In ISA. liv. 5, the following address is made by the prophet to the Church: "For thy Maker is thy husband, the Lord of hosts is his name; and thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel."-But in the New Testament, the person spoken of in this passage, as the Lord of hosts and the Holy One of Israel, is said to be Christ; as in JOHN iii. 29. "He that hath the bride is the bridegroom ;" and in 2 COR. xi. 2. "For I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you a chaste virgin to Christ; and Rom. vii. 4. " Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law, by the body of Christ, that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God."

In PSALM lxviii. 18, 19, the Psalmist, addressing God, who is mentioned in the 16th verse, says, "Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive: thou hast received gifts for men; yea, for the rebellious also, that the Lord God might dwell among them. Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation."-But, in EPH. iv. 7, 8, this is interpreted as referring to Christ: "But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.”

In NEH. ix. 6, Jehovah is thus addressed in his character as Creator: "Thou, even thou, art Lord alone: thou hast made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth and all things that are therein, the seas and all that is therein; and thou preservest them all."-But in COL. i. 15, 16, this passage is virtually quoted and applied to Christ: "Who is the image of the invisible God, the first-born of every creature: for by him were all things created that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers; all things were created by him, and for him; and he is before all things, and by him all things consist."

In DEUT. XXX. 20, it is said of the Lord God, "He is thy life." But in JOHN xi. 25, Christ assumes to himself this designation, “I am the resurrection and the life;" and in COL. iii. 4, the Apostle makes a similar declaration, "When Christ, who is our life, shall appear," &c.

In MATTH. iv. 10, the following doctrine is laid down by Christ as a guide for all created beings: "Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve."-But in HEB. i. 6, we find this command issued by God the Father in reference to the Son: "Let all the angels of God worship him."

In ZECH. xii. 10, Jehovah is represented as saying in prophecy, They shall look upon me whom they have pierced;" and in JOHN xix. 37, this passage is said to have been fulfilled in Christ, " And again another Scripture saith, They shall look on him whom they pierced;" also in REV. i. 7, "Behold he cometh with clouds, and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him."

In PSALM lxxviii. 56, it is said of the Israelites, that "they

tempted and provoked the Most High God;" and in 1 COR. x. 9, the Apostle says to Christians, "Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted;" by which reference he not merely represents Christ as sustaining towards the Christian Church, the very same relationship which the Most High God sustained towards the Jewish Church (namely, of being the object of direct offence by sin, a relationship which none but God can sustain); but he also explicitly asserts Christ to have been the Most High God, whom the Israelites tempted.

In PSALM 1xxxiii. 18, Jehovah is said to be the exclusive title of the Most High God: "That men may know that thou, whose name alone is Jehovah, art the Most High over all the earth."-But in JER. xxiii. 6, this title is given to Christ, "And this is his name whereby he shall be called, Jehovah our Righteousness."

In ACTS xxii. we have a narrative of the conversion of Paul, in which Ananias is represented as telling Saul that he was chosen by "the God of their fathers :" verses 14 and 15, "The God of our fathers had chosen thee, that thou shouldest know his will, and see that Just One, and shouldest hear the voice of his mouth; for thou shalt be his witness unto all men of what thou hast seen and heard." Now, it is evident that by "the God of our fathers" and "the Just One," in this passage, we are to understand the Lord Jesus Christ, because it was he whose voice Paul heard (ACTS ix. 4), and whose witness it was his office as an apostle to be. But this is placed beyond all question by the fact, that there is another narrative, in Acts ix. 15-17, of the very same interview with Ananias, which merely differs from this by interpreting the "God of their fathers" to be Jesus: "But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel; for I will show him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake. And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house; and putting his hands on him, said, Brother Saul, the Lord (even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way that thou camest) hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost."

In ROM. viii. 33, the sinner's justification is described as the work of God: It is God that justifieth."-But in PSALM liii. 11, it is ascribed to Christ: "By his knowledge (i. e. by giving a saving knowledge of himself) shall my righteous servant justify many."

In 1 THESS. v. 23, sanctification is represented as the work of God: "And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly." But in HEB. xiii. 12, it is represented as the work of Christ: "Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate."

In EPHES. iii. 2, 3, Paul attributes the reception of his apostolic instructions to the revelation of God: "If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward; how that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery."-But in GAL. i. 12, he attributes his knowledge of the Gospel to the revela

E

tion of Christ exclusively: "For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ."

The efficient source of the miracles by which the Apostles' preaching was attested, is referred indifferently to Christ and God, as in MARK xvi. 20: "They went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following."-Compared with HEB. ii. 3, 4: "How shall we escape, if we neglect such great salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him; God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will."

In JER. xvii. 5 and 7, it is said by Jehovah, "Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the Lord. *** Blessed is the man who trusteth in the Lord, whose hope the Lord is."-But this blessedness is associated with trusting in Christ, in the declaration of the Psalmist, PSALM ii. 12, "Blessed are all they that put their trust in him ;" and in the experience and anticipations of the Apostle Paul, "I know in whom I have trusted (for so the word means), and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day." 2 TIM. i. 12.

In PSALM Xxxvi. 6, Jehovah is thus addressed: "O Lord! thou preservest man and beast ;" and in COL. i. 17, the same work of providence is ascribed to Christ: "For by him all things consist."

