(1.) It is fo mortifying to human pride, that the power of fin must be broken at least, before it can be truly and cordially received. There is not fo difficult a duty in the whole compafs of the moral law, as an unfeigned denial of our own righteoufnefs and ftrength, and being willing to count all things but lofs for the excellency of the knowledge of Chrift. To receive forgivenefs as mere mercy to those who had deferved to perish, without any complaint either against the ftrictnefs of the law or the feverity of the fanction, is not fo eafy as many feem to imagine, and what no man is brought to but by the Holy Ghott.

(2.) As the finner must be really fubjected to God the Creator, before he can lay hold of his mercy through Chrift the Redeemer; fo it is plain, that the most effectual measures are taken to continue and perpetuate this fubjection. It is plain, that the infinite unmerited love of God to his foul, is the most powerful and operative principle of obedience that can dwell in the human heart: 2 Cor. v. 14, 15. "For the love of Chrift conftraineth "us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then 66 were all dead; and that he died for all, that they which "live, fhould not henceforth live unto themselves, but "unto him which died for them, and role again." Such confidence has the fame apofile in the ftrength of this principle, that he bids defiance to all trials and oppofition: Rom. viii. 35. "Who fhall separate us from the love of "Chrift? Shall tribulation, or diftrefs, or perfecution, or "famine, or nakednefs, or peril, or fword?" And again, verfe 38, 39. "For I am perfuaded that neither death, "nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things prefent, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, fhall be able to feparate "us from the love of God, which is in Chrift Jefus our "Lord." Thefe great principles of fanctification are new to the angels. When, therefore, they fee the holiness of God fhining in the free juftification of finners through Chrift, it will add new force and new meaning to that fong of praise which they are reprefented as finging, Rev. iv. 8. And they reft not day and night, faying, Holy,

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แ holy, holy, Lord God almighty, which was, and is, "and is to come."

(4.) In the last place, Another circumftance in the myftery of the gospel which will be matter of wonder to the angels, is the application of redemption, or the manner and means of tranflating finners "from darkness to

light," and "from the power of Satan unto God.”— Before the plan of divine grace with regard to fallen man was opened to them, they had feen no examples of finners but the fallen angels. From their irreverfible fentence, and blafpheming rage in their torment, thofe who remained in their happy ftate, would be apt to conclude, that there could be no recovery for a creature who had once departed from his integrity at all. But when they learned fomething of the divine purpose for the falvation of fallen man, especially the amazing and unspeakable grace that appeared in the appointment of the Mediator, and the univerfal unlimited offer of falvation in his name, what would be the effect? I dare fay they would certainly conclude, that it would be received with the highest tranfports of joy, by all thofe unhappy criminals who were lying under the curfe of a broken law. Accordingly the angel, in his message to the shepherds, calls it good tidings of great joy to all people.

What then must have been their additional furprise, when they heard the prophet faying, Ifa. liii. 1. "Who "hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of "the Lord revealed?" when they faw that this gracious Saviour was "defpifed and rejected of men ?" when they oblerved fo many turn a deaf ear to the most importunate calls of the gofpel? when they found them cavilling themfelves out of eternal happiness, and advancing their own blinded and bewildered reafon in contempt of the infinite wifdom of God? What muft thofe holy angels, who are filled with gratitude for creating goodnefs, think of those heirs of hell, who pour contempt upon redeeming love? I cannot touch upon every thing that rifes here to our view, but I am perfuaded that the adminiftration of the covenant of grace is as full of myftery to the celeftial fpirits, as any part of the plan. Inftead of every finner humbly

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imploring reconciliation with an offended God, our Redeemer, as a Sovereign Lord, as the Prince of Peace, firft conquers thofe as enemies, whom he afterwards cherishes as friends. He is endued with all power for this great work; and the Pfalmift gives a beautiful description of its influence and effect, Pfal. xlv. 3, 4, 5. "Gird thy fword upon thy thigh, O moft mighty; with thy glory and thy majefty; and in thy majefty ride profperoufly, be"caufe of truth, and meeknefs, and righteoufnefs; and thy right hand fhall teach thee terrible things. Thine "arrows are fharp in the heart of the king's enemies "whereby the people fall under thee." He hath fent forth his Holy Spirit as an almighty agent, to reconcile finners unto God. Is there not also a depth of divine fovereignty to be seen in the choice of the veffels of mercy? The apostle Paul in the midst of the fury of perfecuting zeal, Mary Magdalene from the midst of the flames of unclean luft, Zaccheus from the heart hardening crimes of covetoufnefs and oppreffion, and many others of the chief of finners, have been made the trophies of divine grace, and may fay, in the words of their great example the apostle Paul, 1 Tim. i. 15. "This is a faithful faying, "and worthy of all acceptation, that Chrift Jefus came into the world to fave finners, of whom I am chief."

