himself in their nature,* and in that illustrated a perfect pattern of every virtue; exposed himself to the most cruel treatment from those very persons whose happiness he kindly came to seek; taught them how to act in every circumstance to which their situation could possibly expose them; and yielded up his life as a testimonial of the importance and truth of his mission. This compassionate visit being terminated, and the son reinstated in his father's kingdom,† may we not suppose him offering some such address as the following-Behold, O my father, thy beloved son returned triumphant to thy blissful presence, invested in this glorious trophy, the offending nature restored to perfection; which spoils of this my victory, I now present as an offering unto thee. Accept it at my hands, for it has completely glorified thee by its spotless virtue; vanquished every enemy that would have seduced it from its allegiance to thee; and the renown of its achievements has reached the most distant realms of thy empire. Hear its intercessions, I entreat thee, for my absent friends, in whose pure and kindred nature I now implore thee to receive

We cannot now depart from the present object of research, to inquire on what reasonable grounds we may suppose such an union could be effected; suffice it here to remark that we are ourselves confessedly composed of two distinct natures, which act in mutual contact on each other, and that we may from thence infer, that the being who could ordain such a junction in one instance, could do so in another.

+ This supposes an act of revivication having been passed on the dead; but being a subject for future and separate inquiry, we must at present claim our reader's indulgence.

them into thy favour. Thou canst not, however, I well know, as moral governor of intelligent beings, extend thy mercy to any sinful creature, without showing an encouragement to vice and disobedience throughout thy vast dominions, except they prove themselves worthy of such a blessing, by a real concern for their past misconduct, and a sincere intention of acting ever hereafter entirely under thy guidance; nor could, indeed, any intelligent being be capacitated for enjoying the happiness designed for them, without cultivating those amiable dispositions that must lay the foundation stone of future bliss. But those objects of my affection, in whose behalf I plead, do most deeply lament their former ingratitude, are anxiously disposed to seek thy favour, and resolved to regulate their future lives by my example, and the precepts I imparted to them. While I was with them, I kept them in the paths of virtue; (John xvii. 12;) but now they are left to encounter great and complicated dangers, (many of them entirely for my sake,) without my presence to animate and encourage them: O let us send them such comfort, such assistance, by which they may be enabled to overcome them all. For I do not pray for their removal from this state of trial, but that they might be preserved from all evil in their passage through it. (John xvii. 15.) I cannot but be touched with a peculiar feeling for their infirmities, having myself been so lately encompassed with them. (Heb. iv. 15, v. 2.) O consider the sacrifice I made of my own happiness when I went to seek and to

save them that were lost, (Luke xix. 10,) and those sufferings that I endured for thy honour and their salvation; and let them not be unavailing. They have loved my precepts, and believed that I proceeded forth, and came from thee; and that it was thou who didst send me to them. (John xvii. 8.) Had they not done this, my injunctions could have had but little influence; but now all their hope of future bliss rests solely on my promise of obtaining thy pardon for them; they may indeed be said to live by faith in me. (Hab. ii. 4.) Thou canst not, thou wilt not suffer these hopes to be disappointed; I know I shall prove their prevailing advocate, for me thou hearest always. (John xi. 42.) O may their former offences be removed out of thy sight; look not any longer at them, but on me; for I have fulfilled all righteousness. (Matt. iii. 15.) Let me prove a saviour, a redeemer to them: for the sake my merits, may their transgressions be buried in oblivion, and they received into thine everlasting favour.

of

The conduct just described under the circumstances stated, appears perfectly rational, and the most complete similitude will be found between it and the plan represented in the Scripture, as adopted by the Supreme Being, for our restoration to his favour.

When we commenced the writing of the foregoing supposed intercessionary address, it was not intended to have inserted any quotation from the New Testament; but while pursuing the arguments that reason seemed to dictate, and

finding them in such perfect unison with those therein adduced; to prevent the repetition of tracing in this instance a comparative coincidence, we have, towards its conclusion, interwoven those rational persuasives which the subject suggested, with the motives recorded by St. John, as urged by Christ himself, for our acceptance by the parent source of all perfection.

The original proposition, namely, on what ground so polluted a creature as man can hope to be received to the favour of an infinitely pure and perfect being, has hitherto been principally answered by abstracted reasoning; from whence we have inferred, that our only prospect of acceptance must rest on the hope, that if no one of our mortal race did fulfil all righteousness, that some good being would kindly undertake in our nature to do so for us; and that we might be finally received to the Supreme favour, through the merits and intercession of the benevolent personage who should accomplish this great exploit. We will now compare this conclusion with the assertions of Scripture, and put the question in New Testament language.

Q. How was the propitiation made for our sins?

A. The apostle John resolves this inquiry by asserting, That if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous, and that he (that is, his righteousness,) is the propitiation for our sins. (1 John 1.) The apostle Paul informs us, that God has declared his acceptance of the righteousness of Christ for the

remission of sins that are past; and authorises him to declare, at this time, his righteousness, that He might be just, and the justifier of him who believeth in Jesus. (Rom. iii. 25, 26.) Not to have ordained an atonement for unavoidable frailty, would have been an omission utterly inconsistent with the justice and faithfulness of God; but an assurance is given, that both these attributes would be eminently exercised towards our sinful race; and that God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins. (1 John i. 9.) It was also an act of justice due unto himself, for He is a jealous God, who will not suffer his name to be polluted, or give his glory unto another, as He had created man for his glory, (Isa. xliii. 7; xlii. 8,) to have it clearly demonstrated to every order of intelligents throughout his boundless empire, that man not only could, but did, fulfil his will in all things; which essential requisition Christ himself announces by the following declaration :— Lo, I come, in the volume of the book it is written of me, to do thy will, O God. By the which will (having been perfectly obeyed) we are sanctified, through the offering of the body of Jesus. Christ, once for all, (Heb. x. 9, 10:) that body of flesh and blood that had fulfilled all righteousness; and which now ever liveth to make intercession for us. (Heb. vii. 25.) The converts of Zion are redeemed with righteousness. (Isa. i. 27.) He is the Lord our righteousness. (Jer. xxiii. 6.) The Lord is well pleased for his righteousness sake; and has blotted out as a thick cloud thy transgressions, and as a cloud thy sins. (Isa.