his conduct towards us, and has communicated that love by his Spirit within us. It is the communication of this love which gives the soul new powers of perception and sensibilitywhich makes the scales fall from our eyes, and our marble hearts dissolve. Then new and mighty wonders are spread before our intellectual vision; emotions of joy, unknown before, glow intensely in our bosom, and in grateful amazement we exclaim herein is love, not that we have loved God, but that he hath loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Viewing, on the one hand, our wretchedness, our helplessness, and guilt; and, on the other, the stupendous and mysterious exhibition of the Saviour's love in our redemption, gratitude fills our hearts, praise flows from our tongues, and we sink overpowered by the immensity of our obligations. Thus the soul is sweetly constrained to love God as the author of its being, and the fountain of its joy-a feeble acknowledgement of the mercies received. That love for God which dwells in the Christian's mind implies supreme satisfaction in God. "The carnal mind is enmity against God." That is its appropriate characteristic-", 'enmity against God." It is under the influence of dispositions and affections hostile to the divine nature, and to the divine character. Yes, every feature of the divine character-every precept of the divine law-every proceeding of the divine government, which forbids the indulgence of his unholy passions, and threatens punishment against his conduct, is an object of the sinner's hatred. On the one hand, unable to shun the glance of omniscience, to wrest the sceptre from the hand of omnipotence, or to evade the shafts of justice; and, on the other hand, unwilling to bow to the requirements of mercy, his malignant heart rises in rebellion against the Saviour; and rather than submit to his holy law, he would, if possible, revolutionize the government of God, and overthrow the throne of his glory. But principles and sentiments diametrically opposite to these influence and govern the heart of the true Christian. He not only knows God, but he approves of him and admires him. Every feature of his character-his holiness and justice, as well as his love and mercy-every precept of his law, its restraints, prohibitions, and commands; and every part of the economy of his government, he beholds with satisfaction and complacency. In his esteem, all the attributes of God are excellent and glorious. His whole law is holy in its nature, just in its requirements, and benevolent in its end; and all his ways are distinguished by mercy and truth. The Christian would not, if he could, have any thing altered to suit his own convenience, pleasure, or interest, at the expense of the Saviour's glory, or in contradiction to his blessed will. In his esteem, Christ is the standard of excellence, by which he would have every thing tested; and his will the authority to which he would have every thing submit.

Thus, the Christian loves God; and from love to God there

springs another principle, as enjoined in God's word, namely, love to his fellow-man. He loves the Christian, his brother. He is bound to him by the dearest ties, and the most powerful and special obligations. He loves him, and sympathizes with him in affliction. He loves him and delights in his society. He loves him, and feels it a pleasure, as well as a duty, to minister to his comfort and promote his happiness. He loves the sinner, too, if not with the love of approbation, yet with the love of compassion. It is Christ's command-"Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you." He loves the poor heretic, too, though he is commanded to hate his pernicious ways, and to have no fellowship with him. Though he may feel it to be a public duty to draw aside the vail from his protean form, and trace the deceiver along his slimy sinuous course into the secret recesses of error, yet after all he loves him, and would delight to do him good, and promote his temporal and eternal welfare. For the welfare of man, he is ever willing to spend and be spent.

While he loves God, he hates all sin. Whatever pleasures, honours, emoluments, sin may promise or present, he rejects them all; and whatever sufferings, reproaches, or deaths may attend the course of obedience, he welcomes them for the honour of Christ: he loves him more than life, and is prepared to lay it down for his sake.

I might dwell at some further length upon the principle of obedience, but I have not time. However, with regard to love to man-with regard to obedience to God, these duties are so plain that I suppose there will not be much debate upon' them on the present occasion. "He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning:" but he that "is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God." 1 John iii. 8.

Then with regard to the third principle-the Christian enjoys the blessings which God has promised to him in the gospel. Here is an ample field for expatiation; but I can only just mention these blessings. I say, then, first, that the Christian enjoys the pardon of sin through Christ. Secondly, he enjoys the privilege of access to God through Christ. Thirdly, he enjoys the witness of the Holy Spirit through Christ. And, fourthly, he enjoys a title to the blessedness of eternal life through Christ.

These are my views of a Christian, and his principles. But before I sit down, I will just show you what I believe a Christian is not. Mr. Barker may differ from me with regard to the views I have stated in describing the faith of a Christian; but according to his oft-repeated and published statements, in tracts now lying before me, he admits that persons holding these sentiments are Christians. Those statements he will not

now deny. There is nothing, therefore, in any of the doctrines advanced by me which, on Mr. Barker's own showing, unchristianizes the man who holds them. Since, then, the question is "What is a Christian?-and what are his principles ?" it becomes absolutely necessary to the existence of debate, that I should state what a Christian is not. I shall do this briefly-taking the Holy Scriptures for my guide. In his 1st epistle, v. 10, John declares, "He that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son." Now it will be admitted at once that he who maketh God "a liar," is no Christian. Let us, then, apply this.

First-one record which God has given of his Son is, that he came in the flesh. He who believeth not that record of God, hath made him a liar. St. John says, in the 4th chapter of the same epistle, and the 1st verse,-" Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world." Therefore he that denies that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is a deceiver, and not a Christian, according to the interpretation of the Apostle John.

Another record which God gave of his Son is, that he was born of a virgin. See the 1st and 2nd chapters of Luke, and the 1st chapter of St. Matthew. Mr. Barker disbelieves that doctrine; and therefore he, according to St. John's statement, makes God a liar; and he who makes God a liar is no Christian.

