and that on many occasions, to guard the minds of his disciples, as well as those of all others, against their apprehending him to be any thing above a mere creature-Such as, that the Father was greater than he-That the day and hour, when certain things were to take place, were known, not even to the Son, but to the Father, &c.-That such express declarations of Christ were enough, in all reason, to remove, from their minds, all apprehensions, that he claimed to be any thing above a creature :-It may be observed, that whatever opinion they had of the exalted dignity of the character of their Lord, they actually considered him as acting in a capacity subordinate to that which, naturally and originally belonged to him. This is evident from the words of the apostle, where he tells us, that Christ Jesus, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God; but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant. And, if Jesus acted a subordinate part, and in a subordinate character; his saying that his Father was greater than he, his disciples might justly apprehend, was no otherwise than entirely consistent with his being truly a divine person-God as well as man. And, acting in this subordinate capacity, they might well suppose, that the appointment of the day and hour of which Christ speaks, was what did not belong to him: but, to that Father of his, to whom he appeared in the form of a servant. And, that these were, in fact, the apprehensions of the apostle, must be evident from his saying, that he, who was in the form of God, &c. took on him the form of a servant. The utter impropriety of saying, that a mere creature, who necessarily and by nature, could be no other than a servant, took on him such a form, must have occurred to the Apostle-It might, with equal propriety, be said, that he took on him existence.

THE language of Christ to his disciples, and that on

S

a variety of occasions, was such as might, not only ra. tionally be expected to beget, in them, an opinion, that he claimed to himself a character superior to that of a creature; but, it appears, did, in fact, leave a strong, impression on their minds, that Jesus ever meant to avow the claim.

THAT Such an impression was left on the minds of the apostles, is manifest from the respect they shewed him, after his ascension to heaven.-A respect, which it would be idolatrous to shew to any creature. They paid divine worship to the Lord Jesus by praying to him, and countenanced others in calling on his name, and encouraged them to it. Thus Paul tells us, that, when he was buffeted by the messenger of Satan, he besought the Lord thrice, that it might be taken from him. That the Lord, to whom he addressed his prayer, was Christ, is evident from the next words of the apostle. He tells us that he, that is the Lord to whom he addressed his prayer, said unto him, “ My grace is "sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect "in weakness." "Most gladly therefore," proceeds the apostle," will I rather glory in my infirmities, "that the power of Christ may rest upon me.' 2 Cor. xii. 8, 9.-Paul considered that strength, which is made perfect in weakness, to be the power of Christ. How naturally, and almost inevitably, would this lan guage, this representation of the apostle, lead those to whom he wrote, to believe, not only that Jesus was the object of religious adoration, but that He, both, heard and answered the prayers of his people-That He, by his grace, supported and strengthened his people under all their trials. In agreement with this, the Corinthian church well knew, that his first epistle to them was addressed to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours. How naturally will the minds of

Christians, on reading these passages, turn upon that ever memorable and gracious promise of Christ to his disciples, Matt. xviii. 20. For where two or three "are gathered together in my name, there am I in the "midst of them!"

PAUL was not the only one, who, Christians would naturally believe, paid divine honors and worship to Christ. The first martyr, Stephen, evidently did the same. We are told, that his enemies stoned him, "calling upon, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my "Spirit. And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud "voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge." Acts vii. 59, 60.

BUT these are not the only things, in the writings of the apostles, which, naturally and almost irresistably impress the mind with a belief, that they viewed Jesus as sustaining a character and powers far above those of any mere creature. When relating to the Corinthian Christians, things which took place, among the Jews, in the wilderness; and, speaking of the provacations they offered to God, he tells them, "Now "these things were our examples, to the intent we "should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted"Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also "tempted-" 1 Cor. x. 6, 9. He had just before said, that they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them; and, that that Rock was Christ. How naturally, and almost necessarily, would the Corinthians, and Christians in every succeeding age, be led, by such a representation as this, to suppose, that this great apostle viewed Jesus to be the same glorious God and Saviour, who led the people of Israel into the wilderness, and, for their tempting him so often, and in so daring a manner as they did, executed awful judgments on them! It is difficult to conceive, that the apostle should not be aware that his readers would

make such an inference, unless he had taken peculiar care to guard them against it; which he did not.

THESE things are mentioned to show the reason we have to apprehend, that Jesus left his apostles strongly impressed with a belief, that he was superior to any and every creature ;-yea, as John expresses it, that this is the true God, and eternal life. The same subject might still be pursued to advantage :-But as it may lead into the argument on the positive evidence, from the holy Scriptures, of the Divinity of Christ, we desist. On this argument it is not designed directly to enter any further, than to mention a number of circumstances and things, which concur to evince, that Jesus left both his friends and enemies, under strong impressions of a belief, that he claimed to himself a character and powers, which belong only to the true God.

On the circumstances now mentioned, which were evidently fitted to impress the minds of Christ's disciples with a belief, that he assumed to himself a character above that of a mere creature; and, the evidence that this was their effect; and, their minds indeed left under these impressions; the following observations are submitted, viz.

1. Ir Jesus had that concern for the honor and glory of the living and true God, which he ever professed, while on earth; it is utterly unaccountable, that he should, either do or say any thing, which should tend, in any measure, to beget an opinion, in his disciples, that he offered himself as an object worthy of divine honors, worship and trust, were he but a mere crea

ture.

THAT Christ really did and said many things, which, not only greatly tended to beget an opinion, in

his disciples, that, though possessed of human nature, he yet claimed powers and prerogatives, which are peculiar to Deity, but, actually had this effect; it is apprehended, is evident from passages of Scripture, which have been already quoted; and, the observations made on them. Christ well knew, that the whole heathen world was now sunk into gross idolatry. He well knew, too, the extreme proneness of God's own, these chosen people, to the same sin; and, the variety of means He had used with them, and the heavy evils and judgments, with which he had, again and again visited them, to break them off, from their idolatries, and to check and cure their wicked thirst after the idols and vanities of other nations. It is, also to be remembered, that the great and professed object of Christ's coming into the world was, to teach the true religion, and the right worship of the one living and true God. How, then, it could be possible, that he shoul, so often, do and say things, which, not only led the Jews, his enemies, to believe that he assu med to himself an equality with God; but, also, his own chosen witnesses, who were to bear his name through the earth, and be his heralds, among other nations, to publish the true religion, teach the only acceptable worship, and proclaim the way of salvation to perishing sinners.-How all this could be possible, were Jesus but a mere creature, it must be difficult, even to conceive. Yet that Jesus who came a light into the world, and of whom it is witnessed, that He was faithful in all God's house, in fact did all this.He not only died under the imputation, from his enemies, of being guilty of blasphemy in claiming an equality with God; but He finally left his own chosen friends and witnesses under so firm a belief, that He, himself, is the true God and eternal life, that they confidently addressed their prayers and worship to Him; and, readily yielded up their lives in testimony of their having, themselves, embraced, and faithfully