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Father through him, 'all mine are thine, and thine are mine.' 'Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? it is God that justifieth; who is he that condemneth? it is Christ that died, yea, rather that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us."

SEVENTH DAY.-MORNING.

'Justice and judgment are the habitation of thy throne; mercy and truth shall go before thy face,' Psal. lxxxix. 14.

IN God all perfections harmonize; he is just when he exercises his mercy, and whenever he takes his seat upon the throne of judgment, 'mercy and truth go before his face.' Amongst sinful and imperfect creatures we may witness the rigour of a relentless vengeance exercised, or the partiality of a weak and unscrupulous leniency; but these things be far from God; he cannot compromise his holiness; he cannot deny himself; but must always act in such a manner as accords with the glory of his manifold and infinite perfections.

What copious and interesting illustration of this truth do we not derive from the method of salvation provided in the gospel. The sufferings and death of Christ reveal the justice of God in a light the most solemn and awful; the design of those sufferings, and of that death, manifest no less conspicuously his boundless love to sinners, and his delight in the exercise of mercy. Indeed, unless for the view set before us, in the cross of Christ, of the plan devised for our salvation, it would have been utterly impossible to conceive in what manner God could have delivered us from destruction without compromising the justice of his character, and the honour of his law. It is necessary, in order to sustain justice in its full and perfect exercise, that the law which it has ordained be upheld with unyielding faithfulness, and that every transgression be followed with the threatened punishment. Now this takes away from the lawgiver the power of dispensing with the appointed penalties. Having been right to be ordained, they are equally right to be executed. Nay truth, after they have been promulgated, adds to the obligation arising from their intrinsic rectitude to their being enforced. Strictly speaking, therefore, perfect justice is incompatible with the exercise of mercy, at least in the execution of a law, however mercy may preside over its formation, and regulate its nature and

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operation. The mercy of God, then, after his law was given to men, had no more any power to interfere, either to set aside its authority altogether, or in any degree whatever to modify its requirements, or mitigate its penalties. The law was under the sacred guardianship of justice, and the voice of justice alone could be heard in applying its provisions and appointing its awards.

But in the sufferings and death of Christ justice found a full satisfaction for the sins of all for whom he died; and now are they 'justified freely by his grace, through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus, whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood; to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God.'

How precious is the salvation of the gospel viewed as the gift of an infinitely holy God, whose throne is the eternal dwelling-place of justice and judgment. He was under no obligation to interpose to save us he could not even have purposed to do so without, at the same time, resolving to give up his Son to the death for us all—and O how amazing was that love, how boundless that mercy, which consented by paying a ransom so great, to open up a way by which it might extend itself towards us, and provide for our redemption.

Let us seek to have our hearts more deeply impressed with a knowledge of the infinite value of the riches of divine grace; and let the love of Christ constrain us, because we thus judge that if one died for all, then were all dead, and that he died for all, that they who live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him who loved them, and who gave himself for them. Whilst we rejoice in mercy, let us reverence justice; whilst we cherish salvation, let us acknowledge that God would have only glorified his justice in leaving us utterly and for ever to perish.

As the nature of God is infinitely holy, and his throne a throne of righteousness, there can evidently be no communion between him and those who continue in the love and practice of sin; and, therefore, in vain do they profess to rely upon offered mercy who are hardened in impenitence, or engrossed by the love of sinful pleasure, or unconvinced of the necessity of becoming dead unto sin, and alive unto righteousness; or unwilling to exercise the self-denial and the perseverance requisite for insuring their progressive sanctification. Supplicate the renewing influences of the Holy Spirit, and give all diligence to make your calling and election sure, seeking to be holy as he who hath called you is holy.

Under the rod of chastisement, and when ex

periencing the correction of God for sin, faint We venerate whatever possesses the character not when you are rebuked of him; remember of antiquity and that has come down through that whilst justice and judgment are the habita- a long lapse of ages, preserving something of tion of his throne, mercy and truth go before his unchangeableness amidst the vicissitudes and flucface; and return to him with confession and sup-tuations which are incident to all earthly things. plication, and he will receive you; for there is mercy with God that he may be feared, and plenteous redemption that he may be sought after.

SEVENTH DAY.-EVENING.

Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God,' Psal. xc. 2.

