The glory of his power. In making all the acts of free agents, through a long fucceffion of ages, fubfervient to this great purpose, not excepting those who most laboured to obftruct it; in changing the difpofition of the finner, however obftinate; and in carrying on his work of grace, when once begun, in fuch feeble inconfiftent creatures as men are; in defiance of all difficulties and oppofition arifing from within, or without.

Thefe are fubjects which the angels defire to look into *, which fill the most exalted intelligences with admiration. The glory of God was manifeft, was celebrated in the highest heavens, when MESSIAH was born of a

woman.

2. The great defign and effect of his appearance with regard to mankind, is peace. On earth peace. Man, as a fallen creature, is in a state of war and rebellion against his Maker. He has renounced his allegiance and dependence, is become his own end. He is now against God, difobedient to his laws, and difaffected to his government. government. And his conScience, if not ftupified and cauterized by frequent refiftance of conviction, fuggefts,

that God is against him. He feels he is not happy here, he fears he fhall be miserable hereafter. This apprehenfion ftrengthens his averfion from God. And, indeed, without an exprefs affurance from the Lord himfelf whom he has offended, that there is forgiveness with him, he would not only fear, but fink into defpair, if he rightly understood the horrid enormity of a state of alienation from the bleffed God. But infinite wisdom and mercy have provided, and propounded a method, by which the honour of the divine perfections and government are fecured, and pardon and peace vouchfafed to rebels. God was in Chrift reconciling the world unto himself. The knowledge of this mercy, when revealed to the finner's heart, fubdues his enmity, conftrains him to throw down his arms, and to make an unreferved fubmiffion and surrender of himself; forms him to a temper of love and confidence, and difpofes him to habitual and cheerful obedience. Now mercy and truth are met together, righteousness and peace have kissed each other*; and God is glorified in the highest, for peace proclaimed upon the earth.

*Pfal. lxxxv. 10.

The

The expreffion of good-will towards men, feems to rife upon the former. Not only peace, but acceptance and adoption in the Beloved. Sinners, who believe in the Son of God, are not merely delivered from the condemnation they have deserved, but are united to their Saviour; confidered as one with him, his children, the members of his body, and made partakers of his life, and his glory. God is their portion, and heaven is their home. The Lord's fatisfaction in this, as the greatest of all his works, is expreffed by the prophet in such astonishing terms of condefcenfion, as furpass our utmoft conceptions; and we can only fay, Lord, what is man that thou art thus mindful of him! We believe, admire, and adore. The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty: He will fave, he will rejoice over thee with joy: he will reft in his love, he will rejoice over thee with finging *.

Affuredly this fong of the heavenly hoft is not the language of our hearts by nature. We once fought our pleasure and happiness in a very different way. We were indifferent to the glory of God, and strangers to his peace. And fome of us are ftill blind to the

* Zeph. iii. 17.

excellencies of the gofpel, and deaf to its gracious invitations. But we must not expect to fing with the great company of the redeemed hereafter, before the throne of glory, unless we learn, and love, their fong while we are here *. They who attain to the inheritance of the faints in light, are first made meet for it in the prefent life, and in this way. They believe the teftimony of the fcripture refpecting their own guilt, unworthiness, and helplessness; then they receive the record which God has given of his Son. They renounce all confidence in the flesh; they rejoice in Christ Jefus, and from his fulness they derive grace to worship God in the spirit. A sense of their obligations to the Saviour, disposes them to praise him now, as they can ; and they rejoice in hope of feeing him ere long as he is, and that then they fhall praise him, as, they ought. For heaven itself, as defcribed in the word of God, could not be a state of happiness to us, unless we are likeminded with the apoftle, to account all things lofs and dung for the excellency of the knowledge of Chrift Fefus our Lord.

* Rev. xiv. 3.

+ Phil. iii. 3.

SER

SERMON XI.

MESSIAH'S ENTRANCE INTO JERUSALEM.

ZECH. ix. 9, 10.

Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; fhout a daughter of ferufalem, behold thy king cometh unto thee: he is just and having falvation, lowly and riding upon an afs, and upon a colt the fole of an ass.—And he shall speak peace unto the heathen.

HE narrowness and littlenefs of the

TH

mind of fallen man, are fufficiently confpicuous in the idea he forms of magnificence and grandeur. The pageantry and parade of a Roman triumph, or of an eastern monarch, as described in history, exhibit him to us in what, he himself accounts, his best estate. If you fuppofe him seated in an imperial carriage, arrayed in splendid apparel,

.0 4

wear,

1