bim. Prov. viii. 22, 23, 30. And his being the Object of the Father's infinite Love and Complacency is probably one Thing defigned to be fignified by that Expreffion of his being in the Bofom of the Father. John i. 18. And God's fending this his beloved Son into the World to take upon him our Nature, to live and converfe among Men, to inftruct them as their great heavenly Teacher, to exhibit a most perfect and lovely Example of univerfal Goodness and Purity for their Imitation, and especially to fubmit to the deepest Humiliations, and most grievous and bitter Sufferings, that he might make Reconciliation for the Sins of the World; I say, God's giving his own Son for the Redemption and Salvation of guilty perishing Mankind is justly represented in Scripture as the moft marvellous Inftance of his Love and Grace towards us, that can poffibly be conceived. And, wherever it is really believed, it must needs fill the Soul with the highest Admiration of the fupreme Goodness and Benevolence, and must have a powerful Influence to draw the Heart towards him, as with the Bands of Love, and to captivate the whole Soul to his Love and Obedience. It is therefore highly useful for us to confider our Lord Jefus Chrift in the infinite Dignity of his Perfon, as here point

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ed out by the Father himfelf to the Efteem and Admiration of Mankind as his wellbeloved Son. It is this his Divine Dignity that lieth at the Foundation of his wonderful Atchievements for accomplishing our Salvation, and fetteth the Wisdom, the Love, and Grace of both the Father and the Son towards us in the ftrongest and moft affecting Light.

It must farther be obferved, that the Divine Voice not only declareth concerning our Lord Jefus Chrift, This is my beloved Son, but addeth, in whom I am well pleafed. This is not merely to be regarded as a Repetition of what had been juft faid before, that Chrift was his beloved Son, but is defigned to lead our Thoughts to a farther View. The former Part of the Words feemeth principally to point to the Dignity of the Redeemer's Perfon; and the infinite Love and Delight the Father had in him, confidered as his own Son; but thefe latter Words more especially fignify the Complacency he had in his Undertaking, and his Approbation of the Work and Defign he came into the World upon, and of all that he had done in Purfuance of it. Thus God is introduced by the Prophet as declaring concerning the Meffiah, Bebald Servant whom I uphold, mine Elect in whom my Soul delighteth. If. xlii. 1. The Fa

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ther delighteth in him, not only as he was his own Son, but as voluntarily undertaking, in Compliance with the glorious Scheme laid in the Councils of his eternal Wisdom and Love, the great Work of Redeeming a loft World. In affuming the human Nature, and in all that he did and fuffered in our Nature, he ftill perfectly conformed to the Father's Will, and always did thofe Things which pleafed him. Hence he faith to his Difciples, If ye keep my Commandments, ye shall abide in my Love, even as I have kept my Father's Commandments and abide in his Love. John xv. 10. he particularly declareth, Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my Life, that I might take it again. No Man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself: I have Power to lay it down, and I have Power to take it again. This Commandment have I received of my Father. John x. 17, 18. And this is a Confideration of.. great Moment, that the Father himself,, confidered as the wife and righteous Governor of the World, hath teftified and declared his intire Approbation of the Office and Undertaking of our Lord Jefus Chrift. the Mediator, without which it would not have been available to the Redemption and Salvation of Mankind. The whole Work from first to laft was according to

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the Father's Will, and most wife and gracious Appointment. And this Well-pleafednefs of the Father with Chrift, as the great appointed Mediator and Saviour, is the grand Foundation of all our Hopes. We are thereby affured, that what Chrift hath done and fuffered for us fhall be ac-' cepted for our Benefit. And, as he haththus declared himfelf well-pleafed in Chrift, fo through him he is well-pleafed with penitent believing Sinners of the human Race, that return to him through his well-beloved Son, according to the gracious Terms of the new Covenant. He adopteth them into his Family, and giveth them a Liberty of Access to the Throne of his Grace; he looketh upon them with Complacency, and taketh Pleasure in their Services. This is what St. Paul fignifieth in that noble Paffage, Eph. i. 3, 4, 5, 6. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blefed us with all fpiritual Blef fings in heavenly Places in Christ. cording as he bath chofen us in him before the Foundation of the World, that we should be holy and without Blame before him in Love : Having predeftinated us to the Adoption of Children by Jefus Chrift to himself, according to the good Pleafure of his Will, to the Praife of the Glory of his Grace, wherein be bath made us accepted in the Beloved.

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The laft Part of this heavenly Voice is a Command to the Sons of Men to hear our Lord Jefus Chrift. After having declared, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleafed, it is added, hear ye him. When Mofes foretold the Coming of our Lord, under the Character of a great Prophet that should arise among the Ifraelites, he at the fame Time admonisheth them, that unto him they should hearken. Deut. xviii. 15. The Lord thy God, faith he, will raife up unto thee a Prophet from the Midst of thy Brethren like unto me, unto him ye shall bearken. But the Command to bear the Lord Jefus, the true Meffiah, is here urged upon us by a greater than Mofes, by an immediate Voice from Heaven, a Voice from the magnificent Glory. It is bound upon us by the exprefs Authority of God himself, the fovereign Lord of the Universe, to whom all the Creatures are bound to pay an abfolute Submiffion and Obedience. So that none can refuse to hear our Lord Jefus Chrift without flying in the Face of the Majefty of Heaven, and rifing up in a plain Oppofition to his fupreme Authority. And therefore our Saviour juftly declareth, He that receiveth me receiveth him that fent me, Matt. x. 40. And again, He that defpifeth me defpifeth him that fent me. Luke x. 16. And the Apof

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