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human mind, being thrown out of its true position by sin, has not been able to receive it until very lately. A century or more since, the doctrines of universal peace were proposed and illustrated in Europe, by Castel de St. Pierre, a learned French ecclesiastic; but were received with incredulity, and very much as if he were preaching a dream. They have been propounded again within a few years, and after the experience of an additional century of fighting and destruction. They now everywhere meet with a respectful hearing. It is the same in other instances. There are other practical truths, truths originating in the divine mind, and flowing from God to man through the mind of Christ,— which have received a new development, and which the providence of God is holding up for a new and general reception in the present age; the religion of Christ in its simplicity, the reign of the Holy Ghost, the relation of temperance to happiness, the universality of civil freedom, the rights of moral and religious belief, universal education, and in every heart a living and triumphant holiness, modelled on that of the Saviour.

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9. God is moving on the troubled waters. It was thus in the beginning. There was a time when the beauty of nature was an idea, undeveloped and unrealized. Light existed in God, "but darkness was on the face of the deep." No sun was then, no star, no swelling and teeming earth. "The earth was without form and void;" but when the time came for the realization of the truth and beauty of the divine idea in material forms, then "the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters." The confusion of chaos stood rebuked; the light shone; the waters subsided to their place; the blooming earth appeared.

At this moment, at this eventful hour in the history

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of eternal wisdom, the Spirit of the same creating God is secretly, but powerfully, moving on the troubled and chaotic ocean of humanity. The chaos, which is presented before us on every side, is wider, and deeper, and darker, than that of primitive nature, because it is the terrible chaos of moral rebellion. But here, too, the Spirit of God will be conqueror. He, who separated the contending elements of nature, and recombined them into forms of wisdom and loveliness, will not be baffled in his great attempt to erect and consolidate "the kingdom of God," out of the confusions of a fallen nature.

CHAPTER V.

ON THE UNION OF GOD AND MAN IN KNOWLedge.

Limitations of the general statement. - Union in knowledge involves three things, namely, union in the motive, the object, and the source of knowledge. Results and encouragements attending the union of God and man in these respects.

THE result of Christ's coming into the world, and of the sanctifying power which is communicated through him, will be to restore man to harmony with God in all parts of his nature. In an important sense it will be found true that man and God, who have been greatly separated in this as well as in other respects, will at last be united again in knowledge.

It should be remarked, however, that, when we speak of the union of human with divine knowledge, we do not mean to say that our knowledge, under the most favorable circumstances, will be as extensive as the divine knowledge, which would be impossible; nor that we shall be likely in the present life, (certainly not in the present period of the world.) to see the facts and relations of things with a divine distinctness of vision. This would be inconsistent with that injured and imperfect instrumentality of perception which is found in our diseased and dying bodies. But being united with God in knowledge, we shall see and know truly, though it may not be to a great extent. We shall know as God knows, and entirely in harmony with him, so far as he thinks it

best for us to know. Our wisdom will have its basis in his, and will rest upon his, in such a way as to constitute true wisdom.

With these explanatory remarks in view, we proceed to say, that the union of God and man in knowledge involves three things:-first, an union of desire or motive in seeking knowledge; secondly, an unity or oneness in the object of knowledge; and, thirdly, an unity in the source of knowledge.,

First, there must be an union of desire or motive in seeking knowledge. The motive in which God condescends to unite, is a motive free from everything that is the opposite of God. It is a motive without private ends, without selfishness in any of its aims, a motive which harmonizes with God's character, with God's purposes, with God's glory. It was a motive thus pure and elevated, which always influenced him who came into the world to be the leader and guide of men. "My judgment," says the Saviour, "is just, because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me." John 5: 30.

To seek the will of our heavenly Father, is to act, in all cases of action, without party prejudices, without private interests, without the violence of passion; but always with a sincere regard to the divine purposes. In this state of mind, which is most suitable for the constant presence and operations of the Holy Spirit, we may hope to be guided into the truth. It would be difficult to describe how easily and beautifully the light of true knowledge. enters into the mind of one who is thus free from any influences except such as come from a regard to the will of God. We cannot then be easily separate from the truth, because we harmonize, in such an important respect, with a mind that lives in the truth.

2. In the second place, the union of God and man in knowledge implies the fact of an unity or oneness in the object of knowledge. That is to say, the object must be not one of our own choice, but of God's choice. And it may be added, here, that the object which God chooses and presents to the human mind for its consideration, is that object, whatever it may be, which entirely harmonizes with the existing state of things. The facts and relations of things are so ordered under the divine administration, that at each successive moment some things are more important to be known, and more appropriate to be known than anything else. God, as the true revealer of what now is and of what is to be hereafter. will help us to know only what he thinks ought to be known. He will not help us in the knowledge of those things which, considered as the objects of knowledge, may be regarded as inconsistent with the proprieties and wants of the present time and place, and of the existing situation of things. He will not help us in the knowledge of those things which, without a regard to the appropriateness of what now is, are sought merely to gratify a selfish curiosity. In all such inquiries, where we selfishly choose our own object instead of adopting and receiving the object which God presents, the human and divine mind are out of harmony.

On the contrary, when we seek to know only what God would have us know, which is always done when our minds perfectly harmonize with the intimations of Providence, then the object of knowledge becomes one and the same to him who imparts knowledge and to him. who receives it; and God and man are in union.

3. And this view, it may be properly added, is the more interesting and the more practically important, because it so fully recognizes God as the judge of what is

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