And the Word' was made Flesh and dwelt among us, Αλήθεια διηγείται τον Λόγον, τον ενα διαπαντος ενδιαθείαν εν κάρδια BY A CLERGYMAN. Al LONDON: Printed for EDWARD and CHARLES DILLY, M DCC LXX VI. PREFAC E. TH HE Author of the following Treatise ever hath been of opinion, that as divine Revelation is the only and the perfect rule of revealed religion, fo, by the general voice of Revelation, every capital article of our religion is declared, and that, therefore, to establish these articles, we must confult the Scriptures at large, and be fatisfied that we have their univerfal and harmonious teftimony in proof of them. Upon thefe indubitable prin ciples, he has been at pains to examine the chief articles of religion, which have been generally received in the Chriftian and proteftant churches, and is happy to find they are fo well fupported. One article, however, he greatly apprehends, has not been examined and determined by this unerring standard, even the Generation and Sonfhip of our Bleffed Saviour. As this is an article of capital importance, and has been long a fubject of controverfy in the Chriftian church, the Author refolved to inquire into it with the greater attention. The appellation, Son of God, he eafily perceived perceived must be a perfonal character; and fo must be applied to Chrift, in one of these three refpects, viz. as he is God, the fecond perfon of the Godhead, begotten by the firft from all eternity; or as he is Man, created by the divine power, or laftly, as he is God-man, generated by the unition of both these natures in one complex perfon. This is evidently an article of revealed religion: and as the fairest way to determine it, he refolved to confult every paffage in the Old and New Teftaments, in which our Bleffed Saviour is held forth as the Son of God, and examine to which of thefe explications they would moft naturally apply. He has done fo; and after a careful collection and candid examination of the many texts of Scripture, which reprefent our Saviour as the Son of God, he could not find any general or convincing evidence, that this character belongs to him, either as he is God only, or as he is man only; but that the general, unanimous, and confiftent voice of revelation, declares him to be Son of God, as he is God-man, begotten of the Father, by the unition of the Divine Word with human nature in his incarnation. This capital point fixed, he proceeded to confider the accounts given in |