WITH A VIEW TO A SATISFACTORY DETERMINATION OF THE CONCERNING THE PERSON OF CHRIST; INCLUDING A CAREFUL EXAMINATION OF THE REV. THOMAS BELSHAM'S BY JOHN PYE SMITH, D.D. IN TWO VOLUMES. VOL. II. PART II. LONDON: PRINTED FOR B. J. HOLDSWORTH, AND SOLD BY HATCHARD & SON, PICCADILLY; J. PARKER, oxford; deIGHTON & SONS, BOOK IV. ON THE DOCTRINE TAUGHT BY THE APOSTLES IN THEIR INSPIRED MINISTRY CONCERNING THE PERSON OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. It was avowedly not the intention of our Saviour, by his personal instructions, to communicate the entire knowledge of those truths which were to form the characteristic features of the final and perfect dispensation of religion. He delivered intimations, assumptions, allusions, and, as it were, germinant principles which, when illustrated by subsequent revelation, would be shewn to involve a variety of ulterior truths. Such subsequent and completive revelation he expressly reserved to be given by the ministry of his inspired servants, as he explicitly assured them: "The Instructor,* the Holy Spirit, whom * Παράκλητος so I conceive that the connexion requires this appellative to be translated. See this interpretation supported in Cameron. Myrothec. Evang. p. 134. J. A. Ernesti, Prolus, de Difficult. N. T. recte Interpr. ap. Opusc. Philol. p. 214, &c. the Father will send in my name: he will teach you all things. When the Instructor is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who cometh forth from the Father, he will testify concerning me. He will guide you into all the truth. He will glorify me for he will receive of mine and will declare it to you. All things, whatsoever the Father hath, are mine therefore I have said, He receiveth of mine, and will declare it to you.' It is impossible to doubt that these declarations of our Lord import that the completion of his design, in the revelation of religious truth, was reserved to the official ministry of his select followers; that, for insuring the correct accomplishment of this purpose, he would provide them with a perfect and infallible assistance; and that THE TRUTH which they would be thus enabled to promulgate, was to have an ESPECIAL and PRINCIPAL relation to HIMSELF, to his person, his prerogatives, and his glory. It therefore remains, in order to bring this Tittmanni Meletem. Sacra, p. 520. But the candid reader will not suppose that I would translate τapánλŋтos in all places by this, or perhaps by any other single term. Its true signification is one who appears for another, to perform any kind office of help, assistance, or patronage; and therefore it will signify, an advocate, protector, pleader, intercessor, teacher, guide, comforter, &c. as the nature of the case and the phraseology of the connexion may signify. See the valuable Dissertation of Dr. Knapp of Hallé, de Spiritu S. et Christo Paracletis, item de variá potest. vocabb. παρακαλεῖν, παράκλησις, παράκλητος Hal. 1805. * John xiv. 26. xv. 26. xvi. 13-15. |