THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD,

SUBJECTIVELY CONSIDERED.

ARGUMENT OF THE GENERAL CONCLUSION.

THE general demonstration, according to the conception I have of the Knowledge of God subjectively considered, and according to the method I adopt in the statement of that Knowledge, seems to me to be concluded at the end of the preceding Book. The following chapter, therefore, has two objects, and is divided into two parts. The first object, to which the first large division of the chapter is devoted, is to point out the fundamental nature of religion and of salvation: to disclose the absolute and universal identity of Immanuel, with true religion and with salvation: to explain the nature of the covenant of Grace, and its relation to the nature of God, and to the possibility of true religion in man: to disclose the manifestation of that eternal covenant, in the creation and progress of the Kingdom of God in this world, from the first proclamation of the covenant to the present time: and to exhibit the actual point reached in the manifestation of the covenant, and in the progress of the Kindom of God under it. The second object, to which the second large division of the chapter is devoted, is to disclose-in brief-the further manifestation, and the consummation of the covenant of Grace, and the further progress, final triumph, and eternal state of the Kingdom of God: which is attempted, not at all in the way of prophetical interpretation, but wholly as matter of Christian doctrine. In doing this, a general and condensed survey is attempted, of the chief of those infinite future realities, which the Scriptures connect with the person, and work, and glory of the Lord Jesus Christ; and their relation to the Godhead-their effects upon the created universe, especially upon this earth—their relation to the Church in its Gospel, its Millennial, and its Eternal state-their influence upon the mortal and the immortal existence of the human race, considered as a whole and as individuals, considered as united to Christ and as without Christ—and finally their relation to the second coming and Millennial Reign of the glorified Redeemer-are all sought to be disclosed in so far, as in the present state of Knowledge, light can be thereby thrown upon

the future manifestation, and the consummation of God's eternal covenant. The chapter closes with a short statement concerning the Son of God, and saving Knowledge of him. Two ideas pervade the whole. The infinite Grace of God, through Jesus Christ our Lord:-the end thereof, infinite Glory to God, and eternal Blessedness to his restored universe and his redeemed creatures.

CHAPTER XXXII.

GENERAL CONCLUSION: PROGRESS AND CONSUMMATION OF GOD'S ETERNAL COVENANT.

I. 1. The Objective Knowledge of God-and its Statement: Relation thereof to religion.—2. The Subjective Knowledge of God: the Means and Effects thereof.— 3. The middle term between God and sinless man subverted by the Fall: Restored by the Mediator between God and sinful men: Relation of Salvation by Grace to the Nature of God.-4. Relation of the manner of Salvation to the mode of the Divine Existence: the Eternal Covenant of Redemption: special Relation of the Son of God thereto.-5. First Proclamation of this Eternal Covenant, and the effects thereof: the Kingdom created by and under it: Messiah the Prince: Progress of the Kingdom to the present time.-6. The actual Posture of the Kingdom, in the form of the Gospel Church: the Demonstration which has been attempted of the Subjective Knowledge of God unto Salvation.-II. 1. Consummation of God's Eternal Covenant, with Relation to Him and to all his Works.-2. Future Progress of the Gospel Church: Millennial state: Eternal state.-3. Every Effect of Sin upon the Universe retrieved: the consummation of the Covenant of Grace, with Reference to this Earth.-4. Effect of that consummation upon the Human Race, individually considered: Eternal Death of the Wicked: Eternal Life of the Righteous.-5. The Sum and Result of all, with Relation to God, and with Relation to the Created Universe, especially the human Race.-6. The second Coming of the Son of Man-and his Millennial Glory.-7. Jesus, and the Knowledge of him, and the Life through him.

I.-1. THE objective treatment of divine truth depends for its success upon our knowledge of God, who is both the author and substance of it all. Even our knowledge of ourselves, of the created universe, of the course and event of providence-indeed of all things depends, when objectively considered, upon this knowledge of God, the author and substance of all truth. In total ignorance of God, there can be no possibility of any treatment à priori of his nature, his Attributes, his works--or the relation of any truth to him: that is there can be no objective treatment of divine truth, in our total ignorance of it. When our à priori knowledge of God, therefore, is ridiculed by infidel philosophers, and the ridicule is extended to all attempts to treat divine truth objectively; it is their own method, not ours, which

is justly amenable to their contempt. For if there is any such thing as Religion, its true nature is to be sought in the relation of an infinite personal Spirit, to a finite personal spirit—that is the relation of God to man: and the knowledge by man of this relation, and the knowledge by him both of God and of himself thus related, is the exact measure not only of the reality, but of the possibility of religion. And if this knowledge could be imagined to be perfect, religion would necessarily be perfect; provided we could conceive of the finite spirit arriving at such a perfect intuition of the infinite Spirit, without involving a contradiction in terms, making the finite infinite, and abolishing the relation on which the existence of Religion depends. But this mortal intuition of God, is strictly speaking, the only conceivable form of strictly mortal knowledge, à priori, of God; and it is this, in so many empty and pretentious forms, which derides all true religion; this, which so far from asserting, I have proved, in another place, to be absolutely impossible. God must manifest himself to man, in order that man may know him; and I have demonstrated, in the former Treatise, in an exhaustive manner, the fact of this manifestation, all the ways in which it is accomplished, and all the methods under each way. The knowledge of God thus obtained by man, is capable of distinct treatment as a body of truth; one, and the highest of whose aspects is religious. God manifests himself to man in the works of Creation and Providence; in the whole work of God manifest in the flesh, and that of God the Holy Ghost; in the Inspired Word, and in the self-conscious existence of the human soul, created, and renewed in his own image. It is not of God simply considered, therefore, that we treat à priori, upon the vain pretext that we have of ourselves, an intuition of the infinite; but it is through Religion, the relation between God and man, revealed to us on the side of God in his manifestations of himself to us, that the sum of our knowledge of God at every stage of its progress, is capable of an exact objective statement. In proportion as our Religion is true, and our Knowledge of its elemental truths is exact; that is, in proportion as we understand the relation between God and man; must be the certainty and the completeness of our statement of the Knowledge of God objectively considered.

2. In the same manner, the subjective treatment of divine