conduct; from obeying which nothing can excuse them; the law, by which they will be tried, and approved, or condemned: that his Word is the only rule of life and salvation to mankind: that his Dominion is the supreme and universal control, to which in this and every other world, Intelligent beings are rightfully required to bow; to which every one of them in this and all other worlds will ultimately bow; and by which all things are, and will for ever be, regulated at his pleasure that he is the Judge, who will finally acquit or condemn, reward or punish, every Intelligent creature. I scarcely need to ask, Who can sustain this stupendous relation to the Universe, except JEHOVAH ? 5thly. Christ is the Last End of all things. Colossians i. 16, All things were created by him, and for him: that is, they were all created for his use; that he might destine them to such purposes, and conduct them to such an issue, as were agreeable to his pleasure. In the same manner as it is said, Prov. xvi. 4, Jehovah hath made all things for himself. It will, I suppose, be granted, as I do not see how it can be questioned, that the End, for which any thing exists, under the control of divine Wisdom, is more important than the thing itself; or, universally, that the End is more important than the Means. I suppose it will also be granted, that the End, for which all things exist, is the most important of all Ends. I suppose it will further be granted, that JEHOVAH, in making all things for himself, regarded himself, and in this design proved that he regarded himself, as more important than all things else; and his glory, or pleasure, for which they were created, as the most important of all the Ends, discerned by his Omniscience, and perfectly worthy to be preferred to every other. But this plainly could not be, unless he, who thus proposed himself as the end of all things, was in the view of his Omniscience a more excellent, great, and glorious Being, than any other. If there were any other being superior to himself, such being ought plainly to be preferred to him: otherwise, that which was of inferior importance, and worth, would be preferred to that which was superior: a preference obviously unfounded, and unjust. JEHOVAH, therefore, in making all things for himself, has testified in the most solemn and forcible manner possible, that himself is more important, great, and excellent, than all other things whatever. But all things are declared in the passage, quoted from Colossians, to have been created by Christ for himself. Christ, therefore, in this act of making himself the End of the Creation of all things, has declared, that Himself is, in his own view, the most important, great, and excellent, of all things. This declaration is either true, or false. If false; it proceeded from ignorance, or from sin. It could not be from sin; for Christ knew no sin; and is declared to be without spot, or blemish; the Holy One, and the Just; even the Holy One of God. It could not be from ignorance; because no Intelligent creature, who knew JEHOVAH at all, could possibly suppose himself to be more important, great, and excellent than JEHOVAH; and because Christ will not be supposed, even by the Unitarians, to be capable of such ignorance. It is therefore true. But, if it be true, it is by inevitable consequence also true, either that Christ is greater and more important than JEHOVAH, or that he is JEHOVAH himself. Further, as Christ is the End of all things, if he be not JEHOVAH, there is nothing, of which JEHOVAH is the End. As all things were made for Christ; if Christ be not JEHOVAH, there is nothing, which is made for JEHOVAH. The united tendency and result of all that has been, is, or will be, in the Universe, is the accomplishment of the pleasure and glory of Christ; and if Christ be not JEHOVAH, JEHOVAH will exist without any glory displayed; without any interest, or concern, in the Universe. It ought also to be added, that He, who is the End of all things, for whose glory and pleasure they are to operate, must possess Power sufficient to direct them to his glory; and Intelligence, to discern, that this purpose is accomplished by them all. When we consider the greatness and multitude of the things themselves, and their everlasting continuance and operation, it will, I think, be impossible not to conclude, that this power and intelligence must be in the strictest sense unlimited. It is with reference to this very subject, as I apprehend, that our Saviour, in his intercessory prayer, utters to the FATHER these remarkable words: * All things, which are mine, are thine; and all things, which are thine, are mine: and I am glorified in them. John xvii. 10. Here, in two forms of expression, he declares to the FATHER the co-extension of the property, which the FATHER and the SoN have in the Universe, and their mutual possession of all things; and then adds, that he is glorified in, or by means of, them all. This may be properly styled Christ's own comment on the declaration of St. Paul, that all things were made for him; that is, for his use; his glory: for here Christ declares his glory to be actually accomplished by them all. This doctrine is plainly, and utterly inconsistent with the Arian Notion of Christ's being a subordinate God; to whom divine power is supposed to have been delegated; and who, in this character of a delegate, is supposed to have created the Universe, and to be worshipped. On this Notion I propose to make some observations hereafter. At present I shall only remark, that He, who is the first Cause, or Creator, and the last End, of all things, is all that