The everlasting hills, the perpetual firmament, the unchanging sun, the ever-twinkling stars, all nature's more permanent features impress the thoughtful mind with a sentiment of awe, when he reflects upon their enduring nature; when he thinks that they are the same now as when looked upon by the men of other days, whose names, if known at all, are only known from history; and when he farther considers how they shall remain unchanged, and be the objects of veneration to other minds, it may be thousands of years after he and the generation to which he belongs shall have passed into everlasting forgetfulness. But what are these compared unto God? The most stable works of nature are not, in the abso

In every case where we ascend from the consideration of the creature to the contemplation of the Creator, we are conscious of passing over an infin-lute sense of the term, unchangeable, but only ite range of separation, which necessarily divides whatever is limited and dependent in its nature from Him who is self-existent, eternal, and immutable in his being, and in all his perfections. We feel that there can be no comparison between the finite and the infinite, and that the highest and most glorious of created intelligences, with all they possess, sink into absolute insignificance in the surpassing splendour of that glory which emanates from the presence of the supreme and eternal Godhead. And there is no circumstance by which the infinite disparity between God and his creatures admits of being more impressively realized, than by the absolute immutability which distinguishes his nature, contrasted with the precarious and limited character of the being conferred upon them.

But there are circumstances in the brief and mortal span of human existence, not to be overlooked, which render the lesson of humility and self-abasement arising from this subject, more strikingly and solemnly impressive. If the most permanent of all created things, if the stars of the firmament, and the mountains which they have shone upon for so many generations, are but as yesterday, compared with the years of the right hand of the Most High; if even the highest and first rank of heaven's hierarchies vail their diminished heads before the eternity which belongs exclusively to God, how should man feel his infinite nothingness before the Almighty, and shut up, in the humility which the thought impresses, prostrate himself in holy adoration before the majesty and glory which belong to the infinite and uncreated source of all being.

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more abiding, only less fleeting than the frail and perishing creatures who successively inhabit a world of change and death. There is a period appointed in the counsels of the Eternal when the framework of the material universe shall be utterly dissolved; when the elements shall melt with fervent heat; and when the earth, and all things in it, shall be turned up. But the throne of God is established for ever, and of his dominion there shall be no end. A thousand years are with him as one day, and one day as a thousand years.' He is from everlasting to everlasting— from eternity to eternity-beholding and ordaining whatever comes to pass; he dwells in a sphere too exalted to be reached by change. Nature fades, but he partakes not of the decay. Worlds are annihilated, but the convulsion affects not his throne. As he owes his existence to none, he holds it in dependence upon none, but Jehovah, I am, is his peculiar name, his high and incommunicable glory. How devoutly should we acknowledge God as our Creator and Preserver, the Author of our existence, the source of our every blessing, and the cause upon whom we are necessarily and for ever dependent for all the good we enjoy, or ever can receive. It is his power which upholds, his goodness which enriches, and his quickening energy which vivifies all who live. Whatever of permanence or stability exists, results from the sovereign good pleasure of God, who ruleth over all. Did an erring, weak, capricious being preside over creation, what anarchy, misrule, and tribulation would instantly follow. But the great and unchangeable Jehovah reigneth; and hence the consistency of plan, the regularity

of operation, and the uniformity of system which | by a vast amount of scripture evidence, have had the universe presents. What cause to rejoice have recourse to other modes to lessen or destroy its angels and men because God reigneth, for he credibility and value in the estimation of the ignoralone causeth us to dwell in safety; he is the ant and inconsiderate. Of these one of their most strength of our lives, and the length of our days. usual expedients is to denounce it as mysterious But in a particular manner, what joy and hope and incomprehensible—and since they assume it as ought we not to find in the truth that the great, a general principle, that no man is bound to believe the unchangeable Jehovah, is a covenant God, mysteries, they draw the sweeping conclusion, the God of salvation, who has given us, in his that the doctrine in question forms no part of word, exceeding great and precious promises, and divine revelation properly understood, and that who is calling us to the enjoyment of glory, hon- any support which it receives, is more seeming our, and immortality, at his own right hand in than real, and is the result of misinterpreting or the heavens. The strength of Israel cannot depart; misunderstanding the language of scripture. True the Rock of ages shall never be shaken. Build-it is that no man can be required to believe a ing upon him your confidence, and obeying his proposition that is contrary to reason, but that will, you shall never be put to shame, but he will justify all your hopes, and vindicate your fullest expectation. Wherever else you place your trust, uncertainty must be characteristic more or less of your hope. The princes of the earth die, and their favour ceases. Change is the characteristic of all sublunary things. But they that trust in the Lord shall be as mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but abideth for ever. He is a sure portion, and an exceeding great reward; and though the hills may depart, and the mountains be removed, yet will his loving-kindness never depart from those who fear him, nor will his mercy be abolished.

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THE doctrine of the supreme divinity of the Lord Jesus Christ constitutes the grand central truth of Christianity, and confers infinite authority and glory upon the whole system of revealed religion. He who in former times spake unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high. Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath, by inheritance, obtained a more excellent name than they.'

