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Photographic

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Ummml

BY FEY. W. JACKSON.
Kingston, Ont.

In discussing a subject like the one an-
nounced for to-night I shall not confine
myself to any particular text, the subject
is too wide for that. Not for exposition,
therefure, but as a motto, we will take
the eleventh verso of the. fifth chapter of
the Epistle to the Romans, ''And nut only
so Ijut we joy in God through our Lord
J^isus Christ, by whom we have now re-
ceived the Atonement."

" Put ofi' thy shoes fr«m off thy feet,
for the place whereon thou standest is
holy ground" were the words spoken to
Moses on a memorable occasion when
he stood in the immediate presence of
Jehovah. We stand this evsning in the
presence of the grandest of ail achieve-
ments as well && the most important of
all truths. The atonement is the central
truth of Christianity — the pivot on
which it turns. Considered as a doctri-
nal system, the atonement is to Christian-
ity what the key-stone is to the arch —
the power which binds it together in one
solid and symmetrical whole. Consider-
ed as a life, the atonement is to Chris-
tianity what the heart is to the human
body — the fountain from whence it em-
anates and the motive power by which
it acts.

Important, however, as this doctrine is,
accurate conceptions of its nature are less
frequent than we suppose. What is the
Atonement ? is a question easier asked
than answered. I see with pain that
dreamy sentiment is to a large degree
supplanting clear thought on this most
vital (luostioii. It is present in the
minds of the masses as a dogma to bt be-
lieved in order to salvation, but there is
tittle emphasis laid upon it as a doctrine
founded on the fitness of things, and
there is little effort made to grasp the

pirnciples on which it is based or the
methods by which it seeks its ends.
This is equally a matter of solicitude and
regret.

I am aware that when man has done
his best there will be much in this doc-
trine that he does not and cannot under-
stand. What, then, because we cannot
reach the summit of this sunlit mountain,
are we to remain forever in the fogs of
indolent credulity ? No ! we are bound
by the facts of our nature to aim to have
intelligent reasons for our convictions and
acts. If I am to trust my interest for
time and eternity to the death of Christ,
the question arises in my soul and I can-
not crush it — Why ?

I do not mean that the ratiomde of the
atonement is necessary in order to salva-
tion. That would exclude the salvation of
infants, of idiots, and of all who have not
come under the direct influence of Chris-
tian teaching; a conclusion equally re-
pulsive to man as it is derogatory to the
character of God. A man maybe saved
by a simple reliance on the fact of the
atonement who is in utter igo ranee of
the reasons on which it rests. This arises
from the fact that the atonement is not
the reason for the sinner's faith, but for
the exercise of God's mercy in saving.
Notwithstanding all this, however, any
man who has any care to be an intelli-
gent Christian will, in the spirit of rever-
ence and humility, try to ascertain from
Scripture a solution of the questions
which arise in his own boaoni as he con-
templates the death of Christ. — Why?
How ? Wherefore ? These questions re-
• luire close, consecutive, protracted
thought, which God will reward by a
good degree of clearness and certainty.

I am aware that we are often told that
we must not theorize on this subject, but
accept the fact as revealed in Scripture.

I'll

\2or\o^

In one respect this is sound advice, in
another it is most unwise. Tlic stero-
typed phraseology and the marbid senti-
mentality which previiils so extensively
on this subject i - neither more nor less
than a refuge front intellectual difficultii^s
•r an excuse for the lu-j^lcct of intellectual
effort. Besides it is simply impossible
to think about the atonement without
building up a theory. The moment you
begin to think about it that moment you
begin to theorize. It has been remarked
in relation to this subject that "to specu-
late is perilous ; not to speculate is more
perilous still." The vital issues which
hang up»n the atonement urges us to
some definite thought on the subject. It
is no curiosity that prompts our enquiries
but the awful problem of eternal life or
death as the destiny of our souls. I want
to aid you if I can to some definite ideas
on this subject. I am not going to dog-
matize but suggest.

1. First, then, 1 want you to notice
that the atonement is no after-thought in
the Divine Government. Infidel objec
tors have sometimes used the doctrine of
atonement as taught in Scripture as un
argumtut against the perfection of God.
Tbi* may have arisen from the careless
use of the word expedient when applied
to this supject. In the ordinary sense
of that term the atonement is no expe-
dient — no after-thought of the Divine
Governor of the world to meet an unfore-
saen exigency, but part of an eternal plan.
The purpose of redemption was an eter-
nal purpose. It in no way compromises
the perfection of its Divin« Author. The
creation of a free agent like man implied
the possibility •( sin, the Divine pres-
cience saw that man in the use of his free-
dom would sin — saw it long before man
was created, and in the infinite love of
His hearc God provided for the sinner's
salvation ere a single intelligent creature
had been called into being. The testi
mony of Scripture on this point is most
clear and incontrovertible. ''Christ is
the Lamb slain from the fonndation of the
world." He was "verily foreordained
before the foundation of the world ; but
was manifest in these Inst times for us."
So that we may safely adopt the language
of Joseph Cook and say "the plan of re-
demption is no insertion into the universe
to correct mistakes. It is a part of the
perfect purpose of Him who was, and is,
and is to come, who, in all eternities past
and in all eternities future will be faith-

ful to the plan which was, aiid is, and is
to come."

2. I want you to observe that the abso-
lute oneness of Christ ^s person is a most
important consideration in the construc-
tion of any theory of the atonement. The
separation in our thoughts between the
human and the Divine nature in the per-
son of our Lord has been a fruitful scmrce
of error. The*carefnl reader of the Scrip-
tures will have observed that the works
of Christ involved the possession of at-
tributes which belong to the Divine na-
ture and others which belong to human
nature, but the works are uniformly
predicated of the mie person. Take a
single illustration : it was the act of a
human friead to weep at the grave of
Lazarus. It was the exercise of a Divine
prerogative that raised hiru to life.
Both these acts, however, are ascribed
to the one person — the same Jesus with
the wet of human tears on His face and
crying "Lazarus come forth." The cus-
tom of drawing a line between the Divine
anal human nature of Christ so prevalent
in modern religious thought is utterly
unknown to Scripture. If we desire our
thoughts to harmonize with the Word of
God we must drop this distinction. His
work as the Redeemer did not in any in-
stance belong exclusively either to the
human or the Divine nature, but to the one
Divine-human person. I am well aware
that to the finite intellect this must ever
be a fathomless mystery. But the testi-
mony of the Bible to it as a fact is un-
mistakable.

