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SERMON VIII.

THE DIVINITY OF CHRIST.

JOHN, i. 1.

"In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and the word was God."

IN discoursing from these words at morning service, my brethren, we stated it to be our design to vindicate the doctrine of Christ's divinity. In the prosecution of this design, the following proposition was offered-If the names, the attributes, the works, the worship of Deity, are ascribed in our scriptures to Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ is God. We found that various names expressive of Deity are assigned in scripture to Jesus Christ, that he is called the LordGod-the mighty God-the true God and eternal life-and we intimated that it was to charge upon divine revelation language of a most pernicious and dangerous tendency, to interpret these expressions and others of a similar kind in any other than their most literal sense. We found also that the attributes of Deity are ascribed in scripture to Jesus Christ. As eternity; which, when asserted of our Saviour, necessarily leads us to invest him with Divinity; since it cannot be the property of a creature. Immensity and Omnipresence--to evince which, we cited, among other authorities, his own promise to his apostles and ministers when he commissioned them to preach and baptize, that his presence should accompany them at all times, and in all places, in the discharge of their functions:-Omnipotence--displayed

in several passages which we presented to your meditation; and in the multitude of miracles he performed while ministering on earth-miracles, differing from those of his apostles and disciples in this, that he wrought in his own name, and by his own authority, in the immediate exertion of inherent power; but they wrought in his name and by his authority, in the exercise of communicated power: Omniscience-exemplified, as in other instances, so in the conversation of our Lord with St. Peter, and in the oracle pronounced by his own sacred lips when St. John beheld him in prophetick vision: Immutability-confirmed by a passage we produced from the CII. Psalm and applied to our Saviour by the inspired author of the Epistle to the Hebrews. We found in the third place, that the works of Deity are ascribed in our scriptures to Jesus Christ. We found it, particularly, with respect to the creation and preservation of all things, and the performance of miraculous acts. Thus far we had proceeded; and will now resume the subject by observing, under this head, that

Works of grace are referred by scripture to our blessed Lord. Election is ascribed to him; "I speak not of you all," says he, "I know whom I have chosen."* Redemption-"Take heed, therefore, unto yourselves," says St. Paul to the bishops of Ephesus, "and to all the flock over which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood." Vocation-Other sheep I have, which are not of this fold:" says Christ; "them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd." Sanctification--Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word." The mission of the Holy Ghost"Nevertheless," says he to his disciples, "I tell you the truth; it is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not *John, xiii. 18. † Acts, xx. 28. + John, x. 16. Eph. v. 25. 26.

away the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you."*"But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the spirit of truth which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me." Defence against spiritual enemies and the gift of eternal life-"I am come," said our Lord, "that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." "And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any pluck them out of my hand."§ The reanimation of the body and the resurrection of the dead are attributed to Christ; as we have already had occasion to notice. To all these, I add, the general judgment which will be instituted and conducted by Jesus Christ. The works, therefore, of Deity; creation-providence-redemption-ascribed to our Saviour, demonstrate unanswerably that he is God. But, perhaps, there can be no argument more illustrative of this position than that which constitutes our fourth general head, and to that we will proceed.

The worship of Deity is ascribed in our scriptures to Jesus Christ. There is no princple of our religion more incontestable than this-that worship is to be offered to God only. Idolatry is a crime which is classed with adultery and murder, and at which the whole artillery of heaven's vengeance is pointed. If notwithstanding this, we are led by the fair construction of scriptural language to pay religious homage to Jesus Christ, how shall we avoid the consequence, Jesus Christ is God? Worship comprises faithhope--invocation—adoration, and ascription of glory. Each of these acts of worship may terminate, on the warrant of scripture, in Jesus Christ. Faith-"Ye believe in God; believe also in me:"|| said our Lord. "Blessed are all they that put their trust in him;" saith the Psalmist;¶ "but, cursed be the man that trusteth in man;"** saith God by the mouth of Jeremiah. Hope--"Paul, an apostle of Jesus

* John, xvi. 7. † John, xv. 26. 1 John, xiv. 1. 1 Psalm, ii. 12.

John, x. 10. § John, x. 28. ** Jer. xvii. 5.

Christ by the commandment of God our Saviour, and Lord Jesus Christ, which is our hope."* Invocation-"Grace -mercy and peace-from God our Father, and Jesus Christ our Lord;" is that of St. Paul in behalf of Timothy. And such forms of invocation, which implore equal blessings from the Son, and the Father, abound in the writings of that apostle. Persuaded of this truth, that Jesus Christ is intitled to the prayers of his people, we hear St. Stephen address him -"Lord Jesus, receive my spirit;" and it is characteristical of the faithful generally, that they "call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord." Adoration-The Epistle to the Hebrews hath these words; "when he bringeth in his first begotten into the world he saith, and let all the angels of God worship him." "Kiss the Son," saith the Psalmist, that is, be reconciled to his dominion-bow to his supremacy. "For the Father judgeth no man," saith our Saviour, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: That all men should honour the Son even as they honour the Father."**"Wherefore, God also hath highly exalted him," writes the apostle,†† “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." Ascription of glory-"And every creature which is in Heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them," were heard by the apostolical prophet‡‡ to say, "Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb, forever and ever."

My brethren; we have executed the plan proposed in entering upon this subject. We have found, in pursuing it, that the names-the attributes-the works-the worship of Deity, are ascribed in our scriptures to Jesus Christ: and

* 1 Tim. i. 1. † 1 Tim. i. 2.

↑ Psalm, ii. 12. ** John, v. 22. 23.

Acts, vii. 59. § 1. Cor. i. 2. Heb. i. 6. †† Philip. ii. 9.-11. ‡‡ Rev. v. 13.