The opponents of this sacred and momentous doctrine, aware how impossible it is to assail it successfully by denying that it stands supported

is a very different case from the present, where the mysteriousness of the doctrine manifestly arises solely from its being above reason; or in other words, such as our imperfect and limited reason cannot allow us fully to comprehend. Mysteries of this description are found in nature and providence as well as in religion; but no one can justly refuse to believe them or deny that the belief of them is most important and in some cases essential, not only to our well-being, but even to our very existence. The process by which the body of man is nourished, and his life prolonged, for instance, involves principles of the most mysterious nature, in so far as we call that mysterious which has hitherto and probably will always exceed the discovery of human research; but who refuses to comply with the rules of experience, and the instincts of nature, until he has first resolved and ascertained the reasons for which they should be acknowledged and followed, in regard to the nourishment and well-being of human life. So far from being necessary, it would in reality form a serious objection to a revelation professing to come from God, that it included nothing mysterious, or in other words, nothing but what the human mind could learn and understand for itself. The province of reason, in religion, is limited, to ascertain the fact whether the scriptures are from God, and also by the application of a sound and judicious criticism, to discover what they teach; but beyond this, it cannot and ought not to presume to go. Having ascertained that God has spoken to us through the medium of his word, and having determined what that word really says, we are bound to render implicit submission to the truth and authority of all it reveals, in order to escape the impiety and guilt involved in the sin of making God a liar.

The portion of scripture under consideration has always, and with the greatest truth, been considered as affording a most cogent and irre

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ment of these mighty operations gives of his attributes and perfections is only consistent with the doctrine of his supreme divinity; and thus this infinitely momentous doctrine has its truth based not only on the written testimony of scripture, but on the broad and enduring foundation of his works from the beginning of the world.

sistible testimony to the supreme divinity of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is impossible for language to be more explicit in expressing any doctrine. As if for the very purpose of cutting off all ground of cavil, not only are the attributes, perfections, and operations, peculiar to Deity, ascribed to Jesus; but it is expressly stated, the Word was with God, and the Word was God.' The doctrine in question, though itself mysteriThere are instances in other places of scripture, ous, and past finding out, is at the same time where, in a secondary and inferior sense, angels fraught with the most valuable and precious pracand potentates are designated God; but the more tical lessons of faith and holiness to every believer. distinctly and forcibly to show that the name How does it proclaim, for example, the unutterwas not so to be understood in this place, it is first able depth of our ruin, that an interposition so applied with an undoubted reference to the eter- transcendantly great and glorious was necessary nal Jehovah, and then it is immediately applied to bring us salvation. What infinite cause to in the very same manner to Christ. But whilst love and confide in God, is presented by the conthe present passage will and ought to be decisive, sideration, that God so loved us as to give not with every candid and unprejudiced reader of the a finite or created being, but his only begotten scriptures, as a proof of Christ's supreme divinity, Son, to be a propitiation for our sins, and to acit is far from being the only one which bears upon complish our redemption from eternal misery. this momentous subject. How explicit and sub- What profound impressions of the infinite holiness lime is the testimony, for example, which Isaiah and rectitude of the divine government, and of the bears to the same truth, chap. ix. 6. For unto unspeakable guilt and danger of sin, flow from us a child is born, unto us a son is given; and realizing the necessity for that great work which the government shall be upon his shoulder; and Christ came to our world to accomplish. And his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, when you view the sacrifice of Christ in connecThe mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The tion with his exalted nature, what an infinite Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his govern- value must it not be felt to possess; and how is ment and peace there shall be no end, upon the it fitted to bring peace and consolation to the most throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order distressed and troubled mind! And in fine, what it, and to establish it with judgment and with comfort and hope must it not supply to know justice from henceforth even for ever.' Hence that your Redeemer is God; that his love is from the apostle calls believers the church of God;' everlasting to everlasting; that his wisdom, his and to indicate the more explicitly that he em-power, his grace, are all boundless, and that he ployed the designation in reference to the divinity has engaged to exercise all his divine and glorious of Christ, he adds, which he hath purchased perfections, for advancing the best interests, and with his own blood,' Acts xx. 28. In the epistle to securing the eternal salvation of his people. 'Fear the Hebrews, Christ is described as higher than the not, I am the first and the last; I am he that angels, and as receiving their worship, which is liveth, and was dead; and behold I am alive for only consistent with his being God. And again evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of when he bringeth the first begotten into the death,' Rev. i. 17, 18. world he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him. And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire. But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever; a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.'

