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Abraham was, I was, it would suf-sonable man suppose, that Jesus, ficiently have proved his pre-exist- had he been no more than a mere ence to all, who believe him to be creature, would have used such lantruth, or to speak truth; but we guage of himself, and appropriated cannot affix any meaning to the the very words by which Jehovah words, as they now stand, unless declared his own eternal power and we allow him to be the eternal God. godhead? (Isaiah xli. 4; xliii. 10 This his enemies of old clearly per--12; xlviii. 11, 12). Finally, Jeceived, and therefore they went hovah claims it as his prerogative about to stone him for blasphemy:" to search the hearts, and try the nor can they, who deem him only a reins:" and Christ most emphatiman, fairly dissent from their ver- cally says, "And all the churches dict, however it may be convenient shall know that I am he, which to them to palliate the language in searcheth the reins and hearts," question. Should we render the &c. (Jer. xvii. 10; Rev. ii. 23). words "I AM HE," they are then Did any holy being ever use such equivalent to those of Jehovah, language? Or would the holy Before the day was, I am he" Jesus, if he had not been one with (Isaiah xliii. 13); and the use of and equal to the Eternal Father? the present tense, with reference III. We may next consider some to Abraham, who lived so many things which Christ spoke of himages before, perfectly discriminates self, or his disciples concerning him, this passage from all others, in as manifest proofs of his deity. which the same expression is used," Destroy," says he, "this temple, either by our Lord or any other and in three days I will raise it up person (Exod. iii. 14; John viii. again: but he spake of the temple 58). Indeed, the language of the of his body" (John ii. 19—21). passage in Exodus, and that of Luke Not to insist on the appropriate concerning it (Acts vii. 30-37), sense, in which he called his body lead us to consider the eternal Son, a temple, as the immediate resithe great Angel of the covenant, as dence of his Deity, I would inquire the speaker on this occasion: and whether it be not an act of divine whoever attentively compares the power to raise the dead? Whether appearances of Jehovah to Abra- any mere man ever raised his own ham, Moses, Joshua, Gideon, and body, after he had been violently many others, with the words of the put to death? and whether God did evangelist, "No man hath seen God not actually raise again the man at any time, the only-begotten Son Christ Jesus? The obvious answer -hath declared him," will be apt to these questions will evince, that to conclude, that all these were dis- Christ had a nature distinct from coveries of that very Person, in the his manhood, that he was truly God, form of God, who afterwards ap- as one with the Father; that he had peared in the form of a servant. power to lay down his life, and Again, Isaiah introduces Jehovah power to take it again; and that by saying, "I am the first, and I am so doing he proved himself to be the last, and besides me there is no the Son of God, in that sense, God." This Christ, appearing in which the Jews deemed blasphemy: vision to John, expressly and re- for that was the crime alleged peatedly claimed to himself (Isaiah against him, and which they supxliv. 6; Rev. i. 8, 11, 18, 19; ii. posed to be blasphemy by their law 8; xxii. 13). Now, can any rea-(John xix. 7). Again, "I will,"

saith Christ to his disciples, "give | 20; xxviii. 20): which certainly you a mouth and wisdom; which are equivalent to the promises of none of your enemies shall be able Jehovah in the Old Testament, to gainsay" now who can give a that he would be with his people mouth and wisdom, but God only? in all their trials, &c.; and can by (Exod. iv. 11; Prov. ii. 6; Luke no ingenuity be separated from xxi. 15). Did any mere man, or the attribute of omnipresence: for holy creature ever advance such a Christ, as man, is in heaven, and is claim, or induce others to form such not personally present with his miexpectations from them? Yet, ac- nisters and congregations. "No cording to this promise, the evan-one," says he, "knoweth who the gelist says, "Then opened he their Son is, but the Father; neither understandings to understand the knoweth any one who the Father Scriptures" (Luke xxiv. 45). To is save the Son, and he to whom the Nicodemus, who was astonished at Son will reveal him" (Matt. xi. 27; his discourse on regeneration, he Luke x. 22). Is not this an assersaid, "If I have told you earthly tion, that the Son is equally incomthings, and ye believe not, how prehensible with the Father; and shall ye believe, if I tell you of hea-a declaration, that all knowledge of venly things? And no man hath God is erroneous, which is not ascended into heaven, but he that learned by faith in him? When he came down from heaven; even the was questioned (probably before Son of Man, who is in heaven" (John the Sanhedrim) for healing on the iii. 12, 13). Now in what sense sabbath day (John v.), he answercould the Son of Man be said "to ed, "My Father worketh hitherto, come down from heaven, and at the and I work;" and the Jews consisame time to be in heaven" (even dered this as a declaration, that when he was speaking on earth)," God was his own Father," and as if there were not such an intimate" making himself equal with God." union between the man Christ His subsequent discourse, in which Jesus, and the Word, that " in the he stated his union of counsel and beginning was with God, and was operation with the Father, and often God," that what belonged to the referred to his human nature, and one nature might properly be said mediatorial undertaking, has been of the other? Thus " God pur- frequently misunderstood: but surechased the church with his own ly he who spoke of " quickening blood;" because he, who shed his whom he would," of "having life blood, was God as well as man in himself," and of "being honourand thus the Son of Man was in ed by all men, even as they hoheaven, because that Person, whose noured the Father that sent him," omnipresence filled the heavens, cannot be thought to have objected was also the Son of Man: and this to the inference which had been was doubtless a specimen of those drawn from his first assertion. In heavenly things, which are far more like manner, when he had said I mysterious than regeneration. Si- and my Father are one, one Being *milar to this are those declarations or Deity (9ɛtov, numen), and the of our Lord, "Where two or three Jews charged him with blasphemy, are gathered together in my name, because, being a man, he made there am I in the midst of you; and, himself God," his answer, which lo, I am with you always, even to concludes thus, "that ye may know the end of the world" (Matt. xviii. and believe that I am in the Father,

