this alteration, as they clearly shew that he discovered in his Master, on this occcasion, something SUPERIOR TO HUMAN, which quite overwhelmed him with awe and fear."

THEY SAW GOD, and did eat and the King, the LORD of Hosts! On DRINK." The mercy and benevo- which passage in Luke, Dr. Camplence which appeared through the bell's remark is deserving of partiwhole of our Lord's conduct, even cular attention; as he generally in his miracles, and the gracious interprets the appellation Kúpte, in words that flowed from his lips, for the language of civil respect. The the most part, inspired his disci- word astonished, in the common ples with humble confidence, as version," says he, " is far too weak well as reverence. for expressing the effect which we 6. It is evident, however, that, find this miracle produced upon on sundry occasions, the disciples Peter; and which evidently had in of Christ were filled with such emo- it more of terror than astonishment: tions, as arose out of very sur- I have, in verse 8th, varied from prising displays of his majesty and my ordinary method, and rendered power; such as they knew not how Kupe, LORD, though addressed to to reconcile with the character and Jesus before his resurrection. endowments of any mere man. think the manner in which Peter Thus, in Matt. viii. 27, when our appears to have been affected, and Lord" rebuked the winds and the extraordinary petition he prewaves, they were astonished, and sented, to a person of whose besaid Tolatós iclı övloç, What manner nevolence and humanity he had of person, or being, is this?" been so oft a witness, will justify And, in Mark iv. 41, it is said, spolnenoar póbor piyar, they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of person is this? Likewise, in chap v. 42, on our Lord's raising to life the daugh- Hence then it appears that, even ter of the ruler of the synagogue, during our Lord's state of humiliait is said of his disciples, as well as tion, in which he is said to have of the damsel's parents, irnoav emptied himself (Exvĥòv inevwσe) by a indo μyán, they were astonished temporary suspension of his divine with a great astonishment. And, dignity and glory, his disciples were in chap. vi. 51, when our Lord was occasionally struck with such deseen by his disciples "walking on monstrations of his power and greatthe sea;" and when, upon his ness, as they could not account for entering into the ship, "the wind on the supposition of his being only ceased," it is said, iar in Tepiocou a man, or even a distinguished iaulõis igisano, nai davμalov, they prophet. And accordingly, when were sore amazed in themselves he addressed them, in Matt. xvi. 13, beyond measure, and wondered. saying, Whom do men say that 1, In Luke v. 8, 9, Simon Peter, asto- the Son of man, am 2. - and again, nished at the miraculous draught of in verse 15, after they had menfishes, which he plainly considered tioned his being associated with, as produced by the power of Christ, or likened to, the most celebrated fell down before him, not only in of the ancient prophets : But whom the attitude, but in the spirit of say ye that I am?' Simon Peter, adoration, saying, Depart from in the name of them all, confessed me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord! their faith in him, both as the Language exactly agreeing with that of the Prophet Isaiah, in chap. vi. 5, Woe is me, for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell among a people of unclean lips; for mine eyes have seen

Christ, and THE SON of the LIVING GoD:' in which they clearly and distinctly marked their apprehension and persuasion, not only of his office-character, but of his DI VINE NATURE. And, subsequently

VERAX.

DIVINITY OF THe son of god.

Not that any man hath seen the

Father, save he which is of God; he hath scen the Father. John vi. 46.

