Thus clearly is the divinity of Christ, at once the Son of man and the Son of God, established by his having life in Himself, even as the Father hath life in Himself; and displaying this attribute, (the peculiar character of the great First Cause,) in creating the universe for his glory, and raising from the dead the whole human race. But perhaps the divinity of our Redeemer is still more illustriously conspicuous in the moral powers ascribed to him, than in his physical power of bestowing or restoring life. To him is ascribed the same ALL-SEARCHING DISCERNMENT, THE SAME UNBOUNDED KNOWLEDGE, as to the supreme omniscient God. If the psalmist declares of God, "Lord thou hast searched me out, and known me; thou understandest my thoughts long before; thou art about my path, and about my bed, and spiest out all my ways; for lo, there is not a word in my tongue, but thou O Lord, knowest it altogether;"* the apostles, in language equally clear, attribute the same all-searching penetration, the same perpetual omniscience, to Christ. He pronounced the pious Nathanael "to be an Israelite indeed, in whom there was no guile ;" and when questioned, "Whence knowest thou me?" Jesus answered and said unto him, "Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee." Here the reference to some remarkable train of thought, or of secret devotion, which, at that particular moment had engaged the mind of this pious man, was so distinct and clear, as directly and decidedly to satisfy him, that none could thus have discerned it, but the omniscient God; for he instantly exclaimed, "Rabbi, thou art the Son of God, thou art the King of Israel." And the same apostle, who records this, declares, that "Jesus knew all men, and needed not that any should testify of man, for He knew what was in man:"§ and that He "knew from the beginning, who they were that believed not, and who should betray him."|| When the Pharisees" said within themselves, This man blasphemeth,"¶ Jesus knowing their thoughts, exposed their malignity. Why," said He, "think ye evil in your hearts ?" hearts ?" And this 66 *Psalm, cxxxix. 1-7. ↑ John, i. 47. || John, vi. 64 John, i. 49. occurred not once only, but frequently, on occasions so remote and different, as to prove that this power, which is surely exclusively appropriate to God, dwelt permanently and uniformly in Christ. Its exercise and effects perpetually appeared in his entire intercourse with men, whether with the people in general, or his chosen apostles. His reasonings and instructions were adapted to their secret thoughts, to their concealed fears and doubts, to their prejudices, however imperceptible even by themselves for all were clearly and equally seen by the Searcher of hearts. This adaptation of our Lord's language and conduct, to the secret thoughts, as well as the avowed sentiments or actions of his hearers, is a peculiarity found in every part of the Gospel narrative, and found in no other. In truth, no human experience could have suggested it; and no character, except his, who with the nature of man united the omniscience of God, could have sustained it. It stands a decisive and unerring mark of the divinity of Christ. Another character of divinity ascribed to our Redeemer, and and to him alone, is, the POWER OF FORGIVING SINS-not as declaring from a superior authority a conditional pardon, to be confirmed, when the person to whom it is offered shall have attained certain dispositions, or performed certain requisites; but a power of pronouncing absolutely, that the sins of certain individuals, to whom this declaration of mercy is made, were at that moment forgiven. The importance of this attestation to the divinity of our Redeemer will be materially illustrated, by carefully observing some of the principal occasions on which it was given. * The first occurs when a man sick of the palsy was brought," and (the surrounding multitude stopping every other access,) was let down through the roof into the apartment where Jesus was. Our Lord, highly approving the sincere and active faith, both of the suffering patient and his friends, said unto the sick of the palsy," Son, be of good cheer, thy sins be forgiven thee." Instantly his watchful enemies judged, and truly judged, that He had assumed to himself an incommunicable attribute of God. Instantly they said in their hearts, "Why * Matt. ix. 2, and Mark, ii. 7. doth this man thus speak blasphemies? who can forgive sins but God only ?" The justice of this their opinion as to God, the teacher of truth never controverts; but He proceeds to show, by plain and decisive facts, that their inference, that this power belonged not to himself, was mistaken; and He displays that all-searching wisdom, which instantly perceives every thought and every movement of the soul, and that almighty power which forms and commands the springs of human life. He asks, "Why reason ye these things in your hearts? whether is it easier to say to the sick of the palsy, thy sins be forgiven thee, or to say, Arise, and take up thy bed, and walk? But that ye may know, that the Son of Man hath power on earth to forgive sins, He saith to the sick of the palsy, Arise, take up thy bed, and go thy way unto thine house." As if He had said, you cannot doubt, that as I can penetrate into and lay open every thought and feeling of your own hearts, so can I discern the true state of this poor sufferer's soul, with all its moral maladies; and as surely as my word can restore his outward frame to health and soundness, so can I, with equal ease, remove the diseases of his soul, and pronounce his sins forgiven. Your senses assure you of the outward miracle; your reason must assure you, that I therefore act with the power and the authority of God, and can perform the moral cure, and grant the pardon which attends it, as certainly and effectively as I can restore vigour and activity to the palsied frame. 66 The instant accomplishment of this cure, on the sick of the palsy, appears to have wrought a powerful conviction in every mind, not blinded by prejudice, or hardened by malignity. They were all amazed, and glorified God, saying, We never saw it on this fashion." And when He went forth again, all the multitude resorted unto him-anxious undoubtedly to hear an instructor thus gifted not only with wisdom to teach and with power to heal, but with authority also to pardon sin; and one who, though appearing as the Son of Man, was thus proved to be the Son of God, possessing the divine attributes, and dispensing divine mercies. Equally striking was the case of a woman, who in the house of a Pharisee had approached our Lord, and by her deportment clearly evinced the humility of sincere repentance, and the fervour of genuine piety. The proud Pharisee saw that her humiliation was graciously accepted by our merciful Lord, and instantly his indignation was roused; he concluded our Lord ignorant of the human heart, and indifferent to the distinction between vice and virtue. "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, for she is a sinner."* This unforgiving hard-heartedness, this injurious suspicion, though concealed in sullen silence, did not escape the Searcher of hearts; He detected and exposed it with a wisdom and benignity truly divine: He directly met the thoughts of the Pharisee, yet compelled him to give a decision which should condemn his own hardness of heart. Jesus answering said unto him, "there was a certain creditor who had two debtors; the one owed him five hundred pence, and the other fifty; and when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both: tell me, therefore, which of them will love him most. Simon answered; I suppose he to whom he forgave most; and our Lord answered; thou hast rightly judged." This development of the principle and the efficacy of God's dealing with sinners, showing how the powerful influence of sincere repentance transforms the whole nature of the soul-this surely opens a view of divine mercy, which none but God ever did, or could open to the human mind. But the sequel of this most interesting narrative, still more plainly speaks the unequalled mercy, and the divine power of the Redeemer. After having compared the coldness of the Pharisee with the humble and zealous devotedness of the penitent, he adds, "wherefore I say unto thee, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loveth much; but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little: and he said unto her, thy sins be forgiven; thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace." Though, in this instance, the fitness of the penitent to receive pardon, and the reasons for granting it, were thus clearly explained by our divine Lord, still such of his hearers as regarded him only in his human character were scandalized and offended. "They that sat at meat with him, began to say within themselves, who is this that forgiveth *Luke vii. 36-50. sins also ?" So clearly did reason dictate, that the authority to forgive sins, which our Lord thus assumed could belong only to God. The last instance of his exercising this divine power, is in the case of the malefactor on the cross. Here, while our Lord hung depressed with sorrow, writhing in torture, and yielding his soul to death, yet his ear caught the first sound of sincere penitence and steady faith; and to the humble prayer, "Lord remember me, when thou comest into thy kingdom," he gave the prompt and merciful answer, "this day shalt thou be with me in paradise:❞—an answer which bespoke not only the tenderness of divine mercy, but the consciousness of divine power, at a moment when all human hope and power were utterly extinct. 66 The particulars of these facts unite with the whole tenor of Scripture, and the voice of reason, in assuring us, that the sinner will never be pardoned, except such a change is wrought in his soul, as makes it a fit object for pardon, and qualifies it for admission into the society of the blessed, and the presence of a just and holy God. "The pure in heart only can see God." "The unrighteous cannot inherit the kingdom of heaven." "We can be forgiven only as we forgive." "There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked." Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish." This change must evidently include sincere sorrow for those crimes which stained the soul; detestation of sin, as offensive to God, and degrading to ourselves; a reliance on the pardoning love of God, as the only hope of salvation; the subjugation of every impure, every malignant, every criminal desire, succeeded by fixed resolutions of obedience, by extended benevolence, steady faith, and fervent piety. Now, who but God can perfect this change in any human heart, by that various moral discipline, and those multiplied means of grace, which He only knows how to employ, and to apply? And who but God can discern the secret of the hearts, and the inmost movements of the soul, and discover certainly that this change is wrought? And, above all, who but God can command the whole series of causes and effects, which to all eternity must operate, to inflict punishment on the incorrigible, or secure the happiness of the pardoned sinner? Truly, therefore, was it concluded "that none can forgive sins but God alone," and that our Saviour, |