of an all-pervading moral Deity, Himself for ever invisible... God manifests himself in the blazing sun, the fiery comet, and in the verdure and bloom of the boundless regions of the earth; but these are not the avenues through which a soul burdened with its sins would desire to approach its Maker. The gospel solves the difficulty. "It is by Jesus Christ that we have access to the Father." This vivid exhibition of his character, this personification of his moral attributes, opens to us the way. Here we see a manifestation of Divinity, an image of the invisible God, which comes as it were down to us: it meets our feeble faculties with a personification exactly adapted to their wants; so that the soul—when pressed by the trials and difficulties of its condition, when overwhelmed with sorrow, or bowed down by remorse, or earnestly longing for holiness-will pass by all the other outward exhibitions of the Deity, and approach the invisible Supreme through that manifestation of himself which he has made in the person of Jesus Christ, his Son, our Saviour. - JACOB ABBOTT : The Corner-stone, pp. 25–6, 48.

Here, again, Christ is spoken of, not as manifesting any essentially divine nature and attributes of his own, but rather the moral glory and perfections of the Deity; of the invisible Supreme; of that paternal Being to whom he stood in the relation of only-begotten or best-beloved Son.

The reality of Christ is what he expresses of God, not what he is in his physical conditions, or under his human limitations. He is here to express the absolute Being, especially His feeling, His love to man, His placableness, conversableness, and His real union to the race; in a word, to communicate his own life to the race, and graft Himself historically into it. Therefore, when we see him thus under the conditions of increase, obedience, worship, suffering, we have nothing to do but to ask what is here expressed; and, as long as we do that, we shall have no difficulty. HORACE BUSHNELL: God in Christ, p. 156.

This passage occurs as an explanation of Dr. BUSHNELL's view of the person of Christ, in opposition to the common one that Christ had a human soul distinct from a divine nature. We introduce it here merely to illustrate our position, that Jesus Christ was not the Being whom he represented, any more than the external world is the Creator whose goodness and glory it manifests.

All the texts of Scripture which speak of the indwelling of God in Christ, of Christ's union with God, of his acting as the representative, or his being the image, of God, will be explained more fully in their respective places in the sequel of the present work.

SECT. IX.

- AS HEAD OF THE CHURCH, AND AS JUDGE OF MANKIND, CHRIST DERIVED HIS POWER AND GLORY FROM GOD.

To Jesus' new commands

Be strict obedience paid:

O'er all his Father's house he stands
The Sovereign and the Head.

ISAAC WATTS.

There was some kind of lordship given or bestowed on Christ, whose very unction proves no less than an imparted dominion; as St. Peter tells us that he was "made both Lord and Christ," Acts ii. 36. What David spake of man, the apostle hath applied peculiarly unto him: "Thou crownedst him with glory and honor, and didst set him over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet," Heb. ii. 7, 8. Now, a dominion thus imparted, given, derived, or bestowed, cannot be that which belongeth unto God as God, founded in the divine nature, because whatsoever is such is absolute and independent. Wherefore, this lordship thus imparted or acquired appertaineth to the human nature, and belongeth to our Saviour as the Son of man. The right of judicature is part of this power; and Christ himself hath told us that the Father "hath given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of man" (John v. 27); and, by virtue of this delegated authority, the "Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels, and reward every man according to his works," Matt. xvi. 27. Part of the same dominion is the power of forgiving sins; as pardoning, no less than punishing, is a branch of the supreme magistracy; and Christ did therefore say to the sick of the palsy, "Thy sins be forgiven thee, that we might know that the Son of man had power on earth to forgive sins," Matt. ix. 2, 6. Another branch of that power is thè alteration of the law, there being the same authority required to abrogate or alter, which is to make a law; and Christ asserted himself to be "greater than the temple," showing that the "Son of man was Lord even of the sabbath-day," Matt. xii. 6, 8. This dominion thus given unto Christ in his human nature was a direct and plenary power over all things, but was not actually given him at once, but part while he lived on earth, part after his death and resurrection. For though it be true that "Jesus knew," before his death, "that the Father had

given all things into his hands" (John xiii. 3), yet it is observable that in the same place it is written, that he likewise knew " that he was come from God, and went to God;" and part of that power he received when he came from God, with part he was invested when he went to God,

so,

the first to enable him; the second, not only but also to reward him. "For to this end Christ both died, rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living," Rom. xiv. 9. After his resurrection, he said to his disciples, "All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth," Matt. xxviii. 18. "He drank of the brook in the way; therefore he hath lift up his head," Ps. cx. 7. Because "he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross, therefore God hath also highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name; that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father," Phil. ii. 8-11. Thus for and after his death he was instated in a full power and dominion over all things, even as the Son of man; but exalted by the Father, who "raised him from the dead, and set him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come; and hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be head over all things to the church," Eph. i. 20-22. BISHOP PEARSON: Exposition of the Creed, Art. II. pp. 216–17.

