truly and properly God. For as the Ruler of universal dominion he must possess the attributes peculiar to the great Eternal; such as, infinite wisdom, almighty power, boundless benevolence, immutability and eternity. Nothing inferior to these could qualify him for the government of universal empire. These perfections are the foundation of his illimitable and eternal dominion: hence his Lordship is, and must be, boundless, supreme, and eternal. All notions inferior to these, are unsuitable and insulting to God. The Lord Jehovah is not a mere Governor, Ruler and Protector, but a sovereign Ruler, an almighty Protector, an omniscient and omnipresent Governor, an eternal, immutable, all-sufficient Preserver and Saviour. Whatever falls short of this, is not properly consistent with the notions associated with the name and character of the Lord Jehovah.

ON THE DIVINITY OF CHRIST.

ARGUMENT SECOND ON "THE WORD."

The WORD means Jesus Christ. Soms writers think that St. John borrowed the term WORD from Philo, or from the Chaldee Paraphrases, or from the Hellenists. The Hebrew phrase Debar Yehovah, and the Greek Logos Kuriou. Debar Yehovah frequently mentioned in the Old Testament, and evidently means a personal Word. The Memra in Chaldee means The Word. The Memra frequently mentioned by the Targumists. Quotations from the Rev. W. Cooke's Explanations of the Targums. The Testimony of Philo. Quotations from Irenæus. Theophilus of Antioch. Tertullian, Clemens Alexandrinus, Athenagoras, and Melito. Arius and Unitarianism. Bibliotheca Fratrum." Unitarian and Trinitarian Authors. The conclusion-the Word is one eternally with the Father.

"The

CHRIST is called "The Word," and it is emphatically stated, "And the Word was God." The reading of this passage at once conveys to our minds the idea that the Word, or LOGOS (by whom all understand Christ), is called God, in the highest sense; and in the 14th verse of the same chapter it is said, "The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory,") &c. This clearly shows that by the Word is meant none other than Jesus Christ. And to argue this question, in my judgment, would be superfluous and a waste of time. Why the Evangelist John gives the Saviour this title in the commencement of his gospel, has been a subject of inquiry and dispute among the learned. In my opinion, his design was to set forth and establish in the commencement of his sacred history the supreme or absolute Divinity of the Saviour. And the manner in which he enters upon this work cannot fail to arrest the attention of every serious reader. His predications in the introduction are very bold and striking, and however the

Socinian and the infidel may assert that the first fourteen verses of this chapter are nothing but human composition, they most certainly exhibit the characteristics of the highest style of divine inspiration. The sentiments comprehended in this portion of God's Word, and the language made use of to express those sentiments, evidently shew the composition to be the effusion of an inspired mind. Some writers have thought, and asserted, that the Evangelist borrowed this peculiar appellation or title from the writings of Philo the Jew, who flourished about forty years before Christ, and wrote several important works on Creation, History, &c., in such an elegant style, that he has been called "The Jewish Plato." Others suppose that the Chaldee paraphrases were the source from which he derived it. Others again have concluded that he borrowed it from the Hellenists, or Grecian Jews, to whom we are indebted for the version of the Old Testament called the Septuagint, or that of the Seventy. That this expression frequently occurs in the writings of Philo, in the Chaldee paraphrases, in the Septuagint, and also in the Jerusalem Targum, has been clearly shewn by several learned authors. But, as Watson very wisely observes, "The most natural conclusion appears to be, that, as St. John was a plain unlearned man, chiefly conversant in the Holy Scriptures, he derived this term from the sacred books of his own nation, in which the Hebrew phrase DEBAR YEHOVAH, (the Word of Jehovah) frequently occurs in passages which must be understood to speak of a personal Word, and which phrase is rendered Logos Kuriou by the Septuagint interpreters." We have no reason to suppose, from the writings of St. John, that he was at all acquainted with the works of any of the

ancient poets or philosophers. St. Paul frequently alludes to them, but St. John, to my knowledge, never does, either directly or indirectly. We have therefore the strongest reason to conclude, that he derived the term from the ancient Jewish Scriptures. It is evident to every attentive and intelligent reader of the Hebrew Scriptures, that there are frequent intimations of a plurality of persons in the Godhead, represented as existing distinctly, but having the same essential attributes of eternal Divinity. And if it can be proved that one of these persons was known by the name or title of "The Word"-the appellation here given by the Evangelist-then the manner in which he applies it to Christ is very easily accounted for; and I think it will be no very difficult matter to shew, from indisputable authority, that this was the case. In Gen. xv. 1, we are informed that "After these things the Word of the Lord came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward." On this passage Dr. Clarke remarks: "This is the first place where God is represented as revealing himself by his word. Some learned men suppose that the "debar Yehovah," translated here word of the Lord, means the same with the logos tou Theou of St. John, chap. i. ver. 1, and by the Chaldee paraphrases in the next clause, called meimera, my word, and in other places meimera daiya, the word of Yeya, a contraction for Jehovah, which they appear always to consider as a person; and which they distinguish from pithgama, which signifies merely a word spoken or any part of speech." The text itself clearly shews that by "The Word" a person is meant. Hence, the Word came unto Abram in a vision, and spoke unto him,

A mere

saying, Fear not, Abram, I am thy shield," &c. word may be spoken, but a personal word only can speak. Again, the manner in which the personal pronoun is used plainly sets forth the same fact. "I (the Word of the Lord) am thy shield ;" and in reply Abram said: "Lord God, what wilt thou give me?" And again, at the fourth verse: "The Word of the Lord came unto him, saying, This shall not be thine heir," &c. The passage throughout is worded in such a manner as to imply the personality of the Word, and to shew that the Word is none other than a person who is one with God the Father Almighty. And this Word of Jehovah, who made all things, and was Abram's shield, &c.," was made flesh, and dwelt among us; full of grace and truth." John i. 14. Hence, by comparing Scripture with Scripture, we clearly see the supreme Deity of Christ set forth in this significant title, The Word.

There are several other passages equally as comprehensive and explicit, and which admit of the same comparison, and serve to illustrate the same important truth, two or three of which it may be proper and necessary to notice.

1. Samuel iii. 21, reads thus: "And the Lord appeared again in Shiloh: for the Lord revealed himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the Word of the Lord." In this passage it is evident, beyond all dispute, that the Word of the Lord is to be understood in a personal sense; that is, God appeared to Samuel by his personal Word in a vision. The Word of the Lord, as mentioned in Psalms xviii. 30, is capable of the same construction, which reads thus: "The Word of the Lord is tried: He is a buckler to all those that trust in him." Here the personal pronoun refers to the Word of the Lord," from which we cannot do other