the endurance of every sufferance, and the overcoming of every trial to which the lowest order of probationary beings in the boundless universe ever was, is now, or ever will be, rendered liable. Nor could infinite perfection be demonstrated, without the endurance of the highest degree of possible evil; and this could alone be effected by an union of the highest to the lowest nature. The highest degree of possible evil could alone be endured by him, who was in possession of the highest degree of possible good. For the transition from the extremest height of bliss down to the extremest depth of woe, produced that infinite contrast which produced the endurance of the highest degree of possible evil, without which infinite perfection could not be demonstrated; therefore, nothing short of Deity could have infinitely fulfilled the eternal purpose of the infinite God. Had a possibility remained for probationary beings to have overcome a trial, Christ had not overcome-a possibility had been left to have excelled him in virtue; but by the infinite Son of God enduring with unblemished righteousness the highest degree of possible evil unto which probationary beings have ever been, are now, or will ever be liable, this is for once and for ever rendered impossible.

The assertions of St. Paul fully illustrate the justness of this reasoning; he, after sublimely describing the transcendent glory, greatness, and dignity of the infinite Son of God, proclaims the indispensable essentiality of an union of the highest to the lowest nature, as well as of the suffer

ings of Christ. He, who is the beginning, says the apostle, is the first-born from the dead: subjoining at the same time an additional reason for this wondrous union, as well as for the sufferings of Christ, to those we have already stated, namely, that in all things the glorious Son of God might have pre-eminence. For it pleased the Father that in him should dwell all fulness of perfection; and having made peace through the blood of his cross, (which, without the endurance of, He could not have been infinitely perfect,) by him to reconcile all intellectuals throughout the boundless universe unto his infinitely perfect self; no man or other being may therefore redeem their fellows, for it cost more to redeem their souls; so that they must let that alone for ever. (Ps. xlix. 8.) That a redemption reaching the case of every intellectual throughout the boundless universe who needed such redemption-a redemption commensurate with the infinite purpose and the infinite perfection of him who purposed, and of him who wrought it—a redemption embracing no less a grasp than that of gathering together in one all things both in heaven and in earth,-could not be obtained by any thing short of the delineation of infinite perfection, the Scripture still further proves. St. Paul thus argues: If therefore perfection were obtainable by the Levitical priesthood, what further need was there that another priest should rise after the order of Melchisedek? and the redemption in Christ Jesus is declared to be obtained through the righteousness of Christ. It is his righteous

ness which God sets forth to be a propitiation for the remission of sins, (Rom. iii. 25;) and the sole intent of the Mosaic institution seems comprised in one point, namely, to pre-show that nothing short of unblemished righteousness, nothing short of spotless perfection, nothing short of perfect holiness, could or will be received and accepted by a pure and spotless God. And neither perfection, nor righteousness, nor perfect holiness, could have been fully demonstrated without the endurance of sufferings: for had not the great Captain of salvation been tempted in all points like to probationaries, it was impossible that He could have demonstrated infinite perfection; and it was impossible for him to be tempted in all points like to probationaries, and overcome every temptation by which they had been overcome, without the endurance of every suffering to which the lowest order of probationary beings in the boundless universe was ever liable. Had He not to the uttermost endured all of these, his perfection would have been a negative perfection, not an infinite perfection. For the perfection unto which intelligents attain, depends upon the trials wherewith their virtue has been tested, and the difficulty and extent of the duties they have been ordained to perform. Probationaries who have not been appointed to cope with very arduous trials, or to perform very arduous duties, may delineate perfection in the state in which it has pleased God to place them. But their perfection, shrinks into nothing when compared with the perfection of probationaries who have fulfilled

extreme and difficult duties, and sustained severe and arduous sufferings without tarnishing their virtue. Besides, had not the great Captain of salvation been tempted in all points like to probationaries, these could not have had an high

* It appears highly probable, that the illustrious personage Melchisedek did pass through his probation on our earth with safety and with honour; and may on that account be said to have in our nature delineated perfection, which St. Paul seems to intimate by the following question: If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the people received the law,) what further need was there that another priest should rise after the order of Melchisedek? And should Melchisedek, as man, have delineated perfection, it may here be asked, why could not such delineation atone for man's transgression? To this we first reply, that if heaven's highest sanctities require an interest in the Redeemer's merits, and Melchisedek contracted during his warfare in our nature any speck or spot, he would himself need both with them and us to participate the benefit of Christ's propitiation. He certainly took on him, as did the Son of God, a frail, polluted nature; and may not have fulfilled the task of perfectly restoring it unto its pris. tine perfection. St. Paul concludes all under sin who ever lived on earth, saving our blessed Lord; asserting that all have fallen short of the glory of God. It is possible, however, that Melchisedek may have been an exception to this assertion; he being a man totally differently circumstanced to all other men except the Son of God; he being pre-existent, and, like unto our Lord, composed of a celestial and a carnal nature. He may therefore, as man, have delineated perfection in the state in which it pleased God for him to pass through his probation;— and was this the fact, he in this respect, as well as many others, was an illustrious type of the glorious Son of God. And both the Jewish and scriptural relations of the titles and character of this extraordinary personage (already inserted) clearly favour this conjecture. But even if he did delineate perfection in the state in which it pleased God to place him, how widely different was the state to that in which our blessed Lord

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priest who was touched with the feeling of infirmities, or the glorious pattern set, which now is

passed through his warfare on our earth. The state of Melchisedek was far from being a state which exposed him to every temptation incidental to humanity, and which, without the endurance of it in its most extreme extent, we have already seen, he could not as man have delineated full perfection. Melchisedek was a king, a rich, munificent monarch; according to Josephus, highly respected and esteemed among men; and according to St. Paul, the greatest among men. He was greater than was the great patriarch Abraham; for without all contradiction, the less is blessed of the better. And that it is important for us to form just ideas of the greatness of this man, is fully illustrated by the apostolic admonition-Consider how great this man was. The Son of God, on the contrary, took on him the form of a servant, was poor, not knowing where to lay his head-despised, derided, and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief. Melchisedek was probably translated back to the celestial regions; at least, there is no reason in the world to suppose that he endured the sufferings which did our blessed Lord; as neither the sacred nor Jewish historians mention such a circumstance. But the blessed Son of God poured out his soul in death under the most excruciating tortures. Melchisedek could not therefore have been tempted in all points unto which man was liable; and his fection consequently was a negative perfection, falling far short of, and entirely subordinate unto, the full perfection which the glorious Son of God did, as man, delineate on earth, and without which propitiation could not have been made for man's abundant errors. The perfection of Melchisedek could not, we thus perceive, have atoned for mankind, or probably for many other orders of probationaries; and both as an heavenly and a human being, it appears most likely that he did himself require an interest in the infinite merits of our blessed Redeemer: for nothing short of infinite perfection could reach the case of all, and pen within one fold all things both in heaven and in earth. It has been already observed, that it is most reasonable to conclude, that the trials of intelligents are administered during their

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