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SERMON I.

ON THE FIRST REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST, WITH THE SOLEMN EXHIBITION OF HIM AS THE PROPI TIATION; AND THE RECORD OF THE ACTS AND TRANSACTIONS OF THE ETERNAL THREE IN THE CHERUBIC EMBLEMS, PLACED AT THE EAST OF THE GARDEN OF EDEN.

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GENESIS, c. iii. v. 24.

"So he drove out the man: and he placed at the east end of the garden of Eden, cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life."

N this most invaluable book, which is stiled the

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BIBLE, that is, the BOOK OF Books, on account of the transcendent excellency thereof, it hath pleased the Lord God to make a revelation of his essence, personalities, and perfections: and the first chapter of Moses's writings give us a clear

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proof of the Eternal Three, and of their joint concern and concurrence in the creation of all things, visible and invisible.

Jehovah, whose essence is incomprehensible, self-existent, immutable, and eternal, was pleased, in all his persons and perfections, to go forth into creation acts, and make known his eternal power and godhead in commanding heaven and earth, with all their hosts, out of nothing, into being." He spake, and it was done:" "he commanded, and they stood fast."

In the beginning God created the heaven and earth. And the earth was without form, and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep and the spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, let there be light: and there was light."

In these words we have the epitome of heaven and earth; with an account of their creation.

The essential Three, who exist by a necessity of nature in the self-existing essence, who are coequally, co-essentially, and co-eternally one in the incomprehensible Godhead, the ever blessed Jehovah; whose life of independent blessedness consists in their mutual in-being, in-dwelling, communion, and enjoyment of each other in a participation of all the perfections of 'Godhead; to which nothing can be added, and from which nothing can be detracted; were pleased, for the manifestation of the glory of all the divine perfections of their one infi“nite nature, 'to create an innumerable quantity of

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atoms, and out of them to produce and form all things visible and invisible the heavens, with all their hosts; the earth, with all that is therein; angels, and the souls of men; and this was performed in the space of six days! All which we understand by the revealed account which Moses gives us, by the inspiration of the Spirit of God, in the first and second chapters of Genesis. Thus, through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear." Heb. xi. v. 3.

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The word God is plural, say the learned; and yet it is joined with a word singular. He created; because God is one in essence, though there are distinct modes of existence in that infinite essence; for, "there are three that bear record in Heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one." 1st Epistle of John, chap. v. verse 7. The psalmist declares the concern the eternal Three had in the creation of all things; saying, "By the word of the Lord were the Heavens made: and all the hosts of them by the breath of his mouth." Psalm xxxiii. v. 6. The prophet

proves the eternity of God, by his being before the world and time. "Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world: even from everlasting to everlasting thou art God." Psalm xc. v. 2.

The essential Three in the one Jehovah, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, spake, and all

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things visible and invisible were produced: and the eternal Spirit gave motion to all; and thus Time began. The earth, thus created, lay covered over with water; and there was darkness between the face of the great deep, and the clouds or cataracts of Heaven: and the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. As time began its round from the moment this motion was given, it is a full proof of the eternity of the Holy Spirit. He it was who gave motion to the Heavens, and thus set the universe agoing; so that from thence time went on, and the works of God were brought into order and perfection. tai

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Thus the sixth day of the creation being come, the eternal Three, as a fruit of their divine consultation, made man, whose body was formed out of the dust of the ground; whose soul was breathed in at his nostrils by Jehovah the Spirit; as Elihu in the book of Job says, "The Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life." Job xxxiii. v. 4. Thus the first man became a living soul; who was, as the head of all his posterity, to convey his life, form, and image unto them.

All the Trinity had a joint concern in the creation and formation of man: which fully appears from the words recorded in the twenty-sixth verse of the first chapter of this book; in which we read, " And God said, let us make man in our image, after our - likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over

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