This distinct honour is to be given unto the person of the Son by virtue of this command of the Father, though originally on the account of his oneness in nature with the Father. And our duty herein is pressed with the highest enforcement ; he that honours not the Son, honours not the Father. He who denieth the Son (herein) "hath not the Father; [but he that achnowledgeth the Son, hath the Father also,]" 1 John ii. 23. " And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life; and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son, hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life,' chap. v. 11, 12. If we are wanting herein, whatever we pretend, we do not worship nor honour God at all.
And there is reason to give this caution— reason to fear that this great fundamental principle of our religion is, if not disbelieved, yet
DIVINE HONOUR RENDERED TO CHRIST BY ADORATION. 107
not much attended unto in the world. Many, who profess a respect nuto the Divine Being and the worship thereof, seem to have httle regard unto the person of the Son m all their religion ; for although they may admit of a customary interposition of his name in their religious worship, yet the same distinct veneration of him as of the Father, they seem not to understand, or to be exercised in. How- beit, all the acceptance of our persons and duties with God depends on this one condition — "That we honour the Son, even as we honour the Father." To honour the Son as we ought to honour the Father, is that which makes us Christians, and which nothmg else will so do.
This honour of the person of Clmst may be considered — in the duties of it, wherein it doth consist ; and in the principle, life, or spring, of those duties.
The duties whereby we ascribe and express divine honour unto Christ may be reduced unto two heads. \st, Adoration ; ^dly, In- vocation.
1st, Adoration is the prostration of sold before him as God, in the acknowledgment of his divine excellencies and the ascription of them unto him. It is expressed in the Old Testament by ninntj'n; that is, humbly to bow down ourselves or our souls unto God. The LXX. render it constantly by rrpoSTivvioi ; which is the word used in the New Testament unto the same purpose. The Latins expressed it usually by adoro. And these words, though of other derivations, are of the same signification with that in the Hebrew; and they do all of them include some external sign of inward reverence, or a readiness there- unto. Hence is that expression, *' He bowed down his head and worshipped,'' [Gen. xxiv. 26 ;] see [also] Ps. xcv. 6. And these external signs are of two sorts, (i-st,) Such as are natural and occa- sional ; {2dly,) Such as are solemn, stated, or instituted. Of the first sort are the lifting up of our eyes and hands towards heaven upon our thoughts of him, and sometimes the casting down of our whole persons before him ; which deep thoughts with reverence will produce. Outward instituted signs of this internal adoration are all the ordi- nances of evangelical worship. In and by them do we solemnly profess and express our inward veneration of him. Other ways may be invented to the same purpose, but the Scripture knows them not, yea, condemns them. Such are the veneration and adoration of the pretended images of him, and of the Host, as they call it, among the Papists.
This adoration is due continually to the person of Christ, and that — as in the exercise of the office of mediation. It is due unto him from the whole rational creation of God. So is it given in charge unto the ancrels above. For when he broudit the Fust-begotten into
108 THE PERSON OF CHRIST.
the world, he said, UpoaxwrjaaTUSav ahrw nravng ajyikoi ©sou; that is, D\"i'"?X-'?3 i'?-1inn*i:'n. " Worship him, all ye gods," Ps. xcvii. 7. " Let all the angels of God worship him," adore him, bow do^vn before him, Heb. i. 6. See our exposition of that place ; — the design of the whole chapter being to express the divine honour that is due unto the person of Christ, with the grounds thereof This is the command given also unto the church, " He is thy Lord, and worship thou him," Ps. xlv. IL
A glorious representation hereof — whether in the church above, or in that militant here on the earth — is given us, Eev. v. 6-14, "And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth. And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne. And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints. And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof : for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood, out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation ; and hast made us unto our God kings and priests : and we shall reign on the earth. And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne, and the beasts, and the elders : and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands ; saying with a loud voice. Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing. And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying. Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb, for ever and ever. And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down and wor- shipped him that livetli for ever and ever."