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demption, but cheerfully and unfeignedly confecrates himself to the fervice of his Redeemer. This leads me, in the

Fourth and laft place, to invite every finner in this af fembly to accept of Christ as his Saviour, and to rely upon him as he is offered in the gospel. To the fecure and infenfible, I know it is in vain to fpeak. But if you fee your own danger, what fhould hinder your belief and reliance on the Saviour? If you either need or defire deliverance, what with-holds your acceptance of it, when it is not only freely offered to you, but earneftly urged upon you? Can you doubt the teftimony of the Amen, the faithful and true witness? The bleflings of his purchase belong not to one people or family, but to every nation under heaven. The commiffion of those who bear his meflage is unlimited: Mark xvi. 15. "Go ye into all the world, and preach "the gospel to every creature." They are offered, not only to the virtuous, the decent, and regular, but to the chief of finners: 1 Tim. i. 15. "This is a faithful faying, "and worthy of all acceptation, That Chrift Jefus came "into the world to fave finners; of whom I am chief." Whoever heareth thefe glad tidings, he difhonoreth God, he poureth contempt on his Saviour's love, and he wrongeth his own foul, if he does not receive confolation from them. Be not hindered by what you fee in yourselves, unlefs you are in love with fin, and afraid of being divorced from it. The gospel is preached to finners. It does not expect to find them, but it is intended to make them holy. A deep and inward sense of your own unworthiness, unless it is prevented by the deceiver, fhould only make you more highly esteem the grace of the gofpel, and more willingly depend on your Redeemer's love.

I conclude with the invitation which he himself gives to the weary finner, Matt. xi. 28, 29, 30. "Come unto me, "all ye that labor, and are heavy laden, and I will give "you reft. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of nie; "for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye fhall find "reft unto your fouls. For my yoke is easy, and my "burden is light."

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MY

I PETER i. 12. laft claufe.

Which things the Angels desire to look into.

ACTION SERMON.

Y brethren, A ferious and attentive mind, on perufing the facred volume, can hardly help being often ftruck both with the fentiments and language of the inspired writers on the subject of redemption. With what a deep veneration of foul, with what warmth of affection, with what tranfports 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 taste, 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 subject 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 spoken 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 unspeakable intereft which we have in it, from the danger efcaped on the one hand, and the exalted hopes to which we are raised by it, on the other. I cannot help putting you in mind, that these two things are fo inseparably joined, that none can forget or be infenfible of either of them, without in reality despifing both. And as a view of the divine glory feems most immediately calculated to affift and continue a proper worfhipping 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 scheme of redemption, as a leading design in the government of God, that thefe 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 poftpone 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 myftery of redemption, which are probably the fubject of adoring inquiry, and

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

I. First, then, we are to mention thofe circumftances in the mystery of redemption which are probably the fubject of adoring enquiry, or perhaps holy aftonifhment, 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 happinefs confifts 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 faflened? or "who laid the corner-ftone thereof? when the morningftars fang together, and all the fons of God fhouted for "joy." The ftate of the church is alfo reprefented as difcovering to them the divine wifdom: Eph. iii. 1o. "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."

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Let us, therefore, confider what circumftances in the mystery of redemption may be fuppofed to ftrike them moft with aftonifhment and wonder. This we cannot do without finding ourfelves greatly interested, and called to the deepest humility, and at the fame time the highest exercise 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, 1 Tim. iii. 16. Without controverfy, great is the mystery "of godliness: God was manifeft in the flesh, juftified in VOL. I. 3 A

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