a distinct survey of it in the several faculties belonging to the soul; in the understanding, in the will, in the passions or affections.

First: In the understanding. At its first creation it was sublime, clear, and inspiring. It was the leading, controlling faculty. It gave the soul a bright and full view into all things, and was not only a window, but itself the prospect. There is as much difference between the clear representations of the understanding then, and the obscure discoveries that it makes now, as there is between the prospect of landscape from a casement and from a keyhole. As there are two great functions of the soul-contemplation and practice-so with relation to the objects of each of these, the understanding is divided into speculative and practical, in both of which the image of God was then apparent. That image was apparent

(a.) In the understanding speculative. There are some general maxims and universal notions in the mind of man which are the rules of discourse and the basis of all philosophy. Now, it was Adam's happiness in the state of innocence to have these clear and unsullied. He came into the world a philosopher, which sufficiently appeared by his writing the nature of things upon their names. Like a better Archimedes, the issue of all his inquiries was a Eureka, the offspring of his brain without the sweat of his brow. All the arts, rarities, and inventions are but the relics of an intellect defaced with sin and time. An Aristotle was but the rubbish of an Adam, and Athens but the rudiments of Paradise. The image of God was apparent at man's creation

(B.) In the practical understanding. That is the storehouse of the soul, in which are treasured up the rules of action and the seeds of morality. It was the privilege of Adam, innocent, to have these notions firm and untainted, to carry his monitor in his bosom, his law in his heart; to have such a conscience as might be its own casuist. The decalogue of Moses was but a transcript, not an original. God's image in man at the creation was stamped

:

Secondly In the will. The will of man in the state of innocence had an entire freedom to accept or not to accept the temptation. The will then was ductile and pliant to all the

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motions of right reason. The understanding and the will never disagreed, for the proposals of the one never thwarted the inclinations of the other. It is the nature of the will to follow a superior guide-to be drawn by the intellect. But then it was drawn as a triumphant chariot, which at the same time both follows and triumphs; while it obeyed this, it commanded the other faculties. It was subordinate, not enslaved to the understanding; not as a servant to a master, but as a queen to her king, who both acknowledges her subjection and yet retains a majesty. God's image in man at the creation was to be

seen

Thirdly: In the passions. This will be evident if we consider the principal and most noted passions from which we may take

an estimate of the rest.

(a.) Love. This is the great instrument and engine of nature, the bond and cement of society, the spirit and spring of the universe. Love is such an affection as cannot so properly be said to be in the soul, as the soul to be in it. The soul may sooner leave off to subsist than to love, and, like the vine, it withers and dies if it has nothing to embrace. Now, this affection, in the state of innocence, was happily pitched upon its right object, it flamed up in direct fervours of devotion to God, and in collateral emissions of charity to its neighbour. It was a vestal and a virgin fire, and differed as much from that which usually passes by this name now-a-days, as the vital heat from the burning of a fever.

(B.) Hatred. This is the passion of defiance, and there is hostility included in its very essence. But then it acted within the compass of its proper object-like aloes, bitter, but whole

some.

(y.) Anger. This then vented itself by the measures of reason. It sparkled like a coal upon the altar with the fervours of piety, the heats of devotion, the sallies and vibrations of a harmless activity.

(8.) Joy. This was not the mere crackling of thorns or sudden blaze of the spirits, the exultation of a tickled fancy or a pleased appetite. Joy then was the recreation of the judgment, the jubilee of reason. It filled the soul, as God does the universe, silently and without noise.

(9.) Sorrow. Had any loss or disaster made but room for grief, it would have moved according to the allowances of prudence and the proportions of the provocation. Sorrow then would have been as silent as thought, as severe as philosophy.

(.) Hope. There may not have been hope in respect of any future addition, but only of the continuance of what was already possessed. It is not imaginable that Adam could fix upon such poor thin enjoyments as riches, pleasures, the gaieties of an animal life. For if, as the apostle says, "no man hopes for that which he sees," much less could Adam then hope for such things as he saw through.

(e.) Fear. It was then the instrument of caution, not of anxiety. It fixed upon Him who only is to be feared, God. It was awe without amazement, dread without distraction. There was a beauty even in this very paleness; it was the colour of devotion.

From this exact and regular composure of all the faculties there arose the crowning perfection of all, a good conscience, which arises from the right action of all the faculties of the soul, just as health does from the right action of all the faculties of the body.

