the force of his testimony. It is clear, and needs no comment. Another passage of his is equally conspicuous." I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called faithful and true, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war: his eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew but he himself: and he was clothed with a vesture dipt in blood: and his name is called, the WORD OF GOD." This description is applicable to no other than the once humbled,-now exalted Jesus, who is still called the WORD, and of whom John tells us, he bare record. Thet revelation of Jesus Christ, which GOD gave to his servant John, who bare record of the WORD OF GOD." 66 I should also here consider that text in 1 John v. 7. where the Word is mentioned, but as that text is made an argument for the names Father, Word, and Holy Ghost, being natural and essential to Deity, I shall refer the consideration thereof, till the arguments in favor of that opinion come to be answered, and shall very briefly add here, what I understand by the name, title, or appellation Word, as given to Jesus Christ. LOGOS, which is rendered WORD, is a scriptural name given to Jesus Christ, in both old and new testaments. The proper meaning of it is, an outward declaration of God's wisdom and will to men: and as applied to Christ, the Messiah, the Jews and apostles both meant, that he was that glorious person by whom God was pleased fully ↑ Ibid. i. Į, 2. * Rev. xix. 11, 12, 13. and plainly to discover his will to men, as being acquainted with all his counsels, and impowered by him to give laws to the world in general, and the church in particular, and rule them accordingly. Agreeable to this account of Christ, as the WORD OF GOD, the apostle calls him-"The* power of God, and the wisdom of God." And says, "that of God he is made unto us wisdom. In him are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Byt him is made known the manifold wisdom of God." With reference to this sense of his name, John says, he is the "light of men,-the light that lighteneth every man that cometh into the world.Hes that believeth on him, no longer abideth in darkness. He is the way, the truth, and the life," as he affirms of himself. The way to the knowledge and enjoyment of God." No man cometh unto the Father but by me." The spirit and truth of all the old testament promises, prophecies, declarations, &c. concerning the Messiah. Hence it is said, "the testimony of Jesus, is the spirit of prophecy," the revealer, bestower, and exemplar of all divine truth, the author and finisher of faith,-full of grace and truth.-The life, "I¶ am the resurrection and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live. I** am that bread of life. Intt him was life, and the life was the light of men. The words I speak are spirit and life. Hess that hath the Son, hath life. The purpose and grace of God in Christ before the world began, is now made manifest by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who hath * 1 Cor. i. 24, 30. Ibid. xi. 46. ** Ibid. vi. 35. §§ 1 John v. 12. + Eph. iii. 10. | Ibid. xiv. 6. tt Ibid. i. 4. ↑ John i. 4, 9. Ibid. xi. 25. 11 Ibid. vi. 63. 2 Tim. i. 10. abolished death, and brought life and immortality to light, through the gospel." And further, agreeable to this sense of the title WORD, being applied to Christ, he is called the image or visible representation of the invisible God." The express image of his glory." He makes known the invisible GOD to men; hence he says, " Het that hath seen me, hath seen the Father. It will declare thy name unto my bre thren. Is have declared thy name unto them, and will declare it. No man hath seen GOD at any time; the only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.” Thus it is evident from revelation, that Jesus Christ is called the WORD of GOD, because by him God reveals himself to men. He is the great medium of all communication betwixt JEHOVAH and creatures. In him all the gifts of God are bestowed. By him the grateful services of his people are acceptable with God.-In him are all the counsels and purposes of God.--By him they are all executed with infinite wisdom and prudence. He is the scope of the written word of God.-His character runs through the whole of revelation.-All that we now know, or ever shall learn of God, is in and by his own Son Jesus Christ.-He may therefore with such propriety as only divine wisdom could dictate, be called the WORD, the LIVING WORD OF GOD. Were it of any advantage to this argument, it might be shewn, that the Jews generally meant the Messiah, when they wrote of the WORD or Logos. This is abundantly evident from their writings, * Col. i. 15. Heb. i. 3. † John xiv. 9. § John xvii. 26. Ibid. i. 18. though the passages would be tedious to cite: and it is also evident, that John made use of the term WORD, from the common acceptation of it among the Jews, to express him whom they expected as the promised Messiah. But I think a point of doctrine so very evident from revelation, needs no assistance from human authorities, either jewish or christian. * The Jews had five different ideas of the Logos. 1. That it signified God himself; hence they ascribe the words and actions of God to the memra, or word. 2. It signified something in, or of God, whereby he transacted his divine affairs. 3. It is taken for that angel who appeared so often, and assumed the names and titles of JEHOVAH, &c. and was worshipped by the saints. 4. They frequently called him the Son of God. And 5. The Messiah.— We might fairly collect all these ideas from the scripture account of Christ. John plainly calls him God. "The Word was God." And the apostle as plainly calls him the wisdom and power of God. He is called the angel, or messenger of the covenant, by Isaiah and Malachi: and in many places called the Son of God and Messiah. From the whole, the Logos or Word, is the re vealer of divine wisdom to men, the medium of divine manifestations, and divine transactions: this he was before his appearing in flesh, and shall continue to be till the economy of God is finished. It is remarkable in scripture, that though the term Father often includes the divine three; and it is said GoD is HOLY, and GOD is a SPIRIT, which are likewise inclusive terms: yet the terms WORD and SON, never include any more than one, and are peculiarly applied to him only. This seems to point out, that the meaning of these names must be sought in a certain respect, wherein he that bears them is peculiarly distinguished; and that is certainly in his being EMANUEL, and the offices he sustains in that character, to which, together with what he did in it, all such terms as Word, Son, Jesus, Messiah, &c. are properly applicable, as well as his being said to be begotten, sent, glorified, &c. The names he assumed are all suited to the needs and wants of sinners, and have a relation to his character as OIKONOMOs, a steward or dispenser of grace,—OIKODOMOS, a builder of his church, the house of God,-or Logos, a revealer of the miud and will of God. All belonging to the economy of saving sinners, setting them at liberty, and bestowing gracious gifts upon them. SECTION V. HAVING shewed what the scriptures teach us concerning the economical characters of Father and Son, the next enquiry should be into what we learn from them of the Holy Ghost. I have proved that he is God, from the names, perfections, and works, proper only to God, being ascribed to him: and shall now very briefly hint some things, to shew that his scripture character is economical. As to the notion commonly received of a natural, necessary, and eternal procession, of the Holy Ghost, from the Father and the Son, it is what I cannot find the least authority for in revelation. * The only text alledged for proof of eternal procession is what our Lord says, "When the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me." The Spirit proceeding from the Father here, is manifestly spoken of his mission, not of his “essence or divine personality," as is supposed. Our Lord is there telling his disciples, how inexcusable the Jews were in continuing their hatred and resentment against him, after he had done so many great works before them, which were sufficient to convince them that he was sent of God, and the true Messiah, had not their inveterate prejudices so blinded them to every kind of evidence. At the same time he intimates to them, what they might expect from the Jews, for bearing testimony to the truth of his character: but for their comfort in view of such difficulties, he informs them, that he would "send the Comforter as another witness * John xv. 26.. |