to him-"These things, said Isaiah, when he saw his (Christ's) glory, and spake of him."* "Thus saith the Lord, the King of Israel, and his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts, I am the first, and I am the last, and besides me there is no God." Here Jehovah takes this character to himself, as peculiar to him. The FIRST, and the LAST. But Jesus Christ, the Redeemer of the true Israel, the church; who redeems his people from the curse of the law, by his blood, takes this same character to himself, and therefore must himself be JEHOVAH, besides whom there is no God. "I (Jesus Christ) am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the FIRST and the LAST." This same person takes this to himself repeatedly in the first chapter of this book, "saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the FIRST and LAST."||| "I am the FIRST and the LAST : I am he that liveth, and was dead, and, behold, I am alive forevermore."} "I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the ALMIGHTY."¶ "I, even I, am the Lord, and besides me there is no SAVIOUR."** This title and character, which JEHOVAH takes to himself, exclusive of all others, the SAVIOUR of Israel, his church and people, is constantly given to Jesus Christ in the New Testament. He is called Jesus, which signifies a Saviour, because he saves his people from their sins.†† "Christ is the head of the church, and he is the SAVIOUR of the body," that is, the church. He is called, "our Lord and SAVIOUR Jesus Christ." This title is given to him in other places, too many to be particularly recited. And this is needless, since one instance of his being called, by way of eminence, the SAVIOUR, is sufficient to prove the point now in view. It may be proper and useful, however, under this head, to observe, that as this title, The SAVIOUR, is claimed as peculiar to JEHOVAH, the only true God, in the passage just quoted from Isaiah; and since Jesus Christ is called God, and asserted to be God, in many instances, which have been mentioned + Rev. xxii. 13. ** Isaiah xliii. 11. * John xii. 41. † Isaiah xliv. 6. || Verse 11. Matt. i.21. 2 Peter i. 11. ii. 20. iii. 2, 18. above, we are hence warranted to apply the expression, GOD OUR SAVIOUR, which is so often used, to Jesus the only Saviour and Redeemer of his church. Among other instances of this, the following may be particularly noted. "And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God MY SAVIOUR. For unto you is born this day, in the city of David, a SAVIOUR, which is Christ the Lord."* "According to the commandment of God OUR SAVIOUR. That they may adorn the doctrine of God OUR SAVIOUR in all things. Our great God and SAVIOUR Jesus Christ. But after the kindness and love of God and our SAVIOUR appeared.† Through the righteousness of OUR GOD AND SAVIOUR Jesus Christ." In our translation it is God and our Saviour, but this is not so agreeable to the original, as that now given. "Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory, with exceeding joy, to the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever, Amen." That Jesus Christ is the person here intended by the only wise God our Saviour, is farther evident, because this same thing is expressly ascribed to him by St. Paul. "That he (Christ) might present it to himself, a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy, and without blemish." 66 Again, JEHOVAH, the Lord of hosts, is called the husband of the church, and claims this relation. Thy Maker is thine husband, the Lord of hosts is his name."¶ "Thou shalt no more be termed forsaken, &c. for the Lord delighteth in thee, and thy land shall be married-And as the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice over thee."** This same character and relation is ascribed to Jesus Christ. He is the bridegroom, the husband of the church. John Baptist, speaking of Christ, says, "He that hath the bride is the bridegroom."tt St. Paul says to the Luke i. 46, 47. ii. 11. | Jude 24, 25, (Eph v. 27. Tit. i. 3. ii. 10, 13. iii. 4. tt John iii. 29: + 2 Pet. i. 1. ** Isaiah lxii. 4 Corinthian church, "I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you a chaste virgin to Christ."* St. John heard them rejoicing in heaven, and saying, "The marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife (the church) hath made herself ready."t "And I saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, (which is the church) coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And there came unto me one of the seven angels, and talked with me, saying, come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb's wife." Thus it appears that JEHOVAH, the only true God, is the church's husband; and so is Jesus Christ. Therefore Jesus Christ is JEHOVAH; or the only true God, and Jesus Christ, are the same: For the church hath not, and cannot have two husbands: Nor are there two brides or wives, who can each of them have a husband: For there is but one church; but one bride, who, as a chaste virgin, is espoused to one husband, Jesus Christ. "There is ONE body," that is, the church, of which Christ is the only head and husband.