he utter that exclamation, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" Did the Divine part forsake and abandon the human in this trying hour? Was the connection of Christ's human and divine nature of such a kind, that it could be dissolved? Then the incarnation ceased some time before Christ's death, and the divine and human natures parted company. And if they remained united, how could the human nature complain that it was forsaken of the divine ?

But texts of the Scriptures are appealed to, which are alleged to prove, that what seems so improbable or impossible, was actually the fact. I propose in this lecture to consider some of them.

The strongest text upon this point, would, at first sight, seem to be that which I quoted at the commencement of this lecture. "In him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily." This seems to be strong language, and if it will not prove an incarnation of God, it would seem to show an indwelling of God in Christ of a similar kind to that of which Christ speaks when he says, "The Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works." I had once selected this passage as a text for a discourse, setting forth the intimate connection of God with Christ. But in order to be sure of my ground, I investigated the passage with the best critical helps, and by a comparison of it with parallel passages. But as I advanced, I began to perceive, and the further I went on, the more I became convinced, that it had nothing to do with the subject; till at last, as an honest man, I was forced to give it up, and take some other text to show the connection

And

between God and Christ. "The fulness of the Godhead," I found, meant neither the essence of God, nor his attributes, but the whole body of believers, the Christian church, gathered from all nations and languages and tongues, gathered together in Christ. The inquirer is driven into this result by the comparison of parallel passages, in this same Epistle, and in that to the Ephesians. These two Epistles were written at the same time, and sent by the same messenger. every person finds himself prone, under those circumstances, to run into the same thoughts and a similar mode of expression. One leading thought of Paul at this time, and at all times, was the amalgamation of Jews and Gentiles, all mankind indeed, in the Christian church. The Jewish law, instead of bringing mankind together, had tended rather to separate them, to build up a middle wall of separation between them. Christ had come, according to God's eternal purpose, hitherto concealed, to give a religion for all, which he consummated and sanctioned by dying upon the cross for the benefit of all. Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure

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which he hath purposed in himself, that in the dispensation of the fulness of times, he might gather together in one all things in Christ."

further explained in what follows. ye read, ye may understand my

What he means, is

"Whereby, when knowledge in the

mystery of Christ, which in other ages was not made known to the children of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets, that the Gentiles should be fellow-heirs, and of the same body, and par

"But

takers of his promise in Christ by the Gospel." now in Christ Jesus, ye, who were sometime afar off, are made nigh by the blood of Christ, for he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us, having abolished in his flesh," that is, by being crucified for all, and by his blood ratifying the new and universal covenant, having abolished the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances, for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace. And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby." "For this cause, I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named." In another place; "And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all." "The church," "his body," and "the fulness of him that filleth all in all," mean the same thing, -the great body of Christians on earth and in heaven. When the Apostle wrote to the Colossians at the same time, he varied the form of expression. "Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, and not after Christ. For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily." What is, in the other Epistle, "the fulness of him that filleth all things," is here, "the fulness of God." And both phrases are merely equivalent to this: "The church, the great multitude of Christians, are vitally united to Christ as their head, are connected with him in a

body." In one place, and by one figure, Paul calls the church "Christ's body," and he is its head. In another, it is "a temple," built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, and Christ is the chief corner-stone. In another case, it is "the whole family in heaven and earth." In the case which we are considering, it is "the whole multitude of the worshippers of God, assembled in Christ as a temple." "The fulness of God," then, has nothing to do with God's dwelling in Christ, or manifesting his attributes through him. The church, which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all things, and the whole family in heaven and earth, is the same with all the fulness of God." The simple meaning is, then, that the whole Christian church is in vital union with Christ, and depends upon him, are taught by him, and therefore they want no other teacher. And whatever meaning you may choose to put on it, will prove nothing as to the doctrine of incarnation, for Paul wishes of ordinary Christians, that "they may be filled with all the fulness of God." If such language proves that God became incarnate in Christ, it will likewise prove that God became incarnate in his whole church. If it does not prove that God became incarnate in his church, so neither will it prove that he became incarnate in Christ.

There is another passage, which has been thought to intimate, if not prove, the incarnation of the Deity, or the first Person of the Trinity in Christ. It is found in the second chapter of Philippians. "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus : who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery

to be equal with God; but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likness of men; and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name that is above every name; that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."

Since I have been able to read this passage in the original, one of the greatest marvels to me in theology has been, that this passage has been adduced to prove the incarnation of Deity. It occurs in a paragraph inculcating humility. Let the same mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus, who being in the form of God," &c. This is carried back into eternity, before the incarnation, but without the least reason, and against all reason. There was no such person in existence as Christ Jesus, before the incarnation, even according to the Trinitarian hypothesis. Jesus was the name of a man, who was born in Judea. Christ Jesus is the name of the same person considered as the Messiah. The name Christ Jesus, therefore, can refer to him only after his birth. To be in the form of God, means to be God, it is said. But it was something which he could put off, for he thought his equality or likeness to God, to be a thing not eagerly to be retained, but made himself of no reputation, literally, emptied himself. This certainly could not be, if the likeness to God consisted