himself; and of consequence, that no human being can ever be considered as capable of attaining an equality with the Lord Jesus Christ, "in whom dwelt the fulness of the Godhead bodily."

But lest it may be supposed that some of the preceding arguments favour the doctrine of unconditional election and reprobation, I will make a few remarks to obviate such an objection.

I do not deny that the Almighty has fixed and determinate purposes. How else can we have any ideas of covenants and promises? It was such a purpose to provide the means of salvation for fallen man. Such a purpose is expressed in Rom. ii. 6-11: "Who will render to every man according to his deeds :-to them, who, by patient continuance in well doing, seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life; but unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile. But glory, honour, and peace to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile : for there is no respect of persons with God." Rom. ii. 6. &c. We must conclude that it was the Divine purpose, that Christ should come into the world, and become the Author of eternal salvation to them that believe. And seeing that He was to come into the world that lay in wickedness-that He was to become the Captain of our salvation, and lead us to victory over the world, the flesh, and the devil, it was seen meet, in infinite wisdom, that He should overcome all these. Accordingly we find He subdued the powers of darkness, operating both immediately and instrumentally.

It was intended that He should be tempted.-Such was the testimony of the apostle Paul, Heb. ii. 18; and such was the evidence of the Evangelist, where he relates, that

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Jesus was led of the Spirit into the wilderness, to be tempted. But it could not be supposed that the devil performed an acceptable service, in presenting those temptations. He was in the full exercise of his demoniac character. Our Lord was pleased to meet that malignant spirit, which had produced the fall of man from his original purity, and to overcome it, in its full power and immediate operation. But this, though in itself complete, was a victory only in part. The malignant spirit had obtained admission into the world, even in the infancy of human society; man had been brought under its power, and become active in extending its influence. Our Lord was pleased to meet that same spirit, thus operating in its instruments, and permit them to exercise their power to its full extent and, rising above it all, to give demonstration of his omnipotence, and his ability to save unto the uttermost all those who look to Him for assistance. He did not make the devil what he was; as appears by Jude, v. 6: "The angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, He hath reserved in everlasting chains, under darkness, unto the judgment of the great day." Neither did He make the Jews the devil's servants. They became such through temptation; and the apostle James says, ch. i. v. 13: “Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth He any man." Their enmity therefore against Jesus Christ, could be no mitigation of their character of condemnation.

Moral evil not only existed in the world, but it had obtained dominion over man. This was the very cause why a Redeemer was necessary. Our Lord Jesus Christ condescended to become that Redeemer-and in order to effect the necessary redemption, He came, and fully accomplished the Divine will, producing no depravity, but obtaining a victory over it where it already existed.

We do not suppose that any individual, either among the Jews or Gentiles, was ordained from all eternity to become an active agent in producing his sufferings. It was in the exercise of their own choice, that they became subject to that principle and influence which made them the children of the devil; and when they became such, "his works they would do.” John viii. 41, 44.

It will not be contended, that if all men had been under the Divine influence-been governed by the Divine will, or, in other words, had been in the image of God, Jesus Christ would have been crucified outwardly, any more than He would have been crucified inwardly in their hearts. But it is equally reasonable to believe, that if the Divine image had not been lost, man would have been in no need of a Redeemer-for the very term implies a state of subjection and bondage, from which he was to be redeemed. Neither would there have been occasion for the dispensation of the law, for the law was not made for the righteous, but the transgressor. Nor would there have been occasion for the outward appearance of Jesus Christ, as already suggested. For man, being already in the Divine image, would have needed no propitiation—no mediation nor redemption. If sin had not obtained an entrance into the world, with all its consequences, there would have been no occasion for Him to come, "to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself."

To those, therefore, who say, that had not darkness and depravity been in the world, our Lord would not have suffered:

It may be replied, in the words of the apostle: "For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil." 1 John iii. 8.

We therefore maintain, that there is no Calvinistic principle involved in this doctrine. The declaration to the house of Israel still holds true: "I call heaven and

earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that thou and thy seed may live." Deut. xxx. 19. And in the exercise of that choice, we become "servants of him to whom we yield ourselves servants to obey-whether of sin unto death, or of righteousness unto eternal life." And as our Lord said to the Jews, "Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do." And as He met their father, permitted him to put forth his power in temptation, and then overcame him-so He condescended to fall into their hands, permitted them to exercise their powers to their full extent, and then rose triumphant over them all. And these Divine purposes and operations no more gave a sanction to the character and conduct of the Jews, than they did to that malignant spirit by which the Jews were actuated.

For as this spirit was to be, resisted by our Lord in its immediate operation, so He was also to overcome it, as it operated instrumentally in men, who had been brought completely under its government and control. And as He was not the author or cause of that spirit, and its immediate operation against Himself, so neither was He the cause of its dominion over the Jews, nor of any of its genuine effects in their conduct.

It remains now to say something of the extent of the benefits of Christ's coming. These benefits we do not confine to the nation of the Jews, nor yet to those who have become acquainted with the history of his life.

The promise made to Jacob at Bethel, is evidence to this point of doctrine: "In thee, and in thy seed, shall all the families of the earth be blessed." Gen. xxviii. 14. Here the blessing is evidently extended to all. And in considering Christ the seed of Abraham or Jacob, we must have some special reference to his outward appearance. The prophets spoke of Him in this manner. Isaiah xlii. 1.

"Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth: I have put my Spirit upon Him; He shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles. 4. The isles shall wait for his law. 5. Thus saith God the Lord, He that created the heavens and stretched them out; He that spread forth the earth, and that which cometh out of it; He that giveth breath unto the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein: 6. I the Lord have called Thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep Thee, and give Thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles: 7. To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house."

It is no abatement of the force of the argument to say, that the light of Christ is here spoken of. I agree that it is, but his outward appearance is clearly spoken of at the same time; and as they are joined in the text, we have no right to separate them. In the 54th chapter, immediately after that extraordinary prophecy respecting the coming and sufferings of Christ, which has already been quoted, the prophet thus speaks of the blessings which it would bring to the Gentiles: "More are the children of the desolafe, than of the married wife, saith the Lord:" which was remarkably verified in the accession of the Gentiles to the true Church, beyond what took place among the Jews. The prophet proceeds: "Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of thy habitations: spare not, lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes: for thou shalt break forth on the right hand and on the left; and thy seed shall inherit the Gentiles, and make the desolate cities to be inhabited." These prophecies clearly relate to the advent of the Messiah, and the blessings connected with his coming.

The angel, in announcing to the shepherds the birth of Christ, "said unto them: Fear not! for, behold, I bring you