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النشر الإلكتروني

So is Jesus Chrift. For before Abraham was, says he, I am ;* and be that came from heaven is above all; be filleth all in all; he is the head; and by him were all things created that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible; &c. All things were created by him, and for him; and he is before all things, and upholdeth all things by the word of his power, and by him all things confift. Of some of these and the following texts at present we shall take the sense to be granted. Is God the Father a being eternal and unchangeable? So is God the Son. For he hath neither beginning of days nor end of life. He is Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last, which is, and which was, and which is to come; the Almighty; ‡ Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, to day, and for ever. Is omniscience an attribute of the true God? So is it likewise of him whom he fent into the world. For he knew all things; he knew what was in man; he knoweth the hearts of all men ; § be it is who fearcheth the reins and heart. Can any power less than in

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John viii. 58. ‡ Rev. i. 8.

† Coloff. i. 16. § Acts i. 24. D

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finite raise the dead? And is it not the prerogative of the Supreme God to judge the world? Yet to do both is the work of Jesus Christ. For he is the refurrection and the life ;* and as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them, even so the Son quickeneth whom he will; and whoso eateth his flesh bath eternal life, and he will raise him up at the last day. In consequence of such refurrection we must all appear before his judgment feat. And once more; is not the true God invisible and incomprehensible? So is Jefus Christ. For, agreably to a text before cited, no man knoweth the Son but the Father. Again. The character and office of the Third Person are explicitly attributed to Jesus Christ. The Apostle's, wish, or benediction, which we have already had occasion to refer to, may be produced as one instance of this. Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, comfort your hearts, and establish you in every good word and work. For without Chrift we can do nothing; and he of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and fanctification, and redemp

* John xi. v. 25. † Ibid. vi. 54.

‡ 2 Cor. v. 10.

tion; and be gave himself for the Church, that he might fanctify and cleanse it; and the Apostle could do all things through Christ which ftrengthned him. Farther; the characters and properties both of the first and fecond Person in the Holy Trinity are likewise many of them ascrib'd to the third. Thus, in the old Testament, the work of creation seems to be attributed to the operation of the Holy Ghost, as a distinct personage, or agent. The Spirit of God, says Mofes, moved upon the face of the waters. Thou fendest forth thy fpirit, says the Pfalmist, and they are created: and Job afferts, that God by his Spirit bath garnish'd the heavens ; and the Spirit of God ha smade me, says Elibu. For whatever might have been the precise notion of the antient Jews, with regard to the Spirit, the Spirit of God, and the Spirit of the Lord, of which we find such frequent mention; or, whatever they might understand by that parallel expreffion, (in respect at least of the work of creation,) the breath of the Almighty, or the breath of his mouth; the light of the New Testament, I

Cor. i. 30. † Job. xxvi. 13.

‡ Ibid. xxxiii. 4.

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think, sufficiently directs us to the above interpretation. Thus again, the Holy Ghost is omniscient, and eternal; for the Spirit Searcheth all things, yea the deep things of God;* and Christ through the eternal Spirit offered bimself without spot to God. Thus the office of advocate, or intercessor, is attributed to the Spirit, who maketh interceffion for the Saints according to the will of God. Thus the refurrection of our Lord himself is said to have been effected by the power of the Holy Ghost; for Christ was put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit,§ and he that raised up Chrift from the dead fhall also quicken our mortal bodies, by his Spirit that dwelleth in us. Thus again; both Prophets and Apostles are faid to be fent, or commiffioned by the Holy Ghost, as well as by the Father and the Son. The Lord God and his Spirit bath fent me, fays Ifaiah; the Spirit entered into me, says Ezekiel, and faid unto me, go shut thyself within thy house; || and the Holy Ghost faid, Separate me

Barnabus and Saul for the work whereunto I

*

† Heb. ix. 14.

1Cor. ii 10.

‡ Rom. viii. 27. § 1 Pet. iii. 18.

|| Ezek. iii. 24.

have called them.* Once more. The Holy Ghost is indiscriminately called the Spirit of God, and the Spirit of Christ; and the Gospel of God and the Gospel of Christ are terms equivalent; and the Apostles are sometimes stiled fervants of God, and sometimes fervants of Jesus Christ; and the Holy Ghost is faid to make overseers over the flock; as God the Father hath fet some in the Church, first Apostles, &c; and as the Son gave fome, Apostles; and Some, Prophets, &c. And, lastly, the very terms of our falvation are reciprocated. St. Paul teftified to Jews and Greeks repentance towards God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ; and among the principles of the doctrine of Christ, the Apostle reckons repentance from dead works, and faith towards God. Saviour says in one place, he that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life; and in another place, be that believeth on him that fent him hath everlasting life. The general scripture doctrine is, that we are saved by the mercy of God through the merits of our Redeemer;

Our

* Acts xiii. 2.
‡ Heb. vi. 1.

† Acts xx. 21.

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