tion; fo that in all views, you fee it was an act of the freest and most unmerited grace. It took its rife from no good in the creature, either exifting or forefeen. Unmerited, unfolicited, and ill requited, the fountain of all this grace was in God himfelf; for his goodnefs is like himself, unfearchable. His

thoughts are not our thoughts, neither his ways our ways." I now proceed, in the

σε

II. Place, to fhow that the redemption of mankind is a full demonftration of the unbounded love and goodnefs of the Divine nature. "In this," faith the Apoftle, " was the "love of God manifefted towards us, because "that God fent his only begotten Son into "the world, that we might live through him. Confider, then,

1st, The dignity of the person whom God fent on this gracious errand. Had he fent one of the meaneft of his fervants to fympathife with us in our forlorn eftate, it would have been an act of great condefcenfion and goodness. Had he commiffioned one of the leaft confiderable of those fpirits who furround his throne, to minister fome relief to us in our miferable

fituation,

fituation, with what gratitude ought we to have received fuch an inftance of his compaffionate regard. But who is this that cometh in the name of the Lord to fave us? What are his rank, his titles, and dignity? Let a Prophet declare: " Unto us a child is born, unto

us a fon is given, and his name shall be "called Wonderful, Counfellor, the mighty

God, the everlafting Father, the Prince of "Peace."-Let an Evangelift declare-" The "Word was made flesh and tabernacled a

mong us, and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, "full of grace and truth."-Let an Apostle declare" God who at fundry times, and in "divers manners, fpake to our fathers by the "Prophets, hath in these laft days spoken to

us by his Son from heaven-who is the brightness of his glory, and the exprefs "image of his perfon." Or if all these teftimonies are infufficient, let it be declared by a voice from the excellent Majefty, "This is

86 my beloved Son, hear ye

him."

Such was

"In

the perfon whom God fent to fave us.

"this was manifefted the love of God to

gotten Son"-but whether did he fend this divine perfon. This is a

2d Circumftance, that cannot fail to heighten our gratitude. He fent him into this lower world. He came from heaven to earth, from the throne to the foot-ftool, from the bofom of his Father to this guilty and polluted world, which deferved to be vifited with an executioner of justice, instead of an herald of peace. And in what circumstances did he appear on earth? Was it in the pomp of royalty, to receive the homage and fervices of his creatures? No; his life on earth was one continued scene of fuffering.

From his birth to his death, he was a man of forrows and acquainted with grief. He was even fo deftitute of the common accommodations of life, that he faid of himself, "The foxes have

holes, and the birds of the air have nefts, "but the Son of man hath not where to lay "his head." Yet thefe fufferings, though great, were light in comparison with what he afterwards underwent. The bittereft forrows which the common lot of humanity knows, admit fome intervals of eafe and relief. At worft, the mind of man, in its most oppreffed moments,

moments, anticipates the bright fide of things; or, ignorant of futurity, feels but the weight of the prefent moment. But this confolation of human weakness, the prophetic mind of Jefus did not admit. He forefaw the approaching hour of fuffering, and was fully aware of every bitter ingredient in the cup that was prepared for him to drink. He beheld the lowering cloud of darkness and diftrefs. He knew the malice of his enemies, the perfidy of his betrayer, and the unfaithfulness of his friends. He faw the accurfed tree, the torturing fcourge, the piercing nails, the hour and the power of darkness.

Behold him in that inutterable conflict, which wrung from him those complaining accents, "My foul is exceeding forrowful even "unto death." Behold him at his Father's footstool, offering up prayers and fupplications, with ftrong crying and tears, unto him that was able to fave him. Behold him going forth to meet his enemies; receiving the treacherous kifs; ftretching forth his hands to the fhackles; forfaken of all his friends; buffeted, fcourged, and fpit upon; at last nailed

to

When

to a cross, and infulted even in his expiring moments with a derifion of his woe. you have beheld this complicated fcene of anguish, say if there was ever forrow like unto this forrow; and yet far beyond all this must have been thofe myfterious feelings of the Son of God, when he cried out, My "God, my God, why haft thou forfaken me.

Such was the treatment which the Son of God met with on earth, and which he was prepared to meet with for our fakes; and can we doubt, after this, of the love of God in fending him into the world. "Greater love "than this hath no man, that a man lay down "his life'for his friend; but herein God com"mended his love towards us, in that while "we were yet finners, Chrift died for us." Confider, in the

3d Place, the gracious defign on which he came into the world. It was, "that we might "live through him." Life, you know, is the most important of bleflings, and the foundation of all other enjoyments. To purchase life, we reckon no expence or lofs too great. "Skin for fkin, all that a man hath will he แ give for his life." But life, in Scripture

VOL. IV.

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lan