Page:The Last Judgement and Second Coming of the Lord Illustrated.djvu/41

 is it, that Jesus Christ is this one God, that is, Jehovah in His humanity. It was the Lord Jesus Christ who said, "I am alpha and omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty."

This conclusion presents itself to our minds as being most clear and satisfactory. To others it may not be so; it may be questioned by those who do not believe in His Divinity at all, and also by others who only acknowledge it in part. But the method adopted by the former to maintain their objections, and the difficult consequences which follow the opinions of the latter, are sufficient to indicate the unsound principles of both. The first strike out whole passages of evidence from the Word, which bear upon the point; and the second in thought, however much they may deny it in words, are compelled to set up at least a duality of gods. The one has maltreated the testimony, and the other has confounded its teachings upon the subject. Both parties, in reference to their respective views, have difficulties of their own; but those which they may urge against the acceptance of ours are caused by their not distinguishing between the maternal and the Divine humanity of the Lord. The instances in which inferiority and dependence are expressed, in which temptations and suffering are said to have been endured, belong to the maternal humanity; but that was put off as those infirmities were being conquered; and in those conquests the Divine humanity achieved its triumphs: therefore it is written, "Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into His glory?"

It was the Divine humanity which "came down from heaven," which is one with the Father, and without which we can do nothing. It was this of which it was said, "As