But it would be to repeat a great portion of the scripture, were we to enter upon this subject at length, or as its importance deserves. It is necessary, however, to notice that the works ascribed to Christ in his pre-existent state of creating the worlds, and that of judging the quick and the dead, and others in which he is at present or will hereafter be engaged, afford a decisive evidence to the same effect. The view which the accomplish

EIGHTH DAY.-EVENING.

"Without controversy, great is the mystery of godliness, God was manifest in the flesh,' 1 Tim. iii. 16.

THE scriptures not only admit, but glory in the admission, that the doctrine of the incarnation of Christ, or in other words, of the manifestation of God in the flesh, is a mystery; 'yea, even the very greatest of mysteries.' They have no controversy with any upon that point; but when the truth or reality of the mystery becomes the sub

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ject of question, they bear a decided testimony | wiser than man, and the weakness of God stronger against the opinion of the unbeliever. The unbe- than man, when he bestows on his despised folliever denies that the truth of the mystery can lowers miraculous powers, and a mouth and wisbe established the scriptures declare the con- dom which their enemies cannot gainsay or resist. trary, and supply the grounds upon which they As a partaker of flesh and blood, he hath comdemand our faith to it; for not only is it said that passion on the wretched. As God he relieves God was manifest in the flesh, but it is also added them, healing the blind and the lame, curing the that he was 'justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, lepers, and even raising the dead. When apprepreached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the hended as a malefactor, he demonstrates that no world, received up into glory.' man could have taken his life from him, if he had not of himself been willing to lay it down. For he asks them sent to apprehend him,

ward, and fall to the ground. If men insult his sufferings, the sun is darkened, the earth trembles, and all nature is convulsed when the Lord of nature suffers. When pouring out his soul unto death, he divides a portion with the great, and divides the spoil with the strong.

He saves others, when his enemies scornfully say that himself he cannot save. When brought to the dust of death, and seemingly overcome, invisibly he conquers, and by death destroys death, and him that hath the power of death, that is the devil.*

Angels were witnesses of the great mystery of God's manifestation in the flesh; and however the transaction may be doubted or disbelieved on earth, there is no diversity of sentiment, but one united feeling of profoundest admiration, regard

Whether we understand by the Spirit, in this place, Christ's divine nature to be referred to, or more particularly the Holy Ghost, in eitherWhom seek ye?' and instantly they go backcase, how fully can it be established that he was justified or confirmed to be God by the Spirit! What beams of divinity broke forth, and brightly shone in his darkest hours of humiliation and of suffering! He did not display his royalty by a splendid equipage, sumptuous entertainments, or by advancing his followers to worldly honours; but he displayed it more gloriously by giving, what no earthly prince could give, health to the diseased, life to the dead, virtue to the profligate, and pardon to the guilty. Though a poor and mean woman was his mother, he was conceived and born of a virgin, the Holy Ghost coming upon her, and the power of the Highest overshadowing her. Though born in a stable, and laid in a manger, the wise men of the east, taught by a star, discover deity amidst this debasement; nay an innumerable multitude of the heavenly hosting the fact entertained among the hosts and join together in solemnizing his seemingly ignoble birth. He spoke and acted not as man only, but as God. When he discovered the signs of human infirmity, he also discovered the attributes of divine glory and power. He was tempted of the devil, but the devil could not enter into the most despicable animal, without his permission. As a man he hungers, and is maintained by the kindness of pious women who minister to him of their substance; but as God he miraculously fed thousands with a few loaves and fishes. He is baptized by John, but at his baptism the Father proclaims, 'This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.' One moment weary with la-ferings and deaths, constitutes a sublime evidence bour he falls asleep; a great storm arises; the waves beat, and the ship where he sleeps seems ready to sink; but in that dangerous crisis he rebukes the winds, says to the sea, 'Peace, be still,' and lo the storm is turned into a calm at his command and will. Did the character and circumstances of his disciples obscure his glory? He determines them with a word to forsake all, and follow him showed that even the hearts of men are in his hand, and that he turneth them which way soever he will. The foolishness of God appears

hierarchies in heaven. An embassage of angels announced his nativity to the shepherds who kept their flocks on the plains of Bethlehem; and it was from the lips of an angel that the joyful tidings of his resurrection from the dead were first communicated to the women who went to the sepulchre, early on the morning of the first day of the week; by them conveyed to the disciples at large. Some expositors render the word angels, in this place, by the synonymous term messengers, and explain it of the apostles; and certainly the testimony of the apostles, sustained as it was in the face of the most formidable suf

to the truth of Christianity in general, and to the divinity of Christ in particular. 'We have not followed cunningly devised fables,' did they all in effect declare to the world, 'when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eye-witnesses of his majesty; for he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.'

* Dr Erskine's Discourses, Discourse xii.

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