he was absent in body,* was no proof that he was omnipresent, the fulfilment of this promise is no proof that Christ is omnipresent. See page 63.

Matt. xxviii. 20. "Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world."

This promise was addressed to the eleven Apostles. It implied that Christ would guide, protect, and succeed them in the execution of their high commission. The fol

lowing passage contains essentially the same promise, though expressed in different words. "And these signs shall follow them that believe: in my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay their hands on the sick and they shall recover."-Mark xvi. 17, 18. The fulfilment of this promise is recorded thus: And they went forth and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following.". Verse 20.

Pearce, Wakefield, Newcome, and many other excellent critics, say the phrase, "to the end of the world,” means, "to the end of the age;" i. e. "of the Jewish age or dispensation, which seems to limit the promise to that period of time."-Pearce.

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John. iii. 13. The Son of man which is in heaven.” The Greek phrase, rendered 'which is,' may be rendered which was,' as it is in John xii. 17. "The people that was with him." If the common reading be correct, the passage may only mean that the Son had an intimate. knowledge of the will and designs of the Father.. Christians are said "to sit together in heavenly places." Eph. ii. 6 Griesbach has marked the words " which is imihaven," as doubtful...

1.Cor. v. 3. Col. iii. 5
M

Omniscience.

John ii. 24, 25. "He knew all men, and needed not that any should testify of man, for he knew what was in man." John xx. 17. "Thou knowest all things."

Rev. ii. 23.

"All the churches shall know that I am

he which searcheth the reins and hearts."

It was an opinion prevalent among the Jews, that prophets knew the thoughts and characters of those with whom they conversed. Luke vii. 39. “Now, when the Pharisce which had bidden him, saw it, he spake within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have known. who, and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him." Nor did the Pharisee misapprehend the character of an inspired prophet. Elisha searched and knew the heart of Gehazi, his servant, and the heart of Hazael.* Peter searched and knew the thoughts and the hearts of Ananias and Sapphira. Christ possessed this power in a degree far superior to that of any man that ever lived. "For he whom God hath sent, speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him." John iii. 34. "The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, and the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of KNOWLEDGE and of the fear of the LORD; and shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears."Isa. xi. 2, 3.

Here we are taught in the clearest manner, that the transcendent wisdom and knowledge of Christ were not inherent in him as his own attributes, but were communicated to him by JEHOVAH.

With this representation of the derived knowledge of Christ, we may compare the following magnificent description of the underived and unaided wisdom and knowledge * See Kings v. 26, and viii. 12, 13.

† Acts v. 1-10.

of JEHOVAH, as given by the same prophet. "Who hath directed the Spirit of the LORD, or being his counsellor hath taught him? With whom took he counsel, or who instructed and taught him in the path of judgment, and taught him knowledge, and showed to him the way of understanding." Isa. xl. 13, 14. "It is the glory of God alone to know all things without being informed, and to pursue universally the best and wisest ends without being advised."

When John said to Christ, "Thou knowest all things," it is evident that he used the words in a very restricted sense; for he has the same expression in regard to Christians. 1 John ii. 20. “Ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things." As this phrase occurs no where but in the writings of John, and as he applies it to the disciples of Christ in general, it is clearly certain it does not imply omniscience. Christ assures us he knew not the time of the fulfilment of his own prophecy.-Mark xiii. 32. It implies that all things were revealed to him necessary for the accomplishment of his work.

Matt. xi. 27. "No man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him."

Luke x. 22. All things are delivered to me of my Father and no man knoweth who the Son is, but the Father; and who the Father is, but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him."

From this mutual knowledge of the Father and Son, Trinitarians have inferred the mystery of the equality of persons, and the unity of essence. But for such a conclusion there is no foundation. Whatever knowledge the Son has of the Father was delivered (revealed) to him. And he, to whom the Son reveals the Father, knows the Father. The Father's knowledge is inherent in him as his own attribute - he knows the Son without a revelation.

But neither the Son, nor any man, knows the Father but by revelation. Whatever is revealed, by the Father, may be known by the Son, and by any one to whom the Son shall reveal him..

Almighty Power.

Matt. xxviii. 18. "All power (εžovou authority) is given unto me in heaven and in earth."

As the highest authority, or power, exercised by Christ, was given to him, it is certain it was not inherent in him. as his own attribute. Accordingly he is nowhere in the Scriptures called "Almighty."

CLASS VII

PASSAGES IN WHICH THE PECULIAR WORKS OF GOD ARE SUPPOSED TO BE ASCRIBED TO CHRIST.

Creation of the World.

There is no passage of Scripture which asserts that Christ "made the world," or "created the world;" nor is he once called the "creator," or the "maker," of the world, or of any natural visible object. If those passages in the New Testament which ascribe creation to Christ, as in the Common: Version, relate to the natural world, then Christ sustained the same relation to God in the creation, which he does in the redemption,. of the world. "God, who . . . . spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, . . . by whom also he made the worlds."—Heb. i. 1, 2. As the prophets were the intermediate ministers by whom God spake to the fathers, so his Son was the intermediate minister by whom he made the worlds. The Son is called the "appointed heir," verse 2; and the "image" of the Father's person,. verse 3. But it is certain that the invisible God is not an. heir, nor an image. "All things were made by him."

...

John i. 3. Who made all things by him? Answer, “—God, who created all things by Jesus Christ."-Eph. iii. 9. But Griesbach has omitted the words, "by Jesus Christ," as spurious. In the longest, and as some think, the most explicit account in the New Testament of the creation, (Col. i. 15—19) the Apostle calls Christ "the image of the invisible God, the first born of every creature." This is not a description of Jehovah. The Apostle concludes by saying, "For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell." Whatever agency Christ exercised in the creation here described, was in subordination to the will of the Father. The doctrine of the creation, therefore, furnishes no evidence that Christ is God,

Forgiveness of Sins.

Mark ii. 7. "Who can forgive sins but God only?" Any one can forgive sins whom God is pleased to invest with adequate power and authority. Because Jesus said to the sick of the palsy, "Thy sins be forgiven thee," the Jews accused him of blasphemy. He replied, "Whether is it easier to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and walk. But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins."-Matt. ix. 2. Thus did Jesus teach them that it was as easy to forgive sins, as to heal the sick; and also repelled their charge of blasphemy by assuring them that he pronounced the forgiveness of sins as the Son of man, entirely dependent on God for his miraculous power. And thus was he understood by the people. For "when the multitude saw it, they marvelled, and glorified God which had given such power unto men." If having power to forgive sins proves Christ to be God, the Apostles may be proved to be Gods. For Christ said unto them, "As my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.... Whose soever sins ye remit, they are