 section 15 of select sermons of Jonathan Edwards this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org recording by Peter Bloomfield select sermons of Jonathan Edwards section 15 the importance and advantage of a thorough knowledge of divine truth part 2 the doctrines also which relate to Jesus Christ and his mediation his incarnation his life and death his resurrection of sentient is sitting at the right hand of the father his satisfaction and intercession infinitely concerned common people as well as divines they stand in as much need of this saviour and of an interest in his person and offices and the things which he have done suffered as ministers and divines the same maybe said of the doctrines which relate to the manner of a sinner's justification or the way in which he becomes interested in the mediation of Christ they equally concern all for all stand in equal necessity of justification before God that eternal condemnation to which we are all naturally exposed is equally dreadful so with respect to those doctrines of divinity which relates to the work of the Spirit of God on the heart in the application of redemption in our effectual calling and sanctification are all equally concerned in them there is no doctrine of divinity whatever which does not some way or other concern the eternal interest of every Christian none of the things which God had taught us in his word are needless speculations or trivial matters all of them are indeed important points for we may argue from the great things which God had done in order to give us instruction in these things as to other sciences he had left us to ourselves to the light of our own reason but the things of divinity being of infinitely greater importance to us he had not left us to an uncertain guide but had himself given us a revelation of the truth in these matters and have done very great things to convey and confirm to us this revelation raising up many prophets in different ages immediately inspiring them with his holy spirit and confirming their doctrine with innumerable miracles or wonderful works out of the established course of nature yeah he raised up a succession of prophets which was upheld for several ages it was very much for this end that God separated the people of Israel in so wonderful manner from all other people and kept them separate that to them he might commit the oracles of God and that from them they might be communicated to the world he have also often sent angels to bring divine instructions to men and have often himself appeared to men in miraculous symbols or representations of his presence and now in these last days have sent his own son into the world to be his great prophet to teach us divinity Hebrews 1 at the beginning by means of all God have given a book of divine instructions which contains the sum of divinity now these things have God done not only for the instruction of ministers and men of learning but for the instruction of all men of all sorts learned and unlearned men women and children and certainly if God does such great things to teach us we ought not to do little to learn God have not made giving instructions to men in things of divinity a business by the by but a business which he have undertaken and prosecuted in a course of great and wonderful dispensations as an affair in which his heart have been greatly engaged which is sometimes in Scripture signified by the expression of God's rising early to teach us and to send prophets and teachers to us Jeremiah 7 verse 25 since that day that your fathers came forth out of the land of Egypt unto this day I have even sent unto you all my servants the prophets daily rising up early and sending them and so verse 13 I speak unto you rising up early and speaking this is a figurative speech signifying that God had not done this as a by business but as a business of great importance in which he took great care and had his heart much engaged because persons are want to rise early to prosecute such business as they are earnestly engaged in if God had been so engaged in teaching certainly we should not be negligent in learning nor should we make growing in knowledge of by business but a great part of the business of our lives five it may be argued from the abundance of the instructions which God had given us from the largeness of that book which God had given to teach us divinity and from the great variety that is therein contained much was taught by Moses of old which we have transmitted down to us after that other books were from time to time added much is taught us by David and Solomon and many and excellent of the instructions communicated by the prophets yet God did not think all this enough but after this sent Christ and his apostles by whom there is added a great and excellent treasure to that holy book which is to be our rule in the study of divinity this book was written for the use of all all are directed to search the scriptures John 5 verse 39 search the scriptures for in them you think you have eternal life and they are they that testify of me and Isaiah 34 verse 16 seek ye out the book of the Lord and read they that read and understand are pronounced blessed revelation 1 verse 3 blessed is he that readeth and they that understand the words of this prophecy if this be true of that particular book of the revelation much more is it true of the Bible in general nor is it to be believed that God would have given instructions in such abundance if he had intended that receiving instruction should be only a by-concernment with us it is to be considered that all those abundant instructions which are contained in the scriptures were written for that end that they might be understood otherwise they are not instructions that which is not given that the learner may understand it is not given for the learner's instruction and unless we endeavor to grow in the knowledge divinity a very great part of those instructions will to us be in vain for we can receive benefit by no more of the scriptures than we understand no more than if they were locked up in an unknown tongue we have reason to bless God that he had given us such various and plentiful instruction in his word but we shall be hypocritical in so doing if we after all content ourselves with but little of this instruction when God have opened a very large treasure before us for the supply of our wants and we thank him that he have given us so much if at the same time we be willing to remain destitute of the greatest part of it because we are too lazy to gather it this will not show the sincerity of our thankfulness we are now under much greater advantages to acquire knowledge in divinity than the people of God were of old because since that time the canon of scripture is much increased but if we be negligent of our advantages we may be never the better for them and may remain with as little knowledge as they six however diligently we apply ourselves there is room enough to increase our knowledge in divinity without coming to an end none have this excuse to make for not diligently applying themselves to gain knowledge in divinity that they know all already nor can they make this excuse that they have no need diligently to apply themselves in order to know all that is to be known none can excuse themselves for want of business in which to employ themselves here is room enough to employ ourselves forever in this divine science with the utmost application those who have applied themselves most closely have studied the longest and have made the greatest attainments in this knowledge know but little of what is to be known the subject is inexhaustible that divine being who is the main subject of the science is infinite and there is no end to the glory of his perfections his works at the same time are wonderful and cannot be found out to perfection especially the work of redemption which is that work of God about which the science of divinity is chiefly conversant is full of unsearchable wonders the word of God which is given for our instruction in divinity contains enough in it to employ us to the end of our lives and then we shall leave enough uninvestigated to employ the heads of the ableist divines to the end of the world the Samas found an end to the things that are human but he could never find an end to what is contained in the word of God Sam 119 verse 96 I have seen an end to all perfection but thy commandment is exceeding broad there is enough in this divine science to employ the understandings of saints and angels to all eternity 7 it doubtless concerns everyone to endeavor to excel in the knowledge of things which pertain to his profession or principal calling if it concerns men to excel in anything or in any wisdom or knowledge at all it certainly concerns them to excel in the affairs of their main profession and work but the calling and work of every Christian is to live to God this is said to be his high calling Philippians 3 verse 14 this is the business and if I may so speak the trade of a Christian is main work and indeed should be his only work no business should be done by Christian but as it is some way or other a part of this therefore certainly the Christian should endeavor to be well acquainted with those things which belong to this work that he may fulfill it and be thoroughly furnished to it it becomes one who is called to be a soldier and to go to warfare to endeavor to excel in the art of war it becomes one who is called to be a mariner and spent his life in sailing the ocean to endeavor to excel in the art of navigation it becomes one who professes to be a physician and devotes himself to that work to endeavor to excel in the knowledge of those things which pertain to the art of physics so it becomes all such as profess to be Christians and to devote themselves to the practice of Christianity to endeavor to excel in the knowledge of divinity eight it may be argued from this that God has appointed an order of men for this end to assist persons in gaining knowledge in these things he had appointed