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attribute connected with it, but it is either in the plural number, as, I have said ye are gods; or by its connection evidences an inferior meaning, as, I will make Moses a god to Pharaoh. On the contrary, when the word God is used without any such connexion, and especially when any Divine attribute is added to it, we are certain that the Supreme Being alone is spoken of. Thus the most clear testimony is given in scripture to the divinity of our blessed Saviour. He that, according to the flesh, was a child born, and a son given, is also the MIGHTY GOD. (Isaiah ix. 6.) The TRUE GOD. (1 John v. 20.) The ONLY WISE GOD, (Jude 25.) Emmanuel, GOD WITH US. (Matt. i. 23.) GOD MANIFEST IN THE FLESH, (1 Tim. iii. 16.) God blessed FOR EVER, (Rom. ix. 5.) whom the inspired Psalmist thus addresses, Thy throne, O GOD, is for ever and ever; (Ps. xlv. 6.;) and whom Isaiah saw in his awful vision as the LORD OF HOSTS, adored by all the glorious company of heaven. (Chap. vi. compared with John xii. 41.)

6. It has been supposed that our Lord disclaimed all title to the Godhead, in the answer He gave to the Jews when they accused Him of blasphemy. John x. 33. They to whom that answer was given, thought otherwise, for they immediately attempted to apprehend Him, that they might punish Him for persisting in His blasphemy, as they judged it to be, but He escaped out of their hand, ver. 39. When our Lord called himself the Son of God, the Jews understood Him as claiming a Divine character, such as could belong to no mere man whatever: and their behaviour upon such occasions showed that they looked upon this language of Christ as blasphemy, and probably as "an attempt to seduce "them into idolatry; a thing which they durst not "entertain the most distant thought of." There

fore the Jews sought the more to kill Him, because He not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was His Father, making Himself BQUAL WITH GOD. (John v. 18.) And in the place above referred to, we stone Thee-for blasphemy, because that Thou, being a MAN, makest Thyself GOD. (Chap. x. 33.) It should be observed here, that the Jews had just before been requesting our Lord to give them a plain account of His real character: If Thou be the Christ (or Son of God) tell us PLAINLY, ver. 24. To this He answers, I told you and ye believed not, ver. 25. Now, can it be supposed that He had told them He was but a mere man, and yet could not persuade them to believe it? No; He had expressed Himself in such terms as amounted to a declaration, in their apprehensions, that He was equal with God. (See chap. v. 18.) To refer them therefore to His former answer, if He knew they misunderstood it, was "putting them off" indeed; and gives us no high idea of His integrity, or of the propriety of that title which is given Him, the Faithful Witness. But it is evident that they understood our Lord according to His own meaning, viz. as claiming an equality with the Father, for in that sense it was that they disbelieved His assertion. Again, if the Jews really misunderstood our Lord, then He persisted in deceiving them to His death; for He declared Himself to be the Son of God before the Sanhedrim, as is recorded by all the Evangelists, though He knew what idea the expression conveyed to them, and suffered Himself to be condemned to death on this very account, without giving the least intimation that they mistook Him, and that He meant to say He was but a mere man. So that if Christ was not God, equal with the Father, He was accessary to His own death, and therefore guilty of self-murder,

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The Divinity of Jesus Christ.

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since there needed no testimony but His own to clear him from the crime laid to His charge; and, in this case, the Sanhedrim did an act of justice in condemning Him to be guilty of death. (Mark xiv. 64.)

7. In the great work of mediation, our blessed Saviour condescended to take upon Him the form of a servant, and as the reward of His humiliation, has all authority and power over the church committed to Him: in this mediatorial kingdom He must reign till all things are put under His feet.* But when the end cometh, and the last enemy is destroyed, then shall He deliver up this kingdom to God, even the Father, and be Himself also subject to Him that put all things under Him, that God may be all in all. (1 Cor. xv. 24, &c.) Although the authority which He received from the Father as Mediator shall then cease, the work of mediation being fully accomplished; yet He shall still reign in the glory which He had with the Father before the world was, and that for ever and ever. (Rev. xi. 15.) He shall be, with the Father, the source of eternal bliss to the saints; and, with Him, constitute the very glory of heaven. The Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, (the redeemed,) and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe. away all tears from their eyes. (Rev. vii. 17.) And again, I saw no temple therein, says the favoured disciple, for the Lord God Almighty and the LAMB are the temple of it. And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the LAMB is the light thereof. (Rev. xxi. 22, 23.)

* Compare 1 Cor. xv. 27. with Phil. iii. 21.

Printed by J. CHILCOTT, 30, Wine Street, Bristol.

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