2. As a Surety, to pay the debts of bankrupts; therefore called, Heb. vii. 22, "The Surety of a better testament.” 3. As a Physician, to heal us of all our diseases. With him is the balm in Gilead, and he is the Physician there.

4. As a Shepherd, to gather his Father's flocks to his fold: Is. xl. 11: "He shall feed his flock like a Shepherd."

5. As a wonderful Counsellor, to give advice in all doubtful cases, Is. ix. 6. So, David, Psal. xvi. 7: "I will bless the Lord, who hath given me counsel."

6. As an everlasting Father, in whom the fatherless orphans of Adam's family find mercy, Is. ix., Hos. xvi.

7. As the mighty God, that was able to encounter principalities and powers, and to spoil them on his cross, Is. ix.

8. As the Prince of peace, the King of Salem, "I create the fruit of the lips, peace, peace, to him that is afar off, and to him that is near."

9. As the Amen, the faithful and true Witness, by whose declaration all controversies are to be decided between God and man, and man and man.

10. As a Guide and Leader, to guide the blind by a way they know not, by his word and Spirit.

11. As a Captain of salvation, or Commander, under whose banner we are to fight our way to heaven, through the armies of hell and earth.

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all difficulties and opposition in the way; hence called “ The Lion of the tribe of Judah.” See his courageous behaviour, Is. l. 7-9.

Answ. 6. Because from everlasting God foresa w what a revenue of glory would accrue to the crown of heaven, through his mediation, even a greater glory than by all his other works of creation and providence. Hence the first note of the song of angels, Luke ii. 14, is “Glory to God in the highest." As if he had said, All the other works of God praise him; but now we see the highest 'revenue of glory levied out of the strange work of God, in uniting the divine and human natures in that Child that is born in the city of David.

And I conceive it was with an eye to this, Is. vi., when they are viewing the personal glory of our Redeemer, they cry out, “ The whole earth is full of his glory.” As if they had said, . It is no surprise to us angels to see his glory shining in the heavens; but to see the glory of the only begotten of the Father made flesh, and dwelling among men upon earth, a theatre of sin, rebellion, and misery; this, indeed, is what strikes us with astonishment and admiration.' I might here let you see how all the divine perfections are glorified to the full in the work of redemption, for which Christ was set up from everlasting. Byt I haste to the

V. And last thing proposed, which was the application of the doctrine.

Use first shall be of Information, in the following particulars :

Is it so that Christ was set up from all eternity, for the great work and service of man's redemption?

1. Then, see hence the antiquity and eternity of the love of God towards lost sinners of Adam's family. His love must be from everlasting, because Christ was set up from everlasting, as a help meet for us, Psal. Ixxxix. 19: “ I have laid help upon one that is mighty.” I have done it in eternity, before the world was.

Hence the eternity of his love is asserted, Jer. xxxi. 3 : 6 I have loved thee with an everlasting love." Run back the love of God, [far as we may,] we shall never find the beginning of it.

2. See hence, not only the eternity, but the activity of the love of God. It was not an indolent, but an operative love: it was such a love as set his power, his wisdom, and other perfections at work; and all the persons of the glorious Trinity at work, to accomplish his purposes of grace and love towards sinners of mankind. So that if the question be put, What was God doing from all eternity before he created the world ? Here you have an answer: The Father and the Son possessed one another, “ In the beginning of his way, be

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fore his works of old;" and Infinite Wisdom, inspired by infinite and amazing love, set him at work to lay the plan of our salvation, through his beloved Son: as you see here, I was set up from everlasting:

3. See hence that Christ is the great Secretary of heaven, who is intimately acquainted with the mind of God, which is unsearchable by any other but himself. For you see here, that he brings forth things that were done in eternity, before ever man or angels had any being, I was set up from everlasting. There is a word to this purpose, Matth. xi. 27: “All things are delivered unto me of my Father; and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him.” Sirs, would you know the secrets of heaven, the mysteries of the kingdom, that were hid in God from eternity? Then come to Christ: hear ye him, and he will tell you things, that none in heaven or earth can tell you, but himself: “ No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.”

