CHAPTER III.

Bow down to him, the spirit living where
He will, and when: of endless time, the first
And last he breathed the soul of life

In innocence all pure,-living,―till curst
For that one disobedient action, rife.
And will you more and more his anger dare?
Will you deny him being, while in him,
We live, and move, exist? O folly great!
You would kill all, yourselves, destroy like this;
But know, you cannot kill eternal breath;
Immortals breathe for misery or bliss:
Then bow to him, the author of your being.

I WOULD not be too bold with you in these queries, that you should deem me vain-glorious; for I would rather make an apology for being, as you see I have been, backward of what you really expect to hear from believers in your Messiah, the teacher and restorer of all -who believe in his name-and who,

being from among the Gentiles, have all their hope in him. And I should be the more bound to apologize; as in addition to feeling an inclination to give any what, rationally expected from me as due, they look for; I am otherwise ready, from gratitude to those of your nation, who brought forth, to us Gentiles, the pure and life-giving results of the testimonies of all your prophets,-to return some little notice to their kindred, for the benefits reaching, by their prophets', evangelists', and apostles' ministration, even to me, an unworthy servant of the God of Abraham ;-Who, faithful and true, shows himself merciful when he will, and compassionate when he will glory and thanks be to his name.

In this Messiah, the son of David as to flesh, and the eternal Son of God, from everlasting to everlasting, as to

Spirit of Divinity, is all my hope, both for time and for eternity. With regard to the test of our being at all acquainted with God, is there any better than our belief of what he has declared to us by the prophets? for truth agrees with truth.

If we deny their veracity either by open opposition, or by silent neglect, we then take the position of enemies of the truth.

Who will dare make him a liar? who, although all men were liars, I say is true, and will not deny himself, nor any who are his.

If we deny him, he will deny us; and if he has a friend, or a son, an only Son, and we deny them as non-entities, whom he is loving, honouring, and cherishing, what audacity!

Say you not so, that you believe in one God, and not in any divine Spirit;

and not in any Son of God: say you not so any more: for what is your God? Is it gold? Then that has no spirit. Or is it wood? or stone? or earthly clay? Then they are alike without spirit. But what is your God? who, and what is he? A spiritless being? Impossible. How can he be the father of the spirits, and be himself lifeless? Say you, that your God is without a divine spirit? You may say it, but your own lips condemn you; for if one of your ownselves had said this in my ears, it is impossible.

Where, O where are you groping at noon? You, who were "a light to the blind, and a light to those in darkness," believing in a God who, you erroneously affirm, has not a Divine Spirit?

Certainly then he has a Divine Spirit; and powerful for the resurrection of the dead: the which if you deny, you deny all.

Then you believe that God our Lord had a friend in Abraham: you do well: this is most true.

Why do you believe this? For family interest? Is it by this that you have not been wholly consumed?

Do you believe there was an Abraham? You will say to me, yes. And I will say to you more: Whom did Abraham see as he sat in his tent doorway? Does not your scripture say, "He lifted up his eyes and saw three persons?" Who were these? Why did they come? Was it not about the son of promise, Isaac, to make him the heir of the world, who should, as to the flesh, spring from him in due time? But who was then present with Abraham, proving his eternal priority of existence to Abraham, saying to us; "Before Abraham was, I am?" For the Son whom we believe was himself present