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banner we are to fight our way to heaven, through the armies of hell and earth.

12. As a Bridegroom, with whom we are called to make a match, If. liv. 6. Hof. ii. 19. 20.

IV. The fourth thing in the method was, to inquire into the grounds and reasons why Christ was fet up from everlasting, for the great work and fervice of redemption.

Anfw. 1. Here we must have recourfe unto adorable Sovereignty, because it was his will and pleafure, and fay, as Chrift faid in another cafe, Matth. xi. 26. "Even so, O Father, for so it seemed good in thy fight."

Anfw. 2. Because of the good-will he did bear to man upon earth. Hence this was one of the notes of the song of angels at his birth, Luke ii. 14. "Glory to God in the highest; peace, good-will to man.

Anfw. 3. Because of his ability for the undertaking: Pfal. lxxxix. 66 19. I have (fays the Lord) laid help upon one that is mighty." He is the man of God's right hand, and the arm of JEHOVAH was in him and with him.

Anfw. 4. Because he voluntarily offered himfelf unto the work and fervice, as you heard in the first head of the doctrine, Pfal. xl. 8. he had a heart to the work: " (fays he) is within my heart," If. 1. 5.

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Anfw. 5. Because of his undaunted courage to encounter all difficulties and oppofition in the way; hence called "The Lion of the tribe of Judah." See his courageous behaviour, If. 1. 7-9.

Anfw. 6. Becaufe from everlafting God forefaw what a revenue of glory would accrue to the crown of heaven, through his mediation, even a greater glory than by all his other works of creation and providence. Hence the first note of the fong of angels, Luke ii. 14. is "Glory to God in the higheft," q. d. All the other works of God praife him; but now we fee the highest revenue of glory to be levied out of the ftrange work of God, in uniting the divine and human natures in that Child that is born in the city of David. And I conceive it was with an eye to th, If. vi. when they are viewing the perfonal glory of our Redeemer, cry out, "The whole earth is full of his glory." As if they had faid, 'It is no furprife to us angels to fee his glory fhining in the heavens; but to fee the glory of the only begotten of the Father made flefh, and dwelling among men upon earth, a theatre of fin, rebellion, and mifery; this is what indeed ftrikes us with aftonishment and admiration.' I might here let you fee how all

the

the divine perfections are glorified to the full in the work of redemption, for which Chrift was fet up from everlasting. But I hafte to the

V. And last thing propofed, which was the application of the doctrine.

Ufe firft fhall be of Information, in the particulars following.

Is it fo that Chrift was fet up from all eternity, for the great work and fervice of man's redemption?

1. then, See hence the antiquity and eternity of the love of God towards loft finners of Adam's family. His love muft be from everlasting, becaufe Christ was fet up from everlasting, as a help meet for us, Pfal. lxxxix. 19. "I have laid help upon one that is mighty." I have done it in eternity, before the world was. Hence the eternity of his love is afferted, Jer. xxxi. 3. "I have loved thee with an everlasting love." Run back the love of God, we shall never find the beginning of it.

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2. See hence, not only the eternity, but the activity of the love of God. It was not an indolent, but an operative love it was such a love as fet his power, his wifdom, and other perfections a-work; and all the perfons of the glorious Trinity a-work, to accomplish his purpose of grace and love towards finners of mankind. So that if the quefiion be put,

What was God doing from all eternity before he created the world? Here you have an answer: The Father and the Son poffeffed one another, " In the begining of his way, before his works of old:" and Infinite Wisdom, infpired by infinite and amafing love, fet him a-work to lay the plan of our falvation, through his beloved Son: as you fee here, I was fet up from everlasting.

3. See hence that Chrift is the great Secretary of heaven, who is intimately acquainted with the mind of God, which is unfearchable by any other but himfelf. For you fee here, that he brings forth things that were done in eternity, before ever man or angels had any being, I was fet up from everlafting. There is a word to this purpofe, Matth. xi. 27. "All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, fave the Son, and he to whomfoever the Son will reveal him." Sirs, would you know the fecrets of heaven, the mysteries of the kingdom, that were hid in God from eternity? Then come to Chrift: hear ye him, and he will tell you things, that none in heaven or earth can tell you but himself: "No man

hath

hath feen God at any time; the only begotten Son, who is in the bofom of the Father, he hath declared him."

4. See hence the ftability and perpetuity of the covenant of grace. Why, Christ was fet up from everlafting, as the newcovenant Head. The covenant was tranfacted with him, as fecond Adam, from everlafting, Pfal. lxxxix. 3. And the covenant derives its ftability from the covenant Head, Pfal. lxxxix. 28. 66 My covenant fhall stand faft with him :" and this is the very thing that makes it a fure covenant unto us. Hence, Pfal. ixxxix. 33. 34. “I will visit their tranfgreffion with the rod; nevertheless, my loving-kindness will I not take from him:" and therefore, “ my covenant will I not break (viz. with them), nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips," If. liv. 9. 10. "For this is as the waters of Noah unto me for as I have fworn that the waters of Noah fhould no more go over the earth; fo have I fworn that I would not be wroth with thee, nor rebuke thee. For the mountains fhall depart, and the hills be removed, but my kindness shall not depart from thee, &c.

