man, and to bear on himself the penalty of transgression. That he might be capable of both obeying and suffering, he united to his divine nature that of humanity; and thus he is constituted such an high priest as we required, merciful as well as faithful. In his person as God and man he finished the work of redemption; in his natures as united he was our instructor, our pattern, our guide, and he will for ever continue to be the ground of our confidence in our approach to God. His life gave as perfect an obedience to the commandments of the law, as his sufferings and death formed an atonement for its violations. There was thus an ample provision made for the display of justice in its most perfect inflexibility, and for the communication of mercy in its munificent and godlike abundance. The underived dignity and glory of the Substitute of sinners,-his being equal with God, and possessing the praises of eternity, and his voluntarily undertaking the mighty task of bearing the sins of a fallen world; his making himself of no account, and taking upon him the form of a servant, and becoming obedient unto death, even the death of the cross;-formed a spectacle so impressive and sublime as to draw towards it the attentive regards of all God's intelligent creation. He appeared in our world in a state of lowly abasement,—he submitted to the greatest privations, he endured the contradiction of those whom he came to seek and to save; he gave, in their room, and as their representative, a sinless obedience to all the commandments ;—and at length, through the eternal Spirit, he offered himself without spot unto God.

When we think of all that he endured from the agency of man, of the derision of Herod, and the unrighteous judgment of Pilate,-of his being scourged and condemned and crucified, and that this death of pain and of ignominy was endured between two male factors-and when we think also of all that he suf fered when the iniquity of us all was laid upon him;→→ when, being in agony, his soul was exceeding sorrowful even unto death-and when under the withdrawment of that gracious countenance which till then had ever smiled upon him, he exclaimed," My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me!" When we think of this, we must believe that it was no light thing to open up a way in accordancy with justice for the free and eternal exercise of mercy. But though his sufferings were inconceivably great, it was his nature and character that gave them all their merit and efficacy: it was because he was the Son of God that he triumphed by the agonies and abasement of his death; and it was because he was his equal that he was capable of bearing the stroke of that avenging justice which would have overwhelmed us in irremediable woe. The work is now completed; and the servants of the Great King are sent out unto the highways to invite as many as they find, and to assure them that all things are ready. It is not necessary in holding out this offer to inquire into the different degrees of criminality of the persons to whom it is made; we need not in announcing the offer of pardon, first ascertain what is the exact measure of their guilt; for the words of the Supreme Sovereign make no exceptions; the mercy they convey is communicable

to the very lowest degrees of wretchedness and sin; and the saying is faithful, and worthy of all acceptation, that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners, even the chief. Here then we behold far more luminously and gloriously than in either the constitution of the natural world, or the government of Providence, the comprehensiveness and perfection of the divine wisdom.

But if the wisdom of God is thus manifest in contriving the plan of redemption, it has been also shewn in the manner in which redemption has been made known. The revelation of it at first contained in a promise, and afterwards shadowed forth by types and ceremonies, became gradually brighter as it approached the day of the Son of man. This gradual developement, so analogous to the ordinary course of nature, seemed likely to prepare the way for the easier and the more general reception of the doctrine of salvation. At length, in the fulness of time-the time fixed on by the divine wisdom, and pointed to by the accomplishment of prophecy, the Saviour appeared as the light and the life of the world. When he had completed the redemption of his people, he commissioned his Apostles to make it known; and the divine wisdom peculiarly appears in the time and circumstances of its publication. The first audience to whom it was addressed consisted of Jews from all nations, as well as proselytes of the Gentiles, who carried the glad tidings to their respective homes, and who thus widely scattered the seed of the word. The men employed in publishing the doctrine of salvation were destitute of all human advantages, without authority, without

interest, without literary accomplishments; they were so, that it might manifestly appear that the doctrine was the wisdom of God, and that it was by the influence that accompanied it that they were instrumental in overcoming the world.

The wisdom of God further appears in the mode in which the salvation of Christ is personally applied, and in which it is rendered personally effectual. The ends here in view are the conversion and sanctification of the soul, and the means employed for its attainment are the word, the Spirit, and the providence of God. These ends are attained by shedding the love of God abroad in the heart, by a renewal of the will, by such an illumination of the understanding as enables us to see the infinite excellency and worth of spiritual good. While it is peculiarly the work of the Spirit of God to produce these effects, the providence of God as a means operates along with it. It does so by suiting the chastisement which it inflicts to the dispositions of the persons, and the nature of their sins; and by visiting with afflictions at the fittest season. It does so by overruling the trial for spiritual and lasting good. The Christian and the Church are more pure and lively when suffering persecution. The integrity of Job appeared clearer, and his patience more distinguished, as he rose out of afflic tion. The bonds of the Apostle, by the divine wisdom, were made to contribute to the confirmation of believers, and the furtherance of the Gospel. The trial is either altogether prevented, or it is employed as the means of good. The disciples of Damascus were saved from the calamity which Saul intended to

bring upon them by a merciful and miraculous interposition in his own favour. The Lord preserves his own people as the apple of his eye, so that neither the fire which is ready to devour them, nor the snares of their enemies that are laid for them, can at all affect them. "The Lord is their keeper; the Lord is their shade upon their right hand. The Lord shall preserve them from all evil; he shall preserve their souls." He will keep them by his mighty power through faith unto salvation.

I. We learn from this subject the entire confidence which the pious ought to place in the procedure of divine wisdom. When, in addition to the admirable display of this wisdom in nature and in grace, they have so many promises of its having a special reference to them, in supplying the means of their protection, of their safety, and of their happiness, may they not have perfect peace in trusting to it? If they stand in need of counsel and direction, let them look to the promises in which these are afforded; "the meek will he guide in judgment, and the meek will he teach his way. The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord; and he delighteth in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand." If they are involved in difficulties from which their own wisdom cannot extricate them, let them trust to the promised interposition of the wisdom of God. "The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptation. There hath no temptation taken you, but such as is common; but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able, but will with the temptation also