sand years after the creation, I mean till that holy thing was born of the Virgin Mary. I know all that is or can be said is, that his human nature was sustained; if there was nothing before the Virgin conceived, (which there could not be if he took humanity from the Virgin) then the Godhead sustained nothing but a purpose or a decree, instead of a nature:-I offer these few considerations.

First. John i. 1, In the beginning was the

Word

In order to explain this important design more fully, in the exemplification of its different branches, God the Holy Ghost informs us by the mouth of Paul, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them, not reconciling himself unto the world,for if the love of God is an essential attribute of his nature and this love an ever acting principle, there never was a period in which he did not love, therefore never a period in which it could be said he was not reconciled to them. Was there ever a period it can be said, that the eternal Father hated his Son? No:He ever was the darling of his bosom his well-be loved Son―Then if God loved his people with the same love with which he loved his Son, he must have loved them eternally; therefore incal pable of loving and hating them at one and the P 3

same

Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 1 John i. 1, That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled of the Word of Life.

Now I ask, Whether they could see or handle that Word which was from the beginning with God? Now if that they saw and looked upon, and their hands handled, was in the beginning

with

same time :-our blessed Redeemer has abundantly confirmed this-and appeals to his Father in the declaration, John xvii. 23, And thou hast loved them as thou hast loved me.-In verse 24 of the same chapter, we are informed how the Father loved the Son, "Thou hast loved me before the foundation of the world,"

If God loved his Son before the foundation of the world, and loved his people with the same love with which he loved his Son, he must have eternally loved them, and therefore never hated, hence never needed to be reconciled unto them:

All things are of God," they sprung from his love, and independent of the above considerations, it would be reducing the eternal God to a level with Moloch,it would be exalting the Son ins finitely higher than the Father. The supposition that the Son died that the Father might be gra

with God, then there was more than a decree, or being sustained, but the former is true:

pare those two Scriptures.

Com

Secondly. What wonder or mystery is that, that the Godhead should be from the beginning with God, or that the world should be made for him or by him?

Thirdly. If they saw with their eyes, and handle with their hands, that in John i. 3, 4, By which all things was made, and that life was the

light

cious to us, overthrows the whole system of divine truth, and covers the face of our God with the blackest and foulest obloquy.

From what quarter do they derive their information? Where have they found any ground for such an idea?-Have any of the Evangelists or Apostles told them? hear them speak ;-Peter, in writing to the scattered churches, addresses them as the elect of God; his choosing them is a divine proof of his affection, and no evidence of wrath. The line parallel with which this choice ran, was the fore-knowledge of God the Father, the manifestative medium of its gracious exist ence was the sanctification of the spirit, the consequence of the sanctification of the spirit is obe dience; the essence of the obedience of faith is the recipient faculty of faith, to derive cleansing efficiency from the blood of Jesus; the immediate

con

light of men, then there was more than the Godhead in the beginning, for they could neither see nor handle the Godhead.

Fourthly. If the Son of Man came down from Heaven, then there was something in Heaven besides the Godhead, before he was born of the Virgin Mary, John iii. 13.

Eph. iv. 10, He that descended is the same that ascended also. John vi. 62, What and if ye shall see the Son of Man ascend up where he

was

consequence of this applied, is a blessing of the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath begotten us again into a lively hope, &c. to an inheritance incorruptible that fadeth not away, &c. And all this not according to the expanded benevolence of Angels, nor the confined views of men, but according to his abundant mercy-commensurate, with the profound mysteries of his eternal love, and the searchless treasures of his. grace, I Beter i. 2, 3, 4.

Paul, im writing to the Ephesians, reminds them of the same divine truths, and blesses their God and Father for having blessed them with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places, in Christ Jesus. According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love. Are these proofs of wrath,—to choose us,

and

was before? The Apostle tells us that it is written that the first Adam was made a living soul, the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.

Now I ask, where is it so written? except it be included in that word, Gen. ii. 7, And breathed in his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living soul. Now what was it but Christ was that quickening spirit, that quickened Adam, by which he became a living soul?—Now if Christ was made a quickening spirit before Adam was

made

and to choose us to a divine inheritance that fadeth not away-and being in ourselves utterly unqualified for the reception of such divine honorsthat God hath chosen us in his Son,-and that the choice might be eternally established in all the perfection of its design. God sent Christ into the world to reconcile us to himself, while enemies, by the death of his Son, our reconciliation therefore to God was his grand end. Thus speaks Christ, for their sakes, I sanctify myself, &c

This (as well as every other part of Jehovah's designs) was consonant with, and sanctioned by the approbation of the eternal Son: And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth, John xvii. 19. The term sanctify (as before observed) cannot imply either the communication of a greater degree of purity, or to its acquisition by any act of his, for