is, or can be, meant by the SUPREME GOD. All things being made for his use, and being the means of his glory; there is nothing left to a Being, higher and greater than himself; nor does it appear, that such a Being can have any material concern with the Universe, in any manner whatever. I shall now consider the 5th, and last, particular, mentioned under this head: viz. That Divine Worship is in the Scriptures required, and by persons inspired was actually rendered, to Christ. Divine worship is required to be rendered to Christ; John v. 22, 23, For the Father judgeth no man; but huth committed all judgment unto the Son: That all men should honour the Son even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father that sent him. In this passage of Scripture we are informed, that the infinite prerogative of judging the universe is committed by the Father to the Son, for this, as at least one, if not the only, great end, that all (that is, I apprehend, all Intelligent creatures; the word men not being in the original,) should honour the Son even as (that is, just in the same manner, as, and in the same degree, as) they honour the Father. The Final Judg * See the original Greek. ment, being an act, which eminently displays the infinite perfections, is committed to the Son, that he may be perceived with indubitable evidence to possess these perfections, and may therefore receive that peculiar honour, which is due to Him only, by whom they are possessed. The honour, which is due in a peculiar sense to God, consists supremely in religious worship; in making him the object of our supreme affection; and rendering to him our supreme obedience. All this is here required to Christ in the same manner, in which it is required to the FATHer. Whether it be supposed, that this passage be intended to include angels, or not; they are expressly required to worship him in Psalm xcvii. 7, confounded be all they that serve graven images. Worship him, all ye Gods. St. Paul quotes a part of this verse in the following manner; And again, when he bringeth in the first-begotten into the world, he saith, Let all the Angels of God worship him. It is therefore certain, that all the angels of God are required to worship Christ. The only possible debate, which can arise here, is concerning the kind of worship, which is to be rendered. On this I observe, that the Greek word is goduvndarwdav; and that this word is used twenty-four times in the New Testament, to denote the worship of the true God; that it is used many times more to denote the religious worship of false gods; and that it is, so far as I have observed, the only word, used to denote what is intended by worship, when considered as an act immediately performed. The words Θεραπεύω, Λατρεύω, and Σεβομαι, rendered also to worship, appear rather to express either habitual reverence, or service, or a general course of worship, considered as a character, or course of life. IIgodxuvsw, so far as I have been able to observe, is the only term, used to denote religious worship by St. John; and is certainly the appropriate word for this idea, if there is any such appropriate word in the New Testament. It is, particularly, the word, used by Christ in his answer to Satan; Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God; and in his discourse with the woman of Samaria concerning the place where, the manner in which, and the persons by whom, God is acceptably worshipped. Secondly. That religious worship is here intended is certain; because the Object of the worship, commanded, is directly opposed, in the command itself, to Idols; and the worship, required, to that which is forbidden. Confounded be all they that serve, that is, religiously worship, graven images; that boast themselves of idols. As if God had said, Worship no more graven images, nor idols of any kind; for all their worshippers shall be confounded: Worship him; the Messiah; the Son of God; and not only you, the sottish men who are guilty of this idolatry; but all ye Angels, also, to whom this worship is often sottishly rendered. In the same manner, is this worship commanded to both men. and angels. Phil. ii. 9—11, Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name, which is above every name; 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. In this passage, all things celestial, terrestrial, and subterranean, (as it is in the original,) are required to bow the knee to Christ, and to confess him to be Lord. To bow the knee is well known appropriate phraseology to denote religious worship. I have left me, says God to Elijah, seven thousand in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him. 1 Kings xix. 18*. St. Paul also says, I bow my knees to the Father of all mercies. But to place it beyond all doubt, we need only refer to Isaiah xlv. 22, 23, whence this passage is quoted. Look unto me, and be ye saved, all ye ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else. By myself have I sworn, and the truth is gone out of my mouth; the word, and it shall not be revoked. Surely to me shall every knee bow, shall every tongue swear: saying, Only to JEHOVAH belongeth Salvation and Powert. To ascribe to JEHOVAH salvation and power: (the thing, which, the Apostle informs us, is the same with confessing that Christ is Lord;) and to bow the knee when making this ascription, is undoubtedly religious worship, if any thing is. Accordingly, this ascription is often made by the saints in the Scriptures, and the saints and angels in heaven. In accordance with these requisitions we find Christ actually VOL. II. * See Hosea xiji. 2, and Psalm ii, 2. + Lowth. |