this high desire and expectation. Such a reference of human happiness to "the GRACE of our Lord Jesus Christ," as its efficient cause, is of very frequent occurrence in the apostolic writings. Admitting the doctrine of his Divine Nature and Perfections, this style of expression is reasonable and proper. But on the denial of that doctrine, it appears to me impossible to free this frequent language of the inspired teachers, from the charge of not only most inexcusable exaggeration and dangerous tendency, but of absolute impiety.

CHAP. IV.

THE TESTIMONY OF THE APOSTLE PAUL.

I. Christ the Author of spiritual blessings.-II. The Head of the autho rity, miracles, and success of the apostles.-III. The Giver of providential blessings.-IV. The Object of religious affections.-V. The counsels of Christ unsearchable and divine.-VI. The divine attribute of Immutability attributed to him.-VII. Peculiar regard to his Name. -Scripture doctrine concerning the KINGDOM OF CHRIST.-Collation of passages on this subject, and analysis of their testimony.-VIII. Christ appealed to as knowing the heart, in solemn attestations.IX. The Object of religious obedience.-X. The Object of religious invocation.-XI. The grace of Christ and the influence of the Spirit, put in the same rank with the love of God.-XII. The fulness attributed to Christ.-XIII. Works, directly or indirectly ascribed to Christ.i. The universal creation.-ii. The existence and the felicity of all holy creatures.-Doctrine of the New Creation.-iii. Conservation of the universe.-iv. Giving ability for duties.-v. Destroying the antichristian power.-vi. The resurrection of the dead.-vii. Final awards.-XIV. Appellations given to Christ.-XV. Distinction between Christ and the Father.

I. THE Lord Jesus Christ is constantly celebrated, either by the mention of him alone, or in conjunction with the Divine Father, as the Author and Bestower of the greatest possible blessings, the supreme good of everlasting possession and enjoyment.

"Christ hath been gracious to you. Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. The elect-obtain the salvation which is by Christ Jesus, with eternal glory. On this very account I became an object of object of mercy, that in me as a chief [instance] Jesus Christ might shew forth

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the utmost long-suffering, for an example to those who shall hereafter believe upon him unto eternal life. Christ is the Head of the church: He is the Saviour of the body. Christ loved the church and gave himself for it, that he might set it apart as holy, having purified it by the washing of water; with the declaration that he would present to himself the church, glorious, not having stain or wrinkle, or any of such things, but that it should be holy and spotless. The church-is his body, the fulness of Him who filleth all in all :" that is, the whole sum of true Christians, the property of the Saviour who supplies them all with all blessings. May the peace of Christ preside in your hearts! The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you! The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brethren! The Lord Jesus Christ be with thy spirit! The Lord make you to increase and abound in love to each other, and to all men; as we also to you: to the establishing of your hearts blameless in holiness in the presence of our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his holy [angels]! In every thing ye have been enriched by him, in all expression and in all knowledge: so that ye are defective in no gracious bestowment, looking for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ; who also will keep you firm unto the end, blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is the Lord, who will establish you, and guard you from the wicked one. The

Lord stood by me and strengthened me, that the gospel preached might through me be fully evidenced, and all the nations hear it and I was rescued out of the lion's mouth. And the Lord will rescue me from every wicked work, and will save me unto his heavenly kingdom to whom be glory for ever and ever! Amen."*

In the preceding passages, to which there are others similar, the attributions are made to the Redeemer alone in the following he is united, in terms which clearly indicate a parity of power and influence, with the Almighty Father.

"Grace and peace be unto you, from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ! Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour! Our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and our God and Father (who hath loved us and hath given everlasting consolation and good hope by grace,) comfort your

ἐχαρίσατο

* Col. iii. 13, 1 Tim. i. 15. 2 Tim. ii. 10. 1 Tim. i. 16, TY пãσaν μаxpołupiav, the highest degree of longsuffering. See Wetstein, Rosenm. and Heinrichs. The idiom is confirmed by Polybius and Plutarch. Eph. v. 25—27, év jýpati vaa Hebraism, answering to the extensive use of 727 see Koppé. Eph. i. 23; see Schleusn. Col. iii. 15; the reading, Christ, is adopted on the clearest evidence: see Griesb. 1 Cor. xvi. 23. Gal. vi. 18. 2 Tim. iv. 22. 1 Thess. iii. 12, 13; here designates Christ, follows from v. 11. 1 Cor. i. 5.-8. 2 Thess. iii. 3; 2 Tim. iv. 17, 18; that, in the last two passages, Christ is intended, is inferred from both the phraseology and the connexion.

that the Lord

hearts and establish you in every good word and work!"*

To the serious and sincere inquirer, whose faith in the divine word, whose meditations and devotions, permit him not to be a stranger to the weaknesses and wants, the sins and dangers, of human nature, in its existing state of probation, anxiety, and guilt, and in its expectancy of eternal judgment, I make the request, that he would closely reflect on the NATURE of the blessings here declared to be the gift and work of Christ, on the PERFECTIONS from which alone they can emanate, and on the POWER Over the mind and moral condition of man which the bestowment of them implies. We here find attributed to Christ in the plainest and fullest language, a condescension from a previous state, in order to deliver men from the deepest misery; the all-comprehensive and infinite good, the SALVATION of sinners; the exercise of boundless kindness and forbearance;

the

most glorious, stupendous, and triumphant mercy; deliverance from the greatest evil, in the present and the future life; the conferring of perfect holiness, the highest honour and the germ of supreme bliss; - the gift of the best blessings that can be enjoyed in our present condition, the knowledge of divine truth, ability to teach it, the progress and success of the

* Rom. i. 7, and the benedictions at the commencement of other Epistles. Tit. i. 1. 2 Thess. ii. 16, 17.