And the two natures in the one person
have a profound significance in the work-
ing out of the scheme of human redemp-
tion. This mysterious union of the na-
tures in the person of our Lord provides
for the adequate representation of God to
man, and man to God. "A mediator is
net of one but of both." In Jesus Christ
we have a representation of the Deity
not only in the immensity of His love,
but in all the peerless grandeur of His
incommunicable perfections ; for in "Him
dwelt all the fulness of the Godhead
bodily." In Jesus Christ we have a per-
fect representation of man both as he ac-
tually i,s and as he ought to be. The
de2)th of man's prusent guilt is seen in the
humiliation and sufi'erings of Christ ; the
sublime possibilities of which man is
capable are seen in the perfect conformity
of the earthly lite of Christ to the eternal
law of righteousness. The Hypostatie

1 is, and is

it the abso-

is a most

! construc-

iment. Tlie

stween the

in the per-

itful source

F the Scrip-

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i ascribed

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in any in-

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to the one

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must ever

the testi-

fact is un-

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the work-
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of the na-
1 i)rovide8
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tediiitor is
ius Christ
;hc Deity

His love,
iur of His
r in "Him

Godhead
ive a per-

as he ac-
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eun in the
irist ; the
t man is
[)nformity
ic eturnttl

ypostati*

union is no mere (l<)<rniii hut one of the
founiiiition stones of redemption — a nec-
essary truth and a prime factor in the
economy of grace. _

3. The views we take of the nature of sin
and the penalties attached thereto will great-
ly modify our views of the atonement. Under-
rate the awfully significant fact of sin and
you will inevitably underrate the atone-
ment. The history of Chri-tian doctrine
proves nothing more clearly than as men
think lightly of sin they think lightly of
the method of its removal. At the root of
every theory that under-values the media-
torial work of Christ you will tiud that how-
ever melancholy its influence on man, sin, as
committed against God, is regarded as a
light thing.

So far as you contemplate the object of
the atonement you have on every theory the
fact of sin as its foundation principle.
What i» sin? "The transgression of the
law ? " Yes : and in that brief detinition
there is a universe of important truths.
There is implied the mor".l nature of man,
his relation to the Lawgiver, and the sanc-
tions attached to the law when promulgat-
ed. Into these we cannot now enter, though
they have an intimate connection with, and
an important bearing on the subject now be-
fore us. HutiKce it to say, then, that man
lifted his hand in defiance of the law under
which he was placed by the Creator. This
brings us to another important observation.

4. Law cannot be violated with impunity.
The law under which man was placed was
no arbitrary appointment of the Almighty,
but a transcript of His own righteousness,
founded upon the facts of man's nature and
the principles of the Divine Government. If
man violates the law the threatened punish-
ment must be iutiicted. God Himself has
no authority to remit the penalty. Why
was the penalty attached to the law when
it was promulgated ? Was it just that it
should be attached to the law at first ? Then
not to indict it in case ef transgression
would be manifestly unjust. However man
may vacilate God cannot say one thing and
mean another. What is punishment ? It
is necessary to overall our thinking on this
subject, in the strictest sense of the term
I underHtaud punishment to be suti'ering

plain or authoritative thau this that suffer-
ing inevitably follows the transgression of
law, physical or moral.

Many say that this is too severe ; which in
another way of saying that man is more
tender and compassionate than God, a
statement we shall do well to ponder
ere we accept. There is at work in secret a
morbid sentiment about the love of God
which saps the foundation on which the
whole scheme of salvation rests. Men mag-
nify the love of God into such proportions
that they forget that He has other attributes,
and they put the perfections of the Deity
into conflict with each other, and contradict
the plainest facts in the experience of His
creatures. God ia love, but it is a perver-
sion of that grand attribute to magnify it
until it obscures His wrath against sin. It
is high time the intelligence of Christendom
rose in one loud and solemn protest against
this one-eided view of the character of God.
Again I affirm He is a God of love, but he is
a God of justice too. Nowhere is this truth
seen as it is in the mediatorial work of His
Son. It is a lens in which these two attri-
butes are equally focalized. It proclaims as
nothing else does or can to the outermost
limits of God's domain that law cannot be
violated with impunity. Before sin can be
forgiven God must become man and endure
Himself the penalty our sin had deserved.
The cross is at once the exhibition and
triumph of Diviue love and Divine law.
This brings us to another thought.

5. In what respect did Christ bear the
penalty of man's sin ? or to state the same
idea in another form. What is the relation
of Christ, as Mediator, to the law which
man had broken? We afe overwhelmed at
the idea of the Divine-Human Christ being
punished for sin : but does not this arise
from our superficial views of sin and our im-

Eerfect conceptions of the majesty of that
>ivine law the sinner has broken ? If our
observations about law and penalty are
riglit there can be no forgiveness without an
atonement which squarely meets the penalty
pronounced upon the sinner . I hold that
Christ, our representative, has done this.
The penalty was death. It is declared
in Scripture that all men died in Him, "Be-
cause we thus judge if one died for all, then

inflicted for wrong-doing. It is not a pro- all died," not as in our own version,

' " ' all dead. " Now,

cess amung at the retormation of the of-
fender but merited sull'ering on account of
transgression : neither is punLshnicnt an ex-
pedient to prevent future transgressions, but
an infliction for past sin demanded by the
law of righteousness : much less is it the ex-
pression of resentment in (k)d on account of
the insult offered to His person but beoause
of the transgressiim of tlie law of righteous-
ness of which He is the Administrator. No
fact in nature, no truth in theology is more

'Then were all dead." Now, in what
sense can it be said that all men died
in Him unless He were as truly the re-
presentative head of mankind as was Adam?
The idea of the Apostle is that Christ's death
in relation to the broken law was as if all
sinners had died. The Apostle states the
same idea in anotlier form in the last verse
of the same chapter: "He hath matle Him to
be sin for us who knew no sin that we might
be made the righteousness of God in Him."

How was Christ "made sin for ua?" Cer-
tainly not by actual transgression. The so-
lution of this question has sometimes been
sousht by rendering the phrase "made sin for
us" by "a sin-offering for us" a blessed Scrip-
ture truth, but it is inadmissible to attach that
idea to the phrase in this verse for the sim-
ple reason that it destroys the Apostles anti-
thesis. There is no sense in which you can
interpret this phrase in harmony with its
context which ao<is not regard Christ as the
voluntary vicarious representative of our
race. And as such God laid on Him the
awful judicial consequences of the sin of
mankind. Peter gives ns the same idea:
"Who his own self bore our sins in His own
body on the tree. " How did Christ bear sin?
He was not a sinner. He was never person-
ally displeasing to God, but as our represen-
tative he so bore the penalty of sin as to meet
the demands of the law on the original of-
fender.

