fhaken, however difturbed, is nothing but fluid Crystal; permanently and unalterably clear.

It was a small Thing for the bleffed JESUS, to be influenced by no depraved Propenfity. He was born in a State of confummate Rectitude; and from the first Moment of his exifting in Flesh, was adorned with all the Beauties of Holiness. HOLINESS TO THE LORD was infcribed, not on the Mitre, but on the Heart, and interwoven with the very Nature of our great HIGHPRIEST. Therefore He is ftyled by the Angelic Harbinger of his Birth, THAT HOLY THING *.-In the Prophecy of Zechariah, the Dignity of our REDEEMER's Perfon, and the Perfection of his Obedience, are difplayed by the Similitude of a Stone +, decorated with the most ex

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* Luke i. 35.-Which is fpoken, in Contradiftinction to the State of all other Births; and implies the univerfal Prevalence of original Defilement, this one Inftance only excepted. For, if other Infants were holy at their first Formation, and made after the Image of GOD, this Remark had been trivial and impertinent, if not droll and burlefque; like faying with great Solemnity, "The "Child fhall have a Mouth and a Head; aye, and Eyes "in the one, and Lips to the other."-Far be it from Us, to afcribe Superfluity of Speech, or Weakness of Sentiment, to the Angels of Light. No; here was dignus Vindice Nodus. An unparalleled and miraculous Event. A clean Thing iffuing from an Unclean! A Child perfectly pure and upright; though born of a Woman; fprung from a Daughter of fallen Adam!

+ Zech. iii. 9, 10. For behold the Stone that I have laid before Jofua; upon one Stone shall be feven Eyes; behold! I will engrave the Graming thereof, faith the LORD of Hofts, and I will remove the Iniquity of that Land in one Day. In that Day, faith the LORD of Hofts, fhall ye call every Man bis Neighbour under the Vine, and under the Fig-tree.

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quifite Engraving. Wrought, not by Bezaleel or Aholiab, though divinely inspired Artists, but by the Finger of JEHOVAH Himfelf; and more highly finifhed, than it is poffible for human Skill to equal, or human Thought to conceive.

The whole Tenour of our LORD's Conduct, was a living Exemplification of Piety and Morality, in their most extenfive Branches, and moft amiable Forms. Saints of the highest Attainments have fallen short of the Glory of GOD; have been far from reaching the exalted Standard of his Precepts. But CHRIST failed in no Point; CHRIST came fhort in no Degree.-We formerly observed

the

Behold the Stone; the long-expected MESSIAH; that chief Corner-ftone, on which the Church is built, and the Hope of Ifrael founded. It is laid before Joshua the High-Priest and his Fellows; as the only Foundation, on which those wife Mafter-builders fhould reft the Faith, and establish the Salvation of Sinners.-Upon one Stone hall be feven Eyes; to denote the unerring Difcernment and infinite Wisdom of our LORD. Whereby He is capable of planning, prefiding over, and conducting all Things, relating to the unfearchable Work of Redemption.-I will engrave the Graving thereof. For Him hath GOD the FATHER fealed; diftinguifhed Him by every Characteristic of the MESSIAH; adorned Him with every illuftrious Gift; and fitted Him, in all Refpects, for the Discharge of his grand Office.-I will remove, by his Obedience unto Death, the Iniquity of the Land; and that in one Day, not by a long Train of Victims, or by a frequent Repetition of the fame Sacrifice, but by "his own Oblation once offered."-In Confequence of this all-fufficient Expiation, Peace and Tranquility hall take Place in the Believer's Soul. Even that Peace, which paffeth all Understanding; and is reprefented, though faintly, by fitting under the Vine and · under the Fig-tree. Where the happy Owner and his Friends, enjoy an undisturbed Repofe, a refreshing Shade, and the most delicious Fruit.

the great Sublimity, and vaft Extent of the divine. Law. That, before the Tribunal of GOD, nothing will pafs for Righteousness, but a complete Conformity to this most perfect Rule. From whence appears the utter Impoffibility of our Juftification, on Account of any Duties performed by Ourfelves. How fhould We rejoice then to contemplate our vicarious Righteoufnefs! That which is introduced by our condefcending SURETY!,

