The very difciples of Chrift themselves began to ftagger and stumble at the crofs of Chrift. Thus the two difciples faid, Luk. xxiv. 20, 21. The chief priests and rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified bim. But we trusted (hoped) it had been be, which should have redeemed Ifrael. They feem to speak as if his being crucified, had fruftrated their expectations, and inclined them to doubt whether he were the Meffiah. And if his own difciples were fo fcandalized at the crofs of Chrift, how much more might others be fo? Now, that which ferves to take away the fcandal of the cross, is the glorious efficacy and fuccefs of the gofpel. The apoftles went up and down, preaching Chrift crucified, and maintaining that he was the promifed Meffiah, the Lord of glory. This doctrine of theirs, was attended with fuch an effufion of grace, and co-operation of the holy Spirit, as that vaft multitudes believed it, and embraced Chrift crucified, as the object of their truft for eternal falvation. This removed the offence of the cross; as being an undeniable evidence, that the Meffiah ought to fuffer thofe things, and fo enter into bis glory. Had it not been thus, God would not have conferred fuch extraordinary and miraculous gifts on the apostles, and have accompanied their miniftry with fuch admirable fuccefs throughout the world, as he did.

Anfw. 2. To demonftrate the infinite vertue of his Sufferings and death. He died, as a facrifice, to make atonement for fin; and alfo as a ranfom-price, to obtain all the bleffings of redemption for poor, captivated finners. He died to obtain pardon, grace, and glory for finners. Tit. ii. 14. Who gave bimfelf for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto bimfelf a peculiar people, zealous of good works. This facrifice of himfelf, was fufficient, to make atonement for the fins, not only of the Jews, but alfo of all nations. 1 Joh. ii. 2. We have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Chrift the righteous, who is the propitiation for our fins, and not for ours only, but also for the fins of the whole world. Now, when Jefus Chrift had thus given himself a propitiatory

propitiatory facrifice for fin, he afcended up to God in heaven, and was there welcomed by him, as one in whom he was infinitely well pleafed. And as an evi-dence of the merit of his death, and its acceptableness to God, the Holy Ghost was thereupon fent down from heaven, to make the call of the gofpel effectual for the converfion of multitudes. Wherever the apostles went preaching the gospel of Chrift, the holy Spirit accom. panied them, and gave efficacy to their doctrine; fo that many believed and turned to the Lord, even great numbers. (A&t. xi. 21.) This was a moft glorious teftimony, to the all-fulness of his fatisfaction and merit. Had only a few been effectually called, the faving vertue of his blood had not been fo much manifefted. But when multitudes, even nations, do run unto bim, and partake of falvation by him, this proclaims to the world, that he is indeed a moft powerful Saviour, and that the price which he paid for the redemption of fouls, was of infinite worth and value.

Anfw. 3. To advance the honour of Chrift in the world. All the glory that Chrift has in this lower world, is from them that are effectually called unto himself. Thefe do truly run to Chrift, and give up themselves to him, to love, ferve and honour him; and no others do fo. 'Tis this peculiar people alone, that do fhew forth his praifes, by being zealous of all good works.---And the more of these there are in the world, the more is Jefus Chrift glorified. Solomon favs, Prov. xiv. 28. In the multitude of the people is the king's honour. 'Tis the glory of a king, to have a multitude of fubjects. The enlargement therefore of the kingdom of Christ, makes for the greater glory of Jefus Chrift. The converfion of many finners to Chrift does abundantly redound to the glory of Chrift; as there are the more living monuments of his mercy, and the more active inftruments of his praife, in the earth. Now, for this reafon, the number of converts to Chrift, was greatly multiplied after his glorious exaltation in heaven. Pfal. lxxxvi. 9, 10. All nations whom thou haft made, fhall sball

come and worship before thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name. For thou art great, and doeft wondrous things. This is a prediction of the calling of the Gentile nati ons to the Lord-Meffiah, who was great, and did won, drous works, especially by his apoftles, after his exaltati on. Thefe nations should be called to Christ, that they might worship before him, and glorify his name. When Jefus Chrift was crowned with honour and glory, and worshipped by all the angels and faints in heaven, it was meet that his glory fhould be declared to them on earth, who had not feen his glory, nor heard his fame, that fo he might be glorified by them in this lower world.

