1. In our former lectures we treated of the being, character,
perfections, and attributes of God. What we mean by perfections, is,
the perfections which belong to all the attributes of his nature. We
shall, in this lecture, speak of the Godhead: we mean the Father, Son,
and Holy Spirit.
2. There are two personages who constitute the great, matchless,
governing, and supreme power over all things--by whom all things
were created and made, that are created and made, whether visible or
invisible: whether in heaven, on earth, or in the earth, under the
earth, or throughout the immensity of space--They are the Father and
the Son: the Father being a personage of spirit, glory, and power:
possessing all perfection and fullness: the Son, who was in the bosom
of the Father, a personage of tabernacle, made, or fashioned like unto
man, or being in the form and likeness of man, or, rather, man was
formed after his likeness, and in his image;--he is also the express
image and likeness of the personage of the Father: possessing all the
fullness of the Father, or the same fulness with the Father; being
begotten of him, and ordained from before the foundation of the world
to be a propitiation for the sins of all those who should believe on
his name, and is called the Son because of the flesh--and descended in
suffering below that which man can suffer, or, in other words, suffered
greater sufferings, and was exposed to more powerful contradictions
than any man can be. But notwithstanding all this, he kept the law of
God, and remained without sin: Showing thereby that it is in the power
of man to keep the law and remain also without sin. And also, that
by him a righteous judgment might come upon all flesh, and that all
who walk not in the law of God, may justly be condemned by the law,
and have no excuse for their sins. And he being the Only Begotten of
the Father, full of grace and truth, and having overcome, received a
fullness of the glory of the Father--possessing the same mind with the
Father, which mind is the Holy Spirit, that bears record of the Father
and the Son, and these three are one, or in other words, these three
constitute the great, matchless, governing and supreme power over all
things: by whom all things were created and made, that were created and
made: and these three constitute the Godhead, and are one: the Father
and the Son possessing the same mind, the same wisdom, glory, power,
and fullness: Filling all in all--the Son being filled with the fulness
of the Mind, glory, and power, or, in other words, the Spirit, glory,
and power, of the Father--possessing all knowledge and glory, and the
same kingdom: sitting at the right hand of power, in the express image
and likeness of the Father--a mediator for man--being filled with the
fullness of the mind of the Father, or, in other words, the Spirit of
the Father: which Spirit is shed forth upon all who believe on his name
and keep his commandments: and all those who keep his commandments
shall grow up from grace to grace, and become heirs of the heavenly
kingdom, and joint heirs with Jesus Christ; possessing the same mind,
being transformed into the same image or likeness, even the express
image of him who fills all in all: being filled with the fullness of
his glory, and become one in him, even as the Father, Son and Holy
Spirit are one.
3. From the foregoing account of the Godhead, which is given in his
revelations, the Saints have a sure foundation laid for the exercise
of faith unto life and salvation, through the atonement and mediation
of Jesus Christ, by whose blood they have a forgiveness of sins, and
also a sure reward laid up for them in heaven, even that of partaking
of the fulness of the Father and the Son, through the Spirit. As the
Son partakes of the fullness of the Father through the Spirit, so the
saints are, by the same Spirit, to be partakers of the same fullness,
to enjoy the same glory; for as the Father and the Son are one, so in
like manner the saints are to be one in them, through the love of the
Father, the mediation of Jesus Christ, and the gift of the Holy Spirit;
they are to be heirs of God, and joint heirs with Jesus Christ.
_Question_. Of what do the foregoing lectures treat?
_Answer_. Of the being, perfections, and attributes of the Deity. [§5.
¶1.]
Q. What are we to understand by the Reflections of the Deity?
A. The perfections which belong to his attributes.
Q. How many personages are there in the Godhead?
A. Two : the Father and Son. [§5. ¶1.]
Q. How do you prove that there are two personages in the Godhead?
A. By the Scriptures. Gen. 1:26. Also §2. ¶6. And the Lord God said
unto the Only Begotten, who was with him from the beginning, Let us
make man in our image, after our likeness:--and it was done. Gen. 3:22.
And the Lord God said unto the Only Begotten, Behold, the man is become
as one of us: to know good and evil. John, 17:5. And now, O Father,
glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with you
before the world was. [§5. ¶2.]
Q. What is the Father?
A. He is a personage of glory and of power. [§5. ¶2.]
Q. How do you prove that the Father is a personage of glory and of
power?
A. Isaiah 60:19. The Sun shall be no more thy light by day, neither for
brightness shall the moon give light unto thee: but the Lord shall be
unto thee an everlasting light, and thy God thy glory. 1 Chron. 29:11
Thine, O Lord, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory. Ps 29:3
The voice of the Lord is upon the waters: the God of glory thunders.
Ps 79:9. Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of thy name.
Romans 1:23. And changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an
image made like to corruptible man. Secondly, of power. 1 Chron. 29:4
Thine, O Lord, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory. Jer.
