This was defigned of God, and agreeable to the prophecies And it juftifies the inference drawn from it in the text We shall fhew I. That Chrift is precious to believers We might suppose he would be fo to all men; but he is not Nevertheless he is so to all that truly believe The hiftory of the Old Teftament affords abundant proof of this [Abraham rejoiced to fee his day, though at a distanceJob delighted in death as the means of introducing him to his prefence — Mofes efteemed reproach for his fake David regarded nothing in earth or heaven in comparison of him d Ifaiah exulted in the profpect of his incarnation -] The New Teftament fcriptures confirm it [The virgin, while he was yet in her womb, fang his praifes The angels congratulated the fhepherds on his incarna tion The juft and devout Simeon after feeing him, could depart in peace John baptift, as the bridegroom's friend, rejoiced in his voice i How precious was he to that Mary who was a finner!St. Paul counted all as dung for the knowledge of him, was wiling to be bound, or to die for him, and knew no comfort like the expectation of being with him The glorified faints and angels inceffantly adore him " -] The experience of living faints accords with that of thofe who have gone before i John iii. 29. Theff. iv. 18. d Pf. lxxiii. 25. Luke ii. 10. * Luke vii. 38. Rev. v. 12, 13. h Ib. ver. 29, 30. 1 Phil. iii 8. Acts xxi. 13. "There are many to whom he is run precioufnels itfelf; who account him as the pearl of great price, defire to v more of him, grieve that they cannot love him more, think aff tons good when they lead to him, and defpife all in comparison of hun. The world even wonders at them on account of their attachment to him II. Why he is fo precious to them They have reafon enough for their attachment- [He is infinitely above all created beauty or goodnessShall they then regard thefe qualities in the creature, and not in him?——— Whofoever views him by faith cannot but admire and adore him-] They love him for his fuitableness to their neceffities [There is in Chrift all which believers can wantNor can they find any other capable of supplying their need Hence they delight in him as their "all in all "—] They love him for the benefits they receive from him [They have received from him pardon, peace; ftrength, &c. Can they do otherwife than account him precious?—] We may rather wonder why all do not feel the fame attachment III. Why he is not precious to others There certainly exifts no reafon on his part; he is good to all But unbelievers cannot love him 1. Because they have no views of his excellency [The god of this world has blinded them that they cannot fee him. How then should they eftcem him, whofe excellency they know not? They muft of neceffity be indifferent to him, as men are to things of little value-] 2. Because they feel no need of him [Chrift is valuable only as a remedy P—— Nor can any man defire him as a phyfician, a fountain, a refuge, unless he feel fome disease, fome thirft, fome danger-] APPLICATION [All, who have any spiritual difcernment, feel a love to Chrift He P Ifai. xxxii. 2. 2 Cor iv. 4. He is beloved of the Father; of angels, and of faints And fhall any, who do not account him precious, be objects of his regard? Surely his final decifion will correfpond with that declaration Let all then believe in him, that he may become precious to them Nor let any be dejected because they cannot delight in him as they with The more we love him, the more fhall we lament the coldnefs of our love In a little time all the powers of our fouls fhall act without controul Then fhall we glory in him with unrestrained and unabated ardour-] 91 Sam. ii. 30. LXXXIII. GOD'S COMPASSION. Hof. xi. 7-9. My people are bent to backfliding from me : though they called them unto the Most High, none at all would exalt him: [yet] how shall I give thee up, Ephraim? how shall I deliver thee, Ifrael? how shall I make thee as Admah? how shall I fet thee as Zeboim? mine heart is turned within me, my repentings are kindled together. I will not execute the fierceness of mine anger. THE riches of divine grave are manifeft in all the promises But they are more eminently difplayed in the manner in which the promises are given God often introduces them after an enumeration of his people's fins The paffage before us well exemplifies this remark — God has been contrafting his kindness to Ifrael, and their ingratitude towards him In the text he fets forth their wickedness with all its aggravations * See fimilar inftances, Ifai. xliii. 22—25. and lvii. 17, 18. Yet Yet all this is preparatory, not to an heavy denunciation of his wrath, but to the tendereft expreffions of paternal love I. The conduct of men towards God The ten tribes, fince their feparation from Judah, had become idolaters Yet God calls them his people because they had been admitted into covenant with him, and ftill profeffed to be his Thus all who call themselves Chriftians are people' But they are bent to backfliding from him" "God's [The ungodly are juftly compared to an unruly heiferThey will not fubmit to the yoke of God's lawsTheir whole fpirit and temper is like that of Pharaoh "The "bent" and inclination of their hearts is wholly towards fin An outward conformity to God's will they may approveBut they have a rooted averfion to fpiritual obedience-] Nor can they by any means be prevailed on to “exalt and honour him" [They are called" frequently by God's minifters They are exhorted and intreated to return to the Moft High But neither promifes can allure nor threatenings alarm them They turn a deaf ear to all admonitions They will not " exalt" God in their hearts and lives-] This is almoft univerfally the conduct of mankind [There are a few indeed who defire and delight to ferve God They with him to be the fole Lord and Governor of their hearts It is their ftudy to exalt him both in their words and actions But thefe are few in every age and place So few, that, in comparifion of the rebellious, they may be faid to be "none at all"] What might fuch perfons expect at the hand of God? II. God's conduct towards them How ▸ Exod. v. 2. How different are God's ways from the ways of man! Inftead of executing vengeance in a moment, He deliberates [Admah and Zeboim were cities deftroyed with Sodom and Gomorrah And fuch monuments of wrath do the unregenerate deserve to be But God knows not, as it were, how to inflict the deserved punishment He calls to mind that they are his people He befitates, like a parent, that is about to difinherit his fon Thus is he diftracted between his affection for them, and his regard for his own honour -] He relents [To accommodate himself to our weak comprehenfions he fpeaks of himself after the manner of men He cannot endure the thought of making men the objects of his everlasting difpleafure Thus did Jefus weep over the murderous Jerufalem . And thus do the bowels of our Father yearn over us —] [Often has the fieree anger" of the Lord been kindled against us Yet many times has he turned away from his wrathful indig pation — Often, when his bow was bent, has he forborne to strike He waits, in hope that we may yet return to himHis language to his rebellious creatures is the fame as ever1-] INFER 1. How precious in the fight of God are the fouls of men ! Son [When it was neceffary for man's falvation, God gave his Nor did he then deliberate, "how fhall I do this?" Neither did he relent, when he laid our iniquities on him Yea, he was even pleafed in bruising his own Son for us ៣. But The repetition of their names, " thee, Ephraim, and thee, Ifrael," feems to import tenderness and affection towards them. Thus alfo in Hof. vi. 4. e Luke xix. 41. Jer. ii. 12, 13. This is the proper fenfe of Ifai. liii. 19, |