God hath committed the administration of this judgment to Christ, that he might hereby declare the righteousness and equity of it, in that mankind is judged by one in their own nature, a man like themselves; and therefore we find that the Scripture, when it speaks of Christ as Judge of the world, doth almost constantly call him "man" and "the Son of man," Matt. xiii. 41; xvi. 27; xxiv. 30; xxv. 31. Acts xvii. 31. By the constant use of which expression, the Scripture doth give us plainly to understand that this great honor of being Judge of the world was conferred upon the human nature of Christ; for, as he is God, he could not derive this power from any, it being originally inherent in the Deity. Which likewise appears in those expressions of his being ordained a Judge, and having all authority and judgment committed and given to him, Acts xvii. 31; John v. 22, 27. — Abridged from ARCHBISHOP TILLOTSON: Sermon 179; in Works, vol. ix. pp. 325–6.

...

In this place [Matt. xxviii. 18-20], you hear our Saviour declaring all power and authority to be given him at his resurrection; in consequence of which power, he commissions his disciples to convert, baptize, and instruct the world.... You see, likewise, that the powers delegated to the ministers of the church derive themselves from this power so received; and, consequently, all acts done by them in the name of Christ are founded in the power which he received at his resurrection. . . . The power over all things, the dominion both of the dead and the living [Rom. xiv. 9], commenced at the resurrection, which was indeed the very first step to glory and honor which our blessed Saviour took after his state of humiliation and sufferings. What can be added to this description of power and authority? [Eph. i. 17-23.] And yet the apostle founds all this upon his resurrection, and his exaltation consequent to it. Then were all things put under his feet; then was he given to be Head over the church, and set above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named. The Scripture abounds in evidence of this kind. And I think there is nothing plainer in the Gospel than that Christ Jesus is our Lord, because he hath redeemed us; that he is our King, being raised by the Father to all power and authority; that he is our Mediator and Intercessor, being set down on the right hand of God in the heavenly places. All honor and worship paid to Christ, in and by the church of God, are founded in this exaltation. BISHOP SHERLOCK: Discourses, vol. iv. pp. 58–9, 62.

Even in his human nature, he [Christ] was raised by God to a very illustrious dignity, John xvii. 5; Acts ii. 33-36; Eph. i. 20, seq.; Col. i. 17; Phil. ii. 9, 10. He is entitled to honor from every being, even from the higher intelligences, Heb. i. 6; Phil. ii. 9, 10; since he is henceforth raised in glory and majesty above all, 1 Pet. iii. 22. Hence a kingdom is ascribed to him, over which he reigns in heaven. He is called King, and divinely appointed Lord, Acts ii. 36; and Kúpos dóns, especially by Paul, 1 Cor. ii. 8, i.e. the glorious, adorable Lord. In Heb. i. 9, Paul applies to Christ the passage, Ps. xlv. 7, "God hath anointed thee with the oil of joy above thy fellows;" i. e., God honors thee more, and gives thee more privileges, than all the partners of thy dignity, the other kings, or sons of God. . . . . The government of Christ is described by himself and his apostles as being, not external and temporal, but spiritual, conducted principally by means of his religion, by the preaching of the gospel, and the power which attends it. This government, which Jesus administers as a

ment.

man, is not natural to him, or one which he attains by birth, but acquired. He received it from his Father as a reward for his sufferings, and for his faithful performance of the whole work and discharge of all the offices intrusted to him by God for the good of men, Phil. ii. 9; Heb. ii. 9, 10. Christ learned by his sufferings to obey God, and do his will; and he who knows how to obey so well is also qualified to govern well. . . The phrase ["sitting at the right hand of God"] is never applied to Christ, except when his humanity is spoken of, or when he is mentioned as Messiah, vɛávерwñог. The language, "Christ left his seat at the right hand of the Father in order to become man," was first used by the fathers who lived after the fourth century. Such language never occurs in the New Testa"Sitting at the right hand of God" is always there represented as the reward which the Messiah obtained from God, after his death and ascension, for the faithful accomplishment, when upon earth, of all his work for the salvation of man. It is the promised reward which the victor receives after a long contest: vide Acts ii. 31-36; Heb. xii. 2. Hence the Father is said to have placed Jesus at his right hand, Eph. i. 20. This phrase, therefore, beyond doubt, implies every thing which belongs to the glory of Christ considered as a man, and to the dominion over the entire universe, over the human race, and especially over the church and its members, which belongs to him as a king. This is the reward which he receives from the Father. . . . . The holding of the general judgment, as well as the raising of the dead, is commonly ascribed in the New Testament to Christ, and represented as a commission or plenipotentiary power, which the Father had given to the man Jesus as Messiah, Rom. ii. 16; John v. 22, 25; Matt. xvi. 27; Acts x. 42, xvii. 31. Christ himself assigns it as the reason why God had intrusted to him the holding of this judgment, that he is a man, John v. 27, coll. Acts xvii. 31. God has constituted him the Judge of men, because he is man, and knows from his own experience all the sufferings and infirmities to which our nature is exposed, and can therefore be compassionate and indulgent, Heb. ii. 14-17, coll. 1 Tim. ii. 5. Abridged from GEO. C. KNAPP: Christian Theology, sect. xcviii.; sect. xcix. II.; sect. clv. I.

.....

Of what nature is the kupiórns so often ascribed to the Saviour by Paul, and the other writers of the New Testament? Is it original or conferred? Does Christ as Messiah, and, in this capacity, as Lord of the church and of all things, possess original or delegated dominion? "God manifest in the flesh," the eternal Logos who "was with God,