will not leave you comfortless, I [a mere man!] will come to you. Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more, but you see me; because I [a mere man] live, ye shall live also! He that loveth me, shall be loved of my Father: and I [a mere man] will love him, and will manifest myself to him. If a man love me, he will keep my words, [the words of a mere man!] and my Father will love him, and we [that is, both the omnipresent God, and I, a mere man, N. B.] will come unto him, and make our abode with him!" Will Dr. Priestley inform us how a mere man can come to, and make his abode with thousands and myriads at the same time? Verse 28: "If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go to the Father, for the Father is greater than I;" that is, on the Socinian hypothesis, the eternal God is greater than a mere man! A wonderful discovery truly.

He proceeds, chapter xv: "I [a mere man] am the true vine, [into which all believers, in all parts of the world, of every nation and age, are ingrafted,] my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away. Abide in me [that is, abide in a mere man] and I [the same mere man!] in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine, [from which it derives its very being, and to which it is wholly indebted for all its life, growth, and fruitfulness,] no more can ye, except ye abide in me, a mere man, whose offspring ye are, and on whom ye are dependent, not only for grace, but for life, and breath, and all things!" Col. i, 16, 17. "He that abideth in me [a mere man !] and I [the same mere man] in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit; for without me [that is, without a mere man!] ye can do nothing." Strange doctrine, indeed! What! can we do nothing with the help of God, without the help of this mere man? "If any man," proceeds he, "abide not in me, [the same mere man, even though he may suppose that he abides in the Father,] he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered. If ye abide in me, [a mere man!] and my words [the words of a mere man !] abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done for you.' Verse 23: "He that hateth me, [a mere man,] hateth my Father also," the supreme and eternal God.

Pass we on to chapter xvi, 7: "If I [a mere man] go not away, the Comforter will not come : but if I depart, [though I am a mere man!] I will send him unto you. He shall glorify me, [shall glorify a mere man!] for he shall receive of mine, [that is, of the things of a mere man!] and shall show unto you. All things that the Father [the infinite and supreme God] hath are mine; [they all belong to me, though I am a mere man!] therefore said I, He shall take of mine, and show it unto you. Verse 27: The Father himself loveth you because ye have loved me, [a mere man,] and have believed that I came forth from God." N. B. "I [a mere man, shall we say? Surely, if we say so, we must give the lie to the faithful and true Witness;] came forth from the Father, and am come into the world; again, I leave the world, and go to the Father." That the Lord Jesus spoke, and meant to be understood literally, is certain, from what follows: his disciples said unto him, "Lo now speakest thou plainly now are we sure that thou knowest all things: by this we believe that thou camest forth from God!" That is, according to Dr. Priestley's system, we believe a lie! How extraordinary is this whole discourse of our Lord, according to

the Socinian doctrine! How remote from every principle of reason and religion, that we are acquainted with! But, what is worst of all, this doctrine makes the Son of God utter this nonsense, nay, I may say, this impiety and blasphemy to his Father, in the most solemn exercise of devotion. Thus, chapter xvii, 1: "Father, glorify thy Son, [that is, glorify a mere man !] that thy Son may glorify thee. O Father, glorify me with thine own self, with the glory I [a mere man, born but about thirty years ago] had with thee before the world was! They [my disciples] have known assuredly that I came out from thee, [though I had no existence till I was born in Bethlehem,] and have believed that thou didst send me. Verse 10: All mine are thine, and [though I am a mere man!] thine are mine, and I [the same mere man!] am glorified in them. And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Father, I will that they whom thou hast given me be with me where I am: that they may behold my glory which thou hast given me for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world;" me, who, being a mere man! had no existence till a few years ago!

Such is the testimony, which, according to St. John, the Son of God bore of himself, while upon earth, in his most solemn discourses to the Jews, whom he laboured to bring to repentance, over whom he wept, and whom he died to redeem; and to his own disciples, whom he was thus preparing to go forth and instruct all nations, and whom, in this way, he was arming for persecution, imprisonment, and martyrdom; and in his most devout and fervent prayers addressed to his Father, just before his crucifixion: a testimony which, I will venture to say, neither Dr. Priestley, nor any of the Socinians upon earth, will ever be able to reconcile, with the doctrine of our Lord's mere humanity, on the principles of common sense. As little will they be able to reconcile there. with the testimony which the other evangelists record him to have borne. Two or three passages only I shall produce, as a specimen of the rest. Thus, Matt. xi, 27-30: "All things are delivered unto me [that is, if we believe the Socinians, unto a mere man] of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son [that is, knoweth a mere man!] but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, [the same mere man!] and he, to whomsoever the Son shall reveal him. Come unto me [that is, come unto a mere man!] all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I [a mere man!] will give you rest! Take my yoke upon you, [the yoke of a mere man!] and learn of me: for my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. Upon this rock will I [a mere man!] build my Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. For where two or three are met together in my name, I [a mere man!] am there in the midst of them. [For, though a mere man, I am omnipresent!] All power is given unto me [that is, given unto a mere man!] in heaven and on earth: go ye, therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, [the true, living, and eternal God,] and of the Son, [a mere man!] and of the Holy Ghost; [the power of God!] teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I [a mere man!] have commanded you: and, lo! I [a mere man !] am with you always, even unto the end of the world." For, I say again, though a mere man, I am omnipresent, and can and will be with you, be you ever so many thou

sands and myriads, at all times and in all places! An extraordinary promise, indeed, to proceed from the lips of a mere man!

