derstand our Lord as promifing his continual prefence with them, as really as the divine prefence had been enjoyed under the Old Teftament; and indeed in that more excellent way foretold with refpect to the New.

The Doctor alfo quotes Matt. xxviii. 20. Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world; and makes a feeble attempt to fhew that these words convey no idea of power that may not belong to a mere creature. "Chrift," he fays, "who is constituted head over all things to his church, "undoubtedly takes care of its interefts, and attends to "whatever concerns his difciples; and being with a perfon, " and taking care of him are, in the language of fcripture; "equivalent expreffions. See Gen. xxi. 20. 22. xxviii 15. "xxxix. 2 *." This is very true. But the Doctor forgets to tell his reader, that in the paffages referred to, this being with a Perfon denotes God's taking care of him; and that it is a care extending to all places where the Perfon may be, Gen. xxviii. 15. and to all actions, chap. xxi. 22. Now, this is all that we affert; with this difference only, that what is spoken, in the places cited, of an individual, is here promised to a collective body in fucceffion.

Dr P. adds; "Befides, Chrift having a near relation to "this earth, may even be perfonally prefent with his disci"ples when they little think of it." I need not say, that by "being perfonally prefent," he means the presence of his human nature only. Now, after this position, our author will find it very difficult to maintain his ground against the church of Rome. He is more nearly allied to her than he imagines. I should wish to know how he is pleased to dispose of fuch a paffage as this? He fball fend Jefus Chrift, -whom the heaven must receive, until the times of reftitution of all things, Acts iii. 20, 21. I might also refer to that, Though we have known Chrift after the flesh, yet now benceforth

*Famil. Illuftr. p. 26.

henceforth know we him no more, 2 Cor. v. 16. But the Doctor has his answer ready. Chrift may know his difciples after the flesh, or according to the human nature, when they do not know him in this way, that is, "when they little " think of it." Our author seems to differ much from the glorious Perfon of whom he thus fpeaks, who faid to his hearers, The flesh profiteth nothing, John vi. 63. But the promise can be of little service to Dr P. even according to his own explanation. For it is not matter of faith with him, but only of probability: "Chrift-may be perfonally "present." After this, however, he may fpare his ridicule at the doctrine of Tranfubftantiation. For if Chrift may be present as to his human nature, when his difciples "lit"tle think of it:" that is, when they have no fenfible evidence of his prefence, it will be difficult for the Doctor to prove, that he may not be prefent, as to his real body and blood, when his disciples can see, and feel, and taste nothing but bread and wine.

Thus, both Papifts and Socinians hold a real bodily prefence: and they perfectly agree in this important point, that Jefus may be really prefent, without fenfible figns. He who believes this, has already fwallowed the most unpalatable morfel in the doctrine of tranfubftantiation. For, according to the confeffion of Roman Catholics themselves, great as the miracle of the converfion of the wafer into the body and blood of Chrift is, that of his being thus really prefent, without any evidence to the fenfes, is far more amazing and ftupenduous*.

But the Doctor does not therefore affert the omniprefence of Chrift. He has difcovered that the difciples can do without this. "It is by no means neceffary," he says, "that he be perfonally prefent every where at the same "time." I fufpected that matters would have this end, alVOL. I. though

R

Moore's View of Society and Manners in Italy, Let. 64.

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though the Doctor begun with informing us, that "Christ "attends to whatever concerns his difciples." What is to become of those poor creatures, with whom he does not happen to be perfonally prefent, in the time of their neceffity? How does he attend to their concerns? Let us hear our author. "It is by no means neceffary,-fince God may "communicate to him a power of knowing diftant events, of "which he appeared to be poffeffed when Lazarus was "fick." But, pray, what does the power of knowing diftant events fignify, without the power of affifting every believer? If but one be neglected, the work of the Mediator is imperfect. And if he is not every where present, either myriads must be neglected; or it remains to be proved, that the neceffities of Chriftians are fo difpofed, that every one can wait till it come to his turn to be relieved. If Jefus has only the "power of knowing distant events,” without that of fuccouring every individual, would he not be as well without it? Such a power can be of very little advantage to the multitude of them who believe and it muft rather give pain, than pleasure, to the poffeffor; because he must feel himself in the fituation of one who knows the mifery of a beloved friend, but by reafon of distance, or multiplicity of engagements, can be of no fervice to him. How can he be head over all things, who can attend to fome things only? When on fome emergency, he happens to be on earth, if a greater occur, and the cry reach to heaven, what is to be done? Is the work performed by another? Then, the unity of the divine administration is destroyed; and fomething is taken out of his hand, into whose hand all things have been given. But how could all power be given unto him, who has only fome power; nay, rather knowledge than power? The Doctor, indeed, seriously gives as ridiculous a description of him whom he calls his Saviour, as Elijah ironically gave of Baal. His difciples will need to

