ment, and by types, which have been universally acknowledged. But there are, also, events in sacred history, which seem to have a similar tendency.

The writer is well aware, that whoever enters on this rich and copious enquiry will perhaps be liable to be led away by his own fancy; and may thus be betrayed into a forced interpretation, where no secondary meaning was really designed. In other cases, where the sacred text may seem to be obscure, he may perhaps presume a construction, which will not be apparent to the mind of others. The following pages are intended merely to set forth with great diffidence those views, which have presented themselves to the contemplation of the writer. He entertains no presumptuous idea of directing the opinions of others.

If we take a brief review of the wonderful scheme of Divine revelation, we shall perceive that it is beautiful in its harmony, consistent in its unity, and, notwithstanding long interruptions and impediments occasioned by human error and depravity, indestructible in its permanency. The elementary principles, which constituted the relation of man to his Almighty Creator appear to be these. First, that God only is good, and holy, and just, and merciful. Secondly, that He will nevertheless, impute righteousness, by his own free grace, to man, if he will shew forth the sincerity of his faith by its only genuine fruits, namely obedience to his Maker's will. Thus God, in Christ,

will freely justify that true Faith, which worketh by love.

Thirdly, that God has Himself both provided and accepted, through the sacrifice of his blessed Son incarnate, our Lord Jesus Christ, an all-sufficient atonement, for the numerous transgressions of mankind; and has thereby vindicated the perfection of his own holiness, and of his own justice and mercy.

Finally, that He will vouchsafe to sincere Faith a power of obedience, notwithstanding the relapses of human infirmity ; and will thus by the free gift of his own Holy Spirit, engraft a principle of holiness in the soul of fallen man.

In brief, righteousness is imputed by God to Faith, which worketh by love, through the atoning and justifying grace of Christ our Redeemer; and the sanctifying grace of the Holy Ghost. Thus, as Father the Creator; as Son the justifying Atonement; as Holy Ghost the Sanctifier; there are three persons, and, as it were, three functions in the Unity of the eternal God-head.

It is in the gradually expanding path of this revelation that they, who are just (that is justified) have, from the days of our first parents, down to the present time, progressively walked, as in "a shining light, that shineth more and more, unto the perfect. day." On the other hand, it has been in opposition to this revelation that the wicked have walked "in

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darkness, and have known not at what they stumbled." (Proverbs iv. 18, 19.)

The first prohibition of the Almighty Creator was directed against an evil principle, which he knew to be latent in the human heart, namely that principle, which leads men to "trust in themselves that they are righteous." Man, in a state of innocence, had perfect faith, and righteousness. Content with the innocency with which God had invested him, man was not to know even the meaning of evil. He was not to be initiated in the perception of that distinction between good and evil which would lead him to a dependence on his own choice and his own strength. God had endowed him with all-sufficient grace; he had formed him in his own image; he was not to be let into the secret of possible vice. Every thing good was heaped upon him; and to this was added the happy incident of an ignorance of evil. So long as he abstained from "the tree of knowledge of good and evil," there was no reservation; every other tree, even that blessed tree, "the tree of Life," was his. His simple faith was perfect,-the righteousness of God, in the image of which he had been formed, was perfect; and the tree of Life was consequently perfect. It was matured, full-grown, abounding in its exquisite fruits, and his own, by the free gift of his Creator. Had the knowledge of good and evil not been acquired, the leaves of that tree would never have been wanted for the healing of the nations; for the first

tree of Life in the midst of the garden was already furnished with that fruit, of which he, who should "take and eat, should live for ever." That blessed fruit was the reward, already matured, for that perfect righteousness united to a perfect faith, which, working by a confiding love to the Creator, knew no evil, and claimed no merit, but was engrossed by gratitude and devotion.

"Out of the ground made the Lord God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food." They were not the results of Adam's labour, but God made them to grow-" the tree of life also in the midst of the garden :-and the tree of knowledge of good and evil." Of all but the last, man might freely partake. "Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die." He, who was created good, was not to acquire the fatal lesson, by which he would learn to know evil. The very knowledge of evil would necessarily impair that righteousness, which was annexed to the obedience of simple faith. There would arise, immediately, a comparison between the evil, which he might learn to know, with the good, of which he would then feel some degree of proud consciousness. The perfect innocency of his condition would be at once impaired. There would be set up in the soul of the creature that principle, most derogatory to the

sole perfection of the Creator, a sense of self-righteousness. There would be an assumption of that principle of goodness, which God alone possesses in Himself; and which his creatures can only attain to, as he may be pleased to impart it to them. Then would man commence in his own strength that fatal conflict between good and evil, in which he would be sure to be vanquished. An occasion would be given for sin and disobedience; and death, the penalty of sin, would follow." In the day that thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die."

Ensnared by the wiles of Satan, and seduced by the influence of Eve, Adam aspired to the fatal knowledge, which his merciful Creator had withheld. Not content with their blessed state of confiding innocency, our first parents aspired to be as God himself, "knowing good and evil." The tree of this knowledge, a knowledge so ruinous to all created beings, seemed to them, under the tempter's delusion, " a tree to be desired, to make one wise." Eve" took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her, and he did eat ; "-" and the eyes of them both were opened." Evil became present to their souls so soon as they had once transgressed the Divine command. Thus the fruit of that forbidden tree occasioned, as God had foretold to them, "the knowledge of good and evil." They became sensible of shame. The righteousness, in which they had been created, after God's image, had constituted a veil to