point in question, by being selected and given together. "The only begotten Son is in the bosom of the Father." "And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven," (John iii. 13,) clearly implying, that although the Son of God was then incarnate on our earth, that still a communication was preserved betwixt him and his Almighty Father; and in this sense He was still in heaven. The immensity of Deity is a subject far beyond our comprehension; but Scripture condescends to inform us, that he filleth heaven and earth with his presence: "Not that any man hath seen the Father, save he which is of God, he hath seen the Father," (vi. 46;)" and he that sent me is with me," (viii. 29;)" and the servant abideth not in the house for ever, but the Son abideth ever." (ver. 35.) "I proceeded forth and came from God." (ver. 42.) "As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father." (x. 15.) My Father is greater than all, and none is able to pluck my sheep out of my Father's hand; I and Father are one. my 66 (ver. 29, 30.) "Know * "If we attend, not only to the obvious meaning of these words, in comparison with other passages of Scripture, but to the connexion of this celebrated text, it so plainly demonstrates the deity of our blessed Redeemer, that I think it may be left to speak for itself, without any laboured comment. How widely different that sense is, in which Christians are said to be one with God, (John xvii. 21,) will sufficiently appear, by considering how flagrantly absurd and blasphemous it would be, to draw the inference from their union with God, which Christ does from his."-Doddridge's Expositor, vol. ii. p. 227. and believe that the Father is in me, and I in "Now is the Son of man gloriglorified in him. If God be glo him." (ver. 38.) fied, and God is rified in him, God self." (xiii. 31, 32.) shall also glorify him in him"Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, and the truth, and the Life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him. Philip saith unto him, Lord, show us the Father, and it sufficeth us. Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? He that hath seen me, hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father? Believest thou not that I 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 dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me."* (xiv. 6-11.) * Dr. Doddridge's exposition is as follows: "Then Philip, one of the apostles, hearing these words, says to him, with pious ardour becoming his character, Lord, do but show us the Father, and bring us to the sight and enjoyment of him, and it is happiness enough for us, we desire no more; and resign every other hope in comparison of this. Jesus says to him, Have I been with you then so long a time, and conversed among you in so familiar a manner for successive years, and hast thou not yet known me, Philip? If thou hadst well considered who I am, thou mightest have better understood what I have now been saying; for he that hath seen me, has in effect seen the Father, as I am the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, (Heb. iv. ;) and how then dost thou say, after all that has passed between us, Show us the Father? Dost thou not then believe, though I have before af "Father, they have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou firmed it so expressly, (John x. 38; page 229,) that I am in the Father, and the Father is in me, by so intimate an union, as to warrant such language as this? The words which I speak to you from time to time, in which I discover and inculcate this important truth, I speak not merely of myself, but it is really the Father who dwells in me, that gives me my instructions thus to speak; and it is He that operates together with me, and performs the miraculous works that you have so often seen, which are sufficient to demonstrate the truth of this assertion, mysterious as it is, and incredible as it might otherwise seem. Believe me, therefore, in what I have said, that I am thus in the Father, and the Father is in me; or, if what you have so long known of my general character and veracity will not engage you to take it merel yon my single testimony, at least believe me on account of those works in which you have so frequently beheld the Father acting with me; and which indeed, afford so obvious an argument of it, that one might imagine the sight of a few of them might convince one that was before a stranger to me. And yet verily, verily, I say unto you, that you have, if possible, a yet stronger evidence than what you have already received; for he that believes in me, that is, many of my disciples. in these early ages, and each of you in particular, shall receive such an abundant communication of the Spirit, that the miraculous works which I perform he shall perform also; yea, works in some respect greater than these shall he perform; because, I go to my Father, who has thought fit to reserve the most amazing gifts of the Spirit, to honour my return into glory; in consequence of which, you shall be enabled to speak with all foreign tongues; to give the Spirit by the imposition of your hands, (that is, by an outward and visible sign, to impart an inward and spiritual grace;) and to propagate the gospel with such amazing success, as to make more converts in one day, than I have done in the whole course of my ministry; and, in a word, you may depend upon it, that whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, under the influence of that Spirit, and subservient to the great end of your life and ministry, I will cer "Who being in the robbery to be equal "Who is the image of didst send me." (xvii. 8.) form of God, thought it not with God." (Phil. ii. 6.) the invisible God." (Col. i. 15.) "For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell." (ver. 19.) "That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgment of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ; in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." (ii. 2, 3.) "For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily." (ver. 9.) "And without controversy, great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh." (1 Tim. iii. 16.) "And has spoken unto us by his Son," (Heb. i. 2,) " who is the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, (ver. 3;) "unto whom he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever." (ver. 8.) "And hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us." (1 John iii. 16.) "There are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one." (v. 7.) And behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne," (Rev. iv. 2;) "and he that sat upon the throne, said, Behold, I make all things new." 66 66 tainly do it, that so the Father may still be glorified in the Son; who, when he is ascended up to heaven, will from thence be able to hear and answer prayer; and even in his most exalted state, will continue to act with that faithful regard to his Father's honour, which He has shown in his humiliation on earth; and in this confidence I repeat it again." (xxi. 5.) "And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon to shine in it; for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof." (ver. 23.) "And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb," (xxii. 1 :) thus describing the " throne of God, and of the Lamb," as one and equally occupied by these two glorious luminaries, who, with the Holy Ghost, resplendent blaze as one, to light the universe. And, behold, I come quickly, and my reward is with me, to give to every man according as his work shall be. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. Blessed are they that do his commandments," (ver. 12-14,) and worship God. Amen. 66 These are the passages which contain the strong intimation, if not positive assertion, that Deity concentrates in himself a plurality of persons, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, and that these three are one; in addition to which may be added that of the prophet Isaiah, (ix. 6,) namely, that in the child to be born, would dwell the mighty God, the everlasting Father:* and in chap. lx. 19, it is recorded, "the Lord shall be unto thee an everlasting light, and thy God thy glory." In the passage just inserted from the Apocalypse, it is said, that the glory of God will lighten the heavenly Jerusalem, and that the Lamb is the light thereof; in this instance describing, as be * Our readers will recollect, that the incarnation of Christ, and his offices in his human nature, are distinct objects for future research. VOL. II. M |