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

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(4) In the last place, Another circumftance in the myftery of the gofpel 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 remain. ed 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 those unhappy criminals who were lying under the curfe of a broken law. Accordingly the angel, in his meffage to the fhepherds, 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 gospel? 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 must 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 mystery to the celeftial fpirits, as any part of the plan. Inftead of every finner humbly

imploring reconciliation with an offended God, our Redeemer, as a Sovereign Lord, as the Prince of Peace, first 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 defcription of its influence and effect, Pfal. xlv. 3, 4, 5. "Gird thy fword upon thy thigh, O most mighty; with thy glory and "thy majefty; and in thy majefty ride profperoufly, be"cause of truth, and meeknefs, and righteousness; 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 midft 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 say, 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 also particular notice, that faith itself is faid to 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 change in general which conftitutes the new nature, is confidered 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 plainly, from many exprefs declarations of fcripture, from the power neceffary to overcome their obftinacy, and from the feat of the difeafe itself, which lies in the will, that finners, while they continue fo, instead of defiring, resist their recovery. What a subject of contemplation prefents itfelf to the angels here! What an unknown view is given them of the infinite evil and malignity of fin! What a humbling 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 fyflem is intended to ferve 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 apoftle 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!"

I proceed now to conclude the fubject, by some practical 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 crofs. It required no fmall measure of fortitude in the apostle 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 foolifhnefs." 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 many 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 thefe 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 sinners. It astonished the angels, therefore no wonder though it fhould astonish 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 circumftances, 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 justly 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 circumftances 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 Ghoft; 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 thefe walls, "that God fo loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whofoever believeth in him might not perifh, but have everlafting life." I repeat the univerfal call, that " him that cometh to him, he will in no wife "caft out." Are there not many in this house under the power of fin, and the curfe of a broken law? Nay, who is there that is not condemned by thefe important words, which you will find Gal. iii, 10. "Curfed is every one "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

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fures more than lovers of God, ye fhall be flain all of you ; "as a bowing wall fhall ye be, and as a tottering fence." Remember the mifery of thofe who die in an unconverted ftate" It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the "living God. Who can abide with devouring fire? Who "can dwell with everlasting burnings?" Admire the infinite grace of God through our Lord Jesus Christ, and admire the infinite wifdom of God that hath laid help for you upon one who is "mighty to fave." May I not fay, that, on this folemn occafion, your Saviour speaks to you, not only in his word, but from his crofs? See the justice of God in the cross of Christ, and thence learn the evil of fin. See the power and wrath of God in the crofs of Chrift, and tremble at your own fiate. See the matchless love of God in the crofs of Chrift, and be perfuaded to return to him with weeping, with fupplication, and with mourning. Let the eye of faith be pointed at the dying Saviour, and fay unto him, " O almighty fufferer, look down, look "down from thy triumphant infamy, pity and pierce this "hard heart with a fenfe of guilt and mifery. Thou haft "faid, that when thou fhouldft be lifted up from the earth, "thou wouldst draw all men unto thee: let this promise "be fulfilled to my experience. Draw me, we will run after thee. Lord, take away my complicated guilt; Lord, renew and pacify my unfanctified affections, form "me for thyfelf, that I may serve thee here, and afterwards "fee thee as thou art!

3. From what hath been faid upon this fubject, you may examine your title to partake of the holy ordinance of the Lord's fupper; or, in other words, your right to the favor of God, and to eternal life. No difpofition more fuitable, none more necessary, at a communion-table, than a grateful and admiring fenfe of redeeming love. Not only the profane blafphemer, or the fcornful defpifer, is unfit to fit down at this feaft, but the self-righteous formalist who never faw himself undone. It is true, indeed, that when angels themselves are put to a fland, all our thoughts must foon be loft and fwallowed up. But, my brethren, do you defire to look into it? Do you feel a fenfible pleasure and delight in this facred employment? Do you, in fome