;

clare that he is deputed, and speaks by the delegated Authority of the Jehovah of Hofts which is the general Meaning of the Phrase of fpeaking in the Name of any one; but actually and literally speaks in his own Name, and calls himself Jehovah, and faith, I am the God of Abraham; and I am the God of Bethel; and I brought thee out of the Land of Egypt, &c. and pofitively prohibits Mofes and the Children of Ifrael from worshiping any other God but himself: Thou, fays he, fhalt have none other Gods before me. Thereby feeming to forbid even the Worship of the Supreme Jehovah, the Jehovah of Hofts.

LXVII. In Anfwer to which it is to be obferved, that the Hebrews were far from being explicit and accurate in their Style, but left great Room for the [7] Imagination of the Reader to fupply, and fill up the Deficiences; and that it was very cuftomary for one Person to speak in the Name

[7] Any one that does but open the English Bible, and obferve the Number of Words that are inferted in Italick Characters, none of which are in the Original, will immediately perceive the Truth of this Affertion.

and

and Character of another Perfon, without making the leaft Mention of the other Perfon, in whose Name the Words were spoken. Thus it is allowed by the univerfal Confent of all Antiquity, as well Jews as Chriftians, that, in the second Pfalm, David is there fpeaking of the Meffiah, and yet the whole Pfalm is delivered in the Perfon and Character of David himself. Why, fays he, do the Heathen rage, and the People imagine a vain Thing? The Kings of the Earth fet themselves, and the Rulers take Counsel together against JEHOVAH, and against his anointed. He that fitteth in Heaven fhall laugh; JEHOVAH fhall have them in Derifion. Then shall be speak unto them in his Wrath, and vex them in his fore Difpleafure. Yet have I jet my King upon my holy Hill of Sion. I will declare the Decree JEHOVAH bath faid unto me, Thou art my Son, this Day have I begotten thee. Afk of me, and I will give Ask thee the Heathen for thine Inheritance, and the uttermoft Parts of the Earth for thy Poffeffion.

LXVIII. Now it is plain, that the Decree here spoken of, though it was deliver

ed unto David, yet the Purport thereof was not promised to David, but to fome one of the Seed of David, 2 Sam. vii. 12, 14, 16. of whom God faid, I will be his Father, and be fhall be my Son. And yet David faith, when speaking of this Decree, I will declare the Decree JEHOVAH bath faid unto ME, THOU art my Son, this Day have I begotten thee. And what is further remarkable is, that it was not Jehovah, but Nathan the Prophet, who fpake to David by Authority from

God.

LXIX. And indeed nothing is more common than for Prophets and Angels to speak authoritatively in their own Name, without introducing their Speech with an explanatory Preface, mentioning the Perfon in whose Name they speak. Thus the Prophet Ifaiah faith, [8] The Word that Ifaiah the Son of Amos faw concerning Judah and Jerufalem [9] For behold the Lord, the JEHOVAH OF HOSTS doth take away from Jerufalem and from Judah the Stay and the Staff, &c. And then fome Verses after

[8] Ifai. ii. 1.

[9] Ifai. iii. 1-4.

wards,

wards, he faith, And I will give Children to be their Princes, and Babes fhall rule over them, &c. Where it is manifeft, that the Prophet speaks in this laft Place in the first Person, in his own Name, without inferting the Words, and JEHOVAH faid unto me, which feem neceffary to have been inferted, in order to make his Words intelligible, if he intended they should be understood of Jehovah, and not of himself; but that he knew very well the Jews would, of themselves, fupply the Deficiency,

LXX. In like Manner, in the Revelation of St. John, though the Apostle declares, that it was delivered to him by an Angel, and calls it [1] The Revelation of JESUS CHRIST, which GOD gave unto him, to fhew unto his Servants Things which

must shortly come to pass; fignified it by his ANGEL

and he sent and unto his Servant John Yet through the whole Book this Angel fpeaks indifferently in the first Perfon, either when he speaks in the Name of God the Father, or in the Name of Jesus Christ, or in his own Name. Thus, Rev.

[1] Rev. i. 1.

i, 10.

F 3

i. 10. St. John fays, I was in the Spirit on the Lord's - Day, and heard behind me a great Voice, as of a Trumpet, faying, I am Alpha and Omega, the First and the Laft, &c. Now this Voice was undoubtedly the Voice of the Angel, who was fent to testify unto him; and yet he speaks in the first Perfon, faying, I am Alpha and Omega: And Verfe 13. when he turned to see the Voice that fpake with him, he fays, [2] And when I faw him, I fell at his Feet as dead: And he laid his Right-hand upon me, Saying unto me, Fear not: I am the First and the Laft; I am be that liveth and was dead; and behold I am alive for evermore. Where it is manifeft that this Angel speaks at once both in the Name of God the Father, and of God the Son; because he calls himself Alpha and Omega, and yet declares he was once dead. And yet, Chapter iii. this fame Angel fpeaks only in the Name of Jefus Chrift, faying, Thefe Things faith the Amen, the faithful and true Witness, THE BEGINNING OF THE CREATION OF GOD: Which is the Character given by St. Paul of Jefus Chrift, who styles

[2] Rev. i. 17.

14

him