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and the Father in me," could not hesitation, that such promises could be intended as a denial of their al- not properly have been given by any legation; though we should allow, mere servant of God. The Holy that he waved the farther discus-Spirit must denote either a Divine sion of the subject, by referring to Person, or the one living and true the language of Scripture, concern-God, operating in a peculiar maning magistrates as types of the ner on the minds of men; and is it Messiah, at least the Jews did not not palpably absurd to suppose, so understand him; for they renew-that any mere creature should died their attempts to seize and stone rect, or send, the Spirit of God, in him as a blasphemer (John x. 27-either of these senses? The be39). It would not consist with the liever's union with Christ, and with brevity required in this Essay to the Father through him, has someconsider particularly our Lord's times been considered as coincident words to Martha, " I am the resur- with our Lord's union with the Farection and the life," &c.: his reply ther: but can it be thought, that to Philip, "He that hath seen me, any christian is one with God in hath seen the Father-I am in the such a sense, that the Holy Spirit Father, and the Father in me;" may as properly be called his Spirit, with other expressions of his last as the Spirit of God? Yet He is discourse with his disciples, &c. frequently called the Spirit of Christ, they have both seen and hated as sent by and proceeding from him both me and my Father,"- "All(John xv. 26; xvi. 7, 10, 13, 15; things that the Father hath are xvii. 21; Rom. viii. 9-11). Inmine."- Glorify thou me with deed the words of Christ, by which thine own self, with the glory which the promise of the Spirit is introI had with thee before the world duced, are very remarkable: "Whatwas." "All mine (in the neuter soever ye ask in my name I will do gender, implying all things, as well it" (John xiv. 13-18), as all persons) are thine, and thine The language of his disciples are mine," and others of similar should also be noticed. They reimport (John xi. 25; xiv. 7, 9, 10; peatedly observe, "that he knew xvi. 15-24; xvii. 5-10). If the thoughts of men:" and John Christ be no more than a man, or a expressly says, "that he knew all created being, such language can men; and needed not that any only serve to perplex a plain sub- should testify of man, for he knew ject, and mislead a simple reader what was in man" (John ii. 25; and it is plain, that much learning, 2 Chron. vi. 30; Jer. xvii. 9, 10). ingenuity, and labour are required If this were not an undeniable asto put any plausible sense upon it, cription of omniscience, Peter cerwhen his Deity is denied. tainly appealed to that divine atBut our Lord's repeated promises tribute without any reserve, when of sending the Holy Spirit to con- he said, "Lord, thou knowest all vince the world of sin, righteous- things, thou knowest that I love ness, and judgment, to glorify him, thee" (John xxi. 17). The attenand to teach and comfort his disci-tive reader of the evangelists will ples, &c., require a more particular observe for himself many expresconsideration. Without anticipat- sions of a similar nature, which are ing the subject of a future Essay, never used of prophets, apostles, or on the Deity and Personality of the angels; these serve to show us what Holy Spirit, we may assert without the disciples thought of their Lord;

and John remarks, that by his mi-11). And we find Jehovah of Hosts racles "he manifested forth his repeatedly saying to another proglory;" whereas all other servants phet, "thou shalt know that Jehoof God referred all their works to vah of Hosts hath sent me to thee" his glory alone (John ii. 11). (Zec. ii. 8-11; xiii. 7). However, The testimony of John Baptist when "the Word became flesh, and is peculiarly important in this in- tabernacled among men," all his quiry. He was filled with the true disciples saw his glory; the Holy Ghost from his mother's glory as of the only begotten of the womb;" being "more than a pro- Father, full of grace and truth" phet, and great in the sight of the (John i. 14). Lord, above all that had been born