4. See hence the stability and perpetuity of the covenant of grace. Why, Christ was set up from everlusting, as the newcovenant Head. The covenant was transacted with him, as second Adam, from everlasting, Psal. Ixxxix. 3. And the covenant derives its stability from the covenant Head, Psal. Ixxxix. 28: “My covenant shall stand fast with him :” and this is the very thing that makes it a sure covenant to us. Hence, Psal. lxxxix. 33, 34: "I will visit their transgression with the rod; nevertheless, my loving-kindness will I not take from him:" and therefore, “my covenant will I not break (viz. with them,) nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips.” Is. liv. 9, 10: “ For this is as the waters of Noah unto me: for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth ; so have I sworn that I would not be wroth with thee, nor rebuke thee. For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed, but my kindness shall not depart from thec,” &c

5. See the great ground and reason of the stability and perpetuity of the church. Why, it is founded upon the everlasting mountains of the divine decrees and perfections, whereby Christ was set up from everlasting, as the basis and foundation upon which she stands. This is the rock upon which he builds his church, and the gates of hell shall never prevail against her. Storms and tempests are raised against her: Tempests of persecution ; tempests of error; tempests of divisions and delusions. But what do they all come to in the issue? Why, they are just like the billows of the sea break

ing upon a rock dashing themselves into foam, while the rock stands immoveable.

6. Was Christ set up from everlasting? Then see hence a good reason why all hands should be at work to exalt him, and set him on high. Why, in so doing, we join with a whole Trinity; whose purpose it was to set him up from everlasting. Though he be rejected by the generality of builders through England, and Ireland, and in Scotland also, there is no matter of that: God, who set him up from everlasting, has made him the Head Stone of the corner; and therefore, however weak and impotent they be, that are bearing testimony for him and his cause, yet they shall prevail. Christ and his cause will always be uppermost at the end of the day; for he that set him up from everlasting, will have him set up, and his cause maintained through all periods of time, in spite of all the powers of hell and earth.

7. See how it is, that faith pleases God, insomuch that, without it, "It is impossible to please him." Why, faith exalts Christ, whom God set up from everlasting: It falls in with the great plot of Heaven, and cries, O precious Christ! precious Christ! none but him. Psal. lxxiii. 25: "Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth whom I desire besides thee." O says faith, he is " my Lord and my God." He is "my God, and I will prepare him a habitation; my Father's God, and I will exalt him." He is, indeed, "fairer than the children of men." "As the apple tree among the trees of the wood.” "The chiefest among ten thousand; and altogether lovely." "This is my Beloved, and this is my Friend, O daughters of Jerusalem." Now, I say, such language of faith cannot but be pleasing to God, who set him up from everlasting. Hence faith is called the "work of God," John vi. 29: "This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent."

8. See the reason why God has such an implacable quarrel against the sin of unbelief, as to declare, John iii. 18, "He that believeth not is condemned already," Why, the reason is, it counteracts the work of God from eternity. God set him up from everlasting: but unbelief is for pulling him down, and tramples his blood under foot; crucifies him afresh; it despises and rejects him whom God set up from everlasting: And is it any wonder, then, that God is so much offended at the unbeliever? O sirs, you that reject Christ, and continue in your unbelief, remember that the arrows of God's ven geance will be made drunk with your blood through eternitv. for the indignities done to him whom God set up from evc lasting

9. See the reason why the pleasure of the Lord has pros

pered, and shall prosper in his hand, mauger (in spite of] all the opposition of hell and earth. Why, God set him up from everlasting, and therefore he has upheld, and will uphold, him. As he has finished redemption in a way of purchase, so he shall finish it in

a way

of
power.

- All his enemies shall be made his foot-stool,” Psal. lxxxix. 23.

“I will beat down before his face,

all his malicious foes;
I will them greatly plague who do

with hatred him oppose.

we

His victorious arms shall prosper; he shall ride forth in glory and in majesty ; and they shall bow under him, because God has set him up from everlasting. Who, then, shall ever be able to shake his throne and government, Psal. xi. 1—6, &c. 10. See what good reason

ve to celebrate our Christian passover, and to set him up sacramentally, by perpetuating his memory upon earth, until his second coming. This sacrament of the supper is a public owning and confessing him, and his dying love, and glorious achievements in the work of redemption, before God, angels, and men. It is putting honour upon him, and avouching him as our Redeemer, our Mediator, our Prophet, Priest, and King, in the face of the devil and his angels, who are looking on us with vexation. It galls the devil, and stills that enemy and avenger, to see Christ, who bruised his head upon Mount Calvary, exalted and set up among the children of men, at a communion table, Heb. ii. 14: “ Through death he destroyed him that had the power of death,” and “spoiled principalities and powers." How tormenting then must it be to the

, devil, to see Christ at his table, dividing the spoils among a company

of poor sinners, who once were his vassals and bond slaves?

But now let us go on to celebrate actually the memorials of the death of our glorious Immanuel, and to divide the spoils of his victory over sin, and Satan, death, and hell, which is the great work of the day.

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