desirous of discovering an effectual antidote to the love of sin, it must be the serious and steady contemplation, by faith, of Christ crucified. 4. Salvation through the blood of the Redeemer, though it forms the distinguishing feature of the christian system, was not peculiar to it. It entered into every dispensation of religion communicated by God. A multitude of types and figures were employed, to shadow forth the great expiatory sacrifice, previous to his manifestation in the flesh. He was the Paschal Lamb whose "blood sprinkled on the posts and lintels of the doors," * secured the families of Israel from the destroying angel, in the night when God slew the first-born of Egypt: "Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us." He was prefigured by all those burnt-offerings which were daily offered in the temple, and especially on the day of annual atonement, when the blood of the victim was carried by the high priest into the holy of holies. The goat that was slain on that occasion, and whose blood was presented before the mercy-seat, prefigured the vicarious death of Christ, and his entrance into heaven; the other, called the scape-goat, which, after having the sins of the congregation * II. This part of our Saviour's character engages the attention and adoration of the heavenly world. † 1 Cor. v. 7. * Exod. xii. 7, 13. 1. They adore this matchless display of love in his condescending to become man, to endure reproaches and sufferings, and at length to expire on the cross, to rescue the guilty from ruin. These benevolent spirits are not unaccustomed to perform kind offices for men: they often appeared, under the ancient economy, in visible form, to warn, to instruct, and to comfort; so they are still "ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation."* But nothing which they ever performed bore any resemblance to the incarnation and sufferings of Jesus Christ. On no other occasion did love ever stoop so low, endure so much, or operate in so free and spontaneous a manner. He who assumed nothing in making himself equal with God, "took upon him the form of a servant, and became obedient to death, even the death of the cross." In his mysterious descent, he passed by superior orders of being, to invest himself with human flesh. He who was the "Wonderful, the Counsellor, the mighty God, the everlasting Father," condescended to become the "Son given," and the "child born." And never was humiliation so deep, never was there reproach and infamy so extreme as that which he endured. Loaded with the most shameful appellations, and persecuted throughout the whole of his life, in its last scenes he was arraigned before Pontius Pilate, smitten on the + Phil. ii. 7, 8. *Heb. i. 14. face, derided, clothed with mock robes, buffeted, scourged, spit upon. Never were there such indignities heaped on any head, as on that which was destined to wear many crowns. And, for his sufferings !-who can contemplate that hour of darkness in the garden of Gethsemane, when his soul was overwhelmed with amazement and horror; or behold his lingering torments on the cross, without being appalled? It is a trial to human fortitude, to be obliged merely to think of what he actually endured. And for whom? For the sinners of Jerusalem! for many of that infatuated multitude who were impatient for his crucifixion for some, there is reason to believe, who were employed in nailing him to the cross! for a Saul, who was "breathing out threatenings and slaughter" against his followers: for millions. of proud and daring offenders, whom this unparalleled love was to soften and disarm! 2. They contemplate and adore, in the death of Christ, a new display of the divine perfections. The wisdom and the power of God are every way manifest. His goodness may be traced in innumerable portions of his works. He had displayed his justice in the punishment of fallen angels, who were reserved in chains of darkness against the judgement of the great day. But there remained a new view of the divine character. God was pleased to present himself in a new light to the adoration of his creatures. He was pleased to shew, in the same transaction, 66 the most determined hatred to sin, with the utmost compassion to the sinner; the most inflexible adherence to rectitude, with the utmost riches of grace to the undeserving; -“ a just God, yet a Saviour." He resolved to exhibit, in the person of his Son, a new spectacle to the universe a person the most majestic, and the most humble; the most powerful, and the most compassionate; an authority, which should subdue to itself "all principality;"-a Saviour, who should "feed his flock like a shepherd;"-" the Lion of the tribe of Judah," and "the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world." 3. They rejoiced at the immense accession of happiness, which they perceived to flow from the death of Jesus Christ. (1.) How safe is the worship of Christ! (2.) How necessary to inquire how we stand affected toward the Saviour! (3.) How much the supreme love of Christ, and a humble affiance in his merits, tends to prepare for the happiness of heaven! XVI. THE GLORY OF CHRIST'S KINGDOM. PSALM CXlV. 11.-They shall speak of the glory of thy kingdom. THE absolute dominion of God, as the universal Proprietor and Lord, is an object which deserves most devoutly to be celebrated. It is, in fact, the frequent theme of the praises dictated under the inspiration of the Spirit in the sacred oracles. But there is another of the dominions of God, considered in relation to his saints, an empire of knowledge and of love, whose administration is entrusted to his Son,-which is celebrated in still sublimer strains, and forms the principal theme of the New Testament. This is emphatically denominated the kingdom of heaven, or that kingdom which the God of heaven should set up, given to "the saints of the Most High," which is to be of everlasting duration, and never to be succeeded by another. Whether the Psalm before us is intended to describe this species of rule and authority, in distinction from the other, I shall not undertake to determine; but, as these divine compositions are unquestionably frequently employed in portraying the kingdom of Christ or the Messiah, it is hoped it will not be deemed improper to consider the words in that light. Let us direct our thoughts, then, for a short season, to the glory of the kingdom of Christ. With this [view], it may be proper to reflect on the following particulars : I. The glory of it is manifest in its origin and the method by which it was acquired. It had its origin in ineffable mercy, under the direction of perfect wisdom and rectitude. It occupied the thoughts, and was the object of the counsels of the Eternal, before the heavens were stretched out, or the foundation of the earth was laid. It formed |
