I.

Holy One, and corrupt every thing which comes CHAP. within the comprehension of their blind senses, God suddenly, and unawares, accomplishes his own purposes out of their sight, in such a manner as their human wisdom can neither comprehend, nor their power supplant.

20. As it is only by the things that are created now, and made manifest in their present and actual existence, that the invisible things of God can be truly known; and as it was only in and by the Son, in his actual existence, that the Father was revealed in Christ's first appearing; therefore by the things which are now created anew in Christ Jesus, and which actually exist in the present day, the full perfections of JEHOVAH are actually revealed, made manifest, and certainly known.

21. Before the substance was made known by the actual existence of the Son, in Christ's first appear ing, the Anointing Power (which constituted Christ) dwelt in the eternal WORD, which was communica ted to the patriarchs and prophets by the ministry of angels; so in the same manner was the Holy Ghost given unto the apostles and true witnesses, as a Spir. it of Promise, until the substance should be revealed and made known by the actual existence of the Daughter, in Christ's second appearing.

22. And as in the fulness of time the Spirit of God descended and abode in the Son, in whom dwelt the fulness of the Deity, pertaining to man's redemp→ tion; so also in the fulness of time, the Holy Ghost, descended and took up her abode in the Daughter, in and by whom, united in a correspondent relation to the Son, the perfection of order in the Deity was made known, and the mystery of God finished, pertaining to the foundation of man's redemption.

23. It hath been observed, that the universal law of nature, established in the first creation of man, has established the order and relation for the increase of his posterity after the flesh, by a mutual correspondence between two; in which it invariably descends from generation to generation, proceeding from the first Father and Mother, the joint parentage of all the

human race.

CHAP.

L.

24. And no less is the law of the new creation established, between two, for the increase of a spiritual posterity, by the eternal and unchangeable purpose of JEHOVAH, according to his divine and immutable perfections, which existed in his divine essence before all worlds, which were kept secret through all ages and generations; but now are made known unto the saints of the present day, for the full and final accomplishment of all that ever God promised in Christ, by the mouth of all his prophets, since the world began.

25. The Father is first in the order of the new creation, and the Mother is the second, the glory, wisdom and perfection of the Father. And in and by the Son and Daughter, or Christ in his first and second appearing, the Father and Mother are both revealed and made known, through the mutual influence of the eternal WORD proceeding from both; who are one in essence, nature and union, but two in their office and manner of operation.

26. Yet neither the attribute of Father nor Son, Mother nor Daughter, existed from all eternity; but derived their existence from the Creator, by those things which actually exist in the order of the old and new creation, which is created by the eternal Word, proceeding from an everlasting source; as the river of the waters of life proceeded from the sanctuary and throne of God and the Lamb, and flowed between the tree of life on either side of the river.

27. "From all eternity" is a term invented by blind guides, and conveys no true idea at all in relation to the things of God, having neither beginning nor end. But everlasting, is that which expresses the immutability of the Divine perfections, being that which never dissolves, nor comes to an end. And hence, beings created at any certain period, may be everlasting, because proceeding, and coming forth from an everlasting substance.

28. It hath been observed, that the attribute of Father depends upon the existence of Son, as much as the attribute of Son depends upon the existence of Father. Therefore said the prophet, They are created now, and not from the beginning-lest thou shouldest say, I knew them.

L

29. In the records of Truth, before the EVER- CHAP. LASTING FATHER, we see JEHOVAH; and before JEHOVAH, we see I AM ; and before I AM, we see GOD; and before GOD, we see the Beginning-In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth for without a beginning God could not be known to exist, and therefore could not exist in relation to things that have a beginning. Canst Job xi. 7 thou by searching find out God? canst thou find out

the Almighty unto perfection?

9, 10, 11.

30. At the beginning of the new creation, the Son of God declared that he was in the Father, and the Father in him; and to the Jews he said, No man John xiv. hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down & from heaven, even the Son of man, which is in heavThis he said while on the earth, where the Father was, and only could, or needed to be revealed.

en.

13.

31. Moses had written the history of the natural creation from the beginning, and not the history of the new creation; but the Evangelists wrote the history of the new creation, and not that of the old, having been eye witnesses of the work of Christ Jesus Lukei. 2. from the beginning, and having received the WORD, John vi. by which the foundation of that world was laid, and 5. by which they were created anew in Christ Jesus, who was the beginning of that creation.

