"Leader and Commander to the people." And may the Holy Spirit, who alone can enlighten the understanding, enable both writer and reader to behold something fresh in Immanuel's glory, and view the church's salvation as being everlastingly secure in him, and wrought out fully by him.

First, we are to notice the witness, and what he gives evidence of. And here we cannot but observe the very interesting connexion in which the passage stands: that the preceding verses are the language of God the Father, no one, I presume, will deny; neither is there the least difficulty in determining who are the characters addressed; for it is evident from the first verse, they are such as are dissatisfied with that which formerly had been their only gratification, and were seeking something more substantial, though ignorant of how it was to be obtained. Just such characters are, I hope, to be found in our day; such whose hearts have been broken on account of sin, and are labouring to satisfy conscience with a few performances, and heal the breach of sin by a few acts of self-denial. To these the Lord mercifully speaks by his Spirit, and shews them the utter impossibility of obtaining life by the deeds of the law, graciously inviting and sweetly constraining them to listen to the delightful sound of salvation by grace, assuring them of his favour by declaring he would make a covenant with them, even the sure mercies of David; which covenant David rejoiced in, and which afforded him the strongest support in the prospect of death. David was in an eminent degree a type of the Lord Jesus Christ; in consequence of which, we find the Messiah himself called by that very name, as in Psalm lxxxix. 19, 20. "I have laid help upon one that is mighty, I have exalted one chosen out of the people; I have found David my servant, with my holy oil have I anointed him." And again, the Lord speaking, by his prophet Ezekiel, of the salvation of his church, says, "And I will set up one Shepherd over them, and he shall feed them, even my servant David; and he shall feed them, and he shall be their Shepherd, and I, the Lord, will be their God, and my servant David a prince among them; I the Lord have spoken it," Ezek. xxxiv. 23, 24. And again, speaking of the ingathering of the Jews, the Holy Spirit saith, "And David my servant shall be king over them." "And my servant David shall be their prince for ever," Ezek. xxxvii. 24, 25. Thus we must understand the text, not as referring to David literally, but as pointing from him, to Him that should come after, who declared himself to be" the good Shepherd that gave his life for the sheep." The language then is the Father's, the witness given is the Son, those he bears witness to are called "the people;" by which we understand the church of God, even those who are the objects of electing love, and in time, of regenerating power. That this explanation is according to scripture, abundance of proofs might be adduced; let these two suffice:-" Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound," Ps. lxxxix. 15. and "This people have I formed for myself, they shall shew forth my praise,” Isa. xliii. 21.

That which the blessed Redeemer witnesseth to his people, is what has been going on in eternity concerning their salvation; and, mark, not only is he the greatest evidence, in his bestowment upon the church of the Father's favours towards them, but is in every way suitable for a witness, because in all the transactions of the higher court he has a concern, and to all the secrets of the triune God he is privy; and therefore, well calculated from personal knowledge to bear testimony to the people of the Lord; which he has done, publicly to them as a body, and continues doing to them all individually, giving them spiritual understandings to know the mysteries of which he speaks, and faith to believe them as the word of the faithful God. Let us notice then his witnessing, first, to eternal purposes; and by him only is it that the mind of Jehovah is revealed to man; he opened the way for its development, and himself makes known those secrets, which, till he pleases to reveal them, lie hid from the view of even the highest archangel in glory. When the woeful fall, which is the fruitful source of all human wretchedness, when this took place, an observer of it might have supposed, that no predetermination had taken place concerning man; or if there had been, that now no revelation of it would ever be granted. But the blessed Son of God has revealed his Father's grace, as before appointed for those to whom it is afterwards given. Himself, by virtue of right of relationship, entering into the condition of his people, and making known, that whilst they meant it for evil, he meant it for good. Another thing he bears witness to, is the everlasting love of God to the church; his suitability for which evidently appears, knowing that as one of the sacred three, each of the objects of choice were beloved by him, and as Mediator, in him: "Thine they were, and thou gavest them me," saith he himself in John xvii. 6. so that being given into his hands, he had a particular knowledge of each on whom eternal love had fixed, and all of them from the highest to the lowest, share his tender regard; the sheep he feeds in pastures fit for them, and gently carrieth the lambs in his bosom, leading them in due time to follow more boldly the older ones, who are delightfully and securely feeding in the pastures of eternal truth, and having the influence of the Divine Spirit afforded them, they can in some measure rejoice in their union to Christ of old, and believe him when he saith, "The Father hath loved them as he hath him,” John xvii. 23.

