We may, then, expect to learn the Will, Purpose, Desire and Pleasure of God relative to human destiny; we may expect to learn how the Love of God, the Justice of God, the Mercy of God, will dispose of mankind; we may expect to learn how God, by his Law and Government, will deal with our race; we may expect, I say, to learn all this by studying the Life and Character of Christ as he was "God manifested in the flesh."

I. What was the Will of Christ concerning man's final Destiny? Did he will our salvation or damnation? Did he will that we should ascend to heaven, or sink to hell? Did he will that we should do God's will, or eternally frustate it? I expect Mr. S. will admit that it was the will of Jesus that all should be reconciled and saved. All that Jesus ever said or did shows that the blessedness of mankind was the will of his soul. "My meat," says he, "is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work." John iv. 34. "Thy will be done" was his conAn apostle clearly states what is the "God will have all men to be saved and

stant prayer. Will of God.

come to the knowledge of the truth." 1 Tim. ii. 4. This being the will of God it was the will of Christ.

The will of Jesus never changed. From his baptism in Jordan to his ascension to heaven, under all circumstances, among friends and foes, the will of God was his will. When betrayed by a professed friend, when forsaken by his disciples, when being murdered by a brutal and blood-thirsty rabble, he was true to the will of his heart, to the will of his God, and hence prayed amid the yells of the mob, “FATHER, FORGIVE THEM." So God's will for the salvation of men will never change. It is his will now that all shall be saved, and it eternally

will be his will that all shall be saved. Will this be denied?

In perfect harmony with the unchangeable will of God, Jesus called on all men to do his will. "Repent," cried he, when he began his work, "for the kingdom of God is at hand." "Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” "If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink." After his resurrection he commissioned his disciples to "go into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature." In the last chapter of the last book of the Bible, and almost the last verse, is the last verbal communication of Jesus to the world, and how exactly it corresponds with all he had ever uttered. "I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. Let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely." Rev. xxii. 16, 17. These words of Jesus are the words of God. Jesus never revoked them. God never revoked them. The Spirit now cries to every soul that God ever created, let that soul be where it may, in the body or out of the body, in this world or in the immortal world, "Comecome from your wanderings, come to your Father's house and he will joyfully give you of his abundance." Never, in time or eternity, will a soul be put beyond the reach of mercy. Salvation is now free as the air, free as the sunshine; it ever will be free to mankind, whether they walk the earth, or tread the courts of the immortal realm. I know Mr. Sweeney emphatically denies all this, and contends equally as emphatically, that an endless hell 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 imper fections?

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 1 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 Savior 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;" '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 and 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 Did he not on the cross, cry, "It purposes of his life? 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 stretched out, and who shall turn it back?" 27. "I have purposed it, I will also do it."

his hand is

Isa. xiv. 24,

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 comecome 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