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natures , but it is evident that either all that is ascribed to Jesus belongs to his whole person including both filatures , which is altogether inconsistent with his declared ignorance respecting the day of judgment , his inability to do any thing of himself , the merely human affections at times attributed to him , and , in short , with almost every page of his history ; or else we need
some sufficient test for distinguishing what belongs to each nature , and must in « very instance apply it so as to determine whether one or the other or both together be in that place intended—a position which involves the Scriptures in inextricable confusion , and would almost reduce to nonsense some of its most interesting and instructive pages . To offer separate
proofs of the divine and human natures of our Lord , even if it were possible , would not be sufficient . Such passages standing by themselves could only be considered as either unintelligible or contradictory . We are bound to require direct and positive evidence of the union of the two natures , and we reasonably expect this to be accompanied by abundant indirect indications of the influence of that doctrine on the minds of those who have recorded
our Lord ' s actions and discourses . Nothing , certainly , of this kind has been produced , and without it there is no other species of evidence , even if much better in quality than it actually is , which can be sufficient to establish the orthodox doctrine . We must now direct the reader ' s attention to the 4 th section of our author ' s 3 rd chapter . It is intended to shew that " the person of Christ , equally with that of the Father , surpasses human knowledge . " The argument is drawn from Matt . xi . 27 , thus translated by Dr . S . : " All things have been committed to me by my Father ; and no one knoweth perfectly the Son except the Father ; neither doth any one know perfectly the Father , except the Son , and he to whom the Son may be pleased to unveil [ this knowledge ] ; " and John x . 15 , "As the Father knows me , even so I know the Father . "
From the passage in the Gospel of Luke parallel to that here quoted from Matthew , (** No man knoweth who the Son is except the Father , and who the Father is except the Son , " ) Dr . S . concludes that the knowledge spoken of " refers primarily to the nature and person of the Father and the Son , " which , he says , " nullifies the Calm Inquirer ' s interpretation of the words . " He considers the passages quoted as *• including statements of truth , " of which we shall endeavour to give the substance .
" 1 , TUat tjbe communication to mankind of the doctrines which refer to their highest interest in knowledge , holiness , and happiness , is , by a constitution of Divine Wisdom , made the province of the Messiah , as the Mediator between God and man / ' " 2 . That this knowledge of the Father and knowledge of Christ are expressed in the way of a perfect reciprocity . The descr iption and properties of the one are the description and properties of the other ; without limitation on the one side , or extension on the other . " ' 3 . That in relation both to the Father and the Son this knowledge is not attain-
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586 Dr . J . P . Smith ' s Scripture Testimony to the Messiah .
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Sept. 2, 1831, page 586, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2601/page/10/
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