them to be teachers first Corinthians 12 verse 28 and God hath set some in the church first apostles secondarily profits thirdly teachers Ephesians 4 verses 11 and 12 he gave some apostles some prophets some evangelists some pastors and teachers for the perfecting of the saints for the work of the ministry for the edifying of the body of Christ if God hath set them to be teachers making that their business then he hath made it their business to impart knowledge but what kind of knowledge not the knowledge of philosophy or of human laws or of mechanical arts but of divinity if God hath made it the business of some to be teachers it will follow that he hath made it the business of others to be learners for teachers and learners or correlates one of which was never intended to be without the other God hath never made it the duty of some to take pains to teach those who are not obliged to take pains to learn he hath not commanded ministers to spend themselves in order to impart knowledge to those who are not obliged to apply themselves to receive it the name by which Christians are commonly called in the New Testament is disciples the signification of which word is scholars or learners all Christians are put into the school of Christ where their business is to learn or receive knowledge from Christ their common master and teacher and from those inferior teachers appointed by him to instruct in his name nine God hath in the scriptures plainly revealed it to be his will that all Christians should diligently endeavor to excel in the knowledge of divine things it is the revealed will of God that Christians should not only have some knowledge of things of this nature but that they should be enriched with all knowledge first Corinthians one versus four and five I thank my God always on your behalf for the grace of God that has given you by Jesus Christ that in everything you are enriched by him in all and in all knowledge so the apostle earnestly prayed that the Christian Philippians might abound more and more not only in love but in Christian knowledge Philippians one verse nine and this I pray that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment so the apostle Peter advises to quote give all diligence to add faith virtue and to virtue knowledge close quote second Peter one verse five and the apostle Paul in the next chapter to that wherein is the text councils the Christian Hebrews leaving the first principles of the doctrine of Christ to go on to perfection he would by no means have them always to rest only in those fundamental doctrines of repentance and faith and the resurrection from the dead and the eternal judgment in which they were indoctrinated when they were first baptized and had the apostles hands laid on them at their first initiation in Christianity see Hebrews six at the beginning application the use that I would make of this doctrine is to exhort all diligently to endeavor to gain this kind of knowledge consider yourselves as scholars or disciples put into the school of Christ and therefore be diligent to make proficiency in Christian knowledge contempt not yourselves with this that you have been taught your catechism in your childhood and that you know as much of the principles of religion as is necessary to salvation so you will be guilty of what the apostle warns against vis-à-vis going no further than laying the foundations of repentance from dead works etc you are all called to be Christians and this is your profession endeavor therefore to acquire knowledge in things which pertain to your profession let not your teachers have caused to complain that while they spend and are spent to impart knowledge to you you take little pains to learn it is a great encouragement to an instructor to have such to teach as make a business of learning bending their minds to it this makes teaching a pleasure when otherwise it will be a very heavy and burdensome task you all have by you a large treasure of divine knowledge in that you have the bible in your hands therefore be not contented in possessing but little of this treasure got a spoken much to you in the scripture labour to understand as much of what he saith as you can god have made you all reasonable creatures therefore let not the noble faculty of reason or understanding lie neglected content not yourselves with having so much knowledge as is thrown in your way and as you receive in some sense unavoidably by the frequent inculcation of divine truth in the preaching of the word of which you are obliged to be hearers or as you accidentally gain in conversation but let it be very much your business to search for it and that with the same diligence and labour with which men are wanted to dig in minds of silver and gold especially I would advise those that are young to employ themselves in this way men are never too old to learn but the time of youth is especially the time for learning it is especially proper for gaining and storing up knowledge further to stir up all both old and young to this duty let me entreat you to consider one if you apply yourselves diligently to this work you will not want employment when you are at leisure from your common secular business in this way you may find something in which you may profitably employ yourselves these long winter evenings you will find something else to do besides going about from house to house spending one hour after another in unprofitable conversation or at best took no other purpose but to amuse yourselves to fill up and wear away your time and it is to be feared that very much of the time that spent in our winter evening visits is spent to a much worse purpose than that which I have now mentioned Solomon tells us Proverbs 10 verse 19 that in the multitude of words there wanteth not sin and is this not verified in those who find nothing else to do for so great part of the winter but to go to one another's houses and spend the time in such talk as comes next or such as anyone's present disposition happens to suggest some diversion is doubtless lawful but for Christians to spend so much of their time so many long evenings in no other conversation than that which tends to divert and amuse if nothing worse is a sinful way of spending time and tends to poverty of soul at least if not to outward poverty Proverbs 14 verse 23 in all labour there is profit but the talk of the lips tendeth only to penury besides when persons for so much of their time have nothing else to do but to sit and talk and chat in one another's chimney corners there is great danger of falling into foolish and sinful conversation venting their corrupt dispositions in talking against others expressing their jealousies and evil surmises concerning their neighbours not considering what Christ has said Matthew 12 verse 36 of every idol word that men shall speak they shall give account in the day of judgment if you would comply with what you have heard from this doctrine you would find something else to spend your winters in one winter after another besides contention or talking about those public affairs which tend to contention young people might find something else to do besides spending their time in vain company something that would be much more profitable to themselves as it would really turn to some good account something in doing which they would both be more out of the devil's way the way of temptation and be more in the way of duty and of divine blessing and even aged people would have something to employ themselves in after they become incapable of bodily labour their time as is now often the case would not lie heavy upon their hands as they would with both profit and pleasure be engaged in searching scriptures and in comparing and meditating upon the various truths which they would find there two this would be a noble way of spending your time the Holy Spirit gives the Bereans this epithet because they diligently employ themselves in this business Acts 17 verse 11 these were more noble than those of Thessalonica in that they received the word with all readiness of mind and searched the scriptures daily whether those things air so this is very much the employment of heaven the inhabitants of that world would spend much of their time in searching into the great things of divinity and endeavoring to acquire knowledge in them as we're told of the angels first Peter 1 verse 12 which things the angels desire to look into this will be very agreeable to what you hope will be your business to all eternity as you doubtless hope to join in the same employment with the angels of light Solomon says Proverbs 25 verse 2 it is the honor of kings to search out a matter and certainly above all others to search out divine matters now if this be the honor even of kings is it not equally if not much more your honor three this is a pleasant way of improving time knowledge is pleasant and delightful to intelligent creatures and above all the knowledge of divine things for in them are the most excellent truths and the most beautiful and amiable objects held forth to view however tedious labor necessarily attending this business may be yet the knowledge once obtained will richly require the pains taken to obtain it quote when wisdom enthroth the heart knowledge is pleasant to the soul close quote Proverbs 2 verse 10 four this knowledge is exceeding useful in christian practice such as have much knowledge in divinity have great means and advantages for spiritual and saving knowledge for no means of grace as was said before have their effect on the heart otherwise than by the knowledge they impart the more you have of a rational knowledge of the things of the gospel the more opportunity will there be when the spirit shall be breathed into your heart to see the excellency of these things and to taste the sweetness of them the heavens who have no rational knowledge of the things of the gospel have no opportunity to see the excellency of them and therefore the more rational knowledge of these things you have the more opportunity and advantage you have