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Y brethren, A ferious and attentive mind, on pe

Mrufing the facred volume, can hardly help being

often ftruck both with the fentiments and language of the infpired writers on the fubject of redemption. With what a deep veneration of foul, with what warmth of affection, with what transports of adoring thankfulness, do they speak of the plan laid by divine wisdom for the falvation of loft finners, by the crofs of Chrift! A perfon poffeffed only of understanding and tafte, may admire thefe fallies of holy fervor, for the elevation of thought and boldness of expreffion, which a man's being in good earnest on an interefting fubject doth naturally inspire. But happy, happy, and only happy, that foul who, from an inward approbation, can receive, relish, and apply those glorious things that are fpoken of the name, character, and undertaking of the Saviour of finners.

You may observe, that there are two different fubjects, in general, on which the writers of the New Teftament are apt to break out, and enlarge, when they are confidering or commending the mystery of redemption. One

is, the glory of God, as it appears in it; the luftre of divine power, wisdom, and grace, which reigns through the whole. The fecond is, the unfpeakable intereft which we have in it, from the danger efcaped on the one hand, and the exalted hopes to which we are raifed by it, on the other. I cannot help putting you in mind, that these two things are so inseparably joined, that none can forget or be infenfible of either of them, without in reality defpifing both. And as a view of the divine glory feems most immediately calculated to affift and continue a proper worshipping frame, I intend, that this fhall lead the way in our meditations on this occafion. The facrament of the Lord's fupper is called the Eucharist, or facrifice of praife; and therefore very fit for adoring contempla

tion.

The words which I have read are the conclufion of the apoftle Peter's account of the gradual unfolding of this great defign of Providence; and they contain a striking and extraordinary fentiment, That the angels themselves are filled with a holy curiofity to fearch into the mystery of redemption. Few commentators have failed to obferve, that the word here tranflated to look into, properly fignifies, to stoop or bend down, and examine with the strictest attention. This, my brethren, gives us a very exalted view of the fcheme of redemption, as a leading defign in the government of God, that these pure and exalted spirits, not only adore it as a part of their Creator's will, but that they are loft and fwallowed up in the contemplation of it, and fee fuch a series of wonders, as they are not able to comprehend. If this is fo, let us no longer poltpone the following reflection: How much more are we, the interefted parties, called to adore and dwell on this mystery of love, on which our falvation from deferved wrath, and poffeffion of infinite felicity to all eternity, is fufpended! I cannot find a more proper fubject for an introduction to the facred and folemn fervice of this day; and therefore I beg your attention, while I endeavor, in dependance on divine grace, to illuftrate the affertion in the text, by mentioning fome particulars in the mystery of redemption, which are probably the fubject of adoring inquiry, and

perhaps holy aftonishment, to thofe celeftial spirits. Having done this, I will conclude with fome improvement of the fubject, for affifting you in your prefent duty.

I. Firft, then, we are to mention thofe circumstances in the mystery of redemption which are probably the fubject of adoring enquiry, or perhaps holy aftonishment, to the angels of God. The angels, though they are exalted creatures, are yet plainly of limited capacity. There are many things of which they are ignorant: Matth. xxiv. 36." But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not "the angels of heaven, but my Father only." And as their employment is to be meffengers and minifters of God, with fome inferior agency in the conduct of his providence; fo it is not to be doubted that much of their hap piness confifls in the contemplation of the nature and glory of God, as difcovered in his works. They are reprefented in the book of Job as joyful witneffes of the creation and birth of this lower world: Job xxxviii. 6, 7. Whereupon are the foundations thereof faftened? or "who laid the corner-ftone thereof? when the morning. "ftars fang together, and all the fons of God fhouted for

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joy." The ftate of the church is also represented as difcovering to them the divine wifdom: Eph. iii. 10. "To the intent that now unto the principalities and pow"ers in heavenly places might be known by the church. "the manifold wifdom of God."

Let us, therefore, confider what circumftances in the mystery of redemption may be fupposed to strike them moft with aftonifhment and wonder. This we cannot do without finding ourselves greatly interested, and called to the deepest humility, and at the fame time the highest exercife of gratitude and love. And,

1. The first thing I fhall mention is the incarnation of the Son of God; the union of the divine and human nature, by the Word's being made fiefh. This is indeed the first thing to be confidered, both in order and in rank. O wonderful union indeed! Well might the apoftle fay, I Tim. iii. 16." Without controverfy, great is the mystery "of godlinefs: God was manifeft in the flesh, juftified in VOL. I. 3 A

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"the Spirit, feen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, "believed on in the world, received up into glory." But what view muft the angels have of this event? thofe glorious and active beings, who are thus defcribed, Pfal. civ. 4. “Who maketh his angels fpirits, his ministers a fla“ning fire.” Their knowledge of the nature of God, as a pure and immaculate fpirit, as the eternal, uncreated, felfexiftent Father of Spirits, and of the Son, as one with the Father, who thought it no robbery to be equal with God," must deeply astonish them at this marvellous humiliation; that he fhould become one person with a creature, and that with a creature lower than themselves; for it is expressly faid, that he was made a little lower than the angels." How aftonishing, that he who is the Lord of angels, and whose distance from the highest of all created fpirits is not great only, but infinite, fhould become a man, by taking to himself a true body, and a reasonable foul!

It is more than probable from our text, efpecially when compared with the context, and other paffages of fcripture, that this discovery was made to the angels only gradually, as it was to men. They could not but have intimations of God's purpose of mercy, which was begun and carried on immediately after the fall; this, however, was done in a manner comparatively dark and obfcure. There have been indeed fome who feem to me to have gone a little beyond their depth; and who have fuppofed, that God difcovered to the angels, even before the creation of man, the fall, which he forefaw, and the method by which he propofed to recover a chofen remnant, viz. the incarnation of his own Son; that the fuperior honor done to an inferior creature, ftirred up the pride and envy of Lucifer, and his affociates; and that in this confifted their guilt and apoftafy, for which they were punished with an immediate banishment from the abodes of blifs, and are now referved in chains under darkness to the day of judgment.

This at beft is but mere conjecture. It feems much more probable that they learned the feveral parts of this great defign of mercy in their gradual accomplishment. It cannot indeed be doubted, that the angels who were concerned in the miniftry of providence, must have known

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