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IV. The works, which Christ of woman" (Luke i. 15; vii. 26-hath undertaken, or performed, 28). Yet he deemed himself un- evince his Deity. He, "who creworthy "to loose the Redeemer's ated all things, and upholds them shoe-latchet;" he declared, that by the word of his power, came a "of his fullness he and all his fel-Light into the world, to be the low-servants had received;" that Light of the world," and to "en"he needed to be baptized of him;" lighten every man that cometh into and that "he came from heaven, the world" (John i. 4–9; xii. 46). and was above all." And though That eternal Life, which was with Jesus was the younger man, yet the Father, was manifested to be John assigned, as the reason why the life of men (1 John i. 1,3). He he was preferred before him," that hath engaged to give eternal life to he was before him," which is abso- all his true disciples, notwithstandlutely decisive in respect of his pre-ing the opposition of all their eneexistence (Matt. iii. 11-14; John mies; to prepare mansions in heai. 15, 16; iii. 27-36). Thus this ven for them all; to receive them most excellent servant of God abas- to himself; to raise all the dead by ed himself, and exalted the Saviour; his word; to judge the whole world; and in this was a perfect contrast to and to destroy all his adversaries those, who manifestly exalt them-" with everlasting destruction, from selves and degrade Him. The words his presence and from the glory of of Gabriel to Zecharias concerning his power," by which "he is able John, are also very remarkable, even to subdue all things unto himMany of the children of Israel self" (2 Thess. i. 7-10; Phil. iii. shall he turn to the Lord their God, 21). And can any thing suffice for and he shall go before Him," (even this, except omnipotence and ombefore the Lord his God), "in the niscience? The apostle speaks of spirit and power of Elias," &c. Christians, as " looking for the gloJohn was the forerunner of Christ, rious appearance of the great God and was sent to prepare his way be- and our Saviour Jesus Christ" (Tit. fore him. Who then can doubt, ii. 13). Now the great God will but the angel considered the Mes-not appear at the day of judgment, siah (that was about to appear as in his Essence (for no man hath Emmanuel), to be the Lord God of seen or can see him); but Christ Israel? This the prophets had will appear, as the great God our foretold, and one of them calls the Saviour and Judge, in his own glory Messenger or Angel of the Cove-as Mediator, and in the glory of the nant, Jehovah (Luke i. 16, 17; Father; exercising all divine perIsaiah xl. 3, 4, 10, 11; Malachi iii. fections and sovereign authority

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before the whole world. And in-kind and degree of honour shown deed his language respecting that them, which seemed to interfere decisive season is uniformly majes-with the glory of God; and the tic beyond expression, as every at- Scriptures referred to put this betentive reader must perceive. More-yond all doubt (Gen. xli. 16; Dan. over, Christ" is exalted to give re- ii. 28-30; Acts iii. 12, 13; x. 25, pentance;" he is "the Author and 26; xiv. 14, 15; Rev. xix. 10; Finisher of faith;" even when he xxii. 9). Yet it is obvious, that was "in the form of a servant," Jesus did not object to similar ho"he had power on earth to forgive nours; nay, that "he most honoursins." "He has the keys of death, ed those who thus honoured him" and the invisible world." 'Angels, (1 Sam. ii. 30); and approved of principalities, and powers are sub-men in exact proportion as they ject to him;" nay they are the an- had high thoughts of, and large exgels of his power;" and "all crea-pectations from him. Nor is there tures serve him." "Who then is a single exception from this rule, in this Son of David?" Is he not "the his whole history; for his answer Son of God?" Is he not the Root, to the young ruler who called him as well as the Offspring of David?"good teacher," was an intimation who, therefore, in spirit" called that he did not think highly enough him his Lord," many ages before he of him, and misapplied the epithet became his Son: for He is "the good to one, whom he deemed a Lord of all," "the Lord of Glory," mere man like himself. When the and "the Prince of life?" centurion compared his power over

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It is absurd to ascribe all this to all diseases, even in such as were a derived and delegated power (ex-at a distance, to his own authority cept as his human nature is intend- over his soldiers and servants, he ed); for how can omnipotence, om- highly commended the greatness of niscience, or omnipresence be com- his faith (Matt. viii. 8-10). When municated or exercised by a mere the afflicted parent besought him creature! Moreover, Jehovah de-" to help his unbelief;" and when clares that " He made all things by the disciples desired "him to inhimself;" and "will not give his crease their faith," no intimation glory to another; and that there is was given that their language was no God and Saviour besides Him" improper: but who can believe, that (Isaiah xliii. 10, 11: xliv. 8-24). apostles would have approved of Indeed, the authoritative manner such requests being made to them in which Christ wrought his mira-(Mark ix. 24; Luke xvii. 5)? He cles, in general without the least received, without reserve, that prosappearance of reliance on any power tration or worship, against which but his own, was very different from prophets, apostles, and angels, dethat of prophets or apostles; who took great care to have it understood, that they were merely the instruments of him in whose name they spoke.

cidedly protested, when paid to them (Matt. viii. 2; xv. 25; Luke xvii. 16; John ix. 35-38): and when various opinions were formed of him, he always best approved of V. The behaviour of our Lord those that thought most highly of towards those who honoured him, him, and even suggested still more constitutes another argument of our exalted apprehensions of his glory doctrine. The servants of God have (Matt. xvi. 13-19; John xi. 21always been decided against every 27). Now by what means can we

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