JESUS CHRIST, the Surety for Us infol vent Wretches, made Himfelf fubject to this LawAnd though, in its Threatenings, the condemning Power of Sin is fet in terrible Array; though, in its Commands, the very Perfection of Obedience is moft peremptorily infifted on; He afked no Mitigation of its Severity, nor any Abatement of its Demands. "Lo I come, faid He, to pay the ut

termoft Farthing of the Debt, to do every Jot and Tittle of the Duty." That fo his Righte oufnefs, arifing to View, from the feverest Trial, by the exactest Rule, might, like Gold from the Furnace, fhine with all poffible Luftre.

His Righteousness flowed from those best of Principles, fupreme Love to GOD, and unfeigned Affection to Men. Beginning at these two Sources, let Us trace our LORD's Obedience, through fome little. Part of its illuftrious Progrefs.-If, as We proceed, We are enabled to see that Just One, perhaps, We fhall no longer be offended or furprised, at the first and great Command of the Gofpel. This is his Commandment, which has the Precedence to all others, that We should believe on the Name of his Son JESUS CHRIST*. Not,

that We should do any Thing to obtain Life, but that We should believe on his beloved SON; and live by what HE, the bleffed Subftitute for Sinners, has done.

His Delight in GOD was confpicuous, even from his early Years. The facred Solemnities of the Sanctuary, were more engaging to his youthful Mind, than all the Entertainments of a Feftival. When He entered upon his Miniftry, whole Nights were not too long for his copious Devotions. The lonely Retirements of the Defart, as affording Opportunity for undisturbed Communion with GOD, were more defirable to CHRIST, than the Applauses of an admiring World.

So ceafelefs and tranfcendent was his Love to GOD, that He never fought any separate Pleasure of his own; but always did those Things, which were pleafing in his FATHER's Sight. Wift ye not, that I must be about my FATHER's Business? was the Rule of his Childhood, and the leading Maxim of his whole Life. In doing this, He took unspeakable Satisfaction: in doing this, He was abfolutely indefatigable. It was his Meat and Drink, refreshing as the richest Food, delightful as royal Dainties, to finish the Work that was given Him to do*.

How wakeful and jealous was his Concern for the divine Honour! I hear the vileft Reproaches caft upon his own Character: I fee the most horrid Indignities offered to his own Perfon. Yet no refentful Emotion reddens in his Cheek; not one angry Syllable ftarts from his Mouth. But when mercenary Wretches prophane the Temple, and VOL. III.

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John iv. 34.

turn the House of Prayer into a Den of Thieves; then his generous Bofom throbs with Zeal; then He makes his Tongue like a fharp Sword; and having first feverely rebuked, afterwards refolutely expels, the facrilegious Intruders.-Indeed, his Zeal for the Houfe of the LORD and for the Purity of his Ordinances, is reprefented by the evangelical Hiftorian, as eating Him up *. Like a heavenly Flame, glowing in his Breast, it sometimes fired Him with a graceful Indignation; fometimes melted Him into godly Sorrow; always broke forth and exerted itself in a Variety of vigorous Efforts; till it even confumed his vital Spirits.

So active and unremitted was the Obedience of the bleffed JESUS, that the Sun did not enter upon his Morning Race with a more conftant Affiduity, nor dispatch his daily Circuit with greater Expedition. And fure I am, that radiant Lumimary never dispensed Beams, half so bright, or a thousandth Part fo beneficial.-Short was his Span, but how grand and extensive were his Services. So grand, that they bring more Glory to GOD, than all the Adminiftrations of Providence, and all the Phænomena of Nature. So extenfive, that they spread, in their gracious Efficacy, to the Ends of the Earth, and to the clofing Period of Time. Nay, they will diffuse their blessed Influence even to the celestial World, and have no other Limits of their Duration than the Ages of Eternity.

Who can declare the Charity of JESUS CHRIST? It was ardent: it was unintermitted: it was unbounded. Though always ferene and ferious, He was never fullenly grave. His Conver

John ji. 17,

fation