similar phraseology respecting the union of Christ and his disciples. Our Saviour in prayer adopts this expression-"The glory which thou gavest me, I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one; I in them, and thou in me, that they may be perfected in one." The gender in this place is not, in the original, masculine, but neuter; not one being, but one design. God and Christ, in promoting the interests of truth, goodness, and mercy, are united in purpose, and in their agency.

The exclamation of St. Thomas has often been adduced as proof that Jesus Christ is "very God." This is the only instance in the New Testament ini which any disciple addressed our Lord by the title God. At the death of our Saviour, all his disciples desponded. Thomas did not credit the report of his resurrection; and at the sight of him alive, in astonishment he exclaimed, "My Lord and my. God." The word God, we know, was often used by the Jews in a subordinate sense. Can this exclamation be understood in any other sense than an animated acknowledgment of Jesus Christ as a divine Teacher, as the Messiah of God?

The charge of St. Paul to the elders of the Ephe sian Church is numbered among the texts which we are reviewing.-"Take heed, therefore, unto yourselves, and to all the flock over the which the Holy Ghost has made you overseers, to feed the Church of God, which he purchased with his own blood." The word God, in this passage, refers to Christ. It is the only place in the New Testament where this phrase, the blood of God, occurs. A diligent examination of ancient Greek manuscripts,

and of different versions of the scriptures, makes it in the highest degree probable, that the word originally written was Lord-"Feed the Church of the Lord, (Christ) which he has purchased with his own blood." The blood of Christ is more accordant with the general language of the sacred writers. This amendment admitted, the text will no longer be produced as evidence to prove that Jesus Christ is God.

In Romans, 9th chapter, 3d verse, it is written"Whose are the fathers, and of whom concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed forevermore." The meaning of this passage probably has been misapprehended in consequence of its bad punctuation and collocation. The improved version of the New Testament gives the passage thus-"Whose are the Fathers, and of whom, by natural descent, Christ came. God over all be blessed forever." The original Greek manuscripts were not divided into chapters and verses, as the printed copies of the bible now are; and the punctuation varies in different translations. The learned and pious Dr. Samuel Clarke, and the great Mr. Locke, add their sanction to the above construction of this text. One statement in this passage clearly shows that St. Paul did not consider Jesus Christ to be the Supreme Divinity; for he says, concerning the flesh, Jesus descended from the Jews. He cannot then be God.

I will now bring into view the text from 1 Tim. 3d chapter, 16th verse-"Without controversy, great is the mystery of godliness, God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the spirit, seen of angels,

preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory." Instead of God in this place, the best manuscripts have, he who, and the passage in the improved version reads as follows-"Without controversy the mystery of godliness is great: He, who was manifest in the flesh, was justified by the spirit, seen by (angels) messengers, preached to the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received into glory." By angels in this place, we may understand the apostles whom Jesus instructed to be his messengers to the nations.The Greek word in the original, may with equal propriety be translated messenger, and angel.

The last text of this class, that I shall introduce, is from Hebrews i. 8.-" But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is forever and ever; a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom." Learned commentators inform us, that this passage may with strict propriety be thus translated-" But unto the Son he said, God is thy throne;" giving assurance that the kingdom of the Messiah is supported by the power of God. The passage is quoted from the 45th Psalm; and there it appears to be an address of the psalmist to Jehovah. Taken in this sense, as used by St. Paul, the text has great beauty and force. We understand the apostle as showing the stability of Christ's kingdom, by declaring after the psalmist, that God is its support; and that this God is eternal, the same that "in the beginning laid the foundation of the earth," &c. But admitting that the word God, in this place, refers to Jesus Christ, it evidently cannot be descriptive of him as the Supreme God; for in the

verse which immediately succeeds, a reward is promised to the Son from the Father-"Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows." That being cannot be the Supreme God, to whom it is said, God, even thy God, shall reward thee.

I proceed,

2. To examine those passages of scripture which are supposed to ascribe to Jesus Christ the honour and worship which are due only to God.

Worship does not always in the scriptures signify the reverence and homage due to God only; but frequently inferiour respect and obeisance.— Thus we read that Nebuchadnezzar fell on his face, and worshipped Daniel. In the day of Solomon, all the congregation bowed their heads, and worshipped the Lord and the king. In the New Testament it is recorded, Cornelius fell down at the feet of Peter, and worshipped him. With these remarks, I will present to your consideration the most select passages in which honour and worship are ascribed to Jesus Christ. John's gospel, v. 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 sent him." In the previous verses we are informed, that the Father had commissioned the Son to raise the dead, and to judge the world; the text quoted follows as an inference, that all men might honour the Son as they honour the Father-not offer to him supreme worship; but honour him as the authorized minister of God, in the same manner as the ambassador

of a foreign government is honoured, as the government with whose authority he is clothed is honoured.

The text in Hebrews, 1st chapter, 6th verse, is considered by many to warrant the supreme worship of our Saviour." When he bringeth in the first begotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him." The phraseology in this passage does not imply the religious worship we offer to God. The language is, When he bringeth him in—that is, when at the fulness of time, Christ, by divine appointment, commenced the high purposes of the office of Mediator, God said, Let all the subordinate ministers of the moral kingdom which he is about to establish on earth, reverence him, who alone has power to legislate and rule in it.

Among this class of texts the passage from Phil. ii. 10, 11, is quoted." That at the name of Jesus, every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." It is, I apprehend, a strained construction of this text, to make it an authority for the supreme worship of Jesus Christ. Christ had humbled himself, and on earth had been obedient to the divine will unto death, even the death of the cross; wherefore, says the apostle, God hath also highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name. It is at this name, to which God has exalted him, that every knce is to bow: it is to honour bestowed by