to see the divine excellency and the glory of them. Again, the more knowledge you have of divine things, the better will you know your duty. Your knowledge will be of great use to direct you as to your duty in particular cases. You will also be the better furnished against the temptations of the devil, for the devil often takes the advantage of persons' ignorance to ply them with temptations which otherwise would have no hold of them. By having much knowledge you will be under greater advantages to conduct yourselves with prudence and discretion in your Christian course, and so to live much more to the honour of God and religion. Many who mean well and are full of a good spirit, yet for want of prudence conduct themselves so as to wound religion. Many have a zeal of God, which doth more hurt than good because it is not according to knowledge. Romans 10 verse 2. The reason why many good men behave no better in many instances is not so much that they want grace as that they want knowledge. Besides, an increase of knowledge would be of great help to profitable conversation. It would supply you with matter for conversation when you come together or when you visit your neighbours, and so you would have less temptation to spend the time in such conversation as tends to your own and others hurt. 5. Consider the advantages you are under to grow in the knowledge of divinity. We are under far greater advantages to gain much knowledge in divinity now than God's people under the Old Testament, both because the canon of Scripture is so much more enlarged since that time, and also because evangelical truths are now so much more plainly revealed, so that common men are now in some respects under advantages to know more of divinity than the greatest prophets were then. Thus that saying of Christ is in a sense applicable to us. Luke 10 verses 23 and 24. Blessed are the eyes which see the things which ye see, for I tell you that many prophets and kings have desired to see those things which ye see and have not seen them, and to hear the things which ye hear and have not heard them. We are in some respects under far greater advantages for gaining knowledge, now in these latter ages of the church than Christians were formally, especially by reason of the art of printing of which God had given us the benefit whereby Bibles and other books of divinity are exceedingly multiplied and persons may now be furnished with helps for the obtaining of Christian knowledge at a much easier and cheaper rate than they formally could. 6. We know not what opposition we may meet with in the principles which we hold in divinity. We know that there are many adversaries to the gospel and its truths. If therefore we embrace those truths we must expect to be attacked by the said adversaries, and unless we be well informed concerning divine things, how shall we be able to defend ourselves? Besides, the Apostle Peter enjoins it upon us always to be ready to give an answer to every man who asks of us a reason of the hope that is in us, but this we cannot expect to do without a considerable knowledge in divine things. I shall now conclude my discourse with some directions for the acquisition of this knowledge. 1. Be assiduous in reading the holy scriptures. This is the fountain whence all knowledge in divinity must be derived. Therefore let not this treasure lie by you neglected. Every man of common understanding who can read may, if he please, become well acquainted with the scriptures, and what an excellent attainment would this be. 2. Content not yourselves with only a cursory reading without regarding the sense. This is an ill way of reading to which, however, many accustom themselves all their days. When you read, observe what you read. Observe how things come in. Take notice of the drift of the discourse and compare one scripture with another. For the scripture by the harmony of the different parts of it casts great light upon itself. We are expressly directed by Christ to search the scriptures which evidently intend something more than a mere cursory reading, and use means to find out the meaning of the scripture. When you have it explained in the preaching of the word, take notice of it, and if at any time a scripture that you did not understand be cleared up to your satisfaction, mark it, lay it up, and if possible, remember it. 3. Procure and diligently use other books which may help you to grow in this knowledge. There are many excellent books extant which might greatly forward you in this knowledge, and afford you a very profitable and pleasant attainment in your leisure hours. There is doubtless a great defect in many that through a lothness to be at a little expense, they furnish themselves with no more help of this nature. They have a few books indeed which now and then on Sabbath days they read, but they have had them so long and read them so often that they are weary of them, and it has now become a dull story, a mere task to read them. 4. Improve conversation with others to this end. How much might persons promote each other's knowledge in divine things if they would improve conversation as they might? If men that are ignorant were not ashamed to show their ignorance and were willing to learn of others? If those that have knowledge would communicate it without pride and ostentation, and if all were more disposed to enter on such conversation as would be for their mutual edification and instruction? 5. Seek not to grow in knowledge chiefly for the sake of applause and to enable you to dispute with others, but seek it for the benefit of your souls and in order to practice. If applause be your end, you will not be so likely to be led to the knowledge of the truth, but may justly, as often is the case of those who are proud of their knowledge, be led into error to your own perdition. This being your end, if you should obtain much rational knowledge, it would not be likely to be of any benefit to you, but would puff you up with pride. 1 Corinthians 8 verse 1, knowledge puffeth up. 6. Seek to God that he would direct you and bless you in this pursuit after knowledge. This is the Apostle's direction. James 1 verse 5, if any man lack wisdom, let him ask it of God who giveth to all liberally and up-radeth not. God is the fountain of all divine knowledge. Proverbs 2 verse 6, the Lord giveth wisdom out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding. 8. Labour to be sensible of your own blindness and ignorance, and your need of the help of God, lest you be led into error instead of true knowledge. 1 Corinthians 3 verse 18, if any man would be wise, let him become a fool, that he may be wise. 8. Practice according to what knowledge you have. This will be the way to know more. The Samist warmly recommend this way of seeking knowledge and divinity from his own experience. Sam 119 verse 100, I understand more than the ancients because I keep thy precepts. Christ also recommends the same. John 7 verse 17, if any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God or whether I speak of myself. 15. Section 16 of Select Cermons of Jonathan Edwards This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Select Cermons of Jonathan Edwards. Section 16. The Excellency of Christ, Part 1 The Excellency of Christ, a sermon by Jonathan Edwards, and one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not, behold the lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof, and I be held, and lo, in the midst of the throne, and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a lamb as it had been slain. Revelation 5 verses 5 and 6. Introduction The visions and revelations the Apostle John had of the future events of God's providence are here introduced with a vision of the book of God's decrees by which those events were foreordained. This is represented, Revelation 5.1, as a book in the right hand of him who sat on the throne, written within and on the back side, and sealed with seven seals. Books in the form in which they were want of old to be made, were broad leaves of parchment or paper or something of that nature, joined together at one edge, and so rolled up together, and then sealed, or some way fastened together, to prevent their unfolding and opening. Hence we read of the role of a book, Jeremiah 36.2. It seems to have been such a book that John had a vision of here, and therefore it is said to be written within and on the back side, i.e., on the inside pages, and also on one of the outside pages, namely that which it was rolled in, enrolling the book up together. It is said to be sealed with seven seals, to signify that what was written in it was perfectly hidden and secret, or that God's decrees of future events are sealed and shut up from all possibility of being discovered by creatures till God is pleased to make them known. We find that seven is often used in Scripture as the number of perfection to signify the superlative or most perfect degree of anything which probably arose from this, that on the seventh day God beheld the works of creation finished and rested and rejoiced in them as being complete and perfect. When John saw this book he tells us he, quote, saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, who is worthy to open the book and to loose the seals thereof, and no man in heaven nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon, end quote, and that he wept much because, quote, no man was found worthy to open and read the book, neither to look thereon, end quote, and then tells us how his tears were dried up, namely that one of the elders said unto him, weep not, behold the lion of the tribe of Judah hath prevailed, et cetera, as in the text. Though no man nor angel, nor any mere creature, was found either able to loose the seals or worthy to be admitted to the privilege of reading the book, yet this was declared for the comfort of this beloved disciple that Christ was found both able and worthy. And we have an account in the succeeding chapters how he actually did it, opening the seals in order, first