Anfw. 4. To make manifeft the faithfulness of God: ---In the eternal covenant made between God the Fa ther, and his Son Jefus Chrift, God promifed to him a numerous fpiritual issue, after his fufferings and exaltation to his own right hand. Ifai. liii. 9, 10. When thou shalt make his foul an offering for fin, [or, when his foul fhall make an offering for fin, i. e. when he fhall with all his foul, willingly offer up himself for fin,] be fhall fee his feed, be fhall prolong his days, and the pleafure of the Lord fhall profper in his hands. He fhall fee of the travel of his foul, and fhall be fatisfied; by his knowledge, fhall my righteous fervant justify many. Here is promifed to him a multitude of people, that fhould be begotten again by his word and Spirit, after his hu miliation and exaltation. So in Pfal. ii. 6. I have fet my king upon my holy hill of Zion. This points to his exaltation to the throne of glory in heaven, where he reigns as King of the church. And then it follows, t. 8. Ask of me, and I will give thee the beathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy paffeffion. Here is promifed to him after his enthroning in heaven, a glorious and large church, formed out of all the nations of the earth. Now, God who made fuch a promife to Chrift, is a true and faithful God. And that his faithfulnefs may be made to appear, he must fulfil this his promife to Chrift. Ifai.

xlix. 6, 7. And he faid, [i. e. God the Father faid to Fefus Chrift] It is a light thing that thou fhouldest be my fervant, to raife up the tribes, of Jacob, and to restore the preferved of Ifrael, [i, e. to convert fome of the Jewish nation] I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou naft be my falvation to the end of the earth. Thus faith the Lord, the Redeemer of Ifrael, and his holy One, to him whom man defpifeth, to him whom the nation abhorreth, to a fervant of rulers, [i. e. to Jefus Chrift, who was defpifed and bated of the nation of the Jews, and fubject to civil rulers] Kings ball fee and arife, Princes alfo fhall worship, because of the Lord that is faithful i. e. the Kings of the earth, with their dominions, fhall ftoop to thy fcepter and fovereignty, and pay homage unto thee, becaufe of my faithfulness, which ftands engaged by promife to bring this about. It was then neceffary for declaring the faithfulness of God, that our exalted Lord fhould have the nations.. run unto him. And accordingly we find God making good to Chrift, the promise of the Spirit, for the converfion of finners. Act. ii. 33. Therefore being by the right band of God exalted, and having received of the Eather the promife of the Holy Ghost, he bath fhed forth this which ye now fee and bear.

Anfw. 5. To fhew forth the royal dignity and generous Jpirit of our Lord Jefus Chrift. When Jefus Christ was gloriously exalted, it became him to bring many out of a state of fin, into a state of grace. This was fuitable to the ftate of glory whereto he was advanced, and that munificent Spirit wherewith he was endowed. As a king, on the day of his coronation, or the day of his triumph over his enemies, bestows great gifts, and featters his bounties fa did Jefus Chrift, when he was crowned with honour and glory, and triumph'd over principalities and powers. Eph. iv. 8. When be afcended up on bigb, be led captivity captive, and gave gifts to men, i. e. a large measure of gifts and graces. In his ftate of humiliation he did indeed bestow the graces of his Spirit on men; but

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not in fo great a degree, nor to fo great a number of perfons, as he did after his entrance upon his ftate of exaltation in heaven, Then he did more plentifully difpenfe fpiritual bleffings, to the miferable world of mankind. Then he fent forth his apoftles, into the Gentile world, to open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of fatan unto God and he fent the boly Spirit, to make their miniftry powerful and fuccefsful to the falvation of finners; fo that multitudes were, fet at liberty from the power of fin and fatan, and tranflated into the kingdom of the dear Son of God....Now thus to do, was every way becoming fo great a king and conqueror, and one of fo large and liberal a fpirit, as he was. acted like himself, when he fhowred down the best of bleffings, even, fpiritual bleffings from heaven, in fo plentiful and extenfive a manner, after his eternal Fa ther had fet the crown of glory on his head.

APPLICATION.

He

USE I. We bence fee, that the church catbolicks, at the day of Chrift's fecond appearing, will be an exceed ing great body.In that glorious day when Jefus Chrift fhall be revealed from heaven, all the faints fhall be gathered together unto him. They fhall appear in one body; not fo much as a fingle individual of them want. ing. And then it fhall be feen, what a mighty body of people they are. Indeed, they may be but few, compared with them that fhall perish. The congregation of the wicked, may be much greater than the affembly of the faints: Yet however, the holy affembly thall be a very vaft affembly. The grace of God abounds unto many, Rom. v. 15. And the Lord Jefus Chrift died for many. Matth. xxvi. 28. The manfions in hea ven are many, (Joh. xiv. 2.) and none of them shall be left empty. They will be a great multitude which no man can number, Rev. vii. 9. And they must needs be fo, if we confider, how the call of the gofpel has

been