the Revealer of the Great Unknown and the Creator of the universe, and find in Him the crown and consummation of creation, the unity of all the sciences, and 'the Alpha and Omega of all things, for 'it hath pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell.'

The fall of man necessitated the Incarnation of the Son of God, if the guilty race was to be redeemed. But when the Creator became the Redeemer, He did not become 'Man,' as is generally believed. There is no statement to that effect in the New Testament. What it says is this, that He who was originally in the form of God' was made 'in the likeness of sinful flesh' (which is quite another matter)—and 'for the suffering of death.' By that suffering He was 'made perfect,' both as Man and Saviour, and ascended out of the flesh and blood condition into that which is spiritual. And now-as the Perfect Man and the Head of a new race-He is the Re-Creator of humanity and the Author of eternal salvation to all who believingly accept Him as their Saviour and Lord.

If the reader should desire to enter more fully into these great and important matters, let him carefully study the first and eighth chapters of our book, entitled The Visible God, and our Relation to Him in Creation and Redemption (Hodder and Stoughton).

See Note A.

CHAPTER II

THE NEW THE OLD AND THE RENEWED

IN the beginning, when the Earth had been Divinely prepared for the advent of man, all things were new. The Lord God looked upon the finished creation, and pronounced it 'very good.' As the product of infinite wisdom and almighty power, it was a magnificent manifestation of the nature and character of the great Creator. Whatever the method was by which He brought all things into existence, it is certain that creation was created, and that in all its parts it was and is a glorious revelation of God. Over the beautiful and fertile world in which everything was fitted to fulfil its intended purpose, His complacent smile rested with constant benediction. He regarded with satisfied delight the orb He had made, and every object and creature placed upon its bosom.

N.B.S.

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2

And not only were all things new when originated, but they were also meant to continue new for ever. There was no inherent element of disorder or discord in material things, out of which universal disorganization and decay were certain to issue. Matter was pure, and although it did not contain within itself the promise and potency of perpetual fertility and loveliness, it was a suitable medium for the constant and everlasting manifestation of Divine power. All natural objects sown or planted in the earth were capable not only of growth and development into perfection, but also of endless reproduction and increase. Of all living creatures we are told that 'God blessed them, and said, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth.' There is no reason to suppose that they were immortal, and therefore they would have died even though sin had never existed, but death had no sting to them. Being unable to anticipate its coming, they had no dread of its approach, and but for the corruption which man brought into all earthly things, it is more than to the lower likely that death when it came creatures would have brought little or no pain.

In most instances it brings little even now. And what of him whom the Lord made in His own image and likeness,' and only for a little while a little lower than the angels'? Man was divinely appointed lord and ruler of all. The entire terrestrial creation was put under his feet, and made subject to his dominion, and if only he had maintained his loyalty to the Supreme Ruler, his own supremacy would have been everlastingly continued and established, and the kingdom over which he reigned become more and more fruitful and beautiful for evermore.

But, alas! all things which were new at the beginning, and designed to continue new for ever, became old and began to perish. How was this tremendous and appalling change effected ? It was brought about in a very natural and understandable way, though many persons find a great difficulty in clearly apprehending it. Let us try to make it plain. And first of all, let it be clearly understood that man's loyalty to God required to be tested. This was an absolute necessity, for only by an intelligent and personal rejection of evil and choice of good, could moral character be formed and immor

tality realized. Though not immortal by creation, he was made for an endless existence, but this could be attained only by the formation and development of a Godlike character. The great Creator gave to him his wonderful threefold nature, with all its marvellous powers and possibilities, but not character. Character could not be given as a gift, but must be fashioned and built up by man himself through a voluntary and loving obedience to the Divine commandments. Therefore he was necessarily placed in a sphere of moral liberty, in which both Good and Evil were set before him, one of which he must personally and intelligently choose. Had he been divinely compelled to choose the Good, the choice would not have been his own, but God's choice, by which character in man could neither have been formed nor cultured. Freedom is absolutely essential man The Lord God instructed to virtue. choose the good and refuse the evil; but having invited, warned, and foretold results, He could do no more. Man must be free to And there was no necessity that his choice should be wrong, for he had no inherent ten

to

choose.