one, and then another, revealing what God had decreed should come to pass hereafter. And we have an account in this chapter of his coming and taking the book out of the right hand of him that sat on the throne and of the joyful praises that were sung to him in heaven and earth on that occasion. Many things might be observed in the words of the text, but it is to my present purpose only to take notice of the two distinct appellations here given to Christ. One, he is called a lion, behold the lion of the tribe of Judah. He seems to be called the lion of the tribe of Judah, in allusion to what Jacob said in his blessing of the tribe on his deathbed, who, when he came to bless Judah, compares him to a lion, Genesis 49.9, quote, Judah is a lion's welt, from the prey, my son, thou art gone up. He stooped down, he couched as a lion, and as an old lion, who will rouse him up, end quote. And also to the standard of the camp of Judah in the wilderness, on which was displayed a lion, according to the ancient tradition of the Jews. It is much on account of the valiant acts of David that the tribe of Judah, of which David was, is in Jacob's prophetical blessing compared to a lion, but more especially with an eye to Jesus Christ, who was of that tribe, and was descended of David, and is in our text called the root of David, and therefore Christ is here called the lion of the tribe of Judah. Two, he is called a lamb. John was told of a lion that had prevailed to open the book, and probably expected to see a lion in his vision, but while he was expecting, behold, a lamb appears to open the book and exceeding diverse kind of creature from a lion. A lion is a devourer, one that is want to make terrible slaughter of others, and no creature more easily falls a prey to him than a lamb. And Christ is here represented not only as a lamb, a creature very liable to be slain, but a lamb as it had been slain, that is, with the marks of its deadly wounds appearing on it. That which I would observe from the words for the subject of my present discourse is this, namely, there is an admirable conjunction of diverse excellencies in Jesus Christ. The lion and the lamb, though very diverse kinds of creatures, yet have each their peculiar excellencies. The lion excels in strength and in the majesty of his appearance and voice. The lamb excels in meekness and patience, besides the excellent nature of the creature as good for food, and yielding that which is fit for our clothing and being suitable to be offered in sacrifice to God. But we see that Christ is in the text compared to both, because the diverse excellencies of both wonderfully meet in him. In handling the subject I would, first, show wherein there is an admirable conjunction of diverse excellencies in Christ. Second, show how this admirable conjunction of excellencies appear in Christ's acts. Third, make application. Part one. First, I would show wherein there is an admirable conjunction of diverse excellencies in Jesus Christ, which appears in three things. A. There is a conjunction of such excellencies in Christ, as, in our manner of conceiving, are very diverse one from another. B. There is in him a conjunction of such really diverse excellencies, as otherwise would have seemed to us utterly incompatible in the same subject. C. Such diverse excellencies are exercised in him towards men that otherwise would have seemed impossible to be exercised towards the same object. A. There is a conjunction of such excellencies in Christ, as, in our manner of conceiving, are very diverse one from another. Such are the various divine perfections and excellencies that Christ is possessed of. Christ is a divine person, and therefore has all the attributes of God. The difference between these is chiefly relative and in our manner of conceiving them, and those which, in this sense, are most diverse meet in the person of Christ. I shall mention two instances. 1. There do meet in Jesus Christ infinite highness and infinite condescension. Christ, as he is God, is infinitely great and high above all. He is higher than the kings of the earth, for he is king of kings and lord of lords. He is higher than the heavens and higher than the highest angels of heaven. So great is he that all men, all kings and princes, are as worms of the dust before him. All nations are as the drop of the bucket, and the light dust of the balance. Yea and angels themselves are as nothing before him. He is so high that he is infinitely above any need of us, above our reach that we cannot be profitable to him, and above our conceptions that we cannot comprehend him. Proverbs 30 verse 4 What is his name and what is his son's name if thou canst tell? Our understandings, if we stretch them never so far, cannot reach up to his divine glory. Job 11 verse 8 It is high as heaven, what canst thou do? Christ is the creator and great possessor of heaven and earth. He is sovereign lord of all. He rules over the whole universe, and doth whatsoever pleaseeth him. His knowledge is without bound. His wisdom is perfect, and what none can circumvent. His power is infinite, and none can resist him. His riches are immense and inexhaustible. His majesty is infinitely awful. And yet, he is one of infinite condescension. None are so low or inferior, but Christ's condescension is sufficient to take a gracious notice of them. He condescends not only to the angels, humbling himself to behold the things that are done in heaven, but he also condescends to such poor creatures as men, and that not only so as to take notice of princes and great men, but of those that are of meanest rank and degree, the poor of the world, James 2.5. Such as are commonly despised by their fellow creatures, Christ does not despise. 1 Corinthians 1 verse 28 base things of the world and things that are despised hath God chosen. Christ condescends to take notice of beggars, Luke 16, 22, and people of the most despised nations. In Christ Jesus is neither barbarian, sithian, bond nor free, Colossians 3, 11. He that is thus high condescends to take a gracious notice of little children, Matthew 19, 14, suffer little children to come unto me. Yea, which is more, his condescension is sufficient to take a gracious notice of the most unworthy sinful creatures, those that have no good deservings, and those that have infinite ill deservings. Yea, so great is his condescension, that it is not only sufficient to take some gracious notice of such as these, but sufficient for everything that is an act of condescension. His condescension is great enough to become their friend, to become their companion, to unite their souls to him in spiritual marriage. It is enough to take their nature upon him, to become one of them, that he may be one with them. Yea, it is great enough to abase himself yet lower for them, even to expose himself to shame and spitting. Yea, to yield up himself to an ignominious death for them. And what act of condescension can be conceived of greater? Yet such an act as this has his condescension yielded to for those that are so low and mean, despicable and unworthy. Such a conjunction of infinite highness and low condescension in the same person is admirable. We see, by manifold instances, what a tendency a high station has in men to make them to be of a quite contrary disposition. If one worm be a little exalted above another, by having more dust or a bigger dung hill, how much does he make of himself? What a distance does he keep from those that are below him? And a little condescension is what he expects should be made much of, and greatly acknowledged. Christ condescends to wash our feet, but how would great men, or rather the bigger worms, account themselves debased by acts of far less condescension? 2. There meet in Christ infinite justice and infinite grace. As Christ is a divine person, he is infinitely holy and just, hating sin, and disposed to execute condine punishment for sin. He is the judge of the world and the infinitely just judge of it, and will not at all acquit the wicked, or by any means clear the guilty. And yet he is infinitely gracious and merciful, though his justice be so strict with respect to all sin and every breach of the law, yet he has grace sufficient for every sinner, and even the chief of sinners. And it is not only sufficient for the most unworthy to show them mercy and bestow some good upon them, but to bestow the greatest good. Yea, it is sufficient to bestow all good upon them and to do all things for them. There is no benefit or blessing that they can receive, so great but the grace of Christ is sufficient to bestow it on the greatest sinner that ever lived. And not only so, but so great is his grace, that nothing is too much as the means of this good. It is sufficient not only to do great things, but also to suffer in order to do it, and not only to suffer, but to suffer most extremely even unto death, the most terrible of natural evils. And not only death, but the most ignominious and tormenting, and every way the most terrible that men could inflict. Yea, and greater sufferings than men could inflict, who could only torment the body. He had sufferings in his soul that were the more immediate fruits of the wrath of God against the sins of those he undertakes for. B. There do meet in the person of Christ such really diverse excellencies, which otherwise would have been thought utterly incompatible in the same subject, such as are conjoined in no other person whatever, either divine, human, or angelical, and such as neither men nor angels would ever have imagined could have met together in the same person, had it not been seen in the person of Christ. I would give some instances. 