There was no transfer of the sinners' guilt
to Christ in the sense of blameworthiness,
but if you use the word guilt to express a
liability to suffer for sin, then there was such
a transfer from man to Christ. This is the
very core of the teaching by which the work
of Christ was kept before the minds of the
Jewish Church. Under that dispensation
the offender was required to bring the ani-
mal appointed as the sacrifice for sin. His
appearance at the altar with the victim was
an acknowledgment that he was under obli-
gation to die for his sin. But the innocent
victim took the sinner's place, and its life
was taken instead of that of the sinner
himself. The animal was regarded as the re-
presentative of the wrong-doer. So Christ
as our representative bore the penal conse-
quences of sin instead of us. His death was
substituted for ours. He stood in our place
as transgressors of the eternal law of right-
eoi^sness. He represented us to God as the
Adininistrator of that law. His death, on
account of the infinite dignity of His person,
was accepted as answering all the claims of
justice, as maintaining unblemished the rec-
titude of the Divine government, while it
secured the exercise of mercy toward the
sinful. Christ did not die to induce God to
be merciful — that is a caricature of the
atonement and a blasphemy against God —
but to make the exercise of mercy consistent
with justice. "That He might be jmt (not
merciful) and the justifier of him which be-
lieveth in Jesus," is the Scripture way of
stating this truth.

Sometimes it is objected to the principle
that I have laid down concerning the re-
presentative character of Christ's sufferings
and death tliat it is flagrantly unjust for the
innocent to suffer for the guilty. This
objection comes from two different classes of
men ; those who ignore the truth of Christi-
anity altogether, and those who admitting

the truth of Christianity deny that the
sufferings and death of Christ are to be re-
garded as an atonement for sin. To reply to
the latter class first: Is it more unjust for
the innocent Christ to suffer instead of the
guilty than it is for Him to suffer as an ex-
ample to the guilty ? On the theory that the
sufferings of Christ are not to be regarded as
an atonement for sin — endured by "the just
for," or instead of "the unjust" — our faith
in the righteousness of God is sadly shaken. If
the unparalleled sufferings of the Son of God
were not necessary in order to hcmour the
law man h,'\d broken, then they were mani-
festly unjut.t; but if they were required of
Him as the sinner's representative, and He
assumed His representative character volun-
tarily, and had the right so to do, then tJie
injustice vanishes as the mist before tiie
morning's sun. And this is our answer to
the other class of objectors: the voluntary
character of the sufferings of Christ removes
everything like injustice. If Christ had not
been a voluntary victim He would never
have been a victim at all. There is a marvel-
lous difference between the imposition of the
penalty of the law upon an innocent bding,
and the voluntary aammption of that penalty
by the innocent party, especially when you
remember the absolute right Christ had to
dispose of his own life. It has been well re-
marked that "We may defy the human mind
to devise any other plan of jwirdon and salva-
tion which is not unworthy of God, nay, un-
worthy of man, and consequently ineffica-
cious and illusory."

6. But there is another aspect of the atone-
ment which we must consider. As the fed-
eral head and representative of mankintl
Christ met the requirements of the eternal
law of righteousness by enduring its penalty
in His own person, His own inhnite dignity
making His death a satisfaction for the sins
of all mankind. We have now to consider
Him as the representative of God to man.
Christ is as truly God as the Father. "In
Him dwelt all the fulness of the Godhead
bodily." But He took our nature into union
with the Divine that He might reveal the
Deity to humanity. A large number of texts
show this. "The W^ord was made flesh and
dwelt amongst, and we beheld His glory(the
glory as of the only begotten of the Father)
full of grace and tiuth." "No man hath
seen God at any time; the only begotten Son
which is in the bosom of the Father — He
hath declared him. " God does not send a
messenger to mankind; He comes Himself to
show us what He is in His relation to ua.
Man's heart yearned for this the wide world
over With the light men had concerning
(«od before the advent of Christ they coultl
not be satisfied as to the dispositions the
Divine Being cherished towards them.
Philip's request, "Sliow us the Father and it
siifficoth us," was not a solitary instance

but
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but the expressibn of a universal need
which is met in the mystery of the incarna-
tion and sacrifice of Christ. "God was in
Christ reconciling the world unto Himself. "
By this wondrous manifestation of the Deity
men see the unutterable love of His heart,
the unswerving rectitude of His government,
and the perfection and glory of all His attri-
butes. All other revelations of God are par-
tial, one-sided, and so far unsatisfactory ;but
here wg have the glory, majesty and might
of his nature manifested in connection with
sublime condescension, infinite love, and a
profound desire for the recovery and salva-
tion of a fallen race. In Christ we have such
a manifestation of God as is not only calcu-
lated to flood the understanding with light,
but mf^ethe heart and inspire us with hope.

7. If my hearers have followed the state-
ments which have been made they will per-
ceive that in one aspect the atonement is
Christ considered as the perfect and volun-
tary representative of sinful man to God,
bearing the penalties of His own immutable
law instead of the race that had sinned,
thus making the exercise of mercy possible
without givmg any countenance to sin. In
the other aspect the Atonement is the per-
fect representation of God to man made in
the person of Jesus Clirist, correcting all the
misconceptions of God which had beclouded
man's intellect and allaying all the fears that
had thrilled his heart with terror In Jesus
Christ He is no less the inflnite and holy
God, but he becomes the familiar God, the
august but intimate friend of mankind whom
the humble and the trustful learn to call by
the name of Father. Properly understood
these two ideas express the Scripture doc-
trine of Atonement. They recognize it as a
necessity in the Divine attributes, they re-
gard it as a vindication of the law of right-
eousness, and they exhibit it as a motive to
induce men to abandon sin and turn to God.
It is neither the substitutionary, nor the
governmental, nor the moral influence theory
that contains the whole truth on this vital
subject — each is true in its own sphere — but
it is the union of the three in ouh which con-
stitutes the complete Scriptural idea of
atonement.

