where mercy will never be allowed to enter, is to be the doom of all who depart this life unregenerated. But I see no good reason for the imperfections of earth being perpetuated through the ceaseless ages of eternity. Would wisdom, goodness, justice, humanity, be subserved by immortalizing our Adamic frailties and imperfections?

II. The Purpose of Christ-of God. The purpose of Jesus corresponded with his will. He did not will the salvation of all, and purpose the salvation of part, of mankind. What he willed he purposed to accomplish; and he lived, and labored, and died to effect the purpose of his heart. The son of a heathen god left heaven, and declared in a most positive manner so mythology says -that he would not return till every soul was regenerated. So Christ resolved that God should be all in all before he would cease his reign. See I Cor. xv. 24 - 28. "And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to me." John xii. 32. This wonderful declaration of our Savic shows distinctly the purpose of his heart,. the purpose of his mission. Again he says, "And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not; for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world." John xii. 47. Substitute mankind for "world" in this passage, and we have the Savior's meaning. Evidently he purposed the salvation of all.

The purpose of Christ reveals the purpose of God. He was imbued with the spirit of God's purpose. The Bible is radiant with this glorious theme. "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." Eph. i. 9, 10. It is the purpose of God, then, that "all things in heaven and on earth" should be gathered together in one -one body, one fold. The purpose of God is clearly revealed in all those passages that speak of the intent of Christ's mission. "For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved." John iii. 17. "We have seen and do testify, that the Father sent the Son to be the Savior of the world." I John iv. 14. Who can doubt that it is the purpose of God to save the world?

The purpose of Christ was as unchangeable as his divine character. He never deviated an iota from the grand aim of his life. What he was born to accomplish he lived and died to accomplish; hence, it is said by the apostle Paul, that "he tasted death for every man;' 66 gave himself a ransom for all." So the purpose of God changeth not. With him, it is said, there is "No variableness, neither shadow of turning." Again, "He is of one mind and who can turn him?' Men, being imperfect and short-sighted, often change their plans or purposes, but God, being perfect in knowledge, and allseeing, never changes his plans or purposes.

Can God's purpose fail? Did Jesus fail in any of the purposes of his life? Did he not on the cross, cry, “It is finished"? He had accomplished all he was sent to do on earth. And not only the life of Christ, but the Bible teaches, that God's purposes will be accomplished. "The Lord of hosts hath sworn, saying, surely as I have thought, so shall it come to pass; and as I have purposed, so shall it stand." "For the Lord of hosts hath purposed, and who shall disannul it? and his hand is stretched out,

and who shall turn it back??

Isa. xiv. 24, 27.

"I have

purposed it, I will also do it." Isa. xlvi. 11.

III. Christ desired the reconciliation and salvation of mankind. I need not spend time in proving this after having showed that universal salvation was according to his Will and Purpose. Christ not only manifested this truth of God to the world, but it is revealed on every page of the Bible. It is also a clear and certain inference from all we know of the divine Being. If God is Love, and not hate, if he is Good, and not evil, if he is our Friend, and not our foe, if he is our Father, and not a cruel despot, he must desire our welfare. This was the perpetual desire of the Savior; and that this desire of his great heart might be realized, he freely laid down his life. He invited all to come, and doomed none to endless destruction. So with his Father and our Father. As God now desires the salvation of all, none are excluded, none are doomed. Salvation now is as free as the air we breathe. And as God eternally will desire the salvation of all, not a soul in time or eternity will be banished beyond the reach of heaven's mercy. God desires the salvation of all, now, and so invites all to come and be saved. He will eternally desire the salvation of all, and, consequently, he will eternally invite all to come - come up higher, come and partake more and more of the feast of fat things. Will this be controverted? Will Mr. Sweeney contend that God's desire will change? That in the distant future he will desire the endless misery of countless millions of his children? Will Mr. S. turn Calvinist? I want to hear from him on this subject.

IV. It was the Pleasure of Christ that all should be

reconciled and saved. It would be slandering Jesus to deny this. As it afforded the shepherd pleasure to recover the lost sheep, the father delight for the lost son to return, the angels joy when sinners repent, so the Savior was well pleased when the souls were born into the kingdom of God; but he was grieved when they walked in the ways of sin. So our heavenly Father hath pleasure in the redemption of his children, and he ever will have pleasure in their redemption. As it is pleasing to him for sinners to become saints, he entreats all to do so, and as it ever will be pleasing, he ever will entreat them to come to him and live. But Mr. S. will maintain, I suppose, that by and by it will afford God no pleasure for sinners to be converted, and so he will prohibit their conversion, and delight in their death and damnation.

V. The Love of Christ of God. Christ in his Character and in his Life, manifested and commended the Love of God to the world. John, whom Jesus especially loved, bears this testimony, "Hereby perceive we the Love of God, because he Christ - laid down his life for us." 1 John iii. 16. And Paul, commissioned after Christ's ascension, says, But God commendeth his love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Rom. v. 8. The wonderful love of Christ for this sinful world is the most astonishing fact of history. He knew that all, even the chief of sinners, were the children of God, were created in the image of God, and consequently worthy of his most ardent love. This explains the mystery. And if we were properly impressed with the same, it would kindle into a blaze our love for fallen man. But the belief that all but a select few are the

children of satan, and in the image of satan, engenders hatred and its attendant sins. It can have no other effect. That is its legitimate result. This dogma makes countless millions mourn. It is the father and the mother of all the cruel persecutions, and bloody wars, that have cursed the earth, and blackened the pages of history. But Jesus knew man. He knew he was a child of God, and an heir of heaven, and hence he lavished on him his heaven-born love, and sought his salvation.

Christ did not exaggerate the love of God. "God is Love," writes an apostle. 1 John iv. 16. St. Paul denominates him "The God of Love." 2 Cor. xiii. II. Dr. Payson, a celebrated and eloquent orthodox divine and writer, in the spirit of revelation, thus writes of God's love:

"In the words 'God is Love,' we have a perfect portrait of the eternal and incomprehensible Jehovah, drawn by his own unerring hand. The mode of expression here adopted, differs materially from that usually employed by the inspired writers, in speaking of the divine perfections. They say, God is merciful,God is just, God is holy. But never do they say, God is mercy, God is justice, God is holiness. In this instance, on the contrary, the apostle, instead of saying, God is loving, or good, says, God is LOVE- Love itself. By this expression we must understand that God is all pure, unmixed love, and that the other moral perfections of his character are only so many modifications of his love. Thus, his justice, his mercy, his truth, his faithfulness, are but so many different names for his love or goodness. As the light which proceeds. from the sun, may be easily separated into many different colors, so the holy love of God, which is the light and glory of his nature, may be separated into a variety of moral attributes and perfections. But though separated, they are still LOVE. His whole nature and essence is