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fended be greatly enlarged; but even those upon which many of the works of the enemy for its overthrow have been raised, might with advan tage be taken possession of, and used against themselves; and are indeed mere usurpations, of which the weak, or unskilful efforts of their opponents have suffered them to take possession; and to boast of so long as their own,

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How different from the common received notion of the Redeemer's destination, and of the extent of his office, is St Paul's account of their design and end in the following passages of Scripture: Having made known unto us the "mystery of his will, according to his good "pleasure, which he hath purposed in himself: "That in the dispensation of the fulness of times, " he might gather together in one all things in "Christ, both which are in heaven, and which " are on earth, even in him. Who is the

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image of the invisible God, the orign of all "creation: for by him were all things created "that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visi"ble and invisible, whether they be thrones, or "dominions, or principalities, or powers; all things were created by him, and for him: "And he is before all things, and, by him all "things consist.-For it pleased the Father, that " in him should all fulness dwell; and (having "made peace by the blood of his cross) by him

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"to reconcile all things to himself; by him, I "say, whether they be things in earth, or things " in heavent."

Conformable to the ideas pointed out by these and similar passages of Scripture, and also to our best conceptions of the Divine Nature and Character, something analogous to the following sketch seems to be suggested.

That the Son, or Second Person of the mysterious Trinity, is by the eternal divine destination constituted the Universal Agent, or Operator of Omnipotence, the great Mediator, or efficient Power between the infinite and all finite natures. That by his agency, or that of Powers and agents subordinate to him, are performed and effected all the Divine purposes and operations, through the universal system of nature; in which are equally comprehended, Creation, Preservation, and Restoration or Redemption; where perversion or breach, to which all finite systems must be liable, has taken place. That for the accomplishment of this glorious destination, and to accommodate it to finite conception, the Divine Nature became personised, or organized, in the person of the eternal SonAnd so far is this from being contrary to reason, that reason itself seems to suggest, or require, some such device to bring any conception of the Divine Nature within the reach of finite powers, or to accomplish any communication between the In

+ Coloss. i. 15, 16, 17-19, 20.

finite and Finite Natures. To accommodate this mediation and agency to human nature in particular, the assumption of Humanity, even in form and character, into personal union with the Divine Nature, has been revealed unto men. But, independant of acknowledged revelation, this idea of an intermediate Divine Agent between the Deity and finite beings, seems to have diffused itself over the whole known world. We find evident traces of it in the mythology and poetry of the Greeks and Romans, especially in the character of their Apollo: Per me quod eritque, fuitque, estque, patet:-opiferque per orbem dicor and Virgil's Polio is entirely founded in this conception.

We find also the oriental theology full of this idea, and the doctrine of the Bramins exhibiting the same conception in their various avatars, or incarnations of Vishnoo. All which seems plainly to intimate, that either something of this kind is a natural suggestion of reason; or, that a more universal and explicit revelation of it, than is now extant has been made in some early period of the world. And though only what concerns our own part of the system of the Creator's works be particularly communicated to us, either by reason or revelation, it is impossible for us to say, or even conceive, to what other na tures, or parts of the system, the great Mediator, the sole Divine Operator, may have condescended, for the preservation, or restoration, of

the universal, the infinite system of beings. Perhaps this glorious Personage, this Emanuel, God with us, who is the image of the invisible God, is the only idea, or representation, of the incomprehensible Divine Nature conceivable by finite beings, whatever character or form we may as cribe to him, or by whatever name or terms we may address him.

From the wisdom, power, and goodness of God, the Author of all Being, we naturally conclude that all things were created good, regular, and perfect in their nature; and destined to such happiness as their natures were formed to enjoy. But such a system of finite beings must, from their nature, be necessarily liable to change, to lapse, and decay; especially if free or voluntary agents make any part of that system. In such a system, then a perpetual presiding Universal Guardian, Preserver, and Restorer, seems even to reason, to be an essential constituent part; and that this Guardian and Restorer, to be equal to the important destination, should possess the power, the wisdom, and all the attributes of the Divine Nature, together with such a personal form and character as might accommodate his agency to finite natures, and to finite conceptions. And this is the very idea that the above quoted parts of Scripture, toge ther with many others, seem to convey of the Redeemer, this God-with-us, God accommodated to our nature and conceptions.

The final object of this Divine Agency, of this great Mediator's, this Universal Redeemer and Restorer's destination, we conceive to be nothing less than THE RESTITUTION OF ALL THINGS-nothing less than the entire exclusion of evil, suffering, and misery, in every region of being; the complete restoration of all the perversions of nature from its original beneficent design; the expiation of all guilt and crimes in nature, and the introduction and establishment of universal perfection, order, and happiness, through all the works of God. This seems an issue that may justly be called the REDEMPTION OF THE WORLD; this seems a destination and office truly worthy of the Eternal Heir of Omnipotence.

However unaccountable it may be to finite comprehension, that evil and disorder should ever have gained access among the works of a being of infinite goodness to purpose, of infinite wisdom to plan, and of infinite power to execute, what was most supremely good, and most permanently perfect; yet certain it is, that through a permission unsearchable by us, a principle of evil has gained admission in the works of nature. And, in consequence of this, practical evil and disorder, both physical and moral, have greatly prevailed in the world, and perverted and deformed the naturally good and beautiful works of the Creator.

It is the entire extirpation of this principle of