8. This representative character of Christ
as the substitute for sinners is the touchstone
wherewith to test error on this vital subject.
Any tlieory which lacks this element is
faulty and unscriptural— unscriptural in the
sense of defect. During the past few years
errors on this subject have appeared which,
by reason of the nomenclature in which they
are stated, men suppose to be new. But the
careful student of the history of doctrine
will not fail to recognize them as old errors
in a new dress. The phraseology is more
liki! tiie truth than formerly, and they are
all the more dangerous for that; but when
stripped of their new trappings they appear

in all their old defoi-mity. There are many
shades of expression, but they all resolve
themselves into two fundamental ideas, they
«dl regard Christ aa an example or a teacher
m erely.

(1) Christ's work is regarded by some as
that of a mere exampler, not that of a
substitute. Robertson in his remarkable
sermon entitled "Caiaphas' view of vicarious
sacriflce," lays emphasis upon the vicarious
principle, but what does he mean when he
applies it to Christ's work ? To use his
own illustration, "Christ approached the
whirling wheel (of the world^ evil) and was
torn in pieces. " Why ? why ! according to
Robertson it was in order that we might
learn how to bear the tearing ourselves ; that
as we study Christ's life and death we might
admire and imitate His example. A beauti-
ful theory, and in one respect a blessed
truth, but when we are told that this was
the sole aim of Christ's mission to earth we
are compelled to demur. If Christ only came
into the world to show us the proper attitude
we should assume toward evil. He is not the
Christ of the New Testament writers. In
what way does Christ as an example meet
the demands of the law man has broken ?
In what way does such a theory provide for
the pardon of past sin ? This is the central
and radical defect of all theories which con-
template Christ as a mere example, and be-
fore we can accept any of them we must
have a new Bible, for the old book declares
that Christ is "the propitiation for our sins,
and not for ours only, but also for the sins
of the whole world. "

(3) Others tell us that Christ came as a
teacher of truth, a revealer of the mind and
heart of God toward humanity, this in it-
self is also a blessed fact, but when it is
claimed that this was the sole object of His
mission it becomes a mischevous and danger-
ous error, even though it should emphasize
His death as that of a martyr for the con-
firmation of the truths He had taught.
Several objections to this theory present
insuperable difficulties to my mind.

(a) It is anything but clear that the heroic
death of a martyr proves the truth of the
doctrine for which he dies ; if you admit
that, then you admit the truth of all religions,
for they have all had their martyrs. All that
can be fairly inferred from the death of any
martyr is that he firmly believes the truth
of the doctrine for which he dies, but it is
not and cannot be any evidence of its truth
to another. If the truth of Christ's doctrine
depended upon this fact its foundation
would be uncertain, and the hope of salvation
would be slender indeed.

(b) Another fatal objection to this theory
is that the doctrine of Christ was singularly
incomplete at the time of His death. He
declared that the Apostles themselves were
incapable of receiving it in all the breadth^of

its significance. Did He not say just heffre
the crucifixion, "I have yet many things to
say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. "
If then it is contended that Christ's denth
was designed as the confirmation of the
doctrine He bad taught. His death would
only be the seal of what He had taught up
to that time, and we should be left in doubt
concerning its subsequent developement
through the medium of His servants.

(c) If the earthly mission of Christ was
that of a mere teacher, then it will de diffi-
cult to satisfy the mind that the means were
not disproportionate to the end. The in-
carnation of the Second Person of the Trinity
was an act of amazing condescension and
must have sought the accompliahment of
an oljject beyond the power of any creature.
No creature could make atonment for ain
but God has often employed even man for
the communication of truth. In the presence
of this theory the conclusion forces itself
upon us that God could have commissioned
one of our race for this work, and have given
him such credentials of authority as would
have placed his deliverances beyond the
possibility of (question. He had done this
already under the Old Dispensation, He did
it again in the case of the Apostles. If there
hatl been no higher object in the incarnation
of the Divine Son than that of a teacher, it
seems to me the end was unworthy of the
means, for the Divine Being might have made
known all His will through a luunan agent.

(d) If this theory of a Divine teacher be
the sole end of Christ's mission, then only
those who come into direct contact with the
truths He uttered can reap any advantage
from His incarnation. What becomes of all
who die in infancy ? Do they pass into eter-
nity unblessed by Christ's mission and work?
What became of the millions who lived on
the earth before Christ assutniid our nature
and taught among men ? Wliat becomes of
the millions who live and die in ignorance of
Christ's person as well as of what He taught?
It is not reciuisite to this argument that I
should here show how the death of Christ is
an incalculable ailvantage to every man that
comes into the world. I only wish to indi-
cate that if this theory of Christ's mission be
true no man can in aw// nnui be bonelited by
it who <loes not apprehend the truths He
tauglifc. So that this tlieory places itself in
the most direct antagonism to one of the
most indisputable doctrines of Scripture,
jiamely: the universality of the beuelits of
His death ?

(c) The central difficulty and the most
radical d«fect of this theory is precisely the
same as that which regards Christ as a mere
example: it uiakes no provision for tlio hon-
ouring of a broken hiw or for the pardon of
past sin. What permanent advantage <:aii it
be to a n)an to apprehend the truths Christ
taught, or to conform to the example Ho set

so long as there is the guilt of past sin rest-
ing on the soul? Tiiougli ('hrist was the
grandest of all teachers sent from God, if
you ignore His death as a propitiation for sin
you may accept eveiy truth He uttered, and
sincerely try to exhibit it in the life,and yet
I am bold to affirm, that truth will leave you
as it found you a violater of the eternal law
of righteousness with all its terrible penalties
in fml force against your soul.

9. It is sometimes asked if Christ made
atonement for the sins of the world how
comes it that somi men are never saved, and
how can they be piVished for sins for which
He made atonement ? This way of putting
this objection has perplexed some, but it
only needs a little close thought to detect
the fallacy hidden in its terms. We may
lay it down as an indisputable principle that
all moral agents have a period of probation.
Moral agency implies the power of choice.
The command by which Adam was tested
was a prohibition: "Thou shalt not eat of
it." His loyalty to God was tested by his
attitude toward that commandment. Though
we inherit a fallen nature in consequence of
our relation to Adam; yet, considered as
moral agents, the atoning work of Christ
places us in a position equal to that of Adam
in Eden. As moral agents we must be tried ^
in some way; our loyalty to God is tested
by the command to "Believe on the Lord
Jesus Christ." Our destiny hangs xvaon our
obedience to this command as Adam s hung
upon the command not to take the fruit of
the tree of life. God said to our first parents
"Thou shalt not," and with equal authority
He says to us "Thou shalt," and all the tre-
mendous issues of life and death eternal hang
upon compliance in the one case as in the
other. Christ's atonement has made the for-
giveness of sin possible in the Divine econo-
my; but pardon cannot be forced upon any
man. His moral nature forbids that. Christ
in His representative character must be
chosen before the direct benefits of His me-
diation can be realized. If Christ's atone-
ment be rejected "there remaineth no more
sacrifice for sins;" and without a sacrifice the
penalty of the broken law is in full force
against the original offender. Nothing is
mor«! clearly taught in Scripture than that
men for whom Christ died may perish. It
follows, therefore, that if the atonement of
Christ is to be of any direct personal advan-
tage to us it must be believedwith the heart.
Tliere must be a personal acceptance of
Christ as our representative, or His work
cannot avail for us. This is the simple con-
dition on which infinite Wisdom and Love
has suspended the destiny of our race. The
atonement is not the payment of a debt; but
a scheme which makes the forgiveness of sin
consistent with the perfections of the Divine
attributes and the requirements of the law
of righteousness, which forgiveness is only

