342                       The Deity of Jeſus Chriſt                      Sect. VI

For Socinus expreſſes himſelf in the following remarkable words
'  It is very falſe that we ſhould openly declare. Jeſus Chriſt is
'  not true God. We profeſs to ſay the contrary, and daclare
'  that he is the true God, in ſeveral of our writings, as well
' in the Latin, as in the Poliſh lauguage†.'—' Jeſus Chriſt,
' ſays Smalcius, may be called, with a ſovereign night, Our
'  GOD, and, THE TRUE GOD ; and ſo be really is.'
And, in another place, he aſſures as, ' That Jeſus
'  Chriſt is God, in the moſt perfect manner : Perfectiſſimo mo-
'  do.' If, then Jeſus Chriſt be God, the true God, and God is
the moſt perfect manner ; and if this be the ſentiment of our
opponents, what do they mean by adducing and arguing upon
this paſſage ? Is it their intention to prove, by taking the
words in their greateſt rigour of ſignification. that Chriſt is
not the true God, and that the ſublime title belongs only to
the Father. But this is diametrically oppoſite to their own
declaration. Let them, then, firſt agree with themſelves ; af-
ter which it will be time enough for us to attempt a coalition
with them. It is proper, however, to return a more particular
anſwer to their objection.

Paul ſays, ' I determined not know any thing among you,
' ſave Jeſus Chriſt, and him cracified.' Now, it is evident,
if we underſtand this dclaration in the full rigour of its literal
ſenſe, that the apoſtle excludes every object from the doctrine
of ſalvation, beſides his crucified Lord: but will our oppoſers
from hence infer, that the Divine Father is excludes from
that object which the apoſtles determined to know, in contra-
diſtinction to all other things. No, doubtleſs, Both they
and we muſt except the Father ; becauſe we find, from other
paſſages of Scripture, that the knowledge of Him is abſolute-
ly neceſſary to eternal felicity. Were we to take the works
of Paul in their ſtrictly literal meaning, they would be dia-
metrically oppoſite to the declaration of his Divine Maſter, in
the text which is now under conſideration, and which our
adverſaries, with ſo much confidence, object againſt us. For
the apoſtle ſays, we muſt propoſe nothing to ourſelves, as the
object of the doctrine of ſalvation, but the crucified Jeſus ;
while his Lord moſt ſolemnly aſſerts the neceſſity of knowing
                                                                                               the
                          † SOCIN. ad Wick. p. 19