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same, in all respects, as when applied to men. But no better term can be found to convey our ideas of the three-fold subsistence or distinction in the Godhead, and therefore it may and should be used.'-(Theo. Class Book, p. 36.)

THE DIVINE AND HUMAN NATURES OF CHRIST.-SECTION VII. PAGE 12.

Union of two Natures in the person of Christ.

"THERE is nothing absurd in the idea of such a union of two natures in the person of our Lord. No one may contemptuously dismiss the thought of it under the charge, that such a thing is an impossibility. We who contend for the doctrine do not profess that we can explain the manner in which the union was effected, and how it is maintained. But we are equally in a state of ignorance about the constitution of ourselves. Each of us also is possessed of two natures—a corporeal and a spiritual: and we may well reply, yea, we do reply, to all who mock at our doctrine about the complex constitution of the person of Christ, on the score of its impossibility or inconceivableness, that we shall explain it satisfactorily to them, so soon as they explain to us, what is the bond of connection betwixt the body and spirit of any human being. You say you cannot comprehend how a divine nature could be united to a human one. What although? Is your narrow comprehension the measure of possibility? I can just as little comprehend how a spiritual nature, so ethereal as that of the human mind, can be united to a nature so gross as that of the human body. Can you help my comprehension ?—The mystery, physically considered, is not one whit more explicable in the one case than in the other. And I repeat the challenge, that we shall explain the first to the sceptic, so soon as he explains the second to us.'(Dr. Anderson's Discourses, p. 43.)

CHRIST'S LIFE, Sufferings, DEATH, AND RESURRECTION.— SECTION IX. PAGE 14.

Christ's Sufferings.

'THE death of Christ cannot be ascribed to the ordinary sufferings of crucifixion, because, far from destroying life in six hours, they often allowed it to be protracted for three or more days; nor to miraculous interposition, because he was slain by his enemies, and died the death of the cross; nor to original feebleness of constitution, because, as the priest and victim of an atoning sacrifice, he was perfect in body and mind; nor to temporary weakness

resulting from his recent agony, because his strength was supported by angelic agency. That his mental sufferings were, on the contrary, adequate to the effect, is evident from their influence at Gethsemane, where, had he not received supernatural aid, they would apparently have proved fatal without the addition of any others; and if in a lower degree they excited palpitation of the heart so violent as to occasion bloody sweat, it is equally evident that, when aggravated and longer continued, they were capable of producing rupture. That the same sufferings were present in both instances, and arose from a sense of the divine malediction, is proved by his referring them in both to the immediate hand of God, by his allusion in the garden to the cup given him by his heavenly Father, and to the ancient prophecy,- "I will smite the shepherd and the sheep of the flock will be scattered;" and by his final exclamation on the cross,-"My God! my God! why hast thou forsaken me?"--(Dr. Stroud on the Physical Cause of the Death of Christ, pp. 116, 117.)

Love to Jesus.

'GOD loves Christ; ought not you to love him? God loves him, because he died to save you, and will you not love him for this reason? Will you not love him who so loved you, as not to love his life to the death for your salvation? God is well pleased with his work; why should not you? God rewards him; why should not you seek to avail yourself of the high honour put within your reach, of being workers together with God in this highest and holiest of his works, rewarding his Son? You do not rightly estimate Him and his work, if you do not, on account of that work, devote yourselves entirely to him, who devoted himself entirely for you-if you do not henceforth live, not to yourselves, but to him who died for you and rose again; and, taught by the grace of God in Christ Jesus, learn to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, and to live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works,' Tit. ii. 12-14.-(Dr. Brown, 'Discourses and Sayings,' &c., vol. ii. pp. 194, 195.)

THE ATONEMENT OR PROPITIATION.-SECTION X. PAGE 17. Substitute.

"THE meaning of the word substitute is often overstretched. It is quite true, and a glorious truth it is, that Christ obeyed, suffered, and died for us-" He was wounded for our transgressions, he

was bruised for our iniquities--he bore our sins in his own body on the tree," All was done aud suffered for our sake, and in our room and stead; but not in the sense of freeing us from our obligation to obey, from love and duty, the Divine will, or from suffering correction or punishment from God when we sin against him. We are just as much bound to obey cheerfully the authority of our God as if Jesus had never obeyed or died for us, nay, our obligation to love and obey is vastly increased. When one man serves in the army as a substitute for another, the substitute does all that the principal was bound to do; and the principal therefore is free from doing. But Jesus did not become a substitute in that sense. Were that the case, then believers might set the commands and authority of God at nought; but this is not the case. obeyed and died for us, that sin might be condemned and pardoned, the law magnified, God's authority vindicated, his perfections honoured, the soul enlightened, reconciled, sanctified, and moulded into the Divine image-nay, placed in a position in which returning man might again render to his God the homage and obedience of love.'-(J. H.)

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Deficiency of a Limited Atonement.