available to the penitent aoul who turns from
Hin with abhorrence and with a personal
faith in Christ makes the benefits of the
atonement his own.

Thus the atonement presents us with the
highest possible motive for loyalty to God.
The man who can contemplate it without feel-
ing gratitude to God and fervent desire to
obey His commandments muut be destitute
of every tender sensibility which usually
moves a human heart. The end of all the

fathomless mystery of the incarnation and
sacrifice of the Son of God is to lead man
back in loving obedience to his rightful
Lord, and draw his soul into a blessed unity
with the Eternal Father of his spirit. So
that I may conclude in the forceful words of
Joseph Cook: "If the great things man wants
are riddance from the love of sin, and deliv-
erance from the guilt of sin, we can obtain
the first best, and the latter only, by looking
on the cross. "

(Jol.

in Him

made

l)y Hin

))y Hir

earth o

Nog
words 1

one of

fords tl

•

he was

powers

impulst
to olin^
the doi

countrj

dowed

versed

ligiou,

his an

threate

fant Ch

man er

nature.

Beho

w rough
Ethiopi

ung(jvei
tender

lot iias

the sy
]nankin

His V

eharact

with c

nient<i v

of lig}it
the hca

i:ouibin(

of Winn

wliininj.
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tliat lie

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The

from hi

aliUis ufi

impress

The Conservative Force of the Moral Universe.

Bv Rev. W. JACKSON.

(Jol. i. IP ''; . "It pleased the Father that
in Him should all fulness dwell; and having
made peace through the blood of His cross,
l)y Him to reconcile all things unto Himself;
)»y Him I saj', AvhetJier they be things In
earth or things in heaven."

No greater man than the author of these
words was ever born of woman. His life is
one of the profoundest studies history af-
fords the student. Before he was converted
lie was of a violent temper, and his depraved
powers were driven by a torrent of turbulent
impulses. His natural disposition led hini
to cling to the principles of the Pharisees,
the dominant sect of religionists among his
countrymen. He was cultured withal, en-
dowed with the gift of eloquence, and well
versed in the traditions of his sect. His re-
ligion, however, wjvs a destructive zeal, and
his anger-ticrceness. "He breathed out
threatening and slaughter" against the in-
fant Church of Jesus Christ. Such was this
man ere grace sanctilitd and directed his
nature.

Behold the change which grace hath
wrought ! The lion Las become a lamb, the
Ethiopian, whiter than snow. The hasty,
ungovernable Saul lias l)ecome the gentle and
tender I'aul. The harsh, cruel, fantical zea-
lot has become the humble disciplj of Jesus,
the sympathizing friend and brother of
mankind.

His witings are the retiection of his own
eharaetci. Hero we fnid severity blended
with c manly seriousness. Here are senti-
mentii v\ 'ch strike on the intellect like rays
of lig'tit, and aweakh of pathos which melts
tlie heart. Here is tlie strength of a giant
(MMubined with the sym^iathy and tenderness
of wonum, while tliore is an utter absence of
whining and cant, in tliese renuvrks you
nuist 1)ear in mind that 1 take it for granted
tliiit he was indebted to the grace and spirit
of (iod for all he was and did as an Apostle
Of a C'liristian.

'I'he (»«(■ thing whicli distinguished him
from his brethren, and tliat which best en-
iililes us to understand his life is the peculiar
impression the idea of a univorsal religion

made on his mind. This idea never so pro-
foundly engrossed any other human soul. In
his endeavours to make this idea a fact he
spent all bis transcendent gifts and graces.
Of course this idea was a revelation from
God, not the product of his own brain. It
was this idea that kindled bis enthusiasm,
nerved him with exhaustless energy, and
strengthened his fortitude and endurance.
This was the inspiration of all his travels,
sermons, and epistles. The world for Christ,
and Christ for the world was the ambition
which tired his great soul and kept it con-
tinually ablaze.

The letters he addressed to the churches
his energies had founded are monuments
alike of his greatnei s of intellect and heart.
Many of his wordo wing us away into the
mysteries of the Deity or sink us in the
depths of His unmeasurealde love. Some of
them take us back to the verge of creation, or
carry us down the cycles of the unseen and
unending future. This text we have to-night
is one of the profoundest utterances that
ever fell from his lips or leaped from his
pen. In its grasp of redemption, in its in-
fluence on the destiny of men and angels it
stands alone ; like the highest peak in a vast
range of mountains, its base is on the eartli,
its top is lost in the clouds of heaven. "Hav-
ing made peace through the blood of His
cross, by him to reconcile all things unto
liimself ; by him, I say, whether they bo
things in earth, or things in heaven."

These words contain much doctrinal instrue -
tion it will be impossible for us to consider
inasingledisjourse. For instance, underlying
these words - the very base on ^hich they
rest is the doctrine of the Incarnation. "A
doctrine which in its whole amount," as
Bishop Horsloy ronuirks, "is this : tliat one
of tlie three persons of the (iodhead was
was united to a man, that is, to a hunuvn
body and a human soul, in the person of
.Icsus, in order to expiate tlie gudt of the
whole hiumin race, bv the deatii of the man
so united to the IJoclhead. " Christ did not
cease to be what He before was, (iod with
Cod ; but ho became what Ho before was

not, man with men. Jesus Christ was not
humanity tleitied, neither was He Deity
humanized ; but the Divine and the human
nature united to make ore person, as body
and soul are united to make one man. This
is a profound mystery we cannot fathom or
comprehend, }»ut the first truth in the econ-
omy of grace.