1. In the person of Christ do meet together infinite glory and lowest humility. Infinite glory and the virtue of humility meet in no other person but Christ. They meet in no created person, for no created person has infinite glory, and they meet in no other divine person but Christ. For though the divine nature be infinitely important to pride, yet humility is not properly predictable of God the Father and the Holy Ghost that exist only in the divine nature. Because it is a proper excellency only of a created nature, for it consists radically in a sense of a comparative lowness and littleness before God, for the great distance between God and the subject of this virtue. But it would be a contradiction to suppose any such thing in God. But in Jesus Christ, who is both God and man, those two diverse excellencies are sweetly united. He is a person infinitely exalted in glory and dignity. Philippians 2 verse 6, being in the form of God, he thought it not robbery to be equal with God. There is equal honour due to him with the Father. John 5 verse 23, that all men should honour the Son even as they honour the Father. God himself says to him, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever Hebrews 1-8. And there is the same supreme respect and divine worship paid to him by the angels of heaven as to God the Father, verse 6, let all the angels of God worship him. But however he is thus above all, yet he is lowest of all in humility. There never was so great an instance of this virtue among either men or angels as Jesus. None ever was so sensible of the distance between God and him or had a heart so lowly before God as the man Christ Jesus. Matthew 11 verse 29, what a wonderful spirit of humility appeared in him when he was here upon earth in all his behaviour, in his contentment in his mean outward condition, contentedly living in the family of Joseph the carpenter and Mary his mother for thirty years together, and afterwards choosing outward meanness, poverty and contempt rather than earthly greatness, in his washing his disciples' feet and in all his speeches and deportment towards them, in his cheerfully sustaining the form of a servant through his whole life and submitting to such immense humiliation at death. 2. In the person of Christ do meet together infinite majesty and transcendent meekness. These again are two qualifications that meet together in no other person but Christ. Meekness, properly so called, is a virtue proper only to the creature. We scarcely ever find meekness mentioned as a divine attribute in scripture, at least not in the New Testament, for thereby seems to be signified a calmness and quietness of spirit arising from humility in mutable beings that are naturally liable to be put into a ruffle by the assaults of a tempestuous and injurious world, but Christ, being both God and man, hath both infinite majesty and superlative meekness. Christ was a person of infinite majesty. It is he that is spoken of, Psalm 45 verse 3, Gird thy sword upon thy thigh, O most mighty, with thy glory in thy majesty. It is he that is mighty that rideth on the heavens and his excellency on the sky. It is he that is terrible out of his holy places, who is mightier than the noise of many waters, gay than the mighty waves of the sea, before whom a fire goeth and burneth up his enemies round about, at whose presence the earth quakes and the hills melt, whose citathon the circle of the earth and all the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers, who rebukes the sea and maketh it dry and dryeth up the rivers, whose eyes are as a flame of fire from whose presence, and from the glory of whose power the wicked shall be punished with everlasting destruction, who is the blessed and only potentate, the king of kings and lord of lords, who hath heaven for his throne and the earth for his footstool, and is the high and lofty one who inhabits eternity, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom and of whose dominion there is no end. And yet he was the most marvelous instance of meekness and humble quietness of spirit that ever was, agreeable to the prophecies of him, Matthew 21 verse 4 in following, quote, all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, Tell ye the daughter of Zion, behold thy king cometh unto thee, meek and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the full of an ass, end quote, and agreeable to what Christ declares himself, Matthew 11, 29, I am meek and lowly in heart, and agreeable to what was manifest in his behavior, for there never was such an instance seen on earth of a meek behavior under injuries and reproaches and towards enemies, who, when he was reviled, reviled not again. He had a wonderful spirit of forgiveness, was ready to forgive his worst enemies, and prayed for them with fervent and effectual prayers. With what meekness did he appear in the ring of soldiers that were condemning and mocking him? He was silent and opened not his mouth, but went as a lamb to the slaughter. Thus is Christ a lion in majesty and a lamb in meekness. 3. There meet in the person of Christ the deepest reverence towards God and equality with God. Christ, when on earth, appeared full of holy reverence towards the Father. He paid the most reverential worship to him, praying to him with postures of reverence. Thus we read of his kneeling down and praying, Luke 22, 41. This became Christ as one who had taken on him the human nature, but at the same time he existed in the divine nature, whereby his person was in all respects equal to the person of the Father. God the Father hath no attribute or perfection that the Son hath not in equal degree and equal glory. These things meet in no other person but Jesus Christ. 4. There are conjoined in the person of Christ infinite worthiness of good and the greatest patience under sufferings of evil. 5. He was perfectly innocent and deserved no suffering. He deserved nothing from God by any guilt of his own, and he deserved no ill from men. Yea, he was not only harmless and undeserving of suffering, but he was infinitely worthy, worthy of the infinite love of the Father, worthy of infinite and eternal happiness, and infinitely worthy of all possible esteem, love, and service from all men. And yet he was perfectly patient under the greatest sufferings that ever were endured in this world. Hebrews 12 verse 2, he endured the cross despising the shame. He suffered not from his Father for his faults, but ours, and he suffered from men not for his faults, but for those things on account of which he was infinitely worthy of their love and honor, which made his patience the more wonderful and the more glorious. 1 Peter 2 verse 20, Quote, For what glory is it, if when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently, but if when ye do well and suffer for it, take ye it patiently. This is acceptable with God, for even hereunto ye are called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that we should follow in his steps. Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth. Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again, when he suffered he threatened not, but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously. Who his own self bear our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sin, should live unto righteousness, by whose stripes ye were healed. There is no such conjunction of innocence, worthiness, and patience under sufferings as in the person of Christ. 5 In the person of Christ are conjoined an exceeding spirit of obedience, with supreme dominion over heaven and earth. Christ is the Lord of all things in two respects. He is so as God-man and mediator, and thus his dominion is appointed and given of the Father. Having it by delegation from God, he is, as it were, the Father's vice-jurend. But he is Lord of all things in another respect, namely, as he is by his original nature, God, and so he is by natural right, the Lord of all, and supreme over all, as much as the Father. Thus he has dominion over the world, not by delegation, but in his own right. He is not an under-God as the Aryans suppose, but to all intents and purposes supreme God. And yet in the same person is found the greatest spirit of obedience to the commands and laws of God that ever was in the universe, which was manifest in his obedience here in this world. John 14 verse 31, As the Father gave me commandment, even so I do. John 15-10, Even as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love, the greatness of his obedience appears in its perfection and in his obeying commands of such exceeding difficulty. Never anyone received commands from God of such difficulty, and that were so great a trial of obedience as Jesus Christ. One of God's commands to him was that he should yield himself to those dreadful sufferings that he underwent. See John 10 verse 18, No man take it that from me, but I lay it down of myself. This commandment received I of my Father. And Christ was thoroughly obedient to this command of God. Hebrews 5-8, Though he were a son, yet he learned obedience by the things that he suffered. Philippians 2-8, He humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Never was there such an instance of obedience in man or angel as this, though he was at the same time supreme Lord of both angels and men. 6. In the person of Christ are conjoined absolute sovereignty and perfect resignation. This is another unparalleled conjunction. Christ, as he is God, is the absolute sovereign of the world, the sovereign disposer of all events. The decrees of God are all his sovereign decrees, and the work of creation, and all God's works of providence, are his sovereign works. It is he that worketh all things according to the counsel of his own will. Colossians 1 verse 16 and following, By him and through him and to him are all things. John 5-17, The Father worketh hither to and I work. Matthew 8-3, I will be thou clean. But yet Christ was the most wonderful instance of resignation that ever appeared in the world. He was absolutely and perfectly resigned when he had a near and immediate prospect of his terrible sufferings and the dreadful cup that he was to drink. The idea and expectation of this made his soul exceeding sorrowful even unto death, and put him into such an agony that his sweat was, as it were, great drops or clots of blood falling down to the ground. But in such circumstances he