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and put to death in vast multitudes, because of their faith in Christ, could not have been credible: nor could it that the rejectors of Christ would manifest their unbelief and enmity, as they do by the infliction of those evils on his disciples. It could be foreshown only by him who exercises the providence under which it takes place. It could be chosen as a wise and necessary measure only by the author of redemption, who contemplates in his administration the interests and necessities of the universe, and of his own glory through eternal ages. Its revelation in the Scriptures is a proof, therefore, that they are from him. It is shown, also, and on a scale as vast as the universe itself is, by his providence, in which the revelation is verified. His redeemed people have been in all ages, and are still, subjected to those great and determinative trials of their fidelity, as they are foreshown in the Bible. As he thus executes the revelation made in the Scriptures, he is demonstratively the author of that revelation. To deny it, and exhibit him as but the executor of the purposes of another, were to deny his deity. The proof from this source that the Scriptures are a revelation from him is thus as vast as the sway is by which the great scheme disclosed in his word of testing the hearts of men is accomplished.

It is apparent from the perfections of God and the ends he is pursuing, that the demonstration of what man is, when unrenewed, and of what those become who are regenerated, may at length reach a sum so vast as to vindicate the truth and righteousness of his judgment of them, render any further trial of their character unnecessary, and prepare the way for the institution of a different dispensation, under which all nations and individuals shall be brought to the knowledge of the gospel, and made partakers of the blessings it proffers. The ends of the exemplifications that are now taking place may be so fully attained that all reason for their continuance will cease, and the redemption of all those who thereafter come into life be practicable without the possibility of a misconception by the universe of the measure; with the certainty that it will for ever be seen by all what it is from which those who are redeemed are saved; and what the power, and wisdom, and grace are which accomplish their salvation. Why, then, should these

trials be continued, when the lessons they teach no longer need to be repeated in order that God's righteousness and truth may be understood?

The Scriptures accordingly foreshow that such a time is at length to arrive, and that God is then to institute a new administration, under which the evils with which all are now smitten in trial of their hearts are to be unknown, the great tempter of men precluded from their presence, the curse in all its forms of pain, want, sorrow, and death removed, and man cease to be the enemy of man, and all nations and all individuals brought to a knowledge of God, submission to his sway, and the enjoyment of his favor. When Christ has put all his enemies under his feet by confuting all their impeachments of God, all their denials of his truth, and all their false justifications of themselves, and disarmed them of their power any longer to make war on him or his kingdom, he will come in the clouds of heaven. with power and great glory, and receive the sceptre of the earth, that all people, nations, and languages may serve him, and will reign over the race redeemed from sin and death for ever and ever. And this revelation is a proof that the Scriptures are divine. This great purpose to restore the race from the thrall of sin and raise it again to perfect holiness and bliss, would never have been devised by man. It could emanate only from the infinite love and wisdom which execute it. It is consonant to God's perfections. It bears the stamp of his all-comprehensive intelligence, his immeasurable benignity, and his almighty power. It will involve the greatest possible display of his perfections which the redemption of the world admits. It will vindicate him from all the aspersions Satan and men have cast on his attributes and his administration. It will contribute in the highest degree to the instruction and confirmation in holiness and blessedness of his unfallen kingdom. And as the purpose being thus essential to his glory is most certainly his, so also the revelation of it in the Scriptures is as indubitably from him.

It may reasonably be presumed from the perfections of God and the ends he is pursuing, that those whom he redeems will, when their salvation is completed, be brought into such relations to himself, and placed in such conditions

as shall indicate in the most decisive manner that they are fully delivered from condemnation, and are the objects of his perfect love. Were any part of the curse left remaining on them, or were they debarred from all stations of trust and authority, isolated from the rest of his kingdom, and denied the tokens of approval and confidence that are bestowed on other orders of his children, it would indicate that the stains of sin, in a measure, or at least its, dishonors, still attached to them, and that it was unbecoming in God to regard them with perfect favor. But that would imply that the work of Christ was not adequate to raise them to the relation of children, and that their redemption was not complete, and would thus discredit and dishonor him. It is manifest, therefore, that those who are redeemed will be placed in such stations in God's empire, and signalized by such tokens of his love, as shall show that their restoration to his favor is entire.

