of God, who even then began to perform some services introductory to his execution of the office of Mediator. For though he was not yet incarnate, he descended, as it were, in a mediatorial capacity, that he might approach the faithful with greater familiarity. His familiar intercourse with men gave him the name of an angel: yet he still retained what properly belonged to him, and continued the ineffably glorious God. The same truth is attested by Hosea, who, after relating the wrestling of Jacob with an angel, says, “The Lord (Jehovah) God of hosts; Jehovah is his memorial." (c) Servetus again cavils, that God employed the person of an angel; as though the Prophet did not confirm, what had been delivered by Moses, "Wherefore is it that thou dost ask after my name?" And the confession of the holy patriarch, when he says, "I have seen God face to face," (d) sufficiently declares, that he was not a created angel, but one in whom resided the fulness of Deity. Hence also the representation of Paul, that Christ was the conductor of the people in the wilderness; because, though the time of his humiliation was not yet arrived, the eternal Word then exhibited a type of the office, to which he was appointed. Now if the second chapter of Zechariah be strictly and coolly examined, the angel who sends another angel is immediately pronounced the God of hosts, and supreme power is ascribed to him. I omit testimonies innumerable, on which our faith safely rests, although they have little influence on the Jews. For when it is said in Isaiah, "Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is Jehovah:" (e) all who have eyes may perceive that this is God, who ariseth for the salvation of his people. And the emphatical repetition of these pointed expressions forbids an application of this passage to any other than to Christ. But still more plain and decisive is a passage of Malachi, where he prophesies, that "the Lord, who was then sought, should come into his temple." (ƒ) The temple was exclusively consecrated to the one most high God; yet the Prophet claims it as belonging to Christ. Whence it follows, that he is the same God, that was always worshipped among the Jews.

XI. The New Testament abounds with innumerable testimonies. We must, therefore, endeavour briefly to select a few, rather than to collect them all. Though the Apostles spake of him, after he had appeared in flesh as the Mediator; yet all that I shall adduce will be adapted to prove his eternal Deity. In the first place, it is worthy of particular observation, that the Apostles represent those things, which were predicted concerning the eternal God, as either already exhibited in Christ, or to be accomplished in him at some future period. The prediction of Isaiah, that the Lord of hosts would be "for a stone of stumbling, and for a rock of offence to both the houses of Israel,” (g) Paul asserts to have been fulfilled in Christ. (h) Therefore he declares, that Christ is the Lord of hosts. There is a similar instance in another place: "We shall all stand," says he, "before the judgmentseat of Christ. For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God." (i) Since God, in Isaiah, (k) declares this concerning himself, and Christ actually exhibits it in his own person, it follows, that he is that very God, whose glory cannot be transferred to another. The Apostle's quotation from the Psalms also, in his Epistle to the Ephesians, is evidently applicable to none but God: "When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive:" (1) understanding that ascension to have been prefigured by the exertions of the Divine power in the signal victories of David over the heathen nations, he signifies, that the text was more fully accomplished in Christ. Thus John attests, that it was the glory of the Son, which was revealed in a vision to Isaiah; whereas the Prophet himself records that he saw the majesty of God. (m) And those praises which the Apostle, in the Epistle to the Hebrews, ascribes to the Son, beyond all doubt, most evidently belong to God: "Thou, Lord, in the beginning, hast laid the foundation of the earth: and the heavens are the works of thine hands," &c. Again, "Let all the angels of God worship him." (n) Nor is it any misapplication of them, when he refers them to Christ: since

(h) Rom. ix. 33.
(1) Eph. iv. 8.

(g) Isaiah viii. 14.
(4) Isaiah xlv. 23.
(m) John xii. 41. Isaiah vi. 1.

(i) Rom. xiv. 10, 11.

Psalm 1xviii. 18.

(") Heb. i. 10, 6.

all that is predicted in those Psalms has been accomplished only by him. For it was He, who arose and had mercy upon Zion; it was He, who claimed as his own the dominion over all nations and islands. And why should John, after having affirmed, at the commencement of his Gospel, (0) that the Word was always God, have hesitated to attribute to Christ the majesty of God? And why should Paul have been afraid to place Christ on the tribunal of God, (p) after having so publicly preached his divinity, when he called him "God blessed for ever?" (q) And, to shew how consistent he is with himself on this subject, he says, also that "God was manifest in the flesh."(r) If he is "God blessed for ever," he is the same to whom this Apostle, in another place, affirms all glory and honour to be due. And he conceals not, but openly proclaims, that, "being in the form of God," he "thought it not robbery to be equal with God: but made himself of no reputation." (s) And, lest the impious might object, that he is a sort of artificial god, John goes farther, and affirms, that "This is the true God, and eternal life." (t) Although we ought to be fully satisfied by his being called God, especially by a witness who expressly avers that there are no more gods than one; I mean Paul, who says, "though there be that are called Gods, whether in heaven or in earth: to us there is but one God, of whom are all things." (v) When we hear, from the same mouth, that "God is manifested in the flesh," that "God hath purchased the Church with his own blood;" why do we imagine a second God, whom he by no means acknowledges? And there is no doubt that all the pious were of the same opinion. Thomas, likewise, by publicly confessing him to be "his Lord and God," declares him to be the same true God whom he had always worshipped. (w)

