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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
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his firm purpose and intention to give it to them . For they were not actually qualified and sent forth till after the etfusion of the spirit on the day of pentecost . In the same sense the Father had
given it to him , that is , had fully purposed to bestow it upon him , for he was not yet in possession of it , nor had he yet altogether finished the work assigned him , the scene of his sufferings not
being yet begun , though he expresses himself strongly in the past tense , * I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do , ' where he could mean nothing more than to express the absolute certainty of the event . "
On this most extraordinary passage it will be necessary to make several observations . First , Mw Belsham represents the publication of the gospel by Jesus Christ as not having commenced , when he uttered this prayer ; for he says , " he was not yet in the
possession of that glory , " but that now , at the close of his ministry he prays that it might he bestowed upon him , that t 4 lie 7 / iight be the honoured instrument of
instructing mankind in truth and goodness , and in making them virtuous and happy . " I would ask Mr . Bclshaui , was this prayer of our Lord ever answered ? if it was , when was the glory of
publishing the fiosnel conferred upon lishing the gospel conferred upon him , and when did he enter upon the honourable work of instructing mankiiad , this prayer being addressed to his Father just
before his entering upon those sufferings which terminated in his cloath . Secondly , JKIr , Belsham averts thai Jesus Christ had not ytt altogether Jinishvd the work unsigned him . Ou t , iie contrary .
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Jesus Christ positively asserts that lie had . If the work assigned him , was the work of publishing the gospel and instructing mankind , as it certainly was ; Mr . Relsham needed not to have
introduced the qualifying term aU togdher , for according to him he had not yet so much as entered upon it , much less finished it . In proof that he had not altogether finished the work assigned
him , Mr . Bdsham , alleges that " the scene of his sufferings was not yet begun , " and that there - fore when our Lord said , I have
finished the work which thcu gavest me to do , he could mean nothing more than to express the absolute ^ certainty of the went . ' * It may be asked , were the sufferings of Christ any part of the work assigned him ? are they ever called , or would it be proper to call them his work ? I > id he i ? i -
fiict those sufferings upon himself ? It is said u lie was put to death ;" was his death then his own act or that of his enemies ? Me would , had it been possihlc , [ rave been relieved from them , but he * submitted , saying 46 not my will but thine- be done / ' How then does " the scene
of his sufferings not being begun " prove that , when he said , LC I
have finished the work which thou gavest me to do , " he could mean nothing more than to express the absolute certainty of the event ? Thirdly , Mr . Belsham says , that * Jesus was desirous that his apostles mi ^ iu share with him in
this honour and felicity / ' as the instruments « f instructing mankind . " This glory , " he says , 46 he . had given them , that is , it was his firm purpose and intention to give it them . " This glory , Lijit sny $ was unquestionably
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Mr . Marsoms Defence of the Pre-existcnce of Christ . Let . IV . 655
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Dec. 2, 1808, page 655, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2399/page/19/
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