they are here originated, and used by the Deity himself, save in connexion with a crucified and risen Saviour; and consequently, that Christ is apostrophized, both in the time of his death and resurrection, in the periods mentioned; and, that argument viewed in this light, connects, harmonizes with, confirms the truth of the ancient Hebrew Scriptures; and lastly, shews us that the Christian dispensation is eternal with the Deity himself.

The next point of argument for examination, is the proposition to make man; and to whom that purpose of the Deity was addressed. The right reverend prelate, whose sentiments are so evidently and eminently lucid, and conclusive on those heads, and which have very recently been before us, leave me only the task of observing, that the words, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness," is the language of perfect co-equality; and was, and could alone, with just propriety, be spoken to the distinct persons constituting the Godhead, who alone were concerned, by concurrent purpose, or actual co-operation in the formation. of man; with both of which circumstances angels had nothing most assuredly to do, and

therefore were no more spoken to than was the first Adam, who was not in being when those words "Let us make man, &c." were addressed to the persons of the Triune Godhead.

Having shown you, to whom the proposition "Let us make man," in the first place was: and then to whom it was not directed, or that this language was alone addressed to the divine Trinity; and bearing in mind, how much of critical dissertation the words "Image and Likeness" here spoken in reference to God and man, have already received, because the distinct nature, and different property of each word respectively, is of a distinctly opposite signification; and as the scriptural meaning of these words constitute the basis of explication, whereon all argument is built, which has been greatly enlarged on already, a short recapitulation will be assigned in this one paragraph, to the distinctive natures of God and man.

The word "Image" stands first in order. The Mosaic account runs thus: "So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female, created he them." Moses resumes his subject in the second chapter of Genesis, saying: "And the

Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul;" herein showing us, that man, in the possession of the divine essence, is a creature appointed for both time and eternity. The apostle Paul corroborates the same truth, when speaking of the bodily and spiritual constitution or creation of man, by saying among other things, "There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body."

"And so it is written, the first man, Adam, was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.

"Howbeit, that was not first which is spiritual; but that which is natural, and afterward that which is spiritual.

"The first man is of the earth; earthy: the second man, is the Lord from heaven."

Moses tells us, that God created man in his own image, formed him out of the dust of the ground, breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. The apostle Paul tells us, the first man was of the earth; earthy that what was natural was first made; and afterward, that which was spiritual.

:

The evangelist, in his first Epistle general to the Corinthians, when certifying the Advent, and mortal properties of God, manifest in the flesh, confirms Christ's personal humanity, by the perceptive senses of sight, hearing, and touch; and therefore, Christ, the son of God, the descendant of Adam, and the seed of the woman, a natural derivation from his only earthy parent, being made under, or subject to the law, and the lawgiver; and consummation of that law, was, by the assumption of our nature, in the fulness of time, manifested unto Israel, according to prophecy, in the natural image of man; for that alone could be tangible, which in the protoplast and progenitor of Christ, was made out of the dust of the ground; or was of the earth: earthy. So much shall now suffice for the natural "image" of God and man.

But not only in his natural or earthy image was man to resemble his God and Creator; but a second similarity, or likeness is asserted, " Let us make man in our Image, after our Likeness." This language evidently brings us to the trinity, or to the co-equally divine and distinct persons of the Godhead, in their then, and

eternally pre-existing state, and which must now be considered.

Moses when addressing the Deity, said, "shew me thy glory," and was told that living man could see the face of God. And God by Isaiah, xl. 18, says, "To whom then will ye liken God? or what likeness will ye compare unto him? the likeness of the persons in the Godhead was assuredly always of a spiritual nature, and man in the possession of the divine spirit, or essence, is, alone of all creatures made like unto God, by the distinguishing pre-eminence of God's spiritual likeness. Now the Deity is in his essence invisible, of which man has a

proof in himself, being utterly incapable of discerning his own soul or spirit; and seeing that God is a spirit and invisible, it follows, that the likeness between God and man, mentioned in Genesis i. 26, must be their mutual and same spiritual likeness.

Ancient philosophers have puzzled themselves, and plagued the world with their enquiries about reason, and the seat of reason; in man, the soul or spirit is reason, or, is a reasonable spirit, neither seated in, or blended with matter, but is in man a divine mental per