works, but according to his own purpose and grace given thee in Chrift Jefus before the world began. Does not the very thought fill thee with furprise and aftonishment unutterable at the fovereign goodness of Jehovah? That when the names of many wife men, and mighty and noble are probably omitted, thy worthless name is felected and carefully enrolled in the records of life; that one fo poor, abjectly poor as thou art should be predeftinated to an inheritance inconceivably great, an inheritance incorruptible, and eternal in the heavens; that one fo impure, fo deformed as thou art should be cloathed with change of raiment, a garment of wrought gold, fplendid and perfect as the infinite furety could prepare; that one whofe habitation is in the duft; who art deftitúte perhaps of a fhelter from the fcorching heat or the wintry blafts fhould be chofen to a house not made with hands, a manfion above the fkies more coftly than angels occupy; that one, who is now flighted or defpifed as infignificant, and contemptible, is deftined to shine as a ftar or a fun in the kingdom of God? Surely thine heart fhould be all gratitude, thy lips all praife, and thy life one conftant, ardent courfe of obedience to HIM who hath loved thee with an everlasting love. And, O chriftian, all the mercy manifefted in thine election, thy vocation, thy confolation through the occafional affurances of thy Father's love is the certain earnest of every poffible bleffing through eternity to come.

T

Being predefinated, thou art already called; being called thou art completely justified; and being juftified thou wilt certainly and shortly be glorified. As every comfortable perfuafion that Jefus is thine is a counterpart to thine election before the world began, it is allo the first fruits of a full harvest of bleffings when this world with all its toys fhall forever have an end. Then with thine understanding inconceivably enlarged, and a voice improved and elevated beyond what thou canft now imagine thou fhalt fing of the mercies of Jehovah forever; thou shalt trace all the ftreams which occafionally refresh thee on earth, and thofe rivers of confolation which uninterruptedly overflow thy foul in heaven to ELECTING LOVE as the fpontaneous, unexhaufted, everlafting fpring.-AMEN. So let it be; fo it fhall be to the glory of free grace, and thine eternal rejoicing.

The Condefcenfion of the Eternal Son in becoming our furely.

2 COR. viii. 9.

FOR YE KNOW THE GRACE OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, THAT THOUGH HE WAS RICH, YET FOR YOUR SAKES HE BECAME POOR.

ALL thofe difcords which diftra&t the counfels, and enfeeble the efforts of mortals, whether in matters civil or facred, may be traced to human imperfection as their fource. A partial blindness clouds the understanding of the most enlightened; meafures therefore which appear eligible to one man, to another feem inexpedient or impracticable: The demon of jealoufy finds admiffion into the bofom of the moft difinterefted, and leads them coldly to receive, or decidedly to oppofe plans which they fecretly approve; they are afraid that the execution of the fcheme might raife an inferior nearer to a level, or give compleat afcendency to a rival: But in proportion as the understanding expands promptly to difcern the fitnefs of things, and the heart is improved cordially to embrace what is excellent, union of fentiment will adorn their deliberation

and their ftrength will be directed to one point for the execution of every measure, whether more limited, or more extenfive in its tendency. They will fee eye to eye; they will co-operate hand in hand, and with the voice they will fing together. Among the INFINITE THREE, who are perfection itfelf, harmony fublime, uninterrupted everlastingly reigns: What either divine perfon wills, all the divine perfons will: As their effence is one, their plans and operations are neceffarily one. Although in the economy of human falvation each affumes a diftinct office, yet he affumes and executes this office in perfect concurrence and co-operation with the others.While the everlasting Father fpares not his own fon, but delivers him up to redeem, the fon fpares not himself, but cordially gives his life a ranfom for many. Ye know the grace of our Lord Jefus Chrift, that though he was rick, for your fakes he became poor.

THE apoftle makes a direct appeal to these Corrinthian converts, Ye know the grace of our Lord Jefus. He did not mean that they fully comprehended this mystery in all its vaft extent, because it is utterly incomprehenfible by any created mind, whether human or angelic; it is an ocean without bottom, which can never be fathomed; an ocean without bounds which cannot poffibly be measured. But they knew it doctrinally in their heads; this grace had often

been announced and extolled among them by the apostles of our Lord: Thefe inspired preachers of righteoufnefs had determined to know nothing in that, or any other church, but Jefus Chrift and him crucified; they had exhibited the infinite redeemer in the height of his elevation as God, and the depth of his degradation as man, to be the chiefeft of the ways of God; to be the greatest mystery of wifdom and condefcenfion that was ever difplayed: Thefe Corrinthians knew him experimentally and favingly in their hearts; they had received not merely the teaching of apoftles, but an unction of the holy One, by which they knew all things: This all-mighty, allgracious agent had enlightened the eyes of their understandings to know what was the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance among the faints: This latter teaching is infinitely the most important and effectual; it enlightens the mind; it purifies the heart; it fpiritualizes the affections; it regulates the converfation, and finally faves the foul.

In the difcuffion of these words, we are led to confider, 1. The original, underived glory of Chrift, he was rich: 2. His fubfequent abafement, and humiliation, he became poor; and 3. The condescension manifested in that tranfaction, expreffed by the term grace.

THE Original condition and glory of Jefus