was wholly resigned to the will of God. Matthew 26 verse 39, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me, nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt. Verse 42, O my Father, if this cup may not pass from me, except I drink it, thy will be done. 7. In Christ do meet together self-sufficiency and an entire trust and reliance on God, which is another conjunction peculiar to the person of Christ. As he is a divine person, he is self-sufficient, standing in need of nothing. All creatures are dependent on him, but he is dependent on none, but is absolutely independent. His proceeding from the Father, in his eternal generation, argues no proper dependence on the will of the Father, for that proceeding was natural and necessary and not arbitrary. But yet Christ entirely trusted in God, his enemies say that of him. He trusted in God that he would deliver him, Matthew 27, 43, and the apostle testifies, verse Peter 2, 23, that he committed himself to God. See, such diverse excellencies are expressed in him towards men that otherwise would have seemed impossible to be exercised towards the same object, as particularly these three, justice, mercy, and truth. The same that are mentioned in Psalm 85, verse 10, mercy and truth are met together, righteousness and peace have kissed each other. The strict justice of God, and even his revenging justice, and that against the sins of men, never was so gloriously manifested as in Christ. He manifested an infinite regard to the attribute of God's justice, in that, when he had a mind to save sinners, he was willing to undergo such extreme sufferings, rather than that their salvation should be to the injury of the honor of that attribute. And as he is the judge of the world, he doth himself exercise strict justice. He will not clear the guilty, nor at all acquit the wicked in judgment. Yet how wonderfully is infinite mercy towards sinners displayed in him. And what glorious and ineffable grace and love have been and are exercised by him towards sinful men. Though he be the just judge of a sinful world, yet he is also the savior of the world. Though he be a consuming fire to sin, yet he is the light and life of sinners, Romans 3, 25 and following, quote, whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation, through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past through the forbearance of God, to declare, I say, at this time his righteousness, that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus, end quote. So the immutable truth of God in his threatenings of his law against the sins of men, was never so manifested as it is in Jesus Christ, for there never was any other so great a trial of the unalterableness of the truth of God in those threatenings, as when sin came to be imputed to his own son. And then in Christ has been seen already an actual complete accomplishment of those threatenings which never has been nor will be seen in any other instance, because the eternity that will be taken up in fulfilling those threatenings on others never will be finished. Christ manifested an infinite regard to this truth of God in his sufferings, and in his judging the world he makes the covenant of works that contains those dreadful threatenings his rule of judgment. He will see to it that it is not infringed in the least jot or tittle. He will do nothing contrary to the threatenings of the law and their complete fulfillment. And yet in him we have many great and precious promises, promises of perfect deliverance from the penalty of that law, and this is the promise that he hath promised us even eternal life. And in him are all the promises of God, yea, and amen. Thus shown wherein there is an admirable conjunction of excellencies in Jesus Christ, I now proceed, secondly, to show how this admirable conjunction of excellencies appears in Christ's acts, namely A, in his taking of human nature, B, in his earthly life, C, in his sacrificial death, D, in his exaltation in heaven, E, in his final subduing of all evil when he returns in glory. A. It appears in what Christ did in taking on him our nature. In this act his infinite condescension wonderfully appeared that he who was God should become man, that the word should be made flesh, and should take on him a nature infinitely below his original nature. And it appears yet more remarkably in the low circumstances of his incarnation. He was conceived in the womb of a poor young woman whose poverty appeared in this, when she came to offer sacrifices for her purification, she brought what was allowed of in the law only in case of poverty as Luke 2.24, according to what is said in the law of the Lord a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons. This was allowed only in case the person was so poor that she was not able to offer a lamb, Leviticus 12.8. And though his infinite condescension thus appeared in the manner of his incarnation, yet his divine dignity also appeared in it, for though he was conceived in the womb of a poor virgin, yet he was conceived there by the power of the Holy Ghost, and his divine dignity also appeared in the holiness of his conception and birth. Though he was conceived in the womb of one of the corrupt race of mankind, yet he was conceived and born without sin, as the angel said to the blessed virgin, Luke 1.35, the Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the highest shall overshadow thee, therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. His infinite condescension marvelously appeared in the manner of his birth. He was brought forth in a stable because there was no room for them in the inn. The inn was taken up by others that were looked upon as persons of greater account. The blessed virgin, being poor and despised, was turned or shut out. Though she was in such necessitous circumstances, yet those that counted themselves her betters would not give place to her, and therefore in the time of her travail she was forced to take herself to a stable. And when the child was born it was wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid in a manger. There Christ lay a little infant, and there he eminently appeared as a lamb. But yet this feeble infant, born thus in a stable and laid in a manger, was born to conquer and triumph over Satan, that roaring lion. He came to subdue the mighty powers of darkness and make a show of them openly and so to restore peace on earth and to manifest God's good will towards men and to bring glory to God in the highest, according as the end of his birth was declared by the joyful songs of the glorious hosts of angels appearing to the shepherds at the same time that the infant lay in the manger, whereby his divine dignity was manifested. B. This admirable conjunction of excellencies appears in the acts and various passages of Christ's life. Though Christ dwelt in mean outward circumstances, whereby his condescension and humility especially appeared, and his majesty was veiled, yet his divine divinity and glory did in many of his acts shine through the veil, and it illustriously appeared that he was not only the son of man, but the great God. Thus in the circumstances of his infancy his outward meanness appeared, yet there was something then to show forth his divine dignity in the wise men's being stirred up to come from the east to give honor to him their being led by a miraculous star and coming and falling down and worshiping him and presenting him with gold, frankincense, and myrrh. His humility and meekness wonderfully appeared in his subjection to his mother and reputed father when he was a child. Herein he appeared as a lamb, but his divine glory broke forth and shown when, at twelve years old, he disputed with the doctors in the temple. In that he appeared in some measure as the lion of the tribe of Judah. And so, after he entered on his public ministry, his marvelous humility and meekness was manifested in his choosing to appear in such mean outward circumstances, and in being contented in them when he was so poor that he had not where to lay his head and depended on the charity of some of his followers for his subsistence as appears by Luke 8 at the beginning. How meek, condescending, and familiar his treatment of his disciples, his discourses with them, treating them as a father his children, yea, as friends and companions. How patient, bearing such affliction and reproach, and so many injuries from the scribes and Pharisees and others. In these things he appeared as a lamb. And yet he at the same time did in many ways show forth his divine majesty and glory, particularly in the miracles he wrought, which were evidently divine works and manifested omnipotent power, and so declared him to be the lion of the tribe of Judah. His wonderful and miraculous works plainly showed him to be the God of nature, in that it appeared by them that he had all nature in his hands, and could lay and arrest upon it, and stop and change its course as he pleased. In healing the sick and opening the eyes of the blind, and unstopping the ears of the deaf and healing the lame, he showed that he was the God that framed the eye and created the ear, and was the author of the frame of man's body. By the deads rising at his command, it appeared that he was the author and fountain of life, and that, quote, God the Lord to whom belong the issues from death, end quote. By his walking on the sea in a storm, when the waves were raised, he showed himself to be that God spoken of in Job 9, verse 8, that tredeth on the waves of the sea. By his stilling the storm and calming the rage of the sea by his powerful command, saying, Peace be still, he showed that he has the command of the universe, and that he is that God who brings things to pass by the word of his power, who speaks and it is done, who commands and it stands fast, Psalm 115, verse 7, who stilleth the noise of the seas and the noise of their waves, and Psalm 107, verse 29, that maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still. And Psalm 139, verse 8 and following, O