Chap. I     eſſential to the Chriſtian Religion.     305

ſpeaks of a ſupreme, or a ſubordinate wor-
ſhip. If the latter, then, as before obſer-
ved, there is no ſuch thing as ſupreme
worſhip mentiond in the decalogue. If the
former, as our adverſaries themſelves ac-
knowledge, then it follows, that this An-
gel, though inferior to Jehovah, required
of the Iſraelites that ſupreme worſhip, which
is due to none but the true God; and, con-
ſequently, betrayed them into idolatry.

This idolatry is of a remarkable kind,
and has various peculiarities attending it
which are very ſurpriſing. For it is not
criminal, on the part of the Iſraelites. They
cannot be juſtly blamed for concluding,
that he who calls himſelf ' the God of their
' fathers,' is the true God ; and that he who
aſſumes the great name, JEHOVAH, and
claims the honour of ' making the dumb
' and the deaf, the ſeeing and the blind,' is
the Creator of all things. Nor are they cul-
pable for paying to him, who reveals him-
ſelf to them as the Creator and the mighty
God, ſupreme worſhip — Again : This ido-
latry is, if I may be allowed ſo to ſpeak, of
divine inſtitutions. Idolatry uſually ſprings
from our corruptions; but this has its ori-
ginal in Divine Revelation, if that which
Moſes received deſerve the name. For God
himſelf ſent the Angel who aſſumed the pe-
culiar characters of Jehovah's glory ; or, at
                                 O o                          leaſt,