We have, also, a oomprehensivo statement
of the doctrine of atonement in this text.
This is the grandest work of God, revealing
Go<l to man, and man to himself as they are
revealed nov/here else. In the atonement
every attribute of the Deity combines to shed
a brightness overthe Divine character, which
exceeds all the glory of former manifesta-
tions as the light of the sun exceeds the
light of the glow-worm. It sheds the rays
of heaven upon the questions of sin and
misery, and throws over the darkness of
human destiny a flood of light. It shows us
how the Divine-human Christ — the incar-
nate God — became the sinners' substitute,
and by His death reconciled God to man
and man to (iod. .Upon the general doc-
trine of Atonement I spoke to you two
weeks ago, and I am not going to enlarge
upon that ^- ^ct of the question again to-
night.

The tex'. our attention to an aspect

of this suLj c ' 'lio^' is seldom discussed.
Christ is hero levea^eu to us not only as the
Incarnate Word i.nd Redeemer of man, but
also as the conservator of the moral uni-
verse. "And havin\| made peace through
the blood of the cross, by Him to reconcile
all things to Himself, by Him, I say, whether
theij he (hhiffs III eitrtli or fhhiijn in heareii."
Here j'ou perceive that the redemption of
man by Christ is predicated with being a
means of gocxl to the angels in heaven.
What is called "tlie moral influence" theory
of the atonement is a one-sided half-truth
when applied to fallen man; Init it is a bles-
sed whole-truth when applied to the unfallen
intelligences who surround God's thnme in
the heavenly world. 'IMiis I conceive to be
the drift of the AiKJstle's meaning when he
speaks of Christ's death reeoncilini,' the hea-
venly hosts to the Eternal Father. Recon-
ciling, not in the sense in which that term
is applied to man; but the bringing and
binding toj^'ethor in eternal harmony of these
holy intelligences by tlie study of this W(m-
drouH schemC; and tlie Divine cliaractcr as
seen therein.

Some may lui led to roganl these stato-
inent," as the hi)i;( uliitions of tli(! ])roa('hor
rather than tlie voice of (J'ld. To the law
and the testimony, if it be not the voice of
revelation rej-ct it at once. Tlicre is just
this I'emark to be made, we are indebted
solely to I'aul for what lijL,'lit we possess on
tliis subjt'ot. He alone was conmiissioned to
publish it to till' world. With the single
exception of the text, all lie lias given us on

this subject is found in the Epistle to the
Ephesians. Turii, then, to the first chapter
of that epistle and read with me beginning
at the seventh verse : "In whom we have
redemption through His blood the forgive-
ness of sins, according to the riches of Hi.s
grace; wherein hath abounded toward us in
all wisdom and prudence; having made
known unto us the mystery oL His will, ac-
cording to His good pleasure which He hath
purposed in Himself ; that in the dispensa-
tion of the fulness of times He might gather
together in one all things in Christ, both
which are in heaven and in earth, even in
Him." I cannot, as some, regard the Apos-
tles here as spejvking of the gathering of the
Jews and Gentiles into one Church. By "the
dispensation of the fulness of times," Paul
evidently means the outcome of all the dis-
pensation; and by "the things in heaven and
earth" he evidently means the different or-
ders of intelligent beings.

Turn now, if you will, to the third chap-
ter of the same epistle and begin to read at
the eighth verse : "Unto me who am less
than the least of all saints is this grace
given, that I should preach among the (J en-
tiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; afid
to make all men see whatds the felloM'ship
(or "dispensation," as it ought to be render-
ed) of the mystery, which from the begin-
ning of the world hath been hid in God, who
created all things by tiesus Christ; to the
intent that now unto the principalities and
powers in heavenly places, might be known
by the Church the manifold wisdom of (ilod,
according to the eternal purpose which He
purposed in Christ Jesus the Lord. "From
this passage it is evident that it was part of
the Divine plan in the redemT)tion of man
by Jesus Christ to impress tho minds of
angels with the excellency His character,
and in this way ensure their allegiance for
ever.

Look again at the text : "It pleased the
Father that in Him should all fulness dwell;
and having made peace through the blood of
His cross, by Him to reconcile all things
unto Himself ; by Him, I say, whether they
be things in earth or things in heavoii.
Piciigel regards this verse as though it refer-
red to the reconciliation of angels to men by
the death of Christ, aiigois Iteing (iod's
friends, were men s emiiiiies while he was
hostile to God. Hut tlie reconciliation of
which Vaul speaks is not of angels to man,
nor of man to angels; but ■of lioth to (iod.
As Alford remarks, "Sinful creatnui is re-
conciled to <i(id strii'tly /i// (^'hrist; sinless
creation is recoiiciled to God; liy a nearer
relation, and a liigher ulorilicatinn of Him"
-by the law ol' syin|iatliy ami love.

These are .ill the ]ia><sagi'S of Scripture
which treat of this swliject, and they teach
us just thin niucli: wiiile the angels, as lioly
beings, did not need the death of Christ as

istle to the
irst chapter
e beginning
m we have
the forgive-
;he8 of His
•ward us in
ving matle
[is will, ac-
ich He hath
ic ilispensa-
light gather
Jhrist, both
•th. even in
(l the Apos-
jring of the
A. By "the
imes," Paul
all the dis-
1 heaven and
different or-

third chap-
n to read at
ivho am less
1 this grace
ng the (len-
Christ; aftd
e fellowship
be render-
ti the begin-
in God, who
irist; to tlie
alities and
it be known
om of (lod,
which He
d. "From
was part of
ion of man
minds of
character,
legiance for

pleased the

!iies8 dwell;

tlio blood of

all tilings

licthor they

in lioavoii.

gli it refor-

s to uivn by

tciiig iiod'rt

lili) lie was

illation of

H to man,

th to <i(id,

ition iH vv-

rist; siidcsH

)V a nearer

lii of Him"

•vc.

f Scriptnri'
Ihcy teach
^(•ln, as lioly
)f I'hriMt a«

an atonement for sin; nevertheless, the
fruits of His redemption tend to their bene-
fit. Gofl will, in the "dispensations of the
fulness of times," by the death of Christ,
gather into union and harmony all holij
beings whether angels or men, with Christ
as their Head and Lord.