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cry aloud; for peradventure their Lord is on a journey, 1 Kings xviii. 27.

But after all, our author is, not certain, whether God really communicates this "power of knowing distant events" to Jefus, or whether he had this "when Lazarus was fick :" His faith is of a very doubtful kind. It ftill refts in may be's and appearances. "He may communicate.-He ap"peared to be poffeffed." The only thing of which the Doctor feems certain, is, that, even in his fuppofitions, he does not grant too much honour to the Redeemer. "This "is certainly," he says, "no greater power than God may "communicate to any of his creatures." Pray, do take care, Sir, that nothing more be ascribed to the Son of God, than may be given to any creature, however low in the scale of being. You certainly do God fervice, in doing all in your power against the name of Jefus of Nazareth. Whatever be your error, it is not that of honouring the Son as the Father.

But it gives our author no trouble, that his comment is a flat denial of the text. Jefus fays to his difciples, Lo, I am with you ALWAYS. Dr P. fays, that he is with them at times only. Jefus gives his difciples reason to believe, that they conftantly need his prefence. "Nay," fays the Doctor, "this is by no means neceffary." Jefus affures them, that all power is given unto him in heaven, and in earth, which, one would think, implied divine power. Our au thor is perfuaded, that Jefus is deftitute of the most neceffary power, that of being every where prefent, in order to relieve his disciples: and is not certain, if he has even that of knowing their neceffities. Of this alone he is certain, that Jefus has no power given him that may not be “ com"municated to any creature" in heaven, or in earth.

66

Having illuftrated the futility of Dr P.'s expofition, it may be proper to obferve a few things concerning this pro

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mife. There is a remarkable correspondence between it and what we have in Hag. i. 13. I am with you, faith the Lord. The Evangelift uses the very words of the Seventy, with no variation, but that of arrangement. The Greek fairly expreffes the force of that phrafeology in the Hebrew, by which God ftill denotes his own presence in the church. We have the fame promise, with an important enlargement, addreffed to Zerubbabel and Joshua, chap. ii. 4, 5. Be strong and work, for I am with you, faith the Lord of bofts, with the Word that I covenanted with you, when ye came out of Egypt; and my Spirit remaining among you. This we have elsewhere fhewn to be the literal translation of the paffage. Now, either these words, I am with you, fpoken by Christ to his disciples, have the fame meaning as when delivered by Haggai, as the meffage of JEHOVAH; or, the fervants of the Lord, in gospel times, have less encouragement than those whom he called to work, under the law.

The promise evidently imports a constant uninterrupted prefence: I am with you all days, or at all times. There is not only the use of that fingular and emphatic expreffion, εy ε, I am, correfponding with the language of God under the Old Teftament; but the prefent and future are at once connected: I am with you-to the end of the world. We have no example of the use of this language, but by a divine Perfon. Thus God expreffes his immutable existence, by joining the present, sometimes with the past, and sometimes with the future; fignifying, that how much foever the creature may change, there is no change with him. From the time that it was, there I am, Ifa. xlviii. 16. Even to your old age I am be, chap. xlvi. 4. If Jefus be not God, he at leaft affumes his peculiar language. But he is, indeed, the fame yesterday, to-day, and for ever, Heb. xiii. 8. Befides, he introduces this promise with a note of admi

ration,

See above, p. 120, &c.