seek for a different solution; and it is easily found by attending to the peculiarities of prophetic language. Prebendary Lowth, in his Commentary, states it as a general principle, " That the Prophets are said TO DO things, when they DECLARE GOD'S PURPOSE OF DOING THEM."* In exact accordance with the phraseology of prophecy, as well as with the express assertion of the Apostles, we may understand our Lord, (speaking, as he obviously did, with the obscurity of prophecy, yet in the common prophetic style,) as DECLARING GOD'S PURPOSE to raise him up. After the prophecy had been explained by the event, the Apostles, one and all, declared that God raised up Jesus.' I therefore rest, with the fullest conviction, in the great truth, that it was GOD, even the FATHER, who raised up the Lord Jesus Christ from the dead.

THE STATE of high DIGNITY AND POWER TO WHICH JESUS HAS BEEN EXALTED for his obedience unto death, is regarded by many as a proof of his proper deity; to me it appears to be a direct argument against it. That Jesus possessed, before he came forth from God, dignity and power superior to what the Scriptures state to have been bestowed upon him as a reward for

* Kuinoel, on Luke iv. 18. gives the same principle; “ Ut dimitterem calamitosos, h. e. ut annuntiarem calamitosis liberationem. Nam quæ Prophetæ tantum ammuntiant, ea sæpe ipsi facere dicuntur:-vid. hanc in rem, Jer. i. 10. Hos. vi. 5. Mich. ii. 12.” --Lowth refers to Jer. i, 10. Is. vi, 10. Ez. xliii. 3. In the last instance the Prophet speaks of having been sent to destroy the city,' i.e. to prophesy the destruction of it.

his having fully executed the work assigned him, is a contradiction in terms; inferior honour and authority cannot have been the reward for the voluntary relinquishing of greater. And if his previous dignity and power were greatly inferior to what he possessed after his exaltation, which the plain and obvious meaning of Scripture directly shows, two things necessarily follow ;he did not possess them by any original constitution of his nature; and, he was not, before his exaltation, superior to angels, principalities, and powers.'

All which directly concerns my argument is to show that, whatever be the precise meaning of the declarations of the Apostle Paul, &c. respecting the exaltation of Jesus, they afford no proof that Jesus was, as to nature, more than

man.

I. In several passages Jesus is represented as being seated at the right hand of God; see Mark xvi. 19. Col. iii. 1. &c.; and in Heb. i. 3, it is said that he sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high.-On these and similar expressions it may be observed, (1) It is expressly said, Eph. i. 20, that GoD set him at HIS OWN right hand. (2) The word right hand shows that we must understand these expressions figuratively. (3) They are obviously derived from the eastern custom, for a chief minister, or associate in the government, to sit on the right hand of the sovereign. (4) In the gospel dispensation, Jesus was exalted to be above all except HIM who gave

him his authority: and the expressions referred to denote this, that he was head over all things to his church; and they imply no more than this. A similar expression (referring however to dignity and happiness rather than to power) occurs in Rev. iii. 21.

II. In Eph. i. 20--23, the Apostle, describing the exaltation of Jesus, says that GOD'set him at HIS OWN right hand,' gave him the highest authority and diguity, in heavenly things,' in that kingdom which ruleth in the hearts of men,* 'far above all principality and power and might and dominion,' above all kinds and degrees of power, and every name that is named,' above all dignity which is borne by any, not only in this age, but in that also which is to come.'‡

It is

* Εν τοις επουρανιοις occurs five times in this Epistle. rendered in the Public Version heavenly places.' To the phrase itself I have no objection even in the common acceptation of the term. Various passages in the Scriptures lead to the conclusion, that there is some place, the blessed abode of superior intelligences, where God, in a peculiar manner, manifests his perfections and displays his glory there, in the language of Scripture, is the throne of God; and there, we are led to infer, is the present residence of our Saviour. But I do not think the rendering a sufficiently authorized one: heavenly things' is the most simple meaning of the original; and as the other rendering is in no place necessary, and in some is unsuitable, I prefer uniformly rendering it thus. In the present connexion it affords a peculiarly appropriate meaning. (3d Ed.)

† The Greek is ὑπεράνω πάσης αρχης και εξουσιας και δυνάμεως Kaι KUρLOTηTоg. The words are nearly the same as those in Col. i. 16; (see p. 178, note.) I understand the Apostle here to mean, all power and authority which might oppose his sway, and all which had been or was to be employed to aid the glorious purposes of his work and exaltation. (3d Ed.)

† Ου μόνον εν τῳ αιωνι τουτῳ, αλλα και εν τῳ μελλοντι. If by alwv (age) the Apostle means dispensation, he represents the authority of Christ as (under God) supreme in spiritual things, not only during that period which preceded the final annihilation of the Jewish state and dispensation, but also in the period following it, which we

The next verse shows that the authority to which Jesus was exalted was simply of a spiritual nature: And he hath put all things under his feet, and appointed him head over all things To THE CHURCH, which is his body, the fulness of him who filleth all his members with all things,' all spiritual blessings.—I am totally unable to perceive why one who as to nature was a man only, could not be exalted to this high dignity and authority, by the working of that mighty power of God (v. 19,) by which HE also raised Jesus from the dead.

III. Phil. ii. 9-11. Wherefore (see p. 210) God also hath highly exalted him, and bestowed upon him a name which is above every name,' authority superior to all other; that in the

name of Jesus,' owning his authority, ‘every knee should bow, of beings heavenly, earthly, and under the earth,* and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,-to the glory of God the Father.'-This passage is, in its general import, abundantly plain. The exaltation of Jesus consists in the extension and final universal prevalence of his spiritual authority.

have every reason to believe is designed to last till all the purposes of God respecting this world are accomplished. There is a little variation in import if he meant state of being: this would denote that the supremacy of Christ is to continue, not only in the present life, but also in that state of existence which will succeed it. I have no objection to either meaning. (3d Ed.)

* As Jesus is declared to have been made Lord of the dead and the living, and the phrase 'things in heaven and things on earth,' is elsewhere used to denote Jews and Gentiles, (see p. 174, note), I apprehend that the Apostle meant to comprehend the consummation of the Gospel dispensation, as well as the present periods of it, and to intimate that all mankind, Jews and Gentiles, the living and the dead, should own the authority of Jesus.

IV. 1 Pet. iii. 22. Who is gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God,' possessed of the highest dignity in the gospel kingdom; 'angels and authorities and powers,' all heavenly and earthly power which respected the propagation of the Gospel, having been made subject to him.'*

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v. Matt. xxviii. 18-20. Our Lord himself, when giving his Apostles their commission to preach the Gospel to all nations, says All power' all authority (Eovora) has been given me in heaven and earth.' The connexion determines the extent, though not the precise nature of that authority; it was authority to rule in the hearts of all men, whatever their religious and civil distinctions. If, as appears to me very probable (see p. 174), our Saviour here employs the word heaven to denote the Jewish nation, and of course earth to denote the Gentile world, the assertion refers to the union in the gospel dispensation, of both Jews and Gentiles, according to his prediction in John x. 16: if it is to be taken more literally, it probably refers to those miraculous powers which he was authorized to send from heaven in order to extend and hasten the spread of his Gospel, and to the spiritual sovereignty which, by the glorious influences of the Gospel, he was to exercise among all.-Whatever be the precise meaning of the expression, which, probably, we have not facts enough to enable us to

Ayyeλos (angel or messenger) is applicable to any agent, animate or inanimate, which is employed by God to execute his purposes.