The arguments for the universal restora-
tion of men to the favour of God based on
these passages are ruled out by the empha-
tic phraseology of each of the texts. It is
only of "things in heaven" and "things in
earth" of which the Apostle speaks. There
is no mention of hell here. True, Christ is
f^ord of all worlds; but when Scripture
speaks of His general kingship there is men-
tion made of the world of woe. True, that
"At the name of <lesus every knee shall bow,
of things in heaven, and things in earth,n7H/
thhKjs under the earth." But there is a mar-
vellous difference between the mere acknow-
ledgment of Christ's universal sovereignty,
and loving sympathy with His person and
loyalty to His laws. This is just the differ-
ence between all holy intelligences, and the
rebellious part of God's creation. The
question of Universalism. in any of its var-
ied forms of development, finds no counten-
ance from these texts; and must, therefore,
be decided witWout any reference to these
particular Scriptures. What then, are the
lessons to be learned from this subject ?

1. First. That all moral heitn/n .stand in
peril Jram which the atonement of Christ, bfi
means of its eonxervatire forve will effectual-
hj protect all who hare /lasned their proha-
tionarji period in the lore if virtue and loi/al-
ty to (fOil.

We have two striking illustrations of the
fallability and peril of pure moral beings in
the case of angels and men. Among the
myriads of beings who surrounded the
heavenly throne, a, vast multitude were un-
faithful to their powers and privileges. For
these there is no redemption. (Will you
pardon me if I turn aside here for a moment.
I li.ave asked myself as no doubt you have
done "How is it that man was redeemed
while the angels wlio sinned wore not ?" I
have thought it might be because tlic angels
were each a .separate creation, while man-
kind sprang from a federal head.and tlu race
to which wo belong must therefore stand in
a somewhat different relation (!od and His
law to what the fallen angels do. Whetlier
this be the solution of the (luoation or not,
the fact itself is indisputable, and, from
what wo know of tlio character of God, we
are bound to cimcludc there was some just
and good reason for the differciu'o though at
present wo are not able to discern it. lint to
return.) The angels sinned against siicli
light and love, there is, for thcni, no possi-
bility of rccov(!ry. Their great gifts in-
creased tlieir resp(insil)iiity and their peril;
and now, in misery commensurate with

their crime, they await ' 'the vengeance of
eternal tire. " Adam the federal head and
representative of the human race fell from
the high position and the holy estate in
which his Mak«r placed him.

Absolute freedom from liability to fall be-
longs alone to God. Freedom of will is es-
sential, inherent in the nature of all moral
agents. To say that an agent is free is to
admit the fiombility of failure. Well has it
been said that "In finite beings freedom to
do right involves freedom to do wrong al-
ways and everywhere. " Do I then believe
that saints or angels in heaven may fall into
sin. I believe that they retain the /wxcvr to
sin, but sin is not so much a question of
ability as of will. What I think this sub-
ject teaches is this: Such will be the in-
fluence of redemption on the minds of the
angels and saved men that they will have no
will to sin. "The pure spirits who shall
have, through a sufficient probation, main-
tained their integrity and entered upon their
reward in the very ])resence of God, with all
about them and all within them mightily
tending to strengthen all goodness, shall be,
though not naturally, nor absolutely, yet in
fact and in effect, incapable of transgrcs-
8' " This leads us to another thought
suggested by this subject;

2. To areomplish this end the atonement (f
Christ contemphdes the ijatherin;/ tojether
into one kimjdom all holy intelliijences,
"Whether they be things in earth or things
in heaven.

All pure moral beuiga retain their freedom
in heaven, but the conservative intluence of
the death of Christ renders it not only pro-
bable but rertvin — that thej" will never exer-
cise it in the guilt and fidly of rebellion.
The angels are represented as diligent stu-
dents of the mystei'ies of redemption. They
have been Christ's chosen instruments in
working out His purposes in reference to
man. They are to be the companions of
redeemed men through the unending years.
Tlieir interest and service in connection
with human redemption acts with a gracious
redox iuHuence on their own destiny.

There aro two ways of jireventing the
comm asion of evil. I wisli, for instanci*, t<»
prevent a child learning to swear ; 1 cutout
liis tongue, or I destroy his power of hear
ing ; that is one way : or I instruct the child
in the folly and sin of such conduct, and set
b !f(U'e him tho example of my own life un
til this sin becomes an abomination unto
him. In other words I may pi'ivcnt sin liy
lessening tho power of a moral agsnt, or I
may do it by strengthening tlu! powers lie
has and fortifying his motiv(\s and 'ove of
virtiK!, tliat is aiiotlu'r and a bclttir way of
attaining tho same end. Tlirougliout etcr
nity good men and angels will retain all tho
powers they now [lossess, but such will be
the inlluonce of redemption on their niinils,

as they sec it in all its depths and heights,
that sin will not only be distasteful but ut-
terly abhored.

Sin sent a shock through all the heavenly
intelligences working rum and death. The
transgression of the hierarchies of heaven
struck the first note of discord in the creation
of God. The obedient host stood in mute
amaze as they beheld their former compan-
ions hurled from heaven's height into the
dark abyss. When man the best and noblest
of all God's intelligent creatures followed in
the wake of "Wicked spirits in high places,"
there was additional cause for alarm, as the
howl of sin's discordant notes reached the
battlements of heaven.

More strange to angels still would seem
the assumption of human nature by the Se-
cond Person of the (iodhead for the redemp-
tion of a guilty, rebel race. But when the
fulntsss of all the dispensations shall have
come ; when angels and men shall have been
drawn together by the magnetic power of the
cross; wlion ledemptini shall have fused all
God's obedient creatures into a white heat of
gratitude and love ; when all the depths of
the wisdom and goodness of God, as seen in
the (iospel, shall liave welded angels and men
togetiier in one h.armonious and happy
whole : such will he the views of God's char-
acter it will inspire that eternity will be
spent in tlie adoration of a Being so wise and
glorious, so just and good.

.'{. A thinl lesson suggested by this subject
is tliiit it Is ii, (jrcof rrlicf to unr reuMoii to he
able to scr that the liicamnttoH of the Son of
God tiiid till' iiiifdtJiomahlc mi/xtfi'if of the Di-
vhic Stirrifiri' had a, wiiln' hcojw than this lit-
t(<- iforftf and its t'rw inhahitants.

This earth is but a speck in creation.
Myriads of worlds lie hidden from our gaze
in tile depths of space. Reasoning from
anology, we may suppose that they are as
densely populated as our own. At any rate
wo have tlie authority of revelation for be-
lieving in the existence of a countless multi-
tude of angels. Now there are thoughtful
men who aie staggered by the amazing con-
descension of God in the redemption of our
world by tlie death of His Son,— at Heaven
emptying itself for such as ourselves. Of-
fered principally for man, as an atonement
only for man, the death of Christ is much
furtlior reaching in its results. By a reflex
inliuence it reaches all worWs, and is yet to
1)cc( me the ))ond and unifying power of all
holy intelligunoes. The Sim ot Righteous-
ncHH wliidi lias arisen on us with such heal-
ing in his wing, is to reach and lu-ighten
other worlds, and conserve and intensify the
happincHS and worsiiip of the sinless hosts of
heaven.

