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1 In our former lectures we treated of the being, character,
perfections and attributes of God. What we mean by perfections, is, the
perfections which belong to all the attributes of his nature. We shall, in this
lecture speak of the Godhead: we mean the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
2 There are two personages who constitute the great,
matchless, governing and supreme power over
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all things--by whom all things were created and made, that
are created and made, whether visible or invisible: whether in heaven, on earth,
or in the earth, under the earth, or throughout the immensity of space--They are
the Father and the Son: The Father being a personage of spirit, glory and power:
possessing all perfection and fulness: The Son, who was in the bosom of the
Father, a personage of tabernacle, made, or fashioned like unto man, or being in
the form and likeness of man, or, rather, man was formed after his likeness, and
in his image;--he is also the express image and likeness of the personage of the
Father: possessing all the fulness of the Father, or, the same fulness with the
Father; being begotten of him, and was ordained from before the foundation of
the world to be a propitiation for the sins of all those who should believe on
his name, and is called the Son because of the flesh--and descended in suffering
below that which man can suffer, or, in other words, suffered greater
sufferings, and was exposed to more powerful contradictions than any man can be.
But notwithstanding all this, he kept the law of God, and remained without sin:
Showing thereby that it is in the power of man to keep the law and remain also
without sin. And also, that by him a righteous judgment might come upon all
flesh, and that all who walk not in the law of God, may justly be condemned by
the law, and have no excuse for their sins. And he being the only begotten of
the Father, full of grace and truth, and having overcome, received a fulness of
the glory of the Father-possessing the same mind with the Father, which mind is
the Holy Spirit, that bears record of the Father and the Son, and these three
are one, or in other words, these three constitute the great, matchless,
governing and supreme power over all things: by whom all things were created and
made, that were created and made: and these three
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constitute the Godhead, and are one: The Father and the Son
possessing the same mind, the same wisdom, glory, power and fulness: Filling all
in all--the Son being filled with the fulness of the Mind, glory and power, or,
in other words, the Spirit, glory and power of the Father--possessing all
knowledge and glory, and the same kingdom: sitting at the right hand of power,
in the express image and likeness of the Father--a Mediator for man--being
filled with the fulness of the Mind of the Father, or, in other words, the
Spirit of the Father: which Spirit is shed forth upon all who believe on his
name and keep his commandments: and all those who keep his commandments shall
grow up from grace to grace, and become heirs of the heavenly kingdom, and joint
heirs with Jesus Christ; possessing the same mind, being transformed into the
same image or likeness, even the express image of him who fills all in all:
being filled with the fulness of his glory, and become one in him, even as the
Father, Son and Holy Spirit are one.
3 From the foregoing account of the Godhead, which is given
in his revelations, the Saints have a sure foundation laid for the exercise of
faith unto life and salvation, through the atonement and mediation of Jesus
Christ, by whose blood they have a forgiveness of sins, and also, a sure reward
laid up for them in heaven, even that of partaking of the fulness of the Father
and the Son, through the Spirit. As the Son partakes of the fulness of the
Father through the Spirit, so the saints are, by the same Spirit, to be
partakers of the same fulness, to enjoy the same glory; for as the Father and
the Son are one, so in like manner the saints are to be one in them, through the
love of the Father, the mediation of Jesus Christ, and the gift of the Holy
Spirit; they are to be heirs of God and joint heirs with Jesus Christ.
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Question. Of what do the foregoing lectures treat?
Answer. Of the being, perfections and attributes of the Deity. (5:1. )
Q. What are we to understand by the perfections of the Deity?
A. The perfections which belong to his attributes.
Q. How many personages are there in the Godhead?
Q. Two: the Father and the Son. (5:1.)
Q. How do you prove that there are two personages in the Godhead?
A. By the Scriptures. Gen. 1:26. Also (2:6.) And the Lord God said unto the Only
Begotten, who was with him from the beginning, Let us make man in our image,
after our likeness:--and it was done. Gen. 3:22. And the Lord God said unto the
Only Begotten, Behold, the man is become as one of us: to know good and evil.
John, 17:5. And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the
glory which I had with thee before the world was. (5:12.)
Q. What is the Father?
A. He is a personage of glory and of power. (5:2.)
Q. How do you prove that the Father is a personage of glory
and of power?
A. Isaiah 60: 19. The Sun shall be no more thy light by day, neither for
brightness shall the moon give light unto thee: but the Lord shall be unto thee
an everlasting light, and thy God thy glory. 1 Chron. 29: 11. Thine, O Lord, is
the greatness, and the power, and the glory. Ps. 29: 3. The voice of the Lord is
upon the waters: the God of glory thunders. Ps. 79: 9. Help us, O God of our
salvation, for the glory of thy name. Romans 1:23. And changed the glory of the
incorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible -men.
