loved me and given himself for me.' Will Dr. Priestley inform us how Christ, if a mere man, could live in the apostle? And will he tell us how he could 'redeem all, [that believe in him, whether Jews or Gentiles,] from the curse of the law,-(see chap. iii. 13,) that the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through him, and mankind might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith?' (John vii. 37, 38.)

There are many other passages in this epistle equally absurd on the Socinian principles. As chap. iv. 14, 'Ye received me as an angel of God, even as [a mere man !] Jesus Christ.'—(Verse 19.) My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ [a mere man] be formed in you!'-(Chap. v. 1.) Stand fast in the liberty wherewith [a mere man] Christ hath made us free !'-(Chap. vi. 2.) Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ,' that is, the law of a mere man.- -(Verse 14.) God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, [the cross of the same mere man,] by whom [a mere man though he be] the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world. For in [the same mere man] Christ Jesus, neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature. From henceforth let no man trouble me, for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus, [viz. the marks of the sufferings I have endured for the sake of a mere man !]-Brethren, the grace of [this mere man] the Lord Jesus Christ, be with your spirit.'

You see, Rev. Sir, that this Epistle to the Galatians, beside the many passages which are similar to those found in the preceding Epistles, has several of a peculiar nature, in which the Lord Jesus is set in opposition to men: And to be made an apostle by him, to receive the gospel from him, and seeking to please him, are opposed to the being made an apostle by man, receiving the gospel from man, and seeking to please man. Now, in these instances, Dr. Priestley will find it hard work indeed, to vindicate, on his hypothesis,

the common sense of the apostle. Examine we now the Epistle to the Ephesians. This also furnishes us with many instances of the apostle's writing without common sense, on the supposition of his being an Unitarian. Passing over the inscription and benediction, which are similar to those in the other Epistles, (verse the 3d, &c.) he speaks of the Father as blessing us, viz. all the faithful, with all spiritual blessings in him, choosing us in him to be holy,-predestinating us to the adoption of children,-making us accepted, and giving us redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins: And then, (verse 10,) he proceeds as follows: That in the dispensation of the fulness of time, he might gather together in one, all things in Christ, [that is, in a mere man,] both which are in heaven, and which are on earth, even in him, [mere man though he be !] in whom also we have obtained an inheritance,-according to the counsel of his own will, that we should be to the praise of his glory who first trusted in Christ, [that is, who trusted in a mere man] in whom ye also trusted, [and were so far from being condemned or blamed by God for so doing, that] after ye believed in him, ye were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our inheritance.' This mere man, (verse 20,) the Father hath set at his own right hand, in heavenly places, far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come; and hath put all things under his feet, and given him to be the head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fulness of him [viz. of the mere man !] that filleth all in all.' Is there any reason or sense in any part of this paragraph? How can a mere man be the head of the church universal, not only guiding and governing, but virtually influencing all true believers, in all nations and ages? And how could a mere man bring Jews and Gentiles nigh to each other by his blood, as the apostle observes in the next chapter, or be their peace, making in himself one new man?' And having formed

them into one body, how could he reconcile both unto God, by the cross, having slain the eumity thereby? or come from heaven, even while he remained there, and preach peace to the Gentiles, who were far off, and to the Jews that were nigh, granting unto both access through himself [a mere man,] by one Spirit unto the Father?'

Another remarkable passage we meet with, (chap. iii. 1,) Unte me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles, the unsearchable riches of Christ, [that is, the unsearchable riches of a mere mau !] and to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mys tery, which from the beginning hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ; viz. by a mere man, who had no existence, till all things had been created at least 4000 years !-Such are the absurdities which the Socinian doctrine fathers upon the disciple of Gamaliel, and of the Lord Jesus! Nay, and what is worse, makes him utter these absurdities to God upon his knees, in the most solemn acts of devotion. For instance, (verse 14,) I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom, [though a mere man !] the whole family of heaven and earth is named, -that Christ [mere man as he is !] may dwell in your hearts by faith! that being rooted and grounded in love, ye may be able to comprehend with all saints, what is the breadth and length, and depth and height, and to know the love of Christ, which [though it be but the love of a mere man,] passeth knowledge !-that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.' How a mere man should dwell in our hearts, how his love should pass knowledge, and how the knowledge of it, in that degree which is attainable, should be a mean of filling us with all the fulness of God, is surely, to say the least, not to be conceived!

Another remarkable instance of the absurdity of sup posing the apostle to have held the doctrine of Christ's mere humanity occurs in the next chapter, (verse 7— 17,) Unto every one of us is grace given, according to the measure of the gift of Christ [that is, the gift of

a mere man !]-Wherefore he saith, when he, [this mere man,] ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. Now that he ascended, what is it? [what does it imply ?] but that he descended first into the lower parts of the earth.' Will the Socinians inform us, how a mere man, who had no existence till born in Bethlehem, and who of consequence had never been in heaven, could descend from thence? 'He that descended (I say) is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he, [a mere man!] might fill all things? And he [a mere man,] gave apostles and prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers, for the perfecting of the saints, for the edifying of the body of Christ, [the body of a mere man !] till we all come, in the unity of the faith, and know.. ledge of the Son of God, [the faith and knowledge of a mere man!] unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ. That we may grow up unto him in all things, who [though a mere man] is the head, from whom the whole body, fitly joined together and compacted, by that which every joint supplieth, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love!'

Pass we on to the 5th chapter, where we meet with more instances, and equally striking. 'Walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and [though a mere man !] hath given himself for us, [one mere man to ransom millions!] an offering and a sacrifice to God of a sweetsmelling savour.-Wherefore he saith, (verse 14,) Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ [a mere man] shall give thee light!' For though a mere mau, he can hear and answer prayer, and give the light of life to as many as apply to him!

(Verse 22,) Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord, [a mere man,] for the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church, and he [a mere man !] is the Saviour of the body! Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing. Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and [though a mere man ¡]

hath given himself for it that he might sanctify and cleanse it, and present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing, that it should be holy and without blemish!-So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies; for no man ever yet hated his own flesh, but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord [viz., a mere man!] the church; for we are members of his body, of his flesh, aud of his bones.'

The next chapter abounds with instances of a similar kind. Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh,-in singleness of heart, as unto Christ; [a mere mau !] not with eye-service as men-pleasers, but as the servants of Christ, [a mere man] doing the will of God from the heart, with good will doing service as to the Lord, [a mere man!] and not to men! Kuowing, that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, [this same mere man,] whether he be bond or free. And ye masters, do the same things unto them, forbearing threatening, knowing that your Master also [a mere man!] is in heaven, neither is there respect of persons with him. Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, [a mere man!] and in the power of his might! -Peace be to the brethren, and love, with faith, from God the Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ, [the Supreme God and a mere man!] Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ [the mere man I so often name] in sincerity!' Wishing, Rev. Sir, that should Dr. Priestley think it worth his while to shew us how the sundry passages quoted in this Letter from the Epistles to the Galatians and Ephesians might, consistently with common sense, be written by one who held the doctrine of Christ's mere humanity, he may not forget to tell us how his unwearied endeaFours to degrade the Lord Jesus are consistent with loving him in sincerity,

I subscribe myself, &c.