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CORINTHIANS-GALATIANS.

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Ps. xvi. V. 10.-Thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.

HOSEA, Ch. vi. V. 2.-After two days JEHOVAH will revive us; in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight.

The energy with which St. Paul writes, and the earnestness with which he directly and indirectly refers to the Law and the Prophets for proofs and confirmation of his doctrines, is highly interesting to his readers. We perceive his own entire conviction of the truths he is so strenuous to instil into the minds of others, and we shall not be surprised at this, if we reflect on the circumstances of his own conversion.

SECOND CORINTHIANS.

CHAP. V.

V. 18. And all things are of GOD, who hath reconciled us to himself by JESUS CHRIST, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; 19. To wit, that GOD was in CHRIST, reconciling the world to himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them, and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

Here St. Paul says, GOD was in CHRIST, reconciling the world to himself. Plurality and unity are in this fact manifested, and the Divinity of CHRIST distinctly taught us. Whoever will attentively read St. Paul's Epistles will perceive that he labours to enforce this point, by every means that learning, ingenuity, and sincerity can supply.

GALATIANS.

CHAP. III.

V. 6.-Abraham believed GOD, and it was accounted to him for righteousness. 8. And the scripture, foreseeing that GOD would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel to Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.

GEN. Ch. xv. V. 6.-And Abraham believed in JEHOVAH, and he counted it to him for righteousness.

Thus we have St. Paul's authority for saying that Abraham believed in CHRIST; and because the Gospel was preached to him, therefore he expected and waited for the Redeemer, who was the seed promised to Abraham, in whom all nations were to be blessed.

V. 16.-Now, to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, and to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is CHRIST.

GEN. Ch. xvii. V. 3.-And Abraham fell on his face, and ELOHIM talked with him, saying, 7. I will establish my covenant between me and thee, and thy seed after thee in their generations, for an everlasting covenant to be ELOHIM unto thee and to thy seed after thee.

St. Paul in all his Epistles asserts his faith in the LORD JESUS CHRIST; and, if we read them attentively, we shall learn that the faith he so strenuously thought it his duty to enforce, was not that a created being called JESUS CHRIST had been on earth to teach morality, but that CHRIST was LORD, JEHOVAH, GOD, our SAVIOUR; that in him dwelleth all the Godhead bodily; and that it was this Divine Being who had been on earth again, personally leading the people through the wilderness of vice and irreligion, to the heavenly Canaan of life and immortality. This is the determined purport of all his writings, and most fully does he prove, with all the energy of perfect conviction, that the Scriptures do indeed testify of CHRIST as the TRUE GOD.

EPHESIANS.

CHAP. III.

V. 8. St. Paul saith, Unto me is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of CHRIST; 9. And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in GoD, who created all things by JESUS CHRIST.

The fellowship of the mystery to which St. Paul refers is, first, the denunciation of ELOHIM JEHOVAH in Genesis, that the seed of the woman should bruise the serpent's head. Many centuries afterwards Isaiah says, A virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and call his name IMMANUEL; and again, at the time marked out by the prophets, the Evangelists relate that the Virgin Mary brought forth a son, and called his name. JESUS, because he shall save the people from their sins. Thus the historian, the prophet, the Evangelists, and the Apostles all agree in their account of the supernatural appearance on earth of our Redeemer and Saviour, JESUS CHRIST. They all treat of the advent, office, and atonement of CHRIST, and agree in relating and believing in the long series of mysteries which were hid in GOD, but which, at his appointed time, were made manifest to an expecting world.

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CHAP. IV.

V. 8. When CHRIST ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts for men.

Ps. lxviii. V. 17.-The chariots of ELOHIM are twenty thousand, even thousands of angels. ADONI is among them as in Sinai, in the holy place. 18. Thou hast ascended on high; Thou hast led captivity captive.

Here the Scriptures expressly affirm the person who

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ascended, &c., to be ELOHIM; and ADONI, as at Sinai, is said to be also there. Thus St. Paul again identifies these with CHRIST, by his appropriation of the above reference to him. At Mount Sinai it has been shown in page 11, that JEHOVAH was there as Mediator between ELOHIM and Moses. Again, I should say, the Trinity in Unity and the Unity in Trinity is asserted and proved as much as such a mystery can be conveyed to finite minds.

PHILIPPIANS.

CHAP. II.

V. 11.-And every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is LORD, to the glory of God the Father.

ISA. Ch. xlv. V. 23.—ELOHIM saith, I have sworn by myself, my word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return. That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear.

Here St. Paul speaks as if the unanimous confession that JESUS CHRIST is LORD, Would tend to the glory of God the Father. Here, then, are two persons spoken of, and if attention be paid to the purport of the different names in Hebrew, as given in the introductory chapter, the meaning of the 11th verse might be thus given: Every tongue shall confess that JESUS is ADONI; and this confession will give glory to ELOHIM the Creator.

COLOSSIANS.

CHAP. II.

V. 8.-Beware, lest any man spoil you, through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of man, after the rudiments of the world, and not after CHRIST; 9. For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the GODHEAD BODILY.

Is it possible for words to convey a more decisive proof of St. Paul's belief that JESUS CHRIST was one person of the awful ELOHIM; but he tells us that this faith cannot be attained by the vain deceits and traditions of man, for in ch. i. v. 24 of Corinthians, it is "the power of GOD," and "the wisdom of GOD," and therefore we must seek it from ELOHIM only, through the mediation of JEHOVAH our ADONI and Saviour.

FIRST THESSALONIANS.

CHAP. III.

V. 11.-Now GOD himself, and our Father, and the LORD JESUS CHRIST direct our way unto you.

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quote this verse, because it is either a proof of the plurality of persons, or it identifies CHRIST with GOD and the Father.

SECOND THESSALONIANS.

CHAP. II.

V. 16. Now, our LORD JESUS CHRIST himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace, 17. Comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work.

The same remark would apply here as in the preceding note, except that in addition it may be seen that the LORD JESUS CHRIST is named in perfect equality with GOD the Father, as contributing to our consolation and hope.

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