namely, that they gave thanks always for all things, in the name of Chrift, but to GOD the Father. This was to be their, and ought to be our, general rule and practice too. Again, Col. i. 3, 12. We, faith St. Paul, give thanks to the GOD and Father of our Lord Jefus Chrift. Again, Col. iii. 17. Giving thanks to GOD, and the Father, by him (Chrift.)

Rev. xi. 16. iv. 9. The twenty-four eldersfell upon their faces, and worshipped GOD (who is here defcribed by his appropriate characters), and faid, We give thee thanks, O Lord God almighty, who art, and waft, and art to come. See alfo vii.

11, 12.

N. B. In these texts we fee clearly, and beyond all question, that Jefus Chrift himself, and St. Paul, and the twenty-four elders in the Revelations, all offered their thanksgivings to God the Father only: he alone was the object of their worship, as it is expreffed in all the texts of the New Testament, where Euxage is used: how different is the language of the modern pretended chriftians, but real tritheifts?

AEOMAI. This word fignifies to befeech or intreat.

Luke xxii. 31, 32. Chrift, fpeaking to St. Peter, fays, Simon, Simon-Satan has earnestly defired to fift you, but I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not.

There

There cannot be a stronger paffage to exprefs: Chrift's piety and dependence on his GoD and our GOD, than that in the epiftle to the Hebrews; chap. v. 7. where Chrift is faid, to have offered up pravers, Senges, and fupplications, with strong crying and tears, unto him, (that is, GoD,) who was able to fave him from death and he was heard for his piety.

EPOTAN, to ask. This word is often used by St. John to exprefs Chrift's duty and piety towards

his GOD and FATHER.

John xiv. 16. I, fays Chrift, will pray the Father, and he will give you another comforter.

-xvi. 23. Whatever ye shall afk of the Father in my name.

But through the whole feventeenth chapter we have one continued addrefs of Jefus Chrift to GoD his Father. Ver. 1. Jefus lifted up his eyes towards heaven, and said, O Father, honour, or glorify thy Son. Ver. 3. This is life eternal, to know, or own thee, (O Father,) the only true GOD, and JESUS CHRIST to be him whom thou haft fent; or, to be thy meffenger, or apoftle. Ver. 9. I pray for them, I pray not for the world. Ver. 15. I pray not that thou shouldft take them out of the world. Ver. 20. Neither pray I for thefe alone. Ver. 24. I defire, O Father, that thofe which thou haft given me may be Ver. 25. O righteous Father, the world

with me.

hath not known thee. Can any expreffions be fuller and stronger from any perfon to his GOD?

AITES. This word alfo, whenever ufed to fignify our asking in prayer to GOD, is applied by the facred writers to GOD the Father only.

Mat. vi. 8. The evangelift, or his translator, expreffeth Chrift's mind by this word: Your Father (that is, GoD) knoweth your wants before you ask him.

——vii. 11.

Your Father, who is in heaven, will

give good things to them who afk him.

xviii. 19. When two agree in afking, (in prayer,) it shall be done of my Father, Mark xi. 24, 25. Luke xi. 9-13.

John xi. 22. We have a very remarkable paffage; where Martha says to Christ, Now I know, that whatever thou (Chrift) shalt afk of GOD, GOD will give it thee. Hence we may clearly learn Martha's opinion of Chrift; namely, that Christ wrought miracles, not by his own inherent power, but by the power and favour of GOD; and this is confirmed at the 41ft verfe. JESUS lifted up his eyes and faid, O Father, I thank thee, that thou haft heard me.

xv. 16. Whatever ye shall ask my Father, he may give it you. The fame words Chrift uleth, xvi. 23. See Colof. i. 9-12. compared with the

2d

14

2d and 3d verfes; where St. Paul's practice appears.

ENIKAAEN. This word fignifies, to call, to name, to firname, to call upon, invocate, or implore; alfo to accufe, and to appeal to.

Επικαλείσθαι το ονομα Κυρι8is ufed in the Sepinagint very often, and always fignifies to call upon, or invoke by prayer and adoration the Lord, the Gon of Irael. And Επικαλείσθαι Κύριον και Θεοντίςnify the fame.

Acts vii. 59. We find Stephen, when the Jews were ftoning him, calling, faying, Lord Jefus, receive my fpirit. At ver. 55, Stephen, looking up fledfaftly into heaven, faw the glory of GoD, and JESUS Standing at the right-hand of GOD. In this vifion it may be, Stephen beholding Jefus in that high station of glory, by GoD's right hand, might call upon his mafter Chrift to fave or receive his fpirit. Seeing Chrift in heaven, and knowing Chrift's power with GOD, was as good a reafon for Stephen to call for and defire his help, as it was for his disciples, who faw his power on earth, Mat. viii. 24-27. to fave them in a ftorm.-Yet Stephen's example is to others no rule, unless they are encouraged by a like vision : we are not to depart from general rules of duty, and justify our practice by a fingle, and extraordinary instance, or example.

Our rule is plainly given us by Chrift himself, Mat. vi. 9. Pray ye after this manner. Luke xi. 2.

When ye are praying, fay, Our Father, who art in heaven. And it is always to be much regarded, that our mafter Chrift expreffly tells his difciples, who, according to his judgment, are the right and true worshippers. Not they who made himself, but they only, who made GOD the Father the chief, the alone object of their worship Believe me, John iv. 23, 24. the true worshippers will worship the Father in fpirit and in truth; for the Father feeketh, or requireth, fuch to worship him. Can then any suppose, St. Stephen was not fuch a worshipper, who worshipped or prayed to the Father only? John xv. 16, and xvi. 23, Chrift bids the difciples afk the Father in his name, that is, by his direction. See the whole xvii. chapter of John.

St. Paul, Rom. xv. 5, 6. wishes or prays, that' they (Roman christians) may with one mind, and one mouth, glorify the GOD and Father of our Lord, or mafter, Jefus Chrift. But as Chrift, our master, hath given us an express rule of worship, so he alfo hath fet before us his own unerring example. For thus Chrift himself prayed, Mat. xxvi. 39–44. He fell upon his face, and praying faid, O Father, if it be poffible, let this cup pass from me; which words he ufed thrice in his prayer,

Luke xxii. 42. Chrift kneeling down prayed, fay ing, O Father, if thou art willing, take this cup from me--but not my will, but thy will be done. xxiii. 46.