an answer: this is not arguing but fhuffling, and I playing tricks with mankind; which practice £ am fure I have always defpifed. And

Tho, from hence it may be urged, that the former editions were deficient in this particular, for afmuch as I did not therein state the notion, of the feveral terms made ufe of in the propofition here referred to; yet that does not weaken the e vidence I have produced, to prove or make good that propofition. For as I undeftood the terms Į made use of, in their plain and obvious fence fo in that fence, I think I proved what I undertook to maintain, Beyond all poffible contradiction. And, therefore, the reason why I enter into a particular explication of thofe terms now, is not any real ambiguity in the fubject, or in my manner of handling it; but because of the fubtile difinctions and evafions which men fly to, that so they may avoid the force of the argument which lies against them and these render such an explication proper, which otherwife there would not be occafion for. However, if there was fuch a defect in the former editions, that is what cannot be recalled, and it is well if it can be fupplied, which I here propose to do, by giving a particular explication of the feveral Terms made ufe of, and by fhewing, in the Courfe of the following arguments, wherein their force and strength confift, confonant to that explication; and in fo doing, I hope I fhall fupply every defect, which the two first edition of this tract may be chargeable with. But to proceed,

By the following character, viz. [the Son of God. our Lord Jefus Chrift] I intend to exprefs that moral agent, to whom this character is applied in the New Teftament; the hiftory of whole life and miniftry is contained in the four Gofpels. Him

I mean, of whom it is recorded, that he was born of the Virgin Mary, in the town of Bethlehem; that he was brought up in Galilee; that he was baptized of John in Jordon; that he preached the doctrine of repentance to the Jews; and wrought a multitude of miracles, to confirm the truth of his miffion; that he was crucified, died, and was buried; that he rofe again from the dead, on the third day, &c. and who declared himself to be the Son of God, that God was his Father; and of whom God declared that he was his beloved Son. I fay, it is this moral agent, and him only, to whom I do apply this Character, viz. the Son of God, our Lord Jefus Chrift; and confequently, that neceffarily exifting Being, of whom the fcripture declares, that he is the Father of this Son of God; him, this Father, this neceffarily exifting Being, I do abfolutely exclude out of the idea of the Son of God, our Lord Jefus Chrift, as aforefaid.

I have purposely avoided ufing the term perfon; for as this term, when ufed in the prefent controverfy, is very ambiguous, it being fometimes ufed properly, and fometimes otherwife, as it beft ferves the writer's purpofe; fo men of craft and fubtilty, hereby make an advantage of the weakness of their fellow creatures, and perplex, and mislead them, Thus when the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, are to be proved three perfons, then it is urged, that perfonal properties are afcribed to each of thefe fingly in the New Teftament. And here the term perfon is ufed in a proper fence; that is, in fuch a fence as common ufage has fixed to it, because fuch properties are urged as proof in the prefent cafe, as are only applicable to a perfon, when the term perfon is ufed in a proper fenfe, as aforefaid. But when it becomes neceffary to ward off the

charge

charge of tritheifm, or a plurality of deities, then the Term perfon is ufed, not properly but figuratively, or rather in no fence at all, it being highly probable, that many who make use of the term fix no idea to it. Therefore, to avoid this inconvenience, I have avoided ufing the term perfon and have used the terms moral agent, as being expreffive of the idea, which I affix to those other terms, viz. the Son of God, our Lord Jefus Chrift, as aforefaid. Again,

The Son of God, our Lord Jefus Chrift, is [a Being] by which I intend to express a moral agent, as a being, or agent is diftinguifhed from, and ftands oppofed; firft, to a property, or the manner of exifting of a being or agent; and fecondly, as it ftands opposed to a coalation or fociety of beings or agents, whofe complex idea may be expreffed by one and the fame character, as an army, or a parHament, or the like. And,

First, I have ufed the term [a Being] in diftintion from, and in oppofition to a property, or the manner of exifting of a being or agent. Properties and modes of exifting, neceffarily fuppofe a being or agent, to whom they are related. If there were no being, there could be no property, or manner of exifting, because there is no fuch thing in nature as modes or properties abstracted from being, There is no fuch thing as knowledge or power, but as thefe are the properties of, or asthey conftitute that being or agent, whofe properties they may be truly faid to be. Modes or properties, when confider'd as above, are meer empty abftract notions; and therefore to talk of thefe, is to talk of fhadows, and not of things: fo that when I fay, the Son of God, our Lord Jefus Chrift, is [a Being] my meaning is, that he is not a bare property or manner of exifting, but a real meral agent, as aforefaid. Again,

Secondly,

Secondly, By [a Being] I intend to express only ne moral agent, in oppofition to a coalition or fociety of agents, whofe complex idea may be expreffed by one and the fame character, as a parliament, an army, or the like. And confequently I do not only exclude that neceffarily exifting Being, who is the Father of God's Son, out of the idea of the Son of God, our Lord Jefus Chrift, but also every other moral agent whatever. And, indeed, if the character above mentioned, was used to exprefs the complex idea of a coalition or fociety of agents, this would be fuch a perverfion and abufe of words, as would render all language useless. For if fuch a practice were indulged. then we should be perpetually at a loss to know what ideas to fix to each others words. Again,

The Son of God, our Lord Jefus Chrift, is a Being [inferior] by which term I intend to exprefs, a difparity betwixt the agent to whom it is applied, and another agent in that particular, wherein the comparison is made between them, and that the other, in that particular, is his fuperiour. Thus, one man is inferiour to another in age, in ftature, in ftrength, in knowledge, in beauty, in riches, and the like, when upon the comparison it appears, that he has a lefs degree of age, ftature, ftrength, &c. than that other man has, with whom he ftands compared in these respects, and confequently, that other, in those refpects: is his fuperiour. And tho' one man may be fuperiour to another in one respect, and yet be inferiour to that other in another refpect, as when one man has more ftrength, and yet is less in ftature than another yet this is not the cafe of the Son of God, our Lord Jefus Chrift, and that other moral agent, with whom, in the above propofition, he

ftands

ftands compared. So that by being inferior, I intend to exprefs his inferiority in all natural per fections, to that neceffarily exifting Being, who is his Father. Again,

The Son of God, our Lord Jesus Christ, is a Being inferiour and [fubordinate.] by which term I intend to express an agent invefted with authority to rule and govern, which authority does not arife from any natural relation he stands in to those he has authority over; but is committed to him as a truft, by the will and pleasure of another, Authority is of two kinds, viz. natural and derived.

By natural authority, I mean, that which arifes from the nature of things, and which an agent is invested with from that natural relation he ftands in to those he has authority over. Thus, parents have an authority over their children whilft those children are in a state of nonage, and are not capable of judging of the fitnefs of their own actions: and this authority parents are invefted with, from that natural relation they stand into their children, as they voluntarily became the inftruments of bringing them into being, and therefore they ought in reason to take care of, and to direct and govern those children, until such time as they are capable of taking care of themselves, and of directing their own actions. And thus the God and Father of our Lord Jefus Chrift, has naturally an authority over all his creatures; and this authority he is invefted with, from that natural relation he ftands into them, as he voluntarily called them into being, and thereby became their common parent, and the narural guardian of their happi

nefs.

By derived authority, I mean not fuch as an agent is naturally invefted with, as aforefaid; but only fuch authority as is committed to hin in truft,.

by