a manger.

"Saviour, which is Chrift the Lord. And this fhall be a fign unto you; Ye fhall find the "babe wrapped in swaddling-cloaths, lying in And suddenly there was with the "angel a multitude of the heavenly hoft, prai"fing God, and faying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good-will to"wards men."

There is one circumftance in the incarnation itfelf, which ought not to be omitted, because it is mentioned in fcripture, and is certainly as astonishing as any, That he was not only made flesh, but fent in the likeness of finful flefb. What fo oppofite to the nature of God as fin? And what fo furprifing, as that the Son of God, tho' without fin, yet should in all refpects outwardly be like to finners? that he fhould be born of a finner, taken for a finner, treated as a finner, and at laft crucified with the utmost ignominy, as a more than ordinary finner? I doubt not, but those angels who looked with wonder on him in the manger, looked with ftill greater wonder on him on the crofs; that the whole host of them are confidering this with holy wonder ftill ; and that it shall be the theme of eternal wonder to the innumerable company about the throne. This leads me to observe,

2. That another circumftance which must afford matter for adoring inquiry to the celeftial fpirits, is the fubftitution of an innocent perfon in the room of the guilty, and his fuffering from the hand of God. When man's apoftafy was Ar known, I reckon we may affirm with fuffi

cient certainty, that it could not enter into any created mind, that his recovery was poffible. Many are even of opinion, that fome paffages of fcripture carry in them an intimation, that it had been proposed, and as it were a trial made, in the councils of heaven, among affembled angels, whether any remedy could be found for the guilt and apoftafy of man; and that none was found either able or willing to ftand in his room; as in that of the Pfalmift, cited by the apostle to the Hebrews, chap. x. 5. 6. 7. "Wherefore "when he cometh into the world, he faith, Sa"crifice and offering thou wouldst not, but a bo"dy haft thou prepared me: In burnt-offerings and facrifices for fin, thou haft had no plea"fure: Then faid I, Lo, I come (in the vo"lume of thy book it is written of me) to do "thy will, O God." And in the prophecies of Ifaiah, chap. lix. 16. "And he faw that there

was no man, and wondered that there was no "interceffor; therefore his arm brought falva❝tion unto him, and his righteousness, it fuf"tained him." I will not take upon me to af firm this interpretation of these paffages; but the first of them, which is applied by the apostle to Chrift, certainly implies, that he undertook the redemption of finners when other facrifices were found ineffectual.

Now, my brethren, let us profecute the reflection pointed out by the text. The angels had always hitherto feen innocence and holiness attended with peace and felicity, and they had feen the apoftate fpirits laid under an irreversible

fentence of condemnation. It is probable they looked upon it as manifeftly founded on the nature of God, that he could not punish the innocent, and that he could not but punish the guil. ty. What aftonishment then must it have given them, 'what new views of the boundless fovereignty and unfearchable wifdom of the Moft High must it have opened to them, when they heard him faying, "Deliver him from going "down into the pit, I have found a ransom !" How muft they with wonder dwell on this part of the providence of a wife, holy, juft, and gracious God, that the pure and innocent Jefus, the beloved of the Father, fhould make his ap. pearance in this lower world, the abode of guilty creatures, under manifest tokens of their Crea⚫ tor's displeasure that he fhould not only enter on the scene in the weakness of infancy, but with every circumftance of meannefs and bafenefs! How often must they have been put to a ftand, what to think of the feverity and perfecution, the contempt and oppofition which he met with from those very finners whom he came to fave!

But above all, how muft they have been at a lofs to comprehend his being expofed, not only to the contempt of man, but to the wrath of God! For it pleafed the Lord to bruise him, " he hath put him to grief." What must have been the furprise of that minifter of providence, who was fent" from heaven to ftrengthen" him, when he found him under an inexpreffible agony of suffering, making fupplication with strong

crying and tears, faying, " Father, if it be poffi"ble, let this cup pafs from me!" And what created spirit is able to reach the unfathomable meaning of his complaint upon the crofs, "My "God, my God, why haft thou forfaken me?" In the fufferings of an innocent perfon in the room of the guilty, in the fufferings of the wellbeloved Son of God from his Father's land, there is fuch an unfearchable depth, as no finite understanding is able to comprehend. At first view it seems to contradict the rectitude and holinefs of the divine nature; but on a nearer infpection, there is fuch a ftriking discovery of wisdom, holiness, juftice, and mercy, that angels defire with a holy curiofity to contemplate and adore it.

3. As immediately founded upon the former, another circumftance in the plan of redemption through Christ, which will afford matter of won der to the celeftial fpirits, is the free juftification of finners, and their acceptance with God, thro' the imputed righteousness of Christ. If it ap. pears aftonishing, that God, who diftributes favour and punishment with the most perfect equity, fhould punish the innocent, it appears equally so, that he should shew favour to the guilty; that he should forgive their fins, accept their perfons, and visit them with his loving-kindness, and all this for the merit and obedience of another. What! (may it be faid), is he not unchangeably holy? Is he not of purer eyes than to behold iniquity? Are we not affured that evil can0 2

not

not dwell with him, nor finners ftand in his prefence? How fhall he receive into his favour these offending rebels? how fhall he take into his bofom fuch polluted wretches? And what can be the meaning of imputation? Can perfonal worth be transferred? Can he commit fo great an error, as to view them with complacency for the merit of another?

Muft not this appear a new and extraordinary plan to the angels, who, by personal and perfect obedience, retain the favour of their Creator, and who had been hitherto ftrangers to the in. fluence and interceffion of a mediator? who had feen no fuch thing take place when their brethren finned? Heb. ii. 16. "For verily he "took not on him the nature of angels, but he "took on him the seed of Abraham." The holy angels, not inclined to say, as more prefumptuous men too often do, "Let us continue in "fin, that grace may abound," will rather fay, "Let us flep afide, and fee this great fight." They will then fee, that there is no way more proper for maintaining the dignity of the divine government; nay, that it is the only way by which thofe who have been finners can be received into favour. They will fee and confefs, that there is no circumftance whatever that tends more to level the pride of the finner's heart, and bring him to univerfal fubmiffion, and abfolute fubjection to the fovereignty of God. I am perfuaded indeed, that even angels who never finned, have more of fubmiffion to the divine fovereignty, and dependence on the abfolute grace of their Crea

tor,