I. His incarnation. Unto us a child is born. In our nature, born of a woman: Unto us à fon is given, not merely a man-child, but, emphatically, a fon, the Son of God. This was the most precious gift, the highest proof and teftimony of divine love. The diftinction and union of these widely distant natures, which conftitute the perfon of Christ, the God-man, the Mediator, is, in the judgment and language of the apoftle, the great mystery of godliness*, the pillar and ground of truth. I shall not repeat what I have already offered on this point in the fifth fermon. It is the central truth of revelation, which, like the fun, diffuses a light upon the whole fyftem, no part of which can be rightly understood without it. Thus the Lord of all humbled himself, to appear in the form of a servant, for the fake of finners.

II. His exaltation. The government shall be upon his fhoulder. In our nature he fuffered, and in the fame nature he reigns. When he had overcome the sharpness, the fting of death, he took poffeffion of the kingdom of glory as his own, and opened it to all who believe in him. Now we can fay, He who

governs in heaven and on earth, and whom all things obey, is the child who was born, the fon who was given for us. Some fubfequent paffages will lead us, hereafter, to contemplate more directly the glory of the Redeemer's administration in the kingdoms of providence and grace. At prefent, therefore, I fhall only obferve, that the exaltation of the Redeemer, infers the dignity and security of the people who are united to him by faith. They have, in one respect, an appropriate honour, in which the angels cannot fhare. Their best friend, related to them in the fame nature, is feated upon the throne of glory. Since he is for them, who can be against them?. What may they not expect, when he who has fo loved them as to redeem them with his own blood, has all power committed unto him, both in heaven and on earth! For,

III. The names and characters here afGribed to him, are not only expreffive of what he is in himself, but of what he is engaged to be to them.

1. His name fhall be called Wonderful. In another place the word is rendered Secret *. It is true of him in both fenfes. He is Judges xiii. 18:

Wonder

Wonderful in his perfon, obedience, and sufferings; in his grace, government, and glory. So far as we understand his name, the revelation by which, as by a name, he is made known, we may, we muft, believe, admire, and adore. But how limited and defective is our knowledge! His name is Secret. Who can by fearching find him out *? His greatness is incomprehenfible, his wifdom untraceable, his fulness inexhaustible, his power infinite. No one knoweth the Son, but the Father? But they have a true, though not an adequate knowledge of him, who truft, love, and ferve him. And in their view he is Wonderful! The apostle expreffes the fentiment of their hearts, when he fays, Yea, doubtless, I count all things but lofs and dung for the excellency of the knowledge of Chrift Jefus the Lord.

2. Another of his names is Counsellor. The great councils of redemption, in which, every concern respecting the glory of God, and the falvation of finners, was adjusted, were established with him, and in him, before the foundation of the world. And he is our Counsellor or Advocate with the Father, who pleads our caufe, and manages all our affairs * Job xi. 7.

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in perfect righteousness, and with infallible fuccefs. So that no fuit can poffibly miscarry which he is pleafed to undertake. To him likewise we must apply (and we shall not apply in vain) for wisdom and direction, in all that belongs to our duty, and the honour of our profeffion in the prefent life; in all our difficulties, dangers, and cares, we must look to him for guidance and support. This is to be wife unto falvation. His fecret is with them that confult him, fo that though the world may deem them weak and ignorant as babes (and he teaches them to think thus of themselves) they have a cheering and practical knowledge of many important fubjects, which are entirely hidden from those who are wife and prudent in their own

eyes.

3. He is the mighty God. Though in the office of Mediator, he acts in the character of a fervant, his perfections and attributes are truly divine. Only the mighty God, could make a provision capable of answering the demands of the holy law, which we had tranfgreffed. Only the mighty God could be a fuitable Shepherd to lead millions of weak

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helpless creatures to glory, through the many difficulties, dangers, and enemies they are exposed to in their paffage. Add to this, the honour, dependance, and obedience, which this great Shepherd claims from his fheep, are abfolute and fupreme; and they would be guilty of idolatry, if they did not know that he is the mighty God. Though real Chriftians, who are enlightened and taught by the Holy Spirit may, and do, differ in their views and explanations of fome revealed truths, I conceive they must be all agreed in this point. It is not only neceffary to be known as the only folid foundation of a finner's hope, but it immediately respects the object of divine worship. For if the Redeemer is not poffeffed of the incommunicable perfections of Deity, the New Teftament in its moft obvious and literal fignification, would be chargeable, not only with countenancing, but with exprefly teaching and enjoining idolatry.

4. Farther he shall be called the Everlasting Father. He is not ashamed to call them brethren*, having condescended to affume their human nature. But they are also his children. They are born into his family by the

Heb. ii. II.