A third record of God concerning his Son is, that he was personally foretold-that he was born in fulfilment of prophecies which related to him personally-that he was the Christ from his birth. Mr. Barker denies this record which God has given of his Son; and St. John says,-" He that believeth not God hath made him a liar." See Isaiah, ch. 7, v. 14; and the first two chapters of St. Matthew and St. Luke. My proofs of Mr. Barker's denial of this doctrine are in his own writings, which I shall subsequently bring forward.

The fourth record of God concerning his Son is, that he was without sin. Mr. Barker disbelieves this doctrine, and holds that the Lord of life and glory, merely "became a truly pious young man." My proof that God bare this record of his Son is found in the 7th chapter of Paul's epistle to the Hebrews, 26th verse:-" For such an High Priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens." My proof of Mr. Barker's denial is found in his own writings. See "The Christian," No. 19. The conclusion is inevitible.

The fifth record of God concerning his Son is, that "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God," John i. 1. In chap. xvii. 5, this apostle says that Christ was with the Father before the world was, and therefore asserts his pre-existence: "And now, O Father, glorify

thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was." Mr. Barker disbelieves this record, and maintains that the Saviour of the world had no existence prior to the birth of his human nature. The apostle John says. "He that believeth not God hath made him a liar." Mr. Barker, I repeat, disbelieves this statement. What is the inference? The sixth record which God bare concerning his Son is, that he is God. Take the three first verses of St. John's gospel. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made." Mr. Barker disbelieves this doctrine; and asserts that Christ was only a man, or, to use his own words, a 66 simple man." Now, he that believeth not Godhath made him a liar; and Mr. Barker disbelieves that statement of God's word.

The seventh record which God gave concerning his Son is, that his death was a propitiation, or an atonement (and I am free to use the word atonement, and shall stand by it if required) -an atonement for our sins. Jesus Christ, whom God hath sent forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God. To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness that he might be just, and the justifier of him that believeth in Jesus."-Rom. iii. 25, 26. This doctrine Mr. Barker also disbelieves.

Mr.

All these points relate to Mr. Barker's great principle, that "a Christian is one who believes Jesus to be the Christ, and submits himself to his teachings." This is the principle which I have to grapple with, and which I mean to grapple with; and I mean to employ the knife, and shall dissect it to its very core. I shall expose its fallacy, and debate it foot by foot throughout this discussion. I confine myself, at present, to the doctrines which relate to the person, nature, and work of Jesus Christ, and I do this, because Mr. Barker's definition of christian faith has respect only to one object, namely, to Jesus Christ. At present, therefore, I confine myself to these subjects. Barker will excuse me, if I request him to do the same; and when we have gone through our observations with regard to the person and work of Christ, we can proceed to other topics. In reference to the Holy Spirit and Holy Trinity, we can proceed to them on subsequent evenings of the discussion. The topic now before us affects the nature and person of Christ, to which Mr. Barker's definition of a Christian has reference. do not expect him to go through all in one evening: but I call upon him to enter upon the first charge relative to the Miraculous Conception. He states that the man is a Christian who believes Christ to be the Messiah. I say no man is a Christian while he denies that fact which appears in the first pages of the New Testament---which is the very first fact taught by the

I

evangelist Matthew-and which is taught also in the first chapter of St. Luke. I have nearly exhaused my time.

Per

haps I have yet a few minutes. Dr. LEES :-Exactly eight minntes. Mr. COOKE:-Then I shall just take the opportunity of reading over the "article" in Mr. Barker's pamphlet to which I have especially referred, which I hold to be unchristianwhich I am prepared to prove is unchristian—and which, if God gives me health, (unless I have mistaken the truth of God) I will prove to be so. What I am now about to read is entitled, as I have said, "The Article;" and I find it in the 19th number of "The Christian."

"I believe that Jesus was born and made as we are; that he was made in all respects like unto his brethren. I believe that he was the son of Joseph and Mary, born in honourable wedlock. I do not believe in the story of the Miraculous Conception; I believe it is a fiction. I do not believe that Matthew wrote the account of the Miraculous Conception; I believe the story was added to his gospel after his times. I believe that the gospel of Matthew began originally at what is now the third chapter; that it began like Mark's gospel, with the account of John the Baptist. I believe that Jesus was as liable to sin as other children. I do not believe that Jesus, when born, or while a child, differed from other children at all. I do not believe that he was the Christ when he was born; nor do I believe that it was fixed that he should be the Christ till after he had proved himself, by his devoted piety, a suitable person for the work of the Messiahship. I believe that Jesus, at first, was just on a level with the rest of mankind, and liable both to the common imperfections and failings of his brethren. I believe that he became a truly pious young man, and that on account of his piety, God chose him for the great and glorious work of forming a new church, of founding a new and spiritual kingdom. I believe that God first tried him, and proved his fidelity and constancy, and that when he found him true and firm in his purposes, anointed him with the Holy Spirit, gave him powers and instructions to fit him for his work, and then sent him forth as the instructor, the regenerator, the governor, the Saviour of mankind. I do not believe that Jesus was foretold as an individual, or that Jesus was born in fulfilment of any prophecy. To me it seems that what was foretold was a prophet like unto Moses, a Teacher, a King, a Saviour, and that the prophecies respecting the Messiah would be fulfilled by the appointment of any suitable good man to the work of teaching, reforming, and saving mankind.

"I do not think that God would have been thwarted in his

purposes, if. Jesus had proved unfaithful. I believe that if,. when Jesus was tried, he had failed, God would have laid him aside, and chosen some other person. No one can say that God had not tried others before he tried Jesus, and found them wanting