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condition is; how they are altogether to blame; that they are in a compleatly wicked and helpless state; that nothing can help them but the almighty arm of divine grace; that they are so perfectly hell-deserving, that the justice of God would be conspicu ously displayed in casting them off; and that if ever they are saved, it must be by the most free and wonderful mercy.

Fourthly, An evident deduction from the preceding is, the absolute necessity of regeneration to peace and favor with God; and the propriety and reasonableness of the scriptural descriptions of this matter. If the heart of man be so wicked as described, can any thing be more plain than it must be renovated, and have new and holy principles implanted in it, to form it for the enjoyment of God.

Fifthly, The last inference is, the marvelousness and astonishment, that God should have any thing to do in a way of merey and salvation, with creatures so awfully wicked as we are. All heaven must be in amazement, that he should turn his heart to any of the human race. How beautiful the observation of St. Paul: "God commended his love towards us, that while we were yet

sinners, Christ died for us." What constellations of wisdom and mercy burst forth here, that God was effectually devising man's salvation, when the temper of man was devising the demolition of Godhead. Divine love and the wickedness of man, exhibit a conspicuous contrast on the cross of Christ. Does it not appear upon the whole, in the most demonstrative manner, that the salvation of sinners must be of the most self-moving, free, and sovereign grace? And will not the compassion, mercy, and goodness of God touch our hearts? Will it not prevail with you, O sinners, at least to think of forsaking your wickedness, and returning to God? Will it not be aggravatedly dreadful to be found in the ways of sin, after all the displays of divine love in the gospel; after all the sweet and amiable manifestations of God by his dearly beloved Son, Jesus Christ? O never be easy or con

tented till you find the love of God, in warm emotions in your hearts, and find your souls going forth in fervent breathings after him, and you infolded in the precious bosom of a crucified Saviour.

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SERMON XV.

THE FIRST ADVENT OF CHRIST, A GREAT EVENT.

PSALMS XL. 7, 8.

Then said I, lo I come, in the volume of the book it is written of me. I delight to do thy will, O my God, yea thy law is within my heart.

THE appearance of Christ in our unhappy world, as the second Adam, to repair the ruins of the first, is an event of the greatest magnitude. Heaven sung, and earth was astonished. This surprising matter was predicted from the beginning, by many ancient Patriarchs and Prophets, but a blind world believed it not-and when he came, he could not be received. David, under the power of the spirit of prophecy, is in this Psalm, still con-tinuing to repeat and hold up this wonderful expectation. This prediction is, in a very pointed manner, applied to the coming of Christ by the Apostle: thus he speaks in the epistle to the He-brews. "Wherefore, when he cometh into the world, he saith "sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou "prepared me. In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin, thou "hast had no pleasure; then said I, lo I come, in the volume of "the book, it is written of me, to do thy will, O God."

In these words, our minds are immediately carried to threeobservations.

First, Christ's coming was by a preceding agreement in the a Holy Trinity; that he come not merely and absolutely of himself, yet by his own voluntary consent, according to previous compact or covenant; which covenant is often stiled by divinity writers, in way of distinction, the covenant of redemption. It would be foreign to my purpose, in the present discourse, to describe to you the difference between what is commonly called the covenant of redemption, and the covenant of grace. Let it suffice to say, the difference between the covenant of redemption, strictly so termed, and the covenant of grace is this: the former was the compact in the Trinity, and the part each divine person was to act in the economy of the salvation of a fallen world; and the latter respected the chosen of the race, who were effectually secured to Christ Jesus, as the seed and travail of his soul, and who by the powerful operations of the Holy Ghost, should be made the participants of eternal life.

Secondly, Christ Jesus, the Gond person of the adorable Trinity, was to sustain a grand part in this glorious plan. "In "the volume of the book, it was written of me." Some have referred the volume of the book to the eternal purposes and decrees of God, respecting the salvation of sinners. But it is abun dantly evident, that this volume of the book," can only refer to the scriptural predictions of the Messiah. I need not mention. Moses' book, "That the seed of the woman should bruise the "serpent's head." Nor Jacob's prophecy, "That the sceptre "should not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his "feet, until Shiloh come," with many others to the same purpose, long before David's time.

Thirdly, All that Christ did and suffered in the wonderful undertaking on his part, which makes so conspicuous a figure in the New Testament, was in conformity and obedience to the eternal agreement. Hearken to the consent of the blessed Saviour: "I delight to do thy will, O my God, yea, thy law is within my

heart." The will of the eternal covenant absorbed his whole heart.

The eminent enterprise of Christ in this business, is here exhibited in a very conspicuous point of light. "Lo, I come :" With what raptures of pleasure and delight, does he rush out and stand forth to this mighty undertaking? "I delight to do thy "will" The counsels of heaven in eternal agreement, charmi and engage my whole heart. Some have translated the following words, "Thy law is within my bowels ;" hereby wishing to express Christ's distinguishing and invincible inclination to accomplish the salvation of man. Every difficulty he would bravely surmount; hell and earth he would vanquish, and strew the way for the triumphs of his redeemed, over fields of blood.

After these observations, the words afford to us the following subjects for our attention..

First, That the undertaking of Christ may be contemplated in the whole of his humiliation; and his humiliation is often corsidered as consisting of his active and passive obedience. By the former, in the room of guilty man, he fulfilled all righteousness. All the rights and ceremonies of the Jewish religion were conformed to by him. He submitted to circumcision, faithfully attended the Passover, and all the parts of the temple worship, until all those ancient ordinances were nailed to, and finished on the

cross.

The moral law, obedience to it, was his nature and delight. The purest and most perfect love ever flowed in his heart to God and man. The Scribes and Pharisees always observed him with the most jealous eye, but never could discover any just cause of accusation against him. Satan used every opportunity to tempt him to transgression-but when the prince of the world came, he found nothing in him, "For the law of God was in his heart."

In regard to what is called Christ's passive obedience, consist

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