displayed to us, in a way suitable to, and guarding from every imputation the divine honour. And as no man could see the face of God, even for the purpose of receiving unmerited favor, and live; so it became necessary to have a Mediator, possessing the character of both God and man. And this has our great Mediator Christ Jesus possessed. In virtue of his essential divinity as eternal God, "having “neither beginning of days, nor end of life, Heb. vii. 3. he possessed the divine character in all its inimitable, glorious, and unspotted perfections; and through his human nature, assumed entirely for our good, he possessed all the properties, pas sions, and inclinations of man, as far as he could assume them without partaking of our sin. And so far did he submit to be enveloped with the human nature, that he "was in all points tempted like as "we are, yet without sin," Heb. iv. 15; and for this express purpose," that he might be a merciful " and faithful high priest in things pertaining to "God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the "people." Heb. ii. 17. And in this double capacity, Christ is at once "a just God, and a Sa"viour." Isa. xlv. 21.

Possessing then every adorable property which man can or ought to admire in a supreme Being, he possessed also divine and unerring wisdom, and that in the following ways and particulars.

B 2

First, In his divine nature;

He is a discerner of the thought and intents of the heart." Heb. iv. 12.

Second, In his human nature,

"Never man spake like this man." John vii. 46.

Third, In his mediatorial nature, or character of God-man.

"Behold, my servant shall deal prudently.” Isaiah lii. 13.

"By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many, for he shall bear their iniquities.”

Isaiah liii. 11.

A brief attention to the foregoing particulars, must suffice, before we enter fully into the substance of our subject.

First, The Lord Jesus Christ in his divine nature, knew, or was a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

Infinite knowledge is the property and prerogative of an infinite God. And this in its extent over the thoughts and words and actions of his creatures, it is the duty of a finite creature to acknowledge. In regard to actions, "thou compassest my path and

my lying down," says the royal Psalmist," and "art acquainted with all my ways."-To words, "There is not a word in my tongue, but lo O "Lord thou knowest it altogether;" to thoughts, "Search me O God, and know my heart; try me

" and know my thoughts; and see if there be any "wicked way in me." in me." Psm. cxxxix. 3, 4. 23, 24, Hence if the person spoken of in Heb. iv. 12. be the Lord Jesus, and if the Lord Jesus be very God, then infinite knowledge, is a prerogative we ought to ascribe to Jesus Christ. To consider this more fully, the person here spoken of is stiled the Word of God, “The Word of God, &c. is a dis-, cerner of the thought and intent of the heart." Heb. iv. 12.

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If we consult the pages of sacred writ, we shall find the Word of God soon represented as conversant with the affairs of men; yea so soon that he first came down into the garden of Eden, to tax our first parents with their rebellion and sin. "If it "shall appear (says one) that the Targumists as"serted such things concerning the Word of the "Lord, as cannot be applied to God the Father, "and as, at the same time, imply real personality, "and divine perfection; it must necessarily follow, "that on these occasions at least, they spake of a person in the divine essence, distinct from the "Father.

"They find the word in the very first appearance "of God after the fall. That expression, they "heard the voice of the Lord God walking in "the Garden, Gen. iii. 8. is rendered, they heard "the Word. All the Targuens agree in this view of the passage; and that of Jerusalem begins "the next verse in this manner; And the word of

"the Lord God called unto Adam.

Another ex

"6 presses the meaning of the verse still more co

piously; they heard the voice of the Lord God, walking. It seems most natural indeed, to un"derstand this language of a person. For even

the modern Jews cannot deny, that the parti"ciple walking, immediately refers to the voice, "and not to the Lord God. Walking is un"doubtedly the attribute of a person, and not of a 66 mere voice. The author of Izeror Hammor "makes this observation on the place; before they sinned, they saw the glory of the blessed God

speaking with him, that is with God; but after "their sin, they only heard the voice walking. This "writer undoubtedly understood the voice as a dis"tinct person, the same whom he before calls the

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glory. And the latter is one of the personal "characters of the Messiah." Isaiah xl. 5. lx. 1. Jamieson against Priestley, vol. I. page 53, 54.

And hence it seems that the Word of God, as possessed of personality in the Tri-une Jehovah, is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart; and without enlarging more on so ample a field for discussion, it may be argued from his appearance to and speech to Adam after his fall. A consciousness of guilt caused our first parents to make themselves garments of fig leaves, under the vain pretence of covering their sin and shame; they also hid themselves, but this word or voice, the searcher of hearts, walked in the garden and called them, and his lan

guage unto Adam was "Where art thou?" Awful language indeed, and enough to confound a sinner, when uttered by an heart-searching God. "And he "said, I heard thy voice in the garden and I was afraid, because I was naked.—And he said who "told thee thou wast naked, hast thou caten of the "tree whereof I commanded thee that thou "shouldst not eat?" Gen. iii. 9, 10, 11. Alas! what could Adam now answer but that he had?

Secondly, In his human nature, the Lord Jesus Christ spake as never man spake.

Though numerous passages of scripture might be called in to vouch for the truth of this assertion, yet for brevity's sake, I at present confine myself to the chapter from which the words are taken, viz. the seventh chapter of St. John's gospel. Our Saviour for fear of the Jews went not up openly to the feast of tabernacles as before, the reason of which we have in his own words, "My time is not yet come." John vii. 6. but still to fulfil the law, he went up though secretly in the midst of the feast, and taught the people, ver. 14, the power of his words seems to have been such, that, "the Jews marvelled say

ing, how knoweth this man letters, having never "learned? Jesus answered them and said, my "doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me," ver. 15, 16. well then, if he spake as taught of God, might he speak as never man spake! though his discourse pleased some, it as much displeased others; for whilst some "believed on him and said, when