the Popish universal redemption scheme, that it includes those who cannot be liberated because they are in hell, and those who will not be liberated because they love the captivity of Satan, and despise the blessed service of Christ. But you, beloved, are not so destitute of common sense as to call that redemption which is not redemption, but rather tantalization. The only question, therefore, with you is, “Am I liberated?"-Have I escaped from Egypt? forsaken the love and practice of sin for the enjoyment of gospel privileges, and experimental liberty to love and serve Jehovah? Then, verily, you are redeemed from among men, and shall live and reign with Jesus for

ever.

I shall now proceed to the the third particular of our subject-the Secresy.

III.-"Who shall declare His generation?" I have read, I think, some of the most absurd-I had almost said monstrous-notions relative to this sacred inquiry. This word "generation" has been a subject of bitter controversy at various periods in the Church's history; and many have been led into the most egregious heresies by those who have taken part in that controversy, and who have no spirituality of mind. We shall do well, therefore, to bear in mind that we are treading upon holy ground. "Who shall declare his generation?" I promised myself a threefold view of this inquiry in the way of answer to it, for you must know that, under the Divine teaching, I feel authorized to "declare His generation." In the first place, then, I declare it to be the infinite, eternal Godhead, in true and proper sonship. Perhaps that short sentence might leave many of my hearers a volume for examination and meditation. If it were not infinite, the perfections of Deity could not be claimed. If it were not eternal, He could not appeal to the Father that He had His own self as His glory before the world began, and had it with Him. If it were not eternal, He could not be proclaimed Jesus Christ-"the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever." If He were not truly and properly God, He would have been incompetent to His office and work. If He had not been truly and properly God, He could not have negociated with the Father, nor stipulated for terms and satisfaction to all the attributes and perfections of Deity. So that, in declaring His generation, we declare Him to be the infinite, eternal, self-existent Godhead. "But," say you, "what generation is true and proper sonship?" It is not for us to define, according to carnal reason, what carnal reason might demand of us; but simply to come to the "acknowledgment of the fact; for when the apostle speaks of our reaching to the "full assurance of understanding"-and we cannot go beyond that in this world, he adds" to the acknowledgment," not to the explanation, "to the acknowledgment of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ." So that, when we come to the glorious doctrine of the Trinity, we are authorized in Scripture to go no further than the acknowledgment. The acknowledgment of it is orthodoxy; the denial of it is Infidelity. I make no apology for this bold form of putting it. The acknowledgment of the doctrine of the Trinity is orthodoxy, and every orthodox point is connected with it; the denial of it is Infidelity; and I wish to know no intermediate classes. Every man on the face of the earth is either a Trinitarian or an Infidel. You think this harsh do you? Sure I am that the strong

statement I have made is to be borne out by the whole history of the Church, as well as by all the statements in the precious Book of God. Then, in the acknowledgment of the Trinity, "the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ," I do acknowledge that it is a mystery, but a mystery for faith to lay hold of and appropriate. The apostle John was taught by the Holy Ghost to set it down that "there are three that bear record in heaven-the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost; and these three are one." How and why their existence is so designated is not for you and me so to comprehend and so to explain as to meet the inquiries-the curious and pert inquiriesof carnal reasoning; but we shall rather do well to treat all such as the idiot is said to have done by the sea-side, who, having heard a preacher on the previous evening say that he would explain the doctrine of the Trinity on the following Sabbath, and seeing that preacher approach him, took up an oyster-shell, and commenced dipping up the sea water with the greatest perseverance. The preacher asked him Emptying that pond," was the reply. "Why, when do you think you will be able to accomplish that?" "Before you finish the task you set yourself last night," said the idiot, with a triumphant laugh. This I conceive to be a most apt illustration of an attempt to explain the doctrine of the Trinity. Sure I am that we might sooner empty the bed of the ocean with an oyster-shell than satisfy the carnal reason of man with any explanation we can give of the doctrine. The "full assurance" of this matter brings us no further than to "the acknowledgment of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ." And if we could go further, would it not be incompatible with the self-existent attributes of Deity? Enough for me that I know the love of God, that I know the efficacy of the Saviour's blood in cleansing me from sin, that I know the power of the Holy Ghost by His unctuous anointings and daily teachings, and consequently that I am brought to the "acknowledgment of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ."

what he was about? 66

We pass on to notice that His nature is immaculate in the order of Melchisedec; and if we count it generation or succession, we must be a little inquisitive as regards the line. Now my Bible tells me that His nature was immaculate, that He knew no sin, that He did no sin, that He was "pure, holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate from sinners." This is not enough. The question arising for our consideration and instruction is this:-" Did He assume that nature in His iminaculate state? in the line of Aaron, or in the line of Melchisedec? Now if I look to the seventh chapter of the Epistle to the Hebrews, and its preceding and succeeding chapters, I find, in positive terms, that it was not after the order of Aaron, but after the order of Melchisedec; and "who shall declare his generation?" For of Melchisedec, it is said that he was "without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days nor end of life." I pray you, then, to mark that they who would honour Christ, and own His generation, as set forth in Scripture, must separate from all the vain pretensions of proud mortals who would assume the name of official priests. No man can be an official priest in Melchisedec's order; and if he is not a priest in Melchisedec's order, it must be in Aaron's order; consequently to assume the character at all, is to turn Jew-is to turn back and entirely away from Christianity, and is to renounce Christ in His priestly character and office; for we know no priest

under the gospel dispensation officially but He who is "a priest after the order of Melchisedec." Then, if we would "declare His generation," He had no predecessor,-He had no successor. Therefore, "who shall declare His generation?" Our precious, glorious Christ, pure and immaculate in the nature He assumed, took that nature upon Him for the very purpose of performing and fulfilling the entire work of the priesthood-to atone, to suffer, to offer incense, to live and ever intercede for the whole Israel of God. And as such we declare His generation to be in His own bosom, in His own essential self-existence, His manhood to be distinct from all beside, and insist that He would have forfeited all claim to the order of Melchisedec if He had had a successor in office. I hope you will weigh well this point; for, in the day in which we live, and in which an Infidel priesthood has become rampant, it is necessary to set things straight before the eyes of the people.