Christ

THE deficiency of the limited atonement may be simply illustrated. After a stirring appeal from a minister of the limited view, an anxious inquirer comes to him with the question-What must I do to be saved? The reply of course is,-" Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved." "What am I to believe?" asks the inquirer-"Am 1 to believe that he died for me?" The minister answers-"He died for sinners." "I never doubted that," rejoins the anxious man; "but how am I to know that he died for me?" "Only by believing," the minister will reply-" Christ died for believers; and if you become a believer, then you can infer that Christ died for you." "But what am 1 to believe, in order that I may become a believer ?-am I to believe that Christ died for me?" "That is more," the consistent limitarian must reply, "than I am warranted to tell you, for to tell you that, might be to tell you a lie ;'--but believe that Christ died for sinners, and believe that if you believe, you are among those sinners." If I believe what ?" the anxious sinner would again ask, and so on in a circle for ever and ever.'

Sufficiency of the Atonement.

'THE atonement and the blessings of salvation connected with it, are presented in the gospel as God's freely offered gifts to all There is an intrinsic sufficiency in the atonement of Christ for the salvation of all men; and it so removes all legal obstruct

men.

ions to their salvation, as that the door of mercy is open to them, and that in consistency with his holy character, law, and government, God presents to them all, salvation as a gift to be accepted by faith. Of the sufficiency and perfection of the atonement we cannot form a too exalted conception.'-(Statement of Principles held by the U. A. Synod, p. 7.)

'All allow that the invitations of the gospel are universal, such as-Go and preach the gospel to every creature,'-' And whosoever will, let him take of the water of life freely.' Therefore, since God has invited all men to come to Jesus, undoubtedly he has made provision for the souls of all, that is atonement for their sins; for there can be no provision for a sinner if there be no atonement.

"The warrant of the sinner to believe rests solely on the free exhibition of Christ and salvation to all men in the gospel, and, therefore, to him in particular, on the suitableness and all-sufficiency of Christ, his atonement and salvation, to all, and therefore to him, and his particular case,-and on the express calls and invitations of the gospel, addressed to all men without exception, and therefore to him. By this gracious exhibition and invitation, every sinner is warranted to believe that the atonement and salvation of the Son of God are needed by him, are suited to him, are free to him; that he may, and that he should, instantly trust in Christ for saving him, and in God all gracious and faithful, for fulfilling to him the exceeding great and precious promise of salvation, for the sake of his dear Son.'-(Ibid., p. 10.)

THE WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.-SECTION XI.

The Spirit Strives and is Resisted.

PAGE 20.

"THE HOLY GHOST is that blessed Agent, who, with infinite condescension and tenderness, comes from heaven to earth to bring the wandering sinner back to God.

He is resisted by many. Perhaps the reader is among the number. If you are not a christian, I put it solemnly to your conscience, whether you are not resisting the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost has often striven with you. How have you treated his ! tender solicitations? If If you have not yielded, you have resisted.

You RESIST the Holy Ghost when you contemn or neglect the means of grace, through which he operates. The principal of these is the Bible. This is peculiarly his book, The "holy men of God" who wrote it, wrote "as they were moved by the Holy Ghost." How then have you treated the Bible? When it has spread before you the character of God in all its excellence, and commanded you to love it; when it has depicted your own guilty character, and commanded you to repent; when it has pointed you

to the Lord Jesus as the only sufficient Saviour, and invited and urged you to believe on him,-when it has presented all the solemn, tender, and melting motives which heaven, earth, and hell supply, and has besought, entreated, and warned you to flee from the wrath to come, and lay hold on eternal life, have you yielded to its expostulations ? have you obeyed its commands? If not, then have you resisted the Holy Ghost.

Sometimes the truths of the Bible have been urged upon your conscience by the living preacher with all the solemnity of Divine authority, and all the earnestness of christian benevolence; sometimes by the tender voice of friendship; sometimes by solemn and alarming providences. Have you still refused to yield? O, then, with what fixed and bold determination have you resisted the Holy Ghost.

There are many ways of resisting the Holy Ghost. It is sometimes done by a bold and impious resolution to stifle all sense of guilt and danger; and when this alone is not found effectual, by plunging more deeply into worldly business; by resorting to scenes of pleasure, to the society of the gay, to books of amusement, to any thing that will help to banish thoughts of God and eternity, of Christ, and heaven, and hell. Have you never thus resisted the Holy Ghost?

The Holy Ghost is resisted by refusing to comply with his suggestions. He urges to repent of sin; to give up every unjust pursuit; to relinquish every sinful pleasure; to forsake ungodly companions; to choose the company of the pious; to take up the cross and follow Christ, trusting in him alone for salvation.

The Holy Ghost is resisted by procrastination. The Spirit presses to immediate repentance. The sinner's heart replies, 'when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee.' But the Holy Spirit allows no delay. You cannot defer for a day, an hour, a moment, without resisting the Holy Ghost.

Reader! does not the guilt of resisting the Holy Ghost lie upon you? And WHAT IS THAT GUILT? O, who can tell! What

finite mind can grasp its magnitude?

In resisting the Holy Ghost, you directly resist God. And who or what are you that you should take the attitude of resistance to the greatest and best Being in the universe ?-a worm of the dust, a breathing atom, against Him who made and rules the worlds!a sinner, upheld from perdition by mere mercy, against Him whom angels adore, and all holy beings delight to obey!

You resist God in his most amiable character and loveliest aspect, engaged in the work in which he unfolds his brightest glory.

H

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