to his resurrection, it is plain that belief of his divine character, than their conviction of this was a the backslidings of eminent saints, grounded principle of their attach- by which the name of God has too ment to, and profession of, his often been dishonoured, can be name; as appears, both from the pleaded against the sincerity of confession of Thomas, My LORD, their faith in his being, holiness, and my GOD! John xx. 28; and and truth. For these, also, the from that of Peter, in chap. xxi. 17, deepest repentance was wrought in LORD, THOU KNOWEST ALL THINGS, their hearts; as afterwards appearthou knowest that I love thee. ed in their self-abasing acknowNotwithstanding the confidence, ledgments, and unwavering adtherefore, with which Mr. Belsham herence to his cause and truth, in has repeatedly urged the above the face of the most powerful, opplea, in support of Unitarianism, pressive, and cruel opposition, even it has no real force against the to the sealing of their testimony scripture-doctrine of our Lord's pre- with their blood. existence and proper Deity. Neither can it acquire any subsidiary advantage from his connecting with it the circumstance of Peter's rebuking his Master, Matt. xvi. 22; or of his subsequently denying him; and of all his disciples shamefully forsaking him when in the hands of his enemies. The first of these, indeed, sprung out of those improper expectations which his disciples entertained, of his establishing an earthly monarchy, by that almighty power, which had so often appeared in his miracles; with which the account of his approaching sufferings seemed utterly at variance. To see the Father, refers not to And, agreeably to the turn which a perception of the divine presence Dr. Guyse has given to the words and glory. The external symbols news do xúpie (Lord, have pity upon and pledges of Jehovah's existence hyself, and then none of these and favour, were afforded to his serthings CAN befall thee) Peter, at vants from the beginning of the this moment, felt assured of his world. In this way he was seen Master's divine all-sufficiency to by the Patriarchs, by Moses, by vard off every danger, if he pleased; the Prophets, and by all the peo though, in the eagerness of his po- ple of Israel at Sinai, in the wil Itical zeal, he allowed himself in a derness, &c. liberty of spech, which met with the slarpest rebuke that ever proceedel from the lips of the meek and lowly Jesus.

As to the latter instances of their shameful and sinful conduct towrds their Lord and Master, these plinly arose out of the weakness of thir faith, in seasons of strong tenptation and apprehended dange; which, however, can no other. wie be urged against their general

How important this testimony of the faithful and true Witness! He, in whom dwelt all the treasures of wisdom,- knew the full import of his own declaration; He, whose breast was never moved by false ambition, asserts a claim of equality with God the Father.

Nor does the phrase, to see the Father, relate to the direct com munications of the divine mind and will to his servants. God had, at sundry times and in divers manners, spoken in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, who were denominated Seers, on account of the discoveries with which they were favoured by the Almighty. The infallible spirit of inspiration illuminated their minds; dictating

to their faithful tongues and pens, vealed to creatures, stands disclosed, as the living oracles of God. this sense the Apostles saw God; and revealed his mind more fully than their divine Master did by his personal ministry. John xvi. 12

to 15.

In in all its excellence and relations,
to Him, who is the brightness of
the Father's glory, and the express
image of his
person.

To see God, must, therefore, here intend a contemplation of Deity in his own immediate, proper nature : to see Him in the direct mode of his infinite existence, as the eternal I AM. To view Him, independent of any medium of time, place, or creatures. Neither man, nor angel, nor any finite intelligence ever did or can thus see, i. e. comprehend the unlimited essence of Jehovah; for who, by searching, can find out God? Who can find out the Almighty to perfection?

The Son of God sees the Father, as the Father sees and knows himself. This knowledge is essentially different from the knowledge of all creatures; and, consequently, must be the exclusive possession and prerogative of God. The divine Being, though incomprehensible to all others, perfectly knows himself; and the Son claims reciprocal knowledge with the Father, assuring us

In fine, this Scripture contains a direct claim of Divinity; and shall wè, for a moment, hesitate to acknowledge this claim? To deny the proper Deity of Christ, and admit the authenticity of this passage, is to charge absurdity and blasphemy on that Saviour, who came from the bosom of the Father, and always spake the words of truth and grace. By his own sacred lips, and not by those of any mistaken disciple, the assertion is made,--the claim is advanced. For himself he states the fact; that all who read and hear the recorded truth may honour the Son, even as they honour the Father; and bear in mind the awakening reflection, That he that thus honoureth not the Son, honoureth not the Father that sent him.

FROM THE

that, as the Father knoweth him, REV. PHILIP HENRY, even so he knoweth the Father.

John x. 15.

