words heavenly and heaven, which occur in the 12th verse, and in the first clause of the 13th, metaphorically, as signifying the sublime or mysterious doctrines of religion, but drop the figure when they come to the second and third clause of the 13th verse, and represent our Saviour as asserting that he as the son of man left heaven, his state of glory, and was, at the same time, as the son of man, in that state of glory. But surely an interpretation leading to such an absurd conclusion may well be pronounced inconsistent both with itself, and with the dogma which it professes to illustrate-as well as in direct opposition to the spirit, and even to the letter, of the passage. The meaning of verse 13th is probably as follows: "No man is so well instructed in the character and designs of God, as Jesus of Nazareth, who was appointed to be the Revealer of the Divine will, and who, being abundantly endowed with the holy spirit, was eminently qualified for executing his glorious commission."

To confirm our exposition of the passage we have been discussing, it may justly be remarked, that if the phrase "who is in heaven" affords sufficient evidence for the omnipresence of Christ, similar expressions applied in Scripture to the primitive Christians" will, on the same principle of interpretation, equally establish the omnipresence of his disciples!

4. No mention is here made of the ubiquity either of Christ or of God. Jesus evidently meant to promise, that with his disciples only—with those who obeyed his commands-should he and his Father make their abode. The sentiment, though figurative, is replete with love and truth; but is as little favourable to the doctrine of Christ's omnipresence, as other expressions of a similar import, in the same discourse, and in his intercessory prayer, are to the omnipresence of the disciples. Jesus not only spoke of being with his followers, and of residing with them, but sometimes varied his language by the employment of such phrases as being in them, dwelling in them, and THEY IN HIM." According to the Trinitarian principle of interpreting Scripture, these words will prove, that Christians exist in every part of space; for if Jesus be omnipresent, and his followers dwell in him, then must they be where he is,—namely, everywhere.

5. This text is considered by few respectable writers of the Trinitarian persuasion as affording any support to the doctrine of the omnipresence of our Lord. But as it is sometimes prominently exhibited, in an insulated state, in tracts designed for popular use, we may be allowed to present it, with others of a similar kind, to show the utter invalidity of the argument built thereon. It is evident, that St. Paul means only to represent Jesus as the head of the Christian church, to which he was appointed by God, and which, in the apostolic age, was supplied by him with miraculous gifts from the Father for the diffusion of Gospel truth.P

SECT. IX.-EXAMINATION OF THE SCRIPTURE EVIDENCE ALLEGED FOR THE OPINION, THAT CHRIST IS OMNISCIENT.

SECT. IX.-EXAMINATION OF THE SCRIPTURE EVIDENCE ALLEGED FOR THE OPINION, THAT CHRIST IS OMNISCIENT.

OBSERVATIONS.

1, 2. That Jesus possessed an intimate acquaintance with the human heart,a deep, a supernatural insight into human character, cannot be questioned by any one who admits the divine origin of Christianity. The inquiry, then, will be, Whether a knowledge of the dispositions and thoughts of men can be imparted by God to created beings? Whether such knowledge was received by our Lord? or, Whether it belonged to him as an original, underived, inherent right? In answer to the first interrogatory, it may briefly be replied, that, as we learn from Scripture, the Almighty did actually bestow this gift on prophets and apostles;" and, accordingly, it was a common opinion, in our Saviour's time, that divinely-inspired teachers were endowed with the power of scrutinizing the hearts of men. With respect to the other questions, the reader is requested to turn, for a reply, to a former portion of this work, in which he will find the clearest and the most copious evidence for the Unitarian doctrine, that Christ derived all his knowledge from the Fountain of intelligence-from the Creator and Governor of the universe.

3. Trinitarians put forth this text in a very prominent point of view, by comparing it with some passages which announce Jehovah as the only Being who searcheth the reins and hearts. The phraseology here adopted by our Lord is undoubtedly similar to that which was employed by God himself; but all arguments derived from the use of such language are obviously inconclusive, unless it imply the existence of attributes not belonging to created beings; which in this case it does not imply, as we have already shown from the power which prophets and apostles had of searching the hearts of men.e The great and essential difference, as respects the knowledge possessed by God and by Christ, consists in the circumstance, that the former was not indebted to any source whatever for this perfection of his nature, but the latter derived his extraordinary acquaintance with the human heart from that Being whose Son and Messenger he was. The language contained in the Scriptures concerning God, intimates that his wisdom and knowledge are underived and illimitable: that which is used of Christ, in many portions of the New Testament, is of such a nature as can be applied only to one whose knowledge was restricted to particular subjects, and who obtained from a Superior Intelligence all the wisdom of which he was in possession. The book of Apocalypse itself furnishes the most satisfactory evidence, that our Master, even in his exalted state, is inferior to the Father, and that he received from God the revelation which he communicated to his servants," and the power which he was enabled to impart to them.'

EE

OBSERVATIONS.

4. The whole discourse in which these words occur are of a highly figurative nature. Christ had been speaking to the Jews of persons who had been taught by God, and had heard and learned of the Father;* by which he could have meant only, that men were instructed in the will of the Deity. But as Jesus possessed higher and more correct notions of God's character and designs, having been invested with a divine commission superior to that of all former prophets, he, with great propriety, continued the beautiful figure, by adding, that though others had heard and learned of God, they had not seen him—they had not become acquainted with the more profound secrets of religion; he alone having been blessed with this invaluable privilege. The phrase seeing the Father seems to be analogous to seeing the Son-an expression which is twice used in the same discourse,' and which, in all probability, signifies acquainted with the divine mission of Christ, or understanding his doctrines. The Apostle John, who was the reporter of these discourses, does not seem to have had the faintest idea of their containing any allusion to the omniscience of his beloved Master; since, in his Epistles, he employs the phrases, not seeing Christ, not seeing God, in reference to wicked persons; implying evidently that good men have seen Christ, and have seen God-have possessed a practical knowledge of the character and will of their heavenly Father, as revealed by his Son Jesus Christ.

m

5. From these words Trinitarians infer the omniscience of our Saviour; but, sure we are, they cannot assign any good reason for such an inference. Jesus, through the medium of allegory, had been discoursing of the love and affection which subsisted between him and his true disciples ;" and to us it appears obvious, that, by comparing the moral intimacy which subsisted between himself and the Father of all, he meant only to express, in powerful terms, the fervent love which he bore towards his faithful followers, and their deep-rooted attachment to his person and his religion. But whatever be the signification of the passage, the argument of the Trinitarian is flimsy and inconclusive; for, if adopted, it would lead to results at war with the plainest dictates of common sense. What is the proof deduced for the Deity of Christ?. The Father, who is omniscient, knoweth the Son; the Son knoweth the Father: therefore the Son is omniscient. Well: The Son who is omniscient, knoweth his disciples, and they know him; therefore, they are omniscient! A similar observation may be made respecting the argument for the omniscience of Christ drawn from Matt. xi. 27. If, according to Dr. DWIGHT, "he who knows the Father is omniscient," it will evidently follow, that all true Christians-who, as such, must have received from their Master a knowledge of the Father?-are actually in possession of an attribute which belongs exclusively to the Divine Being!