-that he was God?-No. Directly the reverse.

That he was sent by the God of heaven; and dependent on him for his miraculous powers. And such is the uniform and oft-repeated sentiment of his guileless lips. And if you contradict his unequivocal declarations, you deny the Lord Jesus. John vi. 38; v. 36; xi. 41.

6. You say that Jesus declared-"I and my Father are one." True. He also declared that husband and

wife were no more two but " one flesh." Do you take this expression in its literal sense; and really believe that the married couple are but one person? Or do you exercise your common sense; and conclude they are, or ought to be one in affection and design? In what sense then are Jesus and the Father one? Let his own words explain. "Holy Father, keep through thy own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as WE ARE. Neither pray I for these alone, but for them alse which shall believe on me through their word; that THEY ALL may be ONE; AS thou Father art in me, and I in thee, that THEY ALSO may be ONE in us." No clearer explanation of our Saviour's declaration need be given. He prays that his apostles, and all Christians, may be one with him and his Father; in the same manner as he and the Father are one; that is, one in affection, design, spirit, operation; and not one person, nor one God. If therefore you quote this saying of Jesus to prove that he is God, on the same grounds you may prove that the apostles and all Christians are God. But if you do this, you contradict the plain meaning of our Saviour's words; and consequently deny the Lord Jesus. John x. 30. Matth. xix. 5. John xvii. 11, 21.

7. You say that Jesus associated his name with his

"All power is given unto

Father's in the formula of baptism. True. But what does this prove? If being baptized into the name of any person proves that one to be God, then is Moses proved to be God. For all the Israelites " were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea." And if associating the name of any one with God proves the person to be God, then are the Prophets proved to be Gods. For the Jews were commanded to "believe the Lord God," and "his Prophets." Then these circumstances will not prove Jesus to be God. Now turn to the place in which Jesus commissioned his apostles. You see he took all necessary pains to prevent every one from inferring that he was any part of God, merely because his name was associated with his Father's. For he begins his address in these words. me in heaven and in earth." If all power was given him, there must have been a time when it was not in his possession. And if so, he could not be the eternal God; for God must have had all power from eternity. And if any thing could be given to Jesus, he could not be God; for nothing can be given to the original possessor of all things. And if power was given to Jesus by his Father, he must be a dependent being; dependent on his Father for this gift. All this is plain; so plain, that if any one cannot draw this simple conclusion from our Saviour's words, he cannot be answerable for his opinions. The apostles, however, understood the meaning of his words. And if you will turn to their first and their last sermons, you will learn how they explained their commission. Instead of declaring, that there was one God, the Father, son, and holy spirit; they uniformly declared that there was but one God, the Father; that he had raised up Je

sus to be a Saviour; and that he had wrought miracles by him, with his holy spirit, to convince the world of his Messiahship. So that this passage, instead of proving Jesus to be God, proves him to be dependent for his power on his God and Father. And it is truth to declare, that the names, attributes, offices, works, and words of Jesus, instead of proving him to be God, afford the most satisfactory evidence of his inferiority to the Father; and his dependence on him for these very names, offices, works and words.

What then must be our conclusion. The testimony of the Bible is uniform and consistent. It proves that there is but one God, the Father. It also proves that Jesus is the son of God; a distinct being from his Fa-· ther; and wholly dependent on him for his existence, his preservation, his power, his wisdom, and knowledge. If, therefore, I act like a rational being, and submit to reasonable, scriptural evidence, I must conclude, that Jesus is not the supreme God. And as an honest man, I dare not reject this conclusion. I dare not contradict the explicit declarations of Moses and the Prophets, Jesus and the apostles. And when Jesus unequivocally declares, that the Father is the only true God, I dare not accuse him of uttering falsehood. I dare not unite with the Jews in accusing him of making himself God. For I would not knowingly deny the Lord Jesus.

II. Another instance of the first kind of denial is recorded in the fifth chapter of John's gospel. The Jews accused Jesus of making himself equal with God! By so doing, they contradicted his declarations; and consequently denied the Lord Jesus.

1. The circumstances were these. Jesus healed an impotent man on the sabbath day. This so enraged the Jews, that they sought to take his life. He defended his benevolent deed with this observation. 66 'My Father worketh hitherto, and I work." They immediately accused him of making himself equal with God! He quickly denied the truth of their accusation, with his strongest affirmation. "Verily, verily, I say unto you, the son can do nothing of himself." A more explicit, direct, positive denial, he could not have given. For if the son can do nothing of himself, he surely cannot be equal with God, who can of himself do all things. In substance, therefore, Jesus declared that he had not made himself equal with God; and that he was not his equal in any sense; because he could do nothing without his assistance. The Jews contradicted the natural meaning of his words; and consequently denied the Lord Jesus. John v. 17, 19.

2. If you say that Jesus is equal with God, you contradict the declarations of Moses and the Prophets. By the word God, when applied to the supreme Being, I understand one uncreated, underived, self-existent, eternal, all-perfect, all-pervading spirit. To say this infinite being is equal with himself, is perfect nonsense. If then you say that Jesus is equal to God, he must be a second uncreated, underived, self-existent, eternal, allperfect, all-pervading spirit; and consequently, a second Deity. But the infinite God declared "I am God, and there is none else." If Jesus is equal with God he must also be with him, filling immensity. But the infinite God declared-"There is no God with me." If Jesus is equal with God, he must likewise be like him. But

the infinite God declared-"I am God, there is none else, none like me." If then you place confidence in the words of the Almighty, you cannot believe there is any infinite being equal to the one true God; or with the one true God; or like the one true God. And when Jesus was baptized, the infinite God declared from heaven-"This is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased."

This is conclusive evidence that Jesus is a distinct being from the infinite God; and also, that he is no third part, no equal part, no part, of the infinite God; but truly the son of God. And so he is represented throughout the old Testament; the messiah, the anointed, the redeemer, the sun of righteousness, the prince of peace, whom the infinite God would bring into existence, and qualify to be the Saviour of the world. And not in one instance is it even hinted that he should be equal to the eternal Jehovah. If then you say that Jesus is equal with God, you contradict the uniform declarations of the ancient Prophets; and consequently deny the Lord Jesus. Isaiah xlv. 22. Deut. xxxii. 39. Isaiah xlvi. 9. Matth. iv. 17.

3. If you say that Jesus is equal with God, you contradict his own declarations. All his sayings, which I have already quoted to prove that he is not God, also prove that he is not equal with God. For they prove that he is not self-existent, independent, omnipotent, infinitely wise and good, and omniscient. And if he does not possess any or all of these attributes, as he explicitly declared he did not; he cannot be equal to the eternal God. Besides these, other passages may be produced. Speaking of himself, he said "I am the son of God." If he is a son, he must depend on a Father for existence; for