XII. If we judge of his divinity from the works, which the Scriptures attribute to him, it, will thence appear with increasing evidence. For when he said, that he had, from the beginning, continually co-operated with the Father, the Jews, stupid as they were about his other declarations, yet perceived,

(0) John i. 1, 14.
(r) 1 Tim. iii. 16.
(v) 1 Cor. viii. 5, 6.

(p) 2 Cor. v. 10.
(s) Philip. ii. 6.
(w) John xx. 28.

(9) Rom. ix. 5!
(t) 1 John v. 20.

that he assumed to himself Divine power; and, therefore, as John informs us, they "sought the more to kill him; because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God." (x) How great, then, must be our stupidity, if we perceive not this passage to be a plain assertion of his divinity? To preside over the world, by his almighty providence, and to govern all things by the nod of his own power (which the Apostle attributes to him), (y) belongs exclusively to the Creator. And he participates with the Father, not only in the government of the world, but also in all other offices, which cannot be communicated to creatures. The Lord proclaims, by the Prophet, "I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions, for mine own sake." (z) According to this declaration, when the Jews thought that Christ committed an injury against God, by undertaking to forgive sins, (a) he not only asserted, in express terms, that this power belonged to him, but proved it by a miracle. We see, therefore, that he hath not the ministry, but the power of remission of sins, which the Lord declares. shall never be transferred from himself to another. Is it not the prerogative of God alone, to examine and penetrate the secret thoughts of the heart? Yet Christ possessed that power; which is a proof of his divinity.

XIII. But with what perspicuity of evidence does it appear in his miracles? Though I grant that the Prophets and Apostles performed miracles similar and equal to his, yet there is a considerable difference in this respect, that they, in their ministry, dispensed the favours of God, whereas his miracles were performed by his exertions of his own power. He sometimes, indeed, used prayer, that he might glorify the Father: but, in most instances, we perceive the manifest displays of his own power. And how should not he be the true author of miracles, who, by his own authority, committed the dispensation of them to others? For the Evangelists relate, that he gave his Apostles power to raise the dead, to heal the leprous, to cast out devils, &c. (b) And they performed that ministry in such a manner, as plainly to discover, that the power pro

(z) Isaiah xliii. 25.

(x) John v. 18. (a) Matt. ix. 6.

(y) Heb. i. 3.
(6) Matt. x. 8.

Mark iii. 15.

ceeded solely from Christ. " In the name of Jesus Christ," ays Peter," arise and walk."(c) It is no wonder therefore, hat Christ should bring forward his miracles, (d) to convince te incredulity of the Jews, since being performed by his own power, they afforded most ample evidence of his divinity. Besides, if out of God there be no salvation, no righteousness, no life, but Christ contains all these things in himself, it certainly demonstrates him to be God. Let it not be objected, that life and salvation are infused into him by God: for he is not said to have received salvation, but to be himself salvation. And if no one be good but God alone, (e) how can he be a mere man who is, I will not say good and righteous, but goodness and righteousness itself? Even from the beginning of the creation, according to the testimony of an Evangelist," in him was life; and the life" then existed as "the light of men." Supported by such proofs therefore, we venture to repose our faith and hope on him. Whereas we know that it is impious and sacrilegious for any man to place his confidence in creatures; he says, "Ye believe in God, believe also in me."(f) And in this sense Paul interprets two passages of Isaiah; "Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed." Again, "There shall be a root of Jesse, that shall rise to reign over the Gentiles; in him shall the Gentiles trust."(g) And why should we search for more testimonies from Scripture, when this declaration occurs so frequently: "He that believeth on me hath everlasting life?"(h) The invocation, arising from faith, is also directed to him; which nevertheless peculiarly belongs, if any thing peculiarly belongs, to the Divine majesty. For a Prophet says, "Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord (Jehovah) shall be delivered."(i) And Solomon, "The name of the Lord is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe." (k) But the name of Christ is invoked for salvation: it follows, therefore, that he is Jehovah. Moreover, we have an example of such invocation in Stephen, when he says, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." (1) And