32:17 Ah! Lord God, behold thou hast made the earth and the heavens
by thy great power, and stretched-out arm; and there is nothing too
hard for thee. Deut 4:37. And because he loved thy fathers therefore
he chose their seed after them, and brought them out in his sight with
his mighty power. 2 Samuel 22:33. God is my strength and power. Job 26
commencing with the 7th verse to the end of the chapter. He stretcheth
out the north over the empty place, and hangeth the earth upon nothing.
He binds up the waters in his thick clouds; and the cloud is not rent
under them. He holds back the face of his throne, and spreads his
cloud upon it. He has compassed the waters with bounds, until the
day and night come to an end. The pillars of heaven tremble, and are
astonished at his reproof. He divideth the sea with his power, and by
his understanding he smites through the proud. By his Spirit he has
garnished the heavens; his hand has formed the crooked serpent. Lo,
these are parts of his ways! but how little a portion is heard of him?
But the thunder of his power who can understand?
Q. What is the Son?
A. First, he is a personage of tabernacle. [§5. ¶2.]
Q. How do you prove it?
A. John 14:9,10,11, Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time
with you, and yet have you not known me, Philip? He that has seen me
has seen the Father; and how do you say then, Show us the Father? Do
you not believe, that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? The
words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that
dwells in me he does the works. Believe me that I am in the Father and
the Father in me. Secondly, and being a personage of tabernacle, was
made or fashioned like unto man, or being in the form and likeness of
man. [§5. ¶2.] Philip. 2. Let this mind be in you, which was also in
Christ Jesus; who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to
be equal with God; but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him
the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of man, and, being
found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto
death, even the death of the cross. Heb. 2. 14, 16. Forasmuch then as
the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise
took part of the same. For verily he took not on him the nature of
angels: but he took on him the seed of Abraham. Thirdly, he is also in
the likeness of the personage of the Father. [§5. ¶2.] Heb 1. 1,2,3.
God, who at sundry times, and in divers manners, spake in times past to
the fathers, by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us
by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he
made the worlds; who being the brightness of his glory, and the express
image of his person. Again, Philip. 2:5,6 Let this mind be in you,
which was also in Christ Jesus; who, being in the form of God, thought
it not robbery to be equal with God.
Q. Was it by the Father and the Son that all things were created and
made that were created and made?
A. It was. Col 1:15,16,17 Who is the image of the invisible God, the
first born of every creature; for by him were all things created that
are in heaven and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether
they be thrones or dominions, principalities or powers; all things were
created by him and for him; and he is before all things, and by him all
things consist. Gen. 1:1 In the beginning God created the heavens and
the earth. Heb. 1:2 [God] Has in these last days spoken unto us by his
Son, whom he has appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the
worlds.
Q. Does he possess the fullness of the Father?
A. He does. Col. 1:19. 2:9. For it pleased the Father that in him
should all fullness dwell. For in him dwelleth all the fullness of the
Godhead bodily. Eph 1:23. Which is his [Christ's] body, the fullness of
him that fills all in all.
Q. Why was he called the Son?
A. Because of the flesh. Luke 1:33 That holy thing which shall be born
of thee, shall be called the Son of God.--Math. 3:16,17 And Jesus,
when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and lo,
the heavens were opened unto him, and he [John] saw the Spirit of God
descending like a dove and lighting upon him: and lo, a voice from
heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
Q. Was he ordained of the Father, from before the foundation of the
world, to be a propitiation for the sins of all those who should
believe on his name?
A. He was. 1 Peter 1:18,19,20: Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not
redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain
conversation, received by tradition from your fathers; but with the
precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without
spot: who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world,
but was manifested in these last times for you. Rev. 13:8 And all that
dwell upon the earth shall worship him [the beast] whose names are not
written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of
the world. 1 Corin. 2:7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery,
even the hidden mystery, which God ordained before the world unto our
glory.
Q. Do the Father and the Son possess the same mind?
A. They do. John 5:30. I [Christ] can of my own self do nothing: as I
hear, I judge, and my judgment is just; because I seek not my own will,
but the will of the Father who sent me. John 6:38 For I [Christ] came
down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him that sent
me. John 10:30. I [Christ] and my Father are one.
Q. What is this mind?
A. The Holy Spirit. John 15:26 But when the Comforter is come, whom I
will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which
proceeds from the Father, he shall testify of me. [Christ]. Gal. 4:6.
And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into
your hearts.
Q. Do the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit constitute the Godhead?
A. They do. [§5. ¶2.] Let the student commit this paragraph to memory.
Q. Do the believers in Christ Jesus, through the gift of the Spirit,
become one with the Father and the Son, as the Father and the Son are
one?
A. They do. John 17:20,21. Neither pray I for these (the apostles)
alone, but for them also who shall believe on me through their word;
that they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee,
that they also may be one in us, that the world may believe that thou
hast sent me.
Q. Does the foregoing account of the Godhead lay a sure foundation for
the exercise of faith in him unto life and salvation?
A. It does.
Q. How do you prove it?
A. By the third paragraph of this lecture. Let the student commit this
also.
LECTURE SIXTH.
Of Faith.