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from what the Germans call a one-sidedness which prevents the author from understanding our hearts. There is room for the Saviour's condescension without his being on the throne of the Infinite Father. Think of him as invested with divine au thority and power, and yet, without any profession of asceticism, living as he did among humble and sinful men in utter self-forgetfulness, not having where to lay his head! Think of him as able to call down from the skies armies of angels, and yet, when accused, holding his peace and allowing himself to be scoffed at, spit upon, scourged, crowned with thorns and crucified! Certainly if we had any wish to abate the Redeemer's glory, nay, if it were not our earnest desire to glorify him by realizing his true exaltation, the severe and reproachful remarks Mr. Bickersteth applies, for the most part, to former thoughts of his own, would be indeed deserved by us. But I know not how we can so well honor the blessed one of God as by humbly and devoutly seeking him as our teacher in all spiritual things. Our object, therefore, in searching the New Testament is to ascertain what is the teaching of Christ. And what we feel that he has taught us we cannot blush to receive, and we dare not shrink from confessing before men. This, therefore, must be our plea for turning away from the suggestions of reproach, which have been made to our consciences; as Christians our one question is, "What is the teaching of Christ and his apostles ?"

CHAPTER III.

INQUIRY INTO THE INDIRECT EVIDENCE IN FAVOR OF

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THE DEITY OF CHRIST.

Nothing can be more erroneous in most cases, than to draw the conclusion that, because the Scripture asserts some particular thing to have been done by God, therefore He did it immediately, and no instruments were employed by Him. In interpreting the principles of human laws, we say, 'He who does anything by another does it himself.' Does not common sense approve of this as applied to the language of the Scripture? Nothing can be more evident than that the sacred writers have expressed themselves in a manner which recognizes this principle."-Professor Stuart.

Do the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments indirectly prove the co-equal Deity of the Father and Christ? A large portion of the evidence usually advanced under this head melts away before the great truth that Christ is the manifestation of the Father. For example, if God and Christ be united throughout in giving us Christianity, and in our redemption and sanctification, is it wonderful that their names should be associated in such passages as the following ?"Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ."-Titus i. 1.

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by Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead."-Gal. i. 1. "Unto the Church of God, which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus."-1 Cor. i. 2.

"Unto the Church of the Thessalonians, which is in God the Father, and in the Lord Jesus Christ."1 Thess. i. 1. Also, "The Church . . . in God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ."-2 Thess. i. 1.

Unless God and our Lord Jesus be co-equal, Mr. Bickersteth thinks the divine supremacy would be compromised by the mention of the names together, as much as an Emperor's would be by one calling himself a servant of the Emperor and the Ambassador. Even in such a case, however, I cannot help thinking both names would be made prominent if it were essential to the object of the Embassy that both persons should be kept in view. But such illustrations shew how little those who would convert us know what spirit we are of. Mr. Bickersteth says: "The privileges of Christians are surpassingly great, but mark how they are all ours in Christ." This is a teaching on which I also have laid the utmost stress, for not only have we all our Christian privileges in him, but we cannot fulfil our duties as his disciples, and attain the character of children of God unless we abide in him and he in us. I know of no Christianity without Christ as our mediator; nor can I understand why the nearest to God, appointed by Him as our means of access, may not frequently be associated with Him in name: but where the two names are used in conjunction there is at least in a very large number of instances something that clearly marks a distinction. If, in the Epistle to Titus i. 4, we read, "Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour," the expression, "God the Father," reminds us of His

supremacy. So in Gal. i. 1, the apostle speaks of God the Father, who raised Jesus from the dead, but not of God the Son. Again, in the third and fourth verses of the same chapter "Grace be to you and

peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ, Who gave himself for our sins that he might deliver us from this present evil world according to the will of our God and Father" (TOû Ocоû кaÌ Πατρὸς ήμων).

"Unto the Church of the Thessalonians which is in God the Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ."Thess. i. 1.

"The Church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ."-2 Thess. i. 1.

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places, in Christ.”—Eph. i. 3.

Surely if Christ were co-equal with the Father, the title "God" would be applied to both in these and similar instances.

Particular stress is laid on the epithets Redeemer, Saviour, Shepherd, Judge, which are used in connection both with the Father and the Son. But these epithets are applicable to both, whether we adopt the Trinitarian or the Unitarian hypothesis of Christ's nature. God was the Redeemer of the Jews from many a bondage, and Christ is the Redeemer of Christians from the bondage of sin and death. But even with regard to Christianity itself, God as well as Christ is our Redeemer, for "all things are of God, who hath reconciled Himself to us by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of recon

ciliation; to wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation."* And when Isaiah says, "Beside me, no Saviour," he surely does not mean that God will employ no instruments, but that God is Saviour in the highest sense, and that by whomsoever the salvation may be accomplished, the efficient help and power are primarily from God Himself. The meaning is in effect, place your ultimate confidence in me, In Nehemiah ix. 27, we read: "Thou gavest them Saviours who saved them out of the hand of their enemies."

And there is a sense in which we may be God's instruments in saving one another. Yet in God's presence who would not say with the devout Thomas à Kempis, "Many friends cannot profit, nor strong helpers assist, nor prudent counsellors advise, nor the books of the learned afford comfort, nor any precious substance deliver, nor any place give shelter, unless Thou Thyself dost assist, strengthen, console, instruct, and guard us?" Nor will even the especial manner, in which the title Saviour has become associated with Jesus Christ, cause us to forget God our Saviour, whom Mary celebrates in the Magnificat.†

* In Jude 25, our Common Version has " To the only wise God our Saviour be glory and majesty," etc. This should be as corrected by Griesbach "To the only God our Saviour, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory," etc.

The entire fulness of blessings, consummated by the appearance of the Messiah, lay spread out before her, and she applied the general salvation to herself as well. God was in Christ her Saviour also. Olshausen's Commentary, vol. i., p. 105.

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