approach to it of which our nature is capable. Or should any one inquire (being led by the ordinary English use of the word, to draw too strong a distinction between the Divine Persons) whether, in this way, love towards God the Father is sufficiently inculcated, he may find an answer in our Lord's own words: "If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know Him and have seen Him. Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us. Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father? Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father, that dwelleth in me, He doeth the works." John xiv. 7-10.

If we cannot endure steadily to gaze on the sun, but prefer contemplating its brightness as reflected from the objects on the earth, much more may we expect that the splendour of the Divine Being should be too dazzling for mortal gaze; that it should be necessary for his bright

ness to be veiled in flesh, in order to enable us to contemplate it in the best manner that, for us, is possible; and that we should have a better notion of Him, by viewing this radiation of his glory, [ΑΠΑΥΓΑΣΜΑ ΤΗΣ ΔΟΞΗΣ,] than by straining our weak faculties in attempting to comprehend Him as He is. Our views, indeed, on this awful subject must, after all, be indistinct, confused, and imperfect; but if they are better than we could otherwise have attained, and are the utmost that we can or need attain, the object is sufficiently accomplished. And, indeed, if any one had clear, distinct, and complete views of the Divine Being, this would alone be a sufficient proof to me that they were incorrect views.

If, indeed, as is notoriously the fact, our only notions of the divine attributes, and our terms for expressing them, are, and always must be, borrowed from such human qualities as have the most analogy to them, it seems to follow inevitably, that the more excellent man would give us ever the more adequate notion of the divine excellence and, consequently, that the life of that Man who was altogether perfect, by union with the Godhead, must afford us the very best idea (however

imperfect that best may be) that we can attain, of the moral attributes of God.

Moreover, our Lord was subject to all the wants, infirmities, and temptations, incident to his and our human nature; and suffered on the cross for our redemption. And it should be remembered, that we are not exalting the character of Jesus, if we regard Him as naturally destitute of such feelings as ambition, love of glory, patriotism, and other such natural propensities, as are not in themselves sinful: nor could it, in that case, have been said with truth, that He "was in all points tempted like as we are." No doubt the offer of temporal dominion, to a descendant of the royal house of David, together with the eager reception this would have ensured Him with his countrymen, who were anxiously looking for such a Messiah, and the glory and pleasure of delivering them from a foreign yoke, constituted a real and strong temptation; especially when the alternative was rejection by his brethren, insult, persecution, and ignominious death. May not this offer have been pressingly renewed just

It has appeared to several divines (and I fully coincide with them) more probable, that the plot laid by Judas

at the time of his betrayal ? and may not this temptation have been the " cup" which He prayed might be removed from Him? for we are told (Heb. v. 7), that "he offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears, unto Him that was able to save Him from death, and was heard, in that He feared:" now we know that He was not saved from the death on the cross; it must have been something else, therefore, from which he prayed for deliverance, and was heard. And the Evangelist tells us, that "there appeared unto Him an angel from heaven strengthening Him."

All this calls for our sympathy, as well as reverence and gratitude; and the affectionate attachment thus so naturally generated, will

Iscariot (who could not be ignorant of his Master's supernatural powers) was for driving Him to assume a temporal dominion, than that it was directed against his life. Hinds' "Catechist's Manual," p. 251.

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a For we are told that after the temptation in the wilderness Satan departed from Him, for a season;" (äxpı kaɩpov, "till a fitting opportunity);" and this "season" or "occasion our Lord himself points out, in saying, "the prince of this world cometh," "this is your hour, and the power of darkness," " &c. &c.

adhere (if I may so express myself) to the divine nature of the Saviour also. And when we worship Him, though we worship Him not as man, but as God, still it will give an affectionate fervour to our devotions, to have an habitual remembrance, that this very God was also man, deigning for our sakes to be "made flesh, and dwell among us," "taking upon Him the form of a servant, and humbling himself even unto the death of the cross."

Undoubtedly, such is the kind of impression which Paul's language, in allusion to the incarnation, must naturally make on the mind, at least, of a plain simple reader, unskilled in drawing nice metaphysical distinctions; and this must ever be the description of the great mass of Christians; for instance, we read in Heb. iv. 15, 16, "We have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need."

When I say, however, that we worship Christ not as man but as God, I mean only, that the