the same adorable person is thrice called GOD, yea, JEHOVAH also, and "the King of all the earth."-We surely cannot but consider it as a strong confirmation of our faith, when we see this fundamental doctrine of our religion not confined to the apostolic writings, but pervading the scriptures which were given to the church a thousand years before Christ came into the world-]

His ascension also to heaven is described in glowing colours

[Christ is here considered as a mighty conqueror, triumphing over all his enemies, while he is surrounded by myriads of the heavenly host, and welcomed to the bright abodes which, for our sakes, he had condescended to leave-As the inhabitants of the invisible world are represented by the prophet as coming forth to insult the once terrible but now fallen king of Babylon, so we may conceive all the hosts of heaven stirring up each other to meet their once suffering, but now exalted Lord; and to congratulate him on the victories which he had gained over all the enemies of God and man---Like the women who came out of all the cities of Israel with musical instruments to celebrate David's victory over Goliath, so doubtless the holy angels vied with each other on this occasion, striking their golden harps, and rending heaven itself with their acclamations and hosannas-]

The more we contemplate this glorious subject, the more readily shall we comply with

II. The exhortation grounded upon it.

Every thing relating to Christ calls for our most ardent praise; but especially the event to which the text refers

[If we considered it in no other view than as a recompence to Christ, we ought surely to be glad; we should be thankful to God on his account, even though no benefit accrued from it to ourselves-But when we consider that they, over whom he has triumphed, were our enemies, that he has ascended, not as a private person, but as our forerunner, yea, as our head and representative, and that the royal authority, of which he is now possessed, is exercised for us, we ought to rejoice in him with joy unspeakable-It is that event which is the foundation of all our hopes, and which, even more than his death affords us an assured expectation of final success-]

On this account we are exhorted to sing praise to God

[Who can hear these reiterated calls to praise God, and not feel it incumbent on him to engage in this sacred duty?—

Isai. xiv. 9-12. 16-20. d 1 Sam. xviii. 6, 7. Rom. viii. 34.

We should praise him with frequency: no less than five times in the short space of the text is the exhortation repeated: and does not this intimate that we should be continually joyful in our king! Should we not say with David, "Seven times a day will I praise thee?"—Nor is it in a dull and formal manner that we should perform this duty, but with fervour. Our whole hearts should be engaged in it: the praises of our God and Saviour should be, as it were, the natural language of our souls: praise should be the very element in which we liveOur constant acclamations should be, "Bless the Lord, O my, soul, and all that is within me bless his holy name"-Nevertheless it is not a mere enthusiastic fervour that we should encourage, but a wise and temperate, an humble and holy devotion; we should praise him "with understanding:" for as a sacrifice, without fervour, is lame; so, without understanding, it is blind; and we must never offer the lame or blind for sacrifice

APPLICATION

[What reason have we all to be ashamed that we are so backward to this holy exercise!-Though we know, in profession at least, how greatly we are interested it the ascension of Christ, how little have we rejoiced in it! Yea, even on the day appointed for the commemoration of it, how little are our hearts affected as they ought to be!-Let us chide our dull souls, and begin without delay this blessed work-Let us know assuredly, that, if we have no heart for this delightful employment, we are far from being fit for heaven, where this subject will be the theme of our contemplation and praise for evermore-If indeed we have begun to praise him, then let us abound more and more; for, the more we are engaged in singing the praises of our Redeemer here, the more we shall be prepared to join the general chorus of the saints. above-]

f Mal. i. 8.

CCII. CHRIST VICTORIOUS OVER ALL HIS ENEMIES. Isai. xlv. 23-25. I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, that unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear. Surely, shall one say, In the Lord have I righteousness and strength: even unto him shall men come; and all that are incensed against him shall be ashamed. In the Lord shall the seed of Israel be justified, and shall glory.

TO those who know the infinite importance of the doctrine of the divinity of Christ, it is delightful to see

the irresistible evidence of it in the Old Testament as well as in the New-Who is it that in the two preceding verses says, "I am the LORD, I am God, a just God and a Saviour; there is no God else beside me, there is none beside me, there is none else?" Is this a creature? Who is this that, in the text, presumes to swear by himself; that arrogates to himself universal dominion; and that so frequently appropriates to himself the incommunicable name, JEHOVAH? Is this a creature? Who is it that can fulfil the promises here made to his friends, or execute the judgments here denounced against his enemies? Is he a mere creature?-No person that is not blinded by prejudice, or warped by controversy, can doubt one moment, but that it is the supreme God, who is speaking throughout the whole passage; yet this very passage does St. Paul expressly apply to Christ, affirming that it was a prediction of his final victory, and of the appearance of the whole human race at his tribunal.a