Lord, God of hosts, who is a strong Lord like unto thee, or to thy faithfulness round about thee, thou rulest the raging of the sea, when the waves thereof rise, thou stillest them. Christ, by casting out devils, remarkably appeared as the lion of the tribe of Judah, and showed that he was stronger than the roaring lion that seizes whom he may devour. He commanded them to come out, and they were forced to obey. They were terribly afraid of him, they fell down before him, and beseech him not to torment them. He forces a whole legion of them to forsake their hold by his powerful word, and they could not so much as enter into the swine without his leave. He showed the glory of his omniscience by telling the thoughts of men, as we have often in account. Herein he appeared to be that God spoken of, Amos 4.13, that declareth unto man what is his thought. Thus in the midst of his meanness and humiliation, his divine glory appeared in his miracles, John 2.11. This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory. And though Christ ordinarily appeared without outward glory and in great obscurity, yet at a certain time he threw off the veil, and appeared in his divine majesty, so far as it could be outwardly manifested to men in this frail state, when he was transfigured in the mount. The Apostle Peter, 2 Peter 1, verses 16 and 17, quote, was an eyewitness of his majesty when he received from God the Father honoring glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, this is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased, which voice that came from heaven they heard when they were with him in the holy mount, end quote. And at the same time that Christ was want to appear in such meekness, condescension and humility, in his familiar discourses with his disciples, appearing therein as the Lamb of God, he was also want to appear as the Lion of the tribe of Judah, with divine authority and majesty in his so sharply rebuking the scribes and Pharisees and other hypocrites. See, this admirable conjunction of excellencies remarkably appears in his offering up himself a sacrifice for sinners in his last sufferings. As this was the greatest thing in all the works of redemption, the greatest act of Christ in that work. So in this act especially, does there appear that admirable conjunction of excellencies that has been spoken out? Christ never so much appeared as a Lamb as when he was slaying. He came like a Lamb to the slaughter, Isaiah 53.7. Then he was offered up to God as a Lamb without blemish and without spot. Then especially did he appear to be the anti-type of the Lamb of the Passover. 1 Corinthians 5 verse 7, Christ our Passover sacrificed for us. And yet in that act he did in a special manner appear as the Lion of the tribe of Judah. Yea, in this above all other acts, in many respects, as may appear in the following things. 1. Then was Christ in the greatest degree of his humiliation, and yet by that, above all other things, his divine glory appears. 2. Christ's humiliation was great in being born in such a low condition of a poor virgin and in a stable. His humiliation was great in being subject to Joseph the carpenter and Mary his mother and afterwards living in poverty, so as not to have where to lay his head, and in suffering such manifold and bitter reproaches as he suffered while he went about preaching and working miracles. But his humiliation was never so great as it was in his last sufferings beginning with his agony in the garden till he expired on the cross. Never was he subject to such ignominy as then, never did he suffer so much pain in his body or so much sorrow in his soul. Never was he in so great an exercise of his condescension, humility, meekness, and patience as he was in these last sufferings. Never was his divine glory and majesty covered with so thick and dark a veil. Never did he so empty himself and make himself of no reputation as at this time. And yet, never was his divine glory so manifested by any act of his as in yielding himself up to these sufferings. When the fruit of it came to appear and the mystery and ends of it to be unfolded in its issue, then did the glory of it appear, then did it appear as the most glorious act of Christ that ever he exercised towards the creature. This act of his is celebrated by the angels and hosts of heaven with peculiar praises as that which is above all others glorious, as you may see in the context Revelation 5 verses 9 through 12, quote, and they sang a new song saying, Thou art worthy to take the book and to open the seals thereof, for thou wast slain and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred and tongue and people and nation, and hast made us unto our God kings and priests, and we shall reign on the earth. And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders, and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice worthy as the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing, end quote. 2. He never in any act gave so great a manifestation of love to God and yet never so manifested his love to those that were enemies to God as in that act. Christ never did anything whereby his love to the Father was so eminently manifested as in his laying down his life under such inexpressible sufferings in obedience to his command and for the vindication of the honor of his authority and majesty nor did ever any mere creature give such a testimony of love to God as that was. And yet this was the greatest expression of his love to sinful men who were enemies of God. Romans 5 verse 10, when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his son. The greatness of Christ's love to such appears in nothing so much as in its being dying love. That blood of Christ which fell in great drops to the ground in his agony was shed from love to God's enemies and his own. That shame and spitting, that torment of body and that exceeding sorrow even unto death which he endured in his soul was what he underwent from love to rebels against God to save them from hell and to purchase for them eternal glory. Never did Christ so eminently show his regard to God's honor as in offering up himself a victim to justice. And yet in this above all he manifested his love to them who dishonored God so as to bring such guilt on themselves that nothing less than his blood could atone for it. 3. Christ never so eminently appeared for divine justice and yet never suffered so much from divine justice as when he offered up himself a sacrifice for our sins. In Christ's great sufferings did his infinite regard to the honor of God's justice distinguishingly appear, for it was from regard to that that he thus humbled himself. And yet in these sufferings Christ was the target of the vindictive expressions of that very justice of God. Revenging justice then spent all its force upon him on account of our guilt, which made him sweat blood and cry out upon the cross, and probably rent his vitals, broke his heart to the fountain of blood for some other blood vessels, and by the violent fermentation turned his blood to water. For the blood and water that issued out of his side when pierced by the spear seems to have been extravasated blood, and so there might be a kind of literal fulfillment of Psalm 22 verse 14, I am poured out like water and all my bones are out of joint. My heart is like wax, it is melted in the midst of my bowels. And this was the way and means by which Christ stood up for the honor of God's justice, namely by thus suffering its terrible executions. For when he had undertaken for sinners and had substituted himself in their room, divine justice could have its due honor no other way than by his suffering its revenges. In this the diverse excellencies that met in the person of Christ appeared, namely his infinite regard to God's justice, and such love to those that have exposed themselves to it, as induced him thus to yield himself a sacrifice to it. 4. Christ's holiness never so illustriously shown forth as it did in his last sufferings, and yet he never was to such a degree treated as guilty. 5. Christ's holiness never had such a trial as it had then, and therefore never had so great a manifestation. When it was tried in this furnace it came forth as gold, or as silver purified seven times. His holiness, then above all, appeared in his steadfast pursuit of the honor of God and in his obedience to him. For his yielding himself unto death was transcendently the greatest act of obedience that ever was paid to God by anyone since the foundation of the world. And yet then Christ was in the greatest degree treated as a wicked person would have been. He was apprehended and bound as a malefactor. His accusers represented him as a most wicked wretch. In his sufferings before his crucifixion he was treated as if he had been the worst and vilest of mankind, and then he was put to a kind of death that none but the worst sort of malefactors were want to suffer, those that were most abject in their persons and guilty of the blackest crimes. And he suffered as though guilty from God himself by reason of our guilt imputed to him, for he who knew no sin was made sin for us. He was made subject to wrath as if he had been sinful himself. He was made a curse for us. Christ never so greatly manifested his hatred of sin as against God as in his dying to take away the dishonor that sin had done to God, and yet never was he to such a degree subject to the terrible effects of God's hatred of sin and wrath against it as he was then. In this appears those diverse excellencies meeting in Christ, namely love to God and grace to sinners. 