5. WE may be led to admire the wonderful conde scension and love of God, in his early and gracious promise to our rebellious first parents; and in the complete and glorious accomplishment of it, in due time, in the death and sufferings, and the resurrection and assension of the Lord Jesus Christ. We see what a striking and awful guard was all around the tree of life. It could be approached, and a way opened to it for sinners, by no other person in the universe, besides the Lord Jesus. So infinitely indispensible are the rights and claims of divine justice, and so essential to the glory of the God of love, and the good of his eternal kingdom. No one could come at the tree of life, the symbol of God's everlasting favor, without sheathing this awful sword in his own bowels. Such was the helpless, desperate state of fallen man. Hear the language of the Son of God, at a crisis so awful. "And I looked, and there was none to "help; and I wondered that there was none to uphold : "therefore mine own arm brought salvation unto me; "and my fury it upheld me." Again, Isai. lix. 16. "And he saw that there was no man, and wondered "that there was no intercessor; therefore his arm "brought salvation unto him, and his righteousness it "sustained him." Well, therefore, might our Lord say, as he did to Thomas, John, xiv. 6. "I am the 66 way, and the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto "the Father but by me." And his apostle, Acts, xiv. 12. "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there " is none other name under heaven given among men, "whereby we must be saved." Here is a spectacle, enough to astonish heaven and earth! Behold, God himself, the holy, infinite, and offended God, became a man; and in that nature, was pierced with the sword of divine justice, and died by it, to bring in everlasting righteousness for his own rebellious subjects!! From the time, the flaming sword turning every way was set, in the garden of Eden, to guard the way of the tree of life, through the wonderful forbearance of God, the sword of his justice had seemed to have lain asleep. God the Son had undertaken the work of the redemption of sinners, and to open a way for them to the tree of life in the paradise of God. For his sake, and on his account, God forbore, and was long suffering and patient. But no sooner does Jesus, the surety, appear, to interpose and put himself between divine justice and infinitely guilty man, than Behold! the loud and awful voice is heard from the throne, Zech. xiii. 7. "Awake, O "sword, against my shepherd, and against the man that "is my fellow, saith the Lord of hosts: smite the shep"herd, and the sheep shall be scattered." Accordingly, this mighty and glorious Saviour must make himself a sin-offering and, when he was made to feel the sword, which awoke to smite him, was in an agony; and, in the bitterness of his soul, cried out, "My God, My God, "why hast thou forsaken me," and gave up the ghost! WAS there ever such a scene as this! Did heaven or earth ever behold such a sight! Look on, Ọ our souls! and tremble; and think how awful and eternally remediless our condition must be, if that terrible sword, the sword of divine justice, under which the mighty Redeemer agonized, and breathed out his precious soul and died, be unsheathed against us! For our sins, and not his own, remember, it was, that he endured and suffered all this! Where, but in the infinite, never failing fountain itself, could ever be found such goodness, such love!And, as surely as this sword was awakened against God's fellow, and smote the shepherd, it will be awakened against us, and smite and eternally destroy us, unless we repent and believe on the Lord Jesus to the saving of our souls. Was there ever such kindness, such condescension and grace, as the great God and Saviour manifests towards us! If we could be won by kindness and mercy, by goodness and love, not one, who hears the glorious gospel, could ever resist those strong and engaging motives it presents to us, to love and serve and follow Christ! 6. We cannot conclude, without remarking on the inexpressibly tender, gracious and fatherly manner, in which God treated his wicked offspring, after they had so impiously and grossly offended. Every step of divine providence towards them, was marked with kindNever did an earthly parent treat his offending children with such lenity, such mildness and gentleness. When they stood, naked and trembling, before him, ness. H begins to open-Here opens, as it were, the first fold of that manifold wisdom of God, which is to be known unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places, by a church redeemed from among men by the precious blood of Christ. IF such ineffable divine tenderness and goodness appeared in God's treatment of his offending offspring, in the first opening of the scheme of mercy, and of redemption by Christ; what a majesty and glory of LOVE will shine forth in its completion! What wonders will appear-what astonishing scenes will be unfolded, when the whole church from among men shall be gathered inwhen God's house, which he will inhabit forever, shall be completed and filled; and, an innumerable multitude, all made white and clean in the blood of the Lamb, shall be presented faultless before the presence of his glory, with exceeding joy. AMEN, EVEN SO COME LORD. JESUS! THE END. ERRATUM-In 48th page, 2d line of 2d paragraph, for “them,” read it. 3 |