was valid, and the debt paid to the utter moft farthing. This, I apprehend, was the reafon why an angel was fent from heaven. to roll away the ftone from the door of the fepulchre. It was not furely to open a paffage for our Lord, as though any stone, how great foever, could have confined his revived body to the grave; for we read, John xx. 19. that "on the fame day at evening, when the doors were shut, where "the difciples were affembled for fear of "the Jews, Jefus came and stood in the midft of them." But what our Lord faid to the people (John xii. 30.) concerning the voice which came from heaven, in anfwer to that prayer, "Father, glorify thy "name," This voice came not because of me, but for your fakes,-may juftly be applied to that appearance of the angel. It was not because of Chrift, as though he needed his aid, but for the fake of the pious women who had come to vifit the fepulchre; and I may add, for the fake of all whom their report fhall reach, to make it evident, that his discharge was iffued in due form, in teftimony of the Father's infinite delight in

him, and of his perfect fatisfaction with his whole conduct as Mediator. This leads to the

Fourth and left particular; upon which it is as impoffible to fay enough, as it is unneceffary to fay much; namely, the glory he received from the Father as the promised and merited reward of his obedience and fufferings.

Of this we have many lofty descriptions in Scripture. There we are told, that "God who raifed him from the dead, hath "fet him at his own right hand in the

heavenly places, far above all principality, "and power, and might, and dominion, " and every name that is named, not only "in this world, but also in that which is "to come: and hath put all things under "his feet, and given him to be the head over "all things to the church."" He is gone," faith our Apoftle, in the 3d chapter of this epistle, at the 22d verfe," He is gone in"to heaven, and is on the right hand of "God; angels, and authorities, and powers,

being made fubject unto him." He is

con

conftituted the final judge of men; for: "God hath appointed the day in which he. "will judge the world in righteousness by "that man whom he hath ordained; where"of he hath given affurance unto all men, "in that he raised him from the dead.".

"Then fhall the Lord Jefus be revealed. "from heaven, with his mighty angels, in

flaming fire, taking vengeance on them "that know not God, and that obey not the

gofpel of our Lord Jefus Chrift: who "fhall be punished with everlasting de"ftruction from the prefence of the Lord, "and from the glory of his power; when "he fhall come to be glorified in his faints, "and to be admired in all them that be"lieve." The donation of this glory by his heavenly Father, and its connection with his previous fufferings and death, are folemnly acknowledged by our Lord himself, in that prayer which he uttered in the hearing of his difciples, John xvii. 4, 5. "I have glorified thee on earth: I have "finifhed the work which thou gaveft me "to do. And now, O Father, glorify "thou me with thine own felf, with the VOL. II. L glory

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"glory which I had with thee before the "world was." And both are exprefsly afferted in the fame connection, Philip. ii. 6,-11. where the Apostle first relates the several steps of our Lord's humiliation, and then adds, " Wherefore God alfo hath, "highly exalted him, and given him a

name above every name: That at the "name of Jefus every knee fhould bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, "and things under the earth; and that

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every tongue should confefs, that Jesus "Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the "Father."

Thus I have endeavoured to give you a fhort illustration of the agency of the Father in the work of man's redemption, as it is described in this paffage. He ordained the Saviour; he manifefted him to the world; he raised him up from the dead;he gave him glory. And all thofe par

ticulars are made known to us. For what end? That our faith and hope may be in God. Amazing goodness! What shall we fay to this?" Lord, we believe; help thou our "unbelief."

Can

Can we entertain hard thoughts of that God, who hath not only done fuch great things for our recovery, but done them in a manner fo demonstrative of his love, that it is impoffible for the jealoufy of guilt itfelf to find out any feeming defect in the encouragement they afford, or or to devife any additional fecurity, for dispelling the fears, and affuring the hopes, of the chief of finners; who, confcious of deserved wrath, and confeffing the juftice of the fentence that condemns them, flee for refuge to that fanctuary erected by infinite wifdom and love, for the reception of those who look for protection no where else? Unbelief, when viewed in the glass of my text, changeth its afpect; and instead of timid distrust, plainly appears to be daring prefumption. We give God the lie, when we put away from ourfelves the calls of his mercy, and offers of his grace: Whereas, by a humble and thankful acceptance of the Saviour,

we set to our feal that God is true and only render unto him the glory that is due to his name, as the God of love, the God who is love, even the God and Father of our Lord

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