will towards Men. Luke ii. 10, 11, 13, 14. Surely then it becomes us of the human Race to rejoice, who are more nearly concerned; and this is what I propose distinctly to fhew in the farther Profecution of this Subject.

On

On Delighting in the gracious Methods of our Redemption by Jesus Christ.

DISCOURSE VI.

ROMANS Vv. II,

We joy in God through our Lord Jefus Christ, by whom we have received the Atonement,

T

HE Redemption of Mankind by Jefus Chrift is a glorious Subject for our Thoughts, and exhibiteth fuch marvellous Displays of the Divine Wif dom, Grace, and Love, as tend to excite in the believing Soul the highest Emotions of Joy and Admiration. It was observed in the preceding Difcourfe, that, according to the Representation made to us in Scripture, the wife and benevolent Scheme

was

was laid in God's everlasting Counsel, before the Foundation of the World, and the glorious Perfon fixed upon who was to accomplish it: That he was promised from the Beginning, and was all along varioufly prefigured and foretold in the fucceffive Ages of the Church, till the Fulness of the Time came which was appointed by the Divine Wisdom for his actual Appearance among Men; and that, at the Time of his Coming, the State of the World, both with Regard to Jews and Gentiles, was remarkably fuch as fhewed the great Need they stood in of a Saviour.

Let us now proceed more diftinctly to confider the feveral Steps that were taken, in order to the carrying on and accomplishing the great Work of our Redemption and Salvation.

And here the firft Thing to be confidered is Chrift s wonderful Incarnation, or Taking upon him buman Flesh. He who was the only begotten Son of God, the Son of God not merely in that Senfe in which Angels and Men are fometimes fo called, but in a moft peculiar and tranfcendent Senfe, in which, as the facred Writer to the Hebrews obferves, that Character could not be attributed to the highest

Angels.

Angels. Heb. i. 4, 5. that Divine Logos or Word, which was in the Beginning with God, and was God, by whom all Things were made, and without whom was not any Thing made that was made: He it was that at the appointed Time was made Flesh, and dwelt among us. Joh. i. 1, 3, 14. He was made Fleft, not by a real Conversion or Tranfmutation of his Divine Nature into human Flesh, which it were very abfurd to fuppofe; but by an Affumption of the human Nature into a near Union. with his Divine, which is very wonderful indeed, but can never be proved to be impoffible or to imply a Contradiction. The Words Flesh and Man are often used in Scripture as equivalent Terms: And the Manner of Expreffion feems here defigned to fignify, that Chrift became truly and properly Man; that he affumed the human Nature in Reality, and not in Appearance only; and that he took it in it's prefent frail and mortal State, with the Weakneffes and Infirmities to which it is now fubject, though without Sin: Forafmuch as the Children are Partakers of Flesh and Blood, he himself likewife took Part of the fame. Heb. ii. 14. And in Confequence of this he dwelt or tabernacled among us. He lived and converfed fe

veral Years together here on Earth, not in the Pomp and Splendor of worldly Glory and Magnificence, but in a mean and low Condition: He took upon him the Form of a Servant, as St. Paul expreffeth it; though at the fame Time on many Occafions the Rays of a Divine Majesty fhone forth through the Vail of his Flefh fo that they, who attentively obferved him, beheld his Glory, the Glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of Grace and Truth. Joh. i. 14. This Incarnation of the Son of God, taken in all it's Circumftances, was the moft extraordinary Event that ever the World faw, the moft amazing in itself, and the most beneficial in its Confequences. The more we confider it, the greater Matter we shall find for delightful Astonishment. In this Conftitution, the Wifdom of God, as well as his Goodnefs and Love to Man

kind, is eminently confpicuous: For by this it appeareth, that the great appointed Saviour is every Way qualified for accomplishing the important Work upon which he was fent, admirably fitted to fuftain the Office and Character of Mediator between the offended Majefty of Heaven and guilty Creatures of the human Race. On the one Hand, he is a Perfon