the world was made,' from eternity.? None will contend, that the human being Jesus existed before his birth of the virgin Mary, much less, that he existed from eternity. If, therefore, there be any sense in these declarations, they must refer to another being or nature; yet as they are affirmed of the Lord Jesus, it follows that a being of whom antemundane, yea eternal existence may truly be asserted, was so united to the man Jesus, in a manner analogous to the union of soul and body, that actions and properties belonging to either nature, may justly be affirmed of the one complex person.

b) The scriptures expressly call Christ "God," "my Lord and my God," "the true God," and "God over all;" and apply other modes of expression of equivalent import. The explicit manner in which these names are thus applied ought indeed to prevent the possibility of misapprehension. But that they are designedly applied to Christ, and in their ordinary acceptation too, seems to us placed beyond all doubt by the fact, that the inspired writers,

c) Represent him as performing such works as God alone can perform, and as could not be attributed to him if the di

1 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. See also v. 24.

* 1 John 1:2. We show unto you that eternal life which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us. Heb. 1:10-12. Thou Lord (Christ v. 1-10.) in the beginning didst lay the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of thy hands; they shall perish, but thou remainest, and they shall all wax old as doth a garment; and as a vesture thou shalt fold them up, and they shall be changed; but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail.

John 1:1. In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God and the word (royos) was God. Heb. 1:8.

John 20:28. And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.

1 John 5:20. This is the true God and eternal life.

Rom. 9:5. Whose are the Father's, and of whom, as concerning the flesh, Christ came, who is God over all, blessed for ever!

vine being were not also united with him in so close and pe'culiar a way, as to make it just to affirm of him predicates taken from this divine nature. They declare him to be the Creator of the universe, to have made all things both visible and invisible. They also attribute the preservation of the universe to him,3 and state, that he will at the last day raise the dead and judge them. Assuredly all this cannot be meant of the mere man Jesus.

d) But the sacred penmen proceed farther still, and ascribe in unqualified and unequivocal terms the attributes of God to this visible, human being, Christ. Now it is admitted, that to his human nature no such infinite attributes can possibly belong; hence another being of whom they are predicable, must have been united with the man Jesus, in such a manner as to justify the application of these epithets to the one joint person, Christ. Of an irrational animal, an elephant, or a horse, we cannot say, as we can in reference to any man, he is

1 John 1:3. All things were made by him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.

Col. 1:16. For by him (Christ) 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. Heb. 1:2.

3 Col. 1:17. And he (Christ, v. 16) is before all things, and by him all things consist. Heb. 1:3. Who (the son, v. 2.) being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, (ixolάows, substance,) and upholding all things by the word of his power, &c.

Phil. 3: 20, 21. For our conversation (nonrevua, citizenship) is in heaven, whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ; who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself. John 5:23. Rom. 14:10. For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. 2 Cor. 5: 10. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that every one may receive the things done in his body according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. Also Acts

mortal and he is immortal. Nor is any one at a loss for the reason. Although we, in both cases, see nothing more than the mortal body; yet, in the case of man, we have conclusive evidence, that with his visible body, there is united an invisible immortal spirit. So also, if the inspired writers had not believed that the divine being, the Son of God (logos,) was in an analagous but equally mysterious manner united to the man Jesus, it would have been absurd in them to attribute divine attributes to him.

They ascribe to him, omnipotence,' omniscience, and "the fullness of the Godhead," that is, the entire mass of all the divine perfections.3

e) Nay, if possible, they proceed farther still, and enjoin divine honour and worship of Christ, as a duty of Christians.1

1 Phil. 3:21. According to the working whereby he is able to subdue all things unto himself. John 10:18. I have power to lay down my life, and I have power to take it again. 2 Pet. 1:3. Acts 2:24. 32. 3:13. 15. 5:30. 1 Cor. 6:14. 15:15.