Christ is Jehovah, the Shepherd of the Jewish Church; and, also, the one common Shepherd of the extended and united Church of Jews and Gentiles; for we read in JOHN X. 16, these remarkable words: "Other sheep I HAVE which are not of this fold: them also I MUST BRING, and they shall hear MY VOICE; and there shall be ONE FOLD, and ONE Shepherd ;" and the rank of this Shepherd is determined by the Psalmist, in PSALM Xxiii. "Jehovah is my Shepherd, I shall not want: HE maketh me to lie down in green pastures; HE leadeth me beside the still waters."-This argument will also appear more striking by a reference to JOHN x. 14, where he calls himself the "good Shepherd;" to HEB. xiii. 20, where he is styled the "great Shepherd of the sheep;" to PETER v. 4, where he is styled the "chief Shepherd;" and to REV. vii. 17, where the care and kindness of Jehovah the Shepherd is distinctly referred to Christ: "The Lamb, which is in the midst of the throne, shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters; and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.”

The Church also stand in the very same relationship to Christ and Jehovah, as sheep; for we read in PSALM lxxiv. 1, “O God, why hast thou cast us off for ever? why doth thine anger smoke against the sheep of thy pasture ?" and Christ says, in JOHN X. 27, My sheep hear my voice;" and in JOHN xxi. 17, "Feed my sheep." In 1 KINGS viii. 39, Solomon thus addresses Jehovah : "For thou, even thou, only knowest the hearts of all the children of men."-But,

in JOHN vi. 64, a knowledge equivalent to this is ascribed to Christ: "For Jesus knew, from the beginning, who they were that believed not, and who should betray him ;" and in ACTs i. 24, the Apostles addressed Christ, thus: "Thou, Lord, which knowest the hearts of all men ;" and in MATT. xii. 25, we read, "Jesus knew their thoughts;" and also in LUKE vi. 8; and again in JOHN vi. 61, it is said, "That Jesus knew in himself (i. e. not by communication, that his disciples murmured); and in JOHN ii. 24, it is still more emphatically asserted, that he did not obtain his knowledge by communication or derivation of any kind: "But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all men, and needed not that any should testify of man: for he knew what was in man."

The forgiveness of sins is ascribed indifferently to Christ and God; as in EPH. iv. 32, "Be kind one to another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you; and in COL. iii. 13, the exercise of the same divine prerogative is ascribed to Christ in terms which are evidently a paraphrase of the above: 'Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye."

In MAL. iii. 6; immutability is represented as an attribute of Jehovah: "I am the Lord, I change not."-But in HEB. i. 12, the same attribute is ascribed to Christ: But thou art the same;" and in HEB. xiii. 8: "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, to-day, and for

ever."

In REV. xx. 12, the dead are described as standing before God for judgment: "And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened, and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works."But in 2 COR. v. 10, he who is called God in REVELATION, is called Christ: "For we must all appear before the judgment-seat of Christ, that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.”›

There are also several other passages in which the judgment of the world is referred to Jehovah, which, when taken in contrast with others in which Christ is spoken of in the same direct and emphatic terms as the Judge, must necessarily prove his true and proper Deity. This argument will appear evident from a comparison of the two following classes of texts; viz.

Texts describing God or Jehovah as
Judge.

But Jehovah shall endure for ever: he hath prepared his throne for judgement; and he shall judge the world in righteousness.-PSALM ix. 7, 8.

Our God shall call to the heavens from above, and to the earth, that he may judge his people. Gather my saints together unto me; those that

Texts describing Christ as Judge.

When the Son of Man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory and before him shall be gathered all nations.-MATT. xxv. 31, 32.

For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God; and the dead in Christ

have made a covenant with me by sacrifice. And the heavens shall declare his righteousness: for God is judge himself.-PSALM 1. 4-6.

For God will bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil. -ECCL. xii. 14.

And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; ** and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.-REV. xx. 12.

shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air; and so shall we ever be with the Lord.-1 THESS. iv, 16, 17.

Judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts.-1 Cor. iv. 5.

We must all appear before the judgment-seat of Christ, that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.2 COR. v. 10..

The inference from the comparison of these passages in support of the true Deity of Christ, receives, if possible, additional strength from the consideration that "the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son." JOHN v. 22. It is therefore evident, that the Jehovah or God who is described as Judge, is not to be understood of the Father, but of the Son; who, because he has assumed human nature and become the Son of man, possesses, in addition to the necessary qualifications with which he is endowed as God, the advantages of visibility, which neither the Father nor the Son possess in reference to their essential Godhead. And we may legitimately infer from the mere fact of Christ's being exhibited as the destined Judge of all men, that he must in some sense possess the knowledge, the power, the authority, and judicial prerogatives of true Deity, in order to justify his being represented as sustaining so high and arduous an office.

Christ occupies the very same position in relation to the Christian Church, which Jehovah occupied in relation to the Jewish Church, For example: The Jewish Church assembled in the name of Jehovah (Exod. xx. 24): the Christian Church assemble in the name of Christ (MATT. xviii. 20). The Passover is called the Lord's pass. over (EXOD. xii. 11); which Christ abolished (EPH. ii. 15), and substituted a supper of communion in remembrance of himself (LUKE xxii. 19). The Sabbath, the day of rest to the Jewish Church, is called the Sabbath of the Lord their God (Exod. xx. 10); which Christ, through his Apostles, abolished (CoL. ii. 16), and instituted in its stead the first day of the week, which is called the Lord's Day (REV. i. 10). Moses and the Prophets, the ministers of the Jewish Church, performed their miracles through the power of Jehovah (Ps. lxxviii. 43): the Apostles, the ministers of the Christian Church, performed their miracles in the name and by the power of Christ (MARK XVI. 20. ACTS iii. 6; ix. 34). And the Jewish Church are described as those whom the Lord God had chosen to be a peculiar people unto himself (DEUT. xiv. 2); and the Christian Church are described as those for whom Christ gave himself, that he might purify unto himself a peculiar people (TIT. ii. 14). From these examples, it must follow that Christ is the Jehovah of the Old Testament; as we could