|| My dove, my undefiled, is but ONE."§ "Sanctify the Lord (JEHOVAH) of hosts himself, and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread : And he shall be for a sanctuary; but for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offence to both the houses of Israel." This, which is spoken of JEHOVAH, is aрplied to Jesus Christ by St. Peter. "The stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, and a stone of stumbling and rock of offence."** It is said, "The Lord God of the holy prophets sent his angel to shew unto his servants the things which shortly must be done."++ And in the sixteenth verse Jesus Christ says, "I Jesus have sent mine Angel to testify unto you these things in the churches." Here the Lord God of the holy prophets, which must be JEHOVAH, and Jesus Christ, are said to be the same thing. Therefore Jesus Christ and the Lord God, are one and the same. Not half the instances of this kind, which might be adduced under this head, have been mentioned; but these are enough, it is presumed, to illustrate and make evident to every attentive, impartial person, the truth of the particular observation, to prove which they have been cited. 3. That Jesus Christ is God, is evident from the divine attributes being ascribed to him, even those which are peculiar to the Deity. Eternity, or existing without beginning, is ascribed to him. "But thou, Bethlehem-out of thee shall he come forth unto me, that is to be ruler of Israel, whose goings forth have been from old, from_everlasting."* This is expressly applied to Christ. He is represented in that remarkable type of him, Melchisedec, to be without beginning of days, or end of time.‡ He is "the beginning and the ending, the first and the last, which is, and which was, and which is to come."|| Which words strongly express eternal existence, without beginning or end. Immutability is ascribed to him, which is an attribute peculiar to God. Speaking to the Son of God, it is said, "Thou art the same," as opposed to all changeable existence. This is expressed more strongly in the following words, "Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, to day, and forever." Here both his eternity, his existence from everlasting to everlasting, and his immutability are expressed. He is omnipotent. "And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me, in heaven and in earth :"** He is "head over all things to the church." He is "able to subdue all things unto himself." He is "the first and the last, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty."|||| "He upholds all things by the word of his power."§§ His creating and upholding all things, and other works which are ascribed to him, are, without controversy, the work of Omnipotence. But these will be more particularly considered under another head. • Micah v. 2. † Matt. ii. 6. + Heb. vii. 3. Rev. i. 8, 17. xxii. 13. tt Eph. i. 22. That he is Omnipresent, he himself declared, "Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." "And lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world."*"And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven." Surely these things cannot be said with truth of any one but Him, whose presence fills heaven and earth. Omniscience is also one of his attributes. This Peter ascribes to him, without reserve, and with the greatest confidence. "And Peter said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things." It is asserted, agreeable to this, that "He knew all men, and knew what was in man."|| And it is often said that he knew the secret thoughts of men. And he says, "And all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts, and will give unto every one of you according to his works." This is elsewhere spoken of as the attribute and prerogative of the omniscient God alone. Solomon, speaking to JEHOVAH, says, "Thou only knowest the hearts of the children of men."T "The righteous God trieth the hearts and reins."** "I, the Lord, search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways."++ If Jesus Christ were not the only true God, it is impossible he should take to himself this attribute, prerogative and work, which Jehovah, the God of Israel, claims to himself exclusively; and which is infinitely too much to be ascribed to any mere creature. Jesus Christ is declared to be incomprehensible, which is an attribute peculiar to Deity. He says of himself, "All things are delivered unto me of my Father; and no man (no one, it is in the original) knoweth the Son but the Father."‡‡ And it is said of him, "He had a name written that no man (no one) knew but he himself."|||| Equality with God is ascribed unto him. St. Paul, speaking of his person, says, "Who being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God." Jesus said to the Jews, "I and The Jews understood him as my Father are one."¶¶ • Matt. xviii. 20. xxviii. 20. John ii. 24, 25. • Psalm vii. 9. Rev. xix. 12. |