"The Character of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ"
The Elders and Messengers composing the Rensselaerville association - to the Churches they represent, send greeting.Many have been the subjects on which you have been addressed; we think it our duty at the close of our interview to address you on the subject not less interesting than any on which you have been addressed on the like occasion.
It is on the character of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. For such as our views of his character are, so will our external and visible worship be. If our views of his character be imaginary, our worship will be so too. If our views of his character be erroneous, our worship will be but superstition. By the former his character will be obscured, and by the latter is worship will be corrupted.
In respect to his Divine nature he and his Father are one. John, 10. 30. 1st John, 5. 7. Unto us a son is given, and the government shall be on his shoulders, and his name shall be called wonderful, counselor, the mighty God, the everlasting Father, the prince of Peace, Isaiah, 9. 6. In respect to his divine person, he is his Father's equal, Zechariah 13. 7. Philippians 2. 6.
In respect to his human nature and mediatorial office he is a son born, for unto us a son is born, Isaiah, 9. 6. He is also the beginning of the Creation of God, Revelation 3. 14. He is also called the second Adam, and made a quickening spirit, 1st Corinthians 15. 45. In respect to his divine nature, he is all and in all, Colossians 3. 11. For by him and for him were all things created that are in Heaven and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him and for him and without him was not any thing made that was made, Colossians 1. 16. In respect to his manhood and mediatorial office, his Father is greater than he, John, 14. 28. Is his creator, J. 31. 22. Is his father and his God. John 20. 17. He was man, his body was composed of the elements of nature, and was in all points tempted like as we are. Yet without sin, Hebrews 4. 15. He whom God had sent speaketh the words of God, for God giveth not the spirit unto him by measure, John 3. 24. Had the spirit been given unto him by measure it would be only in part. God is a spirit and God is one, and one admits of no division. The Apostle when speaking of Christ says, for in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily, Colossians 2. 9.
It is evident that Christ as to his manhood was possessed of a human soul, spirit and body, and that each one suffered for the redemption of the soul, spirit and body, of the elect agreeably to the following text: he sighed deeply in spirit, Mark, 8. 12. He was troubled in spirit, John, 13. 21. Again he addressed his Father in the following words, Into they hands I commit my spirit, Luke 23. 46. His soul was made an offering for sin, Isaiah 53. 10. And whilst in the very act of suffering, he expressed himself in the following words, my soul is exceeding sorrowful even unto death, Matthew 26. 28. And at the same time his body sweat as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground, Luke 22. 44. His head was crowned with thorns, his hands were nailed to the cross and his body pierced with a spear.
The divinity of Christ is self-existent, cannot be added unto nor diminished, and cannot be comprehended by created beings, and of consequence cannot suffer. That the human nature of Christ might and did suffer without his divine nature. Suffering, may be illustrated by the account we have of the martyr Stephen, Acts 7. 55-60. Whilst the body of Stephen was suffering the pain of death, his soul was filled with the Holy Ghost and enjoyed the satisfaction of beholding the Glory of God, and the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of God.
It is evident, that the soul of Stephen did not suffer but remained unhurt, agreeably to Luke 12. 4. Be not afraid of them that kill the body and have no more that they can do. God the Son in his divine nature being equal with the Father and the Holy Ghost, being in union with the Father and the Son, John 15. 26. Is also equal for the divine essence of the Trinity admits of no division, but are equal in power and glory. They are also spoken of in the plural, Let us make man in our own image, after our likeness, Genesis 1. 26. Again it is said the man is become as one of us, Genesis 3.22. It is the will of god that all men should honor the Son even as they honor the Father, John 5. 23. Lamentable indeed was the state of fallen man when there was none in heaven, nor in the earth, nor under the earth, that was able to open the book of God's decrees, toward fallen man, and no wonder that the apostle John wept at the consideration, until he was comforted by one of the Elders, who said weep not, for behold the Lion of the Tribe of Judah hath prevailed. Here we may discover the propriety of a union of divine and human nature, or in other words, a union of Heaven and earth, when neither, separately, could furnish a character equal to the task of redeeming fallen man.
The Mediator, the man Christ Jesus being possessed in the highest degree of every excellency, both divine and human, has in our room and stead suffered the penalty of the divine law, and thereby freed us from the curse. Being made a curse for us, Galatians 3. 13. He has also kept and fulfilled the divine law in our room and stead, and thereby obtained eternal redemption for us, being clothed upon with his righteousness we shall not be found naked.
Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ being a divine person, is omnipotent, omnipresent. His circumference is no where and his center every where. He fills the Heavens with his glory and the earth with his goodness, and yet condescends to dwell in the hearts of the humble. Christ also testifies of himself and says, I am alpha and omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the ending, saith he, which is and which was and is to come, the Almighty, Revelation 1. 8. And may we not say with the Psalmist, yea he is altogether lovely.
In a view of these things, let us receive him as a prophet to instruct us; as a priest to atone for us, and king to rule and reign over us.
This being the character of the second person in the blessed Trinity, exhibited in scripture, let us never set up human reason as a standard, and reject everything we do not understand or discover; lest our wisdom should become folly and we be weighed in the balances and found wanting. But let us like Thomas cry out, my Lord and my God, and like Jude ascribe our praises to the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever. Amen.
====== [From the Minutes of Rensselaerville Baptist Association; transcribed by Vernon Aldrich from copies of the original minutes held by the State Library at Albany.]
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