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"hill of Zion; I fhall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermoft parts of the "earth for thy poffeffion; thou shalt break them "with a rod of iron, thou shalt dafh them in pieces, like a potter's veffel," Pfal. ii. 6. &'c. again, "I have exalted one chofen out of the peo"ple;" and again, "I will alfo make him, my firft-born, higher than the kings of the earth." Pfal. lxxxix. 19. and 27.

Our Lord procured and acquired this commiffion upon the most honourable terms; namely, as the reward of his obedience unto death. It is precisely in this light the apoftle views it, when he fays, "Wherefore," namely, as the reward due to his humiliation, mentioned in the preceding context, "God also hath highly exalted him." &c. Philip. ii. 9, &c.

And as our Lord's commiffion was legally expede, and honourably procured; fo it is amply fupported by the Father. He does nothing, in any of the refpects mentioned, but the Father approves, corroborates, and confirms; nor is it poffible for him to do otherways, fince our Lord executes his mediatory warrant intirely to his mind. Thus, fpeaking of his anointed by the prophet, the Father fays, "With whom my hand fhall be established;

mine arm alfo fhall ftrengthen him; and, in my "name, fhall his horn be exalted," Pfal. lxxxix.

21, 24.

SECT.

VI.

How majeftical, then, and how glorious, the Man Chrift Jefus! Compared with him, now, what are all the puny princes, and what the petty potentates, among men? whatever contributes to render one great and venerable among the creatures,

has

has place in Chrift to the highest poffible degree. But why speak of creature greatness, that, at beft, is circumfcribed by narrow limits? fince his majefty and greatness know no bounds. Many have much to fay in one corner of the earth, whose authority, in another, meets with no regard. Many bear confiderable rule here below, who have no intereft, no influence, before the throne above. - None even of the fons of the mighty, can turn the helm, in the vessel of providence, to their mind; nor keep the gates of hell and death from opening upon them or their's. But our Lord's greatnefs and influence are equal in all places, at all feafons, and over all creatures. With what humility should we-therefore approach, with what reverence adore, with what willingness obey, and with what chearfulness, fhould we confide in him?

How great, of confequence, the fafety, honour and happiness of thofe interefted in the Mediator's friendship? There is nothing in heaven or earth best for you, he will not procure and bestow. Since his goings are fo noble and majestical, and his influence fo vaft and extenfive; you are fure, that whatever good your fituation requires, fhall, be conferred and enjoyed, in the propereft time, manner and measure. Are you unable to manage your own cause before the throne? his goings in heaven are fuited to fuch a cafe; he praying for you, when you cannot, know not how, or what to pray for yourselves. Are your circumftances in the world trying, penurious and diftreffing? then know, thefe are the effects of his wifdom and love; and that it is because he fees trials and afflictions the greatest bleffings you can, in your prefent circumftances, enjoy, thefe bitter galling ingredients are mixed up in your cup. Are you burdened for the low ftate of the churches, the declining interefts

of religion, the formality, defections, errors and divifions, which have crept in, and are, in your views, like to gain ground; for the rareness of converfion among finners, the fmallness of reviving among faints; the awful backfliding among all, that have place? then our Lord's goings in the churches are grounds of comfort, at least, of humble filence, in fuch a cafe; for if he has work to accomplish, if he has clect feed to gather in, if he has defigns of grace upon finners among us, if our Zion is to be favoured, and if the time be come, he will not neglect his own bufinefs as Mediator. Are you afraid of death and hell, or afraid of coming fhort of heaven at laft? these fears are all without foundation, fince our Lord's goings, in thefe refpects, are fo manifeft, and peculiar.

As a confequence of the whole, muft not the fituation of our Lord's enemies be perilous beyond expreffion? Continuing in a ftate of rebellion againft him, you can expect no favour from heaven,' no good on earth, no advantage from the churches, no exemption from death, no fanctuary from hell. Wherever you turn your eye, the Mediator prefents you with frowns, meets you with difpleature, and way-lays you with curfes. Agree, there"fore with thine adversary quickly, whilft thou art in the way with him; left at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the "judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be caft "into prifon," Matth. v. 25.

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PART

PART III,

Of our LORD's Employment with the faved Ones in Heaven, and of his Triumph o ver the Hearts of Sinners upon Earth.

CHA P. I.

Of the new fong of praise; with the Father's putting it into the mouth of Chrift, as Man-Media

THE object of this new fong is, by the Mel

fiah, in the paffage under confideration, faid to be our God. By the object of any fong we are to understand the person to whom it is addreffed, about whom it is converfant, whether compiled, modulated and performed, in way of commendation, thanksgiving or worship. in any, whatever view. Thus we know how the atchievements of the great and enterprifing have been celebrated in fongs, both by the ancients and moderns. But of this forg Jehovah the Father is more particularly the object, as he is the fountain of the Deity, the original of all good, the fum and centre of all perfection; to whom, from all the creatures, worship is unquestionably due: whence the creation, animate and inanimate, rational and irrational, angelic and human, are often called to

D 6

join

join in fongs of praise to God. The cxlviii. pfalm is a beautiful inftance and example of this, where all his angels, and all his faints; the fun, the moon and the ftars of light; the heaven of heavens, and the waters above the heavens; the earth, the dragons and all deeps; fire, hail, fnow, vapour, stormy winds; mountains and all hills; fruitful trees, and all cedars; beafts, and all cattle; creeping things, and flying fowls; kings of the earth, and all people; princes, and all judges of the earth; young men and maidens, old men and children; are called to celebrate God, in continual fongs of praise.

The glorious object, however, of this fong, is reprefented by the Meffiah, in a peculiar relative point of light, when he calls him our God: intimating that, as Mediator, he is the representative of all thofe whom the Father gave him; that they and he are one in a mystical view; that as the Făther is his God, fo he is theirs; that, in this fong, they will, to eternity, be partakers with him; that though none of them accompanied, or could accompany him in the deeps of his humiliation, all of them fhall reap the fruits of his victory and triumph, in the enjoyment and in the praises of Jehovah, as his God and their God, his Father and their Father: fo that as the object of this fong, Jehovah, must be confidered as a God of grace, a God in Chrift, a God únited and related to elect men, through the glorious and triumphant Man. Befides, this relative view of God intimates, that although the Mediator be himself the object of all heavenly worship, confidered in his divine nature,

confidered even as God-Man; yet, in another point of light, he is a worshipper, and a worshipper of the Father, namely, as the head and elder brother of ranfomed finners; they in him and he