Once more, and I have done. We have reviewed the testimony borne by Christ, while upon earth, in the days of his humiliation, and have found it inconsistent with common sense, on the principles of Unitarianism. Let us now attend to the testimony borne by him, since his ascension into heaven. This, I am persuaded, we shall find equally, if not more irreconcilable therewith, on the same principles.

Rev. ii, 1: "These things saith he [the mere man!] that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, and walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks: [being always present with, and among his people, Though a mere man!] I [a mere man!] know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear those that are evil : nevertheless, I [a mere man !] have against thee, that thou hast left thy first love. Remember, therefore, from whence thou art fallen, and repent or else I [a mere man! confined in heaven, till the restitution of all things!] will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of its place. To him that overcometh will I [though a mere man!] give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God! Ver. 8: Unto the angel of the Church of Smyrna, write :— These things saith the First and the Last, [that is, says Dr. Priestley, a mere man!] who was dead and is alive; I know thy works, and thy tribulation, and thy poverty. Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer but be thou faithful unto death, and I [a mere man!] will give thee a crown of life. Verse 12: To the angel of the Church of Pergamos: These things saith he [the mere man!] who hath the sharp sword with two edges; I know thy works-but I have a few things against thee. Repent, or else I [the same mere man!] will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth. To him that overcometh will I [a mere man !] give to eat of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth, saving he that receiveth it. Verse 18: Unto the angel of the Church of Thyatira write:-These things saith the Son of God, [whom the Socinians think a mere man, but] who hath bis eyes like unto a flame of fire, and his feet like fine brass; I [a mere man!] know thy works, and the last to be more than the first: notwithstanding, I have a few things against thee, that thou permittest that woman Jezebel to teach and seduce my servants: and I [a mere man !] gave her space to repent, and she repented not. Behold, I [the same mere man!] will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her, into tribulation. And I will kill her children with death: and all the Churches shall know that I [a mere man!] am he that searcheth the reins and the heart! And I will give unto every one of you according to your works. But unto you, I say, and the rest at Thyatira, I [a mere man!] will put upon you no other burden, but that which you have already hold fast till I come. And he that overcometh and keepeth my word to the end, will I [a mere man!] give power over the nations, and he shall rule them with a rod of iron, and I will give him the morning star. Chapter iii, 1: Unto the angel of the Church of Sardis write:-These things saith he [the mere man!] that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I [the same mere man!] know thy

works. Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, for I have not found thy works perfect before God. If thou wilt not watch, I [a mere man!] will come unto thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come unto thee. He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment, and I [a mere man!] will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels. Verse 7: To the angel of the Church in Philadelphia :-These things saith [a mere man? No! but] he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the keys of David! he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth : I know thy works: behold, I [a mere man!] have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name: [the word and name of a mere man!] Behold, I [a mere man as I am!] will make them of the synagogue of Satan to come and worship at thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee. Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also [though but a man!] will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth. Behold, I come quickly! Hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown. Verse 14: To the angel of the Church of the Laodiceans:-These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the beginning [apx, the principle, origin, head, and governor] of the creation of God, I [a mere man!] know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: so then, because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. I counsel thee to buy of me [that is, of a mere man!] gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed. As many as I love, I [a mere man !] rebuke and chasten. Be zealous, therefore, and repent. Behold, I [a mere man!] stand at the door and knock. If any man hear my voice, and open the door, [for I am present at the door of all hearts!] I will come in to him, and sup with him, and he with me. To him that overcometh will I [though but a man!] grant to sit down with me on my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with the Father on his throne. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith [that is, what Christ saith by his Spirit] unto the Churches," and let him consider whether they are the words of a mere man! And that he may not pass a matter of such moment over slightly, let him turn to the last chapter of this book, and reflect upon the solemn and awful testimony borne by the same person, verse 7: "Behold, I come quickly : Blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book." Verse 12: "Behold, I come quickly, and my reward [shall we say the reward of a mere man?] is with me, to give every one according as his work shall be. I [though viewed by some as a mere man !] am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.' And let me assure you, "I, Jesus, have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the Churches." And if you still be ignorant who I am, and therefore be in danger of not paying a due regard to my testimony, let me inform you farther, that I am both God and man, both the Son of God, and son of man: let me affirm, that "I am the root and offspring of David, and the bright and morning star." And that you may not only give credit to what I say, but lay it to your heart with the serious

ness which its importance demands, I, the same person that testify these things, add, "Surely, I come quickly." Amen, even so, come Lord Jesus, and give the opposers of thy divinity to know that thou art more than a mere man! Not doubting, reverend sir, but you will join with me, and the Church universal, in this important petition, and hoping that the time approaches when the Son of God will appear for himself, and show the universe who and what he is, I here put a period to this little work, and subscribe myself your obedient servant in the same Christ Jesus,

JOSEPH BENSON.

END OF VOL. III.