Moreover, there is another generation, which we will name before we close; and the Psalmist says of it, "A seed shall serve Him, and it shall be accounted unto the Lord for a generation." "Who shall declare His generation?" I will declare it; and I will do so without fear of contradiction, that His generation is a grace-born seed, of heavenly birth, the very seed of Christ, the partakers of His nature, and made like unto Himself by soul-transforming grace. Now, in declaring His generation in this closing thought, do allow me to appeal to you as regards your interest with them and in them. I feel a conviction that all present, at least I hope so, have fully agreed with me in the declaration of His infinite, eternal, self-existent Godhead, in His true and proper sonship; for to represent His sonship as only in His manhood, is Socinianism. We insist upon it that it is in His Godhead. "Unto the Son He said, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and

ever.

I trust you have gone with me in the view that His nature is immaculate, pure, holy, and in the order of Melchisedec, the covenant line. Now how far can you go with me in examining your claim to belong to the grace-born seed? The very objects of eternal love-the very gift of His Father into His hands-the very purchase of His blood, made manifest by regenerating grace-made manifest by the reception of life Divine into your souls. Examine it closely. Do not tell me how orthodox are your notions. I am glad of it, if they are so; and no man is more anxious for orthodoxy than I am. But it is possible to go an orthodox road to hell. Therefore, I want you to inquire what you know of this grace-birth, and of being "born, not of the will of man, nor of the flesh, but of God;" what you know of the term we frequently employ, without due investigation-godliness. What is godliness? God's likeness-God's life in the soul-"a participation," as the apostle has it, "in the Divine nature;" a transforming of the soul, and the bringing of all its powers under the mighty influence and reigning sovereignty of rich grace; an introducing of the objects of Divine love into a new world; a spiritual existence, with a capacity to enjoy God. This is His generation, the regenerate. And, according to the passage which I have cited from the Psalmist, you will recollect that they are "a seed to serve Him"-" A seed shall serve Him, and it shall be accounted to the Lord for a generation." Are you serving Christ? Is your life devoted to Him? Are you engaged in honouring Him? Is life, and thought, and motive, and desire, all bent in that direction, that Jesus may be

glorified? Can you say, with the apostle, "Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life or by death?" Then surely you may gather this sweet encouragement, that you are among the grace-born family, and shall be "accounted unto the Lord for a generation." You shall be accounted as His generation now, and distinguished from the world. You shall be accounted as His generation by angels, when they come down and minister unto you as heirs of salvation. You shall be accounted as His generation in the last day, when He maketh up His jewels. "They shall be mine, saith the Lord, in that day when I make up my jewels."

Beloved, in the prospect of approaching the Lord's table with you, let me enjoin upon you the necessity of an hour's close examination upon this point, "Am I born of God, and really and manifestly of the seed of Christ?" "Does He dwell in me, and walk in me? Do I serve Him, and am I accounted unto the Lord for a generation?" Oh, may He give you power to investigate these questions very closely; bring you to a sweet and satisfactory conclusion concerning them; and then meet you at the table, and make Himself known unto you in the breaking of bread; and His name shall have all the glory. Amen.

THE 28TH SONG IN

MR. IRONS' NEW VERSION OF THE BOOK OF PSALMS.

A DAY of trouble, great and sore,
Such as was never known before,
The Surety of God's people felt,
When bearing all their load of guilt.

His dol'rous cries were heard around
His sacrifice acceptance found;
His heart's desire, all that He will'd
In ancient council, was fulfill'd.

So, when the days of trouble press
On those who wear His righteousness,
In Zion He is their defence,

And they obtain their succour thence.

He's the burnt sacrifice they bring,
Always accepted with the king;
He grants them all their heart's desire,
All that His high decrees require.

Delivered in Grove Chapel, Camberwell, Sunday Morning, March 11, 1849, BY THE REV. JOSEPH IRONS.

"His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and His dominion is from generation to generation."-Dan. iv. 3.

THIS was the conviction wrought in the heart of a heathen monarch, after his tremendous sins of idolatry and of cruel persecution of the servants of the Most High God. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, had been cast into a burning fiery furnace, heated seven times hotter than usual, in order to express the king's wrath. This was followed on by a miracle wrought by their covenant God; and to prove that the fire had power it did two great things; it first of all consumed the mightiest men in Nebuchadnezzar's army who threw the young men in, and then burned off their bonds and fetters. The foes and the murderers were gone, and the bonds and fetters were gone; and therefore" the king was astonied, and rose up in haste, and spake and said unto his counsellors, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king. He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt." How comes this about? "And the form of the fourth is like the Son of God." Who would not go into a burning fiery furnace to lose all their bonds? But the fire was permitted to do no more. "Upon their bodies the fire had no power, nor was a hair of their heads singed, neither were their coats changed, nor had the smell of fire passed upon them." Oh, the marvellous ways in which God interposes and interferes on the behalf of His people! When the monarch was constrained, under this deep conviction, to bid them come forth, you see he did not want any one to Published in Weekly Numbers, 1d., and Monthly Parts, price 5d.

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