guages whose structures do not admit of inflection: for example, in our own language, the terms which express the sense of this very word Elohim, as Mighty-Powerful-Strong: whether such terms are, on any occasion, employed as singulars or as plurals, depends entirely on the construction in which they are found. But though it be true, that the word Elohim is not a term that can, legitimately, be urged in support of the doctrine of the Trinity; and that none of the early Christian writers, or Fathers, as they are called, ever appealed to the plurality alleged to be expressed in this term, as furnishing evidence of the truth of the doctrine, the opposers of the divinity of Christ can gain nothing by the concession; for the term Elohim is, itself, and also its Greek representative Theos, applied directly, in various parts of the Divine record, to the MESSIAH. This will be shown in its proper place; and this, it will be allowed, furnishes a more powerful evidence, of the proper divinity of CHRIST, than whatever can be drawn by inference from any kind of plurality embraced by the term Elohim.

§ 3. Of the manner in which the word

[ELOHIM] should be rendered, in translating the Old Testament.

From what has been stated it is manifest, that the attributive noun Elohim means Power; and hence it must be equally evident, that, to render this term in English by the word God [that is, good], is to substitute one attribute for another; and which cannot, in every case, be done, without sometimes obscuring the sense of the original. Innumerable instances of the truth of this might be adduced, were it necessary; but a few will suffice, which occur very early in the Old Testament. In the common version we read, (Gen. i. 26-28.) "And God said, Let us make "man, in our image, after our likeness: and let "them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and "over," &c. " So God created man in his [own]

image in the image of God created he him . . . . . "And God blessed them, and God said unto them, "Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, "and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish," &c. On this passage volumes have been written, to explain what is meant by "the image of God;" some of them to prove little less than that every attribute of JEHOVAH belonged to man, in his state of innocence: but, had the word " Elohim," instead of having the word " God” substituted for

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it, been truly translated, Commentators would have seen that the image, likeness, or resemblance, here intended, was given to man as the head of the animal creation;-that the resemblance related to power, the attribute by which JEHOVAH designates himself throughout the whole context. The passage, truly rendered, reads thus: "Then OMNIPOTENCE [ON] said, "We will make man, in our image, after our likeness, and they shall have DOMINION [this is the "specific power conferred] over the fish of the sea, "and over the birds of the air, likewise over the "brutes, even over all the earth; likewise over every "reptile that creepeth on the earth. Thus OMNI"POTENCE created man in his image, in the image "[or shadow] of OMNIPOTENCE created he him: male and female created he them. Then OMNIPOTENCE blessed them, for OMNIPOTENCE said unto them; Be fruitful, and multiply, yea fill the "whole earth, also SUBDUE it: YEA HAVE YE DO"MINION over the fish of the sea," &c. And here it may be remarked, in passing, that for effecting this subjugation he had suitable moral and physical faculties conferred on him :-faculties which, had he continued in his state of innocence, he could never have abused, as he now does, in acts of cruelty, not only to the animal creation but to his fellow men. In point of dominion his physical powers are still great:

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every kind of beasts and of birds, and of serpents, "and of things in the sea, is tamed and hath been "tamed of mankind" [James iii. 7.]; but with regard to the moral exercise of his power the Divine image has been defaced, and man has become the perpetrator of crime and injustice.

Throughout the foregoing passage the word Doccurs uniformly without the, (which sometimes answers nearly to the Greek, and English the or this,) being prefixed to it. It is to mark this circumstance that I have rendered the word by "Omnipotence,"-employing this term as an appellation; for, whether we can discover the reason or not, there must be one for its insertion, and for its omission: that is, it must have some influence on the sense, though it may be difficult to detect it in every case, or to exhibit it fully in another language. The first place where the word appears with the prefixed, is in Gen. v. 22 and 24. In the latter verse it also occurs without the prefix: "And "Enoch walked with THE OMNIPOTENT [D], "and he [was] not: for OMNIPOTENCE [ON] "took him." It occurs with the prefix in Ch. vi. 2 and 4. "The sons of THE POWERFUL:"-in v. 9. "Noah walked with THE OMNIPOTENT;" and in v. 11. “ The earth was corrupt before THE Oм"NIPOTENT." In Ch. xx. 17. it occurs both with and without the : "So Abraham prayed

"to THE OMNIPOTENT: then OMNIPOTENCE "healed Abimelech." In the history of Joseph we have also examples of the presence and absence of the . 66 Joseph answered Pharaoh, "saying, It is not in me: OMNIPOTENCE [D] "will give Pharaoh an answer of peace." (xli. 16.) "The dream of Pharaoh is one: THE OMNIPO"TENT [DR] hath showed Pharaoh what he is "about to do." (v. 25.) "What THE OMNIPO

TENT is about to do, he showeth unto Pharaoh,”.... (v. 28.) "For that the dream was doubled unto

Pharaoh, it is because the thing is established by "THE OMNIPOTENT: yea THE OMNIPOTENT "will shortly bring it to pass." (v. 32.)" Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Forasmuch as OMNIPO

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TENCE [N] hath showed thee all this, there is "none so discreet and wise as thou art. Thou shalt

be over my house," &c. (v. 39.)-Again, when Joseph had released his brethren from prison, he "said unto them the third day, This do, and live: for “I fear THE VERY OMNIPOTENT [ONTAN).

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If ye be faithful men, let one of your brethren be "bound in the house of your prison: go ye, carry "corn for the famine of your families: but bring

your youngest brother unto me; so shall your "words be verified, and ye shall not die." (xlii. 18— 20.) The words of Joseph are striking. To impress them with the belief that he himself feared JEHOVAH, he not only prefixes the article