only had seen Abraham, but had lived before Abraham;—ay, eternally before, for this is implied in his remarkable expression, "before Abraham was, I am;"—not I was, be it observed—but I am, the very words that God used to Moses, and the name by which He called Himself; "tell the children of Israel," he said, " I Am hath sent me unto you."[1] Thus, then, the God that conversed with Abraham,—the God that gave command to Moses,—stood there before them, impersonated in Jesus Christ. Was not this truly God Appearing?
One further species of proof we wish to adduce—if farther be needed—in confirmation of the great fact, that Jesus Christ was truly God appearing to men. It is this: that He ascribed to Himself, and in the inspired Gospels there are continually ascribed to Him, Divine attributes, as Omniscience, Omnipresence, Omnipotence. First, Omniscience. In the Gospel of John[2] it is said, "But Jesus did not commit Himself unto them, because He knew all men, and needed not that any should testify of man, for He knew what was in man." Can such language be used in relation to any less than God? This is said in general terms. We then. have some particular cases stated, of that knowledge and foreknowledge. When the Pharisees were watching Him, to see whether He would heal on the Sabbath-day, it is said, "But He knew their thoughts, and said to the man who had the withered hand, Rise up, and stand forth."[3] And again, "Certain of the scribes said within themselves, this man blasphemeth. And Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said,