25. Heb.

*Gr.

Εγενι

το.

32. In the beginning was the Word, [of Revelation] and the Word was God: The same [Word] John i. was in the beginning with God. Every thing was by him, and without him was not any thing that was. In him was life; and the life was the light of men.And the Word was flesh [revealed by Christ Jesus] brought and dwelt anong [or in] us, and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

33. That Word by which Jesus spake, by which the ages were set in order, and which Jesus testified should judge the world at the last day, proceeded from the everlasting substance of the Father, and the Holy Ghost; and hence the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost are one, in essence, in nature, and in union, everlasting.

34. But doth this imply " Three Persons, of one

existed,or

forth.

I.

CHAP. Substance, Power, and Eternity?" or that "The Son is eternally begotten of the Father?" Or doth it imply that the Son is "very and eternal God, equal with the Father?" No such thing. I can of mine own self do nothing, said Jesus: The Word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me :-For my Father is greater than I,

John v. 30.

xiv. 24,

28.

John vii. 50.

35. And doth not nature and reason, as well as the whole order of creation, witness, that he who begets must be before him that is begotten? and that the Father is therefore greater than the Son? and that the Son must have a beginning? How can the Son be eternally begotten? If he is eternally begotten, then the Father must be eternally begetting him, and consequently, of eternal necessity, he must be eternally in the womb, and was never brought forth, never came to the birth, nor ever can while eternity endures.

36. But if the Father had a Son, he was certainly begotten; and if begotten, then certainly brought forth; and as certainly he had a beginning; and that beginning was not all eternity, but the operation of God at a certain period of time; yet his descent was from everlasting, being begotten, conceived, and brought forth from an everlasting source.

37. Jesus said to the Jews, "Your Father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad." But how did Abraham see his day? Was it to him present, past, or future? The truth is, it was not to him real, but only by faith in the promise, the fulfilment of which was yet future: for he looked for Heb. i. a city whose builder and maker is God: And what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope and look for?

10. Rom.

viä. 24,25

John i 27, 80.

38. Again said Jesus, Before Abraham was, I am. This was strictly true; but in what sense? Not in relation to the period of his existence; but in relation to the dignity of his order, office, and work; in this he was preferred before all, and above all that ever were before him. Hence said John the Baptist, the greatest of all the prophets, He it is, who coming after me, is preferred before me—for he was before me.

39. Again, it is said that Jesus prayed for the glory which he had with the Father before the world was. Whatever ideas the natural man may form

I.

from the literal words of scripture, the plain truth is CHAP. this Christ Jesus, in whom dwelt the fulness of the Godhead bodily, knew what was intended, in the mind and purpose of the Father, for him; therefore, when he had finished the work which the Father had given him to do, he prayed, saying, And now, O Fa-" John xvii ther, glorify thou me, with the glory which I had with 5. thee, that is, which was in thy mind and purpose concerning me] before the world was.

9.

40. Again, when the apostle said, "God hath sa- 2 Tim. i. ved us, and called us with an holy calling, according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus, before the world began." He could not mean the old world; for neither they, nor Christ Jesus existed in the order of time before the old world, but long after.

6.

41. Therefore it is written, "Thou art my Son, Pa. . 7. this day have I begotten thee :" which could not be Heb. i. 5, the day in which David wrote for again he saith, I will (in the future tense) be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a son. And when he bringeth the first begotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him. Which was expressly fulfilled when the tidings of his birth were brought to the shepherds, four thousand years after the visible creation began, and never before.

See Joha

XV. 4, 16.

Heb. i. 4

42. The apostles and true followers of Christ Jesus, were indeed called and chosen to be in him, as xiv. 20. he was in the Father, and to be witnesses of him, Acts i. 2. before the foundation of that world, new creation, or 5. new age was fully established, which, according to Acts ii. promise, was at the day of Pentecost; then it was actually brought forth, according to the purpose of God, which he purposed in himself before all worlds. But we must distinguish between the purpose of God, and its actual accomplishment.

43. A man might purpose to build a city, and exhibit the plan according to his purpose; but would the plan be the city itself? And provided the city was built, from what period would the building of the city be dated? from the time of its actual building? or of forming the plan? Not from the plan, but from the actual building of the city.

44. And should he, at the same time, include in

24.