lunatic: and their master told them, with a reproof, that it was because of their unbelief; for that "this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting:"-this miracle cannot be performed but by a renewed act of Faith, and by watching unto prayer. II. With reference to the second point-the preexistence of Christ in his spiritual character, though it might be clearly established, by inference, from the Table; yet we have the direct testimony of Christ himself, as recorded by the four Evangelists, and allusions to it by two of the Apostles, Peter and Paul. Christ saith, "I and my Father are one." John 10. 38; and again, "Verily, verily I say unto you, before Abraham was, I am." John 8. 58. He also interrogates the Scribes and Pharisees respecting his Divine nature in these words: "What think ye of Christ? Whose Son is he? They say unto him, The Son of David. He saith unto them, How then doth David in Spirit call him Lord, saying, 'sit thou on my right hand till I make thine enemies thy footstool?' If David then call him Lord, how is he is son?" We may perceive-and it is somewhat remarkable -that this was one of the last of those questions put to his enemies, which brought them to a stand, so that they could not answer him a word. And as it appeared to be his design that men should judge for themselves by inference from his miracles, whether he was the Messiah or not; so it appears to have been his design that they should judge by inference from the prophecy of David, whether the Messiah was anterior to David or not, that is, in the beginning with God: and he urged the same truth more strongly in that declaration, that he was before Abraham; in order that they might clearly infer, he and the Messiah were one. As if it had been said, The miracles which I do, prove that I am the Messiah; yet ye will not believe. David, by the spirit, calls the Messiah his Lord;' yet ye will not believe the Prophet. I myself declare that I was before Abraham; yet ye will not believe that I am the Christ, who, I have shewn you, was before David;-that I am truly the Messiah,-that Seed promised to Adam, seen in the prophetic vision by Abraham, and foretold by Moses-appointed to restore the world from Sin,-to bring life and immortality to light,—to point out the way to salvation by the Cross, to be the Messenger of Grace and Truth -sent to preach deliverance to the captive, and to the poor the glad tidings of the Gospel of Peace. This is, therefore, a truth, which, we may surely believe, cannot now be controverted, without seeking to rob "the express Image of God" of his Divine honour, and of " that eternal glory," which he himself declared," he had with the Father before the world was." John 17. 5. In the Revelations, Christ also declares himself to be the "Root" as well as "the Offspring, of David." But, further, if Christ be the "Power and Wisdom - of God," and "the Word of God" by whom all things were made, as the Evangelist testifies, as well as the Apostle Paul, it is absurd to argue for the commencement of his spiritual existence, at the time. of his outward manifestation in the flesh. The Apostle Peter bears testimony to the same truth when he says: "Of which Salvation the Prophets have inquired, who prophesied of the Grace that should come unto you, searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them, did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ." 1. 1. 10, 11. Paul also says, "They (the fathers) did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that Spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ." 1 Cor. 10. 4. In the Epistle to the Hebrews, we find the expression, "Jesus Christ, the same, yesterday, to-day, and for ever." Heb. 13. 8. III. I do not suppose that the opinions of any professing Christians, who have written since the time of the Apostles, can add weight to the doctrines contained in the new Testament: nevertheless, it may be satisfactory to some to see how this subject has been viewed by enlightened men in different ages. It is said of Justin Martyr, who is thought to have had his instruction from Polycarp, the disciple of the Evangelist John, that he understood by the term Logos or word' of this Evangelist, not the reasoning faculty of the human mind, but the emanating reason of the Divine nature. This Divine reason he conceived to have inspired the Hebrew Prophets, and to have been the Christ, who appeared in flesh. He supposed it to have been participated not only by the Hebrew patriarchs, but by the more excellent Pagan philosophers. Having been a Platonist before his conversion to Christianity, he concluded that whatever was valuable in Platonism, had either been communicated to Plato by inspiration from the Logos, or had been transmitted by tradition from Moses and the Hebrew prophets, and might therefore be justly claimed as belonging to Divine Revelation.* "That blessed principle," says Penn,+ in addressing his children, "the Eternal word, I began with to you, and which is that Light, Spirit, Grace, and Truth, I have exhorted you to, in all its holy appearances or manifestations in yourselves, by which all things were at first made, and men enlightened to salvation, is Pythagoras's great Light and Salt of Ages; Anaxagoras's Divine Mind; Socrates's good Spirit; Timæus's unbegotten Principle and Author of all Light; Hieron's God in Man; Plato's eternal, ineffable, and perfect Principle of Truth; Zeno's Maker and Father of all; and Plotin's Root of the Soul: who, as they thus styled the eternal word, so the appearance of it in man wanted not very significant words. A domestic God, or God within, says Hieron, Pythagoras, Epictetus, and Seneca; Genius, * See General Biography, vol. 5. Art. Justin. the Angel, or Guide, says Socrates and Timeu The following passage from Cowper is likewise so apposite to my purpose, that I cannot deprive myself of the pleasure of quoting it. "The Lord of all, himself through all diffus'd, Whose cause is God. He feeds the secret fire, That were not, and commending as they would |