has ever since been fulfilling, but has received its entire accomplishment.

not yet

It com

prises the whole Gospel, and is a prophetical history of the opposition with which it should meet, and the success with which it should be crowned in all ages and countries to the end of time. Christ himself is the seed of the woman. He is called the seed of the woman, and not the seed of Adam, though descended from both, not only because Satan had prevailed first against the woman, but likewise with an evident prophetical intimation of his miraculous conception and birth of a pure virgin. The devil, his angels, and wicked men, are the serpent and his seed. "Ye are of your father the devil, and the works of your father ye will do." God himself has put enmity between these two contending parties. The effect of his grace in the hearts of true Christians is enmity,not against the persons of sinners, but against their character, the image of Satan which they bear, and the cause of Satan which they favour; for that mind is in believers which was in Christ, "who was manifested to destroy the works of the devil." Their character and conduct also, the testimony which they bear against the wickedness of the world, and the opposition which they make

to it, as well as the success which the Lord vouchsafes them, excite the rage, envy and malice of Satan and his servants; whose pride they offend, whose consciences they disturb, whose real characters they detect, and whose iniquity they oppose. Hence Satan and his seed, by open violence and cruel persecution, by secret machinations, and base slanders, by artful temptations and pernicious heresies, fight against the seed of the woman. In doing this, they bruise his heel. They once crucified the Lord of glory himself; they have massacred, perhaps, millions of his disciples, have caused inward and outward tribulations; yet this is no mortal wound, for it does not prevent the final glorification of the whole multitude who thus in succession have Satan bruised under their feet. The seed of the woman fighting under the Redeemer's standard, by the doctrine of truth and the armour of righteousness, which are united with prayer and patience, hatred of sin and compassion for sinners, carry on their benevolent war; and they gain most illustrious victories when the power of Satan is broken, and his deluded servants are brought to Christ. But these victories are the fruit of his severe conflict and glorious triumph over the tempter, especially

upon the cross, where in human nature giving a ransom for sinners, he broke the whole force of Satan's usurped empire, and now, risen from the dead, and having all power in earth and heaven vested in him, he is continually employed in crushing the serpent's head,-yet in measure, and order, according to the purpose of Him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will. (Ephes. i. 11.) Already by his apostles and ministers he has shaken the very foundation of Satan's kingdom, and rescued millions of his wretched captives: but ere long he will, even on earth, gain a more decisive victory, and at last, setting his foot on the serpent's head, he will entirely crush his interests, deprive him of all power to do further mischief, and execute condign punishment on all his seed. (Rev. xix. 17; xx. 1, 3, 11, 15.)-From this short explication, we perceive that the person, sufferings, glory, and triumphs of the Redeemer; the character, tribulations, and felicity of the redeemed; the temporary success and final ruin of all the enemies of Christ and his people,-and indeed almost the whole history of the church and of the world throughout time and to eternity, are compendiously delineated in the singular clause which stands, and

will stand, to the end of time, an internal demonstration that the Scriptures were given by inspiration from God. It is remarkable that this gracious promise of a Saviour was given unsolicited, and previous to any humiliation on the part of

man.

Thus the Gospel, or the declaration of salvation to sinners by means of the seed of the woman, was proclaimed the moment that sin entered the world. The prediction is still fulfilling with respect to man, who toils in sorrow, sweat, and care for his subsistence; and also with respect to woman, in the sorrows and dangers of conception, of birth, and in the prediction that man would rule over her; and how cruelly he has ruled, thousands of instances attest. If the soul of woman is upon an equality with that of man, I know not on what grounds, except on the supposition that the Scriptures are true, and the punishment of the woman is heaviest because she was first in fault, we can explain the inequality in sorrow and care which exists between the man and the woman; and why, all other things being equal, there is a load of weakness, and sorrow, and infirmity in her very frame from which the man is free.

I then read the three first verses of the 12th chapter of Genesis, in which the Lord, speaking to Abraham, predicted that he would make of him a great nation, and make his name great, and bless him, and make him a blessing, and that in him all the families of the earth should be blessed. This has been fulfilled in some respects, and is fulfilling in others. Abraham was not renowned as a king, a conqueror, nor as a man of science or literature. He was a plain man, dwelling in tents, and feeding cattle all his days. The Arabians and Jews are his descendants, yet no general or man of genius has a name so great, or is more distinguished in the world even now, or will be, than Abraham has been and will ever be. In what other way will he be a blessing, or has he been so, than that among his descendants the light of the Gospel was preserved and proclaimed in all its fulness, and that from one of his descendants after the flesh,-Jesus Christ, not only temporal but eternal blessings have spread, and will more extensively spread to every nation and family under heaven? This was predicted four thousand years ago.

I then read the 16th chapter of Genesis and 12th verse, in which the character of Ishmael

H