網頁圖片
PDF
ePub 版

to assure them, that he was one with God his Father in design and operation, not in nature. Shocked at the idea of blasphemy, would he not at once have acquitted himself of the charge? Would not any of his apostles, or any good man on earth, who had been so grossly mistaken, have rectified the mistake as soon as possible? Our Lord's not doing it, when every circumstance called for the frank acknowledgment, is in my judgment no inconsiderable proof that he was a divine person.

If we consider him in no other light than as a teacher sent from God to instruct and to reform mankind, it seems to have been his duty to remove the prejudices which the Jews had imbibed against him, that so he might answer the design of his mission. Instead of this, he makes an appeal to his miraculous works, as proof that he was in the Father, and the Father in him. The Jews still believed that he made himself God; therefore "they sought to take him; but he escaped out of their hands." He left them, my brethren, under the influence of a very important error, provided he was not really God. "Nor did our Lord give any intimation," says one, "that they had misunderstood him; nor yet the evangelist, as he does in several other instances of much less importance; which silence is a strong presumptive proof, that they were not under a mistake about the sense of the words: for such a mistake, on the principles of our opposers, might have been an occasion of idolatry in them; and a mistake of that kind not remarked by the historian, would be calculated to answer the same pernicious purpose in succeeding generations. But

if he refused to correct so dangerous a mistake on their account, yet was it not necessary that he should have done it on ours? that when we read his gospel we might not entertain the detestable thought that he equalled himself with the Most High? If, however, he thought it proper not to explain himself at that time, yet it might have been expected that his disciples should have given us the true sense of the mysterious words, when they reported them."*

Dr. Abbadie's Treatise on the Deity of Jesus Christ, &c. in which this important subject is handled in a most masterly manner; and well merits the attention of both the friends and opposers of the doctrine,

[blocks in formation]

For after that, in the wisdom of God, the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.

THE language and conduct of the disciples of Christ prove, that they received him as a divine person. John tells us, (chap. v. 23.) that it is the will of God, "that all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son, honoureth not the Father, who hath sent him." Compared with Heb. i. 6. "And again, when he bringeth in the first begotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him." The best comment on such passages will probably be found, in the conduct of his immediate followers. If they, who were favoured with divine inspiration, actually worshipped him, we may safely believe that they received him as very and eternal God. This then really was the case with Stephen. "And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” Here we see a pious martyr in the hour of dissolution, addressing himself to Jesus Christ in a solemn act of religious worship: therefore we conclude Jesus Christ is truly God.

In 2 Cor. xii. 8, 9. we observe that Paul prays to Christ when there was given to him a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to buffet him: "For this thing, I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness." What follows proves that by the Lord whom he addressed, Christ is intended. "Most gladly therefore will I glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me." The Lord had promised him that his grace should be sufficient for him; this grace he calls the power of Christ; signifying, that the Lord Christ, to whom he addressed himself, had given him this gracious answer.

Though there are many other texts in the writings of the apostles that are of the same import, I shall only mention the following plain, decisive passage: "And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne, and the beasts, and the elders and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand; saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing. 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, heard I, saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb forever and ever." I appeal to every unprejudiced mind, whether there can possibly be a more solemn act

*

John xiv. 1. Rom. x. 12, 13. Rom. xv. 12. 2 Cor. ix.

Acts ix. 14, &c.

of supreme worship than this, which is ascribed equally to the Lamb that was slain, as to him that sitteth upon the throne? And will any man, after reading this passage, hesitate a moment, whether he ought to pay the highest honour to the Son of God, who is the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person?

What idea would a man of common sense form of the character of Jesus Christ, upon reading Philip. ii. 6. "Who being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God?" Would he not naturally think, either that Jesus Christ is a divine person, or that he was guilty of the most horrid impiety? It would have been a robbery of the most blasphemous kind, for a creature, however exalted, to claim equality with Jehovah and instead of his being celebrated for his humility, he ought to be considered as a monster of pride and wickedness. But if we admit the idea of his true and proper deity, we are at once led to admire his unparalleled condescension. He, "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 was made in the likeness of men; and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross." The moment we deny the divinity of Christ, I conceive we destroy the apostle's argument.

"The following words, as they stand in our translation, go on to describe the excellency of his glory, which was so real and transcendent a glory, that he thought it not robbery to be,'

e. he thought himself entitled to be equal

« 上一頁繼續 »