Imatges de pàgina
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and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last." The authenticity of this passage is not called in question; neither can its application to the Son of God be very easily denied. The same Being saith in the preceding verse-"Behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his works shall be." We know that it is Christ, who shall descend from heaven and judge angels and men. This might be proved from many direct testimonies. It is impossible that such expressions should be so repeatedly applied to Jesus Christ, unless he is like his Father, "from everlasting to everlasting."

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The proper Divinity of the Redeemer, might be proved from many other testimonies; but as the text leads us only to this, no other arguments, at present, will be urged. This as completely settles the point in view, as an exhibition of all the evidence which arises from,other considerations. God only is the "first" of all beings; and, if Christ be the "first," then He is truly God. The eternity of his being, and consequently, Deity, have been amply supported from our text, and the parallel passages which have been mentioned.

To show, however, that the proper Divinity of Christ is not confined to the book of Revelation, some other sacred passages will be added, which are corroborative of the same glorious doctrine. Long before He appeared in the flesh, a prophetic voice proclaimed,-" Unto us a child is born, unto us a Són is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder and his name shall be called, Wonderful, Counsellor, the mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace." Isa. 9. 6. No candid mind can have any doubt, but that Christ is the one, who is meant in this sublime passage. The thing is irresistibly evident. In connection with the other things which are

said of Christ in this passage, the eternity of his being is expressly announced, by calling him-" The everlasting Father." It is also said of Him by another prophet“But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall He come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting." Mic. 5. 2. Coming out of Bethlehem, and ruling in Israel, clearly show, that the sacred writer is speaking of Christ; and his eternity is declared in these words, "whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting." Nothing more is necessary to convince the mind that this passage is in point, in relation to the present subject.

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But, a few passages will be selected from the New-Testament, as a farther establishment and illustration of the doctrine under consideration. It is said by an apostle"But unto the Son, he saith-Thy throne, O God, is forever and ever." Heb. 1. 8. It is necessary to apprise you, however, my hearers, how the modern Anti-Trinitarians render this text, to silence its voice against their system. They give it this reading-"God is thy throne for ever and ever." In respect to this, Dr. Doddridge says, To render this as some do, 'God is thy throne forever and ever; that is, God will establish thy throne, appears to me very unnatural." But Dr. Carpenter, who is a leading Anti-Trinitarian in England, has given up this rendering, as being inconsistent with the Greek idiom. Whether the other writers of that school will have the temerity to advocate it still, time must determine. We may rest satisfied, however, that our translation is correct in this case; and that the passage fully establishes the eternal Deity of Jesus Christ. Wetstein, who is also an An-Trinitarian, freely acknowledges that "the sacred writer has called

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Christ, in this passage, by the name of God." No doubt he has done it with strict propriety. The text under consideration, expressly proves the eternity of Christ's existence; and that is the simple point to which it is now applied. In relation to the proposition we are establishing, these words apply-" Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, and to-day, and forever." Heb. 13. 8. If this language were used in respect to the acknowledged God, nobody would hesitate about the propriety of the application; nor doubt, that the words denoted a proper eternity. We may therefore consider them as being a cogent proof that Jesus Christ is "the first and the last." It must also be allowed that Melchizedeck is either Christ himself, or an eminent type of his Person and character; and it is expressly said of him, that he is King of peace; without Father, and without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a Priest continually." Heb. 7. 2, 3. On the evidence which has been adduced, we may rest assured, that Christ is from eternity; and of course, the Supreme JEHOVAH-the God of the universe.

II. The text, as thus explained, is now to be applied to the passages which are contested by our theological adversaries. In doing this, let it be observed,

1. If Christ is "the first and the last-was dead and is alive;" then we may infer, that his divine and human nature form one identical person. It is as God, that He is "the first and the last ;" and it is as man, that He “ was dead and is" now" alive." These things are all predicated of one and the same person.

The mystery of the hypostatical union, as it is called by divines, is established by our subject beyond contradiction. Our incapacity of explaining it, is no proper reason why we should refuse to receive it as an article of our faith.

To take such an imperious stand, is wicked, and leads to broad infidelity. It is the very same thing as to fall on the stumbling stone. It is said of such people, that they "shall be broken;" and that, if this stone "fall" upon them, "it will grind them to powder." It is sufficient for us to know, that God saith the thing is so, without our arrogantly calling upon him to explain to our feeble understanding the mode of it. To be wise above what is written, is nothing short of opposition to God. The union of the divine and human nature in the person of Christ, is a sublime mystery, into which the very angels desire to look, and which eternity will never fully unfold. It is a bright display of God's glory-the only foundation of safety to penitent sinners; and a subject that demands eternal praise from men.

2. If Christ is "the first and the last-was dead and is now alive, then we may infer, that he is a distinct Person from the Father, and yet one with him in essence, perfections and glory. It is never said of the Father, that He "liveth and was dead ;" and no being but God, can be "the first and the last ;" and, therefore, these divine persons must be one in essence. This deeply interesting

truth was declared by the Redeemer himself, "I and my Father are one." John 10. 30. "He that hath seen me, hath seen the Father." "I am in the Father, and the Father in me." Chap. 14. 9, 10. There may be different divine Persons; but there can be no more than one God.

3. If Christ be "the first and the last, and yet a distinct Person from the Father, then we may infer, that the Holy Ghost may likewise be a distinct Person in the Godhead. Those who admit the supreme divinity of Christ, and His distinct Personality, will never dispute this point. No such inconsistent person was ever known in any generation.

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It must be allowed, that every argument in favor of the Deity of Christ, is an equal proof of the Trinity in Unity. This doctrine irresistibly includes the personality and supreme divinity of the Holy Spirit. As the holy Scriptures. abound with evidence in favor of the proper Deity of the Spirit, the same arguments evince the supreme Divinity of Christ. When we take into view the different classes of testimony, they form a vast weight of evidence in favor of the whole Trinitarian system. A Triune God is the object of real faith, the foundation of solid hope, and the true ground of holy consolation to the followers of "the Lamb -who taketh away the sins of the world." In renouncing the belief of a Trinity of Persons in God, we close against ourselves the door of eternal life. It is an indispensible duty, therefore, to "contend earnestly for the faith which was once delivered to the saints." Notwithstanding the great subtility, and unwearied exertions of our opponents in relation to these grand truths of the gos-. pel, we feel that our feet stand on ground that cannot be shaken. The Lord of hosts has defended this ground in all ages, and he will continue to vindicate it to the close of time. His church is built upon "the rock of ages," and we have his glorious promise, that "the gates of hell shall never prevail against it."

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4. If Christ is the first and the last," and yet a distinct Person in the Divine Essence, then we may infer, that applying Rev. 1. 8, to the Father, and urging the spuriousness of these words in the 11th verse, "I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last," answers no valuable purpose; for, independently of these proofs, the supreme Deity of Christ is fully established, in the sacred writings. It is settled by the very same kind of testimony which these rejected passages furnish; and, therefore, the rejection of them amounts to nothing. We have no rea

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