in the parable, it is said, that the humble guest "would have worship in the presence of those, who sat at meat with him;" and in another, the servant in debt fell down and worshipped his master. Cornelius, too, as Peter was coming into the house, "met him, and fell down at his feet and worshipped him." The same use of the Hebrew words occurs every where in the Old Testament; though it does not always appear in the translation. Thus it is said "all the congregation bowed down their heads, and worshipped the Lord and the King."

Are we then to suppose, that the king was equal to the Lord, and entitled to the same adoration? In some forms of speech, the phrase retains this sense at the present day; as when corporations and magistrates are called worshipful, and accosted by the title of their worships; and in the form of matrimony.

With respect to the glory or honour to be paid to Christ, some understand it in the most confined and restricted sense; and are cautious and scrupulous in their mode of expressing it; while others conceive, that it implies the same worship, which is due to the Almighty. Here again we steer a middle course. We are willing to pay every degree of honour, and to ascribe every degree of glory to Christ, that does not confound him with his heavenly Father, or encroach on the

* 1 Chron. xxix. 20.

adoration due only to the Divine Majesty; but, we decline addressing our Lord expressly in prayer.

Some rely on these words of our Saviour: "Al men shall honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son, honoureth not the Father, who sent him." But no more is meant than this; that Jesus Christ, being commissioned by God, any want of respect to him, was disrespect to God, in whose name he spoke. To "honour the Son, even as they honour the Father," does not imply, that the honour was to be exactly the same, either in kind or in degree; but, only that we should behold him with reverence and gratitude, as the representative of the Almighty. In like manner, when we are commanded to love our neighbour as ourselves, we are not expected to love an indifferent person as dearly as we love ourselves, or even as our particular friends, relations and family. We are only required to love him sincerely, to behave to him kindly, and serve him faithfully, without fraud or dissimulation.

We, on the other hand, rely on the injunctions of our Lord, not to ask any thing of him. On this subject, he speaks explicitly, in his last conference with his disciples. Having three several times directed them to pray in his name, he repeats this injunction, accompanied by the following prohibition: "In that day," (that is, after his resurrection,) "ye shall ask me nothing.

Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you. Hitherto, ye have asked

nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full." While Jesus was on earth, his disciples were to pray simply to God in after times, they were to pray to God, through him as Mediator. Now the Mediator cannot be either of the parties, but must be an intermediate being. Agreeably to this, the Lord's Prayer is addressed to the Father alone; and being delivered before the ascension, it is not offered through Jesus Christ, or in his name. On this authority we address all our prayers to God, through and in the name of Jesus Christ.

I think it quite unnecessary to dwell on the exclamations of Stephen and Thomas; for Stephen's was not a prayer to Jesus in his absence; but an ejaculation uttered, in a trance or vision, when he saw, or thought he saw him sitting at the right hand of God; Thomas's was a mere expression of surprise, uttered too, not under the influence of inspiration, but in a state of obstinate unbelief, or just recovering from it; and "my Lord" may be applied to Jesus; "my God," to his Father. The following words of our Lord refer only to his belief of the resurrection of Christ, not to his nature or office. Neither, I think, will Paul's prayer, to be relieved from the thorn in his flesh, be relied on. That also seems to have been addressed to our Lord in vision, or in a personal interview.

These equivocal expressions and the conclusion of the revelation: "even so, come, Lord Jesus;" cannot be put in competition with the express command of Christ, and made the foundation of a new confession of faith, unknown till then to the disciples.

The powers, which our Lord exercised on earth, were exhibited both by doctrine and miracles. "The blind receive their sight; the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed; the deaf hear; the dead are raised up; and the poor have the Gospel preached to them." All these works, he takes frequent opportunities to declare, were done by the power of the Father, and in subordination to him.

These supernatural powers did not terminate with his ministry on earth; but were greatly enlarged after his ascension. The first act of our Lord, after his departure, was to send the Comforter, which he had promised in his last interviews with his Apostles. This spiritual assistance was first communicated by the gift of tongues, at the feast of Pentecost, before they left Jerusalem, according to his promise, and they enjoyed it during their ministry; but whether this aid was bestowed immediately by the Almighty, or by some spiritual person deputed for the purpose, is a question, on which very learned and pious Christians are divided; and, in my opinion, there is sufficient ground for this diversity of sentiment.

As to the continuance of this spiritual inference in the Church, the manner, in which it is communicated, and how it operates; these questions have given rise to such a variety of extravagant notions and practices, and receive so little illustration from Scripture, that I decline any discussion of the subject; and leave every individual unbiassed, to the study of the Divine word, and the experience of his own mind; with this one observation: I have no doubt, that the grace of God is co-extensive with his providence; or, in other words, that his spiritual providence is as widely diffused as his temporal, whether they be administered by his own immediate influence, or by ministring spirits.

It must be confessed by all, that the usual meaning of the Holy Ghost or Spirit, and of the Spirit of the Lord, and other synonymous appellations, both in the Old and New Testaments, is, the Divine influence exerted in a particular manner, and for special purposes; but, in some texts, it will hardly bear this construction.* The Holy Spirit seems to be described by our Lord, as a separate being, distinct from the Father; as a person sent by Christ after his ascension, and not having been with them before; not speaking of himself, but only what he heard, and receiving

* John xv. xvi. xvii.