Secondly, of power. 1 Chron. 29: 4. Thine, O Lord, is the greatness and the
power, and the glory. Jer. 32: 17. Ah! Lord God, behold thou hast made the earth
and the heavens by thy great power, and stretched-out arm; and there is nothing
too hard for thee. Deut. 4: 37. And because he loved thy fathers therefore he
chose their seed after them, and bro't them out in his sight with his mighty
power. 2. Samuel 22: 33. God is my strength and power. Job 26, commenceing with
the 7 verse, to the end of the chapter. He stretches out the north over the
empty place, and hangs the earth upon nothing. He binds up the waters in his
thick clouds; and the cloud is not rent under them. He holds back the face of
his throne, and spreads his cloud upon it. He has compassed the waters with
bounds, until the day and night come to an
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end. The pillars of heaven tremble, and are astonished at his
reproof. He divides the sea with his power, and by his understanding he smites
through the proud. By his Spirit he has garnished the heavens; his hand has
formed the crooked serpent. Lo, these are parts of his ways: but how little a
portion is heard of him? But the thunder of his power who can understand?
Q. What is the Son?
A. First, he is a personage of tabernacle. (5:2.)
Q. How do you prove it?
A. John 14: 9,10,11, Jesus says unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and
yet have you not known me, Philip? He that has seen me has seen the Father; and
how do you say then, Show us the Father? Do you not believe, that 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 dwells in me, he does the works. Believe me that I
am in the Father, and the Father in me.
Secondly, and being a personage of tabernacle, was made or fashioned like unto
man, or being in the form and likeness of man. (5:2.)
Philip. 2. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus; who being in
the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God; but made himself
of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the
likeness of man, and, being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and
became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Heb. 2: 14,16.
Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself
likewise took part of the same. For verily he took not on him the nature of
angels: but he took on him the seed of Abraham.
Thirdly, he is also in the likeness of the personage of the Father. (5:2.)
Heb. 1:1,2,3. God, who at sundry times, and in
divers manners, spake in time past to the fathers, by the prophets, has in these
last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he has appointed heir of all things,
by whom also he made the worlds; who, being the brightness of his glory, and the
express image of his person. Again, Philip. 2:5,6. Let this mind be in you,
which was also in Christ Jesus; who being in the form of God, thought it not
robbery to be equal with God.
Q. Was it by the Father and the son that all things were
created and made, that were created and made?
A. It was. Col. 1: 15,16,17. Who is the image of the invisible God, the first
born of every creature; for by him were all things created that are in heaven,
and that are in earth,
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visible and invisible, whether they be thrones or dominions,
principalities or powers; all things were created by him and for him; and he is
before all things, and by him all things consist. Gen. 1:1. In the beginning God
created the heavens and the earth. Heb. 1:2. (God) Has in these last days spoken
unto us by his Son, whom he has appointed heir of all things, by whom also he
made the worlds.
Q. Does he possess the fulness of the Father?
A. He does. Col. 1:19. 2:9. For it pleased the Father that in him should all
fulness dwell. For in him dwells all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. Eph.
1:23. Which is his (Christ's) body, the fulness of him that fills all in all.
Q. Why was he called the Son?
A. Because of the flesh. Luke 1:33. That holy thing which shall be born of thee,
shall be called the Son of God.Math. 3:16,17. And Jesus, when he was baptized,
went up straitway out of the water: and lo, the heavens were opened unto him,
and he (John) saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting upon
him: and lo, a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am
well pleased.
Q. Was he ordained of the Father, from before the foundation
of the world, to be a propitiation for the sins of all those who should believe
on his name?
A. He was. 1 Peter, 1:18,19,20. For as much as you know that you were not
redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain
conversation, received by tradition from your fathers; but with the precious
blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: who verily was
foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifested in these
last times for you. Rev. 13: 8. And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship
him, (the beast) whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb
slain from the foundation of the world. 1 Corin. 2: 7. But we speak the wisdom
of God in a mystery, even the hidden mystery, which God ordained before the
world unto our glory.
Q. Do the Father and the Son possess the same mind?
A. They do. John 5: 30. I (Christ) can of my own self do nothing: as I hear, I
judge, and my judgment is just; because I seek not my own will, but the will of
the Father who sent me. John 6:38. For I (Christ) came down from heaven, not to
do my own will, but the will of him that sent me. John 10: 30. I (Christ) and my
Father are one.
Q. What is this mind?
A. The Holy Spirit. John 15:26. But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send
unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceeds from
the Father, he
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shall testify of me. (Christ.) Gal. 4: 6. And because you are
sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts.
Q. Do the Father, Son and Holy Spirit constitute the Godhead?
A. They do. (5:12.)
Let the student commit this paragraph to memory.
Q. Does the believer in Christ Jesus, through the gift of the
Spirit, become one with the Father and the Son, as the Father and the Son are
one?
A. They do. John 17: 20,21. Neither pray I for these (the apostles) alone, but
for them also who shall believe on me through their word; that they all may be
one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us,
that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.
Q. Does the foregoing account of the Godhead lay a sure
foundation for the exercise of faith in him unto life and salvation?
A. It does.
Q. How do you prove it?
A. By the third paragraph of this lecture.
Let the student commit this also.
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