to the comfort and belief of his servant Moses, yet this same assertion is denied by the Jews when maintained in the New Testament. For when he

declared to them, 66

Before Abraham was I Am : they took up stones to cast at him," John viii. 58, 59. as it is written in another place, "for blas

66

phemy and because that thou being man, makest thyself God," John x. 33.

3d. I Am, as the divine title of Christ, is a word of confusion to his enemies. At the time when Christ was betrayed by the traitor Judas into the hands of his enemies, they came out against him with various kinds of weapons, as against a malefactor and a thief. Yet we see not in our Lord, any marks of indignation, any looks of anger or illwill, any impatient language, at the cruel scorn with which he was treated; but with the mildness of conscious innocence, and with the patience of a suffering Saviour, he asked "Whom seek ye? they "answered him, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus saith " unto them, I am he," or as the original is, in conformity to Christ's glorious title, I Am. And mark the wonderful power of God, (Jehovah Jesus), though encompassed with all the weaknesses and infirmities of our flesh. "As soon then as he had "said unto them, I am he (or I Am) they went "backward and fell to the ground,” John xviii. 4 to 6. But for the comfort of those who mourn under a sense of sins, it may be observed;

4th. I Am is the sure rock of refuge, with out

If ye

shelter in whom, we must die in our sins. 66 "believe not (said Christ) that I am he, ye shall “die in your sins," John viii. 24. If we read this passage às it stands in our translation; "If ye be"lieve not that I am he," the pronoun he must evidently refer to some person before spoken of, and spoken of also in a peculiar manner: and in this point of view, as Christ was the subject of prophecy in his character, of a just God and a Savior, it must clearly point to his divine character, as he of whom Moses and the prophets in old time both spake

and wrote.

But if it be read as in the original, "If "ye believe not, that I Am," it is still more pointed and must refer to none but a divine character, who had manifested himself to his people of old, as the I Am, the God of their fathers, forgiving iniquity, transgression and sin. The Jews had declared to Christ that none could forgive sins but God only; yet when they saw him in numerous instances, claim the power of forgiving sins, why did they not acknowledge his divine character, instead of looking upon him as a blasphemer, but that unbelief had hardened their hearts and blinded their ryes, that they would not see the truth.

Were we to consult the subjects upon whom the divine Jesus exercised his forgiving love, we should see not only that Christ considered that that forgiveness was calculated, to cheer and comfort, and give peace to the heart, but also that those to whom he spake in such a way of mercy DID feel joy in consequence

of this proof of his love. To instance a few. When they brought unto him a man sick of the palsy, he said to the poor afflicted creature, "Son, "be of good cheer, thy sins be forgiven thee," and he considered it as easy to cure the disease of the soul, as the malady of the body, and in fact both were cured, his sins were forgiven, his pains were healed; and he who came sick and lying on a bed, went away, taking up his bed and departed to his house, Matt. ix. This same instance is recorded by the two other Evangelists, Mark and Luke, with this addition by the latter, that "he departed to his house "glorifying God," Luke v. 25. Mark ii.

Again, a woman which was a sinner, came and anointed Christ's feet with ointment, and wiped them with her hair. Our Lord seeing the principle of faith from which the woman did it, said, "Her sins which are many, are forgiven her; and

86

they that sat at meat with him began to say "within themselves, Who is this that forgiveth sins "also? But the great I Am, by his own divine right," said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved. "thee; go in peace," Luke vii. 37. 47 to 50.

Perhaps it may be asked by some, Why when Moses asked to see the Lord's glory; was this single expression used to denote it, I Am that I Am? Let the language of the great Jehovah Jesus in another place answer it to their full satisfaction. "Thou canst not see my FACE; for there shall no 66 man see me, and live," Exod. xxxiii. 20. And

why? Because the beams of linmanuel's fulness are too strong for the sight of mortals. But let us not hence suppose, that nothing of the glory of the great I Am is revealed to the sight of his people. If so, what would there be in him, which could gratify the sight of the faithful, and encourage their contemplation by fixing it on the illustrious head of the church? Throughout the Word of God, the beams of the glory of the great I Am, are scattered ray by ray to cheer his people. Here is justice; there is mercy; here is truth; there is righteousness; here is judgment; there is love: and these it is the duty of every christian, by the hand of faith to gather, and by the eye of faith to contemplate, through the medium of Christ's human nature, as the glorious Sun of Righteousness arising with healing on his wings.

Third. Verily, verily, I say unto you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God; and they that hear shall live. John v. 25.

Here we have Jesus represented in his divine character as judge of the whole earth; here he takes to him his great power, and prevails. The passage before us may be taken in two senses; 1st. As it relates to individual characters, and 2d. To all in the general judgment.

And, 1st. as it relates to individual characters in all ages. The coming of the Lord Jesus to die for all, doth prove that in his sight, as well as in the

Father's, they were considered dead in trespasses and sins; else what need of a Savior to seek and to save them which are lost. In regard to individuals, the death here mentioned can only mean that spiritual death, in which though they are naturally deaf as an adder to the voice of God, yet the Lord Jesus can give them an ear to hear, and an heart to understand. In the character of judge, we see the Lord Jesus recognized very early in the patriarchal ages. The Lord (Jehovah-Jesus) came down to Abraham in the form of an angel, and declared his purpose of destroying Sodom and Gomorrah, for 1 their great sins. Abraham, anxious that the

cities might (if consistent with the honour of God) be saved," Drew near and said, Wilt thou also "destroy the righteous with the wicked? Perad"venture there be fifty righteous within the city; “wilt thou also destroy, and not spare the place

for the fifty righteous that are therein; that be "far from thee to do after this manner, to de

stroy the righteous with the wicked; and that "the righteous should be as the wicked that be far "from thee. Shall not the Judge of all the earth "do right?" Gen. xviii. 23 to 25. Jehovah-Jesus a judge in coming

And not only is

down to punish

signally in this world, those who are desperately wicked; but also for the deliverance of his people. Thus in Israel he raised up judges to avenge the cause of his people, of whom again he considered himself the judge; "And when the Lord raised