governour over him which is the prefent cafe. And,

Tho the Son is himself called God in the fcripture,, yet that does not alter the cafe, because every fubordinate governour is a god to thofe he authority over. Like the centurion in the gospel, who, tho he was fet under authority, yet he had foldiers under him, uponwhom he exercised a delegated authority, when he faid to one man go, and he went; and to another come, and he came at his call. In like manner, our Lord Jefus Chrift is invefted with a delegated authority, and therefore he is a God: but then he himself is fubject to another, who gave him all power or authority in heaven and in earth. Again,

If the term God be used to exprefs priority of xistence and agency, then the Son's inferiority directly follow, from the Father's being his God. For as in this cafe, the Father is the fountain of being and agency to the Son, fo the Son muft of neceffity, both in point of existence, agency, and all natural perfections, be dependant upon, and be controulable by the power and will of the Father, and therefore is inferiour to him. The Son's fubordination, likewife, directly follows from hence, it being impoffible, that a derived being (which is the cate of the Son) fhould be invested with abfolute fupreme dominion, or be abfolutely the God over all; feeing he must needs be fubject and fubordinate to him, who is the fountain of being, and of authority to him.

This argument is farther illuftrated by fuch texts as thefe, 1 Cor. xi. 3. I would have you know, that the head of every man is Chrift, and that the head of the woman is the man, and that the head of Chrift is God.

Cor. iii. 22. 23. All are your's, and ye are Christ's and Chrift is God's. John iii. 16. God fo lov'd the world, that he gave his only begotton Son, &c. And from hence I argue, that if the Father be in reality the head, the proprietor, and the Father of our Lord Jefus Chrift, and if our Lord Jesus Christ be the property, the gift, and at the difpofal of the Father, as is here declared, then our Lord Jefus Chrift is inferiour and fubordinate, as aforefaid; because what are here afcribed to, and spoken of Christ, are manifeft tokens of dependency and controulablenefs, as they are incompatible with their contraries. So that the proof, which naturally arises from this argument, is a third demonftration of the truth of the propofition I am now maintaining.

ARGUMENT IV.

Fourthly, The Father is faid to exercife authority in commanding, and the Son fubmiffion in obeying the Father's commands; and confequently, the Son is inferiour and fubordinate to the Father, and the Father alone is the fupreme God,

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HAT the Father exercised authority in commanding, and the Son yielded obedience, as aforefaid, fee Heb. x. 5, 6, 7. Wherefore, when he cometh into the world he faith, Sacrifice and offeringthou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me; In burnt offerings and facrifices for fin thou hast no pleasure; Then faid I, lo I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me) to do thy will, O God. John xii. 49, 50. For I have not fpoken of my felf, but the Father that fent me, he me a commandment bosh what I should say, and

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what I should speak. And I know that his cammandment is everlasting life; whatsoever I Speak therefore, even as the Father faid unto me, fo I speak. John xiv. 31. As the Father gave me a commandment, even fo I do. John xv. 10. If ye keep my commandments, ye fhall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love. Heb. v. 8. Tho he were a fon, yet learned be obedience by the things which he suffer'd.

In these texts it is fet forth, that the Father ex-. ercifed authority in commanding the Son; and likewife that the Son, viz. our Lord Jefus Chrift, exercifed obedience and fubjection, in doing, and fuffering, according to the will and appointment of the Father. And from hence I argue, that if the truth of the cafe be as is reprefented in the above texts; then the Son is inferiour and fubordihate, as aforefaid. For as the exercifing fuch authority is an instance of, and thereby is an evident proof of fuperiority with respect to the Father; fo the exercife of fuch fubjection and obedience is an inftance of, and thereby is an evident proof of inferiority with regard to the Son, there being no fuch thing as authority and fubjection with refpect to two co-ordinate beings. And as the Son is inferiour to the Father, with refpect to authority, fo he must be the fame in all other refpects. For as his fubjection is founded on his derivation from, and dependency upon the Father; fo that derivation and dependency neceffarily and unavoidably fet him below, or render him inferiour to the Father in all refpects whatever: becaufe dependency and controulablenefs, which is the cafe of the Son, cannot be equally great, or equally valuable, with independency and uncontroulablenefs, which is the cafe of the Father.

The Son's fubordination to the Father will likewife follow from hence. For as he himself is un

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der authority; fo the authority which he is invefted with cannot poffibly be fupreme: it being an abfurdity, and a contradiction in terms, to fuppofe an agent, who is abfolutely fupreme in government, is, or can be, fubjected to, and under the government of another, which is the prefent cafe. And therefore, as the Father has exercifed his authority in commanding the Son, and the Son has likewife exercised his fubmiffion and obedience in doing, and fuffering according to the will and appointment of the Father: fo this I urge, as a farther proof of the grand propofition I am now main taining.

ARGUMENT V.

Fifthly, the Son is the Father's agent, in thofe acts which are afcribed to him, and the Son receiv'd from the Father, both direction and ability for their performance: confequently the Son is inferiour and fubor dinate to the Father, and the Father alone is the Supreme God.

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HAT our Lord Jesus Christs is the Fa ther's agent, &c. fee Heb. i. 2. Whom he bath appointed heir of all things, by whom

alfo be made the worlds. Eph. iii. 9. Which from the beginning of the world bath been hid in God who created all things by Jefus Chrift. John v. 19. Verily, verily, I fay unto you, the Son can do nothing of himself, but what he feeth the Father do; for what things foever he doth, these alfo doth the Son likewife. Verle 22. For the Father judgeth no man, but bath committed all judgment unto the Son. John viii. 28. 29. Then fhall ye know that I am be, and that Ido nothing of my felf, but as the Father bath taugh; me, I do these things. And he that fent me is with me, the Father hath not left me alone, for I do always

always thofe things that please him. John iii. 5. The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into bis hand. John iv. 34. Jefus faid unto them, my meat is to do the will of him that fent me, and to finish bis work. John vi. 28. I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that fent me. John xiv. 31. As the Father gave me commandment, fo I do. Matt. xxviii. 18. All power is given unto me, both in heaven and in earth. Acts ii. 22. A man approved of God among you by miracles wonders, and figns, which God did by him, in the midst of you, as ye your felves alfo know.

Here we fee, that our Lord Jefus Chrift is exprefsly declared to be the agent, the minister, and meffenger of the Father; and that he received his power and his inftructions from, and conftantly acted in obedience to the will, and by the direction of his Father. And from hence I And from hence I argue, that if the truth of the cafe be as it is reprefented in the texts above, then our Lord Jefus Chrift is inferiour and fubordinate to his Father, it being abfurd and ridiculous to fuppofe, that an agent who is abfolutely fupreme in point of existence, agency, and dominion, that is, who is the origi nal fountain of being, agency, and authority, that fuch an one fhould be the agent, the minifter and meffenger of another, and that he should act by the power, and according to the inftructions, and in fubmiffion to the will and commandment of another; I fay, that this is an abfurd and ridiculous fuppofition: and feeing this is the cafe of the Son of God our Lord Jefus Christ, therefore I urge this as a manifeft proof, that he is inferiour and fubordinate to the Father, and that the Father alone is the fupreme God.

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