This is a direct and comprehensive knowledge of the Father: an acquaintance with God, not gained by a process of examination and reasoning, as man acquires scanty apprehensions of the eternal mind; but by intuition. His contempla

tions are fixed on the abstract nature of God; and he comprehends, at one view, all that constitutes Deity. That ineffable distinction in Godhead, which we term personal, because so represented in the Sacred Scriptures, is plain and familiar to the infinite comprehension of the Son of God; for, as none noweth the Person of the Sun' but the Father, so none knoweth the Person of the Father but the Son. Every attribute, revealed or unre

TO THE

REV. F. TALLENTS,
of Shrewsbury.

Boreatton, May 14th
Dear and honoured Brother,
(264 d.*) 1694.

of your mercies, that your bow doth yet abide in strength; aid

I REJOICE in the continuance

* An extract from the Life of Nr. -"When he Henry will explain this: called the grand climacteric, says lis was in his 63d year, which is commonly biographer, he numbered the days of it, from August 24th, 1693, to August 24th, 1634, when he finished it. And when he concluded it, he thus wrote in his Diary: This day finishes my com bered the days of; and should now monly dying year, which I have nimapply my heart, more than ever, to heavenly wisdom.? *.

མ་།

that my dear sister also is spared to nesday, by which-time I am reyou in her usefulness. The Lord's covered from my Sabbath-weari

--- a

most holy name be blessed and ness; and by the time I am recopraised for it. It seems withal, vered from that, the Sabbath work you have your mixtures for exer- returns again, so that I am never cise. God will have you yet to not weary. But why do I tell you shine brighter. Qui volens detra- this? That I may boast what a hit famæ tuæ, nolens, volens addit labourer I am? A loiterer, mercedi tuæ. 'Tis a sign we gal- trifler,-a slug. Magnis conutibus lop in our way when the dogs fol- nihil ago. 'Tis that you may know low us barking: slack not your wherein to help me with your pace though they do so. There prayers. Beg for me that I may will as certainly be a resurrection be found faithful; and that, while of names as of bodies; and both, with advantage:- both, as the sun at noon-day. I know not when I shall be so happy as to see you at Salop, though I much desire it. I am like a traveller's horse, that knows his stages; which, if he exceed, he tires, and is the worse for it. Hither once a quarter is my non plus ultra. I have not been at Chester, though I have many loadstones there, above these thirteen months. Once a week, and sometimes twice, I keep my circuit of two miles, or four miles, each Wed

I preach to others, I myself may not be a cast-away. I have some good hope, through grace, that I shall not; but the heart is deceitful, the Devil is busy, and God is just and holy; only this I trust to, Christ hath died, yea rather, is risen again. Dear love and service to you both. The Lord himself be your everlasting portion. Amen.

This from your affectionate and obliged brother, friend, and servant in our dear Lord,

Obituary.

ABRAHAM NICHOLLS, ESQ. Late Lieutenant of the Royal West

India Rangers.

MR. NICHOLLS was a native of Ireland, and born in the year 1789, at Coleraine, in the county of Derry. In the beginning of the year 1804, he went into the service of his country, as a Lieutenant in the Royal

Marines; and continued in that siluation until the year 1807, when he was deprived of his commission by his Captain, for remaining five days longer on shore than he had liberty, though he was unable, from bad health, to join his ship. In the latter end of the year 1807, he obtained an Ensigncy in the Royal West lodia Rangers; and was, in a short time, advanced to the rank of a Lieutenant in the same regiment. In the January following he embarked for the

island of Barbadoes; but the climate

not agreeing with his constitution, he was ordered home to England, for the recovery of his health. ́

PHILIP HENRY.

During his stay at Barbadoes, and during his passage home, the bad state of his health, together with the mortality he witnessed around him, occasioned serious thoughts of death yours to stifle them (as too many which, notwithstanding his endcayoung people do, while hope of life remains) increased as he drew nearer

his end. On his arrival at his father's house, in November, 1808, he was not a little grieved, to find so many of his family had adopted, what He had many companions at Coleraine, with whom he often ridiculed like some of them, he had reduced religion; though I do not know that, his enmity to a system. But although infidel speculations, accompanied with enmity to the religion of Jesus and its professors, may enliven a merry hour, while health- Jasis, they vanish at the near approach of death. So true is the observation of

he termed Methodistical notions.

the Poet: