the continuation of that same passage, the words are, "behold, I, and the children whom God hath given me."

I adduce these several passages to you very briefly, as they are very remarkable and familiar to you all, and the recital of a very few words will call up to your recollection all their details; and I need not explain their applicability to the Messiah, because they are universally admitted to be so applicable by the whole nation, to whom I am addressing this epistle; and they most unequivocally point to the unity of the same nature, in Christ and man, and you will instantly acknowledge the natural force, the practical influence, this view of him as the son of man gives to his example as our Captain or Leader.

Since then in children

The last words that I recited from the prophet were, "behold, I, and the children whom God has given me." there is a complete and perfect participation of flesh and blood, he likewise partook of flesh and blood, in manner and degree closely parallel with the manner and degree of their participation, and he did so in conformity with that purpose which was so suitable to the universal Father, of making his first born perfect as the Leader of his other sons to salvation, He partook most intimately as the son of man

human nature in all its infirmity, in all its capability, that whatever he did, might legitimately and reasonably be proposed for the imitation of his followers, that through death, he might make as nothing him, who has the power of death, him, who only is the sting, who only gives to death all its terrors, the accuser; that he might cast him down, who accused the sons of God before their father night and day.

Had he not taken upon him most intimately and perfectly human nature, he would not have been perfect as a leader of man; man would not have been influenced in the slightest degree by his example; it could not have been reasonably proposed to man as a model or pattern; his death would have been in vain, his blood would not have purified, his followers would not have overcome the accuser; would not have made the accuser as nothing, by annihilating his hateful office, by purifying themselves, that his occupation as their accuser might cease for ever before their God and Father they would not have overcome him on account of the blood of the Lamb, and on account of the word of his testimony, by making that blood, and that testimony their own, by their baptismal pledge into it, they would not have practically redeemed that pledge, and in the cause of God's testimony loved their lives

so little, as to follow their Leader cheerfully even unto death. Thus Christ partook of human nature most intimately, and in every respect, that he might by death, his own death, make him that has the power of death as nothing, that is, the accuser: and that he might.. liberate them, that is, his brethren the other sons of God, with whom he partook of the same flesh and blood; that he might lead to liberty them, who throughout life, whether Jew or Gentile, fearing death, had hitherto been the slaves of that fear. For we do not.. see him by any means seizing as the principle object or scope of his pursuit or mission, the character of a prophet or angel, but he comes in the title of the son of man, he takes as the peculiar purport, the principal scope of his being, the seed of Abraham.

And therefore it was indispensable to his .. purpose that he should be made like to the brethren, who likewise are the seed of Abraham in every respect, that he might become practically merciful as to those things which he did having God, or God's glory for their end; namely, those things which he did to accomplish God's gracious purpose towards his other sons; that he might become practically or efficiently merciful; that is, not merely so in feeling, but also in act; that what he did as partaker

of man's nature, man might be encouraged to do likewise; and that having thus effectually purified them, he might as his Father's minister of a merciful dispensation, reconcile them to his love. Taking upon him the seed of Abraham for such an object he found it indispensable to be made in every respect like the sons of men, that he might become in act as well as in will merciful, or a minister of mercy to man, and therefore also a faithful priest as to those things which he did, having God, or God's glory for their object, that is, faithful by doing the will of God, by effectually accomplishing the work of purification of God's other sons, the especial work committed to him, making an effectual expiation for the sins of the people by his own blood; that is, faithful under all the obstacles of the flesh even unto death, in order that man, struggling with the same obstacles, might, viewing the triumphant issue of his faithful career, be aroused to the like faithfulness of spirit, and become thereby reconciled gratuitously to the Father.

For the Father having promised to accept his death (viewed in the light of a penalty due to sin) as the death of all the faithful, the dissolution of this our carnal frame ceases to be a penalty, and becomes merely a passage from a state of humiliation to a state of glory.

Thus was it necessary that Christ should be made like unto man, in order that he might make an efficient expiation or purification, as our high priest, of man's sins; as otherwise, his conduct, his death and sufferings could have had no purifying influence upon man. For it.. is in or through the reality of his sufferings, that he is enabled to assist those who are under similar trials; his blood speaks to us from the cross, through his intimate reciprocation with our nature and our feelings, and it can speak through that alone, assisting those only who are of the same flesh and blood, exciting and animating those who encounter similar trials, with the encouraging assurance of strength, and with the shout as it were of triumph. Oh death where is thy sting! Oh grave where is thy victory!

Wherefore holy brethren, (holiness is the.. distinctive profession, and the received appellation of the faithful,) holy brethren, partakers with the first begotten of a heavenly calling, of a calling that points, not to a temporary establishment or rest on this earth, but to an inberitance eternal in the heavens: fix your mind upon Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our profession, the apostle who has opened up to us those heavenly prospects to which we are called, and the hope of which we profess, into