'I'lu! stray light which the text, and its
parallelH in tlm Kpistlo to the Ephesians,
throws on the results of Christ's mediation
reveals a i)readth and heigiit of glory trans-

cending all our conceptions. We are apt to
look at all things in the light of our own
narrow sphere, and limit all results by the
bound of our own vision. Here we see that
the redemption of man by Jesus Christ is
only a part of a vast and glorious scheme
which shall ultimately reach and bless all
the obedient in (iod's cre.-ition.

These indirect l)eneHt8 of the atonement,
though they are but very imperfectly under-
stood are fitted, not only to enlarge our
minds, but to beneKt our hearts. Wliatever
draws us out of self, or the immediate sphere!
in which we move, helps to expand our con-
ceptions of (>od and widen our sympathy
with the other races His hands have made.
This subject presents the moral governments
of God as vast and complicated ; but at the
same time, Viy redemption. His purpose is to
reduce it to <me unitjuc and harmonious
whole, including "All things in heaven and
in earth."

All this is part of jm eternal place which
the Deity has been working out since first
His power was dis])layed in the creation of
intelligent creatures, namely : the conserva-
tion and unification of all holy things. The,
scheme of redempticni is the instrumentality
God employs in working out this benilicent
end. While the immediate and direct sub-
jects of redeeming grace are sinful men, it'
has a comprehensive though indirect bearing
on the whole universe.

It is designed to reconcile all things to
God and bring all holy intelligence under one
system of perfect order, harmony, and love.
When the years of old time shall have ex-
hausted themselves, and the cycles of eter-
nity shall begin, what a jubilee awaits the
sons of God ? Then .all sin shall be subdued,
and all incorrigable and impenitent sinners
shall be shut up where they can no longer
contaminate others with their vileness or
hatred of God. ThiniaW the great and true
from every age and every rank in creation
shall be gathered into one, and Christ shall
be "All in all to the glory of God the
Father."

4. Yet once more: This nnhjcrt u/x'ns oid
to onr I'icn' nonic Hatisfactonj notion <f what
till' saved arr to do in cti'mili/.

The popular notions of heaven are ex-
ceedingly defective, and e(iually unsatisfac-
tory. Who can persuade himself that intel-
ligent redeemed men can find eternal enjoy-
ment in the popular notions. of "crowns, " and
"palms," and "Hongs." Mind I do not un-
dervalue tlicHc Scripture terms. They have
a significance dear to the heart of every good
man. They stand for realities which ought
to make the soul tlirill with rapture. But
tliOHO figures do not by any means express
the whole of the heavoidy life or even the
chief part of it.

In one of the passsages (piotcd from the
Kpistlo to the Kphesians there is an cxpres-

e are apt to
of our own
suits by tlie
! we see tliat
lus Christ is
ious schemci
and liless all

e atonement,

fectly undev-

enlarge our

1. Whatever

ediate aphcr(!

>and our con -

mr aympatliy

a have made.

governments

; but at tlie

purpose ia to

I harmonious

n heaven and

1 place which
)ut since first
tie creation of
the conserva-
things. Tlie
istrumentality
;hia beniiiccut
id direct sub-_
sinful men, it
direct bearing

sion which may help us to form some intel-
ligent idea on this subject. "To the intent
that now unto the principaUtka and power» In
/ifitrenlij plaren migh be known bp the Church
the manifold wisdom of God, accordimj to the
eternal purpose ivh'irh He hath purposed in
Christ Jeitutt our Lord." Here you parceive
that the redeemed Church is to be the eter-
nal manifestation and unfolding, to the heav-
enly host, of the wisdom of the Divine pur-
poses in the redemption ot man by Jesus
Christ.

1 have epokeu of the shock to the angels
caused by the introduction of sin into the
creation. Reasoning from what we know of
man, is it too much to say that the permis-
sion of evil was a sid)ject unfathomable even
to angel's minds, and if this is true of the
introduction of sin, what shall we sa}' of the
recf>very of man by the incarnation and death
of tlie Son of tiocl ? Remember the angels
witnessed the downfall of their companions
unfoUowed by the appointment of a redeem-
er, therefore, when they saw Heaven empty
itself for the redemption of man, is it too
much to affirm that it was matter of wonder
and amazement — had depths and heights
they could neither fathom nor scale. But
when "the fulness of the dispensation of
times shall come," when they shall behold
the outcome of the mediatorial scheme in the
glorified churcli; when they look back upon

the methods, and look around them at the
results they will be overwhelmed alike at the
wisdom and the love of God.

The multitudes of redeemed men are re-

f)re8ented in Scripture as "crying with a
oud voice, saying, Salvation unto our God
which sitteth npou the throne and unto the
Lamb. " The angels are represented as wit-
nes.sed of this and moved at the sight in res-
ponse they cry "Amen ; blessing, and glory,
and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour,
and power, and might, be unto our God tor
ever and ever. Amen." Taking these
Scriptures as the basis are we not warranted
in affirming that the cliief employment of
heaven will consist in the study of the
Divine character as exhibited in redeemed
sinners.

Thus the redemption of man by Christ
secures the highest destiny of the creature,
the love and adorement of the Creator.
' 'Unto the praise of the glory of His grace"
is to be the final outcome of the mediatorship
of Christ. The ultimate aim of human re-
demption is to tune the lips of angels and
sanctified men to the praise of God, — to till
every heart with love, and make the universe
echo with hallelujahs to Him who died on
the tree. May we be ready to participate in
the joy of that triumphant hour, by a hearty
acceptance of the benefits of Christ's media-
torial work. Amen.

all things to
nee under one
my, and love,
ihall have cx-
ycles of cter-
ee awaits the
1 be aubdued,
nitcnt ainnera
can no longer
vilenesa or
;reat and true
in creation
Christ shall
of (lod the

jeet ojtens out
\otlun of ii'hnt

eaven are ex-
ly unaatisfac-
self that intel-
•tornal enjoy-
crown8,"and
I do not un-
They have
tf every good
which ought
rapture. Hut
means expn'ss
or even the

;«

oted tVom the
ia an exprua-