Page:A Defence of Revealed Religion.pdf/54

54 directed against this idea. In regard to the incarnation of God in Christ, I have never said anything except in affirmation of it. I have taken up and used it as an accepted fact, in order to base upon it certain reasonings about the rest of mankind. I have not contradicted myself that I am aware of My language has only been in some places more clear and definite than in others. As, for instance, when I speak of 'isolated' instances of incarnation, I am then referring to the implied denial that God is ever near to men and dwells in the hearts of His children. To suppose that God was only on earth and near to men during the thirty-three years of the life of Jesus is rank infidelity."

Thus we see Mr. Voysey denies that Jesus Christ is very God, asserting that He is only Divine in the same manner as we are, though in a greater degree by virtue of His superior moral character. With the object of shewing that God is ever near to man we concur; but we very much question whether the denial of the Godhead of the Saviour is the best way to maintain it.

Further, that Jesus Christ was a man, and that as such He bore an intimate relationship to all other men, we would not wish to question for a moment. The knowledge that our Saviour was a man is one that must tend powerfully to bind our hearts to Him with a feeling of kinship, in that "we have not an high priest that cannot be touched with the feelings of our infirmities, but was in all points tempted like as we are." Indeed, the Apostle Paul insists most strongly on the