you let his favours be buried in unthankfulness, and die without praise? Shall it be said of you, They remembered not his holy covenant?" Shall this bright rainbow display its beauties all in vain for you? O! let it be the ground of your triumph, the foundation of your prayers for yourselves and others, and let it always influence you to be joining yourself to the Lord in perpetual acts of self-dedication, in " an everlasting covenant that shall never be forgotten. Nor be discouraged that you are at present perplexed with trials and difficulties; but evermore boast that the rainbow still is nigh, and that it as much secures your admission into heaven, as it prevents any storm or deluges there. This covenant is a proper subject for investigation in it lies a mine for you to dig in; it contains pearls of great price, such as will well repay your labour, and delight your soul. View yourselves as redeemed by the blood of the covenant, and rejoice that you shall admire it for ever and ever.

The sinner should think of this subject with the greatest awe; for God says to him, "What hast thou to do that thou shouldst take my covenant in thy mouth?" Not interested in it, you cannot share its blessings.

This subject points out the necessity of self-examination.

Shall we ever behold the glory of this rainbow? be ever enclosed in it? If it be the case,

"Then will he pour salvation down,

And we shall render praise;

We the dear people of his love,

And he our God of grace."

DISCOURSE XI.

JESUS CHRIST BEARS THE GLORY OF THE WORK OF REDEMPTION.

PREACHED JUNE 4, 1809.

"And he shall bear the glory." ZECHARIAH vi. 13.

"Of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself or of some other man?" It is spoken, brethren, of Him who is "clothed with a vesture dipped in blood, and whose name is called the Word of God." Whilst the second temple was erecting, the voice of the prophet Zechariah was directed by the Spirit's inspiration to that glorious building which this but prefigured. Divinely directed, he adorned Joshua with crowns of silver and gold, and was commanded to behold him as a type of the man whose name is "The Branch," who was to grow up out of his place, and who alone was appointed, and about to build the temple of the Lord, and who is well described in the words I have read you as a text, as having all possible power, for "He shall bear the glory."

These words intimate, that all the honor of the erection, preservation, and completion of the spiritual temple, properly and solely belongs to Jesus; they show us, that the whole glory of our salvation, from first to last, must be ascribed to him; and they lead us to view him as having on his head many crowns. God forbid that this should

be an unprofitable subject for our meditation at

this time.

We may remark, then, that all blessing, and glory, and might, dominion and power, must be ascribed to Christ, in opposition to the idea of any praise belonging to man: since his hands laid the foundation and raised the superstructure of this edifice, the honor belongs not unto us, but unto his venerable and adored name. Neither Zerubbabel nor Joshua were to be looked upon as the prime causes of the erection of this temple at Jerusalem; for it might well be said of it, "This is the finger of God!" And surely the kingdom of universal nature, the fulness of Almighty power, and the whole glory of our salvation, must alone be ascribed to the Man whose name is "The Branch." Indeed, no others could bear the glory but himself; it would be a weight too heavy for them, and a burden intolerable to sustain; but "the government shall be upon his shoulders :" since "of him, and through him, and to him, are all things; to him be glory for ever and ever."

Permit me, then, to call your attention to the different ways in which Jesus is glorified, on account of his mediatorial work; and to view him as receiving abundant honor from both the other Divine Persons in the Trinity,-from the plaudits of the angelic world,-from the ministry of the gospel,-from the conduct of all his saints,-from the dispensations of his own providence, and from the acclamations of the glorified spirits in heaven.

Our text is true, which declares that Jesus shall bear the glory, because he has borne it, and still is abundantly honored and glorified,

I. By both the other Divine Persons in the Trinity.

That "there are Three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost; and that these Three are One," is explicitly taught in the pages of inspiration, which are true and faithful. Being one in essence and dignity, they also unite in glorifying each other, and by the different offices which they have been pleased graciously to discharge in the economy of our redemption, they show us that the" Lord our God is one Lord." The Saviour of Sinners, the Second Person in the Trinity, always delighted when on earth in glorifying the Father, by discharging his will, fulfilling his law, and reflecting his honor in all his perfections; as well did he make honorable mention of the Holy Spirit, in his diversified operations upon the human mind, and intimated that his own work would be incomplete, without the work of the Holy Spirit. And shall not both

the Father and the Spirit unite in causing him to "bear the glory," who had so wonderfully glorified them on earth? God the Father has " glorified his Son, with the glory which he had with him before the world began:" and he has done this by acknowledging, accepting, and exalting him.

He acknowledged him, as the Man that was his Fellow, as his Servant whom he upheld, his Elect in whom his soul delighted. He testified of him, saying, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him." He never left him without witness of his entire and hearty approbation of himself, and of the work in which he was engaged. Of no other did he ever say, "Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee;" and again, "I will be to him a Father, and he shall

be to me a Son." The voice from the excellent glory recommends only Jesus as the Saviour of the ends of the earth.

Again, he accepted him, and thus made him to "bear the glory." He received him into the highest honours, when he had by himself purged our sins; he looked for no more than what Jesus had accomplished, and could not but admire his finished work; yea, he was "well pleased for his righteousness' sake. The Lord smelled a sweet savour from his oblation and death, and smiled with Divine benignity upon his victorious Son, in whose work he rejoiced, as it was the frustration of hellish schemes, the effect of heavenly counsels, the fulfilment of inspired prophecies, the glorification of Divine attributes, and the salvation of immortal souls.

66

The Father glorified him too, for he has exalted him. "He has set him on his own right hand, far above all principality and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but in that which is to come." We speak of Him "whom God raised from the dead, and gave him glory." Wherefore God also has highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name." He has placed him far beyond the reach of his enemies; and vowed, that upon himself shall his crown flourish. The Father's exaltation of his Son shows us, that he has glorified him above all his name, while it teaches us to sue for the blessings he has appointed him in that state to bestow.

But the Holy Spirit also comes forward to place honors upon his head, and to "anoint him with the oil of gladness above his fellows." "He," said Jesus himself, "shall glorify me, for he shall