nal punishment" will in many minds form the principal objection to the conclusions reached herein, it has been deemed advisable to append an explanatory essay on that subject.

In humble dependence on the Great Head of the Church, the book is now commended to the attention of the earnest and thoughtful student of Holy Scripture, with but one request: that everything in it shall be brought to the test of the Word itself, and nothing in it accepted but that which is found in conformity therewith.

ETERNAL PURPOSE.

THE SON AND HEIR.

THEME.

THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS, CHAPS. I. AND II.

(A LITERAL TRANSLATION.)

"GOD, having in many portions and by various methods spoken anciently to the Fathers in the prophets, hath in these, the last of the days, spoken to us in a Son, whom He appointed Heir of All Things; on account of whom also He constituted the Ages; who, being the brightness of His glory and the exact image of His substance, and sustaining all things by the word of His power; having made a purification of sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high; having become so much greater than angels, as He hath inherited a more excellent Name than they."

For to which of the angels did He ever say, "Thou art my Son, to-day have I begotten Thee"? And again, "I will be to Him for a Father, and He shall be to Me for a Son"? And when He shall again introduce the First Born into the world, He saith, "And let all the angels of God worship Him;" and, indeed, concerning the angels, He saith, "It is He who makes the winds His messengers, and a flame of fire His ministering servants." But unto the Son He saith,

"Thy throne, O God, is unto the Age, and the sceptre of rectitude is the sceptre of Thy kingdom. Thou didst love righteousness and hate lawlessness; on account of this Thy God anointed Thee, O God, with the oil of exultation beyond Thine associates." Also, "Thou, O Lord, in beginning didst form the earth, and the heavens are the works of Thy hands; they shall perish, but Thou remainest ; and they all shall become old like a garment, and like a mantle Thou wilt fold them, and they shall be changed; but Thou art the same, and Thy years shall not fail." But to which of the angels did He ever say, "Sit thou at my right hand till I place thine enemies a footstool for thy feet"? Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to service on account of those being about to inherit salvation?

On this account it behooves us to attend more earnestly to the things we have heard, lest perhaps we should glide away. For if the word having been spoken through angels was firm, and every deviation and inattention received a just retribution; how shall we escape, having disregarded so great a salvation, which, having received a beginning to be spoken by the Lord, was confirmed unto us by those having heard, God co-attesting both by signs and wonders and various mighty works, and distributions of holy spirit, according to His will? For to angels He did not subject the world about coming, concerning which we speak.

But one testified in a certain place, saying, "What is man that Thou dost remember him, or a son of man, that Thou dost observe him? Thou didst make him a little

while less than angels; Thou didst crown him with glory and honor; thou didst place All Things beneath his feet; for in the All Things to be subjected nothing is left unsubjected to him; but now we do not yet see the All Things placed under him; but we see Jesus, on account of the suffering of the death, having been crowned with glory and honor; having been made for a little while inferior to angels, so that, by the grace of God, He might taste of death on behalf of every one. For it was fitting for Him on account of whom are All Things, and through whom are All Things, in leading many sons to glory to perfect the Prince of their Salvation through sufferings.

For both the Sanctifier and the sanctified are out of one, for which cause He is not ashamed to call them brethren, saying, “I will announce Thy name to my brethren, in the midst of the Church will I praise Thee," and again, "Behold, I and the little ones which God gave me."

Since, then, the little ones have been sharers of flesh and blood, He also in like manner partook of these, that He might vanquish him having the power of death, that is, the devil; and might liberate those who by fear of death were through their whole life held in slavery.

For not in any manner does He lay hold of angels, but He lays hold of the seed of Abraham; hence He was obliged in all things to be made like the brethren, so that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest as to things relating to God, in order to expiate the sins of the people, for by what He has Himself suffered, having been tried, He is able to render aid to those being tried.

I ĚK, signifying origin or source.

I.

THE HEIR AND THE INHERITANCE.

"God, having in many portions and by various methods spoken anciently to the Fathers in the prophets, hath in these, the last of the days, spoken unto us in a Son, whom He appointed heir of All Things, on account of whom also He constituted the Ages; who, being the brightness of His glory and the exact image of His substance, and sustaining all things by the word of His power; having made a purification of sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high; having become so much greater than angels, as He hath inherited a more excellent Name than they."

GOD has spoken. Many deny this, but those to whom He has given ears to hear know that He has spoken. When God speaks, it is becoming for creatures to be silent, to listen and obey.

In past times God spoke to the Jewish Fathers. He did not speak to the world as such, but to His own chosen nation. He spoke to them in the prophets. When God gives a man a message to deliver, He puts it into the messenger. It is not the messenger who