referring to him as the immediate source of their powers and of their doctrine.*

Heb. i. 6, And when he again bringeth the First-born into the world, he saith, And let all the messengers (ayyeλor) of God pay homage to him, προσκυνησάτωσαν αυτῷ.

If the passage really referred to superior celestial beings, it could not prove that they were enjoined to pay religious worship to Christ.† But it probably refers to the human messengers of God, and may be thus paraphrased: When God raised Jesus from the dead, (see p. 189,) HE, by that powerful testimony to his high commission, declared him superior to all other prophets and messengers of God.

2 Pet. iii. 18, 'To him be glory both now and for ever.

Amen.'

In this ascription I presume every Unitarian Christian would cordially unite, though he might, in some situations, find it requisite to declare, that he understands by it the glory which Jesus obtained by his fulfilment of the purposes for

* Acts xxii. 16, implies that Ananias expected Paul, before he was baptized, expressly to acknowledge the divine authority of Christ, perhaps by declaring that he was doing this in the name of Jesus Christ.'

In the former editions of this work, I adopted the passive rendering of επικαλείσθαι το όνομα, to be called by the name : I have not, however, been able to find any sufficient authority for it; and I willingly relinquish it. In the above passage, the verb is in the middle form; and it probably should be so taken in the others in question. There is nothing in the original expression to prevent its being rendered to call upon oneself the name: but for this, too, I am not aware of any adequate authority in actual usage. Through these and other considerations, I have gradually arrived at the decision above stated,-in which, as most accordant, and indeed fully accordant, with the known and authorized import of the original words, as giving the whole force to each, and as completely borne out by the christian records, I am perfectly satisfied. (3d Ed.) † See Appendix, No. IV.

which he came forth from God. To him be glory, the exalted glory, of being the author of eternal salvation to all who believe in and obey him; and may his dominion extend, till every one of the rational offspring of God own his sovereignty, till all acknowledge and obey the only true God and Jesus Christ whom He has sent. The blessings of the Gospel, by which millions and millions of millions will have been led on to holiness and happiness, originated in the free mercy of God; Jesus, by his obedience unto death, obtained the glory of being the Mediator by whom they were communicated to mankind; they claim the warmest tribute of gratitude; wherever they are cordially embraced, there will be willing obedient subjects of the kingdom of truth and righteousness: Blessing, therefore, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto Him that sitteth on the throne, and to the Lamb.' (Rev. i. 6. v. 13.*)

That the advocates for the opinion, that the Scriptures sanction the offering of religious worship to Jesus, are obliged to adduce such passages as those referred to in the last paragraph, is, in my apprehension, a decisive proof of the weakness of their cause. They have in fact nothing to do with the subject; and if the whole of the New Testament had been filled

* In v. 14, Griesbach leaves out the words Him that liveth for ever and ever.' This renders it possible, that the homage spoken of was paid both to Him who sat on the throne and to the Lamb. If this were the case, it may justly be regarded as parallel to the fact recorded in 1 Chron. xxix. 20.

with such expressions,* it would not have authorized the direct address to Jesus of thanksgiving and praise. There is, I believe, only one instance of the direct address of praise to him: viz. Rev. v. 8-10; and as to this passage, it is only requisite to remark two circumstances: in the first place, Jesus is represented as sensibly present when thus addressed; and secondly, the living creatures and the elders, in their new song, speak of Jesus as a Man,-for surely God could not have been slain and have redeemed men to God by his blood.

Two or three passages occur, which may seem to justify the DIRECT ADDRESSING OF THANKSGIVING TO JESUS. In 1 Tim. i. 12, the Apostle expresses his thankfulness to his Lord for having appointed him to the ministry; I thank,' εxw Xapiv, or I am grateful to, Christ Jesus our Lord who hath strengthened me,' that is, given me the miraculous qualifications requisite for the office, that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry, &c.' Here however the Apostle does not address his Lord; and I do not see how it can be regarded as a precedent for more than, what every sincere Christian must feel, gratitude to him who hath done so much for the good of

The truth is, we meet with only seven passages in which there is, in appearance, the ascription of glory to Jesus; and it is somewhat remarkable that there is not above one instance in the undisputed writings of Paul; viz. 2 Tim. iv. 18. In Gal. i. 5, the doxology plainly refers to God. The other instances are Heb. xiii. 21. 1 Pet. iv. 11. 2 Pet. iii. 18. Rev. i. 6. v. 13. The object of the doxology in the first two is somewhat doubtful.

all men.-Col. iii. 16, might be supposed to show that Christians were directed to sing hymns of grateful praise to Christ, but, instead of 'singing with thankfulness in your hearts to the Lord,' Griesbach has to God.'-Eph. v. 19, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord' is certainly ambiguous; but as in the corresponding Epistle we find the Christians directed to sing praises to God, it is reasonable to conclude that the Apostle meant the same here.

There is only one other class of expressions which it will be requisite to notice under this head, viz. DEVOUT WISHES OF BLESSINGS FROM JESUS CHRIST; and the three following instances will serve as a sufficient specimen of the futility of such evidence in favour of the divine worship of Jesus. 1 Cor. i. 3: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.' In this and similar benedictions, grace (xapis) obviously denotes, all those blessings which are communicated by the Gospel. Jesus was the agent by whom God dispensed these blessings; and, in the Apostolical age, he was appointed to communicate those extraordinary powers by which they were most widely extended. I understand the Apostle therefore to say, May ye all possess the gracious blessings of the Gospel, and that peace which follows the sincere reception of it!' If in the words 'from our Lord Jesus Christ' there be any implied reference to present agency in the diffusion

of Gospel blessings, then I conceive we have no adequate scriptural evidence to authorize our employment of them; but they may still be used if it be clearly understood that they refer only to his having been originally the agent of God in bestowing those blessings on men.No difficulty rests with expressions similar to Gal. vi. 18: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,' the gracious blessings which he brought from God, 'be with your spirit.' Here is not even an implied reference to his then being the agent in the diffusion of those blessings. Even if the word grace could be shown to denote the personal favour of Christ, the devout wish that the disciples might possess that favour, surely cannot be strained into a prayer to Christ. I regard it, if a prayer, as a prayer to God, to Him whom Paul styles the only God, and the God of Jesus Christ. 2 Thess. ii. 16, 17: 'Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and our God and Father who hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope by his grace,' or gracious gift (of gospel blessings), comfort your hearts and establish you in every good word and work.' The intervening clause shows in what way God had granted everlasting comfort and hope to the Apostle, viz. by the gift of the Gospel; and the passage may only mean, May the blessed influences of the Gospel of Jesus comfort and strengthen you! If, however, it imply that our Saviour, by means of those powers which were intrusted to him, sometimes influenced the minds