It deferves alfo particular notice, that faith itfelf is faid o be the operation and the gift of God: Eph. ii. 8. "For by grace are ye faved, through faith; and that not of 'yourselves: it is the gift of God." And indeed the hange in general which conftitutes the new nature, is onfidered as a birth or creation from above; John i. 13. Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." It appears lainly, from many exprefs declarations of fcripture, from e power neceffary to overcome their obftinacy, and from he feat of the difeafe itself, which lies in the will, that nners, while they continue fo, inftead of defiring, refift eir recovery. What a fubject of contemplation presents felf to the angels here! What an unknown view is given em of the infinite evil and malignity of fin! What a imbling fenfe of created weaknefs! What a leffon of VOL. I. 3 B

caution for their after conduct! It hath been conjectured not without apparent reafon and fome countenance from fcripture, that the great purpose which the human fyftem is intended to serve in the univerfal kingdom of God, is to be an everlasting monument, that a rational creature who has once departed from its innocence and obedience to its Creator, never can again return to the fame ftate, but by his own almighty power and fovereign grace. Upon the whole, from this faint view of the plan of redemption, as lying open to the attention of principalities and powers, we may fay with the apostle Paul, Rom. ii. 33- "O the depth of the riches both of the wifdom and knowledge of "God! how unfearchable are his judgments, and his ways paft finding out!"

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I proceed now to conclude the fubject, by fome practi cal improvement of what has been faid. And,

1. What you have heard will contribute, I hope, by the divine bleffing, to fhew the guilt of those who defpife the gofpel, and ferve to remove the offence of the cross. It required no fmall measure of fortitude in the apoftle Paul, to declare that he was not "afhamed of the cross of Chrift," which at its first publication was "to the Jews a ftumbling "block, and to the Greeks foolifhnels." The doctrine of the cross, in its fimplicity and purity, has been matter of offence in every fucceeding age, to men of proud and worldly minds, God knows, there are not wanting ma ny at this time, who treat the doctrine of the cross, and falvation by grace, with as much contempt and infolence as they dare. Nor is it at all impoffible, that there may be fome among you who are infected with these poisonous and deftructive principles. Be perfuaded, O deluded foul! that" the weaknefs of God is ftronger than man," and "that the wifdom of man is foolifhnefs with God." This glorious and gracious plan hath the approbation and admiration of angels, though it hath the contempt of finners. It astonished the angels, therefore no wonder though it fhould aftonifh us. You will perhaps fay, It is indeed aftonishing above measure; it teaches me to believe an incarnate God, a suffering Saviour, the innocent punished, and the guilty forgiven. It is attended with fo may

furprising circumstances, that I cannot help faying, How can these things be? But as Samfon faid in his riddle, Out of the eater came forth meat, out of the ftrong came "forth fweetnefs;" fo out of the fuggeftions of your corrupt minds, I would derive fome evidence of the truth. A cunningly devifed fable would be dreffed by the deceiver in a manner fuited to the human tafte; but this doctrine hath not upon it any of the marks of human wisdom. I do not think, if it had not been revealed, that it could have entered into any human mind; and therefore we may jufly fay," Salvation belongeth unto God." It is because he is God, and not man, that we, the children of men, are not confumed."

2. You may learn, from what has been faid, the encouragement that is given to finners to return to God through Chrift. The very circumstances that are most aftonishing and admirable in this great difpenfation, are the undeferved love and unexpected condefcenfion of God to guilty and miferable finners. I know that the inward and effectual call can only be given by the Holy Ghost; but I know alfo, that "faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." Therefore, in expectation of the blefling of him who " hath the hearts of all men in "his hand, and turneth them how foever he will," I proclaim in the hearing of every finner within these walls, "that God fo loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whofoever believeth in him might not perifh, but have everlasting life." I repeat the univerfal call, that "him that cometh to him, he will in no wise "caft out." Are there not many in this houfe under the power of fin, and the curfe of a broken law? Nay, who is there that is not condemned by these important words, which you will find Gal. iii, 10. "Curfed is every one

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"that continueth not in all things which are written in "the book of the law to do them." This fentence ftands uncancelled against all who are not reconciled to God by faith in Chrift Jefus. Is the application difficult? Ye flaves of fin, drunkards, fwearers, profane and lafcivious jesters, envious and malicious flanderers, retainers of unjuft gain, and all without exception who are lovers of plea