for ever and ever?""* Do we not read "that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth?" Has not our Saviour expressly said "that all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father ?”+

In fine, if "whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord Jesus shall be saved," if Christ be the object in whom the Gentiles are to trust, if Paul "besought the

ceived such homage, without resentment or remonstrance, what is to be concluded, but that he countenanced and sanctioned such open acknowledgments of his Divinity? The alternative may be stated in the words of a most sensible, pious and acute writer: "What strange ideas must the Socinians entertain concerning Jesus Christ. They view him as a mere man. Not only so, but they must view him as a very bad man. By a variety of persons, and on a variety of occasions, was he worshipped upon earth, nor do we once read of his rejecting these honours. He received them without a single mark of disapprobation. On the contrary, when worship was offered to Peter, Paul and Barnabas, they rejected it in the most pointed terms of abhorrence; nor would an angel suffer John the Divine to fall down at his feet to worship him. See thou do it not,' says he, for I am thy fellow servant, and of thy brethren the prophets; worship God!'-In which must be observed one thing, not noticed before of thy brethren the prophets,' is a remarkable expression. The followers of Socinus, who contend for the worship of Christ in his glorified state, conceive him to have been, at the very utmost, a most distinguished prophet, but here we have the acknowledgment of an angel, recorded by an Evangelist, as having occurred to himself that prophets could be no objects of worship, and this long after our Lord's ascension; at which period the old Socinians would have the worship of Christ to begin." The chief thing, however, to be insisted on is, the conduct and behaviour of our Lord himself. If he is represented as not resenting such homage, on such extraordinary occasions, what are we to conclude? Surely that such homage was due to him."-Dr. Nares.

* Rev. iv. 10. compared with i. 8. Phil, ii. 10. Rom. xiv, 11. † John v. 23.

Lord thrice," if the prayer of the dying Stephen was, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit," "then only daring presumption can deny that Christ is to be worshipped;" and if he is to be worshipped, he must be God; for it is written, "Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve."*

We shall here close our brief view of the evidences of Christ's Divinity. A full examination of all the arguments, many of which have been unavoidably omitted, or only slightly noticed, would require volumes. In support of this doctrine, however, it has been shown that the names and titles peculiar to God, are assigned in scripture to Jesus Christ; that all the incommunicable attributes, and all the operations of Deity are ascribed to him; and that we have both the precepts of Scripture, and the example of inspired men, and of angels, for paying him religious worship and adoration. From all which, and from the fact of his being put to death for calling himself the Son of God, we conclude that he was the Son of God ;equal with the Father; and "over all, God blessed for ever."

66

Surely," as one of our own learned divines remarks, 66 we have reason to be thankful that the evidences of this fundamental doctrine of our holy religion are so cogent and so numerous. Let us resolve to adhere to our faith without wavering, satisfied with the testimony of scripture in favour of our Lord's divinity. Let us not perplex our

* Matt. iv. 10 Rom. x. 13. 1 Cor. i. 2. Acts vii. 59 Grant's Hist. iii. 335.

selves with difficulties which human reason might suggest against it. Let us pity and benevolently endeavour to remove those prejudices, which cannot yield to testimony of so conclusive a nature."* Strong indeed, and to us altogether inconceivable, must be the "prejudices" of that man, who, with his bible in his hand, is unwilling to yield to his Saviour that DIVINITY which he claimed, when he affirmed that he was the Son of God, and that he and his Father were ONE!

Do not angels, and glorified spirits, and all the hosts of heaven, continually sing around his throne, "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?" Let, therefore, "every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them," joyfully respond,-" Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto THE LAMB, for ever and ever." " Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come!"

* Dr. Gadsden.

† Rev. v. 12, 13.

DIVINITY OF THE HOLY GHOST.

The Divinity of the Holy Spirit may be proved from scripture in the same manner that we have proved the Divinity of Christ. But the proofs of the former having been so fully considered, little need be said in support of the latter; as the arguments in both cases are much the same, as many of them apply equally to both, and especially, as those who admit the divinity of the Son, admit also the Divinity of the third Person in the adorable Trinity.

Our fifth article thus expresses the sense of the Church on this point: "The Holy Ghost, proceeding from the Father and the Son, is of one substance, majesty, and glory, with the Father and the Son, very and eternal God." And in the Nicene Creed we profess to believe that he is "the Lord and giver of Life; who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified." In proof of which we might easily show, that all the names, titles, attributes, and operations of God are ascribed to the HOLY GHOST, and that religious worship and adoration are paid to him in the scriptures. Thus "to lie to the HOLY GHOST" is said to be "lying unto God;" the "temple of the HOLY GHOST" is called "the temple of GOD;" to be " born of the SPIRIT" is to be "born of God." 99*

*Acts v. 3, 4. 1 Cor. iii. 16. vi. 19. John iii. 6. 1 John v. 4.

Omniscience is ascribed to Him; for "who hath directed the SPIRIT of the Lord, or being his counsellor hath taught him?" "The SPIRIT searcheth all things; yea, the deep things of God." Omnipresence; for "whither," asks the Psalmist, "shall I go from thy SPIRIT, or whither shall I flee from thy presence?" "Through him, (CHRIST) we both have access by one SPIRIT unto the FATHER." A plain intimation of the several distinct offices which these three Divine Persons sustain in the scheme of salvation-the Son through whom, the SPIRIT by whom, and the FATHER to whom, we have access. "The SPIRIT also helpeth our infirmities," which he could not do, unless he were omnipresent. Omnipotence is ascribed to the Holy Ghost, for he is “THE POWER OF THE HIGHEST ;" and Eternity, for he is "the ETERNAL SPIRIT." Creating power is evidently ascribed to him, for "by his SPIRIT he hath garnished the heavens." "Thou sendest forth thy SPIRIT," says the Psalmist," and they are created." In like manner Job, "The SPIRIT of God hath made me."*

66

Not only is divine worship given to the Spirit of God, but his personality is distinctly recognized in that apostolic benediction, "The grace of the LORD JESUS CHRIST, and the love of God, and the communion of the HOLY GHOST, be with you all." And still more clearly and forcibly is it implied in that last commission of our Saviour to his apostles, "Go ye, therefore, and teach all

* Is. xl. 13. 1 Cor. ii. 10. Ps. cxxxix. 7. Ephes. ii. 18. Rom. viii. 26. Luke i. 35. Heb. ix. 14. Job 26. 13. and xxxiii. 4. Ps. civ. 30. † 2 Cor! xiii. 14.