5. See the great ground and reafon of the ftability and perpetuity of the church. Why, it is founded upon the everlasting mountains of the divine decrees and perfections, whereby Christ was fet up from everlafting, as the bafis and foundation upon which the ftands. This is the rock upon which he builds his church, and the gates of hell fhall never prevail against her. Storms and tempefts are raised against her; Tempests of perfecution; tempefls of error; tempefts of divifions and delufions. But what do they all come unto in the iffue? Why, they are just like the billows of the fea breaking upon a rock dashing themfelves into foam, while the rock ftands immoveable.

6. Was Chrift fet up from everlasting? Then fee hence a good reafon why all hands fhould be at work to exalt him, and fet him on high. Why, in fo doing, we join with a whole Trinity; whole plot was to fet him up from everlasting. Though he be rejected by the generality of builders through England, and Ireland, and in Scotland alfo, there is no matter of that: God, who fet 1. n up from everlasting, has made him the Head Stone of the corner; and therefore, however weak and impotent they be, that are bearing testimony for him and his caufe, yet they fhall prevail. Chrift and his caufe will ay be uppermoft at the end of the day; for he that fet him up from everlafting, will have him fet up, and his caufe maintained through all periods of time, in fpite of all the powers of hell and earth.

7. See how it is, that faith pleafes God, infomuch that, without it, "It is impoffible to please him." Why, faith exalts Christ, whom God fet up from everlasting: It falls in with the great plot of heaven, and cries, O precious Chrift! precious Chrift! none but him. Pfal. Ixxiii. 25. "Whom have I heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth whom I defire befides thee." O fays faith, he is "my Lord and my God." He is "my God, and I will prepare him an habitation; my Father's God, and I willexalt him. He is indeed fairer than the children of men. As the apple-tree among the trees of the wood. The chiefeft among ten thousand, and altogether lovely. This is my Beloved, and this is my Friend, O daughters of Jerufalem." Now, I fay, fuch language of faith cannot but be pleafing unto God, who fet him up from everlafting. Hence faith is called the very work of God, John vi. 29. "This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath fent."

8. See the reafon why God has fuch an implacable quarrel against the fin of unbelief, as to declare, John iii. 18. "He that believeth not is condemned already." Why, the reafon is, it counteracts the work of God from eternity. God fet him up from everlafling: But unbelief is for pulling him down, and tramples his blood under foot; crucifies him afresh; it defpifes and rejects him whom God fet up from everlasting: And is it any wonder, then, that God is fo much offended at the unbeliever? O Sirs, you that reject Chrift, and continue in your unbelief, remember that the arrows of God's vengeance will be made drunk with your blood through eternity, for the indignities done to him whom God fet up from everlafting.

9. See the reafon why the pleasure of the Lord has profpered, and shall profper in his hand, maugre [in fpite of] all the oppofition of hell and earth. Why, God fet him up from everlofting, and therefore he has upheld, and will uphold, him. As he has finished redemption in a way of purchase, fo he fall finish it in a way of power. "All his enemies fhall be his foot-ftool," Pfal. lxxxix. 23.

"I will beat down before his face,

all his malicious foes;

I will them greatly plague who do

with hatred him oppofe "

Ilis victorious arms fhall profper; he fhall ride forth in glory and in majesty; and they fhall bow under him, because God

Metre tranflation received by the Church of Scotland.

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Chrift fet up from Everlasting.

hath fet him up from everlasting. Who then shall ever be able to shake his throne and government, Pfal. xi. 1-6. &c.

10. See what good reafon we have to celebrate our Christian paffover, and to fet him up facramentally, by perpetuating his memory upon earth, until his fecond coming. This facrament of the fupper is a public owning and confefsing him, and his dying love, and glorious achievements in the work of redemption, before God, angels, and men. It is putting honcur upon him, and avouching him as our Redeemer, our Mediator, our Prophet, Prieft, and King, in the face of the devil and his angels, who are looking on us with vexation: It galls the devil, and fills that enemy and avenger, to fee Chrift, who bruifed his head upon Mount Calvary, exalted and fet up among the children of men, at a commu nion table, Heb. ii. 14. "Through death he deftroyed him. that had the power of death, and fpoiled principalities and powers." How tormenting then muft it be to the devil, to fee Chrift at his table, dividing the fpoils among a company of poor finners, who once in a day were his vaffals and bond faves?

But now let us go on to celebrate actually the memorials of the death of our glorious Immanuel, and to divide the fpoils of his victory over fin, and Satan; death and hell, which is the great work of the day.

THANKSGIVING SERMON.

ABRAHAM REJOICING TO SEE CHRIST'S DAY
AFAR OFF.

JOHN viii. 56.-Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he faw it, and was glad.

HE Jews, as you will fee in the preceding part of the chapter, valued themfelves exceedingly upon this account, that they were the natural feed and pofterity of Abraham, the father of the faithful; and they were offended. at our Lord, for comparing himself to Abraham, ver. 52. 53.

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