imbued than his with the principles of piety and devotion: "God was in all his thoughts." Hence do we perceive the beautiful consistency implied in his refusal of the epithet good, considered in its highest sense, with the whole tenor of his life as related by the evangelists.

If, however, it be still contended, that on this occasion our Lord did not exemplify that modesty of deportment which characterized his general behaviour, and that he put the question to the young man with a view merely of ascertaining his opinion, the argument for the Unitarian doctrine would lose but little of its strength. Jesus Christ pronounced GOD ALONE to be GOOD, in the most unqualified sense of that epithet; and most unreasonable would it be for us to believe, that he was himself that good God; for here, and everywhere in the New Testament, he is represented as contradistinguished from God, or the Father.See pp. 47-63.

(7) Christ not in possession of Omniscience, or of Underived Knowledge.

26. For, when a boy, he embraced opportunities of acquiring religious information;-Luke ii. 46, 47: "It came to pass, that after three days, they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions. And all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers."

27. He, consequently, "increased in wisdom, .... and in favour with God and man," Luke ii. 52.

28. He "learned obedience by the things which he suffered," Heb. v. 7, 8.

29. He wondered at the belief of the Roman centurion, and at the unbelief of some of his countrymen.-Mark vi.

6: "He marvelled because of their unbelief."-See Matt. viii. 10. Luke vii. 9.

30. Although, as respects the possession and communication of religious truth, he was vastly superior to other divine messengers ;-John iii. 34: "He whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God; for God giveth not the spirit by measure [unto him]."

upon

31. Yet it was the inspiration of Jehovah that was bestowed him.-Luke iv. 18, 19: "The spirit of the LORD [is] upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor, he hath sent me to preach deliverance to the captives," &c. Col. i. 19: " For it pleased [the Father] that in him should all fulness dwell" (comp. Col. ii. 8, 9.)-See Isa. xi. 1, 2; xlii. 1; lxi. 1, 2. Matt. xii. 18. Acts x. 38.

32. He, indeed, expressly asserted, that his doctrine was not his own, but His that sent him ;-John vii. 15— 17: "The Jews marvelled, saying, How knoweth this man letters, having never learned? Jesus answered them, and said, MY DOCTRINE IS NOT MINE, but His that sent me. If any man will do His will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or [whether] I speak of myself." Chap. xiv. 24: "THE WORD WHICH YE HEAR IS NOT MINE, but the Father's who sent me."

33. That he did nothing of himself; but spake only what he had seen with the Father, and heard from him; and what he had been shown and taught by the Father. John viii. 26-28: "He that sent me is true: and I speak to the world those things which I have heard of him. I DO NOTHING OF MYSELF; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things." Ver. 38-40: "I speak that which I have seen with my Father. But now ye seek to kill me, a man that

....

hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God." Chap. x. 32: "Many good works have I showed you from my Father." Chap. xv. 15: “ Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you." Chap. xvii. 8: “I have given unto them the words which thou GAVEST me; and they have received them," &c.

34. The great object to which he devoted his heart and soul was to act in conformity with the instructions of his Father.-John iv. 34: "6 My meat is to do the will of Him that sent me, and to finish his work." Chap. v. 30: "I can of mine own self do nothing: As I HEAR, 1 judge; and my judgment is just; because I SEEK NOT MINE OWN WILL, but the will of the Father who hath sent me." Chap. vi. 38: "I came down from heaven, NOT TO DO MINE OWN WILL, but the will of Him that sent me." Chap. xii. 49, 50: "I have not spoken of myself; but the Father who sent me, HE GAVE ME A COMMANDMENT what I should say, and what I should speak. And I know that his commandment is life everlasting: whatsoever I speak therefore, EVEN AS THE FATHER SAID UNTO ME, So I speak." Chap. xvii. 4: 66 I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work WHICH THOU GAVEST ME TO DO." Chap. xviii. 11" Then said Jesus unto Peter, Put up thy sword into the sheath: THE CUP WHICH MY FATHER HATH GIVEN ME, shall I not drink it ?"-See chap. x. 18; xiv. 31; xv. 19. Matt. xxvi. 39-44, et al. 35. Jesus Christ declared his ignorance of the precise period of his own coming;-Matt. xxiv. 36: "But of that day and hour knoweth no [man], no, not the angels of heaven, BUT MY FATHER ONLY" Mark xiii. 32:

"But of that day, and [that] hour, knoweth no man, no, not the angels who are in heaven, NEITHER THE SON, but the Father."

ovdels, no man.-Com. Ver.

none.-Boothroyd, Imp. Ver. no one.-Wakefield, E. Taylor,

Wardlaw, &c.

36. And affirmed that an acquaintance with certain events belongs to the Father only.--Acts i. 7: "And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons which THE FATHER HATH PUT IN HIS OWN POWER."

οἷς ὁ πατηρ έθετο εν τη ίδια εξουσια

quæ Pater posuit in propriâ auctoritate ..

quas Pater in suâ ipsius auctoritate statuit
which the Father hath reserved in his own power

which the Father hath appointed, or determined, by his own power..
which the Father hath put in his own disposal
which the Father keepeth in his own disposal
which the Father hath disposed according to his own authority

Arias Montanus.
Beza.

Doddridge, Wynne.
Kypke, apud Parkhurst.

Boothroyd, E. Taylor, Imp. Ver.
Wakefield. Similarly, Norton.
Livermore.

37. The knowledge which he possessed, even in his glorified state, was derived from the Almighty.-Rev. i. 1: "The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to show unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass," &c.

OBSERVATIONS ON THE IGNORANCE OF JESUS RESPECTING THE PRECISE TIME OF HIS COMING.

I. The opinion generally entertained by Trinitarian commentators is, that, when our Lord declared ignorance of the precise time of his coming, he spoke only in his human nature. This opinion is well known to be founded on the hypothesis, that Christ possesses two natures,-the one human and the other divine: the former including all the sinless properties of humanity; and the latter, everything essential to the nature and perfections of the Deity. But as neither prophet, nor apostle, nor evangelist, nor any inspired person whatever, not even Jesus Christ himself, announced that he was in possession of these two natures,

we dare not take for granted the truth of this opinion, even supposing the words under consideration could be explained in consistency with it. The assumption, however, we are bold to say, would not answer the purpose intended. The strict integrity of our Lord's character-the moral perfection that shone so conspicuously in his discourses and behaviour -forbids our conceiving him to assert, without the least apparent hesitation,--without the slightest modification of his own language, that he did not know the exact time of that event of which he had been treating; while he was conscious-as on Trinitarian principles he must have been conscious of being acquainted with the precise moment of the fulfilment of his prophecy. To attribute to the righteous Jesus such an assertion of ignorance, and such a consciousness of knowledge, is surely imputing to him conduct which it will be difficult to clear from the charge of culpability. But, in truth, no plausible reason can be assigned for supposing Christ to know perfectly the exact time of an event, while he disclaimed all knowledge of it; except that which arises from the necessity of the case ;- a necessity created only by the mysteries and contradictions involved in the popular doctrine of the Trinity.

On this subject, the observations of ABAUZIT are worthy of being quoted: "Supposing that Jesus Christ be the Supreme God, he cannot say, that he knows not the day of judgment, as on this supposition he knows it in an infallible manner by his Divinity. He cannot say in a general manner and without any limitation, that this day is unknown to him, without violating truth. The language which they have made Jesus Christ employ, in supposing that he had present to his mind this imaginary distinction, resembles that which I might hold, when, interrogated by a judge concerning facts which are very well known to me, I should reply, that they were unknown to me, under pretence that