For

VI. Some of the circumftances attending the rebuilding of the temple, after the return of the Jews from their captivity, afford a fimilar illuftration. The very oppofition made by their enemies was overruled for the advancement of this work. They did every thing to inftigate the fupreme authority against that afflicted handful. But the truth of that declaration was manifefted; "The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD; "and he turneth it whitherfoever he will." "he turned the heart of the king of Affyria unto "them, to ftrengthen their hands in the work of 66 the house of the LORD, the God of Ifrael 9.” Were fome in danger of "defpifing the day of "fmall things," because the glory of this building was fo far inferior to that of the former? Or, were they ready to conclude, that, because of the many obstacles thrown in their way, it would never be finished? God fent them a meffage both of comfort and of reproof, expreffive of the manner in which his work is conducted in every age: "Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, "faith the LORD of hofts." Concerning Zerubbabel, the governor of Judah, he delivers that gracious declaration, which could only have its full accomplishment in the glorious Antitype: "Who art thou, O great mountain? before Ze"rubbabel a plain, a plain and he fhall bring "forth the head-ftone thereof with fhoutings, "Grace, grace unto it "."

A

VII. In

r Zech. iv. 6, 7.

Ezra vi. za..

VII. In proof of the indifpenfable neceffity of divine power for the falvation of finners, may I not appeal to the perfonal miniftry of our LORD? The great falvation "began to be fpoken" by him. He "fpake as never man fpake." Nothing but truth proceeded from his lips. He "fpake "the words of God." What he had "feen and "heard, that he teftified $." His enemies were often filenced, and at times captivated by his difcourses. He confirmed his doctrines by the moft aftonishing miracles, fuch as they could neither difprove nor deny. Yet "no man received his "teftimony." He had reafon to complain, that he had "laboured in vain," and that Ifrael was "not gathered." "His own received him not." He wept over Jerufalem, faying, "How often "would I have gathered thy children together, " even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her "wings, and ye would not."

What was the defign of this, but to teach us, that human fuafion, even in its highest poffible perfection, is unavailing? It was the will of God, that the perfonal miniftry of Chrift himself should be attended with comparatively little efficacy; to illuftrate the neceffity of divine power, and to put honour on the miniftration of the Spirit. According to the pleasure of the three-one God, all the efficacy of the gofpel muft immediately proceed from the third Perfon of the adorable Trinity. It must therefore appear, that the word, as spoken by the human lip of Jefus himself, could

s John iii. 32. 34.

be

be effectual only in as far as it was accompanied by the power of the Spirit. The effufion of the Holy Ghoft was therefore withheld, till the perfonal miniftry of Chrift was at an end. But when the difciples received " power from on high," a fingle fermon, preached by one of them, was attended with far greater fuccefs than the whole of Chrift's miniftry.

Hath God in fuch a variety of ways declared the inefficacy of means, and the neceffity of Almighty power in order to the falvation of man? Let us beware of faying, "Mine own arm hath "faved me." It is evident from the whole hiftory of the Church, that it hath still been the defign of God, in working falvation, to ftain the pride of human glory. Why fhould we ftumble at this ftone? If it was the pleasure of JEHOVAH, that boasting should be excluded in all the temporal deliverances of his people; can we rationally fuppofe, that he will admit them to a partnerfhip with himfelf, either in the accomplishment, or in the glory, of that falvation which is the chief of all his works? Would he exclude them from the mere fign, and give them a distinguished co-operation in the thing fignified? Let us view the language of his ancient people, as descriptive of the exercife of all his fpiritual Ifrael. Let us transfer to the heavenly Canaan, what they uttered concerning the earthly: "We got not the "land in poffeffion by our own fword, neither "did our own arm fave us: but thy right-hand,

" and

"and thine arm, and the light of thy counte"nance, because thou hadft a favour unto us t."

SECTION XVI.

The Doctrine of Particular Redemption illuftrated, from the First Promife-from the Temporal Redemptions of Ifrael;—from the Limitation of the legal Oblations ;-from the Hiftory of Redemption as accomplished by Chrift.

THAT our Lord did not die for all mankind, but for a certain number whom the Father from eternity gave to him, is evident not only from a great variety of doctrinal teftimonies, but from the whole history of the Church.

1. This truth is difcernible in the very dawn of revelation. It is diftinctly written in the firft gofpel-promife". There we have a diftinction marked between two different feeds. The one is defigned the feed of the woman; the other, the feed of the ferpent. As Adam, after the revelation of this promife, called Eve "the mother of "all living," because he in the exercife of faith viewed her as the mother of all thofe who fhould be made alive unto God; by the feed of the wo

VOL. II.

t Pfal, xliv.

3.

C c

u Gen. iii. 15.

man

man we are to understand Chrift myftical, Chrift the head and all his fpiritual feed confidered as in him. Now, this feed is exprefsly distinguished from that of the ferpent. Who, then, can these be but the reprobate world left to perish in their fins? Doth God fay, "I will put enmity "between thy feed and her feed?" This enmity, then, must be mutual. The teftimony of God implies, on the one hand, that he permits the feed of the ferpent to continue under the power of that natural enmity against Christ and his feed, which is the fruit of their original apoftacy in Adam; and, on the other, that he actually implants a principle of enmity in the hearts of the feed of the woman against the devil and his interefts. This he does, in communicating the gracious principle of fupreme love to himfelf. For we cannot love God without hating Satan and his works. Enmity against this old ferpent neceffarily takes place of our natural " enmity "against God." Such is the ftate of matters with refpect to the members of Chrift's myftical body, and can we fuppofe that it is reverfed as to the Head? Does God put enmity between them and the feed of the ferpent; and hath Chrift the fame love to them that he hath to his own feed? Does not the promise refpect him as well as his members? How then can he be an adversary to the feed of the serpent, and yet die for their falvation? In confequence of this enmity, does Chrift bruife the head of the ferpent; and from the fame principle, does he purchase