twice that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.' Let us then understand the word every here, as not meaning all or every individual, but only some, and see how it will suit. That at the name of Jesus some knees should bow of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that some tongues should confess, that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.' According to this way of understanding the word every, only some knees in heaven bow to Christ, and some tongues confess that he is Lord. But is this true? Are there any such as bow not to, or confess not Christ in heaven? This interpretation of the word every, however well it might suit, when applied to persons on earth, and under the earth, it will not do when applied to persons in heaven. Are we then in this passage to understand the word, as meaning all or every individual in heaven, and only some on the earth? This would be understanding the word every, in two different senses in the course of one sentence. The word every is not repeated, but ought to be understood as repeated, after every thing spoken of in the passage, thus, 'that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things on earth, and that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow of things under the earth.' And the apostle adds, as including all he had just mentioned, And that eve

'And

ry tongue should confess, that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.' But in this way of understanding the word every, the passage must read thus, That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and that at the name of Jesus some knees should bow, of things in earth, and that at the name of Jesus some knees should bow of things under the earth.' But, supposing that all this was very good, how are we to dispose of the next part of the sentence in which the word every occurs? that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, &c.' In what sense are we to understand the word every, here? Does it mean some or every individual? If only some, it must refer to, and be restricted by, the things on earth, and under the earth. If it means all or every individual, it is only applicable to the things in heaven. Now, my dear Sir, in which of these senses are we to understand it? If the word every, is not to be understood, as meaning every individual uniformly throughout the whole passage, be pleased to refer to some other parallel texts, in which the word every, must evidently be understood in two such different senses in the course of one sentence.

But perhaps you may say, 'have I not explained things in heaven, earth, and under the earth, to be a common periphrasis of the Hebrew and New Testament writers for the universe,' collectively taken, and not in this way of separating its parts. Yes, you have, and to this

very thing I wish to call your attention. Let us, then see how it will do to understand the word every, as only meaning some in the universe. It is a plain case, and stands thus: You make the apostle gravely tell us, some in the universe shall bow the knee to Jesus, and some in the universe shall confess that he is Lord to the glory of God the Father.' Do you think, that this was all the apostle meant to express in the passage? Is this then all the Saviour's reward for his humiliation, sufferings and death, recorded in the preceding verses? Is this indeed all, for which God hath highly exalted him, and given him a name above every name, that some knees should bow to him in the universe, and some tongues confess that he is Lord. If we thus modify, and explain away the word every, it is all the apostle did express, and this is all the reward of Jesus' work. It will not mend the matter much, if instead of the word some, we should substitute the word many. The difficulty still presses, where it most needs to be relieved. Let us see if it does not. "That at the name of Jesus, many knees should bow of things in heaven,' &c. You may easily perceive, that it still makes the apostle say, that there are in heaven some knees which do not bow to Christ, and some tongues that do not confess that he is Lord to the glory of God the Father. Understanding it, of the universe collectively, it makes the apostle say, that, many knees shall bow to Christ, and many tongues in the universe shall confess that

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he is Lord to the glory of God the Father;' but I doubt if this is the full amount of the apostle's meaning. If you think it is, I will thank you to make this clearly appear. The things which lead me to doubt, I shall briefly state that you may accommodate your reply accordingly.

The word every, appears to me to apply equally to every thing mentioned in the passage. It seems to me to be an arbitrary mode of interpretation, to make it mean every individual in heaven, and only some or many on earth and under the earth. Besides, I would submit it to your superior judgment, whether the apostle does not in the conclusion of the passage, encourage us to take the most extensive view of what he says in the beginning of it. After saying, 'That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things on earth, and things under the earth,' instead of qualifying these general or universal expressions, he adds, And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.' But further, what bears weight in my mind most, is, the connexion in which the passage stands, and the design of the apostle in introducing it. This is so obvious that I need not point it out. I would only say, it seems most natural to me, that the apostle in shewing the exalted condition of the Saviour, instead of using language which needed to be qualified, would use language which ought to be understood in its most unlimited sense. I may add, and which has some weight with me,

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that in the verse preceding the passage under consideration, the apostle uses the word every, which I think cannot be doubted, must be understood in its most extensive sense. It runs thus, 'Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name.' Must we change the word every into some or many immediately, for the apostle adds with the very next breath, That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,' &c. Must not the every knee that shall bow to him, and the every tongue that shall confess that he is Lord, be as extensively understood as the every name he is above?

As I have not the talent of saying much in few words, I must reserve the remainder of my remarks for one more communication.

Yours, respectfully,

W. BALFOUR.

LETTER III.

March 4, 1820.

SIR,-The second text in the paragraph quoted from your letters to Mr. CHANNING, and on which I wish to make my remarks, is Rev. v: 8-14. To this text and your comments on it