so honourable in themselves, and so interesting to mankind, is a proper object of subordinate worship; whilst others imagine, that worship, in the proper and discriminating sense of the term, belongs only to the Father, the self-existent, infinite, and supreme Deity.

Some Arians of this class have maintained, that the Son of God, before his incarnation, had only, or chiefly, the care and government of the Jewish peòple allotted to him, whilst other angels were ap pointed presidents, or princes, of other nations and

countries.

This was the opinion of Mr. James Pierce, an ingenious and learned commentator. See his Paraphrase and Notes, &c. on Coloss. ii. 15, and Hebrews ii. 9.

Others have also maintained, that the conduct of all the dispensations of Providence, in every period of time, as they related to the patriarchs, to the Jewish nation, to the prophets, to Christians, and to the world in general, has been intrusted to Christ; and that he was distinguished by various appropriate titles, as Jehovah, the Angel of the Covenant, the Angel Jehovah, the Angel of the Presence, and the Logos, &c. &c. To this purpose they alleged, among other arguments, the declaration of the Apostle, (Heb. i. 2, ii. 3.) that it was by Christ God made the worlds, alwvas, the ages, or dispensation; i. e. by whom God formerly disposed those eminent and remarkable periods of time, the antediluvian, the patriarchal, the Mosaic, and the present, being put under his government, according to the will of the Father. See Ben Mordecai's Apology, Letter 2, passim. It is also alleged, as a further presumption in favour of this hypothesis, that the sacred writings

contain a revelation and history of the administration of Providence with regard merely to the inhabitants and concerns of our world, or of the terrestrial globe; and, of course, that the subordinate direction and superintendence of this part of the government of the supreme and infinite Sovereign of this and innumerable other worlds, is intrusted with Jesus Christ; a superior being, adapted, by his pre-existent dignity, and extraordinary perfec tions and powers, to the office of ruler and judge.

Adam's Religious World.

{ The low, or modern Arians, is a title by which the advocates of the hypothesis of the simple preexistence of Christ are willing to be distinguished. Adam's Religious World.

"Whom he appointed Heir of all things, through whom also he established the ages."-Wakefield's Translation.

"Whom he hath appointed Heir of all things, with a view to whom he even constituted the former dispensations.”

Belsham's Translation.

« With a view to whom ; δι' ου και τους αιώνας εποίησεν. Av, though it may sometimes signify world, which is, however, doubted by Sykes; yet it is often used for age or dispensation; Matt. xii. 32. xiii. 39.; Mark x. 30.; Luke xviii. 30.; 1 Cor. ii. 6. 10, 11.; Col. i. 26.; Heb. vi. 5. 9. 26. Aia, with a genitive, commonly expresses the instrumental cause, but sometimes also the final cause, and in this sense

Grotius understands it here, and supposes a reference to an old proverb amongst the Jews, that the world was made for the Messiah. He appeals to Beza in support of this interpretation of diov. Beza on Rom. vi. 4. See also the Scholiast on the Plutus of Aristophanes, p. 6, ed. Basil. Also Thucydides Hist. lib. vi. δι' ουπερ παντα εκινδυνευον, for whose sake they put every thing to hazard; dia λoyov, with a view to conversation; Joseph. Antiq. lib. xviii. c. 7, 8. c. x. §. 3.; dia voos, with a view to be understood; 1 Cor. xiv. 19. See Locke on the place. I think the words should be translated, for whose sake,' or, upon whose account, he made even the ages.' Dr. Chandler, on Eph. i. 11. This is a remarkable concession, as Dr. Chandler was a high Arian, of which doctrine this text is commonly regarded as one of the chief arguments; Mr. Simpson, Ess. 8, considers the plural form as the Hebrew superlative, by which he constituted the ages τους αιωνας-q. d. this last and most important dispensation, the dispensation of the Messiah. According to this interpretation, the preposition retains its usual signification. Per Christum vere nova et alia secula Deus condidit, dum per eum plane novam, et a priore longe diversam, rerum ac mundi faciem induxit. Secula Deus per Christum fecisse dicitur, non quod omnia quæ unquam extiterunt secula per eum condiderit, sed quod condiderit aliqua, nempe nova et a prioribus diversa iisque longe feliciora.' Crellius, Slichtingius."

Belsham.

"In the last of these days hath spoken to us by his Son, whom he hath appointed Heir of all things, for whom also he constituted the Ages."-Unitarian Version.

σε Δι

"Ai ov, for whom. For this sense of dia, with a genitive, see Grotius in loc. Schleusner in verb. and Mr. Lindsey's Second Address, p. 297. Awves, ages; This word,' says Dr. Sykes, in loc. does not signify the heavens and earth, and all things in them, but it means, properly, ages, or certain periods of time; the antediluvian, the patriarchal, and the Mosaic ages or dispensations. These were all intended to prepare the way for the age or dispensation of the Messiah.' Archbishop Newcome adopts the common translation, by whom he made the worlds also.' Ages; the plural for the superlative singular. See Eph. i. 10. ii. 2.; 1 Cor. x. 11.; Tit. i. 3.; Heb. ix. 26. Simpson's Ess. viii. With this interpretation of Αιωνες, δια may retain its usual signification of the instrumental cause: q. d. by whom he introduced this his chief dispensation to mankind.”

Note to the Unitarian Version.

HEBREWS i. 3.

"Who, being a ray of his brightness, and an image of his perfections, and upholding all things," &c.-Wakefield's Translation.

"Who being an effulgent ray of his brightness, and an exact image of himself, and conducting all things ‡ by his powerful authority," &c.-Belsham's Translation.

"Who being-This context contains a description in highly figurative language of the character and condition of Jesus as the Messiah. He is distinguished from all preceding prophets, as a son

from a servant. He is made heir of all things, that is, Jews and Gentiles are equally the subjects of his kingdom. N.B. For this sense of the phrase all things,' see an excellent dissertation by Mr. Tyrwhitt, in commentaries and essays, vol. ii. No. 1; with a view to him all former dispensations were arranged. He is a ray of divine brightness, as he clearly teaches the will of God: he is an exact image of God himself, as he controlled the laws of nature at pleasure, by the voluntary power of working miracles, which was imparted to him: he conducts all things by the powerful authority of God: his cause and kingdom are carried on in the world by the irresistible agency of the Almighty : he made purification of sin: he consecrated a new and holy community to God, and he is set down at the righthand of Supreme Majesty, or of the Majesty on high, as he is risen from the dead, has ascended to heaven, and is advanced to universal spiritual dominion."

Belsham.

" + Eract image of himself χαρακτηρ της ὑποστασεως αυτ TOV. Xapakтηp is the engraving of a seal, or the impression made by a seal upon wax. 'YTоoTao is substance: the image of his substance is the image of himself. See 2 Cor. ix. 4. Slichtingius, Crellius, and Grotius in loc. The meaning is probably the same as that of εv poppy εov. Phil. ii. 6, and is to be explained of the possession of miraculous powers. Christ being the image of God, no more proves his participation of the divine nature, than Adam being made in the image of God, proves him to have been also divine. Sykes has a note upon the word hypostasis, which he says, seems never to have been used to

E e