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"is." How then can he be blessed who trusteth in the Messiah, if the Messiah be only man like ' other men?' And, if the Messiah be not meant, what man, or angel, or creature, can be substituted in his place, to whom Jehovah would say, " Kiss "the Son lest he be angry, and ye perish from "the way, when his wrath be kindled, yea, but a "little. Blessed are all they that put their trust " in him?"1

The language of many Scriptures, which are little regarded in the argument, requires somewhat more notice.

Thus we read in Isaiah: "Hearken unto me, O "Jacob and Israel, my called, I am he. I am the "First, I also am the Last.2 My hand also hath "laid the foundation of the earth, and my right "hand hath spanned the heavens: when I call, "they stand up together. All ye, assemble your"selves, and hear; which among them hath de"clared these things? The Lord hath loved him; "he will do his pleasure on Babylon, and his "arm shall be on the Chaldeans. I, even I, "have spoken; yea, I have called him; I have brought him, and he shall make his way pros66 perous. Come ye near unto me, hear ye this. "I have not spoken in secret from the beginning: "from the time that it was, there am I; and now "the Lord God, and his Spirit hath sent me."3 Who is the speaker in this passage? There is not the least intimation of any change in the

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person

Is. xi. 10. xii. 2. Matt. xii. 21. Rom. xv. 12. Eph. i. 12, 13.

2 Is. xli. 4. xliv. 6. Rev. i. 11. 17. ii. 8. xxii. 13.

3 Is. xlviii. 12-16.

speaking in the former and in the latter part of the quotation; in which the peculiar style of Deity, and the name JEHOVAH are used. Even in the latter part, he speaks decidedly the language of Deity; yet he says, "Adonai JEHOVAH, and his Spirit hath sent me." Or, " hath sent me, and his Spirit." For this is the more obvious rendering of the clause.

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Is there then in this passage nothing favouring the doctrine of the Messiah's Deity, or that of the Trinity? In like manner, by another prophet; "Thus saith the Lord of hosts, after the glory "hath he sent me unto the nations which spoiled

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you: for he that toucheth you, toucheth the "apple of his eye. For, behold, I will shake mine "hand upon them, and they shall be a spoil to "their servants; and ye shall know that the "Lord of hosts hath sent me. Sing and rejoice, "O daughter of Zion; for lo, I come, and I will "dwell in the midst of thee, saith the Lord: and 66 many nations shall be joined to the Lord in that day, and shall be my people: and I will dwell "in the midst of thee, and thou shalt know, that "the Lord of hosts hath sent me unto thee." 1 I must entreat the reader to examine carefully the language of this prophecy. I have marked some clauses, in Italics, as requiring peculiar notice.. But it is manifest that the speaker repeatedly calls himself JEHOVAH; and uses expressions peculiar to God; and yet he says again and again," the "Lord of hosts hath sent me." I scarcely know any passage in the New Testament more decided

1 Zech. ii. 8-11. See also Zech. iii. 1, 2. vi. 12-14. xii. 10.

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in this respect; and it must lead him, who is intimately conversant with the scriptures, to recollect the several texts in which it is said, " God dwelleth " in you; ""Christ dwelleth in you;" "Ye are "the temple of God, and the Spirit of God "dwelleth in you." Especially the words of our Lord must occur to him, "The Spirit of truth "dwelleth with you, and shall be in you." "If a "man love me he will keep my words, and my "Father will love him; and we will come to him, "and make our abode with him." 2

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Again, we read in Malachi; "The Lord whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even "the Messenger of the covenant whom ye delight in; behold he shall come, saith the Lord of " hosts."3 Here again I ask, who is this Lord that shall come to his temple? Surely the temple was not consecrated to man, or angel, or any other except JEHOVAH. Had modern Antitrinitarians dictated the scriptures, we should no more have met with this phraseology in the Old Testament, than in the New, with the passage of John supposed to be interpolated; or another, which is not said to be so: "We know, that the Son of "God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true; " and we are in him that is true, even in his Son "Jesus Christ. This ('Ouros) is the true God, and "eternal life. Little children keep yourselves "from idols." 4 I say again, all Antitrinitarians had much rather these passages were not found in

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' 1 Cor. iii. 16.

3 3 Mal. iii. 1, 2.

2 John xiv. 16-23.

4 1 John v. 20, 21.

the scriptures; and would be glad to alter or expunge them.

The traditions of almost every nation contain something analagous to plurality in unity, however distorted, in respect of the Deity: and many passages have by learned men been adduced even from the Targums and Talmuds of the Jews, which concur in this opinion. I do not adduce these things as proofs; but to induce Jews, as well as others, to use more caution and reverence of God, in speaking on this sublime, mysterious, and awful subject; and in order to shew that Christians did not invent the doctrine of the Trinity. "Canst thou by searching find out God? "canst thou find out the Almighty to perfection!" We cannot comprehend ourselves, or how "body, "soul, and spirit," form one individual man: how then are we competent to decide, as ex cathedra, concerning the infinite God?

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P. 132. 1. 13. What does Paul mean by this 'sentence, All in all?' He saith not that the 'FATHER, mentioned in the twenty-fourth verse, " but that " GOD may be all in all:" and so he 'seems to lead us to that interpretation of the Godhead, which comprehends Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; that the Godhead may govern all 'things by himself, without the intervention of a • Mediator to exact our obedience in his name, ' and to convey to us favours and rewards. So as now Christ, God-man, is "all in all," (Col. iii. '11;) because the Father hath put all things into 'his hand, does all things, and governs all things

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1.1 Cor. xv. 28.

' by him; when this economy ceases, the Godhead 'will be "all in all.” (Whitby.)

"The distinction between the absolute, universal, ' and everlasting kingdom of God, the Governor ' of all; and the mediatorial kingdom of Christ, as 'instituted for the benefit of fallen man, which was intended to endure for a time, in order to accomplish certain important ends, to the glory ' of God in man's salvation; will, after the day of judgment, be terminated. Christ, having exe'cuted his commission, will cease to reign over

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'all worlds, as Mediator, having publicly delivered up the kingdom to God in the person of the 'Father: yet he will, in human nature, retain a peculiar authority over his redeemed people; ' and, as one with the Father, he will, with him ' and the Holy Spirit, reign one "God over all blessed for evermore." Nor will he any more 'cease to reign in this sense, when he hath given

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up the mediatorial kingdom, than the Father 'ceased to reign, when he appointed the Son to 'that kingdom.' (The Author's Commentary.)

P. 132. 1. 26. The last verse,' &c.-As God was pleased that his servant Moses should place the verse in question last, it seems not very reverential to say, 'Why is not this verse first in the song, as indeed it ought to be ?' I think few persons will be satisfied with the reason assigned for the transposition; however assured he may be " that the kingdoms of the earth" shall, in the last days, become the kingdoms of God and his Messiah.

P. 133. 1. 10. “ My Father is greater than I.". 'As Mediator, I receive my commission from the

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