unconcerned spectators in the presence of great social, ecclesiastical, and political convulsions; but even these should be studied by Christian men in order to trace the workings of their Father's Providence, and the indications of their Saviour's will, in order that the Church's work may be more faithfully and wisely done. After all, the events of greatest importance may be mostly hidden from view; it may be, that the true fountains of power and influence, the germs of the world's future greatness and glory, have to be sought for in the work of some humble labourer in the Lord's vineyard, in the liberal sowing of the seeds of truth, goodness and love, in the closet, in the sanctuary, where the faithful promise is presented, and the glorious Gospel is preached, rather than in the march of armies, the overthrow of kingdoms, or in the plans and purposes, the wealth and wisdom, of an unbelieving people. To this work, the Lord has called all his servants, and may none among us be deaf to His voice, or regardless of His will.

London, November 14th, 1870.

BIBLE CHRISTIAN MAGAZINE

JANUARY, 1870.

GOD'S WISDOM DISPLAYED AND PROPHECY VERIFIED

IN THE

TIME OF THE REDEEMER'S COMING.

A DISCOURSE BY WILLIAM COOKE, D.D.,

PREACHED BEFORE THE CONFERENCE OF 1869, AND PUBLISHED BY SPECIAL REQUEST.

"In due time Christ died for the ungodly."-Rom. v. 6.

THE slowness of the Divine proceedings hath oft been viewed with perplexity by short-sighted man. The first promise of the Saviour was given as soon as man had fallen, but 4,000 years elapsed before it was fulfilled. This delay was a mystery to human reason, and a trial to the faith of Old Testament saints. The early patriarchs saw mankind rapidly multiply, and iniquity abound until the earth was filled with violence and crime; and then, instead of the promised Deliverer, there came an awful deluge, which swept all mankind away, one family alone excepted. What a mystery to those who longed for Christ's appearing! Again mankind multiplied, and again iniquity prevailed, and patriarchs and prophets waited with eager expectation for him; but he came not. They saw century after century sweep past; mighty empires rose, culminated, and fell, stricken down by the judgments of God for their sins, and oft was heard the scoffer's taunt, "Where is the promise of his coming?" and yet the great Restorer did not appear. What a perplexity to human reason, what a trial to faith! But God had not forgotten his promise. He was neither indifferent to man, nor unmindful of his own word. All this time his eye was upon his covenant, and at length it was fulfilled. The promised Saviour came and performed his mighty work, and when he came there had been no unnecessary delay. Our text affirms it was in "due time that Christ died for the ungodly." There is a deep meaning in this reference to the fitness of time: it implies that the delay was wise, and the time selected the best--the most fitted for all the purposes of God and the good of man.

Moreover, it must be remembered that though the fulfilment of the promise was postponed, there was no delay in the experimental blessings of salvation. These were obtainable on the first day the promise was made. For as God is faithful, what he had engaged to do was as certain as if it had been done at once. Therefore, faith in a Saviour promised was as efficacious as faith in a Saviour given. Abel found it so, for by faith in the first promise "he obtained JANUARY, 1870. B

witness that he was righteous," and expired a triumphant martyr for the truth on which he relied. Enoch found it so, for through faith "he had this testimony, that he pleased God," and became so holy that he was translated to heaven, body and soul, without seeing death. Noah found it so, for by faith he obtained favour with God, and was preserved alive in the ark when a rebellious world was destroyed. And so of all the Old Testament saints: they believed in the promises; they trusted in the Redeemer who was to come; and all who thus trusted in him before he came were saved, as well as those believers who saw him with their bodily eyes. The promise itself being thus available for salvation during the ages of its delay, it was wise in God to postpone its fulfilment, if by so doing he could better accomplish the purposes of his mercy and love to mankind. Such is, indeed, the truth implied in the text, and the delay was not unseasonable; the event came at the right time— not one moment too soon, not one moment too late. It was, in the strictest sense of the words, "in due time that Christ died for the ungodly." Time must be an important element in the economy of God; and every event of Providence has its most fitting period: and as the greater subordinates the less, the greatest of all events must be the central fact in all the Divine arrangements. We are sure, therefore, that the great work of redemption, conceived in eternity, must have been fixed for the fittest period in the annals of time. This is the doctrine of the text, in illustrating which we observe—

I. The death of Christ was in due time, because the universal helplessness of man had then become historically demonstrated.

II. Because then prophetic truth had grown to full maturity.

III. Because then, and only then, the prophetic dates were verified. I. When the Redeemer died man's helpless condition had been historically and experimentally demonstrated.

The condition of mankind as described in the text is twofold"ungodly" and "without strength." Ungodly, because depraved and guilty, without the image of God, without the enjoyment of God, severed from him and under his displeasure. "Without

strength," because man had no innate power and no acquired ability to restore himself. This, indeed, had been man's condition from the moment of his apostacy; but at the time of the Redeemer's death man's universal helplessness, as well as his utter depravity, had become historically proved by a prolonged experience. This proof seemed necessary to humble man, to exclude self-righteousness and self-dependence, and shut all men up to the Gospel as their only remedy. For although man is ruined by sin, he is abominably proud; though foul as the leper, and helpless as the prostrate paraİytic, he is elated with self-sufficiency; and if saved at all, he would be saved by his own energies and resources, and thereby secure all the glory to himself. This is a universal delusion, and fatal as well as universal; for while it prevails it keeps man from God, and excludes him from salvation. It was necessary, therefore, to dispel the delusion by a disclosure of its folly. But this could not be done by theory; it demanded experience; and experience required time. Now when the Redeemer performed his atoning work, mankind had gone through the experience of two worlds-from the fall to the deluge, when