The present seems to be a convenient place for observing, that however the distinction is strongly insisted upon, or rather implicitly acquiesced in by many, which would admit of a worship or service called dulia (the Greek [Greek:  douleia]) to saints and angels, and would limit the worship or service called latria ([Greek:  latreia]) to the supreme God only, yet that such distinction has no ground whatever to rest upon beyond the will and the imagination of those who draw it.  The two words are used in the Septuagint translation of the Old Testament, and in the original Greek of the {58} New promiscuously, without any such distinction whatever.  The word which this distinction would limit to the supreme worship of the Most High, is used to express the bodily service paid by the vanquished to their conquerors, as well as the religious service paid by idolaters to their fabled deities, and by the true worshippers to the Most High.  The word which this distinction would reserve for the secondary worship paid to saints and angels, is employed to express not only the service paid by man to man, but also the service and worship paid to God alone, even when mentioned in contradistinction to other worship.  It will be necessary to establish this by one or two instances; and first as to “latria.”  One single chapter in the Book of Deuteronomy supplies us with instances of the word used in the three senses, of service to men, service to idols, and service to God, xxviii. 36. 47, 48:  “Because thou servedst [Greek:  elatreusas] not the Lord thy God with joyfulness and gladness of heart; Therefore thou shalt serve [Greek:  latreuseis] thine enemies which the Lord shall send against thee in hunger and in thirst and nakedness.”  “The Lord shall bring thee unto a nation which neither thou nor thy fathers have known; and there shalt thou serve [Greek:  latreuseis] other gods, wood and stone.”  Next as to the word “dulia.”  The First Book of Samuel (called also the First of Kings) alone supplies us with instances of this word being used in each of the same three senses of service from man to man, from man to idols, and from man to his Maker and God. 1 Sam. xvii. 9.  “Ye shall be our servants and serve [Greek:  douleusite haemin] us.” xii. 24.  “Only fear the Lord, and serve [Greek:  douleusate] him in truth with all your heart.” xxvi. 19. {59} “They have driven me out from the inheritance of the Lord, saying, Go, serve[15] other gods.”

    [Footnote 15:  [Greek:  douleue].  In this case also the Vulgate
    translates all the three passages alike by the same verb,
    “servire.”]