Certain criteria necessary to distinguish God from the creature. The Mosaic dispensation designed to prevent idolatry. Divine criteria are names, titles, attributes, works and worship, proved The Angel of the Lord. Philo, his character. Seven propositions. Different appearances of the Angel. He is called by the rabbins by different names. They ascribe all the appearances to the same Angel. All the divine criteria ascribed to this Angel. The appearance of the angel to Abraham. To Jacob. To Moses. To Joshua. To Gideon, and to Manoah. Quotation from Eu- sebius. Design of these appearances. This Angel is Jehovah. Promised as a guide to the children of Israel. The rabbins Striking similarity between Christ and the Angel. All the divine criteria ascribed to Jesus Christ. He is called God, Jehovah, the First and the Last, the Son of God. LETTER II.-Divine criteria, or the continuation of the subject, 191 The divine attributes ascribed to Jesus. Divine works. Such as creation, redemption, and raising the dead. Divine worship, LETTER I.-Consequences if Christ be not God, Then it follows: That he was not the promised Messiah, but a deceiver and blasphemer. That the Jews were bound to put him to death. That the ceremonial law is not abrogated, and no atonement made. That all who have worshiped Christ have been idolaters. That into this fatal error they were If Christ be not God, then the following Scriptures in particular must lead to idolatry, viz. John, 17: 6. 2 Cor. 8: 9. Gal. 1: 1. Then it appears that God is love. God, and love and compassion to forced by the strongest motives. LETTER IV. The deity of the Holy Ghost, All the divine criteria are ascribed to him. He is called God and The subject acknowledged to be difficult. Quotations from Bishop Sentiments of the rabbins. Events expected to take place. Prophecies not to be spiritualized. LETTER IV.-The subject continued, Jer. 31: 31-40. Zech. 12: 10-14. Restoration proved from facts. return. Their favorable circumstances. The way preparing. Jerusalem to be rebuilt. Judaism to be re-established. This called heresy. Objections answered. Such as their return not mentioned in the New Testament. There shall be but one fold. The end of their being kept distinct has been answered. The term explained. Importance. The doctrine proved. Pos- sible. Analogy. Ideas of reward and punishment. Proved from Scripture, 2 Cor. 5: 10. Job, 19: 25-27. Isaiah, 26: 19. Proved from man's relation to God as his creatures and subjects. From the justice of God. From the dictates of conscience. From remarkable judgments inflicted. From the Scripture. From the testimony of heathens. The person to be the judge is Christ. He is invested with this office, as a reward for his sufferings. To the honor of his kingly office. The manner of Its nature. Punishment of loss. Debarred from the beatific vision of God. Excluded from the court of heaven. Punish- ment of sense. Torments of conscience. Duration. LETTER IV.-Happiness of the righteous, Inconceivably great. Character of the righteous. Nature of their happiness. Negatively freed from sin. From the consequences of it. Positive happiness. Perfection of knowledge. Of will. The powers of the soul in full exercise, also of the body. The PART I. THE EXALTATION OF THE MESSIAH. Letter I. INTRODUCTION. My beloved Brother Benjamin, Jehovah, the God of our fathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the Angel of the covenant, having preserved me in my journey, and brought me safely back to my family, I now, agreeably to my promise in my last letter, resume with pleasure our correspondence, in a second series of letters, on some of the most important and interesting subjects respecting the Messiah. Having in the former series considered the predictions which relate to Messiah's state of humiliation, and their accomplishment in the birth, life, sufferings, death and burial of Jesus Christ, I propose to consider, in the first part of this series of letters, those predictions which relate to his state of exaltation. § 1. In the sufferings and death of Christ, we have seen the Sun of Righteousness setting in great darkness, and all nature in mourning; but we shall now see him rising and shining brighter and brighter unto the perfect day, to go down no more. What is said respecting every believer, is perfectly true respecting Jesus Christ: "Light is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart. For his anger endureth but a moment: in his favor is life; weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning. They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with VOL. II. |