5. He never was so dealt with as unworthy as in his last sufferings, and yet it is chiefly on account of them that he is accounted worthy. He was therein dealt with as if he had not been worthy to live. They cry out, away with him, away with him, crucify him, John 1915, and they prefer Barabbas before him, and he suffered from the Father as one whose demerits were infinite by reason of our demerits that were laid upon him. And yet it was especially by that act of his subjecting himself to those sufferings that he merited, and on the account of which chiefly he was accounted worthy of the glory of his exaltation. Philippians 2 verses 8 and 9. He humbled himself and became obedient unto death, wherefore God hath highly exalted him. And we see that it is on this account chiefly that he is extolled as worthy by saints and angels in the context worthy, they say, is the Lamb that was slain. This shows an admirable conjunction in him of infinite dignity and infinite condescension and love to the infinitely unworthy. 6. Christ in his last sufferings suffered most extremely from those towards whom he was then manifesting his greatest act of love. He never suffered so much from his Father, though not from any hatred to him, but from hatred to our sins, for he then forsook him or took away the comforts of his presence. And then it pleased the Lord to bruise him and put him to grief as Isaiah 53 verse 10, and yet he never gave so great a manifestation of love to God as then as has been already observed. So Christ never suffered so much from the hands of men as he did then, and yet never was in so high an exercise of love to men. He never was so ill treated by his disciples, who were so unconcerned about his sufferings that they would not watch with him one hour in his agony. And when he was apprehended, all forsook him and fled except Peter, who denied him with oaths and curses. And yet then he was suffering, shedding his blood and pouring out his soul unto death for them. Yea, he probably was then shedding his blood for some of them that shed his blood, for whom he prayed while they were crucifying him, and who were probably afterwards brought home to Christ by Peter's preaching. Compare Luke 23 verse 34, Acts 2 verses 23, 36, 37, and 41, and chapter 3 verse 17, and chapter 4. This shows an admirable meeting of justice and grace in the redemption of Christ. 7. It was in Christ's last sufferings, above all, that he was delivered up to the power of his enemies, and yet by these, above all, he obtained victory over his enemies. Christ never was so in his enemy's hands as in the time of his last sufferings. They sought his life before, but from time to time they were restrained, and Christ escaped out of their hands, and this reason is given for it that his time was not yet come. But now they were suffered to work their will upon him, he was in a great degree delivered up to the malice and cruelty of both wicked men and devils, and therefore when Christ's enemies came to apprehend him, he says to them, Luke 22 verse 53, when I was daily with you in the temple, he stretched forth no hand against me, but this is your hour in the power of darkness, and yet it was principally by means of those sufferings that he conquered and overthrew his enemies. Christ never so effectually bruised Satan's head as when Satan bruised his heel. The weapon with which Christ wore it against the devil and obtained a most complete victory and glorious triumph over him was the cross, the instrument and weapon with which he thought he had overthrown Christ, and brought on him shameful destruction. Colossians 2 verses 14 and 15, blotting out the handwriting of ordinances, mailing it to his cross, and having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it. In his last sufferings, Christ sapped the very foundations of Satan's kingdom, he conquered his enemies in their own territories, and beat them with their own weapons, as David cut off Goliath's head with his own sword. The devil had, as it were, swallowed up Christ, as the whale did Jonah, but it was deadly poison to him, he gave him a mortal wound in his own bowels. He was soon sick of his morsel and was forced to do by him as the whale did by Jonah. To this day he is heart sick of what he then swallowed as his prey. In those sufferings of Christ was laid the foundation of all that glorious victory he has already obtained over Satan in the overthrow of his heathenish kingdom in the Roman Empire, and all the success the Gospel has had since, and also of all his future and still more glorious victory that is to be obtained in the earth. Thus Samson's riddle is most eminently fulfilled, judges 14, 14, out of the eater came forth meat, and out of the strong came forth sweetness. And thus the true Samson does more towards the destruction of his enemies at his death than in his life, in yielding up himself to death, he pulls down the temple of Dagon, and destroys many thousands of his enemies even while they are making themselves sport in his sufferings. And so he whose type was the Ark pulls down Dagon, and breaks off his head and hands in his own temple, even while he is brought in there as Dagon's captive. 1 Samuel 5 verses 1 through 4. Thus Christ appeared at the same time and in the same act as both a lion and a lamb. He appeared as a lamb in the hands of his cruel enemies, as a lamb in the paws and between the devouring jaws of a roaring lion. Yea, he was a lamb actually slain by this lion, and yet at the same time as the lion of the tribe of Judah he conquers in triumphs over Satan, destroying his own destroyer, as Samson did the lion that roared upon him when he rent him as he would a kid. And in nothing has Christ appeared so much as a lion in glorious strength destroying his enemies as when he was brought as a lamb to the slaughter. In his greatest weakness he was most strong, and when he suffered most from his enemies he brought the greatest confusion on his enemies. Thus this admirable conjunction of diverse excellencies was manifest in Christ, in his offering up himself to God in his last sufferings. D. It is still manifest in his acts in his present state of exaltation in heaven. Indeed in his exalted state he most eminently appears in manifestation of those excellencies on the account of which he is compared to a lion, but still he appears as a lamb. Revelation 14 verse 1, And I looked, and lo a lamb stood on Mount Zion. As in his state of humiliation he chiefly appeared as a lamb, and yet did not appear without manifestation of his divine majesty and power as the lion of the tribe of Judah. Though Christ be now with the right hand of God exalted as king of heaven and lord of the universe, yet as he still is in the human nature he still excels in humility. Though the man Christ Jesus be the highest of all creatures in heaven, yet he as much excels them all in humility as he doth in glory and dignity, for none sees so much of the distance between God and him as he does. And though he now appears in such glorious majesty and dominion in heaven, yet he appears as a lamb in his condescending, mild and sweet treatment of his saints there, for he is a lamb still, even amidst the throne of his exaltation, and he that is the shepherd of the whole flock is himself a lamb, and goes before them in heaven as such. Revelation 7 verse 17, For the lamb, which is in the midst of the throne, shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters, and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes. Though in heaven every knee bows to him, and though the angels fall down before him adoring him, yet he treats his saints with infinite condescension, mildness and endearment, and in his acts towards the saints on earth he still appears as a lamb, manifesting exceeding love and tenderness in his intercession for them, as one that has had experience of affliction and temptation. He has not forgot what these things are, nor has he forgot how to pity those that are subject to them, and he still manifests his lamb-like tendencies in his dealings with the saints on earth in admirable forbearance, love, gentleness and compassion. Behold him instructing, supplying, supporting and comforting them, often coming to them and manifesting himself to them by his spirit that he may sup with them and they with him. Behold him admitting them to sweet communion, enabling them with boldness and confidence to come to him and solacing their hearts. And in heaven Christ still appears, as it were, with the marks of his wounds upon him, and so appears as a lamb as it had been slain, as he was represented in vision to Saint John in the text, when he appeared to open the book sealed with seven seals, which is part of the glory of his exaltation. E. And lastly, this admirable conjunction of excellencies will be manifest in Christ's acts at the last judgment. He then, above all other times, will appear as the Lion of the Tribe of Judah in infinite greatness and majesty, when he shall come in the glory of his Father with all the holy angels, and the earth shall tremble before him, and the hills shall melt. E. This is he, Revelation 20 verse 11, that shall sit on a great white throne before whose face the earth and heaven shall flee away. He will then appear in the most dreadful and amazing manner to the wicked. The devils tremble at the thought of that appearance, and when it shall be the kings and the great men and the rich men and the chief captains and the mighty men, and every bond man and every free man shall hide themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains, and shall cry to the mountains and rocks to fall on them to hide them from the face and wrath of the Lamb. And none can declare or conceive of the amazing manifestations of wrath in which he will then appear towards these, or the trembling and astonishment, the shrieking and gnashing of teeth, with which they shall stand before his judgment seat and receive the terrible sentence of his wrath. And yet he will at the same time appear as a lamb to his saints. He will receive them as friends and brethren, treating them with infinite mildness and love. There shall be nothing in him terrible to them, but towards them he shall clothe himself holy with sweetness and endearment. The church shall be then admitted to him as his bride. That shall be her wedding day. The saints shall all be sweetly invited to come with him to inherit the kingdom and reign in it with him to all eternity.