"God gave unto him." Here is a difficulty at the very outset, which, if we allow our understanding to have any exercise, it is impossible to get over, consistently with Mr. Jones's argument. Upon the first of the texts now quoted it is unnecessary to make any comment:-it agrees with the whole tenor of the Bible. Without dwelling upon the acknowledged difficulty which often arises from the remoteness of the antecedent from the relative, in the sacred writings, I may remark upon the second text, that the same appellation may be occasionally used in reference both to the Father and the Son, without implying co-equality. The title of Lords, and even of Gods, is given to Angels and to men several times in the Scriptures. The dignity and majesty of Christ is expressed in strong language throughout the Apocalypse, but it is nowhere affirmed that he is equal with the Father: the contrary is clearly implied in many passages. At the 2nd ch. 26th and 27th v., we read,-" He that overcometh and "keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I

give power over the nations," &c; and concluding with these words, "even as I received of my "Father." Unless a passage can be found, declarative of co-equality and underived power, this text of itself must be conclusive.

In the merciful work of man's redemption, Christ," through faith in his blood," is the " Alpha " and Omega ;" "the Author and Finisher of our

"faith;""The first and the last:" "In this was "manifested the love of GOD towards us; be"cause that GOD sent his only-begotten Son into "the world that we might live through him." (1 John 4. 9.)

IV.

“I, even I, am the LORD, and BESIDES ME "there is no SAVIOUR."

He says,

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"OUR LORD and SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST." The words Lord and Saviour, occur in both of these texts; in the first they are applied to the Father, and in the second to the Son, and therefore Mr. Jones conceives that the doctrine of coequality is established. The argument "drawn from these texts will be equally convincing, whichever way it be taken. Jesus "Christ is a Saviour, therefore he is Jehovah the "Lord: Jesus Christ is Jehovah, therefore he is "the Saviour!" If we follow Mr. Jones's system, we shall have need to be extremely circumspect in our mode of expression. No orthodox writer would deny that Jehovah is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Yet, if we say Jehovah is Christ, and Christ is Jehovah, it is orthodox but if we say the Father is the Son, and the Son is the Father, which (though Mr. Jones would deny it) is, in truth, the very same thing, it is heresy as well as nonsense.

The two texts quoted by Mr. Jones are easily understood if we read them in simplicity; but his

(p. 4.)

Isa. xliii. 11.

2 Pet. iii. 18.

(p. 5.)

(p. 5.)

Rev. xxii. 6.

Ibid. verse

16.

notions make the whole Bible unintelligible. The Almighty Father is declared to be the Creator of the world, yet it is said, that the world was made by Christ. Again, the Father hath said, “Thou "shalt know that I the Lord am thy Saviour and

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thy Redeemer;" yet of Christ it is said, that "He is the Saviour of the world," and that he hath" Redeemed us to God by his blood." Both originated in the power and love of God, and were accomplished through the ministration of his everblessed Son. It is distressing to find a man of Mr. Jones's learning and piety, closing his comments upon these two texts with a garbled and misapplied quotation from Phil. II. 9. The text, if he had quoted fairly, would have been decidedly against him, for it runs thus :-"Wherefore God "also hath highly exalted him and given him

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a name which is above every name," &c. The Apostle concludes with these words:-"That 66 every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ " is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." How either co-equality or underived power can be proved from this passage, is to me inconceivable.

V.

"The LORD GOD OF THE HOLY PROPHETS 66 SENT HIS ANGEL to show unto his servants the things that must shortly be done."

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"I, JESUS, HAVE SENT MINE ANGEL, to

testify unto you these things in the Churches."

"Therefore," says Mr. Jones, "Jesus is the "Lord God of the holy prophets."

I humbly conceive that Mr. Jones is not warranted in the use which he has made of the second of these texts. The word Ayyελos, translated

Angel, literally signifies Messenger, and is so rendered in many texts, as it evidently ought to have been in this place. The meaning of the passage clearly, is I, Jesus, send my Messenger (my beloved disciple), to testify to you (the Churches) these things which have been re'vealed to him.' This message was sent by our Lord, he being the head of the Church, as saith St. Paul." The God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory,”-“ hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be head over all things to the church." (Ephes. 1. "17. 22.) And in another place, "The head "of every man is Christ; and the head of the

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woman is the man; and the head of Christ is "God." (1 Cor. 11. 3.)

"And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet Luke i. 76.

"of THE HIGHEST for thou shalt GO BEFORE

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THE FACE of the LORD, TO PREPARE HIS

" WAYS."

"Behold, I send my messenger BEFORE THY Matt. xi. 10.

66 FACE TO PREPARE THY WAY before thee."

Mr. Jones conceives, that by these two texts

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Christ is proved to be "The Lord and the Highest." Several other learned Expositors profess to be of the same opinion, especially Bishop Horsley, who says, "The latter text proves that "Christ was no other than the Jehovah of the "Old Testament." Now, the text itself was quoted by our Lord, from Malachi (3 ch. 1 v.), where a distinction is clearly made between Jehovah and Christ. He is there styled "the "Messenger of the Covenant" to be sent by Jehovah. "Behold, he shall come, saith the Lord "of Hosts." Surely, we ought to consider well before we yield our assent to a most important and awful doctrine merely from these strained inferences, when we see a multitude of plain texts unequivocally opposed to it. I might fill several sheets with a transcript of such texts; for the present it will be sufficient to quote from John 14. 31:-" As the Father gave me commandment, 66 even so I do ;" and from 17. 7, 8, of the same Evangelist" Now they have known that all

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things whatsoever thou hast given me are of "thee."-" For I have given unto them the words "which thou gavest me; and they have received "them, and have known surely that I came out "from thee, and they have believed that thou "didst send me." These are the words of our Lord Christ do they not make a marked distinction between himself and Jehovah ?