so great, so benevolent, so demonstrative of a divine agency ? Moses indeed and the prophets wrought some few miracles : but how ? they wrought them uniformly by application to Jehovah for the intervention of his power : but look at my miracles : on some occasions indeed, I also, acting in my mediatorial capacity, have acknowledged my dependence on him, and have acted " in his name," as his servant1; (for as Mediator, I am his servant :) but, as being One with the Father, I have wrought in instances without number by that power and authority which I possess in common with the Father. Whence had I the power to still the elements as I have donem ; or to expel Satan", or to raise the dead0? When the leper justly acknowledged my power to effect whatsoever I ivould ; to whom was I indebted for power to heal him, when I said, " I will, Be thou clean p?" '
Such an appeal as this was sufficient to convince the most incredulous : and it receives much additional light from the manner in which the Apostles wrought their miracles: they wrought them invariably in the name of Jesus'1 ; and disclaimed all idea of any inherent power in themselves, or even of any goodness on account of which God had wrought by them ; so fearful were they, lest by any means they should rob the Lord Jesus of the honour due unto his name1,
Shall it be said that our Lord did not mean in this appeal to assert his true and proper Godhead ? Then see both his words, and the sense in which his enraged adversaries continued to understand them : " Though ye believe not me, believe the works ; that ye may know and believe, that the Father is in me, and T in him. — Therefore they sought again to take him." Here are two things demonstrated ; first, that his enemies understood him to affect equality with God : and next, that He, knowing that they did so understand him, renewed and confirmed the assertions which they had so interpreted. A clearer explanation of what he affirmed, or a stronger proof of what he is, we cannot reasonably desire.]
We are the more earnest in establishing the Di- vinity of our blessed Lord, because it is intimately connected with every fundamental truth of our holy religion.
To illustrate more fully the truth asserted, I pro- ceed to mark,
1 Luke xi. 41—43. m Mark iv. 39. » Mark ix. 25.
0 Mark v. 41. Luke vii. 14. P Matt. viii. 3.
<i Acts ix. 34. and xvi. 18. r Acts Hi. 6, 12, 10. with iv. 9, 10, 12.
52i JOHN, X. 30. [16C0.
II. The incalculable importance of it —
This truth established, we behold in the clearest light—
1. The dignity of his person —
[Because God condescended to take our nature upon him, we requite his love by denying him to be God. But know that Jesus Christ is indeed " the true Gods," " the mighty God4," "the great God and our Saviour u," "God over all, blessed for evermore x." He is " the brightness of his Father's glory, and the express image of his person y ;" yea, in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily z." Hear what he himself saith unto Philip: Philip, having heard him speaking of the Father, as actually known to his Disciples, and already seen by them, saith, " Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us." To this Jesus replies, " Have I been so long with you, and hast thou not known me, Philip ? He that hath seen me, hath seen the Father; and how say est thou then, Shew us the Father? Belie vest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me ? Believe me, that I am in the Father, and the Father in me; or else believe me for the very works' sakea." Now, I ask, if Jesus had not been really " one with the Father, would he have dared to use such language as this ? And, if his Dis- ciples were guilty of idolatry in worshipping him, was not the fault altogether his ? Were not his words and his arguments expressly calculated to mislead and deceive them? But there is no room for doubt on this head. We never can entertain too high thoughts of him ; nor can we ever honour him as we ought, unless we " honour him, even as we honour the Fatherh."~\