Now the use of this point-that man was created in the image of God-might be various; but at present it shall only be twofold. First: To remind us of the irreparable loss we have sustained by sin. Briefly, so great is the change, so deplorable the degradation of our nature, that whereas before we bore the image of God, we now retain only the image of man. Our subject serves—

Secondly: To teach us the excellency of the Christian religion. It is the great and only means to set fallen man upon his legs again, to clarify his reason, to rectify his will, and to compose and regulate his affections. The whole business of our redemption is, in short, only to rub over the defaced copy of the creation, to reprint God's image upon the soul, and, as it were, to set forth nature in a second and fairer edition.

Bristol

URIJAH R. THOMAS

The Preacher's Dissecting Boom.

"I SPEAK AS TO WISE MEN."

No. II.

HENRY PARR LIDDON, M.A.

"The

And by

E resume our notice of Mr. Liddon's sermon on Power of Christ's Resurrection;" discussing in this article the second and last part, in which he undertakes to consider the "moral" and "spiritual power" of that cardinal fact. a moral power he means, so he tells us, "a power which shall stimulate and control feeling, resolution, action." Starting from which definition, he proceeds to consider, what are the conditions of efficiency in a power of this kind, and how far they appear satisfied in the instance before him.

The above plan is carried out somewhat in the following way :A moral power to be effective must enable us to do and endure, partly because human life consists of necessity in doing and suffering for some end; and, still more, because the Christian life consists in this doing and suffering, not of necessity only, but on principle. As with "a soldier, an artist, a statesman," so with a Christian in this respect, he needs a "plan of campaign," an "ideal," a future," which shall at once incite and support him to do and endure some object of hope on the one hand, and some ground of hope on the other.

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Admitting this, these "conditions" will be found "satisfied by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ" on a a magnificent scale.” This is the next point to be proved.

And, first, as to the "object of hope," the Resurrection" opens out before the eye of the soul its one adequate aim in all action, and in all endurance-a union of the whole man with God, extending through the vast perspectives of a boundless eternity." This is shown, negatively, by considering that even the doctrine of the immortality of the soul, the only other thing apparently able to supply this "adequate aim," is really unequal to it on the following grounds, viz. (1), because the metaphysical and moral arguments in support of it are very difficult for ordinary minds to apprehend; (2), because these arguments are complicated by scientific considerations which rather go to prove the immortality of the body as well; and (3), because in times of sorrow (when

we especially need support) we cannot help listening to imagina tion and feeling rather than to arguments, however true or profound. What we require, therefore-so it is next argued on the positive side is "something which shall meet the senses and imagination on their own ground by visibly reversing that spectacle of death which so painfully depresses them." And this "something was supplied on the early morning of Easter Day," as shown, e.g., by the peculiar glory of the Resurrection itself, which is briefly but mostbeautifully described; by its peculiar significance as a manifest conquest over the great conqueror, death; by its direct and necessary connection in Scripture with every Christian's personal hope of resurrection and immortality; and by the peculiar and amazing energy of such a hope in the heart. "On such a subject as this sincere belief is a tremendous power; it is a power which can invigorate will, and purify affection, and check the fire of passion, and quicken into life the languor of despair." Altogether, the Resurrection of Christ supplies us to perfection in this manner with the kind of "hope" we require.

From the preceding abridged sketch of what is in reality only an abridged argument itself, the reader will obtain, nevertheless, some idea of its power. The question, indeed, is handled with great boldness, directness, fairness, and faith; and the impression (so important to successful preaching) is left on the mind, that the preacher sees and faces the difficulties, and yet feels the truth, of his point. We believe, as we listen, that he believes fully-fully, and, also deliberately-in the Resurrection as a "hope." And we cannot but acknowledge, further, that he has rendered most weighty reasons for his faith. The preacher who has done thus much has done uncommonly well.

At the same time, we submit, with all deference, that he has missed his mark on one point; and left this part of his subject decidedly incomplete-incomplete, we almost think, to the extent of one-half. In other words, we consider, that, admirable as is his summing up of the intimate and inseparable connection between the Resurrection of Christ and the Christian hope when regarded objectively, he has not been equally successful as to the subjective view of this hope. For he has omitted, it will be found, to mention-and it would almost seem even to recollect —that such a future life as that which Revelation holds out to as is not a thing of desire to human nature, as human nature is when confronted with the fact of Christ's Resurrection, but a thing of fear and dislike. No one wishes by nature for such an immortality as that which can alone be entered upon through the open gates of Christ's grave. "The riches of the glory of His inheritance among the saints" are no riches at all to an un