'Acts 1:24. And they prayed and said, Thou Lord, who knowest the hearts of all men, show whether of these two thou hast chosen. 1 Cor. 4:5. Therefore (says Paul) judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts. Rev. 2:23. And all the churches shall know that I am he who searcheth the reins and the hearts, and I will give unto every one of you according to your works. (1:18.)

Col. 2:8. 9. Beware lest any man despoil (ohaywy) you through philosophy and vain deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the rudiments (or imperfect instructions, oroxea) of the world, and not according to Christ, for in him dwelleth all the fullness of the God-head bodily.

John 5:23. That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son, honoureth not the Father who hath sent him. 1 Cor. 1:1. Paul-unto the church of God at Corinth, with all that in every place call upon the name of (ênɛxansuévow, invoke, worship) Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours. Acts 7:59. And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God (invoking), and saying, Lord Jesus receive my Spirit. In v. 55. it is said Stephen was inspired "full of the

No duty had been more clearly inculcated in the sacred writings of the Jews, than that of exclusive worship to the one God. "I am the Lord thy God-and thou shalt have no other gods before me-thou shalt not bow down thyself unto them nor serve them." Now can we suppose, that these apostles, who were Jews, and to whom the Saviour himself had said, I came not to destroy the law, but to complete it, would have either enjoined or practised the worship of Christ, if they had regarded him as a mere human being, if they had not literally meant, what they often elsewhere inculcate, that with the visible human being Jesus, there was united the Son of God, the word or logos, which was in the beginning with God, and which was God? Can it be that these men would trust their own souls, or enjoin'it on mankind to trust their all, in time and eternity, to an arm of flesh, to a mere creature, mortal, dependant, as much in need of protection as

Rom.

Holy Ghost." 1 Cor. 1:2. Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. See also, 2 Cor. 12:8. 1 Thess. 3:11. 2 Thess. 2:16. 17. Rom. 1:7. 2 Cor. 1:2. Ephes. 3:6. Acts 9:21. Heb. 1:6. Let all the angels of God worship him. Phil. 2: 10. 11. That at the name of Jesus, every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and those in earth, and those under the earth; and that every tongue should confess, that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. 10:9-14. Rev. 5:9-14. And they sang a new song, saying, thou art worthy to take the book (roll, Buhov), and to open the seals thereof; for thou wast slain and hast redeemed us to God, by thy blood, out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; and hast made us unto God kings and priests; and we shall reign on the earth. And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne, and the beasts, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; saying with a loud voice: Worthy is the lamb that was slain, to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing. And every creature― heard I saying: Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the lamb for ever and ever.

'Deut. 5:6-9.

themselves? Nay, so notorious is the fact, that they believed the divine nature united to the man Jesus, that this article of their creed was well known even to contemporaneous heathen writers; and Pliny, the authentic and celebrated Roman writer, who lived thirty-eight years contemporaneously with the apostle John, says, "They (the churches in Asia Minor) sing a hymn together to Christ as God." Let every sincere inquirer after truth therefore cheerfully acquiesce in the revelation of himself, which God has chosen to give; remembering that it is not a mere matter of opinion, but a truth of absolute obligation and eternal consequences: He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned!

III. The Holy Spirit is also represented in the sacred volume, as a distinct and divine person, or subsistence.

1. Those who deny this proposition, and yet profess to receive the word of God, regard the passages which prove the personality of the Spirit, as mere figurative language, designed to represent the divine power. If that were the natural interpretation of the passages referred to, yea, if it can be adopted without violence to the laws of language, it ought to be admitted. But this we think the reader will find difficulty in accomplishing. "But Peter said, Why hath Satan filled thine heart, to lie unto the divine power (Holy Ghost)?" "All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men, but blasphemy against the divine power (Holy Ghost) shall not be forgiven unto men." "The power of God, whom I will send unto you from the Father." "It seemed good to the divine power (Holy Ghost) and to us." Assuredly this construction is both unnatural and inadmissible; and abundant evidence exists, that the inspired penmen regarded the

1 Carmen Christo, quasi Deo, dicere secum invicem. L. X. Ep. 97.