Jesus Christ received religious worship without rebuking those who offered it, or intimating that they mistook the object of wor-1 ship. And behold, there came a leper and worshipped him: There came a certain ruler. and worshipped him. When he came into the ship, after saving Peter from drowning, they who were in the ship came and worshipped him. And the disciples worshipped him in Galilee. If any suppose that the worship, spoken of in these passages, was not the worship that is proper to a divine Person, but only a token of civil respect to a superior; the worship which Thomas offered was not allow able, if it were offered to a creature. He in-voked him as his God, as well as Lord; and.. Jesus approved and accepted the homage which he paid.

We grant that the respect which was paid to earthly kings and persons of eminence is often called worship; yet we have reason to suppose, that the worship, which was offered to Jesus, even in the days of his flesh, was of the religious kind. We are certain that he knew. perfectly well with what intention his disciples and others worshipped him; for he knew what was in man, and needed not that any should testify of him. If he were but a creature, and knew that they worshipped him as God, he was bound to correct their mistake; and direct their worship to God, who is the only proper object of that religious homage. On these suppositions he was certainly guilty of the C :

greatest impiety in suffering himself to be made the object of a worship which did not belong to him.

If it were for once admitted, that the worship, which was offered, was intended as a token of civil respect, yet this would have been unsuitable to the character which he maintained as a man. He disclaimed all distinction of this kind. He declared that his kingdom was not of this world; and he evenTM condescended to perform the office of a servant to his disciples.

With such professions, it would have been unsuitable for him to receive a worship which was understood as implying a civil distinction. If he be not God, religious worship was not only improper but impicus; and if it were not religious worship, it did not accord with his profession of disclaiming all worldly honor and distinction. But every doubt, respecting the propriety of offering religious worship to Christ, must be removed, when we read that it is the will, and express command of God, that he should be worshipped by Angels. And when he bringeth in the first-begotten into the world, he saith, And let all the Angels of God worship him. Can it be supposed that God is declaring his will with all this solemnity, that all the Angels should worship Christ, if he intends no more than an act of complaisance, or token of civil respect?

Heb.i. 6.

It is undeniable that the Apostles worshipped him after his ascension. They ascribed. to him everlasting praise and dominion, and blessed the Churches in his name. What act of religious worship can be offered more directly to the infinite God, than that which the. heavenly host offer to the Lamb that was slain, saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lambr that was slain, to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing; and every creature which is in Heaven, and the earth, and under the earth, heard I, saying, Blessing, and honor, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb forever and ever. And the four beasts or living creatures said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth forever and ever.*

Any comment on this passage may be deemed unnecessary. We only observe, every creature in Heaven and the earth, and under the earth, ascribe equal honor to him › that sitteth upon the throne, and to the Lamb that was slain. The Lamb is either God, or one among the creatures in the general enume ration. If he be one of the creatures, it can-> rot give us a high opinion of his humility, and reverence for the Supreme, that he should phite with other creatures in offering the same praise to himself with that which is ascribed to God.

*Rev, v. 12, 13) 140 á €

2. If Jesus Christ were but a creature, and if he acted by a delegated: authority, it was improper for him to perform miracles.in his own naine. If he were faithful to him who: sent him, he would have given sufficient inti-.mation that he performed those wonderful works, not by his own authority; and power, that the honor might be given to God. Faithfulness would prompt him to guard the Church against the sin of idolatry, by disclaiming all pretensions of performing divine works in his

own name.

It was no strange thing to the Jews, that a creature should work miracles by divine: authority. Such a power was delegated to: Moses and Elijah. The disciples of Jesus: also. wrought, miracles, but without any pretensions that they possessed such power of themselves. In the history of the Acts * we have the account of a lame man, who was miraculously cured by Peter. But the miracle was wrought in the name of Jesus; and evidently by a power that was derived from him. In the name of Jesus of Nazareth, rise: up and walk. Hence the disciples ascribed all their power to him, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject to us, through thy name.t And this is not all; for he confined them to this manner of operation. In my name shall

they cast out devils; and with new tongues.‡.

they shall speak

The disciples declared, it was through

Chap. ii. 6. † Luke x. 17. ‡ Mark xvi. 17.

faith in the name of Jesus, that they received power from him to work miracles. When the multitude marvelled at the cure of a lame man, Peter thus addressed them, And his name,, through faith in his name, hath made this man; strong yea, the faith, which is by him, hath given him this perfect soundness.§

As the disciples of Jesus wrought miracles, in his name, and by authority which they received from him, it was proper for him to do such works by his own authority, and in his own name. This, we find, was his manner of operation. Hence, when he cast out an unclean spirit, the spectators were amazed, and spake among themselves, saying, What a word is this? for with authority and power. he commandeth the unclean spirits, and they come out.* It is evident that they had not been accustomed to such language and to such a manner of operation before. They declared that the manner of operation was, to them, new,, and surprizing. In the cure of the par alytic, recorded in the second chapter of Mark, they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, We never saw it on this fashion. But why was it a thing so strange that a man should be miraculously cured of the paley? They could not be ignorant that Moses, Eli jah, and others, had wrought miracles. Their surprise evidently arose from the authoritative manner by which the miracle was done. Here they see one who performs divine works, by a word of command: and without acknowledg ing a dependence on any power but his own.

SActs i. 16.

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