SON OF GOD. An appellation by which Jefus of Nazareth was particularly diftinguished : according to the general opinion, as on other accounts, fo alfo on account of his miraculous birth; LARDNER'S LETTER ON THE LOGOS, p.31. or LARDNER'S SERMONS, VOL. II. SERMON 7. according to the opinion of fome, not fo much. on account of any thing peculiar to him, as on account of fome things by which he was eminently distinguished. This appellation is given to other individuals alfo, on account of fome fingularly favorable diftinction; to bodies of men too, as, to the people of Ifrael first, on account of their distinction from the Gentiles; and afterwards to Chriftians, for a fimilar reafon. Sons of God, Children of God, in the Jewish language, imitators of God, like God: obedient and fubmiffive to him: heirs of his promifes.. Angels, magiftrates, men in authority are called Sons of God: All good men are Sons of God: Chriftians, in particular, are often called fo; and they are faid to be born of God, to be begotten by him, to be begotten by him by the word of truth. In the language of fcripture, reformers, teachers, and inftructors are called fathers; they are faid to beget the converts and disciples which they make; who, in correfpon

dence

dence with this phrafeology, are called their fons, their children. The first converts to the gospel are faid alfo to be born again, to be begotten again, in confideration of the great change which their reception of the gospel made in their minds and in their condition : whether this change be referred to a previous ftate of judaifm; of idolatry and fuperftition; or of ignorance, vicious habits, doubts and fears. The Jews firft, and afterwards Chriftians being, on the fore-mentioned accounts, called children, or, begotten of God, by a figure of the like kind, though lefs bold and energetic, are said to be adopted by God; to have the adoption pertaining to them; to have received the adoption, &c.

SPIRIT, and SOUL, are fometimes equivalent to felf. The Spirit of God is God; the Spirit of a man is man. My spirit or my foul is I: thine is thou: bis is he. The spirit of wisdom, and the Spirit of the fear of the Lord, are real wisdom and piety. Spirit also fignifies that which is not flesh; that which is not weak and frail: the Spirit of God fometimes fignifies the power of God, either in its ordinary or extraordinary exertions. These terms spirit, and foul, fometimes denote that part of the human constitution,

which is the feat of life, consciousness, understanding, and affection. In this sense they are ufed, in a variety of forms, to exprefs fincerity, real internal feelings, in contradiftinction from the outward expreffions of them. In this laft, as well as in the first-mentioned import of spirit and of foul, the word heart is often used; that is, it is used in the sense of self, and also to denote the percipient and active principles of human nature; and thus it is fometimes contradiftinguished from flefb. When it is faid that the Spirit of God has done any thing, the fenfe is that God did it, and it may have been either by natural or by extraordinary means, in a natural or extraordinary manner. When God is faid to have done any thing by his fpirit, by the fpirit, it frequently fignifies that he did it in or through the miracles which he wrought, in behalf of the gofpel, or by its ministers, or upon its converts. When it is asked of God to fend, to fend down, to fend forth his fpirit for this or the other purpose, or that his spirit may do this or that; the fenfe is neither more nor lefs than that God would employ his power for these purposes, that he would do what is afked of him, in any manner whatfoever, or by any means that he ufes or has inftituted for the attainment of fuch ends. Spirit also fometimes fignifies

fignifies the gospel and its spiritual worship, as distinguished from the law of Mofes and its carnal ordinances.

TESTIMONY. Depofition, evidence, proof, token, indication. Teftimony of, depofition, or report concerning. Teftimonies of God, extraordinary declarations, or discoveries of his mind and will, whether precepts or promises; the word of God.

TIME. Some fmall portion of duration as distinguished from eternity: the present life of man as distinguished from the immortality that he looks for the duration of any being or fystem of beings that has or is supposed to have an end.

TRUTH, in the language of fcripture, fignifies fidelity, rectitude, integrity: fometimes all the moral attributes of God: fometimes every thing good in the human character: fometimes the law of God: fometimes the gospel. True, is, fometimes, genuine, perfect, excellent.

VAIN. Empty, flattering, deceitful; groundlefs, unftable, unfteady, precarious, evanid, tranfitory,

tranfitory, not to be trufted to, relied on, or boafted in. When this life or this world is filed vain, or qualified, as they often are in devotional writings, by other like terms, it fhould be remembered that they are fo ftiled, not abfolutely, but in comparison with another and a better life and world for which we look. The idea which this term vain ought to excite in us, is not any thing inconsistent with a very important truth which ought to be kept in view, and carefully impreft upon the mind, to wit, that in all ordinary circumstances this life, in this world, is in itself a very valuable blessing; and, confidered in its connections with a future ftate of being, is a gift of inexpreffible and even infinite importance.

VALLEY OF THE SHADOW OF DEATH. This and fome fimilar expreffions fignify not only fcenes of death, but other fcenes of urgent danger, or of deep affliction. In like manner, the terms to live, life, &c. denote, fometimes, not merely conscious being; but well-being, joy, happiness.

TO UNITE. To combine into one thing; to direct towards one object; to engage in one bu