almighty arm, of the power which can cause the blind to fee, the deaf to hear, the dead to arife; which can take away the heart of ftone, and create a heart of flesh. So likewife the difficulties attendant on our Chriftian profeffion, arifing from the fpirit of the world around us, the fnares to which we are exposed in every fituation, our weakness, the deceitfulness of our hearts, the fubtilty, vigilance, and power of our fpiritual enemies, are fo many and great, that unless he, on whom we depend for falvation, be able to fave to the uttermoft, we can have no fecurity, either for our progrefs, or our perfeverance, in the grace of God. Unless the Saviour of finners be omniprefent, omnifcient, unchangeable, the fame yesterday, to day, and for ever, that is, unless he be God, how can he anfwer the prayers, fatisfy the wants, and relieve the diftreffes of all who truft in him in every age, and of all who in every place equally need his support at the fame moment? Or how can he engage to give reft to every weary foul, to secure them from perishing, and to bestow upon them eternal life? David comfortably concluded, that because the Lord was his fhepherd, he should not want, and had no reason

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reafon to fear*, not even when paffing through the valley of the fhadow of death. To us Jefus is made known as the great Shepherd of the sheep; but how can we place the like confidence in him, unless we likewise are affured that our fhepherd is the Lord?

I shall not attempt to vindicate this doctrine largely from the exceptions of those who call themselves men of reafon.

It is a point of revelation, and it is exprefsly revealed. It demands our affent upon the authority of God, who requires us to receive this record which he has given us of his Son. Thus far it approves itself to our reason, that however difficult it may be to our conceptions, yet thus it must be, upon a supposition that sinners can be faved without prejudice to the honour of the divine government. If we affirm that he who was born in a stable, and fuffered as a malefactor upon Mount Golgatha, is the true God and eternal life, many will think it a hard faying. But it is the doctrine of scripture, the very pillar and ground of truth; the only foundation of hope for an awakened confcience, the only standard by which we can properly estimate the

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evil of fin, the worth of the foul, and the love of God. We do not, however, fay, that the human nature of Chrift, confidered in itself, poffefies the attributes of Deity, or is the proper object of worship; nor do we fuppofe that God could fuffer, bleed, or die. But we say, with the apoftle, that God was in Chrift, reconciling the world unto himself *. We believe that the human nature was fo intimately and indiffolubly united to the divine, that the properties and actings of each nature, are justly ascribed to the one perfon of Christ, Godman, Immanuel, God with us. Thus we read that the final judgment of the world is committed to a man, and that God hath purchased bis church with bis own blood+.

Behold then the character of MESSIAH in this prophecy! a man! a God! a divine perfon in the human nature. God manifefted in the flesh! Immanuel, God with us.

As fallen creatures we had loft the true knowledge of God, and were unable to form fuch conceptions of his greatnefs and goodnefs, as are neceffary to inspire us with reverence, to engage our confidence, or produce obedience to his will. His glory shines in + Acts xvii. 19. Acts xx. 28. the

2 Cor. v. 19.

the heavens and fills the earth; we are furrounded by the tokens of his power and prefence; yet, till we are instructed by his word, and enlightened by his Holy Spirit, he is to us an unknown God. The prevalence of idolatry was early, and (with an exception to the people of Ifrael) foon became universal. Men who boasted of their reason, worshipped the fun and moon, yea, the works of their own hands, inftead of the Creator. And even where revelation is vouchfafed, the bulk of mankind live without God in the world. But he is known, trusted, and served, by those who know MESSIAH. To them his glory is displayed in the perfon of Jefus Chrift*. His agency is perceived in the creation, his providence is acknowledged, and his prefence felt as God with us.

As fallen creatures, God is against us, and we are against him. The alienation of our hearts is the great caufe of our ignorance of him. We are willingly ignorant. The thoughts of him are unwelcome to us, and we do not like to retain him in our knowledge. Guilt is the parent of atheism. A fecret foreboding, that if there be a God, we

are obnoxious to his displeasure; and that if he takes cognizance of our conduct, we have nothing to hope, but every thing to fear from him, constrains many perfons to try to per fuade themselves that there is no God; and many more to think, or at least to wish, that if there be a God he does not concern himself with human affairs. What a proof is this of the enmity of the heart of man against him! That fo many perfons who would tremble at the thought of being in a fhip, driven by the winds and waves, without compass or pilot, fhould yet think it defirable, if it were poffible, to be affured, that in a world like this, fo full of uncertainty, trouble and change, all things were left at random, without the interference of a fupreme governor. But this enmity, these dark appréhensions are re¬ moved, when the gospel is received by faith. For it brings us the welcome news that there is forgiveness with him. That God is reconciled in his Son to all who seek his mercy. In this fenfe, likewife, MESSIAH is Immanuel, God with us, on our fide, no longer the aven of fin, but the author of falvation. Immanuel is God with us, God in our nature ftill. He fuffered as a man, and as a

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man