Well qualified too, is this heavenly witness, to make declarations concerning covenant engagements; "There are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost," 1 John v. 7. and this record comes down to men by the Lord Jesus. The covenant of grace being between the Divine Three, Christ himself being one, knew all the engagements of the same, and he does sweetly shew unto the heirs of salvation how the Father gave them into the hands of his Son, under the fall, agreeing to accept the offering of himself in their

stead, and how he covenanted with his dear Son for the exact price that he should pay for their redemption, that justice might appear to be just, not abating one single mite of all the enormous sum presented against them, but agreeing further, that he should possess them as his crown of mediatorial honour, in which to be adorned as the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. And on the part of the church, the Holy Ghost too must agree to work the necessary change upon each of their hearts, and carry it on till it should be perfected in glory. The engagements of the divine Son are fully known by what he has done personally for his people. Upon this foundation rests the security of the saints; built upon this experimentally, and grounded in it by faith, there is a happy reclining upon the breast of the Redeemer, while there is the nearest and most intimate communion with him.

Having proceeded thus far, let us pause, and view with holy admiration the amazing love and infinite condescension of the triune God; love surpassing thought, free, unmerited, everlasting! Think, ye saints of the Lord, how secure your standing; whilst God himself exists you cannot be severed from him; as saith the apostle Paul," I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor heigth, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord," Rom. viii. 38, 39. Here is the secret of its security-it is in Christ Jesus. The condescension too, of our covenant God, is too wonderful for us to understand that the Father should deign to think on worms of the earth, and devise a scheme for their eternal happiness-that the Holy Spirit should take sinful creatures to work upon, to prepare and meeten for that bliss-that the Son of the Highest should stoop to take upon him their flesh, and enter into their very place, becoming a witness for the Father to the people-are such amazing displays of condescension, as furnish angels with matter of astonishment, and the church with a song to all eternity! Thus having glanced at Christ as the Father's witness to the people, we proceed to notice,.

Secondly, His official engagements of Leader and Commander, to which, as well as to all his other offices relating to the salvation of the church, he hath by sovereign pleasure been appointed; hence he speaks of being sent by the Father, &c. In noticing him as the Leader of his people, we may consider his leading them, first, representatively, without which we cannot have any proper view of salvation's plan; for all that he is, and all that he has done, belong unto his people, who are ever viewed in him by the Father, "according as he hath chosen us in him, before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy, and without blame before him in love," Eph. i. 4.. Thus then when Jehovah hath from old delighted in his people, it was as they were viewed in Christ, who representatively led them before his Father's throne, attracting the eye of Deity himself, who could