It is accordingly revealed in the Scriptures that that is his purpose in regard to them. They are not only to be freed wholly from sin, and delivered from all the penal evils which it draws in its train, but on their resurrection from death-its most special penalty-they are to be raised to a far higher nature, in the likeness of Christ's glorified body, exalted to stations of the utmost dignity and authority in his immediate presence, and reign with him in his kingdom for ever. And the revelation of this purpose, so consonant to his wisdom, and essential to the perfection of his work, is a proof that the Scriptures, in which it is made, are from him. It could have proceeded from none but him who formed and is to execute the design.

And, finally, it is manifest from God's perfections and the aims he is pursuing, that he will make known the work of redemption to all his intelligent creatures, in order that they may behold the displays of his power, wisdom, righteousness, and love that are made in it, and be impressed with the awe, wonder, love, trust, adoration, and submission it is suited to inspire, and confirmed in a joyous and eternal allegiance to him. To withhold it from them, would be to deny them a most essential blessing; to treat them as though unentitled to a full knowledge of the glory of his perfections and work, and perhaps expose them to misconceptions

and doubts. It is accordingly announced in the Scriptures that God imparts that knowledge to his whole intelligent empire; that Christ, immediately after his resurrection, ascended in his glorified human nature to heaven, and was invested with the sceptre of the universe, in order that he might make known to all worlds and creatures his work as Redeemer, and bring every knee in heaven, earth, and the realms beneath the earth, to bow to him, and every tongue to confess that he is Jehovah the Word, and glorify the Father for appointing him to his work as Saviour. All the orders of his holy subjects are thus to be brought into intimate relations to him as Redeemer of our world, are to be made acquainted with the salvation which he accomplishes here, and are to enjoy the lofty aids to wisdom, faith, love, submission, joy, through their endless being, which that knowledge will yield. The revelation in the Scriptures of this great design, so suitable to his wisdom, and so manifestive of his love, is accordingly a proof that they are from him. As a purpose so stamped with his infinite perfections, so suitable to his station, could emanate from none but him, so the revelation of that purpose, and the volume in which it is made, could proceed alone from him.

Taking thus the perfections of God that are made known. to us in his works as Creator, as indices of the course he will pursue towards his moral creatures, it is manifest that he will establish over them such a moral government, and institute such a work of redemption as are revealed in the Scriptures; and exercise over them such a providence as that in which he is carrying that government and work of redemption into effect: and thence that the Scriptures in which that revelation is made, which he is thus executing, are from him-the inspiration of his Spirit; the authoritative utterance of his will.

The proof of the divine origin of the Scriptures from this source, is thus infinitely greater than from the testimony of men; as it is as great as his providential rule is in which he executes and accomplishes the revelations of the Bible. It is as vast and absolute as his own perfections are. Nothing that he does is explicable on any other supposition; but on that, all his ways are intelligible, and marked by a

rectitude, wisdom, and benignity worthy of his nature and station.

ART. II.-DR. J. A. ALEXANDER ON MATTHEW XXIV.

SERMONS BY JOSEPH ADDISON ALEXANDER, D.D. Two Volumes. New York, Charles Scribner: London, Sampson Low, Son & Co. 1860.

THESE volumes are a very acceptable memento of their eminent author. They bring back his person, his cast of intellect, his vivid imagination, his vigorous and graceful style, his peculiar utterance, with great distinctness; recall the strong impressions his discourses usually made, and revive the feeling of sadness with which his departure filled the hearts of those who had a personal acquaintance with him, or were aware of his extraordinary gifts, the important place he occupied in the Seminary to which he belonged, and the large and salutary influence he exerted on the interests of sacred learning. Though marked when the theme required by the minute and accurate scholarship for which he was distinguished, they were not written by the Professor alone, but also by the Preacher, and display great clearness of apprehension, a far-reaching discernment of relations, an exuberant affluence of thought and fancy, and unusual power of expression and delineation. He painted whatever object, and called up whatever scene he pleased with great distinctness, and presented them in their natural hues and attitudes. His style, though copious, ornate, and occasionally embodying a group of thoughts in a single sentence, is yet of such simplicity, precision, and felicitous adaptation of terms to the objects they are employed to describe, as to be suited to a much more emphatic and impassioned utterance than his sermons received from him. Pronounced by an orator, as eminent as he was as a thinker and writer, their effect would have been of a very lofty kind. The plan on which most of the discourses are framed is much the same, and specially noticeable in one of his varied

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