For the further elucidation of these solemn words we shall consider

I. The subject-matter of the oath

To comprehend this aright, we should notice particularly those very opposite circumstances which were appointed to take place, before the predictions in the text were to receive their accomplishment. Christ was to be insulted by his whole nation; and his claims of Messiahship were to be made the subject of profane ridicule: he was not only to be rejected, but to be crucified as a malefactor, and to die as one unable to save himself: his enemies were to enjoy a momentary triumph; and his followers to be disappointed, dejected, and confounded. But, that these things should not be a stumbling-block to any, it was here foretold that all these circumstances should be speedily reversed. In this view, the oath relates to four things

1. The exaltation of Christ

[Christ, as King of kings, and Lord of lords, had a right to universal empire: every creature was bound to render him

a Rom. xiv. 10, 11.

an unlimited and unreserved obedience. But it was foreseen that, instead of submitting to him, his creatures would rise up/ in rebellion against him, and cry out with one voice, "We will not have this man to reign over us." Christ, however, laughed them to scorn; and told them by his prophet, many hundred years before, that every knee should bow to him, and every tongue take an oath of allegiance to him as the only sovereign of the universe; at least, if they did not do this willingly, as an expression of their unfeigned subjection, they should do it, in effect, against their will, by suffering the punishment due to their rebellion.]

2. The advancement of his kingdom

[While in the world, he was to be considered as vile, yea, as the vilest of mankind; and to appear weak as other men: but in due time he was to be regarded, not only as righteous and powerful, but as the only source of righteousness and strength to all his creatures. In themselves, all are 66 ungodly and without strength:" feeling therefore their guilt and helplessness they are to "come to him," each saying for himself, and each animating others to say, " In the Lord have I righteousness "In and strength."]

3. The confusion of his enemies

see

[Notwithstanding his unspotted innocence, and unbounded kindness, he was to be an object of utter abhorrence to his whole nation. But their triumph over him was to be of short duration: the time was soon to come, when they should " him whom they had pierced, and mourn." Their violence was soon to be recompensed upon their own heads, unless by previous repentance and faith in his blood, they obtained the remission. of their sins. At all events, they should be " ashamed," whether penitent and pardoned, or impenitent and condemned. They should either be made to acknowledge with Paul, that they had been "blasphemers, injurious, persecutors, and, the very chief of sinners," or to confess the justice of that sentence, that consigned them over to everlasting misery.]

4. The salvation of his people

[His enemies are the seed of profane Esau; but his friends are "the seed of Israel," whose prayers prevailed with God, and whose example they imitate. These were for a time to be as men disappointed of their hopes; but, ere long, their expectations, founded on the word of Christ, were to be abundantly "justified" in the sight of men; and, their persons too were to be "justified" in the sight of God; so that both before God and man they should have reason to glory in the name of Jesus. None of them should be left in their forlorn condition;

but "all," all without exception, be made to triumph in him as the Rock of their salvation.]

Such was the exaltation, and such the consequences of it to himself, to his enemies, and to his believing people, which Christ so long before predicted with a solemn oath in confirmation of which we proceed to state

II. The certainty of its accomplishment

If God had simply asserted these things, it could not fail but that they must have come to pass; for, "he is not a man that he should lie, or the son of man that he should repent." But for our fuller conviction and assurance, he has sworn; and "because he could swear by no greater, he has sworn by himself:" his word is gone forth in righteousness and truth, nor shall it "return," till every jot or tittle of it be fulfilled. But

1. It has already been accomplished in part

[Atthe hour of his death, his enemies thought that they had gained their end. He, whom they had arrayed in mock majesty, and crowned with a chaplet of thorns, and before whom they had bowed the knee in derision, crying, Hail, King of the Jews, had expired on the accursed tree, an object of universal execration and abhorrence: and his followers were scattered as sheep that have no shepherd. The leader being destroyed, it seemed as if this infant sect, like others that had preceded it, were crushed, and brought to nought. It only remained that Jesus should be proved an impostor, by watching his tomb for three days; and then their victory would be complete. But in vain were the stone, the seal, the watch: at the appointed hour he rose triumphant; and the affrighted guards fled to relate the wonderful event. Now began his exaltation, which speedily reversed the scenes that had been exhibited. His enemies already stood confounded; and propagated an absurd falsehood to conceal their shame. The hopes of his disconsolate people were revived by many infallible proofs of his resurrection. They conversed and eat with him, and beheld him in the very act of ascending into heaven. It was but a few days afterwards, when, according to his promise, he sent down the Holy Ghost; and thereby completed the confusion of his enemies, and the triumph of his friends. Instantly no less than three thousand of his most inveterate enemies "bowed the knee to him," and "took, as it were, an oath" of allegiance to him as their rightful sovereign: though they had just before seen him "crucified through weakness," and treated as the most infamous of malefactors, the "came to him; that they might obtain "righteousness and strength." What confusion