not but be delighted with their perfection. This great Leader of Israel also led them up to Jehovah's throne as their representative, when that gracious covenant was made of which we have before spoken, so that though the agreement was made with him only, yet it was not for him only, but for those in whose place he stood: and the settlement being made, it was considered as done with the church; hence that soulcomforting commission given to Isaiah xl. 1, 2. "Comfort ye, comfort ye, my people, saith your God; speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned, for she hath received at the Lord's hand double for all her sins." And that the people might be gloriously arrayed, he also led them through perfect obedience to his Father's law, in order to which it was necessary not only that he should come in that nature, but that it should be in a human body; therefore, saith he, "a body hast thou prepared me." And in this body he yielded perfect actual obedience; unlike his mystical members, he was free from all impurity of nature, deriving no taint from Adam's transgression, being far above him. Having secreted his church within his heart, he led her through all the path of perfect obedience, so that when he obeyed, she obeyed. Jehovah's wrath must, however, be poured out as a punishment for actual transgressions, into which he boldly entered; and whilst its fury was consumed upon himself, his beloved, encompassed within his heart, were all preserved; nor has there been, nor can there be, the least drop of ire fall upon any of them. To complete that which he came down to this lower world to perform, he must representatively lead his people through the territories of the grave; there he entered, disarmed the monster death of his sting, and cleared the way for his saints actually to follow him. But having led them there, it was not to leave them there; for we hear of a mighty victory, when he conquered death, and brake his bands, it not being possible that he should be holden of them; this was a sure pledge that as he arose, so all his followers must; nor are they to be raised and dwell for ever on this earth; for after he arose as their representative, he ascended up to where he was before, opening the heavens, making himself way as the Head of the church, assuring them they should in like manner arise too. Nor is this the last of his representing them; for he has taken with him a brother's heart, and now pleads for them there before the throne of his Father, and ever liveth to make intercession for the saints. So long, then, as he intercedes, they shall receive from this, as the source, all needful good, temporally and spiritually.

But, secondly, He is their Leader actually, for he has bought his people, and they are all in his hands, and in infinite wisdom he dis-poses of them as he sees fit. First, in providence. He brings them into being the time, place, and all other circumstances connected therewith being by his own appointment. And if it be asked why such-a-one lived under the old, rather than under the new dispensa→

tion-why one is born at such a place, and another at a different one-all such unprofitable enquiries may be answered in the language of the psalmist, "Our God is in the heavens, he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased," Psalm cxv. 3. Wherever his people dwell, he also must lead them, for the bounds of their habitation are fixed, and wheresoever it may be, it is that place Eternal Wisdom has seen meet to appoint; on which account no other spot would be so proper for them as that particular one which they inhabit: and although sometimes the minds of God's people are greatly tried by their being removed from place to place, yet still, wisdom is in it all, and it by no means argues an alteration in the devised plan, by which every event is ruled; but it shews how easy it is for our great Leader to conduct us in his providence to the appointed spot on which we are to dwell. Again, through all the scenes of difficulty and trial to which in this time-state they are exposed, he leads them; and it is a good ground to build upon, that our great Leader will not conduct us any where, but where

"We best, and safest, may abide."

Very difficult is the pathway of many of Zion's sons and daughters, though they be the beloved of the Lord: but let their troubles be what they may, not one more than eternal council hath appointed shall fall to their lot, neither shall any of them be a feather's weight heavier than weighed out to them of old. And whilst all these things must come to pass, they are not to consume them, but that in them, and under them, the power of grace may be seen, and eternal faithfulness in affording sufficiency of strength to bear them, be displayed. Thus the Lord's people are led in providence, and when taught to eye the hand that conducts them, and rest upon the promises that are given them, they find, that, "crooked things are made straight, and rough places plain."

He is their Leader actually, also, secondly, in grace. Here sovereign appointment must unquestionably come in, and it must be that which rules the bringing in of every one of the Lord's family: "having predestinated us to the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will," Eph. i. 5. According to this predetermination is each elect vessel brought into the master's use, or in other words, at the appointed time each one is born into the kingdom of grace, and by their great Leader are led forth into, and through all the way of ancient appointment: for though it is the province of the Holy Spirit to take of the things of Christ and shew them unto the church, yet Christ himself must be their Leader, and him they follow, as the children of Israel did the ark. After the man is born again, he is led forth step by step into truth, as a covenant Father sees fit; and though in his own view, the advances he makes are small, and his progress slow, yet he is safely led, and shall ultimately arrive to a knowledge of all that is appointed to be discovered unto him. A bare knowledge of the plan of salvation, how