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son, however, to doubt, but that Rev. 1. 8, ought to be applied to Jesus Christ; neither have we any reason to believe, that any part of the 11th verse is an interpolation. There is a part of it, indeed, not contained in the Greek manuscripts; and, therefore, Griesbach has left it out of his Testament; but the probable cause of this defect has been largely shown. When we take into view the nature of St. John's composition in his Apocalypse, this deficiency gives the 11th verse of the 1st chap. a very bad-a very mutilated appearance. As the Arians applied the eighth verse to the Father, no doubt, they clearly saw, that the 11th verse must be applied to the Son; and that, if it remained in the form in which it appears in our translation, nothing would be gained by their application of the eighth verse; and, therefore, to alter it, became necessary. If wicked hands have not been laid on that verse, I am fully satisfied, that its mutilated state in the Greek manuscripts, must have been the effect of carelessness in the transcribers. But happily for the cause of truth, the 17th and 18th verses, in their present form, prove all that could be supported by the 11th verse. The eighth verse of the second chapter, and the thirteenth verse of the twenty second chapter, fully establish the doctrine in debate; and they have complete evidence of their authenticity.

"Alpha and Omega," are only one way of expressing "the first and the last," and this phraseology remains in the 13th verse of the 22d chapter. The text on which this discourse is founded, settles the point which the 11th verse, as it is in our New-Testament, would support. We have, therefore, nothing to fear from the situation of the Greek manuscripts, in respect to the Divinity of Christ; nor from the celebrity of Griesbach's Testament, which is only the reverberation of their voice. Neither have our opponents any solid ground to triumph, on the account of these things.

Rev. 2. 8, standing in every version and manuscript, solemnly announces, that "Jesus Christ is the first and the last;" and, for this decisive testimony in favor of the foundation of our hope, we have reason to bless the Lord.

5. If Christ is "the first and the last," He "is the true God, and eternal life;" and, therefore, we have nothing to fear from the reading which the famous Griesbach gives to Acts 20. 28, in his purified Greek Testament. In our translation, that text reads thus-"Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.” The text in this form, is an invincible evidence of the Su

preme Deity of Jesus Christ. Our opponents call this passage, one of the main pillars of the Trinitarian system; and triumphantly say, that Griesbach has thrown it down. What he has done is this-instead of "Feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood," his reading is, feed the church of the Lord, &c. This reading, however, is very suspicious; and it is even doubted by some of the Anti-Trinitarians themselves. Mr. Wakefield is a sanguine Anti-Trinitarian; yet, he contends for the propriety of the word "God," instead of "the Lord.” If he felt himself under the necessity of abiding by our translation; surely, we may concur with him in opinion. But even allowing Griesbach to be correct in this case; there is nothing gained by our opponents, nor lost on our part. Doubtless, it was Jesus Christ, whose blood was shed for sin; and, if he is called "the Lord" instead of " God," in Acts 20. 28, our text declares, that he is "the first and the last ;" and therefore, He is God, and is so called in other parts of Scripture, whose reading cannot be disputed. It has been shown that He is called God, in Heb. 1. 8, and that our opponents have been forced to acknowledge it.

He is called by that name in the 1st chap. of John, and criticism has been baffled, in attempting to alter its reading. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." He is called the mighty God," in Isa. 9. 6, and every effort to vary its reading, has proved abortive-mere subterfuge-the expiring groans of a wounded system. In Rom. 9. 5, St. Paul says of the Israelites "Whose are the fathers, and of whom as conconcerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed forever." This important passage has often been put upon the rack of criticism, to silence its voice; but every attempt has failed; and its enemies have been obliged to allow, that it stands fair in the English translation. To what has been said, 1 John 5. 20, may be added, "And we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life." To introduce the word "Lord," into Acts 20. 28, instead of the word "God," effects nothing, seeing that Jesus Christ is so expressly called God, in the highest sense of the word, in so many parts of the Scriptures. As He is "the first and the last," his Supreme Deity is sufficiently established. 6. If Christ is the "the first and the last," then we may be assured that He "is the true God;" and, therefore, we have nothing to fear from the reading which Griesbach gives to 1 Tim. 3. 16. In our translation, that text reads, "Great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh." Griesbach makes it read-" Great is the mystery of godliness: he who was manifested in the flesh." This, the Anti-Trinitarians say, is another pillar of the Trinitarian system, which that learned critic has cast to the ground. The justice of making the text read in this manner, is, however, very questionable. But allowing its accuracy, there is very little gained by our adversaries; for even on this ground, Christ must be more

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than a mere man. "He who was manifested in the flesh," must either be "the true God," or some other pre-existing being. The 1st chapter of John's gospel settles this question. There it says "The Word was God;"-" and the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory." "He, who was manifest in the flesh," is called in our text, "the first and the last ;" and, of course, He is the true God." We have nothing, therefore, to dread from the situation of the text which we are now examining, even if it can be made to appear that Griesbach's reading is perfectly right. But powerful reasons might be offered in favor of the English reading, if the thing were necessary. Whatever may be the true reading of 1 Tim. 3. 16, it is a fact that " God was manifest in the flesh." As this is a truth, it is a very great evidence in favor of the English translation. Those who are in favor of a different reading, profess a religion that requires it.

7. If Christ is "the first and the last," then He is the true God; and yet a distinct Person from the Father.

This is a manifestation that there is more than one person in the essence of JEHOVAH. On this principle, 1. John 5. 7, is an exhibition of divine truth. All the arguments that can be raised against its internal purity, are as volatile as air, when it is expanded to the last degree. As for the external evidence which lies against it, we have great reason to think that it originated in wickedness. On this, that excellent commentator, Mr. Pool, says"The text was undoubtedly in the original copies of the Scriptures; and the want of it in the copies where it does not appear, must be owing to the want of care in transcribing, or to a base design.'

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The gentleman with whom I have been contending, has predicted that "the time is at hand, when 1 John 5. 7, will be banished from our Bibles, and consigned to the

abodes of annihilation." On the contrary, I believe, that it will appear in them to the very end of time. It contains a doctrine, which beams forth in the Scriptures, like the unclouded sun.

The subject may be closed, with varying a little the last sentence of my opponent's discourse-" If any man, after being made acquainted with these various facts, now presented to him," in relation to the Trinity in Unity-the supreme Deity and atonement of Christ-the Personality and saving operations of the Holy Ghost, and "is so devoid of candor, of modesty, of the sense of shame and the love of truth, as to rely upon" the baseless fabric of AntiTrinitarianism for acceptance with God; "I feel compelled to adopt the language of" inspiration, "and say," he is "denying the Lord that bought him, and is thereby "bringing upon himself swift destruction." But But may Lord Jesus Christ prevent this from being my opponent's portion, by turning him to a cordial belief of his perfect equality with the Father, through the riches of his grace, and by the regenerating power of his Spirit. AMEN.

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